Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Prisons essays

Prisons essays As the general population of America ages, so do its inmates. It is predicted that by the year 2010, at least one in ten will be age fifty or older. In Florida for example, the growth rate of geriatric inmates already exceeds that of the younger inmate. The reason for this epidemic is partially due to tougher long-term sentencing guidelines, resulting from the get tough on crime campaign. Because of these long sentences, seniors are concentrated in prisons well beyond their proportions in civilian public. Prisons can lose substantial litigation costs if heath care programs and concerns are not met. The older inmate will also need to be separated from the younger inmate who potentially could overpower a geriatric inmate easily. As the government struggles with the issues of elderly inmates, the problem is only getting worse. The creation of the supermax prison is due to the current dangerousness of the adult male prison situation. These prisons are overcrowded to the point of danger and are forcing administration to act. Because of tougher sentencing guidelines, and longer sentences, the prisons have filled up without a turnover rate that eases the crowding problem. Prison administrators are being forced to release non-violent offenders from prison back into the community, leaving the violent offenders all together in the prison. This creates a tense situation inside the prison, and creates an opportunity for deviance such as riots or fights. Intermediate sanctions are beginning to fill the gap between prison and probation extremes. They can range from fines to boot camps and expand options in the criminal justice system to better suite a crime with an appropriate punishment. The particular punishment holds the offender strictly accountable for their actions. With the limited recourses available for the criminal justice system, intermediate sanctions permit effective and effic ...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Market Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Market Research - Essay Example For any new business to know about the market to be ventured into, it is necessary to conduct primary and secondary researches so as to collect qualitative and quantitative data to use in guiding its operations. It is advisable for a new entrant into the market to carry out a marketing research. This can be of great benefit to them. First, it will provide them with all the necessary information about the customers and whatever expectations they have about the new product. Besides, it can enable the investor to acquire much information about the market situations. Meaning, they will know about the available supplementary and complementary commodities, their prices, supply and demand. This will make it easier for the business to ascertain the level of competition existing in the market. By conducting a well organized and coordinated marketing research, the business will reap a lot of benefits from it such as knowing about the necessary steps to segment the available market based on the clients’ geographical, social, political, cultural, demographic, gender and age factors. This will be instrumental in knowing how to effectively utilize the available market without leaving any chance. Once the market is properly segmented, it will be easier to come up with strategies on how to satisfy each of their dynamic demands on the business’ products. The other important contribution of a market research to a business is that it can enable the management to conduct a SWOT analysis so as to be privy with the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Indeed, these are very important areas which should be adequately looked into before making the right decision on how to conquer the market. By ascertaining its threats, the organization will have to come up with creative and innovative strategies like sales promotion, quality improvement and implementing favorable pricing policies. These can put the business in a

Friday, November 1, 2019

Beauity Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Beauity Drama - Essay Example Contrary, Bethany is intelligent and brilliant in that she is outstanding in school but she is not as beautiful as Carla (Martin 15). The beauty drama portrays discontent and jealousy of the two characters (Bethany and Carla). As evident in the story, the two characters have different personalities and fortunes. For instance, the author asserts that Carla is beautiful but a failure and with negative personality. Contrary, Bethany is not beautiful but a successful in writing appealing short stories. She hates her appearance and desires she was like Carla (Martin 1.10). The author was creative and imaginative in that he utilizes â€Å"the genie† to demonstrate the wishes and desires of Bethany to be beautiful and her unhappy with her life. â€Å"It is ironical that Bethany perceives beauty as a major significance than anything else in life because she thinks it will bring her good things than what she possess†. On the other hand, Carla says she understands the demerits and problems of beauty. Due to this, she attempts to tell Bethany not to desire to become beautiful (Martin 32). It is clear from the story that people are never satisfied with what they have in life. Further, human beings always view the negative side of their life and the positive side of others. In addition, it demonstrates that individuals value appearance more than intelligence and good personality traits. For instance, Bethany has a successful career as an accountant, she is intelligence and with great personality but she is not satisfied with her appearance and instead desires to be beautiful like her friend (Carla). Additionally, she does not recognize the positive side of her life and the good things she has acquired. These unreasonable view of her life makes her wish to be like Carla. According to Bethany, beauty will give her what she desires in life. However, Carla warns Bethany about her desires

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 6

Human Resource Management - Essay Example However, this method has been reported to be ineffective because it deny trainees with an opportunity of interacting directly with their experts. Coaching /mentoring is a method that involves an expert in a particular field who is responsible for administering training. Case study method provides trainee with an opportunity to identify and discuss key issues in the work place to see the areas that may require some improvements. Simulation method entails imitation of the actual work experience where trainees are given a chance to try out and learn by performing the actual task. Finally, technology based training involve utilization of various technological devices to learn. Therefore, managers have been recommended to apply the above methods of training but more emphasis should be placed to coaching and technological based training methods because they have proved to be very effective. Further, managers should apply the four key steps of delivering a training program in order to meet trainees’ individual needs as discussed. Introduction Human resource manager play a significant role towards ensuring that training methods have brought success. Normally, human resource managers design various training programs and administer them to employees in order to increase their efficiency and achieve organisation goals/objectives. Human resource manager further employ a combination of group and individual methods to improve employees’ performance as well as to increase their efficiency. In above connection, human resource managers administer various training methods with an aim of increase organisation productivity. On the other hand, training methods being administered may be help to motivate employees to direct their efforts towards realization of organisation goals (Thompson, 2013). Further, training methods provide employees with growth opportunities whereby, employees can be in a position to execute their task more efficiently and effectively. Therefore, human resource manager should carry out an evaluation to see whether the various training methods administered were effective. However, if a training method was not effective, the manager may decide to make necessary improvements to ensure that training method has brought success. In addition, effective training methods may not only be beneficial to employees and organisation but also to the supervisor. This is because an effective training program minimizes the time that supervisor could have spent in supervising employees and hence, does not have to worry since employees are competent with their job (Bianca, 2013). Therefore, this study aims to provide a review of the training methods used to deliver training. Review the training methods used to deliver training Human resource manager is responsible for choosing the training method used to delivering training among his/her employees. However, various factors should be taken into consideration in order to ensure that the method of training utilized meets employee’s needs. Some of the factors that human resource manager should take into consideration when choosing a method of training to be applied include: manager should consider whether the available time will be adequate to cover all the training topics. Secondly, employee’s knowledge should be taken into consideration because not all methods of training can relevant. Some methods might be too technical to some employees while other may appear to be irrelevant. Therefore, the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Translation Theory Revision Essay Example for Free

Translation Theory Revision Essay Translation – The process of translation between two different languages involves the translator changing an original text (the source text – ST) in the original verbal languages (the source languages – SL) in a different verbal language (the target language – TL) S. Bassnet def: Translation is rendering of a SL text into the TL so as to ensure that: 1) the surface meaning of the two will be approximately similar, and 2) the structures of the SL will e preserved as closely as possible but not so closely that the TL structures will be seriously distorted. Susan Basset: Telling the same things in a different language in a way that sounds natural, getting the point across. Translation types: Semiotic classification: Intralingual – an interpretation of verbal signs by means of other signs of the same language Interlingual – an interpretation of verbal signs by means of some other language Intersemiotic – an interpretation of verbal signs by means of signs of non-verbal sign systems. Binary classifications: Free translation translator replaces a social, or cultural, reality in the source text with a corresponding reality in the target text Literal rendering of text from one language to another word-for-word. Overt – is a TT that does not mean to be an original. The individual text function cannot be tha same for TT and ST since the cultures are different. Covert – ST is not linked to the ST culture or audience; both ST and TT address their respective receivers directly. Domestication vs foreigization: translation methods that move the writer toward [the reader], i.e. , fluency, and those that move the reader toward [the author] (domestication) , i. e. , an extreme fidelity to the foreignness of the source text (foreignization). Documentary (preserve the original exoticizing setting) vs instrumental (adaptation of the setting to the target culture) Text Type Theory: Katharina Reiss. Determine, what kind of text you are dealing with: †¢ Informative – plain facts (newspaper article) †¢ Expressive – creative composition (poetry) †¢ Operative – including behavioural responses (ads) †¢ Multi/audio-medial (films or visual/oral ads). Equivalence: Dynamic equivalence (also known as functional equivalence) attempts to convey the thought expressed in a source text (if necessary, at the expense of literalness, original word order, the source texts grammatical voice, etc. ), while formal equivalence attempts to render the text word-for-word (if necessary, at the expense of natural expression in the target language). J. C. Catford †¢ A formal correspondent – any TL category which van be said to occupy the ‘same’ place in SL †¢ A textual equivalent – any TL text or part of text that van be said to be the equivalent of the ST Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS) †¢ A firmly empirical (kogemuslik) discipline †¢ Describes and maps translations †¢ Proposes hypotheses as why the translations are like they are †¢ Avoids being prescriptive The aim of DTS is to acquire insight into the nature and function of translation as a cultural and historical phenomenon DTS leading figures: Gideon Toury, Andre Lefevere Early translation theory Cicero – senise-for-sense. Synthesized in Latin Greek philosophers. The founder of Western translation theory. The 1st to comment on the process of translation. Translation serves as the study and imitation of rhetorical models. Free translation that is focused on the meaning. Horace model – target orientation. Aesthetically pleasing and creative translation. Art of Poetry. Quintilian – remarks on translations are v much in the Ciceroian tradition. Makes a difference between: metaphrasis – replacing a single word with a single word; paraphrasis – replacing a phrase with a phrase. Jerome model – translation Bible – latin „Vulgateâ€Å" (405. y). Translated sense-for-sense, rather that word-for-word. German Romanticism: individual author’s vision. Author is a creator. Shlegel: all writings in act of translation: Schleiermacher: translator could take the reader along and make him walk with the author or in the other way around.. Word-for-word translation onorthodox view of translation. †¢ Herder, Goethe, Humbolt, the Shlegel brothers, Shleiermacher †¢ translations of Homeric epics, the Greek tragedies and Shakespeare †¢ Emergence of the German tradition as opposed to the French †¢ strive for an independent literary culture Goethe: 3 stages of translation: 1) aquainted us the foreign language in his own terms (Luther Kings’s Bible) 2) French tradition – use of its own criteria, own rules. 3) The same idendity between source and target language. Eugene Nida. Formal equivalence – attention to the transfer of message, both form and content Dynamic / functional equivalence – seeks the closest natural equivalence for the source language message Principles: 1. making sense 2. conveying the spirit and manner of the original 3. having a natural and easy form of expression 4. producing a similar response †¢ 1. give a complete transcript of the ideas of the original work. †¢ 2. reproduce the style and manner of writing of the original. †¢ 3. have all the ease of the original composition. Nida’s equivalent effect criticized: †¢ too concerned with the word level †¢ difficult or impossible to achieve †¢ overly theological Nida differentiates between: †¢ Linguistic meaning. the meaningful relationship between words, phrases and sentences. †¢ Referential meaning. â€Å"the words as symbols which refer to objects, events, abstracts, relations† Methods: hierarchical structuring, componential analysis, semantic structure analysis †¢ Emotive meaning Toury? s norm theory: Defines social norms. Preliminary norm: concerned with translation policy. The initial norm: expressed through operational norms which direct actual decisions made during the translating process. Corpus studies †¢ Corpus – compurerized collection of documents †¢ A token – each word as it occurs †¢ A type – each different word The type-token ratio is a text? s lexical density(tihedus) Postcolonialism: †¢ Resist domination †¢ Emphasis on the impact and significance of translation in a context of political, military, economic and cultural power differentials (vahe) †¢ Is characterizied by hybridity (ristandumine) and self-reflection. English theory Early English translation of the Bible: John Wycliffe – published Bible’s English version (late 14th c). Tried to translate the meaning, but preserve its form. William Tyndale – 1525 Bible’s German version (Greek) The King James Bible 1611 Bible’s English version Early translations of the Bible in English †¢ Wycliffe Bible 1380-1384 revised by John Purvey in 1408 . Published Bible English version. Trying to translate the meaning but preserve its form (w-for-w) †¢ William Tyndale 1525 (w-for-w) †¢ Bishops Bible 1568. †¢ The King James Bible the Authorized Version 1604 -1611 John Dryden on translation: 1) metaphrase – word-for-word; 2) paraphrase – sense-for-sense 3)imitation – absolute freedom. Tytler 18th c: 1) translation should give source language complete context. 2) style and manner should be similar. 3) reader should see it as fluid as original text. Essays on the translations, self-standing thoughts on translations, artistic activity = transl. Edward Fitzgerald: Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: Persian poetry, imperial attitude.  quatrain rhyme scheme: AABA Early theory and practice of translation in England: draws on two traditions: †¢ Classical Latin translation, from the Greek †¢ Early Christian Latin translation from the Scriptures, the Hebrew, Aramaic King Alfred (871-99) and his policy of translation. †¢ Augustine’s Soliloquies and Gregory’s Pastoral Care †¢ Gregory’s Dialogues †¢ Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People Benedictine reform a revival of monasticism, ?lfric’s homilies a need to educate the uneducated.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Geographically Based Multicultural Education :: social issues

Geographically Based Multicultural Education Many Whites in the United States have a strong sense of ethnic identity that is tied to their immigrant ancestors’ country of origin (Italian Americans, Irish Americans, Swedish Americans) or to their experience in this country (New England Yankees, Midwestern Hoosiers, Appalachians, and so on). There are many subgroups within the White experience, but ...[m]any United States Whites with a strong sense of ethnic identity do not have a strong sense of racial identity. Indeed, ...many Whites take their Whiteness for granted to the extent that they do not consciously think about it. Nevertheless, their identity as members of the White group in the United States has a profound impact on their lives. "White Racial Identity Development in the United States" by Rita Hardiman in Race, Ethnicity, and Self: Identity in Multicultural Perspective, edited by Elizabeth Pathy Salett and Diane R. Koslow (Washington, DC: NMCI Publications, 1994). Among the challenges that face all Americans is to explore race and to educate their children about its impact in society. America is the "melting pot" of society and the most diverse nation in the world. Making it seem from the media that flashes pictures upon our retinas almost everyday. In reality, we live our lives in increasingly homogenized communities composed of single races. Many people never learn or are taught the difference that divide and bring us together. There needs to be a change in the way history is shown to children in America, including whom is a part of it and how it is taught. We need to create an environment that promotes a geographically based multicultural education. In school our children have been historically educated and taught history, epitomized by the glorification, or at least passing reference to Christopher Columbus’ atrocities in the Americas. There is no conspiracy to neglect others views and the hardships of history. Rather the European dominance that forms the basis for the general American culture manifests itself in skewed views of history. The dominate societal segment always writes the text, but the problem now is that, white America, no longer controls the culture as much as it did. As other populations of people grow, their side of history is added to the texts. This change in education started back in the thirties as "white" students examined their cultural heritage. As the non-Anglo Saxon population of whites came into power and position, they also wanted their heritages to be explained and glorified.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 6

The weather didn't break by my engagement dinner a few days later, and even at five o'clock in the afternoon the air was hot and humid. In the kitchen, I'd overheard the servants gossiping that the strange, still weather was a result of the animal-killing demons. But discussion of the demons did not stop people from all over the county coming to the Grange Hall to celebrate the Confederacy. The coaches backed up beyond the stone drive and showed no sign of slowing their onslaught toward the imposing stone structure. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore!† I heard as I stepped out of the coach behind my father. As my feet hit dirt, I saw Ellen Emerson and her daughter, Daisy, walking arm in arm, trailed by two maids. Hundreds of lanterns lit the stone steps leading to the white wooden doors, and carriages lined the curved walkway. I could hear strains of a waltz coming from inside the hall. â€Å"Mrs. Emerson. Daisy.† I bowed deeply. Daisy had hated me ever since we were children, when Damon had dared me to push her into Willow Creek. â€Å"Why, if it isn't the gorgeous Emerson ladies,† Father said, also bowing. â€Å"Thank you to both of you for coming to this small supper. It's so good to see everyone in town. We need to band together, now more than ever,† Father said, catching Ellen Emerson's eye. â€Å"Stefan,† Daisy repeated, nodding as she took my hand. â€Å"Daisy. Y look more beautiful every day. Can ou you please forgive a gentleman for his wicked youth?† She glared at me. I sighed. There was no mystery or intrigue in Mystic Falls. Everyone knew everyone else. If Rosalyn and I were to get married, our children would be dancing with Daisy's children. They would have the same conversations, the same jokes, the same fights. And the cycle would continue for eternity. â€Å"Ellen, would you do me the honor of allowing me to show you inside?† Father asked, anxious to make sure the hall was decorated according to his exacting specifications. Daisy's mother nodded, and Daisy and I were left under the watchful gaze of the Emersons' maid. â€Å"I've heard Damon's back. How is he?† Daisy asked, finally deigning to talk to me. â€Å"Miss Emerson, we best be going inside to find your mama,† Daisy's maid interrupted, tugging Daisy's arm through the wide double doors of the Grange Hall. â€Å"I look forward to seeing Damon. Do give him that message!† Daisy called over her shoulder. I sighed and stepped into the hall. Located between town and the estate, the Grange had once been a meeting spot for the county's landed gentry but had now become a makeshift armory. The walls of the hall were covered with ivy and wisteria and, farther up, Confederate flags. A band on the raised stage in the corner played a jaunty rendition of â€Å"The Bonnie Blue Flag,† and at least fifty couples circled the floor with glasses of punch in their hands. Father had obviously spared no expense, and it was clear that this was more than a simple welcome dinner for the troops. Heart-heavy, I headed over to the punch. I hadn't walked more than five steps when I felt a hand clap my back. I prepared myself to give a tight smile and accept the awkward congratulations that were already trickling in. What was the point of having a dinner to announce an engagement that everyone seemed to know about? I thought sourly. I turned to find myself face-to-face with Mr. Cartwright. I instantly composed my expression into something I hoped resembled excitement. â€Å"Stefan, boy! If it isn't the man of the hour!† Mr. Cartwright said, offering me a glass of whiskey. â€Å"Sir. Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of your daughter's company,† I said automatically, taking the smallest sip I could muster. I'd woken up with a terrible whiskey headache the morning after Damon and I spent time at the tavern. I'd stayed in bed, a cool compress on my forehead, while Damon had barely seemed affected. I'd heard him chasing Katherine through the labyrinth in the backyard. Every laugh I'd heard was like a tiny dagger in my brain. â€Å"The pleasure is all yours. I know it's a good merger. Practical and low risk with plenty of opportunity for growth.† â€Å"Thank you, sir,† I said. â€Å"And I am so sorry about Rosalyn's dog.† Mr. Cartwright shook his head. â€Å"Don't tell my wife or Rosalyn, but I'd always hated the damn thing. Not saying it should have gone and gotten itself killed, but I think everyone is getting themselves all worked up over nothing. All this discussion of demons you hear all over the damn place. People whispering that the town is cursed. It's that kind of talk that makes people so afraid of risk. Makes them nervous about putting their money in the bank,† Mr. Cartwright boomed, causing several people to stare. I smiled nervously. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Father acting as host and shuttling people toward the long table at the center of the room. I noticed each place was set with Mother's delicate fleur-de-lis china. â€Å"Stefan,† my father said, clapping his hand on my shoulder, â€Å"are you ready? Y have everything ou you need?† â€Å"Yes.† I touched the ring in my breast pocket and followed him to the head of the table. Rosalyn stood next to her mother and smiled tightly at her parents. Rosalyn's eyes, still red from crying over poor Penny, clashed horribly with the oversize, frilly pink dress she was wearing. As our neighbors took their seats around us, I realized that there were still two empty seats to my left. â€Å"Where's your brother?† Father asked, lowering his voice. I glanced toward the door. The band was still playing, and there was anticipation in the air. Finally, the doors opened with a clatter, and Damon and Katherine walked in. Together. It wasn't fair, I thought savagely. Damon could act like a boy, could continue to drink and flirt as if nothing had consequence. I'd always done the right thing, the responsible thing, and now it felt as though I was being punished for it by being forced to become a man. Even I was surprised by the surge of anger I felt. Instantly guilty, I tried to squelch the emotion by downing the full glass of wine to my left. After all, would Katherine have been expected to come to the dinner by herself? And wasn't Damon just being gallant, the good elder brother? Besides, they had no future. Marriages, at least in our society, were approved only if they merged two families. And, as an orphan, what did Katherine have to offer besides beauty? Father would never let me marry her, but that also meant he wouldn't let Damon marry her either. And even Damon wouldn't go so far as to marry someone Father didn't approve of. Right? Still, I couldn't tear my eyes away from Damon's arm around Katherine's tiny waist. She wore a green muslin dress whose fabric spread across her hoop skirts, and there was a hushed murmur as she and Damon made their way to the two empty seats at the center of the table. Her blue necklace gleamed at her throat, and she winked at me before taking the empty seat next to my own. Her hip brushed against mine, and I shifted uncomfortably. â€Å"Damon.† Father nodded tersely as Damon sat down to his left. â€Å"So do you think the army will be all the way down to Georgia by winter?† I asked Jonah Palmer loudly, simply because I didn't trust myself to speak to Katherine. If I heard her musical voice, I might lose my nerve to propose to Rosalyn. â€Å"I'm not worried about Georgia. What I am worried about is getting the militia together to solve the problems here in Mystic Falls. These attacks will not be stood for,† Jonah, the town veterinarian who had also been training the Mystic Falls militia, said loudly, pounding his fist on the table so hard, the china rattled. Just then, an army of servants entered the hall, holding plates of wild pheasant. I took my silver fork and pushed the gamey meat around my plate; I had no appetite. Around me, I could hear the usual discussions: about the war, about what we could do for our boys in gray, about upcoming dinners and barbecues and church socials. Katherine was nodding intently at Honoria Fells across the table. Suddenly I felt jealous of the grizzled, frizzy-haired Honoria. She was able to have the one-on-one conversation with Katherine that I so desperately wanted. â€Å"Ready, son?† Father elbowed me in the ribs, and I noticed that people were already finished with their meals. More wine was being poured, and the band, who'd paused during the main course, was playing in the corner. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for: They knew an announcement was about to be made, and they knew that following that announcement there would be celebrating and dancing. It was always the way dinners happened in Mystic Falls. But I'd never before been at the center of an announcement. As if on cue, Honoria leaned toward me, and Damon smiled encouragingly. Feeling sick to my stomach, I took a deep breath and clinked my knife against my crystal glass. Immediately, there was a hush throughout the hall, and even the servants stopped midstep to stare at me. I stood up, took a long swig of red wine for courage, and cleared my throat. â€Å"I †¦ um,† I began in a low, strained voice I didn't recognize as my own. â€Å"I have an announcement.† Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Father clutching his champagne flute, ready to jump in with a toast. I glanced at Katherine. She was looking at me, her dark eyes piercing my own. I tore my gaze away and gripped my glass so tightly, I was sure it would break. â€Å"Rosalyn, I'd like to ask your hand in marriage. Will you do me the honor?† I said in a rush, fumbling in my suit pocket for the ring. I pulled out the box and knelt down in front of Rosalyn, staring up at her watery brown eyes. â€Å"For you,† I said without inflection, flipping open the lid and holding it out toward her. Rosalyn shrieked, and the room burst into a smattering of applause. I felt a hand clap my back, and I saw Damon grinning down on me. Katherine clapped politely, an unreadable expression on her face. â€Å"Here.† I took Rosalyn's tiny white hand and pushed the ring on her finger. It was too large, and the emerald rolled lopsidedly toward her pinkie. She looked like a child playing dress-up with her mother's jewelry. But Rosalyn didn't seem to care that the ring didn't fit. Instead, she held out her hand, watching as the diamonds captured the light of the table's candles. Immediately, a crush of women surrounded us, cooing over the ring. â€Å"This does call for a celebration!† my father called out. â€Å"Cigars for everyone. Come here, Stefan, son! Y ou've made me one proud father.† I nodded and shakily stepped over to him. It was ironic that while I'd spent my entire life trying to get my father's approval, what made him happiest was an act that made me feel dead inside. â€Å"Katherine, will you dance with me?† I heard Damon's voice above the din of scraping chairs and clinking glassware. I stopped in my tracks, waiting for the answer. Katherine glanced up, casting a furtive look in my direction. Her eyes held my own for a long moment. A wild urge to rip the ring off Rosalyn's finger and place it on Katherine's pale one nearly overtook me. But then Father nudged me from behind, and before I could react, Damon grabbed Katherine by the hand and led her out to the dance floor.