Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Seven

When I crossed over to the castle in the Thorn Land, I was surprised to find Nia sitting on the floor beside my rabbit paperweight. Her knees were drawn up, and her face-which appeared tear-streaked-rested on her knees. Yet, when she saw me, her face lit up like the sun bursting from behind clouds. â€Å"Your majesty!† she cried, springing up. â€Å"Some of them said†¦they said you wouldn't come back. But I knew. I knew you would.† The devotion in the girl's eyes was startling. Nia had been another servant passed from Dorian, and it had never occurred to me that she would serve me out of such love. â€Å"Of course I came back,† I said softly. â€Å"Why wouldn't I?† She averted her eyes. â€Å"After everything that happened, and†¦well, because of Queen Katrice. There are those who assumed you'd abandon us and stay in the world of the humans.† I didn't bother pointing out that abandoning this land would kill me. I was too shocked by something else. â€Å"They thought†¦they thought I'd just start a war and leave?† â€Å"I knew you wouldn't,† she said fervently. â€Å"I knew you wouldn't.† I gave her a small, comforting smile while a knot twisted in my stomach. â€Å"Take me to Shaya and Rurik.† The two of them were surprised by my arrival, but something told me they hadn't doubted I would return either. I could tell by the compassion on Shaya's face that what Leith had done to me was common knowledge. To my surprise, it was Rurik I took the most comfort from. He didn't question my appearance. He offered no sympathies. He simply jumped straight to business. â€Å"We've gathered as many soldiers as we could while you've been gone,† he said. â€Å"Some are camped outside, and Dorian's said he'll send reinforcements-his military's much larger. The majority of yours is in Highmore. We'll need to determine the best way to distribute them.† For a moment, I felt dizzy as he continued rattling off military strategy. What was going on? What was I doing? I was a girl from Tucson who'd grown up in a middle-class neighborhood. How on earth was I standing here, listening to a fairy soldier explain how to lead a war? I held up a hand. â€Å"Wait†¦before you go any further. Is there†¦is there any way this can be avoided?† Kiyo's words came back to me, and I hated to say what I did next. â€Å"Is there any way to make peace?† Rurik's eyes widened, and shock and anger filled his features. â€Å"Peace? After what-â€Å" Shaya silenced him with a gesture of her own. â€Å"Yes, actually. Katrice sent a rather long letter about it.† â€Å"So†¦we could get her to understand that it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Was an accident? Hardly. â€Å"I mean, could Katrice let all of this go, considering Leith started it?† Shaya cleared her throat uncomfortably, and Rurik looked angry. â€Å"Well,† she began, â€Å"not entirely. For Katrice not to go to war, she demands that we become her subject kingdom and has very specific details on the kinds of tribute and taxes she requires for that. She also†¦she also says that you must marry her nephew in place of her son and tie this kingdom to her through that branch of the family. My impression is she sent a similar list of demands to Dorian-aside from the nephew part-which he refused rather, ah, indelicately.† I stared, my mouth agape. That was not what I had in mind. How could Katrice demand those kinds of things after what Leith had done? How dare she act as though I had done something wrong? Yes, I could imagine her grief for her only son. I wasn't that heartless. Yet†¦what she was suggesting was ludicrous. And if she thought I would ever, ever let another member of her family lay a hand on me†¦ I turned back to Rurik as though the issue of peace with Katrice had never been mentioned. Later, I would ask Shaya to help me compose a formal response to Katrice's letter, something along the lines of I am the Thorn Queen. Fuck off. â€Å"What should I do next?† I asked Rurik. He smiled, a fierce delight in his eyes. â€Å"You should speak to the soldiers gathered here and make an official declaration of war. And then you should go to Highmore and speak to the ones there. They don't even know you as their queen yet, let alone the person sending them to fight. And you should practice up on your magic, both for battle and to show your own people that that Rowan bitch can't touch you.† I shivered at the feelings his words inspired in me. In Tucson, I'd been trying to hide from my magic, but now it was calling to me again. And with this threat from Katrice-no, this insult from Katrice-there was nothing I wanted more than to summon all the forces of nature and rip her apart. â€Å"Dorian is coming here-today, I think,† said Shaya, interrupting my murderous thoughts. â€Å"Follow his lead. He knows what to do.† I wasn't entirely sure what that meant. The only thing I felt certain of was that I wasn't quite ready to go over the maps Rurik had laid out and examine all the troop placements he had in mind. I'd always sucked at Risk and had a feeling this would be similar. Besides, I hadn't returned to the Thorn Land to make war-not right at this second, at least. I'd come because of the dream from last night, the dream where I'd felt at peace. Because at the moment, I felt no peace. A gentry queen wanted to lead armies in and kill my people-and I was supposed to do the same to her. I'd just broken up with my boyfriend, someone I loved dearly, because I-possibly irrationally-held him responsible for not protecting me from an assailant. And as for that assailant†¦well, his face still flashed in my mind, and no matter how much time passed, I couldn't seem to rid myself of that dirty feeling within me or my repulsion at being touched. I swore to Rurik that I'd talk to him later, that I needed some time to myself first, and left them both for one of the castle's enclosed gardens. It was the one I frequently meditated in, where Shaya was still attempting to grow grass and where Kiyo and I had made love. I sat down there cross-legged, taking in the sun on the orange rocks around me and relishing in the faint breeze that stirred the branches of the mesquite and smokethorn trees. A tiny lizard scurried off behind a rock, and I heard what sounded like a hummingbird-or a big-ass bee-in a cluster of nearby flowers. I cleared my mind and tried to communicate with and heal the land like I had before, but for whatever reason, the connection didn't come. Panic seized me. Had the events with Leith broken something within me? Had I lost my ability to revive the kingdom? I sat there sweating, wondering what would happen to the land if I couldn't connect to it. The heat eventually made me sleepy, and I lay down on the grass, my hands digging into the earth. When I woke up, two things immediate became apparent. First, I felt†¦better. I felt strong and refreshed, and all around me, the colors and scents seemed stronger and more vivid. I still wasn't happy about the impending war, but that horrible feeling in me†¦the bitterness Leith had left†¦well, it had lessened. The air hummed around me, and for a disorienting second, I couldn't tell where I ended and the land began. It was then that I realized why my meditation hadn't worked. I had been in no condition to heal the land. It had had to heal me. I was energized now, ready to do anything. Ready to lead a war. The other thing I noticed after waking was that Jasmine was sitting right beside me, gray eyes staring into mine. I bolted upright. â€Å"What the hell are you doing here?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You're not supposed to be loose.† Girard's cuffs were still upon her, and she jerked her head back toward the castle. â€Å"I'm not exactly loose.† I followed her motion and saw a dozen guards, all keeping a respectful distance, but all watching Jasmine closely. When Volusian had disappeared, Rurik had undoubtedly increased her security detail. â€Å"Jasmine,† I said, â€Å"I'm not really in the mood for your banter, okay? Save your whining and insults for a day when I don't have to worry about having caused a war.† Her face was perfectly calm. â€Å"I heard what happened to you.† I braced for smugness. â€Å"Yeah, I'm sure everyone has.† â€Å"I'll fight for you, you know.† â€Å"Look, I'm sure-wait. What did you say?† I stared at her, waiting to see that composure crack. It didn't. She was still serious and actually looked older than her age. â€Å"He had no right. I told you before: no one does that to a daughter of Storm King. Not even to you.† I was speechless for a moment, still waiting for a punch line. â€Å"Jasmine†¦you hate me.† She nodded. â€Å"Yup. But that doesn't change what happened. No one does that to our father either and gets away without punishment. Dorian should stab Katrice too.† I decided not to mention that nothing had been done to our father technically, seeing as he had died years ago. â€Å"What will you do exactly?† â€Å"Same thing you will. Fight. Use my magic. Summon monsters.† â€Å"But†¦I mean, even if you're trying to, um, protect our family honor, you realize you're still helping me in the process, right? I thought you wanted to destroy me and go have Dad's world-conquering grandson.† â€Å"Oh,† she said sweetly, â€Å"I still do. And I will. But we're going to deal with Katrice first. Our father's heir cannot be born from rape. I told you before-only someone worthy. That bastard wasn't, and his mother has to pay for it. Once she's done†¦well, then I'll deal with you. Besides, someone's got to take her kingdom when we kill her. Might as well be me.† Whoa. There were so many parts of Jasmine's logic that were flawed that I didn't even know where to start. I didn't entirely know the story of her own conception, but my mother had been raped. God knew how many other women Storm King had taken advantage of; I found it hypocritical of Jasmine to take such a high moral ground about his heir in light of that. Still, I couldn't deny the fact that she would be useful, and if that was the reasoning it took for her to help me, so be it. It would also be handy to not have her trying to kill me. â€Å"Well, then, thanks,† I said at last. I decided not to mention just then that there was no way in hell I would ever let her rule the Rowan Land. Details, details. Jasmine looked supremely pleased. â€Å"So I can go free then, right?† I scoffed. â€Å"Not a chance.† â€Å"But I'm helping you!† â€Å"Yeah, and in the same breath, you talked about how you want to usurp me. Look†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I glanced back at her guardians. I would have to consult with Rurik about those least likely to try to knock her up, now that Volusian was missing. Some of my soldiers were female. â€Å"You can wander the castle more-under guard, of course. And I'll see about†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, suddenly recalling my helpers at Art's house. They were close to Jasmine's age, relatively speaking, and for Markelle at least, I had no doubts whatsoever of her loyalty. I wondered if she might have the makings of a bodyguard/friend. â€Å"I'll see about getting someone your own age to hang out with you.† Jasmine scowled. â€Å"That's not what I had in mind.† â€Å"Yeah, well, your cell in the dungeon is still available.† She gave me her trademark sullen glare and then stormed off back inside. Nonetheless, I felt like she really would help me, and frankly, I was going to need everyone I could find to get me out of this mess. Kiyo had implied that Katrice might call in some allies, and if this became about multiple kingdoms squaring off†¦ I stood up, suddenly feeling ill about it all once more. The flames of passion and initiative that had flared in me earlier began to flicker uneasily. I couldn't do this. I couldn't lead an army. I couldn't go to war. What was I thinking? Trying to shake off my building panic attack, I headed back toward the castle, wanting to hide in my room for a while. I passed Rurik along the way. He'd apparently been seeking me, hoping I'd go talk to the gathered soldiers and inspire them-particularly since word had come that Dorian was almost here. I nodded quickly, promising anything, so long as I could get a moment to compose myself and summon my earlier confidence. All of this was overwhelming me. I needed to be alone, lest I start crying. Only, I was apparently still a ways from being left alone. Ysabel was standing outside my bedroom, arms crossed. Apparently, my earlier suspicions had been right. She really did hang out in the hall waiting for me. â€Å"No magic lessons,† I told her. â€Å"Magic lessons?† she exclaimed, straightening up. She was as immaculate as ever, her red hair twisted into myriad braids. â€Å"I'm never teaching you anything again. My lord is sending me away-and all because of you!† The land might have healed me, but there were only so many weird revelations I could handle today. Jasmine becoming my ally currently held the lion's share. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"My lord is on his way,† she hissed. â€Å"And he sent word that I was to pack up my things and be prepared to leave. He has a small group of guards ready to escort me away.† â€Å"So?† I shrugged, eyeing my door longingly. â€Å"Isn't that what you wanted?† She took a step toward me. â€Å"He's not sending me back to the castle. He's sending me back to my village-back to my children. Don't you understand? He's through with me! He's casting me aside because of you!† The anger and hate on her face made me guess she'd forgotten I could suffocate her. As it was, she was in my personal space so much that I feared she might actually attempt physical blows. I wanted to tell her that Dorian casting her aside had little to do with me. That was just Dorian's way. Shaya had said Ysabel was one in a string of mistresses who resembled me. He'd grown tired of her, just like the rest, but that wasn't my fault. Telling her that wouldn't help, though. â€Å"I'm sorry. But, I mean, won't you be glad to see your kids?† â€Å"Glad?† she cried. â€Å"What do I have to give them? What do I have to show for my time at court? I have nothing. I came to Dorian's court to improve my children's lives-to bring us wealth. Now I have to return empty-handed, tossed aside to our backwoods village.† Ouch. I didn't know what to say, didn't know whether to laud a mother's attempts to improve her kids' lives or look down on someone who'd tried to do it via sleeping with a king. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said wearily. â€Å"I'm sure you'll figure out something.† I started to turn away, and to my astonishment, she grabbed my shoulder and spun me toward her. I think she'd been about to hurl an insult, but I gave her no chance. I still wasn't ready to be touched, and she'd caught me off guard. With no second thoughts, my instincts summoned up magic, the air shoving her away from me and slamming her-hard-into a wall. She stood there, dazed, and I gasped, horrified at what I'd brutally done without even thinking. I really was turning into my father's daughter. â€Å"Are you okay?† I asked, stepping toward her when she didn't move. She jerked away from me, which I hoped meant no concussion. â€Å"This isn't over. I will never forgive you for taking him from me! I'll make you pay. He's mine. Do you understand? Mine.† This was followed by a whole tirade of ranting and insults about how much she hated me and would see me destroyed. She kept her distance, though, so apparently my brief lapse into violence had done some good. After a while, I had no patience for it and simply went into my bedroom, leaving her out there. I locked the door but could still hear her going on and on. Remembering Rurik saying that I should go out and talk to the people who could possibly be dying for me, I tried to distract myself from Ysabel by looking through the room's closet. I figured I should probably wear something gentry, and Nia had kept me well-stocked. The spark was rekindling in me, that need to take revenge against Leith and show Katrice we couldn't be pushed around. I would prove a strong leader for those out there. I was pulling out a silvery blue silk dress that looked suitable when Ysabel's shouting finally stopped. With a sigh of relief, I started to drape the dress over a chair-and caught a glimpse out the small window. There was an army out there. I immediately backed away, trying to block out the sea of faces encamped outside. I dropped the dress, feeling dizzy. The reality of it all hit me, and I again felt helpless and out of my league. A sharp knock sounded on the door, momentarily breaking through my panic. Anger was an easier emotion to deal with, and I hurried over, yanking the door open. â€Å"Look, I told you there's nothing I can do about-â€Å" I stopped. It wasn't Ysabel outside my door. It was Dorian.

Finance Test Bank

Chapter 9 Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. _e___1. Schalheim Sisters Inc. has always paid out all of its earnings as dividends; hence, the firm has no retained earnings. This same situation is expected to persist in the future. The company uses the CAPM to calculate its cost of equity, and its target capital structure consists of common stock, preferred stock, and debt. Which of the following events would REDUCE its WACC? a. The market risk premium declines. b. The flotation costs associated with issuing new common stock increase. . The company's beta increases. d. Expected inflation increases. e. The flotation costs associated with issuing preferred stock increase. __c__2. Duval Inc. uses only equity capital, and it has two equally-sized divisions. Division A's cost of capital is 10. 0%, Division B's cost is 14. 0%, and the corporate (composite) WACC is 12. 0%. All of Division A's projects are equally risky, as are all of Division B's projects. However, the projects of Division A are less risky than those of Division B. Which of the following projects should the firm accept? a. A Division B project with a 13% return. . A Division B project with a 12% return. c. A Division A project with an 11% return. d. A Division A project with a 9% return. e. A Division B project with an 11% return. 2010 Fall Chapter 10 ___b_3. You are considering two mutually exclusive, equally risky, projects. Both have IRRs that exceed the WACC. Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Assume that the projects have normal cash flows, with one outflow followed by a series of inflows. a. If the two projects' NPV profiles do not cross, then there will be a sharp conflict as to which one should be selected. . If the cost of capital is greater than the crossover rate, then the IRR and the NPV criteria will not result in a conflict between the projects. The same project will rank higher by both criteria. c. If the cost of capit al is less than the crossover rate, then the IRR and the NPV criteria will not result in a conflict between the projects. The same project will rank higher by both criteria. d. For a conflict to exist between NPV and IRR, the initial investment cost of one project must exceed the cost of the other. e.For a conflict to exist between NPV and IRR, one project must have an increasing stream of cash flows over time while the other has a decreasing stream. If both sets of cash flows are increasing or decreasing, then it would be impossible for a conflict to exist, even if one project is larger than the other. 2010 Fall, FIN 6100, Chapter 11, iClicker Questions __e__1. Which of the following is NOT a relevant cash flow and thus should not be reflected in the analysis of a capital budgeting project? a. Changes in net working capital. b. Shipping and installation costs. c. Cannibalization effects. . Opportunity costs. e. Sunk costs that have been expensed for tax purposes. __a__3. Which of t he following should be considered when a company estimates the cash flows used to analyze a proposed project? a. The new project is expected to reduce sales of one of the company's existing products by 5%. b. Since the firm's director of capital budgeting spent some of her time last year to evaluate the new project, a portion of her salary for that year should be charged to the project's initial cost. c. The company has spent and expensed $1 million on R associated with the new project. d.The company spent and expensed $10 million on a marketing study before its current analysis regarding whether to accept or reject the project. e. The firm would borrow all the money used to finance the new project, and the interest on this debt would be $1. 5 million per year. __c__4. Dalrymple Inc. is considering production of a new product. In evaluating whether to go ahead with the project, which of the following items should NOT be explicitly considered when cash flows are estimated? a. The com pany will produce the new product in a vacant building that was used to produce another product until last year.The building could be sold, leased to another company, or used in the future to produce another of the firm's products. b. The project will utilize some equipment the company currently owns but is not now using. A used equipment dealer has offered to buy the equipment. c. The company has spent and expensed for tax purposes $3 million on research related to the new detergent. These funds cannot be recovered, but the research may benefit other projects that might be proposed in the future. d. The new product will cut into sales of some of the firm's other products. . If the project is accepted, the company must invest $2 million in working capital. However, all of these funds will be recovered at the end of the project's life. __e__7. A firm is considering a new project whose risk is greater than the risk of the firm's average project, based on all methods for assessing risk . In evaluating this project, it would be reasonable for management to do which of the following? a. Increase the estimated IRR of the project to reflect its greater risk. b. Increase the estimated NPV of the project to reflect its greater risk. c.Reject the project, since its acceptance would increase the firm's risk. d. Ignore the risk differential if the project would amount to only a small fraction of the firm's total assets. e. Increase the cost of capital used to evaluate the project to reflect its higher-than-average risk. Chapter 12 iClicker Questions __b__1. Which of the following assumptions is embodied in the AFN equation? a. None of the firm's ratios will change. b. Accounts payable and accruals are tied directly to sales. c. Common stock and long-term debt are tied directly to sales. d. Fixed assets, but not urrent assets, are tied directly to sales. e. Last year's total assets were not optimal for last year's sales. __b__2. The term â€Å"additional funds needed (AFN) † is generally defined as follows: a. Funds that are obtained automatically from routine business transactions. b. Funds that a firm must raise externally from non-spontaneous sources, i. e. , by borrowing or by selling new stock to support operations. c. The amount of assets required per dollar of sales. d. The amount of internally generated cash in a given year minus the amount of cash needed to acquire the new assets needed to support growth. . A forecasting approach in which the forecasted percentage of sales for each balance sheet account is held constant. _b___4. A company expects sales to increase during the coming year, and it is using the AFN equation to forecast the additional capital that it must raise. Which of the following conditions would cause the AFN to increase? a. The company previously thought its fixed assets were being operated at full capacity, but now it learns that it actually has excess capacity. b. The company increases its dividend payout ratio. c. The company begins to pay employees monthly rather than weekly. . The company's profit margin increases. e. The company decides to stop taking discounts on purchased materials. Chapter 13 iClicker Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. __b__1. Which of the following statements is NOT CORRECT? a. The corporate valuation model can be used both for companies that pay dividends and those that do not pay dividends. b. The corporate valuation model discounts free cash flows by the required return on equity. c. The corporate valuation model can be used to find the value of a division. . An important step in applying the corporate valuation model is forecasting the firm's pro forma financial statements. e. Free cash flows are assumed to grow at a constant rate beyond a specified date in order to find the horizon, or terminal, value. __a__2. Which of the following does NOT always increase a company's market value? a. Increasin g the expected growth rate of sales. b. Increasing the expected operating profitability (NOPAT/Sales). c. Decreasing the capital requirements (Capital/Sales). d. Decreasing the weighted average cost of capital. e.Increasing the expected rate of return on invested capital. _a___3. Which of the following is NOT normally regarded as being a barrier to hostile takeovers? a. Abnormally high executive compensation. b. Targeted share repurchases. c. Shareholder rights provisions. d. Restricted voting rights. e. Poison pills. Chapter 14 iClicker Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. __d__1. Which of the following should not influence a firm's dividend policy decision? a. The firm's ability to accelerate or delay investment projects. . A strong preference by most shareholders for current cash income versus capital gains. c. Constraints imposed by the firm's bond indenture. d. The fact that much of the firm's equipment has bee n leased rather than bought and owned. e. The fact that Congress is considering changes in the tax law regarding the taxation of dividends versus capital gains. __a__2. Trenton Publishing follows a strict residual dividend policy. All else equal, which of the following factors would be most likely to lead to an increase in the firm's dividend per share? a. The firm's net income increases. b.The company increases the percentage of equity in its target capital structure. c. The number of profitable potential projects increases. d. Congress lowers the tax rate on capital gains. The remainder of the tax code is not changed. e. Earnings are unchanged, but the firm issues new shares of common stock. Chapter 15 iClicker Questions Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. _b___1. Which of the following statements is CORRECT? a. A firm's business risk is determined solely by the financial characteristics of its industry. b.The factors that affect a firm's business risk are affected by industry characteristics and economic conditions. Unfortunately, these factors are generally beyond the control of the firm's management. c. One of the benefits to a firm of being at or near its target capital structure is that this eliminates any risk of bankruptcy. d. A firm's financial risk can be minimized by diversification. e. The amount of debt in its capital structure can under no circumstances affect a company's business risk. __c__2. Which of the following statements is CORRECT? a. Increasing financial leverage is one way to increase a firm's basic earning power (BEP). . If a firm lowered its fixed costs while increasing its variable costs, holding total costs at the present level of sales constant, this would decrease its operating leverage. c. The debt ratio that maximizes EPS generally exceeds the debt ratio that maximizes share price. d. If a company were to issue debt and use the money to repurchase common stock, this act ion would have no impact on its basic earning power ratio. (Assume that the repurchase has no impact on the company's operating income. ) e. If changes in the bankruptcy code made bankruptcy less costly to orporations, this would likely reduce the average corporation's debt ratio. Chapter 23 Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. __e__1. Which of the following are NOT ways risk management can be used to increase the value of a firm? a. Risk management can increase debt capacity. b. Risk management can help a firm maintain its optimal capital budget. c. Risk management can reduce the expected costs of financial distress. d. Risk management can help firms minimize taxes. e. Risk management can allow managers to defer receipt of their bonuses and thus postpone tax payments.

1948 by George Orwell

1948 by George Orwell Essay In 1948 Eric Blair, better known as George Orwell, wrote a book with chilling insights into the future, 1984. In that book he describes in detail how the government of Oceania manipulated the truth and regulated feelings and thoughts. An irrational future for society, perhaps not even today in the media there are ways of lying to us and making us think what they want by showing us what they want us to see. In 1984, Thought Police watch the people through telescreens, microphones and helicopters. Many people do not believe this will come true because they do not see it happening. However, it is entirely conceivable that the government could be watching us now. Perhaps, though only on a small scale. Internet surveillance is one of the hottest subjects within this notion, and some people are very good at it. The people watching probably would not go directly into your account, which would be as illegal as entering your private room without a warrant. However, they could easily watch the packets of information running through their systems and rebuild the your private E-mail, or newsgroup transactions, piecing those together can be detrimental to you, as well as legal for the watcher. In order to change the future and the present you do not need to own a time machine. You simply have to control the past. In 1984 the government, or â€Å"The Party,† controlled the past. They were able to destroy all proof that something did or did not happen. The Party† was able to destroy all of the references that something, even a person, ever existed. Although one may remember that person, they could never find proof that it was true. The most alarming part about this is that it is much easier to do it in the world today. Since most information is now kept on disk, and backed up onto even more magnetic media, one could simply destroy all areas where the data said that someone had existed. Talk about a missing person. Our government is taking steps towards this type of Orwellian society all the time. It is hard to believe, but just look at recent legislation. It first started with the advent of the Social Security System. We now are required to receive serial numbers before a certain age so that we can be catalogued for this service, which I might add we will probably never receive. This seemingly innocent indexing of people has turned into a major privacy crisis. Our Social Security number is now used for everything. When one goes to college they use their number there. When you apply for a credit card or any service like this you use this number. We now have problems with people looking up our credit history using this one number. They do not even need our permission. At the time it seemed like a great idea. Which is probably how we will be duped in the future. If it isn’t bad enough that they admit they want to catalogue their citizens, our government basically admits that they need to watch them as well. There was a bill sent through Congress, which would force telecommunication companies to place a chip called the Clipper Chip into all of their products. This chip would allow the government, with two electronic keys, to watch our telecommunication transactions. They also passed an act called Digital Telephony. This bill states that the government will give a certain amount of money to large telecommunication providers (telephone mostly) to rework their networks so that the government’s men can attach themselves and listen to our private conversations. Let me repeat myself here, they are using OUR money to watch us. It is great that they can catch a criminal easier but it is not worth it to loose that freedom and live in fear. READ: The Dream that Became the Demise EssayWhile we in the U. S. are busy at our jobs in the rat race, the government is pulling the wool over our eyes. They are working towards ways to keep us in line. I don’t know if there is a great conspiracy against us. All I know is that we are being taken as suckers, and pretty soon we will have no privacy to think of. We must work to stop the evolution of these and all other destruction of privacy. We cannot allow ourselves to lose what little freedom we have left, and most of all we must always be able to say that 2+2=4 and never have to utter that, we are the dead.

Harmful Effects of Flu Vaccine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Harmful Effects of Flu Vaccine - Essay Example Scientists strive hard to develop new vaccines to effectively combat disease. This is a protracted process; and it takes several months to prepare a vaccine. Moreover, distribution of the vaccine is a time consuming task, and it takes months to distribute vaccine in the entire country. That is why vaccine manufacturers have to commence operations, well in advance of each flu season (Tesar, 2009). Viruses cause influenza and other respiratory ailments. The spread of seasonal diseases varies every year and season, and in every environment. The incidence of influenza in the age group up to 19 years was estimated to vary between 0 to 46%. The average incidence of influenza, in the same age group for a period of five years, was 4.6%. In children, the rate of incidence was 9.5%. It is not possible to generalize the outcomes of isolated studies and studies on small groups, regarding the effectiveness of vaccines. In addition, such studies are difficult to interpret (Jefferson, 2006). A tenth of those inoculated with such vaccine, experience side effects, like soreness at the site of the vaccination; and this is to a marked extent among children who are vaccinated for the first time. In addition, flu viruses change all the time and this leads to diversified virus strains. Consequently, flu vaccines have to keep on including these new strains (Tesar, 2009). The process of manufacturing flu vaccine usually starts in the month of February, when medical experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend the composition of the vaccine to be manufactured, in order to meet the flu season of winter, in the Northern Hemisphere. In respect of the Southern Hemisphere, the vaccine production starts in the month of September. Vaccines consist of antigens from three virus strains; specifically two from type A and one from type B (Tesar, 2009). The effect of the flu vaccine varies from person to person, and these vaccines are effective amongst healthy youth. There is a

Does the constitution of the united states prevent effective Essay

Does the constitution of the united states prevent effective government - Essay Example Carl Friedrich (1965) similarly defined constitution as a system of efficient, regularized restrictions upon government activities. From this point of view, the key attribute of a constitution is its statement of individual rights, particularly those held against the state. Definitely, a bill of rights at the present form parts of almost all written constitutions, the first Bill of Rights included the ten amendments quickly appended to the American Constitution in 1791, covering such liberties as freedom of religion, speech, the press, and the right of the people to bear arms (Lloyd 2006). The second and somewhat neglected role of constitutions is as power maps, defining the structure of government. Constitutions articulate the pathways of power, describing the procedures for making laws and reaching decisions. As Sartori (1994) wisely observes, the defining feature of a constitution is this provision of a frame of government. A constitution devoid of a declaration of rights is still a constitution, but a document lacking a power map is not a constitution. A constitution is therefore a form of political engineering, to be judged like any other construction by how well it survives the test of time. From this perspective, the United States version, still standing firm after more than 200 years, is a triumph. Procedures for amendment are an important component of the constitutional architecture. Most constitutions are rigid or in other words, entrenched, thus rendering them more acceptable to the various interests involved in their construction (Sartori 1994). A rigid constitution offers the general benefit, much prized by liberals, of predictability for those subject to it. An entrenched constitution also limits the damage should political opponents obtain power, for unless they can clear the amendment hurdle they too must abide by the values embedded in the settlement

Independent Study Jordanian Television Research Paper

Independent Study Jordanian Television - Research Paper Example is prohibited, as well as anything deemed to harm â€Å"the state’s reputation and dignity† (Library of Congress – Federal Research Division, 2006, 20). Fines, prosecutions, and also prison terms are often awarded, to keep the mass media under control. Informants and spies keep the government abreast of the nature of publications (on articles that are yet to be published, and on those that are already in circulation) and often the government applies regulations even before the article can be made public. The government sponsored media (in case of print media) is highly promoted, and television and radio face even more stringent regulations than the newspaper media; though the Internet functions somewhat more independently than all the others. In my article I will give an overview of the media in regards to the entire Middle East region, especially in Jordan; while focusing primarily on the television media in Jordan. My article will explore in detail the nature o f the television media that is functional in Jordan, in today’s context. Overview of the media in the Middle East: the Middle East regions have recently witnessed the free to air satellite TV launch, which is the latest addition in the still evolving media that we see there. Prior to the satellite TV era, it was mostly state owned newspapers, and other broadcasting services like radio and TV (terrestrial) that was used to broadcast news and programs.â€Å"Thus, Arab governments exercised a media monopoly and controlled the political narrative in the MENA region until the end of the 80s by shaping and influencing the opinions of the local population. More recently, technological innovations and the politics of marketing and advertising have resulted in a long-awaited democratization of the Arab media, opening new venues in the international market to the Arab press† (Kalliny, Arab Media: A Survey of an Imperfect Medium, 2010). The democratization of the Arab media has been a long drawn process, and

Stalin and Hitler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stalin and Hitler - Essay Example However the research defines that they were triumphant within their countries for an extensive period of time and gives the comparable ways in which they acquired the power that they did. Historians have claimed that their successes could be attributed to the facts that they laid claim to new ideas and political approaches which in fact gave them approval from the citizens of the countries they ruled over for many years. Through the many detailed reports that have been compiled over time it is easily seen that Hitler and Stalin despised each other immensely but this did not change the fact both had common characteristics (Nolte 1999). Because Stalin became focused on building what was seemingly an industrialized empire with little regard for the people, the time period he ruled under was known as "Stalinism" (Nolte 1999). For Hitler, it has been common knowledge for decades now, and even during the time of his ruling that he was focused on communism and developing the world into a communist one, carrying out genocides on cultures that refuted his rule. Therefore, the time of his leadership and power over others was depicted as, "Nazism" (Nolte 1999). Although these are two different types of mental philosophies they hold key elements that are strikingly similar, the main being the thirst for power that both held, again with little acknowledgement for those people that they each considered beneath th em. The each rose to the highest possible position of power attainable in both their countries, ruling with what could only be termed as an iron thumb. For awhile both brainwashed the citizens into believing what was nothing other than false lies and hopes for a better world to live in, and again for a period of time the people followed both of these leaders willingly. The three main reasons they both were able to gain power over people such as this was due to their utilization of propaganda, their amoral views, and the ambition they both had to gain power in the world (Nolte 1999). However, it was also what led to their defeat as well, as history clearly shows. Because they were both known to be quite skilled in the utilization of propaganda, they had the ability of using their words to brainwash and manipulate others into believing that everything that they stated was true. It was undoubtedly through this form of power that they gained the ability to get people to do anything they wanted, which is a fact that points out the characteristic of amorality they both shared as a common trait (Kreis 2006). It could also be said that due to the fact that both Germany and Russia were attempting to recover from WWI, it gave the opportune chance for these dictators to have the opening to rise to a seat of power in their countries because the citizens were searching for hope and wanted to believe that a change in the right direction was going to be possible. However, instead of positivism coming out of the people giving approval for these two leaders to rule over their geographical areas, what happened instead was a nightmare in which the world that they thought was bad worsened due to both of these men demeaning human individuality under the

Just to answer the questions from the book Essay

Just to answer the questions from the book - Essay Example 2. The book is about Emma Bovary, as the title suggests, but it starts before she enters the scene and ends long after she is dead. Flaubert is interested in the whole social context of that time and he has a mission to explain how bad some of the middle class attitudes of many characters actually are. He wanted to show Emma’s effect on her surroundings as well as what goes on in her own mind, and so he continued to show how Charles and Berthe coped (or more accurately failed to cope) with the terrible legacy that she left behind. Emma is selfish but Flaubert shows us at the end of the book that she is not the only important person in the world. The story goes on without her, and her death has brought nothing good. 3. The pharmacist Homais is not a sympathetic character. He is a busybody who is always looking for his own advantage. Flaubert shows him being rewarded for these unattractive features and this is his way of saying that the values in French society at the time favour this unattractive kind of person. He is not that different from Emma in some ways, but he is rewarded while she is frustrated. Perhaps Flaubert also wants to show how sexist French society

Scope of branding and current trends Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Scope of branding and current trends - Essay Example Interestingly brands in the field of marketing originated in the 19th century with the advent of packaged goods. Industrialization moved the production of many household items, such as soap, from local communities to centralized factories. These factories, generating mass-produced goods, needed to sell their products to a wider market, to a customer base familiar only with local goods. So the packaged goods manufacturers needed to convince the market that the public could place just as much trust in the non-local product. Around 1900, James Walter Thompson published a house ad explaining trademark advertising. This was an early commercial explanation of what we now know as branding. Since their origin, brands have come a long way in technique, sophistication and reach. Many traditional â€Å"rules† of branding have been tossed aside over the years with the advent of the internet, cutting edge branding techniques and complex ventures. Branding has also conquered new terrains su ch as law firms, countries or even local produce. In this paper, we will attempt to identify and expand on some of the latest trends in branding and their scope. We will also attempt to demonstrate how these changes in branding concepts are a reflection of our times and a natural progressive reaction to external factors that has driven its rapid and powerful evolution. But, before we delve into that, we first take a look at the various issues that influence responsible branding to really comprehend the magnitude of a strong brand influence and also its constraints.

Code of Conduct Essay Example for Free

Code of Conduct Essay Public office is a public trust. It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest. RULE I NORMS OF BEHAVIOR Section 1. Norms of Conduct/Behavior of NBI Officials and Employees. 1. NBI officials and employees shall always uphold public interest over and above personal interest. All government resources and powers of their respective offices must be employed and used efficiently, effectively, honestly and economically, particularly to avoid wastage in public funds and revenues. 2. NBI officials and employees shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill. They shall enter public service with utmost devotion and dedication to duty. They shall endeavor to discourage wrong perceptions of their roles as dispensers or peddlers of undue patronage. 3. NBI officials and employees shall remain true to the people at all times. They must act with justness and sincerity and shall not discriminate against anyone, especially the poor and the underprivileged. They shall, at all times, respect the rights of others and shall refrain from doing acts contrary to law, good morals, good customs, public policy, public order, public safety and public interest. They shall not dispense or extend undue favors on account of their office to their relatives, whether by consanguinity or affinity, except with respect to appointments of such relatives to positions considered strictly confidential or as members of their personal staff whose terms are coterminous with theirs. 4. NBI officials and employees shall provide service to everyone without discrimination and regardless of party or religious affiliation or preference. 5. NBI officials and employees shall extend prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the public. Unless otherwise provided by law or when required by the public interest, NBI officials and employees shall provide information of their policies and procedures in clear and understandable language, conduct public consultations and hearings whenever appropriate, encourage suggestions, simplify and systematize policies, rules and procedures, avoid red tape and develop an understanding and appreciation of the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the country, especially in the depressed rural and urban areas. 6. NBI officials and employees shall, at all times, be loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino people, promote the use of locally produced goods, resources and technology and encourage appreciation and pride of country and people. They shall endeavor to maintain and defend Philippine sovereignty against foreign intrusion. 7. NBI officials and employees shall, at all times, uphold the Constitution and commit themselves to the democratic way of life and values and maintain the principle of public trust and accountability. 8. NBI officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form. In addition to Section 1, NBI Agents/Special Investigators are also duty-bound to: 1. Safeguard lives and property; and protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder. 2. Respect the Constitutional rights of all persons to liberty, equality and justice. 3. Keep their private lives unsullied as an example to all. 4. Maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule. 5. Develop self-restraint. 6. Be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. 7. Be honest in thought and in deed, in both their personal and official lives. 8. Keep secret what they hear or see of a confidential nature or that is confided to them in their official capacities, unless revelation is necessary in the performance of their duty. 9. Keep personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships from influencing their decisions. 10. Enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, without employing unnecessary force or violence, and without accepting gratuities. 11. Be exemplary by obeying the laws of the land. 12. Never use unnecessary force or violence. 13. Recognize their badge of office as a symbol of public faith and accept it as a public trust, to be held so long as they are true to the ethics of the law enforcement service. 3Public office is a public trust. It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest. RULE I NORMS OF BEHAVIOR Section 1. Norms of Conduct/Behavior of NBI Officials and Employees. 1. NBI officials and employees shall always uphold public interest over and above personal interest. All government resources and powers of their respective offices must be employed and used efficiently, effectively, honestly and economically, particularly to avoid wastage in public funds and revenues. 2. NBI officials and employees shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill. They shall enter public service with utmost devotion and dedication to duty. They shall endeavor to discourage wrong perceptions of their roles as dispensers or peddlers of undue patronage. 3. NBI officials and employees shall remain true to the people at all times. They must act with justness and sincerity and shall not discriminate against anyone, especially the poor and the underprivileged. They shall, at all times, respect the rights of others and shall refrain from doing acts contrary to law, good morals, good customs, public policy, public order, public safety and public interest. They shall not dispense or extend undue favors on account of their office to their relatives, whether by consanguinity or affinity, except with respect to appointments of such relatives to positions considered strictly confidential or as members of their personal staff whose terms are coterminous with theirs. 4. NBI officials and employees shall provide service to everyone without discrimination and regardless of party or religious affiliation or preference. 5. NBI officials and employees shall extend prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the public. Unless otherwise provided by law or when required by the public interest, NBI officials and employees shall provide information of their policies and procedures in clear and understandable language, conduct public consultations and hearings whenever appropriate, encourage suggestions, simplify and systematize policies, rules and procedures, avoid red tape and develop an understanding and appreciation of the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the country, especially in the depressed rural and urban areas. 6. NBI officials and employees shall, at all times, be loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino people, promote the use of locally produced goods, resources and technology and encourage appreciation and pride of country and people. They shall endeavor to maintain and defend Philippine sovereignty against foreign intrusion. 7. NBI officials and employees shall, at all times, uphold the Constitution and commit themselves to the democratic way of life and values and maintain the principle of public trust and accountability. 8. NBI officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form. Section 2. Norms of Conduct/Behavior of NBI Operatives. In addition to Section 1, NBI Agents/Special Investigators are also duty-bound to: 1. Safeguard lives and property; and protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder. 2. Respect the Constitutional rights of all persons to liberty, equality and justice. 3. Keep their private lives unsullied as an example to all. 4. Maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule. 5. Develop self-restraint. 6. Be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. 7. Be honest in thought and in deed, in both their personal and official lives. 8. Keep secret what they hear or see of a confidential nature or that is confided to them in their official capacities, unless revelation is necessary in the performance of their duty. 9. Keep personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships from influencing their decisions. 10. Enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, without employing unnecessary force or violence, and without accepting gratuities. 11. Be exemplary by obeying the laws of the land. 12. Never use unnecessary force or violence. 13. Recognize their badge of office as a symbol of public faith and accept it as a public trust, to be held so long as they are true to the ethics of the law enforcement service. 3

Acquisition and Participation Metaphors of Learning

Acquisition and Participation Metaphors of Learning Introduction A wealth of research has been devoted to the goal of understanding an array of different theories of learning which have emerged within the last 50 years. The focus of this paper is to address two specific paradigms, within which learning is now understood. These consist of the acquisition metaphor and the participatory metaphor of learning. The relative merits of each paradigm, has been evinced through a coalescence of scientific research, appropriating findings from an array of emerging fields of inquiry. Greeno (1997:14) notes that progression in the field of cognitive science has illuminated our understanding of the â€Å"processes of problem-solving, reasoning, understanding and memory†, whilst advancements in understanding social interaction are derived from â€Å"ethnography, ethnomethodology, symbolic interactionism, discourse analysis, and sociocultural psychology.† In broad terms, these two distinct lines of inquiry have fuelled the alternate metaphors of acqu isition and participation, as ways of thinking about the nature of learning. When paradigms such as these develop, they bring with them the distinctive array of terminology characteristic of the intellectual currents, which spawn them. Griffin (2003: 68) helpfully acknowledges that the reason in part why the lines of inquiry about learning have been divergent is that â€Å"different authors have used different terminology to describe the types of learning that they have studied.† Greeno (1997: 14) rightly concedes that the â€Å"prospects for theoretical advancement† are improved if the scientific agenda prizes synthesis. The proverbial maxim that ‘iron sharpens iron’ is relevant here, where the two metaphors of learning have lived through an intellectual period in binary opposition, illustrated by aspects of Brown, Collins and Duguid (1988); Andersen, Reder and Simon (1996) and Greeno (1997). Indeed, as Greeno (1997: 15) notes in his concluding remarks, à ¢â‚¬Å"the cognitive and situative perspectives are both valuable for informing discussions of educational practice, but in rather different ways.† The prismatic-like dimensions of learning have allowed it to be categorised variously, reflective of a variety of operating paradigms. Binary categorisations including â€Å"single or double loop† (Argyris and Schà ¶n, 1978); â€Å"maintenance or innovative† (Botkin et al 1979); â€Å"banking or problem-posing† (Freire 1972); â€Å"reflective or non-reflective† (Jarvis 1992); â€Å"formative or transformative† (Mezirow 1991); or â€Å"surface or deep† (Marton 1982); are all noted by Griffin (2003: 68-72). These theoretical constructions of learning, can be in part at least, subsumed within the ambit of the two metaphors in question, namely learning as ‘acquisition’ or learning as ‘participation.’ Jonassen and Land (2000: 28), note that â€Å"Resnick (1987), in her presidential address to the American Educational Research Association, examined the practices in schools, which are predicated most strongly on the acquisition metaphor, comparing them to how individuals learn and use knowledge outside of schools. Her analysis focused attention on the collaborative, contextualised, and concrete character of learning outside of school, as opposed to the individual and abstract character of learning that occurs inside of school. Arguably, it was this analysis that served as one of the principal stimuli for the development of the participatory perspective with its emphasis on situated activity.† The Participatory Metaphor While the field of cognitive psychology is well established, the fields of social psychology and cultural studies are emergent fields. The participatory metaphor of learning has grown out of these more recently emerging psychological and sociological disciplines. Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989) observed that methods of learning that try to teach abstract concepts independent of authentic situations overlook the way understanding is acquired and developed through continued, situated use. These researchers also assert that â€Å"understanding is reliant upon complex social interactions and negotiations†. Brown, Collins and Duguid’s (1989) assertion that the nature of language acquisition is analogous to the nature of all knowledge acquisition is a useful interpretive device. Language vocabulary acquisition is a relatively rapid and efficient process when learners are participants in ‘authentic situations’, in this case explained as situations where a genuine functional need for language acquisition exists in order for individuals to participate in the flow of real life conversations. Herein, learners are active participants with ‘practitioners’, indeed ‘cognitive apprentices’ as Brown, Collins and Duguid (1988) postulate. An authentic language acquisition environment, encourages the awareness of nuance and the practice of negotiation to promptly deal with uncertainty, an option, arguably not as available to students in conventional classroom settings. By way of contrast, Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989) describe typical language acquisition approaches in schools as extremely inefficient, due to the level of contrivance, belying the value of formal definition and memorisation without regular practice. According to Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989:1), knowing †¦is inextricably situated in the physical and social context of its acquisition and use.† This representation of knowing resonates with Jonassen and Land’s (2000: 28) comments that, â€Å"knowing about refers to an activity not a thing. Knowing about is always contextualised not abstract; knowing about is reciprocally constructed within the individual-environment interaction not objectively defined or subjectively created; and knowing about is a functional stance on the interactionnot a ‘truth’.† Participatory advocates underline the â€Å"inseparability of knowing and doing†, an assertion, which, if widely true, raises enormous challenges for schools and other formalised educational institutions. Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989), explore the enticing notion of ‘cognitive apprenticeship,’ positioning teachers as masters of apprentices, who utilise authentic domain activity. They make the astute observations that, â€Å"social interaction, social construction of knowledge is significant, therefore conversation, narrative and anecdote, should not be dismissed as noise.† Furthermore, they assert ‘legitimate peripheral participation’ is significant for it often involves apprentices, attempting to enter the culture. This articulation of genuine learning imbibes the sociological significance of the learning framework. The participatory metaphor of learning empowers the individual and the social group within the learning context. Other common terms noted amidst situated cognition adherents, terms such as participatory, brokering and negotiating, elevate the status and significance of the learner within the learning environment, implying an active, eng aged and enculturated role on behalf of the learner, in relation to the learning process. These concepts indicate the premise that learning is an active process, and certainly not an inert, static product, such as an intact body of rarefied knowledge, permanently beyond dispute or modification. This framework for understanding learning has real currency at a time when geo-political shifts in an increasingly globalised world and village, exposes the tentative nature of knowledge, which may have been perceived as immutably fixated in previous centuries. The elevation of the learner’s status in relation to the act and process of knowing, is an appealing way to view the nature of learning. A logical extension of this interpretation of learning, is its predilection according to Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989), for â€Å"collective problem solving, enacting multiple roles, confronting ineffective strategies, and utilising collaborative work skills.† The corresponding conviction, that learning is a transaction, also pinpoints a false assumption. In this light, it is deemed to be false, â€Å"that knowledge is individual and self-structured, that schools are neutral in terms of what is learned in them, that concepts are abstract and immutable, and are independent of the context in which they are acquired, that (JPF) behaviour should be discouraged.† Johansen and Land (2000: 84) notes ‘situated cognition’, (or SitCog to its pundits), while holding some advantages over previous foundations, does not presently offer a comprehensive account of cognition. â€Å"For SitCog to fully serve as an integrating framework, a means of accommodating multiple perspectives needs to be developed, to allow inclusion of selected ideas and practices from behaviourism, symbolic cognition, and other theories, both psychological and non-psychological.† Johansen and Land (2000) note that SitCog also presents an opportunity to define the designers role in new ways. The design task is seen in interactional, or participatory (rather than rational-planning), terms. They assert that (2000:84) â€Å"design and control become situated within the political and social context of actual learning environments. Rather than applying the best learning theory, designers and participants of learning environments honour the constraints and affordances of the local situation. A situated view of design, then, is one that supports the worthy practices of participants and stakeholders, using whatever theories, tools, or technologies at their disposal.† New situations continually recast concepts in a more densely textured form- concepts are ever evolving. Concepts are always under construction and defy categorical description Brown et al (1988) provide a clear account of situated cognition, a term noted frequently in the literature review which draws attention to the critical role of situation or context in the process of learning. The concept of situativity, is a key component of the participatory metaphor of learning. It asserts that knowledge is a product of a specific learning situation, embodying a set of cultural assumptions, which facilitate the cultural construction of knowledge The researchers advocate the â€Å"inseparability of knowing and doing†, which has enormous implications for education and learning, if their further assertion is correct, than conventional educational settings and theories of mind, disassociate knowing and doing as two distinct practices. This conceptualisation of learning acknowledges the significance of the activity, whereby authentic activities are defined as ordinary activities of the practitioners of a culture. Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989), indicate school activities are hybrid- framed within the values of one culture- school, (while attributed to the culture of another domain, such as that of the historian or the mathematician). Proponents of the need for authentic learning activities, applaud the participatory metaphor of learning. These researchers desire learning activities congruent with what practitioners do, a noble aspiration embracing the insights of the apprentice model of admission and enculturation, into the beliefs and practices of particular learning communities. The corollary, amongst some situative theorists, most notably Lave, is regrettably a fairly strident expose of the limitations of schooling, since knowing becomes transmuted within school contexts, so school culture replaces, rather tha n allows access to the authentic domain of knowledge. Assert that growing body of research into cognition undermines the notion that abstract knowledge can readily be transferred from the minds of teachers to the minds of students. â€Å"Knowing †¦is inextricably situated in the physical and social context of its acquisition and use† p1 If extracted from these, it is irretrievably transformed. Anderson, Reder and Simon (1996) attempt to distil four key claims posed by the situative learning proponents, then to systematically dismantle each one, from a viewpoint more akin to the acquisition metaphor of learning. To complicate this debate, Greeno’s (1997) rejoinder, asserts that Anderson et al (1996), misreads the paradigm of situative cognition, providing an overly simplistic distillation of the case for the ‘SitCogs’. Andersen et al (1996), state that ‘sitcogs’ claim all knowledge is context specific or context bound, yet this is going too far. Their rebuttal suggests research yet to be conducted may show that knowledge is made more transferable, when initial explicit instructions that transferability of knowledge concepts is articulated and value. They also found some research failed to find evidence of context specificity in relation to learning; that how tightly knowledge is bound to context depends upon the nature of the knowledge. Furthermore, they concluded that knowledge is more context-bound when taught in a single context, moreover links between school based competencies and workplace competencies show some correlation, diffusing a degree of the potency of some situated learning advocates. The Acquisition Metaphor The consolidated field of cognitive psychology, shaping theories of learning over several decades, has espoused the view that knowledge is a product that is capable of consumption and acquisition. This more long-standing understanding of learning has not surprisingly felt threatened by the situative cognition view. It is seen by many as a conservative or conventional conceptualisation of learning, attuned to the enculturation process of traditional schooling. A belief from within this camp, is the notion of the existence and value of abstract knowledge; deemed to be valuable in its supposed dexterity, to be able to reappear for reapplication in relation to additional contexts in meaningful ways for learners. Greeno (1997:15) admits that while more drawn to the situative learning paradigm, nonetheless, â€Å"the cognitive perspective clarifies aspects of intellectual performance and learning, with its emphasis on and clarification of informational structures of skill, knowledge, strategies and understanding.† While the situative camp has to some extent charged knowledge with an inability to be transferred, once stripped of the original context in which it is learnt, Greeno (1997), defends the participatory model. He suggests its recognition that the notion of transferability of knowledge must be examined with greater subtlety and detection of nuance. Andersen et al (1996), cites evidence of studies to show the full gamut of opinion about degrees to which knowledge transfers or not, which superficially appears to undermine the situative, participatory view, that knowledge removed from its context is diminished. The further claim attributed by Andersen et al (1996), to the situative view of knowledge and seeming attack upon the acquisition pundits, is the assertion that training by abstraction is of little use. The writers support the use of abstract instruction combined with concrete examples as a powerful approach to knowledge acquisition, citing studies which purport to demonstrate the e fficacy of abstract knowledge. Finally, they pose the claim by situative proponents, that instruction needs to be done in complex social environments. To counter this, Andersen et al notes that part training is often more effective than holistic training, exemplified through tax code being better learnt whilst removed from the social context of interaction with a tax client – thereby removed from the social environment. Furthermore, cooperative, group learning studies which are deemed to be inclusive, yet studies do not categorically show group learning to be necessarily superior. Recommendations and Conclusions Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989) recommend that since situated learning postulates that activity and perception precede conceptualisation, they therefore need to be better understood. In line with this, key terms used to bolster both the participatory and the acquisitional metaphors of learning need more precise definition. It seems that both conceptualisations of learning recognise much of the merit in the opposing camp, as well as (at least in an intuitive manner) the artificiality of binary opposition in fields of academic research and inquiry. The dialectical approach to research within the relevant scientific disciplines, appear to recognise the value and goal of synthesis, in order that robust progress in understanding of the nature of learning occurs. Bibliography Books Griffin, C et al (2003) The Theory Practice of Learning, London. Kogan Press Jonassen, D.H., and Land, S.M., (2000) Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments.. Mahwah, NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Journal Articles Anderson, J. R., Reder, L. M., Simon H. A. (1996). Situated Learning and Education, Educational Researcher, Vol 25, No. 4, pp 5-11, American Educational Research Association Brown, J.S., Collins, A. Duguid, S. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher,Vol 18, No. 1, pages 32-42. American Educational Research Association Greeno, J,G. (Jan. to Feb. 1997) Response: On Claims That Answer the Wrong Questions, Educational Researcher, Vol 26, No. 1, pages 5-17, American Educational Research Association

The Life Of Babe Ruth Essay -- essays research papers

The Life Of Babe Ruth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Babe Ruth, born George Ruth, Jr., is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time. Everybody knows how great a hitter Babe was and how he virtually invented the home run. Not everybody knows how great of a pitcher Babe was, even though he was one of the best left-handed pitchers of all time. Babe had a 92 and 44 record, 67.6%, and a 2.24 career earned- run average in 163 games pitched. Not many career .342 hitters that averaged a home run every 11.8 at bats can say that.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George Ruth, Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 6, 1895, son of George Herman Ruth, Sr. and Kate Ruth. George took the name of Herman at his confirmation since it was his father's middle name and the name of his friend at St.Mary's Industrial School, Brother Herman. Ruth says he had a â€Å" rotten start† in life; he spent his childhood days on the streets and piers of Baltimore. He led a rather lawless life, his parents were medium-poor and he was mainly on his own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All this changed when Ruth entered St.Mary's Industrial School at the age of eight. Ruth, even though he didn't realize it, had come in to a good thing. Brother Matthais took young Ruth under his wing and taught him to read, write, play baseball, do needle work, and right from wrong. Ruth showed a startling natural talent with a baseball bat, so Brother Matthais tried to round young George into a complete baseball player by teaching him to pitch and field. Ruth says that, †Brother Matthais was the greatest man I ever knew.† Ruth was taught to make shirts and became quite good at it, he boasted that he could sew a shirt in less than 15 minutes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ruth never had to use this skill because he was discharged from St.Mary's School on February 27, 1914 to join the Baltimore Orioles baseball team of the American League. Ruth was paid a salary of $600 to play in the International League, one step below the major league, on an Orioles affiliate team. The team went to Fayettville for spring training and Ruth showed raw talent and didn't need much formal training but needed lots of controlled practice. Coach Sam Steinman warned the veterans to go easy with the rookie Ruth, he said, †He's one of Jack Dunn's babes.† Journalist Roger Pippen asked Steinman to explain, Steinm... ... Ruth was suspended on three different occasions for various reasons and his numbers dropped substantially, but the Yankees still won the pennant. Again they faced the Giants in the World Series. Babe was not a factor at all in this pitiful series for the whole Yankee team as they got swept by the Giants. Even with this failure, Babe led the Yankee's to seven World Series, winning five of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Babe's unbelievable career, he had a lifetime average of .342, hit 714 career home runs, had 2,209 career RBI's, and 2,873 total hits, all in only 2,503 total games. As amazing as these stats are, they are not the reason people should be grateful that Babe played the game. The reason most people should know Babe Ruth is for the most important reason, that being the way he saved baseball from extinction. Forget how Babe was the best power-hitter in baseball and considered by many the best player in baseball history, and just think about how he kept the American pastime alive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On August 16, 1948, at 8:01 PM, not only did the greatest baseball player of all time, but a great person, die in the form of George Herman â€Å"Babe† Ruth, Jr.

An Explanation of Haunting Thoughts in Emily Dickinsons Poem 670 :: Emily Dickinson Poem 670 Essays

An Explanation of Haunting Thoughts in Emily Dickinson's Poem 670 Poem 670 is about the inner workings of your mind. The beginning of this poem addresses everyone. She does that by saying, "One need not be a Chamber....One need not be a House." This is saying whether you are small like a chamber or big like a house you will be haunted in your mind. The phenomenon of haunting thoughts, in your brain, exceed anything externally at that moment. Your mind becomes totally focused on the inner dealings that external people or actions are perceived as ghosts. It is literally an internal takeover of your senses. Anything external from there becomes warped and then a part of the haunting in the tunnels or corridors of your mind. We all know this as being scared or getting spooked. In life we've all been spooked! Regardless of our upbringing and/or size, we have all been caught jumping at that last moment. Why is this? Emily Dickinson addresses this in her poem. She says whether you are a small chamber room or a large house you will be haunted. The haunting comes from within...the corridors of your brain. When we sit in a movie, attend a haunted house, sitting in the dark, or just sleeping, our minds shift into creative mode. Stop and think for a moment about those times you have been spooked...okay times up! It's that moment your blood reaches a fast pumping pace, and you think you are about to jump out of your seat. All of this is created by the mental images you have formed regarding what your visual and aural senses have taken in as unknown or uncertain. Your adrenaline is pumping and you start to wonder what will happen next. Will the killer come from behind the door, under the bed, out of the bathroom? You start to anticipate the outcome and think you hav e figured out the next move, and then the storyteller brings the killer in from a totally different direction. We all know that there is nothing better than the feeling of adrenaline pumping through every "corridor" of your body. This reaction is not a result based on our surroundings in fact, quite the opposite. Dickinson says that our inner thoughts "surpass material Place." The spook is a direct reflection of how creative we let our brains become. Weaving together sections of complete thought to create other ideas, leaves us wondering what will be next.

Heart Essay -- essays research papers

Coronary Artery Disease Heart Disease Heart disease can take many forms. The form of heart disease I am focusing on is coronary disease. Different arteries supply different areas of the heart with oxygenated blood. If one or more of these arteries become narrowed or clogged as a result of coronary artery disease, or atherscelorosis the artery cannot fully supply the part of the heart it is responsible for. The heart is an effective pump only when good blood supply is maintained to all heart muscles. If an artery becomes so clogged that blood cannot flow through it, the result is chest pain which could progress to a heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI). "Myocardial" is a medical term that means "having to do with the heart" or "heart muscle". "Infarct" is a medical term for tissue death. During a myocardial infarction, the portion of the heart that is supposed to get blood from the diseased artery dies. However, cardiologists are trained to recognize symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue of coronary artery disease in patients before the symptoms becomes severe. A cardiologist is often able to treat coronary disease before it causes an MI. – http://myweb.com/contents/dmk_article396168 Coronary Artery Disease Healthy arteries are flexible, strong, and elastic. Their inner layer is smooth and blood flows freely. As you get older, your arteries become thicker, less elastic, and deposits build in them. This leads to a general hardening of the arteries, which is also called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis is the main cause of coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis is the gradual buildup of cholesterol inside the artery. When this happens in a coronary artery, the space inside the artery where blood flows becomes narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow freely. The result is less blood flow through the artery and less blood supply to heart tissue. Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue that can be mild, or abrupt and severe, such as a heart attack. –http://www.heartpoint.com Symptoms of Coronary Disease More than 6 million Americans have symptoms due to coronary artery disease (CAD). As many as 1.5 million Americans will have a heart attack this year. As a result, almost one-third will die. The most dramatic symptom of... ... LDL and total cholesterol levels. Â · Eat only small amounts of sweets. Â · Eat 1 to 2 servings of fish or seafood each week if you have coronary artery disease. People with coronary artery disease seem to benefit from eating fish and seafood. Â · Cook with garlic. Several studies have shown that garlic reduces LDL cholesterol and lowers blood pressure. Â · Eat moderate amounts of nuts that are rich in monounsaturated fat, like hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, walnuts and macadamia nuts. These nuts have been shown to improve cholesterol levels. Avoid eating nuts by the handful. Instead, garnish food with one tablespoon of chopped nuts per person. What else can I do if I have coronary artery disease? Besides changing your diet, you should talk to your doctor about an exercise program that's right for you. If you smoke, quit. If you're overweight, try to lose weight (changing your diet and exercising will help you lose weight). Talk with your doctor about reducing other risk factors, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. – Dr. Donnely; Cody Family Practice Center

Group Analysis of Two Poems Sharing the Same Topic Essay

Group Analysis of Two Poems Sharing the Same Topic: Cockroaches Morley in his poem â€Å"Nursery Rhymes for the Tenderhearted† and Wild in his poem entitled â€Å"Roaches† constitute two distinct tones through their use of imagery and perspective. Morley’s tone toward roaches is whimsical while Wild’s attitude is bleak. Morley lighthearted entertaining poem is more to depict his own personal fear of the cockroaches, which is an example of his own perspective. Wild’s message is the opposite, he forces the fear upon the reader, he causes the reader to be scared with the imagery that he uses. In the first poem Morley takes a whimsical look at the common kitchen cockroach through images of its leaving behind evidence on its nightly visits, using words and phrases that give the reader an almost benevolent picture of what most people detest. The speaker addresses the roach directly, personifying it. The images are of the roach snacking and playing in the kitchen: â€Å"reclining on the cheese,† â€Å"browsing among the tea leaves,† â€Å"trekking on the biscuits,† â€Å"drowsing in the sugar bowl,†. Just how any normal person would encounter a cockroach, Morley depicts the poem as if it were his own encounter. One can tell that the speaker/Morley doesn’t have such a gruesome perspective towards the cockroaches. Wild’s viewpoint of roaches contradicts Morley’s by validating the cockroach’s misaligned reputation through dark diction and nightmarish images, making the reader uncomfortably aware of its eeriness. Unlike Morley’s friendly roach who raids the kitchen at night, Wild’s creepy roaches take possession of human beings invading their bodies. This roach, as opposed to Morley’s, is eating disgusting gunk in the bathroom that no person would ever consider to be a meal, something so noxious. Look more:  first poem for you kim addonizio analysis essay The roaches begin to take over his body, †nibbling his toes,† â€Å"probing in his veins,† and â€Å"scrambling up his throat† in the same way that roaches take over the sewers in the dark of night â€Å"crouched like lions in the ledges of sewers† â€Å"black eyes in the darkness†. Wild places the roaches in a position that makes the reader squeamish and uneasy, he makes you build up this picture in your head that not that these creatures are only two inches long but that they are some type of demon. Wild leaves this image on a reader that sets the tone to be terrifying, as if when you were to stumble upon a cockroach in the restroom, you basically walked into your own death sentence. While Morley paints this pretty picture that they are nothing but harmless creatures, and misunderstood.

Book Value, Liquidation Value and Market Value of Shares Essay

Book value: The book value of ordinary share is the net worth of a corporation less the par value of preference shares outstanding divided by the number of ordinary shares outstanding. Suppose the net worth of a company contains the following information viz; Preference shares (Rs. 100 per share): 1000000. 00 Ordinary share (Rs. 5 per share): 1500000. 00 Share premium: 1000000. 00 Retained earnings: 500000. 00 4000000. 00 Book value of ordinary share: 300000/30000 = 10 per share Theoretically, the book value of a share should correspond to the liquidating value of the company; however, in reality this situation never occurs. Only if the assets of a company can be liquidated for the book values shown on the financial statements, then book value per share is equal to the liquidating value per share. Even, then if liquidating costs are high, the liquidating value per share will be less than book value per share. For many companies, the liquidating value per share is less than book value per share because many of the assets can be liquidated only at reduced prices. However, some companies carry certain assets –notably, land mineral rights – at modest values on their books relative to the market value of the asset. For these companies, the liquidating value per share may be significantly higher than the book value. Sometimes, investors calculate the net working capital per share in order to obtain a more conservative estimate of the possible liquidating value of a company. Market value: The market value per share is the current price at which the stock is traded. For listed companies and the shares of a company which are actively traded in the stock markets, market price quotations are readily available. However, the market for the shares of many companies is thin and inactive, so that market price information about its shares is difficult to obtain. Even when obtainable, the information may reflect only the sale of a few shares and not specify the market value of the firms as a whole. For companies of this sort, care must be taken in interpreting market price information. The market value of ordinary share usually differs considerably from its book value and its liquidating value. Market value is a function of the current and expected future dividends of the company and the perceived risk of the shares on the part of investors. Because these factors bear only a partial relationship to the book value and the liquidating value of the company, the market value per share is not tied closely to these values.

Vampire Academy Chapter 17

SEVENTEEN A FEW DAYS LATER, LISSA found me outside the commons and delivered the most astonishing news. â€Å"Uncle Victor's getting Natalie off campus this weekend to go shopping in Missoula. For the dance. They said I could come along.† I didn't say anything. She looked surprised at my silence. â€Å"Isn't that cool?† â€Å"For you, I guess. No malls or dances in my future.† She smiled excitedly. â€Å"He told Natalie she could bring two other people besides me. I convinced her to bring you and Camille.† I threw up my hands. â€Å"Well, thanks, but I'm not even supposed to go to the library after school. No one's going to let me go to Missoula.† â€Å"Uncle Victor thinks he can get Headmistress Kirova to let you go. Dimitri's trying too.† â€Å"Dimitri?† â€Å"Yeah. He has to go with me if I leave campus.† She grinned, taking my interest in Dimitri as interest in the mall. â€Å"They figured out my account finally – I got my allowance back. So we can buy other stuff along with dresses. And you know if they let you go to the mall, they'll have to let you go to the dance.† â€Å"Do we go to dances now?† I said. We never had before. School-sponsored social events? No way. â€Å"Of course not. But you know there'll be all kinds of secret parties. We'll start at the dance and sneak off.† She sighed happily. â€Å"Mia's so jealous she can barely stand it.† She went on about all the stores we'd go to, all the things we'd buy. I admit, I was kind of excited at the thought of getting some new clothes, but I doubted I'd actually get this mythical release. â€Å"Oh hey,† she said excitedly. â€Å"You should see these shoes Camille let me borrow. I never knew we wore the same size. Hang on.† She opened her backpack and began rifling through it. Suddenly, she screamed and threw it down. Books and shoes spilled out. So did a dead dove. It was one of the pale brown mourning doves that sat on wires along the freeway and under trees on campus. It had so much blood on it that I couldn't figure out where the wound was. Who knew something so small even had that much blood? Regardless, the bird was definitely dead. Covering her mouth, Lissa stared wordlessly, eyes wide. â€Å"Son of a bitch,† I swore. Without hesitating, I grabbed a stick and pushed the little feathered body aside. When it was out of the way, I started shoving her stuff back into the backpack, trying not to think about dead-bird germs. â€Å"Why the hell does this keep – Liss!† I leapt over and grabbed her, pulling her away. She had been kneeling on the ground, with her hand outstretched to the dove. I don't think she'd even realized what she was about to do. The instinct in her was so strong, it acted on its own. â€Å"Lissa,† I said, tightening my hand around hers. She was still leaning toward the bird. â€Å"Don't. Don't do it.† â€Å"I can save it.† â€Å"No, you can't. You promised, remember? Some things have to stay dead. Let this one go.† Still feeling her tension, I pleaded. â€Å"Please, Liss. You promised. No more healings. You said you wouldn't. You promised me.† After a few more moments, I felt her hand relax and her body slump against mine. â€Å"I hate this, Rose. I hate all of this.† Natalie walked outside then, oblivious to the gruesome sight awaiting her. â€Å"Hey, do you guys – oh my God!† she squealed, seeing the dove. â€Å"What is that?† I helped Lissa as we rose to our feet. â€Å"Another, um, prank.† â€Å"Is it†¦dead?† She scrunched up her face in disgust. â€Å"Yes,† I said firmly. Natalie, picking up on our tension, looked between the two of us. â€Å"What else is wrong?† â€Å"Nothing.† I handed Lissa her backpack. â€Å"This is just someone's stupid, sick joke, and I'm going to tell Kirova so they can clean this up.† Natalie turned away, looking a little green. â€Å"Why do people keep doing this to you? It's horrible.† Lissa and I exchanged looks. â€Å"I have no idea,† I said. Yet as I walked to Kirova's office, I started to wonder. When we'd found the fox, Lissa had hinted that someone must know about the raven. I hadn't believed that. We'd been alone in the woods that night, and Ms. Karp wouldn't have told anyone. But what if someone actually had seen? What if someone kept doing this not to scare her, but to see if she'd heal again? What had the rabbit note said? I know what you are. I didn't mention any of this to Lissa; I figured there were only so many of my conspiracy theories she could handle. Besides, when I saw her the next day, she'd practically forgotten the dove in light of other news: Kirova had given me permission to go on the trip that weekend. The prospect of shopping can brighten a lot of dark situations – even animal murder – and I put my own worries on hold. Only, when the time came, I discovered my release came with strings attached. â€Å"Headmistress Kirova thinks you've done well since coming back,† Dimitri told me. â€Å"Aside from starting a fight in Mr. Nagy's class?† â€Å"She doesn't blame you for that. Not entirely. I convinced her you needed a break†¦and that you could use this as a training exercise.† â€Å"Training exercise?† He gave me a brief explanation as we walked out to meet the others going with us. Victor Dashkov, as sickly as ever, was there with his guardians, and Natalie practically barreled into him. He smiled and gave her a careful hug, one that ended when a coughing fit took over. Natalie's eyes went wide with concern as she waited for it to pass. He claimed he was fine to accompany us, and while I admired his resolve, I thought he'd be putting himself through a lot just to shop with a bunch of teenage girls. We rode out the two-hour trip to Missoula in a large school van, leaving just after sunrise. Many Moroi lived separately from humans, but many also lived among them, and when shopping at their malls, you had to go during their hours. The back windows of the van had tinted glass to filter the light and keep the worst of it away from the vampires. We had nine people in our group: Lissa, Victor, Natalie, Camille, Dimitri, me, and three other guardians. Two of the guardians, Ben and Spiridon, always traveled with Victor. The third was one of the school's guardians: Stan, the jerk who'd humiliated me on my first day back. â€Å"Camille and Natalie don't have personal guardians yet,† Dimitri explained to me. â€Å"They're both under the protection of their families' guardians. Since they are Academy students leaving campus, a school guardian accompanies them – Stan. I go because I'm Lissa's assigned guardian. Most girls her age wouldn't have a personal guardian yet, but circumstances make her unusual.† I sat in the back of the van with him and Spiridon, so they could dispense guardian wisdom to me as part of the â€Å"training exercise.† Ben and Stan sat up front, while the others sat in the middle. Lissa and Victor talked to each other a lot, catching up on news. Camille, raised to be polite among older royals, smiled and nodded along. Natalie, on the other hand, looked left out and kept trying to shift her father's attention from Lissa. It didn't work. He'd apparently learned to tune out her chatter. I turned back to Dimitri. â€Å"She's supposed to have two guardians. Princes and princesses always do.† Spiridon was Dimitri's age, with spiky blond hair and a more casual attitude. Despite his Greek name, he had a Southern drawl. â€Å"Don't worry, she'll have plenty when the time comes. Dimitri's already one of them. Odds are you'll be one too. And that's why you're here today.† â€Å"The training part,† I guessed. â€Å"Yup. You're going to be Dimitri's partner.† A moment of funny silence fell, probably not noticeable to anyone except Dimitri and me. Our eyes met. â€Å"Guarding partner,† Dimitri clarified unnecessarily, like maybe he too had been thinking of other kinds of partners. â€Å"Yup,† agreed Spiridon. Oblivious to the tension around him, he went on to explain how guardian pairs worked. It was standard stuff, straight from my textbooks, but it meant more now that I'd be doing it in the real world. Guardians were assigned to Moroi based on importance. Two was a common grouping, one I'd probably work in a lot with Lissa. One guardian stayed close to the target; the other stood back and kept an eye on the surroundings. Boringly, those holding these positions were called near and far guards. â€Å"You'll probably always be near guard,† Dimitri told me. â€Å"You're female and the same age as the princess. You can stay close to her without attracting any attention.† â€Å"And I can't ever take my eyes off her,† I noted. â€Å"Or you.† Spiridon laughed again and elbowed Dimitri. â€Å"You've got a star student there. Did you give her a stake?† â€Å"No. She's not ready.† â€Å"I would be if someone would show me how to use one,† I argued. I knew every guardian in the van had a stake and a gun concealed on him. â€Å"More to it than just using the stake,† said Dimitri in his old-and-wise way. â€Å"You've still got to subdue them. And you've got to bring yourself to kill them.† â€Å"Why wouldn't I kill them?† â€Å"Most Strigoi used to be Moroi who purposely turned. Sometimes they're Moroi or dhampirs turned by force. It doesn't matter. There's a strong chance you might know one of them. Could you kill someone you used to know?† This trip was getting less fun by the minute. â€Å"I guess so. I'd have to, right? If it's them or Lissa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You might still hesitate,† said Dimitri. â€Å"And that hesitation could kill you. And her.† â€Å"Then how do you make sure you don't hesitate?† â€Å"You have to keep telling yourself that they aren't the same people you knew. They've become something dark and twisted. Something unnatural. You have to let go of attachments and do what's right. If they have any grain of their former selves left, they'll probably be grateful.† â€Å"Grateful for me killing them?† â€Å"If someone turned you into a Strigoi, what would you want?† he asked. I didn't know how to answer that, so I said nothing. Never taking his eyes off me, he kept pushing. â€Å"What would you want if you knew you were going to be converted into a Strigoi against your will? If you knew you would lose all sense of your old morals and understanding of what's right and wrong? If you knew you'd live the rest of your life – your immortal life – killing innocent people? What would you want?† The van had grown uncomfortably silent. Staring at Dimitri, burdened by all those questions, I suddenly understood why he and I had this weird attraction, good looks aside. I'd never met anyone else who took being a guardian so seriously, who understand all the life-and-death consequences. Certainly no one my age did yet; Mason hadn't been able to understand why I couldn't relax and drink at the party. Dimitri had said I grasped my duty better than many older guardians, and I didn't get why – especially when they would have seen so much more death and danger. But I knew in that moment that he was right, that I had some weird sense of how life and death and good and evil worked with each other. So did he. We might get lonely sometimes. We might have to put our â€Å"fun† on hold. We might not be able to live the lives we wanted for ourselves. But that was the way it had to be. We understood each other, understood that we had others to protect. Our lives would never be easy. And making decisions like this one was part of that. â€Å"If I became Strigoi†¦I'd want someone to kill me.† â€Å"So would I,† he said quietly. I could tell that he'd had the same flash of realization I'd just had, that same sense of connection between us. â€Å"It reminds me of Mikhail hunting Sonya,† murmured Victor thoughtfully. â€Å"Who are Mikhail and Sonya?† asked Lissa. Victor looked surprised. â€Å"Why, I thought you knew. Sonya Karp.† â€Å"Sonya Kar†¦you mean, Ms. Karp? What about her?† She looked back and forth between me and her uncle. â€Å"She†¦became Strigoi,† I said, not meeting Lissa's eyes. â€Å"By choice.† I'd known Lissa would find out some day. It was the final piece of Ms. Karp's saga, a secret I'd kept to myself. A secret that worried me constantly. Lissa's face and bond registered complete and utter shock, growing in intensity when she realized I'd known and never told. â€Å"But I don't know who Mikhail is,† I added. â€Å"Mikhail Tanner,† said Spiridon. â€Å"Oh. Guardian Tanner. He was here before we left.† I frowned. â€Å"Why is he chasing Ms. Karp?† â€Å"To kill her,† said Dimitri flatly. â€Å"They were lovers.† The entire Strigoi thing shifted into new focus for me. Running into a Strigoi I knew during the heat of battle was one thing. Purposely hunting down someone†¦someone I'd loved. Well, I didn't know if I could do that, even if it was technically the right thing. â€Å"Perhaps it is time to talk about something else,† said Victor gently. â€Å"Today isn't a day to dwell on depressing topics.† I think all of us felt relieved to get to the mall. Shifting into my bodyguard role, I stuck by Lissa's side as we wandered from store to store, looking at all the new styles that were out there. It was nice to be in public again and to do something with her that was just fun and didn't involve any of the dark, twisted politics of the Academy. It was almost like old times. I'd missed just hanging out. I'd missed my best friend. Although it was only just past mid-November, the mall already had glittering holiday decorations up. I decided I had the best job ever. Admittedly, I did feel a little put out when I realized the older guardians got to stay in contact through cool little communication devices. When I protested my lack of one, Dimitri told me I'd learn better without one. If I could handle protecting Lissa the old-fashioned way, I could handle anything. Victor and Spiridon stayed with us while Dimitri and Ben fanned out, somehow managing not to look like creepy stalker guys watching teenage girls. â€Å"This is so you,† said Lissa in Macy's, handing me a low-cut tank top embellished with lace. â€Å"I'll buy it for you.† I regarded it longingly, already picturing myself in it. Then, making my regular eye contact with Dimitri, I shook my head and handed it back. â€Å"Winter's coming. I'd get cold.† â€Å"Never stopped you before.† Shrugging, she hung it back up. She and Camille tried on a nonstop string of clothes, their massive allowances ensuring that price posed no problem. Lissa offered to buy me anything I wanted. We'd been generous with each other our whole lives, and I didn't hesitate to take her up on it. My choices surprised her. â€Å"You've got three thermal shirts and a hoodie,† she informed me, flipping through a stack of BCBG jeans. â€Å"You've gone all boring on me.† â€Å"Hey, I don't see you buying slutty tops.† â€Å"I'm not the one who wears them.† â€Å"Thanks a lot.† â€Å"You know what I mean. You're even wearing your hair up.† It was true. I'd taken Dimitri's advice and wrapped my hair up in a high bun, earning a smile when he'd seen me. If I'd had molnija marks, they would have shown. Glancing around, she made sure none of the others could hear us. The feelings in the bond shifted to something more troubled. â€Å"You knew about Ms. Karp.† â€Å"Yeah. I heard about it a month or so after she left.† Lissa tossed a pair of embroidered jeans over her arm, not looking at me. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me?† â€Å"You didn't need to know.† â€Å"You didn't think I could handle it?† I kept my face perfectly blank. As I stared at her, my mind was back in time, back to two years ago. I'd been on day two of my suspension for allegedly destroying Wade's room when a royal party visited the school. I'd been allowed to attend that reception too but had been under heavy guard to make sure I didn't â€Å"try anything.† Two guardians escorted me to the commons and talked quietly with each other along the way. â€Å"She killed the doctor attending her and nearly took out half the patients and nurses on her way out.† â€Å"Do they have any idea where she went?† â€Å"No, they're tracking her†¦but, well, you know how it is.† â€Å"I never expected her to do this. She never seemed like the type.† â€Å"Yeah, well, Sonya was crazy. Did you see how violent she was getting near the end? She was capable of anything.† I'd been trudging along miserably and jerked my head up. â€Å"Sonya? You mean Ms. Karp?† I asked. â€Å"She killed somebody?† The two guardians exchanged looks. Finally, one said gravely, â€Å"She became a Strigoi, Rose.† I stopped walking and stared. â€Å"Ms. Karp? No†¦she wouldn't have†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'm afraid so,† the other one replied. â€Å"But†¦you should keep that to yourself. It's a tragedy. Don't make it school gossip.† I went through the rest of the night in a daze. Ms. Karp. Crazy Karp. She'd killed someone to become Strigoi. I couldn't believe it. When the reception ended, I'd managed to sneak off from my guardians and steal a few precious moments with Lissa. The bond had grown strong by now, and I hadn't needed to see her face to know how miserable she was. â€Å"What's wrong?† I asked her. We were in a corner of the hallway, just outside the commons. Her eyes were blank. I could feel how she had a headache; its pain transferred to me. â€Å"I†¦I don't know. I just feel weird. I feel like I'm being followed, like I have to be careful, you know?† I didn't know what to say. I didn't think she was being followed, but Ms. Karp used to say the same thing. Always paranoid. â€Å"It's probably nothing,† I said lightly. â€Å"Probably,† she agreed. Her eyes suddenly narrowed. â€Å"But Wade isn't. He won't shut up about what happened. You can't believe the things he's saying about you.† I could, actually but I didn't care. â€Å"Forget about him. He's nothing.† â€Å"I hate him,† she said. Her voice was uncharacteristically sharp. â€Å"I'm on the committee with him for that fund-raiser, and I hate hearing him run his fat mouth every day and seeing him flirt with anything female that walks by. You shouldn't be punished for what he did. He needs to pay.† My mouth went dry. â€Å"It's okay†¦I don't care. Calm down, Liss.† â€Å"I care,† she snapped, turning her anger on me. â€Å"I wish there was a way I could get back at him. Some way to hurt him like he hurt you.† She put her hands behind her back and paced back and forth furiously, her steps hard and purposeful. The hatred and anger boiled within her. I could feel it in the bond. It felt like a storm, and it scared the hell out of me. Wrapped around it all was an uncertainty, an instability that said Lissa didn't know what to do but that she wanted desperately to do something. Anything. My mind flashed to the night with the baseball bat. And then I thought about Ms. Karp. She became a Strigoi, Rose. It was the scariest moment of my life. Scarier than seeing her in Wade's room. Scarier than seeing her heal that raven. Scarier than my capture by the guardians would be. Because just then, I didn't know my best friend. I didn't know what she was capable of. A year earlier, I would have laughed at anyone who said she'd want to go Strigoi. But a year earlier, I also would have laughed at anyone who said she'd want to cut her wrists or make someone â€Å"pay.† In that moment, I suddenly believed she might do the impossible. And I had to make sure she didn't. Save her. Save her from herself. â€Å"We're leaving,† I said, taking her arm and steering her down the hall. â€Å"Right now.† Confusion momentarily replaced her anger. â€Å"What do you mean? You want to go to the woods or something?† I didn't answer. Something in my attitude or words must have startled her, because she didn't question me as I led us out of the commons, cutting across campus toward the parking lot where visitors came. It was filled with cars belonging to tonight's guests. One of them was a large Lincoln Town Car, and I watched as its chauffeur started it up. â€Å"Someone's leaving early,† I said, peering at him from around a cluster of bushes. I glanced behind us and saw nothing. â€Å"They'll probably be here any minute.† Lissa caught on. â€Å"When you said, ? ®We're leaving,' you meant†¦no. Rose, we can't leave the Academy. We'd never get through the wards and checkpoints.† â€Å"We don't have to,† I said firmly. â€Å"He does.† â€Å"But how does that help us?† I took a deep breath, regretting what I had to say but seeing it as the lesser of evils. â€Å"You know how you made Wade do those things?† She flinched but nodded. â€Å"I need you to do the same thing. Go up to that guy and tell him to hide us in his trunk.† Shock and fear poured out of her. She didn't understand, and she was scared. Extremely scared. She'd been scared for weeks now, ever since the healing and the moods and Wade. She was fragile and on the edge of something neither of us understood. But through all of that, she trusted me. She believed I would keep her safe. â€Å"Okay,† she said. She took a few steps toward him, then looked back at me. â€Å"Why? Why are we doing this?† I thought about Lissa's anger, her desire to do anything to get back at Wade. And I thought about Ms. Karp – pretty, unstable Ms. Karp – going Strigoi. â€Å"I'm taking care of you,† I said. â€Å"You don't need to know anything else.† At the mall in Missoula, standing between racks of designer clothes, Lissa asked again, â€Å"Why didn't you tell me?† â€Å"You didn't need to know,† I repeated. She headed toward the dressing room, still whispering with me. â€Å"You're worried I'm going to lose it. Are you worried I'll go Strigoi too?† â€Å"No. No way. That was all her. You'd never do that.† â€Å"Even if I was crazy?† â€Å"No,† I said, trying to make a joke. â€Å"You'd just shave your head and live with thirty cats.† Lissa's feelings grew darker, but she didn't say anything else. Stopping just outside the dressing room, she pulled a black dress off the rack. She brightened a little. â€Å"This is the dress you were born for. I don't care how practical you are now.† Made of silky black material, the dress was strapless and sleek, falling about to the knees. Although it had a slight flair at the hemline, the rest looked like it would definitely manage some serious clinging action. Super sexy. Maybe even challenge-the-school-dress-code sexy. â€Å"That is my dress,† I admitted. I kept staring at it, wanting it so badly that it ached in my chest. This was the kind of dress that changed the world. The kind of dress that started religions. Lissa pulled out my size. â€Å"Try it on.† I shook my head and started to put it back. â€Å"I can't. It would compromise you. One dress isn't worth your grisly death.† â€Å"Then we'll just get it without you trying it on.† She bought the dress. The afternoon continued, and I found myself growing tired. Always watching and being on guard suddenly became a lot less fun. When we hit our last stop, a jewelry store, I felt kind of glad. â€Å"Here you go,† said Lissa, pointing at one of the cases. â€Å"The necklace made to go with your dress.† I looked. A thin gold chain with a gold-and-diamond rose pendant. Emphasis on the diamond part. â€Å"I hate rose stuff.† Lissa had always loved getting me rose things – just to see my reaction, I think. When she saw the necklace's price, her smile fell away. â€Å"Oh, look at that. Even you have limits,† I teased. â€Å"Your crazy spending is stopped at last.† We waited for Victor and Natalie to finish up. He was apparently buying her something, and she looked like she might grow wings and fly away with happiness. I was glad. She'd been dying for his attention. Hopefully he was buying her something extra-expensive to make up for it. We rode home in tired silence, our sleep schedules all messed up by the daylight trip. Sitting next to Dimitri, I leaned back against the seat and yawned, very aware that our arms were touching. That feeling of closeness and connection burned between us. â€Å"So, I can't ever try on clothes again?† I asked quietly not wanting to wake up the others. Victor and the guardians were awake, but the girls had fallen asleep. â€Å"When you aren't on duty, you can. You can do it during your time off.† â€Å"I don't ever want time off. I want to always take care of Lissa.† I yawned again. â€Å"Did you see that dress?† â€Å"I saw the dress.† â€Å"Did you like it?† He didn't answer. I took that as a yes. â€Å"Am I going to endanger my reputation if I wear it to the dance?† When he spoke, I could barely hear him. â€Å"You'll endanger the school.† I smiled and fell asleep. When I woke up, my head rested against his shoulder. That long coat of his-the duster-covered me like a blanket. The van had stopped; we were back at school. I pulled the duster off and climbed out after him, suddenly feeling wide awake and happy. Too bad my freedom was about to end. â€Å"Back to prison,† I sighed, walking beside Lissa toward the commons. â€Å"Maybe if you fake a heart attack, I can make a break for it.† â€Å"Without your clothes?† She handed me a bag, and I swung it around happily. â€Å"I can't wait to see the dress.† â€Å"Me either. If they let me go. Kirova's still deciding if I've been good enough.† â€Å"Show her those boring shirts you bought. She'll go into a coma. I'm about ready to.† I laughed and hopped up onto one of the wooden benches, pacing her as I walked along it. I jumped back down when I reached the end. â€Å"They aren't that boring.† â€Å"I don't know what to think of this new, responsible Rose.† I hopped up onto another bench. â€Å"I'm not that responsible.† â€Å"Hey,† called Spiridon. He and the rest of the group trailed behind us. â€Å"You're still on duty. No fun allowed up there.† â€Å"No fun here,† I called back, hearing the laughter in his voice. â€Å"I swear – shit.† I was up on a third bench, near the end of it. My muscles tensed, ready to jump back down. Only when I tried to, my foot didn't go with me. The wood, at one moment seemingly hard and solid, gave way beneath me, almost as though made of paper. It disintegrated. My foot went through, my ankle getting caught in the hole while the rest of my body tried to go in another direction. The bench held me, swinging my body to the ground while still seizing my foot. My ankle bent in an unnatural direction. I crashed down. I heard a cracking sound that wasn't the wood. The worst pain of my life shot through my body. And then I blacked out.