Bloodlines Chapter Fifteen

ADRIAN SLEPT for a lot of the way back to Palm Springs. Apparently, his late-night partying with Carla and Krissy had resulted in very little rest. Thinking about it made me uncomfortable. Thinking about Jill experiencing it through him made me ill. There'd been little we could do for Carla and Krissy except offer our sympathies. Strigoi attacks happened. It was tragic and terrible, but the only way most Moroi could protect themselves was to exercise caution, keep their whereabouts secure, and stay with guardians if possible. For non-royal Moroi living and going to school in the world like Carla and Krissy were, guardians weren't an option. Plenty of Moroi got by like that; they just had to be careful. The two of them thought the circumstances surrounding their friend's death were awful. That was true. They were. But neither girl thought much past that or felt there was anything odd about the throat-slitting. I wouldn't have either if I hadn't heard Clarence's account of his niece's death. I brought Adrian back to Amberwood with me and signed him in briefly as a guest, figuring Jill would feel better about seeing him in the flesh. Sure enough, she was already waiting for us in the dorm when we arrived. She hugged him and flashed me a grateful look. Eddie was with her, and though he said nothing, there was a look of exasperation on his face that said I wasn't the only one who thought Adrian had behaved ridiculously. â€Å"I was so worried,† Jill said. Adrian ruffled her hair, which made her duck away. â€Å"Nothing to worry about, Jailbait. So long as the wrinkles come out of this shirt, there's no harm done.† No harm done, I thought, feeling anger kindle within me. No harm except Jill has to watch Adrian hook up with other girls and endure his drinking binges. It didn't matter if Lee had supplanted her old crush on Adrian. She was just too young to witness anything like that. Adrian had been selfish. â€Å"Now,† Adrian continued, â€Å"if Sage would be kind enough to keep playing chauffeur, I'll take us all out to lunch.† â€Å"I thought you didn't have any money,† I pointed out. â€Å"I said I don't have very much money.† Jill and Eddie exchanged looks. â€Å"We, um, were going to meet Micah for lunch,† Jill said. â€Å"Bring him along,† said Adrian. â€Å"He can meet the family.† Micah showed up shortly thereafter and was happy to meet our other â€Å"brother.† He shook Adrian's hand and smiled. â€Å"Now I see some family resemblance. I was starting to wonder if Jill was adopted, but you two kind of look like each other.† â€Å"So does our mailman back in North Dakota,† said Adrian. â€Å"South,† I corrected. Fortunately, Micah didn't seem to think there was anything weird about the slip. â€Å"Right,† said Adrian. He studied Micah thoughtfully. â€Å"There's something familiar about you. Have we met?† Micah shook his head. â€Å"I've never been to South Dakota.† I was pretty sure I heard Adrian murmur, â€Å"That makes two of us.† â€Å"We should go,† said Eddie hastily, moving toward our dorm's door. â€Å"I've got some homework to catch up on later.† I frowned, puzzled by the attitude change. Eddie wasn't a bad student by any means, but it had been obvious to me since coming to Amberwood that he didn't take the same interest in the school that I did. This was a repeated year for him, and he was content to just play along and only do what was necessary to stay in good standing. If anyone else thought his behavior was odd, they didn't show it. Micah was already talking to Jill about something, and Adrian still looked like he was trying to place Micah. Adrian's generous offer to buy lunch only extended to fast food, so our meal was quick. After a week of dorm food, though, I appreciated the change, and Adrian had long since made his views clear on Dorothy's â€Å"healthy† cooking. â€Å"You should've just gotten a kids' meal,† Adrian told me, pointing to my half-eaten burger and fries. â€Å"You could have saved me a lot of money. And gotten a toy.† ‘†A lot' is kind of an exaggeration,† I said. â€Å"Besides, now you have leftovers to help get you by.† He rolled his eyes and stole a fry off my plate. â€Å"You're the one who should take the leftovers home. How do you even function on so little food?† he demanded. â€Å"One of these days, you're just going to blow away.† â€Å"Stop it,† I said. â€Å"Just telling it like it is,† he said with a shrug. â€Å"You could stand to gain about ten pounds.† I stared at him incredulously, too shocked to even come up with a response. What did a Moroi know about weight gain? They had perfect figures. They didn't know what it was like to look in the mirror and see inadequacy, to never feel good enough. It was effortless for them, whereas no matter how hard I worked, I never seemed to match their inhuman perfection. Adrian's eyes drifted over to where Jill, Eddie, and Micah were animatedly talking about practicing more self-defense together. â€Å"They're kind of cute,† said Adrian in a voice pitched just for my ears. He played with his straw as he studied the group. â€Å"Maybe Castile was on to something about letting her date at the school.† â€Å"Adrian,† I groaned. â€Å"Kidding,† he said. â€Å"Lee would probably challenge him to a duel. He couldn't stop talking about her, you know. When we got back from mini-golfing, Lee just kept going on with, ‘When can we all go out again?' And yet, he dropped off the face of the earth when he was in LA and I needed him.† â€Å"Had you made plans to meet up?† I asked. â€Å"Had he agreed to take you home?† â€Å"No,† Adrian admitted. â€Å"But what else was he really doing?† Just then, a gray-haired man passed by, bumping into Jill's chair as he balanced a tray of burgers and sodas. Nothing spilled, but Eddie jumped to his feet with lightning speed, ready to fly across the table and defend her. The man backed up and mumbled an apology. Adrian shook his head in amazement. â€Å"Just send him as a chaperone with whoever she goes out with, and we'll never have to worry.† Knowing what I knew now about Adrian and Jill's bond, I was able to regard Eddie's protectiveness in a different light. Oh, sure, I knew his guardian training had instilled that nature into him, but there always seemed to be something a little stronger there. Something almost†¦ personal. At first, I'd wondered if maybe it was because Jill was just part of his larger circle of friends, like Rose. Now, I kept thinking it might go further than that. Jill had said Eddie had been the only one to try to protect her the night of the attack. He'd failed, most likely through timing and not because of a lack of skill. But what kind of mark must that have left on him? He was someone whose sole purpose in life was to defend others – and he'd had to watch someone die on his watch. Now that Adrian had brought her back to life, was it almost like a second chance for Eddie? An opportunity to redeem himself? Maybe that's why he was so vigilant. â€Å"You look confused,† said Adrian. I shook my head and sighed. â€Å"I think I'm just overthinking things.† He nodded solemnly. â€Å"That's why I try to never do it.† An earlier question popped into my head. â€Å"Hey, how come you told those girls your name was Jet?† â€Å"Standard practice if you don't want chicks to find you later, Sage. Besides, I figured I was protecting our operation here.† â€Å"Yeah, but why Jet? Why not†¦ I don't know†¦ Travis or John?† Adrian gave me a look that said I was wasting his time. â€Å"Because Jet sounds badass.† After lunch, we returned Adrian to Clarence's, and the rest of us went back to Amberwood. Jill and Micah went off to do their own thing, and I convinced Eddie to go to the library with me. There, we staked out a table, and I brought out my laptop. â€Å"So, we found out something interesting when I picked up Adrian today,† I told Eddie, keeping my voice library soft. Eddie gave me a wry look. â€Å"I'm guessing the whole experience of picking up Adrian was interesting – at least from what Jill told me.† â€Å"It could've been worse,† I speculated. â€Å"At least he was dressed when I got there. And there were only two other Moroi there. I didn't stumble into a sorority house full of them or anything.† That made him laugh. â€Å"You might have had a harder time getting Adrian out of there if that was the case.† My laptop screen flared to life, and I began the complicated process of logging into the Alchemists' mega-secure database. â€Å"Well, as we were leaving, the girls he was with found out that a friend of theirs was killed by Strigoi the other night.† All humor vanished from Eddie's face. His eyes went hard. â€Å"Where?† â€Å"In LA, not here,† I added. I should've known better than to open up the conversation like that without clearly stating beforehand that he didn't need to be on the lookout for Strigoi on campus. â€Å"As far as we know, everyone's right – Strigoi don't want to hang out in Palm Springs.† Eddie became about one percent less tense. â€Å"Here's the thing,† I continued. â€Å"This Moroi girl – this friend of theirs – was allegedly killed like Clarence's niece.† Eddie's eyebrows rose. â€Å"With the slit throat?† I nodded. â€Å"That's weird. Are you sure that's what happened – to either of them? I mean, we're just going off of Clarence's report, right?† Eddie drummed a pencil against the table as he pondered this. â€Å"Clarence is nice enough, but come on. We all know he's not quite there.† â€Å"That's why I brought you here. And why I wanted to check this database. We keep track of most Strigoi-related deaths.† Eddie peered over my shoulder as I brought up an entry on Tamara Donahue from five years ago. Sure enough, she'd been found with a cut throat. Another search on Melody Croft – Krissy and Carla's friend – also turned up a report from last night. My people had been on the scene and quick to log the information. Melody too had had her throat slit. There had been other reported Strigoi murders in LA – it was a big city, after all – but only two matched this profile. â€Å"Are you still thinking about what Clarence said – about vampire hunters?† Eddie asked me. â€Å"I don't know. I just thought it was worth checking these out.† â€Å"Guardians weighed in on both of these cases,† said Eddie, pointing at the screen. â€Å"They also declared them Strigoi attacks – there was blood taken from both girls. That's what a Strigoi does. I don't know what a vampire hunter does, but I just don't see drinking blood as part of their goal.† â€Å"I wouldn't think so either. But neither of these girls was drained.† â€Å"Strigoi don't always finish drinking from their victims. Especially if they're interrupted. This girl Melody was killed near a club, right? I mean, if her killer heard someone coming, they'd just take off.† â€Å"I suppose. But what about the throat-slitting?† Eddie shrugged. â€Å"We have tons of accounts of Strigoi doing crazy things. Just look at Keith and his eye. They're evil. You can't apply logic to them.† â€Å"Um, let's leave his eye out of this.† Keith wasn't a case I wanted brought up. I sat back in my chair and sighed. â€Å"There's just something bugging me about all the killings. The half-drinking. The throat-slitting. They're both strange things happening together. And I don't like strange things.† â€Å"Then you're in the wrong profession,† said Eddie, his smile returning. I smiled back, my mind still turning everything over. â€Å"I suppose so.† When I didn't say anything else, he gave me a surprised look. â€Å"You're not actually†¦ you don't think there are vampire hunters, do you?† â€Å"No, not really. We have no evidence to think they exist.† â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Eddie prompted. â€Å"But,† I said. â€Å"Doesn't the idea freak you out a little? I mean, right now, you know who to look out for. Other Moroi. Strigoi. They stand out. But a human vampire hunter?† I gestured to the students gathered and working in the library. â€Å"You wouldn't know who's a threat.† Eddie shook his head. â€Å"It's pretty easy, actually. I just treat everyone as a threat.† I couldn't decide if that made me feel better or not. When I returned to my dorm later, Mrs. Weathers flagged me down. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger dropped something off for you.† â€Å"She brought me something?† I asked in surprise. â€Å"It's not money, is it?† So far, none of my coffee purchases had been reimbursed. By way of answer, Mrs. Weathers handed over a leather-covered book. At first, I thought it was the one I'd just finished. Then I looked more closely at the cover and read Volume 2. A yellow sticky note attached to the book had Ms. Terwilliger's spidery writing on it: Next. I sighed and thanked Mrs. Weathers. I'd do any task my teacher asked of me, but I was kind of hoping she'd assign me a book that was more of a historical account than recipes for spells. As I was walking down my hall, I heard a few exclamations of alarm from the far end. I could see an open door and a few people huddled around it. Hurrying past my own room, I went to see what the problem was. It was Julia and Kristin's room. Although I wasn't sure I really had the right, I pushed my way past some of the frightened onlookers. No one stopped me. I found Kristin lying on her bed, twitching violently. She was sweating profusely, and her pupils were so large, there was hardly any discernible iris. Julia sat near her on the bed, as did a couple girls I didn't know so well. She looked up at my approach, her face filled with fear. â€Å"Kristin?† I cried. â€Å"Kristin, are you okay?† When no response came, I turned to the others. â€Å"What's the matter with her?† Julia anxiously refolded a wet cloth and placed it on Kristin's forehead. â€Å"We don't know. She's been like this since this morning.† I stared incredulously. â€Å"Then she needs to see a doctor! We need to call someone now. I'll get Mrs. Weathers – â€Å" â€Å"No!† Julia jumped up and caught hold of my arm. â€Å"You can't. The reason she's like this†¦ well, we think it's because of the tattoo.† â€Å"Tattoo?† One of the other girls caught hold of Kristin's wrist and turned it so that I could see the inside. There, tattooed in glittering coppery ink on her dusky skin, was a daisy. I remembered Kristin pining for a celestial tattoo, but last I knew, she couldn't afford it. â€Å"When did she get this?† â€Å"Earlier today,† said Julia. She looked abashed. â€Å"I lent her the money.† I stared at that sparkling flower, so pretty and seemingly harmless. I had no doubt it was what was causing this fit. Whatever was mixed with the ink to provide the high wasn't reacting correctly with her system. â€Å"She needs a doctor,† I said firmly. â€Å"You can't. We'll have to tell them about the tattoos,† said the girl who had been holding Kristin's hand. â€Å"No one believed Trey, but if they saw something like this†¦ well, everything at Nevermore could be shut down.† Good! I thought. But to my astonishment, her words were met with nods from the other gathered girls. Were they crazy? How many of them had those ridiculous tattoos? And was protecting them really more important than Kristin's life? Julia swallowed and sat back down on the edge of the bed. â€Å"We were hoping this might pass. Maybe she needs a little time to adjust.† Kristin moaned. One of her legs trembled like it was having a muscle spasm and then stilled. Her eyes and their large pupils stared off blankly, and her breathing was shallow. â€Å"She's had all day!† I pointed out. â€Å"You guys, she could die.† â€Å"How do you know?† asked Julia in astonishment. I didn't, not for sure. But every once in a while, Alchemist tattoos didn't take either. In ninety-nine percent of the cases, human bodies accepted the vampire blood used in an Alchemist tattoo, allowing its properties to infuse with our own, kind of like a low-grade dhampir. We gained good stamina and long life, though hardly got the amazing physical abilities dhampirs received. The blood was too diluted for that. Even so, there was always the occasional person who got sick from an Alchemist tattoo. The blood poisoned them. It was made worse because the gold and other chemicals worked to keep the blood infused in the skin, so it never had a chance to leave. Those left untreated died. Vampire blood wouldn't cause a euphoric high, so I didn't believe there was any in this tattoo. But the treatment we used for Alchemist tattoos relied on breaking down the metallic components of the tattoo in order to release the blood, allowing the body then to clear it naturally. I had to assume the same principle would work here. Only, I didn't know the exact formula for the Alchemist compound and wasn't even sure it would break down copper like it did gold. I bit my lip, thinking, and finally made a decision. â€Å"I'll be right back,† I told them, racing to my room. All the while, an inner voice chastised me for foolishness. I had no business attempting what I was about to. I should go straight to Mrs. Weathers. Instead, I opened my room door and found Jill with her laptop. â€Å"Hey, Sydney,† she said, smiling. â€Å"I'm IM-ing with Lee and – † She did a double take. â€Å"What's wrong?† I turned on my own laptop and set it on the bed. While it booted up, I reached for a small metal suitcase I'd carefully packed but never expected to use. â€Å"Can you go get me some water? Quickly?† Jill hesitated only a moment before nodding. â€Å"Be right back,† she said, jumping off her bed. While she was gone, I unlocked the case with a key I always kept on me. Inside it were small amounts of dozens of Alchemist compounds, the kinds of substances we mixed together and used as part of our jobs. Some ingredients – like the ones I used to dissolve Strigoi bodies – I had lots of. Others, I had only a sampling of. My laptop finished booting up, and I logged onto the Alchemist database. A few searches and I soon had the formula for antitattoo treatment pulled up. Jill returned then, carrying a cup brimming with water. â€Å"Is this enough? If we were in any other climate, I could've pulled it straight from the air.† â€Å"It's fine,† I said, glad the climate had kept her from magic. I scanned the formula, analyzing which ingredients did what. I mentally deleted the ones I was certain were specific to gold. A couple I didn't even have, but I was pretty sure they were simply for skin comfort and weren't requisite. I began pulling out ingredients from my kit, carefully measuring them – though still moving as quickly as possible – into another cup. I made substitutions where necessary and added an ingredient I was certain would break down copper, though the amount required was only a guess on my part. When I finished, I took the water from Jill and added the same amount that was in the original instructions. The final result was a liquid that reminded me of iodine. I lifted it up and felt a little like a mad scientist. Jill had watched me without comment the entire time, sensing the urgency. Her face was filled with concern, but she was biting back all the questions I knew she had. She followed me when I left the room and headed back to Kristin's. More girls were there than before, and it was honestly a wonder Mrs. Weathers didn't just hear the racket. For a group so intent on protecting their precious tattoos, they weren't being particularly covert. I returned to Kristin's bedside, finding her unchanged. â€Å"Expose her wrist again, and hold her arm as still as possible for me.† I didn't direct the command to anyone but put enough force into it that I felt certain someone would obey. I was right. â€Å"If this doesn't work, we get a doctor.† My voice left no room for argument. Julia looked paler than Jill but gave a weak a nod of acceptance. I took the washcloth she'd been using and dipped it into my cup. I'd never actually seen this done and had to guess about how to apply it. I made a silent prayer and then pressed the washcloth against the tattoo on Kristin's wrist. She let out a strangled cry, and her whole body bucked up. A couple nearby girls instinctively helped hold her down. Tendrils of smoke curled up from where I was holding the washcloth against her, and I smelled a sharp, acrid odor. Waiting what I hoped was an acceptable amount of time, I finally removed the washcloth. The pretty little daisy was mutating before our eyes. Its clean lines began to run and blur. The coppery color began to shift, darkening into a bluish green. Before long, the design was unrecognizable. It was an amorphous blob. Around it, red welts appeared on her skin, though they seemed to be more of a superficial irritation than anything dire. Still, the whole thing looked terrible, and I stared in horror. What had I done? Everyone else was silent, no one knowing what to do. A couple minutes passed, but they felt like hours. Abruptly, Kristin stopped twitching. Her breathing still seemed labored, but she blinked, her eyes focusing as though suddenly seeing the world for the first time. Her pupils were still huge, but she managed to look around and at last focus on me. â€Å"Sydney,† gasped out Kristin. â€Å"Thank you.†

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Essay

There is no doubt that the book â€Å"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close† by Jonathan Safranfoer focuses more on the story with Oskar, however it also includes a compelling side story of the life of the Grandfather. From reading the different events that occur throughout his years, the readers can sense a feeling of wrongdoing and reconciliation. The underlying story about the grandfather explains his reasoning behind his wrongdoing, what he did to commit to it, and his actions afterwards to reconcile on behalf of it. The early events of the grandfather’s life were complicated for him, and resulted in his mind being corrupt. Through the quote, â€Å"Does it break my heart, of course, every moment of every day, into more pieces than my heart was made of, I never thought of myself as quiet, much less silent† (Safranfoer 17), the seclusion between him and the world is starting to become noticeable. After suffering the loss of his first love, as well as his child, left him with an unbearable sadness so early in his life. This causes his views on living to be altered; as he thought of it as something that is a shame to partake in. His inability to even talk anymore; starting with the name â€Å"Anna† and slowly reducing to nothing, verifies that her death triggered his isolation. With that, he was left empty and reluctant to allow anyone to fill that void. Years after the Anna’s death, the grandfather started his relationship with the grandmother. Still isolating himself, he explained at the end of the book, his reasoning for leaving the grandmother prior through a conversation with Oskar, â€Å"‘How did he die’ ‘I lost him before he died’ ‘How? ‘I went away’ ‘Why? ’ He wrote, ‘I was afraid’ ‘Afraid of what? ’ ‘Afraid of losing him’† (Safranfoer 322). This is a strong quote explaining how the grandfather was too scared to love someone again. The rules that he and the grandmother placed with the something and nothing areas gave him his own type of comfort in continuing to live without Anna. When he learned of the grandmother’s pregnancy, he lost any remaining security that he has accumulated throughout the course of their relationship. His views on life and love were already corrupt as he was still broken from before, so with this, he remained confused on what to do. Unable to allow himself to open up and love another one of his children again, he left before he got the chance to. Contrarily, after leaving, the grandfather wrote multiple letters to the son that he never knew, which showed how ashamed he was of himself. However, due to his perspective on living, he feels that he was left with no other choice. This was an important moment when the grandfather was able to open up to the grandmother, which allowed the readers to gain an understanding of his true thoughts and feelings towards the events of his life. He lost something he never had. That is why he generated this chaos throughout his life. It hurt him, and although he does not specifically say that he wishes it did not happen, the tone expressed shows that he would have been better off without this suffering. To elaborate on that thought, one must put themselves in the grandfathers’ shoes. The person who he was in love with, who was also carrying his child, was killed in a war that was not even ideal to be a part of. Northrop Frye, author of ‘The Educated Imagination’ states, â€Å"What produces the tolerance is the power of detachment in the imagination, where things are removed just out of reach of belief and action â€Å"(Frye 46). For the readers, this seems like a common tragedy during the war, but to really hink deeply about the emotions of the people who lived through that misfortune portrays the grandfather in a different way. He had every right to feel the way he was feeling; war put many people in misery, for many different reasons, that revolved around the same topic, loss of a loved one. To live through that, and be expected to continue on with life conventionally is obscured. Frye explains that readers develop a tolerance when reading, but what must now be done is to learn to understand within the reach of belief and action. By being able to adapt to this deeper understanding, it is easier to understand the feelings going through the grandfather. Another way the reconciliation with the grandfather is seen is when Oskar confides in the grandfather; but to Oskar, is just the renter. After hearing the message recordings on the phone, the grandfather writes, in a letter to his son, â€Å"The message was cut off, you sounded so calm, you did not sound like someone who was about to die, I wish we could have sat across a table and talked about nothing for hours† (Safranfoer 281). Thinking from the grandfather’s perspective; he is listening to the voice of his son that he never met for the first time, right before the son is about to die. One could only imagine how traumatizing it would be to hear that. This encounter between Oskar and the grandfather was more of a rude awakening to the grandfather. He left his son before he could even meet him, and now, all he has left of him is the sound of his voice, minutes before he dies. The amount of regret within the grandfather is enormous; he is ashamed. By joining Oskar in digging up the casket, he puts the letters into it. This symbolizes his way of finally sending his son the letters. It is a way to put him at peace and finally reach out to his son. These events will always be a memory, but maybe now he can find a way to accept it and try ‘living’ in a new acceptable way. For the grandfather to experiences all these occasions, yet still confess to his mistakes, makes the underlying story about him an inspirational portion to the book. Having such a distressing event early in his life causes him to make mistakes and hurt the people who are significant to him, but in the end, he makes up for it; reconciles. In the world today, it is rare that someone who takes responsibility for their actions, and admits that they were wrong. The grandfather goes through such traumas in his life, and proves to be a strong, good-hearted man.

Hellenistic Art Essay

During the campaign of Alexander the Great as the greatest conqueror of his time, his father, Philip of Macedon tried to unite the Greek city-states. During this time, Hellenistic period was born creating a major advancement on their art. It was also in this period, that a global battle in commerce and cultural influences which are apparently dominated by the Greeks. The Greek Hellenistic period span from 323 B. C. up to the Battle of Actio in 31 B. C. The Hellenistic period paved the way to many transformations of Greek art. Though the Classical concepts in art were not thoroughly abandoned, the birth of the Hellenistic period made the artists create different and unique art concepts. The artists during this time explored and manipulated their imagination on their subject. It was also during this period that higher degree of Naturalism took place as a logical conclusion to great sculptors like Praxitelis and Lysipos whose works demanded for the art representation of the human figure. In a Greek art (Boy Jockey), the bold expression of energy and power during great pressure was represented. The change of focus of the Hellenistic art from religious and naturalistic ideas and concepts to human expressions, psychological concern and theatrical background, paved the way to the sculptures that includes the natural physical surroundings with creative landscaping and theatrical groupings. The Nike of Samothrace is a sculpture that embraced the true meaning and understood the world through the application of certain techniques and aesthetic conventions. The winged goddess with her outstretched wings gracefully prevents the stone from falling due to gravity. The sculpture also represented the physical human presence and the external force within it. The representation evidently speaks for the Greeks acceptance of the physical power of human being and all other external forces acting on it. The Hellenistic art in sculpture also represents human condition, state of mind and inconsequential moments of life. It is represented through sculpture like a sleepy satyr, an old woman, a twist of torso and the swing of Aphrodite’s sandal. The statue of the beautiful Venus was contrasted by the monstrous appearance of Pan who happens to seduce her as she attempts to repel him with her smile. During this period, the statues of Aphrodite, Eros, Dionysius, Pan and Hermaphrodites were manipulated in styles and configurations to give way to the theme of eroticism. In order to represent the unique physical beauty of women and the Greek world, statues of female nudes gain popularity. The statues of Venus in various orientations and poses were created and displayed in halls of many museums i around the world. Among the greatest work that personifies beauty is the sculpture of Venus de Milo. Many Hellenistic sculptors were not contented in depicting the true physical appearance of their subject. They included some variation through express the inner world. These variations were characterized through the depiction of physical characteristics that deceived inner feelings and thoughts. The most important work considered during that time is the statue of Hygea which combined the concepts of Classical Greek art in its refinement and Hellenistic aesthetic ideals on its facial expression of concern to the previous condition that existed before her. Works Cited â€Å"Art of Ancient Greece. † Museum Quality. 29 April 2009 http://www. huntfor. com/arthistory/ancient/anc_greek. htm Green, Peter. Alexander The Great and the Hellenistic Age. Orion Publishing Group Limited, 2008.

Business Strategy Of Louis Philippe Marketing Essay

Business Strategy Of Louis Philippe Marketing Essay Art for arts sake makes no more sense than gin for gins sake said by Somerset Maugham.   Finis Coronat Opus  or, quite simply,  The finish crowns the work.Every garment in this line is a suggestive example of this philosophy. The range has subtle design distinctions that will glee the wearer and allow him to discover something new every day. Shirts with fine sewing on inner sleeve plackets, trousers with a special tape on the inner waistband tucked under the trim fabric, suits and jackets with the centre cover button stitched with thread of the brand color to make a subtle design. About Louis Philippe Louis Philippe (extracted from Franco-Italian culture) lures its name and its stimulus from King Louis Philippe of France Louis Philippe. It is an international men’s fashion brand which symbolizes status or rank and lifestyle. Louis Philippe tantamount with premium was launched in India in 1989 with the concept that the person, who wears it, is a man of infallible taste p reference and different class. Louis Philippe always focuses on global fashion that gives it indisputable premium and an exclusive image. Louis Philippe is a leading brand in formal as well as quasi-formal wear. From its commencement, Louis Philippe has been seen as the supplier of fine clothing for the discriminating European gentleman. This international super brand offers stylish ensembles for the fashionable Indian man also. Garments under such label combined the finest fabrics with designs inspired by the latest global trend of fashion and addressing the needs of the style-conscious fashionable male. In India, Louis Philippe garments are available at 119 stores in 50 cities in 21 states, and at the exclusive LP stores created by famous European architect John Marsala. The brand continues to be the leader in retail sales in all leading menswear and department stores. Its retail experience is further amplified by Madura Fashion & Lifestyle’s retail chain – Planet Fa shion. Louis Philippe Products Louis Philippe has launched its sub-brands (LP and Luxure) in November 2007. LP by Louis Philippe aims at young achievers and fashionable urbanites, who demand clothing flexibility. It establishes the style mantra for younger generation.  LP is the brand for those who are in a flurry to make a mark in this world, but will not compromise on either their values.  With two trendy fits in shirts and denims, four styles in trousers and three in suits and jackets, the LP range provides ample options for customizing a wardrobe to individual preferences.  Its product categories are shirts, trousers, suits, jeans, blazers, shoes, T-shirts and accessories. Louis Philippe launched the Luxure brand in select stores across India in November 2008. Created to deliver tailored elegance for the refined aficionado, the masterpiece collection strengthens brand Louis Philippe’s promise to deliver excellence to customers who have an appreciation of the finer t hings in life. With Luxure, consumers have access to exquisite apparel, consummate craftsmanship, luxurious materials and delicate aesthetics, all cores to the values and heritage of Louis Philippe. Business Strategy of Louis Philippe Madura Fashion & Lifestyle, a division of Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd, is one of India’s fastest growing branded apparel companies and a premium lifestyle player in the retail sector recording a blazing growth rate of over 25 per cent year-on-year. After consolidating its market leadership with its own brands, it introduced premier international labels, enabling Indian consumers to buy the most prestigious global fashion wear and accessories within the country. The company’s brand portfolio includes product lines that range from affordable and mass-market to luxurious, high-end style and cater to every age group, from children and youth to men and women. Madura Fashion & Lifestyle is defined by its brands – Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Al len Solly, Peter England and People that personify style, attitude, luxury and comfort.

Find a issue and two reasons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Find a issue and two reasons - Essay Example Nonetheless, poverty is a social phenomenon, which is experienced in all countries, including the developed and developing countries. The social phenomenon of poverty is not as simple as it might appear. This is a complex phenomenon, which is complicated. Therefore, it is has proved challenging to provide a universal definition of this phenomenon. In addition, it is also complicated and challenging to discover the real causes of poverty. Different scholars studying this phenomenon have identified differing causes, and most have disagreed on which ones to term as the main causes of this phenomenon (Lusted 12). Nonetheless, some of the main factors considered to cause poverty include unequal distribution of resources in the society, and environmental degradation. Unequal distribution of resources makes some people to be termed rich, and others poor. Therefore, the group of people with limited access to resources will experience poverty. On the other hand, environmental degradation will affect those people who solely rely on the environment for natural resources. Farmers, anglers, are affected negatively by environmental degradation, therefore, making them poor (Fight Poverty n.p.). Nonetheless, the phenomenon of poverty is important in the world today, as through tis, the distribution patterns of wealth and resources can be traced. This would therefore, help most sociologists understand other social issues in different countries, with regard to their poverty levels. Sociologists and Anthropologists argue that poverty is a phenomenon that has existed throughout history, even before the recorded history. This is because the element of social stratification is inherent in the human society. Therefore, status, wealth, and power are all unequally distributed in society, even in the prehistoric times. Poverty is real and has been existent in the world over the past centuries. According to the records of the United Nations, poverty exists in most continents. In addition , Anthropologists and sociologists have traced poverty to the ancient eras, including the early periods of civilization. In addition, poverty is evident during the colonial era, according to sociologists. Today, the phenomenon of poverty is more prevalent in the third-world countries. Most African countries are stricken with poverty as shown by the increased deaths due to hunger, as well as increased immortality rates. Most poor African countries have therefore, benefited from considerable amount of aid and relief from the West (WHO n.p.). On the other hand, in most developed countries, the government supports the few poor countries through financial assistance. Homelessness in both developed and developing countries is an evidence of poverty in those countries. Poverty is a problematic phenomenon, considering it is among the social phenomena that humankind has failed to address. Poverty is detrimental, but no strategy over the years, has been instrumental in eliminating it. Nonethe less, between environmental degradation and unequal distribution of resources, unequal distribution of resources in society is the most valid cause of poverty. If all people in society would access wealth in the same measure, then there would not exist the phenomenon of poverty (Fight Poverty n.p.). Environmental degradation has existed for the past few decades, and there has been awareness about this aspect, which generally bears negative consequences for human beings. It is argued that environmental deg

Identify the factors that influencing young consumers' online purchase Essay

Identify the factors that influencing young consumers' online purchase behaviour towards fashion garments - Essay Example The research methods will include questionnaires. The aim is to allocate 160 research questionnaires within different locations. Different location distribution will allow for a wide and varied opinions and outcomes of the research components. In different set-ups, many young members of the community are fascinated with the idea of online shopping. It has led to believe that online shopping or online information on fashion and design contributes greatly to the factors that affect consumer decision on purchases. Fashion information that is available online creates positive impacts and develops positive relationship with young consumers. It influences their purchases behavior towards fashion garments. A study of the factors contributing to online shopping among young people is an important factor towards learning more about online marketing and e-commerce. The author intends to give a brief description of the importance of the study, its aim and purpose. As a researcher, personal intentions for handling the project are to analyze the various motives, which attract young consumers to buy items online. The literature review provides empirical evidence based on historical research that involved the same hypothesis. Online purchasing behavior, marketing, product viewing, fashion information online, delivery, social influences, consumer characteristics, online merchants and intermediaries, fashion and celebrity endorsement The purpose of the research proposal is to lay out a foundation for carrying out the actual research and explaining the basic steps that will be used in the research. It identifies the internet experience elements that facilitate interaction between the customer and fashion garments in an online forum. Many researchers stipulate that the online experience is the best in terms of fashion and garments. Online marketing is designed in a way that it creates a gripping and influential experience (Mccornic and

Environmental Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Environmental Science - Essay Example 1. The first step is identifying that there is no water supply. The next step is to see the possible causes – leakage/block in pipeline connected to this faucet; damage/clog in the main pipeline supplying water to the house; check for reports in press and media about possible maintenance work by water supply department or break down in power supply, contamination at the source of water supply, higher incidence of water borne diseases being reported. The hypothesis can be physically verified. 2. Principle of Repeatability: Water samples can be collected from a variety of households and tested for the presence of pathogens, their population levels and toxicity. If similar results emerge from a majority of the water samples collected and analysed for the same parameters then the hypothesis may be accepted. 3. A self-centred, consumerist, ‘what’s in it for me’ attitude person, would not want to, or, even be able to understand environmental issues and concerns. The decision to exploit or use a natural resource, not just trees, must definitely, be based on a detailed risk analysis and must also take into consideration the views of the people who are directly dependent and benefit from the resource. 2. Temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity & suspended sediments, specific conductivity, hardness. Testing water quality for these parameters gives a general indication of the commercial activities prevalent in the area and is a good indicator of the environmental health of the region. 3. The process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia is called nitrogen fixation. The fixed nitrogen is then used by plants to convert them into amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids etc. Animals use these to build proteins and other molecules 4. The primary producers and top consumers have not changed. The difference now though, is the unbalanced structure of the food chain and food web