Literature Review Methods For Artificial Recharge Environmental Sciences Essay

It is the simplest, oldest and most widely applied method of unreal recharge. This method involves surface distributing of H2O in basins that are excavated in the bing terrain. For effectual unreal recharge, extremely permeable dirts are suited and care of a bed of H2O over the extremely permeable dirts is necessary. When direct discharge is practiced, the sum of H2O come ining the aquifer depends on three factors ; the infiltration rate, the infiltration rate, and the capacity for horizontal H2O motion. Recharge by distributing basins is most effectual where there are no impending beds between the land surface and the aquifer and where clear H2O is available for recharge. The common job in reloading by surface spreading is choke offing of the surface stuff by suspended deposit in the recharge H2O or by microbic growing. The estimated costs associated with the usage of recharge basins are high since the basins depend on both infiltration rates and land values. The estimated land required ( hour angle ) depends upon the volumetric rate of recharge and the infiltration rate i.e. Flow Rate ( m3/d ) / Infiltration Rate ( m3/ha/d )Vadose zone injection goodRecharge or injection Wellss are used to straight reload H2O into deep water- bearing zones. Recharge Wellss could be cased through the stuff overlying the aquifer and if the Earth stuffs are unconsolidated, a screen may be placed in the well in the zone of injection. In some instances, several recharge Wellss may be installed in the same borehole. Recharge Wellss are suited merely in countries where a midst imperviable bed exists between the surface of the dirt and the aquifer to be replenished. They are besides advantageous in countries where land is scarce. A comparatively high rate of recharge can be attained by this method. The life rhythm of vadose zone injection Wellss is really unsure since they are an emerging engineering. However, they are more economical than recharge basins or direct injection Wellss as they provide some of the advantages of both recharge basins and direct injection Wellss.Direct Injection WellThey can shoot H2O straight into unconfined aquifers or confined aquifers. Where unconfined aquifers are unavailable, direct injection Wellss are the lone option for groundwater recharge and are capable of at the same time shooting H2O into several aquifers. However, direct injection Wellss are expensive, necessitate advanced pre-treatment engineering and advanced engineering for care. Land H2O recharge by direct injection is practiced Where groundwater is deep or where the topography or bing land usage makes surface distributing impractical or excessively expensive, When direct injection is peculiarly effectual in making freshwater barriers in coastal aquifers against invasion of seawater, When both in surface spreading and direct injection, turn uping the extraction wells as great a distance as possible from the spreading basins or the injection wells increases the flow way length and abode clip of the recharged H2O. These separations in infinite and in clip contribute to the commixture of the recharge H2O and the other aquifer contents, and the loss of individuality of the recharged H2O originated from municipal effluent. Major Features of Aquifer Recharge MethodologiesRecharge BasinsVadose injection WellssDirect injection WellssAquifer Type Unconfined Unconfined Unconfined or Confined Pre-Treatment Requirements Low Technology Removal of solids High Technology Estimated Major Capital Costs US $ Land and Distribution System $ 25000-75000 per good $ 500000-1500000 per good Capacity 1000-20000 m3/ha/d 1000-3000 m3/well/d 2000-6000 M3s /well/d Care Requirements Drying and Scraping Drying and Disinfection Disinfection and Flow Reversal Estimated Life Cycle & gt ; 100 old ages 5-20 old ages 25-50 old ages Soil Aquifer Treatment Vadose zones and Saturated zones Vadose zones and Saturated zones Saturated zones ( beginning: United Nations Environment Program )History of direct injection Wellss in the United StatesWidespread usage of injection Wellss began in the 1930s to dispose of seawater generated during oil production. Injection efficaciously disposed of unwanted seawater, preserved surface Waterss, and in some formations, enhanced the recovery of oil, In the 1950s, chemical companies began shooting industrial wastes into deep Wellss. As chemical fabrication increased, so did the usage of deep injection. Injection was a safe and cheap option for the disposal of unwanted and frequently risky industrial by-products, In 2010, the EPA finalized ordinances for geologic segregation of CO2. This concluding regulation created a new category of Wellss, Class VI. Class VI Wellss are used entirely for the intent of long term storage ofA CO2. ( beginning: United States Environmental Protection Agency )Types of Injection WellssClass 1Class I Wellss are those that inject industrial, municipal and risky wastes below the deepest belowground beginning of imbibing H2O ( USDW ) . Class I wells can be subdivided by the types of waste injected: risky, non-hazardous, and municipal waste H2O. Hazardous wastes are those industrial wastes that are specifically defined as risky in federal jurisprudence. Many of these Wellss are located along the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast. This country has a big figure of waste generators such as refineries and chemical workss every bit good as deep geologic formations that are ideal for the injection of wastes. Non-hazardous wastes are any other industrial wastes that do non run into the legal definition of risky wastes and can include a broad assortment of fluids. Municipal wastes, which are non specifically defined in federal ordinances, are wastes associated with sewerage wastewater that has received intervention.Site Selection and DistributionSite choice for a Class I disposal good is dependent upon geologic and hydrogeological conditions, and merely certain countries are suited. Most of the favourable locations are by and large in the mid-continent, Gulf Coast, and Great Lakes parts of the state, though some other countries are besides safe for Class I well sites. The procedure of choosing a site for a Class I disposal good involves measuring many factors. To take in consideration foremost is the finding that the belowground formations possess the natural ability to incorporate and insulate the injected waste. One of import portion of this finding is the rating of the history of temblor activity. If a location shows this type of instability in the subsurface, it may intend that fluids will non remain contained in the injection zone, bespeaking the well should non be located in that peculiar location. A 2nd of import factor is finding if any improperly abandoned Wellss, mineral resources that provide economic militias or belowground beginnings of imbibing H2O are identified in the country. These resources are evaluated to guarantee that the injection good will non do negative impacts. A elaborate survey is conducted to find the suitableness of the belowground formations for disposal and parturiency. The injection zone in the receiving formation must be of sufficient size ( both over a big country and thickness ) and have sufficient porousness and permeableness to accept and incorporate the injected wastes. The part around the well should be geologically stable, and the injection zone should non incorporate recoverable mineral resources such as ores, oil, coal, or gas.Operating and Monitoring RequirementsThe operating conditions for the well are closely studied and are limited in the license to do certain that the force per unit area at which the fluids will be pumped into the subsurface is safe, that the stone units can safely have the volume of fluids to be disposed of, and that the waste watercourse is compatible with all the well building constituents and the natural features of the stones into which the fluids will be injected. Class I injection Wellss are continuously monitored and controlled, normally with sophisticated computing machines and digital equipment. Thousands of informations points about the pumping force per unit area for fluid disposal, the force per unit area in the ring between the injection tube and the well shell ( that shows there are no leaks in the well ) , and informations on the fluid being disposed of, such as its temperature and flow rate, are monitored and recorded each twenty-four hours. Alarms are connected to sound if anything out of the ordinary happens, and if unusual force per unit areas are sensed by the monitoring equipment, the well automatically shuts off.Class 2Class II injection Wellss have been used in oil field related activities since the 1930 ‘s. Today there are about 170,000. Class II injection Wellss located in 31 provinces. Class II Wellss are capable to a regulative procedure which requires a proficient reappraisal to guarantee equal protection of imbibing H2O and an administrative reappraisal specifying operational guidelines. Class II Wellss are categorized into three subclasses: salt H2O disposal Wellss, enhanced oil recovery ( EOR ) wells, and hydrocarbon storage Wellss. Salt Water Disposal Wells: As oil and natural gas are brought to the surface, they by and large are assorted with salt H2O. Geologic formations are selected to have the produced Waterss, which are reinjected through disposal Wellss and enhanced recovery Wellss. These Wellss have been used as a standard pattern in the oil and gas industry for many decennaries and are capable to mandate by regulative bureaus. Enhanced Oil Recovery Wells ( EOR ) : are used to increase production and protract the life of oil-producing Fieldss. Secondary recovery is an EOR procedure normally referred to as water-flooding. In this procedure, salt H2O that was co-produced with oil and gas is reinjected into the oil-producing formation to drive oil into pumping Wellss, ensuing in the recovery of extra oil. Third recovery is an EOR procedure that is used after secondary recovery methods become inefficient or wasteful. Third recovery methods include the injection of gas, H2O with particular additives, and steam to keep and widen oil production. These methods allow the maximal sum of the oil to be retrieved out of the subsurface. Hydrocarbon storage Wellss: are by and large used for the belowground storage of rough oil and liquid hydrocarbons in of course happening salt or stone formations. The Wellss are designed for both injection and remotion of the stored hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons are injected into the formation for storage and subsequently pumped back out for processing and usage.OperationssTypically, oil, gas, and salt H2O are separated at the oil and gas production installations. The salt H2O is so either piped or trucked to the injection site for disposal or EOR operations. There, the salt H2O is transferred to keeping armored combat vehicles and pumped down the injection good. For EOR, the salt H2O may be treated or augmented with other fluids prior to injection. In some EOR instances, fresh H2O, or fresh H2O converted to steam, is injected to maximise oil recovery. Injection good operations are regulated in ways to forestall the taint of USDWs and to guarantee unstable arrangement and parturiency within the authorised injection zone. This includes restrictions on factors such as the force per unit area that can be used to pump the H2O or steam into the well, or the volume of the injectate.Testing and MonitoringAfter puting Class II injection Wellss in service, land H2O protection is assured by proving and supervising the Wellss. Injection force per unit areas and volumes are monitored as a valuable index of good public presentation. Effective monitoring is of import since it can place jobs below land in the well so that disciplinary action can be taken rapidly to forestall hazard of USDWs.Class 3They are related to mineral extraction. The techniques these Wellss use for mineral extraction may be divided into two basic classs: solution excavation of salts and S, and in situ leaching ( in topographic point leaching ) for assorted minerals such as Cu, gold, or U. Solution excavation techniques are used chiefly for the extraction of salts and S. For common salt, the solution excavation procedure involves injection of comparatively fresh H2O, which so dissolves the belowground salt formation. The ensuing brine solution is pumped to the surface, either through the infinite between the tube and the shell in the injection good, or through separate production Wellss. The technique for solution excavation of S is known as the Frasch procedure. This procedure consists of shooting superheated H2O down the infinite between the tube and the shells of the injection good and into the sulfur-bearing formations to run the S. The liquefied S is extracted from the subsurface through the tube in the injection good, with the assistance of tight air, which mixes with the liquid S and airlifts it to the surface. In situ leaching is normally used to pull out Cu, gold and U. Uranium is the prevailing mineral mined by this technique. The U in situ leaching procedure involves injection of a impersonal H2O solution incorporating atoxic chemicals ( e.g. , O and C dioxide ) down the well. This bastioned H2O is circulated through an belowground ore organic structure or mineral zone to fade out the U particles that coat the sand grains of the ore organic structure. The ensuing uranium-rich solution is so pumped to the surface, where the U is extracted from the solution and the leaching solution is recycled back into the ore organic structure through the injection good.Class 4Class IV Wellss have been identified by the Regulatory Bodies as a important menace to human wellness and the environment since these Wellss introduce really unsafe wastes into or above a possible imbibing H2O beginning. The Regulatory Bodies has banned the usage of these Wellss for many old ages. However, due to both accidents a nd illegal knowing Acts of the Apostless, Class IV Wellss are still sporadically found at assorted locations. Regulators evaluate site conditions, find what actions need to be taken to clean up the well and environing country, and for good shut the well so extra risky wastes can non come in the subsurface through the well. This good category may include storm drains where spills of risky wastes enter the land or infected systems where risky waste watercourses are combined with healthful waste. Although otherwise banned, there is one case where Class IV Wellss are allowed. In these instances the Wellss are used to assist clean up bing taint. Sites exist where risky wastes have entered aquifers due to spills, leaks or similar releases into the subsurface. Some redress engineerings require the contaminated land H2O to be pumped out of the subsurface, treated at the surface to take certain contaminations, and so pumped back into the contaminated formation. The procedure basically creates a large intervention cringle for the land H2O. ( beginning: land H2O protection council )Advantages of Artificial RechargeThe usage of aquifers for storage and distribution of H2O and remotion of contaminations by natural cleansing procedures which occur as contaminated rain surface H2O infiltrate the dirt and leach down through the assorted geological formations. Groundwater recharge is preferred because there are negligible vaporization losingss, the H2O is non vulnerable to secondary taint by animate beings or worlds, and there are no algae blooms ensuing in diminishing surface H2O quality. In stone formations with high, structural unity, few extra stuffs may be required ( concrete, metal rods ) to build the well. Groundwater recharge shops H2O during the moisture season for usage in the prohibitionist season when demand is highest. Aquifer H2O can be improved by reloading with high quality injected H2O. Aquifers provide big sums of storage capacity that can be made available through auifer recharge hence increasing the sustainable output of the aquifer. Most aquifer recharge systems are easy to run.Disadvantages of Artificial RechargeIn the absence of fiscal inducements, Torahs, or other ordinances to promote landholders to keep drainage Wellss adequately, the Wellss may fall into disrepair and finally becomes beginnings of groundwater taint. There is a possible for taint of the groundwater from injected surface H2O run-off, particularly from agricultural Fieldss and route surfaces. In most instances, the surface H2O overflow is non pre-treated before injection. Recharge can degrade the aquifer unless quality control of the injected H2O is equal. Unless important volumes can be injected into an aquifer, groundwater recharge may non be economically executable. ( beginning: Spandre R- EOLSS )Artificial Recharge in MauritiusThe aquifers in Mauritius are chiefly of the leaky type ( geology of Mauritius ) . A leaky aquifer can be confined or unconfined and it can lose or derive H2O through aquitards jumping them from either above and/or below. There are five chief aquifers and the addition in demand for groundwater has caused extraction of fresh waters from aquifers. The fresh water has been lowered to such an extent that saltwater has invaded permeable underside beds bearing fresh water. This phenomenon is known as saltwater invasion. The aquifer becomes contaminated with salt which may go really hard and dearly-won to handle the H2O. †

Native American Hardships Essay

Native Americans have been struggling in society since the Europeans had migrated to the United States of America. Native Americans have always tried to get along with the Europeans yet the Europeans wanted dominance over the Native American population. In American schools children learn about how the Native American were savages and how they were the cause of the tension between the Europeans and the Native Americans. Native Americans still haven’t assimilated into American culture or Society. Native Americans and Europeans have been in contact for centuries and there are stories depicting first encounters. There is one story by Sarah Winnemucca describing her life among the Piute’s tribe. In this tale there were prophecies describing White men to come to the Native American tribes and being their brothers. When the Europeans came in contact with the Native Americans the Native Americans perceived them to be their brothers because of the prophecy. Due to the prophecy the Native Americans did not take any precautions when meeting the Europeans. The Europeans wouldn’t be friends with the Native Americans and kept them at a distant. The Native Americans than had to migrate just so the White men would not cause violence to their tribes. They were skirmishes between the Native Americans and American colonizers which made more conflict between the Native Americans and Colonists. (Winnemucca 507-17) There were many wars and battles fought between the Native Americans and Colonists of America during the 1800’s. Many of these wars were ended by treaties that the Native Americans and American Government agreed upon. When reading the articles in Norton Anthology of American literature volume C, I found that the Native Americans referred to treaties quite often and they would be footnotes describing the name and details of the treaties. I found this quite interesting so I decided to look for a journal relating to Native American treaties. The article stated that there had been two million square miles of land transferred from the sovereignty of Native Americans to the United States of America. The president use to deal with the Native people directly but in 1871 the congress stripped that right. 2. 5million Native Americans living in the present-day United States and the U. S. government officially recognizes 565 tribes and Alaska Native peoples . They are concentrated in California, Oklahoma, and the Southwest. There were many treaties offered to the Native Americans and this chart displays all these different treaties even small ones that weren’t accepted. Only a portion of wars involving Native Americans were actually full fledge wars with start and finish dates as well as real planned battles such as Red Clouds War. The other type of war were small sporadic attacks such as Third Seminole War (1855–58) involved very small numbers of Indian warriors with the conflict itself small attacks on Florida settlers with less than 200 Native American Attackers. Many treaties came after wars such as all treaties do such as the Treaty of Fort Laramie which was established after Red Clouds War. A lot of treaties were followed up by Indian Removal System where the Indians would be transferred to a piece of land they could call their own but wasn’t anything close to what they deserved these pieces of land were called reservations. This article was a bit shocking considering that they didn’t mention what I actually wanted to see in a treaty article which was how the Native Americans were usually lied to and their treaties would fall apart. In the story they mentioned the treaty of Fort Laramie which the Native American in the story described how the treaty wasn’t upheld because there was gold in the black Hills, and they moved the Native Americans and also they didn’t give them supplies. I looked at several stories that were dealing with treaties and I couldn’t find a journal dealing with how the Native Americans were mistreated by treaties signed by the United States of America. (Spirling 84-97) It disappoints me greatly that as an American citizen that my government would treat Native Americans this way and blatantly lie. American citizens did make reparations. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act require federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funding to return Native American â€Å"cultural items† to their respective tribes. The Native Americans definitely deserve these reparations but it also disappoints me how people are misinformed about Native Americans. Most people assume since there are Native American Casinos that Native Americans are rich which is not true at all most native Americans don’t receive any money from casinos most of the money if their tribe even owns a casino goes to the high ranking members of the tribe. Native Americans have many problems in their culture and society. Some problems are alcohol problems along with poverty. America as a whole should step up and help these people just as we do for other people such as the money raised for Haiti and Japan. If we are willing to help other countries we should be willing to help people in our own country even if they are a sovereign nation. People don’t realize the problems locally because Native Americans are not associated when describing American culture and society. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s young Native Americans were sent to schools where they were being trained to be assimilate into American culture and leave all their culture behind which was not the right way to handle the situation. The young Native Americans should have been taught American culture while still being able to hold onto their own culture. There was one story that exemplifies this exact situation and it was written by Gertrude Simmons Bonnin. Their were stories of Zitkala Sa called â€Å"Impressions of an Indian childhood† and â€Å"The school days of an Indian girl† by Gertrude Simmons Bonnin and are quite sad but show a triumph when overcoming hardships. The short selections described Zitkala’s life and dealt with assimilation. There was symbolism in these stories in several different ways. She seemed miserable after attending the eastern school. She went through that school and then attended college all so she could obtain knowledge. Zitkala Sa is a young Native American girl part of the Sioux tribe. Her and her family were made to relocate and lost members of the family due to this relocation. The stories don’t blatantly state this but to my knowledge the relocation is due to when Andrew Jackson was president he made many Native Americans relocate to reservations called the trail of tears. Many presidents after Jackson continued to move the Native Americans to pieces of land that the European Americans did not want. This relocation led to her uncle and sister dying due to illness. Many native Americans dealt with death during these relocations because they would receive little or no food on the trip and travel by walking or wagons. This did not affect Zitkala as much as her mother who had a distain for the â€Å"palefaces† or European Americans. Due to these deaths in their family her mother did not want Zitkala to go with the missionaries to the school in the east where she would receive an education. There were a lot of differences shown between the European Americans and Native American values in this story. (Bonnin 1087-1094) The story allows the reader to see how a young Native American girl would have to go this school in the East and learn traditions of the European Americans. Native Americans during this time did try at the schools in the east so they could obtain knowledge and help their people assimilate into American Society. The education in the east made a gap between the older generations and the younger generations of Native Americans. In the story this young girl had to give up her traditions such as her long hair just to meet with America’s culture and lose her culture. This story exemplifies her triumph over her hardships such as many other Native Americans had to go through. Also the story talks about the trail of tears which involved Native Americans having to relocate to parts of America other colonists didn’t already live or want to live. Many people died on the relocation trips, so intern many Native American families were destroyed by these events and a bigger rift came between the Native Americans and American Government. There was a story by John M. Oskison which went to describe how an older Native American wanted to assimilate into Christianity. The story was called The problem of Old Harjo and dealt with a man named Harjo. Harjo was around missionaries a lot and wanted to become a Christian. He went to many services and was ready to convert to Christianity. The problem he had was that he had two wives and in Christianity you’re only allowed to have one. So the young missionary told the man he would have to get rid of one but they both meant a lot to him and after you read the story you realize they all like the situation and want to stay together. The young missionary sees this and does not ask him to become a Christian anymore but to be happy with his situation. (Oskison 1036-41) This story shows another way that a Native American cannot become part of American culture or society just because he cannot convert to Christianity. Religion seems to be a big part of American culture even in today’s society. This man Harjo wanted to become Christian but because of his old cultural traditions such as having more than one wife he can’t convert. This shows how two cultures even in the same country can be completely different. Native Americans have trouble trying to assimilate when their cultural traditions are so different. I had many reactions to the stories I read and the topic as a whole. I feel like Native Americans should be seen as Americans even if they have their own traditions and even if they are to be their own sovereign nation, they should still receive help from America. Americans have caused most of the problems to Native Americans just by stealing their lands and making their own country. Even though Americans have made reparations with the Native Americans we still owe them a lot and should be willing to help them out. The American government has treated them unfairly and lied to them on many occasions and even in legal documents such as the treaties discussed earlier. Native Americans have gone through enough hardships they could use the government and citizen’s help even if it is by not discriminating or judging them. This paper was written to describe how Native Americans have struggled in society and haven’t become assimilated yet still exist in American society just by being in America itself. Native Americans have gone through a lot due to the early colonization of America and wars during the 1800’s and even though most of the problems were caused by the European Americans, the blame goes onto the Native Americans. Native Americans should get to be seen in a higher light and in the American educational system they should be honest and tell student how the history really occurred. One example I could use is how in elementary school everyone learned that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves but in high school or college you learn that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves because he was losing the war and need the Emancipation Proclamation to help him win. The same thing happens when discussing Native Americans many young students end up seeing the Native Americans as savages and brutes, they get described as they did in old westerns and they weren’t savages or brutes. The Native Americans deserve to be treated equally especially after the hardships which they managed to triumph through.

(Criminal Justice) Police Discretion & Corruption Assignment

(Criminal Justice) Police Discretion & Corruption - Assignment Example Big police departments are more likely to be corrupt. This is because they can develop a sub-culture that will prevent any large scale reformation even when corrupt practices are exposed (Walker & Katz, 2005). Police departments that are located in crime prone areas are also more likely to have corrupt officers because of the reigning apathy in the community in regards to crime. Police officers who are corrupt or abuse their power are not reprimanded or punished enough for their actions. This is the reason why police corruption is not fully eradicated in many places. Examples of allowable discretion include jay walking and littering the neighborhood. This is because laws against both crimes or misdemeanors may be expressed in broad terms that do not fit the vagueness of the misdemeanors (Reid, 2006). This means that it is left to the policeman on the street to interpret how he ought to implement this type of legislation. In crimes such as domestic battery and aggressive hate crimes, the officers in question should use the laws against these crimes to full effect. The officer is right in the suggestions he makes about a police officer using his discretion when determining the right option to take when a driver engages in a misdemeanor. Nash rightly observed that there are a range of options that police officers could use in determining the seriousness of the crime or misdemeanor that has been committed (Policedynamicschanel, 2012). Even though there is not enough time for an officer to learn about all aspects of an individual who breaks the law, it is very important for him or her to determine, through present interactions with the accused, if he should charge him or her, or make an allowance in the case of traffic

A business's only responsibility is to maximise financial returns to Essay

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CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Case Study Example 5). However, in the process, because of emissions and increased waste production, the lives of residents become uncomfortable to some extent and sometimes the long term effects can be devastating. Other problems that are often associated with world events like football are racism, discrimination and violence (Wyludda, 2009, p. 5). The idea of creating a temporary but enormous event requires a lot of power consumption, consumption of unnecessary resources, and production of large wastes. This can just be termed as â€Å"inherently unsustainable† (Jones, 2011, p. iii). Many events undergo long planning before implementation. Currently, events are held in socially, economically and environmentally changing and turbulent environments. This calls for planning as a critical role for which in the recent planning, sustainability has taken the center stage. The concept of environmental engagement has not been left behind as well (Raj, 2009, p. 140). Event managers ought to be flexible in their planning since events vary and each needs a well formulated framework to assist achieve key principles that can be applied to all. It is the responsibility of those who organize such events to maintain social and environmental sustainability. If event organizers ensure sustainability in their planning, then the eventual results would be impressive (Jones, 2011, p. v). The world football governing body has an event known as the FIFA world cup. It is the biggest sporting competition in the world. For this reason, its impact to the society and environment is enormous. Hosting such an event demands critical consideration of all features to ensure that there is unprejudiced approach and sustainability. The FIFA World Cup â€Å"provides a platform to advertise the issue of sustainability in events† (Debra, Peter and Geoff, 2010, p. 189). With such an understanding, FIFA and the organizing committee took the responsibility of

Journal entry Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal entry - Coursework Example 13). Many studies have determined the existence of a strong relationship between a child’s ability to read and the length of time the child spends reading (Armbruster, et al., n.d., p. 22). This evidence has long encouraged the teachers to promote the practice of voluntary reading in the classroom. Teachers need to hear, guide, and supervise the children as they read because there is no research evidence to support the improvement of reading fluency in children through independent, silent reading with minimal feedback and guidance from the teachers (Armbruster, et al., n.d., p. 22). Most students need nearly two years of phonics instruction. Starting phonics instruction early during kindergarten helps the teachers complete it near the first grade’s end. Accordingly, starting it early in the first grade implies that it should be completed at the second grade’s end (Armbruster, et al., n.d., p. 17). Evidence-based practice implies that teachers should use both prin t sources and firsthand experiences to enhance learning (Spencer and Guillaume, 2006, p. 208). Language and vocabulary are both of paramount importance for a child to learn to read. Children draw connection between the words they see in the text and the words they have heard and are stored in their memories to make sense of what they are reading. Vocabulary also plays an important role in reading comprehension. Children find it hard to understand what they read without knowing the meanings of the words they read. Teachers should try to make the children memorize meanings of new words as the class proceeds towards reading more advanced texts. â€Å"While a substantial amount of general vocabulary is acquired through wide reading, it is also important for teachers to address word learning directly† (Richek, 2005, p. 414). Scientific research on vocabulary instruction shows that for the most part, vocabulary learning is an indirect process, and that teachers must

Nitrous Oxide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nitrous Oxide - Essay Example Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an atmospheric trace gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect. It is also involved in the catalytic destruction of ozone in the stratosphere and is increasing in concentration by about 0.25% per year. The increase is believed to result from fertilizer use, emissions from internal combustion engines, biomass burning, and industrial processes (Khalil 1995). It is naturally produced by nitrification and denitrification in soils and in the oceans, and is destroyed in the stratosphere via photolysis (90%) and reaction with excited atomic oxygen [O(1D)] (10%). Its atmospheric lifetime is between 100 and 150 years. Although the major sources and sinks of N2O are known, they are poorly quantified and inadequately balanced, both in terms of mass exchange and in their N and O isotopic composition. Stable isotopes have been used in the past to constrain sources and sinks of other atmospheric trace gases but have yet to be successfully applied to N2O. The isotopic approach to a global N2O budget is hindered by the wide range of observed isotopic values for each of the major natural sources, making it difficult to assign a unique value to each of the source terms. Soil flux samples have been shown to be variable but consistently depleted in both 15N and 18O relative to atmospheric N2O. Oceanic samples have exhibited a trend similar to typical nutrient profiles, with slightly depleted surface waters becoming progressively enriched along the nutricline and stabilizing with depth. Early analytical methods employed infrared absorption techniques (Wahlen 1985) or required decomposition of N2O with subsequent analyses of N2 and CO2. The use of direct injection techniques was introduced in 1993 when Kim and Craig reported heavy enrichment in both the N and O isotopes in two samples of stratospheric air. They proposed that a stratosphere to troposphere return flux of heavy N2O could balance the observed isotopically light source terms, although a simple mass-balance model showed that this led to a considerable overcorrection. Direct injection of N2O was subsequently shown to result in erroneous enrichment of 15N and Delta18O when contaminated by trace amounts of CO2. We present results for 15N and 18O of N2O obtained from samples collected in the lower stratosphere. Five samples were collected at midnorthern latitudes on board NASA's WB-57 aircraft, and two samples were collected at high northern latitude during the 1988 Juelich balloon campaign. We also measured, for comparison, the isotopic composition of tropospheric N2O sampled in La Jolla, California, under clean air conditions. Nitrous oxide mixing ratios decreased with height above the tropopause, whereas the heavy-isotope composition of the remnant N2O was found to be increasingly enriched. If the process responsible for this enrichment is an irreversible sink and if the fractionation factor remains constant, the data should obey what is known as a Rayleigh distillation, in which the resulting isotopic enrichment is related to the fraction remaining by the equation (1) R = R0 x fAlpha-1 where R and Ro are the residual (stratospheric) and initial (tropospheric) heavy-to-light isotope ratios, respectively; f is the fraction of N2O remaining (residual concentration divided by the initial concentration); and is the ratio of the heavy-to-light reaction or photolysis rates. This relationship

Impact of the Computer and Internet Essay Example for Free

Impact of the Computer and Internet Essay Computers first made there debut and have been around since in the 1940s and the Internet since in the 1970s. Computer were large single room unit that have changed into hand held devices and microchips. The Internet was a blog where people from all over the world could post questions and get answers and now the Internet has become a global search engine. In the future, computers and the Internet will not only continue to evolve; they will be every day aspect to living in this society. Computers will be the new tools for communication and also play a big part in our every day life. In the future, our days tasks will be checked using a personal robotic butler, the misplaced car keys will be located by entering the word keys into a cellphone and getting a call back saying bedroom. Our cars will be self driven and would be able to park themselves. After work, there may be ads on the shopping mall wall reconfigure to suit each person passing by, so when there is a sign for a concert, you buy a ticket by waving your cellphone over the billboard. This next wave of computers will be so small they hardly seem like computers at all. The screen of billboards will be able to broadcast different ad depending on the time of day or the person walking past. People will be able take a picture of the ad using their camera phones and use it as a coupon for the product being advertised. They may also be able to project imagies of family member which you talk to them on telephone call. In the future, the number one major issue will be privacy. We are currently leaving a digital footprints and it will only grow larger in the future. Tracking someone can be iillgal and has raised troubling privacy issues but in recents years people are giving up this information free. Websites like Twiter, Myspace and Facebook give people the ablity to post and check into area all around the world. People are also allowing strangors to know if they are on vaction and even some people are allowing their address and information to be put on these sites. The social inpact of allowing computer to expand will be huge. Police and government surveillance could go beyond wiretapping to body-tapping. Big business could track a persons spending and shopping habits. On the criminal front, the sensors could enable better stalking, kidnapping, and theft now that our every location is broadcast to the world. The only way were going to be able to have privacy in the future is to have it legislated. People want our data and will do anything to get it. We need to be able to protect ourselves and the only was to do it in the future is to not allow computer to tap into our lives. The internet brings as wide an audience together as possible. With the importance of accessibility getting the recognition it deserves lately. Rather than reading and clicking, the people will be able to tell a browser where they want to go with spoken commands. People now read newspapers watch television and listen to the radio via the Internet and soon all of our communications phones, TV, and the Web will be delivered over a high-speed broadband connection. People are also creating their own media including blog posts, music and videos and sharing them with huge audiences without needing permission from the gatekeepers. The Internet is changing the way most everyone experiences media. According to Free Press. com â€Å"It could become the central nervous system of a healthy democracy the greatest engine for free speech, civic engagement and economic growth ever known†. It may be our last, best hope to make an end-run around the traditional media gatekeepers. There is a similar threat to society because of the open Internet today, and the stakes couldnt be higher. High-speed Internet access is fast becoming a basic public necessity, just like water or electricity. To protect free-flowing Internet access for everyone, people need to get involved. It has gone from lifeless and robotic to something a lot more palatable in the last few years, and seems to continue to improve. Another issue could be keeping some users away because that the Internet can be a vast and scary place. Audio surfing could be perfect for the commuters, children learning to read, step-by-step tutorials as well as the casual multitasking user. In the future, web surfing could be available on any device. It seems the technology industry is eager to integrate the Internet into every device. People will start by adding touch-screens to fridges and other appliances might create new opportunities and challenges for interfacing. Touch screen technology is only scratching the surface on intuitive pproaches to interfacing. More widespread Internet delivery will mean reaching a wider audience. The major weakness to the increase of connected devices comes in the same flavor as the raging net neutrality issues being discussed today. If the Internet is tied into content devices like televisions, broadcasting companies might start pulling more of their annoying control-freak shenanigans in an attempt to capture a greater audience. This will be temporary; the battle of old-media vs. the Internet has only one ending for years, the Internet has been about serving the singular user. With the growing need and importance of online community, multiple-user experiences seem like the next logical step. The social impact of the internet will be negative at the rate the internet is going. As people use the internet more, they will be able to keeping up with people more, spending less time talking with their families, and feeling more lonely and depressed due to the lack of human interaction. These results can change interpersonal communication was their most important reason for using the Internet. Online platforms, for instance, have reduced the costs of communicating and minimized the impact of barriers like time and geography. In conclusion, computers and the Internet will not only continue to evolve; they will be every day aspect to living in this society. Computers will be the new tools for communication and also play a big part in our everyday life. The internet will bring us wider audiences and accessibility to people all over the world. Both will have negative and positive aspect in society but may bring the world as we know it closer.

The Napoleonic Era Essay Example for Free

The Napoleonic Era Essay Napoleon’s impact has been so great that an entire historical time period bears his name, the Napoleonic Era. For over a decade, he was to be the master of Europe—but he was also a man. During the Triumvirate and Despotate in 1799 to 1804 CE and 1804 to 1815 CE, respectively, Napoleon made several errors (Rose, 2006). First of all, he suffered greatly due to an impediment at Eylau, Leipzig, Borodino, and the ultimately at Waterloo.   Napoleon’s decision not to establish a treaty with other players such as Austria (in a Paris-Vienna axis) in the balance of power was his first major setback. The treaty could have helped him maintain the power of Britain and simultaneously gain and improve his peripherals and palatinates within Italy. Not only will this improve his power over Italy but also to the Autarchy of Naples, Dutch-Belgian demarcation, the Helvetian Republic and the Piedmont Kingdom. Another mistake that he committed was the two-front war. Napoleon wages war over Russia and Iberian promontory in the year 1807 up to 1814 CE. He even made an error regarding the unity among his troops, which was divided when he appointed four different marshals having different military and social backgrounds. Napoleon also misjudged military activities by the sea, which resulted to a weak line of defense, or no defense at all, from the Mediterranean up to the Atlantic (Coakley, 1992). Second, with regards to economic warfare, Napoleon’s Berlin Blockade, then modified to Continental Blockade, ultimately produced negative effects or results for France, exciting dissidence and unrest. In the east, he failed with a tripartite incursion of the Swedish throne. He also failed with the Ottoman Empire’s symmachia that was directed to Russia. As a result, the attention of Russia was brought upon Napoleon’s intentions, putting him near the edge of winning. Lastly, Napoleon miscalculated the size of the phalanxes at the Russian Campaign (Stocqueler, 1852). This eventually rendered him unable to gain victory over Russia. In the end, all of Napoleon’s mistakes are the fruit of his unwavering ego. References Coakley, T. P. (1992). Command and Control for War and Peace: Diane Publishing Company. Rose, J. H. (2006). The Revolutionary and Napoleonic Era, 1789-1815: Adamant Media Corporation. Stocqueler, J. H. (1852). The Life of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. New York: Ingram, Cooke and Co.

Technology During World War 2

Technology During World War 2 As the battle advanced into a fatal war so did the technology around us. The knowledge most people lacked during the war involved the advantage of the World War. The war carried on as the technology warfare complexed day by day. From Naval to Aerial warfare new weaponry was introduced by each side of the war. Countries around the world revolutionized. The war had finally come to an end however the creation and distribution of new weaponry was never put a halt. Rapid advances in bombs and guns proved deadly, it came very clear to the people that there was much more deaths in WWll then in WWI. Till date the weaponry business strives to introduce further innovation that modernizes our earth as a whole. The weaponry industry determined which opponent of the war had an advantage over the other. It seems like a bad way of advertisement but thats what went on during the war. One side advertised a new weapon or piece of technology and soon was recreated by the other side to be sold in bulk. The war really turned into a game of I can do anything you can do better. Ground Warfare at the time was where the real action took place and where most of the thinking went towards. New advances were pioneered at the battlefield. The Machine Gun being one of the most important pieces of expertise in that time! The Machine Gun was introduced at first as very expensive and hand reloaded. The Machine Gun allowed the biggest advantage to the Germans for quite some time until the allies finally realised what a imperative piece of machinery the machine gun was and hence invested in providing their own military with it. Eventually the Machine Gun surpassed its own incredible ability and was fully automatic. This was a startling time in history; the gun being light, requiring less than 2 people to man the machine and easily portable. Aerial warfare was also a big part of the war. The advantage of being of being able to give a high birds eye view was crucial during the war. At first this was the only goal of the airplane in war. The aerial conflicts werent as well known as ground warfare because becoming a part of the Air Force meant facing the fact that people die on their very first days. Many others live to tell their story. Aviation didnt have an immense effect on the outcome of the ground battles of World War 2 because it was still in its developmental stages. It finally occurred to the Military leaders from both sides and they studied and planned to take advantage of the Airplanes features. ON April 1, 1918 the RAF (Royal Air Force) was finally structured by an amalgamation. When World War I ended, France at the time had the most powerful air force established. Airplane bombings annihilated one coordinate on the map effectively and fairly easily. Aerial warfare was essential during the war however the leaders soon realised there was still one more point where the army was weak; Naval Warfare. Naval warfare had changed significantly during World War II. Limitations were in place when developing new ships because of the short amount of time given for expansion. However a lot of modifying took place during the war that took old working machines and improved them with recent additional features (Also known as retrofitting). More advances arrived for German Submarines nonetheless majority of the experienced and skilled crews had been killed off. The Germans used the U boat in order to primarily stop and/or destroy resources being shipped across the Atlantic Ocean. This was a clever way to make the other side less stable and physically dominant. Submarines were critical in the Pacific Ocean as well as in the Atlantic Ocean. The most important naval advances were preventing submarines in the first place. While others built and developed new technology in the naval field some forces created machinery that destroyed/prevented them. The use of ASDIC (SONAR) became common and so did the fixing of airborne radar which cautioned the troops of imminent attacks. Technology during the world war not only influenced and determined the outcome of the war but changed peoples lives all together. The technology being introduced all through the World War brought many widespread intellectual people who wanted to take these ideas and build upon them. The progress was influential for many future ideas and development in technology that we see today. This meant the war had an impact on any ordinary human being. Furthermore, we wouldnt see the vast growth in Aerial, Naval, and Ground warfare like we do up till now. As a common individual in our society I find it hard to morally justify death as a good thing. The war was a tragic event in our history books nevertheless the consequences of the war also brought us with great innovation we would not have seen so quickly the way we did. Cited List.

Effective Teaching Practices in the Writing Classroom Essay -- English

"While I had thought initially to matriculate into the English Department, it seems to be more heavily weighted toward theory than application, whereas the pedagogical training that I consider necessary for teaching is available through ETAP." So I had thought and so I wrote in my application for admission to the doctoral program. At the same time, realizing that I still would need a solid grounding in my subject area to teach composition and rhetoric, my goal for pursing a Ph.D., I co-matriculated the next semester into the English Department's M.A. program on the writing sequence. Returning to school from a corporate background meant that, while I had trained individuals and small groups in the workplace, I had had no classroom experience with teaching writing. As well, the sun has risen so many times on my memories of learning to write myself that those memories are fairly well bleached out by now. Yet, after almost two years worth of education and English courses, I have learned little about effective teaching practices in the writing classroom. I’ve read about issues of culture and diversity (Apple, 1996; Banks, 1997; Bruner, 1996; Freire, 1998; hooks, 1994) and I’ve been exposed to the history of composition and different approaches to teaching writing (Berlin, 1987; Durst, 1999; Elbow, 1973; Haswell, 1991; Herrington & Curtis, 2000; Lindemann, 1995; Miller, 1993, for example). The better part of class time has been spent discussing racism and feminism and sexism and classism and Marxism and structuralism and expressionism and post-colonialism until the appearance of "ism" makes my eyes glaze over. The teaching of anything concrete or structured, such as the specific formats put forth by current-traditional rhetoric or gr... ...000). Persons in Process: Four Stories of Writing and Personal Development in College. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. New York: Routledge. Lindemann, E. (1995). A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers (Third ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Miller, S. (1993). Textual Carnivals: The Politics of Composition. Carbondale and Edwardsville, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Richlin, L. (Ed.). (1993). Preparing Faculty for the New Conceptions of Scholarship (Vol. 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Sosnoski, J. J. (1991). Postmodern Teachers in Their Postmodern Classrooms: Socrates Begone! In P. Harkin & J. Schilb (Eds.), Contending with Words: Composition and Rhetoric in a Postmodern Age (pp. 198-219). New York: The Modern Language Association of America. Effective Teaching Practices in the Writing Classroom Essay -- English "While I had thought initially to matriculate into the English Department, it seems to be more heavily weighted toward theory than application, whereas the pedagogical training that I consider necessary for teaching is available through ETAP." So I had thought and so I wrote in my application for admission to the doctoral program. At the same time, realizing that I still would need a solid grounding in my subject area to teach composition and rhetoric, my goal for pursing a Ph.D., I co-matriculated the next semester into the English Department's M.A. program on the writing sequence. Returning to school from a corporate background meant that, while I had trained individuals and small groups in the workplace, I had had no classroom experience with teaching writing. As well, the sun has risen so many times on my memories of learning to write myself that those memories are fairly well bleached out by now. Yet, after almost two years worth of education and English courses, I have learned little about effective teaching practices in the writing classroom. I’ve read about issues of culture and diversity (Apple, 1996; Banks, 1997; Bruner, 1996; Freire, 1998; hooks, 1994) and I’ve been exposed to the history of composition and different approaches to teaching writing (Berlin, 1987; Durst, 1999; Elbow, 1973; Haswell, 1991; Herrington & Curtis, 2000; Lindemann, 1995; Miller, 1993, for example). The better part of class time has been spent discussing racism and feminism and sexism and classism and Marxism and structuralism and expressionism and post-colonialism until the appearance of "ism" makes my eyes glaze over. The teaching of anything concrete or structured, such as the specific formats put forth by current-traditional rhetoric or gr... ...000). Persons in Process: Four Stories of Writing and Personal Development in College. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. New York: Routledge. Lindemann, E. (1995). A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers (Third ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Miller, S. (1993). Textual Carnivals: The Politics of Composition. Carbondale and Edwardsville, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Richlin, L. (Ed.). (1993). Preparing Faculty for the New Conceptions of Scholarship (Vol. 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Sosnoski, J. J. (1991). Postmodern Teachers in Their Postmodern Classrooms: Socrates Begone! In P. Harkin & J. Schilb (Eds.), Contending with Words: Composition and Rhetoric in a Postmodern Age (pp. 198-219). New York: The Modern Language Association of America.

Sicilian Meta-Network Essay -- Social Issues, Mafioso Families

Mafioso families have network structures that are distinct from those in typical hierarchical organizations—they are cellular and distributed. While most politicians and law enforcement agents have at least an intuitive understanding of hierarchies and how to affect their behavior, they have less of an understanding of how to even go about reasoning about dynamic networked organizations (Ronfelt and Arquilla, 2001). It is even more difficult to understand how such networks will evolve, change, adapt and how they can be destabilized. Clearly social network analysis can be applied to the study of covert networks (Sparrow, 1991). However, it would be a mistake to assume that in order to understand these networks we just need to â€Å"connect the dots† and then isolate the â€Å"key† actors who are often defined in terms of their â€Å"centrality† in the network. To an extent, this is right, as in the case of bridging members embedded within patron-client networks. However, within covert networks such as Cosa Nostra, this assumption belies the difficulty of â€Å"connecting the dots† in terms of mining vast quantities of information, pattern matching on characteristics for mafiosi who often go under multiple aliases, and still ending up with information the may be intentionally misleading, inaccurate, out-of-date, and incomplete. Further, this belies the difficulty in â€Å"knowing† who is the most central when you have at best only a sample of the network. Finally, and critically, this approach does not contend with the most pressing problem—the underlying network is dynamic. Just because you isolate a key actor today does not mean that the network will be destabilized and unable to respond. Rather, it is possible, that isolating such an actor may have... ...ertise is critical. This is particularly applicable to Cosa Nostra considering that, according to Gambetta, mafiosi are highly specialized according to specific tasks. (Gambetta 67) There are two key themes underlying these results. First, it is easier to determine how to impact the performance or the flow of information through an organization than it is to determine exactly how it will adapt. It is easier to destabilize a network than to determine what new goals it will form or new tasks it will take on. This is a function of our lack of knowledge about the processes of adaptation other than learning. Second, the relative impact of destabilization strategies strongly depends on the underlying organizational architecture, that is, on the meta-network itself. As such, a key interpretation of these results is in terms of destabilizing different classes of networks.

Makkah

Considered as perhaps one of the holiest cities in the whole world, Makkah or Mecca, is located in the historic Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia (Crone 231).   With a population of nearly two million (1,700,000 to be exact), this region is deeply revered by Muslims because it contains the Grand Mosque of Mecca.   From an etymological perspective, the word mecca means a location that is considered as the center of interest or a goal which religious adherents aspire for (Lapidus 43).   This is synonymous with the religious devotion that is associated with the area. One of the major events that occur in this area is the annual pilgrimage to Makkah which happens during the season of the Hajj.   This is very important for every Muslim since it is covered under the Five Pillars of Islam (Lapidus 43).   Given this relevance, every able bodied Muslim who has the means to must visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime.   This is a very strict rule (Lapidus 43).   During this time, nobody else is allowed to enter the holy city especially people belonging to other faiths. Historically, the Mecca has always been considered as one of the most important cities in the Arabian Peninsula (Crone 231).   Since the 6th century, it has always been the wealthiest of all the settlements in the area (Crone 231).   Due to the abundant water supply that it got from the Zamzam Well, Mecca soon grew in prosperity and became the site of the Kaaba, the holiest site in all of Islam (Crone 231).   Given this ideal location, it comes as no surprise then that this soon became one of the holiest areas in the world. The sacred mosque or the Al-Masjid al-Haram is the largest mosque in the entire world.   Its location in the city of Mecca is only appropriate given the fact that it surrounds what is the holiest place in the entire Islam, the Kaaba (Lapidus 43).   Also known as Haram or Haram Sharif, the mosque is capable of accommodating over four million (4,000,000) people during the great pilgrimage or the Hajj (Lapidus 43).   It covers a floor area of approximately three hundred and fifty-six thousand eight hundred (356,800) square meters. The Kaaba, is a large cubical shaped building that is currently surrounded by the Masjid al-Haram, which is the largest mosque in the world.   According to Islamic lore, the Kaaba was formerly the site where Abraham (Ibrahim) erected the Bait-ul-Allah (House of Allah) at the site of the well (Lapidus 43).   This was in turn supposedly created by Adam.   Currently, the Kaaba is the site for most of the religious practices of the Muslims.   During the Hajj, the Kaaba is the center of the ritual circumambulation that is practiced by Muslims.   It is also used during the Umrah or the lesser pilgrimage (Lapidus 43).   This is also the same direction that Muslims pray towards during prayer. The Well of Zamzam is located about twenty (20) meters away from the Kaaba (Hawting 47).   It was said that this was the site where the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim found water for her infant son (Hawting 44).   According to legend, the well was dug up by angel Jibril (Gabriel) who caused the spring to appear.   The name Zamzam comes from the phrase Zomà « Zomà « which literally means â€Å"stop flowing† in relation to the command that Hajar tried to issue to stop the spring water from flowing (Hawting 51).   This was also the site where tribes would frequent during their pilgrimage in order to settle disputes and settle debts as well as for other religious reasons (Hawting 47). Aside from the historical considerations, the religious ties that are connected to the holiest place in Islam, the Kaaba, make it the center of any Muslims faith.   The fact that the five pillars also require Muslims to visit this place makes it equally important for every Muslim to endeavor to visit this place at least once in their entire lifetime.   This is the reason why millions of Muslims make this pilgrimage every year. Works Cited: Crone, Patricia (1987). Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam. Princeton University Press. Hawting, G. R. (1980). â€Å"The Disappearance and Rediscovery of Zamzam and the ‘Well of the Ka'ba'†. ‘Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London 43 (1): 44-54. Lapidus, Ira M. (1988). A History of Islamic Societies. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0 521 22552 5. Mecca IPA: /ˈmÉ›kÉ™/ or Makkah IPA: [ˈmà ¦kÉ™] (in full: Makkah Al-Mukarramah IPA: [(Arabic) mà ¦kË Ãƒ ¦(t) à ¦lmÊŠkarË‘amà ¦]; Arabic: Ù…ÙÆ'Ù‘Ø © Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€¦Ã™Æ'Ø ±Ã™â€¦Ã˜ ©Ã¢â‚¬Å½) is an Islamic holy city in Saudi Arabia's Makkah Province, in the historic Hejaz region. It has a population of 1,700,000 (2008 census). The city is located 73  kilometres (45  miles) inland from Jeddah, in a narrow valley, 277  metres (910  ft) above sea level. It is located 80  kilometres (50  miles) from the Red Sea. Historically, the city has also been called Becca[1][2]. The city is revered by Muslims for containing the holiest site of Islam, the Grand Mosque of Mecca. A pilgrimage to Mecca during the season of the Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a sacred duty that is required of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to go, at least once in their lifetime. People of other faiths are forbidden from entering the city. The English word mecca (uncapitalized), meaning â€Å"A place that is regarded as the center of an activity or interest† or â€Å"A goal to which adherents of a religious faith or practice fervently aspire.† [3] is borrowed from Mecca   

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Essay

Hello fellow classmates, today I’m going to inform you on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Alcohol abuse is due to many factors, including how you were raised, your social environment and your emotional health. American Indians and Native Alaskans are more likely to develop alcohol abuse, also people who have a family history of alcoholism or heavy drinkers are more likely to develop some sort of drinking problem. People who suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder are at risk because alcohol may have been used to self-medicate Alcohol abuse effects society in many ways including more people getting divorced, domestic violence problems, unemployment and even living in poverty, also if you have children they are effected the most as they are sensitive and are most likely to suffer from long-lasting emotional trauma because a parent or caretaker is an alcohol abuser Many people experiment with drugs for different reasons. Many people try drugs for the first time because they are curious; think they’re going to have a good time, because everyone around them is doing it including friends, others do it to enhance athletic performance or to ease other problems such as stress, anxiety or depression. Some may think using drugs automatically leads to abuse but it depends on the individual. Drug Abuse isn’t about how much you take or how frequently you take it, it’s about the consequences from taking the drug, if it’s causing problems at home, school, work or even relationships, it’s possible you have a drug abuse problem. Drug abuse affects society in many different ways such as, neglecting your responsibilities at school, work or home, causing problems in your relationships such as fights with your partner, family member or friends We need to change the way Alcohol and Drug abuse affects not only society but the abusers, because it is unfaithful to God’s teachings as he never wanted us to abuse anything in anyway shape or form. God’s love for everyone is so strong and powerful that he doesn’t want you to get hurt because you feel the need to abuse Alcohol and especially Drugs The solution to these problems is depending on there condition. Most abusers can control there use therefore and easy solution for them is moderation, for example setting limits and using there will power, but if that doesn’t work they need to obtain counselling, which will help them with different strategies in coping with all there emotions, but if someone is a social drinker because they have a low self-esteem, they can get psychological help to feel better about themselves so they don’t have to drink So we need to spread the word of god to start decreasing the number of people who abuse drugs and alcohol

A Book Report on Socrates Café by Christopher Phillips Essay

This seeks to write a book report for the book Socrates Cafe by Christopher Phillips. This paper discusses the author’s declared purpose in writing the book in relations to what Socrates may have left as legacy in latter’s works. The dilemma of believing what may not be the truth. We live as we believe as they say. If Socrates is alive today, he would have asked: â€Å"Do we voluntarily have convictions or could they be imposed upon us? How do we acquire the things the we ultimately believed? † Convictions lead us to action because we believe what we are doing. Without conviction it is really hard, to move into action. Seel Jr. , shared to us the same dilemma when he said, â€Å"There is a danger in both Christian families and Christian schools that indoctrination is taken for education. Nothing could be farther from the truth. One’s convictions cannot be coerced. Instead, they are ultimately based on what we love and best learned in an environment of trust. Too often family dinner tables, Sunday schools, and Christian school classrooms are only one-way conversations—telling at the expense of listening. See more:  First Poem for You Essay As such, many Christians have never learned the intellectual discipline of asking questions. † We are however not left without any option. We can ask questions. Seel, Jr. agreed, saying â€Å"Yet an educated mind begins with a questioning mind. One of the distinctive of the school where I teach is its commitment to allow students the freedom to express their uncertainty. The policy manual reads, â€Å"Students are treated as young adults and are encouraged to develop their own convictions. This will inevitably mean that at times students may challenge their parents’ beliefs and question their own. The school seeks to create an environment where students are able to respectfully raise honest questions and express doubts within a community of loving acceptance and intellectual inquiry. † The importance of book of Phillips on Socratic Cafe assumes a remarkable significance with our dilemma. The author aims to bring back questioning in the minds of many. Seel, Jr. confirmed this when he said, â€Å"His aim is to bring probing conversations about the important questions to common people. † Do we really need to seek the truth? How do we seek the truth? We should be searching the truth. In the inventions, that we make we discover the truth of many things. We adopt decisions in our courts because that is how we see the law at a certain point in time but we also change jurisprudence in the light of evolution of events. Without the desire for truth man would have remained ignorant that the earth is flat and not round or that the earth is the center of the universe. Our discoveries reveal our desire for truth. For greater purpose we seek the truth as in the way court cases are decided, thus truth is a requisite of justice. Indeed, Seel, Jr. aid, â€Å"Our community is committed to the pursuit of truth. Convictions are to be held and beliefs maintained on this basis alone. There are obviously many reasons why a person becomes a Christian. We all have our stories. But ultimately, Christianity is to be believed because it is true. It is True Truth, as Francis Schaeffer used to say. More than true for me; rather the truth of reality. But to recognize this, one must first learn to ask honest questions. † Seel, Jr. further said that â€Å"The Socratic Method is a powerful tool for sharpening our thinking and exposing what we don’t know. It is a powerful pedagogical tool but a disastrous epistemological one. † Phillips has the right to make use of the title of his book are he is believed to have hosted Socratic dialogues and has traveled the country holding various and numerous conversations in coffee houses, bookstores, senior centers, elementary schools and even prisons. † Seel, Jr. agreed saying, â€Å"The greatest danger of truth is not falsehood, but diversion and indifference. †¦.. Humility is beginning of wisdom. † Without searching for the truth we will always be mislead and continue to live in ignorance. The reason why we rarely ask why  Our not asking why seemed to have been conditioned with our environment. Thus, Seel, Jr. agreed saying, and â€Å"Our convictions are too often based on social conformity rather than personal reflection. We say we are concerned about truth. But we do not pay the dues truth demands. † Given the benefits, what are examples of questions asked by Phillip under Socratic Method? Christopher Phillips asks in the Socrates Cafes: What are the Big Questions and what makes them so? What is a question? What would life be like without questions? Why am I here? What is home? Where am I stuck? What is a friend? What is wonder? What is silence? What is old? Am I asking the right questions? What am I meant to do? What is love? What is what? Why ask why? Socrates claimed that an unexamined life was not worth living. If we live without consideration of its destination, and whether the road traveled will get us there, then we are fools and not wise. Or as Jesus asks, â€Å"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? † It must be noted that the questions are interconnected with one another so that the answer to one question would lead to more truth in answering the following questions. Would not asking too much a sign of presumptive superiority of the person asking that could discourage relations with the person or persons asked? This is where Socrates have made the Socratic Method unique and worth memorable from the lessons he has to left his fellowmen. Seel, Jr. mentioned them as follows: First, Socrates always showed his opponents deference. By putting himself in the position of the learner rather than the teacher, he avoided raising in his opponent feelings of suspicion or defensiveness. The second lesson of Socratic argument is: Encourage your opponent to make the argument his or her own. The third lesson of Socrates is: Seek a shared higher standard. However, Seel, Jr. noted that on the third criterion, Phillips failed on this area. Arguing, Seel, Jr. said, â€Å"In the hands of Phillips, â€Å"The Socratic method is a way to seek truth by your own lights. † For Phillips the questions are the end not the means to an end. † The argument of Seel, Jr. claiming failure of Phillips could be contradicted and explained under which this paper qualifies Phillips work to have pass under the third criteria. Phillips, said, â€Å"The one thing Socrates know beyond a shadow of a doubt, he was fond of saying, was that he didn’t know anything beyond a shadow of a doubt. Yet Socrates, contrary to what many think, did not try to pose the ultimate sceptic. He was not trying to say all the knowledge was groundless, that we were doomed to know nothing. Rather, he was emphasizing that what he had come to know, the truths he had discovered by hard-won experience, were slippery, elusive, always tentative at best ,always subject to new developments, new information, new alternatives. Every last bit of knowledge, every assumption, Socrates felt, should always be questioned, analyzed, challenged. Nothing was ever resolved once and for all. The fact that question leads to further question does necessarily not mean â€Å"ending with the question† but rather the truth that is revealed by every question leads to further truth. The Author reemphasizing the impossibility of exhausting all the questions In trying to explain his work, â€Å"socratising† is almost obvious in many part of the book. Thus, Phillips said, â€Å"It is with this that I launched Socrates Cafe. And the one and only firm and lasting truth that has emerged from all the Socrates Cafe, discussion. I’ve taken part in is that it is not possible to examine, scrutinize, plumb, and mine a question too thoroughly and exhaustively. There is always more to discover. This is the essence of magic, of what I have come to call ‘Socratising’† He further said, â€Å"Socrates Cafe does not have to be held in cafe. It can take place anywhere a group of people- or a group of one –chooses to gather an inquire philosophically. It can take place around a dining table, in a church or a community centre, on a mountaintop, in a nursing home, a hospital, senior centre, a school, a prison. † As long as man lives, he will continue to ask question whether inside or outside his religion. He must be fortunate to have freedom to Socratic Method, anytime and in any where. This is clearly expressed by author saying, â€Å"Anywhere and anytime you desire to do more than regurgitate and nauseam what you read or think you have read, about philosophers of the past who are considered by academics to the undisputed exclusive members of the philosophical pantheon. It can take place anywhere people want to do philosophy, to inquire philosophically, themselves, whether with a group of people or alone. † Conclusion: Socratic Cafe is a powerful book in making Socrates alive in the heart and mind of people of believe in Socratic Method. In indeed seldom any kind of TV talk shows is made a success without the artful way of asking questions. Any good research must have a research questions. If many good inventions started with research and if research seeks to address to a research question it could categorically be said that questions will always be there. Questioning stops if the truth is found, but who could claim to have found the truth. Hence the message of Socrates Cafe will always leave something practical if not profound knowledge and realizations for people seeking the truth to subject their works to further questions, This would be good for such is also is the reality that a man travels in this travel to seek perfection in his ways or in trying to know his God from inside and outside on himself. One could not escape the relevance of the Socratic way of teaching or learning as it could be applied by group or individually, anywhere and anytime.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 5

I stared at him, and the world stood still for a moment. â€Å"Wait†¦Seth was meeting Simone there?† Roman shook his head. â€Å"I wouldn't say that exactly. It was more like she sought him out. He looked like he'd been working there for a while when she showed up.† â€Å"And then?† My voice was very small. â€Å"Then, she walked over to him and shyly introduced herself as a fan, saying she recognized him from his website. Picture perfect demure coquette.† â€Å"And then?† â€Å"She said she wished she had a book with her to sign and asked if he'd sign a piece of paper instead. He said he would, and then she sat down, all apologetic for bothering him. She said she had a couple questions and hoped he wouldn't mind if she stayed for a few moments.† I noticed then that I was clenching my fists. With a deep breath, I released them. â€Å"Seth wouldn't strike up a conversation with a stranger like that. Not without being horribly uncomfortable.† â€Å"Yeah,† Roman agreed. â€Å"He definitely had some of that social awkwardness.† There was a wry note in Roman's voice that I didn't like. The two men had once been rivals for my affection, and apparently, Roman was still holding on to some bitterness – and a feeling of superiority. Roman could be quite charismatic when he wanted. â€Å"But she did a pretty good job at playing just as shy and nervous. I think it made him feel better.† â€Å"So she did sit down?† â€Å"Yup†¦and stayed for about a half-hour.† â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. My volume made Godiva jerk her head up from a nap. â€Å"Did she try to seduce him?† Roman's expression turned considering. â€Å"Not in the usual way. I mean, she wasn't as boring as usual. But she put him at ease enough that he relaxed and seemed to like talking to her. She wasn't overtly sexual, and he didn't look like he wanted to jump her. It was just†¦I don't know. A nice conversation. Although, it had a few of those annoying facts she likes to drop.† He paused. â€Å"Oh, and she went brunette.† That bothered me more than it probably should have. â€Å"But he sent her away, right?† â€Å"No, Maddie showed up, and he left with her – after telling Simone it was nice to meet her.† Oh, irony. Never, never would I have imagined I'd be so relieved to have Maddie show up and take Seth home. I also never thought I'd be glad his devotion to her would keep him from falling prey to another woman's charms. I took a step toward Roman, my fists clenching again. I didn't blame him as messenger; I was simply driven by my own fury. â€Å"What the hell?† I demanded. â€Å"What fucking game is she playing?† He sighed. â€Å"I don't know. Maybe no game at all. She likes coffee. I've certainly seen her buy it before. She could have ended up there by coincidence and thought he looked like a good catch. God only knows why.† I ignored the barb. â€Å"Oh, come on, Roman. You're not that stupid. Do you honestly think that in a city like Seattle, out of all the men here, it's a coincidence that she shows up and starts hitting on my ex? You know as well as I do that there aren't many coincidences in our world.† â€Å"True,† he admitted, setting the remnants of his dinner on the coffee table. The cats went for it. â€Å"Will you stop doing that?† I demanded. â€Å"They're not supposed to be eating that kind of stuff.† â€Å"Don't take your bitchy attitude out on me.† But he stood up and took the plate to the kitchen. When he returned, he crossed his arms over his chest and stood in front of me. â€Å"Look, you're right to a certain extent about coincidences. It is weird that she would hit on Seth. But think about this too: don't you think there are a few things around here a little more important than your ex-boyfriend? Jerome's theory makes the most sense, you know. Hell let him keep his job, but that doesn't mean they're letting the whole incident go. They're the ultimate grudge-holders. They'd want to assess the situation. That's why she's here.† â€Å"Except that she's not assessing anything! Unless you consider my friends' Pictionary skills.† â€Å"You should have seen them play Jenga.† â€Å"This isn't a joke. I need to figure out what her game is. You have to take me with you when you spy on her again.† He raised an eyebrow. â€Å"I think that's a terrible idea.† â€Å"I can go invisible.† â€Å"She'll still sense you.† â€Å"You can hide my signature. You told me before that you could. Was that a lie?† Roman grimaced. Just before things had literally blown up between us, he'd asked me to run away with him, promising he could conceal me from the greater immortals. â€Å"I can,† he admitted. â€Å"But I just think you're asking for trouble.† â€Å"What am I risking?† â€Å"A lot. Whether it's Seth or Jerome, there's obviously something going on. Get tangled up in that, and you could be risking your life. I won't let that happen to you.† â€Å"Since when do you care what happens to me?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"Since you became my ticket to rent-free living.† And with that, he turned invisible, hiding his signature as well. â€Å"Coward!† I cried. My only answer was the front door opening and then shutting. He was lost to me, and I realized I'd again missed my chance to bring up my weird encounters from these last couple days. I tossed and turned again that night, but it had nothing to do with my fear of walking off the balcony or into Puget Sound. I was filled with rage, both at Simone for making the moves on Seth and at Roman for abandoning me. When I woke up in the morning, I took comfort in knowing I didn't need Roman to confront Simone. I could do that on my own. Of course, there were a few complications there, the first being I didn't know where Simone was. Her hotel was probably the logical place to start, though most succubi – even a bland one like her – wouldn't spend a lot of time hanging out there. Well, unless she had company – and I didn't really want to walk into anything like that. And anyway, I had one tiny commitment to attend to before I could go bitch-hunting. Maddie. I'd regretted my decision to go shopping with her the moment the words had left my mouth. Yet, somehow, I'd totally blocked out those feelings yesterday when I'd been sitting with Seth. A brief thought about the wedding had flitted through my mind†¦and then it had been gone. I'd spent the rest of the time laughing and talking with him as though there was no Maddie in the world. But as I headed over to the bookstore, where she and I had agreed to meet, I had to accept reality once more. Seth was no longer mine. He also wasn't Simone's. But I'd deal with that later. Maddie was waiting for me downstairs, but I used the excuse of needing coffee before we left, in order to dash up to the caf? ¦. I wanted to see if Simone was lurking. No matter her shape, I'd know if she was there. Yet, as I casually waited in line for my white chocolate mocha, I sensed nothing immortal. Seth was there, engrossed in his work, and never even saw me. Apparently, his muse was still going strong. I let him be and joined Maddie downstairs again. She had a list of eight store names and addresses. Most were dress shops, and I was skeptical that we could make them all before we were due into work. She was more optimistic, but then, that was typical of her. â€Å"No point in worrying right now,† she said. â€Å"We'll just do them one at a time and see where that gets us. Besides, the last few are bakeries, and we wouldn't want to eat a bunch of cake before trying on dresses.† â€Å"Speak for yourself,† I said, sliding into her passenger seat. â€Å"I'm not trying anything on.† She gave me a wry smile. â€Å"Aren't you? You're my bridesmaid, remember? We talked about it at the party.† â€Å"No,† I said swiftly. â€Å"I said and did all sorts of crazy stuff that night, but I never agreed to it. That I do remember.† Maddie's expression was still light, but I thought I heard a little hurt in her voice when she spoke next. â€Å"What's the big deal? Why don't you want to be one? You know I'd never dress you in anything horrible.† Why? I pondered the answer as she pulled into traffic. Because I'm in love with your future husband. I could hardly tell her that, of course. As it was, I could see my continuing silence was making her feel worse. She was reading it as a slight to our friendship. â€Å"I just†¦I just don't like all the, uh, fanfare that goes with weddings. There's so much planning and stressing about little details. I'd rather just sit back in the audience and watch you go down the aisle.† Well, actually, that was one of the last things I wanted to do. â€Å"Really?† Maddie frowned, but thankfully, it was more out of surprise than disappointment. â€Å"You're always so good at planning and little details. I thought you were into that.† That was a fair point. It was why I made such a good manager. â€Å"Yeah, kind of†¦but I mean, at the receptions, drunk guys always hit on the bridesmaids, you know? They think we're desperate because we're the ones not getting married.† Also not entirely far from the truth in my case. Maddie's smile returned. â€Å"Those are some pretty lame excuses.† They were indeed, but she said nothing more as we drove. After Maddie's initial failure with picking flattering wedding dresses, she now threw her faith completely into me to lead her to fashion success. It wasn't the first time this had happened, and I found myself slipping into style-advisor role pretty easily. In fact, if I was able to preoccupy myself with the objective parts of this process – flattering fit, color, etc. – it was easy to block out the big picture of her and Seth. The saleswomen working at the stores soon learned who was in charge here and backed off with their recommendations, simply fetching the dresses I indictated. I studied each one Maddie tried on, keeping my standards high. With so many stores to choose from, we could afford to be picky. â€Å"That one's good,† I said at our third store. It was corseted, narrowing her waist, and had a skirt that didn't flare. Those puffy ones always made the hips look bigger, though no one ever seemed to realize that. You had to be tall and thin to get away with that, not short and buxom like Maddie. She admired herself in the mirror, a look of pleasant surprise on her face. She was still drawn to ones that I didn't think were good choices, and this was the first of my picks that she really liked. The eager saleswoman jotted down the style number, and then Maddie started to turn around and try on the rest waiting in her dressing room. As she did, a dress on a mannequin caught her eye. â€Å"Oh, Georgina, I know what you said, but you have to try that on,† Maddie begged. I followed her gaze. The dress was slinky and sexy, floor-length violet charmeuse with straps that tied around the neck. You were wearing that color the first time we met. I averted my eyes. â€Å"Not ugly enough to be a bridesmaid dress.† â€Å"It'd look great on you. Everything looks great on you,† she added with a shake of her head. â€Å"Besides, you could wear that to other things. Parties and stuff.† It was true. It didn't scream bridesmaid. Not taffeta or bright orange. Before I could protest further, the saleswoman had already fetched one from the rack, guessing my size with that uncanny ability her kind had. So, reluctantly, I tried the dress on while Maddie went to her next option. The size wasn't perfect, but a little shape-shifting neatened it up where it needed to be. Maddie was right. It did look good on me, and when I stepped out, she took it as a done deal that I'd buy it – no, she offered to buy it – and would be in her wedding. The saleswoman, seeing an opportunity, and possibly getting back at me for my tyrannical attitude, had â€Å"helpfully† fetched two more dresses for me to try while I waited for Maddie. Maddie claimed she couldn't stand the thought of me waiting around with nothing to do, so I reluctantly took them into the dressing room. They too looked good, but not as good as the violet. I was returning them to the saleswoman when my eye caught something. It was a bridal dress. It was made of ivory duchess satin, the fabric wrapping around the waist and halter top. The skirt was draped, pulled into little tiers. I stared. It would have been a disaster on Maddie, but on me†¦ â€Å"Want to try it?† asked the saleswoman slyly. Something told me that bridesmaids covertly trying on brides' dresses wasn't a rare phenomenon around here. The desperate and mournful not-getting-married attitude in action. Before I knew it, I was back in the dressing room, wearing the ivory dress. You were wearing that color the first time we met. Seth had been wrong about that and corrected himself, but for some reason, the words came to me yet again. And the dress looked great. Really great. I wasn't overly tall but was slim enough that it didn't matter – and I filled out the top beautifully. I stared at myself in a way I hadn't with the other dresses, trying to imagine myself as a bride. There was something about brides and weddings that instinctively spoke to so many women, and I shared the impulse as well, jaded succubus or no. The grim statistics didn't matter: the divorce rates, the infidelity I'd witnessed so often†¦ Yes, there was something magical about brides, an image fixed into the collective subconscious. I could see myself with flowers in my hands and a veil on my head. There'd be well-wishers and joy, the giddy faith and hope of a beautiful life together. I'd been a bride once, so long ago. I'd had those dreams, and they'd blown away. I sighed and took the dress off, afraid I might start crying. There would be no wedding for me. No bridal hopes. Not with Seth, not with anyone. Those things were lost to me forever. There was only an eternity alone, no lifelong lovers, only those I shared a night with†¦. Unsurprisingly, I was kind of depressed for the rest of the day. Maddie bought the violet dress for me, and I was too glum to protest – which she read as acceptance of my bridesmaid fate. We made it through the rest of our dress stops but didn't get to the bakeries. By the end of it all, we had four candidates for her dress, which I regarded as good progress. My mood didn't abate at work. I holed up in my office as much as I could, seeking solitude and my own dark thoughts. When I finally made it home after that eternity-long day, I found the condo empty and was astonished at how much that hurt me. I wished with all my heart that Roman was around, and it wasn't even to talk about Simone or other immortal mysteries. I just wanted his company. I just wanted to talk to him and not be alone. He was an infuriating part of my life, but he was also turning into a fixed infuriating part of my life. With a gloomy eternity ahead, that meant something. I knew better than to wait up for him†¦but found myself doing it anyway. I lounged on the couch with Grey Goose and the cats, taking some small sweetness from those warm, furry creatures that loved me. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was on, which didn't cheer me up any. Like the masochist I was, I watched it anyway. At least, I thought I was. Because suddenly, the loud shriek of a car horn blasted into my ears. I blinked and jerked my head around. I wasn't on the couch. There were no cats, no vodka. I sat on the railing of my balcony, precariously positioned. The horn had come from below, on the street. One car had nearly swiped another, and the near-victim had honked in his outrage. I didn't exactly remember the trip out here. I did, however, remember the force that had drawn me – largely because it was still there. The light and the music – that feeling of comfort and rightness that was so hard to articulate hovered before me, off in the air. It was like a tunnel. No, it was like an embrace, arms waiting to welcome me home. Come here, come here. Everything will be all right. You are safe. You are loved. In spite of myself, one of my legs shifted on the railing. How easy would it be to step over, to walk into that sweet comfort? Would I fall? Would I simply hit the hard sidewalk below? It wouldn't kill me if I did. But maybe I wouldn't fall. Maybe I'd step into that light, into the bliss that could block out the pain that always seemed to surround me lately†¦. â€Å"Are you out of your fucking mind?† The driver that had nearly been hit had gotten out of his car and was yelling at the other. That driver got out and returned the insults, and a loud tirade began. One of my neighbors on the floor below opened his patio and shouted for them all to shut up. The argument, that jarring noise, brought me back to myself. Once more, the siren song faded away, and for the first time, I almost felt†¦regret. Carefully, I climbed off the rail and back to the solidity of the balcony. A fall might not kill me, but good God, it would hurt. I walked back into the condo, finding everything exactly as I'd left it. Even the cats hadn't moved, though they looked up at my arrival. I sat between them, absentmindedly petting Aubrey. I was scared again, scared and eerily attracted to what had just happened – and that scared me more. Despite the vodka tonight, my last encounter had proven alcohol wasn't to blame. No connection. Yet†¦it occurred to me there had been a common link all three times. My mood. Each time, I'd been down†¦sad about my lot in life, seeking reassurance that wasn't to be found. And that's when this phenomenon would happen, offering a solution and the comfort I thought was beyond me. That was bad news for me. Because if this thing was drawn to woe and unhappiness, I had plenty of it to go around.