English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

English - Essay Example It all started when McDonald brothers had a very successful drive-in restaurant and decided to cut cost and simplify. They fired all their carshops and got rid of the things on the menu and mechanized the entire food preparation. This basically brought the factory in the restaurant kitchen and revolutionized how to run a restaurant. This proved to be a huge success that it inadvertently altered how and what we eat. This idea of cheapness and convenience brought by the fast food industry however is not necessarily healthy. It basically skewed our food preference towards the mechanized meat that produces unhealthy calorie that it is now cheaper to buy a burger than a carrot. The effect is devastating to our health. Statistics showed that one out of three children who were born from 2000 in America will contract diabetes and among the minorities, that will be one in two or 50 %. And this new method of feeding corn to the cows (the feedlot operator can buy corn at fraction of what it cos ts to grow) resulted in E. coli that is acid resistant. This is the more harmful E. coli as its mutation evolves to a strain called "E. coli 0157:h7". And it's a product of the diet that is being fed to the cattle on feedlots. A diet of corn which cows were not made to eat by natural evolution but by deliberate government policy of heavily subsidizing corn which is central to U.S. agriculture. Where it is grown in greater volumes and receives more government subsidies than any other crop. Between 1995 and 2006, corn growers received $56 billion in federal subsidies, and the annual figure may soon hit $10 billion (Heffern, 14). This E. coli 0157:h7 is so lethal that a child named Kevin, went from being perfectly healthy to being dead because of E. coli hemorrhage after eating just three hamburgers (Food Inc.). We may not know it but we also eat oil when we consume industrial food. Just to bring a steer to slaughter, it consumes 75 gallons of oil. Overall, the industry guzzles up petr oleum fuel of about 40,000 gallons per year. Consuming oil in food production not only makes the food industry vulnerable to oil spikes just like what is happening today with the recent crisis in Libya,it also makes the food more unhealthy with all its carbon dioxide emissions. Also, just when we thought that we were able to save money when we avail of fast foods as they are cheap, we are in fact very wrong. There are a myriad of hidden costs associated when we avail fast foods. When these hidden costs are factored in and included in the accounting its true cost, it is in fact more costly. In fact, experts had this consensus that â€Å"consumption of fast food, which have high energy densities and glycemic loads, and expose customers to excessive portion sizes, may be greatly contributing to and escalating the rates of overweight and obesity in the USA (Rosenheck, 246). Similarly, other studies have also concluded that â€Å"our findings suggest that increase in the supply of fast food restaurants have a significant effect on obesity† (Currie). Cheap does not also means we are able to save. Just when we thought we were able to save with the cheap price of fast foods, the industry took us for a ride. They worked against us with the typical allure of fast food chains that they are cheap and convenient . . . . For a few more dollars, you can

The Value of Digital Privacy in an Information Technology Age Research Paper

The Value of Digital Privacy in an Information Technology Age - Research Paper Example In the wrong hands, unauthorized access to information may lead to the destruction of vital information or usage of information for destructive purposes. Another way through which individuals can access private information is through phishing. Spear-phishing, in particular, has become increasingly common. It involves hacking individuals’ computers or accounts by sending e-mails to individuals’ accounts. These e-mails often get citizens to provide sensitive information. They are personal, crafty and deceitful messages that easily pass security protections. According to security software maker RSA, about one in every 300 emails in 2011 was a phish. Data cables are also used to access private information. Network cabling companies collect personal and non-personal information. Different cabling companies have different terms of use in regard to privacy. The companies, through their websites, collect information ranging from names, physical address, e-mail address, age, pas sword and other information necessary to conduct business with these companies. This information may then be used to facilitate citizens’ use of websites, to send information to citizens and to conduct business. ... Access to private information may lead to crimes such as identity theft, fraud, defamation, slandering and discriminatory practices. Also, gaining access to confidential information increases the risks of such information being disclosed. This causes dissatisfaction and encourages mistrust in individuals. In America, identity theft has become increasingly common and it destroys an individual’s financial reputation. Invasion of personal privacy shows inefficiency on the government’s part and other organizations that keep citizens’ records. Access to private citizen information through computer applications has greatly facilitated investigations into financial crimes, drug crimes and sex crimes (Soghoian, 2011, 18-20). Therefore, law enforcers are able to track crimes across borders. Because criminals have established highly complex networks across the globe, computer applications enable law enforcers to deter international crimes. Technological advancements go a g reat length in facilitating security and policing. Through soliciting â€Å"suspicious information†, the police and law enforcers can prevent crimes that threaten humanity and the dignity of humanity such as terrorism and identity theft. Determine what measures citizens can take to protect private information or information they do not want to be disclosed. To guard private information, citizens can implement measures that recognize the dangers of unwarranted access to private information. Preventive measures should be promoted to limit these dangers.

Digital Forensic Methodology and Strategy

Digital Forensic Methodology and Strategy Introduction Digital forensic can be described as the cyber security mostly used to secure to identify, preserve, analyze and present digital data evidence in the manner it will be legally accepted   in any legal process. Digital forensic is mostly applied in recovering that involves investigation of materials on a digital media platform and network. (Britz, 2013 ) This forensic uses the method of scientific research  Ã‚   where the evidence is mostly grounded on the fields of forensic science. The certification of the forensic science requires a code of conduct of neutral and decent approaches to examinations.   This digital forensic has a good history since it was discovered by the original people who saw the need to protect the data in any digital gadget. It is estimated to be over 40 years old with the first gadget making the first show up around 1970. This was due to a demand made by the community to the court of law. The first claim was about finance which was done using a computer. The hackers used the computer to steal money hence there was a need to come up with a strategy.   The hacking does not only involve stealing but also getting access of the information from a computer without the authority from the owner. In 1980s, training courses for digital forensic were developed aimed at equipping the learner with the knowledge of forensics. Organizations such as Certified Fraud Examiners, High Technology Crime Investigational Associations (HTCIA) among other digital forensic companies were formed to deal with those frauds. (Britz, Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime, 2010) Currently, there are so many courses in the universities to offer degrees in the fields such as computer forensics and also digital investigations. In those early days, forensic tools like MACE and Norton came up with the basic resurgence abilities such as unformat and undelete, the investigation was under individual stationed in a specific workstation. (Janczewski, 2010) Today some software have been formed to do the same and effectively. Government has come up with the standardization of the same as from 1984. On the same year, the FBI came up with a structured body, Computer Analysis Response Team (CART), assigned with the responsibility of examining the evidence as per the law. Digital forensic methodology Obtaining authorization for investigation. There first methods involve getting authority so as one can start the investigation. This is so because nobody can allow one to enter into another without permission, once the permission is granted, the investigations kick off. The person mandate to do the investigation must be experienced with the full knowledge of the forensic investigation and examining. The investigation will be carried out clearly and the fraud should be met and amended. The investigator also is expected to use the current methods of digital forensic due to rapid growth in the technology, meaning advanced methods should apply. Determining evidence locations After investigation, the investigator will provide the evidence locations. This means that the investigator will determine where the location at which the fraud has occurred, then go to those places and find out what might have happened. Different locations will contain different kinds of frauds; this will lead to different kinds of locations. (Dawson, 2015) Each evidence will also contain different measure of resolving it. Digital forensic differ from one country to another and the measure taken to deal with such frauds is still different. The evidence depending on the location   will also   entail different kind of data which will call for a specific way of investigating it. The location also will contain different kind of population which will mean that that population has a certain way of dealing with the forensic frauds. Determining and confirming techniques to find and interpret significant data In this method, the investigator is required to validate techniques to find and interpret significant data. There are so many techniques used to determine find data and consequently interpret the same data. Some techniques used are, histogram, random number generation, descriptive statistics and many others. When the data has been found, then it is interpreted using different methods. The forensic data will differ from one fraud to another and also from one location to the next.   The collected data which is well analyzed will give the best result. Summarize and provide explanation of conclusions After doing all what is required, the data summarized and the conclusion is provided. The investigator of the fraud makes the explanation and it should be correct without any mistake to avoid wrong conclusion. Depending on the nature of the fraud, the explanation given should provide a clear answer of what might have gone wrong. (Gladyshev, 2015) The data must be given correctly for the future reference if need be. As per the client, the explanation can be taken to the court of law alongside the sampled data as the evidence. The importance of using forensic tools to collect and analyze evidence. Many organizations have adopted forensic tools and have achieved many things. Forensic tools have collected protected and analyzed digital evidence and applied it where applicable. Can be in legal matters, disciplinary matters or even in employment tribunals. The forensic tools have been useful in the following circumstances; It has been useful in disputed transactions in an organization. Widely used in allegations pertaing to employee misconduct Used to show legal and regulatory compliance Widely used in a court of law to assist in law enforcement investigations Supporting insurance claims when a loss occurs in an organization. It is a tool to meet disclosure requirement in civil claims. Hashing in the context of digital forensics Hash values are used in cases of the electronic evidence.   Mostly used in the examination of process of computer forensics. The hash values are used to make sure that the original copy is not altered. During the process, an image is made of the original.   (Bossler, 2014) The original hard drive will be taken as a hash value also. The examination is done before the hash value is taken. In the case where the values are the same the copy is treated as the original while where the values are different, then the copy is put in a question. As the examination is concluded, a third value s commonly taken. The three hash values which include, original hard drive, imaged hard drive before the examination and imaged hard drive after the examination, must match. Again the hash values can be used in the court of law to validate evidences In another circumstances hash value can be used in discovery process. The discovery process where the hash value has been mostly applied is in court of law. How do you ensure that the evidence collected has not been tampered with (i.e., after collection)? Avoid contamination of the data- the specimen /data collected should be original and not contaminated with other materials. (DeFranco, 2014) Handle appropriately-make sure that the data collected is packed, stored and ferried correctly. Label accurately-the evidence collected should be labeled correctly to avoid confusion such that even if there can be any claim, it can be clearly produced. Ensure total security- the evidence which has been collected should be secure and tamper proof Maintain continuity-handling of the evidence should be recorded, also when the evidence pass from one person to another should also be recorded, this maintenance will ensure that the evidence is purely maintained. Why and how is this important to prove in a court of law? The collected data as per the explanation above is original. It can be proven in the court of law because there will be a full evidence that the evidence was well maintained. References Bossler, A. M. (2014). Cybercrime and digital forensics : an introduction. New York: Routledge. Britz, M. (2013 ). Computer forensics and cyber crime : an introduction . Boston: Pearson. Britz, M. (2010). Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime. Berlin: Springe. Dawson, M. (2015). New threats and countermeasures in digital crime and cyber terrorism . Hershey: An Imprint of IGI Globa. DeFranco, J. F. ( 2014). What every engineer should know about cyber security and digital forensics. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Gladyshev, P. (2015). Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime . Heidelberg: Springer. Janczewski, L. (2010). Cyber warfare and cyber terrorism. Hershey: Information Science Reference.

Social Security Systems in the Netherlands :: essays research papers fc

From decades social security policies are in question all across the Europe. Moreover, the future expectations of changes in the social security systems due to the variations in household structures and ageing of the society bear new social security systems. As most of the European countries the Netherlands, had a substantial growth in the 1960s. After the oil crises, the economy of the Netherlands worsened. Despite the successful creation of a large number of new jobs in the 1980s the growth of unemployment continued and remained persistent in character and still today. However, the social security system in the Netherlands is not alike to the 1970s and 1980s. The Dutch government expenditure on social benefits is characteristic of the well-developed welfare states - at 27.4 percent it is now above the EU average of 22.9 percent. It is among the high taxation countries and over average GDP per capita. Public employment is low and it has one of the lowest poverty rates. The extraordinary level of economic growth of the 1960s created the economic surplus in the Netherlands but by the world’s two oil crisis in the early 1970s the economic climate started to deteriorate. A stunning increase of unemployment in the late 1970s provoked a policy of labor cost reduction and cuts in the social security budget. It was believed that an increase in the real wages and social benefits would imply a further rise of unemployment. Moreover, it was predetermined by the government that the country could only recover from the economic downfall of the 1970s if free entrepreneurship and the functioning of market mechanisms would be restored. Gradually social policy lost its position as a more or less independent domain. It became the servant of economic policy as it was strongly believed that once the aim of a healthy economy was reached, social and economic deprivation would consequently vanish. In the 1980s the reduction of public expenditures became a keystone of Dutch socio-economic policy, partly to decrease a growing budgetary deficit of the state, partly to reduce the costs of labor as many social insurances were paid for by employers’ and employees’ contributions. As a result the levels of social security benefits like social assistance, unemployment and disability benefits were significantly lowered, while at the same time the definitions as to the eligibility for these benefits were reduced. Moreover, the Dutch social security system offered too few incentives for the non-active part of the labor force to participate in the market.

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 12

I'm not sure if it was the fresh air or the flowers Emily had brought me, but I slept soundly that night. The next morning I woke up to bright sunlight in my chambers and, for the first time since Rosalyn's death, didn't bother to drink the concoction Cordelia had left on my nightstand. The smell of cinnamon and eggs floated up from the kitchen, and I heard the snort of the horses as Alfred hitched them outside. For a second, I felt a thrill of possibility and the nascent bud of happiness. â€Å"Stefan!† my father boomed on the other side of the door, rapping three times with his walking stick or riding crop. Just like that, I remembered all that had transpired in the past week, and my malaise returned. I remained silent, hoping he'd simply go away. But instead he swung the door open. He was wearing his riding breeches and carried his black riding crop, a smile on his face and a sprig of a violet flower in his lapel. It was neither pretty nor fragrant; in fact, it looked like one of the herbs Cordelia grew down by the servants' quarters. â€Å"We're going riding,† Father announced as he swung open the shutters. I shaded my eyes against the glare. Was the world always so bright? â€Å"This chamber needs to be cleaned and you, my boy, need sun.† â€Å"But I should really attend to my studies,† I said, gesturing limply to the volume of Macbeth open on my desk. Father took the book and closed it with a definitive clap. â€Å"I need to speak to you and Damon, away from any prying ears.† He glanced suspiciously around the chambers. I followed his gaze but saw nothing except for a collection of dirty dishes that Cordelia hadn't yet cleared. As if on cue, Damon strode into the room, wearing a pair of mustard-colored breeches and his gray Confederate coat. â€Å"Father!† Damon rolled his eyes. â€Å"Don't tell me you're on about that demon nonsense again.† â€Å"It's not nonsense!† Father roared. â€Å"Stefan, I'll see you and your brother at the stable,† he said, turning on his heel and striding out. Damon shook his head, then followed him, leaving me to change. I put on my full riding costume–a gray waistcoat and brown breeches–and sighed, not sure I had enough strength to ride or to endure another marathon bickering session between my father and brother. When I opened the door, I found Damon standing at the bottom of the curved staircase, waiting. â€Å"Feeling better, brother?† Damon asked as we walked out the door and across the lawn together. I nodded, even as I noticed the spot under the willow tree where I'd found Rosalyn. The grass willow tree where I'd found Rosalyn. The grass was long and bright green, and squirrels were darting around the tree's gnarled trunk. Sparrows chirped, and the drooping branches of the weeping willow looked lush and full of promise. There was no sign that anything had been amiss. I breathed a sigh of relief when we reached the stable, inhaling the familiar, loved scent of well- oiled leather and sawdust. â€Å"Hi, girl,† I whispered into Mezzanotte's velvety ear. She whinnied in appreciation. Her coat seemed silky-smooth, even more so than the last time I'd brushed it. â€Å"Sorry I haven't come to visit you, but it looks like my brother's taken good care of you.† â€Å"Actually, Katherine's taken a shine to her. Which is too bad for her own horses.† Damon smiled fondly as he jerked his chin to two coal- black mares in the corner. Indeed, they were stamping their feet and staring at the ground dejectedly, as if to express just how ignored and lonely they were. â€Å"Y ou've been spending quite a bit of time with Katherine,† I said finally. It was a statement, not a question. Of course he had been. Damon always had an ease around women. I knew he knew women, especially after his year in the Confederate army. He'd told me stories about some of the women he'd met in cities like Atlanta and Lexington that had made me blush. Did he know Katherine? â€Å"I have been,† Damon said, swinging his leg over the back of his horse, Jake. He didn't elaborate. â€Å"Ready, boys?† Father called, his horse impatiently stamping its feet. I nodded and fell into stride behind Damon and Father as we headed to the Wickery Bridge, all the way on the other end of the property. We crossed the bridge and continued on into the forest. I blinked in relief. The sunlight had been too bright. I much preferred the dark shadows of the trees. The woods were cool, with wet leaves covering the forest floor, even though there hadn't been a rainstorm recently. The leaves were so thick, you could see only slight patches of blue sky, and occasionally I'd hear the rustle of a raccoon or badger in the underbrush. I tried not to think of the animal noises as coming from the beast that had attacked Rosalyn. We continued riding into the forest until we reached the clearing. Father abruptly stopped and hitched his horse to a birch tree. I obediently hitched Mezzanotte to a tree and glanced around. The clearing was marked by a collection of rocks set up in a rough circle, above which the trees parted to provide a natural window to the sky. I hadn't been there in ages, not since before Damon went away. When we were boys, we used to play illicit card games here with the other fellows in town. Everyone knew the clearing was the place boys came to gamble, girls came to gossip, and everyone came to spill their secrets. If Father really meant to keep our conversation quiet, he'd have been better off taking us to the tavern to talk. â€Å"We're in trouble,† Father said without preamble, glancing up at the sky. I followed his gaze, expecting to see a fast-moving summer storm. Instead, the sky was spotless and blue. I found no solace in this beautiful day. I was still haunted by Rosalyn's lifeless eyes. â€Å"We're not, Father,† Damon said thickly. â€Å"Y ou know who's in trouble? All of the soldiers fighting this godforsaken war for this cause you've made me try to believe in. The problem is the war and your incessant need to find conflict everywhere you turn.† Damon angrily stomped his feet, reminding me so much of Mezzanotte that I stifled the urge to laugh. â€Å"I will not have you talk back to me!† Father said, shaking his fist at Damon. I glanced back and forth at the two of them, as though I were watching a tennis match. Damon towered over Father's sloping shoulders, and for the first time I realized that Father was getting old. Damon put his hands on his hips. â€Å"Then talk. Let's hear what you have to say.† I expected Father to shout, but instead he crossed to one of the rocks, his knees creaking as he bent to sit. â€Å"Y want to know why I left Italy? ou I left it for you. For my future children. I knew I wanted my sons to grow and marry and have children on land I owned and land I loved. And I do love this land, and I will not watch it be destroyed by demons,† Father said, flinging his hands wildly. I stepped back, and Mezzanotte whinnied a long, plaintive note. â€Å"Demons,† he repeated, as if to prove his point. â€Å"Demons?† Damon snorted. â€Å"More like big dogs. Don't you see it's talk like this that will make you lose everything? Y say you want a good life ou for us, but you're always deciding how we'll live that life. Y made me go to war and made Stefan ou get engaged, and now you're making us believe your fairy tales,† Damon yelled in frustration. I glanced at Father guiltily. I didn't want him to know I hadn't loved Rosalyn. But Father didn't look at me. He was too busy glowering at Damon. â€Å"All I wanted was for my boys to have the best. I know what we're facing, and I do not have time for your schoolboy arguments. I am not telling tales right now.† Father glanced back at me, and I forced myself to look into his dark eyes. â€Å"Please understand. There are demons who walk among us. They existed in the old country, too. They walked the same earth, talked like humans. But they wouldn't drink like humans.† â€Å"Well, if they don't drink wine, that would be a blessing, wouldn't it?† Damon asked sarcastically. blessing, wouldn't it?† Damon asked sarcastically. I stiffened. I remembered all the times after Mother had died that Father would drink too much wine or whiskey, lock himself in the study, then mumble late into the night about ghosts or demons. â€Å"Damon!† Father said, his voice even sharper than my brother's. â€Å"I will ignore your impudence. But I will not have you ignore me. Listen to me, Stefan.† Father turned toward me. â€Å"What you saw happen to your young Rosalyn wasn't natural. It wasn't one of Damon's coyotes,† Father said, practically spitting out the word. â€Å"It was un vampiro. They were in the old country, and now they're here,† Father said, screwing up his florid face. â€Å"And they are doing harm. They're feeding on us. And we need to stop it.† â€Å"What do you mean?† I asked nervously, any trace of exhaustion or dizziness gone. All I felt was fear. I thought back to Rosalyn, but this time, instead of remembering her eyes, I remembered the blood on her throat, having flowed from the two precise circles on the side of her neck. I touched my own neck, feeling the pulse of blood beneath my skin. The rush below my fingers sped up as I felt my heart skip a beat. Could Father be †¦ right? â€Å"Father means that he's been spending too much time listening to the church ladies tell their tales. Father, this is a story that would be told to scare a child. And not a very clever one. Everything you're saying is nonsense.† Damon shook his head and angrily stood from his perch on the tree stump. â€Å"I will not sit around and be told ghost stories.† With that, he turned on his gold- buttoned boot and swung his foot up over Jake's back, gazing down at Father, as if daring him to say one more thing. â€Å"Mark my words,† Father said, taking a step closer to me. â€Å"Vampires are among us. They look like us and can live among us, but they are not who we are. They drink blood. It is their elixir of life. They do not have souls, and they never die. They are forever immortal.† The word immortal made me suck in my breath. The wind changed, and the leaves began rustling. I shivered. â€Å"Vampires,† I repeated slowly. I'd heard the word once before, when Damon and I were schoolchildren and used to gather on the Wickery Bridge, trying to scare our friends. One boy had told us of seeing a figure kneeling down in the woods, feasting on the neck of a deer. The boy told us he had screamed and the figure had turned to him with hellred eyes, blood dripping from long, sharp teeth. A vampire, he said with conviction, glancing around the circle to see if he'd impressed any of us. But because he'd been pale and scrawny and not any good at shooting, we'd laughed and mocked him mercilessly. He and his family had moved to Richmond the next year. â€Å"Well, I'd take vampires over an insane father,† Damon said, kicking Jake's flanks and riding off into the sunset. I turned toward Father, expecting an angry tirade. But Father simply shook his head. â€Å"Do you believe me, son?† he asked. I nodded, even though I wasn't sure what I believed. All I knew was that somehow, in the past week, the whole world had changed, and I wasn't sure where I fit in anymore. â€Å"Good.† Father nodded as we rode out of the forest and onto the bridge. â€Å"We must be careful. It seems the war has awakened the vampires. It's as if they can smell blood.† The word blood echoed in my mind as we directed our horses to walk away from the cemetery and toward the shortcut through the fields that would lead to the pond. In the distance, I could see the sun reflecting on the pond's surface. No one would ever imagine this verdant, rolling land as being a place where demons walked. Demons, if they existed at all, belonged in the old country, amid the decrepit churches and castles Father had grown up with. All the words Father said were familiar, but they sounded so strange in the place where he was saying them. Father glanced around as if to make sure no one was hiding in the bushes near the bridge. The horses were walking alongside the graveyard now, the headstones bright and imposing in the now, the headstones bright and imposing in the warm summer light. â€Å"Blood is what they feed on. It gives them power.† â€Å"But then †¦,† I said, as the information whirled in my brain. â€Å"If they are immortal, then how are we to †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Kill them?† Father asked, finishing my thought. He pulled the reins on his horse. â€Å"There are methods. I've been learning. I've heard there's a priest in Richmond who can try to exorcise them, but then people in town know †¦ some things,† he finished. â€Å"Jonathan Gilbert and Sheriff Forbes and I have discussed some preliminary measures.† â€Å"If there's anything I can do †¦,† I offered finally, unsure what to say. â€Å"Of course,† Father said brusquely. â€Å"I expect you to be part of our committee. For starters, I've been talking to Cordelia. She knows her herbs, and she says there's a plant called vervain.† Father's hand fluttered to the flower on his lapel. â€Å"We will come up with a plan. And we will prevail. Because while they may have immortality, we have God on our side. It is kill or be killed. Do you understand me, boy? This is the war you're being drafted to fight.† I nodded, feeling the full weight of the responsibility on my shoulders. Maybe this was what I was meant to be doing: not getting married or going off to war, but fighting an unnatural evil. I met Father's gaze. â€Å"I'll do whatever you want,† I said. â€Å"Anything.† The last thing I saw before I galloped back to the stable was the huge grin on Father's face. â€Å"I knew you would, son. Y are a true Salvatore.†

Zoe’s Tale PART II Chapter Seventeen

The four of us moved as silently as we could into the forest, from the place where Gretchen had seen Magdy, Enzo and their two friends go into the tree line. We listened for their sounds; none of them had been trained to move quietly. It wasn't a good thing for them, especially if the creatures decided to hunt them. It was better for us, because we wanted to track them. We listened for our friends on the ground, we watched and listened for movement in the trees. We already knew whatever they were could track us. We hoped we might be able to track them, too. In the distance, we heard rustling, as if of quick, hurried movement. We headed that direction, Gretchen and I taking point, Hickory and Dickory fast behind. Gretchen and I had been training for months, learning how to move, how to defend ourselves, how to fight and how to kill, if it was necessary. Tonight, any part of what we learned might have to be used. We might have to fight. We might even have to kill. I was so scared that if I stopped running, I think I would have collapsed into a ball and never gotten up. I didn't stop running. I kept going. Trying to find Enzo and Magdy before something else did. Trying to find them, and to save them. â€Å"After Gutierrez left, Magdy didn't see any point in keeping our story quiet anymore, so he started blabbing to his friends,† Gretchen had told me. â€Å"He was giving people the idea that he'd actually faced these things and had managed to keep them off while the rest of us were getting away.† â€Å"Idiot,† I said. â€Å"When you parents came back without the hunting party, a group of his friends came to him about organizing a search,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Which was actually just an excuse for a bunch of them to stalk through the forest with guns. My dad caught wind of this and tried to step on its head. He reminded them that five adults just went into the forest and didn't come out. I thought that was the end of it, but now I hear that Magdy just waited until my dad went to go visit yours before gathering up some like-minded idiots to head off into the woods.† â€Å"Didn't anyone notice them heading off?† I asked. â€Å"They told people they were going to do a little target practice on Magdy's parents' homestead,† Gretchen said. â€Å"No one's going to complain about them doing that right about now. Once they got there they just took off. The rest of Magdy's family is here in town like everyone else. No one knows they're missing.† â€Å"How'd you find out about this?† I asked. â€Å"It's not like Magdy would tell you this right now.† â€Å"His little group left someone behind,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Isaiah Miller was going to go with him, but his dad wouldn't let him have the rifle for ‘target practice.' I heard him complaining about that and then basically intimidated the rest of it out of him.† â€Å"Has he told anybody else?† I asked. â€Å"I don't think so,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Now that he's had time to think about it I don't think he wants to get in trouble. But we should tell someone.† â€Å"We'll cause a panic if we do,† I said. â€Å"Six people have already died. If we tell people four more people – four kids – have gone off into the woods, people will go insane. Then we'll have more people heading off with guns and more people dying, either by these things or by accidentally shooting each other because they're so wired up.† â€Å"What do you want to do, then?† Gretchen asked. â€Å"We've been training for this, Gretchen,† I said. Gretchen's eyes got very wide. â€Å"Oh, no,† she said. â€Å"Zoe, I love you, but that's loopy. There's no way you're getting me out there to be a target for these things again, and there's no way I'm going to let you go out there.† â€Å"It wouldn't just be us,† I said. â€Å"Hickory and Dickory – â€Å" â€Å"Hickory and Dickory are going to tell you you're nuts, too,† Gretchen said. â€Å"They just spent months teaching you how to defend yourself, and you think they're going to be at all happy with you putting yourself out there for something to use as spear practice. I don't think so.† â€Å"Let's ask them,† I said. â€Å"Miss Gretchen is correct,† Hickory said to me, once I called for it and Dickory. â€Å"This is a very bad idea. Major Perry and Lieutenant Sagan are the ones who should deal with this matter.† â€Å"My dad's got the whole rest of the colony to worry about at the moment,† I said. â€Å"And Mom's in the medical bay, getting fixed from when she dealt with this the last time.† â€Å"You don't think that tells you something?† Gretchen said. I turned on her, a little angry, and she held up a hand. â€Å"Sorry, Zoe. That came out wrong. But think about it. Your mom was a Special Forces soldier. She fought things for a living. And if she came out of this with a wound bad enough for her to spend her night in the medical bay, it means that whatever is out there is serious business.† â€Å"Who else can do this?† I asked. â€Å"Mom and Dad went after that hunting party on their own for a reason – they had been trained to fight and deal with experiences like that. Anyone else would have gotten themselves killed. They can't go after Magdy and Enzo right now. If anyone else goes after them, they're going to be in just as much danger as those two and their other friends. We're the only ones who can do this.† â€Å"Don't get angry at me for saying this,† Gretchen said. â€Å"But it sounds like you're excited to do this. Like you want to go out there and fight something.† â€Å"I want to find Enzo and Magdy,† I said. â€Å"That's all I want to do.† â€Å"We should inform your father,† Hickory said. â€Å"If we inform my father he'll tell us no,† I said. â€Å"And the longer we talk about this the longer it's going to take to find our friends.† Hickory and Dickory put their heads together and clacked quietly for a minute. â€Å"This is not a good idea,† Hickory said, finally. â€Å"But we will help you.† â€Å"Gretchen?† I asked. â€Å"I'm trying to decide if Magdy is worth it,† she said. â€Å"Gretchen,† I said. â€Å"It's a joke,† she said. â€Å"The sort you make when you're about to wet your pants.† â€Å"If we are to do this,† Hickory said. â€Å"We must do it on the assumption that we will engage in combat. You have been trained with firearms and hand weapons. You must be prepared to use them if necessary.† â€Å"I understand,† I said. Gretchen nodded. â€Å"Then let us get ready,† Hickory said. â€Å"And let us do so quietly.† Any confidence that I had any idea what I was doing left me the moment we entered the forest, when the running through the trees brought me back to the last time I raced through them at night, some unknown thing or things pacing us invisibly. The difference between now and then was that I had been trained and prepared to fight. I thought it would make a difference in how I felt. It didn't. I was scared. And not just a little. The rustling, rushing sound we had heard was getting closer to us and heading right for us, on the ground and moving fast. The four of us halted and hid and prepared ourselves to deal with whatever was coming at us. Two human forms burst out of the brush and ran in a straight line past where Gretchen and I were hiding. Hickory and Dickory grabbed them as they passed by them; the boys screamed in terror as Hickory and Dickory took them down. Their rifles went skidding across the ground. Gretchen and I rushed over to them and tried to calm them down. Being human helped. Neither was Enzo or Magdy. â€Å"Hey,† I said, as soothingly as I could, to the one closest to me. â€Å"Hey. Relax. You're safe. Relax.† Gretchen was doing the same to the other one. Eventually I recognized who they were: Albert Yoo and Michel Gruber. Both Albert and Michel were people I had long filed away under the â€Å"kind of a twit† category, so I didn't spend any more time with them than I had to. They had returned the favor. â€Å"Albert,† I said, to the one closest to me. â€Å"Where are Enzo and Magdy?† â€Å"Get your thing off of me!† Albert said. Dickory was still restraining him. â€Å"Dickory,† I said. It let Albert go. â€Å"Where are Enzo and Magdy?† I repeated. â€Å"I don't know,† Albert said. â€Å"We got separated. Those things in the trees started chanting at us and Michel and I got spooked and took off.† â€Å"Chanting?† I asked. â€Å"Or singing or clicking or whatever,† Albert said. â€Å"We were walking along, looking for these things when all these noises started coming out of the trees. Like they were trying to show us that they had snuck up on us without us even knowing.† This worried me. â€Å"Hickory?† I asked. â€Å"There is nothing significant in the trees,† it said. I relaxed a little. â€Å"They surrounded us,† Albert said. â€Å"And then Magdy took a shot at them. And then things really got loud. Michel and I got out of there. We just ran. We didn't see where Magdy and Enzo went.† â€Å"How long ago was this?† I asked. â€Å"I don't know,† Albert said. â€Å"Ten minutes, fifteen. Something like that.† â€Å"Show us where you came from,† I said. Albert pointed. I nodded. â€Å"Get up,† I said. â€Å"Dickory will take you and Michel back to the tree line. You can get back from there.† â€Å"I'm not going anywhere with that thing,† Michel said, his first contribution to the evening. â€Å"Okay, then you have two choices,† I said. â€Å"Stay here and hope we come back for you before these things do, or hope that you make it to the tree line before they catch up with you. Or you can let Dickory help you and maybe survive. Your choice.† I said it a little more forcefully than I had to, but I was annoyed that this idiot didn't want help staying alive. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"Good,† I said. I picked up their rifles and handed them to Dickory, and took his. â€Å"Take them to the tree line near Magdy's homestead. Don't give them back their rifles until you get there. Come back and find us as soon as you can.† Dickory nodded, intimidated Albert and Michel into movement, and headed off. â€Å"I never liked them,† Gretchen said as they left. â€Å"I can see why,† I said, and gave Dickory's rifle to Hickory. â€Å"Come on. Let's keep going.† We heard them before we saw them. Actually, Hickory, whose hearing goes above human range, heard them – trilling and chirping and chanting. â€Å"They are singing,† Hickory said quietly, and led Gretchen and me to them. Dickory arrived, silently, just before we found them. Hickory handed over its rifle. In the small clearing were six figures. Enzo and Magdy were the first I recognized. They knelt on the ground, heads down, waiting for whatever was going to happen to them. The light was not good enough for me to see any expression on either of their faces, but I didn't have to see their faces to know that they were scared. Whatever had happened to the two of them had gone badly, and now they were just waiting for it to end. However it would end. I took in Enzo's kneeling form and remembered in a rush why I loved him. He was there because he was trying to be a good friend for Magdy. Trying to keep him out of trouble, or at the very least to share his trouble if he could. He was a decent human being, which is rare enough but is something of a miracle in a teenage boy. I came out here for him because I still loved him. It had been weeks since we'd said anything more than a simple â€Å"hello† at school – when you break up in a small community you have to make some space – but it didn't matter. I was still connected to him. Some part of him stayed in my heart, and I imagined would for as long as I lived. Yes, it was a really inconvenient place and time to realize all of this, but these things happen when they happen. And it didn't make any noise, so it was all right. I looked over at Magdy, and this is the thought I had: When all of this is through, I am seriously going to kick his ass. The four other figures†¦ Werewolves. It was the only way to describe them. They looked feral, and strong, and carnivorous and nightmarish, and with all of that was movement and sound that made it clear that there were brains in there to go along with everything else. They shared the four eyes of all the Roanoke animals we had seen so far, but other than that they could have been lifted right out of folklore. These were werewolves. Three of the werewolves were busy taunting and poking Magdy and Enzo, clearly toying with them and threatening them. One of them held a rifle that it had taken off of Magdy, and was jabbing him with it. I wondered if was still loaded, and what would happen to Magdy or the werewolf if it went off. Another held a spear and occasionally poked Enzo with it. The three of them were chirping and clicking at each other; I don't doubt they were discussing what to do with Magdy and Enzo, and how to do it. The fourth werewolf stood apart from the other three and acted differently. When one of the other werewolves went to poke Enzo or Magdy, it would step in and try to keep them from doing it, standing between the humans and the rest of the werewolves. Occasionally it would step in and try to talk to one of the other werewolves, gesturing back to Enzo and Magdy for emphasis. It was trying to convince the other werewolves of something. To let the humans go? Maybe. Whatever it was, the other werewolves weren't having any of it. The fourth werewolf kept at it anyway. It suddenly reminded me of Enzo, the first time I saw him, trying to keep Magdy from getting into an idiotic fight for no reason at all. It didn't work that time; Gretchen and I had to step in and do something. It wasn't working now, either. I glanced over and saw that Hickory and Dickory had both taken up positions where they could get clean shots at the werewolves. Gretchen had moved off from me and was setting up her own shot. Between the four of us we could take all of the werewolves before they even knew what had happened to them. It would be quick and clean and easy, and we'd get Enzo and Magdy out of there and back home before anyone knew anything had happened. It was the smart thing to do. I quietly moved and readied my weapon, and took a minute or two to stop shaking and steady up. I knew we'd take them in sequence, Hickory on the far left taking the first of the three group werewolves, Dickory taking the second, Gretchen the third, and I the last one, standing away from the rest. I knew the rest of them were waiting for me to make the shot. One of the werewolves moved to poke Enzo again. My werewolf hurried, too late, to stop the assault. And I knew. I didn't want to. I just didn't. Didn't want to kill it. Because it was trying to save my friends, not kill them. It didn't deserve to die just because that was the easiest way to get back Enzo and Magdy. But I didn't know what else to do. The three werewolves started chittering again, first in what seemed like a random way, but then together, and to a beat. The one with a spear began thumping it into the ground in time, and the three of them started working off the beat, playing against each other's voices for what was clearly a victory chant of some sort or another. The fourth werewolf started gesturing more frantically. I had a terrible fear of what was going to happen at the end of the chant. They kept singing, getting closer to the end of that chant. So I did what I had to do. I sang back. I opened my mouth and the first line of â€Å"Delhi Morning† came out of it. Not well, and not on key. Actually, it was really bad – all those months of practicing it and playing it at hootenannies were not paying off. It didn't matter. It was doing what I needed it to do. The werewolves immediately fell silent. I kept singing. I glanced over to Gretchen, who was not so far away that I couldn't read the Are you completely insane? look that she had on her face. I gave her a look that said, Help me out please. Her face tightened up into something unreadable and she sighted down her rifle to keep one of the werewolves squarely in target – and started to sing the counterpoint of the song, dipping above and below my part, like we had practiced so many times. With her help I found the right key to sing and homed in. And now the werewolves knew there was more than one of us. To the left of Gretchen, Dickory chimed in, mimicking the sitar of the song as he did so well. It was funny to watch, but when you closed your eyes it was hard to tell the difference between it and the real thing. I drank in the twang of his voice and kept singing. And to the left of Dickory, Hickory finally came in, using its long neck to sound off like a drum, finding the beat and keeping it from then on. And now the werewolves knew there were as many of us as them. And that we could have killed them anytime. But we didn't. My stupid plan was working. Now all I had to do was figure what I had planned to do next. Because I really didn't know what I was doing here. All I knew was that I didn't want to shoot my werewolf. The one, in fact, who had now stepped off entirely away from the rest of his pack and was walking toward where he thought my voice was coming from. I decided to meet him halfway. I set down my rifle and stepped into the clearing, still singing. The werewolf with the spear began to raise it, and suddenly my mouth was very dry. I think my werewolf noticed something on my face, because it turned and chattered madly at the spear carrier. The spear went down; my werewolf didn't know it, but he'd just saved his friend a bullet in the head from Gretchen. My werewolf turned back to me and started walking toward me again. I kept singing until the song was through. By that time, my werewolf was standing right next to me. Our song was finished. I stood there, waiting to see what my werewolf would do next. What he did next was point to my neck, to the jade elephant pendant Jane had given me. I touched it. â€Å"Elephant,† I said. â€Å"Like your fanties.† He stared at it again and then stared at me again. Finally it chirped out something. â€Å"Hello,† I said back. What else was I going to say? We had a couple more minutes of sizing each other up. Then one of the three other werewolves chirped something. He chirped something back, and then tilted his head at me, as if to say, It would really help me if you actually did something here. So I pointed to Enzo and Magdy. â€Å"Those two belong to me,† I said, making what I hoped were appropriate hand signals, so my werewolf would get the idea. â€Å"I want to take them back with me.† I motioned back in the direction of the colony. â€Å"Then we'll leave you alone.† The werewolf watched all my hand signals; I'm not sure how many of them he actually got. But when I was done, he pointed to Enzo and Magdy, then to me, and then in the direction of the colony, as if to say, Let me make sure I've got this right. I nodded, said â€Å"yes,† and then repeated all the hand signals again. We were actually having a conversation. Or maybe we weren't, because what followed was an explosion of chittering from my werewolf, along with some wild gesticulating. I tried to follow it but I had no idea what was going on. I looked at him helplessly, trying to get what he was saying. Finally he figured out I had no clue what he was doing. So he pointed at Magdy, and then pointed at the rifle one of the other werewolves was holding. And then he pointed at his side, and then motioned at me as if to take a closer look. Against my better judgment, I did, and noticed something I missed before: My werewolf was injured. An ugly furrow was carved into his side, surrounded by raw welts on either side. That idiot Magdy had shot my werewolf. Barely, sure. Magdy was lucky that his aim continued to be bad, otherwise he'd probably already be dead. But even grazing it was bad enough. I backed up from the werewolf and let him know I'd seen enough. He pointed at Enzo, pointed at me, and pointed back to the colony. Then he pointed at Magdy and pointed at his werewolf friends. This was clear enough: He was saying Enzo was free to go with me, but his friends wanted to keep Magdy. I didn't doubt that would end badly for Magdy. I shook my head and made it clear I needed the both of them. My werewolf made it equally clear they wanted Magdy. Our negotiations had just hit a really big snag. I looked my werewolf up and down. He was stocky, barely taller than me, and covered only in a sort of short skirt cinched up with a belt. A simple stone knife hung from the belt. I'd seen pictures of knives like it from history books detailing the Cro-Magnon days back on Earth. The funny thing about the Cro-Magnons was that despite the fact that they were barely above banging rocks together, their brains were actually larger than our brains are now. They were cavemen, but they weren't stupid. They had the ability to think about serious stuff. â€Å"I sure hope you have a Cro-Magnon brain,† I said to my werewolf. â€Å"Otherwise I'm about to get in trouble.† He tilted his head again, trying to figure out what I was trying to say to him. I motioned again, trying to make it clear I wanted to talk to Magdy. My werewolf didn't seem happy about this, and chattered something to his friends. They chattered back, and got pretty agitated. But in the end, my werewolf reached out to me. I let him take my wrist and he dragged me over to Magdy. His three friends fanned themselves out behind me, ready if I should try anything stupid. I knew outside the clearing Hickory and Dickory, at least, would be moving to get better sight lines. There were still lots of ways this could go very very wrong. Magdy was still kneeling, not looking at me or anything else but a spot on the ground. â€Å"Magdy,† I said. â€Å"Kill these stupid things and get us out of here already,† he said, quietly and fast, still not looking at me. â€Å"I know you know how. I know you have enough people out there to do it.† â€Å"Magdy,† I said again. â€Å"Listen to me carefully and don't interrupt me. These things want to kill you. They're willing to let Enzo go, but they want to keep you because you shot one of them. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?† â€Å"Just kill them,† Magdy said. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"You went after these guys, Magdy. You were hunting them. You shot at them. I'm going to try to keep you from getting killed. But I'm not going to kill them because you put yourself in their way. Not unless I have to. Do you understand me?† â€Å"They're going to kill us,† Magdy said. â€Å"You and me and Enzo.† â€Å"I don't think so,† I said. â€Å"But if you don't shut up and actually listen to what I'm trying to say to you, you're going to make that more likely.† â€Å"Just shoot – † Magdy began. â€Å"For God's sake, Magdy,† Enzo said suddenly, from Magdy's side. â€Å"One person on the entire planet is risking her own neck for you and all you can do is argue with her. You really are an ungrateful piece of crap. Now would you please shut up and listen to her. I'd like to get out of this alive.† I don't know who was more surprised by that outburst, me or Magdy. â€Å"Fine,† Magdy said, after a minute. â€Å"These things want to kill you because you shot one of them,† I said. â€Å"I'm going to try to convince them to let you go. But you're going to have to trust me and follow my lead and not argue and not fight back. For the last time: Do you understand me?† â€Å"Yes,† Magdy said. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"They think I'm your leader. So I need to give them the idea I'm angry with you for what you did. I'm going to have to punish you in front of them. And just so you know, this is going to hurt. A lot.† â€Å"Just – † Magdy began. â€Å"Magdy,† I said. â€Å"Yeah, all right, whatever,† Magdy said. â€Å"Let's just do this.† â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Sorry about this.† Then I kicked him in the ribs. Hard. He collapsed with a whoosh and fell flat to the ground. Whatever he was expecting, he wasn't expecting that. After he had gasped on the ground for a minute I grabbed him by the hair. He clutched at my hand and tried to get away. â€Å"Don't fight me,† I said, and gave him a quick punch in the ribs to make the point. He got it and stopped. I pulled his head back and yelled at him for shooting the werewolf, pointing at his rifle and then the wounded werewolf and back and forth several times to make the point. The werewolves seemed to make the connection and chittered among themselves about it. â€Å"Apologize,† I told Magdy, still holding his head. Magdy reached out to the wounded werewolf. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said. â€Å"If I had known that shooting would mean Zoe got to beat the crap out of me, I would never have done it.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said, and then let go of his hair and smacked him hard across the face. Magdy went down again. I looked over to the werewolf to see if this was sufficient. He didn't look like he was quite there yet. I loomed over Magdy. â€Å"How are you doing?† I asked. â€Å"I think I'm going to throw up,† he said. â€Å"Good,† I said. â€Å"I think that would work. Need any help?† â€Å"I got it,† he said, and retched all over the ground. This got impressed chirps from the werewolves. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Last part, Magdy. You really have to trust me on this one.† â€Å"Please stop hurting me now,† Magdy said. â€Å"Almost done,† I said. â€Å"Stand up, please.† â€Å"I don't think I can,† he said. â€Å"Sure you can,† I said, and wrenched his arm to give him motivation. Magdy inhaled and stood up. I marched him over to my werewolf, who eyed the both of us, curiously. I pointed at Magdy, and then to the werewolf's wound. Then I pointed to the werewolf, and made a slashing motion on Magdy's side, and then pointed at the werewolf's knife. The werewolf gave me yet another head tilt, as if to say, I want to be sure we understand each other, here. â€Å"Fair's fair,† I said. â€Å"You're going to let him stab me?† Magdy said, his voice rising dramatically at the end of that sentence. â€Å"You shot him,† I said. â€Å"He could kill me,† Magdy said. â€Å"You could have killed him,† I said. â€Å"I hate you,† Magdy said. â€Å"I really really really hate you now.† â€Å"Shut up,† I said, and then nodded to the werewolf. â€Å"Trust me,† I said to Magdy. The werewolf drew his knife, and then looked back at his companions, who were all chattering loudly and beginning to chant what they were chanting earlier. I was all right with that. The difference now was that it was my werewolf who would do whatever violence would be done. My werewolf stood there for a minute, soaking in the chant of his fellow werewolves. Then without warning he sliced at Magdy so quickly that I only got him moving back, not forward. Magdy hissed in pain. I let him go and he fell to the ground, clutching his side. I moved in front of him and grabbed his hands. â€Å"Let me see,† I said. Magdy moved his hands and winced preemptively, expecting a gush of blood. There was only the thinnest red line on his side. The werewolf had cut Magdy just enough to let him know he could have cut him a lot worse. â€Å"I knew it,† I said. â€Å"You knew what?† Magdy said. â€Å"That I was dealing with a Cro-Magnon,† I said. â€Å"I really don't understand you,† Magdy said. â€Å"Stay down,† I said. â€Å"Don't get up until I tell you.† â€Å"I'm not moving,† he said. â€Å"Really.† I stood up and faced the werewolf, who had put his knife back on his belt. He pointed to Magdy, and then pointed to me, and then pointed back toward the colony. â€Å"Thank you,† I said, and gave the werewolf a little nod of my head, which I hoped would convey the idea. When I looked up again, I saw him staring at my jade elephant again. I wondered if he'd ever seen jewelry before, or if it was simply because an elephant looks like a fantie. These werewolves followed the fantie herds; they would be a main source of food for them. They were their lives. I took off my necklace and handed it to my werewolf. He took it and gently touched the pendant, making it twirl and glitter in the dim light of the night. He cooed at it appreciatively. Then he handed it back to me. â€Å"No,† I said. I held up a hand, and then pointed to the pendant, and to him. â€Å"It's for you. I'm giving it to you.† The werewolf stood there for a moment, and then uttered a trill, which caused his friends to crowd around him. He held up the pendant for them to admire. â€Å"Here,† I said, after a minute, and motioned to him to hand me the necklace. He did, and I – very slowly, so I wouldn't surprise him – put it around his neck and fastened it. The pendant touched his chest. He touched it again. â€Å"There,† I said. â€Å"That was given to me by someone very important, so I would remember the people who loved me. I'm giving it to you, so you'll remember that I'm thanking you for giving me back people I love. Thank you.† The werewolf gave me another of his head tilts. â€Å"I know you don't have any idea what I'm saying,† I said. â€Å"Thank you anyway.† The werewolf reached to his side, pulled his knife. Then he laid it flat on his hand and offered it to me. I took it. â€Å"Wow,† I said, and admired it. I was careful not to touch the actual blade; I'd already seen how sharp it was. I tried to return it but he held up his hand or claw or whatever you want to call it, in a mirror of what I did for him. He was giving it to me. â€Å"Thank you,† I said again. He chirped, and with that he returned to his friends. The one holding Magdy's rifle dropped it, and then without looking back they walked to the nearest trees, scaled them at an unbelievable speed and were gone almost instantly. â€Å"Holy crap,† I said, after a minute. â€Å"I can't believe that actually worked.† â€Å"You can't believe it,† Gretchen said. She came out of hiding and stalked right up to me. â€Å"What the hell is wrong with you? We come out all this way and you sing at them. Sing. Like you're at a hootenanny. We are not doing this again. Ever.† â€Å"Thank you for following my lead,† I said. â€Å"And for trusting me. I love you.† â€Å"I love you too,† Gretchen said. â€Å"It still doesn't mean this is ever going to happen again.† â€Å"Fair enough,† I said. â€Å"It was almost worth it to see you beat the crap out of Magdy, though,† Gretchen said. â€Å"God, I feel horrible about that,† I said. â€Å"Really?† Gretchen said. â€Å"It wasn't just a little bit of fun?† â€Å"Oh, all right,† I said. â€Å"Maybe a little.† â€Å"I'm right here,† Magdy said, from the ground. â€Å"And you need to thank Zoe you are,† Gretchen said, and bent down to kiss him. â€Å"You stupid, exasperating person. I am so happy you are still alive. And if you ever do anything like this again, I will kill you myself. And you know I can.† â€Å"I know,† he said, and pointed to me. â€Å"And if you can't, she will. I get it.† â€Å"Good,† Gretchen said. She stood up and then held out her hand to Magdy. â€Å"Now get up. We've got a long way to go to get home, and I think we just blew all our dumb luck for the year.† â€Å"What are you going to tell your parents?† Enzo asked me, as we walked home. â€Å"Tonight? Not a thing,† I said. â€Å"Both of them have enough to worry about tonight. They don't need me coming in and saying that while they were out I faced down four werewolves who were about to kill two more colonists, and defeated them using only the power of song. I think I might wait a day or two to drop that one. That's a hint, by the way.† â€Å"Hint taken,† Enzo said. â€Å"Although you are going to tell them something.† â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"We have to. If these werewolves are following the fantie herds then we're going to have problems like this every year, and every time they come back. I think we need to let people know they're not actually murdering savages, but we're all still better off if we just leave them alone.† â€Å"How did you know?† Enzo asked me, a minute later. â€Å"Know what?† I said. â€Å"That those werewolf thingies weren't just murdering savages,† Enzo said. â€Å"You held Magdy and let that werewolf take a shot at him. You thought he wouldn't stab Magdy to death. I heard you, you know. After it did it, you said ‘I knew it.' So how did you know?† â€Å"I didn't,† I said. â€Å"But I hoped. He had just spent God knows how long keeping his friends from killing the two of you. I don't think he was just doing it because he was a nice guy.† â€Å"Nice werewolf,† Enzo said. â€Å"Nice whatever he is,† I said. â€Å"Thing is, the werewolves have killed some of us. I know John and Jane killed some of them trying to get our people back. Both of us – the colonists and the werewolves – showed we were perfectly able to kill each other. I think we needed to show that we were capable of not killing each other, too. We let them know that when we sang at them instead of shooting them. I think my werewolf got that. So when I offered him a chance to get back at Magdy, I guessed he wouldn't really hurt him. Because I think he wanted us to know he was smart enough to know what would happen if he did.† â€Å"You still took a big risk,† Enzo said. â€Å"Yeah, I did,† I said. â€Å"But the only other alternative was to kill him and his friends, or have them kill all of us. Or all of us kill each other. I guess I hoped I could do something better. Besides, I didn't think it was too big a risk. What he was doing when he was keeping the others away from you two reminded me of someone I knew.† â€Å"Who?† Enzo asked. â€Å"You,† I said. â€Å"Yes, well,† Enzo said. â€Å"I think tonight marks the official last time I tag along with Magdy to keep him out of trouble. After this he's on his own.† â€Å"I have nothing bad to say about this idea,† I said. â€Å"I didn't think you would,† Enzo said. â€Å"I know Magdy gets on your last nerve sometimes.† â€Å"He does,† I said. â€Å"He really, really does. But what can I do? He's my friend.† â€Å"He belongs to you,† Enzo said. â€Å"And so do I.† I looked over at him. â€Å"You heard that part, too,† I said. â€Å"Trust me, Zoe,† Enzo said. â€Å"Once you showed up, I never stopped listening to you. I'll be able to recite everything you said for the rest of my life. Which I now have, thanks to you.† â€Å"And Gretchen and Hickory and Dickory,† I said. â€Å"And I will thank them all, too,† Enzo said. â€Å"But right now I want to focus on you. Thank you, Zoe Boutin-Perry. Thank you for saving my life.† â€Å"You're welcome,† I said. â€Å"And stop it. You're making me blush.† â€Å"I don't believe it,† Enzo said. â€Å"And now it's too dark to see.† â€Å"Feel my cheeks,† I said. He did. â€Å"You don't feel especially blushy,† he said. â€Å"You're not doing it right,† I said. â€Å"I'm out of practice,† he said. â€Å"Well, fix that,† I said. â€Å"All right,† Enzo said, and kissed me. â€Å"That was supposed to make you blush, not cry,† he said, after we stopped. â€Å"Sorry,† I said, and tried to get myself back together. â€Å"I've just really missed it. That. Us.† â€Å"It's my fault,† Enzo started. I put a hand up to his lips. â€Å"I don't care about any of that,† I said. â€Å"I really don't, Enzo. None of that matters to me. I just don't want to miss you anymore.† â€Å"Zoe,† Enzo said. He took my hands. â€Å"You saved me. You have me. You own me. I belong to you. You said it yourself.† â€Å"I did,† I admitted. â€Å"So that's settled,† Enzo said. â€Å"Okay,† I said, and smiled. We kissed some more, in the night, outside Enzo's front gate.

Freud and Maslows theory of motivation will be discussed as explanations of consumer behaviour Essays

Freud and Maslows theory of motivation will be discussed as explanations of consumer behaviour Essays Freud and Maslows theory of motivation will be discussed as explanations of consumer behaviour Paper Freud and Maslows theory of motivation will be discussed as explanations of consumer behaviour Paper It is the differences within people that make life interesting. However, the diversity in human behaviour often causes us to overlook the fact that people are really very much alike. It is these similarities that serve to explain consumer behaviour, and psychologists would suggest that most people tend to experience the same kinds of needs and motives, but simply express these motives in different ways. (Shiffman Kanuk 1994:93) Freud and Maslows theory of motivation will be discussed as explanations of consumer behaviour. Motivation is the basic concept in all human and consumer behaviour. It is described as the driving force within individuals that impels them to action, (Shiffman Kanuk 1994:94) this driving force is produced by a state of uncomfortable tension, which exists as a result of an unsatisfied need. Thus, behaviour is the need to reduce the tension to bring about a more comfortable state. One theory in motivation of human behaviour is based on internal instincts and drives that are mainly innate physiological processes. (Evans, Moutinho Raaij 1997:21) Sigmund Freud was one of the father figures of the study of personality, and gave us the notion of an unconscious element to our thinking. : He developed the Psychoanalytic theory, in which the personality consisted of three interacting parts the id, ego and superego. The id, which acts in the unconscious mind, is the infantile part of the personality. It is present from birth, and is dominated by all-impulsive drives. Thirst, hunger, and sex are the physiological needs of the individual in which immediate gratification must be sought I want it and I want it now! In an adult, these tensions maybe experienced with the inability to identify the source. (Glassman 1995:192) Opposing the demands of the id is the superego. This is a conscious drive that restraints or inhibits the impulsive forces of the id. It is the conscience, and represents the moral demands of family and society. Mediating between the demands of the id and the moral requirements of the superego is the ego. The ego is the individuals conscious control that includes our self-image. Its function is to balance the impulsive demands of the id and the sociocultural constraints of the superego, the way in which it does so, is what determines behaviour. An important part of Freuds theory was the notion that the id, ego and superego are in frequent conflict with one another. Because the ids demand for instant gratification clashes with the superegos standards of moral behaviour, results in the individual experiencing anxiety. So the ego is left to spend most of the time trying to resolve these conflicts. Thus defending itself using a number of defence mechanisms. (Gross Mcilveen 1998:569) An alternative to Freuds psychoanalytic theory is offered from a humanistic approach. In contrast, the humanistic approach is not a theory of personality, but instead looks at individuals as interpreters of themselves. Their behaviour is understood in terms of their own experiences. (Gross Mcilveen 1998:15) Abraham Maslow was concerned with viewing the person as a whole, and not just single innate responses as Freud had done. Although he was influenced by psychoanalysis, he believed in free will and that people had the ability to choose how they behaved, and so were not driven by unconscious forces beyond their control as Freud suggests. Thus, Maslow became disillusioned with innate influences and therefore rejected the determinism of Freud. (Glassman 1995:247) Again, in contrast to Freuds theory, Maslow saw a whole constellation of needs that could influence consumer behaviour. This behaviour was motivated by the conscious desire for personal growth; and was not a result of unconscious drives for bodily pleasure as Freud suggested. (Gross Mcilveen 1998:142) Maslow recognised the complexity of motivation, and sought to describe it in terms of a hierarchy of needs a ladder of motivation. Maslows theory proposes five basic levels of human needs, which rank in order of importance. At the bottom of the hierarchy are the basic physiological needs such as food, water, air, shelter, clothing and sex. When these needs are unfulfilled, nothing else matters. This level has echoes of Freuds psychoanalysis; the id would represent these physiological needs. After the first level needs are satisfied, safety and security needs become the driving force behind the individuals behaviour. These needs refer to physical safety such as freedom from danger, and psychological safety such as stability, routine and control over ones life and environment. Health can also be seen as a safety concern. When these needs are being met, one begins to focus on social needs, the need for love, affection and belonging, and assuming these needs are fulfilled, then the individual will go on and experience esteem needs. This level is concerned with egoistic needs that can take either an inward or an outward orientation, or even both. Self-acceptance, esteem and success are all examples of inwardly directed ego needs. Whereas reputation, status and recognition can all be seen as examples of outwardly directed ego needs. According to Maslow, most people do not satisfy their ego needs sufficiently to ever move to the fifth level of self-actualisation. Maslow believed that few people achieve this level because most are stalled along the way by insurmountable social or environmental barriers. (Gross Mcilveen 1998:143) But it remains a goal to strive for and could be one of the most significant motivators of all, the need to fulfil ones potential to become everything one is capable of becoming. The way, in which these needs are expressed, will differ from person to person. In summery, Maslows five level hierarchy suggests that higher-order needs become the driving force behind human behaviour as lower-level needs are satisfied. In effect, it is saying that it is dissatisfaction that motivates behaviour. Whereas Freud believes that satisfaction and gratification are the driving force behind motivation. Although both theories are widely thought of, both theories have been widely criticised. Freud was criticised for being deterministic. He suggested that all behaviour is determined, and that people are driven by unconscious forces beyond their control. (Gross Mcilveen 1998:14) Therefore neglects the concept of free will suggested by Maslow. Free will he implied, was just an illusion. (Gross Mcilveen 1999:46) Maslow was also criticised. Shiffman and Kanuk (1994) said that Maslows concepts are too general and the problem with the theory is that it cannot be tested empirically. There is no way to measure precisely how satisfied one need must be before the next higher need becomes operative. p113) He was also criticised for the sample of people he chose. They exhibited the traits he hoped to find; therefore the process was biased. (Glassman 1995:255) Despite these criticisms, both theories have been useful tools for marketers and advertisers in understanding consumer behaviour. For those researchers who apply Freuds psychoanalytic theory to the study of consumer personality suggest the idea that human behaviour is ple asure seeking, and that the id is the source of energy, drive and motivation. As this source is unconscious, individuals are unaware of their true reasons for consuming the way they do, and so this concept is used as the basis for motivational research. They tend to focus on consumer purchases and/or consumption situations, treating them as a reflection and an extension of the individuals own personality. (Shiffman Kanuk 1994:130) In other words, how we look and what we wear reflects our personality. In advertising terms, Freud provides productive grounds for image making, suggesting that the products purchased will make the individual more popular, interesting or sexually attractive. Rice 1997:247) Although personality may be consistent, consumption behaviour often varies because of psychological, sociocultural, and environmental factors that affect behaviour. Thus, personality is only one of a combination of factors that influence how a consumer behaves. Maslows hierarchy of needs theory has been very useful in offering an understanding of consumer motivation. It is readily adaptable to marketing strategy, primarily because the goods one consumes often serve to satisfy each level of need. I. e. ne buys houses, food and clothing to satisfy physiological needs, locks and insurance for safety needs, almost all personal care products are bought to satisfy social needs, luxury products such as flash cars and jewellery etc are bought to fulfil ego needs, and college training and banking services are sold as ways to achieve self-fulfilment. (Schiffman Kanuk 1994:113) Although both theories have proved to be very influential in marketing and advertising, there has been no solid evidence to support either. Whether ones behaviour is innate, or a result of the outside world has proved to be the most contentious dispute in psychology.

Animal Behavior Essays - Ethology, Limbic System, Human Behavior

Animal Behavior Essays - Ethology, Limbic System, Human Behavior Animal Behavior Biology lb Abstract Animal behavior is predictable. Their behavioral tendencies are influenced by the relationship of its anatomy to their environment. By observing various forms of life, and associating the mechanism of their abilities to perform a behavioral action, evolutionary influence thereafter, can be analyzed and deduced from that point. Introduction The science and study of animal behavior involve an enormous array of complicated factors. For instance, stereotyped responses are unlearned behavioral reactions to some environmental stimulus predicated upon an organism relationship to its physical environment and anatomy. This obviously begs the question; is the observable behavior such as, the vertical movements demonstrated by brine shrimp (marine plankton experiment) or peristaltic movements showed by earthworms (animal behavioral lab experiment) a form of deliberate taxis or random kinesis? However, to properly be able to address those questions, it's far more important to examine the intricate factors involving the complex interactions between the effects of environmental stimuli,(dry air for the earthworm and directional light for the brine shrimp) towards the affected anatomical structure and physiological function of a specific organ system of those particular animal species. Therefore, I hypothesize, that an ! earthworm will exert random kinetic behavior through peristaltic movement in an arid clinical environment because, it's sensory apparatus (respiratory system) will detect a potential life/death situation precipitated by the threat of desiccation; whereas, the brine shrimp will demonstrate deliberate vertical movements of behavioral taxis because, the environmental stimuli of light will be effecting an entirely different sensory apparatus (ocular nervous ) ofwhich, doesn't afford the potential possibility of impending doom. By that, affording the luxury of stereotypical behavior that can be later linked to environmental fitness. In short, an animal's behavior about a particular type of movement is predicated upon the environmental clues, which directly influence the innate survival mechanisms of a species or its anatomical configuration with evolutionary fitness. However, inasmuch as some forms of animal behavior can be easily be analyzed by a simple stimulus and response scenario, such as with earthworms and brine shrimp. Others such as the rheotactic behavior of trout (aquarium field trip) and penguin mating habits (zoo field trip) are far more complicated. These particular types of animal behavior involve a wider spectrum of coordinated organ systems. For instance, trouts are migratory fish and posses the additional physical characteristics of using chemorecptors (smell) too located their initial spawning grounds. Because of this evolutionary/genetic characteristic, they must swim against currents to be able to maximize their olfactory senses. Although the sense of smell is apart of the nervous system, the mechanism that coordinates rheotactic behavior is an entirely different nervous component. Trout like other fish use their mechanoreceptors located in their lateral line system to detect the movement and direction of water.! Which solicits the question, if trouts are rheotactic, then why do they need to intermediately break from the current and swim in a particular pattern? Therefore I hypothesize, which a trout's general rheotactic behavior is predicating upon the coordinated environmental stimulus of an aqueous solute concentration, ofwhich will confirm olfactory distance, and the lateral line thereafter functions to facilitate in the correct direction. Consequentially, rheotactic behavior controlled by the lateral line is dependent upon the chemoreptors of the olfactory senses of a trout. Thus, a trout's intermittent behavior during rheotactic movement is more or less a pause for the benefit of olfactory orientation. Penguins unlike trout, brine shrimp and earthworms are flightless birds. Because of their physical size, they inherently have a larger cerebral capacity. This anatomical characteristic complicates the qualitative analysis of penguin mating behavior tremendously. Largely because, penguins have the physical capacity of conscious thought, interactive communication immersed in a sheath of innate unlearned behavior. However, penguins are similar to trout in that, they to are migratory creatures. Thus, penguins like trout integrate a number of different physiological systems for mating behavior. One of which involves the coordinated interaction between their endocrine system and nervous system. Therefore I hypothesize, that male penguins during the mating season are territorially aggressive due to the imbalance of testosterone within their system, and female penguins are passive and somewhat behaviorally more submissive due to the higher amounts of estrogen within their sys! tems. Furthermore, because the endocrine system is

How to get a job at a startup

How to get a job at a startup Want to join a startup, but you’re not sure where to start? Or maybe you think you’re out of the running because tech isn’t your thing? Never fear, even if you’re not a coder or designer, there are still a few choice jobs out there that might just have your name on them. If you’re eager, have a varied skill set, and are willing to contribute to a team effort with energy, you’re in the running. Here are a few tricks to make yourself a viable candidate for a startup gig.Bolster your LinkedIn.First and foremost, attack your LinkedIn profile to make it shine. Remember that companies often search prospective employees by keyword, so keep your experience and certifications up to date and detailed. Make sure your network is solid, and don’t be too shy to  ask for endorsements or recommendations. Get involved in professional groups and link them on your profile. Start posting content relevant to the industry you hope to join- show youâ€℠¢re involved and savvy before even sending in an application or going in to interview.Do your research.If you find a company you’re thrilled by, start getting really nerdy. Dig deep learning all you can about that company’s product. Research their culture, getting as good an on-the-ground sense of the place as you possibly can. If you’re still jazzed and sure you would fit in and have something fantastic to contribute, start drafting a pitch of exactly how and why you fit into that specific company to put into your cover letter. The people who look for new hires want specifics- if you don’t tailor your application package directly to them, you won’t seem special or stand out.Learn the industry as a whole.The startup world is intensely competitive. Every company has to build itself up from nothing and the field can be cutthroat. The more you know and understand about the industry and a company’s main competitors, the more you can contribute. This is especially important in the interview stage. When you go in there, know more than they expect you to based on your resume. Don’t leave any doubts that you understand the current climate inside and out.Establish an online presence.Build an online presence that expands beyond LinkedIn. Make sure all your social media platforms and profiles are up to date and that you’re building a solid and sellable brand for yourself with what you post and how you post it. How you present yourself via all channels will show your tech savviness and your ability to brand yourself- both skills startups find invaluable.Don’t try too hard to be quirky.It’s one thing to show off your individuality- the experience, skills, and passions that make your application stand out from the crowd. But remember that even though the startup world is young and modern, you’re still going through a job application process. Take every step seriously, act like a grownup, and let yo ur interests and skills speak for themselves. You can be engaging without acting like a kid. If you’re forcing a personality, it’s easy to tell.Get yourself out there.You’ll never get a startup gig from nothing if you don’t work for it. Start applying on sites like AngelList, and look on sites that specialize in startups, like StartUpHire or VentureLoop. In addition, look for and attend startup-specific networking events in your area.If you find one company you want to target, you can also find the CEO/founder/key exec’s email and shoot them a line to express your interest. Don’t make your email vague and generic- include relevant links to your social media profiles and explain exactly why you would be a perfect fit for that specific company. Follow up if people are receptive and don’t forget to send thank you notes. In general, be responsive, kind, and sharp- when you’re on the ball, people take notice.

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Employment Law - Essay Example Those terms include the payment of 40,000 pounds annually and a discretionary bonus of 6,000 pounds provided he meets company deadlines. Although the bonus appears to be a flexible term in the sense that the company may at its discretion decline the payment of the bonus, the annual salary is a fixed term, agreed between the parties. A contract of employment is in many ways no different from a commercial contract in that it contains an exchange of agreements by which the parties are bound to observe.1 Like a commercial contract, an employment contract cannot be waived unilaterally unless the contract itself makes specific provision for variations of the type undertaken, although the contract may be varied by operation of statue without either parties’ consent.2 On the facts of the case for discussion there are no statutory provisions applicable to David’s salary under the contract with C Plus. It therefore follows that the variation could not be effected by the employer without David’s consent. It would appear that C Plus may be erroneously relying on a Section 4 Statement under the Employment Rights Act 1996 which permits variation of a Section 1 Statement.3 A Section 1 Statement is typically issued following the initial stage of employment and sets out the terms of employment. A Section 4 Statement will reflect changes to a Section 1 Statement. However, since a Section 1 Statement is not a contract in and of itself, but evidence of the existence of a contract,4 an employer can only logically rely on the validity of a Section 4 Statement if the employee to whom it relates agrees or does not voice an objection to it.5 Even if the employer fails to voice his or her objection to the Section 4 Statement the court may still deem it ineffective.6 David did however, voice his objection to the variation of his salary under the initial contract and by doing so makes the Section 4 Statement/variation of the contract invalid.

Student Survival Guide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Student Survival Guide - Essay Example As a result, a student must learn how to manage and find information with little time and energy spent on the search and which produces a maximum return on their efforts. To use a simple word picture, in the classroom, the information is a pool, or a small lake from which to draw. In the workplace, the river of information is always moving, and attempts to put up a dam in order to measure and quantify the amounts of water simply will not be successful. A student must learn to paddle the boat, and gather information from the moving stream all at the same time. While internet searches have become less arcane over the past few years, a student cannot expect to find everything he or she needs from a Google.com search or a stop at Wikipedeia.com. A student should find and subscribe to a few favorite online libraries and databases which will provide depth of information. Two of my favorite online libraries are www.questia.com and www.highbeam.com. These online libraries contain scholarly journals, complete book transcripts as well as newspapers and magazine articles. These web sites can often provide all the background and research materials for the successful internet enabled student. Unfortunately, with the availability of electronic versions of data, the temptation to copy and paste information, and thereby plagiarize another's work is strong. The mass amounts of data which are available, and the time crunch under which today's students must produce results create the perfect envelope in which to commit intellectual robbery, and pull someone else's ideas. In order to maintain intellectual honesty, and uphold academic standards of integrity, the student should take this mantra as his own personal guide. "If the idea is not mine, I should cite the source." By applying this standard, the student can steer his boat around the whirlpools, rocks and rapids which will quickly capsize his boat should he begin to copy others work and call it his own. Material which comes from another's published works, whether taken in summary, or repeated word for word - if the material contains an idea from another person's published work, it must be cited as such. Developing Effective Study Skills Effective study skills in the online learning environment are somewhat different from those which a student needs in the traditional classroom. In the traditional classroom, many elements co-exist as part of the learning process. These elements go beyond simply inhaling information and exhaling assignments and tests. In the traditional classroom, a learning community already exists. The learners are able to draw encouragement, inspiration, and fellowship from one another. In the traditional classroom, one person can set the pace somewhat unconsciously, a level to which other students are drawn toward as they set their own goals. In the online learning environment, the students are individualized and compartmentalized. The online community still can, and must exist in order to create an effective learning environment. However, the students must seek out that community, and become a part of electronic tools such as chat rooms, group discussions, and list serve email digests in order to form the e-learning community. If the student only reads lessons and turns in assignments, he or she will be missing

Regions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Regions - Research Paper Example The research also analyzed the government involvement in promoting good relations between the people and the international capital market. The research examined the relations in the fisheries, mining, and equipment applied and the overall contribution to the growth of the economy. The researchers based their arguments on the literatures published on the canoe trade in Central American Mosquitia region. It then contrasted the literatures with the contribution of the canoe trade to the economic and social relations development. The researchers analyzed the statistical data on the region and drew the relevant conclusions. The trade practices open up a people’s imagination and appreciation of the motives of trade, that is, profit oriented. The trade between the international markets and the remote isolated rural populations re-synthesizes the aspects of the people’s livelihoods. The objective of this research is to establish the dependence of wealth generation to the social relationships between the trading parties. The economic growth of a particular region depends on the trade activities of that region. Trade results into the exchange of cultural activities and crucial information between the partners. The information opens up the people’s perception of the natural phenomena and hence appreciates the essence of trade activities and good relations. The research herein reviewed three resources and drafted reasonable conclusions. Analysis of trading activities takes into account the measures put across to help establish the favorable business culture. Sound infrastructural facilities, equipments and social relations are essential aspects for consideration. Trade promotes the economic growth, which in effect promotes establishments of social amenities such as education centers. The investors also introduce endogenous projects into the regions that promote the rural development in effect. The development takes into

Comparing two poems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparing two poems - Essay Example death. Death is the point where the similarities end. Even though, both poems were composed within the period of less than a year by the same poet, their stream of thought and basic ideas about what happens after death vary. In one of the poems, there becomes visible to be life after death, but in the other, there is nothing. In the poem "I Heard a Fly Buzz - When I Died" the first line "I heard a Fly buzz - when I died" transpires an immense implications. First and the foremost significance is this that the poem is in the first person. This is an indication of the fact that the narrator has already tasted the fruit of death and is unfolding the experience. Therefore, what is written must be of some truth. Also the fact that the narrator was concentrating on a fly rather than anything else when she was on her deathbed sets the mood of a calm and ordinary scene. In the poem "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" Dickinson is repeating this convention of writing in the first person and s he also inaugurates the scene in a much untailored type of style. She affirms in this poem that death arrived to pick her up in a carriage and "The Carriage held but just ourselves - And Immortality". This reveals that once again, in this case, death is as an ordinary a thing as taking a carriage ride with a friend or a beau rather than being a dreadful tribulation with a great amount of pain. As for death being described as civil or as being polite and is taken by his good manners. Then compare this to what people think death would really be like, a mean ugly old man that jerks off and doesn't give you the time of day. Therefore, Dickinson views death as just a peaceful thing where one doesn't exactly know what is going on but nonetheless is not overly upset to be there. Dickinson's strong inquisitiveness towards mortality was involved in much of her work, and is her heritage as a poet. "Because I could Not Stop for Death" is Emily Dickinson's most elaborated, quoted and referenced famous poem due to its vague, and exceptional view on the popular subject of death. Death, in this poem is mentioned as a woman's last voyage, which is goaled toward perpetuity. This poem proves to be a facilitator in characterizing and bringing death down to a more private level. Distinguishing from the more accepted notions of death being atrocious and brutal, Dickinson, in her peculiar way, gives the impression that death is unreceptive and trouble-free. Since, the theme of the poem is death, which to the poetess is usual and inescapable for everyone, but, simultaneously offering console that it is not the conclusion of a soul's journey. Rather, it is continuing. The reader can identify the poem's theme by evaluating its various tools which are figures of speech, form and structure, imagery, voice, diction and more than all these symbolism; all of these techniques and tools help the reader to comprehend the poem's meaning. The precise form that Dickinson uses throughout the poem helps convey her message to the reader. The poem is written in five quatrains. The way in which each stanza is written in a quatrain gives the poem unity and makes it easy to read. "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" starts to gives the reader a feeling of forward movement throughout the second and third quatrain. For example, in line 5, Dickinson

Pennsylvania Black Bear Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pennsylvania Black Bear - Research Paper Example Those with black color are prevalent in the east while the brown phases from blond to cinnamon are mainly found in the west (Shoemakera 15).An adult male bear weighs between 350 and 500 pounds while a female may have 150 to 250 pounds even though, some male bears go up to 600 pounds occasionally. Black bears rise to about three feet high when standing on all fours and from six to seven feet when upright. The sounds made by bears are distinctive ranging from growls, woofing and jaw popping. The females communicate with their cub through huffs and low grunts while the cubs whimper, chuckle and bawl. Other distinctive features of a black bear are the tracks. The footprints of the hind legs resemble those of man and the toes are five. The front foot of a bear is shorter than the rear foot which is long and narrow. The claws may at times be visible. Black bears are herbivores. They maintain movement mainly at night or early hours of the morning in search of food. They feed on a variety of things such as berries, corn, beechnuts, grass, carrion, honey and insects (Fergus 32). They fatten up before winter for hibernation at the summer and the fall periods during which they take most of the time to feed amount to a close of twenty hours a day and consuming close to 20,000 calories. During winter, they remain dormant and choose to remain in their dens which are made up of rock caverns, excavated holes and hollow trees, underneath trees, dead falls and bushy thickets. The heartbeat during hibernation slows down tremendously and the body temperature drops. At this period, bears do not feed drink or pass body fluids such as urine (Gordon 45). The most prevalent season for mating is between early June and mid- July during which bears become very aggressive to one another. In January, sows give birth mostly to a litter of five. The newly born cubs are toothless, sightless and have less hair that is inadequately distributed on