Parable of the Talents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Parable of the Talents - Essay Example 25. so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.' 26. But his master answered him: You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed 27. Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received my own with interest. 28. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.' 29. For to everyone who has it will be given and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' " A similar parable, called "The Parable of the Minas" or "The Parable of the Pounds" is found in the Gospel of Luke (19:12-27). 12. He said therefore: "A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom and then return. 13. Calling ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds, and said to them: 'Trade with these till I come.' 14. But his citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying: ' We do not want this man to reign over us.' 15. When he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. 16. The first came before him, saying: 'Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.' 17. And he said to him: 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful over very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.' 18. And the second came, saying: 'Lord, your pound has made five pounds.' 19. And he said to him: 'And you are to be over five cities.' 20. Then another came, saying: 'Lord,... Similarities and differences. There are examples of similarities, which are inevitable because of the common subject of the parables, these include, for example, such words as servants, say (said to him), came, man, money. But there are constructions which are too complex to repeat accidentally: from him and give it to him who has the ten, to everyone who has it will be given but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This raises the problem of relations between the two sources. Before turning our attention to this example, it is important to recall that there exists the Synoptic Problem, which is connected with the literary relationships between and among the Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke). Numerous hypotheses try to explain similarities and differences, which occur in the Gospels; some scientists explore the idea of the so-called Q-source (a lost source on Jesus' teachings). It can be reconstructed from the gospels of Matthew and Luke, which are based on two earlier sources: the gospel of Mark and Q. Stated differently, Q is by definition the material that Luke and Matthew have in common but is not dependent on Mark. In our case, when only t

Operation managment (Exercises) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Operation managment (Exercises) - Essay Example Both the -charts and R-charts are used to determine whether the output of the process fall within a certain range. These measures may focus specific features such as the net weight of the product. Alternatively they may also analyze the process as a whole such as the average output (Heizer and Render). However, what these two charts often do not measure is the defect rate. For this reason, p-charts and c-charts are present to do such analysis. The difference between the two is that the former can be used to describe the proportion of the population which is defective (Reid and Sanders). On the other hand, c-charts are used to analyze the raw quantity of defects which occur. In the case presented, only the number of defects is readily available for analysis. It is therefore necessary to use c-charts in analyzing data. There can be two approaches to analyzing the said data. To view the process as a whole, the total daily defect count can be computed. Using the daily defect count, the mean may be obtained. Subsequently, the upper and lower control limits for the c-chart may be constructed and analyzed. Tables 1 and 2 present the daily defect data for the standard material and the super plastic material. These two control charts reveal some interesting features of the two processes. The process for manufacturing the standard material shows a stable operation. ... Knowing these quantities, the control charts shown in Figure 1 and 2 may be constructed. Figure 1. Control Chart for the Defects in the Standard Material Figure 2. Control Chart for the Defects in the New Material These two control charts reveal some interesting features of the two processes. The process for manufacturing the standard material shows a stable operation. The points in the control chart are centered on the mean value and fluctuate above and below the central tendency. Also, no spikes can be seen in the chart. It can therefore be said that the original process is in control. The second chart shows a trend quite similar to the original process. As with the first chart, there are no spikes above or below the control limits. Also, the data fluctuates as with any normal process. However, it should be noted that near the start of the production process, the points are generally below the control limit. As each successive day in the production process passes, the total number of defects appears to be increasing. In fact, at the second half of the data, the points tend to be above the mean. The control chart in Figure 2 therefore reveals a drift towards the upper control limit. While this process is currently in control, it may eventually shift above the upper control limit. It therefore warrants further investigation (Heizer and Render). To isolate the nature of the defect, it becomes helpful to analyze each type of defect. That is, a control chart may be constructed for each particular type. The said defect counts are shown in Tables 3 and 4. Table 3. Individual Defect Count for the Standard Material Standard Uneven Crack Scratch Bubbles Thickness Week

Evaluating a Health Promotion Website: Smoking Cessation

Evaluating a Health Promotion Website: Smoking Cessation Introduction: For the purpose of this assignment and based on the webquest, I have chosen Essay 2, evaluating a health promotion website. The current health promotion topic I have selected is smoking cessation. The National Health Service (NHS) has set up a â€Å"Go Smokefree† Services and a NHS smoking helpline plus a website offering free advice on stopping smoking and details of your local NHS Stop Smoking Services (NICE 2006). The rationale for this choice is that having completed a placement on a respiratory ward caring for patients with many smoking related diseases, it is important for me as an adult branch nurse to discuss health promotion issues, and to be up to date with current information in order to help educate people and allow them to make informed choices regarding their health, especially the health benefits of stopping smoking. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2008) states that it is important for nurses to ensure that any advice or information given to patients is evidence based. Smoking is a long established health hazard and it is the largest avoidable cause of premature deaths in the UK (DOH 2007). It affects almost all branches of nursing because of the wide range of diseases and conditions which it causes. All types of health problems are linked to breathing in second hand smoke, so smokers risk the health of others as well as their own. Almost everyone knows that smoking is bad for their health but despite graphic images of blackened lungs and cancerous growths in doctors waiting rooms and on cigarette packets people start smoking or continue to smoke. In order to evaluate the information from my chosen website I will be using a framework (Kapoun 1998). The reason for using this framework is because his approach supports the assignment guidelines, which include; an overview of the website; the author’s credibility; content accuracy; content objectivity or bias; and the currency of the content. Accuracy: Having decided on the subject, smoking cessation I searched the World Wide Web, using the Google search engine using the criteria. I typed in current health promotions smoking, UK search only. This displayed 240,000 results, the number one return was www.nhs.uk/smokefree and I decided to use this one. The page is produced by the NHS and has no individual author. The website contains facilities for e-mail should you encounter any difficulties with using the website, and a direct contact telephone number for help and advice. The purpose of the document and the reason for its production (Kapoun 1998) is to provide information on the benefits of stopping smoking; it achieves this by offering advice online, and a facility to download inspirational DVDs and stop smoking guides. The website is aimed at providing information for all age groups and sections of the smoking population, with information and support networks available in many languages and formats including Braille. The website a lso provides many facilities for health care professionals to order various support materials like leaflets. In distinguishing between the author and the webmaster (Kapoun 1998) the author of the site who produces the content of the web page is the NHS, but the site webmaster who maintains the website is not shown as a separate body. The NHS as the major health care provider in the UK is more than qualified to write this document (Kapoun 1998) as they have access to all departments of health information and resources, plus government statistics and strategies. Authority: As discussed in the previous subheading the website publisher is not shown separately from the webmaster, but the copyright is held by the Department of Health (DOH 2007) for which no address is shown. The URL address is www.smokefree.nhs.uk and the domain is www.nhs.uk which clearly shows the document is published in the United Kingdom. The publisher does not list any qualifications but the pre-eminence of the NHS would lend authority to the document. Objectivity: The website does achieve its goals (Kapoun 1998). It achieves its objectives by making available information on the benefits of stopping smoking, the health risks and financial costs of continuing to smoke. For example the online calculator shows that the cost of smoking 40 cigarettes per day is  £300 per month, or  £37,000 over the next twenty years. The information is very detailed and explained in ordinary non-medical terms, making it easily readable for the average person. The website was obviously non-commercial, there was no external advertising, and the motives of the website were very clearly aimed only at dissuading people from starting to smoking and persuading them to stop. I feel that the NHS website was an excellent source of information; it had links to the national statistics website and links to the DOH website which clearly stated that it was a department of the government with ministerial responsibility, which clearly adds to its authority (Kapoun 1998). It had content for the layman seeking assistance to stop smoking, through to professionals, planning local and regional smoking cessation initiatives. In my opinion this website gave an objective point of view, because it presented the facts, the options, costs, the health risks and benefits without being judgemental, or biased against the smoking minority. By comparison, the Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) website presented its information in a more opinionated manner, the website had the feel of a crusade about it, rather than persuasion and offering information and support, it seemed to portray smokers as victims of the tobacco industry incapable of free choice. The website gives information on stopping smoking, and the benefits and aids to quitting, but the website feels like an anti-tobacco company campaign rather than a website promoting the benefits of stopping smoking. The website did not seem objective, as it presented its information and statistics in a more judgemental and bi ased manner. The contents of this website whilst containing information on ceasing smoking and the benefits of ceasing smoking appeared mainly political with a motive of banning the sale of tobacco. I feel that this website had a totally negative approach to dissuading smokers, and more of a dictatorial outlook. In further comparison the Nicorette.co.uk appeared factual in as much as it offered similar statistics as the NHS website but in a much simpler format. The information was easy to read, but it was aimed only at the general smoking public. Although it gives you the possible health benefits, and the costs of smoking which are in agreement with the NHS website, it is clearly a commercial website, promoting its own nicotine replacement therapies, although they do state on all their web pages, that stopping smoking â€Å"does require willpower†, which would infer that the products advertised are only an aid and not a cure. Unlike (ASH) the content of the website does not c riticise smokers or the tobacco companies, however as a commercial entity, it would not be in their commercial interest if tobacco was banned which may show an unspoken bias in favour of tobacco. Currency: The website appears to be up to date as it was set up at the start of the NHS â€Å"smokefree† campaign in 2007, although no specific update information available. All of the links were working and appeared to be updated regularly, as there was information on all current campaigns for February 2009 (Kapoun 1998). A current campaign dated 2nd February 2009 is designed to make the consequences of smoking during pregnancy more personal by explaining how smoking deprives the baby of oxygen and causes the babies heart to beat faster (DOH 2008). Coverage: The website appears to be almost completely self contained with very few external links (Kapoun 1998). The whole document appears to be very well balanced with images, videos text and graphics. For example, several television celebrities after being given advice and support from local NHS stop smoking advisers have recorded video diaries of their personal experiences of stopping smoking, which are available to view online, or you can also order a DVD free of charge. There is no special software requirements needed to view the information on the website, no browser recommendations are given, nor are there any fees payable to use the website, plus all downloads and promotional material is free (Kapoun 1998). There are accessibility options of large text for people who are visually impaired. The information on the website is mainly in the public domain, meaning there is no copyright, and no citations are shown. Conclusion: First impressions of the website were very positive and this carried on through as I read the material and followed the links. The website is well presented and all the links worked, the website was easy to use, interesting and catchy. There is a wealth of information on the effects of smoking, social effects (stains your teeth and clothes smell), the effects on other peoples health (second hand smoke), the financial costs (to the smoker) and not least the huge negative effects on the smoker’s health. The website equally promoted the enormous benefits to be gained by stopping smoking, even after many years of smoking. All information downloads, and promotional material is free. There are telephones lines for help and advice; addresses for regional centres were also available. I thought the website would be of great assistance to many people who genuinely wanted to quit smoking, the support and advice offered was very comprehensive, and also had facilities for health care profe ssionals, service providers and employers on how to refer smokers to NHS services, support smokers in stopping, and plan the delivery of smoking cessation services (NICE 2008). The website policy and privacy guidelines were difficult to find via the page links, but they could be found easily by using the search facility, if you could find the correct keywords. In my opinion the information was accurate, reliable, and the source, Department of Health (DOH), which is a Government Ministry, is trustworthy. On writing this assignment I have improved my knowledge and understanding regarding website evaluation. As a student nurse, and to offer evidence based health promotional information to patients, I realise how important it is to research the information, making sure it is current, checking how often it is updated, how reliable the information is, does it come from a credible source, can the reader trust the information (Kapoun 1998). I will take with me into future practice the knowledge that, before I provide any information to patients, it has been critically evaluated, in order for them to make informed choices regarding their health care. Reference List. ASH (2007) Essential information on stopping Smoking. [Online]. Available at http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_116.pdf [Accessed on 11th March 2009]. Department of Health (DOH) (2007) [online]. Available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/Tobacco/index.htm [Accessed on 28th February 2009]. Department of Health (DOH) (2008) [Online]. Available at http://smokefree.nhs.uk/smoking-and-pregnancy/ [Accessed on 28th February 2009]. Kapoun, J. (1998) Teaching Undergraduates WEB Evaluation. College and Research Libraries News. July/August 1998. p 522-523. Nice (2006) Brief Interventions and Referral for Smoking Cessation in Primary Care and other Settings. [Online]. Available at http://www.gpiag.org/news/smokingcessation/nice_smoking_interventions_quick_reference.pdf [Accessed on 28th February 2009]. Nice (2008) Smoking Cessation Services. [Online]. Available at http://www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/PH10 [Accessed on 28th February 2009]. Nicorette (2009). Stop Smoking Now. [Online]. Available at www.nicorette.co.uk [Accessed on 10 March 2009]. Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) The Code. London: NMC. The National Health Service (NHS) (2007) â€Å"Go Smokefree†. [Online]. Available at www.smokefree.nhs.uk [Accessed on 27th February 2009].

The Importance Of The Human Genome Project Essay -- Science Genetics B

The Importance Of The Human Genome Project This is the outstanding achievement not only of our lifetime, but of human history. I say this, because the Human Genome Project has the potential to impact the life of every person on this planet. It is a giant resource that will change mankind, much like the printing press did. The famous words of Dr. James Watson resonated as a victory bell, signaling the successful completion of what many deemed the boldest undertaking in the history of biology: The Human Genome Project (2003). On the fiftieth anniversary of the day that forever changed science the day Watson and his colleague Francis Crick unraveled the secret of life, the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid the world was presented with another shocking discovery: the complete sequence of the human genome. Almost immediately, uproar swept throughout the science community and the world-at-large, as many believed that the solution to our problems had finally arrived the true secret of life the panacea that would dissipate the ominous clouds of disease and suffering. Yet, as often happens when a promising new idea is presented on tenuous grounds, the revelers had only heard a fraction of the entire story; their grand hopes were born primarily of imagination. But when all the celebratory confetti had cleared, there stood defiantly amidst all the hoopla voices of reason. Molecular anthropologist Jonathan Marks voice was one of these. In an excerpt from his literary work What It Means to be 98% Chimpanzee: Apes, People, and Their Genes, Marks undermines the importance of the Human Genome Project and our genes, advocating instead a more rational and moderate view of them. By exposing three of the Project s flaws, he hopes to convince... ...ealize that our genes are but one aspect of our history, that there are many other histories that are even more important it is a delusion to think that genomics in isolation will ever tell us what it means to be human (2001, paragraph 11). Indeed, everything is not solely in our genes. Works Cited Beckwith, J. (2002). Geneticists in society, society in genetics. In J. Alper (Ed.), The double-edged helix (pp. 39-57). Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Lewontin, R.C. (1991). Causes and their effects. Biology as ideology: the doctrine of DNA (pp. 41-57). New York: HarperPerennial. Marks, J. (2002). The meaning of human variation. What it means to be 98% chimpanzee: apes, people, and their genes (pp. 88-95). Berkeley: University of California Press. Paabo, S. (2001). The human genome and our view of ourselves. Science Magazine 291, 1219-1220.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Five

Lovely house,† Jack said, as he was led – hands still bound – through the grand entrance of Belgrave. He turned to the old lady. â€Å"Did you decorate? It has that woman's touch.† Miss Eversleigh was trailing behind, but he could hear her choke back a bubble of laughter. â€Å"Oh, let it out, Miss Eversleigh,† he called over his shoulder. â€Å"Much better for your constitution.† â€Å"This way,† the dowager ordered, motioning for him to follow her down the hall. â€Å"Should I obey, Miss Eversleigh?† She did not reply, smart girl that she was. But he was far too furious for circumspect sympathy, so he took his insolence one step further. â€Å"Yoo-hoo! Miss Eversleigh! Did you hear me?† â€Å"Of course she heard you,† the dowager snapped angrily. Jack paused, cocking his head as he regarded the dowager. â€Å"I thought you were overjoyed to make my acquaintance.† â€Å"I am,† she bit off. â€Å"Hmmm.† He turned to Miss Eversleigh, who had caught up to them during the exchange. â€Å"I don't think she sounds overjoyed, Miss Eversleigh. Do you?† Miss Eversleigh's eyes darted from him to her employer and back before she said, â€Å"The dowager duchess is most eager to accept you into her family.† â€Å"Well said, Miss Eversleigh,† he applauded. â€Å"Insightful and yet circumspect.† He turned back to the dowager. â€Å"I hope you pay her well.† Two red spots appeared on the dowager's cheeks, in such stark relief to the white of her skin that he would have sworn she'd used rouge if he hadn't seen the angry marks appear with his own eyes. â€Å"You are dismissed,† she ordered, not even looking at Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"I am?† he feigned. â€Å"Lovely.† He held out his bound wrists. â€Å"Would you mind?† â€Å"Not you, her.† His grandmother's jaw clenched. â€Å"As you well know.† But Jack was not in the mood to be accommodating, and in that moment he did not even care to maintain his usual jocular facade. And so he looked her in the eye, his green meeting her icy, icy blue, and as he spoke, he felt a shiver of deja vu. It was almost as if he were back on the Continent, back in battle, his shoulders straight and his eyes narrowed as he faced down the enemy. â€Å"She stays.† They froze, all three of them, and Jack's eyes did not waver from the dowager's as he continued. â€Å"You brought her into this. She will remain through to the end.† He half expected Miss Eversleigh to protest. Hell, any sane person would have run as far as possible from the upcoming confrontation. But she stood utterly still, her arms stick-straight at her sides, her only movement her throat as she swallowed. â€Å"If you want me,† he said quietly, â€Å"you will take her as well.† The dowager sucked a long, angry breath through her nose and jerked her head to the side. â€Å"Grace,† she barked, â€Å"the crimson drawing room. Now.† Her name was Grace. He turned and looked at her. Her skin was pale and her eyes were wide and assessing. Grace. He liked it. It fit her. â€Å"Don't you want to know my name?† he called out to the dowager, who was already stalking down the hall. She stopped and turned, as he knew she would. â€Å"It's John,† he announced, enjoying the way the blood drained from her face. â€Å"Jack to friends† – he looked at Grace with heavy-lidded seduction in his eyes – â€Å"and friends.† He could have sworn he felt her shiver, which delighted him. â€Å"Are we?† he murmured. Her lips parted a full second before she managed to make a sound. â€Å"Are we what?† â€Å"Friends, of course.† â€Å"I – I – â€Å" â€Å"Will you leave my companion alone!† the dowager barked. He sighed and shook his head toward Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"She's so domineering, don't you think?† Miss Eversleigh blushed. Truly, it was the prettiest pink he'd ever seen. â€Å"Pity about these bindings,† he continued. â€Å"We do seem to be caught in a romantic moment, your employer's acidic presence aside, and it would be far easier to drop one exquisite kiss on the back of your hand were I able to lift it with one of mine.† This time he was certain she shivered. â€Å"Or your mouth,† he whispered. â€Å"I might kiss your mouth.† There was a lovely silence, broken rather rudely by: â€Å"What the devil?† Miss Eversleigh jumped back a foot or three, and Jack turned to see an extremely angry man striding his way. â€Å"Is this man bothering you, Grace?† he demanded. She shook her head quickly. â€Å"No, no, he's not. But – â€Å" The newcomer turned to Jack with furious blue eyes. Furious blue eyes that rather closely resembled those of the dowager, save for the bags and wrinkles. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Who are you?† Jack countered, instantly disliking him. â€Å"I am Wyndham,† he shot back. â€Å"And you are in my home.† Jack blinked. A cousin. His new family was growing more charming by the second. â€Å"Ah. Well, in that case, I am Jack Audley. Formerly of His Majesty's esteemed army, more recently of the dusty road.† â€Å"Who are these Audleys?† the dowager demanded, crossing back over. â€Å"You are no Audley. It is there in your face. In your nose and chin and in every bloody feature save your eyes, which are quite the wrong color.† â€Å"The wrong color?† Jack responded, acting hurt. â€Å"Really?† He turned to Miss Eversleigh. â€Å"I was always told the ladies like green eyes. Was I misinformed?† â€Å"You are a Cavendish!† the dowager roared. â€Å"You are a Cavendish, and I demand to know why I was not informed of your existence.† â€Å"What the devil is going on?† Wyndham demanded. Jack thought it wasn't his duty to answer, so he happily kept quiet. â€Å"Grace?† Wyndham asked, turning to Miss Eversleigh. Jack watched the exchange with interest. They were friends, but were they friendly? He could not be sure. Miss Eversleigh swallowed with noticeable discomfort. â€Å"Your grace,† she said, â€Å"perhaps a word in private?† â€Å"And spoil it for the rest of us?† Jack chimed in, because after what he'd been subjected to, he didn't much feel that anyone deserved a moment of privacy. And then, to achieve maximum irritation, he added, â€Å"After all I've been through†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He is your cousin,† the dowager announced sharply. â€Å"He is the highwayman,† Miss Eversleigh said. â€Å"Not,† Jack added, turning to display his bound hands, â€Å"here of my own volition, I assure you.† â€Å"Your grandmother thought she recognized him last night,† Miss Eversleigh told the duke. â€Å"I knew I recognized him,† the dowager snapped. Jack resisted the urge to duck as she flicked her hand at him. â€Å"Just look at him.† Jack turned to the duke. â€Å"I was wearing a mask.† Because really, he shouldn't have to take the blame for this. He smiled cheerfully, watching the duke with interest as he brought his hand to his forehead and pressed his temples with enough force to crush his skull. And then, just like that, his hand fell away and he yelled, â€Å"Cecil!† Jack was about to make a quip about another lost cousin, but at that moment a footman – presumably named Cecil – came skidding down the hall. â€Å"The portrait,† Wyndham bit off. â€Å"Of my uncle.† â€Å"The one we just brought up to – â€Å" â€Å"Yes. In the drawing room. Now! â€Å" Even Jack's eyes widened at the furious energy in his voice. And then – it was like acid in his belly – he saw Miss Eversleigh lay a hand on the duke's arm. â€Å"Thomas,† she said softly, surprising him with her use of his given name, â€Å"please allow me to explain.† â€Å"Did you know about this?† Wyndham demanded. â€Å"Yes, but – â€Å" â€Å"Last night,† he said icily. â€Å"Did you know last night?† Last night? â€Å"I did, but Thomas – â€Å" What happened last night? â€Å"Enough,† he spat. â€Å"Into the drawing room. All of you.† Jack followed the duke, and then, once the door was shut behind them, held up his hands. â€Å"D'you think you might†¦?† he asked. Rather conversationally, if he did say so himself. â€Å"For the love of Christ,† Wyndham muttered. He grabbed something from a writing table near the wall and then returned. With one angry swipe, he cut through the bindings with a gold letter opener. Jack looked down to make sure he wasn't bleeding. â€Å"Well done,† he murmured. Not even a scratch. â€Å"Thomas,† Miss Eversleigh was saying, â€Å"I really think you ought to let me speak with you for a moment before – â€Å" â€Å"Before what?† Wyndham snapped, turning on her with what Jack deemed rather unbecoming fury. â€Å"Before I am informed of another long-lost cousin whose head may or may not be wanted by the Crown?† â€Å"Not by the Crown, I think,† Jack said mildly. He had his reputation to think of, after all. â€Å"But surely a few magistrates. And a vicar or two.† He turned to the dowager. â€Å"Highway robbery is not generally considered the most secure of all possible occupations.† His levity was appreciated by no one, not even poor Miss Eversleigh, who had managed to incur the fury of both Wyndhams. Rather undeservedly, too, in his opinion. He hated bullies. â€Å"Thomas,† Miss Eversleigh implored, her tone once again causing Jack to wonder just what, precisely, existed between those two. â€Å"Your grace,† she corrected, with a nervous glance over at the dowager, â€Å"there is something you need to know.† â€Å"Indeed,† Wyndham bit off. â€Å"The identities of my true friends and confidantes, for one thing.† Miss Eversleigh flinched as if struck, and at that moment Jack decided that he'd had quite enough. â€Å"I suggest,† he said, his voice light but steady, â€Å"that you speak to Miss Eversleigh with greater respect.† The duke turned to him, his eyes as stunned as the silence that descended over the room. â€Å"I beg your pardon.† Jack hated him in that moment, every prideful little aristocratic speck of him. â€Å"Not used to being spoken to like a man, are we?† he taunted. The air went electric, and Jack knew he probably should have foreseen what would come next, but the duke's face had positively twisted into fury, and Jack somehow could not seem to move as Wyndham launched himself forward, his hands wrapping themselves around his throat as the both of them went crashing down to the carpet. Cursing himself for a fool, Jack tried to get traction as the duke's fist slammed into his jaw. Pure animalistic survival set in, and he tensed his belly into a hard knot. With one lightning-quick movement he threw his torso forward, using his head as a weapon. There was a satisfying crack as he struck Wyndham's jaw, and Jack took advantage of his stunned state to roll them over and reverse their positions. â€Å"Don't†¦you†¦. ever strike me again,† Jack growled. He'd fought in gutters, on battlefields, for his country and for his life, and he'd never had patience for men who threw the first punch. He took an elbow in the belly and was about to return the favor with a knee to the groin when Miss Eversleigh leapt into the fray, wedging herself between the two men with nary a thought to propriety or her own safety. â€Å"Stop it! Both of you!† Jack managed to nudge Wyndham's upper arm just in time to stop his fist from reaching her cheek. It would have been an accident, of course, but then he'd have had to kill him, and that would have been a hanging offense. â€Å"You should be ashamed of yourself,† Miss Eversleigh scolded, looking straight at the duke. He merely raised a brow and said, â€Å"You might want to remove yourself from my, er†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked down at his midsection, upon which she was now seated. â€Å"Oh!† She jumped up, and Jack would have defended her honor except that he had to admit he'd have said the same thing were he seated under her. Not to mention that she was still holding his arm. â€Å"Tend to my wounds?† he asked, making his eyes big and green and brimming with the world's most effective expression of seduction. Which was, of course, I need you. I need you and if you would only care for me I will forswear all other women and melt at your feet and quite possibly become filthy rich and if you'd like even royal all in one dreamy swoop. It never failed. Except, apparently, now. â€Å"You have no wounds,† she snapped, thrusting him away. She looked over at Wyndham, who had risen to his feet beside her. â€Å"And neither do you.† Jack was about to make a comment about the milk of human kindness, but just then the dowager stepped forward and smacked her grandson – that would be the grandson of whose lineage they were quite certain – in the shoulder. â€Å"Apologize at once!† she snapped. â€Å"He is a guest in our house.† A guest. Jack was touched. â€Å"My house,† the duke snapped back. Jack watched the old lady with interest. She wouldn't take well to that. â€Å"He is your first cousin,† she said tightly. â€Å"One would think, given the lack of close relations in our family, that you would be eager to welcome him into the fold.† Oh, right. The duke was just brimming with joy. â€Å"Would someone,† Wyndham bit off, â€Å"do me the service of explaining just how this man has come to be in my drawing room?† Jack waited for someone to offer an explanation, and then, when none was forthcoming, offered his own version. â€Å"She kidnapped me,† he said with shrug, motioning toward the dowager. Wyndham turned slowly to his grandmother. â€Å"You kidnapped him,† he said, his voice flat and strangely devoid of disbelief. â€Å"Indeed,† she replied, her chin butting up in the air. â€Å"And I would do it again.† â€Å"It's true,† Miss Eversleigh said. And then she delighted him by turning in his direction and saying, â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Accepted, of course,† Jack said graciously. The duke, however, was not amused. To the extent that poor Miss Eversleigh felt the need to defend her actions with, â€Å"She kidnapped him!† Wyndham ignored her. Jack was really starting to dislike him. â€Å"And forced me to take part,† Miss Eversleigh muttered. She, on the other hand, was quickly becoming one of his favorite people. â€Å"I recognized him last night,† the dowager announced. Wyndham looked at her disbelievingly. â€Å"In the dark?† â€Å"Under his mask,† she answered with pride. â€Å"He is the very image of his father. His voice, his laugh, every bit of it.† Jack hadn't thought this a particularly convincing argument himself, so he was curious to see how the duke responded. â€Å"Grandmother,† he said, with what Jack had to allow was remarkable patience, â€Å"I understand that you still mourn your son – â€Å" â€Å"Your uncle,† she cut in. â€Å"My uncle.† He cleared his throat. â€Å"But it has been thirty years since his death.† â€Å"Twenty-nine,† she corrected sharply. â€Å"It has been a long time,† Wyndham said. â€Å"Memories fade.† â€Å"Not mine,† she replied haughtily, â€Å"and certainly not the ones I have of John. Your father I have been more than pleased to forget entirely – â€Å" â€Å"In that we are agreed,† Wyndham interrupted, leaving Jack to wonder at that story. And then, looking as if he very much still wished to strangle someone (Jack would have put his money on the dowager, since he'd already had the pleasure), Wyndham turned and bellowed, â€Å"Cecil!† â€Å"Your grace!† came a voice from the hall. Jack watched as two footmen struggled to bring a massive painting around the corner and into the room. â€Å"Set it down anywhere,† the duke ordered. With a bit of grunting and one precarious moment during which it seemed the painting would topple what was, to Jack's eye, an extremely expensive Chinese vase, the footmen managed to find a clear spot and set the painting down on the floor, leaning it gently against the wall. Jack stepped forward. They all stepped forward. And Miss Eversleigh was the first to say it. â€Å"Oh my God.† It was him. Of course it wasn't him, because it was John Cavendish, who had perished nearly three decades earlier, but by God, it looked exactly like the man standing next to her. Grace's eyes grew so wide they hurt, and she looked back and forth and back and forth and – â€Å"I see no one is disagreeing with me now,† the dowager said smugly. Thomas turned to Mr. Audley as if he'd seen a ghost. â€Å"Who are you?† he whispered. But even Mr. Audley was without words. He was just staring at the portrait, staring and staring and staring, his face white, his lips parted, his entire body slack. Grace held her breath. Eventually he'd find his voice, and when he did, surely he'd tell them all what he'd told her the night before. My name isn't Cavendish. But it once was. â€Å"My name,† Mr. Audley stammered, â€Å"my given name†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, swallowed convulsively, and his voice shook as he said, â€Å"My full name is John Rollo Cavendish-Audley.† â€Å"Who were your parents?† Thomas whispered. Mr. Audley – Mr. Cavendish-Audley – didn't answer. â€Å"Who was your father?† Thomas's voice was louder this time, more insistent. â€Å"Who the bloody hell do you think he was?† Mr. Audley snapped. Grace's heart pounded. She looked at Thomas. He was pale and his hands were shaking, and she felt like such a traitor. She could have told him. She could have warned him. She had been a coward. â€Å"Your parents,† Thomas said, his voice low. â€Å"Were they married?† â€Å"What is your implication?† Mr. Audley demanded, and for a moment Grace feared that they would come to blows again. Mr. Audley brought to mind a caged beast, poked and prodded until he could stand it no more. â€Å"Please,† she pleaded, jumping between them yet again. â€Å"He doesn't know,† she said. Mr. Audley couldn't know what it meant if he was indeed legitimate. But Thomas did, and he'd gone so still that Grace thought he might shatter. She looked at him, and at his grandmother. â€Å"Someone needs to explain to Mr. Audley – â€Å" â€Å"Cavendish,† the dowager snapped. â€Å"Mr. Cavendish-Audley,† Grace said quickly, because she did not know how to style him without offending someone in the room. â€Å"Someone needs to tell him that†¦that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked to the others for help, for guidance, for something, because surely this was not her duty. She was the only one of them there not of Cavendish blood. Why did she have to make all of the explanations? She looked at Mr. Audley, trying not to see the portrait in his face, and said, â€Å"Your father – the man in the painting, that is – assuming he is your father – he was his grace's father's†¦ elder brother.† No one said anything. Grace cleared her throat. â€Å"So, if†¦if your parents were indeed lawfully married – â€Å" â€Å"They were,† Mr. Audley all but snapped. â€Å"Yes, of course. I mean, not of course, but – â€Å" â€Å"What she means,† Thomas cut in sharply, â€Å"is that if you are indeed the legitimate offspring of John Cavendish, then you are the Duke of Wyndham.† And there it was. The truth. Or if not the truth, then the possibility of the truth, and no one, not even the dowager, knew what to say. The two men – the two dukes, Grace thought with a hysterical bubble of laughter – simply stared at each other, taking each other's measure, and then finally Mr. Audley's hand seemed to reach out. It shook, quivered like the dowager's when she was attempting to find purchase, and then finally, when it settled on the back of a chair, his fingers grasped tightly. With legs that were clearly unsteady, Mr. Audley sat down. â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"No.† â€Å"You will remain here,† the dowager directed, â€Å"until this matter can be settled to my satisfaction.† â€Å"No,† Mr. Audley said with considerably more conviction. â€Å"I will not.† â€Å"Oh, yes, you will,† she responded. â€Å"If you do not, I will turn you in to the authorities as the thief you are.† â€Å"You wouldn't do that,† Grace blurted out. She turned to Mr. Audley. â€Å"She would never do that. Not if she believes that you are her grandson.† â€Å"Shut up!† the dowager growled. â€Å"I don't know what you think you are doing, Miss Eversleigh, but you are not family, and you have no place in this room.† Mr. Audley stood. His bearing was sharp, and proud, and for the first time Grace saw within him the military man he'd said he once was. When he spoke, his words were measured and clipped, completely unlike the lazy drawl she had come to expect from him. â€Å"Do not speak to her in that manner ever again.† Something inside of her melted. Thomas had defended her against his grandmother before; indeed, he'd long been her champion. But not like this. He valued her friendship, she knew that he did. But this†¦this was different. She didn't hear the words. She felt them. And as she watched Mr. Audley's face, her eyes slid to his mouth. It came back to her†¦the touch of his lips, his kiss, his breath, and the bittersweet shock when he was through, because she hadn't wanted it†¦and then she hadn't wanted it to end. There was perfect silence, stillness even, save for the widening of the dowager's eyes. And then, just when Grace realized that her hands had begun to tremble, the dowager bit off, â€Å"I am your grandmother.† â€Å"That,† Mr. Audley replied, â€Å"remains to be determined.† Grace's lips parted with surprise, because no one could doubt his parentage, not with the proof propped up against the drawing room wall. â€Å"What?† Thomas burst out. â€Å"Are you now trying to tell me that you don't think you are the son of John Cavendish?† Mr. Audley shrugged, and in an instant the steely determination in his eyes was gone. He was a highwayman rogue again, devil-may-care and completely without responsibility. â€Å"Frankly,† he said, â€Å"I'm not so certain I wish to gain entry into this charming little club of yours.† â€Å"You don't have a choice,† the dowager said. â€Å"So loving,† Mr. Audley said with sigh. â€Å"So thoughtful. Truly, a grandmother for the ages.† Grace clamped a hand over her mouth, but her choked laughter came through nonetheless. It was so inappropriate†¦in so many ways†¦but it was impossible to keep it in. The dowager's face had gone purple, her lips pinched until the lines of anger drew up to her nose. Not even Thomas had ever provoked such a reaction, and heaven knew, he had tried. She looked over at him. Of everyone in the room, surely he was the one with the most at stake. He looked exhausted. And bewildered. And furious, and amazingly, about to laugh. â€Å"Your grace,† she said hesitantly. She didn't know what she wanted to say to him. There probably wasn't anything to say, but the silence was just awful. He ignored her, but she knew he'd heard, because his body stiffened even more, then shuddered when he let out a breath. And then the dowager – oh why would she never learn to leave well enough alone? – bit off his name as if she were summoning a dog. â€Å"Shut up,† he snapped back. Grace wanted to reach out to him. Thomas was her friend, but he was – and he always had been – so far above her. And now she was standing here, hating herself because she could not stop thinking about the other man in the room, the one who might very well steal Thomas's very identity. And so she did nothing. And hated herself even more for it. â€Å"You should remain,† Thomas said to Mr. Audley. â€Å"We will need – â€Å" Grace held her breath as Thomas cleared his throat. â€Å"We will need to get this sorted out.† They all waited for Mr. Audley's response. He seemed to be assessing Thomas, taking his measure. Grace prayed he would realize just how difficult it must have been for Thomas to speak to him with such civility. Surely he would respond in kind. She wanted him so badly to be a good person. He'd kissed her. He'd defended her. Was it too much to hope that he was, underneath it all, a white knight?

Illustrative Essay Essay

In society today we look at magazines and movies and strive to be just like the people we see. The guys in these magazines have six packs and arms with muscles the size of Mt. Everest. And the girls are all size double zeros with no meat anywhere on their bodies. A lot of Americans work out and diet to accomplish the goal of having these body types, but some go to drastic measures to get it. Many eating disorders and their side effects are taking over the lives of Americans every day. Anorexia Nervosa is the number one eating disorder in America. One in every one hundred woman suffers from this disorder. Anorexia is where you deprive your body from any food. This can create many problems with the body. In the beginning, minor problems can occur like fatigue, dizzy spells, and weakness. But later on, you can do so much as to give yourself certain heart diseases and some women even lose their menstrual cycles. Anorexia has controlled the lives of many celebrities like Karen Carpenter (who actually died from it), Mary Kate Olsen, and Tara Reid. Another eating disorder wide spread through the United States in Bulimia. Three in every one hundred woman suffer or have suffered from Bulimia. This disorder is where you still eat, but you cause yourself to vomit. Statistics show that many women will turn to this disease because it is â€Å"less threatening† than anorexia. Bulimia can cause slight abdominal pain and bloating. Long term side effects of this disorder can be broken blood vessels in your eyes, rotting of your teeth, and even some types of colon and throat cancers. The last eating disorder that is an issue in the USA is obesity. Many people don’t think obesity is an eating disorder, but in fact it is. Everyone’s standard of obesity is obviously ifferent, but on a national scale PBS says that seventy three percent of Americans are overweight or obese. Obesity can cause diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure which are all life threatening problems. In conclusion, many eating problems are taking over America. There are healthier ways to get the body image you want. Don’t put your body at risk just to be what society wa nts you to be. You should be healthy, but you should become healthy, in a healthy manner. If you or anyone you know is struggling from an eating disorder, you should seek help as soon as possible.