The Art of the El Camino Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Art of the El Camino - Essay Example The dimensional texture of her outline, unrivaled in the automotive world, sets this automobile a world apart. It is a masterpiece of art, in a class of its own, and there is nothing on earth more deserving to preserve than the 1971 El Camino. The beauty of the 1971 El Camino, a welcome addition to any art, does not in itself automatically grant it that most noble of titles "Art". It does, however, grab the viewer's attention long enough to see beyond the surface and discover the story behind the art. Reflecting the history of the era of its creation, the 1971 El Camino pulls us back to the turmoil of the times. 1971 was a year of massive conflict and the El Camino reflects the troubled past while predicting a rapidly changing future. Is it a truck, or is it a car The El Camino suffered the same lack of direction that the American public confronted. We had lost our space age zeal and lust for aerodynamic design. We were moving into a sleeker, more refined future and the El Camino was pulling us. Refined lines, a healthier profile, and a look that gives you the feeling of impending motion even at a standstill. Pablo Picasso once stated that, "Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth" (qtd. in "Pablo Picasso Quotes") Art forces us to imagine how things may be, and believe how things could be.

Profanity! THE PHENOMENON Essay Example for Free

Profanity! THE PHENOMENON Essay Introduction Language is the most important aspect in the life of all beings. We use language to express inner thoughts and emotions, make sense of complex and abstract thought, to learn to communicate with others, to fulfill our wants and needs, as well as to establish rules and maintain our culture. Language can be defined as verbal, physical, biologically innate, and a basic form of communication. We can define language as a system of communication using sounds or symbols that enables us to express our feelings, thoughts, ideas, and experiences. (E. Bruce Goldstein, Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience, 2nd ed. Thomson, 2008) Humans express their feelings in many different ways physically, mentally or verbally. Vulgar words, also known as swearing or cursing exists in all human languages that perform certain functions. One study found that swearing is not merely a common reaction to pain; it actually functions as a pain reliever where psychologist would advise people to swear than to hurt someone or yourself. However, the overuse of swear words tends to diminish their beneficial effect and will result in bad moral attitude. Swearing is a widespread but underappreciated anger management technique. (Mapà ºa Institute of Technology, â€Å"Vulgarized Filipino Identity: Development of Filipino Profanity†, 2011) Swear words have manyaliases: bad words, curse words, cuss words, dirty words, four-letter words, expletives, epithets, obscenities, profanity, blasphemy, bawdy language, foul language, rude language, vulgar language, or taboo language. This long but nonetheless non-exhaustive list of descriptors gives an indication both of the wide range of alternate labels that exist, and of the kind of words or language these labels denote. Most people have  at the very least a general idea of what such words or language use these descriptors refer to, if not an intimate knowledge of or even personal affinity for some particular examples. One definitive setof words encompassed by these labels is nonetheless elusive, due in part to the subjectivity of defining swearing. In very basic terms, swearing refers to the use of words which have the potential to be offensive, inappropriate, objectionable, or unacceptable in any given social context. The fact that there are so many labels for such words or language use is testimony to the variable nature of swearing. (Who’s Swearing Now? The Social Aspects of Conversational Swearing By Kristy Beers Fà ¤gersten) Swearing is prevalent in almost every culture around the world, with each having its own profanities. The practice of swearing is unique in that even though its thought of as taboo in most cultures, its still done by most people. In fact, in America, about 74 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds and about 48 percent of those over the age of 55 admit to swearing in public [source: YgoY]. And linguistics experts agree that young children learn swear words and begin to grasp their power long before theyre capable of understanding what they mean [source: Angier]. (http://curiosity.discovery.com) Children are such a large part of the society and as human at this point in time of their lives they now start to explore different things, most especially on words or languages to say. As we know, children are the most innocent beings, capable of saying such sweet and cute words or languages. We all know how they are fond of experiencing new things through exploration, learning through observing their elders. Sometimes the most unexpected things are the ones children end up copying not knowing if it is a good thing or bad thing. We’re all aware of that quality in kids. Everyone in their immediate surrounding is a role model to them and this comes with certain consequences. Our actions and choice of words have a clear effect on how a child behaves, as it’s perceived as appropriate. But what if it begins to get out of hand, considering they might not know the real meaning or  definition of profanity they learn from others? Word is the wave vibration, which has the power, as the creative and destructive. And the destructive words are profane words. Using swear words influence bad on young generation. Nowadays many adults use cursing words and it is bad for young generation, of course. Every man nowadays use taboo words, and it is difficult to re-educate them to not use them. To support my opinion further it is important to mention that children are hearing swearing in the movies and on TV, and in the music they listen to that they have become desensitized to it. (Valerie Strauss, 12.04.2005). So swearing get more popular and parents forget about that they influence bad on their children. (http://www.ih.kz/InternationalPress) Let’s take women in our society. Traditionally, women were the caregivers and homemakers. They refrain from using bad words at home. According to the article by Pamela Stewart (03.2011) statistics to 2010 year, â€Å"there has been an increase in the number of women using taboo words. In 2006, 45 percent of females were reported to swear in public.† So women cannot imagine that they learned their children use these cursing words. Fortunately, kids do not understand the meaning of these words, but happily reproduce the bad phrases shocking others. Agree, to hear such â€Å"bad words† from your child it is very awful. â€Å"Most mothers still scold their children for using taboo language or swearing† said Pamela Stewart, eHow Contributor. But how they can scold their children, if the cause of using taboo words among children it is their parents. Words, especially from those we consider leaders, can guide us or deceive us, make us knowledgeable or ignorant, violent or peaceful, sad or joyful, wise or foolish. Words or languages can be good or bad. Words can comfort when were feeling sad, inspire us to take action, acknowledge us for a job well done, humiliate us, and make us laugh, stimulate our thoughts, educate us, or incite violence. A poster on a school notice board declares: What we habitually say in our  heads, we usually end up saying with our lips, which ultimately direct our feet. Words are powerful. From others they often influence or direct our decisions and behaviour while our own words act to elicit responses from those who receive them. (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/ ) According to Maureen Gill, an educator, author, blogger, and public speaker known for her insightful historical analyses, biting political commentaries and riveting fiction said that, she doubted the saying that says â€Å"the eyes are the window to soul† and didn’t doubt for a moment, however, she added that, the words we speak or write convey the inner workings of our minds and hearts. There is no better way to know a person than to listen to him/her speak, to know what they read, to understand whom they admire and if you know this, you know everything that is truly important to know about a person. Words, spoken and written, not only indicate whether a person is educated, cultured, kind or venal, they also demonstrate if thoughts are ordered and cognition is intact or impaired. The choice of words and their arrangement are used by physicians and other health experts to evaluate emotional as well as organic pathologies, Maureen Gill added. â€Å"Profane† is defined as irreverence, obloquy, or contempt (something sacred); Treat as not sacred: desecrate,, pollute; to debase by a wrong, unworthy, or vulgar use: abuse, defile, vulgarize (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, ). Thats just language learning. These words have no special status as taboo words, says Paul Bloom, Ph.D. Learning theyre taboo words is a later step. Bloom explains that children are using words to communicate instinctively. They dont yet have the judgment to take a step back and think about whether a word is appropriate in a given situation. Paul Bloom is a Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University. His research explores how children and adults understand the physical and social world, with special focus on language, morality, religion, fiction, and art. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.) In an article by Valerie Strauss, Washington Post Staff Writer, entitled â€Å"More and More, Kids Say the Foulest Things† said that, Profanity, in the large sense, is defined as words that others consider offensive, although it originally was restricted to words that were blasphemous. Once heard mostly in whispers, today it is inescapable. I never thought I would say this once being a hard-core anti-music censor but I understand why [young people] are doing this: You almost cant find a song, video game, television show, anything, without a curse word, said Laura Lee Cox, a seventh-grade teacher at Cedartown (Ga.) Middle School. Author David Riesman said, Words not only affect us temporarilythey change us. In the current generation, it is becoming more common for young children to use profane languages or â€Å"bad words† in a daily basis. It could be because of their parents, peers, or an incident that made them start using these profane languages we all know well. Sometimes children hear these words from other children, brothers or sisters, parents, or on TV. The child may repeat what she heard without knowing what the words mean. When an adult hears a young child talk like this, they usually either laugh or are shocked. Some children really enjoy the reaction they get from others, so they will continue using these words. (http://www.betterkidcare.psu.edu/TIPS/TIPS48.pdf) But according to Harvard Psychologist, Steven Pinker, Children are far more influenced by peers, says Pinker. Thats why kids of immigrants end up with the accent of their peer group rather than their parents. Particularly once theyve entered elementary school. Steven Pinker is a Canadian-born experimental psychologist, cognitive scientist, linguist and popular science author. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89127830) â€Å"Their peers are the ones who affect and influence a child the most due to the amount of time they spend with them as classmates and/or friends.  Parents can influence their child too, for they may be unaware of their children listening to them when they happen to use profanity in a conversation with another person†, added by Steven Pinker Communication relationship defined as the verbal or non-verbal interaction. Communication involves almost every aspect of our interactions with others; for this reason, communication and relationships are inseparably connected. You can’t have a relationship with someone without communicating with them. Communication involves how we express our thoughts, ideas, and feelings to others, including what we say and how we say it. But when we communicate with others, we also communicate attitudes, values, priorities, and beliefs. No matter what we actually say to other people in words, we also send messages about what we think of them, what we think of ourselves, and whether or not we’re sincere and genuine in what we say. Verbal communication is those vocal or spoken languages while our non-verbal communication those things we don’t say with words, but with gestures, our facial expressions, and our attitude – speak volumes. (Rich, 1999) An interview with Ms.Dalisay O. Balagbagan, a guidance counselor from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, said that the status living of the family really affects language/words the child uses and also those children living in slum areas are more prone to be influenced by the people around them and used profane language/words habitually. â€Å"Yung mgabata ,yungunanilangnatututunan ay kung anoyungunanilangnakikita, nai-imitate kasinila. Kung anoyungnakikitanila – facial expressions, gestures, yunyungina-adopt nila.† Ms. Dalisay added. The reasons why children use swear words this often is because they’re exploring language. They might be testing a new word, perhaps to understand its meaning. They might also be trying to express a feeling such as frustration. Or they might simply be saying the word because it sounds funny or gets a reaction. Children might also be imitating others when they swear. (http://raisingchildren.net.au) The situation of children using profane language can be considered as an important issue in our country in terms of respecting and communicating properly. So, as the researchersgo on with this study, this will be a way or an instrument to understand and approach children regarding their use of profane language. This research is specifically important to the following: To the Academe This study will help them to conduct studies and researches regarding the appropriate way to communicate and to understand those children who use profane language. This study could also catch the eye of communication specialists and psychologists. To the Students This study would give them a larger view of understanding on how to deal with children engaged to profane language and could be also a guide for them to help themselves regarding the matter of using profane language. This could also help them with their family and other relatives to communicate and approach with them the right way. To the Parents The study could give them knowledge about their children who are possibly using or will be using profane language without them knowing. This could help them open up a conversation with their children regarding the matter, and could possibly help them stop or prevent their children who use profane language. The purpose of this study is to understand the children and how other people respond or communicate with those people who use profane language,and to instill awareness to the people about the usage of profanity among children in our society today. PROBLEM STATEMENT Children can easily adapt on every action and most especially about words/languages they hear from older people at this time. They did it on  their own way and they did not mind to know the real meaning of what they were trying to copy or have copied from someone ï€ ­ even if it’s good or bad. Children of today’s generation are engaged in profane languages since they were exposed early on streets and with their friends. This leads the researchers to conduct a study regarding children that engaged in profane language. This study aims to answer the question, â€Å"How does the use of profane language among children affect their communication relationship with others?† OBJECTIVES The objective of the study is to know how the use of the profane language among children affects their communication relationship. 1)To present the profile of the participants in terms of age/gender/educational attainment (age range: 10-17years old). 2)To identify the different profane language /terms the participants use and discern its meaning according to the participants understanding. 3)To know the reason why the participants use such language. 4)To know what/who influenced the participants in using profane languages. 5)To describe situations where the participants usually use profane language. 6)To know the perspective of participants on the image they project due to their use of profane language. 7)To know how profane language affects the participants communication relationship with the following: a)Family b)Peers c)Other people in the society THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Children learn how to communicate through what they hear and see from others. They learn to interact with the different people in their society and begin to pick up what they have learned since society has taught them that it is something acceptable. The way a child sees himself when he learns to use profane language changes over time, and this also affects his communication relationship with his family and peers for they may have a different point of view from them. Thus, the researchers used the Symbolic Interactionism Theory by George Herbert Mead to know the interpretation and understanding of the child about the usage of profane language and how it affects the child’s communication relationship with his family, peers, and other people in the society. It is the way we learn to interpret and give meaning to the world through our interactions with others. The Symbolic Interactionism Theory by George Herbert Mead (which was continued by Herbert Blumer) is based on the idea that social structures and meanings are created and maintained in social interaction. The Symbolic Interaction perspective is based on how humans develop a complex set of symbols to give meaning to the world (LaRossa and Reitzes, 1993). The theory focuses attention on the way people interact through symbols, and these are words, gestures, rules, and roles. Barbara BallisLal summarizes the premises of this movement. †¢People make decisions and act in accordance with their subjective understandings of the situations in which they find themselves. †¢Social life consists of interaction processes rather than structures and is therefore constantly changing. †¢People understand their experience through the meanings found in symbols of their primary groups, and language is an essential part of social life. †¢The world is made up of social objects that are named and have socially determined meanings. †¢Peoples actions are based on their interpretations, in which the relevant objects and actions in  the situation are taken into account and defined. †¢Ones self is a significant object and like all social objects is defined through social interaction with others. Symbolic Interactionism has changed significantly since its early years, as Gary Fine suggests. It has expanded by adopting insights from other theoretical areas and has increasingly contributed to the work of other areas of social science. Today, according to Fine, symbolic interactionism has incorporated the study of how groups coordinate their actions, how emotions are understood and controlled, how reality is constructed, how self is created, how large social structures get established, and how public policy can be influenced. (Theories of Human Communication, Stephen W. Littlejohn, 2002, Seventh Edition) The three cardinal concepts in Meads theory are the society, self, and mind. These categories are different aspects of the same general process, the social act. The social act is an umbrella concept under which nearly all other psychological and social processes fall. Society consists of the cooperative behaviors of societys members. Human cooperation requires that we understand others intentions. Cooperation consists of reading other peoples actions and intentions and responding in an appropriate way. We use meanings to interpret the happenings around us. Society is made possible by significant symbols. The interplay between responding to others and responding to self is an important concept in Meads theory, and provides a good transition to his second concept the self. You have a self because you can respond to yourself as an object. You sometimes react favorably to yourself and feel pride, happiness, and encouragement. The primary way you come to see yourself as others see you is through rule taking or assuming the perspective of others, and this is what leads to have a self-concept. Another term is generalized other, which is the way others see you. The self has two facets, each serving an essential function. The Iis the impulsive, unorganized, unpredictable part of you. The me is the generalized other, made up of the organized and consistent patterns shared with others. The last process is the mind, which is a process. It is nothing more than interacting with one self. There are three core principles: meaning, language, and thought or minding. The Meaning itself is not inherent in objects for human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that they have assigned to them. The meaning arises in the process of interaction between people. It takes place in the context of relationships whether with the family or community. The Language is what human beings use to interact and it is the unique ability to name things. As children interact with family, peers and others, they learn the language and they also learn the social meanings attached to certain words (Language being the source of meaning). In Mead’s view, social life and communication between people are possible only when we understand and can use a common language, (Wood, 1997) The Thought is an inner conversation with oneself. It is a reflective pause through which we modify our interpretation of symbols. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The study aims to know how the use of profane language among children affects their communication relationship. Children work their relationships with everyone through interaction in their everyday lives. Unknowingly, they learn to adapt the language or behaviour these people use. The study is premised on the theory that the child’s relationship is built through the way he communicates with his family, peers and other people in the society, and vice versa. Basically, a child hears a certain profane language, whether it is towards him or to another person, and the child will immediately process in his mind that repeating the same word is okay because an adult said it. It is either he will feel closer to his peers who taught or whom he imitated the words from, or he will be more distant to his family, or he will be more intact with others in his surroundings. There are  many instances that cause children to use profanity. The child may also have a change in self-image whenever he uses the language, seeing how it makes others treat him. The Symbolic Interactionism Theory explains the way a child’s actions in the society, learning, and mind moves and changes. He has his own self-concept and how others see him, and the way he has adapted the profane language. The symbols they developed gave meaning to what we now know as profane language, for the society knows it but they do not fully understand the meaning behind these words. The children then use these words with a different meaningand understanding in mind, and since the older people know its meaning, they seem to either encourage the child to further use it or prevent themselves from doing so. The framework shown below explains how the usage of profane language among children affects their communication relationshipwith others. Figure 1.0 RESEARCH POSTULATES 1.The participants are children from a low type of environment and are exposed early to profane languages. 2.Some profane languages/terms that a child uses are: â€Å"Gago†, which is used to tell or show a person hatred and â€Å"Walanghiya†, which used to tell a person that he/she is shameless. The child does not fully know or understand the real meaning behind these words. 3.Children use profane language as part of their communication to express people how they feel, whether they’re happy or angry. They also use profane language to â€Å"fit in† in the society. 4.Children are influenced by their parents, friends, and even the society that they live in. 5.Examples of a situation when a child uses profane language is when they are playing around with their friends, when having a debate with someone, or having a conversation with a friend. They either use it unconsciously or to make themselves feel comfortable around others who use it as well. 6.Children think that using profane language is just a way of expressing their feelings. They don’t mind what other people would think of them. 7.Family becomes more aware and more cautious when they hear their child use profane language. Some friends will have a stronger communication relationship because they too use profane language. As for other people in the society, they distance themselves when encountering children using profane language. DEFINITION OF TERMS To be able to understand more this study the researcher had some up selected words to help and provide appropriate knowledge for the readers. These words are defined based on this study: Profane – it is characterized as curse, abusive, vulgar, or irreverent language often used with other verbs to indicate forcefulness, intensity, and enthusiasm to express oneself. Innocent- free from moral wrong; without sin; pure: innocent children. Language- a body of words and a system for their use of common to a people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural tradition. Imitate- To copy the actions, appearance, mannerisms, or speech, act like or follow a pattern or style set by another. Instinctively rising from impulse; spontaneous and unthinking; instinctual behaviour. Behavior is the range of actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with their environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment. Communication Relationship the process that we use to communicate our ideas, thoughts, and feelings to another person. Rhetoric The art or study of using language effectively and persuasively. aims to improve the capability of writers or speakers that attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. Symbolic interactionism the way we learn to interpret and give meaning to the world though our interactions with others. Identities the self-meaning in a role. Roles refer to â€Å"collections of expectations that define regularized patterns of behaviour within family life† Influence the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others. Taboo – forbidden to profane use or contact because of what are held to be dangerous supernatural powers; banned on grounds of morality or taste; banned as constituting, a risk. Cuss – alteration of curse. Blasphemy – the act of insulting or showing contempt, or lack of reverence for God.

Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuel Use Essay -- Environmental Issues

Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuel Use One of the main issues involved with fossil fuels are the environmental impacts that occur from their use. These problems; such as acid rain, oil spills, climate change, global warming, etc., are not only occurring with fossil fuel usage, but are also increasing due to the increase in the use of fossil fuels. This essay will vaguely explain the area of environmental impacts from fossil fuel use, and will attempt to change, or further increase your understanding of the very serious environmental impacts that occur from fossil fuel use. One of the biggest environmental impacts which is steadily increasing in severity due to fossil fuel usage is global warming. Global warming is mainly caused due to the trapping of heat in the atmosphere due to increased amounts of carbon dioxide. Because of the burning of fossil fuels, there has been a twenty five percent increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the last 150 years (Clean Energy). This increase over the years has caused the global average surface temperature to raise ...

Last Sacrifice Chapter Three

WELL, NOT GONE EXACTLY. Muted. Kind of like how it had felt immediately after she'd restored Dimitri back to a dhampir. The magic had been so strong then that it had â€Å"burned out' our link. There was no blast of magic now. It was almost as though the blankness was intentional on her part. Like always, I still had a sense of Lissa: she was alive; she was well. So what was keeping me from feeling more of her? She wasn't asleep, because I could feel a sense of alert consciousness on the other side of this wall. Spirit was there, hiding her from me †¦ and she was making it happen. What the hell? It was an accepted fact that our bond worked only one way. I could sense her; she couldn't sense me. Likewise, I could control when I went into her mind. Often, I tried to keep myself out (jail captivity time excluded), in an attempt to protect her privacy. Lissa had no such control, and her vulnerability infuriated her sometimes. Every once in a while, she could use her power to shield herself from me, but it was rare, difficult, and required considerable effort on her part. Today, she was pulling it off, and as the condition persisted, I could feel her strain. Keeping me out wasn't easy, but she was managing it. Of course, I didn't care about the how of it. I wanted to know the why. It was probably my worst day of imprisonment. Fear for myself was one thing. But for her? That was agonizing. If it was my life or hers, I would have walked into execution without hesitation. I had to know what was going on. Had she learned something? Had the Council decided to skip right over a trial and execute me? Was Lissa trying to protect me from that news? The more spirit she wielded, the more she endangered her life. This mental wall required a lot of magic. But why? Why was she taking this risk? It was astonishing in that moment to realize just how much I relied on the bond to keep track of her. True: I didn't always welcome someone else's thoughts in my head. Despite the control I'd learned, her mind still sometimes poured into mine in moments I'd rather not experience. None of that was a concern now–only her safety was. Being blocked off was like having a limb removed. All day I tried to get inside her head. Every time, I was kept out. It was maddening. No visitors came to me either, and the book and magazines had long since lost their appeal. The caged animal feeling was getting to me again, and I spent a fair amount of time yelling at my guards–with no results. Tatiana's funeral was tomorrow, and the clock to my trial was ticking loudly. Bedtime came, and the wall in the bond dropped at last–because Lissa went to sleep. The link between us was firm, but her mind was closed off in unconsciousness. I'd find no answers there. Left with nothing else, I went to bed as well, wondering if I'd be cut off again in the morning. I wasn't. She and I were linked again, and I was able to see the world through her eyes once more. Lissa was up and around early, preparing for the funeral. I neither saw nor felt any sign of why I'd been blocked the day before. She was letting me back into her mind, just like normal. I almost wondered if I'd imagined being cut off from her. No †¦ there it was. Barely. Within her mind, I sensed thoughts she was still hiding from me. They were slippery. Each time I tried to grasp them, they fell out of my hands. I was amazed she could still use enough magic to pull it off, and it was also a clear indication that she'd blocked me out intentionally yesterday. What was going on? Why on earth would she need to hide something from me? What could I do about anything, locked in this hellhole? Again, my unease grew. What awful thing didn't I know about? I watched Lissa get ready, seeing no ostensible sign of anything unusual. The dress she'd ended up selecting had cap sleeves and went to the knee. Black, of course. It was hardly a clubbing dress, but she knew it would raise some eyebrows. Under different circumstances, this would have delighted me. She chose to wear her hair down and unbound, its pale blond color showing brightly against the dress's black when she surveyed herself in a mirror. Christian met Lissa outside. He cleaned up well, I had to admit, uncharacteristically wearing a dress shirt and tie. He'd drawn the line at a jacket, and his expression was an odd mix of nervousness, secrecy, and typical snark. When he saw Lissa, though, his face momentarily transformed, turning radiant and awestruck as he gazed at her. He gave her a small smile and took her into his arms for a brief embrace. His touch brought her contentment and comfort, easing her anxiety. They'd gotten back together recently after a breakup, and that time a part had been agonizing for both of them. â€Å"It's going to be okay,' he murmured, his look of worry returning. â€Å"This'll work. We can do this.' She said nothing but tightened her hold on him before stepping back. Neither of them spoke as they walked to the beginning of the funeral procession. I decided this was suspicious. She caught hold of his hand and felt strengthened by it. The funeral procedures for Moroi monarchs had been the same for centuries, no matter if the Court was in Romania or its new home in Pennsylvania. That was the Moroi way. They mixed the traditional with the modern, magic with technology. The queen's coffin would be carried by pallbearers out of the palace and taken with great ceremony all through the Court's grounds, until it reached the Court's imposing cathedral. There, a select group would enter for mass. After the service, Tatiana would be buried in the church's graveyard, taking her place beside other monarchs and important royals. The coffin's route was easy to spot. Poles strung with red and black silk banners marked each side. Rose petals had been strewn on the ground the coffin would pass over. Along the sides, people crammed together, hoping to catch a glimpse of their former queen. Many Moroi had come from far off places, some to see the funeral and some to see the monarch elections that would soon follow over the next couple of weeks. The royal family escort–most of whom wore saleswoman-approved black velvet– were already heading into the palace building. Lissa stopped outside to part ways with Christian since he certainly had never been in the running to represent his family for such an honored event. She gave him another fierce hug and a light kiss. As they stepped away, there was a knowing glint in his blue eyes–that secret that was hidden from me. Lissa pushed through the gathering crowds, trying to get to the entrance and find the procession's starting point. The building didn't look like the palaces or castles of ancient Europe. Its grand stone farade and tall windows matched the Court's other structures, but a few features–its height, wide marble steps–subtly distinguished it from other buildings. A tug at Lissa's arm stopped her progress, nearly causing her to run into an ancient Moroi man. â€Å"Vasilisa?' It was Daniella Ivashkov, Adrian's mother. Daniella wasn't so bad as royals went, and she was actually okay with Adrian and me dating–or at least, she had been before I became an accused murderer. Most of Daniella's acceptance had come from the fact that she believed Adrian and I would split up anyways once I received my guardian assignment. Daniella had also convinced one of her cousins, Damon Tarus, to be my lawyer–an offer I'd rejected when I chose Abe to represent me instead. I still wasn't entirely sure if I'd made the best decision there, but it probably tarnished Daniella's view of me, which I regretted. Lissa offered up a nervous smile. She was anxious to join the procession and get all of this over with. â€Å"Hi,' she said. Daniella was dressed in full black velvet and even had small diamond barrettes shining in her dark hair. Worry and agitation lined her pretty face. â€Å"Have you seen Adrian? I haven't been able to find him anywhere. We checked his room.' â€Å"Oh.' Lissa averted her eyes. â€Å"What?' Daniella nearly shook her. â€Å"What do you know?' Lissa sighed. â€Å"I'm not sure where he is, but I saw him last night when he was coming back from some party.' Lissa hesitated, like she was too embarrassed to tell the rest. â€Å"He was †¦ really drunk. More than I've ever seen him. He was going off with some girls, and I don't know. I'm sorry, Lady Ivashkov. He's probably †¦ well, passed out somewhere.' Daniella wrung her hands, and I shared her dismay. â€Å"I hope nobody notices. Maybe we can say †¦ he was overcome with grief. There's so much going on. Surely no one will notice. You'll tell them, right? You'll say how upset he was?' I liked Daniella, but this royal obsession with image was really starting to bug me. I knew she loved her son, but her main concern here seemed to be less about Tatiana's final rest than it was about what others would think about a breach of protocol. â€Å"Of course,' said Lissa. â€Å"I wouldn't want anyone to †¦ well, I'd hate for that to get out.' â€Å"Thank you. Now go.' Daniella gestured to the doors, still looking anxious. â€Å"You need to take your place.' To Lissa's surprise, Daniella gave her a gentle pat on the arm. â€Å"And don't be nervous. You'll do fine. Just keep your head up.' Guardians stationed at the door recognized Lissa as someone with access and allowed her in. There, in the foyer, was Tatiana's coffin. Lissa froze, suddenly overwhelmed, and nearly forgot what she was doing there. The coffin alone was a work of art. It was made of gleaming black wood, polished to brilliance. Paintings of elaborate garden scenes in shining metallic colors of every hue adorned each side. Gold glittered everywhere, including the poles that the pallbearers would hold. Those poles were draped with strings of mauve roses. It seemed like the thorns and leaves would make it difficult for the pallbearers to get a good grip, but that was their problem to deal with. Inside, uncovered and lying on a bed of more mauve roses, was Tatiana herself. It was strange. I saw dead bodies all the time. Hell, I created them. But seeing a body that had been preserved, lying peacefully and ornamentally †¦ well, it was creepy. It was strange for Lissa, too, particularly since she didn't have to deal with death as often as I did. Tatiana wore a gleaming silk gown that was a rich shade of purple–the traditional color for royal burial. The dress's long sleeves were decorated with an elaborate design of small pearls. I'd often seen Tatiana in red–a color associated with the Ivashkov family–and I was glad for the purple burial tradition. A red dress would have been too strong a reminder of the bloody pictures of her that I'd seen at my hearing, pictures I kept trying to block out. Strings of gemstones and more pearls hung around her neck, and a gold crown set with diamonds and amethysts rested upon her graying hair. Someone had done a good job with Tatiana's makeup, but even they couldn't hide the whiteness of her skin. Moroi were naturally pale. In death, they were like chalk–like Strigoi. The image struck Lissa so vividly that she swayed on her feet a little and had to look away. The roses' scent filled the air, but there was a hint of decay mixed in with that sweetness. The funeral coordinator spotted Lissa and ordered her into position–after first bemoaning Lissa's fashion choice. The sharp words snapped Lissa back to reality, and she fell in line with five other royals on the right side of the coffin. She tried not to look too closely at the queen's body and directed her gaze elsewhere. The pallbearers soon showed up and lifted their burden, using the rose-draped poles to rest the coffin on their shoulders and slowly carry it out to the waiting crowd. The pallbearers were all dhampirs. They wore formal suits, which confused me at first, but then I realized they were all Court guardians–except one. Ambrose. He looked as gorgeous as always and stared straight ahead as he did his job, face blank and expressionless. I wondered if Ambrose mourned Tatiana. I was so fixated on my own problems that I kept forgetting a life had been lost here, a life that many had loved. Ambrose had defended Tatiana when I'd been angry about the age law. Watching him through Lissa's eyes, I wished I was there to speak to him in person. He had to know something more about the letter he'd slipped me in the courtroom. Surely he wasn't just the delivery boy. The procession moved forward, ending my musings about Ambrose. Before and ahead of the coffin were other ceremonial people. Royals in elaborate clothing, making a glittering display. Uniformed guardians carrying banners. Musicians with flutes walked at the very back, playing a mournful tune. For her part, Lissa was very good at public appearances and managed the slow, stately pace with elegance and grace, her gaze level and confident. I couldn't see outside her body, of course, but it was easy to imagine what the spectators saw. She was beautiful and regal, worthy to inherit the Dragomir legacy, and hopefully more and more would realize that. It would save us a lot of trouble if someone would change the voting law through standard procedures, so we didn't have to rely on a quest for a lost sibling. Walking the funeral route took a long time. Even when the sun started sinking down toward the horizon, the day's heat still hung in the air. Lissa began to sweat but knew her discomfort was nothing compared to the pallbearers'. If the watching crowd felt the heat, they didn't show it. They craned their necks to get their one glimpse of the spectacle passing before them. Lissa didn't process the onlookers so much, but in their faces, I saw that the coffin wasn't their only focus. They were also watching Lissa. Word of what she'd done for Dimitri had blazed around the Moroi world, and while many were skeptical of her ability to heal, there were just as many who believed. I saw expressions of wonder and awe in the crowd, and for a second, I wondered who they'd really come to see: Lissa or Tatiana? Finally, the cathedral came into view, which was good news for Lissa. The sun didn't kill Moroi like it did Strigoi, but the heat and sunlight were still uncomfortable for any vampire. The procession was nearly finished, and she, being one of those allowed into the church service, would soon get to enjoy air conditioning. As I studied the surroundings, I couldn't help but think what a circle of irony my life was. Off to the sides of the church's extensive grounds were two giant statues showing ancient Moroi monarchs of legend, a king and queen who had helped the Moroi prosper. Even though they were a fair distance from the church, the statues loomed ominously, like they were scrutinizing everything. Near the queen's statue was a garden that I knew well. I'd been forced to landscape it as punishment for running off to Las Vegas. My true purpose on that trip–which no one knew–had been to free Victor Dashkov from prison. Victor had been a longtime enemy of ours, but he and his brother Robert, a spirit user, had held the knowledge we needed to save Dimitri. If any guardians had found out that I'd freed Victor–then later lost him–my punishment would have been a lot worse than filing and landscaping. At least I'd done a good job with the garden, I thought bitterly. If I was execu ted, I'd leave a lasting mark at Court. Lissa's eyes lingered on one of the statues for a long time before she turned back to the church. She was sweating heavily now, and I realized some of it wasn't just the heat. She was anxious too. But why? Why was she so nervous? This was just ceremony. All she had to do was go through the motions here. Yet †¦ there it was again. Something else was bothering her. She was still keeping a cluster of thoughts from me, but a few leaked out as she worried. Too close, too close. We're moving too fast. Fast? Not by my estimation. I could have never handled this slow, stately pace. I felt especially bad for the pallbearers. If I were one, I would've said to hell with propriety and started jogging toward my final destination. Of course, that might jostle the body. If the funeral coordinator had been upset over Lissa's dress, there was no telling how she'd react if Tatiana fell out of the coffin. Our view of the cathedral was getting clearer, its domes shining amber and orange in the setting sun. Lissa was still several yards away, but the priest standing out front was clearly visible. His robes were almost blinding. They were made of heavy, glittering gold brocade, long and full. A rounded hat with a cross, also gold, sat on his head. I thought it was in poor taste for him to outshine the queen's clothing, but maybe that was just what priests did on formal occasions. Maybe it got God's attention. He lifted his arms in welcome, showing off more of that rich fabric. The rest of the crowd and I couldn't help but stare at the dazzling display. So, you can imagine our surprise when the statues blew up.

Night World : The Chosen Chapter 5

Rashel froze. Her sword remained in the air, poised over the vampire's heart. â€Å"Well, what are you waiting for?† the vampire said. â€Å"Go on and do it.† Rashel didn't know what she was waiting for. The vampire was in a position to block her sword with his wooden handcuffs, but he didn't do any such thing. She could tell by his body language that he wasn't going to, either. Instead he just lay there, looking up at her with eyes that were as dark and empty as the depths of space. His hair was tousled on his forehead and his mouth was a bleak line. He didn't seem afraid. He just went on staring with those fathomless eyes. All right, Rashel thought. Do it. Even the leech is telling you to. Do it fast-now. But instead she found herself pivoting and stepping slowly away from him. â€Å"Sorry,† she said out loud. â€Å"I don't take orders from parasites.† She kept her sword at the ready in case he made any sudden moves. But all he did was glance down at the wooden handcuffs, wiggle his wrists in them, and then lie back. â€Å"I see,† he said with a strange smile. â€Å"So it's torture this time, right? Well, that should be amusing for you.† Stake him, dummy, came the little voice in Rashel's head. Don't talk to him. It's dangerous to get in a conversation with his kind. But she couldn't refocus herself. In a minute, she told the voice. First I have to get my own control back. She knelt in her ready-for-action crouch and picked up the flashlight, turning it full on his face. He blinked and looked away, squinting. There. Now she could see him, but he couldn't see her. Vampire eyes were hypersensitive to light. And even if he did manage to get a glimpse of her, she was wearing her scarf. She had all the advantages, and it made her feel more in command of the situation. â€Å"Why would you think we want to torture you?† she said. He smiled at the ceiling, not trying to look at her. â€Å"Because I'm still alive.† He raised the handcuffs. â€Å"And aren't these traditional? A few vampires from the south shore have turned up mutilated with stocks like these on. It seemed to have been done for fun.† Smile. Vicky's work, Rashel thought. She wished he would stop smiling. It was such a disturbing smile, beautiful and a little mad. â€Å"Unless,† the vampire was going on, â€Å"it's information you want.† Rashel snorted. â€Å"Would I be likely to get information from you if I did want it?† â€Å"Well.† Smile. â€Å"Not likely.† â€Å"I didn't think so,† Rashel said dryly. He laughed out loud. Oh, God, Rashel thought. Stake him. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Okay, he was charming-in a weird way. But she'd known other charming vampires-smooth, practiced flatterers who tried to sweet-talk or cajole their way out of being staked. Some had tried to seduce her. Almost all had tried mind control. It was only because Rashel had the will to resist telepathy that she was alive today. But this vampire wasn't doing any of the ordinary things-and when he laughed, it made Rashers heart thump oddly. His whole face changed when he laughed. A sort of light shone in it. Girl, you are in trouble. Kill him quick. â€Å"Look,† she said, and she was surprised to find her voice a little shaky. â€Å"This isn't personal. And you probably don't care, but I'm not the one who was going to torture you. This is business, and it's what I have to do.† She took a deep breath and reached for the sword by her knee. He turned his face to the light. He wasn't smiling now and there was no amusement in his voice when he said, â€Å"I understand. You've got†¦ honor.† Looking back at the ceiling, he added, â€Å"And you're right, this is the way it always has to end when our two races meet. It's kill or be killed. The law of nature.† He was speaking to her as one warrior to another. Suddenly Rashel felt something she'd never felt for a vampire before. Respect. A strange wish that they weren't on opposite sides in this war. A regret that they could never be anything but deadly enemies. He's somebody I could talk to, she thought. An odd loneliness had taken hold of her. She hadn't realized she cared about having anyone to talk to. She found herself saying awkwardly, â€Å"Is there anybody you want notified-afterward? I mean, do you have any family? I could make sure the news gets around, so they'd know what had happened to you.† She didn't expect him to actually give her any names. That would be crazy. In this game knowledge was power, with each side trying to find out who the players on the other side were. If you could identify someone as a vampire-or a vampire hunter-you knew who to kill. It was Batman and Catwoman all over. The important thing was to preserve your secret identity. But this vampire, who was obviously a lunatic, said thoughtfully, â€Å"Well, you could send a note to my adopted father. He's Hunter Redfern. Sorry I can't give you an address, but he should be somewhere down east.† Another smile. â€Å"I forgot to tell you my name. It's Quinn.† Rashel felt as if she'd been hit with an oak club. Quinn. One of the most dangerous vampires in all the Night World. Maybe the most dangerous of the made vampires, the ones who'd started out human. She knew him by reputation-every vampire hunter did. He was supposed to be a deadly fighter and a brilliant strategist; clever, resourceful†¦ and cold as ice. He despised humans, held them in utter contempt. He wanted the Night World to wipe them out, except for a few to be used for food. I was wrong, Rashel thought dazedly. I should have let Vicky torture him. I'm sure he deserves it, if any of them do. God only knows what he's done in his time. Quinn had turned his head toward her again, looking straight into the flashlight even though it must be hurting his eyes. â€Å"So you see, you'd better kill me fast,† he said in a voice soft as snow falling. â€Å"Because that's certainly what I'm going to do to you if I get loose.† Rashel gave a strained laugh. â€Å"Am I supposed to be scared?† â€Å"Only if you have the brains to know who I am.† Now he sounded tired and scornful. â€Å"Which obviously you don't.† â€Å"Well, let me see. I seem to remember something about the Redferns†¦. Aren't they the family who controls the vampire part of the Night World Council? The most important family of all the lamia, the born vampires. Descended directly from Maya, the legendary first vampire. And Hunter Redfern is their leader, the upholder of Night World law, the one who colonized America with vampires back in the sixteen hundreds. Tell me if I'm getting any of this wrong.† He gave her a cold glance. â€Å"You see, we have our sources. And I seem to remember them mentioning your name, too. You were made a vampire by Hunter†¦ and since his own children were all daughters, you're also his heir.† Quinn laughed sourly. â€Å"Yes, well, that's an on-again, off-again thing. You might say I have a love-hate relationship with the Redferns. We spend most of the time wishing each other at the bottom of the Atlantic.† â€Å"Teh, vampire family infighting,† Rashel said. â€Å"Why is it always so hard to get along with your folks?† Despite her light words, she had to focus to keep control of her breathing. It wasn't fear. She truly wasn't scared of him. It was something like confusion. Clearly, she should be killing him at this moment instead of chatting with him. She couldn't understand why she wasn't doing it. The only excuse she had was that it seemed to make him even more confused and angry than it did her. â€Å"I don't think you've heard enough about me,† he said, showing his teeth. â€Å"I'm your worst nightmare, human. I even shock other vampires. Like old Hunter†¦ he has certain ideas about propriety. How you kill, and who. If he knew some of the things I do, he'd fall down dead himself.† Good old Hunter, Rashel thought. The stiff moral patriarch of the Redfern clan, still caught up in the seventeenth century. He might be a vampire, but he was definitely a New Englander. â€Å"Maybe I should find a way to tell him,† she said whimsically. Quinn gave her another cold look, this time tempered with respect. â€Å"If I thought you could find him, I'd worry.† Rashel was suddenly struck by something. â€Å"You know, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say your first name. I mean, I presume you have one.† He blinked. Then, as if he were surprised himself, he said, â€Å"John.† â€Å"John Quinn. John.† â€Å"I didn't invite you to call me it.† â€Å"All right, whatever.† She said it absently, deep in thought. John Quinn. Such a normal name, a Boston name. The name of a real person. It made her think of him as a person, instead of as Quinn the dreadful. â€Å"Look,† Rashel said, and then she asked him something she'd never asked a Night Person before. She said, â€Å"Did you want Hunter Redfern to make you a vampire?† There was a long pause. Then Quinn said expressionlessly, â€Å"As a matter of fact, I wanted to kill him for it.† â€Å"I see.† I'd want to do the same, Rashel thought. She didn't mean to ask any more questions, but she found herself saying, â€Å"Then why did he do it? I mean, why pick you?† Another pause. Just when she was sure he wouldn't answer, he said, â€Å"I was-I wanted to marry one of his daughters. Her name was Dove.† â€Å"You wanted to marry a vampire?† â€Å"I didn't know she was a vampire!† This time Quinn's voice was quick and impatient. â€Å"Hunter Redfern was accepted in Charlestown. Granted, a few people said his wife had been a witch, but in those days people said that if you smiled in church.† â€Å"So he just lived there and nobody knew,† Rashel said. â€Å"Most people accepted him.† A faint mocking smile curved Quinn's lips. â€Å"My own father accepted him, and he was the minister.† Despite herself, Rashel was fascinated. â€Å"And you had to be a vampire to marry her? Dove, I mean.† â€Å"I didn't get to marry her,† Quinn said tonelessly. He seemed as surprised as she was that he was telling her these things. But he went on, seeming to speak almost to himself. â€Å"Hunter wanted me to marry one of his other daughters. I said I'd rather marry a pig. Garnet-that's the oldest-was about as interesting as a stick of wood. And Lily, the middle one, was evil. I could see that in her eyes. I only wanted Dove.† â€Å"And you told him that?† â€Å"Of course. He agreed to it finally-and then he told me his family's secret. Well.† Quinn laughed bitterly. â€Å"He didn't tell me, actually. It was more of a demonstration. When I woke up, I was dead and a vampire. It was quite an experience.† Rashel opened her mouth and then shut it again, trying to imagine the horror of it. Finally she just said, â€Å"I bet.† They sat for a moment in silence. Rashel had never felt so†¦ close to a vampire. Instead of disgust and hatred, she felt pity. â€Å"But what happened to Dove?† Quinn seemed to tense all over. â€Å"She died,† he said nastily. It was clear that his confidences were over. â€Å"How?† â€Å"None of your business!† Rashel tilted her head and looked at him soberly. â€Å"How, John Quinn? You know, there are some things you really ought to tell other people. It might help.† â€Å"I don't need a damn psychoanalyst,† he spat. He was furious now, and there was a dark light in his eyes that ought to have frightened Rashel. He looked as wild as she felt sometimes, when she didn't care who she hurt. She wasn't frightened. She was strangely calm, the kind of calm she felt when her breathing exercises made her feel one with the earth and absolutely sure of her path. â€Å"Look, Quinn-â€Å" â€Å"I really think you'd better kill me now,† he said tightly. â€Å"Unless you're too stupid or too scared. This wood won't hold forever, you know. And when I get out, I'm going to use that sword on you.† Startled, Rashel looked down at Vicky's handcuffs. They were bent. Not the oak, of course-it was the metal hinges that were coming apart. Soon he'd have enough room to slip them off. He was very strong, even for a vampire. And then, with the same odd calm, she realized what she was going to do. â€Å"Yes, that's a good idea,† she said. â€Å"Keep bending them. I can say that's how you got out.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† Rashel got up and searched for a steel knife to cut the cords on his feet. â€Å"I'm letting you go, John Quinn,† she said. He paused in his wrenching of the handcuffs. â€Å"You're insane,† he said, as if he'd just discovered this. â€Å"You may be right.† Rashel found the knife and slit through the bast cords. He gave the handcuffs a twist. â€Å"If,† he said deliberately, â€Å"you think that because I was a human once, I have any pity on them, you are very, very wrong. I hate humans more than I hate the Redferns.† â€Å"Why?† He bared his teeth. â€Å"No, thank you. I don't have to explain anything to you. Just take my word for it.† She believed him. He looked as angry and as dangerous as an animal in a trap. â€Å"All right,† she said, stepping back and putting her hand on the hilt of her bokken. â€Å"Take your best shot. But remember, I beat you once. I was the one who knocked you out.† He blinked. Then he shook his head in disbelief. â€Å"You little idiot,† he said. â€Å"I wasn't paying attention. I thought you were another of those jerks falling over their own feet. And I wasn't even fighting them seriously.† He sat up in one fluid motion that showed the strength he had, and the control of his own body. â€Å"You don't have a chance,† he said softly, turning those dark eyes on her. Now that he wasn't looking into the flashlight, his pupils were huge. â€Å"You're dead already.† Rashel had a sinking feeling that was telling her the same thing. â€Å"I'm faster than any human,† the soft voice went on. â€Å"I'm stronger than any human. I can see better in the dark. And I'm much, much nastier.† Panic exploded inside Rashel. All at once, she believed him absolutely. She couldn't seem to get her breath, and a void had opened in her stomach. She lost any vestige of her previous calm. He's right-you were an idiot, she told herself wildly. You had every chance to stop him and you blew it. And why? Because you were sorry for him? Sorry for a deranged monster who's going to tear you limb from limb now? Anyone as stupid as that deserves what they get. She felt as if she were falling, unable to get hold of anything†¦. And then suddenly she did seem to catch something. Something that she clung to desperately, trying to resist the fear that wanted to suck her into darkness. You couldn't have done anything else. It was the little voice in her mind, being helpful for once. And, strangely, Rashel knew it was true. She couldn't have killed him when he was tied up and helpless, not without becoming a monster herself. And after hearing his story, she couldn't have ignored the pity she felt. I'm probably going to die now, she thought. And I'm still scared. But I'd do it over again. It was right. She hung on to that as she let the last seconds tick away, the last window of opportunity to stake him while the cuffs still held. She knew they were ticking away, and she knew Quinn knew. â€Å"What a shame to rip your throat out,† he said. Rashel held her ground. Quinn gave the handcuffs a final wrench, and the metal hinges squealed. Then the stocks clattered onto the concrete and he stood up, free. Rashel couldn't see his face anymore; it was above the reach of the flashlight. â€Å"Well,† he said evenly. Rashel whispered, â€Å"Well.† They stood facing each other. Rashel was waiting for the tiny involuntary body movements that would give away which direction he was going to lunge. But he was more still than any enemy she'd ever seen. He kept his tension inside, ready to explode only when he directed it. His control seemed to be complete. He's got zanshin, she thought. â€Å"You're very good,† she said softly. â€Å"Thanks. So are you.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"But it isn't going to matter in the end.† Rashel started to say, â€Å"We'll see†-and he lunged. She had an instant's warning. A barely perceptible movement of his leg told her he was going to spring to his right, her left. Her body reacted without her direction, moving smoothly†¦ and she didn't realize until she was doing it that she wasn't using the sword. She had stepped forward, inside his attack, and deflected it with a mirror palm block, striking the inner side of his arm with her left arm. Hitting the nerves to try and numb the limb. But not cutting him. She realized with a dizzy sense of horror that she didn't want to use the sword on him. â€Å"You are going to die, idiot,† he told her, and for an instant she wasn't sure if it was him saying it or the voice in her head. She tried to push him away. All she could think was that she needed time, time to get her survival reflexes back. She shoved at him–and then her bare hand brushed his, and something happened that was completely beyond her experience.

Learn the Basics of Earthquakes

Learn the Basics of Earthquakes Earthquakes are natural ground motions caused as the Earth releases energy. The science of earthquakes is seismology, study of shaking in scientific Greek. Earthquake energy comes from the stresses of plate tectonics. As plates move, the rocks on their edges deform and take up strain until the weakest point, a fault, ruptures, and releases the strain. Earthquake Types and Motions Earthquake events come in three basic types, matching the three basic types of fault. The fault motion during earthquakes is called slip or coseismic slip. Strike-slip events involve sideways motion- that is, the slip is in the direction of the faults strike, the line it makes on the ground surface. They may be right-lateral (dextral) or left-lateral (sinistral), which you tell by seeing which way the land moves on the other side of the fault.Normal events involve downward movement on a sloping fault as the faults two sides move apart. They signify extension or stretching of the Earths crust.Reverse or thrust events involve upward movement, instead, as the faults two sides move together. Reverse motion is steeper than a 45-degree slope, and thrust motion is shallower than 45 degrees. They signify compression of the crust. Earthquakes can have an oblique slip that combines these motions. Earthquakes dont always break the ground surface. When they do, their slip creates an offset. Horizontal offset is called heave and vertical offset is called throw. The actual path of fault motion over time, including its velocity and acceleration, is called fling. Slip that occurs after a quake is called postseismic slip. Finally, slow slip that occurs without an earthquake is called creep. Seismic Rupture The underground point where the earthquake rupture begins is the focus or hypocenter. The epicenter of an earthquake is the point on the ground directly above the focus. Earthquakes rupture a large zone of a fault around the focus. This rupture zone may be lopsided or symmetrical. Rupture may spread outward evenly from a central point (radially), or from one end of the rupture zone to the other (laterally), or in irregular jumps. These differences partly control the effects that an earthquake has at the surface. The size of the rupture zone- that is, the area of fault surface that ruptures- is what determines the magnitude of an earthquake. Seismologists map rupture zones by mapping the extent of aftershocks. Seismic Waves and Data Seismic energy spreads from the focus in three different forms: Compression waves, exactly like sound waves (P waves)Shear waves, like waves in a shaken jump rope (S waves)Surface waves resembling water waves (Rayleigh waves) or sideways shear waves (Love waves) P and S waves are body waves that travel deep in the Earth before rising to the surface. P waves always arrive first and do little or no damage. S waves travel about half as fast and may cause damage. Surface waves are slower still and cause the majority of the damage. To judge the rough distance to a quake, the time the gap between the P-wave thump and the S-wave jiggle and multiply the number of seconds by 5 (for miles) or 8 (for kilometers). Seismographs are instruments that make seismograms or recordings of seismic waves. Strong-motion seismograms are made with rugged seismographs in buildings and other structures. Strong-motion data can be plugged into engineering models, to test a structure before it is built. Earthquake magnitudes are determined from body waves recorded by sensitive seismographs. Seismic data is our best tool for probing the deep structure of the Earth. Seismic Measures Seismic intensity measures how bad an earthquake is, that is, how severe shaking is at a given place. The 12-point Mercalli scale is an intensity scale. Intensity is important for engineers and planners. Seismic magnitude measures how big an earthquake is, that is, how much energy is released in seismic waves. Local or Richter magnitude ML is based on measurements of how much the ground moves and moment magnitude Mo is a more sophisticated calculation based on body waves. Magnitudes are used by seismologists and the news media. The focal mechanism beachball diagram sums up the slip motion and the faults orientation. Earthquake Patterns Earthquakes cannot be predicted, but they have some patterns. Sometimes foreshocks precede quakes, though they look just like ordinary quakes. But every large event has a cluster of smaller aftershocks, which follow well-known statistics and can be forecasted. Plate tectonics successfully explains where earthquakes are likely to occur. Given good geologic mapping and a long history of observations, quakes can be forecasted in a general sense, and hazard maps can be made showing what degree of shaking a given place can expect over the average life of a building. Seismologists are making and testing theories of earthquake prediction. Experimental forecasts are beginning to show modest but significant success at pointing out impending seismicity over periods of months. These scientific triumphs are many years from practical use. Large quakes make surface waves that may trigger smaller quakes great distances away. They also change stresses nearby and affect future quakes. Earthquake Effects Earthquakes cause two major effects: shaking and slip. Surface offset in the largest quakes can reach more than 10 meters. Slip that occurs underwater can create tsunamis. Earthquakes cause damage in several ways: Ground offset can cut lifelines that cross faults: tunnels, highways, railroads, powerlines, and water mains.Shaking is the greatest threat. Modern buildings can handle it well through earthquake engineering, but older structures are prone to damage.Liquefaction occurs when shaking turns the solid ground into mud.Aftershocks can finish off structures damaged by the main shock.Subsidence can disrupt lifelines and harbors; invasion by the sea can destroy forests and croplands. Earthquake Preparation and Mitigation Earthquakes cannot be predicted, but they can be foreseen. Preparedness saves misery; earthquake insurance and conducting earthquake drills are examples. Mitigation saves lives; strengthening buildings is an example. Both can be done by households, companies, neighborhoods, cities, and regions. These things require a sustained commitment of funding and human effort, but that can be hard when large earthquakes may not occur for decades or even centuries in the future. Support for Science The history of earthquake science follows notable earthquakes. Support for research surges after major quakes and is strong while memories are fresh but gradually dwindles until the next Big One. Citizens should ensure steady support for research and related activities like geologic mapping, long-term monitoring programs, and strong academic departments. Other good earthquake policies include retrofitting bonds, strong building codes and zoning ordinances, school curricula, and personal awareness.

Curriculum Trends

Curriculum Trends Today's technology has had a tremendous impact on society. Today's student's can stay awake alot longer and learn in fast and effective ways. Today's educational curriculum must keep up with the current pace so that generations will benefit and continue developing technological innovations.In this paper I will express my personal views on the various curriculum trends in the next ten years. I will start by reviewing the impact that technology has on our current generation.Since the introduction of the personal computer and the internet. Great progress has been made in how our children will be able to learn at home independently at home. According to David Thornburg, because the Internet is "doubling in size every year, (and) the web is doubling in size every 90 days (there is need for) a complete rethinking of education" (1999, p.4). Learners will have "technological fluency (to) sit own at a computer and use it as easily as (they) can pick up and read a book in (their) native langua ge" (1999, p.5).Category:Educational researchWithin ten years from now this will be reality.The curriculum will require students to become computer literate at a very early age, as well as preschool. I do believe that the computer will develop in ways that will enhance far more than it's doing now. Learners will continue to be exposed to information via internet and television.Years from now the curriculum will include brain based learning ideas and the steps required to reach learners so that the process is meaningful. "Brain-based" learning will be more than an idea. The learning process has been changing for the past years. Of course, this change will be more evident in the future. According to David Sousa, "yesterday's methods worked well for yesterday's students. But the student brain's of today is quite...

Professional Guidelines On Presenting Quality Work

Professional Guidelines On Presenting Quality Work Many students lack knowledge of how to make a process analysis essay. However, you do not need to struggle only to submit low standard content, rely on us, and we will assist you. We are a company with a wide range of professionals who are also specialists in their field of study. We have been in existence for the past five years, and we have, therefore gathered quality staff and trained them on how to serve our customers. Most of them are graduates, masters, and Ph.D. holders. They are well equipped with skills on process essay handling and can meet your academic goals. Make your order now, and stand a chance to enjoy the following benefits: Quality papers Everybody values quality work. For students, quality helps in boosting academic performance and improving skills in future tasks. With the heavy workloads in school and tight schedules, students hardly have time to research and write quality work. 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Why Students Seek Our Services on How to Write a Process Analysis Essay What are some of the issues that make students turn for our services? First, international students using English as their second language can present low-quality text because of poor mastery of the language. They, therefore, seek our services so that they can achieve their academic goals. Lectures burden students with assignments, report and research papers which can leave you with limited time to deal with them all and also meet deadlines. In such a situation, it is best to hire our writer who can help alleviate some of the academic burdens you are facing. How to Start a Process Analysis Essay: Guidelines for Introduction, Body, and Conclusion Could you be the kind of student who stares at their computer for hours wondering how to begin your homework? Making an excellent start to your work determines a lot about what you are going to write on the rest of the paper. A good start provides a unique opportunity for your lecturer to understand the idea you are presenting. To begin with, you should be aware of what is a process analysis essay. It will help you choose and offer an ideal topic. Arrange your ideas sequentially and give a good description of the particular action or process you are tackling. List all necessary steps as most work dealing with processes require them to appear the correct way. Steps to Writing a Top-Notch Process Analysis Essay Handling this work does not just require waking up and start typing. You need the skill to do that. Most lectures and teachers hardly take students through the full procedure. Most give you samples which may lack the necessary illustrations making it hard for you to gain the skill. Skills are, however, more of a practice than being taught. You, therefore, require industry professionals to assist you in getting quality papers. Our company will not only give you tips and ideas on how to write a good process analysis essay, but we also do it for you. Choosing a Topic for Your Analytical Process Task: Guidelines on Structure Titles should complement the theme. Make sure the introduction of your paper is well presented. The first statement should contain the thesis statement. It aims at informing the reader of the unifying theme of your task. The idea must be brought out. A Thesis statement requires underlining as per the requirements. Next is the body. Before working on it, write a draft which will ensure that you do not deviate from the topic. When writing a process analysis essay, the body of your paper should contain paragraphs which are well organized, each carrying a unique approach and presenting a single idea. Spell out processes and steps by the use of transitional words. Important to note is the structure of the paragraphs. 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Autism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Autism - Essay Example In many children, autism develops before the age of 3. A relationship between autism and psychology has been established by defining and associating their dynamics. Psychology is a field of study that deals with the human mind. The study of psychology has helped in the understanding and treatment of autism through methods such as psychotherapy, applied behavior analysis, and developmental psychology. Both psychology and autism deal with the brain and are complementary in nature. Psychology is largely used to understand the dynamics of autism, and develop methods to treat it. Psychologists use several types of therapies to treat autism. Autism impairs the communication and interaction skills of children (Cohen, 2002). Consequently, children become psychologically affected for being different from other children. Inability to communicate and interact effectively causes them social anxiety and depression that has far-reaching psychological implications (PubMed Health, 2012). Psychologis ts use various variations of talk therapy to correct strained communication skills. A psychologist is able to help autistic individuals improve their communication skills, overcome anxiety and depression, and learn how to interact effectively with other people (Flusberg, 1999). ... One of the roles of psychologists is to diagnose and recommend treatment methods for autism (Flusberg, 1999). Therefore, autism cannot be effectively diagnosed and treated without the services of psychologists. They aid autistic individual to eradicate depression, anxiety, and preservative behaviors that affect them adversely (Corsello, 2005). Psychologists accomplish these roles because they fully understand the effects and consequences of autism. On the other hand, psychologists also help victims to manage their lives, improve social interactions, and understand various social cues that determine the effectiveness of communication. Autism and psychology are related through the methods used to treat the disorder. These methods include psychotherapy, applied behavior analysis, and developmental psychology. Psychotherapy is a method that involves use of talk as a way of solving a patient’s emotional problems (Corsello, 2005). Psychologists use methods such as role-play and expo sure therapy to assist autistic individuals (PubMed Health, 2012). Applied behavior analysis manages the disorder by teaching autistic individuals new behaviors that replace existing behaviors that could have resulted from the effects of the disorder. Psychologists use rewards to teach patients certain behaviors thus conditioning them in ways that eradicate the disorder (Corsello, 2005). Development psychology deals with aspects of child development. A direct link can be established between this branch of psychology and autism because autism interferes with the normal development of a child’s brain while psychology studies the functioning of the brain. It forms the foundation for autism remedies such as relationship

Role of the public sector in health care (economics) Essay

Role of the public sector in health care (economics) - Essay Example The ethics and economics of this determination require collaboration between the various entities that are affected by this social decision. The following paper will give an overview of the background on why having a public healthcare system is an important social responsibility for a state. Once the foundation has been established through economics and ethics, the way in which the system works in Canada will be examined and reported. The paper will then go into a discussion of the economics of public healthcare through theoretical exploration. A comparison of Canadian and United States philosophical debates about the economic issues of a public healthcare system will be presented before a more thorough examination of the role of the public sector in healthcare concludes the exploration of healthcare in Canada as it is relates to economic perspectives. There are many reasons for having a public health care system. Social reasons include the humanitarian aspect, the purpose of encouraging research, and in being a representational model for ethical governance. Economic reasons for providing health care are even more compelling. Although the best reason for providing health care is so that everyone is healthy, an economic basis for doing so is that productivity of the individual rises when they are healthy and illness has been prevented, thus the collective becomes more productive. In addition, public health care creates savings through preventing illness from getting to a point that the costs on the public system are higher and more damaging than they would have been should health care have been provided on its onset. The responsibility of creating a public health care, however, falls on more than just the government. Public health care systems need to be collaborations between business, government, health care organizations and individuals, and the consumers of health care who are the people of the state. In order for the system to work, there must be

Lean Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Lean Management - Essay Example From the research it can be comprehended that the models and concepts which influence the pricing decisions of a firm are management accounting decisions. The pricing strategy of a firm is influenced by several factors which include the fixed and variable costs of the firm and the environmental factors which include legal analysis and competitor analysis. Some of the specific concepts in cost accounting are lean accounting, resource consumption accounting, transfer pricing etc. Manufacturers need to consider various fields like the supply chain process, the assets risk to low cost etc. while determining an appropriate costing strategy for the firm. The term Lean Management means the principles that are used for lean production. The basic idea of the concept of lean manufacturing is to reduce the wastages incurred in any form in the firm. The wastages of the firm which can be minimized through the use of Lean Management principles are the defects in production as there is no proper ut ility of the product. The overproduction factor in firms usually leads to excess finished stock, inappropriate inventory control and the efficient less production system used. The concept of Lean Management is a derivative of the Toyota Production Systems (TPS). The TPS policy reduces the time gap between the customers’ order and the delivery to the customer. The JIT system of inventory also helps in nil wastage of stocks. Resource consumption accounting is a type of principle based management accounting which provides the managers with a decision sustain system for the organization. Another concept which affects the pricing decision is transfer pricing. Transfer pricing is quite applicable in case of the manufacturing organizations. Transfer pricing helps in reducing the operating costs and also helps in lowering the effective tax cost of global operations. â€Å"Using transfer pricing economics to map all the transactions in which the new plant will participate, with suppl iers and customers as well as with related parties, reveals hidden opportunities† (Transfer Pricing in the Automotive Industry 2006, p. 3). Resource consumption accounting is another model which provides managers with adequate management accounting system in order to support pricing or costing decisions in a firm. This concept was specially developed for advanced manufacturing. The resource based cost accounting involves resources, their costs, the quantity based modeling, the cost behavior. Lean management accounting and Toyota Production System are the most suitable models which can be quickly and beneficially applied in Maniac Plc. The lean management system will be useful in taking pricing decisions of the firm. â€Å"The lean management system is structured around three necessities of lean production: strategic planning, organizational structure and human resource capabilities† (Jackson & Jones 1996, p. 18). 2) Maniac Plc practices both standard costing as well as activity based costing system. Standard costing and variance costing are both costing types which play an important role in management accounting. The standard costing system is the estimation of the costs which are necessary for the procedure of

No need for topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

No need for topic - Essay Example The various components of this chapter are highly related with the course content in the sense that Presidential powers might impose significant impact on the entire political system of the nation. In this regard, American constitution provides Presidents with the powers to frame proposals and develop effective strategies (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert 492-534). Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert (492-534) stated that Presidents have the responsibility to safeguard every state against any kind of assault as well as national violence. Thus, it is quite vital to understand the powers of Presidents that have extensive influences on various federal aspects of the US (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert 492-534). Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert (492-534) further stated that although Presidents are somehow unable to introduce any strict legislation and do not possess leading role in making law, they play imperative role in other spheres that include budget creation and dealing with key national problems. However, a President can expand his/her power through performing effective management practices. Going public is also regarded as one of the chief sources of Presidential power. Particularly, in the political system of America, the varied constitutional powers of Presidents have huge role to play in directing the nation towards right path (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert

The paper will be any of the onw i suggest you to choose Essay

The paper will be any of the onw i suggest you to choose - Essay Example Furthermore, there is a large dog and two dwarves positioned at the background of the picture. Another man has been positioned in the rear of the room who is leaving the room and there is a reflection of Philip IV with his queen Mariana of the Austria. In addition, the paintings of Jean-Baptiste Greuze, â€Å"The Village Bride† is a sentimental and moralizing painting. It is believed to have appealed the bourgeois during the mid 18 century in Paris. According to Facos, this article was initiated during the resentment of aristocratic moral decadences and the impervious attitudes over the rest of the world (Facos 34). The painting depicts a moment of dowry exchange which runs from the hands of the father to that of the bridegroom as recording by the public is undertaken. In the painting the practice is witnessed by the other family members. The most important part of the painting is the middle where we have the exchange of money. More so, the painting depicts that the father is the only person talking while the other family members have been rendered with different emotions and reactions. Furthermore, some family members have been displayed in the little vignette of the painting depicting some gestures. Therefore, any contemp orary viewer can easily connect the drama. In the paintings of Vela’zquez, has been linked to the Baroque illusionism. The real meaning of this style is creation of a world of illusions which is aimed at confusing the boundaries between reality and art. Foucault brings an impression that the artist uses tapestry in several senses, first as a tribute to Titian and Paul Rubens who are remembered as members in the nobility (Foucault 4 ). Furthermore, the use of tapestry evokes emotions and story of a mortal in relation to the gods, mortal was better than gods, this is used as an allegory to the mortal. Therefore, this painting can be referred to as a liberal

No need for topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

No need for topic - Essay Example The various components of this chapter are highly related with the course content in the sense that Presidential powers might impose significant impact on the entire political system of the nation. In this regard, American constitution provides Presidents with the powers to frame proposals and develop effective strategies (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert 492-534). Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert (492-534) stated that Presidents have the responsibility to safeguard every state against any kind of assault as well as national violence. Thus, it is quite vital to understand the powers of Presidents that have extensive influences on various federal aspects of the US (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert 492-534). Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert (492-534) further stated that although Presidents are somehow unable to introduce any strict legislation and do not possess leading role in making law, they play imperative role in other spheres that include budget creation and dealing with key national problems. However, a President can expand his/her power through performing effective management practices. Going public is also regarded as one of the chief sources of Presidential power. Particularly, in the political system of America, the varied constitutional powers of Presidents have huge role to play in directing the nation towards right path (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir and Tolbert

What was the role of Serbia in the events that led to the outbreak of Research Paper

What was the role of Serbia in the events that led to the outbreak of the First World War - Research Paper Example There were different factors such as imperialism, nationalism as well as the formation of different alliances between various countries which finally resulted into the emergence of war. The immediate causes of the war were even discussed during that era wherein major powers of the world at that time blamed each other for bringing the situation to a point where War broke out . (Taylor, 1980) Serbia was most instrumental and probably one of the key reasons as to why First World War took place. What role Serbia played in the outbreak of First World War therefore is an issue which attracted attention of many historians over the period of time. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand and the subsequent events which unfolded therefore gave rise to the need for developing broader understanding of the events which lead to war. Though the war started with the attack from Austria- Hungary on Serbia to potentially avenge the murder however, the overall political reasons for this war were much deeper. (Bourne, 1994) Before discussing the role of Serbia in the events which lead to the First World War, it is important that a general historical introduction of Serbia and its position before the war should be discussed. Serbia fell under the rule of Ottoman Empire in 16th century when it was conquered by Ottomans and were subsequently put under the rule for more than 300 years. The Ottoman conquest became possible due to the internal conflict within the Kingdom of Serbia and resultantly the State as a whole weakened. Serbia remained under the control of Ottoman Empire for more than 300 years and it was only in the beginning of the 20th century that it started to consider a separation from the empire and develop its own separate identity. It is also important to note that the organized revolt in Serbia against Ottoman Empire started during the 19th century and Serbia was able to free some area even during the 19th Century. It was

The Patchwork of Reality and Fiction in Tim O’brien’s the Things They Carried Essay Example for Free

The Patchwork of Reality and Fiction in Tim O’brien’s the Things They Carried Essay The Patchwork of Reality and Fiction in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried Tim O’ Brien, in his recent fictional story The Things They Carried, illustrates the struggle to unravel and grasp ambiguities of the war in the most unusual way, by understanding it through the mind’s eye. He resolutely transgressed the boundary between fiction and reality, and struggles to demonstrate that the illusory dimension can frequently be more real, particularly in the events leading to the Vietnam War, than reality itself. Communicating the view of ambiguity of an ordinary soldier about what really took place in Vietnam by narrating the imagined domain as though it is the real work, and afterwards challenging these realities once more, can be viewed as a deviation of the poignant and disturbing statements American soldiers use to express their own doubt about what took place in Vietnam. They drew on these expressions to transform the inexpressible and horrifying and ambiguous into reality. Likewise, O’Brien narrates tales and realities that are merely fleetingly definite and factual. In the section ‘Notes’, O’Brien illustrated the process of merging illusion and reality (O’Brien 1990, 152): By telling stories, you objectify you own experience. You separate it from yourself. You pin down certain truths. You make up others. You start sometimes with an incident that truly happened, like the night in the shit field, and you carry it forward by inventing incidents that did not in fact occur but that nonetheless help to clarify and explain. In the above passage, O’Brien shows that impossibility of knowing exactly what took place. He urges his readers to become aware of the events in the Vietnam War that they do not know and perhaps will never be aware of. The Things They Carried brings the readers to the Vietnam War through the author’s webs of narratives. O’Brien informs us that we will never truly know what exactly happened in Vietnam. And the realities of the Vietnam War will die alongside the people who experienced the ‘real’ and ‘unreal’. References O’Brien, T. The Things They Carried. New York: Mariner Books, 1990.

Comparing UK Environment Law and Malaysia Environment Law

Comparing UK Environment Law and Malaysia Environment Law Introduction For centuries, we have been focused on industrialisation. We focus on how to make our life more comfortable and convenient, focus on economic development and have become addicted to the competition among ourselves. This dissertations primary focus is the contrast that exists between environment law operating in England and Malaysia. Similar to the other areas of law, environment law is a mix of primary legislation, secondary legislation, with a number of reports and policies. However, it is different in the sense that the aim is not always to punish or compensate the parties involved. The law is used to achieve the statutory objective which is to protect the environment as a whole to achieve sustainable development.[1] Most of us would think that environmental law is used to eliminate the pollution discharged into air, land and water. This, however, is not an accurate statement, since the key function of law is to act as a bridge between the polluting emission generated by economic activity and the publics tolerance of a healthy environment. There are 6 chapters in this dissertation. This chapter focuses on the historical background of Environmental Law in England and Malaysia. The evolution and the sources of Environmental Law will be discussed. Regarding the Environmental Law in England, the law evolved faster than the law in Malaysia. The other discussions will focus on the organisation of the enforcement agency in both jurisdictions, with external dependency relationships such as European Union (EU) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with sanctions available if the regulators decide to prosecute and the existence of a specialised Environmental Court or tribunal. The dissertation aims to provide a framework of how the Environment Law in England and Malaysia are being enforced. By comparing both the enforcement of Environmental Law in England and Malaysia, whether either the regulation in England or the regulation in Malaysia is more effective in regulating polluting discharges can be shown. More impor tantly, this analysis can show which parts of the law they can learn from each other. Comparative law research increases the lawyers ability both to understand and to indirectly manage the legal system.[2] Historical Background of Environmental Law in England The earliest environmental legislation did not focus on environmental problems. Rather, it concentrated on public health aspects of pollution and housing.[3]An example is R v Secretary of State ex parte Duffridge which relates to a risk of illness due to radiation from high voltage electricity.[4]One of the landmark legislations is the Town and Country Planning Act 1947. The act itself was not specifically designed to deal with environmental matters. Rather, it provides a legal framework for the discretionary power of control which can be used for any purpose relating to land use. It was confirmed in Stringer v Minister of Housing[5]. Indeed, at that time, the concern of the legislators was with the economic development. It was only in the mid-1950s that legislators displayed any interest in the environment, by establishing the green belt policy. Silent Spring which was published by Rachel Carson, a biologist, in 1962, brought public attention to environmental matters.[6] She attacked the single-minded technological process with high economic value and warned that pesticides would endanger many species, especially birds. She argued that nature has irreplaceable value irrespective of human interests. During the 1970s, fears of technology getting out of control and overpopulation were finally being spoken about. Irvine and Ponton argued that the earths natural resources would be used up if the industrial and population growth continued. Pollution would lead to serious climate change[7]. Therefore, changes had to be made. Before April 1991, the pollution in the United Kingdom was regulated in three distinct control regimes, which are classified by the environmental media as air, land and water. At that time, the legislations fell into two categories. The first category concentrated on specific problems. The examples are The Clean Air Acts 1956, the Litter Act 1983 and the Water Act 1989. The second category originated from the Control of Pollution Act 1974 which dealt with waste, water pollution and atmosphere pollution separately. It recognised that there was a need to control the environmental matter as a whole and improve environmental awareness. However, this lacked the ability to harmonise pollution control mechanisms. A new statute, the Environmental protection Act 1990 (EPA 1990), was created. It was concerned exclusively with pollution regulation and attempts to control pollution that was released by industry into all media through Integrated Pollution Control (IPC). IPC regulates most of the heavy industrial processes. Besides, at that time, the Government also showed their intention to create a new regulatory authority which would have the responsibility to consider environmental matters as a whole bringing, together all the regulatory documents. In order to achieve this aim, the government enacted the Environment Act 1995 (EA 1995) which is still effective now, to establish the Environment Agency (EA). Before the Environment Agency was created, the obligations of environmental protection and controlling pollution was split across a number of bodies, namely Her Majestys Inspectorate of Pollution (HMIP), the National Rivers Authority (NRA), the Waste Regulation Authorities (WRAs) and the local authorities. Each of these exercised control under different statutory provisions. HMIP was created in 1987 to replace the Industrial Air Pollution Inspectorate and the Radiochemical, the Hazardous Waste and Water Inspectorates of the Department of Environment (DoE). Its principal roles were to provide a centralised system to regulate the pollutions through IPC which was established under EPA 1990. It was part of the DoE and operated on a regional basis. Unlike HMIP, NRA was created in 1989 under the Water Act 1989 as an independent public body. It was responsible for regulating water pollution, water resources, flood defence and fisheries. The NRA was regarded by many as a strong regulator, wi lling to prosecute if necessary.[8] Under EPA 1990, local authorities were appointed as WRAs to enforce the provisions relating to waste management and waste licensing systems. However, there was always a conflict of power between these three agencies.[9] The most obvious example is the conflict between HMIP and NRA. As HMIP was responsible for the regulation of pollution through IPC, it was responsible for air, land and water pollution. However, NRA was responsible for regulating water pollution. Therefore, there was a need to create a unified regulation body to control the discharges of pollution into the environment as a whole. Another reason was that the system of control was too complex because there were three agencies and overlapping controls. There was a need to simplify that. Therefore, the government created the EA to regulate the environmental matters. The role of this agency will be discussed in the next chapter. Historical Background of Environmental Law in Malaysia As in most of the countries, the early form of law related to the environment in Malaysia was not designed to address environmental problems. The general quoted legislation which impeded environmental problems was the Water Enactments in 1920. Other examples of the law which related to environmental control included the F.M.S. Forest Enactment 1934, the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952, the Land Conservation Act 1960 and the Fisheries Act 1963. Nevertheless, during the period of Strait Settlements[10], some ordinaries related to environment regulations have been designed. One of the examples is the Settlement Ordinance No.3 of 1894 which was drafted to protect certain species of wild birds. It was considered that these laws were enacted to solve certain problems which were prominent during that period. They were not designed to address the environmental problems. Instead, the focus was on nature, and its preservation, with a key interest in this particular area alone. Therefore, we c an see that during that time, not much focus was put on environmental protections, and there was a clear lack of foresight. Developing countries such as Malaysia started to pay more attention to environmental problems during the 1970s, especially after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment which took place in 1972. Following the Conference, Malaysia introduced the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (EQA 1974) which forms the basis for environmental law and environmental policies. Also this established the first important policy directive as is now implemented through the Third Malaysia Plan[11]. Since then, a lot of mechanisms (administrative and executive) such as the National Water Services Commission and Solid Waste Management Corporation have been established to implement the environmental laws and policies. Apart from that, different statutes such as the Fisheries Act 1985 and National Forestry Act 1984 have been enacted to manage and conserve the environment. The distribution of legislative power results in both the federal and state governments competency to deal with environmental matters. This coincidence is also the reason why there are several agencies which deal with environmental matters at all levels of government. Therefore, environmental legislation in Malaysia is said to take a piecemeal approach.[12] This is one of the problems that has been introduced by Kylie. Another two main factors which characterise the environmental legislation in Malaysia are the desire of ex-Prime Minister Mahathir to champion the interests of the non-western nation in an internati onal forum and the need to balance environmental protection with the national imperatives of economic development. In the late 1980s, Mahathir became known as he suggested linking the considerations of environmental issues with development issues. He particularly blames western nations trying to shift the blame of the environment for the state onto developing countries and at the same time, slowing down the development of developing countries. Under his leadership, Malaysia played a main role in environmental diplomacy.[13] In April 1992, 55 ministers of developing countries signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Environment and Development to pledge a common position at the Earth Summit which was held during the following month.[14] Nowadays, the Kuala Lumpur declaration is a critical element involved in the discussion of environmental problems by governments. Section 4 of the declaration states that economic development is a fundamental right of all peoples and countries. One of the main points of this Declaration is that forest ecosystems have been declared to be national patrimony[15] which is managed by national policies within the exercise of sovereignty powers[16]. In addition, under s.14 of the Declaration, technology should be transferred to developing countries as preferential and concessional. New and additional funding should also be made available by developed countries to developing countries. One thing that should be noticed is although Mahathirs thought on linking the consideration of environmental issues and development issues has an important impact on Malaysias foreign policies, in general, international agencies and western nations disagree with it.[17] Regarding the conflict between environmental protection and developmental issues, logging is a good example. In the Sixth Malaysian Plan, the government broadened the concept of sustainable development[18] and therefore the licensing of the wholesale of logging is consistent with the concept of environmental protection which is stated in the Kuala Lumpur Declaration. It is thought that logging offers thousands of jobs to the country, but western environmentalists criticise Malaysia regarding deforestation practises. For example, Swiss rainforest activist Bruno Manser helped to organise the Penan, who are the indigenous peoples live in the jungles. Mahathir has written a letter to Manser and condemned them, stating that he had no rights to harm the Penan and to decide the fate of the others[19]. Last but not least, the environmental administration is rather complex as the power is distributed between federal and state governments. The Federal Constitution is the supreme law in the country and any law which is inconsistent with it is void. The division of power of federal and state government is listed in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution which is known as the Federal List, the State List and the Concurrent List. The State List lists the areas where state governments have the power to make law, while the Federal List lists the area where the federal government can make laws. On the one hand, the Concurrent List describes the areas where the state or the federal governments can create new laws. On the other hand, although land is a state matter, Parliament is allowed to make laws. The reason given is that matters relating to law and policies of land need to uniform the law and policies between states and the federals. The constitutional legislation therefore gives both fe deral and state governments power to deal with environmental matters and this results in the existence of various agencies. The example here is the Department of Fisheries, a federal department, which has the power to administrate Marine Park. Although the federal government has control of the water, the island is under the control of the state government. This leads to examples where land is used for a purpose which is incompatible with the use of the surrounded Marine Park. [1] S.1(1) Environmental Act 1995 [2]Jan Darpo and Annika Nilsson, On the Comparison of Environmental Law [2010] 3(1) Journal of Court Innovation 315 [3]John Alder and David Wilkinson, Environmental Law Ethics (Macmillan Press Ltd 1999) 14 [4] R v Secretary of State ex parte Duddridge [1995] Env LR 151 [5] Stringer v Minister of Housing [1971] WLR 1281 [6]Rachel Carson, Silent Spring (1st edn, Houghton Mifflin 1962) [7]Irvine Sandy and Ponton Alex, Green Manifesto: Policies for a Green Future (Macdonald Optima 1989) [8]Irvine Sandy and Ponton Alex, Green Manifesto: Policies for a Green Future (Macdonald Optima 1989) [9]Neil Stanley and Susan Wolf, Wolf and Stanley on Environmental Law (6th edn, Routledge 2014) 31 [10] Group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. [11]JabatanPerdanaMenteri,UnitPemodenanTadbirandanPerancanganPengurusan, Malaysia, Third Malaysia Plan 1976-1980 (Jabatan Percetakan Negara 1976) [12]Kylie Elston and Greg Bankoff, Environmental Regulation in Malaysia and Singapore (University of Western Australia Press 1994) [13]Mahathir Mohammad, Statement to the UN Conference on Environment and Development [1992] 22(4) Environment Policy and Law [14]David Humphreys, Forest Politics: The Evolution of International Cooperation (Routledge 2013) 101 [15] A national with non-monetary wealth or reserves such as its national monuments, cuisine, and artistic heritage [16]S. 15 Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Environment and Development [17]Kylie Elston and Greg Bankoff, Environmental Regulation in Malaysia and Singapore (University of Western Australia Press 1994) [18] Organising principle for meeting human development goals while at the same time sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services upon which the economy and society depends [19]Doug Tsuruoka, The Pen and the Saw [1992] Far Eastern Economic Review