Planet of Slums Essay

As the sprawling sky rocketed buildings, and electrifying industries began to show the dreams of unlimited potentials, our eyes are yet to catch nasty travails of the urban life in all its vicissitude. 2005 was a witness to the ever increase in population in cities- expecting to reach 10 billion mark in 2050, but majority of them confined in the areas characterized by crumbling houses, dirty water, unhygienic environment, and very minimum sources and nothing in the name of social services, and ever increasing unemployment rate. These are slum areas of the urban cities where maximum of migrants from villages and small towns find their place. â€Å"Planet of Slums† by Mike Davis is an exploration of these dark corners of the most virtualized urban cities and, also reflects his deep commitment for raising our consciousness towards the real causes behind the unprecedented growth of these slum areas. He analyzed the grim view of this global phenomenon over the past half-century and what this billion strong slum population had in store for political future. From as far as places like Brazil to New Guinea, and from Senegal to Pakistan, rural folks are leaving their traditional occupation and landing in the slums of the urban cites for new growth and income opportunities in new occupational arenas. In countries like Africa and Latin America, people flocked to cities to escape from either the war or famine or got attracted by the income growth in factories producing clothes like t-shirts, sneakers, and toothbrushes never heard of before. Though the impact of migration process is being felt since the first industrial revolution, yet the conditions and the environment they have been staying in truly reflect their shattered dreams. They dream of getting rich but what they are gaining in cities like Manchester, Chicago, Tokyo and Mumbai are their unending lives in dirty towns and squatter camps. Guldin’s case study of Southern China exposes the point that it is not only the cities which are being developed but it is also the vice versa, â€Å"Villagers become more like market and xiang towns, and county towns and small cities become more like large cities. † (Davis 2006: 9) Many countries are also witness to the bubbling city lives reaching at the doorstep of the rural folks in their own villages or towns. It has quite happened in Malaysia where journalist SeaBrook highlighted the fate of several fishermen, â€Å"Engulfed by urbanization without migrating, their lives overturned, even while remaining on the spot where they were born. †(Davis 2006: 9) The lives of fishermen had all been uprooted by the new waves of urbanization, which cut off their homes from sea due to new highway, polluted their fishing ponds due to urban waste, and deforested the neighboring hillsides to construct apartment blocks. Johannesburg is one of the many cities, which is a witness to the degeneration of soil owing to continuous inebriated mining. More than half of the non-white population is surviving at informal settlements in areas where there is abundant of toxic waste and chronic ground. But the most classic case recorded by Davis is Mumbai in India, where the people earning higher level of income own 90 per cent of land whereas poor people are overcrowded. CBC News correspondent drafted a picture of the third largest city in the world after Tokyo and Mexico. Mumbai has 10 million people with majority of the population belonging to slum areas and the Dharavi at the vicinity of Mumbai is considered to be the largest slum in Asia. (Benoit 2006: Online) The lands where the slums are developed are the most valuable real estate areas but all are illegal and every day government vehicles come in one part of the slum areas or to the next for the demolition and every time they are established again. Several times, state had tried to enter into deal with private individuals for the redevelopment of the lands and for providing new houses for slum dwellers but this process has been unsuccessful. These slum dwellers are the backbone of the city Mumbai providing the labour for menial jobs like train operators, construction workers, factory workers etc. Davis said that, â€Å"These polarized patterns of land use and population density recapitulate older logics of imperial control and racial dominance. † (Escobar 2007: 27) Even though the economies of mega cities like Lagos, Kinshasa, and Dar Es Salaam have been deteriorating or remaining stagnant still since last many years, these cities have been continuously attracting new arrivals. Davis attempted to focus on the reasons behind the growth of slums that had been the matter of concern for economists since many years. The debt crises of 1970s and 1980s, and the restructuring of the developing economies in third world by International Monetary Fund during 1980s have been the main culprits. During the mid seventies, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) began to grant loans to the developing nations on the conditions of structural adjustment policies. The term denotes the changes in the policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank for granting the new loans at lower rate of interest to the developing countries with certain conditions. The conditions are levied to ensure the proper use of the money lended and to reduce fiscal imbalance of borrowing countries. The developing nations had to privatize their public services department and infrastructure, devalue their currencies, initiate in the growth of crops for exports, and remove the subsidies and this had a direct impact on the local farmers and manufacturers who were forced to enter into competition with the First World agribusiness and corporations. Davis evoked, â€Å"Rapid urban growth in the context of structural adjustment, currency devaluation, and state retrenchment has been an inevitable recipe for the mass production of slums† (Davis 2006: 17). The World Bank and IMF became a part of the capitalist system in the international scenario subsequently supported by Reagan, Thatcher, and Kohl (Davis 2006: 153). According to Davis, â€Å"Debt has been the forcing-house of an epochal transfer of power from Third World nations to the Bretton Woods institutions [World Bank and IMF] controlled by the US and other core capitalist countries [†¦] The [World Bank’s] professional staff are the postmodern equivalent of a colonial civil service† (Davis 2006: 153-4). The global forces with their weapons of the deregulation and mechanization of agriculture, and promotion of the consolidation of smallholdings into large ones created the surplus of rural labour forcing them to make the urban slums their final destination, as the job market in the cities became on the verge of extinction. In Davis own words, â€Å"Over-urbanization’ is driven by the reproduction of poverty, not by the supply of jobs. This is one of the unexpected tracks down which a neo-liberal world order is shunting the future† (Davis 2006: 16). It is not only rural folks but also import substitution industries, public sectors, and middle classes felt an impact. (Davis 2006: 16) Millions of city-dwellers were directly pushed into poverty due to Neo-liberalism. But along with this, the same policies that had shattered the small public sector enterprises gave boost to the private enterprises, importers, military personnel and many leading players controlling political circles. Besides undertaking economic consideration, Davis espouses upon the various social, religious, ethnic and political movements making their presence felt at the every corner of the dwelling of urban poor. For e. g. the resistance movement of Islam at the Casablanca and Cairo, street gangs dominating the streets of Cape-town and San Salvador, the movement Pentecostalism at Kinshasa and Rio de Janeiro, and revolutionary movement at Caracas and La Paz became hallmark of the new movement initiated by American regime as their war over terrorism. But this war was nothing but a setting of a stage of a long prolonged war between the American regime and the slum dwellers. Going with the UN-Habitat Report, â€Å"Challenge of Slums†, which went public in 2003, Davis emphasized the final aspect to the whole holocaust that lay behind the growth of an ugly phase of the urbanization. He cited the â€Å"Retreat of the State, as the main unfounded reason for the increase in poverty and unequal division of income and wealth during 1980s and 1990s. Davis 2006: 154) These state of affairs led to the development of the â€Å"virtual democracy, whereby all the control of the macro-economic policies of Third World nations are controlled from Washington. † (Davis 2006: 154) Adding to the cause also is the corruption among leaderships, institutional failures and structural adjustment programs that eventually led to the transfer of wealth from poor to rich nations. Besides, haphazard way of the developing of roads and increasing traffic beckoned the environmentalists’ towards the extensive amount of population and ever-growth of the rows of slums near the roadsides and railways tracks. Initially Davis was going to give title of his book, The World Is a Ghetto, but the motive of the writer was to bring to the notice of the world the changes that had emerged in the global scenario though appearing to be on the development side yet it is a false notion as amidst the high rise buildings, industries, hotels and restaurants, zooming vehicles on the road, there are darker corners we often ignore. These slums are posing the problems of imperial order and social control that began to come to the notice of geopolitics. In a deep ironic note, Davis says if America aims to leash out the terrorists into the social and cultural periphery, it would be making the poor developing cities as permanent battlefields. Planet of Slums is an eye opener for the world imperialistic orders to make them analyze the fact that no city can virtually grow on wealth alone.

Ben Hamper

For Ben Hamper it was inevitable that he would end up working in the General Motors factory in Flint, Michigan. He was a third generation â€Å"shop-rat† following in the footsteps of his family and extended family. Working on the Rivet Line for General Motors was far from what Hamper wanted to do with his life. Unfortunately for Hamper this was the only job where he was receiving good pay and was able to drink throughout his day. Hamper faced many ups and downs being an American autoworker; the working conditions, labor-management relations and psychological problems to name a few.It would eventually be the psychological issues that would lead Hamper away from General Motors and the auto industry. Hamper did not start out with a plan to work the Rivet Line as his career. He wanted to be an ambulance driver, but that later went away as he grew older. Hamper was a smart kid who would sometimes make the honor roll; though he complains that he had nothing better to do but homewor k. His father, Ben Hamper II was nothing but ordinary. Hamper II was married but rarely worked, and when he was not working he was at the closest bar he could find.Hamper’s father was also a Rivet Line worker, just like his father before him and so on. It was a family affair to work in the auto industry. Hamper describes â€Å"Flint, Michigan. The Vehicle City. Greaseball Mecca. The birthplace of thud-rockers Grand Funk Railroad, game show geek Bob Eubanks and a hobby shop called General motors† (15), most likely having to do with the fact that within the surrounding areas of Flint were ten other auto industry shops. It was as if Hamper was born into the Rivet line. Prior to Hamper working at General Motors, he painted houses.Right after graduating high school Hamper found out his girlfriend, Joanie, was pregnant and he married her. He soon got a job painting houses, but that was not making enough profit for his family. Joanie then got a job while Hamper stayed home an d drank and used drugs with his neighbors, which is when his family began falling apart. Soon Hamper would find that getting a job was going to be difficult, because in the mid-1970s Flint, Michigan went into a recession. Hamper came to the conclusion that he would have no choice but to get a job at General Motors. This was much more difficult than Hamper ould have thought. Due to the recession, Hampers attempt at applying at GM was a long shot. They were not hiring and not handing out any applications. Fortunately for Hamper his friend got hired and was able to get him a job. Out of all the stations that Hamper would have wanted to end up working, his least favorite was the Cab Shop, where General Motors management stationed him. The job came easy for Hamper, perhaps because of its repetition it required. Hamper states that â€Å"Every minute, every hour, every truck and every movement was a plodding replica of one that had gone before† (41).It was a job of repetition and mo notony, which was eventually going to drive him crazy. The psychological costs that Hamper received due to working in the auto factories were foreseeable. The countless repetition, and the boring days were going to drive him crazy. Drinking was one way to cope with the tedious work day. Hamper relies on his coworkers for practical jokes and banter. Though some workers were unable to take the constant repetition, was Roy. Roy was a Rivet line worker just like Hamper, but he was using drugs. Perhaps it was the drugs that caused him to capture a mouse and send it through the rivet line.Hamper knew that it was the working conditions that sent many men over the edge. They would make up games like â€Å"Rivet hockey† or played cards to pass the time. But Hamper found other ways to pass his free time at the factory, he wrote. He wrote poems, articles and manuscripts, even the book called â€Å"Rivethead† while at General Motors. The effects the economy had on these workers wa s rough at first, but then Hamper speaks about the factory coming back onto its feet, â€Å"summer and fall of 1977, the truck plant was hummin’ six days a week, nine hours per shift† (44).People were spending money again and buying automobiles. Hamper and his work partner developed a scheme they called â€Å"doubling up†. This was a way for Hamper and his partner to take longer breaks and do less work throughout the day. Things were looking up for the factory and its workers, until management claimed there was going to be a change in the way things were done. Hamper would have to put in more work, which then lead to another recession hitting, and to people getting laid off. This set the General Motor factory back into a downward spiral. There was an nnouncement, given by Roger Smith, stating that many of the General Motors factories would be closing down. Hamper describes it as â€Å"My beleaguered hometown was like some banged-up middleweight resting its rump on the ropes, covering up its soft belly, hoping to only last out the round† (68). The town of Flint was facing yet another recession, and in the process of becoming the poorest town in Michigan. For Hamper, it was either stay in Flint where there were no jobs, or relocate to Pontiac, Michigan and commute for work. Prior to transferring to Pontiac, he would be laid off for about nine months.Hamper collected unemployment and quickly found that he was getting more money by collecting rather than working. Finally the time came for him to commute to Pontiac. Hamper finishes working in Pontiac and moves back to working for General Motors in Flint. Where more layoff were occurring and at times he was unemployed for a year. While living in Flint, Hamper writes to Michael Moore, who is a man responsible for the liberal rag called the Flint Voice. Moore was pleased with Hampers writings and called him, set up a meeting and offered Hamper an unpaid job of writing feature articles.He ac cepted and this was the start of Hamper and Moore’s friendship. Soon their relationship would turn into much bigger things for Hamper. His column was being read and becoming popular, even by the wall Street Journal. This seemed to be a turning point for Hamper, but his panic attacks started happening once he transferred to Pontiac. During the spring of 1988, Hampers panic attacks would get the best of him and it was the last time he would leave the auto factory. Ben Hamper was a third generation General Motors factory worker.It was far from what he wanted to do with his life growing up. Working in the auto factories for Hamper was like it was in his blood. He picked up the job quickly and soon found ways around it. For the working class man like Hamper and his many coworkers at the General Motors plant, was hard. Many workers had jobs, and then would get laid off and so on. They faced low pay for the amount of work they needed to put in, while at times other had to commute tw o hours for work. The psychological problems that occurred to the workers were mostly mental and alcoholism.Hamper being falling victim to both, knew that it was time for him to get out of the industry and move onto something he loved. He was a writer, and became notably famous for it. Perhaps it was Michael Moore who first gave Hamper his debut into the writing world, but it worked for Hamper. Hamper is a very well accomplished man for being raised by a mother who worked two jobs and a father who was almost always absent. Hamper knew that he would be more than a â€Å"shop-rat† like his father and grandfather. He has made a name for himself, and that is what he should be proud of.

The Aventure of the Red Tape Gang

Adventures of the Red Tape Gang are a mystery book. It was write in the United States of America in 1974 by Joan Lowery Nixon, she was born in February 3 of 1927 in Los Angeles, California, United States she was an American journalist and author, specializing in historical fiction and mysteries for children and young adults. Then Joan Lowery Nixon is the only four-time winner of the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award and a two-time winner of the California Young Reader Medal. She died in June 23, 2003. The story start in a place in Los Angeles in the middle of 1974, all the history will be narrated for Michael that is the main character in that book. One day Michael was talking with his family when he said them one morning the crime rate in Los Angeles because in those moments the city was suffering many problems with the delinquency. Michael desired to build one clubhouse with Tommy and Jimmy, Leroy, Dorothy and Linda Jean that was a person that always liked to take the big risks in adventures of gang. Michael's fathers everyday liked to read the newspapers; he was very informed about the acts that were passing in the city. Especially in those day arisen some problems near from the Michael's house and his red gang like they called their group decided to investigate the origin of problems, they were very informed with the news of newspaper that Michael's father had. Problems had been in a house that was near from the clubhouse and they wanted to solve problems. They one night went to check what was happening over there because in the newspaper was announcement many bad acts. They arrived to the house that was alone, nobody lived in that house, they saw by the window what had inside, but they just saw that inside just had one little light, they decided to return to their clubhouse and to make a schedule to be checking in different days what was happening there. Days later they saw a person outside the house but he looked strange person, then one black truck arrived there and they were talking and then they leaved from there, but it was not normal. The group wanted that anything else was their identification in the name of the gang and they decided to choose the name or Red Tape Gang because many groups have a specific name. They one day went to the house again and in that time they had many problems, in this time the turn was to Linda Jean, because she went in to the house but never saw that bad people was inside the house and she could not to come back with their friend because she stayed there and people when they leaved to there close the door, but they never saw that she was there. In his moment Michaels and his friends went to their houses to find tools and keys to open the door but everything was useless. Then bad people came back to the house, but Linda Jean was still inside the house and they saw her. In this moment start the climax because she took a gum that strange people had inside of house, so in this moment her friends got to open the door and they saw the problems that Linda Jean was living. In this moment they run away . to a police that was in the corner of a street and he arrived to the house to see what was going on. There the police took care of that problem and solve the mysterious. Story end in the moment that the policeman solved difficulties. End. The book is especially for young man because the idea and setting is very interesting. It is easy to catch what the author wants to transmit to people that reads that book. The main point that the author wants is that when the people is reading this book the readers can imagine the situation and they can live the emotion of the characters are living in each situation that they have. Is very important to know the kind of literature we are reading in that book, in this case we are reading fiction, and the book is designate for everybody like mysterious stories. I recommend that book because in the moment that you are reading you feel that you are one more character in the story, because is not easy that many book to get involve the reader in the story. For example in the fiction the author just write the things trying to give it’s a logic, but the main purpose that author wants is that the reader can image the lecture and then the reader try to be involve in that to forget the difficulties or problems that you are living. The most important thing is to think like a child and to have much imagination. Other thing is that book has an easy vocabulary, because it permits that almost everybody that knows or can understand English can read. Reading book permit us to put in practice our skills in foreign language. In that book is very important the use of some techniques that helps the understanding of the lecture for example to compare two or three ideas in the paragraph tat we can denominate Analogy. In that’s kind books is very common to live an emotional sense when the author just with words is involving you in the story (Connotation). Lectures permit to do personifications in the moment that you are reading the text, because you are going to imagining the things that are missing. The most important key in one book is to catch all the interest of the audience and it is the job to the author to get all the interest of people. The Mood in this book is very important in that book because the atmosphere is very interesting and you don’t want to stop to read the book, because you are implicit in that. The key in any book is the Plot, to know the progress of story and in that book is very used for the author to give the suspense necessary to develop the story.

Activity-based-costing (ABC) in practice - the factors affecting the Essay

Activity-based-costing (ABC) in practice - the factors affecting the successful implementation of an ABC system - Essay Example ABC also provides useful information about the cost of the product which is helpful in decision making (Weetman, 2012, pp. 85-88). According to Drury, ABC method can be used for various cost management applications like customer profitability analysis, business process management and value chain analysis. According to some other management accounting literature ABC can be divided in four genres like contingency research, basic research, critical research and consulting. It can be seen that type of the contingency research is one of the most important development on the topic of ABC. However, some countries have given more attention to the contingency based research. Johnson (1990) has described that ABC, ROI and Variance Analysis are the most important concept of management accounting in 20th century. According to Mitchell (1994), ABC system got high profile popularity by the work of Kaplan and Cooper. Bhimani and Piggott (1992) have stated that Activity Based Costing has many important benefits over other costing systems like it increases the cost accuracy of product and provides more comprehensive information about cost incurred to ensure better performance. It also provides more accurate data which helps the managers to take better decisions and increase efficiency for sensitivity analysis. It is also considered as a valuable model which adds value to the organizational activities and transactions. According to some research studies, respondents told that they are satisfied and they think that ABC provides more accurate costing result than the traditional method of costing. These studies have also stated other benefits like accurate profitab ility analysis for customers, positive behavioral effect on employees, accurate insight into cost behavior and causation and better measurement of performances. According to Mitchell and Innes (1991) have stated that Activity Based Costing gives more relevant costs

Determining the Effectiveness of Graphic Organizers Research Paper

Determining the Effectiveness of Graphic Organizers - Research Paper Example Study Justification The graphic organizers do not remain within the bounds of books. Nowadays, almost in every academic institution; they are frequently used. Additionally, expository terms and texts are mostly written in a vogue manner; additionally, many academic authors use sophisticated language that hinders many students to properly understand the exact meaning of the text. In this regard, it becomes highly necessary to understand and determine the effectiveness of graphic organizers. Research Questions 1. What is an academic performance difference that is provided by the graphic organizers? 2. What makes graphic organizers to be more effective? Hypothesis Graphic organizers have been effective in diminishing the impacts of learning disabilities and at the same time upgrade the academic performance of the students. Null Hypothesis Learning disabilities do not remain the same regardless whether semantic mapping or cognitive mapping is utilized. Variables There exist two types of variables-independent and dependent variable. The independent variable is one that does not depend on the function of any other variable, and the opposite is true about the dependent variable. In this research proposal, they are: Independent variable = cognitive mapping or semantic mapping Dependent variable= Learning disabilities Assumptions 1. ... Cognitive Mapping Cognitive mapping facilitates developing significant ideas and relationships by employing arrows, spatial arrangements and lines with an aim of evaluating and understanding a particular text, context structure or a relationship between different concepts (Darch & Eaves, 1986). Semantic Feature Analysis Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) is constructed in a way to enabling students to identify and comprehend relevant but pertinent pieces of information from lecture or text. The shape of matrix is used to present conceptual characteristics; and a matrix relationship uses vocabulary for its development, which represents the coordinate concepts installed at the top of the matrix and the vocabulary provides the subordinate concepts along the side (Bos & Anders, 1990). Semantic Mapping Semantic mapping enables students to highlight significant pieces of information from a lecture of text. In addition, students can pinpoint the isolated parts of information from the lecture o f text after identifying the main ideas supporting the main theme of the concept. In this way, semantic mapping is highly relevant to make better reading sense (Little &Box, 2011, p.27). Syntactic/Semantic Feature Analysis Syntactic/ Semantic Feature Analysis (SSFA) do not much differ from the concept of SFA. However, some difference such as adding the cloze-type sentences, for which matrix provides its base, are included to in the SSFA concept. In this concept, cloze sentences comprise of empty spaces. And, the empty spaces are to be filled up by the students by comprehending the context of the sentence and the SFA matrix. Visual Display Using computational manner, the visual displays are constructed in a way to represent concepts, relationships or facts spatially. In

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business law - Essay Example There are three main approaches to statutory interpretation, also known as canons. The first is the textual canon which gives rules for interpreting legislation as written. For example, one of the textual canons suggests that anything not mentioned on a list given in a statute is not included in the law. The second is the substantive category, which includes canons that promote the judge to favour specific results or judgements. For example, this includes the Charming Betsy canon, stating that decisions made should not conflict with international law, based upon Murray v. The Charming Betsy (Steele, 2007). Finally, there are a group of deference canons, which allow the court to defer to another authority when using interpretation (Steele, 2007), such as the UK Supreme Court. Question 3 Prior to the Human Rights Act 1998, European Convention was not a source of rights (Steele, 2007), and was not allowed to be used for statutory interpretation in many cases (Steele, 2007). The Human Ri ghts Act 1998 has now made it obligatory for courts to interpret the UK legislation in a way that fits in with European Convention rights (as in the substantive category of canons). This effect can be seen in cases such as Venables and Thompson v. News Group Newspapers [2001] 1 All ER 908 (Clarkson et al, 2008). ... This is also applicable in areas where case law is the source of law because there are no legislative pieces that adequately allow the judge to come to a decision (Gruner, 2004). The strength of binding judicial precedent is that it allows decisions to be made based on previous cases without excessive need for interpretation. However, it does take the focus away from the facts of the case in hand which may cause a wrong decision to be made. Task Two Question 1 The exception to the general rule that a corporation is criminally liable occurs in cases where either the crime or the punishment cannot be committed by or served by a company. For example, in the case of R v ICR Haulage Co Ltd [1944] KB 551 (Gruner, 2004), the company was convicted of a common law conspiracy to defraud. However, it was decided that the company as an entity cannot ‘conspire’ as it does not possess mens rea (Gruner, 2004). Additionally, as the punishment for murder is life imprisonment, a company c annot be convicted as it would not be applicable to an organization. Question 2 Using the principle of identification is difficult in some cases when dealing with business law. For example, a company cannot be convicted of manslaughter without some proof that a directing or leading mind behind the company is the reason for this gross negligence, then the prosecution will fail. The main issue with this is that the directing mind has proven to be extremely difficult to identify in many companies (Laufer, 2008), and only 7 of the 34 work-related manslaughter cases brought since 1997 have succeeded (Select Committee on Home Affairs and Work and Pensions First Report, 2004). To illustrate this, in the case

In a study in this unit, you found an organizational improvement Term Paper

In a study in this unit, you found an organizational improvement model, process, or tool for addressing health care laws or poli - Term Paper Example The nurse supervisor studies surveys and other quantitative and qualitative data as a basis for implementing significant changes to improve the health care facilities’ current service quality. Currently, the changes in the present organization’s health care policies are to slow. This is understandable because some persons deter the unfavorable effects of change. On the other hand, some health care subordinates feel disgruntled with the disparity between current health care policies and the real situation in a typical patient – nurse relationship. The current policies are too outmoded or too general. The policies are made without regular consultation from the most affected persons – the nurse subordinates. The current health care policies are implemented without conducting an in-depth survey of the real situation within the wards and other departments of the health care facilities. Paul Bate (2007) reiterated the nurse supervisor should not focus on gatheri ng of data as an end. On the other hand, the nurse supervisor must implement a timely gathering of relevant data to update and enhance the health care facilities’ present patient-based policies.

The Value Proposition of the Volkswagen Company Essay - 1

The Value Proposition of the Volkswagen Company - Essay Example This is the strategic initiative taken by the company Volkswagen to target customers (Global Strategy for Volkswagen, 2010). The company has historically bathe sed the organization on the basis of differentiation as its strategy. They bought the same product in differentiated form for a niche audience. After the global economic crisis, the company has started focusing on cost leadership so that they can provide the customer with the same product at a better price. This is done keeping in mind the economic scenario across the globe. Analysts have considered this to be a move whereby the company will hamper its brand image which is the company’s biggest asset. The management of the company believes they are not playing with the brand image they are just focusing on streamlining some costs so that they can focus the saved money on enhancing brand image and various other promotional activities for the brand Volkswagen (Volkswagen Strategies, n.d.). Brand image is the biggest asset for the company and has created what Volkswagen is today. For any normal car buyer, Volkswagen is not into the consideration state. The company’s biggest strength is its brand image which has created by forming an emotional bonding with the youth of the world. Customers of Volkswagen are brand loyal because of the perceived image of the brand. It is the emotional bonding and association with the brand which results in repeat sales from the customers. This is why relationship marketing becomes so important for Volkswagen. The whole framework of the company is based on relationship marketing (Alkhafaji, 1995). Right Relationship with right Customers-Brand Image The objective at Volkswagen has always been on having the right relationship with the right customer segment.

Compare and Contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare and Contrast - Essay Example This paper thus helps to provide a clear and concise understanding on the basis of these three short stories and poem in order to compare and contrast the same on various levels as is further discussed within the scope of this paper. ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning is an excellent example of a dramatic monologue which appeared first in the year 1842 in the poet’s ‘Dramatic Lyrics’. The poem has been written about the fifth Duke of Ferrara who was married to Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici and talks about the kind of influence that wealth, power, as well as pure aristocracy had on the life of the duke. Furthermore, written and composed by Richard Wright, ‘Big Black Good Man’ is a story that first appeared in the story collection of ‘Eight Men’ which was one of the last works of the author. It is about a man by the name of Olaf, who finds himself providing room one fine afternoon, in his office, to a big black man for the sub sequent five or six nights. The third story discussed is ‘Cathedral’ written by Raymond Carver in the year 1983 and was included in his anthology in the same year as well. It is about the spiritual houses of God, on a broad basis of a theme and the theme of blindness and sight prevails throughout the course of the story as the author tries to explain the kind of faith that most people have on God. My Last Duchess has been set during the Italian Renaissance period and reeks of aristocracy and how the rich survived during the time. It mainly talks about how marriage, power and wealth influence a man’s life and how when these factors are involved in play, a man ceases to think about emotions like love, desire and death. In the poem, the Duke does not seem to be in love with his dead wife or even lament about her death. Instead, he enjoys the fact that he narrates to the messenger, how he had had her killed and experiences a sense of joy in doing the same. As compare d to this, Big Black Good Man talks mainly about differences on the basis of colour as the black man asks for lodgings to Olaf and the former gets scared of the consequences of sheltering a man who was so different from the rest of society. Thus it mainly seeks to talk about the period of apartheid that the world faced and how the same was countered in different countries, especially in America. Cathedral aims to discuss the spirituality and oneness that a man can develop with God however, how the same may be based on blind faith at times, without understanding the true consequences of a situation. However, the narrator narrates a story about a blind man, who is later able to open his eyes due to finding sight because of the gift of God and understanding and knowledge of the ways of the world. All three have been written in the form of a dramatic prose or a short story, including Browning’s My Last Duchess, even though it is a poem. However, it is regarded as more of a short dramatic monologue or piece of writing and retains a certain rhyme scale by an iambic parameter and may be read as a story which is being narrated on the basis of certain emotions and feelings. The other two are short stories and have been published in anthologies. All three have wide appreciation regarded all over the world because of their broad themes which has helped readers in an understanding of these different eras. My Last Duchess has a historical background attached to it and talks about the way the Duke

About FedEx and UPS and who has better financial health Essay

About FedEx and UPS and who has better financial health - Essay Example Both companies have negligible difference in paying off their creditors in AP turnover. Liquidity is the ability of the company to cover its operation and its obligations. In this aspect UPS fared better in the previous two years compared to FedEx (1.70 to 1.60, 1.96 to 1.70) indicating the financial stability of the company. It is supported by a better financial position with a cash ratio that higher than its liability compared to FedEx (.62 to .39, .57 to .48). This better financial position reflects in UPS higher oeperatoing cash flow ratio compared to FedEx (1.09 to .83 in 2011) indicating its ability to cover its operation and short term debts with its available cash. Ultimately, a company will be valued by its shareholder by its profitability or ability to give returns to its investors. In this aspect, UPS clearly dominated FedEx in all aspects of profitability that includes ROA (Return on Asset), Return on Equity (ROE) and Margin before interest and tax. Of the two companies, UPS is conclusively in a better financial position than FedEx. It is only in the efficiency aspect that FedEx came near UPS in terms of its financial position. With regard to financial vitality and profitability as indicated by liquidity and profitablity ratios, UPS was clearly ahead of FedEx. Its ratio on profitability which is many times over FedEx indicates the company’s ability to profit and give return to its shareholders and is the ultimate indication that it is a better company compared to FedEx . Moreover, UPS profitability is grounded on solid fiscal discipline indicated by its liquidity that it can cover its obligations and supported by its operational efficiency to generate sales with a very competitive (comparable to FedEx) use of its resources thus making it a better company in terms of its financial

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Health Care Reform - Essay Example Patients rely on doctors because they are trained professionals, with the knowledge to help and cure patients’ medical conditions. A key aspect that reinforces the power of physicians is America’s vision of progressive health care technology, and the requirement to exploit new measures and medications. The United States is far behind the rest of the developed countries in terms of their life expectancies, but the cost for health care is much higher than all of the other developed countries as well (Cassel, 2005). This is due to the reliance on new technologies, and this problem is two-fold: on the one hand, pharmaceutical companies and medical technology producers push new drugs, prescriptions, and medical technologies and incentives are given to doctors to utilize this new technology (Mechanic, 2006). This is also coupled with the fact that nowadays; the American public is becoming more interested in these new technologies due to information provided, through advertising and other means, by the pharmaceutical companies themselves. As medical technologies, procedures, and medications continue to advance, the cost of providing such care also advances. In the first half of the 20th century, medical care was paid for out-of-pocket, by the patients themselves. When costs continued to rise above what patients could pay, another capitalist scheme was developed to cash in on the commodity of health care; insurance. The first forms of insurance were basically managed by businesses. They offered insurance to their employees, as an added fringe benefit; sacrificing a proportion of their salary or wages (Porter & Teisberg, 2006). This pretty much remains true to this day; most Americans receive their health care insurance from their employers. A growing problem in the uninsured population also exists in the waiting period that has been assigned to most business insurance programs; for a short period of time many employees and there families remain uninsured (Porter &

How to reduce student stress(time, environment) Essay Example for Free

How to reduce student stress(time, environment) Essay Manage time wisely Student feeling stress when they are no enough time to do their work. Student always like to do the last minute work, because they didn’t plan well for their time. And also student lazy to do their job early, they feel that they can finish at the end, but when the due date was come, they have to rush and finish the job in the limited time. Most of the last minute job was not as good as the job start early. Few ways that student can do to manage their time well, example like create their own timetable Most of the students always forget what they have to do because they didn’t plan at all. Student should create their own timetable to arrange their time, example like week to start to do the assignment, make sure they have enough time to complete the job well before the due date; time to start study for their exam, if student got enough time to prepare for their exam, they can gain a more good result. Result also one of the reason cause student stress, all the source of stress was related if student did not handle well. Besides that, student should jot down the list to do of the day. Example like what homework that lecturer given, or others important task should be finish, so they won’t miss out the important things. With the list to do, student can clearly know that what they going to do and can evaluate how they spending the time. Of course, while the time was arrange prop erly, student will found that they have a lot of time to do other things after they finish they tasks and work; they can arrange for others activity to take a break, example like sport activity they like, club society activity, have a high tea with friends, shopping, movie and so on. Always plan well, work hard to play harder, and must have appropriate time for rest, then the stress will far away from them. Create a good study environment A proper and comfortable environment to study is very important to student; it can influence student mood and motivation to study. If student be in a place was noisy and rowdy they will hard to focus and will feel annoying and irritating at the moment. The irritating emotion will also cause stress to student. Some factors will influence the comfortable of environment, example like noise, music, lighting, and temperature. For sure a quite place is suitable for study, some of the people need a totally quite environment to  study, but some people prefer have some music. The soft music can reconcile the mood of student and let them feel relax or not too tension. The lighting was also important to create a good environment to study, too harsh bright light was no suitable but too soft light will cause student feel sleepy. The lightness should in a moderate level to create the most suitable environment. Lastly the temperature, too hot or too cold both can make people feel uncomfortable. Some place was recommended as comfortable environment to study, the library, a peaceful coffee shop, bedroom, and a draughty balcony. People also can influence a comfortable study environment. Some students prefer a group study than individual, because they feel lonely and can’t stand off being alone, they need others friends accompany and they can have a discussion with friends when they have any question. And also friends can help student to share their stress when they feel pressure. References http://www.wcu.edu/academics/campus-academic-resources/writing-and-learning-commons-walc/course-tutoring-and-academic-skills/academic-strategies/ideal-study-environments-and-factors-that-influence-studying.asp

Organisational Structure of Geodrill Limited

Organisational Structure of Geodrill Limited Introduction Geodrill Limited is an exploration drilling contractor, which was incorporated in the Isle of Man in June 1998 and centers its attention on the mining industry in West Africa. It operates in 3 West African countries, which are Burkina Faso, Ghana and the Cote DIvoire through an entirely owned subsidiary, Geodrill Ghana Limited. The Head Office is located in Accra, Ghana and manages operations throughout the West African region. However, there are only two operating entities, Geodrill Ghana Limited and Geodril CI SARL in Cote DIvoire . Geodrill Ltd (Isle of Man) operates contracts in Burkina Faso. The two entities are whole owned subsidiaries of Geodrill Ltd ( Isle of Man). Geodrill Ltd. has 2 issued shares owned by Blue Croft Limited and Red Croft Limited. All drill rigs were bought new except ore 650/1 which was bought second hand in the year 2000. Geodrill started operations in Ghana in 1998 with one UDR 900 multi-purpose drill rig and in 1999 added another. At the end of December 1999, Geodrill owned 10 UDR multi-purpose Drill rigs all with boosters, auxiliary compressors, modern fleet of MAN trucks, track support vehicles and light vehicles. Geodrill also owns three core only Sandvik DE 710 crawler mounted drill rigs and two Auztex Air core truck mounted rigs. Current expansion in 2010 includes two additional rigs bringing total fleet to seventeen. It is envisaged that by the end of 2010 the fleet size in terms of drill rigs will be twenty. The rigs to be added in 2010, while still of the UDR make (have recently changed to Sandvik) depart from existing strategy by being specialized drill rigs. Two of the rigs will offer RAB services while the other offer Air Core. The entire maintenance operations of Geodrill Limited is carried out at Anwian Kwanta a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is based on a 10 acre land which has a modern workshop, offices and accommodation for both expatriates and nationals. The workshop strictly adheres to world class safety standards. Our health and safety and environmental program was designed by Tracmin to at a minimum comply with Australian safety standards. Ownership and Directors Geodrill Limited has a Trust set up by Dave Harper, currently the Managing Director of the group. He is also the Chairman and CEO of Geodrill Ghana Limited, the operating entity in West Africa. The Trust is held by the City Trust firm based in Douglas, the Isle of Man, on behalf of the Harper Family Trust of Perth, Australia. It has 2 issued shares. The other director of Geodrill Ghana Limited is Terry Burling who is also the Operations Manager of the firm. Figure 1: Organisational Structure of Geodrill  [1]   The Organisational Structure Management Dave Harper is the Managing Director and CEO. He has about 30 years of experience in the drilling industry having worked both in Australia and West Africa. He started working in Ghana in 1991 as General Manager of SMS, an exploration drilling firm. Mr. Harper, a driller by profession, resigned in 1996 and set up Geodrill 2 years later. The CEO is directly responsible for project flow and contracting with clients, client relations, invoicing and acquisition of major equipment. He also leads in setting corporate and business strategy. He is assisted by 2 departmental managers. Terry Burling is the Operations Manager with 20 years of experience in the drilling industry. He previously worked with SMS in New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and in Ghana. Fortunately for the company, Terry Burling is an expert in both the mechanical and exploration aspects of the profession. His skills span drilling, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and fabrication. Greg Conroy is the FA Manager. He has worked in that capacity at several exploration drilling and mining firms including SMS (Ghana), Equigold CI SARL (Ivory Coast). He has over 20 years of experience in the industry. Conroy started working with the company in December 2008, having taken over from a Ghanaian who had been in the position since Geodrill was established and also previously worked with SMS. The FA Manager is directly responsible for managing relationships with all external stakeholders except clients. The Structure of the Firm Geodrill has about 120 staff organized into 2 departments, Operations and Administration. There are 4 sections under Operations: Exploration, Maintenance, Stores and HSE. Exploration performs the drilling required by clients; the core activity of the company. The Exploration workers are organized in crews of 4 per rig per shift of 12 hours, therefore 8 per workday. A Site Supervisor manages all aspects of the project being undertaken including a cash expense budget, accommodation, liaises with the clients representation usually a geologist, and supervises the crew. If its a large project with 2 or more rigs present, a store is set-up and stocked with consumables. In this case too there may be one or more supervisor. The Exploration staff typically constitutes about 80% of the staff strength. Maintenance provides engineering back up services for repairs and maintenance. This section also fabricates a lot of equipment including heavy duty, pneumatic vehicles. They work out of one of the most advanced workshops in West Africa and drive out to offer on-site support in their modified and well-equipped Land Cruiser pick-ups. The Store section manages the stock of consumables, fuel and spare parts. Though many firms in the industry treat stock as finance and accounting function because of its effect on profitability, Geodrill has placed its Store as Operations to better ensure closer integration with the core functions of the business. Decisions on purchases are made with paramount regard to the necessity of the item for project execution rather than cost or any other consideration. Requests routinely originate from the Supervisors and are validated by the Operations Manager. The Health, Safety and Environment section oversees the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Health, Safety and Enviornment standards that, at a minimum, are required to conform to Australian mandated standards. The Australian standard is regarded as the most stringent for drilling firms globally and much higher than what is required in Ghana. Setting that as the minimum standard is a purely discretionary decision by Geodrills Chief Executive Officer. The Administration department is made up of Accounts, Human Resource, Information Technology and Logistics. The Accounts section is responsible for all financial reporting including management reports and statutory reports. Geodrill tracks income by drill rig and by project. Major direct expenses such as fuel are tracked by drill rig and project. The Accounts section also manage the monthly cash budget. Human Resource section coordinates with departmental managers in the recruitment process, the setting of salaries and promotions. Salary levels are determined according to the hierarchy (organizational structure) and each band has 3 sub-levels. Junior employees earn a basic salary and overtime for work done beyond 8 hours in a weekday. For senior employees, a fixed salary that consolidates both a base pay and overtime is determined and their pay does not vary by the hours done. The section prepares the payroll and executes payments. The Logistics section act as a go-between with Stores, and the rest of the company to ensure that procurements, imports and exports and immigration requirements for expatriate workers are smoothly executed. Services Geodrill provides Reverse Circulation and Core Drilling services. The object of all prospective drilling is to get samples from different depths below the surface. The two basic methods are cuttings recovery and core recovery. Reverse circulation drilling falls in the first category and diamond core drilling in the second. Reverse Circulation Reverse Circulation is the method of choice for obtaining consistently high quality rock chip samples with speed and efficiency. Geodrill provides reverse circulation drilling using the latest Face Sampling hammers and equipment drilling holes with 140mm diameter to depths of between 50 400 meters. In terms of pricing, this drilling methodology is positioned in the middle. It is more expensive than RAB and Air Core drilling but less costly than diamond drilling. It is the most commonly used method. It collects samples from depth by pulverizing the rock which is then blown up through an inner tube and collected in a sample bag. Diamond Core Drilling This technique is used to drill to about 1500m deep. A diamond-impregnated drill bit cuts a core of rock hence the name Diamond core. The core sample is removed at intervals and catalogued. This is a much more expensive drilling method. Directional Drilling Geodrill provides the Deep Directional drilling using Down Hole Motor and Wedging; to control deviation so target is achieved, to intersect targets below inaccessible locations, to alter course of a drill hole to intersect target and to allow multiple target intersections by deviating branch holes from a parent hole. Two other types of drilling, common in the industry but not previously offered by Geodrill, are RAB and Air core drilling. These are most ideal for shallow depths, are speedier and cheaper for clients. THE EXPLORATION INDUSTRY IN WEST AFRICA Market and Industry Geodrills current client list includes Newmount Ghana Gold, Golden Star Resources, Keegam Resources, Perseus Mining, Azumah Resources, Castle Minerals, Lihir Equigold, in Cote dIvoire, Ampella Mining and Gryphon Minerals both in Burkina Faso. Geodrill is currently the market leader in Ghana with about 35% of the market share. In 2009, 50% operating capacity in Ghana, 20% in Cote dIvoire and 30% in Burkina Faso. Geodrill hopes to increase operations in Burkina Faso in the near future as that industry is less saturated than Ghana in terms of competition and there are a lot of contracts readily available. For 2010, the order book is full including 2 new rigs on order. Geodrill is still receiving invitations to tender on contracts all over West Africa in Gold and base metals. Geodrills competitors in Ghana are Boart Longyear, AMS exploration, Pontil Minerix, Drillmasters and Burwash. In Cote dIvoire, their competitors are Boart Longyear CI, Ore-ex and Drill ex. In Burkina Faso, its Boart Longyear BR and West Africa Drilling Services. Current industry challenges include price competitiveness, and the labour market beginning to tighten. Opportunities include gold and commodities boom, an influx of active exploration companies into West Africa and improving political stability in the region. The mining, energy and infrastructure markets are expected to see the hightes neer to medium term growth in the sub Saharan African region. In general, mining companies with a higher percentage of long term renewable contracts are viewed as being lower risk and Geodrill prefers to deal with such clients. Analysis of the Industry There is no substitute for exploration drilling services in the mining industry. The exploration process progresses from initial studies of the geological structure of an area, a history of mining and other indicators of prospective potential. However, actual samples must always be collected both from the surface and at depth to determine the actual presence of mineral. This collection of samples from depth can only be done by drilling down into the ground. The threat of new entrants probably offers competitive pressure to existing firms in the West African market. The mining industry is made up of many small firms but dominated by a few very large firms. Exploration drilling, though it has a tangible end product in the form of samples, is really a service and depends as much on relationships as on the quality of the sample. It is a capital-intensive business but any entity that can get access to about $3m in start-up capital can start with a second hand rig, some spare parts and consumables. The exploration drilling firms usually operate under the umbrella of the client and so are indirectly regulated hence regulatory issues will not hinder a start-up. The exploration drilling business is characterised by short drill programmes (contract duration of 3 months to 1 year). Each drill programme can be properly viewed as a real option, and determines the next step for the client. The level of activity is driven by the ease of fundraising on the capital markets and the price of gold as it determines the value of any find. The drilling service is homogenous in nature, hardly differentiated except by the speed and efficiency of execution and the safety record of the drilling firm. There is not much collaboration among the firms. Suppliers of major inputs such as drilling consummables are quite powerful when the industry is booming. When the price of gold falls or the capital markets are not doing well, there is usually an excess of serviceable second hand equipment available. This dilutes the power of the suppliers somewhat. The sources of consumables are many hence the suppliers here are much less powerful than the suppliers of equipment. There are two types of clients: Mining firms and exploration firms. The mining firms have operating mines and earn revenue from selling the gold that they mine. The exploration firms hold concessions and carry out drill programs to determine their potential. Exploration firms do not earn operating revenues; they earn a return eventually by selling the concession if it is proven to have the potential to yield some gold. Therefore, exploration firms finance their drill programs by raising equity on the capital markets. The clients are very powerful and price sensitive. Drill programs tend to be one of the largest costs of the client. For both types of clients, it determines the life and value of the business. Accounting Policies Drill rigs undergo major rebuilds to extend their life span every 3 5 years. The cost is capitalized. Depreciation rates are 10% for drill rigs, 20% as plant and equipment, 20% on motor vehicles, 20% on furniture and fittings and 5% on land and buildings. Currency of record is the US dollar. Audited financial statements are submitted to the internal revenue service and taxes are paid in US dollars. Geodrill is permitted by the Minerals Commission and Bank of Ghana to receive at least 50% and Bank of Ghana to receive at least 50% of its drilling income in US dollars. Financial year ends on 31st December. Organisation Strategy From inception, management decided it did not want a Workers Union. Management instead formed an informal workers committee which is made up of senior employees and who are nationals for that matter. Management then acts as a union and seeks to ensure the general welfare of workers in consultation with the workers committee. This is itself is unique in an industry where unions are common. 2. Geodrill operates only in West Africa whereas its key competitors operates globally. From Ghana the chairman who also doubles as the chief executive officer oversees everything. This gives Geodrill the advantage to follow the market more closely and adopt quickly. For its competitors, there might be a general manager heading a particular region who will lack final authority on decision making. 3. Geodrill adheres to a strict healthy, safety and environment policy and as much as possible used brand new equipment which are serviced regularly and kept in top shape by the operations department from its workshop which is fitted out with the most advanced equipment needed. Competitors often deploy other rigs that have been in service in other parts of the globe and this gives Geodrilll an edge over competitors when it comes to contract execution. 4. Geodrill has more nationals in their top hierarchy than its competitors. Locals are found in management positions usually reserved for expatriates among their competitors. This enables management to keep the wage bill lower than that of their competitors because nationals severally earn lower than expatriates while at the same time motivating nationals to give off their best because they know the top positions are not kept for only expatriates. 5. Geodrill pays higher than market rates and keeps job content interesting so as to attract the best men available and also maintain them. To lay off full time permanent employees however, is difficult under the labour laws of Ghana and other West African states hence Geodrill keeps 80% of nationals on 2 year contracts renewable so far as the company has contracts to support number of staff. If rigs become idle then the workers on that rig can be laid off with a months salary in lieu of notice and are recalled when a contract is secured for that rig.

Environmental Impacts From Dam Construction

Environmental Impacts From Dam Construction The construction of large dams always change the relationship of water and land that destroy the existing ecosystem balance whereas in many cases, has taken thousands of years to create. Now, there are around 40,000 large dams that obstruct the worlds rivers, completely changing their circulation systems. This is not going to occur without dire environmental impacts. About past few years, the negative impacts of dams have become so familiar that most of countries had to stop building them altogether and are now forced to invest their money into fixing the problems created by existing dams. Construction of the dam does not necessarily only bring benefits. But on the other hand there are adverse effects of dam construction that existed before and after construction must be considered. It will not only affect the construction environment, but can be up to the river mouth. Among the effects of dam construction is:- ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS No doubt the problem will arise in our ecosystem. It is usually starts from the beginning of the constructions until the affected downstream natural river. Many cases studies and much information can not be used as reference material before extinct. Indirectly, the genetic diversity of biological resources and destroyed. Many endangered species of aquatic animals, land, forest issues. Deforestation Construction of dams required extensive land clearing without any control. As in Bakun and at Lake Chini has a significant impact and can be seen clearly. The most obvious example of the Bakun dam has destroyed the natural habitat of 70.000 hectares of Singapore. Another example is the dam of Lake Chini, Pahang is also clear that there are 60 hectares of forest. Vegetative damaged ecosystems and hence have an impact on wildlife. Disturbed the natural habitat and cause the organism to find a new habitat or the continued extinction of the area. Extinction of flora and fauna, and disruption In Temenggor, dam have been identified as causes of this problem with the number of fish in the Sungai Perak terubuk decreasing. Another problem is the transfer of animals from the forest to the occupation. This causes problems for local residents who live nearby. As an example was the construction of ordinary dam at Bakun. This problem will increase if no action is taken and control. Other example, the reproduction of freshwater turtles is threatened by this situation. It also prevents the passage of freshwater turtles and fish and thus interferes with their breeding habits and movements. In rivers with biologically productive estuaries, both marine and fish and also shellfish suffer from the changes in water flow and quality. Changes in fresh and quality water flows and the salinity balance in an estuary will alter species distribution and breeding pattern of fish. Furthermore, changes in nutrient levels and decrease in the quality of the river water can also gives bad impacts on the productivity of the fish. These changes can also have major effects on marine species which is the feed of their life cycle in the marine, or are influenced by water quality changes in the coastal areas. The greatest impact on wildlife will come from loss of habitat. This is as result from the reservoir filling and land use changes in the catchment area. Migratory patterns of wildlife and the fish may be disrupted by the dam. This will make the aquatic fauna, include waterfowl, amphibians and reptiles can increase because of the construction of dam. Water pollution / Water quality Usually, the river will be effect on soil erosion and the silt occurs during the construction and disposal of water. Because of that, the water becomes brown and it was caused of a problem for growth of aquatic plants. But on the other hand, the river will be a shortage of minerals due to system problems slowed the flow of water caused water dam. Then, rate of mineral and oxygen was decreasing. Further problems arise when people cultivated their crops. The used of pesticides can not be drained and recycled in a river. The material from the construction of dam itself which is the steel consumption rates also affect water quality when water is released from the dam. The obvious changes occur in the timing of flow, quality, quantity and use of water, aquatic biota, and sedimentation in the river basin. The area of influence of a dam construction projects extend from the upper limits of the catchment of the reservoir to as far downstream as the marine and coast or offshore zone. While there are direct environment impacts related with the construction of the dam for examples, dust, erosion, borrow and the disposal problems. The greatest impacts result from the impoundment of water, flooding of land to form the dam and alteration of water flow downstream. These effects also have direct impacts on soils, vegetation, wildlife and wild lands, fisheries, climate and also the human populations in that area. Other effect Construction of the dam has an adverse impact on river hydro ecosystem. Other disadvantages are affected fish population in the river if the construction of the dam occurred at the upper river. That situation took place on the Temenggor Dam, Bersia Kenering. Deep study was done in Lake Chenderoh. Fishery catches in the dam is low and only 22 species were captured, and 15 of them consisted of fish caught by family Cyprinid. Most using drift nets, and this small shows lack large fish in that dam. Results show catch per unit effort will be between (2.7 12.8 kg. per fisherman-day with a value between RM4.94-32.43-per-day fishing.

Radar Detector :: Speeding Driving Technology Essays

Radar Detector Every person has a tendency to speed while they are driving. But most people still drive slowly because nobody wants to get a speeding ticket. But now, during the development of technology, people invented something called the radar detector, which can avoid you from getting caught while you are driving over speed. In this paper, I want to talk about the Passport 8500 X50 comparing to the Valentine One and Bel 985, which is known as the world’s best radar detector. Before trying to discuss this detector; it is important to know either the history of the radar detector or the difference of the police signals. Escort, the name of the organization that manufactures different varieties of radar detectors, developed passport 8500 X50. They have also developed Solo S2 (the best wireless radar detector) and Passport 7500 (cheaper, but has lower quality than Passport 8500). The use of radar detectors is prohibited only in Washington DC and Virginia. Any other states in the United States accept the use of radar detectors. This company has maintained its existence in the radar business for about 25 years. At first time, radar was used to tell a driver when construction was in the way of the driver so the driver could drive carefully. But nowadays, many road constructions don’t give off the signal to the radar detector and the driver uses the radar detector not to avoid the construction but to avoid the police. There are many different types of signals in this world, but only three signals that police use to detect speed. There are X, K, and Ka bands. The first signal that police used was the X band. It was used until the mid-1970s. Police of Ohio and New Jersey invested a lot of money in X band radar so even now; most police in those states still use this band. The second band is K band which was invented in 1976. Its frequency is twice as long as the X band. It means the accuracy is better in K band. The last band is Ka band. It has a better frequency than all other bands. Nowadays, the use of Ka band is relatively high. Most police use this band to catch people speeding. Passport 8500 X50 operates at X band in a frequency 10.525 GHz  ± 25 MHz, at K band in a frequency 24.

ozone layer :: essays papers

ozone layer Summary of Learning of the Ozone Experience On the 16th of September 1987, negotiators meeting in Montreal finalized a landmark in international environmental diplomacy: the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Successful Conclusion of the negotiations in Montreal was widely hailed at the time as a historic even. As the protocol was the most ambitious attempt ever to combat environmental degradation on a global scale. In the 10 years since that meeting in Montreal, the accord has set in motion myriad actions by national governments, international organizations, scientists, private enterprises, and individual consumers. The results are clear: by 1995, global production of the most significant ozone-depleting substance (ODS) the chlorine, containing chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) was down 76 percent from its peak in 1988. But three is a substantial lag between the time when emissions begin to decline and the point at which the ozone layer begins to recover, as it takes years for CFCs and other ozone-depleting compounds to reach the stratosphere, and some last for centuries once there. Yet it is clear that the Montreal Protocol ushered in a new era of environmental diplomacy. Although in some ways the ozone story is an inspiration, in other respects it is a cautionary tale. Since it’s beginning, the ozone experience has been characterized by a path breaking partnership between scientist and international policymakers. When CFCs were invented in the late twenties, they were viewed as wonder chemicals nontoxic, nonflammable, non-corrosive, and stable. The seeds of the Montreal Protocol were sown in 1974, when chemist Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland at the University of California at Irvine published a landmark article in Nature. It hypothesized that the stability CFCs, while an asset for industrial applications, might prove deadly for the ozone layer. Yet the scientific process was initially slow to yield clear answers. Indeed, models in the early eighties suggested that CFCs would cause less severe ozone depletion than Molina and Rowland had initially hypothesized. Fortunately, the scientific collaboration initiated years earlier began to bear fruit. Two months after the Vienna agreement was reached, a scientific bombshell provided a much-needed jolt to protocol negotiations just then getting under way. The findings took the world by surprise: no such precipitous decline had been predicted by any atmosphere models. Ten years after the historic Montreal signing ceremony, the response to the protocol around the world has been substantial indeed.

Foreign-Born American, Yes You Can Become President! Essay -- American

Article 2, Section 1, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution states that no person except a natural-born citizen shall be eligible to run for President of the United States. This was due to John Jay, the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention, who wrote a letter to George Washington in 1787 arguing that the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army should not be anyone but a natural-born American (Schneider 6). The Founders were concerned that subversive enemies could force the fledgling republic back to foreign monarchical rule. Delegates did not want the United States to suffer the same fate as Poland, which in 1772 had been partitioned among Austria, Prussia and Russia after agents of those countries bribed Polish nobles to elect a disloyal king (Schneider 6). The Founding Fathers of the United States, however, clearly state that, â€Å"all men are created equal† in the Declaration of Independence. This equality extends not only to all natural-born Americ an citizens, but should also extend to foreign-born Americans. This foundational idea of equality contradicts the Constitution. All American citizens should have the equal and same opportunity to strive to hold the highest elected office in the United States. By looking at the role immigrants have played in American history—particularly sacrifices that have been made by foreign-born American citizens on the battlefield, easier access to candidate information through media during elections, checks in the Constitution, and modern diplomacy—we see that foreign-born American citizens are not only loyal to America, but also have the capability and passion to serve the United States as President without American citizens needing to question loyalty and intent. The orig... ... People. USHistory.org, n.d. Web. 28 July 2010. Isaacson, Walter. "Henry Kissinger - Biography". The Nobel Prize in Peace 1973. Nobelprize.org. Web. 3 Aug 2010. Kasindorf, Martin. â€Å"Should the Constitution be amended for Arnold?† USA TODAY [Los Angels] 3 Dec. 2004. Web. 30 July 2010. King, Martin Luther. â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail." Letter From Birmingham Jail 1963. Stanford.edu. Web. 1 July 2010. Office of Governor. â€Å"Biography.† Governor Jennifer M. Granholm State of Michigan. Michigan. Gov,n.d. Web. 28 July 2010. Schneider, Bill. â€Å"President Schwarzenegger—a potential blockbuster†. CNN.com, n.d. Web. 28 July 2010. The Constitution of the United States, Article 2, Section 1, Clause 5. The United States Consitution. U.S Constitution Online,n.d. Web. 28 July 2010. U.S. Department of Labor. â€Å"Elaine L. Chao.† Hall of Secretaries. Web. 28 July 2010.

The Host Chapter 17: Visited

The heat hit me first-like a wall of steam, the moist, thick air rolled over me and dewed on my skin. My mouth opened automatically as I tried to pull a breath from the abruptly denser air. The smell was stronger than before-that same metallic tang that clung in my throat and flavored the water here. The murmuring babble of bass and soprano voices seemed to issue from every side, echoing off the walls. I squinted anxiously through the swirling cloud of moisture, trying to make out where the voices came from. It was bright here-the ceiling was dazzling, like in the big room but much closer. The light danced off the vapor, creating a shimmering curtain that almost blinded me. My eyes struggled to adjust, and I clutched at Jeb's hand in panic. I was surprised that the strangely fluid babble did not respond in any way to our entrance. Perhaps they couldn't see us yet, either. â€Å"It's a bit close in here,† Jeb said apologetically, fanning at the steam in front of his face. His voice was relaxed, conversational in tone, and loud enough to make me jump. He spoke as if we were not surrounded. And the babble continued, oblivious to his voice. â€Å"Not that I'm complaining,† he continued. â€Å"I'd be dead several times over if this place didn't exist. The very first time I got stuck in the caves, of course. And now, we'd never be able to hide out here without it. With no hiding place, we're all dead, right?† He nudged me with his elbow, a conspiratorial gesture. â€Å"Mighty convenient, how it's laid out. Couldn't have planned it much better if I'd sculpted it myself out of play dough.† His laugh cleared a section of mist, and I saw the room for the first time. Two rivers flowed through the dank, high-domed space. This was the chatter that filled my ears-the water gushing over and under the purple volcanic rock. Jeb spoke as if we were alone because we were. It was really only one river and one small stream. The stream was closest; a shallow braided ribbon of silver in the light from above, coursing between low stone banks that it seemed constantly in danger of overrunning. A feminine, high-pitched murmur purred from its gentle ripples. The male, bass gurgle came from the river, as did the thick clouds of vapor that rose from the gaping holes in the ground by the far wall. The river was black, submerged under the floor of the cavern, exposed by wide, round erosions along the length of the room. The holes looked dark and dangerous, the river barely visible as it rushed powerfully toward an invisible and unfathomable destination. The water seemed to simmer, such was the heat and steam it produced. The sound of it, too, was like that of boiling water. From the ceiling hung a few long, narrow stalactites, dripping toward the stalagmites beneath each one. Three of them had met, forming thin black pillars between the two bodies of flowing water. â€Å"Got to be careful in here,† Jeb said. â€Å"Quite a current in the hot spring. If you fall in, you're gone. Happened once before.† He bowed his head at the memory, his face sober. The swift black eddies of the subterranean river were suddenly horrible to me. I imagined being caught in their scalding current and shuddered. Jeb put his hand lightly on my shoulder. â€Å"Don't worry. Just watch your step and you'll be fine. Now,† he said, pointing to the far end of the cavern, where the shallow stream ran into a dark cave, â€Å"the first cave back there is the bathing room. We've dug the floor out to make a nice, deep tub. There's a schedule for taking baths, but privacy's not usually an issue-it's black as pitch. The room's nice and warm so close to the steam, but the water won't burn you like the hot spring here. There's another cave just past that one, through a crevice. We've widened the entrance up to a comfortable size. That room is the farthest we can follow the stream-it drops underground there. So we've got that room fixed up as the latrine. Convenient and sanitary.† His voice had assumed a complacent tone, as if he felt credit was due to him for nature's creations. Well, he had discovered and improved the place-I supposed some pride was justified. â€Å"We don't like to waste batteries, and most of us know the floor here by heart, but since it's your first time, you can find your way with this.† Jeb pulled a flashlight from his pocket and held it out. The sight of it reminded me of the moment he'd found me dying in the desert, when he'd checked my eyes and known what I was. I didn't know why the memory made me sad. â€Å"Don't get any crazy ideas about maybe the river taking you out of here or something. Once that water goes underground, it doesn't come back up,† he cautioned me. Since he seemed to be waiting for some acknowledgment of his warning, I nodded once. I took the flashlight from his hand slowly, being careful not to make any quick movements that might startle him. He smiled in encouragement. I followed his directions quickly-the sound of the rushing water was not making my discomfort any easier to bear. It felt very strange to be out of his sight. What if someone had hidden in these caves, guessing I would have to come here eventually? Would Jeb hear the struggle over the cacophony of the rivers? I shone the flashlight all around the bathing room, looking for any sign of an ambush. The odd flickering shadows it made were not comforting, but I found no substance to my fears. Jeb's tub was more the size of a small swimming pool and black as ink. Under the surface, a person would be invisible as long as they could hold their breath†¦ I hurried through the slender crack at the back of the room to escape my imaginings. Away from Jeb, I was nearly overwhelmed with panic-I couldn't breathe normally; I could barely hear over the sound of my pulse racing behind my ears. I was more running than walking when I made my way back to the room with the rivers. To find Jeb standing there, still in the same pose, still alone, was like a balm to my splintered nerves. My breathing and my heartbeat slowed. Why this crazy human should be such a comfort to me, I couldn't understand. I supposed it was like Melanie had said, desperate times. â€Å"Not too shabby, eh?† he asked, a grin of pride on his face. I nodded once again and returned the flashlight. â€Å"These caves are a great gift,† he said as we started back toward the dark passageway. â€Å"We wouldn't be able to survive in a group like this without them. Magnolia and Sharon were getting along real well-shockingly well-up there in Chicago, but they were pushing their luck hiding two. It's mighty nice to have a community again. Makes me feel downright human.† He took my elbow once more as we climbed the rough stair-case out. â€Å"I'm sorry about the, um, accommodations we've got you in. It was the safest place I could think of. I'm surprised those boys found you as quick as they did.† Jeb sighed. â€Å"Well, Kyle gets real†¦ motivated. But I suppose it's all for the best. Might as well get used to how things are going to be. Maybe we can find something more hospitable for you. I'll think on it†¦ While I'm with you, at least, you don't really have to cram yourself into that little hole. You can sit in the hall with me if you prefer. Though with Jared†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off. I listened to his apologetic words in wonder; this was so much more kindness than I'd hoped for, more compassion than I'd thought this species was capable of giving their enemies. I patted the hand on my elbow lightly, hesitantly, trying to convey that I understood and wouldn't cause a problem. I was sure Jared much preferred to have me out of sight. Jeb had no trouble translating my wordless communication. â€Å"That's a good girl,† he said. â€Å"We'll figure this all out somehow. Doc can just concentrate on healin' human folks. You're much more interesting alive, I think.† Our bodies were close enough that he was able to feel me tremble. â€Å"Don't worry. Doc's not going to bother you now.† I couldn't stop shivering. Jeb could only promise me now. There was no guarantee that Jared would not decide my secret was more important than protecting Melanie's body. I knew that such a fate would make me wish Ian had succeeded last night. I swallowed, feeling the bruising that seemed to go all the way through my neck to the inside walls of my throat. You never know how much time you'll have, Melanie had said so many days ago, when my world was still under control. Her words echoed in my head as we reentered the big room, the main plaza of Jeb's human community. It was full, like the first night, everyone there to glare at us with eyes that blazed anger and betrayal when they looked at him and murder when they looked at me. I kept my gaze down on the rock under my feet. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Jeb held his gun ready again. It was only a matter of time, indeed. I could feel it in the atmosphere of hate and fear. Jeb could not protect me long. It was a relief to scrape back through the narrow crevice, to look forward to the winding black labyrinth and my cramped hiding place; I could hope to be alone there. Behind me, a furious hissing, like a nest of goaded snakes, echoed in the big cavern. The sound made me wish Jeb would lead me through the labyrinth at a quicker pace. Jeb chuckled under his breath. He seemed to get stranger the longer I was around him. His sense of humor mystified me as much as his motivations did. â€Å"It gets a bit tedious down here sometimes, you know,† he murmured to me, or to himself. With Jeb, it was hard to tell. â€Å"Maybe when they get over being cheesed off at me, they'll realize they appreciate all the excitement I'm providing.† Our path through the dark twisted in a serpentine fashion. It didn't feel at all familiar. Perhaps he took a different route to keep me lost. It seemed to take more time than before, but finally I could see the dim blue light of the lamp shining from around the next curve. I braced myself, wondering if Jared would be there again. If he was, I knew he would be angry. I was sure he wouldn't approve of Jeb taking me for a field trip, no matter how necessary it might have been. As soon as we rounded the corner, I could see that there was a figure slumped against the wall beside the lamp, casting a long shadow toward us, but it was obviously not Jared. My hand clutched at Jeb's arm, an automatic spasm of fear. And then I really looked at the waiting figure. It was smaller than me-that was how I'd known it was not Jared-and thin. Small, but also too tall and too wiry. Even in the dim light of the blue lamp, I could see that his skin was dyed to a deep brown by the sun, and that his silky black hair now fell unkempt past his chin. My knees buckled. My hand, grasping Jeb's arm in panic, held on for support. â€Å"Well, for Pete's sake!† Jeb exclaimed, obviously irritated. â€Å"Can't nobody keep a secret around this place for more'n twenty-four hours? Gol' durn, this burns me up! Bunch of gossipmongers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off into a grumble. I didn't even try to understand the words Jeb was saying; I was locked in the fiercest battle of my life-of every life I'd ever lived. I could feel Melanie in each cell of my body. My nerve endings tingled in recognition of her familiar presence. My muscles twitched in anticipation of her direction. My lips trembled, trying to open. I leaned forward toward the boy in the hall, my body reaching because my arms would not. Melanie had learned many things the few times I'd ceded or lost my command to her, and I truly had to struggle against her-so hard that fresh sweat beaded on my brow. But I was not dying in the desert now. Nor was I weak and dizzy and taken off guard by the appearance of someone I'd given up for lost; I'd known this moment might come. My body was resilient, quick to heal-I was strong again. The strength of my body gave strength to my control, to my determination. I drove her from my limbs, chased her from every hold she'd found, thrust her back into the recesses of my mind, and chained her there. Her surrender was sudden and total. Aaah, she sighed, and it was almost a moan of pain. I felt strangely guilty as soon as I'd won. I'd already known that she was more to me than a resistant host who made life unnecessarily difficult. We'd become companions, even confidantes during our past weeks together-ever since the Seeker had united us against a common enemy. In the desert, with Kyle's knife over my head, I'd been glad that if I had to die I would not be the one to kill Melanie; even then, she was more than a body to me. But now it seemed like something beyond that. I regretted causing her pain. It was necessary, though, and she didn't seem to grasp that. Any word we said wrong, any poorly considered action would mean a quick execution. Her reactions were too wild and emotional. She would get us into trouble. You have to trust me now, I told her. I'm just trying to keep us alive. I know you don't want to believe your humans could hurt us†¦ But it's Jamie, she whispered. She yearned for the boy with an emotion so strong that it weakened my knees again. I tried to look at him impartially-this sullen-faced teenager slumped against the tunnel wall with his arms folded tightly across his chest. I tried to see him as a stranger and plan my response, or lack of response, accordingly. I tried, but I failed. He was Jamie, he was beautiful, and my arms-mine, not Melanie's-longed to hold him. Tears filled my eyes and trickled down my face. I could only hope they were invisible in the dim light. â€Å"Jeb,† Jamie said-a gruff greeting. His eyes passed swiftly over me and away. His voice was so deep! Could he really be so old? I realized with a double pang of guilt that I'd just missed his fourteenth birthday. Melanie showed me the day, and I saw that it was the same day as the first dream with Jamie. She'd struggled so hard all through the waking hours to keep her pain to herself, to cloud her memories in order to protect the boy, that he'd come out in her dream. And I'd e-mailed the Seeker. I shuddered now in disbelief that I'd ever been so callous. â€Å"Whatcha doing here, kid?† Jeb demanded. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me?† Jamie demanded back. Jeb went silent. â€Å"Was that Jared's idea?† Jamie pressed. Jeb sighed. â€Å"Okay, so you know. What good does that do you, eh? We only wanted to -â€Å" â€Å"To protect me?† he interrupted, surly. When did he get so bitter? Was it my fault? Of course it was. Melanie began sobbing in my head. It was distracting, loud-it made Jeb and Jamie's voices sound farther away. â€Å"Fine, Jamie. So you don't need protecting. What do you want?† This quick capitulation seemed to throw Jamie off. His eyes darted between Jeb's face and mine while he struggled to come up with a request. â€Å"I-I want to talk with her†¦ with it,† he finally said. His voice was higher when he was unsure. â€Å"She doesn't say much,† Jeb told him, â€Å"but you're welcome to try, kid.† Jeb pried my fingers off his arm. When he was free, he turned his back to the nearest wall, leaning into it as he eased himself to the floor. He settled in there, fidgeting until he found a comfortable position. The gun stayed balanced in the cradle of his lap. Jeb's head lolled back against the wall, and his eyes closed. In seconds, he looked like he was asleep. I stood where he'd left me, trying to keep my eyes off Jamie's face and failing. Jamie was surprised again by Jeb's easy acquiescence. He watched the old man recline on the floor with wide eyes that made him look younger. After a few minutes of perfect stillness from Jeb, Jamie looked back up at me, and his eyes tightened. The way he stared at me-angry, trying hard to be brave and grown-up, but also showing the fear and pain so clearly in his dark eyes-had Melanie sobbing louder and my knees shaking. Rather than take a chance with another collapse, I moved slowly to the tunnel wall across from Jeb and slid down to the floor. I curled up around my bent legs, trying to be as small as possible. Jamie watched me with cautious eyes and then took four slow steps forward until he stood over me. His glance flitted to Jeb, who hadn't moved or opened his eyes, and then Jamie knelt down at my side. His face was suddenly intense, and it made him look more adult than any expression yet. My heart throbbed for the sad man in the little boy's face. â€Å"You're not Melanie,† he said in a low voice. It was harder not to speak to him because I was the one who wanted to speak. Instead, after a brief hesitation, I shook my head. â€Å"You're inside her body, though.† Another pause, and I nodded. â€Å"What happened to your†¦ to her face?† I shrugged. I didn't know what my face looked like, but I could imagine. â€Å"Who did this to you?† he pressed. With a hesitant finger, he almost touched the side of my neck. I held still, feeling no urge to cringe away from this hand. â€Å"Aunt Maggie, Jared, and Ian,† Jeb listed off in a bored voice. We both jumped at the sound. Jeb hadn't moved, and his eyes were still closed. He looked so peaceful, as if he had answered Jamie's question in his sleep. Jamie waited for a moment, then turned back to me with the same intense expression. â€Å"You're not Melanie, but you know all her memories and stuff, right?† I nodded again. â€Å"Do you know who I am?† I tried to swallow the words, but they slipped through my lips. â€Å"You're Jamie.† I couldn't help how my voice wrapped around the name like a caress. He blinked, startled that I had broken my silence. Then he nodded. â€Å"Right,† he whispered back. We both looked at Jeb, who remained still, and back at each other. â€Å"Then you remember what happened to her?† he asked. I winced, and then nodded slowly. â€Å"I want to know,† he whispered. I shook my head. â€Å"I want to know,† Jamie repeated. His lips trembled. â€Å"I'm not a kid. Tell me.† â€Å"It's not†¦ pleasant,† I breathed, unable to stop myself. It was very hard to deny this boy what he wanted. His straight black eyebrows pulled together and up in the middle over his wide eyes. â€Å"Please,† he whispered. I glanced at Jeb. I thought that maybe he was peeking from between his lashes now, but I couldn't be sure. My voice was soft as breathing. â€Å"Someone saw her go into a place that was off-limits. They knew something was wrong. They called the Seekers.† He flinched at the title. â€Å"The Seekers tried to get her to surrender. She ran from them. When they had her cornered, she jumped into an open elevator shaft.† I recoiled from the memory of pain, and Jamie's face went white under his tan. â€Å"She didn't die?† he whispered. â€Å"No. We have very skilled Healers. They mended her quickly. Then they put me in her. They hoped I would be able to tell them how she had survived so long.† I had not meant to say so much; my mouth snapped shut. Jamie didn't seem to notice my slip, but Jeb's eyes opened slowly and fixed on my face. No other part of him moved, and Jamie didn't see the change. â€Å"Why didn't you let her die?† he asked. He had to swallow hard; a sob was threatening in his voice. This was all the more painful to hear because it was not the sound a child makes, frightened of the unknown, but the fully comprehending agony of an adult. It was so hard not to reach out and put my hand on his cheek. I wanted to hug him to me and beg him not to be sad. I curled my hands into fists and tried to concentrate on his question. Jeb's eyes flickered to my hands and back to my face. â€Å"I wasn't in on the decision,† I murmured. â€Å"I was still in a hibernation tank in deep space when that happened.† Jamie blinked again in surprise. My answer was nothing he'd expected, and I could see him struggling with some new emotion. I glanced at Jeb; his eyes were bright with curiosity. The same curiosity, though more wary, won out with Jamie. â€Å"Where were you coming from?† he asked. In spite of myself, I smiled at his unwilling interest. â€Å"Far away. Another planet.† â€Å"What was -† he started to ask, but he was interrupted by another question. â€Å"What the hell?† Jared shouted at us, frozen with fury in the act of rounding the corner at the end of the tunnel. â€Å"Damn it, Jeb! We agreed not to -â€Å" Jamie wrenched himself upright. â€Å"Jeb didn't bring me here. But you should have.† Jeb sighed and got slowly to his feet. As he did so, the gun rolled from his lap onto the floor. It stopped only a few inches from me. I scooted away, uncomfortable. Jared had a different reaction. He lunged toward me, closing the length of the hallway in a few running strides. I cowered into the wall and covered my face with my arms. Peeking around my elbow, I watched him jerk the gun up from the floor. â€Å"Are you trying to get us killed?† he almost screamed at Jeb, shoving the gun into the old man's chest. â€Å"Calm down, Jared,† Jeb said in a tired voice. He took the gun in one hand. â€Å"She wouldn't touch this thing if I left it down here alone with her all night. Can't you see that?† He stabbed the barrel of the gun toward me, and I cringed away. â€Å"She's no Seeker, this one.† â€Å"Shut up, Jeb, just shut up!† â€Å"Leave him alone,† Jamie shouted. â€Å"He didn't do anything wrong.† â€Å"You!† Jared shouted back, turning on the slim, angry figure. â€Å"You get out of here now, or so help me!† Jamie balled his fists and stood his ground. Jared's fists came up, too. I was rooted in place with shock. How could they scream at each other this way? They were family, the bonds between them stronger than any blood tie. Jared wouldn't hit Jamie-he couldn't! I wanted to do something, but I didn't know what to do. Anything that brought me to their attention would only make them angrier. For once, Melanie was calmer than I was. He can't hurt Jamie, she thought confidently. It's not possible. I looked at them, facing off like enemies, and panicked. We should never have come here. See how unhappy we've made them, I moaned. â€Å"You shouldn't have tried to keep this a secret from me,† Jamie said between his teeth. â€Å"And you shouldn't have hurt her.† One of his hands unclenched and flew out to point at my face. Jared spit on the floor. â€Å"That's not Melanie. She's never coming back, Jamie.† â€Å"That's her face,† Jamie insisted. â€Å"And her neck. Don't the bruises there bother you?† Jared dropped his hands. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. â€Å"You will either leave right now, Jamie, and give me some space, or I will make you leave. I am not bluffing. I can't deal with any more right now, okay? I'm at my limit. So can we please have this conversation later?† He opened his eyes again; they were full of pain. Jamie looked at him, and the anger drained slowly from his face. â€Å"Sorry,† he muttered after a moment. â€Å"I'll go†¦ but I'm not promising that I won't come back.† â€Å"I can't think about that now. Go. Please.† Jamie shrugged. He threw one more searching look at me, and then he left, his quick, long stride making me ache again for the time I'd missed. Jared looked at Jeb. â€Å"You, too,† he said in a flat voice. Jeb rolled his eyes. â€Å"I don't think you've had a long enough break, to be honest. I'll keep an eye on -â€Å" â€Å"Go.† Jeb frowned thoughtfully. â€Å"Okay. Sure.† He started down the hall. â€Å"Jeb?† Jared called after him. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"If I asked you to shoot it right now, would you do it?† Jeb kept walking slowly, not looking at us, but his words were clear. â€Å"I'd have to. I follow my own rules. So don't ask me unless you really mean it.† He disappeared into the dark. Jared watched him go. Before he could turn his glower on me, I ducked into my uncomfortable sanctuary and curled up in the back corner.