Education Is Jkey to Sucess Essay Example for Free

Education Is Jkey to Sucess Essay Change is the essence of life said one philosopher, and keeping phase with the change is the meaning of education. There are different connotations of education. One is formal education and other is the daily education. Education is not only classroom studies but learning. In many cases what we study at class is completely different from what we practice outside. We may study the outdated technology or the old philosophy, to live in the present world we have to learn quickly what is happening in front of our eyes and try to understand it. We have seen children, always active, curious and full of vigor. the reason for that attitude is their interest in learning new things and to know the world. So they are quick learners and they enjoy life even better than us and are happier than us. So it is the innate of a person to educate himself to the changes. If he fails to do that he trails in the race of life. So education plays very important role in the nation building too. The rate of development of the country depends on the educated human resource of that nation. The educated human resource possess global competency and global etiquette. So it is the education which is the real GDP growth of the country and the investment on education is the real investment which will bear rich dividends than any other type of investments. We can learn from history how countries have progressed through their strong education system. take example of US, EUROPE and other developed countries, the universities are the real technology generators and industries are the buyers of the technology. Education is the inevitable investment the state has to do on its subjects to sustain itself and to be in the race to the global superpower. The so called global powers have invested on education so much, now they are tasting the fruit of that tree which they planted long ago. The countries instead of investing on defense and arms, if they invest on education, it will certainly pay back in large scale.

Rhizoremediation of Lead Using Alternanthera Versicolor

Rhizoremediation of Lead Using Alternanthera Versicolor Shalini S., Priyasha G., Sohini B. and Jabez Osborne W* Abstract: Anthropogenic development has been a major drawback due to the increased discharge of heavy metals into the environment containing the saturated and unsaturated zones of soil. Heavy metals are those which have density more than 5gram per cm cube. Lead causes major health hazards like Plumbism (lead poisoning) at higher concentrations. In the present study the ability of Alternenthera versicolor to phytoremediate toxic lead contamination was assessed at different concentrations of lead. To enhance the uptake capabilities of Alternenthera versicolor, bacterial organism capable of lead degradation was supplemented. The samples were uprooted at an interval of 10, 20 and 30 days. The uptake of lead was assessed by AAS, chlorophyll and anthocyanin content was also checked. Further the effective strain were characterised by 16s rRNA sequencing. Keywords: Rhizoremediation, 16s rRNA, PGPR, AAS, Anthocyanin, Chlorophyll INTRODUCTION The most common heavy metals found in hazardous sites are Lead(Pb), Copper(Cu), Chromium(Cr),Nickel(Ni) and Zinc(Zn).Ionic and hydroxide forms are the general forms of these heavy metals found in soil, ground water and surface water (Gade,.2000). Heavy metal contamination is a major concern because they cannot be degraded (Lone et al,. 2008). Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are heterogeneous group of bacteria that can be found in the rhizosphere, and in association with roots. The plant-bacteria synergistic interaction in the rhizosphere is determinants of plant growth and fertility. These involve the ability to produce indole acetic acid which is an important growth regulatory hormone, to produce siderophores which enable the uptake of solubilised mineral phosphate from the soil, HCN production and Ammonia production. Morphological studies involve the root and shoot length. Hence depending upon the results obtained for each concentration, we can determine the maximum concentrat ion at which the bacteria can withstand lead contamination. Thus the present study involves the phytoremediation of lead supply by Alternenthera versicolor followed by the rhizoremedial clean up by the synergistic interaction between the effective rhizobacterial isolate and the plant. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sample Collection For the isolation of lead degrading bacteria, tannery sludge was collected from four locations in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. All the samples were collected using sterile polyethylene bags and were preserved immediately (McGrath et al,. 2001). Isolation of lead resistant bacteria from tannery sludge sample Lead resistant bacteria were isolated from tannery sludge using serial dilution technique and 10-4 dilutions onto MSM agar plates supplemented with 150 mg/L lead concentration. The obtained pure colonies were purified on MSM agar plates with 150mg/L lead. Screening Techniques The effective isolates obtained from the tannery sludge sample, were screened for its PGPR traits. Indole Acetic Acid Production For estimation of IAA production, the method described by (Gordon et al,  2000). was followed. The isolates were inoculated in Nutrient broth and were incubated in the shaker at 120 rpm for 24hours. 100  µl of inocula from overnight culture of NB was inoculated in MS Media that was supplemented with 5mM L-tryptophan and was incubated in shaker for 48hours. The cultures obtained were centrifuged at 10000 rpm for 10 minutes. 2ml of supernatant was taken and few drops of Salkowski’s reagent was added to it. Optical density was taken at 530 nm using spectrophotometer. (Hussain et. al,. 2013) Phosphate Solubilisation For the detection of phosphate solubilising capability of the effective isolate, Pikovskaya agar media was inoculated with effective isolate and zone of inhibition was observed after 4 days incubation at RT. (Hussain et. al.  2013) Growth Kinetics Study For growth kinetics study, seed culture of the effective isolate VITPSS1J was prepared in MSM. 2% inoculum of 0.5 OD culture was added in LB broth. O.D readings were taken at every 30 mins till stationary phase was achieved and a plot was plotted against O.D. and time interval. Preparation of pot cultures 64 pots were prepared each consisting of one control and three test pots (Cosio et al, .2004). 2 kgs of sieved garden soil was used to plant Alternanthera versicolor plantlets (20 cm in length) in each pot. Pots were placed in greenhouse for 10 days for the plantlets to get adapted. The pot culture sets were prepared according to two criteria: 1. According to various concentrations of lead being added and 2. According to the number of days of study (10, 20). After the adaptation was completed, various concentrations (25mg/L, 50mg/L, 75mg/L and 100 mg/L) of lead was added at regular interval. Fig 1: Pot cultures of Alternanthera versicolor prepared in 2 kg soil with varying lead concentration Treatment of effective strain in pots Seed culture of effective isolate VITPSS1J was prepared in Nutrient broth (incubated at RT for 24 hrs). The bacterial culture was further mass multiplied by inoculating 100ÃŽ ¼l of seed culture into 4 Erlenmeyer flasks, each containing 250ml NB. 10 ml of this mass multiplied culture was added to each pot and left for next 10 days (Hussain et al,. 2013). After 10 days, first set of plants were uprooted from the pots (10th day pots of all concentrations). Further studies were carried out on the uprooted plants in order to study the uptake of lead by these plants in association with bacteria in 10 days. Morphological characterization The root and shoot length of the uprooted plants was calculated. The length of root and shoot of the test plants were compared with that of the control plants. Comparison of the root-shoot length was also done among plants uprooted from various concentrations. The colour of the plants was also observed. Anthocyanin Estimation Anthocyanin is a pigment responsible for the red, purple, blue colour of several fruits and vegetables, cereals and grains. Anthocyanin can also be used as a pH indicator. Each plant was studied for the amount of anthocyanin present. The leaves of a plant were taken and ground with 70% ethanol and 7% acetic acid (in the ratio 3:2) in a mortar-pestle and transferred to Falcon tubes. Sterile water was added in all tubes including the controls. The tubes were kept in rotary shaker for 10 minutes and then centrifuged (15 mins, 4 ºC, 4500 rpm). The supernatant was removed and 400  µl of methanol was added in each tubes. The anthocyanin content was measured by taking the UV spectrophotometric reading at 530 nm and 657 nm. The same procedure was followed for all the 12 plants. Chlorophyll Estimation Each plant was also studied for determining the chlorophyll content. The leaves were cut into small pieces and mixed with 70% ethanol and ground using mortar-pestle. The mixture was then transferred to Falcon tubes and centrifuged at 6000 rpm for 10 mins. Supernatant was used for spectrophotometer assay of chlorophyll at 665nm and 652 nm. RESULTS Isolation of lead resistant bacteria A total of three morphologically distinct colonies were observed in MSM agar plates supplemented with 150mg/l of lead and named VITPSS1J, VITPSS2J, VITPSS3J Fig 2: Mother culture plates of the isolated bacteria from tannery sludge B. PGPR analysis of isolates Indole Acetic Acid Production: The ability of obtained isolates for IAA production was assessed. Pink coloration was observed for isolate VITPSS3J. Hence VITPSS3J was used for further studies. Phosphate Solubilisation: For the detection of phosphate solubilisation, a clear zone of inhibition is considered as a positive conformation for solubilisation. As the isolates were not able to produce any clear zone observed in the Pikovskaya media plate, the isolates were considered negative for phosphate solubilisation. Growth Kinetics: Growth kinetics was performed for effective isolateVITPSS3J. Stationary phase was achieved at 270 min (Graph1) B. Morphological Characterisation: The leaves of Alternanthera versicolor are originally reddish purple in colour. But it was observed that after the supply of lead in the soil the colour of leaves turned green. Root and shoot length were measured for Alternanthera versicolor at regular interval of 10, 20 days to check the effect of toxic lead concentration of plant growth (Table1, Table2). Table 2: Root and shoot measurement after 10 days of observation Table 3: Root and Shoot measurement after 20 days of observation Anthocyanin and Chlorophyll concentration Anthocyanin is a pigment responsible for purple, blue colour of several fruits grains and flowers. Chlorophyll is a pigment which provides green colour to the plant. (Table 3, 4) Table 4: Anthocyanin and Chlorophyll estimation after 10 days of observation Table 5: Anthocyanin and Chlorophyll estimation after 20 days of observation Figure 1 Estimation of anthocyanin after 10 days of observation Figure 2 Estimation of chlorophyll b by using spectrophotometer (652nm) Figure 3Fig 5: Estimation of chlorophyll a using spectrophotometer (665 nm) after 10 days of observation Figure 4. Estimation of Anthocyanin after 20 days of observation Figure 5Fig 7: Estimation of chlorophyll b by using spectrophotometer (652 nm) after 10 days of observation Figure 6Fig 8: Estimation of chlorophyll a by using spectrophotometer (665 nm) after 20 days of observation Molecular characterization The obtained isolate was characterized molecularly by 16s rRNA sequencing (Sarita et al,. 2005). Effective bacterial strains were characterized using the universal primers 27F (5’-AGAGTTTGATCCTGGCTCAG-3’) and 1492R (GGTTACCTTGTTTTACGACTT-3†). DNA extracts from cell’s DNA and the 16s Rrna sequence was determined by fluorescent dye terminator method using the sequencing kit. Products were obtained and run on a sequencer. DISCUSSION The present study deals with rhizoremedial treatment of the plant Alternenthera versicolor using bacterial isolates of tannery sludge. The plant has been tested as a hyper accumulator of lead which is a toxic heavy metal. Many plants have been worked upon for phytoremedial and rhizoremedial studies using n Alternenthera versicolor different heavy metals such as isolation of potent PGPR isolate; tannery sludge was serially diluted and plated onto MSM agar plates. Carassco et al,.2005 also isolated lead degrading bacteria using Nutrient Agar Medium.  Alternenthera versicolor was tested for its ability to be proved as a potent hyperaccumulator of lead. Hyperaccumulators are plants that have the abilities to take up higher concentration of toxic contaminants or compounds. Some of the hyperaccumulators already proved are Agrostis castellana  (McCutcheon et al,.2003),  Brassica juncea  (E.lombi et al,. 2001),  Brassica napus  (McCutcheon et al,. 2003),  Helianthus annuuus   (Schmidt et al,.2003). The ability of VITPSS1J to act as a potent PGPR isolate was assessed. VITPSS1J was found to be positive for Indole Acetic Acid production (Hussain et al,.2013), but it showed negative result phosphate solubilizing agent, indicating it has effectiveness as a PGPR organism. Alternenthera versicolor was tested for its ability to phytoremediate toxic lead concentration at 25mg/L, 50mg/L, 75mg/L and 100mg/L concentrations of lead. Earlier reports have suggested the use of Brassica juncea as a potent hyper accumulator for lead. Thus shoot and root length was checked at regular interval and it was found be similar as compared to the control; suggesting the effectiveness of Alternenthera versicolor in remediating lead contamination.(Hussain et al,. 2013). Anthocyanin and chlorophyll estimation also suggest the similar result as anthocyanin and chlorophyll content of a plant are a major indicating factor for its toxic uptake studies. Higher level of anthocyanin and chl orophyll at day 10 and 20 suggest that toxic effect of lead has been neutralised by various mechanism taking place in the plant like phytostabalisation and phytovolatalisation (Irene Kuiper et al,.2003). Thus the present study proves that Alternenthera versicolor can be used as a hyperaccumulator of lead at concentration ranging from 25 to 100 mg/L. CONCLUSION Alternenthera versicolor has hence been proved as a potent hyperaccumulator of lead at concentration ranging from 25 to 100mg/L and VITPSS1J can be used to remediate lead contamination. Hence further study on the synergistic interaction between Alternenthera versicolor and VITPSS1J. V. REFERENCES 1. Arvind Gulati, Pratibha Vyas, Praveen Rahi, Ramesh Chand Kasana (2009) Plant Growth-Promoting and Rhizosphere-Competent Acinetobacter rhizosphaerae Strain BIHB 723 from the Cold Deserts of the Himalayas 58:371–377 2. Althaf Hussain Sk. and Srinivas P (2013) Evaluation of Plant Growth Promoting Traits by Pseudomonas and Azotobacter Isolated From Rhizotic Soils of Two Selected Agroforestry Tree Species of Godavari Belt Region, India 431-436 3. Solon A. Gordon, Robert P. Weber (1950) Colorimetric Estimation of Indole acetic acid 4. Shirin Heydari1, Parviz Rezvani Moghadam2, Seyyed Mehdi Arab3 Hydrogen Cyanide Production Ability by Pseudomonas Fluorescence Bacteria and their Inhibition Potential on Weed Germination 5. Brianne L. Clark, Dr. Ranjan Chakraborty, Chair Dr. Bert C. Lampson ,Dr. Lee M. Pike (2004) Characterization of a Catechol-Type Siderophore and the Detection of a Possible Outer Membrane Receptor Protein from Rhizobium leguminosarum strain IARI 312 6. E. Nicole Bridgersa, Mari S. Chinnb, Van-Den Troungc (2010) Extraction of anthocyanins from industrial purple-fleshed sweetpotatoes and enzymatic hydrolysis of residues for fermentable sugars 613-620 7. Simcha Lev-Yadun and Kevin S. Gould (2009) Role of Anthocyanins in Plant Defence 978-0-387-77 8. Irene Kuiper, Ellen L. Lagendijk, Guido V. Bloemberg, and Ben J. J. Lugtenber (2003) Rhizoremediation: A Beneficial Plant-Microbe Interaction1105-01 9. Sushma Bondre, Pallavi Patil, Amaraja Kulkarni, M. M. Pillai (2012) Study on isolation and purification of anthocyanins and its application as pH indicator698-702 10. Sabyasachi Chatterjee*, Anindita Mukherjee, Agniswar Sarkar, Pranab Roy (2012)Bioremediation of lead by lead-resistant microorganisms, isolated from industrial sample290-295 11. A. Rehman, S. Ashraf, J. I. Qazi, A. R. Shakoori (2005) Uptake of Lead by a Ciliate, Stylonychia mytilus, Isolated from Industrial Effluents: Potential Use in Bioremediation of Wastewater75:290–296

Changing Views of Family in Society Essays -- Family

A Family Portrait: How the Picture Keeps Changing Growing up I believed that the three bears in the tale of Goldilocks were a family because they lived under the same roof and ate at the same table. I also believed that Barbie and her little sister, Skipper, were family because they looked alike, and that Mr. Potato Head and Mrs. Potato Head were family because they were married. Now that I am grown, my understanding of family has matured, and many sources have helped shape my belief. Carol Shields points out in her article, â€Å"Family Is One of the Few Certainties We Will Take with Us Far into the Future,† that all around us there are different definitions and symbols of family (Shields 558). In short, a family does not have to conform to a set mold to be considered a family. For example, a small family, such as Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head’s, still qualifies as a family. On the contrary, Webster supports a more traditional view that defines â€Å"family† as a household consisting of parents and their children. R elatives and those who share a mutual ancestor are also included in this definition (â€Å"Family† 215). Our culture’s interpretation of family is constantly changing, and an amendment to the definition should be allowed for. History tells us that a family consists of a man, a woman, and their children, but I believe that today, that definition should branch out to include non-traditional families, which in some cases could even include, pets and close friends. Thousands of years ago, a family consisted of a man, a woman, their children, their servant, and any children the man had with the servant. King Solomon from the Bible is said to have had seven-hundred wives and three-hundred concubines. His family was quite literally the siz... ...rom whether biological relatives or best of friends. Circumstances may alter the traditional sense of the word family, but human nature allows us to adapt and form our lives accordingly. With our ever changing society, maybe Hasbro Toys will someday have Mr. Potato Head leave the Missus for a certain lusty Radish and her two children. Works Cited Shields, Carol. â€Å"Family Is One of the Few Certainties We Will Take with Us Far into the Future.† Wall Street Journal, 1 Jan 2000. Elements of Argument. Eds. John E. Sullivan III and Deborah Baker. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. 558-563. Smiley, Jane. â€Å"Why Do We Marry?† Utne Reader, Sep/Oct 2000. Elements of Argument. Eds. John E. Sullivan III and Deborah Baker. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. 563-564. â€Å"Family.† Webster's New World Dictionary. Ed. Victoria Neufeldt. New York City: Pocket Books, 1995. 215.

Dead Mens Path by Chinua Achebe Essay example -- Chinua Achebe Dead

â€Å"Dead Men’s Path† by Chinua Achebe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this short story â€Å"Dead Men’s Path,† Chinua Achebe gives the protagonist an exciting chance to fulfill his dream. Michael Obi was fixed officially headmaster of Ndume Central School, which was backward in every sense. He had to turn the school into a progressive one, however the school received a bad report when the supervisor came to inspect. Why did the school get a nasty report and Obi could not become a glorious headmaster even though he put his whole life into it? In order to find out the answer, we have to examine Michael Obi’s personality and the event that made the supervisor to write an airier result.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Michael Obi was a secondary school teacher. â€Å"The Ndume Central School had always been an unprogressive, so the mission authorities decided to send a young and energetic man to run it† (331). Obi was a juvenile and a jaunty man. Within Obi’s confidence, the reader can see his ardent desire. â€Å"He had many wonderful ideas and this was an opportunity to put them into practice† (331). By this golden chance he wanted to show other people how a school should be run. Obi wanted â€Å"his associates to give all their time and energy to the school† (331) because they were not married. He and his wife were very excited to work for the school. They both had made a plan to make the school modern and delightful. Even though Obi accepted his responsibility with enthusiasm, he could not become a great principal. Why? There should be some ...

Divorce Laws in the United States Essay examples -- Family Law

â€Å"Divorce is a decree by a court that a valid marriage no longer exists. It leaves both parties free to remarry. The court will award custody, divide property, and order spousal and child support† (The American Bar Association 71). â€Å"†¦till death do us part† is almost always heard at wedding ceremonies. But all too often does this phrase not hold up to its true meaning. Between 1960 and 1999 the divorce rate in the United States tripled (Porterfield vii). Out of all first time marriages, 41% end in divorce (Divorce Rate). According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, for every 1,000 people, 6.8 get married and 3.4 of those marriages will end in divorce (Marriage and Divorce). The Family Legal Guide from The American Bar Association confirms that of the couples who marry before the age of forty-five, one-half of them will get divorced (71). These numbers do not seem to be decreasing. They only seem to be increasing as time goes on. It is agreed by many that if two people can no longer find it in themselves to be passionate towards one another and they no longer desire the others company that they should end their marriage. However, the growing number of divorces is proving that, pe rhaps getting a divorce in the United States is too easy. The evidence proves that divorce laws should be made stricter throughout the United States. Every divorce is different; no two divorces are the same. Some involve children. Some are just a couple. Some have step children or half children. Some include hostile situations. Some are peaceful. Some are for a valid reason. Some are simply because the couple doesn’t feel like being together anymore. Some are mutual. Some are not. So why is every divorce so quickly done and so easily ob... ...2. â€Å"Marriage and Divorce.† Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. Porterfield, Kay Marie. Straight Talk about Divorce. New York: Facts on File, 1999. Print. Portnoy, Ph.D. Sanford. â€Å"A Lawyer’s Primer Part 1- The Effects of Divorce on Adults.† Ed. Ron Brown. The Psychology of Divorce. 1(2006): 1-7. Print. Russo, Francine. â€Å"Can The Government Prevent Divorce?† The Atlantic. Oct. 1997. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Shapiro v. Thompson. 2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Publication Data. U.S. Supreme Court. 21 Apr. 1969. Print. Tavernise, Sabrina, and Robert Gebeloff. â€Å"Once Rare in Rural American, Divorce is Changaing the Face of Its Families.† www.Nytimes.com. The New York Times. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. The American Bar Association. Family Legal Guide. 3rd ed. New York: Random House, 2004. 71-88. Print.

Iron Crowned Chapter 13

The journey back was uneventful, the most notable thing being the afterglow that now burned between Kiyo and me – something I now questioned the wisdom of. My words had been true: I'd never stopped caring about him. But he'd been right too: what had happened between us back in the glade had come from my own outrage and need to get back at Dorian. That wasn't really a good reason to start a relationship. It wasn't even a really good reason for casual sex, and honestly, I wasn't sure what my status was with Kiyo at the moment. Deanna reappeared and followed along so quietly and obediently that I finally broke the silence to reassure her I'd keep my part of the bargain. Her drab face lit up, and I had to give her credit for not pushing the matter until I settled my other business. Kiyo and I went straight to Dorian's, once we'd crossed back into more familiar territory. My plan was to deal with him first and then jump to the human world. I thought it would be safer to have the crown there. Dorian's guards met me with pleased grins, and while they were surprised to see Kiyo, most seemed to know I'd been off on some secret mission. Coming back alive was a good sign. As soon as we entered the castle, I ordered a messenger to go to Katrice and inform her that I now possessed the Iron Crown and that if she wanted to talk surrender, I was all ears. As Dorian's consort, I had the power to order around his staff – but I had a feeling that would end soon. Kiyo and I were admitted into Dorian's exalted presence out in a courtyard, where he was making a long-tormented courtier named Muran play the harp. I knew for a fact that Muran had had exactly one lesson, and Dorian seemed quite amused watching the guy struggle through. This kind of thing was one of Dorian's greatest pastimes, and usually, even though I felt bad for Muran, it provided me with a little amusement. Today I felt none. When we entered the courtyard, Dorian took one look at our faces and promptly ordered everyone away – even his guards. He still wore that small, carefree smile, but I'd seen a subtle shift in the lines of his face. He knew something was up. His astuteness was what made him such a good ruler. â€Å"Well, here you are,† he said, sitting back in the gentry equivalent of a lawn chair. Except, of course, I'd never seen Home Depot sell anything so ornate and gilded. Normally when I arrived, Dorian kissed me, but his wariness must have held him back. â€Å"As beautiful as ever, my dear, if a little beat up around the edges. I suppose this means you either succeeded or just barely escaped with your life?† â€Å"We succeeded,† I said. â€Å"I've got the crown.† Again – that smile didn't change, but an eager light flickered in Dorian's eyes. He leaned forward. â€Å"I knew it. I knew you could do it.† He studied me up and down, his gaze finally resting on the bag over my shoulder. â€Å"May I see it?† â€Å"No,† I said bluntly. â€Å"No one's going to see it. It's going to be hidden away where it can't be used to start eating up people's lands.† Dorian's eyebrows rose, and he began to speak. I could already imagine a hundred variations of what was going to come out of his mouth, something along the lines of, â€Å"Whatever are you talking about, my dear?† I stepped forward, my control snapping as I cut him off. â€Å"Don't start! Don't even start with some sugar-coated denial. You've known all along what the crown could do! You knew it'd scare Katrice because it meant I – and by default you – could take over her kingdom!† Dorian hesitated, and again, I could guess at the thoughts spinning in his head. Denial or backpedaling? He finally went with the latter. â€Å"And what better way to push her into peace?† he said at last. â€Å"The point of a war like this is to eventually march over and subdue someone anyway. Isn't it much simpler and faster to achieve that same end through another way?† â€Å"A way that rips her land from her!† I exclaimed. â€Å"And sticks me with another fucking kingdom!† I stepped forward and had to forcibly keep myself from getting closer. I was so, so angry. So angry that this man I cared about could do this to me. I was almost angrier at him than Katrice at the moment. From her, at least, I expected betrayal. â€Å"And that's what you would have wanted to do – not just scare her. You would have found some way, some justification for taking that drastic step, just like you got me to go after this in the first place.† Much of the humor had faded from Dorian's face now. â€Å"And would you have gone after it if you'd known?† â€Å"No.† He shrugged. â€Å"Well, there you have it.† I was aghast. â€Å"That's it? How the hell can you be so lax about this? How can you act like it's okay to have tricked me from the beginning – you and that hag? How can you claim to love me and lie to me?† â€Å"I do love you,† he said. â€Å"More than you know. I did this for your own good.† â€Å"You did it for your own good,† I snapped. â€Å"I can't believe I fell for it again. You've done this before, and now I'm done. Done with you. Done with all of this. I don't need your help anymore. I'll finish this fucking war on my own.† â€Å"Eugenie,† warned Kiyo softly. He didn't contradict me, not in front of Dorian, but I understood the subtext. It was the point he'd made before: not to spurn Dorian's military help. Dorian scoffed, sharing that sentiment. â€Å"Of course you need me. If you can get past your hurt pride, you'll see that we're in this together. Use the crown however you want, but be reasonable so that the two of us can finally end this war.† My voice was low and dangerous when I spoke. I was furious that he could be so condescending, that he assumed he could just smooth this all over. â€Å"There is no more us.† â€Å"Now you're just overreacting,† he said. â€Å"We need to finish this war together, and we need to be together, period. We're meant to be.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"We're done. It's over.† I could see from his face that he didn't take that seriously either. He didn't get it. His ego wouldn't allow him to. Before he could respond, Kiyo lightly touched my arm. â€Å"Be careful. Look what you're doing.† I glanced around. The wind was rising and falling, making the apple trees sway back and forth. Dark clouds began to gather above. It wasn't uncommon for my emotions to unconsciously affect the weather, but the fact that I could do it in a land under someone else's control was a sign of how much my power had grown. If Dorian had wanted sunny weather, it should have stayed that way. The realization of what I could do was heady. Nonetheless, I pushed back, calming the air and dissipating the storm clouds. But Dorian wasn't concerned about any of that. His attention had snapped to one small gesture: Kiyo's touch on my arm. I'm not sure how Dorian knew – maybe just the way Kiyo and I stood near each other – but in that moment, Dorian realized what had happened between Kiyo and me. And that, more than any of the arguments here, was what finally broke that laid-back attitude. His face turned to stone. â€Å"Oh,† he said to Kiyo, voice completely devoid of emotion. â€Å"I see. It's your turn again.† Outrage filled me at the insinuation that I could be passed around – a sentiment not unlike what Kiyo himself had expressed. Dorian allowed me no chance to counter. â€Å"Well, if that's how it's going to be, then that's how it's going to be. You may be right that there's no us, but we are still in this war together. My armies are too enmeshed, and I can hardly let Katrice think I'm backing down. Dareth!† Dorian's voice rang out, loudly enough that one of the guards behind the glass doors heard. He swiftly opened the doors and stepped outside. â€Å"Your Majesty?† â€Å"Please escort the Thorn Queen and her pet from the premises. They are denied hospitality. Do not admit them again. Should any of her household come, they may be allowed into my presence.† His eyes flicked to me. â€Å"Send Rurik as your proxy for all military matters. He was doing all the work anyway.† Dorian's attention went back to his guard. â€Å"You have your orders.† Dareth had trouble keeping the shock off his face. I had become a fixture around here, treated nearly the same as Dorian. After a few moments, Dareth composed his features, his loyalty to his king overriding any disbelief he might feel. He turned to me, expression formal. He gestured inside. â€Å"Your Majesty.† The respect was there, but the message was clear. I was being thrown out and could see Dareth practically praying I wouldn't resist. I didn't, and while a dozen parting retorts to Dorian filled my head, I shoved them aside. He thrived on that kind of attention. It would only make him feel more important, and I wanted it made clear that I really was done with him – even though the cold reality of what was happening made my heart break. Kiyo and I began to follow Dareth without comment, but then I paused. Reaching toward my neck, I ripped off the necklace I wore, the one with Dorian's ring. I tossed it at his feet, meeting his gaze with a message I hoped he understood. He did. His answered mine with green fury. â€Å"I said get out of here.† I turned away, letting Dareth take us to the castle's front doors. As soon as we were outside, I heard him giving instructions about the revoking of our hospitality. I imagined the other guards shared his shock, but I walked on without looking back. Once Kiyo and I had traveled far enough that the land shifted and put us in Maiwenn's kingdom, he turned to look at me. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked, worry in those dark eyes. â€Å"Fine,† I said flatly. I was confident my anger was justified †¦ but leaving Dorian still hurt. He'd dismissed me so easily, once he'd realized I'd slept with Kiyo. I'd expected something †¦ something more emotional, I guess. Some sign that I'd meant more to him than a useful consort. I should have known better. â€Å"Let's go back to Tucson.† I'd kept Volusian and Deanna away while we'd met with Dorian but brought them both back now. I told Deanna to come to my home tomorrow and that we'd start working on her problem then. To Volusian, I gave orders to return to the Thorn Land. He would tell Rurik to go to Dorian and then wait until word came back from Katrice. I had no doubt that word of my being banned from Dorian's would spread around quickly enough; I didn't want to see the reactions of my people when that happened. Kiyo and I crossed back to Arizona at a nearby gateway, going to his place instead of mine so that he could redo my stitches. He was as good as any ‘real' doctor, and I didn't want to have to explain my new cuts and bruises to someone else. A slew of cats and dogs greeted me when I entered his apartment, making me feel oddly nostalgic. â€Å"Are you sure you're okay?† Kiyo asked later. I was lying stomach-down on his bed while his needle went to work on the cut. My cheek rested on a pillow, my only view being his dresser as I tried to stay still. â€Å"Fine.† â€Å"You keep saying that, but what went down was pretty serious.† I could imagine the frown on his face. â€Å"I didn't expect him to pull hospitality.† â€Å"He knows we slept together,† I said. â€Å"Guys get upset when their girlfriends do that.† I'd broken up with Dorian in my head the instant I found out about the deception, but as far as he was concerned, I'd cheated on him. Maybe I had. But betraying someone who'd deceived you didn't seem like that much of a betrayal. â€Å"Yes,† said Kiyo. â€Å"Yes, they do.† He tied off his thread and re-bandaged it all. â€Å"Please, please do not pull these out again. The fact that this isn't infected is a miracle.† â€Å"I won't,† I said, sitting up and carefully putting my shirt back on. â€Å"I don't plan on getting in any fights for a while. I'm staying out of the Otherworld until they really need me, and investigating Deanna's murder should only involve questions. Actually, I'm hoping to pass it off on someone else.† â€Å"She won't like that,† he said. â€Å"It'll get it done,† I said. â€Å"And she'll like that. Probably even faster than if I did it.† I started to stand, but Kiyo caught hold of my hand and kept me down. His expression turned sly. â€Å"You want to stay for a while?† I shook my head, smiling faintly. â€Å"I've got some things to do. Besides, just because we did what we did doesn't mean †¦ well, it doesn't mean things are the same again.† His mischievous smile faded. â€Å"You're right. A lot kind of got rushed. I suppose we should †¦ I don't know. Do you want to go on a date?† â€Å"A date?† I laughed in spite of myself. It seemed so out of place after what we'd been through these last few days. Too ordinary. â€Å"Dinner and a movie?† â€Å"Something like that. I could pick you up later, after your errands are done. Or tomorrow if you need a little more time.† A little more time? Maybe I needed a lot more time. I really didn't know. I might have jumped into bed – figuratively speaking – right after my relationship with Dorian had crumbled, but as I'd said, that didn't mean I was ready to establish something committed with Kiyo again. I'd had sex with Kiyo in the throes of my anger; I had more to think about now that I'd cooled down – and seen Dorian's face. My head told me we were through, but my heart already missed him. â€Å"Tomorrow,† I said. Kiyo nodded. â€Å"Fair enough. I should probably check in at the clinic anyway.† I honestly didn't understand the terms of Kiyo's employment. With his constant visits to the Otherworld, he didn't seem to have any regular schedule with the emergency vet clinic he worked at. He just seemed to show up whenever he wanted. It was more convenient than my own job for maintaining a dual existence between worlds. Confused feelings or not, I let him kiss me good-bye before I left. There was a part of me that wished I could just stay with him, hiding out in his bed and avoiding the rest of the world. Worlds, even. But I had too much to do. The first thing was to get home and change into clean clothes. I arrived to what initially appeared to be an empty house, but the cars in the driveway tipped me off. Sure enough, a minute or so after I walked inside, I heard Tim's bedroom door open. He emerged, wearing only jeans, his black hair standing in all directions. â€Å"Hey, Eug. Didn't expect to see you back.† â€Å"Apparently not. I take it Lara's in there?† He had the grace to look sheepish. â€Å"Ah, well – â€Å" â€Å"Hi, Eugenie.† Lara appeared in the kitchen beside him, her hair as messed up as his. Her clothes – including Tim's â€Å"West Coast Powwow 2002† T-shirt – showed signs of hasty assembly. She was blushing, but her embarrassment turned to surprise as she eyed my appearance. She still wasn't used to seeing me in real life. â€Å"Rough day?† â€Å"Days,† I said. â€Å"Oh †¦ I don't suppose †¦ I don't suppose you'd be interested in hearing about some job offers?† It was the first time she'd been hesitant to bring up work. I think she was finally starting to understand the grueling nature of my life and that back-to-back jobs weren't as easy as checking items off a list. â€Å"Not really. Not for a few days.† â€Å"A few – † She bit off her protest and meekly nodded. I walked around them, heading for my room. â€Å"I've got things to do,† I called back to them. â€Å"So you can go back to †¦ whatever it is you were doing.† Truthfully, I didn't want to do the task hanging before me. I wanted to find whatever baked goods Tim had squirreled away in the kitchen and then take that nap I'd longed for at Kiyo's. But, no. I'd made a promise to Deanna, one I had to honor, no matter how messed up the rest of my life was. So, after cleaning up and changing, I sat on the edge of my bed and picked up my cell phone. I stared at it for a long time, running my fingers along its edges as I procrastinated. Finally, I dialed a memorized number and waited. There was a good chance that no one would answer. I was calling my mom's cell phone, though, which gave me better odds than if I'd called her house number. I knew Roland had asked her to keep her distance from me, but after seeing me at the hospital, my mom would likely resist any directives like that – if only out of fear that I'd lost a limb or something. â€Å"Hello?† My breath caught, and I almost couldn't speak. Just that one word †¦ the sound of her voice. It sent a flood of emotions through me, and I forced myself to remember my mission here. â€Å"Mom?† â€Å"Genie? Are you okay?† she asked promptly. As suspected, she feared limb loss. â€Å"Yeah, yeah, fine. How are you?† â€Å"Fine. Worried about you – like always.† â€Å"I'm okay,† I said. â€Å"Really. But I need †¦ I, um, need to talk to Roland.† Long silence. â€Å"Eugenie – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. But I need his help with something. It won't take long. Just one question. Please.† She sighed. â€Å"Oh, baby. I wish I could, but he's made it clear †¦ You know how he feels about everything†¦.† â€Å"It's a human thing,† I said, only partially lying. â€Å"A job in this world. Please, Mom. Just ask him if he'll talk to me for a minute?† More silence, then another sigh. â€Å"Hang on.† I waited, nervously twisting the fabric of my bed's duvet. What would happen? The two most likely options were that either my mom would relay his refusal or they would simply hang up on me. But, no. It was Roland's voice I heard next. â€Å"Yes?† Cold. Wary. After everything that had just happened to me in the Otherworld, hearing his voice nearly broke me. I wanted to sob and beg him to forgive me. Beg him to love me again. My mom had undoubtedly done a fair share of that already, though. She'd clearly had no luck. I had no reason to believe I'd fare any better, so I made my tone match his as I swallowed back tears. Just business here. â€Å"I need a referral,† I said brusquely. â€Å"To a private investigator. One who isn't going to be freaked out by the stuff we deal with. I figured you must know someone.† â€Å"You need a P.I. to deal with some monster?† he asked harshly. â€Å"No, no. It actually should be pretty mundane – all human stuff. But considering what we do †¦ Well, I thought I should have someone prepared in case things get weird.† I didn't have any reason for Deanna to interact directly with a P.I. – or for me even to mention her – but I wanted to be safe. â€Å"Well,† said Roland. â€Å"Let's make it clear: ‘we' don't do the same kinds of things.† With great effort, I bit off the retorts that wanted to burst out of me. I wanted to explain for the hundredth time that I'd never expected – or wanted – to reach this level of involvement in the Otherworld. Again, I opted for directness. â€Å"Please, Roland,† I said simply. â€Å"This is for a human family. Just forget about me for a minute.† When he didn't respond, I thought for sure the anticipated hang-up would come. â€Å"Enrique Valdez,† he said at last. â€Å"You should be able to look up his number. I'll call too and give him a heads-up.† â€Å"Oh, Roland. Thank you so – â€Å" Click. There it was. I pulled the phone away and held it in front of me again, staring at it as though it were to blame for all my problems. A few moments later, I tossed it on the floor. Anger surged through me, quickly fading into sadness. My eyes fell on my travel pack in the corner, the pack containing the Iron Crown. That – and all it represented – was the source of my problems. I fell back onto my bed, staring up at the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck on my ceiling. Roland, Dorian †¦ I was losing the men in my life. Why, why had Dorian done that? Why had he let me fall in love with him, only to play me? Was that what love meant to him? Was that how all his relationships worked? He'd hurt me, hurt me so terribly, and the petty, dark voice that lived inside me said that if sleeping with Kiyo had hurt Dorian in return, it was no more than he deserved. Kiyo. Kiyo was all I had left now, and I didn't know if I could trust him either. Before I could ruminate very much on that particular woe, a cold presence filled the room. I sat up quickly, putting aside all my self-pity as Volusian materialized before me. â€Å"Mistress,† he said. â€Å"Volusian,† I replied. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"I've come with a message, as you requested.† As always, his words were emotionless, yet he somehow conveyed the feeling that he resented every one of them. â€Å"Queen Katrice has responded to your news of the Iron Crown.† That was fast, even for the Otherworld. â€Å"And?† â€Å"And, she has agreed to a temporary truce.† I shot up from the bed. â€Å"You have got to be kidding.† Volusian didn't respond. I'd long since learned that any comment I made about him joking or kidding was treated rhetorically. Volusian did not joke or kid. â€Å"It worked,† I murmured, more to myself than him. â€Å"I can't believe it. Dorian was right.† â€Å"Indeed. But I assume my mistress will not resume carnal relations with him.† I made a face. If there was anyone I hated discussing my sex life with more than Jasmine, it was Volusian. â€Å"No. It doesn't matter if he was right. He lied to me to make it happen. He should have told me the whole story. He used half-truth means to achieve his ends.† Volusian nodded solemnly. â€Å"I told you that long ago, that the Oak King's own agenda will always come first. As will the kitsune's. But, unsurprisingly, my mistress chooses to ignore the only sound advice given to her and instead listens to those who use affection for their own purposes.† The word ‘affection' was spoken with particular venom. â€Å"Kiyo and Dorian don't – Look. Stay out of this, okay? I never asked for your ‘sound' advice. Get back to Katrice. How does this truce work exactly?† â€Å"Hostilities will cease until all parties are able to discuss the current situation. How said discussion proceeds will be settled beforehand by messengers. You and the Oak King may meet with her directly, or you may have representatives do the negotiating.† I tried to picture myself in a room with Dorian and Katrice. Lovely. â€Å"And where would this happen? I'm sure as hell not going to the Rowan Land.† â€Å"That too will be negotiated during this truce,† he said. â€Å"A neutral kingdom is the most likely choice. Shaya would like to discuss that with you at your earliest convenience.† â€Å"I'm sure she would. Go back and tell her I trust her to set up whatever arrangements need to be made. If I have to go myself †¦ well, then I go. I'll check in with her soon, but come back if anything happens in the meantime.† Volusian waited, and I gestured him away. â€Å"Go.† He vanished, and I sank onto my bed. My eyes fell on the concealed Iron Crown once again, and I dared to wonder if maybe some good had come out of this whole mess.

Castros Regime

Cuba and Castros Coming to Power In: Historical Events Cuba and Castros Coming to Power History Essay – Fidel Castro Castro’s Social Policies After coming to power in 1959 with the aim of making radical change to the country. He promised to end inequality, corruption and the economic dependency on USA. With these aims, he implemented economic policies to generate economic growth. The ups and downs of Cuba’s economic performance had not affected the state’s considerable investment in social reform, foreign aid and military involvement.Underpinned by long term credit and trade agreements with USSR, the Cubans had achieved standards of health and literacy rivaling those of developed countries. After his coming to power, Castro had managed to reduce the infant mortality rate, a yardstick of development of development from 60 per thousand live children in 1958 to 13. 2 in 1980. On the eve of the revolution there had been one doctor for 5,000 Cubans, whereas thi rty years later there was one per 400. Average life expectancy had risen from 74 to 57 and only 2 percent of the population was illiterate compared to 24 percent in 1958.All children of primary school age now attended schools whereas only 56 percent had done so before the revolution. The bare figures conceal the extent of social and economic change in Cuba. Castro’s reform aimed to introduce social justice and allow all sectors of society to have equal oppurtunities. Reforms in health, education and the treatment of women and of minorities were implemented among other areas. Some of these reforms clashed with Cuban traditions and culture. Hence, arts played a fundamental role in designing a new Cuban culture in which for instance, the role of women as workers was implemented and promoted.Castro’s social policies had their main targets as women and education. It evaluated the part played by FMC and the literacy campaign to change the status of women and promote educatio n. One of the most significant changes brought about by the Cuban Revolution has been to the lives and status of women. One of the most significant changes brought about by the Cuban Revolution has been to the lives and status of women. Before 1959 the role of most Cuban women resembled that of other women in the patriarchal societies of Latin America where there existed rigid stereotypes and a division of roles between the sexes in the home and in society.The undisputed role of a woman was that of wife and homemaker in a family headed by her husband or partner. Women enjoyed few rights and were expected to sacrifice not just their academic potential and broader interests, but also their health and happiness in order to ensure the stability and wellbeing of the family. In cases of maltreatment by men, despite the existence of laws forbidding such treatment, women were given minimal support by the police and the legal establishment. The status of women in Cuba by 1959 was different f rom that in many latin American countries.They were only given right to vote in 1934. The 1940 constitution also granted them equality before the law where women could not be discriminated against a work and were to receive equal pay for work. Although women were allowed to vote, study, ad even sue for divorce, pre-revolutionary Cuba remained in many ways a traditional society. Only a few occupations like teaching and nursing were considered to be appropriate for women in the pre-revolutionary years. They were victims of discrimination at work as the jobs with greater pay and responsibility went to men.Hence in the middle and upper classes, men preferred women to stay at home. The defense to the rights of women at work was largely a response to Cuba’s economic needs. Castro had an aim to achieve modernization and industrialization and to do so women were needed to produce record harvests, woman needed to join the workforce. New legislations were passed reinforcing the equal r ights of men and women to access all types of jobs. They were offered training at technical and professional levels. They had entered the fields which were men dominated, such as construction, biotechnology and IT.In villages the Agrarian reforms had offerd women the opportunity for work in areas like driving and repair of equipment. To facilitate this change and support the women, Castro facilitated the opening of an increasing numbers of daycare centers for working women to help them join the work force. Under Castro, women were expected to work for long hours in the agricultural fields leaving alone their homes and families for long intervals however this most often made conflicts with their husbands. To solve this problem, Castro came up with a new family code which stipulated equality of both the sexes at home and work.Men were expected to share their household duties and the education of children. Despite this Castro had to admit that the presence of women on work fields was a lways lower than expected. The policies made by Castro were aimed towards encouraging of equality of women seem to have been focused more towards increasing the workforce than gender equality. More than 600,000 Cubans who were idle migrated from the island in 1960’s and hence to fill up the vacancies, women were brought n picture. They were trained for these works which they had denied before and they also played an important part in education and health campaigns.Cuba in the Batista’s regime had acess to only limited education that too in varied geographical regions, being more restricted in the rural arean and the ghettos of the poor. Hence it was also limited by economic status. In the years preceding 1959, Cuba had the highest ill-literacy rates in ltin America. It had reached a peak of 24% in children under 10 years. Public education was nil, there was no infrastructure or presence of teachers to provide satisfactory quality of educstion while the acess of univers ity was limited to the privelliged classes.Castr in the sierra time had promised the resurrection of illiteracy within a year for which he needed to solve two initial barrios, the lack of infrastructure and that of teachers. Castro had declared 1961 as the year of education when the rebel army personally taught the illiterate and had launched the famous slogan â€Å"If you don’t know; learn, if you know; teach†. Due to the shortages of school buildings, Castro transformed military barracks into educational complexes and many new schools were built all along the city, focusing in the rural and undeveloped areas.Between 1959 when Fidel began his policy of school expansion and 1962 more schools had been developed than in the past history of 8 years of Cuba. In the following years, Castro implemented a training programme for 271,000 teachers. To reach all areas, they were sent all across the counry to teach people at their homes. Literate citizens were turned into â€Å"l iterate voulenteers† in free time. Each one was dressed in olive green uniforms and were sent to country sideto teach the peasents. In the year of 1962, illiteracy dropped by 4%.The success of the campaign was spectacular and as such it increased the hopes in revolution. The aim of the literacy campaign had been twofold. First, it sought to fight illiteracy among the poor ans second, it aimed to make middle-classs youth illiterate youth familiarize themelves with the living conditions and the hardships of the poor, and to act in response to the values of the revolution; self service and sacrifice for the state. * Words: 1258 * Pages: 6 * Highlight Text * Print Paper * Saved * Report this Essay Similar Documents * Cuba And Castros Coming To Power The Consolidation Of Fidel Castro’s Power Between 1959 And1961 Was More Of a Result Of Domestic Issues Rather Than United States Economic Policies. * Fdi Risk Analysis Of Cuba * Power Politics * Three Days In Cuba For Pope Bened ict Xvi * Guantanamo Bay * Chomsky * Bush * How China Rises * Treasures * The United States Political And Economy * American Expansionism And Imperialism In The Late Nineteenth Century * Domino's Sizzles With Pizza Tracker * Hispanic American Diversity * The Reagan Doctrine * Politics * Worlds Scerets * Ap Euro Notes Containing Communism Through Cia Covert Operations * To What Extent Was Hitler's Economic Policy Coherent? 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