Linux Security - 985 Words

Robert Hoffman Linux Research 2.1 Security for computers is one of the most important aspects of a system that has to be in place. For this paper I will be writing about four security features that Linux systems use; these are SELinux, chroot jail, openSSH, and iptables. I will briefly describe what they do to provide security. SELinux (security enhanced Linux) was developed by the NSA, who chose Linux as its operating system to create a more secure operating system. Since the development of SELinux by the NSA most Linux distributions now implement SELinux as a standard. Traditional Linux systems use a security called (DAC) discretionary access control. With this approach users and their objects, i.e., files†¦show more content†¦Setting iptables is highly beneficial to your system, along with a main firewall iptables allows for a more secure system based on parameters you set in the iptables. OpenSSH is a set of programs that provide encrypted communication between networks. Created by the openBSD team as an alternative to the original SSH software. When it starts there are two tasks that it performs right away, first it establishes an encrypted connection, second it authenticates the user. When these two tasks are complete two systems can securely send information back and forth. When the session is started openSSH encrypts anything sent out on the network, this prevents many security risks from being exploited. Two key pairs are used to enable an encrypted connection; a host key pair and a session key pair. The host key pair is established when the system forst boots and consists of public and private keys. The session key pair also consists of a public and private key and these change hourly. When a client first connects with a server you are asked to verify that the server you are wanting to connect to is the right one. Once verification is complete the client make a copy of the servers public host key so the next time the client wants to connect to that server it will have a copy of the key to verify the server with. Computer security is crucial inShow MoreRelatedLinux Security1588 Words   |  7 Pagessingle sub-tree of the file system.† â€Å"In order for it to work properly, some common programs and libraries need to be copied or linked to the appropriate locations in the new directory tree.† (Haas) The term sandbox is a metaphor for the type of security that chroot jail uses. Once you put a program or utility into the jail, it only knows of what is contained in the cell, the rest of your system becomes invisible to it. It does this by changing the apparent root directory for the current runningRead MoreLinux Securities1119 Words   |  5 PagesSecurity of a system when you are open to the internet is paramount in the world of servers. Linux has many layers of ever evolving security in order to keep up with the would be attackers in cyberspace. This is one of the reasons that Linux is one of the most used servers for internet sites and has few viruses engineered towards it. IP Tables Developed by the Netfilter organization the IP tables package for Linux is an evolution of the IP chains which came from the IPv4 Linux firewall packageRead MoreLinux Security Technology1868 Words   |  8 Pages|Linux Security Technology | | 1. SELinux SELinux, an implementation of  Mandatory Access Control  (MAC) in the Linux kernel, adds the ability to administratively define policies on all subjects (processes) and objects (devices, files, and signaled processes). This mechanism is in the Linux kernel, checking for allowed operations after standard Linux Discretionary Access Controls DAC are checkedRead More4-20-2014 Protection and Security mechanisms in Linux and Windows Intro to Operating2800 Words   |  12 Pages4-20-2014 Protection and Security mechanisms in Linux and Windows Intro to Operating Systems Stuart Gourlay (12382696) Rory O’Reilly (12370056) â€Æ' Table of Contents Windows 2 Overview of Windows 8 2 New Features 2 System Requirements 2 Security Mechanisms in Windows 8 3 Address Space Layout Randomization 3 Heap Randomization 3 Kernel Mode Security 3 UEFI Secure Boot 4 Windows Defender 4 Linux 5 How Linux is Broken Down 5 OverviewRead MoreEssay about Security Enhanced Linux (Selinux), Chroot Jail, and Iptables682 Words   |  3 PagesSecurity Enhanced Linux (Selinux), Chroot Jail, and Iptables Security Enhanced Linux (Selinux), Chroot Jail, and Iptables Three of the most important types of Linux security technologies are Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux), chroot jail, and iptables. This security measures aide in the subversion of theft and malicious activity. We will discuss these items in depth to address who created them and for what reason. Along with how these technologies changed the operating system to enforce securityRead MoreLinux Security3394 Words   |  14 PagesSecuring Linux Platforms and Applications Project Project Part 1 Task 1: Outline Security Policy This security policy is essential to the First World Bank Savings and Loan. It is used to break up the security plan not measurable, specific, and testable goals and objectives. This security policy would be used to provide all current and prospective customers online banking services while keeping the First World Saing bank competitive in the financial marketplace. This solution is also an imperativeRead MoreRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Security Guide50668 Words   |  203 PagesRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Security Guide 1 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Security Guide A Guide to Securing Red Hat Enterprise Linux Edition 3 Red Hat Engineering Content Services 2 Legal Notice Legal Notice Copyright  © 2011 Red Hat, Inc. Based on the Fedora Security Guide (current version at http://docs.fedoraproject.org/enUS/Fedora/16/html/Security_Guide/index.html), written by Johnray Fuller, Eric Christensen, Adam Ligas, and other Fedora Project contributors. T he textRead MoreThe Linux Security Checklist From Sans2024 Words   |  9 Pagesinto the system. The Linux Security Checklist from SANS has basic step by step guidance one can follow in securing an OS (Homsher Evans, n.d.). 5.1. Never run Jenkins with root/administrator privileges One should never run with administrator or root privileges regardless of the operating system platform. If a hacker manages to get in, he or she will still need to find ways to perform privilege escalation to cause more harm. Hopefully, this buys enough time for security professionals within theRead MoreFirst World Bank Savings And Loan1149 Words   |  5 PagesFirst World Bank Savings and Loan Mission: First World Bank Savings and Loan strives to become the leader in the competitive financial institution market by applying new and updated security policies to their advanced Linux based server applications. Company Background: First World Bank Savings and Loan is a financial institution in the United States, a leading financial service firm that estimates over $100,000,000 a year in online credit card transactions for loan applications and other bankingRead MoreMajor Elements Of Memory Management1648 Words   |  7 PagesD. Major elements of memory management Linux operating system is using virtual memory to support programs running in the system. The virtual memory provides lots of optimal ways to maximize the memory mapping and utilization. The virtual memory can allocate much more memory to processes than its actual physical memory size. Linux provides virtual memory great support to allow the processes running in the system, such as mapping the process’s memory to physical memory (Arora, 2012). There are two

Angels Demons Chapter 20-23 Free Essays

string(37) " plasma rolled slowly in suspension\." 20 Phase two, the Hassassin thought, striding into the darkened tunnel. The torch in his hand was overkill. He knew that. We will write a custom essay sample on Angels Demons Chapter 20-23 or any similar topic only for you Order Now But it was for effect. Effect was everything. Fear, he had learned, was his ally. Fear cripples faster than any implement of war. There was no mirror in the passage to admire his disguise, but he could sense from the shadow of his billowing robe that he was perfect. Blending in was part of the plan†¦ part of the depravity of the plot. In his wildest dreams he had never imagined playing this part. Two weeks ago, he would have considered the task awaiting him at the far end of this tunnel impossible. A suicide mission. Walking naked into a lion’s lair. But Janus had changed the definition of impossible. The secrets Janus had shared with the Hassassin in the last two weeks had been numerous†¦ this very tunnel being one of them. Ancient, and yet still perfectly passable. As he drew closer to his enemy, the Hassassin wondered if what awaited him inside would be as easy as Janus had promised. Janus had assured him someone on the inside would make the necessary arrangements. Someone on the inside. Incredible. The more he considered it, the more he realized it was child’s play. Wahad†¦ tintain†¦ thalatha†¦ arbaa, he said to himself in Arabic as he neared the end. One†¦ two†¦ three†¦ four†¦ 21 â€Å"I sense you’ve heard of antimatter, Mr. Langdon?† Vittoria was studying him, her dark skin in stark contrast to the white lab. Langdon looked up. He felt suddenly dumb. â€Å"Yes. Well†¦ sort of.† A faint smile crossed her lips. â€Å"You watch Star Trek.† Langdon flushed. â€Å"Well, my students enjoy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He frowned. â€Å"Isn’t antimatter what fuels the U.S.S. Enterprise?† She nodded. â€Å"Good science fiction has its roots in good science.† â€Å"So antimatter is real?† â€Å"A fact of nature. Everything has an opposite. Protons have electrons. Up-quarks have down-quarks. There is a cosmic symmetry at the subatomic level. Antimatter is yin to matter’s yang. It balances the physical equation.† Langdon thought of Galileo’s belief of duality. â€Å"Scientists have known since 1918,† Vittoria said, â€Å"that two kinds of matter were created in the Big Bang. One matter is the kind we see here on earth, making up rocks, trees, people. The other is its inverse – identical to matter in all respects except that the charges of its particles are reversed.† Kohler spoke as though emerging from a fog. His voice sounded suddenly precarious. â€Å"But there are enormous technological barriers to actually storing antimatter. What about neutralization?† â€Å"My father built a reverse polarity vacuum to pull the antimatter positrons out of the accelerator before they could decay.† Kohler scowled. â€Å"But a vacuum would pull out the matter also. There would be no way to separate the particles.† â€Å"He applied a magnetic field. Matter arced right, and antimatter arced left. They are polar opposites.† At that instant, Kohler’s wall of doubt seemed to crack. He looked up at Vittoria in clear astonishment and then without warning was overcome by a fit of coughing. â€Å"Incred†¦ ible†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said, wiping his mouth, â€Å"and yet†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It seemed his logic was still resisting. â€Å"Yet even if the vacuum worked, these canisters are made of matter. Antimatter cannot be stored inside canisters made out of matter. The antimatter would instantly react with – â€Å" â€Å"The specimen is not touching the canister,† Vittoria said, apparently expecting the question. â€Å"The antimatter is suspended. The canisters are called ‘antimatter traps’ because they literally trap the antimatter in the center of the canister, suspending it at a safe distance from the sides and bottom.† â€Å"Suspended? But†¦ how?† â€Å"Between two intersecting magnetic fields. Here, have a look.† Vittoria walked across the room and retrieved a large electronic apparatus. The contraption reminded Langdon of some sort of cartoon ray gun – a wide cannonlike barrel with a sighting scope on top and a tangle of electronics dangling below. Vittoria aligned the scope with one of the canisters, peered into the eyepiece, and calibrated some knobs. Then she stepped away, offering Kohler a look. Kohler looked nonplussed. â€Å"You collected visible amounts?† â€Å"Five thousand nanograms,† Vittoria said. â€Å"A liquid plasma containing millions of positrons.† â€Å"Millions? But a few particles is all anyone has ever detected†¦ anywhere.† â€Å"Xenon,† Vittoria said flatly. â€Å"He accelerated the particle beam through a jet of xenon, stripping away the electrons. He insisted on keeping the exact procedure a secret, but it involved simultaneously injecting raw electrons into the accelerator.† Langdon felt lost, wondering if their conversation was still in English. Kohler paused, the lines in his brow deepening. Suddenly he drew a short breath. He slumped like he’d been hit with a bullet. â€Å"Technically that would leave†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Vittoria nodded. â€Å"Yes. Lots of it.† Kohler returned his gaze to the canister before him. With a look of uncertainty, he hoisted himself in his chair and placed his eye to the viewer, peering inside. He stared a long time without saying anything. When he finally sat down, his forehead was covered with sweat. The lines on his face had disappeared. His voice was a whisper. â€Å"My God†¦ you really did it.† Vittoria nodded. â€Å"My father did it.† â€Å"I†¦ I don’t know what to say.† Vittoria turned to Langdon. â€Å"Would you like a look?† She motioned to the viewing device. Uncertain what to expect, Langdon moved forward. From two feet away, the canister appeared empty. Whatever was inside was infinitesimal. Langdon placed his eye to the viewer. It took a moment for the image before him to come into focus. Then he saw it. The object was not on the bottom of the container as he expected, but rather it was floating in the center – suspended in midair – a shimmering globule of mercurylike liquid. Hovering as if by magic, the liquid tumbled in space. Metallic wavelets rippled across the droplet’s surface. The suspended fluid reminded Langdon of a video he had once seen of a water droplet in zero G. Although he knew the globule was microscopic, he could see every changing gorge and undulation as the ball of plasma rolled slowly in suspension. You read "Angels Demons Chapter 20-23" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"It’s†¦ floating,† he said. â€Å"It had better be,† Vittoria replied. â€Å"Antimatter is highly unstable. Energetically speaking, antimatter is the mirror image of matter, so the two instantly cancel each other out if they come in contact. Keeping antimatter isolated from matter is a challenge, of course, because everything on earth is made of matter. The samples have to be stored without ever touching anything at all – even air.† Langdon was amazed. Talk about working in a vacuum. â€Å"These antimatter traps?† Kohler interrupted, looking amazed as he ran a pallid finger around one’s base. â€Å"They are your father’s design?† â€Å"Actually,† she said, â€Å"they are mine.† Kohler looked up. Vittoria’s voice was unassuming. â€Å"My father produced the first particles of antimatter but was stymied by how to store them. I suggested these. Airtight nanocomposite shells with opposing electromagnets at each end.† â€Å"It seems your father’s genius has rubbed off.† â€Å"Not really. I borrowed the idea from nature. Portuguese man-o’-wars trap fish between their tentacles using nematocystic charges. Same principle here. Each canister has two electromagnets, one at each end. Their opposing magnetic fields intersect in the center of the canister and hold the antimatter there, suspended in midvacuum.† Langdon looked again at the canister. Antimatter floating in a vacuum, not touching anything at all. Kohler was right. It was genius. â€Å"Where’s the power source for the magnets?† Kohler asked. Vittoria pointed. â€Å"In the pillar beneath the trap. The canisters are screwed into a docking port that continuously recharges them so the magnets never fail.† â€Å"And if the field fails?† â€Å"The obvious. The antimatter falls out of suspension, hits the bottom of the trap, and we see an annihilation.† Langdon’s ears pricked up. â€Å"Annihilation?† He didn’t like the sound of it. Vittoria looked unconcerned. â€Å"Yes. If antimatter and matter make contact, both are destroyed instantly. Physicists call the process ‘annihilation.’ â€Å" Langdon nodded. â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"It is nature’s simplest reaction. A particle of matter and a particle of antimatter combine to release two new particles – called photons. A photon is effectively a tiny puff of light.† Langdon had read about photons – light particles – the purest form of energy. He decided to refrain from asking about Captain Kirk’s use of photon torpedoes against the Klingons. â€Å"So if the antimatter falls, we see a tiny puff of light?† Vittoria shrugged. â€Å"Depends what you call tiny. Here, let me demonstrate.† She reached for the canister and started to unscrew it from its charging podium. Without warning, Kohler let out a cry of terror and lunged forward, knocking her hands away. â€Å"Vittoria! Are you insane?† 22 Kohler, incredibly, was standing for a moment, teetering on two withered legs. His face was white with fear. â€Å"Vittoria! You can’t remove that trap!† Langdon watched, bewildered by the director’s sudden panic. â€Å"Five hundred nanograms!† Kohler said. â€Å"If you break the magnetic field – â€Å" â€Å"Director,† Vittoria assured, â€Å"it’s perfectly safe. Every trap has a failsafe – a back-up battery in case it is removed from its recharger. The specimen remains suspended even if I remove the canister.† Kohler looked uncertain. Then, hesitantly, he settled back into his chair. â€Å"The batteries activate automatically,† Vittoria said, â€Å"when the trap is moved from the recharger. They work for twenty-four hours. Like a reserve tank of gas.† She turned to Langdon, as if sensing his discomfort. â€Å"Antimatter has some astonishing characteristics, Mr. Langdon, which make it quite dangerous. A ten milligram sample – the volume of a grain of sand – is hypothesized to hold as much energy as about two hundred metric tons of conventional rocket fuel.† Langdon’s head was spinning again. â€Å"It is the energy source of tomorrow. A thousand times more powerful than nuclear energy. One hundred percent efficient. No byproducts. No radiation. No pollution. A few grams could power a major city for a week.† Grams? Langdon stepped uneasily back from the podium. â€Å"Don’t worry,† Vittoria said. â€Å"These samples are minuscule fractions of a gram – millionths. Relatively harmless.† She reached for the canister again and twisted it from its docking platform. Kohler twitched but did not interfere. As the trap came free, there was a sharp beep, and a small LED display activated near the base of the trap. The red digits blinked, counting down from twenty-four hours. 24:00:00†¦ 23:59:59†¦ 23:59:58†¦ Langdon studied the descending counter and decided it looked unsettlingly like a time bomb. â€Å"The battery,† Vittoria explained, â€Å"will run for the full twenty-four hours before dying. It can be recharged by placing the trap back on the podium. It’s designed as a safety measure, but it’s also convenient for transport.† â€Å"Transport?† Kohler looked thunderstruck. â€Å"You take this stuff out of the lab?† â€Å"Of course not,† Vittoria said. â€Å"But the mobility allows us to study it.† Vittoria led Langdon and Kohler to the far end of the room. She pulled a curtain aside to reveal a window, beyond which was a large room. The walls, floors, and ceiling were entirely plated in steel. The room reminded Langdon of the holding tank of an oil freighter he had once taken to Papua New Guinea to study Hanta body graffiti. â€Å"It’s an annihilation tank,† Vittoria declared. Kohler looked up. â€Å"You actually observe annihilations?† â€Å"My father was fascinated with the physics of the Big Bang – large amounts of energy from minuscule kernels of matter.† Vittoria pulled open a steel drawer beneath the window. She placed the trap inside the drawer and closed it. Then she pulled a lever beside the drawer. A moment later, the trap appeared on the other side of the glass, rolling smoothly in a wide arc across the metal floor until it came to a stop near the center of the room. Vittoria gave a tight smile. â€Å"You’re about to witness your first antimatter-matter annihilation. A few millionths of a gram. A relatively minuscule specimen.† Langdon looked out at the antimatter trap sitting alone on the floor of the enormous tank. Kohler also turned toward the window, looking uncertain. â€Å"Normally,† Vittoria explained, â€Å"we’d have to wait the full twenty-four hours until the batteries died, but this chamber contains magnets beneath the floor that can override the trap, pulling the antimatter out of suspension. And when the matter and antimatter touch†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Annihilation,† Kohler whispered. â€Å"One more thing,† Vittoria said. â€Å"Antimatter releases pure energy. A one hundred percent conversion of mass to photons. So don’t look directly at the sample. Shield your eyes.† Langdon was wary, but he now sensed Vittoria was being overly dramatic. Don’t look directly at the canister? The device was more than thirty yards away, behind an ultrathick wall of tinted Plexiglas. Moreover, the speck in the canister was invisible, microscopic. Shield my eyes? Langdon thought. How much energy could that speck possibly – Vittoria pressed the button. Instantly, Langdon was blinded. A brilliant point of light shone in the canister and then exploded outward in a shock wave of light that radiated in all directions, erupting against the window before him with thunderous force. He stumbled back as the detonation rocked the vault. The light burned bright for a moment, searing, and then, after an instant, it rushed back inward, absorbing in on itself, and collapsing into a tiny speck that disappeared to nothing. Langdon blinked in pain, slowly recovering his eyesight. He squinted into the smoldering chamber. The canister on the floor had entirely disappeared. Vaporized. Not a trace. He stared in wonder. â€Å"G†¦ God.† Vittoria nodded sadly. â€Å"That’s precisely what my father said.† 23 Kohler was staring into the annihilation chamber with a look of utter amazement at the spectacle he had just seen. Robert Langdon was beside him, looking even more dazed. â€Å"I want to see my father,† Vittoria demanded. â€Å"I showed you the lab. Now I want to see my father.† Kohler turned slowly, apparently not hearing her. â€Å"Why did you wait so long, Vittoria? You and your father should have told me about this discovery immediately.† Vittoria stared at him. How many reasons do you want? â€Å"Director, we can argue about this later. Right now, I want to see my father.† â€Å"Do you know what this technology implies?† â€Å"Sure,† Vittoria shot back. â€Å"Revenue for CERN. A lot of it. Now I want – â€Å" â€Å"Is that why you kept it secret?† Kohler demanded, clearly baiting her. â€Å"Because you feared the board and I would vote to license it out?† â€Å"It should be licensed,† Vittoria fired back, feeling herself dragged into the argument. â€Å"Antimatter is important technology. But it’s also dangerous. My father and I wanted time to refine the procedures and make it safe.† â€Å"In other words, you didn’t trust the board of directors to place prudent science before financial greed.† Vittoria was surprised with the indifference in Kohler’s tone. â€Å"There were other issues as well,† she said. â€Å"My father wanted time to present antimatter in the appropriate light.† â€Å"Meaning?† What do you think I mean? â€Å"Matter from energy? Something from nothing? It’s practically proof that Genesis is a scientific possibility.† â€Å"So he didn’t want the religious implications of his discovery lost in an onslaught of commercialism?† â€Å"In a manner of speaking.† â€Å"And you?† Vittoria’s concerns, ironically, were somewhat the opposite. Commercialism was critical for the success of any new energy source. Although antimatter technology had staggering potential as an efficient and nonpolluting energy source – if unveiled prematurely, antimatter ran the risk of being vilified by the politics and PR fiascoes that had killed nuclear and solar power. Nuclear had proliferated before it was safe, and there were accidents. Solar had proliferated before it was efficient, and people lost money. Both technologies got bad reputations and withered on the vine. â€Å"My interests,† Vittoria said, â€Å"were a bit less lofty than uniting science and religion.† â€Å"The environment,† Kohler ventured assuredly. â€Å"Limitless energy. No strip mining. No pollution. No radiation. Antimatter technology could save the planet.† â€Å"Or destroy it,† Kohler quipped. â€Å"Depending on who uses it for what.† Vittoria felt a chill emanating from Kohler’s crippled form. â€Å"Who else knew about this?† he asked. â€Å"No one,† Vittoria said. â€Å"I told you that.† â€Å"Then why do you think your father was killed?† Vittoria’s muscles tightened. â€Å"I have no idea. He had enemies here at CERN, you know that, but it couldn’t have had anything to do with antimatter. We swore to each other to keep it between us for another few months, until we were ready.† â€Å"And you’re certain your father kept his vow of silence?† Now Vittoria was getting mad. â€Å"My father has kept tougher vows than that!† â€Å"And you told no one?† â€Å"Of course not!† Kohler exhaled. He paused, as though choosing his next words carefully. â€Å"Suppose someone did find out. And suppose someone gained access to this lab. What do you imagine they would be after? Did your father have notes down here? Documentation of his processes?† â€Å"Director, I’ve been patient. I need some answers now. You keep talking about a break-in, but you saw the retina scan. My father has been vigilant about secrecy and security.† â€Å"Humor me,† Kohler snapped, startling her. â€Å"What would be missing?† â€Å"I have no idea.† Vittoria angrily scanned the lab. All the antimatter specimens were accounted for. Her father’s work area looked in order. â€Å"Nobody came in here,† she declared. â€Å"Everything up here looks fine.† Kohler looked surprised. â€Å"Up here?† Vittoria had said it instinctively. â€Å"Yes, here in the upper lab.† â€Å"You’re using the lower lab too?† â€Å"For storage.† Kohler rolled toward her, coughing again. â€Å"You’re using the Haz-Mat chamber for storage? Storage of what?† Hazardous material, what else! Vittoria was losing her patience. â€Å"Antimatter.† Kohler lifted himself on the arms of his chair. â€Å"There are other specimens? Why the hell didn’t you tell me!† â€Å"I just did,† Vittoria fired back. â€Å"And you’ve barely given me a chance!† â€Å"We need to check those specimens,† Kohler said. â€Å"Now.† â€Å"Specimen,† Vittoria corrected. â€Å"Singular. And it’s fine. Nobody could ever – â€Å" â€Å"Only one?† Kohler hesitated. â€Å"Why isn’t it up here?† â€Å"My father wanted it below the bedrock as a precaution. It’s larger than the others.† The look of alarm that shot between Kohler and Langdon was not lost on Vittoria. Kohler rolled toward her again. â€Å"You created a specimen larger than five hundred nanograms?† â€Å"A necessity,† Vittoria defended. â€Å"We had to prove the input/yield threshold could be safely crossed.† The question with new fuel sources, she knew, was always one of input vs. yield – how much money one had to expend to harvest the fuel. Building an oil rig to yield a single barrel of oil was a losing endeavor. However, if that same rig, with minimal added expense, could deliver millions of barrels, then you were in business. Antimatter was the same way. Firing up sixteen miles of electromagnets to create a tiny specimen of antimatter expended more energy than the resulting antimatter contained. In order to prove antimatter efficient and viable, one had to create specimens of a larger magnitude. Although Vittoria’s father had been hesitant to create a large specimen, Vittoria had pushed him hard. She argued that in order for antimatter to be taken seriously, she and her father had to prove two things. First, that cost-effective amounts could be produced. And second, that the specimens could be safely stored. In the end she had won, and her father had acquiesced against his better judgment. Not, however, without some firm guidelines regarding secrecy and access. The antimatter, her father had insisted, would be stored in Haz-Mat – a small granite hollow, an additional seventy-five feet below ground. The specimen would be their secret. And only the two of them would have access. â€Å"Vittoria?† Kohler insisted, his voice tense. â€Å"How large a specimen did you and your father create?† Vittoria felt a wry pleasure inside. She knew the amount would stun even the great Maximilian Kohler. She pictured the antimatter below. An incredible sight. Suspended inside the trap, perfectly visible to the naked eye, danced a tiny sphere of antimatter. This was no microscopic speck. This was a droplet the size of a BB. Vittoria took a deep breath. â€Å"A full quarter of a gram.† The blood drained from Kohler’s face. â€Å"What!† He broke into a fit of coughing. â€Å"A quarter of a gram? That converts to†¦ almost five kilotons!† Kilotons. Vittoria hated the word. It was one she and her father never used. A kiloton was equal to 1,000 metric tons of TNT. Kilotons were for weaponry. Payload. Destructive power. She and her father spoke in electron volts and joules – constructive energy output. â€Å"That much antimatter could literally liquidate everything in a half-mile radius!† Kohler exclaimed. â€Å"Yes, if annihilated all at once,† Vittoria shot back, â€Å"which nobody would ever do!† â€Å"Except someone who didn’t know better. Or if your power source failed!† Kohler was already heading for the elevator. â€Å"Which is why my father kept it in Haz-Mat under a fail-safe power and a redundant security system.† Kohler turned, looking hopeful. â€Å"You have additional security on Haz-Mat?† â€Å"Yes. A second retina-scan.† Kohler spoke only two words. â€Å"Downstairs. Now.† The freight elevator dropped like a rock. Another seventy-five feet into the earth. Vittoria was certain she sensed fear in both men as the elevator fell deeper. Kohler’s usually emotionless face was taut. I know, Vittoria thought, the sample is enormous, but the precautions we’ve taken are – They reached the bottom. The elevator opened, and Vittoria led the way down the dimly lit corridor. Up ahead the corridor dead-ended at a huge steel door. HAZ-MAT. The retina scan device beside the door was identical to the one upstairs. She approached. Carefully, she aligned her eye with the lens. She pulled back. Something was wrong. The usually spotless lens was spattered†¦ smeared with something that looked like†¦ blood? Confused she turned to the two men, but her gaze met waxen faces. Both Kohler and Langdon were white, their eyes fixed on the floor at her feet. Vittoria followed their line of sight†¦ down. â€Å"No!† Langdon yelled, reaching for her. But it was too late. Vittoria’s vision locked on the object on the floor. It was both utterly foreign and intimately familiar to her. It took only an instant. Then, with a reeling horror, she knew. Staring up at her from the floor, discarded like a piece of trash, was an eyeball. She would have recognized that shade of hazel anywhere. How to cite Angels Demons Chapter 20-23, Essay examples

Final Lab Report Sample free essay sample

Total mass of the Element/Compound   (Part)Total mass of Compound (Whole) ? 100 The formula above is the formula used to determine the percentage composition of an individual element in a compound. In this experiment, the researchers are both going to solve for the theoretical percentage composition and the experimental percentage composition of elements/ ions. The theoretical percent composition is solved using a known formula compound and an experimental percent composition is solved using data identified in the experiment. The goal of this experiment is to formulate a diminutive percentage error as possible, which is solved using the formula below. Theoretical value-Experimental valueTheoretical value ? 100 The compound that they are going to use in this experiment is KCl or potassium chlorate. Potassium chlorate, when heated to high temperatures would form this equation: 2KClO? (s) ? 2KCl (s)+3O? (g) Procedure The experiment was composed of two parts. The first part was for determining the percentage composition of potassium chlorate. First, the researchers made sure that the crucible, which would be used throughout the experiment, was dry, so they heated it on a clay triangle for 2-3 minutes. Next, they let the crucible cool down a bit and then weighed it together with its cover. Then they added 1. 196 g of potassium chlorate into the crucible, placed its lid and then weighed it. After that, they heated the crucible again on the clay triangle for 8 minutes with its bottom 2. 5-3 inches away from the flame. They heated it for another 10 minutes, that time adding a little bit of distance between the flame and crucible bottom. They allowed the crucible to cool for about 10 minutes. Then they reweighed the sample for 6 more minutes, cooled it and then weighed it again. In the second part of the experiment, they took 3 test tubes, one containing a small amount of potassium chloride, one with a like amount of potassium chlorate, and one that contained a solution obtained from adding distilled water to the crucible, that was used in the first part of the experiment, and heated it for about a minute, and then they added 10 ml of distilled water to each and stirred. In each of the tubes, they added 5 drops of dilute (6 M) nitric acid and 5 drops of 0. 1 M silver nitrate solution, then stirred each test tube and observed carefully. Results and Discussion On the first part of the experiment, the researchers started off with the crucible with the sample that weighed 37. 184 g. , after the first heating, the mass decreased and became 37. 093 g. , after the second heating, the mass decreased again and became 36. 787 g. , the difference between the two wasn’t less than 0. 05 g. , so they had to reheat. After the third heating, the weight became 36. 779 g. , their difference was within 0. 05 g. so no more heating is required. After calculating, the researchers found out that the theoretical percentage of oxygen in KClO3 is 39. 17% and that the experimental percentage of oxygen they got in KClO3 was 33. 86%. On the other hand they also found out that theoretical percentage of KCl in KClO3 is 60. 83% and that their experimental percentage of KCl in KClO3 was 66. 14%. and that the experimental attempt to get the percentage of oxygen in KClO3 had an error of 8. 3%. On the second part of the experiment when 5 drops of dilute (6 M) nitric acid and 5 drops of (0. 1 M) silver nitrate solution were added to the solution of the residue and distilled water, potassium chloride solution, and potassium chlorate solution, all of them turned cloudy with white precipitate in them which indicated that chloride ions were present which lead to the deduction that the residue was actually KCl. 1. Mass of crucible + cover| 35. 988g. | 2. Mass of crucible + cover + sample before heating| 37. 84 g. | 3. Mass of crucible + cover + residue after 1st heating| 37. 093 g. | 4. Mass of crucible + cover + residue after 2nd heating| 36. 787 g. | 5. Mass of crucible + cover + residue after 3rd heating| 36. 779 g. | 6. Mass of original sample=37. 184? 35. 988=1. 196| 1. 196 g. | 7. Total mass lost during heating=37. 184? 36. 779=0. 405| 0. 405 g. | 8. Final mass of residue=1. 196? 0. 405=0. 791| 0. 791 g. | 9. Experimental percent oxygen in KClO3=0. 4051. 196? 100=0. 3386? 100=33. 86%| 33. 6%| 10. Experimental percent KCl in KClO3=0. 7911. 196? 100=0. 6614? 100=66. 14%| 66. 14%| 11. Theoretical percent oxygen in KClO3=3(16. 00)39. 10+35. 45+3(16. 00)? 100=48122. 55? 100=0. 3917? 100=39. 17%| 39. 17%| 12. Theoretical percent KCl in KClO3=39. 10+35. 4539. 10+35. 45+3(16. 00)? 100=74. 55122. 55? 100=0. 6083? 100=60. 83%| 60. 83%| 13. Percent error in experimental % oxygen determination=60. 83-66. 1460. 83? 100=-5. 3160. 83? 100=-0. 0873? 100=8. 73%| 8. 73%| Conclusion and Recommendation As seen above, the experimental percent gotten by the researchers wasn’t that far off from the theoretical value, and they ended up with a percent error of 8. 73%. That’s not a high percent error, but in chemistry, where accuracy is very vital, that amount is already considered high. One of the factors that led them to a high percentage error was that they used a different balance for the weighing of #4 and #5 in the table. For further experimentation, the researchers suggest that only one balance would be used throughout the experiment. It is also important to keep the crucible steady so that spattering won’t happen during heating. Because when spattering does happen, mass lost would no longer be accurate. References * Book: Hein, MORRIS, et al. , FOUNDATIONS OF CHEMISTRY IN THE LABORATORY FOR SCIENCES (CUSTOM EDITION), 12th ed. , Singapore129809, 2009 Appendix 1. Mass of original sample= (mass of the crucible + cover + sample before heating) – (mass of crucible + cover)| 2. Total mass lost during heating= (mass of the crucible + cover + sample before heating) – (mass of the crucible + cover + after 3rd heating)| 3. Final mass of residue= mass of original sample – total mass lost during heating| 4. Experimental percent oxygen in KClO3=total mass lost during heatingmass of original sample? 100| 5. Experimental percent KCl in KClO3=final mass of residuemass of original sample? 100| 6. Theoretical percent oxygen in KClO3=molar mass of O? molar mass of KClO 100| 7. Theoretical percent KCl in KClO3=molar mass of KClmolar mass of KClO 100| 8. Percent error in experimental % oxygen determination=theoretical value-experimental valuetheoretical value? 100|

The Life of Charles Dickens Essay Example For Students

The Life of Charles Dickens Essay The Life of Charles DickensCharles Dickens was a nineteenth-century novelist who was and still isvery popular. He was born in Landport, a region of Portsmouth, on February 7,1812 (Kyle 1). Charles Dickens was the son of John Dickens and Elizabeth Barrow. JohnDickens was a minor government official who worked in the Navy Pay Office. Through his work there, he met Elizabeth and eventually married her. By 1821,when Charles was four months old, John Dickens could no longer afford the renton his house. John Dickens loved to entertain his friends with drinks andconversation. Throughout his life, he was very short of money and in debt. Heoften had to borrow money to pay off the debt and borrow more money to pay offthe people he borrowed the money from. Later on, John Dickens was transferredagain to work in the naval dockyard at Chatman. It was here that CharlesDickens earliest and clearest memories were formed (Mankowitz 9-14). We will write a custom essay on The Life of Charles Dickens specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Charles education included being taught at home by his mother,attending a Dame School at Chatman for a short time, and Wellington Academy inLondon. He was further educated by reading widely in the British Museum(Huffam). In late 1822, John was needed back at the London office, so they had tomove to London. This gave Charles opportunities to walk around the town with hisfather and take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the area. This gave himearly inspiration that he would use later on in his life when he started towrite (Mankowitz 13-14). James Lamert, the owner of a boot-blacking factory, saw the conditionsthat the Dickens family was going through. He offered Charles a job there andhe was paid six shillings a week which was reasonable at that time. Soon, hewas moved downstairs in the sweatshop-like room. Charles had been working atthe factory for less than two weeks when his father was arrested for debt. Hewas sent to debtors prison where he did work to pay off his debt. John paid forCharles lodging, but Charles had to pay for his food and everything else withthe six shillings he earned every week. The details of London and of prisonlife were imprinting themselves into Dickens memory and would one day help himin the novels he wrote. After John was in prison for three months, his motherdied leaving him enough money to get out of debtors prison (Mankowitz 20-22). Late in Charles teens, he became a court reporter. This introduced himto journalism, and he also became interested in politics. Some of his earlyshort stories and sketches, which were published in various London newspapersand magazines, were compiled in 1836 to form his first book, Sketches by Boz. This book sold well (Huffam). In 1837, he wrote another book called Posthumous Papers of the PickwickClub. It was written in monthly installments. Dickens had become the mostpopular author in England by the time the fourth installment was done. Thisperiod is now known as Dickens early period because of the interest he wasgaining for his novels. During this period, he wrote Sketches by Boz,Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, Oliver Twist (1838), The Life andAdventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1839), and The Old Curiosity Shop (1841)(Huffam). In 1842, Dickens traveled to the US hoping to gain support for hisliberal political ideas. He returned to England deeply disappointed. He wrotetwo books expressing how he felt about the US. These books mainly criticizedthe US for not having a copyright law, the acceptance of slavery, and thevulgarity of the people. These books were American Notes for GeneralCirculation (1842) and The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit (1844). .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee , .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .postImageUrl , .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee , .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee:hover , .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee:visited , .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee:active { border:0!important; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee:active , .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4ec0ad1f8297e13c3cae75cb434231ee:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Breast Cancer EssayChuzzlewit was a big failure, but many critics believed it was a criticalturning point in his career because he realized that greed corrupted the humansoul. This is known as his middle period. During this period, he became moreconcerned with human life (Huffam). The first book that would start Dickens middle period would be AChristmas Carol (1843). During his middle period, he wrote two more Christmasbooks. They were The Chimes (1844) and The Cricket on the Hearth (1845). Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son (1848) was his next novel. In thisnovel, he tries to show the dehumanizing effects of wealth, pride, andcommercial values. He would write another novel during this period called ThePersonal History of David Copperfield in 1850. The Life Of Charles Dickens Essay Example For Students The Life Of Charles Dickens Essay INTRODUCTION This report will talk about the life of a famous author, Charles Dickens. It will tell you about his early, middle, and later years of his life. It will also talk about one of his great works of literature. In conclusion, this report will show a comparison of his work to his life. EARLY LIFECharles Dickens was born at Landport, in Portsea, on February 7, 1812. His father was a clerk in the Navy Pay-Office, and was temporarily on duty in the neighborhood when Charles was born. His name was John Dickens. He spent time in prison for debts. But, even when he was freehe lacked the money to support his family. Then, when Charles was two they moved to London. 1 Just before he started to toddle, he stepped into the glare of footlights. He never stepped out of it until he died. He was a good man, as men go in the bewildering world of ours, brave, transparent, tender-hearted, and honorable. Dickens was always a little too irritable because he was a little too happy. Like the over-wrought child in society, he was splendidly sociable, and in and yet sometimes quarrelsome. In all the practical relations of his life he was what the child is at a party, genuinely delighted, delightful, affectionate and happy, and in some strange way fundamentally sad and dangerously close to tears. 2 At the age of 12 Charles worked in a London factory pasting labels on bottles of shoe polish. He held the job only for a few months, but the misery of the experience remain with him all his life. 3 Dickens attended school off and on until he was 15, and then left for good. He enjoyed reading and was especially fond of adventure stories, fairy tales, and novels. He was influenced by such earlier English writers as William Shakespeare, Tobias Smollet, and Henry Fielding. However,most of the knowledge he later used as an author came from his environment around him. 4MIDDLE LIFEDickens became a newspaper writer and reporter in the late 1820s. He specialized in covering debates in Parliament, and also wrote feature articles. His work as a reporter sharpened his naturally keen ear for conversation and helped develop his skill in portraying his characters speachrealistically. It also increased his ability to observe and to write swiftly and clearly. Dickens first book, Sketches b y Boz (1836) consisted of articles he wrote for the Monthly Magazine and the London Evening Chronicles.5 On April 2, 1836 he married Catherine Hogarth. This was just a few days before the anoucement that on the 31st he would have his first work printed in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. And this was the beginning of his career. 6 Then, at 24, Dickens became famous and was so until he died. He won his first literary fame with The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. Published in monthly parts in 1836 and 1837 the book describes the humorous adventure and misadventures of the English Countryside. After a slow start, The Pickwick Papers as the book was usually called gained a popularity seldom matched in the history of literature. 7 Then in 1837, Catherines sister Mary, died. Because of her death Dickens suffered a lot of grief. This led some scholars to believe that Dickens loved Mary more than Catherine. Catherine was a good woman but she lacked intelligence. Dickens a nd Catherine had 10 children. Then later in 1858, the couple seperated. 8 LATER LIFEHis later years was basically consisting of two main additions to his previous activites. The first was a series of public readings and lectures which he began giving it systematically. And second, he was a successive editor. Dickens had been many things in his life; he was a reporter , an actor, a conjurer, a poet, a lecturer, and a editor and he enjoyed all of those things. 9 Dickens had a remarkable mental and physical energy. He recorded all his activites in thousands of letter, many of which made delightful readings. He spent much of his later life with crowded social friends from arts and literature. He also went to the theater as often as he could, cause heloved drama. Dickens also produced and acted in small theaters to give public readings of hiswork.10 Besides doing all this after his retirement he got involved in various charities . These charities included schools for poor children and a loan society to enable the poor to prove to Australia. 11 Then about 1865 his health started to decline and he died of a stroke on June 9, 1870. 12Dickens Work The Great Expectations This story talks about a guy who is in love with a girl. It is the theme of a youths discovery of the realities of life. An unknown person provides the young hero, Pip, with money so that he can live as a gentleman. Pips pride is shattered when he learns that he loses Estella forever, the source ofhis great expectation. Only by painfully revising his values does Pip reestablish his life on a foundation of sympathy, rather than on vanity, possesions, and social position. .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 , .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .postImageUrl , .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 , .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850:hover , .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850:visited , .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850:active { border:0!important; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850:active , .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850 .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8d362b414abbb16a0643df0b8d3f4850:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: What Brought Our Ancestors To America? Essay We will write a custom essay on The Life Of Charles Dickens specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Conclusion His work of Great Expectation is very related with his life. It deals with the same problems he faced when he lost Catherine and how his life was before he became rich and famous. He also created scenes and descriptions of places that have longed delighted readers. Dickens was a keenobserver of life and had a great underezding of humanity, especially of young people. The warmth and humor of his personality appeared in all of his works. Perhaps in no other large body of fiction does the reader receive so strong and agreeable impression of the person behind thestory. Endnotes1. G. K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens The Last of The Great Men, American Book-Stratford Press, NY., 1942 pg.192. Ibid, pg. 21-22 3. Johnson, Edgar, His Tragedy and Triumph. Rev. ed. Viking, 1977, pg. 204. Ibid, pg. 275. World Book Encyclopedia, Random House, NY., 1990 pg. 1936. G. K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens The Last of the Great Men, American Book-Stratford Press, NY., 1942 pg. 507. World Book Encyclopedia, Random House, NY., 1990 pg. 1938. Johnson, Edgar, His Tragedy and Triumph. Rev. ed. Viking, 1977, pg. 539. G. K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens The Last of the Great Men, American Book-Stratford Press, NY., 1942 pg. 16710. World Book Encyclopedia, Random House, NY., 1990 pg.195BIBLIOGRAPHYChesterton, G.K., The Last of the Great Men American Book-Stratford Press, NY., 1942. Johnson, Edgar, His Tragedy and Triumph Rev. ed. Viking, 1977. World Book Encyclopedia, Random House, NY., 1990

Puritanism And The Native People Example

Puritanism And The Native People Example Puritanism And The Native People – Coursework Example Puritanism and the Native People William Bradford sees Indians as noble savages who should be punished for treating other people in bad ways. Though William Bradford is portrayed as a very pious man, his Christian values are not portrayed in his behavior towards the Indians and less fortunate people. On one hand he praises God for His care during the journey while on the other hand, he comments that it pleased God to smite a young man with a terrible illness, which seems to imply that he had a revengeful heart contrary to his Christian belief where we should not rejoice during other peoples misery, though they have wronged us. The man in the story had been offending and speaking in an evil manner to the people on the ship but this did not mean he died for revenge.Mary Rowlandson sees native Indians as bad Indians and this is because they burnt her home, killed her friends and family and took her into captivity, and this could have been a cause for her to create bitterness in her hear t towards them. She does not seem to have been treated with the cruelty that her other prisoners are given probably due to the fact that she complies with what she is told to do. She acknowledges that it is God who has made every positive thing to happen. She notes that the Indians had been preserved by God to facilitate the punishment of her backslidden members of her family and people due to the evil things they have done. She acknowledges that God is ready to save always and gives an example of her spiritual reawakening after such a harrowing experience in the hands of the Indians. She also portrays anti Christian attitude by asserting that her race was superior to the Indians. She does not show Christian character when she does not empathize with the death of an Indian woman’s child. John Smith attitude towards the Indians had a mixture of negative and positive aspects. He liked the Indians because they fed him and because they were gifted in the expansion of trade with Europe and especially King Powhatan who wanted to expand His Kingdom. He had a internal dislike for the Indians because he considered them to be smarter than he was and depended on their help to survive in an era that was full of violence. His attitude towards the native people expresses the truest description because it expresses their negative and positive sides, which is right because people cannot be perfect and they have their good and bad sides.Work CitedRowlandson, Mary. Puritanism, Indians and Witchcraft, 2011. A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

8 Amateur Mistakes You Must Avoid at Work

8 Amateur Mistakes You Must Avoid at Work Sometimes getting jobs, changing jobs, and dreaming about dream jobs takes up so much of our career energy that we forget to focus on the job we’re in now. Take care not to make careless mistakes or get too complacent. Make sure you’re not guilty of any of the following blundersand then go back to daydreaming.1. Playing politicsIt never pays to be cutthroat, backstab, or even to go in the other direction and be sickeningly nice to everyone. People can read a phony from miles away. Don’t be one.Rather than constantly posturing, stick to your own personality, smoothed over a bit to maintain your professionalism, of course. Be genuine.2. Over-taskingMulti-tasking is one thing- and a very valuable skill, but it can be overdone. When you have too much on your plate, some projects will get lost in the shuffle. Keep your head, choose your priorities, and stay focused on one thing at a time whenever possible. That means not answering emails or texts during meetings, and actually listening when your colleagues speak.3. WhiningNobody likes all aspects of their job. But everyone appreciates a positive attitude. Keep quiet about what makes you most disgruntled, even if you really wish you could blast it on Twitter for sheer catharsis. Focus on what you can change, and stay quiet about the rest. If things are really all that bad, start looking for another job.4. Promising too muchWe all want to be the hero and say â€Å"yes† whenever called upon. But it’s important to make sure you can deliver on the promises you make. Don’t overextend yourself and end up disappointing people. Help whenever you can, and push yourself to greater heights, but stay honest and don’t let expectations get away from you.5. StruttingKnow your place. If you’ve just started in a company, don’t walk around like the C.E.O. You have to earn your coworkers’ (and boss’s) respect over time. That way, when you run the place, everyo ne will still like you, as well as fear you.6.  Being antisocialDon’t just mainline a salad at your desk, or grab lunch with only your team every day as if nothing else- not even the rest of the company- exists. Don’t forget to make friends that aren’t necessarily working with you on a day-to-day basis. It will help you maintain a work-life balance, even at the office. And it helps you make more connections and develop a more diverse profile at your company and in your field.7. Not answering opportunity’s knockEven if you like your job, you shouldn’t turn a blind eye to new opportunities. You never know when a better position or more exciting opportunity will come your way. It pays to be prepared.8.  Letting small failures keep you downWe all make mistakes. What we should all do is learn from them. It keeps us from making even more mistakes, keeps us humble, and keeps us improving ourselves in hopes of greater and greater success.

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

Ethics - Essay Example that there is only one right or better way to think about moral problems; â€Å"for example, the same figure can be seen as a square or a diamond, depending on its orientation in relation to a surrounding frame†¦a bird-watcher and a rabbit-keeper are likely to see the duck-rabbit figure in different ways, yet this difference does not imply that one way is better or a higher form of perceptual organization.† (p.229). Gilligan is imperative on the thinking that the conception of the moral domain is comprised of at least two moral orientations, and that these orientations raise new questions about observed differences in moral judgment and the disappointments to which they give rise. Factors such as the necessary distinction between differences in developmental stage and differences in orientation are strong issues in her discussion, and it is stated pronouncedly that her research on moral orientation derives from an observation which was made in the course of studying the relationship between moral judgment and action. Gilligan also speaks strongly about the issue of abortion, explaining that the language of the public abortion debate reveals a specific and significant justice perspective. â€Å"Whether the abortion dilemma is cast as a conflict of rights or in terms of respect for human life, the claims of the fetus and of the pregnant woman are balanced or placed in opposition.† (p.233) Gilligan uses various studies in her research and writing, in order to show the relation between the ethics of care and the issue of justice. One study of particular importance in this case is the one which two medical students were cast to each report a decision not to turn in someone who has violated the school rules against drinking, and who â€Å"cast their decision in different terms. One student constructs the decision as a net of mercy, a decision to override justice in light of the fact that the violator has shown ‘the proper degrees of contrition.’† (p.234). This study

IMPROVING JOB SATISFACTION AND MORAL THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Essay

IMPROVING JOB SATISFACTION AND MORAL THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION - Essay Example Extrinsic motivators don’t do much in this regard that is why intrinsic motivators like satisfaction. Employees rate pleasant working conditions like a gift from the firm (Organ, 1988). In a study conducted by Burke and Wilcox (1969) it was found that a clear effect was attributable to openness in communication between superior and a subordinate; the greater openness of either superior or subordinate (or even both), the greater satisfaction of subordinate regarding five variables that directly depend on satisfaction. These comprise of â€Å"(1) Satisfaction with the Company, (2) Satisfaction with the Job, (3) Satisfaction with Performance Appraisal and Development Interview (climate for growth), (4) presence of a "Helping Relationship," and (5) Satisfaction with Supervisor† (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). This openness is more effective when initiated by the superior. When a superior initiates openness in conversation and behavior, the subordinate responds accordingly. The open ness doesn’t respond to any causal relationship (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). Communication is inevitable and absolutely essential for healthy functioning of an organization (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). Degree of openness in communication process is the key element that decides its effectiveness (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). An organization can cash in dividends by fostering effective communication and overcoming barriers to it (Burke & Wilcox, 1969). Summary Various studies have been conducted on recognizing patterns regarding job satisfaction. Obvious factors like personal preferences and the nature of job also play their part for an employee, but that is solely on employee’s discretion.... The author concludes that effective communication doesn’t need to be rigid and formal, in fact researches emphasize on the openness of communication and how it generates comfort level between superior and subordinate. Gone are the days of threatening an employee with firing unless certain benchmarks are met. These days the nature of work has changed dramatically, it is not possible anymore to impose rigid measuring frames to ‘qualify/quantify’ and employee’s performance. So under this added complexity at work, how employers cope with job frustration and boredom from employees? They bring in the motivational language. Job satisfaction increases productivity, the more the workforce considers themselves a part of the corporate the more they contribute. Now the question remains as what qualifies as a positive motivator and what constitutes as a failure. Incentives and perks has their importance as well as effective communication. Moreover, communication needs t o be effective in order to fulfill its purpose. The level openness in a talk between superiors and subordinates can achieve this effectiveness. This openness needs to be initiated by the superiors, as subordinates respond to this openness in a desired way. Such rapport creates comfort level at job. The easier the work environment becomes the low the job turnover will be. Job satisfaction is also related with employee participation in corporate dynamics. The more the employees involve in work place affairs, the greater is job satisfaction as well as performance.

Conquerors or Jinas Essay Example for Free

Conquerors or Jinas Essay Jainism originated in ancient East India by the birth and ultimate liberation of twenty four conquerors or Jinas. People of the Jain faith believe that Jinas are human beings who become divine by subduing their sensual desires and overcoming karma, which is the accumulation of good and bad deeds. Good deeds allow living beings to be reincarnated into superior forms, while bad deeds force them to accept inferior forms after death (â€Å"Jainism†). The Jains believe that the first Jina or conqueror was a giant living on earth 8. 4 million years ago. The last Jina was Mahavira or The Great Hero, born in 550 BC. Mahavira is known as the founder of Jainism, seeing that he was able to attract a large number of followers to his faith (â€Å"Jain Dharma†). Like Siddharta Buddha, Mahavira had belonged to the warrior caste and â€Å"renounced the world† at the age of thirty (â€Å"History of Jainism†). Also like the Buddha, Mahavira had sought spiritual reality in the solitude of asceticism. Ultimately he had found enlightenment, although it had taken him thirteen long years to get there. He had converted eleven Brahmans to his faith soon after. By the time of his death, he had founded a community of ascetics with fourteen thousand monks and thirty six thousand nuns. Mahavira is further known to have starved himself to death – a practice referred to as salekhana (â€Å"History of Jainism†). According to the Jains, Mahavira is one of the fortunate ones, as he has â€Å"conquered love and hate, pleasure and pain, attachment and aversion, and has thereby freed ‘his’ soul from the karmas obscuring knowledge, perception, truth, and ability (â€Å"Jain Dharma†). † The first and foremost principle of living taught by Jainism is called Ahimsa or non-violence toward all living beings. Thus, the followers of Jainism have never encountered a problem of violence in their history. The only issue that the people of the Jain faith have had to confront is disunity. Two hundred years after the attainment of nirvana on the part of Mahavira, the Jain faith was divided into two sects: the Digambar and the Svetambar. Both sects hold different views or beliefs about a number of issues. For example, Digambar monks of the Jain faith do not wear anything because of their belief that clothes serve as reminders of the world. Svetambar monks, on the other hand, are known to wear seamless clothes that are usually colored white. Moreover, the Digambars are of the opinion that women are unable to attain liberation while they are living as women on earth. Svetambars, on the contrary, believe that women may indeed achieve liberation seeing that one of the Jinas was a woman. Likewise, the Digambars and Svetambars have varied views about the prayers that are traditionally recited by the Jains (â€Å"Jainism†). The Jains do not believe in a creator of the universe. According to them, the world is without beginning or end. Furthermore, there is no single god of the universe (Sivananda). The following is a prayer of the Jains describing their unique concept of divinity, following by a brief introduction of the same: I bow to the Arahants, the perfected human beings, Godmen. I bow to the Siddhas, liberated bodiless souls, God. I bow to the Acharyas, the masters and heads of congregations. I bow to the Upadhyayas, the spiritual teachers. I bow to the spiritual practitioners in the universe, Sadhus. This fivefold obeisance mantra destroys all sins and obstacles, and of all auspicious repetitions, is the first and foremost (Welcome to Jainism. org). Jains believe that all living beings are the same essential soul, but those human beings that perfect or liberate themselves are turned into gods. These souls – part of the single soul of all living beings, albeit separate – are worshipped by the Jains. Furthermore, these souls are the only ones that do not have to deal with karma any longer. They have achieved salvation through enlightenment, abandonment of worldly attachments, and asceticism. By controlling their selfish desires, they have followed their spiritual teachers to the core. For them, Jainism is the only true religion. Additionally, by attaining the divine status, they have become omnipotent and omnipresent (Sivananda). Before becoming gods, the liberated souls were able to achieve death at will. On the other hand are souls that are so attached to life that they do not wish to end their lives on earth. Such souls die nevertheless. Their death is Akama Marana, the death of helplessness, leading the soul to return to earth in an inferior form (â€Å"Death in Jainism†). There are seventeen kinds of deaths in the Jain faith: â€Å"Avici-marana; Avadhimarana; Atyantika-marana; Vasarta-marana; Valana-marana; Antahsalya-marana; Tadhava-marana; Akama marana; Pandita-marana; Balpandita-marana; Chadmastha-marana; Kevali-marana; Vaihayasa-marana; Guddhapristha-marana; Bhaktapratyakhyana-marana; Inginta-marana; and Padopagamana-marana (â€Å"Death in Jainism†). † Unsurprisingly, all of these separate types of deaths lead to a different kind of life after death. Jains are believers in the reincarnation of all living beings. Thus, the soul that dies the Pandita-marana death is said to have left the earth in peace and with satisfaction (â€Å"Death in Jainism†). The best kind of death is, of course, the very last one, that is, the end that leads to ultimate liberation from the process of rebirth (â€Å"Jainism†). Besides Ahimsa or non-violence, which forbids actions that cause verbal, emotional or physical harm to living beings; the principles of human behavior that the Jains must adhere to include the principle of Satya or the command to speak the truth and avoid falsehood; Asteya, or the command not to steal; Brahmacharya, or the principle demanding all Jains to remain monogamous in their sexual relationships; and Aparigraha, which is the principle of detaching oneself from the world by a reduction of worldly desires and abstinence from hoarding of material wealth (â€Å"Jain Dharma†). The Jains do not convert people to their faith. Hence, anybody who is willing to follow the faith of Jainism must believe in these moral principles and follow them without compulsion (â€Å"Jainism†). Jains additionally believe that every living being has the potential to attain ultimate liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The perfect and liberated souls serve as models on the path of attaining liberation. However, all living beings are responsible for their individual good or bad actions (â€Å"Jainism†). In order to attain ultimate salvation, souls must also believe in the triple jewels, that is, â€Å"[r]ight faith, right knowledge and right conduct (Sivananda). † Right faith constitutes belief in the perfect and liberated souls as real gods, the Jaina Sastras (written by spiritual teachers) as the scriptures of the Jain faith, and the saints of Jainism as the real teachers. Right knowledge provides the follower of Jainism with an eye of certainty that sheds all doubts. Right conduct, of course, constitutes the five moral principles that all Jains must adhere to, including Ahimsa, which compels all Jains to live as vegetarians (Sivananda). Lastly, Jains believe in overcoming all biases and prejudices, and gathering the viewpoints of others, despite the fact that the followers of the faith are divided into sects (â€Å"Jainism†). Works Cited â€Å"Death in Jainism. † Answers. 2007. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. answers. com/death%20in%20jainism. â€Å"History of Jainism. † Religion Facts. 2007. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. religionfacts. com/jainism/history. htm. â€Å"Jain Dharma. † Religious Tolerance. 15 Aug 2005. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. religioustolerance. org/jainism. htm. â€Å"Jainism. † Answers. 2007. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. answers. com/topic/jainism. Sivananda, Sri Swami. Jainism. 17 Oct 2004. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. dlshq. org/religions/jainism. htm. Welcome to Jainism. org. 16 Nov 2007. http://www. jainism. org/.

The Great Depression :: essays research papers

Introduction It should be noted that all of the cures have been tried and while we seem to be free of Depressions, it's not clear that business cycles have been eliminated. Causes The Stock Market Crash The Stock Market Crash in October of 1929 is often cited as the beginning of the Great Depression, but did it actually cause it? The answer is no. First, the stock price for a particular company merely reflects current information about the future income stream of that company. Thus, it is a change in available information that changes the stock price. When the Fed began to raise interest rates in early 1929, this began the tumble. However, a stock market crash could cause people to increase their liquidity preference which might lead them to hoard money. In the August 1990 issue of The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Christine D. Romer writes that "the negative effect of stock market variability is more than strong enough to account for the entire decline in real consumer spending on durables that occurred in late 1929 and 1930." Hoarding Money People hoard money because they have a liquidity preference. I.e., people want to have their assets in a readily convertible form, such as money. There are several misconceptions about hoarding money. First hoarding is not the same thing as saving. If I put my money into a savings account, that money is lent out to someone else who then spends it. Second, hoarding, by itself, cannot cause a recession or depression. As long as prices and wages drop instantly to reflect the lower amount of money in the economy, then hoarding causes no problems. Indeed, hoarding can even be seen as beneficial to those who don't hoard, since their money will be able to buy more goods as a result of the lower prices. If a country has a gold standard, then hoarding money can make the money supply drop dramatically since a gold standard makes the quantity of money difficult for the government to control. The Gold Standard At the time of the Great Depression,America had a 100% gold standard for its money. This meant that all cash was backed by a government promise to redeem it in a specific amount of gold (at the time, one ounce of gold was redeemable for twenty dollars). Because the amount of money circulating in the economy is wholly dependent on the amount of gold available, the money supply is very rigid.

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-one

THERE WAS LITTLE MORE MIKHAIL and I could say to each other after that. I didn't want him to get in trouble for what he'd done, and I let him lead us out of the guardians' building in silence. As we emerged outside, I could see the sky purpling in the east. The sun was nearly up, signaling the middle of our night. Briefly flipping into Lissa's mind, I read that the Death Watch had finally ended, and she was on her way back to her room–worried about me and still annoyed that Christian had shown up with Mia. I followed Lissa's example, wondering if sleep might ease the agony that Dimitri had left in my heart. Probably not. Still, I thanked Mikhail for his help and the risk he'd taken. He merely nodded, like there was nothing to thank him for. It was exactly what he would have wanted me to do for him if our roles had been reversed and Ms. Karp had been the one behind bars. I feel into a heavy sleep back in my bed, but my dreams were troubled. Over and over, I kept hearing Dimitri tell me he couldn't love me anymore. It beat into me over and over, smashing my heart into little pieces. At one point, it became more than a dreamlike beating. I heard real beating. Someone was pounding on my door, and slowly, I dragged myself out of my awful dreams. Bleary-eyed, I went to the door and found Adrian. The scene was almost a mirror of last night when he'd come to invite me to the Death Watch. Only this time, his face was much grimmer. For a second, I thought he'd heard about my visit to Dimitri. Or that maybe he'd gotten in a lot more trouble than we'd realized for sneaking half of his friends into a secret funeral. â€Å"Adrian†¦ this is early for you†¦.† I glanced over at a clock, discovering that I'd actually slept in pretty late. â€Å"Not early at all,† he confirmed, face still serious. â€Å"Lots of stuff going on. I had to come tell you the news before you heard it somewhere else.† â€Å"What news?† â€Å"The Council's verdict. They finally passed that big resolution they've been debating. The one you came in for.† â€Å"Wait. They're done?† I recalled what Mikhail had said, that a mystery issue had been keeping the Council busy. If it was finished, then they could move on to something else–say, like, officially declaring Dimitri a dhampir again. â€Å"That's great news.† And if this really was tied into when Tatiana had had me come describe my skills†¦ well, was there really a chance I might be named Lissa's guardian? Could the queen have really come through? She'd seemed friendly enough last night. Adrian regarded me with something I'd never seen from him: pity. â€Å"You have no idea, do you?† â€Å"No idea about what?† â€Å"Rose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He gently rested a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"The Council just passed a decree lowering the guardian age to sixteen. Dhampirs'll graduate when they're sophomores and then go out for assignments.† â€Å"What?† Surely I'd misheard. â€Å"You know how panicked they've been about protection and not having enough guardians, right?† He sighed. â€Å"This was their solution to increasing your numbers.† â€Å"But they're too young!† I cried. â€Å"How can anyone think sixteen-year-olds are ready to go out and fight?† â€Å"Well,† said Adrian, â€Å"because you testified that they were.† My mouth dropped, everything freezing around me. You testified that they were†¦ No. It couldn't be possible. Adrian gently nudged my arm, trying to shake me out of my stupor. â€Å"Come on, they're still wrapping up. They made the announcement in an open session, and some people are†¦ a little upset.† â€Å"Yeah, I'll say.† He didn't need to tell me twice. I immediately started to follow, then realized I was in my pajamas. I quickly changed and brushed my hair, still scarcely able to believe what he'd just said. My preparation only took five minutes, and then we were out the door. Adrian wasn't overly athletic, but he kept a pretty good pace as we headed toward the Council's hall. â€Å"How did this happen?† I asked. â€Å"You don't really mean that†¦ that what I said played a role?† I'd meant my words to be a demand, but they came out with more of a pleading note. He lit a cigarette without breaking stride, and I didn't bother chastising him for it. â€Å"It's apparently been a hot topic for a while. It was a pretty close vote. The people pushing for it knew they'd need to show a lot of evidence to win. You were their grand prize: a teen dhampir slaying Strigoi left and right, long before graduation.† â€Å"Not that long,† I muttered, my fury kindling. Sixteen? Were they serious? It was ludicrous. The fact that I had been unknowingly used to support this decree made me sick to my stomach. I'd been a fool, thinking they'd all ignored my rule breaking and had simply paraded me in to praise me. They'd used me. Tatiana had used me. When we reached it, the Council hall was in as much chaos as Adrian had implied. True, I hadn't spent a lot of time in these kinds of meetings, but I was pretty sure that people standing up in clusters and yelling at each other wasn't normal. The Council's herald probably didn't usually scream himself hoarse trying to bring order to the crowd either. The only spot of calm was Tatiana herself, sitting patiently in her seat at the center of the table, just as Council etiquette dictated. She looked very pleased with herself. The rest of her colleagues had lost all sense of propriety and were on their feet like the audience, arguing amongst themselves or anyone else ready to pick a fight. I stared in amazement, unsure what to do in all this disorder. â€Å"Who voted for what?† I asked. Adrian studied the Council members and ticked them off on his fingers. â€Å"Szelsky, Ozera, Badica, Dashkov, Conta, and Drozdov. They were against it.† â€Å"Ozera?† I asked in surprise. I didn't know the Ozera princess–Evette–very well, but she'd always seemed pretty stiff and unpleasant. I had new respect for her now. Adrian nodded over to where Tasha was furiously addressing a large group of people, eyes flashing and arms waving wildly. â€Å"Evette was persuaded by some of her family members.† That made me smile too, but only for a moment. It was good that Tasha and Christian were being acknowledged amongst their clan again, but the rest of our problem was still alive and kicking. I could deduce the rest of the names. â€Å"So†¦ Prince Ivashkov voted for it,† I said. Adrian shrugged by way of apology for his family. â€Å"Lazar, Zeklos, Tarus, and Voda.† That the Voda family would vote for extra protection wasn't entirely a surprise, considering the recent slaughter of one of their members. Priscilla wasn't even in her grave yet, and the new Voda prince, Alexander, seemed clearly unsure what to do with his sudden promotion. I gave Adrian a sharp look. â€Å"That's only five to six. Oh.† Realization dawned. â€Å"Shit. Royal tiebreaker.† The Moroi voting system had been set up with twelve members, one for each family, and then whoever the reigning king or queen was. True, it often meant one group got two votes, since the monarch rarely voted against his or her own family. It had been known to happen. Regardless, the system should have had thirteen votes, preventing ties. Except†¦ a recent problem had developed. There were no Dragomirs on the Council anymore, meaning ties could occur. In that rare event, Moroi law dictated that the monarch's vote carried extra weight. I'd heard that had always been controversial, and yet at the same time, there wasn't much to be done for it. Ties in the Council would mean nothing ever got settled, and since monarchs were elected, many took it on faith that they would act in the best interests of the Moroi. â€Å"Tatiana's was the sixth,† I said. â€Å"And hers swayed it.† Glancing around, I saw a bit of anger on the faces of those from the families who had voted against the decree. Apparently, not everyone believed Tatiana had acted in the best interest of the Moroi. Lissa's presence sang to me through the bond, so her arrival a few moments later was no surprise. News had spread fast, though she didn't yet know the fine details. Adrian and I waved her over. She was as dumbfounded as we were. â€Å"How could they do that?† she asked. â€Å"Because they're too afraid that someone might make them learn to defend themselves. Tasha's group was getting too loud.† Lissa shook her head. â€Å"No, not just that. I mean, why were they even in session? We should be in mourning after what happened the other day–publicly. The whole Court, not just some secret part of it. One of the Council members even died! Couldn't they wait for the funeral?† In her mind's eye, I could see the images from that grisly night, where Priscilla had died right before Lissa's eyes. â€Å"But was easily replaceable,† a new voice said. Christian had joined us. Lissa took a few steps away from him, still annoyed about Mia. â€Å"And actually, it's the perfect time. The people who wanted this had to jump at their chance. Every time there's a big Strigoi fight, everyone panics. Fear'll make a lot of people get on board with this. And if any Council members were undecided before this, that battle probably pushed them over.† That was pretty wise reasoning for Christian, and Lissa was impressed, despite her troubled feelings for him right now. The Council's herald finally managed to make his voice heard over the shouts of the audience. I wondered if the group would have quieted down if Tatiana herself had started yelling at them to shut up. But no. That was probably beneath her dignity. She was still sitting there calmly, like nothing unusual was going on. Nonetheless, it took several moments for everyone to settle down and take their seats. My friends and I hurriedly grabbed the first ones we could find. With peace and quiet achieved at last, the weary-looking herald yielded the floor to the queen. Smiling grandly at the assembly, she addressed them in her most imperious voice. â€Å"We'd like to thank everyone for coming today and expressing your†¦ opinions. I know some are still unsure about this decision, but Moroi law has been followed here–laws that have been in place for centuries. We will have another session soon to listen to what you have to say in an orderly fashion.† Something told me that was an empty gesture. People could talk all they wanted; she wouldn't listen. â€Å"This decision–this verdict–will benefit the Moroi. Our guardians are already so excellent.† She gave a condescending nod toward the ceremonial guardians standing along the room's walls. They wore typically neutral faces, but I was guessing that, like me, they probably wanted to punch half the Council. â€Å"They are so excellent, in fact, that they train their students to be ready to defend us at an early age. We will all be safer from tragedies like that whi ch recently occurred.† She lowered her head a moment in what must have been a show of grieving. I recalled last night when she'd choked up over Priscilla. Had that been an act? Was her best friend's death a convenient way for Tatiana to push forward with her own agenda. Surely†¦ surely, she wasn't that cold. The queen lifted her head and continued. â€Å"And again, we're happy to listen to you register your opinions, although by our own laws, this matter is settled. Further sessions will have to wait until an adequate period of mourning has passed for the unfortunate departed.† Her tone and body language implied that this was indeed the end of the discussion. Then, an impertinent voice suddenly broke the room's silence. My voice. â€Å"Well, I'd kind of like to register my opinion now.† Inside my head, Lissa was shouting: Sit down, sit down! But I was already on my feet, moving toward the Council's table. I stopped at a respectful distance, one that would let them notice me but not get me tackled by guardians. And oh, they noticed me. The herald flushed bright red at my rule breaking. â€Å"You are out of line and in violation of all Council protocol! Sit down right now before you are removed.† He glanced over at the guardians, like he expected them to come charging forward right then. None of them moved. Either they didn't perceive me as a threat, or they were wondering what I was going to do. I was also wondering this. With a small, delicate hand gesture, Tatiana waved the herald back. â€Å"I daresay there's been so much breach of protocol today that one more incident won't make a difference.† She fixed me with a kind smile, one that was apparently intended to make us look like friends. â€Å"Besides, Guardian Hathaway is one of our most valuable assets. I'm always interested in what she has to say.† Was she really? Time to find out. I addressed my words to the Council. â€Å"This thing you've just passed is utterly and totally insane.† I considered it a great feat on my part that I didn't use any swear words there because I had some adjectives in mind that were much more fitting. Who said I didn't understand Council etiquette? â€Å"How can any of you sit there and think it's okay to send sixteen-year-olds out to risk their lives?† â€Å"It's only two years' difference,† said the Tarus prince. â€Å"It's not like we're sending ten-year-olds.† â€Å"Two years is a lot.† I thought for a moment about when I'd been sixteen. What had happened in those two years? I'd run off with Lissa, watched friends die, traveled around the world, fallen in love†¦. â€Å"You can live a lifetime in two years. And if you want us to keep being on the front lines–which most of us willingly do when we graduate–then you owe us those two years.† This time, I glanced back at the audience. The reactions were mixed. Some clearly agreed with me, nodding along. Some looked as though nothing in the world would change their minds about the decree being just. Others wouldn't meet my eyes†¦. Had I swayed them? Were they undecided? Embarrassed at their own selfishness? They might be the keys. â€Å"Believe me, I would love to see your people enjoy their youth.† This was Nathan Ivashkov speaking. â€Å"But right now, that's not an option we have. The Strigoi are closing in. We're losing more Moroi and guardians every day. Getting more fighters out there will stop this, and really, we're just letting those dhampirs' skills go to waste by waiting a couple years. This plan will protect both our races.† â€Å"It'll kill mine off faster!† I said. Realizing I might start shouting if I lost control, I took a deep breath before going on. â€Å"They won't be ready. They won't have all the training they need.† And that was where Tatiana herself made her master play. â€Å"Yet, by your own admission, you were certainly prepared at a young age. You killed more Strigoi before you were eighteen than some guardians kill their entire lives.† I fixed her with a narrow-eyed look. â€Å"I,† I said coldly, â€Å"had an excellent instructor. One that you currently have locked up. If you want to talk about skills going to waste, then go look in your own jail.† There was a slight stirring in the audience, and Tatiana's we're pals face grew a little cold. â€Å"That is not an issue we are addressing today. Increasing our protection is. I believe you have even commented in the past that the guardian ranks are lacking in numbers.† My own words, thrown back at me from last night. â€Å"They need to be filled. You–and many of your companions–have proven you're able to defend us.† â€Å"We were exceptions!† It was egotistical, but it was the truth. â€Å"Not all novices have reached that level.† A dangerous glint appeared in her eye, and her voice grew silky smooth again. â€Å"Well, then, perhaps we need more excellent training. Perhaps we should send you to St. Vladimir's or some other academy so that you can improve your young colleagues' education. My understanding is that your upcoming assignment will be a permanent administrative one here at Court. If you wanted to help make this new decree successful, we could change that assignment and make you an instructor instead. It might speed up your return to a bodyguard assignment.† I gave her a dangerous smile of my own. â€Å"Do not,† I warned, â€Å"try to threaten, bribe, or blackmail me. Ever. You won't like the consequences.† That might have been going too far. People in the audience exchanged startled looks. Some of their expressions were disgusted, as though they could expect nothing better of me. I recognized a few of those Moroi. They were ones I'd overheard talking about my relationship with Adrian and how the queen hated it. I also suspected a number of royals from last night's ceremony were here too. They'd seen Tatiana lead me out and no doubt thought my outburst and disrespect today were a type of revenge. The Moroi weren't the only ones who reacted. Regardless of whether they shared my opinions, a few guardians stepped forward. I made sure to stay exactly where I was, and that, along with Tatiana's lack of fear, kept them in place. â€Å"We're getting weary of this conversation,† Tatiana said, switching to the royal we. â€Å"You can speak more–and do so in the proper manner–when we have our next meeting and open the floor to comments. For now, whether you like it or not, this resolution has been passed. It's law.† She's letting you off! Lissa's voice was back in my head. Back away from this before you do something that'll get you in real trouble. Argue later. It was ironic because I'd been on the verge of exploding and letting my full rage out. Lissa's words stopped me–but not because of their content. It was Lissa herself. When Adrian and I had discussed the results earlier, I'd noted one piece of faulty logic. â€Å"It wasn't a fair vote,† I declared. â€Å"It wasn't legal.† â€Å"Are you a lawyer now, Miss Hathaway?† The queen was amused, and her dropping of my guardian title now was a blatant lack of respect. â€Å"If you're referring to the monarch's vote carrying more weight than others on the Council, then we can assure you that that has been Moroi law for centuries in such situations.† She glanced at her fellow Council members, none of whom raised a protest. Even those who'd voted against her couldn't find fault with her point. â€Å"Yeah, but the entire Council didn't vote,† I said. â€Å"You've had an empty spot in the Council for the last few years–but not anymore.† I turned and pointed at where my friends were sitting. â€Å"Vasilisa Dragomir is eighteen now and can fill her family's spot.† In all of this chaos, her birthday had been overlooked, even by me. The eyes in the room turned on Lissa–something she did not like. However, Lissa was used to being in the public eye. She knew what was expected of a royal, how to look and carry herself. So, rather than cringing, she sat up straight and stared ahead with a cool, regal look that said she could walk up to that table right now and demand her birthright. Whether it was that magnificent attitude alone or maybe a little spirit charisma, she was almost impossible to look away from. Her beauty had its usual luminous quality, and around the room, a lot of the faces held the same awe for her that I'd observed around Court. Dimitri's transformation was still an enigma, but those who believed in it were indeed regarding her as some kind of saint. She was becoming larger than life in so many people's eyes, both with her family name and mysterious powers–and now the alleged ability to restore Strigoi. Smug, I looked back at Tatiana. â€Å"Isn't eighteen the legal voting age?† Checkmate, bitch. â€Å"Yes,† she said cheerfully. â€Å"If the Dragomirs had a quorum.† I wouldn't say my stunning victory exactly shattered at that point, but it certainly lost a little of its luster. â€Å"A what?† â€Å"A quorum. By law, for a Moroi family to have a Council vote, they must have a family. She does not. She's the only one.† I stared in disbelief. â€Å"What, you're saying she needs to go have a kid to get a vote?† Tatiana grimaced. â€Å"Not now, of course. Someday, I'm sure. For a family to have a vote, they must have at least two members, one of whom must be over eighteen. It's Moroi law–again, a law that's been in the books for centuries.† A few people were exchanging confused and surprised looks. This was clearly not a law many were familiar with. Of course, this situation–a royal line reduced to one person–wasn't one that had occurred in recent history, if it had ever occurred at all. â€Å"It's true,† said Ariana Szelsky reluctantly. â€Å"I've read it.† Okay, that was when my stunning victory shattered. The Szelsky family was one I trusted, and Ariana was the older sister of the guy my mom protected. Ariana was a pretty bookish kind of person, and seeing as she'd voted against the guardian age change, it seemed unlikely she'd offer this piece of evidence if it weren't true. With no more ammunition, I resorted to old standbys. â€Å"That,† I told Tatiana, â€Å"is the most fucked-up law I have ever heard.† That did it. The audience broke into shocked chatter, and Tatiana gave up on whatever pretense of friendliness she'd been clinging to. She beat the herald to any orders he might have given. â€Å"Remove her!† shouted Tatiana. Even with the rapidly growing noise, her voice rang clearly through the room. â€Å"We will not tolerate this sort of vulgar behavior!† I had guardians on me in a flash. Honestly, with how often I'd been dragged away from places lately, there was almost something comfortably familiar about it. I didn't fight the guardians as they led me to the door, but I also didn't let them take me without a few parting words. â€Å"You could change the quorum law if you wanted, you sanctimonious bitch!† I yelled back. â€Å"You're twisting the law because you're selfish and afraid! You're making the worst mistake of your life. You'll regret it! Wait and see–you'll wish you'd never done it!† I don't know if anyone heard my tirade because by then, the hall was back to the chaos it had been in when I entered. The guardians–three of them–didn't let go of me until we were outside. Once they released me, we all stood around awkwardly for a moment. â€Å"What now?† I asked. I tried to keep the anger out of my voice. I was still furious and worked up, but it wasn't these guys' fault. â€Å"Are you going to lock me up?† Seeing as it would bring me back to Dimitri, it would almost be a reward. â€Å"They only said to remove you,† one of the guardians pointed out. â€Å"No one said what to do with you after that.† Another guardian, old and grizzled but still fierce looking, gave me a wry look. â€Å"I'd take off while you can, before they really have a chance to punish you.† â€Å"Not that they won't find you if they really want to,† added the first guardian. With that, the three of them headed back inside, leaving me confused and upset. My body was still revved for a fight, and I was filled with the frustration I always experienced whenever I was faced with a situation I felt powerless in. All that yelling for nothing. I'd accomplished nothing. â€Å"Rose?† I shifted from my churning emotions and looked up at the building. The older guardian hadn't gone inside and still stood in the doorway. His face was stoic, but I thought I saw a twinkle in his eye. â€Å"For what it's worth,† he told me, â€Å"I thought you were fantastic in there.† I didn't feel much like smiling, but my lips betrayed me. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. Well, maybe I'd accomplished one thing.