How To Improve Tourism in Malaysia

How To Improve Tourism in Malaysia TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Based on the question 1, I have observed and I have my own point of view what can I make to improve the tourism in Malaysia. I have stated 5 points for Ministry of Tourism can develop or improves more. Malaysia is peaceful country therefore we must keep it stay this way. The views of mine what is needed to develop is very good because it can bring Malaysia to succeed. Besides that, Malaysia has education and culture that can be learned for more knowledge as well as to raise the fame of Malaysia and bring Malaysia’s tourism to a whole new adapt level as well as in technology. INTRODUCTION (QUESTION 1) The Ministry of Tourism in Malaysia is in charge who everything about Tourism for this country. In Malaysia, the Tourism that is very succeed and a head from other countries in Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, capital city and Putrajaya is the country’s administrative capital. The Ministry of Tourism develop tourism in Malaysia because of an interesting places and historical places. Not only that, Ministry of Tourism has their important role to make Malaysia better and modern in Tourism. Ministry of Tourism also build up the central region. Every building or places in Malaysia have its own mark, if we describe it, we knew that was the building or the place. Example of the central region are vibrant towns and cities, towering buildings and exciting places of interest make up the urban landscape of Malaysia’s central region. This region comprises the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya as well as the state of Selangor. The region boast gleaming megastructures, heritage quarters and world – class events. The majestic Petronas Twin Towers is a major draw among visitor to Kuala Lumpur. It is one of the country’s iconic landmarks, and one of the world’s tallest buildings. Further south, Putrajaya is hailed as the ‘Intelligent Garden City’ for its harmonious blend of infrastructure and nature. In Selangor, the ultra – modern Sepang International Circuit (SIC) sets the stage for the annual Petronas Malaysia Formula 1 Grand Prix, attracting motorsports fans from aroun d the globe. As the country’s hub for commerce and finance, the central region is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and top-notch facilities. It is home to Kuala Lumpur International Airport as well as Port Klang, the largest port in the country. Filled with unique attractions, the central region is a lively and exciting destination. Discover a microcosm of modern Malaysia in this region. 1.1 HOW MINISTRY OF TOURISM CAN DEVELOP THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA The Ministry of Tourism can upgrade the tourism and can develop more Tourism in Malaysia. First thing, Ministry of tourism should do a promotion and tells the world wide about the fascinating of Malaysia to other countries so that can attract them comes to our country. The Ministry of Tourism can tell other countries by showing our tourism websites, they can calls straight to the office, build more big giant screen at the side of the roads so that the citizens can see about the Tourism of Malaysia when they pass by, brochures and flyers will distributes to all over the countries. Second thing, some places of interest that the Ministry of Tourism can develop more is Kl Tower, Jalan Puncak, Off Jalan P.Ramlee. The Ministry Tourism must create more beautiful inside it so that the tourist can enjoy a magnificent view from the observation tower. Next, upgrade dine at the Atmosphere 360 Revolving Restaurant, adding more interesting and delicious dishes. Then for the Animal Zone, Ministry can develop by adding more animals so that it will bring more exciting to the tourist. XD Theatre can upgrade the system so that the movie be more good quality. Third thing, about the transportation. There are many types of transportation in Malaysia. By air, from the airport to the city, by sea, by road, by rail and others. Tourism of Malaysia must improves the transportation. It is for the safety and also make the citizens in Malaysia more comfortable. I take air as example. By air, the state-of-art Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is the main gate away into the country. KLIA is situated in Sepang, about 55 km from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia airlines is complemented by AirAsia, the budget carrier and also Malaysia (MAS). Ministry of Tourism can improves more the facilities in both plane. The fourth Tourism Malaysia also needs to develop more Shopping Dining places. Selangor has an abundance of shopping malls. Most shopping malls, are designed with special themes and boast plenty of recreational facilities for all in the family. Especially the shopping malls, the tourism of Malaysia must build more shopping malls because Malaysian people loves to go for shopping. Every day in shopping malls, at least 10,000 people comes went for shopping. The management in shopping malls must include shop that is different from other countries and that can only have in Malaysia. This can make tourist from other country comes to Malaysia to buy it. Next is the dining, the food and beverages should add more variety of dish out a variety of local, western and international cuisine. This will attract the tourist to come to Malaysia to have a try. The Ministry of Tourism must develop more choices for the visitors and tourist that came to Malaysia. They must add more air – condition er in the restaurants. The fifth Ministry of Tourism can develop is Malaysia’s Events and Recreation. Selangor is a great venue for a wide range of events, from cultural celebrations to action-packed sporting activities. Malaysia should add more events and recreation. The tourist loves to travel and likes to do activities. By this method, Malaysia can gain more profit if the Ministry of Malaysia develop more recreation places. Nowadays, most everyone likes the theme park and extreme park. For theme park, tourism of Malaysia can improves the Sunway Lagoon more exciting games for all the Malaysia and tourist to enjoy an exhilarating time with the various rides and games. For the extreme park, most of teenagers loves to play this for them to release their stress. This is a great place for professionals and amateurs of extreme games to flaunt their stuff. 2.0 CONCLUSION Based on question 1, the 5 points that I stated, the Ministry of Tourism really should develop that in order for Malaysia to succeed. Ministry of Tourism can take Malaysia country to lead in tourism. I feel confident that if the Ministry of Tourism can do the points that I have stated, I am sure that Malaysia’s Tourism can get to the highest rank of tourism all over the world. Malaysia also have the potential to gain more profit if the Ministry of Tourism can attract the tourist to come to Malaysia and also keep the Malaysian citizens stays in Malaysia. Not only that, the benefits if the Ministry of Tourism do my alternative is citizen from other countries can say to their friends from other countries that Malaysia is really a good place to visit and an interesting place to gain experience and also create memorable memories. 3.0 INTRODUCTION (QUESTION 2) Malaysia’s population represents almost all of the main ethnic group of Asia. New updates of population for now in Malaysia is about millions of them. Malaysia has a number of other races too. Malaysia is a free and peaceful country. In Malaysia, we have our Prime Minister who is Dato’ Seri Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak. The major people who stayed in Malaysia is, Malay, Chinese and Indian. For the other races besides the major races is called minority races. For example, Punjabi, Sarawakian and also Sabahan races. In addition, there was a history about Malaysia and also Malaysian people. Due to the history, the Peranakans of the ‘Straits Chinese’ is built and the meaning of that is mixed of Chinese – Malay blood. Besides that, in Malaysia, Islam is the official religion in this country. Therefore, the biggest population in Malaysia mostly is Muslims and because of this, there is many attraction that pull them to convert. Nowadays in Malaysia, some of th em many has converted to Muslim. Malaysia is popular with their foods, games, the tourism, beaches, forest and other nature. The national language in Malaysia is Bahasa Malaysia and is official language. Other languages used in Malaysia are, in English, Tamil, Chinese, Telegu and Punjabi. For Chinese people, there are many different types of Chinese languages spoken by them. Cantonese is widely spoken by Chinese people in Malaysia. Besides that, Mandrin, Hokkien, Hakka and also Foochow. The ministry of education has stated and make a decision that in each school, all subject must be taught to the students in Bahasa Malaysia and also English Language only. Others than this is not appropriate to be taught because this is not fair to other foreign students who studied in that schools. Most Malaysian citizen is very good and we in here respect every culture and religion. 3.1 CULTURE OF MALAYSIA There are many culture in Malaysia, with different ethnics of group. Everyone in Malaysia has its own culture and traditions. There was a history of culture in Malaysia long time ago back in 1971. The government has come up with a ‘National Cultural Policy. This terms defined as Malaysian culture. Malaysia is a fair and balance country to the citizens. Malaysia provides a number holidays based on a festivals, normal public holidays on Saturday and Sunday. Besides that, during very important Birthday of Royal’s, King, Sultan and also the date of date of someone important to this country. For example, the date of Prophet’s Birthday. The public holidays in Malaysia is different. Each states will have the different date of public holidays. There is one public holidays that are same for all over the states in Malaysia, the most important dates in is Hari Merdeka (Independence Day) on 31 August, commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaysia in 1957. Anoth er one that is also same public holiday are Labour Day (1 May). Now about each major religion for each citizens in Malaysia. Islam is the official religion in Malaysia. For Muslim, the holiday falls on Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hari Raya Aidiladha, and Maulidur Rasul. Next for Chinese people holidays are Chinese New year, Cap Goh Mei and also their Mooncake festival. Next, for Hindus people, they will have their holidays on Deepavali and Thaipusam. The Hindus people will celebrate and gather together at the Batu Caves. Then, the Christians will have their Christmas Day on 25 December every year. 3.2 MALAY CULTURE TRADITION We will start with culture. There are 3 main culture in Malaysia. First is Malay culture. Malay is very a polite religion. For Malays, they believes with Allah, heaven and hell. Malays must obey the rules and must pray 5 times a day. It defined as ‘Solat’. Malays will use their hands when they eat. They will wash their hands and eat with hands. Malays will open their shoes before they entered each house and when they meet their relatives, they will shake hand. For younger, they will kiss the hands who is older than them. It shows as a respect for the elder. But for Muslims, there are rules where the Malay women and Malay man who did not get married yet can’t touch each other hands. For example, only Malay women can shake hands with women same goes with Malay man can shake hands with everyone except Malay women that is not related to. So if they meet, they can only smile and bow instead touching each other. The Malays have their own traditional clothes. For clothes, Malays have their own traditional clothes. For girls and women, they have Tudung, Baju Kurung, Baju Kebaya, Jubah. For boys and man, they have Baju Melayu, Songkok and Sampin. Next, the tradition games for Malays. These games usually only practice at village and hometown by our old great grandfather and grandmother. There are known as Hopscotch, Congkak, Gasing, Sepak Takraw, Batu Seremban and Silat. But these days, nothing is played anymore at this generation by kids and teenagers, Next, Malays food, Malays people are allowed to eat ‘Halal’ food only. There is variety of food especially during Hari Raya. Rendang, Ketupat, variety of Hari Raya biscuits, Lemang is the main dish that will be served only one time a year. Malays food usually is hot and spicy. During Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the Malays will make an ‘open house’. Malays is popular with their ‘Sambals’ in every dishes or rice. Malays also celebrated their festivals. Malays have its own unique festivals such as engagements and wedding. For example, Malays man can get married for 4 times and they can have 4 wives only not more than that if they can afford to take care of them. Then they will make a ceremony when they get married. They will invite their family members and friends to their wedding. 3.3 CHINESE CULTURE TRADITION Second main culture in Malaysia is Chinese. They have their own believes. They always respect the elders so much. They have loving culture. Most of them lived together in on house. For example, the grandparents until their grandchildren lived in together. This is what brings their family so close and never fall apart. They respect each other. They help each other and they will own their self in their family business. The Chinese people also practice a handshake. For them is slightly different from the Malays. Chinese believes for Man and Women can shake their hands whether they have married or not. But many older Chinese lower their eyes during the greeting as it is also sign as respect to each other. Their tradition has comes in. It has stated must avoid with white wrapping paper as it symbolizes death and mourning. They must avoid yellow wrapping paper too as it is the colour of royalty. Next is their traditional clothes. Every year their theme is in Red colour. For girls and women, Cheongsam is their tradition clothes. Cheongsam comes in short and also long types. Both is very nice when they wear it. For boys and man, Samfu. Samfu comes in many colours. Besides that, if they get an offer gifts, they must take it with the right hand and if the gift they receive is quite large, they must take it with both hands. Next, the gifts that they received they cannot just opened it. During their festivals, Chinese New Year, it is in tradition that they will have an Oranges. A boxes of oranges. Then they will distribute and share it with friends or their customers. But during on the first day of Chinese New Year, they cannot sweep the floor. They believes that it will give a bad luck to them. They always make ‘Makan Besar’ where there is a lot variety of food that is served on the tables during Chinese New Year In Malaysia, the Chinese practices that people that got married already usually must give ‘Angpau’ to those who still did not married yet and to the small kids. But in other country like China, those who started work already must give the ‘Angpau’. 3.4 INDIAN CULTURE TRADITION Last main culture in Malaysia is India. Indian people has its own believes. They are polite people and really respectful people. They are patient even though usually many people looked down on them. They also have their own language, religion, food and the arts. For Indian language, the most popular that they use for their spoken is Tamil, Telungu and Malayam. Nowadays, about 13 percent Indian is now has converted to Indian Muslims Indian foods is really popular with their spices and herbs. There are thousands of spices and herbs that can cure sick peoples. Indian tradition foods really brings name at the highest spot in Malaysia. Especially the curries. There are many types of curries that can be make, chicken curry, fish curry, mutton curry and a lot more. The most famous cuisine of the Indian is Thosai, Roti Canai and Idli. This dishes can be eaten with Daahl, Curry and Chutney to make the dishes become more delicious. Muruku is very usually have when Deepavali festivals. Besides that, Most of the Hindus are vegetarian and the Indians cannot eat beef because they have their own believes. Mahatma Gandhis Birthday is a fore father. He is a member of past generations that has tribute good things and bring Indian people into peace. He is born on 2 of October. Not only Diwali the Indian celebrate, the Indian also celebrates Thaipusam. Based on their festival, it defines as the festival of lights. They will mark ‘Ponggal’. It defines only when new year they will put it at home-based and doors with all family gathers together. India have many temples that are build and popular all over the world. The most well-known example of Indian architecture is the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to honor his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal is always came up in Television. The actors usually make a filming at there because it is so nice and beautiful place. It combines elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles. That is some of the unique of Indians. 4.0 CONCLUSION Based on these 3 different cultures and traditions, I have learnt a lot of knowledge about them. I respect their cultures and their traditions. Each cultures and traditions have their own believes and trust. For Chinese, I really adored with their customs ’Angpau’ and an oranges. I’m impress with their tradition that all family lives together in one big house. Besides that, their traditional clothes are very nice in Red colour. One of the reason I adore because red colour is one of my favourite colour too. For the Indian cultures and tradition, I find it their foods are really good and mostly Indian foods that attracts people in Malaysia. For me, their curry chicken and roti canai is what attracts me. I love to eat that food. Last but not least, Malay, my own religion, culture and tradition. I am really glad and proud with it. There are many rules we have to obey, like obey to our parents. During the Hari Raya Aidilfitri, all types of foods, family all gathering together and also with the traditional clothes. Baju Kebaya is most likely I wear during any festivals. I really feel excited and happy to know about others culture and tradition. Now I want to know more about it so that I can more gain knowledge as it bring goods for people in Malaysia future.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 32

Elena was radiantly happy. She had gone to sleep happy, only to wake up again happy, serene in the knowledge that soon – soon she would visit Stefan, and that after that – surely very soon – she would be able to take Stefan away. Bonnie and Meredith weren't surprised when she wanted to see Damon about two things: one being who should go and two being what she was going to wear. What did surprise them were her choices. â€Å"If it's all right,† she said slowly at the beginning, tracing a finger round and round on the large table in one of the parlors as everyone gathered the next morning, â€Å"I would like for just a few people to go with me. Stefan's been badly treated,† she went on, â€Å"and he hates to look bad in front of other people. I don't want to humiliate him.† There was sort of a group blush at this. Or maybe it was a group flush of resentment – and then a group blush of culpability. With the western windows slightly open, so that an early-morning red light fell over everything, it was hard to tell. Only one thing was certain: everyone wanted to go. â€Å"So I hope,† Elena said, turning to look Meredith and Bonnie in the eye, â€Å"that none of you are hurt if I don't choose you to come with me.† That tells both of them they're out, Elena thought as she saw understanding blossom in both faces. Most of her plans depended on how her two best friends reacted to this. Meredith gallantly stepped up to bat first. â€Å"Elena, you've been through hell – literally – and almost died doing it – to get to Stefan. You take with you the people who will do the most good.† â€Å"We realize it isn't a popularity contest,† Bonnie added, swallowing, because she was trying not to cry. She really wants to go, Elena thought, but she understands. â€Å"Stefan may feel more embarrassed in front of a girl than a boy,† Bonnie said. And she didn't even add â€Å"even though we would never do anything to embarrass him,† Elena thought, going around for a hug and feeling Bonnie's soft little birdlike body in her arms. Then she turned and felt Meredith's warm and slim hard arms, and as always felt some of her tension drain away. â€Å"Thank you,† she said, wiping tears from her eyes afterward. â€Å"And you're right, I think it would be harder to face girls than boys in the situation he's in. Also it will be harder to face friends he already knows and loves. So I would like to ask these people to go with me: Sage, Damon, and Dr. Meggar.† Lakshmi leaped up as interested as if she had been chosen. â€Å"Where's he in jail?† she asked, quite cheerfully. Damon spoke up. â€Å"The Shi no Shi.† Lakshmi's eyes became round. She stared at Damon for a moment, and then she was bounding out the door, her shaken voice floating behind her: â€Å"I've got chores to do, master!† Elena turned to look directly at Damon. â€Å"And what was that little reaction?† she asked in a voice that would have frozen lava at thirty meters. â€Å"I don't know. Truly, I don't. Shinichi showed me kanji characters and said that they were pronounced ‘Shi no Shi' and they meant ‘the Death of Death' – as in lifting the curse of death from a vampire.† Sage coughed. â€Å"Oh, my trusting little one. Mon cher idiot. To not get a second opinion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I did, actually. I asked a middle-aged Japanese lady at a library if the romaji – that's the Japanese words written out in our letters, meant the Death of Death. And she said yes.† â€Å"And you turned on your heel and walked out,† Sage said. â€Å"How do you know?† Damon was getting angry. â€Å"Because, mon cher, those words mean many things. It all depends upon the Japanese characters first used – which you did not show her.† â€Å"I didn't have them! Shinichi wrote it in the air for me, in red smoke.† Then in a kind of angry anguish: â€Å"What other things do they mean?† â€Å"Well, they can mean what you said. They also could mean ‘the new death.' Or ‘the true death.' Or even – ‘The Gods of Death.' And given the way Stefan has been treated†¦Ã¢â‚¬  If stares had been stakes, Damon would have been a goner by now. Everyone was looking at him with hard, accusing eyes. He turned like a wolf at bay and bared his teeth at them in a 250-kilowatt smile. â€Å"In any case, I didn't imagine it was anything remarkably pleasant,† he said. â€Å"I just thought it would help him to get rid of the curse of being a vampire.† â€Å"In any case,† Elena repeated. Then she said, â€Å"Sage, if you would go and make sure that they'll let us in when we arrive, I would be enormously grateful.† â€Å"As good as done, Madame.† â€Å"And – let me see – I want everyone to wear something a little different to go visit him. If it's all right I'll go talk to Lady Ulma.† She could feel Bonnie's and Meredith's bewildered looks on her back as she left. Lady Ulma was pale, but bright of eye when Elena was escorted into her room. Her sketchbook was open, a good sign. It took only a few words and a heartfelt look before Lady Ulma said firmly, â€Å"We can have everything done in an hour or two. It's just a matter of calling the right people. I promise.† Elena squeezed her wrist very, very gently. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you – miracle worker!† â€Å"And so I am to go as a penitent,† Damon said. He was right outside Lady Ulma's door when Elena came out and Elena suspected him of some eavesdropping. â€Å"No, that never even occurred to me,† she said. â€Å"I just think that slave's clothing on you and the other guys will make Stefan less self-conscious. But why should you think I wanted to punish you?† â€Å"Don't you?† â€Å"You're here to help me save Stefan. You've gone through – † Elena had to stop and look in her sleeves for a clean handkerchief, until Damon offered her a black silk one. â€Å"All right,† he said, â€Å"we won't get into that. I'm sorry. I think of things to say and then I just say them, no matter how unlikely I think they are, considering the person I'm speaking to.† â€Å"And don't you ever hear another little voice? A voice that says that people can be good, and may not be trying to hurt you?† Elena asked wistfully, wondering how loaded with chains the child was now. â€Å"I don't know. Maybe. Sometimes. But, as that voice is generally wrong in this wicked world, why should I pay it any attention?† â€Å"I wish sometimes you would just try,† Elena whispered. â€Å"I might be in a better position to argue with you, then.† I like this position just fine, Damon told her telepathically and Elena realized – how did this happen over and over? – that they had melted into an embrace. Worse, she was wearing her morning attire – a long silky gown and a peignoir of the same material, both in the palest of pearly blues, which turned violet in the rays of the ever-setting sun. I – like it too, Elena admitted, and felt shockwaves go through Damon from his surface, through his body, and deep, deep into that unfathomable hole that one could see by looking into his eyes. I'm just trying to be honest, she added, almost frightened by his reaction. I can't expect anyone else to be honest if I'm not. Don't be honest, don't be honest. Hate me. Despise me, Damon begged her, at the same time caressing her arms and the two layers of silk that were all that stood between his hands and her skin. â€Å"But why?† Because I can't be trusted. I'm a wicked wolf, and you're a pure soul, a snow-white newborn lamb. You mustn't let me hurt you. Why should you hurt me? Because I might – no, I don't want to bite you – I only want to kiss you, just a little, like this. There was revelation in Damon's mind-voice. And he did kiss so sweetly, and he always knew when Elena's knees were going to give out and picked her up before she could fall on the floor. Damon, Damon, she was thinking, feeling very sweet herself because she knew she was giving him pleasure, when she suddenly realized. Oh! Damon, please let me go – I have to go have a fitting right now! Deeply flushed, he slowly, reluctantly put her down, grabbed her before she could fall, and put her down again. I think I shall have to go have a fit right now as well, he told her earnestly as he stumbled out of the room, missing the door the first time. Not a fit – a fitting! Elena called after him, but she never knew if he had heard. She was pleased, though, that he had let her go, without really understanding anything except that she was saying no. That was quite a bit of improvement. Then she hurried in to Lady Ulma's room, which was filled with all sorts of people, including two male models, who had just been garbed in trousers and long shirts. â€Å"Sage's clothes,† said Lady Ulma, nodding at the large one, â€Å"and Damon's.† She nodded at the smaller man. â€Å"Oh, they're perfect!† Lady Ulma looked at her with just the slightest doubt in her eyes. â€Å"These are made of genuine sacking,† she said. â€Å"The meanest, lowest cloth in the slave hierarchy. Are you sure they will wear them?† â€Å"They're wearing them or they aren't going at all,† Elena said flatly and winked. Lady Ulma laughed. â€Å"Good plan.† â€Å"Yes – but what do you think of my other plan?† Elena asked, genuinely interested in Lady Ulma's opinion, even while she blushed. â€Å"My dear benefactress,† Lady Ulma said. â€Å"I used to watch my mother put together such outfits†¦after I had turned thirteen, of course – and she told me that they always made her happy, for she was bringing joy to two at once, and that the purpose was nothing but joy. I promise you, Lucen and I will be done in no time. Now, should you not be getting ready?† â€Å"Oh, yes – oh, I do love you, Lady Ulma! It's so funny that the more people you love, the more you want to love!† And with that Elena went running back to her own rooms. Her maids-in-waiting were all there and all ready. Elena took the quickest, briskest bath of her life – she was keyed up – and found herself on a couch in the middle of a smiling, keen-eyed bunch, each neatly doing her job without interfering with the others. There was a depilatory, of course – in fact one for each leg, one for her armpits, and one for her eyebrows. While these women and the women with soft creams and unguents were at work, creating a unique fragrance for Elena, another one thoughtfully considered her face and body as a whole. This woman touched up Elena's eyebrows to darken them, and gilded Elena's eyelids with metallic cosmetic paint before using something that added at least a quarter-inch to Elena's eyelashes. Then she extended Elena's eyes with exotic horizontal lines of kohl. Finally, she carefully made Elena's lips a rich glossy red that somehow gave the impression that they were continually puckered for a kiss. After this the woman sprinkled the faintest of iridescence all over Elena's body. Finally, a very large canary diamond that had been sent up from Lucen's jewelry bench was firmly cemented into her navel. It was while the hairdressers were seeing to the last of the little curls on her forehead that the two boxes and a scarlet cape came from Lady Ulma's women. Elena thanked all her ladies-in-waiting and beauticians sincerely, paid them all a bonus that had them twittering, and then asked them to leave her alone. When they dithered, she asked them again, just as politely, but in louder tones. They went. Elena's hands were trembling as she took out the outfit Lady Ulma had created. It was quite as decent as a bathing suit, but it looked like jewelry strategically placed on wisps of golden tulle. It all coordinated with the canary diamond: from the necklace to the armlets to the golden bracelets that denoted that, however expensively Elena was dressed, she was still a slave. And that was it. She was going clad in tulle and jewelry, perfume and paint, to see her Stefan. Elena put the scarlet cloak on very, very carefully to avoid rumpling or smearing anything below, and slipped her feet into delicate golden sandals with very high heels. She hurried downstairs and was exactly on time. Sage and Damon were wearing cloaks tightly closed – which meant that they were dressed in the sacking outfits underneath. Sage had had Lady Ulma's coach made ready. Elena settled her matching golden bracelets on her wrists, hating them because she had to wear them, pretty as they were against the white fur trim on her scarlet cloak. Damon held out a hand to help her into the coach. â€Å"I get to ride inside? Does that mean I don't have to wear – † But looking at Sage, her hopes were crushed. â€Å"Unless we want to curtain all the windows,† he said, â€Å"you're legally traveling outside without slave bracelets.† Elena sighed and gave her hand to Damon. Standing against the sun, he was a dark silhouette. But then, as Elena blinked in the light, he stared in astonishment. Elena knew he'd seen her gilded eyelids. His eyes dropped to her pursed-to-be-kissed lips. Elena blushed. â€Å"I forbid you to order me to show you what's under the cloak,† she said hastily. Damon looked thwarted. â€Å"Hair in tiny curls all over your forehead, cloak that covers everything from neck to toes, lipstick like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stared again. His mouth twitched as if he were being compelled to fit it to hers. â€Å"And it's time to go!† Elena caroled, hastily getting into the carriage. She felt very happy, although she understood why freed slaves would never wear anything like a bracelet again. She was still happy when they reached the Shi no Shi – that large building that seemed to combine a prison with a training facility for gladiators. And she was still happy as the guards at the large Shi no Shi checkpoint let them into the building without showing any signs of ill feeling. But then, it was hard to say if the cloak had any effect on them. They were demons: sullen, mauve-skinned, bullock-steady. She noticed something that was at first a shock and then a river of hope inside her. The front lobby of the building had a door in one side that was like the door in the side of the depot/slaveshop: always kept shut; strange symbols above; people walking up to it in different costumes and announcing a destination before turning the key and opening the door. In other words: a dimensional door. Right here in Stefan's prison. God alone knew how many guards would be after them if they tried to use it, but it was something to keep in mind. The guards on the lower floors of the Shi no Shi building, in what was most definitely a dungeon, had clear and obnoxious reactions to Elena and her party. They were some smaller species of demon – imps, maybe, Elena thought – and they gave the visitors a hard time over everything. Damon had to bribe them to be allowed in to the area where Stefan's cell was, to go in alone, without one guard per visitor, and to allow Elena, a slave, to go in to see a free vampire. And even when Damon had given them a small fortune to get past these obstacles, they sniggered and made harsh guttural gurglings in their throats. Elena didn't trust them. She was correct. At a corridor where Elena knew from her out of body experiences they should have turned left, instead they went straight through. They passed another set of guards, who almost collapsed from sniggering. Oh – God – are they taking us to see Stefan's dead body? Elena wondered suddenly. Then it was Sage who really helped her. He put out a large arm and bodily held her up, until she found her legs again. They went on walking, deeper into what was a filthy and stinking stone-floored dungeon now. Then abruptly they turned right. Elena's heart raced on before them. It was saying wrong, wrong, wrong, even before they got to the last cell in the line. The cell was completely different from Stefan's old cell. It was surrounded, not by bars, but by a sort of curlicued chicken wire that was lined with sharp spikes. No way to hand in a bottle of Black Magic. No way to get the bottle top in position to pour into a waiting mouth on the other side. No room, even, to get a finger or the mouth of a canteen through for the cellmate to suck. And the cell itself wasn't filthy, but it was bare of everything except a supine Stefan. No food, no water, no bed to hide anything in, no straw. Just Stefan. Elena screamed and had no idea if she screamed words or just a formless sound of anguish. She threw herself into the cell – or tried to. Her hands grabbed onto curls of steel as sharp as razor that caused blood to well up instantly wherever they touched, and then Damon, who had the fastest reactions, was pulling her back. And then he just pushed past her and stared. He stared open-mouthed at his younger brother – a gray-faced, skeletal, barely breathing young man, who looked like a child lost in his rumpled, stained, threadbare prison uniform. Damon raised a hand, as if he'd forgotten the barrier already – and Stefan flinched. Stefan seemed not to know or recognize any of them. He peered more closely at the drops of blood left on the razor-sharp fencing where Elena had grasped it, sniffed, and then, as if something had penetrated the fog of his bafflement, looked around dully. Stefan looked up at Damon, whose cloak had fallen, and then, like a baby's, Stefan's gaze wandered on. Damon made a choking sound and turned and, knocking anyone in his way aside, ran the other way down the corner. If he was hoping that enough guards would follow him that his allies could get Stefan out, he was wrong. A few followed, like monkeys, calling out insults. The rest stayed put, behind Sage. Meanwhile, Elena's mind was churning and churning out plans. Finally she turned to Sage. â€Å"Use all the money we have plus this,† she said, and she reached under her cloak for her canary diamond necklace – over two dozen thumb-sized gems – â€Å"and call to me if we need more. Get me half an hour with him. Twenty minutes, then!† – as Sage began to shake his head. â€Å"Stall them, somehow; get me at least twenty minutes. I'll think of something if it kills me.† After a moment Sage looked her in the eyes and nodded. â€Å"I will.† Then Elena looked at Dr. Meggar pleadingly. Did he have something – did something exist – that would help? Dr. Meggar's eyebrows went down, then their inner sides went up. It was a look of grief, of despair. But then he frowned and whispered, â€Å"There's something new – an injection that's said to help in dire cases. I could try it.† Elena did her best not to fall at his feet. â€Å"Please! Please try it! Please!† â€Å"It won't help beyond a couple of days – â€Å" â€Å"It won't need to! We'll get him out by then!† â€Å"All right.† Sage had by now herded all the guards away, saying, â€Å"I'm a dealer in gems and there's something you all should see.† Dr. Meggar opened his bag and took out of it a syringe. â€Å"Wooden needle,† he said with a wan smile as he filled it with a clear red liquid from a vial. Elena had taken another syringe and she examined it eagerly as Dr. Meggar coaxed Stefan by imitation to put his arm up to the bars. At last Stefan did as Dr. Meggar wished – only to jump away with a cry of pain as a syringe was plunged into his arm and stinging liquid injected. Elena looked at the doctor desperately. â€Å"How much did he get?† â€Å"Only about half. It's all right – I filled it with twice the dose and pushed as hard as I could to get the† – some medical word Elena didn't recognize – â€Å"into him. I knew it would hurt him more, injecting that fast, but I accomplished what I wanted.† â€Å"Good,† Elena said rapturously. â€Å"Now I want you to fill this syringe with my blood.† â€Å"Blood?† Dr. Meggar looked dismayed. â€Å"Yes! The syringe is long enough to go through the bars. The blood will drip out the other side. He can drink it as it comes out. It might save him!† Elena said every word carefully, as if speaking to a child. She desperately wanted to convey her meaning. â€Å"Oh, Elena.† The doctor sat down, with a clink, and took a hidden bottle of Black Magic out of his tunic. â€Å"I'm so sorry. But it's hard enough for me to get blood out of a vial. My eyes, child – they're ruined.† â€Å"But glasses – spectacles – ?† â€Å"They're no good to me anymore. It's a complicated condition. But you have to be very good to actually tap a vein in any case. Most doctors are pretty hopeless; I'm impossible. I'm sorry, child. But it's been twenty years since I was successful.† â€Å"Then I'll find Damon and have him open my aorta. I don't care if it kills me.† â€Å"But I do.† This new voice coming from the brilliantly lighted cell in front of them made both the doctor and Elena jerk their heads up. â€Å"Stefan! Stefan! Stefan!† Uncaring of what the razor fence would do to her flesh, Elena leaned over to try to hold his hands. â€Å"No,† Stefan whispered, as if sharing a precious secret. â€Å"Put your fingers here and here – on top of mine. This fence is only specially treated steel – it numbs my Power but it can't break my skin.† Elena put her fingers there and there. And then she was touching Stefan. Really touching him. After so long. Neither of them spoke. Elena heard Dr. Meggar get up and quietly creep away – to Sage, she supposed. But her mind was full of Stefan. She and he simply looked at each other, trembling, with tears quivering on their lashes, feeling very young. And very close to death. â€Å"You say I always make you say it first, so I'll confound you. I love you, Elena.† Teardrops fell from Elena's eyes. â€Å"Just this morning I was thinking how many people there are to love. But really it's only because there's one in the first place,† she whispered back to him. â€Å"One forever. I love you, Stefan! I love you!† Elena drew back for a moment and wiped her eyes the way all clever girls know how to do without ruining their makeup: by putting her thumbs beneath her lower lashes and leaning backward, scooping tears and kohl into infinitesimal droplets in the air. For the first time she could think. â€Å"Stefan,† she whispered, â€Å"I'm so sorry. I wasted time this morning getting dressed up – well, dressed down – to show you what's waiting for you when we get you out. But now†¦I feel†¦like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Now there were no tears in Stefan's eyes, either. â€Å"Show me,† he whispered back eagerly. Elena stood, and without theatrics, shrugged the cloak off. Shut her eyes, her hair in hundreds of kiss curls, little wispy spirals that were plastered around her face. Her gilded eyelids, waterproof, still gilded. Her only clothing the wisps of golden tulle with jewels attached to make it decent. Her entire body iridescent, perfection in the first bloom of youth that could never be matched or re-created. There was a sound like a long sigh†¦and then silence, and Elena opened her eyes, terrified that Stefan might have died. But he was standing up, clutching at the iron gate as if he might wrench it off to get to her. â€Å"I get all this?† he whispered. â€Å"All this for you. Everything for you,† Elena said. At that moment there was a soft sound behind her and she whirled to see two eyes shining in the dimness of the cell opposite Stefan's.

J.L. Mackie

J. L Mackie Introduction Mackie’s argument The proposed solution to be discussed and Mackie’s response to it is the claim that ‘evil is due to human free will’ and as such it cannot be attributed to God. Evil should instead be attributed to the free actions of individuals, the power of which has been endowed upon them by God. While it is acknowledged that there exists evil in the world, as a result of some human free will, it is claimed that freedom of will is a more valuable good than any resultant evil. Through God allowing such freedom, He has satisfied His ‘wholly good’ requirement. Creating men who always choose good Mackie’s first criticism of this solution is that if God was omnipotent and he created men so that they would favour choosing good over evil, why did he not create them such that they would always choose good? The obvious response to this claim is that to constrain man’s actions in such a way is to critically undermine freedom of the will; to demand that man always choose one way whether it be in the promotion of good or evil is still to control his will and deprive him of his freedom and autonomy. Paradox of Omnipotence Adequate solution For Mackie, an adequate solution is one that if adopted the initial problem does not arise for you, however the solution may have raised other problems. The only discussed solution that does not hold God responsible for evil in the world is the compatibilist approach to free will. Upon formulating this solution the two major issues are on the interpretation of omnipotence and freedom. Omnipotence has been revealed to be an almost meaningless term by way of the paradoxes that it gives rise to, such as the ability or inability of an omnipotent God to make rules or animals that restrict its own powers. The interpretation discussed and ultimately the proposal that gave rise to a compatibilist approach was that proposed by Mackie and so there is little that he could criticise about this part of the argument. Conclusion Mackie’s argument that God could have made men always choose good undermines the most valuable good which is freedom of the will. His claim that this implies that it must then be a logical necessity for man to choose wrong instead of good is not accurate, for it is sufficient to be a logical possibility for man to choose wrong. On this interpretation freedom is maintained, however the strongest objection arises with the omnipotence paradox. A resolution for this paradox can be reached using Mackie’s dichotomy of omnipotence. The resulting solution maintains God’s omnipotence and man’s free will and while there exist some issues as to the credibility of this interpretation of freedom, as described from a compatibilist perspective, these are ‘other problems’ and as such the solution can be classified as an adequate one.

South African Apartheid-Era Identity Numbers

The South African Identity Number of the 1970s and 80s enshrined the Apartheid era ideal of racial registration. It was brought in to effect by the 1950  Population Registration Act  which identified four different racial groups: White, Coloured, Bantu (Black) and others. Over the next two decades, the racial classification of both the Coloured and other groups were extended until by the early 80s there was a total of nine different racial groups being identified. Black Land Act Over the same period, the Apartheid government introduced legislation creating independent homelands for Blacks, effectively making them aliens in their own country. The initial legislation for this actually dated back to before the introduction of Apartheid—the 1913  Black (or Natives) Land Act, which had created reserves in the Transvaal, Orange Free State, and Natal provinces. The Cape province was excluded because Blacks still had a limited franchise (entrenched in the South Africa Act which created the  Union) and which required a two-thirds majority in parliament to remove. Seven percent of the land area of South Africa was dedicated to roughly 67% of the population. With the 1951  Bantu Authorities Act  the Apartheid government lead the way for the establishment of territorial authorities in the reserves. The 1963  Transkei Constitution Act  gave the first of the reserves self-government, and with the 1970  Bantu Homelands Citizenship Act  and 1971  Bantu Homelands Constitution Act  the process was finally legalised. QwaQwa was proclaimed the second self-governing territory in 1974 and two years later, through the Republic of Transkei Constitution Act, the first of the homelands became independent. Racial Categories By the early 80s, through the creation of independent homelands (or  Bantustans), Blacks were no longer considered true citizens of the Republic. The remaining citizens of South Africa were classified according to eight categories: White, Cape Colored, Malay, Griqua, Chinese, Indian, Other Asian, and Other Colored. The South African Identity Number was 13 digits long. The first six digits gave the birth date of the holder (year, month, and date). The next four digits acted as a serial number to distinguish people born on the same day, and to differentiate between the sexes: digits 0000 to 4999 were for females, 5000 to 9999 for males. The eleventh digit indicated whether the holder was ​an SA citizen (0) or not (1)—the latter for foreigners who had rights of residency. The penultimate digit recorded race, according to the above list—from Whites (0) to Other Coloured (7). The final digit of the ID number was an arithmetical control (like the last digit on ISBN numbers). Post-Apartheid The racial criteria for identity numbers was removed by the 1986  Identification Act  (which also repealed the 1952  Blacks (Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents) Act, otherwise known as the Pass Law) whilst the 1986  Restoration of South African Citizenship Act  returned citizenship rights to its Black population.