Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Postal Contract and Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Postal Contract and Law - Essay Example P. 71). According to Lord Denning, there is vast difference between the rule of instantaneous communication and the postal rule. The offeror must receive acceptance of his offer for the contract to be complete. In instantaneous mode of communication of acceptance, the place of formation of the contract is the place at which the acceptance is received by the offeror (Davies, 2005. P. 158). In the present day corporate world, communication is chiefly by means of teleprinter, facsimile or electronic mail. Electronic communication is still surrounded by controversy with regard to its legality. The advanced technology utilised in such communication modes enables easy transmission of communications. Thus, electronic communication can be sent at any time to a destination, even after working hours. This raises the question about the point of time when the electronic communication had been legally effectual. The postal rule does not apply to instantaneous forms of communication (Brinkibon Ltd v Stahag Stahl und Stahlwarenhandels GmbH). This was the ruling in Entores Ltd v Miles Far East Corp (Entores Ltd v Miles Far East Corp). Electronic mail is transmitted much faster than the mail sent by post. However, electronic mail cannot be deemed to be instantaneous communication between the parties. The reason for this is that the sending and receipt of electronic mail may take anything between a few hours to several days. Hence, it does not constitute instantaneous communication. Consequently, the postal rule applies to electronic mail. An offer is deemed to be properly communicated in instantaneous communication, if the addressee has notice of the offer. In non – instantaneous modes of communication, the offer is communicated through letters, telegrams or other methods. Such communication has to be dispatched to the addressee and received by the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

General Psychology Of Sex And Gender Psychology Essay

General Psychology Of Sex And Gender Psychology Essay The topics I have chosen for consideration of psychological research are language, and sex and gender. The approaches taken will be analysed the topic in general terms and not to focus on one particular aspect at detailed levels. It points to the lack of a conclusive answer which is caused by Psychology as a discipline being relatively young and still in early stages with a lack of adequately strong theories that might assist to connect otherwise contrasting perspectives co existing. The report concludes that different perspectives within psychology can coexist at times, though conflict is frequent throughout. Sex and Gender The Psychology of sex and gender is one the most topical, important and engaging subjects that psychology, it illustrates many of the difficult issues that psychological explanations must address, including the political implications of different perspectives and the challenging of integrating explanations. It has been a controversial topic since the inception of psychology as a discipline and it powerful illustrates some of the diverse approaches with the field. A deliberation of how psychology approaches the analysis of sex and gender discloses four psychological perspectives, these are: Biological sex differences: Explaining the differences between male and female and biological correlates of behaviour. Investigations ere conducted through scientific processes Evolutionary psychology: Explaining the differences in the behaviour between the sexes in terms of behavioural selection for reproductive fitness. Test are conducted empirically Social constructionist theory: Gender differences between the sexes through the study of discourse in various historical, cultural and social contexts and so is hermeneutic. Psychoanalytic psychology: Development and meaning of sexual differences. Studies are largely done through clinical observation. Direct impressions of the four perspectives are objects of knowledge of each of the perspectives are all valid and useful in general psychology of sex and gender,. They pose somewhat different questions, have different objects of knowledge and use different notions of evidences. These perspectives may be complementary, conflicting however the scope for co-existence is not transparent. Given that the perspectives do not share common objects of knowledge, however is there can be an underlying hope for complementary theories in which together they all contribute to a broad understanding. Sex refer to the biological basis of differences between the sexes, where as gender refers to social constructed categories pertaining to these differences. Assigning a sex to humans can sometimes be a complex process, biological characteristics such as genetics and hormonal used to designate male or female, can be unreliable in small proportions of case, due to genetic abnormalities, such as, Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) and Klinefelterss Syndrome ((XXY) (OU, p137) The biological and evolutionary perspectives certainly seem complementary at theoretic level in which both consider biological sex as the fonudation for gender and view conflicts between sexes as biological characteristics that have been cycled through during evolution. Evolutionary psychologists argue that sexual selections and the different optimal reproductive styles of our male female ancestors have results in some differences in the behavioural predispositions of the two sexes. These are seen to particularly apparent in the area of sexual behaviours and attitudes. Buss (1992), found while both sexes reported experiencing jealousy at the though of their partner being involved with another person, there were differences in the focus of their concerned. OU,p145) In humans, unlike in other animals, clear differences in brain structures that correlate with differences in adult behaviour patterns have proven difficult to demonstrate. Nonetheless, imaging studies show some sex differences in brain functioning of Western adults. This is probably due, at least in part, to the brains plasticity.(Giedd et al, 1999) )p140). While some sex differences are clearly established at birth for most individuals, bodies and brained may become gendered over lifetime of use. A explanations would appear to be consistent with research findings from cross-cultural differences in male and females sexual behaviours, which Allen and Gorski, 1990 study has backed (OU, p139) Nevertheless, biological psychology sets out to explain differences with in male and female psychology in terms of chosen physiological features, e.g. dimorphism in brain structures ( Hofman and Swaab, 1991,OU p.139). Additionally the evolutionary psychologists would primarily contend in favour of selected behavioural features such as differences between sexual attitudes between the sexes ( Clark and Hatfield, 1989, OU p.146). Thus, in that respect a conflict is apprent at the level of analysis, hence it is ironic that evolutionary psychology must dependently coinside with biological psychology since, given the intelligible complusions on its capacity to carryout the types of empirical reserach that might could be hoped for (Herrnstein-Smith, 2000,, OU p.141), it is dependent on a particulr amount of certification from the biological perspective, amongst others (OU, 2007, pp.184). From a social constructionist point of view, they regard sex and gender as features that are declared only through discourse and action. These are repercussion, of the individuals behaviour and experience within a cultural, social and historical context. The depth of the conflict is illustrated by a comparison of evolutionary studies that stress cross-cultural stability in particular sexual preferences ( Buss and Schmitt, 1993, OU, p.148, ) and social constructionist ideas such as Sandra Bem, who developed the idea of the cultural lens of musicality and femininity. This lens is a way of perceiving the world that makes behaviour and experiences gendered, this is called the Gender Schema Theory (1994, Holloway et al, 2007, OU p.153). According to the social constructionist perspectives, biological sex is not central to explaining what it is to be a man or a women, rather it is a signpost to which a whole set of us socially constructed gender differences are attached. In this account, social constructionist created discourse about masculinity and femininity are used by individual to create their own gendered subject positions. Whereas the biological and evolutionary perspectives correspond that biological sex consists at the center of explaining gender, the social constructionist perspective categorically rejects that notion, primarly for political reasons. In relation to Sex and Gender, political differences are often exposed when conflicting accounts of differences occur. Gender and sexuality came to be seen, through Freuds work, as having far-reaching implications for the development of it self. It largely correlates the social constructionist, in conditions of its interpretive or hermeneutic methodology. Therefore both the social constructionist and psychoanalytic perspectives dispute with the biological and evolutionary persptetives at the methodological level of understanding. Contrastingly however the psychoanalysis perspective acknowledges that both biological and cultural contributions to its hypothesis make up, though it is not without its share of difference however. Within the perspective, a important critical developments in the psychoanalytic theory sex and gender includes Freuds notion for the symbolic significance of the penis( and penis envy) quickly came under scrutiny from feminist psychologists to scientific practices, through Freud failure to consider the significant of womens genitals. (OU, Horney, 1926, , 2007, p.164). Language and Meaning There are three main perspectives used to examine the complex area of language, these are: Theory Methods Themes. These perspectives focus on different aspects of language including evolutionary developments of languages, the processing of languages and the construction of meaning through interaction. From the study of language and meaning, an evenly conniving combination of possible co-existence, complementory and conflicting aspects can be found when comparing the three principal perspectives. The evolutionary perspective sets out to explore language to understand how are related structurally and historically, how they are used differently by various social and cultural groups and how languages is used to communicate and create meaning. Language is the main medium for communication between humans beings and where we express, explore and pursue those goals that mean most to us . It can be concvied to view the three perspectives as at to the lowest degree co-existent. Their objectives of knowledge are different and one could anticipate their cumulative intentions to contribute to some sort of merged theroy Nevertheless, the possible conflict between the cognitive and social constructionist perspectives is disclosed in how they consider meaning as the object of knowledge. For the congntive view it is something whihc is manufactured internally by the individual before transmission, and subsequently rebuilt by the whoever present viewing. For the social view it is negotiated as a consequence of discourse between individuals, in which meaning emerges as the result of a complex exchange of intentions, interpretations and power-relations. Therefore, there is cause for discrepancy, as to what meaning is and where it comes from (Sperber and Wilson 1986, OU, p100). It therefore approprant to rationalise a claim of conflict since the types of meaning adopted by the two perspectives are themselves contratsting. A major social constructionist disagreement with a formulist cognitive perspective is that cognitive processes cannot be transparently reported. The argument is one that cognitive psychologist have long noted. Talking about early research into the cognitive modelling of language Boden (1977, pp.113ff, et passim) notes that a persons comprhendion of language in a given instance is dependent, not merely from their knowledge of the einviroment surrounding them, but importantly on their understanding of their relationship with who they communicate with. Within the evolutionary perspective there is also a argument as to whether language evolved as an adaptation advantage and was the foundation for other cognitive abilities. Pinker (1994) believes that languages may have evolved through natural selection, perhaps in conjunction with other cognitive abilities, OU, p83) or as a reaction of selection for an ability to form our Metarepresentation (Sperber, 2000, p.86). These are contradictory and conflicting views.. The major differences between psychological methods based on natural science principles and those based those on hermeneutic principles means that preservatives based on these methods may have difficulty achieving more than uneasy coexistence. Psychologists do not always abide on such significant basic principle. The questions they posture can often be hard to extract without abridging the prognostic ability of whatever solution, in comparion to physics or chemisty which can be measured through of year thousands of years evidence, psychology on the other hand as a recognisable discipline has been prenst of litte over a hundread years. A inevitable conclusion is that psychology is characterised by perspectives that are present at more then one level on conflict, co-existenct or complementtory aspects, No perspective on its own can tell the whole story. The perspectives and levels of analysis and explanations cannot just be combined without an account of how they interact.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Essay on The Glass Menagerie and the Life of Tennessee Williams

The Glass Menagerie and the Life of Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie closely parallels the life of the author. From the very job Tennessee held early in his life to the apartment he and his family lived in. Each of the characters presented, their actions taken and even the setting have been based on the past of Thomas Lanier Williams, better known as Tennessee Williams. Donald Spoto described the new apartment building that Williams and his family relocated to in St. Louis, Missouri as having only two small windows, one window in the front of the apartment and another in the rear.   A fire escape blocked the smoky light that might have come in from the window facing the back alley (16).  Ã‚   In The Glass Menagerie, the apartment was described as facing an alley. Meyer brought to my attention that the entrance to the apartment was actually a fire escape. There was no front door in the apartment of The Glass Menagerie, only a fire escape to enter and exit through (1865).  Ã‚   This omission of a front door represents the feeling that Tennessee Williams had that he could not leave his family and strike out on his own in a normal fashion as most children do. Tennessee Williams felt that he had to literally escape in order to follow his own dream of writing as Tom too felt in the play. John Fritscher points out in his dissertation that Tennessee a nd Tom both were torn between their mother's interpretation of responsibility and their own instinct (5). Tom Wingfield, the narrator of the play, is representative of Tennessee Williams himself, down to them sharing the same first name. Tennessee Williams did not earn his nickname until his college days at the University of Missouri (Meyer 1864).  Ã‚   Both Tom and Tennessee William... ...ed his world and his experiences of it in whatever form seemed suitable to the material. (Kahn)    Works Cited: Cook, Sharon. "Permission to Quote Me." E-mail to author. 2 Apr. 1999 Fritscher Ph.D., John J. Love And Death In Tennessee Williams Diss.1967: Loyola University Library. Internet 1999. Available: jackfritscher.com/tennessee Kahn, Sy. Modern American Drama: Essays in Criticism. Edited by Willima E. Taylor. Deland, Florida. Everette/Edwards Inc., 1968. 71-88 Spoto, Donald. The Kindness of Strangers: The Life of Tennessee Williams. Boston: Little, Brown and Co.,1985 Tischler, Nancy M. Tennessee Williams: Rebellious Puritan. New York: The Citadel Press, 1965. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Writing, Thinking. 5th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford, 1999. 1865-190

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Leadership Strategy of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Essay

Choose are leader you are interested in and analyse why you consider him/her to be a leader? Describe his or her key strengths and weaknesses as a leader. What makes you consider that person as an effective leader? Justify your answers in relation to the theories & practices we have examined in the course. Leadership is a crucial important topic that is deeply studied over time till today because it has a major effect in all the systems surrounding us affecting the individuals through political, businesses, humanitarian and to be named depending on the content of leadership nature. The term leadership can be defined as influential relationship between leaders and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes towards a desirable future (Daft 2011). The great leader of all time influential on individuals does not disappear even after these leaders has been deceased. This is because such leaders not only possesses required leadership characteristic such as charisma, courage, passion, ethical and emotional attachment to its people which will further be discussed in the following essay in relation to the chosen leader but also what they have done for their followers and society as an whole for their better future. The perfect leader till date who has not been able to replace not even partially was the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him (pbuh) who was a universal leader not just for the people of Muslims but towards every man-kinds on a global scale. He is not just a spiritual leader but also recognized as a leader for his political movement, a philosopher, a family man and also a business man. His teachings and actions were as per the guideline from the holy book of Islam â€Å"The Quran† – the word of god known as Allah (Gullen 2006). This essay will further discussed in details about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) leadership style in relation to the current established theoretical frameworks on leadership and the reason why he is  still well-known for his accomplishment towards his missions not in just spreading the message of Islam, but also creating the equality and justice which is also a part of the message during the dark age in Arabia where the powerful crashed the weak, women dignity was misused and bloodshed was considered as a virtue (Gullen 2006).

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Cave – Creative Writing

Averting attention had always been far too easy for Deft. Imperial transponder codes, too easy to attain, to forge†¦ or have forged. â€Å"Commander Derivan, you have permission to proceed to sector 478. Please sir, do be careful, it is a savage world.†, the comm officer pleaded. â€Å"Thank you for your concern officer, it is duly noted.†, Deft arrogantly replied as he steered his Oppressor towards the planet. The small clearing was easy to see through the lush vegetation. He would owe the Captain for yet another favor. It was of no true concern to him however, he already owed him far more than he could probably ever repay. The lush surrounding vegetation violently shook as he touched down. Switching off the power, the whine of the generator slowly quelled, Deft stepped from the vessel, wearing only his robes under a black cloak, wielding his newly crafted lightsaber. The visions were weaker now, more distant. His thoughts were clearing. He began his trek through the dense jungle. Somehow, even after all this time†¦. Yinchorr felt inviting. The rocks around him hovered carefully in place. â€Å"You must feel it move within you.†, the small pyramid shaped holocron had instructed. The instruction was efficient. He was coming along quickly. The rocks began to swirl around him†¦ slowly at first, then gradually faster†¦. and faster still, until they were but blurred images of themselves. Deft's eyes closed with a cold determination as his head lowered slightly, focusing himself. The air seemed to hiss as the rocks spun violently around him. Images flooded his mind. Pale blue eyes, familiar, cold, callous. â€Å"You drove her away.†, the voice hissed. Pale blue eyes, calling to him distantly. â€Å"Why didn't you come?†, the new, softer voice implored. Pale blue eyes, exploding into blue flames. The flames faded to green. Deft felt himself pulled across the galaxy. Dathomir, a famliar place, once, home. The elder stood over the cauldron, her arms flailing in the air as she spoke her incantation. Spinning on her heal, her cold green eyes met with Deft's. â€Å"You only think you have won Deriun.† All he could see were the eyes. All he could hear, the roar of the flames. But no longer were they the Elders. Rosalyn gazed back at him. â€Å"Why have you foresaken me?†, her pained voice begged. Blackness. Void. A gentle hand reached out to him†¦. but he couldn't grab it, couldn't hold it, touch it. It slipped, further and further into the darkness. *CRACK CRACK CRACK* â€Å"GASP!†, The rocks had flown wildly out of control, and found themselves crashing into a nearby tree, the sound, pulling Deft from his vision. Even now, none of it seemed to make sense. He had come here for answers, but was only finding more questions. Training had been difficult. The holocron seemed to guide him with exercises intended to push a man beyond humanity. Deft yawned as it rambled on about running with the force, he had no interest in learning to be a coward. This wasn't helping the way he had hoped. He threw holocron in his pack. I've had enough of that. His red saber ignited, and he rushed off into the woods. For a fleeting moment, Deft succumbed to his youthful urges. As he ran through the foliage, he cut down branches, nicked rocks. Faster and faster, leaving a wake of mild destruction in his path. The trail of smoke and destruction, came to an abrupt halt. Deft stood, silently, watching out over the open field he had come to. â€Å"I do†, the words rolled so easily off of her lips. Deft had honestly never thought he'd see her again. The day she married Martyn, a piece of him had died. Then he saw the Watchtower, sitting high above Penumbra. â€Å"I am hearing rumor that there is to be an arranged marriage Deft.†, her words cut him. â€Å"My dear, I would never allow such.†, the words caused the air to stiffen, silent for a fleeting moment, â€Å"If we were to wed, it would be because we love each other.†, Deft stepped in, kissing her for the first time. The kiss, her hands at his back†¦.. they burned. Seering pain raged through him, coursing through his veins. He dropped to the ground, in utter agony. His scream echoed through the empty field. Then, he saw her, shackled to a grate, dangling over a flame, flickering between green and blue hues. Was this a vision of things to come? The vision changed as quickly as it had appeared. Rosalyn and Boden stood in the purple fields of Dantooine, together. Boden grasped her hand. The pain was becoming unbearable now, he could almost feel his flesh melting from his body. Sleep†¦.. it was the only escape. Deft's worn body, and torn psyche, collapsed to the ground, saber in one hand, and a small purple Corellian flower in the other. â€Å"Soon, my dear Aklin†¦. very soon indeed.†, the woman's cackling echoed in Deft's mind as he awoke. The rain fell on his face, but the soft touch of rain could not alleviate the pain he felt. He touched his back, the memory of the agony still with him. How long had he been asleep? How long had he been lying here? For a brief moment, he looked at the flower in his left hand, before tucking it safely away, wrapped in a piece of paper, in his pack. Through the foliage, he sensed something. Something nearby. Something, strong. He made his way cautiously, silently, through the jungle. His head peaked around a large tree to see it. As he stood in the entrance, he could sense something. It clouded him slightly, and for the first time in days, he was not thinking of the visions he had been having. Something was tuggin at him, something from deep within himself. This was the reason he had come here. This, was the reason he had journeyed so far. Why, he did not know, but something inside of him verified the uncovered truth. Something inside, told him that this was where he needed to be. Just inside the cave, he saw him. The hooded figure turned away from him, looking deeper into the cave of which he occupied. Who was this man? How could he have gotten here? Yinchorr was blockaded to all non-Imperial personnel. Even then, only the Imperial Royal Guard, and their hopeful trainees ever really came here. As Deft slowly enterred, time no longer existed. Space but a fleeting human assumption of distance. Everything, always, was right here. Such power, such depth, Deft had never felt before. â€Å"What is this place?†, he spoke out to the hooded figure. Anticipating to startle the man, his responce was far different than what he would have anticipated. â€Å"This my young friend, is your future†¦. and your past.†, the eerily familiar voice stated. The figure stood silent, gazing off into the distance as he approached. Then, as his footsteps brought him ever-closer, the man finally turned. The Emperor's visage, torn, weathered. Deft had never seen him like this before. â€Å"Deft, now you shall see.† There was no possible explanation for this. Deft knew it to be implausible for the Emperor to be here, and yet, here he was. Was he hallucinating? What manner of trickery was this? He turned to glance back at the entryway, but it was no longer there. Everything went foggy for a moment. His mind, his thoughts, even what he was seeing. When his eyes returned to where the Emperor had been standing, they did not meet his, they met†¦. theirs. Before Deft stood the four women he had ever truly loved. Yvaine, Lelu, Nydari and Rosalyn. In unison, they looked to him with pleading eyes and said, â€Å"You have abandoned us Deft†¦. why?† â€Å"You were the only man I ever loved, and you left me in your pursuit of power.†, Yvaine looked at him, her slave collar still attached, her subtle blonde braids gently caressing her tender neck where the collar had caused bruising. â€Å"Without you, I couldn't go on.†, her voice callously stated as she slapped him. â€Å"You never understood Deft, you never listened.†, Lelu said, her soft black hair blowing gently in the growing angry breeze, â€Å"I left you, because you had no time for me.† Nydari's gaze met his now, her cold callous blue eyes cutting through his soul. Deft heard not her words, he could feel what beat in her heart. He had taken her son, and for that, he could never be forgiven. â€Å"Deft, you never came for me.†, her eyes begged for a reason, â€Å"You gave up so easily, so much for love I guess.† â€Å"You left me to die on Dathomir.†, Rosalyn's words made little sense, â€Å"You allowed the Nighsisters to have their way with me.† Her inviting red hair still bore the subtle trace of a helmet. Deft could not help but wonder, was he able to speak with them now†¦. because they were all dead? He dropped to his knees, sobbing, the situation too much for even him, to handle. The incessant yelling stopped, all was quiet. Deft took control of himself once again, regaining his composure. Slowly, he raised his head to see the horrid depiction. All four of them†¦. lie dead before him. Their bodies broken, twisted lumps of flesh that once held a vibrance for life he fed off of. Now, empty vessels. The Emperor once again stepped forward. â€Å"What manner of treachery is this?†, Deft implored, â€Å"They cannot be dead.† â€Å"There is no treachery here, only truths within yourself.†, the Emperor explained, â€Å"What you see, is a mirror of what lies deep within you.† Deft knelt before the four corpses, and then, they came. From the shadows they stepped, each armed differently, each, having a different reason for being there. Those reasons, were the women lying before him. Percy, the insecure boy, placed a gentle hand on Yvaine's head, brushing her flowing blonde braids away from her green eyes. Then, turning his angry, jealous gaze to Deft, he unsheathed his blade. Noldat stood over Lelu Orion, his eyes never waivering from Deft's, this had been a long time coming. His pistol unholstered, and prepared to slay his sworn enemy. Wraidth shed a gentle tear as he touched Nydari's soft blue lekku one last time, unsheathing his sword, he snarled at him. â€Å"I would have cared for her as you never could.† Finally, Boden. Deft stood mildly perplexed at the sight, as Boden's eyes filled with rage and tears stared callously at him over Rosalyn's torn body. No words were spoken, but Deft did not need to hear them, he knew why Boden was there. However, was this a depiction of the truth†¦. or a vision of his own paranoia manifesting itself? In unison, their voices echoed through the cave, â€Å"We loved them as you could not. We cared for them, where you would not. In return for this, you destroyed them in your own lustful search for power.† Deft had no words. No charming way of explaining away the mishaps of his life. No intelligent responce to dissuade the anger and hatred in the room. He allowed his anguish to take hold. His saber ignited, the crimson hue echoing off of the walls, the color only amplified the tension. The hum of the weapon, requesting bloodshed. Percy was the first to charge, and the first to drop. With a gentle flick of the wrist, Deft tore through the young man's weapon, and his flesh. His now lifeless body, fell ironically parallel to that of Yvaine's. Noldat opened fire, and Deft's saber found the blaster bolts of it's own accord, deflecting them haplessly into the cavern's walls. His rage focused inward for a fleeting moment, and manifested itself in a bolt of lightning, sending Noldat to the ground in a lump of mangled and burned Rebel flesh. Wraidth did not hesitate, his scythe had cut Deft before he even had a chance to focus his attentions on his assailant. Blood dripping from his left shoulder, the open wound stinging with agonizing pain, Deft did not cringe, but found new purpose in it, new, unadulterated fury with which to wield his lightsaber. For his treachery, Deft cut him down to size, removing the better part of both his legs, just above the knee. As he lie there, helpless, Deft stepped forward to end his suffering. Wraidth's head made a gentle stop at Boden's feet. Both men stared at each other cautiously. Boden's indigo blue saber reverberating off of the walls, creating a purple hue as it mixed elegantly with the crimson of Defts that had already resided there. *CRACKLE HISS* Their blades met for the first time, held against each other, the sounds became almost deafening as they sparked and slid along one another. Deft arrogantly spun with his blade, driving Boden backward. With a kick, Deft pushed him even farther back as the green bolt erupted from his off hand. â€Å"Show me the truth.†, Deft asked of Boden's mind as he invaded it aggressively. The trick he had learned from the Nightsisters might just prove useful. Boden dropped to the ground, clutching at his head in agony. Yet still, Deft felt no battle, no conflict for the right to attain the knowledge he sought. Now Deft knew, this was not real. With a cold, calculated slice, Boden was no more. A soft voice invaded the newly created silence, â€Å"Deriun?† â€Å"Deriun, is that you?†, the voice called to him. After all these years, her soft voice still sent chills down his spine. He turned to face her. â€Å"I no longer go by that name†¦. mother.†, his cold callous stare met hers. Still adorned with rags, and carrying several collars in her hand, she snarled at him, â€Å"Nonsense, now get your things, we have to pick up some more goods this afternoon.† ‘Goods' was her more humane term for slaves. The idea that anyone could try and tone down what slavery was with simple verbage still sickened Deft. A swift backhand caught Deft off guard, his head cocked to one side partly, stopping midway as if to declare resistance. â€Å"You heard your mother boy, get ready.†, his father said angrily to him. As he stood there, looking at his parentage, something inside him snapped. It was all so much clearer. It all made sense. These people, they were nothing but pawns in a much larger game†¦ a game, Deft now played. A game of power. They were little more than cattle, to be done with as he saw fit. Wraidth's scythe hovered in mid air, both his parents stood there, confused at it's sight. â€Å"So boy, you think you've finally become a man? You think you're going to use that blade to kill us?†, his father nervously taunted, trying to play on Deft's insecurities. Insecurities that died long, long ago. â€Å"No father, I have no intentions of such.†, a cold grin formed on Deft's face as he called on the strength of the force, â€Å"She is going to kill you.† The blade hung still in the air before his mother, â€Å"Take the blade woman, and dispatch him.†, Deft said coldly with a slight hint of triumph in his voice. Her confused and shaking hand took hold of the hilt, she hesitated as she drew it back, â€Å"Let go your rage, allow the blade to find it's way.† â€Å"This is ridiculous.†, his fathers fearful expression made it quite apparent that he did indeed realize that this was no jest, â€Å"Woman, put that damn thing down and go get the slaves cleaned up.† â€Å"Now.†, Deft uttered but one word to reinforce his statements, his hand barely moving to send his message clearly, reinforced by the dark side within him. The blade moved swiftly, cleanly. From his shoulder to his nether regions, it made it's cut. A gentle red mist hung in the air, spackling her torn dress of rags. She dropped to her knees in front of her now lifeless spouse. The blade hit the ground, the sound of the metallic clang echoed through her soul as she realized what she had just done. Tear filled eyes looked to him, â€Å"Why Deriun? Why would you make me do this?† â€Å"Because I can.†, he said simply. The scythe flew true, of it's own volition, through her, pinning her ten feet in the air against the wall. Her last breath escaped, the gentle death rattle the only sound now heard in the cave, quickly replaced by the sound of her blood dripping on the floor. A cackle broke out from behind him as he callously stared at his now dead mother. â€Å"Good†¦. good.†, the voice with satisfaction, â€Å"You have done well, Lord Aklin.† He turned to face the voice, and again met eyes with the Emperor, his sinister grin filling the room with a cold warmth. â€Å"I do not understand, how can this be?†, his confusion showing on his face imploringly, â€Å"What is this place?† â€Å"This place is a mirror of your own inner self my friend.†, the Emperor placed a hand at Deft's back, walking with him casually, â€Å"It is a nexus for the Dark Side which all Jedi must at some point face.† â€Å"So this is a test?†, Deft's question had already been answered in his own mind, he needed his answer to be validated however. â€Å"You could say that. I prefer to look at it as a decision rather than a test.†, the Emperor chuckled. â€Å"I see.†, Deft turned to face the Emperor again, â€Å"I came here, I thought, to find answers.† â€Å"My boy, I am not here to give you the answers you seek.†, he coldly stared at him, â€Å"I think you already have those answers within yourself.† Deft had so many questions to still be answered, â€Å"And how is it you are here?. The Emperor smirked at him, â€Å"I am not here.† With that, the Emperor vanished, and Deft found himself standing again in the entryway of the cave. It was not long after that Deft found himself sitting at the foot of his Oppressor contemplating his existence. What was all of this for? What lessons were to be learned? Why was he doing all of this? For the Emperor? For himself? Where had it gotten him? The Emperor had always promised him, one day he would understand, but perhaps, even the Emperor, could not foresee what was to come. *beep beep* His subspace com erupted with authority. Deft could sense it. â€Å"Yes my Lord?†, he said, knowing exactly who it was. â€Å"I sense you have done well Lord Aklin.†, the cold feeling of triumph was apparent, â€Å"Now†¦. you understand.† â€Å"Yes†¦.. I do.†, he replied, his tone uncaring, indifferent. A short hesitation hung in the air before he proceeded, cutting the Emperor off as he begun to speak, â€Å"I understand that I have grown tired of your meddling old man. And perhaps†¦. a change is indeed needed.† The Emperor's sudden rage could be heard as Deft simply deactivated his com and boarded his ship. Activating the radio aboard The Subterfuge, he quickly contacted Tovina, â€Å"My dear, I think we need to have a little discussion.† Deft knew now what he sought, and being subservient to Palpatine was no longer fitting for him†¦ he was better than that†¦ stronger. The time had come for Deft to take what was his†¦. by force. For the Emperor had indeed twisted him to the Dark Side as intended, though, perhaps he twisted a bit too hard. Perhaps†¦. now it was Deft's turn, to twist back.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Meanings of Myth and Related Words

The Meanings of Myth and Related Words The Meanings of â€Å"Myth† and Related Words The Meanings of â€Å"Myth† and Related Words By Mark Nichol Myth, originally a word of elevated and scholarly pretension, has passed into the vernacular to describe anything of dubious truth or validity, though it retains earlier senses. This post lists definitions of the word and others of which it is the root. The word derives from the Greek term mythos, which variously means â€Å"speech† or â€Å"story,† or even â€Å"thought.† In modern English usage, a myth is a story, often featuring heroes and deities or supernatural entities, that explains a belief, custom, phenomenon, or worldview; it is also a synonym for allegory or parable. By extension, a myth is a belief or tradition, often one integral to a society, or an invalid notion born of ignorance or bigotry, or simply a rumor or untrue story. (Myth, without the article, denotes a body of myths.) An urban myth, meanwhile, is an account of an unusual or inexplicable event that did not occur, or state that does not exist, that is widely assumed to be true. The primary adjectival form is mythical; it is also used in the sense of â€Å"imaginary,† but mythic is appropriate for referring to astonishing achievements. Mythology pertains to a set of myths, the study of myths, or an allegory, or to an assumption or belief. A mythologist (or, sometimes, mythologer) is someone who studies myths. Mythos is a synonym for both myth and mythology and denotes a symbolic set of cultural attitudes as well. Mythogenesis is the development of myths or the tendency to ascribe mythical status to something. Mythopoeia, too, refers to the creation of myth. To mythicize is to turn something into, or treat something as, a myth; mythologize also has the latter meaning. Conversely, to demythologize is to analyze the meaning of myths or to unromanticize them. (A countermyth, meanwhile, is a myth that challenges or contradicts another myth.) A mythmaker is someone who creates myths, generally in the casual sense of beliefs or traditions or of reputations about a person, place, or thing. A mythomaniac (or, sometimes, mythomane), meanwhile, is a pathological liar or exaggerator; the condition is called mythomania. An etymologically related word is stichomythia (â€Å"verse speech†), denoting argumentative repartee, especially as a dramatic device in the performing arts. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to use "on" and when to use "in"50 Types of PropagandaPhrasal Verbs and Phrasal Nouns

Monday, October 21, 2019

Immigrants, Emigrants, and Migrants

Immigrants, Emigrants, and Migrants Immigrants, Emigrants, and Migrants Immigrants, Emigrants, and Migrants By Maeve Maddox A reader asks: Emigrate, immigrate, migrate.   What is the proper usage of these words?   It seems like the [use] is indiscriminate. All three words trace their origin to the Latin verb migrare, â€Å"to remove from one place to another.† This common ancestor gives English four verbs: migrate: to move, either temporarily or permanently, from one place, area, or country of residence to another emigrate: (e, â€Å"out† + migrate) to remove out of country for the purpose of settling in another. immigrate: (im, â€Å"in, into† + migrate) to come to settle in a country not one’s own; to pass into a new place of residence. transmigrate: (trans, â€Å"across† + migrate) of the soul: to pass after death into another body. The verbs yield several noun forms, some of which are also used as adjectives: migration migrant emigration emigrant immigration immigrant transmigration Usage examples from the Web: There is a challenge for policy-makers to understand the obstacles migrants face in Australia. Committee on Migrant Workers discusses role of migration statistics for treaty reporting and migration policies. Although not common, two additional adjectives sometimes seen are immigrational and migrational. From Multiculturalism to Immigrational Survavalism [sic] (headline at novitiate.com) Immigrational Background Affects the Effectiveness of a School-based Overweight Prevention Program Promoting Water Consumption (title of research paper) A common error is to confuse immigrant and emigrant. Here’s an instance when etymological information can help with spelling. Just remember that the prefix im- means â€Å"in† and that the prefix e- means â€Å"out†: When Charles Darnay fled France to escape the guillotine, he was an emigrant. When he settled in England, he was an immigrant. A migrant is simply on the move, not necessarily planning a permanent change of address. Plants and animals also migrate, as do things on computers. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply withWhat's a Male Mistress?List of 50 Compliments and Nice Things to Say!