Sunday, August 23, 2020

Marketing Plan for Kathon MWX :: Business Marketing Case Study Essays, solution

Promoting Plan for Kathon MWX 1. Official SUMMARY Rohm and Haas is an expanded synthetic substances organization. Its mechanical synthetic concoctions division fabricates upkeep biocide items to the metal working industry. The organization appreciates a sound 30% piece of the pie with its Kathon 886 MW in the Central Systems fragment. Rohm and Haas has as of late propelled Kathon MWX to target 150,000 clients in the Individual frameworks fragment where the market for biocides is immature and has little rivalry. An enormous piece of the clients utilize substitute items, for example, antiperspirants and fades with little impact on microorganisms. The organization assesses the market size for the individual section to be at $20 million and expects to accomplish $0.2 Million incomes from this fragment in the primary year. Regardless of a predominant item, the deals of Kathon MWX arrived at a small 6 % of the yearly arrangement in initial five months. Rohm and Haas wishes to reexamine its procedure so as to tap this colossal section to altogether expand deals volume and piece of the overall industry of Kathon MWX. Rohm and Haas plans to upgrade its portion for dispersion and promoting spend of the Kathon MWX. This would bring about extra income of 0.1 million. This objective would be accomplished by a mix of a patched up conveyance arrange for Kathon MWX, centered advancement battle and inspecting. 2. Issue STATEMENT Can Rohm and Haas increment its piece of the overall industry and incomes in the upkeep biocide showcase with its present product offering? The deals of Kathon MWX have scarcely contacted 6% of the yearly focused on deals for 1984. Is this the correct item to focus on the Individual Systems section? Will the present advertising procedure for this item help accomplish the company?s goals over the long haul? 3. Circumstance ANALYSIS 3.1. Setting The item deals of the company?s recently propelled item Kathon MWX are well beneath the objective set in the advertising plan for 1984. In spite of its boss quality, the purchasers have demonstrated little tendency to receive this item. 3.2. Organization Rohm and Haas is a solid player in the support biocide advertise for Central frameworks. The item Kathon 886 MW has a 30% portion of the 18 million market. The organization appreciates 70-80% piece of the overall industry in the non-ferrous metals portion and about 20% offer in the ferrous metals showcase. The organization has propelled its new item Kathon MWX, a biocide focused at Individual frameworks shoppers.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Frozen yorgurt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Solidified yorgurt - Essay Example It in any case experiences its adaptability, overabundance calories and loses its newness quick. Red Mango is the best to control, however it has constrained the quantity of flavors. It is great when utilized as an enhancement. Therefore, it is to some degree expensive. There is Baskin Robbins that contains thirty-one flavors, is promptly moderate and is consumable at home in cakes. The hit to this class is its self-wastefulness and doesn't make such an inviting air (Ahmed, Haroun and Eisa). Another contender is the yogurt land that isn't fake, yet is reasonable. It contains moderate fats and has a sample of its sort. Reasons, why one would incline toward solidified yogurt to the others, incorporate its reasonableness advertisement flawless feel. It brings less wellbeing dangers in this manner reasonable for the developing adolescents. Taking into account that it’s easy, it furnishes a chance to couple with other staff including chocolate, candy, granola and organic products. Different advantages incorporate the cooling impact it has throughout the late spring, the marvelous relish. A few favorable circumstances are close to home like making a wonderful second whenever finding partners and making a chance to invest energy with

Friday, August 21, 2020

Rainbow Six essays

Rainbow Six articles I picked Rainbow Six for my administration book audit in light of the fact that there are viable pioneers inside the story, and as a result of the genuine initiative application (and fiction is increasingly amusing to peruse). By this I imply that it is anything but a book talking about the speculations on what makes a viable pioneer, however a greater amount of an illustrative case of a successful pioneer leaving the perusers to ponder why. A portion of the qualities and models that I have selected may likewise cover with current administration speculations, and some that don't. Anyway its my genuine belief on why the character was a viable pioneer and I would invite any conversation on it. Story Summary (dont read in the event that you dont need to know the completion): Tom Clancy proceeds with the adventure of John Clark, an ex-CIA, ex-Seal usable, who is the leader of an enemy of psychological militant extraordinary team called Rainbow. This universal gathering is made out of the best military agents from around the globe, represent considerable authority in secret tasks, innovation, and battle. In a path by fire, Rainbow Six is gone up against with a chain of apparently irrelevant psychological oppressor occasions, started by an ex-KGB knowledge official, Popov. In any case, the ex-KGB official is really working for an affluent biomedical organization in view of an evil arrangement. It turns out the fear monger occasions were a spread to win a security contract for an entrance to the crowd at the 2000 Sydney Olympics game, which implied access to more than 100,000 infection bearers. The biomedical organization is really a radical natural gathering bowed of closure most of humankind, spare a little band of hippie, using a super infection called Sh iva. However, because of one of Rainbow Six group, drove by Domingo Chavez (Ding), the fanatic were halted, and the world was spared. Generally speaking this was a really fascinating novel, and I appreciated the improvement of specific characters. Anyway the completion was sudden and uncl ... <!

Juvenile Court Systems

Adolescent Court Systems Free Online Research Papers Our adolescent court frameworks have made some amazing progress. Adolescents some of the time need assistance to arrive life’s all together and track. There are different ways for adolescents to get the assistance they may need to refocus The significant distinction between our adolescents and the grown-ups they carry out violations is that there are numerous private offices for the adolescents. There are various kinds of offices that can and do profit our adolescents we have some momentary offices for models like havens and confinement focuses, indicative focuses and gathering. You likewise have the Long-term offices training camps shelter bunch homes and some more. There are such a significant number of choices that an adolescent has yet are not constrained to mental emergency clinics private organizations. Remedial projects are planned as a choice that gives the wrongdoer with legitimate endorsement and the board in a cooperative spot area than being in a prison house. Cooperative based revision came to fruition in the 1960’s, yet through the mid 1970’s and 1960’s government awards were introduced to network amendment programs. At that point they started grow, however â€Å"cbc† was just assume to be in the region of the eight legal locale. A few projects may offer the wrongdoers instruction which is known as a shelter for adolescents to live respectively and go to class, work with guardianship and treatment. Amendment focuses are generally for adolescents that are viewed as status guilty parties. Proposals adolescents are the ones that are accused of an offense that the court see as a grown-up may do. Things like an adolescent that flees from home, breaking the check in time infringement, playing hooky underage drinking, , or past a guardians control. At th e point when a youngster arrives first Status guilty party charge they are generally not detained on their first offense, yet once the adolescent has damaged a court request they are marked a reprobate and they will be sent to a confinement community or rectifications office. There is a children’s home in my general vicinity called The United Methodist Children’s Home. The home offers numerous types of assistance for a wide range of children. Parcel of the young people in the house is alluded by division of family and youngsters administrations and furthermore private referrals are acknowledged. The normal remain in the house is around year and a half. The home assists with grounds care bunch care, free living projects, momentary family lodging, child care, transitional living system, guiding, training foster embrace projects and considerably more. The office isn't primarily for adolescents that have perpetrated wrongdoings however for the ones that have nothing else and multiple times out of 10 will go to wrongdoing. The home assists kids with seeing that there are individuals that can and will enable them to perceive what else there is out there to keep them in the clear. It encourages them get a comprehension on life and the positive thin gs throughout everyday life. It prepares them to live in reality. The estimation of a detainment place is dependent to lead us to manage the issues the adolescent will go up against. The adolescent confinement community isn’t like the gathering homes or sanctuaries in a protected office yet the adolescent is just set there for a temporary purpose of time until lawful move is made. Adolescent detainment offices are here to up hold young people in the adolescent equity framework that are standing by to go to court and are additionally holding back to hear the choices like hearing, probation, restriction or network administration. Adolescents are likewise sent to a detainment habitats by court request, more often than not it is close to 120 days. Adolescents are placed in detainment offices under court request, on the off chance that they can't be sent home, or to keep them from hurting themselves or others. We have numerous adolescent confinement communities in our general vicinity. Dismal to state however it really is ideal since we need them yet the way that we have such a large number of is an indication that we have a great deal of adolescents that must be sent there. We have one in the metro are in Atlanta called Metro Regional Youth confinement focus and furthermore one closer in Warner Robins called Houston region Youth detainment focus. The two of them share a great deal practically speaking. In my general vicinity they all are ran essentially the equivalent. the network confinement focuses are programs gives a non secure option in contrast to detainment in a territorial detainment community there programs comprise of in home oversight at which until the kid goes to court they are permitted to remain at home then there is electronic observing this is the point at which the youngster wears a leg screen and isn't permitted to venture out from home after a specific time. In my gene ral vicinity we additionally have what you call elective schools this is for kid that get in a tough situation at there standard school. As I would like to think this is a stage before a youngster stumbles into genuine difficulty and needs to go to a genuine detainment place. At the point when a kid fall into difficulty at school they are sent to elective school so they will have the option to wager there instruction yet they are being rebuffed simultaneously for what they have done at ordinary school. As I would see it adolescent are given numerous decisions and opportunity to arrive life’s together before they become grown-ups and end up in jail and treated like grown-ups. References Houston County Detention Center. (2009). Houston County. Recovered May 8, 2009, from houstoncountyga.com/government/sheriff/sheriff-detainment center.aspx Metro Regional Youth Detention Center. (). Education.com. Recovered May 8, 2009, from education.com/schoolfinder/us/georgia/atlanta/metro-territorial youth-detainment focus/ Research Papers on Juvenile Court SystemsThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NicePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyCapital PunishmentInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

How can you align IT to the business strategy - Free Essay Example

ABSTRACT In their drive to achieve alignment, CIOs often run head first into a conundrum: How can you align IT to the business strategy when no two people can describe the strategy? Unlike financial plans, which all contain income statements, balance sheets and other uniform elements, there is no single framework for describing a companys strategic plan. And without a common language for discussing strategy, companies can turn into towers of Babel. Leaders might stress different strategic goals causing confusion among the management team and disconnects between management and the rank-and-file employees. The connections that should link internal processes and information systems to customer value and financial goals can be buried and severed. The result? A failure to execute on strategy and a widening gap in IT-business alignment. In this article it shows how to overcome this problem by creating strategy maps of both an enterprises strategy and its IT strategy. A strategy map describes how an organization intends to create value for its stakeholders-the goal of any business strategy. It identifies the specific processes, competencies, cultural attributes and technologies, and how they are connected to satisfying customers and increasing long-term shareholder value. Similarly, the IT strategy map defines how an IT organization delivers value to the business it serves. Strategy maps are not tools for creating strategy; they only describe strategies. However, by using strategy maps, IT and business executives can ensure that the strategies they have chosen are well understood, and se e if their IT strategy is well aligned with their enterprise strategy.. Strategy Maps Strategy means Converting Intangible Assets into Tangible Outcomes A strategy map is an invaluable tool that demonstrates how implementing one strategic theme has an impact on other themes. Corporate strategy views from four perspectives: Financial, Customer, Internal and Learning and Growth. Favor to long term interest if there is an option of long term and short term. There will be a picture of future clients and what best we can offer them. External outcomes like profitability, share price and customer satisfaction all depends on internal business processes, such as learning initiatives and training. Take care of HR and IT department strategies. Before implementing make sure of your strategies for small, medium and long term. 1. How to balance various forces that affect your organization: tangibles, intangibles, current profit and future innovation. 2. How value-added strategies differentiate your firm and your products. 3. How to create and implement a strate gy map and achieve its goals. 4. What the Balanced Scorecard method involves. 5. How other companies have applied the strategy map concept. The powerful concept of measuring the elusive intangibles that affect organizations help them for successful management of business. CEOs instinctively draw arrows to explain their goals. This led to a breakthrough realization: Objectives should be linked in cause-and-effect relationships. The graphic display of these relationships is a strategy map. It expands the concepts of strategic themes and value-creating processes, and explains a system for aligning the organizations strategy with its intangible assets. Keep Your Balance Making the Strategy Map The solution At first glance, it seems daunting is the strategy map, a graphic depiction of strategic objectives and the factors linked to measure assets to them. The map graphs a firms strategy from four related perspectives: financial, employees customer, internal and learning and growth. These four perspectives ensure those capabilities and alignment, the strategy balances tangible versus intangible assets, and short-term needs versus long- information range opportunities. Physically, a strategy map is a single page split into four horizontal bands or rows -for each perspective, plus information listing areas of alignment, such as strategic change. Each band displays its areas priorities with the names circled. These priorities defined by their intangibility, but range from long-term shareholder value on the financial band to the customer value some measure- proposition on the customer band. Arrows link related subjects, up and down, from one band to another. This map grap hic can become complex, but its purpose remains clear: to align the priorities of different domains and to help balance the tangible and intangible elements in the overall strategic plan. The result is one page that describes the companys value proposition and growth strategy, plus the linkages that explain how those objectives will be achieved. The strategy map template acts as a checklist to assure that no element is inadvertently omitted. The map helps your organization align Without its strategic themes. The core assumptions about strategy and business that underlie the strategy map include: 1. Strategy balances contradictory forces- Strategy should re ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡ect balance. For example, the important role of intangible assets, such as teaching workers new skills, must not be overlooked for todays  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ nancial gain. Weigh the present goal of cutting costs and upping productivity versus the long-term goal of future revenue growth. 2. Strategy is based on a differentiated customer value proposition To draft a clear strategy, articulate who your customers are and the unique value proposition that you plan to offer them. This may well be the most essential element of any strategy. 3. Value is created through internal business processes Internal processes lead to external outcomes, such as customer satisfaction or increased sales. These processes include  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ nancial operations, learning initiatives, training, organizational systems and procedures. Key processes support your differentiating value proposition. 4. Strategy consists of simultaneous, complementary themes Pursue several themes simultaneously. Each strategy involves at least one strategic theme from each of the four internal clusters so that you push multiple themes forward simultaneously. 5. Strategic alignment determines the value of intangible assets This perspective drives the growth of your companys intangible assets: the human capital of your skilled, talented, trained employees; the information capital vested in your data, systems and technology base; and the organization capital that resides in your leaders, teams, know-how, internal coordination and corporate culture. Strategy and Internal Operations Every organization has four internal operational clusters, each encompassing several internal systems. Internal operations ultimately will determine how you create and maintain value. Your strategy map will help you focus on a few internal processes strategic themes that are critical to your overall success and your distinct value proposition. The four internal business-process clusters are: Operations management These operating procedures and systems produce and deliver your goods and services. Many companies focus on this area, although by itself, operational excellence is not a sufficient long-term strategy, especially in a changing marketplace. Operations management includes building and nurturing ties to your suppliers, turning out goods and offering services, getting your products and services to the consumer, and handling any risks involved. Customer management This involves identifying which customers to pursue, shaping your value proposition to them, marketing to acquire them, keeping them and enhancing your relationship with them over time to earn more pro ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ts. Innovation- Innovate to remain competitive. Avoid the risk that a competitor will eventually imitate some aspect of your value proposition, at which point your product or service may become a commodity. Innovation involves four key processes: 1) Identify opportunities for new products and services; 2) Manage the research and development portfolio; 3) Design and develop the new products and services; 4) Bring the new products and services to market. Regulatory and social These activities encompass legal provisions and societal norms. Companies that fail to comply with such rules and customs face costly litigation and possible shutdowns. This cluster includes environmental and health concerns, safe practices, workforce policies, and social and civic responsibility. Studies say that some 66% of organizations do not relate their strategies to their human resources and IT practices, so they probably are not realizing a full return on their investments in these areas. In contrast, organizations that align their human capital and growth maintain high readiness and  ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡exibility. They can mobilize to respond to change. Unique Value in the Marketplace To assure that your products have unique positions and extra value (and never become commodities), consider the following strategies. Make sure your strategy map depicts the themes that support whichever value-added approach your company selects from this list: Low total cost strategy The primary goal of such companies as Southwest Airlines, Dell Computer and Wal-Mart is to deliver low total cost. This involves quality and price, since defects and returns increase the customers expenses. These  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms minimize costs by limiting their stock while offering enough products to satisfy most clients fully. A strategy map for this approach has several unique characteristics, including proven relationships with extremely dependable suppliers. These companies must offer short response times, ease of consumer access and simple ordering. This may mean online ordering (Dell, Amazon) or it may mean rapid check-in (airlines, car rentals). These  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms must have a keen understanding of which products address the broadest range of consumer demand. Because they tend to be followers rather than leaders, they seek efficiency and invest relatively little in technological research and development. Product leadership strategy Sony, Intel and Analog Devices, for instance, emphasize product leadership and innovation, as do several biotech and pharmaceutical  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms. These organizations strategic maps stress being the  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rst to bring signi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cant innovations to market. These companies cater to early adopters or lock buyers into speci ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ c technical systems. Their operations management processes must be strong and nimble to accommodate new products. Pro ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ t margins from original products have to cover the increased costs of innovation. These companies learn from their best customers and educate consumers about using new products. Because their strategy depends on having technologically adept employees, these  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms seek the best talent and nurture their people. Complete customer solutions Like IBM, Mobil and Goldman Sachs, these companies emphasize long-term customer relationships. They bond with their customers and can generate high pro ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ t margins. Their hallmarks are complete not partial solutions and superb service even after the sale. They strive for high customer retention and measure their customers lifetime printability. Their research focuses on understanding customers future needs and their operations management encourages frequent customer interaction. Their IT departments create elaborate databases describing customers buying patterns and product preferences. Lock-in strategies These companies fortify their consumer base by making it very costly for customers to switch to other networks. For example, Apple computer owners who switch to an IBM clone with a Windows system lose their ability to run much of their current software. Lock-in strategies require superb innovation. These companies draw new customers by reducing their switching costs, while keeping their current customers by raising theirs. Due to high revenues, these  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms often experience less pressure to cut operational costs. To implement a dynamic strategy, de ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ne three elements on your strategy map: Quantify your goals -Set strategic targets. Verify your maps cause-effect links. De ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ne the time line -To be sure your value-added proposition is workable and sustainable over time, determine how it will generate value in short-, medium- and long-term periods. Select initiatives -Prioritize your organizations actions, programs and initiati ves, including investments in order to achieve its goals within the required time frames.Because strategy maps provide a snapshot view of your organizations overall strategic posture, you can use them to develop action plans. Take these six steps: 1. De ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ne the shareholder/stakeholder value gap This gap is the difference between your current performance and your targeted future aspirations. 2. Reconcile the customer value proposition De ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ne your buyers and their wishes. 3. Establish the time line for sustained results Show the phases and time periods during which the value gap will be narrowed and eventually eliminated. 4. Identify the strategic themes What are the critical processes your strategy depends on? 5. Identify and align intangible assets De ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ne your degree of readiness, identifying the readiness gap you intend to bridge with new programs. 6. Identify and fund strategic initiatives to execute the strategy Authorize the funding to support your plan. Installing a Balanced Scorecard approach takes more than objectives arrayed on a strategy map. Allocate resources and set strategic initiatives in motion to accomplish those goals. If executing your overall strategy is tantamount to winning the war, each strategic theme represents a battle. Now, move from planning to implementation and onto succes

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Med School Early Admissions What You Need to Know

If you are absolutely certain that you want to pursue a medical education, applying to early admissions programs (EAPs) can give you the freedom to pursue any major. The Icahn School of Medicine’s FlexMed Program accepts students in the second semester of their sophomore year from all majors—the more diverse, the better. Flexmed’s only requirements prior to submitting an application include: †¢ 2 semesters of college biology, or †¢ 2 semesters of college chemistry, or †¢ 2 semesters of college physics. (This section was updated May 2018) You don’t need to take any additional prereq courses or the MCAT. FlexMed does use SAT scores to evaluate students and high school transcripts as well as any grades you’ve earned so far in college. The program is only open to sophomores. If you already have a Bachelor’s Degree, you are not eligible to apply. You can take one or two years off before starting medical school. Foreign applicants are welcome to apply, but there is no financial aid available to you. To gain an acceptance to an EAP, including Icahn’s FlexMed, here are three tips: 1. Highlight your experience with collaboration and team building. Showcase team sports, debate teams, or any other form of collaboration to illustrate how well you work with others. Medicine is like a team sport. It’s very much about being able to communicate quickly and effectively with people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, languages, religions and sexualities. Any way that you can demonstrate your sensitivity to others and the success of your collaborations can help you become a more competitive applicant. 2. Seek as much clinical experience as possible in different areas of medicine. It is absolutely necessary to demonstrate your commitment to medicine. The best way to do so is to gain lots of valuable clinical experience. Shadowing is considered the most passive form of clinical experience. Look for more active forms of clinical work. You can teach nutrition to middle school children, educate high school students about safe sex, or volunteer in a hospital. There are many different types of clinical experience; they don’t have to be in a hospital setting to be considered clinical. By exploring as many different areas as you can, you will not only be gaining valuable information about the areas you prefer, but also you will be able to prove by your years of service that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. 3. Demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence. EAPs evaluate applicants based on the strength of their academic record as well as their SAT scores. Once accepted into a program, one of the requirements is that you maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher, for most programs including FlexMed. Since they accept students of all majors, your grades will hold that much more weight. You can also improve your application by winning academic awards or recognition, by completing research projects or publishing articles, or by pursuing special interests in related fields. To review, EAPs are looking for candidates who: †¢ Are certain about a career in medicine †¢ Can demonstrate diversity through ethnicity, background or fields of study †¢ Have significant clinical experience †¢ Are team players †¢ Excel academically Using these three strategies will significantly improve the strength of your application. For more assistance, you are welcome to contact me or one of my colleagues to assist you on an individual basis. EAPs offer wonderful opportunities to broaden your interests while working towards your medical degree. Alicia McNease Nimonkar worked for 5 years as the Student Advisor Director at the UC Davis School of Medicine's postbac program where she both evaluated applications and advised students applying successfully to med school and other health professional programs. She has served Accepted's clients since 2012 with roughly a 90% success rate. She has a Master of Arts in Composition and Rhetoric as well as Literature.  Want Alicia to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: †¢ Am I Cut Out for a Combined BS/MD Program, a free guide †¢ 5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Medical School Profile Early On †¢ How to Get the Most Out of Working With a Med School Admissions Consultant

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Essay about The Establishment of the United Nations...

It was on the 4th of November , 1956 that 57 UN states voted in favor of Lester Pearson’s idea of establishing a large scale peacekeeping force. 1 This large scale peacekeeping force would be known as the United Nations Emergency Force ( UNEF) and would be responsible to securing an end to the Suez Crisis. The idea was for the British,French and Israeli forces to withdraw from the canal and the UNEF would remain in the canal area stabilizing the situation. 2 The UNEF was responsible for looking after the Suez Canal, facilitating the departure of Israeli, British and French forces and keeping the peace between opposing sides. A cease fire was arranged on the 6th of November and the forces of the UNEF arrived in Cairo on November 15. Thanks†¦show more content†¦The Soviet Union claimed to have a vast arsenal of nuclear weapons and were more than willing to go to war. With the United States obliged to go to war if France or Britain were bombed, it might have been the be ginning of World War III which may have resulted in the deaths of millions of people. The United Nations Emergency Force resulted in the withdrawal of Israeli, British and French forces and kept the peace between Egypt and Israel. If it wasn’t for the UNEF and Canada’s selflessness, the British, French and Israeli forces were to have remained in Egypt and the Soviet Union would live up to its threat and bomb France and Britain, thus starting a nuclear war. Canada’s selfless international role in the Suez Crisis helped Canada to increase its status in the world as a middle power. Canada’s decision to try to find a peaceful solution instead of fighting garnered Canada world wide respect and was pivotal in resolving the Suez Crisis. The United Nations was unable to find a solution and the world appeared to be on the brink of war. Despite being under pressure to side with Britain in the violence, Canada instead chose to remain neutral and find a peaceful solution. Lester Pearson then developed an idea which was to create a large scale peacekeeping force which would monitor the situation at the canal.3 After Canada prevented war from the Suez Crisis Canada became an independent nation for international peace.Show MoreRelatedEssay about The Arab-Israel Conflict1207 Words   |  5 PagesIsrael and the Arab nations have been conflicting with each other for decades and the violence seem to not stop. Why do these nations conflict with each other in this desert environment? This question would be answer and explained in this paper. The analysis will also show how it was seen from the world and how it influence other nations, including the super powers, during the Cold War Era. There was a rise in Zionism in the area of Palestine and abroad from Jewish who wanted a state. Zionism isRead MoreU.s. 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Cell Phone Society Analysis - 963 Words

Ayala1 Isaac Ayala Mrs. Benas English 85 November 2, 2014 Cell phone society On December 3rd, 1992 a british engineer by the name of Neil Papworth sent the very first text message in the history of wireless communication. The way he achieved wasn t by cell phone to cellphone. It was successful done by computer to cellphone. The SMS, short for short message service, sent that day was â€Å" Merry Christmas† That’s when the age of wireless communication began. Although people thought it was a revolution to start communicating wirelessly with others. But what they are really getting out of it is a device that people, till this day, mindlessly spend their time texting. Are they really getting closer as humans should? Or are they looking at a screen while life flows away at each touch of the screen. Before I had a cellphone I was so optimistic and outgoing that life, to me, was just so beautiful and full of joy. I would always ask people to hangout and at times I would go out just to see how the day was. Unfortunately for me, that all changed my sophomore year in high school. Don’t get me wrong I was thankful that I have gotten my first phone after all the years I ve been asking for one. I felt as if I had more freedom and more of a connection towards others. However, after a year into this ordeal I started to notice myself become more indoors and more attached to my cellular device. I wanted more attention from others not in real life but by receiving messages or phone calls and IShow MoreRelatedCell Phones And Its Impact On Society929 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Cell phones play an important role in the exchange of information throughout the world today. The impact of this technological revolution across the globe has demonstrated a drastic change in which humans interact by carrying out real-time communication using cell phones. An analysis by Ezoe et al., (2009) in a survey about Harvard University students behaviors and addictions when using phones concluded that more than 65% of the college students directly interact with phones and more thanRead MoreImpact of Cell Phones1262 Words   |  6 Pagesusage of cellular phones has become ubiquitous in our American society, illustrating the growing effects of technology on our advancing society. It is nearly impossible to imagine entering any public setting without encountering at least one person using a cell phone because this has become a part of normal, everyday life. The benefits to mobile communication are numerous; however, many would argue that the detriments are abundant as well. An i mpartial view of the effects of cell phone use would stillRead MoreAnalysis of Telephone Handset Obsolescence in the US and the Emerging Market in Cuba1729 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Analysis Of Telephone Handset Obsolescence In The U.S. and Emerging Market In Cuba Market for Telephone Handsets in the U.S. The levels of adoption and obsolescence of telephone handsets vary by demographic segment of the U.S. Using U.S. Census data to define the extent of consolidation shows the level of basic cell phone adoption and the very rapid adoption of smartphones throughout key demographic segments of Americans (U.S. Census Bureau, 2009). This distinction between cell phonesRead MoreMobile Phone Use And Semen Quality870 Words   |  4 PagesGrowing up in a technology based society has its perks, our society has endless amounts of information at our finger tips. But, the increase in cell phone usage has brought up many concerns relating to our health. When I think about these health concerns, I think about my mother lecturing me, â€Å"Katheryn Paige Leyde, take your phone out of your front pockets right now!† I would role my eyes, and pull my phone out of my pocket. I never really thought of technology as a health hazard, but my motherRead MoreDifferentiating Between Market Structures in Kudler1564 Words   |  7 PagesConditions Competitive Analysis Jerona Green, Darlene Wilson, Bronda Perkins, Christopher Pollard ECO/365 April 8, 2013 Samuel Imarhiagbe Current Market Conditions Competitive Analysis In today’s society the cell phone market is a huge competitive industry for cell phone companies. There have been studies that show that half the world has cell phone accounts. One attribute that defines the cell phone market is the idea of consumers is giving up their land line phones. This has caused aRead MoreCommunication Reflection734 Words   |  3 Pagesspecifically, experiential learning. This revelation further drove me towards critically analyzing and questioning various norms within society. In particular, the pervasive use of cell phones presented an interesting opportunity to explore. As a student, my cell phone extends beyond the confines of a material possession rather it reflects an extension of my being. A cell phone holds valuable documents, memories, schedules, medical information, ID’s, maps, and credit cards. Therefore, my cellphone is anRead MoreArticle Analysis : Cell Phone Use While Walking Across Campus1075 Words   |  5 PagesArticle analysis of Cell Phone Use While Walking Across Campus: An Observation and Survey. An analysis by Morgan Penrose. This essay will identify and summarise the article Cell Phone Use While Walking Across Campus: An Observation and Survey written by Tessa Jones and published by Elon Journal in 2014. It will also discuss the depth of the article by looking at key elements of the essay such as statistics, references, as well as whether or not the essay provides an in-depth analysis of the subjectRead MoreImpact Of Cell Phones On Society1509 Words   |  7 PagesImpacts of Cellphones use in Society Advancements in technology have resulted in the invention of devices and machines that increase the efficiency and quality of life. Notably, the design of the cellphone and the internet highlights the latest technology that captivates both young and old. Mobile phones have become an integral part of our society. Primarily, the development of cellphones which combine different sophisticated features has made the device one of the necessities of life. So far, statisticsRead MoreWhy Driving and Cell Phones Do Not Mix Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pageson a cell phone while driving is careless and extremely dangerous not only to the driver but also to others to others driving on the road as well. Cell phones cause distraction while trying to drive, and people are no longer just talking on their cell phones, they are also text messaging, and surfing the worldwide web. Many believe that hands-free devices could be a solution to this problem, but the fact is hands free devices are just as d angerous to use while driving as hand held cell phones. BecauseRead MoreRelationship Between Driving Performance And Participating1584 Words   |  7 Pagesrecommendations for policy makers regarding cell phone use while driving. A comparison and contrast of the research results regarding cognitive abilities affected, while distracted during cell phone use is provided. Additionally, based on gaps in current research, a description of the variables, populations, and situations for future research is addressed herein. Generating a Policy Proposal Introduction/Background In today s technological society, one is inundated with smart devices, which allow

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Graduation Speech Education Is Priceless - 909 Words

Education is Priceless For as long as I can remember my parents have always emphasized the importance of a college education in order to have a successful life. Coming from a Filipino household, education was always a top priority. Both of my parents grew up in rural areas of the Philippines and had under privileged lives. Unfortunately, they did not have the chance to attend college, as well as high school. When my parents decided to have me, they wanted me to have the life they wish they had as children. That is why they pushed me to learn as much as I can in school and to go to college. We are a single income family and my parents still encourage me to go to college even when college can be expensive. They not only provide for me, but for my sister as well. Nonetheless, students pay too much for college, and the cost of tuition should be re-evaluated. A college education can open up a whole world of opportunities. These days a college education is essential to get a job or to make more money than someone who only has a high school diploma. With a college degree you can make twice the amount of money than someone with a high school diploma. College is a time where people learn to be independent and gain essential skills for the future. This is a time to grow and learn as an individual. It is a time where people invest in themselves. In college you get to discover many possibilities. College is just a whole new experience. It is way different than high school. Why wouldShow MoreRelatedElements Of A Business Plan3812 Words   |  16 Pagesgross motor, fine motor, speech and language skills. Which is an essential part of what Leo Dot’s Angels stands for. In order for us to ensure we can continue the development of the children in our care we have designed a curriculum tailored to fit the needs of each age group. Our daily mission at Leo Dot’s Angels is stimulate the minds of children at a young age , as a continuous effort reach their developmental milestones, while introducing them to a quality education at a young age. We provideRead MoreNazi Germany And The Nazi War11227 Words   |  45 Pagesthe 1930’s, membership of teenage boys in the Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend or HJ) was highly encouraged. The German government promised parents that after graduation, there would be a bright future for their children. Also, while a member of the HJ, the children would have free room and board, would be well cared for and provided an education. During the hard economic times in Germany, this was a strong incentive and motivated parents to put their children in the HJ. However, after Germany attacked

Spirited Away ( 2001 ) - 1250 Words

Spirited Away (2001) Spirited Away Spirited Away When Miyazaki retired, he took the time to enjoy life and old age in the country. One summer in the mountain, surrounded by his descendants and a group o ten-year-old girls that were friends of the family, Miyazaki felt a new urge to create. He thus wrote himself out of retirement with Spirited Away, which stands as Japan s most successful film ever made, bringing 23 million viewers to the dark rooms in Japan alone and grossing nearly 300 million dollars worldwide. Spirited Away tells the story of ten-year-old Chihiro, who, whilst looking for the new house that she and her family are moving into, finds herself and her parents in a deserted theme park. Her parents are changed into pigs for having eaten what wasn t theirs and Chihiro finds herself alone in a strange world full of ghosts, spirits and legends. Chihiro is forced to work for the owner of the gods thermal baths, the terrifying witch Yubaba. Whilst trying to blend into the odd society of weird creatures that act as her co-workers and customers in order to keep safe, Chihiro must find a way to save her parents and go home. Rarely has a movie been more original, featuring a series of such unexpected and captivating events in the most mystical world. For me, Spirited Away is perhaps the most magical experience I have ever had at the cinema. No movie has ever captivated, enthralled and moved me as the tale of Chihiro s journey did, to the point of leaving me inShow MoreRelatedChallenging Lutgendorfs Ideas within his Article through Hayao Miyazakis Film, Spirited Away1740 Words   |  7 Pagescinema as well as to the study of cinema itself, which justifies discussion. This essay will attempt to challenge Lutgendorf’s ideas within his article through Hayao Miyazaki’s film, Spirited Away (2001) through the discussion of manga/animae origin, Japanese mythology, and genre hybridity. Plot Summary: Spirited Away introduces the protagonist of the film, a little girl named Chihiro in the back seat of her parent’s car. Chihiro and her family are driving to their new house located in the JapaneseRead MoreAn Analysis Of Hayao Miyazaki s Film, Spirited Away1445 Words   |  6 PagesHayao Miyazaki’s film, Spirited Away, depicts the journey of a young girl, Chihiro, into the spirit world and the struggle to escape back into the real world with her parents. Chihiro is the protagonist in Spirited Away. She is a ten year old girl moving to a new house in a new town. While travelling to the new house, her parents take a wrong shortcut which end up in front of a tunnel. After entering into tunnel they found it was the entrance to abandoned theme park which was closed a long time agoRead MoreAnalysis of Filming Techniques in Spirited Away1574 Words   |  7 PagesSpirited Away, titled Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi in Japan, follows a young girl named Chihiro on an adventurous, yet threatening journey into a magical realm after her parents are turned into pigs. She forms relationships with people that will help her find her way back home such as Haku, Zeniba, and Mr. Kamaji. She also encounters those like Yubaba who try to make her time in the realm of spirits difficult. Spirited Away quickly became Japan’s highest grossing film of all time. It received manyRead MoreEssay on Wonderment and Awe: the Way of the Kami4711 Words   |  19 Pagesnature; tradition and the family; and cleanliness (Picken 1994:9-10). For the scope of this article, I will be looking at how respect for the kami and nature inform two of Miyazaki’s films Princess Mononoke (Mononokehime 1997) and Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi 2001). The key to Miyazaki’s work lies in his knack of transformation and transfusion. He transforms and reinvigorates the tenets of Shinto and also elements of Japanese myth such as dragons and gods. His films do not rework specificRead MoreLooking At A Few Of Them3927 Words   |  16 Pagesearth’s natural beauty while also conveying human waste and destruction of the environment and its impacts on all living organisms. Since Miyazaki has done several films with multiple issues, this essay will only be looking at Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away; both translated into English and presented in theatres. Scenes from the films themselves, story boards, interviews, reviews, and articles will be the main primary sources. Secondary sources include essays and plot summaries. About Hayao MiyazakiRead MoreEconomic Analysis of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away 1027 Words   |  5 Pageswith animation techniques. Hayao Miyazaki, a director, animator, screenwriter, and illustrator of such animated films is the creator of Spirited Away. Spirited Away is a film about Chihiro, a young girl who upon moving to a new town becomes lost in the spirit world after her father takes a wrong turn on their way to their new house. Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited away illustrates not only the struggles Chihiro has to overcome in order to save her parents who turn into pigs upon eating the food of the spiritRead MoreHayao Japanese Film Director and Manga Artist Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesHowever, the theme is best shown in the 2001 film Spirited Away. Spirited Away features a young girl named Chihiro as the main character, and throughout the film she goes on a journey through the spirit world, learning to fend for herself as she tries to find a way to save her pare nts from Yubaba. Chihiro undergoes a lot of character development in the movie, and by the end she is far more independent and confident than she was at the beginning (Spirited Away). Nausicaà ¤ of the Valley of the Wind alsoRead MoreFilm Review Of The Film Spirited Away 1317 Words   |  6 Pages The film Spirited Away was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, produced in anime by Studio Ghibli in Tokyo, Japan, and released in 2001 (Sparknotes Editors). The film Spirited Away was very popular around the world and received the Best Animated Feature Film at the 75th Annual Academy Awards becoming the first anime film to win an Oscar (â€Å"Credits and Awards†). One of the reasons for its success is that it accurately represents the idea of Joseph Campbell’s monomyth or hero’s journey. TheRead MoreMiyazakis Spirited Away as a Storytelling Tool1864 Words   |  8 PagesIn Spirited Away, emphasis is placed on the importance of collectivism for Chihiro to achieve her goals - most prominently through the varied interaction with different characters, driving this narrative plot. Such a method of storytelling thus express how the force of th e community is fundamental to the Japanese society. Chihiro’s success in saving her parents hinges on the help she receives and gives in the spiritual world. In particular, Haku’s emotional support allows Chihiro to survive in aRead MorePortrayal Of Female Characters Of Hayao Miyazaki s Films1935 Words   |  8 PagesThe Portrayal of Female Characters in Hayao Miyazaki’s Films By Muhammad Aiman Mohd Zin I remembered the first time I was introduced to one of Miyazaki’s most prominent animation film, Spirited Away (2001). The film absolutely captured the essence of what a fantasy world should be. I was mesmerized by the characters, the style, the animation movement and the whole entire world. It was as if the world probably existed somewhere, hidden from the reality we live in. I was hooked with Miyazaki’s work

Tutorial Activities for Knowledge and Confidence -myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theTutorial Activities for Knowledge and Confidence. Answer: In this report, tutorial activities have been taken into consideration. It is evaluated that tutorial activities should be prepared on the basis of students choice of actions and which could fit to the class. In these tutorial activities, total 5 teachers having vast level of general knowledge have been selected. These members will provide a tutorial activity in which all the students would indulge in thinking about the world outside their bubbles. Overview of tutorial activity This tutorial activity is used to develop students understanding and the way they thinks at the time of complex situation. In this tutorial activity students will be given sudden topic and that topic they have to speak up some words. This level of game will increase their divergent thinking and critical mind set. In this tutorial activity, students would select a topic card from the envelope and will be given few minutes to think on that particular topic. This level of changes and teaching program will allow students to think beyond their bookish language and speak up the thoughts on their own. This tutorial activity will help students to use divergent thinking while doing this tutorial activity. This will assist them to understand the find out the solution in sudden problems (Collins and Kneale, 2014). Reason of selection of this tutorial activity This tutorial activity has been selected on the basis of its wide level of benefits and practical approach to overcome stage fears of students. This tutorial activity will showcase how students could mitigate stage fear issues through their divergent thinking process. Moreover, at the same time, it will increase the overall learning path and confidence to face sudden problems. However, all the topics and issues in envelope will be related to general knowledge. These topics are very easy to answer and will boost the knowledge and confidence of students in facing problems. This topic has been selected because in this tutorial activity there are several students who are having stage fear (Davises al, 2015). In order to mitigate these issues, all the teachers need to motivate students through their moral support. This level of tutorial activity will provide wide range knowledge and allow students to think beyond their learning basket. It is considered that each and every student is eager to learn new things. If proper path and learning facts are not designed in proper manner then it could destruct their future life. In this tutorial activity each and every student will be undertaken for this learning activity (Sanz and Fernndez, 2017). Theory to which this tutorial activity is related This envelop tutorial activity is related to the theory of unknown fear and using divergent thinking. This level of game will allow students to make sudden image of new words in their mind. This will allow them to extend their thinking process and increase the overall efficiency of divergent thinking. This theory has shown how students could use their divergent thinking while facing upfront problems. This has shown that students could use divergent thinking to extend their words and thinking process in effective manner. Real life example of that theory to the workplace In my school, I have used this theory while playing game with my fellow members who are teachers up there. I was given particular topic to speak up. At that time, I use that divergent thinking to showcase my thinking and speak up on the particular topic give to me. After completion of that round, I had great energy and confidence in me. This level of program increase my working efficiency and my own confidence in determined approach. After that, I realized that if I use this tutorial activity for students then it will not only boost their knowledge but also increase the overall thinking process in effective manner. In addition to this, divergent thinking process will help them to increase their overall own confidence and learning outcomes. Now in the end, it could be inferred that if proper level of tutorial activity is implemented then it will provide various benefits to students. Moreover, in this fast moving world, students should be left free to think beyond their basket and face the challenges as they may come. Effective thinking process and developing core communicating intents are the best part for this type of activities. References Collins, S. and Kneale, P., 2014.Study skills for psychology students: a practical guide. Routledge. Davis, S., Diercks, J., Felker, D., Houle, J., MacDonald, D., Peck, J. and Pickett, A., Qonqr, Llc, 2015.System and method for location-based gaming with real world locations and population centers. U.S. Patent Application 14/870,295. Sanz, B.U. and Fernndez, S.L., 2017. La funcin tutorial en educacin infantile y primaria: actividades que implica y dificultad percibida por el profesorado en su desarrollo.Educatio Siglo XXI,35(2 Julio), pp.111-138.

A Strong Character of Weak Mind free essay sample

Hamlet’s unique determination to discover the truth behind the late king’s early death depicts him as steady and sensible, yet his brash personality diminishes the thoughtfulness in his decision-making. The 2009 version of Hamlet demonstrates this during Act I, Scene IV, when Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father. In order to portray the prince as a man of rashness rather than reason, director Gregory Doran uses dramatic dialogue, acting and film techniques to bring the tragic character’s implicit character to light. Doran first introduces Hamlet’s intense demeanor in Act I, Scene II during his soliloquy. His disapproval in Gertrude and Claudius’s marriage becomes evident as he proclaims, â€Å"Frailty, thy name is woman! † and how Gertrude married his â€Å"father’s brother, but no more like [his] father Than [he] to Hercules. † Hamlet becomes lost in thought and looks off in the distance while speaking his mind, even when Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo enter the scene. This heat of passion sparks the curiosity and inquisitiveness that he carries throughout the rest of the film, but also introduces the very impulsivity that leads to his downfall. Hamlet’s heightened emotional state in Scene IV quickly undermines his thoughtful character. The scene begins with an establishing shot as Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus stand side by side in a long hallway: While King Claudius throws a party nearby, flashes of light illuminate the hallway. The shrill noises of fireworks and trumpets dominate the sound while Hamlet speaks in a low tone. The rhythm of his speech quickly breaks by Horatio sharply exclaiming, â€Å"Look, my lord, it comes! † in reference to the ghost of King Hamlet, now entering the shot’s frame: Even with the key light being shown on Horatio’s face, a stark contrast can be observed from his expression and Hamlet’s, the latter showing more shock and astonishment than the other. The fireworks and trumpets hush and ominous bass tones replace the sound. A slight fog enters the shot, and Hamlet begins to step backwards. The tone of this scene has suddenly changed from being relaxed to tense due to the ghost’s presence. This shift hints at King Hamlet’s powerful nature early on in the scene. The camera cuts away to a more distant position and includes Marcellus in the frame: The camera now films in deep focus, allowing the audience to observe Hamlet as he backs away from his father while speaking in a frail and trembling voice. He appears very humble and afraid of his father’s ghost. Hamlet continues to ramble as if he has lost a sense of who he is and what he is trying to achieve: an understanding of what happened to his father. Horatio and Marcellus are left without words, leaving the action between the Prince and late King of Denmark. Now that the camera’s focus lies only on Hamlet and his father, the mood changes and Hamlet’s impulsive nature comes to light. The prince sinks against a wall while speaking to the ghost, who stands on the opposite side of the wall in front of a window. This initiates a shot/reverse shot sequence between Hamlet and his father: The shot of the prince uses low contrast. The framing encompasses the wall behind Hamlet, and the camera films at level with Hamlet’s face. A dim light illuminates his position and fearful expression. In comparison, the shot of the King employs high contrast due to the background light. The framing includes the window behind the King, along with a fog that emits from the ghost as the light falls upon his back. The camera films below the ghost’s face. Both shots are taken moderately close up to the actors’ faces. The strong background light, fog and level of framing make the ghost appear much more threatening and commanding than Hamlet. Now that the prince comes face to face with the very person he finds himself so distraught over, Hamlet’s identity and personality change. The juxtaposition of Hamlet’s wavering character and his father’s stern temperament delivers a glimpse of Prince Hamlet’s true self, someone that may not be as thoughtful as the audience expects. The late king’s strong and shocking presence makes the situation much more realistic for Prince Hamlet and cracks his composure. Although the ghost never speaks in the scene, this shot/reverse shot sequence displays his discontent with the situation in Denmark. The acting of the prince and king alone reveal the true authority figure: King Hamlet. The Prince of Denmark also contrasts the behavior of his good friend, Horatio. Throughout the film, Horatio comes off as the more composed and loyal friend of Hamlet. It not only highlights Hamlet’s radical behavior, but also emphasizes the imprudence in his judgment. As the ghost leaves, Hamlet frantically tells Horatio why he should follow his father. He speaks very quickly while repeatedly looking in the ghost’s direction: The shot is now close up and implements low-key lighting, which focuses on the left side of Hamlet’s face. It also includes the surrounding brick wall whose dull colors vividly highlight Hamlet’s facial expressions. David Tennant makes dramatic and wild expressions as he pieces together what he just witnessed. His determination to uncover the truth and vindicate his father returns with a much more unsettled disposition. Hamlet never rationalizes his desire to follow his father’s ghost, leaving Horatio to try and make sense of the situation. The camera turns towards Hamlet’s loyal companion and increases the depth of focus to include the ghost, now at the opposite end of the hallway: The shot now uses a lower contrast in regard to the actors’ faces. The background light illuminates the hallway without showing the individual characters. The level of framing cuts the top of Hamlet’s head from the shot, showing how he directs his attention to his father rather than to Horatio. His failure to even acknowledge Horatio’s attempts to explain the circumstances stresses the fact that Hamlet is not in a keen and focused state of mind. He appears more flustered and easily influenced by the ghost’s presence, unlike the very independent and thoughtful Hamlet who the audience acquainted with throughout the film. The shot then becomes close-up to Horatio’s face, with the key light directed on his right side: The ghost stands outside the shot’s frame. Horatio’s face becomes more detailed, showing his sincerity and concern for Hamlet’s well being. The level of framing stays at eye level with Horatio, but below that of Marcellus and even more below that of Hamlet. This signifies that Horatio’s appeal to logic comes off as insignificant and bears no effect on Hamlet’s rational. The prince thoughtlessly decided how he will act and indeed acts upon this reflex. This demonstrates how easily Hamlet can be influenced in believing a certain idea or position. Even if Horatio tried to reason with Hamlet before the ghost entered the scene, Hamlet would have likely reacted with the same level of emotionalism. He convinced himself from the beginning that speaking to his father was exactly what he needed to do. The contrast of his spontaneous behavior and Horatio’s thoughtful reasoning indicates how impulsive the Prince of Denmark truly is. After ignoring Horatio, Hamlet runs toward the direction of his father to a new room. He discovers that his father’s death resulted from foul play, committed by the late king’s own brother: Claudius. Now that he spoke with his father and uncovered the truth, Hamlet must decide how he should act upon the King’s revealing account. Immediately after the King’s ghost departs, Hamlet declares his next move. He exclaims, â€Å"I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past, That youth and observation copied there; And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmix’d with baser matter: yes, by heaven! Hamlet’s exposure to this new information beguiles him in to a sensationalized state of mind and causes him to impulsively draw conclusions before he can even stand up from the ground. His hasty demeanor follows him to Act II, Scene II. Here, Hamlet assumes Polonius to be a fishmonger and gives him advice for how Polonius should care for his daughter. Hamlet fails to acknowledge the possibility of Polonius being Ophelia’s father and even acts recklessly enough to poke fun at his old age. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern then enter the scene. Very little time elapses before Hamlet indicts the two of being sent for. He asks, â€Å"Were you not sent for? † Neither Rosencrantz nor Guildenstern reply definitely before Hamlet claims, â€Å"You were sent for†¦I know the good king and queen have sent for you. † He then goes on to speculate the cause for this action; again, neither of his friends has answered the original question at this point. Hamlet’s impulsive thinking triggers him to construct broad extrapolations, solely based upon a single intuition. Act I, Scene IV of Hamlet introduces a slightly new twist to Prince Hamlet’s character than the audience has yet to experience. Although Hamlet consistently advocates for what he believes in, the mere appearance of his father’s ghost is all it takes for him to lose his sense of reason and rationale. This spontaneous change of character brings light to Hamlet not being as thoughtful as one would expect from a prince. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s emphasis on this particular scene reveals Hamlet’s true character and foreshadows the melodrama and dramatic flair that later escalate in Shakespeare’s tragic play.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

The Telephone System Essay Research Paper The free essay sample

The Telephone System Essay, Research Paper The Telephone System The telephone is one of the most originative and prized innovations in the universe. It has advanced from its low beginnings to its radio communicating engineering today and for the hereafter. The dwellers of the Earth have long communicated over a distance, which has been done by shouting from one brow or tower to another. The word # 8220 ; telephone # 8221 ; originated from a combination of two Grecian words: # 8220 ; tele # 8221 ; , intending far away, and # 8220 ; phone # 8221 ; , intending voice or sound, and became the known term for # 8220 ; far- speaking. # 8221 ; A basic telephone normally contains a sender, that transfers the company # 8217 ; s voice, and a receiving system, that amplifies sound from an incoming call. In the sender there are two common sorts of senders: the C sender, and the electret sender. The C sender uses C granules between metal home bases called, electrodes, with one consisting of a thin stop that moves by force per unit area from sound moving ridges and transmits them to the C granules. These electrodes conduct electricity fluxing through the C. The sound waves hit the stop doing the electrical opposition of the C to change. The electret sender is composed of a thin disc of metal-coated plastic held above a thicker, hollow metal disc. This fictile disc is electrically charged, and creates an electric field. The sound waves from the company # 8217 ; s voice cause the fictile disc to vibrate, altering the distance between the discs, therefore altering the strength of the electric field. These fluctuations are translated into an electric current which travels across the telephone lines. The receiving system of a telephone is composed of a level ring of magnetic stuff. Underneath this magnetic ring is a spiral of wire where the electric current flows. Here, the current and magnetic field from the magnet cause a stop between the two to vibrate, and retroflex the sounds that are transformed into electricity. The telephone is besides composed of an alerter and a dial. The alerter, normally known as the toller, alerts a individual of a telephone call, created by a particular frequence of electricity sent by the telephone figure typed in. The dial is the part on the phone where Numberss are pushed or dialed. There are two types of dialing systems ; the rotary dial, and the Touch-Tone. The rotary dial is a movable round home base with the Numberss one to nine, and nothing. The Touch-Tone system uses buttons that are pushed, alternatively of the traffic circle that send pulsations. The telephone was said to be invented by many people. However, the foremost to accomplish this success, although by accident, was Alexander Graham Bell. He and his associate were be aftering to carry on an experiment, when Mr. Bell spilt acid on himself in another room, and his associate clearly heard the first telephone message: # 8220 ; Mr. Watson, come here ; I want you. # 8221 ; Although Alexander Graham Bell had invented the telephone, his instance had to be defended in tribunal more than 600 times for this to be proven. After the innovation of the telephone, many other great technological progresss were made, which boosted the telephone into a world-wide matter. The foremost great progress was the innovation of automatic shift. Following, long distance telephone calls were established in little stairss. For illustration, from metropolis to metropolis, across a state, and across the ocean. Following this, undersea overseas telegram and orbiters, which made it possible to associate points midway around the Earth sounding as if from following door. Finally, by adding three digit country codifications, all phone calls, either to following door or around the universe, could be done by the company. The first telephone company to set up a telephone industry was the Bell Telephone Company, in 1877, by Alexander Graham Bell. This did last for sometime, nevertheless, independent telephone companies were started in many metropoliss and little towns. By 1908, many clients were being served by a new company called AT A ; T, which finally bought out the Bell Company. Since it was dearly-won to hold the wires run to a family, many residential people frequently shared lines, which is called a party line. Although these lines were cheaper for the clients, it was a nuisance because merely one individual could utilize the phone at a clip, and other families could listen in on the calls. Finally, the monetary value of local calls was comparatively low, nevertheless, long-distance calls were placed comparatively high when compared to the local telephone measure. Today, about 95 % of the families across North America have telephones, which is making a immense chance for companies that provide local and long-distance service. Although monetary values for calls are easy decreasing, the competition between companies is increasing. This can be seen from advertizements on telecasting and in the newspaper. And non merely is this viing traveling to go on, it will increase as new engineering is discovered. What is in shop for the hereafter? No 1 will now. However, some of the latest futuristic thoughts that will shortly be upon us are ; telecasting screens shortly accompany the telephone, so that the company can see who he or she is holding a conversation with. Besides, holding all of the Cu wire replaced with fibre optics will greatly increase the telephones capablenesss. This will give us the advantage of directing really big pieces of information over the phone line. The merely thing that we do cognize about the telephone, is that it certainly has come a long manner since its first find by the discoverer Alexander Graham Bell. A adult male who will ever be remembered.

Friday, April 17, 2020

MLA Format Essay Sample Checklist

MLA Format Essay Sample ChecklistIt is not unusual for many students to write an MLA format essay. For students and teachers, there are many resources that you can use to help create a standard essay in MLA format.There are several ways to prepare for your exam in an MLA format essay. One of the most useful of these is the use of a template, which you can download and use as your guide for writing your paper. In this format, the main goal is to list all the information that you have chosen to write about.The main reason for writing an MLA format essay is to make sure that your paper includes all the necessary and relevant information. Themes are often included in these essays, such as diversity or global issues. These themes will all be listed in the format essay sample checklist. It is not necessary to write your essay solely on the topic, but it would be wise to have this information included.To keep the flow of your MLA format essay simple, start off with an introduction. This wil l provide the structure for the rest of the paper. Start by listing what topic you are going to write about. After doing this, you should read and copy and paste the pertinent information from the MLA format essay sample checklist.The next step is to begin writing your MLA format essay. For those who are struggling with this, the use of templates will help to make the task easier. Again, the use of a template is only one way to help you with this.A great way to study for this type of format essay is to use a sample essay guide. Using this material will allow you to see examples of what your essay should contain and will allow you to develop a structure for your writing.As with most of the other assignments you will take for college, it is a good idea to complete the MLA format essay sample checklist before you begin your assignment. This way, you can determine what information you need and write from there.MLA format essay samples are very useful and will help you when you are study ing for this type of essay. Using a checklist will help you organize your writing so that you can come up with the best essay possible.

Monday, March 16, 2020

Crevecoeur essays

Crevecoeur essays St. John de Crevecoeur, a French Agriculturalist, came over to America in the mid eighteenth century. He wrote the Letters From An American Farmer to inform a friend in England about the way of life in the British Colonies of America. Letter IX gives a brief account of Charlestown, South Carolina and the lives of the plantation owners and their slaves. Charlestown is one of the richest colonies in all of America and it is not full of gold or silver but commodities like indigo or rice. These products create an industry far greater than any mines could produce. (223) In order for this industry to prosper, plantation owners need many workers to cover such vast properties. The owners buy slaves that are brought over from Africa to do all the labor on the farm. Crevecoeur visits these plantations and he cannot believe how the slaves are treated. Oh Nature, where art thou?-Are not these blacks thy children as well as we. (227) He cannot understand how the slaves can be treated worse than animals. They are arranged like horses at a fair, they are branded like cattle, and then driven to toil, to starve, to languish for a few years on the different plantations of these citizens. (226) How can these people be so different from us (whites)? Slavery is not new to Crevecoeur but the way the slaves are treated is. The slaves from the northern provinces have as much liberty as their masters. They are fed as well as their owners, when they are sick they are taken care of and they all live under one roof. (230-231) In Charlestown, the situation is much different. The whites eat drink and live contently while doing no work while the slaves eat from the ground, work in the boiling sun, during the warmest hours, raising crops for someone they know not. On one side, their is a people who enjoy all of lifes luxuries while never working and on the other side their are the slaves who have been torn from their families ...

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Blood Promise Chapter Fifteen

â€Å"Just like that?† I asked in disbelief. His lips quirked into a smile. â€Å"Rolan knows who I am. He knows who works for me. Once Pavel makes my†¦ ah, wishes known, that will be the end of it.† I shivered, knowing Abe spoke the truth. Considering what a smartass I’d been to Abe this whole time, it really was a wonder I hadn’t had my feet set in cement and been tossed into the ocean. â€Å"So why aren’t you forcefully dragging me out of here?† â€Å"I never like to make anyone do anything they don’t want to. Even Rolan. It’s much easier if people simply see reason and do what I ask them to, without the use of force.† â€Å"And by ? ®see reason,’ you mean, ? ®blackmail,'† I said, thinking of what I’d just agreed to. â€Å"We made a trade,† he said. â€Å"That’s all. Don’t forget your end of the bargain. You promised to leave here, and you don’t seem like the type to go back on your word.† â€Å"I don’t.† â€Å"Rose!† Viktoria suddenly appeared at the door. Wow, that was fast. Pavel was calmly dragging her by her arm. Her hair was mussed, and a dress strap was slipping from her shoulder. Her face was a mixture of incredulity and anger. â€Å"What did you do? That guy came and told Rolan to get out of here and never see me again! And then†¦ Rolan agreed. He just left.† I found it slightly funny that Viktoria immediately blamed me for this. True, I was responsible, but Abe was standing right there. It wasn’t a secret who his employees were. Nonetheless, I defended my actions. â€Å"He was using you,† I said. There were tears in Viktoria’s brown eyes. â€Å"He loves me.† â€Å"If he loves you, then why did he hit on me as soon as your back was turned?† â€Å"He did not!† â€Å"He’s the one who got Sonya pregnant.† Even in the alley’s dim lighting, I saw her face pale. â€Å"That’s a lie.† I threw up my hands. â€Å"Why would I make that up? He wanted to make plans with me as soon as you were out of town!† â€Å"If he did,† she said, voice shaking, â€Å"it was because you led him on.† I gaped. Beside me, Abe listened quietly, a smug look on his face. He was so self-satisfied and probably thought he was being proven right. I wanted to punch him, but Viktoria was my concern. â€Å"How can you think that? I’m your friend!† I told her. â€Å"If you were my friend, you wouldn’t be acting like this. You wouldn’t try to stand in my way. You act like you loved my brother, but there’s no way you could have-no way you really understand love!† Didn’t understand love? Was she crazy? If she only knew what I’d sacrificed for Dimitri, what I’d done to be where I was now†¦ all for love. She was the one who couldn’t understand. Love wasn’t a fling in a back room at a party. It was something you lived and died for. My emotions surged, that darkness welling up within me that made me want to lash out in return for her horrible accusation. It was only through the strongest of efforts that I remembered she was already hurting, that she only said the things she did because she was confused and upset. â€Å"Viktoria, I do understand, and I’m sorry. I’m only doing this because you’re my friend. I care about you.† â€Å"You aren’t my friend,† she hissed. â€Å"You aren’t part of this family. You don’t understand anything about us or how we live! I wish you’d never come here.† She turned and stormed away, pushing back inside through the long line of partygoers. My heart ached as I watched her. I turned to Abe. â€Å"She’s going to go try to find him.† He still wore that damnably knowing expression. â€Å"It won’t matter. He’ll have nothing to do with her anymore. Not if he values that pretty face of his.† I was worried for Viktoria but kind of had a feeling Abe was right about Rolan. Rolan would no longer be an issue. As for Viktoria’s next guy†¦ well, that was a worry for another day. â€Å"Fine. Then we’re done here. Do not follow me anymore,† I growled. â€Å"Keep your promise to leave Baia, and I won’t have to.† I narrowed my eyes. â€Å"I told you: I always keep my promises.† And as I hurried back to the Belikov house, I suddenly wondered if that was true. The blowout with Abe and Viktoria was like cold water on my face. What was I doing here? To a certain extent, Abe had been right†¦ I had been deluding myself, pretending Dimitri’s family was my own in order to soothe my grief over him. But they weren’t. This wasn’t home. The Academy wasn’t my home either, not anymore. The only thing I had left was my promise-my promise to Dimitri. The promise I’d somehow lost sight of since coming here. Some of the Belikov family was in bed when I got home, but others were still in the living room. I slipped upstairs to my room, waiting anxiously for Viktoria to get home. A half hour later, I heard footsteps on the stairs and the sound of her door closing. I knocked gently on it. â€Å"Viktoria,† I said in a loud whisper. â€Å"It’s me. Please talk to me.† â€Å"No!† came the response. â€Å"I don’t ever want to talk to you again.† â€Å"Viktoria-â€Å" â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"I’m just worried about you.† â€Å"You aren’t my brother! You aren’t even my sister. You have no place here!† Ouch. Her voice was muffled by the door, but I didn’t want to risk a fight in the hall and let the others hear. Going to my room, my heart breaking, I stopped and stood in front of the mirror. It was then that I knew she was right. Even Abe was right. Baia wasn’t my place. In a flash, my meager belongings were packed, but I hesitated before going downstairs. Viktoria’s closed door stared at me, and I had to fight the urge to knock again. If I did, it would only trigger another fight. Or, maybe even worse, she would forgive me-and then I would want to stay forever, lost in the comfort of Dimitri’s family and their simple life. Taking a deep breath, I headed downstairs and walked out the front door. I wanted to tell the others goodbye but worried the same thing would happen, that I’d look at their faces and change my mind. I needed to go, I realized. I was angry at both Viktoria and Abe. Their words had hurt me, but there’d been truth in them. This wasn’t my world. I had other things to do with my life. And I had a lot of promises to keep. When I was about eight blocks away, I slowed down, not because I was tired but because I wasn’t sure where I was going. Leaving that house had been the biggest step. I sank down on the curb in front of a neighbor’s silent, dark yard. I wanted to cry without knowing why. I wanted my old life back. I wanted Dimitri and Lissa. Oh, God, I wanted them. But Dimitri was gone, and the only way I’d see him was if I truly set out to kill him. And as for Lissa†¦ she was more or less gone to me too. Even if I survived this, I didn’t think she could forgive me. Sitting there, feeling lost and alone, I tried reaching out to her one more time. I knew it was foolish, considering what I’d seen before, but I had to try one more time. I had to know if I really could have my old place back there. I slipped inside her mind instantly, my runaway emotions making the transition easy. She was on a private jet. If Jill had been stunned by meeting St. Vladimir’s A-list students, going on a trip with them made her downright comatose. She stared at everything wide-eyed and barely said a word during the whole flight to the Royal Court . When Avery offered her a glass of champagne, Jill could barely stammer out, â€Å"N-no thanks.† After that, the others seemed to forget about her and got carried away by their own conversation. Lissa noticed Jill’s uneasiness but didn’t do much to remedy it. That was a shock. The Lissa I had known would have gone out of her way to make Jill comfortable and be included. Fortunately, the younger girl seemed perfectly entertained by watching the others’ antics. I also took comfort in knowing Jill would be okay once she met up with Mia. Lissa had sent word ahead to Mia to come pick up Jill when they landed, seeing as Lissa and the others had to attend to one of Tatiana’s functions right away. Mia had said she’d take Jill under her wing for the weekend and show her some of the innovative things she’d learned to do with her water magic. Lissa was glad for this, happy she wouldn’t be babysitting a freshman all weekend. Even if Jill was totally off of Lissa’s radar, one person wasn’t: Avery’s brother Reed. Their father had decided it would be a good idea for Reed to go with them, and seeing as Mr.-excuse me-Headmaster Lazar had played a key role in working with Tatiana to arrange this trip, there was little argument. Avery had rolled her eyes and spoken to Lissa about it covertly, just before boarding. â€Å"We’re all riding your reputation,† Avery said. â€Å"Part of the reason Dad let me come was because you’re in good with the queen, and he wants it to rub off on me. He’s then hoping I’ll get in good with her, and then that’ll rub off on Reed-and the rest of the family.† Lissa tried not to over think the logic too much. Mostly, she was bothered because Reed Lazar was still as unpleasant as he’d been the first day they met. He wasn’t really mean or anything; it just made her uncomfortable being around him. Really, he was the polar opposite of Avery. Whereas she was animated and could always strike up conversation, he stayed tight-lipped and spoke only when spoken to. Lissa couldn’t really tell if it was shyness or disdain. When Lissa had tried asking him if he was excited to go to Court, Reed had simply shrugged. â€Å"Whatever. I don’t care.† His tone had been almost hostile, like he resented her for asking, so she’d given up all other attempts at conversation. The only person, other than his sister, that Lissa saw Reed ever speak to was Avery’s guardian Simon. He had also come along. When the flight landed, Mia was as good as her word. She waved enthusiastically when Lissa stepped off the plane, her blond curls whipping around in the wind. Lissa grinned back, and they gave each other quick half-hugs, something that never failed to amuse me given their former enemy status. Lissa made introductions for those who needed them as an escort of guardians led them away from the landing strip and toward the inner portion of Court. Mia welcomed Jill so warmly that the younger girl’s uneasiness faded, and excitement glowed in her green eyes. Smiling fondly, Mia glanced away from Jill and over to Lissa. â€Å"Where’s Rose?† Silence fell, followed by uncomfortable glances. â€Å"What?† demanded Mia. â€Å"What did I say?† â€Å"Rose is gone,† said Lissa. â€Å"Sorry†¦ I thought you knew. She dropped out and left after the attack because there were some things†¦ some personal things†¦ she needed to take care of.† Lissa feared Mia would ask about the personal things. Only a few people knew about my search for Dimitri, and Lissa wanted to keep it that way. Most thought I’d just disappeared from post-battle trauma. Mia’s next question completely shocked Lissa. â€Å"Why didn’t you go with her?† â€Å"What?† Lissa stammered. â€Å"Why would I do that? Rose dropped out. No way am I going to.† â€Å"Yeah, I suppose.† Mia turned speculative. â€Å"You guys are just so close-even without the bond. I assumed you’d follow each other to the ends of the earth and figure out the details later.† Mia’s own life had gone through so much upheaval that she took that kind of thing in stride. That weird, fluctuating anger I’d been feeling pop up in Lissa every so often suddenly reared its head and turned on Mia. â€Å"Yeah, well, if we were so close, then it seems like she wouldn’t have left in the first place. She’s the selfish one, not me.† The words stung me and clearly shocked Mia. Mia had a temper of her own, but she sat on it and simply held up her hands in an apologetic way. She really had changed. â€Å"Sorry. Wasn’t trying to accuse you of anything.† Lissa said nothing else. Since my departure, she’d beat herself up about a lot of things. She’d gone over and over things she could have done for me before or after the attack, things that might have made me stay. But it had never occurred to her to go with me, and the revelation hit her like a smack to the face. Mia’s words made her feel guilty and angry all at the same time-and she wasn’t sure who she was the maddest at: me or herself. â€Å"I know what you’re thinking,† said Adrian a few minutes later, once Mia had led Jill away and promised to meet up later. â€Å"What, you read minds now?† asked Lissa. â€Å"Don’t have to. It’s written all over your face. And Rose never would have let you go with her, so stop agonizing over it.† They entered the royal guest housing, which was just as lush and opulent as it had been when I’d stayed there. â€Å"You don’t know that. I could have talked her into it.† â€Å"No,† said Adrian sharply. â€Å"You couldn’t have. I’m serious-don’t give yourself one more thing to be depressed about.† â€Å"Hey, who said I’m depressed? Like I said, she abandoned me.† Adrian was surprised. Since my departure, Lissa had been more sad than anything. She’d occasionally been angry at my decision, but neither Adrian nor I had seen such vehemence from her. Dark feelings boiled within her heart. â€Å"I thought you understood,† said Adrian, with a small, puzzled frown. â€Å"I thought you said you’d-â€Å" Avery suddenly interrupted, giving Adrian a sharp look. â€Å"Hey, hey. Leave her alone, okay? We’ll see you at the reception.† They were at a point where the groups had to split, girls going to one part of the lodging and guys to the other. Adrian looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he nodded and headed off with Reed and a couple of guardians. Avery put a gentle arm around Lissa as she glared at Adrian’s retreating figure. â€Å"You okay?† Avery’s normally laughing face was filled with concern. It startled Lissa in the same way Adrian’s moments of seriousness always startled me. â€Å"I guess. I don’t know.† â€Å"Don’t beat yourself up over what you could have or should have done. The past is gone. Move on to the future.† Lissa’s heart was still heavy, her mood blacker than it had been in quite a while. She managed a tight smile. â€Å"I think that’s the wisest thing you’ve ever said.† â€Å"I know! Can you believe it? Do you think it’ll impress Adrian?† They dissolved into laughter, yet despite her cheery exterior, Lissa was still struck by Mia’s offhand comments. They plagued Lissa in a way she hadn’t thought possible. What really bothered her the most wasn’t the thought that if she’d come with me, she could have kept me out of trouble. No. Her biggest issue was that she hadn’t thought of coming with me in the first place. I was her best friend. As far as she was concerned, that should have been her immediate reaction to my departure. It hadn’t been, and now Lissa was racked with even more guilt than usual. The guilt was all-consuming, and she would occasionally transform it to anger to ease the pain. It didn’t help much. Her mood didn’t improve as the evening progressed, either. Not long after the group’s arrival, the queen hosted a small reception for the most elite of all visitors who had come to the Court. Lissa was quickly discovering that the queen always seemed to be hosting some party or another. At one point in her life, Lissa would have considered that fun. She no longer did, at least not when it came to these kinds of parties. But keeping her dark feelings locked up, Lissa stayed good at playing the role of nice royal girl. The queen seemed happy that Lissa had a â€Å"suitable† royal friend and was equally pleased when Lissa impressed other royals and dignitaries she was introduced to. At one point, though, Lissa’s resolve nearly faltered. â€Å"Before you leave,† said Tatiana, â€Å"we should see about your guardians.† She and Lissa stood together with a group of admirers and hangers-on who were keeping respectful distances. Lissa had been staring vacantly at the bubbles in her untouched champagne and looked up with a start. â€Å"Guardians, your majesty?† â€Å"Well, there’s no delicate way to put this, but now, for better or for worse, you’re without any protection.† The queen paused respectfully. â€Å"Belikov was a good man.† My name naturally didn’t come to her lips. I might as well have never existed. She’d never liked me, particularly since she thought I was going to run off with Adrian. As it was, Lissa had noticed Tatiana watching with some consideration while Avery and Adrian flirted. It was hard to say if the queen disapproved. Her partying aside, Avery seemed a model girl-save that Tatiana had wanted Lissa and Adrian to eventually get together. â€Å"I don’t need any protection right now,† said Lissa politely, her heart clenching. â€Å"No, but you’ll be out of school soon enough. We think we’ve found some excellent candidates for you. One of them’s a woman-a lucky find.† â€Å"Janine Hathaway offered to be my guardian,† said Lissa suddenly. I hadn’t known that, but as she spoke, I read the story in her mind. My mom had approached her not long after I left. I was a little shocked. My mom was very loyal to her current assignment. This would have been a big move for her. â€Å"Janine Hathaway?† Tatiana’s eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline. â€Å"I’m sure she has other commitments. No, we’ve got much better choices. This young lady’s only a few years older than you.† A better choice than Janine Hathaway? Not likely. Before Dimitri, my mother had been the gold standard by which I measured all badassedness. Tatiana’s â€Å"young lady† was undoubtedly someone under the queen’s control-and more importantly, not a Hathaway. The queen didn’t like my mom any more than she liked me. Once, when Tatiana had been bitching me out for something, she’d made a reference to a man my mother had been involved with-someone whom I suspected might be my father, a guy named Ibrahim. The funny thing was, the queen had almost sounded like she had once had an interest in the guy too, and I had to wonder if that was part of her dislike for my family. Lissa put on a tight, polite smile for the queen and thanked her for the consideration. Lissa and I both understood what was going on. This was Tatiana’s game. Everyone was part of her plan, and there was no way to go against her. For a brief moment, Lissa had that strange thought again, of something Victor Dashkov had once said to her. Aside from his crazy killing and kidnapping schemes, Victor had also wanted to start a revolution among the Moroi. He thought the power distribution was off-something Lissa occasionally believed too-and that it was wielded unfairly by those with too much control. The moment was gone almost as soon as it came. Victor Dashkov was a crazy villain whose ideas deserved no acknowledgment. Then, as soon as courtesy allowed, Lissa excused herself from the queen and headed across the room, feeling like she was going to explode with grief and anger. She nearly ran into Avery as she did. â€Å"God,† said Avery. â€Å"Do you think Reed could embarrass me any more? Two people have tried to make conversation with him, and he keeps scaring them off. He actually just told Robin Badica to shut up. I mean, yeah, she was going on and on, but still. That is not cool.† Avery’s dramatic look of exasperation faded as she took in Lissa’s face. â€Å"Hey, what’s wrong?† Lissa glanced at Tatiana and then turned back to Avery, taking comfort in her friend’s blue-gray eyes. â€Å"I need to get out of here.† Lissa took a deep, calming breath. â€Å"Remember all that good stuff you said you knew about? When is that going to happen?† Avery smiled. â€Å"As soon as you want.† I returned to myself, sitting there on the curb. My emotions were still going crazy, and my eyes were fighting off tears. My earlier doubts were confirmed: Lissa didn’t need me anymore†¦ and yet, I still had that feeling that there was something odd going on that I couldn’t quite put a finger on. I supposed her guilt over Mia’s comment or spirit side effects could be affecting her, but still†¦ she wasn’t the same Lissa. Footsteps on the pavement made me look up. Of all the people who might have found me, I would have expected Abe or maybe Viktoria. But it wasn’t. It was Yeva. The old woman stood there, a shawl draped over her narrow shoulders, and her sharp, cunning eyes looking down at me disapprovingly. I sighed. â€Å"What happened? Did a house fall on your sister?† I asked. Maybe there was a benefit to our language barrier. She pursed her lips. â€Å"You can’t stay here any longer,† she said. My mouth dropped open. â€Å"You†¦ you speak English?† She snorted. â€Å"Of course.† I shot up. â€Å"All this time you’ve been pretending not to? You’ve been making Paul play translator?† â€Å"It’s easier,† she said simply. â€Å"You avoid a lot of annoying conversation when you don’t speak the language. And I’ve found that Americans make the most annoying conversation of all.† I was still aghast. â€Å"You don’t even know me! But from the first day, you’ve been giving me hell. Why? Why do you hate me?† â€Å"I don’t hate you. But I am disappointed.† â€Å"Disappointed? How?† â€Å"I dreamed you would come.† â€Å"I heard that. You dream a lot?† â€Å"Sometimes,† she said. The moonlight glinted in her eyes, enhancing her otherworldly appearance. A chill ran down my spine. â€Å"Sometimes my dreams are true. Sometimes not. I dreamed Dimka was dead, but I didn’t want to believe it, not until I had proof. You were my proof.† â€Å"And that’s why you were disappointed?† Yeva drew the shawl more tightly around her. â€Å"No. In my dreams, you shone. You burned like a star, and I saw you as a warrior, someone who could do great deeds. Instead? You’ve sat around and moped. You’ve done nothing. You haven’t done what you came to do.† I studied her, wondering if she really knew what she was talking about. â€Å"And what is that exactly?† â€Å"You know what it is. I dreamed that, too.† I waited for more. When it didn’t come, I laughed. â€Å"Nice vague answer. You’re as bad as any scam fortune-teller.† Even in the darkness, I could see the anger kindle in her eyes. â€Å"You’ve come to search for Dimka. To try to kill him. You must find him.† â€Å"What do you mean ? ®try’?† I didn’t want to believe her, didn’t want to believe she might actually know my future. Nonetheless, I found myself getting hooked in. â€Å"Have you seen what happens? Do I kill him?† â€Å"I can’t see everything.† â€Å"Oh. Fantastic.† â€Å"I only saw that you must find him.† â€Å"But that’s all you’ve got? I already knew that!† â€Å"It’s what I saw.† I groaned. â€Å"Damn it, I don’t have time for these cryptic clues. If you can’t help me, then don’t say anything.† She stayed quiet. I slung my bag over my shoulder. â€Å"Fine. I’m leaving then.† And like that, I knew where I would go. â€Å"Tell the others†¦ well, tell them thank you for everything. And that I’m sorry.† â€Å"You’re doing the right thing,† she said. â€Å"This isn’t where you should be.† â€Å"So I’ve heard,† I muttered, walking away. I wondered if she’d say anything else: chastise me, curse me, give me more mysterious words of â€Å"wisdom.† But she stayed silent, and I didn’t look back. I had no home, not here and not in America. The only thing left for me was to do what I’d come to do. I had told Abe I kept my promises. I would. I’d leave Baia like I told him. And I’d kill Dimitri, as I’d promised myself I would. I knew where to go now. The address had never left my mind: 83 Kasakova. I didn’t know where it was, but once I reached the town’s center, I found a guy walking down the street who gave me directions. The address was close by, only about a mile, and I headed out at a brisk pace. When I reached the house, I was glad to see that the lights were still on. Even as pissed off and raging as I was, I didn’t want to wake anyone up. I also didn’t want to speak to Nikolai and was relieved when Denis opened the door. His expression was all astonishment when he saw me. Despite his bold words back at the church earlier, I don’t think he’d really believed I’d join him and the other unpromised ones. He was speechless, so I did the talking. â€Å"I changed my mind. I’m coming with you.† I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what came next. I’d promised Abe I’d leave Baia-but I hadn’t promised to return to the U.S. â€Å"Take me to Novosibirsk.† Blood Promise Chapter Fifteen â€Å"Just like that?† I asked in disbelief. His lips quirked into a smile. â€Å"Rolan knows who I am. He knows who works for me. Once Pavel makes my†¦ ah, wishes known, that will be the end of it.† I shivered, knowing Abe spoke the truth. Considering what a smartass I’d been to Abe this whole time, it really was a wonder I hadn’t had my feet set in cement and been tossed into the ocean. â€Å"So why aren’t you forcefully dragging me out of here?† â€Å"I never like to make anyone do anything they don’t want to. Even Rolan. It’s much easier if people simply see reason and do what I ask them to, without the use of force.† â€Å"And by ? ®see reason,’ you mean, ? ®blackmail,'† I said, thinking of what I’d just agreed to. â€Å"We made a trade,† he said. â€Å"That’s all. Don’t forget your end of the bargain. You promised to leave here, and you don’t seem like the type to go back on your word.† â€Å"I don’t.† â€Å"Rose!† Viktoria suddenly appeared at the door. Wow, that was fast. Pavel was calmly dragging her by her arm. Her hair was mussed, and a dress strap was slipping from her shoulder. Her face was a mixture of incredulity and anger. â€Å"What did you do? That guy came and told Rolan to get out of here and never see me again! And then†¦ Rolan agreed. He just left.† I found it slightly funny that Viktoria immediately blamed me for this. True, I was responsible, but Abe was standing right there. It wasn’t a secret who his employees were. Nonetheless, I defended my actions. â€Å"He was using you,† I said. There were tears in Viktoria’s brown eyes. â€Å"He loves me.† â€Å"If he loves you, then why did he hit on me as soon as your back was turned?† â€Å"He did not!† â€Å"He’s the one who got Sonya pregnant.† Even in the alley’s dim lighting, I saw her face pale. â€Å"That’s a lie.† I threw up my hands. â€Å"Why would I make that up? He wanted to make plans with me as soon as you were out of town!† â€Å"If he did,† she said, voice shaking, â€Å"it was because you led him on.† I gaped. Beside me, Abe listened quietly, a smug look on his face. He was so self-satisfied and probably thought he was being proven right. I wanted to punch him, but Viktoria was my concern. â€Å"How can you think that? I’m your friend!† I told her. â€Å"If you were my friend, you wouldn’t be acting like this. You wouldn’t try to stand in my way. You act like you loved my brother, but there’s no way you could have-no way you really understand love!† Didn’t understand love? Was she crazy? If she only knew what I’d sacrificed for Dimitri, what I’d done to be where I was now†¦ all for love. She was the one who couldn’t understand. Love wasn’t a fling in a back room at a party. It was something you lived and died for. My emotions surged, that darkness welling up within me that made me want to lash out in return for her horrible accusation. It was only through the strongest of efforts that I remembered she was already hurting, that she only said the things she did because she was confused and upset. â€Å"Viktoria, I do understand, and I’m sorry. I’m only doing this because you’re my friend. I care about you.† â€Å"You aren’t my friend,† she hissed. â€Å"You aren’t part of this family. You don’t understand anything about us or how we live! I wish you’d never come here.† She turned and stormed away, pushing back inside through the long line of partygoers. My heart ached as I watched her. I turned to Abe. â€Å"She’s going to go try to find him.† He still wore that damnably knowing expression. â€Å"It won’t matter. He’ll have nothing to do with her anymore. Not if he values that pretty face of his.† I was worried for Viktoria but kind of had a feeling Abe was right about Rolan. Rolan would no longer be an issue. As for Viktoria’s next guy†¦ well, that was a worry for another day. â€Å"Fine. Then we’re done here. Do not follow me anymore,† I growled. â€Å"Keep your promise to leave Baia, and I won’t have to.† I narrowed my eyes. â€Å"I told you: I always keep my promises.† And as I hurried back to the Belikov house, I suddenly wondered if that was true. The blowout with Abe and Viktoria was like cold water on my face. What was I doing here? To a certain extent, Abe had been right†¦ I had been deluding myself, pretending Dimitri’s family was my own in order to soothe my grief over him. But they weren’t. This wasn’t home. The Academy wasn’t my home either, not anymore. The only thing I had left was my promise-my promise to Dimitri. The promise I’d somehow lost sight of since coming here. Some of the Belikov family was in bed when I got home, but others were still in the living room. I slipped upstairs to my room, waiting anxiously for Viktoria to get home. A half hour later, I heard footsteps on the stairs and the sound of her door closing. I knocked gently on it. â€Å"Viktoria,† I said in a loud whisper. â€Å"It’s me. Please talk to me.† â€Å"No!† came the response. â€Å"I don’t ever want to talk to you again.† â€Å"Viktoria-â€Å" â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"I’m just worried about you.† â€Å"You aren’t my brother! You aren’t even my sister. You have no place here!† Ouch. Her voice was muffled by the door, but I didn’t want to risk a fight in the hall and let the others hear. Going to my room, my heart breaking, I stopped and stood in front of the mirror. It was then that I knew she was right. Even Abe was right. Baia wasn’t my place. In a flash, my meager belongings were packed, but I hesitated before going downstairs. Viktoria’s closed door stared at me, and I had to fight the urge to knock again. If I did, it would only trigger another fight. Or, maybe even worse, she would forgive me-and then I would want to stay forever, lost in the comfort of Dimitri’s family and their simple life. Taking a deep breath, I headed downstairs and walked out the front door. I wanted to tell the others goodbye but worried the same thing would happen, that I’d look at their faces and change my mind. I needed to go, I realized. I was angry at both Viktoria and Abe. Their words had hurt me, but there’d been truth in them. This wasn’t my world. I had other things to do with my life. And I had a lot of promises to keep. When I was about eight blocks away, I slowed down, not because I was tired but because I wasn’t sure where I was going. Leaving that house had been the biggest step. I sank down on the curb in front of a neighbor’s silent, dark yard. I wanted to cry without knowing why. I wanted my old life back. I wanted Dimitri and Lissa. Oh, God, I wanted them. But Dimitri was gone, and the only way I’d see him was if I truly set out to kill him. And as for Lissa†¦ she was more or less gone to me too. Even if I survived this, I didn’t think she could forgive me. Sitting there, feeling lost and alone, I tried reaching out to her one more time. I knew it was foolish, considering what I’d seen before, but I had to try one more time. I had to know if I really could have my old place back there. I slipped inside her mind instantly, my runaway emotions making the transition easy. She was on a private jet. If Jill had been stunned by meeting St. Vladimir’s A-list students, going on a trip with them made her downright comatose. She stared at everything wide-eyed and barely said a word during the whole flight to the Royal Court . When Avery offered her a glass of champagne, Jill could barely stammer out, â€Å"N-no thanks.† After that, the others seemed to forget about her and got carried away by their own conversation. Lissa noticed Jill’s uneasiness but didn’t do much to remedy it. That was a shock. The Lissa I had known would have gone out of her way to make Jill comfortable and be included. Fortunately, the younger girl seemed perfectly entertained by watching the others’ antics. I also took comfort in knowing Jill would be okay once she met up with Mia. Lissa had sent word ahead to Mia to come pick up Jill when they landed, seeing as Lissa and the others had to attend to one of Tatiana’s functions right away. Mia had said she’d take Jill under her wing for the weekend and show her some of the innovative things she’d learned to do with her water magic. Lissa was glad for this, happy she wouldn’t be babysitting a freshman all weekend. Even if Jill was totally off of Lissa’s radar, one person wasn’t: Avery’s brother Reed. Their father had decided it would be a good idea for Reed to go with them, and seeing as Mr.-excuse me-Headmaster Lazar had played a key role in working with Tatiana to arrange this trip, there was little argument. Avery had rolled her eyes and spoken to Lissa about it covertly, just before boarding. â€Å"We’re all riding your reputation,† Avery said. â€Å"Part of the reason Dad let me come was because you’re in good with the queen, and he wants it to rub off on me. He’s then hoping I’ll get in good with her, and then that’ll rub off on Reed-and the rest of the family.† Lissa tried not to over think the logic too much. Mostly, she was bothered because Reed Lazar was still as unpleasant as he’d been the first day they met. He wasn’t really mean or anything; it just made her uncomfortable being around him. Really, he was the polar opposite of Avery. Whereas she was animated and could always strike up conversation, he stayed tight-lipped and spoke only when spoken to. Lissa couldn’t really tell if it was shyness or disdain. When Lissa had tried asking him if he was excited to go to Court, Reed had simply shrugged. â€Å"Whatever. I don’t care.† His tone had been almost hostile, like he resented her for asking, so she’d given up all other attempts at conversation. The only person, other than his sister, that Lissa saw Reed ever speak to was Avery’s guardian Simon. He had also come along. When the flight landed, Mia was as good as her word. She waved enthusiastically when Lissa stepped off the plane, her blond curls whipping around in the wind. Lissa grinned back, and they gave each other quick half-hugs, something that never failed to amuse me given their former enemy status. Lissa made introductions for those who needed them as an escort of guardians led them away from the landing strip and toward the inner portion of Court. Mia welcomed Jill so warmly that the younger girl’s uneasiness faded, and excitement glowed in her green eyes. Smiling fondly, Mia glanced away from Jill and over to Lissa. â€Å"Where’s Rose?† Silence fell, followed by uncomfortable glances. â€Å"What?† demanded Mia. â€Å"What did I say?† â€Å"Rose is gone,† said Lissa. â€Å"Sorry†¦ I thought you knew. She dropped out and left after the attack because there were some things†¦ some personal things†¦ she needed to take care of.† Lissa feared Mia would ask about the personal things. Only a few people knew about my search for Dimitri, and Lissa wanted to keep it that way. Most thought I’d just disappeared from post-battle trauma. Mia’s next question completely shocked Lissa. â€Å"Why didn’t you go with her?† â€Å"What?† Lissa stammered. â€Å"Why would I do that? Rose dropped out. No way am I going to.† â€Å"Yeah, I suppose.† Mia turned speculative. â€Å"You guys are just so close-even without the bond. I assumed you’d follow each other to the ends of the earth and figure out the details later.† Mia’s own life had gone through so much upheaval that she took that kind of thing in stride. That weird, fluctuating anger I’d been feeling pop up in Lissa every so often suddenly reared its head and turned on Mia. â€Å"Yeah, well, if we were so close, then it seems like she wouldn’t have left in the first place. She’s the selfish one, not me.† The words stung me and clearly shocked Mia. Mia had a temper of her own, but she sat on it and simply held up her hands in an apologetic way. She really had changed. â€Å"Sorry. Wasn’t trying to accuse you of anything.† Lissa said nothing else. Since my departure, she’d beat herself up about a lot of things. She’d gone over and over things she could have done for me before or after the attack, things that might have made me stay. But it had never occurred to her to go with me, and the revelation hit her like a smack to the face. Mia’s words made her feel guilty and angry all at the same time-and she wasn’t sure who she was the maddest at: me or herself. â€Å"I know what you’re thinking,† said Adrian a few minutes later, once Mia had led Jill away and promised to meet up later. â€Å"What, you read minds now?† asked Lissa. â€Å"Don’t have to. It’s written all over your face. And Rose never would have let you go with her, so stop agonizing over it.† They entered the royal guest housing, which was just as lush and opulent as it had been when I’d stayed there. â€Å"You don’t know that. I could have talked her into it.† â€Å"No,† said Adrian sharply. â€Å"You couldn’t have. I’m serious-don’t give yourself one more thing to be depressed about.† â€Å"Hey, who said I’m depressed? Like I said, she abandoned me.† Adrian was surprised. Since my departure, Lissa had been more sad than anything. She’d occasionally been angry at my decision, but neither Adrian nor I had seen such vehemence from her. Dark feelings boiled within her heart. â€Å"I thought you understood,† said Adrian, with a small, puzzled frown. â€Å"I thought you said you’d-â€Å" Avery suddenly interrupted, giving Adrian a sharp look. â€Å"Hey, hey. Leave her alone, okay? We’ll see you at the reception.† They were at a point where the groups had to split, girls going to one part of the lodging and guys to the other. Adrian looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he nodded and headed off with Reed and a couple of guardians. Avery put a gentle arm around Lissa as she glared at Adrian’s retreating figure. â€Å"You okay?† Avery’s normally laughing face was filled with concern. It startled Lissa in the same way Adrian’s moments of seriousness always startled me. â€Å"I guess. I don’t know.† â€Å"Don’t beat yourself up over what you could have or should have done. The past is gone. Move on to the future.† Lissa’s heart was still heavy, her mood blacker than it had been in quite a while. She managed a tight smile. â€Å"I think that’s the wisest thing you’ve ever said.† â€Å"I know! Can you believe it? Do you think it’ll impress Adrian?† They dissolved into laughter, yet despite her cheery exterior, Lissa was still struck by Mia’s offhand comments. They plagued Lissa in a way she hadn’t thought possible. What really bothered her the most wasn’t the thought that if she’d come with me, she could have kept me out of trouble. No. Her biggest issue was that she hadn’t thought of coming with me in the first place. I was her best friend. As far as she was concerned, that should have been her immediate reaction to my departure. It hadn’t been, and now Lissa was racked with even more guilt than usual. The guilt was all-consuming, and she would occasionally transform it to anger to ease the pain. It didn’t help much. Her mood didn’t improve as the evening progressed, either. Not long after the group’s arrival, the queen hosted a small reception for the most elite of all visitors who had come to the Court. Lissa was quickly discovering that the queen always seemed to be hosting some party or another. At one point in her life, Lissa would have considered that fun. She no longer did, at least not when it came to these kinds of parties. But keeping her dark feelings locked up, Lissa stayed good at playing the role of nice royal girl. The queen seemed happy that Lissa had a â€Å"suitable† royal friend and was equally pleased when Lissa impressed other royals and dignitaries she was introduced to. At one point, though, Lissa’s resolve nearly faltered. â€Å"Before you leave,† said Tatiana, â€Å"we should see about your guardians.† She and Lissa stood together with a group of admirers and hangers-on who were keeping respectful distances. Lissa had been staring vacantly at the bubbles in her untouched champagne and looked up with a start. â€Å"Guardians, your majesty?† â€Å"Well, there’s no delicate way to put this, but now, for better or for worse, you’re without any protection.† The queen paused respectfully. â€Å"Belikov was a good man.† My name naturally didn’t come to her lips. I might as well have never existed. She’d never liked me, particularly since she thought I was going to run off with Adrian. As it was, Lissa had noticed Tatiana watching with some consideration while Avery and Adrian flirted. It was hard to say if the queen disapproved. Her partying aside, Avery seemed a model girl-save that Tatiana had wanted Lissa and Adrian to eventually get together. â€Å"I don’t need any protection right now,† said Lissa politely, her heart clenching. â€Å"No, but you’ll be out of school soon enough. We think we’ve found some excellent candidates for you. One of them’s a woman-a lucky find.† â€Å"Janine Hathaway offered to be my guardian,† said Lissa suddenly. I hadn’t known that, but as she spoke, I read the story in her mind. My mom had approached her not long after I left. I was a little shocked. My mom was very loyal to her current assignment. This would have been a big move for her. â€Å"Janine Hathaway?† Tatiana’s eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline. â€Å"I’m sure she has other commitments. No, we’ve got much better choices. This young lady’s only a few years older than you.† A better choice than Janine Hathaway? Not likely. Before Dimitri, my mother had been the gold standard by which I measured all badassedness. Tatiana’s â€Å"young lady† was undoubtedly someone under the queen’s control-and more importantly, not a Hathaway. The queen didn’t like my mom any more than she liked me. Once, when Tatiana had been bitching me out for something, she’d made a reference to a man my mother had been involved with-someone whom I suspected might be my father, a guy named Ibrahim. The funny thing was, the queen had almost sounded like she had once had an interest in the guy too, and I had to wonder if that was part of her dislike for my family. Lissa put on a tight, polite smile for the queen and thanked her for the consideration. Lissa and I both understood what was going on. This was Tatiana’s game. Everyone was part of her plan, and there was no way to go against her. For a brief moment, Lissa had that strange thought again, of something Victor Dashkov had once said to her. Aside from his crazy killing and kidnapping schemes, Victor had also wanted to start a revolution among the Moroi. He thought the power distribution was off-something Lissa occasionally believed too-and that it was wielded unfairly by those with too much control. The moment was gone almost as soon as it came. Victor Dashkov was a crazy villain whose ideas deserved no acknowledgment. Then, as soon as courtesy allowed, Lissa excused herself from the queen and headed across the room, feeling like she was going to explode with grief and anger. She nearly ran into Avery as she did. â€Å"God,† said Avery. â€Å"Do you think Reed could embarrass me any more? Two people have tried to make conversation with him, and he keeps scaring them off. He actually just told Robin Badica to shut up. I mean, yeah, she was going on and on, but still. That is not cool.† Avery’s dramatic look of exasperation faded as she took in Lissa’s face. â€Å"Hey, what’s wrong?† Lissa glanced at Tatiana and then turned back to Avery, taking comfort in her friend’s blue-gray eyes. â€Å"I need to get out of here.† Lissa took a deep, calming breath. â€Å"Remember all that good stuff you said you knew about? When is that going to happen?† Avery smiled. â€Å"As soon as you want.† I returned to myself, sitting there on the curb. My emotions were still going crazy, and my eyes were fighting off tears. My earlier doubts were confirmed: Lissa didn’t need me anymore†¦ and yet, I still had that feeling that there was something odd going on that I couldn’t quite put a finger on. I supposed her guilt over Mia’s comment or spirit side effects could be affecting her, but still†¦ she wasn’t the same Lissa. Footsteps on the pavement made me look up. Of all the people who might have found me, I would have expected Abe or maybe Viktoria. But it wasn’t. It was Yeva. The old woman stood there, a shawl draped over her narrow shoulders, and her sharp, cunning eyes looking down at me disapprovingly. I sighed. â€Å"What happened? Did a house fall on your sister?† I asked. Maybe there was a benefit to our language barrier. She pursed her lips. â€Å"You can’t stay here any longer,† she said. My mouth dropped open. â€Å"You†¦ you speak English?† She snorted. â€Å"Of course.† I shot up. â€Å"All this time you’ve been pretending not to? You’ve been making Paul play translator?† â€Å"It’s easier,† she said simply. â€Å"You avoid a lot of annoying conversation when you don’t speak the language. And I’ve found that Americans make the most annoying conversation of all.† I was still aghast. â€Å"You don’t even know me! But from the first day, you’ve been giving me hell. Why? Why do you hate me?† â€Å"I don’t hate you. But I am disappointed.† â€Å"Disappointed? How?† â€Å"I dreamed you would come.† â€Å"I heard that. You dream a lot?† â€Å"Sometimes,† she said. The moonlight glinted in her eyes, enhancing her otherworldly appearance. A chill ran down my spine. â€Å"Sometimes my dreams are true. Sometimes not. I dreamed Dimka was dead, but I didn’t want to believe it, not until I had proof. You were my proof.† â€Å"And that’s why you were disappointed?† Yeva drew the shawl more tightly around her. â€Å"No. In my dreams, you shone. You burned like a star, and I saw you as a warrior, someone who could do great deeds. Instead? You’ve sat around and moped. You’ve done nothing. You haven’t done what you came to do.† I studied her, wondering if she really knew what she was talking about. â€Å"And what is that exactly?† â€Å"You know what it is. I dreamed that, too.† I waited for more. When it didn’t come, I laughed. â€Å"Nice vague answer. You’re as bad as any scam fortune-teller.† Even in the darkness, I could see the anger kindle in her eyes. â€Å"You’ve come to search for Dimka. To try to kill him. You must find him.† â€Å"What do you mean ? ®try’?† I didn’t want to believe her, didn’t want to believe she might actually know my future. Nonetheless, I found myself getting hooked in. â€Å"Have you seen what happens? Do I kill him?† â€Å"I can’t see everything.† â€Å"Oh. Fantastic.† â€Å"I only saw that you must find him.† â€Å"But that’s all you’ve got? I already knew that!† â€Å"It’s what I saw.† I groaned. â€Å"Damn it, I don’t have time for these cryptic clues. If you can’t help me, then don’t say anything.† She stayed quiet. I slung my bag over my shoulder. â€Å"Fine. I’m leaving then.† And like that, I knew where I would go. â€Å"Tell the others†¦ well, tell them thank you for everything. And that I’m sorry.† â€Å"You’re doing the right thing,† she said. â€Å"This isn’t where you should be.† â€Å"So I’ve heard,† I muttered, walking away. I wondered if she’d say anything else: chastise me, curse me, give me more mysterious words of â€Å"wisdom.† But she stayed silent, and I didn’t look back. I had no home, not here and not in America. The only thing left for me was to do what I’d come to do. I had told Abe I kept my promises. I would. I’d leave Baia like I told him. And I’d kill Dimitri, as I’d promised myself I would. I knew where to go now. The address had never left my mind: 83 Kasakova. I didn’t know where it was, but once I reached the town’s center, I found a guy walking down the street who gave me directions. The address was close by, only about a mile, and I headed out at a brisk pace. When I reached the house, I was glad to see that the lights were still on. Even as pissed off and raging as I was, I didn’t want to wake anyone up. I also didn’t want to speak to Nikolai and was relieved when Denis opened the door. His expression was all astonishment when he saw me. Despite his bold words back at the church earlier, I don’t think he’d really believed I’d join him and the other unpromised ones. He was speechless, so I did the talking. â€Å"I changed my mind. I’m coming with you.† I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what came next. I’d promised Abe I’d leave Baia-but I hadn’t promised to return to the U.S. â€Å"Take me to Novosibirsk.†