The story of stuff Essay Example for Free

The story of stuff Essay Since the beginning of civilization, man has been working for sufficing his personal and community needs. What started as a need to survive has transformed into a vicious cycle of consuming the planet to sustain selfish desires. The movie â€Å"the story of stuff† is an excellent recreation of the actual happenings that have made people victims of their own desires. The movie very carefully first lays down the concept of the functioning of our natural resources that is to be known or rather shown to us from many years. Once the normal routine is shown, the movie takes us to a ride which explains every single facet right from natural resource extracted for production, then to distribution and later to consumption and disposal. The movie is very cleverly made and it leaves no stone unturned for the concept to reach to its viewer with the medium of simple animation. With excellent narration the movie reaches out and explains aspects that actually are not give much thought about for instance, when natural resources are send into toxin oozing factories in third world countries, the pollution which is left by the these factories not only affects the third world country but also the rich western country as currents take the pollution back to them. The movie also sheds light on issues such toxins being used in companies and later when the product for which it was used is all set to be disposed the toxins inside it become super toxins like dioxin which are very harmful for everything. It has been a known fact that the resources of this world are being used in large quantities, but the movie explains the part that not only it is being used in huge bilks but also the rate in which a product is being injected in the market and later disposed is awe striking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The movie does a fantastic job in reminding us that in the midst of all the luxury and infinite products to choose from we are self immolating ourselves as apart from the natural resources and the environment, we are polluting the word mankind itself. The concept of how a cheap product is actually made and has a low rate not only makes one think but also one starts feeling guilt as people from all around the world have to pay away with their lives their environment for a product to be cheaper than cheap. The movie leaves its viewer with a heart sunk feeling and just makes the viewer open his eyes to places he had closed for his own benefits. The ugly nexus of corporations and government is shown in such a way that makes one think, that can government for its own profits make corporations bigger while completing ignoring the hazard that is going to be caused by it. ‘The story of stuff’, is a remarkable film which in a very simplistic fashion explains the destruction happening and warns of a bigger destruction waiting at the corner. The movie inspires and makes its viewers think about investing in green chemistry and sustainability along with zero waste theory that would help people to live a life where they are more than just obnoxious consumers for greedy companies. The following stanza explains the need for a change to save the planet: ‘One of the keys to mainstreaming  environmental sustainability is by making it easy for people to do the right thing, rather than requiring an extra effort to chose the environmentally preferable option’ (Annie Leonard). Work Cited: 1) Annie Leonard, â€Å"The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry†. http://www.storyofstuff.com/blog/

Vivienne westwoods philosophy and influences in contemporary design

Vivienne westwoods philosophy and influences in contemporary design Abstract The article is talking about one of Englands leading fashion designers, Vivienne Westwood. Who aslo has been one of Britains most consistently original, outrageous, eccentric and controversial designers. Today, she has evolved from an iconoclastic outsider to an internationally revered figure, with two British Designer of the Year awards, an OBE, her own successful fashion label and an unrivalled reputation for leading where other designers follow. Her lifestyle could scarcely be in greater contrast to the opulence which surrounds other leading designers.So in this article, it discuss about how did an awkward girl from a conventional and provincial background become one of world fashions most influential and respected designers and how her design influence on present day design culture. Vivienne Westwood, one of Englands leading fashion designers who maintaining a devotion to history as a key theme to her unique styles. She has these wisps of yellow-blond hair spill around her oval face, which has been plucked, painted and powdered into a perfect cameo. Her lips are a bright kiss-me red, while her walk is that of a slowly advancing, scepter-toting monarch. Vivienne Westwood, really is made of awesome with her funky and creative designs. She is respected throughout the industry and fashion world as a highly influential designer.Vivienne Westwoods early profileVivienne Westwoods story is featured. Westwood grew up in the village of Tintwistle and he worked as a teacher in North England in 1962. She also had a 13 year marriage with Malcolm McLaren in the 1970s that resulted in two sons. At the same time, artists like Chrissie Hynde and bands like the Sex Pistols were influenced by Vivienne Westwood who was the creator of punk rock music and style in the 70s.She inspire d the current British designers such as Christian Lacroix and John Galliano, was knighted the Order of the British Imperial Medal by the queen in 1992, and is presently married to the designer Andreas Kronthaler. Vivienne Westwood starts her fashion career in 1971 when she opened a small shop called Let It Rock at 430 Kings Road in Chelsea with Malcolm McLaren, a former art student six years her junior. They had met in 1965 when Ms. Westwood, already a young mother and separated from her first husband, was working as a primary school teacher. Their partnership, which also produced a child, would soon shake up British fashion.Mr. McLaren was the rebel, the agitator, the provocateur, while Ms. Westwood was his muse and model, already in 1971 she wore spiky peroxide with dyed hair, as well as a skilled craftsman. In its first version, 430 Kings Road became a 1950s nostalgia parlor with Teddy Boy, or Edwardian revival clothes, copied and sold as a kind of anti-hippie protest. And Ms. Westwood was the one doing the unpicking, copying and resolving.In 1973 the couple renamed the store Too Fast to Live Too Young to Die, this time in homage to James Dean and the rising motorcycle culture. Leather, st uds and buckles appeared alongside T-shirts with aggressive slogans. But this lasted barely 15 months.In April 1974 the store became SEX and was filled with sadomasochistic and pornographic references as well as clothes made of leather and rubber, including rubber-wear for the office.In 1975 the Sex Pistols, a rock group formed by Mr. McLaren, carried the punk movement beyond Chelsea, even beyond Britain. Wearing outrageous clothes and scandalizing the media with profanities, the Sex Pistols trumpeted Mr. McLarens anti-authoritarian message. Its first single, Anarchy in the U.K., was followed by an irreverent God Save the Queen, which was promptly banned by British radio. In 1977 SEX was renamed Seditionaries, but punk power began to wane. In 1979 Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols died of a drug overdose, and the group was disbanded. In 1980 Seditionaries became Worlds End and when Mr. McLaren wanted to vacate it, Ms. Westwood held onto it. More crucially, for the first time she began designing her own clothes with what became known as the Pirates collection. This collection, her first to be presented on a catwalk, in 1981, was to prove a turning point, not only because it announced her interest in historicism, but also because within two years she would form her own company without Mr. McLaren. I decided that in order to understand the world I lived in, I should somehow enter it and exploit my own ideas and see how I could get on, she recalled in a recent interview at the Victoria and Albert. Vivienne Westwoods philosophyMs. Westwood rise herself as a fashion maverick comes from being both wildly inventive and perversely out of touch. But most of the people call her the queen of extreme. Her managing partner, Carlo DAmario said This is a woman whos an English eccentric. But he said it with a tone for unexplained phenomena. To imagine what that means, all you have to do is picture this quaint-looking lady attended the Dame Edna Show in 1989 with a flesh-tone tights and a glimmering green fig leaf. And her famous entrance into Buckingham Palace in 1992 to receive her Order of the British Empire from the Queen, when she obliged photographers with a triumphant twirl, there was hardly a living soul in Britain who didnt know that Ms. Westwood was 1 sans culottes under her whirling skirts.But that Ms. Westwood truly become the genuine iconoclasts at that period. Those style expresses the delirium and anarchy of their time. Now, at an age when many other designers are resting on their laurels, Ms. Westwood is taking on New York. Yesterday in SoHo, she opened her first store in the United States, a 7,000-square-foot emporium at 71 Greene Street, near Spring Street, that will sell her mens and womens collections, as well as more popular secondary lines. Ms. Westwoods personal style also appear on her design but more on a creative way. Her design contexts come from different elements. First main element is music, more clearly from punk music. The English Punk style began to gain attention when the Sex Pistols wore clothes from Ms. Westwood and McLarens shop. The punk style included 2 BDSM fashion, bondage gear, safety pins, razor blades, bicycle or lavatory chains on clothing and spiked dog collars for jewelry, as well as outrageous make-up and hair. These designs are definited as rebellion , anti form or sexy. In that very beginning of her career as a designer during the punk movement ,her designs become more substance than generally thought. Secondly, there is another essential design element in her which is the adoption of traditional elements of Scottish design such as tartan fabric. The tartan pattern is the main symbol of Scottish tradition clothing style. And Ms. Westwoods using of tartan is unparalleled, in her collections an d triumphed in Anglomania (A/W 1993) (Figure 1). Her fascination with Scottish traditions by using a mix of different tartans, her ensembles exploited the rich depth, colour and diversity of the traditional checked pattern. The tartans were made to order by Locharron of Scotland, who also created a special design for Westwood called the McAndreas, after her second husband, Andreas Kronthaler. Amongst the more unusual elements of her style is the use of historical 17th and 18th century cloth cutting principles, and reinterpreting these in, for instance, radical cutting lines to mens trousers. Use of these traditional elements make the overall effect of her designs more shocking. Other influential elements in Ms. Westwoods work have included Peru, the feminine figure, velvet and knitwear. Ms. Westwoods design has ranged from early punk garments to glamorous historical 5 evening gowns. She worked these together to revolutionize fashion and the impact is still strongly felt today. Now, Ms. West wood has five exclusively-owned shops; three in London, one in Leeds, and one in Milan. Franchise stores are located in Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, three in Manchester and most recently, in FH Mall, Nottingham (20 March 2008), and in Blake Street, York (11 September 2008). Westwoods themes have included Savage (1981), Hobo and Buffalo (1982), and Pirate. Her latest collection was themed Gold and Treasure, Adventure and Exploration. So, if Ms. Westwood often comes across as a bit of a crank, it is easy to see why. Whereas most designers take a humble slice of the cultural pie, Ms. Westwood wallows in the whole glorious mess. She will refer to the Industrial Revolution, Greek skeptism, the Sex Pistols, the decline of standards in English art schools, Picasso, sex, John Stuart Mill in one sitting. Ive always needed to explain myself in more general terms rathe r than only through fashion, she said. Vivienne Westwoods influences on punk cultureVivienne Westwood was punk symbol in the angry 1970s , she was wearing clothes festooned with spikes and pins. Today everyone knows what punk fashion is, but in 1970 it didnt exist. Punk first emerged in the mid 1970s in London as an anarchic and aggressive movement. Punk become a succeeded style even more when Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren put the punk ideas into their design ventures. In the 1975, McLaren launched the Punk music group called Sex Pistols which became the icon beyond Britain. They were wearing outrageous clothes and all these clothes were come from the shop called Sex that Vivienne Westwood opened on the Kings Road, London. That shop sold leather and rubber fetish goods, especially bondage trousers. Including rubber-wear for the office. Ms. Westwood gave world the fresh shock at that time and that is why her name is associated with the punk movement. In Ms. Westwoods punk style design, BDSM fashion is also a main element. Before 1970s, BDSM fashion wasnt something you can show in public or feel good about it in Britain. But Ms. Westwood brought it into her punk design. In the early summer of 1974, Westwood and Mclaren decided to invent the shop Sex with a fetish and bondage outlet, inspired in part by their recent visit to New York. This trip had opened their eyes to the outsider status of sexual deviancy, which, now as then, has a far greater capacity to shock than youth cult. The shop Sex underwent a prolonged refit, and the fact that it was closed for months and reopened in September 1974, the transformation was total (Figure 2). Outside, the name `SEX was emblazoned in four-feet-high pink rubber capitals and sprayed with slogans from Valerie Solanas SCUM manifesto, as well as slogans and quotes from the drug addicted outsider pornographer Trocchi. And these design gave the information to public that everyone can enjoy their style with no shame. Even in today, it still influence on youth sub-cultural.Vivienne Westwoods influences on Scottish design styleScottish Style become wold knowing in fashion by Vivienne Westwood in 1990s. Before, Scottish culture is just famous by it s traditional instrument the Great Highland Bagpipe clothing, and the performers who are wearing 3 kilts. Ms. Westwood use this tartan pattern into her design with creativity. We can find it with all different shapes or colors through her collections. But she use the tartan in a complete new way, she will mix and match them , put great flash on them through Viviennes color and lining. Today, tartan become one of the main fashion style which called Preppy Look, has been wide using by many designers. But Ms. Westwood still the on who done more for tartan than any other designer embracing the plaid extensively in her collections. The Locharron Textile Mill in Scotland created a special tartan for Westwood called the McAndreas. (Figure 3) Vivienne Westwood mix fashion with sexualityMs. Westwoods collection Britain Must Go Pagan in 1989 was truly a show full of sexuality information. But she showed that is people privately decide what they want to do their sexuality so it is not erroneous to show it in fashion. Ms. Westwood explored a diversity of influences, from Serves porcelain to pornographic Greek scenes. The clothing reflected the inherent contradiction in Westwoods work between respect for tradition and culture and a love of parody and sexual liberty. She paired classical drapery with Prince of Wales check, Fair Isle sweaters with computer-game patterns, and designed articulated jackets and corsets with removable sleeves, inspired by medieval armour. Precise Miss Marple suits (after Agatha Christie) in thorn-proof Harris Tweed received a fillip with saucy tulle flounces. She teamed Savile Row-style jackets with nude tights with a fig leaf (Figure 4), creating something that shocked even herself: When I first did the fig leaf, in 1989, I just kept screaming. It was porno and so hilariously mad. Then I got used to it, and I think it looks so elegant and ironic. And she based this outrageous ensemble on fashion of around 1800 in which men wore flesh coloured breeches in a conscious emulation of classical statuary.Vivienne Westwood brings historical into modernHistorical 17th and 18th century are always Ms. Westwood s big element. She use these traditional elegant style dresses as the base , mix with her modern design to fit into todays lifestyle. In her interpretations of historical dress, Ms. Westwood emphasise the idea of constriction as a way to define the body and its movement and to direct posture. She explore historical costume and, from it, to develop a completely new range of clothes that would form her first catwalk collection in 1981. The Pirate collection (Figure 5) drew inspiration from historical mens clothing and became the look for the emergent New Romantics, while providing We stwood with a vastly expanded repertoire of styles of cutting and tailoring, construction, fabric design and manufacture, pattern, colour and texture. Later When Ms. Westwood was working in Italy from 1984 to 1986, she developed the crinoline idea as the Mini-Crini, abbreviating it as a provocative new shape in total contrast to the exaggerated shoulders and narrow hips of the prevailing style of power dressing. In Vivienne Westwoods Cut, Slash and Pull collection of 1991, (Figure 6) The inspiration for this collection lay in the historical technique of cutting textiles to create a decorative pattern. In the original garments, the slashes exposed bright silk underlinings, but here Westwood reveals bare skin. To give the passionate, masculine vitality that she so admired in Tudor portraits, she used denim with hand-cut gashes and frayed edges. For the lighter fabrics, she adapted a 4 broderie anglaise machine programme, omitting the embroidery but retaining the fine, regular cuts. To sum up, nothing is ever quite as it seems with British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. She has eccentric personality, she is an icon of rebellion. And that make she become one of the highly influential designers today. Her design always stand out of other designer with its unique technic and style which head the world into Ms Westwoods fashion fantasyland.

Multiculturalism In Australia Essay

Multiculturalism In Australia Essay What is multiculturalism as a descriptor of Australias population and settlement policy? How has it changed before, during, and after the Howard government? In practice, is life in Australia more integrationist or more multicultural? Australia is a melting pot of races, cultures and beliefs. This country was built by people from rich variety of cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds. The lives of Australians have changed greatly along with the active policy of immigration since 1945 (Brett 2003). Today we can clearly see many different cultures get together to call Australia home and most of the cultures have embraced the Australian way of life. This essay will firstly give a brief description of Australian immigration history along with earlier policies and the phase of multiculturalism that was dominant for several decades as well as look at government practices and changes in immigration policies before during and after Howard government. Multiculturalism refers to several different cultures which can be brought together to live peacefully and equally as one. The history of human habitation with the Australia begins with the first arrival of peoples families to the present native inhabitants. It is believed that the Australias foremost indigenous tribes arrived over 50,000 years ago from an unknown region of Asia (Brett 2003).European exploration of Australia began in 1606 when a Spanish navigator sailed through the Torres Strait, which separates Australia from Papua New Guinea. He was soon followed by Dutch, French and English explorers who began to map the continent (Brett 2003). Australia was generally depicted as a distant and unattractive territory for European settlement but for Great Britain it had deliberate and socio economic value. The British Control of the continent offered a solution for the relocation of convicts in its overpowered prisons and also assists as a base for British naval. Therefore the British settlement of Australia began in 1788 and afterwards the colony began to develop rapidly as free settlers arrived from Britain and Ireland and new lands were opened up for farming (Carter 2006, p. 341). However, with the discovery of gold in 1851, the nature of Australian migration changed completely. This gold rush era cause an early migration boom and started the international arrivals, People arrived in far greater numbers and from more varied backgrounds than ever before. Between the period of 1851 and 1861 over 600,000 people migrated to Australia (Hodge 2006, p. 91). When the colonies federated in 1901, control of immigration changed. The first legislation passed by the new parliament was the immigration restriction act which was also referred to as the White Australian Policy. In spite of relatively large amount of Chinese residents in Australia this act ensured those who were not of European descent were not permitted to live in Australia and also banned Asian migration for the next fifty years (www.Australiatodayhistoryofimmigration.htm) That same year the Federal Parliament passed the Pacific Islands Labourers Act to exclude their employment as contract labourers and to deport those already in the country. During this period Australia had many unfair immigration laws which were conflicting and could not be met by those who were not of European descent (Horne 1980). In 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, migration almost ceased. Furthermore, some migrants from countries such as Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey previously thought acceptable were now reclassified as enemy aliens and prohibit people from these countries for five years (Hodge 2006, p. 91). As with the end of First World War Church and community organisations such as the YMCA and the Salvation Army sponsored migrants. Small numbers also arrived independently. As the United States sought to limit migration of Southern Europeans, increasing numbers of young men from Greece and Italy paid their own way to Australia. By the 1930s, Jewish settlers began arriving in greater numbers, many of them refugees from Hitlers Europe (www.ads.gov.au). Before World War two, Australia was a country with a homogenous European population and remained in this manner for some time. However during the Second World War, Australia became home to many non-European refugees, especially to Asian countries. Malaysians, Filipinos and Indonesian are settled down in the country. Australia actively required these immigrants, with the government assisting many of them, they found work due to an expanding economy and major infrastructure projects such as Snowy Mountain scheme. There were workers from over thirty different nations who were not necessarily of European descent. Seventy percent of the workers who were part of the scheme were migrants who saw potential in coming to Australia (www.Australiatodayhistoryofimmigration.htm). Harold Holts decision in 1949 to permit approximately 800 non-European refugees and the Japanese war brides to be admitted was the first movement for Australia to become a multicultural society. When the war ended, Australia launched a massive entirely new immigration programme Australia negotiated agreements with other governments and international organisations to help achieve high migration targets (Lopez 2000, p. 131) Former Australian Prime Minister John Curtiss dream of keeping Australia in the hands of its white European descendants did not last. From the 1950s, Australia began to relax its White Australia policy. In 1956 non-European residents were allowed to apply for citizenship (Hodge 2006, p. 91). Two years later the transcription Test was abolished as a further means of exclusion. By the 1960s mixed race migration was becoming easier and in 1966 Australia entered into its first migration agreement with non-European countries. This was a big step for Australia as it was the first time that both the political government and the Australian people agreed on letting different cultures mix around together (Brett 2003). Then in 1972 Australians elected their first Labour government since 1948. As Minister for Immigration, Al Grassby radically changed official policy. The quota system, based on country of origin and preservation of racial homogeneity, was replaced by structured selection. Migrants were chosen on the basis of skills and capital, rather than the country of origin, selecting those most likely to integrate easily  and become self sufficient. In 1973, the White Australian Policy was formally discarded and declared Australia as a multicultural society, Al Grassy announced that every relic of past ethnic or racial discrimination had been abolished (Lopez 2000, p. 131). Multiculturalism policy has been reoriented from a focus on settler groups to the broader constituency of all Australians with the mission of promoting harmonious community relations and building social cohesion in a way that inhibits and prevents racism (Probert 2001) In 1988 the Fitzgerald Inquiry led to further changes in migration with a move away from family reunion towards an emphasis on skilled and business categories. The assisted passage scheme had ended in 1981 and only refugees are given any level of support on their arrival in Australia. Tiananmen Square Massacre incident was occurred in 1989 and the Prime Minister Bob Hawke granted permanent residency to many Chinese students in Australia. After the Jakarta riots of May 1998 migrants from Jakarta trickled in to major cities in Australia (Hodge 2006, p. 91). Although the multiculturalism was adopted by the government and accepted by majority of the Australians still there were some conflicts regarding the multiculturalism during that period. Political harmony on multiculturalism was shattered when John Howard, leader of the opposition, took a different approach on multiculturalism. Howard was a staunch believer in traditional Australian values. In 1988 Howard pushed for a number of policy changes: one was for an adjustment of the mix of migrants; another was for a One-Australia post-arrival. Stating that he believed the rate of Asian immigration into Australia should be slowed down for the sake of social cohesion. He stated: I do believe that if it is in the eyes of some in the community that its too great, it would be in our immediate-term interest and supporting of social cohesion if it were slowed down a little, so the capacity of the community to absorb it was greater(Richards 2003). However the Hawke Labour Government of that time was in support of multiculturalism, they created the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet whose objectives included raising awareness of cultural diversity and promoting social cohesion, understanding and tolerance. Even though Howard broke the harmony of the major parties over multiculturalism, Hawke Labour government remained committed to the policy and the Labour partys platform professed the goal of Working Together for a Multicultural Australian (Probert 2001). Howard Government was elected in 1996 As Prime Minister; John Howard pointedly avoided using the M word, multiculturalism. He insisted it not be used in the joint parliamentary resolution rejecting racism that was passed in 1996, and avoided it in speeches that nevertheless courted the ethnic constituency (Betts 2000) The Howard government effectively marginalised multiculturalism as an issue by keeping some of its paraphernalia while emphasising common political values and national unity. There was some scaling down of immigration, Australia accepted 87,000 immigrants in 1994-95 and planned immigrant intake was reduced to 68,000 in the begging of Howard Government (www.ads.gov.au). Howards distaste for multiculturalism was long-standing but motivated as much by political expediency as personal taste, but a decade later his strong commitment to traditional Australian values was condensed. Prime Minister Howard finally accepted Australian multiculturalism-with strong emphasis on Australian-at least sufficiently to launch the National Multiculturalism Advisory Councils report Australian multiculturalism for a new century: Towards inclusiveness in April 1999. That report, however, was a rather innocuous and somewhat garbled version of multiculturalism as Australian values and citizenship (Betts 2000). Australia has a pluralist democracy, the report affirmed, and Australian multiculturalism has been built on the evolving values of Australian democracy and citizenship. Diversity was recognised as a fact rather than as an end in itself, and valued as a great cultural, social and economic resource. The report claimed that Australian multiculturalism had at its core à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the same values that are embedded in the notion of citizenship, including tolerance and a commitment to freedom and equal opportunity. Even John Howards old favourites, mateship and a fair go, were incorporated in the revamped version (www.ads.gov.au). Multiculturalism is now used more by governments at the national and state levels as rhetoric of community relations that aims at social cohesion. The Council for Multicultural Australia, was established in July 2000, and charged with implementing A New Agenda for Multicultural Australia. Its purpose is to promote the benefits of diversity to business and to oversee the implementation of a charter of public service in a culturally diverse society (Probert 2001). In May 2003 the Howard government released its multicultural policy statement, Multicultural Australia: United in Diversity. It updated the 1999 new agenda, set strategic directions for 2003-06, and included a commitment to a Council for Multicultural Australia (Brett 2003). In 2004-05, Australia accepted 123,000 new settlers, a 40 per cent increase over the past 10 years. The largest number of immigrants (40,000 in 2004/05) moved to Sydney. The majority of immigrants came from Asia, led by China and India. There was also significant growth in student numbers from Asia, and continued high numbers of tourists from Asia (www.Australiatodayhistoryofimmigration.htm). Planned immigrant intake in 2005/06 had more than doubled compared with the intake of 1996. As at 2007 immigration accounted just over half the overall growth in Australias population. In NSW and South Australia about three-quarters of the population growth could be attributed to immigration. The planned intake for 2007/08 was almost 153,000- plus 13,000 under the humanitarian program and in addition 24,000 New Zealanders were expected to migrate under specific trans-Tasman agreement. Under the Howard Government the quota for skilled migrants rose significantly compared with the quota for family reunions (Hodge 2006, p. 91). Australias last multicultural policy, the Howard Governments Multicultural Australia United in Diversity (2003-2006) expired in 2006. A new multicultural advisory body was established by the Rudd Government in late 2008. Some of the suggested main points of new Australian Multicultural policy introduced by the Rudd government can be identified as follows ( Hammer 2008) Recognition, acceptance and celebration of the cultural, linguistic and faith diversity based around the shared commitment to Australias democracy and laws. A focus on the importance of intercultural and interfaith as relating to the importance of mutual understanding and respect between people of different ethnic, cultural, linguistic and faith backgrounds. Recognition of productive diversity and the great economic, social and cultural benefits of cultural, linguistic and faith diversity for all Australians. Recognition of the fundamental human right of all Australians to practice, preserve, enhance, share and celebrate their cultural, linguistic or faith heritage if they so choose. Strong indicators, measures and policies for social inclusion and economic participation for Australians from culturally, linguistically and faith diverse backgrounds. Greater recognition and incorporation of issues around cultural, linguistic and faith diversity within the important social inclusion policy agenda. Stronger and more creative policies and measures that address racism, and racial and religious discrimination and vilification. Implementation of a Multicultural Act, along the lines of the Canadian or Victoria Multicultural Acts, recognising Australia as a multicultural nation committed to access and equity for all its citizens regardless of background. Renewed investment in population, immigration and cultural, linguistic and faith diversity research. Stronger English language training and employment participation programs for migrants and refugees. A properly funded and resourced SBS also focussed on its multicultural and multilingual charter objectives, as well as adequate funding mechanisms for community based ethnic broadcasters. (Hammer 2008) In 2008-09, more than 171  000 migrants were granted visas under the Skill and Family Streams of Australias Migration Program. In this same period nearly 670  000 people received temporary entry visas to Australia to undertake specific work or business, or to entertain, play sport, have a working holiday or study. In addition to this, 13  507 humanitarian entrants were granted visas to enable them to live in Australia to rebuild their lives, having fled persecution or suffering (Hammer 2008). In October 2007, the Australian government announced a ban on refugees from Africa, which would be reviewed in mid-2008. Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews stated that refugees from Sudan were having problems integrating and those refugees from Burma and Afghanistan should take priority. However, after the Rudd Labour government was elected on the 25th of November 2007, Australias stance on keeping refugees off shore changed and on the 8th of February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that all refugees kept on Nauru would be moved to Australia. This signalled the end of the Pacific solution (www.ads.gov.au). The reality is that multiculturalism is about and for all Australians. Multiculturalism is about mainstream Australia, because mainstream Australia is multicultural. The immigration has influenced the Australian society in numerous ways (Carter 2006, p. 341). Australia experiences a brain gain, in that it records substantial net migration gains in all high skill and high qualification occupational categories. In addition Australias growing population spends more and invests more   thus contributing to the expansion of the countrys economy.   Along with such essentials as food and housing, migrants set up new businesses and help business expansion through investment and their contributions to new technologies, which then produce extra goods and services in both the private and government sectors (Richards 2003). Exotic food and flavors from other countries is another advantage. Moreover Australia is not only considerably richer in experiences, but enjoys much closer economic and social links with other nations as a direct result of diverse multicultural population. Australian fashion, food and culture have all been affected by multiculturalism because it makes up what it means to be Australian. (Hodge 2006, p. 91). Australia is proud of its multicultural society and enjoys the diversity of cultures that ongoing migration from around the world provides. The cultural diversity touches all Australians, benefits all Australians; its success has been achieved by all Australians and it should be cherished and celebrated by all Australians (Horne 1980). As a conclusion we could say even though that Australian culture has adopted lot of cultural backgrounds and different values the Australian society appears to be both multicultural and integrated as well.

Amish Culture :: Amish Culture Cultural Essays

All students should take notice and interest in cultural diversity. There are numerous different cultures in America. One in particular is the Amish culture, which I would like to familiarize you with. The Amish culture consists of many unique beliefs that makes their ways unlike that of any other culture. They lead a life of simplicity and yet have very harsh ways of doing things. The Amish is perhaps the most diverse culture in the entire United States. The Amish of Pennsylvania and Ohio greatly differ with the rest of American society. "Although the Amish look like they stepped out of the rural nineteenth century, in fact they do change," (Amish Cultures). Their lives move more slowly than ours, but they definitely are not stuck anywhere. They move on slowly but surely. Instead of accepting new technology like the rest of American society, they choose to examine change carefully before they approve of it. If the new idea or gadget does not succeed in keeping their lives simple and their families together, they will most likely reject it. Family is among the most important values the Amish stress. They don't like to let anything break their family ties. The fact that they have li ved this way for hundreds of years and not allowed the "modern" world to deter them from their pursuit of their service to God, is truly unbelievable. As mentioned earlier, the Amish do not like anything technologized in fear that it will break the family up. In actuality, they are completely right. If you take a look at an Amish family and compare it to an average American family, you would see major differences. The average American family would be very divided. You'd find the children and parents watching T.V., accessing computers, surfing the internet, playing video games, etc. In the Amish family, everyone would gather together to eat, work, and play. The Amish keep their materials basic. This way they are certain no technological advance can pull them apart. "Old order groups all drive horses and buggies rather than cars, do not have electricity in their homes. Bottled gas is used to operate water heaters, modern stoves and refrigerators. Gas-pressured lanterns and lamps are u sed to light homes, barns, and shops," (The Amish People 14). The Amish place very large emphasis on humanity, family, community, and separation with the rest of the world. They place value on simplicity and self-denial, whereas, typical Americans cherish comfort, convenience and leisure.

Somnambulism - Sleep Walking :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Somnambulism - Sleep Walking One of the interesting sleep disorder is sleep walking. The medical, or more scientific, term for sleep walking is somnambulism. The characteristic symptoms are walking or exhibiting other activities while seemingly still asleep. (1) I became interested in researching this topic, because I sleep walk. I sleep walk only when I am under stress, which is not often. However, it is one of my primary concerns because I exhibit an extremely violent behavior. I began my research by looking for the relationship between somnambulism and the brain. I found that they are related, but the details are still under research. Then, I looked for the cause, however, since the detailed mechanism of the brain during sleep walking is not defined, a specific cause and effect was also not clearly defined. Thus, this paper will include the information that the researchers have obtained so far, the type of experiments that have been done, and the problems in obtaining more information about somnambulism. The term somnambulism comes from the Latin words for sleep (somnus) and walking (ambulus). A typical sleepwalking episode is rather short. Sleepwalkers may simply appear awake, or exhibit complicated activity such as driving a car, while asleep. (2) The researchers have been using a device called the Electroencephalogram (EEG) to understand sleep and sleep disorders. This device measures the electromagnetic waves that are emitted from the brain at various locations around the head. These waves are amplified and fed to a plotter, which plots the amplitude of the waves over time. This device identified four stages of sleep.(3) The first sleep state, before the four stages, is pre-sleep. The EEG reading of an active and awake person shows mainly beta waves, which are low-amplitude, high frequency waves. Beta waves are associated with conscious thought. As a person begins to fall asleep, the EEG reading becomes punctuated with alpha waves, which are regular waves of higher amplitude. Alpha waves are associated with a relaxed mind. The first stage of sleep shows similar beta waves as the first sleep state, except at a lower frequency. As time progresses within stage 1, there is a gradual lowering of frequency and simultaneous increase of amplitude. The second stage of sleep show two characteristic waves. K-complexes consist of a single large amplitude wave, and Sleep spindles are 1-2 second bursts of very high frequency irregular waves. The third stage shows infrequent intrusion of delta waves, which have high amplitude and a low frequency. Somnambulism - Sleep Walking :: Biology Essays Research Papers Somnambulism - Sleep Walking One of the interesting sleep disorder is sleep walking. The medical, or more scientific, term for sleep walking is somnambulism. The characteristic symptoms are walking or exhibiting other activities while seemingly still asleep. (1) I became interested in researching this topic, because I sleep walk. I sleep walk only when I am under stress, which is not often. However, it is one of my primary concerns because I exhibit an extremely violent behavior. I began my research by looking for the relationship between somnambulism and the brain. I found that they are related, but the details are still under research. Then, I looked for the cause, however, since the detailed mechanism of the brain during sleep walking is not defined, a specific cause and effect was also not clearly defined. Thus, this paper will include the information that the researchers have obtained so far, the type of experiments that have been done, and the problems in obtaining more information about somnambulism. The term somnambulism comes from the Latin words for sleep (somnus) and walking (ambulus). A typical sleepwalking episode is rather short. Sleepwalkers may simply appear awake, or exhibit complicated activity such as driving a car, while asleep. (2) The researchers have been using a device called the Electroencephalogram (EEG) to understand sleep and sleep disorders. This device measures the electromagnetic waves that are emitted from the brain at various locations around the head. These waves are amplified and fed to a plotter, which plots the amplitude of the waves over time. This device identified four stages of sleep.(3) The first sleep state, before the four stages, is pre-sleep. The EEG reading of an active and awake person shows mainly beta waves, which are low-amplitude, high frequency waves. Beta waves are associated with conscious thought. As a person begins to fall asleep, the EEG reading becomes punctuated with alpha waves, which are regular waves of higher amplitude. Alpha waves are associated with a relaxed mind. The first stage of sleep shows similar beta waves as the first sleep state, except at a lower frequency. As time progresses within stage 1, there is a gradual lowering of frequency and simultaneous increase of amplitude. The second stage of sleep show two characteristic waves. K-complexes consist of a single large amplitude wave, and Sleep spindles are 1-2 second bursts of very high frequency irregular waves. The third stage shows infrequent intrusion of delta waves, which have high amplitude and a low frequency.

Art of War By Sun Tzu Reaction Paper Essay

Sun Tzu has developed a tactics on how to handle war properly with strategy and tactics. In his book Sun Tzu about the art of war I learned a lot of techniques on how to wage and win a war. He elaborated a lot of ways how to defeat our enemy but for me not all of his writings about war are applicable knowing that time and situation are changing. For me there are no external wisdom can tell us how to act because even previous successful models and theories are not effective anymore in the realities of the present scenario. But still I learned a lot from Sun Tzu like how to become a good and effective general I can relate this on my affiliation as an officer in JSWAP and as a class president because as a leader we should make strategy or plans that will help us achieved our goals. Like being a general they must be wise enough to create, organize and train their soldiers in order defeat there enemy. There are certain guidelines and rules which Sun Tzu developed based on his experienced on war. The first and most important area of waging a war is planning in this area the general must be critical thinker in laying his plans on how to defeat their enemies. Like my experiences as a student before taking an exam at school I always plan how to pass the exam so I study and do some readings and part of planning knows if my learning and knowledge is good enough to pass the exam. Like in war the general must know if they can defeat their enemy or they will be defeated by their enemy. Analysis and logic at this stage is pretty import and essential. The leader must have a good instinct in knowing that either they win or lose the battle. The troops must be well trained and always ready Sun Tzu mention that it is good that the soldiers must have keen mood because it has a good impact in defeating their enemies. Like in my studies I only do my assignment and task well if I’m in the mood because our mood have an impact in all we do. When I was reading the Art of War by Sun Tzu there are question the keep popping up in my mind, is this writing relevant to women and if during their time women our part in the battle as a warrior. Is it possible that women  can be a general or a commander especially in our present society and what are the different in men and women as a general? After a few minutes of analyzing I arrived in a certain truth that women can also be a general in their own ways because the main principle of Sun Tzu is to win a war without warfare. It’s just like mothers who discipline their child without using violence but only use the model of punishment and reinforcement. I can also relate this Art of War by Sun Tzu in our subject who also deals with management but in different ways like Art of War it talks about how to have effective management in waging a war. I can also relate it in my daily life struggles because sometimes in war or in our own life we choose to surrender and retreat but I believed that it does not mean that I am weak. Sometimes I need to surrender or retreat when it seems I have big probability of losing a battle by our problem or our enemy. When I decide to surrender or retreat it only signifies that I have better plans in defeating my enemies. Sometimes when we know that we cannot win a fight we should retreat and find other ways on how to defeat our enemy in short we need to give time in our training to make us more stronger and make sure that we have enough resources, strategy and as well as manpower in order to defeat all our enemy and may odds favour our battle.

Bloodlines Chapter Six

TO BE FAIR, THE DAY STARTED OFF GREAT. Sunlight was streaming in through the windows when we woke up, and I could already feel the heat even though it was early morning. I chose my lightest ensemble from the uniform selection: a gray skirt, paired with a short-sleeved white blouse. â€Å"Simple jewelry† was allowed, so I kept the gold cross on. My hair was having one of its difficult days – which seemed to be more often than not in this new climate. I wished I could pull it in a ponytail, like Jill did with hers, but it had too many layers to do that neatly. Eyeing where they hit my shoulders at different lengths, I wondered if maybe it was time to grow it out. After a breakfast neither of us really ate, we rode the shuttle bus up to Central Campus, which was suddenly packed with people. Only about a third of the students were boarders. The rest were locals, and they had all turned out today. Jill barely spoke throughout the entire ride and seemed to be sick again. It was hard to say, but I thought she looked paler than usual. Her eyes were bloodshot once more, heavy with dark circles. I'd woken up once in the night and seen her fast asleep, so I wasn't entirely sure what the problem was. Those dark circles were actually the first flaw I'd ever seen in any Moroi's skin – it was always perfect, porcelain. No wonder she could usually sleep in late. She didn't have to bother with the powder and concealer I used. As the morning progressed, Jill kept biting her lip and looking worriedly around. Maybe she was just nervous about immersing herself in a world populated entirely with humans. She didn't seem at all concerned about the logistics of getting to the right rooms and completing work. That was the aspect that still scared me a little. Just get from one class to another, I told myself. That's all you have to do. My first class was ancient history. Eddie was in it too, and he practically ran me down when he saw me. â€Å"Is she okay? Have you seen her?† â€Å"Well, we share a room, so yeah.† We sat down at neighboring desks. I smiled at Eddie. â€Å"Relax. She's fine. She seemed nervous, but I can't really blame her.† He nodded but still looked uncertain. He gave his full attention to the front of the room when the teacher stepped up, but there was a restlessness about Eddie as he sat there, like he could just barely stop himself from springing up to go check on Jill. â€Å"Welcome, welcome.† Our instructor was a forty-something woman with white-streaked, wiry black hair and enough nervous energy to rival Eddie – and if her giant coffee cup was any indication, it wasn't hard to figure out why. I was also a little jealous and wished we were allowed to have beverages in class – particularly since the dorm cafeteria didn't serve coffee. I didn't know how I was going to survive the next few months with caffeine-free days. Her wardrobe favored argyle. â€Å"I am Ms. Terwilliger, your illustrious guide on the wondrous journey that is ancient history.† She spoke in a sweeping, grandiose voice that made a few of my classmates break into snickers. She gestured to a young man who'd been sitting behind her, near the large desk. He'd been watching the class with a bored expression, but when she turned to him, he perked up. â€Å"And this is my co-guide, Trey, whom I believe some of you may know. Trey is my student aide for this pe riod, so he'll mostly be skulking in corners and filing papers. But you should be nice to him since he may very well be the one entering your grades into my computer.† Trey gave a small wave and grinned at some of his friends. He had deeply tanned skin and black hair whose length flirted with the dress code's rules. The neatly pressed Amberwood uniform gave him the illusion of all business, but there was a mischievous glint in his dark eyes that made me think he didn't really take being an aide seriously. â€Å"Now,† continued Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"History is important because it teaches us about the past. And by learning about the past, you come to understand the present, so that you may make educated decisions about the future.† She paused dramatically to let those words sink in. Once she was convinced we were awed, she moved over to a laptop that was wired up to a projector. She pushed a few keys, and an image of a white-pillared building appeared on the screen at the front of the room. â€Å"Now, then. Can anyone tell me what this is?† â€Å"A temple?† someone called out. â€Å"Very good, Mr. – ?† â€Å"Robinson,† the boy supplied. Ms. Terwilliger produced a clipboard and scanned a list. â€Å"Ah, there you are. Robinson. Stephanie.† â€Å"Stephan,† corrected the boy, flushing as some of his friends giggled. Ms. Terwilliger pushed her glasses up her nose and squinted. â€Å"So you are. Thank goodness. I was just thinking how difficult your life must be with such a name. My apologies. I broke my glasses in a freak croquet accident this weekend, forcing me to bring my old ones today. So, Stephan-not-Stephanie, you're correct. It's a temple. Can you be more specific?† Stephan shook his head. â€Å"Can anyone else offer any insight?† When only silence met Ms. Terwilliger, I took a deep breath and raised my hand. Time to see what it was like to be a real student. She nodded toward me. â€Å"It's the Parthenon, ma'am.† â€Å"Indeed it is,† she said. â€Å"And your name is?† â€Å"Sydney.† â€Å"Sydney†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She checked the clipboard and looked up in astonishment. â€Å"Sydney Melbourne? My goodness. You don't sound Australian.† â€Å"Er, it's Sydney Melrose, ma'am,† I corrected. Ms. Terwilliger scowled and handed the clipboard to Trey, who seemed to think my name was the funniest thing ever. â€Å"You take over, Mr. Juarez. Your youthful eyes are better than mine. If I keep at this, I'll keep turning boys into girls and perfectly nice young ladies into the descendants of criminals. So.† Ms. Terwilliger focused back on me. â€Å"The Parthenon. Do you know anything about it?† The others were watching me, mostly with friendly curiosity, but I still felt the pressure of being the center of attention. Focusing solely on Ms. Terwilliger, I said, â€Å"It's part of the Acropolis, ma'am. In Athens. It was built in the fifth century BC.† â€Å"No need to call me ‘ma'am,'† Ms. Terwilliger told me. â€Å"Though it is refreshing to get a bit of respect for a change. And brilliantly answered.† She glanced over the rest of the room. â€Å"Now, tell me this. Why on earth should we care about Athens or anything that took place over fifteen hundred years ago? How can that be relevant to us today?† More silence and shifting eyes. When the unbearable quiet dragged on for what felt like hours, I started to raise my hand again. Ms. Terwilliger didn't notice and glanced back at Trey, who was resting his feet on the teacher's desk. The boy instantly dropped his legs and straightened up. â€Å"Mr. Juarez,† declared Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"Time to earn your keep. You took this class last year. Can you tell them why the events of ancient Athens are relevant to us today? If you don't, then I'm going to have to call on Miss Melbourne again. She looks like she knows the answer, and think how embarrassing that will be for you.† Trey's eyes flicked to me and then back to the teacher. â€Å"Her name is Melrose, not Melbourne. And democracy was founded in Athens in the sixth century. A lot of the procedures they set into place are still in effect with our government today.† Ms. Terwilliger clasped her hand over her heart dramatically. â€Å"You were paying attention last year! Well, almost. Your date is off.† Her gaze fell on me. â€Å"I bet you know the date democracy was started in Athens.† â€Å"The fifth century,† I answered immediately. That earned me a smile from the teacher and a glare from Trey. The rest of the class proceeded in much the same way. Ms. Terwilliger continued on with her flamboyant style and highlighted a number of important times and places that we were going to study in more detail. I found I could answer any question she asked. Some part of me said I should ration myself, but I couldn't help it. If no one knew the answer, I felt compelled to provide it. And each time I did, Ms. Terwilliger would say, â€Å"Trey, did you know that?† I winced. I really didn't want to make enemies on my first day. The other students watched me curiously when I spoke, which made me a little self-conscious. I also saw a few of them exchange knowing looks each time I answered, as though they were in on some secret I wasn't. That concerned me more than irritating Trey did. Did it sound like I was showing off? I was too unsure of the social politics here to understand what was normal and what wasn't. This was an academically competitive school. Surely it wasn't a bad thing to be educated? Ms. Terwilliger left us with an assignment to read the first two chapters of our textbook. The others groaned, but I was excited. I loved history, specifically the history of art and architecture. My homeschooling had been aggressive and well rounded, but that particular subject wasn't one my father had thought we needed to spend a lot of time on. I'd had to study it on my own time, and it was both startling and luxurious to think I now had a class whose sole purpose was to learn about this and that my knowledge would be valued – by the teacher, at least. I parted ways with Eddie after that and went off to AP Chemistry. While I was waiting for class to start, Trey slid into a desk beside me. â€Å"So, Miss Melbourne,† he said, imitating Ms. Terwilliger's voice. â€Å"When will you be starting up your own history class?† I was sorry Ms. Terwilliger had picked on him, but I didn't like his tone. â€Å"Are you actually taking this class? Or are you going to lounge around some more and pretend to be helping the teacher?† This brought a grin to his face. â€Å"Oh, I'm in this one, unfortunately. And I was Ms. T's best student last year. If you're as good at chemistry as you are in history, then I'm nabbing you for a lab partner. I'll be able to take the whole semester off.† Chemistry was a crucial part of the Alchemists' trade, and I doubted there was anything in this class I didn't already know. The Alchemists had arisen in the Middle Ages as â€Å"magical scientists† trying to turn lead into gold. From those early experiments, they'd gone on to discover the special properties of vampire blood and how it reacted with other substances, eventually branching out into the crusade to keep vampires and humans separate from one another. That earlier scientific background, and our current work with vampire blood, made chemistry one of the main subjects of my childhood education. I'd received my first chemistry set when I was six. When other kids were practicing the alphabet, my father was grilling me with acid and base flash cards. Unable to admit as much to Trey, I averted my eyes and casually brushed hair from my face. â€Å"I'm okay in it.† His gaze moved to my cheek, and a look of understanding came over him. â€Å"Ah. So that's it.† â€Å"What's it?† I asked. He pointed to my face. â€Å"Your tattoo. That's what it does, huh?† In moving my hair, I'd revealed the gold lily. â€Å"What do you mean?† I asked. â€Å"You don't have to play coy with me,† he said, rolling his dark eyes. â€Å"I get it. I mean, it seems like cheating to me, but I guess not everyone cares about honor. Pretty ballsy to have it on your face, though. They're against the dress code, you know – not that that stops anyone.† I shifted and let my hair fall back into place. â€Å"I know. I meant to put makeup on it and forgot. But what do you mean about cheating?† He simply shook his head in a way that clearly said I'd been dismissed. I sat there feeling helpless, wondering what I'd done wrong. Soon, my confusion was replaced by dismay as our instructor gave us an introduction to the class and its setup. I had a chemistry set back in my room that was more extensive than Amberwood's. Oh well. I supposed a little elementary review wouldn't hurt me. My other classes progressed in a similar way. I was on top of all my subjects and found myself answering every question. This got me in good with my teachers, but I couldn't gauge the rest of my classmates' reactions. I still saw a lot of rueful head shakes and intrigued expressions – but only Trey actually condemned. I didn't know if I should hold back or not. I ran into Kristin and Julia a couple of times, and they reminded me to join them for lunch. I did, finding them sitting in a corner table in East's cafeteria. They waved me over, and as I wove through the rows of tables, I did a quick scan, hoping to see Jill. I hadn't run into her all day, but that wasn't too shocking, considering our schedules. Presumably, she was eating over at the other cafeteria, maybe with Eddie or Micah. Kristin and Julia were friendly, chatting me up about how my first day had gone and imparting wisdom about certain teachers they'd had before. They were seniors like me, and we shared a couple classes. We spent most of lunch exchanging basic info, like where we were all from. It wasn't until lunch was winding down that I began to get answers to some of the questions that had been bugging me all day. Although it required wading through still more questions first. â€Å"So,† said Kristin, leaning across the table. â€Å"Does it just give you a super memory? Or does it like, I don't know, actually change your brain and make you smarter?† Julia rolled her eyes. â€Å"It can't make you smarter. It's gotta be memory. What I want to know is, how long does it last?† I glanced back and forth between them, more confused than ever. â€Å"Whatever you're talking about can't be making me smarter, because I'm so lost right now.† Kristin laughed at that. â€Å"Your tattoo. I heard you answering all the hardest questions in math. And a friend of mine is in your history class and said you were dominating there too. We're trying to figure out how the tattoo helps you.† â€Å"Helps me†¦ answer questions?† I asked. Their faces confirmed as much. â€Å"It doesn't. That stuff†¦ that's just, well, me. I just know the answers.† â€Å"No one's that smart,† argued Julia. â€Å"It's not that crazy. I'm no genius. I guess I've just learned a lot. I was homeschooled part of the time, and my dad was really†¦ strict,† I added, thinking that might help. â€Å"Oh,† said Kristin, toying with a long braid. I'd noticed she wore her dark hair in very practical ways while blond Julia's was always teased and tousled. â€Å"I guess that could be it†¦ but then, what does your tattoo do?† â€Å"It doesn't do anything,† I said. Yet even as I spoke the words, I felt a slight tingle in my flesh. The tattoo had a kind of magic in it that stopped me from speaking about anything Alchemist-related to those who weren't part of the inner circle. This was the tattoo stopping me from saying too much, not that there was any need. â€Å"I just thought it was cool.† â€Å"Oh,† said Julia. Both girls looked inexplicably disappointed. â€Å"Why on earth would you think the tattoo is making me smart?† I asked. The warning bell interrupted further conversation, reminding us all it was time to get to our next class. There was a pause as Kristin and Julia considered something. Kristin seemed to be the leader of the two because she was the one who gave a decisive nod. I had the distinct feeling I was being assessed. â€Å"Okay,† she said finally, giving me a big smile. â€Å"We'll fill you in more on everything later.† We set up a time to hang out and study later, then parted ways. My impression was that more socialization than studying would go on, which was fine with me, but I made a mental note to get my homework done first. The rest of the day went quickly, and I received a note in one class from Molly the advisor. As expected, I'd passed out of all of my language courses, and she wanted me to come by and discuss matters during the last period, when I technically had no class. This meant that my school day would officially wrap up with PE. I changed into my assigned gym clothes, shorts and an Amberwood T-shirt, and trekked outside into the hot sun with the others. I'd felt a little of the heat ducking between classes today, but it wasn't until I actually had to stand outside for any length of time that I really and truly appreciated the fact that we were out in the desert. Glancing around at my classmates, who were guys and girls of all grades, I saw that I wasn't the only one sweating. I rarely burned but reminded myself to pick up sunscreen to be safe. Jill would need it too. Jill! I peered around. I'd nearly forgotten that Jill was supposed to be in the same class. Except, where was she? There was no sign of her. When our instructor, Miss Carson, called attendance, she didn't even say Jill's name. I wondered if there'd been a last-minute schedule change. Miss Carson believed in jumping right into the action. We were divided into teams for volleyball, and I found myself standing beside Micah. His fair, freckled complexion was growing pink, and I almost wanted to suggest sunscreen to him as well. He gave me one of his friendly smiles. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"You haven't seen my sister today, have you? Jill?† â€Å"No,† he said. A slight frown crossed his forehead. â€Å"Eddie was looking for her at lunch. He figured she was eating with you over at your dorm.† I shook my head, a queasy feeling welling in my stomach. What was going on? Nightmare scenarios flashed through my mind. I'd thought Eddie was overreacting with his vigilance, but had something happened to Jill? Was it possible that, despite all our planning, one of Jill's enemies had slipped in and stolen her out from under us? Was I going to have to tell the Alchemists – and my father – that we'd lost Jill on the first day? Panic flashed through me. If I wasn't about to be sent to a re-education center before, I definitely was on my way to one now. â€Å"Are you okay?† Micah asked, studying me. â€Å"Is Jill okay?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said. â€Å"Excuse me.† I broke out of my team formation and jogged over to where Miss Carson was supervising. â€Å"Yes?† she asked me. â€Å"I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am, but I'm worried about my sister. Jill Melrose. I'm Sydney. She's supposed to be in here. Do you know if she changed classes?† â€Å"Ah, yes. Melrose. I got a note from the office, just before class, that she wouldn't be attending today.† â€Å"Did they say why?† Miss Carson shook her head apologetically and barked an order to some guy who was slacking off. I rejoined my team, mind spinning. Well, at least someone had seen Jill today, but why on earth would she not be attending? â€Å"Is she okay?† Micah asked me. â€Å"I†¦ I guess. Miss Carson seemed to know she wouldn't be in class but doesn't know why.† â€Å"Is there anything I can do?† he asked. â€Å"To help her? Er, you guys?† â€Å"No, thanks. That's nice of you to ask.† I wished there was a clock around. â€Å"I'll check on her as soon as class is over.† A thought suddenly occurred to me. â€Å"But Micah? Don't say anything to Eddie.† Micah gave me a curious look. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"He's overprotective. He'll worry when it's probably nothing.† Also, he'll tear the school apart looking for her. When class ended, I quickly showered and changed clothes before heading to the administrative building. I was desperate to run back to the dorm first to see if Jill was there, but I couldn't be late for the appointment. As I walked down a hallway to Molly's office, I passed by the main one – and an idea came to me. I stopped in to talk to the attendance secretary before going to my appointment. â€Å"Jill Melrose,† the secretary said, nodding. â€Å"She was sent back to her dorm.† â€Å"Sent back?† I exclaimed. â€Å"What does that mean?† â€Å"I'm not at liberty to say.† Melodramatic much? Annoyed and more confused than ever, I went to Molly's office, taking comfort in the fact that even if Jill's absence was mysterious, at least it was sanctioned by the school. Molly told me I could either take another elective or engage in some kind of independent study in place of a language, if I got a teacher to sponsor me. An idea popped into my head. â€Å"Can I check in with you tomorrow?† I asked. â€Å"I need to talk to someone first.† â€Å"Sure,† said Molly. â€Å"Just decide soon. You can go back to your dorm now, but we can't have you wandering around every day during this time.† I assured her she'd have an answer soon and headed back. The shuttle bus didn't run very often during classes, so I just walked the mile back. It only took fifteen minutes but felt twice as long in the heat. When I finally reached the dorm room, relief flooded me. Hanging out in our room as if nothing strange had happened was Jill. â€Å"You're all right!† Jill was lying on the bed, reading her book again. She looked up morosely. â€Å"Yeah. Kind of.† I sat down on my own bed and kicked off my shoes. â€Å"What happened? I had a panic attack when you weren't in class. If Eddie knew – â€Å" Jill sat bolt upright. â€Å"No, don't tell Eddie. He'll freak out.† â€Å"Okay, okay. But tell me what happened. They said you got sent here?† â€Å"Yeah.† Jill made a face. â€Å"Because I was kicked out of my first class.† I was speechless. I couldn't imagine what sweet, shy Jill could have possibly done to warrant that. Oh, God. I hope she didn't bite someone. I was the one everyone expected to have trouble fitting into a school schedule. Jill should have been a pro. â€Å"What were you kicked out for?† Jill sighed. â€Å"For having a hangover.† More speechlessness. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I was sick. Ms. Chang – my teacher – took one look at me and said she could spot a hangover a mile away. She sent me to the office for breaking school rules. I told them I was just sick, but she kept saying she knew. The principal finally said there was no way to prove that's why I was sick, so I didn't get punished, but I wasn't allowed to go to the rest of my classes. I had to stay here for the rest of the school day.† â€Å"That's†¦ that's idiotic!† I shot to my feet and began pacing. Now that I'd recovered from my initial disbelief, I was simply outraged. â€Å"I was with you last night. You slept here. I should know. I woke up once, and you were out cold. How can Ms. Chang even make an accusation like that? She had no proof! The school didn't either. They had no right to send you out of class. I should go to the office right now! No, I'm going to talk to Keith and the Alchemists and have our ‘parents' file a complaint.† â€Å"No, wait, Sydney.† Jill jumped up and caught ahold of my arm, as though afraid I would march out then and there. â€Å"Please. Don't. Just let it go. I don't want to cause any more trouble. I didn't get any bad marks. I wasn't really punished.† â€Å"You're behind in your classes,† I said. â€Å"That's punishment enough.† Jill shook her head, eyes wide. She was afraid, I realized, but I had no idea why she wouldn't want me to tell. She was the victim here. â€Å"No, it's fine. I'll catch up. There are no long-term consequences. Please don't make a big deal out of this. The other teachers probably just thought I was sick. They probably don't even know about the accusations.† â€Å"It's not right, though,† I growled. â€Å"I can do something about it. It's what I'm here for, to help you.† â€Å"No,† said Jill adamantly. â€Å"Please. Let it go. If you really want to help†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She averted her eyes. â€Å"What?† I asked, still filled with righteous fury. â€Å"What do you need? Name it.† Jill looked back up. â€Å"I need you†¦ I need you to take me to Adrian.†