Essay --

Kentucky v. King, 563 U.S. _____ (2011) Facts: A number of police officers set up a sting in which there were to be buy of crack cocaine outside an apartment complex in Lexington, Kentucky. Undercover Officer Gibbons watched the deal from an undercover car in a parking lot not far the from the sale area. After the deal took place, Office Gibbons radioed several other police officers. He instructed them to close in on the suspects. He advised the officers to â€Å"hurry and get there† because the suspect was making his way towards the breezeway of an apartment building. Officers arrived at the parking lot, leaving their vehicles and run to the breezeway. As soon as they enter the breezeway they hear a door shut and can detect a strong odor of marijuana. At the end of the breezeway are two apartments, one located on the left, and one located on the right. The officers were unsure of which apartment the suspect entered. Officer Gibbons advised the officers over the radio that the suspect had ran into the apartment on the right, but the officers didn’t hear this message since they were not at their vehicles. Due to the smell of marijuana coming from the apartment on the left, the officers approach that apartment. The officers banged on the door of the apartment and announced themselves. They could hear people moving inside, and it sounded like things were being moved around inside the apartment. Based on what they heard, officers assumed that drug related evidence was in the process of being destroyed. The officers then announced that they were about to enter the apartment. One of the policemen kicked the door in, and the other officers entered the apartment. Officers located three individuals inside the apartment: Hollis ... ... further held that this conduct was entirely consistent with the Fourth Amendment, and it was evident that there was no other evidence that might show that the officers either violated the Fourth Amendment or threatened to do so. The Court concluded that Officer Cobb’s statements were made after the exigency arose, therefore it cannot have created the exigency. Conclusion: The Court concluded its holding by finding that the â€Å"exigent circumstances rule† applies in certain cases where the police officer or officers do not â€Å"create the exigency,† but rather, by engaging in or threatening to engage in conduct that violates the Fourth Amendment. The Court further reasoned that because the officers in this case did not violate or threaten to violate the suspects’ Fourth Amendment rights prior to the exigency, the exigency justified the warrantless search of the apartment.

Brian Friels Translations Essay -- Friel Translations Essays

Brian Friel's "Translations" 'Translations', by Brian Friel, presents us with an idyllic rural community turned on its head as the result of the recording and translation of place names into English; an action which is at first sight purely administrative. In Act 1 of the play, Friel brings together the inhabitants of this quaint Irish village in what can only be described as a gathering of minds - minds which study the classics, yet minds which study dead languages. In the same way, while this community is rich in culture and togetherness, it is also trapped in what is later described as a "contour which no longer matches the landscape ofà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦fact". Thus, in expressing his ambivalence, Friel presents the reader with a question - is Baile Beag an intellectual Irish Arcadia? There is no denying that Baile Beag is an intellectual community. At the beginning of the play, Jimmy Jack Cassie, one of the central characters, is in the process of reading Joyce's 'Ulysses'. He is capable of reading the text fluently and understands it, despite it being in another language (although he later reveals that, while he is fluent in Latin and Greek, he knows only one word of English). He even relates his own life to that of characters in the book, posing the question, "if you had the picking between them [Athene, Artemis & Helen of Troy], which would you take?". Furthermore, he even goes so far as to associate the smoke described within the pages of the text to the turf smoke which he believes has turned his hair flaxen. Hugh, the teacher in charge of the running of the hedge-school, is also an intellectual. While one could argue that he displays pomposity (his long, drawn out sentences result in him never rememberi... ...g is not what one would describe as a predominantly intellectual community. Furthermore, while Baile Beag is a place rich in community and in culture, a sense of threat and danger undercuts this. For, you see, Friel presents us with a society that teeters on a knife-edge; a people that live in constant fear of rural collapse and the horrendous poverty which would inevitably follow. Exacerbating the relentless grip which this fear has on people's lives is the prospect of the collapse of the Irish language at the hands of the national school, and the potential cultural and linguistic erosion as the result of the remapping of Ireland by imperial forces (although it is unlikely that the people of Baile Beag were aware of this erosion until it occurred). Therefore, while Baile Beag may be a relatively intellectual community, it is in no way an idyllic Arcadia.

Horse Jumping

Horse jumping Many people may say that it’s a dangerous sport and that you have to be crazy for doing it but, after they try it once they won’t leave it. Risking your life is worth it when you find passion on and over the horse, finding lots of new, rich and encouraging experiences that will make you grow as a person and as a rider; as, when you jump, you need to be focused, you even forget about problems you may have, it helps you not being a rancorous person. When you jump once you want to jump twice, the sensation is amazing, and after a while it becomes addictive; that’s something I’ve learned from this wonderful activity. Horse jumping doesn’t have an exact date of beginning, but we can say that after the second half of the XVIII century this sport was practiced during the hunting activity. Since then the horse’s breeds have been taken care of, within the proper horse training; all of this to get a better speed and physic ability for jumping and getting the actual bases for modern horse jumping; nowadays there are two types of horse jumping contests, one that is based on jumping a single obstacle starting in 1. 0 meters high, and the other one that is based on jumping several obstacles (mostly ten) starting in 0. 70 meters, over to 1. 70 meters. You can learn how to recover from a fall (physically and metaphorically), even though it’s pretty hard; because for being successful in any activity you need to learn how to step up and continue with the same courage you started, I can say that with horse jumping I have proved to myself that the phrase â€Å"what doesn’t kill you m akes you stronger† is absolutely right, after falling down you need to go over the same obstacle with more concentration and strength. That’s how many world champions have gotten were they got, as Rodrigo Pessoa from Brazil, who was claimed champion in 1998 with his horse Gandini Lianos, or as Jos Lansink, who was claimed champion in 2006 with his horse Cavalor; they are a couple of the latest world champions in a contest that is done every 4 years and is organized by the FEI (International Equestrian Federation). The contests are ualified based on penalties, which you get when your horse refuse to an obstacle, when you confuse the sequence, when you fall down, or when you jump over the obstacle but one of the wood sticks falls down; each of this penalties is worth 4 points, when you get 12 points in penalties you are disqualified from the contest; if there is a tie (which normally happens), the time that each of the riders lasted is taken care of and the one with shortest time wins. Horse jumping shows you how to get rid of any kind of heart feelings, I have learned that after been betrayed by anyone you need to forgive them and try it again, been more careful, but trusting on them after all, when your horse refuses to jump you need to try it again been more focused and having all the control on your hands. That’s how Alberto Larraguibel broke the horse jumping record in Vina del Mar with his horse Huaso jumping an obstacle of 2. 47 meters high; there had been higher records, but none of them have been in an official competition; the FEI has established that the next world’s record should be over the 2. 49 meters high. I used to do horse jumping about half a year ago, I used to do it for a long time, and this activity has proved me that I’m able to do things that I wouldn’t have imagined I could; it has helped me to get rid of some fears that I had, and basically to risk myself for discovering lots of new things and sensations that the world can offer me. For doing horse jumping you need to have the horse riding pants, a security helmet, a short whip, horseback riding boots, riding gloves, and for preparing the horse you will need a bridal halter, the horse seat equipment and the horse seat, as an external equipment you will need the obstacle. The sensation of being on the air over such a big animal, after a while becomes addictive; when you jump all the adrenaline or fear from the preparing is vanished, and after doing it for the first time not only the preparation fear is gone and the post jumping satisfaction is amazing, you feel capable of doing more, and within that, lots of your life fears are gone; in my experience before doing this I was scared from horses, but I ended up loving them, loving the sensation, and been more open minded in oing other kind of riskful activities that can offer you invaluable sensations; I think horses are beautiful animals, and besides their enchantment I am completely amazed about the fact of controlling such a big animal to even make them jump. I’ve learned to love nature and all the wonderful things you can find on it, this is the principal reason why this is my passion. Bibliography: en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Show_jumping www. horsesport. org/ www. ecuadorecuestre. com/†¦ /F EI_WORLD_CHALLENGE_DE_ADIESTRAMIENTO_2010

Last Sacrifice Chapter Seventeen

THE INTERROGATION DIDN'T go so well. Oh, sure, we made plenty of threats and used the stakes as torture devices, but not much came of it. Dimitri was still scary when dealing with Sonya, but after his breakdown with Donovan, he was careful not to fall into that berserk rage again. This was healthier for him in the long run but not so good for scaring up answers out of Sonya. It didn't help matters that we didn't exactly have a concrete question to ask her. We mostly had a series to throw at her. Did she know about another Dragomir? Was she related to the mother? Where were the mother and child? Things also went bad when Sonya realized we needed her too much to kill her, no matter how much silver stake torture we did. We'd been at it for over an hour and were getting exhausted. At least, I was. I leaned against a wall near Sonya, and though I had my stake out and ready, I was relying on the wall a bit more than I liked to admit to keep me upright. None of us had spoken in a while. Even Sonya had given up on her snarling threats. She simply waited and stayed watchful, undoubtedly planning for escape, probably figuring we'd tire before she did. That silence was scarier than all the threats in the world. I was used to Strigoi using words to intimidate me. I'd never expected the power simply being quiet and staring menacingly could have. â€Å"What happened to your head, Rose?' asked Dimitri, suddenly catching a glimpse of it. I'd been tuning out a little and realized he was talking to me. â€Å"Huh?' I brushed aside hair that had been obscuring part of my forehead. My fingers came away sticky with blood, triggering vague memories of crashing into the table. I shrugged, ignoring the dizziness I'd been feeling. â€Å"I'm fine.' Dimitri gave Sydney the quickest of glances. â€Å"Go lay her down and clean it up. Don't let her sleep until we can figure out if it's a concussion.' â€Å"No, I can't,' I argued. â€Å"I can't leave you alone with her †¦' â€Å"I'm fine,' he said. â€Å"Rest up so that you can help me later. You're no good to me if you're just going to fall over.' I still protested, but when Sydney gently took my arm, my stumbling gave me away. She led me to the house's one bedroom, much to my dismay. There was something creepy about knowing I was in a Strigoi's bed–even if it was covered with a blue-and- white floral quilt. â€Å"Man,' I said, lying back against the pillow once Sydney had cleaned my forehead. Despite my earlier denial, it felt great to rest. â€Å"I can't get used to the weirdness of a Strigoi living in a place so †¦ normal. How are you holding up?' â€Å"Better than you guys,' said Sydney. She wrapped her arms around herself and eyed the room uncomfortably. â€Å"Being around Strigoi is starting to make you guys seem not so bad.' â€Å"Well, at least some good's come out of this,' I remarked. Despite her joke, I knew she had to be terrified. I started to close my eyes and was jolted awake when Sydney poked my arm. â€Å"No sleep,' she chastised. â€Å"Stay up and talk to me.' â€Å"It's not a concussion,' I muttered. â€Å"But I suppose we can go over plans to get Sonya to talk.' Sydney sat at the foot of the bed and grimaced. â€Å"No offense? But I don't think she's going to crack.' â€Å"She will once she's gone a few days without blood.' Sydney blanched. â€Å"A few days?' â€Å"Well, whatever it takes to–‘ A spike of emotion flitted through the bond, and I froze. Sydney jumped up, her eyes darting around as though a group of Strigoi might have burst into the room. â€Å"What's wrong?' she exclaimed. â€Å"I have to go to Lissa.' â€Å"You're not supposed to sleep–‘ â€Å"It's not sleeping,' I said bluntly. And with that, I jumped away from Sonya's bedroom and into Lissa's perspective. She was riding in a van with five other people whom I immediately recognized as other royal nominees. It was an eight-person van and also included a guardian driver with another in the passenger seat who was looking back at Lissa and her companions. â€Å"Each of you will be dropped off in a separate location on the outskirts of a forest and given a map and compass. The ultimate goal is for you to reach the destination on the map and wait out the daylight until we come for you.' Lissa and the other nominees exchanged glances and then, almost as one, peered out the van's windows. It was almost noon, and the sunlight was pouring down. â€Å"Waiting out the daylight' was not going to be pleasant but didn't sound impossible. Idly, she scratched at a small bandage on her arm and quickly stopped herself. I read from her thoughts what it was: a tiny, barely noticeable dot tattooed into her skin. It was actually similar to Sydney's: blood and earth, mixed with compulsion. Compulsion might be taboo among Moroi, but this was a special situation. The spell in the tattoo prevented the candidates from revealing the monarch tests to others not involved with the process. This was the first test. â€Å"What kind of terrain are you sending us to?' demanded Marcus Lazar. â€Å"We're not all in the same physical shape. It's not fair when some of us have an advantage.' His eyes were on Lissa as he spoke. â€Å"There is a lot of walking,' said the guardian, face serious. â€Å"But it's nothing that any candidate–of any age–shouldn't be able to handle. And, to be honest, part of the requirements for a king or queen is a certain amount of stamina. Age brings wisdom, but a monarch needs to be healthy. Not an athlete by any means,' added the guardian quickly, seeing Marcus start to open his mouth. â€Å"But it's no good for the Moroi to have a sickly monarch elected who dies within a year. Harsh, but true. And you also need to be able to endure uncomfortable situations. If you can't handle a day in the sun, you can't handle a Council meeting.' I think he intended that as a joke, but it was hard to tell since he didn't smile. â€Å"It's not a race, though. Take your time getting to the end if you need it. Marked along the map are spots where certain items are hidden–items that'll make this more bearable, if you can decipher the clues.' â€Å"Can we use our magic?' asked Ariana Szelsky. She wasn't young either, but she looked tough and ready to accept a challenge of endurance. â€Å"Yes, you can,' said the guardian solemnly. â€Å"Are we in danger out there?' asked another candidate, Ronald Ozera. â€Å"Aside from the sun?' â€Å"That,' said the guardian mysteriously, â€Å"is something you'll need to learn for yourselves. But, if at any time you want out †¦' He produced a bag of cell phones and distributed them. Maps and compasses followed. â€Å"Call the programmed number, and we'll come for you.' Nobody had to ask about the hidden message behind that. Calling the number would get you out of the long day of endurance. It would also mean you'd failed the test and were out of the running for the throne. Lissa glanced at her phone, half-surprised there was even a signal. They'd left Court about an hour ago and were well into the countryside. A line of trees made Lissa think they were nearing their destination. So. A test of physical endurance. It wasn't quite what she'd expected. The trials a monarch went through had long been shrouded in mystery, gaining an almost mystical reputation. This one was pretty practical, and Lissa could understand the reasoning, even if Marcus didn't. It truly wasn't an athletic competition, and the guardian had a point in saying that the future monarch should possess a certain level of fitness. Glancing at the back of her map, which listed the clues, Lissa realized this would also test their reasoning skills. All very basic stuff–but essential to ruling a nation. The van dropped them off one by one at different starting points. With each departing candidate, Lissa's anxiety grew. There's nothing to worry about, she thought. I've just got to sit through a sunny day. She was the next to last person dropped off, with only Ariana remaining behind. Ariana patted Lissa's arm as the van door opened. â€Å"Good luck, dear.' Lissa gave her a quick smile. These tests might all be a ruse on Lissa's part, but Ariana was the real deal, and Lissa prayed the older woman could get through this successfully. Left alone as the van drove away, unease spread through Lissa. The simple endurance test suddenly seemed much more daunting and difficult. She was on her own, something that didn't happen very often. I'd been there for most of her life, and even when I'd left, she'd had friends around her. But now? It was just her, the map, and the cell phone. And the cell phone was her enemy. She walked to the edge of the forest and studied her map. A drawing of a large oak tree marked the beginning, with directions to go northwest. Scanning the trees, Lissa saw three maples, a fir, and–an oak. Heading toward it, she couldn't help a smile. If anyone else had botanical landmarks and didn't know their plants and trees, they could lose candidacy right there. The compass was a classic one. No digital GPS convenience here. Lissa had never used a compass like this, and the protective part of me wished I could jump in and help. I should have known better, though. Lissa was smart and easily figured it out. Heading northwest, she stepped into the woods. While there was no clear path, the forest's floor wasn't too covered with overgrowth or obstacles. The nice part about being in the forest was that the trees blocked out some of the sun. It still wasn't an ideal Moroi condition, but it beat being dropped in a desert. Birds sang, and the scenery was lush and green. Keeping an eye out for the next landmark, Lissa tried to relax and pretend she was simply on a pleasant hike. Yet †¦ it was difficult to do that with so much on her mind. Abe and our other friends were now in charge of working and asking questions about the murder. All of them were asleep right now–it was the middle of the Moroi night–but Lissa didn't know when she'd return and couldn't help resenting this test for taking up her time. No, wasting her time. She'd finally accepted the logic behind her friends' nomination–but she still didn't like it. She wanted to actively help them. Her churning thoughts almost led her right past her next landmark: a tree that had fallen ages ago. Moss covered it, and much of the wood was rotten. A star on the map marked it as a place with a clue. She flipped over the map and read: I grow and I shrink. I run and I crawl. Follow my voice, though I have none at all. I never do leave here, but I travel around– I float through the sky and I creep through the ground. I keep my cache in a vault although I have no wealth, Seek out my decay to safeguard your health. Um. My mind went blank right about then, but Lissa's spun. She read it over and over again, examining the individual words and how each line played off the other. I never do leave here. That was the starting point, she decided. Something permanent. She looked around, considered the trees, then dismissed them. They could always be cut and removed. Careful not to stray too far from the fallen tree, she circled the area searching for more. Everything was theoretically transient. What stayed? Follow my voice. She came to a halt and closed her eyes, absorbing the sounds around her. Mostly birds. The occasional rustle of leaves. And– She opened her eyes and walked briskly to her right. The sound she'd heard grew louder, bubbling and trickling. There. A small creek ran through the woods, hardly noticeable. Indeed, it seemed too tiny for the streambed carved out around it. â€Å"But I bet you grow when it rains,' she murmured, uncaring that she was speaking to a stream. She looked back down at the clue, and I felt her clever mind rapidly piece it all together. The stream was permanent–but traveled. It changed size. It had a voice. It ran in deep parts, crawled when there were obstacles. And when it evaporated, it floated in the air. She frowned, still puzzling the riddle aloud. â€Å"But you don't decay.' Lissa studied the area once more, uneasily thinking decay could apply to any plant life. Her gaze moved past a large maple tree and then jerked back. At its base grew a clump of brown and white mushrooms, several wilting and turning black. She hurried over and knelt down, and that was when she saw it: a small hole dug into the earth nearby. Leaning closer, she saw a flash of color: a purple drawstring bag. Triumphantly, Lissa pulled it out and stood up. The bag was made of canvas and had long strings that would allow it to hang over her shoulder as she walked. She opened the bag and peered inside. There, tucked inside the fluffy and fuzzy lining, was the best thing of all: a bottle of water. Until now, Lissa hadn't realized how hot and dehydrated she'd grown–or how wearying the sun was. The candidates had been told to wear sturdy shoes and practical clothing but hadn't been allowed any other supplies. Finding this bottle was priceless. Sitting on the log, she took a break, careful to conserve her water. While the map indicated a few more clues and â€Å"rewards,' she knew she couldn't necessarily count on any more helpful bags. So, after several minutes' rest, she put away the water and slung the little tote over her shoulder. The map directed her due west, so that was the way she went. The heat beat on her as she continued her walk, forcing her to take a few more (conservative) water breaks. She kept reminding herself it wasn't a race and that she should take it easy. After a few more clues, she discovered the map wasn't quite to scale, so it wasn't always obvious how long each leg of the hike was. Nonetheless, she was delighted to successfully solve each clue, though the rewards became more and more baffling. One of them was a bunch of sticks sitting on a rock, something she would have sworn was a mistake, but someone civilized had clearly tied the bundle together. She added that into her bag, along with a neatly folded green plastic tarp. By now, sweat was pouring off her, and rolling up the sleeves of her button-down cotton shirt did little to help. She took more frequent breaks. Sunburn became a serious concern, so it was a huge relief when her next clue led to a bottle of sunscreen. After a couple hours of battling the intense summer heat, Lissa became so hot and tired that she no longer had the mental energy to be annoyed about missing out on whatever was happening at Court. All that mattered was getting to the end of this test. The map showed two more clues, which she took as a promising sign. She would reach the end soon and then could simply wait for someone to get her. A flash of realization hit her. The tarp. The tarp was a sun block, she decided. She could use it at the end. This cheered her up, as did the next prize: more water and a floppy, wide-brimmed hat that helped keep the sunlight from her face. Unfortunately, after that, what appeared to be a short leg of the trip turned out to be twice as long as she expected. By the time she finally reached the next clue, she was more interested in taking a water break than digging out whatever else the guardians had left her. My heart went out to her. I wished so, so badly that I could help. That was my job, to protect her. She shouldn't be alone. Or should she? Was that also part of the test? In a world where royals were almost always surrounded by guardians, this solitude had to be a total shock. Moroi were hardy and had excellent senses, but they weren't built for extreme heat and challenging terrain. I could have probably jogged the course easily. Admittedly, I wasn't sure I would have had Lissa's deductive skills in figuring out the clues. Lissa's last reward was flint and steel, not that she had any idea what they were. I recognized them instantly as the tools of a fire-making kit but couldn't for the world figure out why she'd need to build a fire on a day like this. With a shrug, she added the items to her bag and kept going. And that's when things started to get cold. Really cold. She didn't entirely process it at first, mainly because the sun was still shining so brilliantly. Her brain said what she felt was impossible, but her goose bumps and chattering teeth said otherwise. She rolled her sleeves back down and quickened her pace, wishing that the sudden cold had at least come with cloud cover. Walking faster and exerting herself more helped heat her body. Until it began to rain. It started off as a mist, then changed to drizzle, and finally turned into a steady curtain of water. Her hair and clothing became soaked, making the cold temperature that much worse. Yet †¦ the sun still shone, its light an annoyance to her sensitive skin but offering no warmth in compensation. Magic, she realized. This weather is magical. It was part of the test. Somehow, Moroi air and water magic users had united to defy the hot, sunny weather. That was why she had a tarp–to block the sun and the rain. She considered getting it out now and wearing it like a cloak but quickly decided to wait until she reached the endpoint. She had no idea how far away that really was, though. Twenty feet? Twenty miles? The chill of the rain crept over her, seeping under her skin. It was miserable. The cell phone in the bag was her ticket out. It was barely late afternoon. She had a long time to wait before this test ended. All she had to do was make one call †¦ one call, and she'd be out of this mess and back to working on what she should be at Court. No. A kernel of determination flared up within her. This challenge was no longer about the Moroi throne or Tatiana's murder. It was a test she would take on for herself. She'd led a soft and sheltered life, letting others protect her. She would endure this on her own–and she would pass. This determination took her to the map's end, a clearing ringed in trees. Two of the trees were small and close enough together that Lissa thought she might be able to drape the tarp into some sort of reasonable shelter. With cold, fumbling fingers, she managed to get it out of the bag and unfold it to its full size–which was fortunately much larger than she'd suspected. Her mood began to lift as she worked with the tarp and figured out how to create a small canopy. She crawled inside once it was complete, glad to be out of the falling rain. But that didn't change the fact that she was wet. Or that the ground was also wet– and muddy. The tarp also didn't protect her against the cold. She felt a flash of bitterness, recalling the guardians saying magic was allowed in this test. She hadn't thought magic would be useful at the time, but now, she could certainly see the perks of being a water user to control the rain and keep it off her. Or, better yet: being a fire user. She wished Christian was with her. She would have welcomed the warmth of both his magic and his embrace. For this kind of situation, spirit seriously sucked–unless, perhaps, she got hypothermia and needed to try to heal herself (which never worked as well as it did on other people). No, she decided. There could be no question: water and fire users had the advantage in this test. That's when it hit her. Fire! Lissa straightened up from where she'd been huddled. She hadn't recognized the iron and flint for what they were, but now, vague recollections of fire-making were coming back to her. She'd never been taught those skills directly but was pretty sure striking the stones together would make a spark–if she only had dry wood. Everything out there was soaked†¦ . Except for the bundle of sticks in her bag. Laughing out loud, she untied the sticks and set them in a place shielded from the rain. After arranging them in what seemed like a campfire-friendly pattern, she tried to figure out what to do with the steel and flint. In movies, she thought she'd seen people just hit them to make sparks fly. So, that's what she did. Nothing happened. She tried three more times, and her earlier excitement gave way to spirit-darkened frustration. I pulled some of that from her, needing her to stay focused. On the fourth try, a spark flew off and faded away–but it was what she needed to understand the principle. Before long she could easily make sparks, but they did nothing when they landed on the wood. Up and down: her mood was a rollercoaster of hope and disappointment. Don't give up, I wanted to say as I drew off more negativity. Don't give up. I also wanted to give her a lesson on kindling, but that was pushing my limits. Watching her, I was beginning to realize how much I underestimated Lissa's intelligence. I knew she was brilliant, but I always imagined her being helpless in these situations. She wasn't. She could reason things out. That tiny spark couldn't penetrate the wood of the sticks. She needed a bigger flame. She needed something the sparks could ignite. But what? Surely nothing in this waterlogged forest. Her eyes fell on the map poking out of her bag. She hesitated only a moment before ripping and shredding the paper into a pile on top of the twigs. Supposedly, she'd reached the end of the hike and didn't need the map. Supposedly. But it was too late now, and Lissa pushed forward with her plan. First, she pulled out some of the bag's fluffy lining, adding the bits of fuzz to the paper. Then she took up the flint and steel again. A spark jumped out and immediately caught a piece of the paper. It flared orange before fading out, leaving a wisp of smoke. She tried again, leaning forward to gently blow on the paper when the spark landed. A tiny flame appeared, caught a neighboring shred, and then faded. Steeling herself up, Lissa tried a final time. â€Å"Come on, come on,' she muttered, as though she might compel a fire into existence. This time, the spark caught and held, turning into a small flame, then a larger flame that soon consumed her kindling. I prayed it would take to the wood, or else she was out of luck. Brighter and larger the flame grew, eating the last of the paper and fuzz †¦ and then spreading along the sticks. Lissa blew softly to keep it going, and before long, the campfire was in full blaze. The fire couldn't change the piercing cold, but as far as she was concerned, she had the warmth of the entire sun in her hands. She smiled, and a sense of pride that she hadn't felt in a while spread within her. Finally able to relax, she glanced out at the rainy forest and caught the faintest flashes of color in the distance. Channeling spirit, she used her magic to intensify her ability to see auras. Sure enough–hidden far, far out among the trees, she could see two auras filled with strong, steady colors. Their owners stood still, staying quiet and covered. Lissa's smile grew. Guardians. Or maybe the air and water users controlling the weather. None of the candidates were alone out here. Ronald Ozera had had no need to worry–but then, he wouldn't know that. Only she did. Maybe spirit wasn't so useless out here after all. The rain began to lighten, and the fire's warmth continued to soothe her. She couldn't read the time from the sky, but somehow, she knew she would have no problem waiting out the day and– â€Å"Rose?' A voice summoned me out of Lissa's wilderness survival. â€Å"Rose, wake up or †¦ whatever.' I blinked, focusing on Sydney's face, which was a few inches from mine. â€Å"What?' I demanded. â€Å"Why are you bothering me?' She flinched and jerked away, momentarily speechless. Pulling away Lissa's darkness while joined with her hadn't affected me at the time, but now, conscious in my own body, I felt anger and irritation flood me. It's not you, it's not Sydney, I told myself. It's spirit. Calm down. I took a deep breath, refusing to let spirit master me. I was stronger than it was. I hoped. As I fought to push those feelings down, I looked around and remembered I was in Sonya Karp's bedroom. All my problems came rushing back. There was a bound Strigoi in the other room, one we were barely keeping constrained and who didn't seem like she would give us answers anytime soon. I looked back at Sydney, who still seemed afraid of me. â€Å"I'm sorry †¦ I didn't mean to snap at you. I was just startled.' She hesitated a few moments and then nodded, accepting my apology. As the fear faded from her face, I could see that something else was bothering her. â€Å"What's wrong?' I asked. As long as we were alive and Sonya was still trapped, things couldn't be that bad, right? Sydney stepped back and crossed her arms. â€Å"Victor Dashkov and his brother are here.'

2012 Budget Proposal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

2012 Budget Proposal - Research Paper Example Such cut-and-invest agenda would create winners and big losers because the President’s budget proposal presumes using the money from some domestic programs to reduce the deficits and increase spending for education, clean energy, infrastructure, innovation and research in order to promote long-term economic growth and global competitiveness of the United States. Definitely, there are certain differences between the Presidents FY 2012 budget proposal and The House of Representatives FY 2012 budget proposal, which will be discussed further in the current paper. President Obama emphasized that the administration needs to construct a new foundation for long-term economic growth with pillars necessary to win in the world economy. Such pillars include an educated and skilled workforce, cutting-edge research into the innovations to power the industries of tomorrow, a modern infrastructure to support a growing, high-tech economy, and the jobs to support a growing middle class. As a re sult, Americans now face a monumental choice about the future of their country. The Republican response toward the President’s call for economic changes came in April, when Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin announced 2012 budget of his party. The main three purposes of The House of Representatives FY 2012 budget proposal is to (a) lift the crushing burden of debt; (b) guarantee health and retirement security for all Americans, especially seniors; and (c) strengthen the base of economic growth and creation of the jobs (Becker, 2011). Paul Ryan informed that the plan would reduce the deficit by $5.8 trillion over the next decade. It can be accomplished due to deep cuts in discretionary spending programs and turning Medicare into a "defined benefit, under which seniors would get vouchers to purchase private insurance. Medicaid would get smaller as the federal contribution to state

Florida Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Florida - Research Paper Example The hottest temperature (43 C) occurred on June 29, 1931 in Monticello1, while the coldest occurred on February 13, 1899 25 miles away in Tallahassee1. Average temperatures for late July is between 32-35 C, whereas average temperatures for late January is between (4-7C) in northern Florida to averagely 13C in southern Florida1. In 2007, Florida's population was 18,251,2434. The population increases by 321, 647 or 1.8% from 2005. Florida is expanding by an average of 26,803 every month, 6700 every week and 975 on a daily basis5. Additionally, Florida is the third-fastest-growing state5. However, in 2000 the Germans possesses 11.8% of Florida's population, the Irish 10.3%, the English 9.2%, the Americans 8%, the Italian 6.3%, the French 2.8%, the Polish 2.7% and the Scottish 1.8%6. In 2000 76.91% of the residents age 5 and older only spoke English at home as their primary language; whereas 16.46% spoke Spanish and French-based creole languages was communicated between 1.38% of the population7. Moreover, French was spoken by 0.83%, G3erman by 0.59% and Italian at 0.44% of all residents7. The public education system of Florida researched that over 200 first languages other than English is spoken in the homes of students. Religion The main religion is Christian (81% of the population), followed by Jewish (4%) and 1% believe in other religions while 14% are non-religious1. Economy The GDP of Florida reached $713.5 billion in 2006, making it the fourth largest economy in the United States8. Personal income arrived at $36,665, thus ranking the 20th9. This is largely created by high tourism levels. Warm weather and many beaches draw about 60 million tourists every year1. The second largest industry is created by agriculture; especially due to producing citrus fruit. In fact it produces 67% of all citrus in the US in 200610. The third largest industry is formed by phosphate mining. It produces 75% of phosphate required by farmers in United States and 25% of the world supply11. Opa-locka Opa-locka is a 4.5 square miles12 city resided in Miami-Dade County, Florida. 4.3 square miles of it is land while 0.1 square miles is water12. Moreover, the population in 2000 reached 14,951 and has increased to 15, 327 in 200413. The city was developed by Glenn Curtis and the name "Opa-locka" is a contraction of "Opa-tisha-woka-locka", which means "The high land north of the little river on which there is a camping place"14. Demographics In 2000 there were 14,951 people, 4890 households and 3,437 families living in the city15. The city contains of 22.83% White (3.1% Non-Hispanic Whites), 69.64% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.6% other races and 3.35% from two or more races16. Out of the 4890 households, 41.2% of them had children under the age of 18 residing with them, 28.4% were married couples living together, 35.2% were female householder with no husband and 29.7% had no families1. Regularly, the household size was 2.97, whereas the average family size was 3.521. The total population is constructed of 34.6% under the age of 18, 12.3% from the age of 18 until 24, 26.8% from the age of 25 until 44, 17,7% were between 45 and 64 years of age

Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Review - Essay Example The organizational model provided by Miner also provides for evolution by providing for these three aspects of structural change in processes. Formalized job systems that are coordinated by management form the basis for replication of job activities. Variation in these processes is provided for through idiosyncratic jobs created specifically around particular people. The mechanisms in place for elimination of some processes over time is achieved in the model through managerial actions such as layoffs, budget changes and reorganization, so that some jobs are selectively retained while others which are not beneficial for further evolution of the organization are eliminated. This study is important because it demonstrates how strategic planning or organizational change and evolution requires the establishment of clear and stable goals. As a result, to some extent formalization of internal organizational processes is necessary, and this does not necessarily deter the process of evolutionary change. Since some processes within the organization are created through the process of innovation in responses to they changes in the environment, these processes must be formalized in order to ensure that useful activities are identified and preserved, so that they continue to contribute to organizational efficiency. The model proposed by the author has provided concrete mechanisms to deal with the issue of selective job retention, through the establishment of definite boundaries and providing for adaptation, while also clarifying that such adaptations are not necessarily guaranteed, because they will depend upon the environment and the feasibility of carrying them out†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦345 words 2. The article by R.M. Cantor (2003) deals with the changes in organizational pathology that occur when a distressed organization is turned around from failure and set on the