Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Best Man Wedding Speech (Roast) -- Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Best Man Wedding Speech Ladies and Gentlemen, It's time for me to make a speech now and quite frankly, there's not a lot you can do about that. Well, if there's anybody here this evening who feels strangely nervous and apprehensive, it's probably because you just went and married Bill Meyers! Sorry Lacy - It's too late now. You're stuck with him. When it comes to Best Man's speeches there are some things in the interests of good taste, which are better left unsaid.....well, I'm here to say them! Some people need no introduction....Bill Meyers needs all the introduction he can get. He could be described as charming, intelligent, witty...and perhaps one day he will be. Bill was born in October 1970. The Beatles had split up, Maggie May by Rod Stewart was no.1 and Liverpool Football Club, under Bill Shankly, was about to embark on a two decade journey of domestic a...

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Free College Essays - The Last Act of Richard III :: Richard II Richard III Essays

The Last Act of Richard III In Shakespeare's play Richard III, the main character Richard is developed as an actor - to the degree of morbidity. Richard is forever putting on an act, and playing the part that he thinks will most please whomever he shares the stage with at a given moment. Not that to please is his ultimate goal, it is just a means to get what he wants--which is the tempting role of the king. His acts are from the start plentiful, and for some time almost surprisingly effective. To Clarence he plays the Loving and Concerned Brother. His counterfeit fools Clarence into a state of trust that is stunning to the spectator, who knows that the events which make Richard exclaim "We are not safe, Clarence, we are not safe!" (I.i.70) are in fact Richard's own doing. Alone with his audience, Richard plays the part of the Self-confident Villain. The audience serves a function not unlike that of a mirror, only it mirrors character traits rather than looks. He introduces himself as the actor who cannot play the role of lover (i.e. be good) satisfactorily, so he chooses to play the villain (i.e. be bad) instead. The notion that this is a choice, as well as his use of the word play rather than be, underline the fact that to him this is all acting. In front of the audience--his mirror and thus a second self--Richard toys around with the conviction that he can do anything he sets his mind to through the means of his acting abilities. He leaves his audience speechless by going through with the overly ambitious task he sets up. He tells us that he will marry Warwick's youngest daughter, and the next thing you know, he has pulled it off. Whether Anne falls for Richard's sex appeal or his rhetoric is moot, yet she does fall. Richard himself seem s credulous at her giving in so easily; "Was ever woman in this humour woo'd? / Was ever woman in this humour won?" (I.ii.232-233) He talks as if it were a sign that his repulsiveness must in some way appear attractive to her, although the way he expresses this makes me doubt his seriousness. Perhaps this is an attempt at sharing a joke with his audience, his feeling being that as it cannot possibly be his looks she has fallen for, it must be his words.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Psychology: Human Development :: Psychological Social Science Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The field of psychology may have grown to be respected as a science. Objectivity and the scientific method are both part of the psychologist's mode of operation. However, even the greatest of psychologists can only theorize about what makes human beings act the way they do. Absolutes are not part of psychology . Everything is relative and open to speculation. Theorists give us their views or ideas about life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the field of psychology, there have been many different areas of interest. Human development is one of the most popular areas of interest for those who study psychology. Freud, Erikson and Piaget are all great theorists with different ideas concerning human development. Each theorist developed ideas and stages for human development. Their theories on human development had human beings passing through different stages. Each theory differed on what these stages were. These theories also differed with their respect towards paradigmatic assumptions, learning and development, and relationship towards educational practice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freud is known as the father of psychology. Although some of his work has been dismissed, most of it still holds weight in the world of psychology. Freud believed that human development was fueled by inner forces. He believed the most powerful of all inner forces was our sexual being. Freud linked everything with sex. This includes any bodily pleasure whatsoever. Thus, when Freud discusses the sexual needs of children, they are not the same kind of sexual needs that an adult would experience. Children experienced sexual gratification in different ways. Sucking their thumbs or retaining their excrement could be seen as sexual gratification for small children. Freud also specified certain areas of our body as erogenous zones. Those areas included the mouth and genitals. This all fit in to Freud's obsession with sex. An obsession that could be linked to the era that Freud lived in. It was a very conservative period in history. Sexual feelings were often repressed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freud's theory on human development could be labeled the psychosexual stages of development. Freud believed human beings passed through different stages in their life based on which part of their body gave them sexual gratification. Freud's psychosexual stages of development are five in total.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Oral stage takes place from birth to about one year. During this stage, a child is orally oriented. The mouth is the child's erogenous zone. Everything a child touches is put in his mouth. Freud believes children do this because it gives them pleasure. When a child sucks his thumb, it does so because it gives it gives him gratification. According to Freud, the gratification is sexual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second stage in Freud's psychosexual development theory takes place

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Charles’ Ability to Finance His Government

The Personal Rule of Charles I Charles I, born in Dunfermline, the son of James I and Anne of Denmark, was born in 1600. At the age of five he was made the Duke of York the Prince of Wales in 1616. When James I died in 1625, his son Charles became king. Upon becoming, the King Charles had a sense of greed growing, he would gain money through taxes and laws imposed only for the sense of profit and had been stubborn when it came to his ministers.He imposed a lot of trust in his ministers and was reluctant when it came to their dismissal. The Personal Rule was a period in which Charles governed without any reference to Parliament in the years 1629-1640; he refused to summon any Parliaments until they had a better understanding of what he wanted to do. Historians in a major of ways described this period, but how effective was the period of the Personal rule and had Charles succeeded in governing effectively and financially.Upon Buckingham’s dispersal, many former enemies of the Ki ng had made peace with him and entered his service. The Dukes of Arundel and Bristol, who had been against Buckingham in the House of Lords had decided that Parliament had gone too far in imposing the King and took up positions at Court. The death of the Duke of Buckingham had deeply affected Charles and the King had become reluctant to never again depend on one minister.Upon introduction of the Personal rule period there was little reaction and resistance to the dispersing of Parliament, enemies of the king worked towards peace in an attempt to become his advisors, and many of them did succeed. King Charles was successful in governing without Parliament by cutting his expenses and increasing income. The greatest drain on resources was the wars against France and Spain leaving the economy at a disadvantage; however this was soon put to an end due to peace treaties being signed with France in 1629 and with Spain in 1630.Peace brought an immediate revival of English trade and commerce . This in turn brought increased customs revenue because Charles continued to collect income through taxes without the agreement of Parliament. The first of Charles' money schemes was to enforce a law complying that men who own a property worth more than ? 40 per annum shall receive knighthoods at the royal coronation and from 1630, Charles had also began fining everyone who failed to observe this law.The knighthood fines had stacked up ? 100,000 by the end of the following year. The most condemned of taxes was Ship Money, a custom that required payment in order to keep naval defences on standby in the case of an emergency. In 1634, with Dunkirk pirates in the Channel and Barbary corsairs raiding Ireland, Cornwall and Devon for slaves, King Charles taxed the coastal counties to pay for the building of new warships. In 1635, he extended the tax to include inland counties.Even though ship-money was intended to finance a new fleet for England's defence, there were strong objections bec ause the King had imposed what amounted to a new tax without the consent of Parliament. Charles’s decisions that he would call no more parliaments until his subjects had a better understanding of him indicated that the circumstances were exceptional; however it was not unusual for there to be long periods of time without Parliament such as the seven years between the parliaments of 1614 and 1621.Charles’s believed that they weren’t an essential part of the daily government but more for the financial management and problems, which was the reason for the many gatherings that previously took place. At this point it may be said that Charles’ ability to finance his government effectively had been working, and to some extent his methods of financing had also reduced the resentment during the personal rule period.By deducting some of his expenses and increasing taxes more revenue was generated; however it may also be considered that the taxes may have caused res entment as Ship money had been deeply condemned by some and Charles’ revival of the ‘Forest Law’ which was said to be sacred ground for some may have resented Charles’ for that decision. It didn’t stop there however, not only did Charles’ re-establish the Forest Law he also fined those who branded it as their sacred ground for all the previous years.Charles’ furthered the ship money taxes in 1635 by not only demanding them for coastal countries but the whole of Britain, this was bound to raise resentment towards the King’s actions however it was an effective move by Charles as by 1637 the budget was balanced, most of the gains were developed via new strategies however most of them were just previous laws that were buried and brought back, the only new law was Ship Money due to its amendment but it also played a significant part in establishing a new style of taxation, targets for Ship Money were set and the global sum had been d educted from the county as a whole.Apart from rising customs revenues that had been derived from growing trade, Ship money then became a long-term source of financial independence. Upon Ship Money being offered on a long-term basis the resentment and opposition towards the way Charles’ had chosen to finance his government, the opposition wasn’t towards the finance but the methods chosen and mainly the Ship Money itself, many historians argue that the period of portraying Ship Money on a long-term basis was an attempt by Charles to finance his absolutism but the opposition towards Charles’ actions had been at a growing rate.At this point it may be considered that I far from agree with the opinion of Charles being able to finance his government without too much resentment as opposition against the Kings actions had been at a growing rate and with Ship Money falling out of context the power to impose taxes had been taken out of context. Whig historians had believed that this period had aroused the most furious opposition in the provinces and this â€Å"fact† was generally accepted.However there is little evidence to suggest that the opposition was high. John Hampden was a clear case of resentment for the King as he refused to pay the tax in 1636; he was then tested in 1637. At this point Hampden’s lawyer believed Parliament should vote in this case, however the King appealed against this by saying that the Ship tax was also used to build the armyEven though the judges had confirmed Charles’ legal right to collect Ship Money, resentment and dissatisfaction were growing and in the years of 1635-1637 the amount of ship money being received was at a decreasing rate which was most likely from the opposition of it, this also highlights the fact that opposition was at an increasing rate and Charles’ unethical methods would not be successful for long.Charles’ methods of granting tax without the consent of Parliament had showed that his unethical methods towards gaining revenue would most likely increase the opposition towards him. Although most taxes were accepted Ship Money had been a major issue that raised a high amount in opposition. It can be argued that Ship Money was required for a valid reason, but would it be sustained as long as Charles wanted it? The period of 1637-40 was the decline of the personal rule, public opinion of the King was negating.Although the combination of Ship Money and growing trade offered a source of financial independence, the opposition towards it didn’t. Most of the opposition believed a Parliament should be called but even if it were to be, Charles’ views towards the finances of his government would not change hence one of the main reasons for the Personal Rule period itself. Charles lacked political awareness, and unlike James I, his father he lacked understanding of Scottish politics and culture; even so he didn’t attempt to educate him self on it.To some extent I have concluded that Charles’ ability to finance his government effectively itself was remarkable, but the methods he adapted when doing so were unethical and did not take into consideration the public opinion therefore I wouldn’t regard it as a remarkable achievement, however many Historians believe as I do that Charles’ lack of politics and culture had put him at a great disadvantage which was mainly why Parliament were established.It may also be said that Charles’ view towards Parliament had changed majorly after the death of the Duke, this was the reason why he demanded reform and asserted his role. The situation in Scotland was also a major turning point for the Personal Rule as Charles’ advisors also began advising that he call Parliament in order to settle the opposition and avoid war which in fact did drain the finances of the government.Therefore to some extent I do agree that the opinion of Charles’ abili ty to finance his government effectively was a remarkable achievement, however I also think that he should have taken more consideration of the public opinion in an attempt to avoid resentment. His decision to â€Å"renew† the Ship Money tax was in my opinion a mistake made by Charles and the decision to do this had actually started a widespread of opposition.

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Self Exploration

Many of us go through life skimming the surface of our identities. That is, we don’t truly dig deeply into our thoughts, feelings, desires and dreams. Part of the problem is that we’re always on the go. When to-do lists keep swelling, self-exploration takes a backseat. How can it not, when we barely find time for self-care? Specifically, self-exploration involves â€Å"taking a look at your own thoughts, feelings, behaviors and motivations and asking why. It’s looking for the roots of who we are — answers to all the questions we have about [ourselves],† according to Ryan Howes, Ph. D, psychologist, writer and professor in Pasadena, California. Having a deeper understanding of ourselves has many benefits. It â€Å"helps people understand and accept who they are and why they do what they do, which improves self-esteem, communication and relationships,† he said. ————————————————- Here, Howes discusses how he helps clients explore their own identities, the potential challenges that can hamper self-exploration and the strategies readers can try at home. The process of exploring yourself is a meticulous one and takes determination and focus to accomplish. It means becoming aware of what’s important to you and understanding yourself, i. e. your values, interests, aptitudes, abilities, strengths and weaknesses. It is also a way to gain knowledge of what is a good fit or match for your personality type. Before you can explore the world of work or a career, you must first understand yourself. Start by asking yourself questions: â€Å"What do I want to do? † â€Å" What are my goals, dreams and ambitions? † Self-exploration is looking inside yourself and concentrating and focusing on you, your needs, and your future†¦not mom’s, dad’s, or your friends. This is not to say that what others have to say isn’t important. On the contrary, hear them out, but ultimately this important decision is yours. After all, you know you better than anyone else, even mom. This process of self-exploration may seem a little lame, but this is the foundation that makes good decisions great! Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can make all the difference! If you take the time to know yourself, or at least evaluate yourself, you will have a truer sense of what’s good for you, or should I say, better for you. Many people never take into consideration whether the career/job they’ve chosen is something that they are going to enjoy doing, whether it’s going to meet their needs professionally and/or personally. Many are just glad to have a job that pays decent wages. Yes, finances are important, but ultimately it’s more important to be happy. If you are not satisfied in your job it will eventually affect your work, your level of commitment to the job, those you work for and even your personal life. If you enjoy what you are doing, believe in it and you know why you chose to do it, you will tend to be more committed to it, better at it, and you’ll work harder to do it well. This commitment, this strong work ethic is what aims us towards achieving greatness. If we are happy, we look towards the future with determination, ambition, and goals. If we are just getting by in our job, could care less about whether we get the job done or even whether we come to work at all, we tend to wallow in our misery. We do more looking back at what could have been or should have been, and can only see the future as more of the same dissatisfaction. Success requires taking an active role in the growth and development of our personal and professional life. One way to get started figuring out who you are and what you want in life is to begin by evaluating your academic exposure. Look at the courses you’ve taken: both the ones' you liked and disliked. Of the classes you liked, what did you enjoy most about the subject? What made you dislike some of the courses? Why didn’t that class appeal to you? Does the class provide you with something that you can develop into a career? Next, consider what’s really important to you; things you value, interests you may have, skills and abilities you possess. Take some time and think about what you might need in order to be happy and ultimately successful in your job/career. For example, a few things to consider might be salary, geographic location, job autonomy, work hours, and professional growth opportunities, to name a few. Which ones of these, and/or others, are most significant; things that would make an obvious difference in whether we would enjoy our job/career? If you don’t take the time to consider who you are and what you want, you won’t know what you are looking for. You need to be aware that no job/career is going to be perfect and meet all of your expectations. But if you at least think about which things are more vital to your happiness and aim for those, you can come pretty close to what you want. Think about the skills and abilities you may have that you would like to utilize in your chosen profession (i. e. leadership, helping others, mathematical ability, creativity, communication, etc. Which careers give you more of an opportunity to express yourself and be yourself? Many people make the mistake of assuming that they can and will do just about anything for the right amount of money. Well let me assure you that this is only partially true. In the beginning, the money may seem like enough to sustain your job satisfaction and happiness, but soon everyone realizes that money alone is only a temporary fix. If you donâ₠¬â„¢t really like what you are doing, or like where you work, you won’t be happy and the money won’t ever be enough. Another way to assess your interests might be to consider careers that you may have already been exposed to through friends, family members or previous part-time and summer jobs, and even volunteer opportunities or internships. Talk to any persons you can find who may be doing something you think that you want to do, or have thought about doing. Really pick their brains about why they chose that profession, what do they like or dislike about their jobs, what’s a typical day like on the job for them? This is called informational interviewing. Also, draw from your own experiences about what it may be like to work full-time. What kind of supervisor would you prefer; do you prefer flexible or set work hours; do you like being in a leadership role, etc.? The best way to answer some of these questions is through an internship or co-op. If you have not considered an internship or co-op before, please do. Cooperative education and internships add meaning to the academic experience. Both offer the student the opportunity to gain practical experience. At the same time students can identify career interests and goals and relate them to academic endeavors. Most people believe that you don’t need to be concerned about figuring out who you are and what you want to do until you’re just about ready to graduate. Yes, this is one way to do it, but why wait until the last minute. You may realize that what you thought you wanted to do really doesn’t appeal to you at all. Self-exploration should be done early and often, as early as your junior year in high school, and at least once a year thereafter. The sooner you start to think about your future, the better prepared you’ll be for it. If you didn’t go this route, it’s still not too late to catch up. Find a career counselor on your campus and get started. There is often a certain amount of fear that goes along with making decisions about one's future. D. J. Parson, an Appalachian State University sophomore, stated, â€Å"When I first arrived, I didn’t have any idea how to get started choosing a major, not to mention what I was going to do with that major when I finished school. After I met with a career counselor and discovered a few things about myself, for example, what motivates me, things started to click and I was able to move forward. D. J. is not alone in his dilemma. As a career counselor, I encounter numerous students who are confused about how to go about making effective career decisions. Many are paralyzed by the mere thought they have to make decisions themselves for the first time. Their parents or someone else has always performed this role and now it’s their turn. Students are generally all over the map when it comes to decision-making. Some student s want to do it all, while others aren’t sure they want to do anything. They haven’t found their passion. I once had a student tell me, â€Å" If I can’t figure out exactly what to do, I’ll just stay in school longer; there is always graduate school. † One thing to realize is that figuring out who you are and what you want takes time and a lot of effort on your part. Through examining what you’ve enjoyed doing, what things come easily or naturally to you, what gives you motivation, what peaks your interests etc. , you will begin to put the puzzle pieces together. Bit by bit you will see a pattern developing. Next, realize that you can do just about anything you want and you can do more than one thing; you just can’t do it all at once. If you like lots of things and can’t seem to eliminate any of them, then your task is to select which thing you would like to do first and move on to the next at a later time until you have accomplished all that you want. The most important thing to remember is that nothing is 100 percent guaranteed. Life is about change and career planning and self-exploration are lifelong processes. You don’t just make a decision today and expect that you’ll be completely satisfied with that choice for the rest of your life. You will grow, experience things and meet different people. As society grows and technology develops, so will your interests change, grow and redevelop. Expect it; that’s life! However, this doesn’t mean that the choices you make today are worthless. They too will play an important role in your future. You will be able to draw on these experiences to help you assess yourself later when you want to consider new options, goals, and dreams. Sometimes, the task of putting all the pieces together can be a bit overwhelming and you may need to seek assistance from more experienced and knowledgeable resources. Three sources I recommend are your career counselor, your academic advisor and the Internet. Your career counselor is the most experienced of the three sources. A career counselor will be able to offer you not only his/her expertise through one-on-one counseling and advising, but also many more tools to uncover your true self. Counselors can provide career-specific library resources such as books and videos about certain college majors, careers within those majors, and companies that seek to hire graduates of those majors. In addition, career counselors provide career interest testing such as the Strong Interest Inventory, the Campbell Interest and Skills Survey, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, the Self Directed Search, and the Kuder Occupational Orientation. There are also computerized career guidance programs such as SIGIPLUS, DISCOVER, and Career Key. All of these indicators help gauge your personality and interests, and compare them with others who are already in the field. A career counselor will then sit down with you and interpret the test results. Looking at the similarities of interests in different fields and types of careers, your career counselor will be able to show you many different options beyond the obvious ones you may have never considered, or even thought existed. Your academic advisor is another important source to consult about college majors and courses, as well as jobs related to the field. An academic advisor can help guide you through your four years of undergraduate study and help you stay focused on the courses needed to fulfill the requirements of your selected major. Lastly, another wonderful resource is the Internet. It can be a bit overwhelming with the amount of information readily available at your fingertips. You can query an occupation on the Internet and end up with hundreds of pages of information to help you better understand that occupation and many others. You can research job openings, internships, co-ops, and even scholarships, grants and loans for college financial assistance, etc. Here are some helpful tips to remember: * Remember to begin your exploration by taking a good look at you. Accept the challenge to understand yourself and to like who you’ve become, or the person you aspire to be. * ————————————————- Ask yourself questions and take the time to find the real answers. Self discovery was a process I thought I had already been through. But when faced with the question, â€Å"Who am I? † it proved to be a lot harder to put into words than one would think. I believe that I have a good sense of who I am, but translating it into words was a struggle for me. I consider myself to be a very concrete thinker. So, the translation of who I am into words tended to come out as cold and rigid. Words like brash, concrete, smart, and loyal seemed like a big â€Å"thud† on paper. At first I thought, am I really that boring and cold? Which then brings to question, is this really who I am? The following is my best attempt to put myself into words. I’m going to attempt to lighten up those rigid words I came up with to describe me and try to explain why I chose these words. Hopefully these explanations will bring life to them. The first word is brash and is defined as â€Å"offensively bold. †    You can either like me or not. I am strong-willed individual who does not take disrespect from anyone. I can defend myself in most situations. I can most often times convince others that I am right. I know how to think critically and make sound decisions when others fail to. I believe the second and third words go together in explanation for me. The second word is concrete and when used as an adjective, is defined as, â€Å"capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary.    The third word is smart and, also, when used as an adjective, is defined as, â€Å"characterized by quickness and ease in learning. †    I have the ability to sort through the â€Å"fluff† and get to the facts so I can make a good decision or form a strong opinion. I can make others question their own opinions or beliefs by flooding them with facts and evidence. In this way I am very persuasive a nd convincing. The final word is loyal. It is used to describe people of â€Å"unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause. † When it comes to those I love, I†¦

Friday, August 30, 2019

Active Transport – Essay

Active transport: requires that a cell expend energy to move molecules across a membrane against the solute’s concentration gradient (the side where it is more concentrated) Feedback inhibition: Metabolic reaction is blocked by its products. A product acts as an inhibitor of one of the enzymes in the pathway to regulate metabolism. Centriole: a structure in an animal cell composed of microtubule triplets arranged in a 9+0 pattern. An animal usually has a pair of centrioles within each of its centrosomes. Chloroplasts: photosynthesizing organelles of all photosynthetic eukaryotes. Competitive inhibition: resembles the enzyme’s normal substrate and competes with the substrate for the active site on the enzyme. Countercurrent exchange: the transfer of a substance from a fluid or volume of air moving in one direction to another fluid or volume of air moving in the opposite direction Cytochrome system: The cytochrome system is found in the many cristae of mitochondria, which are tiny stalked particles found on its outer layer. Degradative: The reduction of a chemical Compound to one less complex, as by splitting off one or more groups. Degeneration Elucidate: to make clear Entropy: amount of disorder in a system Enzyme: protein that serves as a biological catalyst changing the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being changed into a different molecule in the process Enzyme Catalysis: lowers activation energy Exergonic reaction: reactions that yield products that are rich in potential energy. Energy is absorbed form the surroundings as the reaction. Energy is stored in the covalent bonds of the product molecules. Facilitated diffusion: Use of specific transport proteins to move substances down the concentration gradient. Type of passive transport, does not require energy. Rate depends on number of transport proteins. 1st law of Thermodynamics: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted. Glycocalyx: extracellular polymeric material (glycoprotein)[1] produced by some bacteria, epithelia and other cells. The slime on the outside of a fish is considered a glycocalyx Golgi apparatus: an organelle in eukaryotic cells consisting of stacks of membranous sacs that modify store and ship products of the endoplasmic reticulum. Spontaneous reactions: no input of net energy, release of energy. Hypertonic: a solution with a higher solute concentration than the cell Hypotonic: a solution with a solute concentration lower than that of the cell. Inhibitor: stop the binding of a substrate, competitively or noncompetitively, or through feedback-products. Isotonic: The solute concentration of a cell and the isotonic environment are equal. Light microscope: passes visible light through a specimen. Glass bends light to magnify image, living organism. 1000 times Lipid bilayer: fat molecules, hydrophilic heads face outward, exposed to water on both sides of the membrane. Hydrophilic heads point in, shielded from water. Selectively permeable polar or not. Lysosomes: contain digestive( hydrolytic) enzymes enclosed in a sack, break down things, recycling centers, damaged cells, destroys cells. Micrometer: 10-6 of a meter Microtubules: straight hollow tubes composed of globular proteins =called tubulins. Elongate by adding subunits consisting of tubulin pairs. Readily disassembled, provide rigidity and shape. Anchorage for organelles and as tracks for organelle movement within a cytoplasm. Mitochondria: Organelles that carry out cellular respiration in nearly al eukaryotic cells, convert the chemical energy of foods to chemical energy ATP: Mitochondrial density: The increase in mitochondrial density is associated with an increase in the duration one can perform endurance exercise and the ability to spare total body glycogen stores (Fittz et al. , 1975). Generally, more lipids are used to generate ATP as a result of the increased mitochondrial density in response to exercise Nucleolus (nucleoli): Building blocks of ribosomes and RBA messenger ribosomes to amino acid sequences in proteins. Oxidation (catalase): oxygen and other molecules, hydrogen peroxide is broken down with a catalase to create water and oxygen. Passive transport: the diffusion of a substance across a biological membrane. Oxygen, co2 in lungs. No energy needed. Peroxisomes: These are tiny circular membrane bound organelles containing a crystal core of enzymes (such as urate oxidase, peroxidase, D- amino oxidase and catalase, example- liver cells and kidney cells). These enzymes are required by peroxisomes in detoxification activity, i. . , in the metabolism or production of mitochondrial or cytosolic reactions. Peroxisomes are also related with beta- oxidation of fatty acids and thermogenesis like the mitochondria and also in degradation of the amino acids. Phagocytosis: â€Å"cellular eating: pinocytosis â€Å"cell drinking† Plasma membrane: individual proteins and phospholipid molecules can drift fluid. Tails in phospholipid, double bonds in unsaturated fatty acid tales-temperature. Surface has carbohydrates bonded to proteins and lipids in membrane. Cell identification, distinguish cells. Plasmodesmata: channels between adjacent plant cells, circulatory and communication system connecting the cell sin plant tissues. Receptor mediated endocytosis: highly specific, plasma membrane indents to form put lined with receptors that puck up particular molecule from surroundings, pinch to form vesicle. Ribosomes: cell organelle consisting of RNA and protein organized into two subunits and functioning as the site of protein synthesis in the cytoplasm. Scanning electron microscope: study detailed architecture of cell surfaces; surface hit with electrons deflects into device to video screen-three dimensional. Sugar vs pasta 8 micrometers Smoother er: network of interconnected tubules-synthesis of lipid, process drugs, detox enzymes-build resistance, stores calcium ions for contraction. Sodium potassium pump: sodium binds to pump, becomes phosphorylated cost of ATp conforms, translocate sodium ions across membrane, low affinity for sodium ions, diffuse. New conforms high affinity for potassium- bound dissociated and reforms to original formation. Transmission electron microscope: used to study the details of internal cell structure-laced with gold, electron beam electromagnets as lenses, bends beam magnify and focus. In the mitochondrial matrix in the mitochondria, cristae increase surface area- better atp production compartmentalization. Light, sun All in eukaryotic cells Ribosomes and centrioles

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The Host Chapter 49: Interrogated

I killed Wes. My hands, scratched and bruised and painted with purple dust in the course of the frantic unloading, might as well have been painted red with his blood. Wes was dead, and it was as much my fault as if I'd pulled the trigger myself. All of us but five were gathered in the kitchen now that the truck was unloaded, eating some of the perishables we'd picked up on the final shopping trip-cheese and fresh bread with milk-and listening to Jeb and Doc as they explained everything to Jared, Ian, and Kyle. I sat a little space away from the others, my head in my hands, too numb with grief and guilt to ask questions the way they did. Jamie sat with me. He patted my back now and then. Wes was already buried in the dark grotto beside Walter. He had died four days ago, the night that Jared and Ian and I had sat watching the family in the park. I would never see my friend again, never hear his voice†¦ Tears splashed on the stone beneath me, and Jamie's pats increased in tempo. Andy and Paige were not here. They'd driven the truck and the van back to their hiding places. They would take the jeep from there to its usual rough garage, and then they'd have to walk the rest of the way home. They would be back before sunrise. Lily was not here. â€Å"She's not†¦ doing so well,† Jamie had murmured when he'd caught me scanning the room for her. I didn't want to know any more. I could imagine well enough. Aaron and Brandt were not here. Brandt now bore a smooth, pink, circular scar in the hollow space beneath his left collarbone. The bullet had missed his heart and lungs by a hair and then burrowed halfway through his shoulder blade trying to escape. Doc had used most of the Heal getting it out of him. Brandt was fine now. Wes's bullet had been better aimed. It had pierced his high olive-skinned forehead and blown out the back of his head. There was nothing Doc could have done, even if he'd been right there with them, a gallon of Heal at his disposal. Brandt, who now carried in a holster on his hip a boxy, heavy trophy from the encounter, was with Aaron. They were in the tunnel where we would have stored our spoils if it had not been occupied. If it was not being used as a prison again. As if losing Wes was not enough. It seemed hideously wrong to me that the numbers remained the same. Thirty-five living bodies, just like before I'd come to the caves. Wes and Walter were gone, but I was here. And now so was the Seeker. My Seeker. If I'd just gone straight to Tucson. If I had just stayed in San Diego. If I had just skipped this planet and gone somewhere entirely different. If I'd given myself as a Mother like anyone else would have after five or six planets. If, if, if†¦ If I had not come here, if I had not given the Seeker the clues she needed to follow, then Wes would be alive. It had taken her longer than me to figure them out, but when she did, she didn't have to pursue them with caution. She'd barreled through the desert in an all-terrain SUV, leaving bright new scars across the fragile desert landscape, each pass getting closer. They had to do something. They had to stop her. I had killed Wes. They still would have caught me in the first place, Wanda. I led them here, not you. I was too miserable to answer her. Besides, if we hadn't come here, Jamie would be dead. And maybe Jared, too. He would have died tonight, without you. Death on every side. Death everywhere I looked. Why did she have to follow me? I moaned to myself. I'm not hurting the other souls here, not really. I'm even saving some of their lives by being here, by keeping Doc from his doomed efforts. Why did she have to follow? Why did they keep her? Mel snarled. Why didn't they kill her right away? Or kill her slow-I don't care how! Why is she still alive? Fear fluttered in my stomach. The Seeker was alive; the Seeker was here. I shouldn't have been afraid of her. Of course, it made sense to be afraid that her disappearance would bring the other Seekers down on us. Everyone was afraid of that. Spying on the search for my body, the humans had seen how vocal she was about her convictions. She'd been trying to convince the other Seekers that there were humans hiding in this desert wasteland. None seemed to take her seriously. They had gone home; she was the only one who kept looking. But now she'd vanished in the middle of her search. That changed everything. Her vehicle had been moved far away, left in the desert on the other side of Tucson. It looked as though she'd disappeared in the same way it was believed I had: pieces of her bag left torn nearby, the snacks she'd carried with her chewed open and scattered. Would the other souls accept such a coincidence? We already knew they would not. Not entirely. They were looking. Would the search become more intense? But to be afraid of the Seeker herself†¦ That didn't make much sense. She was physically insignificant, probably smaller than Jamie. I was stronger and faster than she was. I was surrounded by friends and allies, and she, inside these caves at least, was all alone. Two guns, the rifle and her own Glock-the very gun Ian had once envied, the gun that had killed my friend Wes-were trained on her at every moment. Only one thing had kept her alive until now, and it couldn't save her for long. Jeb had thought I might want to talk to her. That was all. Now that I was back, she was condemned to die within hours whether I spoke to her or not. So why did I feel as though I was at the disadvantage? Why this strange premonition that she would be the one to walk away from our confrontation? I hadn't decided if I wanted to talk to her. At least, that was what I'd told Jeb. Without a doubt, I did not want to talk to her. I was terrified to ever see her face again-a face that, no matter how I tried, I could not imagine looking frightened. But if I told them I had no desire for conversation, Aaron would shoot her. It would be like I'd given him the order to fire. Like I'd pulled the trigger. Or worse, Doc would try to cut her out of the human body. I flinched away from the memory of the silver blood smeared all over the hands of my friend. Melanie twisted uneasily, trying to escape the torment in my head. Wanda? They're just going to shoot her. Don't panic. Should this comfort me? I couldn't avoid the imagined tableau. Aaron, the Seeker's gun in his hand; the Seeker's body slowly crumpling to the stone floor, the red blood pooling around her†¦ You don't have to watch. That wouldn't stop it from happening. Melanie's thoughts became a little frantic. But we want her to die. Right? She killed Wes! Besides, she can't stay alive. No matter what. She was right about everything, of course. It was true that there was no way the Seeker could stay alive. Imprisoned, she would work doggedly to escape. Freed, she would quickly be the death of all my family. It was true she had killed Wes. He was so young and so loved. His death left a burning agony in its wake. I understood the claim of human justice that demanded her life in return. It was also true that I wanted her to die. â€Å"Wanda? Wanda?† Jamie shook my arm. It took me a moment to realize that someone had called my name. Perhaps many times already. â€Å"Wanda?† Jeb's voice asked again. I looked up. He was standing over me. His face was expressionless, the blank facade that meant he was in the grip of some strong emotion. His poker face. â€Å"The boys want to know if you have any questions for the Seeker.† I put one hand to my forehead, trying to block the images there. â€Å"If I don't?† â€Å"They're ready to be done with guard duty. It's a hard time. They'd rather be with their friends right now.† I nodded. â€Å"Okay. I guess I'd better†¦ go and see her at once, then.† I shoved myself away from the wall and to my feet. My hands were shaking, so I clenched them into fists. You don't have any questions. I'll think of some. Why prolong the inevitable? I have no idea. You're trying to save her, Melanie accused, full of outrage. There's no way to do that. No. There isn't. And you want her dead anyway. So let them shoot her. I cringed. â€Å"You okay?† Jamie asked. I nodded, not trusting my voice enough to speak. â€Å"You don't have to,† Jeb told me, his eyes sharp on my face. â€Å"It's okay,† I whispered. Jamie's hand wrapped around mine, but I shook it off. â€Å"Stay here, Jamie.† â€Å"I'll come with you.† My voice was stronger now. â€Å"Oh, no, you will not.† We stared at each other for a moment, and for once I won the argument. He stuck his chin out stubbornly but slouched back against the wall. Ian, too, seemed inclined to follow me out of the kitchen, but I stopped him in his tracks with a single look. Jared watched me go with an unfathomable expression. â€Å"She's a complainer,† Jeb told me in a low voice as we walked back toward the hole. â€Å"Not quiet like you were. Always asking for more-food, water, pillows†¦ She threatens a lot, too. The Seekers will get you all!' That kinda thing. It's been hard on Brandt especially. She's pushed his temper right to the edge.† I nodded. This did not surprise me one bit. â€Å"She hasn't tried to escape, though. A lot of talk and no action. Once the guns come up, she backs right down.† I recoiled. â€Å"My guess is, she wants to live pretty dang bad,† Jeb murmured to himself. â€Å"Are you sure this is the†¦ safest place to keep her?† I asked as we started down the black, twisting tunnel. Jeb chuckled. â€Å"You didn't find your way out,† he reminded me. â€Å"Sometimes the best hiding place is the one that's in plain sight.† My answer was flat. â€Å"She's more motivated than I was.† â€Å"The boys're keepin' a sharp eye on her. Nothin' to worry about.† We were almost there. The tunnel turned back on itself in a sharp V. How many times had I rounded this corner, my hand tracing along the inside of the pointed switchback, just like this? I'd never traced along the outside wall. It was uneven, with jutting rocks that would leave bruises and cause me to trip. Staying on the inside was a shorter walk anyway. When they'd first showed me that the V was not a V but a Y-two branches forking off from another tunnel, the tunnel-I'd felt pretty stupid. Like Jeb said, hiding things in plain sight was sometimes the cleverest route. The times I'd been desperate enough to even consider escaping the caves, my mind had skipped right over this place in my speculations. This was the hole, the prison. In my head, it was the darkest, deepest well in the caves. This was where they'd buried me. Even Mel, sneakier than I was, had never dreamed that they'd held me captive just a few paces from the exit. It wasn't even the only exit. But the other was small and tight, a crawl space. I hadn't found that one because I'd walked into these caves standing upright. I hadn't been looking for that kind of tunnel. Besides, I'd never explored the edges of Doc's hospital; I'd avoided it from the beginning. The voice, familiar even though it seemed part of another life, interrupted my thoughts. â€Å"I wonder how you're still alive, eating like this. Ugh!† Something plastic clattered against the rocks. I could see the blue light as we rounded the last corner. â€Å"I didn't know humans had the patience to starve someone to death. That seems like too complex a plan for you shortsighted creatures to grasp.† Jeb chuckled. â€Å"Gotta say, I'm impressed with those boys. Surprised they held up this long.† We turned into the lit dead-end tunnel. Brandt and Aaron, both sitting as far as possible from the end of the tunnel where the Seeker paced, both with guns in their hands, sighed with relief when they saw us approaching. â€Å"Finally,† Brandt muttered. His face was etched in hard lines of grief. The Seeker halted in her pacing. I was surprised to see the conditions she was kept in. She was not stuffed into the tiny cramped hole, but comparatively free, stomping to and fro across the short width of the tunnel. On the floor, against the flat end of the tunnel, were a mat and a pillow. A plastic tray was tilted at an angle against the wall at about the midpoint of the cave; a few jicama roots lay scattered near it with a soup bowl. A little soup was splattered out from where that lay. This explained the clatter I'd just heard-she'd thrown her food. It looked as though she'd eaten most of it first, though. I stared at this relatively humane setup and felt an odd pain in my stomach. Who did we kill? Melanie muttered sullenly. This stung her, too. â€Å"You want a minute with her?† Brandt asked me, and the pain stabbed again. Had Brandt ever referred to me using a feminine pronoun? I wasn't surprised that Jeb had done this for the Seeker, but everyone else? â€Å"Yes,† I whispered. â€Å"Careful,† Aaron cautioned. â€Å"She's an angry little thing.† I nodded. The others stayed where they were. I walked down the tunnel alone. It was hard to lift my eyes, to meet the gaze that I could feel like cold fingers pressing against my face. The Seeker was glaring at me, a harsh sneer twisting her features. I'd never seen a soul use that expression before. â€Å"Well, hello there, Melanie,† she mocked me. â€Å"What took you so long to come visit?† I didn't answer. I walked toward her slowly, trying hard to believe that the hate coursing through my body really did not belong to me. â€Å"Did your little friends think I would talk to you? Spill all my secrets because you carry a gagged and lobotomized soul around in your head, reflecting through your eyes?† She laughed abrasively. I stopped two long strides away from her, my body tensed to run. She made no aggressive move toward me, but I could not relax my muscles. This was not like meeting the Seeker on the highway-I didn't have the usual sensation of safety that I felt around the gentle others of my kind. Again, the strange conviction that she would live long after I was gone swept through me. Don't be ridiculous. Ask her your questions. Have you come up with any? â€Å"So, what do you want? Did you request permission to kill me personally, Melanie?† the Seeker hissed. â€Å"They call me Wanda here,† I said. She flinched slightly when I opened my lips to speak, as if expecting me to shout. My low, even voice seemed to upset her more than the scream she anticipated. I examined her face while she glared at me with her bulging eyes. It was dirty, stained with purple dust and dried sweat. Other than that, there wasn't a mark on it. Again, this gave me an odd ache. â€Å"Wanda,† she repeated in a flat voice. â€Å"Well, what are you waiting for? Didn't they give you the okay? Were you planning to use your bare hands or my gun?† â€Å"I'm not here to kill you.† She smiled sourly. â€Å"To interrogate me, then? Where are your instruments of torture, human?† I cringed. â€Å"I won't hurt you.† Insecurity flickered across her face and then vanished behind her sneer. â€Å"What are they keeping me for, then? Do they think I can be tamed, like your pet soul?† â€Å"No. They just†¦ they didn't want to kill you until they had†¦ consulted me. In case I wanted to talk to you first.† Her lids lowered, narrowing her protruding eyes. â€Å"Do you have something to say?† I swallowed. â€Å"I was wondering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I only had the same question I'd been unable to answer for myself. â€Å"Why? Why couldn't you let me be dead, like the rest of them? Why were you so determined to hunt me down? I didn't want to hurt anyone. I just wanted†¦ to go my own way.† She leaped up onto her toes, shoving her face toward mine. Someone moved behind me, but I couldn't hear more than that-she was shouting in my face. â€Å"Because I was right!† she shrieked. â€Å"More than right! Look at them all! A vile nest of killers, lurking in wait! Just like I thought, only so much worse! I knew you were out here with them! One of them! I told them there was danger! I told them!† She stopped, panting, and took a step back from me, staring over my shoulder. I didn't look away to see what had made her retreat. I assumed it had something to do with what Jeb had just told me-once the guns come up, she backs right down. I analyzed her expression for a moment as her heavy breathing slowed. â€Å"But they didn't listen to you. So you came for us alone.† The Seeker didn't answer. She took another step back from me, doubt twisting her expression. She looked oddly vulnerable for a second, as if my words had stripped away the shield she'd been hiding behind. â€Å"They'll look for you, but in the end, they never believed you at all, did they?† I said, watching as each word was confirmed in her desperate eyes. It made me very sure. â€Å"So they won't take the search further than that. When they don't find you, their interest will fade. We'll be careful, as usual. They won't find us.† Now I could see true fear in her eyes for the first time. The terrible-to her-knowledge that I was right. And I felt better for my nest of humans, my little family. I was right. They would be safe. Yet, incongruously, I didn't feel any better for myself. I had no more questions for the Seeker. When I walked away, she would die. Would they wait until I was far enough not to hear the shot? Was there anywhere in the caves that was far enough for that? I stared at her angry, fearful face, and I knew how deeply I hated her. How much I never wanted to see that face again for the rest of my lives. The hate that made it impossible for me to allow her to die. â€Å"I don't know how to save you,† I whispered, too low for the humans to hear. Why did that sound like a lie in my ears? â€Å"I can't think of a way.† â€Å"Why would you want to? You're one of them!† But a spasm of hope sparked in her eyes. Jeb was right. All the bluster, all the threats†¦ She wanted very much to stay alive. I nodded at her accusation, a little absently because I was thinking hard and fast. â€Å"But still me,† I murmured. â€Å"I don't want†¦ I don't want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  How to finish that sentence? I didn't want†¦ the Seeker to die? No. That wasn't true. I didn't want†¦ to hate the Seeker? To hate her so much that I wanted her to die. To have her die while I hated her. Almost as if she died because of my hate. If I truly did not want her death, would I be able to think of a way to save her? Was it my hate that was blocking an answer? Would I be responsible if she died? Are you insane? Melanie protested. She'd killed my friend, shot him dead in the desert, broken Lily's heart. She'd put my family in danger. As long as she lived, she was a danger to them. To Ian, to Jamie, to Jared. She would do everything in her power to see them all dead. That's more like it. Melanie approved of this train of thought. But if she dies, and I could have saved her if I'd wanted to†¦ who am I then? You have to be practical, Wanda. This is a war. Whose side are you on? You know the answer to that. I do. And that's who you are, Wanda. But†¦ but what if I could do both? What if I could save her life and keep everyone here safe at the same time? A heavy wave of nausea rolled in my stomach as I saw the answer I'd been trying to believe didn't exist. The only wall I'd ever built between Melanie and me crumbled to dust. No! Mel gasped. And then screamed, NO! The answer I must have known I would find. The answer that explained my strange premonition. Because I could save the Seeker. Of course I could. But it would cost me. A trade. What had Kyle said? A life for a life. The Seeker stared at me, her dark eyes full of venom.