An Obsession the World Doesn’t Share Essay

In his essay, â€Å"An Obsession the World Doesn’t Share†, Roger Cohen describes in detail the way other countries view the actions of the United States Government and President Bush (New York Times, 2004). Mr. Cohen’s main idea throughout the article is how the United States government is reacting, or not reacting, to world issues due to the focus on 9/11/01. The author uses countries such as South Africa, and Brazil to make his point that these countries are facing severe problems and the USA, which has always been seen as a â€Å"helping country† is now focused on terrorism. Supporting viewpoints of his main idea are the fact that in Canada, a recent statue of President Bush was erected in the same form as Iraq’s past leader, Sadaam Hussein. In addition, the author notes the AIDS epidemic in South Africa; and the economic factors in Latin America. Mr. Cohen continues his main idea by making the suggestion that any good the USA government has done (i. e. – giving money to support AIDS education), is overshadowed by the fight on terrorism. Mr. Cohen’s point in this article is to inform Americans about how the rest of the world views their country. His central argument seems to be that despite the good our government has done, it is completely overshadowed by our dire need to revenge for 9/11 terrorist attacks. The author uses facts to back up his argument from what seems to be reliable sources, such as the government of these nations, and Ambassadors for these countries. The tone of this article is informative, the author presents his arguments without bias and his personal judgments are few. The author uses a logos appeal, presenting his argument as a logical, reasonable one. Although it does not appear that there are many weaknesses in his argument, some information is excluded, namely that of President Bush’s view, because Bush’s view was not clearly stated, this alone may make the author slightly biased towards the other countries, who are in effect asking for our help. This writer accepts Mr. Cohen’s argument. I believe that all the good the USA may be doing for other countries, IS overshadowed by what seems to be revenge for not only 9/11 but for the Gulf War as well. The fact that our government is intent on punishing Middle Eastern countries, which had little or no involvement in 9/11, speaks volumes about what is important (fighting and not assisting). In this article, the author states, â€Å"The problem is the perception that Bush uses immense power in an egotistical way. (NY Times, 2004) This writer strongly believes this to be the truth as evidenced by the fact that Hussein of Iraq was a main focal point of the terrorism instead of the one who committed the crimes (Bin Laden). As assumed from this article, President Bush is not well-liked by other countries and even Americans are growing tired of Bush’s so-called priorities. In sum, Mr. Cohen has presented an aptly named title of how the world negatively views our government. Unfortunately, most Americans do not differ on this viewpoint.

Costco Value Chain Analysis Essay

Introduction The aim of the SSP is to identify a firm in a competitive industry, and propose solutions to the problems it faces.   The paper covers corporate strategic thinking, complexity analysis, systems thinking, and sustainability analysis. The major problem addressed in the paper is Costco’s ability to develop a suitable value chain, which can increases profitability and maximize shareholder’s value.   Costco is one of the leading global retailers, specialized in selling a wide range of merchandise, ranging from local to international brands. The tools presented in this paper provides Costco with an opportunity for transforming its business activities relative to the industry rivals, with the aim of creating profits and raising the company’s value. Executive Summary The paper has two major parts. The first part applies traditional strategic thinking, which includes applying the complexity analysis of key issues affecting Costco and a sustainability analysis. These tools address the challenges surrounding Costco’s business operations and profitability.   The first part includes stakeholder identification and value analysis, general forces analysis, value chain analysis, SWOT analysis, key factors to success analysis and Porter’s five forces analysis. The second part is a complexity analysis of Costco, which includes industry evolution modeling, action plan analysis, Boid analysis, Life Cycle Assessment and Sustainable Framework Analysis. Analyzing the Company Strategy Type Action Plan Analysis Costco’s current strategy originates from its mission and vision. The company pursues three of the four generic strategies, which are low cost leadership, customer relationship and differentiation. These three exposes the company’s strategic intent thinking to achieve global leadership.   A keen Alignment and Goals analysis shows that employees at Costco support the company’s strategy. However, the employees have the required skills to make the strategy work, and on top of this, they are well paid and motivated. Costco’s action plan analysis can increase profit margin to 18 percent and operating profit margin to 10 percent by 2017 (Farfan, 2010). Boid Analysis Industry Evolution Modeling The Boid analysis reveals three major rules governing the retail industry, which Costco values. The first one is to have a customer driven focus through adding value to the product mix. The second one is to maintain a flexible pricing strategy, and offering promotion services to customers. The third one is to adopt global cultural changes through adapting to clients preferences changes. This means delivering specific services and products to a particular culture or country. The Industry Evolution Modeling analysis reveals Costco’s determination to advance and match with the new ways of doing business. The company can improve its industrial positioning by coming up with premier membership requirement. It is clear that Costco forgo short-term profits for long-term stability and viability and increasing shareholders’ wealth.   In addition to this, Costco slowly adopts new technology that draws customer attention and can expand development initiatives and research (Bloomberg, 2011). Life Cycle Assessment Sustainable Value Framework Analysis The Life Cycle Assessment for Costco shows that Costco understands the environmental risks which originate from warehouse operations.   Costco tries to mitigate the risks associated with the environment such as loss of reputation caused by not obeying environmental rules. Costco monitors the reports on four major greenhouse gases which are carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydro fluorocarbons and methane. The Sustainable Value Framework provides an internal and external focus for what is happening today and what might happen tomorrow. This roadmaps a given strategy and drives success and is associated with a given payoff. Costco’s internal sustainability for today is to prevent pollution, minimize material consumption, and reduce waste. The payoff is reducing business costs and risks. For tomorrow, Costco’s internal strategy must reduce carbon footprint, create a cleaner technology, and avoid environmental disruption. The payoffs for this are competitive repositioning and further innovation (McKinsey, 2012). The external sustainable for today focuses on transparency, connectivity and drawing attention of the civil society. The pay offs are social legitimacy and increased brand reputation. For tomorrow, the external strategy ought to address depletion of resources, poverty and climate change, and the payoffs would be trajectory for permanent growth. Detailed Analysis of All Quadrants The information presented above reveals that Costco can improve its profitability by focusing on the four quadrants. To achieve permanent growth, the company must participate in campaigns that are aimed at preventing resource depletion and climate change. This way, Costco’s brand image will become popular among the members of the public, which can increase its customer base and hence profitability. Table 2: Sustainable Value Framework    Today Future External Strategy: Sustainability Vision- Costco’s code of Ethics, Community relations, Greenhouse Gas Elimination Programmes. Payoff: Sustainability in long-term growth. Strategy: Product Stewardship- Costco’s sustainable Packaging and Reducing materials Payoff: Increased reputation, and Brand Legitimacy. Internal Strategy: Clean Technology- building Construction mission, and Silver LEED Certification Payoff: Strengthening positioning and innovative buildings for future viability. Strategy: Preventing Pollution- Costco Energy programme. Payoff: Low costs associated with warehouse facilities.    Conclusions Costco tries to operate in accordance with its mission and vision in order to meet performance goals. The company strives for sustainable future. It does this by coming up with programs that can cut costs and reduce pollution. Costco’s expansion to global markets seems limited. In addition the company has a strict Code of ethics when establishing partnerships. Costco continuously offer discount services to its buyers. From the above analysis, it is clear that Costco aims at long-term growth other than short-term profitability. This explains why it short-term profits margins are smaller compared to that of its competitors, Wal-Mart and Target Corporation. References Bloomberg Business Daily (2011, November 24).  Costco Wholesale Corp.  Retrieved from http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/ratios.asp?ticker=COST Farfan, B. (2010, September 10). 2012 Retail Store Closings Roundup: U.S. Retailers Closing or Liquidating Stores: Complete list of U.S. Retail Chains Downsizing or Going out of Business in 2012.  About.com. Retrieved from http://retailindustry.about.com/od/storeclosingsandopenings/a/2012-Store-Closings-US-Retail-Industry-Liquidations-Roundup-Chains-Going-Out-Business.htm McKinsey & Company. (2012). The value proposition in multichannel retailing. Retrieved from https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/The_value_proposition_in_multichannel_retailing_2800      

Analyzing Paul Cezannes Post Impressionistic Painting Still Life With A Curtain

Analyzing Paul Cezanne's Post Impressionistic Painting Still Life With A Curtain Final Paper Instead of being interested in the lighting and phenomenon of color, post impressionists move towards bright colors and sharp edges. The artists of the post impressionistic period chose not to work together because there work focused on what they each individually felt including theories, goals, and views of the world. I chose Paul Cezannes painting entitled Still Life With a Curtain, an oil on canvas that some consider one of his best and most influential still lives. When you look at this painting, I first notice the preservation and display of the bright colors, specifically the oranges and the flower pot. Even the off white table cloth which appears to be filthy contrasts with the other colors to make them seem even brighter. Paul Cezanne was a french artist and post impressionist painter who helped transition to a new world of art in the 20th century. His brushstrokes are highly recognizable in the art world as was moving to explore new methods. Many artists take Cezannes final twenty years of his life being spent in the south of France as an inspiration, as if he gave everything up in the name of art. Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gaugine and vuillard are some of my personal favorite Post Impressionistic painters. I have chosen to write about Cezanne because I like the way he analyzes nature. Cezanne was never into the way impressionists tried to mimic the specific look and feel of nature, instead he was interested in still lifes. You can see is his later watercolors and landscapes the pattern of his brushstrokes always overlapping. This was a precursor to cubism. He insisted on personal expression through his art, which was a major part of the post impressionistic movement. He believed that there was a hidden ord er in nature and it could be displayed in a non traditional way, such as with a simple painting of fruit and a flower pot on a slanted table. Although his paintings remained to be abstract, you can still easily recognize the objects in them. Although Cezannes piece Still Life With A Curtain and Van Goghs Starry Night seem to be very different from each other, they are from the same post impressionist period. Both pieces of art contain sharp edges, the use of bright colors, and a personal touch from the artist. Below, I have placed a picture of Van Goghs Starry Night alongside Cezannes painting. Both Cezanne and Van Gogh worked with unique styles to show there own interests through their artwork. For example, you can sense Van Goghs love of religion and nature through his painting of Starry Night by the emotional swirls in the sky and by the size of the stars. When we see stars at night they are not that large, but Van Gogh evokes his emotions and love for the stars through the sheer size he paints them. We see them as tiny spots in the sky, but he views them as massive beautiful swirls of light. Invoking personal interests is an important part of post impressionism. Cezanne wanted to re-create the world in the way he see s it through his art, and he did this through his use of bright colors to give his the fruit in his painting a more round shape. Both artists took an interest in the Provencal countryside. In both these paintings, I believe Cezanne and Van Gogh are attempting to show what they believe to be the hidden order of nature. They abandon the illusionist views of background and foreground and instead create there own idea of pictorial space. Although the paintings are seen as abstract, you can still clearly pick out the objects in the scenes. For example, you can clearly see that those are stars and a church in Van Goghs Starry Night, and at the same time you can see that Cezanne is painting fruit on the table. He is the father of modern art and lead the way for artists like Picasso to come along and flatten the picture plane out, which is what modernism is for many people, the move toward abstraction and flatness in a picture plane. He was interested in sacrificing illusionist flatness for a psychological depth. The paintings show a clear picture of C?zannes intense study of his subjects because of the great detail he goes into, but also his inner struggle with complicated field of human visual perception. Both artists are great examples of post impressionism and its move towards Cubism.

Geography of Minnesota Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Geography of Minnesota - Essay Example This is supported by a survey that stated that over 70% of the population in the state is made up of immigrants. Some of the ethnic groups include African Americans brought as slaves to work in fields and construct the railways. After they attained their freedom they settled in Minnesota. Pacific Islanders came from the islands of Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia. They immigrated to Minnesota to seek employment in the fields and mines. American Indians are also referred to as Native Americans. This is because; they lived in America before its discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Asian Americans are individuals of Asian descent. They immigrated to Minnesota in search of work, business and an education. Hispanics/Latinos are people of Latin descent and can trace their heritage back to Latin and South America. They immigrated to America and chose to stay in Minnesota due to its employment and business opportunities. All of these ethnic groups living and working together best illustrate spatial distribution. These ethnic groups are distributed across the state although some of them be liv e in specific areas (Hart, 2008). The first major wave of immigration was between 1860 and 1870. The first immigrants were from Germany. They were soon followed by the Norwegians who were referred to as Scandinavians. German immigrants composed the largest immigration group in Minnesota while the Norwegians only represented a small portion of the immigrants. Most of the German immigrants moved to farming areas within the state while the Scandinavians tended to settle in distinctive communities most of whom had relocated due to the potato famine they experienced between 1845 and 1852. The famine killed approximately a million people and in the process caused the immigration to the United

Reflective Portfolio 05204 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Reflective Portfolio 05204 - Essay Example The emergence of globalization has highly influenced various internationalisation strategies of organisation in terms of their international trading procedure. Various organisations have started to market their products within a global platform, it has become essential to analyse and select various internationalization strategies such as standardization or adaptation of the marketing mix (Hise and Choi, 2011). Schmid and Kotulla, (2011) have described that increase in technologies has created a union of culture and similarities in customer demands. Therefore, this situation has developed the practice of standardization of international trading. Standardization approach has assisted organisations to achieve economies of scale while efficiently monitoring the global communication. The standardization of international trading strategy of Coca-Cola Company has enabled the organisation to treat their different market as a single global platform (Newburry and Yakova, 2006). Gerpott and Jakopin (2005) have argued against the implementation of standardization by stating that this process provides little scope of flexibility and marketing effectiveness while it can generate negative reaction due to neglecting local requirements. Alternatively, adaptation of local market allows marketers to modify their marketing mix as per local specifications which provide them comparatively strong hold of the global market. Different successful organisations have considered both standardization and adaptation to increase their global marketing reputation. McDonald’s has utilized both these strategies which assist them to maintain their standard in terms of product line, advertising and customer management. This process has assisted them to focus on modifying their product ingredients and specifications as per local taste preferences (Karpiarz, et al., 2014). The increase in globalized economy has also

Self Analysis Leadership Profile Project Assignment

Self Analysis Leadership Profile Project - Assignment Example In the â€Å"EQ at a Glace† assessment, my total EQ (Emotional Quotient) score is 54 that belongs to the above average level that is 51-60. The five types of scores in this category were; Intrapersonal Components, Interpersonal Components, Adaptability Components, Stress Tolerance Components, and General Mood Components. The average of my Interpersonal Score is 3.6. The average of Interpersonal Score 3.3. The average score for the Adaptability was 3.3. My average General Mood, and Stress Tolerance Components were all 4. Both General Mood and Stress Tolerance Components scores were in the high range level. My dominant score for this assessment was Stress Tolerance Components. This indicates that I’m a self-driven person capable of tasks completion even under stressful conditions. I can work persistently even when there is dim optimism, I never give up. At the beginning of last semester, I had a lot of work juggling between family, work and study. I had signed up for a new course when I got a job promotion that required me to take up a lot of my time. This left me with no time for me or my family. However, I struggled persistently until I was able to balance my work, give my family quality time and still manage to get A’s for my course. The least dominant score for this assessment is Adaptability Components. I got a 3.3 for this assessment. I have difficulties adapting to different situations in the short run and this ends up wasting a lot of my time and resources. At the beginning of this course, my friends felt that I was much suited for it and will get great scores, but I was very pessimistic until I proved myself wrong by performing excellently. My action plan for this assessment will involve activities and a plan that will help me in better decision making that will enhance my self-motivation and increase my optimism. I will record all my tasks and activities I have

Billing Programs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Billing Programs - Research Paper Example The proposed visa would give foreign investors and their families a path to permanent residence in the U.S. if they invest at least $250,000. In the proposed StartUp Visa, investors would be given an initial two year visa and when its business had employed at least five workders after two years in business, the said investor would be given a green card. II. Concerns about the bill Indeed, the housing problem in the United States needs to be addressed. Unless the housing industry recovers, US economy cannot be considered as being out of economic crisis. At the onset, the bill looks novel and positive because it intends to solve the housing problem without any cost to the Federal Government. This however comes with a price of citizenship to foreigners whom we do not know and being such, might bring in unintended problems (Sarner). This necessitates a close scrutiny of the proposed bill if its intended benefits outweigh its projected issues. In addition, there is already a similar progr am in placed and one cannot help but ask, â€Å"what is really new with this bill?† Cost benefit analysis of the proposed bill under the lens of economics The first question that needs to be addressed is whether such bill will solve the housing problem in the US without first considering other factors such as security and social service. Scrutinizing it strictly under the lens of economics, the bill seems to be promising. The rest of the world especially China has performed relatively well compared to the United States (2% GDP compared to China’s 9.7% in the first half of 2011) in terms of combating the economic crisis and being such, it has the economic capability to make such purchase. Economically, it seems to be a win-win... Indeed, the housing problem in the United States needs to be addressed. Unless the housing industry recovers, US economy cannot be considered as being out of economic crisis. At the onset, the bill looks novel and positive because it intends to solve the housing problem without any cost to the Federal Government. This however comes with a price of citizenship to foreigners whom we do not know and being such, might bring in unintended problems (Sarner). This necessitates a close scrutiny of the proposed bill if its intended benefits outweigh its projected issues. In addition, there is already a similar program in placed and one cannot help but ask, â€Å"what is really new with this bill?† Cost benefit analysis of the proposed bill under the lens of economics. The first question that needs to be addressed is whether such bill will solve the housing problem in the US without first considering other factors such as security and social service. Scrutinizing it strictly under the lens of economics, the bill seems to be promising. The rest of the world especially China has performed relatively well compared to the United States (2% GDP compared to China’s 9.7% in the first half of 2011) in terms of combating the economic crisis and being such, it has the economic capability to make such purchase. Economically, it seems to be a win-win solution because it is beneficial to the foreigner who is going to buy the house for he or she also gains an extended stay. It is also beneficial to the US economy as it stimulates demands to the slumping housing industry.

Current Events Summary Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Current Events Summary - Article Example The API reported a fall in gasoline and distillates supplies. In the weekly supply data reports of the Energy Information Administration of the Energy Department, some analysts predict that record crude inventories will weigh on oil prices, as low demand persists in developed countries. In the fourth quarter, National Australia Bank (NAB) lowered its crude prices’ forecast from 84 dollars a barrel to an average of 82 dollars. The bank reports that world oil production remains robust, even as growth in the demand in crude oil continues to fade in many developed economies, a situation that has continuously created abundant global supply of oil, particularly in countries where economic activity is still most languid. In another Nymex trading in contracts for October 2010, at 2.121 dollars, heating oil was down 0.76 cent a gallon while gasoline dropped 0.97 cents to 1.959 dollars a gallon. For every 1,000 cubic feet, natural gas dropped 1.4 cents to 3.952 dollars. Additionally, on the ICE Futures exchange, Brent crude dropped 43 cents to 78.84 dollars a barrel in London. The author of this article demonstrates a wavering of oil prices in a relatively tight range. I concur with him that world oil production remains robust despite the fact that growth in the demand for crude oil continues to languish in many developed economies. The article therefore accounts for the constant surplus in oil supply globally. In my view, Kennedy has succeeded in making explicit the factors behind the fall in oil

The Waldens Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Waldens Freedom - Essay Example Thoreau believes that without the demands of modern life, people can be free to develop themselves as individuals. Buckner believes that the most important message of Walden is â€Å"to call people to freedom as individuals.† She stresses: â€Å"One looks at nature in order to learn about oneself; one simplifies one’s life in order to have time to develop the self fully; one must honor one’s uniqueness if one is to know full self-realization† (Buckner 4). Thoreau recommends to others that they should live simpler lives for them to be happier. A simpler life away from material needs exemplifies the idea of peace. Nature itself is filled with peace, which is the symbol of inner peace of mind. Thoreau cries out for a simplified life: â€Å"Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail† (Thoreau 395). He a rgues that a simpler life has fewer goals and priorities. People living in the woods can definitely trim their accounts to the bare minimum essentials of life. In modern life, this can refer to living simply, such using cash instead of several credit cards, so that one’s lifestyle becomes equal to one’s income. Living simply also entails eating the natural way, such as through cooked â€Å"real† food and not processed food and avoiding eating out, because dining out can be expensive when done on a daily basis. These practices will lead to a simple life with no more financial troubles.

Organic food Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organic food - Research Proposal Example â€Å"Do you know why that apple is so shiny in the store shelf? Yes, you guessed it, full of pesticides. Yes, full of poisons and chemicals. Why spend time scrubbing your fruit when you should be enjoying it. Pesticides will prolong shelf life, but at the same time, are more damaging to your body† (All About Organic Foods). The organic food contains only organic ingredients and the processing also will be done mostly using natural means. The packing materials also will be biodegradable whenever possible. The advantages of organic system of farming are; it is environment friendly; it sustains diversification in ecosystems and it uses less energy and produces less waste. Organically managed soil will never lose its quality and it has higher water retention ability. Even in drought years the yield will not be decreased because of this property. Organic food and fruits taste better than conventional food. Foods, that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible is called whole foods. It will not contain any ingredients such as salt, sugar, fats etc. All whole foods need not be organic though both of them have some similarities. The life of whole foods may be less because of the lack of basic processing methods. Colorado Denver is one of the main centers of America’s organic food growers. The city is blessed with so many restaurants, hotels and markets which supplies only the organic foods. Grower’s Organic, Door to Door Organics, The Forte, Chinese Bean Sprout, Whole Foods Market, Denver Distribution center,‎ Sazza‎, Winter Park Market, Alberts Organic Inc, Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocer, Humm Foods Incorporated, Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers, Vegetarian Society of Colorado, Gnc are some of the main organic food suppliers and markets available in Colorado Denver â€Å"In the rush to produce more and more crops to satisfy growing demand producers have had to

Declining Portable Water Essay Example for Free

Declining Portable Water Essay â€Å"Water of life†. This is a famous Christianity word that reflects how important water is to our life. As we know, most drinkable water comes from the river, thus making river the main sources of potable water. However global warming is getting more and more serious nowadays causing a global rise in temperature and melt the ices at mountain’s peak. In the book ‘Pillar of Sand’ by Sandra Postel, Postel says that major Asia’s rivers like Ganges, Indus and Yellow river depends on the snowpack mountains for their flow. Despite that, the rises in temperature has causes the snow to melt faster and an increase in rainfall, drying up the river especially during dry season. Even the famous Andes, Rockies and Alps rivers is said to soon face this problem which mean there will be a worldwide water shortage should these rivers dry up. Therefore, this essay will talk about what will happen when there is a decline in potable water. Global water pollution caused by sewage and animal waste has resulted in overdose of nutrients and sediments in rivers, lakes and sea.(Tasha Eichenseher, March 2010) This causes eutrophication which is a situation where algae growth increases; resulted in lack of oxygen in the river. That eventually decreases the values of the rivers, lakes and esturaries for recreation, fishing, hunting and aesthetic enjoyment. In addition to that, health problems can occur where eutrophic condition interferes with drinking water treatment. To sum it up, water pollution caused by sewage and animal waste is the root of the decline in drinkable water as it pollutes the rivers and also the treated water. In addition to the above, polluted water is also said to be the causes of diseases. According to the World Health Organization, up to half of humanity has one of the six main diseases – diarrhea, schistosomiasis, trachoma, infestation with ascaris, guinea worm, or hookworm at any time because of poor drinking water and inadequate sanitation. This shows that lack of safe drinking water, as water are polluted, can causes various dangerous spreadable diseases w hich can endangered our life. For example, it is predicted by Amin Zakaria in his column in The Star on July 9, 2008, that in 2009, diarrhea death toll will be like four jumbo jets of children crashing every day. Therefore, it is not exaggerating to say that human waste is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction as lack of adequate sanitation in usable water for more than a third of the Earth’s population is one of the biggest scandals in the last 50 years. This lack of clean water situation is further worsen when there is a decline in clean water. According to Tan Ee-Beng on 2008 in the Environmental Health Perspectives, of a population of roughly 6.1 billion, more than 1 billion lack access to potable water. His statement is further proven when a report from UNESCO on 2009 says that China currently has less than an estimated 49 billion cubic meters of renewable water resources when in the decades before 2000, this country owns an average of about 66 billion cubic meters of renewable water resources. In conclusion, knowing that there is a decline in clean water, the best way is to combat this issue soonest possible. Government should also urges the public to save water by increasing the water bill after the usual 50 liters usage. In addition to that, government should also increase the capacity of the water reservoir in the country. For example the current Selangor water issue between Peter Chin and Selangor state Government should be resolve soonest possible so that Langat 2 can be built and provide water for people of Selangor till 2025. We as citizen should also play a part by not wasting these precious water as to lessen the need to treat the water to be use again.

Introduction to Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Philosophy Essay I. Pre-Socratic Period also known as the Cosmological Period (cosmos meaning universe) *questions about human existence and subsistence (basic needs) Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers: Anaxagoras Thales (he held that water is the fundamental stuff of all things, saying â€Å"All is water†) Anaximander Xenophanes Heraclitus Anaximenes Empiricism – a theory which states that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience II. Socratic Period also known as the Era of Scientific Discoveries III. Church Period also known as the Theological/Dogmatic Period. Dogmatic – from the word dogma (teachings of the Catholic church) Martin Luther – the most controversial bishop during his time; he questioned the teachings of the Catholic church IV. Rebellion Period also known as the Period of Protestantism *Martin Luther started Protestantism and established the Lutheran church; he questioned the indispensability of the pontis and the institution of the sacraments (holy order and marriage) division of the Catholic church: Roman Catholic Greek Orthodox 4 legal systems: English law Roman law Arabic/Mohammedan law Anglo-American law. V. Renaissance Period renaissance meaning rebirth also known as the Arts and Literature Period (which focused on religion) VI. Modern Period also known as the Period of Industrialization ? introduction to machines ? social problem of unemployment arose ? battle between man and machines 2 social classes: ? bourgeoisie – the ruling class of the two basic classes of capitalist society, consisting of capitalists, manufacturers, bankers, and other employers. The bourgeoisie owns the most important of the means of production, through which it exploits the working class ?proletariat the class of workers, especially industrial wage earners, who do not possess capital or property and must sell their labor to survive, the lowest or poorest class of people Friedrich Engels – mentor of Karl Marx *. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels campaigned for a classless society known as communism communism the political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e. g. , mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society; people don’t have private ownership. Das Kapital – one of the major works of the 19th-century economist and philosopher Karl Marx (1818–83), in which he expounded his theory of the capitalist system, its dynamism, and its tendencies toward self-destruction. He described his purpose as to lay bare â€Å"the economic law of motion of modern society. † Lenin and Stalin – leaders of the Russian Revolution who first introduced communism COMMUNISM (zero ownership) SOCIALISM (ownership by few) DEMOCRACY (controlled by the majority of people) Definition of Philosophy from the words â€Å"de finire† meaning â€Å"to limit† 3 types of definition: 1. Etymological – derived from the word â€Å"etymos† meaning â€Å"origin† Etymology of Philosophy by Pythagoras philia (love) sophia (wisdom) greek words 2. Nominal – derived from the word â€Å"nomen† meaning â€Å"name† 3. Real definition – maybe conceptual or operational definition Real definition of Philosophy a science of beings that investigates the ultimate causes of things, events, etc. , with the aid of human reason alone *philosophers investigate by asking questions human reason – the instrument in philosophy branches of science: ? natural ? social ? Physical botany philosophy e. g. physics e. g. e.g. beings – subject matter of philosophy; anything that exists 2 types of beings: a) potential – exists without intrinsic contradiction b) actual – exists with intrinsic contradiction uncreated God (theology focused on the study of God) created living man plants animals soul soul soul rational vegetative sensitive non-living universe (cosmology study of the universe) outside the universe (metaphysics from the word meta meaning beyond) principles of life soul life spirit – principle of unity what makes man unique? his characteristics characteristics of man: ? body and soul (rational psychology – study of soul existence) ? body without soul – corpse ? soul without body – ghost ? intellect – to know the â€Å"truth† (logic – correct reasoning; epistemology – validity of human knowledge) ? will – in search of â€Å"good† (ethics or moral philosophy) branches of philosophy connected to man rational psychology deals with spirituality and religion logic deals with mental and psychological circumstances epistemology deals with physiological/bi ological aspect ethics deals with the physical aspect of man Phenomenological method – method of knowing man. Edmund Husserl – a mathematician, modern philosopher, and the main proponent of phenomenology steps in phenomenological method: i. epoche – method of bracketing man’s natural attitudes (e. g. , biases or prejudices) ii. eidetic reduction – from the word â€Å"eidos† meaning â€Å"essence†; method of reducing the events to its essence to know the real importance of the phenomenon iii. phenomenological transcendental reduction – method of reducing the essence to its subject ? to the very activity itself love – disinterested giving of oneself to other being kinds of love: fraternal. paternal/maternal erotic romantic Understanding the Nature of Philosophical Inquiry *on the distinction between philosophy and natural science natural science ? scientific investigation â€Å"What is Philosophy† by Lauer, S. J. (philosophy in physical science) *can philosophy be taught? philosophy can be defined by doing it *why do we harm philosophy when we define it? philosophy is essentially a dynamic process, the attempt to define it is to stop the process *philosophy is an attitude, a way of life, responsible thinking and not a discipline; not a body of knowledge.

The Iberian Lynx: Habitat, Features and Endangerment

The Iberian Lynx: Habitat, Features and Endangerment Josue Flanquin The Fate of the Iberian Lynx Among the many carnivore species that exist in Europe, the Iberian lynx and the European mink-Mustela lutreola are the only two indigenous species of the continent. In 1992, after series of careful observations and head count by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Iberian Lynx was quickly considered â€Å"critically endangered,† to see one of them go extinct is inacceptable. Despite the many researches, money and time spent in their protection and conservation, yet not much improvement has been shown in their survival. The Iberian lynx, also known as lynx of Spain and as lynx pardinus, will be the first member of the feline species to go extinct since the extinction of the Saber-toothed tiger 10,000 years ago. Being part of the wildcat family, the lynx pardinus displays many of their characteristics including long legs, ruff beard-like fur and tufted ears but unlike many other wildcats, the Iberian lynx coat is spotted, colored and shorter. Geographical Range The Iberian Lynx is known to be a native of Spain and Portugal, mainly in the Southern of the Iberian Peninsula. It is thought that before, they were well-spread all over the area, however, about a century and a half ago, their range has diminish tremendously. Before, their presence was known to be noticeable mainly in the south but also in some northern part of the area. Rapidly within fifty years they started to become extinct in the north Iberian region and an intense decline in density also began to ravage the south. From 1960 to 1990, the decline had become more extreme, and more prominent in south Spain and Portugal with about 80% with only 2% of their previous original range remained occupied. (Ferreras, et al., 2004) Two surveys were published, one in 1988 and the other in 2008. The first one estimated there were in a very fragmented range, about 800 to 1100 Iberian lynxes (adult) living in nine populations. And the other survey that was done in the more recent years has shown a much lower estimated head count to confirm that their presence were only spotted in the southwestern region of the Iberian peninsula. The total estimated number of Iberian lynx spotted and reported was between 475 to 680 Iberian lynxes living in five populations instead of nine populations as previously reported. In order to protect them, they are being kept in the Donana National Park. The species used to be very common in Portugal, but now its thought to be extirpated since their presence was last reported in January 1992. (Delibes, et al., 2000; Ferreras, et al., 2004) Habitat Like many wild felids, the Iberian lynx requires a wide range of terrains, especially below 1300 meters that contain mosaic of closed scrubland that is scattered among open patches of grassland. The reasons for choosing such landscapes are because it provides a great balance between wide-open space and shrub cover. Mostly, lynxes use scrubland as shelter and breeding while other areas that are not totally covered tend to become a shelter for their prey, more specifically their mainstay pray the European Rabbits, also know as Oryctolagus Cuniculus, which is very prominent in these locations. Unfortunately beside the many suitable habitat locations that are available, the species have been extinct from those areas presumably due to the low availability of their main prey (Ferreras et al., 2004). One of the features observed from felids is that they are very solitary and depend on a distributed demographic structure among populations where inbreeding is avoided. This requires passages b etween areas that meet the criteria of the suitable territory. Those passages allow the lynx to look for new habitats outside of the given endemic territory that fits their living condition. (Pedro Sarmento, et al., 2008) Physical Description The Felidae family has many other lynx species in their genus that includes the Canadian lynx (Lynx Canadensis), the Eurasian lynx and the Bobcat (Lynx rufus). The common family traits explain their resemblance and relativeness to each other, for example, although they are very similar in size as the Canadian lynx and the Bobcat lynx but yet smaller than the Eurasian lynx and black shorted-tipped tails. However, the Iberian lynx has some unique features of their own; they have small heads and flat faces, black tufted ears and jowls-bearded appearance and tawny pelage. Those differences have been used recently in the configuration and characterization of their size, shape and intensity of those distinctions in order to determine the degree of diversity genetically within the species. (Beltrà ¡n and Delibes, 1993; Cope, 1879; Delibes, et al., 2000; Meachen-Samuels and Van Valkenburgh, 2009) The mortality rate of the Iberian lynx is higher than their reproduction rate. According to a s tudy led by Delibes, et al 2000, 40% of their mortality happens while scattered over the land. The lifespan of the species and their longevity of captive individual are unknown. The oldest Iberian lynx as of date died at 13 years of age. The Iberian lynx has a straighten-reduced skull, small muzzles; long jaws that give each bite the â€Å"force of a smaller canines.† Those features are very beneficial adaptations for the Iberian lynx, they help them in catching small, fast prey and also enable them with the ability to kill their target with a single bite in the posterior region of the neck in order to puncture and damage the prey’s spinal cord, as opposed to suffocating bite practice by larger lynx. (Cope, 1879; Beltran and Delibes, 1993; Meachen-Samuels and Valkenburgh, 2009) Reproduction The Iberian lynx is known to be a monogamous polygynous species when observed in the Donana National Park, a close-up metapopulation at its carrying capacity density. With the total availability of suitable territories diminishing, Intrasexual interaction has become very competitive, resulting in the male Iberian lynx to have smaller territories that can be easily defended against other surrounding rivals looking for mates. Therefore, such circumstance turns the Iberian lynx to become more of a monogamy community since the males are forced to put all their strength on defending avoiding access to a particular, exclusive single female of that community. The Iberian lynx often reach sexual maturity within a period of nine months to a year after birth. Though even after sexual maturity the females will not breed until they have secured a set territory of their own. After maturity mating is always the next step, given the fact that females’ estrus peak is in January so breeding us ually happens from January to July since it is the only time that the males and females interact. Although males’ territories might overlap with those of the females’, aggressive interaction over mating right is uncommon; however the prominence of the population dictates the fluctuation rates of aggressive intrasexual, the higher the density rate, the higher the population rate will be and vice versa. (Fernà ¡ndez, et al., 2003) Food Habit The Iberian Lynx is a specialized feeder, its diet consist of 80%-100% Oryctolagus cunicuus. One adult Iberian lynx requires between 700 and 1100 kilocalories per day in order to gain the approximate amount of energy needed to function. By consuming their primary prey, the European rabbit. the Iberian lynx get that amount of energy from one single rabbit. One can imagine that an adult female with younger lynxes will require up to three rabbits per day. Because of their distinctive diet, it makes impossible or hardly do they show geographic variation. Threat to their Survival The Iberian lynx species has made it on the top of the red list of critically endangered species facing extinction, according to the IUNC. Many argument and debates are circulating over who or what is responsible for the Iberian lynx decline with barely 150 left in the Iberian Peninsula (see table 1). The three main cause of their death include but not limited to the decline in the Rabbit population, human hunting and human fragmentation. The rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, is wild invasive animal. This rabbit has been flagged as nearly endangered species in the IUNC red list due to the disease myxomatosis, habitat loss and human-induced mortality (Smith and Boyer 2008). Many Spaniards enjoy hunting. It is part of their way of life also their a way to make a living. Although the government of Spain and Portugal, both have passed laws that prohibits the hunting of the Iberian lynx, many locals still continue those habits. They would hunt them in order to used get their skin to directly sell them in the black market or to use them to make fur coats. Another main threat to the survival of the Iberian lynx is land fragmentation. During the beginning the 20th century when everything including culture start to get influenced by the western world, many rich companies moved to Spain due to low tax or free tax deal. The government allows big companies such as lumber industries to use portions of the iberian lynx habitat to be converted as stands for timbers, or also they have allowed the construction and development of tower-buildings, roads and highways, shopping malls and modern recreational public parks, invading huge part of the forest’s ecosystem and damaging the lynxes’ native habitat. Part of the life cycle of an Iberian lynx is â€Å"inter-population dispersal,† they use habitat corridors as passage, so with new roads being built that also take its toll on the species. Among the many different researches out there, there have not been enough evidence supporting the idea that human fragmentation as the main cause of death. However, according to â€Å"Delibes, et al., 2000,† most recent mortalities have been reported to be human induced which includes traffic collisions from roads, illegal hunting (5% annually), caught in traps (6% annually), and forest fires. Therefore according to the IUNC 2006, the rabbit’s decline remains the primary cause of death and extinction of the Iberian lynx. http://ge09d-geography-2010.wikispaces.com/file/view/Decline_in_Iberian_Lynx_Numbers_2.1.png/123004189/Decline_in_Iberian_Lynx_Numbers_2.1.pn Conservation Status The Iberian lynx is the most threatened species in Europe. This carnivore has fewer than 200 breeding individuals left. They have suffered not only a huge decline in their population rate and a decline in their prey’s availability but also a massive lost of range contraction. The preservation of this species requires immediate intervention from both government, Spain and Portugal accordingly, in order for it to be successful. Many captive breeding programs have begun but little is known about their success and may need to be thoroughly investigated. The inability of the species to disperse due to habitat fragmentation, has led to their isolation. Habitat fragmentation includes road construction, urban development, agriculture and elimination of corridors. Inter-population dispersal is very important in the species’ life cycle; to disperse they use habitat corridors. Another important step that need to be taken into consideration is the restoration of habitat corridors, their protection is important in the recovery of the iberian lynx, if we need re-establish successful inter-population connectivity Pedro Sarmento, et al., 2008). Furthermore, poaching remains on the list as one of the main threat of death of the Iberian lynx with 5% of annual mortality. Spain government in 1973 and Portugal in 1974 have long passed laws prohibiting exploitation and trade of the Iberian lynx by humans, because such activities are kept secret, sensitivity program has been put in place to inform the locals not to partake in such activities and report them. (Beltrà ¡n and Delibes, 1993) Citations Smith, A.T. Boyer, A.F. 2008. Oryctolagus cuniculus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Francisco Palomares, Miguel Delibes, Eloy Revilla, Javier Calzada and Jose Marà ­a Fedriani, Wildlife Monographs No. 148, Spatial Ecology of Iberian Lynx and Abundance of European Rabbits in Southwestern Spain (Oct., 2001) GIL-Sà NCHEZ J, MCCAIN E. Former range and decline of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) reconstructed using verified records.Journal Of Mammalogy[serial online]. October 2011;92(5) Sunquist, M. and Sunquist, F. (2002) Wild Cats of the World. The University of ChicagoSunquist, M. and Sunquist, F. (2002) Wild Cats of the World. The University of Chicago F. palomares, vegetation Structure and Prey Abundance Requirements of the Iberian Lynx: Implications for the Design of Reserves and Corridors Journal of Applied Ecology Vol. 38, No. 1 (Feb., 2001), pp. 9-18 JESUS M. PEREZ, The dilemma of conserving parasites: the case of Felicola (Lorisicola) isidoroi (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae) and its host, the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) Insect Conservation and Diversity (2013) Carlos Carroll and Dale G. Miquelle, Spatial Viability Analysis of Amur Tiger Panthera tigris altaica in the Russian Far East: The Role of Protected Areas and Landscape Matrix in Population Persistence Journal of Applied Ecology vol 43 Ferreras, P., Gaona, P., Palomares, F. and Delibes, M. (2001), Restore habitat or reduce mortality? Implications from a population viability analysis of the Iberian lynx. Animal Conservation, 4:265–274. Palma, L., Beja, P. and Rodrigues, M. (1999), The use of sighting data to analyse Iberian lynx habitat and distribution. Journal of Applied Ecology J. Torres, R. Garcà ­a-Perea, J. Gisbert and C. Feliu (1998). Helminth fauna of the Iberian lynx, Lynx pardinus. Journal of Helminthology, 72, pp 221-226. Meli ML, Cattori V, Martà ­nez F, Là ³pez G, Vargas A, et al. (2009) Feline Leukemia Virus and Other Pathogens as Important Threats to the Survival of the Critically Endangered Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus).

Native Dye Plants of the United States :: Botany

Native Dye Plants of the United States The first to use native dye plants in the United States were the Native Americans. Their culture was totally dependent on what the land produced. This is reflected in the wealth of information Native Americans possessed about useful plants, from medicinal to ceremonial and dye plants. This is reflected in the types of houses they built and the names of places (often after the plants that grew there). Early European colonists foolishly ignored the wisdom of the Native Americans and modern Americans are not much wiser. Americans need to learn about the plants and animals in our own country and how they can be useful to mankind. Instead of bringing non-adapted species of Europe to North America we need to learn what native adapted species can fulfill our needs and wants (Gilmore 1977). For example, we spend thousands of dollars feeding, sheltering, and caring for European cattle when we have native bovines, bison which are naturally adapted to the climate and environment. Melvin Randolp h Gilmore sums this idea up well in the following quote: "The country can not be wholly made over and adjusted to a people of foreign habits and tastes. There are large tracts of land in America whose bounty is wasted because the plants which can be grown on them are not acceptable to our people."(Gilmore 1977). Native Americans learned about the plants in their environment through general trial and error and through communication with other tribes (Gilmore 1977). Some of the dyes used by Native Americans of the Missouri River region are discussed below. Far more plants were used for medicines, shelter, and tools than dyes. Various green dyes came from pond scum probably Protococcus, Ulothrix, Chaetophora, and Spirogyra. Another green dye that was used for bows and arrows came from lamb's quarter, Chenopodium album. Yellow dyes came from a variety of places including smooth sumac, Rhus glabra, roots, the lichens Parmelia borreri and Usnea barbata, and young cottonwood (Populus sargentii) leaf buds collected in early spring; this particular yellow dye was used for coloring arrow feathers and quills. An orange dye also used as a feather dye was boiled out of the vines of dodder (Cuscuta paradoxa). Red dyes came from pokeberry (Phytolacca americana) and were used to paint horses and people. The familiar bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) was also used as a skin dye or to dye articles that were boiled with the roots.

Their Eyes Were Watching God: Summary Essay -- essays research papers

Their Eyes Were Watching God: Summary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A caterpillar crawls along a desolate branch. His many appendages grip the gray bark as he undulates his body along the path in the shade. Creeping steadily forward he is looking for the proper place suitable enough for him to change his identity. Upon finding a twig sprout where he can get bilateral support, he builds his cocoon. After his cocoon is finished the caterpillar crawls in for his metamorphosis. If one is to see a cocoon on a tree it does not resemble beauty, it is a bland piece of wound thread like material with a hole in the top. When one sees a butterfly they may look twice or stop what they are doing all together and chase it around following each of their sporadic movements as the hot sun illuminates and watches from above. Identity has changed. What once was a little ugly caterpillar that kids would go around squishing and people would flick from trees when given the chance, went on to be an ignored sack secured to branch. Nobody pays attention to the fact that beautiful butterflies are the results of these common eyesores. As the caterpillar grew older it matured and changed, from being stuck on land to airborne, from being ugly to beautiful, from being young to old. All living things mature, all things change, wherever time is a variable identities are changing. Janie is no different from these things, she too has a changing identity that can be traced throughout four...

I am Sorry I Hurt You Essay -- Love Letters Dating Email Relationships

Dear Rachel, I had a sleepless night thinking about what happened to us that night. I least expected it, I experienced the worst headache ever, all I could hear was my heart beating faster than it ever has. I cursed my stars that night, as my expectation for the night was so much greater, but it ended in a far different way that made my heart choke with tears of losing something I've always wanted and fought for. We all made mistakes not trying to understand each other, some words did hurt in some way and I guess we got carried away after all those arguments of whether I have an intimate relationship with Marie. I guess this issue has always been the block of our relationship getting worked out. I know it's been hard for you trying to understand the real truth. Perhaps I need to give...

A Review of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Essay

In all honesty, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge was a bit confusing to read. It was not only confusing, but the ending was a surprise to the reader. In the story, we got to see many different aspects of the life of Peyton Farquhar. This story shows the difference that times were back then compared to now. In today’s would, a man would not be hung, let alone executed for tampering with a bridge. I also liked the part in the story of the betrayal of the soldier that appeared to be in the confederate army. This showed that Farquhar was gullible and would do anything to get involved in the army, since he was not able to fight in it. At the end of the story, I was very surprised in finding out that Farquhar was really dead and his escape was just a figment of his imagination. The escape that he had watched in his mind showed how eager Farquhar was to get back to his home and his family. I enjoyed the narrative style the story was written/told in. I thought that since the story was split into three different sections, it was easier to read, and all around understand. The narrator made the beginning of the story suspenseful because the reader wants to know why Farquhar was going to be executed. This technique wants us to keep reading on to find out the terrible thing that Farquhar did. In the middle of the story, we learn the reason he was to be executed was because he tampered with the confederate bridge, thinking it was going to help them. The narrator did a good job of explaining what Farquhar was like and gave the readers a good mental picture of the situation he was in on the bridge. There are several possible themes that could go along with this story. The specific theme that I would choose for this story would be the difference between reality and fantasy. The difference between reality and fantasy go hand-in-hand throughout this story. It is not until the end of the story that we see the difference of them in Farquhar’s life. When Farquhar describes his escape, we believe that this is really happening. Farquhar describes his escape in a lot of detail and talks about his desire to be back with his family and back at home. The difference between reality and fantasy also is seen with the soldier that pretends to be a Confederate. Farquhar believes that the soldier is a Confederate, therefore plans the hurting of the bridge. This ends up being the illusion that leads him to his execution. This illusion of the soldier caused Farquhar to damage the bridge was the reason of his demise. This story did a great job of making you ask yourself, â€Å"what just happened† after reading the last few sentences. The narrators’ creation of Farquhar’s escape confused the reader, yet made it more interesting in the greater scheme of the story.

Case Study of Architect Winston Chu Kum Weng

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM 1.0Introduction Architect Winston Chu Kum Weng has a sum of 12 old ages of working experience in the architecture field. His first working experience was as an houseman in an established architecture company – DP Architects. Subsequently, he worked at that place as a undertaking designer for 3 old ages after his graduation. Then, he decided to dispute and further research his calling way, which led him to being the manager of SN Low & A ; Associates. This finding of his has led him to boom in the field of architecture. Despite of his immature age, he has manage to carry through many great accomplishments through his plants, which were chiefly residential and commercial edifices, both locally and overseas such as Singapore, Vietnam and Abu Dhabi. The Amway ( Malaysia ) Sdn. Bhd. Headquarters office was one of Ar. Winston Chu’s earlier achievements which was completed in the twelvemonth 2009. Located in between the Petaling Jaya residential and concern territory with a entire built-up country of 18,812 metre square, it consists of a warehouse block and an office block. The edifice sits on a level land next to the Naza World Auto Mall and it consists of sustainable characteristics which reflects Amway’s desire for a greener and eco-friendly milieus. Many of his theories were successfully incorporated into this peculiar edifice. This undertaking attempts to convey an apprehension of the architect’s architectural theory through a direct observation and analysis of his edifices. Using architecture as primary text, this undertaking claims that the universe of signifier is non arbitrary but displays an internal logic that has the capacity to convey significance. Analytic illustrations are used to uncover the conceptual and experiential order of the architecture. In order to understand architecture, one must be cognizant of the conditions within which they are employed. 2.0Analyzing Architecture2.1Climate The local clime has ever been the most influential facet in footings of architecture. It is hence apprehensible that constructing typologies found around the universe are ever really diverse from one another. Climate allows the designer to measure the resources of the site even without the existent measurings of the site. In other words, the clime is a big lending factor in modeling the architectural signifier of the edifice. The Sun subdivision allows designers to measure the handiness of the Sun through the Sun Path Diagram. It helps the designer estimation the times of the twenty-four hours and twelvemonth in which the Sun will be available on a peculiar site so that proper consideration of shadowing devices and design options can be exhaustively explored. With careful consideration of the sun’s way, there would be advantages such as inactive warming and natural daylighting. However, it may work against you by bring forthing blaze or overheating if non considered decently. ( Brown, 2011 ) By puting the sun way diagram onto the site program of the Amway ( Malaysia ) Sdn. Bhd. Headquarters Office, it is shown that the peculiar secret plan of land is in such that the forepart and rear facade of the edifice would finally have the highest sum of exposure to sunlight because it would be confronting west and east severally whereas the North and south facade would have lower sum of sunshine as compared to it. In most fortunes, designers would prefer to orientate the edifice in a manner where the E and west facade would hold a smaller surface country so that it would cut down the sum of solar radiation received, take downing the overall thermal transportation value. Thus, cut downing the energy required for air-conditioning. However, that is largely non the instance because the facade of the edifice has to be in line with its neighboring context, confronting the bing chief route which is besides the merely accessible manner to the edifice itself. Therefore, the Amway ( Malaysi a ) Sdn. Bhd. Headquarters Office is orientated in such that the E and West facade has a bigger surface country. Furthermore, all four lifts of the edifice consists of many floor to ceiling Windowss particularly the west lift despite the high sum of solar radiation as it is the front facade of the Amway ( Malaysia ) Sdn. Bhd. Headquarters Office. This was because of the desire of holding Windowss to let for natural daylighting and ocular connectivity as these sustainable characteristics reflects Amway’s desire for a more eco-friendly edifice. Hence, many gaps are uniformly located on every side of the edifice to guarantee that there would be sufficient natural lighting perforating through the edifice, advancing a inactive design while cut downing the usage of unreal lighting. Despite the hapless determination in the edifice orientation and arrangement of gaps due to the site restrictions, careful considerations were made to get the better of the high sum of solar radiation received. Aluminum louvres were used as a facade intervention, supplying conditions protection and ocular showing, lending to the ocular result of the facade every bit good while maintaining the simpleness design attack of the edifice in head. Large sum of trees and bushs were besides planted to shadow of the sunshine from straight perforating through the window gaps and soften the character of the edifice. It reflects the architect’s love for nature that was developed when he was still a kid. Furthermore, there is the air current subdivision which allows designers to measure the way, velocity and frequence of air current in a peculiar location by month or twelvemonth through the Wind Rose Diagram. It helps the designer locate the place of the gaps so that it benefits from the predominating air currents. By puting the air current rose diagram on the site program of the Amway ( Malaysia ) Sdn. Bhd. Headquarters Office, it can be seen that the features of the prevailing air currents are rather similar from all waies. Hence, big sums of gaps were located on all four sides of the edifice to obtain the best result. Most of the gaps are operable Windowss that could be controlled by the user so the prevailing air current can be captured and brought into the edifice to advance natural airing, therefore cut downing the usage of unneeded air-conditioning. 2.2Architecture Theory – ModernismModernism in its broadest definition is modern taught, character of pattern. It emerged in the early 20Thursdaycentury but was non popular until after the Second World War. Modernism was a response to the demand for the new and the different. Modern agencies being up to day of the month. What was modern yesterday, is authoritative for today and will be old, so antediluvian for all the tomorrows to come. Fascinated by the approaching engineerings of the production of steel, glass and concrete, people began to abstain from the usage of decorations, rejecting what they saw and hold it as the senseless shots. The plants of modernism were more trim and lyrical. ( Weston, 1996 ) Many facets of the modernist design still prevail in architecture today. As Mies van der Rohe would state, less is more. Through observation and analysis that was carried out, it can be determined that the Amway ( Malaysia ) Sdn. Bhd. Headquarters Office fits in with the arc hitecture theory of modernism. This is due to the many similarities of the building’s features with the general features of modern architecture. This architecture theory is believe to be incorporated by Ar. Winston Chu due to his love of simpleness, practicality and elegance, which focuses on more geometric and how the experience of infinite is created by natural lighting, airing and the pick of stuffs. First, merely the use of simple and basic geometry can be seen throughout the full Amway ( Malaysia ) Sdn. Bhd. Headquarters Office, whether it is in footings of its lift or floor program. Merely square and rectangle forms can be perceived. Jam Tschichold one time said that the concluding and most pure signifier of a necessary point is ever constructed of geometric forms. Therefore, it visually stressing on the additive 90 grades perpendicular and horizontal lines. The Windowss, columns, beams, roof line are all portion of the structural elements that were used by the designer to help in making the additive divine infinite. Second, the changeless repeat of a simple geometric is repeated to obtain a alone signifier. The Amway Headquarters is a alone component itself which is developed by the transmutation of insistent units through alterations in size, constellation, orientation, coloring material and articulation of a basic geometry – the square. Third, it focuses on the lucidity of signifiers. The edifice is stripped of all the unneeded cosmetic elements in order to showcase the architectural design. Merely the needed characteristics are implemented into the design so that the focal point would be on the infinite be aftering itself alternatively of decorations which have no relevancy with the overall architecture. Fourthly, the programs of the Amway Headquarters Office are unfastened programs. The thought of an unfastened program is created through the flowing of infinites, accomplishing through the separation of columns where the thought of hold ing a room as a manner of forming the infinites is non considered. Fifth, the edifice follows the impression where signifier follows map. The designer expresses this thoughts by holding the site and map of the edifice dictate most of the design determinations. It is said that modernist architecture takes inspiration from the edifice itself, and aims to plan for each alone state of affairs to be inspired by its intent. Following, industrially produced stuffs such as steel, concrete and glass is loosely used throughout the edifice. Last, the designer makes usage of the Windowss extensively to convey in natural daytime, particularly the floor to ceiling Windowss. Therefore, integrating the Windowss as portion of the building’s design. 2.3User / ClientSite Layout The edifice layout of Amway Headquarters is in such that the office block and warehouse block is separated, merely linked by a span on the first floor to supply permeableness. This is the client’s purpose of supplying a clean and unagitated environment for the users and visitants, off from the production noise at the warehouse block. It excessively gives a sense of spacial organisation, districting the private and public infinites with mention to the degree of noise produced. The lading bay is placed behind on the first floor of the warehouse block, accessible through a incline. The client’s purpose was to put the loading country off from where users could hold ocular connexion, as the position isn’t really delighting. The storage, bringing and packing country are all placed on the same floor so the on the job efficiency would be good. Spatial Layout Public installations were all placed on the land floor of the office block. Office and IT sections are placed on the floors above. The client’s purpose was to supply a convenient service for all the users. There is a gallery to showcase Amway’s merchandise and a mini market right next to it that sells their merchandise. Detail of Entrance The entryway of the Amway Headquarters is a dual storey high construction which uses merely basic geometry – the square. The chief entryway is a larger construction while the back entryway is a extra of it in a somewhat smaller graduated table. The client’s purpose was to supply an entryway which gives the users a sense of acquaintance, stripped off all the fanciness to be projected as welcoming, ask foring users to near without vacillation. Landscape as Buffer Zone Plenty of verdures are planted around the edifice to supply noise suspension and effectual ocular barrier between the office block and warehouse block. This is the client’s purpose to continue the ocular and environment character of the office block which would pull and promote users of their merchandise. It besides reflects Amway’s desire for Eco-Friendly milieus. This was because of the client’s desire of holding big sums of trees around the site and windows to let for natural daylighting and ocular connectivity as these sustainable characteristics reflects Amway’s desire for a greener and more eco-friendly milieus. Hence, many gaps are uniformly located on every side of the edifice to guarantee that there would be sufficient natural lighting perforating through the edifice, advancing a inactive design while cut downing the usage of unreal lighting. 3.0Decision– Need to discourse the designer ‘s theory based on your apprehension of ‘SELF ‘ and ‘the 3 FACTORS ‘ . Your account have to capture the first portion of the undertaking and the analysis – take note that this is your ain â€Å" theory † of the designer ‘s architecture. Please make non mention to the designer ‘s statement or declaration of his/her theory. – Conclude by seting in the DIAGRAM ( from undertaking brief ) to sum up your theory on the designer. 4.0MentionsBrown, G. Z. ( 2011 ) .Sun Wind & A ; Light: Architectural Design Strategies( 2neodymiumed. ) . New Jersey: Wiley. Chu, W. ( 2014, April 4 ) . Personal Interview. Chu, W. ( 2014, April 5 ) . Email Interview. Weston, R. ( 1996 ) .Modernism. New York: Phaidon. 5.0Appendix

Introduction Of Gibraltar Mine Commerce Essay

Gibraltar mine is the 2nd largest unfastened cavity Cu mine in Canada, which is located near Williams Lake in British Columbia. The Gibraltar sedimentation is a copper-molybdenum porphyritic rock. The chief primary mineral is sulphide mineral Pyrite and Chalcopyrite. As the militias proclamation at December 31, 2008, Gibraltar mine got a mine life to at least 2035. After finishing the Phase I & A ; II undertakings, the Gibraltar mine achieves the capacity of 55,000 metric tons per twenty-four hours. There are two sorts of mineralization ores, which are sulfide ore and oxide ore. The former 1 could be done by the regular mineral processing method, and the latter one should be done by the method called SX/EW ( solvent extraction electro-winning ) . Gibraltar mine besides updated their excavation and processing equipments for the development. Additional, Gibraltar mine has done a great occupation on the environment and sustainability issues.OverviewLocationThe Gibraltar copper-molybdenu m mine is located about 65 km Northwest of Williams Lake in south-central British Columbia with a well-developed substructure. The mine is accessible by a combination of main roads ( 97 ) and paved roads, and it is close to a rail web that provides service for cargo of Cu dressed ores through the Pacific Ocean port of North Vancouver ( Taseko, 2009 ) . Figure 1: Gibraltar – Regional Location ( Beginning: Taseko, 2009 )PropertiesThe Gibraltar mine is the 2nd largest unfastened cavity Cu mine in Canada ( Gibraltar, 2009 ) . The mine is a 46,000 metric tons per twenty-four hours operation with a life of mine mean one-year production of 100 million lbs of Cu and 1.1 million lbs of Mo. The mine is undergoing an enlargement and modernisation undertaking that will increase one-year Cu production capacity to 115 million lbs by 2011 ( Taseko, 2009 ) . Figure 2: The Satellite View of the Gibraltar Mine ( Beginning: Google Earth, 2009 )Brief historyThe development of the mine is as follow ( MREP, 2009 ) , 1910 The Gibraltar ore sedimentation was foremost discovered 1971 Originally built by Placer Development 1972 Began operation, 24 hours/day, 7 yearss a hebdomad 1998 Shutdown by Boliden due to the low Cu monetary values after 26 old ages operation 1999 Acquired by Taseko Mines Limited ( 100 % ) , put on standby 2003 Copper monetary values begin to increase, explorative boring plan began 2004 Reopened, and the SX-EW works was being restarted 2006 An extended boring plan discovered extra 30 % of militias 2008 Gibraltar proven and likely militias are increased by 28 % to 472 million metric tons, or 2.7 billion lbs of recoverable Cu widening mine life to 2035 ( Gibraltar, 2009 ) 2009 Prosperity Environmental Assessment study is submitted to both Provincial and Federal authoritiessGeologyFigure 3: Gibraltar – Minesite layout ( Beginning: InfoMine, 2009 ) The Gibraltar sedimentation is a copper-molybdenum porphyritic rock. The chief primary mineral is sulphide mineral Pyrite and Chalcopyrite. The ore occurs in seven detached zones, all within a 204 million twelvemonth old flinty stone. The mineralized zones are Gibraltar East, Pollyanna, Gibraltar West, Gibraltar West Extension, Gibraltar North, Connector and Granite Lake ( MREP, 2009 ) . â€Å" The cavities occur within the Granite Mountain batholite in a wide zone of shearing and change. The Sawmill zone lies about 6 kilometres to the South, along the southern border of the batholite, within a complex contact zone between the batholite and Cache Creek Group stones † ( InfoMine, 2009 ) . The mine site covers about 109 square kilometres and consists chiefly of 251 mineral claims and 30 excavation rentals ( InfoMine, 2009 ) . When the mine restarted in 2004, militias were merely 149 million metric tons, or about 12 old ages of mine life. The mission for the Gibraltar mine direction squad is to increase militias and widen the mine life. Over the past four old ages, over $ 20 million has been spent on three major drill plans, each plan ensuing in a important addition to turn out and likely militias. The most recent drill plan, in the spring and summer of 2008, resulted in a 28 % addition to turn out and likely militias, as announced in December 2008. Under present militias, the mine is expected to stay in current operation state of affairs until at least 2035. Here is the proclamation at December 31, 2008. Table 1: Calpe Militias and Resources at December 31, 2008 Class ( at 0.20 % Cu Cut-off ) Size ( M Tonnes ) Class Recoverable Metallic element Contained Metallic element Cu ( % ) Mo ( % ) Cu ( B pound ) Cu ( B pound ) Proven & A ; Probable Militias 472 0.315 0.008 2.7 3.0 Measured & A ; Indicated Resources 959 0.298 0.008–5.7 ( Beginning: Gibraltar, 2009 )FinanceTaseko Mines Limited Owns the 100 % of the Gibraltar mine ‘s involvement. The production of the Gibraltar mine is showed as below: Table 2: Summary of the Operating Statisticss Q2 20091 Fiscal 20082 Fiscal 2007 Entire metric tons mined ( 1000000s ) 14.8 51.8 35.4 Metric tons of ore milled ( 1000000s ) 6.5 13.6 9.5 Depriving ratio 1.2 2.7 2.6 Copper class ( % ) 0.35 0.351 0.328 Molybdenum class ( % ) 0.011 0.009 0.011 Copper recovery ( % ) 83.0 75.8 77.5 Molybdenum recovery ( % ) 30.6 31.8 29.6 Copper production ( 1000000s lb ) 39.0 76.9 51.8 Molybdenum production ( 1000s lb ) 404 840 580 Copper production costs, cyberspace of by merchandise credits, per pound of Cu US $ 0.94 US $ 1.87 US $ 1.03 Off belongings costs for conveyance, intervention ( smelting & A ; refinement ) & A ; gross revenues per pound of Cu US $ 0.29 US $ 0.43 US $ 0.35 Entire hard currency costs of production per pound of Cu US $ 1.23 US $ 2.30 US $ 1.38 Notes to postpone: 1 Q2 2009 relates to the 6 months stoping June 30, 2009 2 Fiscal 2008 relates to the 15 months stoping December 31, 2008. ( Beginning: Taseko, 2009 ) From the above tabular array, we can happen that the depriving ration of the Gibraltar mine is at a significantly reduced compared with the anterior old ages. Harmonizing the Taseko mines Second Quarter Results, the Gibraltar mine â€Å" operated for the first six months of 2009 under a program initiated in November 2008, based on 45,000 metric tons per twenty-four hours factory † ( Taseko, 2009 ) . â€Å" This new operational program along with worsening input costs, and the realisation of the Phase I enlargement, resulted in well reduced costs compared to prior old ages. The mine is presently reexamining a return to lodge mean strip ratio based on recent strength in Cu and molybdenum demand and corresponding additions in metal monetary values † ( Taseko, 2009 ) . As known, the market of metals suffered a historical hardest clip during 2008 and 2009, due to the planetary fiscal crisis. However, the entire hard currency cost of production per pound of Cu of Gibraltar mine declined aggressively to US $ 1.23 in 2009. Therefore, even though the monetary value of Cu has declined, Gibraltar ‘s net income border has still improved.MiningMining OperationMining at Gibraltar is carried out utilizing conventional unfastened cavity methods in the Pollyanna on the east side of the belongings, which is 1.8 kilometer long by 0.7 kilometers at its widest point. Drilling is done by a fleet of 3 rotary blast hole drills, which drill 32 centimeter diameter holes and 15 m deep. Blasting is done two to three times a hebdomad and creates 13.7 m high benches in the cavity wall ( MREP, 2009 ) . â€Å" Blasted ore is loaded by one of three P & A ; H shovels into one of 11 draw trucks that hold between 205 and 240 metric tons each. They haul the ore about 2.4 kilometers to a gyratory crusher located above the cavity near the factory edifice. The draw trucks transport most waste stone to dumps along the north wall of the Pollyanna cavity where they are bit by bit make fulling in the cavity. Some waste stone that contains oxidized Cu mineral ore is hauled out of the cavity to a reserve for polishing procedure † ( MREP, 2009 ) . Harmonizing to the Annual General Meeting Presentation, the building for the Phase I enlargement and modernisation was completed in January 2008, accomplishing 46,000 metric tons per twenty-four hours steady province. And Phase II enlargement undertaking was completed in March 2009, to increase the capacity to 55,000 metric tons per twenty-four hours ( Gibraltar, 2009 ) .Mining EquipmentGibraltar mine acquired new excavation equipment in topograph ic point to manage higher factory rates, as below. Figure 4: New Mining truck – 240 ton TEREX MT 4400AC ( Beginning: TEREX, 2009 ) Figure 5: New Mining Shovel – P & A ; H 4100C Electric MS ( Beginning: Zlotnikov, 2009 ; P & A ; H Mining Equipment, 2009 )ProcedureFigure 6: Mill Flowsheet of Gibraltar Mine ( Beginning: Gibraltar, 2008 )Comminution ProcedureComminution is a procedure, which breaks the stone from big balls into smaller pieces and so to finer atoms. There are crushers used for interrupting the big stones and bomber to finer atoms. In Gibraltar mine, the new provender & A ; crunching circuit described as, ROM goes in to a gyratory crusher ( 54Ãâ€"74 ) followed by four parallel secondary crushers ( 13Ãâ€"84 ) in closed circuit. Then, the crushed ores are conveyed into the 34 pess SAG factory through a 45A ° conveyor at a rate of 49,000 metric tons per twenty-four hours. The ore was distributed to 6 ball factory circuits, which pulverize the ore to sand. Then, the stuff discharged from Millss is separated by hydro-cyclones ( The flood & lt ; 0.5mm, underflow & gt ; 0.5mm ) . In add-on, there are 2 re-grinding factory, which are used to cut down the rougher floatation merchandises from under 0.5 millimeter to under 0.1 millimeter ( Chen, 2008 ) .Flotation ProcedureThe froth floatation is really a physical procedure that uses wetting agents and wetting reagents to increase the hydrophobicity of the minerals. The sulfide minerals, such as copper pyrites and peacock ore, are water-resistant ( hydrophobic ) . Ther efore, foams are added to the slurry to do aggregator ( bubbles ) stronger adequate to keep the affiliated minerals to the surface ( EduMine, 2009 ) . From the Millss the slurry is piped into floatation cells, which float a assorted Cu and moly dressed ore, which is piped to a Mo floatation circuit where the moly and Cu dressed ores are separated. These dressed ores pass through a thickening before being dried. In the Copper-Moly Separation Circuit, NaHS is added in this circuit as a Cu sedative in order to forestall the Cu from drifting. Meanwhile, the moly can still drift ( Chen, 2008 ) . Figure 7: Original and Modernized Flotation Circuit ( Beginning: Gibraltar, 2009 )Polishing ProcedureIn the early phase, Gibraltar besides operated a SX/EW ( solvent extraction electro-winning ) works on site to retrieve cathode Cu from Cu oxide minerals, viz. azurite, malachite, chalcocite and cuprite. The procedure involved fade outing these minerals in sulfuric acid with the aid of of course happening bacteriums in out-of-door hemorrhoids of waste stone, followed by electroplating the dissolved Cu metal from the acid in the enclosed refinery edifice. Gibraltar ‘s SX/EW works produced around 38,430 metric tons of cathode Cu from 1986 to 1999. The installation was reopened in 2007 and is one time once more bring forthing Cu cathode at a rate of 1.1 million kgs per twelvemonth ( MREP, 2009 ) . The chiefly intent of the SX/EW works is to pull out Cu from the pregnant leach solutions ( PLS ) collected from the site ‘s leach mopess and heap leach tablet. â€Å" The procedure takes PLS and extracts the Cu in three extraction mixer-settlers. The Cu is extracted through a liquid ion-exchange reagent carried in kerosine. † The Cu is selectively transferred to the organic stage, due to the chemical reaction. The laden organic stage is separated and flows to a strip mixer-settler where the Cu is transferred from the organic to the electrolyte. â€Å" The electrolyte is filtered and heated before being passed through the electro-winning cells where the Cu is plated out on chromium steel steel cathodes. Sporadically, the cathodes are removed from the cells, washed and the Cu sheets automatically harvested. The attendant high quality cathode Cu is bundled and sold † ( InfoMine, 2009 ) .ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITYGibraltar Mine besides locates in the bosom of BC ‘s Cariboo Chilcotin tableland, which is a high interior part of assorted cone-bearing woods and grasslands. â€Å" It is home to many different types of wild animate beings, cervid, moose, reindeer, black bears, wolves, every bit good as farm animal. † The intent of Gibraltar ‘s renewal program is to return the site to the wild animate beings. In 1999, an environmental appraisal complete when Taskeo bought the mine concluded the cost to be $ 32.7 million for both renewal and H2O direction. Final inside informations have non been mapped out, but so far grass and legume vegetive screens have been established on disturbed land to instantly command air current eroding and supply eatage ( MREP, 2009 ) . Meanwhile, Gibraltar formed a successful partnership with the Cariboo Regional District ( CRD ) , which designed, built ( 2003 ) and now maintains a landfill on one of the mine ‘s waste stone shit. The landfill accepts 13,000 metric tons of family waste from CRD communities each twelvemonth ( MREP, 2009 ) . The public gave a agree ballot to the landfill site plan, because they believed that set uping such a installation at a mine site would be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable, and could be developed as a public private partnership ( InfoMine, 2009 ) . â€Å" Under the understanding, Gibraltar would stay responsible for the waste stone and drainage below the landfill and the Cariboo Regional District would be responsible for the air infinite above the waste stone † ( InfoMine, 2009 ) . The benefits of set uping the landfill at the Gibraltar mine ‘s waste stone shit are legion: ( InfoMine, 2009 ) Located on industrial land, with no demand to construct roads and upset new land, environmental impact and extra cost of building were eliminated. Large on-site mine equipment could construct the landfill at half the cost. The landfill would congratulate mine renewal. The mine ‘s extended surface and groundwater monitoring system would besides function the landfill.DecisionPut a short decision, non like Fisher!

Zoe’s Tale PART II Chapter Seventeen

The four of us moved as silently as we could into the forest, from the place where Gretchen had seen Magdy, Enzo and their two friends go into the tree line. We listened for their sounds; none of them had been trained to move quietly. It wasn't a good thing for them, especially if the creatures decided to hunt them. It was better for us, because we wanted to track them. We listened for our friends on the ground, we watched and listened for movement in the trees. We already knew whatever they were could track us. We hoped we might be able to track them, too. In the distance, we heard rustling, as if of quick, hurried movement. We headed that direction, Gretchen and I taking point, Hickory and Dickory fast behind. Gretchen and I had been training for months, learning how to move, how to defend ourselves, how to fight and how to kill, if it was necessary. Tonight, any part of what we learned might have to be used. We might have to fight. We might even have to kill. I was so scared that if I stopped running, I think I would have collapsed into a ball and never gotten up. I didn't stop running. I kept going. Trying to find Enzo and Magdy before something else did. Trying to find them, and to save them. â€Å"After Gutierrez left, Magdy didn't see any point in keeping our story quiet anymore, so he started blabbing to his friends,† Gretchen had told me. â€Å"He was giving people the idea that he'd actually faced these things and had managed to keep them off while the rest of us were getting away.† â€Å"Idiot,† I said. â€Å"When you parents came back without the hunting party, a group of his friends came to him about organizing a search,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Which was actually just an excuse for a bunch of them to stalk through the forest with guns. My dad caught wind of this and tried to step on its head. He reminded them that five adults just went into the forest and didn't come out. I thought that was the end of it, but now I hear that Magdy just waited until my dad went to go visit yours before gathering up some like-minded idiots to head off into the woods.† â€Å"Didn't anyone notice them heading off?† I asked. â€Å"They told people they were going to do a little target practice on Magdy's parents' homestead,† Gretchen said. â€Å"No one's going to complain about them doing that right about now. Once they got there they just took off. The rest of Magdy's family is here in town like everyone else. No one knows they're missing.† â€Å"How'd you find out about this?† I asked. â€Å"It's not like Magdy would tell you this right now.† â€Å"His little group left someone behind,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Isaiah Miller was going to go with him, but his dad wouldn't let him have the rifle for ‘target practice.' I heard him complaining about that and then basically intimidated the rest of it out of him.† â€Å"Has he told anybody else?† I asked. â€Å"I don't think so,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Now that he's had time to think about it I don't think he wants to get in trouble. But we should tell someone.† â€Å"We'll cause a panic if we do,† I said. â€Å"Six people have already died. If we tell people four more people – four kids – have gone off into the woods, people will go insane. Then we'll have more people heading off with guns and more people dying, either by these things or by accidentally shooting each other because they're so wired up.† â€Å"What do you want to do, then?† Gretchen asked. â€Å"We've been training for this, Gretchen,† I said. Gretchen's eyes got very wide. â€Å"Oh, no,† she said. â€Å"Zoe, I love you, but that's loopy. There's no way you're getting me out there to be a target for these things again, and there's no way I'm going to let you go out there.† â€Å"It wouldn't just be us,† I said. â€Å"Hickory and Dickory – â€Å" â€Å"Hickory and Dickory are going to tell you you're nuts, too,† Gretchen said. â€Å"They just spent months teaching you how to defend yourself, and you think they're going to be at all happy with you putting yourself out there for something to use as spear practice. I don't think so.† â€Å"Let's ask them,† I said. â€Å"Miss Gretchen is correct,† Hickory said to me, once I called for it and Dickory. â€Å"This is a very bad idea. Major Perry and Lieutenant Sagan are the ones who should deal with this matter.† â€Å"My dad's got the whole rest of the colony to worry about at the moment,† I said. â€Å"And Mom's in the medical bay, getting fixed from when she dealt with this the last time.† â€Å"You don't think that tells you something?† Gretchen said. I turned on her, a little angry, and she held up a hand. â€Å"Sorry, Zoe. That came out wrong. But think about it. Your mom was a Special Forces soldier. She fought things for a living. And if she came out of this with a wound bad enough for her to spend her night in the medical bay, it means that whatever is out there is serious business.† â€Å"Who else can do this?† I asked. â€Å"Mom and Dad went after that hunting party on their own for a reason – they had been trained to fight and deal with experiences like that. Anyone else would have gotten themselves killed. They can't go after Magdy and Enzo right now. If anyone else goes after them, they're going to be in just as much danger as those two and their other friends. We're the only ones who can do this.† â€Å"Don't get angry at me for saying this,† Gretchen said. â€Å"But it sounds like you're excited to do this. Like you want to go out there and fight something.† â€Å"I want to find Enzo and Magdy,† I said. â€Å"That's all I want to do.† â€Å"We should inform your father,† Hickory said. â€Å"If we inform my father he'll tell us no,† I said. â€Å"And the longer we talk about this the longer it's going to take to find our friends.† Hickory and Dickory put their heads together and clacked quietly for a minute. â€Å"This is not a good idea,† Hickory said, finally. â€Å"But we will help you.† â€Å"Gretchen?† I asked. â€Å"I'm trying to decide if Magdy is worth it,† she said. â€Å"Gretchen,† I said. â€Å"It's a joke,† she said. â€Å"The sort you make when you're about to wet your pants.† â€Å"If we are to do this,† Hickory said. â€Å"We must do it on the assumption that we will engage in combat. You have been trained with firearms and hand weapons. You must be prepared to use them if necessary.† â€Å"I understand,† I said. Gretchen nodded. â€Å"Then let us get ready,† Hickory said. â€Å"And let us do so quietly.† Any confidence that I had any idea what I was doing left me the moment we entered the forest, when the running through the trees brought me back to the last time I raced through them at night, some unknown thing or things pacing us invisibly. The difference between now and then was that I had been trained and prepared to fight. I thought it would make a difference in how I felt. It didn't. I was scared. And not just a little. The rustling, rushing sound we had heard was getting closer to us and heading right for us, on the ground and moving fast. The four of us halted and hid and prepared ourselves to deal with whatever was coming at us. Two human forms burst out of the brush and ran in a straight line past where Gretchen and I were hiding. Hickory and Dickory grabbed them as they passed by them; the boys screamed in terror as Hickory and Dickory took them down. Their rifles went skidding across the ground. Gretchen and I rushed over to them and tried to calm them down. Being human helped. Neither was Enzo or Magdy. â€Å"Hey,† I said, as soothingly as I could, to the one closest to me. â€Å"Hey. Relax. You're safe. Relax.† Gretchen was doing the same to the other one. Eventually I recognized who they were: Albert Yoo and Michel Gruber. Both Albert and Michel were people I had long filed away under the â€Å"kind of a twit† category, so I didn't spend any more time with them than I had to. They had returned the favor. â€Å"Albert,† I said, to the one closest to me. â€Å"Where are Enzo and Magdy?† â€Å"Get your thing off of me!† Albert said. Dickory was still restraining him. â€Å"Dickory,† I said. It let Albert go. â€Å"Where are Enzo and Magdy?† I repeated. â€Å"I don't know,† Albert said. â€Å"We got separated. Those things in the trees started chanting at us and Michel and I got spooked and took off.† â€Å"Chanting?† I asked. â€Å"Or singing or clicking or whatever,† Albert said. â€Å"We were walking along, looking for these things when all these noises started coming out of the trees. Like they were trying to show us that they had snuck up on us without us even knowing.† This worried me. â€Å"Hickory?† I asked. â€Å"There is nothing significant in the trees,† it said. I relaxed a little. â€Å"They surrounded us,† Albert said. â€Å"And then Magdy took a shot at them. And then things really got loud. Michel and I got out of there. We just ran. We didn't see where Magdy and Enzo went.† â€Å"How long ago was this?† I asked. â€Å"I don't know,† Albert said. â€Å"Ten minutes, fifteen. Something like that.† â€Å"Show us where you came from,† I said. Albert pointed. I nodded. â€Å"Get up,† I said. â€Å"Dickory will take you and Michel back to the tree line. You can get back from there.† â€Å"I'm not going anywhere with that thing,† Michel said, his first contribution to the evening. â€Å"Okay, then you have two choices,† I said. â€Å"Stay here and hope we come back for you before these things do, or hope that you make it to the tree line before they catch up with you. Or you can let Dickory help you and maybe survive. Your choice.† I said it a little more forcefully than I had to, but I was annoyed that this idiot didn't want help staying alive. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"Good,† I said. I picked up their rifles and handed them to Dickory, and took his. â€Å"Take them to the tree line near Magdy's homestead. Don't give them back their rifles until you get there. Come back and find us as soon as you can.† Dickory nodded, intimidated Albert and Michel into movement, and headed off. â€Å"I never liked them,† Gretchen said as they left. â€Å"I can see why,† I said, and gave Dickory's rifle to Hickory. â€Å"Come on. Let's keep going.† We heard them before we saw them. Actually, Hickory, whose hearing goes above human range, heard them – trilling and chirping and chanting. â€Å"They are singing,† Hickory said quietly, and led Gretchen and me to them. Dickory arrived, silently, just before we found them. Hickory handed over its rifle. In the small clearing were six figures. Enzo and Magdy were the first I recognized. They knelt on the ground, heads down, waiting for whatever was going to happen to them. The light was not good enough for me to see any expression on either of their faces, but I didn't have to see their faces to know that they were scared. Whatever had happened to the two of them had gone badly, and now they were just waiting for it to end. However it would end. I took in Enzo's kneeling form and remembered in a rush why I loved him. He was there because he was trying to be a good friend for Magdy. Trying to keep him out of trouble, or at the very least to share his trouble if he could. He was a decent human being, which is rare enough but is something of a miracle in a teenage boy. I came out here for him because I still loved him. It had been weeks since we'd said anything more than a simple â€Å"hello† at school – when you break up in a small community you have to make some space – but it didn't matter. I was still connected to him. Some part of him stayed in my heart, and I imagined would for as long as I lived. Yes, it was a really inconvenient place and time to realize all of this, but these things happen when they happen. And it didn't make any noise, so it was all right. I looked over at Magdy, and this is the thought I had: When all of this is through, I am seriously going to kick his ass. The four other figures†¦ Werewolves. It was the only way to describe them. They looked feral, and strong, and carnivorous and nightmarish, and with all of that was movement and sound that made it clear that there were brains in there to go along with everything else. They shared the four eyes of all the Roanoke animals we had seen so far, but other than that they could have been lifted right out of folklore. These were werewolves. Three of the werewolves were busy taunting and poking Magdy and Enzo, clearly toying with them and threatening them. One of them held a rifle that it had taken off of Magdy, and was jabbing him with it. I wondered if was still loaded, and what would happen to Magdy or the werewolf if it went off. Another held a spear and occasionally poked Enzo with it. The three of them were chirping and clicking at each other; I don't doubt they were discussing what to do with Magdy and Enzo, and how to do it. The fourth werewolf stood apart from the other three and acted differently. When one of the other werewolves went to poke Enzo or Magdy, it would step in and try to keep them from doing it, standing between the humans and the rest of the werewolves. Occasionally it would step in and try to talk to one of the other werewolves, gesturing back to Enzo and Magdy for emphasis. It was trying to convince the other werewolves of something. To let the humans go? Maybe. Whatever it was, the other werewolves weren't having any of it. The fourth werewolf kept at it anyway. It suddenly reminded me of Enzo, the first time I saw him, trying to keep Magdy from getting into an idiotic fight for no reason at all. It didn't work that time; Gretchen and I had to step in and do something. It wasn't working now, either. I glanced over and saw that Hickory and Dickory had both taken up positions where they could get clean shots at the werewolves. Gretchen had moved off from me and was setting up her own shot. Between the four of us we could take all of the werewolves before they even knew what had happened to them. It would be quick and clean and easy, and we'd get Enzo and Magdy out of there and back home before anyone knew anything had happened. It was the smart thing to do. I quietly moved and readied my weapon, and took a minute or two to stop shaking and steady up. I knew we'd take them in sequence, Hickory on the far left taking the first of the three group werewolves, Dickory taking the second, Gretchen the third, and I the last one, standing away from the rest. I knew the rest of them were waiting for me to make the shot. One of the werewolves moved to poke Enzo again. My werewolf hurried, too late, to stop the assault. And I knew. I didn't want to. I just didn't. Didn't want to kill it. Because it was trying to save my friends, not kill them. It didn't deserve to die just because that was the easiest way to get back Enzo and Magdy. But I didn't know what else to do. The three werewolves started chittering again, first in what seemed like a random way, but then together, and to a beat. The one with a spear began thumping it into the ground in time, and the three of them started working off the beat, playing against each other's voices for what was clearly a victory chant of some sort or another. The fourth werewolf started gesturing more frantically. I had a terrible fear of what was going to happen at the end of the chant. They kept singing, getting closer to the end of that chant. So I did what I had to do. I sang back. I opened my mouth and the first line of â€Å"Delhi Morning† came out of it. Not well, and not on key. Actually, it was really bad – all those months of practicing it and playing it at hootenannies were not paying off. It didn't matter. It was doing what I needed it to do. The werewolves immediately fell silent. I kept singing. I glanced over to Gretchen, who was not so far away that I couldn't read the Are you completely insane? look that she had on her face. I gave her a look that said, Help me out please. Her face tightened up into something unreadable and she sighted down her rifle to keep one of the werewolves squarely in target – and started to sing the counterpoint of the song, dipping above and below my part, like we had practiced so many times. With her help I found the right key to sing and homed in. And now the werewolves knew there was more than one of us. To the left of Gretchen, Dickory chimed in, mimicking the sitar of the song as he did so well. It was funny to watch, but when you closed your eyes it was hard to tell the difference between it and the real thing. I drank in the twang of his voice and kept singing. And to the left of Dickory, Hickory finally came in, using its long neck to sound off like a drum, finding the beat and keeping it from then on. And now the werewolves knew there were as many of us as them. And that we could have killed them anytime. But we didn't. My stupid plan was working. Now all I had to do was figure what I had planned to do next. Because I really didn't know what I was doing here. All I knew was that I didn't want to shoot my werewolf. The one, in fact, who had now stepped off entirely away from the rest of his pack and was walking toward where he thought my voice was coming from. I decided to meet him halfway. I set down my rifle and stepped into the clearing, still singing. The werewolf with the spear began to raise it, and suddenly my mouth was very dry. I think my werewolf noticed something on my face, because it turned and chattered madly at the spear carrier. The spear went down; my werewolf didn't know it, but he'd just saved his friend a bullet in the head from Gretchen. My werewolf turned back to me and started walking toward me again. I kept singing until the song was through. By that time, my werewolf was standing right next to me. Our song was finished. I stood there, waiting to see what my werewolf would do next. What he did next was point to my neck, to the jade elephant pendant Jane had given me. I touched it. â€Å"Elephant,† I said. â€Å"Like your fanties.† He stared at it again and then stared at me again. Finally it chirped out something. â€Å"Hello,† I said back. What else was I going to say? We had a couple more minutes of sizing each other up. Then one of the three other werewolves chirped something. He chirped something back, and then tilted his head at me, as if to say, It would really help me if you actually did something here. So I pointed to Enzo and Magdy. â€Å"Those two belong to me,† I said, making what I hoped were appropriate hand signals, so my werewolf would get the idea. â€Å"I want to take them back with me.† I motioned back in the direction of the colony. â€Å"Then we'll leave you alone.† The werewolf watched all my hand signals; I'm not sure how many of them he actually got. But when I was done, he pointed to Enzo and Magdy, then to me, and then in the direction of the colony, as if to say, Let me make sure I've got this right. I nodded, said â€Å"yes,† and then repeated all the hand signals again. We were actually having a conversation. Or maybe we weren't, because what followed was an explosion of chittering from my werewolf, along with some wild gesticulating. I tried to follow it but I had no idea what was going on. I looked at him helplessly, trying to get what he was saying. Finally he figured out I had no clue what he was doing. So he pointed at Magdy, and then pointed at the rifle one of the other werewolves was holding. And then he pointed at his side, and then motioned at me as if to take a closer look. Against my better judgment, I did, and noticed something I missed before: My werewolf was injured. An ugly furrow was carved into his side, surrounded by raw welts on either side. That idiot Magdy had shot my werewolf. Barely, sure. Magdy was lucky that his aim continued to be bad, otherwise he'd probably already be dead. But even grazing it was bad enough. I backed up from the werewolf and let him know I'd seen enough. He pointed at Enzo, pointed at me, and pointed back to the colony. Then he pointed at Magdy and pointed at his werewolf friends. This was clear enough: He was saying Enzo was free to go with me, but his friends wanted to keep Magdy. I didn't doubt that would end badly for Magdy. I shook my head and made it clear I needed the both of them. My werewolf made it equally clear they wanted Magdy. Our negotiations had just hit a really big snag. I looked my werewolf up and down. He was stocky, barely taller than me, and covered only in a sort of short skirt cinched up with a belt. A simple stone knife hung from the belt. I'd seen pictures of knives like it from history books detailing the Cro-Magnon days back on Earth. The funny thing about the Cro-Magnons was that despite the fact that they were barely above banging rocks together, their brains were actually larger than our brains are now. They were cavemen, but they weren't stupid. They had the ability to think about serious stuff. â€Å"I sure hope you have a Cro-Magnon brain,† I said to my werewolf. â€Å"Otherwise I'm about to get in trouble.† He tilted his head again, trying to figure out what I was trying to say to him. I motioned again, trying to make it clear I wanted to talk to Magdy. My werewolf didn't seem happy about this, and chattered something to his friends. They chattered back, and got pretty agitated. But in the end, my werewolf reached out to me. I let him take my wrist and he dragged me over to Magdy. His three friends fanned themselves out behind me, ready if I should try anything stupid. I knew outside the clearing Hickory and Dickory, at least, would be moving to get better sight lines. There were still lots of ways this could go very very wrong. Magdy was still kneeling, not looking at me or anything else but a spot on the ground. â€Å"Magdy,† I said. â€Å"Kill these stupid things and get us out of here already,† he said, quietly and fast, still not looking at me. â€Å"I know you know how. I know you have enough people out there to do it.† â€Å"Magdy,† I said again. â€Å"Listen to me carefully and don't interrupt me. These things want to kill you. They're willing to let Enzo go, but they want to keep you because you shot one of them. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?† â€Å"Just kill them,† Magdy said. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"You went after these guys, Magdy. You were hunting them. You shot at them. I'm going to try to keep you from getting killed. But I'm not going to kill them because you put yourself in their way. Not unless I have to. Do you understand me?† â€Å"They're going to kill us,† Magdy said. â€Å"You and me and Enzo.† â€Å"I don't think so,† I said. â€Å"But if you don't shut up and actually listen to what I'm trying to say to you, you're going to make that more likely.† â€Å"Just shoot – † Magdy began. â€Å"For God's sake, Magdy,† Enzo said suddenly, from Magdy's side. â€Å"One person on the entire planet is risking her own neck for you and all you can do is argue with her. You really are an ungrateful piece of crap. Now would you please shut up and listen to her. I'd like to get out of this alive.† I don't know who was more surprised by that outburst, me or Magdy. â€Å"Fine,† Magdy said, after a minute. â€Å"These things want to kill you because you shot one of them,† I said. â€Å"I'm going to try to convince them to let you go. But you're going to have to trust me and follow my lead and not argue and not fight back. For the last time: Do you understand me?† â€Å"Yes,† Magdy said. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"They think I'm your leader. So I need to give them the idea I'm angry with you for what you did. I'm going to have to punish you in front of them. And just so you know, this is going to hurt. A lot.† â€Å"Just – † Magdy began. â€Å"Magdy,† I said. â€Å"Yeah, all right, whatever,† Magdy said. â€Å"Let's just do this.† â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Sorry about this.† Then I kicked him in the ribs. Hard. He collapsed with a whoosh and fell flat to the ground. Whatever he was expecting, he wasn't expecting that. After he had gasped on the ground for a minute I grabbed him by the hair. He clutched at my hand and tried to get away. â€Å"Don't fight me,† I said, and gave him a quick punch in the ribs to make the point. He got it and stopped. I pulled his head back and yelled at him for shooting the werewolf, pointing at his rifle and then the wounded werewolf and back and forth several times to make the point. The werewolves seemed to make the connection and chittered among themselves about it. â€Å"Apologize,† I told Magdy, still holding his head. Magdy reached out to the wounded werewolf. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said. â€Å"If I had known that shooting would mean Zoe got to beat the crap out of me, I would never have done it.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said, and then let go of his hair and smacked him hard across the face. Magdy went down again. I looked over to the werewolf to see if this was sufficient. He didn't look like he was quite there yet. I loomed over Magdy. â€Å"How are you doing?† I asked. â€Å"I think I'm going to throw up,† he said. â€Å"Good,† I said. â€Å"I think that would work. Need any help?† â€Å"I got it,† he said, and retched all over the ground. This got impressed chirps from the werewolves. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Last part, Magdy. You really have to trust me on this one.† â€Å"Please stop hurting me now,† Magdy said. â€Å"Almost done,† I said. â€Å"Stand up, please.† â€Å"I don't think I can,† he said. â€Å"Sure you can,† I said, and wrenched his arm to give him motivation. Magdy inhaled and stood up. I marched him over to my werewolf, who eyed the both of us, curiously. I pointed at Magdy, and then to the werewolf's wound. Then I pointed to the werewolf, and made a slashing motion on Magdy's side, and then pointed at the werewolf's knife. The werewolf gave me yet another head tilt, as if to say, I want to be sure we understand each other, here. â€Å"Fair's fair,† I said. â€Å"You're going to let him stab me?† Magdy said, his voice rising dramatically at the end of that sentence. â€Å"You shot him,† I said. â€Å"He could kill me,† Magdy said. â€Å"You could have killed him,† I said. â€Å"I hate you,† Magdy said. â€Å"I really really really hate you now.† â€Å"Shut up,† I said, and then nodded to the werewolf. â€Å"Trust me,† I said to Magdy. The werewolf drew his knife, and then looked back at his companions, who were all chattering loudly and beginning to chant what they were chanting earlier. I was all right with that. The difference now was that it was my werewolf who would do whatever violence would be done. My werewolf stood there for a minute, soaking in the chant of his fellow werewolves. Then without warning he sliced at Magdy so quickly that I only got him moving back, not forward. Magdy hissed in pain. I let him go and he fell to the ground, clutching his side. I moved in front of him and grabbed his hands. â€Å"Let me see,† I said. Magdy moved his hands and winced preemptively, expecting a gush of blood. There was only the thinnest red line on his side. The werewolf had cut Magdy just enough to let him know he could have cut him a lot worse. â€Å"I knew it,† I said. â€Å"You knew what?† Magdy said. â€Å"That I was dealing with a Cro-Magnon,† I said. â€Å"I really don't understand you,† Magdy said. â€Å"Stay down,† I said. â€Å"Don't get up until I tell you.† â€Å"I'm not moving,† he said. â€Å"Really.† I stood up and faced the werewolf, who had put his knife back on his belt. He pointed to Magdy, and then pointed to me, and then pointed back toward the colony. â€Å"Thank you,† I said, and gave the werewolf a little nod of my head, which I hoped would convey the idea. When I looked up again, I saw him staring at my jade elephant again. I wondered if he'd ever seen jewelry before, or if it was simply because an elephant looks like a fantie. These werewolves followed the fantie herds; they would be a main source of food for them. They were their lives. I took off my necklace and handed it to my werewolf. He took it and gently touched the pendant, making it twirl and glitter in the dim light of the night. He cooed at it appreciatively. Then he handed it back to me. â€Å"No,† I said. I held up a hand, and then pointed to the pendant, and to him. â€Å"It's for you. I'm giving it to you.† The werewolf stood there for a moment, and then uttered a trill, which caused his friends to crowd around him. He held up the pendant for them to admire. â€Å"Here,† I said, after a minute, and motioned to him to hand me the necklace. He did, and I – very slowly, so I wouldn't surprise him – put it around his neck and fastened it. The pendant touched his chest. He touched it again. â€Å"There,† I said. â€Å"That was given to me by someone very important, so I would remember the people who loved me. I'm giving it to you, so you'll remember that I'm thanking you for giving me back people I love. Thank you.† The werewolf gave me another of his head tilts. â€Å"I know you don't have any idea what I'm saying,† I said. â€Å"Thank you anyway.† The werewolf reached to his side, pulled his knife. Then he laid it flat on his hand and offered it to me. I took it. â€Å"Wow,† I said, and admired it. I was careful not to touch the actual blade; I'd already seen how sharp it was. I tried to return it but he held up his hand or claw or whatever you want to call it, in a mirror of what I did for him. He was giving it to me. â€Å"Thank you,† I said again. He chirped, and with that he returned to his friends. The one holding Magdy's rifle dropped it, and then without looking back they walked to the nearest trees, scaled them at an unbelievable speed and were gone almost instantly. â€Å"Holy crap,† I said, after a minute. â€Å"I can't believe that actually worked.† â€Å"You can't believe it,† Gretchen said. She came out of hiding and stalked right up to me. â€Å"What the hell is wrong with you? We come out all this way and you sing at them. Sing. Like you're at a hootenanny. We are not doing this again. Ever.† â€Å"Thank you for following my lead,† I said. â€Å"And for trusting me. I love you.† â€Å"I love you too,† Gretchen said. â€Å"It still doesn't mean this is ever going to happen again.† â€Å"Fair enough,† I said. â€Å"It was almost worth it to see you beat the crap out of Magdy, though,† Gretchen said. â€Å"God, I feel horrible about that,† I said. â€Å"Really?† Gretchen said. â€Å"It wasn't just a little bit of fun?† â€Å"Oh, all right,† I said. â€Å"Maybe a little.† â€Å"I'm right here,† Magdy said, from the ground. â€Å"And you need to thank Zoe you are,† Gretchen said, and bent down to kiss him. â€Å"You stupid, exasperating person. I am so happy you are still alive. And if you ever do anything like this again, I will kill you myself. And you know I can.† â€Å"I know,† he said, and pointed to me. â€Å"And if you can't, she will. I get it.† â€Å"Good,† Gretchen said. She stood up and then held out her hand to Magdy. â€Å"Now get up. We've got a long way to go to get home, and I think we just blew all our dumb luck for the year.† â€Å"What are you going to tell your parents?† Enzo asked me, as we walked home. â€Å"Tonight? Not a thing,† I said. â€Å"Both of them have enough to worry about tonight. They don't need me coming in and saying that while they were out I faced down four werewolves who were about to kill two more colonists, and defeated them using only the power of song. I think I might wait a day or two to drop that one. That's a hint, by the way.† â€Å"Hint taken,† Enzo said. â€Å"Although you are going to tell them something.† â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"We have to. If these werewolves are following the fantie herds then we're going to have problems like this every year, and every time they come back. I think we need to let people know they're not actually murdering savages, but we're all still better off if we just leave them alone.† â€Å"How did you know?† Enzo asked me, a minute later. â€Å"Know what?† I said. â€Å"That those werewolf thingies weren't just murdering savages,† Enzo said. â€Å"You held Magdy and let that werewolf take a shot at him. You thought he wouldn't stab Magdy to death. I heard you, you know. After it did it, you said ‘I knew it.' So how did you know?† â€Å"I didn't,† I said. â€Å"But I hoped. He had just spent God knows how long keeping his friends from killing the two of you. I don't think he was just doing it because he was a nice guy.† â€Å"Nice werewolf,† Enzo said. â€Å"Nice whatever he is,† I said. â€Å"Thing is, the werewolves have killed some of us. I know John and Jane killed some of them trying to get our people back. Both of us – the colonists and the werewolves – showed we were perfectly able to kill each other. I think we needed to show that we were capable of not killing each other, too. We let them know that when we sang at them instead of shooting them. I think my werewolf got that. So when I offered him a chance to get back at Magdy, I guessed he wouldn't really hurt him. Because I think he wanted us to know he was smart enough to know what would happen if he did.† â€Å"You still took a big risk,† Enzo said. â€Å"Yeah, I did,† I said. â€Å"But the only other alternative was to kill him and his friends, or have them kill all of us. Or all of us kill each other. I guess I hoped I could do something better. Besides, I didn't think it was too big a risk. What he was doing when he was keeping the others away from you two reminded me of someone I knew.† â€Å"Who?† Enzo asked. â€Å"You,† I said. â€Å"Yes, well,† Enzo said. â€Å"I think tonight marks the official last time I tag along with Magdy to keep him out of trouble. After this he's on his own.† â€Å"I have nothing bad to say about this idea,† I said. â€Å"I didn't think you would,† Enzo said. â€Å"I know Magdy gets on your last nerve sometimes.† â€Å"He does,† I said. â€Å"He really, really does. But what can I do? He's my friend.† â€Å"He belongs to you,† Enzo said. â€Å"And so do I.† I looked over at him. â€Å"You heard that part, too,† I said. â€Å"Trust me, Zoe,† Enzo said. â€Å"Once you showed up, I never stopped listening to you. I'll be able to recite everything you said for the rest of my life. Which I now have, thanks to you.† â€Å"And Gretchen and Hickory and Dickory,† I said. â€Å"And I will thank them all, too,† Enzo said. â€Å"But right now I want to focus on you. Thank you, Zoe Boutin-Perry. Thank you for saving my life.† â€Å"You're welcome,† I said. â€Å"And stop it. You're making me blush.† â€Å"I don't believe it,† Enzo said. â€Å"And now it's too dark to see.† â€Å"Feel my cheeks,† I said. He did. â€Å"You don't feel especially blushy,† he said. â€Å"You're not doing it right,† I said. â€Å"I'm out of practice,† he said. â€Å"Well, fix that,† I said. â€Å"All right,† Enzo said, and kissed me. â€Å"That was supposed to make you blush, not cry,† he said, after we stopped. â€Å"Sorry,† I said, and tried to get myself back together. â€Å"I've just really missed it. That. Us.† â€Å"It's my fault,† Enzo started. I put a hand up to his lips. â€Å"I don't care about any of that,† I said. â€Å"I really don't, Enzo. None of that matters to me. I just don't want to miss you anymore.† â€Å"Zoe,† Enzo said. He took my hands. â€Å"You saved me. You have me. You own me. I belong to you. You said it yourself.† â€Å"I did,† I admitted. â€Å"So that's settled,† Enzo said. â€Å"Okay,† I said, and smiled. We kissed some more, in the night, outside Enzo's front gate.