Is the statutory ban against idling motor vehicle engines is helpful in improving the air quality of Hong Kong free essay sample

Although the statutory ban against idling motor vehicle engines is helpful in improving the air quality of Hong Kong, there are some exemptions which cannot be avoided. For example : traffic jams occur and all the vehicles will remain stationary but have their engines on. This situation cannot apply to the ban because the drivers are forced to idle their cars and they are not willing to do that, so they are not considered to violate the law. Another exemption is that some vehicles need to keep their engines on in order to prevent the deterioration of their goods, such as vehicles which their owners sell their ice-cream and the engines are needed to turn on in order to provide the refrigerative function. Therefore, can we say that the ban is effective? In our group, we all agree that it is ineffective in lowering the API of Hong Kong because there are many exemptions in the ban and a lot of drivers can escape from the law. We will write a custom essay sample on Is the statutory ban against idling motor vehicle engines is helpful in improving the air quality of Hong Kong? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Furthermore, the sources of air pollutants are not only from the vehicles, but also from the operations of factories and power stations, so only establishing law to prevent the drivers from idling the motor vehicle engines is not enough to protect our living environment. We need to have other possible solutions to help meliorating the problem. In order to reduce the air pollutants emitted by the vehicles, we suggest installing a 3-way catalytic converter, which can oxidize carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide 2CO + O2 2CO2, unburnt hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water CxH2x+2 + (3x+1)/2 O2 xCO2 + (x+1) H2O and reduce nitrogen oxides to nitrogen and oxygen 2NOx ï ¹ ¥N2 ï ¼â€¹ xO2. Nevertheless, the catalytic converter cannot be used on leaded petrol vehicles because Lead will poison the catalyst such as Platinum inside the converter. Indeed, there are more possible solutions to solve the problem. Expanding the rail network or using public transports instead of private cars can also improve the air quality because the amount of cars used can be reduced and the emission of pollutants from cars can also be diminished. The usage of environment-friendly cars are also effective due to the use of electricity instead of hydrocarbons to provide fuels for motion, but these types of cars have a higher cost and inconvenient for charging the batteries frequently. Moreover, planting trees not only can help absorbing the excess carbon dioxide emitted from power stations or vehicles, this method can also help regulating the temperature because carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which can cause global warming. To conclude, all people should have the responsibilities to take part in improving the air quality. The statutory ban is not sufficient to improve the air quality, so other methods which have mentioned before should be introduced. If people in Hong Kong can have more concern about our poor living environment, we are sure that they will contribute for improving it throughout their daily lives. We hope that people can pay more attention to this situation and thus Hong Kongs API can be lowered

muslim fundamentalists essays

muslim fundamentalists essays Muslim Fundamentalists in Pakistan In the country of Pakistan, the major religion is that of the Muslim faith. But not all of 130 million citizens of Pakistan that are Muslim are considered fundamentalists, in fact, a small number of Muslims in Pakistan are fundamentalists. According to the Pakistan government, 77% are Sunni Muslim, 20% are Shia Muslim, 1.5% are Christian, and the remaining 1.5% are Ahmadi, Hindus, Zirkis, followers of other faiths, or people that follow no organized or recognized religion. But the Muslim faith was not that of the original Pakistani culture. Moreover, the Muslim fundamentalists who follow the Quran, tend to carry many conflicts between their literal beliefs, and what the Quran literally says. In second and third millennium B.C., India and Pakistan were the home of the Indus Valley civilization, a kingdom with wealth. Then, in about 1500 B.C., the entire civilization was obliterated by the Aryans. The constantly changing chain of command begins here. The Aryans were overtaken by the Persians, the Persians were overtaken by Alexander the Great, Alexander was followed by the Selucids, the Selucids were overtaken by the Mauryas, the Mauryas were overtaken by the Bactrians, the Bactrians were conquered by the Scythians, the Scythians were conquered by the Parthians, the Parthians were removed by the Kushans, the Kushans were overtaken by Muslim Arabs, the Arabs were conquered by the Turks, the Turks were eventually ousted by the British, the British were ousted by the Persians, the Persians were conquered by the Afghans, and the Afghans were ousted by the Sikhs. From this history of constantly changing rule from all over the world, any native culture that ever existed in Pa kistan has been long since wiped out. Pakistan's primary distinction for the last 3,500 years or so has been the frequency and viciousness of the wars fought over it. After the Sikhs claimed rule, the modern history of t...

Virtual Collaboration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Virtual Collaboration - Essay Example tal technologies that enable organizations or individuals to collaborately plan, design, develop, manage, and research products, services, and innovative IT and E-Commerce applications† (Turban, McLean and Wetherbe 144). The current discourse hereby aims to present virtual collaboration through lessons learned from in-class and online events summaries, as perceived to be applicable in a future career. Virtual collaboration through social events was recognized to be the most popular, by far. The most relevant lessons learned from social events include the following: (1) selection of topics which are interesting to prospective participants; (2) using communication medium that would reach the target audience: social networking sites, email, smartphones, among others; (3) use of innovative approaches, like gamification; and (4) assignment of roles, or delegation of tasks by events’ organizers. One learned that there are disparities in techniques in in-class versus online events. For in-class social events, there are opportunities for face-to-face interactions to augment virtual collaboration, when needed. For instance, organizers could require weekly face-to-face group meetings to resolve conflicts, iron out concerns, and monitor the progress of assigned tasks. In contrast, in purely on-line social events where there are no opportunities for face-to-face interactions, the participants rely solely on online or electronic medium to communicate. As such, there should be regular interaction using various social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter) and other electronic medium (Skype, university sites, email). Major lessons learned from in-class activities that enriched one’s understanding of the topic are categorized as follows: (1) enhance opportunities for personal interaction with other members of the class which improved one’s confidence in interpersonal communication; (2) commitment to cultural diversity within the university encouraged one’s respect for

Research proposal in identity theft in banking,uk Essay

Research proposal in identity theft in banking,uk - Essay Example 1 billion every year to identity theft which is already sending warning signals to the online bankers. With more banks venturing in online services and online financial transfer is dominant in these sectors, the banks and the customers are at a very high risk of losing their money to fraudsters. This research intends to narrow down to cybercrime, an area that has had little coverage by researchers of identity theft, yet a threatening one. By taking a quantitative approach to identify the severity cybercrime in identity theft and identifying possible security approaches that can be used to reduce instances of identity theft, it is possible to make viable recommendations that would go way far in reducing identity theft. Problem statement In the UK, the banking sector loses approximately ?1 billion to cyber crime and customer trust is at stake in this sector (Barclays, 2013). The banking sector is a major contributor to the economy of the country contributing about 8% of the UK Gross Do mestic Product. Therefore, it is one of the sectors that must be protected to ensure economic stability in the UK. Online banking is an innovative strategy that has enhanced business growth in the UK and has ensured customer comfort and satisfaction. However, as the internet technology grows, network aware experts delve in cyber crime and take advantage of innocent customers who do not know the threats that they expose themselves to wherever they conduct an online bank transaction in the UK. By identifying the vulnerability of the people and possible mitigation measures it is possible to protect the banking industry and consequently contribute to the economic development of the UK. Research Questions This research study intends to provide the answers to two critical research questions; What are the factors that predispose customers to identity theft during their online transactions? And what are the possible mitigation measures that would reduce the risk of customers falling victims of cybercrime? Objectives of the Study Main objectives To identify the factors that predispose customers to identity theft during their online bank transactions. To identify possible mitigative measures to protect online bank transactions from cyber crime. Specific Objectives To gather information from the public on their awareness risk of the identity theft while conducting online bank transactions. To assess the UK bank's security policies that protect their customers from identity theft within the scope of their online services. To identify the efficiency of the banking security policies in protecting their customers from cybercrime. To quantitatively analyse the data and make possible conclusions on identity theft To make viable recommendations on the possible measures that can protect bank customers from identity theft. Literature Review According to Haldane (2011, Para. 3), an economic analyst, the UK banking sector contributes to over 8% of the country gross domestic product and employs millions of UK residents. This points out that the UK banking sector is a major contributor in the economic development of the country, hence the need to protect it from any kind of business threat. Surprisingly, the UK banking sector continues to lose over ?1 billion every year from identity theft which has led to loss of trust in customers and a consequential drop in their revenue margin. In the current technology driven business sector,

Differentiation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Differentiation - Essay Example Therefore we say that differentiation is the respect for individual differences among learners. There are certain ways on how I implement proper differentiation techniques. At the onset, I set very clear learning goals. I explain the subject syllabi; the topics to be explained for the entire school year, the requirements for the class and expected students' learning outputs, the time table for every topic, and discuss my expectations from the class. Upon the start of every lesson, I lay down specific objectives. For instance, if I start the topic on Measurements I inform the class of the objectives which is after studying the lesson, they should be able to illustrate the development of measurement from primitive to the present international systems of units; and be familiar with the standards of measure. In this manner, the class is well informed of what to expect and enable them to prepare themselves for the tasks to come. I pre-assess students; who are those lacking some precursor skills, who among those already know some, or a great deal about the topic ahead, what are the students' interests and how it can help them deal with the topics to be learned, and finally how students learn best. I use various pre-assessment tools, from written tests, to board work, and work books. Knowing where areas they are good at and the way they absorb the lesson will help me as a teacher to prepare instructional materials suited to their level of understanding. It is expected that in an effectively differentiated class it should include whole class and small group instructional time since with that I can target students' particular interests and needs in the context of helping all my students achieve their desired goal. Throughout the time, I continuously monitor student progress to better understand who might need more complex materials, additional teacher support and intervention to master key concepts, and additional time on a topic either because of deeper liking to the subject matter or because of a need for more support. In the latter case, I also encourage paired activities to where I pair up one that I identified to be good at the topic and one who is quite poor. That way, peer learning is encouraged and they solve mathematical problems together. The better ones would explain the solutions in their own words and ways and somehow it makes understanding easier for the other students. This is enlisting the help of students to make the class work as smoothly as it can in ways that allow consideration to individual needs. It is also beneficial that students would use different materials, work with different tasks, and work in different student groupings, or even have special homework. A similar a ctivity about fractions happened to my class where I assigned various activities for the different groups. I gave one group to answer verbal problems; another is to create a model that would show the divisions of the parts and represent it in fraction forms, and last is drawing the diagram of real numbers and give as many examples on fractions. It is however a fact that no classroom can be a perfect fit for every student every minute of every day, but it should at least be the case where students generally feel both challenged

Herzbergs Theory Of Motivation Management Essay

Herzbergs Theory Of Motivation Management Essay After describing research background, problem statement, research question and objective, and significant of study in chapter 1, in this chapter provide the literature review of the past empirical studies. It is discuss about the theoretical foundation, review of the prior empirical studies of the independent variables, research model and hypotheses development. 2.1 Theoretical Foundation The main contribution of this research is Herzbergs theory of motivation. This theory is also known as the two-factor theory. Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory is developed by Professor Frederick Irving Herzberg in year 1959 (Herzberg, 1966). It divides into two groups of factors known as the motivator factors and hygiene factors. Table 2.1 shows the factors of motivator and hygiene which are lead to job satisfaction or job dissatisfaction. Source: Chen. K. (2005). Factors affecting job satisfaction of public sector employees in Taiwan. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Under hygiene factors, lower level of employees needs will lead to de-motivate if they do not meet the factors but not necessarily motivate. When higher level of employees needs is met, therefore true motivation only exists (La Motta, 1995). According to Herzberg (1966) motivators are the real factors that motivate employees that can create job satisfaction and achieve the organizations goal. In prior research, Tan and Waheed (2011) are examined that what can motivate employees and their level of job satisfaction in the retail industry by using Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory. They founded that working conditions are the most significant in motivating sales personnel. The second is recognition and followed by company policy and salary. These were the factors that improved level of job satisfaction. Other than using Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory in the retail industry, Azash, Safare and Kumar (2011) are made a study about the motivational factors and job satisfaction on selected public and private sector bank employees in India. In Malaysia, these are some researchers done a study by examines the relationship between motivator and hygiene factors of the two-factor theory and job satisfaction of Gen-Y (Golshan et al., 2011). Table 2.2: Brief Definitions for the Factors of Herzbergs Motivation-Hygiene Theory Factors Definition Recognition Acts of praise, notice, or blame complete by one or more peer, superior, colleague, client, management person, and the general public. Achievement Accomplishment of actions including instances where failures were incurred. Similarly, instances were included whether success or failures were incurred. Work Itself The actual job performance connected to job satisfaction. Responsibility Satisfaction resulting that being given power of personal work or new job responsibilities and the work of others. Advancement Selected an actual change in job status. Possibility of growth A possible where was change in status, in fact, the change could be downward or upward in status. Supervision The supervisors willingness to teach subordinates and willingness or unwillingness to delegate responsibility. Policy and administration Events of the organization which included some aspects were related to job satisfaction. Working condition Quality of work, physical working conditions, and facilities which are related to job satisfaction. Interpersonal relations Relationships between subordinates, superiors and peers. Job security Feeling that person feel have an appropriate job and also guarantee its persistence as well as absence of threatening matter in the future. Salary All sequences of actions in which major role is compensation. Source: Castillo, J. X., Cano, J. (2004). Factors explaining job satisfaction among faculty. Journal of Agricultural Eduction, 45(3). According to Tripathi (2001) employees can be motivated by economic reward, job security, recognition, promotion and training to enhance job satisfaction. Robbins (2005) also shows work itself were most important factors that influence job satisfaction. In this research, Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory will mainly be undertaken to investigate on the significance of factors such as commission pay, job security, opportunities for advancement and development and work itself in affecting job satisfaction among insurance agents in Malaysia. 2.2 Review of the Prior Empirical Studies 2.2.1 Commission Pay According to Cheng (2011) commissions is a sum of money based on individual capacity and performance upon completion of a task that generally paid as percentage of the sales based on sales volume, not for the period of time that individual work. Pathak and Tripathi (2010) exploratory a study to investigate the relationship between monetary benefit associated with the job satisfaction of the Indian insurance field. A survey was conducted among 350 employees who had worked in or left insurers. Based on this study, it can conclude that monetary benefit is primary need for employees and is a variable that important to job satisfaction. Besides, past researcher Tan et al. (2011) conducted a study to investigate the relationship between pay and its influences on the level of job satisfaction in the retail industry. Questionnaire had allocated to 152 respondents among the employees and conclude that pay have influence on the job satisfaction of employees. Therefore, pay was significantly and positively related to job satisfaction. Individual when receive high monetary payment are satisfied with their job. Moreover, Parvin and Kabir (2011) also conducted a study to investigate the relationship between pay affecting the job satisfaction of pharmaceutical field. Researchers conducted research with survey method by closed-ended interview-schedule to collect primary data. The research concluded that pay is a significant factor that can influence job satisfaction among employees. These few research shows the positive and significant relationship among the pay and job satisfaction. Thus, this research assumes that there is significant relationship between commissions pay and job satisfaction among insurance agents. 2.2.2 Job Security According to Lacy and Sheehan (1997) indicated that an obvious relationship subsists between job security and satisfaction of employees in work. A forecaster of employees job satisfaction is security of services which bring out the meaning of a function that has a substantial connected to the job satisfaction of employees (Siddique, Malik Abbass, 2002). A study has been done by Noble (2008) to investigate how job security will influence the job satisfaction among sales managers. Questionnaires were randomly distributed to 292 sales managers of a national car rental chain in the United States. The findings demonstrated that there are positive relationships between job security and job satisfaction. In addition, Gazioglu and Tansel (2006) carry out a research exploring the relationships between job security and job satisfaction within workplace employees. A total of 28,240 questionnaires were allocated to a sample of British employees from the Workplace Employee Relations Survey. The study concluded that job security is significant related to the job satisfaction. Furthermore, Nikolaou, Theodossiou and Vasileiou (2006) conducted a finding to survey the relationships between job security and job satisfaction in European countries. In this study, a sample of 6,326 workers from Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, The Netherlands, Spain and The United Kingdom was selected and sent out the questionnaires. This research points out there is significant of associations between job security and job satisfaction. Based on the three past studied above, this research proposes that job security is significantly related to the job satisfaction of insurance agents. Therefore, this study suggests that job security can help to improve job satisfaction among insurance agents. 2.2.3 Opportunities for Advancement and Development Wong and Wong (2005) stated that opportunities for advancement and development is one of the vital motivation factors that may be used by employer to motivate the employees on their job satisfaction. According Robbins (1998) opportunities for advancement and development provide the employees opportunities for personal growth in their current workplace, greater responsibility and social status. Lim (2008) conducted a study exploring the relationship between promotion opportunities due to technical expertise and job satisfaction of library IT workers. This research give some details about IT workers satisfy on their jobs compare with others. Data was collected using a random sampling technique which is out of 443 mail surveys were sent to IT workers of 30 libraries that were randomly selected from the 99 university member libraries of Association of Research Libraries in the United States and 202 surveys were returned by target respondents in result of 45.6%. From this research, the findings showed that there is a positive relationship between promotion opportunities and job satisfaction. A research was done by Chng, Chong and Nakesvari (2010) to investigate the relationship between promotion opportunities that influence job satisfaction of private college lecturers in Penang. Questionnaires were allocated to three colleges which is 180 sets among 19 private colleges. The questionnaires of this research collected back 135 sets from respondents. Based on this study, the result concluded that there is significant relationship between promotion opportunities with job satisfaction. Naveed, Usman and Bushra (2011) carried out a study to investigate the relationship between promotion and job satisfaction in employees of glass industry in Lahore, Pakistan. The data collection showed that 156 sets of questionnaires were received back out of 200 questionnaires which were randomly selected from 1,500 employees. The findings of this research indicate that there is a moderate and positive relationship between promotion and job satisfaction. Thus, this research assumes that an opportunity for advancement and development is positively related to job satisfaction among insurance agents according to three past studies. Nowadays, insurance agents are more emphasize in opportunities for advancement and development. 2.2.4 Work Itself According to Robbins, Odendaal and Roodt (2003) work itself is the degree to which the job provides human being with stimulating tasks, the chances of learning and personal growth, and the opportunity to be responsible and accountable for the outcomes. Shah, Rehman, Akhtar, Zafar and Riaz (2012) carried out a study investigating the relationship between the natures of work itself and job satisfaction of teachers in Public Educational Institutions in Rawalpindi area. The questionnaires of this study distributed to 379 respondents and 294 surveys were received. The findings of this research indicate that there is a significant relationship between work itself and job satisfaction. In the report done by Chuang, Yin and Jenkins (2009) to examine the relationship between the work itself and job satisfaction of casino hotel chefs in Las Vegas. The surveys were conducted by interview 25 major casino hotel chefs and one chef from academic field. From the research conducted it was evident that there is positively relationship between the work itself and job satisfaction. The research done by Castillo and Cano (2004) to inspect the relationship between the nature of job itself and job satisfaction of faculty members at the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences in The Ohio State University. Questionnaires of this research were distributed to 172 respondents and 148 questionnaires were returned from respondents. This research concludes that there is significant relationship between work itself and job satisfaction. Based on three past studies above, the researchers propose that work itself is positively related to the job satisfaction of insurance agents. Thus, this study recommends that the work itself can help to improve the job satisfaction of insurance agents. 2.3 Proposed Conceptual Framework/Research Model Figure 2.1: Theoretical Framework Independent Variables Dependent Variable Commission Pay Job Satisfaction Job Security Work Itself Opportunities for Advancement and Development Source: Castillo, J. X., Cano, J. (2004). Factors explaining job satisfaction among faculty. Journal of Agricultural Education, 45(3). 2.4 Hypotheses Development Commission Pay H0: There is no significant relationship between commission pays and job satisfaction among insurance agents. H1: There is a significant relationship between commission pay and job satisfaction among insurance agents. Job Security H0: There is no significant relationship between job security and job satisfaction among insurance agents. H2: There is a significant relationship between job security and job satisfaction among insurance agents. Opportunities for Advancement and Development H0: There is no significant relationship between opportunities for advancement and development and job satisfaction among insurance agents. H3: There is a significant relationship between opportunities for advancement and development and job satisfaction among insurance agents. Work Itself H0: There is no significant relationship between work itself and job satisfaction among insurance agents. H4: There is a significant relationship between work itself and job satisfaction among insurance agents. 2.5 Conclusion From the past studies review in this chapter, it found that all the independent variables has significant relationship between the dependent variable. Research model and hypotheses were developed from the review of past studies. The research methodology will be providing in chapter 3.

Choosing Between Graduate School and the Peace Corps Essay -- Personal

The Peace Corps is an organization of people who are America’s international helpers. This is a federal government program that was designed to bring about peace and hospitality to developing countries. This organization has a virtuous history of people of all race backgrounds and genders who come together to help others. The volunteers have no obligation toward the people of the world but they serve by their own intent as Americans and individuals. Volunteers who finish their service are of great character because they offer their own time to help those in need. They are the people with hearts and minds that are ready to give their energy to endure what situations that may rise in their service. However a person going into graduate school is different. Graduate school is for a serious minded student who knows what direction they want to follow in life. It is a decision of great commitment and it hard to keep. It is of great importance to some individuals to finish such a chal lenging process. Graduate school can be a gateway into internships and career opportunities into different work fields such as psychology. Graduate school and Peace corps are both where the mind, body and spirit are pushed into new areas of understanding. My question is should I go straight into graduate school or into the Peace Corps? â€Å"After earning a bachelor’s degree, an individual chooses from among the following options: enroll in graduate school either in the same or different academic field, enroll in a first-professional degree program, pursue foreign study, or work full-time† (Perna 489). The options for not going into any further education only seem to lead into working full time. Along with today’s uncertainty of already obtain bachelor degrees ... .... Peace Corps Volunteers, First. The Peace Corps Reader. 2. Washingtion: Quadrangke Books, 1967. Print. Perna, Laura W. "Understanding the Decision to Enroll in Graduate School: Sex and Racial/Ethnic Group Differences." Journal of Higher Education 75.5 (2004): 487- 527.Web. Quinn,Latasha.†Peace Corps Survey.†Survey.5 November 2011.web. . Reavis, Elizabeth. Personal Interview. 27 Oct.2011. Storti, Craig, Peace Corps, and Laurette Bennhold-Samaan.Culture Matters, The Peace Corps Cross-cultural Workbook. Washingtion: Peace Corps, 1997. Print. Tufts, James H. "American College Education and Life." Science 29.741 (1909): pp. 407-414. Web. Vasquez, Gaddi. A Life Inspired, Tales Of Peace Corps Service. U.S. govt. official ed. Washingtion: Peace Corps (U.S.), 2007. Print.

Essay on Prestcom

Political–> Currently we are fairly stable politically which can help trade run smoothly. Energy Saving initiatives can help boost the sales of the Dyson Airblade if for example businesses receive a grant to help pay for the replacement of inefficient electrical appliances e. g traditional style hand dryers. Regulatory–> The product has to be safe to use as it involves electricity and water. Has to be easy to clean so hygienic. Also not damaging to the user e. g the airjets being too powerful.Economic–> Coming out of a recession so businesses may be less inclined to spend money on new appliances, especially ones with a premium price tag such as the Airblade. However it may mean companies are more likely to look into energy saving alternatives to products to try and save money on electricity. Social–> Socially people are more likely to want to protect the environment and may be more likely to look into energy saving options such as the Dyson Airblade. Socia lly companies may be pressurised into investing into environmentally friendly options. Technology–> The dyson Airblade uses cutting edge state of the art technology.Competitors–> Quite a lot of alternative products which offer very similar benefits but at a lower price such as the Xcelarator and the Airforce. Opportunities–> Dyson could release a cheaper product but carries the same dyson brand name, this could draw sales away from cheaper hand dryers as people may be attracted by the brand of dyson. Market–> One of the market leaders expensive but top of the range, may be seen as a premium product, carriers the dyson brand name which means it is highly thought of, however there are lots of cheaper alternatives availiable.

Vampire Academy Chapter 9

NINE I SNAPPED INTO HER MIND, once again seeing and directly experiencing what went on around her. She was sneaking into the chapel's attic again, confirming my worst fears. Like last time, she met no resistance. Good God, I thought, could that priest be any worse about securing his own chapel? Sunrise lit up the stained-glass window, and Christian's silhouette was framed against it: he was sitting in the window seat. â€Å"You're late,† he told her. â€Å"Been waiting a while.† Lissa pulled up one of the rickety chairs, brushing dust off it. â€Å"I figured you'd be tied up with Headmistress Kirova.† He shook his head. â€Å"Not much to it. They suspended me for a week, that's all. Not like it's hard to sneak out.† He waved his hands around. â€Å"As you can see.† â€Å"I'm surprised you didn't get more time.† A patch of sunlight lit up his crystal-blue eyes. â€Å"Disappointed?† She looked shocked. â€Å"You set someone on fire!† â€Å"No, I didn't. Did you see any burns on him?† â€Å"He was covered in flames.† â€Å"I had them under control. I kept them off of him.† She sighed. â€Å"You shouldn't have done that.† Straightening out of his lounging position, he sat up and leaned toward her. â€Å"I did it for you.† â€Å"You attacked someone for me?† â€Å"Sure. He was giving you and Rose a hard time. She was doing an okay job against him, I guess, but I figured she could use the backup. Besides, this'll shut anyone else up about the whole fox thing, too.† â€Å"You shouldn't have done that,† she repeated, looking away. She didn't know how to feel about this â€Å"generosity.† â€Å"And don't act like it was all for me. You liked doing it. Part of you wanted to – just because.† Christian's smug expression dropped, replaced by one of uncharacteristic surprise. Lissa might not be psychic, but she had a startling ability to read people. Seeing him off guard, she continued. â€Å"Attacking someone else with magic is forbidden – and that's exactly why you wanted to do it. You got a thrill out of it.† â€Å"Those rules are stupid. If we used magic as a weapon instead of just for warm and fuzzy shit, Strigoi wouldn't keep killing so many of us.† â€Å"It's wrong,† she said firmly. â€Å"Magic is a gift. It's peaceful.† â€Å"Only because they say it is. You're repeating the party line we've been fed our whole lives.† He stood up and paced the small space of the attic. â€Å"It wasn't always that way, you know. We used to fight, right along with the guardians – centuries ago. Then people started getting scared and stopped. Figured it was safer to just hide. They forgot the attack spells.† â€Å"Then how did you know that one?† He crooked her a smile. â€Å"Not everyone forgot.† â€Å"Like your family? Like your parents?† The smile disappeared. â€Å"You don't know anything about my parents.† His face darkened, his eyes grew hard. To most people, he might have appeared scary and intimidating, but as Lissa studied and admired his features, he suddenly seemed very, very vulnerable. â€Å"You're right,† she admitted softly, after a moment. â€Å"I don't. I'm sorry.† For the second time in this meeting, Christian looked astonished. Probably no one apologized to him that often. Hell, no one even talked to him that often. Certainly no one ever listened. Like usual, he quickly turned into his cocky self. â€Å"Forget it.† Abruptly, he stopped pacing and knelt in front of her so they could look each other in the eye. Feeling him so close made her hold her breath. A dangerous smile curled his lips. â€Å"And really, I don't get why you of all people should act so outraged that I used ? ®forbidden' magic.† â€Å"Me ? ®of all people'? What's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"You can play all innocent if you want – and you do a pretty good job – but I know the truth.† â€Å"What truth is that?† She couldn't hide her uneasiness from me or Christian. He leaned even closer. â€Å"That you use compulsion. All the time.† â€Å"No, I don't,† she said immediately. â€Å"Of course you do. I've been lying awake at night, trying to figure out how in the world you two were able to rent out a place and go to high school without anyone ever wanting to meet your parents. Then I figured it out. You had to be using compulsion. That's probably how you broke out of here in the first place.† â€Å"I see. You just figured it out. Without any proof.† â€Å"I've got all the proof I need, just from watching you.† â€Å"You've been watching me – spying on me – to prove I'm using compulsion?† He shrugged. â€Å"No. Actually, I've been watching you just because I like it. The compulsion thing was a bonus. I saw you use it the other day to get an extension on that math assignment. And you used it on Ms. Carmack when she wanted to make you go through more testing.† â€Å"So you assume it's compulsion? Maybe I'm just really good at convincing people.† There was a defiant note in her voice: understandable, considering her fear and anger. Only she delivered it with a toss of her hair which – if I didn't know any better – might have been considered flirtatious. And I did know better? ­right? Suddenly, I wasn't sure. He went on, but something in his eyes told me he'd noticed the hair, that he always noticed everything about her. â€Å"People get these goofy looks on their faces when you talk to them. And not just any people – you're able to do it to Moroi. Probably dhampirs, too. Now that's crazy. I didn't even know that was possible. You're some kind of superstar. Some kind of evil, compulsion-abusing superstar.† It was an accusation, but his tone and presence radiated the same flirtatiousness she had. Lissa didn't know what to say. He was right. Everything he'd said was right. Her compulsion was what had allowed us to dodge authority and get along in the world without adult help. It was what had allowed us to convince the bank to let her tap into her inheritance. And it was considered every bit as wrong as using magic as a weapon. Why not? It was a weapon. A powerful one, one that could be abused very easily. Moroi children had it drilled into them from an early age that compulsion was very, very wrong. No one was taught to use it, though every Moroi technically had the ability. Lissa had just sort of stumbled into it – deeply – and, as Christian had pointed out, she could wield it over Moroi, as well as humans and dhampirs. â€Å"What are you going to do then?† she asked. â€Å"You going to turn me in?† He shook his head and smiled. â€Å"No. I think it's hot.† She stared, eyes widening and heart racing. Something about the shape of his lips intrigued her. â€Å"Rose thinks you're dangerous,† she blurted out nervously. â€Å"She thinks you might have killed the fox.† I didn't know how I felt about being dragged into this bizarre conversation. Some people were scared of me. Maybe he was too. Judging from the amusement in his voice when he spoke, it appeared he wasn't. â€Å"People think I'm unstable, but I tell you, Rose is ten times worse. Of course, that makes it harder for people to fuck with you, so I'm all for it.† Leaning back on his heels, he finally broke the intimate space between them. â€Å"And I sure as hell didn't do that. Find out who did, though? ­and what I did to Ralf won't seem like anything.† His gallant offer of creepy vengeance didn't exactly reassure Lissa? ­but it did thrill her a little. â€Å"I don't want you doing anything like that. And I still don't know who did it.† He leaned back toward her and caught her wrists in his hands. He started to say something, then stopped and looked down in surprise, running his thumbs over faint, barely there scars. Looking back up at her, he had a strange – for him – kindness in his face. â€Å"You might not know who did it. But you know something. Something you aren't talking about.† She stared at him, a swirl of emotions playing in her chest. â€Å"You can't know all my secrets,† she murmured. He glanced back down at her wrists and then released them, that dry smile of his back on his face. â€Å"No. I guess not.† A feeling of peace settled over her, a feeling I thought only I could bring. Returning to my own head and my room, I sat on the floor staring at my math book. Then, for reasons I didn't really get, I slammed it shut and threw it against the wall. I spent the rest of the night brooding until the time I was supposed to meet Jesse came around. Slipping downstairs, I went into the kitchen – a place I could visit so long as I kept things brief – and caught his eye when I cut through the main visiting area. Moving past him, I paused and whispered, â€Å"There's a lounge on the fourth floor that nobody uses. Take the stairs on the other side of the bathrooms and meet me there in five minutes. The lock on the door is broken.† He complied to the second, and we found the lounge dark, dusty, and deserted. The drop in guardian numbers over the years meant a lot of the dorm stayed empty, a sad sign for Moroi society but terribly convenient right now. He sat down on the couch, and I lay back on it, putting my feet in his lap. I was still annoyed after Lissa and Christian's bizarre attic romance and wanted nothing more than to forget about it for a while. â€Å"You really here to study, or was it just an excuse?† I asked. â€Å"No. It was real. Had to do an assignment with Meredith.† The tone in his voice indicated he wasn't happy about that. â€Å"Oooh,† I teased. â€Å"Is working with a dhampir beneath your royal blood? Should I be offended?† He smiled, showing a mouth full of perfect white teeth and fangs. â€Å"You're a lot hotter than she is.† â€Å"Glad I make the cut.† There was a sort of a heat in his eyes that was turning me on, as was his hand sliding up my leg. But I needed to do something first. It was time for some vengeance. â€Å"Mia must too, since you guys let her hang out with you. She's not royal.† His finger playfully poked me in the calf. â€Å"She's with Aaron. And I've got lots of friends who aren't royal. And friends who are dhamps. I'm not a total asshole.† â€Å"Yeah, but did you know her parents are practically custodians for the Drozdovs?† The hand on my leg stopped. I'd exaggerated, but he was a sucker for gossip – and he was notorious for spreading it. â€Å"Seriously?† â€Å"Yeah. Scrubbing floors and stuff like that.† â€Å"Huh.† I could see the wheels turning in his dark blue eyes and had to hide a smile. The seed was planted. Sitting up, I moved closer to him and draped a leg over his lap. I wrapped my arms around him, and without further delay, thoughts of Mia disappeared as his testosterone kicked in. He kissed me eagerly – sloppily, even – pushing me against the back of the couch, and I relaxed into what had to be the first enjoyable physical activity I'd had in weeks. We kissed like that for a long time, and I didn't stop him when he pulled off my shirt. â€Å"I'm not having sex,† I warned between kisses. I had no intention of losing my virginity on a couch in a lounge. He paused, thinking about this, and finally decided not to push it. â€Å"Okay.† But he pushed me onto the couch, lying over me, still kissing with that same fierceness. His lips traveled down to my neck, and when the sharp points of his fangs brushed against my skin, I couldn't help an excited gasp. He raised himself up, looking into my face with open surprise. For a moment, I could barely breathe, recalling that rush of pleasure that a vampire bite could fill me with, wondering what it'd be like to feel that while making out. Then the old taboos kicked in. Even if we didn't have sex, giving blood while we did this was still wrong, still dirty. â€Å"Don't,† I warned. â€Å"You want to.† His voice held excited wonder. â€Å"I can tell.† â€Å"No, I don't.† His eyes lit up. â€Å"You do. How – hey, have you done it before?† â€Å"No,† I scoffed. â€Å"Of course not.† Those gorgeous blue eyes watched me, and I could see the wheels spinning behind them. Jesse might flirt a lot and have a big mouth, but he wasn't stupid. â€Å"You act like you have. You got excited when I was by your neck.† â€Å"You're a good kisser,† I countered, though it wasn't entirely true. He drooled a little more than I would have preferred. â€Å"Don't you think everyone would know if I was giving blood?† The realization seized him. â€Å"Unless you weren't doing it before you left. You did it while you were gone, didn't you? You fed Lissa.† â€Å"Of course not,† I repeated. But he was on to something, and he knew it. â€Å"It was the only way. You didn't have feeders. Oh, man.† â€Å"She found some,† I lied. It was the same line we'd fed Natalie, the one she'd spread around and that no one – except Christian – had ever questioned. â€Å"Plenty of humans are into it.† â€Å"Sure,† he said with a smile. He leaned his mouth back to my neck. â€Å"I'm not a blood whore,† I snapped, pulling away from him. â€Å"But you want to. You like it. All you dhamp girls do.† His teeth were on my skin again. Sharp. Wonderful. I had a feeling hostility would only make things worse, so I defused the situation with teasing. â€Å"Stop it,† I said gently, running a fingertip over his lips. â€Å"I told you, I'm not like that. But if you want something to do with your mouth, I can give you some ideas.† That peaked his interest. â€Å"Yeah? Like wha – ?† And that was when the door opened. We sprang apart. I was ready to handle a fellow student or even possibly the matron. What I was not ready for was Dimitri. He burst in the door like he'd expected to find us, and in that horrible moment, with him raging like a storm, I knew why Mason had called him a god. In the blink of an eye, he crossed the room and jerked Jesse up by his shirt, nearly holding the Moroi off the ground. â€Å"What's your name?† barked Dimitri. â€Å"J-Jesse, sir. Jesse Zeklos, sir.† â€Å"Mr. Zeklos, do you have permission to be in this part of the dorm?† â€Å"No, sir.† â€Å"Do you know the rules about male and female interactions around here?† â€Å"Yes, sir.† â€Å"Then I suggest you get out of here as fast as you can before I turn you over to someone who will punish you accordingly. If I ever see you like this again† – Dimitri pointed to where I cowered, half-dressed, on the couch – â€Å"I will be the one to punish you. And it will hurt. A lot. Do you understand?† Jesse swallowed, eyes wide. None of the bravado he usually showed was there. I guess there was â€Å"usually† and then there was being held in the grip of a really ripped, really tall, and really pissed-off Russian guy â€Å"Yes, sir!† â€Å"Then go.† Dimitri released him, and, if possible, Jesse got out of there faster than Dimitri had burst in. My mentor then turned to me, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but the angry, disapproving message came through loud and clear. And then it shifted. It was almost like he'd been taken by surprise, like he'd never noticed me before. Had it been any other guy, I would have said he was checking me out. As it was, he was definitely studying me. Studying my face, my body. And I suddenly realized I was only in jeans and a bra – a black bra at that. I knew perfectly well that there weren't a lot of girls at this school who looked as good in a bra as I did. Even a guy like Dimitri, one who seemed so focused on duty and training and all of that, had to appreciate that. And, finally, I noticed that a hot flush was spreading over me, and that the look in his eyes was doing more to me than Jesse's kisses had. Dimitri was quiet and distant sometimes, but he also had a dedication and an intensity that I'd never seen in any other person. I wondered how that kind of power and strength translated into? ­well, sex. I wondered what it'd be like for him to touch me and – shit! What was I thinking? Was I out of my mind? Embarrassed, I covered my feelings with attitude. â€Å"You see something you like?† I asked. â€Å"Get dressed.† The set of his mouth hardened, and whatever he'd just felt was gone. That fierceness sobered me up and made me forget about my own troubling reaction. I immediately pulled my shirt back on, uneasy at seeing his badass side. â€Å"How'd you find me? You following me to make sure I don't run away?† â€Å"Be quiet,† he snapped, leaning down so that we were at eye level. â€Å"A janitor saw you and reported it. Do you have any idea how stupid this was?† â€Å"I know, I know, the whole probation thing, right?† â€Å"Not just that. I'm talking about the stupidity of getting in that kind of situation in the first place.† â€Å"I get in that kind of situation all the time, Comrade. It's not a big deal.† Anger replaced my fear. I didn't like being treated like a child. â€Å"Stop calling me that. You don't know even know what you're talking about.† â€Å"Sure I do. I had to do a report on Russia and the R.S.S.R. last year.† â€Å"U.S.S.R. And it is a big deal for a Moroi to be with a dhampir girl. They like to brag.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So?† he looked disgusted. â€Å"So don't you have any respect? Think about Lissa. You make yourself look cheap. You live up to what a lot of people already think about dhampir girls, and it reflects back on her. And me.† â€Å"Oh, I see. Is that what this is about? Am I hurting your big, bad male pride? Are you afraid I'll ruin your reputation?† â€Å"My reputation is already made, Rose. I set my standards and lived up to them long ago. What you do with yours remains to be seen.† His voice hardened again. â€Å"Now get back to your room – if you can manage it without throwing yourself at someone else.† â€Å"Is that your subtle way of calling me a slut?† â€Å"I hear the stories you guys tell. I've heard stories about you.† Ouch. I wanted to yell back that it was none of his business what I did with my body, but something about the anger and disappointment on his face made me falter. I didn't know what it was. â€Å"Disappointing† someone like Kirova was a non-event, but Dimitri ­I remembered how proud I'd felt when he praised me the last few times in our practices. Seeing that disappear from him? ­well, it suddenly made me feel as cheap as he'd implied I was. Something broke inside of me. Blinking back tears, I said, â€Å"Why is it wrong to? ­I don't know, have fun? I'm seventeen, you know. I should be able to enjoy it.† â€Å"You're seventeen, and in less than a year, someone's life and death will be in your hands.† His voice still sounded firm, but there was a gentleness there too. â€Å"If you were human or Moroi, you could have fun. You could do things other girls could.† â€Å"But you're saying I can't.† He glanced away, and his dark eyes went unfocused. He was thinking about something far away from here. â€Å"When I was seventeen, I met Ivan Zeklos. We weren't like you and Lissa, but we became friends, and he requested me as his guardian when I graduated. I was the top student in my school. I paid attention to everything in my classes, but in the end, it wasn't enough. That's how it is in this life. One slip, one distraction? ­Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed. â€Å"And it's too late.† A lump formed in my throat as I thought about one slip or one distraction costing Lissa her life. â€Å"Jesse's a Zeklos,† I said, suddenly realizing Dimitri had just thrown around a relative of his former friend and charge. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Does it bother you? Does he remind you of Ivan?† â€Å"It doesn't matter how I feel. It doesn't matter how any of us feel.† â€Å"But it does bother you.† It suddenly became very obvious to me. I could read his pain, though he clearly worked hard to hide it. â€Å"You hurt. Every day. Don't you? You miss him.† Dimitri looked surprised, like he didn't want me to know that, like I'd uncovered some secret part of him. I'd been thinking he was some aloof, antisocial tough guy, but maybe he kept himself apart from other people so he wouldn't get hurt if he lost them. Ivan's death had clearly left a permanent mark. I wondered if Dimitri was lonely. The surprised look vanished, and his standard serious one returned. â€Å"It doesn't matter how I feel. They come first. Protecting them.† I thought about Lissa again. â€Å"Yeah. They do.† A long silence fell before he spoke again. â€Å"You told me you want to fight, to really fight. Is that still true?† â€Å"Yes. Absolutely.† â€Å"Rose? ­I can teach you, but I have to believe you're dedicated. Really dedicated. I can't have you distracted by things like this.† He gestured around the lounge. â€Å"Can I trust you?† Again, I felt like crying under that gaze, under the seriousness of what he asked. I didn't get how he could have such a powerful effect on me. I'd never cared so much about what one person thought. â€Å"Yes. I promise.† â€Å"All right. I'll teach you, but I need you strong. I know you hate the running, but it really is necessary. You have no idea what Strigoi are like. The school tries to prepare you, but until you've seen how strong they are and how fast? ­well, you can't even imagine. So I can't stop the running and the conditioning. If you want to learn more about fighting, we need to add more trainings. It'll take up more of your time. You won't have much left for your homework or anything else. You'll be tired. A lot.† I thought about it, about him, and about Lissa. â€Å"It doesn't matter. If you tell me to do it, I'll do it.† He studied me hard, like he was still trying to decide if he could believe me. Finally satisfied, he gave me a sharp nod. â€Å"We'll start tomorrow.†

Shitty First Drafts Essays

Shitty First Drafts Essays Shitty First Drafts Paper Shitty First Drafts Paper â€Å"Shitty First Drafts† In the essay â€Å"Shitty First Drafts†, Anne Lamott describes the process of writing first drafts. She addresses the many steps she goes through to come up with her final â€Å"polished† works. First, Lamott starts off with a brief summary of what she believes in, she also gives a short description of her thoughts and personal life. Lamott then addresses to what I believe is her thesis and is finally ready to talk about her â€Å"Shitty† first drafts. At first she writes what she calls a â€Å"child’s draft† which is her first 5 pages of just brainstorming. In this â€Å"child’s draft† of just visions and some what nonsense, she does this in thought that no one is going to see this first draft anyway so she gives herself the ability to write anything that comes to mind. However, as a writer she is always nervous that someone will get a hold of her first draft before she is able to revise it. She gives distinct visuals of her process, â€Å"It was almost just typing, just making my fingers move. And the writing would be terrible. † After crossing out lines and phrases that she could live without, she would continue on to rewriting a second draft. Even though Lamott’s process of writing and revising seems crazy, I definitely agree with her and say that writing is an exhausting process. She mentions thoughts of suicide and panic, which is a coincidence because I feel the same way when writing a paper. I feel that rough drafts are completely necessary, reason being, real writers always have room for improvement and growth. Therefore, a first drafts give writers the opportunity to see overlooked mistakes and correct them before handing in the polished final draft. My first drafts tend to be well written simply because I am a perfectionist. There is always room to grow, that I believe is the exception for a â€Å"shitty first draft†.

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