How Are Syariah Laws Being Currently Applied in Malaysia Essay

Islam had been established in Malaya by the 14th century. Malacca, one of the Malay States in Malaya, emerged as a Muslim Kingdom under Sultan Iskandar Syah and his successors. By the early 15th century, it had become a power of great importance in South East Asia. This brought an end to the political control and cultural influence of the Hindu and Buddhist powers over the Malay Peninsula. This brought an end to the political control and cultural influence of the Hindu and Buddhist powers over the Malay Peninsula. Malay society and its laws were influences by thought and ideas from various Muslim countries. This because Islam itself came to this region from different countries, namely the Arab countries, India and even China. The law used in Malacca was Muslim law together with Malay customary law. Malay customary law may also referred as to as Adat Melayu. In 1511, Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese. However, it’s difficult to provide a satisfactory account of the legal development during that period. Although Malay customary law was preserved under Portuguese rule and later by the Dutch, during their conquest of Malacca in 1641, it was ultimately replaced by English law during the British colonization of Malaya beginning from 1786. Evidences and traces of Islamic legal thought and institutions are present in Malay law. Terminology and ideas from the Islamic legal system found their way into the numerous treatises on traditional Malay law. They are found in the Melaka Digest (Undang-undang Melaka or Risalah Hukum Kanun of 1523) and the Pahang Digest of 1596 with a later supplement, and in the Kedah Digest dated 1606 containing port rules. Further evidence is found in the 18th century, 99 Laws of Perak and in the Johor Digest of 1789. Finally the orthodox Muslim works of the Shafiee School of Islamic Law, such as the treatises on the law of marriage, divorce and legitimacy of children were translated in Malay. The Majalah al-Ahkam al- Adliyyah (The Mejelle), a set of Muslim civil laws of the Ottoman Empire, was also translated into Malay and recognized as the law to be followed by the Johor courts in 1914. Islamic law, being an imported law, evolved through a period of 6 centuries of development. Its impact on the country’s legal system was far reaching, even until the early part of the present century. This is well illustrated in the case of Laton v Ramah, where the Court of Appeal held that Islamic law in Peninsular Malaya was not foreign law but local law, the law of the land which every court must take judicial notice. But during the post British colonial period, Islamic law has been reduced in importance and its significance has further declined after the independence. The ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, Legislature Lists (List II- State List) states: ‘The Islamic Law is under state authority. Each state enacts its own enactment with jurisdiction over it. Every state has its own Council of Islamic Religion and Malay Custom and the Kadis Courts. These courts have limited jurisdiction on persons professing the Islamic religion, and only included in this list, but shall not have jurisdiction in respect of offences except insofar as centred by Federal Law’. The Muslim Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction ) Act 1965 [No. 23 of 1965] provides that the jurisdiction of the Shariah Courts : ‘ Shall not be exercised in respect of any offence punishable with imprisonment for a term exceeding 6 month or with any fine exceeding one thousand dollars or with both’. It’s been a questioned among the people about the application of Hudud law in Malaysia since there are different types of religious and beliefs the nations uphold. Many people agreed with the implementation whereas some disagreed with the issue. Basically, Hudud is the most severe and strict Islamic law for resorting to punish those offenders through physical means. The provisions of the Hudud law cause Malays feared the law and they are not ready for the implementation of Hudud laws as there are lack of understanding on the need of a proper model on the Islamic criminal law. According to Professor Dr. Mahmood Zuhdi Abdul Majid of IIUM, he said ‘If we do not politicize it, we Malays are definitely ready to implement hudud in Malaysia, but if we were look at Hudud as a political issue, then it becomes a problem’, He also stated that criminal laws should be imposed on all citizens because Islam does not discriminate on whether you are a Muslim or a non-Muslim. Besides, PAS had decided that it will seek constitutional amendment in the Parliament to apply the Hudud law once the Pakatan take over the federal administration. According to our Former President, Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, had stated his dissatisfaction on the implementation of Hudud laws in Malaysia which will create an injustice judiciary system. For an instance, a Muslim who committed an offence will be punished according to Hudud law, which is a severe punishment whereas the non-Muslims who committed the same offence will be punished according to civil law which is much lineal. He also commented that there is nothing mentions in the Quran about the severe punishments and he urged Muslims to follow the primary sources of Islam, Quran instead of the Sunnah or Hadith which are basically those interpretations of the Quran. Furthermore, Nibong Tebal MP, Tan Tee Beng said Kita president, Zaid Ibrahim confessed that non-Muslims can be punished under the Hudud criminal code enactments. He added that Shari’ah laws that being practiced in Malaysia are based on civil and family legislation, which governs individual Muslim matters. The issue is controversy as Hudud law can be applied if the Federal Constitution amended which requires majority votes from the members of Parliament. Based on UMNO Minister, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom view, he stated that Hudud Law will never give any impact on Non-Muslims. The government is alert that there are distinctions of views and thoughts on this issue among Islamic scholars and jurists and a research need to be done before the Hudud law implemented in Malaysia, so that the penal code is fair to all, complies with Allah’s conditions and is in accord with the Malaysia legal system. He also added that if Hudud law is to be applied in Malaysia, the Syari’ah Court would only have jurisdiction over those who practice Islam in accord with the Federal Constitution, the Supreme law of the Federation. Though the issue on the application of Hudud law in Malaysia is indecisive stage, the application of Shari’ah law does not lose its position. The Islamic law that is in force in Malaysia totally is not genuine Islamic law but may have been influenced by written laws judicial decisions and customary law. For an instance, the written laws, especially, those enacted before independence, may reject Islamic law. Thus in Ainan v Syed Abu Bakar, it was held that the legitimacy of a child should be determined by the Evidence Enactment (F. M. S. ) and not accordance with Islamic law.

Human Resource Management Roles/Hcs 341

Human Resource Management Roles Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization. Human Resource Management can also be performed by line managers (Heathfield, S. M. ). Human Resource Management is the organizational function that deals with issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training. Human Resource Management is also a strategic and comprehensive approach to managing people and the workplace culture and environment. Effective HRM enables employees to contribute effectively and productively to the overall company direction and the accomplishment of the organization's goals and objectives (Heathfield, S. M. ). Planning Human resources managers try to project how many employees will be necessary. They look at how many good workers are staying with the company and how many leave. Ideally, they want a low turnover ratio, where more people are staying than leaving. Planners try to identify good workers from the applicant pool, and use them to replace people leaving the company. The ultimate goal is to increase highly skilled and experienced personnel each time there is turnover. If a company is going to reduce employee numbers, planning tries to look for positions that could be trimmed without harming the company. Pay People in human resources management keep updated on pay and employee tax laws. They negotiate salary and wages with an applicant as well as bonuses, merit-based awards and commissions. Other pay areas they work with include retirement, life insurance, health insurance, vacation time, sick leave, disability insurance and stock ownership plans (Felix, J. ) Training Human resources personnel coordinate employee orientation; new hires learn their rights, responsibilities and the company's physical and organizational structures. Training and development builds new hires into proficient workers. As employees gain experience, they receive supervisor, management and leadership trainings. Training happens both on the job and in formal classroom instruction. Employees can end up at a leadership or management academy outside their company (Felix, J. ) Laws and Regulations Employees receive manuals and handbooks as soon after they're hired. These books contain the company's laws affecting the employee; and the company's expectations for the employee. Human resources personnel review and process firing requests, as some states make it hard to easily fire an employee. Some states are â€Å"at will† employment states; employers can terminate employment for any reason. The employee can also quit for any reason. Human resources personnel coordinate ethics training and enforcement. They hold this kind of training to reduce business fraud, mismanagement, and insensitivity toward other cultures, races, religion and gender (Felix, J. ) Wellness The Human Resources department coordinates wellness programs such as drugs, diet, exercises, health, ergonomics, diversity, spirituality and employee harmony. Reducing mishaps in the workplace, and reducing diet and habit-based sickness, helps improve productivity. An organization has to pay worker compensation and health insurance. Wellness programs reduce sickness and injury in the long run, saving the company money while getting more out of the worker (Felix, J. ) In conclusion, human resource management is very vital in any job field that you go to. Human resources are forever changing as we develop new technology, new laws and regulations, new innovative ways to deal with employees, health and wellness, etc. The greatest future challenge for the field will be the continued integration of management with other theories to address socially relevant issues as life becomes more complex and diverse. References Felix, J. (n. d. ). About Human Resource Management. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/about_4796612_human-resource-management. html Heathfield, S. M. (n. d. ). What is Human Resource Management? Retrieved from http://humanresources. about. com/od/glossaryh/f/hr_management. htm

Comparative Error Analysis of Public and Private High School Students Thesis

Comparative Error Analysis of Public and Private High School Students - Thesis Example y significant difference in academic success rates of students who attend well funded private schools as opposed to students who attend public schools that are under-funded. In this light, high school students schooling in the different setups will definitely exhibit differentiated results and characteristics based on the intricacies of the different schooling schemes. For instance, students in private schools go through a curriculum determined by the board while their counterparts in public schools use a curriculum determined by the national educational standards (Bryk, Lee, and Holland, 45-46). This inadvertently implies that the results from the different students get affected. Private schools focus on passing exams while as public schools focus on completing the syllabus. In addition, given that private students fundamentally run on money collected from the student’s school fees, the quality of education is thereby determined by this. This means the student is a product of the school he or she attends. Public schools get equal funding from the relevant government agencies. With a high level of standardization and policies the quality of educa tion becomes leveled (Epstein, 34-35). High school students attending private schools are so focused on passing exams while those in public schools focus on learning a myriad of other skills as opposed to education alone based on the curriculum and associated policies. The effect of funding (independent variable) on academic success (dependent variable). Lack of adequate funding in the public schools makes the public students to perform dismmaly in the academic endeavors. On the other hand, private schools generate adequate funding through a variety of different sources including students’ tuition fees, endowments and grants. This makes students to excell in studies due to adequate provision of learning materials. Besides, curriculum development (independent variable) also impacts on the students educational

Online community management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Online community management - Research Paper Example If I were in its managerial position, I would have placed the loyalty of customers and credibility of the firm far above fear of negative publicity. I would have come out clean and let the customers hear from me directly the current crises facing our company and ask for ideas as to how to solve our problem. While considering the advice of the firm’s lawyers, security experts and banks, I would have still placed my shareholders firsthand in any decision making process that I would be involved in. wrong advice from external sources has often led businesses to their ruins. A good leader knows when to follow their instinct and to trust that what they are doing is the right thing. Target tried to calm its customers by giving false assurances to which it went back on. This was not such a bold move. Customers need to know the truth even if things are in turmoil. Giving them false assurances and going back on your word only breeds dissatisfaction and disloyalty. Critisism may be present when shareholders are hit with the devastating news but the reputation of the company of the company will be

Has NAFTA proven beneficial to the American economy Explain Essay

Has NAFTA proven beneficial to the American economy Explain - Essay Example United States also made certain alteration in their international trade strategies. As because of NAFTA, Mexico’s export increased to a significant amount and Canada became huge market for America. It has been claimed that NAFTA has been a success for all the member countries, but reality is little different. It is true that there are certain significant economic improvements that have taken place due to NAFTA, but that is one side of the coin as also there are certain major disadvantages of NAFTA which include job losses, problems regarding environment, declining standards of safety and health etc. NAFTA’s major objective was to remove the trade barriers and increase free trade between its member countries. NAFTA, although, has improved the export growth of its member countries, but at the same time it has resulted into many critical economic as well as environmental problems for its member countries. Among various disadvantages of NAFTA, most important one is the loss of jobs in United States. Manufacturers in United States, because of NAFTA, got the freedom of outsourcing or moving jobs to Mexico. Mexican labors are available at a cost which is much lower than that of American labor. As a result of this manufacturers shifted their production unit to Mexico, and rules in NAFTA allowed them to do so legally. This resulted huge job losses in manufacturing industry in US. Manufacturers, who continued their operation in US, reduced the salary of US workers. Almost 879,280 jobs were lost in US during the time period of 1994 to 2002. There was actually significant increase in job creation from 1994 to 2000. But from 2001 unemployment started to increase and by October, 2003 almost 2.4 millions people lost their job. Apart from manufacturing industry, other industries which moved to Mexico include textiles, electrical appliances, computer etc. States which were badly affected include T exas, California, Michigan and New York. Apart form these job

Doubt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Doubt - Essay Example In USA, there are lots of untold stories revolving around intelligence, security and the government. Ordinary Americans do not understand the operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and National Intelligence Agency (NIA). They do not let people know the exact reasons behind their activities such as domestic and international surveillance on individuals’ secret communications. In order to make this play more appealing, Shanley had to incorporate the use of antithesis, motif, metaphor, symbols, themes, and analogy. These are very important devices which enabled him to deliver his message to the intended audience. The element of antithesis is evidenced when he juxtaposes two opposing ideas. For instance, it is successfully used by comparing and contrasting the young liberal and friendly Father Flynn and the conservative Sister Aloysius; Irish students and black students; and the guilty and innocent Father Flynn. These are instances which are very important in the play because they help in promoting the development of the plot and thematic concerns. For instance, by comparing the guilt and innocence of the priest, the play brings out Sister Aloysius as a very suspecting and doubtful character that can not actually make a concrete decision based on the ‘allegations labeled against the priest’ (Brantley). Just like her, the audience is left wonder ing about the actual truth about this matter. In my own imagination, I think the best word to use to describe Father Flynn is shrewd. Although Sister Aloysius accuses him of molesting the young Donald, the actual truth about his innocence or guilt is not known. However, I would like to suggest that he is innocent of all the accusations. After failing to prove them, Sister Aloysius tries to screw him by allegedly learning of his misconduct in his previous mission through a phone call. With all the unresolved mysteries surrounding this matter, I would like to

Global Trends in Crime Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Global Trends in Crime - Research Paper Example These crimes have more or less infiltrated all corners of the globe, making the apprehension and prosecution process difficult and complicated to carry out. This paper shall discuss the current global trends in crimes, paying particular attention to the infiltration and increased rates of internet crimes and the remedies which have been set forth by the different governments of the world. This paper is being carried out with the hope of establishing a clear and comprehensive discussion of the subject matter and its impact on the governments and the general population. Discussion With the advent of information and communication advancements, the geographical borders of countries have become virtually penetrable (Rosenau, 1995). The porosity of our borders as well as the anonymity of transactions in the internet has created opportunities for criminals and violent groups, as well as for terrorist groups to expand their operations in the international scene. Government-supported cyber-te rrorism groups in some regions and hackers have strengthened their skills further in the digital world (Comite Europe’en Des Assurance, 2004). With the coordinated processes between organized crimes and the digital world, the general security of the global landscape has been made vulnerable (Williams, 2001). The Federal Bureau of Investigation sets forth that cyber criminals have launched attacks on many Fortune 500 corporations. In fact, based on reports by the International Data Corporation, about 39% of Fortune 500 companies have been attacked in the digital world via security breaches. Hackers have also been known to attack the Pentagon, the White House, and NATO (Lunev, 2001). Attacks on Microsoft have also led to the theft of their secret source codes; and credit card numbers from various banks have also been accessed illegally by these hackers. About 20 years ago, terrorist activities had to be carried out with much bloodshed and physical contact among combatants, and now, the digital world has made it possible to achieve the same ends of terrorism without the necessity of physical contact among combatants (Verton, 2002). Consequently, terrorism has become an even more dangerous practice and the FBI and other law enforcement authorities have recognized the dangers it poses to the general population. Through the rapid digitization of businesses and other political and social establishments, thieves and other criminals have also gone digital with the manner of their commission of crimes (Carblanc and Moers, 2003). These organizations and corporations have been prompted by these attacks to worry and protect the security of their digital networks. But these crimes seem to evolve as the digital technologies are also evolving. Some of these crimes shall be discussed in this paper. Cyber crimes or cyber attacks are simply defined as crimes which are carried out with the use of a computer network (Kshetri, 2005). In general, cyber crimes include critical infrastructure attack, fraud, online money laundering, criminal uses of Internet communications, identity fraud, use of computers to carry out traditional crimes and cyber extortions (Kshetri, 2005). Other cyber crimes include cyber-stalking and cyber bullying. Other cyber crimes are traditional crimes which are carried out with the use of computer networks. Some of these crimes shall be discussed below. One of the current concerns in the world of crime is the fact that it has become even more difficult to estimate the

How accounting affect stock price Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How accounting affect stock price - Essay Example Unexpected good accounting performance has a significant effect on CEO’s pay for a short time. However, on long-term basis, the trend reverses, and the pay starts decreasing and thus the benefits accrued evens out. However, in the compensation using the stock price performance, a good stock price translates into increased CEO salary, which on the long-run maintains the rise. Accounting performance is arrived at by an aggregate evaluation of all the subunits of the firm. Acquiring all the required information in computing the aggregate departmental performance is a tedious exercise that takes quite a considerable amount of time. A poor performance in one department is likely to negatively affect the other entire firm. Thus, to ensure a high performance level, the CEO must focus on an increasing performance of all the departments of the firm. Accounting performance is very useful when issuing promotions to various departmental managers and supervisors. The best performing managers and supervisors, and the ones who have maintained an upward trend are awarded with promotions, but not the best method to use in determining a CEO’s compensation. A firm could register an upward growth for a number of years, but assume an upward diminishing growth. This phenomenon occurs when the firm achieves its maximum growth, where all resources are utilized to the optimum. At this point, the firm cannot grow anymore since all its resources are fully utilized. The growth thus becomes stagnant. A CEO who is compensated using this method will start receiving decreasing remuneration as the firm’s performance starts decreasing. In contrary to the accounting performance, the stock prices method does not reach a maximum growth level. A CEO who works hard to achieve growth of the firms’ stock prices has no limit to the level at which they can

Gun Control Essay Example for Free

Gun Control Essay Gun control has been a debatable issue for all times. This essay aims to put forward an argument against gun control. The essay asserts that prevalence of gun control should not be a part of the society. Society should be against gun control because people should be able to protect themselves, the crime rate would decrease, and people have the right to bear arms. Discussion The controversy regarding the gun control is neither a new one nor particular to United States. Majority of the gun control laws make no demarcation between the citizens who are law breakers and those who are law abiding. Gun control laws simply entail that anyone who possess a gun is likely to be a law breaker, which is merely not a case (Reynolds Caruth, pp. 01). The purpose behind the gun control and gun crime laws is to avert the criminals from acquiring guns and using the guns they had acquired. However, the number of armed crimes as well as criminals has amplified during the time when gun control laws have thrived. It appears as if the actual results of gun control have not been the projected ones (Reynolds Caruth, pp. 02). Gun control laws restricts the ordinary citizens from possessing a gun, which implies that at the time of a criminal attack or a robbery, the citizen will not be likely to defend him or herself. The self defense survey conducted by Dr. Gary Kleeck shows that around 2. 1 million times, guns are used for self defense purpose in a year (Krouse, pp. 13). A gun control law will restrain the people from protecting themselves in case of a violent crime attack. This will enable the criminals to be more powerful and confident while attacking people as people would not be armed. For instance pizza delivery boys keep guns to prevent themselves from being robbed. Thus, society should be against gun control because people have a right to protect and defend themselves. Imposing gun control laws do not reduce crimes. However, guns in the hands of those citizens who are law abiding and physically less strong than the criminals, are the best preventions for the crimes (Reynolds Caruth, pp. 02). Criminals are provoked by self-protection and guns can thus be a disincentive. A majority of convicted American criminals have reported that they fear from attacking the victims who are armed. Their fear of encountering armed victims surpasses their fear of being caught by police (Lott, pp. 05). Robbers do not attempt to break into houses after midnight because of the probability of being shot. Thus, society should be against gun control because crimes will decrease. Keeping guns and using them for self defense is a right of the citizens as laid by the constitution. The constitution wants its citizens to possess guns in order to protect and defend themselves from the criminals or the despotism of their own government. Other than the constitutional right, self defense by keeping guns is also an inherent basic human right of the people (Reynolds Caruth, pp. 27-29). Therefore, society should be against gun control as people have a right to bear arms. Conclusion Most of the criminals acquire guns from illegal sources. Gun control laws; therefore, are not able to restrict criminals. They only restrain law abiding citizens from possessing guns which increases the crime violence; therefore, society should be against gun control because people should be able to protect themselves, the crime rate would decrease, and people have the right to bear arms.

Life Cycle Assestment Essay Example for Free

Life Cycle Assestment Essay The automotive industry is major component of the American economy, but also is a very devastating one, which consumes in large quantities natural resources and generates a lot of waste. This industry contributes pollution with toxic substances and fossil fuels. By knowing the Life cycle implication of a specific design materials are the key point for managing and being able to have decision making strategy .The results of the Life cycle analysis of cars provide information on n environmental impact issues. The evaluation of automobiles fueled, new technologies such as electricity and gas units can prove the benefits and decrease the environmental impact. Although none of these alternatives is a clear winner, lowering emissions and improving sustainability is a priority of this industry. Companies such as the Ford Motor Company need future regulation, government priorities and technological developments in order to achieve sustainability. For understanding the end-of-life on a Ford Motor Company vehicle we must define the life cycle concept. By material life cycle I refer to Consecutive and interlinked stages of a product or service system, from the extraction of natural resources to the final disposal.   , as written in the International Organization of Standards (ISO) norm 14040.2. With the knowledge of the life cycle path we can define the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?which is also stated under the same above ISO regulation as This concept he ?Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is A systematic set of procedures for compiling and examining the inputs and outputs of materials and energy and the associated environmental impacts directly attributable to the functioning of a product or service system throughout its life cycle. 1. Life Cycle Assessment is a process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or activity by identifying the quantity of energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment; and being able to assume the damage it causes to the environmental issues. Ford might make use of this tool for making a compression and to better understand their environmental, social and economical impact. Ford is actively developing and applying life cycle assessment methodologies that can be applied in the vehicle industry supporting Fords Design for Environment approaches LCA is a powerful decision making tool, which identifies the factor that will be used in his process to accomplish a great  decision. This is used as an aid from the industry. The criteria may depend on who is making the decision. This tool is used for tracking system performance for a diversity of criteria like: emissions, energy use, and financial costs, among others. This tool can also ev aluate environmental impacts from the process or the production of a product; it also helps to compare options between competition and consumers. The aluminum, plastic and steel industries are developing new ideas and technologies with automakers in order to study the environmental impact of vehicles. By using the ?life cycle inventory (LCI) (The first step of the LCA the one that uses methods to estimate the environmental performance of a product or process over its entire life cycle) . have studied the energy flows and its uses in extraction of the raw material from the original source , emissions, amount of fuel consumed and the end-of-live of the waste disposal . The average of aluminum has increased in the past decade, as an example is the ?increase from 64 kilograms to 113 per vehicle in 1999. ?The aluminum, steel, plastics and auto industries are cooperating in developing a credible, authoritative database of information that the auto companies can use to meet their customers requirements and enhance the environmental performance of their vehicles, said David Parker, president of the Aluminum Association. 2 As an example of the above explained issue I can make an explanation trough the aluminum use in vehicle assembly. Aluminum saves an equivalent of 20 kilograms of carbon dioxide emission over its lifetime. Due to the reduction of the weight, its recycling properties ( ?In North America, 96 percent of automobiles enter the recycling process,? said Andrew Sharkey, the American Iron and Steel Institutes chief executive officer and president. 2) and energy sources. The energy consumption for aluminum productions are non pollutant and it is very easy material to recycle. No additional scrap exists in aluminum recycling process. Aluminum reduce 10 % of the weight and with it, there is a fuel economy improvement between 6-8 %. Ford itself has reported a 4% improvement in fuel reduction from the 10% weight reduction. Ford produces 24 million cars and truck per year imagines how much they can save not only in an economical area but also  the environmental benefit for not exhausting the natural sources and preserving the planet. In 1999, Ford used about 88 million pounds of recycled non-metallic materials in its products and has set a goal to use more than 132 million pounds of recycled non-metallic material by 2002. A solution for this problem that nowadays it has been a little bit more taken in consideration is the use of alternative fuels and electric vehicles. Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) use internal combustion engines but run on fuels like compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, ethanol and many others. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) use electric motors for propulsion. The motors run on electricity stored on board the vehicles in batteries.? With projects like Hybrid vehicles Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) combine conventional internal combustion and battery electric powertrains to take advantage of the capabilities of each and the synergies between them and lightweigthing steels material the industry will make a huge contribution to reach sustainability. Full cost accounting is a tool that tries to assign values to all of the society costs, but it is very difficult to apply it properly. Issues like Health management might be useful to understand better this tool. In a free-market society such as the American decisions are not done by a central planning organizations that optimizes the social costs or criteria for society issues , but on the basis of market prices of alternative products and technologies . Ultimately, comparisons between new technologies should be done based on lifecycle assessments for achieving sustainability or at lest an improvement on it.

Risks and Benefits of Modern Technology

Risks and Benefits of Modern Technology The Internet and other emerging technologies have been a source of help to organisations in the modern time. It could be argued that having a form of modern technology is inevitable in the bid to remain competitive. Information Technology industry and media commentators claim that businesses stand to gain many benefits from use of the Internet. There is no doubt that the internet has transformed the way organizations operate at present, not only do these improve processes, financial benefits are also increased. While successful examples of companies using the net have been widely reported, few studies have seriously examined the issues involved. However, there is always a flip side of the coin in everything, as the internet and the other emerging technologies have their benefits to organizations. There are also the disadvantages. This paper will seek to analyze both sides in detail and put forward possible solutions backed up by research which will reduce the risk of digital business. George (1988) defined Emerging Technology as science based innovations that have the potential to create a new industry or transform an existing one. They include discontinuous technologies derived from radical innovations. Examples are bio therapeutics, high-temperature super conductors, MRI imaging, Touch screen kiosk and the Internet. The Touch Screen Kiosk is a new java-enabled technology. Touch-screen kiosks go beyond the capabilities of a traditional time clock in that they are true information appliances. They provide a bridge between the organization and the workforce, both capturing workforce information and extending organizational information back to the employee. A kiosk-based solution for time, attendance, and labour tracking also offers organizations a tool for empowering employees with self-service. With the touch of a finger, employees can view Internet-enabled applications that display their schedules, vacation balances, and corporate messages or allow time and labou r data entry. Workforce management can now be a two way street. (Rizzo, 2001) The Internet started in the 80s and since then it has had a drastic impact on culture, commerce and business and due to the speed, litheness, and effectiveness that it offers, it has become the means for accomplishing a growing amount of business between suppliers and large international companies. With this, the Internet has created new business to developing countries and has hastened the distribution of knowledge throughout the world of business. It thus creates unprecedented opportunities for developing countries because it can remove barriers thereby fostering full participation in the new global economy. Some organisations use the internet for almost every part of their organization such as buying and delivery of goods, stock control, manufacture arrangement, communications plans, sales programs, service departments and support programs. The change from traditional communication channels such as salespeople, telephone and snail mail to the internet and e-mail happened quickly i n some companies. However, this transition took place slowly in others. (McKenna and Bargh, 2000) Emerging Technologies have instigated a new transaction method that decrease costs, hastens the pace at which transactions are carried out, and supply acces to new markets, new customers, and new business relationships of all kinds. Even with all these benefits that the internet has brought to the business world, there are still a lot of risks involved such as fraudulent transactions, scams and more. This research would explain all these risks and benefits in detail. The Internet has enabled business to go far beyond previously set or imagined boundaries. Today, change is constant, its speed is accelerating, and its global impact is felt everywhere. While the Internet offers many potential benefits, there are a number of unresolved issues in conducting business on it. Despite recent advances, security remains the most fundamental concern and the main reason why companies hold back from full use of the net (van Kirk, 1994; Baron, 1995). Iver (2003) explains that online business is an infinite term about the different business procedures that plan to assimilate the merchants with the consumers and suppliers using the Internet. The whole procedure of putting up a website, helping the potential customer steer through the site, showing them the accessible products, offering cut rate and coupons and doing everything possible to persuade the potential customers and changing them into customers, comes under the process of e-business. He further went to discuss about Electonic commerce which is a compartment of e-business and is defined as online business that can be accounted for in financial terms. For instance, paying for goods and products with credit card by the consumers or shopping and paying online are examples of electronic-commerce. E-commerce could be explained as the last phase of e-business which involves the payments of the products sold by the organisation. The use of the internet has several disadvantages when conducting business transactions. According to Iver (2003), the main disadvantage of online business is the poor growth rate in certain segment on account of goods. For example, the food sector has not profited in terms of expansion of sales and resulting profits generation due to some certain reasons like food products being an unpreserved item. Customers hardly search for food products and items on the Internet because they rather go to the stores to purchase the required product when it is needed. It is also very easy to go into the online business as almost everyone has a laptop and is connected to the internet. This gives room for fraudulent activities since there isnt proper security in place to monitor the number of people that develop shopping websites. Trust is also a major issue in online business because any problems with your business website will be immediately be obvious to the world and the customers typically have little loyalty. Due to competition, once your website is unavailable, customers will simply move on to one of your competitors. In addition, technical failure can also have a significant impact on a companys key trading partners. Sid (2007) also discussed about the disadvantages of online business based on internet services and trust issues. Internet Technology According to Sid (2007), he discussed about the disadvantages of practising online business. The first point is that the website of the business must keep functioning at all times; this is the equivalent to a physical store staying open. If an Internet business goes offline due to technical issues, it can cost them profit; therefore, it’s essential to either have the technical skills or have someone in the company that possesses the technical skills to keep the company functional at all times. Trust Sid (2007) also explained about the behaviour of people shopping online. In many people’s minds, purchasing products over the Internet is still not as safe as purchasing products in stores. Since people cannot see the person on the other end of the computer, they might have issues purchasing products. This is also dependent upon the products and the sector. Lacking consumer’s trust can significantly impact sales and overall success. According to Lewis (2002), internal network protection will be a big issue for the organizations that wish to offer their services to Internet-using customers around the world. Hackers and other internet criminals can infiltrate company files and infect them with a virus, which is then sent to other computers to infect them. If the networks are not secured such people could also find important information about the company. Newly publicized weaknesses in the basic structure of the Internet indicate that the worldwide computer network may need a time-consuming redesign before it can be safely used as a commercial medium. Lewis (2002) further went to explain about how hackers can easily get access to different companies and can cover their traces without any major concerns. They like to trade data illegally and sell data to the hacker community. Calling-card numbers from long distance telephone service providers, cellular service activation codes, stolen credit-card numbers, security-p enetrating algorithms and pirated software codes are among the data most frequently traded on the Internet. Hackers might also bombard a company with thousands of mail messages using automatic remailer tools. The posting of messages can knock out communications at a critical time in a competitive situation and even firewalls cannot protect a company well against these attacks. Jerkins (1995) explained about Information security which is based on three foundations: Data integrity A company must be sure that its data have not been changed. Confidentiality of data Companies have to be able to keep to themselves what they do not want others to know, such as their customer database, credit card numbers, etc. Authenticity Companies need to be sure that messages they receive from the Net are from the people they claim to be. If any of these factors can be infiltrated by hackers, the company is no longer secure.Another risk is the increasing number of information brokers who use online communications to match buyers and sellers. Criminals always seem to always have an edge over law enforcement agencies.An online Internet organization also faces other challenging risks. Cafasso (1996) explains the case of staff members that always download adult material from the internet and go further to show them around in the work environment. This can create a hostile working environment and employees that view the adult material might feel sexually harassed within the company and could press charges. The company will have to ensure that employees cannot download such media files or other offensive materials from the Internet. It will have to develop strict guidelines to protect its own interests and the uncontrolled surfing habits of its employees.To do business on the Internet successfully, companies will have to en sure that the customer is indeed the person he or she claims to be. Verification and confirmation, written with an e-mail system, will work well enough for the time being. The advantages of using the internet or emerging technologies were explained by Iver in 2003. Worldwide Presence According to Iver, 2003, this is the major benefit of transacting dealings online. An organization using e-business can have a countrywide or a global presence. For example, IBM was one of the first firms to start practicing e-business to service customers and work in partnership with business associates all over the globe. Dell Inc. also had a prosperous business selling computers all over the US, through the telephone and the Internet till 2007. Amazon.com is also an accomplishment story that assists customers buy globally from third parties. Hence, global presence is guaranteed if organizations reorganize their business by using the Internet. Cost Effective Marketing and Promotions The use of the web to advertise products ensures global reach at a small price. Advertising techniques like pay per click advertising guarantees that the promoter only pays for the advertisements that are really watched. Affiliate marketing, where customers are directed to a business portal because of the efforts of the affiliate who in turn receive compensation for their efforts meeting with success, have emerged on account of e-business. Associated marketing has assisted both the business and the associates. Organizations making use of e-business have handled to use cost effective online advertising strategies to their advantage. Developing a Competitive Strategy Organizations need to have a competitive strategy over their rivals because without an effective strategy, it will be difficult to sustain the advantage and make proceeds. The strategy, that the organization can chase, can be a price strategy or a differentiation strategy. For instance, till the year 2007, Dell Inc. was selling PCs only through the Internet and the phone. It took up a differentiation strategy by selling its PCs through the internet and personalizing its laptops to meet up with the requirements of the customers and it really helped their profits. Thus, engaging business online resulted in Dell Inc. being able to acquire a large sector of the market by making use of the differentiation strategy. Better Customer Service Iver (2002) explained that doing business online has produced an improvement in customer service. Occasionally, when going through a website, the customer is always met by a pop-up chat window. Readily available customer service may assist in encouraging the customer to know more about the product or service. Furthermore, the products can be paid for online and can be shipped to the customers home. Internet services allow for asynchronous interaction and provide convenience for the client. The Web also makes access to people in remote areas feasible. This assistance, says Snow (2001), is able to bridge distances and help overcome a wide assortment of isolation economic, physical, emotional, geographical. Doing business on the Internet will become even more essential in the future. More organizations will have the right to use to the Internet and, with the price of communication reducing; more customers will come to the Internet as well. The Internet offers remarkable possibilities and could, in the long run, surpass conventional distribution channels. It is very simple to get connected to the Internet and people can browse and shop on the Internet 24 hours a day, if they want to. The Internet offers an exceptional way to get in touch with the customers on a one-to-one basis. Better emerging technologies will help organizations to represent themselves better and sell more products. So for people to keep enjoying the benefits on the Internet, it is important that the security issues must be addressed. Security on the Internet is a very vital issue, and some good solutions are beginning to form. Organizations that use the internet often need to protect themselves in three major areas: data integrity, confidentiality of data and authenticity. It becomes more and more key to avoid hackers from stealing or tampering with data stored in organisations systems. This can be done by installing firewalls or routers. When data travels on the Net, it is normally intended to be read only by sender and recipient, which can be ensured with encryption systems. Finally, an organization wants to be sure that the parties it is communicating with are really who they claim to be. Authenticity can be obtained with digital signatures. Doing business online involves some risks, like any other business transaction. But if attention is devoted to installing secure procedures, it is no more risky than other business practices. Since security is essential in online business because of all the risk involved, one of the major organizations that provide such security for banks and other large organizations that deal with online business is Panda Security. It is one of the major leading IT security providers and an antifraud service for doing business online to guard against identity theft through malware attacks targeting banks that operate online, platforms for payment and electronic-commerce. This procedure advises companies when there is a targeted attack and provides the gears to spot and obstruct affected users which reduce any possibility of online fraud. This solution allows banks and organizations providing online services to ensure that customers initiating businesses on their websites are not contaminated by any malevolent code that affects the service. They can see the security status of their customers and efficiently supervise the danger involved in online business. This radically reduces the poss ibility of fraudulent actions. The benefits that this service offers organizations include: Reduction of online fraud Panda Security for Internet Transactions provides tools and information to stop fraudulent activity. Organizations are instantly notified whenever there is a new malware attack targeting their customers, and delivered the information needed to respond in time. Organizations will see how the malware operates and how they can protect themselves. They can prevent infected customers from accessing their website, reducing the effects of online fraud. Control and management of threats to online transactions This is the only service on the market offering information about the security status of clients. This can be used by an organization to create risk profiles, meaning the service can be configured to restrict the permission to carry out transactions to those clients that meet pre-determined security requirements. Expanding business thanks to improved security Users lack of confidence in online security is one of the prime reasons for their reticence to use Web services. This tool reduces online fraud and allows companies to offer clients a secure environment for online transactions For the business community, the Internet is a new limit, offering matchless prospects for development and growth. Organizations can provide their services throughout the world, with the variety of services multiplying daily. It is also obvious that the advantages of using the internet and other emerging technologies for business is by far more than the disadvantages so organizations would continue to use them and keep trying to find ways to reduce online fraud and scams. Practising online business involves some threats just like any other business deal. But if concentration is dedicated to installing secure measures, it is no more dangerous than other business practices. As a matter of fact, it is not safe for your organization not to be represented on the Web if you are related to the technology industry in any way: the Web will be the first place prospective customers will look for you, expecting to find you there. There are unique opportunities on the Web for marketing a companys services, selling products and gathering information. References BBC (1999), â€Å"Internet scam file†, BBC On-line Network, 7 April,news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/your_ Brewer E. (15), â€Å"Internet flaws a setback for commerce†, New York Times Personal Technology. Cafasso, R., When security isnt what it seems, Enterprise Systems Network Management, March 1996, pp. 72-84 Cyber-Smut: Regulating Obscenity on the Internet; Kaplan, Rebecca Dawn Stan. L. Pol’y Rev.; 1998 Vol. 9, p189, Edward Rizzo 2001 Emerging Technologies and the Internet Enable Todays E-Workforce http://community.19actionnews.com/_zhangyan-has-added-Advantages-of-E-Business/BLOG/2275620/2165.html http://www.abestweb.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=lastpostt=103922 http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-e-business.html http://www.ehow.com/list_6023059_disadvantages-e_business.html http://www.marketingservicestalk.com/news/pan/pan113.html http://www.pandasecurity.com/virus_info/exports/rss/pandaes.xml Jenkins, L., Doing business in a global marketplace: secure electronic commerce, Ciphertext The RSA newsletter, Vol. 3 No. 1, Winter 1995, pp. 1, 8. Jim Drinkhill, 2001, Journal of Financial Crime, Computer Fraud, Vol. 4 No. 3 Lewis, P. (22), â€Å"Security of personal data is lost in cyberspace†, Computer Information Systems. McKenna, K. Y. A. and Bargh, J. A. (2000) Plan 9 from cyberspace: The implications of the Internet for personality and social psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Review, Vol. 4, pp. 57-75. money/newsid_313000/313051.stm. SEC (1998), Internet Fraud: How to Avoid Internet Investment Scams, US Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, DC, October, www.sec.gov/consumer/cyberfr.htm Sid, J. (2007), World Wide Web Marketing – Integrating the Internet into Your Marketing Strategy, John Wiley, New York. NY Snow, S. (2001) Is Online Counseling Ethical? Available: http://www.commcure.ethicsonline.html. Accessed Aug. 26 2003.

How do Pride and Prejudice Affect the Relationship between Darcy and El

How do Pride and Prejudice Affect the Relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth? Jane Austen was an English author who wrote Pride and Prejudice and many other novels. Her early writings began in 1787 and ended in 1793.Jane Austen was born on the 16th of December in 1775 at Steventon Rectory Hampshire. She lived from 1775 to 1817 and was born the seventh child in a family of eight and Jane was mostly attached to her sister Cassandra. Jane’s first novel, Sense and Sensibility began as a novel-in-letters called â€Å"Elinor and Marianne.† These letters may reflect the relationship between Jane and her sister Cassandra. It is well documented that Jane and Cassandra were extremely close as children. When they grew older the two kept in touch by writing each other letters on a daily basis. Cassandra destroyed many of letters of correspondence with Jane to protect her privacy following her death. In 1817 Jane’s recent run of good fortune came to an end. Her health grew worse as throughout the year from what we now know was Addison’s disease; she passed away on July 18 of that year. I think that Jane Austen was trying to tell the audience about human relationships and I also think that the purpose of this novel was to show the ups and downs of human relationships. The subject Human relationships is very interesting, this is because certain people relate to it in different ways. Some people may relate to it as cunning and bitterly whereas others may enjoy it and relate to it in different points of views. I also feel that Jane Austen was telling us how the lifestyles and the roles of society of the men and women in the early nineteenth century. After reading the novel and watching the film of pride and prejudice I n... ...Austen shows how several other marriages work. Some are happy, some not, and no two are alike. In a society in which marriage was so important to women- and to men- the qualities that make a marriage succeed are quite a serious matter. Jane Austen treats the subject with Comedy, but underneath the comic surface she is very serious. Notice, as you read what qualities she shows us as good and bad in a marriage. It seems that the success of a marriage in Austen's would- as perhaps in ours- depends on the characters of the married pair and the motives that brought them together in the first place. I agree with all this because it touches on themes of class, social behavior, and family relationships. It's a peek into a world that in some ways is nothing like ours, but it contains truths which seem to apply in any world. Also many people can relate to it in their own ways.

Making a Leader :: Leadership Papers

Missing Formatting Leadership According to Nathan F. Iannone, leadership can be defined as the art of influencing, directing, guiding, and controlling others in such a way as to obtain their willing obedience, confidence, respect and loyal cooperation in accomplishment of an objective. Leaders are not born†¦sure there are some gifts-traits-attributes, natural endowments that affect relative abilities†¦but they are not born, they are made. Any reasonably intelligent person with enough forcefulness to develop his/her ability to inspire others to follow him can earn leadership status. Remember that we have both formal and informal leaders†¦. Being a Captain /Sergeant doesn't make you a leader! Classic Leadership Theory: Common Traits of Leaders. Booher and Watson refer to classic leadership theory because it describes an approach to understanding leadership that by and large is out of style. Nonetheless it is clear that one can learn a great deal by studying the important personal ingredients in the l eadership equation. Studying the traits of great leaders became unpopular because it was and is associated with the "great man" theory of leadership. This approach was espoused in the 19th. and early 20th. Centuries, and asserted the leadership qualities are largely inherited. This was called "trait theory." Researchers such as Mann and Stodgill found no consistent correlate between particular traits and leadership. Later research, particularly more recent and more sophisticated work has found a consistent and strong relationship between certain traits and leadership. Possessing these core traits simply makes it more likely that a person will take the appropriate action leading to leadership success. Overhead #2 The Art of Leadership. What is the nature of leadership, leadership is an art! As with any form of artistic expression, painting, music, leadership is an art form in that it: ï‚ · Is an expression of the individual within the social and environmental context. ï‚ · Refl ects the individual's personality. ï‚ · Can be easier to demonstrate and develop when one has a talent for it. ï‚ · Can be learned-you may have a talent for it, you may not, either way, anyone can still become an effective leader. ï‚ · Is greatly enhanced through a disciplined regimen of learning and feedback. Through science, we can study the elements of leadership and provide valuable understanding into its nature. This enables us to determine where to focus our leadership skills and abilities, as well as measure to some extent, our effectiveness. However, the act of leading itself is largely unscientific and is far more akin to practicing an art form than studying scientific variables.

Political Rhetoric During the American Revolution

Political rhetoric has been used since the ancient times. It has been used by public speakers from everywhere and to spring their audience to action. A great public speaker or writer is determined by his or her choice of words. In American history there have been documents that have had a tremendous impact on public opinion. Political rhetoric is extremely important because it can bring a society together for one common cause. When someone uses rhetoric effectively the reader starts to have a stirring in their heart because they feel inspired by what is being said. This usually leads them to take action and support the cause their referring to which in this case was the American Revolution. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, the VA Declaration of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence were documents that greatly shifted public opinion and led the colonists to support the revolution with their use of rhetoric. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was a political pamphlet written at the heels of the America Revolution that became extremely popular among the colonies. Thomas Paine was a Pennsylvania journalist during the time of the American Revolution. He began working on it in late 1775 and it was published in 1776. The rhetoric of this pamphlet along with its popularity greatly turned the tide in favor of rebelling against Great Britain. Paine wrote this pamphlet in a style that a common person could understand. The title itself contains rhetoric. By making the title Common Sense it implies that the contents of the pamphlet contain many common sense ideas that everyone reading it should understand. The wording of his pamphlet was very simple and contained many biblical references so it was also relatable to the colonists. It was extremely important that all colonists could understand the pamphlet because it would create a sense of unity and understanding among the rich and poor colonists. Paine’s main arguments were that it is foolish for such an island to rule a continent, Britain had selfish intentions in ruling the colonies, and being a part of Britain would involve America in unnecessary European wars that would limit their economic possibilities. Paine in the first section creates a distinction between society and government. He says society is a patron that promotes happiness and government is a punisher that restrains society. To best describe his vision on the relationship that society and government should have he gives an example of a few people who live in nature without government.. He gives the example of the few people creating a society because the colonists can relate that to themselves. At one point in time Great Britain left the colonies alone for the most part and they lived in peace. Once the government got involved and began to take for themselves is when the colonists started having all these problems. Paine also argues that all men are created equal and that the distinction of the king from his subjects oppresses this idea. â€Å"MANKIND being originally equals in the order of creation, the equality could only be destroyed by some subsequent circumstance; the distinctions of rich, and poor, may in a great measure be accounted for, and that without having recourse to the harsh, ill-sounding names of oppression and avarice. Oppression is often the consequence, but seldom or never the means of riches; and though avarice will preserve a man from being necessitously poor, it generally makes him too timorous to be wealthy. But there is another and greater distinction for which no truly natural or religious reason can be assigned, and that is, the distinction of men into KINGS and SUBJECTS. † Paine in his third section discusses the problems between the colonies and England and says the best route is to declare their independence from England. In his final section he offers great optimism about the militia during the revolution and how it can win this war. Thomas Paine’s use of rhetoric in Common Sense is the reason why it was so persuasive and popular and could have possibly been the reason that the colonists finally came and decided to revolt against Great Britain. The Virginia Declaration of Rights was written in 1776 to proclaim the natural rights of man including the right to rebel against an inadequate government. George Mason was the author of this document, which was adopted unanimously by the Virginia Convention of Delegates in 1776. It was the first document that protected individual rights rather than protecting just members of Parliament. The declaration states that all men have their natural rights, which are life, liberty, and property. The rhetoric in this document influenced future significant documents in American history. Thomas Jefferson drew great inspiration from this document when he wrote the Declaration of Independence a month later. He borrowed the idea of natural rights of man and implemented them into his document. James Madison was also influenced by the rhetoric and ideas of the Virginia Declaration when drawing the Bill of Rights. Aside from being incredibly influential for latter documents; the Virginia Declaration of Rights asserted the right of the Virginia people to rebel against Great Britain The Declaration of Independence was one of the greatest documents ever written in American history. This document officially stated that the 13 colonies had broken away from the control of Great Britain who they were at war with at the time. It stated the reasons for why the colonies declared independence and listed the grievances against the king of England. The rhetoric in this document is what makes it such a powerful piece of literature. This declaration contains many powerful quotes that can emotionally affect a reader. â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. This quote has been called one of the most potent and consequential in American history and for good reason. The rhetoric in this quote is very powerful because it uses a religious reference and relates it to the colonists. By saying that the Creator as in God has given colonists certain rights, it leads them to believe that nobody can take them away and this gives them a sense of worth and purpose that no government could take away. Jefferson listed the many grievances that the colonies had against Great Britain to give reason for their breaking apart. These were complaints that the colonists all had against the government and so it created a sense of unity among them all. The Declaration of Independence had to have strong rhetoric in order for it to be a successful document. It had to take a stand against the tyranny America was facing and had to show that they were serious about their independence. Not only did they have to show it to Great Britain but as well as the common people of the colonies because they were the ones fighting in the war and they needed the reassurance that this war was worth fighting for. The creators, by signing the declaration on the last page gave the colonists this reassurance because it showed them that they were not just aristocrats writing a document in Pennsylvania while the common people fought on the battlefield but they were also putting their lives on the line. The signers knew that if they were to lose the war they would be killed and so the colonists recognized this and were inspired by their willingness to die for this cause. This gave the colonist the reassurance they needed to finish out the war, eventually defeat England and gain their independence. In conclusion political rhetoric has had a dramatic influence on public opinion during the American Revolution. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense greatly shifted the public opinion towards revolution while the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Declaration of Independence gave the colonists a sense of purpose and inspired them to rise up against Great Britain. It is hard to imagine what life in America would be like in present day had these documents not been written with such emotion and resolve. It is a good thing we do not have to find out. Bibliography: â€Å"Virginia Declaration of Rights. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 29 Aug 2009, 01:20 UTC. 29 Aug 2009 . â€Å"United States Declaration of Independence. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 21 Sep 2009, 03:39 UTC. 21 Sep 2009 . â€Å"Common Sense (pamphlet). † Wikipedia. Web. 19 Sept. 2009. . Paine, Thomas. Common Sense. Philadelphia: R. Bell, 1176. Print. â€Å"The Declaration of Independence. † Ushistory. org. Independence Hall Association, 4 July 1995. Web. 20 Sept. 2009.

The demand for telecommunications is rapidly increasing in Belize Essay

Research has found that an estimated fifty million minutes of international long distance telephone calls originate from Belize each year. The government has aimed to ensure that consumers have lower prices, higher quality services, wider array of service choices, and state of the art technology. It also seeks to improve the efficiency of numerous business ventures which would facilitate the economy of the country. An improved telecommunications infrastructure will also increase the level of foreign investment. The telecommunications sector has been constrained by limited financial ability to invest in development of new infrastructure (Fox 103, 2007). As a state run institution, BTL has found it difficult to maintain a state of the art telecommunications network. Satellite, cellular, and information technologies are changing at a rapid rate. Belize already faces several disadvantages as compared with its neighbors because it is losing competition in terms of cellular teledensity. It also has the greatest unsatisfied demand for services and the longest average wait for installation of telephone lines. It also suffers from a disadvantage in terms of the number of lines per employee and level of investment per employee. BTL has invested twenty dollars in telecommunications for every inhabitant. Other countries with similar economic levels have invested two to ten times higher. The country has annually invested less in telecommunication than the amount needed to maintain the current level of personal welfare enjoyed. The low investment rate has created several problems for BTL (Fox 103, 2007. Research conducted for a group of Belizeans determined that forty percent of the participants had no idea about the telecommunication reforms. Twenty percent claimed that government plans to reform the telecommunication sector would fail. The government aims to ensure that the demand for telecom services will increase if the level of services is upgraded and modernized. The country aims to privatize and liberalize the sector which would give an incentive for private organizations to provide services in remote areas of the country. Numerous communities in Belize do not have access to adequate telecommunication services. Private companies have been selected to tap for customers who would provide a large number of citizens with the opportunity to obtain telecommunications services. The Public Utilities Commission which was formed in the late 1990s regulates the telecommunications industry in Belize. It has worked with the government to develop a policy framework for the telecommunications sector. This policy is the future blueprint and development of the industry (Cronin 31, 2007). The Belize Telecommunications Act was passed in 2002 which allowed all licenses, permits, and permission for operating until the expiry of previous licenses. This act allows the development of the telecommunications industry by the system of competition. It has granted two licenses to the Belize Telecommunications Limited and International Telecommunications Limited. An individual license was also provided to Speednet Communications Limited. The PUC has granted an estimated twenty licenses for internet service providers, data networks, and private domestic networks (Cronin 32, 2007). The PUC has also allowed the improvement in the set of rules and software applications to improve the quality of communications. Belize has not managed to open its telecommunications market to competition and privatization. As a result it has been experiencing slower sector growth and higher prices as compared with its neighbors. High prices and the slow rate of innovation have been identified as being responsible for the slow pace of development (Cronin 29, 2007). There are also limited opportunities for entrepreneurial initiatives. The new government aims to properly design and implement reforms in the telecommunications sector. It requires political will and capacity to reform which would assist in the development of the telecommunications sector. It also requires the need for clear policies and basic rules of the game. The policy for licensing new companies must be clear as it would ensure that the sector structure is secure in the future. The pricing rules must be well defined which would allow firm numbers and simple formulas for automatic adjustments to hold for several years. Another requirement is the powers of the regulatory authority and the decision making processes will be used in interactions with regulators. Credible and stable sector policies and rules are another objective of the government. They aim to create a broad consensus on the reform package (Cronin 30, 2007). Another important step is the government seeks to add credibility to the reform process by relating the process to its success. Good telecommunications laws also need to be implemented according to the objectives of the new government. The current legislation needs to be upgraded so that it can assist in telecommunication reforms in Belize. A major task of the Belizean government has been to create credibility for its telecommunications reform policy. Private investors believe that the absence of credibility would result in the risk of expropriation and having investors taken hostage in terms of the ability of the government to force utilities to charge unprofitable rates for their services. While the government wants to encourage private investment, it must create an institutional arrangement that limits their own ability to behave opportunistically once private telecom operators undertake their investments. The creation of regulatory bodies creates questions concerned with accountability and autonomy. Empirical studies that have studied the Belizean telecommunication sector have tried to explain the partial telecommunications reforms or the effects of political and institutional variables on network deployment. Research has explored how new political institutions measured by index of checks and balances affect the long run level of penetration in Belize (Cronin 39, 2007). Political limits have a strong and positive relationship with the growth of main lines. It highlights the importance of policy for promoting steady and strong incentives to private investors in a sector where opportunistic behavior might be expected. Other researchers studied the effects of telecommunications regulation and political variables in which they found that these variables help explain the level of network expansion. A better and specific regulatory environment leads to greater investments in telecommunications. Ownership and competition by private investors tend to create favorable environment for the expansion of telecommunications. Regulation helps assist the private firms that enter the telecommunications sector of Belize. Research conducted for the links between privatization and network expansion found that privatization is strongly linked with the efficiency and reliability of the telecommunications sector. Competition a major variable can have a positive effect on the telecommunication sector. Regulation is however considered to negative with relation to network expansion. Regulatory environment constitutes an important factor for private organizations that seek to operate in Belize. Strategic decisions made by companies can be linked with traditional economic factors and regulatory conditions. The performance of the telecom industry affects and is affected by the political and regulatory decisions. Privatization, liberalization and regulatory enhancement are linked and influence each other in the success of the telecom industry (Cronin 69, 2007). Belizean telecommunications market is an emerging market which is considered risky by major telecom operators. It also suffers from volatility because of the vulnerability of the economy to market fluctuations. Consumers in Belize are also sensitive to prices even during the times of economic boom. Low prices and regulations make Belize an unattractive option for Western telecom companies. Despite major bills and reforms, the sector continues to be dominated by the BTL. Belize Telemedia retains its monopoly and hegemony over the telecommunication sector. It is also favorably supported by the government which continues to provide economic assistance to the company. The sluggish capital market and uncertainty about future economic development in Belize means that carriers will prefer technology that makes the most of existing infrastructure. This will increase the sales opportunities with products that offer reliable and efficient service.

Humanities Baroque Essay

Dramatic religious paintings were being made Literature was being written in a way that it will be memorable. The King James version of the Bible had major impacts on the arts. It was finished in 1611 and was considered to be the most important change in English literature and printing (Ryken). It was set to transform the entire English language and keep the emotional influence. â€Å"The new translation of Scripture preserved the spiritual fervor of the Old Testament Hebrew and the narrative vigor of the New Testament Greek† (Fiero 62). The King James Version was a big part of the Baroque period because it was a piece of literature that had heightened emotional words and could actually be understood correctly by the reader. In Baroque artwork, viewers can visualize the emotional impact the painting has. Everything is in action and the painting is like shot in the middle of what’s going on. In Caravaggio’s The Crucifixion of Saint Peter, everything is painted right in the middle of the crucifixion. Saint Peter is not even up yet but in the middle of getting there. The painting is activated and has complex movements. Gravity has a very powerful pull in this picture as well. Viewers can see the emotion in Saint Peter’s face that he is scared but brave. Caravaggio made sure to tell a story in this painting with emotion since you see a poor, innocent, and homeless looking man being crucified. Everything from the guy’s dirty feet and bottom who hoisting up Saint Peter is basically sticking out to the viewer’s face. The three men do not show there face as they crucify Saint Peter and it adds mystery as to who would do such an act. Everything from the nails in Saint Peter’s hands to the dirt on their feet is very real and descriptive. Light is also emphasized in this painting as well because of the black background. The Baroque period and its artwork gave out real emotion while the action is happening. All the tension in one painting is thrown into the viewers’ faces (Fiero). Music in the Baroque period surrounded itself with rhythm, melody, terraced dynamics, texture, and basses. Composers would express emotions and affection in their music and broke away from the Medieval times by using vocal and instrumental music. A famous composer in the Baroque period was Johann Sebastian Bach. He used to mainly do church music but then developed a more musical potential for the concerto form. The best composed song in his career was called The Art of Fugue. â€Å"A fugue is a polyphonic composition in which a single musical theme is restated in sequential phrases† (Fiero). Baroque music brought in emotions and even listeners who don’t even understand the brilliance composition of Bach, can grow a love for his music just listening to it. The Baroque period brought in emotion to everything like literature, paintings, and music. It forever changed literature and the English language for people to understand it better and are able to be moved by the words in text instead of just reading it.

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 7

Finding Todd and Vic turned out not to be easy. It was late afternoon by the time Mary-Lynnettewalked into the Briar Creek general store, which sold everything from nails to nylons to canned peas. â€Å"Hi, Bunny. I don't suppose you've seen Todd orVic around?† Bunny Marten looked up from behind the counter. She was pretty, with soft blond hair, a round, dimpled face, and a timid expression. She was in MaryLynnette's class at school. â€Å"Did you check over at theGold Creek Bar?† Mary-Lynnette nodded. â€Å"And at their houses, andat the other store, and at the sheriff's office.† The sheriff's office was also city hall and the public library. â€Å"Well, if they'renot playing pool, they're usuallyplinking.† Plinkingwas shooting atcans for practice. â€Å"Yeah, but where?† Mary-Lynnette said. Bunny shook her head, earrings glinting. â€Å"Yourguess is as good as mine.† She hesitated, staring down at her cuticles, which she was pushing back with a little blunt-pointed wooden stick. â€Å"But, you know, I've heard they go down to Mad Dog Creeksometimes.† Her wide blue eyes lifted to Mary Lynnette's meaningfully. Mad Dog Creek. . . Oh, great. Mary-Lynnette grimaced. â€Å"I know.† Bunny raised her shoulders in a shiver.†I wouldn't go down there. I'd be thinking about that body the whole time.† â€Å"Yeah, me, too. Well, thanks, Bun. See you.† Bunny examined her cuticles critically. â€Å"Good hunting,† she said absently. Mary-Lynnette went out of the store, squinting in the hot, hazy August sunlight. Main Street wasn'tbig. It had a handful of brick and stone buildingsfrom the days when Briar Creek had been a gold rush supply town, and a few modem frame buildings with peeling paint. Todd and Vic weren't in any of them. Well, what now? Mary-Lynnette sighed. There was no road to Mad Dog Creek, only a trail that was constantly blocked by new growth and deadfall. And everyone knew more than plinking went on there. If they're out there, they're probably hunting, she thought. Not to mention drinking, maybe using drugs. Guns and beer. And then there's that body. The body had been found last year around thistime. A man; a hiker, from his backpack. Nobody knew who he was or how he'd died-the corpse wastoo desiccated and chewed by animals to tell. But people talked about ghosts floating around the creek last winter. Mary-Lynnette sighed again and got into her station wagon. The car was ancient, it was rusty, it made alarming sounds when forced to accelerate, but it was hers, andMary-Lynnette did her best to keep it alive. She loved it because there was plenty of room in back to store her telescope. At Briar Creek's only gas station she fished a scrolled fruit knife from under the seat and went to work, prying at the rusty gas cap cover. A little higher up . . . almost, almost . . . now twist †¦ The cover flew open. â€Å"Ever think of going into the safecracking business?† a voice behind her said. â€Å"You've got the touch.† Mary-Lynnette turned. â€Å"Hi, Jeremy.† He smiled-a smile that showed mostly in his eyes,which were dear brown with outrageously darklashes. If I were going to fall for a guy-and I'm not-itwould be for somebody like him.Not for a big blond cat who thinks he can pick his sisters' friends. It was a moot point, anyway-Jeremy didn't goout with girls. He was a loner. â€Å"Want me to look under the hood?† He wiped his hands on a rag. â€Å"No, thanks. I just checked everything last week.† Mary-Lynnette started to pump gas. He picked up a squeegee and a spray bottle and began to wash the windshield. His movements were deft and gentle and his face was utterly solemn. Mary-Lynnette had to swallow a giggle herself, butshe appreciated him not laughing at the pitted glass and corroded windshield wipers. She'd always had an odd feeling of kinship with Jeremy. He was the only person in Briar Creek who seemed even slightlyinterested in astronomy-he'd helped her build a model of the solar system in eighth grade, and ofcourse he'd watched last year's lunar eclipse with her. His parents had died in Medford when he was justa baby, and his uncle brought him to Briar Creek in a Fleetwood trailer. The uncle was strange-alwayswandering off to dowse for gold in the Klamath wil derness. One day he didn't come back. After that, Jeremy lived alone in the . trailer in the woods. He did odd jobs and worked at the gas station to make money. And if his clothes weren't as nice assome of the other kids', he didn't care-or he didn't let it show. The handle of the gas hose clicked in MaryLynnette's hand. She realized she had been daydreaming. â€Å"Anything else?† Jeremy said. The windshieldwas dean. â€Å"No †¦ well, actually, yes. You haven't, um, seenTodd Akers or Vic Kimble today, have you?† Jeremy paused in the middle of taking her twentydollar bill. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I just wanted to talk to them,† Mary-Lynnettesaid. She could feel heat in her cheeks. Oh, God, hethinks I want to see Todd and Vic socially-and he thinks I'm crazy for askinghim. She hurried to explain. â€Å"It's just that Bunny saidthey might be down by Mad Dog Creek, so I thoughtyou might have seen them, maybe sometime this morning, since you live down around there†¦.† Jeremy shook his head. â€Å"I left at noon, but I didn'thear any gunshots from the creek this morning. Ac tually, I don't think they've been there all summerI keep telling them to stay away.† He said it quietly, without emphasis, but Mary-Lynnette had the sudden feeling that maybe evenTodd and Vic might listen to him. She'd never knownJeremy to get in a fight. But sometimes a look came into his level brown eyes that was ..: almost frightening. As if there was something underneath thatquiet-guy exterior-something primitive and pure and deadly that could do a lot of damage if roused. â€Å"Mary-Lynnette-I know you probably think thisis none of my business, but †¦ well, I think you should stay away from those guys. If you really wantto go find them, let me go with you.† Oh. Mary-Lynnette felt a warm flush of gratitude. She wouldn't take him up on the offer †¦ but it was nice of him to make it. â€Å"Thanks,† she said. â€Å"I'll be fine, but †¦ thanks .† She watched as he went to get her change insidethe station. What must it feel like to be on your own since you were twelve years old? Maybe he neededhelp. Maybe she should ask her dad to offer him some odd jobs around the house. He did them for everyone else. She just had to be careful-she knew Jeremy hated anything that smacked of charity. He brought back the change. â€Å"Here you go. And, Mary-Lynnette †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked up. â€Å"If you do find Todd and Vic, be careful.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"I mean it.† â€Å"I know,† Mary-Lynnette said. She had reached for the change, but he hadn't let go of it. Instead hedid something odd: He opened her curled fingers with one hand while giving her the bills and coins with the other. Then he curled her fingers back over it. In effect, he was holding her hand. The moment of physical contact surprised herand touched her. She found herself looking at his thin brown fingers, at their strong but delicate grip on her hand, at the gold seal ring with the black design that he wore. She was even more surprised when she glanced up at his face again. There was open concern in his eyes-and something like respect. For an instant she had a wild and completely inexplicable impulse to tell him everything. But she could just imagine what he would think. Jeremy was very practical. â€Å"Thanks, Jeremy,† she said, conjuring up a weak smile. â€Å"Take care.† â€Å"Youtake care. There are people who'd miss you if anything happened.† He smiled, but she could feel his worried gaze on her even as she drove away. All right,now what? Well, she'd wasted most of the day looking for Todd and Vic. And now, with the image of Jeremy's level brown eyes in her mind, she wondered if it had been a stupid idea from the beginning. Brown eyes †¦ and what color eyes did the bigblond cat have? Strange, it was hard to remember.She thought that they had looked brown at one point when he was talking about his old-fashioned family. But when he'd said he liked a girl with spirit, she remembered them being a sort of insipid blue. And when that odd knife-glint had flashed in them, hadn't they been icy gray? Oh,who cares?Maybe they were orange. Let's just go home now. Get ready for tonight. How come Nancy Drew always found the people she wanted to interrogate? Why? Why? Why me? Ash was staring at a yellow cedar weeping into a creek. A squirrel too stupid to get out of the sun was staring back at him. On a rock beside him a lizard lifted first one foot, then another. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. He didn't even believe it. He'd always been lucky. Or at least he'd alwaysmanaged to escape a hairsbreadth away from disaster. But this time the disaster had hit and it was a total annihilation. Everything he was, everything he believed abouthimself †¦ could he lose that in five minutes? For a girl who was probably deranged and certainly more dangerous than all three of his sisters put together? No, he concluded grimly. Absolutely not. Not in five minutes. It only took five seconds. He knew so many girls-nice girls. Witches withmysterious smiles, vampires with delicious curves, shapeshifters with cute furry tails. Even human girls with fancy sports cars who never seemed to mind when he nibbled their necks. Why couldn't it have been one of them? Well, it wasn't. And there was no point in wondering about the injustice of it. The question was, what was he going todo about it? Just sit back and let fate ride over him like an eighteen-wheeler? I'm sorryfor your family, Quinn had said to him. And maybe that was the problem. Ash was a victim of his Redfern genes. Redfern never could stay out of trouble; they seemed to tangle with humans at every turn. So was he going to wait for Quinn to come backand then offer that as an excuse? I'm sorry; I can't handle things here after all; I can't even finishthe investigation. If he did that, Quinn would call in the Elders and they would investigate for themselves. Ash felt his expression harden. He narrowed his eyes at the squirrel, which suddenly darted for thetree in a flash of red fur. Beside him, the lizard stopped moving. No, he wasn't just going to wait for fate to finish him off. He'd do what he could to salvage the situa tion-and the family honor. He'd do it tonight. â€Å"We'll do it tonight,† Rowan said. â€Å"After it's fully dark, before the moon rises. We'll move her to the forest.† Kestrel smiled magnanimously. She'd wonthe argument. â€Å"We'll have to be careful,† Jade said. â€Å"That thingI heard outside last night-it wasn't an animal. I think it was one of us.† â€Å"There aren't any other Night People aroundhere,† Rowan said gently. â€Å"That was the whole pointof coming here in the first place.† â€Å"Maybe it was a vampire hunter,† Kestrel said.†Maybe the one that killed Aunt Opal.† â€Å"If avampire hunter killed Aunt Opal,† Rowansaid. â€Å"We don't know that. Tomorrow we should look around town, see if we can at least get an ideawho mighthave done it.† â€Å"And when we find them, we'll take care ofthem,† Jade said fiercely. â€Å"And if the thing you heard in the garden turnsup, we'll take care of it, too,† Kestrel said. She smiled, a hungry smile. Twilight, and Mary-Lynnette was watching thedock. The rest of her family was comfortably, settledin for the night; her father reading a book about World War II, Claudine working conscientiously on a needlepoint project, Mark trying to tune up his oldguitar that had been sitting in the basement for years. He was undoubtedly trying to think of words to rhyme with Jade. Mary-Lynnette's father looked up from his book. â€Å"Going starwatching?† â€Å"Yup. It should be a good night-no moon till aftermidnight. It's the last chance to see some Perseids.† She wasn't exactly lying. It would be a good night, and she could keep an eye out for stragglers from the Perseid meteor storm as she walked to Burdock Farm. â€Å"Okay; just be careful,† her father said. Mary-Lynnette was surprised. He hadn't said anything like that for years. She glanced at Claudine, who jabbed with her needle, lips pursed. â€Å"Maybe Mark should go with you,† Claudine said, without looking up. Oh, God, she thinks I'm unstable, Mary-Lynnette thought. I don't really blame her. â€Å"No, no. I'll be fine. I'll be careful.† She said it too quickly. Mark's eyes narrowed. â€Å"Don't you need any help with your stuff?† â€Å"No, I'll take the car. I'll be. fine. Really.†Mary Lynnette fled to the garage before her family could come up with anything else. She didn't pack her telescope. Instead, she put a shovel in the backseat. She looped the strap of her camera around her neck and stuck a pen flashlight in her pocket. She parked at the foot of her hill. Before she gotthe shovel out, she paused a moment to look dutifully northeast, toward the constellation Perseus. No meteors right this second. All right. Keys inhand, she turned to open the back of the station wagon-and jumped violently. â€Å"Oh, God!† She'd nearly walked into Ash. Mary-Lynnette's pulse was racing and her knees felt weak. From fear, she told herself. And that's all. â€Å"You nearly gave me a heart attack!† she said. â€Å"Doyou always creep up behind people like that?† She expected some smart-ass answer of either the joking-menacing or the hey-baby variety. But Ashjust frowned at her moodily. â€Å"No. What are you doing out here?† Mary-Lynnette's heart skipped several beats. But she heard her own voice answering flatly, â€Å"I'm starwatching. I do it every night. You might want to make a note of that for the thought police.† He looked at her, then at the station wagon. â€Å"Starwatching?† â€Å"Of course. From that hill.† She gestured. Now he was looking at the camera looped around her neck. â€Å"No telescope,† he commented skeptically. â€Å"Or is that what's in the car?† Mary-Lynnette realized she was still holding the keys, ready to open the back of the wagon. â€Å"I didn't bring a telescope tonight.† She went around to the passenger side of the car, unlocked the door, reached in to pull out her binoculars. â€Å"You don't need a telescope to starwatch. You can see plenty with these.† â€Å"Oh, really?† â€Å"Yes,really.†Now, that was a mistake, Mary -Lynnette thought, suddenly grimly amused. Acting as if you don't believe me †¦ just you wait. â€Å"You want to see light from four million yearsago?† she said. Then, without waiting for him to answer: â€Å"Okay. Face east.† She rotated a finger at him. â€Å"Here, take the binoculars. Look at that line of fir trees on the horizon. Now pan up †¦Ã¢â‚¬ She gavehim directions, rapping them out like a drill sergeant. â€Å"Now do you see a bright disk with a kind of smudgeall around it?† â€Å"Um. Yeah.† â€Å"That's Andromeda. Another galaxy.But if you tried to look at it through a telescope, you couldn't seeit all at once. Looking through a telescope is like looking at the sky through a soda straw. That's all the field of view you get.† †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†All right. Okay. Point taken.† He started to lower the binoculars. â€Å"Look, could we suspend the starwatching for just a minute? I wanted to talk toyou â€Å"Want tosee the center of ourgalaxy?† Mary -Lynnette interrupted. â€Å"Turn south.† She did everything but physically make him turn.She didn't dare touch him. There was so much adrenaline racing through her system already-if shemade contact she might go supercritical and explode. â€Å"Turn,† she said. He shut his eyes briefly, then turned, bringing the binoculars up again. â€Å"You have to look in the constellation Sagittarius.† She rattled off instructions. â€Å"See that? That's where the center of the Milky Way is. Where all the star clouds are.† â€Å"How nice.† â€Å"Yes, it is nice. Okay, now go up and eastyou should be able to find a little dim sort of glow†¦.† â€Å"The pink one?† She gavehim a quick look. â€Å"Yeah, the pink one.Most people don't see that. That's the Trifid Nebula.† â€Å"What are those dark lines in it?† Mary-Lynnette stopped dead. She forgot her drill sergeant manner. She stepped back. She stared at him. She could feel her breath coming quicker. He lowered the binoculars and looked at her. â€Å"Something wrong?† â€Å"They're dark nebulae. Lanes of dust in front of the hot gas. But †¦ you can't see them.† â€Å"I just did.† â€Å"No. No. You can't see those. It's not possible, notwith binoculars. Even if you had nine millimeter pupils †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She pulled the flashlight out of her pocket and trained it full in his face. â€Å"Hey!† He jerked back, eyes squeezing shut, hand over them. â€Å"That hurt!† But Mary-Lynnette had already seen. She couldn't tell what color his eyes were right now, because the colored parts, the irises, were reduced to almost invis ible rings. His eye was all pupil.Like a cat's at maxi mum dilation. Oh, my God †¦the things he must be able tosee. Eighth-magnitude stars, maybe ninth-magnitude stars. Imagine that, seeing a Mag 9 star with yournaked eye. To see colors in the star clouds-hot hy drogen glowing pink, oxygen shining green-blue. To see thousands more stars cluttering the sky .. . â€Å"Quick,† she said urgently. â€Å"How many stars doyouseein the sky right now?† â€Å"I can't seeanything,†he said in a muffled voice, hand still over his eyes. â€Å"I'mblind.† â€Å"No, I meanseriously,†Mary-Lynnette said. And she caught his arm. It was a stupid thing to do. She wasn't thinking. But when she touched his skin, it was like completing a current. Shock swept over her. Ash dropped hishand and looked at her. For just a second they were face-to-face, gazes locked. Something like lightning trembled betweenthem. Then Mary-Lynnette pulled away. I can'ttakeany more of this. Oh, God, why am Ieven standing here talking to him? I've got enough ahead of me tonight. I've got abody to find. â€Å"That's it for the astronomy lesson,† she said, holding out a hand for the binoculars. Her voice was justslightly unsteady. â€Å"I'm going up the hill now.† -240She didn't ask wherehe was going. She didn't care, as long as it was away. He hesitated an instant before giving her the binoculars, and when he did he made sure not to touchher. Fine, Mary-Lynnette thought. We both feel the same. â€Å"Goodbye.† â€Å"Bye,† he said limply. He started to walk away. Stopped, his head lowered. â€Å"What I wanted to say †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well?† Without turning, he said in a flat and perfectly composed voice, â€Å"Stay away from my sisters, okay?† Mary-Lynnette was thunderstruck. So outragedand full of disbelief that she couldn't find words. Then she thought: Wait, maybe he knows they're killers and he's trying to protect me. Like Jeremy. Around the sudden constriction in her throat she managed to say, â€Å"Why?† He shook his drooping head. â€Å"I just don't thinkyou'd be a very good influence on them. They'rekind of impressionable, and I don't want them getting any ideas.† Mary-Lynnette deflated. I should have known, shethought. She said, sweetly and evenly, â€Å"Ash? Get bent and die.†