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.