Globaphiles V Globaphobes - Click Now To Get Free Solution

Question: Globaphiles v Globaphobes Last Sunday, more than 50,000 people demonstrated in the streets of Nontes, the capital of Newland, against economic globalisation, free trade and the Governments plan to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Republic of Newland is a developing, lower middle income country, with a population of 30 million people. It has a booming, exportoriented toy manufacturing industry and an up-and-coming steel industry. Many of its other industries, however, are unable to compete with foreign goods or services. The demonstration was organised by the Newland Coalition for a Better World (NCBW), representing Newlands labour unions and its main environmental, consumer and human rights organisations. When small groups of radicals, led by a moustached farmer, attacked and destroyed a McJohns restaurant along the route, the police intervened to disperse the demonstrators with teargas. Three hours of violent clashes between the police and a group of about 500 young demonstrators ensued, leaving several people wounded. At an emergency cabinet meeting called on Sunday evening, the Prime Minister announced that he will invite the chairperson of the NCBW to a public debate on economic globalisation, international trade and the Governments plan to join the WTO. On Friday, the chairman accepted the challenge. The Chairman of the of the NCBW is a professor of constitutional law. The debate is to be broadcast live on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. You have been working with the Chairman of the NCBW for a number of years and from the NCBW perspective he is likely to question why it would be in the interest of Newland to squander its sovereignty and accept a host of new international obligations. The NCBW is likely to argue inter alia that the WTO fails to consider the needs to developing countries, that the core WTO rules and disciplines are about opening foreign markets for the benefit of multinationals, the EU and the USA. You know that some issues and questions are of particula r concern to the professor and so you may wish to consider the following, as it is likely that the government will be prepped to respond: Whether the WTO Agreement will prevail over Newlands Constitution and whether WTO law will have, or should have, direct effect in Newlands courts The full impact of WTO membership What is the traditional notion of state sovereignty? Why is globalisation forcing us to rethink this concept? Answer: Introduction The process of economic globalization can be described as the defining feature of today's world and it is a process in which high level of international trade and foreign direct investment are involved. In the present assignment, a debate is going to be held between the Prime Minister of New Zealand and the chairman of Newland Coalition for a Better World that represents the labor unions of Newland and also the human rights organizations as well as the consumer and environmental organizations of the country. Some of the issues that are likely to be debated include the fact if the individual agreement will prevail over the constitution of Newland and similarly if the WTO law will have any direct impact on the courts of the land. Similarly the impact of taking WTO membership is also likely to be discussed as well as the notion of state sovereignty and the impact of globalization on this notion. For example, according to an estimate by the World Bank, by opening all the trade barriers across the world, the global income can increase by US $2.8 trillion and in this way, nearly 320 million people can be saved from poverty. However, for the purpose of realizing this opportunity, it is important that economic globalization is regulated and managed at the international level. If it is not done so, it is likely that the economic globalization may prove to be a curse instead of being a blessing to the humankind and in such a case, it may aggravate economic inequality, environmental degradation (Bacchetta and Jansen, 2003). At present the law of WTO can be considered as the most ambitious effort for regulating and managing international trade. Economic Globalization: The term economic globalization is frequently used by politicians, officials of the government, trade unionists, environmentalists, Third World activists, lawyers and economists. The term globalization and particularly 'economic globalization' has been used by different people to describe the defining feature of the world after the Cold War. However, it is important to know the exact meaning of the term, economic globalization. For example, the concept of globalization has been described as the "closer integration of these nations and people of the world which has been achieved by significant reduction of cost of transportation and communication as well as by the breaking down of the artificial barriers that were present in the flow of goods, services and capital and to some extent, the movement of people across borders (Stiglitz, 2002). In the same way, economic globalization can also be defined as the integration of markets, technologies and nation-states to an extent that were not seen before. It is a, it allows the individuals, corporations and the nations to reach around the world, faster, farther and cheaper as compared to before (Friedman, 2000). It also needs to be noted in this regard that it is a multifaceted phenomenon and still a lot needs to be done to understand economic globalization completely. However in essence, economic globalization can be described as a gradual integration of the economies of different countries into a borderless, global economy. The economic globalization includes free international trade and also unrestricted foreign direct investment. The impact of economic globalization can be seen on all the people of the world and it touches different aspects of the daily lives of the people. For example, economic globalization has an impact on the jobs of the people, their health, their ed ucation, food and also on their leisure time. Economic globalization also has an impact on the price; people have to pay for the daily commodities or health services. Although economic globalization is generally perceived as a new phenomenon, however it needs to be noted that the present-day global economic integration is not unprecedented. Much before the First World War, there was significant flow of goods and capital across the borders of different countries and similarly the flow of people during these times was even much more than now. This was the period when the loading of trade barriers supported globalization and also the significant reductions that took place in the cost of transport as a result of the technological innovations like the introduction of steamships and railways. At the same time, it also needs to be noted that there is a clear trend present diverse globalization however the extent of global economic integration in today's world can be exaggerated. It is believed that international trade should generally force the domestic, high-cost producers to decrease the prices of their products and similarly it should bring the price of products and services from different countries closer. However, there is still a significant difference present in the prices of products and services. For example, even in case of the European Union, there is a difference in prices between different countries of EU. Although, partly this difference can be attributed to the difference that is present in cost of passport, taxes and the efficiency of distribution networks, however subtle difference is also present, at least outside the European Union, as a result of the continuous presence of significant trade barriers. Moreover, while it is possible for goods and services and capital to move freely across borders but, still there are several restrictions placed on the free movement of workers. Regarding the regarding the relationship that exists between the WTO law and national law, there are two aspects that need to be examined. The first aspect is related with the place of national law in the WTO law and the second issue deals with the place of WTO law in the national judicial system. Regarding the place of the national of a country in WTO law, it has been provided by the WTO agreement in Article XVI:4 that it shall be ensured by each member state that its national laws are in conformity with the obligations of such a country as provided in the annexed Agreements. In this way, a general rule of international law that has also been mentioned in article 27 of the Vienna Convention according to which, the provisions of its internal laws cannot be invoked by a party in order to justify the failure of such a party to perform a treaty. For example it was stated by the Appellate Body that the domestic laws of a WTO member cannot be used for excusing such the member state from f ulfilling the international obligations of the member (Brazil Aircraft (Article 21.5 Canada). However, it needs to be noted in this regard that when it comes to the measures and actions taken by the regional and local governments and authorities, it has been provided by Article XXIV:12 of GATT that reasonable measures shall be taken by each Member in order to make sure that the regional and local authorities and governments within the territory of such a member observe the provisions of this Agreement. This means that it is the responsibility of the WTO members to enforce the compliance of obligations by regional and local governments that have been prescribed by GATT, 1994 only to the extent that the Members dispose of the necessary constitutional powers for doing so. In this regard it needs to be noted that where securing compliance with the obligations described by GATT is not possible, the provisions dealing with compensation and the suspension of concessions are applicable. On the other hand, while dealing with the issue as to how the national law should be handled by panels and the Appellate Body, it was stated by the Appellate Body that in case of public international law, the municipal law may be treated by an international tribunal in many ways. For example, the national law can be used as evidence of acts and that the same time; it may also provide evidence regarding State practice. It also needs to be noted that the municipal law may also constitute evidence regarding the compliance or noncompliance of international obligations (India Patents (US). The position adopted by the Appellate Body in this regard also found support from the ruling given by Permanent Court of International Justice in which it was stated by the Court that a question may be asked if a difficulty is not created by the fact that the court has to deal with Polish law. However it does not appear to be the case. From the point of view of international law and also the viewpoint of this Court, national laws are considered as merely facts that are capable of expressing the will and constitute the activities of States, in the same way in which the legal decisions and administrative measures do the same. Certainly the Court is not required to interpret the Polish law however, the Court is not prevented from giving a judgment regarding the question if, while applying the law, Poland is acting according to its obligations under the Geneva Convention (Certain German Interests in Polish Upper Silesia, 1926). In the same way, regarding the effect of WTO law on the national courts of Newland first of all, it needs to be noted that in case the provision of national law allows different interpretations, such a provision should be interpreted, whenever possible, in a way that avoids any conflict with the law of WTO. In case of many countries, this doctrine of treaty consistent interpretation has been adopted by the courts. For example, the European Court of Justice has also confirmed the doctrine of treaty-consistent interpretation of the national laws regarding the WTO agreements. However there may be a case when it may not be possible to avoid the conflict between a national law and the provisions of WTO law. In this regard, it needs to be noted that if the provisions of WTO law are provided direct effect and can be important for the purpose of challenging the legality of national measures, the enforceability as well as the effectiveness of these measures will be improved significantly as i t will allow the member states much less flexibility regarding compliance with these provisions. However, a fierce debate is going on if direct effect should be granted to the provisions of WTO law. Conclusion: The legal position in this regard can be summed up as follows. Although, it is the responsibility of each member to fully execute the commitments undertaken by it, however the Members are free to determine the legal means that are considered as appropriate by them for achieving that objective in their domestic legal system (Eeckhout, 1997). In view of the demonstrations on the streets of the capital of Newland, Nontes, by more than 50,000 people, the government of Newland has asked for a debate between the Prime Minister of Newland and the chairman of NCBW. Therefore, the above-mentioned issues can be raised by the Chairman during the debate References 1. Bacchetta and M. Jansen, Adjusting to Trade Liberalization: The Role of Policy, Institutions and WTO Disciplines, WTO Special Studies 7 April 2003, 62. Stiglitz, Globalization and Its Discontents (Penguin, 2002), 9.3. Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalisation, 2nd edition (First Anchor Books, 2000), 94. Eeckhout, The Domestic Legal Status of the WTO Agreements: Interconnecting Legal Systems, Common Market Law Review, 1997, 53Case Law1. Appellate Body Report, Brazil Aircraft (Article 21.5 Canada), para 462. Appellate Body Report, India Patents (US), para. 663. Certain German Interests in Polish Upper Silesia [1926] PCIJ Rep., Series A, No. 7, 19

Short Story About Bullying free essay sample

Pablo etched her face with broad pencil strokes. Two fine lines hinted at eyebrows, lifted in a lipless smile. The large eyes were slightly downcast, lashes thick and soft. Prominent cheekbones hovered above a thin jaw line and soft chin. None of the features were completely filled in. Only one nostril was finished, the eyes were half shaded, and light waves of hair framed the sides of her face and neck. Tiny wrinkles at the edge of her mouth spoke of tears and laughter. Pablo’s pencil bobbed and flicked across the page. He worked quickly, touching down in random corners of the portrait. He thickened a bit of shadow under the left eye, added another lock of hair, and sharpened the edge of the woman’s lip. Pablo was so engrossed in the drawing that he was not aware of his teacher standing just behind him, looking over his shoulder. We will write a custom essay sample on Short Story About Bullying or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"That’s beautiful. I’m glad to have you in my class, Pablo. You are very talented. † Ms. Sanadi smiled at him. â€Å"Who is it? † â€Å"It’s, um, no one really. † Pablo set his pencil down and glanced around at the other tables of students. He felt uncomfortable, as he always did, when teachers praised him. It was hard enough being the new student. It’s obvious you’ve had some practice. † Ms. Sanadi took a step closer and leaned down to admire the sketch. She was close enough for Pablo to smell faint perfume, like crushed petals. â€Å"She looks sad somehow, but very pretty. † â€Å"Thanks ma’am,† Pablo replied quietly. â€Å"Now nothing against this fine lady, Pablo, but I’m obliged to make one critical comment. † Ms Sanadi grinned, as if to belay her tone. â€Å"As I said at the start of class, we are working on contour drawing. This is lovely, especially around the eyes, but contour drawing is just lines – no shading. † â€Å"Sorry ma’am,† he said, â€Å"I’ll start over. He picked up the portrait, folded it once, and set it to the side. â€Å"Oh, don’t worry dear, there’s no rush. I won’t ask you to turn anything in until the end of the week. † She stepped away from the table as her sentence trailed off. When Pablo glanced up, Ms. Sanadi was already examining someone else’s work. He pulled a new piece of paper in front of him, picked up his pencil, and started sketching the classroom. He was seated near the back of the room, so he began outlining the tables of students directly in front of him, heads hunched in s ynchronous slouch. He gave this row the thickest, darkest lines. He was careful not to shade, although he much preferred to include the softer details. After faintly delineating the first row, Ms. Sanadi’s desk, and the chalkboard, Pablo returned his attention to the students directly in front of him. A petite girl with an overlarge sweater had her backpack on the table, separating her from the two rowdy boys who shared the space. The boy immediately to her right looked fragile. His head twitched from the tabletop to his companion; they snickered at a private joke. The other boy was large and bullish, with a meaty forehead and a cruel sound to his whisper. Pablo could not make out what they were saying, but he wasn’t trying to listen either. His concentration was on the creases in their clothes, their hunched posture, the chips and cracks in their seatbacks. â€Å"Okay everyone,† Ms. Sanadi spoke extra loud to cut into the murmur. â€Å"Sarah’s not feeling well, so I’m going to walk her down to see Jason. Keep working and keep your voices down, I won’t be gone long. † Pablo hadn’t noticed the sickly girl at the front of the class. She had nut-brown skin like Pablo, but there was a green hue to her cheeks. She wobbled beside Ms. Sanadi, eyes on the floor. A moment later the door closed, and the voices in the room burgeoned. Pablo ignored the chatter, kept his head down, and continued drawing. Several minutes passed and the teacher did not return. The volume continued to rise, and soon Pablo was the only student not talking to a neighbour. True, he was the only one seated at his particular table, but this was also his first day at Central Secondary, and Pablo had learned long ago that new students do well to keep their mouths shut until they get their bearings. He estimated that he would need two weeks’ reconnaissance before he could map out the cliques and cabals of his new environment. Not that Pablo expected to stay at this school long – he never did – but he was accustomed to the rigmarole of being the new kid. Just as Pablo started etching the folds in the girl’s backpack, the large boy at her table yelled at someone across the room. â€Å"Did you just say my name? † The boy got to his feet. â€Å"You better not be talking about me you little freak. † Pablo saw a small head at the front of the class shake back and forth, accompanied by a frightened squawk. The twitchy kid beside the bully chortled encouragement. The frightened boy at the front turned around quickly and sank down in his seat. â€Å"I’m talking to you, Chris. Don’t turn your back on me. † He stepped away from the table and into the aisle between rows. â€Å"What did you say? † â€Å"Nothing. † Chris’s voice squeaked again. He was still seated, but he had turned around once more, mooneyes pocked with fear. â€Å"He said the only reason you’re so big is because you failed sixth grade. Is that true Jenkins? † This came from a freckly, red-haired girl at the table behind Chris. She smiled as she perched on her chair, enjoying the prospect of conflict. Several people chuckled, perhaps at Chris’ expense, or at the insult to Jenkins. The thuggish boy ignored the laughter and took three strides to stand beside Chris. Even from behind, Pablo could see that Jenkins was furious. His shoulders were tense. His neck was reddening. His fists were balled. Pablo set his pencil down. He didn’t like fighting, but even more, he didn’t like bullies. He’d been bullied himself by countless louts, although he always did his best to meet them fist for fist. Pablo wasn’t a very tall boy, but he was fast. More than that, since his earliest memories, his father had trained him in self-defence. After his father died, it hurt too much to continue the training. For almost four years Pablo resisted his mother’s attempts to get him back into martial art classes. Your father would have wanted it,† she’d tell him over and over. Finally, when the loss began to subside, and his fathers memory became shadows and dusty photographs, Pablo consented. Chris stared up at Jenkins, and for a moment Pablo thought nothing would happen. They were in class, after all, and Ms. Sanadi said s he would be right back. But the pause was brief. Jenkins grabbed Chris by the shirt and pulled him to his feet. The smaller boy tried to yell for him to stop, but his voice failed and he produced little more than a yip. â€Å"Leave him alone jerkface,† a girl shouted from behind Pablo. The rest of the room fell quiet. Jenkins ignored the slur and slammed Chris up against the chalkboard. â€Å"What do you know about me flunking grade six? † Jenkins didnt give him time to respond. Chris doubled over as the mallet fist impacted his stomach. He tried to cry out, but the blow winded him and he slid to the ground. Jenkins reached down and grabbed Chris shirt again, forcing him to stand. The boy was crying between gasps for air. Pablo stood up. For a moment he could hear his mothers voice, telling him to sit back down, begging him not to get into trouble on his first day. He could feel several eyes in the room flick up at him questioningly. His shyness melted into a pool of anger. Pablo, with coffee cup eyes steaming out from behind espresso black hair, had a temper. â€Å"Leave him alone,† Pablo said. The twitchy boy at the table in front of him turned to stare incredulously, as if he had never seen anyone stand up to his brutish companion. The girl wedged beside her backpack stared too, with an expression that asked Pablo what he was trying to prove. But Pablo saw neither of them. He stood facing Jenkins, and in him he saw every bully he had ever despised. Who the hell are you? † Jenkins dropped Chris back into a heap of tears and started walking toward Pablo. His lips curled and eyes twinkled with the thrill of having a new target for his frustration. Pablo didnt respond. He watched the bullys movements as he loped down the aisle. Pablo was quietly measuring his reach, anticipating the first move. Jenkins drew his hand back, and instea d of a fist, swung at Pablo with open palm. Although he hadnt expected a slap to the face, Pablo stepped easily outside Jenkins range and the pudgy fingers trod only air. The bully grunted and took another step forward just as Pablo ducked slightly and struck him hard in the ribs. Jenkins groaned. He looked bewildered, and for a moment stood still, not sure what to do next. Pablo hit him again, this time in the solar plexus, winding him as badly as he had done to Chris. Jenkins staggered back, his confidence failing. Something in his head told Pablo to stop, that he had made his point, and that he should sit back down. If he quit now, perhaps everyone would just continue drawing, and he could slip back into his day-one obscurity. But he knew that all eyes were on him, and there was nothing he could do to take that back. And besides, he knew Jenkins would not let this end so easily. With a small hop Pablo pulled his left knee into the air, spun a half-turn, and kicked Jenkins square in the chest with his right. He kicked him harder than he intended, and the bully fell backward, colliding with the edge of a table and knocking over a chair with a loud clatter. If Pablo had been counting, he would have known that seven quick heart beats resounded between the second Jenkins hit the floor, and the moment Ms. Sanadi swung back into the classroom.

Sample Essay About Past Perfect

Sample Essay About Past PerfectWriting a sample essay about past perfect is a difficult task. There are so many things to take into consideration. You should be careful with your choice of words and spelling, because some of the people you will be writing for will not understand your essay and will interpret it in different ways. You should also consider including metaphors that will convey a real feeling and be read by your readers.If you want to write a sample essay about past perfect, then you need to find a variety of sources to look through and work from. You can start your research by reading other students' essays. Go online and type in sample essays on past perfect and read through to find a good essay to use as a starting point.You should include a list of possible topics and then begin writing a good essay. This will help you keep your thoughts organized and prevent you from getting too tangled up. You can also incorporate common sense ideas into your essay.An idea can help you add a lot of information into your essay. The more you can include in your essay, the better it will be. You will have a better chance of keeping your essay as well structured as possible.If you want to write a sample essay about past perfect, you should be aware of the different types of answers that people give. Many people say that they were perfectly fine with their present situation and it just did not match their dream job. You should research about the various situations that people could have and try to find out what brought them to their current situation.By including this in your essay, you will be able to write a sample essay about past perfect that people will be able to relate to. You will also be able to make a point that your future prospects will also find interesting. Remember that if you do not know what a person means when they say they are fine with their present situation, you will not be able to fully understand their thoughts.One tip that you can use in w riting a sample essay about past perfect is to include every issue that could possibly cause a person to be unhappy in life. This will be very informative and it will help you to relate all of the issues to your story. You should also explain why a person is unhappy and how a change in circumstances will affect that person. By including this information, you will be able to offer solutions and a solution that will appeal to many.Overall, if you want to write a sample essay about past perfect, you should try to keep it as interesting as possible. It should also not be so long that it seems boring. If you have a few pages to work with, you can make it interesting by including certain things in your essay. This will make it easier for your reader to follow and will show them that you have done some research.

Caecilians, the Snake-Like Amphibians

Caecilians, the Snake-Like Amphibians Caecilians are an obscure family of slender-bodied, limbless amphibians that- at first glance- resemble snakes, eels and even earthworms. Their closest cousins, however, are better-known amphibians like frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders. Like all amphibians, caecilians  have primitive lungs that enable them to take in oxygen from the surrounding air, but crucially, these vertebrates also need to absorb additional oxygen through their moist skin. (Two species of caecilians lack lungs entirely, and thus are completely dependent on osmotic respiration.) Some species of caecilians are aquatic and have slender fins running along their backs that enable them to move through water efficiently. Other species are primarily terrestrial and spend much of their time burrowing underground and hunting for insects, worms and other invertebrates using their acute sense of smell. (Since caecilians need to stay moist to stay alive, they not only look but also behave much like earthworms, rarely showing their face to the world unless theyve been uprooted by a spade or a careless foot). Because they mostly live underground, modern caecilians have little use for a sense of sight, and many species have partially or entirely lost their vision. The skulls of these amphibians are pointed and consist of strong, fused bones- adaptations that enable caecilians to bore through mud and soil without doing any damage to themselves. Due to the ring-like folds, or annuli, that encircle their bodies, some caecilians have a very earthworm-like appearance, further confusing people who dont even know that caecilians exist in the first place! Oddly enough, caecilians are the only family of amphibians to reproduce via internal insemination. The male caecilian inserts a penis-like organ into the cloaca of the female and keeps it there for two or three hours. Most caecilians are viviparousthe females give birth to live young, rather than eggsbut one egg-laying species feeds its young by allowing the newborn hatchlings to harvest the outer layer of the mothers skin, which is well-stocked with fat and nutrients and replaces itself every three days. Caecilians are found primarily in the wet tropical regions of South America, Southeast Asia, and Central America. They are most widespread in South America, where they are especially populous in the dense jungles of eastern Brazil and northern Argentina. Caecilian Classification Animalia Chordata Amphibian Caecilian Caecilians are divided into three groups:  beaked caecilians, fish caecilians, and common caecilians. There are about 200 caecilian species overall; some undoubtedly have yet to be identified, lurking in the interiors of impenetrable rain forests. Because they are small and easily degraded after death, caecilians are not well represented in the fossil record and consequently not much is known about the caecilians of the Mesozoic or Cenozoic eras. The earliest known fossil caecilian is Eocaecilia, a primitive vertebrate that lived during the Jurassic  period and (like many early snakes) was equipped with tiny, vestigial limbs.

Bloodlines Chapter Twelve

We tried to tell him that Tamara was killed by Strigoi, but he won’t believe it. He doesn’t want to. He can’t take revenge on a Strigoi. They’re immortal. Invincible. But some human vampire hunter? Somehow, in his head, that’s something he can go after. And if he can’t, then he can focus his energy on how the guardians won’t go after these nonexistent vampire hunters.† I just barely heard Eddie mutter, â€Å"Strigoi aren’t that invincible.† In the rearview mirror, I saw Jill’s face filled with compassion. She was seated between Lee and Eddie. â€Å"Even if it’s a fantasy, maybe it’s better this way,† she suggested. â€Å"It gives him comfort. I mean, kind of. Having something tangible to hate is what gets him through. Otherwise he’d just give in to despair. He’s not hurting anyone with his theories. I think he’s sweet.† She caught her breath in that way she did when she’d said a whole lot all at once. My eyes were back on the road, but I could swear Lee was smiling. â€Å"That’s nice of you,† he told her. â€Å"I know he likes having you around. Turn right up here.† That was to me. Lee had been giving me directions ever since we left Clarence’s. We were just outside of Palm Springs proper, nearing the very impressive-looking Desert Gods Golf Course and Resort. Further guidance from him led us to the Mega-Fun Mini-Golf Center, which was adjacent to the resort. I searched for a parking spot and heard Jill gasp when she caught sight of the golf course’s crowning glory. There, in the center of a cluster of gaudily decorated putting greens, was a huge fake mountain with an artificial waterfall spouting from its top. â€Å"A waterfall!† she exclaimed. â€Å"It’s amazing.† â€Å"Well,† said Lee, â€Å"I wouldn’t go that far. It’s made of water that’s been pumped over and over and has God only knows what in it. I mean, I wouldn’t try to drink or swim in it.† Before I even had the car to a stop, Adrian was out the door, lighting a cigarette. We’d gotten in an argument on the way over, despite me telling him three times that Latte was a strictly no-smoking car. The rest of us soon got out as well, and I wondered what I’d signed up for here as we strolled toward the entrance. â€Å"I’ve actually never been mini-golfing,† I remarked. Lee came to a halt and stared. â€Å"Never?† â€Å"Never.† â€Å"How does that happen?† asked Adrian. â€Å"How is it possible that you’ve never played mini-golf?† â€Å"I had kind of an unusual childhood,† I said at last. Even Eddie looked incredulous. â€Å"You? I was practically raised at an isolated school in the middle of nowhere Montana, and even I’ve played mini-golf.† Saying I was homeschooled was no excuse this time, so I just let it go. Really, it just came down to having a childhood more focused on chemical equations than on fun and recreation. Once we started playing, I soon got the hang of it. My first few attempts were pretty bad, but I soon understood the weight of the club and how the angles on each course could be maneuvered. From there, it was pretty simple to calculate distance and force to make accurate shots. â€Å"Unbelievable. If you’d been playing since you were a child, you’d be a pro by now,† Eddie told me as I knocked my ball into a gaping dragon’s mouth. The ball rolled out the back, down a tube, bounced off a wall, and into the hole. â€Å"How’d you do that?† I shrugged. â€Å"It’s simple geometry. You’re not that bad either,† I pointed out, watching him make his shot. â€Å"How do you do it?† â€Å"I just line it up and putt.† â€Å"Very scientific.† â€Å"I just rely on natural talent,† said Adrian, strolling up to the start of the Dragon’s Lair. â€Å"When you have such a wealth of it to draw from, the danger comes from having too much.† â€Å"That makes no sense whatsoever,† said Eddie. Adrian’s response was to pause and take out a silver flask from his inner coat pocket. He unscrewed it and took a quick drink before leaning in to line up his shot. â€Å"What was that?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You can’t have alcohol out here.† â€Å"You heard Jailbait earlier,† he countered. â€Å"It’s the weekend.† He lined up his ball and shot. The ball went directly for the dragon’s eye, bounced off it, and shot back toward Adrian. It rolled and came to a stop at his feet, nearly where it had started. â€Å"Natural talent, huh?† asked Eddie. I leaned forward. â€Å"I think you broke the dragon’s eye.† â€Å"Just like Keith,† said Adrian. â€Å"I figured you’d appreciate that, Sage.† I gave him a sharp look, wondering if there was any hidden meaning behind that. Mostly, Adrian seemed amused by his own wit. Eddie mistook my expression. â€Å"That was inappropriate,† he told Adrian. â€Å"Sorry, Dad.† Adrian shot again and managed not to maim any statues this time. A couple more shots, and he sank the ball. â€Å"There we go. Three.† â€Å"Four,† said Eddie and I in unison. Adrian looked at us incredulously. â€Å"It was three.† â€Å"You’re forgetting about your first one,† I said. â€Å"The one where you blinded the dragon.† â€Å"That was just the warm-up,† Adrian argued. He put on a smile I think he hoped would charm me. â€Å"Come on, Sage. You understand how my mind works. You said I was brilliant, remember?† Eddie glanced at me in surprise. â€Å"You did?† â€Å"No! I never said that.† Adrian’s smile was infuriating. â€Å"Stop telling people that.† Since I was in charge of the scorecard, his play was logged as four, despite his many further protests. I started to move forward, but Eddie held out a hand to stop me, his hazel eyes gazing over my shoulder. â€Å"Hold up,† he said. â€Å"We need to wait for Jill and Lee.† I followed his gaze. The two of them had been in deep conversation since we arrived, so much so that they’d slowed and lagged behind the rest of us. Even during his bantering with Adrian and me, Eddie had continually checked on her – and our surroundings. It was kind of amazing the way he could multitask. Thus far, Jill and Lee had only been one hole behind us. Now it was nearly two, and that was too far for Eddie to keep her in his sight. So, we waited while the oblivious couple meandered their way toward the Dragon’s Lair. Adrian took another drink from his flask and shook his head in awe. â€Å"You had nothing to worry about, Sage. She went right for him.† â€Å"No thanks to you,† I snapped. â€Å"I can’t believe you told her every detail of my visit that night. She was so mad at me for interfering behind her back with you, Lee, and Micah.† â€Å"I hardly told her anything,† argued Adrian. â€Å"I just told her to stay away from that human guy.† Eddie glanced between our faces. â€Å"Micah?† I shifted uncomfortably. Eddie didn’t know about how I’d gone proactive. â€Å"Remember when I wanted you to say something to him? And you wouldn’t?† I proceeded to tell him how I’d then sought out Adrian’s help and found out about Lee’s interest in Jill. Eddie was aghast. â€Å"How could you not tell me any of this?† he demanded. â€Å"Well,† I said, wondering if everything I did was going to result in the wrath of a Moroi or dhampir, â€Å"it didn’t involve you.† â€Å"Jill’s safety does! If some guy likes her, I need to know.† Adrian chuckled. â€Å"Should Sage have passed you a note in class?† â€Å"Lee’s fine,† I said. â€Å"He obviously adores her, and it’s not like she’ll ever be alone with him.† â€Å"We don’t know for sure that he’s fine,† said Eddie. â€Å"Whereas Micah’s a hundred percent okay? Did you do a background check or something?† I asked. â€Å"No,† said Eddie, looking embarrassed. â€Å"I just know. It’s a feeling I get about him. There’s no problem with him spending time with Jill.† â€Å"Except that he’s human.† â€Å"They wouldn’t have gotten serious.† â€Å"You don’t know that.† â€Å"Enough, you two,† interrupted Adrian. Jill and Lee had finally reached the start of the Dragon’s Lair, meaning we could move on. Adrian lowered his voice. â€Å"Your argument’s useless. I mean, look at them. That human boy doesn’t enter into it.† I looked. Adrian was right. Jill and Lee were clearly enthralled with each other. Some guilty part of me wondered if I should be a doing a better job of looking out for Jill. I was so relieved that she was interested in a Moroi that I hadn’t stopped to wonder if she should even be dating anyone. Was fifteen old enough? I hadn’t dated at fifteen. I’d actually, well, never dated. â€Å"There is an age difference between them,† I admitted, more to myself. Adrian scoffed. â€Å"Believe me, I’ve seen age differences. Theirs is nothing.† He walked off, and a few moments later, Eddie and I went to join him. Eddie maintained his simultaneous vigil of Jill, but this time, I got the impression the danger he was watching out for was right beside her. Adrian’s laughter rang out ahead of us. â€Å"Sage!† he called. â€Å"You have got to see this.† Eddie and I reached the next green and stared in astonishment. Then I burst out laughing. We had reached Dracula’s Castle. A huge, multi-towered black castle guarded the hole some distance away. A tunnel was cut out through the center of it with a narrow bridge meant for the ball to go over. If the ball fell off the sides before getting through the castle, it was returned back to the starting point. An animatronic Count Dracula stood off to the castle’s side. He was pure white, with red eyes, pointed ears, and slicked-back hair. He jerkily kept raising his arms to show off a batlike cape. Nearby, a speaker blasted eerie organ music. I couldn’t stop laughing. Adrian and Eddie looked at me as though they’d never seen me before. â€Å"I don’t think I’ve ever heard her laugh,† Eddie told him. â€Å"Certainly not the reaction I was expecting,† mused Adrian. â€Å"I’d been counting on abject terror, judging from past Alchemist behavior. I didn’t think you liked vampires.† Still grinning, I watched Dracula raise his cape up and down. â€Å"This isn’t a vampire. Not a real one. And that’s what makes it so funny. It’s pure Hollywood camp. Real vampires are terrifying and unnatural. This? This is hilarious.† It was clear from their expressions that neither really understood why this would appeal to my sense of humor so much. Adrian did, however, offer to take a picture with my cell phone when I asked him. I posed by Dracula and put on a big smile. Adrian managed to snap the shot just as Dracula was raising his cape. When I viewed the picture, I was pleased to see it had come out perfectly. Even my hair looked good. Adrian gave the picture a nod of approval before handing me the phone. â€Å"Okay, even I can admit that’s pretty cute.† I found myself overanalyzing the comment. What had he meant in saying even he could admit it? That I was cute for a human? Or that I had just met some kind of Adrian hot-girl criteria? Moments later, I had to forcibly stop thinking about it. Let it go, Sydney. It’s a compliment. Accept it. We played through the rest of the course, finally finishing off with the waterfall itself. That was a particularly challenging hole, and I took my time lining up the shot – not that I needed to. I was beating everyone pretty handily. Eddie was the only one who came close. It was clear Jill and Lee didn’t even have their attention on the game, and as for Adrian and his natural talent†¦ well, they were very solidly in last place. Eddie, Adrian, and I were still ahead of the other two, so we waited for them by the waterfall. Jill practically ran to it when she had the chance, gazing up at it with enchanted eyes. â€Å"Oh,† she breathed. â€Å"This is wonderful. I haven’t seen this much water in days.† â€Å"Remember what I said about the toxicity,† teased Lee. But it was clear he found her reaction endearing. As I glanced at the other two guys, I saw that they shared the same feelings. Well, not exactly the same. Adrian’s affection was clearly brotherly. Eddie’s? It was hard to read, kind of a mix of the other two. Maybe it was a kind of guardian fondness. Jill made a gesture to the waterfall, and suddenly, part of it broke off from the tumbling cascade. The chunk of water shaped itself into a braid, then twisted high into the air, making spirals before shattering into a million drops that misted over us all. I had been staring wide-eyed and frozen, but those drops hitting me shocked me awake. â€Å"Jill,† I said in a voice I barely recognized as my own. â€Å"Don’t do that again.† Jill, eyes bright, barely spared me a glance as she made another piece of water dance in the air. â€Å"No one’s around to see, Sydney.† That wasn’t what had me so upset. That wasn’t what filled me with so much panic that I could barely breathe. The world was doing that thing where it started to spin, and I worried I was going to faint. Stark, cold fear ran through me, fear at the unknown. The unnatural. The laws of my world had just been broken. This was vampire magic, something foreign and inaccessible to humans – inaccessible because it was forbidden, something no mortal was meant to delve into. I had only once seen magic used, when two spirit users had turned on each other, and I never wanted to see it again. One had forced the plants of the earth to do her bidding while the other telekinetically hurled objects meant to kill. It had been terrifying, and even though I hadn’t been the target, I’d felt trapped and overwhelmed in the f ace of such otherworldly power. It was a reminder that these weren’t fun, easy people to hang out with. These were creatures wholly different from me. â€Å"Stop it,† I said, feeling the panic rise. I was afraid of the magic, afraid it would touch me, afraid of what it might do to me. â€Å"Don’t do it anymore!† Jill didn’t even hear me. She grinned at Lee. â€Å"You’re air, right? Can you create fog over the water?† Lee stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away. â€Å"Ah, well, it’s probably not a good idea. I mean, we’re in public†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come on,† she pleaded. â€Å"It won’t take any effort for you at all.† He actually appeared nervous. â€Å"Nah, not right now.† â€Å"Not you too.† She laughed. Above her and in front of her, that demon water was still spinning, spinning, spinning†¦ â€Å"Jill,† said Adrian, a harsher note in his voice than I’d ever heard before. In fact, I couldn’t recall him ever addressing her by her actual name. â€Å"Stop.† It was all he said, but it was like a wave of something went through Jill. She flinched, and the water spirals disappeared, falling away in droplets. â€Å"Fine,† she said, looking confused. There was a moment of awkwardness, and then Eddie said, â€Å"We should hurry. We’re going to be pushing curfew.† Lee and Jill set out to make their shots and soon were laughing and flirting again. Eddie continued watching them in his concerned way. Only Adrian paid any attention to me. He was the only one who really understood what had happened, I realized. His green eyes studied me, with no trace of their usual bitter humor. I wasn’t fooled, though. I knew there had to be some witty quip coming, mocking my reaction. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked quietly. â€Å"I’m fine,† I said, turning from him. I didn’t want him to see my face. He’d already seen too much, seen my fear. I didn’t want any of them to know how afraid of them I was. I heard him take a few steps toward me. â€Å"Sage – â€Å" â€Å"Leave me alone,† I snapped back. I hurried off toward the course’s exit, certain he wouldn’t follow me. I was right. I waited for them to finish the game, using the alone time to calm myself down. By the time they caught up to me, I was fairly certain I had wiped most of the emotions from my face. Adrian still watched me with concern, which I didn’t like, but at least he didn’t say anything else about my breakdown. Surprising to no one, the final score showed that I had won and Adrian had lost. Lee had come in third, which seemed to trouble him. â€Å"I used to be a lot better,† he muttered, frowning. â€Å"I used to be perfect at this game.† Considering he’d spent most of the time paying attention to Jill, I thought third was a pretty respectable performance. I dropped him and Adrian off first and then just barely got Eddie, Jill, and me back to Amberwood on time. I was more or less back to normal by then, not that anyone would’ve noticed. Jill was floating on a cloud as we went into our dorm room, talking nonstop about Lee. â€Å"I had no idea he’d traveled so much! He’s maybe been more places than you, Sydney. He keeps telling me that he’ll take me to all of them, that we’ll spend the rest of our lives traveling and doing whatever we want. And he’s taking all sorts of classes in college because he’s not sure what he wants to major in. Well, not all sorts this semester. He’s got a light schedule so that he can spend more time with his father. And that’s good for me. For us, I mean.† I stifled a yawn and nodded wearily. â€Å"That’s great.† She paused from where she’d been searching her dresser for pajamas. â€Å"I’m sorry, by the way.† I froze. I didn’t want an apology for the magic. I didn’t even want to remember it had happened. â€Å"For yelling at you the other night,† she continued. â€Å"You didn’t set me up with Lee. I should never have accused you of interfering. He really has liked me all along, and, well†¦ he’s really great.† I let out the breath I’d been holding and attempted a weak smile. â€Å"I’m glad you’re happy.† She returned cheerfully to her tasks and to talking about Lee until I left to go down to the bathroom. Before brushing my teeth, I stood in front of the sink and washed my hands and arms over and over, scrubbing as hard as I could to wash away the magical drops of water I swore I could still feel on my skin. Bloodlines Chapter Twelve We tried to tell him that Tamara was killed by Strigoi, but he won’t believe it. He doesn’t want to. He can’t take revenge on a Strigoi. They’re immortal. Invincible. But some human vampire hunter? Somehow, in his head, that’s something he can go after. And if he can’t, then he can focus his energy on how the guardians won’t go after these nonexistent vampire hunters.† I just barely heard Eddie mutter, â€Å"Strigoi aren’t that invincible.† In the rearview mirror, I saw Jill’s face filled with compassion. She was seated between Lee and Eddie. â€Å"Even if it’s a fantasy, maybe it’s better this way,† she suggested. â€Å"It gives him comfort. I mean, kind of. Having something tangible to hate is what gets him through. Otherwise he’d just give in to despair. He’s not hurting anyone with his theories. I think he’s sweet.† She caught her breath in that way she did when she’d said a whole lot all at once. My eyes were back on the road, but I could swear Lee was smiling. â€Å"That’s nice of you,† he told her. â€Å"I know he likes having you around. Turn right up here.† That was to me. Lee had been giving me directions ever since we left Clarence’s. We were just outside of Palm Springs proper, nearing the very impressive-looking Desert Gods Golf Course and Resort. Further guidance from him led us to the Mega-Fun Mini-Golf Center, which was adjacent to the resort. I searched for a parking spot and heard Jill gasp when she caught sight of the golf course’s crowning glory. There, in the center of a cluster of gaudily decorated putting greens, was a huge fake mountain with an artificial waterfall spouting from its top. â€Å"A waterfall!† she exclaimed. â€Å"It’s amazing.† â€Å"Well,† said Lee, â€Å"I wouldn’t go that far. It’s made of water that’s been pumped over and over and has God only knows what in it. I mean, I wouldn’t try to drink or swim in it.† Before I even had the car to a stop, Adrian was out the door, lighting a cigarette. We’d gotten in an argument on the way over, despite me telling him three times that Latte was a strictly no-smoking car. The rest of us soon got out as well, and I wondered what I’d signed up for here as we strolled toward the entrance. â€Å"I’ve actually never been mini-golfing,† I remarked. Lee came to a halt and stared. â€Å"Never?† â€Å"Never.† â€Å"How does that happen?† asked Adrian. â€Å"How is it possible that you’ve never played mini-golf?† â€Å"I had kind of an unusual childhood,† I said at last. Even Eddie looked incredulous. â€Å"You? I was practically raised at an isolated school in the middle of nowhere Montana, and even I’ve played mini-golf.† Saying I was homeschooled was no excuse this time, so I just let it go. Really, it just came down to having a childhood more focused on chemical equations than on fun and recreation. Once we started playing, I soon got the hang of it. My first few attempts were pretty bad, but I soon understood the weight of the club and how the angles on each course could be maneuvered. From there, it was pretty simple to calculate distance and force to make accurate shots. â€Å"Unbelievable. If you’d been playing since you were a child, you’d be a pro by now,† Eddie told me as I knocked my ball into a gaping dragon’s mouth. The ball rolled out the back, down a tube, bounced off a wall, and into the hole. â€Å"How’d you do that?† I shrugged. â€Å"It’s simple geometry. You’re not that bad either,† I pointed out, watching him make his shot. â€Å"How do you do it?† â€Å"I just line it up and putt.† â€Å"Very scientific.† â€Å"I just rely on natural talent,† said Adrian, strolling up to the start of the Dragon’s Lair. â€Å"When you have such a wealth of it to draw from, the danger comes from having too much.† â€Å"That makes no sense whatsoever,† said Eddie. Adrian’s response was to pause and take out a silver flask from his inner coat pocket. He unscrewed it and took a quick drink before leaning in to line up his shot. â€Å"What was that?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You can’t have alcohol out here.† â€Å"You heard Jailbait earlier,† he countered. â€Å"It’s the weekend.† He lined up his ball and shot. The ball went directly for the dragon’s eye, bounced off it, and shot back toward Adrian. It rolled and came to a stop at his feet, nearly where it had started. â€Å"Natural talent, huh?† asked Eddie. I leaned forward. â€Å"I think you broke the dragon’s eye.† â€Å"Just like Keith,† said Adrian. â€Å"I figured you’d appreciate that, Sage.† I gave him a sharp look, wondering if there was any hidden meaning behind that. Mostly, Adrian seemed amused by his own wit. Eddie mistook my expression. â€Å"That was inappropriate,† he told Adrian. â€Å"Sorry, Dad.† Adrian shot again and managed not to maim any statues this time. A couple more shots, and he sank the ball. â€Å"There we go. Three.† â€Å"Four,† said Eddie and I in unison. Adrian looked at us incredulously. â€Å"It was three.† â€Å"You’re forgetting about your first one,† I said. â€Å"The one where you blinded the dragon.† â€Å"That was just the warm-up,† Adrian argued. He put on a smile I think he hoped would charm me. â€Å"Come on, Sage. You understand how my mind works. You said I was brilliant, remember?† Eddie glanced at me in surprise. â€Å"You did?† â€Å"No! I never said that.† Adrian’s smile was infuriating. â€Å"Stop telling people that.† Since I was in charge of the scorecard, his play was logged as four, despite his many further protests. I started to move forward, but Eddie held out a hand to stop me, his hazel eyes gazing over my shoulder. â€Å"Hold up,† he said. â€Å"We need to wait for Jill and Lee.† I followed his gaze. The two of them had been in deep conversation since we arrived, so much so that they’d slowed and lagged behind the rest of us. Even during his bantering with Adrian and me, Eddie had continually checked on her – and our surroundings. It was kind of amazing the way he could multitask. Thus far, Jill and Lee had only been one hole behind us. Now it was nearly two, and that was too far for Eddie to keep her in his sight. So, we waited while the oblivious couple meandered their way toward the Dragon’s Lair. Adrian took another drink from his flask and shook his head in awe. â€Å"You had nothing to worry about, Sage. She went right for him.† â€Å"No thanks to you,† I snapped. â€Å"I can’t believe you told her every detail of my visit that night. She was so mad at me for interfering behind her back with you, Lee, and Micah.† â€Å"I hardly told her anything,† argued Adrian. â€Å"I just told her to stay away from that human guy.† Eddie glanced between our faces. â€Å"Micah?† I shifted uncomfortably. Eddie didn’t know about how I’d gone proactive. â€Å"Remember when I wanted you to say something to him? And you wouldn’t?† I proceeded to tell him how I’d then sought out Adrian’s help and found out about Lee’s interest in Jill. Eddie was aghast. â€Å"How could you not tell me any of this?† he demanded. â€Å"Well,† I said, wondering if everything I did was going to result in the wrath of a Moroi or dhampir, â€Å"it didn’t involve you.† â€Å"Jill’s safety does! If some guy likes her, I need to know.† Adrian chuckled. â€Å"Should Sage have passed you a note in class?† â€Å"Lee’s fine,† I said. â€Å"He obviously adores her, and it’s not like she’ll ever be alone with him.† â€Å"We don’t know for sure that he’s fine,† said Eddie. â€Å"Whereas Micah’s a hundred percent okay? Did you do a background check or something?† I asked. â€Å"No,† said Eddie, looking embarrassed. â€Å"I just know. It’s a feeling I get about him. There’s no problem with him spending time with Jill.† â€Å"Except that he’s human.† â€Å"They wouldn’t have gotten serious.† â€Å"You don’t know that.† â€Å"Enough, you two,† interrupted Adrian. Jill and Lee had finally reached the start of the Dragon’s Lair, meaning we could move on. Adrian lowered his voice. â€Å"Your argument’s useless. I mean, look at them. That human boy doesn’t enter into it.† I looked. Adrian was right. Jill and Lee were clearly enthralled with each other. Some guilty part of me wondered if I should be a doing a better job of looking out for Jill. I was so relieved that she was interested in a Moroi that I hadn’t stopped to wonder if she should even be dating anyone. Was fifteen old enough? I hadn’t dated at fifteen. I’d actually, well, never dated. â€Å"There is an age difference between them,† I admitted, more to myself. Adrian scoffed. â€Å"Believe me, I’ve seen age differences. Theirs is nothing.† He walked off, and a few moments later, Eddie and I went to join him. Eddie maintained his simultaneous vigil of Jill, but this time, I got the impression the danger he was watching out for was right beside her. Adrian’s laughter rang out ahead of us. â€Å"Sage!† he called. â€Å"You have got to see this.† Eddie and I reached the next green and stared in astonishment. Then I burst out laughing. We had reached Dracula’s Castle. A huge, multi-towered black castle guarded the hole some distance away. A tunnel was cut out through the center of it with a narrow bridge meant for the ball to go over. If the ball fell off the sides before getting through the castle, it was returned back to the starting point. An animatronic Count Dracula stood off to the castle’s side. He was pure white, with red eyes, pointed ears, and slicked-back hair. He jerkily kept raising his arms to show off a batlike cape. Nearby, a speaker blasted eerie organ music. I couldn’t stop laughing. Adrian and Eddie looked at me as though they’d never seen me before. â€Å"I don’t think I’ve ever heard her laugh,† Eddie told him. â€Å"Certainly not the reaction I was expecting,† mused Adrian. â€Å"I’d been counting on abject terror, judging from past Alchemist behavior. I didn’t think you liked vampires.† Still grinning, I watched Dracula raise his cape up and down. â€Å"This isn’t a vampire. Not a real one. And that’s what makes it so funny. It’s pure Hollywood camp. Real vampires are terrifying and unnatural. This? This is hilarious.† It was clear from their expressions that neither really understood why this would appeal to my sense of humor so much. Adrian did, however, offer to take a picture with my cell phone when I asked him. I posed by Dracula and put on a big smile. Adrian managed to snap the shot just as Dracula was raising his cape. When I viewed the picture, I was pleased to see it had come out perfectly. Even my hair looked good. Adrian gave the picture a nod of approval before handing me the phone. â€Å"Okay, even I can admit that’s pretty cute.† I found myself overanalyzing the comment. What had he meant in saying even he could admit it? That I was cute for a human? Or that I had just met some kind of Adrian hot-girl criteria? Moments later, I had to forcibly stop thinking about it. Let it go, Sydney. It’s a compliment. Accept it. We played through the rest of the course, finally finishing off with the waterfall itself. That was a particularly challenging hole, and I took my time lining up the shot – not that I needed to. I was beating everyone pretty handily. Eddie was the only one who came close. It was clear Jill and Lee didn’t even have their attention on the game, and as for Adrian and his natural talent†¦ well, they were very solidly in last place. Eddie, Adrian, and I were still ahead of the other two, so we waited for them by the waterfall. Jill practically ran to it when she had the chance, gazing up at it with enchanted eyes. â€Å"Oh,† she breathed. â€Å"This is wonderful. I haven’t seen this much water in days.† â€Å"Remember what I said about the toxicity,† teased Lee. But it was clear he found her reaction endearing. As I glanced at the other two guys, I saw that they shared the same feelings. Well, not exactly the same. Adrian’s affection was clearly brotherly. Eddie’s? It was hard to read, kind of a mix of the other two. Maybe it was a kind of guardian fondness. Jill made a gesture to the waterfall, and suddenly, part of it broke off from the tumbling cascade. The chunk of water shaped itself into a braid, then twisted high into the air, making spirals before shattering into a million drops that misted over us all. I had been staring wide-eyed and frozen, but those drops hitting me shocked me awake. â€Å"Jill,† I said in a voice I barely recognized as my own. â€Å"Don’t do that again.† Jill, eyes bright, barely spared me a glance as she made another piece of water dance in the air. â€Å"No one’s around to see, Sydney.† That wasn’t what had me so upset. That wasn’t what filled me with so much panic that I could barely breathe. The world was doing that thing where it started to spin, and I worried I was going to faint. Stark, cold fear ran through me, fear at the unknown. The unnatural. The laws of my world had just been broken. This was vampire magic, something foreign and inaccessible to humans – inaccessible because it was forbidden, something no mortal was meant to delve into. I had only once seen magic used, when two spirit users had turned on each other, and I never wanted to see it again. One had forced the plants of the earth to do her bidding while the other telekinetically hurled objects meant to kill. It had been terrifying, and even though I hadn’t been the target, I’d felt trapped and overwhelmed in the f ace of such otherworldly power. It was a reminder that these weren’t fun, easy people to hang out with. These were creatures wholly different from me. â€Å"Stop it,† I said, feeling the panic rise. I was afraid of the magic, afraid it would touch me, afraid of what it might do to me. â€Å"Don’t do it anymore!† Jill didn’t even hear me. She grinned at Lee. â€Å"You’re air, right? Can you create fog over the water?† Lee stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away. â€Å"Ah, well, it’s probably not a good idea. I mean, we’re in public†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Come on,† she pleaded. â€Å"It won’t take any effort for you at all.† He actually appeared nervous. â€Å"Nah, not right now.† â€Å"Not you too.† She laughed. Above her and in front of her, that demon water was still spinning, spinning, spinning†¦ â€Å"Jill,† said Adrian, a harsher note in his voice than I’d ever heard before. In fact, I couldn’t recall him ever addressing her by her actual name. â€Å"Stop.† It was all he said, but it was like a wave of something went through Jill. She flinched, and the water spirals disappeared, falling away in droplets. â€Å"Fine,† she said, looking confused. There was a moment of awkwardness, and then Eddie said, â€Å"We should hurry. We’re going to be pushing curfew.† Lee and Jill set out to make their shots and soon were laughing and flirting again. Eddie continued watching them in his concerned way. Only Adrian paid any attention to me. He was the only one who really understood what had happened, I realized. His green eyes studied me, with no trace of their usual bitter humor. I wasn’t fooled, though. I knew there had to be some witty quip coming, mocking my reaction. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked quietly. â€Å"I’m fine,† I said, turning from him. I didn’t want him to see my face. He’d already seen too much, seen my fear. I didn’t want any of them to know how afraid of them I was. I heard him take a few steps toward me. â€Å"Sage – â€Å" â€Å"Leave me alone,† I snapped back. I hurried off toward the course’s exit, certain he wouldn’t follow me. I was right. I waited for them to finish the game, using the alone time to calm myself down. By the time they caught up to me, I was fairly certain I had wiped most of the emotions from my face. Adrian still watched me with concern, which I didn’t like, but at least he didn’t say anything else about my breakdown. Surprising to no one, the final score showed that I had won and Adrian had lost. Lee had come in third, which seemed to trouble him. â€Å"I used to be a lot better,† he muttered, frowning. â€Å"I used to be perfect at this game.† Considering he’d spent most of the time paying attention to Jill, I thought third was a pretty respectable performance. I dropped him and Adrian off first and then just barely got Eddie, Jill, and me back to Amberwood on time. I was more or less back to normal by then, not that anyone would’ve noticed. Jill was floating on a cloud as we went into our dorm room, talking nonstop about Lee. â€Å"I had no idea he’d traveled so much! He’s maybe been more places than you, Sydney. He keeps telling me that he’ll take me to all of them, that we’ll spend the rest of our lives traveling and doing whatever we want. And he’s taking all sorts of classes in college because he’s not sure what he wants to major in. Well, not all sorts this semester. He’s got a light schedule so that he can spend more time with his father. And that’s good for me. For us, I mean.† I stifled a yawn and nodded wearily. â€Å"That’s great.† She paused from where she’d been searching her dresser for pajamas. â€Å"I’m sorry, by the way.† I froze. I didn’t want an apology for the magic. I didn’t even want to remember it had happened. â€Å"For yelling at you the other night,† she continued. â€Å"You didn’t set me up with Lee. I should never have accused you of interfering. He really has liked me all along, and, well†¦ he’s really great.† I let out the breath I’d been holding and attempted a weak smile. â€Å"I’m glad you’re happy.† She returned cheerfully to her tasks and to talking about Lee until I left to go down to the bathroom. Before brushing my teeth, I stood in front of the sink and washed my hands and arms over and over, scrubbing as hard as I could to wash away the magical drops of water I swore I could still feel on my skin.

Cadez and Guilding (2008) Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cadez and Guilding (2008) Organization - Essay Example Costing a. Attribute Costing b. Life cycle Costing c. Quality Costing d. Target Costing e. Value Chain Costing 2. Planning, control, and performance measurement a. Benchmarking b. Integrated Performance Measurement 3. Strategic Decision Making a. Strategic Costing b. Strategic Pricing c. Brand Valuation 4. Competitor Accounting a. Competitor cost assessment b. Competitive position monitoring c. Competitor performance appraisal 5. Customer Accounting a. Customer Profitability Analysis b. Lifetime Customer Profitability Analysis c. Valuation of Customers as Assets In this paper the strategic management technique of Benchmarking has been presented and defined, along with its benefits for the organisation. Benchmarking and its Benefits for the Organisation: This is the process of comparing ones internal processes with the processes of a company in the same industry, to identify discrepancies. The aim of this activity is to identify the best ways of carrying out a process. When undertakin g this process a company can also analyse the business practices of firms in different industries, and find out what are the key processes in these industries, by doing this a firm can know which processes can be tailored to fit their business model and what are the most effective ways of performing these processes. There are numerous measures which can be assessed in this way, for instance financial parameters, management parameters etch. However the most focused business variables that are subjected to this tool are time, quality and cost (Zairi, 1998). Through the process of benchmarking a company can find out the potential a process carried out by it can achieve. For instance if a competitor is carrying out the same business processes and is achieving a larger output as compared to the company, than there exist some problem with the company’s internal processes. Since the productivity level that can be accomplished is not being accomplished, the company needs to take corr ective measures to raise its productivity (Cooper and Kleinschmidt, 1995). From a competitive point of view, if a company is competing for a order that needs order fulfilment in a lesser amount of time, than the order placing firm will check the production capacity of each of the competing firms. In case a company has remained oblivion to the production capacity of its competitor, who presumably is having a higher production capacity, it can fairly be inferred that the order placing entity will opt for the firm which has greater production capacity. Thus, ever company is obligated to explore the processes of its competitors and other firms in different industry so that it can continually upgrade its own internal processes (Vorhies and Morgan, 2005). After a company decides, which business process it wants to benchmark and how it is going to benchmark it, than it needs to analyse the leader firm in this process and specifically find out how they accomplished such proficiency (David,à ‚  1995). The practice of benchmarking is not an end in itself. It is a part of a bigger initiative, to undertaking business process re-engineering. This process redefines and reconfigures the standard operating procedures of the company’s department or process that is being benchmarked. By doing this the company is trying to neutralise the competitive or process advantage of its competitor firm

What Causes an Economic Downturn Literature review

What Causes an Economic Downturn - Literature review Example Growth of the Housing Bubble: The year 2006 has seen a number of people refinancing their properties to be able to pay lower interest rates. The customers have also been noted to have taken out a second mortgage as well. These were steps taken by the house owners to extract as much money as possible. This however has lead to the increasing the housing bubble and leading the house prices to decrease. Once this hit the country, the borrowers were not able to pay for the interest rates and neither were they able to refinance the homes. This lead the borrowers to default and lead to foreclosures from the banks due to delinquency (Smith, 2009). Sub – Prime Lending: Subprime lending basically refers to lending to people with higher risks, i.e. with low credit ratings. Post the IT bubble burst in 2000 the fed had reduced the interest rates, and also agreed to provide loans to people with low credit ratings (even below 620). Post the borrowers receiving the loan amounts, and with the lowered interest rates, there was a sudden hike in the prices of the real estates of the company. This lead to the borrowers to be able to borrow even more. This extra borrowing became a burden for the subprime borrowers and the number of defaulters had grown to a great extent (Waring, 2007). Banking Sector Issues: Shadow Banking systems is referred to when non – bank financial institutes provide for loans to businesses to operate. With the increasing ‘Shadow Banking System’ in the country, the NY Federal Reserve Bank placed a freeze on the funds. This led to major companies needing to sell off the long-term assets at much lower prices to be able to meet up to the short-term loan payments. This left the system completely shaken up and also left a huge damage on the regular banking systems and the credit cycles. A combined effect of all the above factors together has led the country to move into complete recession. As far as even in 2008 various  articles, the writer had refused to use the term recession for the US economy (Khan, 2008).