The Information Age Net Neutrality examples Essay Example For Students

The Information Age: Net Neutrality examples Essay Net NeutralityThe 21st Century, commonly referred to as the Information Age, is largely dependent on the Internet. The Internet has historically been an open medium, as it provides access to the world’s largest collection of information. In order to protect this establishment, The Federal Communications Committee (FCC), a government agency which serves as an authority on communications law, regulation, and technological advancement, put in place a set of laws, called the Open Internet Order, in order to establish a concept of net neutrality. These net neutrality laws stood in effect until January 14, 2014, when a Federal Appeals Court struck down the Open Internet Order, on the grounds that the FCC had overstepped its authority to regulate this field. Net neutrality, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is â€Å"the fact or principle of Internet service providers enabling access to all content and applications regardless of the source or destination, and without favor ing or blocking particular formats, products, web sites, etc. We will write a custom essay on The Information Age: Net Neutrality examples specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now † (net, n.1). That means that if two users share a common Internet Service Provider (ISP), they are entitled to the same quality of service regardless of data size. If one user is downloading large music files, while the other is sending an email, their quality of service should be the same. Net neutrality laws are important and necessary because they protect against Internet Service Providers forming monopolies on the market, screening the content a user can view, and stifling freedom of speech. By shooting down the FCC’s Open Internet Act, doors have been opened to Internet Service Providers to be price hungry merchants, ultimately hurting content providers and customers alike. The court’s decision to. .v.-Dec. 2010: 6+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.Clemmitt, M. (2012, April 13). Internet regulation. CQ Researcher, 22, 325-348. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/Franken, Al. Net Neutrality Is Foremost Free Speech Issue of Our Time. CNN. Cable News Network, 05 Aug. 2010. Web. 03 Feb. 2014.Maisto, Michelle. FCC, Net Neutrality Lose Out To Verizon In District Court Ruling. Eweek (2014): 4. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Feb. 2014. net, n.1. OED Online. December 2013. Oxford University Press. 1 February 2014 oed.com/view/Entry/126280?redirectedFrom=net+neutrality>.Net Neutrality: What You Need to Know in a Pay-to-play Internet World. The Republican. N.p. , 27 Jan. 2014. Web. 01 Feb. 2014.Stucke, Maurice E. Journal of Antitrust Enforcement. Is Competition Always Good?N.p., 28 Mar. 2013. Web. 03 Feb. 2014.

The Sewing Machine and the Textile Revolution

The Sewing Machine and the Textile Revolution Before the invention of the sewing machine, most sewing was done by individuals in their homes. However, many people offered services as tailors or seamstresses in small shops where wages were very low. Thomas Hoods ballad The Song of the Shirt, published in 1843, depicts the hardships of the English seamstress: With fingers weary and worn, With eyelids heavy and red, A woman sat in unwomanly rags, Plying her needle and thread. Elias Howe In Cambridge, Massachusetts, one inventor was struggling to put into metal an idea to lighten the toil of those who lived by the needle. Elias Howe was born in Massachusett in 1819. His father was an unsuccessful farmer, who also had some small mills, but seems to have succeeded in nothing he undertook. Howe led the typical life of a New England country boy, going to school in winter and working about the farm until the age of sixteen, handling tools every day. Hearing of the high wages and interesting work in Lowell, a growing town on the Merrimac River, he went there in 1835 and found employment; but two years later, he left Lowell and went to work in a machine shop in Cambridge. Elias Howe then moved to Boston, and worked in the machine shop of Ari Davis, an eccentric maker and repairer of fine machinery. This is where Elias Howe, as a young mechanic, first heard of sewing machines and began to puzzle over the problem. First Sewing Machines Before Elias Howes time, many inventors had attempted to make sewing machines and some had just fallen short of success. Thomas Saint, an Englishman, had patented one fifty years earlier. About this very time, a Frenchman named Thimonnier was working eighty sewing machines to make army uniforms, when the tailors of Paris, fearing that the bread was to be taken from them, broke into his workroom and destroyed the machines. Thimonnier tried again, but his machine never came into general use. Several patents had been issued on sewing machines in the United States, but without any practical result. An inventor named Walter Hunt had discovered the principle of the lock-stitch and had built a machine, but he abandoned his invention just as success was in sight, believing it would cause unemployment. Elias Howe probaly knew nothing of any of these inventors. There is no evidence that he had ever seen the work of another. Elias Howe Begins Inventing The idea of a mechanical sewing machine obsessed Elias Howe. However, Howe was married and had children, and his wages were only nine dollars a week. Howe found support from an old schoolmate, George Fisher, who agreed to support Howes family and furnish him with five hundred dollars for materials and tools. The attic in Fishers house in Cambridge was converted into a workroom for Howe. Howes first efforts were failures, until the idea of the lock stitch came to him. Previously all sewing machines (except Walter Hunts) had used the chain stitch, which wasted thread and easily unraveled. The two threads of the lock stitch cross, and the lines of stitches show the same on both sides. The chain stitch is a crochet or knitting stitch, while the lock stitch is a weaving stitch. Elias Howe had been working at night and was on his way home, gloomy and despondent, when this idea dawned on his mind, probably rising out of his experience in the cotton mill. The shuttle would be driven back and forth as in a loom, as he had seen it thousands of times, and passed through a loop of thread which the curved needle would throw out on the other side of the cloth. The cloth would be fastened to the machine vertically by pins. A curved arm would ply the needle with the motion of a pick-axe. A handle attached to the fly-wheel would furnish the power. Commercial Failure Elias Howe made a machine which, crude as it was, sewed more rapidly than five of the swiftest needle workers. But his machine was too expensive, it could sew only a straight seam, and it easily got out of order. The needle workers were opposed, as they have generally been, to any sort of labor-saving machinery that might cost them their jobs, and there was no clothing manufacturer willing to buy even one machine at the price Howe asked- three hundred dollars. Elias Howes 1846 Patent Elias Howes second sewing machine design was an improvement on his first. It was more compact and ran more smoothly. George Fisher took Elias Howe and his prototype to the patent office in Washington, paying all the expenses, and a patent was issued to the inventor in September 1846. The second machine also failed to find buyers. George Fisher had invested about two thousand dollars, and he could not, or would not, invest more. Elias Howe returned temporarily to his fathers farm to wait for better times. Meanwhile, Elias Howe sent one of his brothers to London with a sewing machine to see if any sales could be found there, and in due time an encouraging report came to the destitute inventor. A corsetmaker named Thomas had paid two hundred and fifty pounds for the English rights and had promised to pay a royalty of three pounds on each machine sold. Moreover, Thomas invited the inventor to London to construct a machine especially for making corsets. Elias Howe went to London and later sent for his family. But after working eight months on small wages, he was as badly off as ever, for, though he had produced the desired machine, he quarrelled with Thomas, and their relations came to an end. An acquaintance, Charles Inglis, advanced Elias Howe a little money while he worked on another model. This enabled Elias Howe to send his family home to America, and then, by selling his last model and pawning his patent rights, he raised enough money to take passage himself in the steerage in 1848, accompanied by Inglis, who came to try his fortune in the United States. Elias Howe landed in New York with a few cents in his pocket and immediately found work. But his wife was dying from the hardships she had suffered due to stark poverty. At her funeral, Elias Howe wore borrowed clothes, for his only suit was the one he wore in the shop. After his wife died, Elias Howes invention came into its own. Other sewing machines were being made and sold and those machines were using the principles covered by Elias Howes patent. Businessman George Bliss a man of means, had bought out George Fishers interest and proceeded to prosecute  the patent infringers. Meanwhile Elias Howe went on making machines. He produced 14 in New York during the 1850s and never lost an opportunity to show the merits of the invention, which was being advertised and brought to notice by the activities of some of the infringers, particularly by Isaac Singer, the best businessman of them all. Isaac Singer had joined forces with  Walter Hunt. Hunt had tried to patent the machine which he had abandoned nearly twenty years before. The suits dragged on until 1854, when the case was decisively settled in Elias Howes favor. His patent was declared basic, and all the makers of sewing machines must pay him a royalty of 25 dollars on every machine. So Elias Howe woke one morning to find himself enjoying a large income, which in time rose as high as four thousand dollars a week, and he died in 1867 a rich man. Improvements to the Sewing Machine Though the basic nature of Elias Howes patent was recognized, his sewing machine was only a rough beginning. Improvements followed, one after another, until the sewing machine bore little resemblance to Elias Howes original. John Bachelder introduced the horizontal table upon which to lay the work. Through an opening in the table, tiny spikes in an endless belt projected and pushed the work forward continuously. Allan B. Wilson devised a rotary hook carrying a bobbin to do the work of the shuttle. He also invented the small serrated bar which pops up through the table near the needle, moves forward a tiny space (carrying the cloth with it), drops down just below the upper surface of the table, and returns to its starting point- repeating over and over again this series of motions. This simple device brought its owner a fortune. Isaac Singer, destined to be the dominant figure of the industry, patented in 1851 a machine stronger than any of the others and with several valuable features, notably the vertical presser foot held down by a spring. Singer was the first to adopt the treadle, leaving both hands of the operator free to manage the work. His machine was good, but, rather than its surpassing merits, it was his wonderful business ability that made the name of Singer a household word. Competion Among Sewing Machine Manufacturers By 1856 there were several manufacturers in the field threatening war on each other. All men were paying tribute to Elias Howe, for his patent was basic, and all could join in fighting him. But there were several other devices almost equally fundamental, and even if Howes patents had been declared void, it is probable that his competitors would have fought quite as fiercely among themselves. At the suggestion of George Gifford, a New York attorney, the leading inventors and manufacturers agreed to pool their inventions and to establish a fixed license fee for the use of each. This combination was composed of Elias Howe, Wheeler and Wilson, Grover and Baker, and Isaac Singer, and dominated the field until after 1877, when the majority of the basic patents expired. The members manufactured sewing machines and sold them in America and Europe. Isaac Singer introduced the installment plan of sale, to bring the machine within reach of the poor. The sewing machine agent, with a machine or two on his wagon, drove through every small town and country district, demonstrating and selling. Meanwhile, the price of the machines steadily fell, until it seemed that Isaac Singers slogan, A machine in every home! was in a fair way to be realized, had not another development of the sewing machine intervened.

Have to and Must - ESL Grammar Lesson Plans

Have to and Must - ESL Grammar Lesson Plans Many students often confuse the usage of the modals must and have to. While meaning is generally maintained in incorrect usage in the positive forms, a mix-up in the negative forms can cause confusion. This lesson uses daily routines and an interviewing game to help students master these important modal forms. Aim: Learn the modal forms have to and must Activity: Grammar introduction/review, talking about daily routines and interview game Level: Lower levels Outline: Ask students to talk about their daily routines. Have them make a list of five things that they have to do every day.Introduce the grammar by having the students take a look at the grammar sheet below.Discuss the differences between have to and must in the positive form. Make sure to point out that have to is used for daily routines while must is used for strong personal obligation.Discuss the differences between dont have to and mustnt. Make sure to stress the idea that dont have to expresses the idea that the person isnt required to do something but may do so if he/she would like while mustnt expresses the idea of prohibition.In order to encourage students to favor the use of have to, spend the rest of the lesson focusing on daily responsibilities in the following exercises.Ask students to take out the list they created earlier and re-write the list using have to.Ask students to choose a job from the list provided (you might want to first check that students are familiar with the j obs listed) and think about what a person working in that profession has to do. Once you have given students a chance to think a while, play a variation on the 20 questions game. You can begin by choosing a profession and having students ask you 10 or 15 questions about what you have to do in this job. Questions can only be answered by yes, no or sometimes.The student who guesses the name of your profession should be the next to be asked the 15 questions. Another variation on this game is for students to play the game in pairs. Have to - Must Study the Use of Have to and Must in the Chart Below Must/Have To - Mustnt/Not Have To Listed below are examples and uses of must/have to/mustnt/not have to Example Chart Examples Usage We have to get up early.She had to work hard yesterday.They will have to arrive early.Does he have to go? Use have to in the past, present, and future to express responsibility or necessity. NOTE: have to is conjugated as a regular verb and therefore requires an auxiliary verb in the question form or negative. I must finish this work before I leave.Must you work so hard? Use must to express something that you or a person feels is necessary. This form is used only in the present and future. You dont have to arrive before 8.They didnt have to work so hard. The negative form of have to expresses the idea that something is not required. It is, however, possible if so desired. She mustnt use such horrible language.Tom. You mustnt play with fire. The negative form of must expresses the idea that something is prohibited - this form is very different in meaning than the negative of have to! Did the have to leave so early?He had to stay overnight in Dallas. IMPORTANT: The past form of have to and must is had to. Must does not exist in the past. Choose a profession from the list below and think about what a person doing that job has to do every day. Professions and Jobs - What do they have to do? accountant actor air steward architect assistant author baker builder businessman / businesswoman / executive butcher chef civil servant clerk computer operator / programmer cook dentist doctor driver bus / taxi / train driver garbageman (refuse collector) electrician engineer farmer hairdresser journalist judge lawyer manager musician nurse photographer pilot plumber police officer politician receptionist sailor salesman / saleswoman /salesperson scientist secretary soldier teacher telephone operator Back to lessons resource page

Matthew Ritchie The Universal Cell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Matthew Ritchie The Universal Cell - Essay Example His work has been displayed in museums and exhibits both nationally and internationally. â€Å"The Universal Cell,† which debuted in 2006, is a fascinating metal work sculpture that represents a complex installation that appears to be interconnecting patterns and shapes that seem unending and yet, ever continuing. The piece clearly has two distinct immediate connotations that counter and oppose one another. The first is the clear representation of the artist to show the finite details and interconnectedness of the all things; like the universe, which played into the artist intentions. There appears to be unending possibility within the unending twist and turns. However, on a darker side, those same twist and turns no matter how continuing are still confined to the structure of the â€Å"cell,† giving that the perception of unending possibility is an illusion, the limits, our limits, outline the pattern. This duality of perception is, also, revealed in the visual elements of the structure. While the design is swirling shapes and patterns that are quite beau tiful, there is also a foreboding â€Å"cage-like† quality closing in around you. Even the title of the work can easily be taken as a dual meaning. There is the â€Å"cell† that exists in the human body and the physical properties of the universe that were the artist’s inspiration for the structure itself but, also, there is the type of â€Å"cell† that confines a person, like a prison.( Krunak-Hajagos 1) In the end, the â€Å"Universal Cell† by Matthew Ritchie, is the kind of artistic work that can entertain the eye and draw in a viewing audience. It is an immense, beautifully detailed, work of art, but it, also, has the potential to evoke great thought and discussion. That is a wonderful quality in an artistic piece. It is that kind of discussion that promotes ideas and encourages the sharing of prospective. Ultimately, this work is fantastically balances, both, lightness and darkness,

Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies Assignment - 3

Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies - Assignment Example According to the research findings there are a number of marketing and branding strategies followed by Tesco. The retail giant provides various schemes to customers with the motive of improving the quality of customer service. The schemes such as, First Class Service Initiative and Loyalty Card, place greater emphasis on the customer delight compared to customer services. These are the finest customer retention strategies utilized by the company. Giving personalized services in a cost effective manner is the key motive of Tesco in order to attract more consumers. Besides that, Tesco has launched a number of magazines to draw the customers’ attention towards the products offered. The magazines published had a unique combination of advertisements and articles related to the offerings. These also served as a means of distributing the promotional coupons.As the paper discusses  the corporate level strategy that is implemented by the Tesco management involves diversification, exp ansion, own brand food promotion, regular technological up-gradation, healthy supplier relation and stakeholder satisfaction.  Tesco has invested in a number of existing stores so as to render those more competitive and modify them as per the customers’ changing expectations. The United Kingdom (UK) based company wants to further expand the business and product lines so as to retain the competitive edge.  Tesco boasts of the guaranteed low prices for quality offerings made to all consumers.

International Literacy Day Essay Example for Free

International Literacy Day Essay -Nation Center for Education Statistics- The Arab Republic of Egypt, which is a country located in the North of Africa, one of the most populous countries in Africa and the 15th most populated in the world, with over 84 million people (CIA 2010 est. ) According to UNESCO in 2008, in a 5 year period (2005-2010), after the government had spent 12. 6% of the national GDP on education, the adult literacy rate had moderately raised from 55. 6% to 72. 0%. However, because of population growth, the number of illiterates around Egypt was still very high, with nearly 17 million people. This report was commissioned by the Department of Education in Egypt to investigate into the literacy issue in Egypt. The issue needs to be addressed as soon as possible. This report will now research about the current level of literacy in Egypt, what are the issues that make the literacy rates low and some recommendations to improve literacy rates. 2. Findings 2. 1. Poverty One of the biggest factors that affects Egypt’s literacy rate is poverty. Figure 1. Reproduced from â€Å"Child Labor in Egypt: Research Project submitted in fulfillment of the requirement of B. Sc.in Statistics† (2011) Figure 1 shows that not being interested in school and not being able to afford schooling are the dominant reasons for children to leave school, with 45% of child laborers think that school aren’t important with them, and 29% them cannot afford enough tuition fees. For those who work, they considered education is not important for them; however, what is considered priority with them is work is the best way to get out of poverty area. Because the tuition fees in Egypt are rather high, many families in Egypt cannot afford it, along with additional education costs. According to Suliman and El-Kogali (2000), besides of tuition fees, families have to pay additional costs on text books, school uniforms, tutorial lessons, and transportation if they want their children to continue their education. A report from El Dawla in 2000 shows that â€Å"the average cost of education per child in families with an annual income of less than or equal to $1,028 is an estimated $98 at the primary level and $129 at the preparatory level†. Therefore, poor families receive no education because of their limited household budget. 2. 2. Child marriage Figure 2, reproduced from Why Are The Children Out Of School? Factors Affecting Children’s Education in Egypt, A Paper for the ERF 9th annual conference (2001) According to Figure 2, the number of girls from 6-15 years old who have never attended school is much higher compare to the number of boys in Egypt, especially in rural areas. For example, in Matroh, over 40% of girls have never attended schools compare with 23% of boys, and the rate in Beni Suef and Behera are 37%, 10% and 18%, 6% respectively. A survey published in 2012 by the National Council for Women illustrated the scale of the issue of early marriage in Egypt, in which the result is that 22% of girls were married before they were 18 (El Masry, 2012). Many girls from 6-15 years old are not able to attend and finish school because Egyptian families do not want to spend money on girls who will be involved in early marriages, and they always try to arrange their daughters’ wedding as soon as possible. This is because Egypt’s old tradition that the fiancee tend to give the wife’s mother a lot of prosperities after the wedding. Apparently in 2008, the Parliament of Egypt passed new laws banning female circumcision and setting 18 as the minimum age for marriage for both genders. However, some Egyptian parents still permit their children to get married very early. Furthermore, parents does not either motivate their children to study; or care much about their children’s education, all they want is to preserve their old-fashioned traditional practices; therefore leads to the low literacy rate of Egypt. 2. 3. Dropout rates Figure 3, reproduced from â€Å"Why Are The Children Out Of School? : Factors Affecting Children’s Education in Egypt, A Paper for the ERF 9th annual conference† (2001) There is a similarity between Figure 2 and 3, as both of the charts indicate that Matroh has the highest rate in terms of never attending schools and dropping out, with over 40% and approximately 10% respectively. Suliman and El-Kogali (2000), their survey on mother’s perception’s reason of drop out shows that the main reasons for the significant dropout rate are because education is not important for children (especially girls), and the only thing they must do is to make money to support their families’ wealth. Assaad, Deborah and Zibani (2001) prove that the dropout rate in Egypt has a strong bond with child labor, which is very common in Egypt and many other Muslim countries. This is because children from poor families in those countries are more likely to be forced to work, therefore, it is less likely that they will be attending school, consequently leading to illiteracy. Furthermore, Nadine et al (2011) show that the number of child laborers in Egypt are between 1. 3 to 3 million, with agricultural factor involves up to 78%. Ultimately, this lead to the decision that it is better for children to stop schooling and start working to make money. 3. Conclusion The Arab Republic of Egypt’s low literacy rates, which result from poverty, early marriage and high dropout rate have caused many negative impacts for the countries such as lacks of human resources and affect its economies. Despite the Department of Education had took actions to improve the country’s literacy rate with the help of some non-profit organisations such as UNESCO or World Education, it is still low compare to other countries. The Department should use new methods and approaches in which may result in a higher literacy rate. 4. Recommendations 4. 1. Poverty The Department of Education needs to have more involvement in public education in Egypt. Firstly, the Department should find supports for public schools. Also, the Department can ask for other NPOs or NGOs like UNICEF or UNESCO to supply poor children in rural areas with studying materials such as books or pens. This will decrease the cost burden for the household who have limited budget to invest in children’s education. Along with building more public schools, some regulations need to be executed in order to control the additional costs of schooling. For example, the Department should support transportations for students, or check teachers’ qualifications in order to make sure that every child in Egypt can access education without any obstacles. Therefore, with better facilities and better qualities of teaching, there will be an increase in Egypt’s literacy rate. 4. 2. Child marriage The Department should promote a series of campaigns that help Egyptians to raise their awareness about the importance of women’s education. These campaigns should be organised through all means of media, including radio, television, or even via presentations. If women and children can realize the importance of education, they can have chances to be educated, therefore this will solve the problem of girls’ high rate of child marriage and indirectly improve Egypt’s literacy rate. 4. 3. Dropout rates The Department should create more opportunities to encourage children to go to school by providing free education to children in rural areas. Also, the government can provide students with scholarship to support students’ studying path. Doing this, children will have more motivation to go to school, thus can increase the overall literacy rate. 5. References Assaad, R, Deborah, L, Zibani, N, 2001, â€Å"The Effect of Child Work on School Enrollment in Egypt’, Economic Research Forum, viewed 20 June, 2013. CIA, 2010, â€Å"The World Factbook†, CIA, viewed 20 June, 2013. El Dawla, A, â€Å"Trap for Democracy†, Social Watch, 2000, viewed 27 June, 2013. El Masry, S, 2012, â€Å"Under-reported and underage: Early marriage in Egypt†, Daily News Egypt, December 5, 2012, viewed 27 June, 2013.

The First Scene of Macbeth :: Free Essay Writer

The first scene is very short, but full of impact. The thunder and lightning alone give it a dramatic opening, which grabs the interest of the audience, as it is representative of evil. These dramatic sound effects help to set the eerie and supernatural atmosphere that Shakespeare wanted to create along with the witches. Instead of seeing Macbeth, Shakespeare’s audience is faced with three weird-looking women. The witches introduce us to a dark, dangerous play, in which the theme of evil is central. The witches say little but we learn a lot about them. The mood of the play is set here, although the action doesn’t start until the next scene. The presence of supernatural forces in the opening of ‘Macbeth’ provides for much of the play’s dramatic tension and the mounting suspense. ‘When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or rain?’ This is the opening line. It immediately draws the audience and captures their imagination, as the supernatural world fascinated people in Elizabethan England. At the time the play was first performed and at the time that Shakespeare was writing it, witchcraft was a great enemy, people became captivated by these peculiar, suspicious witches. Witch – hunts took place and many people were convicted of being witches and were executed. The witches fit in with the stereotypical perception of witches of that time, including use of familiars like Graymalkin and Paddock. The use of the paranormal occurs at the beginning, with three witches explaining that they will meet Macbeth. ‘When the battle’s lost and won.’ The audience have yet to find out what the battle is, however they know that the battle is won by one side and lost by another. Macbeth’s fate is that he will win the battle, but will lose the battle for his soul. We have come in at the end of the witches meeting, just as they are arranging their next appointment before their familiar spirits call them into the fog and filthy air. From the beginning we can tell that the witches can foretell the future, and are creating some unpleasant magic, which is to involve Macbeth. This creates suspense for the audience, wandering what is going to happen next. The fact that the witches want to meet Macbeth should raise some suspicion in the audience. The witches first mention Macbeth in the eighth line, when they explain that they will meet Macbeth upon the heath.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-Three

FOR A MOMENT, I THOUGHT it had to be a coincidence. After all, what was so special about a peridot star? For all I knew, Alicia might have been born in August and was just sporting her birthstone among that mess of necklaces she always wore. And yet, if there was one thing I believed more than ever, it was Sonya's adage that there were no coincidences in the world of the supernatural. I sank to the floor and tried to reason my way through things. If the charm Alicia had worn was like this one, then it meant she too was a strong magic user trying to mask her abilities. Did she know about Veronica? Was Alicia trying to protect herself? If so, then it seemed like she wouldn't have been so casual about Veronica staying at the inn. So, that meant either Alicia didn't know about Veronica's true nature – again, a suspicious coincidence – or that Alicia was covering for Veronica. Could Alicia be in league with Veronica? That seemed the likeliest answer to me. Although Veronica apparently sought out young, powerful magic users, it was totally possible that she'd seen the advantage of having one as an assistant. And, as we'd observed, Veronica had plenty of other victims to choose from. Alicia could therefore help and cover up Veronica's nefarious plans – like when a curious couple came asking questions. I groaned. Alicia had been playing us from the beginning. From the instant we'd stepped through her door with stories about our anniversary and â€Å"friend† Veronica, she'd known we were lying. She'd known we weren't actually friends with Veronica, and she might have been strong enough to fight Adrian's compulsion a little. She'd gone along with everything – even being so helpful as to call me when Veronica had shown up again. I had no idea now what was true, if Veronica had ever left in the first place or returned from being gone. I did, however, have a sinking suspicion that my car wasn't the only one she'd incapacitated. I could understand if she'd used the cross to find me, but how had she initially located the Mustang? I racked my brain for any identifying information. Adrian's spirit magic should have muddled our appearances, covering up any connection to us. Then I knew. Alicia had walked us out and admired the Mustang. A clever person – someone who was already on high alert because of our visit – could've made note of the license plate and used it to track down where Adrian lived. But why slash the tires? To delay us, I realized. That was the night Lynne had been attacked. And we had arrived too late to warn her. The more I began to sift through the events of the last few weeks, the more I began to think we had been very, very careless. We'd thought we were being so cautious about concealing ourselves from Veronica. No one, not even Ms. Terwilliger, had considered that she might have an accomplice we also had to watch out for. And the dreams . . . those had started the day Adrian and I had been on the velvet bed. The day my garnet had slipped and had possibly been enough for Alicia to sense a magic user in the inn. Which brought me back to the present. Ms. Terwilliger. I had to tell her what I'd found. I called for a third time. Still no answer. Although I often had images of Ms. Terwilliger conducting late-night rituals, it was entirely reasonable that she'd be in bed right now. Was this the kind of thing that could wait until morning? No, I decided on the spot. No, it wasn't. We were dealing with dangerous, violent magic users – and my car had just been attacked. Something might be happening as I stood there, trying to decide. I would have to wake her up . . . provided I could get to her. It took only a moment to make my next decision. I called Adrian. He answered on the first ring but sounded wary, which I couldn't blame him for after what I'd done earlier. â€Å"Hello?† I prayed he was the noble guy I thought he was. â€Å"Adrian, I know things are bad between us, and maybe I have no right to ask, but I need a favor. It's about Veronica.† There was no hesitation. â€Å"What do you need?† â€Å"Can you come over to Amberwood? I need you to help me break curfew and escape my dorm.† There were a few moments of silence. â€Å"Sage, I've been waiting two months to hear you say those words. You want me to bring a ladder?† The plan was already unfolding in my head. The security guards that patrolled at night would have eyes on the student parking lot, but the back property would be relatively unguarded. â€Å"I'll get myself out of the building. If you come up the main road that leads to Amberwood and then go past the driveway you'll see a little service road that runs up a hill and goes behind my dorm. Park there near the utility shed, and I'll meet you as soon as I get out.† When he spoke again, his earlier levity was gone. â€Å"I'd really like to believe this is some awesome midnight adventure, but it's not, is it? Something's gone really wrong.† â€Å"Very wrong,† I agreed. â€Å"I'll explain in the car.† I quickly changed into clean jeans and a T-shirt, adding a light suede jacket against the evening chill. To be safe, I also decided to pack my bag with a few supplies and bring it along. If all went well, I'd simply be warning Ms. Terwilliger tonight. But with the way things had been going lately, I couldn't presume anything would be simple. Bringing the suitcase this time would be unwieldy, so I had to make a few quick decisions about chemicals and magical components. I tossed some in the bag and stuffed others in my jeans and coat pockets. Once I was ready, I headed down to Julia and Kristin's room. They were dressed for bed but not asleep yet. When Julia saw me with my coat and bag, her eyes went wide. â€Å"Sweet,† she said. â€Å"I know you've gotten out before,† I said. â€Å"How'd you do it?† Julia's many dates often occurred outside of sanctioned school hours, and both she and Kristin had bragged about Julia's exploits in the past. I'd hoped perhaps Julia knew about a secret tunnel out of the school and that I wouldn't have to attempt some crazy feat of acrobatics. Unfortunately, that was exactly what I had to do. She and Kristin walked me to their window and pointed at a large tree growing outside it. â€Å"This room has a view and easy access,† said Kristin proudly. I eyed the gnarled tree warily. â€Å"That's easy?† â€Å"Half the dorm's used it,† she said. â€Å"So can you.† â€Å"We should be charging people,† mused Julia. She flashed me a smile. â€Å"Don't worry. We'll give you a freebie tonight. Just start on that big limb there, swing over there, and then use those branches for handholds.† I found it amazing that someone who'd claimed badminton in PE was too â€Å"dangerous† would have no qualms about scaling a tree from her third-floor room. Of course, Marcus's apartment had been on the fourth floor, and that fire escape had been a million times more unsafe than this tree. Thoughts of Alicia and Ms. Terwilliger snapped me back to the importance of my mission, and I gave Julia and Kristin a decisive nod. â€Å"Let's do this,† I said. Julia cheered and opened the window for me. Kristin watched just as eagerly. â€Å"Please tell me you're running off to meet some breathtakingly handsome guy,† she said. I paused, just as I was about to climb out. â€Å"Yes, actually. But not in the way you're thinking.† Once I made it to the limb Julia had indicated, I discovered she was right. It was pretty simple – so simple, in fact, that I was surprised no school official had noticed this easy access escape route and chopped it down. Well, so much the better for those of us with late-night errands. I made it to the ground and waved goodbye to my watching friends. The dorm's back property had some lights on it, exactly for the reason of deterring wayward students like me. It was also along the patrol route of one of the security guards but wasn't a spot he stayed regularly stationed at. He wasn't in sight, so I crossed my fingers that he was busy with another part of his beat. There were enough shadows on the lawn that I was able to stay within them the whole way – until I reached the back fence. It was lit up pretty well, and really, the only assets I had were that I was a fast climber and that the guard hadn't surfaced yet. Falling back on that hope that the universe owed me some favors – especially after tricking me about Alicia – I gulped and scrambled over. No one shouted at me when I landed on the other side, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I'd made it out. Getting back in would be harder, but that was a problem for later, hopefully one Ms. Terwilliger could help out with. I found Adrian waiting for me in the Mustang, exactly where I'd indicated. He gave me a sidelong glance as he drove us away. â€Å"No black catsuit?† â€Å"It's in the laundry.† He smiled. â€Å"Of course it is. Now, where are we going, and what's going on?† â€Å"We're going to Ms. Terwilliger's,† I said. â€Å"And what's going on is that we've been walking around in front of the enemy this entire time without even realizing it.† I watched Adrian as I related my revelations and saw his face go from disbelieving to dismayed the more I spoke. â€Å"Her aura was too perfect,† he said once I finished. â€Å"Perfectly neutral, perfectly average. No one's is like that. I brushed it off, though. Figured maybe it was just a weird human one.† â€Å"Can someone influence how their aura looks?† I asked. â€Å"Not to that extent,† he said. â€Å"I don't know enough about these charms you guys use, but I'm guessing it was one of those that skewed the way her colors looked.† I slumped into the seat, still angry at not having figured this out sooner. â€Å"On the bright side, she doesn't know we're on to her and Veronica. That could give us an advantage.† When we reached Ms. Terwilliger's house, we found all the lights on, which was a surprise. I'd assumed she was in bed, though this certainly wouldn't be the first time she'd missed a phone call. Only, when we reached the house and knocked on the door, there was no answer. Adrian and I exchanged looks. â€Å"Maybe she had to leave abruptly,† he said. The tone of his voice conveyed what his words didn't. What if Ms. Terwilliger had already found out what we had and had taken off to fight Alicia and Veronica? I had no idea how powerful Alicia was, but the odds didn't seem promising. When no answer came from my second knock, I nearly kicked the door in frustration. â€Å"Now what?† Adrian turned the doorknob, and the door opened right up. â€Å"How about we wait for her?† he suggested. I grimaced. â€Å"I don't know if I'm comfortable breaking into her place.† â€Å"She left the door unlocked. She's practically inviting us in.† He pushed the door open farther and looked at me expectantly. I didn't want to go back to Amberwood without speaking to her tonight, nor did I want to sit on her doorstep. Hoping she wouldn't mind us making ourselves at home, I gave a nod of resignation and followed Adrian inside. Her house was the same as ever, cluttered and redolent with the scent of incense. Suddenly, I came to a standstill. â€Å"Wait. Something's different.† It took me a moment to figure it out, and when I did, I couldn't believe I hadn't realized it immediately. â€Å"The cats are gone.† â€Å"Holy shit,† said Adrian. â€Å"You're right.† At least one of them always came to greet visitors, and others were usually visible on furniture, under tables, or simply occupying the middle of the floor. But now, there were no cats in sight. I stared around in disbelief. â€Å"What in the world could – â€Å" An earsplitting shriek made me jump. I looked down toward my hip and found the dragon sticking his head out of my satchel and trying to claw his way up my side. Belatedly, I realized I'd forgotten to cover the aquarium. He'd apparently slipped inside the bag back in my room. The sound he was making now was similar to his hunger cry – except even more annoying. Then, impossibly, he nipped my leg. I bent over and tried to pull him off me. â€Å"I don't have any pie! What are you trying to – ahh!† Something zoomed over my head and smashed into the wall behind me with a loud splat. A couple wet drops of something landed on my cheek and began to burn. It was a wonder I didn't hear a sizzling sound. â€Å"Sydney!† Adrian cried. I turned toward where he was looking and saw Alicia standing in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. Her palm was raised toward us, a shimmery and gooey substance cupped in it. Presumably it was the same substance that currently seared my skin. I almost wiped it away but feared I'd simply be spreading it to my fingers. I winced and tried to ignore it. â€Å"Sydney† said Alicia pleasantly. â€Å"Or should I say Taylor? I figured I'd be seeing you two again. Just not so soon. I guess your car trouble didn't delay you tonight.† â€Å"We know everything,† I told her, keeping on an eye on that goo. â€Å"We know you're working for Veronica.† The smug look on her face momentarily shifted, overcome by surprise. â€Å"Working for her? I got rid of her ages ago.† â€Å"Got rid of. . . .† For a few seconds, I was at a loss. Then the rest of the puzzle pieces fell together. â€Å"You're the one who's been absorbing those girls. And that witch in San Diego. And . . . Veronica Terwilliger.† I'd been able to track Veronica back to the inn with the scrying spell. When Ms. Terwilliger had attempted a different locating spell, she'd come up blank. She'd assumed it was because Veronica had some sort of shielding. But the truth, I was suddenly certain, was that Veronica was already comatose. There was no active mind for Ms. Terwilliger to reach because Alicia had consumed Veronica. Ms. Terwilliger . . . â€Å"You're here for her,† I said. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger. Not me.† â€Å"The untrained do make easy targets,† conceded Alicia. â€Å"But they don't have the same power as full-fledged witches, who can be just as easy to absorb if you break them down first. I don't need the youth like Veronica did, just the power. Once she showed me how the spell works, I was able to catch her in a weak moment. That other college girl tided me over until I wore down Alana Kale.† Where had I heard that name? Alana . . . she was Ms. Terwilliger's comatose coven sister. â€Å"And finally I can take out the big hit: Jaclyn Terwilliger. I actually wasn't sure if I'd be able to break her, but it turns out she's done an awesome job of wearing herself out these last few weeks, all in the service of protecting her sweet little apprentice.† â€Å"I'm not her . . .† I couldn't finish. I'd been about to say I wasn't her apprentice, and yet . . . wasn't I? I wasn't just dabbling in magic anymore. I had joined the ranks. And now, I had to protect my mentor, just as she'd protected me. If it wasn't too late. â€Å"Where is she?† I demanded. â€Å"She's around,† said Alicia, clearly delighting in having the upper hand here. â€Å"I wish you hadn't found out about all this. You would've made a good hit, once you'd learned a little bit more. You're just a small spark to Jaclyn's flame right now. She's the big score tonight.† â€Å"Tell us where she is,† ordered Adrian, a powerful note in his voice that I recognized. Alicia's gaze flicked from me to him. â€Å"Oh, please,† she scoffed. â€Å"Stop wasting my time with your vampire compulsion. I realized what was going on after that first visit, when I kept having trouble remembering your faces.† From her jumble of necklaces, she showed us a jade circle. â€Å"I acquired this afterward. Makes me impervious to your ‘charms.'† Something that resisted vampire magic? That would be a useful item to have in my bag of tricks. I'd have to look into it . . . provided I survived tonight. I saw Alicia tense to throw again, and I managed to jump out of the way, pulling Adrian with me toward the living room. More of that goo splattered behind us with a hiss. I produced a dried thistle blossom and crumpled it toward Alicia, shouting a Greek incantation that would blind her. She made a small wave with her left hand and sneered at me. â€Å"Really?† she asked. â€Å"That remedial blindness spell? Maybe you aren't a prodigy after all.† Adrian suddenly flipped open a small panel in the wall beside us. I hadn't even noticed it, largely because I'd been too distracted about having my face melted off. I saw a flurry of motion from his hand, and suddenly, we were plunged into darkness. â€Å"Now this is remedial blindness,† he muttered. Alicia swore. I froze, immobilized by the blackness around me. As much as I appreciated any attempts to slow Alicia down, I was kind of at a loss myself. I felt Adrian's hand grab hold of mine, and without a word, he tugged me farther into the living room. I followed quickly, relying on his superior vampire eyesight to guide us. I could already hear Alicia chanting and was sure some light-giving spell was coming soon. Either that or something that would magically fix a fuse box. â€Å"Careful,† Adrian murmured. â€Å"Stairs.† Sure enough, I felt my foot hit a wooden step. He and I hurried down as quietly and as quickly as we could, descending into a basement. My eyes still hadn't adjusted to the darkness, and I wondered if I'd just entered some secret dungeon. Yet as he wound us through stacks of boxes, I realized the basement was just used for ordinary storage. There was a lot of junk down here. After seeing Ms. Terwilliger's already messy house, I wondered what more she could possibly own. Adrian finally stopped when we were in a far corner behind some oblong boxes stacked nearly as high as me. He pulled me to him, keeping me in his arms so that he could speak softly in my ear. My head lay against his chest, and I could hear his rapid heartbeat, a mirror for my own. â€Å"That was a good idea,† I said in as low a voice as I could manage. â€Å"But now we're trapped down here. It would've been better if we could go outside.† â€Å"I know,† he whispered back. â€Å"But she was too close to the door, and I didn't have time to mess with a window.† Above us, I could hear the floor creaking as Alicia walked through the house. â€Å"It's just a matter of time,† I said. â€Å"I was hoping it'd give you a chance to think of something to get us out of here. Can't you use that fireball? You were pretty good at it.† â€Å"Not inside. Especially not in a basement. I'd burn this place down around us. And we don't know where Ms. Terwilliger is yet.† I racked my brain. The house was small enough that there weren't that many places Alicia could have stashed Ms. Terwilliger. And I had to assume she was stashed somewhere, if she hadn't come to our aid already. Alicia's language made it sound like she hadn't sucked away Ms. Terwilliger's power yet, so hopefully she was just incapacitated. â€Å"You must be able to do something,† said Adrian, tightening his hold on me. â€Å"You're brilliant, and you've been reading all those spell books.† It was true. I'd consumed tons of material these last couple of months – material I wasn't even supposed to have learned – but somehow, in this one terrified moment, my mind couldn't focus on any of it. â€Å"I've forgotten everything.† â€Å"No, you haven't.† His voice in the darkness was calm and reassuring. He smoothed back my hair and pressed one of those half kisses to my forehead. â€Å"Just relax and focus. Sooner or later, she'll be coming down those stairs after us. We need to take her out or at least slow her down so that we can escape.† His reasonable words centered me and allowed the gears of logic that ran my life to take over again. A little light was coming through from the basement's small, high windows, allowing my eyes to finally adjust and make out some of the dark shapes in the basement. I could still hear Alicia moving around upstairs, so I crept away from Adrian and walked over to the staircase. With a few graceful hand arcs, I chanted a spell over the steps and then hurried back to my corner with Adrian, slipping back under the shelter of his arm. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"I think I've got a minor delay ready.† â€Å"What is it?† he asked. Just then, we heard the door at the top of the stairs open. Light spilled down, though we still remained in the shadows. â€Å"You're out of options,† I heard Alicia say. â€Å"No place left to – ahh!† There was a loud thump-thump-thump-thump as she went sliding down the stairs and hit the bottom with a crack. â€Å"Invisible ice on the stairs,† I told Adrian. â€Å"I know I'm not supposed to say this,† he said. â€Å"But I think I love you more than ever.† I took his hand and tried not to think about how happy his words made me, even in this life-or-death situation. â€Å"Come on.† We left our hiding spot and found Alicia sprawled ungracefully on the floor, trying to get to her feet. A silver orb of light hovered in the air near her, bobbing along faithfully with her movements. Seeing us, she snarled and waved her hands to cast at us. I'd anticipated this and had an amulet ready. I swung it on its silken cord and said a few quick words as we passed her. A brief, shimmering shield flared between us and her, just barely absorbing the small glowing darts she hurled our way. The shield was similar to the one Ms. Terwilliger had used at the park but had to be summoned on the spot and didn't last long. I didn't know what Alicia planned on doing next, but obviously, something bad was coming. I cast a preemptive spell I'd never used before, one of the ones that Ms. Terwilliger had told me not to bother with. It took a lot of energy and was powerful if used correctly, yet was deceptively simple and elegant in its effects. I merely blasted Alicia across the room with a wave of power just as she was about to stand. She flew backward, into a stack of Christmas items. A box of ornaments fell down, shattering near her on the hard floor. Casting the spell left me dizzy, but I managed to keep moving. I summoned a fireball when we reached the stairs but held it in my hand, keeping it low as though I were going to roll a Skee-Ball – though my intent was simply to carry it. I prayed it would melt the ice, and after my first few steps, I knew I was right. â€Å"Careful,† I warned Adrian. â€Å"They're wet.† We made it to the top, but Alicia had already scrambled after us. From the bottom of the stairs, she used the same spell on me that I'd used on her, throwing a wave of invisible energy at Adrian and me that knocked us to the floor. I'd been holding on to the fireball, despite Ms. Terwilliger's warnings about how doing so would drain my own power. When Alicia knocked me down, the fireball flew from my hand and landed on Ms. Terwilliger's couch. Considering it looked as though it was covered in some cheap fabric from the 1970s, I wasn't entirely surprised that it lit up so fast. On the bright side, the fire solved our darkness problem. On the downside, it meant the house was likely going to burn down around us after all. The callistana, who hadn't been fast enough to keep up with us when we'd gone downstairs, came scurrying over to my side. I had only half a heartbeat to make a decision. â€Å"Go look in the rest of the house for Ms. Terwilliger,† I told Adrian. â€Å"I'll stop Alicia.† The growing fire created weird shadows on his face, highlighting his anguish at this. â€Å"Sydney.† â€Å"This is one of those times you have to trust me without question,† I said. â€Å"Hurry! Find her and get her out.† I saw a thousand emotions flash through his eyes before he obeyed and ran off toward the other wing of the house. The fire was spreading rapidly throughout the living room, in a way that had to be magical. The increasing smoke gave me an idea, and I cast a spell that enhanced it, creating a hazy wall at the entrance to the basement stairs. It allowed the dragon and me to make a short retreat before Alicia appeared, parting the smoke as cleanly as though she were opening curtains. â€Å"That,† she declared. â€Å"Hurt.† I cast a spell that should've encased her in spiderwebs, but they fell away before they even reached her. It was infuriating. I'd memorized so much, but these â€Å"remedial† spells weren't working. I understood now why Ms. Terwilliger's main strategy had been for me to lie low and hide my ability. How would I have ever been able to take on Veronica? True, Alicia had taken her out, but only after probably weakening her as she had Ms. Terwilliger. I even understood now why Ms. Terwilliger had told me to get a gun – which, I realized now, I'd left in the car. The ice spell had worked because Alicia hadn't seen it coming. The only other spell that had worked on her was the blast of power, an advanced one that had still left me weak. It was going to take another one of those, I realized. I had no idea if I had the ability to do a second one, but trying was the only chance I had of – I screamed as what felt like a thousand volts of electricity shot through me. Alicia's hand movement had been so subtle, and she hadn't even spoken. I fell down again, writhing in pain as Alicia strode toward me, her face triumphant. The dragon bravely put himself between the two of us, and she simply kicked him aside. I heard him yelp as he skittered across the floor. â€Å"Maybe I should absorb you,† said Alicia. The shocks abated, and I could only sit there and gasp for breath. â€Å"You could be my fifth. I can come back for Jaclyn in a few years. You've turned out to be a lot more powerful than I thought – and annoyingly resourceful. You even made a good effort tonight.† â€Å"Who says I'm done?† I managed to say. I cast the first of the advanced spells that came to mind. Maybe it was inspired by the broken Christmas ornaments, but suddenly, I had broken shards on the brain. The spell required no words or physical components and only the slightest of hand movements. The rest was taken from me – a draining of energy and power that hurt almost as much as the electrifying spell Alicia had just used. But oh, the results were breathtaking. On Ms. Terwilliger's coffee table (which was now on fire) sat a set of five perpetual motion balls. I used a transmutation spell on them, forcing them out of their spherical shape and breaking them apart into thin, sharp razor blades. They broke free of their strings and came at my command. That was the easy part. The hard part was, as Ms. Terwilliger had told me, actually attacking someone. And not just making them slip and fall. That wasn't so bad. But an actual physical attack, one you knew would cause direct and terrible damage, was an entirely different issue. It didn't matter how terrible Alicia was, that she'd tried to kill me and wanted to victimize Ms. Terwilliger and countless others. Alicia was still a living person, and it was not in my nature to show violence or try to take another's life. It was, however, in my nature to save my own life and those of my loved ones. I braced myself and ordered the razors forward. They slammed into her face. She screamed and frantically tried to pull them out but in doing so lost her balance and went back down the stairs. I heard her shriek as she fell into the basement. Although I couldn't see her, her magical lantern orb merrily followed her all the way down. My triumph was short-lived. I was more than dizzy. I was on the verge of passing out. The heat and light from the fire were overwhelming, yet my vision was going dark from the exhaustion of casting a spell I was in no way ready for. I suddenly just wanted to curl up there on the floor and close my eyes where it was comfortable and warm. . . . â€Å"Sydney!† Adrian's voice jolted me out of my haze, and I managed to peer up at him through heavy eyelids. He slipped an arm around me to help me up. When my legs didn't work, he simply scooped me up altogether and carried me. The dragon, who'd suffered no permanent damage from the kick, clung to my shirt and scurried into the bag that was still draped over my shoulder. â€Å"Where . . . Ms. Terwilliger. . . .† â€Å"Not here,† Adrian said, heading swiftly toward the front door. The fire was spreading over the walls and ceiling now. Although it hadn't quite made it to the front of the house yet, our way was still thick with smoke and ash. We both were coughing, and tears ran out of my eyes. Adrian reached the door and turn the knob, yelping at how hot it was. Then he managed to kick the door open with his foot, and we were free, out into the clean night air. Neighbors had gathered outside, and I could hear sirens in the distance. Some of the spectators watched us curiously, but most were transfixed by the inferno that was Ms. Terwilliger's bungalow. Adrian carried me over to his car and gently set me down so that I could lean against it, though he still kept an arm around me. We both stared in awe at the fire. â€Å"I really did look, Sydney,† he said. â€Å"I couldn't find Jackie in the house. Maybe she escaped.† I prayed he was right. Otherwise, we had just abandoned my history teacher to a fiery death. â€Å"What happened to Alicia?† â€Å"Last I saw, she was in the basement.† A sickening feeling twisted in my stomach. â€Å"I don't know if she'll get out. Adrian, what have I just done?† â€Å"You defended yourself. And me. And hopefully Jackie.† His arm tightened around me. â€Å"Alicia was evil. Look what she did to those other witches – what she wanted to do to you guys.† â€Å"I never saw it coming,† I said bleakly. â€Å"I thought I was so smart. And each time I talked to her, I dismissed her as some dumb, scattered girl. Meanwhile, she was laughing and countering my moves every step of the way. It's humbling. I don't meet many people like that.† â€Å"The Moriarty to your Holmes?† he suggested. â€Å"Adrian,† I said. It was all I needed to say. He suddenly did a double take, noticing my attire for the first time tonight now that the jacket had come open. â€Å"You're wearing your AYE shirt?† â€Å"Yeah, I never wage magical battles without – â€Å" A small mewling noise suddenly caught my attention. I searched around until I spotted two green eyes peering at me from under a bush across the street. I managed to straighten up and found that my legs, though weak, could support my weight again. I took a few halting steps toward the bush, and Adrian immediately ran to my side. â€Å"What are you doing? You need help,† he said. I pointed. â€Å"We have to follow that cat.† â€Å"Sydney – â€Å" â€Å"Help me,† I pleaded. He couldn't resist. Supporting me with his arm again, he helped me walk across the street toward the cat. It ran ahead between two bushes, then glanced back at us. â€Å"It wants us to follow,† I told him. So we did, cutting through houses and streets until when we were about four blocks from the bungalow, the cat dashed off into a park. Whatever energy I'd had when I started after the cat was long gone. I was panting and dizzy again and fighting hard to resist asking Adrian to carry me. Something in the center of the park caught my attention and gave me one last burst of adrenaline to run forward. There, lying on the grass, was Ms. Terwilliger. She was awake, thankfully, but looked nearly as exhausted as I felt. Tears and smudges suggested she'd been through quite an ordeal. She had managed to escape Alicia, but not without a fight. That was why we hadn't been able to find her in the house. Seeing me, she blinked in surprise. â€Å"You're okay,† she said. â€Å"And you found me.† â€Å"The cats led us,† I said, pointing. All thirteen of them were sitting around in the park, surrounding their owner – making sure she was okay. She glanced around at them and managed a weary smile. â€Å"See? I told you cats are useful.† â€Å"Callistanas aren't so bad either,† I said, looking down at my satchel. â€Å"That ‘pain in the ass' screeching saved me from a face full of acid.† Adrian put his hand to his heart in mock horror. â€Å"Sage, did you just swear?† Glancing over, Ms. Terwilliger noticed him for the first time. â€Å"And you're here too? I'm so sorry you had to get dragged into this mess. I know you didn't ask for any of this trouble.† â€Å"It doesn't matter,† said Adrian, smiling. He rested a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Some things are worth the trouble.†

Evolution in biology

The evolution of life on Earth has resulted in many hundreds of thousands of species. Genetic evidence reveals that humans share a common ancestor with life forms as different from us as bacteria and corn plants. In early 1800s, the source of Earth's remarkable diversity of life forms was hotly disputed. Many people believed that all species had come into existence at the same time in the distant past.In 1831 Charles Darwin sailed to South America, and during the long Atlantic crossing Darwin studied geology and collected marine life. During tops along the coast and at various islands, he observed other species of organisms in environments ranging from sandy shores to high mountains. Darwin's melding of his observations of the natural world with the ideas of others led him to propose that evolution could occur by way of a process called natural selection. The history of life on Earth spans nearly 4 billion years.It is a story of how species originated, survived or went extinct, and s tayed put or spread into new environments. Microevolution is the name for cumulative genetic changes that may give rise to new species, Macroevolution is the name for the large-scale patterns, rends, and rates of change among groups of species. An individual fish, flower, or person does not evolve. Evolution occurs only when there is change in the genetic makeup of whole populations of organisms. In biology, a population is a group of individuals of the same species occupying a given area.In theory, the members of a population have inherited the same number and kinds of genes. These genes make up the population's gene pool. Mutation is harmful when it alters a trait such that an affected individual cannot survive or reproduce as well as other individuals. For example, for us humans, small cuts are common. By contrast, a beneficial trait improves some aspect of an individual's functioning in the environment and so improves chances of surviving and reproducing. A neutral trait, such a s attached earlobes in humans, doesn't help nor hurt survival.Darwin formulated his theory of evolution by natural selection by correlating his understanding of inheritance with certain features of populations. In 1859 he published his ideas in a classic book, On the Origin of Species. We can express the main pints of Darwin's insight as follows: 1. The individuals ofa population vary in their body form, functioning, and behavior. 2. Many variations can be passed from generation to generation. 3. In every set of circumstances, some versions ofa trait are more advantageous than others. 4.Natural selection is the difference in survival and reproduction that we observe in individuals who have different version of a trait. 5. A population is evolving when some forms of a trait are becoming more or less common relative to the other forms. 6. Over time, shifts in the makeup of gene pools have been responsible for the amazing diversity of life forms on Earth. Natural selection is not the o nly process that can adjust the relative numbers of different alleles in a gene pool. This kind of gene pool tweaking is called genetic drift.The makeup of a gene pool also can change as individuals migrate into or out of a populations genetically similar. For humans and other sexually reproducing organism, a species is a genetic unit consisting of one or more populations of organism that usually closely resembles each other physically and physiologically. This buildup of genetic differences between isolated populations is called divergence. When the genetic differences are so great that members of the two populations can't interbreed, speciation has occurred: the populations have become separate species.

Ralph Waldo Emerson On Self Reliance †American Literature Essay (200 Level Course)

Ralph Waldo Emerson On Self Reliance – American Literature Essay (200 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of the most influential American writers. He was a visionary who could predict and try to influence society on his beliefs. Emerson was one of the original transcendentalists whose main mission was to critique and change society using their influence on its ways of thinking. In his book â€Å"On Self Reliance†, Emerson is an advocate of free speech and personal responsibility. He believes that a man should be left alone to think for himself. Emerson used young people as an example on how society at large is restricting them from expressing themselves. His ideas of non-conformism are very understandable Emerson also attacks authority and popular culture since they have so much influence on the individual and they can shape his life. Emerson emphasizes on individualism and independence and suggests that everyman has a potential to become what they want if they stand on their own two feet. Overall Emerson ideas make a lot of sense and they can be easily applied to today’s society, which is heavily dependent on Technology. Research Papers on Ralph Waldo Emerson "On Self Reliance" - American Literature Essay (200 Level Course)Effects of Television Violence on ChildrenCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeWhere Wild and West MeetInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThree Concepts of Psychodynamic19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement

A discussion of homicide

A discussion of homicide Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work produced by our Law Essay Writing Service . You can view samples of our professional work here . A discussion of homicide Under the facts of the scenario, Vincent had died and this would warrant a discussion of homicide. The actus reus of homicide is the unlawful killing of another. It would be unlikely that the parties concerned would be liable for murder as it seems they do not have requisite mens rea of malice aforethought for the offence. Criminal Liability Of Flavia. If Flavia is charged with constructive manslaughter, the prosecution would have to show an unlawful act which is also dangerous, caused the death of Vincent. The prosecution would be likely to rely on s23 Offences Against the Persons Act 1861 where the unlawful act is administering a noxious thing; which was successfully argued in Cato. Previous case law on manslaughter and drug supply cases has been far from consistent, but the House of Lords (HL) decision of Kennedy (No 2) was held by Ormerod as a ‘most welcomed conclusion’ to the drug-supply case law. In the case it was stated that where a vi ctim of a sound mind injected himself as a result of ‘free, voluntary and informed decision’ this would break the chain of causation. In the scenario it is stated that ‘Vincent injects himself’, we can safely assume that Flavia had not administered the injection directly and it was a ‘free, voluntary and informed decision’ made by Vincent which breaks the chain of causation. It must also be presumed that factors such as age, mental conditions or improper pressure have not affected the decision of Vincent to self-inject, if they had, Flavia could be liable; which is more likely as he is at a party. If Vincent was an addict, Clarkson would question whether taking drugs would be ‘free and voluntary’. In Kennedy (No 2) it was stated that, in relation to the scenario, that the ‘act of supplying the drugs by [Flavia], without more, could not harm [Vincent] in any psychical way, let alone cause his death’. HL did not rule out scenario where two people are ‘acting together’. This left open a ‘narrow circumstances’ which Flavia would be liable for death of Vincent, apart from where there is direct injection to the deceased. In the scenario, Flavia used her belt as tourniquet to lift a vein and this was similar to the case of Rogers (where the defendant was convicted). But this was specifically stated as ‘wrongly decided’ by Lord Bingham and we can assume that this would not amount to ‘acting together’. Additionally Kennedy (No 2) also stated; preparation and handing the syringe to victim will not constitute ‘acting together’ to give rise to liability for the death of Vincent. Lord Bingham stated ‘nothing in this opinion should be understood as applying to manslaughter caused by negligence’. Therefore we may be able to argue that Flavia is liable for gross negligence manslaughter for the death of Vincent. It is more likely that F lavia would be charged with gross negligence manslaughter, prosecution would have to prove the criteria laid down by Lord Mackay in the case of Adamako (which applies to all gross negligence cases). It would first of all need to be established that the defendant owed a duty of care to victim and the defendant breached that duty of care and this caused the death of Vincent. The breach of duty must be characterised as grossly negligent to constitute a crime; a matter for the jury to decide on.

Quantitative Data Analysis 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quantitative Data Analysis 5 - Essay Example se figures, it may be noted that in general, the participants have not provided a very high rating on any of the questions, rather the average result for most of these questions is an overall â€Å"Fair†, although some aspects rate slightly higher than others. For example, Q5 which rates the facilities in the room gets the highest average rating, while the availability of tourist facilities is ranked the lowest. It may also be noted that on an overall basis 24 respondents have responded in the negative to the question of whether they are satisfied overall with the quality of service, which is about 48% of the sample. One important aspect to be tested in this survey on quality is the extent to which the levels of service available meet the expectations of the respondents. The quality of service is said to be the gap between customer expectations and the actual performance they receive. (Parasuraman et al, 1994; Tsang and Qu, 2000). Therefore, it is this aspect that will determine whether or not the four star hotels are delivering the levels of quality of service that are expected. Q8 tests the extent to which front desk services met the expectations of the participants, Q 9 tests the quality of the room and Q10 tests the quality of housekeeping services. As demonstrated above, only a few respondents have accorded a rating of 4, in terms of the level of service meeting their expectations. Most respondents rate this variable between 2 and 3, although one respondent gives it a very negative ranking of 1. As shown above, there are a higher percentage of respondents who appear to have accorded this variable a favorable ranking of 3 to 4. None of the respondents ranks this as low as 1, while there are only a few who have ranked this variable at 2. Therefore, on an overall basis, it appears that the facilities in the room have tended to meet the expectations of customers fairly favorably. In this case, a greater percentage of respondents have ranked this at 2 or 3,