Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 32

I turned my back to the estate and began walking, then running, on the dirt road into town. Somehow, I felt that my feet barely touched the ground. I ran faster and faster, but my breath stayed the same. I felt that I could run like this forever, and I wanted to, because every step was taking me farther and farther away from the horrors I'd witnessed. I tried not to think, tried to block the memories from my mind. Instead I focused on the light touch of the earth as I quickly placed one foot in front of the other. I noticed that even in the darkness, I could see the way the mist shimmered on the few leaves that still clung to the trees. I could hear the breath of squirrels and rabbits as they scampered through the forest. I smelled iron everywhere. The dirt road changed into cobblestone as I entered town. Getting to town seemed to have taken no time at all, though normally I traversed the same distance in no less than an hour. I slowed to a stop. My eyes stung as I glanced slowly from left to right. The town square looked different somehow. Insects crawled in the dirt between the cobblestones. Paint flaked off the walls of the Lockwood mansion, though it had been built only a few years ago. There was disrepair and decay in everything. Most pervasive was the smell of vervain. It was everywhere. But instead of being vaguely pleasant, the scent was all-consuming and made me feel dizzy and nauseated. The only thing that countered the cloying scent was the heady smell of iron. I inhaled deeply, suddenly knowing that the only remedy against the vervain-induced weakness was in that scent. Every fiber of my body screamed that I had to find the source of it, had to nourish myself. I looked around, hungrily, my eyes rapidly scanning from the saloon down the street to the market at the end of the block. Nothing. I sniffed the air again, and realized that the scent–the glorious, awful, damning scent–was coming closer. I whirled around and sucked in my breath as I saw Alice, the pretty young barmaid from the tavern, walking down the street. She was humming to herself and walking unevenly, no doubt because she'd sampled some of the whiskey she'd been serving all night. Her hair was a red flame against her pale skin. She smelled warm and sweet, like iron and wood smoke and tobacco. She was the remedy. I stole into the shadows of the trees that flanked the street. I was shocked by how loud she was. Her humming, her breathing, each uneven footfall registered in my ear, and I couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't waking up everyone in town. Finally, she passed by, her curves close enough to touch. I reached out, grabbing her by her hips. She gasped. â€Å"Alice,† I said, my voice echoing hollowly in my ears. â€Å"It's Stefan.† â€Å"Stefan Salvatore?† she said, her puzzlement quickly turning to fear. She trembled. â€Å"B-but you're dead.† I could smell the whiskey on her breath, could see her pale neck, with blue veins running beneath her skin, and practically swooned. But I didn't touch her with my teeth. Not yet. I savored the feeling of her in my arms, the sweet relief that what I'd spent the last moments insatiably craving was right in my hands. â€Å"Shhh †¦,† I murmured. â€Å"Everything will be all right.† I allowed my lips to graze her white skin, marveling at how sweet and fragrant it was. The anticipation was exquisite. Then, when I couldn't take it anymore, I curled my lips and plunged my teeth into her neck. Her blood rushed against my teeth, my gums, spurting into my body, bringing with it warmth and strength and life. I sucked hungrily, pausing only when Alice went limp in my arms and her heartbeat slowed to a dull thud. I wiped my mouth and looked down at her unconscious body, admiring my handiwork: two neat holes in her neck, just a few centimeters in diameter. She wasn't dead yet, but I knew she would be soon. I slung Alice over my shoulder, barely feeling the weight and barely feeling my feet hit the ground as I ran through town, into the woods, and back to the quarry.

Managing Workplace Safety and Health

Nowadays, there are so many countries that have a problem with the employment of their citizens. The government of some countries can not manage to provide them with the jobs that would help them finance their living and their needs. The lack of job opportunities enables stagnation of the potential of the people thus disables the manpower of a certain country to grow and develop. Clearly, there are also so many problems that arise with this very serious unemployment.First, the resources of the country might not be used into its fullest since there are no funds for the farming or whatever job that do not require much machines or infrastructures, like with the farms and forests. Secondly, the population can increase unreasonably since people who might be just spending their time enjoying the dominion that God has permitted us with, to spread the good news and to multiply and recreate. Third, the people in a certain country might want to have a strike for their officials who do not have that potential to provide them what they need in their lives and that is to suffice the need to eat, by which I can recall as one of the primary needs of a person. Thus, this situation may lead to war making the country unfit for peaceful living.Speaking of War, we all know that Iraq is a place where some atrocities and turmoil is present because of the terrorism issue that other countries accuse them. The war has already damaged a lot of natural resources and even killed a thousand lives, whether Iraqi or other people with different nationalities that worked in Iraq. Those people who just wanted to earn something to provide their family financial support, those who already have the potentials and risked their fate by trusting that they will be safe in Iraq, were unlucky to have killed brutally by the guns and bombs that the war have given.The unemployment that is mentioned above is also a way why such people were killed in this country. Those countries that do not have enough slot s for their people tend to send those unemployed to Iraq to find money; hence what they can find is death. Their willingness to sacrifice for their families is equaled by the threats that they might encounter upon arriving at the country that could make them be drained, drained emotionally and even physically.Part of this paper is to analyze how the HR Managers treat this kind of situation aside from the fact that there are hundreds and thousands of unemployed citizens. Do they really intend to help these persons and their families or they are just for the benefit of their commissions given that those companies in Iraq, or their companies that have other bases or branch in Iraq pay double or triple times the price of a normal salary in a peaceful country? There were analyses on how these people deal with the situation given that there are really many things that are being risked in this country, Iraq.The first question goes on how the HR’s are being influenced for this kind o f risking. I think, aside from the fact that working abroad is something really adventurous to most people in the world, it is the deal that goes with the case, that is someone will have to work in Iraq and he/she will be provided of certain benefits that will encourage even his/her family to support that endeavor.There could be lots of offers that they may put into their contracts upon the acceptance of the application of those apprentices. Having so many bombings, it is not a joke to really invest one of your feet just for the sake of money, which is also one of the motivations of the HR managers that they too are risking their credibility to people who might want to work for their company. From the article of Susman saying that there really are bombings in Iraq, there are already so many warnings for the people who would want to give their best shots in Iraq. They will be heroes if they will be killed because of their loving hearts for their families.Giving the unemployed jobs in Iraq might also be a way to decrease the number of populations residing on an overpopulated country, with that intention of course that is hidden by the administration. If this is to be transferred, I think, some Hr managers can just gather these people who want to work in Iraq for big money and just give them something more difficult than letting them face the mask of death and even the haunting black man carrying a knife or a sword. Here, we can say that there are still ways to make them safe of the trouble of the war, that is to wait until the issue between Iraq and the other countries fade. As with the article of Whitaker, there was a military man who will have punishments for being the cause of fatalities with some women and children in Iraq.In my point of view, the danger of risking someone else’s life with the kind of wage the HR Managers are promising their employees is not worth the existence of those beings. It is very difficult to raise a child and give him/her th e education that he/she opt to have at their young age. Those people would always want to have something to apply their education and for the unfortunate who resides on countries with scarcity of jobs in turn be working on a country that promises only threats to their emotional and physical beings.Perhaps it can strengthen the spiritual aspects of that person that they will be able to call the Father Almighty every now and then to protect them with the harms not only the war can give them but by their bosses who might be influenced by the present turmoil in Iraq. I think, the benefits they will be getting in working in Iraq shall just be placed in funds that will enable that state or country make or build establishments that will provide them the money they need. Sometimes, courage is not measured by facing the most scary things in life but by looking for ways to solve the different struggles we encounter every day no matter how easy or complicated they are.

Agree or Disagree with Dissections

Why Do We Dissect ? The art of dissection allows for people to gain knowledge about the organisms around them in a very unique way. Dissection involves the cutting open and examination of animals or plants. Some of the earliest dissections date back to the third century where they were performed by Greek physicians. They used dissections as a means of gaining a broader understanding of their own species. Today dissections are an essential part of life. Dissections are popularly used in autopsies to determine means of death and by students to gain a better understanding of animal and human body. I personally think dissections are the best way to learn about our own bodies through examining other animals. This is because of homology or similarities between certain animals and humans. I’ve experienced homology in frog dissections. The internal structure of the frog was similar to the internal structure of the human body. Dissections were performed live and virtually. The live dissection of the frog allowed me to gain a true understanding of the organ systems compared to a virtual dissection done on the computer. I believe live dissections are better, they allowed me to learn more about the specimen by providing a better sense of the size and structure of the specimen. Through a live dissection I also gained lab experience in using dissection tools, safety procedures and equipment. When preparing for a lab practical a live dissection is more sufficient than a virtual dissection. It is easier to identify internal structures when you’ve examined them up close In conclusion dissections are one of the best means of gaining knowledge about the body and internal structure of a specimen. They allow for humans to discover homology between them and other animals such as frogs. Dissections can be performed live or virtually and to me live dissections are supreme because they allow for a more in depth and hands on examination. Thus leading to a better understanding of the specimen. | |

Bad Popcorn In Big Buckets

The research questions were clearly stated with both dependent (9 point Rickart scale questionnaire) and independent variables (large v average sized containers and stale v fresh popcorn) identified. Study was a randomly controlled trial, 2 x 2 between-subjects design.Participants were randomly given either a 120 gram or a 240 gram container of pre-weighed, fresh or stale popcorn to eat while viewing the movie; after the movie the containers and remaining popcorn were re-weighed to determine measures of consumption; participants were also required to complete a 9-point Rickart scale questionnaire in order to measure perceived taste and to write a description of the in order to measure palatability of the popcorn, and to write a description of this palatability and whether they considered the size of the containers as having any impact on the amount they consumed.Location: Philadelphian cinema – ‘Stargate’ movie. Subjects: 158 viewers of the movie, 57. 6% male; fre sh popcorn – average-sized containers: n=38 and larger-sized containers n=40, stale popcorn – average container: n=39 and large container, n=40; means and ANOVA results (analysis of variance) indicated that participants in each randomized sample were comparable in age (28. 9, 30. 4, 29. 0 and 27. 2 years of age, F=0. 465, P>0. 20), and gender mix (57%, 60%, 62%, 54% male, chi-square = 0.522, P>0. 20. Findings: regression coefficients show that those given fresh popcorn ate 45. 3% more from large containers (85. 6 vs 58. 9 grams, F1, 76=38. 6, P,0. 01) The size of container proved to have compelling influence on consumption, which was higher for both fresh and stale popcorn (45. 3% and 33. 6% respectively) when eaten from the large containers, even when regarded as unpalatable (disliked) by participants (50. 8 vs 38. 0 grams, F 1,77=8.73, P. 0. 01). Fresh popcorn however, procured a larger increase in consumption than the stale (F1, 154=7. 42, P

Read this research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Read this research paper - Essay Example PET (Jeong et al 1). Out of the 154 patients, eighty?one patients received de?nitive CRT and 73 received trimodality therapy (Jeong et al 1). I feel that research presented enough data to help me judge for myself how the experiment turned out. Notably, the research presented data, which included criteria for determining which patients should receive de?nitive CRT rather than surgery after preoperative CRT (Jeong et al 1). Moreover, the research ensured that the 72 patients of the 73 patients under trimodality therapy underwent transthoracic esophagectomy and one underwent transhiatal esophagectomy to enhance clarity in analyzing the collected data and the results (Jeong et al 2). Additionally, there was a follow-up, which started from the beginning of the Radiotherapy thus enhancing uniformity and correctness of the research. This would be significant for me in judging how the experiment turned out. Notably, the researchers used the AJCC 6th edition TNM stage classi?cation and the mu ltiple logistic regression analysis to determine the pathologic stage and the PET?CR to estimate the propensity score (Jeong et al 2). These methods present efficient, professional, and reliable data that is enough for me to establish how the experiment turned out. More so, the nonparsimonious model that addressed all the variables in the experiment derived significant data that would facilitate an independent opinion on the direction of the experiment (Jeong et al 2).The research presents data on the characteristics of the 154 patients, treatment response, and survival rates. The presented data is enough for me to make an informed decision on how the experiment turned out (Jeong et al 2). Question 3 The data mentioned by the author had a unique pattern. In fact, the data shows that all the 154 patients had squamous cell carcinoma with the majority of them being men (Jeong et al 2). Another pattern shows that 45 Gy was the mean total radiation dose in the preoperative CRT group whil e the 50 Gy was the mean total radiation dose in the de?nitive CRT group (Jeong et al 2). Furthermore, we can establish a superiority pattern where the rate of pCR was superior in the PET?CR group than in the PET?CR group (Jeong et al 2). More so, there was a treatment failure pattern where most of the 154 patients experienced treatment failure (Jeong et al 3). Another pattern was clear where local failure was the major failure site in the de?nitive CRT group while distant metastasis was the major pattern of failure in the trimodality group (Jeong et al 4). Another common pattern in this research was surgery being a signi?cant prognostic factor for LRFS in the entire patients (Jeong et al 3). Nevertheless, I can establish that the research did not address the problem of age with relation to surgery. Discussion Question 1 An analysis of the data in this research concludes that the addition of surgery showed higher DFS and LRFS rates than those of the PET?CR subgroup of de?nitive CRT patients (Jeong et al 5). More so, it concludes that PET?CR after CRT was a signi?cant prognostic factor for OS, DFS, and LRFS in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (Jeong et al 5). Ultimately, the research concludes that despite achieving PET?CR, surgery still seems to improve local tumor control (Jeong et al 5). The

Electricity Industry in the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Electricity Industry in the U.S - Essay Example Coal is the leading electricity generating source. In 2013, 39.1% of electricity was generated using coal. Natural Gas was second with 27.4%. The nuclear source contributed to 19.4% of the total electricity generated in that year while renewable sources like solar and wind generation had 12.9%. Other sources of electricity had the least percentage of only 1.2%. Compared to the same data recorded in 2006, the share controlled by natural gases had dropped dramatically from 70%. Nuclear energy was contributed to 20% in 2006 while renewable energy rose from 3% in 2006. However, the percentage contributed by coal was not shown in 2006. Hence, it could be assumed that a coal production is a form of electricity generation in the US. The electricity industry in the U.S is comprised of several companies and stakeholders that offer services through electricity generation, transmission and distribution. Other industrial players are domestic and commercial market operators besides product sales personnel. A survey conducted in 1996 showed that there were at least 3200 utility firms engaging in power distribution. Among the 3200 firms, at most 1000 engaged in electricity generation (Only ten were government owned while the rest were private enterprises) (Blume, 2007, p. 83). In the US, electricity transmission is carried out under the supervision of independent system operators and regional transmission firms. The electricity transmitting organization focusses at offering equity services rather than being profit oriented. These utilities and organizations are controlled by public institutions, for example, Department of energy that generates electricity policies and Environmental Protection Policies that develop environmental policies.

Development of Tourism in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 11250 words - 1

Development of Tourism in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The researcher tried not to choose participants who visited Saudi Arabia just once. People who visited the country twice but with short intervals (probably in months) were also not considered to be taken as participants for this paper’s survey, as this could impact the results and this could also prevent in finding out the reality. This is because, to notice the development of any country, months are really not enough. At least one and the half year is ideal to notice some of the changes. Normally, countries strive and work on several projects which take months to be finalized and to be actually executed. Operations do not just start. It takes a lot of time because each project involves a lot of finance and that financial plan or budget needs to be planned, designed, tested, approved and need to pass several stages before being operational. This point is very important. For active developers, one and the half year of a gap is considered as reasonable, while in third world coun tries with lazy executors, identical changes take more than five to seven years. For any country, the growth and the development in the industry of tourism brings a number of positive results. This, not only, includes the foreign investments but a lot more than that in a number of ways. A country receives investments when it is rich in resources. Especially, the oil reserves and the petroleum reserves are normally considered as the blessings and fortune of any country. The foreign investments open doors to the foreign engineers and to the other foreign employees. When the investment projects are a little more than the average number of projects, a country faces a lot of problems in acquiring professional services from the local workforce. Therefore, it opens doors to the foreign professionals to apply and offer their services. However, the local engineers and professionals are given priority over the outsiders in many cases. A company may acquire foreign services for a long-term or for a short-term contract.