Potential Therapy For Human Inflammatory Disorders

Elafin: Potential Therapy for Human Inflammatory Disorders by Obiageli C. Okpala Supervisor: Dr Sukhvinder S. Bansal In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the MSc Biopharmaceuticals degree, King’s College London August 2015 Abstract Elafin is an anti-inflammatory peptide which specifically inhibits neutrophil elastase and proteinase-3 that would otherwise result in excessive inflammation and tissue damage. It has 57 amino acid residues and two functional domains; the C-terminus which is a globular whey acid protein (WAP) and the N-terminus which binds to transglutaminase enzyme. Its structure is characterised by a planar spiral shape with an exposed external loop connected by four disulphides to the internal B-sheath†¦show more content†¦It is an alarm anti-protease which is expressed locally to provide protection within tissues, against the excessive inflammatory action of these proteases (Verrier, 2012). It is encoded in humans, as trappin-2 (9.9 kDa), by a 2kb gene located on chromosome 20 (Verrier, 2012). The proteolytic cleavage of trappin-2 or pre-elafin by the enzyme tryptase, results in the release of its derivative molecule, elafin (Guyot, 2005) (Figure 2) by the loss of cementoinThe smaller pe ptide molecule would therefore have different properties from its parent molecule that would increase its effectiveness in inhibition of inflammation. This alarm anti-protease is secreted at the site of injury in response to primary cytokines like interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF), making them possibly the first line of defence in the anti-proteinase network (Sallenave, 2000). Elafin is produced mainly by epithelia in the skin, upper gastrointestinal tract, female reproductive tract, lungs and in low levels in serum. Its secretion is upregulated in the presence of inflammatory stimuli or conditions such as psoriasis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (Shaw, 2011), although some research have shown that uncontrolled protease activity may lead to its proteolytic cleavage (Small, 2015). This was confirmed in a study by Guyot et al which demonstrated that the involvement of purified NE in

The Host Chapter 29 Betrayed Free Essays

string(91) " He said my name slowly-unwillingly, I could tell, though his voice was even and toneless\." Maybe I should have run the other way. But no one was holding me back now, and though his voice was cold and angry, Jared was calling to me. Melanie was even more eager than I was as I stepped carefully around the corner and into the blue light; I hesitated there. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 29: Betrayed or any similar topic only for you Order Now Ian stood just a few feet ahead of me, poised on the balls of his feet, ready for whatever hostile movement Jared might make toward me. Jared sat on the ground, on one of the mats Jamie and I had left here. He looked as weary as Ian, though his eyes, too, were more alert than the rest of his exhausted posture. â€Å"At ease,† Jared said to Ian. â€Å"I just want to talk to it. I promised the kid, and I’ll stand by that promise.† â€Å"Where’s Kyle?† Ian demanded. â€Å"Snoring. Your cave might shake apart from the vibrations.† Ian didn’t move. â€Å"I’m not lying, Ian. And I’m not going to kill it. Jeb is right. No matter how messed up this stupid situation is, Jamie has as much say as I do, and he’s been totally suckered, so I doubt he’ll be giving me the go-ahead anytime soon.† â€Å"No one’s been suckered,† Ian growled. Jared waved his hand, dismissing the disagreement over terminology. â€Å"It’s not in any danger from me, is my point.† For the first time he looked at me, evaluating the way I hugged the far wall, watching my hands tremble. â€Å"I won’t hurt you again,† he said to me. I took a small step forward. â€Å"You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to, Wanda,† Ian said quickly. â€Å"This isn’t a duty or a chore to be done. It’s not mandatory. You have a choice.† Jared’s eyebrows pulled low over his eyes-Ian’s words confused him. â€Å"No,† I whispered. â€Å"I’ll talk to him.† I took another short step. Jared turned his hand palm up and curled his fingers twice, encouraging me forward. I walked slowly, each step an individual movement followed by a pause, not part of a steady advance. I stopped a yard away from him. Ian shadowed each step, keeping close to my side. â€Å"I’d like to talk to it alone, if you don’t mind,† Jared said to him. Ian planted himself. â€Å"I do mind.† â€Å"No, Ian, it’s okay. Go get some sleep. I’ll be fine.† I nudged his arm lightly. Ian scrutinized my face, his expression dubious. â€Å"This isn’t some death wish? Sparing the kid?† he demanded. â€Å"No. Jared wouldn’t lie to Jamie about this.† Jared scowled when I said his name, the sound of it full of confidence. â€Å"Please, Ian,† I pleaded. â€Å"I want to talk to him.† Ian looked at me for a long minute, then turned to scowl at Jared. He barked out each sentence like an order. â€Å"Her name is Wanda, not it. You will not touch her. Any mark you leave on her, I will double on your worthless hide.† I winced at the threat. Ian turned abruptly and stalked into the darkness. It was silent for a moment as we both watched the empty space where he had disappeared. I looked at Jared’s face first, while he still stared after Ian. When he turned to meet my gaze, I dropped my eyes. â€Å"Wow. He’s not kidding, is he?† Jared said. I treated that as a rhetorical question. â€Å"Why don’t you have a seat?† he asked me, patting the mat be-side him. I deliberated for a moment, then went to sit against the same wall but close to the hole, putting the length of the mat between us. Melanie didn’t like this; she wanted to be near him, for me to smell his scent and feel the warmth of his body beside me. I did not want that-and it wasn’t because I was afraid he would hurt me; he didn’t look angry at the moment, only tired and wary. I just didn’t want to be any closer to him. Something in my chest was hurting to have him so near-to have him hating me in such close proximity. He watched me, his head tilted to the side; I could only meet his gaze fleetingly before I had to look away. â€Å"I’m sorry about last night-about your face. I shouldn’t have done that.† I stared at my hands, knotted together in a double fist on my lap. â€Å"You don’t have to be afraid of me.† I nodded, not looking at him. He grunted. â€Å"Thought you said you would talk to me?† I shrugged. I couldn’t find my voice with the weight of his antagonism in the air between us. I heard him move. He scooted down the mat until he sat right beside me-the way Melanie had hoped for. Too close-it was hard to think straight, hard to breathe right-but I couldn’t bring myself to scoot away. Oddly, for this was what she’d wanted in the first place, Melanie was suddenly irritated. What? I asked, startled by the intensity of her emotion. I don’t like him next to you. It doesn’t feel right. I don’t like the way you want him there. For the first time since we’d abandoned civilization together, I felt waves of hostility emanating from her. I was shocked. That was hardly fair. â€Å"I just have one question,† Jared said, interrupting us. I met his gaze and then shied away-recoiling both from his hard eyes and from Melanie’s resentment. â€Å"You can probably guess what it is. Jeb and Jamie spent all night jabbering at me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I waited for the question, staring across the dark hall at the rice bag-last night’s pillow. In my peripheral vision, I saw his hand come up, and I cringed into the wall. â€Å"I’m not going to hurt you,† he said again, impatient, and cupped my chin in his rough hand, pulling my face around so I had to look at him. My heart stuttered when he touched me, and there was suddenly too much moisture in my eyes. I blinked, trying to clear them. â€Å"Wanda.† He said my name slowly-unwillingly, I could tell, though his voice was even and toneless. You read "The Host Chapter 29: Betrayed" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Is Melanie still alive-still part of you? Tell me the truth.† Melanie attacked with the brute strength of a wrecking ball. It was physically painful, like the sudden stab of a migraine headache, where she tried to force her way out. Stop it! Can’t you see? It was so obvious in the set of his lips, the tight lines under his eyes. It didn’t matter what I said or what she said. I’m already a liar to him, I told her. He doesn’t want the truth-he’s just looking for evidence, some way to prove me a liar, a Seeker, to Jeb and Jamie so that he’ll be allowed to kill me. Melanie refused to answer or believe me; it was a struggle to keep her silent. Jared watched the sweat bead on my forehead, the strange shiver that shook down my spine, and his eyes narrowed. He held on to my chin, refusing to let me hide my face. Jared, I love you, she tried to scream. I’m right here. My lips didn’t quiver, but I was surprised that he couldn’t read the words spelled out plainly in my eyes. Time passed slowly while he waited for my answer. It was agonizing, having to stare into his eyes, having to see the revulsion there. As if that weren’t enough, Melanie’s anger continued to slice at me from the inside. Her jealousy swelled into a bitter flood that washed through my body and left it polluted. More time passed, and the tears welled up until they couldn’t be contained in my eyes anymore. They spilled over onto my cheeks and rolled silently into Jared’s palm. His expression didn’t change. Finally, I’d had enough. I closed my eyes and jerked my head down. Rather than hurt me, he dropped his hand. He sighed, frustrated. I expected he would leave. I stared at my hands again, waiting for that. My heartbeat marked the passing minutes. He didn’t move. I didn’t move. He seemed carved out of stone beside me. It fit him, this stonelike stillness. It fit his new, hard expression, the flint in his eyes. Melanie pondered this Jared, comparing him with the man he used to be. She remembered an unremarkable day on the run†¦ â€Å"Argh!† Jared and Jamie groan together. Jared lounges on the leather sofa and Jamie sprawls on the carpet in front of him. They’re watching a basketball game on the big-screen TV. The para-sites who live in this house are at work, and we’ve already filled the jeep with all it can hold. We have hours to rest before we need to disappear again. On the TV, two players are disagreeing politely on the sideline. The cameraman is close; we can hear what they’re saying. â€Å"I believe I was the last one to touch it-it’s your ball.† â€Å"I’m not sure about that. I wouldn’t want to take any unfair advantage. We’d better have the refs review the tape.† The players shake hands, pat each other’s shoulders. â€Å"This is ridiculous,† Jared grumbles. â€Å"I can’t stand it,† Jamie agrees, mirroring Jared’s tone perfectly; he sounds more like Jared every day-one of the many forms his hero worship has taken. â€Å"Is there anything else on?† Jared flips through a few channels until he finds a track and field meet. The parasites are holding the Olympics in Haiti right now. From what we can see, the aliens are all hugely excited about it. Lots of them have Olympic flags outside their houses. It’s not the same, though. Everyone who participates gets a medal now. Pathetic. But they can’t really screw up the hundred-meter dash. Individual parasite sports are much more entertaining than when they try to compete against each other directly. They perform better in separate lanes. â€Å"Mel, come relax,† Jared calls. I stand by the back door out of habit, not because I’m tensed to run. Not because I’m frightened. Empty habit, nothing more. I go to Jared. He pulls me onto his lap and tucks my head under his chin. â€Å"Comfortable?† he asks. â€Å"Yes,† I say, because I really, truly am entirely comfortable. Here, in an alien’s house. Dad used to say lots of funny things-like he was speaking his own language sometimes. Twenty-three skidoo, salad days, nosy parker, bandbox fresh, the catbird seat, chocolate teapot, and something about Grandma sucking eggs. One of his favorites was safe as houses. Teaching me to ride a bike, my mother worrying in the doorway: â€Å"Calm down, Linda, this street is safe as houses.† Convincing Jamie to sleep without his nightlight: â€Å"It’s safe as houses in here, son, not a monster for miles.† Then overnight the world turned into a hideous nightmare, and the phrase became a black joke to Jamie and me. Houses were the most dangerous places we knew. Hiding in a patch of scrubby pines, watching a car pull out from the garage of a secluded home, deciding whether to make a food run, whether it was too dicey. â€Å"Do you think the parasites’ll be gone for long?† â€Å"No way-that place is safe as houses. Let’s get out of here.† And now I can sit here and watch TV like it is five years ago and Mom and Dad are in the other room and I’ve never spent a night hiding in a drainpipe with Jamie and a bunch of rats while body snatchers with spotlights search for the thieves who made off with a bag of dried beans and a bowl of cold spaghetti. I know that if Jamie and I survived alone for twenty years we would never find this feeling on our own. The feeling of safety. More than safety, even-happiness. Safe and happy, two things I thought I’d never feel again. Jared makes us feel that way without trying, just by being Jared. I breathe in the scent of his skin and feel the warmth of his body under mine. Jared makes everything safe, everything happy. Even houses. He still makes me feel safe, Melanie realized, feeling the warmth where his arm was just half an inch from mine. Though he doesn’t even know I’m here. I didn’t feel safe. Loving Jared made me feel less safe than anything else I could think of. I wondered if Melanie and I would have loved Jared if he’d always been who he was now, rather than the smiling Jared in our memories, the one who had come to Melanie with his hands full of hope and miracles. Would she have followed him if he’d always been so hard and cynical? If the loss of his laughing father and wild big brothers had iced him over the way nothing but Melanie’s loss had? Of course. Mel was certain. I would love Jared in any form. Even like this, he belongs with me. I wondered if the same held true for me. Would I love him now if he were like this in her memory? Then I was interrupted. Without any cue that I perceived, suddenly Jared was talking, speaking as if we were in the middle of a conversation. â€Å"And so, because of you, Jeb and Jamie are convinced that it’s possible to continue some kind of awareness after†¦ being caught. They’re both sure Mel’s still kicking in there.† He rapped his fist lightly against my head. I flinched away from him, and he folded his arms. â€Å"Jamie thinks she’s talking to him.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Not really fair to play the kid like that-but that’s assuming a sense of ethics that clearly does not apply.† I wrapped my arms around myself. â€Å"Jeb does have a point, though-that’s what’s killing me! What are you after? The Seekers’ search wasn’t well directed or even†¦ suspicious. They only seemed to be looking for you-not for us. So maybe they didn’t know what you were up to. Maybe you’re freelancing? Some kind of undercover thing. Or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was easier to ignore him when he was speculating so foolishly. I focused on my knees. They were dirty, as usual, purple and black. â€Å"Maybe they’re right-about the killing-you part, anyway.† Unexpectedly, his fingers brushed lightly once across the goose bumps his words had raised on my arm. His voice was softer when he spoke again. â€Å"Nobody’s going to hurt you now. As long as you aren’t causing any trouble†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged. â€Å"I can sort of see their point, and maybe, in a sick way, it would be wrong, like they say. Maybe there is no justifiable reason to†¦ Except that Jamie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My head flipped up-his eyes were sharp, scrutinizing my reaction. I regretted showing interest and watched my knees again. â€Å"It scares me how attached he’s getting,† Jared muttered. â€Å"Shouldn’t have left him behind. I never imagined†¦ And I don’t know what to do about it now. He thinks Mel’s alive in there. What will it do to him when†¦?† I noticed how he said when, not if. No matter what promises he’d made, he didn’t see me lasting in the long term. â€Å"I’m surprised you got to Jeb,† he reflected, changing the subject. â€Å"He’s a canny old guy. He sees through deceptions so easily. Till now.† He thought about that for a minute. â€Å"Not much for conversation, are you?† There was another long silence. His words came in a sudden gush. â€Å"The part that keeps bugging me is what if they’re right? How the hell would I know? I hate the way their logic makes sense to me. There’s got to be another explanation.† Melanie struggled again to speak, not as viciously as before, this time without hope of breaking through. I kept my arms and lips locked. Jared moved, shifting away from the wall so that his body was turned toward me. I watched the movement from the corner of my eye. â€Å"Why are you here?† he whispered. I peeked up at his face. It was gentle, kind, almost the way Melanie remembered it. I felt my control slipping; my lips trembled. Keeping my arms locked took all my strength. I wanted to touch his face. I wanted it. Melanie did not like this. If you won’t let me talk, then at least keep your hands to yourself, she hissed. I’m trying. I’m sorry. I was sorry. This was hurting her. We were both hurting, different hurts. It was hard to know who had it worse at the moment. Jared watched me curiously while my eyes filled again. â€Å"Why?† he asked softly. â€Å"You know, Jeb has this crazy idea that you’re here for me and Jamie. Isn’t that nuts?† My mouth half-opened; I quickly bit down on my lip. Jared leaned forward slowly and took my face between both his hands. My eyes closed. â€Å"Won’t you tell me?† My head shook once, fast. I wasn’t sure who did it. Was it me saying won’t or Melanie saying can’t? His hands tightened under my jaw. I opened my eyes, and his face was inches away from mine. My heart fluttered, my stomach dropped-I tried to breathe, but my lungs did not obey. I recognized the intention in his eyes; I knew how he would move, exactly how his lips would feel. And yet it was so new to me, a first more shocking than any other, as his mouth pressed against mine. I think he meant just to touch his lips to mine, to be soft, but things changed when our skin met. His mouth was abruptly hard and rough, his hands trapped my face to his while his lips moved mine in urgent, unfamiliar patterns. It was so different from remembering, so much stronger. My head swam incoherently. The body revolted. I was no longer in control of it-it was in control of me. It was not Melanie-the body was stronger than either of us now. Our breathing echoed loudly: mine wild and gasping, his fierce, almost a snarl. My arms broke free from my control. My left hand reached for his face, his hair, to wind my fingers in it. My right hand was faster. Was not mine. Melanie’s fist punched his jaw, knocked his face away from mine with a blunt, low sound. Flesh against flesh, hard and angry. The force of it was not enough to move him far, but he scrambled away from me the instant our lips were no longer connected, gaping with horrorstruck eyes at my horrorstruck expression. I stared down at the still-clenched fist, as repulsed as if I’d found a scorpion growing on the end of my arm. A gasp of revulsion choked its way out of my throat. I grabbed the right wrist with my left hand, desperate to keep Melanie from using my body for violence again. I glanced up at Jared. He was staring at the fist I restrained, too, the horror fading, surprise taking its place. In that second, his expression was entirely defenseless. I could easily read his thoughts as they moved across his unlocked face. This was not what he had expected. And he’d had expectations; that was plain to see. This had been a test. A test he’d thought he was prepared to evaluate. A test with results he’d anticipated with confidence. But he’d been surprised. Did that mean pass or fail? The pain in my chest was not a surprise. I already knew that a breaking heart was more than an exaggeration. In a fight-or-flight situation, I never had a choice; it would always be flight for me. Because Jared was between me and the darkness of the tunnel exit, I wheeled and threw myself into the box-packed hole. The boxes crunched, crackled, and cracked as my weight shoved them into the wall, into the floor. I wriggled my way into the impossible space, twisting around the heavier squares and crushing the others. I felt his fingers scrape across my foot as he made a grab for my ankle, and I kicked one of the more solid boxes between us. He grunted, and despair wrapped choking hands around my throat. I hadn’t meant to hurt him again; I hadn’t meant to strike. I was only trying to escape. I didn’t hear my own sobbing, loud as it was, until I could go no farther into the crowded hole and the sound of my thrashing stopped. When I did hear myself, heard the ragged, tearing gasps of agony, I was mortified. So mortified, so humiliated. I was horrified at myself, at the violence I’d allowed to flow through my body, whether consciously or not, but that was not why I was sobbing. I was sobbing because it had been a test, and, stupid, stupid, stupid, emotional creature that I was, I wanted it to be real. Melanie was writhing in agony inside me, and it was hard to make sense of the double pain. I felt as though I was dying because it was not real; she felt as though she was dying because, to her, it had felt real enough. In all that she’d lost since the end of her world, so long ago, she’d never before felt betrayed. When her father had brought the Seekers after his children, she’d known it was not him. There was no betrayal, only grief. Her father was dead. But Jared was alive and himself. No one’s betrayed you, stupid, I railed at her. I wanted her pain to stop. It was too much, the extra burden of her agony. Mine was enough. How could he? How? she ranted, ignoring me. We sobbed, beyond control. One word snapped us back from the edge of hysteria. From the mouth of the hole, Jared’s low, rough voice-broken and strangely childlike-asked, â€Å"Mel?† How to cite The Host Chapter 29: Betrayed, Essay examples

New England Patriarca Mafia Essay Example For Students

New England Patriarca Mafia Essay Organized crime in the United States keeps the FBI and other law enforcement agencies in a never-ending investigation of criminals suspected of the infiltration of legitimate businesses. A notorious twentieth century organized group was the New England Patriarca Mafia, or N.E.P.M.. Originating in 1915, the N.E.P.M. evolved over the early twentieth century decades, until 1954 when Raymond Loredo Salvatore Patriarca was donned as boss* and promptly began to expand its power. Due to mafia-related language that will be present throughout the paper, a page of definitions is supplied at the end of the paper. Defined words throughout the paper will be noted with an asterisk, * . To gain a basic knowledge for what organized crime really is and how the N.E.P.M. falls into this category, a short summary of legal characteristics is required. As defined by the Presidents Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, organized crime is, A society that seeks to operate outside the control of the American people and their governments. It involves thousands of criminals*, working within structures as complex as those of any large cooperation, subject to laws more rigidly enforced than those of legitimate governments. Its actions are not impulsive but rather the result of intricate conspiracies, carried on over many years and aimed at gaining control over whole fields of activity in order to amass huge profits (P.C.C., 1970). Organized crime is a collective result of the commitment, knowledge, and actions of three components: (1) Criminal groups, who are core persons tied by racial, linguistic, ethnic or other bonds; (2) Protectors, who are persons who protect the groups interests; and (3) Specialist support, which are persons who knowingly render services on an side-job basis to enhance the groups interests. In order to thrive, an organized crime group needs many different elements. First, it needs an ensured continuity of members, clients, supporters, funds, etc. Additionally, it needs structure, criminality, violence, memberships based on common grounds, and a willingness to corrupt a power and profit goal. Generally, mafia organized crime groups disguise themselves behind the ownership of a legitimate business to avoid questioning from the Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) regarding any financial sources. The illegal enterprises are more likely to be smaller than their legal counterparts due to lack of external credits, lack of court enforceable contracts, a need to restrict knowledge of participation in the enterprise, and the inability to advertise or create goodwill for the enterprise itself, as opposed to goodwill for its agents. Raymond Patriarca was born on March 17, 1908 in Worcester, Massachusetts to Italian immigrants Eleuterio and Mary Jane (DeNubile) Patriarca. At age three, the Patriarca family relocated to Federal Hill in Providence, Rhode Island, where his father opened a liquor store. Spending 59 of his 76 years of life being classified as a criminal*, Patriarca wasted no time in earning his nickname of the King of Rackets. It started at age seventeen, when he served his first jail sentence for a liquor law violation. His first known criminal position was serving as a guard for mafia bootlegging shipments as well as a hijacker of rival shipments. At age 21, he was imprisoned again, but this time being convicted of federal offenses including conspiracy to murder, armed robbery, violating the White Slave Act*, adultery, auto theft, and breaking and entering. In the late 1930s, Patriarca gained attention from the mafia and became an important Lieutenant and Hitman for Phil Buccola, the current New Eng land mafia boss. In 1938, Patriarca was convicted of carrying a gun without a permit, possession of burglary tools and the armed robbery of the Brookline Jewelry firm, and was sentenced three to five years in state prison. This case was the beginning of his continuous involvement in political corruption. Just 84 days after being in jail, the Massachusetts Executive Council approved his pardon petition. Years later, Councilor Daniel H. Coakley, a disbarred lawyer, was impeached as a result of his involvement in the Patriarca case and several other matters. In 1938, Patriarca married Helen G. Mandella, the sister of and assistant messenger in the office of Leverett Saltonstall who was then governor of Massachusetts and went on to become a U.S. senator. Together they gave birth to a son, Raymond J. Patriarca, who went by Junior. By the early 1950s, Bucolla retired as boss and moved back to Sicily to escape the widespread trials occurring regarding La Cosa Nostra*, or L.C.N.. By 1952, P atriarca was powerful enough to take on his rival mob boss Carlton OBrian. The N.E.P.M. became dominant in the underground of Rhode Island following the murder of OBrien, and Patriarca became the new boss in 1954. Once Patriarca had ultimate control over the N.E.P.M., he rapidly expanded its power to include Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine. His expansion of power included loansharking*, gambling, hijacking, etc. Out of his office, he operated National Cigarette Service and Coin-O-Matic Distributors, a vending machine and pinball business to keep himself from being in the I.R.S.s spotlight. At one point, his office was bugged and Patriarca was recorded admitting to underbosses* about how he was able to influence the decisions of prosecutors, bribe police officials for intelligence information and affect government decisions on granting licenses, probation, and parole. Luckily, Patriarca proved the bugs to have been placed illegally and was acquitted of charges. Af ter Ms. Mandellas death from cancer in 1965, Patriarca went on to marry Rita OToole, a former hostess at a Rhode Island nightspot. The two moved from Providence to Johnston, Rhode Island where Patriarca made an office on Atwells avenue. In 1968, Patriarca was arrested and convicted of conspiracy to murder William Willie Marfeo, a small-time hood who ran an illegal dice game without Patriarcas permission on his turf. Marfeo was killed by four shotgun blasts in the telephone booth of a restaurant in Federal Hill in 1966. Patriarca was sentenced to 5 years in the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta and was fined $10,000. A man asked to commit the murder was Joseph Barboza Barron, a tough ex-boxer from New Bedford who had claimed to have killed at least 40 persons. He was arrested in Boston for gun possession and forfeited $70,000 to make bail. When he asked for the help of the N.E.P.M. but was denied reimbursement, Barron realized that the N.E.P.M. did not care about him and became an F.B. I. informant. Barrons testimony was a key factor in the conviction of Patriarca. After serving his federal sentence, Patriarca was transferred to another ten-year sentence for conspiracy in the murders of Marfeos brother, Rudolph, and Anthony Melei while still in prison. Paroled on January 9, 1975, Patriarca returned to his Atwells Avenue office and resumed his illegal activities. Through the testimony of another informant in 1978, Patriarch was involved in the proposal of a $4 million contract by the C.I.A. in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Between 1980 and 1983, Patriarca was arrested and charged with the murders of Robert Candos, who was rumored to have been scheduled to testify against him, and Raymond (Baby) Curcio, who allegedly burglarized the home of his brother and close associate, the late Joseph Patriarca. Patriarca died of a heart attack at age 76 on July 11, 1984. It is said that he was laid to rest with the solemn dignity of an ancien t Roman Emperor. Despite his criminal career, his supporters remember him for his love for children, generosity to those in need, and polite manners. Nazi Leaders in WWII EssayBoss: The head of the family. He does not participate in the day-to-day activities of the organization, but is supposed to get a cut from every income source. He usually has his own legitimate and illegitimate businesses. Caporegime: Captain. Also known as Capos. Supervisors of the familys day-to-day criminal operations; represents the family among the soldiers, whom they oversee. He may have their own legitimate and illegitimate ventures, and retain part of the income paid by their soldiers. The number of capos depends on the size of the family. Consiglieri: Literally, counselor. Assists the boss, but has no leadership authority. He is generally an older, experienced member who can advise family members. Usually only one per family. Crime Family: A unit of Cosa Nostra operating in a specific territory, composed of men tied together by loyalty to their crime boss and sometimes by actual blood relationship. Criminal: A person guilty of crime or a serious offense; involving or being or having the nature of a crimeGangland: The underworld of organized criminal gangs. Indictment: A written statement charging a party with the commission of a crime or other offense, drawn up by a prosecuting attorney and found and presented by a grand jury. Informant: A criminal who cooperates with law enforcement agencies in exchange for reduced charger, reduced sentences, and immunity from imprisonment. Labor Racketeering: The use of force or threats to obtain money for ensuring jobs or labor peace. La Cosa Nostra: The largest, most extensive, and most influential crime group for more than 55 years. Loansharking: Lending money to individuals at an interest rate in excess of that permitted by law. Made Man: A man of Italian ancestry who has undergone the initiation ritual of the LCN. Money Laundering: The processing of dirty money into clean, untraceable funds. National Commission: Established by Salvatore Lucky Luciano in 1931. Consisted of nine to twelve crime family bossesProtectors: Support network for the family. Consist of corrupt public officials, bankers, lawyers, attorneys, and other professionals who protect the criminal group from governmental action, both civil and criminal. Racketeering: Any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, or dealing with narcotic or dangerous drugs. Soldier: The basic rank in the family. They are the ones who make the organization such a truly predatory creation. Typically he already has a background in burglary and robbery before he is considered for membership. Sometimes known as a wise guy, or button, or a made man. They are the men who do a majority of the mafias murders and other dirty work. Underboss: Assists the boss. Usually he is being groomed to succeed the boss, but succession is not automatic. There is only one underboss per family. White Slave Act: Also known as the Federal Mann Act. Prohibits anyone know knowingly persuades, induces, entices, or coerces and woman or girl to travel between states or countries for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose, with or without her consent. BibliographyApuzzo, Matt and John Doherty. Feds Outline Mello Ties to Mafia. Standard Times19 Dec. 2002. 5 April 2005Barry, Jim. Banned in Boston. Philadelphia City Paper 7-14 June 2001. 5 April 2005 Behar, Richard. All That Glitters . . .Stephen Soccocia thought he could go on laundering hundreds of millions in drug money forever. He was wrong. Time Magazine 16 Dec. 1991. 5 April 2005 Connelly, Richard J. and Jim Calogero. Raymond Patriarca Dies at 76: Reputedly Ruled N.E. Organized Crime. Boston Globe 11 July 1984. 6 April 2005 Internal Revenue Service. Report of Income Unreported on Individual Income Tax Returns. Report No. 1104. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1979. Lawrence, J.M. Judge Oks Suites vs. Crooked Feds. Boston Herald 18 Sept. 2004. 6 April 2005 Machi, Mario. New-England Boston, MA. 1997. PLR International. 5 April 2005 Organized Crime/Drug Branch, Criminal Investigation Division. An Introduction to Organized Crime in the United State. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1993. Pace, Denny F. and Jimmie C. Styles. Organized Crime: Concepts and Controls. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice Hall: 1975. Pennsylvania Crime Commission. Report on Organized Crime. Harrisburg: 1970. Reuter, Peter. The Organization of Illegal Markets: An Economic Analysis. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1985. U.S. Presidents Commission on Organized Crime. The Impact: Organized Crime Today: Report to the President and the Attorney General. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1986.

What is Violence an Example of the Topic Psychology Essays by

What is Violence? Most people would argue that violence is an unlawful act of aggression with the power to make a big impact on both the attackers as well as the attacked (Violence). However, violence is not always unlawful. Even fewer persons realize that violence is first of all an emotion that may be dealt with before it turns into an act of aggression. Indeed, violence is a turbulent mental state that people may check within themselves with a little background in cognitive psychology, or with self-help books sold by the millions and authored by positive thinkers (Violence). This turbulent mental state, if unchecked, could easily translate into self-aggression or harm that is done unto others. Need essay sample on "What is Violence?" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed As a disturbed and often unbearably heated mental state, violence may result from chemical imbalances in the human brain, as in the case of people who quit drugs to face withdrawal symptoms that they find excruciatingly painful. Or, violent thoughts may erupt as a result of perceived difficulties, if not the words and deeds of another who may be perceived to have insulted the person now suffering from violent thoughts. Regardless of the reason for sudden, violent thoughts, it may not be obvious to all people that a person is suffering from violent thoughts. An individual on the roadside may be silently thinking, I must kill so and so, without allowing anybody else to know his or her intentions. Even though most people believe that violence must be manifested in an act of aggression to be defined as violence, the real definition of the word must constitute the subjective feelings of the person with violent thoughts (Violence). There would be no act of aggression without the disturbed thoughts and feelings of the individual that is experiencing them. Whereas the police normally show up only after an act of aggression has been committed by a person thinking violent thoughts, the real definition of the word taking into account the root of violence, that is, angry thoughts and feelings makes national psychological testing (for violent thoughts) an even greater necessity than street patrol. A large number of persons thinking violent thoughts and feeling violent feelings in the world may very well be mentally sick. Indeed, the disturbed mental state defined as violence may become chronic, as in the case of terrorists who just would not stop planning out deadly attacks against the innocent. A person that reacts to the senseless violence of the terrorists that bomb a school bus may also think violent thoughts against the perpetrators. He or she might want to blow up the terrorists instead with a bomb. Although the person that wishes to violently punish or destroy the terrorists must also be thinking violent thoughts, society would be quick to label the individual as a lover of justice. In other words, violence is not unlawful at all times; acts of aggression committed in self-defense are considered legitimate, too. Most people additionally believe that violence is not as serious when it is only committed upon oneself. A person who commits suicide is not necessarily looked upon as a bad person, but those that kill other human beings are most definitely condemned by the majority of people worldwide. Yet, the definition of violence does not vary. Violence that is manifested as acts of aggression committed upon oneself, through the slashing of ones wrists, for example, is as immoral or unethical as murder, seeing that a life is being taken by force in both suicide and murder. Hateful, abusive words are yet another manifestation of violence, that is, the disturbed state of mind with violent thoughts and feelings. While the majority of people have accepted as a given that violence must needs entail the shedding of blood with a spray of bullets; countless homes around the world have witnessed the sorrow of emotional abuse by way of angry exchanges. Words of violence have the power to break families, just as words of forgiveness and love have retained their capacity to make homes. When violent thoughts and feelings have subsided, however, the previously angry individual may understand that he or she was clearly mistaken. Hence, violence is not normally understood to be an emotion of rationality. In crime prevention and self-defense, on the other hand, violence is not irrational. Works Cited Violence. WordNet: Princeton University Cognitive Science Lab. 2005.

Free Essays on Hacker

† (CandyMan). Most of these crackers are merely â€Å"young teenage punks† who just wish to get a â€Å"kick† out of â€Å"destroying or alternating data† (CandyMan). Yet, a hacker is only â€Å"an individual who yearns for knowledge† (CandyMan), which fits Mentor’s statement that hackers â€Å"seek after knowledge.† So, why is it that we see headlines and news reports on cyber warfare and cyber terrorism in which the word most repeated is â€Å"hacker?† According to Joel Snyder, columnist for Internet World magazine, true hacking â€Å"used to exist† and what prevails now is â€Å"the new digital terrorism.† Therefore, what is there to say about hackers? Should we be blaming these acts of cyber terrorism on crackers instead? Or are they the same as hackers? The truth is that it doesn’t matter that much since the importance is to end these cyber crimes, but is this possible? Cyber terrorism began appearing since the dawn of the Internet. It has only been a couple of years since it has become a subculture, an actual problem. An article in the Washington Times spoke of the new warfare, not nuclear warfare, but cyber warfare. There is â€Å"evidence that Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, India, and Azerbaijan† (Maier) have tried to enter US computer systems in search of information useful for their countries. A... Free Essays on Hacker Free Essays on Hacker â€Å"I am a hacker, enter my world now† (Mentor). These are the words of The Mentor, one of the most famous anonymous hackers in history. He is known for forming several hacker groups and his famous â€Å"Hacker’s Manifesto.† In this infamous document he states the principles of the hacker, the way they think, and how they came to being. Which brings up the question, what do they think? What principles do they live by? Why are they who they are? It is hard to explain it, but for starters it would be recommended to differentiate a hacker from a cracker. A cracker is â€Å"one who attempts to break into a system via crack/guessing user passwords† (CandyMan). Most of these crackers are merely â€Å"young teenage punks† who just wish to get a â€Å"kick† out of â€Å"destroying or alternating data† (CandyMan). Yet, a hacker is only â€Å"an individual who yearns for knowledge† (CandyMan), which fits Mentor’s statement that h ackers â€Å"seek after knowledge.† So, why is it that we see headlines and news reports on cyber warfare and cyber terrorism in which the word most repeated is â€Å"hacker?† According to Joel Snyder, columnist for Internet World magazine, true hacking â€Å"used to exist† and what prevails now is â€Å"the new digital terrorism.† Therefore, what is there to say about hackers? Should we be blaming these acts of cyber terrorism on crackers instead? Or are they the same as hackers? The truth is that it doesn’t matter that much since the importance is to end these cyber crimes, but is this possible? Cyber terrorism began appearing since the dawn of the Internet. It has only been a couple of years since it has become a subculture, an actual problem. An article in the Washington Times spoke of the new warfare, not nuclear warfare, but cyber warfare. There is â€Å"evidence that Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, India, and Azerbaijan† (Maier) have tried to enter US computer systems in search of information useful for their countries. A...

Take An Example

Take An Example Take An Example Take An Example By Maeve Maddox The following comment got me thinking about the ways example is used: I hope we all can take an example from Shakespeare, and dare to break the structured guidelines. Since the writer was talking about Shakespeare the writer and not â€Å"Shakespeare† the works, a more accurate wording would have been: I hope we all can take Shakespeare as an example, and dare to break the structured guidelines. Alternately, the writer could have written: I hope we all can take Shakespeare as our example, and dare to break the structured guidelines. Here are some expressions that use example. for example: I like fruit, for example, strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries. by way of example: Let’s take the works of George Eliot by way of example. to make an example {of a person) : The captain made an example of the thief by ordering a punishment of ten lashes. to set an example: People in positions of governmental power ought to set an example for honesty. to take example: Take example from the life of Samuel Johnson and be kind to the helpless. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of AdjectivesThe Parts of a WordThe Difference Between e.g. and i.e.?

End-of-Life Ethical Dilemma for Nurses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

End-of-Life Ethical Dilemma for Nurses - Essay Example In a qualitative study, the differences in the ethical burden on end-of-life decisions between nurses and doctors were determined.   Although the research covered small sampling, which included seven doctors and 14 nurses working in critical areas, it never failed to convey the universal dilemma encountered by healthcare workers which is the struggle to arrive at a conclusive and moral decision regarding euthanasia.   Furthermore, the study’s findings concluded that the main difference in mercy killing is that physicians are to deal with the â€Å"decision making itself† whilst nurses have to â€Å"live with these decisions†.   Mercy killing is the kind of problem that does not leave the patient the sole right to decide.   It comes in varied forms of condition where the end result is the termination of the life of the patient.   Although a patient voluntarily requests for the termination of his life, ethical considerations must be taken into account.   More often a terminally ill patient is depressed so that the only solution he regards to, is death.   This issue leaves nurses and physicians the responsibility of determining the mental and emotional capability of the patient to decide for himself.   There is also the issue of the legality of the family to represent the unconscious, clinically dead patient and to request for discontinuation of life support.  Ã‚   Across the world, euthanasia has occupied a constant seat in the debate regarding morality.

An interview with a small animal expert Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An interview with a small animal expert - Essay Example The nature of the dog makes its most attractive among Americans and to many people around the world. Dogs are extremely loyal and affectionate. They also look affectionate and cute that endears them to most people. They are also safe and relatively easy to maintain. Psychologically, they also tend to fill some void among humans that makes them attractive to us. For example, many experts would advise for us to get a dog if we feel lonely and to some extent, dogs can make us feel a little less lonely. Yes dogs are very helpful in a family. First is that people in your house will have an automatic playmate. Do you also know that dogs are effective security guards and are extremely protective of their masters? They also bring laughter and joy in the family and to other people. Are brings a sense of affection and responsibility to children growing up. They teach children responsibility on how to take care of something which first begins with a dog. In fact, there are some schools where children are asked to have a dog for them to be taught responsibility. Dogs as cute and affectionate they may be are not for all people. Most people may love them but there are some people who finds them annoying and always â€Å"bother† them. Untrained dogs tend to have some â€Å"bothersome† trait as well such as destroying your things in the house or just plainly noisy. Most dogs becomes obedient when they are treated and fed well. But again, if the dog proves difficult, there are always obedient schools or people who could train dogs. Probably you mean rabies where people contracted it when bitten by dogs. Yes rabies and dangerous and could kill people in a very disturbing way. This however can easily be remedied by having the dog injected with an anti-rabies solution to neutralize its rabies. Dogs also don’t normally bit people especially their masters and that is even if they are hurt. But of course dogs are animals who

The China-Faced Doll Essay Example for Free

The China-Faced Doll Essay It seemed so harmless, just another one of its kind. Everyone was captivated by its innocent grin and other charming characteristics. If only everyone knew the truth. Everyday I feel the pain of my losses, living the consequences of a crackpots corrupted mind. My story begins nigh on one hundred years ago, when I was unborn but the crackpot was not. Although various stones have been left unturned, my research of the matter has proved fairly successful and has led me to believe many a thing that may seem improbable. The maniac that I speak of is a man, a man with an intention, an unethical intention! For the past century, people have rumoured theories as regards the mans life, his immoralities, and his disturbing suicide. Only now do I understand the reality. The man had a gift for art, and made his wealth and local fame in his unique production of china-faced dolls. During the course of his life he became more and more reserved, keeping himself to himself and his friends far away. These friends, therefore, and all people, lost interest in him and he became somewhat of a loner. Through this deficiency of companions he developed a grudge against mankind, and gradually a hate for all living things. He turned his malevolence to his work, and made a new doll, the One Doll. Into this doll he poured his spite and malice, his decadent mind. To this doll he gave a life. Eventually, loneliness was said to have destroyed him, and as the tax collector was visiting his house one damp morn, he found, to his absolute horror, the doll-maker, knife in hand, throat slit from ear to ear and surrounded by hundreds of china smiles. One of these beaming jaws was particularly wide, the nearest one to the slain and the only one without sleek, jet-black hair. Instead its fiery red curls threw the rooms light off the walls. The lonesome man left no will, and as a result the entire estate was re-collected by the government, and the dolls were sold off to the highest bidding member of the public. All that is except for the red-head who was considered scary and ugly, and was buried along with all the other useless items in a desolate field, which there were plenty of back then. Any events, regarding the man, his death and his dolls materialised after his death still remains a mystery to me. Although I could give an educated guess, I wont as it could be misleading and bring a false dimension to my tale.

Seamus Heaney & Tony Curtis Essay -- English Literature

Seamus Heaney & Tony Curtis On initial reading both the Follower and Strongman are simply about a son's relationship with their father. Whilst this relationship is a central theme of both poems, the poems also explore a range of issues including cultural identity, guilt and social class. This essay will attempt to analyse both poems individually and to also identify areas of conflict and similarity between the poems. The first two words of Follower by Seamus Heaney are "My father" which immediately establishes the poet's emotionally involved relationship with the subject of the poem. In contrast the poet of Strongman writes in the third person for the majority of the poem and it is only really in the last two lines that the poet establishes that he is addressing the poem to the son. Both poems create a vivid picture of physically strong fathers who draw on their physical strength by undertaking skilled manual jobs to support their families "My father worked with a horse-plough" and "A carpenter who could punch nails into wood with a clench fist". Seamus Heaney employs the use of a number of sea images in helping the reader to visualise the immense strength and stamina of his father's body "His shoulders globed like a full sail strung" and "Sometimes he rode me . Dipping and rising to his plod". Similarly Tony Curtis employs powerful visual imagery to illustrate the father in his poem as the pivot of a roundabout with his five sons as seats/chairs swinging from his arms as he "would stretch his arms and hang his five sons from them, turning like a roundabout". This is a very successful simile as it encapsulates the swinging motion of the father playing with his children and on a deeper note the fathe... ...man focuses on the reversed roles of the father and son. The original role of the father as the provider and central axis in the family has now disappeared to the extent that it is now the son who not only cares for the father physically but also emotionally as he reassures the father with "No trouble - he said, no trouble, Dad". The final likes of the poem encapsulate the indignities of sickness and old age. The use of minimalist, stark language, without the use of unnecessary adjectives heightens the poignancy of the last lines. In conclusion both Follower and Strongman are brief but effective poems that successfully portray father - son relationships. The readers are allowed an intimate snapshot/glimpse into these relationships. Both poems describe the permanent bonds between fathers and sons whilst also effectively addressing how these bonds evolve.

Power of a Woman (the Colour Purple)

The Power of Women Every country on earth is affected by a common issue – discrimination. Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially in regards to race, age, or sex. Such an issue began to affect the world in the seventeenth century, and has continued till this day. African Americans were first targeted by the Caucasian race due to the significant difference within their skin tone. In the Colour Purple by Alice Walker, people are faced with several types of discrimination: sexism, domestic abuse and racism. Discrimination is one of the most devastating events that mankind may have to potentially face. In the seventeenth century, sexism was leading this era. Women were not thought of very highly and were often taken advantage of. Till this day there are still sexist comments being targeted towards women. This social issue in society plays a large role, which dictates the opinions and views of when perceiving a gender . In the novel, The Colour Purple there is a very sexist setting, causing frequent beatings, the stereotypes based on African American women, and the thoughts and feelings towards them. Throughout this novel many different strong women are mistreated, the strongest of them all being – Cellie. Sexism played a large part in women’s lives, as they were judged upon a woman’s beauty, clothing and children. When young Cellie was sold and married to an older man, she did not know the devastating events that her life would bring. Cellies husband makes her cook, clean, take care of his kids, shave him and have sexual intercourse with him. Cellie accepted the stereotypes that were presented to her and she was obligated to think that the way she was treated was acceptable â€Å"When a women marry she spose to keep a decent house and family† p47. When Cellie says this she is sharing her thoughts on how a married woman should act and her place in the home. This forces Cellie to be prejudice and think that all men are horrible and sexist. There comes a time in every strong woman’s life, that hurtful words are said about appearance, imagine and behaviour. This young woman was told every single day by all the men in her life how ugly she was. She was reminded every single day about her flaws, this lead to the down fall in her self- esteem issues. Her husband never showed her love because he thought she was â€Å"too black† to actually love or even respect. The reason why Cellie’s father sold her and not her younger sister was because she was too pretty for any man, and young Cellie was not. She was reminded every day of her flaws. â€Å"He black as tar, nappy-headed, got legs like baseball bats, and I hear she got that nasty women's disease†. This quote is said to Cellie by her father in law while they are having a family dinner. Cellie begins to feel embarrassed because her whole family begins to laugh and agree. Sexism is a type of discrimination, and is still an issue in today’s society. Thousands of homes have been affected by domestic violence. The conformational battle between spouses, ex spouses and children has been affecting society for a long time. Each year thousands of females are beaten by their husbands, fathers, or even their brothers. Before Cellie married, she was harassed by her own father. He would rape her and give her cruel and unusual punishments. She thought she had no options and had to endure the pain that her father had infused upon her. Cellie did not know that the pain she was enduring from her father was against the law, because she had been surrounded in this environment her entire life and it was all she knew. Cellie did not understand that being raped by her father and getting her daughter taken away from her was against the law. â€Å"He [Pa] never had a kine word to say to me. Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn’t. First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it. I don’t never get used to it. And now I feels sick every time I be the one to cook† p1. Cellie’s father was physically violent and he caused extensive emotional damage by not showing respect for his daughter, he treated her like she was his personal slave and he never said a kind word to her. She was under her father’s influence as she was not able to tell anyone about the events that were taking place in her home and the way she was being treated. Cellie struggled her whole entire life in search for happiness. When Cellie was sold and married to a man, she was glad because she was unconfined from her father and his cruelty. Her husband had no intension of loving her, he not only physically abused her but he was verbally abusive as well. He ordered her to take care of all the housework- because she is a female and he insisted that she look after his kids. If Cellie refused and defied her husband she was severally punished. It is common for any human being that is put forth in these traumatizing events to lose respect for themselves, forget how to live life as well as love. Cellie’s life has always been full of sorrow and darkness, until a miracle occurred. Cellie met a powerful women who changed her perspective in life, and reminded her how to laugh, have fun and stand up for herself. She found the courage to stand up for herself and get a divorce from her husband. â€Å"I curse you, he say what you mean? I say until you do right by me everything you touch will crumble† p122. Cellie realized that a woman does not need a man to survive and that woman can live their lives the way they want to. She managed to establish self respect and obtain higher self esteem. Racism is the discrimination of different races and is the thought of one race or color of skin has more physical and mental abilities than another. Why do we think such things of other people? Is it really right to think of people differently because of the color of their skin? In the seventeenth century it was considered tolerable to be divided by the colour of your skin. Caucasian’s were known to be successful store owners and filthy rich. Whereas people from the African American decent were slaves or small store owners and were considered poor. The Caucasian decent at the time were the wealthiest and always wanted the cleanest African Americans to be their slaves and take care of all their household chores. If an African American refused to become a slave then they were forced to become on and had to endure cruel and unusual punishments. In the novel, another powerful women Sofia is taken away from her family and friends to become a slave. She was a slave for the most powerful woman, Sofia had chosen to stand up for herself and say that she did not want to be the mayors wife’s slave, she had even slapped her for asking, Sofia was then put into jail. Once she was released from jail, she was sent to the mayor’s house to become their slave, once again and now became their property. â€Å"Miss Millie finger the children some more, finally look at Sofia and the prizefighter. She look at the prizefighter car. She eye Sofia wristwatch. She say to Sofia, All your children so clean, she say, would you like to work for me, be my maid? Sofia say, Hell no. She say, What you say? Sofia say, Hell no. Mayor look at Sofia, push his wife out the way. Stick out his chest. Girl, what you say to Miss Millie? Sofia say, I say, Hell no† p137. Any African American woman would be honoured to work for a wealthy Caucasian family but Sofia was unwilling and had enough self respect not to degrade herself. Sofia is standing up for herself, her children and her beliefs, but she is thrown into jail to be beaten and come out a scared black women. Sofia’s children do not become slaves or â€Å"maids†, but one of Sofia’s punishments was that she was not allowed to see or even speak to her family. One Thanksgiving Day, Sofia was rewarded for being a good slave and was allowed to go visit her family with one condition, Miss. Mille would have to drive her there and back to make sure she would not run away. When they got there Miss. Mille was not able to turn off her car, so Sofia’s brother had tried to help, but Miss. Mille got scared and thought she was being sexually abused. Miss. Mille had forced Sofia to drive her home and she was never to come back to see her family again. â€Å"Come on Cellie, let’s go these people are going to hurt me and your the only one I trust† p150. Even though Sofia’s brothers were only trying to help Miss. Millie, she was scared because they were â€Å"black† she was being racist and stereotyped that all â€Å"black† people were not decent individuals. Racism played a very important role in African American families; it broke them apart and/or made them stronger. It had broken bonds and made African Americans live through memories they have of each other. Discrimination is a social issue that still influences people all around the world. This issue has many different aspects and people are affected and treated by it differently. The novel The Colour Purple is a historical novel that involves many different forms of discrimination: sexism, racism and domestic abuse. Discrimination is affecting many people around the world and we need to put an end to it, putting an end to it is the only way we will be able to change the world!

Isolated figures denied Essay

‘Isolated figures denied the fulfilment they crave by forces that appears to conspire against them’. To what extent is this true of the characters’ lives from your understanding of The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion? This short story is based on two love triangles, at the apex of both being Phyllis, a secluded young woman who lives alone with her father, a failed doctor in an isolated farmhouse outside Weymouth. It is described as an â€Å"obscure island nook† which encapsulates the fact that there was no fresh work for the failed doctor, Phyllis’ father. One day Richard Gould, a failed businessman, turns up at her door and after a short courtship asks for her hand in marriage. The father immediately accepts this offer as he gets the impression that Gould is of higher social status than him and as the sole benefactor he would profit from their marriage. However, his intentions were well made and although convenient, Gould’s act had forced her father into a mistaken calculation. In his pursuit of illusions, he misses several points, such as the fact he had made her father’s acquaintance before he made hers, giving the impression that he was looking in desperation for a bride. Despite of first impressions, Gould is, in fact, â€Å"poor as a crow† but he gives an impression of having class status. The marriage arrangements were not based on love but were simply a convenience, which results in it being for material security rather than a romantic affair. Gould is then forced to leave to for Bath, an excuse about his father covering up his â€Å"pecuniary condition† leaving Phyllis bemused. The date of his return passed and winter arrived. This change of season is a metaphor, which represents the colour of Phyllis’ mood, described now as â€Å"lonely in the extreme† as she had no knowledge of why her husband to be had delayed his return. The change back to spring represents a change in Phyllis’ fortunes. Although Gould had kept in contact with her through â€Å"regular yet formal† letters, there was still an uncertainty in her condition. Phyllis’ loyalty however did not waver, which is meant to represent the passivity of women at that time in a male-dominated society. At this change, however, a new influence invades her life, which â€Å"charged all youthful thought with emotional interest†. This is the presence of the York Hussars, a military regiment taken from Germany to serve in Britain. They were renowned for their â€Å"foreign air and mustachios which drew crowds of spectators wherever they travelled† which shows Hardy’s evident eye for detail that appears time again throughout the story. Phyllis was sitting on top of a wall at the base of her garden, apparently a favourite spot for her from childhood, when she sees an alien figure walk up the path. One of the soldiers from the Hussars camped nearby was walking up the path, with the manner of â€Å"someone who wishes to escape company†. He is in contrast to the splendid men who usually are the visual front to the Hussars and it seems as though this soldier wished to escape the rigours of military life. The soldier notices Phyllis on the wall, who was dressed in â€Å"white raiment† typically the colour of innocence and inexperience. She is captivated by him and falls in love at first sight. After a few days of this they start talking. She finds out his name is Matthaus Tina and how he was forcibly removed from his home to join the army and had quickly reached the rank of corporal. He was well educated and had soon proved himself in the strongly class-based society of the army. These â€Å"interviews† occurred on a daily basis; soon the conversation spread to his life at home and his longing for his mother. Hardy introduces a scholarly influence by comparing her pity of him to that of Desdemona, a character from Othello, a tragedy by Shakespeare. This is an apt comparison, as the piece itself will eventually turn into a tragedy full of mistaken judgements, well-intentioned actions and undeserved misfortune. The wall is a metaphor for the boundary between them; it is described as being in disrepair, which indicates the unstable base for their romance and the lack of unity. All through the story this wall remains between them until finally when Phyllis attempts to break free. She learns that although the regiment appears happy in fact it was â€Å"pervaded by a dreadful melancholy† powered by a longing for the return for their home showing a background of natural prejudice. This need was driven for a hatred of their English officers and English attitude in general. Matthaus is said to suffer one of the worst from this â€Å"home-woe† and Phyllis pities him but still declined any form of physical contact or even permit him to cross the boundary line of the wall. Coincidentally news reached Phyllis of Gould through the village of how he only had a half-understanding of their current arrangements and that it was still not finalised. Now as this was still a rumour, it would be indecent of Dr. Grove to approach Gould but it overshadowed all previous thoughts of marriage. This rumour was also backed up with the fact that Gould’s letters had become more infrequent. Phyllis’ â€Å"heart sank within her† as she recognised the fact that her engagement had come to nothing. Despite of this father had noticed her attachment to Matthaus, he warned her not to go outside the boundary in her purpose of pursuing him, effectively making her a prisoner of her own home. However, she had no intention of leaving the garden however and the meetings continued as before. Then one evening an unforeseen accident destroyed her plans said to be decided by â€Å"fate†. She had been delayed by chance and Matthaus waited at the gate for her. The time he was due back in camp came and went but still he stayed. When she finally met him he was extremely late and on his return she heard that he had been stripped of his rank. The tragic consequence of this was that the chances of her father letting her marry him if Gould did not materialise had been slim but now they were practically nil. It was at this point that she makes one of the greatest decisions of her life. Matthaus had suggested that he was planning an escape from the army with several close companions and return to Germany and his mother. At first she seems amazed but then uncertainty steps in â€Å"I fear I am ruining you and your prospects†. However eventually she was persuaded but questions their route to freedom and how they propose to achieve it. Their scheme included stealing a boat and crossing across the channel to France. Here they would hike to Germany using their army wages to buy food and shelter. He asks to meet her just off the highway (symbolic of a turning point in her life) from where they should flee. He tells her that a friend of his, Christoph would also join them along with two others not named but who detested British authority. Coincidentally when she returned home, however, she found out that her father had spotted her with Matthaus. A confrontation occurred but her father had already decided she should go to her aunt’s to resist the temptation. He had still not given up faith on Gould, as he believed it was in best interest for her to marry him showing a paternal domination of his family. Her heart died within her as she heard this news and the house became like â€Å"a prison to Phyllis†, so she let her mind fly to the prospects of Matthaus’ scheme. Her confidence in Matthaus was fulfilled. On her return, she arranged to meet him at a junction off the main road the following week and when the time arose she waited just off the road hidden in a position where she could see any passers-by. The symbolic junction of the main road represents another turning point in Phyllis’ life where she has an option of which path to choose. She then hears a carriage come down the hill and stop nearby and as fate would have it Humphrey Gould, long awaited, stepped out. The carriage came down the hill as though Gould was lowering himself to Phyllis, in terms of class status. He talked to the driver about a present he had bought for Phyllis and he admits to treating her â€Å"rather badly†. In a rush of indecisiveness, Phyllis tries to make up her mind; should she be loyal to her father and Gould and return home or follow her instincts and leave to a new life. This again represents Phyllis’ lack of decisive action and passivity of women at that time and this concept is repeated several times throughout the story. At this point Matthaus climbs over the gate behind her and â€Å"presses her to his breast†. This is the first time that the metaphorical boundary of the wall has not divided them in their relationship. Phyllis left with them and after a long night of travelling to the coast they meet with the friend, Christoph, just before sunrise. At this point Phyllis makes her final decision and they separate for the last time on a hill overlooking the sea, dooming their relationship itself a metaphor as the sea represents freedom and this is simply describing how close she has come yet as it is dark she is still blind to it, her future an uncertainty. After she returns to her house, she finds Gould with an expensive gift – a looking glass which â€Å"won Phyllis’ admiration† and until that point she had regretted leaving Matthaus. However, things were to take a turn for the worse tragically after Matthaus had left. She finds out that whilst he had been away he had met a new lady, who would be a much better choice as she came from the same upper class background as Gould yet another example of class distinction which was obviously very powerful at that time. This shows how the value of money dictates Gould’s priorities. It is an irony that she finds this out on that day, as she would then not have hesitated to run away with Matthaus. Phyllis was shocked at this because she viewed Gould as a person who would confide every last detail of truth with her judging by the information in his letters. She retreated to the only place where she could be alone – the old wall-where she dreams about what her life could have been like had she taken the other route. One morning those dreams are brought to an abrupt halt. On a morning described as being â€Å"broke in fog and mist† behind which the faint outlines of tents and the camp were visible from the wall and this is against the permanence and regularity of the natural landscape. The mood is also set in an almost slow-time as Hardy describes in minute detail the landscape, such as â€Å"every blade of grass was weighted with little golden globes†, an image captivating the idealistic morning. As she watched in â€Å"melancholy regard† she sees a procession led by an English colonel, who represents the cultural background of Anglo – German hostilities. Two prisoners are led in front of a firing squad, clearly Matthaus and Christoph. After a prayer, they were executed in front of the entire regiment and their bodies ordered to be turned out of their coffins as an example to the men by the English Colonel, resented by the men. Tragically it turned out that they had stolen the boat as planned, and at first sight of land thought it was France and went ashore. It turned out it was Guernsey and the men were arrested and sent back to England so it was ironic that this mission that this mission seemed doomed to failure. It was simply undeserved misfortune they had arrived in the wrong place and a fault in navigation. On arrest, they had sacrificed themselves for the two other comrades by claiming to be ringleaders. Whilst the others had received a flogging, the punishment for desertion was death and so this order was carried out. As a consequence Phyllis symbolically died of a broken heart and was buried near where the two men lie. The idea of the love triangles that was stated at the start of this essay are the heart of the story. At the centre of both is Phyllis but on one is Gould and Dr. Grove her father. On the second is Matthaus and his mother, who Phyllis longs to be with. This story is an example of the number of external factors that can shape peoples destinies in life. It shows how chance events, such as Phyllis sitting on the wall at the time of Matthaus’ arrival along with tragic circumstances that arise, can affect the course of change. The idea is that we are powerless to control our destiny, and seeming coincidences may appear to be pre-ordained but fate is out of our control.

How to Use the French Preposition Dans

How to Use the French Preposition Dans The French preposition dans usually means in, but,  depending on the context, it also has other English equivalents, such as from, through, on, during and off. Dans cannot be followed directly by a noun but rather must be followed by an article or some other determiner. It can indicate a physical location, a figurative location and time. Dans is also required after certain French verbs  that  take  an  indirect object. Physical Location   Ã‚  Ã‚  dans la boà ®te   in the box  Ã‚  Ã‚  dans la rue   in the street  Ã‚  Ã‚  boire dans une tasse   to drink from a cup  Ã‚  Ã‚  prendre quelque chose dans une boà ®te  Ã‚  to take something from a box  Ã‚  Ã‚  copier quelque chose dans un livre   to copy something from a book  Ã‚  Ã‚  dans lavion   on the plane  Ã‚  Ã‚  mettre quelque chose dans le tiroir   to put something in the drawer  Ã‚  Ã‚  monter dans le train   to get on the train  Ã‚  Ã‚  voir quelquun dans lescalier   to see someone on the stairs Figurative Location   Ã‚  Ã‚  dans la situation actuelle   in the current situation  Ã‚  Ã‚  dans ces conditions in / under these conditions Period of  Time   Ã‚  Ã‚  dans la journà ©e during the day  Ã‚  Ã‚  dans la semaine during the week  Ã‚  Ã‚  dans une semaine in one week Verbs with Dans The French preposition  dans  is required after certain French verbs that take an  indirect object. boire qqchose dans  (une tasse) to drink something out of (a cup)chercher  dans  (la boà ®te)  Ã‚  to look in (the box)courir dans  (lherbe)  Ã‚  to run through (the grass)coà »ter dans  (les dix euros)  Ã‚  to cost about (10 euros)entrer dans  (une salle, un bà ¢timent)  Ã‚  to enter (a room, building)fouiller dans  (les poches)  Ã‚  to look through (the pockets)lire dans  (le journal)  Ã‚  to read in (the paper)manger dans la main qqun  Ã‚  to eat out of ones handmanger dans lassiette  Ã‚  to eat off a platemettre  son espoir dans  Ã‚  to pin ones hopes onpartir  dans  (10 minutes)  Ã‚  to leave in (10 minutes)partir dans  (les montagnes)  Ã‚  to leave for (the mountains)pleuvoir dans  (la France)  Ã‚  to rain in (France)prendre quelque chose dans  (une boà ®te, un tiroir)  Ã‚  to take something from (a box, drawer)regarder dans  (la boà ®te, le frigo)  Ã‚  to look in (the box, the fridge)vivre dans  (la misà ¨re, la peur)  Ã‚  to live in (poverty, fear)

Proposed Lyrics for the Spanish National Anthem

Proposed Lyrics for the Spanish National Anthem Spain has long been one of the few countries with no lyrics for its national anthem, known as La marcha real (The Royal March). But the Spanish national anthem does have unofficial lyrics, which have been written not only in Spanish, but also in Basque, Catalan, and Galician. Source of Proposed Anthem Lyrics Spains national Olympics committee held a contest in 2007 to come up with suitable lyrics, and the words below are those penned by the winner, a 52-year-old unemployed resident of Madrid, Paulino Cubero. Unfortunately for the Olympics committee, the lyrics immediately became the subject or criticism and even ridicule by political and cultural leaders. Within a few days of the lyrics becoming known it became clear that they would never be endorsed by the Spanish parliament, so the Olympics panel said it would withdraw the winning words. They were criticized, among other things, for being banal and too reminiscent of the Franco regime. Lyrics to La Marcha Real  ¡Viva Espaà ±a!Cantemos todos juntoscon distinta vozy un solo corazà ³n. ¡Viva Espaà ±a!Desde los verdes vallesal inmenso mar,un himno de hermandad.Ama a la Patriapues sabe abrazar,bajo su cielo azul,pueblos en libertad.Gloria a los hijosque a la Historia danjusticia y grandezademocracia y paz. La Marcha Real in English Long live Spain!Let us all sing togetherwith a distinctive voiceand one heart.Long live Spain!From the green valleysto the immense seaa hymn of brotherhood.Love the Fatherlandfor it knows to embrace,under its blue sky,peoples in freedom.Glory to the sons and daughterswho give to Historyjustice and greatness,democracy and peace. Translation Notes Note that the title of the Spanish national anthem, La marcha real, is written with only the first word capitalized. In Spanish, as in many other languages such as French, it is customary to capitalize only the first word of composition titles unless one of the other words is a proper noun. Viva, often translated as long live, comes from the verb vivir, meaning to live. Vivir is often used as a pattern for conjugating regular -ir verbs. Cantemos, translated here as let us sing, is an example of the imperative mood in the first-person plural. The verb endings of -emos for -ar verbs and -amos for -er and -ir verbs are  used as the equivalent of the English let us verb. Corazà ³n is the word for the heart. Like the English word, corazà ³n can be used figuratively to refer to the seat of emotions. Corazà ³n comes from the same Latin source as English words such as coronary and crown. Patria and Historia are capitalized in this hymn because they are personified, treated as figurative persons. This also explains why the personal a is used with both words. Note how the adjectives come before the nouns in the phrases verdes valles (green valleys) and inmenso mar (deep sea). This word order provides an emotional or poetical component to the adjectives in a way that isnt readily translatable to English. You might think of verdant rather than green, for example, and fathomless rather than deep. Pueblo is a collective noun used in much the same way as its English cognate, people. In the singular form, it refers to multiple persons. But when it becomes plural, it refers to groups of people. Hijo is the word for son, and hija is the word for daughter. However, the masculine plural form, hijos, is used when referring to sons and daughters together.

Ernest Rutherford and Nuclear Physics contributions Research Paper

Ernest Rutherford and Nuclear Physics contributions - Research Paper Example His father was a wheelwright, his mother a schoolteacher (Campbell). He moved once or twice, though staying in New Zealand the entire time, and attending different schools when he moved (Campbell). Though Ernest as a boy liked tinkering with clocks, and loved to make models of the wheels that were used in the mills, he did not show any real passion for science during childhood (Mahanti, 2011). Most of his education came through the winning of scholarships, first to Nelson College in 1889, then on to Canterbury College at the University of New Zealand, where he first developed an interest in electrical science, running experiments that would determine whether or not iron was magnetic at a high magnetizing frequency (Campbell). After failing in three attempts to secure a teaching position after university, and briefly considering medicine, he took odd jobs tutoring students to help make ends meet while continuing to experiment in electrical science. In 1895 he won a scholarship to Camb ridge University to work with instructor J.J. Thomson (Campbell). Thomson, who was quick to realize Rutherford’s exceptional ability as a researcher as he had already designed several original experiments involving high-frequency, alternating currents, invited him to become a member of the team to study of the electrical conduction of gases. The pair soon became not only researcher and student but also good friends, and Rutherford was able to take Thomson’s theories and improve on them, breaking the ground to make a lasting impression on nuclear physics today. Rutherford developed several ingenious techniques to study the mechanism Thomson was using, whereby normally insulating gases became electrical conductors. In studying this matter, Rutherford commented that when a high voltage is applied across them, a clear view was given of the mechanism of the transport of electricity through the gases by the means of charged ions (Rutherford 1904). He also worked jointly with Thomson on the behavior of the ions observed in gases that had been treated with X-rays (a recent discovery), as well as the mobility of ions in relation to the strength of the electric field. It did not hurt in any way that Thomson was the one to discover that the â€Å"atom†, then known as the smallest unit of matter, was not in fact the smallest, but made up of even smaller particles, giving yet another area of interest for Rutherford to experiment with (Mahanti, 2011). When the Macdonald Chair of Physics at McGill University in Montreal became vacant in 1898, Rutherford left for Canada to take up the post. He promptly made a name for himself by discovering the element of radon, a chemically inactive but extremely radioactive gas (Campbell). While at McGill, he also did the work that gained him the 1908 Nobel Prize in Chemistry by demonstrating that radioactivity was the spontaneous disintegration of atoms. With the help of a young chemist, Frederick Soddy, he began to un ravel the mysteries of radioactivity and contributed directly to nuclear physics as we know it today by proving that some heavier radioactive elements spontaneously decay into slightly lighter atoms (Mahanti, 2011). In this, Rutherford noticed that in a sample of radioactive material, it invariably took the same amount of time for half the sample to decay - its â€Å"