Man’s constant questions and initiatives Essay

Man’s constant questions and initiatives to answer these have constantly helped us understand the changes happening in our environment. This opens up new opportunities for validation and testing that can make the initiative feasible and acceptable by everyone. This seems to be valuable in any scientific endeavor. In the end, the use of experimentation and other models of testing can help generate the validity of a particular idea. Looking at the collaborative work in understanding and detecting living cells in atmospheric samples, it can be seen here that the proponents wanted to test out whether living organisms came from outer space. Seeing this, it can be argued that their analysis has merit since they are trying to test out and experiment whether the idea of living organisms come from space and transported to Earth with the aide of comets and asteroids. One reason that this idea holds merit is the fact that there had been previous experiments and studies which sought to find and extract particles that contain such elements. These tests have been adequately cited by the authors in the document. Likewise, prior to their extraction and analysis, there have been several attempts to do these things which started since 1960’s. This then allowed the current writers to further explore the possibilities available. Another reason that this analysis has merit is that it uses several scientific apparatus and techniques to actively decipher the needed areas. From the extraction process towards the interpretation of data, it can be seen that it uses numerous scientific models designed to fully understand and appreciate the relevance of such towards generating and proving their hypothesis that indeed comets provide living organisms from space. In the end, the experiment proved that there are indeed organisms that reside in comets and transferred into the Earth’s atmosphere. By equally understanding this process, it can help generate answers to the development of life here in the planet. In my own perspective, I feel that the most successful species on Earth are human beings. This argument does not revolve around the numerical value or on the years of existence. Rather, I seek to argue that humans are the most adaptive when it comes to development and expansion. With this characteristic and trait, it has helped each one of us transcend the challenges of the period and actively adjust to suit our individual needs and preferences. One reason that humans are considered the most successful species on Earth is their ability to adjust to the conditions of the environment. This can be proven throughout history when man had continuously sought to find improvements and changes in society and nature. By doing this, man gained better appreciation about the things that are happening and sought to create an avenue for existing and living. Another reason why such argument is made is the improvements man has created in the different fields of study. This ability has led man to create practices that are complex and sophisticated just to acquire information and understanding of things. This again opens up the potential of maximizing the available resources and integrates it towards the changing needs of the period. The last reason involves the capability of man to decipher new ways wherein it can improve. Though the existence of man can be considered to be young compared to other species who had inhabited the Earth, it can be argued though that we are the ones who had made the most improvements in the last 10,000 years. From the traditional use of flint and sedentary patterns, we now have evolved towards a complex society that is aided by technology and other fields. Our dynamic attitude and ability to discern questions has enabled us to dominate our species and become masters of this world. References CF, AC (2003) The detection of living cells in stratospheric samples. Retrieved May 28, 2009 from, http://www. astrobiology. cf. ac. uk/spie. html

Are Energy Drinks Bad for You or Good

When people ask you, â€Å"What are energy drinks? † Everybody say drinks that give you energy. They are wrong. Energy drinks are beverages that claim to give an extra boost of energy from caffeine. Energy drinks such as Red Bull or Rock star are good and bad for your bodies. Red Bull (Energy Drink) Good qualities that energy drinks have are that there non-alcoholic. This means that the more teens that buy this, the less chance of accidents and situations to do with the law the teens have to go through. Sometimes Energy Drinks keep you awake from times you can’t/don’t want to be asleep. There are many bad qualities when it comes to Energy drinks. If a person of some kind consumed to many energy drinks, it can lead to heart problems or possibly death, as the caffeine rates in these drinks are jaw-droopingly gigantic. Caffeine can also cause Tremor / shaking, chest pains, and lots of headaches. Some teenagers mix alcohol with energy drinks at parties, which is a deathly and dangerous mixture. Questions you can ask yourself is: 1. Do I want to have a body with a lot of caffeine? 2. Do I want to ruin my life? 3. Alcohol or Non-alcoholic? 4. Do I need to suffer? Overall energy drinks are bad and not good for athletes. There are times to use energy drinks and times not too. But before you make your decision, think of the questions I asked you. And see if you want a good body or bad body. Make your mind up ?

Racial Discrimination in the Contemporary World Essay - 12

Racial Discrimination in the Contemporary World - Essay Example According to the study the concept that he actually realized was that most of the whites preferred sticking to their own groups. This was the beginning, but with time things changed and we got on better terms after a few months. However, the level of trust wasnt very high but I actually communicated with them. We were colleagues, but not friends who would actually go out or attend parties together. It can't be denied that my race did however, assist me in many matters. He formed a very strong bond and actually made really good friends with people who belonged to different races and were international students like me and most of whom came from countries such as India, China, Rwanda and a few from Somalia. However, it is important to note that these people were better off than me since they did not have a history of conflict with the US unlike the Arabs. They were oppressed basically on the account of their skin color and religion. There was a stronger feeling of trust between us and we knew that we could rely on each other. It was actually the racial discrimination that brought us all together because we were all facing the same difficulties. It was the common experiences and problems that brought us all together and it was after this that he could be very sure that he was not alone anymore. Another important benefit that   he acquired was the fact that he became aware of the different races and cultures as all of my friends belonged to different places.  

Why I Want To Become a Nurse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why I Want To Become a Nurse - Essay Example Hence, I believe that adopting nursing as a profession will not only provide me with my dream job, but would also enable me to polish myself as a human being. I chose to apply in the FHCHS Nursing Program for several reasons. Firstly, FHCHS is located at a distance of hardly ten minutes from my home as I live in Orlando. Secondly, FHCHS is one of very few medical centers that can provide their students with sound clinical experience because of its intrinsic association with the Florida Hospital. There may be other nursing schools with links with hospitals but I chose to apply in FHCHS in particular because of the global fame and recognition of the Florida Hospital and this Hospital being the biggest of above 350 facilities of healthcare all over the world that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has to operate. The mere idea of gaining practical experience of learning and working in the Florida Hospital fascinates me. Last but not the least, teachings and ways of this faith-based institution are consistent with my religious beliefs. I would not think of other institutions when I have got world-class education and experience at few paces from my home! I am very good at socializing with people. I am an extrovert. These qualities make me a very good nurse. I have always wanted to have a large social circle and a big network of friends. The level of association and the kind of rapport a nurse enjoys with his/her patients is conducive for long-term association between the two. Nurses can find best friends in their patients because they get an opportunity to attach to them on an emotional level. Thus, I would be making lots of friends as I work more. I want to do a lot of social work in my life. If I can bring a smile on a face with my sweet words and care, that makes my day! Nursing is one profession that would allow me to achieve that because I would be able to work for humanity. I believe that having an

Business Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Business Management - Essay Example Ownership types Lloyd pharmacy is owned by a pharmacist who has a registration certificate as per the state laws. These State requirements are disapproved always by large business selling ventures, and the concern has been raised in the perspective of Hilmer Competition Reforms. They oblige each state to spot and do away with any legislative fundamentals which are not competitive except public opinions that are of advantage. The presented structure of pharmacy possession takes care of: accountability and liability by those who own pharmacies– through the State along with Territory Pharmacy Acts, quality utilization of drugs, value-added key health care services for instance, management of asthma and diabetes, management of wound care, management of medication, allocation of public health teaching and material for information, methadone and exchange of needle programs (Kayne, 2005). Conversely, at MacDonald’s it is either a franchisee, the firm itself or a partner who op erates it. MacDonald’s corporation obtains their revenues from rent, fees paid by the franchisees plus company-operated restaurants and sovereigns. The UK business mode is diverse since fewer than 30 % of restaurants are under contract, with mainstream under the company ownership (Ahuja, 2012). Organizational Structure In Lloyd Pharmacy, the pharmacist, clerk and technician form the central part of the pharmacy team. Those who prescribe, nurses, and other health care employees are part of the extensive pharmacy team. The Lloyd pharmacy team shares a general objective, to offer good medical care to those who are sick. Every member has specific duties to achieve, but each share some tasks with other members of the team. Each of them rely on others to do their work; being aware of members of team’s distinctive function regarding one’s own will help in doing ones work in a well-organized and satisfying way. As a pharmacy clerk, one has a significant involvement to m ake to the team. In the contrary, at The MacDonald’s there are two structures, the senior management and the restaurant side. The senor restaurant include the general manager, assistant manager, shift running manager, floor manager, staff training crew and crew members. The general manager is answerable for the everyday function of the MacDonald’s fast food restaurant together with employing, instructing and supervising the employees, ensuring that the restaurant remains in proper working situation and guarantee that things run efficiently when the restaurant is open. They also do the totaling up the daily receipts, ensuring that the restaurant abide by all legal prerequisites and communicating with the General Manager. The assistant managers’ duty is to assist the general manager. The Shift Running Manager’s main task is to organize and control the way the staff work in shifts. The Staff Training Crew’s main task is to take charge of all trainings within the premise. Whereas Crew Members work all the way through the Crew Development Programme and this is McDonald’s standard training system. They get trainings both on and off the floor by use of a combination of shoulder-to-shoulder training and self learning. Responsibilities At Lloyd pharmacy, vending pharmacists offer counseling patients, respond to their

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports provide shareholders Essay - 1

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports provide shareholders and stakeholders with useful information on corporate soci - Essay Example Emphasizing on the corporate social responsibility has become a core part of the public policies for development of private sectors within the framework of the international cooperation development. It is considered a deliberate choice for an enterprise to give back to the community and to respond the environment crises while maintaining relations with the shareholders and stakeholders based on dialogue and transparency (Godfrey, Merrill & Hansen 2009). A CSR report, therefore, consists of all activities that the company has taken part. This includes the whole of their chain of value and it considers the effects on ecological, economic, and social parameters in dialogue with the shareholders and stakeholders. The report conveys the following information to the public and to the stakeholders: consumer interest, environmental care, air operating practices such as corruption and bribery, involvement to the community and firm’s governance. A company will therefore, use the report to reach to its consumers, shareholders, and stakeholders. Corporate managers and leaders have taken the initiative to call upon the government, as a stakeholder, to recognize their CSR participation and achievements. The companies can only achieve that by creating a CSR report that communicates to the society on its CSR activities. The government has gone ahead to encourage, support and to enforce Corporate Social Responsibility behavior of firms (Turker 2009). This has therefore resulted to multiple rationales, such as deregulation and competitiveness in companies by including their CSR reports in their annual reports. However, the legal standards and frameworks have been put in place in order to ensure the companies include the appropriate information. This is because some of the stakeholders and shareholders are non-profit agencies which require in knowing the benefit of the company to the community before investing in it. The government also requires knowing how the company res ponds to environmental issues such as pollution and global warming. It is important to note that most stakeholders including investors, community, markets, NGOs and the government need to know the role of a company to the society and their role in ensuring the environment is maintained. For instance, the mentioned groups expect organizations to put efforts in fighting global warming and feeding the poor. It is humble call for a company to do that, but it has a great effect to the consumers and to the investors. Consumers want to be associated with a company that understand their needs and which cares for their future. As well, investor will invest in a company that has responsible management and that which takes part in CSR activities. Background information Since the early years of 1990, an increase in the environmental awareness and development of sustainable economic growth redirected firms into environmental sensitivity. The recent economic events have resulted to a greater emph asis on the Corporate Social Responsibility in redefining the future of the society. Whereas companies and business organizations are responsible of creating wealth for the shareholders and driving company’ progress, they are directed and guided by regulations and governments, green consumer pressure and society pressure groups (Henriques & Sadorsky1999). A balance between needs of the society and economic growth attracts

An Investigation of Career Barriers for Female Television News Anchor Essay

An Investigation of Career Barriers for Female Television News Anchor in Nigeria - Essay Example The fame which followed the emergence of female television news anchors was such that it encouraged the participation of numerous female broadcasters, actresses and journalists to enter the television field in private, state owned and federal television houses nationwide (Charles, 1989). Television, having introduced women on the screen, in roles often contradictory to the stereotypical domestic role of the women in society has also given rise to some fundamental, social, cultural, professional and ethical issues, which have come to affect the career path of women in the industry. Gender stereotyping is not limited to the field of television. This is an issue which transcends all strata of organizational, social and family life in Nigeria (Agnes & Ijeoma, 2010). Historians believe it to have stemmed from our cultural bias, values and belief system. For instance, before the advent of television in Nigeria, parents believed in sending their sons to acquire formal education in Law, Medi cine or Engineering while encouraging their daughters to learn the family trade and then get married. Society believed that a woman’s place resides squarely in the home and in rare cases when they were allowed to go to university, such conventional courses as mentioned above were the accepted courses to study. This was due to the image of prestige, dignity, integrity and decorum associated with such traditional career paths (Charles, 1989). The advent of WNTV in 1959 brought a fresh wave of courses such as Mass communication, public relations, Advertising etc, and with it, a new image of glamour and celebrity status was introduced into the Nigerian society. Schools teaching Mass communication and television houses started sprouting all over the country, making it possible for women who hitherto stayed at home after standard six to find a seemingly less demanding but glamorous career path (Charles, 1989). This resulted in women being offered jobs as actresses on stage (theatre ) and on TV, journalists and TV news anchors catapulting them from home based to stardom overnight and bringing to light the reality of being a mother, wife and working woman. Gone were the days of mothers being at home or owning their time, Television became the mistress, demanding 110% of the news anchors’ time (Bradshaw, 2009). 1.1 Gender Role Conflict: Work-life balance is at the heart of the conflict between the home and a woman’s career. The stereotyping of the role of women in the Nigerian society is directly linked to a complex historical process influenced by such factors as family, culture, religion, politics and economy (Charles, 1989). In Nigeria, a woman’s role starts within her family as the girl-child, then to being a wife and a mother. She is expected to keep the home together, take care of the children and her husband. She is expected to have no other ambition than to be a dutiful wife, an active mother, contribute to the economic growth of her family and community through keeping a viable family business of either petty trade or farming and be a role model to other women in the community

The Business Problem and Research Objectives Proposal

The Business Problem and Objectives - Research Proposal Example The Business Problem and Research Objectives The company has been offering supreme branded products in relation to fashion, home and beauty care markets. Moreover, the company with its rich quality products is recognised to be the oldest retailing departmental store in the global context for performing trading activities with its original name. After 175 years, the company is still renowned for its stylish and fashionable garments within the targeted consumer market. Furthermore, the company is well-known for employing some of the top designers and famous brand ambassadors like Jessica Gomes in its promotional tactics. The vision of the company has been to offer better shopping experiences to its customers each time they visit the departmental stores. Additionally, in order to flourish the business operations, the company is further required to maintain its brand through improved quality services. However, the company is observed to be involved with certain ethical issues in relation to its business operations. As a result, the company has also been recently criticised based on sexual harassment cases engaging its employees in Australia. The first case was identified as related to the promotional techniques used by the company in terms of advertisements which are considered to be unethical for eroticising as well as sexually exploiting children. In this regard, a case was filed with the Federal Court which is located in Sydney against DJs for sexualisation of children or minors in its promotional tactics. ... However, the company is observed to be involved with certain ethical issues in relation to its business operations. As a result, the company has also been recently criticised based on sexual harassment cases engaging its employees in Australia. The first case was identified as related to the promotional techniques used by the company in terms of advertisements which are considered to be unethical for eroticising as well as sexually exploiting children. In this regard, a case was filed with the Federal Court which is located in Sydney against DJs for sexualisation of children or minors in its promotional tactics. The executive director of Australia Institute also criticised the company for promoting its garment products by using sexualised images of children through ads on internet and flyers among others (Horin, 2007). There has also been a recent sexual harassment case lodged against the company by Kristy Fraser-Kirk, a 25 years old woman working as a junior publicist in DJs. She lo dged a complaint against the former chief executive officer of DJs named Mark Mclnnes for sexually harassing her. With respect to the complaint filed, she seeks to acquire 5% of the profit of DJs as well as 5% of the salary of Mclnnes which cost the company a considerable amount of expense to resolute the issue (Kontominas, 2010). 2. The Broad Problem Area The business problems which can be apparently observed with reference to the recent performances of DJs relates with its unethical business practices and management in relation to sexual harassment. It has been perceived that DJs was involved with promotional techniques or activities which included advertisements which were criticized as well as recognised to be unethical. These advertisings

What is a source of nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is a source of nursing research - Essay Example All nursing research are fuelled by an identified gap in practical field that must be addressed to better nursing care, often this is regarded as the research problem (Winsett & Cashion, 2007). Nursing research can be identified by a wide search on different topics in current journals on health. Most journals give current information on trends in health, life style disease and health practices in various groups of people in the population. Analyzing these journals with an interest of identifying areas that have inadequate information or problems that stand unsolved will often avail chances of coming up with research problems (Winsett & Cashion, 2007). For instance a journal containing information about the menace of drug resistance among a certain population may provoke several questions which will ultimately lead to fining a research problem. Drug resistance is broad however a narrower research topic can be coined out to help better the understanding why drug resistance is a menace to the public health. Using drug resistance as the broader topic, a research topic such as; assessing the knowledge and awareness of a certain population on the dangers of noncompliance to an tibiotic therapy. This is a potential research study meant to reveal why the population is having a problem of drug

Executive summary for Corporate Finance Valuation Essay

Executive summary for Corporate Finance Valuation - Essay Example This is because it gives clear information on the return on investment and the shareholders value that is payable to investors. The analysis focuses on Balfour Beatty Corporation that is a high rank engineering company with global presence. The company provides a wide range of products and services with an aim of meeting its shareholders and customer needs promptly. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the company’s shareholders value, its key variables, sensitivity evaluation and issues that threatens to compromise its performance. The aim is to identify its performance level and viability that is critical in enabling accurate investment decisions. Introduction Balfour Beatty plc is a renowned corporation that focuses its synergy in providing quality infrastructural and engineering services. The company strives to achieve its key objective that is to be the leading producer of quality engineering services globally. It is also set with an aim to maximize its key resour ces to enhance shareholders value. The company started its operations in the year 1909 as a small entity with a capital base of 50,000million Pounds. It has recorded a tremendous growth that has seen it expand its network to over 80 countries. The company’s exemplary performance is attributable to its effective shareholders value management and product development. ... The company is also credited for its strong focus on shareholders value that remains a key driver of performance in most settings. The element that defines the amount of return on investment shareholders are to achieve is vital in ensuring sustainable growth. It has been one of the key drivers of the company’s performance and growth since it attracts more investors who inject colossal sums of funds. These funds help in steering growth and service delivery to customers who hold high expectations. Indeed, any organization that aspires to record exemplary performance or attract more investors especially in the current business environment should develop viable resource maximization techniques. This report aims at giving credible information based on corporate finance valuation with focus to shareholder value analysis. It adopts Balfour Beatty plc as its case study. Definition of SVA and its role Shareholder value analysis (SVA) is a performance indicator that measures the return on investment value that a company remits to shareholders (Ranadiv, 2009, P, 1). It gives a clear indication or information on the amount investors receive per shares held. It also measures a company’s financial capacity and value by comparing the returns that stockholders receive every financial year. This enables managers to make credible decisions pertaining to performance and attraction of new investors. Consequently, it facilitates investments decision-making since it gives investors a prior knowledge on a company’s performance and the expected returns (Ranadiv, 2009, P, 1). This is vital since investor’s interest is to earn returns on their investment and to receive refunds of the capital contribution.

The rest of the play Essay Example for Free

The rest of the play Essay When Mr and Mrs Putnam are talking with Parris, they start referring to their own child exploits and tell of murdered babies. Parris is at first shocked and then slightly disbelieving of them until Putnam mentions a murdering witch. (Parris turns to Betty, a frantic terror rises in him. ) This shows one of the most dramatic parts of Act 1. Miller gives the audience the impression that hysteria will happen in the future. I think this because this is an action that shows a mortal fear in Parris for witches because of what the accusation will do to his reputation. This could explain his actions later in the play and why he is damming the suspect with such conviction. Miller structures the idea of witchcraft being spread throughout the village very carefully and intelligently. He sets up some characters, Abby, Mercy, Goody Putnam and Mr Putnam, to be gossipy, manipulative and vindictive. They hear a hint of witchcraft and instantly they play upon the this rumour to their own advantage. We can gain these clues by the opening actions of characters and the background information provided by Miller. Here are a couple of characters I have chosen. Abby (A striking beautiful girl, an orphan, with and endless capacity for disassembling. ) Mr Putnam Another reason to believe him a deeply embittered man with his attempt to break his fathers will. So it is not surprising to find that so many accusations against people are in the handwriting of Thomas Putnam, or that his name is so often found as a witness corroborating the supernatural testimony. These quotations give the audience clues of their darker side in their personalities. The dramatic action in the first act sets up expectation of an explosive story and plot. When Parris presses Abby and aggressively questions her as well and Abby viciously shakes Betty on the bed. These incidents could lead to there being more of these in the future. Some parallels can be drawn from the first acts events and events later on in the play. When Parris presses in Abby and she tries to speak her opinion, this happens later on but with Proctor, her secret adulterer instead of her uncle, in the first act. Also at the end of Act 1 the children are causing hysteria by naming random people in the village, they cause hysteria when Mary Warren tries to prove they are unauthentic. The actions in the first act are structured by Miller so that the actions reappear in the later stages, while the people dont learn from their mistakes. The language that Miller uses is Arcane, the old English that was used in the colony of America. He uses this old language to great effect to reflect the time and the religious metaphors and symbolism that is contained in Arcane. One such phrase is, Mark this! This is a great phrase for people to hear you and recognise you in a conversation. He uses implicit meanings in the language to try and give clues for later on in the play. He uses this in his opening description of Abby. .. an endless capacity for disassembling. The explicit meaning of this is that she can take things apart for a long time but there is a sub-meaning to this. She can break more things that are not physical with her strikingly beautiful looks she could break people, their hearts and their lifes. I feel that The Crucible has a lot of cumulative factors that give is clues to the storyline, the action in the future and how the characters will develop.

Steel In Modern Architecture History Essay

Steel In Modern Architecture History Essay Along came the industrial revolution which was between the periods of the 18th and the 19th century after ages and ages of ignorance and poverty. The industrial revolution had a dramatic growth in every field of life. These revolutionary changes took place in whole Europe especially Great Britain and the power of steam (which was discovered by James Watt in 1783) was the number one reason behind it next to the manpower; the workers have worked hard between mines and factories. It started with the mechanization of the textile industries instead of the animal and agricultural work only. The industrial revolution which began around the 1800 was followed by a second industrial revolution in 1850.a lot of discoveries were witnessed by this era including electricity and the development of all the machine tools. The following era was the machine age which had a noticeable change in the history of technology, agriculture and architecture due to the discovery of more power resources as coal a nd trade expansion was enabled by the introduction of canals, roads and railways and mostly the discovery of the iron ore. The discovery of iron moreover the ability of shaping it considered a big achievement. Types of iron will be discussed later. Followed by discovery of steel which is another form of iron alloy containing less carbon and other metals are added to give it extra properties like manganese, silicon and chromium. Iron and Steel are found in the earth crust in the form of alloys as they are not deep hidden in the earth and such materials are reactive with the air oxygen. After extracting steel and being cleaned from the impurities .although, impurities sometimes could be useful for enhancing the strength of iron or steel. The final steel products always contain small percentages of metallic impurities like silicon, manganese, sulphur and phosphorus besides iron and carbon. The whole idea of introducing steel goes back to Hennery Bessemer in1858 depending on coal and th e furnace. Many techniques were devised for steel treatment and many types were derived too (examples will be discussed). After introducing these kinds of materials to the 18th century nothing was left for the thinkers and the ambiguous inventors but to seize the opportunities think, document and produce, and that was the 18th century all about. Expansion took place in all branches of life the industrial, the agricultural, economic, population and most importantly in the construction and architectural strategies. A lot of achievements were done like building factories, bridges, rail ways, habitats instead of poor work shops and small cottages. The research is discussing the steel role in the development of building construction and architecture especially the means of transportaion of this era, the various options and privileges given by steel at the age. From iron which is the second available metal in the earth right after aluminun till steel it was quite a time and journey discoveries as it was previously discussed. The discoveries of iron consecutively: Pig iron: basic row iron obtained from molten iron ore in the furnace and appears in the form of blocks called pigs. It is hard but not on daily basis use. Cast iron: cast iron is liquid molten iron which is shaped by pouring in mould to have iron units and structural shapes. Cast iron is hard, brittle, reactive with air and hard to shape. Wrought iron: is the mix of liquid iron and slag. The out come is a much less tough, easy to shape and relatively easy shaping alloy. Besides, the discovery of steel and its types: Mild steel: low carbon steel ductile, malleable, elastic. Carbon steels: which depends mainly on high carbon levels which varies from 1.55% to 0.55% which is very strong more elastic than mild steel Alloy steels: basically steel mixed with iron and reinforcing metals, tool steel: harder than the alloy steel used for making the machines and daily used tools. stainless steel discovered in 1911 by the British scientist Harry Brearley which is the best of its kind due to the high corrosion resistivity due to the presence of the high proportionality of chromium rather than steel contain carbon ferrous 88% and cementite 12%. Stainless steel used on a very large scale in many western buildings and sky scrapers. It is believed that, steel has contributed so much to the building industry over all. The development of the buildings and the variety of their purposes kept in crystallizing. The start was green houses made out of glass and steel. Building rail ways and bridges to transport iron to the factories to extract and produce iron then building the workers habitats to be near their work and that is how wheel of construction kept on going forward. which derived the idea of multi story building using the skeleton steel frames. If anybody thought about the wonders of the 19th century e.g. the statue of liberty, the Eiffel tour, the capitol the first thing that comes to the mind is the construction material which is the steel. For a lot of people the most important steel achievement was the railways and bridges they played such an important role to get the whole country but the whole of Europe. The first railway station shed to herald the forthcoming art of engineering during the pioneering phase of the rail ways was Charles foxs Euston station in London 1835-1838 sets an exact example of the new type of buildings in cities which means that the industrial engineering had begun and stopped encouraging quoting monumental buildings. Euston station was the point of departure of Birmingham a line that was built by Robert Stephenson while the spatial structure concept was the work of Charles fox and it was his first work. The station was the first sign of the upcoming modern engineering. The entire front of the station was designed by Philip Hardwick (Victorian architect).the railway created a new impression because of the different structure and a new field of design emerged featuring over wider spans. One new concept of the work of Richard turner which was the design for the lime street station in Liverpool 1847-1849, an interpretation of the trussed frame work divided into thr ee angles by compression members and tie rods that Camille polonceau had first developed for his thesis at Ecole des arts et manufactories in Paris in 1837. Railway architecture considered the primary school of modern architecture. Two schools of culture struggled to lend station their appearance as it could not be know whether to apply the style oriented by the Ecole de Beaux-Arts or the technical methods of the championed engineering prestigious schools of the Victorian, Napoleonic, Haussmann and Wilhelminaian era there light, airy sheds that reflect the industrial side of the constructions. Clearly there were no standards no visions or references so they had to strife for the fascination of new places and technology in the era with the iron and glass that influenced a new perception of space and time. The two schools could not get along. Euston station pictures: From the most important means transportation are bridges and there joints. Bridges connected the whole country to gather which made it easier for practicing all the activities without being delayed from agriculture or business. The joint was the key to the second revolution in the bridge building the break through to lightness. The transfer from stone arch techniques to cast and wrought iron was quite important. The pliable structure was introduced by German engineer Johann Wilhelm in1865 and the engineer Armand Moisant used for 115-meter-span machine hall at 1889 world exhibition in Paris. Which represented a transition from engineering to architecture, also the amazing frame work le tour d Eiffel created a new image of space. Three building types are to be examined in detail: bearing wall, cage frame, and skeleton frame. Skeleton frames, which use a system of columns and beams to support a buildings interior floors and exterior walls, turned previous logic on its head: masonry walls were reduced in importance from the element that carried all structural loads and defined buildings appearance and construction quality to decorative weather screens with no structural purpose. Because all three building types include steel beams carrying fire-resistant floors, all represent latenineteenth century building technology. The introduction of new building materials and systems. based on the mechanization of mines, foundries, and mills began in the United States in the 1830s. One of the great technological changes of the nineteenth century was the introduction of skeleton framing as the common method of supporting large buildings. To sum up, before the dawn of the Industrial Revolution Britain was a quite different place with respect Britain that exists today. So before the Industrial Revolution it was very hard to keep in touch with people in other parts of the country Industrialisation brought with it new types of roads, trains and many other forms of communications which simply did not exist prior to industrialisation. Industry created a need for new types of buildings, and at the same time new building materials and techniques were being made available by industry huge spaces, unobstructed by bulky vertical supports and hard steel. If it werent for steel the industrial revolution would not have launched with such success. Thanks to steel the people of England became more active in there society and helped raising there nation. Every country should take example of what the English hard labour achieved, the adaptation of its factory system. Last but not least, apparently the style of this architecture is modern and for the architects this considered the modernization phase. it is believed that choosing the term revolution is inaccurate as these changes did not happened in a day and night but it was the labour of hard working and experimenting for many years. Although, after seeing such astonishing inventions could give this era the term revolution. Finally, the machine age had its modern impact on the architecture; in the third millennium architecture will be developed more and more. Who can imagine life without these important changes and do not try to react with it. Frankly, the development of any society measured only as how is strong its manpower

Role of Silicosis in Silica-associated Lung Cancer

Role of Silicosis in Silica-associated Lung Cancer Background Crystalline silica is a mineral compound composed of silicon and oxygen atoms that are arranged in a repeating pattern. Common polymorphs of crystalline silica include quartz, cristobalite and tridymite, with quartz as the most common form. Human exposure to crystalline silica is most often from occupational tasks that involve disturbance, use or manufacture of quartz-containing materials, including stonecutting, mining, quarrying and ceramics.[i],[ii] In 1997, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded there was sufficient evidence for carcinogenicity in humans with occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica in the quartz or cristobalite form.[iii] The 1997 IARC Monograph noted the greater part of epidemiologic studies reported the presence of silicosis (referring to the chronic or also known as classic type), a fibrotic disease of the lung that is associated with high exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust, increases excess lung cancer risk among workers exposed to silica. However, it remains unclear whether lung cancer development among these workers is due to the presence of silicosis or due to exposure to significant silica levels with silicosis being a confounder rather than a prerequisite. A recent literature review of relevant epidemiological studies confirmed that there remains uncertainty about excess lung cancer risk exclusively among silicotic workers due to the shortcomings of the design of existing epidemiological studies, including the inaccurate measurement of silica exposure, inadequate characterization of the exposure-response relationship between crystalline silica and lung cancer, inadequate control for potential confounders such as known lung cancer risk factors and the presence of other carcinogenic agents in the workplace, and the absence of comparing the lung cancer risk between silicotics and non-silicotic (do not have silicosis) workers as controls. The proposed research study attempts to clari fy the role of silicosis in silica-associated lung cancer development by addressing some of the identified study design challenges. Significance Determining if silicosis is a prerequisite for lung cancer development has important public health implications for setting occupational standard for silica exposure, implementing workplace medical surveillance programs and determining causation in medico-legal cases. For example, if it is determined that lung cancer risk increases among workers exposed to silica only in the presence of silicosis, then efforts should be focused on reducing high silica exposure to a level that reduces the risk of developing silicosis. However, if it is determined that silicosis is not a prerequisite, then lung cancer development can occur at silica exposures lower than those likely to cause silicosis, which makes prevention of exposure to high silica levels not adequate for worker protection. Specific Aims To better understand the role of silicosis in the pathway leading to lung cancer from occupational exposure to silica, the specific aims of the study are: To examine the association between occupational exposure to crystalline silica and lung cancer risk in the presence and absence of silicosis and To measure the exposure-response relationship between crystalline silica and lung cancer risk with risk estimates adjusted by silicosis Procedures/Methods Study Design and Population A nested case-control study design will be utilized to analyze the association between occupational exposure to crystalline silica and lung cancer risk among silicotic and non-silicotic workers from an original cohort mortality study. The original study was conducted among workers from the Vermont granite industry.[iv] They were identified from a group insurance program enrollment between January 1st, 1947 and December 31st, 1998, Vermont Department of Health Division of Industrial Hygiene (DIH) records, pension records, data from a study of workers employed from 1979 to 1987 and data from a study of retired workers.iv The data from the multiple sources were linked to avoid duplications. As a result, the cohort consisted of 7052 Vermont granite industry workers. The mortality follow-up of the cohort identified 359 observed lung cancer deaths. iv Age at death, smoking history and silica dust exposure, medical history of obstructive lung disease and demographics will be compared betwee n the cases and controls. Workers that did not have sufficient smoking information, work histories and available chest radiographs were excluded. The exposure of interest will be the cumulative exposure to silica dust. The study population is unique in that the Vermont granite industry has a long history of silica exposure, medical surveillance and a general exclusion of occupational exposures associated with lung cancer. Case Ascertainment Lung cancer cases will be ascertained from the original Vermont granite industry cohort study. The vital status and cause of data was ascertained from the US National Death Index (NDI), US Social Security Administration vital status records and the Vermont State Records Office. The cause of death was coded to the 9th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9). Control Ascertainment Controls will also be ascertained from the original cohort study. The controls are defined as workers who did not die from lung cancer. Lung cancer cases will be matched to 2 controls by age. Silicosis Ascertainment The presence of silicosis among the cases and controls would be obtained from compensation and medical surveillance records. Silica Exposure Measurement Cumulative exposure to respirable crystalline silica was measured using a job exposure matrix that utilized industrial hygiene measurements. The cumulative exposures are categorized in quartiles. Sample Size Justification According to the sample size calculator (http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm), it is estimated that this study would need approximately 360 subjects are required in the study to obtain the confidence level of 95% with an interval of 5%, if we are selecting subjects from the 7052 Vermont granite industry workers cohort. We will strive to obtain 90 cases and 180 controls, based on the availability of sufficient smoking information, work histories and chest radiographs. Statistical Analysis Statistical analysis will be performed to calculate odds ratios to examine the association between lung cancer and total and each quartile of cumulative silica exposure in the presence and absence of silicosis. Odds ratios will be adjusted for smoking, obstructive lung disease and age as they are potential confounders. Odds ratios will be calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Study Strengths Strengths of the proposed study include: comparing the association of silica exposure and lung cancer in both silicotic and non-silicotic workers measuring the exposure-response relationship between silica and lung cancer risk, taking into account the presence and absence silicosis controlling for potential confounders of smoking and obstructive lung disease excluding potential confounders of other occupational exposures associated with lung cancer by studying the granite industry cohort conducting a nested case-control study is less expensive than a full cohort study since a comparably significant number of lung cancer cases have emerged Study Limitations Potential biases and study limitations are: Selection bias is a concern as silicotic workers are identified from compensation and medical surveillance records Silicotic workers may be diagnosed by different criteria, but resulting in non-differential misclassification Differential misclassification may result from categorizing the silica exposure in quartiles Silica exposure assessment may not be accurate if the job exposure matrix is methodologically sound Only studied one type of industry associated with silica exposure Non-diseased persons from whom the controls are selected may not be fully representative of the original cohort due to loss to follow-up or death References [i] International Labour Organization (ILO)/SafeWork Bookshelf (2006). ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety: Volume 1, Part I. Body: Chapter 10 Silicosis. Available at http://www.ilo.org/safework_bookshelf/english?dnd=170000102nh=0. [ii] Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (2002). OSHA Fact Sheet: Crystalline Silica Exposure Health Hazard Information [Electronic Version]. Available at http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/crystalline-factsheet.pdf [iii] WHO/IARC (1997). IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans: Silica, Some Silicates, Coal Dust and para-Aramid Fibrils [Electronic Version]. Volume 68; available at http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol68/mono68.pdf. [iv] Vacek PM, Verma DK, Graham WG, Callas PW, Gibbs GW (2010). Mortality in Vermont granite workers and its association with silica exposure. Occup Environ Med, 68(5), 312-318.

Racism in Heart of Darkness :: essays research papers

What is racism? Racism can be defined as – â€Å"The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.† Racism occurs when a racist group finds it necessary to put down other ethnic groups in an attempt to strengthen their own. A very strong racist comment or action might make the other group feel hurtful, degrading, humiliating. The novel, â€Å"Heart of darkness†, written by Joseph Conrad provides such instances which are racist and biased against the people living in Africa. Heart of Darkness is a story in which racism presents itself so deliberately that, for many, the dilemma of race must be tackled before anything else in the book may be dealt with. Conrad used derogatory, outdated and offensive terminology for devaluation of people’s color as savages. This use of language disturbs many readers who read this book. Although Conrad uses racist language in this book, it doesn’t mean that he is really racist. When we look at the language, we are just looking at the very surface of the story. Heart of Darkness is a story full of irony and deception. At one point, Conrad made a very interesting point. He suggested that the light is used to indicate deceit in Heart of Darkness. Conrad uses the character of Marlow to make use of his own thoughts and views about the people in the Congo. He feels pity for them as he sees them falling down carrying heavy packages and Kurtz commanding them like a batallion of troups. This sight angers Marlow and when he gets to Kurtz, it’s too late. Even he has been pulled in by the darkness. Conrad makes an effective distinction between Marlow and Kurtz.

Essay --

Pit Bull Dog Fighting Throughout the years society has sought many different forms of entertainment. For instance, in ancient roman times there were many different forms of entertainment. One form was chariot racing where they used a set of four horses on about seven different teams and raced. There was also Gladiators, which were usually prisoners who would fight to the death. Then came along dog fighting. Dog fighting is a cruel sport that people do illegally. Two dogs are faced to fight and try to kill the other, the winner is presented when the other dog can no longer fight, and therefore it dies. Sounds cruel, right? Humans seek entertainment for many different reasons and sadly, fighting, whether it is watching human beings fighting or watching animals fighting it seems to be the most sought after for entertainment. As far as dog fighting goes the main â€Å"fighting dog† is the Pit Bull because of â€Å" their tolerance to pain. They are also very strong and quick moving dogs with extra jaw muscle on the top of their heads giving them a strong bite† (B.R 1). The Pit Bull can withstand massive amounts of pain and tend to heal very quickly, making them the ideal fighting dog. Pit bulls are highly muscular dogs that have large front teeth, which make it easy for them to rip through flesh. Their front legs and back legs are short but powerful making it easy for them to knock a dog out with one hit. They have good endurance therefore they can withstand long matches with another dog. Because of their high pain tolerance they can get bitten multiple times without it affecting them. Pit bulls were originally bred to be hunting dogs. There strong legs make it ideal for digging for small animals. â€Å"They're obsessed with digging in the groun... ...inment and ways to make money in the craziest ways. But does this the type of entertainment really need to be continued? Hurting a poor, innocent animal? An animal that doesn’t know right from wrong, an animal that is worthy enough to give unlimited amount of love to its owner and able to put a smile on any persons face. Yet, some people are so evil and cruel enough to put them in a rink and tell them to â€Å"Kill, kill, and kill!† Telling them to win. But, what is winning to these dogs? Winning is literally killing its opponent. Ripping the guts out of the other, until one lone victor is left standing there with blood trickling down from its face. The poor dog looks up at its owner, hoping for praise but they don’t get it. Instead they get yanked out of the rink, thrown into a cage, only to be trained to fight yet another fight, which sadly could be their last fight.

Personal Narrative- The Path Towards Grace, Love and Peace :: Personal Narrative Writing

Personal Narrative- The Path Towards Grace, Love and Peace When I was 16 I left my parents home. One month before I left, I wrote this in my journal: â€Å"What is the fluttering in my belly, rising up through my chest? An apprehension — a fear — excitement? I am anticipating a change — a falling down — a caving in of something I expect to be solid. I’m in a strange place, moving slowly forward with nothing that can be measured — an internal advancement, a shedding away of old selves. I am pared down.† The story of my leaving still feels like something written in code — a code no one could understand on the rational mind level. It was my soul’s decision and no amount of explaining or writing has helped enlighten those who did not understand it. I barely understood it myself. To those who did understand, I had to say very little. They knew within the first two minutes of my telling. They were inevitably people who, at some point in their lives, tried to bury their own soul’s yearnings, who had decided to live a perfectly fine and reasonable life, until the day they could not. That day of â€Å"soul excavation† remains crystal clear in their minds. As do all the nudges and urgings from the universe that led them there. Once I left, I looked back and saw this path towards that day so clearly — to me it made perfect sense. So much so that when friends asked me later, â€Å"How could you leave such a life — not having to work, good parents, nic e house?† I would answer, â€Å"How could I not?† And yet, I had never felt so humbled. With my leaving came the realization of how very little I had known my Self all those years. I did not leave gracefully. I did not expect my soul to be such an urgent and powerful force. Nor did I plan to leave when I did — but once I did, I felt supported and encouraged by something I could not name. The path ahead kept lighting up as if with neon. Go there. Do this. Fear accompanied me and frustration, guilt and desperate prayers, but no longer did I feel that deep sadness I could not name, which Sarah Ban Breathnagh, in her book Simple Abundance, says is â€Å"you missing your authentic self.† I feel lucky now that as a child I took on little of our culture’s burden around success.

Is Second Life Ready for Business? Essay

1. How can Second Life provide value to businesses that use it? Second Life can be a birthing ground for new industries and transform business, commerce, marketingand learning the same way that the Web did in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. It alsocan facilitate internal communications and to position themselves at the forefront of the digital landscapein order to recruit tech-savvy employees. Second Life is a low-cost business tool and also a new marketingtool.Companies can use Second Life as a business tool for online conferencing, online collaboration, knowledge management and prototyping. Also companies can test new products using Second Life’s 3 -Drendering programs, experiment with new marketing and advertising campaigns to see how people react,receive feedback on real-world products or services. 2. What kinds of businesses are most likely to benefit from apresence on Second Life? Why? Retail businesses that are already used to doing business online may have an easier time of establishing aviable presence on Second Life. They are used to advertising and marketing to customers online and havethe systems built for taking orders, accepting payments, and shipping products. Other companies, likeIBM, that have established online collaboration systems and online knowledge management systems willprobably have an easier time using Second Life as another outlet for these activities. 3. Considering what you have learned about Second Life, howcould you, as an individual, create a modest start-up businesson the Grid? What goods would you sell? Why would this be agood choice of product? What, in simple terms, would yourbusiness plan be? Why would it work? There are several ways to start up business in an online virtual server. Second Life as of now harbored fewto many online companies that does business online as a form of advertising or even setting up their virtual business inside the server by buying up â€Å"lands† in the so called â€Å"Grid† world. Of course, to do that,you have to buy the virtual â€Å"land† to start up the virtual business by subscribing to the premium [pic]  membership on the website. By subscribing, several beneï ¬ ts can be enjoy including owning a house and rights to own a land. The current subscription cost according to the game website – secondlife.com – isUSD$72 for an annual  subscription, USD$22.50 for a quarter subscription or USD$9.95 for monthlysubscription. Personally and hypothetically, the initial cost for me to setup an online business on the â€Å"lands of the Grid† would be a monthly subscription of USD$9.95 as uncertainty in conveying the business over a decade plus old virtual server especially these past two years have been radically risky withmushrooms of similar online servers like gaiaonline.com and social networking sites like facebook that hasbeen rampaging in this fast-paced information system industry. Also, there are questions about itscurrent popularity against the other fast information changing platforms and how it cope with the current market segment. A typical online business would be an online auction/selling business. Speciï ¬ cally, i would set up a small business that deals with money changing/transfers between users and other onlinegames that offers on line services to its users. For example; an online game offers â€Å"cash –  shop† items that  is only available when you bought it online usually using credit/debit cards, often through sites like pay-pal. What i am offering here in my business is variety of online payments especially in terms of ForeignCurrency exchanges through local banks and also a much more user-friendly interaction between me andthe customers due to the live chatting system and in-game atmosphere in Second Life. A simpleexplanation why this might be a good choice is that, Second Life offers a casual sims like platform thatdoes not stress up their users like those of a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) that needs hours and hours of â€Å"training† to achieve a better standi ngs in the game. Another good point isthat online gamers that plays particular games tend to hang out in the same channel or platform towhich, the simple Second Life w hich has quite low speciï ¬ cations  offers a range of 3D avatars to theplayers. This is especially true when the online game that they are playing having their routine servermaintenance which usually comes up once per week. During these one to several hours of maintenance,they could log on to Second Life and have chat with their online gaming friends from another game. Thus,simultaneously advertising my business over to them during these times. In summary, an online  basedbusiness would be a good addition to set up in Second Life. Though prone to risk and currently, the powerof substitutes are increasing like facebook and other networking sites, the opportunity to set up a smallbusiness within Second Life is still feasible due to the nature of online gaming and rapid increase ingaming communities.Considering what I have learned about Second Life, I, as an individual, will first start up my business byfiguring what products are mostly used in Second Life. The product that will sell in Second life will befurniture. This will be a good choice because customers or people in second life will need furniture fortheir new homes and offices. My business plan will be to invest in other products and services and wait tillmy investment grows before cashing out. [pic][pic] 4. Visit eBay on the Web and see what Second Life items youcan find listed for auction. How would you rate the activitysurrounding these items? Are you surprised by what you see?Why or why not? Obviously the information for this question will fluctuate. As of this writing, eBay offered 211 items. Theyincluded how-to manuals for making money on Second Life, a guide to selling land, and businessopportunities on the site. One item in particular was a vending machine business package available for$4.99. The individual offering the item was an eBay Power Seller with 6,483 feedback postings. He wasobviously an established eBay seller. Other items for sale include a Gym Workout package for $4.99 and amacro that makes navigating the skies of Second Life easier. It sold for $12.99. Answers to the last threequestions will vary by student. The point is to have them realize how advanced and pervasive sites likeSecond Life have become. 5. What obstacles does Second Life have toovercome  in order to become a mainstreambusiness tool? Does it face fewer or more obstaclesto become a mainstream educational tool? To what do you attribute the difference? Second Life needs to overcome the idea and perception that it’s â€Å"just another game site.† Other obstacles include ease-of-use, interoperability between pre-established business systems and Second L ife’s  proprietary system. It needs to create ways to import and export data between  its system and externalbusiness systems —don’t require data to be re  -input into either system. Second Life faces more obstaclesin trying to become a mainstream educational tool. Educators are inherently opposed to online, distanceeducation because it supposedly lacks the face-to-face communication between teachers and students.However, as more education is carried online, Second Life has all the tools in place to make it easy toconduct classes, especially its online collaboration tools.

Aristotle †Essay 6 Essay

Born in the year of 384 B. C. Aristotle was seen as conventional for his time, for he regarded slavery as a natural course of nature and believed that certain people were born to be slaves due to the fact that their soul lacked the rational part that should rule in a human being; However in certain circumstances it is evident that Aristotle did not believe that all men who were slaves were meant to be slaves. In his book Politics, Aristotle begins with the Theory of The Household, and it is here that the majority of his views upon slavery are found. With the beginning of Chapter IV, Aristotle’s idea of slavery is clearly defined. â€Å"The instruments of the household form its stock of property : they are animate and inanimate : the slave is an animate instrument, intended (like all the instruments of the household) for action, and not for productions. † This distinction between action and production, is based upon the understanding that ‘production’ is a course in which a result is desired beyond the immediate act of doing. Where as, the simple act of completing a task is identified as ‘action’. Aristotle, who believed that life was action and not production theorized that slaves were instruments of life and were therefore needed to form a complete household. In fact Aristotle went as far as to say that a slave was comparable to a tame animal, with their only divergence in the fact that a slave could apprehend reason. For he concluded that a slave and animals only use was to supply their owners with bodily help. At the end of the Theories of the Household, Aristotle explains how slaves are different from andy other types of people, in the sense that they are the only class who are born into their occupation and become property of their masters. In examining this relationship we find that he thought that while masters were the masters of the slaves, they still held a life other than that of being master; However, Aristotle believed that not only was the slave a slave to his master, but the slave had no other life or purpose than belonging. From this consideration we begin to understand Aristotle’s views on the relationship between Master and Slave. At the beginning of Chapter V of the Theory of the Household, the distinct role of master and slave is defined. There is a principle of rule and subordin- action in nature at large : it appears especially in the realm of animate creation. By virtue of that principle, the soul rules the body; and by virtue of it the master, who possesses the rational faculty of the soul, rules the slave, who possesses only bodily powers and the faculty of understanding the directions given by another’s reason. It was Aristotle’s views on the human soul that gave grounds to his arguments for slavery. It was his beliefs that the soul was divided into two parts, being the rational faculty and the capacity for obeying. Aristotle postulated that a freeman was innately born with the rational faculty while â€Å"A slave is entirely without the faculty of deliberation. † And with his views he felt as though it was necessary for there to be a natural ruling order, whereas, the body was ruled by the soul, and those with the natural rational faculty within their soul should rule others without. This relationship, Aristotle found to be an essential element in his idea of master and slave being two parts forming one common entity. It was his belief that a man’s body was the representation of his inner self and that it was nature’s intentions to distinguish between those who were born to be freemen and those born to be slaves. However, we see that Aristotle have somewhat reservations upon his beliefs that all slaves corresponded to his mold. With such quotes as â€Å"But with nature , though she intends, does not always succeed in achieving a clear distinction between men born to be masters and men born to be slaves. † we begin to see that Aristotle was not as conservative as believed. In fact, we start to understand the left-wing attitudes that Aristotle held. At the end of Chapter V of the Theories of the Household, Aristotle concludes â€Å"Thecontrary of nature’s intentions, however, often happens: there are some slaves who have the bodies of freemen-as there are others who have a freeman’s soul. â€Å" Aristotle in his Theories of the Household, allocates a full section (section 9 chapter VI), to the explanation of the relationship between a slave and a freeman who are not naturally meant to be as such. It was Aristotle’s view that although there are slaves who were born to be freemen and freemen who were born to be slaves, there could be a relationship in such cases where the two discerning parties would work in a community of interest and in a relationship of friendship. â€Å"The part and the whole, like the body and the soul, have an identical interest; and the slave is a part of the master, in the sense if being a living but separate part. † Aristotle had many slaves himself within his household, and during the course of his death and through the executing of his will we find insight into the character of Aristotle. He died in the year of 322 B. C. and with his death he requested that four of his slaves be emancipated. Also he asked that none of his house slaves be sold and that they all be given the opportunity of being set free at a due age if they so deserved. This act of generosity and goodwill gives light to the attitudes that Aristotle held. It is evident that he believed that these slaves had the capacity to be freemen with the rational faculty within themselves to make conscious, and reasonable decisions. Many scholars such as Professor Jaeger, author of Aristotleles, theorized that many of the views that Aristotle held upon the subject of slavery were developed through the close relationship that Aristotle had formed with an ex-slave. This man was Hermias. A man who had risen from the ranks of slave to a prince of considerable wealth, as well as father in law to Aristotle. On the general analysis of Aristotle we find that he was a man of great curiosity, wisdom and ideas. Although his views on slavery seemed to hold true to the times, he had many variations on the conservative norms and beliefs. He had believed that slavery was a just system where both master and slave were beneficial from this relationship. And with this he thought that by nature, certain people were born to be slaves, yet with these beliefs we find many exceptions, where Aristotle allocates areas to describe those who by chance became slaves but in his opinion were born to be free. And in such incidence where men born free were not fit to be masters Aristotle explained how it would be easier for the master to obtain a steward who was more adept at giving instructions to run the household and leave the master of the house to more prudent issues. We can only guess as to what made Aristotle believe that by the human soul one could delineate whether or not a man was meant to be a slave or a freeman. And with his arguments we find that it was just as difficult for him to make that distinction as well. â€Å"Though it is not as easy to see the beauty of the soul as it is to see that of the body. â€Å"

The Indigo Spell Chapter Thirteen

WADE TOLD ME EVERYTHING he knew. It was all useful, but I didn't know if it would be enough. First, I had to get to St. Louis . . . and that was going to be tricky. I braced myself for the phone calls I'd have to make, hoping I had enough Alchemist wiles to pull them off. Before I took on that task, I just wanted the normality and comfort of my own room. Eddie and I drove back to Amberwood, analyzing every detail of our meeting. He was chomping at the bit to make progress, and I promised I'd keep him in the loop. I had just reached my door when my phone rang. It was Ms. Terwilliger. I swear, sometimes I thought she had a sensor outside my room so that she'd know the instant I returned. â€Å"Miss Melbourne,† she said. â€Å"We need to meet.† My heart stopped. â€Å"There hasn't been another victim, has there? You said we have time.† â€Å"We do,† she replied. â€Å"Which is why we need to meet sooner rather than later. Reading up on spells is one thing, but you require some hands-on practice. I refuse to let Veronica get to you.† Her words triggered a mix of emotions. Naturally, I had my knee-jerk reaction against practicing magic. It was quickly squashed by the realization that Ms. Terwilliger cared about me and was so concerned about keeping me safe. My own personal desire to not be in a coma was also a strong motivator. â€Å"When do you want to meet, ma'am?† I asked. â€Å"Tomorrow morning.† I realized tomorrow was Saturday. Already? Where had the week gone? I was driving Adrian to pick up his car in the morning, which hopefully wouldn't take a long time. â€Å"Could we meet at noon? I've got an errand to run.† â€Å"I suppose so,† said Ms. Terwilliger, with some reluctance. â€Å"Meet me at my place, and then we'll go out to Lone Rock Park.† I was about to lie back on my bed and froze. â€Å"Why do we have to go out to the middle of the desert?† Lone Rock Park was remote and rarely saw many tourists. I hadn't forgotten how terrifying it was the last time she'd brought me out into the wilderness. At least this time we'd be in daylight. â€Å"Well, we can hardly practice on school grounds,† she pointed out â€Å"True. . . .† â€Å"Bring your book, and the components you've been working on.† We disconnected, and I jotted out a quick text to Adrian: Need to be fast tomorrow. Meeting Ms. T at 12. His response wasn't entirely unexpected: Why? Adrian naturally needed to know everything that was going on in my life. I texted back that Ms. Terwilliger wanted to work on magical protection. This time, he did surprise me: Can I watch? Wanna know how she's protecting you. Wow, Adrian actually asked? He had a history of simply inviting himself along on outings. I hesitated, still confused after our heated moment at the sorority. He'd never mentioned it again, though, and his concern now touched me. I texted back that he could come along and was rewarded with a smiley face. I didn't entirely know what to wear to â€Å"magical training,† so I opted for comfortable layers the next morning. Adrian gave me a once-over when he got into Latte. â€Å"Casual mode, huh? Haven't seen that since the Wolfe days.† â€Å"I don't know what she has in mind,† I explained, doing a U-turn on his street. â€Å"Figured this was best.† â€Å"You could have worn your AYE shirt.† â€Å"Wouldn't want to get it dirty,† I said, grinning. That was partially true. I still thought the fiery heart he'd painted was exquisite. But each time I looked at the shirt, too many memories seized me. What had I been thinking? That was a question I'd asked myself a hundred times, and every answer I came up with sounded fake. My preferred theory was that I'd simply been caught up in how serious Adrian had been about his art, how the emotion and passion had seized hold of him. Girls liked artists just as much as bad boys, right? Even now, something stirred in my chest when I thought about the enraptured look on his face. I loved that he possessed something so powerful in him. But, as I told myself constantly, that was no excuse for climbing all over him and letting him kiss me – on my neck. I'd bought and downloaded the â€Å"bad boy† book online, but it had been completely useless in advising me. I finally decided the best way – if not the healthiest one – was to act like the moment had never happened. That didn't mean I forgot it. In fact, as I sat beside him in the car, I had a difficult time not thinking about how it had felt to be pressed up against him. Or how his fingers had felt entangled in my hair. Or how his lips had – Sydney! Stop. Think of something else. Conjugate Latin verbs. Recite the periodic table. None of those did any good. To Adrian's credit, he continued to withhold any commentary about that night. Finally, I found distraction in telling him about my trip to San Bernardino. Rehashing the conspiracy, rebel groups, and break-ins pretty much killed any passionate feelings I still had. Adrian didn't like the idea of Alchemists working with Warriors or of the tattoo controlling me. But he also didn't like me walking into danger. I tried to downplay the near impossibility of breaking into the St. Louis facility, but he clearly didn't believe me. Ms. Terwilliger texted me twice not to be late to our meeting. I kept an eye on my watch, but the care of a Mustang was not something I took lightly, and I had to take my time at the mechanic's shop to make sure the Mustang was in pristine condition. Adrian had wanted to go with basic tires, but I'd urged him to upgrade, convincing him the extra cost would be worth it. And once I inspected them, I congratulated myself on the choice. Only after I was satisfied the car hadn't been unnecessarily scratched did I finally allow him to pay. We drove both cars back to Vista Azul, and I was pleased to see my timing was perfect. We weren't late, but Ms. Terwilliger was waiting on her porch for us. We designated Adrian as our carpool driver. â€Å"Jeez,† I said when she hurriedly got in the car. â€Å"Do you have somewhere to be after this?† The smile she gave me was strained, and I couldn't help but notice how pale she looked. â€Å"No, but we do have a schedule to follow. I cast a large spell this morning that won't last forever. The countdown is on.† She wouldn't say any more until we reached the park, and that silence unnerved me. It gave me the opportunity to imagine all sorts of frightening outcomes. And although I trusted her, I suddenly felt relieved that Adrian was along as a chaperone. Although it wasn't the busiest place, Lone Rock Park still had the occasional hiker. Ms. Terwilliger – who was actually in hiking boots – set off across the rocky terrain, searching for a suitably remote space to do whatever it was she had in mind. A few stratified rock formations dotted the landscape, but I couldn't really appreciate their beauty. Mostly I was aware that we were out here when the sun was at its fiercest. Even if it was almost winter, we'd still be feeling the heat. I glanced over at Adrian as we walked and found him already looking at me. From his jacket pocket, he produced a bottle of sunscreen. â€Å"I knew you'd ask. I'm nearly as prepared as you are.† â€Å"Nearly,† I said. He'd done it again, anticipating my thoughts. For half a heartbeat, I pretended it was just the two of us out on a pleasant afternoon hike. It seemed like most of the time we spent together was on some urgent mission. How nice would it be to just hang out without the weight of the world on us? Ms. Terwilliger soon brought us back to our grim reality. â€Å"This should do,† she said, surveying the land around her. She had managed to find one of the most desolate areas in the park. I wouldn't have been surprised to see vultures circling overhead. â€Å"Did you bring what I asked for?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† I knelt on the ground and rifled through my bag. In it was the spell book, along with some herbal and liquid compounds I'd mixed up at her request. â€Å"Take out the fireball kindling,† she instructed. Adrian's eyes went wide. â€Å"Did you just say ‘fireball'? That's badass.† â€Å"You see fire all the time,† I reminded him. â€Å"From Moroi who can wield it.† â€Å"Yeah, but I've never seen a human do anything like that. I've never seen you do anything like that.† I wished he didn't look so awestruck because it kind of drove home the severity of what we were about to attempt. I would've felt better if he'd treated it like it was no big deal. But this spell? Yeah, it was kind of a big deal. I'd once performed another spell that involved throwing a painstakingly made amulet and reciting words that made it burst into flames. That one had a huge physical component, however. This spell was another of those mental ones and essentially involved summoning fire out of thin air. The kindling Ms. Terwilliger had referred to was a small drawstring bag filled with ashes made from burnt yew bark. She took the bag from me and examined its contents, murmuring in approval. â€Å"Yes, yes. Very nice. Excellent consistency. You burned it for exactly the right amount of time.† She handed the bag back. â€Å"Now, eventually you won't need this. That's what makes this spell so powerful. It can be performed very quickly, with very little preparation. But you have to practice first before you can reach that point.† I nodded along and tried to stay in student mode. So far, what she was saying was similar to what the book had described. If I thought of all this as a classroom exercise, it was much less daunting. Not really scary at all. Ms. Terwilliger tilted her head and looked past me. â€Å"Adrian? You might want to keep your distance. A considerable distance.† Okay. Maybe a little scary. He obeyed and backed up. Ms. Terwilliger apparently had no such fear for herself because she stayed only a few feet away from me. â€Å"Now then,† she said. â€Å"Apply the ashes, and hold out your hand.† I reached into the bag, touching the ashes with my thumb and forefinger. Then I lightly rubbed all my fingers together until my whole palm had a fine gray coating on it. I set the bag down and then held out my hand in front of me, palm up. I knew what came next but waited for her instruction. â€Å"Summon your magic to call the flame back from the ashes. No incantation, just your will.† Magic surged within me. Calling an element from the world reminded me a little of what the Moroi did, which felt strange. My attempt started off as a red glimmer, hovering in the air above my palm. Slowly, it grew and grew until it was about the size of a tennis ball. The high of magic filled me. I held my breath, scarcely able to believe what I had just done. The red flames writhed and swirled, and although I could feel their heat, they didn't burn me. Ms. Terwilliger gave a grunt that seemed to be equal parts amusement and surprise. â€Å"Remarkable. I forget sometimes what a natural you really are. It's only red, but something tells me, it won't take long before you can produce blue ones without the ashes. Calling elements out of the air is easier than trying to transform one substance into another.† I stared at the fireball, entranced, but soon found myself getting tired. The flames flickered, shrank, and then faded away altogether. â€Å"The sooner you get rid of it, the better,† she told me. â€Å"You'll just use up your own energy trying to sustain it. Best to throw it at your adversary and quickly summon another. Try again, and this time, throw it.† I called the fire once more and felt a small bit of satisfaction at seeing it take on more of an orange hue. I'd learned in my very first childhood chemistry lessons that the lighter a flame was, the hotter it burned. Getting to blue anytime soon still seemed like a long shot. And speaking of long shots . . . I threw the fireball. Or, well, I tried. My control of it faltered when I attempted to send it off toward a bare patch of ground. The fireball splintered apart, the flames disappearing into smoke that was carried off by the wind. â€Å"It's hard,† I said, knowing how lame that sounded. â€Å"Trying to hold it and throw it is just like an ordinary physical thing. I have to do that while still controlling the magic.† â€Å"Exactly.† Ms. Terwilliger seemed very pleased. â€Å"And that's where the practice comes in.† Fortunately, it didn't take too many attempts before I figured out how to make it all work together. Adrian cheered me on when I successfully managed to throw my first fireball, resulting in a beautiful shot that perfectly hit the rock I'd been aiming for. I flashed Ms. Terwilliger a triumphant look and waited for the next spell we'd be moving on to. To my surprise, she didn't seem nearly as impressed as I expected her to be. â€Å"Do it again,† she said. â€Å"But I've got it down,† I protested. â€Å"We should try something else. I was reading the other part of the book – â€Å" â€Å"You have no business doing that yet,† she scolded. â€Å"You think this is exhausting? You'd pass out attempting one of the more advanced spells. Now.† She pointed at the hard desert floor. â€Å"Again.† I wanted to tell her that it was impossible for me not to read ahead in a book. It was just how I operated with all my classes. Something told me now was not the best time to bring that up. She made me practice the throw over and over. Once she was convinced I had it down, she had me work on increasing the fire's heat. I finally managed to get up to yellow but could go no farther. Then I had to work on casting the spell without the ashes. Once I reached that milestone, it was back to practicing the throws. She picked various targets for me, and I hit them all effortlessly. â€Å"Just like Skee-Ball,† I muttered. â€Å"Easy and boring.† â€Å"Yes,† Ms. Terwilliger agreed. â€Å"It's easy hitting inanimate objects. But moving targets? Living targets? Not quite so easy. So, let's move on to that, shall we?† The fireball I'd been holding above my hand vanished as shock shattered my control. â€Å"What do you mean?† If she expected me to start aiming at birds or rodents, she was in for a rude awakening. There was no way I was going to incinerate something alive. â€Å"What am I supposed to hit?† Ms. Terwilliger pushed her glasses up her nose and backed up several feet. â€Å"Me.† I waited for the punch line or at least some further explanation, but none came. I glanced behind me at Adrian, hoping perhaps he might shed some light on this, but he looked as astounded as I felt. I turned back to the singed ground where my earlier fireballs had struck. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger, you can't ask me to hit you.† Her lips twitched into a small half smile. â€Å"I assure you, I can. Go ahead, you can't hurt me.† I had to think a few moments for how to phrase my next response. â€Å"I'm a pretty good shot, ma'am. I can hit you.† This earned an outright laugh. â€Å"Hit, yes. Hurt, no. Go ahead and throw. Our time is running out.† I didn't know how much time had passed exactly, but the sun was definitely lower in the sky. I looked back at Adrian, silently asking for help in dealing with this insanity. His only response was a shrug. â€Å"You're a witness to this,† I told him. â€Å"You heard her tell me to do it.† He nodded. â€Å"You're totally blameless.† I took a deep breath and summoned my next fireball. I was so frazzled that it started off red, and I had to work to heat it up. Then I looked up at Ms. Terwilliger and braced myself for the shot. It was more difficult than I expected – and not just because I was worried about hurting her. Throwing something at the ground required almost no thought. The focus there was on aim and little else. But facing a person, seeing her eyes and the way her chest rose and fell while breathing . . . well, she was right. It was entirely different from hitting an inanimate object. I began to tremble, unsure if I could do it. â€Å"You're wasting time,† she warned. â€Å"You're sapping energy again. Throw.† The command in her voice jolted me to action. I threw. The fireball flew from my hand, straight at her – but it never made contact. I couldn't believe my eyes. About a foot in front of her, it hit some kind of invisible barrier, smashing apart into small flames, which quickly dissipated into smoke. My jaw dropped. â€Å"What is that?† I exclaimed. â€Å"A very, very powerful shielding spell,† she said, clearly enjoying my reaction. She lifted up a pendant that had been hanging under her shirt. It didn't look like anything special, just a piece of unpolished carnelian wrapped in silver wire. â€Å"It took incredible effort to make this . . . and requires more effort still in order to maintain it. The result is an invisible shield – as you can see – that's impervious to most physical and magical attacks.† Adrian was by my side in a flash. â€Å"Hang on. There's a spell that makes you invulnerable to everything, and you only now just thought to mention it? You've been going on this whole time about how Sydney's in danger! Why don't you just teach her this one? Then your sister can't touch her.† Although it didn't seem like Adrian was about to attack her as he had Marcus, he was almost just as upset. His face was flushed, his eyes hard. He had clenched his fists at his side, but I didn't even think he noticed. It was more of that primal instinct. Ms. Terwilliger remained strong in the face of his outrage. â€Å"If it were that simple, then believe me, I would. Unfortunately, there are a number of problems. One is that Sydney, prodigy that she is, is nowhere near strong enough to cast this. I'm hardly strong enough. The other problem is that it has an extremely short time frame, which is why I've been so adamant about a schedule. It only lasts six hours and requires so much effort that you can't just cast it and permanently keep it on you at all times. I'm already worn out and will be even more so once it fades. I won't be able to cast it – or hardly any other magic – for at least another day. That's why I need Sydney to be prepared at all times.† Neither Adrian nor I said anything right away. I'd taken note of her weary state when she got in the car but hadn't thought much more about it. As we'd continued to practice out here, I'd observed her sweating and looking more fatigued, but I'd written it off to the heat. Only now could I fully appreciate the extent of what she had done. â€Å"Why would you go to so much effort?† I asked. â€Å"To keep you alive,† she snapped. â€Å"Now, don't make this a waste. We've only got one more hour before it wears off, and you need to be able to aim at someone without thinking twice. You hesitate too much.† She was right. Even knowing that she was invulnerable, I still had a difficult time attacking her. Violence just wasn't something I embraced. I had to push down all my inner worries and treat it exactly like Skee-Ball. Aim, throw. Aim, throw. Don't think. Soon, I was able to fight past my anxieties and throw without hesitation. She even tried moving around a little, just to give me a better feel for what it'd be like with a real foe, but I didn't find it to be much of a challenge. She was simply too tired and unable to run around or dodge me. I actually started to feel bad for her. She looked like she was about ready to pass out, and I felt guilty sizing up my next shot and – â€Å"Ahh!† Fire arced from Ms. Terwilliger's fingertips just as I released my fireball. My shot went wide, the ball disintegrating before it got anywhere near her. The fire she'd released passed me, about a foot away. With a weary grin, she sank to her knees and exhaled. â€Å"Class dismissed,† she said. â€Å"What was that?† I asked. â€Å"I don't have a magic shield on me!† She didn't display my same concern. â€Å"It was nowhere near you. I made sure of that. It was simply to prove that no matter how ‘boring and easy' this seems, all bets are off when someone is actually attacking you. Now then. Adrian, would you be kind enough to bring me my bag? I have some dried dates in there that I think both Sydney and I would appreciate right about now.† She was right. I'd been so caught up in the lesson that I hadn't noticed how exhausted I had become. She was in worse shape, but the magic had definitely taken its toll on me. I'd never worked with amounts this big for so long, and my body felt weak and drained as the usual blood sugar drop occurred. I began to understand why she kept warning me away from the really difficult stuff. I practically inhaled the dried dates she'd brought for us, and although the sugar helped, I was desperate for more. Adrian gallantly helped us both walk back to the parking lot at the park's entrance, keeping one of us on each arm. â€Å"Too bad we're out in the middle of nowhere,† I grumbled, once we were all in Adrian's car. â€Å"I think you'd be amazed at how much I could eat right now. I'll probably faint before we're back to some civilization and restaurants.† â€Å"Actually,† said Adrian. â€Å"You might be in luck. I think I saw a place not far from here when we were driving in.† I hadn't noticed anything, but I'd been too preoccupied worrying about Ms. Terwilliger's upcoming lesson. Five minutes after we were back on the highway, I saw that Adrian was right about a restaurant. He exited onto a drab little road, pulling into the gravel parking lot of a small but freshly painted white building. I stared at the sign out front in disbelief. â€Å"Pies and Stuff?† â€Å"You wanted sugar,† Adrian reminded me. The Mustang kicked up dust and gravel, and I winced on behalf of the car. â€Å"And at least it's not Pies and Bait or anything like that.† â€Å"Yeah, but the ‘Stuff' part isn't exactly reassuring.† â€Å"I thought it was more the ‘Pie' part that had you upset.† Despite my misgivings, Pies and Stuff was actually a cute and clean little establishment. Polka-dot curtains hung in the windows, and the display case was filled with every pie imaginable as well as â€Å"stuff† like carrot cake and brownies. We were the only people under sixty in the whole place. We ordered our pie and sat down with it in a corner booth. I ordered peach, Adrian had French silk, and Ms. Terwilliger went with pecan. And of course, she and I had the waitress bring us coffee as soon as humanly possible since we'd had to abstain, painfully, for the magic. I took a sip and immediately felt better. Adrian ate his slice at a reasonable rate, like a normal person, but Ms. Terwilliger and I dug in as though we hadn't eaten in a month. Conversation was irrelevant. Only pie mattered. Adrian regarded us both with delight and didn't try to interrupt until we'd practically licked the plates clean. He nodded toward mine. â€Å"Another piece?† â€Å"I'll take more coffee.† I eyed the sparkling plate and couldn't help but notice that inner voice that used to nag me about calories was quiet these days. In fact, it didn't seem to be around anymore at all. I'd been so angry about Adrian's food â€Å"intervention,† but his words had ended up having a bigger impact than I'd expected. Not that it had anything to do with him personally, of course. Lightening up my dieting restrictions was just a reasonable idea. That was it. â€Å"I feel pretty good now.† â€Å"I'll get you another cup,† he told me. When he returned, he even had a mug for Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"Figured you'd want one too.† She smiled in appreciation. â€Å"Thank you. You're very astute.† As she drank, I couldn't help but notice she still looked tired, despite the fact that we'd just replenished with sugar. She no longer seemed in danger of passing out, but it was obvious she hadn't recovered as quickly as I had. â€Å"Are you sure you're okay?† I asked her. â€Å"Don't worry, I'll be fine.† She sipped more coffee, her face lost in thought. â€Å"It's been years since I performed the shield spell. I forgot how much it takes out of me.† I was again struck by all the trouble she'd gone through for me. Ever since she'd identified me as a potential magic user, I'd done nothing but resist her and even be antagonistic. â€Å"Thanks,† I told her. â€Å"For everything . . . I wish there was a way I could make it up to you.† She set her cup down and stirred in more sugar. â€Å"I'm happy to do it. There's no need to reciprocate. Although . . . once this is all over, I'd like very much if you'd meet my coven. I'm not asking you to join,† she added quickly. â€Å"Just to talk. I think you'd find the Stelle very interesting.† â€Å"Stelle,† I repeated. She'd never called them by name before. â€Å"The stars.† Ms. Terwilliger nodded. â€Å"Yes. Our origins are Italian, though as you've seen already the magic we use comes from a number of cultures.† I was at a loss for words. She'd gone to so much trouble for me . . . surely it wasn't a big deal just to talk to the other witches, right? But if it was such a small thing, then why was I terrified? The answer came to me a few moments later. Talking to others, seeing the larger organization, would kick my involvement with magic up to the next level. It had taken me a long time to come around to the magic I already used. I'd overcome many of my fears, but some part of me treated it as just some sideline activity. Like a hobby. Meeting other witches would change everything. I would have to accept that I was part of something so much bigger than just the occasional dabbling. Meeting a coven seemed official. And I didn't know if I was ready to be considered a witch. â€Å"I'll think about it,† I said at last. I wished I could give her more, but my protective instincts had seized me â€Å"I'll take what I can get,† she said with a small smile. Her phone chimed, and she glanced down. â€Å"Speaking of the Stelle, I need to talk to one of my sisters. I'll meet you at the car.† She finished her coffee and headed outside. Adrian and I followed a few minutes later. I was still troubled about the coven and caught hold of his sleeve to keep him back. I spoke softly. â€Å"Adrian, when did I reach this point? Trying to crack open the Alchemists and practicing magic in the desert?† Last summer, when I'd been with Rose in Russia, I couldn't even tolerate the idea of sleeping in the same room with her. I'd had too many Alchemist mantras running through my mind, warning me of vampire evils. And now, here I was, in league with vampires and questioning the Alchemists. That girl in Russia had nothing in common with the one in Palm Springs. No, I'm still the same person at heart. I had to be . . . because if I wasn't, then who was I? Adrian smiled at me sympathetically. â€Å"I think it's been a culmination of things. Your curious nature. Your need to do the right thing. It's all led you to this point. I know the Alchemists have taught you to think a certain way, but what you're doing now – it's not wrong.† I raked my hand through my hair. â€Å"And yet, despite all of that, I can't bring myself to have one tiny conversation with Ms. Terwilliger's coven.† â€Å"You have boundaries.† He gently smoothed one of my wayward locks. â€Å"Nothing wrong with that.† â€Å"Marcus would say it's the tattoo holding me back.† Adrian dropped his hand. â€Å"Marcus says a lot of things.† â€Å"I don't think Marcus is trying to deceive me. He believes in his cause, and I'm still worried about mind control . . . but honestly, it's hard to believe I'm being held back when I'm out here doing stuff like this.† I gestured outside, to where Ms. Terwilliger was. â€Å"Alchemist dogma says this magic is unnatural and wrong.† Adrian's smile returned. â€Å"If it makes you feel better, you actually looked natural out there – back in the park.† â€Å"Doing . . . what? Throwing fireballs?† I shook my head. â€Å"There's nothing natural about that.† â€Å"You wouldn't think so, but . . . well. You were . . . amazing, throwing that fire like some kind of ancient warrior goddess.† Annoyed, I turned away. â€Å"Stop making fun of me.† He caught my arm and pulled me back toward him. â€Å"I am absolutely serious.† I swallowed, speechless for a moment. All I was aware of was how close we were, that he was holding me to him with only a few inches between us. Almost as close as at the sorority. â€Å"I'm not a warrior or a goddess,† I managed at last. Adrian leaned closer. â€Å"As far as I'm concerned, you're both.† I knew that look in his eyes. I knew because I'd seen it before. I expected him to kiss me, but instead, he ran his finger along the side of my neck. â€Å"There it is, huh? Badge of honor.† It took me a moment to realize he was talking about the hickey It had faded but wasn't entirely gone. I pulled away. â€Å"It is not! It was a mistake. You were out of line doing that to me.† His eyebrows rose. â€Å"Sage, I distinctly remember every part of that night. You didn't seem that unwilling. You were practically on top of me.† â€Å"I don't really remember the details,† I lied. He moved his hand from my neck and rested a fingertip on my lips. â€Å"But I'll stick to just kissing these if it makes you feel better. No mark.† He started to lean toward me, and I jerked away. â€Å"You will not! It's wrong.† â€Å"What, kissing you, or kissing you in Pies and Stuff?† I glanced around, suddenly aware that we were creating a dinner show for the senior citizens, even if they couldn't hear us. I backed up. â€Å"Both,† I said, feeling my cheeks burn. â€Å"If you're going to attempt something inappropriate – something you said you wouldn't do anymore – then you could at least pick a better place.† He laughed softly, and the look in his eyes confused me further. â€Å"Okay† he said. â€Å"The next time I kiss you, I promise it'll be in a more romantic place.† â€Å"I – what? No! You shouldn't try at all!† I began moving toward the door, and he fell in step with me. â€Å"What happened to loving me from a distance? What happened to not, um, bringing up any of this stuff?† For someone who was allegedly just going to watch from afar, he wasn't doing a very good job. And I was doing an even worse job of being indifferent. He moved in front of the door and blocked my way. â€Å"I said I wouldn't – if you don't want me to. But you're kind of giving me mixed signals, Sage.† â€Å"I am not,† I said, amazed that I could even say that with a straight face. Even I didn't believe it. â€Å"You're presumptuous and arrogant and a whole lot of other things if you think I've changed my mind.† â€Å"You see, that's just it.† There he was again, moving into my space. â€Å"I think you like the ‘other things.'† I shook off my daze and pulled away. â€Å"I like humans.† Another Alchemist lesson came to mind. They look like us, but don't be deceived. The Moroi don't display the malice of the Strigoi, but creatures who drink blood and manipulate nature have no place in our world. Work with them only as you must. We are not the same. Keep your distance as much as possible. It's for the good of your soul. Adrian didn't look like he believed this either, but he stepped away and headed outside. I followed a few moments later, thinking I'd played with fire more than once today.