Pliopithecus - Facts and Figures

Pliopithecus - Facts and Figures Name: Pliopithecus (Greek for Pliocene ape); pronounced PLY-oh-pith-ECK-us Habitat: Woodlands of Eurasia Historical Epoch: Middle Miocene (15-10 million years ago) Size and Weight: About three feet tall and 50 pounds Diet: Leaves Distinguishing Characteristics: Short face with large eyes; long arms and legs    About Pliopithecus One of the first prehistoric primates ever to be identifiednaturalists were studying its fossilized teeth as far back as the early 19th centuryPliopithecus is also one of the least well understood (as can be inferred from its namethis Pliocene ape actually lived in the earlier Miocene epoch). Pliopithecus was once thought to be directly ancestral to modern gibbons, and hence one of the earliest true apes, but the discovery of the even earlier Propliopithecus (before Pliopithecus) has rendered that theory moot. Further complicating matters, Pliopithecus was only one of more than two dozen similar-looking apes of Miocene Eurasia, and its far from clear how they were all related to each other. Thanks to later fossil discoveries from the 1960s, we know a lot more about Pliopithecus than the shape of its jaws and teeth. This prehistoric ape possessed very long, equally sized arms and legs, which makes it unclear whether it brachiated (i.e., swung from branch to branch), and its large eyes didnt quite face fully forward, casting doubts on the extent of its stereoscopic vision. We do know (thanks to those ubiquitous teeth) that Pliopithecus was a relatively gentle herbivore, subsisting on the leaves of its favorite trees and probably spurning the occasional insects and small animals enjoyed by its omnivorous relatives.

Crytical Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Crytical Analysis - Research Paper Example Later on due to its popularity the short story was published in Best American Short Stories in 1982. Raymond Carver was a writer par excellence who believed in being minimal. Prior to writing â€Å"Cathedral† Raymond was a writer who followed the minimalist style. He believed firmly that less was more. Raymond Carver wrote three collections of short stories which followed minimalism theme. Post that he changed his style and wrote one of the best works of his career. â€Å"Cathedral† was an immaculate piece which gained popularity among the reading masses quickly. Due to its fame â€Å"Cathedral† is ranked among one of the best short stories of American literature (Werlock, 2000, p.g. 124). The story is a representative of postmodernism and minimalism. This means the short story’s plot, characters and language are shortened down to central features (Stefanescu, 2008, p.g. 1). â€Å"Cathedral† is told by a first-person narrator. The narrator a young man who begrudges the visit of an old friend of his wife. The friend is a blind man for whom the wife once read. The short story started with a situation in which the narrator and his wife await the arrival of someone. That someone is the narrator’s wife’s old friend Robert who is a blind man. Raymond Carver described the emotions and anger of the husband quite beautifully with his craft of writing. The short story starts with a couple waiting for someone. A blind man by the name of Robert is an old acquaintance of the narrator’s wife. The blind man has recently gone through a catastrophic situation in which he lost his wife Beluah. From the onset of the story the narrator comes across as being unexcited about his wife’s friend. The narrator also has a prejudiced nature against blind individuals. The narrator unfolds the story and tells the readers how his wife and Robert became friends. The narrator with a heavy heart describes that they both worked together. The narrator’s wife use

Reading Response Questions to Chapter 10 and Human Sexuality article Essay

Reading Response Questions to Chapter 10 and Human Sexuality article - Essay Example Christians need to know how to deal with their sexuality and their sexual expression until they finally engage in sexual intercourse in marriage (Boone, 2010). Most Christians no longer believe their bodies are the temples of God as indicated in the bible. They believe one does what they want to with their bodies. This is sinful according to Christianity. Doing what they want with their bodies include having multiple sexual partners is considered adulterous in marriage, and prostitution before marriage (Boone, 2010). Christians abuse the gift of sex that was given to them by God. They dress inappropriately when going to church, as the dressing is usually sexually oriented. Seducing men by one’s dressing code is not an appropriate behavior for Christians. Today, sex does not determine the term of a relationship. One can have sex before and then define their relationship later or even consider it a one-time thing. Other people also opt to benefit mutually from each other. They are friends and they satisfy each other’s sexual desires. This is very wrong because sex should be special to both the male and female parties. This means it should not be done for the mere excuse of satisfying physical desires (Boone, 2010). People who view sex as not special and will do it according to the desires of their bodies end up not building relationships in their lives. This is because they do not know what love is and they do not understand the role of intimacy in a relationship. Homosexuality and the fact that the society is increasingly accepting it is a challenge to many. God asked Adam and Eve to go into the world and procreate. This was the sole purpose of sexual intercourse according to the bible. A man and another man cannot procreate. This is a contradiction to God’s orders to keep sex sacred and use it for procreation. The other thing

Colonialism in 1880-1900 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Colonialism in 1880-1900 - Essay Example According to the study the end of the slave trade was an additional main controlling feature towards colonialism. Even though the trade of humans was â€Å"legislated against, many of the Africans and Arabs continued the practice, particularly inland, where the European influence was less concentrated''. Those Europeans dedicated to eliminating this practice were compelled to stay at these internal places with the intention of taking direct as well as instant action. Obviously, slavery was a profitable trade and its elimination meant that substitute trade and business required to be started all over Africa. Therefore, colonialists as well came into the continent to discover different trading means, types of transportation and additional resources. They were required to teach the neighboring societies regarding commercial growth with the intention of maximizing the productivity of the countries. During the colonial phase, the perception of particular indigenous people in the African continent attained broader recognition, even though not without debate. From this paper it is clear that the extremely diverse and abundant ethnic groups, which consisted of most contemporary, self-governing African states, had within them different individuals whose condition, civilizations and pastoralist or huntsman life wee usually marginalized and set separately from the leading political as well as financial structures of the country. From the last part of 20th century, these people have increasingly wanted identification of their constitutional rights as separate indigenous people, within both nationwide and worldwide perspectives. Given the widespread and complex account of human immigration inside Africa, being the earliest people within a territory is not a required condition for recognition as an indigenous people. To a certain extent, indigenous uniqueness communicates more to a set of attributes and practices than ‘priority of arrival’. For instance, quite a lot of populations of nomadic people occupy regions within which they a rrived somewhat lately. Their declaration to indigenous standing is founded on their marginalization as nomadic people in regions and countries ruled by inactive farming people. Early African reaction to European invasion into Africa during the last part of 19th century was not standardized. A small number of groups that had experienced long-term combat or slave raiding provided a doubtful welcome to European existence within their constituencies in anticipation that there would be harmony. Other groups vigorously opposed the arrival of European political power. On the other hand, a number of people had no initial response towards colonialism. This was due to the fact that the early years’ colonialism had slight impact on the lives of several rural African people. These circumstances transformed as the impact of colonialism became more extensive as well as deep during the mid of the 20th century. By the last part of World War I, the majority of Africa had been successfully co lonized. European colonialists had managed to control the attempts by Africans to defend against the organization of colonial regulation. The subsequent two decades were known as the inter war years by historians and was somewhat calm within colonial Africa.

Andy Warhol Essay Example for Free

Andy Warhol Essay Andy Warhol is one of the significant famous personalities of the twentieth century. He is an artist, a film maker, a celebrity and even a businessman. Warhol advanced the Popular art movement in America. He made compelling and controversial art works that yielded praises and even criticisms. Warhol had once said, â€Å"Id prefer to remain a mystery. I never like to give my background and, anyway, I make it all up different every time Im asked. Its not just that its part of my image not to tell everything, its just that I forget what I said the day before, and I have to make it all up over again† (Wrenn Andy Warhol: in his own words).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Andy Warhol was born in 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the son of Slovakian immigrants. His father was Andrej who was a construction worker who died when he was 13 and his mother was Julia. According to his mother, Warhol suffered three nervous breakdowns in his childhood (Andy Warhol). By 1945, he entered the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) where he majored in pictorial design . After college, Warhol went to New York and started his career in illustration and advertising for several magazines including Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and The New Yorker (Cribbs Andy Warhol: Biography). It was film director Emile de Antonio who encouraged Warhol to start as an independent   artist because he considered commercial art as a real form of   real art. His fondness for art and commerce gained him several recognitions from established organizations (Andy Warhol).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the 1960s, many of Andy Warhols most famous and iconic images were generated. By adapting various images from popular culture, Warhol created many paintings that remained icons of 20th-century art, such as the Campbells Soup Cans, Disasters and Marilyns. In addition to painting, Warhol made several 16mm films which have become underground classics such as Chelsea Girls, Empire and Blow Job (Cribbs Andy Warhol: Biography). Most of Warhols films were deemed plotless,   complex and somewhat pornographic. Though there were scripts, most of the dialogues in his films were improvised by the actors who were usually transvestites, homosexuals and his acquaintances. According to Warhol, he never particularly wanted to make simply sex movies, but attempted to show how people can meet other people and what they can do and what they can say each other. Warhols gradual withdrawal from films production coincided with his near fatal shooting in 1968 by a female factory reject connected with an anti-male hate group (Andy Warhol). More so, in this period, Warhol moved to the â€Å"Factory.† It was his place at Union Square in New York City where he and his team of hired workers massly produced screen prints of popular culture. This immediately became the hangout venue for   artist, musicians, and actors where they expressed their individuality. The Factory also served as a working place where he produced most his masterpieces in art and film (Andy Warhol Biography).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the 70s amd 80s, Warhol had expanded his empire beyond mere art making. He was in the center of a corporation that produced films, books, plays, and was involved with television (Andy Warhol). He founded inter/VIEW magazine. He also created two cable television shows, Andy Warhols TV and Andy Warhols Fifteen Minutes for MTV . More so, Warhol had several collaborations with younger artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Francesco Clemente and Keith Haring (Cribbs Andy Warhol: Biography). In his book The Philosophy of Andy Warhol he wrote: Business art is the step that comes after Art. I started as a commercial artist, and I want to finish as a business artist. After I did the thing called art or whatever its called, I went into business art. I wanted to be an Art Businessman or a Business Artist. Being good in business in the most fascinating kind of art† (Andy Warhol).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Andy Warhol died after a gall bladder surgery on February 22, 1987. His funeral was attended by his friends, colleagues and more than   2, 000 fans at St. Patricks Cathedral in New York (Cribbs Andy Warhol: Biography) .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Warhol made a huge contribution in art history. His eccentric personality brought him to beyond levels of stardom. He constantly shook the art industry with his controversial art works that were considered avant-garde during that era. Warhols personality have been subjected to several suspicions. His concepts and interpretations gave an impression that he was a homosexual. According to Wayne Koestenbaums psychoanalytical interpretation, everything was sexual for Warhol, who was as gay as you can get and he also said that â€Å"Warhols major artistic contribution was reinterpreting the worth of cultural waste products† (Andy Warhol). Many would think that Warhol is not a true blooded artist because mainly for the fact that he was driven by monetary ambition and even came to the point where he became obsessed in being rich and famous. But he proved that business can be mixed with art making. He utilized the best of both worlds, which are the corporate world and the art world. In a but shell, he merged art, wealth and fame producing the Pop Artist Andy Warhol (Andy Warhol Biography). Works Cited â€Å" Andy Warhol Biography.† ArtQuotes.net. 28 February 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.artquotes.net/masters/warhol-biography.htm. â€Å"Andy Warhol.† 2000. Books and Writers. 28 February 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/warhol.htm. Cribss, Martin. â€Å" Andy Warhol: Biography.† 2002. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Visual Arts.   28 February 2008 http://www.warholfoundation.org/biograph.htm. Wrenn, Mike. Andy Warhol: In His Own Words. Omnibus Press, 1992.

Kerrang Magazine Blink182 Article Analysis :: Papers

Kerrang Magazine Blink182 Article Analysis * Blink182 - when they were younger * This Blink182 interview was published in alternative music magazine 'Kerrang' - issue 979 in November and was written by Tom Bryant. It's purposes are mainly to discuss their past, their success and above all their new album ! They tell us how it was almost never made as two years ago they were ready to split. This article is informative and at times quite humorous, 'There are many ways you'd imagine how a conversation with Tom DeLonge might start. Most of them involve a certain level of immaturity, a teenage crack about blow jobs, poop or possibly your mother. A reasoned debate on Californian politics is roughly last on the list '. But it also feels sad as the band recall feeling as though they were drifting apart. I think fans of the band would find this piece interesting. The implied readers would include Blink's fans (usually teenagers), people considering buying their latest album, fans of punk-rock music and people who may just be curious about them. So in general - most readers of 'Kerrang' i.e- people interested in alternative music such as punk, metal and rock. Having read the article through a few times now i have noticed that it differs to previous Blink interviews i have read. As a group they have been out of the public eye for the past two years producing their self titled album. Although Blink are a hugely successful, international band and every young person knows a little about them i dont think there is any evidence of implied reader knowledge. After reading the title page 'But seriously folks...' we know right away Blink have grown up as it describes their old stuff is out and new mature material is the way forward. This feeling of change continues throughout the piece. It feels new, exciting and deep. I dont think this interview was planned, as the guys seem to be relaxed and speak their mind. Which i think helps put their

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 6

â€Å"Isaid,get out ,† Meredith repeated to Caroline, still quietly. â€Å"You've said things that never should have been said in any civilized place. This happens to be Stefan's place – and, yes, it's hisplace to order you out, too. I'm doing it for him, though, because he never would ask a girl – and a former girlfriend, I might add – to get the hell out of his room.† Matt cleared his throat. He'd stepped back into a corner and everyone had forgotten about him. Now he said, â€Å"Caroline, I've known you way too long to be formal, and Meredith's right. You want to say the kind of things you've been saying about Elena, you do it somewhere faraway from Elena. But, look, there's one thing I know. No matter what Elena did when she was – was downhere before† – his voice dropped a little in wonder, and Bonnie knew that he meant, when Elena was here on Earth before – â€Å"she's as close to an angelnow as you can get. Right now she's†¦she's†¦completely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated, stumbling for the right words. â€Å"Pure,† Meredith said easily, filling in the blank for him. â€Å"Yeah,† Matt agreed. â€Å"Yeah, pure. Everything she does is pure. And it's not like any of your nasty words could stain her, anyway, but the rest of us just don't like hearing you try.† There was a low â€Å"Thank you† from Stefan. â€Å"I was already going,† Caroline said, now through her teeth. â€Å"And don't youdare preach atme about purity ! Here, with all this going on! You probably just want to watch it going on yourself, two girls kissing. You probably – â€Å" â€Å"Enough.† Stefan said it almost expressionlessly, but Caroline was swept off her feet, up and out of the door, and deposited there by invisible hands. Her purse trailed after her. Then the door quietly shut. Fine hairs rose on the back of Bonnie's neck. This was Power, in such amounts that her psychic senses were stunned and temporarily paralyzed. Moving Caroline – and she wasn't a small girl – now that took Power . Maybe Stefan had changed just as much as Elena had. Bonnie glanced at Elena, whose pool of serenity was rippling because of Caroline. Might as well take her mind off it, and maybe make herself worthy of athank you from Stefan, Bonnie thought. She tapped Elena's knee, and when Elena turned, Bonnie kissed her. Elena broke the kiss very quickly, as if afraid to set off some holocaust again. But Bonnie saw at once what Meredith had said about it not being sexual. It was†¦more like being examined by someone who used all her senses to the fullest. When Elena moved away from Bonnie she beamed at her just as she had at Meredith, all the distress washed away by – yes, thepurity of the kiss. And Bonnie felt as if some of Elena's tranquility had soaked into her. â€Å"†¦should have known better than to bring Caroline,† Matt was saying to Stefan. â€Å"Sorry about butting in. But Iknow Caroline, and she could have gone on ranting for another half hour, never actually leaving.† â€Å"Stefan took care of that,† Meredith said, â€Å"or was that Elena, too?† â€Å"It was me,† Stefan said. â€Å"Matt had it right: she could keep on talking forever without actually leaving. And I'd just as lief nobody run Elena down like that in my hearing.† Why are they talking about those things? Bonnie wondered. Of all people, Meredith and Stefan were least inclined to chatter, but here they were, saying things that didn't really need to be said. Then she realized it was for Matt, who was moving slowly but with determination toward Elena. Bonnie got up as quickly and as lithely as if she could fly, and managed to pass Matt without looking at him. And then she was joining Meredith and Stefan in small talk – well, medium-small talk – about what had just happened. Caroline made a bad enemy, everyone agreed, and nothing seemed to teach her that her schemes against Elena always backfired. Bonnie would bet that she was hatching a new scheme right now against all of them. â€Å"She feels lonely all the time,† Stefan said, as if trying to make excuses for her. â€Å"She wants to be accepted, by anyone, on any terms – but she feels – apart. As if nobody who really got to know her would trust her.† â€Å"She's defensive,† Meredith agreed. â€Å"But you'd think she'd showsome gratitude. After all, we did rescue her and save her life just over a week ago.† There was more to it than that, Bonnie thought. Her intuition was trying to tell her something – something about what might have happenedbefore they had been able to rescue Caroline – but she was so angry on Elena's behalf that she ignored it. â€Å"Why should anybody trust her?† she said to Stefan. She sneaked a peek behind her. Elena was definitely going to know Matt anywhere, and Matt looked as if he were fainting. â€Å"Caroline's beautiful, sure, but that's it. She never has a good word to say about anybody. She plays games all the time – and – and Iknow we used to do some of that, too†¦but hers are always meant to make other people look bad. Sure, she can take mostguys in† – a sudden anxiety swept over her, and she spoke more loudly to try to push it away – â€Å"but if you're a girl she's just a pair of long legs and big – â€Å" Bonnie stopped because Meredith and Stefan had frozen, with identicalOh-God-not-again expressions on their faces. â€Å"And she also has very decent hearing,† said a shaking, threatening voice from somewhere behind Bonnie. Bonnie's heart leaped into her throat. That was what you got for ignoring premonitions. â€Å"Caroline – † Meredith and Stefan were both trying for damage control, but it was too late. Caroline stalked in on her long legs as if she didn't want her feet to touch Stefan's floorboards. Oddly, though, she was carrying her high heels. â€Å"I came back in to get my sunglasses,† she said, still in that trembling voice. â€Å"And I heard enough to know now what my so-called ;;friends' think of me.† â€Å"No, you didn't,† Meredith said, as rapidly eloquent as Bonnie was stunned mute. â€Å"You heard some very angry people letting off steam after you'd just insulted them.† â€Å"Besides,† Bonnie said, suddenly able to speak again, â€Å"admit it, Caroline – youhoped you'd hear something. That's why you took off your shoes. You were right behind the door, listening, weren't you?† Stefan shut his eyes. â€Å"This is my fault. I should have – â€Å" â€Å"No, you shouldn't,† Meredith said to him, and to Caroline she added, â€Å"And if you can tell me one word we said that isn't true, or was exaggerated – except maybe for what Bonnie said, and Bonnie is†¦just being Bonnie. Anyway, if you can point to one word of what the rest of us said that isn't true,I'll beg your pardon.† Caroline wasn't listening. Caroline was twitching. She had a facial tic, and her lovely face was convulsed, dark red, with fury. â€Å"Oh, you'regoing to beg my pardon all right,† she said, wheeling to point her long-nailed forefinger at each of them. â€Å"You'reall going to be sorry. And if you try that – that witchcraft-vampire type thing on me again,† she said to Stefan, â€Å"I have friends – real friends – who'd like to know about it.† â€Å"Caroline, just this afternoon you signed a contract – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, who gives a damn?† Stefan stood up. It was dark now inside the small room with its dusty window, and Stefan's shadow was thrown before him by the bedside lamp. Bonnie looked at it and then poked Meredith, as the hairs tingled on her arms and neck. The shadow was surprisingly dark and surprisingly tall. Caroline's shadow was weak, transparent, and short – an imitation shadow beside Stefan's very real one. The thunderstorm feeling was back. Bonnie was shaking now; trying not to, but unable to stop the shivering that had come on as if she had been thrown into icy water. It was a cold that had gotten directly into her bones and was ripping layer after layer of heat off them like some greedy giant, and now she was beginning to shakehard†¦. Something was happening to Caroline in the darkness – something was coming from her – or comingfor her – or maybe both. In any case, it was all around her now, and all around Bonnie, too, and the tension was so thick that Bonnie felt choked, her heart pounding. Beside her, Meredith – practical, level-headed Meredith – stirred uneasily. â€Å"What – ?† Meredith began in a whisper. Suddenly, as if it had all been exquisitely choreographed by the things in the dark – the door to Stefan's room slammed shut†¦the lamp, an ordinary electric one, went off†¦the ancient rolled-up shutter over the window came rattling down, dropping the room into sudden and complete darkness. And Caroline screamed. It was an awful sound – raw, as if it had been stripped like meat from Caroline's backbone and yanked out of her throat. Bonnie screamed, too. She couldn't help it, although her scream sounded too faint and too breathless, like an echo, not the coloratura job that Caroline had done. Thank God that at least Caroline wasn't screaming any longer. Bonnie was able to stop the new scream building in her own throat, even though her shaking was worse than ever. Meredith had an arm around her tightly, but then, as the darkness and the silence went on and Bonnie's shaking only continued, Meredith got up and heartlessly passed her to Matt, who seemed astonished and embarrassed, but tried awkwardly to hold her. â€Å"It's not as dark once your eyes get used to it,† he said. His voice was creaky, as if he needed a drink of water. But it was the best thing that he could have said, because of all things in the world to fear, Bonnie was most afraid of the dark. There werethings in it, things that only she saw. She managed, despite the terrible shaking, to stand with his support – and then she gasped, and heard Matt gasp, too. Elena was glowing. Not only that, but the glow extended out behind her and far to either side of her in a pair of what were beautifully defined, and undeniablythere†¦wings. â€Å"She h-has wings,† Bonnie whispered, the stutter caused by her shaking rather than by awe or fear. Matt was clinging toher now, like a child; he obviously couldn't answer. The wings moved with Elena's breathing. She was sitting on thin air, steady now, one hand held out with her fingers all spread in a gesture of denial. Elena spoke. It wasn't any language that Bonnie had heard before; she doubted it was any language people on Earth used. The words were sharp, thin-edged, like the splintering of myriad shards of crystal that had fallen from somewhere very high and very far away. The shape of the wordsalmost made sense in Bonnie's head as her own psychic abilities were sparked by Elena's tremendous Power. It was a Power that stood tall against the darkness and now was sweeping it aside†¦making the things in the dark scamper away before it, their claws scritching in all directions. Ice-sharp words followed them all the way, dismissive now†¦. And Elena†¦Elena was as heartbreakingly beautiful as when she'd been a vampire, and seemed almost as pale as one. But Caroline was shouting, too. She was using powerful words of Black Magic, and to Bonnie it was as if the shadows of all sorts of dark and horrible things were coming from her mouth: lizards and snakes and many-legged spiders. It was a duel, a face-off of magic. Only how had Caroline learned so much dark magic? She wasn't even a witch by lineage, like Bonnie. Outside Stefan's room, surrounding it, was a strange sound, almost like a helicopter. Whipwhipwhipwhipwhip†¦ It terrified Bonnie. But she had to do something. She was Celtic by heritage and psychic because she couldn't avoid it, and she had to help Elena. Slowly, as if making her way against gale-force winds, Bonnie stumbled to put her hand on Elena's hand, to offer Elena her power. When Elena clasped hands with her, Bonnie realized that Meredith was on her other side. The light grew. The scrabbling lizard things ran from it, screaming and tearing at each other to get away. The next thing Bonnie knew, Elena had slumped over. The wings were gone. The dark scrabbling things were gone, too. Elena had sent them away, using tremendous amounts of energy to overwhelm them with White Power. â€Å"She'll fall,† Bonnie whispered, looking at Stefan. â€Å"She's been using magic so strong – â€Å" Just then, as Stefan started to turn to Elena, several things happened very fast, as if the room was caught in the flashes of a strobe light. Flash. The window shade rolled back up, rattling furiously. Flash. The lamp went back on, revealing it was in Stefan's hands. He must have been trying to fix it. Flash. The door to Stefan's room opened slowly, creaking, as if to make up for slamming shut before. Flash. Caroline was now on the floor, on all fours, groveling, breathing hard. Elena had won†¦. Elena fell. Only inhumanly fast reflexes could have caught her, especially from across the room. But Stefan had tossed the lamp to Meredith and was across the distance faster than Bonnie's eyes could follow. Then he was holding Elena, encircling her protectively. â€Å"Oh,hell ,† said Caroline. Black trails of mascara ran down her face, making her look like something not quite human. She looked at Stefan with unconcealed hatred. He looked back soberly – no,sternly . â€Å"Don't call on Hell,† he said in a very low voice. â€Å"Not here. Not now. Because Hell might hear and call back.† â€Å"As if it already hadn't,† Caroline said, and in that moment, she was pitiful – broken and pathetic. As if she had started something she didn't know how to stop. â€Å"Caroline, what are you saying?† Stefan knelt. â€Å"Are you saying that you've already – made some bargain – ?† â€Å"Ouch,† Bonnie said, suddenly and involuntarily, shattering the ominous mood in Stefan's room. One of Caroline's broken nails had left a trail of blood on the floor. Caroline had knelt in it, too, making things pretty messy. Bonnie felt a sympathetic throb of pain in her own fingers until Caroline waved her bloody hand at Stefan. Then Bonnie's sympathy turned to nausea. â€Å"Want a lick?† she said. Her voice and face had changed entirely, and she wasn't even trying to hide it. â€Å"Oh, come on, Stefan,† she went on mockingly, â€Å"youdo drink human blood these days, don't you? Human or – whatever she is, whatever she's become. You two fly like bats together now, do you?† â€Å"Caroline,† Bonnie whispered, â€Å"didn't yousee them? Her wings – â€Å" â€Å"Just like a bat – or another vampire already. Stefan's made her – â€Å" â€Å"I saw them too,† Matt said flatly, behind Bonnie. â€Å"They weren't bat wings.† â€Å"Doesn't anybody have eyes?† Meredith said from where she stood by the lamp. â€Å"Look here.† She bent. When she stood again she was holding a long white feather. It shone in the light. â€Å"Maybe she's a white crow, then,† Caroline said. â€Å"That would be appropriate. And I can't believe how you're all – all – fawning on her as if she were some sort of princess. Always everybody's little darling, aren't you, Elena?† â€Å"Stop it,† Stefan said. â€Å"Everybody's, that's the key word,† Caroline spat. â€Å"Stop it.† â€Å"The way you were kissing people one after another.† She gave a theatrical shudder. â€Å"Everyone seems to have forgotten, but that was more like – â€Å" â€Å"Stop, Caroline.† â€Å"Thereal Elena.† Caroline's voice had become pretend-prissy, but she couldn't keep the venom out, Bonnie thought. â€Å"Because anyone who knows you knows what youreally were before Stefanblessed us with hisirresistible presence. You were – â€Å" â€Å"Caroline, stop right there – â€Å" â€Å"A slut! That's all! Just a cheap, anybody'sslut !†