The Host Chapter 16: Assigned

The ledge of the rock exit was worn down, but it scraped my palms and shins as I scrambled through it. It hurt, stiff as I was, to wrench myself erect, and my breath caught. My head swam as the blood flowed downward. I looked for only one thing-where Jared was, so that I could put myself between him and his attackers. They all stood frozen in place, staring at me. Jared had his back to the wall, his hands balled into fists and held low. In front of him, Kyle was hunched over, clutching his stomach. Ian and a stranger flanked him a few feet back, their mouths open with shock. I took advantage of their surprise. In two long, shaky strides, I moved between Kyle and Jared. Kyle was the first to react. I was less than a foot from him, and his primary instinct was to shove me away. His hand struck my shoulder and heaved me toward the floor. Before I could fall, something caught my wrist and yanked me back to my feet. As soon as he realized what he'd done, Jared dropped my wrist like my skin was oozing acid. â€Å"Get back in there,† he roared at me. He shoved my shoulder, too, but it wasn't as hard as Kyle's push. It sent me staggering two feet back toward the hole in the wall. The hole was a black circle in the narrow hallway. Outside the small prison, the bigger cave looked just the same, only longer and taller, a tube rather than a bubble. A small lamp-powered by what, I couldn't guess-lit the hallway dimly from the ground. It cast strange shadows on the features of the men, turning them into scowling monster faces. I took a step toward them again, turning my back to Jared. â€Å"I'm what you want,† I said directly to Kyle. â€Å"Leave him alone.† No one said anything for a long second. â€Å"Tricky bugger,† Ian finally muttered, eyes wide with horror. â€Å"I said get back in there,† Jared hissed behind me. I turned halfway, not wanting Kyle out of my sight. â€Å"It's not your duty to protect me at your own expense.† Jared grimaced, one hand rising to push me back toward the cell again. I skipped out of the way; the motion moved me toward the ones who wanted to kill me. Ian grabbed my arms and pinned them behind me. I struggled instinctively, but he was very strong. He bent my joints too far back and I gasped. â€Å"Get your hands off her!† Jared shouted, charging. Kyle caught him and spun him around into a wrestling hold, forcing his neck forward. The other man grabbed one of Jared's thrashing arms. â€Å"Don't hurt him!† I screeched. I strained against the hands that imprisoned me. Jared's free elbow rammed into Kyle's stomach. Kyle gasped and lost his grip. Jared twisted away from his attackers and then lunged back, his fist connecting with Kyle's nose. Dark red blood spattered the wall and the lamp. â€Å"Finish it, Ian!† Kyle yelled. He put his head down and hurtled into Jared, throwing him into the other man. â€Å"No!† Jared and I cried at the same moment. Ian dropped my arms, and his hands wrapped around my throat, choking off my air. I clawed at his hands with my useless, stubby nails. He gripped me tighter, dragging my feet off the floor. It hurt-the strangling hands, the sudden panic of my lungs. It was agony. I writhed, more trying to escape the pain than the murdering hands. Click, click. I'd only heard the sound once before, but I recognized it. So did everyone else. They all froze, Ian with his hands locked hard on my neck. â€Å"Kyle, Ian, Brandt-back off!† Jeb barked. No one moved-just my hands, still clawing, and my feet, twitching in the air. Jared suddenly darted under Kyle's motionless arm and sprang at me. I saw his fist flying toward my face, and closed my eyes. A loud thwack sounded inches behind my head. Ian howled, and I dropped to the floor. I crumpled there at his feet, gasping. Jared retreated after an angry glance in my direction and went to stand at Jeb's elbow. â€Å"You're guests here, boys, and don't forget it,† Jeb growled. â€Å"I told you not to go looking for the girl. She's my guest, too, for the moment, and I don't take kindly to any of my guests killing any of the others.† â€Å"Jeb,† Ian moaned above me, his voice muffled by the hand held to his mouth. â€Å"Jeb. This is insane.† â€Å"What's your plan?† Kyle demanded. His face was smeared with blood, a violent, macabre sight. But there was no evidence of pain in his voice, only controlled and simmering anger. â€Å"We have a right to know. We have to decide whether this place is safe or if it's time to move on. So†¦ how long will you keep this thing as your pet? What will you do with it when you're finished playing God? All of us deserve to know the answers to these questions.† Kyle's extraordinary words echoed behind the pulse thudding in my head. Keep me as a pet? Jeb had called me his guest†¦ Was that another word for prisoner? Was it possible that two humans existed that did not demand either my death or my torture-wrung confession? If so, it was nothing less than a miracle. â€Å"Don't have your answers, Kyle,† Jeb said. â€Å"It's not up to me.† I doubted any other response Jeb could have given would have confused them more. All four men, Kyle, Ian, the one I didn't know, and even Jared, stared at him with shock. I still crouched gasping at Ian's feet, wishing there was some way I could climb back into my hole unnoticed. â€Å"Not up to you?† Kyle finally echoed, still disbelieving. â€Å"Who, then? If you're thinking of putting it to a vote, that's already been done. Ian, Brandt, and I are the duly designated appointees of the result.† Jeb shook his head-a tight movement that never took his eyes off the man in front of him. â€Å"It's not up for a vote. This is still my house.† â€Å"Who, then?† Kyle shouted. Jeb's eyes finally flickered-to another face and then back to Kyle. â€Å"It's Jared's decision.† Everyone, me included, shifted their eyes to stare at Jared. He gaped at Jeb, just as astonished as the rest, and then his teeth ground together with an audible sound. He threw a glare of pure hate in my direction. â€Å"Jared?† Kyle asked, facing Jeb again. â€Å"That makes no sense!† He was not in control of himself now, almost spluttering in rage. â€Å"He's more biased than anyone else! Why? How can he be rational about this?† â€Å"Jeb, I don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jared muttered. â€Å"She's your responsibility, Jared,† Jeb said in a firm voice. â€Å"I'll help you out, of course, if there's any more trouble like this, and with keeping track of her and all that. But when it comes to making decisions, that's all yours.† He raised one hand when Kyle tried to protest again. â€Å"Look at it this way, Kyle. If somebody found your Jodi on a raid and brought her back here, would you want me or Doc or a vote deciding what we did with her?† â€Å"Jodi is dead,† Kyle hissed, blood spraying off his lips. He glared at me with much the same expression Jared had just used. â€Å"Well, if her body wandered in here, it would still be up to you. Would you want it any other way?† â€Å"The majority -â€Å" â€Å"My house, my rules,† Jeb interrupted harshly. â€Å"No more discussion on this. No more votes. No more execution attempts. You three spread the word-this is how it works from now on. New rule.† â€Å"Another one?† Ian muttered under his breath. Jeb ignored him. â€Å"If, unlikely as it may be, somehow this ever happens again, whoever the body belongs to makes the call.† Jeb poked the barrel of the gun toward Kyle, then jerked it a few inches toward the hall behind him. â€Å"Get out of here. I don't want to see you anywhere around this place again. You let everyone know that this corridor is off-limits. No one's got any reason for being here except Jared, and if I catch someone skulking around, I'm asking questions second. You got that? Move. Now.† He jabbed the gun at Kyle again. I was amazed that the three assassins immediately stalked back up the hallway, not even pausing to give me or Jeb a parting grimace. I deeply wanted to believe that the gun in Jeb's hands was a bluff. From the first time I'd seen him, Jeb had shown every outward appearance of kindness. He had not touched me once in violence; he had not even looked at me with recognizable hostility. Now it seemed that he was one of only two people here who meant me no harm. Jared might have fought to keep me alive, but it was plain that he was intensely conflicted about that decision. I sensed that he could change his mind at any time. From his expression, it was clear that part of him wanted this over with-especially now that Jeb had put the decision on his shoulders. While I made this analysis, Jared glowered at me with disgust in every line of his expression. However, as much as I wanted to believe that Jeb was bluffing, while I watched the three men disappear into the darkness away from me, it was obvious there was no way he could be. Under the front he presented, Jeb must have been just as deadly and cruel as the rest of them. If he hadn't used that gun in the past-used it to kill, not just to threaten-no one would have obeyed him this way. Desperate times, Melanie whispered. We can't afford to be kind in the world you've created. We're fugitives, an endangered species. Every choice is life-or-death. Shh. I don't have time for a debate. I need to focus. Jared was facing Jeb now, one hand held out in front of him, palm up, fingers curled limply. Now that the others were gone, their bodies slumped into a looser stance. Jeb was even grinning under his thick beard, as though he'd enjoyed the standoff at gunpoint. Strange human. â€Å"Please don't put this on me, Jeb,† Jared said. â€Å"Kyle is right about one thing-I can't make a rational decision.† â€Å"No one said you had to decide this second. She's not going anywhere.† Jeb glanced down at me, still grinning. The eye closest to me-the one Jared couldn't see-closed quickly and opened again. A wink. â€Å"Not after all the trouble she took to get here. You've got plenty of time to think it through.† â€Å"There's nothing to think through. Melanie is dead. But I can't-I can't-Jeb, I can't just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jared couldn't seem to finish the sentence. Tell him. I'm not ready to die right this second. â€Å"Don't think about it, then,† Jeb told him. â€Å"Maybe you'll figure something out later. Give it some time.† â€Å"What are we going to do with it? We can't keep watch on it round the clock.† Jeb shook his head. â€Å"That's exactly what we're going to have to do for a while. Things will calm down. Even Kyle can't preserve a murderous rage for more than a few weeks.† â€Å"A few weeks? We can't afford to play guard down here for a few weeks. We have other things -â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know.† Jeb sighed. â€Å"I'll figure something out.† â€Å"And that's only half the problem.† Jared looked at me again; a vein in his forehead pulsed. â€Å"Where do we keep it? It's not like we have a cell block.† Jeb smiled down at me. â€Å"You're not going to give us any trouble, now, are you?† I stared at him mutely. â€Å"Jeb,† Jared muttered, upset. â€Å"Oh, don't worry about her. First of all, we'll keep an eye on her. Secondly, she'd never be able to find her way out of here-she'd wander around lost until she ran into somebody. Which leads us to number three: she's not that stupid.† He raised one thick white eyebrow at me. â€Å"You're not going to go looking for Kyle or the rest of them, are you? I don't think any of them are very fond of you.† I just stared, wary of his easy, chatty tone. â€Å"I wish you wouldn't talk to it like that,† Jared muttered. â€Å"I was raised in a politer time, kid. I can't help myself.† Jeb put one hand on Jared's arm, patting lightly. â€Å"Look, you've had a full night. Let me take the next watch here. Get some sleep.† Jared seemed about to object, but then he looked at me again and his expression hardened. â€Å"Whatever you want, Jeb. And†¦ I don't-I won't accept responsibility for this thing. Kill it if you think that's best.† I flinched. Jared scowled at my reaction, then turned his back abruptly and walked the same way the others had gone. Jeb watched him go. While he was distracted, I crept back into my hole. I heard Jeb settle slowly to the ground beside the opening. He sighed and stretched, popping a few joints. After a few minutes, he started whistling quietly. It was a cheery tune. I curled myself around my bent knees, pressing my back into the farthest recess of the little cell. Tremors started at the small of my back and ran up and down my spine. My hands shook, and my teeth chattered softly together, despite the soggy heat. â€Å"Might as well lie down and get some sleep,† Jeb said, whether to me or to himself, I wasn't sure. â€Å"Tomorrow's bound to be a tough one.† The shivers passed after a time-maybe half an hour. When they were gone, I felt exhausted. I decided to take Jeb's advice. Though the floor felt even more uncomfortable than before, I was unconscious in seconds. The smell of food woke me. This time I was groggy and disoriented when I opened my eyes. An instinctive sense of panic had my hands trembling again before I was fully conscious. The same tray sat on the ground beside me, identical offerings on it. I could both see and hear Jeb. He sat in front of the cave in profile, looking straight ahead down the long round corridor and whistling softly. Driven by my fierce thirst, I sat up and grabbed the open bottle of water. â€Å"Morning,† Jeb said, nodding in my direction. I froze, my hand on the bottle, until he turned his head and started whistling again. Only now, not quite so desperately thirsty as before, did I notice the odd, unpleasant aftertaste to the water. It matched the acrid taste of the air, but it was slightly stronger. The tang lingered in my mouth, inescapable. I ate quickly, this time saving the soup for last. My stomach reacted more happily today, accepting the food with better grace. It barely gurgled. My body had other needs, though, now that the loudest ones had been sated. I looked around my dark, cramped hole. There weren't a lot of options visible. But I could barely contain my fear at the thought of speaking up and making a request, even of the bizarre but friendly Jeb. I rocked back and forth, debating. My hips ached from curving to the bowled shape of the cave. â€Å"Ahem,† Jeb said. He was looking at me again, his face a deeper color under the white hair than usual. â€Å"You've been stuck in here for a while,† he said. â€Å"You need to†¦ get out?† I nodded. â€Å"Don't mind a walk myself.† His voice was cheerful. He sprang to his feet with surprising agility. I crawled to the edge of my hole, staring out at him cautiously. â€Å"I'll show you our little washroom,† he continued. â€Å"Now, you should know that we're going to have to go through†¦ kind of the main plaza, so to speak. Don't worry. I think everyone will have gotten the message by now.† Unconsciously, he stroked the length of his gun. I tried to swallow. My bladder was so full it was a constant pain, impossible to ignore. But to parade right through the middle of the hive of angry killers? Couldn't he just bring me a bucket? He measured the panic in my eyes-watched the way I automatically shrank back farther into the hole-and his lips pursed in speculation. Then he turned and started walking down the dark hall. â€Å"Follow me,† he called back, not looking to see if I obeyed. I had one vivid flash of Kyle finding me here alone, and was after Jeb before a second passed, scrambling awkwardly through the opening and then hobbling along on my stiff legs as fast as I could to catch up. It felt both horrible and wonderful to stand straight again-the pain was sharp, but the relief was greater. I was close behind him when we reached the end of the hall; darkness loomed through the tall broken oval of the exit. I hesitated, looking back at the small lamp he'd left on the floor. It was the only light in the dark cave. Was I supposed to bring it? He heard me stop and turned to peer at me over his shoulder. I nodded toward the light, then looked back at him. â€Å"Leave it. I know my way.† He held out his free hand to me. â€Å"I'll guide you.† I stared at the hand for a long moment, and then, feeling the urgency in my bladder, I slowly put my hand on his palm, barely touching it-the way I would have touched a snake if for some reason I was ever forced to. Jeb led me through the blackness with sure, quick steps. The long tunnel was followed by a series of bewildering twists in opposing directions. As we rounded yet another sharp V in the path, I knew I was hopelessly turned around. I was sure this was on purpose, and the reason Jeb had left the lamp behind. He wouldn't want me knowing too much about how to find my way out of this labyrinth. I was curious as to how this place had come to be, how Jeb had found it, and how the others had wound up here. But I forced my lips tightly together. It seemed to me that keeping silent was my best bet now. What I was hoping for, I wasn't sure. A few more days of life? Just a cessation of pain? Was there anything else left? All I knew was that I wasn't ready to die, as I'd told Melanie before; my survival instinct was every bit as developed as the average human's. We turned another corner, and the first light reached us. Ahead, a tall, narrow crevice glowed with light from another room. This light was not artificial like the little lamp by my cave. It was too white, too pure. We couldn't move through the narrow fracture in the rock side by side. Jeb went first, towing me close behind. Once through-and able to see again-I pulled my hand out of Jeb's light grip. He didn't react in any way except to put his newly freed hand back on the gun. We were in a short tunnel, and a brighter light shone through a rough arched doorway. The walls were the same holey purple rock. I could hear voices now. They were low, less urgent than the last time I'd heard the babble of a human crowd. No one was expecting us today. I could only imagine what the response would be to my appearance with Jeb. My palms were cold and wet; my breath came in shallow gasps. I leaned as close as I could to Jeb without actually touching him. â€Å"Easy,† he murmured, not turning. â€Å"They're more afraid of you than you are of them.† I doubted that. And even if there were any way that it could be true, fear turned into hatred and violence in the human heart. â€Å"I won't let anybody hurt you,† Jeb mumbled as he reached the archway. â€Å"Anyway, might as well get used to this.† I wanted to ask what that meant, but he stepped through into the next room. I crept in after him, half a step behind, keeping myself hidden by his body as much as possible. The only thing harder than moving myself forward into that room was the thought of falling behind Jeb and being caught alone here. Sudden silence greeted our entrance. We were in the gigantic, bright cavern again, the one they'd first brought me to. How long ago was that? I had no idea. The ceiling was still too bright for me to make out exactly how it was lit. I hadn't noticed before, but the walls were not unbroken-dozens of irregular gaps opened to adjoining tunnels. Some of the openings were huge, others barely large enough for a man to fit through stooped over; some were natural crevices, others were, if not man-made, at least enhanced by someone's hands. Several people stared at us from the recesses of those crevices, frozen in the act of coming or going. More people were out in the open, their bodies caught in the middle of whatever movement our entrance had interrupted. One woman was bent in half, reaching for her shoelaces. A man's motionless arms hung in the air, raised to illustrate some point he'd been making to his companions. Another man wobbled, caught off balance in a sudden stop. His foot came down hard as he struggled to keep steady; the thud of its fall was the only sound in the vast space. It echoed through the room. It was fundamentally wrong for me to feel grateful to that hideous weapon in Jeb's hands†¦ but I did. I knew that without it we would probably have been attacked. These humans would not stop themselves from hurting Jeb if it meant they could get to me. Though we might be attacked despite the gun. Jeb could only shoot one of them at a time. The picture in my head had turned so grisly that I couldn't bear it. I tried to focus on my immediate surroundings, which were bad enough. Jeb paused for a moment, the gun held at his waist, pointing outward. He stared all around the room, seeming to lock his gaze one by one with each person in it. There were fewer than twenty here; it did not take long. When he was satisfied with his study, he headed for the left wall of the cavern. Blood thudding in my ears, I followed in his shadow. He did not walk directly across the cavern, instead keeping close to the curve of the wall. I wondered at his path until I noticed a large square of darker ground that took up the center of the floor-a very large space. No one stood on this darker ground. I was too frightened to do more than notice the anomaly; I didn't even guess at a reason. There were small movements as we circled the silent room. The bending woman straightened, twisting at the waist to watch us go. The gesturing man folded his arms across his chest. All eyes narrowed, and all faces tightened into expressions of rage. However, no one moved toward us, and no one spoke. Whatever Kyle and the others had told these people about their confrontation with Jeb, it seemed to have had the effect Jeb was hoping for. As we passed through the grove of human statues, I recognized Sharon and Maggie eyeing us from the wide mouth of one opening. Their expressions were blank, their eyes cold. They did not look at me, only Jeb. He ignored them. It felt like years later when we finally reached the far side of the cavern. Jeb headed for a medium-sized exit, black against the brightness of this room. The eyes on my back made my scalp tingle, but I didn't dare to look behind me. The humans were still silent, but I worried that they might follow. It was a relief to slip into the darkness of the new passageway. Jeb's hand touched my elbow to guide me, and I did not shrink away from it. The babble of voices didn't pick up again behind us. â€Å"That went better than I expected,† Jeb muttered as he steered me through the cave. His words surprised me, and I was glad I didn't know what he'd thought would happen. The ground sloped downward under my feet. Ahead, a dim light kept me from total blindness. â€Å"Bet you've never seen anything like my place here.† Jeb's voice was louder now, back to the chatty tone he'd used before. â€Å"It's really something, isn't it?† He paused briefly in case I might respond, and then went on. â€Å"Found this place back in the seventies. Well, it found me. I fell through the roof of the big room-probably shoulda died from the fall, but I'm too tough for my own good. Took me a while to find a way out. I was hungry enough to eat rock by the time I managed it. â€Å"I was the only one left on the ranch by then, so I didn't have anyone to show it to. I explored every nook and cranny, and I could see the possibilities. I decided this might be a good card to keep up my sleeve, just in case. That's how we Stryders are-we like to be prepared.† We passed the dim light-it came from a fist-sized hole in the ceiling, making a small circle of brightness on the floor. When it was behind us, I could see another spot of illumination far ahead. â€Å"You're probably curious as to how this all got here.† Another pause, shorter than the last. â€Å"I know I was. I did a little research. These are lava tubes-can you beat that? This used to be a volcano. Well, still is a volcano, I expect. Not quite dead, as you'll see in a bit. All these caves and holes are bubbles of air that got caught in the cooling lava. I've put quite a bit of work into it over the last few decades. Some of it was easy-connecting the tubes just took a little elbow grease. Other parts took more imagination. Did you see the ceiling in the big room? That took me years to get right.† I wanted to ask him how, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. Silence was safest. The floor began to slant downward at a steeper angle. The terrain was broken into rough steps, but they seemed secure enough. Jeb led me down them confidently. As we dropped lower and lower into the ground, the heat and humidity increased. I stiffened when I heard a babble of voices again, this time from ahead. Jeb patted my hand kindly. â€Å"You'll like this part-it's always everyone's favorite,† he promised. A wide, open arch shimmered with moving light. It was the same color as the light in the big room, pure and white, but it flickered at a strange dancing pace. Like everything else that I couldn't understand in this cavern, the light frightened me. â€Å"Here we are,† Jeb said enthusiastically, pulling me through the archway. â€Å"What do you think?†

Mao Zedong: Man, Not God

â€Å"Mao Zedong: Man, not God† by Quan Yanchi was first published in 1992, book is translated to English from Chinese by Wang Wenjiong and edited by Gale Hadfield. The book is based on the recollections of Li Yinqiao, Mao's bodyguard for many years. Highlighting the book are photographs of Mao with his relatives and Li, published for the first time. This book can help anyone who is new to China or know just a little about this country to get more familiar with who Mao for Chinese is. They love him so much, and the main aim of author of the book is to show to reader hidden situations of his life.The book is divided into 20 chapters by their theme. It ranges from Mao's relationship with different people to things that made him cry. Author was worried that not all of his questions will be answered by Li, despite Li is his friend. He thought some questions may embarrass Li, as they were about Mao's likes and dislikes, his fears. But to his fortune Li did his best trying to rememb er everything in details. Mao is well-known around the world as the greatest man China produced in this century. The author supports this impression and also tries to show that Mao was not like a robot,but ordinary human feelings are not alien to him.He had some habits which characterize him as a person who doesn't really like changes. As he choose Li to be his bodyguard's commander, they spent about 15 years together and after Li left Mao didn't have any new bodyguard commander. There are lots of situations while Mao afield. During the war he shows himself as a good commander and great strategist. He is very principled, sometimes it almost costed him a life. There were only few occasions when he refused his words and changed the order of things. But in some cases we should have thanked Li that Mao stayed alive.He was so dogged, he didn't worry about his own safe, he was just following his desire or whim like as he said so he would do so no matter how it would finish. For me persona lly was very interesting chapter about things that make Mao cry. I didn't even expect that such a thing as Beijing Opera could make him cry so much. One of his favorite plays was â€Å"The Story of the White Snake†. This tragic story never failed to move Mao to tears. This episode shows Mao not as Chairman or army leader,but more humane, as a small vulnerable child which starts to cry from emotions when he sees something perfect in its kind.Tragedy took Mao inside the play, he was losing connection to the real world, he became a part of play, he didn't care about other people's opinion. Another episode is also very emotional. Mao used to have one bodyguard from each province, so about twice a year he was sending them back home for family reunion, but also they had to bring Mao information about what was going on in the country, especially in distant parts. He didn't want them to be spy or guerrilla, he wanted to know the situation. He was not indifferent to destiny of people in China.Author keeps very detailed, he describes everything so vivid that reader gets an impression that he is sitting next to Mao, can hear his breathe, and feel the same disgust when Mao throws away a butt. Sometimes it can make you bored, but at all I find it necessary. Without all this details the text would be just retelling of history, only dry facts and would make you asleep within a minute. As the text is divided into chapters, Quan Yanchi starts each chapter with statement and after gives an example which supports the statement given in the beginning.As there can be some confirmations he goes from one to another, doesn't mix them up, so even if you stop reading for sometime and then come back to book you will easily get back to the event described. Book leaves its sign on you, it is impossible that you will not change your opinion about Mao. He presented from very different point of view than we, foreigners, used to think about him. Mao is God for Chinese, but he totally d eserve it. During his life he did lots of good to China and now its time for China pay him back.

Antiquated Nemesis

An in-depth study of the novel The Rebel by Albert Camus. This paper examines Albert Camus novel The Rebel. The paper discusses the philosophical concepts that are present in Camus writing and supports these ideas with other philosophers writing, such as Thomas Paine and Nietzsche. This paper is well-researched and written at a high level by bringing together philosophy and literature. Table of Contents I. A Child Prometheus: The Irrelevancy of Antiquity II. The Post-Apocalyptic Reflecting God III. The Monkey, the Man, Then the Gun: A Perusal of Modern Philosophy IV. The Meridian: The Atom of Eden The Rebel, by Albert Camus, is a distinctly modern book. There is very little written here that would have been defensive, or even coherent, in the light of the world as it was just 200 years ago. This is a book illuminated by the informed by the libraries of Nuremberg and illuminated by the fires of St. Petersburg and Hiroshima. It takes most of its subject matter from the intelligent and passionate perusal and perusal of the greatest works of romanticism, nihilism, and revolution in philosophy, art, and history. It seeks to comprehend and encompass physical and metaphysical history, yet with the entire goal of transcending it. Hence there is no set of teachings presented, no artwork or philosophy portrayed, which is not taken with a lovingly ironic grain of salt, approached not only with awe but also an expression of trembling hesitation. This transcendent discrimination is applied as surely and gently to Nietzsche and the Bible, and even extends its light to the classical works of which Camus is obviously so fond.

Enterprise Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Enterprise Project - Essay Example Throughout the period of undertaking the project, I hope to learn several aspects from fellow colleagues. While in a leadership position, I wish to learn how to engage and empower people. Leadership by fear that arises from the traditional management system is flawed, and its productivity may be in doubt. I will also learn particular insights on how technology can influence the activities of the group. Finally, I will learn to embrace vulnerability through developing courage to be seen. I developed a major cash flow report for the group, which is very vital in tracking the fiscal progress of the enterprise. I have certain weaknesses of being a perfect debater who has a passion for work. I tend to question everything, and this slows down the execution processes. However, I have a particular skill to counter the weaknesses. I am a self-motivated, determined, success-oriented, and hardworking natural leader. The combination of these qualities may not make up a perfect profile, but they will guarantee success in the enterprise

Weekend in Guatemala Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weekend in Guatemala - Essay Example Diego express his pessimism by asking Tucuche if the land reforms are of ill intent (Asturias 201). Secondly, the author helps readers understand La Galla’s mentality through the expressions she gives when she hears the Indian drums. La Galla expresses condescending facts regarding the Indians and the drums they play because of the land reforms. La Galla’s mentality is best understood when the author describes how his father died because of a demonstration, which was carried out by the Indians. La Galla disagrees with the idea of land reforms, which has been instigated by the Great Brotherhood. Further, La Galla does not see any sense regarding the drums played by the Indians; she sees it as only noise (Asturias 200). Branding the land reformists as communists was the best cover up, which La Galla and the white settlers could use to attack the Indians. If La Galla and her group could label the Indians as communist, the Indians could be seen as extremists with ill intentions. The idea of communism was contrary to what La Galla and whites believed in, which was capitalism. The state and communal ownership of land was the point of attack against Indians (Asturias

Sociological Theories of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Sociological Theories of Education - Essay Example In the current society, discrimination in the education system can be achieved through systems and policies that eliminate discrimination and promote ‘education for all’. According to WEB Bois (1868-1963), education should teach certain values such as the capacity to endure, love for beauty, avoidance of luxury, and a concern for courtesy. The purpose of education Randall (2007) writes that education is a process of acquiring data and knowledge, as well as learning different forms of behavior and competency in a specific field. The purpose of education involves cultivating human minds with values and principles that assist in determining the right and the wrong. The purpose of education also incorporates learning skills in certain subjects that assist in achieving overall development. In essence, education is a lifelong process and never ends. The purpose of education, therefore, entails a continuous change in the direction in the life of human beings. In the society, hu man beings realize the importance of education when they encounter difficulties. According to Carpenter  and   Haning (2011), in personal and professional development, education has a purpose of assisting each person to gain skills that can be used to overcome personal and professional difficulties. The basic purpose of education involves learning how to write, read, and understand concepts. The skills taught in the process of acquiring literacy remain for the whole life. It should be noted that writing, reading and understanding skills improve all the time a person reads and thinks. Education’s purpose is to teach a person how to acquire social and professional skills necessary for the socialization process in the society. Maintaining social relations in... This paper stresses that the purpose of education involves cultivating human minds with values and principles that assist in determining the right and the wrong. The purpose of education also incorporates learning skills in certain subjects that assist in achieving overall development. In essence, education is a lifelong process and never ends. The national curriculum in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is set of subjects and standards used by primary and secondary schools. These subjects and standards ensure that students learn similar content. This paper makes a conclusion that the national curriculum also covers which subjects should be taught and the standards pupils should meet in each subject. The Swan report, racism existed in educational institutions as well as individual levels. The British society is a multi-racial population, however, racism affected the education of minorities. The swan report also documented educational policies established in minority communities. The Tripartite System categorized the education system of England, Wales and Northern Ireland into three types: grammar, technical, and secondary modern. This system was discredited because of widespread discrimination against children from lower social class as well as children who could not pass the 11+ exam. The comprehensive system was introduced to replace the Tripartite System so that pupils could not be separated at a young age. The national curriculum was also developed to introduce ‘education for all’ principle.

Outcomes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Outcomes - Essay Example The evaluation criteria for this outcome will constitute determination of the number of nurses who are familiar with the re-education program and its goals. Another outcome will be reduced cases of victims of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) especially patients in acute care setting. The evaluation criteria will employ data recording of the percentage of patients reported as having contracted Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs).Increased overall performance of the nurses in regard to organized patient data and reference literature at the point of healthcare service (Peter, 2010). The evaluation criteria for this outcome will be the record of the reported number of nurses that fail to complete the hand washing procedure checklist. It is important to underscore the relationship existing between the highlighted outcomes to the multiple set of standards as well as differing groups’ needs and priorities. It is important to note that the outcome must emphasize patients’ vulnerability to Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) and health care providers’ compliance level. This means that the priority is to boost re-education effectiveness and translate this into reduced cases of poor hand washing practice among the healthcare providers. The parties of interest in the overall design of the outcome are the patients and the health care providers. The basic standards would constitute threshold of 80% of the nurses that must be familiar with the re-education program and its goals by the end of first year. This percentage will help in establishing the effectiveness of programme and serve healthcare management towards monitoring the progress of quality services (Peter, 2010). A recommended 20% decrease in number of victims of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) especially patients in acute care setting. This is in line with the overall patient centered priority in evading Hospital Acquired Infections and its risk that in extreme

Should drivers pay a fine for texting while driving Essay

Should drivers pay a fine for texting while driving - Essay Example Now then is today’s world we have cell phones, smart phones, computers, social media and all sorts of technology. You can control, plan, coordinate, search and travel all at once. Because of modern technology all that we used to do while being static, can now be achieved when driving from point to point. The last bit however was not a technological advancement but more of a convenience, a potentially harmful convenience. Texting or use of mobile while driving is distracting and is the cause of most distraction related road accidents. Most States in the US have a ban on speaking on mobile phones while driving and allow hands-free devices. There is still mixed opinions on whether strict traffic rules should include a ban on texting while driving. This article reviews whether there should be a ban on texting while driving. First let us start the argument by saying that Texting while driving is dangerous and that there should be a law and strict penalties against texting while driving. We will now examine why? Many people argue tat texting and driving cannot be equated to drinking and driving under other influences. We all agree that there are far many other distractions to a person in a car. The driver could even get distracted by trying to adjust the volume of their CD player or while talking to a passenger or even glancing back to look for the blind spot longer than necessary. But we have to also bear in mind that these are actions that may cause us to take our eyes of the road but do not necessarily involve too much brain function. While these are actions that are not recommended either we have to agree that talking on the phone or texting involves lot more concentration from the driver than any of these above mentioned functions. A driver could be talking to a passenger sitting next to him or her. But there is a subconscious awareness by at least one of them to watch the road in most cases. A person can have their eyes on the road and

Business Planning and Feasibility Assessment Essay

Business Planning and Feasibility Assessment - Essay Example The primary target market of the clothing store will be the tourists of Dammam city. As Dammam is a prime tourist spot and many tourists from across the world come to Dammam to visit or for business purposes, thus it will prove to be a large customer base for clothing store.The secondary target customers will be the residents of Dammam. The population in Dammam city is growing rapidly and the people tend to follow the western culture and fashion. Therefore, soon there will be much demand for fashionable clothes in Dammam city. As there is limited number of clothing store in Dammam, it will be easy to attract large number of customers. In the first operating year, it is estimated that the growth of clothing store will be moderate and cash in hand/bank will be positive. The clothing store will not sell on credit rather it will accept cash and all kinds of cheques and credit cards. The initial investment will be 150000000 SR (Saudi Riyal). The cost of land and building is estimated as 9 0000000 SR and Machinery will be bought about 30000000 SR. The estimated cost of Furniture is 15000000 SR. Depreciation will be charged on machinery and furniture to 8% and 2% per annum. In the first operating year it is estimated that the forecasted sales is 30000000 SR. The Gross Margin is accounted as 30% of the total sales. The cost of insurance is estimated as 9% of total gross margin and the selling & distribution expenses are calculated as 70000 SR (estimated figure). According to Saudi Arabia’s tax rate the income tax is charged as 20% on revenue. Fig: 1 Shows Estimated Income Statement of the Clothing Store Income Income (SR) Expenditure (SR) Sales 30000000 Gross Margin (30% of Sales) 9000000 Expenditure Payroll (9 ? 10000 ? 12) 1080000 Insurance (9% of Gross Margin) 810000 Depreciation on Machinery (8%) 2400000 Depreciation on Furniture (2%) 300000 Selling & Distribution Expenses 70000 Profit Before Tax 4640000 Income tax (20%) 928000 Profit After Tax/Net Profit 371 2000 Fig: 2 Shows Estimated Financial Statement of One Year of the Clothing Store Liabilities Asset Capital Investment 150000000 Land & Building

Plato and Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Plato and Cinema - Essay Example The way Plato looks at art should be understood within the context of his larger enterprise, the Republic, where his views on aesthetics are located. What exactly is the status of art for Plato? The Platonic view of art is rather pessimistic. He believes that the state should be governed by reason, in the same way, that an individual if s/he is to be a just individual, should have the â€Å"passions and the appetites governed by reason† (Albert et. al., 1980, p.25). Considering how the ideal state is conceived as one where everyone and everything must work for the good of society, art, in general, is conceived as being subservient to the state in that sense. If art is to be practiced or engaged in at all, it must be in a form that promotes a just society. In discussing how a person acquires knowledge and skills, Plato argues that from childhood, a person learns through imitating that to which s/he is exposed. As such, if the state is to raise up guardians, then these guardians -to-be need exposure only to those that promote the virtues, and not to those that arouse negative or ill attitudes. In the Republic, Plato states: If then we adhere to our original notion and bear in mind that our guardians, setting aside every other business, are to dedicate themselves wholly to the maintenance of freedom in the State,†¦ they ought not to practice or imitate anything else; if they imitate at all, they should imitate from youth upward only those characters which are suitable to their profession – the courageous, temperate, holy, free, and the like.  

The Home Front in World War One Essay Example for Free

The Home Front in World War One Essay Why do the sources show different attitudes to recruitment? Source A is a recruitment poster from 1914 which tries to encourage men to sign up for the war effort. It shows what I assume to be a wife, daughter and son gazing out the window as the man of the house walks out to join the war. This is obviously issued b the government and therefore is used as propaganda. It would no doubt have been effective as many people soon joined up. Source B is yet another poster, meant to encourage people to join up. However this time it is not meant to be out of heroism, it is meant to be out of revenge. It describes a battle which took place in Scarborough. The poster shows that many people were killed and in a brutal way. This is meant to strike deep in the hearts of the British soldiers, making them want to pay back the Germans for what they did to their family and friends. It also makes out the Germans as heartless barbarians. It is again, obviously a propaganda poster issued by the government. Source C is a picture of queues of people waiting outside a Army Recruiting Office waiting to enlist. However I do not think this picture is very accurate as all the people in it are looking at the camera. Personally I believe this picture was set up to show other men how many people were signing up for the war and hopefully make them feel bad about not doing it. I also think this is proven by the obvious sign on the top that says Army Recruiting Office. If this picture was not set up, the sign might not be so obvious but it is made to stand out to show the viewer what it is and to make sure u know. Therefore I think this source is very unreliable. Source D is an extract from the text book Modern World History by the historian, B. Walsh, published in 1996. It states that the recruitment campaign was very successful and by 1916 two million people had signed up. This was written for textbook for people to learn from so it was probably correct and if it is not, it was unintentional. Obviously the historian is working from other sources that have been found and written but there is nothing that would mean it is incorrect. He would have no motive to lie. It is also quite reliable as it is statistics and therefore cant lie as easily as for example a soldiers diary extract. Source E is an extract from the tribunal testimony of Clifford Allen in 1916. He firmly states that he does not belief in war and clearly shows that he will not be a part of it. This source is different from sources A, B and C as it is against conscription whereas the others have all been for it and encouraging to sign up willingly. However I think this source is very reliable as he would have reason to lie, because as he was against conscription he would have been imprisoned. But in fact he said the very thing that got him imprisoned, therefore I think it is the honest truth. I think the sources show a different attitude to recruitment because as the war went on, people saw how bad the war was and knew that the really didnt want to sign up for it. Therefore the government had to try a lot harder to encourage people to join through propaganda. Part B Explain the effects of World war One on the way people lived in Britain between 1914 and 1918 People were affected by World War One in many ways at home. Most of these changes were made by the government. The immediate task was to get the people at home behind the war. They did this by trying to make them hate the Germans. This was successfully achieved by posters, some true, some not. Dora (Defence of the Realm Act) also changed many things at home. Dora was basically a set of rules that told people what they could not do. These rules included things like: Do not fly a kite, light bonfires or fireworks, use invisible ink when writing abroad. As the war continued the government brought in many other measures such as not letting people but rounds of drinks in a pub and that beer should be watered down. Another big change brought on by the war in Britain was food shortages. Food supply was alright until 1916, but towards the end of that year and beginning of 1917, German Submarines were stopping supply ships from getting through. Because of this, food prices shot up dramatically. Dora was used to try and prevent food shortages, but it became obvious that these measures were not enough to reduce the amount of food being eaten or change the amount of food being produced. A voluntary ration scheme was introduced. People were asked to try and limit themselves to four pounds of meat and three quarters of a pound of sugar each week. The King and Queen themselves followed this ration. However the campaign failed and shortages continued. Poorer people could not afford to buy meat and sugar and their diet usually consisted of just bread before the rationing, while the rich were able to buy food as they wanted off the black market. Due to the shortages, people tried to grow their own food. Parks and tennis courts were turned into allotments where they could grow food. Eventually compulsory rationing was introduced. This once again, limited the amount of food people had, making it even harder to stay out of hunger. Soon factories suffered from lack of workers as the men went off to fight in the war. The government in the end had to accept that women had to do the job. This was the first time it was acknowledged that women would play a vital role in winning the war. Women were soon employed in munitions factories, textile factories and dress making factories. When conscription was introduced this forced the factories to be solely run by women. This I think shows a great difference in life before, during and after the war. The war changed many things that could not be changed back. Women gaining their independence is just one of many changes stemming from the war.

Hybrid Cars Essay Example for Free

Hybrid Cars Essay Company: Within the company there are a few areas to look at regarding Toyotas introduction of the Prius. Areas such as financing, research, development, as well as others. When introducing the Prius, Toyota started early with its promotion of the hybrid. Spending US$15 million out of the US$190 million is spent on marketing in the 2002 year. Toyota informed its potential customers threw informative emails, TV commercials, and earth day give a ways. Toyota put a lot into research and development to come up with the hybrid with the advances in technology, such as the engine of the Prius. The engine combines a 1. 5 litre, 4 cylinder gas engine, with a 33-kilowatt electric engine that runs of a nickel-hydride battery. With this new engine and normal highway driving conditions the car is said to get 106 km per gallon. It is also rated one of the greenest vehicles on the market. Since North Americans complain about gas mileage, and want to be environmentally friendly this seems like the way to go. Suppliers: One of Toyotas major costs of manufacturing the Prius would be the nickel-hydride battery that the electric part fo the engine runs off of. This is also one of the main reasons why hybrid cars are so expensive compared to similar gas powered cars of the same size. But if manufacturers of hybrid cars were to see a yield in economies of scale then there would be more reason for producers of the battery to put more time and money into research and development of the battery and thus decrease costs of producing it. this would in term pass savings onto the potential buyers of the hybrid car. Customer Market: when looking for a way to market the Prius to consumers Toyota looked at what consumers wanted in a vehicle. Things like lower gas mileage, lower emmissions, and something that what technologically appealing. so with this in mind Toyota set out to design a car to appeal to all these things. with the combined electric and gas engine the Prius gets better mileage, and one of the greenest vehicles on the market. consumers have also been able to technologically modify there Prius, some have added DVD players and such, or programmed the cars computer to shower videos etc, on the monitors in the car. Competitors: introducing the Prius was the way in which Toyota planned to get an advantage over competitors like the big three auto manufacturers (ford, GM, DaimlerChrysler) none of whom had a hybrid in market when the Prius was released. the big three had plans of releasing hybrid vehicles in 2003, Toyota planned to stay on top of the hybrid market with its early release of a hybrid. Publics: there are a lot of different publics to take in mind. publics such as the media, government, citizen-action, local, general, etc. Toyota used a lot of these when it can to promoting the Prius. they ran articles, in vanity air, and newsweek, as well as running commercials on different television statements such as discovery, the history channel, and the learning network. it ran different taglines, such as A car that sometimes runs on gas power and sometimes runs on electric power, from a company that always runs on brain power. it also used tag lines that drew the customer in to find the meaning in it and also educating the customer on what exactly a hybrid was. Question # 2: Demographic Forces: this is one of the key forces that affect marketing plans it involves the study of people and when they want. Toyota looked at the different things that people wanted in a car. things like low fuel usage, and being environmentally friendly. using the information gathered Toyota came up with the combined engine that runs on gas and electric power to reduce mileage and also make it environmentally friendly. this hybrid would more likely be targeted to generation Y drivers. seeing as they are younger and more into the technological advances in society. it would also be marketed to the generation X drivers for the fact that they are more concerned over the outlook of the environment. Natural Forces: with natural forces marketers would be aware of trends, like the shortage or raw materials trend, the increase of population, and the government. with the government putting more emphasis on being environmentally friendly Toyota seems to have taken this to heart seeing as the Prius is one of the greenest vehicles on the market. also with the population tending to gather around more urban settings it is becoming more essential to have a vehicle with better gas mileage with more people commuting back and forth to work. Technological Forces: with the advances in technology recently people now except more from manufactures. Toyota seeing this used it to its advantage using the combined engine and adding other features as a computer system installed right in the car. it also used the internet as one of the ways it go to potential consumers to educate them on the Prius and what it was all about. which in turned created sales of the hybrid. Political: on problem with the Prius is that its not all that affordable. so makers of hybrid cars have gone to the government to see if there was a way to incorporate a benefit of driving a environmentally friendly car. while the US now offers a tax benefit for driving such a car there has yet to be any incentive in Canada. since there is no documented proof as of yet that driving one of these cars helps the environment they do not see the point in implicating anything yet. Cultural: the cultural force takes into account the values and beliefs of the consumer.like being friendly to the environment. valuing technology, etc. Toyota conformed to these by using the combined engine, not only is it environmentally friendly is also increased gas mileage. it also put a lot of new technologies into the Prius that consumers are finding many ways to use to their advantage. doing things like tweaking the computer system to play videos and mp3s, etc. Question # 3: Value proposition is essentially the full mix of benefits upon which the brand is positioned. Toyota sets the benefits to come from the higher gas mileage, the fact that it lowers emmissionsÃ'Ž

Language A System Of Communication English Language Essay

Language A System Of Communication English Language Essay A language is a system of communication by using sounds or conventional symbols. It is through language that we are able to express ourselves and communicate to others. Everyone knows the importance of English Language in todays world as it is an international language. At present time as the world has turned into a global village, so we cannot deny the importance of English Language. As English is a global language, it enables us to communicate with people belonging to different cultures. Most of the researches in different fields of life e.g. medicine, education, economy, e-commerce and aviation etc are done in English Language. It is also the language used in tourism. These reasons become a source of motivation for people to learn this language. The knowledge of English Language is vital if a person wants to access electronic information available on the internet. In addition, English is also a requirement in most government and private jobs. The use of English Language provides many prospects in the social and financial world. Greddol (1997) specifies the uses of English Language in different fields of life: English is the working language of international organizations and conferences. English is used in the fields of science and technology. It is used in international banking, economic affairs and commerce. Advertising for global brands is done in English. English is the language of audio visual and cultural products. It is the language of international tourism. It is the language of higher education. English is the language of international law. It is a relay language in interpretation and translation. It is the language of technology transfer. It is the language of internet communication. Importance of English Language in Pakistan English Language has a lot of importance in Pakistan. It is our official language. It is used in civil administration. It is the language of the constitution and of the legal system. It is also used in media. English is also used in international trade and commerce in Pakistan. It is used in the stock exchange as well. All the information available on the internet is in English. All the modern scientific researches and books available on them are in English. English is taught as a compulsory subject from nursery and Kindergarten levels. English is the medium of instruction in the English medium schools of the country. It is also the main cause of failure of students because it is not our first language but it is taught as a compulsory subject. This shows the role and importance of English in Pakistan. It has become important for every student to learn English as its importance is growing day by day. We cannot survive in the economic world without the tool of English language. Aims of Learning a Language Coleman (1996) stated most popular reasons for learning modern languages among the students as for future career, because I like the language, to travel in different countries, to have a better understanding of way of the life in a country or countries where it is spoken, because I would like to live in a country where it is spoken etc. Cook (2002) made a list of the aims for which a second language is learnt: Self-development A method of training new cognitive process A way-in to mother tongue An entrà ©e to another culture A means of communication Self -development Some people learn the second language for their self-development. They think that they will do their self-development by learning a second language and will become a better person. A method of training new cognitive process When people learn new language, they learn about themselves and their societies from new perspectives. A way-in to the mother tongue If people learn a second language, in fact, they make clear the concept of their first language. We can say that they learn their first language with the help of second language. An entrà ©e to another culture People also learn another language because they also want to know about the country where it is spoken. They want to have the knowledge of art, literature, music and culture of that country. A means of communication Some people learn another language in order to be able to communicate with the people who speak that language. The above mentioned goals of learning a second language can be classified into two main groups i.e. internal and external goals (Cook, 1938). External goals. External goals relate to the learning of language for the use of language outside the classroom. For example, for traveling a country, reading literature, communicating native speakers, to gain education from foreign country, traveling shops, markets etc. Internal goals. Internal goals refer to the students mental and self-development as individuals. They may think from different perspective about themselves and their societies. Through the last century, external goals have been dominating the internal goals. English Language Teaching (ELT) in Pakistan English plays a very important role in Pakistan as lingua franca. English is taught in a very strange manner in the country. Students belonging to rural backgrounds and even other students are taught English in schools and colleges but they are still not able to communicate in English comfortably and confidently. One of the reasons behind this is that our educational system is not aware that they should focus on all the four skills of the language. Only the skills of reading and writing are focused, while the skills of listening and speaking are neglected. The students do not get the required input. The students can never speak the language because they do not listen to it. Our teachers teach English language through translation. They translate everything in Urdu. In this way the students are not motivated to learn it. The teachers speak Urdu in English classes. If the students find anything difficult to understand, the teacher will instantly translate it in Urdu instead of explaining it in English. This is the situation in government sector schools. The condition is different in private schools. This wide gap between government and private schools is not healthy for a developing nation. Private schools are also giving importance to the two neglected skills of listening and speaking. Creativity is promoted and students are motivated to speak in English even outside their classes. It is very important for a teacher to know the process of language learning. It is the duty of the teacher to bring different activities in the class to develop a healthy environment in the class which promotes language learning. Our teachers of the government sector focus on accuracy and the students are supposed to memorize the language. In this way, the students do not feel comfortable to communicate in English. Siddiqui (2002) stated that the significant position of English in subcontinent it due to its colonial past. During that period, this language promoted due to its privileged status and it was the official language. Learning English language was a key to get a job and enjoy the privileges from the government. But some fundamentalists Muslims refused to acquire this language because they wanted to hold strongly their own language i.e. Urdu. They believed that acquiring English language will be the sign of their salvation. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan took initiative considering the importance of learning English language. He started some educational movements throughout the subcontinent which brought a revolution in the economic status of Muslims. After the independence of Pakistan, Urdu was declared as the national language of Pakistan. Urdu language was able to be treated as lingua-franca- a language of communication. Urdu was such language that could be spoken by the people of different provinces in Pakistan. With the passage of time, regional languages went on losing their importance and Urdu language overcame them but English remained the official language of Pakistan even then. Many policies were offered at government level to replace Urdu with English as official language but it retained its position. In mainstream schools, English language was to be taught from class five but now it is taught as compulsory subject from class one. The demand of English is very high in Pakistan. People like to send their children in English medium schools. The number of students in English medium schools is very large. The government had offered a policy of teaching English to everyone but this policy is not giving us a desired outcomes. We do not have qualified teachers to do the job properly. There are many factors which can show the state of English language teaching in Pakistan. These include, Students Teachers Textbooks Methodology Evaluation Supervisory staff Economic problems Over crowded classes Students Everyone up to the Bachelor level has to study English as a compulsory subject. Many students do not like this compulsion because the students who come from the rural back ground are not motivated towards learning English. Their parents cannot help them because they are mostly uneducated. They are not clear in learning the purpose of learning English language. They think that only good student scan learn English language. Some people have realized the basic purpose of learning English language in modern age. They have realized that the English is the key to any success and to get a good job. Teachers In majority of our schools, English is taught with a well known and classic method i.e. Grammar Translation Method (GTM). Teachers who teach English are not well trained. In government sector schools, English is taught by B.Ed degree hold teachers who have studied English at B.Ed level as optional subject. They teach English to their students as they have been taught by their own teachers. At college level, English language is taught by the teachers who have done Masters in English literature. In Pakistan, teaching English language is considered as teaching literature. These teachers become failure when the matter of written and oral discourse comes. Text books The syllabus is emphasized on just two skills i.e. reading and writing skills while very little importance is given to the listening and speaking skill. Our text books are full of stories, poems, plays, essays etc. because the curriculum designers have mostly the literature based background. So their preference is also literature based. The content of our books is also very large. The teachers are always at pressure by the principles and the parents of the students. So the preference of the teachers is the completion of the course by some easy way without giving emphasize on concept making. Teachers are not guided well that how to teach a text book. Evaluation The assessment system of English language in Pakistan is very weak. The exams are mostly rote-memorization based. In exams, same questions are repeated again and again. The guide books are available in market to give the students the summaries and answers of the questions. Supervisory staff The supervisory staff is unaware of the latest methods of teaching English language. They aim just to get high marks to their students for the popularity of their school and college. Economic problems Economic problems and lack of facilities is also a major problem in the process of teaching and learning of English language in Pakistan. Due to the lack of funds, there are not audio visual aids, language laboratories etc in Pakistan. Teachers are also not trained for using them. Over crowded classes In the government sector schools, Classes are overcrowded. The environment in the class is not learners friendly. Methods of English Language Teaching According to Asher and James (1982), Methods are the combination of techniques that are used and plasticized by the teachers in the classrooms in order to teach their students and approaches are the philosophies of teachers about language teaching that can be applied in the classrooms by using different techniques of language teaching. For example, if a teacher has an approach that language is the communication and learning a language is in fact learning the meanings, functions and uses of language. So the techniques will be based on the communicative language teaching and task based methods. According to Freeman (2000), Methods which are taught to the teachers make a base and give them thinking about the applicable techniques and principles according to the situation where they stand. They are clear about their attraction towards certain methods and also think that why have they repelled certain method. The knowledge of method is very necessary because their knowledge is base of teaching. History of Language Teaching Today, English is the worlds most widely studied foreign language. Five hundred years ago, Latin was the most dominant language to be studied because it was the language of business, commerce and education in the western world. In the sixteenth century, however, French, Italian and English gain in importance as a result of political change in Europe and Latin gradually became displaced as a language of spoken and written communication. Latin became a dead language. It was being started to read in the books as classic language. Children started to enter in the grammar school in sixteenth and eighteenth centuries to learn grammar rules of Latin. To learn Latin language became a mental gymnastic. In the eighteenth century, when modern languages began to enter in the curriculum of the European countries, these languages were taught by the same methods as Latin language was taught. Grammatical rules were memorized. Written practices were done. The passages were translated from the second language to the first language and vice versa. By the nineteenth century, this method was considered as a standard method of teaching language. The textbooks were divided into chapters. Each chapter contained a certain grammatical rule and rule was practices with a lot of written exercises (Richards, and Rodgers, 1986). Grammar Translation Method Grammar translation method was first known in the United States as Prussian Method. Grammar translation method dominated European and foreign language teaching from 1840 to 1940. Characteristics of grammar translation method According to the Richards and Rodgers (1986), the principle characteristics of Grammar Translation Method are: In Grammar Translation Method, the goal of learning a second or foreign language is mainly to be enabling to read the literature of that language and is to get benefit from intellectual development that results from foreign and second language study. Grammar Translation Method enables to learn detailed grammatical rules of target language and enables to translate into and out of the target language. In Grammar Translation Method, reading and writing skills are focused while listening and speaking skills are totally ignored. In Grammar Translation Method, the memorization of grammatical rules of foreign language and of the vocabulary items is focused. Vocabulary items are limited to the text that they are taught. Vocabulary items are memorized with the help of their meanings in the native language. In Grammar Translation Method, sentenced is the basic unit of teaching and language practice. The learners are enabled to do detailed analysis of a sentence through this method. The learners are enabled to translate a sentence into and out of the target language. In Grammar Translation Method, accuracy is emphasized rather than fluency. The basic purpose of this method used to be able to pass the written examinations. In Grammar Translation Method, grammar is taught deductively i.e. by presenting and practicing the detailed grammatical rules of target language. A syllabus of grammatical rules if followed in which rules are systematically put in to a sequence starting from the simple rules to the complex rules. In Grammar Translation Method, students are directed and instructions are given in the students native language so that they may easily understand the instructions. The students native language is used to explain new items and to enable them to compare two languages i.e. native language of the learners and foreign language. Main techniques associated with grammar translation method There are some major techniques that are adopted in the teaching of second or foreign language through Grammar Translation Method. Translation of a literary passage. Students translate a reading passage into and out of the target language. In checking of the translation, the focus of the teacher is on vocabulary and grammatical structures. The translation may be written or spoken or both. Students should not translate idioms but must understand their meanings. Reading Comprehension Questions. A passage for reading and understanding is given to the students and they have to answer the questions given at the end of the passage in the target language. The questions are put into a sequence. The first group of questions is related with the information drawn from the passage, second group of questions require students to make inferences based on their understanding of the passage. The third group of questions requires students to relate the passage with their own experiences. Antonym and synonyms. Students are given a list of words and a passage. The students have to find out the antonyms of those words in the passage. Similarly, the students can also be given a list of words and can be asked to find out the synonyms of the given words from the passage. Deductive application of rules. Grammar rules are presented before the students with the all possible information that can be given to the students relating to the grammatical rules. The rules are also explained with examples. Once students understand a rule, they are asked to apply it for some different examples. Fill in the blanks. The students are given a series of sentences with some missing words. The students have to fill in the blanks with some suitable grammar items such a preposition and verbs with different tenses. Memorization. The students are given a list of vocabulary to memorize them with their meaning in the native language. Students are also required to memorize the grammatical rules. Use words in sentences. In order to check the understanding of the meaning and sue of vocabulary, the students are asked to use the list of typical words in their own sentences. Composition. The teacher gives a topic to the students to write about that topic in the target language. The topic is based on some aspect of the reading passage of the lesson. Advantages of grammar translation method Nazir (2002) narrated as The structure of a foreign language is best learnt when compare and contrasted with that of the mother tongue. According to Ishtiaq (2005), the Grammar Translation Method is based on a system and is in a sequence because in this method all the grammatical rules are arranged into a sequence for the convenience of the students. This sequence starts from the simple rules and eventually leads to the complex rules. When a book is written by an author on grammatical rules keeping in view the sequence, he writes one lesson that is completely based on one rule of grammar. Each lesson is divided into certain rules and these rules dominate the lesson. Larson (1986) narrated importance of Grammar Translation Method as in Grammar Translation Method, students are made to learn new words. Therefore, this method helps in improving vocabulary. Reading and writing are the two primary skills that are developed most so as to enable the students to read the literature in target language. Grammar is taught deductively and it makes use of students mother language. Disadvantages of grammar translation method Neilson (2003) stated that in Grammar Translation Method, oral skills i.e. speaking and listening skills are totally neglected while the whole attention is given to just reading and writing skills. Through this method, the students become able to read the literature of the target language by translating it into their native language but cannot communicate into the target language and even cannot understand the target language spoken by any native speaker. In Grammar Translation Method, the authority of the classroom is totally in the hands of the teacher and teacher is at the centre of the classroom. The communication is just from teachers to students not from student to teacher and not even from students to students. The students are considered empty minded which have needed to be filled with all the possible vocabulary and grammatical structures that can be filled in their minds. The main disadvantage of the Grammar Translation Method is that it is almost impossible to translate all the phrases and sentences into the target language because the main focus is the translation of this method so such students who have been taught through this method become fail to communicate well in the target language. In the Grammar Translation Method, accuracy is emphasized rather than fluency and students go on thinking to accurate the grammatical rules which actually hinder their fluency. In Grammar Translation Method, the teacher abruptly interferes and stops the students wherever they make the mistakes so they become conscious while speaking and communicating in the target language and become unable to be fluent. Criticism of the grammar translation method There have been various criticisms on the use of Grammar Translation Method for the teaching of modern language particularly English. There are some objections that have been put on the Grammar Translation Method. Grammar Translation Method emphasizes on the reading and writing skills on the expense of listening and speaking skills. But learning the listening and speaking skills of a language is more important than leaning reading and writing skills because it is a natural way of learning a language. In Grammar Translation Method, writing gives learners a reflective chance to look at their writing that whether they have written correct spellings, vocabulary and grammatical rules. The main aim and goal of most of the learners in learning modern languages is not just to develop reading and writing skills whereas they want to communicate well and understand the native speakers language. Grammar Translation Method demands the arrangement of the grammatical rules in a structure starting from the simple rules and leading to the complex rules. While most of the learners especially adult learners want to start using the language straight way because they have not got time to learn all the grammatical rules one by one and start using them after then. Grammar Translation Method emphasizes to make the students learn each rule and practice it one by one and after commanding a rule move to the next one. So there remains the need to revise all the rules again and again so that they may not get washed out of the learners mind. In Grammar Translation Method, sentence is the basic unit of the language. The learners are made able to memorize certain rules of grammar and certain vocabulary which they have to fit everywhere they find a chance to use them. But if learners find some unusual situation they become unable to fit their memorized rules to fit in that situation. In Grammar Translation Method, grammatical rules and vocabulary is memorized in modern ways of teaching a language memorization is not regarded while exposure of a language, experience and use of language is preferred and recommended. People have different learning styles. Some people like to learn vocabulary, grammar rules, phrase and sentences through memorization. But when they have to sue them, they must have time to stop and recall the memorized items. In Grammar Translation Method, the focus of the learners is the manipulation of the grammatical rules and words to write correct sentences with prescribed content. But in learning the modern languages, it is recommended that the major focus should be more and more on the oral practice and expression of the personal meanings. The expression of the personal meanings may spoil the structure of the grammar rules and sentences. In Grammar Translation Method, the teachers and the learners mostly speak in their first language or native language. While it is highly recommended that use of second and target language should be maximized in learning the language but here maximization does not mean teachers and learners should all the time speak in the target language. The speaking of the second language is also advantageous because in language classrooms we may also have multilingual learners that may belong to different languages so a single language i.e. second or target language will be convenient to use without pointing a single native language. In Grammar Translation Method, teacher should explain, describe the grammatical rules, tell the meanings of the words, translate the passages, conduct grammar practices, correct mistakes and teacher should authorized the classroom and learners. But now it is highly recommended that teachers role in the class should be as a guide and facilitator. Teachers role in the language classroom should be less. Teacher should act behind the scene. Teacher should give the problems to the learners to solve, interact among each other and generally it leads the learners to be independent learners. In Grammar Translation Method, translation is the basic technique. Translation is a way of understanding the meanings of the written and oral texts by converting the texts into the first or native language of the learners. Translation is a way of comparing and contrasting two languages i.e. first language and second language. But now it is highly recommended that translation should be avoided because it leads to such a mental process which hinders or stops learning. The learners should be encouraged to speak and even think in second language as much as possible. In Grammar Translation Method, accuracy is emphasized rather than fluency but it is now highly recommended that accuracy should come at the last and fluency should preferred first. If the learners are corrected on their mistakes from the very beginning, they will become hesitant to speak in the target language. When they will start to speak, their minds will abruptly become read to look upon the grammatical rules that they are using so I this way they will become unable to be fluent in language (Jonathan, 2012) Grammar translation method in Pakistan Faiq (2003) stated that in most of the Pakistani schools, Grammar Translation Method is used to teach English. In Pakistan, Grammar Translation Method is used to learn and memorize the grammatical rules in such a way that rules are deductively presented and practiced through the exercises of translation, fill in the blanks and by using such other techniques. Mostly students are taught certain letters, applications and stories like thirsty crow, greedy dog etc. In Pakistan, it is considered that learning a language means just to be able to read literature and write certain kinds of things without giving importance to the listening and speaking skills. Grammar is taught through deductive method i.e. rules are presented to the learners, deep analysis of the rules is done and rules are used for translating passages of English into Urdu ad of Urdu into English. It is a common practice in our public sector schools that a student reads aloud the lines of a paragraph and teacher translate it into Urdu word by word. Teachers write the meanings of the difficult words on the blackboard. Linguists say that a language can be better learnt without translation and meanings of the difficult words can be told through demonstrations and actions. Language can be better learnt and taught by using it actively in the classrooms. Grammar can better learnt through inductive or implicit method i.e. exposure of a rule is provided to the learners and learners grasp that rule unconsciously. The importance of listening and speaking skill cannot be denied in the public sector schools of Pakistan. Writing is also an important skill but just copying the material from the blackboard is not a good practice. It limits the thinking process of the learners. Learners should be given some topics to write on them in their own words. In our schools, teachers and textbooks take the central role in the classroom while the students sit passively depending on the teachers and textbooks. The learners purpose of sitting in the classroom is to take lectures from the teachers. The interaction from the students to teachers is not ever into the consideration of public sector schools. They just know how to feed the minds of the learners with information. Learners should be considered as living beings with their own minds, ideas and thinking. The learners have their background knowledge. The use of the leaners background knowledge can be helpful for the teachers to teach a language. Direct Method The direct method was the outcome of the reaction against the grammar translation method. It was developed on the supposition that the learners of foreign and second language should directly think in English. This method is against the translation of written and oral text and focuses on telling the meanings of the words through action, demonstration or real objects. This method focuses on directly thinking, doing discussion and conversation in second language. According to Palmer (1959), the direct method has the following characteristics: Translation is banished in the language classrooms including the use of mother tongue. When grammar is taught inductively that means exposure is given to the learners related to the grammar rule that is being taught. Through this method grammar rule is internalized to the learners. Oral training precedes any sort of reading and writing. The learners are given chances for oral communication first and then it leads to the reading and writing skills of the language. We can say that listening and speaking skills lead to the reading and writing skills. The use of detached sentences is shifted by the use of connected text. The pronunciation is taught systematically through the system of phonetics and phonology of the target language. It means that learners are motivated to speak in the accent of the second language. So the learners have to follow the phonetics and phonology system of the second language. The use of bilingual dictionary is banished totally in the language classrooms. The teachers dont tell the meanings of the word through the learners native or first language while the difficult words are described through action or through natural context. The vocabulary and structures of the language are inculcated to large extent by the teachers and answered by the students. Purwarno

Animal Testing :: Animal Testing

The Problem with Testing Drugs on Animals Every year is that nearly 100 million animals die in research laboratories at the hands of curious scientists who perform outdated and inaccurate tests that prove no benefit to humans or animals. Before these animals die, they are routinely burned, scalded, poisoned, starved, given electric shocks, addicted to drugs, subjected to near freezing temperatures, dosed with radioactive elements, driven insane, deliberately inflicted with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, oral infections, stomach ulcers, syphilis, herpes, and AIDS. Their eyes are surgically removed, their brains and spinal cords damaged, and their bones broken. Law does not mandate the usage of anesthesia; consequently, this is rarely administered. Despite all of this cruelty, not a single disease has been cured through vivisection in this century. The overall adult cancer rate has risen in the past 40 years, and a fatal heart attack strikes a person every 45 seconds. The Centers f or Disease Control estimate that 70-80% of the common diseases killing Americans are preventable given a responsible diet and lifestyle. Drug testing on animals is inaccurate and does not benefit humans or animals at all. Animals including, but not limited to, dogs, cats, mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rhesus monkeys, imported primates, owls, deer, sheep, llama, and cattle are commonly used for vivisection. Vivisection is the medical term for the practice of experimenting on animals. Charles River Breeding Laboratories, a company owned by Bausch and Lomb, provides 40-50% of the animals used in experiments of laboratories. The other remaining misfortunate animals come from places a little closer to you and me. Some of them come from animal shelters, some come from the "free to good home" ads in the classified section of the newspaper, and some from unsuspecting people who allow their companion animals to become pregnant. What is even worse is that some have bee n stolen directly from their own front yard. Imagine your pet one day being crammed into a cage with ten other animals waiting to die like approximately 20-100 million other animals do each year in numerous unreliable tests. More than 205,000 new drugs are marketed worldwide every year. Most of these animals die after undergoing the most common unreliable test method still in use, animal vivisection. The current system of drug testing puts consumers in a dangerous predicament. According to the General Accounting Office, more than half of the prescription drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration between 1976 and 1985 caused serious side effects that later caused the drugs to be either re-labeled or removed from the market.

Individual Types of Learning Behavior Essay -- Biology, Herman Brain D

Herman Brain Dominance (HBD): Ned Hermann improved his model of Brain Dominance in 1979. His Whole Brain Model (Herman, 1995) combines Roger Sperry's left/right brain theory and Paul MacLean's triune model (primitive, intermediate and rational brain) to produce a quadrant model based on the task- specific performance of the physical brain. Each quadrant is described to have an ideal style of learning and preferences for individual types of learning behavior. Quadrant A is logical-analytical, Quadrant B is sequential-organized, and Quadrant C is emotional and interpersonal, while Quadrant D is visual, holistic and innovative. Depending on the relative functioning of these quadrants, he classifies individuals as humanists, theorists, organizers and innovators. In this context, it has been found that individuals with ADHD are right-brain dominant in their information processing and learning styles, resulting in being more creative than those with left-brain dominant styles (Jensen , 1998). These two models focus on characterizing learners. There has been much further work in characterizing the Cognitive Styles of different learners, such as the work of Furnham (1995) and Ramsden (1992) on Whole/Analytic organization and processing of information, and Verbal/Imagery representation of information. However, there is some debate about whether Cognitive Style should be considered part of Learning Style: â€Å"LS are more in terms of processes than outcomes† (Duff, 2003, pp.5). Sadler-Smith (2001) also brings out in their discussion that Cognitive Style and LS are independent. Dunn and Dunn: Dunn, Dunn and Price (1979) identified the factors that influence learners in terms of five types of stimuli: Environmental, Emotional, Soc... ...n. Students who are kinesthetic learners may exhibit the same symptoms that are commonly known as red-flags for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when they are not allowed to move about in a classroom. To relieve the stress of not being able to move, they seek to break out of these constraints through uncontrollable activities. Many teachers may consider these misbehaviors to be symptoms or signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These two seemingly separate topics overlap in many instances. A better understanding of the correlation between ADHD and kinesthetic or tactile learners will help teachers, parents and practitioners gain a better understanding of the disease. A better appreciation of the disease and varied learning styles may indeed bridge this gap of understanding for this commonly diagnosed, yet controversial childhood disease.

Techno Music :: essays research papers

Techno Electronic music has been around since the late 60's and is now a very popular type of music among many poeple. My favorite genre of electronic music is Techno. Techno is a hard edge driven dance music that contains electronic sounds, high-energy, and a rhythmic beat. The sounds can range from simple beats of a drum to TV and movie dialogue or siren screams. Around 1986, there was a scene in Detroit which began spinning a futuristic kind of music. The DJ's began experimenting with electronic music and playing it in their clubs. This type of music slowly gained popularity and developed its own sub-genres and underground fan base. The term techno has been used in order to describe many kinds of electronic music. The first type of techno that was developed was loosely called Minimal Techno or Detroit. It was just a simple rhythm with a small number of eletronic sounds. In my personal opinion, this is not an interesting genre. Although minimal techno was the true budding point of Techno I always thought is was boing compared to other more advanced music that is now available. I would compare it with the relation between a string quartet against the power of a big orchestra. The next sub-genre is my favorite. Trance is one of the most popular style of Techno at large parties. Trance all started in Germany in the beginning of the nineties at a party called "Age of Love", where DJ Sakin played the first trance song ever: "Protect Your Mind". It was a huge hit and helped trance become one of the most popular forms of techno. The beats in Trance music tend to be louder than in other genres, which makes the music "hotter". The bass often fluxuates between high and low sounds mixed with a dreamy and spacy sound. To be more specific trance music contains many drum climaxes and wavy sounds. Trance music also branched into it's own sub-genres such as Goa. Goa is similar to trance only more psychedelic. It uses more trippy sounds and wibbly noises layered on each other. Harder versions of techno are kown as Hardcore. Hardcore is aggressive, frenzied, occasionally abrasive, and generally sounds like chaos. About 1992, hardcore evolved in two directions; darkside and happy hardcore. Darkside was more evil sounding and had extremely hard base. In happy hardcore the speed was turned up, cheesey pianos were added, and happy vocals.

Women and Veiling in Kashmir

WOMEN AND VEILING Traditionally Kashmiri women have enjoyed more freedom than women in other parts of the world. Particularly peasant women and lower class women used to work side by side with men. It was only upper class Syed families who wore burqas to maintain their elite structure and their foreign origin. The nationalist struggle wanted women to be politically mobilized and women found it a liberating opportunity. Their response was overwhelming to the struggle of 1990s. In Rita Manchanda’s ‘Guns and Burqa: women in Kashmir’s conflict’, according to a Kashmiri scholar in women’s studies, Momin Jan, it was in the 14th century that purdah was imposed on Kashmiri society. In Kashmir there was lack of women’s organization working for gender justice and social reform. The organizations which came up in 1970s and 1980s in Kashmir were imbibed with an Islamic agenda. Many elite women who came into politics were through their involvement in promoting Islamic social reform. As far as veiling of Kashmiri women is considered it started in 14th century with the coming of Afghans. They forced women to put burqa and pushed them inside. This didn’t last long; the lower class women resisted this veiling by demanding freedom. However women did hold to manage their role in the economic activities by working side by side with men. They were politically mobilized with Asiyah Indrabi coming on the scene, the campaign to reveil Kashmiri women started. Even many fundamentalist organizations were determined to veil Kashmiri women. Pamphlets were thrown in the women colleges, warning Kashmiri women to wear burqa and Kashmiri (Hindu) girls to wear a tikka. Posters were pasted on the walls of Mosques in different mohallas asking them to veil their women otherwise they would face dire consequences. But the women resisted this thing. Writing under pseudonym, Sara Bano, in a letter to the editor in the daily Al Safa, ‘questioned the legitimacy of linking wearing of burqa with the struggle for freedom and vowed that she would never wear a burqa even if she was killed’. The women did not accept to wear a burqa. But as the support to azaadi grew so the acceptance to purdah was also given. Many women workers were asked to wear burqa or to denounce their jobs. Women like Nayeema Ahmed Mahjoor, a radio-star and executive producer with Radio Kashmir, were under double pressure, to be veiled and to quit jobs denounced as un-Islamic. Nayeema had colour thrown on her by purdah crusaders. People were blindly following the militants what the militants said would be considered as the voice of Allah. Even the people with the modern outlook and thinking would ask their wives to wear burqa. The veiling became compulsory for the women of Kashmir. The emphasis on the veiling of women showed the assertion of men of the control over their women. According to them veiling was necessary for women as this would save them from the humiliating treatment by the security forces. But instead of giving them a sense of security it made them more vulnerable to the security forces. The militants in order to escape from the security forces used burqa. This developed a belief among the security forces that one in every three burqa clad persons was a militant. This led to the humiliation and sexual harassment of women at the hands of security forces. Due to this thing some of the militant groups declared that women need not wear a burqa. But it was for a short duration. Women organizations like DM or MKM started veiling campaign and asked women not to venture out unveiled. Those who disobey these orders had to face the wrath of these outfits. They had green colour thrown on them and also was there the reports acid being thrown on them. Asiyah denied the reports of acid being thrown on the women. Soon the campaign was withdrawn but not before it forced a backlash. Many of the urban and middle-class women turned away from the movement. Asiyah was not able to bring the urban middle-class support for the movement. But we can’t deny the fact that more women are wearing a burqa now than before the insurgency. But as we saw above, women were participants and not passive sites for reproducing a communal identity. This was most obviously reflected in their resistance to coercive veiling. But it was also discernible in women’s ambivalent negotiations with the ‘other’, in this case the Kashmiri pandit.