India Is A Democratic Country

India is a democratic country. Elections form the very basis of democracy. The parliamentary system holds elections for the composition of the government. They are very important for the effective functioning of the democracy. Through the elections, common people are able to raise their voice. They choose representative of their choice. Thus, a government of the people, by the people and for the people. The Indian Parliament is comprised of the head of the country known as the ‘President’ and the two Houses namely The House of the People (Lok Sabha) and The Council of States (Rajya Sabha) which are the legislature.The President of India is indirectly elected, for a 5 year term, and the Electoral College, is used, where the Members of Parliament of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and the Members of Legislative Assemblies from all the states and Indian territories cast their vote. The Lok Sabha is composed of representatives of people chosen by direct election on t he basis of Universal Adult Suffrage. Lok Sabha has 545 members, 543 members elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies and two members appointed to represent the Anglo-Indian community. Lok Sabha Elections, elect the Prime Minister of India.Rajya Sabha has 245 members, 233 members elected for a six-year term, with one-third retiring every two years. Members of Rajya Sabha members are indirectly elected and are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies. The remaining 12 members are nominated by the President of India, usually with the advice of the Prime Minister of India. The individual states have their own governing body known as Vidhan sabha. National and state elections are ordinarily held every five years; they may be postponed in an emergency and may be held more frequently if the government loses a confidence vote.In our country, the policy of adult franchise through a secret ballot is exercised in elections. It is a voting method in which a voter’s choice in an election is confidential. Universal Adult Suffrage or general or common suffrage can be referred to as right to vote to adult citizens. Every citizen of India enjoys the right to vote. In our country India, Indian citizen (adult) of the age 18 or above is eligible to vote for the country irrespective of the caste or race.Any Indian who has attained the minimum age of 18 years on 1st January of the year can register himself or herself as a voter. Mentally challenged persons, the persons on whom Criminal Charges, offences relating to elections are registered cannot vote. The elections votes in election poll play a great role in making a political party a winner or loser. Now a day, the system of electronic voting has been introduced to have a fairer election process. To maximize the participation of voters, polling stations are set up in public institutions within 2 kms of every voter.Thus the ultimate power lies with the people of India; Every c hild whether boy or a girl reading in the schools is the future citizen of the country. Although he or she is not immediately called upon to vote or make laws, but they will have to do the same in the near future. As a citizen of tomorrow, every young person should prepare himself for this task from now on. Presidential elections have their own importance. In our country, most of the people are disinterested in the elections and the political activities of the country, so most of them do not go for voting which is really a bad thing.Voting is not an easy task. It is very necessary to take right decision whom to vote for and why to vote him. We should always keep in mind while voting if the candidate we are voting for really deserves to get voted and is really eligible to become our leader. The country is ours and we are the ultimate ones to craft and give our country a new and the best shape by voting a right and the best leader for ourselves. So, do not sleep and go to vote as we a ll can shape a new and better country.

Conditions on Each Planet

Mercury : Due to mercury being extremely close to the sun, causes its planet to have no atmosphere. If any air was ever around Mercury, it would have been within its early years and from that point to now, it is gone because of all of the heat being given off of the sun. Mercury has crazy weather issues because of the lack of atmosphere, which includes a drastic weather change within day to night. Whenever the sun touches the surface of Mercury, that is when the climate reaches its highess at 801 degrees Fahrenheit in the day time. Because of the lack of atmosphere in mercury, the Mercurial sky is black and the stars can be seen in broad daylight. The night time becomes a different situation, at this point it leaves it at a chilling climate where it is -300 degree Fahrenheit. Venus : Venus contains a wonderful thick atmosphere which is made up of 97% carbon dioxide. Venus's pressure at the surface is 92 times stronger than on Earth. Its temperature goes to an extreme result of 900 degrees Fahrenheit, which mkes it the hottest planet of all. Its atmosphere is this way because of a strong volcanic activity during the past. Venus deals with sulfuric acid rain falls that come from its swirling clouds but is gone before even reaching the ground. Earth: Earth has the most dynamic weather in the solar system compared to the rest. The atmosphere has changed a lot compared to the Earth's early atmosphere, but for the last billion years, it has remained pretty constant. There are 3 very different atmospheric problems that is needed to be kept close attention to. The three atmospheric problem are the greenhouse effect, damage to the ozone layer, and acid rain. The earth is surrounded by a blanket of gases, this blanket traps energy in the atmosphere, much the same way as glass traps heat inside a greenhouse. This results in an build up of energy, and the overall warming of the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is a natural process which made life on Earth possible. Ozone is oxygen that contains molecules that have 3 oxygen atoms. There is a layer of ozone high p in the atmosphere which shields the Earth from the sun's harmful UV rays, these rays can lead to an increase in skin cancer. The ozone is present in very small quantities but it is enough to absorb the UV rays preventing them reaching the surface. Concentrations of ozone appeared to be dropping in certain areas of the world (the layer was starting to thin-out). The cause of this reduction was thought to be man-made. Rain water is naturally acidic due to carbon dioxide which partially reacts with water to give carbonic acid. Acid rain is caused by other gases released when fossil fuels are burnt. Mars: Mars's atmosphere made up of carbon dioxide, Venus's atmosphere is much more than Mars. The temperatures on Mars ranges from 80 degrees to -200 degrees Fahrenheit. Mars experiences seasons too. There is dust storms that are frequently occurring. Mars's atmosphere, has fog and frost forming on the Red Planet because of the water vapor. Jupiter: Jupiter's atmosphere has clouds which are striped with dark belts and light zones. High winds and lightning are a regular feature on Jupiter. Other small eddies and whorls form and dissipate in the cloud layers. The temperature on Jupiter is approximately -234 degrees Fahrenheit only. Saturn: Like the other gas giant planets, Saturn's atmosphere is mainly hydrogen and helium. Saturn is a windy planet, with 1,000 mile an hour, winds do a good job of mixing the atmosphere and making it appear homogeneous through Earth based telescopes. Saturn's tilt creates seasons and uneven temperatures on the planet. The top of the clouds have an average temperature of -285 degrees Fahrenheit, with warmer temperatures deeper in. A churning hexagonal cloud formation has been spotted near the North Pole and has persisted for a few decades now. Uranus: Uranus is unlike the other planets in that it is tipped on its side, and, in essence, rolls along in its orbit. At -350 degrees Fahrenheit, its atmospheric conditions stay the same for many years at a time (its year is 84 Earth years), until it experiences seasonal changes, sparking storms in its atmosphere. Neptune: Neptune is the record holder for the windiest place in the solar system. At about 1,250 miles per hour, the winds of Neptune makes it a stormy place, evidences by a Great Dark Spot that is a giant hurricane-like storm, similar to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. The methane gas in the atmosphere is what makes the planet appear blue. White storms clouds that zip across the planet are common. Neptune's temperature averages -373 degrees Fahrenheit. Pluto: Pluto holds the place as the farest object in the solar system feom the sun. Pluto's distance from the sun gives it a large range of temperature on its surface, its stated as the coldest by Earth's standards. It is so cold on Pluto that a regular theromater can not state its coldness, scientist have to use a Kelvin scale. Using Kelvin scale, Pluto's temperture is at 44 K which is approximately -239 degrees. Its maximum reaches at 55 K ( -218 F ) and a minimum of 33 K ( -240 F ). Pluto maybe the coldest planent but surprisely, it has a warmer atmosphere than the surface of the dwarf planet. Its warm atmosphere is from the presence of unexceptly large amounts of methane.

The process of teaching English as a remote language within the Arab kingdom in West Asia with focus in Jordan

Abstraction Having countless cogent evidence sing the consequences of civilization on acquisition scheme usage in manus, this survey aims to fit the acquisition scheme pick of pupils from wholly wholly different cultural backgrounds in Jordanian and jointly compared to different non English speech production states as Spanish and where English is learnt as an abroad linguistic communication in their native states. The analysis was disbursed by mistreatment the comparative descriptive analysis theoretical account and cognition were collected by agencies of the SILL signifier seven.0 touching on â€Å"Strategies Inventory of Language Learning† by Rebecca Oxford and a semi-structured interview designed by the individual of scientific discipline. the form was conducted on 100 pupils so on look into the gathered info and a spread of trials were accustomed look into the gathered info. These variable categories of pupils have shown some fluctuations in scheme usage every typically scheme groups and single ways towards larning English as a 2nd linguistic communication. The Jordanian participants use memory methods and flectional methods at following rate therefore } the Jordanians show higher usage of societal ways so on determine English. This survey tried to analysis the fluctuations in acquisition scheme pick and so the cultural grounds behind them and came up with some specific findings. Table of Contents CHAPTER ONEIntroductionThe procedure of learning English as a distant linguistic communication within the Arab land in West Asia with focal point in Jordan continues to desire the skillfulness within the educations for a variable scope of grounds that can be listed as: socio-cultural, philosophical, economic, psychological, academic and teaching method. It ‘s traveling to in hence type at this phase map a method of learning West Germanic linguistic communication at the first phase of acquisition and this brings within the effects for providers to organize extra opportunity for the scholars to detect the linguistic communication notably within talk suites and extra so outside talk suites. There have collectively been rather an scope of instances wherever faculty members of the subject have encountered issues in promoting scholars of the mark linguistic communication following instances wherever pupils do n't look to be first-class within the mark linguistic communication or instances wherever the scholars of the mark linguistic communication notice its use in and out-of-doorss the school suites awfully troublesome. Thus instruction of English within the Arab land in West Asia with major focal point in Jordan has continued to catch the oculus of assortment of research workers and collectively pupils peculiar to instances of the mark linguistic communication within the talk rooms’ things. In measure with a expression by Tavil, 2009 that has tried the demand for West Germanic linguistic communication as awfully relevant as a consequence of the mark linguistic communication delivered to scholars will ease scholars notably those at the first phase to help specific t heir sentiment, dreams and even hopes ( Tavil, 2009 ) . The foreign Language that is been deliberated on in its acquisition method is being influenced by assortment of things get downing from attitudes, aptitudes, age, intelligence, anxiousness, personalities and motive etc. ( Gardner, 1960 ; Lehmann, 2006, cited in Shams, 2008 ) . Fakaye, 2010 recognized the attitudes of scholars reciprocally of the foremost of import factors with impacts within the method of larning the linguistic communication. This analysis work as applied can take a deep scrutinize the attitudinal thought that reciprocally of the awfully major emotional factors for the derivation of success in larning the mark linguistic communication and even extra therefore the other foreign linguistic communication because the instance is besides. extra notably it takes presently extra enquiries in Jordanian college pupils at grammar school levels’ angles towards larning the mark linguistic communication with deep and extra concerns within the 3 facets of attitude i.e. , behavioural, emotional and psychological characteristic. collectively the attitudes of scholars of the foreign linguistic communication collectively provides to boot attempts in decisive the influences of students’ demographic profile in gender, age and collectively field of survey on their attitudes towards larning the mark linguistic communication. The demand of learning the mark linguistic communication has well-tried awfully of import following its socio-cultural thought.Background of surveyKara ( 2009 ) ironed on the importance of attitudes meshed towards larning that is besides beliefs and sentiments that hold apparent influence on the behaviours and accordingly on their public presentation. It’s debated that scholars of the mark linguistic communication have positive beliefs in mention to the linguistic communication hold the disposition to possess extra positive attitudes towards larning the linguistic communication. Alhmali ( 2007 ) expressed that the purpose of instruction is entirely for acquiring high classs and disbursement of exams nevertheless this goes even extra than that, we have a inclination to might unconditionally establish apprehension and originative thought of the character of the scholar and collectively the wants of taking into consideration their perceptual experiences. We can collectively foreground on the functions faculty members of the foreign linguistic communication drama in transmittal of the informations to scholars efficaciously. even saying from deep penetration, there still exists really small power on the most effectual of ways to be applied on the event of scholars of the mark linguistic communication non merely cognitively nevertheless collectively demoing emotion and behaviorally. Orafi & A ; Borg, 2009 within their analysis acknowledge the Numberss of programme that are introduced urging the employment of English in high grade as possible by pupils and faculty members in the school suites, talk suites and out-of-doorss. Gardner ( 1985 ) created abundant emphasis on the scholar ‘s attitudes towards the mark linguistic communication. He went extra in saying that learners’ behaviours meshed towards larning another linguistic communication notably the mark linguistic communication of this analysis work plays a truly of import function in progressing and actuating them to larning the mark linguistic communication which matches extra in affecting their public presentation yet.Identifying Problems in Learning EnglishI gave my pupils a trouble right from the beginning of the 2nd month of the class to reply by e-mail or on the sheet at intervals 2 yearss: What country unit the jobs you face happen out English poesy? The two-day measure was meant to allow pupils equal clip to swear the jobs they two-faced in reading poesy on a private footing, to put in composing in acceptable and clear English their ideas and constructs, either by confer withing with those that knew English beyond themselves or by confer withing linguistics books or the opposite mentions that may be utile. As for the agencies that of act with Maine, I selected the electronic mail or the blackboard, making the communicating personal to provide them larger freedom in showing their positions. the sum of participants throughout this class was one hundred and 40, and upon having their replies, I classified the jobs into several classs, viz. , linguistic communication, rhetoric, figures of address, civilization, analysis, comprehension, category ambiance, or a mix of 2 or plentifulness of these jobs. It’s necessary to aim that the immense category atmosphere aggravated the affair, as a consequence of the 60-minute talk could non offer equal clip for the engagement of such associate outsized choice.The Nature of ProblemsAbout ninetieth of the pupils found linguistic communication as a important downside that hindered their comprehension of the significances of the books they studied at school or the assigned 1s for his or her ain scrutiny. Some pupils even thought of the linguistic communication used within the books as debatable. This misinterpretation of the character of English arose, from two chief factors. the first related to their survey of Arabic at school concentrating on pre-Islamic literature that employs enunciation of Arabic words and sentences and necessitating the employment of specialised vocabularies. This crystal rectifier several pupils to see West Germanic linguistic communication in a really similar mode. The 2nd issue was the students’ restricted familiarity with land linguistic communication normally and so the literary linguistic communication specially.Purposes of the StudyThe purpose of this analysis is to conc entrate and research on the socio-cultural troubles two-faced by Jordanian pupils in West Germanic linguistic communication acquisition in primary phase and therefore the ways taken by governments and policy makers to bodily penalty the planned ways. The purposes would be done through the divergent discourse on the academic systems and policies so, so as to achieve this purpose ; this analysis are traveling to be diging into variable thoughts of academic Torahs and policies, associated collectively an analysis of relevant policy paperss.Research statementTaking an intensive scrutinize the critical causes of issues confronting English scholars in Jordan, this analysis wo n't turn out its cogency while non a constructive live and analysis of assortment of alternate causes or in some type placed beneath context and comparing with alternate states confronting same socio-cultural troubles. In therefore making would this analysis verify states extra distantly placed and United Nations bureau regard English as critical as their ain linguistic communication. so this analysis would implicitly nevertheless critically and numerically verify states as Asiatic state, Turkey, Kingdom of Spain amongst others and would what is more place them in deep differentiation and comparing with our chosen states. In hence making it might turn out the velocity at that advancement is formed within the conveyance of the Language at varied degrees, it might what is more scrutinize nevertheless efficaciously it will be same to turn and last it might seek and look its public-service corporation and acceptability. This analysis would show in an equable portion of understanding the challenges two-faced at the phase of larning the linguistic communication, the acceptability of the linguistic communication and its public-service corporation yet.Research ProblemLearning the mark linguistic communicat ion of this analysis work as a distant linguistic communication in states notably within the Arab land in West Asia with specific focal point in Jordan has tried non really easy nevertheless Numberss of analysis over clip have continued to proffer to which this processes will be achieved in such short clip and with inexpensive attempts. Further saying the instances of larning the linguistic communication with concerns of variable factors as age, sex and milieus during which the linguistic communication is been transmitted, learnt and decently understood. this can be exceeding of another factors which will turn out troublesome as a distant linguistic communication wherever sounds, alphabet and elegance of composing country unit absolutely wholly different gesture even extra quandaries. Learners of the mark linguistic communication notably those at the first phase tend to confront some kind of psychological barriers and anti-social cultural effects. All of those factors are traveling to be thought-about during this analysis work and far extra factors that might restrict the achievement of the mark linguistic communication. In alternate words, the driving purpose sought-after by this survey is that the method of stock list societal and psychological issues that may be exposed to linguistic communication scholars, and notice applicable solutions.Research QuestionsThe analysis seeks to reply the subsequent inquiries: Following our analysis on the socio-cultural challenges two-faced by Jordanian pupils, we might unconditionally put abundant dressed ore on the subsequent as listed below ; 1.The attitudes of Jordanian grammar school pupils towards larning the mark linguistic communication with dealingss to their activity, psychological characteristic and emotional positions? 2.Are there any statistically of import divergence in Jordanian grammar school students’ attitudes towards larning the mark linguistic communication by gender and what is more by age? 3.Are there any a statistically of import divergence in Jordanian grammar school students’ attitudes towards larning the mark linguistic communication by twelvemonth of survey?Research MethodologyThe methodological analysis to be adopted during this analysis are traveling to be qualitative, quantitative and supported analysis as a consequence of this analysis aims to measure the milepost of the advancement created within the hand-picked modules in Jordan. Analysis is best appropriate for this analysis as a consequence of it deals with the analysis of reforms and methods. ( Bryman 2012 ) during this instance, the reforms and policies meshed towards accomplishing an efficient academic system are traveling to be highlighted. In Bryman’s book on analysis schemes, he explains that analysis delves into indispensable questions like encompasses a policy and or reforms achieved awaited ends? so, experimental manner are traveling to be utilized in analysis to find bunch houses ad hesive and non adhesive within the policy method ( Bryman 2012, Flick 2011 ) On the opposite manus, rationalist metaphysics are traveling to be accustomed derive empirical cogent evidence on the organic structure of literature that exist during this analysis. This in measure with Bryman ( 2012 ) helps a research worker to state apart the philosophical place in analysis. The analysis may be a qualitative chiefly based as a consequence of empirical analysis and reading are traveling to be drawn from illative applied mathematics cognition, questionnaires, reviewed texts with the purpose of understanding the educational procedures in Jordan and hence the attempts towards the acceptance of English as a 2nd linguistic communication. The rule behind qualitative and quantitative analysis is to possess a comprehensive inductive and deductive read of the analysis with results gotten from thorough survey. ( Bryman 2012 ) .Datas AnalysisThis analysis intends to research paperss in enlightening constitutions so as to return up with a wide apprehension of chances and challenges that modules in Jordan could confront in understanding or learning English as a 2nd linguistic communication. Related analysis of the steps taken by the govt. Since the beginning of the linguistic communication through the analysis methodological analysis is traveling to be applicable for analysis. Therefore, taking into awareness method, it might offer in inside informations advancement within the reforms, stairss undertaken, troubles in activity accurately the advancement created, the challenges which will likely move upon or impede the authorities and accountable constitutions of Jordan from accomplishing these motivations of following English as 2nd linguistic communication. The analysis will foreground lessons to be learnt and methods for get the better ofing these challenges. In accomplishing this, Numberss of policy paperss from the academic board are traveling to be evaluated, policy paperss, past analysis work, printed texts and diaries, are traveling to be reviewed hence on acquire first-hand info on the plan. A Numberss of modules in colleges are traveling to be used as instance surveies which are able to all be reviewed with attending on the stairss and execution ways of the mark schools in accomplishing the mark linguistic communication.Restrictions of the StudyThe survey are traveling to be restricted to Jordan as this can be the instance survey that may be accustomed explore the topic. Alternate ends within the Language attachment wo n't be self-addressed as a consequence of the immense range of the ends and hence the restricted time-frame for the entry of the undertaking. On the opposite manus, buttocks to complete policy and reform paperss are besides another restriction to the survey as by and large, these could turn out debatable. so restricting this survey to entirely the troubles and restrictions of larning the foreign linguistic communication can necessarily rub this work of the advantages of deriving a deeper apprehension from alternate constituents of larning a distant linguistic communication.Organization of the StudyThis piece of labour can consist 5 ( 5 ) chapters. Chapter one is associate debut of the topic and provides a general sum-up of the subject of survey. Chapter 2 trades with the reappraisal of relevant literature. Chapter 3 is bothered with the methodological analysis applied for this instance survey. The 4th chapter presents the findings through associate analytical reading of the analysis, which specialize in the cardinal subjects that are known within the analysis. Chapter 5, that is that the ultimate chapter, brings refering t he complete thesis, docking the legion theoretical and empirical strands hence on hit the decision. Last, the decision offers an egg-shaped lineation and analysis of the findings, its recommendations, readings and collectively incorporates a treatment of the deduction of the findings for future analysis work.

Madison Man Indicted for Possessing Guns despite Prior Mental Article

Madison Man Indicted for Possessing Guns despite Prior Mental Commitment - Article Example It was noted that Vaughan made a false statement regarding nondisclosure of the accurate information pertaining to his previous confinement in a mental institution.  For the offenses, if found guilty, Vaughan could be subjected to 10 years in prison with a fine of $250,000 for the offense of purchasing firearms after being found mentally unstable; and be penalized for five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for allegedly providing false statements to the firearms dealer (Madison Man Indicted for Possessing Guns Despite Prior Mental Commitment, 2013). The person being discussed in the article was James Wann Vaughan, who was reported to be 69 years of age, born in 1943 and lives in Madison (Madison Man Indicted for Possessing Guns Despite Prior Mental Commitment, 2013, par. 5). Likewise, when he filled in the ATF form, as required of people purchasing firearms, it was disclosed that he provided false statements after alleging that he was born in 1942 and that he lives in Scottsboro. The confounding predicament was that he was found to have been previously confined in a mental institution, therefore making him unfit to possess and purchase firearms, since he is a grave hazard to the society. 3. What impact will the information/event in the article affect the healthcare organization, healthcare profession or community improve its operation, services, the standard of care, compliance, or code of ethics and/or sense of awareness? 4. Does the article show or suggest a need for new standards that will help/enhance the medical environment or healthcare professional? Is there any current legislation already in practice or in a debate surrounding this issue? If so what is it?   

Mean Girls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mean Girls - Essay Example Cady’s behavior upon arrival in the US is enough evidence of how the black-originated individuals are forced to impose their presence in the purportedly civilized white man’s land, and this is the major cause of corruption on mannerism and morals (Brooks, 2012). The undermine of African culture and way of life makes Cady ditch her personality for what she believes is approved by the new civilized society, and she confesses self-denial in order to impress the new peers she wishes to adopt. The dissections made by the play give a perfect reflection of the modern society of young people, especially on the aspect of moral corruption and the influence of parents in shaping the respective upbringing of their children. The occurrences in the movie puts a lot of questions on the roles played by parents in the modern society, in the midst of intercultural settings and diversity. Apparently, young people have been let to embrace what they consider befitting and relevant behavioral changes in order to suit a particular group of individuals, who are in this case regarded modernized or civilized (Brooks, 2012). Despite the apparent fading off of mannerism and morality, there is hope for a future glimpse of the same from the indications given in the movie. The role played by Aaron gives hope of value for mannerism and good morals for both the modern and future generations. The movie exposes numerous failures of the societal institutions in performing towards what the general society has always thought they would. For a long time, schools have been regarded as important institutions where young boys and girls are manufactured into responsible men and women (Vena and Kash, 2009). However, this fails to be reflected in the modern settings, as portrayed in the movie. Even at the center-stage of moral deterioration and sexual promiscuity, little can be done by school administrations to help salvage

Sustainable Tourism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sustainable Tourism - Research Paper Example This forms of tourism, in which foreign people visits other places for leisure and exploration. 2. Supporting the protection of natural areas by generating economic benefits for host communities, providing alternative employment and income opportunities for local communities and increasing awareness towards the conservation of natural and cultural assets. Ecotourism and sustainable tourism are both inclined in traveling and exploration of beautiful places all over the world. But ecotourism focuses on the conservation and sustainability of our environment, where it should be nurtured, preserved and cared for a sustainable biosphere. The consideration to the environment is much given emphasis in ecotourism. On the other hand, sustainable tourism focused on line with the continuous process and application of more travels and tourisms. It ideally uses the resources for national growth. What it considers is the development t of the society and economic status of the State. Assessment 3 Hunter (1995) define sustainable tourism as the basis of the definition of sustainability in the Brundtland Report as follows: Sustainable Tourism Development (STD) should consider these concerns: 1. meet the needs and wants of the local host community in terms of improved living standards and quality of life. Here he possesses that the state and the people should have progress in living. 2. Satisfy the demands of tourists and the tourism industry, and continue to attract them in order to meet the first aim; and, - The state should make sure that their tourist spots should satisfy the visitors, and continuously attract more and more and encourage them to come back. 3. Safeguard the environmental resource base for tourism, encompassing natural, built and cultural components; in order to achieve both the preceding aims. - there should be planning's to attain and assurance o have this place favorable universally. Assessment 4 Swarbrooke criticize the sustainable tour

New advancements in police technnologies Research Paper

New advancements in police technnologies - Research Paper Example Administrators must be well skilled in getting technology over a diversity of financial sources. There are several new advancements of police technologies that are currently used. These new technologies as force manifold that progress competence, usefulness as well as officer safety in a various ways. This paper outlines some of these advancements. The first one is the Crime Acts. Currently, there is an influx of a total of flashlights with every an altered specific wavelength intended to perceive hair, fibers, as well as body liquids at crime acts. These lights permit a crime act to be handled quicker and extra methodically than previously. Places formerly inaccessible for influential fluorescence inspection are now available. The compactness of the current crime act inspection light sources brands the furthest of countryside locations. -the second technological advancement is the Car Camera Systems, which has an advanced an appreciated tool to check and ensure a high degree of offi cer expertise (Rostker, 2008). The aptitude to record video film of events involving the public from a patrol car perspective has proven invaluable in such matters as traffic stops, criminal investigations and arrests, internal affairs, and training. These systems are constantly improving and becoming more cost effective. From the time the first in-car cameras were installed to document roadside impaired driving sobriety tests, the cameras have captured both intended and unintended video footage that has established their value (Rostker, 2008). Various video recordings have resulted in convictions; many provide an expedited means to resolve citizen complaints, exonerate officers from accusations, and serve as police training videos. Occasionally, a video ends up on the evening news, as a humorous excerpt on other television programs. Similarly, there is the Photo Implementation Systems, which are automatically generated in red light color defilements and as a result importantly reco ver security for the proceeding public. Presently there are a number of trustworthy merchants of photo implementation systems accessible to societies. In addition, Searching for Individuals are current imaging strategies usually organized for the exploration and liberation assignments where arenas, as well as other topography can be perused very quickly. Specific rate is the exploration of compact brush or even wooded parts where conservative explorations can be problematic. Correspondingly, imagers can be casted off to exploration to dark constructions and new parts for defendants who are walloping and endeavoring to escape anxiety. This device cans as well elite up a heat autograph on the pulverized where a suspect was formerly walloping. Another technological advancement is the Evidence and Deterrence whereby crime acts inquiries are as well assisted by the systems in skimming for physical indication (Raschke, 2009). Also imagers can perceive bothered surfaces for crypts or even other parts that must been excavated up in an effort to hide the bodies, indications, as well as objects. This device can as well scam thoroughfares for exhaust tracks and other scripts which are not noticeable to the bare eye. Preemptive imager investigation allows officers to scam communal parks, communal streets, backstreets and bays lots, communal constructions, conveyance passageways, as well as other

Investment Strategy and Portfolio Management Essay

Investment Strategy and Portfolio Management - Essay Example The competition is very tough and the company finds it difficult to compete with others. (Blake 2000).The investment form the customers are the basis for running such institutions. Only if the contributors are more and they get attracted with the institution, they will deposit more funds. To attract the contributors and increase the inflow, the company must follow new policies and strategies. The fund withdrawals must always be less than the fund inflows. If the withdrawals exceed the inflow, then the company will undergo a tough time. It will be difficult for the company to increase the inflow once the level of withdrawals becomes more. To maintain the stability between the inflow and withdrawals they have to adapt to the new management policies and should alter their investment plans accordingly. (Bodie et al 2009). The company must decide the plans and policies on the day of investment committee meeting. The committee must discuss on the future strategic asset allocation and tactical asset allocation ranges. The current scenario in the investment environment is completely different than the one that prevailed earlier. Since there are various other investment institutions that offer other benefits and offers, the company must makes sure that they maintain their investors and the level of their assets. The investment institutions follow various forms of fund operations and investment options. The company provides fund for educational purpose and they cannot change the basic formalities and procedures. The characteristics of a investment institution is to make the public deposit funds and to provide them a time period after which they can withdraw either a part or the specified amount form their contribution.(Buckle, Thompson 2004). These financial institutions concentrate more on providing the investors with a good investment option that will fetch the company a long term investment. The present situation in the financial market is not much

Is the fiscal stimulus worked during the Japanese Stagnation in early Research Paper

Is the fiscal stimulus worked during the Japanese Stagnation in early 1990 crisis - Research Paper Example Indeed, the government introduced several fiscal stimuli, they were, however, not effective enough to bring back the growth that the Japanese economy had earlier witnessed. Opinions on the effectiveness of the fiscal stimulus abound in literature written by economists with some arguing that the fiscal stimulus was not successful and actually degraded the economic growth due to the crowding out effect; while others arguing that the fiscal stimulus prevented worsening of the economy and should therefore be considered â€Å"successful†. In my opinion, however, the fiscal stimulus did not work and the reason for this, in part, is due to the fact that most fiscal stimulus when actually implemented/applied by the Japanese government was seldom close to what the government actually promised to implement/apply. Therefore, the fiscal stimulus failed to work because whatever stimulus was actually applied was never enough. Following the September 1985 Plaza Accord, the Japanese Yen start ed to appreciate which led to Japan’s export sector getting badly hit. To counter this appreciation of the Yen, the Bank of Japan drastically eased its monetary policy reducing the interest rate from 5% in January 1986 to 2.5% in February 1987. Soon, the real estate and financial markets began to expand rapidly as a result of this monetary easing, creating a huge financial asset bubble. In response to this, the government increased its interest rate to 6% in 1989-90. The sudden tightening of the money supply led the markets to collapse and thus began the onset of a long period of stagnant economic growth in Japan. The real GDP increased from 428,826 billion Yen in 1990 was to a mere 469,480 billion Yen by the end of 2000 (Powell). Statistical evidence of poor performance of fiscal stimulus The discussion about fiscal stimulus and the Japanese 1990s crisis finds root in the Keynesian economic principles. Keynesian economists preach that during a cyclical trough, discretionary fiscal policies can help the economy emerge from the trough. That is, when the economy goes down due to cyclical factors, the government by introducing fiscal expansionary policy (applying fiscal stimulus) can help the economy maintain emerge from the downturn faster. The Japanese economy in the 1980s saw rapid expansion and large building up of asset bubbles. Accordingly and cyclically, when the bubbles burst, the economy started to cool down. However, this time the trough was not due to a business cyclical downturn; the economy had lost steam due to asset bubble burst. Keynesians argue that by applying large fiscal stimulus under such situations, the government can reinvigorate growth. The Japanese government did apply several fiscal stimulus programs but was unsuccessful in spurring growth or controlling other macroeconomic indicators either. Figure 1 below puts into perspective the state of the Japanese economy during the crisis. It shows the real GDP growth rates for Japan and for the US from 1985 to 2002. Figure 1: Comparison of Real GDP growth in Japan and US from 1985 to 2002 From Figure 1, we see that Japan enjoyed high economic growth from 1985 to 1991 where after the economy was more or less stagnant until 2002 except in 1996 (2.6%) and in 2000 (2.9%) where the economic growth was >2% but still well below that of

Criminal Organization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criminal Organization - Research Paper Example MS-13 was formed in 1980s on the streets of Los Angeles’ Rampart and Pico-Union barrios by immigrants running away from civil war in El Salvador. Initially, MS-13 referred to itself as the Mara Salvatrucha Stoners2. It stressed partying and friendship, and the members defended each other from Hispanic bunch of criminals that intimidated them. MS-13 has evolved into a latent, atrocious, transnational criminal organization right from its foundation as a turf-oriented street gang. MS-13 had its origin in the barrios of 1980s Los Angeles (LA). It was started with an objective of providing its members with a means of negotiating economic adversity, victimization and social isolation by other gangs just like any other LA gangs. Gangs advance an alternative, yet powerful individuality for individual associates in doing so, and usual provide entry into wider criminal activities3. MS-13, translated slackly as street-smart Salvadoran group, appeared as a means for Salvadoran immigrants to unite together against exploitation by the then dominant 18th Street gang. The Mara Salvatrucha Stoners evolved into Mara Salvatrucha 13 when it became a section of the constellation of Sureà ±os- gangs in the red fealty to the Mexican mafia prison gang referred to as La Eme. The 13 refers to the letter M (Eme) the 13th letter of the alphabet, not 13th street as is usually incorrectly stipulated. Since it was formed, the gang known as ms-13 has been evolving from a territorial gang to a more sophisticated gang that is working in the disguise of development activities, like influencing on good grounds and creating opportunities. Instead, the gang that was formed with positive intension has turned out to be a gang of thugs. They have been divided in order of ranks. Members of this gang assume that the gang is brought together by peaceful links and co-existence amongst themselves4. Hence, it is assumed that members from Los Angeles and San

Cricket Essay Example for Free

Cricket Essay History of Cricket Early cricket was at some time or another described as a club striking a ball†. The ancient games of club-ball, stool-ball, trap-ball, stob-ball. Cricket can definitely be traced back to Tudor times in early 16th-century England. Written evidence exists of a game known as â€Å"creag† being played by Prince Edward, the son of Edward I (Longshanks), at Newenden, Kent in 1301 and there has been speculation, but no evidence, that this was a form of cricket. Many other words have been suggested as names for the term cricket. In the earliest real reference to the sport in 1598, it is called â€Å"creckett†. Given the strong old trade connections between south-east England and the County of Flanders when the latter belonged to the Duchy of Burgundy, the name may have begun from the Middle Dutch kricke, meaning a stick ; or the Old English cricc or cryce meaning a crutch or staff. In Old French, the word criquet seems to have meant a kind of club or stick. In Samuel Johnsons Dictionary, he derived cricket from cryce, Saxon, a stick. Another possible source is the Middle Dutch word krickstoel, meaning a long low stool used for kneeling in church and which resembled the long low wicket with two stumps used in early cricket. According to Heiner Gillmeister, a European language expert of Bonn University, cricket derives from the Middle Dutch phrase for hockey, met de krik ket sen with the stick chase. Dr. Gillmeister believes that not only the name but the sport is of origin. During the 17th century, numerous references indicate the growth of cricket in the south-east of England. By the end of the century, it had become an organized activity being played for high stakes and it is believed that the first professionals appeared in the years following the Restoration in 1660. A newspaper report survives of a great cricket match with eleven players a side that was played for high stakes in Sussex in 1697 and this is the earliest known reference to a cricket match of such importance. The game went through major development in the 18th century and became the national sport of England. Betting played a major part in that development with rich  patrons forming their own select XIs. Cricket was popular in London as early as 1707 and large crowds flocked to matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury. The single wicket form of the sport attracted huge crowds and wagers to match. Bowling became popular around 1760 when bowlers began to pitch the ball instead of rolling or skimming it towards the batsman. This caused a revolution in bat design because, to deal with the bouncing ball, it was necessary to introduce the modern straight bat in place of the old hockey stick shape. The Hambledon Club was founded in the 1760s and, for the next 20 years until the formation of MCC and the opening of Lords Old Ground in 1787, Hambledon was both the games greatest club and its focal point. MCC quickly became the sports premier club and the custodian of the Laws of Cricket. New Laws introduced in the latter part of the 18th century included the three stump wicket and leg before wicket. The 19th century saw underarm bowling replaced by first roundarm and then overarm bowling. Both developments were controversial. Organization of the game at county level led to the creation of the county clubs, starting with Sussex CCC in 1839, which ultimately formed the official County Championship in 1890. Meanwhile, the British Empire had been instrumental in spreading the game overseas and by the middle of the 19th century it had become well established in India, North America, the Caribbean, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In 1844, the first international cricket match took place between the United States and Canada, although neither has ever been ranked as a Test-playing nation. Cricket entered a new era in 1963 when English counties introduced the limited overs variant. As it was sure to produce a result, limited overs cricket was lucrative and the number of matches increased. The first Limited Overs International was played in 1971. The governing International Cricket Council (ICC) saw its potential and staged the first limited overs Cricket World Cup in 1975. In the 21st century, a new limited overs form, Twenty20, has made an immediate impact. Equipment and Changes over Time Ball- A red or white ball with a cork base, wrapped in twine covered with leather. The ball should have a circumference of 23 cm (9.1 inches) unless it is a childrens size. Bat- A wooden bat is used. The wood used is from the Kashmir or English willow tree. The bat cannot be more than 38 inches (96.5 cm) long and 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) wide. Aluminium bats are not allowed. The bat has a long handle and one side has a smooth face. Stumps- 3 wooden poles known as the stumps. Bails- Two crosspieces are known as the bails. Sight screen- A screen placed at the boundary known as the sight screen. This is aligned exactly parallel to the width of the pitch and behind both pairs of wickets. Boundary- A rope demarcating the perimeter of the field known as the boundary. History of the Cricket Bat- (The only known piece of equipment that has changed, has only been the bat.) 1624 This is the first time that we have any mention of a cricket bat. An inquest was carried out after a fielder was killed. The batsman had tried to prevent him from catching the ball, and had presumably whacked him on the head in the process! Originally bowlers used to bowl the ball underarm. The cricket bat was therefore shaped very much like a hockey stick. 1770s The laws were changed to allow length bowling, which was still performed underarm. The cricket bat became roughly parallel with a maximum width of 4.25. This is still the same today. They were extremely heavy, with the swell at the bottom. 1820s Round arm bowling was allowed, instigating more bounce so the cricket bat became lighter with a higher swell. 1830s Until this period all cricket bats were one piece willow. However, because of increased breakages and shock as the ball travelled faster, cricket bat makers started to splice handles into bats. Handles were either solid willow or ash. 1835 The length of a cricket bat  was restricted to 38, which is still the same today. 1840 The first recorded use of a spring being inserted into the handles of the cricket bat. These were initially whalebone (as used in ladies corsets) and some years later India rubber. 1853 Thomas Nixon, a Notts cricketer, introduced the use of cane in handle making in cricket bats. 1864 The laws were altered to allow over- arm bowling so there was a further lightening and more refined shaping of the blade. Handles became intricate constructions and were nearly all made of cane with Indian rubber grips. 1870s The shape of todays cricket bat evolves.

Assisted suicide Essay Example for Free

Assisted suicide Essay Assisted Suicide In the 1990s, ‘Doctor Death’ Jack Kevorkian invented the first assisted suicide machine  in the world. He was then thrown into prison for 7 years (Pickert). This caught people’s attention  and made them question whether it should be legal to request physician assisted suicide, which is  when someone asks a physician to help him or her terminate his or her life. This topic became  one of the most popular discussions in recent years, but the truth is that it has actually been a  centuries- old debate. For both logical and humanitarian reasons, assisted suicide is not right and  should not be legalize. Is it right for a nation founded on Christianity to allow citizens to choose assisted  suicide? Can a decision that is made by a mentally ill person be treated as a rational decision? Is  the prevention of pain an acceptable circumstance in which to end a life? People still do not have  a widely accepted answer. It is not clear whether physician assisted suicide  is right or wrong. Assisted suicide should not be viewed solely as affecting one life, but should be viewed as a  decision that affects many.  The declaration of independence states that everyone has the right to pursue happiness  In whatever way they choose. Many argue that a decision to kill oneself is a private choice, that  society should not be, and has no right to be concerned. America believes that with its freedom,  people can do almost everything based on their own choices. Physician assisted suicide is also  one of the choices that they can decide. The common argument is that these people are adults  who can make rational and reasonable choices, however many people who request physician  assisted suicide are mentally ill. Of those who attempt suicide but were unsuccessful, less than 4  percent go on to kill themselves in the future, which means that most people changed their mind  after a period of recovery. Psychological evidence shows that those who ask for physician   assisted suicide in order to avoid pain are normally ambivalent, and they  usually attempt to end  their life for other reasons than a settled desire to die. Since assisted suicide has already become  a popular way to end suffering and pain, people who were in the status might feel it is necessary  for them to kill themselves since they have in their mind become a burden to their family and  society. Some would say it is wrong for such an impression to have the power to persuade a  personto end their life due to their weakness and disability. As a Christian nation, America wants a positive and happy image for the country.  American people value the meaning of life, and According to what most of the Christians  believe, God is the one who created life. Then how can people have the right to end something  that they did not even create in the first place? American society does not think assisted suicide  is good as a whole, because assisted suicide is still a self-caused death, which is equal to suicide.  Although there is always a vague line drawn between assisted suicide and attempted  murder. Assisted suicide is the opposite of happiness because it demonstrates  utter depression. It  is clear that American society sees assisted suicide as wrong, because there is a suicide watch  team among the police and counselors at schools who are trained to help and avert suicide. Asking for assisted suicide as a form of pain relief and signing a release form is not acceptable  either. People cannot solve problems by trying to get rid of them. People who stand against  physician-assisted suicide believe that suffering is just a stage of life. And lots of people who  were prevented from assisted suicide will tell you that they all passed that stage successfully,  and they are appreciative that they were stopped from asking for physician-assisted suicide. Assisted suicide also hurts the people who care about those who were asking for a  physician assisted suicide. Patients might get relived from their long suffering and pain but their  family will be hurt from one’s immature decision. The person only thought of their own  feelings and never considered others who are around them and how they feel. Families and loved  ones will be upset about their decision to take their lives in a selfish act. Other evidence that  shows assisted suicide is wrong is the fact that there are always suicide prevention billboards in  communities. This should show the government that people do not want those around them to  commit suicide. People who fight for the right to have physician-assisted suicide argue that assisted  suicide can bring benefits to both patients and society. They believe that people who  choose assisted suicide will die with dignity rather than suffer the pain of illness( OSteen,  Burke). That they will not let their family and friends suffer anymore by showing their weakness  and sickness. By choosing assisted suicide, patients can also reduce a huge amount of medical  expenses that insurance does not cover. To benefit society, their organs can be donated to save  people’s lives (Humphrey). Doctors and nurses can spend more time on recovering patients  rather than waste time on patients who are assured death, and of course, they still think it is a part  of one’s freedom to be able to choose for himself whether to live or die. Whether it is one’s  rational decision to chose to end their life has always been the center of this debate. Because  without argu ing about one’s free right, those who favor assisted suicide will lose an important  statement. Although there is a ton of evidence showing that physician assisted suicide is not right,  it is a fact that so many people are still in favor to legalize assisted suicide. They believe that  rather than give people hope to live, telling them the truth and offering them an option is more  reasonable. They argued that in some ways, it is humane to give dying people assisted suicide;  society is okay with people helping a sick or dying animal yet people are not okay with letting a  sick and dying patient go. It was said that humans are too selfish to let their loved ones go, even  if death would be a comfort. People who think it is illegal for a physician to offer assisted suicide  are accused of wanting to control other people’s lives. People think that one has his/her own will  about their life that no one is suppose to tell them what they should do and should not do. Especially when their faith to live is completely gone. It was understood as a merciful behavior  for a physician to offer help to end one’s life. A new statement was also brought up to argue in  the favor of legalize assisted suicide. It is that if one can reject medical treatment to prolong life  then why cant one request treatment to end it? Many people found this statement be reasonable  and useful to support the legalization of physician-assisted suicide.  After centuries’ debating, there is still no certain answer for those questions that are  brought up by the topic of assisted suicide. Two sides are still debating about the benefits and  negative effects of assisted suicide. Still to this day no one is able to convince the either group to  change their views on this topic. In 2006, the US Supreme Court ruled that legalizing assisted  suicide is to be the responsibility of each state respectively. No one can yet predict how long this  topic wi ll still be an argumentative topic for debate, And no one can predict how this issue will  effect human life in the future. But overall, do people really possess the right to kill a life that  was not created by them? It is still a big question that no one has yet given an answer that can  satisfy everyone. Maybe one-day people will find out the right answer and that assisted suicide  will be a new thing that brings benefits to the world. Physician suicide should be banned due to  its negative cause and impaction to society. People who think assisted suicide should be  illegalized because of the value of life to a society is still the majority; ending a life is  not so simple that people should decide to do so on their own. Work cited Pickert, Kate. A brief history of assisted suicide. a brief history of assisted suicide. N.p., 3 Mar. 2009. Web. 13 Sept. 2013. . Humphry, Derek. Liberty and Death: A manifesto concerning an individuals right to choose to die. Assisted Suicide Information on right-to-die and euthanasia laws and history. N.p., 24 Mar. 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2013. Declaration of Independence Text Transcript. National Archives and Records Administration. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2013. OSteen, David N. , and Burke J. Balch. Why We Should Not Legalize Assisted Suicide | New York State Right to Life. Welcome | New York State Right to Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2013. Information on right-to-die and euthanasia laws and history. N.p., 24 Mar. 2009. Web. 18 Sept.2013. .

How have Laptops Shaped our World?

How have Laptops Shaped our World? Bilal Irfan The invention of the laptop is one of the most remarkable innovations that has occurred in our modern world. A laptop is a little, convenient personal computer, that is portable and suitable for use during different occurrences including traveling. After the development of a personal computer on January 1st, 1971, engineers and scientists wished to on such a technology, and by the start of 1981, the first laptop known as Osborne 1 was released. Laptops have impacted society and shaped our world in numerous methods that we have only just started to discover. It is difficult to think back and say who invented the laptop. The idea of a computer can be dated back to when individuals utilized math device to do redundant count in 300 B.C. After more than 2000 years of enhancements, a mechanical computer was developed in the twentieth century, which played out a couple capacities and was immense in size. In 1968, the first laptop known as the Dynabook was developed by Alan Key. It didnt get much consideration since it couldnt perform many errands and was not very helpful. However, it made the stage for an imaginative development that would change the world. A decade later, in 1979, William Moggridge made the clamshell notebook computer, the Grid Compass 1100. Though these initial  developments and designs faded out, only a few years later in 1983, the first device or machine to be marketed as a laptop was sold, Gavilan SC. Shortly after, rivaling companies emerged that improved and perfected the technology, leading to our present day laptops . Laptops have extraordinarily affected the world. Two decades prior, who could have imagined that we would convey our very own personal computers with us wherever we go? They are a standout among the most helpful and affecting creations of the 21st century. Some time recently, one had to be in an office or at home with a desktop to complete work or peruse the web. Now, one can be outside, in a coffee shop, or wherever and still have the capacity to work. Additionally, students can learn and take notes all the more successfully in class now because of the laptop. Even in day to day things, laptops come as a convenience and save a load of time such can be seen in transportation. Airways, Roadways and waterways use laptops to control their operation. It saves time and relieves the severity of traveling difficulties. Other utility facilities like Electricity, Water, Agriculture, etc. are more sophisticated and improved by laptop influence. Laptops also serve a vital role in the medical fi eld, as patient data and medical information is stored inside of a laptop. Despite the fact that the laptop is an extremely imaginative and valuable innovation, it has its faults. Laptops are difficult to upgrade. In this way, when one purchases a laptop he or she is stuck with it for 3-4 years after which the laptop begins having issues. By then the laptop ought to be replaced. Since the moment laptops were invented, a world of new ideas, inventions, and ease was opened up. Yet, along with the many benefits of a laptop, there are evident and harmful drawbacks. Laptops and their relative ease to carry around and use whenever free has resulted in addiction for some users. According to the University of Stanford, 160 million American use laptops on a general day to day basis, with 5.9% of them believing that relationships suffered due to excessive internet use. Laptop addiction has resulted in various health issues including but not limited to shoulder cramps, vision fatigues, pain in the neck. Government agencies have started programs and invested money into researching about laptop addiction, and finding solutions to the problem without reducing the positive impact of laptops on society. In China, the government started a 3 week summer camp program where children are exposed to nature and wilderness, away from any laptops. This has resulted in a positive imp act on the childrens lives, enabling them to understand the dangers of laptop addiction and how to stay away from it. Laptops are one of the most revolutionary and useful items we use in the 21st Century. They have made our lives more convenient and easier. One can work, surf the internet, and carry out various other tasks almost any place you go. There are many advantages to having a laptop, however, everything has its disadvantages as well.   The advantages include its portability and convenience. Its disadvantages are that some of its features are not as strong as a desktops such as processor speed and memory. There has been great progress made in the computer industry which has led to the laptops of today and it continuing to be made. Laptops have a very bright future with many useful and innovative designs and versions to come. Laptops continue to impact our lives and society till today, and further advancements will only improve upon that impact.   Ã‚   Works Cited Admin. Computers How They Have Changed Our Lives. Technology News Reviews Information about Mobile Computers Software Electronics. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017. Computers and Their Impact. Computers and Their Impact. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017. Lopol.org. Computers and Our Life: How Have Computers Changed Our Life? | Lopol.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017. Maliki-liki. Laptops and How They Have Changed the World. Laptops and How They Have Changed the World. N.p., 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

Cosmic Irony in Stephen Cranes The Open Boat :: Open Boat Essays

Cosmic Irony in Stephen Crane's The Open Boat Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat," is thought to be one of the finest stories ever written by an American. Crane uses a theme of cosmic irony. Cosmic irony is the belief that the universe is so large and man is so small that the universe is indifferent to the plight of man. In "The Open Boat," Crane's theme, cosmic irony, is illustrated through the use of symbols for isolation, insignificance, and indifference. Three specific examples of cosmic irony symbolism used by Crane are, the power of the ocean against the insignificance of the boat, the sea against the universe, and the little boat in a vast sea from the people on the shore. The indifference aspect of cosmic irony is where things serve no purpose, and there is truly no care for anyone or anything. In "The Open Boat," the power of the ocean against the insignificance of the boat, is a prime example of indifference used by Crane. The universe is represented by the power of the ocean, and the small boat in this ocean is symbolic of man in this giant universe. The immaculate power of the ocean is very indifferent to the small boat, just as our great universe could not care less for man. Insignificance is described as being a lack of importance. Those little things that are insignificant mean nothing to the universe. In "The Open Boat," the sea against the universe is symbolic of insignificance in cosmic irony. The sea represents something which seems very large to mankind, but is actually very insignificant in comprison to the universe. The universe would still go on without that sea, just like the universe would still go on without mankind. The third form of symbolism in cosmic irony is isolation. Isolation is being held in captivity or lack of contact with the world or universe. The little boat in a vast sea versus the people on the shore is symbolic of isolation. The small boal seems so large and important to the people on it, while the people on the shore just see this small boat as one of many objects in

Is Meursault Heroic in Albert Camus The Stranger? Essays -- Albert Ca

Is Meursault Heroic in The Outsider?       When Meursault is described to us in the early stages of "The Outsider" we see that he does not obey society's codes therefore is it fair for us to assess him using societies interpretation of "heroic"?    If we are to judge him by them then we are given ample examples throughout the novel of his having no compassion or even of his thinking of the consequences of his actions, hardly heroic, but the converse is also demonstrated in many places.   An example of the former is when Raymond asks Meursault to "draft" a letter to an Arab prostitute.   Meursault knows what will result from his actions but seems unemotional and views the letter as being a favour for a friend and not a vicious conspiracy.   This lack of emotion is reinforced when the prostitute is beaten up by Raymond and Meursault remains impartial whilst his girlfriend, Marie, thought it was " terrible" and is sickened by the beating.   Another display of his apathetic views is in the opening lines "Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know"   This indicates that either he does not care or he had no comprehension of what had happened.   An additional illustration of his detached attitude is after his mothers funeral when he goes to see a humorous "Fernandel" film with Marie, his girlfriend, and then he takes her home and sleeps with her just hours after his Mothers funeral.   This indicates that aswell as having a detached viewpoint that he has no perception of morality.   A section of the novel that reinforces this occurs that after the murder when he is in jail; he never mentions the Arab at all; it is as if he does not... ... monther's funeral is liable to be condemned to death", Meursault is condemned as he does not conform and people cannot understand him.   In my opinion Meursault is admirable as despite his imminent conviction he maintains his unconventional viewpoint and standards throughout the novel.   He is a "man who, without any heroic pretensions, agrees to die for the truth".   In my opinion this is the essence of Meursaults character, if he believes in it not even death will alter his views.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Akeroyd, Richard H. The Spiritual Quest of Albert Camus. Alabama: Portals Press, 1976. Camus, Albert. The Stranger. New York: Random House, Inc., 1988. King, Adele. Camus. Oliver and Boyd Ltd. 1964. 120. McCarthy, Patrick. The Stranger. University of Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.   

Investigating Resistances of Wires :: Papers

Investigating Resistance's of Wires Aim: To investigate different resistances of wires to see which has the most resistance and which shows the least resistance. I will be looking at resistances affected by the length of wire. Variables I could change: I had the choice of several variables to change such as length, cross sectional area, material and temperature the experiment is conducted at. Prediction: I believe that by increasing the wire's length it would increase the resistance. Therefor by decreasing the length it would also decrease the resistance. I also believe that the rate of the increasing resistance will be directly proportional to the length so if the length were doubled the resistance would also double. I think the graph will look like this: Reason: The property that transforms electrical energy into heat energy, in opposing electrical current, is resistance. A property of the atoms of all conductors is that they have free electrons in the outer shell of their structure. As a result of the structure of all conductive atoms, the outer electrons are able to move about freely even in a solid. When there is a potential difference across a conductive material all of the free electrons arrange themselves in lines moving in the same direction. This forms an electrical current. Resistance is encountered when the charged particles that make up the current collide with other fixed particles in the material. As the resistance of a material increases so to must the force required to drive the same amount of current. (Information found on a GCSE Physics website) Ohm's law: In1826 Georg Ohm discovered that the current flowing through the wire is proportional to the potential difference across it (providing the temperature stays the same.) 'Proportional' means if you double the potential difference the current is doubled (this information was found in GCSE Physics for you text book) Current through the wire [IMAGE] Amps Volts

Comparasion and contrast paper on conventional and organic food products Essay

While conventional food products are still dominating American market, the phrase â€Å"healthy eating† is gradually gaining popularity. To supplement this new trendy belief, a wave of organic products is sweeping across this nation’s grocery stores. But do people really realize the differences between conventional and organic products as they mound their shopping carts? Do they know that the main differences between the two categories of foods actually lie in their processing procedures, advertising strategies, and product ingredients? When people look at an organic product, the first thing they are most likely to notice is its cost. Which, under normal circumstances, is remarkably higher than average products. Since people have the misconception that the word â€Å"organic† on food labels means â€Å"all natural,† they accepted this phenomenon as a necessary price to pay for a healthy life, but it merely indicates that the product is minimally processed and is preservative free. The true reason behind the intimidating price of organic product is because organic production prohibits the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides as well as genetic manipulation of plants. These standards require greater labor input from organic farmers to provide a purer product, and at the same time help to protect our environment. People expect a â€Å"fair price† for conventional foods, because they are well informed of its manufacturing process. Modern machinery allows factories to undergo mass-production, thus little manual labor is required. This not only leads to increments in the yield, but also lowers the overall cost of production. Though the reasonable price of conventional products is beneficial to one’s budget, chemical preservatives are used during the manufacturing process. Conventional cropping practices may also include a combination fungicide/insecticide treatment to protect the seed from soil diseases and insects, which poses potential harm to our health and environment. Since the prices of organic products are far from alluring, and at the same time tend to have less variety, organic producers advertise their products by their nutritional appeals. Ostentatious statements such as â€Å"good for life†, or â€Å"nature’s best† are printed unsparingly on the packages; accompanied by idealized pictures of nature. TV commercials for organic products are rarely seen; if people happen to see one, they will find themselves viewing a beautiful field of crops or a lively farm with cows mooing and chickens cackling. A middle-aged man in agrarian overalls will then come along to accentuate the freshness of their products with earnest. The popular demand for conventional food generates large profit for conventional food producers, which enables them to innovate more varieties of products and to advertise their products more efficiently on TV commercials. The majority of these commercials take place away from rural settings; they are either in a nice house, a fancy restaurant, or some imaginary land. While the well-dressed actors and actresses are feasting on the food products, a confident male voice will pop up in the background to announce that their products are better than those of others. Other than well-animated TV commercials, imagery also plays a key role in packaging. The producers wrap their products up in boxes that are covered by bright colors and decorated with popular food icons to attract consumers’ attention. Messages such as â€Å"50% more volume† or â€Å"free CD inside† can also be found on packages for promotion purposes. Nutritionists are placing an unprecedented amount of emphasize on organic products, which makes people feel compelled to read the list of ingredients before buying it. That’s when the buyers will be pleasantly surprised to discover that they can actually understand the list. For instance, the ingredients of organic milk are simply: certified organic grade A milk, and Vitamin D3. This unique feature not only helps consumers to identify an organic product, but also provides a sense of security when people consume the product. When people pick up a conventional product, they glance at it to check for defects, and then toss it into the cart. It is unlikely that anyone is going to read the ingredient list closely. Not only because people are so used to the products they use, that they tend to neglect the details, but also because the ingredient list of a conventional product is nearly meaningless to the consumers. Reading the ingredient list of a processed food is like reading data from a chemistry book; it is incomprehensible and boring. For example, a simple bottle of conventional milk can consist up to four kinds of added chemicals. Therefore, the long list of scientific components does nothing more than bewilders the customers. Even though organic foods differ from conventional foods in many aspects, study shows that there are no substantial differences between their taste and safety. Buying an organic product is more of an act of protecting the environment than promoting one’s own health. If consumers’ budget allows, they should buy more organic products, because it is a simple way of giving back to the Mother Nature, and help to preserve biological stability on earth.

Coca Cola and Pepsi Profitability Analysis Essay

Gross profit margin(2013) = 100 Ãâ€" 28,433/46,854 = 60.68% Gross profit margin(2012) = 100 x 28,964/ 48,017=60.32% Gross profit margin(2011) = 100 x 28,326 = 60.86% Source: PepsiCo Inc. Annual Reports Gross profit margin (2013) = 100 x 35,172/66,415 = 52.96% Gross profit margin (2012) = 100 x 34,201/65,492 = 52.22% Gross profit margin (2011) = 100 x 34,911/66,504 = 52.49% Gross profit margin is a resource for paying extra expenses and future cutbacks. Coca-Cola Co. gross profit margin declined from 2011 to 2012 but then inclined from 2012 to 2013. However, it did not reach the level of 2011. PepsiCo Inc.’s gross profit margin, on the other hand, decreased from 2011 to 2012 however it improved from 2012 to 2013 go over 2011’s level. Comparing the two companies, Coca-Cola Co. has a higher gross profit margin which shows superior fraction of revenue existing to coat operating and other costs. Net Profit Margin (USD $ in Millions) Coca-Cola Co. 2013 2012 2011 Net Income Before Minority Share of Earnings, Equity Income, and Nonrecurring items 8,584 9,019 8,572 Net Sales 46,854 48,017 46,542 Net Profit Margin 18.32 % 18.78 % 18.42 % Source: Coca-Cola Co. Annual Reports Net Profit Margin (2013) = 100 x 8,584/ 46,854 = 18.32% Net Profit Margin (2012) = 100 x 9,019/48,017 = 18.78% Net Profit Margin (2011) = 100 x 8,572/46,542 = 18.42% PepsiCo 2013 2012 2011 Net Income Before Minority Share of Earnings, Equity Income, and Nonrecurring Items 6,740 6,178 6,443 Net Sales 66,415 65,492 66,504 Net profit margin 10.15 % 9.43 % 9.69 % Source: PepsiCo Inc. Annual Reports Net Profit Margin(2013) = 100 x 6,740/66,415 = 10.15% Net Profit Margin(2012) = 100 x 6,178/65,492 = 9.43% Net Profit Margin(2011) = 100 x 6,443/66,504 = 9.690% Net profit margin is an indicator â€Å"of profitability, computed as net income divided by revenue. It measures how much out of every dollar of sales a company actually keeps in earningsâ€Å".(Wintner & Tardif, 2006, p349)Coca-Cola Co. net profit margin improved as of 2011 to 2012 although decreased drastically starting 2012 to 2013.PepsiCo Inc. net profit margin go down beginning of year 2011 to year 2012 but after that recovered from 2012 to 2013 going beyond the level of 2011. The figures above indicate that Coca-Cola Co. has a elevated profit margin compare to PepsiCo Inc., which indicates more cost-effective corporation which better control its costs compared to Coca-Cola Inc. Total Asset Turnover (USD $ in Millions) Source: Coca-Cola Co. Annual Reports Total assets turnover(2013) = 46854/90055 = 0.52 Total assets turnover(2012) = 48017/86174 = 0.56 Total assets turnover(2011) = 46542/79974 = 0.58 PepsiCo Inc. 2013 2012 Net revenue 66415 65492 Total assets 77478 74638 Total assets turnover 0.85 0.87 Source: PepsiCo Inc. Annual Reports Total assets turnover (2013) = 66415/77478 = 0.85 Total assets turnover (2012) = 65492/74638 = 0.87 Coca-Cola Co.’s net profit margin enhanced from 2011 to 2012 nevertheless go  down considerably as of 2012 toward 2013. PepsiCo Inc.’s net profit margin, on the other hand, worsens since 2011 to year 2012 but raised the following year exceeding the level of 2011. The figures above indicate that PepsiCo Inc. has a higher Total Assets Turnover comparing to Coca-Cola Co. which shows that PepsiCo turns its assets faster into sales. Asset Turnover is connected to Return on Assets (ROA) through Du Pont formula. DuPont Return on Assets (ROA) (USD $ in Millions) Coca-Cola Co. 2013 2012 2011 Net Profit Margin 18.32% 18.78% 18.42% Asset Turnover 0.52 0.56 0.58 Return on Assets(ROA) 9.52 10.51 10.68 Source: Coca-Cola Co. Annual Reports ROA(2013) = 18.32% x 0.52 = 9.52 ROA(2012) = 18.78% x 0.55 = 10.51 ROA(2011) = 18.42% x 0.58 = 10.68 PepsiCo Inc. 2013 2012 Net Profit Margin 10.15% 9.43% Asset Turnover 0.85 0.87 Return on Assets (ROA) 8.62 8.20 Source: PepsiCo Inc. Annual Reports ROA(2013) = 10.15% x 0.85 = 8.62 ROA(2012) = 9.43% x 0.87 = 8.20 The ROA numbers provides investors with an overview of how efficiently the business is converting the investment into net income. (Gibson, 2009) Coca-Cola Co. ROA decreased starting of 2011 to 2012 as well as as of 2012 towards 2013. PepsiCo Inc. ROA, on the other hand, declined from year 2011 to 2012’s level however later inclined since 2012 towards 2013, however it did not reach the level of 201l. Nevertheless, Coca-Cola has a higher the ROA numbers compare to PepsiCo. which shows that the business earns more capital on a smaller amount of investment. DuPont Return on Equity(ROE) (USD $ in Millions) Coca-Cola Co. 2013 2012 2011 Net Income 8,584 9,019 8,584 Total Shareholder Equity 33,173 32,790 31,635 Return on Equity (ROE) 25.87% 27.50% 27.13% Source: Coca-Cola Co. Annual Reports ROE(2013) =100 x 8,584/33,173 = 25.87% ROE(2012) = 100 x 9,019/32,790 = 27.50% ROE(2011) = 100 x 8,584/31,635 = 27.13% PepsiCo Inc. 2013 2012 2011 Net Income 6,740 6,178 6,443 Total Shareholder Equity 24,279 22,294 20,588 Return on Equity(ROE) 27.76 % 27.71 % 31.29 % Source: PepsiCo Inc. Annual Reports ROE (2013) = 100 x 6,740/24,279 = 27.76% ROE(2012) = 100x 6,178/ 22,294 = 27.71% ROE(2011) = 100 x 6,443/20,588 = 31.29% Return on Equity (ROE) determines how sound a company makes use of reinvested earnings to make more earnings. ROE is utilized as a common hint of the business effectiveness. In other words, what amount of revenue the business is capable to generate with the resources provided by its stockholders. (Gibson,2009) Coca-Cola Co.’s ROE increased as of 2011 towards 2012 except that later declined considerably from 2012 to 2013.PepsiCo Inc.’s ROE, on the other hand, decreased starting year 2011 to 2012 but then slightly rise  up from 2012 to 2013. Based on the numbers above, we can conclude that PepsiCo Inc. has a competitive advantage over Coca-Cola Co. because it has a higher ROE, which means that is growing profits without pouring new capitals into business. References Wintner, S., Tardif, M. (2006)Financial Management for Design Professionals: The Path to Profitability. MA: Kaplan AEC Education. Retrived from: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/abercrombie-fitch-no-profits-just-225850116.html?&session-id=7b3af266ae1a387aaf0cfe6dca24ba10 Gibson, C. (2009)Financial Reporting & Analysis. Using Financial Accounting Information (11the Ed) MA: South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason,OH

Spirit Bound Chapter Six

â€Å"YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED?† I was sitting between Eddie and Lissa, on our flight from Seattle to Fairbanks. As the shortest–marginally–and the mastermind, I'd gotten stuck with the middle seat. â€Å"A new plan?† asked Lissa. â€Å"A miracle?† asked Eddie. I paused and glared at them both before responding. Since when had they become the comedians here? â€Å"No. Stuff. We need cool gadgets if we're going to pull this off.† I tapped the prison blueprint that had been on my lap for almost every part of our trip so far. Mikhail had dropped us off at a small airport an hour away from the Court. We'd caught a commuter flight from there to Philadelphia, and from there to Seattle and now Fairbanks. It reminded me a little of the crazy flights I'd had to take from Siberia back to the U.S. That journey had also gone via Seattle. I was starting to believe that city was a gateway to obscure places. â€Å"I thought the only tools we needed were our wits,† mused Eddie. He might be serious about his guardian work most of the time, but he could also turn on his dry humor when relaxed. Not that he was totally at ease with our mission here, now that he knew more of (but not all) the details. I knew he'd snap back into readiness once we landed. He'd been understandably shocked when I'd revealed we were freeing Victor Dashkov. I hadn't told Eddie anything about Dimitri or spirit, only that getting Victor out played a larger role in the greater good. Eddie's trust in me was so implicit that he'd taken me at my word and pursued the issue no further. I wondered how he'd react when he learned the truth. â€Å"At the very least, we're going to need a GPS,† I said. â€Å"There's only latitude and longitude on this thing. No real directions.† â€Å"Shouldn't be hard,† said Lissa, turning a bracelet over and over in her hands. She'd opened her tray and spread out Tasha's jewelry across it. â€Å"I'm sure even Alaska has modern technology.† She'd also turned on a droll attitude, even with anxiety radiating through the bond. Eddie's good mood faded a little. â€Å"I hope you aren't thinking of guns or anything like that.† â€Å"No. Absolutely not. If this works how we want, no one will even know we're there.† A physical confrontation was likely, but I hoped to minimize serious injury. Lissa sighed and handed me the bracelet. She was worried because a lot of my plan depended on her charms–literally and figuratively. â€Å"I don't know if this'll work, but maybe it'll give you more resistance.† I took the bracelet and slipped it on my wrist. I felt nothing, but I only rarely did with charmed objects. I'd left Adrian a note saying that Lissa and I had wanted to escape for a â€Å"girls' getaway† before my assignment and her college visit. I knew he'd be hurt. The girl angle would carry a lot of weight, but he'd feel injured at not being invited along on a daring vacation–if he even believed we were on one. He probably knew me well enough by now to guess most of my actions had ulterior motives. My hope was that he'd spread the story to Court officials when our disappearance was noticed. We'd still get in trouble, but a wild weekend was better than a prison break. And honestly, how could things get worse for me? The one flaw here was that Adrian could visit my dreams and grill me on what was really going on. It was one of the more interesting–and occasionally annoying–spirit abilities. Lissa hadn't learned to walk dreams, but she had a crude underst anding of the principle. Between that and compulsion, she'd tried to charm the bracelet in a way that would block Adrian when I slept later. The plane began its descent into Fairbanks, and I gazed out the window at tall pines and stretches of green land. In Lissa's thoughts, I read how she'd been half-expecting glaciers and snowbanks, despite knowing it was full summer here. After Siberia, I'd learned to keep an open mind about regional stereotypes. My biggest concern was the sun. It had been full daylight when we'd left the Court, and as our travels took us west, the time zone change meant that the sun stayed with us. Now, though it was almost nine in the evening, we had a full, sunny blue sky, thanks to our northern latitude. It was like a giant safety blanket. I hadn't mentioned this to Lissa or Eddie, but it seemed likely Dimitri would have spies everywhere. I was untouchable at St. Vladimir's and the Court, but his letters had clearly stated he'd be waiting for me to leave those boundaries. I didn't know the extent of his logistics, but humans watching the Court in daylight wouldn't have surprised me. And even though I'd left hidden in a trunk, there was a strong possibility that Dimitri was already in pursuit. But the same light that guarded the prisoners would keep us safe too. We'd barely have a few hours of night to guard against, and if we pulled this off quickly, we'd be out of Alaska in hardly any time at all. Of course, that might not be such a good thing. We'd lose the sun. Our first complication came after we landed and tried to rent a car. Eddie and I were eighteen, but none of the car companies would rent to anyone so young. After the third refusal, my anger began to grow. Who would have thought we'd be delayed by something so idiotic? Finally, at a fourth counter, the woman hesitantly told us that there was a guy about a mile from the airport who would likely rent us a car if we had a credit card and a big enough deposit. We made the walk in pleasant weather, but I could tell the sun was starting to bother Lissa by the time we reached our destination. Bud–of Bud's Rental Cars–didn't seem quite as sleazy as expected and did indeed rent us a car when we produced enough money. From there, we got a room at a modest motel and went over our plans again. All our information indicated that the prison ran on a vampire schedule, which meant this was their active time of the day. Our plan was to stay in the hotel until the following day, when the Moroi â€Å"night† came, and catch some sleep beforehand. It gave Lissa more time to work on her charms. Our room was easily defendable. My sleep was Adrian-free, for which I was grateful, meaning he'd either accepted the girl trip or couldn't break through Lissa's bracelet. In the morning, we rustled up some doughnuts for breakfast and ate a little bleary-eyed. Running against our vampire schedule was throwing us all off a little. The sugar helped kick-start us, though, and Eddie and I left Lissa around ten to go do some scouting. We bought my coveted GPS and a few other things at a sporting goods store along the way and used it to navigate remote country roads that seemed to lead nowhere. When the GPS claimed we were a mile from the prison, we pulled off to the side of a small dirt road and set off on foot across a field of tall grass that stretched endlessly before us. â€Å"I thought Alaska was tundra,† said Eddie, crunching through the tall stalks. The sky was blue and clear again, with only a few clouds that did nothing to keep the sun away. I'd started out in a light jacket but now had it tied around my waist as I sweated. Occasionally a welcome gust of wind would roll through, flattening the grass and whipping my hair around. â€Å"I guess not all parts. Or maybe we have to go further north. Oh, hey. This looks promising.† We came to a stop before a high, barbwire fence with an enormous PRIVATE PROPERTY–NO UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ALLOWED sign on it. The lettering was red, apparently to emphasize how serious they were. Personally, I would have added a skull and crossbones to really drive the message home. Eddie and I studied the fence for a few moments, then gave each other resigned glances. â€Å"Lissa will heal up anything we get,† I said hopefully. Climbing barbed wire isn't impossible, but it's not fun. Tossing my jacket on the wires I had to grip went a long way to protect me, but I still ended up with some scratches and snagged clothing. Once I was at the top, I jumped down, preferring the jolting landing to another climb down. Eddie did the same, grimacing at the hard impact. We walked a little farther, and then the dark line of a building came into sight. We both came to a halt as one and knelt down, seeking what coverage we could in the grass. The prison file had indicated that they had cameras on the outside, which meant we risked detection if we got too close. I'd bought high-power binoculars along with the GPS and took them out now, studying the building's exterior. The binoculars were good–really good–as well they should have been for the price. The level of detail was amazing. Like so many Moroi creations, the building was a mixture of the old and the new. The walls were made of sinister gray stone blocks and almost entirely obscured the actual prison, whose roof just barely peeped above. A couple of figures paced along the top of the walls, living eyes to go with the cameras. The place looked like a fortress, impenetrable and inescapable. It deserved to be on a rocky cliff, with a sinister black sky behind it. The field and sun seemed out of place. I handed the binoculars to Eddie. He made his own assessment and then gestured to the left. â€Å"There.† Squinting, I just barely made out a truck or SUV driving up toward the prison. It went around the back and vanished from sight. â€Å"Our only way in,† I murmured, recalling the blueprint. We knew we had no shot of scaling the walls or even getting close enough on foot without being spotted. We needed to literally walk through the front door, and that's where the plan got a little sketchy. Eddie lowered the binoculars and glanced over at me, brow furrowed. â€Å"I meant what I said before, you know. I trust you. Whatever reason you're doing this, I know it's a good one. But before things start moving, are you sure this is what you want?† I gave a harsh laugh. â€Å"Want? No. But it's what we need to do.† He nodded. â€Å"Good enough.† We watched the prison a while longer, moving around to get different angles while still keeping a wide perimeter. The scenario was about what we'd expected, but having a 3-D visual was still helpful. After about a half hour, we returned to the hotel. Lissa sat cross-legged on one of the beds, still working on the charms. The feelings coming through her were warm and content. Spirit always made her feel good–even if it had side effects later–and she thought she was making progress. â€Å"Adrian called my cell phone twice,† she told me when we entered. â€Å"But you didn't answer?† â€Å"Nope. Poor guy.† I shrugged. â€Å"It's better this way.† We gave her a rundown of what we'd seen, and her happy mood began to plummet. Our visit made what we were going to do later today more and more real, and working with so much spirit had already put her on edge. A few moments later, I sensed her swallowing her fear. She became resolved. She'd told me she would do this and she intended to stand by her word, even though she dreaded each second that brought her closer to Victor Dashkov. Lunch followed, and then a few hours later, it was time to put the plan into motion. It was early evening for humans, which meant the vampiric night would be drawing to an end soon. It was now or never. Lissa nervously distributed the charms she'd made for us, worried they wouldn't work. Eddie dressed up in his newly bestowed black-and-white guardian formalwear while Lissa and I stayed in our street clothes–with a couple alterations. Lissa's hair was a mousy brown, the result of some wash-in temporary hair color. My hair was tightly bound up underneath a curly red wig that reminded me uncomfortably of my mother. We sat in the backseat of the car while Eddie drove us chauffeur style back along the remote road we'd followed earlier. Unlike before, we didn't pull over. We stayed on the road, driving right up to the prison–or, well, to its gatehouse. No one spoke as we drove, but the tension and anxiety within us all grew and grew. Before we could even get near the outer wall, there was a checkpoint manned by a guardian. Eddie brought the car to a stop, and I tried to look calm. He lowered the window, and the guardian on duty walked over and knelt so that they were at eye level. â€Å"What's your business here?† Eddie handed over a piece of paper, his attitude confident and unconcerned, as though this were perfectly normal. â€Å"Dropping off new feeders.† The file had contained all sorts of forms and papers for prison business, including status reports and order forms for supplies–like feeders. We'd made a copy of one of the feeder requisition forms and filled it out. â€Å"I wasn't notified of a delivery,† the guardian said, not suspicious so much as puzzled. He peered at the paperwork. â€Å"This is an old form.† Eddie shrugged. â€Å"It's just what they gave me. I'm kind of new at this.† The man grinned. â€Å"Yeah, you barely look old enough to be out of school.† He glanced toward Lissa and me, and despite my practiced control, I tensed. The guardian frowned as he studied us. Lissa had given me a necklace, and she'd taken a ring, both charmed with a slight compulsion spell to make others think we were human. It would have been much easier to make her victim wear a charm and force them to think they were seeing humans, but that wasn't possible. The magic was harder this way. He squinted, almost like he was looking at us through a haze. If the charms had worked perfectly, he wouldn't have given us a second glance. The charms were a little flawed. They were changing our appearances but not quite as clearly as we'd hoped. That was why we'd gone to the trouble of altering our hair: if the human-illusion failed, we'd still have some identity protection. Lissa readied herself to work direct compulsion, though we'd hoped it wouldn't come to that with every person we met. A few moments later, the guardian turned from us, apparently deciding we were human after all. I exhaled and unclenched my fists. I hadn't even realized I'd been holding them. â€Å"Hang on a minute, and I'll call this in,† he told Eddie. The guardian stepped away and picked up a phone inside his booth. Eddie glanced back at us. â€Å"So far so good?† â€Å"Aside from the old form,† I grumbled. â€Å"No way to know if my charm's working?† asked Eddie. Lissa had given him one of Tasha's rings, charmed to make him appear tan-skinned and black-haired. Since she wasn't altering his race, the magic only needed to blur his features. Like our human charms, I suspected it wasn't projecting the exact image she'd hoped for, but it should have altered his appearance enough that no one would identify Eddie later. With our resistance to compulsion–and knowing there was a charm in place, which negated its effects on us–Lissa and I couldn't say for certain what he looked like to others. â€Å"I'm sure it's fine,† said Lissa reassuringly. The guardian returned. â€Å"They say go on in, and they'll sort it out there.† â€Å"Thanks,† said Eddie, taking the form back. The guard's attitude implied that he assumed this was a clerical error. He was still diligent, but the idea of someone sneaking feeders into a prison was hardly the kind of thing one would expect–or view as a security risk. Poor guy. Two guardians greeted us when we arrived at the door in the prison's wall. The three of us got out and were led into the grounds between the wall and the prison itself. Whereas St. Vladimir's and the Court's grounds had been lush and filled with plants and trees, the land here was stark and lonely. Not even grass, just hard-packed earth. Was this what served as the prisoners' â€Å"exercise area†? Were they even allowed outside at all? I was surprised there wasn't a moat of some sort out here. The inside of the building was as grim as its exterior. The holding cells at Court were sterile and cold, all metal and blank walls. I'd expected something similar. But whoever had designed Tarasov had foregone the modern look and instead emulated the kind of prison one might have found back in Romania in medieval days. The harsh stone walls continued down the hall, gray and foreboding, and the air was chill and damp. It had to make for unpleasant working conditions for the guardians assigned here. Presumably they wanted to ensure the intimidating facade extended everywhere, even for prisoners first entering the gates. According to our blueprint, there was a little section of dorms where employees lived. Hopefully those were nicer. Dark Ages decor or not, we passed the occasional camera as we walked down the hallway. This place's security was in no way primitive. Occasionally we heard the heavy slamming of a door, but overall, there was a perfect, eerie silence that was almost creepier than shouts and screams. We were taken to the warden's office, a room that still had the same gloomy architecture yet was filled with the usual administrative accessories: desk, computer, etc. It looked efficient, nothing more. Our escorts explained that we were going to see the assistant warden, since the senior one was still in bed. It figured. The subordinate would have gotten stuck with the night shift. I hoped that meant he was tired and unobservant. Probably not. That rarely happened to guardians, no matter their assignments. â€Å"Theo Marx,† said the assistant warden, shaking Eddie's hand. He was a dhampir not much older than us, and I wondered if he'd only been freshly assigned here. â€Å"Larry Brown,† replied Eddie. We'd come up with a boring name for him, one that wouldn't stand out, and had used it in the paperwork. Theo didn't speak to Lissa and me, but he did give us that same puzzled glance the first guy had as the charm's glamour attempted its illusion. Another delay followed, but once more, we slipped through. Theo returned his attention to Eddie and took the requisition form. â€Å"This is different from the usual one,† he said. â€Å"I have no clue,† said Eddie apologetically. â€Å"This is my first time.† Theo sighed and glanced at the clock. â€Å"The warden'll be on duty in another couple hours. I think we're just going to have to wait until he's here to figure out what's going on. Sommerfield's usually got their act together.† There were a few Moroi facilities in the country that gathered feeders–those on the fringes of human society who were content to spend their lives high on vampire endorphins–and then distributed them. Sommerfield was the name of one such facility, located in Kansas City. â€Å"I'm not the only new person they just received,† Eddie said. â€Å"Maybe someone got confused.† â€Å"Typical,† snorted Theo. â€Å"Well, you might as well have a seat and wait. I can get coffee if you want.† â€Å"When are we getting a feeding?† I suddenly asked, using the whiniest, dreamiest voice I could. â€Å"It's been so long.† Lissa followed my lead. â€Å"They said we could when we got here.† Eddie rolled his eyes at what was typical feeder behavior. â€Å"They've been like this the whole time.† â€Å"I can imagine,† said Theo. â€Å"Humph. Feeders.† The door to his office was partially ajar and he called out of it. â€Å"Hey, Wes? Can you come here?† One of the escort guardians stuck his head inside. â€Å"Yeah?† Theo gave us a dismissive wave. â€Å"Take these two down to the feeding area so they don't drive us crazy. If someone's up, they can use them.† Wes nodded and beckoned us out. Eddie and I made the briefest of eye contact. His face betrayed nothing, but I knew he was nervous. Getting Victor out was our job now, and Eddie didn't like sending us to the dragon's lair. Wes led us through more doors and security checkpoints as we went deeper into the prison. I realized that for every layer of security I crossed to get in, I was going to have to cross it again to escape. According to the blueprint, the feeding area was situated on the opposite side of the prison. I'd assumed we'd take some route along the periphery, but instead we cut right through the building's center–where the prisoners were kept. Studying had given me a sense of the layout, but Lissa didn't realize where we were headed until a sign alerted us: WARNING–NOW ENTERING PRISONER AREA (CRIMINAL). I thought that was an odd wording. Wasn't everyone in here a criminal? Heavy double doors blocked this section off, and Wes used both an electronic code and a physical key to cross through. Lissa's pace didn't change, but I felt her anxiety increase as we entered a long corridor lined with bar-covered cells. I didn't feel any better about it myself, but Wes–while still alert–didn't display any sign of fear. He entered this area all the time, I realized. He knew its security. The prisoners might be dangerous, but passing by them was a routine activity for him. Still, peeking inside the cells nearly made my heart stop. The little compartments were as dark and gloomy as anything, containing only bare-bones furnishings. Most of the prisoners were asleep, thankfully. A few, however, watched as we walked by. None of them said anything, but the silence was almost scarier. Some of the Moroi held there looked like ordinary people you'd pass on the street, and I wondered what they could have possibly done to end up here. Their faces were sad, devoid of all hope. I did a double take and realized that some of the prisoners weren't Moroi; they were dhampirs. It made sense but still caught me off guard. My own kind would have criminals that needed to be dealt with, too. But not all of the prisoners appeared benign. Others looked like they definitely belonged in Tarasov. There was a malevolence about them, a sinister feel as their eyes locked onto us and didn't let go. They scrutinized our every detail, though for what reason, I couldn't say. Were they seeking out anything that might offer escape? Could they see through our facades? Were they simply hungry? I didn't know but felt grateful for the silent guardians posted throughout the hall. I was also grateful that I didn't see Victor and assumed he lived in a different hall. We couldn't risk being recognized yet. We finally exited the prisoners' corridor through another set of double doors and at last reached the feeding area. It too felt like a medieval dungeon, but images had to be kept up for the sake of the prisoners. Decor aside, the feeding room's layout was similar to what St. Vladimir's had, except it was smaller. A few cubicles offered moderate privacy, and a bored-looking Moroi guy was reading a book at a desk but looked ready to fall asleep. There was only one feeder in the room, a scraggly-looking, middle-aged human who sat in a chair with a dopey smile on his face, staring at nothing. The Moroi flinched when we entered, his eyes going wide. Clearly, we were the most exciting thing to happen to him all night. He didn't have that moment of disorientation when he glanced at us; he apparently had low compulsion resistance, which was good to know. â€Å"What's this?† â€Å"Two new ones just came in,† said Wes. â€Å"But we're not due,† said the Moroi. â€Å"And we never get ones this young. They always give us the old, used-up ones.† â€Å"Don't ask me,† said Wes, moving toward the door once he'd indicated seats for Lissa and me. It was clear he found escorting feeders beneath him. â€Å"Marx wants them here until Sullivan gets up. My guess is it's going to turn out to be a mistake, but they were complaining about needing a fix.† â€Å"Wonderful,† groaned the Moroi. â€Å"Well, our next meal's due in fifteen minutes, so I can give Bradley over there a break. He's so gone, I doubt he'd notice if someone else gave blood instead of him.† Wes nodded. â€Å"We'll call down when we've got this straight.† The guardian left, and the Moroi picked up a clipboard with a sigh. I had the feeling everyone here was kind of tired of their jobs. I could understand why. This had to be a miserable place to work. Give me the wider world anytime. â€Å"Who's due to feed in fifteen minutes?† I asked. The Moroi's head jerked up in astonishment. It wasn't the kind of question a feeder asked. â€Å"What did you say?† Lissa stood up and got him in her gaze. â€Å"Answer her question.† The man's face went slack. He was easy to compel. â€Å"Rudolf Kaiser.† No one either of us recognized. He could have been in here for mass murder or embezzlement for all I knew. â€Å"When's Victor Dashkov due?† asked Lissa. â€Å"Two hours.† â€Å"Alter the schedule. Tell his guards there's been a readjustment and he has to come now instead of Rudolf.† The Moroi's blank eyes–now as dazed looking as Bradley the feeder's, really–seemed to take a moment to process this. â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"This is something that might happen normally. It won't raise suspicion.† â€Å"It won't raise suspicion,† he repeated in a monotone. â€Å"Do it,† she ordered, voice hard. â€Å"Call them, set it up, and do not take your eyes off of me.† The Moroi complied. While speaking on the phone, he identified himself as Northwood. When he disconnected, the arrangements had been made. We had nothing to do but wait now. My entire body was tightly wound with tension. Theo had said we had over an hour until the warden was on duty. No one would ask questions until then. Eddie simply had to kill time with Theo and not raise suspicions behind a paperwork error. Calm down, Rose. You can do this. While we waited, Lissa compelled Bradley the feeder into a heavy sleep. I didn't want any witnesses, even not drugged ones. Likewise, I turned the room's camera ever so slightly, so it no longer could see the bulk of the room. Naturally, we'd have to deal with the prison's entire surveillance system before we left, but for now, we needed no watching security personnel to catch sight of what was about to happen. I had just settled into one of the cubicles when the door opened. Lissa had stayed in her chair near Northwood's desk, so that she could keep her compulsion on him. We'd instructed him that I would be the feeder. I was enclosed, but through Lissa's sight, I saw the group enter: two guardians†¦ and Victor Dashkov. The same distress she'd felt when seeing him at her trial shot up within her. Her heart rate increased. Her hands shook. The only thing that had finally calmed her back at the trial was the resolution of it all, knowing Victor would be locked away forever and unable to hurt her again. And now we were about to change all that. Forcibly, Lissa shoved her fear out of her mind so that she could keep her hold on Northwood. The guardians beside Victor were stern and ready for action, though they didn't really need to be. The sickness that had plagued him for years–the one Lissa had temporarily healed him of–was starting to rear its head again. Lack of exercise and fresh air appeared to have taken a toll too, as had the limited blood prisoners were supposedly given. The guards had him clad in shackles as an extra precaution, and the heavy weight dragged him down, almost making him shuffle. â€Å"Over there,† said Northwood, pointing at me. â€Å"That one.† The guardians led Victor past Lissa, and he barely gave her a second glance. She was working double compulsion: keeping Northwood under her control and using a quick burst to make herself insignificant to Victor when he walked by. The guardians settled him into a chair beside me and then stepped back, still keeping him in sight. One of them struck up conversation with Northwood, noting our newness and youth. If I ever did this again, I'd have Lissa charm us into looking older. Sitting beside me, Victor leaned toward me and opened his mouth. Feedings were so second nature, the motions always the same, that he hardly had to think about what he did. It was like he didn't even see me. Except, then†¦ he did. He froze, his eyes going wide. Certain characteristics marked the royal Moroi families, and light, jade-green eyes ran amongst both the Dashkovs and the Dragomirs. The weary, resigned look in his disappeared, and the cunning sharpness that so characterized him–the shrewd intellect I knew well–snapped into place. It reminded me eerily of some of the prisoners we'd passed earlier. But he was confused. Like the other people we'd encountered, my charm was muddling his thoughts. His senses told him I was a human†¦ yet the illusion wasn't perfect. There was also the fact that Victor, as a strong non-spirit compulsion wielder, was relatively resistant to it. And just as Eddie, Lissa, and I had been immune to one another's charms because we knew our true identities, Victor experienced the same effect. His mind might insist that I was human, but his eyes told him I was Rose Hathaway, even with my wig. And once that knowledge was solidified, the human illusion disappeared for him. A slow, intrigued smile spread over his face, blatantly displaying his fangs. â€Å"Oh my. This might be the best meal I've ever had.† His voice was barely audible, covered by the conversation of the others. â€Å"Put your teeth anywhere near me and it'll be your last meal,† I murmured, voice just as quiet. â€Å"But if you want any chance of getting out of here and seeing the world again, you'll do exactly what I say.† He gave me a questioning look. I took a deep breath, dreading what I had to say next. â€Å"Attack me.†