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Environmentally Sensitive Habitant Calls for Innovative Thinking Assignment

Naturally Sensitive Habitant Calls for Innovative Thinking - Assignment Example In the previous years, disintegration has undermined the solidness of the stream wanders that came about in â€Å"numerous slip disappointments in the waterway banks and of the flood resistance embarkments.† The precarious stream banks presently have dangers to the occupants of the region just as to those vessels and artworks exploring through the waterway. Undertaking the riverbank adjustment venture for Darford Creek is Team Van Oord4 under task Manager EC Harris. Group Van Oord will work intimately with ARUP5, the originator of the undertaking. The undertaking of the organization is to â€Å"maintain the trustworthiness of the flood protection dikes along two areas of the west bank†6 and simultaneously accommodate ecological measures and upgrades to item the delicate living space of the Creek territory. As a type of natural surroundings improvement, Team Van Oord makes a built salt bog living space. The all out financial plan for the task adds up to  £ 3.6 million. The development venture is useful for 60 weeks. The development is under the management of the Environment Agency. To balance out the flood banks, the temporary workers need to introduce a mix of steel sheet heaping and timber brushwood faggots. As indicated by the structure of the undertaking, the brushwood faggots will be put before the heaping and bolstered by brushwood stakes. The general thought of this structure is that the flow of the stream will realize sediment which could be caught and caught in the middle of the brushwood. The caught sediment will in the long run gather in a specific way and cover the brushwood faggots. When the brushwood faggots are totally covered under the residue and silt, it will turn out to be a piece of the flood bank framework and simultaneously make another salt bog living space. The venture is regarded as a drawn out answer for the stream bank disintegration issue just as help in the rebuilding and insurance of the jeopardized territory.

Taxonomic Classification

Taxonomic Classification Taxonomic Classification Home›Science Posts›Taxonomic Classification Science PostsMicrobiology1. Microorganisms are the subject of the microbiological study that were first discovered by Antony van Leeuwenhoek (Totora, Funke, Case, 2012). They are the microscopic organisms classified into single- or many-celled ones according to their structure. Among the most widely spread examples, one can find archaea, bacteria, and protozoa. Although there is a great amount of examples of the microorganisms’ negative influence on human life, some other situations can show how they can bring benefits to the economy being used in production of yoghurt from Lactobacillus acidophilus, sauerkraut through cabbage fermentation and many other products. Rhizobium spp is used in agriculture for its abilities to transform atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, thus improving the growth of plants. Some other microorganisms are used to produce antibiotics or other medicines.2. Taxonomy is “the science of classification of the living forms” (Totora et al., 2012). It is aimed at establishing the relations between groups and differentiating between them. Its history dated back to the Ancient Greece. The earliest history of the Western scientific taxonomy is associated with Aristotle, who has classified animals into with and without red blood ones (similarly to the distinction between vertebrates and invertebrates). Afterwards, vertebrates (with blood) were divided into live- and egg-bearing; and the invertebrates (without blood) comprised insects, crustacean, and mollusks. Since those times, the science was influenced by a number of scholars. Carl Linnaeus is considered to be the founder of the modern taxonomy.3. Five kingdoms of living things comprise Protista (that can be divided into Eubacteria and Archeobacteria), Fungi, Plantae, Animalia, and Monera. Protista mostly covers the single-celled eukaryotes and is presented by protozoa, protophyta, slime and water molds, etc. Fungi is presented by yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. Plantae comprises all green and flowering plants. Animalia is represented by all developed animals including vertebrates, mollusks, arthropods, annelids, sponges, and jellyfishes. Monera is the kingdom of unicellular prokaryotic organisms. 4. The scientific name for an organism based on Binomial Naming System is constructed using two terms. The first one denotes genus and the second one refers to species. For instance, in Homo sapiens, Homo erectus or Canis familiaris, the first words present genus and the second ones â€" species. Therefore, genus and species can be defined as the taxonomic ranks in the binominal scientific nomenclature that come one after another.Taxonomic ClassificationCnidaria and Porifera are the phyla in which the organisms lack organs. An example of Phylum Cnidaria is Jellyfish, which is radially symmetrical. Examples of organisms in Phylum Porifera include sponges and they lack symmetry on all axes (Luda ¨scher, 200 5).Phyla that show cephalisation include: Platyhelminthes and Echinodermata.Not all of them that have three germ layers. Organisms under Phylum Cnidaria have two germ layers, and organisms under Phylum Porifera do not have germ layers (Luda ¨scher, 2005).The Phylum Arthropoda has more species as compared to other Phyla. The species under Phylum Arthropoda include insects, crustaceans, and arachnids. For instance, the grasshopper, spider, beetles, butterfly, shrimps, and crabs (Luda ¨scher, 2005).There are two types of fish. They include the Cartilaginous or Chondrichthyes fishes and the bony or Osteichthyes fish. Cartilaginous or Chondrichthyes fishes, which are jawed and with paired nares, fins, two-chambered hearts, have scales, and the skeletons, are made of cartilage instead of bone. But they have bony teeth and do not have gill covers. Examples of fish under this group include sharks, skates, and rays. Another group is the bony fish also known as Osteichthyes. This group of fis h is the most common. The bony fish have bony skeleton and gill covers (Hairston, 1994).The monotremes, which are the egg-laying mammals, for instance the platypus. The Marsupials, which are the non-placental mammals, for instance the kangaroos. The marsupials have a pouch in which the young ones develop. The most advanced type of mammals is the placental mammals, for instance, the human beings. The young ones of the placental animals develop inside the placenta to a comparatively advanced stage (Gittleman, 2008).

The Constitution Set The Ground Work For The Federal...

The Constitution set the ground work for the federal government and the three branches government it is divided into. The philosophy behind the Constitution was create a government that was not too weak and not too strong but had equal power. The legislative, executive and judicial branches all serve a different purpose but play a very important role in the US government. The Judicial branch is the most important branch of government as it has the power to overrule unconstitutional laws and evaluate the laws put into place by Congress. My thesis is that the Judicial branch of government is the most powerful because it directly correlates to the framing of the Constitution. The principles of the Constitution are based on sharing of†¦show more content†¦Thus, making the Judicial branch the most powerful. The enumerated powers are specific powers in Article one section eight of the US Constitution that provides an outline of the limitations of the Congress and Federal government. The powers stated in the Constitution for Congress include; the power to lay and collect taxes, borrow money on the credit of the US, regulate commerce with foreign nations etc.(pp.186). This issuance of delegated powers was established to limit the federal governments control of the people. The necessary and proper clause/ elastic clause was supplementary to guarantee that the government had the approval to deal with any important matters in implementing the other enumerated powers as they came about (pp.186). The founders of the Constitution were aware that it would be a daunting task to mention every power that the government would need as America advanced. This in turn brought about the Necessary and Proper clause at the end of the enumerated powers list (pp.186). The elastic clause essentially give s the government the opportunity to expand further than its outlined authority. Implied powers is the ability of Congress to pass the laws to implement the enumerated powers specific to the federal government (pp.81). Although these implied powers are not addressed in the Constitution they are presumed to be in place if deemed necessary. The main difference between the enumerated powers andShow MoreRelatedThe Constitution Of The United States993 Words   |  4 PagesFederalist 2 The Constitution of the United States has been criticized on, primarily, three grounds. Firstly, the Constitution’s dealing with the rights of the people, or the lack thereof. Secondly, the Constitution’s unwillingness to mention the slaves within the several states. Finally, many point to the notion that the Constitution allows for a massive, corruptible government wherein an elite group of officials, or the majority of the people, can become tyrannical and work against the libertiesRead MoreThe Effects Of Environmental Regulations On The Environment Essay1591 Words   |  7 Pagespopulation from an event of mass extinction is the federal, state, and other international governments. Climate change is a current, and very real threat, in fact, it is even considered a national security threat to Pentagon officials. Global temperatures, sea levels, and CO2 levels are all rising at an exponential rate. If action isn t taken by such levels of government, planet earth is de stined for doom. The question, however, is if the government should be responsible for regulating the environmentRead MoreWhat is Federalism and How Does It Relate to State Governments and Other Forms of Governance?851 Words   |  4 Pagesgeneral force is controlled by a robust central government (Bardes, Shelley II, Schmidt, 2011). The con-chose model embodies an assembly of free states with extensive powers united with an obliged controlled central government much like the European Union or the Articles of Confederation America (Bardes, Shelley II, Schmidt, 2011). the Federal schema model is described as a course of action of government in which both commonplace and national governments offer energy and commitments (Bardes, ShelleyRead MoreThe Rule Of Law And Its Effect On Society1684 Words   |  7 PagesThere is no single agreed definition of the rule of law, however, there is a core definition that has near universal acceptance. The rule of law at its most basic level is the concept that both the government and citizens know the law and obey it. The rule of law however encompasses more than this, where its relevance and understanding its concepts can be seen in its effects on society. The importance to society and a country that adheres to it and can ensure that all are accountable to the lawRead MoreAlexander Hamilton And John Marshall1367 Words   |  6 PagesAs a newborn nation, America had many tasks ahead of it, such as structuring a well functioning government, economy, and court system. Two men who had an extreme influence over these things were Alexander Hamilton and John Marshall. Both had brilliant ideas to bring forth and would eventually shape the nation to be a land of economic prosperity and fairness. Hamilton’s financial plan began the emergence of an economically superior country and ended in the creation of political parties that wouldRead MoreThe Creation Of The U.s. Constitution133 0 Words   |  6 Pagescreation of the U.S. Constitution consisted of a series of conflicts and compromises. The competing interests of the central players that created the U.S Constitution had to focus on achievable goals rather than their own political interests. The political process can be conflictual but the process matters. It is essential to implementing decisions in our government, which provides order and our general welfare. Some conflicts that can be seen in the creation of the Constitution are political theoriesRead MoreJudicial Review : The Supreme Court1744 Words   |  7 Pageswould find some difficulty in visualizing a government set up to limit the power of itself, but others would argue that this form of government best work for the people, and not against them. The remedy of the Constitution by the Supreme Court as a living document that is able to be translated differently over time for the good of the people has as many skeptics as it does supporters. But, if we do not allow the Supreme Court to translate the Constitution who then, should the people chose to do suchRead MoreThe Law Principle Of Sovereign Immunity1514 Words   |  7 Pagesfountainhead of justice, could not be sued in his own courts. The doctrine of sovereign immunity over powers the Constitution of United States and gives governmental agencies strong autonomy and the thinking they bars suits. The legal definition of sovereign immunity The Black’s Law Dictionary (2011), the term â€Å"sovereign immunity† should be understood as the immunity of government from being sued in its own courts without its consent (p. 365). The principle of sovereign immunity is deeply rootedRead MoreThe Whiskey and Shay Rebellion Essay1100 Words   |  5 Pagesdisagreement over a sensitive topic. The Shays Rebellion showed the Articles of Confederation was too weak, while the Whiskey Rebellion proved the Constitution to be a strong framework of government. Shays Rebellion was the first uprising of the new nation. The battles were fought in Massachusetts. During the time period of 1786-1787, The United States government decided to raise taxes, in order to raise capital and pay off war debt, which ultimately led to an economic depression.. A great postwar depressionRead MoreThe Revolutionary Era Of The United States1600 Words   |  7 Pageseconomic order of society. The old form of government that the states were used to being governed was overthrown and the new birth of democracy was formed. Nevertheless, no true variance was made clear in the fiscal trend of development, and the tiers of society remained all but untouched following the Revolution. The Federalist party, spearheaded by none other than James Madison, were as a whole in favor of a first ever developed draft of the Constitution for the nation of the United States. One of

Sex And Sex Work The Provision Of Sexual Services For...

To understand sex work it is first essential to define it, the World Health Organisation defines sex work as â€Å"the provision of sexual services for money or goods. Sex workers are women, men and transgendered people who receive money or goods in exchange for sexual services, and who consciously define those activities as income generating even if they do not consider sex work as their occupation.† This notion of sex work suggests that it is a job, sex and sex work are deemed to be commodities under capitalism. When specifically discussing women who participate in sex work it can be said that sex work is a liberating form of sexual expression which is a job superior to others as it offers flexible working hours, autonomy and often a self decided salary. It can be said that a female sex worker breaks the bonds of patriarchy as this line of work enables the worker to gain control over a male patron. When looking at the impact capitalism has had on sex work it is vital to avoi d this idea of celebrating female empowerment until it can be seen for certain rather than a rose tinted and unrealistic view of sex workers. It is widely know that a economic necessity is the cause of women foraying into sex work and the sex industry. A important distinction must be made between the glorified stance on sex work and the oppression faced by sex workers and to understand this it is necessary to understand the relationship between capitalism, sex work, the sex industry and the oppression ofShow MoreRelatedProstitution And Its Effect On Society Essay1630 Words   |  7 Pagesstill legal in some rural counties of Nevada, including areas outside of Las Vegas. Prostitution is the provision of sexual services for a negotiated payment between consenting adults. Prostitution is a service industry like any other in which people exchange services for money or other reward. No person s human or civil rights should be violated on the basis of their trade, occupation, work, calling or profession. Additionally, no law has ever succeeded in stopping prostitution. Legalization wouldRead MoreDomestic Human Sex Trafficking in the United States1300 Words   |  6 PagesDomestic Human Sex Trafficking in the United States Human sex trafficking and its sister category, Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking also referred to as DMST, (Kotrla,K. 2010) is the most common form of modern day slavery. In the United States there are an estimated 293,000 youth who fall under high risk factor or DMST (Walker-Rodriguez, A. Hill, R. 2011). Many men prey on the at risk youth to make a fortune for themselves. DMST exposes the youth to a life filled with violence, abuse that is bothRead MoreEssay about P4 M2 D1 - National Initiatives Unit 21588 Words   |  7 Pages P4 I am going to write about 4 legislations, these are the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Age Discrimination Act 2006. Sex Discrimination Act 1975 is to protect men and women against discrimination or harassment on the grounds of their gender. This can include education, employment, facilities or goods. Discrimination against someone due to their sexual orientation is against the law. If anyone feels that they are beingRead MoreThe introduction of new technological advanced innovations and methods during the Market Revolution1700 Words   |  7 Pagesmeans of production and transportation for the future, creating an easily accessible, interconnected world. As people rejoice over the positive outcomes due to the spread of ideas, goods, and services, many neglect the detrimental results. Due to modern mechanism of transportation and production, ideas, goods and services arent the only things transported across national borders. Human trafficking, the transportation of people across international borders, increased tremendously after the Market RevolutionRead MoreCaribbean Pleasure Industry And Big Pha rma, Women And The Labour Of Love Essay1723 Words   |  7 Pagesimportance of the patterns that we see within these relationships, such as single parenthood, age of marriages, and opinions on non-procreative or non-heteronormative sex, are enhanced through kinships and family ties. Predominantly in the Western world, the assembly of family and kinship is where we acquire some sagacity of our sexual needs and identities; as family and kin patterns continue to change, so will our outlooks and opinions concerning them, as well what we consider to be the norm. WhenRead MoreThe Issue Of Sex Trafficking1275 Words   |  6 Pagessold into unwilling slavery. In 1927, the League of Nations was founded, this organization was formed to focus on world peace and it also focused on human trafficking. In 1932, Japan had set up a system where women all across Asia were forced into sexual slavery. The women were housed in what were known as comfort stations. The conditions in these stations were atrocious, with each woman detained in a small cubicle, and received beatings and other tortures if they were defiant against the torturesRead MoreThe Issue Of Sex Work Essay2586 Words   |  11 PagesSexual favours in return for money, just the thought of this has people cringing, although laws have deemed to move forward with the idea of prostitution it seems although socially there has not been much progress. The idea of prostitution still scares, or one could even go as far to say it disgusts people. The lack of knowledge and awareness of the details o f sex work create this ongoing hate towards sex work, which continues to stigmatize sex workers. Regardless of changing laws, regardless ofRead MoreShould The Canadian Government Be Legalized Prostitution?1868 Words   |  8 Pagesbecause as a government and society they are guilty of punishing those that are involved with prostitution. The laws that are in place (i.e. Bill C-36), show an antiquated view on the ideology/issue of prostitution; which is one that not only prosecutes sex workers but also affects their means of creating a stable income, as well as affecting their personal safety by forcing them to conduct their business in dangerous environments in order to prevent themselves from being charged/arrested. If the CanadianRead MoreWhat Is Identity? Who Defines Such, And How Is It Constructed?1570 Words   |  7 Pagescan refer to one’s self, a personal identity; but at the same time can also be socially constructed. People have unique identities which may be partly determined by family influences and personal development, but also biological influences such as a sex, ethnicity, age and disability. As far back as 1690 John Locke wrote an essay concerning human understanding, he considered that personal identity was founded on consciousness, going on to state that identity was of the mind and not of the body. JohnRead MoreEducation Is Encouraged At Del Vista1418 Words   |  6 Pages Hand outs, a commonly used term to describe welfare. It is popular belief that welfare is money taken from hard working people and given to beggars. In reality, provisions are much more complicated and are actually important to a society. However, some government welfare programs seem to fair better than others. Why is that? The answer is inclusion. Welfare programs like social security and Medicare work in the benefit of all the elderly. Everyone pays for it, yet everyone still gets to take the

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-eight Free Essays

I STOPPED BREATHING. WE’D each had our own blankets, but even in the middle of summer, the temperature had dropped during the night. Dimitri, in his sleep, had rolled over against me, merging our blankets into one pile and resting his head on my chest. We will write a custom essay sample on Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-eight or any similar topic only for you Order Now His body lay against mine, warm and familiar, and he even snuggled a little closer. He was more exhausted than I’d realized if he was doing this in his sleep. After all, this was the guy who slept with one eye open. But his guard was down now, his body unconsciously seeking †¦ what? Simple warmth? Me? Damn it. Why had I asked Sonya my question? Why couldn’t I keep going with my easy role as Adrian’s girlfriend and Dimitri’s friend? Because honestly, I wasn’t doing a very good job at either one right now. Tentatively, fearfully, I shifted slightly so that I could put one arm around Dimitri and draw him closer. I knew it was a risk, one that might wake him and break this spell. But it didn’t. If anything, he seemed to relax more. Feeling him like that †¦ holding him †¦ it churned up a swarm of emotions within me. The ache I had felt since his loss burned within me. At the same time, holding him like this also seemed to fill that ache, as though a piece of me that had been missing was now restored. I hadn’t even realized that piece was missing. I’d blocked it all out until Sonya’s words had shaken my fragile new acceptance of life. I don’t know how long I stayed like that with Dimitri. It was long enough that the rising sun began to illuminate the tent’s translucent fabric. That was all the light my eyes needed to now see Dimitri, to see the finely carved lines of his face and softness of his hair as he lay against me. I wanted so badly to touch that hair, to see if it felt like it used to. That was a silly sentiment, of course. His hair wouldn’t have changed. Still †¦ the urge was there, and I finally gave in, gently running my fingers over some stray locks. They were smooth and silky, and that barest touch sent chills through me. It also woke him up. His eyes opened, instantly alert. I expected him to jump away from me, but instead, he only assessed the situation–and didn’t move. I left my hand where it was on the side of his face, still stroking his hair. Our gazes locked, so much passing between us. In those moments, I wasn’t in a tent with him, on the run from those who regarded us as villains. There was no murderer to catch, no Strigoi trauma to overcome. There was just him and me and the feelings that had burned between us for so long. When he did move, it wasn’t to get away. Instead, he lifted his head so that he looked down at me. Only a few inches separated us, and his eyes betrayed him. He wanted to kiss me–and I wanted him to. He leaned over me, one hand resting against my cheek. I readied myself for his lips–I needed them–and then he froze. He pulled back and sat up, exhaling in frustration as he looked away from me. I sat up as well, my breathing rapid and shallow. â€Å"Wh-what’s wrong?’ I asked. He glanced back at me. â€Å"Pick. There are lots of choices.’ I ran a finger along my lips. So close. So, so close. â€Å"I know †¦ I know things have changed. I know you were wrong. I know you can feel love again.’ His mask was back up as he formulated his answer. â€Å"This isn’t about love.’ The last minute replayed in my head, that perfect connection, the way he’d looked at me and made my heart feel. Hell, Sonya claimed we even had some mystical connection. â€Å"If it’s not about love, then what is it about?’ I exclaimed. â€Å"It’s about doing the right thing,’ he said quietly. The right thing? Right and wrong had been perennial topics at St. Vladimir’s. I wasn’t eighteen. He was my teacher. We were slated to be Lissa’s guardians and had to give her our full attention. All of those were arguments for why staying apart had been necessary back then. But those had long since fallen by the wayside. I would have questioned him more–if someone hadn’t scratched at our door. Both of us sprang up and apart, reaching for the stakes we’d slept near. Grabbing my stake was instinct because I knew there was no Strigoi out there. But lately, Strigoi had been the least of our worries. â€Å"Rose? Dimitri?’ The voice was barely audible–but familiar. Relaxing slightly, I unzipped the tent’s entrance and revealed Sonya kneeling in front of it. Like us, she wore the same clothes from earlier, and her auburn hair was messy. Otherwise, she seemed to have escaped her pursuers unscathed. I scooted aside so that she could enter. â€Å"Cozy,’ she said, glancing around. â€Å"You’ve got the farthest spot out on the campground. Took me forever to find the car you described.’ â€Å"How’d you get here?’ I asked. She winked. â€Å"You’re not the only ones who can steal cars. Or, in my case, get people to â€Å"willingly’ lend them.’ â€Å"Were you followed?’ asked Dimitri. He was all seriousness again, with no sign of what had passed moments ago. â€Å"Not that I could tell,’ she said, shifting into a cross-legged position. â€Å"A couple guardians followed me back in the neighborhood, but I lost them a while ago. Most of them seemed more interested in you two.’ â€Å"Imagine that,’ I muttered. â€Å"Too bad Victor was long gone–he might have taken priority.’ â€Å"He didn’t kill a queen,’ she said ruefully. We’d had to eventually tell her why Victor was wanted and that he’d been the one Sonya had sensed was stalking Lissa back at St. Vladimir’s. â€Å"But the good news is I know where they’re at now.’ â€Å"Where?’ asked Dimitri and I in unison. A small, knowing smile came to her lips at that. â€Å"West Michigan,’ she said. â€Å"They took off in the opposite direction from Court.’ â€Å"Damn,’ I muttered. Dimitri and I had gone southeast from Ann Arbor, clipping the Detroit suburbs and just crossing into Ohio. We’d picked the wrong direction. â€Å"But you saw Jill? Is she okay?’ Sonya nodded. â€Å"Fine. Scared, but fine. She described enough landmarks that I think we can locate their motel. I found her in a dream a couple hours ago; they had to rest. Victor wasn’t feeling well. They might still be there.’ â€Å"Then we need to leave now,’ said Dimitri, instantly in action. â€Å"Once they’re moving, Jill will be awake and out of contact.’ We packed up our campsite with amazing speed. My ankle felt better but was still sore. Noticing my limp, Sonya called a halt just before we got in her car. â€Å"Hang on.’ She knelt before me, examining the swelling ankle that was easily exposed by my torn dress. Taking a deep breath, she rested her hands on me, and a surge of electricity shot through my leg, followed by waves of heat and cold. When it was over and she stood up, the pain and swelling were gone, as were the scrapes on my legs. Probably the cuts on my head too. Spirit users had healed me so often that you’d think I’d be used to it, but it was still a little startling. â€Å"Thank you,’ I said. â€Å"But you shouldn’t have done that †¦ shouldn’t have used the magic †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ â€Å"You need to be in peak condition,’ she said. Her gaze drifted from me, staring off at the trees. â€Å"And the magic †¦ well, it’s hard to stay away from.’ Indeed it was, and I felt guilty that she was using it on me–and moving closer to insanity. Robert’s restoration had healed her mind a little, and she needed to take advantage of that. This was no time for a lecture, though, and Dimitri’s expression told me he too thought it best I get back in shape. We took off toward where Sonya told us Jill was, and this time, her directions were as specific as she could make them. No more vagueness or binding promises. We stopped once to â€Å"acquire’ a new car and get a map. The info Sonya had gleaned from Jill led us to a town called Sturgis. While it was in the western half of Michigan, it was also south–meaning the distance wasn’t quite as long as we’d expected. Nonetheless, Dimitri drove at least fifteen miles per hour over the speed limit the whole time. â€Å"There,’ said Sonya, as we rolled into downtown Sturgis–which wasn’t much of a downtown. We were near a modest-looking motel on a side street. â€Å"That’s what she described. The Sunshine Motel.’ Dimitri pulled into the lot behind the building, and we all sat there, staring at the motel, which didn’t look as cheerful as its name. Like me, I presumed my companions were trying to figure out how to approach this. Jill’s dream info had gotten us here, but Sonya had nothing else to help us find their room–if they were even still here. They certainly wouldn’t have checked in under real names. I was going to suggest we just walk past the doors and hope Sonya would sense Robert when she suddenly pointed. â€Å"That’s their car,’ she said. â€Å"They’re here.’ Sure enough. There was the CR-V we’d taken to Jill’s house. Talk about karma. I’d swiped Victor’s keys, and he’d repaid the favor by taking ours. None of us had thought much about his escape vehicle in the ensuing chaos. â€Å"Sloppy,’ murmured Dimitri, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. â€Å"They should have switched cars.’ â€Å"That’s Sydney’s,’ I pointed out. â€Å"It’s not technically stolen, so it’s not on any police lists. Besides, something tells me Victor and Robert aren’t hot-wiring pros like some people are.’ We’d left a string of stolen cars across the Midwest. Dimitri nodded, like I’d actually just complimented him. â€Å"Whatever the reason, it helps us.’ â€Å"How do we find them?’ asked Sonya. I was about to suggest the aura plan but dismissed it. Robert would sense Sonya at the same moment, giving him brief warning. Plus, when we found the brothers, there’d likely be a fight. Doing it in the motel would attract attention. This parking lot was in back, away from the main road. â€Å"We wait,’ I said. â€Å"It’s amazing enough that they even stopped this long. If they have any sense, they’ll leave soon.’ â€Å"Agreed,’ said Dimitri, catching my eyes. Souls in sync. The memory of that near-kiss returned, and I looked away, fearing what my face would betray. â€Å"The lot’s easy to defend too. Not much room for escape.’ It was true. The motel flanked one side, a concrete wall the other. There weren’t many other buildings nearby either. He moved our car to the farthest spot he could in the lot, providing us with a full view of it and the motel’s exit–but keeping us semi-concealed. We considered sitting in the car, but Dimitri and I decided we should wait outside, giving us more mobility. We left Sonya inside. This wasn’t her fight. Standing behind the car with Dimitri, in the shadow of a leafy maple, I became acutely aware of his proximity and fierce warrior stance. He might be missing his duster, but I had to admit I liked the view of him I got without the coat. â€Å"I don’t suppose,’ I said softly, â€Å"that we’re going to talk about this morning?’ Dimitri’s eyes were fixed so hard on the CR-V that he might have been trying to make Jill and the brothers materialize inside it. I wasn’t fooled. He was just avoiding looking at me. â€Å"There’s nothing to talk about.’ â€Å"I knew you’d say that. Actually, it was a toss-up between that and â€Å"I don’t know what you’re talking about.† Dimitri sighed. â€Å"But,’ I continued, â€Å"there is something to talk about. Like when you almost kissed me. And what did you mean about â€Å"the right thing’?’ Silence. â€Å"You wanted to kiss me!’ It was hard to keep my voice low. â€Å"I saw it.’ â€Å"Just because we want something doesn’t mean it’s right.’ â€Å"What I said †¦ it’s true, isn’t it? You can love, can’t you? I realize now that right after the transformation, you really didn’t think you could. And you probably couldn’t. But things have changed. You’re getting yourself back.’ Dimitri gave me a sidelong look. â€Å"Yes. Things have changed †¦ and some haven’t.’ â€Å"Okay, Mr. Enigma. That doesn’t help explain the â€Å"right thing’ comment.’ Frustration filled his features. â€Å"Rose, I’ve done a lot of bad things, most of which I can never fix or find redemption for. My only choice now, if I want to reclaim my life, is to go forward, stopping evil and doing what’s right. And what is not right is taking a woman from another man, a man I like and respect. I’ll steal cars. I’ll break into houses. But there are lines I will not cross, no matter what I–‘ The motel’s back door opening jolted us to attention. It was no wonder my love life was so messed up when the most profound and intimate moments were always being interrupted by dire situations. It was just as well because I had never, ever seen that line coming: What is not right is taking a woman from another man, a man I like and respect. New drama took precedence. Victor stepped outside, with Robert and Jill walking side by side behind him. I’d half expected to see her tied up and was surprised that she accompanied them so calmly. Too calmly, I soon realized. It wasn’t natural. There was an almost robotic feel to her movements: she was being compelled into docility. â€Å"Compulsion,’ said Dimitri quietly, recognizing it as well. â€Å"Go for Victor. I’ll get Robert.’ I nodded. â€Å"Jill will run as soon as the compulsion’s broken. I hope.’ I didn’t put it past her to join our fight, which could cause more harm than good. We’d find out soon enough. Mercifully, no one else was around. It was still fairly early in the morning. Dimitri and I sprang out from our hiding spots, crossing the distance of the parking lot in a matter of moments. Two healthy dhampirs could outrace two old Moroi any day. And as crafty as they might be, the brothers hadn’t expected us. In my periphery, I just barely saw Dimitri kicking into warrior god mode, fierce and unstoppable. Then, I focused entirely on Victor, throwing my full weight at him and knocking him to the ground. He hit hard against the asphalt, and I pinned him down, slamming my fist into his face and making his nose bleed. â€Å"Well done,’ he gasped out. â€Å"I’ve been wanting to do that for a very long time,’ I growled. Victor smiled through the pain and the blood. â€Å"Of course you have. I used to think Belikov was the savage one, but it’s really you, isn’t it? You’re the animal with no control, no higher reasoning except to fight and kill.’ I clenched his shirt and leaned him over him. â€Å"Me? I’m not the one who tortured Lissa for my own benefit. I’m not the one who turned my daughter Strigoi. And I’m sure as hell not the one who used compulsion to kidnap a fifteen-year-old girl!’ To my disgust, he kept that maddening smile on his face. â€Å"She’s valuable, Rose. So, so valuable. You have no idea how much so.’ â€Å"She’s not an object for you to manipulate!’ I cried. â€Å"She’s a–ahh!’ The ground suddenly rolled up beneath me, a mini-earthquake centered around us. The asphalt bucked up, giving Victor the leverage to push me off. It wasn’t a strong push, and I could have easily recovered my balance if not for the ground rippling and surrounding me, rolling like ocean waves to knock me over. Victor was using his earth magic to control the area where I stood. Faint cries of surprise told me others were feeling a little of it, but the magic was clearly focused on me. Not without cost, though. Victor was an old man–an old man I’d just shoved onto asphalt and punched. Pain and fatigue were all over him, and his labored breathing told me wielding magic this powerful–something I’d never seen an earth user do–was pushing every ounce of strength he had left. One good punch. That was all I needed. One good punch would knock him down and take him out of this fight. Only, I was the one being taken down. Literally. Try as I might, my personal earthquake got the best of me, knocking me to my knees. I was still in that stupid dress too, meaning my newly healed legs got scraped again. And once I was down, the asphalt rose around me. I realized Victor was going to ensnare me by creating a stone prison. I couldn’t let that happen. â€Å"All that brawn for nothing,’ gasped out Victor, sweat pouring off his face. â€Å"It does you no good in the end. Real power is in the mind. In cunning. In controlling Jillian, I control Vasilisa. With Vasilisa, I control the Dragomirs, and from there–the Moroi. That’s power. That’s strength.’ Most of his smug tirade went over me. But part of it stuck: In controlling Jillian, I control Vasilisa. Lissa. I couldn’t let him hurt her. I couldn’t let him use her. In fact, I couldn’t let him use Jill either. Lissa had given me a chotki, which was kind of a cross between a bracelet and a rosary. It was a Dragomir heirloom, bestowed upon those who protected the family. That was my duty: to protect all the Dragomirs. The old guardian mantra rang in my mind: They come first. With skill I didn’t know I possessed, I sized up the shaking ground and attempted to stand again. I made it, practically dancing in that parking lot. And as I stared at Victor, I felt what Sonya had warned about: the catalyst. The spark that would ignite the darkness I’d gathered and gathered from Lissa. In looking at him, I saw all the evils of my life in one man. Was that entirely accurate? No, not exactly. But he had hurt my best friend–nearly killed her. He’d toyed with Dimitri and me, complicating what was already a mess of a relationship. He was now trying to control others. When would it end? When would his evil stop? Red and black tinged my vision. I heard a voice call my name–Sonya’s, I think. But in that moment, there was nothing else in the world but Victor and my hate for him. I sprang at him, fueled by rage and adrenaline, leaping out of the epicenter of shaking ground that threatened to seize me. Once more, I threw myself at him, but we didn’t hit the ground. We’d shifted position slightly, and instead, we hit the concrete wall–with just as much force as I might have thrown a Strigoi. His head bent back at the impact. I heard an odd cracking sound, and Victor slumped to the ground. I immediate dropped down, grabbing his arms and shaking him. â€Å"Get up!’ I screamed. â€Å"Get up and fight me!’ But no matter how much I shook him or yelled, Victor would not stand. He wouldn’t move on his own. Hands grabbed me, trying futilely to pull me away. â€Å"Rose–Rose! Stop. Stop this.’ I ignored the voice, ignored the hands. I was all anger and power, wanting– no, needing–Victor to face me once and for all. Suddenly, a strange sensation crept along me, like fingertips across my skin. Let him go. I didn’t want to, but for half a second, it seemed like a reasonable idea. I loosened my hold slightly, just enough for those hands to jerk me away. Like that, I snapped out of the haze and realized what had happened. The person who’d pulled me was Sonya, and she’d used a tiny bit of compulsion to get me away and let go of Victor. She was strong enough in her power that she didn’t even need eye contact. She held onto me, even though she had to know it was wasted effort. â€Å"I have to stop him,’ I said, wriggling from her grasp. â€Å"He has to pay.’ I reached for him again. Sonya gave up on physical restraint, appealing to words instead. â€Å"Rose, he has! He’s dead. Can’t you see that? Dead. Victor’s dead!’ No, I didn’t see that–not at first. All I saw was my blind obsession, my need to get to Victor. But then, her words broke through to me. As I gripped Victor, I felt the limpness in his body. I saw the eyes that looked blankly at †¦ nothing. That crazy, churning emotion in me faded, transforming into shock. My grip slackened as I stared at him and truly understood what she had said. Understood what I had done. Then, I heard a terrible sound. A low wailing broke through the frozen horror in my mind. I glanced back in alarm and saw Dimitri standing with Robert. Robert’s arms were pinned behind his back as Dimitri effortlessly held him, but the Moroi was doing everything in his power–and failing–to break free. Jill stood nearby, looking uneasily at all of us, confused and afraid. â€Å"Victor! Victor!’ Robert’s pleas were muffled by sobs and as useless as my own efforts to get Victor up. I dragged my gaze back down to the body before me, barely believing what I had just done. I’d thought the guardians had been crazy in their reaction to Eddie killing a Moroi, but now, I was starting to understand. A monster like a Strigoi was one thing. But the life of a person, even a person who– â€Å"Get him out of here!’ Sonya was so near me that the unexpected exclamation made me wince. She’d been kneeling too but now jumped to her feet, turning toward Dimitri. â€Å"Get him out of here! As far as you can!’ Dimitri looked surprised, but the powerful command in her voice drove him to instant action. He began dragging Robert away. After a few moments, Dimitri simply opted to toss the man over his shoulder and cart him off. I would have expected cries of protest, but Robert had fallen silent. His eyes were on Victor’s body–their gaze so sharp, so focused that they seemed like they could burn a hole through someone. Sonya, not having my fanciful impression, thrust herself between the brothers and dropped to the ground again, covering Victor’s body with her own. â€Å"Get him out of here!’ she called again. â€Å"He’s trying to bring Victor back! He’ll be shadow-kissed!’ I was still confused and upset, still appalled at what I’d done, but the danger of what she said hit me hard. Robert couldn’t be allowed to bring back Victor back. The brothers were dangerous enough without being bonded. Victor couldn’t be allowed to summon ghosts the way I could. Victor had to stay dead. â€Å"Doesn’t he have to touch the body?’ I asked. â€Å"To finish the bond, yes. But he was wielding tons of spirit just now, calling Victor’s soul back and keeping it around,’ she explained. When Dimitri and Robert were gone, Sonya told me to help her move the body. We’d made too much noise, and it was a wonder no one had come out yet. Jill joined us, and I moved without really being aware of what I was doing. Sonya found the keys to the CR-V on Victor and flattened the backseats to increase the rear cargo space. We crawled into it, the three of us having to hunch down to stay out of sight. We soon heard voices, people coming to see what had happened. I don’t know long they were in the parking lot, only that they mercifully didn’t search cars. Honestly? I had few coherent thoughts at all. That rage was gone, but my mind was a mess. I couldn’t seem to get a hold of anything concrete. I felt sick and just followed Sonya’s orders, staying low as I tried not to look at Victor’s body. Even after the voices were gone, she kept us in the car. At last, she exhaled a deep breath and focused on me. â€Å"Rose?’ I didn’t answer right away. â€Å"Rose?’ â€Å"Yeah?’ I asked, voice cracking. Her voice was soothing and cajoling. I felt that crawling on my skin again and a need to please her. â€Å"I need you to look at the dead. Open your eyes to them.’ The dead? No. My mind felt out of control, and I had enough sense to know bringing ghosts here would be a bad idea. â€Å"I can’t.’ â€Å"You can,’ she said. â€Å"I’ll help you. Please.’ I couldn’t refuse her compulsion. Expanding my senses, I let down the walls I kept around me. They were the walls that blocked me from the world of the dead and the ghosts that followed me around. Within moments, translucent faces appeared before me, some like normal people and others terrible and ghastly. Their mouths opened, wanting to speak but unable to. â€Å"What do you see?’ asked Sonya. â€Å"Spirits,’ I whispered. â€Å"Do you see Victor?’ I peered into the swarm of faces, seeking anyone familiar. â€Å"No.’ â€Å"Push them back,’ she said. â€Å"Put your walls back up.’ I tried to do as she said, but it was hard. I didn’t have the will. I felt outside encouragement and realized Sonya was still compelling me. She couldn’t make the ghosts disappear, but feelings of support and determination strengthened me. I shut out the restless dead. â€Å"He’s gone then,’ Sonya said. â€Å"He’s either completely consumed by the world of the dead or is wandering as a restless spirit. Regardless, any lingering threads to life are gone. He can’t come back to life.’ She turned to Jill. â€Å"Go get Dimitri.’ â€Å"I don’t know where he is,’ said Jill, startled. Sonya smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. â€Å"Close, I’m sure. And watching. Go walk around the motel, the block, whatever. He’ll find you.’ Jill left, needing no compulsion. When she was gone, I buried my face in my hands. â€Å"Oh God. Oh God. All this time, I denied it, but it’s true: I am a murderer.’ â€Å"Don’t think about that yet,’ said Sonya. Her take-charge attitude was almost comforting. Almost. It was easier to take orders than fend for yourself. â€Å"Deal with your guilt later. For now, we have to get rid of the body.’ I uncovered my eyes and forced myself to look at Victor. Nausea welled up within me, and those crazy feelings spun even more out of control. I gave a harsh laugh. â€Å"Yes. The body. I wish Sydney was here. But we don’t have any magic potions. The sun won’t destroy him. Weird, isn’t it? Strigoi are harder to kill †¦ harder to kill, easier to clean up.’ I laughed again because there was something familiar about my rambling †¦ it was like Adrian in one of his weird moments. Or Lissa when spirit had pushed her to the edge. â€Å"This is it, isn’t it?’ I asked Sonya. â€Å"The flood †¦ the flood you warned me about. Lissa escaped spirit, but it finally defeated me †¦ just like Anna †¦ just like the dream †¦ oh God. This is the dream, isn’t it? But I won’t wake up †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Sonya was staring at me, her blue eyes wide with †¦ fear? Mockery? Alarm? She reached out and took my hand. â€Å"Stay with me, Rose. We’ll push it back.’ A knock at the window startled us both, and Sonya let Jill and Dimitri in. â€Å"Where’s Robert?’ asked Sonya. Dimitri glanced down at Victor and then promptly looked away. â€Å"Unconscious, hidden in some bushes around the corner.’ â€Å"Charming,’ said Sonya. â€Å"Do you think that’s smart? Leaving him?’ He shrugged. â€Å"I figured I shouldn’t be seen carrying an unconscious guy in my arms. In fact †¦ yes, I think we should just leave him there. He’ll wake up. He’s not a fugitive. And without Victor, he’s †¦ well, not harmless. But less harmful. We can’t keep dragging him with us anyway.’ I laughed again, that laugh that seemed unhinged and hysterical even to me. â€Å"He’s unconscious. Of course. Of course. You can do that. You can do the right thing. Not me.’ I looked down at Victor. â€Å"†An animal,’ he said. He was right. No higher reasoning †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ I wrapped my arms around myself, my fingernails digging into my skin so hard they drew blood. Physical pain to make the mental pain go away. Wasn’t that what Lissa had always said? Dimitri stared at me and then turned to Sonya. â€Å"What’s wrong?’ he demanded. I’d seen him risk his life over and over, but never, until now, had he truly looked afraid. â€Å"Spirit,’ said Sonya. â€Å"She’s pulled and pulled for so long †¦ and managed to hold it back. It’s been waiting, though. Always waiting †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ She frowned slightly, maybe realizing she was starting to sound like me. She turned to Jill. â€Å"Is that silver?’ Jill looked down at the heart-shaped locket around her neck. â€Å"I think so.’ â€Å"Can I have it?’ Jill undid the clasp and passed it over. Sonya held it between her palms and closed her eyes a moment, pursing her lips. A few seconds later, her eyes opened, and she handed me the locket. â€Å"Put it on.’ Just touching it gave me a strange tingling in my skin. â€Å"The heart †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ I looked at Dimitri as I fastened the clasp. â€Å"Do you remember that? â€Å"Where’s the heart?’ you asked. And here it is. Here it †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ I stopped. The world suddenly became crisper. My jumbled thoughts slowly began to move back together, forming some semblance of rationality. I stared at my companions–the living ones–truly seeing them now. I touched the locket. â€Å"This is a healing charm.’ Sonya nodded. â€Å"I didn’t know if it’d work on the mind. I don’t think it’s a permanent fix †¦ but between it and your own will, you’ll be okay for a while.’ I tried not to focus on those last words. For a while. Instead, I tried to make sense of the world around me. Of the body in front of me. â€Å"What have I done?’ I whispered. Jill put her arm around me, but it was Dimitri who spoke. â€Å"What you had to.’ How to cite Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-eight, Essay examples

Outliers free essay sample

In the book called Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Malcolm has a chapter called The Trouble with Geniuses, Part I where Gladwell spends this chapter showing that a high IQ is not a voucher for a free ride on the success train. He goes to show that once you reach a certain IQ, you are just as likely as to be successful as someone with a much higher IQ score. My thoughts are this is why people exercise all parts of their brains. Gladwell is an excellent writer, no doubt. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end and would unquestionably recommend it to virtually anyone who has an interest in the basic success. Readers can sometimes feel a touch of sadness when the author talked about Langan. It is such a variety of kind people who try and create a huge change and outcome in the world, because of his experiences with the whole stiff civilization. We will write a custom essay sample on Outliers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Sadly, Langan did not have the good chance to come across a good adviser. Langan’s mentor would be able to guide him and let him know that specifically because the society is like, and precisely because he experienced it and felt most sturdily about it, that he must have the nerve to create change. This somewhat talks about path reliance. Not considering whether one is super genius or not, the information that Langan came from a dysfunctional family, meant he is destined to unsuccessful evermore. There are other factors that come into play, such as creativity. Give two children a test of how many ways a brick could be used and you will find that even if they have the same IQ score, one may come up with apile more uses than the other. High intelligences as measured by IQ do not essentially lead to success. Samantha Duncan wrote, â€Å"Outliers are normal people born with a certain drive and work ethic, but who also encounter extreme luck throughout their lives†. This is true to some point it stands alone. People are born with a certain drive and work ethic, but get lucky through out their lives. Some take advantage of their luck and use it against them too. It is good for readers to examine success and to understand that things are not always as they seem on the surface. By digging a little deeper than the myth of the self-made man, we are better equipped to understand the forces that, combined together, lead some people to great success while leaving others in obscurity. Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers the Story of Success. New York: Little, Brown and, 2008. Print.

Before Obamacare, the National Health Insurance Plan

Before Obamacare, the National Health Insurance Plan Introduction In 2009, President Barack Obama unveiled his proposal for a plan intended to reduce the soaring costs of healthcare by providing all Americans with health insurance. The plan, titled Healthcare America at the time, would eventually be passed by Congress as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The following article, published in 2009, outlines President Obama’s original vision for what we now know as â€Å"Obamacare.† Key Takeaways: Original Obamacare What became â€Å"Obamacare† was called Healthcare America when first proposed by President Barack Obama in January 2009.The plan was intended to lower the nation’s healthcare costs by providing all Americans with health insurance.Under Healthcare America, all U.S. residents not covered by Medicare or an employer-provided plan would be allowed to buy insurance at lower rates through a government-run Health Care for America program.All U.S. employers would be required to provide their employees with insurance coverage or pay an additional tax to help pay for Healthcare America.Maximum monthly health insurance premiums paid under Health Care for America were to range from $70 for an individual to $140 for a couple.Healthcare America was greatly modified and eventually enacted as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on March 23, 2010 Obamacare as Envisioned in 2009 A national health insurance plan, administered by the federal government as an alternative to private health insurance, will probably be proposed this year by President Obama. Despite the massive cost of a universal health insurance plan, estimated at up to $2 trillion over 10 years, support for the plan is growing in Congress. Obama, and Democratic congressional leaders argue that by reducing health care costs, a universal health insurance plan would actually help reduce the national deficit. Opponents argue that the savings, though real, would have only a minor impact on the deficit. While the politics and pros and cons of nationalized health care have been debated for years, the national health insurance element of President Obama’s overall health care reform agenda appears to have a good chance of happening. So far, the framework of Obama’s national health insurance plan is best described in Jacob Hacker’s â€Å"Health Care for America† plan. The Goal: Health Insurance for Everyone As described by Jacob Hacker of the Economic Policy Institute, the national health insurance plan – â€Å"Health Care for America† – attempts to provide affordable health insurance to all non-elderly Americans through a combination of a new Medicare-like program provided by the government and existing employer-provided health plans. Under Health Care for America, every legal resident of the U.S. who is not covered by either Medicare or an employer-provided plan could purchase coverage through Health Care for America. As it currently does for Medicare, the federal government would bargain for lower prices and upgraded care for every Health Care for America enrollee. All Health Care for America enrollees could choose coverage under the affordable Medicare-like plan offering them free choice of medical providers or a selection of more expensive, comprehensive private health insurance plans. To help pay for the plan, all U.S. employers would be expected to either provide health coverage for their employees equal in quality to Health Care for America or pay a modest payroll-based tax to support Health Care for America and help their employees buy their own coverage. The process would be similar to how employers currently pay an unemployment tax to help fund state unemployment compensation programs. Self-employed persons could buy coverage under Health Care for America by paying the same payroll-based tax as employers. Persons not in the workplace could buy coverage by paying premiums based on their annual income. In addition, the federal government would offer the states incentives to enroll any remaining uninsured individuals in Health Care for America. Non-elderly beneficiaries of Medicare and S-CHIP (the State Childrens Health Insurance Program) would be automatically enrolled in the Health Care for America Plan, either through their employers or individually. In summary, supporters of the Health Care for America plan say it would provide the U.S. with universal health care coverage by: being available to any legal U.S. resident without good workplace coverage;requiring that employers (and the self-employed) either purchase coverage comparable to Health Care for America for all their workers or pay a relatively modest payroll contribution (6% of payroll) to fund Health Care for America coverage for all their employees; andrequiring that Americans who remain without insurance either purchase private coverage or buy into the Health Care for America Plan. For persons already covered by employer-provided health insurance, Health Care for America would virtually eliminate the suddenly very real threat of losing coverage because of layoffs. What Would the Plan Cover? According to its supporters, Health Care for America will provide comprehensive coverage. Along with all current Medicare benefits, the plan will cover mental health and maternal and child health. Unlike Medicare, Health Care for America will place limits on total annual out-of-pocket costs paid by enrollees. Drug coverage would be provided directly by Health Care for America, rather than by private health plans. Medicare would be modified to allow it to provide the elderly and disabled with the same direct drug coverage. In addition, preventive and well-child checkups would be provided to all beneficiaries at no out-of-pocket cost. How Much Will Coverage Cost? As proposed, the maximum monthly Health Care for America premium would be $70 for an individual, $140 for a couple, $130 for a single-parent family, and $200 for all other families. For those enrolled in the plan at their place of work, anyone whose income was below 200% of the poverty level (about $10,000 for an individual and $20,000 for a family of four ) would pay no additional premiums. The plan would also offer extensive, but so far unspecified, assistance to enrollees to help them afford coverage. Health Care for America coverage would be continuous and guaranteed. Once enrolled, individuals or families would remain covered unless they become covered by a qualified private insurance plan through their employer.

The 5 Easiest AP Exams to Self-Study

The 5 Easiest AP Exams to Self-Study SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Once you’ve decided to self-study for an AP, you’ll need to choose an exam that’s right for you. With dozens of potential choices, it might seem overwhelming. I can demystify the choice for you. First, I’ll give you four important things to consider when you make your choice. Then, I’ll list the five easiest APs toself-study. After that, I’ll touch on some other solid self-study choices, and wrap up with a few AP exams you should NOT try to study for on your own. How to Choose WhichAP Exam to Self-Study There are four things to consider when selecting whichAP exam you want to prepare for on your own. Consideration 1: What's the Course Workload? The less material covered by the course, the less you will need to study to ace the exam. It makes sense to choose an AP that is narrower in scope instead of a behemoth. Let’s say you want to self-study a science AP; all things being equal, it’s going to be better for you to choose a comparatively content-light course like AP Environmental Science than a content-heavy class like AP Chemistry. (Also, don’t self-study AP Chemistry. More on this later.) If you aren’t sure how much work is involved in learning all the material for a given AP, ask friends, ask the internet, ask teachers...you get the idea. You can also look on the College Board’s individual AP course pages. On each â€Å"Course Overview† page, you’ll find a link to a document that describes the general scope of the course as well as the format of the exam. Consideration 2: How Conceptual Is The Material? Does the exam involve applying a lot of abstract and theoretical concepts, or is it primarily based on memorization? Memorization can be kind of tedious, but it’s often easier to learn this kind of material on your own than to teach yourself to understand, say, particle physics. So try to look for APs that are not overly conceptual. This is why I generally don’t advise people to self-study for math APs, with the possible exception of statistics. Generally, a course weighted more towards memorization as opposed to complex concepts is probably better for self-study. Weighing the options. Consideration 3: How Full Is Your Schedule? You probably already thought aboutyour course schedule when you first considered self-studying for an AP exam to make sure you would have enough time for the extra work. This is all well and good, but you shouldalso consider your schedule whenchoosing the actual exam to self-study. There are a few AP exams that might overlap with your high school coursework even if you aren’t in that specific AP class. You might consider self-studying one of these: One notable example of this is biology. If you are in an honors biology class, you might consider self-studying for AP biology because you will onlyneed to supplement what you are learning in class with any additional competencies necessary for the AP exam. (See the College Board’s helpfulcourse and exam description for AP Biology.) Another common course to take the AP for when you are taking the honors class is US History. Again, you’ll need to learn additional information, but you’ll be learning a lot of the material anyways in your non-AP US History class. You’ll just need to learn some extra information and do some dedicated exam prep. (This is what I did, and I got a 5 on APUSH without a crazy amount of outside studying.) If you are a particularly strong student in English, you might also consider self-study in one or both of the English APs while you are in an honors English class (I did this with AP Language and Composition). This could be a little trickier because it’s very important to be able to get feedback from a knowledgeable person about any practice essays you are writing, but if you have a supportive teacher or mentor, it can definitely work. Consideration 4: What Are Your Strengths? If you are going to self-study for an exam, it makes the most sense to choose a subject you are good at and enjoy. If you rock at social studies, choose a social studies AP. If science is your jam, choose a science AP (but not AP Chemistry or AP Physics! Don’t do it.) And so on.It will help you stay motivated if you actually like the subject. Don’t try to self-study an exam in a subject you hate, even if the exam has a reputation for being an easy self-study choice. If you already have a special skill tested by an AP examforeign languages and computer science come to mindit might make sense to self-study for that AP. You will need to make sure you fill any gaps in your knowledge and are prepared for the exam format, but it’s a good way to make the most of your own personal resources and skills. With these four factors in mind, we can move on to my recommendations for the best five AP exams for relatively painless self-study. The best self-study choice will be almost as easy as pie! But less delicious. 5 Best AP Exams To Self-Study Let's go through a few of the easiest APs to self-study. AP Environmental Science AP Environmental Science is a hugely popular self-study option, and with good reason. The test is considered to be fairly easy, and the coursework assumes no prior knowledge in any environmental sciences, so the material is not particularly advanced. There is some course material about experimental design, some basic statistics for reading charts and tables, and some historical/environmental trend information. Many questions on the test focus on cause-effect relationships. This is going to be a solid choice for anyone who is good at science or history and needs something relatively quick and easy. AP Human Geography This is another popular self-study exam with a reputation for fairly easy material that’s limited in scope. The test is on the short side, clocking in at only 2 hours and 15 minutes with 75 multiple choice questions and 3 â€Å"constructed responses.† Human Geo is essentially a soft-sciences course about how societies develop; think anthropology. To be successful, you’ll need to do some memorization of facts/dates/etc., perform some analysis/synthesis of how cultures came to be and how they might develop, and learn some specialized vocab. AP Psychology This test is a self-study home run.If you want to self-study AP Psychology, you’ll need to learn some psychological concepts and memorize details about some notable scientists in the field as well assome seminal experiments. You’ll also need to learn some discipline-specific vocab. The test is short, tooonly 2 hourswith 100 multiple-choice and two free-response questions. Free-response questions are known for being fairly straightforward. AP US Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics Both the politics exams are decent self-study APs. You probably already have some background knowledge in US Government and Politics from years of US History coursework, plus the exam is fairly narrow in scope. Comparative Government is a little harder to self-study for just because there’s likely to be more material you aren’t familiar with, but it’s still pretty manageable. The rare self-studying jellyfish, exploring the ocean on her own. Other Good AP Exams to Self-Study Some exams aren’t quite universal self-study slam dunks, but if you have a proclivity for a certain subject, a particular interest, or some prior knowledge, they canstill be good choices for you. This is particularly true if, for whatever reason, the thought of self-studying Psychology, Environmental Science, Human Geography, or Government and Politics is tedious and repugnant to you. AP Economics Exams: AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics Macroeconomics deals with overall economics systems while Microeconomics examines the economy from the perspective of smaller actors within the system. You will need to learn concepts for this course, and there is some basic math, but they are often seen as good self-study options because each exam has a fairly limited scope, and there is some overlap in material. Especially if you took the class for one, you might consider self-studying for the other. Additionally, self-study students found it fairly easy to prepare for the FRQs by looking at old tests. AP Biology The general consensus is that taking onAP Biology self-study with no previous bio coursework is not a good idea, but that if you have taken or are taking honors biology, it can be a solid choice. There’s definitely a lot of content to cover and a lot to memorize, but if it’s a subject you are very gifted in/are very interested in, it could be worth it. AP US History Self-studying for APUSH is considered easier than self-studying for most of the other history APs because most American students will already have some background knowledge in US history. The scope of information is also narrower than AP European or AP World History, so there’s less to learn! It’s going to be more content-heavy than something like AP Environmental Science, but definitely doable. AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition If you have a particular proclivity for English, one (or even both) of the English APs could be a good self-study choice for you. The most important skill you will need to work on is timed analytical essay writing, so your self-study way will be much smoother if you have a teacher or other knowledgeable person willing to look over your practice essays. You don't have to self-study in an empty stadium...unless you want to. Do Not Try To Self-Study These AP Exams There are three AP subject areas in particular that are not very well-suited to self-study. These are the APs that are the both very conceptual AND content-heavy in nature. In these cases, having an instructor and a structured class tends to be very important for learning and understanding. I strongly advise you not to self-study for any of the following exams: AP Calculus AB andBC Calculus is hard to learn. This is because it introduces concepts that are very different fromany math class that comes before it; in a lot of ways it involves a massive recalibration of your brain’s understanding of math. It is likely that, in the course of learning calculus concepts, you will get very confused, and this is why it is essential to have a good teacher. In the immortal words of the Legend of Zelda:it’s dangerous to go alone. You will be very frustrated if you try to self-study AP Calculus. AP Chemistry The AP Chemistry class is known for having a high workload, and it'sanother course where the guidance of a good teacher is very important. In addition to there being a lot of content to learn, you will need to understandlots of concepts and problem-solving methods to do well on the exam. Having a class to keep you on track and a teacher to explain material you don’t understand is going to be essential for most people to succeed on the exam. AP Physics AP Physics is a double-whammy, with a lot of math and science concepts to learn. The exams (there are four!) themselves are known for being particularly difficult, even for those who do well in a structured course. Self-studying for this exam is not an efficient use of your time.Even if you were able to do well, you would most likely need to self-study for many more hours than you would in a guided course to achieve the same level of mastery. It's dangerous to go alone! Here, take this. And an AP class. Look, I don’t want to tell you what you can and can’t do. Maybe you’re the next Isaac Newton, and you’ve been learning derivatives since you were a wee child; maybe Richard Feynman was your grandpa, and he taught you physics in the cradle. In that case, self-study for one of these APs if you feel you must. For most people, however; even very smart people, the entire experience of learning these subjects will be much more pleasant and effective, not to mention more efficient time-wise, if you learn it in a classroom and not by yourself. Also, the intensity of these classes makes them a bonding experience! The people in my Calculus BC crew became some of my favorite high school classmates. Key Takeaways What makes an AP exam easy to self-study will vary somewhat from person to person, but, in general, AP exams with a narrower scope, without too many complex concepts, and insubject areas where you have special interests or talents will be the best choices for self-study. The five easiest exams for self-study, in general, are AP Environmental Science, AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, AP US Government and Politics, and AP Comparative Government and Politics. A number of other exams may also be good choices depending on your situation. However, you should NOT try to self-study for AP Calculus AB or BC, AP Chemistry, or any of the AP Physics exams! If you keep these tips in mind, you will be able to choose the right AP exam to self-study for with ease! What's Next? When you're ready to start self-studying, see my article on how to self-study for an AP exam. If you'd really like to take an accredited AP course, but you can't make it workwith your schedule, or your school doesn't offer it, consider AP online courses- we can guide you in the right direction, towards the best and worst online AP classes. Taking the ACT or SAT? Let us revealthe secret to getting a perfect score. Did you know the SAT haschanged? Check out our complete guide to the new SAT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Management Planning Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Planning - Research Paper Example Selected Organization The organization whose planning function we are going to evaluate is Halliburton. Halliburton is a provider of different products and services to the energy sector of different countries. Some of the main activities of this company include managing geological data, locating hydrocarbons, construction of the wells, drilling, and managing lifecycle of the reservoirs. Planning For the managers at Halliburton, planning holds great importance in all processes of management. At Halliburton, planning means to recognize organizational goals and to develop proper strategies to meet those goals. Planning not only includes setting goals for the future but also includes development of tactics and strategies to meet those goals. Managers at Halliburton firmly believe that they cannot achieve desired goals without planning. For proper planning, managers consider many factors, such as, availability of resources, assessment of organizational environment, future trends of the oil and gas industry, assessment of industrial demands, and proper use of capital. At Halliburton, there are many kinds of planning which managers do for the success of the organization. Some of those types of planning include marketing planning, construction planning, production planning, event planning, and project planning. Marketing planning means to develop suitable strategies for the marketing of the company’s products and services.... For construction planning, managers consider different aspects of a project to develop a plan for that project. Some of the major aspects, which managers consider, include site of the project, needs of the client firm, geological survey, and feasibility of the project. Production managers also do proper planning to enhance production services, such as, pipeline process services, well intervention services, and oil and gas production services. For project planning, managers consider nature of the project, availability of the resources required to complete the project, due date of the project, and effective use of human resource and technology to meet the targets. Tatum (2011) states, â€Å"Like any type of business planning, project planning is about gaining the most benefit while making the wisest use of available resources†. Influence of Legal Issues, Ethics, and CSR on Planning There are many factors, which put a deep impact on the planning function of an organization. In ca se of Halliburton, some of the main factors, which influence the planning function of Halliburton, include legal issues, ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Let us discuss the impact of each of these three factors on the planning function of management at Halliburton. Legal Issues Legal issues are those issues, which revolve around a business’s policies, planning, and structure. â€Å"Business managers and owners must at all times be prepared to spend some time around legal issues that may arise† (Beck, 2011). Analyzing legal issues related to different business processes and policies is very critical for a company’s success. Managers at Halliburton focus towards all sorts of legal issues while doing any kind of business planning in order to ensure effective planning

My views about Human Resource Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My views about Human Resource Development - Essay Example Competency development and employee retention have become the key areas of concern for HR professionals. They serve as mentors, coaches, succession planners and counselors in order to inculcate motivation in organizational personnel to display best performance. As the organizational challenges have increased, the time has arrived for the HR professionals to be acquainted with complete understanding of the organization in the broader spectrum. The HR must have representation in the organizational decision making as well as policy making. It is the responsibility of an HR professional to make due effort for promotion of ethics and morality in the organizational culture. In the present age, organizational personnel are becoming more and more diverse in terms of race, gender, age and ethnicity. Most importantly, the HR professionals should play an important role in managing diversity in the workplace. This involves resolving interpersonal conflicts and allocating right responsibilities t o the right individual at the right time. Multiculturalism is an essential feature of organizations in the present age. An organization has to have diversity of talent in order to come up with innovative ideas that are the biggest need of the hour.

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From the 1920’s up until his death Joseph Stalin was the leader of Russia. What ensued under Stalin’s reign didn’t evoke emotions of love for country within the Russian people. Under Stalin the people lived in constant fear because of an epidemic within their own country, genocide of Stalin’s own people by Stalin himself. From 1934 up until 1939 a period of mass fear swept over Russia and at the helm Stalin with his (helpers?) of mass killings, the NKVD which are the internal police. Russia has always had a form ‘state security service’ commonly thought of now as â€Å"the secret police†, but in 1929 under the direction of Stalin the NKVD was formed and though it may have a new name it still held the infamous fear and practices of its predecessors, the GPU, The GUGB, and others. Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov was alive during this period of fear, and one of the books he wrote titled The Master and Margarita shares a lot more than one s imilarity with Stalin and his regime of fear. In fact it seems like the author created this book as a commentary of the times because of the way he writes ...

Looking for Alibrandi Essay

A world-wide hit in the late 1990s, Author Melina Marchetta wrote a manuscript about a teenage girl searching for herself and the way she is to live. Her name is Josephine Alibrandi who is a 17 year old Italian Australian or ‘wog’ as some know it, in the novel and film of ‘Looking for Alibrandi’. Much of the discussion of Alibrandi has centred around this portrayal of the multi-cultural society of Australia, although remarkably, the novel has managed to largely avoid the negative and superficial â€Å"issues† pigeon-holing so much realist fiction for young adults is victim to. There is no question that Marchetta’s own experiences as an Italian-Australian have informed her story. Nor is there any doubt that in Josephine Alibrandi she has created a fresh non-Anglo-Australian voice of great power and integrity. Nevertheless, Marchetta does find that the focus on the Italian heritage of her protagonist (and herself) can be both distracting and limiting; it was not, she says, her first impulse in telling Josephine Alibrandi’s story; Another legacy of the shared Italian-Australian heritage of both author and protagonist is the common assumption that the book must be autobiographical. The reading of her novel is in some ways complimentary, being as it is an indication of the kind of response readers have to Josephine, and to the lively and truthful tone of the novel; Marchetta has captured her characters, their situation and the inner city suburbs of Sydney acutely and precisely. The ambivalence Marchetta feels towards Josephine is revealed through the characters of Sister Louise, her headmistress, and her boyfriend Jacob, neither of whom hesitate to point out to Josephine when she is being selfish, over-dramatic, or plain stupid. A quite shocking example of this is in the scene where Jacob rescues Josephine from a violent mob of teenage boys in a McDonalds car park, and then abuses her for her stupidity in spitting on and further antagonising the ring-leader. It is an indication of the exasperation that Josephine provokes in those who care about her, and Marchetta agrees with Jacob that Josephine’s dramatic and impulsive behaviour too frequently land her in avoidable unpleasantness. To be fair, Josephine can be fairly hard on herself, and her ability at and willingness for self-scrutiny develops as she matures. It is testament to Marchetta’s care in balancing the complexities of Josephine’s character that the reader can witness her tantrums and drama-queen turns, her often thoughtless and selfish actions, and yet know that this is an essential part of her emancipation, and that it does not detract from her vitality, compassion and intelligence. Young Australian readers will find the setting of the novel very realistic and familiar. They will identify with the portrayal of Australian high school life, attending a debating meeting, the description of suburban Sydney and catching the ferry to Circular Quay, the fact of being part of a dysfunctional family ? all these details of the setting are realistic and will be instantly recognisable. Many teenagers of foreign parentage will relate to Josie’s rebellion against her Italian side and to all the references to the Italian culture.

The Legalization Of Drugs A Controversial Issue

The legalization of drugs has been and still is a controversial issue that is quite difficult to settle. Drugs can be harmful but very resourceful. It is used to relieve minor or major pains but could also send thousands to emergency rooms. Throughout this paper, you will learn about the brief history of the prohibition of drugs and how it led to the ratification of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. The factors that the prohibition brought will also be discussed in this paper and how the damages of prohibition led to the passing of the 21st Amendment, bringing back prohibited substances. In addition, reasons to why legalization of drugs should be considered like how it could reduce crime and mass incarceration of minorities in the justice system, as well as their importance in the medical field, will be stated in this paper also. History of Drug Use Drugs have been abused for various reasons and have been a rolling factor in every corner of the globe. Alcoholism as well as marijuana and a couple of other illicit drugs have plagued America throughout history. Opium, a narcotic drug which is also known as the â€Å"plant of joy† was used 4,000 years ago; sales of cocaine and heroin solutions to the British royal family were recorded from around 1900 – 1920, and records from the year of 1912 indicate that a cocaine solution was sold to Winston Churchill (Siegel, 2010, p. 366). â€Å"Prior to the 1800 s†¦ most societies used drugs for medicinal or religious purposes†Show MoreRelatedAn Analysis of President Obama’s Remarks about Marijuana Essay624 Words   |  3 Pagesmade some controversial remarks about legalizing marijuana. President Obama stated that he did not think that marijuana was â€Å"more dangerous than alcohol† (Remnick). This comment has caused proponents of legalizing marijuana to praise the President, while opponents are criticizing him for seemingly supporting this banned substance. 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