Monday, December 30, 2019

The Death Penalty Is Not Justice - 1509 Words

â€Å"To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice.† -Desmond Tutu The death penalty is a legal punishment practiced worldwide, which includes execution being the punishment, mandated to someone convicted of a crime. The death penalty has existed since 1700 B.C. when the Code of Hammurabi was a legal document in ancient Babylonia. Ever since the Code of Hammurabi many countries have adopted this punishment including the United States. When European settlers came to America, Americans obtained the death penalty. During the establishment of the Constitution, framers continued the custom which led to the eighth amendment. â€Å"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury†¦; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb†¦ nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Constitution 1). It is often argued that the death penalty should be continued because of the esta blishment of the eighth amendment. However, the eighth amendment contradicts with the basic human right or â€Å"right to life†. The Universal Declaration of Human rights states in Article 3 â€Å"Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.† (United Nations 1). Also, in Article 5 it states â€Å"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.† (United Nations 1). Therefore, the deathShow MoreRelatedThe Justice of the Death Penalty Essay655 Words   |  3 PagesThe Justice of the Death Penalty Whenever the word death penalty comes up, extremists from both sides start yelling out their arguments. One side says deterrence, the other side says theres a potential of executing an innocent man; one says justice, retribution, and punishment; the other side says execution is murder. Personally I think it is time for Americans to take a stand use the justice system as it was intended, for the punishment of criminals. A big point of argument for the peopleRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is An Act Of Justice1217 Words   |  5 PagesSince the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the death penalty in 1976, there have been 1,434 executions in the United States (Death Penalty Information Center). Today, a debate quickly erupts when discussing the death penalty as a form of punishment in America’s Criminal Justice system. Some perceive the Death Penalty as an act of justice, while others believe it is unconstitutional. There are currently 31 death penalty states and 19 non-death penalty states in the U.S. Although opponents view thisRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is Not The Satisfaction Of Justice1532 Words   |  7 PagesJavier Arocha March 31, 2017 The Death Penalty in America â€Å"The proper end of human punishment is, not the satisfaction of justice, but the prevention of crimes. - William Paley The Death penalty is a very delicate topic. People can t just scream their believes to prove their point. Today, the United States of America is in the minority of countries that still use the Death Penalty as a punishment for certain crimes. Even though the controversy over the Death Penalty is overlooked most of the timeRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is Not Guaranteed That Justice Will Be Served871 Words   |  4 PagesBy reinstating the death penalty, it is not guaranteed that justice will be served. Family and friends of victims of serious crimes are left longing for closure for the actions inflicted and often seek retribution (SOURCE). By allowing the death penalty, the victim’s family and friends are offered closure by the means of taking the assailants life. Commonly known as an â€Å"eye for an eye,† this form of punishment is classified as retributive justice as it requires the assailant to give up his or herRead MoreThe Death Penalty On The Criminal Justice Syst em1491 Words   |  6 PagesWhat place does the death penalty have in the criminal justice system? Should it be used to deter other criminals, should it be used to punish those who commit crimes, or does it have any place at all? In understanding the issue of the death penalty from a moral perspective, it is important to look back at philosophers of the past to better understand the ethical ramifications of the concept of capital punishment. We will be examining two notable philosophers—Aristotle and Immanuel Kant. ThroughRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is It Really Justice For All?994 Words   |  4 PagesDeath Penalty, is it really justice for all? Should an insane man remain untreated to avoid the death penalty? Such is the case of Russell Weston who in 1998 killed two police officers in the U.S. Capital. He told government psychiatrists he drove across country to prevent the spread of disease, killing two of the carriers. His lawyers state that they know he will get the deat h penalty, so he remains untreated, insane, and isolated to avoid conviction of the death penalty (Caplan). Is this justiceRead MoreThe Death Penalty And The Justice System Of America2224 Words   |  9 PagesThe death penalty has been in the justice system of America tracing all the way back to the days of its founding fathers. Though it is a highly controversial legal and moral matter, it still stands today as the most ultimate punishment in the United States. Many countries have been or are currently abolishing their death penalty under the notion that it is unjust and morally wrong. The United States, on the other hand, has 38 out of its 50 states with laws that state the death penalty as its ultimateRead MoreThe Death Penalty And The Criminal Justice System1475 Words   |  6 PagesThe death penalty has been used as a form of punishments in the United States since the American colonies in the 1600’s (Del Carmen, 2015). The country has divided opinions about the proper procedures used by the criminal justice system to convict a person to live or death. The death penalty has created a public policy issue that has produced wide scholarly research, public debate and legal attention. The reality is that the majority on Americans support the death penalty. Only a small proportionRead MoreThe Death Penalty : A Terrible Scar On American Justice1534 Words   |  7 PagesMarshall, the head of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice during the Civil Rights Era, once said, â€Å" The death penalty, I think, is a terrible scar on American justice, especially the concept of equal justice under law, but also of due process. And it goes state by state, and it s different in different states.† Burke Marshall’s thoughts were, and still are completely correct. The death penalty is more controversial now than ever before, because society has changed. TheRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is The United States Justice System1542 Wor ds   |  7 PagesThere are many injustices that plague the United States Justice System. The death penalty is a prime example of this. A major problem associated with the death penalty is the unavoidable fact that potentially innocent people are being executed. Researchers estimate that over 340 executed inmates, could have been exonerated; which means that over 340 people were wrongfully killed! With the arrival of DNA testing in the mid 80’s, by 1992, 17 death row inmates in the US where acquitted and released

Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Effect of Social Organization on Everyday Life and...

The Effect of Social Organization on Everyday Life and Health Most people do not think about their health or issues revolving around their health until they are actually ill or people think that their health is only affected by biological factors. However, our health should be a focus in our lives because our daily life has an affect on our health. Illness does not only have biological causes but is also influenced by social factors such as the socially imposed roles of gender and socioeconomic differences. Before the affect of gender on health can be discussed, the difference between gender and sex must first defined. Sex refers to actual physiological and hormonal differences between men and women; gender refers to the differences†¦show more content†¦Women have significantly higher rates than men of psychological distress and depression. (Weiss and Lonnquist 98) The effect of this this increased distress may lead to depressed immune function which could factor into the higher morbidity of women. (Rieker and Bird 104) The pressure t hat most men feel to be the primary providers of their homes can have an adverse affect upon their health. When confronted with illness, men will underestimate the severity of their illness and avoid seeking health care so that they would not be removed from the work force and be put in a position not to be able to provide for their families. Overall, men use fewer health care services and do not document their symptoms as well as women. This puts men at a disadvantage when they do seek health care treatment. Socioeconomic differences also affect health. Those of higher socioeconomic status are often healthier than their low socioeconomic status counterparts and on average have a higher life expectancy by about seven years. (Weiss and Lonnquist 42) This is due to differences in exposure to health risks and stress. Those of lower socioeconomic status suffer from higher exposure to health risks as compared to the general population. Poor housing and overcrowding can increase stress le vels can therebyShow MoreRelatedInternational Classification Of Functioning, Disability And Health1285 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, also know more commonly as ICF was originally proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for trial purposes in 1980 and was known as the International Classification of Impairment, Disability and Handicap (ICIDH) (reference). The ICIDH aimed to provide a cohesive and consistent language tool for the classification of the consequences of disease and the implications for the individuals involved (reference). HoweverRead MoreSignificance of Psychosocial Competence in Youth1468 Words   |  6 PagesSignificance of Psychosocial Competence in Youth Executive Summary Stress is one of the top ten health concerns in adolescence and is getting worse. Adolescents experience many changes in their daily lives, however are not sufficiently equipped with skills to help them deal with the increased demands and stress they experience (World Health Organization, 1997). Psychosocial competence in youth was researched in order to better understand their abilities to make the best choice as related to mentalRead MoreKatriel Pacheco. Ms. Tomlinson. English One. 8 March 2017.1748 Words   |  7 Pagespassed through the brain triggering a seizure. The seizure, in turn, would alter the brain’s chemistry,† (Marcovitz 24). This shows how strong the desire for the LGBTQ people to fit the â€Å"norm† is. The LGBTQ community is put in a hostile environment everyday. Society has gradually learned to accept these people but prejudice and discrimination remain against them. LGBTQ people undergo harrasement, assault and abuse almost daily and this ca n cause serious medical conditions and can present fear regardingRead MoreDiscrimination Against African American Race1133 Words   |  5 Pages Discrimination against the African American Race Brian Barracks Social Psychology Dr. G. Austin Abstract Discrimination against African-Americans has been going on for many decades. Many African-Americans are still suffering from the effects of this. Many people who discriminate do not bother to analyze the damage that this is causing. Many African-Americans are suffering from stress problems, mental health issue, and some suffer from chronic stress. This issue has escalated for manyRead MoreOrgan Donation : Organ Organs1054 Words   |  5 Pagesan organ donor after they die. The second source of organ donation comes from a living person. Living people can donate their organs to family members, close friends, or strangers. There are many non-profit organizations that promote organ donation to strangers, whom are in critical health situations and need an organ transplant in order to survive. The problem is that there is a shortage of available organs. The organ donation process presents ethical dilemmas that will be discussed in this essayRead MoreViolence Is The Unspoken Disease O f The World1335 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Christopher Mikton, the World Health Organization, is a leader in the study of violence in the world (Mikton, 45). WHO states that, an estimated 1.4 million deaths occur every year due to this â€Å"disease† (WHO). In Marilyn Manson’s â€Å"Columbine: Whose Fault Is It?† Manson elaborately explains how violence has consistently been the social normality (Manson). Mankind has become so desensitized to violence that it is used as a scape goat for everyday problems. Humans are unknowingly self-harmingRead MorePositive Psychology Influencing: The onset of a Positive Lifestyle and Positive Health982 Words   |  4 PagesPositive Psychology Influencing The Onset of a Positive Lifestyle and Positive Health There have been numerous studies in the realm of Positive Psychology and the effects it can influence in other sectors of a person’s overall wellbeing, especially in terms of attaining a positive mindset and treatment of negative general disorders, the short term benefits of a positive psychological outlook and the long term health and lifestyle benefits that are produced from it. In a 2006 journal article, ParkRead MoreSocial Determinants of Health Essay1139 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to the dictionary, the word health is â€Å"the state of being free from illness.† At a first glance, this defination seems to be very direct and simple, however the meaning of the word ‘health’ nowadays is much more complex. The above definition pretty much sums up our view of health in the first half of the 20th century. But over the past few decades, the definititon and concept of health has evolved to encompass more elements than just the physical well-being of a person. This is partlyRead MoreSocial Media and Mental Health998 Words   |  4 Pagesstudy, led by social psychiatrist Ethan Cross of the University of Michigan, found that using Facebook may even make us miserable. On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection, says Kross. But rather than enhance well-being, we found that Facebook use predicts the opposite result - it undermines it. The negative impacts of social media In 2012, Anxiety UK conducted a survey on social media use and its effects on emotionsRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Society Essay1204 Words   |  5 Pagesis increasing very rapidly, and new innovations are coming along each and everyday. Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry. There is no denying that the impact of technology in the world today is huge, now technology has made it to the palm of our hands with the iPhone and continuing to expand. My generation has grown up on technology so I can’t imagine how my life would be with out it, older people may say it has ruined the lives of youth

Friday, December 13, 2019

Blood Promise Chapter Eighteen Free Essays

Unsurprisingly, I woke up with a headache. For a few addled seconds, I had no idea what had happened or where I was. As drowsiness wore off, the events on the street came slamming back to me. We will write a custom essay sample on Blood Promise Chapter Eighteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now I sat upright, all of my defenses kicking into action, despite the slight wooziness in my head. Time to figure out where I was now. I sat up on an enormous bed in a darkened room. No-not just a room. More like a suite or a studio. I’d thought the hotel in Saint Petersburg was opulent, but this blew it away. The half of the studio I sat in contained the bed and usual bedroom accessories: a dresser, nightstands, etc. The other half looked like a living room area, with a couch and a television. Shelves were built into the walls, all of them filled with books. Off to my right was a short hall with a door at the end. Probably a bathroom. On my other side was a large picture window, tinted, as Moroi windows often were. This one had more tint than any I’d ever seen. It was almost solid black, nearly impossible to see through. Only the fact that I could differentiate the sky from the horizon-after a fair amount of squinting-let me know it was daytime out there. I slid off the bed, my senses on high alert as I tried to assess my danger. My stomach felt fine; there were no Strigoi in the area. That didn’t necessarily rule out some other person, however. I couldn’t take anything for granted-doing so was what had gotten me in trouble on the street. There was no time to ponder that, though. Not quite yet. If I did, my resolve here was going to falter. Sliding off the bed, I reached into my coat pocket for the stake. Gone, of course. I saw nothing else nearby that would pass as a weapon, meaning I’d have to rely on my own body to do my fighting. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a light switch on the wall. I flipped it on and froze, waiting to see what-or who-the overhead lights would unveil. Nothing unusual. No one else. Immediately, I did the first obvious thing and checked the door. It was locked, as I’d expected, and the only way of opening it was a numeric keypad. Plus, it was heavy and made of what looked like steel. It reminded me of a fire door. There was no getting past it, so I turned back around to continue my exploration. It was actually kind of ironic. A lot of my classes had gone over detailed ways of checking out a place. I’d always hated those; I’d wanted to learn about fighting. Now it appeared those lessons that had seemed useless at the time had real purpose. The light had brought the suite’s objects into sharper relief. The bed was covered in an ivory satin duvet, filled to maximum fluffiness with down. Creeping over to the living room, I saw that the TV was nice-really nice. Large-screen plasma. It looked brand-new. The couches were nice too, covered in matte green leather. It was an unusual color choice for leather, but it worked. All of the furniture in the place-tables, desk, dresser was made of a smooth, polished black wood. In a corner of the living room, I saw a small refrigerator. Kneeling down, I opened it up to find bottled water and juice, assorted fruits, and bags of perfectly cut cheeses. On top of the refrigerator was more snack-type food: nuts, crackers, and some type of glazed pastry. My stomach growled at the sight of it, but no way was I going to eat anything in this place. The bathroom was done in the same style as the rest of the studio. The shower and large Jacuzzi tub were made of black polished marble, and little soaps and shampoos lined the counter. A larger mirror hung over the sink, except†¦ it wasn’t actually hanging. It was embedded so tightly into the wall that there was absolutely no way it could be removed. The material was strange too. It looked more like reflective metal than glass. At first I thought that was strange, until I raced back out to the main room and looked around. There was absolutely nothing here that could be turned into a weapon. The TV was too big to move or break, short of cracking the screen, which looked like it was made of some high-tech plastic. There was no glass in any of the tables. The shelves were embedded. The bottles in the refrigerator were all plastic. And the window†¦ I ran over to it, feeling along its edges. Like the mirror, it was fitted perfectly into the wall. There were no panes. It was one smooth piece. Squinting again, I finally got a detailed view of my outer surroundings and saw†¦ nothing. The land appeared to be rolling plains, with only a few scattered trees. It reminded me of the wilderness I’d traveled while going to Baia. I was no longer in Novosibirsk, apparently. And peering down, I saw that I was fairly high up. Fourth floor, maybe. Whatever it was, it was too high to jump without breaking a limb. Still, I had to take some sort of action. I couldn’t just sit here. I picked up the desk’s chair and slammed it into the window-and achieved little effect on either the chair or the glass. â€Å"Jesus Christ,† I muttered. I tried three more times and still had no luck. It was like they were both made of steel. Maybe the glass was some kind of bulletproof industrial strength stuff. And the chair†¦ well, hell if I knew. It was all one piece of wood and showed no signs of splintering, even after what I’d just put it through. But since I’d spent my whole life doing things that weren’t that reasonable, I kept trying to break the glass. I was on my fifth try when my stomach warned me of a Strigoi’s approach. Spinning around, I kept a hold of the chair and charged the door. It opened, and I slammed into the intruder, with the chair’s legs pointing out. It was Dimitri. Those same conflicted feelings I’d felt on the street returned to me, love mingled with terror. This time, I pushed through the love, not flinching in my attack. Not that it did much good. Hitting him was like hitting the window. He shoved me back, and I staggered, still holding onto the chair. I kept my balance and charged once more. This time, when we collided, he grabbed a hold of the chair and ripped it from my hands. He then tossed it into the wall, like it weighed nothing. Without that meager weapon, it was back to relying on my own body’s strength. I’d been doing it for the last couple of weeks with our Strigoi questioning; this should have been the same. Of course, I’d had four other people then as backup. And none of those Strigoi had been Dimitri. Even as a dhampir, he’d been hard to beat. Now he was just as skilled-only faster and stronger. He also knew all my moves, seeing as he’d taught them to me. It was almost impossible to surprise him. But just like with the window, I couldn’t stay inactive. I was trapped in a room-the fact that it was a big, luxurious room didn’t matter-with a Strigoi. A Strigoi. That’s what I had to keep telling myself. There was a Strigoi in here. Not Dimitri. Everything I’d told Denis and the others applied here. Be smart. Be vigilant. Defend yourself. â€Å"Rose,† he said, deflecting one of my kicks effortlessly. â€Å"You’re wasting time. Stop.† Oh, that voice. Dimitri’s voice. The voice I heard when I fell asleep at night, the voice that had once told me he loved me†¦ No! It’s not him. Dimitri is gone. This is a monster. Desperately, I tried to think of how I could win here. I even thought of the ghosts I’d summoned on the road. Mark had said I could do that in moments of wild emotion and that they’d fight for me. This was as wild as emotion could get, yet I couldn’t seem to call them. I honestly had no clue how I’d done it before, and all the wishing in the world couldn’t make it happen now. Damn. What good were terrifying powers if I couldn’t use them to my advantage? Instead, I pulled the DVD player off its shelf, cords ripping from the wall. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but I was desperate now. I heard a strange, primal battle scream, and some distant part of me realized I was making it. Again, I ran at Dimitri, swinging the DVD player as hard as I could. It probably would have hurt a little-if it had hit him. It didn’t. He intercepted it again, taking it from me, and throwing it down. It smashed to pieces on the floor. In the same motion, he grabbed a hold of my arms to stop me from hitting or reaching for something else. His grip was hard, like it could break my bones, but I kept struggling. He tried reason again. â€Å"I’m not going to hurt you. Roza, please stop.† Roza. The old nickname. The name he’d first called me when we’d fallen prey to Victor’s lust charm, both of us wrapped naked in each other’s arms †¦ This isn’t the Dimitri you knew. My hands were incapacitated, so I struck out with my legs and feet as best I could. It didn’t do much. Without full use of the rest of my body for balance, I had no force to throw into my kicks. For his part, he looked more annoyed than truly concerned or angry. With a loud sigh, he grabbed me by the shoulders and flipped me around, pressing me against the wall and immobilizing me with the full force of his body. I struggled a little but was as pinned as the Strigoi had been when the others and I had gone hunting. The universe had a sick sense of humor. â€Å"Stop fighting me.† His breath was warm against my neck, his body right up against mine. I knew his mouth was only a couple inches away. â€Å"I’m not going to hurt you.† I gave another fruitless shove. My breath was coming in ragged gasps, and my head injury throbbed. â€Å"You’ll have to understand if I have a hard time believing that.† â€Å"If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. Now, if you’re going to keep fighting, I’ll have to tie you up. If you stop, I’ll let you stay unrestrained.† â€Å"Aren’t you afraid I’ll escape?† â€Å"No.† His voice was perfectly calm, and chills ran down my spine. â€Å"I am not.† We stood like that for almost a minute, deadlocked. My mind raced. It was true that he probably would have killed me already if that were his intent, yet that gave me no reason to believe I was even remotely safe. Nonetheless, we were at a draw in this fight. Okay, draw wasn’t entirely accurate. I was at a draw. He was toying with me. My head was throbbing where his blow had landed, and this pointless fighting would only take a further toll. I had to regain my strength in order to find a way to escape-if I lived that long. I also needed to stop thinking about how close our bodies were. After our months of being so careful not to touch, this much contact was heady. I relaxed in his hold. â€Å"Okay.† He hesitated before letting me go, probably wondering if he could trust me. The whole moment reminded me of when we’d been together in the little cabin on the periphery of the Academy’s grounds. I’d been raging and upset, brimming with spirit’s darkness. Dimitri had held me down then, too, and talked me out of that horrible state. We had kissed, then his hands had lifted my shirt, and-no, no. Not here. I couldn’t think about that here. Dimitri finally eased up, releasing me from the wall. I turned around, and all my instincts wanted to lash out and attack him again. Sternly, I reminded myself to bide my time so that I could gain more strength and information. Even though he’d let me go, he hadn’t moved away. We were only a foot apart. Against my better judgment, I found myself taking him in again, like I had on the street. How could he be the same and yet so different? I tried my best not to focus on the similarities-his hair, the difference in our heights, the shape of his face. Instead, I concentrated on the Strigoi features, the red in his eyes and pallor of his skin. I was so fixated on my task that it took me a moment to realize he wasn’t saying anything either. He was studying me intently, like his eyes could look right through me. I shivered. It almost-almost!-seemed as though I captivated him the same way he captivated me. That was impossible, though. Strigoi didn’t possess those kinds of emotions, and besides, the thought of him still having any affection for me was probably just wishful thinking on my part. His face had always been hard to read, and now it was overlaid with a mask of cunning and coldness that made it truly impossible to know what was on his mind. â€Å"Why did you come here?† he asked at last. â€Å"Because you hit me on the head and dragged me here.† If I was going to die, I was going to go in true Rose style. The old Dimitri would have cracked a smile or given an exasperated sigh. This one remained impassive. â€Å"That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Why are you here?† His voice was low and dangerous. I’d thought Abe was scary, but there was no competition at all. Even Zmey would have backed off. â€Å"In Siberia? I came to find you.† â€Å"I came here to get away from you.† I was so shocked that I said something utterly ridiculous. â€Å"Why? Because I might kill you?† The look he gave me showed that he thought that was indeed a ridiculous thing to say. â€Å"No. So we wouldn’t be in this situation. Now we are, and the choice is inevitable.† I wasn’t entirely sure what this situation was. â€Å"Well, you can let me go if you want to avoid it.† He stepped away and walked toward the living room without looking back at me. I was tempted to try to do a sneak attack on him, but something told me I’d probably only make it about four feet before getting backhanded. He sat down in one of the luxurious leather armchairs, folding his six-foot-seven frame up as gracefully as he’d always done. God, why did he have to be so contradictory? He had the old Dimitri’s habits mixed with those of a monster. I stayed where I was, huddled against the wall. â€Å"Not possible anymore. Not after seeing you now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, he studied me. It felt strange. Part of me responded with excitement to the intensity of his gaze, loving the way he surveyed my body from head to toe. The other part of me felt dirty, like slime or muck was oozing over my skin as he studied me. â€Å"You’re still as beautiful as I remember, Roza. Not that I should have expected anything different.† I didn’t know what to say to that. I’d never really had a conversation with a Strigoi, short of trading a few insults and threats in the midst of a fight. The nearest I’d come was when I’d been held captive by Isaiah. I actually had been tied up then, and most of the talking had been about him killing me. This†¦ well, it wasn’t like that, but it was still definitely creepy. I crossed my arms over my chest and backed up against the wall. It was the closest I could come to some semblance of a defense. He tilted his head, watching me carefully. A shadow fell across his face in such a way that it made the red in his eyes hard to see. Instead, they looked dark. Just like they used to, endless and wonderful, filled with love and bravery†¦ â€Å"You can sit down,† he said. â€Å"I’m fine over here.† â€Å"Is there anything else you want?† â€Å"For you to let me go?† For a moment, I thought I saw a bit of that old wryness in his face, the kind he’d get when I made jokes. Studying him, I decided I’d imagined it. â€Å"No, Roza. I meant, do you need anything here? Different food? Books? Entertainment?† I stared incredulously. â€Å"You make it sound like some sort of luxury hotel!† â€Å"It is, to a certain extent. I can speak to Galina, and she’ll get you anything you wish.† â€Å"Galina?† Dimitri’s lips turned up in a smile. Well, kind of. I think his thoughts were fond, but the smile conveyed none of that. It was chilling, dark, and full of secrets. Only my refusal to show weakness before him stopped me from cringing. â€Å"Galina is my old instructor, back from when I was in school.† â€Å"She’s Strigoi?† â€Å"Yes. She was awakened several years ago, in a fight in Prague. She’s relatively young for a Strigoi, but she’s risen in power. All of this is hers.† Dimitri gestured around us. â€Å"And you live with her?† I asked, curious in spite of myself. I wondered exactly what kind of relationship they had, and to my surprise, I felt†¦ jealous. Not that I had reason to. He was a Strigoi, beyond me now. And it wouldn’t be the first time a teacher and student had gotten together†¦ â€Å"I work for her. She was another reason I returned here when I was awakened. I knew she was Strigoi, and I wanted her guidance.† â€Å"And you wanted to get away from me. That was the other reason, right?† His only answer was a nod of his head. No elaboration. â€Å"Where are we? We’re far from Novosibirsk, right?† â€Å"Yes. Galina’s estate is outside the city.† â€Å"How far?† That smile twisted a little. â€Å"I know what you’re doing, and I’m not going to give you that sort of information.† â€Å"Then what are you doing?† I demanded, all of my pent-up fear bursting out as anger. â€Å"Why are you holding me here? Kill me or let me go. And if you’re going to just lock me up and torture me with mind games or whatever, then I really would rather you kill me.† â€Å"Brave words.† He stood up and began pacing once more. â€Å"I almost believe you.† â€Å"They’re true,† I replied defiantly. â€Å"I came here to kill you. And if I can’t do that, then I’d rather die.† â€Å"You failed, you know. On the street.† â€Å"Yeah. I kind of figured that out when I woke up here.† Dimitri made an abrupt turn and was suddenly standing in front of me, moving with that lightning-fast Strigoi speed. My Strigoi-nausea had never gone away, but the more time I spent with him, the more it faded to a low-level sort of background noise that I could more or less ignore. â€Å"I’m a little disappointed. You’re so good, Rose. So very, very good. You and your friends going around and taking down Strigoi caused quite a stir, you know. Some Strigoi were even afraid.† â€Å"But not you?† â€Å"When I heard it was you†¦ hmm.† He turned thoughtful, eyes narrowing. â€Å"No. I was curious. Wary. If anyone could have killed me, it would have been you. But like I said, you hesitated. It was your ultimate test of my lessons, and you failed.† I kept my face blank. Inside, I was still beating myself up over that moment of weakness on the street. â€Å"I won’t hesitate next time.† â€Å"There won’t be a next time. And anyway, as disappointed as I am in you, I’m still glad to be alive, of course.† â€Å"You aren’t alive,† I said through gritted teeth. God, he was so, so close to me again. Even with the changes to his face, the lean and muscled body was the same. â€Å"You’re dead. Unnatural. You told me a long time ago you’d rather die than be like this. That’s why I’m going to kill you.† â€Å"You’re only saying that because you don’t know any better. I didn’t either back then.† â€Å"Look, I meant what I said. I’m not playing your game. If I can’t get out of here, then just kill me, okay?† Without warning, he reached out and ran his fingers along the side of my face. I gasped. His hand was ice cold, but the way he touched me†¦ again, it was the same. Exactly the same as I remembered. How was this possible? So similar†¦ yet so different. All of a sudden, another of his lessons came to mind, about how Strigoi could seem so, so like those you’d once known. It was why it was so easy to hesitate. â€Å"Killing you†¦ well, it’s not that simple,† he said. His voice dropped to a low whisper again, like a snake slithering against my skin. â€Å"There’s a third option. I could awaken you.† I froze and stopped breathing altogether. â€Å"No.† It was the only thing I could say. My brain couldn’t come up with anything more complex, nothing witty or clever. His words were too terrifying to even begin to ponder. â€Å"No.† â€Å"You don’t know what it’s like. It’s†¦ amazing. Transcendent. All your senses are alive; the world is more alive-â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, but you’re dead.† â€Å"Am I?† He caught hold of my hand and placed it over his chest. In it, I could feel a steady beating. My eyes widened. â€Å"My heart beats. I’m breathing.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tried desperately to think of everything I’d ever been taught about Strigoi. â€Å"It’s not really being alive. It’s†¦ it’s dark magic reanimating you. It’s an illusion of life.† â€Å"It’s better than life.† Both of his hands moved up and cupped my face. His heartbeat might have been steady, but mine was racing. â€Å"It’s like being a god, Rose. Strength. Speed. Able to perceive the world in ways you could never imagine. And†¦ immortality. We could be together forever.† Once, that was all I’d ever wanted. And deep inside of me, some part still wished for that, wished desperately to be with him for all time. Yet†¦ it wouldn’t be the way I wanted it. It wouldn’t be like it used to be. This would be something different. Something wrong. I swallowed. â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I could barely hear my own voice, barely even form the words with him touching me like that. His fingertips were so light and gentle. â€Å"We can’t be.† â€Å"We could.† One of his fingers trailed down the side of my chin and came to rest on the artery in my neck. â€Å"I could do it quickly. There’d be no pain. It’d be done before you even knew it.† He was probably right. If you were forced to become Strigoi, you had the blood drained from you. Then a Strigoi would usually cut himself and bring that blood to your lips. Somehow, I imagined I’d pass out before I was even half-drained. Together forever. The world blurred a little. I don’t know if it was because of my head trauma or the terror coursing through my body. I had envisioned a hundred scenarios when I set out after Dimitri. Becoming a Strigoi hadn’t been one of them. Death-his or mine-had been the only thought consuming me, which had been stupid on my part. My sluggish thoughts were interrupted when the door suddenly opened. Dimitri turned, shoving me away hard so that he stood protectively in front of me. Two people entered, shutting the door before I could even consider running for it. One of the newcomers was a Strigoi, a guy. The other was a human woman carrying a tray, her head bowed down. I recognized the Strigoi immediately. It was hard not to; his face haunted my dreams. Blond hair, about the length of Dimitri’s, hung over the side of a face that looked like he’d been in his early twenties when he turned. He had apparently seen Lissa and me when we were younger, but I had only seen him twice before. Once had been when I fought him on the Academy’s grounds. The other time was when I’d encountered him in the cave that other Strigoi were using as a hangout. He was the one who had bitten and turned Dimitri. The guy barely spared me a glance and instead turned the full force of his anger on Dimitri. â€Å"What the hell is going on?† I had no trouble understanding him. He was American. â€Å"You’re keeping some pet up here?† â€Å"It’s none of your concern, Nathan.† Dimitri’s voice was ice. Earlier, I’d thought he conveyed no emotion in his words. Now I realized it was just more difficult to detect. There was a clear challenge in his voice now, a warning for this other guy to back off. â€Å"Galina gave me permission.† Nathan’s eyes drifted from Dimitri to me. His anger turned to shock. â€Å"Her?† Dimitri shifted slightly, putting himself directly in front of me now. Some rebellious part wanted to snap that I didn’t need a Strigoi’s protection, except†¦ well, I kind of did. â€Å"She was at the school in Montana†¦ We fought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His lips curled back, showing his fangs. â€Å"I would have tasted her blood if that fire-using Moroi brat hadn’t been around.† â€Å"This doesn’t have anything to do with you,† replied Dimitri. Nathan’s red eyes were wide and eager. â€Å"Are you kidding? She can lead us to the Dragomir girl! If we finish that line off, our names will be legendary. How long are you going to keep her?† â€Å"Get out,† growled Dimitri. â€Å"That’s not a request.† Nathan pointed at me. â€Å"She’s valuable. If you’re going to keep her around as some blood whore plaything, at least share. Then, we’ll get the information and finish her.† Dimitri took a step forward. â€Å"Get out of here. If you lay a hand on her, I will destroy you. I will rip your head off with my bare hands and watch it burn in the sun.† Nathan’s fury grew. â€Å"Galina won’t allow you to play house with this girl. Even you don’t have that much favor.† â€Å"Don’t make me tell you to leave again. I’m not in a patient mood today.† Nathan said nothing, and the two Strigoi stood there in a staring match. I knew Strigoi strength and power were partially related to age. Nathan had obviously been turned first. I didn’t know by how much, but watching them, I got the feeling that Dimitri might be stronger or that it was at least a very, very even match. I could have sworn I saw a glimpse of fear in Nathan’s red eyes, but he turned away before I could get a good look. â€Å"This isn’t over,† he snapped, moving toward the door. â€Å"I’m talking to Galina.† He left, and for a moment, nobody moved or spoke. Then Dimitri looked at the human woman and said something in Russian. She’d been standing there, frozen. Leaning over, she carefully placed her tray on the coffee table by the couch. She lifted a silver lid up, revealing a plate of pepperoni pizza loaded with cheese. Under any other circumstances, someone bringing me pizza in a Strigoi home would have been ludicrous and funny. Now, in the wake of Dimitri’s threat to turn me Strigoi and Nathan’s desire to use me to get to Lissa, nothing was funny. Even Rose Hathaway had limits when it came to making jokes. Next to the pizza was a huge brownie, thick with frosting. Food I loved, as Dimitri well knew. â€Å"Lunch,† he said. â€Å"Not poisoned.† Everything on the tray looked amazing, but I shook my head. â€Å"I’m not going to eat.† He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Do you want something else?† â€Å"I don’t want anything else because I’m not going to eat anything at all. If you aren’t going to kill me, then I’ll do it myself.† It was occurring to me that the suite’s lack of weapons was probably for my own protection as much as theirs. â€Å"By starving to death?† There was dark amusement in his eyes. â€Å"I’ll awaken you long before then.† â€Å"Why aren’t you just doing it now?† â€Å"Because I’d rather wait for you to be willing.† Man, he really did sound like Abe, except that breaking one’s kneecaps seemed kind of soft-core in comparison. â€Å"You’re going to be waiting a long time,† I said. Dimitri laughed out loud then. His laughter had been rare as a dhampir, and hearing it had always thrilled me. Now it no longer had that rich warmth that had wrapped all around me. It was cold and menacing. â€Å"We’ll see.† And before I could form a reply, he moved in front of me again. His hand snaked behind my neck, shoving me against him, and he tilted my face up, pressing his lips against mine. They were as cold as the rest of his skin†¦ and yet there was something warm in there, too. Some voice in me screamed that this was sick and horrible†¦ but at the same time, I lost track of the world around me as we kissed and could almost pretend we were back together in the cabin. He pulled away as quickly as he’d moved in, leaving me gasping and wide-eyed. Casually, like nothing had happened, he gestured to the woman. â€Å"This is Inna.† She looked up at the sound of her name, and I saw she was no older than me. â€Å"She works for Galina too and will check in on you. If you need anything, let her know. She doesn’t speak much English, but she’ll figure it out.† He said something else to her, and she meekly followed him to the door. â€Å"Where are you going?† I asked. â€Å"I have things to do. Besides, you need time to think.† â€Å"There’s nothing to think about.† I forced as much defiance into my words as I could. It must not have sounded very fierce, though, because all my speech earned me was one mocking smile before he left with Inna, leaving me alone in my luxurious prison. How to cite Blood Promise Chapter Eighteen, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Strategy and Information Systems Company Disk4U

Question: Discuss about the Strategy and Information Systems for Company Disk4U. Answer: Analysis on Business Process Management As mentioned in the case study, the Company Disk4U intends to market through both physical as well as online channels and the management wants to augment the operations of the corporation through advancement of technology. In addition to this, the management of the Sungate Foods can adopt advanced technology aligned with budget to develop the overall facility (Ward and Peppard 2016). The analysis of the financial as well as business reports of the corporation Sungate Foods as well as Disk4U can help the management of the organization to detect the challenges faced by the organization. Business Process Management (BPM) The business process management (BPM) can be considered for the ERP applications where the business process management software can resolve different inherent challenges by transforming different static and at the same time user-driven ERP applications into diverse powerful solutions (Scheer 2012). This business process management have the capacity to automate virtually any kind of process of the business. The business processes for the corporations Disk4U and the Sungate Foods can incorporate credit control procedures, provisions of different key performance indicators, monitoring and reporting on different levels of stock, financial reports, supplier quotation requests and sales reports. Therefore, the management of the corporation Disk4U can consider revamping or else tuning the entire business process before the process of implementation of the ERP functioning in order to prevent contamination of the overall system of the ERP with poor processes as well as data. Again, the manage ment of the company can also consider revisiting the system in a bid to streamline as well as optimizing most of the operations (Pearlson et al. 2016). The processes can also be transferred and can fundamentally build the enterprise resource planning (ERP). Thus, the implementation of the BPM can improve the corporate performance by concentrating on optimization, design, modelling, execution and monitoring (Pearlson et al. 2016). Flexible Network Design This process of flexible network design can therefore assimilate different processes for data structures, algorithms, complexity, mobile computing, networks, optimization as well as scheduling (Ward and Peppard 2016). In addition to this, the BPM and the flexible network design, the management of the two organizations can also consider the implementation of the API (Application Programming Interface) Integration. Module or API Integration The incorporation of API Integration refers to the allowance as well as processes to provide programs admittance to attach and to correspond with other program (Sousa and Oz 2014). The implementation of the software-to-software interface can permit the separate parties to communicate with one another without any prior user knowledge or else intervention (Baskerville and Wood-Harper 2016). For instance, the online channels of operation can utilize the API Integration to permit the process of entering the information regarding the credit card and thereafter use the API to transfer information to a different remote application for the purpose of verification of provided information. Installation Type Business Process Management provides with similar set of terms used for viewing at the relations between software as well as given applications. One of the types includes Business Process Management Suite (Rainer et al. 2013). This particular software suite enables by business organization for implementation for rendering management solutions in the most appropriate way. Intelligent BPM is other type describing in the next generation of suites. This involves intelligent features like adaptive analytics, social collaboration as well as mobility and cloud deployment at the same time. IBPMS means an Intelligent Business Process Management Suite for viewing at the features for future analysis purpose. Support Support process design help in providing support for primary activities used by resources as well as infrastructure in desired form. There is key differentiator undertaking into primary as well as support process for generating direct value to customers in case of primary process (Pearlson, Saunders and Galletta 2016). One of the examples of support process involves information technology management as well as human resource management and management of infrastructure. These support process involves life cycle of resources in association with functional areas. Support Process involves in cross-functional boundaries for future analysis purpose. It is in process with managerial ability as well as directing value to customer in supporting organization ability for delivering products and services (Baskerville and Wood-Harper 2016). Training The management of both Disk4U and Sungate Foods can consider adoption of new technology for improvement and training sessions of the overall operations. In addition to the process of implementation of the BPM, the management might possibly consider the institution of the flexible network design (Ward and Peppard 2016). The network design can relate Algorithms and Complexity, Combinatorial Optimization, Distributed Computing and Algorithmic Game Theory. This can help in providing a chance for sharing the information as well as collaboration, identification of different problems and at the same time areas for future collaboration. Previous Experience with Vendor Business Process Management has previous experience with vendors for viewing at the performance information at the monitoring phase. It requires continuous improvement for tracking individual process in customer state for future analysis purpose. Vendor Section should effectively design with great efficient for attaining productivity as far as possible. This is one of the disciplinary actions in comparison with technological tools (Galliers and Leidner 2014). It is a software tool used for purchasing or installing for fixing the business issue. This plays significant role in business process management process It act as a difference between workflow as well as BPM software in automating work with continuous process improvement in an effective way. Financial Stability Business Process Management takes into consideration activities for management approach in aligning with aspects of organizational wants and needs of clients. It is one of the holistic management approach for promoting business effectiveness as well as efficiency for striving for innovation, integration with technology as well as flexibility (Baskerville and Wood-Harper 2016). Business Process Management attempts in improving process on continuous basis. It describes on process optimization process in the most appropriate way. It enables organization for focusing majorly on traditional as well as hierarchical management approach. Reference List Baskerville, R.L. and Wood-Harper, A.T., 2016. A critical perspective on action research as a method for information systems research. InEnacting Research Methods in Information Systems: Volume 2(pp. 169-190). Springer International Publishing. Galliers, R.D. and Leidner, D.E., 2014. Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. Routledge. Pearlson, K.E., Saunders, C.S. and Galletta, D.F., 2016. Managing and Using Information Systems, Binder Ready Version: A Strategic Approach. John Wiley Sons. Pearlson, K.E., Saunders, C.S. and Galletta, D.F., 2016.Managing and Using Information Systems, Binder Ready Version: A Strategic Approach. John Wiley Sons. Rainer, R.K., Cegielski, C.G., Splettstoesser-Hogeterp, I. and Sanchez-Rodriguez, C., 2013. Introduction to information systems: Supporting and transforming business. John Wiley Sons. Scheer, A.W., 2012.Architecture of integrated information systems: foundations of enterprise modelling. Springer Science Business Media. Sousa, K.J. and Oz, E., 2014.Management information systems. Nelson Education. Ward, J. and Peppard, J., 2016. The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a Digital Strategy. John Wiley Sons.