Odysseus and Supernatural Beings

Odysseus and Supernatural Beings Throughout Homer's Odyssey, there are many supernatural beings that interact with Odysseus. These beings play an important role as either advisors, temptations or foes to Odysseus. Throughout his journey he is confronted with conflicts where he is either helped or hindered by these supernatural beings. Below are some examples of the beings that either helped or hindered Odysseus during his journey. The goddess Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, is the most powerful intelligent and influential woman in Odysseus’s life. She is always at his side. She speaks on behalf of Odysseus, telling Zeus, her father, that her heart breaks for forlorn Odysseus. Odysseus longs to see the curls of smoke rising from his home fires in Ithaca, she says, but Calypso will not loosen her hold on him. She reminds Zeus that Odysseus dedicated many burnt offerings to him at Troy. Swayed by her words, Zeus sends the messenger god, Hermes, to Calypso’s island with a command to release Odysseus. Athena aids Odysseus in many ways throughout his entire journey, like when she changes the course of events that take place when he first meets the princess Nausicaa of Phaeacia. Athena changes the course of the ball that the girls are throwing so that it falls on Odysseus and wakes him up, leading him to meet Nausicaa. Many times Athena convinces Zeus and the other Gods that Odysseus is worth saving. Perhaps the most formidable foe of Odysseus is the sea god Poseidon, who continually attempts to thwart the efforts of Odysseus to make a safe journey home. On one of Odysseus adventures he angers the great sea god, Poseidon, by blinding his son, Polyphemus, king of a race of one-eyed giants who inhabit the island of Sicily. In retaliation, Poseidon relentlessly torments Odysseus after he leaves Sicily, imperiling his voyage at every turn. He is aware that he cannot kill nor stop Odysseus but continues his efforts to make Odysseus journey throughout the story full of peril. An example of Poseidon’s wrath is seen as soon as he arrives back from Ethiopia and spots Odysseus making passage towards Phaeacia, he says, â€Å"Just look at him there, nearing Phaeacia’s shores where he’s fated to escape his noose of pain that’s held him until now. Still my hopes ride high-I’ll give that man his swamping fill of trouble,† Poseidon attacks Odysseus with a giant wave, and destroys his newly crafted raft. Odysseus survives with the help of the sea nymph Ino . The beautiful goddess Calypso who falls in love with Odysseus after he washes ashore on her island. Calypso, by means of enchantment, holds him prisoner there for seven years. Calypso used trickery and deceit to have possession over Odysseus. She was a beautiful nymph with a wonderful voice. Calypso uses these advantages to get what she wants. Calypso tries to make Odysseus her husband and asks him if he would want to be immortal by staying on the island with her. Odysseus tells her â€Å"I each day I long for home, long for the sight of home†¦. † In the end, the Gods overpower Calypso into letting him go, but she still demonstrates the god's idea as if it was her own. She tells him â€Å"O forlorn man, be still. Here you need grieve no more; you need not feel your life consumed here; I have pondered it, and I shall help you go†¦. In the end, she helps Odysseus after releasing him by providing him a raft and provisions to help him on his way without incident if the gods wish it. In conclusion, Odysseus, a mortal, is both helped and hindered by these supernatural beings. He encounters the wrath of Poseidon numerous times throughout his travels. He was held captive by Calypso on her island while longing for home. The Goddess Athena guided and protected hi m the most throughout his travels. Without the aid of these supernatural beings, the journey of Odysseus would not have been the brave, courageous, and risky adventure that it was.

Cell Membrane Transport

The purposes for these experiments is to be able to understand osmosis and its relationship to tonicity of solutions, and the transportation of molecules across cell membranes. It's also used to understand, and how temperature affects diffusion. You also learn how to test for presences of starches and sugars in solutions. In the first exercise I will be testing for diffusion through an artificial membranes. This one has forty five steps to it. I will not go into it step by step but I'm going to say just the important ones. You need a cup to put 150mL of distilled water in cup number one.Then you soak the dialysis tubing in this cup for five minutes. Then you add in the graduated cylinder, 4mL of distilled water, 2 mL of starch solution, and 2 mL of the glucose solution, then pour it into cup number two. Then use the glass stirring rod to stir the solution in cup two. Then remove the dialysis tubing from cup one, set the cup aside for later, tie up one end tightly. Then test the tubin g with distilled water for any leaks, then pour out the water. Place a funnel at the end of the tubing and then pour the glucose-starch solution into the dialysis tubing from cup two.Then get all of the air out of the tubing and then tie that end securely. Rinse the outside of the tubing to remove what contents could have gotten on the outside of it. Then record the color of solution inside the dialysis tubing. Then use the IKI dropping pipet to slowly add IKI solution to the 150 mL in cup one until it looks like the color of strong tea, stirring with the glass rod while adding the drops. Then record the color of the contents in cup one in before dialysis. Put the dialysis tubing inside cup one, and you let sit for an hour. After the hour, record the color of the dialysis tubing under after dialysis.Then clean cup two and label it dialysis tubing contents. Hold the dialysis tubing over cup two and cut the tubing to release the contents, but save the contents of cup one for later. Th en prepare a hot-water bath, and marking the test tubes numbers one through three. In test tube one add 2 cm of the solution from cup one, and then add 1 cm of Benedict's reagent. In test tube number 2 add the solution from cup two and then add 1 cm of Benedict's reagent. In test tube three add 2 cm of distilled water and then add 1 cm of Benedict's reagent. Record the color of each tube in the before heating column.Place the test tubes in the test tube rack that is inside the hot-water bath, and leave them for about ten minutes. After the ten minutes, use the test tube clamp to remove one at a time and record any color change in the column after heating. This is how you test for diffusion through an artificial membrane. The second test is about diffusion at different temperature using potassium crystals. THe first step is to label three styrofoam cups hot, cold, and ambient. In the cold water cup add two pieces of ice and then fill the cup 3/4 full with tap water.The ambient cup ad d 3/4 water to this cup, and hot water cup add 3/4 full of hot tap water. You let each stand for about five minutes, and then add the temp of each cup to the table. Then label three test tubes and put into test tube rack, using tweezers add about five grains of potassium to each test tube, remember to add the same amount to each one. After this you add 7 mL of water from each cup into a seperate test tube. Remember not to stir when adding water, observe the color of the water in each test tube and record these finding under the 0 minutes in the table. Then place the test tubes inside the cups.After five minutes check the test tubes for the colors of them and then record them in the table. This experiment is to check how the temperature affects the rate of diffusion. In this third experiment we are going to check for tonicity and diffusion. The first step you will add 10mL of distilled water in the graduated cylinder and then one gram of salt to make a sodium chloride solution, then mix well. Mark two test tubes and one and two, filling the first one with distilled water two-thirds full. The second tube add the sodium chloride two-thirds full.After this you will need to cut two pieces of potato about 0.5 cm wide and 7 cm long. Measure each piece and record in the table. Place a piece of potato in each test tube, and wait for an hour. After that hour empty out the water and sodium chloride. The on a paper towel put the piece of potato from the first test tube, distilled water, on the left side of a paper towel, and on the right side place the potato from the sodium chloride solution. Check and see which one is hard and soft. The table makes it easier to keep up with the results of each experiments. In the first experiment there are two tables one for before and after dialysis and the other one is before and after heating.The first table is for recording the changes during dialysis and the second table is for Benedict's Reagent results. These tables help keep tra ck of which one is positive and which one is negative. In the second experiment the table is used for the study of diffusion at different temperatures. You write down the color of the solutions in each tube at the beginning and the second thing is you write the color after five minutes. This one gives the results of how diffusion reacts at different temperatures by color. The third experiment table is to determine the results for tonicity and diffusion.First you write down the dimensions of the slices potatoes before you begin the experiment, in the distilled water column and the sodium chloride solution. Then after the allotted time you take out the slices of potatoes and measure them, and write it down in the after column. Then you determine which is one of the following: tonicity, hypertonic, isotonic, or hypotonic. The observations that I had for the first was how a cell membrane works. The changing of the color in the dialysis tubing was pretty amazing to watch. It was interest ing how the clear solution turned into a dark purple, almost black.Then after the second part of the experiment how they all change from a light blue to either the same color to a yellowish brown. The second experiment is when we use temperature a chemicals to determine diffusion in different states. It just amazes me that so far the main thing that we use is distilled water, except in this one, I used tap water. Sometimes I can smell the chemicals and sometimes I don't. I like this experiment because I don't have to use the stove, I just use the hot water, cold water with ice, and room temperature water. The third experiment is to define tonicity and diffusion.This one was very interesting for me. Even though I had to wait for an hour for the results it was worth it. After you follow the procedure step by step, you get to see the results. After you take the potatoes out of the test tubes, you lay the on a paper towel and you get to feel them. For me this was a more hands on because you got to feel the difference between the two and determine what each one means. In the first experiment there was eight questions to answer starting out with the first one, What is the purpose of this exercise and what is being tested?The answer to this is the purpose is to demonstrate how the dialysis tubing represents the cell membrane, and the discovery of which contains starch. The second question is What color change did you observe in the dialysis tubing and what does that change indicate? It went from a clear liquid to a dark blue almost black and that indicates there is starch present. Another question is Was there a color change in the water around the tubing and if so explain? There was no color change in the surrounding water. What does the Benedict's reagant detect? This detects sugars in the solutions.What does the IKI solution detect? The IKI solution detects starches. The seventh question asks about the similarities of the dialysis tubing and a cell membrane. They both are thin and do not allow molecules to flow through areas they do not belong in. The last question is the transport mechanism in the model cell passive or active and why? I say it is active because it has to constantly not let any molecules pass through. In the second experiment there was only two questions. The first being How does temperature affect the rate of diffusion? With the cold water the potassium just settles at the bottom.The ambient water is a little darker, like a medium pink, and darker on the bottom. While the hot water is dark pink all the way, it is a even color. The third experiment has six questions with the first one being What is the condition of each potato strip after soaking in the test tubes for an hour, and which one in limp and which is crispy? The sizes changed on both, the one that soaked in just distilled water, grew a little bit and was crispy, which means it soaked up water. The sodium chloride got a little smaller, and was limp which means it i s hypertonic.The second question is How would you explain the difference in the conditions of the potato strips using the concept of tonicity? One of them soaked up some water and the other one did not. What was the tonicity of the fresh water solution with respect of the potato cells? It soaked up the water but with it having soaked up just water it didn't soak up any chemicals. What is the tonicity of the salt water solution with respect of the potato cell? In this one it soaked up salt and this made the potato limp. How does the changes in the conditions of the potato strips relate to the wilting of plants?It all depends on what the roots and the plant itself is soaking up, such as chemicals. The last question is How does keeping vegetables cool slow them from wilting? The coolness slows down the process of tonicity and it doesn't soak up moisture from the air. In the first experiment I learned how a cell membrane works and if it can contain starch without contaminating the surro unding areas. The second experiment taught me how different temperatures affect how chemicals react. The third experiment showed me how salt affects the state of the potato and that it can affect other things, too.

Bad School System Essay Example for Free

Bad School System Essay What are schools doing for us? If nothing then what can we do to improve them? I think they aren’t doing anything. I have never really thought about this idea until I started research. I think that I am fairly smart, but it is more of after school rather than school itself. I was watching a TED TALK from Ken Robinson and he was talking about how schools kill creativity. He talks about how schools are good at making people who do their jobs successfully. He also says that those same people are doing that job because they don’t have any other choice. By showing this he is trying to show that school kills creativity. Salman Khan the founder of Khan Academy talks about how students don’t get to work on their own pace. Dave Eggers the founder of 826 Valencia talks about how students need 1-1 attention to learn their talents. Ken Robinson has many different videos on school all talking about how school has problems that need to be solved. The one that I watched was â€Å"Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity†. He talks about how school trains you in a way that creates a fear of making mistakes. He says, â€Å"If you’re not prepared to be wrong, then you will never be original†. We are being educated out of creativity. Teachers are not ready to have things be wrong. When grading test or any kind of work there is no such thing as maybe, it is just right or wrong. There are always those kids who are over the top smart and there are those kids that are very creative but not as smart. In this scenario you know that the kid who has the brains is going to get the popularity. Nobody is going to go to the creative kid for help even though he/she might have something worth saying. Then those creative kids will also have to adapt to the school system and eventually lose their creativity. Salman Khan has one very important video on TED and it talks about how students do really get to learn on their own pace in school. The TED TALK is called â€Å"Let’s use video to reinvent education†. In this video he talks about his website www.Khanacademy.com. In this website he has different topics for which he has videos for. He also has sort of an online learning system on the same website. In that learning system they want you to master different concepts that you are having trouble with. So they show you videos on how to do the problem then set you on your own. If you still don’t have perfection then they allow you to repeat. They want you to master the concept by letting you do the whole process as many times as you like. By this you are allowed to learn at your own pace. In school you learn a chapter take a test then move on. Even if you didn’t understand you move on, also the students who get like 90 to 99.9% they still might have some problems that they didn’t understand. I also experienced Khan Academy, I have an account and I am always using it when I need help on something. Dave Eggers has one video on TED and it talks about why students are happier to go to tutoring rather than school itself. In his TED TALK â€Å"Once Upon a School† he shows the audience of a place that he created called 826 Valencia. This is a shop that he founded in which he connected a newspaper editor center, a pirate shop, and a after school tutoring center. He says that students come there running after school to do homework. That’s not really something that you think of. The students get help on any HW especially their English homework. He has his Newspaper crew and volunteers help students 1-1 on HW. He has students write books and then publishes the books. He says that students need 1-1 time with whomever they are working with. In school students don’t really get 1-1 time during school to talk about things that they are having trouble with and stuff like that. In a year he has over 1,400 volunteers helping run 826 Valencia. He thinks that if students are able to have 1-1 time with teachers on their work then they would be more creative. They students would never know if they were doing well or if they needed to improve in certain areas. If you haven’t watched this TED TALK them I recommend every one the watch it. All three of these guys show great ways to improve the School system. These guys are already doing it outside of school, which shows that our School System isn’t really great. There are many problems with our School System we just never think about them as students. You would never think that School would kill your creativity, but when you think about it†¦ Bad School System. (2016, Dec 08).

General System Theory and The Internet Design Idea Essay - 1

General System Theory and The Internet Design Idea - Essay Example Baran came up with the idea of establishing a network with no centralized switches, which could still operate even if many of the switching nodes were destroyed by a nuclear attack. The idea was first perceived as unrealistic and impossible but Baran worked on it, and it became successful. Initially, the APRANET, as it came to be known, was used by the US defense but later was adopted by military researchers and eventually spread to various universities. It was later named as Internet spreading to all nations. Nowadays it links people despite their geographical location and, hence, it is commonly referred to as the World Net or the Web (Bargh & McKenna, 2004). Internet has grown to be the most widely used means of communication. According to Tom (2002), it can be described as being non-centralized and unplanned. This is because it has given people freedom to choose who to communicate with, what to communicate and even what to hear. The Internet has broken the geographical boundaries and connected people worldwide. Internet widespread use has brought hot debates all over the world. Taking a general system theory perspective, Internet has had major positive impacts on social, political, economical, and even spiritual aspects of the society. Internet is used for research purposes. Learners around the globe are able to connect and share information from all parts of the world. Politicians get useful information on politics of their country and other countries over the same net. Economically, the commercial sector has benefited a lot from the Internet and has utilized it as the main medium of advertising and selling their products. However, as Sykttner (2006) points out, Internet is facing threats from the same qualities that contributed to its growth. It is argued that uncontrolled use of Internet has caused a lot of chaos in many countries. The Internet has been misused mainly by the commercial sector in advertising fake product or goods that do not

The Rocking Horse Winner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Rocking Horse Winner - Essay Example The author has presented the theme of materialism and the negativities associated with the obsession for the attainment of materialistic satisfaction and how it leaves a negative impact on the life of an individual. The Rocking Horse is the story of a family which is living is discontentment despite of the fact that they are financially sound and have enough resources for the running of their family. Hester is particularly the character who is the most obsessed with money and her dissatisfaction and want for more money affects the entire family. The author has tried to explain how materialism fails to fulfill the emotional needs of the human beings and love and emotions are of great importance for a family. Lawrence explains this point by narrating the way in which the family lives and how their needs are not fulfilled despite of the increased money that comes home. He begins by explaining that Hester was a good looking woman who had beautiful children. He explained, â€Å"They live d in a pleasant house, with a garden, and they had discreet servants, and felt themselves superior to anyone in the neighborhood.† With these words, the author tries to express the fact that they had all the necessities which are needed for leading a healthy and happy life but the family was not leading a content life. Lawrence has then tried to explain the dissatisfaction that existed in the house and he has expressed the lack of love and emotions in the family. He has explained the basis for this discontentment which was mainly due to the greed on the part of the mother who wanted more money for the house. The children were not loved by her and she was also aware of this that she could not truly become attached to her children for some reason. There was always an aura of anxiousness in the house which was felt by all the family members in the form of whispers. All the members could hear the house whispering the lines, â€Å"There must be more money! There must be more money!† (Lawrence) These whispers best explain the main theme of the story that there was such an extreme desire for wealth in the house that the people living in the house could always feel this need around them in the form of whispers. This lack of love greatly disturbed Hester’s son who always wanted to be loved by her mother. He wanted to gain her attention which can clearly be seen when he converses with her about luck and tries to explain to her that he is lucky. Hester is blinded by her materialistic wants and she does not pay much heed to the innocent talks of the young boy. The young boy needs affection and care from his mother and this drives him to opt for betting on horse races at such an early age. Not only this, he discovers that if he rides a rocking horse, it assists him in knowing the winner of the race. He keeps on riding this horse frantically without caring about his health for the happiness and fulfillment of his mother’s worldly needs and in doing so he loses his life. The story further stresses upon the shortcomings of materialism and presenting that it not the most ideal way of living life by explaining the gloominess which still persists despite of money flowing into the house. This is narrated by the author when he explains how the mother is not happy to receive t housand pounds as her gift but she rather demands that she should

Implementing Strategy and Managing Change and leadership Essay

Implementing Strategy and Managing Change and leadership - Essay Example Sjostrand and Tyrstrup (2001) strongly believe that managerial leadership is a dynamic ongoing social construction process and cannot be described as a single clear cut phenomenon. Leaders need to adopt according to the situation and motivate the followers to move with time. In the highly competitive environment, the transformational leadership is able to significantly impact the followers by empowering them through informed choices. Burn (2002) broadly describes transformational leaders as persons who are able to raise one another to higher level of motivation and morality. Indeed, such leaders especially in organizations are able to motivate and empowers the workforce to use informed choices in making rational decisions. Managing change within organization has become important aspect of business strategy. In the fast transforming environment, the contextual factors like technology, globalization, environment, diversification etc have significant impact on decision making process. T he transforming leadership therefore becomes key facilitator of managing change. It perceives workforce as human capital that can judiciously exploit changes for improved outcome and motivates the same through dissemination of information. (255) Answer 5b National indicators and performance indicators are commonly used in public sector organizations. The targets are quantified for public sector outputs that are eventually linked to performance (Pollitt, 2006). They are important criteria that lend credibility to the public service organization and demonstrate good value for money for the taxpayers. Indeed the performance indicators strongly support the controls and measures used for improving the performance of the corporate services. They also provide transparency in their working and helps link taxpayer’s money to the services provided by the organizations. While taxpayers’ value for money becomes major aspect in the public service, the same indicators, when applied within a non public/ government organization help them to improve and improvise the performance to gain competitive advantage within the industry. They also become important benchmark for quality of services and help to provide the organizations with strong leverage to deliver exemplary service in emergency operations. In an organization like fire and rescue service, the performance indicators help the workforce to improve their skills and competencies regarding various issues and factors related to emergency operations. The leadership initiatives, organizational competencies vis-a-vis technologies, environment parameters, security of people and place, health hazards and forging linkages with other agencies to better coordinate rescue operations during crisis. By evaluating their performance against the various parameters of operational efficiency, the organization is able to improve its services. Effective communication to coordinate the services of various stakeholders during emer gency remains the most important element of crisis management and the feedback process becomes critical indicator of performance. Indeed, the performance indicators are important tools that greatly enhance the efficiency of services rendered by organizations. (272) Answer 6a Successful organizations are equipped with exemplary managerial leadership. Traditional managers broadly worked within the well defined parameters of organization’

Answer the following and write each answer to each page , it has to be Assignment

Answer the following and write each answer to each page , it has to be 4 pages - Assignment Example n the ties between a given religions enables spiritual strength in this essence sharing basic meal and drinks with people from the same faith strengthen the relationship and work in strengthen beliefs. The concept of communality is all about sharing with those who are less privileged as a means of showcasing the humanitarian aspects. In a wider spectrum the concept of communality is a means of ensuring world peace by reducing the aspects of conflict (Boff 233-65). In situations where exist a culture of intolerance the concept of communality. In this case conflicts arise due to either lack of tolerance or the inequitable in terms of resources. Those deprived basic resources result in conflict as a means of expressing their dissatisfaction According to Boff (197-99) the element of communality is to allow those privileged to share with others as a principle of hospitality. The concept would work a long way to ensure the world is peaceful by eliminating causes of conflicts. The society need to work in the best interest of the human race and create a culture of sharing. The charter of compassion (2008) derives its model based on tolerance. In this compassion is meant to deal with differences that exist within the world. By dealing with religious, political and ideological differences the world would have dealt with the demerits cased by conflicts. The charter outlines how humans coexist within their natural spaces. The bond between humans could be achieved if the charter of compassion is fully realized. The basis of the principle of compassion is laid on spiritual, ethical and religious components. The principle outline the needed for equity, and respect for all human races. According to the charter the world should gear towards creating a culture of similarities by utilizing the necessary mechanism. The charter differs from the concept of communality in that it addresses the responsibility of humans in a bid to minimize conflict. In this case the element of

HW 5 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HW 5 - Case Study Example Attending a Peace Corp mission in Africa enables one fulfil his or her desire to offer assistance to the needy and charity organisations. However, all may not go well after graduation. For example, being employed by Nipsco will require one dedicate most of his or her time towards the work. This may cause a person lose the touch of friends, and break relationships. In addition, a demotion or reduction in bonus could lower someones morale, and affect his or her financial stability. Furthermore, staying in graduate school will result into reduced services for the students seeking classrooms, especially if they are enrolled under distance learning. Moreover, moving to New Orleans can prove to be stressful, especially if one is employed and lowly paid, making it difficult to pay for bills and cater for other necessities. Spending two years as a Peace Corp may divert ones attention and break contact with friends and relatives as one spends more time away from them. Conclusively, the decisions made after graduation determine ones livelihood and professional interaction, and, thus, it is important to make wise decisions that are less likely to affect an individual

Application Architecture Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Application Architecture - Case Study Example This is done using special Internet addresses that have been reserved for this purpose. These special addresses are invalid in the Internet itself. The hosts using these addresses may communicate among themselves, but they cannot access the Internet directly†. NAT In order to make it easy for the network administrator, the NAT translates all the personal and confidential IP addresses into inclusive IP addresses. This will require an incremental change devoid of host and routers modification. Furthermore, the NAT has its own drawbacks for instance; its performance is slow since each packet is processed before translating it. Therefore the ‘IP traceability’ also becomes complicated because data packets are hard to trace. 3 Tunneling Tunneling is also referred as port forwarding. Port forwarding is often used for establishing a secure data channel from head office to the remote office corporate network by utilizing the Internet. One of the methods for deploying a tunn eling protocol is to configure the WAN connection with port number along with allocation of the required service. For example, for accessing remote desktop for a payroll application, port number 3389 will be used with the service named as ‘RDP service’ along with the specific IP address of the computer. As discussed earlier, PPTP developed by Microsoft. Likewise, PPTP is required for transmitting encrypted data over the VPN. Besides, no data encryption is available on port forwarding configuration as compare to tunneling because every tunneling route needs to be defined. This may create complex configurations that are difficult to manage. 4 Access Control List In a router, firewall, multi-layer switches etc.; the Access Control List is characterized. If a data packet attempts to pass through a router, it will take in security rules and policies. In the same way, the user’s rights on the files and directories are identified related to the ACL operating system. In order to check quality, the files and folders are read, write and executed. Thus, the ACL offers security for the network data administration, system files and folders. 5 Sub Netting Sub netting is described in â€Å"document RFC 950, originally referred to the subdivision of a class-based network into sub networks, but now refers more generally to the subdivision of a CIDR block into smaller CIDR blocks† (Subnetting, n.d). In IPv4, a single subnet only encloses 254 assignable IP addresses. The issues related to the broadcast are always triggered, generating network congestion and disruption in services. Therefore, these IP addresses should be managed properly in order to control congestion. However, o overcome the above mentioned issues, the IP addresses are divided into smaller class C networks for better performance related to network management and security. In addition, to operate a corporate network, sub netting is needed in order to allocate private IP addresses to inb ound networks as the global IP addresses are limited. The global IP addresses can be configured on the bases of WAN (Wide Area Network) devices. 6 Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) The Virtual Local Are

Body-Adapted Wearable Electronics Essay Example for Free

Body-Adapted Wearable Electronics Essay The field of body-adapted electronics has been around for quite some time. People have been wearing calculator watches, mobile phones, music players, ear phones and the like for many years now. I was intrigued by the new ideas that have developed within the last few years in the way of health monitoring devices. There is a wristband available for you to monitor your exercise, health, behavior, and blood pressure. It helps you to understand your exercise and sleep patterns. Also out there for you to detect your blood pressure are ear buds. Some of the health monitoring devices are able to be embedded under your skin or worn as a tiny patch under clothing. The sensors provide feedback for you or your doctor to tract your vital statistics. The vital measures include heart rate, muscle tone, body temperature, sweat, motion and the amount of oxygen in your system. The environmental measures include location, illumination, ambient temperature, humidity, toxicity. A body posture detection sensor is worn to determine whether a person is exercising or performing a sport correctly. Along with this device, another can provide calculations of how many calories you have consumed, or your average speed and distance. This allows you to get the best performance in what you are attempting. For those suffering chronic disease or pain management, their doctor will be able to receive real-time information about the person’s health, so as to be able to prescribe medications properly. Alerts systems can be applied for drivers on the road to inform them of dozing off at the wheel. Fire-fighters have a polo shirt with sensors that collects their vital signs, so supervisors will know when to get them out of a disastrous situation. The Eye Tap, which is worn in front of the eye, or Smartglasses are for wearers to use as a camera or to view computer imagery, is being explored as a tool for people with visual disabilities to have the information directed  to parts of their retina that does not function well. Google Glass has been using them since 2013 in operating rooms, ambulances, trauma helicopters, doctors’ offices, and also for the visually impaired on public transportation. It is also being used in several countries during operations, to broadcast the actual surgery to other locations, and on TV, for many doctors to be able to watch how the procedure is being performed. In Australia, the Small World Social Breastfeeding Support Project created the first hands-free breastfeeding application for new mothers. Wearing the Google Glass, the mothers call a consultant to have any questions they might have, answered. In a few months, 100% of the mothers were breastfeeding with confidence. Several more emerging technologies are currently being developed. A brain-computer interface, for people with disabilities who can type by controlling their brainwaves, and eventually being able to operate wheelchairs using only their thoughts. The Haptic shoe soles, using sense of touch feedback and GPS technology, these soles will give the blind wearer vibrations to tell them when to turn or lift their feet via a voice-programmed app that reads GPS maps planned routes. The soles have sensors to let the wearer know when to stop, and read the walkers gestures, example, two taps means â€Å"take me home.† All of these new products are a great advantage for the medical, health, and disability fields. Along with them goes the disadvantages, until everything can be worked out. The trials that are necessary in order to make sure the products are fit for use is the biggest hurdle. Sensors miss firing; wrong data being sent and received; expertise needed around the eyes; missed directions for the blind walkers; battery-life needing to be extended; the cost of research and development and of purchase; and the right to privacy are all issues that need to be addressed. Wrong data REFERENCES: Body-Adapted Wearable Electronic by Dysheanna Franklin on Prezi http://prezi.com Interview: What’s the future for wearable technology? http:// forumblog.org ITEA3 Improving the quality of everyday life through wearable computers http://itea3.org Top 10 emerging technologies for 2014 http://forumblog.org Wearable computer-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wilipedia.org

Cocaine Abuse Detection with Double Confirmation Technique

Cocaine Abuse Detection with Double Confirmation Technique Introduction Throughout history, natural and synthetic drugs have been used for many uses. The first drugs were based on natural sources [1] and it is common practice to isolate a drug from its natural sources before synthesis. Usage of these drugs is regulated by governmental organizations, in the U.S.A. the Food and Drug Organization achieves this goal, and any use that is not approved is commonly frowned upon. The deviation of the use of drugs from their approved medical practice is termed drug abuse. The practice of drug abuse is as old as drugs itself. Drugs that alter mood have always existed and the approved usage is partially constructed by society. For example, alcohol use is normal, and sometimes excessively celebrated, in western culture but is prohibited in some religious cultures. While there are several other drugs that are abused daily, this review will be mainly focused on cocaine and its abuse [2]. Originally derived from the coca plant, the history of cocaine use can be detailed as far back as 600 AD. It was common practice for Peruvian Indians to digest the leaves for its euphoric effects. In the 1880s, it was first isolated to use in anesthetic agents due to its abilities as a vasoconstrictor. By 1885, coca could be found in various products such as cigarettes and Coca Cola. Other soft drinks and alcoholic beverages also contained cocaine at the time. However, once news surfaced of cocaine addiction, the perspectives regarding cocaine began to shift. Laws were enacted against cocaine use and by the 1950s, the earlier cocaine abuse was forgotten. However, the more potent version of cocaine, crack, became popular in the 80s and a rise of cocaine abuse followed. It was popular to administer the alkaloid via inhalation or intravenous injections. It was also placed under the tongue (oral sublingual), rubbed on the skin, or inserted into the vagina/anus [2]. Due to its rampant usa ge, it became evident that a method to test for cocaine presence in the human body was necessary to curb its abuse. The purpose of general drug testing is to identify and detect the drug in question, and in turn, deter its usage. An unlimited amount of drugs can be detected in drugs and the sample can be re-tested several times. The analytical techniques utilized in drug testing are separated into two classes: assays based on molecule recognition and separation techniques such as gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography (LC-MS), and capillary electrophoresis (CE). The art of drug testing combines different analytical techniques into a two-tier system where the first step is a quick screening followed by a confirmation step to confirm the results. While the quick on-site screening reduces costs and errors from delays between sampling and analysis, the possibility of false results is lowered with a confirmation step [3]. The biological specimen normally used in these tests is blood and urine; each with its benefits and downfalls. The use of urine as a biological speci men is the cheapest option and as a result, it is most commonly used. However, it is difficult to handle and it is easy to cheat the testing system since people are not watched when the sample is collected. The use of blood offered the advantage of monitoring the patient while the sample is collected. However, blood is also difficult to handle and store and isolating the sample from blood complicates drug testing [4]. As a result, other biological specimens such as hair, sweat, and nasal mucus have been researched as alternatives. In the case of cocaine, this article shows that mucus can be used as an alternative specimen to test for cocaine presence. A two-tier system was developed that utilizes ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and infrared spectroscopy(IR) to test for cocaine in mucus was developed and refined. Mucus was the specimen of interest because it is a non-invasive collection process and unlike blood and urine, the parent compound is present. IMS is a technique with high sensitivity so it will be able to identify positive samples and IR possesses high selectivity so it will be able to confirm these positive results. As a result, IMS is used to detect if the sample is present and IR is used to confirm the original result. Methods and Results Twelve seized cocaine samples with concentrations varying from 25-80% w/w were utilized in conjunction with mucus specimen collected from cocaine users. These users were male from 25 years old to 40 years old. Cocaine-free mucus was obtained from males and females from 25 40 years old. Note that the seized cocaine samples were utilized to develop the method and the collected samples were used to test the method. A liquid chromatography procedure was utilized as the reference procedure. A LC Dionex P680 system was utilized and an acetonitrile-phosphate buffer was used as the mobile phase. For the IMS procedure, an IONSCAN-LS system was used to analyze the samples. Nicotinamide acted as an internal calibrant in order to collect a plasmagram for the sample being tested. A Teflon membrane was used to insert the sample into the machine and to prevent any systematic errors, a blank Teflon membrane was inserted in the machine beforehand. For the IR procedure, a Tensor 27 FT-IR spectrometer was used to obtain the spectra and this was analyzed using the OPUS program. The transmission cell utilized to insert the sample had an open upper side in order to strengthen sensitivity. As a result, a normal cell with 2 mm windows now had Teflon spacers that were 0.5mm thick [3]. The IMS results comparing cocaine containing samples to non-cocaine samples are shown in figure 1a. The highest peak is from the internal calibrant with a K0 of 1.860 cm2 V-1sec-1 . Despite needing a mass spectrometer to assign the peaks, it can be hypothesized that the main peak present in the cocaine seized samples that is absent in non-cocaine users can be attributed to cocaine. Cocaine presents a peak at 15.07 ms drift time with a reduced mobility of 1.16 cm2 V-1sec-1 which matches the literature values. As a result, the characteristics of this peak were used to formulate a criterion that determines the presence of cocaine. Within each plasmagram in question, one must look for the K0 value, a variability value of 50  µg of the peak drift time, a peak amplitude of 1.5, a threshold value of 20, and a full width value at the 1/2maximul amplitude of the peak of 200  µs. Once the IMS results were formulated, two seized samples that tested positive underwent an IR procedu re. The resulting spectra presented a plethora of absorption bands but three are of interest: the stretching of the carbonyl group causes a band at 1726 cm-1; the mono-substituted benzene stretches and causes a band at 1017 cm-1; and out-of-plane bending vibrations cause a band at 965 cm-1. Therefore, a criterion must also be formulated to determine the presence of cocaine. Within an IR spectrum, one should look for peaks within three regions: 1786 to 1701 cmà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1, from 1363 to 1257 cmà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1, and 1166 to 950 cmà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 [3]. In order to determine the most effective means in collecting mucus, an artificial sniffer to replicate the nose was developed and two different types of swabs were tested. In these studies, a benzocaine, lidocaine, and lactose mixture was utilized. 50 mg of the mixture was sniffed with the artificial sniffer and different swabs were used to collect the samples. The procedure was repeated thrice in order to determine recovery efficiency. The two swabs tested were a double cotton tipped polystyrene stick and single cotton tipped wood stick. Looking at figure 1b and 1c, it is evident that the double cotton tipped polystyrene stick is better for powdered compounds mixed in with mucus so this stick is recommended for mucus collection [3]. If one is to develop a technique to detect and identify an analyte, thresholds must be determined for these assays. By using successive dilutions of a cocaine standard of 1000 mg/L, the limit of detection (LOD) of the IMS technique was determined to be 15 pg. This means that if cocaine is present at any lower amounts, the IMS technique cannot be used to generate a true positive value. The limit of concentration (LOC) was used to determine the threshold for the IR technique. This value was determined to be 100  µg and if any sample is tested to be below this concentration, it cannot be confirmed to be cocaine[3]. Another factor that must be considered is the time delay between administration of drug and drug testing. As a result, the IMS+IR method was performed on these samples with varying times from 15 minutes up until 120 mins, and then after 24 hours. In figure 2c, cocaine was still identifiable up until 120 mins and even after 24 hours, traces were still detectable via the IMS technique [3]. In order for this new method to be viable, the possibility of interference from other compounds must be ruled out. In street cocaine, the product is cut in order to maximize profit. In other words, other anesthetics are mixed in to reduce the amount of cocaine needed to make a profit. In order to show that these common cutting agents do not interfere with the method, these compounds were analyzed by IMS and IR. Evident in figure 3, almost all cutting agents do not overlap with the distinct cocaine peak except for tetracine that has a peak at 15.25 ms with a K0 of 1.151 cm2 V-1sec-1, oxymetazoline at 14.90 ms with a K0 of 1.165 cm2 V-1sec-1, and xylometazoline at 14.77 ms with a K0 of 1.168 cm2 V-1sec-1. These three were analyzed by IR and their spectra (Figure 3) can be distinguished from cocaines spectra. The correlation coefficents were calculated to be less than 90% so the probability of false positives is close to zero. The worry that competitive ionization would also create false positives was also quenched by evaluating different mixtures of cocaine and cutting agents and in most cases, cocaine was detected. The use of other compounds such as a xylomethazoline-containing nasal spray and a topical ointment were tested using the double confirmation method. The only exception is the 1:5 and 1:10 ratio of tetracaine and cocaine. It seems like when cocaine is diluted, the cutting agent causes a shift in cocaines peak in the IMS plasmagram. However, the IR spectra can confirm the presence of this sample. Throughout this process, only one false positive showed up, the 1:10 ratio of lidocaine and cocaine due it the correlatio n coefficient being less than 90% [3]. Now that the method has been fully developed, it was tested using the cocaine samples collected from individuals. 35 samples were collected, nine samples were from individuals who did not use cocaine and the rest used. It is a bit difficult to quantify the amount of cocaine in the mucus due to the matrix but the purpose of the method to detect and identify the analyte. The samples also underwent a liquid chromatography procedure as a reference for the data. As evident in figure 4, the number of false positives is zero using the double confirmation technique. Even when the nose was cleaned with saline before sample collection, the method was still able to detect and identify the analyte afterwards [3]. Discussion This double confirmation technique has been proven to be a successful method for cocaine abuse. The thresholds for each step has been determined and it is recommended that a double cotton tipped polystyrene stick should be used for extractions. The laboratory equipment used can be found in smaller sizes, in order to use outside of lab. As mentioned earlier, some advantages with this technique include easier specimen collection, high selectivity and sensitivity, low risk of interference, and its ability to generate a true positive response up to two hours of exposure [3]. Other techniques with similar advantages are currently being developed as well. Scientists in Europe have developed a surface mass spectrometry technique that detects cocaine from fingerprints [5]. Researchers have suggested sweat patch testing as an alternative to urinalysis for cocaine abuse [6]. However, the possibility of cheating this new method via nasal irrigation and neti pots raises some questions about its application. In other words, if someone has the ability to flush out the main analyte from their nose, in what cases should this technique be utilized? Is it viable for drug testing for employers since people can just flush out their nose in succession a few days before the test? Is this technique more viable in a forensic sense? These are questions that need further research. References (Note:re-format for all of them to have the same format and re-order alphabetically) [1] Goodman Gilmans: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 12e Eds. Laurence L. Brunton, et al. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, , http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com.ezproxy.fiu.edu/content.aspx?bookid=1613sectionid=102124003. [2] Das, Gopal. Cocaine abuse in North America: a milestone in history. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 33.4 (1993): 296-310. [3] Noninvasive Double Confirmation of Cocaine Abuse Sergio Armenta, Miguel de la Guardia, Manel Alcalà  , and Marcelo Blanco. Analytical Chemistry. 2013. 85. (23), 11382-11390 [4] Klaassen, Curtis D., and Mary O. Amdur, eds. Casarett and Doulls toxicology: the basic science of poisons. Vol. 8. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. [5] Bailey, Melanie J., et al. Rapid detection of cocaine, benzoylecgonine and methylecgonine in fingerprints using surface mass spectrometry. Analyst 140.18 (2015): 6254-6259. [6] Liberty, Hilary James, Bruce D. Johnson, and Neil Fortner. Detecting Cocaine Use Through Sweat Testing: Multilevel Modeling of Sweat Patch Length-of-Wear Data. Journal of analytical toxicology 28.8 (2004): 667-673. Print.

Nasa Essay -- Essays Papers

Nasa October 1, 1958, the official start of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), was the beginning of a rich history of unique scientific and technological achievements in human space flight, aeronautics, space science, and space applications. Formed as a result of the Sputnik crisis of confidence, NASA inherited the earlier National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and other government organizations, and almost immediately began working on options for human space flight. NASA’s first high profile program was Project Mercury, an effort to learn if humans could survive in space, followed by Project Gemini, which built upon Mercury’s successes and used spacecraft built for two astronauts. NASA’s human space flight efforts then extended to the Moon with Project Apollo, culminating in 1969 when the Apollo 11 mission first put humans on the lunar surface. After the Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz Test Projects of the early and mid-1970s, NASA’ s human space flight efforts again resumed in 1981, with the Space Shuttle program that continues today to help build the International Space Station. Building on its NACA roots, NASA has continued to conduct many types of cutting-edge aeronautics research on aerodynamics, wind shear, and other important topics using wind tunnels, flight testing, and computer simulations. NASA’s highly successful X-15 program involved a rocket-powered airplane that flew above the atmosphere and then glided back to Earth unpowere...

Contrasting Relationships of Three Couples in Shakespeares As You Like It. :: essays research papers

Love is the central theme in the play ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare, the author expressed many types of love in the play. Some of them are, brotherly love, lust for love, loyal, friendship love, unrequited love, but of course, romantic love is the focus of this play. There are four main couples in the play, but only three couples we could see the development of their love, they are Rosalind and Orlando, Silvius and Phebe, Touchstone and Audrey. Today, I am going to talk about the contrast of love between these three couples. First, I would like to talk about the love between Rosalind and Orlando. From the beginning of the play, the reader can clearly sense them are the hero and the heroine of the story. Rosalind is beautiful, and Orlando is handsome, the way they fell in love at first sight is traditional, Orlando’s good nature and bravery won her heart in Act 1, Scene 2. However, if it was just like that, it would be a bit boring, therefore, a new dimension was added to this love when Rosalind was banished by Duke Frederick in A1 S3, and decided to disguise as a male- Ganymede and escape to the Forest of Arden. Their love was tested by the new gender of Rosalind. Before the lovers met again in the forest, Rosalind found poems verses on a tree in A3 S2. All the pictures fairest lin’d, Are but black to Rosalind Let no face be kept in mind, But the fair of Rosalind As the audience will see, the verses are really bad. Orlando probably has seen this kind of courting in the city but does not know how to write quality verses. Nevertheless, Rosalind was extremely excited when Celia told her it was Orlando who wrote it. Shakespeare used the language technique of repetition to present the excitement †¦ Did he aske for me? How parted he wit thee, and when shalt thou see him again? Answer me in one word. Even for the briefest moment, Rosalind regretted to dress up like a man. But luckily, using her quick-wit, in Act 3 Scene 3, she cunningly persuaded Orlando into love-counselling by letting him pretend to woo her. She states that love is merely madness and deserves to be whipped. Then she intelligently said about the marks of a love which Orlando did not have.

Contemporary World Final Essay -- essays research papers fc

Final Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second half of the twentieth century has seen many changes in political policies, the economy, religion, and technology. All of these have affected each other. The study of the history of humankind allows us to look back and learn from past accomplishments and mistakes. Although technology has allowed for incredible communication and reporting around the world, as individuals do we use this to our advantage and grow as better people? We continue to struggle with ingrained prejudices and ideals for other ethnic groups. As the movement for diversity continues to grow in today’s society, our biggest problem we face in the future could be the disuniting of people. How we handle the changes will provide negative and positive results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the United States was formed, the different ethnic groups had a common goal. They wanted to build a nation of multiethnic groups sharing in common political ideas. This was clearly stated in the Constitution of the United States. â€Å"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union†¦Ã¢â‚¬  builds an immediate identity of citizenship among the people creating cohesion of the different ethnic groups. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, a French immigrant published Letters from an American Farmer during the American Revolution. In it, he answered his question â€Å"What then is the American, this new man?† His answer is â€Å"He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, received new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles†¦.Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men.† (Schlesinger, Jr. 12). The term melting pot was coined to describe the blending of the new multiethnic society in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, ethnic groups settled together in areas and formed their own neighborhoods. In a diverse city like Chicago, this is clearly seen. Ethnic groups wanted to maintain some of their beliefs and ways even in America and being together helped them maintain their culture. Now, individual groups of ethnicity are seeking acknowledgement for their differences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The question as to whether or not we can accept the changes with cultural div... ...e and pray that individual acceptance, love and kindness will overcome some of the issues that arise in the future and we can live in peace and put the past atrocities of ethnic cleansing, war, racism, communism, and hatred behind us. The world’s future depends on us to be accepting and tolerant of each others differences while having a common goal of building economic stability, fair political policies and having a sense of common identity. If history repeats itself, we have not proven we can do this. I would like to believe the most promising development in the world is the return of conservation. As individuals reach a greater awareness of the earth’s depleting natural resources, conservation will become a way of life, rather than the throw away society we have been. In some areas, such as California where there have been brown outs and the practice of electric conservation has been forced. As utility prices skyrocket as we saw with the gas bills this past winter, our awareness of conservation will grow as it hits our pocket books. Works Cited Schlesinger, Jr. Arthur. The Disuniting of America – Reflections on a Multicultural Society.New York:W.W. Norton & Company 1992.

Solving Prison Overcrowding with Drug Courts

Elizabeth Johnson was a model student. She was characterized by her teachers as hardworking, driven, and goal oriented. After being placed on the honor roll and graduating early from Morris High School in Will County, Illinois, she attended Northern Illinois University to become a lawyer. Within her first year at college, her life derailed. She was caught by the police and arrested for possession of marijuana. Johnson was expecting to be placed in prison but she found herself in a drug court, which assigned her mandatory drug rehabilitation. After graduating from the rehabilitation program, she went back to school at John Marshall Law School, and passed the bar exam. Now, after seven years of completing the drug program, she has not relapsed and works as a District Attorney for Will County. However, stories like Johnson’s aren’t common. For every story like hers, there are hundreds of stories where the drug user would be sent to prison, shattering his or her future (Cain). Our prisons, now host thousands of non-violent drug users. These prisons have high upkeep costs, and have led to overcrowding in some states (United States, Department of Justice). The establishment of drug courts, throughout the nation, would result in less economic costs to America, while still rehabilitating drug users successfully. Currently a large part of the Federal budget goes to the criminal justice system and more specifically in stopping drug abuse. In 2005, the government spent 135. 8 billion dollars stopping substance abuse and addiction (Lyons). This money is spent on creating new rehabilitation programs and testing facilities for drug users to attend. However, drug users attend these programs on a voluntary basis. They are able to join and leave the programs at any time (Lyons). The Federal Government is spending billions on increasing rehabilitation facilities available, but is still sending drug users to prison. The courts still assign prison as sentences for drug users, as opposed to rehabilitation (Vrecko). Now, the Department of Justice needs another $6. 172 billion, on top of their current budget, for the rise in costs of federal prisons (United States, Office of Management and Budget). Our current drug policy is failing to match the Federal Government’s initiative for rehabilitation. The current drug policy and harsh punishments has led to prison overcrowding. The New York Times reported that in California, there has been an increase of 45,000 drug users in prison. This increase has fostered the argument of California’s prisons being overcrowded. California’s prison system is overcrowded with 145% capacity. There has now been a surge of cases to the Supreme Court about the constitutionality of the prisons (Liptak). Much of the problem of prison overcrowding has been linked to drug users. In 2009, the Federal Bureau of Prisons reported that 51. percent of prisoners are in prison for drug related charges. For comparison, in 1995, the number of prisoners for drug related charges was 26. 7 percent. (United States. Department of Justice. ) The number of prisoners has nearly doubled due to harsher drug policies stricter punishments. Like California, many states are dealing with a surge in drug users in prison which has resulted in an increase in upkeep costs. For example, Washington will need to build three new prisons to ensure the constitutionality of their prisons. Peter Aldhous, who earned his PhD from the University of California Berkley, wrote that each prison will cost $250 million to build and an additional $45 million to run each year. Unless Washington changes some of its drug policies, they will likely see a continued rise in the amount of drug users in prison and â€Å"prison upkeep costs†. Moreover, Aldhous expects 4. 1 billion dollars to be spent on new prisons across the nation over the next decade. While this is a long-term cost to states, many states will need new beds and other items for their prisons. In Texas, the prisons will require 17,000 new beds (Lyons). In addition, states will have to hire more prison guards. In the end, the short term cost to the state may be around 1 million dollars (Mergenhagen). As the number of overcrowded prisons rises, drug usage while in prison also increases. Many drug users in prison have the ability to meet their friends and family on visits. During these visits, drugs have been given to the drug user in prison. However, the drugs that are exchanged are drugs that are hard to be traced during urine tests. As a result, inject able drugs, which leave no trace in urine, are the most likely to be exchanged. The drugs are then used in the prison cells where other cellmates may use the drug as well. In a study comprising of 13 prisons, the range of prisoners who used injectable drugs while incarcerated was 16% to 54%. (Lines). When sharing injectable drugs, the prisoners also share the needle. This has disastrous effects on the health of the prisoners. Sharing needles causes an increase likelihood of contracting diseases like HCV, HBV, and HIV (Lines). Another study, which looked at 43 prisons, found that the average HIV/AIDS prevalence is 3%. However, specifically in New York, the prevalence was 12. % (Mergenhagen). Outside of prison, America has a HIV/AIDS prevalence of . 3% (United States. Department of Health and Human Services). Drug users in prison are 10 times more likely to contract HIV/AIDS versus the average population. Finally, the recidivism rate has not fallen with the harsher drug policy. Within two years of being released from prison, 32% of the drug users are incarcerated again for drug charges (Fox). This high recidivism rate furthers the idea that the inmates are not receiving the proper attention in prison to deal with their drug addiction. Drug users are sent to prison typically at a young age similar to Johnson. In prison, they do not receive any â€Å"additional education, job training, or counseling. † They are then released back into society without any new resources to succeed. Instead, they carry a record which impairs them from obtaining jobs, and the psychological problems of being behind bars for an extended period of time (Phlisher). The recidivism rate remaining high, and lack of resources for individuals to succeed points to the need for a new solution rather than prison. â€Å"Drug courts† are the ideal solution. These drug courts are separate from the normal criminal court. Dr. Scott Vrecko, who obtained his PhD from the London School of Economics, claims that drug courts are specifically made for sending drug users to a rehabilitative program. If the judge feels as if the individual would be more successful in a â€Å"rehabilitative program as opposed to prison†, he or she will send the drug user to a program of the judge’s choice. If the drug user fails the program, he or she will be sent to prison. This option gives them the ability to have â€Å"education, job training, and counseling† while in rehab. However, the availability of drug courts is limited to only a few states with Florida being the largest. In these states, they have great success on limiting the toll that prisons bear for drug users. Yet, only 6% of drug users in the nation have access to a drug court (Gorsman). 6% is too small to have any far reaching impact across the nation. Increasing the number of drug courts available to the nation on a federal level would have a strong effect on lowering the cost for prisons and reducing the recidivism rate. The creation of drug courts would have a beneficial economic impact. First, it would lower the percentage of drug users in prison from 51. 4% to around 17% (Berman). This would vastly lower the economic costs of maintaining the prisons. Moreover, it would only cost 1. 2 billion dollars to create drug courts throughout the nation (Gorsman). The proposed 1. 2 billion dollars is a fraction of 135. 8 billion dollars the nation already pays for the creation of rehabilitative programs (Lyons). The rehabilitative programs are already built and running. These drug courts would enforce mandatory attendance to the program. In fact, it would save about 1. million dollars per 200 people per year. (Lyons). The estimated savings would easily cover the costs of creating the drug courts after a few years. Many of the drug users in prison are not there on their first arrest, but their second and third arrest. The largest drawback of the prison system, is its inability to reduce recidivism. However, drug courts have become more effective at reducing recidivism. In one study, the recidivism rate was 4% to 8% after two years of being released from the program (Berman). This number is significantly lower than the 32% recidivism rate for drug users who go to prison (Fox). The most extensive study was done by Brenda Newton-Taylor an M. D. from Stanford. The study involved 432 participants and factored out eight different variables including â€Å"length of drug usage, race, gender, income, and the specific drug used†. They found a recidivism rate at 6% for those who graduated from the rehabilitative program. Furthermore, those that failed the program used drugs less often than before after being released from prison. On average they used drugs about a third as much as they used to. This resulted in the individuals having better jobs and maintaining better lives. The creation of drug courts have been effective in reducing the recidivism rate and lowering the cost on prisons. Many of the present arguments against the establishments of drug courts is related to a theoretical rise in drug users due to a less severe punishment. However, this idea has been empirically disproved. In the certain areas where drug courts are present in America, such as Florida, there has not been a statistically significant increase in the amount of drug usage or drug users (Marlowe). Much of this has been applied to the continued social stigmatization of drugs. Although some states have taken a shift in their drug policy, the stigmatization of drugs still exists. Further, although the mandatory treatment program is not as harsh as prison, it is still not an appealing punishment (Marlowe). The average length to graduate from the program is about 8 months (Newton-Taylor). The time required to graduate still deters individuals from using drugs. If they fail the program, they will be sent to jail which still acts as a deterrent. (Marlowe). The argument of increased drug consumption lacks empirical evidence. The establishment of drug courts throughout the nation would help to solve some of the pressing needs of overcrowding within state prisons and the stagnant recidivism rates. Elizabeth Johnson has been pleading her case to the Illinois state government for the creation of drug courts in every county. Many representatives have joined her support of drug courts, and Illinois has seen large strides in reforming their drug policies. (Cain. ) With many large states such as Florida shifting to drug courts, the push for the federal government to enact the change will undoubtedly follow.

The Host Chapter 47: Employed

This is too easy. It's not really even fun anymore,† Kyle complained. â€Å"You wanted to come,† Ian reminded him. He and Ian were in the windowless back of the van, sorting through the nonperishable groceries and toiletries I'd just collected from the store. It was the middle of the day, and the sun was shining on Wichita. It was not as hot as the Arizona desert, but it was more humid. The air swarmed with tiny flying bugs. Jared drove toward the highway out of town, carefully keeping below the speed limit. This continued to irritate him. â€Å"Getting tired of shopping yet, Wanda?† Ian asked me. â€Å"No. I don't mind it.† â€Å"You always say that. Isn't there anything you mind?† â€Å"I mind†¦ being away from Jamie. And I mind being outside, a little bit. During the day especially. It's like the opposite of claustrophobia. Everything is too open. Does that bother you, too?† â€Å"Sometimes. We don't go out during the day much.† â€Å"At least she gets to stretch her legs,† Kyle muttered. â€Å"I don't know why you want to hear her complain.† â€Å"Because it's so uncommon. Which makes it a nice change from listening to you complain.† I tuned them out. Once Ian and Kyle got started, they usually went on for a while. I consulted the map. † Oklahoma City next?† I asked Jared. â€Å"And a few small towns on the way, if you're up for it,† he answered, eyes on the road. â€Å"I am.† Jared rarely lost his focus when on a raid. He didn't relax into relieved banter the way Ian and Kyle did every time I completed another mission successfully. It made me smile when they used that word-mission. That sounded so formidable. In reality, it was just a trip to the store. Just like I'd done a hundred times in San Diego when I was only feeding myself. Like Kyle said, it was too easy to provide any excitement. I pushed my cart up and down the aisles. I smiled at the souls who smiled at me, and I filled my cart with things that would last. I usually grabbed a few things that wouldn't, for the men hiding in the back of the van. Premade sandwiches from the deli-things like that for our meals. And maybe a treat or two. Ian had a fondness for mint chocolate chip ice cream. Kyle liked caramel sweets best. Jared ate anything he was offered; it seemed as if he'd given up favorites many years before, embracing a life where wants were unwelcome and even needs were carefully assessed before they were met. Another reason he was good at this life-he saw priorities uncontaminated by personal desire. Occasionally, in the smaller towns, someone would notice me, would speak to me. I had my lines down so well that I could probably have fooled a human by this point. â€Å"Hi there. New in town?† â€Å"Yes. Brand-new.† â€Å"What brings you to Byers?† I was always careful to check the map before I left the van, so the town's name would be familiar. â€Å"My partner travels a lot. He's a photographer.† â€Å"How wonderful! An Artist. Well, there's certainly a lot of beautiful land around here.† Originally, I'd been the Artist. But I'd found that throwing in the information that I was already partnered saved me some time when I was speaking to males. â€Å"Thank you so much for your help.† â€Å"You're very welcome. Come back soon.† I'd only had to speak to a pharmacist once, in Salt Lake City; after that, I'd known what to look for. A sheepish smile. â€Å"I'm not sure I'm getting the right nutrition. I can't seem to avoid the junk food. This body has such a sweet tooth.† â€Å"You need to be wise, Thousand Petals. I know it's easy to give in to your cravings, but try to think about what you're eating. In the meantime, you should take a supplement.† Health. Such an obvious title on the bottle, it made me feel silly for asking. â€Å"Would you like the ones that taste like strawberries or the ones that taste like chocolate?† â€Å"Could I try both?† And the pleasant soul named Earthborn gave me both of the large bottles. Not very challenging. The only fear or sense of danger I ever felt came when I thought of the small cyanide pill that I always kept in an easily reachable pocket. Just in case. â€Å"You should get new clothes in the next town,† Jared said. â€Å"Again?† â€Å"Those are looking a little creased.† â€Å"Okay,† I agreed. I didn't like the excess, but the steadily growing pile of dirty laundry wouldn't go to waste. Lily and Heidi and Paige were all close to my size, and they would be grateful for something new to wear. The men rarely bothered with things like clothes when they were raiding. Every foray was life-or-death-clothes were not a priority. Nor were the gentle soaps and shampoos that I'd been collecting at every store. â€Å"You should probably clean up, too,† Jared said with a sigh. â€Å"Guess that means a hotel tonight.† Keeping up appearances was not something they'd worried about before. Of course, I was the only one who had to look as if I were a part of civilization from close up. The men wore jeans and dark T-shirts now, things that didn't show dirt or attract attention in the brief moments they might be seen. They all hated sleeping in the roadside inns-succumbing to unconsciousness inside the very mouth of the enemy. It scared them more than anything else we did. Ian said he'd rather charge an armed Seeker. Kyle simply refused. He mostly slept in the van during the day and then sat up at night, acting as sentry. For me, it was as easy as shopping in the stores. I checked us in, made conversation with the clerk. Told the story about my photographer partner and the friend who was traveling with us (just in case someone saw all three of us enter the room). I used generic names from unremarkable planets. Sometimes we were Bats: Word Keeper, Sings the Egg Song, and Sky Roost. Sometimes we were See Weeds: Twisting Eyes, Sees to the Surface, and Second Sunrise. I changed the names every time, not that anyone was trying to trace our path. It just made Melanie feel safer to do that. All this made her feel like a character in a human movie about espionage. The hard part, the part I really minded-not that I would say this in front of Kyle, who was so quick to doubt my intentions-was all the taking without giving anything back. It had never bothered me to shop in San Diego. I took what I needed and nothing more. Then I spent my days at the university giving back to the community by sharing my knowledge. Not a taxing Calling, but one I took seriously. I took my turns at the less-appealing chores. I did my day collecting garbage and cleaning streets. We all did. And now I took so much more and gave nothing in return. It made me feel selfish and wrong. It's not for yourself. It's for others, Mel reminded me when I brooded. It still feels wrong. Even you can feel that, can't you? Don't think about it was her solution. I was glad we were on the homestretch of our long raid. Tomorrow we would visit our growing cache-a moving truck we kept hidden within a day's reach of our path-and clean out the van for the last time. Just a few more cities, a few more days, down through Oklahoma, then New Mexico, and then a straight drive through Arizona with no stops. Home again. At last. When we slept in hotels rather than in the crowded van, we usually checked in after dark and left before dawn to keep the souls from getting a good look at us. Not really necessary. Jared and Ian were beginning to realize that. This night, because we'd had such a successful day-the van was completely full; Kyle would have little space-and because Ian thought I looked tired, we stopped early. The sun had not set when I returned to the van with the plastic key card. The little inn was not very busy. We parked close to our room, and Jared and Ian went straight from the van to the room in a matter of five or six steps, their eyes on the ground. On their necks, small, faint pink lines provided camouflage. Jared carried a half-empty suitcase. No one looked at them or me. Inside, the room-darkening curtains were drawn, and the men relaxed a little bit. Ian lounged on the bed he and Jared would use, and flipped on the TV. Jared put the suitcase on the table, took out our dinner-cooled greasy breaded chicken strips I'd ordered from the deli in the last store-and passed it around. I sat by the window, peeking through the corner at the falling sun as I ate. â€Å"You have to admit, Wanda, we humans had better entertainment,† Ian teased. On the television screen, two souls were speaking their lines clearly, their bodies held with perfect posture. It wasn't hard to pick up what was happening in the story because there wasn't a lot of variety in the scripts souls wrote. In this one, two souls were reconnecting after a long separation. The male's stint with the See Weeds had come between them, but he'd chosen to be human because he guessed his partner from the Mists Planet would be drawn to these warm-blooded hosts. And, miracle of miracles, he'd found her here. They all had happy endings. â€Å"You have to consider the intended audience.† â€Å"True. I wish they'd run old human shows again.† He flipped through the channels and frowned. â€Å"Used to be a few of them on.† â€Å"They were too disturbing. They had to be replaced with things that weren't so†¦ violent.† â€Å"The Brady Bunch?† I laughed. I'd seen that show in San Diego, and Melanie knew it from her childhood. â€Å"It condoned aggression. I remember one where a little male child punched a bully, and that was portrayed as being the right thing to do. There was blood.† Ian shook his head in disbelief but returned to the show with the former See Weed. He laughed at the wrong parts, the parts that were supposed to be touching. I stared out the window, watching something much more interesting than the predictable story on television. Across the two-lane road from the inn was a small park, bordered on one side by a school and on the other by a field where cows grazed. There were a few young trees, and an old-fashioned playground with a sandbox, a slide, a set of monkey bars, and one of those hand-pulled merry-go-rounds. Of course there was a swing set, too, and that was the only equipment being used currently. A little family was taking advantage of the cooler evening air. The father had some silver in his dark hair at the temples; the mother looked many years his junior. Her red brown hair was pulled back in a long ponytail that bobbed when she moved. They had a little boy, no more than a year old. The father pushed the child in the swing from behind, while the mother stood in front, leaning in to kiss his forehead when he swung her way, making him giggle so hard that his chubby little face was bright red. This had her laughing, too-I could see her body shake with it, her hair dancing. â€Å"What are you staring at, Wanda?† Jared's question wasn't anxious, because I was smiling softly at the surprising scene. â€Å"Something I've never seen in all my lives. I'm staring at†¦ hope.† Jared came to stand behind me, peeking out over my shoulder. â€Å"What do you mean?† His eyes swept across the buildings and the road, not pausing on the playing family. I caught his chin and pointed his face in the right direction. He didn't so much as flinch at my unexpected touch, and that gave me a strange jolt of warmth in the pit of my stomach. â€Å"Look,† I said. â€Å"What am I looking at?† â€Å"The only hope for survival I've ever seen for a host species.† â€Å"Where?† he demanded, bewildered. I was aware of Ian close behind us now, listening silently. â€Å"See?† I pointed at the laughing mother. â€Å"See how she loves her human child?† At that moment, the woman snatched her son from the swing and squeezed him in a tight embrace, covering his face with kisses. He cooed and flailed-just a baby. Not the miniature adult he would have been if he carried one of my kind. Jared gasped. â€Å"The baby is human? How? Why? For how long?† I shrugged. â€Å"I've never seen this before-I don't know. She has not given him up for a host. I can't imagine that she would be†¦ forced. Motherhood is all but worshipped among my kind. If she is unwilling†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shook my head. â€Å"I have no idea how that will be handled. This doesn't happen elsewhere. The emotions of these bodies are so much stronger than logic.† I glanced up at Jared and Ian. They were both staring openmouthed at the interspecies family in the park. â€Å"No,† I murmured to myself. â€Å"No one would force the parents if they wanted the child. And just look at them.† The father had his arms around both the mother and the child now. He looked down at his host body's biological son with staggering tenderness in his eyes. â€Å"Aside from ourselves, this is the first planet we've discovered with live births. Yours certainly isn't the easiest or most prolific system. I wonder if that's the difference†¦ or if it's the helplessness of your young. Everywhere else, reproduction is through some form of eggs or seeds. Many parents never even meet their young. I wonder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, my thoughts full of speculation. The mother lifted her face to her partner, and he kissed her lips. The human child crowed with delight. â€Å"Hmm. Perhaps, someday, some of my kind and some of yours will live in peace. Wouldn't that be†¦ strange?† Neither man could tear his eyes from the miracle in front of them. The family was leaving. The mother dusted the sand off her jeans while the father took the boy. Then, holding hands that they swung between them, the souls strolled toward the apartments with their human child. Ian swallowed loudly. We didn't speak for the rest of the evening, all of us made thoughtful by what we'd seen. We went to sleep early, so we could rise early and get back to work. I slept alone, in the bed farthest from the door. This made me uncomfortable. The two big men did not fit easily on the other bed; Ian tended to sprawl when he was deeply asleep, and Jared was not above throwing punches when that happened. Both of them would be more comfortable if I shared. I slept in a small ball now; maybe it was the too-open spaces I moved in all day that had me constricting in on myself at night, or maybe I was just so used to curling up to sleep in the tiny space behind the passenger seat on the van's floor that I'd forgotten how to sleep straight. But I knew why no one asked me to share. The first night the men had unhappily realized the necessity of a hotel shower for me, I'd heard Ian and Jared talking about me over the whir of the bathroom fan. â€Å"†¦ not fair to ask her to choose,† Ian was saying. He kept his voice low, but the fan was not loud enough to drown it out. The hotel room was very small. â€Å"Why not? It's fairer to tell her where she's going to sleep? Don't you think it's more polite -â€Å" â€Å"For someone else. But Wanda will agonize over this. She'll be trying so hard to please us both, she'll make herself miserable.† â€Å"Jealous again?† â€Å"Not this time. I just know how she thinks.† There was a silence. Ian was right. He did know how I thought. He'd probably already foreseen that given the slightest hint that Jared would prefer it, I would choose to sleep beside Jared, and then keep myself awake worrying that I'd made Jared unhappy by being there and that I'd hurt Ian's feelings in the bargain. â€Å"Fine,† Jared snapped. â€Å"But if you try cuddling up to me tonight†¦ so help me, O'Shea.† Ian chuckled. â€Å"Not to sound overly arrogant, but to be perfectly honest, Jared, were I so inclined, I think I could do better.† Despite feeling a little guilty about wasting so much needed space, I probably did sleep better alone. We didn't have to go to a hotel again. The days started to pass more quickly, as if even the seconds were trying to run home. I could feel a strange western pull on my body. We were all eager to get back to our dark, crowded haven. Even Jared got careless. It was late, no sunlight left lingering behind the western mountains. Behind us, Ian and Kyle were taking turns driving the big moving truck loaded with our spoils, just as Jared and I took turns with the van. They had to drive the heavy vehicle more carefully than Jared did the van. The headlights had faded slowly into the distance, until they disappeared around a wide curve in the road. We were on the homestretch. Tucson was behind us. In a few short hours, I would see Jamie. We would unload the welcome provisions, surrounded by smiling faces. A real homecoming. My first, I realized. For once the return would bring nothing but joy. We carried no doomed hostages this time. I wasn't paying attention to anything but anticipation. The road didn't seem to be flying by too fast; it couldn't fly past fast enough as far as I was concerned. The truck's headlights reappeared behind us. â€Å"Kyle must be driving,† I murmured. â€Å"They're catching up.† And then the red and blue lights suddenly spun out in the dark night behind us. They reflected off all the mirrors, dancing spots of color across the roof, the seats, our frozen faces, and the dashboard, where the needle on the speed gauge showed that we were traveling twenty miles over the speed limit. The sound of a siren pierced the desert calm.

Frostbite Chapter 5

Five I HAD NO IDEA WHAT Dimitri was talking about, but I followed along obediently. To my surprise, he led me out of the boundaries of the campus and into the surrounding woods. The Academy owned a lot of land, not all of which was actively used for educational purposes. We were in a remote part of Montana, and at times, it seemed as though the school was just barely holding back the wilderness. We walked quietly for a while, our feet crunching through thick, unbroken snow. A few birds flitted by, singing their greetings to the rising sun, but mostly all I saw were scraggly, snow-heavy evergreen trees. I had to work to keep up with Dimitri's longer stride, particularly since the snow slowed me down a little. Soon, I discerned a large, dark shape ahead. Some kind of building. â€Å"What is that?† I asked. Before he could answer, I realized it was a small cabin, made out of logs and everything. Closer examination showed that the logs looked worn and rotten in some places. The roof sagged a little. â€Å"Old watch-post,† he said. â€Å"Guardians used to live on the edge of campus and keep watch for Strigoi.† â€Å"Why don't they anymore?† â€Å"We don't have enough guardians to staff it. Besides, Moroi have warded campus with enough protective magic that most don't think it's necessary to have actual people on guard.† Provided no humans staked the wards, I thought. For a few brief moments, I entertained the hope that Dimitri was leading me off to some romantic getaway. Then I heard voices on the opposite side of the building. A familiar hum of feeling coursed into my mind. Lissa was there. Dimitri and I rounded the corner of the building, coming up on a surprising scene. A small frozen pond lay there, and Christian and Lissa were ice skating on it. A woman I didn't know was with them, but her back was to me. All I could see was a wave of jet-black hair that arced around her when she skated to a graceful stop. Lissa grinned when she saw me. â€Å"Rose!† Christian glanced over at me as she spoke, and I got the distinct impression he felt I was intruding on their romantic moment. Lissa moved in awkward strides to the pond's edge. She wasn't so adept at skating. I could only stare in bewildermentand jealousy. â€Å"Thanks for inviting me to the party.† â€Å"I figured you were busy,† she said. â€Å"And this is secret anyway. We aren't supposed to be here.† I could have told them that. Christian skated up beside her, and the strange woman soon followed. â€Å"You bringing party crashers, Dimka?† she asked. I wondered who she was talking to, until I heard Dimitri laugh. He didn't do it that often, and my surprise increased. â€Å"It's impossible to keep Rose away from places she shouldn't be. She always finds them eventually.† The woman grinned and turned around, flipping her long hair over one shoulder, so that I suddenly saw her face full-on. It took every ounce of my already dubiously held self-control not to react. Her heart-shaped face had large eyes exactly the same shade as Christian's, a pale wintry blue. The lips that smiled at me were delicate and lovely, glossed in a shade of pink that set off the rest of her features. But across her left cheek, marring what would have otherwise been smooth, white skin were raised, purplish scars. Their shape and formation looked very much like someone had bitten into and torn out part of her cheek. Which, I realized, was exactly what had happened. I swallowed. I suddenly knew who this was. It was Christian's aunt. When his parents had turned Strigoi, they'd come back for him, hoping to hide him away and turn him Strigoi when he was older. I didn't know all the details, but I knew his aunt had fended them off. As I'd observed before, though, Strigoi were deadly. She'd provided enough of a distraction until the guardians showed up, but she hadn't walked away without damage. She extended her gloved hand to me. â€Å"Tasha Ozera,† she said. â€Å"I've heard a lot about you, Rose.† I gave Christian a dangerous look, and Tasha laughed. â€Å"Don't worry,† she said. â€Å"It was all good.† â€Å"No, it wasn't,† he countered. She shook her head in exasperation. â€Å"Honestly, I don't know where he got such horrible social skills. He didn't learn them from me.† That was obvious, I thought. â€Å"What are you guys doing out here?† I asked. â€Å"I wanted to spend some time with these two.† A small frown wrinkled her forehead. â€Å"But I don't really like hanging around the school itself. They aren't always hospitable†¦.† I didn't get that at first. School officials usually fell all over themselves when royals came to visit. Then I figured it out. â€Å"Because †¦ because of what happened †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Considering the way everyone treated Christian because of his parents, I shouldn't have been surprised to find his aunt facing the same discrimination. Tasha shrugged. â€Å"That's the way it is.† She rubbed her hands together and exhaled, her breath making a frosty cloud in the air. â€Å"But let's not stand out here, not when we can build a fire inside.† I gave a last, wistful glance at the frozen pond and then followed the others inside. The cabin was pretty bare, covered in layers of dust and dirt. It consisted of only one room. There was a narrow bed with no covers in the corner and a few shelves where food had probably once been stored. There was a fireplace, however, and we soon had a blaze going that warmed the small area. The five of us sat down, huddling around its heat, and Tasha produced a bag of marshmallows that we cooked over the flames. As we feasted on that gooey goodness, Lissa and Christian talked to each other in that easy, comfortable way they always had. To my surprise, Tasha and Dimitri also talked in a familiar and light way. They obviously knew each other from way back when. I'd actually never seen him so animated before. Even when affectionate with me, there'd always been a serious air about him. With Tasha, he bantered and laughed. The more I listened to her, the more I liked her. Finally, unable to stay out of the conversation, I asked, â€Å"So are you coming on the ski trip?† She nodded. Stifling a yawn, she stretched herself out like a cat. â€Å"I haven't been skiing in ages. No time. Been saving all my vacation for this.† â€Å"Vacation?† I gave her a curious look. â€Å"Do you have†¦a job?† â€Å"Sadly, yes,† Tasha said, though she didn't actually sound very sad about it. â€Å"I teach martial arts classes.† I stared in astonishment. I couldn't have been more surprised if she'd said she was an astronaut or a telephone psychic. A lot of royals just didn't work at all, and if they did, it was usually in some sort of investment or other moneymaking business that furthered their family fortunes. And those who did work certainly didn't do a lot of martial arts or physically demanding jobs. Moroi had a lot of great attributes: exceptional sensessmell, sight, and hearingand the power to work magic. But physically, they were tall and slender, often small-boned. They also got weak from being in sunlight. Now, those things weren't enough to prevent someone from becoming a fighter, but they did make it more challenging. An idea had built up among the Moroi over time that their best offense was a good defense, and most shied away from the thought of physical conflict. They hid in well-protected places like the Academy, always relying on stronger, hardier dhampirs to guard them. â€Å"What do you think, Rose?† Christian seemed highly amused by my surprise. â€Å"Think you could take her?† â€Å"Hard to say,† I said. Tasha crooked me a grin. â€Å"You're being modest. I've seen what you guys can do. This is just a hobby I picked up.† Dimitri chuckled. â€Å"Now you're being modest. You could teach half the classes around here.† â€Å"Not likely,† she said. â€Å"It'd be pretty embarrassing to be beaten up by a bunch of teenagers.† â€Å"I don't think that'd happen,† he said. â€Å"I seem to remember you doing some damage to Neil Szelsky.† Tasha rolled her eyes. â€Å"Throwing my drink in his face wasn't actually damageunless you consider the damage it did to his suit. And we all know how he is about his clothes.† They both laughed at some private joke the rest of us weren't in on, but I was only half-listening. I was still intrigued about her role with the Strigoi. The self-control I'd tried to maintain finally slipped. â€Å"Did you start learning to fight before or after that happened to your face?† â€Å"Rose!† hissed Lissa. But Tasha didn't seem upset. Neither did Christian, and he usually grew uncomfortable when the attack with his parents was brought up. She regarded me with a level, thoughtful look. It reminded me of the one I sometimes got from Dimitri if I did something surprising that he approved of. â€Å"After,† she said. She didn't lower her gaze or look embarrassed, though I sensed sadness in her. â€Å"How much do you know?† I glanced at Christian. â€Å"The basics.† She nodded. â€Å"I knew †¦ I knew what Lucas and Moira had become, but that still didn't prepare me. Mentally, physically, or emotionally. I think if I had to live through it again, I still wouldn't be ready. But after that night, I looked at myself figurativelyand realized how defenseless I was. I'd spent my whole life expecting guardians to protect me and take care of me. â€Å"And that's not to say the guardians aren't capable. Like I said, you could probably take me in a fight. But theyLucas and Moiracut down our two guardians before we realized what had happened. I stalled them from taking Christian but just barely. If the others hadn't shown up, I'd be dead, and he'd† She stopped, frowned, and kept going. â€Å"I decided that I didn't want to die that way, not without putting up a real fight and doing everything I could to protect myself and those I love. So I learned all sorts of self-defense. And after a while, I didn't really, uh, fit in so well with high society around here. So I moved to Minneapolis and made a living from teaching others.† I didn't doubt there were other Moroi living in Minneapolisthough God only knew whybut I could read between the lines. She'd moved there and integrated herself with humans, keeping away from other vampires like Lissa and I had for two years. I started to wonder also if there might have been something else there between the lines. She'd said she'd learned â€Å"all sorts of self-defense†apparently, more than just martial arts. Going along with their offense-defense beliefs, the Moroi didn't think magic should be used as a weapon. Long ago, it had been used that way, and some Moroi still secretly did today. Christian, I knew, was one of them. I suddenly had a good idea of where he might have picked up that kind of thing. Silence fell. It was hard to follow up a sad story like that. But Tasha, I realized, was one of those people who could always lighten a mood. It made me like her even more, and she spent the rest of the time telling us funny stories. She didn't put on airs like a lot of royals did, so she had lots of dirt on everyone. Dimitri knew a lot of the people she spoke of honestly, how did someone so antisocial seem to know everyone in Moroi and guardian societyand would occasionally add some small detail. They had us in hysterics until Tasha finally looked at her watch. â€Å"Where's the best place a girl can go shopping around here?† she asked. Lissa and I exchanged looks. â€Å"Missoula,† we said in unison. Tasha sighed. â€Å"That's a couple hours away, but if I leave soon, I can probably still get in some time before the stores close. I'm hopelessly behind in Christmas shopping.† I groaned. â€Å"I'd kill to go shopping.† â€Å"Me too,† said Lissa. â€Å"Maybe we could sneak along†¦.† I gave Dimitri a hopeful look. â€Å"No,† he said immediately. I gave a sigh of my own. Tasha yawned again. â€Å"I'll have to grab some coffee, so I don't sleep on the drive in.† â€Å"Can't one of your guardians drive for you?† She shook her head. â€Å"I don't have any.† â€Å"Don't have any †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, parsing her words. â€Å"You don't have any guardians?† â€Å"Nope.† I shot up. â€Å"But that's not possible! You're royal. You should have at least one. Two, really.† Guardians were distributed among Moroi in a cryptic, micromanaged way by the Guardian Council. It was kind of an unfair system, considering the ratio of guardians to Moroi. Non-royals tended to get them by a lottery system. Royals always got them. High-ranking royals often got more than one, but even the lowest-ranking member of royalty wouldn't have been without one. â€Å"The Ozeras aren't exactly first in line when guardians get assigned,† said Christian bitterly. â€Å"Ever since†¦my parents died†¦there's kind of been a shortage.† My anger flared up. â€Å"But that's not fair. They can't punish you for what your parents did.† â€Å"It's not punishment, Rose.† Tasha didn't seem nearly as enraged as she should have been, in my opinion. â€Å"It's just†¦a rearranging of priorities.† â€Å"They're leaving you defenseless. You can't go out there by yourself!† â€Å"I'm not defenseless, Rose. I've told you that. And if I really wanted a guardian, I could make a nuisance of myself, but it's a lot of hassle. I'm fine for now.† Dimitri glanced over at her. â€Å"You want me to go with you?† â€Å"And keep you up all night?† Tasha shook her head. â€Å"I wouldn't do that to you, Dimka.† â€Å"He doesn't mind,† I said quickly, excited about this solution. Dimitri seemed amused by me speaking for him, but he didn't contradict me. â€Å"I really don't.† She hesitated. â€Å"All right. But we should probably go soon.† Our illicit party dispersed. The Moroi went one direction; Dimitri and I went another. He and Tasha made plans to meet up in a half hour. â€Å"So what do you think of her?† he asked when we were alone. â€Å"I like her. She's cool.† I thought about her for a moment. â€Å"And I get what you mean about the marks.† â€Å"Oh?† I nodded, watching my footing as we walked along the paths. Even when salted and shoveled, they could still collect hidden patches of ice. â€Å"She didn't do what she did for glory. She did it because she had to. Just like†¦just like my mom did.† I hated to admit it, but it was true. Janine Hathaway might be the worst mother ever, but she was a great guardian. â€Å"The marks don't matter. Molnijas or scars.† â€Å"You're a fast learner,† he said with approval. I swelled under his praise. â€Å"Why does she call you Dimka?† He laughed softly. I'd heard a lot of his laughter tonight and decided I'd like to hear more of it. â€Å"It's a nickname for Dimitri.† â€Å"That doesn't make any sense. It doesn't sound anything like Dimitri. You should be called, I don't know, Dimi or something.† â€Å"That's not how it works in Russian,† he said. â€Å"Russian's weird,† In Russian, the nickname for Vasilisa was Vasya, which made no sense to me. â€Å"So is English.† I gave him a sly look. â€Å"If you'd teach me to swear in Russian, I might have a new appreciation for it.† â€Å"You swear too much already.† â€Å"I just want to express myself.† â€Å"Oh, Roza†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed, and I felt a thrill tickle me. â€Å"Roza† was my name in Russian. He rarely used it. â€Å"You express yourself more than anyone else I know.† I smiled and walked on a bit without saying anything else. My heart skipped a beat, I was so happy to be around him. There was something warm and right about us being together. Even as I floated along, my mind churned over something else that I'd been thinking about. â€Å"You know, there's something funny about Tasha's scars.† â€Å"What's that?† he asked. â€Å"The scars†¦they mess up her face,† I began slowly. I was having trouble putting my thoughts into words. â€Å"I mean, it's obvious she used to be really pretty. But even with the scars now †¦ I don't know. She's pretty in a different way. It's like†¦like they're part of her. They complete her.† It sounded silly, but it was true. Dimitri didn't say anything, but he gave me a sidelong glance. I returned it, and as our eyes met, I saw the briefest glimpse of the old attraction. It was fleeting and gone too soon, but I'd seen it. Pride and approval replaced it, and they were almost as good. When he spoke, it was to echo his earlier thoughts. â€Å"You're a fast learner, Roza.†