Human Physical Appearance and Women Essay Example for Free

Human Physical Appearance and Women Essay Throughout these moments in time, the term beauty has slipped out of control and become something utterly dissimilar. The significance of beauty has developed into something so unappealing, so unpleasant, so repugnant, that even now society is coming to the apprehension that the way they are portraying the description of beauty is erroneous. Over time, ‘beauty’ has evolved to something rather peripheral. Being beautiful is turning into an undesirable act, that most girls will go into extremes, just to get a sense of feeling ‘beautiful. ’ Although beauty is now considered something by which your looks will define, during Greek times â€Å"beauty was a virtue: a kind of excellence. Person’s then were assumed to be what we now have to call – lamely, enviously – whole persons. If it did occur to the Greeks to distinguish between a person’s â€Å"inside† and â€Å"outside†, they expected that inner beauty would be matched by beauty of the other kind† (313, Sontag). Nevertheless, there was once a time where beauty was interpreted or described as something internal, unlike now, beauty goes more towards the looks. â€Å"Beautiful† people have lots going on for them. They are more confident, make more money, and get promoted faster than their â€Å"less attractive† colleagues. But for the career – driven women, beauty is a no-win situation; the public wants you to be attractive, but, at the same time, not so beautiful that it is off-putting. People might say that looks shouldn’t matter, but in the real world, they do. Women try so hard to look their best, and at the same time, feel their best. Women struggle a lot in trying to â€Å"fit in† to what society sees as being beautiful. Women nowadays alter their body parts, faces, and their diets in order to feel satisfied with themselves. A universal obsession that girls have been approaching with is that that they must be required to look a certain way to be thought of as pretty. Girls look up to celebrities and models and see how skinny, scrawny, almost skeletal, and undernourished they are and they get this idea that they must look like that in order to be noticed. A widespread trend that has been going around has been that of the name anorexia and bulimia. Starving yourself, or eating excessively and then purging – girls see it as something they must do in order to feel good about themselves. They glimpse these famous figures with their collarbones showing, thigh gaps, small waists, and they get this state of mind that they must achieve that to feel beautiful. Society and mass media are barraging women with images that portray what is considered to be the ideal body. Such standards of beauty are almost completely unattainable for most women; a majority of the models displayed on television and in advertisements are well below what is considered healthy body weight. Mass medias use of such unrealistic models sends an implicit message that in order for a woman to be considered beautiful, she must be unhealthy. And this is what beauty is defined as in our time. Body image is a complicated aspect of the self-concept that concerns an individuals perceptions and feelings about their body and physical appearance. Females of all ages seem to be so vulnerable in this area, starting off in their pre-teen years, going along throughout their existence. Body dissatisfaction is something that goes through most women or young girls at some point in their lives. Females have been found to experience dissatisfaction with physical appearance at a much higher rate than males, and women of all ages and sizes display body image disturbance. Concern over weight and appearance related issues often surfaces in a woman’s early life. Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating patterns have been found to be an especially prevalent issue in adolescent and college females. Body image becomes a major issue as females go through puberty; girls in mid-adolescence frequently report being dissatisfied with weight, fearing further weight gain, and being preoccupied with weight loss. This is a problem that we are now facing, and because of this many girls are suffering and going through difficult times, juts to feel good about themselves. The 20th century has seen a huge upsurge in the importance placed by Western society on physical beauty, particularly for women. The fashion, cosmetics and plastic surgery industries have thrived on 20th century preoccupation with physical appearance. It is a preoccupation that affects women in every sphere, whether they choose to pander to it or not. Definitions of beauty in the 20th century, when referring to human physical  beauty, are nearly always constructed in terms of outward appearance and sexual attractiveness. Images in the media today project an unrealistic and even dangerous standard of feminine beauty that can have a powerful influence on the way women view themselves. From the perspective of the mass media, thinness is idealized and expected for women to be considered attractive. Images in advertisements, television, and music usually portray the ideal woman as tall, white, and thin, with a tubular body, and blonde hair. This representation that is being portrayed has been a vast difficulty that girls are coming across of. They don’t feel beautiful, thus altering their ways of eating and the way they look very drastically in order to fit in. Only a very small percentage of women in Western countries meet the criteria the media uses to define beautiful; yet so many women are repeatedly exposed to media images that send the message that a woman is not acceptable and attractive if she does not match societys ultra-thin standard of beauty. In recent years, womens body sizes have grown larger, while societal standards of body shape have become much thinner. This discrepancy has made it increasingly difficult for most women to achieve the current sociocultural ideal. Such a standard of perfection is unrealistic and even dangerous. Many of the models shown on television, advertisements, and in other forms of popular media are approximately 20% below ideal body weight, thus meeting the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. Research has repeatedly shown that constant exposure to thin models fosters body image concerns and disordered eating in many females. Almost all forms of the media contain unrealistic images, and the negative effects of such idealistic portrayals have been demonstrated in numerous studies. The mass medias depiction of women portrays a standard of beauty that is unrealistic and unattainable for a majority of women in society. Models shown in all forms of popular media are often under what is considered healthy body weight, which sends a powerful message that women must sacrifice their health to be considered attractive by societal standards. The negative effects of ultra-thin media images of women have been well documented; research has shown that females who are repeatedly exposed to and internalize the thin ideal are at greater risk to develop body image disturbance and eating pathology. Although it is clear that the media influences the way women view themselves, it is unclear how this process takes place. The social comparison theory, cultivation theory, and self-schema theory can be used to examine how media images of women come to affect the way women feel about their bodies and physical appearance. These perspectives also give some explanation for why some women show resilience to the negative effects of the media, while others are dramatically impacted. Nevertheless, beauty has become something rather disturbing and unwell. The image of beauty has been portrayed onto something so popularized that mostly all women around the world are being affected by it. Women are changing their ways and changing themselves to feel as if they fit in to what society expects of it. Beauty is still evolving, and is changing throughout the time, not for the better but for the worst.

The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals.

The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals. Close, But No Cigar. History of Events Before beginning my paper, I will give a very brief summary of the actions which caused the original embargo against Cuba in 1960 and the actions the US has taken since then. Reviewing this brief timeline will help to examine and critique the reasoning behind the embargo. In the early 20th century, Cuba was a nation in constant political turmoil ruled by militant dictators. Prior to the elections of 1952, Fulgencio Batista took power of Cuba in a bloodless coup. His rule left the island in discontent and led to many movements to return the country to its constitutional rule of 1940. On January 1st, 1959 Batista and his family fled Cuba. On January 7th, the United States officially recognized a government that Fidel Castro had taken control of with promises of a return to a constitutional government and democratic elections. Soon, Fidel began nationalizing all private businesses and land. When US refineries refused to refine oil from the Soviet Union, Castro ordered the nationalization of all US businesses on July 5th, 1960. In immediate response, President Dwight Eisenhower cancelled Cuba’s sugar quota on July 6th. On April 16th, 1961 Castro declares Cuba a Socialist state. The very next day, the United States, in a mission codenamed â€Å"Bay of Pigs,† backed a failed attempt by Cuban refugees to overthrow Castro. Immediately after this failed coup, the United States began progress in another operation to overthrow the dictator. This was known as Operation Mongoose, which was conceptualized in November 1961. The mission was not immediately carried out, as the military was constantly trying to reasse... ...he Politics of Passion. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX 2000. Horowitz, Irving Louis. Searching for the Sould of American Foreign Policy: The Cuban Embargo and the National Interest. Institute for Cuban and Cuban- American Studies Occasional Paper Series. University of Miami, Miami, FL 2000. Lopez, Juan J. Democracy Delayed. The Case of Castro’s Cuba. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD 2002. Suchlicki, Jaime. The U.S. Embargo of Cuba. Institute for Cuban and Cuban- American Studies Occasional Paper Series. University of Miami, Miami, FL 2000. Internet References Embassy of India. Havana, Cuba. Selected Economic Statistics of Cuba. March 11, 2005. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. < http://apps.fao.org/> March 11, 2005.

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 13

Jade sat in the wing chair, holding Tiggy upsidedown on her lap, petting his stomach. He was purring but mad. She stared down into indignant, glowing green eyes. â€Å"The other goat,† Kestrel announced from the doorway, saying the word as if it were something not mentioned in polite society, â€Å"is just fine. So you can let the cat out.† Jade didn't think so. There was somebody crazy inBriar Creek, and she planned to keep Tiggy safe where she could see him. â€Å"We're not going to have to feed on the goat, are we?† Kestrel asked Rowan dangerously. â€Å"Of course not. Aunt Opal did because she was tooold to hunt.† Rowan looked preoccupied as she answered. â€Å"I like hunting,† Jade said. â€Å"It's even better thanI thought it would be.† But Rowan wasn't listening she was biting her lip and staring into the distance. â€Å"Rowan, what?† â€Å"I was thinking about the situation we're in. You and Mark, for one thing. I think we need to talk about that.† Jade felt reflexive alarm. Rowan was in one of herorganizing moods-which meant you could blink and find that she'd rearranged all your bedroom furnitureor that you were moving to Oregon. â€Å"Talk about what?† she said warily. â€Å"About what you two are going todo. Is he going to stay human?† â€Å"It's illegal to change him,† Kestrel put in pointedly. â€Å"Everything we've done this week is illegal,†Rowan said. â€Å"And if they exchange blood again well, it's only going to take a couple of times. Do you want him a vampire?† she asked Jade. Jade hadn't thought about it. She thought Mark was nice the way he was. But maybehe would wantto be one. â€Å"What are you going to do with yours?† she asked Ash, who was coming slowly downstairs. â€Å"My what?† He looked sleepy and irritable. â€Å"Your soulmate. Is Mary-Lynnette going to stayhuman?† â€Å"That's the other thing I've been worrying about,† Rowan said. â€Å"Have you thought at all, Ash?† â€Å"I can't think at this hour in the morning. I don'thave a brain yet.† â€Å"It's almost noon,† Kestrel said scornfully. â€Å"I don't care when it is. I'm still asleep.† He wandered toward the kitchen. â€Å"And you don't need to worry,† he added, looking back and sounding more awake. â€Å"Because I'm not doinganythingwith the girl and Jade's not doing anything with the brother. Because we're goinghome.†He disappeared. Jade's heart was beating hard. Ash might act frivolous, but she saw the ruthlessness underneath. She looked at Rowan. â€Å"Is Mary-Lynnettereally his soulmate?† Rowan leaned back, her brown hair spreading likea waterfall on the green brocade of the couch. â€Å"I'm afraid so.† â€Å"But then how can he want to leave?† â€Å"Well †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Rowan hesitated. â€Å"Soulmates don't always stay together. Sometimes it's too much-the fire and lightning and all that. Some people just can'tstand it.† Maybe Mark and I aren't really soulmates, Jade thought. And maybe that's good. It sounds painful. â€Å"Poor Mary-Lynnette,† she said. A dear voice sounded in her mind:Whydoesn'tanybody say â€Å"Poor Ash†? â€Å"Poor Mary-Lynnette,† Jade said again. Ash reappeared. â€Å"Look,† he said and sat down onone of the carved mahogany chairs. â€Å"We need to get things straight. It's not just a matter ofme wanting you to come home. I'm not the only one who knows you're here.† Jade stiffened. Kestrelsaid, almost pleasantly,†Youtold somebody?† â€Å"I was staying with somebody when the family called to say you were missing. And he was there when I realized where you must have gone. He also happens to be an extremely powerful telepath. So just consider yourself lucky I convinced him to let me try to get you back.† Jade stared at him. She did consider herself lucky. She also considered it strange that Ash would go to such trouble for her and Rowan and Kestrel-for any bodybesides Ash. Maybe she didn't know her brother as well as she thought. Rowan said, very soberly, â€Å"Who was it?† â€Å"Oh, nobody.† Ash leaned back and looked moodily at the ceiling. â€Å"Just Quinn.† Jade flinched. Quinn †¦ that snake .He had a heart like a glacier and he despised humans. He was the sort to take Night World law into his own hands if he didn't think it was being enforced properly. â€Å"He's coming back on Monday to see if I've takencare of the situation,† Ash said. â€Å"And if I haven't,we're all dead-you, me, and your little human buddies.† Rowan said, â€Å"So we've got until Monday to figuresomething out.† Kestrel said, â€Å"If he tries anything on us, he's in fora fight.† Jade squeezed Tiggy to make him growl. Mary-Lynnette had been sleeping like a stone-buta stone with unusually vivid dreams. She dreamed about stars brighter than she'd ever seen and starclouds shimmering in colors like the northern lights. She dreamed about sending an astronomical telegram to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to register her claim for discovering a new supernova. About being the firstto see it with her wonderful new eyes, eyes thatshe saw in a mirror-were all pupil, like an owl's or a cat's†¦. Then the dream changed and she was an owl, swooping down in a dizzying rush from a hollow Douglas fir. She seized a squirrel in her talons andfelt a surge of simple joy. Killing felt so natural. All she had to do was be the best owl she could be, and grab food with her feet. But then a shadow fell over her from somewhereabove. And in the dream she felt a terrible sick real ization-that even hunters could be hunted. And that something was after her†¦. She woke up disoriented-not as towhere shewas, but as to who she was. Mary-Lynnette or a hunter being chased by something with white teeth in themoonlight? And even when she went downstairs, she couldn't shake off the sick feeling from her dream. â€Å"Hi,† Mark said. â€Å"Is that breakfast or lunch?† â€Å"Both,† Mary-Lynnette said, sitting down on the family room couch with her two granola bars. Mark was watching her. â€Å"So,† he said, â€Å"have you been thinking about it, too?† Mary-Lynnette tore the wrapper off a granola bar with her teeth. â€Å"About what?† † Youknow.† Mary-Lynnette did know. She glanced around to make sure Claudine wasn't in earshot.† Don't think about it.† â€Å"Why not?† When she didn't answer, he said,†Don't tell me you haven't been wondering what it would be like. To see better, hear better, be telepathic†¦and live forever. I mean, we could see the year three thousand. You know, the robot wars, colonizing other planets†¦. Come on, don't tell me you'renot even a little curious.† All Mary-Lynnette could think of was a line from a Robert Service Poem: Andthe skies of nightw re alive with light, with a throbbing, thrilling flame†¦ . â€Å"I'm curious,† she said. ‘But there's no point in wondering. They do things we couldn't do-they kill† She put down her glass of milk as if she'd lost herappetite. She hadn't, though-and wasn't that the problem? She ought to be sick to her stomach at just the thought of killing, of drinking blood from a warm body. Instead, she was scared. Of what was out there inthe world-and of herself. â€Å"It'sdangerous,†she said aloud to Mark. â€Å"Don'tyousee? We've gotten mixed up in this Night World-and it's a place where bad things can happen. Not just bad like flunking a class. Bad like †¦Ã¢â‚¬  †¦ white teeth in the moonlight †¦ â€Å"Like getting lolleddead,† Mary-Lynnette said. â€Å"And that's serious, Mark. It's not like the movies.† Mark was staring at her. â€Å"Yeah, but we knew that already.† His tone said â€Å"What's the big deal?† And Mary-Lynnette couldn't explain. She stood up abruptly. â€Å"If we're going over there, we'd better get moving,† she said. â€Å"It's almost one o'clock.† The sisters and Ash were waiting at Burdock Farm. â€Å"You and Mark can sit in the front with me,† MaryLynnette told Jade, not looking at Ash. â€Å"But I don't think you'd better bring the cat.† â€Å"The cat goes,† Jade said firmly, getting in. â€Å"OrI don't.† Mary-Lynnette put the car in gear and pulled out. As they came in sight of the small duster of buildings on Main Street, Mark said, â€Å"And there it is, downtown Briar Creek in all its glory. A typical Friday afternoon, with absolutely nobody on the streets.† He didn't say it with his usual bitterness. MaryLynnette glanced at him and saw that it was Jade he was talking to. And Jade was looking around with genuine interest, despite the cat's claws embedded in her neck. â€Å"Somebody'son the streets,† she said cheerfully. â€Å"It's that. boy Vic. And that other one, Todd. And grown-ups.† Mary-Lynnette slowed as she passed the sheriff'soffice but didn't stop until she reached the gas station at the opposite corner. Then she got out and looked casually across the street. Todd Akers was there with his father, the sheriff and Vic Kimble was there with his father. Mr. Kimble had a farm east of town. They were all getting into the sheriff's car, and they all seemed very excited. Bunny Marten was standing on the sidewalk watching as they left. Mary-Lynnette felt a twinge of fear. This is what it's like when you have a terrible secret, she thought. You worry about everything that happens, and wonder if it's got something to do with you, if it's going to get you caught. â€Å"Hey, Bunnyl† she called. â€Å"What's going on?† Bunny looked back. â€Å"Oh, hi, Mare.† She walkedunhurriedly-Bunny never hurried-,acrossthe street. â€Å"How're you doing? They're just going to check out that horse thing.† â€Å"What horse thing?† â€Å"Oh. . .didn't you hear?† Bunny was looking behind Mary-Lynnette now, at Mark and the four strangers who were getting out of the station wagon. Suddenly her blue eyes got rounder and she reached up to fluff her soft blond hair. Now, I wonder who she's just seen, Mary-Lynnettethought ironically. Who could it be? â€Å"Hi† Ash said. â€Å"We didn't hear about the horse thing,† MaryLynnette said, gently prompting. â€Å"Oh†¦ um, one of Mr. Kimble's horses cut his throat on barbed wire last night. That's what everybody was sayingthis morning. But just now Mr.Kimble came into town and said that he didn't think it was barbed wire after all. He thinks †¦ somebody did it on purpose. Slashed its throat and left it todie.† She hunched her shoulders in a tiny shiver.. Theatrically, Mary-Lynnette thought. â€Å"You see?† Jade said. â€Å"That's why I'm keeping my eye on Tiggy.† Mary-Lynnette noticed Bunny eyeing Jade. â€Å"Thanks,Bun.† â€Å"I've got to get back to the store,† Bunny said,but she didn't move. Now she was looking at Kestreland Rowan. â€Å"I'll walk you there,† Ash said gallantly. Withwhat, Mary-Lynnette thought, must be his usual putting-the-moves-on manner. â€Å"After all, we don't know what could be lurking around here.† â€Å"It's broad daylight,† Kestrel said disgustedly, but Ash was already walking Bunny away. MaryLynnette decided she was glad to get rid of him. â€Å"Who was that girl?† Rowan asked, and something in her voice was odd. Mary-Lynnette glanced at her in surprise. â€Å"Bunny Marten. I know her from school.What's wrong?† â€Å"She was staring at us,† Rowan said softly. â€Å"She was staring at Ash. Oh, and probably youthree, too. You're new and you're pretty, so she's probably wondering which boys you'll take fromher.† â€Å"I see.†But Rowan still looked preoccupied. â€Å"Rowan, what is it?† â€Å"It's nothing. I'm sure it's nothing. It's just thatshe's gota lamia name.† † Bunny?† † Well.† Rowan smiled. â€Å"Lamia are traditionallynamed after natural things–gems andanimalsand flowers and trees. So Bunny' would be a lamianame-and isn't a marten a kind of weasel?† Something was tugging at the edges of Mary-Lynnette's consciousness again. Something about Bunny †¦ about Bunny and †¦ wood †¦ It was gone. She couldn't remember. To Rowan she said,†But-can you sense something suspiciousabout her or anything? I mean, does she seemlike one of you? Because otherwise I just can't see Bunny as a vampire. I'm sorry; I just can't.† Rowan smiled. â€Å"No, I don't sense anything. And I'm sure you'reright-humans can have names likeours, too. Sometimes it gets confusing.† For some bizarre reason Mary-Lynnette's mind wasstill on wood. â€Å"You know, I don't see why you name yourselves after trees. I thought wood was dangerous for you.† â€Å"It is-,and that makes it powerful. Tree names are supposed to be some of the most powerful nameswe have.† Ash was coming out of the general store. Immediately Mary-Lynnette turned around and looked for Jeremy. She didn't see him in the empty gas station, butshe heard something-something she realized she'dbeen hearing for several minutes. Hammering. â€Å"Come on, let's go around back,† she said, alreadywalking, not waiting for Ash to reach them. Kestreland Rowan went with her. Jeremy was around back. He was hammering a long board across a broken window. There wereshards of thick, greenish-tinted glass all over the ground. Light brown hair wasfalling in his eyes ashe struggled to hold the board steady. † What happened?† Mary-Lynnettesaid. She moved automatically to hold the right end of the board in place for him. He glanced up at her, making a grimace of reliefas he let go of the board. â€Å"Mary-Lynnette-thanks. Hang on a sec.† He reached into his pocket for nails and began driving them in with quick, sure blows of the hammer. Then he said, â€Å"I don't know what happened.Somebody broke it last night. Made a real mess.† â€Å"Last night seems to have been a busy night,† Kestrel said dryly. Jeremy glanced back at the voice. And then †¦ his hands went still, poised with the hammer and nail. He was looking at Kestrel, and at Rowan beside her,looking a long time. At last he turned to MaryLynnette and said slowly, â€Å"You need more gas already?† â€Å"Oh-no. No.† I should have siphoned some out,Mary-Lynnette thought. Nancy Drew would defi nitely have thought of that. â€Å"I justit's been knocking a lotthe engine-and I thought you could lookat it-under the hood-since you didn't last time.† Incoherent and pathetic, she decided in the silencethat followed. And Jeremy's dear brown eyes were still searching her face. â€Å"Sure, Mary-Lynnette,† he said-not sarcastically, but gently. â€Å"As soon as I get finished.† Oh, hecan't be a vampire. And so what am I doing here, lying to him, suspecting him, when he's only ever been nice to me? He's the type to help old ladies, not kill them. Sssssss. She started as the feral hiss tore through the silence. It came from behind her, and for one horrible instant she thought it was Kestrel. Then she saw thatJade and Mark had rounded the comer, and that Tiggy was fighting like a baby leopard in Jade's arms. The kitten was spitting and clawing, black fur standing on end. Before Jade could get a better grip, he climbed up her shoulder and leaped, hitting the ground running. † Tiggy! â€Å"Jade shrieked. She took off after him, silvery blond hair flying, agile as a kitten herself. Markfollowed, ricocheting off Ash who was just comingaround the comer himself. Ash was knocked into thegas station wall. â€Å"Well, that was fun,† Kestrel said. But Mary-Lynnette wasn't really listening. Jeremywas staring at Ash-and his expression gave Mary Lynnette coldchills. And Ash was staring back with eyes as green as glacier ice. Their gazes were locked in something like instantaneous, instinctive hatred. Mary-Lynnette felt a quiver of fear for Jeremy-but Jeremy didn't seem afraid for himself. His muscles were tight and he looked ready to defend himself. Then, deliberately, he turned away. Turned hisback on Ash. He readjusted the board-and MaryLynnette did what she should have done in the beginning. She looked at his hand. The ring on his index finger glinted gold, and she could just make out the black design on the seal. A tall duster of bell-shaped flowers. Not an iris,not a dahlia, not a rose. No-there was only one flower Rowan had mentioned that this could possiblybe. It grew wild around here and it was deadly poison. Foxglove. So now she knew. Mary-Lynnette felt hot and sick. Her hand began to tremble on the board she was holding. She didn't want to move, but she couldn't stay here. â€Å"I'm sorry-1 have to get something-† The words came out in a painful gasp. She knew everyone wasstaring at her. She didn't care. She let go of the board and almost ran away. She kept going until she was behind the boardedup windows of the Gold Creek Hotel. Then she leaned against the wall and stared at the place where town ended and the wilderness began. Motes of dust danced in the sunlight, bright against a dark background of Douglas fir. I'm so stupid. All the signs were there, right in front of my face. Why didn't I seebefore? I guess because I didn't want to †¦. â€Å"Mary-Lynnette.† Mary-Lynnette turned toward the soft voice. She resisted the impulse to throw herself into Rowan's arms and bawl. â€Å"I'll be okay in just a few minutes. Really. It's just a shock.† â€Å"Mary-Lynnette †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's just-it's just that I've known him so long.It's not easy to picture himyou know. But I guess it just goes to show you. People are never what they seem.† â€Å"Mary-Lynnette-† Rowan stopped and shook her head. â€Å"Just what are you talking about?† â€Å"Him.Jeremy. Of course.† Mary-Lynnette took abreath. The air felt hot and chokingly dusty. â€Å"He did it. He really did it.† â€Å"Why do you think so?† â€Å"Why?Because he's a werewolf. â€Å" There was a pause and Mary-Lynnette suddenly felt embarrassed. She looked around to make sure nobody was in earshot, and then said more quietly,†Isn't he?† Rowan was looking at her curiously. â€Å"How did you know?† â€Å"Well-you said black foxglove is for werewolves. And that's foxglove on his ring. How did you know?† â€Å"I just sensed it. Vampire powers are weaker insunlight, but Jeremy isn't trying to hide anything. He's right out there.† â€Å"He sure is,† Mary-Lynnette said bitterly. ‘ I should have sensed it. I mean †¦ he's the only person in town who was interested in the lunar eclipse. And the way he moves, and his eyes †¦ and he livesat Mad Dog Creek, for God's sake. I mean, that land's been in his family for generations.And' -Mary-Lynnette gave a sudden convulsive sniffle-â€Å"people say they've seen the Sasquatch around there. A big hairy monster, half person and half beast. Now, what does that sound like?† Rowan was standing quietly, her expression grave-but her lips were twitching. Mary-Lynnette's vision blurred and wetness spilled onto her cheeks. â€Å"I'm sorry.† Rowan put a hand on her arm. â€Å"I'mnot laughing.† â€Å"I thought he was a nice guy,† Mary-Lynnettesaid, turning away. â€Å"I still think he is,† Rowan said. â€Å"And actually, really, you know, it means he didn'tdo it.† â€Å"The fact that he's a nice guy?† â€Å"The fact that he's a werewolf.† Mary-Lynnette turned back.† What?† â€Å"You see,† Rowan said, â€Å"werewolves are different. They're not like vampires. They can't drink a little blood from people and then stop without doing anyreal harm. They kill every time they hunt-because they have to eat.†Mary-Lynnette gulped, but Rowanwent on serenely. â€Å"Sometimes they eat the whole animal,but they always eat the internal organs, theheart and liver. They have to do it, the same way that vampires need to drink blood.† â€Å"And that means †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He didn't kill Aunt Opal. Or the goat. They wereboth intact.† Rowan sighed. â€Å"Look. Werewolves and vampires traditionally hate each other. They've been . rivals forever, and lamia think of werewolves as sort of-lower class. But actually a lot of them are gentle.They only hunt to eat.† â€Å"Oh,† Mary-Lynnette said hollowly. Shouldn't shebe happier about this? â€Å"So the guy I thought was nice just has to eat the odd liver occasionally.† â€Å"Mary-Lynnette, you can't blame him. How can I explain? It's like this: Werewolves aren't people whosometimes turn into wolves. They're wolves who sometimes look like people.† â€Å"But they still kill,† Mary-Lynnette said flatly. â€Å"Yes, but onlyanimals.The law is very strict aboutthat. Otherwise humans catch on in no time. Vam pires can disguise their work by making it look like a cut throat, but werewolf kills are unmistakable.† â€Å"Okay. Great.† I should be more enthusiastic, Mary-Lynnette thought. But how could you ever re ally trust someone who was a wolf behind their eyes? You might admire them the way you admire a sleek and handsome predator, but trust them †¦no. â€Å"Before we go back-we may have a problem,†Rowan said. â€Å"If he realizes that you recognized his ring, he may know we've told you about you know.† She glanced around and lowered her voice. â€Å"The Night World.† Mary-Lynnette understood. â€Å"Oh, God.† â€Å"Yes. That means it's his duty to turn us all in. Or kill us himself.† â€Å"Oh, God† â€Å"The thing is, I don't think he will. He likes you, Mary-Lynnette. A lot. I don't think he could bring himself to turn you in.† Mary-Lynnette felt herself flushing. â€Å"But then, that would get him in trouble, too, wouldn't it?† â€Å"It could, if anybody ever finds out. We'd better go back and see what's going on. Maybe he doesn't realize you know. Maybe Kestrel and Ash have managed tobluff him.†

Graduation Rate Of The School - 943 Words

The phrase goes As one door closes, another door opens. That truly is the case for high school seniors around the globe, especially around this time of year. High school seniors take those steps across the graduation stage, symbolizing the end to their high school experience. Of the many graduations (preschool, elementary school, middle school, junior high, and high school), one still awaits for those seniors continuing their education. Graduating from college, by far, has to be the most important and most rewarding. Choosing the school, the degree, and the final career, that walk across the stage at a college graduation symbolizes adulthood, stability, job security, and an end to the years and years of schooling. When high school students are looking for a college, there are many things to consider and investigate, but there is one thing that stands above all the rest, and that is the on-time graduation rate of the school. â€Å"Many consider college degree completion rates to be among one of the most important indicators of institutional quality. This is primarily because of the consistent research regarding the benefits of a college degree to individuals and to society† (DeAngelo). But where is the best place to get the degree? One of the issues many seniors likely encounter is the debate between attending a public or a private college. Is there a difference between the two? Where is someone most likely to be successful? Which type of college can promise that higherShow MoreRelatedIncrease High School Graduation Rates Essay1301 Words   |  6 PagesIncrease High School Graduation Rates Did you know that 1.2 million high school students drop out of school every year just in the United States alone (11 Facts)? The decrease of high school graduation rates is a fairly important issue, and there are plenty of reasons to propose a change. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the current standard dropout rate of high school students is 7.4%. High school dropouts encounter way more difficulties and challenges than a high school graduate wouldRead MoreHigh School Graduation Rates Essay1134 Words   |  5 Pagesurban priority school districts, educators emphasize the importance of graduation. The expectation of all educators should be that every child can learn and will graduate. It is through graduation that society begins to combat poverty. In New Haven Public Schools, where graduation rates are higher than comparable districts in the state of Connecticut, they are not inclusive of all public school students. It is through collaboration with the University of C hicago and the Consortium on School Research thatRead MoreHigh School Graduation Rates For Toronto District School Board1359 Words   |  6 PagesStudents from racialized backgrounds face robust barriers to their success in high schools. While high school graduation rates are raising as a whole, students from racialized background are graduating high school less that their peers of the dominant racial group. These students have many different variables that limit their educational outcomes. â€Å"While education is the institution used in America to distribute social status and economic power, and facilitate how society functions, it has not beenRead MoreHigh School Graduation Rate Is The United States861 Words   |  4 PagesAfter World War II, the United States had the #1 high school graduation rate in the world. Today, we have dropped to #22 among 27 industrialized nations, according to the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2012. Many people have contemplated why this dramatic change has occurred, and who, or what is to blame. Looking more in depth at standardized testing, and examining educator, parent, and student viewpoints in the areas of pressure, awareness, and kfgndfng can giveRead MoreHigh School Graduation Rates Of Youth Of Color ( Hutchison, 2011 )1588 Words   |  7 Pagesarrogant nature and augmented sense of power that he may have felt robbed of through events in school. School, taking its place in Manny’s exosystem, is also an institutional context where cultures intersect, which may create difficulties for students who are not familiar or comfortable with mainstream culture. That is most likely an important contributing factor to the low high school graduation rates of youth of color (Hutchison, 2011). For an already disenfranchised Manny, this also may helpRead MoreNevada s Improving Schools Of The Ccsd And Why They Are Struggling With Their Graduation Rates Essay910 Words   |  4 Pagesconsistently been one of the states in the United States with the lowest graduation rates. The most recent statistics show that Nevada had a 62% graduation rate in 2011, a 63% graduation rate in 2012, and a 71% graduation rate in 2013 (â€Å"Public High School,† n.d.). Although the graduation rate has increased by 8%, Nevada’s graduation rate is still significantly lower than that of the national average graduation rate at 81% (â€Å"Public High School,† n.d.). In his 2015 State of the State Address, Nevada governorRead MoreHigh School Graduation Rates in California and the United States Based on Race and Ethnicity 1379 Words   |  6 PagesBetween 1990 and 2012, high school graduation rates in 25-29-year-olds have increased from 86 to 90 percent; this overall national rise is reflected in each of the ethnicities, White, Hispanic, Black, and Asian/Pacific Islander (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2013a). Prior to 2012, nationwide standardized objective measures did not exist for measuring four-year high school graduation rates; tracking educational progress varied from state to state. Thus, state education data collectedRead MorePublic High School Graduation Rates: Newark City and the State of New Jersey2894 Words   |  12 PagesPublic High School Graduation Rates: Newark City and the State of New Jersey Public high school graduation rates can be used as a tool to measure the effectiveness of a particular education program. However, choosing a formula that accurately reflects the strength and weaknesses of a high school has proven to be quite difficult and even controversial. In 2010, the Newark Public School district reported a 55 percent graduation rate among Newark City high schools (Newark Public Schools, pg 4). HoweverRead MoreLosing Our Future712 Words   |  3 Pagesare Being Left Behind by the Graduation Rate Crisis By Gary Orfield , Daniel Losen, Johanna Wald and Christopher B. Swanson Every year, across the country, a dangerously high percentage of students—disproportionately poor and minority—disappear from the educational pipeline before graduating from high school. Nationally, only about 68 percent of all students who enter 9th grade will graduate â€Å"on time† with regular diplomas in 12th grade. While the graduation rate for white students is 75 percentRead MoreHigh School Students Should Not Be A Student s Fault1012 Words   |  5 Pages High school graduation rates vary among different cultural backgrounds, and college enrollment tends to have similar results. When we think of high school graduation rates, we do not think of the issues. We often think of the failure of high school to be a student’s fault. For example, a person would say, â€Å"That student is lazy and didn’t want to do their work.† Although this could be one problem, another issue is the school system failing to provide coursework for a student based off of their needs