The Human Reproductive System Essay Example for Free

The Human Reproductive System Essay The human reproductive system requires both the female and male to procreate. Although the reproductive organs will function separately, they will not create another human being without each other. The Male Sperm   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The male reproductive system is more external than the female. Sperm must be created to fertilize the female’s egg and this is done in the testes or testicles of the male. Sperm are mobile cells that contain the male’s chromosomes, to be passed on the offspring. There are hundreds of thousands of sperm produced during a male’s lifetime, all of which have the potential to fertilize an egg. Sperm die off and are recreated at the rate of 1% day and sperm that are released from the body live only a few hours. Scrotum The testes are contained in a fleshy pouch known as the scrotum, which hangs outside the male body in the groin area. The testes themselves are actually over 850 feet of tiny tubing, curled into two balls inside the scrotum. It is in these tubes that the sperm are formed. The scrotum is a highly sensitive area. Normal body temperature will kill the sperm due to their sensitivity to high temperatures; this is why the scrotum lies outside the body rather than internally. In cold weather, the scrotum will pull the testicles closer to the body to maintain the proper temperature. Once formed the sperm must pass through into the epidiymis, which is a larger tube that stores the sperm and lets them mature until it is time to be ejaculated into the female. The epidiymis is encased in the scrotum along with the testes. Ducts   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the sperm is ready to be ejaculated it leaves the epidiymis and travels through the vasa deferentia. The vasa deferentia extend from the epidymis and go around the bladder in many different directions. The ends of the vasa deferentia are called ejaculatory ducts. These ducts are located behind the bladder and empty into the urethra. Before the sperm reach the urethra they must also travel through the seminal vesicles, which are also located behind the bladder. Accessory Glands   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The seminal vesicles are part of a group of accessory glands. The seminal vesicles add the semen that coats the sperm during ejaculation. The seminal fluid â€Å"contains mucus, amino acids, fructose as the main energy source for the sperm, and prostaglandins to stimulate female uterine contractions to move the semen up into the uterus.† (biology.clc.uc.ed, 2007)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inside the body, at the beginning of the urethra, is the prostate gland. The prostate gland is considered an accessory gland and is the largest of these glands. It secretes directly into the urethra and mixes with the seminal fluid. The secretions of the prostate gland are high in alkaline. Alkaline neutralizes the acid left by urine and produced by the female body. It protects the sperm as they make their way through the female to the egg.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hanging from the front of the abdominal cavity on the outside of the body, in front of the scrotum, is the penis. It is made from several cylinders of spongy, erectile tissue. When the male becomes sexually excited, the spongy tissue becomes filled with arterial blood and the veins, which allow this blood to drain off to other areas, seal off. This causes an erection, which is required for ejaculation. The erection is also required to be able to enter the female’s vagina and fertilize the egg. Running through the center of the penis is a hollow tube called the urethra. It allows semen or urine to be released from the body. The male reproductive system  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/BioBookREPROD.html The Female   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The female reproductive organs are internal and produce eggs rather than sperm. The eggs are produced in the ovaries, which are located on either side of the abdominal cavity. The â€Å"eggs† are not like chicken or other animal eggs but more like a collection of special cells. While a female has almost a half million eggs at birth, only about 500 will be released from the ovaries during the time that she is fertile and able to reproduce. Eggs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The eggs are formed with a process known as â€Å"meiosis†. This means that the egg only has half of the chromosomes needed to complete a new being. The process known as fertilization provides the other half of the needed chromosomes, thus giving the offspring half from each contributing parent. Of the hundreds of thousands of eggs a female is born with, only about 300 of these are ever released to be fertilized. Ovaries   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ovaries, located on either side of the abdominal wall, create the eggs that are released for fertilization. The ovaries are connected to the fallopian tubes and store the unused eggs as well.   Ovaries also produce the female hormone estrogen, which affects mood, weight and other aspects of the body. Fallopian Tubes From the ovaries are the fallopian tubes, which extend from the ovaries on each side and down into the females uterus. The fallopian tubes lead into the uterus where the fertilized egg will remain as it gestates. In the female human, hormones contribute to the egg being released into the fallopian tubes. This is normally limited to one egg per cycle. Ovulation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ovulation is the period when an egg matures and is released into the fallopian tubes. This is â€Å"due to the stimulation of leutenizing hormone (LH), which then stimulates the remaining follicle cells to turn into a corpus luteum which then secretes progesterone to prepare the uterus for possible implantation. If an egg is not fertilized and does not implant, the corpus luteum disintegrates and when it stops producing progesterone, the lining of the uterus breaks down and is shed.† (biology.clc.uc.ed, 2007) Uterus   Ã‚  Ã‚   The uterus is located in the female abdominal cavity. It is lined with millions of cilia. These are tiny follicles that both attach the egg to the wall of the uterus and sweep the lining out when the egg disintegrates. At the end of the uterus is the cervix. The cervix has thick walls and a tiny opening leading into the vaginal canal. The cervix will open to pass the baby through when it is time for it to be born. Vaginal Canal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The vaginal canal extends from the cervix to the outside opening of the female vagina. It allows the penis to be inserted to fertilize the egg, pass menstrual blood out of the body and allow a baby to pass from the body. The walls are highly elastic and will stretch to accommodate the baby’s head. The Vagina   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The vagina is the outer area of the female reproductive system. It contains the opening leading to the vaginal canal and a tiny opening located right above it. This is the urethra and it allows urine to pass from the body. Directly above the urethra is the clitoris. This is the female counterpart to the male penis and is also highly sensitive. Covering the openings is the vulva. This consists of inner and outer labia, which are folds of skin. The vulva becomes covered with body hair when the female matures. Fertilization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fertilization of the egg occurs when the sperm meet the egg at the far end of the fallopian tube. The sperm fertilize the egg, the egg implants itself into the lining of the uterus and a new human is created. The female reproductive system  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/BioBookREPROD.html References http://emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/BioBookREPROD.html http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio105/reproduc.htm http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/female_reproductive_system.html

Sam Rayburn :: Essays Papers

Sam Rayburn Samuel "Sam" Taliaferro Rayburn was born in Tennessee in 1882. He was the eighth of 11 children. When Sam was 5 he moved west with his family to a 40-acre cotton farm just outside the small community of Flag Springs, Texas. At the age of 18, Sam left the family farm and went to East Texas Normal College in Commerce. His father sent him off with $25 and he added to that by sweeping school rooms, ringing the class bell and building fires in school stoves. After a year of college, he paid debts and earned more money teaching in Greenwood, Texas. He then returned to Commerce and finished his three-year degree in two years. Sam first ran for public office in 1906 when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives. While serving in the legislature, he attended and graduated from law school at the University of Texas in Austin. After two terms as State Representative, Sam was reelected to serve as speaker of the Texas House. He was only 29 at this time. In 1912, Sam ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. After winning that election, he, as a Democrat never again faced a Republican opponent. During his 48 years in the House, Rayburn served as minority leader for four years, majority leader for three years, and speak for 17 years. Even though he was a Democrat for life, he tended to be more moderate on most issues and he was never afraid to be independent or cut across party lines about any specific issue. This earned him respect from both sides of the House floor. His legislative accomplishments include authorship of the Truth in Securities Act of 1933 and the Railroad Holding Company Bill. A year after those he authored bills that created the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. In 1935, he co-authored the Rural Electrification Act, which helped to bring electricity to most rural homes in America. As Democratic majority leader, Sam Rayburn guided President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs through the U.S. House. On the personal side, Sam Rayburn was briefly married to Metze Jones, the sister of Rep. Marvin Jones of Amarillo. They were married in October of 1927 and divorced about 10 weeks later. On November 16, 1961, Samuel Rayburn died from cancer of the pancreas.

Health Benefits of Namaz or Salah.

Namaz The Best Exercise (STD: V, VI, VII, and VIII) What is Namaz? Namaz is the Urdu word for Prayer. The Arabic word for Prayer is Salah. Namaz is the form of Worship of Allah S. W. T performed by Muslims. Namaz is one of the most important of the 5 pillars of Islam. Allah S. W. T has mentioned the benefits and the importance of Namaz as many as 500 times in the Holy Qur’an. Apart from the spiritual benefits that Namaz offers to Muslim worshippers, it is also one of the best forms of exercise that one can do on a regular basis. Namaz has been made compulsory for Muslims 5 times daily the five times are: Fajr: Early morning just before sunrise. It consists of 4 Rakats. Zuhar:: Afternoon paryers post the period of Zawaal (when sun is perpendicular to earth). It consists of 12 Rakats. Asar:: Post afternoon and before Sunset. It consists of 8 Rakats. Maghrib: Just after Sunset. It consists of 7 Rakats. Isha: Late evening after the Sunset is complete and darkness of the night is complete and the cooling effect of the atmosphere begins. It consists of 17 Rakats A Rakat is one complete cycle of Standing, Bending, Prostrations and subsequent Sitting or Standing up again in the Namaz. Each posture of the Namaz has a standard defined procedure and recitations that are observed by every Muslim irrespective of where he lives or what race he belongs to. Muslims follow the methods as taught to us by Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu-Alaihi-Wasallam). Praying Namaz requires one to be clean in all respects, be it’s the physical self, the surroundings or the intent. No matter how hard a person prays or for how long he lies in prostration (Sajda), unless his intention are clean and motives selfless, the Namaz will not be accepted by Allah. It is required that a person ensures the surrounding is clean and free from sins where he intends to offer Namaz. The Prophet (Sallallahu-Alaihi-Wasallam) advised that except for the washroom or where one relieves himself and the graveyard, Allah has made the whole world as a place of worship for his believers. Namaz makes us disciplined and brings feeling of regularity and gives a direction to our daily life, 5 times a day, if we make it a routine to get up on hearing the Azaan, do the Wuzu (ablutions) and head for prayers, either in a congregation or alone, we feel a sense of Time Management in our daily chores. Interestingly there are various similarities between some of the postures of Namaz and Yoga! Now let us see some beneficial effects of different Namaz postures. Different Namaz Postures And Their Benefits: Posture 1 Name: Niyyat (Takbeer-e-Tahreema) First Takbeer in standing position to begin prayer Instructions: Bring hands, palms open, up to ears, and place thumbs behind earlobes, as â€Å"Allahu Akbar† (God is Great) is uttered. Beneficial Effects: It relaxes our body, straightening back improves posture and improves concentration. It also sharpens our vision by focusing on the floor. Posture 2 Name: Quayam Instructions: After you have touched your earlobes and said Takbeer bring down your hands and place your hands below the navel In this posture your sight should be fixed where you are going to perform Sajdah (Prostration), Place right wrist over the left, Wrap your left wrist with the thumb and the little finger. Rest the remaining fingers on the left forearm; Make sure your hands are tied below the navel, Beneficial Effects: It relaxes legs and back and extends concentration. It stimulates heart, thyroid and other important function of our body. Posture 3 Name: Ruku' (pronounced Rukoo) Instructions: Bend down at waist, placing palms of hands with fingers spread over knees. Back is parallel to ground, such that if a glass of water were on the back, it would not spill. Eyes looking down, directly ahead. Beneficial Effects: Blood is pumped down into upper torso as our muscles are stretched it also tones our muscles. This posture improves personality, generating sweet kindness and inner harmony. Posture 4 Name: Qauma Instructions: Stand straight again with you hands by your sides Beneficial Effects: It relaxes body and releases tension. Posture 5 Name: Sajdah Instructions: Go down to a kneeling position by placing both hands on knees, lowering oneself slowly and easily onto knees, then touch the head upon the ground so that the following seven body parts are in contact: forehead, two palms, two knees, toes of both feet. The end position of this posture is given below. Beneficial Effects: It prevents growth of flabbiness in the mid section and increase flow of blood in the head, including eyes, ears, nose and lungs; allows mental toxins to be cleansed by blood. It increases elasticity of joints. Posture 6 Name: Jalsa Instructions: Sit on your left foot which should be flat the ground, keep your right foot upright with toes faceing the Qiblah and place your hands near the knees in a manner that the fingers face the Qiblah Beneficial Effects: It cleanses respiratory, circulatory and nervous system and brings lightness in body and emotional happiness. Posture 7 Name: Second Sajdah Instructions: Go down to a kneeling position by placing both hands on knees, lowering oneself slowly and easily onto knees, then touch the head upon the ground so that the following seven body parts are in contact: forehead, two palms, two knees, toes of both feet. The end position of this posture is given below. Beneficial Effects: It prevents growth of flabbiness in the mid section and increase flow of blood in the head which allows mental toxin to be cleansed by the blood. It increases elasticity of joints. Posture 8 Name: Quood (Qa'dah-e-Akhira) Last sitting Completing the Salat: Beneficial Effects: It detoxifies liver and stimulates action of large intestine. It improves digestion. Posture 9 Name:Salaam Saying peace to end the Namaz Instructions: Turn your head to the right shoulder and say Salam, then turn your head to the left and say Salaam Beneficial Effects: It is one of the best neck exercises. http://www. janathimessage. co. uk/kids/learning/namaz. html www. chishti. org Namaz The Best Exercise (STD: I, II, III, and IV) Muslims pray five times a day, which each prayer made of a series of postures and movements, each set of which is called a rak'ah. For praying Namaz we should not only keep ourselves clean but our surroundings and the place of worship should also be clean. Namaz teaches us to be disciplined and understand the importance of Time Management. It is the perfect combination of Ablution (Wudu) and Namaz that keeps our soul and body clean and healthy. Interestingly there are various similarities between some of the postures of Namaz and Yoga! Now let us see some beneficial effects of different Namaz postures. Posture 1 Name: Niyyat (Takbeer-e-Tahreema) Beneficial Effects: It relaxes our body, straightening back. It also sharpens our vision by focusing on the floor. Posture 2 Name: Quayam Beneficial Effects: It relaxes legs and back and extends concentration. Posture 3 Name: Ruku' (pronounced Rukoo) Beneficial Effects: Blood is pumped down into upper torso as our muscles are stretched it also tones our muscles. This posture improves personality, generating sweet kindness and inner harmony. Posture 4 Name: Qauma Beneficial Effects: It relaxes body and releases tension. Posture 5 Name: Sajdah Beneficial Effects: It increase flow of blood in the head, including eyes, ears, nose and lungs; allows mental toxins to be cleansed by blood. It increases elasticity of joints. Posture 6 Name: Jalsa Beneficial Effects: It cleanses respiratory, circulatory and nervous system and brings lightness in body and emotional happiness. Posture 7 Name: Second Sajdah Beneficial Effects: Knees forming a right angle allow stomach muscles to be developed. Posture 8 Name: Quood (Qa'dah-e-Akhira) Beneficial Effects: It improves digestion. Posture 9 Name:Salaam Saying peace to end the Namaz Beneficial Effects: It is one of the best neck exercises. http://www. janathimessage. co. uk/kids/learning/namaz. html www. chishti. org

Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 8

What are you doing?† he repeated ferociously.His grip was hurting her. â€Å"I'm throwing the water bag down there,† Maggiesaid. But she was thinking, He's so strong. Stronger than anybody I've ever met. He could break mywrist without even trying. â€Å"I know that! Why?† â€Å"Because it's easier than carrying it down in myteeth,† Maggie said. But that wasn't the real reason,of course. The truth was that she needed to get temptation out of the way. She was so thirsty thatit was a kind of madness, and she was afraid ofwhat she would do if she held onto this cool, sloshing water bag much longer. He was staring at her with those startling eyes,as if he were trying to pryhis way into her brain.And Maggie had the odd feeling that he'd succeeded, at least far enough that he knew the real reason she was doing this. â€Å"You are an idiot,† he said slowly, with cold wonder. â€Å"You should listen to your body; it's telling youwhat it needs. You can't ignore thirst. You can'tdeny it.† â€Å"Yes, you can,† Maggie said flatly. Her wrist wasgoing numb. If this went on, she was going to dropthe bag involuntarily, and in the wrong place. â€Å"You can't,† he said, somehow making the wordsinto an angry hiss. â€Å"I should know.† Then he showed her his teeth. Maggie should have been prepared. Jeanne had told her. Vampires and witches and shapeshifters, she'd said. And Sylvia was a witch,and Bern had been a shapeshifter. This boy was a vampire. The strange thing was that, unlike Bern, he didn'tget uglier when he changed. His face seemed palerand finer, like something chiseled in ice. His goldeneyes burned brighter, framed by lashes that lookedeven blacker in contrast. His pupils opened and seemed to hold a darkness that could swallow aperson up. But it was the mouth that had changed the most.It looked even more willful, disdainful, and sullen-and it was drawn up into a sneer to displaythe fangs. Impressive fangs. Long, translucent white, tapering into delicate points. Shaped like a cat's canines,with a sheen on them like jewels. Not yellowing tusks like Bern's, but delicate instruments of death. What amazed Maggie was that although helooked completely different from anything she'd seen before, completely abnormal, he also lookedcompletely natural. This was another kind of creature, just like a human or a bear, with as muchright to live as either of them. Which didn't mean she wasn't scared. But shewas frightened in a new way, a way ready for action. She was ready to fight, if fighting became necessary. She'd already changed that much since entering this valley: fear now made her not panicked buthyper alert. If I have to defend myself I need both hands.And it's better not to let him see I'm scared. â€Å"Maybe you can't ignore your kind of thirst,† shesaid, and was pleased that her voice didn't wobble.†But I'm fine. Except that you're hurting my wrist. Can you please let go?† For just an instant, the brilliant yellow eyesflared even brighter, and she wondered if he wasgoing to attack her. But then his eyelids lowered,black lashes veiling the brightness. He let go ofher wrist. Maggie's arm sagged,and the leather bagdropped from her suddenly nerveless fingers. It landed safely at her feet. She rubbed her hand. And didn't look up a moment later, when he saidwith a kind of quiet hostility, â€Å"Aren't you afraidof me?† â€Å"Yes.† It was true. And it wasn't just because hewas a vampire or because he had a power thatcould send blue death twenty feet away. It was because of him, of the way he was. He was scary enough in and of himself. â€Å"But what good is it, being afraid?† Maggie said,still rubbing her hand. â€Å"If you're going to try tohurt me,IT fight back. And so far, you haven't triedto hurt me. You've only helped me.† â€Å"I told you, I didn't do it for you.And you'll neversurvive if you keep on being insane like this.† â€Å"Insane like what?† Now she did look up, to seethat his eyes were burning dark gold and his fangswere gone. His mouth simply looked scornful and aristocratic. â€Å"Trusting people,† he said, as if it should havebeen obvious. â€Å"Taking care of people. Don't youknow that only the strong ones make it? Weak people are deadweightand if you try to help them, they'll drag you down with them.† Maggie had an answer for that. â€Å"Cady isn'tweak,† she said flatly. â€Å"She's sickShe'll get betterif she gets the chance. And if we don't take care ofeach other, what's going to happen to all of us?† He looked exasperated, and for a few minutesthey stared at each other in mutual frustration. Then Maggie bent and picked up the bag again.†I'd better give it to her now. I'll bring your can teen back.† â€Å"Wait.† His voice was abrupt and cold, unfriendly. But this time he didn't grab her.†What?† â€Å"Follow me.† He gave the order briefly andturned without pausing to see if she obeyed. It wasclear that he expectedpeople to obey him, withoutquestions. â€Å"Bring the bag,† he said, without lookingover his shoulder. Maggie hesitated an instant, glancing down atCady. But the hollow was protected by the overhanging boulders; Cady would be all right there for a few minutes. She followed the boy. The narrow path that wound around the mountain was rough and primitive, interrupted by bands of broken, razor-sharpslate. She had to pick her way carefully aroundthem. In front of her, the boy turned toward the rocksuddenly and disappeared. When Maggie caught up, she saw the cave. The entrance was small, hardly more than acrack, and even Maggie had to stoop and go in sideways. But inside it opened into a snug littleenclosure that smelled of dampness and cool rock. Almost no light filtered in from the outsideworld. Maggie blinked, trying to adjust to the neardarkness, when there was a sound like a match strike and a smell of sulphur. A tiny flame was born, and Maggie saw the boy lighting some kindof crude stone lamp that had been carved out ofthe cave wall itself. He glanced back at her and his eyes flashed gold. But Maggie was gasping, looking around her.The light of the little flame threw a mass of shifting, confusing shadows everywhere, but it alsopicked out threads of sparkling quartz in the rock.The small cave had become a place of enchantment. Andatthe boy's feet was something that glitteredsilver. In the hush of the still air, Maggie couldhear the liquid, bell-like sound of water dripping. â€Å"It'sa pool,† the boy said. â€Å"Spring fed. The watees cold, but it's good. Water .Something like pure lust overcame Maggie. She took three steps forward, ignoring the boy completely, and then her legs collapsed.Shecupped a hand in the pool, felt the coolness encompass it to the wrist, and brought it out asif shewere holding liquid diamond in her palm. She'd never tasted anything asgood as that water. No Coke she'd drunk on the hottest day of summer could compare with it. It ran through herdry mouth and down her parched throatand then it seemed to spread all through her, sparklingthrough her body, soothing and reviving her. A sort of crystal clearness entered her brain. She drankand drank in a state of pure bliss. And then, when she was in the even more blissfulstate of being not thirsty anymore, she plunged the leather bag under the surface to fill it. â€Å"What's that for?† But there was a certain resignation in the boy's voice. â€Å"Cady. I have to get back to her.† Maggie sat backon her heels and looked at him. The light dancedand flickered around him, glinting bronze off hisdark hair, casting half his face in shadow. â€Å"Thank you,† she said, quietly, but in a voice thatshook slightly. â€Å"I think you probably saved mylife again.† â€Å"You were really thirsty.† â€Å"Yeah.† She stood up. â€Å"But when you thought there wasn't enoughwater, you were going to give it to her.† He couldn'tseem to get over the concept. â€Å"Yeah† â€Å"Even if it meant you dying?† â€Å"I didn't die,† Maggie pointed out. â€Å"And I wasn'tplanning to. Butyeah, I guess, if there wasn't anyother choice.† She saw him staring at her in utterbewilderment. â€Å"I took responsibility for her,† shesaid, trying to explain. â€Å"It's like when you take ina cat, or-or it's like being a queen or something.If you say you're going to be responsible for your subjects, you are. You owe them afterward.† Something glimmered in his golden eyes, just fora moment. It could have been a dagger point ofanger or just a spark of astonishment. There wasa silence. â€Å"It's not thatweird, people taking care of each other,† Maggie said, looking at his shadowed face. â€Å"Doesn't anybody do it here?† He gave a short laugh. â€Å"Hardly,† he said dryly.†The nobles know how to take care of themselves.And the slaves have to fight each other to survive.† He added abruptly, â€Å"All of which you should know.But of course you're not from here. You're fromOutside.† â€Å"I didn't know if you knew about Outside,† Mag gie said. â€Å"There isn't supposed to be any contact. Therewasn't for about five hundred years. But whenmy-when the old king died, they opened the pass,again and started bringing in slaves from the outside world. New blood.† He said it simply andmatter-of-factly. Mountain men, Maggie thought. For years there had been rumors about the Cascades, about menwho lived in hidden places among the glaciers andpreyed on climbers. Men or monsters. There were always hikers who claimed to have seen Bigfoot. And maybe they had-or maybe they'd seen ashapeshifter like Bern. â€Å"And you think that's okay,† she said out loud.†Grabbing people from the outside world and dragging them in here to be slaves.† â€Å"Notpeople.Humans.Humansarevermin;they're not intelligent.† He said it in that same dispassionate tone, looking right at her. â€Å"Are you crazy?†Maggie's fists were clenched; herhead was lowered. Stomping time. She glared upat him through narrowed lashes. â€Å"You're talking to a human right now. Am I intelligent or not?† â€Å"You're a slave without any manners,† he saidcurtly. â€Å"And the law says I could kill you for the way you'retalkingto me.† His voice was so cold, so arrogant†¦but Maggiewas starting not to believe it. That couldn't be all there was to him. Becausehe was the boy in her dream. The gentle, compassionate boy who'd looked ather with a flame of love behind his yellow eyes,and who'd held her with such tender intensity, hisheart beating against hers, his breath on her cheek. That boy had been real-and even if it didn't makeany sense, Maggie was somehow certain of it. And no matter how cold and arrogant this one seemed, they had to be part of each other. It didn't make her less afraid of this one, exactly.But it made her more determined to ignore herfear. â€Å"In my dream,† she said deliberately, advancinga step on him, â€Å"you cared about at least onehuman. You wanted to take care of me.† â€Å"You shouldn't even be allowedto dream aboutme,† he said. His voice wasas tense and grim asever, but as Maggie got closer to him, looking directly up into his face, he did something that amazed her. He fell back a step. â€Å"Why not? Because I'm a slave? I'm a person.† She took another step forward, still looking at him challengingly. â€Å"And I don't believe that you're asbad as you say you are. I think I saw what youwere really like in my dream.† â€Å"You're crazy,† he said. He didn't back up anyfarther, there was nowhere left to go. But his wholebody was taut. â€Å"Why should I want to take care of you?† he added in a cold and contemptuous voice.†What's so special about you?† It was a good question, and for a moment Maggie was shaken. Tears sprang to her eyes. â€Å"I don't know,† she said honestly. â€Å"I'm nobodyspecial. There isn'tany reason for you to care aboutme. But it doesn't matter. You saved my life whenBern was going to kill me, and you gave me waterwhen you knew I needed it. You can talk all youwant, but those are the facts. Maybe you just care about everybody, underneath. Or-â€Å" She never finished the last sentence. As she had been speaking to him, she was doingsomething she always did, that was instinctive to.,her when she felt some strong emotion. She had done it with P.J. and with Jeanne and with Cady. She reached out toward him. And although shewas only dimly aware that he was pulling his handsback to avoid her, she adjusted automatically,catching his wrists†¦. And that was when she lost her voice and whatshe was saying flew out of her head. Because something happened. Something that she couldn't ex plain, that was stranger than secret kingdoms orvampires or witchcraft. It happened justas her fingers closed on hishands. It was the first time they had touched like that, bare skin to bare skin. When he had grabbed her wrist before, her jacket sleeve had been in be tween them. It started as an almost painful jolt, a pulsatingthrill that zigged up her arm and then sweptthrough her body. Maggie gasped, but somehowshe couldn't let go of his hand. Like someone beingelectrocuted, she was frozen in place. The blue fire, she thought wildly. He's doing thesame thing to me that he did to Bern. But the next instant she knew that he wasn't. This wasn't the savage energy that had killed Bern, and it wasn't anything the boy was doing to her. Itwas something being done to both of them, by some incredibly powerful source outside either of them. And it was trying †¦ to open a channel. Thatwas the only way Maggie could describe it. It was blazing a path open in her mind, and connectingit to his. She feltas if she had turned around and unexpectedly found herself facing another person's soul.A soul that was hanging there, without protection,already in helpless communication with hers. It was by far the most intense thing that hadever happened to her. Maggie gasped again, seeingstars, and then her legs melted and she fellforward He caught her, but he couldn't stand up either.Maggie knew that as well as she knew what wasgoing on in her own body. He sank to his knees, holding her. What are you doing to me? It was a thought, but it wasn't Maggie's. It washis. I don't know †¦I'm not doing it †¦ I don't understand!Maggie had no idea how to send herthoughts to another person. But she didn't need to,it was simply happening. A pure line of communication had been opened between them. It was afierce and terrible thing, a bit like being fused together by a bolt of lightning, but it was also so wonderful that Maggie's entire skin was prickling and her mind was hushed with awe. She felt as if she'd been lifted into some new andwonderful place that most people never even saw. The air around her seemed to quiver with invisible wings. This is how people are supposed to be,shethought. Joined like this. Open to each other. Withnothing hidden and no stupid walls between them. A thought came back at her, sharp and quickasa hammer strike. No! It was so cold, so full of rejection, that for a moment Maggie was taken aback. But then she sensedwhat else was behind it. Anger†¦ and fear. He was afraid of this, andof her. He felt invaded. Exposed. Well, I do, too,Maggie said mentally. It wasn'tthat she wasn't afraid. It was that her fear was irrelevant. The force that held them was so much morepowerful than either of them, so immeasurably ancient, that fear was natural but not important. The same light shone through each of them, strippingaway their shields, making them transparent toeach other. It's all right for you. Because you don't have any thing to be ashamed of!The thought flashed by so quickly that Maggie wasn't even sure she hadheard it. What do you mean?she thought. Wait †¦ Delos. That was his name. Delos Redfern. She knew itnow, as unquestionably as she knew the names ofher own family. She realized, too, as a matter of minor importance, an afterthought, that he was a prince. A vampire prince who'd been born to rule this secret kingdom, as the Redfern family had ruled it for centuries. The old king was your father,she said to him. And he died three years ago, when you were fourteen. You've been ruling ever since. He was pulling away from her mentally, trying tobreak the contact between them. It's none of your business, he snarled. Please wait,Maggie said. But as she chased after him mentally, trying to catch him, to help him,something shocking and new happened, like a second bolt of lightning.

Push-Pull Factors that Determine Population Migration

Push-Pull Factors that Determine Population Migration In geographical terms, the push-pull factors are those that drive people away from a place and draw people to a new location. A combination of push-pull factors helps determine migration or immigration of particular populations from one land to another. Push factors are often forceful, demanding that a certain person or group of people leave one country for another, or at least giving that person or people strong reasons to want to move- either because of a threat of violence or loss of financial security. Pull factors, on the other hand, are often the positive aspects of a different country that encourage people to immigrate in order to seek a better life. While it may seem that push and pull factors are diametrically opposed, they both come into play when a population or person is considering migrating to a new location. Push Factors: Reasons to Leave Any number of detrimental factors can be considered push factors, which essentially force a population or person from one country to seek refuge in another, better country. These conditions which drive people to leave their homes can include bullying, a sub-standard level of living, food, land or job scarcity, famine or drought, political or religious persecution, pollution, or even natural disasters. When this happens, it may be difficult to pick and choose a destination: speed is more important than selecting the best option for relocation. Although all push factors dont require a person to leave a country, these conditions that contribute to a person leaving are often so dire that if they do not choose to leave, they will suffer financially, emotionally or physically.  The Great Potato Famine, for example, pushed thousands of Irish families to immigrate to the United States to avoid starvation. Populations with refugee statuses are the among the most affected by push factors in a country or region. Refugee populations are often faced with genocide-like conditions in their country of origin, usually because of authoritarian governments or populations opposed to religious or ethnic groups. For example, Jews leaving Germany during the Nazi era were threatened with violent death if they remained in their home country. Pull Factors: Reasons to Migrate Pull factors are those that help a person or population determine whether relocating to a new country would provide the most benefit. These factors attract populations to a new place largely because of what the country provides that was not available to them in their country of origin. A promise of freedom from religious or political persecution, availability of career opportunities or cheap land, or abundance of food could be considered pull factors for migrating to a new country. In each of these cases, a population will have more opportunity to pursue a better life compared to its home country. Students entering universities or seeking jobs in more developed countries, for example, are likely to receive larger salaries and greater opportunities than in their countries of origin. For some individuals and groups, push and pull factors work together. This is particularly the case when push factors are relatively benign. For example, a young adult who cannot find a lucrative job in her home country may consider immigrating only if the opportunities are significantly better elsewhere.

Become a Paid Expert by Writing Op-Eds

Become a Paid Expert Have you ever watched a story on the news and thought to yourself, I wish theyd asked me about that. I could have really told them a thing or two? Most of us are experts on something, and if were writers, most of us end up writing about what we know. We can create a positive feedback loop For instance, I was the first person to write a  book about the Upstairs Lounge fire, a terrible arson which killed 32 people at a gay bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans on Gay Pride Day in 1973. Each year, on the anniversary of the fire, newspapers and websites are interested in covering the tragedy. As an expert, I am often approached Likewise, a news story recently began making the rounds about a twelve-year-old girl who spoke in a Mormon church and revealed she was a lesbian, the bishop cutting off her microphone in the middle of her talk. As most of my fiction deals with gay Mormons, I was again an expert who had something meaningful to say on the incident. I submitted an op-ed to a newspaper in a heavily Mormon area, and my views on the importance of LGBTQ literature as a means of understanding our LGBTQ family, friends, and neighbors was published. Do you have a personal, compelling story about our broken healthcare system and why we need single-payer or some more conservative reform? Do you have a story about domestic violence? Our education system? Immigration? Has your home suffered damage in a fracking-related earthquake? Do you have a personal story involving gun violence that allows you to speak either for or against gun regulation? You do not need a PhD in order to be an expert on at least a tiny part of a major subject that newspapers want to hear about. Only a handful of newspapers pay for op-eds (Newsday, The New York Times, Boston Globe, and The Washington Post are a few), so you wont make a great deal of money writing and selling these pieces. But most papers who do publish your editorial or commentary will ask if you want to put the piece on the wire, meaning other newspapers across the country can pick it up and print it as well. You will get no additional income from this, but it does get you more exposure. Thats a bad word in the publishing industry because it basically means writing for free, but if you do your research and only write for those papers which will in fact pay you for first publication rights, then you get the money and the exposure. Publishing op-eds builds your reputation as an expert on the subjects important to you, and they build your resumà © as well. You will have a more impressive list of publications to add to your author

Financial Econometrics Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Econometrics Coursework - Essay Example In 2003, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) mentioned that the R-square of the regression analysis was insufficient to determine the effectiveness of hedging. In a speech by a professional accounting fellow from the office of the chief accountant of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, stated that determination of hedge effectiveness should consider the slope of the coefficient of the regression analysis. This coefficient reflects the minimum variance hedge ratio.1 The interpretation of the regression slope coefficient is the average change in the dependent variable: real total expenditure on food for a unit increase in the independent variable: Real total expenditure on goods and services. The slope coefficient it 0.32, thus for every 1 unit change in real total expenditure on goods and services, there is a 0.32 unit change in real expenditure on food. Omission of an important independent variable such as real price of food relative to other goods will result in the decreased ability of the model to predict the real total expenditures on food given the real total expenditures on food. The independent variables used to predict 99.9% of the dependent variable: real consumption expenditure as indicated by the value of the adjusted-R Squared. The Durbin-Watson value of 1.85 indicates there is no signs of first-order serial correlation in the residuals of a time series regression. The values of Akaike info criterion (AIC) -268.2093 and Schwarz criterion -273.6530 are extremely low indicating the need for modification in the regression model by changing the independent variables. The t-statistic value could be compared with the critical t-value which is not available. The reported Probability is the p-value, or marginal significance level. Since this probability value of the regression analysis (F-statistic) is less than the size of the test, say 0.05, the null hypothesis could be rejected. This indicates that the