Breast cancer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Breast cancer - Research Paper Example s who have had a history of breast cancer provided the impetus for intense interest to delve further into contemporary issues relating to breast cancer on a global scale. In this regard, the current research would touch on diverse issues that confound women’s contracting this illness such as: risk factors, recurrence rates, conservation surgery through Indian experience; pregnancy associated breast cancer; the impact of curable versus advanced cancer in West of Romania; bioengineering embryonic stem cell microenvironments for the study of breast cancer; and triple negative breast cancer cell lines; to name just a few. The research would initially start with an introduction of the topic to include the researchers’ rationale for interest in the subject and to present current statistics and relevant information on current trends and patterns on breast cancer. A historical background would be delved into, particularly how the specific area of interest emerged. Likewise, the researchers would proffer ways in which the current study would be beneficial to various professionals who are interested on the topic. The research problem is to determine the best possible way of addressing breast cancer through the review of related literature on the subject. The researchers would integrate and synthesize the relevant findings noted from at least 15 authoritative and academic studies which have been contemporarily published in peer-reviewed journals. The discussion portion would highlight innovative ways of looking into addressing issues that confound breast cancer with the aim of better understanding the dilemma, determining how others tried to attempt it, and finally how they progressed in their respective researches. The concluding portion highlights the findings and stipulates the researchers’ recommendations. As indicated, the most effective intervention or treatment does not depend on the new technological or medical breakthrough discovered but on early detection

Gender Inequality In Educational Sector Of Pakistan Sociology Essay

Gender Inequality In Educational Sector Of Pakistan Sociology Essay Education is considered to be the most valuable possession for every human being today. Gender inequality is more pronounced in Pakistan. Women are disadvantaged with respect to the outcomes of schooling. My literature review incorporates all the questions regarding sex differences and I have mainly focus on the issues that are central to the questions of gender inequality in educational sector. Research remains focused on secondary information. Literature review consists of 10 articles as follow. The introduction to this article( the status of women in Pakistan,1988) written by HAQ, attempts to state that women constitute the majority about 52% of the worlds population, yet many societies discriminate them and Pakistan is one of those. The article mainly discuses that women in the rural areas are made to work as long as 14 to 16 hours without payments. Their status is mainly based on local custom rather than QURANIC verses. In a traditional society women occupy really low status. There is a history of female in the subcontinent that women are expected to function within their frame work before marriage they had to obey their fathers and brothers and after marriage their husbands. Most of the women live in the state of withdrawal deprived of their identity and this is because of the lack of education and Pakistani women are denied due to social prestige and economic activity. The variables that are extracted from this article are local custom and lack of awareness. The author define these variables in such a manner that he focuses on reducing gender disparity, should be the priority of the society and this gender disparity can be reduced by eliminating the traditional practices that are held in a society for example women should have equal participation in the decision making and increase women knowledge on family planning as the article states that average number of live birth is 5.8, maternal mortality is very high at an estimated 500 out of 100,000 births. The article discusses the status of women in Pakistan and due to gender discrimination how they are lacking in education. Educated and independent women are more enthusiastic towards life and are capable of understanding modernized changes rather than illiterate under nutritive dependant women .furthermore the article discuses that gender discrimination is mainly because of the traditional customs they are following especially in the villages. Hypothesis: the status of women in Pakistan should be enhanced or not This article gender inequality in education written by Nelly P.Stromquist in 1990 focuses on womens access to education, both in terms of the decrease in the rate of literacy and in years of schooling attained, the article says that there has been improvement over time. Compared to their mothers and grandmothers, women today have more education than ever before. The enrollment of women in primary and secondary school has improved in the last 30 years, and women have registered a slightly greater rate of growth, as women have increased their average years of schooling. Despite all these fact, women still continue to face lower levels of education than men. Women in the third world countries are considered to be feminine and weak in terms of reward and social prestige. The author states that there are still a sizable number of countries that do not collect statistics by sex, particularly at higher levels of education, indicating thereby that they do not consider the improvement of wome ns education a priority. The rate or level of women participation in educational sector reveals that it is the women from low-income groups and low status, ethnic affiliation who register the lowest levels of education. Above stated are the variables that were extracted from the article: low income group, low ethnic affiliation, rate of dropping out. The author defines the variables in a way he says that most of the gender disparity which is observed across the societies is a result of class difference that fully explains why the gender disparity exists and persists. Furthermore the article discuses that there have been few studies that specifically distinguish inequalities due to gender from those due to class or race. A study by Rosemberg (1985) showed that the discrimination by income was more pronounced than the discrimination by race. There is a difference in the education of different social classes. The particular article is relevant to the topic in such a way it states that the schooling of daughter is not deemed worthwhile in front of the schooling of a son. And another major reason of women lacking in education is of high dropout rates of girls in primary and secondary schools. And this is mainly because of early marriages. Insufficient places in secondary school, co education cost of education and low quality of education of girls. Many of the studies in this category do not ask why it is that womens education is considered less important than that of men or why it is that the education of women is so pervasively linked by social norms to their role as wives and mothers. The methodology that was used in the article was viewing different theories about social inequalities in education, are those that are derived from either the functionalist (or consensual) or the conflict (or neo-Marxist) approaches. Hypothesis: is women education considered less important than men The article class and gender in education-employment linkage written by Hanna Papanek focuses on the impact of global economic and political changes on low income nations. Poor families that depend entirely on returns to labor in order to survive are most likely to require participation in wage labor (or labor exchange arrangements) by all household members, including men, women, and children. Under these circumstances, educational participation becomes very difficult for both male and female, but because males generally have a wider range of earning opportunities, they are more likely preferred than females to be allowed to attend school. On the other hand at class and income levels where families are less dependent on female wage labor, womens education is preferred little bit. Family status has a direct bearing on access to economic and political resources that enhances education facility in women. Another factor that is discussed in this article is the family honor and these are the variables extracted from this article INCOME in terms of FAMILY STATUS. The author defines the variables in such a way that differences among classes are signaled by the extent of control over women which is family honor. In some cases girls may not be permitted to attend middle schools located outside the village because it would injure family honor and compromise marriage over it. In other cases, the attainment of secondary or tertiary education may confer so much prestige on the family that the possible status loss associated with daughters living away from home is offset. Marriage chances may also be enhanced when a daughter is sufficiently educated that she can just read and write her name and which can make her earn minimal amount of living. In Egypt as it is a highly stratified society, formal education for both men and women has long been associated with class and status. Higher education, in particular, has played an important role in the reproduction of the bourgeoisie , although not always in the predicted fashion. In Egypt, not all illiterate women can be presumed to be from poor families; at least some proportion of this group, especially among older women, comes from families that do not permit women contact with the outside world. The overwhelming majority of illiterate or barely literate women, however, are from poor families. The article is base from a comparative regional study in Asia that is now under way and from research in a nearby country (Egypt) that is similar in many respects to the countries included in the regional study. Many of the nations in the ongoing study have large Muslim populations (Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Malaysia) etc. concluding the article female educational participation, especially at higher levels, is a consequence of higher family status rather than a means to upward mobility. Hypothesis: do females have less access to both schooling and employment than males do. This article Muslims, markets, and the meaning of a good education in Pakistan was written by Mattew J. Nelson in (October, 2006) examines the nature of local educational demands in Pakistan and show that parents favor religious education usually for girls. Girls access to education in Pakistan has been restricted. Despite improvements in the last 20 years, underlying factors still make the state education system inefficient and the current male to female literacy ratio is still at 65:40. And this is mainly because people wrongly assume that our religion dont permit girls for normal education. Girls are usually preferred to go to maddrasas which most of the parents in rural areas think is a better and accessible option and more convenient option for them. Furthermore the article describes the market and the meaning of good education in Pakistan. Families of middle class who can afford primary education of girls still prefer sending their girls to religious schools which cost them ver y little and prefer their boys to enjoy all the privilege of higher education because they think that it is in our religion that girls are suppose to stay at home. The variable that was identified from this article is religion (Islam). The author defines the variable in such a way that he himself carried a survey and a Questionnaire in which two type of people were questioned one for whom the local madrasa (Islamic religious school) was most important Secondly parents were selected from a variety of economic circumstance. However the outcome was that out of 112 respondents 91 were in the favor of madras for girls. The article is relevant to the topic in a way that it discusses about the how the choice of religious education for girls is forming a disparity in educational sector of Pakistan. The article mainly discuses the, substantive features of local educational demand and religious demand Hypothesis: is demand in favor of religious education rather than local The article Girls Are Boys Are: Myths, Stereotypes Gender Differences written by Patricia B. Campbell, Ph.D.Jennifer N. Storo in 2006 mainly discuses, how much the gender counts in education the author of this article states that Sex is not a good predictor of academic skills, interests or even emotional characteristics. The author discusses about the different myths that are related to girls for example biologically girls cannot handle the stress of higher education. Due to these myths parents have lower expectations from girls and they become gender biased and the variable that was extracted from this article was MYTHS AND STEREOTYPES. Now author further more discuses why myths persist based on gender and race. The history of myths will explain how author has defined the variable it is a common belief that men are principal producers and bread earners of the family so they should enjoy all the privileges and this is a primary reason why their education was considered more importan t than girls. And it was considered that women are property of husband and her only job is to produce children. Furthermore many of the people use to believe and still many of them do is that women reproductive capacity will destroy if her intellect is going to improve. Which in other words mean that women with better education will not listen to men. For example it was concluded that women in their menstrual cycle if uses their brain lose their mammary functions. This particular article is relevant to the topic in such a way as many of these myths are still believed and practiced in Pakistan when it comes to education specifically. This was both quantitive and qualitative form of research in which graphs, charts and theories were used to measure different type of myths Hypothesis: Is there a biological bias for sex differences The article The Impact of Gender Inequality in Education on Rural Poverty in Pakistan written by Imran shareef chaudray and Saeed ur rahman in 2009. The main purpose of this article was to identify the gender inequality in education on rural poverty in Pakistan. The article basically discuses that gender inequality in education persists in almost all the poor countries and Pakistan is one of those. Strong gender disparities exist in the rural and urban areas of Pakistan. Pakistan is one of those societies in which women suffer all sort of discriminations. There are countless issues of education in Pakistan including low level of investment, cultural constraints, poverty, gender and regional inequalities in budgetary allocation to education, low enrollment rates due to poor condition of public schools, high population growth producing more illiterates and poor, lack of implementation of educational policies. Violence against women, class discrimination, poverty, lack of educational fa cilities, and various parallel education systems in government and private education are the major emerging issues which should be dealt with curriculum reforms and effective educational policies. Above mentioned are all the variables extracted from this article but the major variable that I highlighted is POVERTY. Logit regression analysis on primary data was used to reach the conclusion. However it was concluded that poverty has adverse effects on gender disparity in education. Hypothesis: effect of poverty on education This article DOCUMENT TO DEBATE AND FINALIZE THE NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY written by JAVED HASAN ALY in December 2006 is intended to stimulate discussion of major policy issues concerning Education Sector in Pakistan. The educational status of women in Pakistan is unacceptably low, in fact, amongst the lowest in the world. Development, only 19% of females have attained education upto Matric, 8% upto Intermediate, 5% Bachelors degree and 1.4% achieved a Masters degree. 60% of the female adult population is illiterate. Of the 3.3 million out of school children, 2.503 million are girls. 73.6% of primary age girls attend school, compared with 92.1% of boys. Although education has been seen to add value to a female worker but in Pakistan for female education is considered as a abuse. Different policies have been recommended to eliminate this gender gap in education but the fund allocation and human resources that were provided by the government to implement the policies. So the variables that were extracted from this article are Low level of financial allocation and inefficient utilization of resources. The author describes the variable in such a way that since 1947 the emphasis on girls education is laid down and many policies and reforms have been made to practice it but due to lack of financial resources Pakistan is still facing gender discrimination in education. The article on whole is relevant to the topic because it is discussing the policies and their effect on educational sector of Pakistan The particular article THE FUTURE OF GIRLS EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN written by Dr. Humala Shaheen Khalid Dr. Eshya Mujahid-Mukhtar: August 2002 discuses that although most children do get admitted to primary schools, but the major problem is their retention in primary classes. Given the poverty, high opportunity costs of children attending school (as sometimes they are required to contribute to the familys economic activities or towards daily household chores such as fetching water, fuel or sibling care), parents low perception about education, poor quality of education, teacher absenteeism and/or childs bad health, a very high proportion of students drops out from primary school. Reasons cited for leaving primary school varied between boys and girls. While most boys left school due to child not willing Most girls said they had to help at home. During the past decade, several policy initiatives were undertaken, each with a strong component for improving girls education in the country. Besides two educational policies, namely, the National Education Policy (1992) and the National Education Policy (1998-2010), the Government of Pakistan launched the Social Action Programmed (SAP) in 1993/94 which focused on improving the social indicators for girls and women. But none of these policies was followed properly so the variable that was extracted from this article was lack of of financial allocation and Lack of encouragement by government and lack of school facilities. The government of Pakistan is lacking way behind in providing educational facilities Great care needs to be exercised while portraying the future of girls education in Pakistan. Female education is subjected to the forces of both demand as well as supply barriers such as poverty, lower status of female in society and her security concerns, coupled with lack of school facilities, teaching materials and inadequacy or absence of female teachers. More importantly, there are strong linkages of the education se ctor with other sectors. The Study is based on secondary sources. National statistical sources have been extensively used which include the Population and Housing Census 1998; the Economic Surveys (various issues) and the reports published by the National (and provincial) Education Management and Information System (NEMIS). The Study also relies heavily on other data sources and relevant research reports issued by the Central Bureau of Education, Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPAM) and the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS). Hypothesis: future of girls education in Pakistan This article ROLE OF WOMEN IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF PAKISTAN written by Jehan Qamar in 2000 is about the importance of role of women in economic development. And it contains a lot of information about state of women in education and their employment. This article also lays emphasis on political and cultural instability that is affecting the status of women in Pakistan. And this political and cultural instability are also the variables extracted from the article. Furthermore the article discuses that the implication of cultural norms are affecting the education of women a lot different policies made by the Pakistans government were reviewed before writing this article and whether there implication is active or not and how it is affecting the economy. However it was concluded that the role of women in economic development can be enhanced if women provided with proper education Hypothesis: role of women in economic development of Pakistan The article DISTANCE EDUCATION AS A STRATEGY FOR ELIMINATING GENDER DISPARITY IN PAKISTAN written by à ¢Ã‹â€ -Dr. Irshad Hussain in 2008. The article discuses about the role of distance education in addressing the issue of gender disparity in Pakistan The study was descriptive in nature and the researchers adopted survey approach. The study was conducted in Punjab province. The study consisted on three populations: (i). B.A level female students, (ii). their parents and (iii). academicians of Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad. Researchers adopted stratified and convenient sampling technique for collecting data from students their parents and academicians respectively. The samples of the study comprised of 600 students, 60 parents and 60 academicians .The article starts with describing that gender discrimination is one of the major issue in Pakistan at present as we all know that the Pakistani society is male dominated and males enjoy all the privileges where as female population is a very small and neglected community of Pakistan. Unluc kily gender gap is wide and demands immediate attention to address the issue. However distance education is one of the solutions and incentives which provide girls an opportunity to study even in culturally restricted areas. It can cater educational needs of the society at the doorstep on equal basis and frees learners from time and place restrictions. Keeping in consideration the above characteristics Allama Iqbal University is offering different programs through distanced approach. As a result admission rate has increased specially in Allama Iqbal University. Hypothesis: Is distance education effective or not

How a leader can change a society :: Leadership

How a leader can change a society Leaders of the world and of any country particular plays most important role to achieve genuine happiness of its people. Good and capable leader leads its people and country to a peace and prosperity, while the cruel and incapable leader bring people to the world of sufferings and ultimately ruin country. Leader must not only be educated and experienced but it is important to be a compassionate and sensible to the problems faced by their people. Leaders of the government should win the trust of people by being strategically friendly avoiding any kind of provocation or war with neighboring countries and must also allow a degree of transparency in the day to day working and the governance of the country. In my view most important character of a good leader is that they must be compassionate. Having a personality of caring about people is important. You can?t be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them. No matter what credential they have and how much experience they have in administration but without being compassionate they can't ever become a responsible and successful leader. For example Hitler is known for his cruelty and he had no feelings for his own race. He failed to understand the feelings of Jews and thus persecuted them. He also failed to know the fact that the strength of his country lies in them, while opposite is Mahatma Gandhi, a major political and spiritual leader of India, followed nonviolent actions, avoiding any bloodshed in the country during their struggle for Independence. Because of his compassionate nature many leaders in today's world has looked him upon. So leader must be compassionate first without being in fluence by any ulterior motive. Secondly, with compassion, leader must be far-sighted and able administrator. He must be able to organize his government in a way that it would reach the grass root level. No section of the society should be left out. Policy or scheme initiated for the benefit of public must be implemented in such way that it should not get politicize and corrupt during the process of implementation. Administration should notice and reach the problems being faced by public and tackle it on time without unnecessary delay. And most important of all he must knows well about the interest of country in today's global world and able to create a conductive atmosphere to achieve lasting peace and prosperity in global village.

Breaking Unhealthy Habits through Continuous Realization, Planning, and Actualization Essay

The unhealthy habits of a person may differ from another in terms of its nature, quantity, and occurrence. In fact, it is common and quite predictable for an individual to develop at least one unhealthy habit (Van Dusen, 2008). Unhealthy habits may include common examples such as cigarette smoking, frequent and excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages, and overeating unhealthy food variants. As one can see from the examples, unhealthy habits are usually common practices of numerous individuals; thus, they are generally overlooked. However, there is a reason as to why such habits are termed as unhealthy. The reason for the term is that one’s personal health and welfare are compromised through the practice of such habits. Hence, keeping unhealthy habits are a considerable risk to an individual. Therefore, there is a need for individuals to take action and finally break unhealthy habits. The process of breaking unhealthy habits can be divided into three major segments which are realization, planning, and actualization. In terms of realization, an individual must assess the unhealthy habits that he or she currently practices and must understand the possible repercussions by continuing such negative practices. In fact, it has been determined that the problem as to why people rarely break free from unhealthy habits is that they do not realize the dangers associated with their actions (Van Dusen, 2008). If an individual will completely be able to understand the negative effects of his or her unhealthy habits, then questions regarding the reason why such habits should be or should not be continued will arise. For example, a male smoker may think that cigarette smoking is good since it helps in keeping the alertness of a person; on the other hand, he may also think about the detrimental effects that smoking has on the body such as increased risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. When the individual finally realizes that the negative aspects generally outweigh the positive ones, then the next segment of breaking unhealthy habits can be initiated. Planning pertains to the possible actions that one can make in order to move away from continuously doing an unhealthy habit. Using the male smoker again as an example, he may plan to eliminate all the cigarettes that he currently has and remove all related objects or signs as well. In addition, the smoker may also opt to consult experts in cases of nicotine addiction in order to gain further knowledge and potential solutions to his problem. The expert may provide medical solutions to such a problem by offering specific sets of drugs to help the body adjust to the condition of being nicotine free. In this sense, an individual with an unhealthy habit may plan to conduct actions that will prevent further occurrence of the habit itself by eliminating the root causes and associated objects or consulting with consulting experts or medical professionals when applicable. Hence, planning to break an unhealthy habit may be conducted personally or with the help of others. The last segment of the process pertains to actualization. This is quite self-explanatory since planning will be of no use if not followed. Therefore, a person that has assessed and planned what he or she must do in order to break an unhealthy habit must not only start out his or her plan but stick to it as well. Given this, an individual that initiates ways in order to remove the unhealthy habit but ends up quitting halfway will obviously be not successful in eliminating the unhealthy habit. Thus, one can only determine that a person has broken free of unhealthy habits if the person does not return to doing it for a long period of time. In this sense, breaking an unhealthy habit is not defined by being free of such unhealthy actions in the short period after the actualization of the plans. Keeping clean of unhealthy habits requires continuous conviction and belief that returning to the practice of unhealthy habits will only bring forth negative consequences. Therefore, breaking unhealthy habits and maintaining a state free of such habits is not easy, but through a continuous sense and understanding of the three segments discussed, it is highly probable that the individual will be successful in his or her pursuit.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 1

It was October. The trees of the cemetery had turned a decayed brown, and a cold breeze had whistled in, replacing the stifling heat of the Virginia summer. Not that I much felt it. As a vampire, my body registered only the temperature of my next victim, warmed by the anticipation of her hot blood coiling through my veins. My next victim was only a few feet away: a chestnut-haired girl who was currently climbing over the fence of the Hartnett estate, which ran adjacent to the cemetery. â€Å"Clementine Haverford, whatever are you doing out of bed so late?† My playful demeanor was at odds with the hot, heavy thirst coursing through me. Clementine was not supposed to be here, but Matt Hartnett had always been sweet on her. And even though Clementine was engaged to Randall Haverford, her Charleston-based cousin, it was clear the feeling was mutual. She was already playing a dangerous game. Little did she know it was about to turn deadly. Clementine squinted into the darkness. I could tell from her heavy-lidded expression and wine-stained teeth that shed had a long night. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore?† she gasped. â€Å"But youre dead.† I took a step closer to her. â€Å"Am I, now?† â€Å"Yes, I attended your funeral.† She cocked her head to the side. She didnt seem too concerned, though. She was practically sleepwalking, heady from sips of wine and stolen kisses. â€Å"Are you a dream?† â€Å"No, not a dream,† I said huskily. I grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her close to me. She fell against my chest, and the loud drum of her heartbeat filled my ears. She smelled of jasmine, just as she had last summer when my hand had grazed the bodice of her dress while we played one of Damons kissing games under the Wickery Bridge. I ran one finger along her cheek. Clementine had been my first crush, and Id often wondered what it would feel like to hold her like this. I put my lips to her ear. â€Å"Im more like a nightmare.† Before she could make a sound, I sank my teeth straight into her jugular vein, sighing when the first stream hit my mouth. Unlike what her name might suggest, Clementines blood wasnt nearly as sweet as Id imagined. Instead it tasted smoky and bitter, like coffee burned over a hot stove. Still, I drank deeply, gulping her down, until she stopped groaning and her pulse slowed to a whisper. She went limp in my arms, and the fire that burned in my veins and my belly was quenched. All week Id been hunting at my leisure, having discovered that my body required two feedings a day. Mostly I just listened to the vital fluid coursing through the bodies of the residents of Mystic Falls, fascinated by how easily I could take it from them. When I did attack, Id done so carefully, feeding on guests at the boardinghouse or taking one of the soldiers up by Leestown. Clementine would be my first victim whod once been a friend–the first victim the people of Mystic Falls would miss. Disengaging my teeth from her neck, I licked my lips, allowing my tongue to savor the spot of wet blood at the corner of my mouth. Then I dragged her out of the cemetery and back to the quarry where my brother, Damon, and I had been staying since wed been turned. The sun was just creeping over the horizon, and Damon was sitting listlessly at the edge of the water, glancing into its depths as if they held the secret to the universe. Hed been like that every day since wed woken up as vampires seven days earlier, mourning the loss of Katherine, the vampire whod made us into what we are now. Though she had turned me into a powerful creature, I celebrated her death, unlike my brother. She had played me for a fool, and the memory of her reminded me of how vulnerable Id once been. As I watched Damon, Clementine moaned in my arms, one eye fluttering open. Were it not for the blood seeping onto the blue lace neckline of her wrinkled, blue tulle dress, it would seem as if she were merely in slumber. â€Å"Shhh,† I murmured, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. A voice somewhere in my mind told me that I should feel regret over taking her life, but I felt nothing at all. Instead, I readjusted her in my arms, tossing her over my shoulder, as if she were simply a sack of oats, and walked to the edge of the water. â€Å"Brother.† I unceremoniously dumped Clementines nearly lifeless body at his feet. Damon shook his head and said, â€Å"No.† His lips had a chalky white texture. Blood vessels twisted darkly on his face; they looked like cracks in marble. In the weak morning light, he looked like one of the broken statues in the cemetery. â€Å"You must drink!† I said roughly, pushing him down, surprised at my own strength. His nostrils flared. But just as it was to mine, the smell of her blood was intoxicating to his weary body, and soon his lips met her skin in spite of his protestations. He began to drink, slowly at first, then lapped up the liquid as though he were a horse desperate for water. â€Å"Why do you keep making me do this?† he asked plaintively, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and wincing. â€Å"You need to regain your strength.† I prodded Clementine with the tip of my dirt-caked boot. She groaned softly, somehow still alive. For now, at least. But her life was in my hands. The realization trilled through me, as though my entire being were on fire. This–the hunt, the conquests, the reward of the pleasurable sleepiness that always followed a feeding–made eternity stand before us as an endless adventure. Why couldnt Damon understand? â€Å"This isnt strength. Its weakness,† Damon hissed, rising to his feet. â€Å"Its hell on Earth, and nothing could be worse.† â€Å"Nothing? Would you rather be dead, like Father?† I shook my head incredulously. â€Å"You have a second chance.† â€Å"I never asked for it,† Damon said sharply. â€Å"I never asked for any of this. All I wanted wasKatherine. Shes gone, so kill me now and be done with it.† Damon handed me a jagged oak branch. â€Å"Here,† he said, standing with his arms open wide, his chest exposed. Just one stroke to his heart and hed have his wish. Memories flashed through my mind: of Katherine, her soft, dark curls, her fangs bright in the moonlight, her head arched back before she bit into my neck, her ever-present lapis lazuli pendant that sat in the hollow of her neck. I now understood why shed killed my fiancï ¿ ½e, Rosalyn, why shed compelled me and Damon, why she used her beauty and innocent visage to make people want to trust and protect her. It was her nature. And now it was ours. But instead of accepting it as a gift, as I had, Damon seemed to think it was a curse. I cracked the branch over my knee and threw the shards into the river. â€Å"No,† I said. Though Id never admit it aloud, the thought of living forever without a friend in the world frightened me. I wanted Damon and I to learn to be vampires together. â€Å"No?† Damon repeated, his eyes snapping open. â€Å"Youre man enough to murder an old flame, but not your brother?† He shoved me to the ground. He loomed above me, his own fangs bared, then spit on my neck. â€Å"Dont embarrass yourself,† I said, scrambling to my feet. He was strong, but I was far stronger, thanks to my regular feedings. â€Å"And dont fool yourself into thinking Katherine loved you,† I growled. â€Å"She loved her Power, and she loved what she could make us do for her. But she never loved us.† Damons eyes blazed. He rushed toward me with the speed of a galloping horse. His shoulder, hard as stone, plowed into me, throwing me back into a tree. The trunk split with a loud crack. â€Å"She lovedme.† â€Å"Then why did she turn me, too?† I challenged, rolling to my feet as I rebuffed his next blow. The words had their desired effect. Damons shoulders sagged, and he staggered backward. â€Å"Fine. Ill just do it myself,† he murmured, grabbing another stick and running the sharp end along his chest. I slapped the stake out of his hand and twisted his arms behind his back. â€Å"You are my brother–my flesh and blood. So long as I stay alive, so shall you. Now, come.† I pushed him toward the woods. â€Å"Come where?† Damon asked listlessly, allowing me to drag him along. â€Å"To the cemetery,† I answered. â€Å"We have a funeral to attend.† Damons eyes registered a dull spark of interest. â€Å"Whose?† â€Å"Fathers. Dont you want to say good-bye to the man who killed us?†