European Countries Ranked by Area

European Countries Ranked by Area The continent of  Europe varies in latitude from places such as Greece, which is in the range of about 35 degrees north to 39 degrees north latitude, to Iceland, which ranges from around 64 degrees north to more than 66 degrees north. Because of the difference in latitudes, Europe has varying climates and topography. Regardless, it has been inhabited for about 2 million years. It consists of only about 1/15th of the worlds land, but the contiguous continent has about 24,000 square miles (38,000 sq km) of coastline. Stats Europe is made up of 46  countries that  range in size from some of the largest in the world (Russia) to some of the smallest (Vatican City, Monaco). The population of Europe is about 742 million (United Nations 2017 Population Division figure), and for a landmass of about 3.9 million square miles (10.1 sq km), it has a density of 187.7 people per square mile. By Area, Largest to Smallest The following is a list of the countries of Europe arranged by area. Various sources may differ in size of a countrys area due to rounding, whether the original figure is in kilometers or miles, and whether the sources include overseas territories. Figures here come from the CIA World Factbook, which presents figures in square kilometers; they have been converted and rounded to the nearest number. Russia: 6,601,668 square miles (17,098,242 sq km)Turkey:  302,535 square miles (783,562 sq km)Ukraine:  233,032 square miles (603,550 sq km)France:  212,935 square miles (551,500 sq km);  248,457 square miles (643,501 square km) including overseas regionsSpain:  195,124 square miles (505,370 sq km)Sweden:  173,860 square miles (450,295 sq km)Germany:  137,847 square miles (357,022 sq km)Finland:  130,559 square miles (338,145 sq km)Norway: 125,021 square miles (323,802 sq km)Poland:  120,728 square miles (312,685 sq km)Italy:  116,305 square miles (301,340 sq km)United Kingdom:  94,058 square miles (243,610 sq km), includes Rockall and Shetland IslandsRomania: 92,043 square miles (238,391 sq km)Belarus: 80,155 square miles (207,600 sq km)Greece: 50,949 square miles (131,957 sq km)Bulgaria: 42,811 square miles (110,879 sq km)Iceland:  39,768 square miles (103,000 sq km)Hungary: 35,918 square miles (93,028 sq km)Portugal: 35,556 square miles (92,090 sq km)Austri a: 32,382 square miles (83,871 sq km)Czech Republic: 30,451 square miles (78,867 sq km) Serbia: 29,913 square miles (77,474 sq km)Ireland: 27,133 square miles (70,273 sq km)Lithuania: 25,212 square miles (65,300 sq km)Latvia: 24,937 square miles (64,589 sq km)Croatia:  21,851 square miles (56,594 sq km)Bosnia and Herzegovina: 19,767 square miles (51,197 sq km)Slovakia: 18,932 square miles (49,035 sq km)Estonia: 17,462 square miles (45,228 sq km)Denmark: 16,638 square miles (43,094 sq km)Netherlands:  16,040 square miles (41,543 sq km)Switzerland:  15,937 square miles (41,277 sq km)Moldova: 13,070 square miles (33,851 sq km)Belgium:  11,786 square miles (30,528 sq km)Albania: 11,099 square miles (28,748 sq km)Macedonia: 9,928 square miles (25,713 sq km)Slovenia: 7,827 square miles (20,273 sq km)Montenegro: 5,333 sq miles (13,812 sq km)Cyprus: 3,571 square miles (9,251 sq km)Luxembourg: 998 square miles (2,586 sq km)Andorra:  181 square miles (468 sq km)Malta:  122 square miles (316 sq km)Liechtenstein: 62 square miles (160 sq km)San Marino:  23 square miles (61 sq km)Monaco:  0.77 square miles (2 sq km) Vatican City: 0.17 square miles (0.44 sq km)

How to Find the Birthplace of Your Immigrant Ancestor

How to Find the Birthplace of Your Immigrant Ancestor Once youve traced your family tree back to the immigrant ancestor, determining his/her birthplace is the key to the next branch in your family tree. Knowing just the country isnt just enough - youll usually have to get down to the town or village level to successfully locate your ancestors records. While it seems a simple enough task, a town name isnt always easy to find. In many records, only the country or possibly county, state, or department of origin were recorded, but not the name of the actual  ancestral town or parish. Even when a place is listed, it may only be the nearby big city, because that was a more recognizable point of reference for people not familiar with the region. The only clue Ive ever found to my 3rd great-grandfathers city/town of origin in Germany, for example, is his tombstone that says he was born in Bremerhaven. But did he really come from the big port city of Bremerhaven? Or is that the port he emigrated from? Was he from a nearby small town, perhaps elsewhere in the city-state of Bremen, or the surrounding state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony)? To locate an immigrants town or village of origin you may have to gather clues from numerous sources. Step One: Take Off His Name Tag! Learn everything you can about your immigrant ancestor so that you will be able to identify him in relevant records, and distinguish him from others of the same name. This includes: The immigrants full name including her middle name or maiden name, if applicableA date of birth or the date of another event (marriage, immigration, etc.) with which you may be able to identify your ancestorA place of birth, even if it is just a country of origin for nowThe names of all identifiable relatives parents, spouse, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, etc. Immigrants often traveled with relatives or went to join one who had previously emigrated. These names will also help you to identify your immigrants family in their country of origin.Any other information that may help identify your ancestor, including religion, occupation, friends, neighbors, etc. Dont forget to ask family members and even distant relatives about your ancestors birthplace. You never know who may have personal knowledge or relevant records in their possession. Step Two: Search National Level Indexes Once youve determined the country of origin, look for a national index to vital or civil registration records (births, deaths, marriages) or a national census or other enumeration for that country in the time period in which your ancestor was born (e.g. civil registration index for England Wales). If such an index exists, this might provide a shortcut to learning your ancestors place of birth. You must, however, have enough identifying information to recognize the immigrant, and many countries do not maintain vital records at the national level. Even if you do locate a particular candidate this way, you will still want to follow the other steps as well to verify that your same name individual in the old country is actually your ancestor. Step Three: Identify Records Which May Include the Place of Birth The next goal in your birthplace quest is to find a record or other source that tells you specifically where to start looking in your ancestors country of origin. While searching, it is important to remember that your ancestors last residence prior to emigration may not necessarily be their place of birth. Look at research already done by others. In many cases, other researchers have already found where the emigrant came from. This includes searching through published indexes and genealogies, local biographies and town histories, and databases of compiled records.Locate original records related to the immigrants death, such as death records, church records, obituaries, cemetery records, and probate records. Obituaries published in ethnic newspapers are the most likely to contain specific information such as a town of origin.Check both civil and church sources for a marriage record and records of the childrens births.Search other types of genealogical records which may reveal an ancestors town of origin, including census records, court records, newspapers, and land and property records.Immigration records such as passenger lists and naturalization records are another important source in the search for an immigrants town of birth. While it may seem a better place to start, you usually ne ed the information found in previous steps to enable you to locate immigration and naturalization records. In the United States, for example, census records may reveal whether an ancestor was naturalized. Search for these records in each place where the immigrant lived, for the complete time period when he or she lived there and for some time after his death. Be sure to investigate available records in all jurisdictions that may have kept records about him or her, including town, parish, county, state, and national authorities. Be thorough in your examination of each record, making note of all identifying details such as the immigrants occupation or the names of neighbors, godparents, and witnesses. Step Four: Cast a Wider Net Sometimes after researching all possible records, you will still be unable to find a record of the home town of your immigrant ancestor. In this case, continue the search in the records of identified family members brother, sister, father, mother, cousin, children, etc. to see if you can find a place name associated with them. For example, my great-grandfather emigrated to the United States from Poland but was never naturalized and left no records of his specific town of origin. The town in which they lived was identified, however, on the naturalization record of his eldest daughter (who was born in Poland). Tip!  Church baptismal records for children of immigrant parents are another resource that can be invaluable in a search for immigrant origins. Many immigrants settled in areas and attended churches with others of their same ethnic and geographic background, with a priest or minister who likely knew the family. Sometimes this means records likely to be more specific than just Germany in recording a place of origin. Step Five: Find it on a Map Identify and verify the place name on a map, something that is not always as easy as it sounds. Often you will find multiple places with the same name, or you may find that the town has changed jurisdictions or even disappeared. It is very important here to correlate with historical maps and other sources of information to be sure that you have identified the correct town.

Women and education in the time 1940-1950 Essay

Women and education in the time 1940-1950 - Essay Example These events greatly influenced the education sector, whereby there emerged greater disparities in enrollment and completion of both men and women in the education system (Rury, 2009, p39). These changes in education patterns of both men and women were greatly determined by the various demands that had been presented by previous economic depression and the Second World War that had just begun. Prior to 1940, education of women in the United States had been ongoing for a long period, recording gradual increase in the number of women enrolling in different levels of education. However, several trends characterized education of women in the United States the western countries. In United States, there was a great disparity in the racial composition of women pursuing education in various levels. Moreover, there was a remarkable difference between gender composition of the women and men, in various education stages of the education system. Another major difference in women education during 1940-50 was the type of training that they received in the educational institutions (Alexander and Bruce, 1974, p659). According to Pitts (1992, p93) United States has recorded high literacy levels since 1940 across different education levels. Both genders are increasingly completing high school and enrolling for tertiary education in colleges and universities. Before 1940 and the onset of Second World War, Appelbaum et al (2003, p61) noted that about 50% of Americans had completed at least eight years of schooling. The rate of education varied in different regions across the country with urban areas recording the highest literacy levels with an average of 8.7 years of formal schooling compared with the farming and non-farming rural residents. Education at the tertiary level was very low whereby only 5.7% of the urban dwellers had completed tertiary education compared with just 1.3% of residents in rural and farming communities (Appelbaum, et al, 2003, pp89-95). Comparing gender di stribution of the educated in the United States before the war, the number of men across all educational levels exceeded that of women. Besides the higher enrollment of men in all levels of the education system, they also had higher rates of completing their respective studies at any given level compared to women. In addition, the educational access to education was not uniform across all races, whereby the majority races had better access to schooling compared to the African American, Hispanics and other minority groups (Bound, and Turner, 2002, p50). Traditionally, the role of women in society was limited to domestic work that entailed housekeeping and bringing up the children. Men were supposed to work on more demanding jobs in order to provide for their families. These gender-defined roles were reflected in education sector, whereby women pursued careers that were traditionally associated with â€Å"feminism†. These included careers in education, home economics, secretari al and clerical work in addition to catering and hospitality work. On other hand, men were involved in heavy and technical work in industries, such as steel plants, shipyards, lumber mills among other jobs that required skills (Rury, 2009, p48). This explains why very few women enrolled in education institution before 1940 in comparison to men. It was important for men to enroll in school in order to acquire skills that would enhance productivity in the work place. Buchmann et al(2006) noted the demand for skilled workers in the late 1930’s had began to increase, because the American economy was on a recovery path, following the devastating effects of the historical economic depression that had started a decade earlier. The outbreak of

Saudi Arabia Country Profile Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Saudi Arabia Country Profile - Research Paper Example The Saudi Arabian political spectrum is led by an absolute monarchy which is founded upon the principles of Islam. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the king is both the head of the government as well as the head of the state. It is relevant to public relations professionals to note that crucial decisions relating to the country, to a large extent, are formed only after consulting with religious leaders and senior princes of the royal family. Quran, the holy book of Islam, is considered to be the constitution of the country and the KSA is governed by the Islamic law Sharia. It is a key point to note that Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy even though the king is also required to abide by Sharia and the Quran according to the Basic Law of Saudi Arabia accepted by the royal decree in 1992. Quran and the Sunnah (the traditions of Muhammad) are central to KSA’s constitution and both remain subject to interpretation left to the powers of ulema, the country’s religious establishment. Neither political parties nor national elections are permitted in the country and the royal family dominates the government. According to the Democracy Index prepared by The Economist, Saudi Arabian government was rated as the seventh most authoritarian government among the 167 countries chosenii. Currently the Saudi government is led by the monarch King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Saudi Riyal is the currency of KSA. Saudi Arabia’s economy is greatly dependent on its oil sector, and hence the country’s economy is often referred to as an oil-based economy. The Saudi government exercises strict control over its key economic activities. To justify its status as an oil-based economy, Saudi Arabia possesses nearly 18 percent of the world’s discovered petroleum reserves and the country has a dominant role in OPECiii. Currently Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest

Organizational Needs Essay Example for Free

Organizational Needs Essay The success of any business or any organization basically depends on proper planning and proper utilization of its resources. It is true that success dose not comes overnight, a need for assessing; exploring is required to be done. After planning, there comes the step of communication. The quality of communication determines the extent of the success of a business. In order to make communication effective career development programs are introduced to the employee by the organization. The basic aim of this kind of career development program is to make an individual employee give in his best to the company thus, maximizing profits. Although these programs were not really liked by some of the organizations. And were regarded as cost oriented, but with times as the result was good, people recognized its importance. â€Å"A needs assessment is a systematic exploration of the way things are and the way they should be†. As Gutteridge says that career development is not only the development of an individual but also the development of the management as a whole. It is equally essential, to know what learning will be accomplished, what changes in an individual’s performance are expected, what are the expected economic costs what will be the result, and after how much time will the target be achieved. Main Aim of Organizations As we know that the main aim of any origination or any business done is to get maximum profits. It is the same way in order to achieve the target. A lot of hard work has to be done, like conduction of career development programs. Knowdell (1982 – 1984) traced the origin of career developmental programs. This would of course enhance their abilities of the employees as we know that â€Å"a career development system with in a business is an organized formalized, planned effort to achieve a balance between the individuals. † With the help of these career program employees and managers know about their potentials and weaknesses, they come to know how to manage their own careers and this way feel more confident and responsible about themselves. A career developmental program should be based on: Check Actual Performance The very first step should be to check and analyze the present abilities of the employees and of course the current satiation of the organization in which it is running. After the analyses of the current situation have been made we could them go on to focus on our desired goal. By the help of the information gained on the abilities and on the capabilities of the employees we could by the help of counselors could guide an individual employee, on what particular part. He basically has got to focus. This practice may take time but with time slowly and gradually every individual employee would to his organization. It is very crucial that one must distinguish the actual needs from the perceived needs. It is true that with proper training, guidance and of course not to forget full cooperation of the employee, the target of maximums profits would be achieved. An individual should work harder on his weak points and should strive to develop his stronger ones. Set Priorities After analyzing an individual or the employee’s strengths and weaknesses we could know what kind of training is needed by an individual. What time, money should be allocated on him. One thing which should be kept in mind is the organizational needs goals and realities. The employee who is under training should set priorities that is, on which area he should work first, as per the need of his organization. If all these matter would be taken into consideration then without any doubt he would develop himself his abilities, his sense of responsibility, knowledge, skill and would accomplish his goals. Identify Problem Areas In this step we would identify those areas in which working have got to be done. After the problem is identified specific solution has to be applied. This will of course require detailed investigation and analysis. Identify Appropriate Solutions In this last step after solution have been applied to the specific problems, still as it is there is more room for improvement. It is important to move people into new direct to explore more and to improve. There are specific research centers like â€Å"the society’s career development program provides awards intended to meet the specific needs of investigators at different states in their research careers†. Thus, a lot of encouragement is given to all those people under training, so as to encourage them get good results. Essential Components The oxford English dictionary says One’s careers are one’s course or progress through life. This basically means that as an individual keeps on progressing and making himself better, through gaining more knowledge and information he keeps on improving with time and practice to improve there are self development tools. Self Assessment Know body know you as well as you know yourself. So as it is that the person under training should assess himself that what kind of training he should take or what kind of training would help to make his career develop and prosper. He should take care of his weak points and should develop his strengths. It is very curtail that counseling should be done by an expert advisor to the trainee. This way the trainee would be sure as to which way he has to go. There are also internal labor marketing and many more components. Pro and Cons There are advantages as well as certain disadvantages of getting into career programming. The good points are that after a certain period of time with a lot of hard work and labor the organization would gain good profits. There are certain disadvantages as well like it is very. Time consuming; it involves a lot of time, labor and money which would otherwise be spent elsewhere in the company. Conclusion There is a well enough connection between the organizational development and career development. As we know that a lot of individuals make is going to go under training gains knowledge develop his skill and abilities. Eventually he would perform well in that organization and because of him the company would make a lot of profits there he would certainly be rewarded. Thus his way he would also develop his career and this would certainly be a good start in his life. Reference http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=11618

Analysis of Dickinson’s I heard a Fly buzz - when I died Essay

Analysis of Dickinson’s I heard a Fly buzz - when I died Emily Dickinson wrote hundreds of poems during her lifetime that dealt with death. She seemed to have an almost morbid fascination with the subject. Her poem "I heard a Fly buzz - when I died" is one of the many poems she wrote about this ghastly topic. The symbols she used make this poem interesting because they can be interpreted on more than one level. The punctuation and capitalization used also give the poem an abstract quality. Like much of Dickinson's poetry, this poem is both startling and somber. One thing that stands out about this poem is that the word fly is capitalized throughout. It makes one wonder what the fly actually represents. Flies often gather around death and dead things, and on one level, the fly can be seen as a representation of death. Death, the perpetual fly on the wall, is finally making itself noticed. Although the speaker has always known that death is going to come, when it finally arrives, its modest appearance is disappointing. The fly can also be seen as an interruption in the narrator's process of dying. The fly can be heard buzzing above the "Stillness in the Room." The fly also comes between the speaker and the light in the last stanza of the poem, which is another disturbance in the speaker's dying process. The fly can also be seen in an ironic light. The speaker, like all of us, is expecting death to be an important, grandiose experience in our lives. Her own death, however, is interrupted by something as insignificant as a fly. The insignificant quality of the fly could represent the commonplace nature of death and the relative irrelevance of the death of one person. The fly is unimportant, an... ...e describing a sort of spiritual death, since she talks about the fly cutting her off form the light, which could represent God. This interpretation has some difficulties, however, since family members probably would not be present during a spiritual death. (Dickinson 1146) Dickinson's poetry is both thought provoking and shocking. This poem communicates many things about Dickinson, such as her cynical outlook on God, and her obsession with death. It is puzzling to me why a young lady such as Emily Dickinson would be so melancholy, since she seemed to have such a good life. Perhaps she just revealed in her poetry that dark side that most people try to keep hidden. Works Cited: Dickinson, Emily. "I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died." The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Vol. 1, 2nd Edition. Ed. Nina Baym, et al. New York: W.W. Norton, 1985

Simon Birch

Simon Birch Simon Birch an underdeveloped child has become best friends with a kid named Joe. Simon was sometimes picked on by the other kids because of his condition, but he ignored them and kept to himself. Simon has strong faith in God and wasn’t afraid to show it, if he didn’t think something was right about the church or about someone’s actions towards the Bible, he wasn’t afraid to tell you. Simon kept telling people that he was made the way he was because God has a plan for him and that he would become a hero, but no one believed him.Simon’s best friend Joe had some faith in God but definitely not as much as Simon did. They would go to church but it didn’t look like they were to into it. The two had been friends for a long time and Simon had inspired Joe in his faith and in many other things as well. Simon later found out that God did make him the size he is for a reason, and he was a hero. He had saved all the kids from the bus that h ad crashed into the lake. Many people have doubted Simon and his abilities and he has proved them wrong every time.After Simon had saved the kids from the bus he had unfortunately passed away but he will never be forgotten. Simon has inspired faith in Joe by showing him that no matter what happens to you or how you look God has a plan for everybody and that you should never give up and never stop believing in yourself. Joe has seen God in a new way and now understands Simon’s passion for religion. Faith is not seeing but believing and Simon had all the faith that a little kid could and now thanks to Simon Joe has the same faith in God that his best friend Simon did.Joe is not the only person that Simon has inspired and developed faith in. Simon has greatly developed faith in me and my peers by showing us the true values of life and no matter what people say, think, or do, God has made you the way you are for a reason and in one what or another everyone will become a hero. In the movie Simon clearly demonstrates his knowledge of the bible and inspires hope in many other kids that are small like him who do not have very much self confidence. Simon shows how he can take charge and be a leader.Simon Birch has opened my eyes and taught me that judging people is wrong and that looks can be deceiving. Simon has greatly enriched my opinion on God and I know that he had made a huge impact on other kids and adults across the world. Simon Birch will live in the lives of many for ever and ever, this little boy was a hero and will forever rest knowing that he had completed Gods plan and fulfilling the scripture. Simon Birch 1. Simon Birch was different because he was born with a condition that made him shorter that other kids his age. 2.Simon’s best friend is Joe 3. Simon liked to play baseball 4. Simon’s friend Joe lived with his mother and grandmother in the grandmother’s house because she was wealthy. 5. Ben was a kind, generous and caring pe rson. He had black hair and was tall. 6. In Ben’s bag there was a stuffed Armadillo. 7. Simon had no relationship with his parents because his parents didn’t care about him. 8. Joe wants to know about his real dad. 9. Miss Wentworth made Simon a sweater that was just his size. 10. In church Simon was disruptive to the priest by talking out of turn. 1.I think that Simon and Joe are friends because they both know what it feels like to be outcasts and they both like baseball. 2. Simon’s character is courageous, adventurous, friendly and loyal. He has a strong relationship with God and has lots of faith. 3. Simon thought that his purpose in life was to help other people and that he was going to be a hero and that God made him the way he was for a reason. 4. Joe’s grandmother told him that he would have to start looking after himself because she wasn’t going to be around much longer. 5. Joe felt that he had to find his real dad.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Fifteen

As soon as he left Elena at her house, Stefan went to the woods. He took Old Creek Road, driving under the sullen clouds-through which no patch of sky could be seen, to the place where he had parked on the first day of school. Leaving the car, he tried to retrace his steps exactly to the clearing where he had seen the crow. His hunter's instincts helped him, recalling the shape of this bush and that knotted root, until he stood in the open place ringed with ancient oak trees. Here. Under this blanket of dingy-brown leaves, some of the rabbit's bones might even remain. Taking a long breath to still himself, to gather his Powers, he cast out a probing, demanding thought. And for the first time since he'd come to Fell's Church, he felt the flicker of a reply. But it seemed faint and wavering, and he could not locate it in space. He sighed and turned around-and stopped dead. Damon stood before him, arms crossed over his chest, lounging against the largest oak tree. He looked as if he might have been there for hours. â€Å"So,† said Stefan heavily, â€Å"it is true. It's been a long time, brother.† â€Å"Not as long as you think, brother .† Stefan remembered that voice, that velvety, ironical voice. â€Å"I've kept track of you over the years,† Damon said calmly. He flicked a bit of bark from the sleeve of his leather jacket as casually as he had once arranged his brocade cuffs. â€Å"But then, you wouldn't know that, would you? Ah, no, your Powers are as weak as ever.† â€Å"Be careful, Damon,† Stefan said softly, dangerously. â€Å"Be very careful tonight. I'm not in a tolerant mood.† â€Å"St. Stefan in a pique? Imagine. You're distressed, I suppose, because of my little excursions into your territory. I only did it because I wanted to be close to you. Brothers should be close.† â€Å"Youkilled tonight. And you tried to make me think I'd done it.† â€Å"Are you quite sure you didn't? Perhaps we did it together. Careful!† he said as Stefan stepped toward him. â€Å"My mood is not the most tolerant tonight, either. I only had a wizened little history teacher; you had a pretty girl.† The fury inside Stefan coalesced, seeming to focus in one bright burning spot, like a sun inside him. â€Å"Keep away from Elena,† he whispered with such menace that Damon actually tilted his head back slightly. â€Å"Keep away from her, Damon. I know you've been spying on her, watching her. But no more. Go near her again and you'll regret it.† â€Å"You always were selfish. Your one fault. Not willing to share anything, are you?† Suddenly, Damon's lips curved in a singularly beautiful smile. â€Å"But fortunately the lovely Elena is more generous. Didn't she tell you about our little liaisons? Why, the first time we met she almost gave herself to me on the spot.† â€Å"That's a lie!† â€Å"Oh, no, dear brother. I never lie about anything important. Or do I mean unimportant? Anyway, your beauteous damsel nearly swooned into my arms. I think she likes men in black.† As Stefan stared at him, trying to control his breathing, Damon added, almost gently, â€Å"You're wrong about her, you know. You think she's sweet and docile, like Katherine. She isn't. She's not your type at all, my saintly brother. She has a spirit and a fire in her that you wouldn't know what to do with.† â€Å"And you would, I suppose.† Damon uncrossed his arms and slowly smiled again. â€Å"Oh, yes.† Stefan wanted to leap for him, to smash that beautiful, arrogant smile, to tear Damon's throat out. He said, in a barely controlled voice, â€Å"You're right about one thing. She's strong. Strong enough to fight you off. And now that she knows what you really are, she will. All she feels for you now is disgust.† Damon's eyebrows lifted. â€Å"Does she, now? We'll see about that. Perhaps she'll find that real darkness is more to her taste than feeble twilight. I, at least, can admit the truth about my nature. But I worry about you, little brother. You're looking weak and ill-fed. She's a tease, is she?† Kill him, something in Stefan's mind demanded. Kill him, snap his neck, rip his throat to bloody shreds. But he knew Damon had fed very well tonight. His brother's dark aura was swollen, pulsing, almost shining with the life essence he had taken. â€Å"Yes, I drank deeply,† Damon said pleasantly, as if he knew what was in Stefan's mind. He sighed and ran his tongue over his lips in satisfied remembrance. â€Å"He was small, but there was a surprising amount of juice in him. Not pretty like Elena, and he certainly didn't smell as good. But it's always exhilarating to feel the new blood singing inside you.† Damon breathed expansively, stepping away from the tree and looking around. Stefan remembered those graceful movements, too, each gesture controlled and precise. The centuries had only refined Damon's natural poise. â€Å"It makes me feel like doing this,† said Damon, moving to a sapling a few yards away. It was half again as tall as he was, and when he grasped it his fingers did not meet around the trunk. But Stefan saw the quick breath and the ripple of muscles under Damon's thin black shirt, and then the tree tore loose from the ground, its roots dangling. Stefan could smell the pungent dampness of disturbed earth. â€Å"I didn't like it there anyway,† said Damon, and heaved it as far away as the still-entangled roots would allow. Then he smiled engagingly. â€Å"It also makes me feel like doingthis .† There was a shimmer of motion, and then Damon was gone. Stefan looked around but could see no sign of him. â€Å"Up here, brother.† The voice came from overhead, and when Stefan looked up he saw Damon perching among the spreading branches of the oak tree. There was a rustle of tawny brown leaves, and he disappeared again. â€Å"Back here, brother.† Stefan spun at the tap on his shoulder, only to see nothing behind him. â€Å"Right here, brother.† He spun again. â€Å"No, try here.† Furious, Stefan whipped the other way, trying to catch hold of Damon. But his fingers grasped only air. Here, Stefan . This time the voice was in his mind, and the Power of it shook him to the core. It took enormous strength to project thoughts that clearly. Slowly, he turned around once more, to see Damon back in his original position, leaning against the big oak tree. But this time the humor in those dark eyes had faded. They were black and fathomless, and Damon's lips were set in a straight line. What more proof do you need, Stefan? I'm as much stronger than you as you are stronger than these pitiful humans. I'm faster than you, too, and I have other Powers you've scarcely heard of. The Old Powers, Stefan. And I'm not afraid to use them. If you fight me, I'll use them against you. â€Å"Is that what you came here for? To torture me?† I've been merciful with you, brother. Many times you've been mine for the killing, but I've always spared your life. But this time is different. Damon stepped away from the tree again and spoke aloud. â€Å"I am warning you, Stefan, don't oppose me. It doesn't matter what I came here for. What I want now is Elena. And if you try to stop me from taking her, I will kill you.† â€Å"You can try,† said Stefan. The hot pinpoint of fury inside him burned brighter than ever, pouring forth its brilliance like a whole galaxy of stars. He knew, somehow, that it threatened Damon's darkness. â€Å"You think I can't do it? You never learn, do you, little brother?† Stefan had just enough time to note Damon's weary shake of the head when there was another blur of motion and he felt strong hands seize him. He was fighting instantly, violently, trying with all his strength to throw them off. But they were like hands of steel. He lashed out savagely, trying to strike at the vulnerable area under Damon's jaw. It did no good; his arms were pinioned behind him, his body immobilized. He was as helpless as a bird under the claws of a lean and expert cat. He went limp for an instant, making himself a deadweight, and then he suddenly surged with all his muscles, trying to break free, trying to get a blow in. The cruel hands only tightened on him, making his struggles useless. Pathetic. You always were stubborn. Perhaps this will convince you . Stefan looked into his brother's face, pale as the frosted-glass windows at the boarding house, and at those black bottomless eyes. Then he felt fingers grasp his hair, jerk his head back, exposing his throat. His struggles redoubled, became frantic. Don't bother , came the voice in his head, and then he felt the sharp rending pain of teeth. He felt the humiliation and helplessness of the hunter's victim, of the hunted, of the prey. And then the pain of blood being drawn out against his will. He refused to give in to it, and the pain grew worse, a feeling as if his soul was tearing loose like the sapling. It stabbed through him like spears of fire, concentrating on the punctures in his flesh where Damon's teeth had sunk in. Agony flamed up his jaw and cheek and down his chest and shoulder. He felt a wave of vertigo and realized he was losing consciousness. Then, abruptly, the hands released him and he fell to the ground, onto a bed of damp and moldering oak leaves. Gasping for breath, he painfully got to his hands and knees. â€Å"You see, little brother, I'm stronger than you. Strong enough to take you, take your blood and your life if I wish it. Leave Elena to me, or I will.† Stefan looked up. Damon was standing with head thrown back, legs slightly apart, like a conqueror putting his foot on the neck of the conquered. Those night-black eyes were hot with triumph, and Stefan's blood was on his lips. Hatred filled Stefan, such hatred as he had never known before. It was as if all his earlier hatred of Damon had been a drop of water to this crashing, foaming ocean. Many times in the last long centuries he had regretted what he had done to his brother, when he'd wished with all his soul to change it. Now he only wanted to do it again. â€Å"Elena is not yours,† he ground out, getting to his feet, trying not to show what an effort it cost him. â€Å"And she never will be.† Concentrating on each step, putting one foot in front of the other, he began walking away. His entire body hurt, and the shame he felt was even greater than the physical ache. There were bits of wet leaves and crumbs of earth adhering to his clothes, but he did not brush them off. He fought to keep moving, to hold out against the weakness that lapped at his limbs. You never learn, brother. Stefan did not look back or try to reply. He gritted his teeth and kept his legs moving. Another step. And another step. And another step. If he could just sit down for a moment, rest†¦ Another step, and another step. The car couldn't be far now. Leaves crackled under his feet, and then he heard leaves crackle behind him. He tried to turn quickly, but his reflexes were almost gone. And the sharp motion was too much for him. Darkness filled him, filled his body and his mind, and he was falling. He fell forever into the black of absolute night. And then, mercifully, he knew no more.

Medieval Music Essays - Medieval Music, Chants, Catholic Music

Medieval Music Essays - Medieval Music, Chants, Catholic Music Medieval Music Music of the Middle Ages made great advancements through the centuries, which many are still evident today. The Christian Church effected the development of music greatly during the middle ages. The first major type of music of this time was chanting. ?The early Christians inherited the Jewish chants of synagogues.?(Bishop-324) Chants didn?t have constant rhythm, every note was about the same length. They had only one melody ,usually in the major key of C. All the singers sang the same notes together, this is called monophonic. Chants became an significant part of the church service, they were sung throughout the mass. These first chants were just sung by the congregation, later on choirs took over. ?Roman Chant became known as Gregorian chant after Pope Gregory I, the great, who may have composed some of the melodies and who actively encouraged an orderly, ritualized use of music by the church.?(MS Encarta-1) He also supported the schola cantorum, a singing school, to teach boys how to chant. During the ninth century many musicians began to use more than unaccompanied melody. A new type of chant was formed called organom. Organum was two octaves of chanting simultaneously. ?Organum was important to the history of music, because it was the first step toward the development of the musical texture known as polyphony (multipart music) the extensive use of which is the most distinctive feature of Western music.? (MS Encarta-1) Around the twelfth century Organum was mostly being developed in France, but the English did have their own version called gymel. If musicians were to chant many pitches at the same time, they needed a more accurate musical notation. Before this, the notation being used wasn?t precise at all. ?Music notation was originally merely a set of small marks, a sort of short hand, written above the words to indicate the rise and fall of the voice and changes in emphasis, without specifying the duration of the notes or the exact pitch.?(Bishop-325) The new way of writing musical notes was black squares and diamonds attached to little poles on a staff of four or five lines, very similar to how we write music today. Music, during the fourteenth century, made great changes in style. ?The new style was called ars nova (Latin, ?new art?) by one of it?s leading composers, the French prelate Philippe de Vitry. The resulting music was more complex than any previously written, reflecting a new spirit in Europe that emphasized human resourcefulness and ingenuity.?(MS Encarta-2) De Vitry also invented the earliest version of the time signature, making it easier to play and write more complicated patterns. Ars nova composers began to repeat the same patterns of either one or more voice parts, usually from Gregorian chant, throughout the piece. Over that they would put other melodies making it polyphonic. ?Nonreligious, or secular, music was composed by wandering poets who sang of chivalry and courtly love in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.?(Comptons-1) Some of these musicians made a living of singing, others did it for the enjoyment. These singers, Troubadours and Goliards, didn?t have a wide range of singing styles. Over 2,000 of these songs have been written and saved in old documents made after the twelfth century though. ?The musician of the early Middle Ages seems usually to have been minstrel either resident in a large establishment or traveling from establishment to another, singing the lays and sagas to his own accompaniment.?(Montagu-19) Musicians were needed to support other types of entertainment as well. Acrobats would perform to music, just like jugglers, and dancing bears. Poor workers didn?t have much to do for entertainment except for music. They would tell stories to music or have people sing while they danced. They probably sang while working together too, like a type of sea chantey. Even though they were enjoyed by many people, musicians were still considered a very low class. Many of the first instruments of the early Middle Ages were taken from the earlier Roman Empire, or from other cultures around the world. One string instrument used a lot was the lyre. ?It is possible that the lyre was carried into northern Europe from Constantinople during the late Roman Empire, for many of the Byzantime armies, especially the Imperial Bodyguard, were recruited from the northern peoples.?(Montagu-13) During the early medieval times it was played by plucking the strings with a plectrum or fingers,. Later in the tenth century bows became more popular and the lyre was also played with one. The

The Site Formation Processes in Archaeology

The Site Formation Processes in Archaeology Site Formation Processes- or more simply formation processes- refers to the events that created and affected an archaeological site before, during, and after its occupation by humans. To gain the best possible understanding of an archaeological site, researchers collect evidence of the natural and cultural events that happened there. A good metaphor for an archaeological site is a palimpsest, a medieval manuscript that has been written on, erased and written over, again and again, and again. Archaeological sites are the remains of human behaviors, stone tools, house foundations, and garbage piles, left behind after the occupants leave. However, each site was created in a specific environment- lakeshore, mountainside, cave, grassy plain. Each site was used and modified by the occupants- fires, houses, roads, cemeteries were built; farm fields were manured and plowed; feasts were held. Each site was eventually abandoned- as a result of climate change, flooding, disease. By the time the archaeologist arrives, the sites have lain abandoned for years or millennia, exposed to weather, animal burrowing, and human borrowing of the materials left behind. Site formation processes include all of that and quite a bit more. Natural Transforms As you might imagine, the nature and intensity of events that occurred at a site are highly variable. Archaeologist Michael B. Schiffer was the first to clearly articulate the concept in the 1980s, and he broadly divided site formations into the two major categories at work, natural and cultural transforms. Natural transforms are ongoing, and can be assigned to one of several broad categories; cultural ones can end, at abandonment or burial, but are infinite or close to it in their variety. Changes to a site caused by nature (Schiffer abbreviated them as N-Transforms) depend on the age of the site, the local climate (past and present), the location and setting, and the type and complexity of occupation. At prehistoric hunter-gatherer occupations, nature is the primary complicating element: mobile hunter-gatherers modify less of their local environment than do villagers or city dwellers. Types of Natural Transforms View of Point of Arches on the Ozette Reservation North of Cape Alava. John Fowler Pedogenesis, or the modification of mineral soils to incorporate organic elements, is an ongoing natural process. Soils constantly form and reform on exposed natural sediments, on human-made deposits, or on previously formed soils. Pedogenesis causes changes in color, texture, composition, and structure: in some cases, it creates immensely fertile soils such as terra preta, and Roman and medieval urban dark earth. Bioturbation, disturbance by plant, animal and insect life, is particularly difficult to account for, as shown by a number of experimental studies, most memorably with Barbara Boceks study of pocket gophers. She discovered that pocket gophers can repopulate the artifacts in a 1x2 meter pit backfilled by clean sand in the space of seven years. Site burial, the burial of a site by any number of natural forces, can have a positive effect on site preservation. Only a handful of cases are as well-preserved as the Roman site Pompeii: the Makah village of Ozette in Washington state in the US was buried by a mudflow about 1500 AD; the Maya site Joya de Ceren in El Salvador by ash deposits about 595 AD. More commonly, the flow of high- or low-energy water sources, lakes, rivers, streams, washes, disturb and/or bury archaeological sites. Chemical modifications are also a factor in site preservation. These include cementation of deposits by carbonate from groundwater, or iron precipitation/dissolution or diagenetic destruction of bone and organic materials; and the creation of secondary materials such as phosphates, carbonates, sulfates, and nitrates. Anthropogenic or Cultural Transforms The Pompeii of North America, Joya de Ceren, was buried in a volcanic eruption in August 595 CE. Ed Nellis Cultural transforms (C-Transforms) are far more complicated than natural transforms because they consist of a potentially infinite variety of activities. People build up (walls, plazas, kilns), dig down (trenches, wells, privies), set fires, plow and manure fields, and, worst of all (from an archaeological point of view) clean up after themselves. Investigating Site Formation To get a handle on all of these natural and cultural activities in the past that have blurred the site, archaeologists rely on an ever-growing group of research tools: the primary one is geoarchaeology. Geoarchaeology is a science allied with both physical geography and archaeology: it is concerned with understanding the physical setting of a site, including its position in the landscape, types of bedrock and Quaternary deposits, and the types of soils and sediments within and outside of the site. Geoarchaeological techniques are often carried out with the aid of satellite and aerial photography, maps (topographic, geological, soil survey, historical), as well as the suite of geophysical techniques such as magnetometry. Geoarchaeological Field Methods In the field, the geoarchaeologist conducts systematic description of cross-sections and profiles, to reconstruct stratigraphic events, their vertical and lateral variations, in and outside of the context of archaeological remains. Sometimes, geoarchaeological field units are placed off-site, in locations where lithostratigraphic and pedological evidence can be collected. The geoarchaeologist studies the site surroundings, description and stratigraphic correlation of the natural and cultural units, as well as sampling in the field for later micromorphological analysis and dating. Some studies collect blocks of intact soils, vertical and horizontal samples from their investigations, to take back to the laboratory where more controlled processing can be conducted than in the field. Grain size analysis and more recently soil micromorphological techniques, including thin section analysis of undisturbed sediments, are conducted using a petrological microscope, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray analyses such as microprobe and x-ray diffraction, and Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry. Bulk chemical (organic matter, phosphate, trace elements) and physical (density, magnetic susceptibility) analyses are used to incorporate or determine individual processes. Formation Process Studies Restudy of Mesolithic sites in Sudan excavated in the 1940s was conducted using modern techniques. The 1940s archaeologists commented that aridity had affected the sites so badly that there was no evidence of hearths or buildings or even post-holes of buildings. The new study applied micromorphological techniques and they were able to discern evidence of all of these types of features at the sites (Salvatori and colleagues). Deep-water shipwreck (defined as shipwrecks more than 60 meters deep) site formation processes have shown that the deposit of a shipwreck is a function of heading, speed, time, and water depth and can be predicted and measured using a set basic of equations (Church). Formation process studies at the 2nd century BC Sardinian site of Pauli Stincus revealed evidence of agricultural methods, including the use of a sodbuster and slash and burn farming (Nicosia and colleagues). The microenvironments of Neolithic lake dwellings in northern Greece were studied, revealing a previously unidentified response to rising and falling lake levels, with the residents building on platforms on stilts or directly on the ground as needed (Karkanas and colleagues). Sources Aubry, Thierry, et al. Palaeoenvironmental Forcing During the Middle-Upper Palaeolithic Transition in Central-Western Portugal. Quaternary Research 75.1 (2011): 66-79. Print. Bertran, Pascal, et al. Experimental Archaeology in a Mid-Latitude Periglacial Context: Insight into Site Formation and Taphonomic Processes. Journal of Archaeological Science 57 (2015): 283-301. Print. Bocek, Barbara. The Jasper Ridge . American Antiquity 57.2 (1992): 261-69. Print.Reexcavation Experiment:Â  Rates of Artifact Mixing by Rodents Church, Robert A. Deep-Water Shipwreck Initial Site Formation: The Equation of Site Distribution. Journal of Maritime Archaeology 9.1 (2014): 27-40. Print. Ismail-Meyer, Kristin, Philippe Rentzel, and Philipp Wiemann. Neolithic Lakeshore Settlements in Switzerland: New Insights on Site Formation Processes from Micromorphology. Geoarchaeology 28.4 (2013): 317-39. Print. Linstdter, J., et al. Chronostratigraphy, Site Formation Processes and Pollen Record of Ifri Netsedda, Ne Morocco. Quaternary International 410, Part A (2016): 6-29. Print. Nicosia, Cristiano, et al. Land Use History and Site Formation Processes at the Punic Site of Pauli Stincus in West Central Sardinia. Geoarchaeology 28.4 (2013): 373-93. Print.

Integrated Childrens Services for Asthma Patient Essay

Integrated Childrens Services for Asthma Patient - Essay Example This essay analyzes that implementing the mandates of the programme, ‘Every Child Matters’ is a costly and time-consuming enterprise and the authorities are aware of this fact. They consider this a barrier to the actual implementation to the promotion of children’s welfare. Nevertheless, efforts have been made by the government to allocate adequate resources for the implementation of the programme and in safeguarding children’s welfare (House of Commons, 2005). In considering the above factors, it is important to note that local authorities need to enhance and maintain the links which they already have established with other agencies and individuals involved in the child’s care. These links and networks are essential to the efficient delivery and communication between and among those involved in the child’s care. In strengthening the network, it is possible to assist not just the child, but his family as well. In Elliot’s case, his fath er may also be assisted in the process of quitting his smoking habit in a strong effort towards helping his son. The discussion above sets forth important points under the programme ‘Every Child Matters’ as applied to Elliot who is an asthmatic child. The importance of collaboration was highlighted in this discussion and this collaboration is essential from the members of the team involved in the child’s care – from the healthcare team to the teachers, and even to the police and law enforcement authorities. The importance of this collaborative aspect of securing a... First is communication, where individuals from various disciplines talk with each other; second is cooperation, where there is low key joint working on a case-by-case basis; third is coordination, where more formalized joint working without sanctions for non-compliance is applied; fourth is coalition, where joint structures merge to create new joint identity; and finally, integration, where organizations merge to create new joint identity (Horwath and Morrison, 2007). In effect, collaborative partnerships can be seen in terms of the local and formal contribution, including whole agency collaboration. Collaboration is focused primarily on delivering services for individual users; then it relates to staff working with each other in order to deliver local services; lastly it refers to whole systems collaborating in relation to planning, commissioning, and managing services (Horwath and Morrison, 2007). Governments have now recognized the need to implement an interconnected relationship between the child and the individuals performing the services. With the implementation of the policies of â€Å"Every Child Matters,† coordinated services are now being available from all departments and agencies involved in children’s services. In considering the outcomes of collaboration for Elliot who is asthmatic, the concepts of collaboration includes the cooperation and collaboration of the child’s GP, family members, health visitors (health); and teachers, classmates (school); social services for assistance in relation to financial needs and support. The cooperation of these individuals is needed because their actions can all impact on the child’s health. The lowest level of coordination is related to each individual user. For Elliot, the coordination is

Where Gay Rights will be in 20 years Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Where Gay Rights will be in 20 years - Essay Example However, steady improvements have been observed over the years indicating that the civil and human rights of gay men and lesbian women are improving. However, with the federal government’s slow response and interventions whenever progress is made, indicates that we might be a long way off from granting gay men and lesbian women equal protection of the law. It is expected however, that those rights will gradually change and in twenty years from now, the rights, freedoms and protection of gay men and lesbian women will be virtually, but not entirely complete. History of Gay Rights When the Americans With Disabilities Act was enacted in 1990, then President Bush described the Act as an â€Å"Historic new civil rights Act† (Burgdoft, Jr. 1991, p. 413). The Act promised to ensure that all Americans with disabilities would be accorded equal opportunities for employment and doors previously shut to them would be opened (Burgdoft, Jr., 1991). However, the civil rights ambit of the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 is questionable. The Act does not extend its protection to a number of individuals. Among the notable exclusions are homosexuals, transvestites and bisexuals (Americans with Disabilities Act 1990). ... the federal government and thus expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, national origin, religion, race or color (Title VII Civil Rights Act 1964). Implicitly there is no right to expect equal treatment on the basis of sexual orientation and therefore gay persons may not rely on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 1964 to seek remedies against discrimination based on their sexual orientation. In fact, the US Supreme Court has said as much (Williamson v A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc, 1990). The right to equal protection and equal treatment in employment by homosexuals and lesbians has been denied on the basis that bills intending to amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to include homosexuals and lesbians have not been passed (Blum v Gulf Oil Corp. 1979). A similar position is taken with respect to Title 42 USC 1981 and 1985 which protects against discrimination in employment by non-Federal employers (Title 42 USC 1981 & 1985). Courts have consistently rejected claims fo unded on claims of employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (De Santis v Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. 1979). Gays in the US have also been denied the advantages and benefits that emanate from marriage. The Defense of Marriage Act 1996 states that its purpose is to â€Å"define and protect the institution of marriage† (Defense of Marriage Act 1996). Pursuant to the Defense of Marriage Act 1996, marriage is defined as a â€Å"legal union between one man and one woman† (Defense of Marriage Act 1996, Section3). Moreover, no state is obliged to accept a same sex marriage legalized by any other state (Defense of Marriage Act 1996, Section). Section 2 of the Defense of Marriage Act 1996 is apparently unconstitutional. The Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US Constitution requires