Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Adoption Is A Social Justice Issue - 1135 Words

Issue Statement Adoption is the act or fact of adopting or being adopted; to legally take another’s child or bring up as one’s own. When a child is adopted, that child moves permanently from one family to another family. In the process, all parental rights are legally transferred to the new parents. This means adoptive parents have the same rights and responsibilities as parents whose children were born to them. It also means adopted children have all the emotional, social, legal, and familial benefits of biological children. The issue with adoption is the financial challenges with orphanages, foster homes and parents who want to adopt but cannot. Many changes need to be made when it comes to the adoption system. Adoption is a social justice issue because so much money is going to orphanages and foster parents when it could be used for other things, such as helping people who want to adopt but cannot. The cost of adopting should be lowered to have more adoptions and fewer people to pay . Adoption regulations should be changed considering the long process and money it takes to adopt and the process doesn’t always let people become parents. Background Information â€Å"Adoption is spoken of in the Bible. Greeks and Romans, Egyptians and Babylonians all had adoption systems† (Meiser, 1995-2015). Adoption is the process whereby parents are supplied for parent-less children or those children whose parents are unable to provide for their care. It also provides childrenShow MoreRelatedThe Core Value Of Social Work1025 Words   |  5 PagesThe first core value of social work is service. The purpose of service is to simply help those in need. It is our duty to find the help and support that individuals need in order to function properly, both individually and socially. Social workers have the ability to see potential in individuals and it is our job to help individuals find that potential. It is also our duty to address social issues. In order to do provide the services needed for individuals, social workers must use their own sourceRead More In Favor of Gay Marriage Essay525 Words   |  3 Pageslesbians have decided to come out of the clo set shaking up an issue that has made a ruckus between Americans (Carey 2). We find that the Defense of Marriage Act states that marriage should be between one man and one woman for federal purposes; but is this fair? The United States was founded on the belief of equality, loyalty, and justice for all. The phrase for all means for everyone; not everyone besides gays and lesbians. One issue that has struck Americans is that gays and lesbians want toRead MoreChild Maltreatment And The Child Welfare System Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pageschanges in placement while in foster care have an effect on youth exiting the system and does the lack of parental guidance have an influence on how self-sufficient adolescents are when they age out of the foster care system? This is an important issue because so many youth who exit the foster care system at some point in their lives end up homeless, unemployed, uneducated, and/or incarcerated. Hypothesis This is a qualitative study. Conducting this type of study means exploratory research willRead MoreHow Claudine Is The Founder Of Taking Positive Steps And Associates ( Tps )950 Words   |  4 PagesSteps and Associates (TPS). Claudine has worked in the social work field since 1992 covering various children services in several local authorities, for example mother and baby units, children homes, leaving care and the youth offending teams. Claudine has also worked in the voluntary sector as a criminal justice manager. Claudine is passionate about education and holds various qualifications inclusive of; a BA in criminology and social policies and an MA in Youth Crime, Probation and AppliedRead MoreDavid Humes Theory of Ethics Essay1675 Words   |  7 Pagesmorality and ethics becomes as natural and worthy of study as any of the other sciences. It becomes another branch of how we perceive and utilize the world around us. David Hume’s idea of utility is based on the idea that we are relational and social animals and we move to secure these relationships. These early ideas of utility that philosophers such as Cumberland, Hutcheson and Hume had would later inspire the classic utilitarianism of Bentham and Mill. Hume thought that usefulness was avoidedRead MoreThe European Parliament And Of The Council1219 Words   |  5 Pagesother similar incorporeal rights through the Directive. The Commission justified the proposed Directive saying it concerned the internal market and was prompted by the clear need for European-level action in this field. In determining whether the adoption of the Directive on the basis of Article 95 EC was justified, it is first necessary to analyze Article 95 EC, as the treaty base is fundamental to the relative powers and ability of the other institutions to influence the content of European UnionRead MoreThe Challenge In Measuring Judicial Branch Preference Case Study1310 Words   |  6 PagesThe Challenge in Measuring Judicial Branch Preference Many scholars use Martin and Quinn scores to measure the preferences of U.S. Supreme Court Justices. But people are still not convinced that these measurements captures all the preference changes over a period. The scores in Marin and Quinn indicates that the present court system of today, are most conservative in over 60 years. Furthermore, Martin and Quinn scores advised scholars to utilize ordinal measurement scores although this may be trueRead MoreAbortion : The Deliberate Termination Of A Human Pregnancy937 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1973, Roe v. Wade, a major court case, made abortion legal after it was illegal. Justice Harry Blackmun ruled that abortion was supported under the United States Constitution and it violated the first, fourth, ninth, and fourteenth amendments, which all discuss privacy (pbs.org). No country should recognize abortion as a legal act because it is murder, medically dangerous, leaves psychological scars, and adoption is an alternative. There is a type of procedure for abortion. According to theRead MoreAbortion Essay1589 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion, one of the most controversial issues in the United States today, should remain legal because it helps to regulate population levels, keep unwanted children from being born, neglected, beaten or abandoned and in some cases it can also reduce divorce rates. Abortions can be practical for potential parents who do not have the money, time or experience to raise a child at this point in time in their life (especially teenagers). Women who have been raped also may have an abortion because sheRead MoreBirth, Growth Development. Gregory A. Justice Also-Known-As1203 Words   |  5 PagesDevelopment Gregory A. Justice also-known-as Greg is a 50-year-old Caucasian American man born in Chico, California to John Baxter (biological father) and Lynn Mehl (biological mother). He was adopted at birth by Mr. William Justice and Mrs. Elaine Justice. Mr. Justice recognizes Mr. and Mrs. William and Elaine Justice as his parents. In addition, Mr. Justice also has an elder sister who was also adopted sister name Michelle Dorrance. Subsequently, Mr. Justice had knowledge of his adoption his entire life

Monday, December 23, 2019

Motivation and Personality - 2985 Words

Sports psychology Personality and Motivation. P1. Personality is the sum of those characteristics that make a person unique. Personality has been defined as an individuals characteristic patterns of thought, emotion, behaviour, together with the psychological mechanisms. Personality has many different characteristics that make an individual different to others these can be positive and negative for example being shy can be a negative effect on sport as you don’t give yourself enough motivation or even motivation to others, however being confident in sports can benefit them as individuals and the people around them as you can motivate others as your confident to do that. These are called characteristics. Personality has many different†¦show more content†¦Type A The people that fall into this personality are usually very impatient, very competitive and have a strong urge to win, they also have huge desire to achieve goals that people have set them or that they have set themselves. They also like complete tasks that have been set to them as quickly as possible as they feel they have the need to achieve, they will happily multi-task when placed under heavy time constraints. They also lack tolerance towards other people and also tend to experience higher levels of anxiety. Type B People who are type B are the type of people who tend to be more tolerant towards other people and have a lot more patience. They are a lot more relaxed than their type a counterparts. They don’t experience as much anxiety as Type A and therefore will not be stressed as much and more laid back, they have been known to experience and display higher levels of imagination and creativity. The next theory is Situational approach. Situational approach is the complete opposite to trait theory as trait theory is more internal and situational approach is more about external and about the environment; however you cannot predict a sports person’s behaviour. Situational approach is split up into two groups one of them is modelling which is where people show off there personality by trying to act like someone else and try to impersonate they’re look, the other group is reinforcementShow MoreRelatedPersonality And Motivation : Analyze A Personality1123 Words   |  5 PagesPersonality and Motivation - Analyze a Personality I have chosen to write about myself. I am consistently trying to improve myself both personally and professionally. According to the test that we took previously for class on the Keirsey website, I am an INFJ. This stands for introverted, intuitive, feeling, and judging. Keirsey identifies INFJ’s as counselors. We care deeply about others and their feelings. Sometimes we often notice the feeling of others before they themselves were aware. We preferRead MorePersonality and Motivation Leaflet3258 Words   |  14 PagesPersonality – the sums of the characteristics that make a person unique– BTEC NATIONAL SPORT Personality – the sums of the characteristics that make a person unique– BTEC NATIONAL SPORT 1)Martens Schematic view. 2) The Psycho dynamic theory 3)Trait Theory 4) Situational approach 5) Interactional theory 1)Martens Schematic view. 2) The Psycho dynamic theory 3)Trait Theory 4) Situational approach 5) Interactional theory There are a number of theories and approaches that have beenRead MoreMaslow s Motivation And Personality1604 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to Robert Frager, editor of the third edition of Maslow’s Motivation and Personality, the theorist Abraham Maslow was born in 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the first of seven children born to Russian - Jewish immigrants. While Maslow’s father was uneducated, he pushed his son academically and encouraged him to become a lawyer. Maslow began his extensive education at City College of New York but later told his father that he did not want to study law. In 1928, after marrying hisRead MoreMotivation, Personality, Perception, Attitude2396 Words   |  10 PagesMotivation is the driving force within individuals that impels them to action. This driving force is produced by a state of uncomfortable tension, which exists as the result of an unsatisfied need. Al1 individuals have needs, wants, and desires. The individuals subconscious drive to reduce need-induced tensions results in behavior that he or she anticipates will satisfy needs and thus bring about a more comfortable internal state. All behavior is goal oriented. Goals are the sought, after resultsRead MoreThe Effects Of Personality And Motivation On Sports Performance3716 Words   |  15 Pagesgoing to talk about the effects of personality and motivation on sports performance and I will do this by looking at the different theories relating to sports performance and how sports athletes deal with the effects of personality and motivation in sports performances. What is personality and how does it affect sports performance? Personality is the sum of a person’s individual characteristics that make him/her unique. (Adams et al, 2010) A person’s personality determines how they react in certainRead MoreThe Effect of Personality and Motivation on Sports Performance2783 Words   |  12 PagesFor this assignment I will explain the effect of personality and motivation on sports performance. Introduction Personality is the sum of a person’s individual characteristics that make him/her unique. (Adams et al, 2010) A person’s personality determines how they react in certain situations, their general mood and the consistency of it and their emotions. Personality can affect many aspects of sport right from the selection process because as well as raw talent, coaches need performers toRead MorePersonality, Attitudes, Values and Motivation Essay3739 Words   |  15 PagesAn individual’s effectiveness in the workplace often depends on his/her personality, attitudes and values, along with his/her motivation to succeed. Concurrently, the perception, attitudes and values of colleagues in the workplace play a role in determining the individual’s effectiveness. Understanding these characteristics of employees can be very crucial for organizations to operate successfully. At the same time, it is essential that employees understand the values associated with the organiz ationRead MoreStrength, Personality, and Behavioral Style Assessments Motivation1466 Words   |  6 PagesStrength, Personality, and Behavioral Style Assessments Motivation In my paper regarding Strength Finder 2.0 assessment (Rath) I came to understand how valuable various assessments are in the development of my leadership abilities. About a year ago I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment (The Myers Briggs Foundation); I was identified as an ENTJ and ENFJ (split personality). I recently took another assessment dealing with my behavioral style (Style Analysis). The strength finderRead MoreThe Big 5 Personality Theory And Academic Motivation2001 Words   |  9 PagesThe Big 5 trait personality theory has been developed during the 196o’s with various modifications up until today. The purpose of this paper is to look at the correlation between the Big 5 theory and academic motivation and performance, a very important area in our culture. This paper first looks at the history of the theory and lays out descriptions of the 5 factors within the theory; it then continues with three sections that show research and findings from elementary school to secondary schoolRead MoreTesco s And Selection, Personality And Finally Motivation1789 Words   |  8 Pagesdiscussing the different types of key theories and practises used in each of the business and how they have helped the business to become successful. The three key areas that this assignment will be based upon are Recruitment and Selection, Personality and finally Motivation. Tesco’s was first found in 1919 by Jack Cohen since the it has grown in to the largest supermarket retailer in the United Kingdom which also operates in fourteen other countries across Asia, Europe and North America. Tesco’s revenue

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Storm Born Chapter Twelve Free Essays

I finally worked up the courage to see my mom and Roland a few days later. Tim had left for the day, but he’d apparently baked this morning. A plate of almond poppy seed muffins sat on the kitchen table, and I grabbed two for the road. We will write a custom essay sample on Storm Born Chapter Twelve or any similar topic only for you Order Now My ability to think clearly had improved with some rest, but my anger and pain hadn’t really faded. I still felt betrayed and not just by Wil. If anything, I could forgive him more easily than anyone else. He had not fostered a years-long secret. His actions had been open and desperate. They had not been so insidious as Kiyo’s, my mom’s, and Roland’s. When I arrived at the house, I didn’t bother knocking. The front door was open, and I pushed inside, slamming it loudly behind me. â€Å"Genie?† I heard my mom call. â€Å"Is that you?† I walked across the wood floor, my shoes echoing in the foyer. Mom and Roland sat at the kitchen table, eating lunch. Bread and cold cuts were laid out, along with assorted condiments. It looked so normal. So peaceful and innocent. My mom half-rose when she saw me. â€Å"Thank God you’re back safe. I’ve been so – what’s the matter?† I loved these people so much, but seeing them increased my fury, maybe because I did love them so much. For a moment, I couldn’t get the words out. I just stared at them, looking from face to face. â€Å"Eugenie?† she asked tentatively. â€Å"Who’s my father?† I demanded of her. â€Å"Was I born in the Otherworld?† I saw her go pale, her dark eyes widening in fear. In an instant, Roland was up beside her. â€Å"Eugenie, listen – † The look on his face spoke legions. â€Å"Jesus. It really is true.† I saw him open his mouth to protest, but then he thought better of it. â€Å"How did you find out?† Honesty, at least. â€Å"It’s all over the Otherworld. Everyone knows. I’m apparently next in line for world domination.† â€Å"That’s not true,† he said. â€Å"Forget about it. You aren’t like them.† â€Å"But I am one of them, right? At least half?† â€Å"By blood only. Everything else†¦well, for all intents and purposes, you’re human. You have nothing to do with them.† â€Å"Except killing and banishing them. How could you set me up for that†¦if I’m†¦?† One of them, I wanted to finish. But I couldn’t get the words out. â€Å"Because you have a talent for it. One we need. You know what they can do.† â€Å"Yes. And you’ve made sure I do, telling me all the horror stories growing up. But there’s a hell of a lot more than that. They’re weird, yes, but not all evil.† My mother suddenly joined the conversation, eyes wild and frantic. â€Å"Yes! They are! You don’t know what you’re talking about. When did you have this revelation? A day ago? A week ago? I lived with them for three years, Eugenie. Three years.† Her voice dropped to a whisper. â€Å"Three years, and I never once encountered a decent one. No one who would help me. No one who would keep me from Tirigan.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"Storm King,† said Roland. â€Å"That’s his name. Was his name.† â€Å"They say you saved her from him.† He nodded. â€Å"I was there chasing down a kelpie when I heard rumors of a captured human woman. I went to investigate and found her and you. You were a baby. I slipped you both out of there and hid you.† â€Å"But Dorian†¦someone I met†¦said Storm King came looking for us.† â€Å"He did. And he found you.† I frowned. From what Dorian had said, I should have been a young teenager then. â€Å"I don’t remember that.† Roland nodded again. â€Å"Once close enough, he could reach out and call to you. He summoned you to him. By the time I tracked you down, you were out in the desert, very near a crossroads. You’d walked miles to get to him.† â€Å"I don’t remember that,† I repeated. In some ways, what Roland told me now was crazier than what I’d learned at Aeson’s. â€Å"His magic spoke to yours. He wanted to take you back with him, and you fought against him. You were struck by lightning in the process.† â€Å"Wait, I know I’d remember that.† â€Å"No. I hypnotized you and repressed it. I killed him, but your magic had still been awakened. After seeing what I’d seen, I was afraid you couldn’t control it – that it would control you instead.† â€Å"I don’t have any magic. Not gentry magic anyway.† â€Å"Not that you know of. It’s hidden away. I made you forget. After that, I started teaching you the craft in the hope of protecting you. I didn’t know if others would follow him or if someone else could reawaken you or summon you. I needed to give you the tools you’d need for defense.† He suddenly looked tired. â€Å"I never realized how well you’d take to them.† I felt as tired as he looked, despite all the sleep. I pulled up one of the chairs and sat; they continued to stand. So I had met Storm King. I had answered his summons. And I had been struck by lightning? That was interesting, because in a lot of cultures, shamans are called to their art through some traumatic event. Lightning strikes are actually common ones. Many of the local Indian shamans – already skeptical of the plethora of New Age white shamans – did not consider me authentic since I’d had no such profound initiation. Turns out I had. Score one for me. â€Å"You made me forget. You got inside my head, and you made me forget. All this time†¦both of you have known and never told me.† â€Å"We wanted to protect you,† he said. â€Å"And what then? Did you think I’d never find out?† The heat rose in my voice again. â€Å"I had to hear it from gentry. I would have rather heard it from you.† My mother closed her eyes, and one tear trailed down her cheek. Roland regarded me calmly. â€Å"In hindsight, yes, that would have been better. But we never thought it would actually come out.† â€Å"It’s out,† I said bitterly. â€Å"Everyone knows it. And now everyone wants a piece of this prophecy – and of me.† â€Å"What prophecy?† I told them. When I finished, my mother sat down and buried her face in her hands, crying softly. I could hear her murmuring, â€Å"It’ll happen to her. It’ll happen to her too.† Roland rested a hand on her shoulder. â€Å"Don’t put much stock in gentry prophecies. They come out with a new one every day.† â€Å"Doesn’t matter, if they believe it. They’re still going to come after me.† â€Å"You should stay with us. I’ll help protect you.† I stood up, glancing at my mother. No way would I expose her to more gentry. â€Å"No. This is my problem. Besides, don’t take this too badly† – I felt myself start to choke up – â€Å"but I don’t really want to see you guys for a while. I guess you meant well, but†¦I need to†¦I don’t know. I need to think.† â€Å"Eugenie – † I saw raw pain on his face. My mom’s sobs grew louder. I stood up, averting my eyes from both of them. Suddenly, I couldn’t stay here anymore. â€Å"I’ve got to go.† Roland was still calling after me when I practically ran out of the house. But I needed to get away, or I’d say something stupid. I didn’t want to hurt them, even though I probably had. But they’d hurt me too, and we all needed to deal with that. While opening my car door, I looked up and saw a red fox watching me from the same spot as last time. I strode toward him, close but not too close. â€Å"Go away!† I shouted. He stared at me, unmoving. â€Å"I mean it. I’m not speaking to you. You’re as bad as the rest of them.† He lay down, resting his chin on crossed paws while he continued to regard me solemnly. â€Å"I don’t care how cute you are, okay? I’m through with you.† A woman working in her yard next door gave me an uneasy look. I turned my back on the fox, got in the car, and drove home. Yet, as I did, I couldn’t help but feel relieved Kiyo had survived. I honestly hadn’t known if he would. Strong and vicious he might be, but Aeson had been slinging fire at him. The question was, had Kiyo merely escaped? Or had he managed to kill the king? What had happened to Jasmine? Tim still wasn’t back when I got home. I decided then I didn’t want to leave my house that day or make any pretense of productivity. I wanted to hit the sauna, put on pajamas, and then watch bad TV while eating Milky Ways. It seemed like a pretty solid plan, and I set out to make it happen. Twenty minutes later, I sat immersed in hot steam, draped in humidity. Heat was great for loosening muscles, although that only made me realize how much I’d hurt them. At least I’d made it out alive. That was the real miracle, considering what a disaster last night had turned into. I didn’t want to think much about it or about Mom and Roland, but it was hard not to. Part of me still believed – still hoped – that all of this was a mistake. After all, wasn’t it just everyone’s say-so? Of course, somehow I doubted my parents would make all that up. But really. Where was the DNA test? The photographic evidence? I had nothing tangible. Nothing I could see and believe. Except my own memories. The memories Roland had covered up for me. Hypnotism wasn’t uncommon in our line of work. It was just another state of unconsciousness. Shamans who served as religious leaders and healers used similar techniques on their followers and patients to heal the body and mind. Roland and I, as â€Å"freelance shamans,† didn’t really have much need for it. Our contact with the spirit world often became more physical and direct. But I had done some healings and soul retrievals, so I knew the basics. Leaning my head against the wall, I closed my eyes and thought about the tattoo of Selene on my back. She was my earthly connection, the grounding of my body and soul and mind in this world. I focused on her image and what she represented and then slowly altered my state of mind. Rather than slipping out to another plane, I crossed inward, back into the far reaches of myself and the parts of me buried in my unconscious. It probably didn’t take long, but in that state, it was painstakingly slow. I browsed through pieces of me, both memories and hidden truths alike. All the things that made me Eugenie Markham. I concentrated on lightning, hoping it would snag my attention. Surely a lightning strike couldn’t be buried forever. There. A faint tug. I dove in after it, trying to grasp it and the memory it linked to. It was difficult. The image was slippery, like trying to hold on to a fish. Each time I thought I had it, it wriggled away. Roland had done a good job. Steeling myself, I fought against the layers, clawing and fighting until – I woke up in bed. But it wasn’t the bed in my house. It was a different bed, a smaller bed covered in a pink comforter. The bed of my childhood. I lay in it, staring up at a ceiling covered in plastic stars just like the one I had as an adult. It was the middle of the night, and I couldn’t sleep. I’d been an insomniac then, just as now. This time, however, it was different. Something other than my churning mind was keeping me awake. Somewhere, outside, I could hear a voice calling me. No, not a voice exactly, but it was a pull. A pull I couldn’t shut out. Climbing out of bed, I slipped my feet into dirty sneakers and put a light jacket on over my pajamas. In the hallway, the door to Mom and Roland’s room was closed. I moved past as quietly as possible, down the stairs and then out the door. Outside, the air was still warm. It was high summer. Earlier temperatures had been in the 100s; even now, they had dropped only to the 80s. I walked down the quiet street of our neighborhood, past all the familiar cars and houses. With each step, the call grew louder. I followed, my feet moving on their own. The call led me away from our street, our subdivision, and even the small suburb we lived in. I traveled off of main roads, moving onto trails I’d never known existed. Then, after almost two hours, I stopped. I didn’t know where I was. The desert, obviously, because that and the mountains were all that surrounded Tucson. The foothills were larger than at home, so I must have gone north. Otherwise, there were no distinguishing features. Prickly pears and saguaros spread out around me in quiet watchfulness. Suddenly, I felt the air around me charge. There was a presence with me. A person. I turned and saw a man standing and watching me, far taller than my twelve-year-old self. His features were indistinct; I could not make them out no matter how hard I tried. He was only a dark shape, crackling with power. â€Å"Eugenie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I took three steps back, but he held his hand out to me. â€Å"Eugenie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shook off the thrall that had brought me out here. Desperately, I realized I had to get away as quickly as I could. But I no longer knew the way back. The trails I’d followed were a blur. So, I backed up farther, but he kept coming, beckoning to me. My feet stumbled, and I fell. Still facing him, I tried to get up, but he stood over me now. In his indistinct features, I could make out a crown on his head, glittering silver and purple. â€Å"Come,† he said, extending his arm to help me up. â€Å"It’s time to go.† I was trapped. Helpless and trapped and out of options. I had never felt so desperate in my young life. It terrified me. I decided then and there that if I survived this, I would make sure I could never be helpless again. His hand touched my shoulder, and I screamed. As I did, some part of me reached out beyond my body and grasped the power lying around us – I blinked. Steam swirled around me in the sauna, and I felt lightheaded. I’d been in there too long; it was a wonder I hadn’t passed out. Standing up, I had to grip the wall for support and close my eyes. My heart raced from the vision, the vision that finally convinced me all of this was true. I knew – knew with absolute certainty – that the dark man had been Storm King, my father. I could feel it within me. In my soul. Overcome, I sat back down, needing a few more moments to consider all this and get my bearings. Yet, the longer I sat there, the more I began to despair. Storm King really was my father. And as for the rest of my life†¦well, things were bad. And they were only going to get worse. Every horny gentry wanted to knock me up; the rest probably still wanted to kill me. I’d never have a moment of peace again. Minutes passed as I ruminated on all this, falling deeper and deeper into depression – as well as exhaustion. I felt fatigued, too apathetic to care about any of it now. What was the point? I had snubbed my parents today. I’d let Jasmine Delaney down. I had nothing to look forward to ever again except a life of fighting and running. And really, why should I even bother fighting anymore? Nothing mattered. It was hopeless. I should just cross over to the Otherworld and give myself up. At least it’d stop the agony of – I opened my eyes and sat bolt upright. What was wrong with me? Things were grim, but this†¦this wasn’t natural. I blinked rapidly, trying to gain focus as I took deep breaths. There it was. I could feel it. A thick, unseen darkness wrapping itself around me. It touched me, crawling along my skin. It was trying to drag me down, to suck away all of my energy. All of my hope. Standing up, no longer dizzy, I pulled my robe off its hook and put it on. Slowly, I opened the door of the sauna and stuck my head out. I saw nothing too disconcerting, but that bleak feeling continued to swirl around me. The light almost seemed dimmer, darker than it should be for late afternoon. I squinted, trying to break the illusion, for that’s what it was. Stepping completely out of the sauna, I tried to assess the source. The sauna was in the center of my house. Turn left to go to the kitchen and living room, right toward the bathroom and bedrooms. My weapons were in my bedroom; that was where I wanted to be. But if the thing was in the front of the house, I didn’t want to turn my back on it. At last, I compromised by putting my back up to the hall’s wall and sliding down it toward my bedroom. The distance wasn’t far, but when you had to inch your way there, it felt like miles. Creeping, I passed Tim’s closed bedroom door, grateful he wasn’t here. He knew about my shamanic adventures, but that didn’t mean I wanted him exposed to them. Next came the bathroom. Yeah, the only bathroom. The thing about cute little houses was the â€Å"little† part. I loved everything else about this place, but next time, I’d make sure my house had at least as many bathrooms as occupants. Tim and I had gotten into some nasty rumbles when – A hand reached out for me from within the dark bathroom, but I saw it coming out of my periphery. I ducked and slid across the hall as he lumbered out. A Gray Man. That had been one of my top three culprits for the negativity zone my house had become. Gray Men cast an aura of despair around them, feeding off physical energy and positive feelings. This one was, well, gray, of course. Other than that, he looked more or less human-shaped, with dark eyes and scraggly white hair. He was even dressed, which I took as a plus since other monsters and sometimes elemental gentry often came over in loincloths or nothing at all, depending on their strength. Considering what everyone wanted to do to me, I was pretty happy about keeping genitalia covered up. I tried to scramble toward my bedroom, but his long arm reached out and grabbed me by the hair. I yelled out as he dragged me toward him, pressing me to his body. At least he didn’t say anything suggestive; Gray Men were apparently strong, silent types. But the way he grappled with my robe left little to the imagination about what he wanted to do. Struggling in his strong grasp, I tried to break free but mostly managed to loosen my robe more. Swearing, I decided if I couldn’t get away, then I’d at least delay his amorous actions. My knee jutted up in one hard motion, hitting him in the groin. His hold on me loosened, and he groaned as one hand instinctively reached down between his legs. I broke away from him, still trying to make for my bedroom. Deciding he could ignore the pain, he lunged toward me, just stopping me from getting to my bedroom doorway. Gripping me by both shoulders, he shoved me up against the wall so that I faced it. Using that hard surface as a constraint, he held me with one arm against it while his other finished pulling off the robe. I felt his tongue lick my neck, but the truly disgusting nature of that couldn’t really permeate me. I was in survival mode now. I struggled against him, hoping to make it difficult for him to get his own pants off. Being pinned liked this gave me fewer options for escape. Moving my hands against the wall, I groped around for something – anything – I could use as a weapon. Then my fingers brushed over a small decorative mirror that had been my grandmother’s. It wasn’t very big, but its frame was shaped like a sun – with sharp, pointed metal rays. Not only that, they were silver rays. Grabbing it from the wall, I held it in my left hand, not my dominant hand, but the hand I wore my amethyst ring on. The amethyst could cut through magic and glamour and also focus my own intentions. It wasn’t as good as a wand, but it had to do. Concentrating on the stone, I let my will pour into it. The stone amplified my energy and then sent it into the silver frame. In as fluid a motion as I could manage in my confined state, I swung the mirror back, driving it into any flesh I could find. The Gray Man screamed, and I smelled something burning. He released me, and I turned around, not wasting any time, though I uneasily realized I’d dumped more energy into that silver than I should have been capable of. The mirror had stuck in his side and was smoking. It wouldn’t kill him, but having it lodged in there was pretty serious. He reached out toward it with hesitant fingers, knowing he had to touch it to pull it out. I sprinted to my bedroom. He was only seconds behind me, but it was all I needed to arm myself in my bedroom. He came running in after me, but this time I was on the offensive. I used the silver athame to draw the death symbol on his chest, eliciting a tortured scream from him. Iron was the bane of gentry, but for whatever other reasons, silver hurt anything else Otherworldly. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t question it either. Especially when it had just proven so handy. Hurt or no, he pushed me backward. I landed on my bed, head hitting with a crack against the wall. It slowed me, but I had already started connecting beyond this world. I reached out, touched the world of death, and sent that connection through the wand. It leapt out at the Gray Man, sucking him in. He fought it, thrashing as though physical action might fight the pull. It couldn’t. A moment later, he vanished. Almost immediately, the spell of despair in my house disappeared. It was like emerging from underwater. I could breathe again. I let my body slump and relax. I wanted to lean my head against the wall but knew that wouldn’t feel too good after the hard blow I’d just sustained. A loud sound cracked out from the front of my house, like the door being kicked open. I jerked up, adrenaline going a second round as I heard footsteps pounding down the hall. I was reaching for the gun when a familiar voice yelled, â€Å"Eugenie?† Relaxing – only slightly – I watched as Kiyo burst into my room. How to cite Storm Born Chapter Twelve, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Dna Extraction free essay sample

EDTA tubes: tubes with purple colored caps; called so because they contain EDTA {Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic acid} * Empty blood sample into falcon tubes-larger tubes that are graduated so lessen the work and can accommodate up to 50mL * Add a solution to dilute to 40 mL without touching to avoid cross contamination * Shake well * Centrifuge for 10 minutes DNA extraction takes place from the nuclei of leukocytes. EDTA is simply an anticoagulant {otherwise if blood clots; DNA extraction will not be possible}. We rely on EDTA because it doesn’t interfere with later analysis such as diagnostic tests or molecular research.In this experiment we follow a series of steps in order to extract the DNA from the nucleus; this is done by: * Cell lyses using hypotonic solution. Cell lyses solution: mixture of salts whose tonicity is regulated such that it causes rupture of the cell membrane only. It is important to regulate the tonicity because initially; we don’t want to rupture the nuclear membrane. We will write a custom essay sample on Dna Extraction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When we rupture the cell membranes {of WBCs}; the nuclei will be released, which can then be collected by centrifugation. * Next step to reach the DNA; is rupturing the nuclear membrane; same way we use nuclei lyses solution.Upon rupturing the nuclear membrane, DNA + RNA + proteins will be released. RNA will not cause an issue because it is a very sensitive molecule that will not be able to resist harsh conditions, and is easily degraded. The only problem is with the proteins. * In order to remove proteins; we make use of organic solvents: Phenol Chloroform – which should be used in the ratio 1 : 1 {for eg. If my blood sample is 10 mL; I use 5mL Phenol and 5mL Chloroform}. Phenol is very powerful in disrupting/degrading proteins and chloroform is a very powerful organic solvent. Two phases will be created : * Aqueous phase containing DNA Organic Phase Degraded proteins will assemble at the boundary between the two phases. Using a Pasteur pipette; we transfer the DNA containing phase into a clean tube. We repeat this step twice. We can aid in this separation by centrifuging for 2-3 minutes under low rpm. This step is a bit stressful; so we have to be very careful while pulling out the aqueous phase, you shouldn’t touch the inter phase otherwise you will be taking the proteins again ! It is a time-consuming step. * The DNA is actually dissolved in the nuclei lyses solution, so we precipitate the DNA by adding a good volume of alcohol; in this case; isopropanol.After centrifugation, pour off the liquid to obtain clean DNA. Once we get rid of 70% ethanol, even if traces of alcohol are still associated with DNA, leave the tube open for some time and all of the alcohol will evaporate; leaving clean DNA. However we cannot preserve DNA in the precipitated form because it will be unstable and will get degraded. Therefore we usually preserve the DNA in a clean liquid such as double distilled water or de-ionized water but preferentially we use a buffer called TE good preservative for DNA. It is not advisable for students to use phenol chloroform hazardous chemicals.With pharmaceutical advancement; we started to rely less on manual procedures of DNA extraction and we started to rely more on Kits – a collection of liquids. Aim behind the kit is that it provides you with all the reagents needed from the beginning till the end of the procedure while saving time. In this experiment the Kit that we used contained: * Cell lyses solution * Nuclei lyses solution * New solution called â€Å"Protein Precipitation solution†- precipitates proteins after nuclei lyses. Instead of using Phenol Chloroform – use this solution and then continue with the normal steps. Rehydrating Solution If you freeze DNA, you will have to thaw it before it is usable. These cycles of freeze – thaw will degrade the DNA. After dissolving the DNA in the liquid; we take a small amount and store it in the fridge small amount of the large amount, this can be used until you finish your experiments while preserving the original genomic DNA undisturbed. Important Points: * The amount of centrifugal force depends on the speed. The higher the speed, the greater the centrifugal force * The lower the density of the articles; the higher the speed that will need to be used to precipitate those particles. * Vortex machine: helps pellets that are stuck at the bottom of the tube to re-suspend. We use this machine to minimize any losses after centrifugation. Qn. If we were supposed to centrifuge at 5,000 rpm for 10 minutes, and the maximum I have in the lab is 3,800 rpm. If we increase the time, will this compensate for the difference in rpm? Ans. No, because the amount of speed that I select gives me the amount of force that I need to precipitate the particles.