Economic (OPEC Research Project) Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic (OPEC Project) - Research Paper Example This is because oil price is based on US dollar. The change in the value of dollar and how the currency of the importing nation is adjusted with the value of dollar determines the price and hence the demand for oil (Elekdag, 2007) OPEC try to maintain stability in oil supply by decreasing or increasing the amount of oil its member countries produce. They have spare capacity of oil production. OPEC has 80% of the oil reserves in the world. This enables them to supply oil to meet increased demand (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, 2010). The economic growth in many countries is enhancing the demand for oil. The world is dependent on oil as an energy source because alternative sources of energy are not available and those that are available are expensive. United States leads in oil import. The increasing number of vehicles and increase in population has increased the demand for oil (Elekdag, 2007). The world’s most powerful countries are dependent on OPEC for their oil supply. OPEC has oligopoly in the oil market. They have an impact on industrial society. They have a big role to play in the economic development of nations. Their power is demonstrated by the fact that the economies of the world will come to a standstill if they stop their oil supply. They can use this fact for their political advantage to increase their power and control the powerful economies of the world (Goodlaw & Et. Al., 2003). The Federal government has not been able to change their energy policies because the dependence on oil of these countries has not yet been reduced. Alternative sources of energy are not available. The energy policy is a sensitive issue and thus they could not afford to bring about a major change that could result in difficult situations (Obama Biden, 2010). The Federal policy should be reviewed. Overdependence on oil makes the country vulnerable and threatens national security. Alternative sources of energy like biofuels should be used.

To What Extent was Napoleon Master of Europe Essay Example for Free

To What Extent was Napoleon Master of Europe Essay I govern not as a general, but because the nation believes that I have the civilian qualities necessary to govern, to heal the wounds, to correct the extravagances, to secure the conquests, Napoleon Bonaparte. Was he really such a person a man of strength, determination and complete domination of Europe, or was he an over rated character, over exaggerated by the press and historians. Those are the questions, which I am going to answer in this composition. I acknowledge this question as asking the actual proportion of Napoleons domination over Europe, during his reign of Frances Emperor. He was well-renowned for the major reforms he made to France. During the revolution, Napoleon strongly supported the Jacobins, a debating society, which consisted of a committed group, dedicated to solving the Republican problems. They believed in establishing a strong centralised government and supported in maintaining peace in France while winning the war against his enemies. Napoleon did not change his opinions even when he came to power. He still maintained the practical ideas and logic during and after his reign. When Napoleon came to power, he changed the lives of many in France. He made many reforms, which before the revolution restricted civilians of doing such activities. He first established a centralised government, and worked on the peace and consolidation of France as this was what the people of France were aiming for before the revolution. He wanted stability. We have finished the romance of the Revolution we must now begin its history, only seeking for what is real and practicable in the application of its principles, and not what is speculative and hypothetical. He also declared other philosophical quotes. The Revolution is made fast on the principles on which it began; the Revolution is finished. These statements support the argument that the new regime was a break and the continuality of the past. He decided in order to dominate Europe he would have to permit stability and order in his France itself. He did exactly that. Once he came to power it was Napoleons leadership to combine the old France with the new. Religion was a huge factor in Frances daily troubles. Therefore Napoleon decided to reconcile the differences between the religions. The main reason for such a rivalry between the religions was that, during the revolution, France was de-Christianised. Millions of Catholics were outraged at such a move. In western France, where Catholics were strong in many, formed rebel groups and tried to overthrow the government at that time, and stop the revolution before any other outrageous reforms were made. On the 15 July 1801, Napoleon signed the Concordat, permitting Catholicism, as the main religion is France. They did not hurry to make it an established religion, as Britain had done. In doing so, the Concordat also allowed protestants and Jews to practice their religion and retain their civil rights and freedoms. This settled the argument between the religions and once again, people of different backgrounds were allowed to walk out of their house without getting hard glares or insults flung onto them. Not only did this restore peace in France, but it also made Napoleon very popular among the priest. All were allowed to believe in what they wanted to believe in without the government or politics interfering in their way. After promoted Consul for life by the senates, with increased confidence, Napoleon started making reforms in the way France should be run. In secondary schools, he created the lycee. The environment of these schools would be run with strict military disciplined. The students in these schools learnt everything that was programmed by the government and took the Baccalaureate to enter university. Science and mathematics increased in importance in secondary schools. The school were extremely selective and it was difficult to get in. Napoleons greatest achievement was probably the Napoleons code, which was a Civil law, produced in 1804. Throughout history, these laws have always been a spectacle to read, as it showed the equality Napoleon tried to share among his people. Those of the most complex codes, existing for centuries, had been simplified in this code. The main codes were that the suspected would be guaranteed a trial, there were no special rights among the people, privileges and feudal rights ended, and parents had control over their children. One could call Napoleon a bit sexist to woman. In this code he included that wives were not permitted to sell anything away, and wives could not own their own property without the consent of their husband. This once again showed Napoleon, as not only just a military general, but also a strategist, improving France to its potential. This truly showed his leadership in his own country, but also a person to be feared of, throughout the leaders of Europe, striking fear into countries like Britain, Austria and Germany. The other side of the argument is Napoleons soon domination when becoming king. He seems to be a bit similar to Macbeth, in the way that he is a bit paranoid in others competing for his place: To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus. Napoleon began to censor newspaper articles concerning the governments actions. From 32 newspapers he reduced the number to 4 in five years. Ironically it seemed contrary to what his leadership was all about when he censored the newspapers. Napoleon having complete control over the publics opinion controlled the newspapers, which remained in France. It was sort of a restriction of liberty and free-say in the world, the individuals opinion on an issue would not be published. Certainly, Napoleon was highly distinguished as the best of the best war generals existed in this world. Was he really a brilliant war general or was he just general picking easy fights against weak opponents? The Siege of Toulon was a battle against the British soldiers who had captured the town. Napoleon was not at his height yet and was only in command of the French army gunnders, bombarding the French. He was quickly promoted for his victory. This shows that Napoleon was not just a good strategist, but also a person ideal for weaponry combat. After being victorious in Egypt, Napoleon got the agreement from the Directory to an expedition in Egypt. It was hoped to threaten the English power and trade in Egypt. It was going to be an easy victory against the weak Egyptians. It was therefore called the Battle of the Pyramids and, then there was a sudden craze for Egyptian fashions. In fact in Egypt, their expedition was going down the other way. Due to the conditions and the inadequate supply of food and water, Napoleons army was getting into sickness and plague. In August 1789 Nelson, the British general defeated the French navy at the Battle of Aboukir Bay. His expedition was so close to failure. Napoleon left his soldiers, and went back to France, in defeat. The most famous battle in history could be said of the Battle of Trafalgar. It all started when the French army refused to leave Holland. The British were afraid that Napoleon would conquer Holland and capture a great trading spot. Napoleon decided to start an invasion with Britain. Britain had the famous, large navy, whereas Napoleon had the large soldiers. Napoleon was the completely controller of this campaign. He built a new port, ordered the navigations for the ships and even wrote a song to go along with it! The Spanish joined in the alliance with France but both countries lost the battle at Trafalgar. In the end this was a failure since Napoleon realised that his navy will never be a strong as the British, so he rescinded the idea to the Directory of declaring war. A lot of money was wasted in the end since, the French civilians had to pay higher taxes, due to the fact that the war was extremely expensive. The battle of Marengo was a victorious battle that Napoleon won against the Austrians. Napoleon withheld his peace and honour. He beat the Austrians, all through strategy. He tricked the Austrians into chasing a small group of French soldiers. While the Austrians chased them, Napoleons army attacked from the rear, creating a huge surprise for the Austrians. During this surprise attack he spread his generals out, so the Austrians could not escape them. Desaix, the Austrians general came in to save the day. There was a certain amount of confusion that actually won the battle, but many historians says that Napoleon came out victorious. The French defeated the Austrians later that year and the Austrians made peace with France that year. During 1802, Napoleon made peace with Britain. The peace made him even more popular when he came back to France, as it had been the first time in 10 years, Europe had been in peace. The peace eventually did not last and practically the whole of Europe formed another Coalition in 1805. Through a series of battles, Napoleon beat the whole coalition beating Britain, Russia, and Austria at the same time. A few battles against the Austrian armies were at Ulm and Austerlitz, which as I will not elaborate on these battles, proved to be a great victory. Soon Napoleon began controlling mostly of entire Europe. By ruling smaller villages, they provided him food, money and resources in return for protection under his reign. There was too much land that he spread it all among his brothers. This truly also depicts of his domination in Europe, to be able to share land among four brothers. The Bonapartes reformed Europe to a kind of France itself. They followed French ways to rule and organise a country. Obviously there were some disadvantages with their rule. The conquered country had to supply troops to the French. The German states contributed 560 million francs. People around Europe began hating the French. Their domination was proven to control Europe and, they were beginning to become too powerful. All of the powerful countries were beginning to fear the French so much since they were growing in such size. Many painters, especially Spanish, depicted the French soldiers as being cruel and ruthless. This just displays how much Napoleon had dominated Europe that people were beginning to fear his mighty presence, and were jealous of his victories. The continental system was a order forbidding states under his control to trade with Britain. He wanted to make Britain yield to his power since he quoted: Britain is a nation of shopkeepers Bonaparte though that Britain could not survive with trade. The continental system was simply a failure. Bonaparte was greedy and wanted Spain under his liege. They were friends with the British and he really wanted to stop trading. Portugal turned against the invasion of the French and fought for several years using the Guerrilla tactic. The Peninsular War it was called where failure was inevitable. The Spanish people did not welcome the Frenchs intrusion and wanted them out. They ended up leaving Spain, damaged by the attacks. Russia left the system as it was loosing too much money. Napoleon wanted to force Tsar, Russian Emporer to go along with this system, since Russia were big traders, so Bonaparte force a war upon the Russians. The problem with Napoleon, which led him to failure was that he was overly ambitious and egotistical. As time went on, and he became victorious, he became too confident in himself as a leader. He did not know when to stop his domination spree and once he kept on winning, he wanted to achieve more, and if it werent for his failure in the Russian campaign, he would have been spurred onto greater heights, probably next going after Asia or so. Right before the war had started Napoleon boasted that the war against Russia would not take until winter to complete. In fact he was wrong, very, very wrong. He entered Russia presuming that Russia was like any other country he beat. He presumed that they will leave food, resources on the lands for them to use. He thought that the winter will come early and affects his armies progress. They were fighting two wars at that time. Four problems severely affected his army. Napoleon lost 400,000 men in two months. In the end, as he was forced to leave France due to his failure of the Russian campaign, Napoleon fled to Elba. He came back to France for his combat. The British and Prussian forces were collaborating further to erase Frances domination in Europe and they needed his leadership to guide them through the war against Europe. Europe was coming in for the kill. In addition to this Frances economy was collapsing. They needed Napoleon back. He was greeted with much respect when he re-entered France to regain his title as Emperor. He stood in a crowd of thousands, tens of thousands to proclaim to the: If anyone wishes to kill me, they can do so now. Instead, the confluence of people stood on their feet and chanted Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, several times. He was back to work. Napoleon concluded the only way to stop the war against Europe, was to stop the troops from Britain and Prussia from coming into France. He decided that he needed to attack them before they entered France and it was too late. The Duke of Wellington was his enemy. He was renowned for having the best defences in Europe alone. Describes as having nerves of steel, the Duke brought 68,000 men. Another 52.300 were expected to come from the Prussians army. The Prussians general was Blà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cher. Napoleons chances were slim. He only had 72,000 men. Before he entered the battle he quoted I thought fortune was leaving me, already displaying his distrust of his luck and the outcome of this battle. The night before the battle, it rained. The Duke of Wellington positioned his men on the bridge. It was Napoleons time to attack. Risking everything, he ordered all of his troops to attack through one frontal attack. The British formed squares and waited for the French army to come. Napoleon was living in a dream world. He ordered his cavalry to attack from the British soldiers. It was a massacre. With 74 guns in the front line, the British just gave the French a barrage of fire, on and on and on. Napoleon did not stand a chance. His cavalry were destroyed. The English soldiers were fairly battered up, and the Prussian troops just came in to time to settle the score. Napoleon sent in the National Guard the most feared of his troops. Again and again he soldiers were shot down with the arms of the alliance forces. In less than 12 hours Napoleon was defeated at the battle of Waterloo. On June 22nd 1815, 4 days after the battle. Napoleon begged for mercy from the triumphant English, wishing to reside in a country house in Britain. The British just answered St Helena. St Helena was an island situated in the middle of nowhere. It was an island 10 miles far, 6 miles wide. He was a prisoner in this island with 2 ships and 2000 soldiers guarding it. He was assigned a wooden bungalow, with no communications outside this island. He got fairly depressed on this island without anyone to speak to. To die is not a problem, but to be defeated, it is like to die everyday. Bonaparte decided that his last campaign in life will be one devoted to the use of language. He wrote articles, read all the books he could find, and expressed his downfalls and his glistening heights. Napoleon decided to leave a legacy behind for the world in the future, present and past upon. As you can see above, I conclude that after all Napoleon was a great leader, but with the egotistical and over-confidence, he never eventually was the Master of Europe for a long period of time. He won a lot and lost a lot in a few years, which in my consideration, he was the master of Europe throughout his lifespan of domination. Although one can see from what I have said and described above, Napoleon lived a life to be admired by, brought France together and increased Frances land and domination. Quoting My business is to succeed, and Im good at it. I create my Iliad by my actions, create it day by day, Napoleon will always be considerate throughout future as a fierce master of Europe, even through a limited amount of time, he will be a person to be forever admired by historians and people alike.

The Independent Learning For Nursing Nursing Essay

The Independent Learning For Nursing Nursing Essay Reflection is a way to look back on what a person came across on a certain event (Bulman and Schutz, 2008). The target of this reflective essay is for me to mull over on what I have learned from my direct experiences on placement. I opt to utilise on this reflective essay, A Model of Structured Reflection, by Driscoll (2007). This Model has three questions, namely: what, so what and now what. These questions must be answered by me relative to the experiences I acquired from my placement. Hence, I chose to take advantage on Driscolls model as it is very handy to apply even with or without a paper and pen. All I need to bring to mind is the aforementioned three questions. I will discuss what I think it matters most to me during my two weeks practice placement and give analysis whether I gained knowledge and understanding based from the learning plan I prepared prior to my placement; thereby continually apply it in every situation I may undergo (Howatson-Jones, 2010). I spent my whole duration of the introductory period of duty experience in the ward. On my first day, the Ward Manager introduced me to her team. She told me that my mentor was not around on that day. Thus, she handed me over to the nurse in-charge. As I arrived on an early shift, I duly observed the handover of patients from the night shift staff to the day shift staff. Handover is a daily reporting of patients status to the incoming shift for the provision of continuity of care (Wywialowski, 2003). As a neophyte, I was a bit muddled up on how the night nurse was endorsing the patient; however, I was attentive on what she was doing so I could learn from such activity. There are acronyms on the handover that they used that I could not understand, as a consequence, I made a point that I must familiarise and memorise the medical terms. Even though I am supernumerary I strongly desire to a part and parcel of the team whilst learning (Jelphs and Dickinson, 2008). After the handover, the nurse instructed me to be with the Health Care Assistant (HCA) for the time being so that I can be acquainted with patients and adapt with the daily routine. Indeed, favoured that the HCA was willing to help me. She taught me the safer way on handling patients whilst maintaining their dignity and respect (Tschudin, 2003). She demonstrated proper use the Blood Glucose monitor and how to document it on patients chart (The Global Diabetes Community, 2013). In addition, she told me that if the patient is not on closed observation, normally they take the vital signs every four hourly. The days have gone by so quick; I was productive on my day to day experience as a student nurse. I never wasted my time just standing there without accomplishing anything at the end of my shift. Motivated with my passion of extending care to patients, I find joy and fulfilment in rendering services for them, such as assisting them to the toilet and giving a hand to those who are unable to look after themsel ves. I became certain on writing down the nursing care plan of a patient (Lloyd, 2010), observed the Nasogastric tube (NGT) (Macmillan Cancer Support, 2013) and Electrocardiogram (ECG) procedures done by the staff nurse and HCA respectively (British Heart Foundation, 2013). I volunteered myself as well to get the take away medication of the patient from the Pharmacy. Furthermore, I have learned how to fill up the Nursing Assessment forms for a newly admitted patient. I accomplished the said forms by means of communicating with the patient and family. I have mentioned the word communicating as there was a non-spoken English patient admitted because of lower back pain. In complying with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of Professional Conduct (2010) about confidentiality, I will be using a pseudonym for her. I was aware that English is not her first language; hence, Mrs. C cannot speak and comprehend well. When I went to her bedside to take her vital signs, I have seen the grimace caused by pain on her lower back. I asked if she was in pain at that moment, she suddenly nodded her head whilst touching her lower back (White, 2005). I reported to the nurse right away that Mrs. C was in pain, and based on her Drug Chart she was due for another dose of pain killer. I had administrated the said medication under the supervision of the nurse (NMC, 2010). On the next day, I informed Mrs. C through the use of verbal and non-verbal gestures that she will undergo Colonoscopy to check whats causing her pain (Sully and Dallas, 2010). We waited for her nephew before accompanying them in the Gastroenterology Department as she needs somebody else to translate the procedure to be done. Since it was my first time to watch a patient undergoing such procedure, I grabbed the opportunity to request from the Specialist Nurse if I can be allowed inside to observe the procedure which she willingly approved. I was grateful that her nephew told me that his aunt wanted me to acc ompany her in the Colonoscopy room despite without asking permission (NMC, 2010). During the procedure, I sat next to Mrs. C whilst holding her hand as she was feeling uneasy with the endoscope inserted into her anus. The Specialist Nurse has given me few insights relative to what she was trying to look inside the colon of Mrs. C. I was privileged for having an exquisite time of basic understanding about Colonoscopy (BUPA, 2011). After the procedure, Mrs. C has given me a hug and was very thankful. I smiled and responded that it was my pleasure to assist her. Afterwards, we went back to the ward, and before I left Mrs. C on her bed with the assurance that she was comfortable and safe, her nephew expressed his appreciation for looking after his aunt whilst he was not around. Moreover, Mrs. C told him about me being there rubbing her lower back when she was in agony. I felt flattered on how they recognised my presence in assisting and comforting her. On the above scenario, I suppose I have achieved one of my learning needs, that is, the effective communication between patient and me as a student nurse. Despite the inability of Mrs. C to express herself verbally, I was so sensitive observing her gestures and actions, thus, I can extend the appropriate care and assistance she needed. By intently looking at her countenance, I can interpret what she was trying to convey to me; henceforth, I was able to address her needs. I have realised that verbal and non-verbal communications in nursing are very vital in rendering quality care. As a student nurse, I should not let language be a hindrance in giving the nursing intervention for the patients quick recovery (Andrews and Boyle, 2008). Care of people is the priority of all nurses; this is one of the four principles of NMC Code (2010). The provision of care for the patient should be done in a holistic approach which includes their daily living activities (Newton, 1991). A simple act of ca re means a lot to the patient and therefore, this must be instilled in the heart of every nurse (Department of Health, 2010). As for me I will surely put into practice what I have learned from this placement. Another learning need that I partially accomplished was being able to observe how to perform the Colonoscopy procedure. To supplement what I have observed, I did some informative readings. In summary, I was able to see the nurses duties and responsibilities. Such as, how they manage to give the best nursing interventions in a busy ward, how they collaborate to other health professionals for updating the patients care plan and how they attend to patients with care and compassion. I am fully aware that most patients usually depend on nurses as they are the ones who provide direct care for them (Altman, 2010). I do believe that nursing is a never ending process of learning; hence, nurses are oblige to update their trainings and continue to learn more by reading evidence-based practice resources for self-enrichment (Sackett et al., 1996). As a student, I have to be dedicated, motivated and inspired to achieve my ambitions in life; continually accepting any challenge for my personal development (Maslow, 1954). For the meantime, I will set my goals on what I want to learn; recognising any learning outcome on my learning plan as this will draw me closer to my aspiration, to b e a Qualified Nurse (Peate, 2006). My two weeks practice experience was superlative. The Faculty of Nursing in the hospital provided teaching sessions that will develop us to become competent in our chosen field (McNiff, 1993). All the staff in the ward where I worked with were supportive and compassionate. I am looking forward for my next placement, for me to implement what I have learned from my previous one, and be able to identify new learning opportunities. In conclusion, practice placement is an opportunity of experience, an opportunity of new learning and an opportunity of development.

Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl and The Signalman by Charles Dickens :: Comparing

In my essay I will be comparing the two short stories Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl and The Signalman by Charles Dickens. Comparing Short Stories In my essay I will be comparing the two short stories 'Lamb to the Slaughter' by Roald Dahl and 'The Signalman' by Charles Dickens. They both contain a twist in the tale and use the Macabre Tale Genre. The scenes are very different from on another and show different uses of language as Lamb to the slaughter uses 1900 text and The Signalman uses 20th Century text. The opening of Lamb to the slaughter gives the reader no reason to believe anything bad is going to happen. It starts off normal and uses words such as warm, clean and tranquil to paint the picture of the house being calm and a nice place. Though at the beginning of The Signalman it gives words such as gloomy and angry sunset to portray it is quite a scary maybe a dark and cold place. The Signalman is set in a 'Signal-box by a gloomy railway cutting with its dark tunnel' Lamb to the slaughter, being set in a house is completely different and delivers more of a calm and peaceful atmosphere. They don't seem to have many similarities. The theme to The Signalman is that of a man describing his experience of meeting a Signalman being haunted by a ghost. This ghost seemed to be warning him of hid death. It involves the two main characters, the narrator and the signalman. The Signalman described by the narrator, 'His attitude was one of such expectation and watchfulness' The narrator is not described throughout the story. The theme to Lamb to the slaughter is that of a husband and his wife. It is set in their house and their wife murders her husband with a leg of lamb. It is a story that tells us of how she tries to cover up the murder and tries to get the blame away from her and destroys all the evidence. The wife is described as, 'Her skin had acquired a wonderful translucent quality, the mouth was soft, and the eyes with their new placid look, seemed larger, darker than before.' The husband is described as having 'A warm male glow that came out of him' And the 'Far look in his eyes when they rested on her, the funny slope of the mouth.' These are things that the writer has written that the wife thinks about Patrick, her husband. I like the character of the wife because I like the way she covers up her murdering her husband.

The Golden Lily Chapter 10

THE SAN DIEGO TRIP continued to bother me, even though I knew I should let it go. As I often reminded myself, Adrian wasn't my concern, not like Jill and the others. Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about the terrible confrontation with him and Nathan – or Adrian's face afterwards. I felt even worse when a worried Eddie came to talk to me about Jill during breakfast on the following Monday. â€Å"Something's wrong with her,† he told me. Immediately, I looked up toward the cafeteria line, where Jill was waiting with her tray. There was a vacant look on her face, like she was barely aware of her surroundings. Even with no magical talent for auras, I could practically see the misery radiating off of her. â€Å"Micah's noticed it too,† Eddie added. â€Å"But we don't know anything that could be upsetting her this much. Is it because of Lia? Or is she being harassed again?† In that moment, I wasn't sure who I felt worse for: Adrian, Jill – or Eddie. There was practically as much pain in Eddie as there was in Jill. Oh, Eddie, I thought. Why do you keep doing this to yourself? He was clearly worried about her but wouldn't dare approach her or offer comfort. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with Jill. It's Adrian, and she's feeling it through the bond. He's going through a rough time.† I offered no more details on Adrian's situation. It wasn't my story to tell. Eddie's face darkened a little. â€Å"It's not fair that she has to endure his moods.† â€Å"I don't know,† I said. â€Å"Seems like it might be a fair trade for her being alive.† Adrian using spirit to bring Jill back from the dead was still a troubling matter for me. Every bit of Alchemist training I had said that kind of magic was wrong, far worse than any of the other magic I'd witnessed. One could even argue that what he'd managed was only a few steps away from the undead immortality of Strigoi. At the same time, whenever I saw Jill bright and alive, I was convinced that Adrian had done a good thing. I'd meant it when I said as much to him in San Diego. â€Å"I suppose,† said Eddie. â€Å"I wish there was a way she could block him out. Or at least a way to make him a little less moody.† I shook my head. â€Å"From what I've heard, Adrian was like that long before Jill was shadow-kissed.† Still, that conversation stuck with me, and I spent the day asking myself: what could I do to make Adrian happier? A new father obviously wasn't possible. I would have tried that on myself years ago if I could. Slushes were also out, partially because they only offered ten minutes of comfort and because I was still recovering from the last one. An idea finally came to me later on, but it wasn't one I could easily implement. In fact, I knew my superiors would say it was nothing I should even attempt – which is why I decided to do it in a way that wouldn't leave an e-mail or paper trail. I couldn't do it today, however, so I made a mental note to deal with it later. Besides, who could say? Maybe Adrian would shake off the effects of his fatherly encounter on his own. These hopes were actually reinforced when I saw Jill the next day at a school assembly. Assemblies like this were still a new concept to me, and we'd had exactly two since school started. One had been a welcoming gathering during our first week. The other had been a pep rally to cheer on the football team before Homecoming. Today's was called â€Å"Healthy Lifestyles.† I couldn't figure out what it was about or why it was important enough to interrupt my chemistry class. We were seated by grade in the school's gym, putting Jill and me in separate sections of the bleachers. Craning my neck to get a glimpse of her, I saw her sitting down near the front with Angeline and several friends she'd made through Micah. They'd welcomed her easily once they got to know her, which wasn't a surprise with how nice she was. Even Laurel, a girl who'd once tormented Jill, now gave her a friendly look. Angeline said something that made Jill laugh, and, overall, there was definitely an improvement in Jill's attitude. A very big improvement, judging from how much she was giggling. My spirits rose. Maybe Adrian really had bounced back. â€Å"Can someone tell me what this is about?† I asked. I had Eddie and Micah on one side of me, Trey on the other. â€Å"It's this group that comes to school and gives presentations about things like drugs and safe sex,† explained Micah. He was pretty active in student government, so I wasn't surprised he knew about today's agenda. â€Å"Those are kind of big topics,† I said. â€Å"Isn't this just supposed to be an hour? Doesn't seem like they can really provide thorough coverage of these issues.† â€Å"I think it's just supposed to be a quick overview,† said Trey. â€Å"Not like they're trying to do a seminar or anything.† â€Å"Well,† I declared. â€Å"They should.† â€Å"Did we miss anything?† Julia and Kristin pushed their way through others and squeezed themselves in between Trey and me. Trey didn't seem to mind. â€Å"We're trying to explain the point of this to Sydney,† Trey told them. â€Å"I thought the point was to get out of class,† said Julia. Kristin rolled her eyes. â€Å"This'll show you what you were missing by being homeschooled, Sydney.† Nothing could have prepared me for the spectacle that followed – mostly because never in my craziest dreams had I imagined weighty social issues would be addressed in musical numbers. The group performing for us called themselves Koolin' Around, and the inappropriate use of that K was nearly enough to make me walk out then and there. Before each song, they'd give a quick and totally vague info-blurb about the topic or – even worse – a skit. These little lectures always began with, â€Å"Hey, kids!† The first song was called â€Å"STDs Are Not for Me.† That was when I took out my math homework. â€Å"Come on,† Eddie told me, laughing. â€Å"It's not that bad. And people should know about this stuff.† â€Å"Exactly,† I said, not looking up from my homework. â€Å"In trying to be ‘hip' and ‘relatable,' they're trivializing issues that need to be taken more seriously.† The only time I tuned in again was when Koolin' Around had moved on to the evils of alcohol. One of the lyrics in their particularly atrocious song was, â€Å"Don't listen to what your friends say / Bourbon will totally ruin your day.† â€Å"Ugh. That's it,† I muttered. I sought out Jill again. She was watching with kind of a stunned disbelief, but just like earlier, there was none of that despair or melancholy. Some gut instinct told me why she'd had the mood change. Adrian hadn't snapped out of his gloom. Most likely he was drinking his way through it. Sometimes Jill would pick up some of the sillier side effects of intoxication – like the giggling I'd observed earlier – but eventually, alcohol actually numbed the spirit bond. The bright side of his indulgence was that it spared her some of his depression. The down side was that she could actually suffer the physical effects of a hangover later. Koolin' Around mercifully reached their last song, a big production number celebrating the joys of feeling good and living a healthy, happy lifestyle. They pulled up members of the student body to dance with them, earning a variety of reactions. Some students just stood there frozen and embarrassed, wearing expressions that said they were counting the seconds until this ended. Other students – particularly those who normally sought attention in class – made the biggest, most outlandish spectacle they could of themselves. â€Å"Sydney.† The warning note in Eddie's voice stopped me as I was about to return to my homework. That kind of concern could only be reserved for Jill, and I immediately looked at her again. Only, she wasn't the issue. Angeline was. One of the Koolin' Around members was trying to coax her out and even grabbed her hand. Angeline shook her head emphatically, but the guy seemed oblivious. Angeline might be okay around wild dances in the backwoods of West Virginia, but this was not a situation she was comfortable with. To be fair, what happened next wasn't entirely her fault. He really should have left her alone when she said no, but I guess he was too caught up in his feel-good mood. He actually managed to drag her to her feet, and that's when Angeline made her disapproval perfectly clear. She punched him. It was pretty impressive since the guy had almost a foot on her in height. I supposed that came from Eddie's training in how to take out taller Moroi. The guy staggered backward and fell, hitting the floor hard. There was a gasp from most of the students sitting nearby, though only one of the band members – a guitarist – noticed. The rest kept on singing and dancing. The guitarist hurried forward to her fallen colleague and must have threatened Angeline's personal space because Angeline punched her too. â€Å"Eddie, do something!† I said. He turned to me in astonishment. â€Å"Like what? I'd never make it there in time.† It was true. We were two thirds of the way up in the bleachers, surrounded by others. I could only watch helplessly as the rest of the spectacle unfolded. The band soon caught on that something was terribly wrong, and their music faltered, finally coming to silence. Meanwhile, a group of teachers had rushed the floor, trying to pry Angeline away from Koolin' Around's bass player. There was a frantic look in her eyes, like a trapped animal that had gone beyond reason and only wanted escape. The teachers finally managed to restrain her, but not before she'd thrown a speaker at the lead singer (she missed) and punched the school's shop teacher. Trey leaned forward, mouth gaping. â€Å"That's your cousin? Wow.† I didn't even bother responding. All I could think about was how in the world I was going to do damage control this time. Fighting was a serious offense in and of itself. I couldn't even imagine what attacking a motivational musical group would elicit. â€Å"She took out, like, three people twice her size!† Kristin exclaimed. â€Å"And I mean took out. Knocked them to the floor.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† I said dismally. â€Å"I'm right here. I saw it all.† â€Å"How was she even able to do that?† asked Julia. â€Å"I taught her some moves,† remarked Eddie in disbelief. Unsurprisingly, no one even bothered sending this to Mrs. Weathers. Angeline was referred directly to the principal and vice principal. After her display, maybe they felt there was safety in numbers. It may have been Mrs. Weathers's recommendation or simply the fact that our fictitious parents (and â€Å"cousin† Angeline's) were notoriously hard to get a hold of, but I was asked to accompany her when she met with the administration. My pre-briefing with Angeline was short and to the point. â€Å"You will act apologetic and contrite,† I told her as we sat outside the principal's office. â€Å"What's contrite mean?† â€Å"Apologetic.† â€Å"Then why didn't you just say – â€Å" â€Å"And,† I continued. â€Å"If pushed for reasons, you will say you were overwhelmed and panicked. You'll say you don't know what came over you.† â€Å"But I didn't – â€Å" â€Å"And you will not mention how stupid they were or say anything negative whatsoever.† â€Å"But they are – â€Å" â€Å"In fact, don't speak at all unless you're asked something directly. If you let me handle this, it'll be over fast.† Angeline apparently took that to heart because she crossed her arms and glared at me, refusing to say anything else. When we were ushered into the office, the principal and vice principal – Mrs. Welch and Mr. Redding, respectively – were both sitting on the same side of one desk. They were side by side, presenting a united front that again made me think they feared for their lives. â€Å"Miss McCormick,† began Mrs. Welch. â€Å"I hope you know that what you did was completely out of line.† McCormick was Angeline's fake last name around here. â€Å"Violence and fighting of any kind are not tolerated at Amberwood,† said Mr. Redding. â€Å"We have high standards – standards meant to ensure the safety of everyone at this school – and expect our students to adhere to them. None of your other violations of school rules come close to what you did today.† â€Å"Even if we didn't have those other transgressions on file, there can be no question here,† said Mrs. Welch. â€Å"There is no place for you at Amberwood.† My stomach sank. Expulsion. Although the Keepers weren't entirely uneducated, her academic background had hardly been up to that of average high school students in the modern world. She was in a lot of remedial classes, and getting her into Amberwood at all had been quite a feat. Expulsion wasn't as bad as someone investigating how a petite girl like her could do so much damage, but it still wasn't an outcome I wanted. I could already imagine one of my superiors asking, why didn't you realize how volatile the school was making her? To which I would have to respond: because I've been too busy going on dates and helping vampires who aren't my concern. â€Å"Do you have anything to say for yourself before we notify your parents?† asked Mrs. Welch. They looked at Angeline expectantly. I braced myself for an irrational tirade. Instead, Angeline managed to produce some tears which, I had to admit, certainly looked contrite. â€Å"I†¦ I panicked,† she said. â€Å"I don't know what came over me. So much happened at once, and that guy was so scary, and I just freaked out. I felt threatened. I wanted everyone to get away from me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was nearly convinced, probably because it was seeded with truth. Angeline had had a number of flustered moments at Amberwood, no matter her bravado. There were more people at the school than had been in her mountain community, and she'd been so overwhelmed in her first week that we'd had to take turns escorting her to class. I really should've been paying more attention to her. Mr. Redding looked a tiny bit sympathetic – but not enough to change his mind. â€Å"I'm sure that must have been hard, but it was hardly reason for you to act in that way. Injuring three people and damaging expensive audio visual equipment were in no way appropriate responses.† Understatement. I was tired of the formalities and needed to fix things before they escalated further. I leaned forward in my chair. â€Å"You know what else isn't appropriate? A thirty-year-old guy – because that's how old he was, no matter how young and cool they were trying to be – grabbing a fifteen-year-old girl. It was bad enough that he did so when she clearly didn't want to go with him. The point is he never should have touched her in the first place. She's a minor. If a teacher did that, he'd be fired. I've read the book teachers are given from your HR department.† It had been an attempt to see if Ms. Terwilliger was abusing me. â€Å"Medical emergencies and breaking up a fight are the only times teachers can lay hands on students. Now, you might argue that that guy wasn't a teacher or employed by the school, but his group was invited here by the school – which is obligated to keep its students safe. You're a private school, but I'm certain the California Department of Education would have a few things to say about what happened here today – as will Angeline's father, who's a lawyer.† He was actually the leader of a bunch of mountain vampires and had multiple wives, but that was beside the point. I looked back and forth between Mrs. Welch and Mr. Redding's faces. â€Å"Now then. Shall we renegotiate your position?† Angeline was in awe after we left the office and went back to our dorm. â€Å"Suspension,† she exclaimed, a bit too much joy in her voice for my liking. â€Å"I really just get to skip class? That sounds more like a reward.† â€Å"You still have to keep up with your homework,† I warned. â€Å"And you can't leave the dorm. Don't even think about sneaking out because that will get you expelled, and I won't be able to save you again.† â€Å"Still,† she said, practically skipping, â€Å"this was all pretty easy.† I came to a halt in front of her, forcing her to face me. â€Å"It was not easy. You got off on a technicality. You've continually resisted efforts to follow the rules around here, and today – well, that was off the charts. You aren't back home. The only time you should even think about fighting here is if Jill is attacked. That's why you're here. Not to do whatever you want. You said you were up to the challenge of protecting her. If you get expelled – and it's a miracle you weren't – she's at risk. So get in line or start packing for home. And for God's sake, leave Eddie alone.† Her face had been kindling with anger as I spoke, but that last bit caught her off guard. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"I mean, you constantly throwing yourself at him.† She sniffed. â€Å"That's how you show a guy you like him.† â€Å"Maybe among the uncivilized! Here you need to back off and start acting like a responsible human being – er, dhampir. Whatever. You're making him miserable! Besides, you're supposed to be cousins. You're screwing up our cover.† Angeline's jaw dropped. â€Å"I†¦ I'm making him miserable?† I almost felt bad for her. The look of shock on her face was so great that it was obvious she really hadn't known what she was doing to Eddie was wrong. I was too worked up to feel much sympathy right then, though. Jill had acted out when we'd first arrived, and that had been just as frustrating. I'd come to enjoy our peace, and now Angeline was threatening all of that. Unlike Jill, she didn't seem to realize it, and I didn't know if that made things better or worse. I left an upset and frustrated Angeline off at her dorm room and also verified with Jill that Adrian had indeed been drinking. That and my agitation were more than enough to make me want to leave campus, if only for the escape. Brayden had asked earlier if I wanted to go out, but I wasn't up to that. I sent a quick text: Can't go out tonight. Family stuff. Then I headed off to Clarence's. I'd called ahead to make sure Dimitri and Sonya were there since I had no interest in having a one-on-one visit with the ancient Moroi. He wasn't around when I arrived. I found Dimitri and Sonya huddled over some cards with blots of dried blood, speculating on how to proceed. â€Å"It'd be interesting to get Strigoi blood and see if anything happened when I applied spirit,† she was saying. â€Å"Do you think you could manage that?† â€Å"Gladly,† said Dimitri. They noticed me. As soon as she looked up, Sonya asked, â€Å"What's wrong?† I didn't even bother asking how she knew. My face probably said more than my aura did. â€Å"Angeline got into a brawl with a motivational group at school.† Dimitri and Sonya exchanged looks. â€Å"Maybe we should go get some dinner,† he said. He grabbed a set of keys from the table. â€Å"Let's go downtown.† I never would've imagined that I'd look forward to going out with a Moroi and a dhampir. It was yet another sign of how far I'd advanced – or regressed, by Alchemist standards. Compared to most of the other people in my life, Dimitri and Sonya were grounded and stable. It was refreshing. I gave them a rundown of Angeline's behavior, as well as my thinly veiled legal threat. That part seemed to amuse Sonya. â€Å"Smart,† she said, twirling spaghetti on a fork. â€Å"Maybe you should be in law school instead of the Alchemists.† Dimitri found it less funny. â€Å"Angeline came here to do a job. She wanted out of the Keepers and swore she'd devote every waking minute to protecting Jill.† â€Å"There has been a bit of a culture shock,† I admitted, unsure as to why I was defending Angeline. â€Å"And those guys today†¦ I mean, if they'd tried to get me to join their sing-along, I probably would've punched them too.† â€Å"Unacceptable,† said Dimitri. He used to be a combat instructor, and I could understand why. â€Å"She's here on a mission. What she did was reckless and irresponsible.† Sonya gave him a sly smile. â€Å"And here I thought you had a soft spot for reckless young girls.† â€Å"Rose never would have done anything like that,† he countered. He paused to reconsider, and I could've sworn there was the hint of a smile there. â€Å"Well, at least not in such a public setting.† Once the Angeline topic was put to rest, I brought up the reason I'd come here. â€Å"So†¦ no experiments today?† Even Sonya's good nature faltered. â€Å"Ah. No, not exactly. We've gone over some notes on our own, but Adrian hasn't been†¦ he hasn't been quite up to the research this week. Or up to going to class.† Dimitri nodded. â€Å"I was over there earlier. He could barely answer the door. No idea what he'd been drinking, but whatever it was, he'd had a lot.† Considering their rocky relationship, I would've expected disdain in discussing Adrian's vices. Instead, Dimitri sounded disappointed, as though he'd expected better. â€Å"That's what I wanted to talk to you about,† I said. I'd eaten little of my dinner and was nervously tearing a roll into pieces. â€Å"Adrian's current mood isn't entirely his fault. I mean, it is, but I can kind of understand it. You know we saw his dad this weekend, right? Well†¦ it didn't go well.† There was a knowing glint in Dimitri's dark eyes. â€Å"I'm not surprised. Nathan Ivashkov isn't the easiest man to get along with.† â€Å"He sort of tore down everything Adrian's been trying to do. I tried to make a case for Adrian, but Mr. Ivashkov wouldn't listen. That's why I was wondering if you guys could help.† Sonya couldn't hide her surprise. â€Å"I'd gladly help Adrian, but something tells me Nathan's not going to really put much stock in what we have to say.† â€Å"That's not what I was thinking.† I gave up on the bread and dropped all the pieces to my plate. â€Å"You guys are both close to the queen. Maybe you could get her to tell Adrian's dad how†¦ I don't know. What an asset he's been. How much he's been helping. Obviously, she couldn't explain exactly what he's doing, but anything might help. Mr. Ivashkov won't listen to Adrian or anyone else, but he'd have to take a commendation from the queen seriously. If she'd do it.† Dimitri looked thoughtful. â€Å"Oh, she'd do it. She's always had a soft spot for him. Everyone seems to.† â€Å"No,† I said stubbornly. â€Å"Not everyone. There's a split. Half condemn him and write him off as useless like his dad. The other half just shrug and indulge him and say, ‘Well, that's Adrian.'† Sonya studied me carefully, a trace of that amusement returning. â€Å"And you?† â€Å"I don't think he should be babied or disregarded. If you expect him to do great things, he will.† Sonya said nothing right away, and I shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. I didn't like when she looked at me like this. It was about more than auras. It was like she could see into my heart and soul. â€Å"I'll speak to Lissa,† she said at last. â€Å"And I'm sure Dimitri will too. In the meantime, let's hope that if we follow your advice and expect Adrian to sober up soon, he will.† We had just paid the check when Dimitri's cell phone rang. â€Å"Hello?† he answered. And like that, his face transformed. That fierceness I so associated with him softened, and he practically glowed. â€Å"No, no. It's always a good time for you to call, Roza.† Whatever the response on the other end was, it made him smile. â€Å"Rose,† said Sonya to me. She stood up. â€Å"Let's give them a little privacy. You want to take a walk?† â€Å"Sure,† I said, rising as well. Outside, dusk was falling. â€Å"There's a costume store a few blocks away I actually want to check – if they're still open.† Sonya glanced at Dimitri. â€Å"Meet us there?† she whispered. He gave a quick nod. Once we were outside in the warm evening air, she laughed. â€Å"Ah, those two. In a fight, they're lethal. Around each other, they melt.† â€Å"Is that how you and Mikhail are?† I asked, thinking there wasn't much melting with Brayden and me, no matter how much I enjoyed spending time with him. She laughed again and glanced up at the sky, painted in shades of orange and blue. â€Å"Not exactly. Every relationship is different. Everyone loves differently.† There was a long pause as she chose her next words. â€Å"That was a nice thing you chose to do for Adrian.† â€Å"There was no choice to be made,† I countered. We crossed onto a busier street, full of brightly lit stores with water misters outside that were meant to cool off hot shoppers. I winced at what that mist was doing to my hair. â€Å"I had to help. He didn't deserve that kind of treatment. I can't imagine how Adrian's put up with that his whole life. And would you believe that what worried Adrian the most was that I would think less of him?† â€Å"Actually,† said Sonya softly, â€Å"I can very much believe that.† The costume store was still open, thanks to extended Halloween hours, but only for ten more minutes. Sonya wandered around the aisles with no real goal, but I headed immediately for the historical section. They had exactly one Greek-style dress left, a plain white gown with a gold plastic belt. I knelt down to take a better look. Opening the package, I felt the fabric. It was cheap, probably flammable. The dress was also an XL, and I wondered if Jill had learned enough in sewing club to take it in for me. With less than a week until the dance, my options were limited. â€Å"Really?† a voice beside me said. â€Å"Haven't you insulted me enough without resorting to this trash?† Standing above me was Lia DiStefano. Her curly hair was bound up with a bright red scarf, and a voluminous peasant blouse made her petite body look like it had wings. She peered down at me disapprovingly with kohl-lined eyes. â€Å"Are you following me?† I asked, getting to my feet. â€Å"Every time I'm downtown, here you are.† â€Å"If I were following you, I never would have let you set foot in here in the first place.† She pointed at the costume. â€Å"What is that?† â€Å"My outfit for Halloween,† I said. â€Å"I'm going Greek.† â€Å"It's not even the right size.† â€Å"I'll get it taken in.† She tsked. â€Å"I'm so appalled, I don't even know where to start. You want a Greek dress? I'll make you one. A good one. Not this monstrosity. My God. People know you know me. If you were seen in that, it'd ruin my career.† â€Å"Yeah, because what I wear to a high school dance will really make or break you.† â€Å"When's your dance?† she asked. â€Å"Saturday.† â€Å"Easy,† she declared. She gave me a once-over and nodded in satisfaction. â€Å"Easy measurements too. Is your sister dressing just as badly?† â€Å"Not sure,† I admitted. â€Å"She talked about making a fairy dress in sewing club. A blue one, I think.† Lia blanched. â€Å"Even worse. I'll make her a dress too. I've already got her measurements.† I sighed. â€Å"Lia, I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work. Jill absolutely cannot model for you again. It doesn't matter how much bribery you try.† Lia attempted an innocent look that was in no way convincing. â€Å"Who said anything about bribery? I'm doing this out of charity. It'd be a disgrace to let you two go out in anything less than the best.† â€Å"Lia – â€Å" â€Å"Do not buy that,† she warned, pointing at the costume. â€Å"It's a waste. You might as well set your money on fire – although, it probably wouldn't light as fast as that dress. I'll let you know when your costumes are ready.† With that, she turned on her high wooden heels and walked away, leaving me staring. â€Å"Did you get a costume?† Sonya asked me later, once the closing store forced us to leave. â€Å"Weirdly, yes,† I said. â€Å"But not from there.† Dimitri apparently wasn't done with his call, since he hadn't joined us yet. We strolled leisurely back toward the restaurant, wanting to give him more time with Rose. Other stores were closing, and the tourists were beginning to thin out. I explained the meeting with Lia. Sonya found it more amusing than I did. â€Å"Well, don't knock it,† she said. â€Å"If a designer wants to make you something, you're not obligated to give her anything else. Maybe she could help me out with bridesmaid dresses.† We crossed a less busy street and cut through a narrow alley with a brick building on one side and a tree-filled church lawn on the other. I'd admired the church on our way over, but now, in only a short time, evening had filled it with shadows and given it a foreboding look and feel. I was glad I wasn't walking through here alone. It felt strange to be reassured by a vampire's presence. â€Å"Lia does make amazing things,† I admitted. â€Å"But I don't know if we should encourage her.† â€Å"Fair enough,† said Sonya. â€Å"Maybe one of these days, you'll help me look for dresses. You've got a really good sense of – â€Å" She suddenly spun around toward the darkened churchyard. There was a look of fear on her face, but I saw nothing alarming – at first. Seconds later, four figures in black jumped out from behind the trees. One of them threw me against the brick wall while the other three pinned Sonya to the ground. I pushed back against my captor, but a muscled arm held me tightly. In the faint light, I saw a glimmer of something I never expected to see on the streets of Palm Springs: a sword. The dark figure poised it over Sonya's neck. â€Å"Time to go back to Hell,† he said.

010 Review Analysis Professor Ramos Blog

010 Review Analysis Review Example Quick Write What do you think is the difference between Summary and Analysis? Review Example Im Not Racist Review Activity: Still-Life Writing List as many concrete details as you can see. List as many unique observations as you can. Write as descriptively as possible about the text. Descriptive language – appeals to the reader’s five senses: taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing. Use this strategy for your primary sources. Build on your concrete observation and evoke the image for your reader. Vampires Dracula is the most famous  vampire in literature and film.   Bela Lugosi portrays the evil Count Dracula in the 1931 movie classic. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) Finally, the last image to analyze. The Muppet character Count Von Count. In-Text Citations You should be quoting, citing, paraphrasing, and summarizing from the text. Most of your evidence should come from the text you are reviewing. Either introduce the quote or reference in the sentence or cite after in the parenthetical citation. In-Text Citation Basics You will be citing from the book in your essay. It is important that we learn how to do it correctly. After Quisqueya tells the Riveras about Mayor and Maribel, she says, â€Å"I’m Sorry† (Henriquez 202). Citing a source with one, two, or three or more authors. (Henriquez 202) (Best and Marcus 9) (Franck et al. 327) Prison Debate Do we need more or less people in prison? Come up with reasons why we should have more people in prison. Come up with reasons why we should have less people in prison. You have ten minutes to research and decide on your points. One person will present, all with research and contribute. After both sides have presented, you will have 3 minutes to come up with rebuttal points to the other side.