Baking

My folks worked a ton of hours when I was a young person, so supper was left to me to cook. I before long took in all the standard family works of art Like spaghetti bologna's, shepherds pie, broils and prepared morning meals. I turned into significantly progressively courageous when I had my own family and regularly get the formula books out to have a go at something new. I just truly got into preparing once our young men tagged along and needed to make them hand crafted cakes for their birthdays.I recollect the primary cake I at any point made was at school in cooking class. It was horrendous, it satiated like a bread, the icing was an awful hot pink shading that ran off the sides of the cake as I hadn't let them sufficiently cool. It was a debacle however with age I have become significantly progressively understanding. At the point when I began heating I Just attempted Victoria wipes everybody that attempted them said that tasted flavorful. So then I proceeded to explore differen t avenues regarding various flavors like chocolate, carrot and espresso and pecan and a wide range of flavor cupcakes.I still haven't attempted cake pops despite the fact that I have a little machine to attempt them. Not the entirety of my cakes turn out great, some sink In the center or urn around the outside edges. It requires a significant stretch of time to become acquainted with your broiler , what temperature Is ideal to cook at and recollect never to open the stove entryway to right on time. So now I had aced the cakes the time had come to continue ahead with the enlivening which is either simple and straight forward or a bad dream and you continue pulling the icing off and beginning again.It can be truly disappointing when the icing parts or splits however what is extremely terrible is the point at which you've laid the icing over the cake and you turn and put your finger in it. That is not all that terrible if your covering the cake with blossoms or different discharges sin ce you conceal it yet in the event that it must be smooth you need to restart it or attempt and fix if it's not in a recognizable spot. The primary cake I made was for my oldest when he was three. He was insane for fire fighter Sam. Thinking back on what I can do now it wasn't generally that good.For the cake I made a 8 Inch round Victoria wipe and secured It with white fondant. I hued red fondant and cut out a fire motor shape as observed from the front. I put a photograph of our young men on the cake and laid the fire motor shape over the top so it appeared as though they were driving I included the blue lights, a couple of subtleties to the fire motor, name, age and the upbeat birthday. Everybody adored it despite the fact that we were unable to eat the image. I had discovered something that I truly cherished doing. I get a warm inclination when I see somebody face after they have gotten their cake.I begun making them for our young men however wound up making them for companions, their kids and other relatives. The primary cake I made outside the family was for my closest companions child on his third birthday celebration. He needed a money box, this I was somewhat stressed over as I had never attempted to prepare some other shapes other than circles r squares, and this expected to have a top on It. I generally start by glancing in my cake books and the Internet. There are a large number of cake pictures on Google Images. I take a gander at the photos and choose what shape, flavors and hues I'm going to use.Then I get a bit of paper and draw an unpleasant duplicate of the cake and add little notes concerning what the shading will be or the kind of icing I'm going to utilize or where the adornments purchasing a Swiss move to give the top a bended shape. While the cake was cooling I got the opportunity to chip away at making the enrichments so they would have the opportunity to dry out before putting stitch on the cake. I at that point made up a heap of choco late margarine cream and sandwiched the cakes together and secured the total outside and the top which was made out of a cardboard square shape secured with foil.Once it was secured I hauled a fork through the icing to give it a wooden impact and gazed putting the enhancements and the cover on. I put the cover laying on two sticks so I could have chocolate gold coins and a few Jewels overflowing the top. I tidied all the yellow fondant with gold shine powder to give it some class. It was one of my triumphs and with permit sugar all around the base to look like sand. Just to include a little shock I covered a two pound coin under the sand and set a x on top at that point got done with the typical name age and cheerful birthday.Not the entirety of my cakes have been so stunning. It relies upon what the birthday kid or young lady likes. One cake I detested creation was a Manchester joined football shirt . At the point when it was at long last completed it looked OK however getting it t o the end was a bad dream. The icing continued parting or breaking, I was unable to cover the sleeves without wrinkling the icing I wound up tossing the icing at the divider ND having some tea. At the point when I returned to it with crisp icing and changing strategies I got it secured yet swore I could never do another one.I saw it as an extremely plain cake with almost no improvement even so the young man was pleased. It relies upon what the â€Å"in† thing is with the kids regarding what I get requested to make. With young ladies it will in general be princess manors, ponies or anything pink or shimmering. With young men the most recent few years it's been mine specialty however they additionally like football subjects, been 10 and the followers from terrible me. My unsurpassed most loved cake to heat was the point at which my ingest requested a yellow flunky ( there are purple one as well. I thought it would have been very mind boggling yet it ended up being probably the simplest cake I have ever constructed. When I had heated enough cakes and cooled them I sandwiched them all along with spread cream and secured with yellow fondant. While this was all setting I designed a couple of blue dungarees from fondant, his eye and goggle, arms and legs. When these were all prepared I stuck everything together and it Just went together like a fantasy. He was bewildered when he saw it and everybody said it was stunning and tasted phenomenal.

Just Before The Beginning Of World War II, Albert Einstein Wrote A Let

Not long before the start of World War II, Albert Einstein composed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Asked by Hungarian-conceived physicists Leo Szilard, Eugene Wingner, and Edward Teller, Einstein enlightened Roosevelt concerning Nazi German endeavors to refine Uranium-235 which may be utilized to assemble a nuclear bomb. Soon after that the United States Government started take a shot at the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project was the code name for the United States exertion to build up the nuclear bomb before the Germans did. The primary fruitful analyses in parting a uranium iota had been done in the harvest time of 1938 at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin(Groueff 9) soon after Einstein composed his letter. So the race was on. Significant General Wilhelm D. Styer called the Manhattan Project the most significant activity in the war . . . a hard and fast exertion to fabricate a nuclear bomb.(Groueff 5) It ended up being the greatest advancement in fighting a nd science's greatest improvement this century. The most entangled issue to be tended to by the researchers taking a shot at the Manhattan Project was the creation of plentiful measures of 'improved' uranium to support a chain reaction.(Outlaw 2) At the time, Uranium-235 was difficult to separate. Of the Uranium metal mined, just around 1/500 th of it wound up as Uranium metal. Of the Uranium metal, the fissionable isotope of (Uranium-235) is moderately uncommon, happening in Uranium at a proportion of 1 to 139.(Szasz 15) Separating the one section Uranium-235 from the 139 sections Uranium-238 end up being a test. No common concoction extraction could isolate the two isotopes. Just mechanical strategies could viably isolate U-235 from U-238.(2) Scientists at Columbia University tackled this troublesome issue. A gigantic improvement research center/plant(Outlaw 2) was worked at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. H. C. Urey, his partners, and associates at Columbia University planned a framework t hat took a shot at the guideline of vaporous diffusion.(2) After this procedure was finished, Ernest O. Lawrence (creator of the Cyclotron) at the University of California in Berkeley actualized a procedure including attractive partition of the two isotopes.(2) Finally, a gas axis was utilized to additionally isolate the Uranium-235 from the Uranium-238. The Uranium-238 is compelled to the base since it had more mass than the Uranium-235. Thusly uranium-235 was enhanced from its typical 0.7% to weapons evaluation of more than 90%.(Grolier 5) This Uranium was then moved to the Los Alamos, N. Mex., research center headed by J. Robert Oppenheimer.(Grolier 5) Oppenheimer was the significant power behind the Manhattan Project. He actually managed everything and made sure that the entirety of the extraordinary personalities taking a shot at this task made their talks work. He managed the whole venture from its origination to its completion.(Outlaw 3) Once the refined Uranium arrived at Ne w Mexico, it was made into the parts of a firearm type nuclear weapon. Two bits of U-235, independently not huge enough to continue a chain response, were united quickly in a firearm barrel to shape a supercritical mass that detonated instantaneously.(Grolier 5) It was initially nicknamed 'Flimsy Man'(after Roosevelt, however later renamed 'Young man' (for no one) when specialized changes abbreviated the proposed weapon barrel.(Szasz 25) The researchers were certain to the point that the firearm type nuclear bomb would work no test was led, and it was first utilized in military activity over Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945.(Grolier 5) Before the Uranium-235 Young man bomb had been created to the point of appearing to be guaranteed of success,(Grolier 5) another bomb was proposed. The Uranium-238 that had been before precluded as a choice was being taken a gander at. It could catch a free neutron without fissioning and become Uranium-239. Yet, the Uranium-239 hence delivered is fli msy (radioactive) and rots first to neptunium-239 and afterward to plutonium-239.(Grolier 5) This end up being helpful in light of the fact that the recently made plutonium-239 is fissionable and it can be isolated from uranium by substance techniques,(6) which would be far easier than the physical procedures to isolate the Uranium-235 from the Uranium-238. By and by the University of Chicago, under Enrico Fermi's bearing manufactured the principal reactor. This prompted the development of five huge reactors at Hanford, Wash., where U-238 was lighted with neutrons and transmuted into plutonium.(6) The plutonium was sent to Not long Before The Beginning Of World War II, Albert Einstein Wrote A Let Not long before the start of World War II, Albert Einstein composed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Asked by Hungarian-conceived physicists Leo Szilard, Eugene Wingner, and Edward Teller, Einstein enlightened Roosevelt regarding Nazi German endeavors to cleanse Uranium-235 which may be utilized to fabricate a nuclear bomb. Not long after that the United States Government started chip away at the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project was the code name for the United States exertion to build up the nuclear bomb before the Germans did. The main fruitful analyses in parting a uranium iota had been done in the harvest time of 1938 at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin(Groueff 9) soon after Einstein composed his letter. So the race was on. Significant General Wilhelm D. Styer called the Manhattan Project the most significant activity in the war . . . a full scale exertion to assemble a nuclear bomb.(Groueff 5) It ended up being the greatest improvement in fighting and s cience's greatest advancement this century. The most entangled issue to be tended to by the researchers dealing with the Manhattan Project was the creation of sufficient measures of 'enhanced' uranium to support a chain reaction.(Outlaw 2) At the time, Uranium-235 was difficult to separate. Of the Uranium mineral mined, just around 1/500 th of it wound up as Uranium metal. Of the Uranium metal, the fissionable isotope of (Uranium-235) is generally uncommon, happening in Uranium at a proportion of 1 to 139.(Szasz 15) Separating the one section Uranium-235 from the 139 sections Uranium-238 end up being a test. No normal compound extraction could isolate the two isotopes. Just mechanical techniques could viably isolate U-235 from U-238.(2) Scientists at Columbia University tackled this troublesome issue. A huge advancement research center/plant(Outlaw 2) was worked at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. H. C. Urey, his partners, and associates at Columbia University structured a framework that took a shot at the guideline of vaporous diffusion.(2) After this procedure was finished, Ernest O. Lawrence (designer of the Cyclotron) at the University of California in Berkeley actualized a procedure including attractive partition of the two isotopes.(2) Finally, a gas axis was utilized to additionally isolate the Uranium-235 from the Uranium-238. The Uranium-238 is compelled to the base since it had more mass than the Uranium-235. As such uranium-235 was improved from its typical 0.7% to weapons evaluation of more than 90%.(Grolier 5) This Uranium was then moved to the Los Alamos, N. Mex., research facility headed by J. Robert Oppenheimer.(Grolier 5) Oppenheimer was the significant power behind the Manhattan Project. He truly managed everything and made sure that the entirety of the incredible personalities chipping away at this venture made their talks work. He regulated the whole venture from its origination to its completion.(Outlaw 3) Once the cleansed Uranium arrived at New Mex ico, it was made into the segments of a firearm type nuclear weapon. Two bits of U-235, independently not huge enough to continue a chain response, were united quickly in a weapon barrel to shape a supercritical mass that detonated instantaneously.(Grolier 5) It was initially nicknamed 'Slim Man'(after Roosevelt, however later renamed 'Young man' (for no one) when specialized changes abbreviated the proposed firearm barrel.(Szasz 25) The researchers were certain to such an extent that the weapon type nuclear bomb would work no test was led, and it was first utilized in military activity over Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945.(Grolier 5) Before the Uranium-235 Young man bomb had been created to the point of appearing to be guaranteed of success,(Grolier 5) another bomb was proposed. The Uranium-238 that had been before precluded as a choice was being taken a gander at. It could catch a free neutron without fissioning and become Uranium-239. However, the Uranium-239 hence delivered is insecure (radioactive) and rots first to neptunium-239 and afterward to plutonium-239.(Grolier 5) This end up being helpful on the grounds that the recently made plutonium-239 is fissionable and it can be isolated from uranium by substance techniques,(6) which would be far less complex than the physical procedures to isolate the Uranium-235 from the Uranium-238. Indeed the University of Chicago, under Enrico Fermi's heading fabricated the main reactor. This prompted the development of five huge reactors at Hanford, Wash., where U-238 was illuminated with neutrons and transmuted into plutonium.(6) The plutonium was sent to

Why PTSD and IBS Occur Together

Why PTSD and IBS Occur Together PTSD Related Conditions Print The Relationship Between PTSD and IBS By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 08, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children Anna Bizon / Getty Images At first glance, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may not seem to have any special connection. However, PTSD and IBS often occur together. If you have PTSD, IBS, or both, understanding how theyre connected can help you seek out the most appropriate treatment. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Statistics and Causes IBS is a digestive disorder thats more common than you may think. Here are some statistics: Between 25 and 45 million Americans have IBSTen percent to 15 percent of people worldwide have IBSIBS is more common among women; 2 out of 3 sufferers are femaleMost people who have IBS are under 50 years old People with IBS have chronic abdominal pain and major problems with bowel function such as urgent diarrhea, chronic constipation, or, at different times, both. IBS appears to stem from a malfunction in how the intestines work; however, this malfunction is not well understood or easily detected. The causes of IBS are not completely understood either, but there is evidence connecting IBS with certain mental health problems. For example, compared to people without IBS, people with IBS are more likely to have mood and anxiety disorders. The mental health problems occur first, then the IBS, suggesting that having any of these problems may increase your risk of developing IBS. The Connection Between PTSD and IBS If you have PTSD, youll be interested to learn that anxiety disorders, particularly PTSD, are the mental health problems most likely to occur before IBS. In fact, theres a strong link between stress and IBS. People who have IBS also seem to have higher rates of exposure to traumatic events. For example, one study of  21,264  urban African Americans found that 8.2 percent had IBS, with nearly 82 percent of those are female. The study also found a strong association between PTSD and IBS: African Americans with IBS are twice as likely to also have PTSD. ?A study  of women veterans with and without IBS found that 22 percent of the women with IBS also had PTSD compared to 11 percent of the women who didnt. Why Traumatic Events and PTSD Can Lead to IBS Its not clear why traumatic events and PTSD can lead to IBS, but its likely that chronic stress from a traumatic event or PTSD can harm your digestive system. In PTSD, your bodys fight or flight response is frequently activated, releasing a substance in the brain called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). Among other things, CRF increases mucus and water secretion in your colon and disrupts colon motility (speed of muscle contraction). Its likely, then, that high levels of CRF contribute to the development of IBS in people with PTSD. How the Fight or Flight Response Is a Natural Response to PTSD The Benefits of Treating Both PTSD and IBS If you have PTSD and IBS, the stress of having PTSD can make your IBS symptoms worseâ€"and vice versa. Fortunately, treating your PTSD may also improve your IBS. One of the most effective treatments for PTSD is exposure therapy  and other options are also available. If youre looking for a PTSD treatment provider, a number of websites can help you connect with providers in your area. The 9 Best Online Therapy Programs

The Battle Of The Punic Wars - 1506 Words

Joel Medero History Western Civilization Professor Smail THE PUNIC WARS During the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C., three wars were fought between Rome and Carthage. The name given to describe the wars Punic, is a divided word from the Latin and Greek words for Phoenician. The city of Carthage, situated in what is now Tunisia in North Africa, was founded in 814 B.C. by the Phoenicians. The first two wars were the longest 23 years and 17 years, separated by an interval of 23 years. The last and third war lasted only three years. It started 52 years after the end of the second Punic War. All three wars were won by Rome, which automatically emerged as the greatest military power in the Mediterranean Sea. The hostility of Carthage impelled Rome to build up its large army and create a strong navy just like the one Carthage had. Strong military leaders of the war for Carthage and his sons Hasdrubal and Hannibal. Rome’s outstanding leaders were Scipio Africanus. Belief holds that Phoenician settlers from the Mediterranean port of Tyre discovered the city-stat e of Carthage on the northern coast of Africa. By 265 B.C., Carthage was the richest and the most advanced city in the region, as well as its prominent naval power. Through Carthage had clashed forcefully with several other powers in the region, notably Greece, its relations with Rome were historically friendly, and its cities had signed several treaties defining trading rights over the years. By 275 B.C. Rome had broughtShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of The Punic Wars2439 Words   |  10 PagesThe Punic Wars, a century-long conflict between Rome and Carthage started in 264 B.C. and continued until 146 B.C. when Carthage gets destroyed. Carthage, a Phoenician colony, came to be a superpower of the Mediterranean and posed a threat to the Romans. The First Punic War focuses on gaining control over the islands of Sicily and Corsica. The two powerful countries entered into a dispute between the Sicilian cities of Messana and Syracuse and established their presence on the island. Neither s uperpowerRead MoreThe Battle Of The Punic Wars3659 Words   |  15 PagesIntroduction The Punic Wars were a defining moment in the expansion of the Roman Republic, with the Second Punic War (218 – 201 BC (Grant, 1960)) playing the part of a corner stone in the bridge to create the powerful Roman Empire. Moreover, this was the first time that Rome had expanded into territories outside of Italy which was pivotal in the development of the Roman Republic, and furthermore the Rome Empire, as it marks the beginning of an imperial Roman power (Rickard, 2001). Accordingly, this war has capturedRead MoreThe Battle Of The Second Punic War2071 Words   |  9 PagesCarthage and the Roman Republic fought the second Punic War for control of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea, considered the entire civilized world at the time. The battles of the second Punic War show Hannibal Barca to be not only the greatest military leader of his age, but perhaps one of the greatest generals of all time. By examining one of Hannibal’s most spectacular victories, the paradigm for a battle of annihilation, military professionals can learn how the Roman commanders mightRead MoreThe Punic Wars973 Words   |  4 PagesThe Punic Wars were made of three major wars. The last war was kind of a punishment for Carthage from Rome. The two powers in these wars were Rome and Carthage. Rome was controlling the main peninsula of Italy while Carthage was controlling the islands and trade of the Mediterranean. Rome and Carthage were once on a friendly term until things went south well. The Punic Wars have major historical content that involve both leaders on opposite side as well as the battles among the two city-states. TheseRead MoreHannibal And The First Punic War1406 Words   |  6 Pagesthe First Punic War (264–241 BC) to conquer much of Iberia. Hannibal grew up in military service, and following the 221 BC assassination of his brother-in-law Hasdrubal, who had replaced Hamilcar, Hannibal took charge of the Carthaginian army. He soon proved a brilliant fiel d commander who applied his intellect and martial skills to the singular end of winning battles. Hannibal, a sworn enemy of all things Roman, declared war against them and this was the start of the Second Punic War (218–201 BC)Read MoreThe Ancient Roman Civilization1316 Words   |  5 Pagesencountered many wars and battles, they didn’t win all of their battles; however, they’ve learned through their failures to improve upon the progress of their society. In 264 BC to 146 BC the Romans were involved in a prolonged war with the Carthaginians, known as the Punic War. (Chris Scarre, 24-25) The word Punic comes from the Latin derivation of the word Punicus which translates to Carthaginian, referring to the Carthaginian’s Phoenician ancestors. (Keith Sidwell, 16) The Punic war was broken intoRead MoreEssay on the Punic Wars650 Words   |  3 PagesThere were three Punic or Carthaginian Wars is Roman history. These were between 264 and 146 BC. These wars were the first great wars of Roman expansion outside Italy. The enemy of Rome had a large empire that stretched along the coast of North America and southern Spain and some parts of Sicily. This empire was known as Carthage. The purpose of these wars was to decide which power would become the dominant force around the Mediterranean Sea. The first Punic War lasted from 264-241 BC. It wasRead MoreThe Battle Between Carthage And Rome1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe three Punic Wars was a series of battles fought between Carthage and Rome that lasted almost a century from 264 BC to 149 BC. As Carthage had the leading power of Western Mediterranean and Rome’s control over the peninsula of Italy. However, both of the two states had different intensions over the island of Sicily leading to the battles of the Punic Wars that soon later ended in a total defeat for Carthage. With the desire of controlling the island of Sicily, Carthage would still have the dominanceRead MoreEssay about Punic Wars929 Words   |  4 Pages Discuss the Roman Punic Wars, in terms of their circumstances and overall effect on Rome’s economic and social development Also discuss the ensuing â€Å"Gracchan turbulence† from the same perspective. The circumstance for the Roman Punic Wars towards Rome was a simple human reaction. If an outsider such as Italy, Carthage, or Greece make threats towards Rome, Rome will simply fight. The Punic Wars lasted in 3 stages, all resulting to the obsessive pride and higher standings of Rome. Rome’s initialRead MoreAncient Carthage Vs. Rome1320 Words   |  6 PagesCà ¡rthage. I would argue that while Rome was ultimately the greater military power, Cà ¡rthage from a geopolitical and commercial viewpoint was equally, if not more successful than Rome in the same period of time leading up to the start of the first Punic war (264 BCE). Origins The cities of Cà ¡rthage and Rome were founded within one hundred years of each other. Jona Lendering suggests that carbon dating conducted in the 1990s, traces the founding of Cà ¡rthage to the last quarter of ninth century BCE (2015)

The Life Of The Icu - 1499 Words

To the ICU Although there have been many things in life that I’ve had the fortunate and sometimes the unfortunate pleasure of experiencing, none of my memories and experiences are as poignant as the time my father had to undergo a liver transplant surgery. This was one of the most memorable times and a significant experience in my life. This event had, an ever-lasting effect in my life and made me realize how important family can be. Though this experience is relatively new, and one of the most challenging times in my life by far, this allowed me to view my father in a new light, as well as allowing me to appreciate how close and important my family, especially my father, can actually be in times of trials and tribulations. For the past†¦show more content†¦The following evening, after dinner that felt flavorless and empty, only further emphasized the absence of my father in the household. Later, my family and I decided to visit my father at the hospital to see him and how he wa s recuperating after the surgery. From the moment I anxiously sat in the car and we drove down to DC, the nostalgic memories of my father kicked in, one after another like a house of cards falling; my nostalgia came from the good memories to the ones better left forgotten. What felt like an eternity getting to the hospital and navigating the streets of DC like mice through a labyrinth, we had finally arrived at the Medstar Georgetown University Hospital. We continued on nervously trying to find our way to the Intensive Care Unit where my father was being kept and cared for following the surgery. Walking down the long and narrow hallway to see my father, only emphasized the uneasiness and anxiety of being in a hospital. Finally we had found our way through the labyrinth-like layout of the hospital, unto the Intensive Care Unit. Into the ICU through the large door, all the patients’ rooms were adjacent to one another. At the center were desks at which nurses and doctors would input each and every patients’ data and process paperwork while periodically checking up on all of the patients around-the-clock. My father was being kept in the first room on the right, next to the large entrance doors.

Stefan’s Diaries The Craving Chapter 4 Free Essays

string(80) " out at the Winfield residence put to shame the finest restaurants in Virginia\." November 5, 1864 It feels like so long ago, but in reality little time has passed since my transformation, since my father killed me. It was barely a month past that Damon and I tried to save Katherine’s life, and her blood saved ours. Barely a month since I was a living, warm-blooded human, who sustained himself on meals of meat and vegetables, cheese and wine – and who slept in a feather bed, with clean linen sheets. We will write a custom essay sample on Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 4 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Yet it feels like a lifetime, and by some definitions, I suppose it is. But just as quickly as my fortunes turned after New Orleans, leaving me to live as a vagrant in a rocky hollow in the park, here I am at a proper desk under a leaded window, a thick rug at my feet. How quickly I am slipping back into human ways! The Sutherlands seem like a kind family. I picture tempestuous Bridget and her long-suffering older sister as mirror versions of Damon and myself. I never appreciated how harmless Damon’s and my father’s fights were back when they were just about horses and girls. I was always terrified one of them would say or do something that would end forever what semblance of a family we had left. Now that my father is dead and my brother and I are . . . what we are, I realize how much more serious things can get, and how simple and easy life was before. I shouldn’t even stay here, even tonight. I should sneak out the window and flee to my place of exile. Being enfolded in the warm, living embrace of the Sutherland family for any amount of time, no matter how short, is dangerous and deceptive. It makes me feel like I could almost belong to the world of humans again. They don’t realize they have welcomed a predator into their midst. All that would need to happen is for me to lose control once, to slip from my room right now and take my fill of one of them, and their lives would be filled with tragedy – just as mine became when Katherine arrived on our doorstep. Family has always been the most important thing to me, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit how comforting it is to be among people who love one another, if only for one borrowed night. . . . For the first time since I’d left New Orleans, I rose with the sun, intent to slip out of the mansion and disappear into the morning mists before anyone came to wake me. But it was hard to resist the pull of crisp linen sheets, the soft mattress, the shelves of books, and the painted ceiling of my room. After admiring the fresco of winged cherubs above me, I pushed off the soft covers and forced myself out of bed. Every muscle in my body rippled under my pale skin, full of strength and Power, but every bone in my rib cage showed. The Sutherlands had taken my clothes to be washed but hadn’t given me a nightshirt. I enjoyed the feeling of morning sunlight on my flesh, the glowing warmth fighting with the chill in the room. Though I’d never forgive Katherine for turning me into a monster, I was grateful at least for her lapis lazuli ring that protected me from the sun’s otherwise fatal rays. The window was open the slightest bit, ushering a cool breeze into the room and setting the diaphanous curtains aflutter. Though temperature no longer affected me, I closed the window, locking the latch with some puzzlement. I could have sworn all the windows had been shut tight last night. Before I had time to further consider the matter, the tell-tale thump of a heartbeat sounded close by, and after a light knock, the door cracked open. Lydia stuck her head in, then immediately blushed and looked away from my nearly naked form. â€Å"Father was afraid you might try to leave without saying good-bye. I was sent to make sure you didn’t charm a maid into helping you.† â€Å"I’m hardly in a state to sneak away,† I said, covering my chest with my arms. â€Å"I will need my pants to do that.† â€Å"Henry will be up shortly with your trousers, freshly pressed,† she said, keeping her eyes on the ground. â€Å"In the meantime, there is a bathing room just down the hall to the right. Please feel free to refresh yourself, and then come down to breakfast.† I nodded, feeling trapped. â€Å"And, Stefan.† Lydia looked up briefly and met my eye. â€Å"I do hope you’ll be able to locate a shirt as well.† Then she smiled and slipped away. When I finally came downstairs for breakfast, the entire Sutherland clan was waiting for me – even Bridget, who was alive and stuffing toast into her face like she hadn’t eaten in a fortnight. Except for a slight paleness to her complexion, it was impossible to tell that she’d nearly died the night before. Everyone turned and gasped as I approached. Apparently, I cut a different figure from the hero in shirtsleeves the night before. With freshly polished fine Italian shoes, neat pants, a new clean shirt, and a borrowed jacket Winfield had sent up for me, I was every inch the gentleman. I’d even washed my face and combed my hair back. â€Å"Cook made you some grits, if you like,† Mrs. Sutherland said, indicating a bowl of gloppy white stuff. â€Å"We don’t usually indulge, but thought our Southern guest might.† â€Å"Thank you, ma’am,† I said, taking the empty seat next to Bridget and eyeing the spread on the large wooden table. After my mother passed away, Damon, my father, and I made it a habit to dine casually with the men who we employed on the plantation. Breakfast was often the simple stuff of workers, hominy and biscuits, bread and syrup, rashers of bacon. What was laid out at the Winfield residence put to shame the finest restaurants in Virginia. You read "Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 4" in category "Essay examples" English-style toast in delicate wire holders, five different types of jam, two kinds of bacon, johnnycakes, syrup, even freshly squeezed orange juice. The delicate plates had blue Dutch patterns, and there was more silverware than I was accustomed to seeing at a formal dinner. Wishing I still had a human appetite – and ignoring the fire in my veins that thirsted for blood – I pretended to dig in. â€Å"Much obliged,† I said. â€Å"So this is my little sister’s savior,† said the one woman in the room I didn’t know. â€Å"Allow me to introduce the eldest of my daughters,† Winfield said. â€Å"This is Margaret. First married. And first with grandchildren, we’re hoping.† â€Å"Papa,† Margaret admonished, before turning her attention back to me. â€Å"Pleased to meet you.† Where Bridget was full of life and the plumpness of youth and Lydia was the elegant, cultivated one, Margaret had something of a practical and inquisitive good sense, an earthiness that showed in questioning blue eyes. Her hair was black and inclined to straightness. â€Å"We were just discussing what prompted my child’s rash actions,† Winfield said, bringing the conversation back to the previous night. â€Å"I don’t know why I ran off,† Bridget pouted, drawing deeply from a cup of orange juice. The older sisters gave each other looks, but their father leaned closer, worry lines marring his forehead. â€Å"I just felt that I absolutely had to leave. So I did.† â€Å"It was foolish and dangerous,† her mother reprimanded, shaking her napkin. â€Å"You could have died!† â€Å"I am glad to see you are doing so well today,† I said politely. Bridget grinned, displaying teeth that had little bits of orange pulp stuck in them. â€Å"Yes. About that.† Margaret spoke up, tapping her egg spoon on the side of her plate. â€Å"You say you found her covered in blood in the park?† â€Å"Yes, ma’am,† I answered warily, taking the smallest piece of bacon on my plate. This sister sounded more astute than the others and wasn’t afraid to ask uncomfortable questions. â€Å"There was a lot of blood, and Bridget’s dress was torn.† Margaret pressed, â€Å"Did you find it odd that there was no actual wound?† â€Å"Uh,† I stammered. My mind raced. What could I say? The blood was someone else’s? â€Å"I thought there was a knife wound last night,† Mrs. Sutherland said, pursing her lips and thinking. â€Å"But it was just clotted blood, and wiping it down cleared it away.† Margaret pierced me with her eyes. â€Å"Maybe she was afflicted with a nosebleed . . . ?† I mumbled lamely. â€Å"So you’re saying that you didn’t see any attacker when you came upon my sister?† Margaret asked. â€Å"Oh, Meggie, you and your interrogations,† Winfield said. â€Å"It’s a miracle that Bridge is all right. Thank goodness Stefan here found her when he did.† â€Å"Yes. Of course. Thank goodness,† Margaret said. â€Å"And what were you doing in the park last night by yourself?† she continued smoothly. â€Å"Walking,† I said, same as I had answered her father the night before. In the bright light of morning, it struck me as odd that Winfield had asked me nothing more than my name and why I’d been in the park. In times like these, and after his daughter had just suffered a great blow, it was hardly standard to accept a stranger into one’s home. Then again, my father had offered refuge to Katherine when she’d arrived in Mystic Falls, playing the part of an orphan. A nagging piece of me wondered if our story could have ended differently, if the entire Salvatore brood would still be alive, if only we’d pressed Katherine for answers about her past, rather than tiptoeing around the tragedy she’d claimed had taken her parents’ lives. Of course, Katherine had Damon and me so deeply in her thrall, perhaps it would have made no difference. Margaret leaned forward, not politely giving up the way Winfield had the night before. â€Å"You’re not from around here, I take it?† â€Å"I’m from Virginia,† I answered as she opened her mouth to form the next, obvious question. In a strange way, it made me feel better to offer this family something real. Besides, soon enough I would be out of this house, out of their lives, and it wouldn’t matter what they knew about me. â€Å"Whereabouts?† she pressed. â€Å"Mystic Falls.† â€Å"I’ve never heard of it.† â€Å"It’s fairly small. Just one main street and some plantations.† There was some shuffling movement under the table, and I could only assume that either Bridget or Lydia was trying to give Margaret a good kick. If the blow was successful, Margaret gave no sign. â€Å"Are you an educated man?† she continued. â€Å"No, ma’am. I planned to study at the University of Virginia. The war put a stop to that.† â€Å"War is good for no one,† Winfield said as he stabbed a piece of bacon with his fork. â€Å"The war put a stop to much casual travel back and forth between the states,† Margaret added. â€Å"What’s that to do with anything?† Bridget demanded. â€Å"Your sister is suggesting that it’s an odd time for me to come north,† I explained. â€Å"But my father recently died. . . .† â€Å"From the war?† Bridget demanded breathlessly. Lydia and Mrs. Sutherland glared at her. â€Å"Indirectly,† I answered. A war had claimed my father’s life, a war against vampires – against me. â€Å"My town . . . it burned, and there was nothing left for me anymore.† â€Å"So you came north,† Lydia said. â€Å"To try your hand at business, maybe?† Winfield suggested hopefully. Here was a man with three daughters, three beautiful daughters, but no sons. No one to share cigars and brandy with, no one to push and encourage and compete with in the world of business. I was both worried and amused by the gleam in his eye when he looked at me. Surely there were families with sons in Manhattan who would make for more auspicious marital alliances. â€Å"Whatever I can do, I aim to make my way in the world on my own,† I replied, taking a sip of coffee. I would have to, without Lexi or Katherine to guide me. And if I ever saw Damon again, the only thing he would guide me toward was a newly sharpened stake. â€Å"Where are you living?† Margaret continued. â€Å"Do you have family here?† I cleared my throat, but before I had to tell my first real lie, Bridget groaned. â€Å"Meggie, I’m bored of this interrogation!† A hint of a smile bloomed on Lydia’s lips, and she quickly hid it behind her napkin. â€Å"What would you prefer to talk about?† â€Å"Yourself?† Margaret said with an arched brow. â€Å"Yes, actually!† Bridget said, looking around the table. Her eyes glowed as green as Callie’s, but with her petulance on full display, she no longer reminded me of my lost love. â€Å"I still don’t know why I ran out on the party.† Margaret rolled her eyes. Lydia shook her head. â€Å"I mean, you should have seen the looks I got!† she started up, waving her knife in the air for emphasis. â€Å"Flora’s dress was the worst, especially considering she’s a newly married woman. And my new sash – oh no, was it ruined last night? I would hate to have it ruined! Mama! Was it on me when Stefan brought me home? We have to go back to the park and look for it!† â€Å"How about we go back to the park and look for the person who tried to kill you,† Margaret suggested. â€Å"We’ve already had a discussion with Inspector Warren about it. He promises a thorough investigation,† Mrs. Sutherland said. â€Å"But, Bridget, you must promise not to run off from the Chesters’ ball this evening or I will be forced to stand watch over you in your bedroom.† Bridget crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. â€Å"And neither shall you run off,† Mrs. Sutherland said more pointedly to Lydia. The middle sister blushed. â€Å"Lydia has fallen in love with an Italian count,† Bridget confided, her pout evaporating as she indulged in gossip. â€Å"We all hope he asks her hand in marriage – wouldn’t that be splendid? Then we’d all be like royalty, sort of, and not just rich merchants. Imagine, Lydia a countess!† Winfield laughed nervously. â€Å"Bridget . . .† Bridget fluttered her thick eyelashes. â€Å"It’s so wonderful that Lydia has a suitor, much less a count. After Meggie was wed, I was afraid Mother and Papa would become traditional and not let me marry until Lydia did and who knew how long that was going to take.† â€Å"Lydia is . . . particular,† Mrs. Sutherland said. â€Å"Oh really, Mama,† Bridget rolled her eyes. â€Å"As if anyone even had an interest before. And now she has a count. It’s really . . . it’s really not fair, you know, if you think about it . . . if I had a proper coming out . . .† I shifted in my seat, at once embarrassed for everyone, and yet glad to be involved in something as ordinary as a family squabble. This was the first time I’d been among company since leaving Lexi in New Orleans. â€Å"So many handsome, strange men in our lives these days,† Margaret said, somewhere between whimsy and warning. â€Å"What an odd coincidence, Mr. Salvatore. Perhaps I needn’t make the grand tour, after all.† â€Å"Hush now, Margaret,† Winfield said. â€Å"And actually I have no one to go to the Chesters’ with anyhow, Mama,† Bridget was continuing, actually growing red in the face as if she was trying quite hard to cry. She looked at me sidelong the entire time. â€Å"I am sure Milash won’t escort me after last night. . . . I am in dire need of rescue. . . .† Bridget widened her green eyes at her father. Winfield frowned and stroked his muttonchops thoughtfully. In that moment, Bridget seemed as powerful as a vampire, able to compel her father to her every wish. Margaret put a hand to her head as if it ached. â€Å"Mr. Salvatore will take you,† Winfield said, gesturing at me with a fork full of biscuit. â€Å"He’s rescued you once; I’m sure he’s a gentleman who wouldn’t leave you in distress again.† All eyes were turned on me. Bridget perked up, smiling at me like a kitten just offered a bowl of cream. I balked. â€Å"I’m afraid I haven’t the proper attire . . .† I began. â€Å"Oh, that is solved easily enough,† Mrs. Sutherland said with a knowing smile. â€Å"Once again,† Lydia murmured, too low for anyone else to hear, â€Å"we are holding poor Mr. Salvatore at our mercy. With pants.† How to cite Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 4, Essay examples

Legalize Gambling Essays - Gambling, Casino, Economics Of Gambling

Legalize Gambling Whether or not to legalize gambling is a tough decision. The pros and cons of the question are almost equal, and while some say it will boost economy others say it can destroy it. No one argues that gambling is a big, profitable business, they only question whether it is a business doing good, or the opposite. Arguments both ways are very compelling and both sides have many examples that demonstrate their point. However, if I were in the position of deciding if gambling should become fully legal in my country I would side with gambling. In many areas of the world gambling has proven an economic success. The growth in jobs, revenue and government money is too large to ignore. Although critics point out areas that have not grown since gambling started, this is mainly because of bad deals with the government or the community and not because of gambling itself. If we look at gambling as a gamble and be careful we can avoid many mistakes that have already been made. Opponents also tout the objectionable moral standards which gambling supposedly encourages. While this may be true, that does not give people the right to stop others from gambling. Many find premarital sex and homosexuality to be morally wrong, but that does not give them the right to stop the behavior. If they find it wrong, then they choose not to participate in the practice. Similarly, people can choose not to gamble but they cannot take that right away from people who do. The economic growth in cities that support gambling has been astou! nding. Billions of dollars a day come in through the casinos, and some of this money is then given to the government helping the economy even more. With the casinos also comes a huge amount of jobs. Construction, management, and many other jobs inside the casino boost local economy even more. Not only the casino benefits from the influx of more tourists but many other businesses will thrive, too. Hotels, restaurants, and others offering services will inevitably be boosted by the gambling business. Some people fear that other, illegal businesses will thrive because of the influx of money in addition to the legitimate ones. This may be true if we kept the same amount of law enforcement, however this will not be the case. With the additional revenue created by the casinos themselves the local authorities can now afford to keep more policemen and deceives on the street and investigating the gambling businesses. Corruption will be effectively held in check and scandal hel! d down. The shadowy background of gambling will slowly disappear as citizens realize that it is a legitimate business. In many areas of the United States gambling is already practiced with lottery and others of the same type. The stock market is also a form of gambling that no one objects about. The missed opportunity that not going with gambling is too large to be ignored and therefore the best choice is institute gambling. Economic gains by gambling are not the only consideration in this choice, one has to remember that many people want casinos near them. If the government is truly of the people and for the people it must follow the public's wish to introduce legalized gambling.