Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Art History - Essay Example He incorporated classical elements such as round arches instead of the common pointed ones resulting to fully-scaled figures. These figures were relied in formation of compositions in Roman. Later, Glovanni, Pisano’s son, introduced a contrasting version of art by arranging figures loosely and dynamically creating excitement in the evolving art motion (Kleiner, 23-30). Painting architecture during ancient Italy patronage system was the influence by the fall of Constantinople in 1204. One of the leading painters, Bonaventura used oil to paint on wood focusing on church figures such as saints. Biblical narratives were a great source of influence in painting which led to the construction of churches in the 13th century. This led to development of laypersons in the 14th and 15th century who dedicated themselves to strict religious observance (Kleiner, 37-40). Between 14th and 16th century training to become a formal artist became a necessity through which an individual acquired membership in the appropriate guild. Humanist and artist Leon Battista Alberti set the rules governing the art of painting. Pietro Lorenzetti contribution pictorial realism in 14th century incepted a new feature in arts. Flemish painters were evolving new methods in oil painting that permitted them to paint human beings and substance in amazingly life like way, using palettes of vivacious descriptions. Prior to this, arts were religious in character. Structural innovation, involving careful inspection of what lay directly before an artist eye started taking place. Artists introduced illusionistic representation in fashion and visual form all societal concerns (Kleiner, 43-57). Inclusion of secular them in art work was a reflection of the evolving societal. With seclusion of laymen and women strictly following religious doctrines, other societal members relied on artwork to express their views on religion and the world (Kleiner, 60-77). Throughout the fourteenth,

Media studies comparative Essay Example for Free

Media studies comparative Essay Over the last twenty-five years the television series Doctor Who (and others) have altered massively. Different styles of presenting television shows, the way actors act and the certain way the story flows ultimately means that the new Doctor Who series is shown in a brand new light. This essay sets out to outline and highlight similarities and differences between the old Doctor Who of the 1980s and the brand new series that was recently aired. Many techniques have changed over the years; the new series is a prime comparative example of whats changed, and whats not. Russell T Davis, the writer of Doctor Who has written the story in such a way it reflects current society truths. He wrote Rose Tylers part on par with the Doctors own story; he later said neither was more important than the other. However in The Leisure Hive the author gives the Doctor a much more superior role compared to Romana who isnt that important and doesnt do very much. In the new series Tyler is given a much bigger part, she has more to say and do and is vital for the Doctors plans to succeed. Tyler and Romana also get very different times on the screen. For instance in the Leisure Hive the Doctor and Romana are in the shot. They both have equal space, the doctor is standing and is ready for action, but Romana is sitting down looking casual ready to sit and watch it all. (This is the scene where the space ship goes over their head). As I have already deduced Romana isnt that essential in the Doctors plans and so naturally doesnt spend as much time acting as the Doctor, whilst Tyler, the Doctors close assistant does. Its all down to the fact that society has changed the way we portray and look at women on television. Something else that has also changed is the way Tyler acts. She is a lot more masculine than Romana who can be described as girlie and weak. Tyler wears more casual and unisex clothes like jeans, trainers and a tee shirt while Romana is wearing a much more eccentric dress and heels. Tyler and Romana also contribute very different narrative. Tyler has more to say and do than Romana who is basically a background support actor. Because Tyler is invaluable to the story line she is given much more action than Romana. Most key points and advances in knowledge are made by Tyler, Romana on the other hand does help but she is also a slight hindrance. This is due to her weak attitude and the way she shows herself to the audience. Romana seems to be the person to go with the flow. She comes across to the audience as someone who means well, but is very lazy and doesnt want to be there. This is also something else that makes Tyler seem more genuine and realistic. Over the years people have slowly began to stop speaking in Standard English. They began talking in a much more slangeey way. Romana still speaks in Standard English. She is very posh, and thinks highly of herself, Tyler on the other hand is much more forward chatty and seems down-to-earth the average person youd see in the street. This attracts us in, as Tyler is someone we would like to know, she behaves and acts, as we would like to do ourselves. Many things have happened since the release of The Leisure Hive. Romana was told to act in a certain way and she did. Now we can look back and discuss what has not changed. In some cases they can be very similar, but mostly they act both as they are expected. In general both characters have got the characteristics to be successful assistants. They are brave, heroic and clever these are some of the type of abilities needed which have not changed over the years. Tyler and Romana are the same in the sense that they both want to help, but overall Tyler swings it with the authentic acting, and genuine personality with really makes differences to the viewer and how he or she portrays women now. Many different things have happened, that have affected the way we watch, and portray women in British society. Women are now shown to be leaders, people to stand up and fight for righteousness and oppose evilness, and this follows the typical plot of a drama series (or film), which is why Doctor Who is such a popular and enjoyable series to watch. Richard Callus Media Studies Comparative Textual Analysis Coursework

An Overview of Artificial Intelligence Essay -- Technology Artificial

An Overview of Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence, a concept that would make possible our most remote dreams, specially for housewives. Would not it be interesting to know what is this marvelous thing that is going to make our dreams come true? I think it is. AI(Artificial Intelligence) is a fairly new field in Computer Science, my subject, which I found very interesting. AI it is not a well defined concept yet, which it is not a surprise for me, considering that is a very new term and that it contains a word that is has not been well defined either. Through the years, psychologist have come up with many different concept for what intelligence is; some of them have become obsolete with the years, but there are a few that have transcend. Therefore, now a days we have various theories, and choosing one is a matter of opinion. This is one of the major reasons why scientific in the computer field have not been able to agree in a common concept for AI because each of then comes up with a theory based on the concept of intelligence they believe in, creating a dilemma similar to the one psychologist have with intelligence. Any way, here is the concept of intelligence that we will assume in this case: "One faction within the AI community defines intelligence as the ability to cope with change and to incorporate new information in order to improve performance"(Wash 1). This definition may not be the most popular one when we are talking about intelligence in human beings, but in my opinion it is the best one to use when defining AI. So using the previous definition of intelligence, Darrel Patrick Wash said that "Artificial Intelligence is that which mimics humans reasoning or sensing"(1). Where did it come from? Is i... ...nology like this in a very civilized way. I guess it a feeling similar to the one that the creator of dynamite had. He knew he had created a marvelous product but what he did not imaging was the kind of destruction that this will bring. With equipment like the ones Artificial Intelligence can provide, we may be able to blow, not only the earth like it would happened if an atomic war occurs, but also a great part of the universe because these machines will be able to travel everywhere and may be also through time. I can only hope that when the moment comes to use it, we will be able to control our destructive nature and to concentrate in the great positives thing we can do with equipment like this. Like for example visit and exploring other planets. Work Cited Page Wash, Darrel Patrick. "Artificial Intelligence." Occupational Outlook Quarterly Summer 1989: 2.

Death Investigations and the Role of the Forensic Nurse

The International Association of Forensic Nurses website states, â€Å"Every state/ county has different needs and resources, and every state/county may run death investigations with a different approach. What matters is that every effort be made to ensure a thorough, accurate, and timely investigation. A faulty cause of death determination can significantly impact surviving family members, agencies responsible for planning public health policy, civil or criminal action, and even public safety. (Schindell, 2006) The possibility of forensic investigations may begin in first aid situations, or in the emergency department. The nurse's first duty is to provide immediate care to the patient, but the nurse must also be prepared to preserve evidence for possible criminal investigations. (Dean ; Mulligan, 2009) This becomes andatory in the situation where the patient dies. It is very important that evidence and intormation surrounding the death is preserved The body should not be cleaned pr ior to transport to the morgue, and any tubes, IVs or other medical equipment should be left in place.The nurse on duty can be instrumental in making sure that everything remains as it was in order to make it easier for the medical examiner. The nurse must also be sure to document all procedures performed, including attempts to establish an ‘V, as well as noting all injury sites. (Erricksen, 2008, p. 40) Other investigations begin when a suspicious death is reported to the ppropriate agency. The death investigator will go to the scene in order to collect evidence, photograph the area, and gather information regarding the environment and positioning of the body.The investigator will also question witnesses, family members, and law enforcement officials to gather more information regarding the victim, including past medical history, condition prior to death, circumstances leading up to the death, if known, and if the body has been moved. This would be followed by detailed invest igation of the body, any clothing, and clues to medical conditions such s medic alert bracelets or presence of insulin pumps, etc. (McDonough, 2013) The forensic nurse can perform or assist with all of these duties, and must be careful and meticulous in writing reports of their findings. The completion of good contemporaneous records may be vital to any statements of evidence that a nurse may be required to produce at a later date, to either the police or coroner. † (Dean & Mulligan, 2009, p. 39) In many cases, if the primary investigator does not have medical training, the forensic nurse's experience and knowledge can be invaluable. Schindell, 2006) Forensic nurses can also apply information and practices from other areas to death investigations.Researchers in Alaska have determined that sex- related homicides can be difficult to properly identify, and may be under-reported for that reason. Calling upon the expertise of a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), the researchers were able to apply standard techniques from sexual assault cases with living victims to investigations of homicides. These techniques, especially examination with a colposcope to identify anogenital injuries, were able to identify exual assault related injuries, and to properly classify some homicides as being sex- related (Henry, 2009).Inclusion of forensic nurses in further sex-related homicides would be beneficial to law enforcement officials. â€Å"Forensic nurses have taken a leadership role in improving healthcare's response to living victims of sexual assault and forensic pathologists and law enforcement would benefit from including a forensic nurse, specialized in sexual assault examinations, in the multidisciplinary response to deceased victims. † (Henry, 2009, p. 64) A qualified and trained forensic urse can even act as the coroner if there is no medical examiner available. In counties where non-medical Deputy Medical Examiners are being asked to conduct the majorit y of a death investigation, medical expertise should be readily accessible to them. A forensically trained nurse can be an ideal medical representative in these situations. † (Schindell, 2006) The primary goal of a death investigation is to determine the cause and manner of death. This can sometimes require detailed and painstaking investigation, not only of the immediate cause of death, but of possible comorbidities that may have contributed to the death.

Appraising the Secretaries at Sweetwater University Essay

1.What is computer? -Computer is an electronic device that is designed to work with Information.The term ‘computer is derived from the Latin term ‘computare’, this means to calculate.Computer can not do anything without a Program.it represents the decimal numbers through a string of binary digits. Computer is an advanced electronic device that takes raw data as input from the user and processes these data under the control of set of instructions (called program) and gives the result (output) and saves output for the future use. It can process both numerical and non-numerical (arithmetic and logical) calculations. 2.Four functions of computer -The four basic functions of a computer are input, processing, output and storage. Input is the information which is entered into the computer. Processing is performing operations on or manipulating data. Output is the result of the data processing. Storage refers to devices that can retain the data when the computer is deactivated. 3.Computer system -A system of interconnected computers that share a central storage system and various peripheral devices such as a printers, scanners, or routers. Each computer connected to the system can operate independently, but has the ability to communicate with other external devices and computers. 4.Classifications of computer according to 3 devices – (1) Micro computers: These computers use a microprocessor chip and this chip is used instead of CPU means that this microprocessor chip works as a CPU. These computers are also called personal computers. Two major types of these computers are laptop or Desktop computers. Only one user uses these computers at time that’s why they are also known as personal computers. (2) Mini Computers: These are powerful computer. These computers come into existence in 1960s at that time mainframe computer was very costly. Mini computers were available in cheap prices, so users start using it. (3) Mainframe Computer: It as a very powerful and large computer. You can get  idea of its power as it can handle processing of many users at a time. Terminals are used to connect a user to this computer and users submit there task through mainframe. Terminal is a device which has keyboard and a screen. By using terminal users put inputs into the computer and get the output through screen. (4) Super Computers: As the name â€Å"super computer† specifies that these are most powerful computers even than mainframe. Actually, when we optimize a mainframe computer then we get super computer. 5. History of computer – The word ‘computer’ originally implied a person, who, under instructions from a mathematician, performed mechanical calculations. Mechanical calculating devices such as the abacus were often put to use to aid this process. At the end of the Middle Ages, mathematics and engineering in Europe received a considerable boost, thus leading to the invention of numerous mechanical calculating devices. The technology for clockwork was developed by the early 17th century. The period between the early 19th century and early 20th century saw the development of a number of technologies which would be vital for the development of the digital computer later on. Some examples are the punched card and the valve. Charles Babbage was the first person to design a fully programmable computer as early as 1837. However, he was unable to actually construct his computer due to a variety of reasons. Analog computers were increasingly used in the first half of the 20th century for a number of scientific computing needs. However, they became obsolete after the development of the digital computer. The first digital computer was the Atanasoff Berry Computer . It used a binary system of arithmetic, parallel processing, a separation of memory and computing functions and regenerative memory. Binary math and electronic circuits – both of which are used in today’s computers – were first used in the Atanasoff Berry Computer. In the 1930’s and 1940’s, newer and more efficient computers were continuously developed. Gradually, they came to possess the key features which are present in modern day computers – digital electronics and flexibility of programming. Among the more important machines to be developed during this time, the American ENIAC was prominent. It was a general purpose machine, but had an inflexible architecture. Later a far superior technique known as the stored program architecture was  developed. It is the foundation from which all modern computers are derived. Throughout the 1950’s, computer design [http://www.online-computers.info] was primarily valve driven. This was later replaced by transistor-driven design in the 1960’s. Transistor-based computers were smaller, faster and cheaper, and hence commercially viable. Integrated circuit technology, adopted in the 1970’s enabled computer production costs to hit a new low, so that even individuals could afford them. That was the birth of the personal computer, as it is known today. 6.Examples of Input,Output Devices: *Manual- Abacus,Slide rule,Leibiniz’z Calculator,Napier’s bones,Pascal calculator,Babbage’s Analytical engine *Electronic-Unversal automatic computer,Electronic delayed storage automatic calculator,Electronic discrete variable automatic computer,Electronic numerical integrator and calculator,Atanossof-Berry computer *Electromechanical-Automatic sequence controlled calculator,Jacquard’s Loom, Hollerith’s punched-card machine

Funny Quotes for Graduation Speeches

Funny Quotes for Graduation Speeches If youve been asked to speak at a high school or college graduation or celebration, you may be searching for the perfect icebreaker. But how do you get a group of serious-minded students and their parents to crack a smile? Fortunately, plenty of famous (and not-so-famous) writers and orators have been in the same situation before you, and have come up with some clever, witty quotes to borrow. Funny Quotes About Education and Learning High schools and colleges take academics very seriously, but there is a funny side to learning! UnknownOne thing about the school of experience is that it will repeat the lesson if you flunk the first time. George ForemanI think sleeping was my problem in school. If  school  had started at 4:00 in the afternoon, Id be a  college graduate  today. Oscar WildeEducation  is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught. Theodore  Roosevelt  A  man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car. But if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. Funny Quotes About Graduation Graduation is a formal event with lots of pomp and circumstance. Seen through the right lens, though, it is pretty funny! Robert OrbenA graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that individuality is the key to success. Gary BoldingYour families are extremely proud of you. You cant imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing. This would be a most opportune time to ask for money. Doug LarsonThe trouble with learning from experience is that you never graduate. James DarcyIt was only when I finished the course and left my graduation diploma on the bus that I realized Id become an actor. Garry TrudeauCommencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated. Robert GoheenIf you feel that you have both feet planted on level ground, then the university has failed you. UnknownThe tassel’s worth the hassle! Erma Bombeck  Graduation day is tough for adults. They go to the ceremony as parents. They come home as contemporaries. After twenty-two years of child-raising, they are unemployed.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jon StewartThe unfortunate, yet truly exciting thing about your life, is that there is no core curriculum. The entire place is an elective. Bill Watterson  So, what’s it like in the real world? Well, the food is better, but beyond that, I don’t recommend it. Funny Quotes About Succeeding in Life Most commencement speakers have something to say about success in life and the road ahead. Here are some quotes to add a little humor to your sage advice. ProverbYou cannot get to the top by sitting on your bottom. Ed HelmsSo long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, youre on the right track. Frank A. Clark  If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesnt lead anywhere. UnknownAll that stands between the graduate and the top of the ladder is the ladder.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ellen DeGeneres  Follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someone elses path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path then by all means you should follow that.

Convict Life and Punishments in Australia

Convict Life and Punishments in Australia Who were the Convicts?The late 18th century was a period of immense social and political change. In Britain the industrial revolution had driven thousands of country folk below the poverty line to the cities. This created a new underclass dependent on crime which resulted in the prisons overflowing. In 1787 the British government urgently needed a solution to the problems of the growing prison population. They came up with a solution to send the prisoners to Botany Bay, Australia. It wasn't the ideal choice as the place had only been glimpsed once on Captain Cook's expedition and the 15,000 mile voyage would take over 8 months. Nevertheless between 1788 1868, 165,000 British and Irish convicts made the journey to the unknown land, Australia.The Majority of the 165,000 convicts transported to Australia were poor and illiterate victims of Poor Laws and Social conditions. 8 out of 10 convicts were convicted for some kind of theft.ConvictThe average age of the convicts was 26, which incl uded children ho were either convicted of crimes or just making the journey with their mothers. 15% of the convicts were women or 1 woman for every 6 people. During the first 40 years of transportation convicts were sentenced to terms of 7 years, 10 years and life. However they could be pardoned earlier if they were exceptionally well behaved. A man with a seven year sentence could apply for his ticket of leave after four years of proven good behaviour; a man sentenced to 14 years could do so after 6 years and a man sentenced to life could apply after 8 years. Sentences could also be shortened through exceptional services such as spying on his mates or catching an escapee.Convict LifeConvict life was harsh, it was neither pleasant nor easy. The...

Receiving Inspiration from the Small Things We Encounter. EssaySupply.com

Receiving Inspiration from the Small Things We Encounter Receiving Inspiration from the Small Things We Encounter When we were children, we did not pay much attention to world leaders and other public figures whose achievements and speeches inspired our parents. Our worlds were made up of the little pleasures, the everyday observations we made of our physical world, our playmates and our teachers - the simple fun of watching a ladybug travel across a large leaf or the happiness of having a friend over to play. As adults, we forget these marvels of our childhood, and we seek to be inspired by the big ideas, by the big heroes, and by the major accomplishments of mankind, just as our parents did. We have forgotten our childhood inspirations, and maybe we should try to capture those types of things again. Maybe we need to remind ourselves that sources of inspiration are all around us. Here are some examples that may cause you to pause, take a breath, and really see your world. Nature When was the last time you stopped to observe some wonders of nature from which you could draw inspiration? Here are a few things you might want to re-visit: Watch a bee as it extracts pollen from a flower Watch a colony of ants carrying food back to their nest Watch a hummingbird feed itself with its wings moving so fat, you can barely see them Watch a mama robin pull a worm from the ground, mush it up in her mouth and then feed it to her babies in the nest. How hard these little critters work, just for their daily sustenance and to ensure that their species live on. This should inspire all of us to work harder, not just for the sake of our own children but for the sake of all generations to come. What inspiration can we get to do whatever we can, if only on an individual basis, to care for our planet so that future generations have a safe, clean environment in which to raise their children? People We have big heroes – Steven Hawking, the hometown hero who rescued children from a burning building and became an overnight local news sensation, Mother Theresa, the Pope, a politician whose speeches captivate and inspire us. Who, for example, can forget John Kennedy’s words, â€Å"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.†Ã‚   But what about the small heroes we encounter every day – people who are generous, kind, courageous, and serve as role models to others. The kid who steps in and helps another who is being bullied The man who stops by a disabled homeless individual and proceeds to give him a large donation The child cancer victims who are putting up a courageous fight and remaining positive The diner who leaves a huge tip because s/he knows how little servers make The man on the street who rakes his elderly neighbor’s leaves and shovels her driveway in the winter. All of these people should inspire us to be better than we are. If we continue to look around ourselves, as we go about our daily lives and activities, we will find those things and people that inspire us – It’s what we do with that inspiration that then really counts.

Reasons Affecting Nurses Working In Washington DC Research Paper

Reasons Affecting Nurses Working In Washington DC - Research Paper Example As per requirements, there may be call-backs. The condition is such that the nurses have to deal with more than one patient at a time. Due to an increase in work pressure, they may not get lunch breaks and may even have to work overtime. These reasons are hampering the quality of service that the nurses provide. These may result in fatigue, stress, loss of sleep and several other adverse consequences. Nurses of Washington DC, working in such an environment, have a greater chance of making mistakes during work. This work environment can discourage the nurses and that may lead to some of the nurses quitting nursing or limiting their working hours. Â  As per requirements, there may be call-backs. The condition is such that the nurses have to deal with more than one patient at a time. Due to an increase in work pressure, they may not get lunch breaks and may even have to work overtime. These reasons are hampering the quality of service that the nurses provide. These may result in fatigu e, stress, loss of sleep and several other adverse consequences. Nurses of Washington DC, working in such an environment, have a greater chance of making mistakes during work. This work environment can discourage the nurses and that may lead to some of the nurses quitting nursing or limiting their working hours. Effects of fatigue on performance Fatigue can adversely affect any type of performance. It can deteriorate alertness, concentration, judgment, etc. Human beings have developed a habit of working during the day and sleeping at night.

Violence in Video Games - Does it train to kill Essay

Violence in Video Games - Does it train to kill - Essay Example For example, a nationwide conversation ensued regarding what connection video games had to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre where two students murdered 13 and wounded 23 before killing themselves. While many motivations were likely involved, it is not possible to identify precisely what provoked these teenagers to shoot their classmates and teachers but violent video games have been mentioned as one possible contributing factor. The two students had often played Doom, a brutal and bloody firearms game that is used by the military to teach the U.S. armed forces how to kill more efficiently. To what degree this game influenced the actions of these two youths has been argued since this incident. The entertainment media, it is widely accepted, is an extremely influential factor in everyone’s lives. â€Å"What behaviors children and adults consider appropriate comes, in part, from the lessons we learn from television and the movies† (Huesmann & Miller, 1994). It is re asonable to expect video games, especially those that portray violence, will have similar and possibly a more expansive effect on violent behavior. Currently, few papers exist which have thoroughly studied the connection between violent video game and subsequent violent actions. As video games are progressively becoming more ferocious and explicit as well as more prevalent, additional research continues to suggest that violent video games have significant capability to affect the impressionable minds of the young people who play them and illuminate to parents the risks associated with these games. When video games first appeared about 30 years ago, they were simplistic and seemingly innocuous. Atari pioneered the video game with Pong in the mid-1970’s which was a video version of table tennis. The 1980’s saw arcade games such as Asteroids and Pac-Man become popular. â€Å"In Pac-Man, a yellow orb with a mouth raced around the screen chomping up ghosts and goblins. At this point,

Software Engendering Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Software Engendering - Assignment Example Additionally, it can be stated that the fact that this kind of a development method helps the customers to select the next set of releases by pinpointing on the most valuable features (often called stories) while analyzing them on the basis of cost factors plays a major role in reducing the time period required for development (Beck 71). The fourth characteristic of this kind of a development method is the fact that the larger project can be divided in to multiple smaller assignments and can be handled individually by the various team members in a very short time span. Another very important characteristic is the fact that this kind of a development method has an iteration step, the main goal of which is to produce the new stories that have been already tested. Types of software that can be developed by using the agile development and extreme programming method While trying to identify the software that can be developed by implementing an agile development, the focus needs to be give n on the nature of operations that are associated with this development method. It has to be mentioned that this kind of a development requires continuous engagement as well as participation of the client (Fowler, â€Å"Is Design Dead†). ... The continuous interaction of the client with the developers as well as the need to develop the projects in a very short time span will greatly help in implementing and following this kind of a development method. Apart from outsourced projects, this kind of extreme programming as well as agile development method can be followed in-house project developments for SME organizations where the requirements are not properly defined (Beck, 1999, p. 77). Comparing agile development method with Waterfall model It needs to be highlighted that the waterfall model comprises four different and very important steps like analysis, design, implementation as well as test. The waterfall model requires a proper planning of the entire processes. Each of the four important stages of the waterfall model is very time consuming in nature. It also needs to be stated that since the entire process is very stringent in nature, the ability to make any incremental changes in the development process of the softwa re is very low. The long development cycles of the waterfall model makes it very y harmful for the entire developing team as it unnecessarily blocks the required amount of resources. In comparing the waterfall model with that of the agile development method, it can be stated that the agile development method is highly flexible in nature. Also, the entire development time can be reduced in a great manner under the agile development model. Comparing agile development method with Iterative model In elaborating about the iterative model, it can be stated that the model follows similar stages as compared to that of the waterfall model. However, the time consumption in the process of project development is relatively shorter as

Assisting Teachers to choose the appropriate e-learning tool PART 2 Assignment

Assisting Teachers to choose the appropriate e-learning tool PART 2 - Assignment Example A goal of Blooms nomenclature is to motivate teachers to focus on all three areas, creating a more rounded form of teaching. Blooms nomenclature is considered to be an introductory and essential component within the teaching community. A tradition has developed around the nomenclature, possibly due to countless people learning about the nomenclature over second hand data. Bloom himself reflected the Handbook "one of the highly cited yet least read in American teaching". ISTE Values (formerly the NETS)Â  for Instructors (ISTE Standards) are the principles for estimating the skills and information educators need to instill, work and study in a progressively connected universal and numerical society. As technology incorporation continues to surge in our society, it is vital that teachers retain the skills and comportments of digital age specialists. Moving onward, teachers need to become contented being co-learners with their apprentices and coworkers worldwide. An algorithm is an involved way to clarify your philosophies using step-by-step directions. A clear procedure basically means that not only you can comprehend it, but persons who are relying on your procedure in order to comprehend your notion can do as well. A procedure that is perfect however, is not fundamentally correct. The good thing about a language is that there exists numerous ways to extant one idea. A correct procedure means that it will essentially perform as anticipated. Efficacy can be termed as working fast and accurately. Would you quite have a game that opened in 10 or 5 minutes? That can be exacted by your algorithm’s efficacy. Having an effectual algorithm means it operates as smoothly as probable and in the least amount of time. A clear system consists of proper classification. For instance while writing a package; you might have variables whose information is dog, pink and

Critical Thinking - Basic Concepts of Quantitative Reasoning; Research Paper - 1

Critical Thinking - Basic Concepts of Quantitative Reasoning; Hypothesis Formulation - Research Paper Example An individual suffering from mild traumatic brain injury may lose perception for a few seconds or minutes or may remain conscious throughout. Other mild traumatic brain injury symptoms include confusion, headache, lightheadedness, blurred vision, dizziness, ringing in the ears, fatigue, bad taste in the mouth, sleep pattern changes, mood or behavioral changes, nausea, slurred speech, temporary loss of memory, attention, concentration or thinking capacity (Cifu et al, 2010; Murdoch & Theodoros, 2001). On average, more or less 2 million traumatic brain injuries transpire per year, either as isolated cases or by the side of other injuries. Common symptoms of moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries are abnormal social behavior, deficits in social judgment, frequent loss of attention, processing speed and executive functioning. Anyone with signs of traumatic brain injury ought to receive immediate medical attention; based on the fact that traumatic brain injury is a health risk. As a starter, medical personnel try to stabilize a person with traumatic brain injury and focus on preventing additional injury since little can be done to correct the initial brain injury resulting from the trauma; this is regarded as an initial treatment for traumatic brain injury. The primary concerns include ensuring proper oxygen supply, ensuring adequate blood flow, and maintaining normal blood pressure. Imaging tests help in diagnosing a traumatic brain injury patient (High, 2005). Patients with m ild to modest traumatic brain injury undergo skull and neck X-rays to check for bone fractures or spinal irregularities. Moderately to severely injured patients have to undergo rehabilitation depending on individual symptoms. Such therapy programs include speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, physiatry, psychology/psychiatry, and social support (Murdoch & Theodoros,

Esaay 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Esaay 1 - Essay Example Intelligence and Analysis are, thus, horses of different colors that serve in a symbiotic relationship to broaden the meaning and functionality of ideas that so important to every nation the world over. This paper endeavors to dig deep into this very important relationship, explaining the dynamics involved in creating suitable solutions adopted in policy making, how analysis infiltrates intelligence reports as a corrective agent, the effect of analysis in driving home accuracy levels in intelligence reports, and the very impact of intelligent analysis in policy legislation successes and/or failure. In their piece titled â€Å"Intelligence: The Secret World of Spies: An Anthology,† Johnson and Wirtz defines Intelligence Cycle as â€Å"the process by which information is gathered, analyzed, and converted into usable intelligence data to affect policy changes† (5). Intelligence Cycle, therefore, runs through several processing processes that incorporate planning, data collection, analysis and subsequent breakdown, and lastly, the production and dissemination of information into usable forms or rather to be acted upon. Noteworthy, Intelligence Cycles, as the two scholars argues, is fitted with analytical mechanics right from the initiation processes of pooling/assemblage of information to the presentation of final reports for policymaking; a clear indication of the complementarity functioning of Intelligence cycle and the analysis cycle tasks. The accuracy of intelligence reports always serves as a critical element to inform whether such should be acted upon or not right from the beginning. Accordingly, it takes critical analysis to collect data, visual or otherwise, by intelligence officers, translate those that so requires, in order to tighten any loose ends and/or provide accurate report/description of a case under investigation. In

Critical Thinking - Basic Concepts of Quantitative Reasoning; Research Paper - 1

Critical Thinking - Basic Concepts of Quantitative Reasoning; Hypothesis Formulation - Research Paper Example An individual suffering from mild traumatic brain injury may lose perception for a few seconds or minutes or may remain conscious throughout. Other mild traumatic brain injury symptoms include confusion, headache, lightheadedness, blurred vision, dizziness, ringing in the ears, fatigue, bad taste in the mouth, sleep pattern changes, mood or behavioral changes, nausea, slurred speech, temporary loss of memory, attention, concentration or thinking capacity (Cifu et al, 2010; Murdoch & Theodoros, 2001). On average, more or less 2 million traumatic brain injuries transpire per year, either as isolated cases or by the side of other injuries. Common symptoms of moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries are abnormal social behavior, deficits in social judgment, frequent loss of attention, processing speed and executive functioning. Anyone with signs of traumatic brain injury ought to receive immediate medical attention; based on the fact that traumatic brain injury is a health risk. As a starter, medical personnel try to stabilize a person with traumatic brain injury and focus on preventing additional injury since little can be done to correct the initial brain injury resulting from the trauma; this is regarded as an initial treatment for traumatic brain injury. The primary concerns include ensuring proper oxygen supply, ensuring adequate blood flow, and maintaining normal blood pressure. Imaging tests help in diagnosing a traumatic brain injury patient (High, 2005). Patients with m ild to modest traumatic brain injury undergo skull and neck X-rays to check for bone fractures or spinal irregularities. Moderately to severely injured patients have to undergo rehabilitation depending on individual symptoms. Such therapy programs include speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, physiatry, psychology/psychiatry, and social support (Murdoch & Theodoros,

Compartive review of two books relevance to South Asian history Research Paper

Compartive review of two books relevance to South Asian history - Research Paper Example Attempting a comparative study of these two eminent personalities one should first of all focus on their background. The people of India keep everlasting memories about Subhas Chandra Bose even after fifty years of his death, but he is not much popular to many of the westerners. As the extremist leader of the Provisional Government of Free India after its establishment by the Axis powers during World War II, many regard him as the Asian Hitler or Quisling. But he was soon forgotten just after the Allies defeated his Indian National army. For the Indians, he is still â€Å"Netaji† or "revered leader." Mother Theresa, the Nun Mother was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 26, 1910. She was born to Albanian descent parents and it is said that she had the call of God at the age of twelve. This prompted her in joining the sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India (The Nobel Peace Prize 1979). When Mother was assigned to India after her initial vows as a nun, she happened to meet the pathetic state of the poor people outside the convent wall and decided to uplift their dismal state. Though she was devoid of any funds to support them, she herself felt that she had the Divine Providence which helped her all through her life. This selfless and endless sympathy along with kindness for the fellow beings, make her different and it is the same that earned her The Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Therefore, analyzing the biography of Netaji and Mother, one can certainly identify certain similarities; both fought for the freedom of people, Netaji for physical freedom and Mother for spiritual freedom and the main contrasts are concerned with Netaji as an extremist leader and Mother as the one followed non-violence like Mahatma Gandhi to attain her goals. 1) What subject matter does each author cover? The texts selected here for comparing and contrasting the characters of Mother Theresa and Subhas Chandra Bose are; "Subhas Chan dra Bose: a biography" (2002) by Marshall J. Getz and, "Mother Teresa: helping the poor" (1998) by William Jay Jacobs. Both the texts attempt a down to earth study of the given personalities without avoiding even the minute details. This is quite identifiable when observing the way the authors arrange the texts. Marshall J. Getz has arranged his book, â€Å"Subhas Chandra Bose: a biography† very systematically, beginning with the childhood of Netaji. The text has a logical sequence of development in the arrangement of incidents occurred in his life. The minute observation of the author is quite visible when he narrates Netaji’s father, Janakinath, a lawyer. Here the author, Marshall J. Getz writes, â€Å"His father, Jnakinath Bose, enjoyed an outstanding reputation as a lawyer among the local population of 20,000† (7). The subject matter of this book is concerned with Subhas Chandra Bose, his childhood, towering as a great political leader, the factors helped fo r attaining this position, his path-by putting an end to education and beginning politics, visits to foreign countries intended to seek help and support for his Indian National Army, and so on. The author has colorfully portrayed his towering as ‘Netaji’ and as the darling of the Axis. The chapter entitled; ‘The falling Tiger’ describing his disappearance and death, which is still left as a mystery. William Jay Jacobs has

The Demon In The Free

The Demon In The Freezer Essay Richard Preston has established himself a reputation of being a storyteller that mastered on putting faces on otherwise undistinguishable deadly viral diseases like ebola virus, anthrax and smallpox. He is keen on carefully describing to his readers how fatal these viruses are in his novels. He has proven himself to be an expert on stirring awareness among his clientele about these viruses which though contained in a sense that these are confined to certain facilities of the world, have now been made and being developed by certain terrorist groups into a fatal weapon which at any moment can be discharged anywhere to effectively kill and thus strike terror among the targeted public. Like his other books (i. e. Biohazard, The Coming Plague, and The Hot Zone), The Demon In The Freezer is effective in keeping the readers attention to follow every turn of the story. The Book is divided into eight thrilling chapters. Opening in the life of an ordinary photo retoucher of the National Enquirer in early seventies by the name of Robert Stevens, the author skillfully guides the readers to a shocking awareness of the presence of the Anthrax virus that killed Stevens (Preston, 2002). The unfolding of the story at the outset was seemingly calm until the death of Stevens which at this time has triggered anticipation in the reader and keeps him/her following the next turn of the story. The whole book effectively tells of the looming dangers of biological weapons. Since these viruses were put under control and relegated to the confines of laboratories such as in Atlanta and Siberia, the thought that some of these viral diseases are currently in the hands of terrorists is just simply terrifying. On the other hand, constant care must be observed by those who currently responsibly keeping these for further studies. Preston is adept in telling this kind of story. His accurate knowledge on these matters, which obviously a product of extensive research, was carefully woven into his story. All the important details and informations which naturally enhanced the story are all facts based on true accounts. Preston is also effective in giving his readers the rationale behind why the battle still rages on destroying these viruses among those suspected of keeping them. This is definitely a good read. Reference: Preston, Richard. October 8, 2002 (1st Edition). Publisher: Random House.

Essay --

Abraham Lincoln’s outlooks on slavery were constructed by the times and places in which he was raised and during his time serving his country. Slavery was an accepted foundation in the United States across Lincoln’s developmental years. Lincoln’s own feelings about African Americans and slavery were constant over the years; however when it came to his political positions and actions regarding slavery, they changed as the national situation changed. Lincoln had always acknowledged that slavery was wrong, but that it was accepted and mandatory for the South’s economy. â€Å"In Bloomington, Illinois, he stated ‘that southern slaveholders were neither better, nor worse than we of the north, and that we of the north were no better than they. And we never ought to lose sight of this fact in discussing the subject.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Dillon, Amber. "Lincoln's Changing Views on Slavery†) Lincoln first supported the idea that African Americans did not earn the same rights and treatment of the white men. His perspective of this came from his background and family. With Lincoln’s election to congress in 1854 and the start of the Mexican War, it brought the issue of the expansion of slave territory to the nation’s attention. With this, Lincoln created a coherent position on slavery. â€Å"He was opposed to black equality and had no intention of disturbing slavery in slave states. However, he recognized that slavery was wrong and should not be allowed to spread to new states.† (Dillon, Amber. "Lincoln's Changing Views on Slavery†) This obvious alter in Lincoln’s position developed as he gained political maturity. Lincoln’s next big outlook change on slavery came from when he ran for Senate in 1858 against Stephen A. Douglas. With this lively campaign, Lincoln an... ...widow, and his orphan- to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ("Second Inaugural Address." Documents America's History) Lincoln expresses how he wants the nation to change the way they have been rationalizing throughout the previous years with the issue of slavery. He doesn’t want anyone to think he holds spite towards them for their previous ways of thinking. Lincoln wanted the Nation to come together as one, instead of two as they have always been. In the previous quote he said just that. Abraham Lincoln wasn’t born â€Å"The Great Emancipator,† though he became â€Å"The Great Emancipator.† Even though Lincoln didn’t particularly have an opinion on slavery in his beginning years, his opinion changed drastically over time. Lincoln always had the Nation’s best interest in heart, and that was made clear.

Divine Comedy - Sin and Judgment in Dantes Inferno Essay -- Divine Co

Dante's Concept of Sin and Judgment in The Inferno      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Infidelity, murder, betrayal, and conspiracy all play an integral part in the story of the relationship between Jason and Medea. Jason is guilty of all four acts and Medea involves herself in three. Yet, perhaps, in the eyes of Dante, Medea might fall further into the realm of Dis than Jason. But, should she? And, is Dante's view of Jason and his sentence in Hell appropriate?    From Dante's perspective, crimes of passion or desire are the least abhorrent and consequently deserve minimal punishment in comparison to what he believes are the more serious offenses. These sinners, the carnal, the gluttonous, the hoarders and wasters, along with the wrathful and sullen fall just below the virtuous pagans in Dante's hell. In some way, they represent a loss of self control, of reason gone amiss, as each plunges into a personal world of self indulgence. To Dante, those that succumb to the pleasures of the 'will' deserve an eternity less painful than those who fall into emotional or psychological despair. Yet, like the sins that constitute placement deeper in the bowels of Hell, all represent a punishment equal to or reflective of the sin as it existed in life. For example, the carnal are banished to an eternity of being whirled about by the wind (Dante) forever lusting after what they sought in life. They reach for shadows that were once the bodies they desired. However, in Hell the only thing they feel is the passion they lost.    Next, Dante describes the sinners who dwell within the walls of Dis. Confined to the city of Hell are the heretics and those who commit acts of violence against either their neighbors, themselves, or God, art, or... ...f transgressions, betrayal of one's benefactor, and both deserve to torment each other for eternity in the pit of Hell.    Works Cited  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Dante. The Inferno. Trans. John Ciardi. New York: Penguin, 1954.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Euripides. Medea. Trans. Rex Warner. New York: Dover, 1993.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York: Penguin, 1969.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ovid.   Metamorphoses. Trans. A.D. Melville. New York: Oxford UP, 1986.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     

The Indigo Spell Chapter Two

MS. TERWILLIGER REFUSED to say much more after that. She drove us back to Amberwood and hardly seemed to know I was there. She just kept muttering things to herself like, â€Å"Not enough time† and â€Å"Need more proof.† When she finally dropped me off, I tried pressing her for more information. â€Å"What was all that about protecting myself?† I asked. â€Å"Protection from what?† We were parked in the fire lane again, and she still wore that distracted look. â€Å"I'll explain later, in our session tomorrow.† â€Å"I can't,† I reminded her. â€Å"I'm leaving right after my regular classes. Remember? I have a flight to catch. I told you about it last week. And yesterday. And earlier today.† That brought her back to attention. â€Å"Did you? Well, then. I suppose we'll make do with what we must. I'll see what I can have for you in the morning.† I left her for my bed after that, not that I could get much sleep. And when I showed up to her history class the next morning, she was true to her word. Before the bell rang, she walked up to my desk and handed me an old book with a cracked red leather cover. The title was in Latin and translated to Elements of Battle, which sent a chill down my spine. Spells to create light and invisibility were one thing. There was a practicality to them that I could almost rationalize. But battle spells? Something told me I might have a little trouble with those. â€Å"Reading material for the plane,† she said. She spoke in her usual, addled scholar voice, but I could see a glint of that anxiety from last night in her eyes. â€Å"Focus only on the first section. I trust you'll do your usual thorough job – and then some.† None of the other arriving students paid any attention to us. My last class of the day was an independent study session on late-antique history, which she served as my mentor for. More often than not, she used the session as a passive-aggressive way to teach me magic. So, her giving me books like this was nothing out of the ordinary. â€Å"And,† she added, â€Å"if you could find out where that neighborhood is, it would be extremely useful.† I was speechless for a few moments. Locate one neighborhood in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area? â€Å"That's . . . a very large area to cover,† I said at last, choosing my words carefully with witnesses around. She nodded and pushed her glasses up her nose. â€Å"I know. Most people probably couldn't do it.† And on that semi-complimentary note, she returned to her desk at the front of the classroom. â€Å"What neighborhood?† asked a new voice. Eddie Castile had just arrived and slid into a neighboring desk. Eddie was a dhampir – possessing a mix of human and vampire DNA that had been passed down from days when the two races mixed. For all intents and purposes, though, he was indistinguishable from an ordinary human. With his sandy-colored hair and brown eyes, he also bore enough resemblance to me to support our cover story that we were twins. In reality, Eddie was here at Amberwood as a bodyguard for Jill. Dissidents among her own kind, the Moroi, were hunting her, and even though we'd seen no sign of them since coming to Palm Springs, Eddie was always vigilant and ready to pounce. I slipped the red leather book into my messenger bag. â€Å"Don't ask. Another of her wacky assignments.† None of my friends – save Adrian – knew about my involvement with Ms. Terwilliger's magic use. Well, and Jill by default. All Moroi possessed some sort of elemental magic. Adrian's was a rare and powerful one called spirit, which could work miracles of healing. He'd used that magic to bring Jill back from the dead when assassins had killed her. Doing so had made Jill â€Å"shadow-kissed† – that is, it created a psychic bond between them, one that allowed Jill to feel his emotions and sometimes see through his eyes. As a result, Jill knew more about what went on between Adrian and me than I liked. I took my car keys out of my bag and reluctantly handed them over to Eddie. He was the only one I trusted to drive my car, and I always let him borrow it when I left town, in case he needed to run errands for our group. â€Å"Here you go. I better get it back in one piece. Do not let Angeline near the driver's seat.† He grinned. â€Å"Do I look suicidal? I probably won't even use it. Are you sure you don't want me to drive you to the airport later?† â€Å"You'd miss class,† I said. The only reason I was able to cut school early was because of the unusual nature of my independent study. â€Å"I wouldn't mind, believe me. I've got a science test.† He grimaced and lowered his voice. â€Å"I hated physics the first time, you know.† I couldn't help a smile. Both Eddie and I were eighteen and had graduated high school, me through homeschooling and him through an elite Moroi and dhampir academy. We couldn't pose as students without going through the motions of class, however. While I didn't mind the extra work, Eddie wasn't as taken with a love of learning as I was. â€Å"No thanks,† I told him. â€Å"A cab will be fine.† The bell rang, and Eddie straightened up in his desk. As Ms. Terwilliger called the class to order, he whispered to me, â€Å"Jill's really bummed she can't go.† â€Å"I know,† I murmured back. â€Å"But we all know why she can't.† â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed. â€Å"What I don't know is why she's mad at you.† I turned toward the front of the classroom and pointedly ignored him. Jill was the only one who knew about Adrian's declaration of love, thanks to that bond. It was another one of those things I wished hadn't been shared, but Adrian couldn't help it. Although Jill knew vampire-human romances were wrong, she couldn't forgive me for hurting Adrian so badly. To make things worse, she was probably personally experiencing some of his pain. Even if our other friends didn't know what had occurred, it was obvious that something wasn't right with Jill and me. Eddie had picked up on it right away and immediately interrogated me. I'd given him a vague excuse about Jill not liking some rules I'd instated for her here at school. Eddie hadn't bought that, but Jill had been just as close-mouthed on the matter, leaving him clueless and frustrated. The school day zipped by, and before long, I was in a taxi and on my way to the airport. I'd packed light and only had one small suitcase and my messenger bag, both of which could be carried on. For what seemed like the hundredth time, I took out a small silver and white gift bag and examined its contents. Inside was an expensive crystal sun catcher, the kind meant to be hung on a porch or in a window. It depicted two doves in flight, facing each other. Wrapping it back in its tissue paper, I returned it to its gift bag and then my own bag. I hoped it would be an acceptable gift for the upcoming event. I was going to a vampire wedding. I'd never been to one before. Probably no Alchemist had. Although we worked with the Moroi to protect their existence, the Alchemists made it clear they wanted no involvement that went beyond business contact. After recent events, however, both groups had decided it would be good to improve our professional relations. Since this wedding was a big deal, a few other Alchemists and I had been invited. I knew the couple, and in theory, I was excited to see them married. It was the rest of the event that made me nervous: a huge social gathering of Moroi and dhampirs. Even with other Alchemists there, we'd be hopelessly outnumbered. Being in Palm Springs with Eddie, Jill, and the others had gone a long way in improving my feelings toward their kind. I got along with that little group well and now considered them friends. But even as liberal as I was in such matters, I still possessed a lot of the anxiety other Alchemists had inside the vampiric world. Maybe Moroi and dhampirs weren't creatures of evil, like I'd once believed, but they certainly weren't human. I kind of wished my Palm Springs friends were coming with me, but that had been out of the question. The whole point of Jill and the rest of us being in Palm Springs was to hide her away and keep her safe from those trying to kill her. Both Moroi and Strigoi tended to avoid sunny, desert regions. If she suddenly showed up at a major Moroi function, it would defeat the whole purpose. Eddie and Angeline, another dhampir protecting her at Amberwood, had to stay behind as well. Only Adrian and I had been invited to the wedding, and we were thankfully on separate flights. If anyone had noticed that he and I were traveling together, it could attract attention back in Palm Springs, which could then expose Jill. Adrian's flight wasn't even leaving from Palm Springs. He was flying out by way of Los Angeles, two hours west, just to make sure we weren't linked together. I had to connect through a different flight in Los Angeles, which reminded me of Ms. Terwilliger's task. Find one neighborhood in all of Los Angeles's greater metropolitan area. Sure, no problem. The only thing I had going for me was that the Victorian houses were so distinct. If I could find some historical society, there was a good chance they could direct me toward areas matching that description. It would narrow my search considerably. I reached my gate at LAX an hour before the scheduled flight. I'd just gotten cozy with Ms. Terwilliger's book when an overhead announcement declared, â€Å"Paging passenger Melrose. Please come see a customer service agent.† I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Gathering up my things, I approached the desk and was greeted by a cheery airline representative. â€Å"I'm sad to tell you this flight has been overbooked,† she said. From her peppy voice and big smile, she didn't seem sad at all. â€Å"What's that mean for me, exactly?† I asked, my dread growing. â€Å"I have a confirmed seat.† I dealt with bureaucracy and red tape all the time, but overbooking flights was something I'd never understood. How did that even happen? It wasn't like the number of seats was a surprise to them. â€Å"It means that you're no longer on the flight,† she explained. â€Å"You and a couple other volunteers gave up your seats to accommodate that family. Otherwise, they would've had to be split up.† â€Å"Volunteers?† I repeated, following her gesture. Off to the side of the seating area, a family with seven children smiled back at me. The children were tiny and adorable, with big eyes and the kind of cuteness you saw in musicals about orphans finding new homes. Outraged, I turned back toward the agent. â€Å"How can you do that? I checked in way ahead of time! I have a wedding to get to. I can't miss it.† The woman produced a boarding pass. â€Å"We've more than made up for it. We've booked you on another flight, to Philadelphia – one that's leaving sooner. And you've even been upgraded to first class for your inconvenience.† â€Å"That's something,† I said. I was still annoyed at this, simply out of principle. I liked order and procedure. Altering those threw off my world. I looked down at the boarding pass and then did a double take. â€Å"It's leaving now!† She nodded. â€Å"Like I said, sooner. I'd hurry up if I were you.† Then, on cue, I heard a last-call announcement for my new flight, saying all passengers need to be on board now, as they were about to shut the cabin doors. I wasn't the swearing type, but I almost was then – especially when I saw that my new gate was on the opposite side of the terminal. Without another word, I grabbed my things and sprinted toward the gate as quickly as I could, making a mental note to write a letter of complaint to the airline. Through some miracle, I made it just before my new flight was closed to passengers, though the agent working that gate sternly told me that next time, I should plan ahead and allow more time. I ignored her and headed into the airplane, where I was greeted by a much nicer flight attendant – especially when she saw my first class ticket. â€Å"You're right here, Miss Melrose,† she said, pointing to the third row of the cabin. â€Å"We're so glad you could join us.† She helped me put my suitcase in the overhead bin, which proved to be pretty difficult since other, earlier passengers had taken up most of the space. It required some creative knowledge of spatial relations, and when we finally managed it, I practically passed out into my seat, exhausted from this unexpected flurry of excitement. So much for a relaxing trip. I had just enough time to fasten my seat belt before the plane began backing up. Feeling a little steadier, I plucked the safety card from its pocket so that I could follow along with the attendant's presentation. No matter how many times I flew, I always thought it was important to be up to speed on procedures. I was watching the attendant fasten an oxygen mask when a familiar and intoxicating scent washed over me. In all of the chaos of making this flight, I hadn't even bothered to pay attention to my seatmate. Adrian. I stared in disbelief. He was watching me with amusement and had no doubt been waiting to see how long it would take me to notice him. I didn't even bother asking what he was doing here. I'd known he was flying out of LAX, and through some wacky twist of happenstance, I'd been bumped to his flight. â€Å"This is impossible,† I exclaimed. The scientist in me was too amazed to fully realize the uncomfortable nature of the situation I now found myself in. â€Å"It's one thing for me to get moved to a new flight. But to end up next to you? Do you know what the odds of that are? It's incredible.† â€Å"Some might call it fate,† he said. â€Å"Or maybe there just aren't that many flights to Philadelphia.† He raised a glass of clear liquid to me in a toast. Since I'd never seen Adrian drink water, I had to assume it was vodka. â€Å"Nice to see you, by the way.† â€Å"Um, you too.† The engines roared to life around us, momentarily sparing me from conversation. Reality began sinking in. I was trapped on a five-hour flight with Adrian Ivashkov. Five hours. Five hours sitting only a few inches from him, smelling his overpriced cologne and looking into those knowing eyes. What was I going to do? Nothing, of course. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to escape since even first-class passengers weren't allowed parachutes. My heart began to race as I frantically groped for something to say. He was watching me in silence, still with that small smirk, waiting for me to lead the conversation. â€Å"So,† I said at last, staring at my hands. â€Å"How's, uh, your car?† â€Å"I left it out on the street. Figured it'll be fine there while I'm gone.† I jerked my head up, jaw dropping. â€Å"You did what? They'll tow it if it's left there overnight!† Adrian was laughing before I even finished. â€Å"So that's what it takes to get a passionate reaction, huh?† He shook his head. â€Å"Don't worry, Sage. I was just kidding. It's tucked away safely in my building's parking lot.† I felt my cheeks burn. I hated that I'd fallen into his joke and was even a little embarrassed that I'd just flipped out over a car. Admittedly, it wasn't just any car. It was a beautiful, classic Mustang that Adrian had recently purchased. In fact, he'd bought it to impress me, pretending he couldn't drive manual transmission in order to spend more time with me while I taught him. I thought the car was amazing, but it still astonished me that he would have gone to that much trouble for us to be together. We reached our cruising altitude, and the flight attendant returned to get Adrian another drink. â€Å"Anything for you, miss?† she asked. â€Å"Diet Coke,† I said automatically. Adrian tsked once she was gone. â€Å"You could've gotten that for free back in coach.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Do I have to spend the next five hours being harassed? If so, I'll go back in coach and let some lucky person ‘upgrade' to my seat.† Adrian held up his hands in a placating gesture. â€Å"No, no. Carry on. I'll entertain myself.† Entertaining himself turned out to be doing a crossword puzzle in one of the in-flight magazines. I took out Ms. Terwilliger's book and tried to read, but it was hard to focus with him beside me. I kept sneaking glances out of the corner of my eye, partly to see if he was looking at me and partly just to study his features. He was the same Adrian as ever, annoyingly good looking with his tousled brown hair and sculpted face. I vowed I wouldn't speak to him, but when I noticed he hadn't written anything in a while and was tapping his pen loudly on the tray, I couldn't help myself. â€Å"What is it?† I asked. â€Å"Seven-letter word for ‘cotton gin pioneer.'† â€Å"Whitney,† I replied. He leaned over and wrote in the letters. â€Å"‘Dominates the Mohs' scale.' Also seven letters.† â€Å"Diamond.† Five words later, I realized what was happening. â€Å"Hey,† I told him. â€Å"I am not doing this.† He looked up at me with angelic eyes. â€Å"Doing what?† â€Å"You know what. You're luring me in. You know I can't resist – â€Å" â€Å"Me?† he suggested. I pointed at the magazine. â€Å"Random trivia.† I angled my body away from him and made a big show of opening my book. â€Å"I have work to do.† I felt Adrian look over my shoulder, and I tried to ignore how aware of his proximity I was. â€Å"Looks like Jackie's still got you working hard in her class.† Adrian had met Ms. Terwilliger recently and had somehow charmed his way into a first-name basis. â€Å"This one's more like an extracurricular activity,† I explained. â€Å"Really? I thought you were pretty against doing any more with this stuff than you had to.† I shut the book in frustration. â€Å"I am! But then she said – † I bit off the words, reminding myself that I shouldn't engage with Adrian any more than I had to. It was just too easy to slip back into old, friendly behaviors with him. It felt right when, obviously, it was wrong. â€Å"Then what?† he prompted, voice gentle. I looked up at him and saw no smugness or mockery. I didn't even see any of the burning hurt that had plagued me these last few weeks. He actually looked concerned, which momentarily distracted me from Ms. Terwilliger's task. Seeing him this way contrasted drastically with what had followed in the wake of our kiss. I'd been so nervous at the thought of sitting with him on this flight, and yet, here he was, ready to support me. Why the change? I hesitated, unsure what to do. Since last night, I'd been turning her words and the vision over and over in my head, trying to figure out what they meant. Adrian was the only person who knew about my involvement with her and magic (aside from Jill), and until this moment, I hadn't realized how badly I was dying to discuss this with someone. So, I cracked and told him the whole story of my desert adventure. When I finished, I was surprised to see how dark his expression had become. â€Å"It's one thing for her to try to get you to learn spells here and there. But it's a totally different thing for her to drag you into something dangerous.† His ardent concern surprised me a little – but maybe it shouldn't have. â€Å"From the way she talked, though, it wasn't like it was her doing. She seemed pretty upset about . . . well, whatever all this means.† Adrian pointed at the book. â€Å"And that'll help somehow?† â€Å"I guess.† I ran my fingers over the cover and embossed Latin words. â€Å"It has protection and attack spells – things that are a bit more hard core than what I've ever done. I don't like it, and these aren't even the really advanced ones. She told me to skip those.† â€Å"You don't like magic, period,† he reminded me. â€Å"But if these can keep you safe, then maybe you shouldn't ignore them.† I hated admitting when he was right. It only encouraged him. â€Å"Yeah, but I just wish I knew what I was trying to stay safe from – no. No. We can't do this.† Without even realizing it, I'd slipped into the way things used to be, talking to Adrian in that easy, comfortable way we had. In fact, I'd even been confiding in him. He looked startled. â€Å"Do what? I stopped asking you for crossword help, didn't I?† I took a deep breath, bracing myself. I'd known this moment was coming, no matter how much I wanted to put it off. I just hadn't expected it to come while on a plane ride. â€Å"Adrian, we have to talk about what happened. Between you and me,† I declared. He took a moment to consider my words. â€Å"Well . . . last I knew, nothing was happening between you and me.† I dared a look at him. â€Å"Exactly. I'm sorry for what happened . . . what I said, but it was all true. We have to move past this and go on with our lives in a normal way. It's for the good of our group in Palm Springs.† â€Å"Funny, I have moved past it,† he said. â€Å"You're the one bringing it up.† I blushed again. â€Å"But it's because of you! You've spent the last few weeks all moody and sulking, hardly ever talking to me. And when you do, there's usually some nasty barb in it.† While recently having dinner at Clarence Donahue's, I'd seen one of the most terrifying spiders ever come crawling into the living room. Mustering all my courage, I'd caught the creepy little beast and set him free. Adrian's comment on my brave act had been, â€Å"Wow, I didn't know you actually faced down things that scared you. I thought your normal response was to run kicking and screaming from them and pretend they don't exist.† â€Å"You're right about the attitude,† he said now, nodding along with my words. Once again, he looked remarkably serious. â€Å"And I'm sorry.† â€Å"You . . . are?† I could only stare. â€Å"So . . . you're done with all of that . . . stuff? Done with, uh, feeling that way?† I couldn't bring myself to elaborate. Done with being in love with me. â€Å"Oh, no,† he said cheerfully. â€Å"Not at all.† â€Å"But you just said – â€Å" â€Å"I'm done with the pouting,† he said. â€Å"Done with being moody – well, I mean, I'm always a little moody. That's what Adrian Ivashkov's all about. But I'm done with the excessive stuff. That didn't get me anywhere with Rose. It won't get me anywhere with you.† â€Å"Nothing will get you anywhere with me,† I exclaimed. â€Å"I don't know about that.† He put on an introspective look that was both unexpected and intriguing. â€Å"You're not as much of a lost cause as she was. I mean, with her, I had to overcome her deep, epic love with a Russian warlord. You and I just have to overcome hundreds of years' worth of deeply ingrained prejudice and taboo between our two races. Easy.† â€Å"Adrian!† I felt my temper beginning to flare. â€Å"This isn't a joke.† â€Å"I know. It's certainly not to me. And that's why I'm not going to give you a hard time.† He paused dramatically. â€Å"I'll just love you whether you want me to or not.† The attendant came by with hot towels, putting our conversation on hold and allowing his slightly disturbing words to hang in the air between us. I was dumbfounded and couldn't muster a response until after she came back to collect the cloths. â€Å"Whether I want you to or not? What on earth does that mean?† Adrian grimaced. â€Å"Sorry. That came off creepier than I intended. I just mean, I don't care if you say we can't be together. I don't care if you think I'm the most evil, unnatural creature walking the earth.† For the briefest of moments, his choice of words threw me back in time, to when he'd told me I was the most beautiful creature walking the earth. Those words haunted me now, just as they had then. We'd been sitting in a dark, candlelit room, and he'd looked at me in a way that no one ever had – Stop it, Sydney. Focus. â€Å"You can think whatever you want, do whatever you want,† Adrian continued, unaware of my traitorous thoughts. There was a remarkable calm about him. â€Å"I'm going to just go on loving you, even if it's hopeless.† I don't know why that shocked me as much as it did. I glanced around to make sure no one was listening. â€Å"I . . . what? No. You can't!† He tilted his head to the side as he regarded me carefully. â€Å"Why? It doesn't hurt you or anything. I told you I won't bother you if you don't want me to. And if you do, well, I'm all about that. So what's it matter if I just love you from afar?† I didn't entirely know. â€Å"Because . . . because you can't!† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"You . . . you need to move on,† I managed. Yes, that was a sound reason. â€Å"You need to find someone else. You know I don't – that I can't. Well, you know. You're wasting your time with me.† He remained firm. â€Å"It's my time to waste.† â€Å"But it's crazy! Why would you do that?† â€Å"Because I can't help doing it,† he said with a shrug. â€Å"And hey, if I keep loving you, maybe you'll eventually crack and love me too. Hell, I'm pretty sure you're already half in love with me.† â€Å"I am not! And everything you just said is ridiculous. That's terrible logic.† Adrian returned to his crossword puzzle. â€Å"Well, you can think what you want, so long as you remember – no matter how ordinary things seem between us – I'm still here, still in love with you, and care about you more than any other guy, evil or otherwise, ever will.† â€Å"I don't think you're evil.† â€Å"See? Things are already looking promising.† He tapped the magazine with his pen again. â€Å"‘Romantic Victorian poetess.' Eight letters.† I didn't answer. I had been rendered speechless. Adrian never mentioned that dangerous topic again for the rest of the flight. Most of the time, he kept to himself, and when he did speak, it was about perfectly safe topics, like our dinner and the upcoming wedding. Anyone sitting with us would never have known there was anything weird between us. But I knew. That knowledge ate me up. It was all-consuming. And as the flight progressed, and eventually landed, I could no longer look at Adrian the same way. Each time we made eye contact, I just kept thinking of his words: I'm still here, still in love with you, and care about you more than any other guy ever will. Part of me felt offended. How dare he? How dare he love me whether I wanted him to or not? I had told him not to! He had no right to. And the rest of me? The rest of me was scared. If I keep loving you, maybe you'll eventually crack and love me too. It was ludicrous. You couldn't make someone love you just by loving them. It didn't matter how charming he was, how good looking, or how funny. An Alchemist and a Moroi could never be together. It was impossible. I'm pretty sure you're already half in love with me. Very impossible.

Step by Wicked Step

STEP BY WICKED STEP Themes  ~ Step By Wicked Step Family relationships Coping with new family members for example Pixie understands that her new stepmother is having as much trouble ‘adjusting’ as she is. Family unity The nucleus of moral values, â€Å"the family unit,† is being invaded by outsiders (‘step’ or ‘steps’) and this causes disharmony. Dealing with adversities Young children and adults may find difficulties dealing with frustrations, fears and sadness. Being happy ‘Life has dealt us one hard blow, there is no reason for us to be unhappy for ever’. For example, Claudia realises it is not fair to hate her new stepmother, Stella.Think long enough before making a decision Richard Harwick made a rash decision to run away and that had changed the lives of his stepfather, mother and sister. Sibling rivalry Resentful step-siblings cause burden and hostility in a home. Coping with change All pain eventually heals and that we have the power to change things for the better. Being brave Characters like Claudia and Pixie are brave as they confess to their own rotten behaviour. Dealing with Separation and Divorce It deals with a social phenomenon that many people are experiencing, the idea of a divorce as somehow horrible.Separation and divorce, and the events leading up to them, interrupts the stability and predictability that children need. STEP BY WICKED STEP Synopsis By Chapter  ~ Step By Wicked Step Chapter 1- Chapter 7 Step By Wicked Step – Chapter 1 It is raining. Mr. Plumley and five pupil from Stagfire School are going to a haunted   house in a minibus. Ralpha, Claudia, Robbo, Collin and Pixie have been picked out by Miss O’Dell and herded into the minibus with Mr. Plumley. When they reach Creepsville, they think it is haunted. The last group tells tales of strange shadows and  footsteps and eerie figures in white gown   melting through the walls.There are no lights and Mr. Plumley is horrified to settle the pupils in pitch dark. They  go upstairs as they pass by oil painted portraits of Harwicks of all ages staring at them. As it is a rainy night, Pixie preferred safety in numbers. They have a rule â€Å"each bedroom is for either girls or boys. † Mr. Plumley does not know the rule. He tells the pupils to settle in while   he goes to look for the housekeeper. Robbo decides to explore two or three more stairs. He finds two more beds and a bathroom. The boys take the present room meanwhile Claudia and Pixie take the other. Colin points at the wall. He insists there is a door on the wall.When there is lightning, all of them see the wall papered door meeting the wall papered wall. As they enter the room, cobwebs indicate no one has been there. A tower off a tower. The shelf, desk and chair are filled with dust. Claudia sees a wooden cow balancing on   three legs. She strokes its nose. Suddenly, she hears a soft sound behind her. Robbo sets a globe of the world to spin on its axis. By looking around, they came to a conclusion that the last child who slept in it came from a rich family. They find out it is a boy’s room. Claudia notices a dusty green album in spidery writing on the cover. Richard Clayton Harwick – My Story.Read  and Weep. They hear the faint rumble of the bus. The other children have arrived. The 5 children rush to their rooms and pretend to be fast asleep. They do not want to miss the chance to read the album. Not many get a chance to peep   into someone else’s life and not many people are brave enough to tell you their story. By the time Miss O’Dell and Mr. Plumley come to the first tower room, they think that the children are fast asleep due to tiredness. Miss O’Dell continues to say that the five children have something in common. Mr. Plumley is puzzled as nothing seemed to be common in the five. Pixie is a trouble maker.Claudia is sensible. Ralph is quick-witted and hardworking unlike Colin who likes to   daydream. Robbo is soccer-mad. As Miss O’Dell goes down, the lights come again. She shuts the tower door leaving the five children who have been listening to their conversation. Step By Wicked Step – Chapter 2 The five children are waiting in an old house for the rest of their school group to arrive. They come across an old manuscript written by a boy who ran away when his mother remarried after his father’s death. Richard’s Story- Master Richard’s father had a fever. His mother tried her best to coax his father to eat something- but it was of no use.Richard asked George the gardener about his father. Richard calls him Mr Digby. Mr Digby did not answer him but hugged him hard instead. Lucy the maid sat by Richard’s bedside. When Richard asked if it was going to be today,she placed her finger on his lips and said â€Å"Hush! Don’t even speak of it. Little Charlotte called out to Richard a nd told him that Papa wanted to see him. He dashed as fast as he could. He came across Reverend Coldstone but did not stop although he was asked to. The reverend was angry. His mother was waiting at the doorway and reminded him not to cry.His father asked him to be good to his mother and sister. His last words were –â€Å"Obey your mother’s wishes to the letter. At the chapel, Mr. Coldstone consoled his mother. Richard heard him say -â€Å"When you are mine†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Richard studied at Mordanger school. He hated it there. Now he was home. Charlotte realized that Richard hated his stepfather. Richard accuses that Charlotte had forgotten about their father. Charlotte denied it and advised him not to accuse Mr Coldstone as the murderer when their father died of fever. Nevertheless, Richard had decided to leave the three of them. Richard wrote in his diary that he worked in a ship.Whenever he wrote about Mr Coldstone, he refered to him as the ‘black batâ€℠¢. Twice his ship stopped at his hometown and he visited his home only to stand like a trespasser. It had been a long time since Richard had been home. Suddenly, he saw a note on the Captain’s table. He found out that his mother and stepfather had died. Charlotte wrote him a letter. In the letter, Charlotte wrote that things had been difficult as their mother spent a lot of money looking for him and they all suffered Mr Coldstone’s anger. Charlotte married Charles Devere although she did not love him because he had money and was willing to spend it to look for Richard.This would be the only letter from her. Step By Wicked Step – Chapter 3 Claudia’s Story: Green Pyjamas Claudia’s Mum and Dad quarreled a lot. One day, her Dad was gone to Granny’s house. However, he dropped by for tea. Claudia overheard the name â€Å"Stella†. Her Mum and even Granny had a row with Dad. Dad usually met Claudia at Granny’s. She missed her Dad so mu ch. The times spent with her Dad kept flooding back. She wanted things back the way they used to be. For the first time, Claudia had a separate Christmas. Later, she was introduced to Stella who was just plain and mousy. Claudia thought her mum was a whole lot better-looking than Stella.Claudia was rude when they went for a walk. Once back, they quarreled and the next day, Dad moved out of Granny’s house straight into with Stella. Claudia met her Dad off and on. Stella stayed out of it. She only made some light conversation with Claudia like asking about her friends and school. Those moments she would be thinking of her mum doing the house chores. After talking to her friend, Shreela, Claudia stopped blaming Stella. Dad and Stella arranged a party for their friends. Claudia was sent there for the day. Politely, she excused herself from the party and stayed in her room. Stella was relieved.Out of curiosity, Claudia decided to eavesdrop. She wore the green pyjamas given by Stel la as it was the exact shade of green of the giant fern. She sat beside the fern and listen to everything the adults downstairs were talking. The guests spoke about everything except about Mum, Dad, Stella or Claudia. Nobody praised Stella for the food nor even spoke to her. Claudia found that very rude as her Mum was not there. Claudia, unable to stand the treatment Stella was getting, made a grand appearance at the party and thanked Stella for the beautiful pyjamas she had brought for her. Finally, everyone started noticing Stella.As for Claudia and Stella, this was the starting point. Stella would teach Claudia how to quilt, read maps, change electric plugs and how to skate. Step By Wicked Step – Chapter 4 Colin describes his stepfather whom he calls dad. He has thought of him as his biological father all the while. His dad looks like him. His dad has dark hair with some grey patches around his ears. His dad used to roll his own cigarettes out of tobacco in a tin. His dad calls him by many nick names- Col, Collie, Sonny-boy, Buster, Mr Bluebird. Colin’s mum works in a shop. His dad walks him to school and back.His dad got him his tea and took him to the park. At the park, he used to swing as high as the bar, he swings back in such a way that his dad would call him –The Bluebird of Happiness. Then, Colin’s mum took him and moved away. It happened when Colin’s father had gone to spend a day with his sister. Two friends of his mum came with a van and packed everything. Then they went off. At first, he thought his dad will join them later. Colin was not happy- school mates would snigger when he did not understand things. Mum found a job at a canteen. She would be busy doing household chores when she came home.Mum was too busy to listen to him. He compared her with his dad- his dad used to talk to him and remembered names of his friends and teachers. Colin asked his mother many times about his dad. He wanted to know when his da d will come home. His mother did give him a hint about his father not having a proper job. He realized later that his mother did not leave any clues for his dad to follow. He then wrote a letter to his dad. But there was no reply. Every night, Colin would take the tobacco tin out of the toe of his boot and put it under his pillow. Then, he would hum his favourite song which was also his dad’s favourite.He would stay awake for hours talking to his dad. He pretended that his dad was there. Colin said that it was as if his mother thought that whatever is happening is actually happening only to her. Then one day when he returned home from school, he realized that his mum had thrown away his boots. The boots were too small for him but she did not know that there was a tobacco tin hidden in there. He did not bother to tell her because she wouldn’t have liked it. It has been five years, eight months and seven days and Colin still remembers hit dad. He secretly writes his dadà ¢â‚¬â„¢s name and his old address on the forms at school.Colin also tries to save money- he does three paper rounds. He will not try to look for his dad now- perhaps someday when he has enough money. Colin hums slowly and when asked to sing, he says that he is saving the words till he finds his dad. It was his favourite song- The Bluebird of Happiness. His friend Ralph consoled him by saying that someday Colin will find his dad. Step By Wicked Step – Chapter 5 Ralph’s Story: A Tale of Three Stepmothers Ralph has two brothers, two half-brothers, one half-sister, three stepbrothers, one stepsister,three stepmothers, one stepfather, two step-grandmothers and a step-grandfather.Living in a big family is no joke. After school on Mondays and Thursdays, he goes directly to Dad’s place. His mum or his step dad, Howard sends him. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, he goes straight to his Mum’s place. At times, he will be lost not knowing where to go. The lunchbo xes help. M for Mickey Mouse and Mum, D for Dumbo and Dad. If he is lost, he has to look at his lunch box to confirm his destination. Edward and George are his brothers. The boys liked Annabel, stepmother No. 1. The only problem was she never left the boys alone with their dad. Edward and George hated this.Dad and Annabel spent all their time kissing and cuddling. Annabel was always on a diet. She disapproved of coffee. So the boys had to drink Dandelion tea every morning. She loved to read out her star sign forecast in the mornings and again in the evenings. Sometimes, she even tried to look at Edward and George to tell their aura. However, the boys would deny anything she said. Yet, their dad would not feel embarrassed. One day, Brandy, Ralph’s cat was sent over as their Mum was varnishing the hall. The three boys took Brandy in a cage. Edward had made it from a broken milk bottle crate and bits of wire.Annabel was annoyed and blamed them to be cruel as Brandy did not have room to breathe. Dad distracted her by pointing out that they were out of bread. Annabel insisted in baking. The poor boys were starving to death. So, they went to the shops. They boys ate three large loaves and before they came home, they brushed away the crumbs. Dad was praising of how the dough had risen. When Annabel left it on the table, Brandy leapt up on the table and sniffed the dough. Then, Brandy lifted its paw and patted the dough. Next, Brandy curled himself comfortably into the dough. Annabel went mad. Dad tried to stick up for Brandy.The spell between Annabel and Dad was broken. In the end, Annabel ran off with someone and Dad searched high and low to get the divorce papers signed. The boys did not miss her as she was more of dad’s girlfriend than a real stepmother. Dad then focused his attention on Janet, who was more keen on rules. However, Dad liked it. Edward and George did not mind as they were able to spend ample time with Dad. On the other hand, Janet was busy rushing her children to the doctors, dentist and school. Janet’s own children, Tom, Joe and Doug and Ann moved in with the three boys. Tom and Ann could get along with Ralph but not Joe and Doug.Mum and Howard though Janet was wonderful. Janet could draw up proper schedule and Mum hardly bothered as she found Janet was easy to deal with. Due to the rules, Ralph knew he could pick up rules in no time if he was ever anywhere. Finally Janet left. She got fed up with Mum and Dad as they were taking advantage of her. Dad kept fixing up work trips on the days the boys were there. He told Janet that she had four children and another three would not make any difference. Mum started sneaking Victor’s romper suit hoping that Janet would come across them and get the stains out before sending them back. So, Janet left.The boys had a wonderful time after that. Unfortunately, it was only for a short period of time. Stepmother Number 3, Flora, came into the picture. Edward met her lying on Dad’s patio with hardly any clothes on. She had the cheek to tell Edward to cover up as she was enjoying the sun. George met Flora when they went shopping. Flora was dumping treats like strawberries, kiwi fruits, waffles, Belgian chocolates into the trolley. Dad was looking into the wallet, gloomily. Ralph went the next day. When he rang the bell, Flora opened and enquired. Ralph introduced himself. Flora blew her top as she did want to be a nanny.She took Ralph out for a Chinese Dinner and to watch a film. Then she met some friends and went to a coffee bar. At that time, Ralph informed his Dad of their whereabouts. Dad was furious and scolded Flora. Flora was cool and told him not to dump the children on her before checking her schedule. Ralph thought she was wonderful although she did all sorts of terrible things to him. Flora was pregnant and she ate only mint sauce sandwiches. Ralph was worried that his half sister or half brother would not be well taken care off by Flora. She did not know how and Ralph decided to help her out.The others usually teased Ralph. Most probably, Flora would settle in with this family. Step By Wicked Step -Chapter 6 When Pixie's parents divorced, Pixie was allowed to spend two weekends a month at her father's house which he had bought together with Lucy, her stepmother. Her two step sisters , Sophie and Hetty Payne, shared a room while Pixie was given a room to herself, as was agreed by her father. Pixie could not get along well withe her stepsisters and their actions annoyed her. One day, bothe her stepsisters got onvolved in a fight , and this caused Hetty to move into Pixie's room.Pixie was dissapointed as she was not consulted on the matter, and to make the matter worse, her father ingnored her complaints about Hetty moving into her room. Hetty's irritating behaviour also put Pixie's off. One day, while on a family holiday, Pixie had a fight with Sophie over who should occupy the top bunk bed , and both o f them ended up crying. As for Hettym Pixie just could not stand her even though Hetty was closer to her in age. Pixie was also jealous of Hetty as she was everyone's darling due to her good manners and intelligence in mathematics. Pixie then divised aplan to force Hetty out from her room.Intially, she tried to frighten Hetty with ghost story and also burden Hetty with schoolwork so that Hettty would be fed up with her and voluntarily leave her room. However, those trick was failed. Hetty than complained to Lucy. Lucy tried to talk to Pixie but failed. Instead, the two of them end up arguing. Pixie's father appeared then but quickly went out of the room again as he did not want to interfere. Lucy was dissapointed with Pixie for not putting with any effort to integrate and mix with the family. Pixie was dissapointed that there was nothing for her at Lucy's home.After expressing their frustrations and dissapointments, both Lucy and Pixie cried and the made up. Pixie was able to tolera te her stepsisters and Hetty help her with her homework. She also tried to be more sociable at Lucy's home. Step By Wicked Step – Chapter 7 Robbo's parents spilt up when he was only six years old. Robbo's father then moved out from their house and Robbo and his sister, Callie visited him at his place regularly. Robbo's stepfather, Roy moved to their home but Callie disliked him. She also nicknamed him as ‘The Beard' as Roy seemed to interfere with their family affairs.Their mother tthen give a birth to Dumpa, Robbo's half brother. One day, when Roy and their mather had a row, Callie tried to get their parents back together but failed. One day, Robbo's mother had a serious row with Roy over Callie's habit of pushing her bicycle through the narrow space between his car and the bushes beside it as it almost stratched Roy's car. They started shouting each other . Roy was angry as he felt his wife siding with Callie and that neither of them appreciated his effort in sending the kids to school or paying for food. Robbo's mother and Roy's efforts to solve the problem but they ended up arguing. he situation worsen whern Roy decided no to drive callie to school and sledging activities when snow started to fall. He even refused to buy her favourite brand of cerelas as she was not polite and civil to him. The next day, roy decide to clear the shed during the middle of a heavy snowfall with Dumoa following him. Robbo's mother tried to get Dumpa in, but he refused and only listened to Roy. Robbo then suceed in coaxing Dumpa into the house by offering him strawberry rocket ice lolly. From that day onward, their mother was always stuck in the middle as both Callie and Roy were unhappy and upset with each other.She also realised that the only solution to the problem is for her to move out her father's place. Robbo's father then suggested to his ex-wife to go on a holiday with Roy to help them solving the problem. He even offering to take care of Dumpa while there were away. The story ended with Robbo's optimistic view of his family as they can now start afresh. Ralph compared Robbo's story to Richard Harwick's story because his sister, Callie and Richared both did not like their stepfathers and had to leave their family. However, unlike Richard who ran away from his family, Callie tried something different in order to make things work at home.Ralph also mentioned that everyone in their group had tried their best to solve their problems at home. Claudia then put the journal back into its place, but took out Charlotte's little wooden cow, removed a tiny splinter, and gave the little wooden cow to Ralph who thrust it into Collin's bag , hoping that Colin would find his stepfather again. STEP BY WICKED STEP Characters and characterisation  ~ Step By Wicked Step Name of character| Descriptions/ Attributes/ Personality| Robbo| School pupil, sports-mad especially football|Ralph| School pupil, quick-witted, hardworking and occasionally likes to i ntercept impolitely during a conversation| Colin| School pupil, longs to be reunited with his stepdad, dreamy as ‘he drifts through the hours of each school day as if his thoughts were hundreds of miles away’ and this ‘ drove his teachers to despair’| Claudia| Steady, sensible, did not get along well with her stepmother at the beginning| Pixie| Fiery, a good reader, selfish| Richard ClaytonHarwick| Owner of Old Harwick Hall, lost his father at a very young age. His mother remarries the priest, Reverend Coldstone whose wrath Richard cannot stand.He runs away, without knowing that he has made a decision that will change three lives; his stepfather’s, mother’s and sister’s. When he inherits Old Harwick Hall, he has lost his three closest members of the family. | Rev. Coldstone| Richard’s wicked stepfather, strict and cold-hearted| Mr. Plumley| A staff of the school who accompanies the children to Old Harwick Hall| Miss O’ Del l| The school teacher who picks five of the children on a trip after a quick glance at her list. | Mr. Digby| Gardener at the Harwick’s household| Lucy| Maid at the Harwick’s household|Charlotte| Richard Clayton Harwick’s sister. | STEP BY WICKED STEP Moral Values  ~ Step By Wicked Step Family is everything This is the main message in all the five stories from Claudia, Ralph, Colin, Pixie and Robbo. Love is the factor that binds the family together but sometimes the family unit breaks down due to a lack of understanding between parents. Most of the time, children are not prepared for such a situation and this lands them in an awkward and painful situation. It is important to minimize the impact of divorce on children and to make sure they do not feel unwanted or unimportant.Parents must always try to keep the family together despite the breakdown in their relationship. Patience is a virtue It is important to practice a lot of patience in difficult times. No pa rents would want a divorce if they can help it. Hence, everyone affected by a divorce must be patient and tolerant. Richard Clayton Harwick does not show enough patience when he leaves his family because he cannot get along with his step father. As a result of his action, his mother dies of heartbreak and his sister blames him for being selfish and cruel. In Pixie’s story, she does not show much patience towards her step siblings.She refuses to share her bedroom with Hetty. She is also hard headed and argues intensely with her step mother. We must learn to adapt to new situations Children from broken homes have no choice but to learn to adapt to new situations. This may be unfair to the children who seem to be the ‘victim’ of circumstances beyond their control. However, in the five stories told, we learn that adapting is better than resisting although it takes a lot of patience and effort on the children’s part. Claudia shows she is a rational and sensible child to accept her step mother.Ralph, who has three step mothers, gets along with all of them despite their different personalities. Don’t give up hope Colin’s story is the saddest of all. He does not give up hope of one day finding Jack whom he accepts as his own father. He saves all his money and plans to look for his dad when the time is right. Colin is a very determined person despite his young age. He knows what he wants. Robbo also hopes his sister Callie will accept their step father Roy. However, Callie resents Roy and decides to live with her real father in the end.STEP BY WICKED STEP Setting  ~ Step By Wicked Step 1. The haunted house of Harwick. 2. Domestic households of Claudia, Colin, Ralph, Pixie and Robbo. STEP BY WICKED STEP Literary Devices  ~ Step By Wicked Step Simile i. Like someone stepping on stones over a river with water raging on both sides (p. 21) ii. When a great ship strains at the tide, and needs a cabin boy, nobody asks the lad who s peaks as roughly as a gardener’s son, and claims to be Dick Digby, whether his mother knows he’s off to sea. (p. 25) iii. †¦ dressed black as a bat (p. 16) iv.She ( Hetty ) is still wary of me, and I still get on with her that bit better when all the lights are out, and I don’t have to watch her cocking her one side and fiddling with her hair or rolling the cat like a sausage across the downie (p. 103) v. It was like the Arctic. (p 87) vi. Like leftover shoved in a fridge (p. 2) vii. †¦. as narrow as the ones that archers used†¦ (p. 8) viii. †¦over a black and white tiled floor that looked like a huge checkerboard glazed †¦ (p. 4) tight little circle, like campers round a †¦(p. 6) ix. She picked her way†¦.. like someone stepping †¦. (p. 21) x.And I’d just stare down at my plate on my face that said, plain as day, with a look ‘Why should you? ’ (p. 40) Hyperbole Hyperbole is exaggeration. It puts a pictu re into the reader’s mind. Anne Fine occasionally makes a point by overstating an action or object as in the following hyperboles: i. As the driver swung the minibus (p. 1) ii. Just as if the dull-looking binder on the desk was a delicious birthday cake (p. 10) iii. No tears! I would have found obedience†¦. How many nights my pillow would become a flood (p. 17) iv. How many cloudless afternoons I was to water with my private showers (p. 17)Personification Personification is a a figure of speech in which inanimate objects or abstractions are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form. Anne Fine uses personification to make this novel more dramatic and interesting or to convey a certain mood. By using this literary device, it also helps us to relate more to the object or idea that is being personified because it is easier for us to relate to something with human attributes. i. Flinching as the twisted fingers of trees scraped at the glass (p. 2) ii. And then another flash shot generously across the sky (p. 7) iii.The wind still whistled through the tree, but in the room the silence is palpable (p. 34) Repetition This device is mostly used in two of the vignettes to emphasise on the subject in hand, as shown in the following: i. ‘It isn’t a story,’ said Colin. ‘There isn’t anything to tell. We just went on. ’ (p. 51) ii. ‘There isn’t a story,’ said Colin. (p. 53) iii. ‘There isn’t a story,’ said Colin. ‘We just went on. ’ (p. 56 ) iv. ‘ I’ve told you,’ said Colin. ’There isn’t story. It’s just that, as we went on, I started getting into trouble at school†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (p. 57 ) v. ‘Dumpa’s the problem’ (pgs 107,112,119 and 125 )