A 21st Century Manifestation of the Enlightenment Jean

Introduction In 2006 Jean-Pierre Gauthier, a talented Canadian artist who won numerous prestigious art awards, created one of the most significant artworks of the beginning of the 21st century (Jean-Pierre Gauthier 2008). He also won one of the most significant art awards, Sobey Art Award (Juliusson 2004). He called his work Battements et Papillons (Beats and Butterflies).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A 21st Century Manifestation of the Enlightenment: Jean-Pierre Gauthier, Battements et Papillons specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This installation is a great illustration of digital art since it is created with the help of technology and at the same time bears prominent artistic value. It inspires and evokes ideas about some personal things. Every viewer perceives this work of art in his/her own way (Jean-Pierre Art Gallery of Nova Scotia 2009). Beats and Butterflies is not just another installation which includ es some musical instrument creating some sort of noise. Gauthier’s art work represents a divine device which creates beautiful melody with no human interference. In one of his interviews the artist stated: â€Å"The motion, the sound, all the dimensions and the references too – I try to bring them to another level† (Landry 2009). He manages to do so. His unique to reveal new facets of motion and sound make his installation Beats and Butterflies one of the most explicit manifestations of liberation aesthetics. The artists does not resort to conventional rules of form, he rather tries to reveal his own emotions, what he feels â€Å"from the work† (Landry 2009). Gauthier’s installation Beats and Butterflies is liberated from any conventions and laws. There is only one person to dictate his will in his art work – Jean-Pierre Gauthier himself. The installation also illustrates the four principles of the art of Enlightenment which make the work th at important and valuable. The principle of autonomy is explicitly revealed in the work The artwork, Beats and Butterflies, is unique representative of kinetic art. Gauthier is regarded as not only an artist, but as â€Å"inventor and musician† as well (Jean-Pierre Gauthier: Machines at Play 2009). He does not follow some fashionable trends or conventional rules. Gauthier’s installation Beats and Butterflies differs from the rest of artworks. The artist is absolutely autonomous. The installation reveals individuality of the talented kinetic artist who controls motion and sound. It is also important to point out that the artist utilizes â€Å"everyday instruments† and ordinary objects â€Å"creating a hazy environment from easy pieces† (Orlov 2003, 103). This is one of his peculiarities which made some people call him a â€Å"virtuoso of everyday reality, an artisan of contemporary art, an entomologist of sound† (Musà ©e d’art contemporain d e Montrà ©al 2007). Gauthier’s uniqueness lies in his absolutely inexplicable ability to transform â€Å"everyday objects† (MOCCA 2005).Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, this very installation also reveals the idea of autonomy. There is no human to play the piano. The sounds are created by some external invisible power. It is possible to see and feel the motion which creates the beautiful melodies: there are some cables moving and keys are also in motion. Nevertheless, there is no definite creator of the music. The work’s Agency description The second principle of the art of Enlightenment is also explicitly revealed in the work. The installation, Beats and Butterflies, can be characterized by the relationship between the principal and his agent which is absolutely unique. Gauthier’s works of art cannot be regarded as â€Å"art that just hangs quietly o n the wall† (Clair 2008). Gauthier’s Beats and Butterflies is constantly in motion. Though the work has been created by the artist it has the life of its own. There is certain power of Providence in the installation since it seems that some divine powers play the instrument. When listening to the music it is possible to feel that it is not about physical rules of kinetics or rather that kinetics is not about Physics, it is something about magic. Viewers can see â€Å"piano, bench, aluminum tape, motion detectors, microcontrollers, solenoids, relays, metal tension cables, motor† and other physical objects (DOCAM n.d.). Nevertheless, it is impossible to perceive this work of art as a physical object. The instrument is ordinary piano, but the artist made it look like a magic cornucopia which produces divine sounds instead of divine food. At this point it is necessary to add that this very installation has been presented at numerous exhibitions not only in Canada, Un ited States or Europe, it was popular in countries of the East (Garcia 2007). There is even a documentary devoted to the artist’s works (Akron Art Museum n.d.). Nowadays his works can be also viewed online (Vimeo n.d.). Thus, seemingly distant from its creator the installation reveals his vision and his feelings worldwide. The work’s Criticality description Every art work of Gauthier bears important message. His installations can touch upon absolutely different topics. For instance, he tied motion and sport in his installations (Arena: The Art of Hockey 2008). His artwork, Beats and Butterflies, draws links between music and motion. It goes without saying that this installation evokes curiosity and like all his works makes viewers try to figure out how it all works (Johnson 2003). Some find it easy to teach acoustics and kinetics using Gauthier’s art (Jean Pierre Gauthier: Machines at Play n.d.). Nevertheless, the idea of his works is much more important than ev oking curiosity or teaching some laws of Physics. Gauthier stipulates:Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A 21st Century Manifestation of the Enlightenment: Jean-Pierre Gauthier, Battements et Papillons specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More †¦I try to create brief moments of elation that activate the ear so it is no longer an organ waiting to be stuffed like a goose. At those moments, the ears are mouth and eye at once; they observe carefully, stealthily, and greedily imbibe the sound. (Jean-Pierre Gauthier’s Official Website) Thus, the artist creates a whole new world, the fourth dimension where sounds can be perceived in some other way. Gauthier’s Beats and Butterfly carry out his intention perfectly. The dark space and the piano creating magnificent sounds do transform the ideas of motion, sound, music and art. The work’s Universality description It goes without saying that the work which ap peals to the bottoms of viewers’ hearts, evokes various thoughts and ideas, and simply inspires, is universal. Of course, everyone perceives it in some specific way, but no one remains indifferent. For instance, people pertaining to the world of art regard Gauthier’s works â€Å"transforming an environment in a way that gives the viewer a new experience of the familiar† as unique and significant (Rudolph 2010). Children also appreciated this installation and their astonished faces became an evidence that the work reached their hearts (Police Community Response 2010). Some say that Gauthier’s works â€Å"have a strange effect on viewers† and it is really so (Machines at Play 2010). This peculiarity of his works makes them universal. Conclusion On balance, it is possible to state that Beats and Butterflies is the work of art which is the perfect illustration of the art of Enlightenment realizing the four principles: Universality, Criticality, Princip les of Agency and Autonomy. This installation is a unique artwork which makes people see and feel new dimensions and worlds. Reference List Akron Art Museum. Jean-Pierre Gauthier: Machines at Play. Western Reserve Public Media. http://westernreservepublicmedia.org/machinesatplay/guide.htm (assessed March 10, 2011). Arena: The Art of Hockey. 2008. Canadian Art. http://gg-art.com/news/newsread/artnews26476.html (assessed March 10, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Jean-Pierre Gauthier Makes a Generous Gift to AGNS. Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. http://www.artgalleryofnovascotia.ca/en/AGNS_Halifax/news/news/jeanpierregauthiermachinesatplayartistoffersagiftt.aspx (assessed March 10, 2011). Clair, Jeff St. 2008. Jean-Pierre Gauthier: Machines at Play at the Akron Art Museum. WKSU, (September 24), http://www.wksu.org/news/story/22387 (assessed March 10, 2011). DOCAM. Jean-Pierre Gauthier, Battements et Papillons, 2006. Documentation and Conservation of the Media Arts Heritage. http://www.docam.ca/en/case-studies/battements-et-papillons.html (assessed March 10, 2011). Garcia, Cathy Rose A. 2007. Listen to Beauty of Sound Art in Seoul. The Korea Times, (September 30), http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/04/145_10992.html (assessed March 10, 2011). Jean Pierre Gauthier: Machines at Play. 2009. Akron Art Museum. http://www.akronartmuseum.org/exhibitions/details.php?unid=721 (assessed March 10, 2011). Jean Pierre Ga uthier: Machines at Play. Western Reserve Public Media. http://www.akronartmuseum.org/display/files/machinesguide.pdf (assessed March 10, 2011). Jean-Pierre Gauthier: Machines at Play to Open at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. gg-art.com, (December 31), http://gg-art.com/news/newsread/artnews26476.html (assessed March 10, 2011). Jean-Pierre Gauthier’s Official Website. http://sites.google.com/site/jpgauthiermachines/english (assessed March 10, 2011). Johnson, Ken. 2003. ART IN REVIEW; Jean-Pierre Gauthier – ‘Sporadic Exchange’. The New York Times, (July 4), http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E3DA1E3AF937A35754C0A9659C8B63 (assessed March 10, 2011). Juliusson, Svava. 2004. Jean-Pierre Gauthier Wins Sobey Art Award. E-Flux, (October 28), http://www.e-flux.com/shows/view/1621 (assessed March 10, 2011). Landry, Mike. 2009. Jean-Pierre Gauthier’s Noise Control. The Coast, (December 24), http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/jean-pierre-gauthiers-no ise-control/Content?oid=1448783 (assessed March 10, 2011). Machines at Play. 2009/10. Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Winter Journal, 34: 21. MOCCA. Toronto International Art Fair. Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art. http://www.mocca.ca/exhibition/toronto-international-art-fair-toronto-alternative-art-fair-international/ (assessed March 10, 2011). Musà ©e d’art Contemporain de Montrà ©al. Jean-Pierre Gauthier Exhibition: February 10 to April 22, 2007. Musà ©e d’art Contemporain de Montrà ©al. http://www.macm.org/en/presse/52.html (assessed March 10, 2011). Orlov, Piotr. 2003. Chelsea Version. The Village Voice, July 9: 103-117. Police Community Response. 2010. Spotlight on Public Safety, 2, no. 4: 3. Rudolph, Ellen. 2010. What Is Kinetic Sound Installation? An Interpretive Guide to the Exhibition†¦ The Prairie Art Gallery, January. Vimeo. http://vimeo.com/18467582 . 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Aaron Burr Essays - Politics Of The United States, United States

Aaron Burr Essays - Politics Of The United States, United States Aaron Burr I. Introduction The events surrounding the Burr Conspiracy were among the first tests of the effectiveness of the United States democracy. II. Aaron Burr Aaron Burr was born in Newark New Jersey on February 6, 1756, and Burr was educated at what is now Princeton University. Burr joined the Continental Army in 1775, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Burr was appointed attorney general of New York in 1789 and served as a United States senator from 1791 to 1797 (Onager CD-ROM). In the Election of 1800, Aaron Burr was the running mate of Republican candidate Thomas Jefferson. Although Burr was running for vice-president, he received as many votes as Jefferson did, and the House of Representatives chose Jefferson as president. After Burrs term as vice-president was over and he lost the race for the governorship of New York, Burr fought Alexander Hamilton in a duel in Weekawhen, New Jersey, on July 11,1804. Aaron Burr killed his political rival, Alexander Hamilton, and his credibility as a politician in that duel. Shortly after the duel, Aaron Burr became involved in a plot known as the Burr Conspiracy. After the scheme was discov ered by Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr was arrested for treason. Burr was acquitted after a six-month trial on September 1, 1807. III. Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton was born as an illegitimate child on the Island of Nevis on January 11, 1757. Alexander Hamilton was educated at what is now Columbia University. Hamilton served as a soldier and Washingtons personal secretary during the Revolutionary War. After the Revolutionary War, he studied law in New York and served in the Continental Congress from 1782-1783(Onager CD-ROM). In 1787 Hamilton helped ratify the Constitution in New York, and wrote many of the 85 essays known as the Federalist Papers. In 1789, George Washington appointed Hamilton as the first Secretary of Treasury. As the Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton devised plans that funded national debts, assumed the states Revolutionary War debts, and established the First National Bank of the United States. Hamilton also influenced many key Federalists in the House of Representatives to make Thomas Jefferson president in the Election of 1800, and was killed in a duel in 1804. IV. Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was born in Shadwell, Virginia in 1743. Jefferson studied law at the College of William and Mary and became a moderately- successful lawyer. Jefferson served in the House of Burgesses from 1768 to 1775. Jefferson took an active part in the American Revolution. Jefferson wrote a list of grievances known as the Summary of the View of the Rights of British America, he was a Virginian delegate in the First Continental Congress, and wrote the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson became the Governor of Virginia in 1779, and wrote the Notes on the State of Virginia in 1785. Jefferson became a delegate in France in 1785. After Jeffersons return to America he became the Secretary of State. Jefferson became the vice-president in 1796 and became the President of the United States in the Election of 1800. Jefferson was re-elected in 1804, and the Burr Conspiracy took place during Jeffersons second term. V. Election of 1800 In the Election of 1800, President John Adams and Charles Pickney were the Federalist candidates, and the Republicans nominated Thomas Jefferson for president and Aaron Burr for vice-president. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr each polled the same number of votes in the Electoral College because the electors didnt specify, in voting for Jefferson or Burr, which one was president or vice-president. As a result, Jefferson and Burr had the same number of votes for president, and the tie would have to be broken in the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives was dominated by Federalists who had to choose one of the two Republican candidates to be President of the United States. In order to become president one of the candidates had to receive the support of the majority of the state representatives. Alexander Hamilton disliked Thomas Jefferson, but he disliked Aaron Burr more. Hamilton persuaded many key Federalists in the House of Representatives to vote for Jefferson, and Jefferson became the President of the United States. VI. Jeffersons Aims Jefferson was a Republican. Jefferson favored the power of states rights over a strong

Personal Responsibility in College Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Personal Responsibility in College Life - Essay Example Personal responsibility refers to the sense of realizing, recognizing, accepting and fulfilling the responsibilities for one's individual acts, thoughts, behaviours and responses. Personal responsibility is to comply with the obligations and personal duties that are expected from a person while living in a particular society and environment. When an individual has the sense of understanding his responsibilities and duties he can set the directions for his actions because he becomes aware of the potential consequences and effects of his acts upon his personality as well as the people and surrounding environment. When people gain complete understanding and awareness of their responsibilities and obligations they are able to make the right and informed decisions and choices about their life. They could follow the ideas and plans for their personal improvement because they know their boundaries and potential. It makes people realize their importance and role behind the completion and suc cess of certain tasks and, thus, also motivates them to play their part and make positive contributions towards the fulfilment for certain jobs (Brown, 2009). For me, personal responsibility means a lot because it is all due to personal responsibilities realization that I have gained something in my life as a student and as a member of the society. It is something that keeps me aware about the commitments with myself and the society and also motivates to seek the better ways for the attainment of my goals, career plans and social obligations. During the initial years of my life, I was directed by my parents to differentiate between right and wrong. However, as I grow my sense of taking personal responsibility also grew and gradually I turned into a responsible member of the family, educational institution and the society. I believe that all the successes of an individual are mainly contributed by his sense of recognizing and complying with the personal responsibilities. Hence, what I am today is mainly due to my behaviours, my words, my actions and my thoughts and it would never be possible for me to keep all these elements in single and right direction without giving awareness about my personal responsibilities. It implies that personal responsibility encourages people to build their personalities, career, social status and family life. Personal responsibility guides people during each phase of the life to make sensible and constructive decisions (Susan et al, 2009). Relationship between Personal Responsibility and College Education Personal responsibility appears to be an important issue when it comes to college education. The awareness of personal responsibility distinguishes a mature adult from a child and enables him/her to act as a fully functional human being. Personal responsibility compliments success and achievement because it motivates a person to accomplish the things that he/she wants in life. This motivation plays an important role during the col lege education. The teachers and instructors perform their duties by educating the students. Without realization of personal responsibilities one could not do well at any educational institutes because there are certain things that the students have to learn at their own. The management of time and

Constitutional Policing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Constitutional Policing - Research Paper Example stood their duties as far as the constitution is concerned, however, there are instances where they have been seen overstep their mandate in the process of constitutional implementation. When this happens, the individual or party that is offended has the right to take the matter to courts for prosecution or constitutional interpretation of the validity of the action done by the police (Zotti, Dubs & Machado 2005). In this case, the United States Police are said to have overstepped their mandate and failed to follow the constitutional procedure in arresting Weeks, in establishment of this case; the police had entered Weeks home and seized his papers, convicting him later of transporting lottery tickets through mail. What Fremont weeks was not happy about is the search in his house was done without a search warrant, something that he thought was unconstitutional in his thinking. Later, Fremont weeks decided to report and take the police to court, protesting that they searched his house unconstitutionally without a search warrant and confiscated his work documents. In the process, he also decided to petition the court to return his private possession since he relied on them to do his work. In reaching its unanimous decision, the court agreed that the process by which Week’s possession was seized by the police was wrong and unconstitutional. At the same time, the court ruled that the decision by the government to withhold and refuse to hand back Weeks possession was also unconstitutional. Allowing seizure of an individual’s private documents and using them as evidence against him would be interpreted is being of no value, this would make it impossible to protect citizens against such searches and seizures as put forth in the Fourth Amendment. It is important o understand that the first application of this law later became the first of its own, setting precedence in future cases that would take the same path, it was later referred to as the â€Å"exclusionary

Investment theory and property diversification Essay

Investment theory and property diversification - Essay Example The purpose of having all four-asset classes represented in your portfolio is to take advantage of the different strengths of each class. However, stocks are grouped together because they would, as a group, react more alike than any of the other three classes. The same thing is true for the other three classes. Many people use Real Estate Investment Trusts and other liquid investments to satisfy the real estate leg of the asset class tool. The term investment closely relates the meanings in business management, finance and economics, related to saving or deferring consumption. People usually purchase an asset or equivalently a deposit is made in a bank, in the expectation of getting a future return or interest from it. An investor distributes his investments among various classes of investment vehicles (e.g., stocks and bonds) I order to capitulate the cycle of market potentiality. When a portfolio has an active risk, then, we treat it as the annualized standard deviation of the mont hly difference between portfolio return and benchmark return. Thus, an active risk of x per cent would mean that approximately 2/3rd of the portfolio's returns (one standard deviation from mean) can be expected to fall between +x and -x per cent of the mean excess return. It may be calculated as a realized or ex post number or as a forward, ex ante, or predicted, number (usually based on a multifactor model defining the co-variance relationships between each pair of securities in the current portfolio). In case of national investment, the theory goes one-step ahead to merge into diversified areas of productivity. CLASSIFICATION OF ASSETS: THE OBJECTIVITY The best-performing asset varies from year to year and is not easily predictable to calculate the returns in a market movement. Therefore having a mixture of asset classes is more likely to meet our goals. A more fundamental justification for asset allocation is the notion that different asset classes offer non-correlated returns, hence, diversification reduces the overall risk in terms of the variability of returns for a given level of expected return. Academic research has painstakingly explained the importance of asset allocation, and the problems of active management. This explains the steadily rising popularity of passive investment styles using index funds; cash via money market accounts for instance. Bonds procure high yield in government or corporate; short-term, intermediate, long-term; domestic, foreign, emerging markets. Similarly, stocks add value with large-cap versus small-cap; domestic, foreign, emerging markets in case of real estate. Economists refer to a real invest ment such as a machine or a house, while financial economists refer to a financial asset, such as money that is put into a bank or the market, which may then be used to buy a real asset. In real estate, investment is money used to purchase property for the sole purpose of holding or leasing for income and where there is an element of capital risk. Many investors and analysts try to identify whether a market or security is in a profit or loss phase to generate trading strategies to exploit

Analysing Sunnis And Shiites Split Religion Essay

Analysing Sunnis And Shiites Split Religion Essay The difference between Sunni and Shia sects of Islam are not to the gigantic proportions as most Western literature assume. It is true that there are minor variations in the way they take their respective religious heads and attribute meaning to the history of the family of Muhammads, however, cultural and political differences hold the most divisive power over the religious forces. It is therefore significant to note that both sects believe and put emphasis in the Five Pillars of Islam, believe in and read same Holy Quran, and furthermore consider each other Muslims. The five pillars that form the core of their spiritual sanctity are Testimony of faith (Kalima), Prayer (Salat), Almsgiving (Zakat), Fasting (Sawm), Pilgrimage (Hajj) (Huda, 2010). The split between the Sunnis and Shia can be traced back to the death of the Prophet Muhammad, and the dilemma of the successor of Muhammad as the leader of the Muslim nation. Prophet Muhammad died in the evening of June 8, 632 A.D. (the twelfth of Rabi al-Away) at the age of sixty-three. There after, the Sunni Muslims were in agreement with the stand taken by most of the Prophets companions that the new head should be chosen from among those deemed competent of the job. This is the position that was adopted and implemented. The Prophet Muhammads close acquaintance and counselor, Abu Bark, consequently became the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. It is worth noting that the word Sunni is an Arabic word meaning one who follows the traditions of the Prophet. Contrary to the Sunni belief over the succession, some Muslims hold the idea that leadership should have been from the Prophets own family, handed over to those specifically appointed by him, or amid Imams chosen by God Himself. These were the Shia Muslims. They believed that after the death of Prophet Muhammad, leadership ought to have been passed on directly to his cousin/son-in-law, Ali. Since those historical years, Shia Muslims have not acknowledged the power and authority of elected leaders. The Shia Muslims instead opted to recognize and obey the Imams they believed were chosen by the Prophet Muhammad or by God Himself. The word Shia is an Arabic word for a group or supportive party of people. It is short form of Shia-t-Ali, or the Party of Ali. Shias are also referred to as followers of Ahl-al-Bayt or People of the Household (of the Prophet) (Huda). Majority of the Muslims are the Sunni Muslims at 85% of all the Muslims allover the world. A tangible number of Shia Muslims are found in Iraq and Iran, with some large minority communities in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Bahrain etc. Having looked at the brief history of the split of the two sects and the reasons behind the split, it is fundamental therefore, to look at the differences in religious belief s, leadership, texts, and any other that may be. From the historical differences in political leadership, some spiritual life aspects were consequently changed and since diverge between the two groups. However, as note hitherto, the Shia and Sunni Muslims hold in common the fundamental articles of Islamic belief and are brethren in the Islam faith. As a matter of fact, rarely or never at all will a Muslim identify themselves as Shia or Sunni Muslim but rather as Muslim (Austine Cline). Shia Muslims believe that the Imam is naturally sinless since his authority comes directly from God. From this, the Shia Muslims revere and adore the Imams as saints and strive to perform pilgrimages for divine intervention to their shrines and tombs. Countering this is the Sunni Muslim belief that there is no foundation in Islam for a hereditary advantaged category or rank of religious leaders. They therefore have no place for the pilgrimage to the saints shrines. Sunni Muslims argue that control of the community is not hereditary or a birthright, but a trust that must be earned and therefore can be given or taken away by the people themselves. Another difference comes in the sanctity of religious texts. Shia Muslims have some resentment to some of the contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad. This sprouts from their stands and deeds in the historical years of discord about leadership among the Muslim nations. It is said that Abu Bakr, Umar, Aisha, etc (Sunnis) narrated much about the Prophet Muhammads life and spiritual encounters, practice and journey. The Shia Muslims reject these Hadith do not take them as a basis for their religious practices. This accordingly informs divergence in religious practice between the Sunnis and Shias. The differences concern aspects of religious life: prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and so on and so forth. For instance Shiites can condense the five daily prayers into 3 or 4 yet Sunnis dont, Shiites might pay their alms (Zakat) directly to the poor, yet Sunnis pay to the state. Shiites also promotes a provisional marriage (muttah) for men travelling far from home while Sunnis dont ascribe to this (Sunnis vs. Shiites). The Shias place their forehead onto apiece of natural material while praying (clay tablet, soil or sand from Karbala(where Imam Hussain was martyred), rather than onto a prayer mat. The Sunnis however recommend that one should not prostrate on a natural surface. Shias hold their hands at their sides while praying while Sunnis on the other side their arms-right over left- and clasp their hands, though either is acceptable. Religious Shia women black like the male religious leaders. Conventional Sunni women cover around the perimeter of the face with the hijab but only to below their chin such that the chin can show in part while the Shia women will cover the perimeter of the face and the chin completely. Shias more often than not derive their name from the name or titles of saints. They often draw their lineage from to Ali and Fatimah. The three Sects of Shiites Although, through history there were several branches of Shia Muslims, currently only three are predominant. The Ashariyyah, profoundly called the Twelvers, the Ismaili and the Zaidi. Ashariyyah or Twelvers as the adherents are called believe in the twelve divinely ordained leaders, known as the Twelve Imams. These were the successors of Prophet Muhammad and were spiritual and political leaders. On average 85% of Shia are Twelvers. Ismaili is the second largest sect of the Shia Islam after the Twelvers. They derive their name from their acceptance of Ismail ibn Jafar as the divinely-appointed spiritual successor to Jafar as-sadiq, they differ from the Twelvers, who accept Musa al-Kizim, the younger brother of Ismail, as the proper Imam. Zaidi are followers of the Zaidi fiqh and they identify with the first four of the Twelve Imams but they accept Zayd ibn Ali as their Fifth Imam, in place of his brother Muhammad al-Baqir. After Zayd ibn Ali, the Zaidi recognize other descendants of Hasan ibn Ali or Husayn ibn Ali to be Imams. Among the well known Zaidi Imams are Yahya ibn Zayd, Muhammad al Nafs az-Zakiyah and Ibrahim ibn Abdullah.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 51~53

51 Where Losers Flourish The Sorcerer paced back and forth across the lanai. â€Å"I want to find another pilot, Beth. We can't let him act that way and get away with it.† The Sky Priestess yawned. She was draped across the wicker emperor's chair, wearing a towel she'd wrapped above her breasts at the Sorcerer's request. He said he needed to think. â€Å"Did you ask him why he did it?† â€Å"Of course I asked him. He said he was trying to liven up the game.† â€Å"Worked, didn't it?† â€Å"It's not funny, Beth. We're going to have trouble with him.† The Sky Priestess stood up and put her arms around the Sorcerer. â€Å"You have to have a little faith in me,† she said. â€Å"I can handle Tucker Case.† She didn't want to have this conversation. Not yet. She hadn't told the Sorcerer about Tuck going off course. She had plans for the fair-haired pilot. The Sorcerer pulled away from her and backed up to the rail. â€Å"What if I don't like the way you handle him?† â€Å"And what's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"You know what it means.† She approached him again, this time untucking the towel so it dropped as she stepped into his arms. Her nipples just brushed the front of his shirt. â€Å"‘Bastian, if what happened today proved anything, it proved that Tucker Case is a troglodyte. He's no threat to you. I'm attracted to finesse, not force. Case reacts to force with force. That's why he hit Yamata. You use a gentle touch with a guy like that and he's helpless.† Sebastian Curtis turned away from her. â€Å"I'm not taking the guards off his house, not for a while anyway.† â€Å"You do what you think is best, but it's not good policy to make an enemy of someone whose services you require. So what if he hates the ninjas? I hate the ninjas. You hate the ninjas. But we need them, and we need a pilot. We're not likely to be as lucky next time.† â€Å"Lucky? The man's a reprobate.† â€Å"Tucker Case is a loser. Losers flourish on islands, away from competition. You taught me that.† Flattery might work where seduction seemed to be failing. â€Å"I did?† She unzipped his pants. â€Å"Sure, that monologue about ninety percent of the endangered species living on islands. That's because they would have died out years ago from real competition. Losers, like Tucker Case.† â€Å"I was talking about unique ecosystems, like the Galpagos, where evolution is speeded up. The way the religions take hold.† â€Å"Same difference.† He yanked her hand out of his pants and pushed her away. â€Å"What's that make us, Beth? What does that make me?† The Sky Priestess was losing on all fronts. There was an element here that she was not in control of, an unknown variable that was affecting the Sorcerer's mood. When sex and flattery don't work, what next? Ah, team spirit. â€Å"It makes us the fittest, ‘Bastian. It makes us superior.† He looked at her quizzically. Easy now, she thought. You're getting him back. She walked slowly back to the emperor's chair and sat down daintily, then threw a leg over either arm and leaned back spread-eagle. â€Å"A quiz, ‘Bastian, a quiz on evolution: Why, after all these years, with all the fossil evidence, doesn't anyone know for sure what happened to the dinosaurs? Don't answer right away. Think.† She fiddled with her left nipple while she waited, and finally a smile came over his face. He really did have great teeth. She had to give him credit for keeping up his dental hygiene all these years on the island. â€Å"No witnesses,† he said finally. â€Å"We have a winner. But more precisely, no surviving witnesses. Losers can only flourish until a dominant species appears, even on an island.† A shade of concern crossed his face. â€Å"But dinosaurs ruled the Earth for sixty million years. You can hardly call them losers.† Could he be any more difficult? â€Å"Look, Darwin, there are absolutely no dinosaurs getting laid tonight. Pick your team.† 52 Don't Know Much About History Tuck twisted the guts out of the stick pen and pried off the end cap with a kitchen knife, making, in effect, a perfect compact blowgun. He found a piece of notebook paper in the nightstand and seated himself on the wicker couch so he had a good diagonal view of the guards posted outside his door. He tore off a small piece of the paper with his teeth, worked it into a sufficiently gooey ball, then fit it into the pen tube and blew. The spit wad sailed through the window and curved harmlessly away from the guards. Too much moisture. He squeezed the next one between his fingers before loading, then let fly to strike the nearest guard in the neck. He brushed at his neck as if waving off an insect, but otherwise didn't react. More moisture. Tuck had taught himself deadly accuracy with the spitball blowgun at a time when he was supposed to be learning algebra. In contradiction to what his teacher had told him, he had never needed to know algebra in later life, but mastery of the spitball was going to come in handy, although this skill had not ended up on his permanent record, as had, presumably, his failure of algebra. The third wad struck the guard in the temple and stuck. He turned and cursed in Japanese. Tuck had prechewed a follow-up shot that took the guard in the neck. The guard gestured with his Uzi. â€Å"Go ahead, fuckstick. Shoot me,† Tuck said, a gleam in his eye. â€Å"Explain to the doc how you shot his pilot over a spit wad.† He tore off another piece of paper with his teeth and chewed it while the guard glared. The corrugated steel storm shutters above the windows were held open with a single wooden strut. The guard clipped the strut and the shutter fell with a clang. Tuck moved to the next window down. He leaned out and fired. A splat in the forehead of guard number two, another strut knocked out, another clanging shutter. One window to go, this one demanding a shot of almost twenty-five feet. Tuck popped his head out and blew. A spiderweb of spittle trailed behind the projectile as it traveled down the lanai. It struck the first guard on the front of his black shirt and he ran toward Tuck, leading with his Uzi. Tuck ducked back inside and the final shutter fell. Tuck heard the guard at each shutter, latching it down. Mission accomplished. With the guards peeking in the window every two minutes, he would have never been able to pull off the coconut dummy switch. And even in the ambient moonlight, he'd have never made it to the bathroom unnoticed. Of course, he couldn't have closed the windows. That would have been suspicious. â€Å"Good night, guys. I'm turning in.† He stood, blowgun waiting, but the shutters remained latched. He quickly turned off the lights and crawled into bed, where he constructed the coconut man and waited until he heard the guards start to talk and smelled tobacco smoke from their cigarettes. Then he tiptoed to the bathroom and made his escape. He half-expected the shower bottom to be nailed down. Beth Curtis had used it to escape only this morning. Maybe she hadn't figured that he knew about it. No, she was nuts, but she wasn't stupid. She knew he knew. She even knew that he knew she knew. So why hadn't she told Sebastian? And she hadn't said anything about their little detour to Guam either – or maybe she had. Sebastian hadn't sent a big postflight check like before. Tuck made a mental note to ask the doc about the check the next time they were on the golf course. For now he snatched up his flippers and mask and headed for the beach. Before entering the water, he pulled a bottle of pills from his pocket – anti-biotics left over from his dickrot – and made sure that the cap was on tight. This might be the only chance he'd have to get medicine to Kimi. He swam around the minefield and went straight into the village and down the path toward Sarapul's house. Women and children were still sitting around outside their houses, the women weaving on small looms by kerosene lantern, the children playing quietly or finishing up dinners off banana leaf plates. Only the smallest children looked at Tuck as he passed. The women turned away, determined, it seemed, not to make eye contact with the strange American. Yet there was no alarm in their ac-tions and no fear, just a concerted effort to not notice him. Tuck thought, This must be what New York was like before the white man came. And with that in mind, he stared at a spot in the path exactly twelve feet in front of him and denied their existence right back. It was better this way. He never knew when he might have to fly one of their body parts to Japan. He made his way quickly up the path and soon he could see a glow near Sarapul's house. He broke into the clearing and saw the old cannibal and Kimi sitting around a fire, working on something. Sewing, it looked like. â€Å"Kimi,† Tuck said, â€Å"you shouldn't be up.† Kimi looked up from his work. There was a huge piece of blue nylon draped over his and Sarapul's laps. â€Å"I feel better. You fixed me, boss.† Tuck handed him the pills. â€Å"Take two of these now and two a day until they're gone.† â€Å"Sarapul give me kava. It make the hurt stop.† â€Å"These aren't for the hurt. These are for infection. Take them, okay?† â€Å"Okay, boss. You want to help?† â€Å"What are you guys making?† â€Å"I'll show you.† Kimi started to rise and his face twisted with pain. Sarapul pushed him back down. â€Å"I will show.† The old cannibal snatched up the kerosene lantern and gestured for Tuck to follow him into the jungle. Tuck looked back at Kimi. â€Å"You take those pills. And don't move around much, I'm not sure how well those stitches will hold. You had a big hole in you.† â€Å"Okay, boss.† Sarapul disappeared into the jungle. Tuck ran after him and almost ran him over coming out of a patch of small banana trees into an area that cleared into walking trees, mangroves, and palms. About fifty yards ahead, Sarapul stopped near the beach. He stood by what appeared to be a large fallen tree, but when Tuck got closer he saw it was a long sailing canoe. Sarapul grinned up at Tuck, the light from the lamp making him appear like some demon from the dark island past. â€Å"The palu – the navigator – he make. I help.† Sarapul ran the light down the length of the canoe. Tuck could see that one of the tall gunwales was darkened and glazed with age, while the other had been hewn recently and was bright yellow. He could smell the fresh wood sap. There was an outrigger the size of a normal canoe and a platform across the struts. As canoes went, it was a huge structure, and hewing the hull from a single piece of wood with hand tools had taken an incredible amount of work, not to mention skill. â€Å"Kimi did this? This is gorgeous.† Sarapul nodded, his eyes catching the fire of the lamp. â€Å"This boat broken since before the time of Vincent. Kimi is great navigator.† â€Å"He is?† Tuck had his doubts, given the storm, but then again, as Kimi had said, they had survived a typhoon in a rowboat. And this craft was no accident; this was a piece of art. â€Å"So you guys are sewing a sail for this?† â€Å"We finish soon. Then palu will teach me to sail. The Shark People will go to sea again.† â€Å"Where'd you get the nylon for the sail? I can't see Dr. Curtis thinking this is a good idea.† Sarapul climbed into the canoe and dug under a stack of paddles and lines, each hand-braided from coconut fiber, until he came up with a tattered mass of nylon straps, Velcro, and plastic buckles with a few shreds of blue nylon hanging here and there. â€Å"My pack. You guys used my pack?† â€Å"And tent inside.† â€Å"Do you have the stuff that was inside? There were some pills that can help Kimi.† Sarapul nodded. He led Tuck back through the jungle to his house. Kimi had gone inside and was lying down. â€Å"Boss, I don't feel so good.† â€Å"Hang on. I might have some more medicine.† Actually, Tuck had never been sure of all the things that Jake Skye had loaded into the pack. Sarapul retrieved a palm frond basket from the rafters and handed it to Tucker. Tuck found the antibiotics he had been looking for, as well as painkillers and aspirin. Even what was left of his cash was in the basket. All the pills were still dry. Tuck doled out a dose and handed them to the navigator. â€Å"Take these when you have pain, and these take like the other ones, twice a day, okay?† â€Å"You good doctor, boss.† â€Å"You did a hell of a job on that boat.† Kimi seemed distressed. â€Å"You not tell Sorcerer or Vincent's white bitch.† â€Å"No, I won't tell them.† Kimi seemed to breathe easier. â€Å"Roberto come today. He say you must see the canoe. But he say you should no tell the Sorcerer.† â€Å"Roberto told you that.† â€Å"He talk funny now,† Kimi said. â€Å"Like you, kinda. In American. He tell me Sepie is okay. She come home soon.† â€Å"I couldn't get in to see her. There was a guard on the clinic.† â€Å"Dog fuckers,† Kimi said. Then Tuck told the navigator about the golf game and watched as the old cannibal held him while he laughed, then curled with pain. â€Å"I better sleep now, boss. You come back. I take you sailing.† â€Å"You got it.† Tuck backed out of the house and waited until Sarapul joined him with the lamp. â€Å"You know which pills to give him?† Sarapul nodded. Tuck started down the path toward the village, but pulled up a minute later when he heard the cannibal running after him. â€Å"Hey, pilot. Vincent send you to us, huh?† â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"You tell Vincent I wasn't going to eat you. Okay?† Tuck smiled. â€Å"I'll try to smuggle you some Spam next time I come.† Sarapul smiled back. As he came up on the drinking circle, Tuck stopped and checked his watch. He didn't want to be gone more than a couple of hours. There was little danger that he'd be called to fly, at least not without the warning appear-ance of the Sky Priestess, but Beth Curtis might show up at his bungalow at any time. Funny, he didn't think of the Sky Priestess and Beth as the same person. The Shark men were applying new coats of red paint to their bamboo rifles by the light of a kerosene lamp. They moved around on the logs and Tuck took a seat by Malink. Without a word, the young man who was pouring handed Tuck the cup. He drained it and handed it back. â€Å"What's the deal with the rifles?† Tuck asked Malink. â€Å"Vincent's army,† Malink said. â€Å"Vincent said we must always be ready to fight the enemies of the United States of America.† â€Å"Oh,† Tuck said. â€Å"Why red?† Malink looked at Tuck as if he was something he had stepped in. â€Å"It is the color of Vincent's brother.† â€Å"Yeah?† Tuck didn't get it. â€Å"Vincent's brother, Santa Claus. Red is his color. You must know that.† Tuck couldn't help it. He let his mouth fall open. â€Å"Santa Claus is Vincent's brother?† â€Å"Yes, Santa Claus brings excellent cargo for everyone, but only once a year. He comes in a sleigh on the snow. You know, right?† â€Å"Right. But I don't get the connection.† Malink looked as if it was all he could do not to tell Tuck how incredibly dense he really was. â€Å"Well, we have no snow, so Vincent will come in a plane. Not once a year. When Vincent come, he will bring cargo every day. More than he gives through the Sky Priestess. More than Santa Claus.† â€Å"And Vincent told you this, that he was Santa's brother?† Malink nodded. â€Å"His skinny brother, he say. So we make rifles red.† Malink watched for signs that Tuck was getting it. Tuck wasn't giving them. â€Å"Even Father Rodriguez know about Santa Claus,† Malink insisted. â€Å"Okay,† Tuck said, â€Å"how about moving that cup around the circle a little faster, guys?† â€Å"Vincent will bring us real rifles when he come. We must be always ready to fight,† Malink said. â€Å"Who?† Tuck asked. â€Å"Have you guys ever been attacked?† â€Å"Once,† Malink said. â€Å"When I was boy, some guys from New Guinea come in canoe. We no like those guys. We go in our canoes to kill them.† â€Å"And what happened?† â€Å"It got dark.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"We come home. Those guys from New Guinea pretty lucky no one know how to navigate in the dark.† â€Å"No palu?† Tuck asked, using the native word for â€Å"navigator.† â€Å"Japanese kill them. No palu left, except maybe one.† â€Å"That's why you didn't turn Kimi over to the Sorcerer?† Malink nodded and trouble crossed his brow. â€Å"I am thinking, if Vincent send you, how come the Sorcerer not know you here? And how you not know Santa Claus?† Tuck noticed that the men had stopped painting their rifles and talking among themselves to listen to his answer. There was pressure here, beyond whether he'd be able to drink or not. He told them what they needed to hear. â€Å"Vincent called me from the land of armored possums to come to the island of the Shark People. I am a flyer, as Vincent was a flyer. He does not tell me everything, and he does not tell the Sorcerer everything. Vincent is sometimes mysterious, but we must trust his judgment.† Malink smiled. â€Å"Let us drink to this flyer. Then we go to sleep.† To Tuck, Malink said: â€Å"Tomorrow is the hunt.† 53 How the Shark People Got Their Name When the pounding came at his door just after dawn, Tuck prepared himself mentally to meet the smiling face of Sebastian Curtis, who would be overly cheerful at the prospect of trouncing the pilot at another round of gravel golf, but when he opened the door, there was Beth Curtis wearing a long-sleeved white cotton dress and a huge sun hat with a brim that fell over her face like a lampshade. Tuck had on hand-me-down boxer shorts that showed more of his morning bulge than he was comfortable with. Strange, a month ago he was ready to sell his soul for this physiological phenomenon, and today it was an embarrassment. â€Å"Good morning,† he said. â€Å"I was expecting the doc.† â€Å"Oh, did you two have plans?† â€Å"No, I just†¦never mind. Would you like to come in for some coffee?† He gestured to the small kitchen nook. â€Å"Why don't you make yourself a cup and bring it with you? I have something to show you.† â€Å"Sure. Just give me a second.† She waited by the door while he threw a pot of water on the stove, dressed quickly and combed his hair, then poured the water over some coffee grounds and stirred in some powdered milk. â€Å"I'm ready. What's up?† â€Å"I want to show you something on the other side of the island.† â€Å"Outside of the compound?† â€Å"Near the village. I think you'll enjoy it.† Tuck walked with her out into the morning sun, nursing his coffee as they went. There were no guards in sight anywhere. The wide gate to the runway was open. â€Å"Where's the ninjas?† â€Å"You call them that too? That's funny.† She laughed, but because he couldn't see her face under the hat, he couldn't tell if there was any sincerity in it. She put her hand on his arm and let him lead her across the runway like a Victorian lady under escort. â€Å"Do you ever miss your family?† she asked as they walked. Tuck was taken by surprise. â€Å"My family? No. We parted on less than favorable terms. I fell out of contact with them long before I came out here.† â€Å"I'm sorry. Really. Is it difficult for you?† Tuck thought she might be joking. â€Å"My mother and my uncle are my only real family. They married after my father was killed. I wasn't pleased.† â€Å"You're kidding. I thought they only did that in West Virginia. Aren't you from California?† â€Å"She married my father's brother, not her brother. Still, I don't miss them.† â€Å"What about your friends?† Tuck thought for a second. Things had changed for him since he'd last seen Jake Skye. In a way he'd taken on some responsibility. He was acting on his own, without a net. He wished that he could tell Jake about it. â€Å"Yeah, I miss my friends sometimes.† â€Å"Me too, Tucker. I'd like to be your friend.† â€Å"You have Sebastian.† â€Å"Yes, I do, don't I.† They walked in silence until they entered the village, which was deserted except for a few dogs and too many roosters. â€Å"Where is everybody?† Tuck reminded himself not to let it appear that any of this was familiar to him. â€Å"Is this where the natives live?† â€Å"They're all at the beach. Today is the day of the hunt.† â€Å"The hunt?† â€Å"You'll see. It's a surprise.† As they passed the bachelors' house, Tuck peeked through he door. He could see someone sleeping inside. Beth led the way to the beach and Tucker looked back. Sepie stood in the doorway wearing only a bandage around her ribs. She waved and Tuck risked a quick smile and turned away. They were going to give him away. One hint of recognition and he was screwed. The women, children, and old men were all lined up on the beach. Tuck had never seen most of the women and children. There must have been three hundred people there. The only familiar face was Favo, the old man from the drinking circle, who showed no recognition when he looked at Tuck. The younger men were out in the water, standing knee deep on the reef in the light low-tide surf. Each of the men held a five-foot-long stick with a rope tied at one end. They wore long knives tucked into cords tied around their waists. â€Å"Fishing?† Tuck asked. â€Å"Just watch,† Beth said. â€Å"This is how the Shark People got their name.† Tuck spotted Malink coming out of the jungle with four other men. Each carried a large plastic bucket. â€Å"They make the buckets out of net floats from the huge factory ships,† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"The plastic is tougher than anything they can make.† â€Å"What's in them?† Tuck watched as each man swam out to the reef holding a bucket on his head. â€Å"Pig and chicken blood.† Two men helped Malink onto the reef and took his bucket from him. Malink looked out to sea and said something in his native language, then looked to the people on the beach as if to say, â€Å"Ready.† The chief shouted a command to the men in the water and they dumped the buckets of blood. Soon they were all knee deep in crimson surf and the bloodstain swept out into the ocean in a great cloud. â€Å"Isn't that dangerous?† Tuck asked. â€Å"Of course. It's insane.† Interesting choice of words. Tuck was surprised that no one seemed to notice or make a big deal of Beth's presence. â€Å"Why aren't they drumming and kowtowing to you?† â€Å"They aren't allowed to when I'm dressed like this. It's a rule. I need my privacy at times.† â€Å"Of course,† Tuck said. A fin appeared in the water about twenty yards out from the reef. Someone shouted and Tuck recognized Abo from his warrior's topknot. Malink nodded and Abo dove into the water and swam toward the shark. Before he was ten yards out, the fin turned toward him. More fins appeared and as Malink nodded, more young men dove into the water with their sticks. â€Å"Shit, this is suicide,† Tuck said. He watched as the first shark made a pass at Abo, who moved out of its way like a bullfighter. â€Å"You've got to stop this.† Tuck couldn't remember ever feeling such panic for another human being. Beth Curtis squeezed his arm. â€Å"They know what they're doing.† The shark circled and made a second pass at Abo, but this time the young warrior didn't move out of the way. He shoved his stick into the shark's jaws as if it was a bit, then flipped himself on the shark's back and wrapped the cord just behind the pectoral fins, then back to the other end of the stick so it wouldn't come out. The water boiled around Abo as the shark thrashed, but Abo stayed on and, holding the stick like handlebars, he pulled back to keep the shark from diving and steered him into the shallow water of the reef, where the other men waited with their knives drawn. A roar went up from the crowd on the beach as Abo turned the shark over to the slaughterers and held up his arms in triumph. The men on the reef slit the shark's belly and cut off a huge hunk of the liver, which they handed to Abo. He bit into it, tearing out a ragged chunk and swallowing as blood ran down his chest. Soon others were steering sharks onto the reef and the water beyond was alive with fins. The red cloud expanded as the sharks died and bled and more came to take their place. The gutted sharks were brought onto the beach, where the women continued the butchering, handing pieces of the raw flesh to the children as treats or prying out serrated teeth and giving them to little boys as trophies. One of the men actually stood up on the back of a huge hammerhead that he was steering to the reef and nearly castrated himself on the dorsal fin as he fell. But the shark was held fast and died on the reef with the others. In half an hour the shark hunt was over. The sea was red with blood for a thousand yards in all directions and the beach was littered with the corpses of a hundred sharks: black tips, white tips, hammerheads, blue, and mako. Some of the deadliest creatures had been taken like they were guppies in a net, and not one of the Shark People was hurt, although Tuck noticed that many were bleeding from abrasions on the inside of their thighs where they had rubbed against the sharks' skin during their ride. The Shark People were ecstatic, and every one of them was drenched in blood. Tuck was stunned. He'd never seen such courage or such slaughter before, and he was getting the willies thinking about all the time he had spent swimming in these waters at night. Malink walked up the beach dragging a leopard shark by its gills. His Buddha belly was dripping in blood. He looked up at Tucker and risked a smile. â€Å"That's the chief,† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"He's really too old for this, but he won't stay on shore.† â€Å"Do the sharks ever get any of them?† â€Å"Sometimes. Usually just a bite. A lot of sutures, but no one's been killed since I've been on the island.† No one hunting sharks, anyway, Tuck thought. A little girl who had been helping her mother shyly peeked over the carcass of a big hammer-head, then ran up to Tucker and quickly touched him on the knee before retreating to the safety of her mother. â€Å"That's strange,† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"The women and girls won't have anything to do with a white man. Even when they come to Sebastian, they talk to him through a brother or husband – and he speaks their language.† Tuck didn't answer. He was still looking at the little girl's back. She had a massive pink scar that ran like a smile from her sternum, under her arm, to her backbone at exactly the place where the kidney would be. Tuck felt sick to his stomach. â€Å"I think I've seen enough, Beth. Can we go?† â€Å"Can't deal with the sight of blood?† â€Å"Something like that.† As they walked back through the village, Tuck noticed a woman and a little boy sitting outside of one of the cookhouses. The mother was holding the boy and singing to him softly as she rocked him. Both of his eyes were bandaged with gauze pads. Tucker approached the woman and she pulled the child to her breast. Beth Curtis caught Tuck's arm and tried to pull him back. Tuck shook her off and went to the woman. â€Å"What's wrong with him?† Tuck asked. The woman slid across the gravel, away from him. â€Å"Tucker!† Beth Curtis said, â€Å"Leave her alone. You're scaring her.† â€Å"It's okay,† Tuck whispered to the woman. â€Å"I'm the pilot. Vincent sent me.† The woman seemed to calm down, and although her eyes went wide with wonder, she managed a small smile. Tuck reached out and touched the child's head. â€Å"What's wrong with him?† The woman held out the boy as if presenting him for baptism. â€Å"He is chosen,† she said. She looked at the Sky Priestess for approval. Tuck stood and backed away from her. He was afraid to look at Beth, afraid that he might strangle her on the spot. Instead, calmly, deliberately, although it took all his effort to keep from shaking, he said, â€Å"We'd better get back.† He led the way through the village and back to the compound.

Europeans V. Natives

Reasons the Europeans Were Victorious The European explorers were able were able to defeat the Native Americans and overpower the West Africans was due to many proximate and ultimate factors that granted the Europeans the advantage. The proximate factors that helped the Europeans were their guns, germs, and steel. The Europeans had built immunity to many of the diseases and germs that they had been exposed to over the years while in Europe. But the Native Americans had never seen such diseases, so when the Europeans came over, they carried with them these germs that were completely new to the Natives.The new animals that the Europeans brought over to the Americas also carried diseases and germs that the natives had never been exposed to before. Their germs killed off a large portion of the native population. The affects of these new diseases caused devastation in many tribes. The Native Americans had not built up such natural defenses as the Europeans had over the years, so the nativ e population shrunk from 300,000 to 500 by 1548. The Europeans carried guns and steel weapons that had been made using the metals and resources from their home countries.The Natives used weapons made of copper or wood, which will not be of any use when put to the test against a weapon made of steel. Steel is a much stronger metal- it can endure more. The guns that the Europeans carried were something that the Native people had never seen before- they had no idea how they worked. As a result, they feared them. The concept can also be compared to the horses that the Europeans introduced to the Natives. They had never seen such an animal before and when they saw these shiny, metal-covered men riding these large, wild animals, they were frightened.The ultimate factors that added to the natives’ demise were the geography, animals, and agriculture. Europe is geographically situated in a region better suited for farming because of the land and weather of the climate. Eurasia’ s more East to West land stretched further horizontally and allowed for more productive farming to occur. It reigned superior to North America’s more North to South (vertical) land. The land’s layout made it more difficult to farm, which is why the Native Americans were not as technologically as far ahead as the Europeans- they were still trying to figure out the most productive farming strategies.The Europeans had their agriculture and food supply developed and sought out, so they were able to more easily develop and meet all their agriculture needs and move on to domesticating different animals and developing more advanced technology to help them. They had the time to advance their technology as well as their fighting techniques and strategies. The Europeans were also able to broaden their horizons and explore outside of their countries and become conquistadors. The natives did not feel such a desire to and stayed concerned with what they knew- surviving off the land and hunting.

Managing the successful design process of HVAC systems The WritePass Journal

Managing the successful design process of HVAC systems Introduction Managing the successful design process of HVAC systems IntroductionHistory of HVAC SystemDesign Process and ManagementConclusionReferencesRelated Introduction A good HVAC system design plays a critical role in creating an optimal building environment.   The design process of a HVAC system is complex process involving client’s needs, building regulation compliance, energy efficiency, environmental impact and sustainability. A lot of different professionals with distinct disciplines, such as clients, architects, structural and service engineers are involved in a building construction project. The design process involves constant communication and clarification between the different team members. By working together at key points in the design process, participants can often identify highly attractive solutions to design needs that would otherwise not be found (1). The effectiveness of the design process in the building industry has a great influence on the success of subsequent processes in the construction of projects and also on the quality of the environment (2). Several studies have also pointed out that a large percentage of de fects in building arise through decisions or actions taken in the design stages (3). It is also said that poor design has a very strong impact on the level of efficiency during the production stage (4). In recent years, the increasing complexity of modern buildings in a very competitive market–place has significantly increased the pressure for improving the performance of the design process in terms of time and quality. Despite its importance, relatively little research has been done on the management of the design process, in contrast to the research time and effort which has been devoted to production and project management (5). This essay will concentrate on various issues related to the management of successful design process of HVAC system and put forward arguments to reflect the above. History of HVAC System HVAC is an acronym that stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. HVAC is based on the principle of thermodynamics and heat transfer. The functions of heating, ventilation and air conditioning are interrelated. HVAC systems provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. Like many great innovations, earliest heating and plumbing systems originated with the Romans. A hypocaust(6) was an ancient Roman system of central heating / under floor heating; they were used for heating public baths and private houses.   English historian Edward Gibbon mentions â€Å"stupendous aqueducts, when describing the building of public baths in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire(7). The Romans built an aqueduct that carried water for many miles in order to provide a crowded urban population with relatively safe, potable water. In modern buildings the design, installation and control systems for these functions are integrated in to HVAC systems. Design Process and Management Throughout the history of mankind, people have always designed things; it is human nature. It may take years to design a new system but it could be made in a matter of hours. When one is trying to design something, drawing is widely used as a most understandable form of communication. Designers sit down and brainstorm a lot of ideas, discard most of them until a suitable one is found for investigation at a more detailed level enabling the best to be chosen (8). In the past the HVAC system was given less priority in term of design on the basis of sub-optimal consideration, such as preferences for certain types of systems, or equipment budget or space constraints imposed by architects (9). Design and construction were carried out by two different parties. Designers used to design the system and walk away. The contractors carried out the HVAC installation and commissioned the systems. Poorly designed HVAC systems pose health hazard and discomfort to the building occupants. The emergence of â€Å"sick building syndrome† led to the realization that the HVAC system itself acts as a breeding and concentration site for pathogens and allergens (9). The duct net work of a central air handling system poses fire hazard as these are ideal path for fire, smoke and explosive gases. They are also prime target for terrorists to release chemical and biological agent into a building. Nowadays, traditional professional practices are replaced by multi-disciplinary practices. A fresher approach is needed to the planning and co-ordination for multi disciplinary buildings and their system designs to facilitate integration and communication across the disciplines (10). It has been pointed out that poor communication, a lack of documentation, missing input information, a lack of co-ordination between disciplines and erratic decision making is the main problem in design management (3). Designers try to achieve satisfactory or appropriate solutions. The design tends to take place through a series of stages during which design components are continually trialled, tested, evaluated and refined. Therefore, most design processes involve much feedback from the different individuals employed to design the system. It can be seen that defects in a finished building also shows the failure to communicate the known technological factors that have been accepted for many years during the design process. The problems caused seem to be due more to the deficiencies in managing communication during the design process, rather than technology failure (3). HVAC systems for the modern buildings must become fully optimized. Comfort, health and safety function required for each area in the facility must be executed perfectly. Performance of a good HVAC system makes economic sense. Optimized HVAC systems reduce the capital cost and equipment space. They provide the best comfort and health which increases productivity (9). Life-cycle cost is greatly reduced because optimized systems operate with the least possible energy. In recent years, the HVAC industry has been under immense pressure to reduce the energy consumed by HVAC plants and increase energy efficiency to conserve fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions. HVAC systems in typical commercial buildings are responsible for more than 40 percent of the total energy output (11). Low and zero carbon technologies can be integrated into the HVAC systems to achieve sustainability. Properly designed HVAC systems run at peak efficiency maximising energy used without compromising thermal comfort or indoor air quality.   It requires an integrated design approach. It has been pointed out that by adopting this type of design, high performance with multiple benefits can be achieved at a total cost lower than all the components used in the project (1). The design process needs to be well planned and controlled, in order to minimise the effects of complexity and uncertainty (12). As the involvement of interdependent professionals’ disciplines with conc urrent design processes is now the norm, well managed design processes with effective communication is the key to minimising errors that could lead to defective buildings or systems in the future (3). A successful HVAC design process involves interactive efforts, Co-ordination and project programming Conclusion HVAC systems play an important role in keeping a building comfortable. The design of HVAC systems involves working with a team of professionals demonstrating various disciplines. Design errors should be prevented or identified during the design process. These design errors are costly in time, rework, money and lost reputations. Effective design of sustainable HVAC system is needed to make buildings survivable in a current climate of very high energy costs. Managing the HVAC design process successfully saves considerable time and money as well as delivering projects on time and within budget. References 1. Building Design. Fedral Energy Management Program. [Online] US Department of Energy. [Cited: 17 April 2011.] http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/29267-4.1.pdf. 2. Formoso, C. T., Tzotzopoulos, R., Jobim, M. S. A Protocol for Managing the Design Process in the Building Industry. London  : Spon, 1999. 3. Cornik, T. Quality Management for Building. Rushden  : Butterworth, 1991. p. 218. 4. Ferguson, I. Buildability in Practice. London  : Mitchell, 1989. p. 175. 5. Manipulating the Flow of Design Information to improve the Programming of Building Design. Austin, S., Baldwin, A., and Newton, A. London  : spon, 1994, Construction Management and Economics, Vol. 12 (5), pp. 445-455. 6. Fagan, Garrett G. Bathing in Public in the Roman World . Michigan  : The Unversity of Michigan Press, 2002. pp. 56-66. 7. Gibson, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. London  : Strahan Cadell, 1837. p. 433. Vol. 1, chapter XXXL. 8. Cross, N. Engineering Design Methods: Strategies for Product Design. Third Edition. London  : John Wiley and Sons Limited, 1994. 9. Donald R. Wulfinghoff, P.E. The Future of HVAC. Energy books. [Online] [Cited: 19 April 2011.] energybooks.com/pdf/Future_of_HVAC_for_EIP_Website_071025.pdf. 10. A data flow model to plan and manage the building design process. AUSTIN, S., BALDWIN, A. NEWTON, A. No. 1, 1996, Journal of Engineering Design, Vol. 7, pp. 3-25. 11. Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom. DECC. [Online] [Cited: April 15 2011.] decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Statistics/publications/ecuk/file11250.pdf. 12. Pennycook, K. Design Checks for HVAC. Second edition. s.l.  : BSRIA, 2007.

How to Pronounce Xi Jinpings Name

How to Pronounce 'Xi Jinping's' Name China has been growing as a world power, and Xi Jinping, the countrys leader since 2012, is ever-present in the news and on the world stage. Its important, therefore, for students of Chinese- and indeed for anyone keeping up with current events- to be able to pronounce the Chinese leaders name. But saying his name correctly is not simple; it requires understanding the Chinese alphabet as well as the tones you must use when pronouncing Chinese letters and words. Basic Pronunciation The alphabetical letters used to write sounds in Mandarin Chinese (called Hanyu Pinyin) dont often match sounds they describe in English, so simply trying to read a Chinese name and guess its pronunciation is not sufficient.  (Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Mainland China and Taiwan.) The simplest way to pronounce the name of the president of China is to say Shee Jin Ping. But you also must account for the Chinese tones. The Four Tones In Mandarin Chinese, many characters have the same sounds, so tones are necessary when speaking to help differentiate words from each other.  The four tones are: First: a level and higher pitchSecond: a rising tone that starts from a lower pitch and ends  at a slightly higher pitchThird:  a falling-rising  tone that begins at a neutral tone then dips to a lower pitch before ending at a higher pitchFourth:  a falling tone that starts the syllable at a slightly higher-than-neutral pitch then goes quickly and strongly downward You can listen to a recording of a native speaker pronouncing the name and mimic the pronunciation. The BBC notes that the name is pronounced -sh as in ship, -j as in Jack, -i as in sit, -ng as in sing. Breaking Down the Name The presidents name is ä ¹  Ã¨ ¿â€˜Ã¥ ¹ ³ (or ç ¿â€™Ã¨ ¿â€˜Ã¥ ¹ ³ written in traditional form). His name, as do most Chinese names, consists of three syllables. The first syllable is his family name and the two remaining are his personal name. Xi, the first part of the name, can be difficult for non-native Chinese speakers to pronounce because the hard  x sound does not exist in English. It is alveolo-palatal, meaning that its produced by placing the body of the tongue against the front part of the hard palate. The tongue position is similar to the first sound in yes in English. Try producing a hissing sound and youll get pretty close. The i is like the y in city but longer. The tone rises when pronouncing this part of the name, so it takes on the second tone. Jin is also tricky, but if you know how to pronounce the hard x in Chinese, it becomes a lot easier. J is pronounced like the x  sound but has a stop in front of it. Think of it as a very light t, or tx. Take care not to breathe out too hard when pronouncing the t because it will turn into a Chinese Pinyin q. The i in jin should sound similar to the i in xi but shorter. The tone falls in this part of the name, so it takes on the fourth tone. Ping is fairly straightforward; it is pronounced much as it looks in English written form. One minor difference is that the ng is pronounced farther back and is more prominent than in English. The tone rises in this part of the name so it takes on the second tone.

Study Skills Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study Skills - Assignment Example A few years ago AIDS and Cancer were the only concerns of mankind when it came to incurable epidemics. Recently new more terrible diseases like ‘Bird Flu’ and ‘Swine Flu’ have threatened human existence with their accelerated growth. More than half of earths total population productivity has already been diverted towards human use (Brown, 2004; Green, 1992). This population continues to grow at an alarming pace. Only in the last fifty years human population had doubled from 2.5 billion to 6.1 billion. Will our earth be able to support a population of 12.2 billion in 2050 (currently 76 million people are added to our population each year)? This is the question that needs to be asked. The Earth’s productive capacity will not be enough to sustain such a pace in population growth. Most of this population increase is fueled by developing nations with lack of health care facilities. This contribution cannot be controlled by increasing awareness only because ‘most of the increase is by population momentum (49%), followed by unwanted pregnancies (33%)’. Moreover if we expand our focus to the entire world almost 80 million out of a total 210 million is contributed by unwanted pregnancies. This is a cl ear target for mankind, healthcare facilities and birth control can help reduce the alarming rate of population growth. For this purpose financial help is needed to provide low cost and preferably free contraceptives to underdeveloped nations. ‘This would almost need approximately around $54.8 billion dollars’. The continuous increase in population is placing an intense pressure of natural resources. According to the world back currently approximately 2 billion people in the world are malnourished. This is more than thirty percent of total world population. This situation is expected to get worse as population grows and productivity of crops

Discharge of Contract on the Grounds of Frustration Coursework

Discharge of Contract on the Grounds of Frustration - Coursework Example Jardinia Limited has signed two contracts with Southern Belles which entails the installation and fitting of an industrial size system for the poly-tunnels and green house. Payment for installation will be due on completion of the work. The other contract states that 100 units are to be provided for resale to the general public at a cost of ?250 each to Southern Belles Ltd. A ?5,000 deposit had already been paid. However, a day before completion of the work, a storm destroyed all the installations completely. Southern Belles Limited is therefore claiming that both contracts are discharged on the grounds of frustration with no money to be paid on the fitting contract and the deposit refunded. Force Majeure Clause If either Jardinia Limited or Southern Belles Limited is prevented or stopped from carrying out its duties as it had been agreed upon in the contract (other than their duties to make their payments) by a force majeure event then: The affected party will be relieved from perfo rming its duties as long as the force majeure event continues to pose as an inhibiting factor further affecting in completion of the project. ... e Event, how it has affected its ability to carry out its obligations as it had been agreed upon in the contract and the measures that have been developed by the party to prevent such a Force Majeure Event from occurring and destroying property. The affected party has to establish mitigation measures to eliminate effects of the Force Majeure Event that may prevent it from fulfilling its obligations as stated in the contract. After cessation of the Force Majeure Event, the affected party should provide a written notification to the other party informing it of the cessation of the Force Majeure Event. The party should then continue with performance of its duties as the two parties had agreed on. Southern Belles Limited will give the agreed amount of money to Jardinia Limited for installation of an industrial size system for a green house and poly-tunnels as soon as sales are attained. Southern Belles Limited will use all reasonable efforts to ensure it attains production capabilities. A Force Majeure Event is therefore described as any event that occurs without any knowledge of a party and it is beyond an individual’s reasonable control. The event is unavoidable and does not withstand the reasonable care of a party. A Force Majeure Event at Jardinia Limited will not constitute a Force Majeure Event, unless most of its operations are entirely affected. Force Majeure Clause denotes that the storm triggered the operation of this clause as the contractor could not avoid occurrence of the storm and could still not provide against it. The storm qualifies as a Force Majeure Event since it totally destroyed work that had been done and has as well prevented it from going on as planned. The storm has had severe impacts on the contract as additional costs, time as well as inputs