Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-Four Free Essays

string(57) had a few records taken recently,† she explained. THE MAN GRINNED. â€Å"YOU MAKE that sound like an awful thing.† I scowled and thought once more into the techno-pack with new appreciation. We will compose a custom exposition test on Soul Bound Chapter Twenty-Four or then again any comparative theme just for you Request Now â€Å"What’s going on?† â€Å"I’m the errand person. I simply get things done for Mr. Mazur.† â€Å"Is that a decent method of saying you spy for him? Discover everyone’s messy mysteries with the goal that he can utilize them against individuals and continue playing his games?† Abe appeared to have a deep understanding of everyoneâ€especially illustrious governmental issues. By what other means would he be able to oversee it without having eyes and ears all over the place? State, at Court? For all I knew, he had my room set up with amplifiers. â€Å"Spying’s a brutal word.† I notice the person didn’t deny it. â€Å"Besides, he pays well. What's more, he’s a decent boss.† He abandoned me, work done, however gave one final admonition. â€Å"Like I saidâ€it’s time touchy. Peruse the note when you can.† I had a large portion of a brain to toss it at the person. I was becoming accustomed to being Abe’s little girl, however that didn’t mean I needed to get tied up in some wacky plan of his. A pack of equipment appeared to be premonition. In any case, I pulled it back to my suite and discharged the substance onto my bed. There were a couple of pieces of paper, the best one being a composed introductory letter. Rose, I trust Tad had the option to get this to you in an opportune way. Also, I trust you weren’t excessively mean to him. I’m doing this in the interest of somebody who needs to address you about a pressing issue. In any case, it’s a discussion that nobody else must hear. The PC and satellite modem in this pack will permit you to have a private conversation, insofar as you’re in a private area. I’ve included bit by bit directions on the most proficient method to arrange it. Your gathering will happen at 7 a.m. There was no name at the base, yet I didn’t need one. I put the letter down and gazed at the clutter of ropes. Seven was not exactly an hour away. â€Å"Oh, please, old man,† I shouted. To Abe’s credit, the going with papers had extremely essential headings that didn’t require a PC engineer’s knowledge. The main issue was, there were a ton of them, enumerating where each rope went, what secret key to sign in with, how to design the modem, etc. For a second I considered overlooking everything. However when somebody like Abe utilized the word earnest, it made me think possibly I shouldn’t be so hurried in my excusal. Along these lines, preparing myself for some specialized trapeze artistry, I set to adhering to his guidelines. It required some investment I had, yet I figured out how to attach the modem and camera and access the safe program that would permit me to video-meeting with Abe’s strange contact. I got done with a couple of moments to save and endured the time by gazing at a dark window in the screen, thinking about what I’d gotten myself into. At precisely seven, the window became animated, and a familiarâ€but unexpectedâ€face showed up. â€Å"Sydney?† I asked in shock. The video had that equivalent, marginally jerky feel most Internet takes care of had, yet in any case, the substance of my (sort of) companion Sydney Sage grinned back at me. Hers was a dry-humored grin, however that was run of the mill of her. â€Å"Good morning,† she stated, smothering a yawn. From the condition of her jawline length fair hair, it was likely she’d just gotten up. Indeed, even in the poor goals, the brilliant lily tattoo on her cheek shined. All Alchemists had that equivalent tattoo. It comprised of ink and Moroi blood, giving Moroi great wellbeing and life span to the wearer. It likewise had a touch of impulse blended in to shield the Alchemists’ mystery society from uncovering anything they shouldn’t about vampires. â€Å"Evening,† I said. â€Å"Not morning.† â€Å"We can contend your wrecked unholy timetable some other time,† she said. â€Å"That’s not what I’m here for.† â€Å"What are you here for?† I asked, still astounded to see her. The Alchemists carried out their responsibilities hesitantly, and keeping in mind that Sydney loved me better than most Moroi or dhampirs, she wasn’t the sort to make inviting telephone (or video) calls. â€Å"Wait†¦ you can’t be in Russia. Not if it’s morning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I attempted to recollect the time change. Truly, for people over yonder, the sun would be down or going to be at the present time. â€Å"I’m back in my local country,† she said with mock magnificence. â€Å"Got another post in New Orleans.† â€Å"Whoa, nice.† Sydney had abhorred being doled out to Russia, however my impression had been she was stuck there until completing her Alchemist entry level position. â€Å"How’d you oversee that?† Her little grin went to a declaration of inconvenience. â€Å"Oh, well. Abe, um, sort of helped me out. He made it happen.† â€Å"You made an arrangement with him?† Sydney must have truly detested Russia. What's more, Abe’s impact must have truly been profound in the event that he could influence a human association. â€Å"What did you give him consequently? Your soul?† Making a joke like that to somebody as strict as her wasn’t extremely fitting. Obviously, I think she thought Moroi and dhampirs ate spirits, so perhaps my remark wasn’t excessively out there. â€Å"That’s the thing,† she said. â€Å"It was somewhat of a ‘I’ll told you when I need some help in the future’ arrangement.† â€Å"Sucker,† I said. â€Å"Hey,† she snapped. â€Å"I don’t must do this. I’m really helping you out by conversing with you.† â€Å"Why are you conversing with me exactly?† I needed to scrutinize her increasingly about her open-finished arrangement with the demon yet figured that would get me separated. She murmured and brushed some hair out of her face. â€Å"I need to ask you something. What's more, I swear I won’t advise on you†¦ I simply need to know reality with the goal that we don’t burn through our time on something.† â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Please don’t get some information about Victor, I implored. â€Å"Have you broken into wherever lately?† Damn. I kept my face entirely nonpartisan. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"The Alchemists had a few records taken recently,† she clarified. You read Soul Bound Chapter Twenty-Four in classification Exposition models She was all business-genuine at this point. â€Å"And everyone’s going insane attempting to make sense of who did itâ€and why.† Intellectually, I inhaled a moan of help. Alright. It wasn’t about Tarasov. Say thanks to God there was one wrongdoing I wasn’t liable of. At that point the full importance of her words hit me. I glared. â€Å"Wait. You all get ransacked, and I’m the one you think? I thought I was off your rundown of underhandedness creatures?† â€Å"No dhampir is off my rundown of malice creatures,† she said. That half grin of hers had returned, however I couldn’t tell in the event that she was kidding or not. It blurred rapidly, indicating what a serious deal this was for her. â€Å"And trust me, in the event that anybody could break into our records, you could. It’s difficult. For all intents and purposes impossible.† â€Å"Um, thank you?† I wasn’t sure in the event that I should feel complimented or not. â€Å"Of course,† she proceeded derisively, â€Å"they just took paper records, which was idiotic. Everything’s supported up carefully these days, so I’m not certain why they’d go burrowing through dinosaur documenting cabinets.† I could give her a great deal of reasons why somebody would do that, yet discovering why I was her main presume was increasingly significant. â€Å"That is inept. So for what reason do you think I’d do it?† â€Å"Because of what was taken. It was data about a Moroi named Eric Dragomir.† â€Å"Iâ€what?† â€Å"That’s your companion, isn't that so? His girl, I mean.† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was practically stunned. Nearly. â€Å"You have records on Moroi?† â€Å"We have records on everything,† she said gladly. â€Å"But when I attempted to figure who could perpetrate a wrongdoing like this and would be keen on a Dragomir†¦ well, your name flew into my head.† â€Å"I didn’t do it. I do a great deal of things, however not that. I didn’t even realize you had those sorts of records.† Sydney respected me dubiously. â€Å"It’s the truth!† â€Å"Like I said before,† she let me know, â€Å"I won’t turn you in. Truly. I simply need to know with the goal that I can get individuals to quit sitting around idly on certain leads.† Her pomposity calmed. â€Å"And, well, in the event that you did it†¦ I have to keep the consideration off you. I guaranteed Abe.† â€Å"Whatever it takes for you to trust me, I didn’t do it! In any case, presently I need to realize who did. What did they take? Everything on him?† She bit her lip. Owing Abe some help may mean she’d go behind her own people’s backs, yet she obviously had restricts on how much she’d sell out. â€Å"Come on! In the event that you’ve got advanced reinforcement, you need to recognize what was taken. This is Lissa we’re talking about.† A thought came to me. â€Å"Could you send me copies?† â€Å"No,† she said quickly. â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"Then please†¦ only a trace of what they were about! Lissa’s my closest companion. I can’t let anything happen to her.† I completely prepared myself for dismissal. Sydney didn’t appear to be truly charming. Did she have companions? Might she be able to comprehend what I felt? â€Å"Mostly bio stuff,† she said finally. â€Å"Some of his history and perceptions we’d made.† â�

Coming to the New World essays

Going to the New World articles Going to the New World was a significant headway in the lives of numerous Spanish, French, and English individuals between the long stretches of 1942-1629. The relocation affected the lives significantly. They will come to see that in the coming years nearly everything will change from religion to their kinds of settlement. The job of religion was significant, for it had a massive control over the European culture. Christianity changed over all of Europe including the Spanish, French, and English. Christian principle gave a typical comprehension of God. The congregation gave authority and order in the general public. Each town had a congregation, which felt that Satan continually tested God by enticing individuals into abhorrent. Christianity had assumed a significant job in Portugal and Spain, yet it isolated Europe into Catholics and Protestants. A protestant defiance in the Spanish Netherlands depleted the abundance of the Spanish and offered assets to venture into North America and brought another effect of European and Indian individuals. After some time, the Catholic Church had gotten exceptionally enormous and rich, controlling assets all through Europe. In 1517, a German priest and teacher, Martin Luther, sold guilty pleasures. These were church authentications that exculpated a delinquent from disciplines in existence in the wake of death. He was excommunicauhujuujjujjted by the pope and undermined with discipline by King Charles I of Spain. He was ensured by a northern German princess and couldn't be captured. After Luther, came a French scholar from Switzerland named John Calvin. He focused on supremacy of God and the debasement of human instinct. He lectured the principle of fate, the possibility that God picked certain individuals for salvation even before they were conceived. He appeared to Christians and said to individuals that they required an individual relationship with God. Calvin put stock in a God that gave what he got and furthermore that virtuous individuals could change government. Individuals star te... <!

Waste banana plant (Musa sp.) Trunks as an Alternative source of pulp for paper making Essay

Eatable Banana (Musa sp.) the plant is an immense herb that springs from an underground stem, or rhizome, to frame a bogus trunk 3â€6 meters (10â€20 feet) high (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2006). Bananas can't be developed anyplace in light of the fact that they are touchy to solid breezes, henceforth, whenever planted on open regions, one must utilize jackets for the banana plant not to be hurt, the plant can be likewise planted on dry grounds gave that there is a steady water system (Department of Agri-culture, 2010). Paper is a material made of cellulose mash, got for the most part from wood, clothes and certain grasses, prepared into adaptable sheets or moves by store from a fluid suspension (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008).It is the most broadly utilized material by humanity since its revelation in China. The normal elements of a letter estimated paper is 8.27*11.69mm The point of this investigation is to see whether the mash from trunk banana is reasonable for paper creation. Articulation of Problem General Objective This investigation principally plans to see whether mash from the banana tree trunk is a superior option than wood mash Specific Objectives: 1.) This examination intends to see whether paper produce utilizing banana plant trunk’s mash is more financial than the economically utilized tree trunk mash; 2.) And to discover what is better: 100% banana plant trunk mash of banana tree trunk mash in addition to reused paper. Theory The paper made in this investigation will be more cost proficient than paper mass produce by organizations utilizing business grade wood mash Significance of the examination The paper produced using the waste banana plant trunk mash will Increase the pay of the Banana ranchers here in the Philippines in light of the fact that rather than just disposing of the Banana plant trunks subsequent to reaping the ready bananas, they could offer it to production lines for included salary Scope and Limitation of the Study This examination is just constrained to the utilization banana plant trunks and reused paper in the production of paper that will be produce by this investigation. Meaning of terms Banana-a treelike tropical palm with huge leaves and blossom groups that form into a lot of better molded natural product which are yellow or red when ripe(Webster’s New Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1999). Wood Pulp-a material arranged by concoction or mechanical methods mainly from wood and utilized in making paper and cellulose items (Webster’s New Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1999). Audit of Related Literature and Review of Related Studies Banana (Musa sp.) Name for a few types of the class Musa and for the natural products these produce. The banana plant-one of the biggest herbaceous plants-is supposed to be local in tropical Asia, yet is presently developed all through the tropics (The Free Dictionary 2010). Wood Pulp Mash from wood utilized in making cellulose subsidiaries (as paper or rayon) Mold and Deckle A form is a wooden edge with wire work extended on it while a deckle is only a wooden edge a similar size as the shape yet is has no wire work extended over it. Related Studies There is an investigation led by the understudies of University of Cordoba and University of Pablo, Spain (2012) to portray the banana plant deposits and use it in pulping and burning procedures. Another investigation led by the North East Science and innovation Institute (2008) which expects to make oil verification paper out of banana mash fiber. Strategy Apparatuses and Materials The waste banana plant trunk that was utilized in this investigation were taken from Brgy. Punta Tabuc, Roxas City, Capiz. The materials that were a machete,3 pcs lower banana plant trunks, a deckle, 3 pcs 10ãâ€"7 silk screen and work wire screen shape, a huge tempered steel pot and sodium hydroxide.

My Mexican Roots Essay Example For Students

My Mexican Roots Essay Martin Luther King Jr. stated, when your first name becomes nigger, your center name becomes kid (anyway old you are) and your last name becomes John, was in reality obvious. More often than not, when your race is focused on, which is generally every race at one point in time, there are numerous parts of it like what you are called that makes you question yourself on how far things can go and how far individuals cause it to go. Mexican isn't the main race that has an entire rundown behind it that rundowns their marks. Being Mexican, its simpler to communicate how they are discussed, how they are relied upon to be or the considerations on Mexicans. You either grasp it or you let it go. Run of the mill things that we, Mexicans, are called: wetbacks, lethargic and uninformed. I used to have a companion   back in first grade that was Hispanic however didnt communicate in Spanish and neither did her folks. Well English is my subsequent language and in first grade, it was just my subsequent year talking it. She inquired as to why English was my subsequent language and before I could reply, she stated, My folks state that on the off chance that you dont know English first, youre a wetback.  I didnt even know the importance of that word so I stated, Yeah perhaps. I was so honest and I returned home that day calling my family wetbacks. My sister was at that point in seventh grade so she had known about that word as of now. At the point when she let us know, I felt so dismal. I didnt comprehend why I would be viewed as a wetback just in light of the fact that I learned Spanish first. Getting called a wetback is one to give up. I realize that I am not yet even with my family that isnt here legitimately, they let it go as well. They acknowledge it, they cannot deny it however they likewise dont let others go too far and go into slighting them. Your name is the right thing to call you, not wetback.   Another regular mark is that we are for the most part sluggish. At the point when my folks previously arrived from Mexico, my father worked in a vehicle wash. He used to clean the windows and vacuum the inside. My mother worked in a laundry each and every day. My folks may have arrived unlawfully, however they didnt blame that so as to be languid and attempt to benefit from others. Indeed, even now, they wouldnt permit themselves since they will not be marked languid realizing that they make a decent attempt to make it simply like every other person. Sluggish is no place being the right mark for Mexicans to be called. Also, much the same as every other person, we are not oblivious. We need information on specific things however theres not one individual on Earth who knows each and every thing. We as a whole need information somehow or another. I for one accept that this mark is simply clever yet extremely moronic. I think that its entertaining on the grounds that I cant truly fold myself over it. Call us oblivious yet theres something that you have no idea about; like, that Giraffes have no vocal harmonies. What's more, I think that its imbecilic in light of the fact that its like us Mexicans are viewed as though we cannot think or anything. Do we appear that fruitless to other people? Or then again is it on the grounds that there are different Mexicans who ruin it by giving that appearance? Other than being put a name for your race, you are likewise named to be a sure way. One of my mentors from track got some information about my family once. I clarified how I was Mexican and we were a little family. His prompt response was, Are you certain youre Mexican?   Uh, better believe it,   I reacted. He was shocked in light of the fact that I just had one more seasoned kin and not five more. In Mexico, there are families who are huge. Since some do, doesnt mean our mothers are additionally out there having a great deal of children. The most well-known one would presumably be by appearance. Other than wearing certain things, your physical appearance assumes a significant job in your names. .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c , .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c .postImageUrl , .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c .focused content region { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c , .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c:hover , .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c:visited , .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c:active { border:0!important; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c { show: square; progress: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-change: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; darkness: 1; change: murkiness 250ms; webkit-change: haziness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c:active , .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c:hover { mistiness: 1; change: obscurity 250ms; webkit-change: mistiness 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c .focused content territory { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c .ctaText { fringe base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: intense; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; content adornment: underline; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; outskirt: none; fringe range: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; text style weight: striking; line-tallness: 26px; moz-outskirt sweep: 3px; content adjust: focus; content enhancement: none; content shadow: none; width: 80px; min-tallness: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/straightforward arrow.png)no-rehash; position: total; right: 0; top: 0; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .u58010f 8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c .focused content { show: table; tallness: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .u58010f8217f8e517678c71cf6ead792c:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: Mini-Case Chapter 8 EssayBeing dim and having dull hair generally implies that you are extremely Mexican and most likely dont know a lot of Spanish. A year ago, in my History class, we had a substitute instructor there and she was strolling around welcome everyone. I saw her doing as such and when she got to my work area, she had the nerve to state, Hola!   She had gone to everyone talking in English however she just communicated in Spanish to me. So when this occurred, I reacted in English and made proper acquaintance. Much the same as at some other spot, Id rather talk in English since I dont like it when individual s accept that I can't communicate in English right so they attempt to impart to you in Spanish. Everything that is valid, that it applies to your life, acknowledge it, however with a breaking point. On the off chance that youre illicit, at that point youre unlawful. In any case, try not to be put down essentially thus. On the off chance that you eat tortillas consistently, at that point there isnt a need to get irritated. On the off chance that you realize you can communicate in English and Spanish, grasp them two. Mexicans are marked with names and generalizations since its a typical thing among us. For whatever length of time that it is valid, acknowledge it yet not to where you are named as that and just that. List of sources: Lord, Martin Luther Jr. Letter from a Birmingham Jail . 16 April 1963. n. p. Web. 10 Dec 2012.â . Mexican American Stereotypes  . Ferris. n. p. Web. 10 Dec 2012.

My Position about Movie Piracy Essay - 550 Words

My Position about Movie Piracy (Essay Sample) Content: Student NameInstructorCourseDateMy Position about Movie Piracy:Movie piracy is among the rampant forms of intellectual property theft in the entire world, which negatively affects the financial performance of the film industry. It refers to the illegitimate copying, distribution, performance, as well as utilization of copyright resources like television and movie shows for commercial or personal gains (Segrave 2003). Generally, it is easy to get pirated copies of latest movies at a cheaper price once an individual takes a walk along busy streets compared to the cost of a movie ticket. This clearly indicates that the practice has many consequences both positive and negative to movie vendors, consumers, government, movie producers, and the film industry as a whole. Therefore, appropriate remedies need to be devised to end this practice.Film piracy increases consumersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ expenditure on movies since pirate movies are of low quality and tends to last for a shorter time making them do constant purchase. Besides, it reduces revenue to the government, as consumers tend to download movies from the internet. This makes them forego the amount they would have incurred had they purchased the items from licensed vendors. While Nollywood, Hollywood and other film industries incur huge movie expenses, their gains continue to decline as consumers use unscrupulous means to obtain films at cheap means posting losses to the whole film industries. Moreover, movie piracy emasculates actors, depriving them of income from their artistic work. Undoubtedly, it also devalues the aptitude of actors and what they work for since the movies are sold as disposable items rather than artistic work.In spite of the previously mentioned negative impacts of music piracy, it has some outstanding benefits to consumers, music vendors, and nation as a whole. The practice provides consumers with opportunities to watch movies at their convenience and at affordable prices since p irated movies are accessible and cheap. As asserted by Shiferaw (2009), movie piracy is a source of employment, especially to educated and unemployed individuals; this makes them earn a living and improve their standards of life. Most of the pirated movies are translated to the native language of the consumers, enabling them to get satisfaction from the movies. In addition, movie piracy acts a source of income to the movie vendors and improves the nationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Gross Domestic Products leading to increased economic growth and development (Shipman 2007).Due to the aforementioned consequences of movie piracy, the practice seems to be on the rise and correct measures need to be in place to curb this trend. While penalties on downloading intellectually protected content exist, it is almost impossible to indict every user who downloads a given movie. This makes the penalties ineffective. Therefore, it is necessary to make the aforementioned content unavailable to solve this problem c ollectively rather than relying on castigating individuals downloading the replicated movies. Essentially, the film industry in collaboration with the national government should fully implement the piracy rules and bring to book the victims of such illegal acts. Besides, the government and inter...

Inside Scoop on Athletic Scholarships

HomeLearnBehind the ScenesInside Scoop On Athletic ScholarshipsThis page may contain affiliate links.Oct 22, 2019 Families of student-athletes very often do not understand the intensity of competition for athletic scholarships. When this happens, they require assistance to financially prepare for college and maximize their recruiting opportunities. College coaches dont find athletes randomly families need a plan to be proactive to gain the necessary exposure. If you are a parent with young children interested in sports or a parent of a high school athlete, here is some coaching advice for how to set realistic expectations about getting recruited and paying for your athletes college education: How Can You Help Your Student-Athlete Get Recruited? Step 1: Start Investing Early Whether you save $10 per week or a few hundred dollars a month, don’t waste another day not putting money away for your child(ren)’s college tuition. You can save money for college in an interest-based savings account, bonds, money market or a CD, as long as you are making interest on that money, you are doing well. The best option is to open up a 529 plan, where money you save for college can grow tax-free. Step 2: Reinforce Commitment to Academics Here are the facts: 6.7% of students playing high school sports will end up playing sports in college. Less than 1% of the 6.7% will get a NCAA Division I scholarship. The chances of your child getting a full D1 athletic scholarship are just a little better than the chances of your child becoming an astronaut [sarcasm], but you catch the drift. Division 1 scholarships only account for about 20% of the athletic scholarships awarded each year. The other 80% come from NCAA Division 2, NAIA, and Junior Colleges. NCAA Division 3 institutions are not allowed to give any financial aid based on our child’s athletic prowess†¦only academic success earned. Don’t let that deter you from D3 schools. They are some of the best schools in the country and often will compete financially, even without athletic scholarships. The Low-Down on Athletic Scholarships While it may not always seem to be the case, athletics AND academics play a joint role in athletic recruiting. It is important that your child make a commitment to their academics early, starting their freshman year of high school. Most Divisions (except D1 football and basketball) allow the athletic programs to stack academic scholarships with athletic scholarships. This means the better your son or daughter’s GPA and SAT/ACT scores are, the more attractive your child is to a college coach. For instance, let’s say I am a NCAA Division 2 basketball coach. I have one $35,000 full scholarship left, but I need a center and a point guard to commit in next year’s class. I have two point guards that I like a lot. One is your son. The other player has a 2.9 GPA and an 18 ACT. Your son has a 3.5 GPA and a 25 ACT. My university only gives academic money to students who have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and a minimum ACT of 22. The other player is a little bigger and more athletic than your son, but both have the abilities and basketball IQ I am looking for. Which player do I offer a scholarship to? If the talent is that balanced between the two young men, I will give an athletic scholarship to your son. I know my university is going to offer him $18,000 in academic scholarship and university grants (all gift aid that doesn’t need to be paid back). I now can give your son a $17,000 athletic scholarship, and we will call it a full-ride with the academic money stacked. If I chose the other player, I would have to give my entire $35,000 in scholarship money to give him a full ride. With your son committing to me, I now have $18,000 left in athletic money to go get the center I need. So, to sum up, the higher your child’s cumulative high school grades and the higher their test scores (ACT/SAT), the more money a university is going to give him. The more money the university gives him, the less athletic scholarship money the college coach needs to give your son†¦making him that much more attractive to the college coach. The Three Es of Athletic Recruiting Step 3: Create Recruitment Competition The real key to a strong financial recruitment plan is to create competition for your child’s skills, abilities, and academic prowess. The more college coaches that want your son/daughter, the harder they will work to make their school look more attractive ($$$$). How do you do this? I call it the three Es: Exposure: Get your child’s performance in front of as many college coaches as possible. On-line video is the best way to achieve this and the least expensive. College coaches begin evaluating as early as 7th/8th grade and we continue to see verbal scholarship offers at the middle school level. But for most, freshman year is a great time to begin calling coaches. The sooner a college coach is aware of you, the sooner they can begin inviting you to their camps and planning opportunities to see you play. Evaluation:Make sure you have an edited/verified video that can be sent to hundreds of coaches at schools that fit your child’s academic/athletic profile. Coaches are NOT showing up at your child’s games randomly. Education:It is imperative that your child learn early on how to communicate with coaches and learn how to build relationships with those coaches. Coaches love kids who handle their own business instead of having mom and dad serve as their agents. Too much parent involvement can destroy your child’s recruitment efforts. Your child controls their own future! Get aggressive and stay aggressive. Good luck!

Egon Schiele - 1268 Words

The result is illustrated in Seated Female Nude with Raised Right Arm (1910, 45x32cm), a carefully finished piece submitted to Josef Hoffmann at the Wiener Werkstà ¤tte. Carefully outlined in black crayon on tinted paper, watercolor has been used to decorate the figure in a muted warm palette of orange, yellow green and ochre; the tiny wedge of cerulean blue above the head adds a complementary color accent. The line shows a tendency to peak at points of tension (the outline of the hip, the top edge of the left shoulder and forearm), a trick that makes the contour static but not heavy. The effect is decorative, to suit the postcards and knicknacks turned out by the workshop, but the figure also seems tense or vigilant, as if waiting for†¦show more content†¦These drawings increasingly minimize stylization and caricature, and go beyond mere sexual confrontation; the figures become more substantial and sculptural; the line achieves a new strength and complexity, and color is u sed to signal surface texture and contour. Schieles increasing success brought him a larger range of adult models and portrait commissions, and in 1915 he married, influences that stimulated a new sensitivity to the individuality of his subjects. Crouching Male Nude (Self-Portrait) (1917, 46x29cm), drawn just a year before Schieles death, reveals many of these developments. The sense that Schiele is playing a narcissistic fantasy character is gone; his life as an individual matters more. As in nearly all his drawings, the figure is isolated against the bare page, stripped of context or props. The left arm seems to put a hammerlock on the negative space, some invisible adversary that has chewed off both hands. (Oddly, Schiele seems to have greatly disliked showing hands and feet: they are usually hidden or omitted, and when they appear are harshly drawn.) A coil of gray extrudes from under the grotesquely dislocated hips, drawn as if a rumpled sheet, but alluding to excrement or evis ceration. Yet these bizarre aspects of the drawing lend the figure a taut energy, alertness and resilience. The pose, and the treatment of line, texture and color, closely resembleShow MoreRelatedThe Work Of Egon Schiele1448 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The work of Egon Schiele is very important to me personally. In this Extended Essay I focus on Egon Schiele because his artworks influence me. He likes to show his hands in his painting and photos. In his self-painting, I can always find out that the hands always attract my eyes. His hands really impress me and I really like his hands. This gives me an idea that to put my own hands on the social software and see that will people love my hands in this era. Now, I think the answer isRead MoreEssay about Egon Schieles Self-Portrait905 Words   |  4 PagesEgon Schieles Self-Portrait When I look at this portrait, the first thing that hits me is the way the artist, Egon Schiele, appears to have made himself look animated, like a cartoon. The way in which his right eye is rounded like a cartoon character and his left eye is squinting and almost shut, adds to the idea of a the portrait being a cartoon. The squinted left eye is as if he is sneaking around and evaluating his surroundings. If you cover the right side of the face (with the widely openedRead MoreThe Capital Of A Great European Empire1876 Words   |  8 Pagesthe works of Oskar Kokoschka and Egon Schiele, a profound withdrawal from artistic traditions in its exploration of evocative themes. In the realm of creative literature, turn-of-the-century Vienna also generated bodies of text by Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Edward Mà ¶rike, who helped define advanced, modern literature style of German-speaking Europe and reflect on the characteristics of life in Vienna during the Habsburg Empire. An Austrian painter named Egon Schiele redefines beauty during the expressionismRead More Art versus Pornography Essay889 Words   |  4 Pagesobvious than others, but that is the boundary line.   The work described in the beginning is watercolor painting by a Viennese artist named Egon Schiele.   Schieles works in his own time and even to this day have been the conflict of many debates of art and pornography.   The work described is entitled Seated Woman with Bent Knee.   The woman was a prostitute who Schiele hired to pose for him.   This piece is quite tame compared his more explicit works.   However, it is not pornography, because his works areRead MoreRealism : Romanticism And Modernism974 Words   |  4 PagesSimilarly, the cutting open of the human body is not merely a depiction of an autopsy. Rather, it is a metaphorical opening and accessing of the unconscious forces that drive man and his actions, reminiscent of his contemporaries’ work, such as Egon Sc hiele, Georg Trakl, and Gustav Mahler, who also aimed to do the same with their respective artwork. In this sense, the poem presents readers with new perspectives on Nature and the human body. As mentioned previously, the Romantics believed that NatureRead MoreEssay on Graphic Novels and Comic Books: Kent Williams1386 Words   |  6 Pagesto favour as a whole works created from say late 1800s up to early Modern; Manet, Gauguin, Schiele (of course), Klimt, and an unrelenting passion for Rodin, Balthus, Bacon and De Kooning. That is the short list. (Williams, 2012) Looking at this period in art, we see the rise of impressionist and the postimpressionists, and the onset of expressionism. Similarities between Gustav Klimt and especially Egon Scheile sit closely to aspects employed by Williams in several aspects, primarily in the exaggerationsRead MoreSummary : Performance The Body 1550 Words   |  7 Pagesissues, such as Austrian postwar political developments within his country. It’s important to point out Nitsch was doing this in part pointing to his his city s deep psychoanalytic and artistic avant-garde roots from the likes of Sigmund Freud, Egon Schiele and the Vienna Secession artists. Lady Gaga was born in 1986 in Manhattan to a Catholic Family. She is a singer and performer who has been noted for self-empowering messages in her songs and live performances, as well as extravagant shows. SheRead MoreBruno Bettelheim s `` Punishment Versus Discipline ``1910 Words   |  8 Pagesanother reason in stating Vienna as the origin of psychoanalysis. Bettelheim informs the audience that Vienna is the home to many paintings, novels, and plays that deal with love and death. He cites the works of writer Arthur Schnitzler and painter Egon Schiele as examples. The author also claims that Vienna is also the home of other â€Å"methods† that are used to treat mental disorders (68). The other methods that he mentions include the insulin shock and â€Å"chemical treatment† (69). Bettelheim proves hisRead MoreVan Gogh s Life And Effect Today1819 Words   |  8 Pagesthe time of world war two, dozens of famous artist were influenced by his use of intense colour contra sts, emphatic lines and brushstrokes, and his reaction to nature, just to name a few. Popular artist specifically who took after Van Gogh was Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt. 2. Even to artist in the modern day era like Jackson Pollock, it is clearly seen that he used techniques from Van Gogh in his splatter paintings. In the article â€Å"Computer Analysis Reveals Similarities between the Artistic Styles

Health Benefits And Side Effects On The Consumption Of Coffee

Introduction The consumption of coffee is an essential staple to start an early morning in the United States and worldwide (Freedman et al. 2012). Like coffee, caffeine is a component that also can be present in energy drinks, tea, and pre-workout supplements. But to be specific, coffee, according to statistics has over 150 million people who drink an average of 3.2 cups of coffee daily, which means that about 400 million cups of coffee every day is consumed. (Patil et al. 2011) For some people they cannot go on with their day without starting with a cup of coffee or tea which has the active ingredient which is caffeine. Caffeine is also known as a psychoactive drug which means that by consuming this drug it can affect a person’s brain†¦show more content†¦Active Ingredient in Coffee Coffee contains many different molecules that are usually formed during the roasting process, also known as the brewing process. The essential component in coffee is caffeine. Caffeine is a major component of coffee that provides the majority of it in a US diet (Einà ¶ther Giesbrecht, 2012). An average 8 oz. of coffee would contain between 100-180 mg of caffeine depending on the coffee bean and type of roast used. In comparison to decaffeinated drinks, an 8 ounce cup contains significantly lower milligrams of caffeine which is about 5 to 15 mg. (Patil, Lavie, O’Keefe, 2011). In addition to caffeine, coffee also contains â€Å"chlorogenic† acid that can help reduce blood sugars of those people with Type II Diabetes. (Van Dam Feskens, 2002) Therefore since the active ingredients in coffee are caffeine and chlorogenic acid, then one can now analyze next the health benefits of the consumption of coffee. Health Benefits/Methods Coffee is a psychoactive drug that affects the body biologically and cognitively (Smith, 2008). A study done by Patil, Lavie, O’Keefe (2011), show that there are common health benefits with the consumption of coffee which would include prevention of diabetes type 2, depression, improved cognitive health, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Coffee is also known for helping with weight loss and reduction of inflammation because of the presence of certain antioxidants within the cup

POL 201 Week 5 Final Paper Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus,...

POL 201 Week 5 Final Paper Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror http://homeworkmonster.com/downloads/pol-201-week-5-final-paper-civil-liberties-habeas-corpus-war-terror/ POL 201 Week 5 Final Paper Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror The final assignment for this course is a Final Paper. The purpose of the Final Paper is to give you an opportunity to apply much of what you have learned about American national government to an examination of civil liberties in the context of the war on terror. The Final Paper represents 20% of the overall course grade. Soon after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the Bush administration developed a plan for holding and interrogating captured prisoners. They were†¦show more content†¦Bush as well as the views of the four dissenting justices). 6. Your evaluation of various perspectives on this topic expressed by justices of the Supreme Court, leaders in other branches of government, and commentators in both the academic and popular media. Your assessment should consider several perspectives on this topic, including : a. The role of the President as commander-in-chief. b. The role of Congress in determining when habeas corpus can be â€Å"suspended.† c. The role of the Supreme Court in protecting civil liberties, including the judicial philosophy which should guide the Court in this role, and d. Your personal philosophy, values or ideology about the balance between civil liberties and national security in the context of an unending war on terror. Follow these requirements when writing the Final Paper: 1. The body of the paper (excluding the title page and reference page) must be at least 1,500 words long. 2. The paper must start with a short introductory paragraph which includes a clear thesis statement. The thesis statement must tell readers what the essay will demonstrate. 3. The paper must end with a short paragraph that states a conclusion. The conclusion and thesis must be consistent. 4. The paper must logically develop the thesis in a way that leads to the conclusion, and that development must be supported by facts, fullyShow MoreRelatedPol 201 American National Government2975 Words   |  12 PagesPOL 201 American National Government Follow Link Below To Get Tutorial https://homeworklance.com/downloads/pol-201-american-national-government/ Description: ( POL 201 Complete Course quizzes Included ) POL 201 Week 1 DQ 1 Separation of Powers Checks and Balances Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances. For much of 2011 and 2012, public dissatisfaction with Congress rose to all time highs, with 70-80% expressing disapproval with how Congress does its job. Many commentators note

Power and Influence at Workplace free essay sample

1. What is power? Power is the ability to get someone else to do something you want done or the ability to make thing happen or get things done in the way that you want (Wood et al. 2006, p. 345). Power is a capacity that you have to influence the behavior of other so that other acts in accordance with your wishes (Robbins 2003). 2. What are the sources/bases/types of power? Power can be classified into two classes- position personal. They are: Position/Formal Power: Coercive Power: A power, based on fear. It often works through fear and it forces people to do something that ordinarily they would not choose to do. The most extreme example of coercion is government dictators who threaten physical harm for noncompliance. Reward Power: Reward powerreward powerThe ability to grant a reward, such as an increase in pay, a perk, or an attractive job assignment. is the ability to grant a reward, such as an increase in pay, a perk, or an attractive job assignment. Reward power tends to accompany legitimate power and is highest when the reward is scarce. When Steve Jobs ran Apple, he had reward power in the form of raises and promotions. Legitimate Power: Legitimate powerlegitimate powerPower that comes from one’s organizational role or position. s power that comes from one’s organizational role or position. For example, a boss can assign projects, a policeman can arrest a citizen, and a teacher assigns grades. Information Power: Power that comes from access to control over information. Itinformation powerPower that comes from access to specific information. is similar to expert power but differs in its source. Experts tend to have a vast amount of knowledge or skill, whereas information power is distinguished by access to specific information. For example, knowing price information gives a person information power during negot iations. Personal Power: Expert Power: Influence based on special skills or knowledge. Expert powerexpert powerPower that comes from knowledge and skill. comes from knowledge and skill. Steve Jobs has expert power from his ability to know what customers want—even before they can articulate it. Referent Power: Influence based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits. Referent powerreferent powerPower that stems from the personal characteristics of the person such as the degree to which we like, respect, and want to be like them. tems from the personal characteristics of the person such as the degree to which we like, respect, and want to be like them. Referent power is often called charismatic power. charismaThe ability to attract others, win their admiration, and hold them spellbound. 3. What creates dependency? Dependency is the reliance on someone or something else for aid, support, etc. DependencydependencyDirectly related to power. The more that a pe rson or unit is dependent on you, the more power you have. is directly related to power. The more that a person or unit is dependent on you, the more power you have. The strategic contingencies model provides a good description of how dependency works. The following three conditions are the sole factors of dependency: Scarcity: In the context of dependency, scarcityscarcityIn the context of dependency, refers to the uniqueness of a resource. refers to the uniqueness of a resource. The more difficult something is to obtain, the more valuable it tends to be. Effective persuaders exploit this reality by making an opportunity or offer seem more attractive because it is limited or exclusive. They might convince you to take on a project. Importance: ImportanceimportanceThe value of the resource. efers to the value of the resource. The key question here is â€Å"How important is this? † If the resources or skills you control are vital to the organization, you will gain some power. The more vital the resources that you control are, the more power you will have. Non-substitutability: Finally, substitutabilitysubstitutabilityOne’s ability to find another option that works as well as the one offered. refers to one’s ability to find another option that works as well as the one offered. The question around whether something is substitutable is â€Å"How difficult would it be for me to find another way to this? The harder it is to find a substitute, the more dependent the person becomes and the more power someone else has over them. 4. What are the contingencies of power? Sources of power can generate power in only four conditions. These are: 1. Substitutability: A contingency of power pertaining to the availability of alternatives. 2. Centrality: A contingency of power pertaining to the degree nature of interdependence between the power holder others. 3. Discretion: The freedom to exercise judgement to make decision without referring to a specific rule or receiving permission from someone else. 4. Visibility: Those who control valued resources or knowledge will yield power only when others are aware of those sources of power-in other words when it is visible. 5. Power enhancement. As I mentioned earlier that power can be divided into two groups. Sufficient power of the right types will be available when the manager has the following potentials: Enhancing position power: Increase centrality critical role in the organization: One can enhance position power by acquiring more central role in the work flow, having most updated information, performing unique job responsibilities, expanding network of communication etc. Increase the personal prudence flexibility of job: By removing routine activities, expanding task variety novelty, initiating new ideas, getting involved in new projects, one ordinary manager can become most reliable personnel of any organization. Build tasks into that are difficult to evaluate: By obtaining advanced training, developing a unique language, becoming more involved in professional associations exercising own judgement; one might reach in a top position of an organization’s hierarchy. Increase the visibility of job performance: As power holder of any organization, you may enhance your power by expanding the number of contacts with senior people of your organization, making oral presentation of written work, participating problem solving task forces. Increase the relevance of tasks to the organization: You may enhance your power by becoming an internal coordinator or external representative or mentor for new members, monitoring evaluating activities of your own unit. Enhancing Personal Power: Knowledge information: Managers can enhance their personal power through the expertise gained by possessing special knowledge by education, training information through special access to data people. Personal attractiveness: Manager’s reference power will be increased by characteristics that enhance their likeability create agreeable behavior patterns attractive personal appearance. Effort: The demonstration of sincere hard work in task performance can also increase personal power by enhancing both expertise reference. Managers who try hard are also likely to be respected for the attempt other may even come to depend on them to maintain that effort. 6. What are the consequences of power? The consequences of can be classified into two classes i. e. positive negative. These consequences are as follows: Positive consequences: Organizational alignment: Organizational alignment is the practice of aligning an organization’s strategy and culture. And, under the right condition right power holder can align an entire organization to move together to achieve goals. Higher the organizational commitment: Any sort of power higher the individual’s commitment level to prove or show that, s/he was the right choice for that task. Increase job satisfaction: When a person holds power, they feel pleased with his or her job. Because, that power might help that person to do his/her job in his/her own ways or take his/her own decisions. Negative consequences: Destroy organization: English historian John Emerich said the phrase, â€Å"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely† also warned that power is inherently evil and its holders are not to be trusted. And, history shows that power can be intoxicating and can be devastating when abused. Less empathy: It is natural that, when people become more powerful, they are more goals directed. And, when they become more goal directed, they show less empathy. 7. Which bases of power are most effective? Of the three bases of formal power (coercive, reward, legitimate), and two bases of personal power (referent, expert), which is most important to have? Interestingly, research suggests pretty clearly that personal sources of power are most effective. Both expert and referent power are positively related to employees satisfaction with supervision, their organizational commitment, and their performance, whereas reward and legitimate power seen to be unrelated to those outcomes. Moreover, one source of formal power-coercive power-actually can backfire in that it is negatively related to employee satisfaction and commitment. 8. What is Influence? The action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc. , of another or others (Dictionary. com 2011, p. ‘n. d. ’). Influence is any behavior that attempts to alter another person’s attitudes and behavior (McShane et al 2010). 9. Types of influencing others. The type of influence tactic used tends to vary based on the target. These are: Upward influence [(Top management (subordinate)]: Upward influenceupward influenceThe ability to influence your boss and others in positions higher than yours. , as its name implies, is the ability to influence your boss and others in positions higher than yours. Upward influence may include appealing to a higher authority or citing the firm’s goals as an overarching reason for others to follow your cause. Peer/Cross influence- [Co-workers (co-workers)]: Peer influence occurs all the time. But, to be effective within organizations, peers need to be willing to influence each other without being destructively competitive. There are times to support each other and times to challenge—the end goal is to create better decisions and results for the organization and to hold each other accountable. Downward influence- [Subordinates (Top management)]: Downward influencedownward influenceThe ability to influence those in positions lower than yours. s the ability to influence employees lower than you. This is best achieved through an inspiring vision. By articulating a clear vision, you help people see the end goal and move toward it. It is found that, the better the quality of the relationship between the subordinate and their supervisor, the more positively resistance to influence attempts are seen. 10. Tactics/Strategies of influencing others. When managers, employers or teams face a sit uation in which they want to influence the behavior of others, they must choose a strategy. There has no definitive influence tactics to influence others. But, there have some common identified tactics to influence others. These are as follows: |Tactics |Description |Feature | |Silent authority |Seek to establish legitimacy of request by claiming authority or by verifying | | |/ Legitimacy |consistency with claiming practices or traditions. | | | | | | | |HARD | |Assertiveness/ Pressuring |Using demands, threats or persistent reminders. | | |Information control |Explicitly manipulating someone else access to information for the purpose of | | | |changing their attitudes and/or behavior. | |Coalition formation |Forming a group that attempts to influence others by pooling the resources and | | | |power of its members. | | |Upward appeal |Gaining support of higher authorities or expertise. | | |Rational persuasion |Use logical arguments, factual evidence to convince people. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |SOFT | |Integration/ impression management |Attempt to crea te a favourable mood before making request. | | |Exchange |Offer an exchange of favours, share of benefits or promise to reciprocate at | | | |later time. | | |Inspiration |Appeal to values, ideas or aspirations to arouse enthusiasm. | | |Collaboration |Somehow making it easier for a target person to agree to a request. | | 1. Consequences of influencing others. People can influence others in different ways. On the one hand, they can restrict the others’ freedom (hard influence tactics) and ignore their interests (restrictive control). On the other hand, they can promote the others’ freedom (soft influence tactics) and take their interests into account (promotive control). Each influence effort you make have benefits challenges assosiated with it. Effects of Soft influence tactics: Build commitment: When a manager influence others by providing sufficient reasons, desirable resources or personal traits, then s/he gets employees’ voluntary endorsement support to carry out the tasks as well as to achieve organizational goals. Increase motivation: Positive or soft influence helps the organization to improve peoples performance and affect their perceptions of expectancy to achieve organizational goals. Effects of Hard influence tactics: Resistance: When a manager takes something away or punishes someone for noncompliance put employees often works through fear and it forces them to do something that ordinarily they would not choose to do, employees express their resistance to that manager. Compliance: Managers gain compliance of employees when they assign tasks provide orders from their organizational position in returns distribute rewards that others view as valuable. Undermine trust: Hard tactics of influencing others rely on position of power which tend to undermine trust which can hurt future relationships. But, trust among the members of any organization is one of the most valuable factors to bring the organization in the meridian of success. So, it is seen that, soft tactics of influence brings better outcomes for organization that helps the organization to reach its destination. 2. What is organizational politics? Organizational politics is the behaviors or tactics for personal gain at the expenses of other people possibly the organization (McShane et al 2010). Political action is a part of organizational life. It is as prevalent today as it ever was. Organizational politics occurs in different ways across different levels in organization i. e. ? Managerial level ? Sub-unit level ? Chief executive level 3. Factors contributing to support organizational politics. Individual Factors |Organizational Factors | |High self monitors | Reallocation of resources | |Internal locus of control |Promotion opportunities | |High match personality |Low trust | |Organizational investment |Role a mbiguity | |Perceived job alternatives |Unclear performance evaluation system | |Expectations of success |Zero sum reward practices | | |Democratic decision making | | |High performance pressure | | |Self serving senior managers | Table 2: Factors influencing political behavior (Robbins 2003, OB: 10 ed, pp. 377-380) 4. What are the consequences of organizational politics? Positive |Negative | |Enhance organizational competencies |Divert from organizational goals | |Helps in career advancement |Lose power, position credibility | |Helps to overcome personal inadequacies | | |Helps to cope with change | | |Substitute for formal authority | | 5. Ways to minimize organizational politics. ? By providing clear rules and regulations ? Establishing a free flow of information. ? Using education and involvement ? Supporting team norms ? Having leaders to become role models ? Giving employees more control over their work and keeping them informed. 6. Social Network: Key elements of Powe r, Influence Politics. Social network is the cultivation of social relationships with others who trust each other to accomplish specific goals through sharing caring of each other (McShane et al 2010). 7. What are the dimensions which make a network effective? There are 2 types of dimensions which make a social network effective. These are: Philosophical dimensions: Self similarity: When first starting to build networks, people tend to follow the self-similarity principle which helps to establish relationship among members easily. Proximity: We have greater trust in those who are similar to each other willing to cooperate with them to whom we see most frequently. It helps to develops strong ties with other. Sharing: When we build relationship with like minded others or those we frequently interacts with, then we restrict the flow of information or benefits within the circle. Operational dimensions: Breadth – refer to the number of people in the network, and the kinds of relationships shared by those people. It increases visibility. The benefits of breadth are that each member adds value to the network and helps members connect with a greater range of people. Depth – refer how often people meet in the network, how strongly are they attached and whether people serve more than one function (e. g. a friend who is also a colleague). While core network leads to strong ties to greater trust while extended network defined by weak ties which provides access to different groups of people. Centrality – refers to person’s importance to a particular network. They place themselves to strategic locations in the network, thereby gaining centrality. (e. g. an individual might be regarded as the main person who distribute information in the network or who keeps the network connected through informal gatherings. So, it is said that, when a social network holds the philosophical operational dimensions jointly, then it becomes effective in its own existence. 8. Ethics of Power, Influence Politics. Utilitarian outcomes: It produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Individual rights: It respects the basic human rights to free consent, free speech, and freedom of consistence, privacy due process. Distributive justice: It treats people equitably fairly as opposed to arbitrarily. After satisfying these criteria, organization should examine them by asking the following 3 questions. When they get the 3 YES out of 3 questions, then it could be said that they are ethical in their actions. Otherwise, they have to take corrective actions to be ethical. [pic] So, when an organization performs their activities on the basis of ethical standard, today or tomorrow they will be able to bring their organization on the meridian of success.

Multi-Modal Essay free essay sample

An expert professor David Crystal has supported the idea of web-based messages and disagrees with the view that slang and contractions leads to a lower English standard of language. Although this is a benefit to most people, it has been abused by some people by overusing it and different ‘language’ while typing, which cause differentiation in the way we speak and the way we write. The current views are pointing at the fact that this is causing a pejoration in this generation’s language which could badly affect their and our future; destroying the conventions of Standard English. This essay will evaluate the similarities and differences between spoken language and web-based messaging such Facebook and many more. In my research, the fifth data set is a conversation between two teenage girls. Data two is the seventh online messaging and is a conversation between two grown up men. There is vast difference both the conversation due to their age and Socialect. For instance, in the fifth data, the conversation is between the two teenage girls begin with the use of logograms; â€Å"r u okay? † and also uses an emoticon to end her message;†XO†. This shows that the teenagers are influenced by their colleagues at school or could be the way in which people speak in their demographic that would affect how they talk to people. By using emoticons, it shows how the teenagers can be creative by making up symbols to use such as 🙂 for a smile. The message is then carried on by the next participant replying as â€Å"not really†¦x†. There is a use of an ellipsis, and it could be used to signify the meaning that the message is continuous even though there is nothing written after it. The same participant also states â€Å"dunno tbh but somethings up with my stomach/ribs :/ idk I didnt know ya liked her. †. She uses initialism to shorten the time to type this message. She also uses contractions as well to shorten the time taken to type this message. Emoticons are used at the end of the message. They are a good use as they can express what you are feeling through symbols. 1 1 The conversation in data two is between two grown up men. It begins with â€Å"Using iPad now as Samsung S3 on charge been thrashing it today†. There is no type of contractions or initialism used in this message. This is because the men are grown up and live in a demographic that doesn’t use any colloquialism† is the Samsung worth getting? † â€Å"I think so†. The analysis of the message shows that there are no contractions used to shorten the message and everything is used as Standard English as how somebody would speak which is an example of Received Pronunciation. Many people use a wide range of expressions or tailor diction in a subjective manner in order to demonstrate their feeling ‘related’ to spoken language. For instance, the use of logograms in a sign to represent what they are saying and thus sentences create meaning. In spoken language, one would express one’s emotions; however in the written form one uses logograms to communicate what one is saying in a succinct way. The similarities between speech and writing are that they are both spontaneous although speech is usually more spontaneous because written discourse is usually more direct. Usually we make mistakes while speaking and some people use colloquialism while speaking just like they do when they write. Spoken and written language both use reiteration as well as fillers of hesitation like ‘umm’ or ‘err’. Some of the differences between spoken and written forms are that, written language uses many merges (two words combined that does not exist); some people may make up words in spontaneous speech by being a neologist; this is creative and shows that the youngsters are creating their own dynamic culture. Written language today uses more acronyms like ‘ttyl’ and ‘lol’ which would not make sense if you are speaking those words out loud. On the other hand, contractions like that would never come up in a spoken conversation. Written language uses a plethora of emoticons; ‘emotion’ ‘icons’ are a range of smileys with different expressions and feeling to show how one is feeling. However, this new mode of communication has destroyed the established norms of grammar. This is so because many individuals clip words into graphemes by creating their own reality. Moreover, due to a deviation to sentence structure, syntax and the use of punctuation, languages are losing their linguistic identities. Most unimpressively, nowadays, many people are even unable to spell words correctly due to the powerful influence of Skype, twitter and Facebook, with in turn provides a platform for people to unleash their own linguistic creativity. As a result of this, each individual chosen to communicate in a specific manner. 2 2 In conclusion, I think that the communications through internet is related to speech whether it makes sense or not. Unplanned speech is very much connected to the communications through internet, texting and messaging because when we speak, we don’t use the spelling technique. The main difference is that most written language is intended to be read by someone who is separated from the writer in space and time. Therefore to communicate successfully, it has to be a lot clearer than spoken language used in a face to face conversation, because the reader cannot ask the writer for clarification. Although some written genres such as texts and e-mails are very similar to spoken language, in general, written language is more dense (more content words in a smaller space) uses more subordinate clauses and has less redundancy (words like sort of, like, you know, yeah? ).

Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony Competition

Concepts and Theories Majority of companies employs both consumer-oriented approaches and organization-oriented approaches to increase sales and promote customer loyalty. Information obtained through market research enables an organization to introduce a new type of product popular among consumers or improve an existing product to make it more useful.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony Competition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Additionally, the information from market research enables a company to focus on promotional activities and pricing to increase sales. Companies dealing in technology products engage in product-orientation approach to attract more customers than the other players in the market. This involves innovative products that are high-tech and with more user-friendly applications. Other companies establish relationships with retail shops to help in distribution of th eir products. Evidence and Analysis The competition between the three companies dealing in video game consoles i.e. Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony is stiff with each employing different marketing strategies to generate more revenue and build a competitive advantage. The focus on younger generation customers who form the bulk of the customers contributed to the increase in competition. Microsoft went a notch higher in 2001 by introducing the online gaming; Ethernet, which allows users to play video games online. The next generation video game technology has led to introduction of mobile gaming by Nintendo and Sony’s play Station Portable (PSP) device which are more user-friendly; a move enhanced by the availability of Wi-Fi and broadband in most residential homes. Microsoft’s strategy involves cutting down the cost of production by moving its console manufacturing department to Asia. Microsoft also strategized to release its Xbox 360 earlier before the other competitors, thus ensuring market dominance in next-generation consoles. Microsoft’s product promotions and advertising involving cooperation with partners created consumer awareness and usefulness of the Xbox 360. Implications Competition in the console technology has led to establishment of partnerships with retail stores like Wal-Mart and Target to promote distribution of their products. The competition has also led to companies increasing their production line to include a wide range of products. Microsoft in 2006, developed PC models with features that provide a unique online gaming experience to the users. Nintendo resorted to mobile gaming by introducing the Gaming boy Advance in 2001, selling more than 75 million units. Sony on the other hand, entered the mobile gaming market segment with the introduction of Play station portable (PSP); another hit in the market.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Competition between the three companies also focused on innovative approaches to win over customers. Microsoft’s introduction of Xbox 360 in 2005 was followed by an advanced Xbox live that improved the gaming experience. The improved version coupled with strong marketing strategies allowed Microsoft to record sales of 10.4 million units of X-box lives 360. Sony’s lapse in marketing its liquid crystal display (LCD) led to shrinking market share in 2006. In addition, the production costs for the PS3’s were high and the soft ware developers did not get sufficient time to make compatible software. Nintendo focused on producing unique and cheap products as opposed to expensive products sold by the other competitors. Such cheap products include Nintendo’s Wii that is low-tech but appealing to majority of the users. Conclusion and Recommendation Microsoft employed cooperation with partners to successfully market its products and ensu ring that the products are innovative and high-tech enhanced its market dominance in console technology. Sony relied on high-tech products including the PS3 to increase its market and gain more revenue. Nintendo opted for strategies that involve innovative but cost-cutting approaches through production of low-tech Wii consoles. For a company to get a competitive advantage and gain more revenue, it should focus on producing high-tech products that meet consumer needs through innovation and reduction of production costs. This assessment on Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony Competition was written and submitted by user Eliana Ware to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sample Compare and Contrast Essay Titles Help in Your Preparation

Sample Compare and Contrast Essay Titles Help in Your PreparationSample Compare and Contrast Essay Titles are a must for all students taking the AP Calculus test in February. By the time you graduate from high school, chances are that you have already decided that you want to pursue a college degree. Unfortunately, preparing for AP Calculus is not always easy, especially if you're going to take the test in February. Preparing for the AP Calculus exam doesn't have to be difficult.Take some time today to do some preparation for your exam. Write down your weaknesses and strengths on a piece of paper and then choose the title that will best explain your strong points. You should also think about the amount of time you plan to spend studying for your exam.Sample Compare and Contrast Essay Titles are a great way to help you organize your thoughts. Also, they're a good reminder of what to expect in your essay. By reviewing these sample essay titles before the exam, you'll be able to prepare better and achieve a higher grade.First of all, you need to know that the most important essay on the test is the end of the exam. That's when you're going to write an essay titled, 'A Response to Criticism of Your High School Academic Record.' Before you start your final review, however, make sure that you've chosen a comparison and contrast essay title.A critique of your academic record is where you tell the reader why your academic performance is where it is, and why you improved your performance. In this situation, you should be able to use the sample essay titles to answer any doubts the reader might have. In fact, you should use these compare and contrast essay titles in your rebuttal.Most students aren't able to fully grasp the concepts that arecovered in the topics they are studying for their tests. If this is the case, you can use a title in your paper to tell the reader the concept that is being covered. Keep in mind that you should be able to use the basic ideas in your analysis and then provide a personal insight as well.Let's say that you only know of the four Cs in a science course and have never seen an example of how to use them in your work. With a title like, 'Reviewing the Science Communication Foundations,' you can use this compare and contrast essay title to put your reasoning into words. Now you can answer the question of how to use the four Cs in your study of the science communication foundations. This is a powerful comparison and contrast essay title because it gives the reader so much information.When you're preparing for your test day, make sure that you take some time and think about your weaknesses and strengths. Then choose a comparison and contrast essay title that will help you to stay on top of your skills. Your goals should include more than just passing the exam, but also gaining a high grade in your field of study.

COMPANY ASSIGNMENT 2015 Essays - Petroleum Politics, Free Essays

COMPANY ASSIGNMENT 2015 Essays - Petroleum Politics, Free Essays The plummeting price of oil is still the biggest energy story in the world. The oil price has fallen by more than 40% since June, the price of Brent crude as in Diagram 1.This comes after nearly five years of stability. At a meeting in Vienna on November 27th the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which controls nearly 40% of the world market, failed to reach agreement on production curbs, sending the price tumbling. Also hard hit are oil-exporting countries such as Russia (where the rouble has hit record lows), Nigeria, Iran and Venezuela. Why is the price of oil falling? The oil price is partly determined by actual supply and demand, and partly by expectation. Demand for energy is closely related to economic activity. It also spikes in the winter in the northern hemisphere, and during summers in countries which use air conditioning. Supply can be affected by weather (which prevents tankers loading) and by geopolitical upsets. If producers think the price is staying high, they invest, which after a lag boosts supply. Similarly, low prices lead to an investment drought. OPECs decisions shape expectations; if it curbs supply sharply, it can send prices spiking. Saudi Arabia produces nearly 10m barrels a daya third of the OPEC total. Four things are now affecting the picture. Demand is low because of weak economic activity, increased efficiency, and a growing switch away from oil to other fuels. Second, turmoil in Iraq and Libya, two big oil producers with nearly 4m barrels a day combined has not affected their output. The market is more sanguine about geopolitical risk. Thirdly, America has become the worlds largest oil producer. Though it does not export crude oil, it now imports much less, creating a lot of spare supply. Finally, the Saudis and their Gulf allies have decided not to sacrifice their own market share to restore the price. They could curb production sharply, but the main benefits would go to countries they detest such as Iran and Russia. Saudi Arabia can tolerate lower oil prices quite easily. It has $900 billion in reserves. Its own oil costs very little (around $5-6 per barrel) to get out of the ground. The main effect of this is on the riskiest and most vulnerable bits of the oil industry. These include American frackers who have borrowed heavily on the expectation of continuing high prices. They also include Western oil companies with high-cost projects involving drilling in deep water or in the Arctic, or dealing with maturing and increasingly expensive fields such as the North Sea. But the greatest pain is in countries where the regimes are dependent on a high oil price to pay for costly foreign adventures and expensive social programmes. These include Russia (which is already hit by Western sanctions following its meddling in Ukraine) and Iran (which is paying to keep the Assad regime afloat in Syria). Optimists think economic pain may make these countries more amenable to international pressure. Pessimists fear that when cornered, they may lash out in desperation World's largest oil exporter is forcing prices lower to win back market share but the high-risk strategy will test the house of Saudi like never before. Saudi Arabia has won the opening battle of its radical oil strategy by forcing prices lower. But the kingdom is about to enter into a dangerous new phase in its war to regain control of the worlds oil market. Saudi succeeded in bullying the other members of the (OPEC) into continuing to pump their current quota of 30m barrels per day as its first objective. The kingdoms veteran oil minister Ali Naimi clearly believes is necessary to shut down the cartels biggest rivals in Russia and the shale oil fields of Dakota. With 13pc of global oil reserves and the cheapest production costs, the kingdom believes that it can still buy back the market and secure higher prices over the long term. This is one of the most important policy initiatives by Saudi Arabia in the modern era. If victorious, Saudi Arabia will emerge stronger after re-asserting its global significance as the custodian of the worlds primary energy source. Besides, Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi, the architect of OPECs strategy to

Bloodlines Chapter Thirteen

I answered and found Eddie on the other end of the line. â€Å"I’m downstairs,† he said. â€Å"Ready to practice some self-defense before it gets too hot.† â€Å"You’re going to have to do it without me,† I said. I had a feeling Eddie was taking his promise to Clarence about training us very seriously. I felt no such obligation. â€Å"I’ve got a ton of homework to do. That, and I’m sure Ms. Terwilliger’s going to make me do a coffee run today.† â€Å"Well, then send Jill down,† said Eddie. I glanced over to the cocoon of blankets on her bed. â€Å"That might be easier said than done.† Surprisingly, she managed to rouse herself enough to brush her teeth, take aspirin for a headache, and throw on some workout clothes. She bid me farewell, and I promised to check on them later. Not long after that, Ms. Terwilliger called with her coffee demand, and I prepared myself for another day of trying to fit in my own work with hers. I drove over to Spencer’s and didn’t even notice Trey until I was standing right in front of him. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger’s?† he asked, pointing to the caramel sauce cappuccino. â€Å"Huh?† I looked up. Trey was my cashier. â€Å"You work here?† He nodded. â€Å"Gotta make spending money somehow.† I handed him some cash, noting that he’d charged me half price. â€Å"Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t look so great,† I told him. He looked tired and worn out around the edges. Closer inspection showed bruises and cuts as well. â€Å"Yeah, well, I had kind of a rough day yesterday.† I hesitated. That was a leading comment, but there was no one in line behind me. â€Å"What happened?† I asked, knowing it was expected. Trey scowled. â€Å"That asshole Greg Slade wreaked havoc in football tryouts yesterday. I mean, the results aren’t up yet, but it’s pretty obvious he’s going to get quarterback. He was like a machine, just plowing guys over.† He extended his left hand, which had some bandage-wrapped fingers. â€Å"He stepped on my hand too.† I winced, remembering Slade’s out-of-control athleticism in PE. The politics of high school football and who was quarterback weren’t that important to me. True, I felt sorry for Trey, but it was the source behind the tattoos that intrigued me. Keith’s warnings about not causing trouble rang back to me, but I was unable to stop myself. â€Å"I know about the tattoos,† I said. â€Å"Julia and Kristin told me about them. And I get now why you were suspicious of mine – but it’s not what you think. Really.† â€Å"That’s not what I’ve heard. Most people think you’re just saying that because you don’t want to tell where you got it.† I was a little taken aback by that. I was pretty sure Julia and Kristin had believed me. Were they actually spreading around the opposite? â€Å"I had no idea.† He shrugged, a small smile on his lips. â€Å"Don’t worry. I believe you. There’s something kind of naively charming about you. You don’t seem like the cheating type.† â€Å"Hey,† I scolded. â€Å"I’m not naive.† â€Å"It was a compliment.† â€Å"How long have these tattoos been around?† I asked, deciding it was best to move in. â€Å"I heard since last year.† He handed me my coffee, thinking. â€Å"Yeah, but it was the end of last year. School year, I mean.† â€Å"And they come from a placed called Nevermore?† â€Å"As far as I know.† Trey eyed me suspiciously. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Just curious,† I said sweetly. A couple of college kids dressed like rich hobos got in line behind me and regarded us impatiently. â€Å"Can we get some service here?† Trey gave them a stiff smile and then rolled his eyes at me as I moved away. â€Å"See you around, Melbourne.† I headed back to Amberwood and delivered Ms. Terwilliger’s coffee. I wasn’t in the mood to stay leashed to her all day, so I asked if I could go elsewhere if I kept my cell phone handy. She agreed. The library had too much activity and – ironically – noise for me today. I wanted the solitude of my room. As I was cutting across the lawn to catch the shuttle, I spotted some familiar figures behind a cluster of trees. I changed direction and found Jill and Eddie squaring off in a small clearing. Micah sat cross-legged on the ground, watching avidly. He waved at me as I approached. â€Å"I didn’t realize your brother was a kung-fu master,† he remarked. â€Å"It’s not kung fu,† said Eddie gruffly, never taking his eyes off Jill. â€Å"Same difference,† said Micah. â€Å"It’s still pretty badass.† Eddie feinted, like he was going to strike at Jill’s side. She responded fairly quickly with a block, though not quite fast enough to match him. Had he been serious, he would have hit her. Still, he seemed pleased with her response time. â€Å"Good. That would deflect part of a hit, though you’d still feel it. Best is if you can duck and dodge altogether, but that takes a little more work.† Jill nodded obediently. â€Å"When can we work on that?† Eddie regarded her with pride. That expression softened after a few moments of study. â€Å"Not today. Too much sun.† Jill started to protest and then stopped herself. She had that worn-out-from-the-light look again and was sweating heavily. She glanced up at the sky for a moment, as though begging it to give us some cloud cover. It remained unresponsive, so she nodded at Eddie. â€Å"All right. But we’re doing this tomorrow at the same time? Or earlier maybe. Or maybe tonight! Could we do both? Practice tonight when the sun’s going down and then again in the morning? Would you mind?† Eddie grinned, amused at her enthusiasm. â€Å"Whatever you want.† Smiling back, Jill sat down beside me, getting into as much shade as possible. Eddie regarded me expectantly. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Aren’t you supposed to learn to throw a punch?† I scoffed. â€Å"No. When would I ever need to do that?† Jill nudged me. â€Å"Do it, Sydney!† Reluctantly, I allowed Eddie to give me a quick lesson on throwing a punch without injuring my hand in the process. I barely paid attention and felt like I was mostly providing entertainment for the others. When Eddie finished with me, Micah asked, â€Å"Hey, would you mind showing me some ninja moves too?† â€Å"They have nothing to do with ninjas,† protested Eddie, still smiling. â€Å"Come on up.† Micah leapt to his feet, and Eddie walked him through some rudimentary steps. More than anything, it seemed like Eddie was sizing up Micah and his capabilities. After a while, Eddie grew comfortable and let Micah practice some offensive moves to get rid of an attacker. â€Å"Hey,† protested Jill when Eddie landed a kick on Micah. Micah shrugged it off in a guy kind of way. â€Å"No fair. You wouldn’t hit me when we were practicing.† Eddie was caught off guard enough that Micah actually got a hit in. Eddie gave him a look of grudging respect and then said to Jill, â€Å"That was different.† â€Å"Because I’m a girl?† she demanded. â€Å"You never held back with Rose.† â€Å"Who’s Rose?† asked Micah. â€Å"Another friend,† explained Eddie. To Jill, he said: â€Å"And Rose has had years more experience than you.† â€Å"She’s had more than Micah too. You were going easy on me.† Eddie flushed and kept his eyes on Micah. â€Å"Was not,† he said. â€Å"Were too,† she muttered. As the boys sparred again, she said quietly to me, â€Å"How am I ever going to learn if he’s afraid of breaking me?† I watched the guys, analyzing what I knew of Eddie so far. â€Å"I think it’s more complicated than that. I think he also just believes you shouldn’t have to take the risk – that if he’s doing a good enough job, you shouldn’t have to defend yourself.† â€Å"He’s doing a great job. You should have seen him at the attack.† Her face got that haunted look it did whenever the attack that had driven her into hiding was mentioned. â€Å"But I still need to learn.† She lowered her voice even more. â€Å"I really want to learn to use my magic to fight too, not that I’ll get much practice in this desert.† I shuddered, recalling her display from the night before. â€Å"There’ll be time,† I said vaguely. I stood up, saying I had to go get some work done. Micah asked Eddie and Jill if they wanted to get lunch. Eddie said yes immediately. Jill looked to me for help. â€Å"It’s just lunch,† said Eddie meaningfully. I knew he still thought Micah was harmless. I didn’t know, but after seeing how infatuated Jill was with Lee, I figured Micah would have to make some pretty aggressive moves to get anywhere. â€Å"I’m sure it’s fine,† I said. Jill looked relieved, and the group headed off. I spent the day finishing off that miserable book for Ms. Terwilliger. I still thought having to copy the archaic spells and rituals verbatim was a waste of time. The only point I could see for it was that if she ever did need to reference them for her research, she would have an easy computer file to check and not risk damage to the ancient book. It was evening by the time I finished that and my other homework. Jill still wasn’t back, and I decided to use the opportunity to check on something that had been bothering me. Earlier in the day, Jill had mentioned Eddie defending her in the attack. I’d felt from the beginning that there was something strange about that initial attack, something that they weren’t telling me. So, I logged onto the Alchemists’ network and pulled up everything we had on the Moroi rebels. Naturally, it was all documented. We had to keep track of important events among the Moroi, and this ranked pretty high. Somehow, the Alchemists had gotten pictures of the Moroi Court, with protesters lined up outside one of the administrative buildings. Dhampir guardians were easy to pick out as they mingled and kept order. To my surprise, I recognized Dimitri Belikov – Rose’s boyfriend – among those doing crowd control. He was easy to spot since he was almost always taller than everyone around him. Dhampirs look very human, and even I could admit that he was pretty good-looking. There was a rugged handsomeness to him, and even in a still photograph, I could see a fierceness as he watched the crowd. Other protest pictures confirmed what I knew. By far, most people supported the young queen. Those against her were a minority – but a loud and dangerous one. A video from a human news show in Denver showed two Moroi guys nearly getting in a bar fight. They were shouting about queens and justice, most of which wouldn’t make sense to a human observer. What made this video special was that the guy who’d filmed it – some random human with a cell phone camera – claimed he’d seen fangs on both men in the argument. The videographer had submitted his recording claiming he’d witnessed a vampire fight, but no one gave it much credibility. It was too grainy for anything to show up. Still, it was a reminder of what could happen if the Moroi situation spun out of control. A status check showed me that Queen Vasilisa was indeed trying to get a law passed so that her rule was no longer dependent on there being at least one other person in her royal family. Alchemist experts guessed it would take three months, which was about what Rose had said. The number loomed in my head like a ticking time bomb. We needed to keep Jill safe for three months. And for three months, Vasilisa’s enemies would be trying harder than ever to get to Jill. If Jill died, Vasilisa’s rule would end – along with her attempts to fix the system. Yet none of this was what had really driven me to research. I wanted to know about Jill’s initial attack, the one that no one talked about. What I found wasn’t much help. No Alchemists had been there at the time, of course, so our information was based on what Moroi sources had reported. All we knew was that â€Å"the queen’s sister had been viciously and severely attacked – but had made a full recovery.† From what I’d observed, that was certainly true. Jill showed no signs of injury, and the attack had occurred a week before she came to Palm Springs. Was that enough time to heal from a â€Å"vicious and severe† attack? And was an attack like that enough to make her wake screaming? I didn’t know but still couldn’t shake my suspicions. When Jill came home later, she was in such a good mood that I couldn’t bear to interrogate her. I also remembered too late that I’d meant to research the case of Clarence’s niece and her bizarre death by throat-slitting. Jill’s situation had distracted me. I let the matter go and called it an early night. Tomorrow, I thought drowsily. I’ll do it all tomorrow. Tomorrow came much more quickly than I expected. I was woken out of a heavy sleep by someone shaking me, and for a split second, the old nightmare was there, the one about Alchemists carrying me away in the night. Recognizing Jill, I just barely stopped myself from screaming. â€Å"Hey, hey,† I scolded. There was light outside, but it was purplish. Barely after sunrise. â€Å"What’s going on? What’s the matter?† Jill looked at me, face grim and eyes wide with fear. â€Å"It’s Adrian. You have to rescue him.† Bloodlines Chapter Thirteen I answered and found Eddie on the other end of the line. â€Å"I’m downstairs,† he said. â€Å"Ready to practice some self-defense before it gets too hot.† â€Å"You’re going to have to do it without me,† I said. I had a feeling Eddie was taking his promise to Clarence about training us very seriously. I felt no such obligation. â€Å"I’ve got a ton of homework to do. That, and I’m sure Ms. Terwilliger’s going to make me do a coffee run today.† â€Å"Well, then send Jill down,† said Eddie. I glanced over to the cocoon of blankets on her bed. â€Å"That might be easier said than done.† Surprisingly, she managed to rouse herself enough to brush her teeth, take aspirin for a headache, and throw on some workout clothes. She bid me farewell, and I promised to check on them later. Not long after that, Ms. Terwilliger called with her coffee demand, and I prepared myself for another day of trying to fit in my own work with hers. I drove over to Spencer’s and didn’t even notice Trey until I was standing right in front of him. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger’s?† he asked, pointing to the caramel sauce cappuccino. â€Å"Huh?† I looked up. Trey was my cashier. â€Å"You work here?† He nodded. â€Å"Gotta make spending money somehow.† I handed him some cash, noting that he’d charged me half price. â€Å"Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t look so great,† I told him. He looked tired and worn out around the edges. Closer inspection showed bruises and cuts as well. â€Å"Yeah, well, I had kind of a rough day yesterday.† I hesitated. That was a leading comment, but there was no one in line behind me. â€Å"What happened?† I asked, knowing it was expected. Trey scowled. â€Å"That asshole Greg Slade wreaked havoc in football tryouts yesterday. I mean, the results aren’t up yet, but it’s pretty obvious he’s going to get quarterback. He was like a machine, just plowing guys over.† He extended his left hand, which had some bandage-wrapped fingers. â€Å"He stepped on my hand too.† I winced, remembering Slade’s out-of-control athleticism in PE. The politics of high school football and who was quarterback weren’t that important to me. True, I felt sorry for Trey, but it was the source behind the tattoos that intrigued me. Keith’s warnings about not causing trouble rang back to me, but I was unable to stop myself. â€Å"I know about the tattoos,† I said. â€Å"Julia and Kristin told me about them. And I get now why you were suspicious of mine – but it’s not what you think. Really.† â€Å"That’s not what I’ve heard. Most people think you’re just saying that because you don’t want to tell where you got it.† I was a little taken aback by that. I was pretty sure Julia and Kristin had believed me. Were they actually spreading around the opposite? â€Å"I had no idea.† He shrugged, a small smile on his lips. â€Å"Don’t worry. I believe you. There’s something kind of naively charming about you. You don’t seem like the cheating type.† â€Å"Hey,† I scolded. â€Å"I’m not naive.† â€Å"It was a compliment.† â€Å"How long have these tattoos been around?† I asked, deciding it was best to move in. â€Å"I heard since last year.† He handed me my coffee, thinking. â€Å"Yeah, but it was the end of last year. School year, I mean.† â€Å"And they come from a placed called Nevermore?† â€Å"As far as I know.† Trey eyed me suspiciously. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Just curious,† I said sweetly. A couple of college kids dressed like rich hobos got in line behind me and regarded us impatiently. â€Å"Can we get some service here?† Trey gave them a stiff smile and then rolled his eyes at me as I moved away. â€Å"See you around, Melbourne.† I headed back to Amberwood and delivered Ms. Terwilliger’s coffee. I wasn’t in the mood to stay leashed to her all day, so I asked if I could go elsewhere if I kept my cell phone handy. She agreed. The library had too much activity and – ironically – noise for me today. I wanted the solitude of my room. As I was cutting across the lawn to catch the shuttle, I spotted some familiar figures behind a cluster of trees. I changed direction and found Jill and Eddie squaring off in a small clearing. Micah sat cross-legged on the ground, watching avidly. He waved at me as I approached. â€Å"I didn’t realize your brother was a kung-fu master,† he remarked. â€Å"It’s not kung fu,† said Eddie gruffly, never taking his eyes off Jill. â€Å"Same difference,† said Micah. â€Å"It’s still pretty badass.† Eddie feinted, like he was going to strike at Jill’s side. She responded fairly quickly with a block, though not quite fast enough to match him. Had he been serious, he would have hit her. Still, he seemed pleased with her response time. â€Å"Good. That would deflect part of a hit, though you’d still feel it. Best is if you can duck and dodge altogether, but that takes a little more work.† Jill nodded obediently. â€Å"When can we work on that?† Eddie regarded her with pride. That expression softened after a few moments of study. â€Å"Not today. Too much sun.† Jill started to protest and then stopped herself. She had that worn-out-from-the-light look again and was sweating heavily. She glanced up at the sky for a moment, as though begging it to give us some cloud cover. It remained unresponsive, so she nodded at Eddie. â€Å"All right. But we’re doing this tomorrow at the same time? Or earlier maybe. Or maybe tonight! Could we do both? Practice tonight when the sun’s going down and then again in the morning? Would you mind?† Eddie grinned, amused at her enthusiasm. â€Å"Whatever you want.† Smiling back, Jill sat down beside me, getting into as much shade as possible. Eddie regarded me expectantly. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Aren’t you supposed to learn to throw a punch?† I scoffed. â€Å"No. When would I ever need to do that?† Jill nudged me. â€Å"Do it, Sydney!† Reluctantly, I allowed Eddie to give me a quick lesson on throwing a punch without injuring my hand in the process. I barely paid attention and felt like I was mostly providing entertainment for the others. When Eddie finished with me, Micah asked, â€Å"Hey, would you mind showing me some ninja moves too?† â€Å"They have nothing to do with ninjas,† protested Eddie, still smiling. â€Å"Come on up.† Micah leapt to his feet, and Eddie walked him through some rudimentary steps. More than anything, it seemed like Eddie was sizing up Micah and his capabilities. After a while, Eddie grew comfortable and let Micah practice some offensive moves to get rid of an attacker. â€Å"Hey,† protested Jill when Eddie landed a kick on Micah. Micah shrugged it off in a guy kind of way. â€Å"No fair. You wouldn’t hit me when we were practicing.† Eddie was caught off guard enough that Micah actually got a hit in. Eddie gave him a look of grudging respect and then said to Jill, â€Å"That was different.† â€Å"Because I’m a girl?† she demanded. â€Å"You never held back with Rose.† â€Å"Who’s Rose?† asked Micah. â€Å"Another friend,† explained Eddie. To Jill, he said: â€Å"And Rose has had years more experience than you.† â€Å"She’s had more than Micah too. You were going easy on me.† Eddie flushed and kept his eyes on Micah. â€Å"Was not,† he said. â€Å"Were too,† she muttered. As the boys sparred again, she said quietly to me, â€Å"How am I ever going to learn if he’s afraid of breaking me?† I watched the guys, analyzing what I knew of Eddie so far. â€Å"I think it’s more complicated than that. I think he also just believes you shouldn’t have to take the risk – that if he’s doing a good enough job, you shouldn’t have to defend yourself.† â€Å"He’s doing a great job. You should have seen him at the attack.† Her face got that haunted look it did whenever the attack that had driven her into hiding was mentioned. â€Å"But I still need to learn.† She lowered her voice even more. â€Å"I really want to learn to use my magic to fight too, not that I’ll get much practice in this desert.† I shuddered, recalling her display from the night before. â€Å"There’ll be time,† I said vaguely. I stood up, saying I had to go get some work done. Micah asked Eddie and Jill if they wanted to get lunch. Eddie said yes immediately. Jill looked to me for help. â€Å"It’s just lunch,† said Eddie meaningfully. I knew he still thought Micah was harmless. I didn’t know, but after seeing how infatuated Jill was with Lee, I figured Micah would have to make some pretty aggressive moves to get anywhere. â€Å"I’m sure it’s fine,† I said. Jill looked relieved, and the group headed off. I spent the day finishing off that miserable book for Ms. Terwilliger. I still thought having to copy the archaic spells and rituals verbatim was a waste of time. The only point I could see for it was that if she ever did need to reference them for her research, she would have an easy computer file to check and not risk damage to the ancient book. It was evening by the time I finished that and my other homework. Jill still wasn’t back, and I decided to use the opportunity to check on something that had been bothering me. Earlier in the day, Jill had mentioned Eddie defending her in the attack. I’d felt from the beginning that there was something strange about that initial attack, something that they weren’t telling me. So, I logged onto the Alchemists’ network and pulled up everything we had on the Moroi rebels. Naturally, it was all documented. We had to keep track of important events among the Moroi, and this ranked pretty high. Somehow, the Alchemists had gotten pictures of the Moroi Court, with protesters lined up outside one of the administrative buildings. Dhampir guardians were easy to pick out as they mingled and kept order. To my surprise, I recognized Dimitri Belikov – Rose’s boyfriend – among those doing crowd control. He was easy to spot since he was almost always taller than everyone around him. Dhampirs look very human, and even I could admit that he was pretty good-looking. There was a rugged handsomeness to him, and even in a still photograph, I could see a fierceness as he watched the crowd. Other protest pictures confirmed what I knew. By far, most people supported the young queen. Those against her were a minority – but a loud and dangerous one. A video from a human news show in Denver showed two Moroi guys nearly getting in a bar fight. They were shouting about queens and justice, most of which wouldn’t make sense to a human observer. What made this video special was that the guy who’d filmed it – some random human with a cell phone camera – claimed he’d seen fangs on both men in the argument. The videographer had submitted his recording claiming he’d witnessed a vampire fight, but no one gave it much credibility. It was too grainy for anything to show up. Still, it was a reminder of what could happen if the Moroi situation spun out of control. A status check showed me that Queen Vasilisa was indeed trying to get a law passed so that her rule was no longer dependent on there being at least one other person in her royal family. Alchemist experts guessed it would take three months, which was about what Rose had said. The number loomed in my head like a ticking time bomb. We needed to keep Jill safe for three months. And for three months, Vasilisa’s enemies would be trying harder than ever to get to Jill. If Jill died, Vasilisa’s rule would end – along with her attempts to fix the system. Yet none of this was what had really driven me to research. I wanted to know about Jill’s initial attack, the one that no one talked about. What I found wasn’t much help. No Alchemists had been there at the time, of course, so our information was based on what Moroi sources had reported. All we knew was that â€Å"the queen’s sister had been viciously and severely attacked – but had made a full recovery.† From what I’d observed, that was certainly true. Jill showed no signs of injury, and the attack had occurred a week before she came to Palm Springs. Was that enough time to heal from a â€Å"vicious and severe† attack? And was an attack like that enough to make her wake screaming? I didn’t know but still couldn’t shake my suspicions. When Jill came home later, she was in such a good mood that I couldn’t bear to interrogate her. I also remembered too late that I’d meant to research the case of Clarence’s niece and her bizarre death by throat-slitting. Jill’s situation had distracted me. I let the matter go and called it an early night. Tomorrow, I thought drowsily. I’ll do it all tomorrow. Tomorrow came much more quickly than I expected. I was woken out of a heavy sleep by someone shaking me, and for a split second, the old nightmare was there, the one about Alchemists carrying me away in the night. Recognizing Jill, I just barely stopped myself from screaming. â€Å"Hey, hey,† I scolded. There was light outside, but it was purplish. Barely after sunrise. â€Å"What’s going on? What’s the matter?† Jill looked at me, face grim and eyes wide with fear. â€Å"It’s Adrian. You have to rescue him.†