Ilie Haures High School From Triton College

In college we must manage our time carefully and responsibly as we reach for what we plan to do. With as we grow older, the responsibilities grow up and always we have the feeling that the day is too short. For that we must be careful in taking our decision. The attendance is very important in high school. School attendance is a baseline factor in determining student success. You can't miss from the class without a good explanation. In college we want to be there every time, not to lose the main idea of the course and learn something new every day and apply to the next chapter.In high school we are some bored kids who hint that all that glitters is gold and nobody can tell us what to do with it. We just don't have any motivation to remain in the classes and wait to hear the bell so we can meet with our friends from other classes. As children, think that is one of the reason why we go to school. We can still find a lot of differences, but you may just be missing some importance in opi nions. Each has different conclusion on the topic. I have to manage my time very carefully because with a full time job and evening classes I need a good rest and sleep enough to be responsible and competent for the next day.For me it's important participation in school and concentrate on the course so can continue my study at home and know what have to work. I have my own motivation and am not forced by anyone to continue my studies. I prefer to study to enrich my vocabulary words and have a good package of knowledge to be prepared for the future and to have a greater chance of finding a better job. Everyone knows that people in high school and college could not be apart.

Joseph Andrews and Abraham Adams Essay

Such devotion is clearly evident in Adams, not only because of his position as a clergyman but also in his actions. During an episode in which Joseph and Adams are in great danger, Adams’ devotion to God is proven. â€Å"Adams now fell on his Knees, and committed himself to the Care of Providence . Joseph is likewise devoted to God. he still settles himself to the wishes of God, making his devotion clear Mr. Abraham Adams was an excellent Scholar. He was a perfect Master of the Greek and Latin Languages In comparison to the normal human of the time, Adams seems to be more intelligent. The first meeting between Adams and Joseph depends upon Joseph’s similar aptitude for learning compared to similar people his age. After questioning Joseph about several subjects, Adams declares that, â€Å"he answer’d much better than Sir Thomas, or two otherDespite their many similarities, Adams and Joseph differ on several points. One of them is their view on schools. The essential debate comes down to the quality of British public schools. Joseph Andrews throws his support towards public schools. Adams holds a different opinion on this matter, however, which coincides with his position as a clergyman and his devotion to God. â€Å"Public Schools are the Nurseries of all Vice and Immorality. All the wicked Fellows whom I remember at the University were bread at them,† Joseph’s willingness to contest Adams’ opinions shows that they must differ in some ways. The simplicity of Adams’ character is evident in his gullibility compared to Joseph. During one episode, they are promised several extravagant offers by a gentlemen who pretends to be sympathetic to their Case. After giving several excuses that prevent him from following through on his promise, Adams still doesn’t understand the situation. â€Å"This must be a sudden Accident, as the Sickness or Death of a Relation. Adams honestly believes that the man had intentions of honoring his promises. Joseph is less gullible, and know that the man has been playing with them.. Joseph sees through the lies he is being told and falls back upon his greater experience of the world than Adams. Throughout Joseph Andrews, the relationship between Adams and Joseph forms an important element of the story. Their great friendship brings them through difficult times and benefits them both. This friendship is composed of both their similarities, which help them get along, and their differences, which allow each of them to expand the other’s world view. The relationship would not be as dynamic without the interaction derived from these similarities and differences. In comparison, they devote themselves to God, rise above their peers in moral character, and posses greater learning than their peers. In contrast, they differ in their views of schools and their gullibility

Cheap Labor & Violation of Workers Rights Continue to Exist Essay

Abstract This paper explores the way in which sweatshops, cheap labor, and violation of workers rights continues to exist throughout the world. Providing inside information that the average individual might not know about the products they purchase and use everyday. This paper touches on what goes on in these sweatshops, which the most common workers are, and what countries are receiving the lowest wages for their work. Some of the most popular companies who have been recognized as abusers of labor laws are addressed, along with an update on how they’ve fared since being accused. As the paper draws to a close different solutions to stopping this abusing form of labor are revealed. If the average individual were to take a look around their home, one would find all sorts of objects and clothing produced in different areas from all across the globe. Majority of the time, these items are taken for granted and strictly valued depending on what they can do for us. This is quite unfortunate when we take into consideration the conditions most of these objects were manufactured in. It’s very seldom that we picture the blistering hands of the child who slaved over our designer tennis shoes as we slide them on as the finishing piece to that new designer outfit. It is ironic how the things we pay the most for in life are often times produced under the harshest working conditions by individuals paid incredibly low wages. Children and women’s rights are violated day in and day out for these companies to save a couple of dollars, yet we continue to ignore the issue and send our hard earned money to these corrupt companies and corporations. According to dictiona ry.com, a sweatshop is a â€Å"shop employing workers at low wages, for long hours, and under poor conditions† (Collins English Dictionary). Despite the adversity and embarrassment that some of the most popular companies have received for producing their products in sweatshop, cheap labor and exploitation of human rights still remain prevalent. Some  individuals feel that the use of these sweatshops allows for a healthy balance in the economy, or that working for these wages is the best possible option for citizens of third world countries, concluding that we need not tamper with the means of production for the economy’s sake. Many of these ideas are addressed in Arnold D. and N. Bowie’s Sweatshops and Respects for Persons, as they discuss exactly why these allegations or theories are dysfunctional untruths. There are definitely alternatives to sweatshop labor for companies to produce their products. For example in Paron and Reemes’s, â€Å"Beyond Cheap Labor† they propose a solution to these countries’ low wages; â€Å"to justify higher wages in a globalized economy, middle-income na tions must find their comparative advantage† (Paron & Reemes 2005). If these nations find something they can offer, then they can create a job market for their workers, resulting in higher wages. Granted this is a very hard task and may be perceived by many as unachievable, but there is no amount of revenue worth sacrificing our morals or these individuals’ rights as humans. Cheap Labor & Exploitation According to the United States labor law, there are certain wages that must be provided to individuals for performing services; when these laws are violated, there are severe consequences to whoever is deemed responsible (DOL, 2009). Cheap labor is when an individual provides labor for unreasonably low wages, long hours, usually under harsh or extreme working conditions, and many of the female workers are subject to sexual harassment along with all the other violating activity that occurs. Unfortunately, many women and young children are victims to these violations of labor laws for a company’s benefit, all to save a buck. According to Snyder in his article Exploitation and Sweatshop Labor â€Å"The most common understanding of exploitation in the literature on sweatshops interprets exploitation as taking unfair advantage of workers† (Snyder, 1991). The rights of these workers are exploited for economic advancement from both structural and organizational perspectives. The organizational aspect of the exploitation is tied into the market power received by the organizations that exploit these individuals in order to increase profit margin. The structural aspect pertains to exactly where these sweatshops are  located; production warehouses employ large groups of individuals concentrated in certain societies or communities in order to maximize production. The cheap labor provided for businesses through the use of sweatshops is nothing more than a loophole in order to save the companies’ money. It is a complete disregard for human rights, yet people continue to selfishly turn the other cheek on this issue. Violation of Workers’ Rights According to Sweatshops and Third World Living Standards: Are the Jobs Worth the Sweat; Bangladesh workers are bringing in roughly $0.13 an hour, the next lowest is Vietnam at $0.26, followed by China at $0.44 (Powell & Sharbek, 2004). Here are some of the lowest wages in the world, all found in sweatshops: These numbers are well below the minimum wage; the minimum wage required for compensation of work is determined based on the economies output divided by the number of working and non-working people. In fact it is often argued that the minimum wage determined in the U.S isn’t enough for most individuals to survive independently on, especially single parents. In addition to that, sweatshops fail to pay their workers on time for their labor if they pay them at all. Cheap labor is just one of the violating aspects of human rights that takes place in sweatshops. Along with not being properly compensated for the amount of labor the workers produce they also work long excruciating hours. Some workers may work anywhere from eighteen to twenty hour shifts consecutively under hazardous conditions, without breaks for food or water. They work extremely long hours in order to make a wage that isn’t sufficient enough to live on. â€Å"Workers work long hours in which they aren’t compensated for, under unsafe living conditions, and women are often sexually harassed†, there isn’t a single characteristic of a sweatshop that is safe or complies with labor laws and regulations. (Snyder, 1991) Women and children often make up majority of these sweatshop employees; it’s  hard to imagine an adult working sixteen hours under unsafe conditions but sweatshop managers don’t treat these children any differently, nor do they show any sympathy. Women are often sexually assaulted, abused, not paid for their labor, and in many instances stripped of their employee status and forced into servitude. â€Å"Lured by recruiters who promise wonderful opportunities in foreign lands, young women often pay thousands of dollars in recruitment and contract†; after being taken advantage of these women end up working for low wages in order to pay back these huge debts, consequently they become property until they can escape or pay off all the debt, both are highly unlikely (Snyder 1991). Women are treated as if they aren’t human beings, for example: â€Å"In some Indonesian sweatshops, women were forced to take down their pants and reveal to factory doctors that they were menstruating in order to claim their legal right to menstrual-leave† (Morey, 2000). When discussing the cheap labor industry third world countries often come to mind but these same things occur right here in the U.S, † The Department of Labor indicates that 50% of garment factories in the U.S. violate two or more basic labor laws, establishing them as sweatshops†; sweatshops exist when individuals who cant stand up for themselves have their rights taken advantage of (Morey 2000). The Violators Not many people are aware of just how many of our every day items are produced by cheap labor. If one were to take a look around their home they’d be astonished by just how many objects come from sweatshops; there are factories for clothing, technology, furniture and other items that you would never expect. Nike is what comes to mind first when the topic of sweatshop labor is at hand; mainly due to their being accused of producing their shoes and shoes under the air Jordan line in China. Nike claims that all of their factories employees compensation complies with the U.S labor laws and any individual who is interested is welcome to visit any Nike manufacturing shop, however this has yet to happen and their has been no footage released of their  factories. Nike doesn’t own any of its accused sweatshop factories, they pay factory owners and those owners are responsible for paying the workers their wages, not Nike. Many say this is just a loophole to escape labor laws in order save money. When the founder of Nike Phil Knight was asked, â€Å"why doesn’t Nike start its own factories in the U.S† he replied: â€Å" I honestly believe that U.S citizens don’t want to make shoes, they don’t want to do that job† (Jilani, 2011). It’s quite obvious that Nike isn’t interested in the people, Phil Knight and he collogues are strictly focused on maximizing the companies net income, even if that means sacrificing the rights of workers and passing up the opportunity to produce more jobs right here in the U.S. however Nike is the only familiar household name that has suffered from sweatshop accusations. Six years later technologies peoples champion Apple still carries the negative stigma from its labor law violations in its sub-contracted factories. â€Å"More than half of the audits revealed problems, including employees regularly working more than 60 hours a week, underage workers, falsified records, wages below minimum levels, pay withheld as punishment and improper disposal of hazardous waste† (Walters, 2012). The wages and long hours was the least of Apples worries; workers were suffering from severely swollen legs to the point where they could barely walk, being exposed to poisonous chemicals & factory explosions, some were even killed do to these conditions (Walters, 2012). Although Apple received much criticism for producing it’s products in sweatshops under these conditions somehow over the past six years they have managed to become the leader in technology, outselling all competitors. Apple’s ITunes is also the largest music retailor in the U.S, follow ed by Wal-Mart whom is also been accused . This goes to show that this subject isn’t taken serious enough; if so the purchase of Apple products would have drastically decreased. Here is a chart of Apple’s yearly earnings since the unveiling of their sweatshop production (Powell, 2011): If people continue to show that they aren’t concerned with how the products they purchase are produced then companies will continue to manufacture their products by these inhumane means. It’s almost as if these companies need to  be taught a lesson, show them that cheap labor is unacceptable by not purchasing their goods and they will change their methods. There is no reason why Apple should have flourished in such a way after being exposed for its production methods. Sweatshops Effect On the Economy Some Economists feel that without sweatshops many of these workers who are now employed in third world countries would be without work and consequently be worse off then they are working for low wages; â€Å"We find that most sweatshop jobs provide an above average standard of living for their workers† (Powell & Sharbek, 2004). Hypothetically speaking, if one were to assume that this is correct and the standard of living is above average this still doesn’t justify the treatment and conditions these workers endure. Just because an individual has no other choice doesn’t give anyone free reign to destroy all regard for their rights. Cambodia for example has nothing to offer economically, so sweatshops are one of the only choices for many of it’s natives; this wouldn’t be a problem if workers rights were respected and at least received a reasonable wage for the amount of work produced. This would be a great solution to the problem, without ruining compa ny’s production, without violating workers rights, and without disrupting the economy whatsoever. Possible Solutions to the Issue When it comes to the task of stopping sweatshops, cheap labor, and exploitation there are two major methods that can be taken. The first and the most unlikely method to succeed is to place the responsibility on the third world countries economy; second would be for people to refuse to purchase goods or products that have anything to do with sweatshop labor. â€Å"Take the attention off of the low-wage assembly jobs and focus on higher valued jobs and comparative advantages† (Farrell & Paron, 2005); this is a great proposition but we have to take into consideration the likelihood of this happening. We can’t expect third world countries to completely diminish their basic means of employment because it is unrighteous or violates  rights. This is why many economists say that sweatshops provide a better income and living to many individuals who otherwise would be unemployed; however there is an alternative method that poses a huge threat to the sweatshop industry. People can perform a number of actions in order to ensure companies start to produce their products the correct way. The first step is for people to demand sweatshop free products where they shop or not to shop there at all. People can also by union made and second hand products, as well as purchasing fair trade products. The next step is to spread the word and encourage others to do the same until cheap labor is non existent, this wont happen over night but it will show companies that the stigma that comes with producing their products in a sweatshop can ruin business. Conclusion Although over the past decade the use of sweatshop labor by many popular companies has been brought to the light, there has been no action taken by government, nor have people taken it upon themselves to boycott these companies. The excruciating circumstances these individuals work under are hard to stomach yet people continue to turn the cheek on the issue. Stopping this ridiculous treatment won’t be easy, but it can be done if people start to take action but caring is where it must start! Work Cited Skinner, B. E. (2012, March 30). Slaves put squid on dining tables from south pacific. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-23/slaves-put-squid-on-u-s-dining-tables-from- south-pacific-catch.html Powell, B., & Sharbek, D. (2004). Sweatshops and third world living standards: Are the jobs worth the sweat?. Independent Institute , working paper number 53, 1-15. Retrieved from http://www.independent.org/pdf/working_papers/53_sweatshop.pdf Snyder, J. (1991). Exploitation and sweatshop labor: Perspectives and issues. Business Ethics Quarterly, 20(2), 187-213. Kristof, N. (2009, January 15). Where sweatshops are a dream. The New York Times, p. 35. Ballinger, J. (2009). Finding an anti-sweatshop strategy that works. Dissent , 56(3), 5-8. Smit, B. (2011). Trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation. the case of the Netherlands. Trends in Organized Crime , 14(2/3), 184-197. Farrell, D., Paron , A., & Reemes, J. (2005). Beyond cheap labor: Lessons for developing economies. McKinsey Quarterly , 1(1), 98-109. Powell, B. (2011). The end of cheap labor in china. Time , 177(26), 1-4. Arnold, D., and N. Bowie. 2003. â€Å"Sweatshops and Respect for Persons,† Business Ethics Quarterly 13(2): 221-42. Arnold, D., and P. Hartman. 2003. â€Å"Moral Imagination and the Future of Sweatshops,† Business and Society Review 108(4): 425-61. sweatshop. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved April 24, 2012, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sweatshop DOL. (2009, September). Wages and hours worked: Minimum wage and overtime pay. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/elaws/elg/minwage.htm Woolf, L. (2011). women and global human rights. Retrieved from http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/sweatshops.html Woolf, L. (2011). women and global human rights. Retrieved from http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/sweatshops.html Jilani, Z. (2011, July 13). Thinking progress. Retrieved from http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/07/13/267520/nike-workers-humiliation/ Walters, S. (2012, February 4). Apple still shamed by china [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2096551/Apple-shamed-Chinas-iPod-sweatshops_ SIX-YEARS-expos.html

Case Study 6 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

6 - Case Study Example First, the major attracting aspect in the television industry is content, contrary to common knowledge to many that a majority are attracted by money. It would therefore, most appropriate that the content aired is made that which attracts to both the new potential employees and the clients. This would ideally attract a substantive number of highly qualified individuals into the industry. Second ideal and very important idea on how to become more attractive to highly qualified personnel for a television industry in the current global market is to establish a media school in television broadcasting. Such a school would enhance the interest among individuals who complete their studies in the school to get attracted into the industry. The third idea on how to enhance attractiveness of the television industry for qualified personnel is through increased advertising. Advertising enables the outside world to know more about an industry and an organization, thereby becoming more attractive to the potential and highly qualified personnel. Indeed advertising is considered one of the most effective ways to enhance

The Evolution and transformation of the American kitchen Research Paper - 1

The Evolution and transformation of the American kitchen - Research Paper Example The preliminary commencement of American architecture dates back to the regal tradition of the United States and the practices that transpired as a result of the evacuation of European background. The American melting vessel grew and both the edifice and planning practices advanced. This in turn led to the dawn of the colonial style which became the cornerstone of the architectural progress of the United States. The outstanding consideration of these designs focus on the balance between classical and gothic ideals. Some of the common European monuments like Gloucestershire serve as benchmark for this piece of work. It therefore goes without objection that the kitchen is inextricably correlated to this discovery. The hearth remains in various historical sites helps to establish the dating of this. Instead of the fridges of the 19th century, root cellars were used to maintain the cold temperature of foods during summers and offered a conducive environment for preservation of food stuff s during winter (Smith 76). Another preservative method during the ancient kitchen era was the smoke house. It was very vital for preservation of both fish and meat. The early hearths invented were either of clay or stone origin. The hearths could either be deep or shallow, depending on the size of the homesteads. The fire places had fixed revolving spits and clips that could be used to hang meat. This had to be substituted with the wake of change though gradual. Pertaining to this urge of putting up a desired kitchen, there emerged a bottleneck.

Dawn Spray Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dawn Spray - Term Paper Example The main customers of the spray will be individuals who disregard bad odors coming from their hair after exposing to indecent occasions. The spray will cover all types of gender rating from women to men despite their age and color or race. However, women are the vulnerable group that expose themselves to bad odors during cooking or during other occasions that expose their hair to contamination. The spray contains different scents that suit different customers depending on their preferences. The spray will be available in mango, strawberry, apple, jojoba, apricot, sweet almond, and menthol scents. With the varied scents, customers assure themselves of healthy and fresh hair free from bad odor. The business plan of the dawn spray involves five divisions, which include marketing structure, advertising structure, competition, constraints, and supplies. With such plan, the business plan will develop its journey to better achievement. Dawn spray will be the epitome of sprays production in the country. However, such greater aspirations do not depend on the existence of other spray producing companies. Dawn spray’s success will depend on the cost effectiveness and production strategies. The market platform for the dawn spray comprises of youthful individuals of age between 18 and 35 years. The specified market platform exists because most youthful individuals despise bad odor from their hair. In most cases, they value their hair than anything else. Such individuals will be part of the major market base of the spray. Additionally, youthful individuals carry the stem of trending activities in the world. Making them as the key buyers of the product will initiate a chance to know what they really want. In most cases, youths tend to copy their friends styles and fashions. Once one youth buys a spray, other youths will copy, and it will become a worldwide product within a short period (Micheaux, 2000). Additionally, the company will focus on teens of age between

Rolls-Royce Corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Rolls-Royce Corporation - Assignment Example The richer airlines which can afford its huge price tag will get tremendous fuel savings (by flying non-stop 8,000 miles), a higher efficiency (fewer crew needed as each plane can carry up to 550 passengers), less stop overs and thereby save on airport landing fees that results in greater economic viability. The savings derived can thus be used to counteract budget airlines which operate on lower costs. For the poor countries, creative financing schemes can be made available for them, like barter (part cash and part payment in kind, such as mining or agricultural commodities). Financing can also be arranged for them, such as through the World Bank at very concessional rates or through its private subsidiary, International Finance Corporation (IFC). For both types of customers (rich airlines and newer but poorer airlines), a main drawback or disincentive is the price which can run into several million dollars. To help address this concern, Rolls-Royce can help them obtain financing at favorable terms, either by syndicated loans, leases (wet, dry, operating, option, walk-away, etc.) or direct government guarantees (U.S. ITC 9). It can manage these various stakeholders based on the degree of interest and power it wields on the particular project, based on the four quadrants as shown in Figure 1 below. This simple yet effective tool is for creating a sense of priority amid the jumble of conflicting and often contradictory demands and maps the several stakeholders; it can simplify the task by the order of priority based on the classification of their individual concerns (Bourne 65). In a final analysis, what keeps all stakeholders together is open, timely and accurate information as it is now considered a necessary prerequisite for corporate success because not only goods and services are exchanged in return for money but also

Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko - Essay Example The essay "Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko" explores two famous artists, their main ideas and art practices. Pablo Picasso is the name that no art history can miss out when it records Modern Art. Mark Rothko is yet another name that appears in Modern Art, though a bit later than Pablo. This paper will look into the influences and ideas that shine through the art work of both Picasso and Rothko, give a quick overview of their art practice and look into the formal qualities of their art work. Pablo Picasso had become very popular in the art circle by 1910. His art period started around 1900 and lasted till his death. However, in his very young age, he created some of the significant paintings in Spanish art history. In 1896, his The First Communion portraying his sister gained acclaims. Similarly, Portrait of Aunt Pepa was painted when he was just fourteen years old. It was called as â€Å"one of the greatest in the whole history of Spanish painting† by Juan-Eduardo Cirloz. These paintings were realistic until they became tinged with symbolism after 1900. There were a series of landscapes rendered in unnatural mixture of violet with green which were mainly due to the influence of Rossetti, Edvard Munch and Lautrec. He was also greatly influenced by his love of Greco’s paintings that he found in the Madrid art galleries. He created numerous, nearly a thousand art works of a variety of genres: paintings, print works, sculptures and ceramics. His art life is divided into major periods based on his style.

I will add attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

I will add attachment - Essay Example 12). Their main crops cultivated in Mesoamerica encompassed corn, beans and pumpkins. Development of farming in the near East occurred amid Jericho in the dell of Jordan as well as in Mureybet, in the Euphrates. The populace in this region consumed seeds from wild grasses and also nurtured plants in regions convenient for harvesting. The area also generated the original tamed animals. They encompassed sheep, goats, boars as well as cattle. In the temperate Europe, the commonplace agricultural practices involved cultivation of wheat and oats as well as barley. The populace in this region also hunted animals such as deer, pigs and they also practiced fishing. Additionally, in the minority regions where wild resources were underutilized they collected wild grains, fruits. In the three regions, the shift to farming escalated innovations and inventions of novel cultivating equipments (Wells, p. 67). The Uluburun site describes a ship wreckage which occurred in the Late Bronze epoch, in the 1300s. The items inside the vessel vary from those originating from north European to those of African origin as well as from Mesopotamia. These items display ten varied cultures from these regions. The vessel was fifty feet long, and it was constructed with cedar in the archaic shell first custom. The artifacts in the vessel encompassed copper, gold objects, glass items, pottery objects from Cyprus, archaic weapons, ebony from Egypt amongst other valuable antiques. This discovery is crucial in discovering the intensity of trade during the Late Bronze epoch (Renà ©, p.60). The Vix Grave also describes the burial place for the Lady of Vix. It was constructed in approximately 500 BC. It had extremely expensive grave offerings. They entailed ornaments and the Vix Krater which is the most enormous metal item from antiquity. The jewellery encompassed fibulae, regularly embellished with amber amongst other ornaments. Glass

Designer Babies Essay Example for Free

Designer Babies Essay In this modern society, human thought are growing widely resulting the huge development of reproductive technologies in our life. Designer babies are created for elimination of deadly diseases and also genetic enhancement. Today, this technology has been established as an acceptable practice in removing diseases only. However, when it comes to genetic enhancements, ethical issues happen in the aspects of individuals, society and religions. According to Johnson (2009), ‘designer baby’ is defined as the baby whose genetically makeup has been artificially selected through In-vitro Fertilization to ensure the presence and absence of particular genes or characteristic. Johnson (2009) also claimed that genetic screening can reduce the baby’s chances of getting several diseases like Down syndrome. According to Brownlee (2002), in the mid-1990s, an embryologist named Jacques Cohen created a promising new technique, cytoplasmic transfer for helping infertile women to have children. In early 2003, he reported the first modification in the human genome. Cohen (2003) has created the first bioengineered baby who has three genetic parents which are mother, father, and mtDNA donor and they claimed that as The first case of human [inheritable] genetic modification resulting in normal, healthy children. According to Adnan (2010), designer babies are made in in-vitro fertilization with certain steps. Firstly, the woman hormones are taken to boost the production of egg. The woman’s egg is then removed from the ovary with the help of a special needle. The egg is fertilized and is allowed to grow into an embryo for 2 days. Scientists then screen for genes which have the risk of illness in life like Alzheimers, Cystic fibrosis and Down’s syndrome. The DNA copies are run through by using a sequencing machine. If the genetic disorder appears, those defected genes can be replaced with the healthy genes in a process called germ line therapy. Besides, scientists are able to determine the sex of the child. This is possible because woman contains only X chromosomes and man has one X and one Y chromosome. So the sex of the child can be determined by XY chromosomes. According to Tesia (2009), parents are the people who want designer baby, especially those who have an unhealthy embryo affected by deadly diseases. This is a relief to these parents as they need not to be burdened up by the expensive fees for the endless treatments that their child has to undergo of choosing by the designer baby. They choose to have a designer baby as it can avoid all the pain that they have to bear seeing their child undergoing endless suffering treatments. Designer baby also prevent their child from having a preventable disease and this will definitely relieve those parents from the financial, emotional and physical burden. Agar (2006) claimed that pre-implantation genetic diagnosis PGD is not entirely risk-free as during the process of PGD. Two cells are removed from the eight cells embryo and this may affect the growth of the embryo, whereas defenders of PGD respond that the cells of eight-cell embryos are totipotent, this mean that the eight cells embryo is still able to form all cells of the human body although two cells is removed from it. This technology has been used for a very long time, hence it is too early to say that who is certainly right in this argument. In an article written by Naik (2009), he stated that in a 2009 U.S. survey, a total of 999 people sought for genetic counseling. Most of people supported prenatal genetic tests for the removal of serious diseases. Besides, according to the survey conducted by researchers at the New York University School of Medicine, some respondents said they would want genetic testing for athletic ability, some voted for improved height and some voted for great intelligence. According to Dvorsky(2009), an excellent transhumanist bioethicist, he stated that an anti-genetic modification due to enhancement occurred in our society. A majority were replying the survey carried out by NYU Langone Medical Center due to their background condition. Their thinking was believed from an ethical perspective. Supporting the idea of genetic modification, Dvorsky(2009) said that endowing our children with good genes in order to give them an enriched and fulfilling life. With new genetics, parents’ dreams may finally be achieved as they always want the best for their children. According to Anissimov(2009), many people refuse to accept PGD and other reproductive technologies because they think that it is unnatural. From the Transhumanist FAQ, a summary from transhumanists’ response stated that in many cases, there are some practical reasons for depending on natural processes. The main point is that human cannot decide whether something is good or bad by its nature. Not every natural things are good such as starvation, polio, and being eaten alive by intestinal parasites whereas some bad unnatural things are car accidents and nuclear war. However, Yin (2005) notes that from a child’s point of view, parents place the genetic enhancements upon him or her may threaten the freedom of action. The child’s achievement in life is not fully determined by his or her own efforts, but from parental decisions. This might result in unwillingness of the child to accept responsibilities. Besides, Yin (2005) also states that some oppose genetic engineering because it will not only deepen current class divisions, but also create a new division. Due to religious and other personal reasons, many people will refuse to accept gene therapy even if the enhancements are made free because it causes the economic gap between those can afford the technology and cannot afford deepen as time progresses. Some of them reject it due to its expensive paid and lack of efficacy. According to Adnan (2010), the designer baby will raise conflict among individuals. This is because they assume that the rich will always be more beneficial compared to the poor. They propose that the rich will have more opportunities to take the advantages of the modern technology resulting the rich man baby (designer baby) will born perfect, intelligent and healthier compared to the poor baby. Though this technology can advance the personalities and intelligence, but it will be costly and will create a gap between the individuals. McIlwaine (2006) claimed that some leading philosophers will argue that a person must have capacity for memorable experiences, for communicating with others and for having preferences about continued life, or someone who is capable of treasuring their own life. With these points of view, these obviously show that they do not accept an embryo, or a foetus can be a person. For those who believe that human life only comes with self-valuation, testing on embryos and the screening of the right genetic make-up is a perfectly ethical procedure, for those embryos that are discarded are not ‘people’. So, there is no wrong in moral. However, this raises serious issues about other human beings who may by this definition, not be ‘people’ including the new born babies with brain abnormalities and injuries. According to McIlwaine (2006), designer babies also lead to ethical issues in religion too. This is due to different religions will have their own points of view. Christians say that the life begins at conception. It is clearly stated in Bible: â€Å"Before you were in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart†. This means that God chose each person even before the moment of implantation, however some are less certain. According to Malpani (2009), in Judaism, donor insemination is banned and a child is considered as the generation of the biological father. Artificial insemination using husbands sperm and IVF are accepted when there is necessary to cure the illness of infertility. From the research done, designer babies have arisen many ethical issues in the aspects of individuals, religions and society. Parents always hope to give the best for their children. With this advanced technology, some parents will take advantage on it to give their children the perfect lives. This will indirectly cause the narrowing of divisions in our society which is from social to ethical and then to economical. The rich families are usually genetically better endowed than the poor families and their jobs always come with high income compared to the poor one. As for the religious aspect, Christians note that personhood begins at conception, the moment an ovum is fertilized. However, there is variation in explaining the Bible and not everyone believe in it. Some doubt about this because if the number of lost fertilized ovum disobey this point of view, then how could the God stop the existence of some â€Å"people† in this world without any reason?

The Abolition Of Prostitution In Malaysia

The Abolition Of Prostitution In Malaysia Last year I spent a lot of time working for the charity entitled The Hope House. This charitable organizations objective is to educate the children that are born into the brothels. The organization intends to build a place where these children can be provided with training in several artistic areas such as: photography, dance, painting etc- which I intend to teach at when I achieve my degree. There is a documentary on this subject matter Born Into Brothels, directed by Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman , which brutally displays what these children endure throughout their childhood. One of the little boys featured in the documentary now attends NYU for photography, which is unheard of by the people in the brothels of Cambodia; Avijit is now one of my closest friends. The involvement I have in this organization sparked my interest to look further into the brothels and examine the different theories of how to essentially stop the red light district. A brothel can be defined as a house where men visit prostitutes ( OED 2. a). A brothel is an institution that enforces the trafficking of women by providing a place where the prostitution can occur. A brothel itself is the actual house where the prostitutes, in most cases, live, and where the prostitutes take their customers(OED 2. a). Throughout my paper I will thoroughly examine the different areas of social, political and economic factors contributing to the continuation and/or abolition of the red light district and the brothels. The economic factors I will discuss in my paper is based on money, and economic stability, the political factors which include the laws and regulations implemented that influence the sex trade, and the social factors which is the Monaghan 3 demand for prostitution- or the consumers of the sex trade. I will thoroughly depict how the economic factors are essentially the ultimate cause of the brothel industry of these three important key factors, and that if the women in prostitution are given economic stability, the brothels would be essentially eliminated as well. It is hard to examine only one particular country in relation to the sex trade because it is a global phenomenon. The sex industry as a whole needs to be considered and analyzed if an individual is trying to decipher the underlying contributor to the red light district, but in the sole purpose of examination and to take a closer look at the problems imbedded in the vicious cycle of prostitution, my paper will focus solely on the brothels of Malaysia. My paper will examine factors that enforce prostitution and therefore will identify the ultimate cause, which in turn will illustrate how to eliminate the sex trade. There are several reasons as to why women enter the prostitution industry, or the brothels. These reasons can range from almost anything and in turn can force a women to result in selling their bodies for money, economic stability. The economic reasons I am referring to in my paper consist of anything concerning money and poverty, social reasons consist of the demand and want for prostitution from the consumers, and the political reasons I am referring to is anything concerning laws for or against prostitution; as discussed above. Throughout this paper it is apparent that the economic factors are the underlying cause of the red light district and will be exploited throughout the history of Malaysia. Monaghan 4 When a woman has sex for money it is dangerous to an individuals health and considered a criminal offense in most countries (100 Countries and Their Prostitution Policies. 2010). It is dangerous especially because of STI`s and long term diseases that not only the women have to live with but the customers themselves. According to Ramachandran and Ngeow (2010) more than three quarters of women, associated with prostitution in brothels, suffer from some type of sexually transmited infection. The only reason a woman would exploit themselves and risk their health is because of their need to survive and provide for themselves (Ngeow 2010). Therefore if there were available jobs that would ensure security, they would certainly never voluntarily enter the sex trade. If these women were economically stable , then they would never enter this health threatening trade, which is apparent in the remainder of my paper. I will first examine ideal causes and factors of prostitution by scholars, and t hen examine prostitution more closely by exploiting the sex trade in Malaysia. Malaysia is a third world country and this will further prove my point that women do this for the sole purpose of money and survival, because third world countries are not economically stable. The economic factors that play an important role, primarily in the prostitution industry, is the lack of support and necessities to survive. An individual needs a certain amount of income to provide for their family and when they do not have this income, a woman can sometimes result in surrendering themselves to prostitution. In the article Sexual Trafficking in Women: International Political Economy and the Politics of Sex written by the scholar Andrea Bertone, the idea of economic factors, issues with money Monaghan 5 and debt, being the cause of prostitution is brought to attention. She explores the reasons why women enter the industry, which mainly are caused by lack of money and support for families, as stated above, and how this forces them into the sex trade. Aside from being physically forced into the industry, because some families do force their daughters into it, the only reason and girl or woman, according to Andrea Bertone, would willingly join the industry would be because of survival and economic stability (Bertone 2010). Brothel owners use this against these vulnerable women and tell them that there is a lot of money to be made overseas or in the sex trade, Bertone also states, and they therefore turn away from their families, and move over seas. In most cases, their families never hear from them again. When the brothel owners state that there is a lot of money to be made over seas, and these vulnerable woman leave their families, this illustrates how desperate these women are for ec onomic stability. They will travel many times in inhumane conditions and in unsafe vessels.(Bertone 2010) which shows how determined they are to find some type of economic stability. Bertone also states that one of the main reasons women choose, or are persuaded by others, to leave their country of origin and migrate is economic (2010). This quotation clearly states that the economic factors are the reason in which women travel across the world for prostitution. These women want economic stability and will do almost anything to achieve that. Bertone also states that the women that are vulnerable and targeted in the prostitution industry specifically, the supply sidethe women of the third world, the poor states (2010). This also further suggests that the only reason a women enters the Monaghan 6 sex trade is for survival and for some type of security. The poor states and the women with less money that need to resort to the sex trade are the women that enter it. The third world countries do not have enough resources or money to support these women (International labour office. 1998), so they therefore resort to prostitution. Therefore if poverty was eliminated, in places such as Malaysia, the sex trade would go down sufficiently and would slowly head towards abolition. Malaysia is a good example of how to eliminate prostitution and the brothels as it is an unsafe and very risky trade. The political aspect of the sex trade, the laws and regulations of prostitution, is explored throughout the article Female Sex Work as Deviance by Ronald Weitzer and in Malaysia specifically the article 100 Countries and Their Prostitution Policies. In this article 100 Countries and Their Prostitution Policies it illustrates the definite laws that Malaysia has against and for prostitution. There is some legalization of prostitution, in Malaysia, but the brothels and pimps are illegal. Interestingly enough the sex trade has gone up in Malaysia the past couple years. Even though brothels are illegal there, there are still many regulated institutions. This contradicts with many North Americans beliefs as the majority of Americans see both prostitution and pornography as immoral; three-quarters believe that we need stricter laws to control pornography; and a substantial number want prostitution to remain illegal (Weitzer 2007). This North American Theory is proved to be false in the case of Malaysia because as the policies and laws against prostitution increase, the more prostitution occurs. Throughout Malaysias history, it is evident that these North American theories do not help the abolition of the Monaghan 7 sex trade. As illustrated in the article 100 Countries and Their Prostitution Policies by implementing laws and regulations it most definitely will not help lower the prostitution rates. In the article Female Sex Work as Deviance Weitzer illustrates also how the more policies that are implemented the more sex work there is, Over the past three decades some cities and suburbs have indeed banned or restricted massage parlors, strip clubs, and X-rated video stores (2007). In European and poorer countries, such as Malaysia, the prostitution has had an up rise over the past couple of years (Weitzer 2007). This also illustrates the apparent fact that when policies and regulation on the sex trade are implemented, it just makes prostitution more desirable and valuable. Therefore by implementing policies and influencing the abolition of prostitution through government laws, it does more harm then good, this is clearly not the way in eliminating prostitution and brothel houses. The social factors, that I am focusing on, of the sex industry are the consumers desires. Male desires for sexual wants and needs are not hidden in this trade and can also be considered as a driving factor of prostitution. This is explored throughout Kamala Kempadoo`s Prostitution and Sex Work Studies and The Sex sector: The economic and Social bases of prostitution in Southeast Asia. Prostitution, it was claimed, would never completely disappear, since the vicious instincts to which it corresponds are, unfortunately, inborn in the human species (Kempadoo 2004). Kempadoo illuminates that the sex trade, prostitution, cannot completely disappear unless the want for it disappears, because the want is inborn in the human species. It is true that without Monaghan 8 consumers there would not be an industry in the sex trade as the international labour force analyzes that The sector responds to the changing tastes and sophistication of customers(International labour office 1998). These two articles ultimately illuminate the idea that the consumers control the sex trade and change it to what they want, and that they are the sole purpose for the changes and uprising of the brothels and prostitution. There is a huge difference between the roles that women play in the sex trade and the role that men play in the sex trade, Promiscuous sexual activity was deemed a male right, whereas women were condemned for similar behaviour (Kempadoo 2004). Men have the overall power in this area, according to Kempadoo, but It is not apparent that it is the most important contributing factor to prostitution, although it is apparent they have some contributing factor to the brothels and sex trade. A mans desire, according to Kempadoo, is imbedded in nature and cannot b e changed. So there will always be men who have unfulfilled sexual desires and have a want and need for this fulfillment, but if this desire will never go away, then this is surely not how to abolish the brothels. This is not the way to solve the problem of prostitution, it is the suppliers that must be focused on, not the consumers, or the social factors. This leads us back to the economic factors, which have proven to be the most influential factor in the prostitution sector. If women had economic stability there would be no need or urge pushing them towards the sex trade, therefore this would lower the prostitution rate. The brothels and sex trade are clearly linked to political, social and economic factors, but if a woman had a choice to avoid the brothels awful conditions and health Monaghan 9 risks they would. The political aspects of prostitution such as the laws and restrictions that are posed on prostitution, as demonstrates in Malaysia, are proven to not be a sufficient way of eliminated prostitution, the sex trade, and the brothels. Implementing laws works against the initial idea, and although the intentions are positive, there are many negative outcomes. The North American idea of forcing prostitution to stop by forceful laws, as shown in Malaysia would only result in a failure. The social demands of prostitution are high, but if there were not suppliers then essentially there would be no prostitution. To stop sex work from happening, it is hopeless to try and stop the demand, because as Kempadoo stated, it is natural, and is imbedded in our human nature. I do agree with this. Although the social factors are a huge factor on changing the sex trade, these factors cannot be focused upon when trying to eliminate them. It is essentially the supplies that need to be foc used on. In conclusion of this paper, the economic reasons are essential in the abolition of prostitution. The reason behind why women enter it in the first place is because of economic needs and survival, even though it is a risk to their health. If these women were supplied with economic stability then the brothels and the sex trade would slowly disappear. Even though the political and social factors are important when considering the overall aspects of prostitution and the brothels, the economic factors are the main components in exterminating prostitution.

What is the Supply Chain Management (SCM)?

What is the Supply Chain Management (SCM)? The best companies around the world are discovering a  powerful new source of competitive advantage. Its called supply-chain management and it encompasses all of those  integrated activities that bring product to market and create  satisfied customers. The Supply Chain Management Program integrates topics from  manufacturing operations, purchasing, transportation, and  physical distribution into a unified program. Successful supplychain  management, then, coordinates and integrates all of these  activities into a seamless process. It embraces and links all of  the partners in the chain. In addition to the departments within  the organization, these partners include vendors, carriers, thirdparty  companies, and information systems providers. Within the organisation, the supply chain refers to a wide range of functional areas. These  include Supply Chain Management-related activities such as inbound and outbound  transportation, warehousing, and inventory control. Sourcing, procurement, and supply  management fall under the supply-chain umbrella, too. Forecasting, production planning  and scheduling, order processing, and customer service all are part of the process as well.   Importantly, it also embodies the information systems so necessary to monitor all of these  activities. Simply stated, the supply chain encompasses all of those activities associated with  moving goods from the raw-materials stage through to the end user.   Advocates for this business process realised that significant productivity increases could  only come from managing relationships, information, and material flow across enterprise  borders. What is the importance of Supply Chain Management In the ancient Greek fable about the tortoise and the hare, the speedy and overconfident  rabbit fell asleep on the job, while the slow and steady turtle won the race. That may  have been true in Aesops time, but in todays demanding business environment, slow  and steady wont get you out of the starting gate, let alone win any races. Managers these  days recognise that getting products to customers faster than the competition will improve  a companys competitive position. To remain competitive, companies must seek new  solutions to important Supply Chain Management issues such as modal analysis, supply  chain management, load planning, route planning and distribution network design.   Companies must face corporate challenges that impact Supply Chain Management such  as reengineering globalisation and outsourcing.   Why is it so important for companies to get products to their customers quickly? Faster  product availability is key to increasing sales,   An example of a Supply Chain Management application:   To Reduce Cycle Time, Kick Those Bad Habits   ..One of the chief causes of excessive order-to-delivery cycle times is the existence of longstanding  bad habits that result when companies fail to revise internal processes to reflect market  changes. The existence of separate, independent departments tends to perpetuate these inefficient  practices. Taking the supply-chain management view, on the other hand, helps companies identify  the cumulative effects of those individual procedures. Eliminating such bottlenecks improves  product availability and speeds delivery to customersboth of which can increase sales and profits.   Supply Chain Management Today   If we take the view that Supply Chain Management is what Supply Chain Management  people do, then in 1997 Supply Chain Management has a firm hand on all aspects of  physical distribution and materials management. Seventy-five percent or more of  respondents included the following activities as part of their companys Supply Chain  Management department functions:   Inventory management Transportation service procurement Materials handling Inbound transportation Transportation operations management Warehousing management Moreover, the Supply Chain Management department is expected to increase its range of  responsibilities, most often in line with the thinking that sees the order fulfilment process  as one co-ordinated set of activities. Thus the functions most often cited as planning to  formally include in the Supply Chain Management department are:   Customer service performance monitoring   Order processing/customer service Supply Chain Management budget forecasting On the other hand, there are certain functions which some of us might feel logically  belong to Supply Chain Management which companies feel are the proper domain of other departments. Most difficult to bring under the umbrella of Supply Chain  Management are: Third party invoice payment/audit Sales forecasting Master production planning Write-in responses reveal the leading edge of what some Supply Chain Management  departments are doing. These include engineering change control for packaging; custom   Today Supply Chain Management includes services such as: Operational Analysis and Design Materials Handling Distribution Strategy Operational Improvements, Distribution Management Computer Systems Warehouse Design Project Management Operational Commissioning Computer Simulation Technical seminars

Belief in a God is necessary for a moral society Essay -- essays resea

Belief in a God is necessary for a moral society Religion in the world has always been considered a rather important aspect of society. Although this is true, there are still people that question the existence of God. A survey done among 1000 people showed that 65 percent of Americans believe that religion is losing its influence on American life (Sheler, 8). Even so, Belief in a God is necessary for a moral society because since the beginning of history man has always made up some sort of role model to explain events and situations that seem inexplicable, God gives people a sense of comfort and hope to know they aren’t alone, and when a society believes in a God, there is a religion behind it that gives ethics and values that they must comply to. Historically, the world has always used a higher being for a reason for the events that occur in their lives. They would look upon the bible to find answers from God or they would just use prayer to find them. The bible has always been used for the purpose of spreading the word of God. However, it is looked at in many different ways. Technically it is said to be the actual word of God to be taken literally, word for word. Historically, the bible was a book written by the existing disciples of Jesus Christ, the son of God who is said to be the Savior (Sheler, 8). For the most part the bible isn’t interpreted that way anymore. People consider the bible to be a book that is full of the inspired of word of God, but something not to b...

color purple :: essays research papers

Power of the Word While reading The Color Purple I was shocked by the development of Celie’s inner-self. Her entire being was defined by those around her. It appeared as if Celie had no hand in creating who she was. I could picture Shug, Mr., and Her father molding Celie’s body like a piece of clay until Celie truly believed she was an ugly, dumb, and worthless servant. It was shocking to see the destructive power of something as simple as words. Words seem to have the single handed ability to destroy life itself. The power of the word in The Color Purple particularly struck me because I was simultaneously reading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The Four Agreements is about the wisdom of the ancient Toltec. The Toltec is a way of thinking about life, and of filling ones life with happiness and love. According to Ruiz, the problem with most of us is that we have allowed the world around us to create our agreements for us. Our parents instilled beliefs—agreements—into us from the time we started trying to make sense of the world around us. And what we are—who each of us is as an individual human being—is determined by our agreements. Ultimately, who we are is defined by what we believe and our beliefs shape the world around us. In order to redefine ourselves the Toltec teaches that there are four agreements which we must learn to live by. The first and most important agreement is to be impeccable with your word. The word gives the power to create. The word creates the world around us and is therefore a tool of magic. However, as Ruiz says our word is a double-edged sword, and we can use it to create a beautiful dream, or we can use it to destroy everything around us. Misusing the word creates a living hell. Being impeccable with our word creates beauty, love, and heaven on earth. Ruiz continues to explain that the human mind is a fertile ground where opinions, ideas, and concepts are constantly being planted. Because the word is magic, humans are like magicians, and they are capable of casting spells. If the parents tell a child repeatedly that she is not very pretty, or that he is not very smart, the child will accept this as true. It will become an agreement in the mind of the child.

Intro to Security Final Project Essay

Due in Week Nine: Write 3 to 4 paragraphs giving a bottom-line summary of the specific measureable goals and objectives of the security plan, which can be implemented to define optimal security architecture for the selected business scenario. The objective of the Security Policy is to provide the basis of a secure information system within the Bloom Design Group. This policy will protect the information system from threats that exist in nature as well as disasters that exist from humans. The policy will also give consideration to the privacy, reputation, intellectual property and productivity of Bloom Design Group. The efficient operation of this company is dependent on being able to access and use resources within the building and being able to remote access with security. Each employees responsibility must be considered and appropriate access will be given to ensure that information is shared only with those who have the authority to have it. This policy will ensure the adherence to the Bloom Design Group policies but also with any government regulations. By limiting the access to certain groups of users, the security policy will guard against misuse of data and information. All processes that are within the system will be aligned with the policy and executed automatically to ensure that the policy is effectively protecting the information and resources in a continuous manner. Any disruptions or security risks will be dealt with immediately and automatically by means of the system software that has been established and configured for these purposes. 3. Introduction Due in Week One: Give an overview of the company and the security goals to be achieved. 3. 1. Company overview As relates to your selected scenario, give a brief 100- to 200-word overview of the company. The Bloom Design Group is an interior design business that offers services to clients globally. There is a corporate office in New York and a secondary office located in Los Angeles. The group’s website allows clients a virtual decorating tool, where they are able to get an idea of the design and color scheme they would like to see and how it may look after the design is completed. This is a great tool to aid the client in making decisions, backed up by consultation by experienced interior designers as well. The designers are able to access their client files and style guides utilized by the company. The designers will also be able to process orders for materials and furniture when accessing the website. Access is gained by a secure login and password. The employees and designers of this company conduct most of their business remotely and access the network via a secure VPN. 3. 2. Security policy overview Of the different types of security policies—program-level, program-framework, issue-specific, and system-specific—briefly cover which type is appropriate to your selected business scenario and why. For The Bloom Design Group, a program-framework policy would be appropriate. The corporate office would set the security policy as it pertains to network usage. The program-framework policy would cover the WAN, the entire organization would be covered by it and all decisions related to how data is accessed by the workforce. This would require an acceptable use policy, which pertains to all areas of access including remote access, authorized data retrieval and retention, and connections within the WAN. 3. 3. Security policy goals As applies to your selected scenario, explain how the confidentiality, integrity, and availability principles of information security will be addressed by the information security policy. 3. 3. 1. Confidentiality Briefly explain how the policy will protect information. Using the program-framework policy will help in making it possible that only those with authorized access to the company’s data will be the ones doing so. VPN technology will be utilized for these individuals and devices only. These will continue their privileges as long as the policy is complied with. The VPN will be maintained so as to minimize risk of unauthorized access, keep user and data confidentiality as much as possible over the internet, ensure the reliability of the company’s system as well as those systems of the authorized users of the network. 3. 3. 2. Integrity Give a brief overview of how the policy will provide rules for authentication and verification. Include a description of formal methods and system transactions. The program-framework policy will maintain the data and keep it secure, reliable, and free from corruption. The policy will keep unauthorized users from gaining, retaining, modifying, or deleting data of the company by means of firewalls, encryptions, and anti-spyware or anti malware tools. The VPN will be secured with using a tool that provides encryption and user authentication. Intrusion detection tools will also help protect the VPN. 3. 3. 3. Availability Briefly describe how the policy will address system back-up and recovery, access control, and quality of service. The program framework policy will maintain that authorized individuals, users, and systems will have access to information in its original format and at all times. The IT department will keep the business continuity plan up to date and and secure it in such case that there is a need for it due to emergencies. The company will create a business impact analysis which will evaluate risks to the company’s data and systems will be ready to be used for recovery of data if needed. A disaster recovery plan will also be created with step by step implementation to ensure recovery and continuation of business operations in the event recovery is needed due to loss. A risk analysis will be created to further identify and take steps to secure the company’s data. Full cooperation from each department and the administration of the company is needed for these plans to be effective. Training will be conducted in order to ensure that all are compliant to the plan. (Merkow & Breithaupt, 2006). 4. Disaster Recovery Plan Due in Week Three: For your selected scenario, describe the key elements of the Disaster Recovery Plan to be used in case of a disaster and the plan for testing the DRP. 4. 1. Risk Assessment 4. 1. 1. Critical business processes List the mission-critical business systems and services that must be protected by the DRP. The Bloom Design Group has the need of protecting their general support systems. These are the mission-critical systems and services to be concerned with. They are related to network connectivity, access to the internet and various resources through applications that will rest on the network that will aid in the daily productivity of the company. The following list of systems is includes the assets that must be protected by this plan.

Investigating motion using video processing software Essay

We switched on the laptop and connected the web cam into the USB. Once this was done we made sure that the web cam was working correctly and as soon as this watched checked we began to set up the practical part of the experiment. We then pressed record on the web cam using the software VISILOG and recorded the ball being thrown in the air next to a vertical ruler (one metre). Once this had been done we stopped the recording and the replayed the video and once we were happy, using the software, we recorded the position of the ball frame by frame. Below are the results for the first part of the experiment: Results: Time (s) Height (m) Speed (m/s) Acceleration (m/s2)  We can then draw a graph using the results and the first graph I have drawn (graph one) is of height of squash ball against time taken. Therefore, as we can see from the graph if a tangent is drawn we can calculate the gradient. The gradient of both sides of the parabola graph is shown on graph one. From the graph we can that as the squash ball is thrown the height of it increases as time increases and as it reaches its peak the ball speed is expected to decrease due to forces acting on (gravity) and therefore the ball drops down again. The gradient of the graph also calculates the speed (which can be seen of the graph) of the ball because of the formula: Distance = Speed   Time therefore Speed = Distance / Time From these results a second graph of speed against time can also be made, which is graph two. Again from this graph we can draw tangents and then work out the gradient. Using the gradient we can also work out the acceleration due to the formula: Acceleration = change in speed / change in time Therefore acceleration = gradient. Part Two Method: We used the same equipment for the second stage of the experiment but instead of recording the ball thrown in the air we recorded it as a projectile. To measure the displacement we used metre rules to measure horizontally as well as vertically. Below are the results from the experiment: Results: See next page! From this table we can draw out a lot of information and from this I have produced a graph of horizontal displacement and vertical displacement (graph three). From the graph we can see that as horizontal displacement increases so does vertical displacement until its peak of 0. 34 m. once the squash ball reaches this height it begins to fall back down due forces acting on it. After the vertical height reaches its peak it starts to decrease but the horizontal displacement continues to increase. From the graph we can also calculate the gradient, which I have done and this can be seen on the graph. Part Three Method: We got a step ladder and to the top of it we attached a wooden beam to it using clamps. Then we got three springs and attached them together and once this was done we attached the springs to the wooden beam using string. We then added a mass to the springs and recorded the oscillations it did using the camera. Below are the results for this: Results: See next page! From the results (which is a rather long set of data) we can produce a graph and this graph is a sine wave. Within the wave, it can be seen that just about 4 oscillations have been made by the spring. The time taken for 1 oscillation is called the period T. In this case the period T for 1 oscillation is about 1. 31 seconds as shown on the graph. The number of oscillations per unit time is the frequency, f = 1 / T. Therefore, using the formula we can calculate the frequency of one oscillation, which is: f = 1 / T f = 1 / 1. 31 f = 0. 763358778 f = 0. 76 Hz Furthermore as the weights on the spring move about on a fixed point it means that the wave can be described as a single harmonic motion and the acceleration is proportional to its displacement (see graph four for more details) Conclusion: Therefore, in conclusion I have shown many things in this three part experiment. For each part, I have produced graphs and shown the results table that I have analysed as well. For the first part of the experiment we can see that from the graphs the squash balls speed increases as it let go from the hand and then as it reaches its peak it begins to lose its speed and comes down, which is also due to forces acting upon the graph. Part two of the experiment is similar in respects and the difference is that it was a projectile instead. And the third part shows the spring oscillating from a ladder when a weight is attached to it. For more on these look at the graphs I have produced and the analysis beneath each part of the experiment.

Water Is Under Threat Of Being Exhausted Environmental Sciences Essay

Like most natural resources, drinkable H2O is under menace of being exhausted due to over-consumption. And like most natural resources, one time depleted, regeneration of the land H2O and surface H2O will take 100s of old ages. At the present rate of ingestion every chance needs to be utilized to conserve our beginnings of H2O and create statute law that will promote wise usage of H2O. Governmental bureaus and private endeavor should mobilise their resources to construct proper substructure for H2O preservation like edifice dikes, reaping rain H2O, etc. This paper is a survey of current and future tendencies with regard to H2O use, and will show a image of what the following twosome of decennaries might look like. Water Technology and Emerging Tendencies: 1. Governments of all states are coping with issues related to supplying safe imbibing H2O to its citizens. In position of the pressing demand extended research has been done and some new engineerings and procedures have emerged. Electrolyzing imbibing H2O is efficient in extinguishing water-borne sources. E-water is formed by go throughing an electrical current to a weak solution of salt and H2O, which turns super- acidic that kills the pathogens. Water is therefore sanitized for imbibing intents and does n't look, odor, or taste any different from tap H2O ( Zinzi 2010 ) . In the hereafter scenario this will be a major agencies of recycling used H2O to do it drinkable and suited for ingestion. 2. Another technological promotion that has come to visible radiation is the usage of aquaporins as biomimetic membranes to let transition of lone H2O molecules and nil else through it. No molecule that is larger or smaller than a H2O molecule can go through through the channel. This ensures that drosss are blocked from polluting the H2O. The lone disadvantage of commercializing biomimetic membrane is to do it strong and stable plenty to defy repeated fouling and cleansing procedures. In future this will turn out to be a pillar in recycling waste H2O and saline H2O to do them drinkable for human ingestion. Politicss, policy and statute law: 1. Harmonizing to the US Geological Survey, future H2O demands can non be accurately identified, but tendencies of increasing emphasis on H2O resources the universe over can be widely recognized. Even though the jobs can be recognized, they will non be resolved on their ain. For case, aquifers can non be recharged rapidly after they are over-pumped. Water allotment struggles have been observed in many parts, these jobs are compounded by increasing population and forseeable drouths. Governmental bureaus like the geological study or similar bureaus are in a place to help states in apprehension, predicting, and minimising the impact of these crises. 2. The job of H2O handiness becomes more serious and outstanding as the explosive growing of population is predicted globally ( For e.g.US Census Bureau undertakings the US population to increase about 50 % from 282 million in 2000 to 420 million in 2050 ) . The hydrological agenda of any part is mostly influenced by regional factors like clime, rainfall etc. Infrastructure including waste H2O aggregation, storage and distribution of H2O, agribusiness, electric power coevals ; building of roads and commercial edifices and clean imbibing H2O for residential countries, must be planned for the sustainability of H2O. The job of worsening surface H2O and land H2O resources are a cause for concern. Consumption: 1. Projecting the information for 2026, based on the current tendencies of the economic demand for commercial and residential H2O use, it can be estimated that the engineering affecting optical maser beams used as a big scale H2O purification procedure. This technique involves laser beams being pointed at a watercourse of imbibing H2O that can observe and take unsafe pathogens and sublimate H2O for imbibing intents. This engineering will be used to supervise H2O safety for both domestic and industrial usage ( Zinzi 2010 ) . Giant strides in the development of cost effectual ways of reaping rain H2O will be made to prolong agribusiness and gardening. 2. Industrial H2O is likely to be higher in developing states compared to developed states. However, the overall industrial H2O ingestion will diminish globally due to betterments in H2O preservation engineering and monitoring of demand and execution of Governmental ordinances. Demand for H2O used for irrigation will, similarly, addition in the development states and is projected to be the most intense in sub- Saharan Africa and the Latin American states followed by Western Asia. Water scarceness in these parts may be intense as existent demand is frequently higher than projected demand. As a consequence the planetary harvest output rate may worsen ( Rosegrant, Ximing & A ; Cline 2002 ) . Families and relationships: 1. In order to project the demand for municipal and domestic H2O for 2026 one needs to analyze and acknowledge, cipher the jutting demand and put precedences for all bing and possible H2O use. Projection of future demands for municipal H2O depends on the alteration in the economic construction of a part and the efficiency of implementing alternate H2O usage policies. Other factors that may lend to an accurate projection include household size, distribution of household units between unitary and joint households and per-capita H2O usage ( Willsie & A ; Ratt 1974 ) . Water will go more of a trade good and ingestion will depend on the purchasing capacity of single users. 2. Future H2O demands may be computed on the footing of figure of individual and multi-family units, addition in population and the gross per capita usage of H2O per part. Domestic H2O usage depends on the size of the family and the seasonal usage of H2O. Education and consciousness degrees with respect to minimising wastage of H2O are besides of import factors. In 2026, H2O rationing will depend on the economic position and size of belongings in urban countries. ( House-Peters, Pratt & A ; Chang 2010 ) . Sharing of H2O resources across international boundary lines will be in focal point as struggles may originate due to unequal allotment and general scarceness of H2O. Health and fittingness: 1. Human organic structure is made up of 75 % H2O ( Maxx 2009 ) and we need to imbibe H2O in order to remain alive. Water is necessary for the proper operation of variety meats like the encephalon, liver and kidneys. Without H2O our organic structures will acquire dehydrated and will be afflicted with serious unwellnesss. So in order to remain fit and healthy all living existences need to devour big measures of H2O. Water is considered to be the wonder drug by many. Due to scarceness of drinkable H2O, people will be given to happen replacements in the signifier of soft drinks, milk merchandises and caffeine. 2. At the present rate of ingestion, the demand for H2O will far transcend the supply of H2O which will take to a H2O pricing system in most states. Denationalization of H2O across the Earth will hold serious branchings every bit far as wellness and fittingness is concerned because poorer people will non be able to afford sufficient measures of imbibing H2O. This will take to dehydration related chronic diseases like allergic reactions, high blood pressure, diabetes, and unsusceptibility upsets. This will impact the wellness of the society as economically backward populations will non be able to afford medical specialties and governmental resources will be strained to supply wellness attention benefits. Work and leisure: 1. By 2026, people will be preoccupied with developing newer techniques in H2O direction ( Griffiths 2009 ) and H2O preservation. So this will supply employment to a big population and will include H2O recycling and transit. A batch of scientific work will be encouraged by authorities every bit good private establishments at national and international degrees. The handiness of H2O will ever stay as nature has its ain manner of recycling H2O, nevertheless, the rate of recycling H2O is lower than the rate at which H2O is being polluted and made unfit for ingestion. Building H2O canals, reservoirs and dikes will go a precedence with governmental bureaus and will supply chances for employment, particularly in developing states. 2. As developing states gain economic stableness and richness, demand for H2O for basic healthful demands will increase. More people will be able to afford comfortss like Jacuzzis, auto lavation, horticulture and swimming pools ( Griffiths 2009 ) . This will add to the H2O crisis in 2026. Depending on the richness degree, fewer people will be able to afford installations that we take for granted for illustration holding swimming pools at place and H2O Parkss, etc. Global heating will impact winter athleticss like skiing which will ensue in beaches and H2O athleticss around the sea going more popular as leisure activities. Biophysical environments: 1. Biophysical environment in relation to H2O trades with H2O ingestion by people, land and farm animal. The alterations in clime, peculiarly rainfall, have deductions for fresh fish resources as it has for agribusiness. Since the handiness of natural H2O is non uniformly distributed, transit of H2O to countries with high denseness of population will go common characteristic. Puting extended web of grapevines overland for H2O for human ingestion every bit good as for farm animal will affect considerable outgo. Water holes, pools and swamps will necessitate to be tapped to run into the demands of croping for cowss. Herding direction and land use will necessitate to be implemented ( deLeeuw 1993 ) . 2. Demographic alterations are anticipated in future depending on the ready handiness of H2O for domestic and livestock use. In parts where the cost of H2O transit can non be afforded, people will switch to countries closer to natural H2O beginnings. Heavy industries are most likely to be set up close to rivers and other natural H2O organic structures as this will minimise the cost of transporting H2O for industrial usage. Land use for agribusiness will Promising societal invention: New stuffs: De Leeuw, PN 1993, iThe survey country: Biophysical environmenti , FAO Corporate Document Repository viewed 13 September 2010 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.fao.org/wairdocs/ILRI/x5552E/x5552e06.htm & gt ; Griffiths, J 2009, Water Facts and Trends, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, viewed 13 September 2010 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wbcsd.org/DocRoot/lD1tMGiLZ7NL9mBOL2aQ/WaterFactsAndTrends-Update.pdf & gt ; Haughn, S 2008, ‘Global Tendencies 2025: Water deficits threaten nutrient security, energy supply and geopolitical stableness ‘ , Circle of Blue, viewed 12 September 2010 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2008/world/africa/global-trends-2025-water-shortages-threaten-food-security-energy-supply-and-geopolitical-stability/ & gt ; House-Peters, L, Pratt, B and Chang, H 2010, iEffects of Urban Spatial Structure, Sociodemographics, and Climate on Residential Water Consumption in Hillsboro, Oregoni , JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 46: 461i472, viewed 13 September 2010 hypertext transfer protocol: //onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00415.x Kwok, SC, Lang, H & A ; O'Callaghan, P 2009, Water Technology Markets, Global Water Intelligence, viewed 12 September 2010, & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.globalwaterintel.com/client_media/uploaded/files/sample_water_tech_markets_aquaporins.pdf & gt ; Maxx, 2009, iWater- Natureis Wonder Drugi , How To Maximize Your Health And Fitness, viewed 12 September 2010 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //health-and-fitness-buzz.blogspot.com/2009/05/water-natures-wonder-drug.html & gt ; Rosegrant, MW, Ximing, C & A ; Cline, SA 2002, Global Water Outlook to 2025, Colombo: International Water Management Institute, pp: 4-7, viewed 12 September 2010, Google Books. Willsie, RH & A ; Ratt, HL 1974, iWater Use Relationships and Projection Corresponding with Regional Growthi , Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 10: 360i371, viewed 13 September 2010 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1974.tb00575.x & gt ; Zinzi, F 2010, iTrends in Water Technology and Consumptioni , Ezine @ rticles, viewed 12 September 2010, & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //ezinearticles.com/ ? Trends-in-Water-Technology-and-Consumption & A ; id=4074865 & gt ;

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-Seven

WALKING INTO THE COURTROOM was one of the most surreal experiences of my life–and not just because I was the one being accused here. It just kept reminding me of Victor's trial, and the idea that I was now in his place was almost too weird to comprehend. Entering a room with a troop of guardians makes people stare–and believe me, there were a lot of people packed in there–so naturally, I didn't skulk or look ashamed. I walked with confidence, my head held high. Again, I had that eerie flashback to Victor. He too had walked in defiantly, and I'd been appalled that someone who had committed his crimes could behave that way. Were these people thinking the same thing about me? On the dais at the front of the room sat a woman I didn't recognize. Among the Moroi, a judge was usually a lawyer who had been appointed to the position for the purposes of the hearing or whatever. The trial itself–at least a big one like Victor's–had been presided over by the queen. She had been the one to ultimately decide the final verdict. Here, the Council members would be the ones to decide if I even reached that stage. The trial makes it official. That's where they pass the verdict and dole out the punishment. My escort took me to the front seating of the room, past the bar that separated the key players from the audience, and motioned me toward a spot next to a middle-aged Moroi in a very formal and very designer black suit. The suit screamed, I'm sorry the queen is dead, and I'm going to look fashionable while showing my grief. His hair was a pale blond, lightly laced with the first signs of silver. Somehow, he made it look good. I presumed this was Damon Tarus, my lawyer, but he didn't say a word to me. Mikhail sat beside me as well, and I was glad they'd chosen him to be the one who literally didn't leave my side. Glancing back, I saw Daniella and Nathan Ivashkov sitting with other high-ranking royals and their families. Adrian had chosen not to join them. He sat farther back, with Lissa, Christian, and Eddie. All of their faces were filled with worry. The judge–an elderly, gray-haired Moroi who looked like she could still kick ass–called the room to attention, and I twisted around to face forward again. The Council was entering, and she announced them one by one. Two sets of benches had been arranged for them, two rows of six with a thirteenth in back raised. Of course, only eleven of the spots were filled, and I tried not to scowl. Lissa should have been sitting there. When the Council was settled, the judge turned to face the rest of us and spoke in a voice that rang through the room. â€Å"This hearing is now in order, in which we will determine whether there is enough evidence to–â€Å" A commotion at the door cut her off, and the audience craned their necks to see what was going on. â€Å"What's this disturbance about?† the judge demanded. One of the guardians had the door partially open and was leaning out, apparently speaking to whoever was in the hall. He ducked back into the room. â€Å"The accused's lawyer is here, Your Honor.† The judge glanced at Damon and me and then delivered a frown to the guardian. â€Å"She already has a lawyer.† The guardian shrugged and appeared comically helpless. If there had been a Strigoi out there, he would have known what to do. This bizarre interruption of protocol was beyond his skill set. The judge sighed. â€Å"Fine. Send whoever it is up here and let's get this settled.† Abe walked in. â€Å"Oh dear lord,† I said out loud. I didn't have to scold myself for speaking out of turn because a hum of conversation immediately filled the room. My guess was that half were in awe because they knew Abe and his reputation. The other half were probably just stunned by his appearance. He wore a gray cashmere suit, considerably lighter than Damon's grim black. Underneath it was a dress shirt that was so bright a white, it seemed to glow–particularly next to the brilliant crimson silk tie he wore. Other spots of red were scattered about his outfit–a handkerchief in the pocket, ruby cuff links. Naturally, it was all as perfectly tailored and expensive as Damon's outfit. But Abe didn't look like he was in mourning. He didn't even look like he was coming to a trial. It was more like he'd been interrupted on his way to a party. And of course, he sported his usual gold hoop earrings and trimmed black beard. The judge silenced the room with a hand motion as he strutted up to her. â€Å"Ibrahim Mazur,† she said, with a shake of her head. There were equal parts amazement and disapproval in her voice. â€Å"This is†¦ unexpected.† Abe swept her a gallant bow. â€Å"It's lovely to see you again, Paula. You haven't aged a day.† â€Å"We aren't at a country club, Mr. Mazur,† she informed him. â€Å"And while here, you will address me by my proper title.† â€Å"Ah. Right.† He winked. â€Å"My apologies, Your Honor.† Turning, he glanced around until his eyes rested on me. â€Å"There she is. Sorry to have delayed this. Let's get started.† Damon stood up. â€Å"What is this? Who are you? I'm her lawyer.† Abe shook his head. â€Å"There must have been some mistake. It took me a while to get a flight here, so I can see why you would have appointed a community lawyer to fill in.† â€Å"Community lawyer!† Damon's face grew red with indignation. â€Å"I'm one of the most renowned lawyers among American Moroi.† â€Å"Renowned, community.† Abe shrugged and leaned back on his heals. â€Å"I don't judge. No pun intended.† â€Å"Mr. Mazur,† interrupted the judge, â€Å"are you a lawyer?† â€Å"I'm a lot of things, Paula–Your Honor. Besides, does it matter? She only needs someone to speak for her.† â€Å"And she has someone,† exclaimed Damon. â€Å"Me.† â€Å"Not anymore,† said Abe, his demeanor still very pleasant. He had never stopped smiling, but I thought I saw that dangerous glint in his eyes that frightened so many of his enemies. He was the picture of calm, while Damon looked like he was ready to have a seizure. â€Å"Your Honor–â€Å" â€Å"Enough!† she said in that resounding voice of hers. â€Å"Let the girl choose.† She fixed her brown eyes on me. â€Å"Who do you want to speak for you?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My mouth dropped open at how abruptly the attention shifted to me. I'd been watching the drama between the two men like a tennis match, and now the ball had hit me in the head. â€Å"Rose.† Startled, I turned slightly. Daniella Ivashkov had crept over in the row behind me. â€Å"Rose,† she whispered again, â€Å"you have no idea who that Mazur man is.† Oh, didn't I? â€Å"You want nothing to do with him. Damon's the best. He's not easy to get.† She moved back to her seat, and I looked between my two potential lawyers' faces. I understood Daniella's meaning. Adrian had talked her into getting Damon for me, and then she had talked Damon into actually doing it. Rejecting him would be an insult to her, and considering she was one of the few royal Moroi who'd been nice to me about Adrian, I certainly didn't want to earn her dislike. Besides, if this was some setup by royals, having one of them on my side was probably my best chance at getting off. And yet†¦ there was Abe, looking at me with that clever smile of his. He was certainly very good at getting his way, but a lot of that was by force of his presence and reputation. If there really was some absurd evidence against me, Abe's attitude wouldn't be enough to make it go away. Of course, he was sly, too. The serpent. He could make the impossible happen; he'd certainly pulled a lot of strings for me. That did not, however, change the fact that he wasn't a lawyer. On the other hand, he was my father. He was my father, and although we still barely knew each other, he'd gone to great lengths to get here and saunter in with his gray suit to defend me. Was it fatherly love gone bad? Was he really all that good a lawyer? And at the end of the day, was it true that blood ran thicker than water? I didn't know. I actually didn't like that saying. Maybe it worked for humans, but it made no sense with vampires. Anyway, Abe was staring at me intently with dark brown eyes nearly identical to mine. Trust me, he seemed to say. But could I? Could I trust my family? I would have trusted my mother if she were here–and I knew she trusted Abe. I sighed and gestured toward him. â€Å"I'll take him.† In an undertone, I added, â€Å"Don't let me down, Zmey.† Abe's smile grew broader as shocked exclamations filled the audience, and Damon protested in outrage. Daniella might have had to persuade him to take me on in the beginning, but now this case had become a matter of pride for him. His reputation had just been sullied by me passing him up. But I'd made my choice, and the exasperated judge would hear no more arguments about it. She shooed Damon away, and Abe slid into his seat. The judge began with the standard opening speech, explaining why we were here, etc., etc. As she spoke, I leaned toward Abe. â€Å"What have you gotten me into?† I hissed to him. â€Å"Me? What have you gotten yourself into? Couldn't I have just picked you up at the police station for underage drinking, like most fathers?† I was beginning to understand why people got irritated when I made jokes in dangerous situations. â€Å"My fucking future's on the line! They're going to send me to trial and convict me!† Every trace of humor or cheer vanished from his face. His expression grew hard, deadly serious. A chill ran down my spine. â€Å"That,† he said in a low, flat voice, â€Å"is something I swear to you is never, ever going to happen.† The judge turned her attention back to us and the prosecuting lawyer, a woman called Iris Kane. Not a royal name, but she still looked pretty hard-core. Maybe that was just a lawyer thing. Before the evidence against me was laid out, the queen's murder was also described in all its grisly detail. How'd she'd been found this morning in bed, a silver stake through her heart and a profound look of horror and shock on her face. Blood had been everywhere: on her nightgown, the sheets, her skin†¦ The pictures were shown to everyone in the room, triggering a variety of reactions. Gasps of surprise. More fear and panic. And some†¦ some people wept. Some of those tears were undoubtedly because of the whole terrible situation, but I think many cried because they'd loved or liked Tatiana. She'd been cold and stiff at times, but for the most part, her reign had been a peaceful and just one. After the pictures, they called me up. The hearing didn't run the way a normal trial did. There was no formal switching back of lawyers as they questioned witnesses. They each just sort of stood there and took turns asking questions while the judge kept order. â€Å"Miss Hathaway,† began Iris, dropping my title. â€Å"What time did you return to your room last night?† â€Å"I don't know the exact time†¦.† I focused on her and Abe, not the sea of faces out there. â€Å"Somewhere around 5 a.m., I think. Maybe 6.† â€Å"Was anyone with you?† â€Å"No, well–yes. Later.† Oh, God. Here it comes. â€Å"Um, Adrian Ivashkov visited me.† â€Å"What time did he arrive?† asked Abe. â€Å"I'm not sure of that either. A few hours after I got back, I guess.† Abe turned his charming smile on Iris, who was rustling through some papers. â€Å"The queen's murder has been pretty accurately narrowed down to between seven and eight. Rose wasn't alone–of course, we would need Mr. Ivashkov to testify to that effect.† My eyes flicked briefly to the audience. Daniella looked pale. This was her nightmare: Adrian getting involved. Glancing farther over, I saw that Adrian himself seemed eerily calm. I really hoped he wasn't drunk. Iris held up a sheet of paper triumphantly. â€Å"We have a signed statement from a janitor who says Mr. Ivashkov arrived at the defendant's building at approximately nine twenty.† â€Å"That's pretty specific,† said Abe. He sounded amused, like she'd said something cute. â€Å"Do you have any desk staff to confirm that?† â€Å"No,† Iris said icily. â€Å"But this is enough. The janitor remembers because he was about to take his break. Miss Hathaway was alone when the murder took place. She has no alibi.† â€Å"Well,† said Abe, â€Å"at least according to some questionable ‘facts.'† But no more was said about the time. The evidence was admitted into the official records, and I took a deep breath. I hadn't liked that line of questioning, but it had been expected, based on the earlier conversations I'd heard via Lissa. The no-alibi thing wasn't good, but I kind of shared Abe's vibe. What they had so far still didn't seem strong enough to send me to trial. Plus, they hadn't asked anything else about Adrian, which left him out of this. â€Å"Next exhibit,† said Iris. There was smug triumph all over her face. She knew the time thing was sketchy, but whatever was coming up, she thought it was gold. But actually, it was silver. A silver stake. So help me, she had a silver stake in a clear plastic container. It gleamed in the incandescent lighting–except for its tip. That was dark. With blood. â€Å"This is the stake used to kill the queen,† declared Iris. â€Å"Miss Hathaway's stake.† Abe actually laughed. â€Å"Oh, come on. Guardians are issued stakes all the time. They have an enormous, identical supply.† Iris ignored him and looked at me. â€Å"Where is your stake right now?† I frowned. â€Å"In my room.† She turned and glanced out over the crowd. â€Å"Guardian Stone?† A tall dhampir with a bushy black mustache rose from the crowd. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"You conducted the search of Miss Hathaway's room and belongings, correct?† I gaped in outrage. â€Å"You searched my–â€Å" A sharp look from Abe silenced me. â€Å"Correct,† said the guardian. â€Å"And did you find any silver stakes?† asked Iris. â€Å"No.† She turned back to us, still smug, but Abe seemed to find this new information even more ridiculous than the last batch. â€Å"That proves nothing. She could have lost the stake without realizing it.† â€Å"Lost it in the queen's heart?† â€Å"Miss Kane,† warned the judge. â€Å"My apologies, Your Honor,† said Iris smoothly. She turned to me. â€Å"Miss Hathaway, is there anything special about your stake? Anything that would distinguish it from others?† â€Å"Y-yes.† â€Å"Can you describe that?† I swallowed. I had a bad feeling about this. â€Å"It has a pattern etched near the top. A kind of geometric design.† Guardians had engraving done sometimes. I'd found this stake in Siberia and kept it. Well, actually, Dimitri had sent it to me after it had come loose from his chest. Iris walked over to the Council and held out the container so that each of them could examine it. Returning to me, she gave me my turn. â€Å"Is this your pattern? Your stake?† I stared. It was indeed. My mouth opened, ready to say yes, but then I caught Abe's eye. Clearly, he couldn't talk directly to me, but he sent a lot of messages in that gaze. The biggest one was to be careful, be sly. What would a slippery person like Abe do? â€Å"It†¦ it looks similar to the design on mine,† I said at last. â€Å"But I can't say for sure if it's the exact same one.† Abe's smile told me I'd answered correctly. â€Å"Of course you can't,† Iris said, as though she'd expected no better. She handed off the container to one of the court clerks. â€Å"But now that the Council has seen that the design matches her description and is almost like her stake, I would like to point out that testing has revealed†Ã¢â‚¬â€œshe held up more papers, victory all over her face–â€Å"that her fingerprints are on it.† There, it was. The big score. The â€Å"hard evidence.† â€Å"Any other fingerprints?† asked the judge. â€Å"No, Your Honor. Just hers.† â€Å"That means nothing,† said Abe with a shrug. I had a feeling that if I stood and suddenly confessed to the murder, he would still claim it was dubious evidence. â€Å"Someone steals her stake and wears gloves. Her fingerprints would be on it because it's hers.† â€Å"That's getting kind of convoluted, don't you think?† asked Iris. â€Å"The evidence is still full of holes,† he protested. â€Å"That's what's convoluted. How could she have gotten into the queen's bedroom? How could she have gotten through the guards?† â€Å"Well,† mused Iris, â€Å"those would be questions best explored in trial, but considering Miss Hathaway's extensive record of breaking into and out of places, as well as the countless other disciplinary marks she has, I don't doubt she could have found any number of ways to get inside.† â€Å"You have no proof,† said Abe. â€Å"No theory.† â€Å"We don't need it,† said Iris. â€Å"Not at this point. We have more than enough to go to trial, don't we? I mean, we haven't even gotten to the part where countless witnesses heard Miss Hathaway tell the queen she'd regret establishing the recent guardian law. I can find the transcript if you like–not to mention reports of other ‘expressive' commentary Miss Hathaway made in public.† A memory came back to me, of standing outside with Daniella while I ranted–with others watching–about how the queen couldn't buy me off with an assignment. Not a good decision on my part. Neither was busting in on the Death Watch or complaining about the queen being worth protecting when Lissa had been captured. I'd given Iris a lot of material. â€Å"Oh yes,† Iris continued. â€Å"We also have accounts of the queen declaring her extreme disapproval of Miss Hathaway's involvement with Adrian Ivashkov, particularly when the two ran off to elope.† I opened my mouth at that, but Abe silenced me. â€Å"There are countless other records of Her Majesty and Miss Hathaway sparring in public. Would you like me to find those papers too, or are we able to vote on a trial now?† This was directed at the judge. I had no legal background, but the evidence was pretty damning. I would have said that there was definitely reason to consider me a murder suspect, except†¦ â€Å"Your Honor?† I asked. I think she'd been about to give her declaration. â€Å"Can I say something?† The judge thought about it, then shrugged. â€Å"I see no reason not to. We're collecting all the evidence there is.† Oh, me freelancing was not in Abe's plan at all. He strode to the stand, hoping to stop me with his wise counsel, but he wasn't fast enough. â€Å"Okay,† I said, hoping I sounded reasonable and wasn't going to lose my temper. â€Å"You've put up a lot of suspicious stuff here. I can see that.† Abe looked pained. It was not an expression I'd seen on him before. He didn't lose control of situations very often. â€Å"But that's the thing. It's too suspicious. If I were going to murder someone, I wouldn't be that stupid. Do you think I'd leave my stake stuck in her chest? Do you think I wouldn't wear gloves? Come on. That's insulting. If I'm as crafty as you claim my record says I am, then why would I do it this way? I mean, seriously? If I did it, it'd be a lot better. You'd never even peg me as a suspect. This is all really kind of an insult to my intelligence.† â€Å"Rose–† began Abe, a dangerous note in his tone. I kept going. â€Å"All this evidence you've got is so painfully obvious. Hell, whoever set this up might as well have painted an arrow straight to me–and someone did set me up, but you guys are too stupid to even consider that.† The volume of my voice was rising, and I consciously brought it back to normal levels. â€Å"You want an easy answer. A quick answer. And you especially want someone with no connections, no powerful family to protect them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated there, unsure how to classify Abe. â€Å"Because that's how it always is. That's how it was with that age law. No one was able to stand up for the dhampirs either because this goddamned system won't allow it.† It occurred to me then that I had strayed pretty far off the subject–and was making myself look more guilty by slamming the age law. I reined myself back in. â€Å"Um, anyway, Your Honor†¦ what I'm trying to say is that this evidence shouldn't be enough to accuse me or send me to trial. I wouldn't plan a murder this badly.† â€Å"Thank you, Miss Hathaway,† said the judge. â€Å"That was very†¦ informative. You may take your seat now while the Council votes.† Abe and I returned to our bench. â€Å"What in the world were you thinking?† he whispered. â€Å"I was telling it like it is. I was defending myself.† â€Å"I wouldn't go that far. You're no lawyer.† I gave him a sidelong look. â€Å"Neither are you, old man.† The judge asked the Council to vote on whether they believed there was enough evidence to make me a viable suspect and send me to trial. They did. Eleven hands went up. Just like that, it was over. Through the bond, I felt Lissa's alarm. As Abe and I rose to leave, I looked out in the audience, which was starting to disband and buzzing with talk over what would happen now. Her light green eyes were wide, her face unusually pale. Beside her, Adrian too looked distressed, but as he stared at me, I could see love and determination radiating. And in the back, behind both of them†¦ Dimitri. I hadn't even known he was here. His eyes were on me too, dark and endless. Only I couldn't read what he was feeling. His face betrayed nothing, but there was something in his eyes†¦ something intense and intimidating. The image of him ready to take down that group of guardians flashed through my mind, and something told me that if I asked, he would do it again. He would fight his way to me through this courtroom and do everything in his power to rescue me from it. A brushing of my hand distracted me from him. Abe and I had started to exit, but the aisle ahead of us was packed with people, bringing us to a halt. The touch against my hand was a small piece of paper shoved between my fingers. Glancing over, I saw Ambrose was sitting near the aisle, staring straight ahead. I wanted to ask what was going on, but some instinct kept me silent. Seeing as the line still wasn't moving, I hastily opened the paper, keeping it out of Abe's sight. The paper was tiny, its elegant cursive almost impossible to read. Rose, If you're reading this, then something terrible has happened. You probably hate me, and I don't blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had planned. There are some Moroi who want to force all dhampirs into service, whether they want it or not, by using compulsion. The age decree has slowed that faction down. However, I write to you with a secret you must put right, and it is a secret you must share with as few as possible. Vasilisa needs her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives, the illegitimate child of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you will give Vasilisa the power she deserves. No matter your faults and dangerous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. Waste no time in fulfilling it. –Tatiana Ivashkov I stared at the piece of paper, its writing swirling before me, but its message burning into my mind. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives. If that was true, if Lissa had a half-brother or half-sister†¦ it would change everything. She would get a vote on the Council. She would no longer be alone. If it was true. If this was from Tatiana. Anyone could sign her name to a piece of paper. It didn't make it real. Still, I shivered, troubled at the thought of getting a letter from a dead woman. If I allowed myself to see the ghosts around us, would Tatiana be there, restless and vengeful? I couldn't bring myself to let down my walls and look. Not yet. There had to be other answers. Ambrose had given me the note. I needed to ask him†¦ except we were moving down the aisle again. A guardian nudged me along. â€Å"What's that?† asked Abe, always alert and suspicious. I hastily folded the note back up. â€Å"Nothing.† The look he gave me told me he didn't believe that at all. I wondered if I should tell him. It is a secret you must share with as few as possible. If he was one of the few, this wasn't the place. I tried to distract him from it and shake the dumbstruck look that must have been on my face. This note was a big problem–but not quite as big as the one immediately facing me. â€Å"You told me I wouldn't go to trial,† I said to Abe. My earlier annoyance returned. â€Å"I took a big chance with you!† â€Å"It wasn't a big chance. Tarus couldn't have got you out of this either.† Abe's easy attitude about all this infuriated me further. â€Å"Are you saying you knew this hearing was a lost cause from the beginning?† It was what Mikhail had said too. How nice to have such faith from everyone. â€Å"This hearing wasn't important,† Abe said evasively. â€Å"What happens next is.† â€Å"And what is that exactly?† He gave me that dark, sly gaze again. â€Å"Nothing you need to worry about yet.† One of the guardians put his hand on my arm, telling me I needed to move. I resisted his pull and leaned toward Abe. â€Å"The hell I don't! This is my life we're talking about,† I exclaimed. I knew what would come next. Imprisonment until the trial. And then more imprisonment if I was convicted. â€Å"This is serious! I don't want to go to trial! I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a place like Tarasov.† The guard tugged harder, pushing us forward, and Abe fixed me with a piercing gaze that made my blood run cold. â€Å"You will not go to trial. You will not go to prison,† he hissed, out of the guards' hearing. â€Å"I won't allow it. Do you understand?† I shook my head, confused over so much and not knowing what to do about any of it. â€Å"Even you have your limits, old man.† His smile returned. â€Å"You'd be surprised. Besides, they don't even send royal traitors to prison, Rose. Everyone knows that.† I scoffed. â€Å"Are you insane? Of course they do. What else do you think they do with traitors? Set them free and tell them not to do it again?† â€Å"No,† said Abe, just before he turned away. â€Å"They execute traitors.† Many thanks to all the friends and family who have lent their considerable support to me as I worked on this, especially my amazing and patient husband. I know I couldn't get through this without you! Special thanks also to my pal Jen Ligot and her eagle eyes. On the publishing side, I'm always grateful for the hard work of my agent Jim McCarthy, as well as everyone else at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management–including Lauren Abramo, who helps spread Vampire Academy around the world. Thank you also to the gang at Penguin Books–Jessica Rothenberg, Ben Schrank, Casey McIntyre, and so many others–who work a lot of magic for this series. My publishers outside the U.S. are also doing wonderful things for getting the word out about Rose, and I'm constantly amazed to see the growing international response. Thank you so much for all you do. A last shout-out to my readers, whose continued enthusiasm still overwhelms me. Thank you for reading and loving these characters as much as I do.