A City For Promoting Sustainable Environment An Environmental Sciences Essays

A City For Promoting Sustainable Environment An Environmental Sciences Essays A City For Promoting Sustainable Environment An Environmental Sciences Essay A City For Promoting Sustainable Environment An Environmental Sciences Essay end 110 ( Beginning: www.secureproject.org ) The high energy marks did non carry through its end. The measuring informations is non available to the populace. For the H2O ingestion, the chief mark was set to entree 100 l/person/ twenty-four hours and during the period from July 2006 to July 2007, the mean ingestion was 141,9 l/person/day. Though the end was non achieved still it was better than other country while in Stockholm on mean ingestion is 200 l/ person/day ( www.secureproject.org ) . The initial ends for energy were set to 60 KWh/m2 which was updated to 100 KWh/m2 in 2005 ( Table 1 ) . Biogas merchandises, RES and reuse of waste heat coupled with energy ingestion expeditiously in edifices. About 23000 dozenss sludge treated with the production of 3,500,000 M3 biogas ( www.hammarbysjostad.se/glashusett ) . The best public presentation was achieved so far from two multifamily constructing blocks, holmen and Grynnan, where PV cells were installed in frontages, balconies and Windowss with the entire peak power 46 KW and production 32 MWh. The sum of produced energy is used to necessitate of 70 % of the energy for icebox and deep-freeze. An energy balance equation is frequently used for ciphering energy ingestion which can be implemented here Where Ein is the energy that flows in to the system, Prod is produced energy, Eout is the energy that flow out from the system and Ack is the accrued energy in the system. Local Inhabitants Influences With the increasing population and economic growing of the Hammarby Sjostad, there is an inevitable influence by the occupants of the territory. As the territory has good developed transit system including different foot way and bike lane. Private auto utilizing is non encouraged here. So about 80 % of the occupants and workers are utilizing public conveyance, bike or on pes. Thus they are playing a important function to cut down traffic burden and dodo fuel consume to guarantee the pollution free environment. The eco-friendly auto of auto pool system provides the personal demand of holding auto in pressing period. The dwellers of the metropolis is good known about the waste direction and they do their regard about screening of wastes until today and eventually to gain it ethier automatic vacuity system or manus over the risky waste to GlashusEtt waste aggregation point. Thus they are playing an of import function to cut down the energy loss for screening waste every bit good as to recycle it for bring forthing biogas. The H2O ingestion of the country is 100 to 140 l/person/day whereas otherpart of Stockholm dwellers use 200 l/person/day. The ingestion manner of H2O usage reveals about their consciousness about sustainability. The low flower system of the lavatory, rinsing machines and dish washers, air sociable lights-out is installed for eco-friendly environment comparison to those of Stockholm metropolis or other metropoliss. The imhabitants response with any acitivities or run organized for the eco-friendly environment. For illustration, in 2005 a run organized against the usage of bacteriacide triclosan, a risky substance used in toothpaste. After the run the analysis of triclosen was found with smaller sum comparison to old clip. Sustainable Urban Planning and Design Design for Sustainability At the planning and designing of the metropolis, the first precedence was given to advance sustainability of the environment without hamering the nature. The optimisation of the resources and the coordination of different energy systems with high tech sustainable engineering make its end closer and easier. Eco-design The chief focal point of the industrial ecology is sustainable development and environment by optimizing the use of natural resources. The life rhythm of the merchandises and resources and its proficient systems defines the sustainability of industrial society. The design of the edifice substructure and its building stuffs are environment friendly. Fuel cells and the edifice double-gazed facade heighten the eco-design of the edifice. Green Roofs Most of the edifices roofs are designed as green roofs covering in stonecrop or sedum workss. This particular eco design non merely brings the attractive force but besides has sustainable impacts. The workss on the roof protect drain to cloacas by adsorbing rain H2O. Vacuum system for solid waste and garbage sorting The solid domestic wastes fractions are sorted and collected through an belowground waste aggregation system. The waste is collected in the belowground room through vacuity suction, one fraction at a clip. The containers in the resistance are collected without lorries that cut down vehicle traffic in the country. It besides avoids workers to transport heavy burden. Hazardous wastes are collected in GlasshusEtt edifice. Construction stuffs All the stuffs used for the building was considered for environmental position. For illustration, the seeable stuffs for facade and on the land of the edifice, stuffs used inside the edifice shell, all the equipments and installing procedure are tested as sustainable, healthy, dry and eco-friendly merchandises. Solar panels and Cells In some of the edifices solar panel has installed to heat the H2O system of the full edifice which reduces the energy ingestion from the cardinal beginning. Some edifice is designed with the solar cells in which Sun visible radiation is harnessed and produces electric energy. A individual solar cell system consists of one square metre can supply 100 kWh/yr. This sum is tantamount to 3 square metre of family energy. Storm H2O from street Storm H2O ( rain H2O, snowmelt H2O ) from the street is collected, purified and released into Hammarby Canal. For purification sand filters and unreal filter wetland is used. Storm H2O besides infiltrated in to the land or drain to Sickla Canal, Hammarby Canal or Danvik Canal. Storm H2O Drain Channel is constructed to have rain H2O from environing houses and gardens via drainage system. This channel H2O besides enhances the beautification of the country. The H2O so runs to Basins named equiliser and eventually to the lake. Biogas All the domestic organic waste and sludge are used to bring forth biogas. Biogas is used for the cookery intent in the country and besides as fuel in eco-friendly autos and coachs. A individual family can bring forth such sum of waste stuffs that can supply sufficient sum of biogas for gas cooker. Biogas is the most environment friendly and sustainable signifier of fuel at nowadays. Communication System Hammarby Sjostad has eco friendly communicating system and energy salvaging vehicles. Private autos are non encouraged here. Well communicating system through Tvarbanan ropeway, coachs, ferry, auto pool etc has less environmental impact in the transit system cut downing traffic burden every bit good as devouring without fossil fuel. Heating and Cooling System Domestic wastes are used as energy beginning in the heat and power works which is used to go around territory warming and chilling system in Hammarby Sjostad. Ecoduct It is the most advanced and efficient solution to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem without any perturbation. In this territory two ecoducts are installed covering with flora. This two broad Bridgess connects two different side of the route in such a manner that animate beings can travel without holding job due to broad route and traffic system. Industrial Ecology Approach All the eco-friendly urban planning and design promotes the sustainability towards industrial ecology attack. Since 1917, it has been developing as an industrial country that had led to a higher pollution rate of the country including dirt, H2O and air. The whole environment became unhealthy and menace to the dwellers. After reconstructing the metropolis, until today it is one of the environment friendly sustainable metropoliss of the universe. So the design and planning has a great function to accomplish this end. The land uses converted from old brownfield sites to attractive residential countries with batch of recreational topographic points including green public infinites. The energy used in the metropolis is from the renewable fuels and biogas produced from the domestic waste. All the edifice has efficient energy ingestion. Water supply is maintained with the standard high quality with new engineering and reuse of H2O and sewerage after handling with maximal degree and released into nearby canals. The possible upper limit recycling system is introduced for the domestic wastes with the latest automatic vacuity. Transportation system of the metropolis is besides considered for the sustainable environment and less fuel ingestion rate. It has fast, attractive conveyance system including ferry, auto pools, eco-friendly auto, pes and rhythm way promoting cut down of private auto uses. All the stuffs used for the building of the edifice are healthy and environment friendly. Soil decontamination and ecoducts guarantee biodiversity of local flora and insects. Now this metropolis is regarded as the decontaminated country announced by the Stockholm s Environment and Health Administration. All these installations and sustainable development of the Hammarby Sjostad promotes the industrial ecology attack guaranting the undermentioned standards: Industrial metamorphosis Eco-design Dematerialization and decarbonisation Industrial sysmbiosis Eco-industrial park Eco-efficiency Pollution control Reuse, Recovery and Recycling Waste minimization Cleaner production and clean Technology Life rhythm and environmental impact appraisal Integrated planning, advanced eco-solutions and engineerings. Discussions To construct an environment friendly lodging undertaking it is necessary to concentrate and see many different facets that influences the environment. Hammarby Sjostad undertaking tried to convey concentration to every individual issue. It was non easy to reconstruct a extremely contaminated unplanned metropolis into a developed and wholly uncontaminted and pollution free metropolis. Hammarby Sjostad provides a alone illustration of wastrel direction and biogas production. The modern engineering of vacuity system makes easier to command waste direction and decline transporting vehicle that cut down traffic burden and fuel. The best production comes through the organic wastes bring forthing biogas which is used for cooking intent of the edifices. Combustible wastes are used to bring forth energy at Hogdalan combined heat and powerplant as a beginning of the power coevals and warming system of the territory. Private vehicle auto pool system and broad rhythm lane and foot way plays an o f import function to cut down green house gas. All the families are equipped with low blushing lavatory to cut down H2O ingestion. Hammarby Sjostad present a alone and different system to roll up storm H2O and rain H2O in the street and to handle it before let go ofing it to the lake while it is non considered in any other metropolis allowing storm H2O straight release to lake. However, all the building stuffs used for constructing up this metropolis are healthy, dry and environmentally sound. Energy ingestion process besides enhances the sustainability of the metropolis utilizing renewable energy. From the above treatment on this instance survey of Hammarby Sjostad, it can be easy recommended for constructing any sustainable metropolis to see following major standards: Eco-design for the metropolis sing environmental impacts during its whole life rhythm Eco-efficiency following maximal usage of ferenewable wer resources and making less waste and pollution Introducing industrial metamorphosis Eco-industrial park effort to cut down waste and pollution by sharing resources expeditiously collaborating with concern and local community Ensure industrial mutualism Decisions It is said that developing metropoliss ever destroy the natural environment but in the instance of Hammarby Sjostad wholly go different. Allready the metropolis is proved its achievement towards sustainability without haltering the natural environment every bit good as pollution and taint free country. The metropolis provides the best engineering with incorporate environmental solutions. Though the metropolis has long manner to turn out itself as a existent sustainable metropolis, still it can be regarded as a function theoretical account of existent estate development in industrial ecology attack.

Definition and Examples of the Etymological Fallacy

Definition and Examples of the Etymological Fallacy Etymological fallacy is the faulty argument that the true or proper meaning of a word is its oldest or original meaning. Because the meanings of words change over time, a words contemporary definition cant be established from its origin (or etymology). The best indicator of a words meaning is its current use, not its derivation. Examples and Observations The OED [Oxford English Dictionary] . . . records that the word black has a difficult history, and was sometimes confused in Old English with a similar word which meant shining or white, but speakers would be ill-advised nowadays to use black to mean white.(Source: Michael Stubbs, Words and Phrases: Corpus Studies of Lexical Semantics. Blackwell, 2002)Doctor, Orient, Gyp, Decimate, Grow, DilapidatedIn our own day the etymological fallacy is widely honored, as revealed in countless statements by columnists, in letters to editors, and other public fora, which declare for example that the real meaning of doctor is teacher; or that the verb orient properly means to arrange something to face east; or that gyp cheat is derived from Gypsy (probably), and therefore, its use in any context is de facto an ethnic slur; or that decimate correctly means only to punish a mutiny or other serious breach of military discipline by killing one soldier in ten.The etymological fallacy appears from time t o time in puristic prescriptions, too, as when we are warned by usage authorities that because the real meaning of the verb grow is get bigger, expressions like grow weaker or grow smaller are incoherent; or that it is impossible to climb down; or that only stone structures can be dilapidated.(Source: Andrew L. Sihler, Language History: An Introduction. John Benjamins, 2000) Manure, December, CaptionOne thing to remember when you read or hear someone insisting that an English word must have a certain meaning because of its Latin or Greek roots is that these insisters apply their etymologies very selectively. You will find few of them who object to December being used for the twelfth month, when its Latin root means ten, or to manure being used as a noun meaning to work (land) by hand. So when you read, for example, that caption must refer to matter above a picture because it comes from Latin caput head, keep manure in mind.(Source: Merriam-Websters Dictionary of English Usage, 1995)EducationWhat could be called an etymological fallacy can sometimes be pushed quite a distance. Thus, partisans of a liberal conception of education have claimed that the word education comes from educere, etymology that invites a conception of education as an act of leading (induco) out of (ex) ignorance- which conforms to the liberal notion of education. On the other side ar e those who favor a notion of education understood as nourishing and, more broadly, furnishing the conditions necessary for a persons development. They invoke a second etymological hypothesis, according to which education comes from educare, which means nourish or raise. And still others maintain that education is an indeterminate concept and support their thesis with the very uncertainty of the etymology. You see that etymology, as illuminating as it sometimes is, cannot, in any instance, resolve problems of conceptual definition on its own.(Source: Normand Baillargeon, A Short Course in Intellectual Self-Defense. Seven Stories, 2007) Passing InsightsEtymology does not make a contribution to the description of the contemporary meaning and usage of words; it may help to illuminate how things have got to where they are now, but it as likely to be misleading as helpful (as with the etymological fallacy). Etymology offers no advice to one who consults a dictionary on the appropriate use of a word in the context of a written text or spoken discourse. It merely provides some passing insight for the interested dictionary browser with the requisite background knowledge and interpretative skills.(Source: Howard Jackson, Lexicography: An Introduction. Routledge, 2002)

Political reonstruction in the State of Florida after the Civil War Essay

Political reonstruction in the State of Florida after the Civil War - Essay Example However, this objective of reconstruction did not realize the anticipated goals, instead, the end of reconstruction resulted in the denial of civil rights to all African-Americans in the Southern States, including Florida. This era of reconstruction is significant, as it has shaped the history of the United States. Different people today have different views about the events in this era. Similarly, different authors have written their varying opinions and facts concerning the reconstruction period, bringing out their personal convictions about the period. Nonetheless, this essay focuses on the different views by various authors on the political reconstruction in the United States, and specifically, the State of Florida. Ayers in his book, A History of the American South 1877-1906, notes that, between the end of reconstruction in 1877 and the 1906 Atlanta race riot, the American South was marked with significant changes in its social, economic, and political spheres. Economically, the South witnessed intensive industrialization and urbanization, and the domination of the railroad, while socially, pop culture emerged, including music and modern literature, and the emergence of new religious groups. However, Ayers notes that politically, the South was characterized by the elements of segregation, disfranchisement, the populist revolt, and the start of progressivism. Power was based on either persuasion or coercion (3). Florida experienced a myriad of political changes. Ayers traces the beginning of the new era in the South to the 1870s, when the conservative democrats took power in Southern states, including Florida. Florida played an equal role as other Southern states in redrawing political boundaries between the South and whole nation. However, in early 1890s, there was witnessed the greatest revolt of populism, which played a significant role in political reconstruction of Florida. Farmers in Florida were affected negatively and were plunged in an economic dep ression. Although Florida experienced slight industrial growth, its farmers lived with many uncertainties. Ayer notes that after the Republicans’ succession in the South, they aimed at forming a political alliance that would include former slaves and a few white people that were influential (5). However, their opinions and preferences on issues such as land redistribution, elections, civil rights, and educational policies varied. They later established an alliance comprising former slaves, former Northerners, and former unionists, with an objective of ensuring the economic prosperity and equal rights for the Southerners. However, this diversity became a major challenge to this alliance as most members and the voters defected with instances of unjust treatment. Eventually, the North dissociated itself from the South and this slimmed down the probability of successful reconstruction in both the North and South, without external intervention (5). Later, the conservative Democrat s â€Å"redeemed† many Southern States, including Florida, therefore displacing the Republicans out of power. However, in 1877, the elections in Florida saw Democrats pronounced winners, and this brought a new meaning to the reconstruction in the South. In Florida and other Southern States, the influential, educated, and wealthy, white people rose to demand for power, which they thought they were the

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Research paper - Essay Example It is true that for many reasons the whole idea seems relaxing, dependable and reliable there are people who take advantage of the same. There are very many benefits of online shopping that make it so popular among various people with different reasons of shopping online. For instance, people do not have to move around the city searching for something, instead, they only need the internet connection, and they get to select every item that they need at their own time and speed. With the improved technology, they can as well shop from their mobile phones from wherever they are (Filipe & Obaidat, 2008). Online shopping also gives consumers a variety of items to choose from with various outlets to select from making it very effortless for people to virtually get anything they need. There is also the advantage of locating everything usual online as opposed to physical retailers where it is easy to miss something someone needs. Though the online shopping has only been praised for many people, there are some cases where it can be regarded dangerous. For example, if people are not very keen while doing online shopping, they could find themselves in the hands of cyber thieves and end up losing a lot of money. This may come as a shock thinking that people have believed online shopping to be the safest place to buy items, but someone may be targeted and conned easily. This is why people are advised to manage their online shopping properly and be keen on the people they communicate to regarding online shopping. Another disadvantage of online shopping is that a person first pays for an item before it is mailed or delivered to them unlike at retails shops where people get to carry their items to their destination. People are advised to perform online shopping to stores with excellent status (Filipe & Obaidat, 2008). There is also the disadvantage of wrong product being delivered to the customer and there are no re funds in most of the online

Effect of temperature on raction rate :: essays research papers

Effect of temperature on RXN rate Factors affecting rate of reaction: Surface area – as we increase surface area, we increase the reaction rate. The more the collisions the faster the reaction. Concentration – as we increase concentration we increase the reaction rate. In reaction with between gases, increasing the pressure, increase the reaction rate. Temperature –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  as we increase the temperature, we increase the reaction rate. Raising the temperature makes particles collide more often in a certain time, and makes it more likely that collision results in a reaction. Catalyst -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  catalyst is a substance, which speed up a chemical reaction. At the end of the reaction the catalyst is chemically unchanged. Aim: Effect of temperature on rate of reaction. Hypothesis: I predict that the rate of reaction will increase in speed by increasing the temperature, because Raising the temperature makes particles collide more often in a certain time, and makes it more likely that collision results in a reaction. Apparatus required: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 conical flasks 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An amount of HCl 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An amount of Na2S2O3 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Timer (stop-watch) 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A tile with a mark (X) on it 6)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 measuring cylinders 7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 empty beaker Procedure: 2-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Use 20cm3 of water with 30cm3 of HCl 3-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Add the solution to 30cm3 of Na2S2O3 4-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Put a conical flask on a tile with a mark (X) on it. 5-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Put the first solution in the flask. 6-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Put the flask in a water bath at a controlled temperature of 30 ºC. 7-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quickly add the second solution and start timing 8-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stop timing when you can no longer see the mark (X) on the tile. 9-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Repeat steps 1 to 4 but using a different temperature each time. 10-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The final time use the same amount but at 70 ºC. Fair test: Changing Variable:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Temperature ( ºC) Constant Variables   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Amount, and concentration of HCl, and Na2S2O3 Results:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Temperature/ ºC  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time/sec 20  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  28 25  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  27 30  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  22 35  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  20 40  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16 45  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13 50  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion: From my results I have concluded that temperature has a great affect on the reaction rate of HCl and Na2S2O3, because as we see from he graph the slope is increasing gradually, this is because increasing the temperature makes particles collide more often in a certain time and makes it more likely that a collision will result in a reaction. Because there are more effective collisions, temperature has a great affect on reaction rate, if you raise the temperature by 10 ºC the time will decrease by nearly 6 seconds indicating the increase in speed of the reaction.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Fourteen

White owl†¦ hunting bird†¦ hunter†¦ tiger. Playing with you like a cat with a mouse. Like a cat†¦ a great cat†¦ a kitten. A white kitten. Death is in the house. And the kitten, the kitten had run from Damon. Not out of fear, but out of the fear of being discovered. Like when it had stood on Margaret's chest and wailed at the sight of Elena outside the window. Elena moaned and almost surfaced from unconsciousness, but the gray fog dragged her back under before she could open her eyes. Her thoughts seethed around her again. Poisoned love†¦ Stefan, it hated you before it hated Elena†¦ White and gold†¦ something white†¦ something white under the tree†¦ This time, when she struggled to open her eyes, she succeeded. And even before she could focus in the dim and shifting light, she knew. She finally knew. The figure in the trailing white dress turned from the candle she was lighting, and Elena saw what might have been her own face on its shoulders. But it was a subtly distorted face, pale and beautiful as an ice sculpture, but wrong. It was like the endless reflections of herself Elena had seen in her dream of the hall of mirrors. Twisted and hungry, and mocking. â€Å"Hello, Katherine,† she whispered. Katherine smiled, a sly and predatory smile. â€Å"You're not as stupid as I thought,† she said. Her voice was light and sweet-silvery, Elena thought. Like her eyelashes. There were silvery lights in her dress when she moved, too. But her hair was gold, almost as pale a gold as Elena's own. Her eyes were like the kitten's eyes: round and jewel blue. At her throat she wore a necklace with a stone of the same vivid color. Elena's own throat was sore, as if she had been screaming. It felt dry as well. When she turned her head slowly to the side, even that little motion hurt. Stefan was beside her, slumped forward, bound by his arms to the wrought-iron pickets of the gate. His head sagged against his chest, but what she could see of his face was deathly white. His throat was torn, and blood had dripped onto his collar and dried. Elena turned back to Katherine so quickly that her head spun. â€Å"Why? Why did you do that?† Katherine smiled, showing pointed white teeth. â€Å"Because I love him,† she said in a childish singsong. â€Å"Don't you love him, too?† It was only then that Elena fully realized why she couldn't move, and why her arms hurt. She was tied up like Stefan, lashed securely to the closed gate. A painful turning of her head to the other side revealed Damon. â€Å"Which one do you like better?† Katherine asked, in an intimate, confiding tone. â€Å"You can tell me. Which one do you think is best?† Elena looked at her, sickened. â€Å"Katherine,† she whispered. â€Å"Please. Please listen to me†¦ â€Å"Tell me. Go on.† Those jewel blue eyes filled Elena's vision as Katherine leaned in close, her lips almost touching Elena's. â€Å"I think they're both fun. Do you like fun, Elena?† Revolted, Elena shut her eyes and turned her face away. If only her head would stop spinning. Katherine stepped back with a clear laugh. â€Å"I know, it's so hard to choose.† She did a little pirouette, and Elena saw that what she had vaguely taken for the train to Katherine's dress was Katherine's hair. It flowed like molten gold down her back to spill over the floor, trailing behind her. â€Å"It all depends on your taste,† Katherine continued, doing a few graceful dance steps and ending up in front of Damon. She looked over at Elena impishly. â€Å"But then I have such a sweet tooth.† She grasped Damon by the hair, and, yanking his head up, sank her teeth into his neck. â€Å"No! Don't do that; don't hurt him any more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena tried to surge forward, but she was tied too tightly. The gate was solid iron, set in stone, and the ropes were sturdy. Katherine was making animal sounds, gnawing and chewing at the flesh, and Damon moaned even in unconsciousness. Elena saw his body jerk reflexively with pain. â€Å"Please stop; oh, please stop-â€Å" Katherine lifted her head. Blood was running down her chin. â€Å"But I'm hungry and he's so good,† she said. She reared back and struck again, and Damon's body spasmed. Elena cried out. I was like that, she thought. In the beginning, that first night in the woods, I was like that. I hurt Stefan like that, I wanted to kill him†¦ Darkness swept up around her, and she gave in to it gratefully. Alaric's car skewed on a patch of ice as it reached the school, and Meredith almost ran into it. She and Matt jumped out of her car, leaving the doors open. Ahead, Alaric and Bonnie did the same. â€Å"What about the rest of the town?† Meredith shouted, running toward them. The wind was rising, and her face burned with frost. â€Å"Just Elena's family-Aunt Judith and Margaret,† Bonnie cried. Her voice was shrill and frightened, but there was a look of concentration in her eyes. She leaned her head back as if trying to remember something, and said, â€Å"Yes, that's it. They're the other ones the dogs will be after. Make them go somewhere-like the cellar. Keep them there!† â€Å"I'll do it. You three take the dance!† Bonnie turned to run after Alaric. Meredith raced back to her car. â€Å"Go back in! Get everybody inside and shut the doors!† he yelled at the sheriff's officers. But there wasn't time. He reached the cafeteria just as the first lurking shape in the darkness did. One officer went down without a sound or a chance to fire his gun. Another was quicker, and a gunshot rang out, amplified by the concrete courtyard. Students screamed and began to run away from it, into the parking lot. Alaric went after them, yelling, trying to herd them back. Other shapes came out of the darkness, from between parked cars, from all sides. Panic ensued. Alaric kept shouting, kept trying to gather the terrified students toward the building. Out here they were easy prey. In the courtyard, Bonnie turned to Matt. â€Å"We need fire!† she said. Matt darted into the cafeteria and came out with a box half-full of dance programs. He threw it to the ground, groping in his pockets for one of the matches they'd used to light the candle before. The paper caught and burned brightly. It formed an island of safety. Matt continued to wave people into the cafeteria doors behind it. Bonnie plunged inside, to find a scene just as riotous as outside. She looked around for someone in authority but couldn't see any adults, only panicked kids. Then the red and green crepe paper decorations caught her eye. The noise was thunderous; even a shout couldn't be heard in here. Struggling past the people trying to get out, she made it to the far side of the room. Caroline was there, looking pale without her summer tan, and wearing the snow queen tiara. Bonnie towed her to the microphone. â€Å"You're good at talking. Tell them to get inside and stay in! Tell them to start taking down the decorations. We need anything that'll burn-wood chairs, stuff in garbage cans, anything. Tell them it's our only chance!† She added, as Caroline stared at her, frightened and uncomprehending: â€Å"You've got the crown on now-so do something with it!† She didn't wait to see Caroline obey. She plunged again into the furor of the room. A moment later she heard Caroline's voice, first hesitant and then urgent, on the loudspeakers. It was dead quiet when Elena opened her eyes again. At the hoarse whisper, she tried to focus and found herself looking into pain-filled green eyes. â€Å"Stefan,† she said. She leaned toward him yearningly, wishing she could move. It didn't make sense, but she felt that if they could only hold each other it wouldn't be so bad. There was a childish laugh. Elena didn't turn toward it, but Stefan did. Elena saw his reaction, saw the sequence of expressions passing across his face almost too quickly to identify. Blank shock, disbelief, dawning joy-and then horror. A horror that finally turned his eyes blind and opaque. â€Å"Katherine,† he said. â€Å"But that's impossible. It can't be. You're dead†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena said, but he didn't respond. Katherine put a hand in front of her mouth and giggled behind it. â€Å"You wake up, too,† she said, looking on the other side of Elena. Elena felt a surge of Power. After a moment Damon's head lifted slowly, and he blinked. There was no astonishment in his face. He leaned his head back, eyes wearily narrowed, and looked for a minute or so at his captor. Then he smiled, a faint and painful smile, but recognizable. â€Å"Our sweet little white kitten,† he whispered. â€Å"I should have known.† â€Å"You didn't know, though, did you?† Katherine said, as eager as a child playing a game. â€Å"Even you didn't guess. I fooled everyone.† She laughed again. â€Å"It was so much fun, watching you while you were watching Stefan, and neither of you knew I was there. I even scratched you once!† Hooking her fingers into claws, she mimicked a kitten's slash. â€Å"At Elena's house. Yes, I remember,† Damon said slowly. He didn't seem so much angry as vaguely, whimsically amused. â€Å"Well, you're certainly a hunter. The lady and the tiger, as it were.† â€Å"And I put Stefan in that well,† Katherine bragged. â€Å"I saw you two fighting; I liked that. I followed Stefan to the edge of the woods, and then-† She clapped her cupped hands together, like someone catching a moth. Opening them slowly, she peered down into them as if she really had something there, and giggled secretly. â€Å"I was going to keep him to play with,† she confided. Then her lower lip thrust out and she looked at Elena balefully. â€Å"But you took him. That was mean, Elena. You shouldn't have done that.† The dreadful childish slyness was gone from her face, and for a moment Elena glimpsed the searing hatred of a woman. â€Å"Greedy girls get punished,† Katherine said, moving toward her, â€Å"and you're a greedy girl.† Distracted, Katherine stepped back. She looked surprised, then flattered. â€Å"Well-if you really want me to,† she said. She hugged her elbows with her hands and pirouetted again, her golden hair twisting on the floor. â€Å"No,† she said gleefully, turning back and pointing at them. â€Å"You guess. You guess and I'll tell you ‘right' or ‘wrong.' Go on! Elena swallowed, casting a covert glance at Stefan. She didn't see the point of stalling Katherine; it was all going to come out the same in the end. But some instinct told her to hang on to life as long as she could. â€Å"You attacked Vickie,† she said, carefully. Her own voice sounded winded to her ears, but she was positive now. â€Å"The girl in the ruined church that night.† â€Å"Good! Yes,† Katherine cried. She made another kitten swipe with clawed fingers. â€Å"Well, after all, she was in my church,† she added reasonably. â€Å"And what she and that boy were doing-well! You don't do that in church. So, I scratched her!† Katherine drew out the word, demonstrating, like somebody telling a story to a young child. â€Å"And†¦ I licked the blood up!† She licked pale pink lips with her tongue. Then she pointed at Stefan. â€Å"Next guess!† â€Å"You've been hounding her ever since,† Stefan said. He wasn't playing the game; he was making a sickened observation. â€Å"Yes, we're done with that! Go on to something else,† Katherine said sharply. But then she fiddled with the buttons at the neck of her dress, her fingers twinkling. And Elena thought of Vickie, with her startled-fawn eyes, undressing in the cafeteria in front of everyone. â€Å"I made her do silly things.† Katherine laughed. â€Å"She was fun to play with.† Elena's arms were numb and cramped. She realized that she was reflexively straining against the ropes, so offended by Katherine's words that she couldn't hold still. She made herself stop, trying instead to lean back and get a little feeling into her deadened hands. What she was going to do if she got free she didn't know, but she had to try. â€Å"Next guess,† Katherine was saying dangerously. â€Å"Why do you say it's your church?† Damon asked. His voice was still distantly amused, as if none of this affected him at all. â€Å"What about Honoria Fell?† â€Å"Oh, that old spook!† Katherine said maliciously. She peered around behind Elena, her mouth pursed, her eyes glaring. Elena realized for the first time that they were facing the entrance to the crypt, with the ransacked tomb behind them. Maybe Honoria would help them†¦ But then she remembered that quiet, fading voice. This is the only help I can give you. And she knew that no further aid would come. As if she'd read Elena's thoughts, Katherine was saying, â€Å"She can't do anything. She's just a pack of old bones.† The graceful hands made gestures as if Katherine were breaking those bones. â€Å"All she can do is talk, and lots of times I stopped you from hearing her.† Katherine's expression was dark again, and Elena felt an acid twinge of fear. â€Å"Yes! That was funny. You all came running out of the house and started moaning and crying†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Katherine evoked the scene in pantomime: the little dog lying in front of Bonnie's house, the girls rushing out to find his body. â€Å"He tasted bad, but it was worth it. I followed Damon there when he was a crow. I used to follow him a lot. If I wanted I could have grabbed that crow, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She made a sharp wringing motion. Bonnie's dream, thought Elena, icy revelation sweeping over her. She didn't even realize she'd spoken aloud until she saw Stefan and Katherine looking at her. â€Å"Bonnie dreamed about you,† she whispered. â€Å"But she thought it was me. She told me that she saw me standing under a tree with the wind blowing. And she was afraid of me. She said I looked different, pale but almost glowing. And a crow flew by and I grabbed it and wrung its neck.† Bile was rising in Elena's throat, and she gulped it down. â€Å"But it was you,† she said. Katherine looked delighted, as if Elena had somehow proved her point. â€Å"People dream about me a lot,† she said smugly. â€Å"Your aunt-she's dreamed about me. I tell her it was her fault you died. She thinks it's you telling her.† â€Å"Oh, God†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I wish you had died,† Katherine went on, her face turning spiteful. â€Å"You should have died. I kept you in the river long enough. But you were such a tramp, getting blood from both of them, that you came back. Oh, well.† She gave a furtive smile. â€Å"Now I can play with you longer. I lost my temper that day, because I saw Stefan had given you my ring. My ring!† Her voice rose. â€Å"Mine, that I left for them to remember me by. And he gave it to you. That was when I knew I wasn't just going to play with him. I had to kill him.† Stefan's eyes were stricken, confounded. â€Å"But I thought you were dead,† he said. â€Å"You were dead, five hundred years ago. Katherine†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh, that was the first time I fooled you,† Katherine said, but there was no glee in her tone now. It was sullen. â€Å"I arranged it all with Gudren, my maid. The two of you wouldn't accept my choice,† she burst out, looking from Stefan to Damon angrily. â€Å"I wanted us all to be happy; I loved you. I loved you both. But that wasn't good enough for you.† Katherine's face had changed again, and Elena saw in it the hurt child of five centuries ago. That must have been what Katherine looked like, then, she thought wonderingly. The wide blue eyes were actually filling with tears. â€Å"I wanted you to love each other.† Katherine went on, sounding bewildered, â€Å"but you wouldn't. And I felt awful. I thought if you thought I'd died, that you would love each other. And I knew I had to go away, anyway, before Papa started to suspect what I was. â€Å"But then†-Katherine's face twisted in grief-â€Å"you did everything all wrong. You were supposed to be sorry, and cry, and comfort each other. I did it for you. But instead you ran and got swords. Why did you do that?† It was a cry from the heart. â€Å"Why didn't you take my gift? You treated it like garbage. I told you in the note that I wanted you to be reconciled with each other. But you didn't listen and you got swords. You killed each other. Why did you do it?† Tears were slipping down Katherine's cheeks, and Stefan's face was wet, too. â€Å"We were stupid,† he said, as caught up in the memory of the past as she was. â€Å"We blamed each other for your death, and we were so stupid†¦ Katherine, listen to me. It was my fault; I was the one who attacked first. And I've been sorry-you don't know how sorry I've been ever since. You don't know how many times I've thought about it and wished there was something I could do to change it. I'd have given anything to take it back-anything. I killed my brother†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice cracked, and tears spilled from his eyes. Elena, her heart breaking with grief, turned helplessly to Damon and saw that he wasn't even aware of her. The look of amusement was gone, and his eyes were fixed on Stefan in utter concentration, riveted. â€Å"Katherine, please listen to me,† Stefan said shakily, regaining his voice. â€Å"We've all hurt one another enough. Please let us go now. Or keep me, if you want, but let them leave. I'm the one that's to blame. Keep me, and I'll do whatever you want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Katherine's jewel-like eyes were liquid and impossibly blue, filled with an endless sorrow. Elena didn't dare to breathe, afraid to break the spell as the slender girl moved toward Stefan, her face softened and yearning. But then the ice inside Katherine crept out again, freezing the tears on her cheeks. â€Å"You should have thought of that a long time ago,† she said. â€Å"I might have listened to you then. I was sorry you'd killed each other at first. I ran away, without even Gudren, back to my home. But then I didn't have anything, not even a new dress, and I was hungry and cold. I might have starved if Klaus hadn't found me.† Klaus. Through her dismay, Elena remembered something Stefan had told her. Klaus was the man who'd made Katherine a vampire, the man the villagers said was evil. â€Å"Klaus taught me the truth,† Katherine said. â€Å"He showed me how the world really is. You have to be strong, and take the things you want. You have to think only of yourself. And I'm the strongest of all now. I am. You know how I got that way?† She answered the question without even waiting for them to respond. â€Å"Lives. So many lives. Humans and vampires, and they're all inside me now. I killed Klaus after a century or two. He was surprised. He didn't know how much I'd learned. â€Å"I brought you here, both of you. I put the thought in your mind, Stefan, the way you put thoughts into a human's. I guided you to this place. And then I made sure Damon followed you. Elena was here. I think she must be related to me somehow; she looks like me. I knew you'd see her and feel guilty. But you weren't supposed to fall in love with her!† The resentfulness in Katherine's voice gave way to fury again. â€Å"You weren't supposed to forget me! You weren't supposed to give her my ring!† â€Å"Katherine†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Katherine swept on. â€Å"Oh, you made me so angry. And now I'm going to make you sorry, really sorry. I know who I hate most now, and it's you, Stefan. Because I loved you best.† She seemed to regain control of herself, wiping the last traces of tears from her face and drawing herself up with exaggerated dignity. â€Å"I don't hate Damon as much,† she said. â€Å"I might even let him live.† Her eyes narrowed, and then widened with an idea. â€Å"Listen, Damon,† she said secretly. â€Å"You're not as stupid as Stefan is. You know the way things really are. I've heard you say it. I've seen things you've done.† She leaned forward. â€Å"I've been lonely since Klaus died. You could keep me company. All you have to do is say you love me best. Then after I kill them we'll go away. You can even kill the girl if you want. I'd let you. What do you think?† Oh, God, thought Elena, sickened again. Damon's eyes were on Katherine's wide blue ones; he seemed to be searching her face. And the whimsical amusement was back in his expression. Oh, God, no, Elena thought. Please, no†¦ Slowly, Damon smiled.

The American Dream By Lorraine Hansberry - 1741 Words

The American Dream From the first day that we can walk, talk, and think for ourselves, we are dreamers. These dreams can be nothing more than an illusion, or the foundations to the very lives we live daily. The American Dream is no exception to this, shaping the lives of millions of Americans each and every day, as it has done so for decades. We can see this through the works of many notable authors and their works. Some examples of these people are F. Scott Fitzgerald, Lorraine Hansberry, Thomas Jefferson, and even some more recent writers like John Meacham and Lena Williams. While all of these people may have been alive at different time periods, they all, for the most part, share one common ideology: the American Dream is still alive,†¦show more content†¦The â€Å"pursuit of happiness† that he mentions shows that the common belief was that anyone can achieve their â€Å"happiness†, or the American Dream, as long as one was willing to work for it and overcom e any obstacles in their way. During any time period, there is always the common dream among those living in society, where everyone wants to make the most of their life and achieve the dream that they have been dreaming since the day they could think for themselves. The American Dream was alive even during the beginning of our wonderful country, and it was relatively the same as it is now. More than a century after the Declaration of Independence, the American Dream was still alive and well. In the 1950s, Lorraine Hansberry wrote A Raisin in the Sun. This play is about a financially troubled African-American family and the problems they face as they try to achieve all of their versions of the American Dream. The play itself is centered around the American Dream and how hard it can be to achieve. The main character, Walter Younger, even says during the beginning of the play, â€Å"Sometimes it’s like I can see the future stretched out in front of me—just plain as dayà ¢â‚¬ ¦ Just waiting for me† ( Hansberry 75). As Walter says, his American Dream is the future, and he can almost see what it holds for him. He knows what he wants to accomplish and have, but he has not reach that point in his life when he