Digital Evidence & Legal Issues Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Digital Evidence & Legal Issues - Research Paper Example The innovative ways of gathering digital evidence are so diverse that the structures created for the conventional investigations usually no longer work for the new (Richard, Golden, & Roussev, 2006). For instance, rules that are applied by criminal investigators when confronted with privacy versus security scenarios relative to physical crime probes, usually results in astonishing outcomes in the search for digital evidence. They allow extraordinarily invasive investigatory processes to go unchecked in some cases, and yet permit incredible threats to privacy to turn legitimate investigations into a cropper. Court rulings and Congressional laws, have shored-up the weaknesses of the search for digital evidence and the prosecution of the suspects in the United States, nonetheless. Criminal evidence procedure The investigation process in regard to digital evidence, such as in system intrusion cases usually is split into three stages: It starts with the gathering of stored traces of facts from third-party databases, turns next to potential scrutiny of the exhibits, before the forensic probe of the suspected criminal’s hardware wraps up the process (Daniel, & Daniel, 2012). These three stages fulfil the primary objectives of gathering digital evidence: they include; gathering digital evidence on traffic, gathering digital evidence kept on the servers operated by cooperative third parties, and gathering digital evidence kept with unfriendly parties, which may include the suspect. Each mechanism exposes unique pieces of evidence, and requires deeper scrutiny. Collection procedure of digital evidence According to Casey (2011), the procedure of collecting digital evidence is long, tedious and sometimes yields negligible outcomes. Nonetheless, computer forensics specialists have crafted a comprehensive set of processes that forensic investigators ordinarily adhere to, when they capture and scrutinize a suspect’s computer and or related hardware. First, the i nvestigators ordinarily confiscate the computer and take it to a government forensic laboratory for analysis. This is important because the analysis of the exhibit is a time-consuming process; computer specialists, usually cannot locate the evidence on a hard drive during a search operation. At the forensic lab, the specialists begin by creating a â€Å"bitstream† image of the computer hard drive. The â€Å"bitstream† is an exact copy of all the bits and bytes kept on the hardware. The expert then carries out investigations on the â€Å"bitstream† in order to avoid any damages or alteration to the original hard drive during investigation. The crime analyst may explore different approaches such as executing successive searches for certain extensions, terms, or textual clues that match the nature of evidence sought. Alternatively, the investigator may scan through all documents bearing particular features on the sample, until there is enough proof that links the s uspect to the offense is achieved. For instance, if these techniques proved to be fruitful, and that an evaluation of the suspect’s computer reveals proof of the hacking of a company’s database, the suspect will face criminal charges (Richard, Golden, & Roussev, 2006). The prosecution will call upon

Decreasing Fossil Fuels Essay Example for Free

Decreasing Fossil Fuels Essay Over the past century America has continuously used its own fossil fuel resources and paid handsomely for additional supplies, in the race to stay current with modern technology and life .The possession of this resource has made the United States a very prosperous and powerful nation. The same fossil fuels that’s has made America such a powerhouse are the same that are damaging the environment and economy they have enabled. It is imperative that we decrease our dependency on fossil fuels, or it is inevitable that our economy and environment will suffer tremendously. With these fuels being such a crucial and essential part of Americas livelihood and status, it brings us to the question .What are fossil fuels? According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Science: Fossil fuels are buried deposits of petroleum, coal, peat, natural gas, and other carbon-rich organic compounds derived from the dead bodies of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Over long periods of time, pressure generated by overlaying sediments and from within the Earth has concentrated and modified these materials into valuable energy sources for it human purpose. Fossil fuels currently provide about 90 % of all technological energy used in the world. They provide the power to move vehicles, heat living spaces, provide light, cook our food, transmit and process information and carry out a wide variety of industrial processes (Thomson). There are countless marvels and miracles that we can list that came from the dawn of industrialization in the 21st century that the abundan ce of fossil fuels has provided. If the flow of fossil fuels to the United States were ever cut off, the economy would come to a halt. There would be no way to transport the products that factories produce. There would be no way for people to drive to work. The whole economy, and in fact the whole of western society, currently depends on fossil fuels (Graetz 198). Fossil fuels are the leading source of our economic advancement and can eventually be the downfall. With the great dependency that our economy has on these fuels it is important that we talk about the economic issues and threats that this unhealthy dependency causes. Each day the United States spends about $2 billion buying oil and loses another $4 billion indirectly to the macroeconomic cost of oil dependence, the microeconomic cost of oil price volatility ,and the cost of keeping military forces ready for intervention (Lovins). This dependency to foreign oil supplies is causing unstable security threats for the nation. We are competing with other importing counties that are expanding their economies which put us at a great risk for conflict in the Persian Gulf and terrorism. If the oil rich countries that we depend on wanted to raise their prices we would have no choice but to comply or it could but a halt to our economy .This kind of dependency is extremely unhealthy for our nation and our economy. This creates economic risk because we do not have control over the supply and we depend on it almost exclusively for our productivity. Doing business with politically unstable countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq, can make us vulnerable to terrorism and threats from other nations. This continuing dependency on fossil fuels has the potential to put a halt to our economy .This unhealthy dependency can also cause security threats like terrorism from politically unstable nations. With these disastrous effects of fuel dependency it is clear that something must be done .It is imperative that we decrease our d ependency on fossil fuels, or it is inevitable that our economy will suffer tremendously. The economic threats are not the only factors that warrant for immediate reduction of the fuel usage environmental factors play an overwhelming hazardous proportion. It has been recognized worldwide that the utilization of an enormous amount of fossil fuels has created various adverse effects on the environment. Every day in America we take for granted the fresh drinking water, fresh air to breathe and the beauty of nature. We will lose these natural blessings with the continuing use of fossil fuels. These fuels are having jeopardous effects on our ecosystem. The extraction of these fuels on land degrades the land .It destroys the habitat .The process of drilling, extracting and processing fossil fuels is not entirely efficient and creates waste .This sometimes results in harmful by-products entering the ground. (Rabl and Spadaro).It can make it unsustainable .It destroys the habitat of animals that live on the sites. Land extraction is not worse of two evils. Extraction in marine or wetland environments has had severe impacts (Cleveland, Hall and Kaufmann 357).Oil spilled on water spreads out and is carried out by water currents. This contaminated water can be ingested by animals or worse maybe even humans. It has the propensity to clog appendages, body coverings and membranes of marine animals. Transporting fossil fuels can cause damage as well. Pipelines carrying oil, for example, can rupture and spread pollutants over a large area of land. In areas of chemical spills, vegetation can be killed and unable to be grown for many years. Toxins contaminating the ground may directly affect crops and the habitats of animals (358). Another effect of the fuel usage is air pollution. According to Ayhan Demirbas air pollution can cause health problems and it can also damage the environment and property. One of the main air pollutants that helps exceed the air quality standard or AQS is Carbon monoxide or (CO).Co is produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels including petrol and diesel which are produced by fossil fuels. Nitrogen oxide or (NOx) can cause smoke and acid rain. Nitrogen oxide can also make children susceptible to respiratory diseases. The acid rain occurs when the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen from the burning fuels combine with water vapor in the atmosphere and fall as rain, snow or fog (Lovins). The acid rain causes extensive damage to water, forests, soil resources, human health and it can also corrode buildings .The international scope of the problem has led to the signing of international agreement s on the limitation of nitrogen dioxide emissions (Kunstler). The burning of coal from human activities have led to increased atmospheric concentrations of a number of greenhouse gases ,including carbon dioxide ,methane, nitrous oxide ,CFC’s ,and ozone in the lower part of the atmosphere( Demirbas ). These gases have opened the door for all kinds of health problems like respiratory diseases, damage to kidneys, cardiovascular and nervous system. â€Å"Most scientists consider it likely that if the atmospheric concentrations of C02 and other so-called greenhouse gases continue to rise, the earth’s climate will become warmer† (Cline) .These gases add to the naturally already occurring atmospheric gases increasing the overall temperature of earth. An increasing temperature on the planet can have disastrous effects in the long term. Widespread changes to earth’s climate would be expected to cause extreme weather and storms, massive ecological changes, and the extinction of many species. Reducing the amount of fossil fuels would considerably reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced, as well as the level of pollutants which causes acid rain. The extensive use of fossil fuels has caused such catastrophic damages to our environment. With all of these overwhelming hazardous effects they create it is imperative that we decrease out dependency on fossil fuels, or it is inevitable that our environment will suffer tremendously. The current dominance of fossil fuels as an energy source reflects their convenience of use and relative ease of production in comparison with other energy sources (Lincoln). No other energy sources, match fuels for power, versatility, transportability or ease of storage. James Howard Kunstler describes our continual use of these fuels best in his book The Long Emergency when he said: Oil is an amazing substance. It stores a tremendous amount of energy per weight and volume .It is easy to transport .It stores easily at regular air temperature in unpressurized metal tanks, and it can sit there indefinitely without degrading †¦. . It is flammable but has proven to be safe to handle with a modest amount of care by people with double digit IQs .It can be refined by straightforward distillation into many grades of fuel. There are many reasons why we continue to use fossil fuel .It is more affordable and cheaper to use, they pack more energy, it is easy to transport, it is easy to use and has many uses and it is readily available. Even with all of these more efficient reasons to use these fuels it is still does not outweigh the harm that they cause to the environment or threats to the economy. The cause a wide range of problems like acid rain, global warming and security threats the list goes on .We must cut down on the tremendous volumes of use. Fossil fuels are natural substances made deep within the Earth from remains of animals and plants over time, heat and pressure turned these decomposing remains into fuels which release energy when burned. These fuels have taken hundreds and millions of years to make this are not a slow process. We are using such a large amount of this energy as if the supply is never ending .One day these supplies are going to be exhausted, and there will be a need for an alternative source if our economy and environment are going to survive. One possible solution to decrease the fossil fuel damage is to look into renewable resource like hydrogen energy is one possible choice. Hydrogen is harvested by a process called electrolysis, which separates the hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms in water. Hydrogen energy could be an endless resource once a more economical way of producing the hydrogen gas is discovered. When using hydrogen fuel cell energy the only byproduct would be water. Hydrogen clearly provides the potential for huge energy and environmental improvements. Engineer Harry T. Roman states: If fuel cells could be used in our homes with hydrogen, Imagine the possibility of being able to generate both your Electricity and heating needs right in your basement, with Little or no pollution. And are there some bonuses, like no More electric power outages when storms come blowing Through, no fuel delivery interruptions, and no potential terrorist Threats to our utility systems? While other alternative energies provide short-term solutions, only hydrogen presents long-term benefits that will reduce pollution and U.S. dependence on foreign oil. With the possibility of cleaner air, fewer security threats because they would be produced in the U.S. and the supply would be endless and readily available it seems that this could be a potential alternative. It is imperative that we decrease our dependency on fossil fuels, or it is inevitable that our economy and environment will suffer tremendously. The uses of these fuels have caused security threats from dealing with politically unstable nations. It also puts our economy under the control of these foreign nations. If they would chose to increase their prices it could put a halt to our economy and way of life. Large use of these fuels has also had devastating effects on the environment. The burning of these fuels has created acid rain, global warming, contamination of water supplies and various human illnesses. If this new modern lifestyles of technology mobility, and industrial efficiency is to be sustained there will have to be changes in our energy consumption and source. One proposed alternative is hydrogen energy. This energy source is made from a process called electrolysis. It emits virtually no pollution and is renewable so the supply is unlimited. It will be produced locally so the terrorist threats would be diminished.

I Want To Be a Teacher Essay -- Education Teaching Learning School Ess

Why I Want To Be a Teacher Education is one of the most essential possessions in life. It is necessary for success, and it provides an enhanced future. I believe that people, who do not get an education, are uninformed as to what is going on in their surroundings. The disadvantage is that people can abuse you for your lack of knowledge. People need to be educated to communicate effectively with other people who might have distinct points of views than theirs. In other words, education makes you more open-minded and acceptable to other ideas, beliefs, and values. In the United States, people are extremely lucky because no matter what their age they always have the privilege of receiving the best education possible. In other countries, children have withdrawn from school at an early age because their parents cannot afford to pay for their education. This is very depressing because in the United States innumerable people take school for granted and give up just because they are lazy. They do not appreciat e what they have and do not value education. When I was a child, my mother would constantly remind me about how important it was to have high expectations. My mother is originally from Central America. In her country, people are very unfortunate. She loved school and dreamed of becoming a nurse. However, she had to leave school to help my grandmother, economically. She decided to come to America and to endow my brothers and me with the education she never had. For this reason, most of the things I have accomplished throughout my schooling are because of my mother. I always perform my best in everything I do because I want to make her proud. I know that through me her dreams are becoming a reality. I plan to ... ...bility over each one of your students. Good quality instructors are what society needs in order to make this country flourishing. Yet, I have heard many controversies over what an effective teacher really is. Although this was intimidating, it gave me more determination to work towards my goal. Another reason why I admire teachers is because not only do they facilitate children’s learning but they can aid their own children as well. I think that is something remarkable. I anticipate that in the future I will be able to be of assistance to my children with their homework and teach them how to be responsible citizens. Accomplishing my aspiration of becoming a professor will fill me with enormous satisfaction and pride. I know that completing my schooling will guarantee me a successful future. Only then will I prove that my mother’s sacrifice was not useless.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Sacagawea Essay -- Clark and Lewis ex

â€Å"Everything I do is for my people† (Quotes From Sacagawea). This fun loving naturalist that liked to help others was way more of a hero then she appears to be. Sacagawea, or also referred to as Sacagawea with a â€Å"g† or Sacakawea with a â€Å"k†, is known for her history in the Lewis and Clark expedition.(Sacajawea) She was born in Lemhi Mountains, which is now called Idaho, in 1788. She was the daughter of the Chief of the Indian Tribe, Shoshone. When she was 12 years old in 1800, she was kidnapped by the Hidasta Indian Tribe and taken to North Dakota. The Hidasta Indians also took several others along with her, and raided her Tribe from their stuff, killing a few people. A year after her arrival she was bought or gambled by a French-Canadian fur trapper, Toussaint Charbonneau, he made her his wife along with all his other â€Å"wives†. When she was 16, in 1804, she had gotten pregnant. By that time Lewis and Clark were setting up camp for the winter in Fort Mandan and had hired her husband as a translator. They later learned that Sacagawea spoke Shoshone and Hidasta, so they then asked her to join them, and she gla dly accepted. â€Å"The soil as you leave the heights of the mountains becomes gradually more fertile. the land through which we passed this evening is of an excellent quality tho very broken, it is a dark grey soil† (quotes Lewis as he travels through Idaho Country.) Sacagawea had her first born child, a boy, name Jean Baptiste Charbonneau in February 1805, who accompanied her on her journeys. Clark was fond of her new baby boy so he nicknamed him â€Å"Pomp† or â€Å"Pompey†, meaning â€Å"First Born†. (Sacagawea Lesson) In the spring of 1805 the Lewis and Clark expedition decides to take off. But on there way a sudden storm approaches and n... ...rson of Cameahwait she recognized her brother: She instantly jumped up, and ran and embraced him, throwing over him her blanket and weeping profusely: The chief was himself moved, though not in the same degree. After some conversation between them she resumed her seat, and attempted to interpret for us, but her new situation seemed to overpower her, and she was frequently interrupted by her tears (Lewis and Clark)." Works Cited http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/sacagawea/timeline.html http://www.sacagawea.com http://www.mathcs.bethel.edu/~gossett/DiscreteMathWithProof/sacagawea/quotes.html http://wikianswers.com/Q/Quotes_from_sacajawea http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/FEATURE/lewisandclark/quotes.html http://www.elcivics.com/sacajawea.html http://www/lewis-and-clark-expedition.com/Sacagawea.aspx http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/sacajawea/section1.rhtml

Rise And Growth Of Taliban History Essay

â€Å" The Taliban was portion of our past and your yesteryear. The ISI and CIA created it together. It was a monster created by all of us, but we forgot to do a remedy of it†¦ They ‘re sort of a malignant neoplastic disease created by Pakistan and America, and the universe. â€Å" A Asif Ali Zardari on TalibanIntroductionBy 1994, after holding overthrown the Soviets, Afghanistan had disintegrated into a hodgepodge of viing groups and switching confederations. The preponderantly cultural Tajik authorities of President Rabbani held Kabul and the nor'-east of the state, while the Northern states remained under the control of Abdul Rashid Dostum and other warlords. Ismail Khan controlled the Western states around Herat, and the country to the South and East of Kabul were in the custodies of warlords such as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The Eastern boundary line with Pakistan was held by a council of mujahidin, and the South was split between tonss of ex-mujahideen and brigands, who used their control of the roads to extort money from the cross-border trade with Pakistan.[ 1 ] In late 1994, a new motion emerged in the South, prehending control foremost of Kandahar and so of the surrounding states. Its leaders took the name of their group Taliban, from the plural of talib, an Arabic word denoting an Muslim pupil.[ 2 ]Beginnings of the TalibanThe most widely circulated theory is that the leading of the Taliban emerged from amongst the dissatisfied immature Afghan refugees analyzing in the spiritual schools around Quetta and Peshawar.[ 3 ] Soon after the Soviets sent their military personnels into Afghanistan in support of the Communist government in Kabul, General Mohammad Ziaul Haq, the so President of Pakistan, established a concatenation of ‘Deeni Madaris ‘ ( an outgrowth of the old madrassa educational system ) along the Afghan-Pakistan boundary line. He did so in order to make a belt of religiously-oriented pupils who would help the Afghan mujahidin to evict the Soviet forces from Afghanistan. The pupils in these Deeni Madaris were a mixture of Afghans and Pakistanis, with around 80 per centum of them being Afghans. The teaching staff were both Pakistanis and Afghans. After the autumn of Dr Najibullah,[ 4 ]spiritual schools began working in Afghanistan every bit good, particularly in the eastern states and in Herat.[ 5 ] The madaris non merely imparted spiritual instruction of kinds but more than that, they organised the pupils into hawkish groups who would be prepared to utilize force to repress their challengers. The 1s that produced the combatants were sent to Afghanistan to evict the Communists and subsequently to contend against those who they believed were non presenting an Muslim government in their state.[ 6 ]That is why they reportedly developed a disfavor for the bing Afghan groupings, which they blamed for brining approximately much of the decease and devastation in their fatherland.[ 7 ]The Taliban argued that they were making a stable Islamic province that the leaders of the jehad against the Soviets could non make.[ 8 ]Rise of the Taliban MovementImmediate Causes. The pathetic status in which the Afghans found themselves during this period ( 1992-1994 ) could be attributable to the bing mujahideen cabals. In Sep 1994, Mullah Mohammad Omar, a jehad veteran from Maiwand territory, of mere ly West of Khandahar, decided to work towards conveying about peace by evicting the pro-communists and presenting Islamic values in Afghanistan. Omar visited assorted mosques in his small town to garner support for his mission, and formed a group of Talibs along with arms and vehicles, which was provided to him by a mujahid commanding officer of Hizb-e-Islami. With this the Taliban motion had begun. The formal name given to the freshly created political cabal was Tehreek-i-Islami-i-Taliban Afghanistan. Later, permission was besides given for the commanding officers of The National Islamic Front of Afghanistan ( NIFA ) in Khandahar to fall in this new set of black-turbaned Islamic warriors by their head, in the hope that Taliban would convey about peace in Afghanistan. The strength of the Taliban shortly swelled.[ 9 ]The ages of their members varied from 15 to 50. The immature pupils who formed the group ab initio were shortly joined by experient combatants who had been active against the Soviets during the Afghan jehad. They excessively joined in helping the ‘war attempt ‘ . A cardinal shura was established in Khandahar, with Mullah Omar designated as the caput. The war attempt and all policies were being directed from his central office in Kandahar, which virtually became the capital of the Taliban-controlled countries of Afghanistan.[ 10 ]The Taliban leading, headed by Mullah Omar, emerged as a force that would bring around the state of factionalism, corruptness, and force that had prevailed of all time since the Soviet backdown. While there is no individual cause that brought the Taliban Islamic Movement of Afghanistan into prominence, several factors have been cited: – Pashtun individuality ; many of the warlords were from northern cultural groups. The combination of their seeable, although non to the full understood, piousness, coupled with bitterness against warlords perceived as Islamic. Financing, both holding beginnings of it, and being able to corrupt hard oppositions. Support from Pakistan, particularly Inter-Services Intelligence.[ 11 ] Due to defeat and war-weariness among the population in the South, the Taliban was ab initio good received. Its forces advanced quickly through Southern and Eastern Afghanistan, capturing nine out of 30 states by February 1995. The motion received strong backup from Pakistan ‘s ISI, which assisted in the enlisting of members and provided arms, preparation, and proficient aid. In 1996, the Taliban captured Kabul and, despite impermanent reverses, conquered the northern metropoliss of Mazar, Kunduz, and Taloqan in 1998.[ 12 ] By 2001, the Taliban controlled virtually all of Afghanistan. The lone exclusion was a little splinter of land North East of Kabul in the Panshjir Valley to which Ahmed Shah Massoud and his Northern Alliance forces had retreated. The Taliban instituted a inhibitory version of shari'a jurisprudence, censoring music, banned adult females from working or traveling to school, and prohibited freedom of the imperativeness. Afghanistan besides became a genteelness land for Jihadists and terrorists purpose on assailing the United States and other states.[ 13 ] The backdown of the Soviets in 1989 put an disconnected terminal to the American assistance being provided to the mujahidins. Subsequently, during the period from 1993 to 1996, which were important in organizing up the Taliban, both the political and military leading of Pakistan identified in Taliban, a proxy ground forces they could work to run into their aims. In 1994, the authorities of Pakistan under the leading of Benazir Bhutto, sought the aid of the Taliban in guaranting safe transition of their convoys through Afghanistan ; a undertaking which the Taliban executed successfully by overmastering the local warlords in the part. Their quest to suppress grew roots and they did go on to capture and govern most of Afghanistan ( about 90 % ) , till 9/11 reversed their lucks.

Free Essays on Gang Activity

Gangs Activity Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today’s cities. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable and prestigious way to live? The long range answer to these questions can only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I believe there is good evidence to point the blame at several institutions. These include the forces of media, the government, theatre, drugs and our economic system. On the surface gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it all sound glamorous. Mone y is also an crucial factor. A kid (a 6-10 year old, who is not yet a member) is shown that he/she could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. Although these are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly against their morals. One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies. The average child spends more time at a TV than he/she spends in a classroom. Since nobody can completely turn off their minds, kids must be learning something while watching the TV. Very few hours of television watched by children are educational, so other ideas are being absorbed during this period of time. Many shows on television today are extremely violent and are often shown this from a gang’s perspective. A normal adult can see that this is showing how foully that gangs are living. However, to a child this portrays a violent gang e... Free Essays on Gang Activity Free Essays on Gang Activity Gangs Activity Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today’s cities. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable and prestigious way to live? The long range answer to these questions can only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I believe there is good evidence to point the blame at several institutions. These include the forces of media, the government, theatre, drugs and our economic system. On the surface gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it all sound glamorous. Mone y is also an crucial factor. A kid (a 6-10 year old, who is not yet a member) is shown that he/she could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. Although these are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly against their morals. One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies. The average child spends more time at a TV than he/she spends in a classroom. Since nobody can completely turn off their minds, kids must be learning something while watching the TV. Very few hours of television watched by children are educational, so other ideas are being absorbed during this period of time. Many shows on television today are extremely violent and are often shown this from a gang’s perspective. A normal adult can see that this is showing how foully that gangs are living. However, to a child this portrays a violent gang e...

The Railroads essays

The Railroads essays One of the major events in the gilded age was the construction of the railroads. At that time there was no artifact of the new industrial culture as powerfully symbolic as the locomotive. In this time period the ton-miles of freight carried by the thirteen principle lines in the country rose from 2.16 billion to 14.48 billion, an increase of six hundred percent. In the next couple years track mileage more than tripled from thirty five thousand to about hundred and fifteen thousand miles, with about eighteen thousand locomotives in service. In the congressional legislation that paved the way for the transcontinental railroads, it was provided that the line should move west from Council Bluffs under the direction of the Union Pacific and the east from Sacramento under the auspices of the Central Pacific. Each company was to receive ten alternating sections along its right of the way to help defray the cost of construction. The Central Pacific was a partnership of five men, all newcomers to railroad building. Collis Potter Huntington was a coarse, rough man who, like Jay Gould, began his career as a peddler. Huntington formed a partnership with Mark Hopkins, his partner in hardware store; Leland Stanford, a grocer; Charles Crocker, a former gold miner; and a brilliant engineer, Theodore Dehone Judah, to build a railroad across the Sierra Nevada. The five men got their contract to build their railroad. So the rails were pushed forward relentlessly in the face of heavy snowfall, avalanches, and, in the summer, blistering heat. On several occasions whole construction camps were buried under hundred feet of rock and earth by avalanches. As the track moved west to east, laying the rails developed into a race between the construction crew of the Central Pacific and those of the Union Pacific. The line that built the longest stretch of railroad bed could claim the largest number of sections and, it was hoped, the l ...

Free Essays on Poem for my Sister

POEM FOR MY SISTER by Liz Lochead A poem I have recently read is called ‘poem for my sister’, which was written by Liz Lochead. This essay is going to investigate how Liz Lochead feels as an older sister towards her little sister, what techniques she uses to get what effects, what the sister’s relationship is like and how effective the poet has been. The poem is made up of three stanzas. In stanza 1, Liz Lochead explains about how her little sister likes to try on her grown-up shoes. In stanza 2 though she tells us about how she likes to watch her little sister play kid games and how good she is at them. Finally, in stanza 3, Liz Lochead warns her sister away from wearing unsuitable shoes. In stanza 1, Liz Lochead shows us how she feels about her little sister. She tells us of an everyday occurrence; her little sister trying on her shoes, â€Å"My little sister likes to try on my shoes, to strut in them†. The obvious meaning of this stanza is that her little sister wants to wear grown-up shoes but the big sister thinks she is still too young, â€Å"She says they fit her perfectly, but wobbles†. The second meaning is that the little sister is at a difficult age in her life, she’s getting too old to be a kid but is no good at being an adult but keeps trying desperately to be an adult anyway. The word â€Å"wobbles† means both that she physically cannot cope with wearing grown-up shoes and that she is also wobbling between childhood and adulthood, showing that it is not easy to balance, this message becomes clearer through the poem as she starts to speak of her little sister playing kid games. Liz Lochead uses quite a lot of alliteration in Stanza 1. She uses dashes and commas to speed up the rhythm of the poem, â€Å"admire her spindle-thin twelve-year-old legs†. I find her use of dashes and commas very effective in speeding up the rhythm. Stanza 1 shows much about the sister’s relationship, they are quite close but not too c... Free Essays on Poem for my Sister Free Essays on Poem for my Sister POEM FOR MY SISTER by Liz Lochead A poem I have recently read is called ‘poem for my sister’, which was written by Liz Lochead. This essay is going to investigate how Liz Lochead feels as an older sister towards her little sister, what techniques she uses to get what effects, what the sister’s relationship is like and how effective the poet has been. The poem is made up of three stanzas. In stanza 1, Liz Lochead explains about how her little sister likes to try on her grown-up shoes. In stanza 2 though she tells us about how she likes to watch her little sister play kid games and how good she is at them. Finally, in stanza 3, Liz Lochead warns her sister away from wearing unsuitable shoes. In stanza 1, Liz Lochead shows us how she feels about her little sister. She tells us of an everyday occurrence; her little sister trying on her shoes, â€Å"My little sister likes to try on my shoes, to strut in them†. The obvious meaning of this stanza is that her little sister wants to wear grown-up shoes but the big sister thinks she is still too young, â€Å"She says they fit her perfectly, but wobbles†. The second meaning is that the little sister is at a difficult age in her life, she’s getting too old to be a kid but is no good at being an adult but keeps trying desperately to be an adult anyway. The word â€Å"wobbles† means both that she physically cannot cope with wearing grown-up shoes and that she is also wobbling between childhood and adulthood, showing that it is not easy to balance, this message becomes clearer through the poem as she starts to speak of her little sister playing kid games. Liz Lochead uses quite a lot of alliteration in Stanza 1. She uses dashes and commas to speed up the rhythm of the poem, â€Å"admire her spindle-thin twelve-year-old legs†. I find her use of dashes and commas very effective in speeding up the rhythm. Stanza 1 shows much about the sister’s relationship, they are quite close but not too c...

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Having A National History Essay

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Having A National History - Essay Example Man's cultural heritage pervades our lives almost from birth. History is the story of what men and women have done, of what they have left for others to enjoy and suffer. People have made fantastic blunders and noble contributions, but regardless of the quality of human activity it has given us a legacy of civilization, not always fine and noble but on the whole there has been progress both material and moral. Man's outlook is basically hopeful and there has been some justification for this. As people look at history, if they are guided in the true spirit of criticism and imbued with the necessity to look for the truth, they cannot help being inspired by the heroic proportions of their ancestors' struggle for existence and a better life. Such is the history as it was introduced to the ancient Greek world by Herodotus. After about a million years of human struggle out of the fog and ignorance of primeval antiquity during which time man's history was in the hands of the gods. Herodotus gave the story of humanity back to man; thus rightly being called the "father of history." He did this in a very simple way, in a manner that we sometimes take for granted and therefore overlook; he simply observed people and wrote about what they did and thought. For the first time history was more than a mere symbolic record. Man was made aware of his heritage. He introduced humanism into the chronicles of war, degradation and the mysterious ways of Providence. He endowed men historically with freedom of will to make choices and to mold the course of events in which they were caught up.

Healthcare Milestones and Benchmarks Research Paper

Healthcare Milestones and Benchmarks - Research Paper Example tient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has been the one of the most valuable dimensions in the past decades, which has been introduced by the President of the US Barrack Obama in the year 2010. Even before that, US social legislation had passed Oregon Death with Dignity Act (ODDA) in the year 1994. Apart from these, in the year 1973, United States had developed the Health Maintenance Organisation Act (HMO), which has been implemented widely in healthcare industry till the present scenario. Besides, the United States government had passed the Social Security Act in the year 1935, which has established the principle of federal aid for the people of America. Moreover, during the World War-I in the year 1919, the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates officially convicted compulsory health insurance for the public of the United States. Besides, AMA had also restricted the involvement of third parties in between the patient and medical aspects (Sultz & Young, 2010 ). With regard to the impact of the identified milestones and benchmark events on the healthcare system, it can be apparently asserted that the benchmarking events or milestones have contributed to the development of the American healthcare industry significantly. During the year 1940, 9% of the U.S. population had health insurance, which had exceeded the figure of around 74% by the year 1986 (Sultz & Young, 2010). On the other hand, through Social Security Act, the American government has been able to address several diseases and has been capable of improving the quality of food, drugs and cosmetics for consumer protection. Furthermore, through the help of Health Maintenance Organisations the American government has been capable of promoting health and preventing illnesses. Consequently, Oregon Death with Dignity Act has allowed adult incurably ill residents of Oregon to select the path of self-administration of lethal drugs to end their own lives. Simultaneously, PPACA has

Advise VALCOs management about possible ways of managing a cash Essay

Advise VALCOs management about possible ways of managing a cash deficit in the short and long-term - Essay Example For example, the actual cash disbursements exceed budgeted cash out flow for wages and taxes, amount payable for supplies, or even dividend payments to shareholders. This being said, a firm usually prepares a cash budget before time to forecast the cash disbursements and receivables it will realize in near future. The cash inflow is subtracted from cash outflow (or payments) and the result is a cash deficit or a cash surplus depending on which amount is higher than the other. A cash deficit, when not financed, will carry over the next period. Consistent deficits of the cash budget reflect inefficient cash management, and because cash is an important resource, it has to be managed effectively. There are many ways to manage a cash deficit in the short term. Short term means a period of one year or less. Valco has two options to finance its cash deficit in the short term. The first is through making some changes internally and second is using external means to finance the deficit. By internal changes what is meant are changes in Valco’s policies. First, the company must strive to reduce the debtor cycle. Debtor cycle refers to the number of days it takes debtors to pay for the credit sales. Quick recovery from debtors will ensure that cash is not tied up in the form of account receivable and is free to be used to pay other expenses. Another option that Valco has is to reduce its credit sales. This however, does not come without repercussion as it may mean a reduction in overall sales revenue if Valco stops giving the option of credit to its customers. Valco can try to reduce its credit sales (and hence the amount tied up in debtors) by offering cash/trade discounts i f the customers pay in cash at the time of transaction. This will encourage cash sales and therefore a flow of cash payments. (Davoren, n.d.)Also, as the evidence from the question suggests, the raw material stock was increased for the second month, this means

MPTP and Its Role in Toxic Parkinsonism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MPTP and Its Role in Toxic Parkinsonism - Essay Example The degeneration of the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia coupled with intracytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies is the pathological characteristic seen in patients afflicted with PD. "The primary biochemical defect is the loss of striatal dopamine" which is the neurotransmitter produced by the neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra (Braddom, 1164). The basal ganglia "assist in the regulation of voluntary movement and the learning of motor skills" (Snell, 320). It also functions in the initiation of movements. It is because of this that patients present primarily with motor affectations with the cardinal signs for PD which include bradykinesia (characterized by a slowness and sudden pause in movement), resting tremors (uncontrolled shaking or movement), muscular rigidity (stiffness) and postural instability. The specific cause for Parkinson's disease is still unknown. Genetic factors such as defects in or mutations of several genes are known to cause PD, but these mutations actually result in only a very small number of cases of PD, in as little as 5% of the total number of PD cases. The two most important genes are "called parkin (autosomal recessive) and LRRK2 (autosomal dominant). Other genes that, when mutated, are known to cause PD include alpha-synuclein, DJ-1, PINK-1, and UCHL-1" (American Parkinson Disease Association). Envirionmental factors, such as exposure to toxins like pesticides/herbicides, industrial chemicals, trace metals, cyanide and carbon monoxide, are also thought to be a likely cause of Parkinson's Disease. 'The most compelling evidence for an environmental factor in PD relates to the toxin 1,2,3,6-methyl-phenyl-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)" (Olanow & Tatton, 124). In the late 1940's, MPTP was first tested for its possible therapeutic use tested as a possible anti-pa rkinsonian agent. Conversely, the drug was abandoned soon after the 6 humans given the drug developed PD symptoms and 2 of them died (myDr.com). The surge in the numbers of the MPTP-induced Parkinsonism came in the 1980's when it was being sold in the streets as synthetic heroin. The case study done by (Ballard, Tetrud & Langston, 949) wherein the subjects, seven patients in total, developed permanent chronic and severe parkinsonism after repeatedly injecting MPTP intravenously. MPTP is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and react with the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) (Hauser et.al). The interactions of MPTP with monoamine oxidase (MAO) was studied by Singer, Salach, Castagnoli & Trevort in 1986. (785) (Last Name) 3 l-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), a thermal breakdown product of a meperidine-like narcotic. The nigrostriatal toxicity is not due to MPTP itself but to one or amore oxidation products resulting from the action of monoamine oxidase (MAO) on this tertiary allylamine. Both MAO A and B catalyse the oxidation of MPTP to the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyridinium species (MPDP+), which undergoes further oxidation to the fully aromatic 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium species (MPP+). These bio-oxidations are blocked by selective inhibitors of MAO A

Legal Issues of Business Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legal Issues of Business Organizations - Essay Example The leave is only given because of three reasons; First, in case of birth or the employee has to take care of the employee’s eligible child or, when the employee has to provide foster care or adopt a child. Second, if the employee has to offer care to his/her immediate member of the family, including child, spouse and parent whose health condition is serious. Third, if the employee has to take care of own health condition that is serious according to the physician. During this period, the employee is not eligible to get his salary, but entitled to group health advantages. Considering the provisions, the twins were eligible children of the Employee A; he was entitled to a maximum leave of 12 weeks. As well, employee A’s spouse gave birth to twins prematurely, meaning that, it might have caused serious health complications. Therefore, he was obliged to stay with her as she recovered from her health condition. Since the Act provides for an employee to take care of spouseâ €™s health, the leave was justified. According to the Act, the leave is unpaid. Therefore, Employee A was wrong to request for the withheld salary. The manager acted within the legal requirement for not approving payment to the employee who was granted leave under such circumstances. In situation A, the act was not violated. Section B Analysis of situation B regarding the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 According to the provisions of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), the employees who have reached 40 years, or older than that age are protected in the workplace (EEOC, B, 2008). It prohibits all forms employment discrimination in relation to the employee’s age. Under the act, it is illegal to discriminate the employee about his/her age from enjoying the privileges, terms and conditions of employment, such as hiring, compensation, firing, benefits, promotion, job assignments, layoff, and training (EEOC, B, 2008). The Act also provides that , the older employees should be favored with such employment privileges, terms and conditions, even if the practice would affect the junior workers, below the age of 40 years (EEOC, B, 2008). In addition, the Act prohibits retaliatory actions on the employees who are opposed to the discriminative practices on gender, or someone who has filed a discrimination petition on age factors, testified against such discriminatory acts, and investigating such practices (EEOC, B, 2008). Considering situation B, it was illegal to discriminate Employee B on employment promotion simply because he/she was 68 years. From the situational analysis, Employee B has been in the company of 42 years and his/her performance record was above average. This might be as a result of the long experience that he/she had in the company. Indeed, the employee seems to have mastered the ways of doing the work effectively, which resulted to exemplary performance. Therefore, promoting a younger worker whose performance was only adequate, because he/she was 32, years contravened the provisions of the Act. The management of the company should have favored the older employee because he was above average and the law protects them from all forms discrimination regarding the employees age. Precisely, the law

MPTP and Its Role in Toxic Parkinsonism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MPTP and Its Role in Toxic Parkinsonism - Essay Example The degeneration of the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia coupled with intracytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies is the pathological characteristic seen in patients afflicted with PD. "The primary biochemical defect is the loss of striatal dopamine" which is the neurotransmitter produced by the neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra (Braddom, 1164). The basal ganglia "assist in the regulation of voluntary movement and the learning of motor skills" (Snell, 320). It also functions in the initiation of movements. It is because of this that patients present primarily with motor affectations with the cardinal signs for PD which include bradykinesia (characterized by a slowness and sudden pause in movement), resting tremors (uncontrolled shaking or movement), muscular rigidity (stiffness) and postural instability. The specific cause for Parkinson's disease is still unknown. Genetic factors such as defects in or mutations of several genes are known to cause PD, but these mutations actually result in only a very small number of cases of PD, in as little as 5% of the total number of PD cases. The two most important genes are "called parkin (autosomal recessive) and LRRK2 (autosomal dominant). Other genes that, when mutated, are known to cause PD include alpha-synuclein, DJ-1, PINK-1, and UCHL-1" (American Parkinson Disease Association). Envirionmental factors, such as exposure to toxins like pesticides/herbicides, industrial chemicals, trace metals, cyanide and carbon monoxide, are also thought to be a likely cause of Parkinson's Disease. 'The most compelling evidence for an environmental factor in PD relates to the toxin 1,2,3,6-methyl-phenyl-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)" (Olanow & Tatton, 124). In the late 1940's, MPTP was first tested for its possible therapeutic use tested as a possible anti-pa rkinsonian agent. Conversely, the drug was abandoned soon after the 6 humans given the drug developed PD symptoms and 2 of them died (myDr.com). The surge in the numbers of the MPTP-induced Parkinsonism came in the 1980's when it was being sold in the streets as synthetic heroin. The case study done by (Ballard, Tetrud & Langston, 949) wherein the subjects, seven patients in total, developed permanent chronic and severe parkinsonism after repeatedly injecting MPTP intravenously. MPTP is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and react with the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) (Hauser et.al). The interactions of MPTP with monoamine oxidase (MAO) was studied by Singer, Salach, Castagnoli & Trevort in 1986. (785) (Last Name) 3 l-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), a thermal breakdown product of a meperidine-like narcotic. The nigrostriatal toxicity is not due to MPTP itself but to one or amore oxidation products resulting from the action of monoamine oxidase (MAO) on this tertiary allylamine. Both MAO A and B catalyse the oxidation of MPTP to the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyridinium species (MPDP+), which undergoes further oxidation to the fully aromatic 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium species (MPP+). These bio-oxidations are blocked by selective inhibitors of MAO A

How will the Joint Venture Kmart Survive in the Mexican Market Essay

How will the Joint Venture Kmart Survive in the Mexican Market - Essay Example The Mexican customer(Harvard Business School, 1999) is mostly from the uneducated sector. Most of the parents force their children to leave school after having five years of education. This is because the parents need a helping hand to augment the small family income. Since the ElPuerto de Liverpool and Kmart International have already agreed by signing the joint venture contract, the issue now is whether the joint venture will survive or not in until the next performance evaluation period. Since The Mexican customer behavior is different from the customer wants and needs of the American people, there is a need study what the company's next moves will be in order to survive. El Puerto de Liverpool has signed a joint venture agreement with Kmart International to put a Kmart retail store in Mexico. Mexicans earn an average of United States $3.94 per day. The Managers in companies in Mexico are asking for a basic income of United States $ 10,000. This is because they come from rich families. Mexicans buy in small quantities daily from the butcher, fish shop, baker and street vendors due to their low income. Most of the working population of Mexico belong to the below fifteen year old age. It is customary for parents to stop sending their children to school. The children are asked to help work and feed the family. The advantage here for Kmart is that young people always prefer changes in procedures of doing things. They prefer to while the time from 2:30 to 4:30 having siesta or snacks. They prefer fresh food and dislike frozen food. In the Canadian & US retail environment, people prefer to buy in big quantities in department stores and retail stores, often, once a week because food in the these countries are low priced. The Mexicans, Canadian & Americans prefer to buy food and other products from the United States. "If it is from the US, It must be better". Mexicans usually spend 38.75% of their total income purchasing Food. The rest of the money is spent on Drinks and tobacco. K mart went bankrupt in Canada when NAFTA was implemented here. But at the same time, Walmart Canada was the number one in terms of sales in Canada. In fact, Kmart was not considered a threat to the market share of the other two retail stores in Canada. We can evaluate the success of the joint venture by the sales and net income that it will generate. If the joint venture results in big sales, then the joint venture is a success. Another criteria for evaluating a joint venture is whether it has been giving taking care of the environment by not polluting the environment or taking care of its waste disposal system. Still another major criteria is whether it has adhered to Mexico's government rules and regulations. The last criteria is whether it has hired Mexican employees and thereby helping the unemployment situation of Mexico. By hiring Mexican employees, it has helped Mexico economically and socially. By following the rules and regulations of Mexico it has accomplished the political requirements of the company.As to whether to put in place one, two or more stores immediately or one stores every month, the recommendation is to start first with a test project. The test project is

The Simpsons Essay Example for Free

The Simpsons Essay One of the most popular sitcoms to date has got to be The Simpsons. It was first aired in 1991 with all of its characters being yellow (besides Asians and some celebrities). The original intent of this was to trick viewers into believing that the tint of their TV was off so they would attempt to adjust it to no avail. People soon realised this and saw the funny side of it, which helped the Simpsons infamous career as a sitcom. A sitcom is a situation comedy. It centres on a family and usually has the same setting each week. Sitcoms have been around since the 1950s and have always been popular. They are normally 20-30 minutes and are showed when everyone has come home from work or school (6 oclock onwards), so people can watch it as a family. Each episode starts off with an orientation to the situation, which leads to a complication that threatens the status quo. The complication is soon resolved and the characters re-evaluate their relationship before moving onto the reorientation where order is restored. The opening sequence for The Simpsons has only ever been changed once, besides the schoolboard and the Simpsons arriving at home each episode. These two scenes change every episode and encourage viewers to be there when The Simpsons starts. It also shows the nuclear power plant, which is often ridiculed for its radiation pollution, and Bart and Lisas school which is detested by children of most ages. These represent the Simpsons policy of taking the piss out of everything wrong with the world. It then briefly shows each Simpsons personality. Bart in detention then quickly skateboarding home. Homer working in a dangerous situation then walking out with plutonium down his shirt. Marge, in the mundanity of her normal house-wife life, puts Maggie on the store conveyor belt. And lastly Lisa in the middle of music practice starts her own music, showing shes a cut above the rest. What the audience should realise at this point is that the Simpsons are mocking them as they are rushing home to watch TV, which is what the audience are doing at that moment. All this is cleverly done in about a minute. The Simpsons follows the traditional narrative structure quite closely, as it always has an orientation, a complication to drive the plot, a solution to the complication, a quick re-evaluation of everyones relationship and a reorientation where everything returns to normal. In the episode Simpson roasting over an open fire the orientation starts with Marge writing her letter and we realise that it is Christmas in Springfield which should be a classic example of any familys relationship. The complication then arises when Homer doesnt get his Christmas bonus and Marge uses up the money in the jar getting rid of Barts tattoo, so Homer has no money to buy Christmas presents for anyone. This is soon solved when Homer brings back the dog he bet on at the racetrack and everyone loves the dog or Santas little helper. Everyone classically loves everyone else in the evaluation of their relationship and then everything returns to normal. The episode does also have the classic Christmas miracle that usually leads to a happily ever after despite what Bart has to say about it. Homer fits the role of stereotypical dad quite well as he goes to great lengths to make everyone happy for Christmas with almost no thought for his pride or dignity. He even takes up a second job as a low-paid Santa in dim hope of getting presents for everyone. However, he doesnt tell his family that he is in this situation to save their respect for him (which is also stereotypical of most males). This goes against most other things we have seen him do over other episodes when he is acting stupid or careless towards his family and shows him in a new light. Marge starts off straight away being stereotypical when she is writing letters to friends and family. And when Bart gets a tattoo she acts very motherly in paying highly to get it removed straight away. Although one of Barts reasons for getting a tattoo was to show he loved his mum, he mainly wanted to be cool, which would stereotype him as teenage prankster, which he fits perfectly. Its because of this that he finds out that his dad is Santa, at which point he becomes a stereotypical 10-year-old boy whose hero is his dad and shows his affection for his dad: you must really love us to sink so low. For the small part that Lisa was in the episode she fit the stereotype of girls are smarter than boys quite well, as she always does. She does not, however, fit any other stereotype, like doing what her parents want as she is very independent and is smart enough to make her own decisions even at her age. For example, she is the only family member that is vegetarian. And lastly, I guess that Maggie was all the stereotypical baby she could be, as she did nothing but get carried around and stay quite. As a whole, the Simpsons are stereotyped like any other family in the same situation would be in another sitcom, except they go about solving their problems differently. It really is a classic situation and even though the ending result is stereotypical, although not exactly predictable (i. e. the dog), the Simpsons make the whole thing enjoyable to watch. The Simpsons are highly stereotyped as family in need of help and get Christmas miracle at the last minute and the ending is pure evidence of this, although nothing like a miracle would ever normally happen. Despite all the stereotypical ending, Matt Groening still managed to add his own touch in the form of Bart chiming in wise cracks after every line of the carol, which would limit the Simpsons stereotypicalism (is that a word? ) ever so slightly, even though it happens a lot through the entire episode.

Crumb Rubber Particles as an Alternative Aggregate

Crumb Rubber Particles as an Alternative Aggregate EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF CRUMB RUBBER PARTICLES AS AN ALTERNATIVE AGGREGATE IN ROLLER COMPACTED CONCRETE Abstract Several research works have been evaluated potential of the fresh concrete and hardened concrete properties of crumb rubber concrete (CRC). Technical characteristics (porosity, ductility, cracking resistance performance) can be improved by using rubber particles (Meddah et all., 2014). The aim of this present study is to elaborate the performance of different size crumb rubbers in roller compacted concrete (RCC). This study investigates experimentally the effect of using four particle size of crumb rubber (CR) (0.5-1mm, dust crumb), (1-3mm), (3-5mm), and combination of all of them in RCC by replacing with 0%, 10% aggregates 7, 14 and 28 days. Tests conducted on the fresh and hardened concrete include unit weight, toughness, modulus of elasticity, porosity, compressive strength, tensile strength are investigated respect with crumb rubber in RCC mix. Key words: Sustainability, Recycling, Concrete Technology, CR, CRC, RCC. Background Industrial and manufacturing wastes lead serious and ongoing threats in the environment. Sustainable development principles and environmental protection regulations help to conserve natural resources and reduce the amount of waste without jeopardizing the future. Therefore, recycling has been providing a significant environmental awareness related with construction. Sustainable structural engineering has become increasingly important subject for researchers.   Recycling and application of waste materials in concrete has been increasing to improve material properties of the concrete when decreasing costs of concrete in the past three decades (Ataei,2015). Relating to this principle, different environmental friendly solutions have been searched by improving material properties of the concrete. Reusing the demolished materials helps to prevent environmental pollution, keep the natural sources and use eco-friendly materials. Integrating environmental-friendly construction solutions is a highly focus field infrastructure or new construction projects by using polymer materials. Concrete additives producing from waste materials such as cellulose, wood lignin, bottom ash, fly ash and silica fume have been considered as viable or beneficial (Toutanji,1996). Rubber has attracted a great research attention because of the enormous quantities of waste rubber around the world and its potential in the construction. Many civil engineering applications have been carried out the utilization of rubber for the production materials in the construction industry. Rubber is one of the three main polymer material groups; the annual consumption of natural rubber is more than 15 million tons, and the output of rubber products is more than 31 million tons worldwide [1]. Accumulation of discarded waste tire has been a major concern because waste rubber is not easily biodegradable even after a long period of landfill treatment [2]. The storage of wastes in landfills represents environmental and public health hazards of increasingly relevant. The landfills with rubber waste are responsible for a grave risk in the ecology and the threat is always present. Even after long-period of landfill treatment, unmanaged waste tire poses environmental health risk throug h fire hazard and as a breading ground for disease carrying mosquitoes. Therefore, utilization of crumb rubber (CR) from this scrap tires for the production building materials in the construction industry would help to reserve natural resources and also maintain the ecological balance [3,4]. Crumb rubber concrete (CRC) has been previously investigated to determine the fresh and hardened properties in several research works such as waterproofing, asphalt pavement, membrane lines. Previous works show that unit weight of CRC decreases as the percentage of the CR replacement increases due to the low specific gravity of CR particles. The strengths (compressive, flexural, splitting and modulus) of CRC decrease as the partial replacement of fine aggregate with CR aggregates. CRC exhibits high capacity for absorbing plastic energy under both compression and tension loading which also possesses higher toughness. Partial replacement of the fine aggregate by CR will improve workability of CRC [5,6,7,8]. RCC is a dry (zero-slump) conventional concrete which has been made by vibrating rollers (Neville and Brooks, 1990). RCC has same ingredients with ordinary concrete (aggregates, cement, water and admixtures), lower cost and easier implementation (Meddah et all.,2014). So, RCC properties which is the subjected matter of this study is considered its advantages with CR. Aim and Objectives The main objective of this research is to improve performance of RCC by mixing with CR. Based on this research, five mixes are prepared RCC without CR, RCC with CR (maximum size of 1, 3, and 5) by using coarse and fine aggregate, cement, water and additive. There are 15% cement, 30% aggregate, 55 % sand. Crumb rubber is used to replace with fine aggregate (sand) at 10%. In particular, technical objectives can be described as follow. To define contents of RCC, cement and water contents are prepared related to ASTM D1557 standards (Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction Characteristics of Soil Using Modified Effort) by using soil mechanics procedure (Marchand et al.,1997; Meddah et all, 2014). To understand density and workability, according to ASTM C1170 (Standard Test Method for Determining Consistency and Density of Roller-Compacted Concrete Using a Vibrating Table), mechanical tests of fresh concrete (VeBe test and density of fresh concrete) can be measured for each sample. To evaluate mechanical tests of hardened concrete (Compressive Strength Test, Splitting Tensile Strength Test and Bending Test are measured at 7, 14, 27 days related to ASTM C39, ASTM C78 and ASTM C496. Each test consists of 3 samples to each rubber contents. The arithmetic mean of three value is investigated for all experiments. Cylinder and cube specimens (150 x 300mm) and (100 x 100 x 100 mm) are prepared for compressive strength test, beam specimens (100 x 100 x 500 mm) are made for bending strength test and cylinder specimens (150 x 300 mm) are used for splitting tensile strength test. To determine static modulus of elasticity and poisons ratio of concrete in compression, ASTM C469 is used at 28 days. Number of Samples Compressive Strength Bending Strength Splitting Tensile Strength Rubber Size Cylindric (150300 mm) Cube(100x100x100mm) Prismatic(100x100x500mm) Cylindric (150 x300mm) 0 3 3 3 3 0.5-1mm 3 3 3 3 1-3mm 3 3 3 3 3-5mm 3 3 3 3 0.5-5mm 3 3 3 3 Total number of sample is 60.

Animal Farm And The Russian Revolution Essay -- Animal Farm Essays

George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm is a great example of allegory and political satire. The novel was written to criticize totalitarian regimes and particularly Stalin's corrupt rule in Russia. In the first chapter Orwell gives his reasons for writing the story and what he hopes it will accomplish. It also gives reference to the farm and how it relates to the conflicts of the Russian revolution. The characters, settings, and the plot were written to describe the social upheaval during that period of time and also to prove that the good nature of true communism can be turned into something atrocious by an idea as simple as greed. This essay will cover the comparisons between Animal Farm and the Russian Revolution. It will also explain why this novel is a satire and allegory to the Revolution that took place in Russia so long ago. First and foremost Manor Farm itself represents Russia with its poor conditions and irresponsible leaders. Mr. Jones plays one of those leaders, Nicholas the Second or The Czar as people called him in those days. Mr. Jones beats his animals, forgets to feed them and treats them badly. His actions are portrayals of the actions of The Czar. Old Major is representative of Karl Marx. Marx had a dream of a better Russia and created the doctrine of communism to aid in distribution of wealth, and to bring the people to a place were they would all be equal, but what he didn’t realize was that under the wrong rule the good intentions of communism would become...

Tommy Pearson :: Essays Papers

Tommy Pearson Pearson. Churchill. MacDonald. Trudeau. This list is composed of some of the greatest and most respected men to shape the history of Canada and who meld the country we live in into its current state. One notable but equally influential Canadian politician missing from this list is Tommy Douglas. Tommy Douglas’s government lasted from 1944 to 1960. During these sixteen years, he accomplished many great achievements, and brought in many important political changes to improve the health and living conditions of people all over the country. What exactly did Tommy Douglas accomplish that made him so great? Tommy Douglas was born in Falkirk, Scotland, on October 12, 1904. In 1910, his family immigrated to Winnipeg, Canada. When the first World War struck, the Douglas family moved back temporarily to Glascow. There, he worked at a whiskey factory until the War ended. He then moved back to Winnipeg, where he worked as an apprentice printer at the Winnipeg Free Press and Grain Trade News. There, he learned first hand the needs and views of the common citizen. By 19, he had successfully earned his Journeymans as a printer. By then, however, he had earned a good reputation as a Baptist Preacher. There he met JS Woodsworth, a Methodist Preacher and political party CCF leader. He finished his schooling at McMaster University, earning an MA. In 1934, Tommy Douglas began his political career. He ran unsuccessfully for provincial candidate of the Farmer-Labour party of Saskatchewan. The next year, he won as the CCF candidate for the federal constituency of Weyburn. By 1941, he was selected as th e provincial leader of the Saskatchewan Provincial party in George Williams absence, who hd gone overseas to follow the war. He later resigned his federal position to lead the Saskatchewan CCF, and won the election with 47 seats of 53. During his five terms as premier, Douglas introduced many reforms, mostly geared towards public hospitals and medical care. These reforms moved Saskatchewan to a more forward and prosperous state. In his first year alone, he introduced 72 bills that were aimed at social or economic changes. After only two years, he had reduced provincial deficit by $20 million. Some of Tommy Douglas’s greatest accomplishments were pensioner benefits and universal hospitilization. In 1944, he introduced pensioners to free medical, dental, and hospital services, as well as free treatment of cancer, mental illness, tuberculosis, and venereal diseases.

Eye Vision Case 10-11 Essay

Eye Vision Inc, a long-standing medical device manufacturer, has signed a contract to sell Holland Hospital the Clear View Laser and a two-year separately priced maintenance plan for $1 million and $0.2 million respectively. On a when-and-if available bais, Eye Vision Inc. will provide software updats that is embedded with the Laser to maintainance purchasor. The software has never been sold without Laser for its functional necessity. In this memo, as explained below, we conclude that: 1. Eye Vision’s arrangement with Holland Hospital is not within the scope of ASC 985-605, Software: Revenue Recognition. 2. The deliverables in this arrangement are the Clear View Laser, embedded software, and maintenance plan, respectively. 3. The Clear View Laser together with embedded software and maintenance plan will be accounted for as separate units of accounting, respectively. 4. The laser with the embedded software will be recognized immediately. The maintenance plan will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the length of the contract. 1. Is Eye Vision’s arrangement with Holland Hospital within the scope of ASC 985-605, Software: Revenue Recognition? The agreement between Eye Vision and Holland Hospital is not within the scope of ASC 985-605, Software: Revenue Recognition. According to ASC 985-605-15-4(e), subtopic ASC 985-605 does not apply to transactions and activities for â€Å"software components of tangible products that are sold, licensed, or leased with tangible products when the software components and nonsoftware components of the tangible product function together to deliver the tangible product’s essential functionality.† In the situation of the agreement, the clear view laser represents the tangible component, while the software component comes embedded internally within the laser. The case states, that the laser has never been sold without the software because the software is essential to its functionality in performing medical procedures. We would like to consider both the Clear View Laser along with the embedded software as one tangible product. Further, ASC 985-605-15-4(f) goes on to state any â€Å"undelivered elements that relate to software that is essential to the tangible product’s functionality in (e)† would be considered out of scope. The maintenance plan, if purchased, would be defined as an undelivered element that relates to the software that is essential to the tangible product’s function. Therefore, we conclude that ASC 985-605 is not with in the scope of the arrangement and ASC 605-25, Revenue Recognition: Multiple-Element Arrangements should be used for proper rvenue recognition. 2. What are the deliverables in this arrangement? The three deliverables in this arrangement between Eye Vision and Holland Hospital are the Clear View Laser, the embedded software and the maintenance plan. According to ASC 605-25-15-2, deliverables within contractually binding arrangements include products, services, or rights to use assets. Beyond that, ASC never defines what a deliverable is. Thus, determining whether the elements are separate deliverables is a matter of judgment. In this case, the Clear View Laser is the main product sold by Eye Vision and is definitely a deliverable. The software provides Clear View Laser with additional functionalities other than what the laser alone could have done. Additionally in the future after the updating performed by the maintainance plan, the embedded software is necessary to perform the latest medical procedures for which the laser will be intended to, it should be considered another separate product or deliverable. As to the maintenance plan, it is sold by Eye Vision separately as an after-sale service, making it the third separate deliverable. Alternative / Opposing Approach One could argue that the Clear View Laser together with the embedded software is one deliverable. Both of the laser and the software cannot stand on their own as a separate deliverable. The ideas supporting this argument are as follow: 1. The Clear View Laser has never been sold without the embedded software. 2. Without each other, either the Clear View Laser or the embedded software provides no value to their customers. Although this alternative position sounds reasonable, we uphold our conclusion above because in this arrangement the laser and the software are equally important in terms of functionality. We should consider them two separate products, even though they have never been sold separately and provide no value to customers independently. 3. On the basis of the responses to Question 1 and 2, what are the units of accounting in this arrangement? The two units of accounting listed under the agreement between Eye Vision and Holland Hospital are the Clear View Laser and the mai ntenance plan. According to ASC 605-25-25-5, â€Å"In an arrangement with multiple deliverables, the delivered item or items shall be considered a separate unit of accounting if both of the following criteria are met.† The first criterion under ASC 605-25-25-5 states, â€Å"The delivered item or items have value to the customer on a standalone basis. The item or items have value on a standalone basis if they are sold separately by any vendor or the customer could resell the delivered item(s) on a standalone basis.† In the case, the Clear View laser is sold only with the embedded software for proper functionality. In the event the sale is isolated, the software and laser have no independent value to the consumer considering the safety reasons of the medical devices. The standalone trascation of these two parts are infrequent, therefore we conclude that the Clear View Laser and software will be accounted for as one unit. Regarding the maintenance plan, it does have stand alone value to the consumer. Any past or new owner of the laser can choose to purchase the maintenance plan independently for additional servicing as needed. We conclude this has a standalone value to the consumer and should be accounted for as its own unit. The second criterion states, â€Å"If the arrangement includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item, delivery or performance of the undelivered item or items is considered probable and substantially in the control of the vendor.† The agreement states that there is no general rights of return. Therefore this is not applicable. Each unit of accounting must be evaluated accordingly for the proper revenue recognition technique. Alternative / Opposing Approach It can be argued that when the Clear View Laser with the embedded software and maintenance plan are purchased together, they can all be accounted for as one unit. This is based off the idea that the maintenance plan has no stand alone value to the consumer in the event the Clear View Laser is not purchased in unison. According to ASC 605-25-25-3, â€Å"In applying the guidance in this Subtopic, separate contracts with the same entity or related parties that are entered into at or near the same time are presumed to have been negotiated as a package and shall, therefore, be evaluated as a single arrangement in considering whether there are one or more units of accounting. That presumption may be overcome if there is sufficient evidence to the contrary.† Further this is supported by the criteria listed above in ASC 605-25-25-5. Even with supporting code, we reject this consideration due to the fact that previous owners of the Clear View Laser can purchase the maintenance plan at any given time. Therefore the maintenance plan can have stand alone value as listed initially. 4. On the basis of the responses to Question 3, discuss the revenue recognition accounting literature that would be applied to each unit of accounting identified in this arrangement. The first unit of accounting that we will consider is the laser containing the embedded software. Recognition of revenue will occur immediately upon the sale of the laser. As per ASC 605-10-S99: â€Å"Revenue generally is realized or realizable and earned when all of the following criteria are met: 1. Persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists 2. Delivery has occurred or services have been rendered 3. The seller’s price to the buyer is fixed or determinable 4. Collectibility is reasonably assured† In connection with the sale to Holland Hospital, $1 million (the cost of the laser with embedded software) will be recognized immediately as all four criterion have been satified. As for the second unit of accounting, we will consider the maintenance plan that was purchased for two-year coverage. Unlike the laser, recognition of revenue for the maintenance plan will not occur at the time of sale since the plan does not meet all the four criteria under ASC 605-10-S99 due to the fact that the services have not been rendered upon sale. According to ASC 605-20-25-3: â€Å"Sellers of extended warranty or product maintenance contracts have an obligation to the buyer to perform services throughout the period of the contract and, therefore, revenue shall be recognized in income over the period in which the seller is obligated to perform. That is, revenue from separately priced extended warranty and product maintenance contracts shall be deferred and recognized in income on a straight-line basis over the contract period except in those circumstances in which sufficient historical evidence indicates that the costs of performing services under the contract are incurred on other than a straight-line basis. In those circumstances, revenue shall be recognized over the contract period in proportion to the costs expected to be incurred in performing services under the contract. This leaves some ambiguity as to whether revenue shall be recognized on a straight line basis over the two-year contract or recognized in proportion to the costs expected to be incurred in performing services during the two-year contract. The audit team recommends recognizing the revenue on a straight line basis over the two-year period. In connection with the sale to Holland Hospital, $200,000 (the cost of the maintenance plan) will be recognized ove r the two years, $100,000 in 2010, $100,000 in 2011. There may be an instance where the maintenance plan will produce negative revenue. If such case arises, guidance is provided by ASC 605-50-45-6. â€Å"Negative revenue may arise from the application of the guidance in this Subtopic to cash consideration given by a vendor to a customer or from transactions or changes in estimates that are required to be characterized as a reduction of revenue by other Subtopics in the Codification. The Examples in Section 605-50-55 discuss some of those Subtopics and underlying circumstances that could result in negative revenue. This Subtopic addresses whether the negative revenue amount should be recharacterized as an expense in the vendor’s income statement.† If this scenario occurs, 605-50-55 (too many Subtopics to list all here) will provide the guidance necessary to proceed. Alternative Approach: If Eye Vision, which has been in business for over twenty years, has recognized its revenue from maintenance plans in a way other than the straight-line method, they could qualify under the portion of ASC 605-20-25-3 that states, â€Å"†¦ circumstances in which sufficient historical evidence indicates that the costs of performing services under the contract are incurred on other than a straight-line basis. In those circumstances, revenue shall be recognized over the contract period in proportion to the costs expected to be incurred in performing services under the contract.† and continue doing so. Also, regarding SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) Topic 13: 605-10-s99-1, there are examples given that could support the recognition of revenue for the maintenance plan as services are rendered. â€Å"Supply or service transactions may involve the charge of a nonrefundable initial fee with subsequent periodic payments for future products or services. The initial fees may, in substance, be wholly or partly an advance payment for future products or services. Therefore, the up-front fee and the continuing performance obligation related to the services to be provided or products to be delivered are assessed as an integrated package. In such circumstances, the staff believes that up-front fees, even if nonrefundable, are earned as the products and/or services are delivered and/or performed over the term of the arrangement or the expected period of performance and generally should be deferred and recognized systematically over the periods that the fees are earned.† (A systematic method would be on a straight-line basis, unless evidence suggests that revenue is earned or obligations are fulfilled in a different pattern, in which case that pattern should be followed.) Since Eye Vision â€Å"will offer, on a when-and-if available basis, new treatment applications for the Clear View Laser†, the â€Å"pattern† could be deemed â€Å"when available† (or when delivered).

The Host EPILOGUE. Continued

I was not the same. This was my first rebirth into a body of the same species. I found the transfer much more difficult than changing planets because I had so many expectations about being human already in place. Also, I'd inherited a lot of things from Petals Open to the Moon, and not all of them were pleasant. I'd inherited a great deal of grief for Cloud Spinner. I missed the mother I'd never known and mourned for her suffering now. Perhaps there could be no joy on this planet without an equal weight of pain to balance it out on some unknown scale. I'd inherited unexpected limitations. I was used to a body that was strong and fast and tall-a body that could run for miles, go without food and water, lift heavy weights, and reach high shelves. This body was weak-and not just physically. This body seized up with crippling shyness every time I was unsure of myself, which seemed to be often these days. I'd inherited a different role in the human community. People carried things for me now and let me pass first into a room. They gave me the easiest chores and then, half the time, took the work right out of my hands anyway. Worse than that, I needed the help. My muscles were soft and not used to labor. I tired easily, and my attempts to hide that fooled no one. I probably couldn't have run a mile without stopping. There was more to this easy treatment than just my physical weakness, though. I was used to a pretty face, but one that people were able to look at with fear, mistrust, even hatred. My new face defied such emotions. People touched my cheeks often, or put their fingers under my chin, holding my face up to see it better. I was frequently patted on my head (which was in easy reach, since I was shorter than everyone but the children), and my hair was stroked so regularly that I stopped noticing when it happened. Those who had never accepted me before did this as often as my friends. Even Lucina put up only a token resistance when her children began following me like two adoring puppies. Freedom, in particular, crawled onto my lap at every opportunity, burrowing his face in my hair. Isaiah was too big for such displays of affection, but he liked to hold my hand-just the same size as his-while chattering excitedly with me about Spiders and Dragons, soccer and raids. The children still wouldn't go anywhere near Melanie; their mother had frightened them too thoroughly before for her reassurances to change things now. Even Maggie and Sharon, though they still tried not to look at me, could not maintain their former rigidity in my presence. My body was not the only change. The monsoons came late to the desert, and I was glad. For one thing, I'd never smelled the rain on the creosotes before-I could only vaguely remember it from my memories of Melanie's memories, a very dim trail of recall indeed-and now the scent washed out the musty caves, left them smelling fresh and almost spicy. The scent clung to my hair and followed me everywhere. I smelled it in my dreams. Also, Petals Open to the Moon had lived in Seattle all her life, and the unbroken streak of blue skies and blistering heat was as bewildering-almost numbing-to my system as the dark press of heavy overcast skies would have been to any of these desert dwellers. The clouds were exciting, a change from the bland, featureless pale blue. They had depth and movement. They made pictures in the sky. There was a great deal of reshuffling to be done in Jeb's caves, and the move to the big game room-now the communal sleeping quarters-was good preparation for more permanent arrangements to follow. Every space was needed, so rooms could not remain vacant. Still, only the newcomers, Candy-who had remembered her correct name at last-and Lacey, could bear to take Wes's old space. I pitied Candy for her future roommate, but the Healer never betrayed any discontent at the prospect. When the rains ended, Jamie would move into a free corner in Brandt and Aaron's cave. Melanie and Jared had kicked Jamie out of their room and into Ian's before I'd been reborn in Pet's body; Jamie wasn't so young that they'd needed to give him any excuse. Kyle was working on widening the small crevice that had been Walter's sleeping space so that it would be ready when the desert was dry again. It really wasn't big enough for more than one, and Kyle would not be staying there alone. At night in the game room, Sunny slept curled into a ball against Kyle's chest, like a kitten who was friends with a big dog-a rottweiler whom she trusted implicitly. Sunny was always with Kyle. I couldn't remember ever seeing them unattached since I'd opened these silver gray eyes for the first time. Kyle seemed constantly bemused, too distracted by this impossible relationship he couldn't quite wrap his head around to pay attention to much else. He wasn't giving up on Jodi, but as Sunny clung to him, he held her to his side with gentle hands. Before the rain, every space was taken, so I stayed with Doc in the hospital that no longer frightened me. The cots were not comfortable, but it was a very interesting place to be. Candy remembered the details of Summer Song's life better than her own; the hospital was a place of miracles now. After the rain, Doc would not be sleeping in the hospital anymore. The first night in the game room, Sharon had dragged her mattress right next to Doc's without a word of explanation. Perhaps it was Doc's fascination with the Healer that motivated Sharon, though I doubted Doc had even noticed how pretty the older woman was; his fascination was with her phenomenal knowledge. Or maybe it was just that Sharon was ready to forgive and forget. I hoped that was the case. It would be nice to think that even Sharon and Maggie might be softened over time. I would not stay in the hospital anymore, either. The crucial conversation with Ian might never have taken place if not for Jamie. My mouth would go all dry and my palms would sweat whenever I so much as thought of bringing it up. What if those feelings in the hospital, those few perfect moments of certainty right after I'd awoken in this body, had been illusion? What if I remembered them wrong? I knew that nothing had changed for me, but how could I be certain Ian felt the same? The body he'd fallen in love with was still right here! I expected him to be unsettled-we all were. If it was difficult for me, a soul used to such changes, how hard must it be for the humans? I was working to put the last of the jealousy and the perplexing echoes of the love I still felt for Jared behind me. I didn't need or want them. Ian was the right partner for me. But sometimes I would catch myself staring at Jared and feel confused. I'd seen Melanie touch Ian's arm or hand and then jerk away as if she'd suddenly remembered who she was. Even Jared, who had the least reason for uncertainty, would occasionally meet my confused gaze with a searching one of his own. And Ian†¦ Of course it must have been hardest for him. I understood that. We were together nearly as much as Kyle and Sunny. Ian constantly touched my face and hair, was always holding my hands. But who did not respond to this body that way? And wasn't it platonic for everyone else? Why didn't he kiss me again, the way he had that first day? Maybe he could never love me inside this body, as appealing as it seemed to be to all the other humans here. That worry was heavy in my heart the night Ian had carried my cot-because it was too heavy for me-to the big, dark game room. It was raining for the first time in more than six months. There were both laughter and complaints as people shook out their damp bedding and arranged their places. I saw Sharon with Doc and smiled. â€Å"Over here, Wanda,† Jamie called, waving me toward where he'd just set his mattress next to Ian's. â€Å"There's room for all three of us now.† Jamie was the one person who treated me almost exactly the same as before. He did make allowances for my puny physique, but he never seemed surprised to see me enter a room or shocked when Wanderer's words came through these lips. â€Å"You don't really want that cot, do you, Wanda? I'll bet we could all fit okay on the mattresses if we shoved them together.† Jamie grinned at me while he kicked one mattress into the other without waiting for agreement. â€Å"You don't take up much space.† He took the cot from Ian and set it on its side, out of the way. Then Jamie stretched out on the very edge of the far mattress and turned his back to us. â€Å"Oh, hey, Ian,† he added without turning. â€Å"I talked to Brandt and Aaron, and I think I'm going to move in with them. Well, I'm beat. Night, guys.† I stared at Jamie's unmoving form for a long moment. Ian was just as motionless. He couldn't have been having a panic attack, too, though. Was he thinking of some way to extricate himself from the situation? â€Å"Lights out,† Jeb bellowed from across the room. â€Å"Everybody shut yer trap so I can get some shut-eye.† People laughed, but took him seriously as always. One by one, the four lamps were dimmed until the room was black. Ian's hand found mine; it was warm. Did he notice how cold and sweaty my skin was? He sank to his knees on the mattress, tugging me gently along. I followed and lay down on the seam between the beds. He kept my hand. â€Å"Is this okay?† Ian whispered. There were other hushed conversations going on around us, made indistinct by the rush of the sulfur spring. â€Å"Yes, thank you,† I answered. Jamie rolled over, shaking the mattress and knocking into me. â€Å"Oops, sorry, Wanda,† he murmured, and then I heard him yawn. Automatically, I shifted out of his way. Ian was closer than I'd thought. I gasped quietly when I ran into him, then tried to give him some room. His arm was suddenly around me, holding me to his body. It was the strangest feeling; having Ian's arm around me in this very nonplatonic way reminded me oddly of my first experience with No Pain. Like I'd been in agony without realizing it, and his touch had taken all the hurt away. That feeling erased my shyness. I rolled so that I was facing him, and he tightened his arm around me. â€Å"Is this okay?† I whispered, repeating his question. He kissed my forehead. â€Å"Better than okay.† We were silent for a few minutes. Most of the other conversations had died out. He bent down so that his lips were at my ear and whispered, quieter than before, â€Å"Wanda, do you think†¦?† He fell silent. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Well, it looks like I have a room all to myself now. That's not right.† â€Å"No. There's not enough space for you to be alone.† â€Å"I don't want to be alone. But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Why wouldn't he ask? â€Å"But what?† â€Å"Have you had enough time to sort things out yet? I don't want to rush you. I know it's confusing†¦ with Jared†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It took me a moment to process what he was saying, but then I giggled quietly. Melanie wasn't much given to giggling, but Pet had been, and her body betrayed me at this most inopportune moment. â€Å"What?† he demanded. â€Å"I was giving you time to sort things out,† I explained in a whisper. â€Å"I didn't want to rush you-because I know it's confusing. With Melanie.† He jumped just a little in surprise. â€Å"You thought†¦? But Melanie isn't you. I was never confused.† I was smiling in the dark now. â€Å"And Jared isn't you.† His voice was tighter when he answered. â€Å"But he's still Jared. And you love him.† Ian was jealous again? I shouldn't have been pleased by negative emotions, but I had to admit this was encouraging. â€Å"Jared is my past, another life. You are my present.† He was quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was rough with emotion. â€Å"And your future, if you want that.† â€Å"Yes, please.† And then he kissed me in the most unplatonic way possible under the crowded circumstances, and I was thrilled to remember that I'd been smart enough to lie about my age. The rains would end, and when they did, Ian and I would be together, partners in the truest sense. This was a promise and an obligation I had never had in all my lives. Thinking of it made me feel joyful and anxious and shy and desperately impatient all at the same time-made me feel human. After all this had been settled, Ian and I were more inseparable than ever. So when it came time for me to test my new face on the other souls, of course he went with me. This raid was a relief for me after long weeks of frustration. It was bad enough that my new body was weak and nearly useless in the caves; I couldn't believe it when the others didn't want to let me use my body for the one thing it was perfect for. Jared had specifically approved of Jamie's choice because of this guileless, vulnerable face that no one could ever doubt, this delicate build that anyone would be motivated to protect, but even he had a hard time putting his theory into practice. I was sure raiding would be every bit as easy for me now as it had been before, but Jared, Jeb, Ian, and the others-everyone but Jamie and Mel-debated for days, trying to find a way around using me for that. It was ridiculous. I saw them eyeing Sunny, but she was still unproven, not trusted. On top of that, Sunny had absolutely no intention of setting one foot outside. The very word raid had her cowering in terror. Kyle would not go out with us; Sunny had gone hysterical the one time he'd mentioned it. In the end, practicality had won out. I was needed. It was good to be needed. Supplies had been dwindling; this would be a long, thorough trip. Jared was leading the raid, as usual, so it went without saying that Melanie was included. Aaron and Brandt volunteered, not that we really needed the muscle; they were tired of being cooped up. We were going far to the north, and I was excited to see the new places-to feel the cold again. Excitement got a bit out of hand in this body. I was bouncy and hyper the night we drove to the rock slide where the van and the big moving truck were hidden. Ian was laughing at me because I could hardly hold still as we loaded the clothes and sundries we would need into the van. He held my hand, he said, to tether me to the surface of the planet. Was I too loud? Too oblivious to my surroundings? No, of course that was not it. There was nothing I could have done. This was a trap, and it was too late for us the minute we arrived. We froze when the thin beams of light shot out of the darkness into Jared's and Melanie's faces. My face, my eyes, the ones that might have helped us, stayed obscured, hidden in the shadow made by Ian's wide back. My eyes were not blinded by the glare, and the moon was bright enough for me to clearly see the Seekers that outnumbered us, eight to our six. Bright enough for me to see the way they held their hands, to see the weapons that glinted in them, raised and pointed at us. Pointed at Jared and Mel, at Brandt and Aaron-our only gun still undrawn-and one centered dead on Ian's chest. Why had I let him come with me? Why did he have to die, too? Lily's bewildered questions echoed in my head: Why did life and love go on? What was the point? My fragile little heart shattered into a million pieces, and I fumbled for the pill in my pocket. â€Å"Steady, now, everybody just keep calm,† the man in the center of the group of Seekers called out. â€Å"Wait, wait, don't be swallowing anything! Jeez, get a grip! No, look!† The man turned the flashlight on his own face. His face was sun browned and craggy, like a rock that had been eroded by the wind. His hair was dark, with white at the temples, and it curled in a bushy mess around his ears. And his eyes-his eyes were dark brown. Just dark brown, nothing more. â€Å"See?† he said. â€Å"Okay, now, you don't shoot us, and we won't shoot you. See?† And he laid the gun he was carrying to the ground. â€Å"C'mon, guys,† he said, and the others slid their guns back into holsters-on their hips, their ankles, their backs†¦ so many weapons. â€Å"We found your cache here-clever, that; we were lucky to find it-and decided we'd hang out and make your acquaintance. It's not every day you find another rebel cell.† He laughed a delighted laugh that came from deep in his belly. â€Å"Look at your faces! What? Did you think you all were the only ones still kickin'?† He laughed again. None of us had moved an inch. â€Å"Think they're in shock, Nate,† another man said. â€Å"We scared them half to death,† a woman said. â€Å"What do you expect?† They waited, shuffling from foot to foot, while we stood frozen. Jared was the first to recover. â€Å"Who are you?† he whispered. The leader laughed again. â€Å"I'm Nate-nice to meet you, though you might not feel the same way just yet. This here's Rob, Evan, Blake, Tom, Kim, and Rachel along with me.† He gestured around the group as he spoke, and the humans nodded at their names. I noticed one man, a little to the back, whom Nate did not introduce. He had bright, crinkly ginger hair that stood out-especially because he was the tallest in the group. He alone seemed to be unarmed. He was also staring intently at me, so I looked away. â€Å"There's twenty-two of us altogether, though,† Nate continued. Nate held out his hand. Jared took a deep breath and then a step forward. When he moved, the rest of our little group silently exhaled all at once. â€Å"I'm Jared.† He shook Nate's hand, then started to smile. â€Å"This is Melanie, Aaron, Brandt, Ian, and Wanda. There are thirty-seven of us altogether.† When Jared spoke my name, Ian shifted his weight, trying to obscure me completely from the other humans' view. It was only then that I realized I was still in just as much danger as the others would have been in if these had been Seekers. Just like in the beginning. I tried to hold perfectly still. Nate blinked at Jared's revelation, and then his eyes widened. â€Å"Wow. That's the first time I've ever been one-upped on that one.† Now Jared blinked. â€Å"You've found others?† â€Å"There are three other cells separate from ours that we know of. Eleven with Gail, seven with Russell, and eighteen with Max. We keep in touch. Even trade now and then.† Again, the belly laugh. â€Å"Gail's little Ellen decided she wanted to keep company with my Evan here, and Carlos took up with Russell's Cindy. And, of course, everyone needs Burns now and then -† He stopped talking abruptly, glancing uneasily around him, as if he'd said something he shouldn't have. His eyes rested briefly on the tall redhead in the back, who was still staring at me. â€Å"Might as well get that out of the way,† the small dark man at Nate's elbow said. Nate shot a suspicious glance across our little line. â€Å"Okay. Rob's right. Let's get this out there.† He took a deep breath. â€Å"Now, you all just take it easy and hear us out. Calmly, please. This upsets people sometimes.† â€Å"Every time,† the one named Rob muttered. His hand drifted to the holster on his thigh. â€Å"What?† Jared asked in a flat voice. Nate sighed and then gestured to the tall man with the ginger red hair. The man stepped forward, a wry smile on his face. He had freckles, like me, only thousands more. They were scattered so thick across his face that he looked dark skinned, though he was fair. His eyes were dark-navy blue, maybe. â€Å"This here is Burns. Now, he's with us, so don't go crazy. He's my best friend-saved my life a hundred times. He's one of our family, and we don't take kindly to it when people try to kill him.† One of the women slowly pulled her gun out and held it pointed at the ground. The redhead spoke for the first time in a distinctly gentle tenor voice. â€Å"No, it's okay, Nate. See? They've got one of their own.† He pointed straight at me, and Ian tensed. â€Å"Looks like I'm not the only one who's gone native.† Burns grinned at me, then crossed the empty space, the no-man's-land between the two tribes, with his hand stretched out toward me. I stepped out from around Ian, ignoring his muttered warning, abruptly comfortable and sure. I liked the way Burns had phrased it. Gone native. Burns stopped in front of me, lowering his hand a bit to compensate for the considerable difference in our heights. I took his hand-it was hard and callused next to my delicate skin-and shook it. â€Å"Burns Living Flowers,† he introduced himself. My eyes widened at his name. Fire World-how unexpected. â€Å"Wanderer,† I told him. â€Å"It's†¦ extraordinary to meet you, Wanderer. And here I thought I was one of a kind.† â€Å"Not even close,† I said, thinking of Sunny back in the caves. Perhaps we were none of us as rare as we thought. He raised an eyebrow at my answer, intrigued. â€Å"Is that so?† he said. â€Å"Well, maybe there's some hope for this planet, after all.† â€Å"It's a strange world,† I murmured, more to myself than to the other native soul. â€Å"The strangest,† he agreed.