Digital Fortress Chapter 88-93

Chapter 88 The headlight of Becker's Vespa threw stark shadows on the walls of the narrow passageways. He struggled with the gear shift and roared between the whitewashed buildings, giving the inhabitants of Santa Cruz an early wake-up call this Sunday morning. It had been less than thirty minutes since Becker's escape from the airport. He'd been on the run ever since, his mind grappling with endless questions: Who's trying to kill me? What's so special about this ring? Where is the NSA jet? He thought of Megan dead in the stall, and the nausea crept back. Becker had hoped to cut directly across the barrio and exit on the other side, but Santa Cruz was a bewildering labyrinth of alleyways. It was peppered with false starts and dead ends. Becker quickly became disoriented. He looked up for the tower of the Giralda to get his bearings, but the surrounding walls were so high he could see nothing except a thin slit of breaking dawn above him. Becker wondered where the man in wire-rim glasses was; he knew better than to think the assailant had given up. The killer probably was after him on foot. Becker struggled to maneuver his Vespa around tight corners. The sputtering of the engine echoed up and down the alleys. Becker knew he was an easy target in the silence of Santa Cruz. At this point, all he had in his favor was speed. Got to get to the other side! After a long series of turns and straightaways, Becker skidded into a three-way intersection marked Esquina de los Reyes. He knew he was in trouble-he had been there already. As he stood straddling the idling bike, trying to decide which way to turn, the engine sputtered to a stop. The gas gauge read vacio. As if on cue, a shadow appeared down an alley on his left. The human mind is the fastest computer in existence. In the next fraction of a second, Becker's mind registered the shape of the man's glasses, searched his memory for a match, found one, registered danger, and requested a decision. He got one. He dropped the useless bike and took off at a full sprint. Unfortunately for Becker, Hulohot was now on solid ground rather than in a lurching taxi. He calmly raised his weapon and fired. The bullet caught Becker in the side just as he stumbled around the corner out of range. He took five or six strides before the sensation began to register. At first it felt like a muscle pull, just above the hip. Then it turned to a warm tingling. When Becker saw the blood, he knew. There was no pain, no pain anywhere, just a headlong race through the winding maze of Santa Cruz. Hulohot dashed after his quarry. He had been tempted to hit Becker in the head, but he was a professional; he played the odds. Becker was a moving target, and aiming at his midsection provided the greatest margin of error both vertically and horizontally. The odds had paid off. Becker had shifted at the last instant, and rather than missing his head, Hulohot had caught a piece of his side. Although he knew the bullet had barely grazed Becker and would do no lasting damage, the shot had served its purpose. Contact had been made. The prey had been touched by death. It was a whole new game. Becker raced forward blindly. Turning. Winding. Staying out of the straightaways. The footsteps behind him seemed relentless. Becker's mind was blank. Blank to everything-where he was, who was chasing him-all that was left was instinct, self preservation, no pain, only fear, and raw energy. A shot exploded against the azulejo tile behind him. Shards of glass sprayed across the back of his neck. He stumbled left, into another alley. He heard himself call for help, but except for the sound of footsteps and strained breathing, the morning air remained deathly still. Becker's side was burning now. He feared he was leaving a crimson trail on the whitewashed walks. He searched everywhere for an open door, an open gate, any escape from the suffocating canyons. Nothing. The walkway narrowed. â€Å"Socorro!† Becker's voice was barely audible. â€Å"Help!† The walls grew closer on each side. The walkway curved. Becker searched for an intersection, a tributary, any way out. The passageway narrowed. Locked doors. Narrowing. Locked gates. The footsteps were closing. He was in a straightaway, and suddenly the alley began to slope upward. Steeper. Becker felt his legs straining. He was slowing. And then he was there. Like a freeway that had run out of funding, the alley just stopped. There was a high wall, a wooden bench, and nothing else. No escape. Becker looked up three stories to the top of the building and then spun and started back down the long alley, but he had only taken a few steps before he stopped short. At the foot of the inclined straightaway, a figure appeared. The man moved toward Becker with a measured determination. In his hand, a gun glinted in the early morning sun. Becker felt a sudden lucidity as he backed up toward the wall. The pain in his side suddenly registered. He touched the spot and looked down. There was blood smeared across his fingers and across Ensei Tankado's golden ring. He felt dizzy. He stared at the engraved band, puzzled. He'd forgotten he was wearing it. He'd forgotten why he had come to Seville. He looked up at the figure approaching. He looked down at the ring. Was this why Megan had died? Was this why he would die? The shadow advanced up the inclined passageway. Becker saw walls on all sides-a dead end behind him. A few gated entryways between them, but it was too late to call for help. Becker pressed his back against the dead end. Suddenly he could feel every piece of grit beneath the soles of his shoes, every bump in the stucco wall behind him. His mind was reeling backward, his childhood, his parents†¦ Susan. Oh, God†¦ Susan. For the first time since he was a kid, Becker prayed. He did not pray for deliverance from death; he did not believe in miracles. Instead he prayed that the woman he left behind would find strength, that she would know without a doubt that she had been loved. He closed his eyes. The memories came like a torrent. They were not memories of department meetings, university business, and the things that made up 90 percent of his life; they were memories of her. Simple memories: teaching her to use chopsticks, sailing on Cape Cod. I love you, he thought. Know that†¦ forever. It was as if every defense, every facade, every insecure exaggeration of his life had been stripped away. He was standing naked-flesh and bones before God. I am a man, he thought. And in a moment of irony he thought, A man without wax. He stood, eyes closed, as the man in wire-rim glasses drew nearer. Somewhere nearby, a bell began to toll. Becker waited in darkness, for the sound that would end his life. Chapter 89 The morning sun was just breaking over the Seville rooftops and shining down into the canyons below. The bells atop the Giralda cried out for sunrise mass. This was the moment inhabitants had all been waiting for. Everywhere in the ancient barrio, gates opened and families poured into the alleyways. Like lifeblood through the veins of old Santa Cruz, they coursed toward the heart of their pueblo, toward the core of their history, toward their God, their shrine, their cathedral. Somewhere in Becker's mind, a bell was tolling. Am I dead? Almost reluctantly, he opened his eyes and squinted into the first rays of sunlight. He knew exactly where he was. He leveled his gaze and searched the alley for his assailant. But the man in wire-rims was not there. Instead, there were others. Spanish families, in their finest clothes, stepping from their gated portals into the alleyways, talking, laughing. At the bottom of the alley, hidden from Becker's view, Hulohot cursed in frustration. At first there had been only a single couple separating him from his quarry. Hulohot had been certain they would leave. But the sound of the bells kept reverberating down the alley, drawing others from their homes. A second couple, with children. They greeted each another. Talking, laughing, kissing three times on the cheek. Another group appeared, and Hulohot could no longer see his prey. Now, in a boiling rage, he raced into the quickly growing crowd. He had to get to David Becker! The killer fought his way toward the end of the alley. He found himself momentarily lost in a sea of bodies-coats and ties, black dresses, lace mantles over hunched women. They all seemed oblivious to Hulohot's presence; they strolled casually, all in black, shuffling, moving as one, blocking his way. Hulohot dug his way through the crowd and dashed up the alley into the dead end, his weapon raised. Then he let out a muted, inhuman scream. David Becker was gone. Becker stumbled and sidestepped his way through the crowd. Follow the crowd, he thought. They know the way out. He cut right at the intersection and the alley widened. Everywhere gates were opening and people were pouring out. The pealing of the bells grew louder. Becker's side was still burning, but he sensed the bleeding had stopped. He raced on. Somewhere behind him, closing fast, was a man with a gun. Becker ducked in and out of the groups of churchgoers and tried to keep his head down. It was not much farther. He could sense it. The crowd had thickened. The alley had widened. They were no longer in a little tributary, this was the main river. As he rounded a bend, Becker suddenly saw it, rising before them-the cathedral and Giralda tower. The bells were deafening, the reverberations trapped in the high-walled plaza. The crowds converged, everyone in black, pushing across the square toward the gaping doors of the Seville Cathedral. Becker tried to break away toward Mateus Gago, but he was trapped. He was shoulder to shoulder, heel to toe with the shoving throngs. The Spaniards had always had a different idea of closeness than the rest of the world. Becker was wedged between two heavyset women, both with their eyes closed, letting the crowd carry them. They mumbled prayers to themselves and clutched rosary beads in their fingers. As the crowd closed on the enormous stone structure, Becker tried to cut left again, but the current was stronger now. The anticipation, the pushing and shoving, the blind, mumbled prayers. He turned into the crowd, trying to fight backward against the eager throngs. It was impossible, like swimming upstream in a mile-deep river. He turned. The cathedral doors loomed before him-like the opening to some dark carnival ride he wished he hadn't taken. David Becker suddenly realized he was going to church. Chapter 90 The Crypto sirens were blaring. Strathmore had no idea how long Susan had been gone. He sat alone in the shadows, the drone of TRANSLTR calling to him. You're a survivor†¦ you're a survivor†¦. Yes, he thought. I'm a survivor-but survival is nothing without honor. I'd rather die than live in the shadow of disgrace. And disgrace was what was waiting for him. He had kept information from the director. He had sent a virus into the nation's most secure computer. There was no doubt he would be hung out to dry. His intentions had been patriotic, but nothing had gone as he'd planned. There had been death and treachery. There would be trials, accusations, public outrage. He had served his country with honor and integrity for so many years, he couldn't allow it to end this way. I'm a survivor, he thought. You're a liar, his own thoughts replied. It was true. He was a liar. There were people he hadn't been honest with. Susan Fletcher was one of them. There were so many things he hadn't told her-things he was now desperately ashamed of. For years she'd been his illusion, his living fantasy. He dreamed of her at night; he cried out for her in his sleep. He couldn't help it. She was as brilliant and as beautiful as any woman he could imagine. His wife had tried to be patient, but when she finally met Susan, she immediately lost hope. Bev Strathmore never blamed her husband for his feelings. She tried to endure the pain as long as possible, but recently it had become too much. She'd told him their marriage was ending; another woman's shadow was no place to spend the rest of her life. Gradually the sirens lifted Strathmore from his daze. His analytical powers searched for any way out. His mind reluctantly confirmed what his heart had suspected. There was only one true escape, only one solution. Strathmore gazed down at the keyboard and began typing. He didn't bother to turn the monitor so he could see it. His fingers pecked out the words slowly and decisively. Dearest friends, I am taking my life today†¦ This way, no one would ever wonder. There would be no questions. There would be no accusations. He would spell out for the world what had happened. Many had died†¦ but there was still one life to take. Chapter 91 In a cathedral, it is always night. The warmth of the day turns to damp coolness. The traffic is silenced behind thick granite walls. No number of candelabras can illuminate the vast darkness overhead. Shadows fall everywhere. There's only the stained glass, high above, filtering the ugliness of the outside world into rays of muted reds and blues. The Seville Cathedral, like all great cathedrals of Europe, is laid out in the shape of a cross. The sanctuary and altar are located just above the midpoint and open downward onto the main sanctuary. Wooden pews fill the vertical axis, a staggering 113 yards from the altar to the base of the cross. To the left and right of the altar, the transept of the cross houses confessionals, sacred tombs, and additional seating. Becker found himself wedged in the middle of a long pew about halfway back. Overhead, in the dizzying empty space, a silver censer the size of a refrigerator swung enormous arcs on a frayed rope, leaving a trail of frankincense. The bells of the Giralda kept ringing, sending low rumbling shock waves through the stone. Becker lowered his gaze to the gilded wall behind the altar. He had a lot to be thankful for. He was breathing. He was alive. It was a miracle. As the priest prepared to give the opening prayer, Becker checked his side. There was a red stain on his shirt, but the bleeding had stopped. The wound was small, more of a laceration than a puncture. Becker tucked his shirt back in and craned his neck. Behind him, the doors were cranking shut. He knew if he'd been followed, he was now trapped. The Seville Cathedral had a single functional entrance, a design popularized in the days when churches were used as fortresses, a safe haven against Moorish invasion. With a single entrance, there was only one door to barricade. Now the single entrance had another function-it ensured all tourists entering the cathedral had purchased a ticket. The twenty-two-foot-high, gilded doors slammed with a decisive crash. Becker was sealed in the house of God. He closed his eyes and slid low in his pew. He was the only one in the building not dressed in black. Somewhere voices began to chant. Toward the back of the church, a figure moved slowly up the side aisle, keeping to the shadows. He had slipped in just before the doors closed. He smiled to himself. The hunt was getting interesting. Becker is here†¦ I can feel it. He moved methodically, one row at a time. Overhead the frankincense decanter swung its long, lazy arcs. A fine place to die, Hulohot thought. I hope I do as well. Becker knelt on the cold cathedral floor and ducked his head out of sight. The man seated next to him glared down-it was most irregular behavior in the house of God. â€Å"Enfermo,† Becker apologized. â€Å"Sick.† Becker knew he had to stay low. He had glimpsed a familiar silhouette moving up the side aisle. It's him! He's here! Despite being in the middle of an enormous congregation, Becker feared he was an easy target-his khaki blazer was like a roadside flare in the crowd of black. He considered removing it, but the white oxford shirt underneath was no better. Instead he huddled lower. The man beside him frowned. â€Å"Turista.† He grunted. Then he whispered, half sarcastically, â€Å"Llamo un medico? Shall I call a doctor?† Becker looked up at the old man's mole-ridden face. â€Å"No, gracias. Estoy bien.† The man gave him an angry look. â€Å"Pues sientate! Then sit down!† There were scattered shushes around them, and the old man bit his tongue and faced front. Becker closed his eyes and huddled lower, wondering how long the service would last. Becker, raised Protestant, had always had the impression Catholics were long-winded. He prayed it was true-as soon as the service ended, he would be forced to stand and let the others out. In khaki he was dead. Becker knew he had no choice at the moment. He simply knelt there on the cold stone floor of the great cathedral. Eventually, the old man lost interest. The congregation was standing now, singing a hymn. Becker stayed down. His legs were starting to cramp. There was no room to stretch them. Patience, he thought. Patience. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It felt like only minutes later that Becker felt someone kicking him. He looked up. The mole-faced man was standing to his right, waiting impatiently to leave the pew. Becker panicked. He wants to leave already? I'll have to stand up! Becker motioned for the man to step over him. The man could barely control his anger. He grabbed the tails of his black blazer, pulled them down in a huff, and leaned back to reveal the entire row of people waiting to leave. Becker looked left and saw that the woman who had been seated there was gone. The length of pew to his left was empty all the way to the center aisle. The service can't be over! It's impossible! We just got here! But when Becker saw the altar boy at the end of the row and the two single-file lines moving up the center aisle toward the altar, he knew what was happening. Communion. He groaned. The damn Spaniards do it first! Chapter 92 Susan climbed down the ladder into the sublevels. Thick steam was now boiling up around TRANSLTR's hull. The catwalks were wet with condensation. She almost fell, her flats providing very little traction. She wondered how much longer TRANSLTR would survive. The sirens continued their intermittent warning. The emergency lights spun in two-second intervals. Three stories below, the aux generators shook in a taxed whine. Susan knew somewhere at the bottom in the foggy dimness there was a circuit breaker. She sensed time was running out. Upstairs, Strathmore held the Beretta in his hand. He reread his note and laid it on the floor of the room where he was standing. What he was about to do was a cowardly act, there was no doubt. I'm a survivor, he thought. He thought of the virus in the NSA databank, he thought of David Becker in Spain, he thought of his plans for a back door. He had told so many lies. He was guilty of so much. He knew this was the only way to avoid accountability†¦ the only way to avoid the shame. Carefully he aimed the gun. Then he closed his eyes and pulled the trigger. Susan had only descended six flights when she heard the muffled shot. It was far off, barely audible over the generators. She had never heard a gunshot except on television, but she had no doubt what it was. She stopped short, the sound resounding in her ears. In a wave of horror, she feared the worst. She pictured the commander's dreams-the back door in Digital Fortress, the incredible coup it would have been. She pictured the virus in the databank, his failing marriage, that eerie nod he had given her. Her footing faltered. She spun on the landing, grappling for the banister. Commander! No! Susan was momentarily frozen, her mind blank. The echo of the gunshot seemed to drown out the chaos around her. Her mind told her to keep on going, but her legs refused. Commander! An instant later she found herself stumbling back up the stairs, entirely forgetting the danger around her. She ran blindly, slipping on the slick metal. Above her the humidity fell like rain. When she reached the ladder and began climbing, she felt herself lifted from below by a tremendous surge of steam that practically jettisoned her through the trapdoor. She rolled onto the Crypto floor and felt the cool air wash over her. Her white blouse clung to her body, soaked through. It was dark. Susan paused, trying to get her bearings. The sound of the gunshot was on endless loop in her head. Hot steam billowed up through the trapdoor like gases from a volcano about to explode. Susan cursed herself for leaving the Beretta with Strathmore. She had left it with him, hadn't she? Or was it in Node 3? As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she glanced toward the gaping hole in the Node 3 wall. The glow from the monitors was faint, but in the distance she could see Hale lying motionless on the floor where she'd left him. There was no sign of Strathmore. Terrified of what she'd find, she turned toward the commander's office. But as she began to move, something registered as strange. She backpedaled a few steps and peered into Node 3 again. In the soft light she could see Hale's arm. It was not at his side. He was no longer tied like a mummy. His arm was up over his head. He was sprawled backward on the floor. Had he gotten free? There was no movement. Hale was deathly still. Susan gazed up at Strathmore's workstation perched high on the wall. â€Å"Commander?† Silence. Tentatively she moved toward Node 3. There was an object in Hale's hand. It glimmered in the light of the monitors. Susan moved closer†¦ closer. Suddenly she could see what Hale was holding. It was the Beretta. Susan gasped. Following the arch of Hale's arm, her eyes moved to his face. What she saw was grotesque. Half of Greg Hale's head was soaked in blood. The dark stain had spread out across the carpet. Oh my God! Susan staggered backward. It wasn't the commander's shot she'd heard, it was Hale's! As if in a trance, Susan moved toward the body. Apparently, Hale had managed to free himself. The printer cables were piled on the floor beside him. I must have left the gun on the couch, she thought. The blood flowing through the hole in his skull looked black in the bluish light. On the floor beside Hale was a piece of paper. Susan went over unsteadily, and picked it up. It was a letter. Dearest friends, I am taking my life today in penance for the following sins†¦ In utter disbelief, Susan stared at the suicide note in her hand. She read slowly. It was surreal-so unlike Hale-a laundry list of crimes. He was admitting to everything-figuring out that NDAKOTA was a hoax, hiring a mercenary to kill Ensei Tankado and take the ring, pushing Phil Chartrukian, planning to sell Digital Fortress. Susan reached the final line. She was not prepared for what she read. The letter's final words delivered a numbing blow. Above all, I'm truly sorry about David Becker. Forgive me, I was blinded by ambition. As Susan stood trembling over Hale's body, the sound of running footsteps approached behind her. In slow motion, she turned. Strathmore appeared in the broken window, pale and out of breath. He stared down at Hale's body in apparent shock. â€Å"Oh my God!† he said. â€Å"What happened?† Chapter 93 Communion. Hulohot spotted Becker immediately. The khaki blazer was impossible to miss, particularly with the small bloodstain on one side. The jacket was moving up the center aisle in a sea of black. He must not know I'm here. Hulohot smiled. He's a dead man. He fanned the tiny metal contacts on his fingertips, eager to tell his American contact the good news. Soon, he thought, very soon. Like a predator moving downwind, Hulohot moved to the back of the church. Then he began his approach-straight up the center aisle. Hulohot was in no mood to track Becker through the crowds leaving the church. His quarry was trapped, a fortunate turn of events. Hulohot just needed a way to eliminate him quietly. His silencer, the best money could buy, emitted no more than a tiny spitting cough. That would be fine. As Hulohot closed on the khaki blazer, he was unaware of the quiet murmurs coming from those he was passing. The congregation could understand this man's excitement to receive the blessing of God, but nevertheless, there were strict rules of protocol-two lines, single file. Hulohot kept moving. He was closing quickly. He thumbed the revolver in his jacket pocket. The moment had arrived. David Becker had been exceptionally fortunate so far; there was no need to tempt fortune any further. The khaki blazer was only ten people ahead, facing front, head down. Hulohot rehearsed the kill in his mind. The image was clear-cutting in behind Becker, keeping the gun low and out of sight, firing two shots into Becker's back, Becker slumping, Hulohot catching him and helping him into a pew like a concerned friend. Then Hulohot would move quickly to the back of the church as if going for help. In the confusion, he would disappear before anyone knew what had happened. Five people. Four. Three. Hulohot fingered the gun in his pocket, keeping it low. He would fire from hip level upward into Becker's spine. That way the bullet would hit either the spine or a lung before finding the heart. Even if the bullet missed the heart, Becker would die. A punctured lung was fatal, maybe not in more medically advanced parts of the world, but in Spain, it was fatal. Two people†¦ one. And then Hulohot was there. Like a dancer performing a well-rehearsed move, he turned to his right. He laid his hand on the shoulder of the khaki blazer, aimed the gun, and†¦ fired. Two muffled spats. Instantly the body was rigid. Then it was falling. Hulohot caught his victim under the armpits. In a single motion, he swung the body into a pew before any bloodstains spread across his back. Nearby, people turned. Hulohot paid no heed-he would be gone in an instant. He groped the man's lifeless fingers for the ring. Nothing. He felt again. The fingers were bare. Hulohot spun the man around angrily. The horror was instantaneous. The face was not David Becker's. Rafael de la Maza, a banker from the suburbs of Seville, had died almost instantly. He was still clutching the 50,000 pesetas the strange American had paid him for a cheap black blazer.

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Essay

a. Round 1 = In this round I removed lichens from the ecosystems. This would have a huge effect on the ecosystem because they play a role in the creation of soil where plants obtain nutrients. If they are taken out it can affect trees and flowers which affect bees, because they depend on them. This also effect humans that depend on the bees for honey and the fruit that the bees help pollinate. b. Round 2 = In this round humans was removed. By removing humans there was a little effect on the ecosystem. We are the top of the food chain and, but our actions do more damage then good for the environment. c. Round 3 = In this round bees was removed. This is a huge problem in today’s environment and effects the pollination of plants. Because of the removal of bees it really affects the ability of plants to produce fruits, which allow humans food. d. Round 4 = In this round flowers was removed. This was an affects to the ecosystem because flowers deliver food for bees. Bees provide honey and pollinate plants. Because of the removal of flowers it eventually removes bees which effect humans and the food chain. 2. Provide one action we as humans engage in that leads to the extinction of each of these components. Action affecting Lichens = Humans affect lichens with air pollution, industrialization and the introduction of sulphur dioxide can kill lichens. (Air Quality and Lichens, 2014) Action affecting Trees = Humans cut down trees to use for lumber, and to expand. This deforestation is the largest way for humans to affect trees. Action affecting Flowers = The way humans are affecting the flowers is by over population and polluting the air with automobiles that can produce acid rain. Action affecting Bees = The actions that humans take to affect bees is by destroying habitats, 3. Provide three specific actions that humans can take to minimize our impact on the ecosystem and ensure the survival of lichens, trees, flowers, and bees. Action 1 = Humans can reduce the amount of pollution that produced by using more efficient automobiles and public transportation. Action 2 = Humans can reduce the amount of pollutants the produce by using more efficient automobiles and public transportation. Action 3 = The other action they can do to minimize the impact on the ecosystem is to recycle this will save the need to destroy habitats for more resources. Experiment 1: Diversity of Plants Table 2: Number of Each Plant Species Present in Pot 1 and Pot 2 Species Observed Number in Pot 1(sunlight) Number in Pot 2(shade) Zinnia 2 1 Marigold 2 2 Morning Glory 3 1 Cosmos 8 4 Ryegrass 3 2 Total Number of Species in Pot: 18 10 POST LAB QUESTIONS 1. Develop a hypothesis on which pot you believe will contain the highest biodiversity. Hypothesis = I believe that the plants that are in the sun will develop the highest biodiversity. 2. Based on the results of your experiment, would you reject or accept the hypothesis that you produced in question 1? Explain how you determined this. Accept/Reject = I accept my hypothesis because the flowers that I grew in the planter that I placed in the sun made the most flowers and different types. 3. If each pot was a sample you found in a group of wildflowers, would you determine based on the diversity of flowers that the ecosystem is healthy? Why or why not. Answer = I was so impressed with the amount of flowers that grew in both environments. In my determination based on the diversity of flowers that the ecosystem is healthy. There was actually a lot of plants in both of the environment but of course the ones in the sunlight had a healthier ecosystem. 4. How does biodiversity contribute to the overall health of an ecosystem? Provide specific examples and utilize at least one scholarly resource to back your answer. Answer = Biodiversity is very important to the health of an ecosystem. The greater species diversity is it ensures natural sustainability for all life forms. It provides natural services such as soil protection, water resources, pollution breakdown, food, medical resources, and future resources, according to Shah (2014). She states â€Å"Each species depends on the services provided by other species to ensure survival. It is a type of cooperation based on mutual survival and is often what a â€Å"balanced ecosystem† refers to†(2014). Crops are used to feed cattle, then the cattle waste nourishes the crops. Crops, as well as yielding grain also yield straw , the straw provides organic matter and fodder, crops are therefore food sources for humans and animals then the soil and organisms such as bacteria and algae serve as nitrogen fixers. Rodents, then aerate the soil and improve its water-holding capacity Spiders, centipedes and insects grind organic matter from the surface soil and leave behind enriched droppings. This large biodiversity is accentual to maintaining health crops and animals for the food supply.

Cultural Awareness in an Asymmetric Environment

I believe all experienced military leaders, both noncommissioned and commissioned, realize the importance of knowing every facet of the enemy and their environment. Throughout history, we have studied, witnessed and experienced great examples of the use of cultural knowledge during combat operations. Lieutenant Colonel T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia) of the British Army documented his experiences while living among the Arabic people. He learned about their society and culture in order to improve his military expertise (McFate, 2004). With constantly changing interests, influences and enemy TTPs in today’s asymmetric environment, Soldiers on all levels are often focused on new strategies, equipment and tactics and unintentionally lose focus on the importance of cultural awareness. In today’s contemporary operation environment, cultural understanding and knowledge is a key element to successful counterinsurgency operations. This paper will stress the need for intensifying cultural awareness training in preparation for today’s asymmetric warfare and will emphasize the effectiveness of this principle of war. Cultural Awareness in an Asymmetric Environment Any WWII or Korean War Veteran can probably tell you how the phrase â€Å"combat operations† had a completely different connotation back in their day. Where conflicts of the past may have been focused on manpower, fire superiority and maneuver, today we are focused on variables like sociological demographics, politics and economy. Currently, U. S. forces are engaged in asymmetric warfare where the insurgents are adapting their strategies to avoid the direct fight and attempting to exploit the weaknesses of U. S. forces. The insurgents have the upper-hand; they know the customs, geography, influences and people and are able to maneuver unnoticed. To combat this, we have adjusted our training by implementing cultural familiarization in pre-mobilization training and inserting COIN doctrine into many leadership courses. However I argue that Soldiers on all levels, but especially the junior leaders and tacticians who are often engaged in the midst of the local populace, do not fully understand the value and second/third order effects of properly implementing this principle of warfare. Today, more than ever, we need to focus our training on cultural awareness and employ this knowledge to reverse the trend of the insurgency exploiting our cultural ignorance. Argument Just as a college football coach studies the footage of their opponent’s previous games; we need to study the norms, interests, relationships and socio-political patterns of our operating environment. In the last decade, we have taken measures to emphasize this principle of war but most significantly the publication of FM 3-24 has developed doctrine to defeat counterinsurgents with lessons learned in combat. It teaches the importance of cultural awareness in an asymmetric environment and stresses to avoid imposing our ideology of what we think is normal upon a foreign society (2006, p. 1-15). Today’s COE demands a more robust pre-mobilization training package on the culture, language, geography and anthropology. Training for this principle of warfare has been trivialized to higher-level familiarization of COIN doctrine and lower-level â€Å"check-the-block† pre-mobilization training. We need comprehensive training that involves every Soldier and incorporates advanced studies with scenario based exercises. Sergeant Elkhamri, a U. S. Army translator that spent 18 month with a Special Forces unit in Iraq, explained that the way to increase the Iraqi support in our fight against terrorism is to â€Å"improve the quality and increase the quantity† of pre-mobilization cultural awareness training. He further emphasizes how the we cannot expect deploying Soldiers to get a full understanding of Iraqi culture in a two hour PowerPoint class (2007, p. 110). The Philippine Insurrection The Philippine Insurrection is one of the strongest examples of how the lack of cultural respect and understanding can render significantly negative effects on military operations. From the American stand point, the Philippine Insurrection should have been a quick and easy conflict. Originally, the U. S. deployed with 20,000 troops in order to quickly quell the insurrection. After the realization that the resistance was not going to collapse quickly, troop strength doubled, tripled and finally peaked at 74,000 by the end of the conflict (Wikipedia, 2009) . In short, this stemmed from the U. S. underestimating the importance of cultural understanding by disregarding the Filiopino culture. The U. S. also demostrated that it was their duty to rescue the Filipino people by imposing American democracy upon them. This mindset, which was evident among U. S. military leadership in the Philippines, is sometimes apparent to this day. The Philippine Insurrection is one of the lowest points in U. S. military history. The Filipinos were often described by American military and media as uncivilized, fiendish savages. The U. S. ilitary strategy was executed with no consideration towards the local populace. American Soldiers tortured, mutilated and even decapitated Filipino troops. There were reports of U. S. Soldiers shooting surrendering Filipino troops and burning entire villages to the ground (Wikipedia, 2009). Picture these atrocities happening in America to Americans by a foreign military force. I would bet that we would have an enormous insurgent force of enraged Americans. Human nature dictates that the Philippine people would react the same way, and they did. The insurgency grew as word spread of the atrocities. Agoncillo described how the Filipino troops would exceed American brutality on some prisoners of war. He told stories how ears and noses were cut off and salt applied to the wounds; other reports described captured U. S. Soldiers being buried alive (Wikipedia, 1990). This cause and effect cycle was mutually destructive; in the end, both sides were blatantly breaking the Laws of War. John White was one American that understood the effectiveness of cultural understanding. He was a former American soldier that served as an officer in the Philippine Constabulary and led foreign indigenous troops in combat. His experiences served as a perfect example of the positive effects achieved by applying cultural understanding. In 1928 he wrote a book describing how he built a unified and highly effective combat unit of indigenous people that were both Muslim and Christian. These specialized squads would hunt down the insurgents into their own domain and defeat them in battle. Some of the keys to his success were emphasizing common soldier skills, trusting the integrity of his troops, treating his subordinates and their cultures with respect and adapting proven army methods to the native culture. He became fluent in Spanish and lived among his soldiers and the native people (2009, Dimarco). White was hugely successful in overcoming the insurgency by understanding their culture and adapting his knowledge of combat operations and tactics to fit his operating environment. Operation Iraqi Freedom The roots of the problems we face in Iraq stemmed from the strategic level. McFate, explained how some policy makers misunderstood the tribal nature of the Iraqi culture and assumed that the government would remain stable even after Saddam’s regime was overthrown. Consequentially, without any governmental structure the tribes assumed control and once the Ba’thists lost their power, the tribal network became the backbone of the insurgency. The Iraqi tribal insurgency was born from American cultural ignorance (McFate, 2004, p. 44). Cultural misunderstanding continued to be our weakness with the misinterpretation of certain symbols and gestures. American forces often associated the black flag as the opposite of surrender but among the Shia population it is a religious symbol. Consequently, many Shia who flew the black were shot unnecessarily for displaying their religious beliefs. Another example is how the American signal for stop was often misinterpreted since this gesture means welcome in Iraq; as you can imagine, this resulted in tragedy as well (2004, p. 44). In 2006, Elkhamri witnessed numerous appointments of powerful political figures solely based family-ties and political affiliations. He met Iraqi Commanders who were promoted from lieutenant to lieutenant colonel exclusively for political reasons. Naturally, these shady antics did not go over well with the local populace. With a better under ¬standing of the social-political framework, leaders could prevent these situations and earn the trust and respect of the community (2007, p. 111). Inversely, understanding the culture and society of your COE can positively impact military operations. By recognizing that pre-existing social structures were key to political stabilization, British Brigadier Andrew Kennett implemented historical lessons learned by adjusting to local cultures and understanding the inner workings of the tribal hierarchy. He learned that the most important element of the Iraqi society is the tribe and their supporters and observed the tribal relationship between currency and loyalty. Knowing this, he appointed tribal leaders to the local councils and gave them money to distribute. By doing this, he empower the sheiks and gained favor with the local tribes (McFate, 2007, p. 45). General Odierno understood how the structure of any insurgency always mirrors the structure of the indigenous society; with this notion he tasked two junior intelligence analysts to construct a chart in order to locate Saddam. By identifying, depicting and tracking key figures’ nterrelationships, social status, and last-known locations, this intelligence led the 4th ID troops directly to Saddam Hussein (McFate, 2007, p. 45). This turning point in the war stemmed from the leadership’s knowledge of the Iraqi society and culture. Counter Argument There are some that believe cultural understanding is over rated and over emphasized. In some military subcultures, hardened emotions and apathy towards your enemies’ culture and interests correlates to strength, courage and fearlessness. Some argue that the Warrior Ethos contradicts with cultural understanding and COIN doctrine. Many years ago, my friend SSG Delagarza jokingly said, â€Å"My definition of hearts and minds is two in the heart, one in the mind† and yes, we all laughed because that was part of being in that subculture. There are situations where this hardened mindset is essential to mission success, but just as we need to select the right weaponry for each planned target, we need to select the proper approach for each military operation and situation. Selecting the proper weaponry and the proper approach is a key decision that is based on thorough analysis of every aspect of your enemy and AO. Cultural knowledge of your enemy goes hand in hand with the strategy and tactics used to defeat them. A former commander and one of the hardest Rangers I ever met used to always tell us, â€Å"You got to be hard AND smart. † It was a simple little phrase that we usually ignored but it’s always stuck with me. Now that I have grown as an NCO and leader, I realize what he was saying. There are times to use your brawn by showing overwhelming aggression and firepower but there are also times to use your intellect by employing the most efficient methods to handle a situation. As a young first sergeant I learned the hard way. There were times my hard charging methods of demanding battalion staff NCOs to â€Å"do their job and fix the problem† may have worked, but in due course I realized that I was destroying critical relationships and losing all rapport with supporting elements. The secondary effects were evident by the lack willing support from these same staff sections for months to follow. Ironically, the trickle-down effect eventually affected the ones I was so adamantly fighting for, my Soldiers. Conclusion I believe the U. S. will always overcome any military adversary with our verwhelming land, sea and air superiority, advanced intelligence, technology, weaponry and training but at what cost? In today’s asymmetric environment, direct action may not always be the best option. The finesse of properly executed cultural diplomacy may be an effective force multiplier. There is a significant need to train every Soldier on effectively implementing cultural understanding, especially at the lowest level. With an advanced understanding of our COE’s culture, society, geography and anthropology we could achieve success swiftly, efficiently and most importantly with considerably less casualties. References https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War http://louisdimarco.com/Occupations/Reviewbulletsandbolos.pdf

Jesus, Son of God Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jesus, Son of God - Research Paper Example He is also believed to have risen from the dead three days after being crucified. In the course of his life, Jesus is said to have performed many miracles. The nature of Jesus has however been severally questioned by those opposed to the Christian religion. As a religion, Christianity was initially founded on the principles of Judaism. God is said to have had a covenant with the people of Israel. The covenant had a declaration that he would send them the messiah who would bless not only the Israelites but the entire world. This was after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. The Old Testament contains over 100 prophesies that make reference to the coming of the messiah and give the qualities that the messiah would have. The prophesies that are found in the Old Testament also predict the place and the circumstances under which the messiah would be born. The prophesies also give the characteristics that the messiah would have that would set him aside from the rest of the population an d from the rest of the prophet. Jesus is said to have fulfilled all these prophesies and is therefore believed to be the messiah who would save mankind. He (Jesus) was for example conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is also said to have been born of a virgin (Darst 4). The title of Son of God comes from the fact that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. ... Another reference can be found in the book of Mark 3:11 where after casting out demons, the demons bow to Jesus and refer to him as the Son of God. Jesus also referred to himself as the Son of God. He refers to God as his father. These assertions begin at an early age in Jesus’ life when his parents find him in the temple and he refers to it as his father’s house (Luke 23:49). Jesus also did not object to any reference to himself as the Son of God (Hurtado 20). The nature of the mission of Jesus is said to have been two fold. In the first place, he had to take the form of man, and live like a man so that he could teach people about the nature of salvation. His human form was despite having a divine nature in that he was the son of God sent for the redemption of man. Jesus was also to pay the ultimate price for the sins of man despite the fact that his divine nature allowed him to be free of sin. He paid this price when he was crucified and died on the cross. Because he was the son of God, he rose from the dead. This provides the basis upon which Christianity is built (McGrath 1). The teachings of Jesus were different from those that the earlier prophets and the priests preached. While the norm was for the priests and those responsible for teaching religion was to emphasize on the following of the set rules and religious ceremonies. Jesus however asserted that the mere obedience of the laws did not make one holy. Instead, he preached one love for God and love for other people as the most important commandment. Love for God and love for fellow men is therefore one of the most basic and fundamental principles of the Christian religion. As a human being, Jesus spent his life travelling with his disciples and teaching a message of peace and salvation. He also called

SIOP Lesson Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SIOP Lesson Plan - Essay Example To effectively teach this lesson the teach needs only to be conversant with the subject content and have an understanding of these best practices. This is why I have decided to include them in this essay. The first thing that a teacher should do when teaching this lesson is helping the students to build background knowledge on the subject in the lesson. Building background knowledge integrates new concepts in a lesson with previously taught concepts and thus promotes achievement of literacy (Cohen & Cowan, 2007). The major best practice that a teacher can use to build this kind of knowledge, is reviewing previously taught concepts. In this case, the teacher should review the concepts taught in the topic on use of microscope to observe cell organelles. This would help the students to connect between the two lessons. According to Cohen & Cowan (2007, p. 183), â€Å"other best practices for building background knowledge are discussion, background generating activities, pre-questions an d objective stating, and field trips†. In the discussion practice, the teacher can discuss with the students about a cell and importance of plants to humans. They can also try to discuss how humans derive these benefits from plants. In the case of background generating activity, the teacher should have the students observe different parts of plant cells using a microscope. If the teacher can have the students state the questions they might have on plant cells and what they aim to understand by the end of the lesson, the students can build background knowledge about this lesson. A short trip in which the students familiarize themselves with different plants can also be a best practice for building background knowledge. This lesson involves teaching of several words that the students might find difficult to comprehend. As a result, a teacher should find a way to instruct such words to enhance understanding. The best practice for vocabulary instruction is use of diagrams. In this practice, students are able to visualize the meaning of the words and therefore they can understand them much better. The good thing with this kind of practice when used in teaching the lesson is that, all the difficult words in the lesson are represented using a diagram from the science book. Therefore, it is very easy to apply this best practice in this lesson to promote conceptual understanding of vocabularies found in the topic of plant cells. Comprehensible input is adjustments made by a teacher in his teaching technique to enhance students understanding. The adjustments are crucial in enhancing the students, ability to comprehend the lesson content. Several best practices that a teacher could use when adjusting his teaching technique are available. Most common among these best practices include pausing frequently, paraphrasing and repeating ideas that look difficult, and use of gestures and body language (Wandberg & Rohwer, 2010). In teaching this lesson, a teacher should pau se as often as possible to give students time to comprehend an idea. He should also paraphrase ideas from the way the science book represents them. This would make the ideas to be rather simpler to understand. He should also be repeating ideas when necessary to ensure all students understand them. Gestures and body language would also be necessary especially to show the functions of a cell membrane and its characteristics. We will need to group

Aztecs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aztecs - Essay Example Aztecs were ancient Nahuatl-speaking people whose civilization flourished in Central Mexico from the 12th century AD until they were conquered by the Spanish led by Cortes in 1519. Aztec history is one of the best preserved records of the Mesoamericans. The Aztecs were a nomadic tribe living in northern Mexico for centuries before they migrated to the highlands of central Mexico in the 12th century. The power of the Aztecs began to rise in the 14th century, and by the 16th century they were dominating central Mexico and up to present-day Guatemala in the south. Being the last in a series of civilizations in Mesoamerica, the Aztecs had a complex culture that had shades of the cultures of civilizations preceding them such as the Mayan and Teotihuacan. The extensive practice of human sacrifice was a prominent feature of Aztec culture. This essay analyzes the concept of human sacrifice in Aztec culture. Sacrifices were fundamental to most ancient cultures.In fact, all cultures have pract iced sacrifice in some form or other, ranging from food and wine to animals and humans. In our modern and civilized cultures, however, human sacrifice is deemed as a freak and abhorrent cult. Human sacrifice among the Sumerians involved poisoning and burial. The Sumerian civilization that existed on the lower reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers about 4000 B.C., practiced human sacrifice in the form of the burial of a king in a lower chamber, followed by a layering of humans and, finally, the chief sacrifice of the queen in the topmost chamber in a tomb. In the Neolithic or Bronze period in China, in what was possibly the earliest known phase of civilization, the Shang Dynasty (1500-600 B.C.) practiced sacrifices of war captives to the royal ancestors. When a king died, it was customary to bury him along with his sacrificed servants. Thus, human sacrifice among the ancient Chinese was practiced for the sake of ancestor worship. The Celts (400-200 BC) whose territory extended f rom Ireland to parts of Asia Minor, and in the south to parts of Italy, and some regions in Spain, besides the entire Roman empire, also indulged in human sacrifice until the beginning of the Christian era and the act was probably voluntary. Thus, human sacrifice by the Celts was carried out to placate the gods in order to reap benefits for the community. From all accounts the ritual of human sacrifice undertaken by the Aztecs was extremely violent and savage. The most common form of human sacrifice among the Aztecs consisted of blood letting and tearing the hearts out to offer to the gods, in particular, Huitzilopochtli. This involved cutting open the chests of victims at altars on top of temple-pyramids by special sacrifice priests using sacrificial knives carved out of precious stone. A most spectacular yet gruesome event is said to have taken place during the consecration of the temple of Huitzilpochtli, just two decades before Cortes defeated the Aztecs. On this occasion, at le ast 20,000 prisoners are said to have been sacrificed in a marathon session of sacrifice conducted by Ahuitzotl, the then Aztec ruler, and his relatives, acting as the officiating priests (Raggio et al., 2000). The skulls of the sacrificial victims placed on long wooden racks were later displayed to the public. The Aztec empire was a model of administrative regulation and control, and which had implemented many economic and political innovations. The highly successful Aztec society had developed advanced agriculture, mathematics, astronomy and art. Their capital, Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) established in 1325, developed fast and had a population of more than 100,000 people when it was attacked by the Spanish. The reasons for such a powerful empire yielding so quickly and completely to the Spanish in 1519 beg to be discussed. Religion was a driving force for the Aztecs, Huitzilopochtli being the patron god. Besides this hummingbird-like god, there were several other prominent dei ties, too. Human sacrifices

Government Policies to Regulate Sex Tourism in Thailand Research Paper

Government Policies to Regulate Sex Tourism in Thailand - Research Paper Example Government Policies to Regulate Sex Tourism in Thailand Sex tourism gets its popularity from the acute unemployment and poverty in the destination country. Edwards (2012) argues that sex tourism is a multibillion dollar sector that offers support to an international workforce of over 50 million people. The sex industry also benefits the service industry including hotels, restaurants, airlines, and transport industries. Sex tourism is often associated with males and various nations have become preferred destinations for sex tourists, such as, Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia, and Colombia among others (Harrison, 2010). Among these nations, Thailand is at the center of sexual tourism worldwide with Pattaya, Bangkok, and Phuket the major sex tourism destinations. There are about 2 million sexual workers in Thailand. Of the 59 million Thai population, over a half a million people are infected with HIV/AIDS. This is primarily attributed to sex trade. In this perspective, the paper will discuss what the government of Thailand should do in relation to the continuing practice of sex tourism as a dominant form of tourism to its country. People who travel so as to engage in sexual activity are subject to the prostitution laws of that destination nation. However, when the sexual activity is non-consensual or involves child prostitution it is illegal both in the individual’s home country and the participating nation. Sex tourists interact indiscriminately with various sex partners of their choice irrespective of their age.

Aircraft Maintenance Cost Management Research Paper

Aircraft Maintenance Cost Management - Research Paper Example Yet, unlike other issues in business, the issue of airline fleet maintenance has several different determinants that ensure it is an extraordinarily costly/expensive process. Within this way, airlines are perennially faced with the issue of how to maximize airline safety, promote existing standards while at the same time, gaining a price advantage over their competitors. Naturally, even as primary air carriers are locked in continual competition with other air carriers, they are looking for each and every opportunity to cut costs and become even slightly more competitive. However, most airlines are extraordinarily hesitant to consider trimming budget from airline maintenance funds; fearing that any incident will draw further analysis and criticism to this tactic and potentially make the air carrier somewhat culpable for whatever issue might have occurred. Accordingly, as with so many issues, there is a middle ground; something between an air carrier seeking to spend an extraordinary sum on air fleet maintenance as compared to an air carrier seeking to cut any and all expenses as a means of promoting its own bottom line. Likewise, the following analysis will focus specifically on some of the determinants of why air fleet maintenance is so exorbitantly expensive as well as put toward some approaches that could potentially reduce the overall time and resources that would be required to address air fleet maintenance needs; while at the same time promoting ethical standards of safety and meeting basic requirements for how air fleet maintenance should be conducted. One of the first determinants for why air fleet maintenance is such a costly endeavor has to do with the variety of different aircrafts that carriers are responsible for flying. Even a cursory review of major air carriers reveals that they fly many different models of aircraft; requiring a litany of different parts that require special procurement and long hours of training

Healthcare organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Healthcare organization - Essay Example direction that exists between governance and management as well as seeking to integrate an appreciation with the reader for why both of these are required within the healthcare organization. Firstly, with respect to governance, the reader can and should understand this as â€Å"the strategic task of setting the organization’s goals, direction, limitations, and accountability frameworks† (Prencipe & Bar-Yosef 199). In this way, the reader/researcher can readily integrate with the understanding that such a function of leadership is necessary in order to constrain and elaborate upon the rules of the game with which all of the other shareholders must integrate. Rather than providing an active form of participatory leadership, the role of governance is more intended to lay the underlying framework for how shareholders should integrate with one another, with the patient, and with the provision of healthcare within the system. It is also worth noting that just because governance can be defined in such a way does not make it anything similar to an infallible process; rather, it is just as fallible as management might be. Conversely, management can of course be defined as â€Å"the allocation of resources and overseeing the day to day activities and operations of the organization† (Prencipe & Bar-Yosef 199). In such a way, the reader can understand that although less of a macro approach than governance, management is the means by which governance and the issues that it portends for the shareholders must be engaged. Moreover, the reader and/or researcher can understand the management as opposed to governance is the path by which the â€Å"what† and â€Å"how† of the governance directives are able to ultimately be integrated with the prospective shareholders in the process. As one can expect from the fact that the governance structure was one that presented the macro view, the management process is one that offers a much more integrated and personal approach to

Amendment Management Simulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Amendment Management Simulation - Essay Example Our goal is serving mouth-watering dishes of international food to customers within this area. The most inspired reason for choosing the name of the shop (Global Treats) is to emphasise the plentiful supplies of good food, which is offered to their customers. This new style of fast food will sell a variety of products and services ranging from appetizer, main course, salad, side dishes to dessert and drink, serving in both â€Å"takeaway† and â€Å"eat in†. The operational strategies approves that it is a potential plan to get profit and expand the market in the future. According to our researches, the shop was located in a good area with various public places. Therefore, encouraged by the growing demand for more choice of international food takeaway, combined with the home delivery service, Global Treats will be easy to get the advantage of the market demand and serve fresh, unique and delicious dishes to the local residents, workers, students and shopper in this area. The take away can cover and serve a 1.0 mile area in East Salford. On top of that, The total cost will be saved as much as good. Although Global Treats’s price may not lower than other rivals, we guarantee that it will not be higher while still maintaining the good quality of the products. Global Treats has received  £40,000 for opening the store, which was invested by all partners involved to the takeaway business. The manager team does not consider any loan as the project financial statement express that within three years, we are able to achieve our goal, the revenue projections for the next three years has been carefully calculated as below: We have the mission to offer a new experience of diversified global pizzas and treats from a variety of countries in the world emphasising superior quality of food and customer service through creative innovation and exclusivity. Global Treats aims to break even in the first year through providing an upright value to

A Knot in the Wood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A Knot in the Wood - Essay Example We sat in an old cafe in the West Village, an easy walk from NYU. Last week, an airline special caught his eye and I had to cancel my plans to accommodate his last minute trip. I was supposed to be in Vermont with my boyfriend Josh, who took his roommate instead. At first, I had felt ambushed, but then I remembered who my father was; or, rather, who he wasn’t: not spontaneous, impulsive, or effusive. Dad hadn’t been to New York since his honeymoon and he kept pointing to buildings to explain their architectural significance, starting sentences that trailed off like dust behind a car. He wouldn’t commit to anything, like seeing a play, walking through Central Park, or spending a day at the Met. All the tourist things my classmates did with their parents. People said grief aged you, but not my father, still handsome with a full head of salt and pepper hair. He looked too young to have a daughter in her mid-twenties; too young to be a widower. Hunched over his coffe e, he asked how school was going. â€Å"I’m taking a series of art history because there’s this program in Barcelona. I thought maybe I could spend a semester there.† â€Å"It’s far away.† He had said the same thing about my summer trip to Amsterdam. When I finally got around to sending him the package of souvenirs along with a stack of snapshots, he offered a terse thank you and said I looked too thin in the photos. Now here he was. I glanced around the cafe. We were upstairs in a window seat, and I took turns watching the customers downstairs and the pedestrians on the street. The weather turned last night, and that afternoon everyone was bundled in hats and scarves. Wind blew garbage and leaves down the street. Halloween decorations still hung in a few shop windows. Below, two men stood on a corner, both smiling. I could see their breath when they spoke. I felt that nagging guilt that I shouldn’t have chosen a school so far away. I had st ayed close for college, a two-hour drive away, so I could come home at least one weekend a month. It had been just the two of us from the start. I underestimated how hard it would be on him. â€Å"Is that why you came? You want me to transfer?† â€Å"No. Absolutely not. But you should come home for the holidays.† â€Å"I’ll be home for Christmas.† He closed his eyes for a moment as though he was in pain or trying to remember something. â€Å"Dad?† His eyes popped open and for the first time since he’d been in town, I felt like he was really looking at me. I watched as he took in my face. Even though he didn’t say it anymore, I knew he was thinking of how much I looked like my mother. It was difficult being a carbon copy of someone who was dead. His face relaxed and now it was I unable to meet his eyes. I rotated my cup, swishing my coffee to even out the sugar before taking a sip. Maybe I should have dyed my hair brown or red--anythin g but my mother’s blonde. â€Å"Do you want to take a walk?† he asked. I inventoried his clothes: a sweater but no jacket. I doubted he had packed gloves or a scarf. â€Å"It’s getting cold. You think you’ll be warm enough?† He nodded. â€Å"I can always buy something.† We rose from our chairs and shuffled our way down the stairs. My father held the door for me, ushering me into the cold. My hair whipped around my face and I wrestled on my hat, a pale green felt one my father had sent in a care package. He smiled. â€Å"I’ve always liked you in that color.† â€Å"Thanks. Let’

Skin cancer Essay Example for Free

Skin cancer Essay Skin cancer is a disease that affects millions of people every year. While most forms of this cancer are caused by environmental factors, there are some forms that are caused by mutations in our genes that we have inherently developed. Those who are from a family that has been diagnosed with melanoma are up to three times more likely to develop the cancer in their lifetime. There are a few genes that are responsible for the development of melanoma and in this paper I will seek to explore the causes and factors involved in melanoma as well as our varying pigmentation. The genes and mutations responsible for melanoma are as follows. These genes are germ-line, which means they are passed from parent to child. CDKN2A: this gene is the most commonly mutated in genetically-inherited melanoma but still presents in those with those diagnosed with non-genetic melanoma. This mutation causes misshapen and dark moles and is often diagnosed early in life. MC1R: this gene is the one responsible for determining a person’s sensitivity to light. It also plays a key role in determining red hair color, fair skin and ability to tan. Those with darker skin have more than one of these genes and tend to develop skin cancer more frequently. MDM2: more prevalent mutations in women diagnosed with cancer, this gene determines how many copies are made within a cell and is exaggerated by a predisposition to UV sensitivity. BRF, P16, EGF and Fas are genes that are mutated by environmental factors and are predominately forced into mutation by exposure to UV light. In addition to genes, we also have melanin that is present in our bodies that is a determining factor in the color of our hair, skin and eyes. While everyone has melanin in their cells, the amount from person to person is not equal. The more melanin present in your skin, the darker your complexion will be. The different types of melanin present in the iris produce pigmentation there, and these factors are largely dependent on the coloration of your biological parents. For someone who has a predisposition to UV sensitivity, I would highly recommend that they avoid prolonged UV exposure. If they do decide to go out in the sun I would suggest that they use a high powered sun block to avoid burning, as those who have a blistering burn up their chances of developing melanoma hugely. Lastly I would suggest that they completely avoid tanning beds and lying out, and make sure to maintain a skin regimen that protects their already vulnerable cells to the mutations that cause this common cancer. Bibliography DeChiara, T. (2009, May 04). An Introduction to Cancer Genetics and Melanoma. Retrieved January 18, 2013, from About.com: http://skincancer.about.com/od/riskfactors/a/melanoma_genes.htm Genetic Control On and Off Genes. (2000, January 1). Retrieved January 18, 2013, from Biology Online: http://www.biology-online.org/3/1_genetic_control.htm

Looking At The Exploitation Of Women To Men English Literature Essay

Looking At The Exploitation Of Women To Men English Literature Essay Selden states that, Rhys presents the idea of a woman as an imprisoned victim oppressed by the standards and ideals prevailing in the patriarchal, phallogecentric society dominated by the male form of logos, language (selden139). Rhys female protagonist is the victim of domination and humiliation due to the system of patriarchal and colonial oppression which is prevalent in England and Jamaica. In Wide Sargasso Sea Jean Rhys reveals patriarchal power as dominating and unhealthy. These patriarchal power structures are present in economic, legal, family and educational systems in Rhyss novel. This patriarchal power affects the lives of all the characters in Rhyss novel because they all belong to a patriarchal society. This is the story of Antoinettes Cosway who is isolated by her Victorian husband who locked her up and drives her mad. She is left alone by her husband in the patriarchal society and become helpless and trapped like a ship struck in Sargasso Sea by the British. Through her portrayal of female characters in her novel, Rhys exposes how women are legally and financially dependent on men around them. When we consider the situation of Antoinettes mother, Annette, who is economically dependent upon men, we can at once notice that in patriarchal society economic inequality exist. When Annettes first husband died, she thinks that her second marriage is the chance for her to escape from her life at Coulibri where she is rejected by blacks because of her Creole heritage and may be able to retrieve status among her peers. Maria olaussen states that, Annette signifies the gender ideology in the patriarchal economic system, since she need to be provided for by men. She uses her beauty as her only means to compete with other women in search for English protection and economic support (Olausen103). When Wide Sargasso Sea was written it was that time when marriage was considered as a mean to get economic support. Antoinette is not able to free herself from Rochesters brutality and cruelty because she has no financial independence. All of the money was given to her husband, Mr. Rochester when she married him. In Victorian times, there was a law that women could not held property in their names, even if they inherited that property from their parents. It was still in the custody of their husbands. Patriarchal law prohibits women from inheriting money if there is a son in the family, the inheritance runs in the male line. Mr. Masons son, Richard Mason, represents patriarchal law, since, he after his fathers death, become the lawful provider and protector of Antoinette. He makes her decisions and arranges her marriage to Mr. Rochester, without consent (olaussen108-9). The feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote in 1972 about patriarchal education systems in Vindications of the Rights of women, questioned why only men were prepared for professions and not women. She believed that, this was the reason for womens needs for marriage; they had to marry in order to be economically supported (wollstonecraft150). But Jean Rhys in Wide Sargasso Sea denies Wollstonecraft theories in one aspect, that marriage with Antoinette is necessary for Mr. Rochester because he will not inherit from his father as he is the youngest son in the family. By marrying Antoinette, he saves her wealth and in this way she becomes completely economically dependent upon Mr. Rochester. In the patriarchal family structures of Victorian era, father has authority over his wife and his children. Women and children are legally and economically dependent upon their fathers or husbands. Mr. Rochester uses his patriarchal power to drive Antoinette crazy. She is dependent upon him because of the patriarchal power structures in society (both legally and economically) and therefore, it is not possible for her to leave Mr. Rochester. In Wide Sargasso Sea, marriage increases the wealth of men by allowing them power to possess their wives inheritance. If we critically examine the condition of Annette and Antoinette womanhood is similar to a kind of child like dependence on the nearest men. In fact, it is the dependence that contributes to the tragic end of both Annette and Antoinette. Both women marry white English men in the hopes of assuaging their fears as vulnerable outsiders, but both men betray and abandon them. As Teresa OConnor puts it, the level of betrayal ranges from the cultural and historical implicit in the relationship between blacks and whites to the familical and filial levels. In Wide Sargasso Sea, it appears that the one quality of Antoinette that best express her through out the novel is her dependency in others. From her friendship with Tia, to her marriage with Rochester, Antoinette is just in search for happiness. After the burning down of her house by the slaves in part one, Antoinette has no one in her life, and she is all alone. Her brother Perrie dies and her mother gets mad, therefore, she marries Rochester because she wants to feel safe again. She needs someone to protect her from the ill-treatment that her mother experiences through out her life as a single woman. You are safe, Id say. Shed like that-to be told you are safe. Or Id touch her gently and touch her tears (pg.78). These lines from Mr. Rochester shows that Antoinette wants to be feel safe and secure. Since Rhys is a West-Indian, she wants to reveal a truth about the limit of literary standards that supposes a shared white heritage in its audience. She draws an unflattering picture of patriarchal society in the characterization of Mr. Mason. When Annette describes the troubles of her sisters married life to and specially describes her husbands oppressive and dominating behavior to Mr. Mason, his answer to Annette was, thats her story. I dont believe it. He successfully and unsympathetically silences the Creole womens voice. Rhys wanted to give voice to this silent woman and raise this silent women voice in her novel Wide Sargasso Sea. In patriarchal society the man is the superior and educated being. Mr. Rochester gets irritated by Antoinette when he tries to teach her about England and she denies the beauty of industrialized England in comparison with West Indies. Is it true, she said, that England is like a dream? Well, I answered annoyed, that is precisely how your beautiful island seems to me, quite unreal and like a dream. But how can rivers and mountains and the sea be unreal? And how can millions of people, their houses and their streets be unreal? More easily, she said, much more easily. Yes a big city must be like a dream (pg67) Mr. Rochester feels embarrassment in accepting his wifes superior knowledge about the West Indies, as he is completely a Victorian, patriarchal Englishman. Antoinette tries to teach about the nature and life of West Indies because he is a new comer in her island. But Mr. Rochester is that kind of a person who believes that to be taught by a woman is a sign of weakness and inferiority. He belongs to that category of men who wants to maintain their superiority over women. This is the reason that Mr. Rochester opposes his wifes concepts about England and West Indies. The patriarchal educational system of the 18th century was criticized by Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote that men preserved womens innocence by keeping them ignorant (131). If she was a child she was not a stupid child but an obstinate one. She often questioned me about England and listened attentively to my answers, but I was certain that nothing I said made much difference. Her mind was already made up. Some romantic novel, a star remark never forgotten, a sketch, a picture, a song, a waltz, some note of music, and her ideas were fixed. About England and about Europe. I could not change them and probably nothing would. Reality might discontent her, bewilder her, hurt her, but it would not be reality. It would be only a mistake, a misfortune, a wrong path taken, her fixed ideas would never change. Nothing that I told her influenced her at all (pg78). This statement shows that Antoinettes resistance in his attempt to educate her annoys him. He feels that he can not influence her thoughts and ideas. Thus, he is scared to accept his lack of knowledge because it would lead to his loss of control over her. Teresa F. O Connor explains that Mr. Rochester, who comes from the male-identified England, is protected by Antoinette when he lives in her female identified West Indies. I agree with Teresa F. O Connor that their roles are reversed and that Mr. Rochester is afraid of finding himself in a female role in a female world (148-49). Personal tragedies which are founded in patriarchal societies are expressed through dramatization, imagery and characterization right from the opening pages. All the characters in Wide Sargasso Sea are imprisoned in patriarchal social structure and it lead to their tragic end. In suggesting, the common working of fascism, racism and bourgeois patriarchy, the persecutory power of the modern religion of intolerance (carr12). Rhys echoes Virginia Woolf, who argued in Three Guineas that, patriarchy, racism, pomposity, militarism, economic exploitation, autocracy and fascism are all part of the same process (carr51). Rhys reveals the hidden working of patriarchy by explaining how both Antoinette and Rochester are trapped and conditioned by the dominant patriarchal law. The marriage of Antoinette and Rochester is set in the patriarchal world. If we read Wide Sargasso Sea on deeper level we can see that Rochesters marriage to Antoinette is parallel to a business contract. His statement that, I will trust you if you trust me? Would appear to demonstrate that he does not want to give the unconditional security and love which she desires. However, by uttering the line, is it a bargain? It gives us a clue that what are the real motives of Rochester for marrying Antoinette. Everyone knows that Bargain is an economic term and it does not exist in the marriage of two people. But this marriage is like a bargain for Rochester, because he is able to gain wealth which he desired for and Antoinette is able to feel safe after all the sufferings which she faces in part one of the Wide Sargasso Sea. Rhys portrays Rochester as a person who implies the patriarchal set of laws (sexism, colonialism, the English law and the law which the patriarchal society imposes and which creates sanity and insanity) that trapped Antoinette Cosway. Both the female characters Annette and Antoinette are sexually exploited in this patriarchal world. Men in the patriarchal society can be seen as tyrants having every right to deprive women from their innocence. They demoralized womens sexuality and innocence in the same way as falcon hunts its prey. As Rhys writes, the men did as they liked. The women-never. In Wide Sargasso Sea, Rhys illustrates that men consider women as a pieces of sexual pleasure. They take women for granted and consider them as a life less creature, not having feelings and emotions like a doll. The most important episode in the novel is the scene of Antoinettes mother with the black man. It also contains the motifs of race and sex which are central in the novel. As Antoinette says in the text remembering the helplessness and pain of her mother, I remember the dress she was wearing-an evening dress cut very low, and she was barefooted. There was a fat black man with a glass of rum in his hand. He said drink it and you will forget. She drank it without stopping. I saw his mouth fasten on hers and she went all soft and limp in his arms and he laughed. This incident happened when Annette was under the take care of black couple. After the burning down of her house and death of her son Perrie she starts exhibiting the signs of emotionally unbalanced woman. Therefore, Mr. Mason assigned black couple to take care of her. This scene depicts the subjugation of women by male authority in a patriarchal world. This scene has also its roots grounded in racial conflicts. The mothers dreadful condition is clearly the result of revenge on the owners of Coulibri by the black slaves. After the emancipation act black slaves wants to take revenge on their ex-slaves owners because of the brutal treatment which they receive from the hands of white people. In Victorian society, men treat women cruelly. They think women are only there for them to provide sexual pleasures. Antoinette and Rochesters marriage can be seen in this perspective. Mr. Rochester only appreciates Antoinette for her external beauty. I wonder why I never realized how beautiful she was. This statement shows that Mr. Rochester is only sexually attracted towards his wife. He has only a sexual lust for her and this yearn does not show a true feeling of love for her. Even Mr. Rochester confesses this kind of feeling for her wife. He states, I did not love her. I was thirsty for her, but that is not love. I felt very little tenderness for her, she was a stranger to me, a stranger who did not think or feel as I did (pg78). According to Howells, Rochester belongs to that patriarchal world where women are luxury items to be bought, enjoyed and discarded. Through out the novel, Mr. Rochester is consistently shown as being hostile, cruel and unloving towards her wife. Christophine tells Antoinette, that he is hard as a board. He belongs to that patriarchal world where men substitutes love with sex and domination. He wants to break Antoinette up like an aggressive warrior. As Christophine keeps repeating to him, all you want is to break her up (126). In all of Rhyss works sexuality is the most important theme. It was mostly due to the idea that men dominate women in all aspects. They want control and repress womens sexually. And Rochester here is not only shown as a patriarchal husband but he is also shown as a Victorian who believes that women sexuality should be repressed. Here Rhys illustrates that men want to link women with death, just for the reason to control and suppress them. They kill women to repress them and here Rochester does the same thing to Antoinette. Die then! Die! I watched her die many times. In my way, not in hers. In sunlight, in shadow, by moonlight, by candle light. In the long afternoons, when the house was empty. Only the sun was there to keep us company (Rhys pg.77). Angier indicate Rhyss idea about men and love, men rob love with sex (Angier543). In the Victorian patriarchal society, men think about sex equivalent to love. They believed that feeling of love and sex is alike. Therefore, when Antoinette offers herself to love her, Rochester replies her only with sexual desires because has no feeling of love for her. He is cold in his feelings of love for Antoinette and therefore, he is emotionally a stone. This shows Mr. Rochesters patriarchal and unloving attitude towards her which kills Antoinette emotionally and she transforms into a Zombie, a living dead, in Voodoo or Obeah. In Wide Sargasso Sea, Mr. Rochester has been shown as the ultimate in patriarchal tyranny, but other male characters in this novel also exhibit deep-rooted feelings of misogyny, including Mr. Mason and Daniel. Rhys undoubtedly laments these men who deprived all of the female characters in this novel from their agency. Conventional aspects are traditionally associated with women, such as having propensity to mental illness, or being illogical, frivolous, depended, decorative, subordinate, scheming, manipulative, weak, jealous, gossiping, vulnerable and deceitful. Marriage of Antoinette and Rochester is marked with suspicion, betrayal and misunderstanding right from the beginning of their marriage. When Mr. Rochester receives the letter from Antoinettes half brother, Daniel Cosway, in which Daniel has written about Antoinettes mad mother and her drunkard father, he is not surprised. And when he came to know about Antoinettes love affair with her cousin Sandy, he became more aggressive and cruel towards her. The feeling of jealousy takes control of him. Thus the issue of trust is play out between Rochester and Antoinettes relationship. Although Mr. Rochester is only concerned with material success as Christophine says to Rochester, Everybody know that you marry her for her money and you take it all. And then you want to break her up, because you jealous of her (pg125). This statement reveals the fact that Rochester married Antoinette only for her money and does not love her. But still he wants to possess her in order to show his patriarchal power over her. He believes that she belongs to him and is therefore not allowed to leave him and love someone else. I tell you she loves no one, anyone. I could not touch her. Expecting as the hurricane will touch that tree-and break it. You say I did? No. that was loves fierce play. Now Ill do it. She ill not laugh in the sun again. Shell not dress up and smile at herself in that damnable looking glass. So pleased, so satisfied. Vain, silly creature. Made for loving? Yes, but shell have no lover, for I dont want her and shell see no other (Rhys 136). Though, Mr. Rochester feel hatred towards Antoinette, he still feels that she belongs to him. He does not want Antoinette to lead an independent life, because it would result in loosing his patriarchal power and dominance over his wife. Therefore, he refuses to let her leave him. Despite the fact that Mr. Rochester married Antoinette only for her money, he still feels that he is attracted towards her wifes exotic beauty and the beauty of her island. He does not want to fall for their charms and magnificence and thus he denies the attraction he feels towards the island and his wife. I hated the mountains and the hills, the rivers and the rains. I hated the sunsets of whatever color, I hated its beauty and its magic and the secret I would never know. I hated its indifference and the cruelty which was part of its loveliness. Above all I hated her. For she belonged to the magic and the loveliness. She had left me thirsty and all my life would be thirst and longing for what I had lost before I found it (Rhys). This quotation describes Mr. Rochester as a colonizer. As an Englishman, he wants to colonize both his wife and her island. His strict Victorian breeding and patriarchal values makes him obsessed with control and dominance. He does not want to fall love with her wife and her island, even though he is attracted towards them, because of the fact that he wants to maintain his patriarchal power to control and dominate them. Thus, by acting blindly to the attractions he feels towards his wife and her island, he condemns Antoinette and her world and in this way he tries to protect himself. All the sufferings and miseries which Antoinette suffers through out her life are due to the fact that in Victorian patriarchal society women were considered to be the source to bring sexual pleasures to their husbands. Men treat women in the same manner as somebody treat the servant or an animal. Women in Victorian societies are thought to be weak, helpless creatures that are unable to think for themselves. Men believed that it was the law of bible that males are superior to females, therefore they have a right to treat them as they like.

Capital Punishment in the US

Capital Punishment in the US Katie Sawtelle Capital Punishment: Americas Blood Stained Hands In 2015, the most executions took place in China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States of America (Death Penalty 2015). What a peculiarity it is to see the U.S. included in the list alongside undemocratic nations. America is the only westernized country that still continues to put the death penalty to use. Capital punishment should be abolished for it delivers inadequate legal representation and is discriminatory toward racial minorities. It is a fundamental right for a defendant in a capital case to be assigned a competent lawyer, yet, more often than not, court appointed public defenders often lack the skills and drive for effective representation. A common characteristic of those on death row is poverty. It is estimated that around 90% of inmates on death row could not afford to hire an adequate attorney (American Civil Liberties Union). Without a competent lawyer, a defendants case barely stands a chance. In the spring of 2014, Glenn Ford, an African-American man, was released from a Louisiana prison after spending thirty years on death row for a crime he did not commit (Bright). Ford could not afford an attorney in his capital case, so the court appointed him two lawyers for his representation. One of the lawyers was an oil and gas attorney who had never presented a case in front of a jury before. The second lawyer was a recent law school graduate that worked for an insurance firm. Despite the weak case presented against Ford, the all white jury sentenced him to death (Bright). It is not equal justice when the defendant receives inadequate representation just because of the amount of money he or she has. Appropriately put, those without the capital get the punishment (Von Drehle). Those accused of capital crimes rely on lawyers to protect their legal rights, investigate, and present evidence that will doubt their guilt. It is extremely difficult for a low-income defendant to navigate the legal justice system on their own. One major reason that innocent defendants have been placed on death row and executed is due to incompetent or inexperienced court-appointed lawyers; in extreme cases, some attorneys have been found asleep, intoxicated, or under the influence of drugs during trial proceedings (Bright). Some may argue that if court appointed lawyers were much better, then guilty people could be acquitted. That may be true, however, the more important issue regarding better court-appointed lawyers is that innocent people could be acquitted. Innocent people that were convicted and executed could have possibly lived out the rest of their lives if they had received better court-appointed legal defense. In some states, people sentenced to death may receive legal representation from pro-bono (free service for the public) lawyers or from public organizations. Most of the time, there is not enough pro-bono attorneys for all of the poor defendants facing death row. This could possibly result in the defendant obtaining an inept court-appointed lawyer. To receive a new trial, a defendant could file for post-conviction relief and state that their constitutional rights were violated, however, it is usually only possible for those who can afford lawyers. Some states provide lawyers for post-conviction relief, although the majority of the nation does not. Regardless of whether a defendants constitutional rights were violated at trial, they still may have to face execution. A number of people are sentenced to death not because they committed the most heinous crime, rather, the courts did not provide them with competent legal representation. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a United States Supreme Court Ju stice has said, I have yet to see a death case, among the dozens coming to the Supreme Court on eve of execution petitions, in which the defendant was well represented at trial (Bright). The amount of money a defendant has in capital cases can be the difference between life and death; In present day America, it is better to be rich and guilty, than poor and innocent (Bright). The death penalty in the antebellum South (1815-1861) was a tool of white supremacy. The possibility of slave uprisings haunted slave owners, therefore, the death penalty was regularly enforced to resist slave opposition. (Von Drehle). In Virginia, during the antebellum era, it was a capital offense for a slave to administer medicine, for it could have been poison. Also, an old statute in Georgia stated that if a slave left a bruise on his master, he could receive capital punishment (Von Drehle). The late M. Watt Espy, a researcher that studied capital punishment, recorded around 15,000 executions in the United States dating from 1608 to 1972 (Von Drehle). Espys research and recordings reveal racial disparity in U.S. executions. His research suggests that in a significantly white America, more blacks than whites are executed. Whites were rarely put to death for crimes that involved African-American victims (Von Drehle). A study of the death penalty done by the University of Texas pro posed that Americas modern-day capital punishment system is an outgrowth of the racist legacy of slavery (qtd. in American Civil Liberties Union). Racial bias is still very much alive in the modern justice system of America It is far more likely for racial minorities (African-American and Latinos) to be placed on death row and be put to death than white people particularly if the victim is white. A recent Louisiana study conducted by Glenn Pierce (research scientist at Northeastern University) and Michael Radelet (Professor of Sociology at University of Colorado-Boulder) indicated that defendants with white victims were 97% more likely to receive death sentences than defendants with black victims (qtd. in American Civil Liberties Union). In the United States, blacks and whites are murder victims in nearly exact numbers, which is exceptionally high considering that 13% of the population is African-American. Between the years 1930 and 1996, around 4,200 prisoners were put to death in America; more than half of those prisoners were black (American Civil Liberties Union). Americas death row has always had a large population of African Americans and they are often killed for what are deemed less-than-capital offenses for whites, such as rape and burglary (American Civil Liberties Union). It has been asserted that racial discrimination and the death penalty are part of Americas past, nevertheless, since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the 1970s, around half of those on death row at any given time have been minorities. Florida Latinos are beginning to shift away from the death penalty. The state of Florida has one of the lowest bars for sentencing someone to death by not requiring a unanimous jury recommendation, and they lead the nation in death row inmates being released due to wrongful convictions (Cartagena). For these reasons, Floridas death penalty has been struck down as unconstitutional twice in 2016. Four Florida counties Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Duval are among 16 counties nationwide that have each had five or more death sentences between 2010 and 2015 (Cartagena). All of these counties have been found to suffer from prosecutor misconduct, bad defense lawyers, wrongful convictions and racial bias (Cartagena). From 2010-2015, every inmate in Miami-Dade County who was sentenced to death, was black or Latino. Yet, studies argue that in most locations across America, minorities are responsible for less than half of homicides (Too Broken to Fix). The nations largest death row capacity resides in Los Angeles County, California and statisticians expect continued growth. In 2013, reports revealed that Los Angeles County was responsible for more death row prisoners than any other county in the United States, and it has ranked as one of the two most prolific counties in imposing new death sentences each year since (Too Broken To Fix). Between the years 2010 and 2015, Los Angeles County imposed 31 death sentences, which adds up to be the most death sentences enforced in any U.S. county during that period (Too Broken To Fix). Those 31 death sentences in L.A. show severe racial disparity in their sentences: approximately 94% of the 31 death sentences enforced were directed toward minority (Latino and African-American) defendants and even though African Americans commit fewer than one-third of all Los Angeles County homicides, they comprised 42% of those condemned to death in this period. 45% of the new death sentences were imposed on Latino defendants (Too Broken to Fix). Only two white defendants received the death penalty. Unsurprisingly, a 2014 study conducted in Southern California concluded that white jurors are more probable to inflict capital punishment when the defendant is Latino and poor than in cases where the defendant is white. Latino jurors presented no such bias (Too Broken to Fix). The amount of racial minorities sentenced and executed on death row continues to suggest that capital punishment and racial discrimination are indeed still a part of modern day America. Since the Supreme Court reinstatement of the death penalty in the mid-1970s, juries in Texas have to determine if the defendant poses a future risk to the public, before applying the death sentence. Most states have the jurors consider past behavior and crimes of the defendant, however, in Texas, juries are asked to predict the future (Vansickle). In essence, these jurors are asked to predict the unpredictable. Those who are pro-death penalty may argue that experts can determine future violence, however, if juries and experts could determine future danger, then there would not be any crime. Currently, in the state of Texas, there are around 240 men and women on death row that have been determined to pose a threat to society. The question of future dangerousness has not reduced the amount of death sentences, rather, testimony on the issue has often instead introduced racial bias into trials (Death Penalty Information Center). The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments for the Texas death penalty case of Buck v. Davis. In July of 1995, the defendant, Duane Buck, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend and her friend (Vansickle). At the trial, Bucks lawyer initiated testimony from a psychologist that said Buck was dangerous and posed a threat to the public since he was African-American. In 1997, the jury found Buck guilty and sentenced him to death. Before his execution, the Supreme Court halted his case due to the racial bias that resulted in his death sentence. Buck is still awaiting his new sentencing. Many studies, including one conducted by Cornell University, propose that the race of the victim and defendant play a critical part in whether a person receives the death penalty (qtd. in Vansickle). Criminologists conducted a study used in Bucks appeal that analyzed racial disparity in Harris County, Texas the location where Buck was sentenced to death. The study resulted that from 1992 to 1999, Harris County prosecutors were three and a half times more likely to seek the death penalty against black defendants than white ones. Jurors were more than twice as likely to sentence blacks to death (Vansickle). Another study led by Jennifer Eberhardt, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, established that in cases with a white victim and a defendant with stereotypical black features, the more probable the defendant would be sentenced to death (Eberhardt). These studies suggest that race plays a detrimental role in whether a defendant receives the death penalty. Race should never be a predictor of dangerousness or influence whether a person receives the death penalty, yet, it is the harsh reality in the land of the free. With the death penalty, someone will always end up on the short end of the stick; usually that person is either African-American or Latino. The U.S. should not put value on someones life based on their skin color, however, it is the current reality. Stephen Bright, Professor of Clinical Law at Yale Law School, argues that the only way for racial prejudice to no longer play a role in the decision of the death penalty is to completely remove capital punishment in the U.S.: With the long history of slavery, lynchings, convict leasing, segregation, racial oppression and now mass incarceration that has a much greater impact on racial minorities, surely states should eliminate any chance that racial prejudice might play a role. But there is only one way to do that: by eliminating the death penalty. (Bright) In the United States Constitution and pledge of allegiance, it promises equal justice for all. Yet, race and poverty continue to influence who will be condemned to death in the land of equal opportunity. Finality not justice, not liberty is the ultimate goal of the legal system in the United States. Capital punishment desensitizes society.. It teaches the American youth that society solves its problems with violence. It displays the absence of appreciation for life. And, as the equal justice giant, Martin Luther King Jr. once said, capital punishment is societys final statement that it will not forgive (qtd. in Bright). The United States should join 140 other nations in making final the directive: thou shalt not kill. Works Cited Bright, Stephen. Imposition of the death penalty upon the poor, racial minorities, the intellectually disabled and the mentally ill. New York University Law School, 2014. Web. 7 January 2017. Bright, Stephen. Race, Poverty, the Death Penalty, and the Responsibility of the Legal Profession. Seattle Journal for Social Justice 1.1 (2002): 12. Web. 7 January 2017. Bright, Stephen. The Failure to Achieve Fairness: Race and Poverty Continue to Influence Who Dies. Journal of Constitutional Law 11.1 (2008):16. Web. 7 January 2017. Cartagena, Juan. Latinos join call to end Floridas death penalty. Orlando Sentinel. Orlando Sentinel, 10 December 2016. Web. 7 January 2017. Death Penalty 2015. Amnesty International. 6 April 2016. Web. 7 January 2017. Death Penalty Information Center. Death Penalty Information Center, 2016. Web. 7 January 2017. Eberhardt, Jennifer. Looking Deathworthy. Psychological Science 17.5 (2006): 383-386. Web. 7 January 2017. The Case Against the Death Penalty. American Civil Liberties Union. 2012. Web. 7 January 2017. Too Broken to Fix. Fair Punishment. September 2016. Web. 7 January 2017. Vansickle, Abbie. A Deadly Question. The Atlantic. The Atlantic, 19 November 2016. Web. 7 January 2017. Von Drehle, David. The Death of the Death Penalty. Time. Time, 8 June 2015. Web. 7 January 2017.