Life Without Plastics Essay

The product, webcam 7 (in whole or in part, including all files, data, and documentation, from here on referred to as â€Å"Software†) is  © Copyright 2012 Moonware Studios, all rights reserved, and is protected by Switzerland copyright laws, international treaties and all other applicable national or international laws. The sole owner of this product is Moonware Studios. License Agreement. Title, ownership rights, and intellectual property rights in and to the content accessed through the Software is the property of the applicable content owner and may be protected by applicable copyright or other law. This License gives you no rights to such content. The Software is provided on an â€Å"AS IS† basis, without warranty of any kind, including without limitation the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the Software is borne by you. This disclaimer of warranty constitutes an essential part of the agreement.   Either party may terminate this Agreement immediately in the event of default by the other party. Upon any termination of this Agreement, you shall immediately discontinue the use of the Software and shall within ten (10) days uninstall the software and delete all copies of the Software and Documentation. You may also terminate this Agreement at any time by destroying the Software and Documentation and all copies thereof. Your obligations to pay accrued charges and fees shall survive any termination of this Agreement. This Agreement represents the complete and exclusive statement of the agreements concerning this license between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements and representations between them. It may be amended only by a writing executed by both parties. Headings shall not be considered in interpreting this Agreement. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under Switzerland law. This Agreement will not be governed by the United Nations Convention of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, the application of which is hereby expressly excluded. Restrictions You may not use, copy, modify, translate, or transfer the product or any copy except as expressly defined in this agreement. You may not attempt to unlock or bypass any copy-protection or authentication algorithm utilized by this product.

Embracing Diversity

Embracing diversity By:College:Course:Professor:Date:Anthropology is the scientific study of humans as social organisms and how they interact with each other in a social gathering or community set up. It entails the study of human ancient, current and cultural changes, physical stature, language characteristics and archaeology. An anthropologist interest lies in comprehending human diversity and way of life in an explicit manner. The four main branches of anthropology which include biological, cultural, archaeology and linguistic clearly elaborate what it entails to be human (Lavenda-2013). Biological anthropology talks of how the evolution of humans is genetically influenced and not enhanced by the surroundings. Cultural anthropology is centered on the study of structural system of individuals sharing a common belief or norm. Linguistic anthropology majorly revolves on the psychology of speech, composure and use in human beings. Moreover, archaeology constitutes of the systematic study of human remains through excavation, dating the human remains to know the period of existence and analysis. Anthropology is all about the acquaintance of the unfamiliar with proven facts and provides knowledge that deciphers facts from rumors.Cultural anthropology is a very enticing part of anthropology because it does not only enable one to acknowledge cultural diversity but also develop globally conscious individuals. As mentioned earlier, this part of anthropology explicitly looks human cultures, belief, daily activities, values, ideas, means of livelihood and parts of social and cognitive organization (Lavenda-2010). There are two means by which an anthropologist can study culture due to its abstract nature; empiricist approach, whereby he mainly relies on observation of the human behavior in a particular community set-up and subjective approach in which the researcher understands the structure of ideas and meanings that exist in a member a certain culture. The primitive perception that I personally had about humanity has been scraped off as a result of the in-depth study of cultural anthropology. Individuals and communities were initially characterized by their social, economical and political factors within their localities. Evolutionism has showed a conceptual comprise due to the easy interaction of individuals as a result of the modern evolution of technology that has made every corner of the world accessible to any person. The level of interactions between individuals from a similar ecology niche has almost become non-existence due to the replacement with television programs, movies and soci al electronic devices. Despite this, the social interaction circle has grown larger as a result of technology which enables an individual interact with more people different from parts of the world over a short period of time. This study has personally helped me get over the notion that Muslims are associated with terrorism. I initially felt fear when I was in an environment filled with Muslims; well, not Muslims alone but any individual wearing a veil. This mostly applied to Muslim women that wear the veils covering up their faces, leaving out the eyes. I can attribute this fear from to the society I grew in; I was used to my Christian community before I came to campus. The laws and beliefs we had were so strict that we feared other dominions, this seclusion was driven into us by the clergy; to make us believe that people that had different beliefs and practices were potential risks and could harm us at any time. The primitive notion that was instilled in me always had a bearing to this question; if they are good people, why do they find it relevant to cover their faces that much? The definite answer was that they had something to hide; not only secrets but sinister motives. Religious profiling and the threats that came to our country and get aired on national television also cultivated the fear in me. It would have never reached this point if my parents would not have been reacting to the issue with so much disgust as they used to do. My elementary and high school environments were more or less the same because all my schooling up to university level were based in the same strictly Christian district. There were some primitive practices we used to do that I now see them to have been very hurting if not shameful to the face of evolution and humanity at large; there was no shaking of hands or exchanging pleasantries with non-Christians, no accepting gifts from them and worst still, avoid all conversations. I can't imagine that I would literally snob them! I must admit that I had a tough time adjusting to the campus environment. I was always tensed in my first semesters when a non Christian would sit next t me. I remember a particular case when I came to a lecture late and found all seats occupied except one; next to Sikh, I literally missed that 2 hour lecture and had to struggle with my continuous assessment test. It is during that course that I made a turning point and my point was later boosted when I got to learn about anthropology. The struggle I had in my first continuous assessment test was the same one I had in the second. Ironically, the Sikh boy who I was evading was the same one that noticed my problem and came to help. At first I was adamant but with lack of options I thought; why not give it a try. I must admit that that is the sweetest memory I hold dear and use it to enlighten my rural folk later on. With that act of compassion I learnt that religion does or dress code does not define someone's character. Study of anthropology has helped know the value that I hold about my culture and the justifications I give to the are the same ones that any other person would give in support to their religion and culture. It also taught me that judging or profiling others because f ethnicity and background is a heinous notion; if everyone was to discriminate then the world would be an unbearable place to stay. All we could be witnessing are endless fights and ultimate wars. Cultural anthropology thus, aims at enabling the native of a particular culture objectively and rationally understands their own culture to deduce what makes them stand out from the other cultural groups hence upholding the aspect of self acceptance. Besides, it enables one apply the knowledge gained from familiarizing with different cultures to alleviate human challenges and misconceptions rather than causing ethnic conflicts. The collective study of different cultures enables scholars to identify the similarities and unique aspect of various cultures, hence embracing diversity.References:Robert H LavendaCore concept in cultural anthropologyRobert H LavendaAnthropology: What does it mean to be human?

XBox versus Playstation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

XBox versus Playstation - Essay Example The availability of these games in the market have provided people with the opportunity to make a choice between the two depending on an individual’s tastes and preferences. Naturally, people shall have different opinions as to which one of the two is better that the other and why (Plunkett, 2009). This paper shall compare XBox and Playstation and attempt to make out which of the two is preferable. Determining which one of the two is better than the other is a rather difficult or an impossible task. This is because it all depends on the individual using it the console since each game console provides a broad range of varied features. Some people will love one console, while others could hate it. Generally, it has been agreed that the Play station and the Xbox are roughly comparable (Cheat, 2011). However, people will always hold different opinions as far as this matter is concerned. The Xbox was set to the market in North America on 15th November 2001. It offered a stiff compe tition with Sony’s PlayStation. During the early years of its development, the marketing department in Microsoft argued against the name Xbox with the argument that it would be very unpopular in the market. This, therefore, called for alternative names being suggested. However, testing from consumers revealed that the name was more preferable than all the other suggested names (Plunkett, 2009). This led to Xbox becoming the official name for the game. Xbox has been documented as the first video game console built using a hard disk drive, which was primarily used to store games. This development did away with the need to have separate memory cards that had been in the market for long. Over the years, these two games have developed to superiority, while at the same time maintaining significant differences among themselves than ever before. Each of the industries Sony and Microsoft is keen to avoid lagging behind the other. As soon as Sony began enjoying the success of the PlayS tation 3 slim, Microsoft came in with the thinned edition of Xbox 360. Sources from industries have claimed that both Sony and Microsoft are intending to extend the consoles generation with the aim of maximizing their investment (Navarro, 2009). Currently, both games have competitive prices and provide very related functions. These progresses are making it more complicated to make a decision on which of the two is better. The comparison between Microsoft Xbox 360 S and Sony PlayStation 3 slim is one mission that has left many people exhausted. Even the game fans have had difficulties telling which of the two is better. PlayStation 3 slim is an overhauled version of the seventh generation form Sony’s video game console launched in 2009. This PlayStation has developments such as a new sleek design, a potent mix of old and new features such as online gaming, Blu-ray Disc technology, high optical disc format, and a removable hard drive (Beyazitoglu, 2010). All these developments have made gaming more interesting and easier. In addition to this, the PlayStation Move facilitating motion games has made it more popular. A year after the introduction of PlayStation 3 slim by Sony, Microsoft introduced its seventh generation the Xbox 360 S. this was 17 percent slimmer than the previous version. Some of the most common games with Xbox 360 S currently include Gears of War, Fable, Call of Duty, and Halo among others. Additionally, Xbox 360 S is easily well-matched to the motion gaming system introduced by Microsoft (Navarro, 2009). In determining which of the two games is better, there is a need to take into consideration a variety of features such as price, size, weight, and speed among

Accounting tools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accounting tools - Essay Example Most of the companies are getting dominated by the international competition. The primary cause of this competition is demand based supply and widely accepted e-commerce. Since, the utilization of management accounting tools is important for most of the companies with the aim of developing logical and reliable business strategies. The primary features of management accounting are to help the organisation in the area of decision making, control and support strategic planning (Kaplan and Norton, 1996, p.58). In this essay, the researcher will stress on the different aspects of management accounting tools and the effectiveness of management accounting tools. Discuss and evaluate the purpose and effectiveness of management accounting for modern business In the modern business firms, the management accounting is mainly used for taking competitive decision making by collecting, communicating information and processing. This tool helps the management of the organisation to control, evaluate and plan on business process. This tool also relates to the present strategy of the business firm with the existing ones. The function of management accounting is multidimensional and interrelated with the various departments. The mechanism contributes in monitoring different activities in business and helps the businesses to meet the goal of the organisation. In this function, the management and the board is mainly focussed on those activities which are the key drivers of future financial result. This controlling activities influence the corporate governance activities of the organisation. With the help of various analysis report, the management accounting track the lack in control system also and measure the divergence from the expected result. In the variance analysis, the management compares the expected performance with the actual performance (Brickley, Smith and Zimmerman, 2005, p.256). The approval of financial decision also depends on the management accounting decision. Mos t of the members of the audit committee (at least 40 %) hold the specific qualification. But it has been seen that the common management accounting tools is used by the audit committee rather than the directors of the business firm. In this point of view, at the time of taking financial decisions, management accounting reports are not adequately presented. On the other side, it is noted that the decision of Director is not sufficient for 69 % of the companies. Most of the major financial decisions are taken by the senior management of the company by utilizing the key areas of management accounting tools (Blocher et al. 2010, p.54). Most of the traditional business firms did not evaluate the performance of CEOs and senior management before general annual meetings. The management accounting tools determinates the financial results from various segment of operation that signifies the performance of CEOs. The modern businesses maintain good corporate governance practices by following co des of business practices, compliance to relevant laws and rules and regulation. The corporate behaviour is important to maintain the corporate governance. So, corporate behaviour should be stringent in corporate DNA by maintaining the principals and ethics. The management accounting mechanism sets the standard behaviour for the purpose of hard coding. This mechanism also provides the periodic report which highlights corporate culture monitoring result. On the other side, this is a tool which is a custodian of ethics. So, it is very easy for the business firms to trace the fraud and mal practices. Comprehensive Implementation of Management Accounting Tools: In this part the researcher

There is a real danger of a house price bubble in London. Discuss Essay - 9

There is a real danger of a house price bubble in London. Discuss - Essay Example Currently, effects of the bubble cause disruption in housing and economic system in London. The danger in housing bubble is becoming more eminent due to factors surrounding the London economy. UK housing bubble is demand related with prices falling slightly in 2008 due to low demands (Economic Outlook, 2013, p.6). Identification of economy bubble is easy contrary to beliefs of many economists. Signs of housing bubble were evident in London over two years ago. Over a year since then, the prices have continued to rise making the more unaffordable to people. This poses many dangers to those living or willing to live in London city, as the cost of living will also is unbearable. The house price bubble probably affects all the sectors in London’s economy. Localization of the effect of house price bubble has base in London alone now and other areas may experience their own bubbles. Rise in houses prices does not currently discriminate location of the area. It takes place all over the city. At first, one may think investors have taken even the poor regions of the city due to high prices. Percentage house prices increases in Brent and Lambeth were almost similar to those in Hammersmith & Fulham and Westminster. The rate of price rice in London is above that in any place in Britain and the rise is consistent since 2003 while all other factors changed slightly. House price rise estimation is at 18 percent. Although the rate of increase has not reached tat of 2007, its overall prices remain high than those in 2007. Building society has confirmed that t this percentages are greater than they had been before. The impact of high house prices affects the economy, which in turn cause low living standards. High debts numbers has macroeconomic impact that may cause recession, which has great effects. The house prices in comparison to employees’ wages bring out the effect clear. In the past decade, salaries payable to any

Ethics in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics in Business - Essay Example Whenever there is discussion about saving or preserving ecosystem, majority concentrates about land and very few people pay attention to sea and species living in it. The attention of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and towards preserving fish and limiting annual catch limit is worth appreciating, as very few people pay attention to this aspect of the ecosystem. It is really very important for balanced Ecosystem. This proposed regulation will certainly affect people in fisheries business as with the implementation of this regulation Annual Catch Limit will be fixed, and people in fisheries business will be able to catch fish up to the specified annual catch limit only. 2) The proposal is to make changes to 5 fishery ecosystem plans in order to create a method or rule to specify annual catch limit (ACLs) & accountability measures (AMs) (Sutinen Jon G., 2005). The suggested proposal will be helpful in balancing eco system and mainly concentrates on the problem of over fishing. The proposal specifies that fishery management plan of every council must contain a method to specify annual catch limit, to prevent over fishing. Accountability measures are also needed to diminish or correct any surpass of annual catch limit.

The Red Tent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Red Tent - Essay Example Leah, Dinah, and Rachel find the tent as a safe haven, which caters for their emotional needs. It is in this tent that the women had an opportunity to share feelings, thoughts, and ideas. This way, they were able to continue with life and feel unified and strong at the same time despite the challenges they were facing (Finding 49). The tent can also be regarded as significant since it serves as a birthplace where the women bring new lives into a society where the male gender is dominant. Thus, the Red Tent acts as a support system that brings the women together for their own well-being. Each woman in the tent is supported by the rest in times of giving birth. In the tent, some women gain experience of helping others with childbirth. For example, Dinah and Leah become midwives and assist their fellow women during childbirth. The tent also reveals the tribulations that women went through in the past, as well as the role of the ancient women (Finding 49). The setting of the book explores the traditions and customs that subjected women to suffering. Traditionally, women did not take part in meaningful activities in the society, as they were only expected to give birth, take care of their children, and provide household services to men. It was men who ruled over women and the female members of society had an obliga tion to be submissive. The Red Tent is also a symbol of the common problems that women used to face during the ancient times. This is because women are sent in this tent when they experience their menstrual cycle, as well as during the times when they are nearly giving birth. Although men consider this as a form of isolation, women take this as an opportunity to share amongst themselves and address the issues affecting them. Since they sit privately in the absence of men, such an experience enable them to talk freely and help one another (Finding 50). There are certain rituals taking place in the Red Tent, the most significant of them being

Two short essay questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Two short questions - Essay Example Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) and Mido (Hye-jeong Kang) of Old Boy are both hypnotized to forget who they are and to fall for each other. Hypnotism removes their free will in controlling their actions. As a result, Dae-Su suffers a fate worse than death, an incestuous relationship with his own daughter because of the vengeance of Woo-jin Lee (Ji-tae Yu) against Dae-Su. Dae-Su almost wants to die because of his sin, which underscore the meaninglessness of life because of the absence of morality. Cheol-su (Woo-sung Jung) loves Su-jin (Ye-jin Son) so much but her mental illness is a great barrier to their happy ending. Hallyu is famous for its tragic endings that underscore realism and humanism in film that made it unique in Hollywood setting (Choi 68). Melodramatic plots feature characters that show the frailty of human life and morality. Hallyu films underscore that families continue to be the lasting source of happiness and identity in modern life that is full of violence and uncertainties. Old Boy and Moment to Remember may have tragic endings but they underscore the importance of families for the protagonists. Their family relationships are crucial to finding meaning in modern life in general and individual identities in specific. Old Boy and Moment to Remember show the significance of family relationships to survival and happiness. Oh Dae-su only wants to be reunited with his family, but his past became the greatest hindrance to his ultimate goal in life- to have a happy family. The melodramatic structure of the film underscores the role of family life to individual happiness (Choi 68). Furthermore, Dae su finds his identity through his love for his family. He wants revenge because his imprisonment took his family away from him, when before, his family is the center of his world. Without his family, his tortured soul experiences

Female infanticide Essay Example for Free

Female infanticide Essay Imagine a world with no women. There are no wives, no sisters, no daughters, and no mothers. Unfortunately, this world is on the brink of becoming a scary reality for Asian countries such as China and India. Due to attempts to control population and the low value associated with females in these societies historically and culturally, both China and India are now facing a serious gender imbalance. Female infanticide and sex-selective abortion are responsible for this gender imbalance. Due to the high occurrence of foeticides, infanticides, including new born neglect and abandonment, he world is currently deprived of over 100 million women. China and India alone are responsible for 80 million missing females. CHINA: In 1978 China introduced the one-child policy. The Chinese population was growing too fast and already was enormous. The government introduced this policy to slow down the growth of the population of China. This encouraged female infanticide even more. Before the introduction of the one-child policy female infanticide already existed. According to a report, an interview with 40 women over age 50, who claimed to have given birth to 183 sons and 175 daughters, of whom 126 sons but only 53 aughters survived to age 10. By their account, the women had destroyed 78 of their daughters. To Chinese families the son is the most important child. They believe that the son can work, carry the family name and look after elderly parents. Only after the desire of having a son or two has been met, do Chinese families prefer having a girl. INDIA: In the global arena, India is indeed fast developing and is gradually becoming a force to reckon with and this makes us extremely proud. However, there are certain home truths we arent aware of or chose to turn a deaf ear to. Female infanticide is one of them. India as a country is steeped in patriarchal values and thereby continues to talk about the importance of raising a male child. The idea of the male child enwraps an image of future security, protection, wealth and prosperity. Only can a male child grow up to look after his family. Only can a male child protect his family. Women are simply viewed as commodities and properties belonging to men. Women are perceived to be a burden on the family. From the time she is born, the only way her physical being/existence is given meaning is by virtue of marriage. In the institution of marriage lies the salvation of the woman. In looking after her husband and bearing children lies her attainment of Nirvana. And with marriage comes the social evil of dowry (giving away lump sums of money and gifts during marriage) which continues to haunt families. A large population of India continues to struggle on a daily basis for its survival. In a situation like this, the additional appendage of giving dowry to the grooms family increases the misery of an already devastated financial situation of the average Indian family. female infanticide.

Disability education Essay Example for Free

Disability education Essay Your principal has come to you as a member of the Child Study Team and asked you to present an inservice to the classroom teachers of your building about their role in the IEP process. Provide detailed information about your presentation, helping teachers to understand how important their input and collaborative efforts will be to the Team process. Classroom teachers need to do a number of things as participants in the IEP process. It is, after all, a process that is ongoing from the time a child’s problem is observed until the child is identified as a special education student. Even after that, the classroom teacher, as part of the Team, is a valuable participant in the success of the child. First, teachers need to be observant and cognizant of the abilities and inabilities of his/her students as compared to the age and grade level of the rest of the students in his/her classroom. In this way, he/she can determine whether the differences noted are obvious enough to result in a discrepancy between achievement and ability and detrimental enough to the child’s success to warrant a comprehensive evaluation. Next, he/she needs to document, document, document—document behaviors, document strategies attempted, and document the results of those strategies—did they work or didn’t they? All classroom teachers should be trained and involved in the GEST (General Education Support Team) process. This process looks at regular education students and determines whether the performance the classroom teacher noted is poor enough to justify referral to the Child Study Team. Some teachers are trained better than others in the IEP and GEST process and some teachers, especially those new to the system or new to the profession are so overwhelmed that they see referral as just another thing added to their â€Å"already too full plate. † The Child Study Team, comprised of the school principal, psychologist, nurse, social worker, speech language pathologist, and other specialists as needed (occupational therapist, physical therapists, parent advocates, anyone who plays a part in seeing that the child’s needs are met), are involved in this identification process and it must include the classroom teacher. Sometimes, depending upon the school, members of the Child Study Team, take on the responsibility of giving more in-depth training to classroom teachers. Then when the GEST team meets (again, depending on the school, members may set regular meetings to discuss problems and share strategies) they lend support to those teachers whose students are struggling. Strategy intervention is extremely important because whether or not these strategies work may be the deciding factor between whether the student is referred. During this time, teachers share strategies for the purpose of helping the student to succeed. Many teachers have wonderful ideas to help students without actually realizing they are using a strategy, but this collaboration of ideas and personalities is very important to the success of students. Sometimes collaboration is difficult for teachers so the following role requirements are considered very important: †¢ Listen to different or opposing views †¢ Give up your own â€Å"turf† †¢ Share ideas and responsibilities †¢ Solve interpersonal problems outside the Team meeting †¢ Show respect for colleagues and their opinions †¢ Resolve conflicts as soon as possible. †¢ Manage resistance to new and different ideas †¢ Reflect on current practices Strengths of the collaboration include being able to bring individual skills, training, and perspectives to the table, and these individual resources combine to strengthen teaching and learning opportunities, methods, and effectiveness. Combining these skills and expertise will help everyone to meet the needs of all students. Collaboration also allows for an increase in instructional options; improves educational programs; reduces stigmatization for students; and provides support for the professionals involved. Challenges of collaboration, however, indicate that only a few educators are truly prepared for collaborative roles and responsibilities since little, if any training is provided as a course of study. Although part of this is a result of training, part of it is also a result of being open-minded enough to accept another’s opinions and ideas. Another challenge is that teachers need to consider standards-based education, standards within the district, state and federal guidelines. Since today’s teachers are expected to be more accountable than ever, many of them are resistant to special education students being involved in assessment programs because it means their classroom averages and therefore their school’s averages will be lower. Finally, another problem teachers see with collaboration is being able to â€Å"let go. † Many teachers feel protective of their turf, occasionally because they are concerned that they are doing the wrong thing and don’t want anyone to â€Å"find them out† or sometimes because they feel their ideas are so precious, they don’t want to share them! Collaboration, then, helps to meld the IEP as it unfolds and organize it into a meaningful document providing the structure for student success. Once the identification process is complete, however, the classroom teacher is still a valued contributor in that he/she is often encouraged to carry through on strategies provided by the special educator, observe the student to recognize whether the strategies are generalizing to other academic areas, and be ready to provide updated information when the IEP is reviewed at least annually. As you can see, classroom teachers have a big responsibility in the IEP process and some feel very intimidated by it, but if they can realize that their input is valued as well as unique, they may become more willing contributors. References Friend, M. (2003). Interaction Collaboration Skills for School Professionals. Boston: Allyn Bacon. Hewit, J. S. Whittier, K. S. (1997). Teaching Methods for Todays Schools Collaboration and Inclusion. Boston: Allyn Bacon. Kansas State Department of Education. (2005). Conditional Teaching License. Retrieved on February 28, 2006 from: http://www. ksde. org/cert/conditional. htm Kansas Department of Education. (2001)Effective practices for gifted education in Kansas. Retrieved on March 2, 2006 from: http://www. kansped. org/ksde/resources/effpract. pdf#search= Ryan, K. , Cooper, J. M. , (1998). Those who can, teach (8th ed). Boston: MA Houghton Mifflin Co.

Folklore Traditions and Paleontology

Folklore Traditions and Paleontology The scientific process frames information using empirical reason, a system that extracts valuable and seemingly unbiased facts of nature while often affording less room for sources of knowledge that defy its exacting methodology. As a result, information coming from oral histories, myth and ritual is not always regarded as valuable, or at least not as valuable as that which can be tested in a laboratory setting. Even so, traditions of folklore and so-called pure science have interacted across time, and the focus of this paper will be to question in what ways folklore has informed research in the field of paleontology. How did traditions of myth affect early impressions of dinosaur fossils, has folklore ever aided paleontologists work, and how have dinosaurs shaped myth itself these are all questions I intend to answer, focusing mostly on fossils and folklore indigenous to North America and East Asia. Like any other field, science reflects the changing perspectives of people through different time periods. By examining the role folklore plays in paleontology, I am also interested in tracking larger themes of skepticism toward non-Western sources, conflicts between scientific and cultural beliefs, and how scientists understanding of what constitutes valid information changes. It would be shortsighted to state the case simply as one pitting European viewpoints against those of Native American and Asian cultures. Beginning with Georges Cuvier and the theory of extinction, then later with Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution, Western ideas themselves have long had to contend with the Christian narrative of intelligent design. As scientist and historian Adrienne Mayor points out, even some Western folklore owe their beginnings to dinosaur fossils. I will be drawing much of my material from Mayors 2013 book Fossil Legends and the First Americans which discusses the additional obst acles encountered in accessing and publishing information from indigenous sources. All of this is to show how multiple perspectives often shape scientific studies and how the cut and dry methodology we often associate with Western research is often more nuanced than it appears. Dinosaur fossil finds have occurred as long as people have walked the Earth, and it is not surprising to see how myths from around the world take shape from encounters with dinosaur remains. Robert Plot in 1677 was likely the first to put a fossil discovery in scientific terms, though not without mythical overtones. Part of a femur later described as belonging to Megalosaurus was called Scrotus Humanum by Robert Plot who included it in his book The Natural History of Oxfordshire. Coming long before dinosaurs were understood with any accuracy, Plot discusses multiple sources for the bone, which he does recognize as a thigh bone. He starts by suggesting it belonged to a Roman war elephant, then compares it to myths of giants, both in the Bible and in more modern history. Goliath features as evidence in Plots analysis along with a giant believed to have been in the Tartar army that invaded Eastern Europe in 1575: a Man of ordinary stature might go upright between his legs when he did st ride (Plot). He concludes that the bone is very likely a man or womans, one whose kind was perhaps wiped out by the Flood because the skeletons of modern humans have not shrunken by any remarkable degree. Apart from Robert Plots biblical references, his other observations are a blend of history and hearsay. Biblical references themselves are myths of their own kind, not so much in the sense of being fantastical, but insofar as they are stories used to explain reality. Taken in that light, they are equivalent to the myths about dinosaurs arising in Native American and Chinese folklore traditions. Given his time and place, myths naturally informed his judgement, even in a scientific study. The other notable feature of Plots observation is the idea that a catastrophe, such as the biblical Flood, was responsible for the disappearance of whatever could have had such a huge femur. Georges Cuvier, who made a huge contribution to the study of paleontology about a century after Plot, also appealed to the idea of catastrophes wiping out species, a view known as catastrophism. He used catastrophism to reason the phenomenon of extinction, an idea that at first conflicted with Cuviers own sense of the world as created perfectly by God. Why would a species go extinct if it was part of the divine creation, or why would God make it go extinct? The discovery of dinosaurs and the resulting theories about life did much in reshaping Western notions of natural history. Though some beliefs were upset by these large fossils, others were stabilized and encouraged. Cuvier, presumably after reconciling with the reality of extinction, developed his views on catastrophism largely with the help of Native American sources. Having never traveled to North America, he relied on interpretations of indigenous folklore, journals and actual fossil specimens sent by natural scientists (Mayor). Mayor discusses how Cuvier had amassed a considerable trove of material, among which were fragments of mastodon tusks recovered from a branch of the Susquehanna River; as it so happened, the Delaware and Lenape name for that section of the river is chemung, which translates to place of the horns (Mayor). Though it is not clear to what extent paleontologists have been led to excavation sites by the help of indigenous folklore, or in this case a simple translation and interpretation, it seems fairly likely that corroborations such as these proved helpful in some regard. Of course, what proved doubly helpful to Cuviers burgeoning theories was the existing Native American tales about the fossils they had found, which came to his attention through the work of Rembrandt Peale. Peale published a large amount of Native folklore, including the legend that the colossal creatures to whom the fossils belonged had once roamed the Earth, but were destroyed by a lighting bolt of the good Spirit in a brief but cataclysmic moment. Similar lore about the grandfather buffalo existed, no doubt because Natives had encountered the giant skeletons of Pleistocene bison which were widespread (Mayor). All this information reached Cuvier, who cited Peale in his own work and used Native myths of violent catastrophes to bolster his theories behind their extinction (Mayor). Again, though it is difficult to tell how much Native lore impacted Cuviers views, the very fact that he referenced their myths is what a skeptical scientist might deem an ad hoc hypothesis, convenient for how it upholds the perspective he already finds compelling. While Mayor shows how myths were useful to Cuviers understanding of North American natural history, along with that of other figures like Thomas Jefferson, Phil Senter in a 2013 article discusses how myths have also been used more recently to debunk scientific theories. Senters piece titled Dinosaurs and pterosaurs in Greek and Roman art and literature? An investigation of young-earth creationist claimsfocuses on how fossil observations made during the ancient Greco-Roman civilizations have been re-interpreted by modern Christians looking to debunk the theory of evolution. Illustrations that Senter describes as reflecting encounters with Mesozoic reptile skeletons are claimed instead to be those of mammals and reptiles common today in an attempt to cast doubt on the separation of humans and such animals by millions of years (Senter). As this case clearly shows, mythology is a tool that can also be used to discredit science. Though this may, for some, be more incentive to steer clear from incorporating folklore into scientific narratives, Senter proves that it can be redeemed with a little research. If not to improve the general understanding of a subject by expanding the context in which it is studied, then folklore approached through science presents a way to overturn misconceptions at odds with commonly accepted scientific theories. Folklore in paleontology, or what Mayor calls fossil legends, can also work the other way around, aiding our understanding of myth creation itself. For instance, the Western myth of griffins is possibly the result of traders along the silk route in Central Asia encountering skulls belonging to Protoceratops (Mayor Heaney). Instead of myths informing the study of dinosaurs and the history of paleontology, as is the case with Native American folklore and fossils discovered in North America, this is an example of how paleontology can contribute to the study of myth and ancient cultural exchange. Though this particular connection between griffins and dinosaurs is disputed by some archeologists, it does not detract from the reality that mythology and science taken together can add the multiple fields of study, such as anthropology and history in general (Tartaron). Another example of fossils informing cultural myths can be found in the popular beliefs of dragons in China. According to pa leontologist Dong Zhiming in his 1992 book Dinosaur Faunas of China, dinosaur remains from the Jurassic to Cretaceous Periods continue to be regarded as belonging to mythical dragons (Zhiming). In some parts of China, fossil remains are still extracted, crushed into powder, and consumed with the belief that they contain magical healing properties (AMNH). Similar beliefs were present in Lakota Native American culture. Beginning around the time of Cope and Marshs infamous Bone Wars, contact between indigenous figures and paleontologists was renewed. James Cook, a hunter who was friendly with the Lakota Sioux and who was shown a giant jawbone fossil by a man named Afraid of His Horses, introduced Othniel Marsh to famous Lakota Chief Red Cloud and persuaded the Sioux that Marsh was interested in bones, not gold. Marsh became good friends with Red Cloud, and incorporated the Lakota view that large fossils belong to extinct Thunder Beasts in his naming of Brontosaurus: Thunder Reptile (Mayor). Mayor also discusses Cooks ranch in Nebraska where Native Americans and paleontologists regularly interacted, but from which there is a frustrating lack of evidence directly linking Native folklore and knowledge to major excavation sites. In spite of that, the friendship of Marsh and Red Cloud is also testament to the role Native Americans personally helped in paleontological efforts. Though their myths did not accord with the scientists views, which by this time had outgrown Cuviers speculations, they show a clear awareness of fossils. Without getting into larger questions of discovery and what defines a paleontologist, I cannot help but underscore, as Mayor does in her book, the highly contrasting views that many Western scientists showed toward indigenous history. George Rogers Clark of the Lewis and Clark exhibition once wrote, I see no reason why [indigenous tradition] should not be received as good History, at least as good as a great part of ours, but the same broadmindedness was not forthcoming in other authorities. George Gaylord Simpson, professor at Columbia and Curator at the American Museum of Natural History, could not have been more dismissive of Native American claims to fossil discovery: Indians certainly found and occasionally collected fossil bonesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ but these discoveries are no real part of paleontological history (Mayor). This quote is one of Simpsons many showing his blatant disregard for work done outside the framework of traditional scientific methodology. It is not an overstatem ent to suggest that he was simply racist. Yet this is equally a part of the history of fossil discoveries, and it is worth discussing to see how much naturalists and paleontologists across time may have deliberately limited their own knowledge by abandoning non-conforming sources of information. Many of paleontologys major steps forward were, and still are, occasioned by untraditional methods of accessing information. Folklore is hard pressed on its own to describe where fossil remains may be found, but the example of Marsh, as well as his nemesis Edward Drinker Cope, proves that it was at the very least a tool of communication between Western scientists and Native guides. Cope was not as intrepid as Othniel Marsh, but he did travel to the Badlands in South Dakota where he arranged to have a Sioux scout lead him to where the remains of Thunder Birds and Water Monsters could be found. At one spot, he recovered the skull of a duck-billed dinosaur as well as fossils from 21 other dinosaur species (Mayor). By accepting folklore as a means of communication, Cope and Marsh were able to receive help in finding these bones, not to mention persuade understandably hostile Natives that they were not interested in appropriating their land. Suffice it to say that someone who disregarded the possibility that Natives had any knowledge of fossils would not have been so lucky as to be led to major excavation sites , or at least not on friendly terms. As the Sioux tradition regards monsters from the ancient past as having been killed by divine lightning, they avoid touching the bones lest they incur a similar fate. This type of special, even sacred approach to the unknown is paralleled by the Chinese belief in the magical properties of dinosaur (dragon) bones. It is the argument of a less enlightened scientist to denigrate these cultural understandings of the deep past simply because they lack the same framework as Western scientific inquiry. Even within the sterile and precise parameters of paleontology, is there not some deep-seated awe of dinosaurs and the world they occupied? Is this not comparable to that of people who relate to it in terms of myth and lore? Yet another larger point to be gleaned from this comparative study of folklore and paleontology is how certainty can exist in multiple forms. The legend of Thunder Birds is as real to Native Americans as the efforts of geologic dating and excavation are to Western minds. To prioritize one over the other is to overlook the unique and intrinsic value of each as a system of knowledge in itself. The absurdity of disregarding non-Western fossil legends is increased all the more when one finds how the Greeks and Romans, the forbears of all Western civilization, also drew upon mythology in their own discoveries of fossils. In another book by Adrienne Mayor, The First Fossil Hunters, she discusses how the Greeks also drew upon the oral culture of Homer and Hesiod. Much like Robert Plots speculations, Greek myths of monsters, giants, and titans were well known and held a place closer to reality than any modern reader of the classics might understand (Mayor). As such, giant bones found around the Mediterranean Sea also came with convenient explanations. Or like the example of dragon myths in China, it is even more likely that their myths themselves came from fossil discoveries. Interestingly enough, the Greeks also were of the opinion that lightning smote the oversized monsters of the past; the modern consensus in the scientific community about the actual demise of the dinosaurs b y asteroid collision is not very far off from this common myth. Yet again, the distinction between relied-upon science and the myths of world cultures come to remarkably similar conclusions despite accessing different knowledge sources in the process. Coming, at last, back to the question of whether folklore has played a role in paleontology, the answer is yes. This role, however, is marked by a departure from traditional scientific method what folklore adds to science instead comes via interpersonal relations, interpretive meanings and subjective experiences. In the case of Marsh, Cope and the Sioux, folklore itself may not have lead the naturalists to their excavation sites, but a respect for the tradition as it was, clearly did play a role. The overriding evidence presented in this paper shows that myths work indirectly, and indeed interdependently with paleontology. The examples of Chinese dragon lore and Western myths of griffins shows that working backward through paleontology can also explain myths. Incorporating myth and legend into the study of dinosaurs and their fossil remains creates a more interdisciplinary, and therefore deeper, study of dinosaurs and their histories. In the more nuanced paleontological discussions going on today about dinosaur appearance and primitive characteristics, it becomes clear how much scientists own subjectivity was formerly at play in the depiction of dinosaurs. Without evidence of feathers, for instance, scaly reptilian images become the norm, images that might have simply made the most sense to scientists rather than being empirically proven. Myth functions in much the same way. Robert Plot and Georges Cuvier, by making conclusions using biblical myth as well as Native American folklore, in Cuviers case, are excellent examples of how folklore influenced the early study of dinosaurs. Indeed, the founding fathers of paleontology are still extolled in spite of their now-ridiculous sounding evidence, which shows the racism lurking behind other naturalists work when they discredited on sight the knowledge of indigenous peoples. What I have especially tried to show is how folklore and fossil legends represent unique and equally valuable sources of information. Though their content might not be directly relatable to the study of a particular fossil in a specific period, there is ample evidence to show that having at least a respect for other traditions experiences with fossils can prove beneficial in unseen ways. We should never forget how ridiculous some formerly common beliefs about dinosaurs seem to us now, such as naked and sometimes anthropomorphic renderings made in the recent and distant past. Myth and folklore surround us and inform our thinking in more ways that we are aware of. Acknowledging this and respecting those traditions for what they are can only further our understanding. Works Cited AMNH. Natural History of Dragons. AMNH. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. . Asia-Pacific | Dinosaur Bones used as Medicine. BBC News. BBC, 06 July 2007. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. . Mayor, Adrienne. The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman times. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2000. Print. Mayor, Adrienne. Fossil Legends of the First Americans. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2013. Print. Mayor, A., Heaney, M. (1993). Griffins and Arimaspeans. Folklore, 104(1-2), 40-66. Plot, Robert. The Natural History of Oxford-shire. Newport Pagnell: Minet, 1677. Print. Senter, Phil. Dinosaurs in Greco-Roman Art? Palaeontologia Electronica. N.p., 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. . Tartaron, T. F. (2014). Cross-Cultural Interaction in the Greek World: Culture Contact Issues and Theories. In Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology (pp. 1804-1821). Springer New York. Zhiming, Dong. Dinosaurian Faunas of China. Chinese Ocean Press, 14 Mar. 2017. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. .

Developing a Leadership Philosophy Essay -- Developing a Philosophy of

Developing a Leadership Philosophy It is very telling that one of our last activities focuses on reflection and communication. It is telling because these are the two characteristics emphasized throughout each of my leadership classes. Reflection deals with a leader’s ability to internalize learning. Communication incorporates a leader’s ability to develop relationships and influence them effectively. I firmly believe both characteristics are the keys to effective leadership. A number of experts concur believing that a leader must start with knowledge of oneself and develop that into an ability to communicate, share ideas, visions, and listen to others. KNOWING ONESELF Bolman and Deal (1994) summarize management and leadership as follows, â€Å"management provides consistency, control, and efficiency. But leadership is needed to foster purpose, passion, and imagination† (p.77). Fullan (2001) points to the Bolman and Deal description of leadership and focuses on the fostering of purpose. Fullan (2001) agrees with Sergiovanni’s thoughts that, â€Å"authentic leaders anchor their practice in ideas, values, and commitments, exhibit distinctive qualities of style and substance, and can be trusted to be morally diligent in advancing the enterprises lead† (p.14). Fullan (2001) posits that the moral purpose of a leader and the success of an organization are synonymous. FINDING A MORAL COMPASS Where does a leader find his/her moral purpose? Bolman and Deal (2001) write that a leader must â€Å"lead from something deep in [his/her] heart† (p.23). For me, my moral purpose/compass is deeply rooted in my Christian faith. I have a firm belief in what is right and wrong, ethical and unethical. These concepts are not ambiguous for me. I have resour... ...pose to elevate others, to give what one has to help others realize their potential, grow, and achieve their goals. Works Cited Bolman, L.G. & Deal, T.E. (1994). Looking for leadership: Another search party’s report. Educational Administration Quarterly, 30(1), 77-96. Fullan, Michael. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Guiney, E. (2001). Coaching isn’t just for athletes: The role of teacher leaders. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(10), 740-743. Maxwell, John C. (1998). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership: Follow them and people will follow you. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers. Warren, Rick. (2002). A purpose driven life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. *John Maxwell’s principles are adapted from â€Å"The Influential Leader: Unleashing the Power in People† nationwide satellite simulcast from Atlanta, Georgia, 29 April 2005.

One Person Can Change The World :: essays research papers

One Person Can Change the World One Person Can Change The World I believe very firmly that one person can change the world. That one person may not be able to do a whole lot physically to change the world, but one person has the power to inspire others to help that person change the world. I also believe very firmly that one person can set an example for others that may affect the outcome of any situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Just like in a baseball game where one person can hit the winning grand slam homerun, in life, one person can make the difference. The problem is that when the odds seem insurmountable, it seems impossible to overcome them and most people will give up. The true heroes in this world are those who don't give up in these times when things seem impossible to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The other thing I think is very important to note about the power of one person is that we need to look at what that one person is doing that is making a difference. One person can make a difference in someone else's life. I have had, in my life, many people that have made a huge difference. If someone changes your entire life or your outlook on it, your can definitely testify to the power of one. I think someone that can reach out to just one person's life is just as important as someone who can change the lives of millions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One last thing I think is important to note is that, in recognizing the power of one person to make a difference, we must also note the contributions of others to help put that person where they are. A further explanation of this would be to go back to our other scenario. When, in the last inning, someone hits a game-winning grand slam homerun, that person is very important. However it is also important to give credit to those on base or to his coaches who

Melting Point and Recrystallization

Recrystallization and Melting Point of Benzoic Acid Organic Chemistry 1 10/4/12 Abstract Recrystallization was done to remove impurities from the sample. The percent recovery of benzoic acid during recrystallization is 23. 02%. The difference between the pure and impure samples was observed by comparison of melting points. It was found that impure sample had a lower and wider melting point range of 120. 1-122. 2 (C). The pure sample melting point range was 121. 3-122. 5 (C). These ranges helped determine purity by comparing the known melting point of pure benzoic acid.Introduction Most of the organic substances recovered from organic reactions are impure and require purification to obtain the desired pure product. The extracted benzoic acid still had impurities which can be removed through the process of recrystallization. Recrystallization is a purification technique that relies on the differing solubility of compounds within a mixture separating to form a pure crystalline solid of the desired product. Often the desired compound is present in a larger quantity within the solution.Therefore, a pure sample of this compound can be crystallized from the solution while leaving the impurities dissolved within the solvent. Recrystallization is highly dependent upon the solubility of the two mixed compounds. Solubility is the property of how well a solute dissolves in a solvent. Solubility increases with an increase in energy within the system. This is due to the increased kinetic energy of the molecules leading to more collisions of the solvent with the solute. This process is called dissociation since the molecules of the solute become separated and surrounded by molecules of solvent.Solvation occurs once the lattice has completely dissociated within the solution and no traces of solid compound remain. These steps can be explained by Gibb’s Free Energy (? G) equation where a negative ? G indicates a spontaneous reaction. The solvation of the lattice structure is a spontaneous reaction since the entropy and temperature increase within the system as the enthalpy becomes more negative (more exothermic). Hot water was used to dissolve the crude benzoic acid in these stages of solubility. For the recrystallization to occur properly a good solvent must be chosen. Feature Article –  Free-Radical BrominationThe solute must be relatively insoluble in the solvent at room temperature but much more soluble in the solvent at higher temperature. At the same time, impurities that are present must either be soluble in the solvent at room temperature or insoluble in the solvent at a high temperature. For example, if you wanted to purify a sample of Compound X which is contaminated by a small amount of Compound Y, an appropriate solvent would be one in which all of Compound Y dissolved at room temperature because the impurities will stay in solution and pass through filter paper, leaving only pure crystals behind.Also appropriate would be a solvent in which the impurities are insoluble at a high temperature because they will remain solid in the boiling solvent and can then be filtered out. When purifying a substance with this method, the solubility of the solvent must be taken into careful consideration. It is necessary that a solvent is a poor solvent at room temperature and a very good solvent at high temperatures. As a result, polarity, the uneven distribution of electron density, must be taken into consideration. The polarity of the solvent should relatively be the opposite of the compound being dissolved.This creates a high temperature coefficient with the compound only being slightly soluble at room temperature and highly soluble at high temperatures. This allows the substance to later crystallize from the solution as it cools. The solvent also cannot be highly reactive with the solute. This will entirely defeat the purpose of dissolution since products will be created that are not the intended crystals. Additionally, the solvent should be able to dissolve either the impurity or the product so the compounds can be separated through other methods.The solvent also cannot have a boiling point higher than the melting point of the solute. If the solute melts prior to the boiling of the solvent, recrystallization will not be able to occur. For example, if you wanted to purify a sample of Compound X which is contaminated by a small amount of Compound Y, an appropriate solvent would be one in which all of Compound Y dissolved at room temperature because the impurities will stay in solution and pass through filter paper, leaving only pure crystals behind. Also appropriate would be a solvent in which the mpurities are insoluble at a high temperature because they will remain solid in the boiling solvent and can then be filtered out. Finally, the solvent should be volatile enough as to evaporate from the surface of the compound and be of low financial cost. Impurities can be removed by adding charcoal to the solution and hot gravity filtration. Adding charcoal provides a charged surface that is able to absorb impurities. The impurities that were absorbed by the charcoal were trapped in the filter paper during hot gravity filtration.Hot gravity filtration is the process by which the solution is filtered whi le on top of a heat source, such as a steam bath. This will remove any insoluble impurities (like charcoal used to remove the methyl orange) from the solution while maintaining the high temperature and high solubility coefficient of the solution. This prevents the solid from crystallizing from the solution while within the filtering apparatus. Fluted filter paper is also utilized to minimize the surface contact with the cooler funnel and to maximize the surface area over which the solution is filtered.The recrystallization process is entropically disfavored because the overall order of the system increases with the formation of a solid product. This process involves an increase in temperature within the system, which thereby causes (? G) to become negative. The increase in temperature allows the process to occur spontaneously. Nucleation is the start of the crystallization process where one crystal precipitates out of the solution first and thereby provides a lattice structure upon which molecules of the same compound can connect.This is all encompassed by the crystal lattice theory. The crystal lattice theory states that a growing solid will select similar molecules into its growing lattice. Sometimes, this does not happen spontaneously due to the solution not being sufficiently supersaturated. This is treated by â€Å"seeding† the solution with a small crystal of pure compound. This acts as a starting point for nucleation to occur. Additionally, the glass of the flask can be scratched with a glass rod. This provides a sharp edge upon which developing crystals can adhere and begin the nucleation process.Once nucleation occurs, the solution must be cooled slowly. This allows the development of crystals to exclude any impurities from the lattice and create a pure compound. The melting point of a substance is an intensive property of a compound. This kind of property does not depend upon the amount of substance present (i. e. molecular weight, density), u nlike an extensive property (i. e. mass, volume dependent upon amount present). Melting is defined as a phase change in which a solid substance becomes a liquid substance without changing its identity or chemical formula.The melting point of a substance is defined as a range between the lower and upper melting points. The lower melting point is the temperature at which the substance’s structure becomes obviously distorted. The upper melting point is the point at which the substance has become a liquid. This phase change can be observed and measured in a Melt Temp device. The melting point range therefore is the range between the lower and upper melting points observed. Pure substances tend to have a smaller melting point range at a higher temperature than impure substances. Table 1: Reagent Table (2)Chemical Name| Chemical Formula| Molar Mass (g/mol)| Density (g/ml)| BP/MP (C)| Amount Used (mL)| Concentration (mol/L)| Benzoic Acid| C6H5COOH| 122. 12| 1. 27| 249. 2/122. 41| -| -| Methyl Orange| C14H14N3NaO3S| 327. 33| 1. 28| -/>300| -| -| Charcoal| -| -| -| -| -| -| Water| H2O| 18. 0153| 1| 100/0| -| -| Experimental Prior to beginning the recrystallization experiment, the dry benzoic acid and watch glass were weighed and small portion of the crude benzoic acid was set aside for analysis in the melting point experiment. The remaining benzoic acid was placed in a 250mL Erlenmeyer flask. 00mL of water in a 250mL boiling flask containing a few boiling stones was brought to a boil using a heating mantle. The heating mantle was situated on top of a raised lab jack and the boiling flask was clamped to monkey bars. Gloves were used whenever handling the heating mantle or boiling flask. Minimum amount of boiling water was slowly added to the crude crystals. The solution was kept at or near boiling point. A very small amount activated carbon (charcoal) was added to the solution. After this, hot gravity filtration was performed over a steam bath. The fluted filter paper was wet with some boiling water prior to filtration.The solution was then carefully poured into the funnel. The filtrate was then removed from the steam bath and allowed to cool slowly at room temperature. These crystals were then collected by vacuum filtration, placed on a watch glass, and allowed to dry over a one week period. Prior to conducting the melting point experiment, the purified crystals were massed. The melting point experiment was performed by loading two capillary tubes: one with the impure benzoic acid set aside prior to the recrystallization experiment and the other with the pure benzoic acid obtained by recrystallization.The samples were obtained by tapping the open end of the capillary tube on top of the desired compound. The tube was then repeatedly bounced (open end up) inside of an inverted funnel. The two tubes containing crude and pure crystals were then placed inside of the Melt Temp device. The heat was increased and the tubes were observed through a viewing port outside of the apparatus. The melting point range was recorded. Results Table 2: Data and Calculations Data| Mass (g)| Crude Benzoic Acid| 4. 04| Watch glass| 40. 23| Watch glass with pure benzoic acid crystals| 41. 6| Pure benzoic acid crystals| . 93| Percent recovery of benzoic acid | 23. 02% | gBenzoic AcidgCrude Mix ? 100 =% Recovery of Benzoic Acid Figure 1: % Recovery Table 3: Melting Point Ranges Sample Type| Lower Melting Point ( °C)| Upper Melting Point ( °C)| Melting Point Range ( °C)| Crude Sample| 120. 1| 122. 2| 120. 1-122. 2| Pure Sample| 121. 3| 122. 5| 121. 3-122. 5| Observations * Benzoic Acid dissolved in hot water * Solution was a pink color * Addition of charcoal caused solution to turn a cloudy grayish color * Crystals formed early in filter paper Solution would no longer filter through paper properly * New filter paper resumed proper filtering * Filtrate was clear * Web-like white crystals began to form immediately after removed from the heat * Crude crystals started melting * Crude crystals appeared creamy white and distorted * Pure crystals lost their defined shape at lower melting point * Both crystals were liquefied Discussion As a slightly polar compound, benzoic acid was able to dissolve in water at a high temperature since the overall kinetic energy of the system increased to allow more collisions to occur within the solution.Since it is only slightly soluble in water due to water’s high temperature coefficient, the benzoic acid solution was consistently kept over a steam bath to prevent it from crystallizing out of the solution early. The pink color of the solution indicated that methyl orange was still present within the dried crude benzoic acid. Methyl orange is an acid indicator that turns pink in a solution of specific pH. The pink color of the solution was indicative of the fact that the benzoic acid solution was slightly acidic.Charcoal (activated carbon) was added to this solution to remove this co loration. This was made possible by the process of adsorption in which the large nonpolar portions of the methyl orange molecule adhered to the large surface area of the nonpolar carbon molecules. Only a small amount of charcoal was needed to be used in order to remove the coloring of the solution. In this experiment, however, too much charcoal was added and therefore caused the solution to turn a cloudy gray color. This charcoal overload therefore created other problems later in the experiment.Hot gravity filtration was carried out to remove any insoluble impurities still remaining in the solution. The temperature was kept high to keep the solubility coefficient increased so as to prevent premature crystallization from the solution. Fluted filter paper maximized the surface area over which the solution could be filtered and also minimized the contact the solution would have with the cooler funnel. This temperature difference could have also caused premature crystallization within t he filter paper. The percent recovery for the benzoic acid was 23. 02%.This low recovery rate was primarily due to the fact of premature crystallization occurring within the filter paper during the hot filtration portion of the experiment. This was caused by the over-abundance of charcoal present within the solution. The charcoal provided a surface upon which the crystals could form as the solution became briefly highly concentrated within the filter paper. As a result, a significant amount of product was lost. The filter paper also had to be changed because the formation of crystals prevented the rest of the solution from being properly filtered into the flask.This caused a significant loss in solution also containing the benzoic acid that could have crystallized within the flask. The exact amount of product lost was unable to be determined due to the presence of charcoal within the crystals, saturation of the filter paper, and the crystal’s adherence to the filter paper. Ho wever, the weight of the filter paper, crystals, and other impurities was 7. 63g, of which a substantial amount of the weight could be contributed to the saturated filter paper. Another source of error could have been that not all benzoic acid within the filtrate crystallized from the solution.Even though the solution was cooled slowly and benzoic acid is only slightly soluble in water, the solubility of the benzoic acid still was enough to allow it to stay within the solution. Another source of error could be from a Eutectic reaction. This reaction forms a eutectic mixture, which is a mixture that behaves like a compound. The behavior of this mixture could skew conclusions by providing a sharp melting range, similar to pure compounds. Additionally, not enough boiling water could have been added which would prevent some benzoic acid from completely dissolving within the solution.This remaining crystalline benzoic acid would then be lost during the filtration process. The filtrate th at made it into the flask was clear and began forming crystals almost immediately after being removed from the heat. This was due to the fact that as temperature decreased, the solubility of the solvent decreased, creating a supersaturated solution. This therefore forced the less soluble component of the mixture (benzoic acid) to crystallize from the solution. The solution was cooled slowly to prevent any impurities from adhering to the benzoic acid crystal lattice and thereby affecting the purity of the compound.Once a few crystals formed, others began to form the crystal lattice with them in a process called nucleation. Melting points are a range between the lower melting point (where the crystals first become distorted) and the higher melting point (where the crystals are completely liquefied) of a substance. This range was identified using the Melt Temp apparatus which magnified the view of the sample capillary tubes to allow easy observation of the state of the crystals in rela tion to the temperature of the device, which was measured using a thermometer.The melting point range for the crude benzoic acid was 120. 1 °C – 122. 2 °C, and the range for the pure crystals was 121. 3 °C – 122. 5 °C. The range for the crude benzoic acid was slightly larger at a 2. 1 °C difference because of the presence of impurities can decrease the lower range of the melting point and increase the upper range of the melting point. Both values for the crude and pure benzoic acid fell very close to the literature value of 122. 38 °C which therefore indicates that they were relatively pure.However, the crude benzoic acid’s range of 2. 1 °C was larger than the pure benzoic acid’s range of 1. 2 °C. The fact that the crude benzoic acid range is wider than the pure range indicates that there are impurities within the crystals. A possible source of error for this portion of the experiment could have been human error in the interpretation of th e thermometer or the delayed reaction between witnessing the lower and upper melting points and looking at the thermometer to record the temperature.References 1. Methyl Orange MSDS; CAS#: 547-58-0 2, Benzoic Acid MSDS; CAS# 65-85-0 [Online]; Sciencelab. com, Inc. : Houston, Texas, June 9, 2012. http://www. sciencelab. com/msds. phpmsdsld=9927096 (Accessed September 11, 2012) 2. Padias, A. (2011). Making the Connections2 A How-To Guide for Organic Chemistry Lab Techniques. 2ed. The University of Arizona. Plymouth: Hayden-McNeil Publishing, LLC.

Thorn Queen Chapter Sixteen

I tossed and turned that night, surprised I didn't lapse into the alcohol-induced coma I'd kind of hoped for. I finally woke up with the sunrise and decided to leave before too many people noticed. Only a few servants were up and around, for which I was grateful. I didn't want to see Shaya's concerned look or listen to Dorian and Ysabel flirt over breakfast. I didn't want to think about what the two of them had done last night-or why it bothered me so much. I was Dorian's friend. That was enough. Before leaving, I stuck my head downstairs in the prison. The night shift of guards was still awake and alert, and Volusian kept his emotionless watch in the cell's corner. Jasmine was curled up in a ball, fast asleep, though I could see dried tears on her cheeks. Unguarded in sleep, she seemed very young. I transitioned back to Tucson, bearing one of the worst hangovers of my life. Despite the fact that it was later in the morning there, my house was as still as the castle had been. Considering the way the cats and dogs watched me expectantly, I had to assume Tim hadn't gotten up to feed them yet. I let the dogs out in the backyard and told the cats they'd have to wait. As for me, I downed two glasses of water and half a bottle of aspirin practically, before collapsing in my room. My own bed provided the comfort the castle's couldn't, and I slept heavily for two hours. I felt a lot better when I got up, and a shower improved things further. The smells of French toast wafted out to me, and my tormented stomach welcomed the thought of food. I headed out to the kitchen to tell Tim to serve up a double helping and found that he wasn't alone. A girl in her twenties sat at the table, giggling and wearing his Homeland Security T-shirt. Tim stood at the stove with the aforementioned French toast, bare-chested in sweatpants and several beaded necklaces. â€Å"Oh, hi,† squeaked the girl. â€Å"Eug! What are you-er, greetings of the morning, Sister Eugenie.† Tim held up his palm. â€Å"I did not realize you were home.† I rolled my eyes, having no patience for his routine this morning. I poured myself a cup of coffee. â€Å"I hope you've got real maple syrup.† He handed me over a plate of French toast, fresh off the stove. I think it had been intended for his lady friend, but he knew better. I found the maple syrup in the refrigerator, doused the toast liberally, and then headed back out to the living room without another word to either of them. A few minutes later, Tim scurried in, looking sheepish. â€Å"You know you aren't supposed to bring them home,† I said. â€Å"Yeah, I know. It's just†¦well, I didn't actually think you'd be home with the way things have been lately.† â€Å"Not unreasonable,† I conceded. â€Å"But that doesn't change the rules. You stay at their places.† He nodded. â€Å"Can she at least finish breakfast before I kick her out?† I chewed my own food, thinking about what I had to do today. I swallowed and sighed. â€Å"You can let her stay all morning. I'm leaving soon anyway†¦I'll probably be gone most of the day.† Tim brightened with unexpected pleasure. â€Å"Really? Oh, sweet. Thanks, Eug. You're the best-â€Å" I handed him my empty plate. â€Å"Just get me a refill, and we'll call it even.† Since telling Lara to keep my schedule open, I now had days with no plans-which proved terribly convenient today. I was going to drive out to Yellow River again to talk to Abigail and Art and try to make some sense of this red snake business. There were too many questions and loose ends surrounding it all, and I needed to start tying some of it up so that I could get on with my life. The downside of a drive like that was that it gave me lots of time to think. Lots and lots of time. It was a clear day, and there were no major cities along the way. It was just me, my mind, and the open road. I kept thinking about how Kiyo and I had last driven this trek together and the sex that had followed at the hotel. I thought about him and Maiwenn now, celebrating the birth of their daughter. I thought about my breakdown with Dorian and my fears that Kiyo wouldn't want me anymore. I'd brought my cell phone with me and had it sitting on the passenger seat, volume up high. I didn't want to miss a call from Kiyo†¦because surely he'd call to tell me about his daughter as soon as he could, right? If I hadn't heard anything, it meant he was still in the Otherworld, which-as one might imagine-didn't have the greatest cell coverage. We'd visited Art first last time, but when I got off the highway, I found I was closer to Abigail's. So, I drove through Yellow River's modest downtown-past the sex-toy store-and parked outside her building. It was afternoon by now, and people were out and about, with tourists in particular poking their heads into the antiques store beneath Abigail's apartment. I found the little doorway by the store's entrance and headed upstairs, wondering if I'd be overrun with cats. But I wasn't-largely because I never made it into the apartment. I knocked several times and even called Abigail's name once. When that didn't pan out, I dialed the number Roland had given me. I got her voice mail but nothing more. â€Å"So much for that,† I muttered. Maybe it was just as well. Art was the one who held most of my attention anyway, what with his tattoo and all. He was the one who needed to be questioned. So, I left the town for the suburbs, and in full daylight I could really take in how cute Art's neighborhood was. The houses were large and new like his, and his neighbors appeared to love their lawns just as much. I didn't see Art outside, but a large red SUV in the driveway boded well for him being around. I knocked twice on the door, and for a moment, I thought he too must be out and about. Just as I nearly rang the doorbell, he finally opened the door. His hair was damp, like he'd just come out of the shower, and he held a pair of hedge clippers in one hand. â€Å"Eugenie!† His face split into a grin. â€Å"This is a surprise.† The smile momentarily faltered. â€Å"Is everything okay? Roland†¦?† â€Å"Fine, fine,† I assured him. â€Å"I just wanted to ask you some more questions.† â€Å"You drove a long way for that,† he mused, stepping outside and shutting the door behind him. People had an easier time lying over the phone, but I could hardly tell him that. â€Å"I had the time and thought it would make things simpler.† â€Å"Sure. I'm happy for the company†¦so long as you don't mind hanging out with me while I get a little work done?† He waved the clippers by way of explanation. â€Å"No problem.† He offered me something to drink first, but I was still holding on to coffee I'd bought at a gas station and declined. I sat down on his front step while he began trimming some of the thick shrubs flanking the front of the house. They were thick and heavy-leaved, filled with pretty yellow blossoms. They seemed to want to consume the house, and I was reminded of Sleeping Beauty's castle, and the thorns that had surrounded it. He didn't cut their overall height but mostly seemed concerned with making them look neat. â€Å"I stopped by Abigail's on my way here, but she didn't seem to be home.† â€Å"I think she's in El Paso for a few days,† Art said. The muscles in his arms bulged, raising his T-shirt's sleeve and showing me the coiled red snake. â€Å"Her sister lives there. They're close, which is good, but I sure could have used her help with a banishing the other day. You should have come by then. It was a gentry girl, actually-you were looking for those, right?† â€Å"Yes,† I said, startled. â€Å"I take it you managed to send her back on your own?† â€Å"Yeah. She wasn't that tough. More scared than anything else.† I sipped my coffee, trying to make sense of this new development. I may have very well indeed jumped to conclusions about Art's kidnapping role. Maybe Moria had just been banished after wandering here. â€Å"Do your jobs ever actually take you to the Otherworld?† I asked. He gave a gruff laugh. â€Å"Not if I can help it. Those transitions are a bitch, even with that crossroads. I haven't actually been over in†¦I don't know. Years.† â€Å"Huh,† I said. Art paused in his clipping, giving me a puzzled look. â€Å"Why do you ask?† â€Å"I've heard stories-that is, gentry rumors-about some human over there who kind of sounds like you.† â€Å"Like me?† His confusion grew. â€Å"That's a little weird.† â€Å"It was a human with a red snake tattoo.† I didn't mean to sound accusatory, but a tiny bit of it slipped into my tone. â€Å"Why on earth would I lie about crossing over?† he asked. He wasn't angry, exactly, but some of that friendly demeanor had cooled a little. â€Å"Whoa, hey. I didn't say you did.† I tried not to sound too defensive. â€Å"It was just weird that there were sightings of someone who looked like you near where your crossroads lets out.† â€Å"The gentry I've banished are probably getting confused and thinking I was in their world when I kicked them out of this one†¦it's honestly hard to understand how any of them think. And you know how disorienting banishing is.† â€Å"Yeah, I know. I'm just saying the story I heard was weird.† Art said he'd kicked a gentry girl out, but Moria sure had sounded like she'd escaped. If I thought his attitude was cool earlier, it was frigid now. â€Å"I find it equally weird that a shaman is chummy enough with gentry to be listening to their stories-and concerned about them. Why does it matter to you if humans are over there anyway?† â€Å"Because those humans might be harming gentry.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"And it's not right.† He snorted and returned to his trimming. â€Å"They're gentry, Eugenie. They're not like us. And from what I hear, you're not all that gentle with them anyway.† â€Å"When they're in this world, yeah.† â€Å"Any world, Eugenie. They're literally not human. Why do you care so much?† â€Å"None of your business.† The harsh words were out before I could stop them. Art paused again and this time turned to fully face me. â€Å"And it's none of your business where I go and what I do-in either world.† My heart lurched in my chest. â€Å"What, are you saying it is you? That you have been over in the Otherworld recently?† â€Å"I'm saying I'm done with this discussion. You're not welcome here if you're just going to toss around ridiculous accusations-accusations that don't even matter.† â€Å"It matters to them.† â€Å"I think you're asking the wrong questions here. You need to examine your motives and figure out why you're so eager to defend those who have no regard for us-and why you're picking fights with your own kind.† I shot up, careful of the coffee. â€Å"I'm not picking a fight.† â€Å"Then get out of here before there is one.† We stood there, locked in antagonism, and I wondered if it would come to a fight. I was armed, and he wasn't, though he was bigger and better-muscled. No, that was stupid. Why would he fight? He hadn't confessed to anything, only grown hostile at what he read as me accusing him of things he didn't consider crimes. That didn't make him guilty-but it didn't make him innocent either. Something just didn't feel right here. â€Å"Fine,† I said, backing off. â€Å"I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just trying to figure things out and make sure no one's being wronged.† He smiled, but it was a far cry from the easy grin that had greeted me. â€Å"What in God's name would you do if someone was? Come on, Eugenie. Don't overinflate your sense of obligation-or importance. There's no shaman police. You don't have any jurisdiction or right to dictate what I or anyone else around here-or anywhere-does.† â€Å"Noted,† I said, heading toward my car. I was afraid if I stayed, I was going to say something I'd regret. Regardless if he had a role in all this, I didn't like the callous way he treated gentry-particularly since it was similar to the attitude I'd once had. â€Å"I'll send your regards to Roland.† â€Å"Make sure you do,† called Art. â€Å"And maybe you should have a talk with him about some of these ideas while you're at it. Roland knows what's right.† I bit my lip and got in the car without further comment. So. No real answers here, but something felt wrong about Art. He was too guarded and hostile, and despite his claims about not having been to the Otherworld recently, the rest of his comments made it seem very plausible that he could be lying. Yet, I realized what also bothered me as much as his reticence was his attitude toward the gentry. Roland's was similar, albeit not as harsh, and he'd warned me away plenty of times. Kiyo also wanted me to keep out of gentry affairs-inasmuch as I could-which was rather hypocritical, considering his involvement. I was enmeshed, whether I liked it or not, and had accepted that my views on the gentry had changed. They were odd, and I didn't always approve of them, but in their hearts, I knew they were people not all that different from me, full of the same feelings and hopes. I couldn't understand how Art or anyone else could think girls disappearing was unimportant-even if they were gentry. It occurred to me as I drove away that Art hadn't invited me inside either time. Coincidence? His meticulous yard certainly suggested he spent as much time outdoors as within. And yet†¦would I have found some evidence in there to shed more light on his activities? Damn. There was nothing to be done for it now, not with Art still there and suspicious of me. As I drove back through town toward the highway, a backup plan came to me. What had Art said? That Abigail was out of town for a few days? As of yet, I had no evidence whatsoever to suggest that she was involved with any of this Otherworldly intrigue, but she was an associate of Art's. Maybe there was something to be unearthed at her place. So, I parked outside her apartment once more and slipped in past the antiques store. My athame, wand, and gun were my usual tools of the trade, but I did carry a few little-used ones, such as a quartz crystal for reading energy. I also had a small lock-picking kit I kept in my bag. Imps, trolls, and other creatures of that ilk sometimes tried to lock themselves away from me. If Abigail's lock wasn't particularly state of the art, I should be able to get in. It wasn't, and judging from the lack of beeping, there was no alarm system within either. The closest she had was her herd of cats. They swarmed around me in a furry, slithering mass, less hostile than hungry. I wondered who fed them when she was gone. Uneasily, I decided to make this search quick, lest an unsuspecting pet sitter come trolling around. Searching wasn't easy since the place was still cluttered with books, incense, and candles. My task was made more difficult by the fact that I had no clue what I was looking for. I lifted and moved things as best I could, hoping the place wouldn't look ransacked. In spite of the mess, I was again struck by how nice the apartment was, how it had been expensively restored. The floors were true hardwoods-no laminate here-and all the molding and crownwork was elaborate and beautiful. This place couldn't be cheap, and it seemed a shame she'd let her pack-rat habits get the best of it. Not that I was one to talk. I concluded my search with a quick scan of the bedroom. It was less messy and hence had less to browse. Her duvet was a patchwork of brightly colored silks, and the closet was filled with scarves and gauzy dresses. A jewelry box on her dresser displayed a stunning collection of necklaces and rings, and beside it was-so help me-a pair of handcuffs. I almost laughed, trying to imagine New Agey Abigail into something kinky. Maybe I hadn't been the only one to visit the sex-toy shop. Of course, whereas mine had been cheap and lightweight, these were industrial-strength steel ones, like cops would use. If she was into kinky stuff, then it was pretty hardcore. I drove back to Tucson after that, arriving in early evening. My autopilot sense of direction started to take me home, and then, at the last moment, I called Tim. â€Å"Has Kiyo called or stopped by?† â€Å"Nope. But one of his cats threw up on the living-room floor.† â€Å"That's not quite the same.† We disconnected, and I checked my cell phone for the hundredth time. Nope. No missed calls there either. With a sigh, I turned toward Saguaro National Park and its easy-access crossroads. If Kiyo couldn't emerge from the Otherworld and into this one, then perhaps he'd sent some sort of message to the Thorn Land. I felt stupid and desperate, like a girl waiting by the phone. But what else could I do? Unfortunately, the Otherworldly news was no better. â€Å"No, your majesty,† said Nia. Her voice was anxious and apologetic, as though she herself was personally to blame. â€Å"There's been no word.† I thanked her and figured that if I'd gone to the trouble to come here, I should find Shaya and get some sort of update. When I went searching, however, it was a most unexpected visitor I found instead: Girard, the dark-skinned courtier and metalsmith from Maiwenn's party. â€Å"Your majesty,† he said with a bow, as flamboyant as ever. â€Å"I was hoping I'd see you before I had to leave.† â€Å"Before you had to†¦what are you doing here?† I asked, more perplexed than displeased by his presence. â€Å"I've come to bring you this.† Like a magician producing a rabbit from under his cape, Girard held out a stunning necklace. The chain was made of exquisite, swirling links that rippled like water, and a pear-shaped sapphire ringed in pearls hung from it. â€Å"Oh my God,† I gasped, taking it from him. â€Å"This is incredible. Did you make this?† â€Å"Yes, your majesty.† His voice was modest, but he was clearly pleased by my regard. â€Å"Who's it from?† Recalling the comments others had made about his political aspirations, I half-expected it to be a gift from him. Then, suddenly and hopefully, I wondered if Kiyo had sent it as a token of affection since he had to spend so much time away from me. I wouldn't have put it past Dorian either, but he would have presented it himself. â€Å"It's from Prince Leith of the Rowan Land.† Of course. I should have known. Leith accepting his fate last night had been too good to be true. â€Å"His highness adds that he'll also have me make a crown to match if you would like. He sends this with his greatest love and devotion.† â€Å"I'm sure he does.† I sighed and handed the necklace back. â€Å"Well, a crown is definitely out of the question, I'm afraid. And actually†¦I'm really sorry, Girard, but I can't even keep this. I hate for your work to go to waste.† He took the necklace and deftly slipped it into one of his many pockets. â€Å"It's no trouble at all. I understand how romantic affairs go-or rather, how they don't go. His highness will be sad, but I enjoyed the chance to work on something new for a change, so it was worth it, even if it won't grace your neck.† I recalled how he lived at Katrice's court. â€Å"What do you usually work on?† He made a small face. â€Å"Her majesty Queen Katrice is partial to animals and collects figurines, jewelry†¦anything depicting them. Last week, I made a crystal squirrel. It was lovely, of course, but it's the fifth squirrel I've made this year.† I couldn't help but laugh. â€Å"Well, I guess I'm glad for this, then. Maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  An idea suddenly came to me. â€Å"Maybe I can give you another project away from her menagerie. Do you have the time?† Girard bowed low. â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"I heard you can work with iron to a certain extent. Here's what I need†¦.† I described my problem with Jasmine and how I needed more flexible restraints that contained as much iron as he could handle. Theoretically, I could have brought over human handcuffs, but I wanted special ones not only for mobility but because I needed bronze or copper somewhere on them so that my guards could touch them if need be. Girard listened thoughtfully, nodding as I spoke. â€Å"Yes, of course I can do this. I can have them for you tomorrow.† â€Å"Whoa, I didn't expect-â€Å" He threw back his head and laughed. â€Å"Your majesty, you forget that we don't forge and work metal like humans do. I order the metal to bend, and it does. The rest is in skill and patience.† I supposed he had a point. I thanked him profusely, telling him that Shaya would settle the price with him later. Once he left, I then set out to find Shaya myself, still needing a report. Before I could, I was intercepted again-this time by Ysabel. She was alone, which I took to mean Dorian had returned to the Oak Land. That was something, at least. I didn't want him camping out around here-particularly after my teary-eyed weakness last night. She came to a halt before me, arms crossed. Whatever fear she'd had from our last lesson seemed to have completely vanished. Maybe Dorian's visit had reassured her. Or maybe she figured she had little to fear from someone who'd spent all of last night moping and drinking away her sorrows. â€Å"My lord says I still cannot leave until we've worked together at least one more time.† â€Å"Bummer,† I said and started to pass her. â€Å"I've got to find Shaya.† She blocked my way again. It was deja vu of the last time she'd accosted me about this. â€Å"Shaya's gone right now. The sooner we get this over with, the better. I know you have nothing else to do with your time right now either. You're simply waiting for your kitsune to throw you some sort of bone.† Alright, now she'd pissed me off, largely because she was right. â€Å"That's not true. I have plenty of things to do. Besides, I don't know if I really need your help anymore. I think at this point it's all just practicing on my own.† With my mind, I reached out, feeling the different types of air around us. I stayed well away from her but pulled together several groups. Now that I understood their individual natures, it wasn't that hard to combine them into larger gusts. I blasted the air through the hall, creating a gust of wind that rivaled the one she'd smugly showed me that first day. Her expression showed disdain, but I swear, there was fear in her eyes again. I remembered what Shaya had said, that I was learning too quickly and too well. â€Å"That is†¦acceptable,† Ysabel said at last. â€Å"But it was clumsy. And you can't combine it with water yet to truly control the weather.† She was right on that, but I felt I had a good enough understanding of both to just keep practicing. â€Å"It'll come with time. I'll be fine on my own.† â€Å"My lord said one more time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That scornful expression faded now, replaced by uncertainty. â€Å"There is something else†¦something†¦well, you haven't even come close to it yet.† â€Å"I inherited storm magic. Water and air. What else is there?† â€Å"Follow me, and I'll show you-if you can handle it.† There it was, the old attitude. It was almost comforting. She took me back out to the courtyard we'd been in last night. A servant I'd seen around the castle was painstakingly setting more tiles into the ground, expanding the patio area. We stood well away from him, and Ysabel continued keeping her arms crossed over her chest, posture still rigid and defensive. â€Å"I'll be glad when this is over and I can return to the Oak Land. It's obvious my lord misses me.† Her eyes glinted wickedly. â€Å"He made love to me last night with a passion I've never seen before. It left me screaming and aching in ecstasy.† I rolled my eyes and stopped myself from saying, Yeah, because he was thinking of me. â€Å"Let's just get this over with so you can leave and get all the screaming and aching you want. What else was there I needed to know?† â€Å"There's something else in the air,† she said. She bit her lip in thought, trying to articulate her meaning. â€Å"I can feel it, but I'm unable to touch it. Probably you can't either.† â€Å"Can you be a little more specific?† â€Å"It's always there†¦it's like the pieces of the air are†¦prickly. Sharp to the touch. There are more of them, though, before a storm.† I stared stupidly for a moment, and then the human part of me put it together. â€Å"Lightning†¦you're talking about making lightning,† I breathed. What was the scientific term? â€Å"Those are charged particles.† The term meant nothing to her, but she'd nodded when I mentioned lightning. Eagerness flared up in me, and I immediately felt out around me. Sensing all the air molecules was easy now. The only two I could name were oxygen and carbon dioxide. All the others had their own unique feel, but I couldn't say if they were nitrogen or hydrogen or what. After a few minutes of groping with my mind, I shook my head. â€Å"I don't feel anything like that.† Ysabel seemed pleased by this. â€Å"Like I said, you likely aren't strong enough.† â€Å"It's a clear day,† I pointed out. â€Å"There probably aren't any around.† â€Å"No, they're always there. There aren't many today, but I can feel them.† I set my lips into a hard line, trying again. It was just like the old days with Dorian: endless waiting, save that he would have tied me up. Ysabel probably would have too if I'd let her, if only to use the chance to slit my throat. Air, air, air. Every particle unique, yet none of it had the sharp, prickly feel she was describing. Distantly, I remembered the one time I had summoned a storm. I'd been caught by an elemental gentry, on the verge of being raped while my mother lay injured. In my crazy desperation and panic, I'd summoned a storm that nearly leveled my house. I had little memory of how I'd done it, though. The whole thing was a blur, like some kind of dream that- All the hairs on my arms suddenly stood up. There. There, mixed in with other air above us was something†¦well, to put it bluntly, electric. It felt prickly, just as she'd described. I reached for it, trying to control it as I had the other particles, but it was slippery. It was like oil running through my fingers, and I understood now why she couldn't do it. It was a very different phenomenon. Steeling myself, I tried again, and for one heartbeat, I drew them together into a knot. The smell of ozone filled the air, and then I lost my grip. No flash of light, no thunder. But Ysabel's face was aghast. â€Å"You†¦you did it. You shouldn't have been able to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I didn't really do anything.† â€Å"You shouldn't have been able to do that†¦not yet†¦. I can't even touch them.† Too fast and too easily. Just like my father. â€Å"I'm nowhere near to being there yet.† I hoped I sounded reassuring. â€Å"This is going to be harder.† I couldn't say how I knew; it was just something I felt. Wielding air, creating wind†¦that would come with practice. Lightning was a different beast. But when I did†¦ I suddenly shivered and was astonished at the exultation that ran through me. If I could learn to create and control lightning†¦Jesus Christ. That kind of power was unimaginable. It was a large part of what had made Storm King so feared. Being able to do that would be unbelievable. Amazing. Exquisite. Being like a god†¦ I snapped myself out of those thoughts, aghast at what I'd been thinking-again. Talk about megalomania. I was no god. Craving that kind of power was wrong; everyone said so. Well, those from the human world, at least. Yet, if I could summon lightning, I could blow a fair number of those fucking demons out of existence. Surely that was a good use of my power. Unfortunately, what I'd said to Ysabel was true. It was going to take awhile, and until I developed some other amazing weapon, those demons were going to keep coming back and- I froze, suddenly forgetting about the phenomenal power I'd just touched. I had a weapon right in front of me, something that might seriously get rid of those demons once and for all. Unfortunately, it was not an easy one to use. â€Å"Son of a bitch,† I said. â€Å"Jasmine.†