U-2 Spy Plane Incident With Gary Powers

U-2 Spy Plane Incident With Gary Powers On May 1, 1960, a  U-2 spy plane  piloted by Francis Gary Powers was brought down near Svedlovsk, Soviet Union while performing high altitude reconnaissance. This event had a lasting negative impact on U.S. - U.S.S.R. relations. The details surrounding this event are to this day still shrouded in mystery. Facts About the U-2 Incident Following World War II, the relations between the United States and the Soviet Union grew increasingly wary. The USSR did not agree to a U.S. Open Skies proposal in 1955 and relations continued to deteriorate. The U.S. instituted high altitude reconnaissance flights over the Soviet Union because of this aura of mistrust. The U-2 was the plane of choice for the spying missions. This plane was able to fly extremely high, with an overall ceiling of 70,000 feet. This was key so that the Soviet Union would not be able to detect the planes and see this as an act of warfare for violating their airspace. The CIA took the lead in the U-2 project, keeping the military out of the picture to avoid any possibilities of open conflict. The first flight in this project occurred on July 4, 1956. By 1960, the U.S. had flown numerous successful missions over and around the U.S.S.R. However, a major incident was about to occur.   On May 1, 1960, Gary Powers was making a flight that left from Pakistan and landed in Norway. However, the plan was to divert his flight path so that he would fly over Soviet airspace. However, his plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile near  Sverdlovsk Oblast which was located in the Ural Mountains. Powers was able to parachute to safety, but was captured by the KGB. The Soviet Union was able to recover most of the plane. It had proof of Americas spying over their land. When it was obvious that the Soviet Union had caught the US red-handed, Eisenhower admitted on May 11th to knowledge of the program.  Powers was interrogated and then put on trial where he was sentenced to hard labor.   Mysteries The conventional story given to explain the crash of the U-2 and the subsequent capture of Gary Powers is that a surface-to-air missile brought down the plane. However, the U-2 spy plane was constructed to be unassailable by conventional weapons. The major benefit of these high altitude planes was their ability to stay above enemy fire. If the plane was flying at its proper height and had been shot down, many question how Powers could have survived. It would have been very likely that he would have died in the explosion or from the high altitude ejection. Therefore, many individuals question the validity of this explanation. Several alternative theories have been put forward to explain the downing of Gary Powers spy plane: Gary Powers was flying his plane below the high flying reconnaissance altitude and was hit by anti-aircraft fire.Gary Powers actually landed the plane in the Soviet Union.There was a bomb on board the plane. The newest and probably least probable explanation offered for the downing of the planes comes from the pilot of a Soviet plane involved in the incident. He claims to have been ordered to ram the spy plane. Admittedly there is little evidence to support this claim. However, it further muddies the waters of explanation. Even though the cause of the incident is shrouded in mystery there is little doubt to the short and long term consequences of the event. Consequences and Significance The Paris Summit between President Eisenhower and Nikita Krushchev collapsed in large part because Krushchev demanded an apology that Eisenhower was unwilling to give.Gary Powers was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment and 7 years of hard labor. He only served 1 year 9 months and 9 days before being traded for the Soviet spy Colonel Rudolph Ivanovich Abel.This incident set in motion a pattern of mistrust that culminated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, a time when U.S.-U.S.S.R. relations reached an all time low. No one can predict if the Cold War might have ended sooner had the U-2 incident not occurred.

How the Olympic Torch Works

How the Olympic Torch Works Quite a lot of development and technology goes into the flame for the Olympic Torch. Heres a look at how the Olympic Torch works and the fuel used to produce the flame. Origin of the Olympic Torch The Olympic Torch represents Prometheus theft of fire from Zeus. In the original Greek Olympic Games, a fire -  the Olympic Flame - was kept burning during the duration of the games. The tradition of the Olympic Flame made its way into the international games in the 1928 summer Olympic Games in Amsterdam. There was no torch relay in the original games, taking the flame from its source to wherever the games were being held. The Olympic Torch is a relatively new invention, introduced by Carl Diem at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Design of the Olympic Torch While the original Olympic Torch was simply an Olympic Flame that was kept burning throughout the original Greek Olympic Games, the modern torch is a sophisticated device that is used in a relay. The design of the torch changes and is customized for every set of Olympic Games. Recent torches use a double burner, with an outer bright flame and a small inner blue flame. The inner flame is protected such that if the torch is blown out by wind or rain, the small flame acts as a sort of pilot light, re-igniting the torch. A typical torch carries fuel sufficient to burn for about 15 minutes. Recent  games have utilized a  burning mixture of butane and polypropylene or propane. Fun Olympic Torch Facts Some early torches were fueled by olive oil.The runners in the 1956 torch relay carried a flaming block of hexamine and naphthalene, but a more dazzling display was desired for the entry into the Melbourne Olympic Stadium. The runner, Ron Clarke, carried a torch burning a mixture of magnesium and aluminum flakes (think thermite reaction or a giant sparkler). The torch dripped clumps of flaming metal onto the track and burned its carrier.The 2000 Olympic Games featured an underwater flare for a torch so that a diver could bear the flame across the Great Barrier Reef to the Sydney Games in Australia.Multiple torches are made for each set of Olympic Games. There were 22 torches for the 1952 games in Helsinki, 6,200 for the 1980 games in Moscow and 8,000 for the 2012 London Games. What Happens When the Torch Goes Out? Modern Olympic Torches are less likely to go out than their predecessors. The type of torch used for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games has been tested and found to function at temperatures from -5 °C to 40 °C, in rain and snow, at 95% humidity, and with wind gusts of up to 50 mph. The torch will remain lit when dropped from a height of at least three meters (the test height). Even so, the flame can go out! When this happens, the inner flame acts as a pilot light to reignite the fuel of the flame. Unless the torch is very wet, the flame should reignite easily.

Survey and analysis of the IT employment market Report Essay

Survey and analysis of the IT employment market Report - Essay Example Broadly speaking, these include the (1) design, (2) selection, and (3) setting up of computer systems. Systems engineers help organizations in acquiring and installing data processing systems that are affordable as well as workable, and are suited to the existing and anticipated needs. It has been noted that â€Å"systems engineers work at various levels in the design and coordination of large and complex projects known as systems† (Net Industries and its Licensors, 2010). However, fresh graduates are generally placed in the baseline positions. One of the major controlling bodies is Engineers Australia which is â€Å"the national forum for the advancement of engineering and the professional development† (Engineers Australia, 2010) of its members. According to the official website of the organization, â€Å"with more than 85,000 members embracing all disciplines of the engineering team, Engineers Australia is the largest and most diverse professional body for engineers in Australia†; it further claims that engineers who have been given chartered status by it â€Å"are regarded as trusted professionals not only in Australia, but worldwide† (Engineers Australia, 2010). Apart from providing official recognition to member engineers, the main activities of Engineers Australia include (1) advocacy, (2) professional development, (3) program accreditation, and (4) Migration Skills Assessment (MSA). This position is that of â€Å"a SharePoint architect, providing technical and design solutions; the focal point for coordinating and delivering SharePoint user support and optimization; a solution provider, troubleshooting and fixing technical issues; an application integrator, integrating SharePoint with other products; and a project manager, defining, planning and executing SharePoint and infrastructure projects† (IAEA,

News in the United States Political System Essay

News in the United States Political System - Essay Example However, the qualities of reporting and journalism in the country certainly have dimensions along which they can improve, and some observers are even severely critical of the state of affairs with respect to the media. The nature of content and safeguards against bias are especially controversial aspects of the matter. There are 3 major groups of stakeholders with respect to news and the media: the people who report, their audiences, and the entities covered by these reports (Bennett, 2007, p. 6). Each of these categories is further affected by their circles of acquaintances and votaries, and the effects that media content have on their images and societal positions. However, the audience should have precedence in all matters related to the development of media, because their vital interests should not be compromised in any circumstances. This document essays a review of how information is collated, analyzed, and presented by US media to its audiences, the impacts on each of the major categories of stakeholders, and how some of the important perceived limitations can be addressed. It is largely based on a major text on the state of the US media, which is widely used, and which is current as well (Bennett, 2007, p. 6). Two significant factors dominate key US media processes: economics and technology. It is expensive to gather first hand information, and to disseminate it as well. Owners, advertisers, and theories of what audiences would like to see and hear, cast overbearing spells on the workings and decisions of reporters and most professional journalists. Economics rule news content (Hamilton, 2004, p. 7). The advantage of free enterprise becomes an entry barrier as far as the collection and dissemination of news is concerned. Editors have to function as executives, with eyes on lines of financial statements, rather than on the strengths they should have, and the accountabilities which they should hold most sacred. Interference and interventions by quarters which provide financial sustenance to the media is not blatant in any overt way, but the subtle compulsions are not to be denied. The most influential of such pressures on professional journalistic processes, relates to the role of advertisin g. The latter is directly related to sizes of audiences. Truth and relevance must be subservient to guessing as to what people would like to read and to hear. This leads to a high degree of subjectivity in the evaluation of the media and its utility, because the population which it serves is so diverse. Television has substantially displaced the print media as a source medium for news (Bennett, 2007, p. 23). Thus, technology is a determining factor in shaping views, and calls for an extension if not a shift of factual reporting skills from newspapers to electronic media forms. This aspect of media process does not end with television as the Internet grows in influence at unprecedented rates. This trend is set to accelerate much further as cellular telephones offer to keep people in touch at virtually all times. However, this does not mean that mainstream media is condemned to obsolescence, and the resurgence of radio is a reassuring example of how quality news management can retain the loyalties of audiences. The business sector of media is incredibly complex, and most lay people are not conscious of the logistics and management skills which are integral

Contribution for Canadian Identity Essay Example for Free

Contribution for Canadian Identity Essay Throughout history, Canadian aboriginals have not been recognized for their contribution, sacrifices, and involvement in Canadian war efforts. During the First and Second World Wars, many aboriginals enlisted themselves in the services for the Canadian Armed Forces. In World War I, aboriginal soldiers like Corporal (Cpl). Francis Pegahmagabow and Henry Norwest helped advance the Canadian identity with their skills and bravery in Canadian fought battles. Tommy Prince in World War II worked hard to further maintain the Canadian identity. Aboriginal soldiers courage, sacrifices, and accomplishments further developed Canadian identity in World War I and World War II. Aboriginal, Corporal (Cpl) Francis Pegahmagabow contributed his brave actions for the development of the Canadian identity. It was during his first year on the Western Front that Pegahmagabow became one of the first Canadians to be awarded the Military Medal (MM). He received his MM for his service as a messenger in battles such the Battle of Ypres. Pegahmagabow was a messenger from February 1915 to February 1916; he â€Å"carried messages with great bravery and success during the whole of the actions at Ypres, Festubert and Givenchy.† [1] The bravery of Pegahmagabow resulted in the halt of the German advance. The defeat of the Germans was important in Canadian history because, the world now saw Canada as an independent nation that could unite as one to fight for their rights and freedom. Pegahmagabow was important because his job of delivering messages allowed access to information about the German advance which in turn resulted in a Canadian victory. This victory gave the Ca nadians an independent identity. At the Battle of Passchendaele, Pegahmagabow added the first bar to his MM for his work of running across the land through the tough war conditions to bring back valuable information for his unit. The information Pegahmagabow provided resulted in â€Å"the success of the attack and saving valuable time in consolidating.† [2] The courage of the aboriginal soldier Cpl. Pegahmagabow and his excellent work contributed to the success of the Canadians capturing the Passchendaele Ridge. The victory of the battle of Passchendaele was vital in the development of the Canadian identity because the British Army had previously tried to capture the Passchendaele Ridge for three months but had not succeeded. The Canadians captured the ridge mainly because of the support and the contribution of such soldiers like Pegahmagabow, and therefore Canadians accomplished goals that other countries had failed to do. During Pegahmagabow’s service in the Canadian Armed Forces Cpl. Pegahmagabow â€Å"captured 300 soldiers and shot 378.† [3] As a result of his achievements, Pegahmagabow served as a catalyst for Canada to be able to have a presence on a global scale. Cpl. Pegahmagabow was also a skilled marksmanship, which allowed him to succeed at the battlefront. Applying these skills resulted in a high number of casualties on the German side which, identified him as a valuable soldier. This was a great advantage for the Canadian side as the strength of the enemy forces was weakened, therefore Canadians were a step closer to wining the war. This achievement by an aboriginal soldier further contributed to the Canadian identity. Henry Norwest, another aboriginal, contributed to the development of the Canadian identity by utilizing his fine skills in sniping. Norwest was given his first MM after the capture of the Pimple peak on Vimy Ridge because, Norwest showed â€Å"great bravery, skill and initiative in sniping the enemy after the capture of the Pimple.† [4] The sniping skills Norwest possessed led to the Canadians capturing the peak on Vimy Ridge. Killing the enemy after the capture of the Pimple peak was important because, the skillful aboriginal saved a great number of Canadian soldiers. This battle was also of great significance in Canadian history, as Canadians, once again proved to the world that they are a capable, strong nation that that can overcome obstacles regardless of the circumstances or previous failed attempts. On the other hand, with the skills of aboriginal soldiers like Norwest, the Canadians were able to conquer the Pimple. Norwest had all the essential skills a sniper needed to be successful. Norwest had â€Å"excellent marksmanship, an ability to keep perfectly still for very long periods and superb camouflage techniques.†[5] These skills made Norwest a lethal Canadian aboriginal sniper. Being a lethal sniper, Norwest was crucial for the development in the Canadian identity. By camouflaging, Norwest deceived the enemy and hence sniped them. The contribution of this aboriginal soldier gave Canadians the identity as strategic planners. Norwest was a skilled and fatal sniper because he â€Å"achieved a sniping record of 115 fatal shots.† [6] Norwest shot down many enemy soldiers and as a result, this reduced the number of enemies to fight. By reducing the number of enemies, Norwest also enabled the Canadians to be another step closer to winning the war. Canadians proved that they are a mighty, powerful and strong army because of Canadian aboriginal soldiers such as Norwest, who shot down many enemy soldiers efficiently. In the Second world war, aboriginal soldier Tommy Prince’s brave actions and unique ability, led to the further enhancement of the Canadian identity. In 1944 in Italy, Tommy Prince showed his bravery while spying on a German camp. While he was reporting the German activity, his communication line was damaged but, â€Å"[b]y pretending to tie his shoes, he successfully repaired the break in full view of the German soldiers.†[7] Prince’s utmost bravery led to the destruction of four German tanks, which were shooting at the Allied forces. Prince risked his life to fulfill his duty as a spy. This act of the aboriginal soldiers bravery was pivotal for the development of the Canadian identity. Canadians proved that they are risk takers and are capable of fulfilling their duty with bravery. King George VI decorated Tommy Prince with the Silver Star and ribbon, an American honour because Prince â€Å"occupied new heights and successfully wiped out the enemy encampment area† [8] in the summer of 1944 for going behind enemy lines and locating a German camp. Tommy Prince located the camp and then with his brigade, captured more than 1000 German soldiers. This technique of locating the German camp led to the reduction in the number of German soldiers. This commendable mission carried out by aboriginal soldier, Prince, was essential for the development for the Canadian identity. This mission was significant because the world saw Canadians as a strong nation that has a strong military capable of destruction of the enemies. Tommy Prince had skills which allowed him to be a part of the special airborne force with â€Å"1600 of the toughest men to be found in Canada and the United States.† [9] Tommy Prince possessed essential paratrooper skills. He possessed the skills of landing and crawling on his belly, with the swiftness of a snake. These skills made Prince a successful paratrooper. The aboriginal soldier applied his exemplary skills at the battle front to further enrich the Canadian identity. Soldiers such as Prince were symbols to represent the Canadians as tactful and skillful warriors. During the First and the Second World Wars, many aboriginal Canadians volunteered for the Canadian Armed Forces and contributed in the development of the Canadian identity. With the unique and effective skills of Francis Pegahmagabow and Henry Norwest the Canadian identity was enhanced. Tommy Prince’s courage and dedication for his nation helped Canada gain a military reputation throughout the world. The contribution, sacrifices, and involvement of aboriginals should not be forgotten because aboriginal soldiers were important for the enrichment of the Canadian identity. Works Cited â€Å"Prince of the Brigade,† Canadian Government Site. Web. 28 April 2011 â€Å"Sharpshooter: Henry Louis Norwest,† Canadian Government Site. Web. 3 May 2011 â€Å"Treasures Gallery Francis Pegahmagabow’s Medals†, Canadian Museum of Civilization. Web.2 May 2011 Gaffen, Fred. Forgotten Soldiers, 1985 Penticton, B.C.: Theytus Books. Print Livesey, Robert, and A. G. Smith. The Great War. 2006 Markham, Ont.: Fitzhenry Whiteside. Print Lloyd, Dohla. â€Å"Thomas Prince: Canadas Forgotten Aboriginal War Hero.† First Nations Drum Canada’s National Native Newspaper, September 2002. Article. â€Å"Henry Norwest,† University of Calgary. Web. 29 April 2011 A Peaceful Man Veterans Affairs Canada. Veterans Affairs Canada. Web. 27 April 2011 Wheeler, Victor W. The 50th Battalion in No Mans Land, 2000, Ottawa, Ont.: CEF Books. Print [1] Veterans Affairs Canada, A Peaceful Man Veterans Affairs Canada., last modified 2011-02-23, http:/www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=history/other/native/peaceful [2] Canadian Museum of Civilization, â€Å"Treasures Gallery Francis Pegahmagabow’s Medals†, last modified 2010-05-27, http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/tresors/treasure/280eng.shtml [3] Livesey, Robert, and A. G. Smith. The Great War . Markham, Ont.: Fitzhenry Whiteside, 2006, 84 [4] University of Calgary â€Å"Henry Norwest,† last modified 2010, http://library.ucalgary.ca/node/599 [5] Canadian Government Site. â€Å"Sharpshooter: Henry Louis Norwest,† Date Created: 1996-12-22, Date Modified: 2006-12-15, http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=history/other/native/norwest [6] Wheeler, Victor W. The 50th Battalion in No Mans Land, Ottawa, Ont.: CEF Books, 2000, 283 [7] Gaffen, Fred. Forgotten Soldiers, Penticton, B.C.: Theytus Books, 1985, 56 [8] Canadian Government Site. â€Å"Prince of the Brigade,† Date Created: 1996-12-22, Date Modified: 2006-12-15, http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=history/other/native/prince [9] Lloyd, Dohla. â€Å"Thomas Prince: Canadas Forgotten Aboriginal War Hero.† First Nations Drum Canada’s National Native Newspaper, September 2002.

Nature versus Nurture :: Genes vs Environment

Abstract The paper covers the debate of nature versus nurture. Within the paper there is an introduction in which the hypothesis is given and a literature review that provides the reader with previous studies done with nature versus nurture. The methods, results, discussion and recommendations from the research study are also provided within the paper. Introduction and literature review The research question is: When comparing Nature verses Nurture in children which one is stronger than the other? The hypothesis is: Nature has a stronger correlation than nurture when it comes to individual differences between males and females. There is a big controversy between whether inherited genes or the environment influences and affect our personality, development, behavior, intelligence and ability. This controversy is most often recognized as the nature verses nurture conflict. Some people believe that it is strictly genes that affect our ways of life, others believe that it is the environment that affects us, and some believe that both of these influence us. A wide variety of characteristics have been considered in such debates, including personality, sexual orientation, gender identity, political orientation, intelligence, and propensity for violence or criminality (Wright, 1998). Human nature is the range of human behaviors that is believed to be innate rather than learned. There is much debate over which behaviors are innate and which are learned, and whether or not this division applies equally to all individuals. Although "nurture" may have historically referred mainly to the care given to children by their parents, any environmental (not genetic) factor also would count as "nurture" in a contemporary nature versus nurture debate, including one's childhood friends, one's early experiences with television, and one's experience in the womb(Wright,1998). Indeed, a substantial source of environmental input to human nature may arise from external variations in prenatal development (Wright, 1998). Either way, social scientists have been struggling for centuries deciding whether our personalities are born or made. Tests are done often on identical twins that were separated to see how they are influenced. In the past twenty years, it has been discovered that there is a genetic component to about every human trait and behavior (Pinker, 2002). However, genetic influence on traits and behavior is partial because genetics account on average for half of the variation of most traits (Pinker, 2002). Researchers are finding that the balance between genetic and environmental influences for certain traits change as people get older (Pinker, 2002).

Love and Basketball: An Overview

Here’s the run-down. Love & Basketball is deceivingly simple in its structure. The movie is divided into the quarters of a basketball game and tells the story of a boy and a girl. Meeting at about the age 11, the film traces their lives as they run parallel and run apart from childhood, to high school, to college, and just after. Monica and Quincy each have their hopes and their dreams. They both want to play basketball on a professional level. For Quincy, it is easier and expected since he is the son of a professional player. It is harder for Monica, both being a woman and as a daughter whose mother cannot understand why she does not want to grow up to be a pretty stay at home wife. Through the whole film the constant between the two is their love for each other and for the game of basketball. The movie is full of honest moments, laughs, tears and some awesome basketball scenes. There are a lot of positives to this movie. This movie shows that no matter what race, gender, or where you came from you can be a successful athlete. Monica is a black female basketball player with an attitude of a male who makes it to the pros. Going into her senior year of high school, Monica was afraid she wasn’t getting any looks by colleges and at the games she was getting looked at she was riding the bench because of her attitude, but the movie showed that it is important to have a strong support system at home. Her parents recognized it and put her in her place! A good athlete has to be all around good. They have to be focused in the classroom and respectable on and off the court! The movie showed how important a healthy home life is needed in more ways than just at Monica’s home. Quincy’s father was a professional athlete that was cheating on his mother. This unhealthy home life affected Quincy and his athletics. Quincy didn’t finish college because of it and entered the draft. After he entered the draft he hurt his knee; consequently he thought his basketball career was over. That was also another positive aspect of the movie, showing the importance of education! If Quincy had finished college and received a college degree he would have had something to fall back on. The main plot line of the movie is very positive in and of itself! A story based on two individuals whom are childhood sweethearts trying to balance following their dreams while trying to keep their love alive is ultimately the hardest thing to do in the eyes of a student athlete of any age! Watching this movie gives you hope that it can actually happen. I know people who try to live this life. Truth be told, it can only happen in a fairy tale though! I don’t believe it. A little girl finds herself in a new neighborhood and having to make new friends. She stumbles upon some boys playing basketball. Being the tomboy she is, she assumes they will let her play. She ends up in a fight with one boy, Quincy. She goes home only to hear her mom go on and on about how she needs to be more girly and quit trying to be one of the boys. Monica has heard this bit her whole life. The young boy is fascinated by Monica; he has probably never had a girl ever stand up to him in that way. He asks her to be his girlfriend and they share their first kiss together. Throughout the years they maintain their strong friendship, living so close together they comfort each other during family problems. They live window to window. They get to high school and Quincy is, of course, quite the ladies’ man; being the best basketball player in the state, they tend to have that effect. Monica plays too, but in high school her anger problems are out of control on the court. Little did they know their romantic lives were about to cross paths again at their very last hooray of high school; senior prom. Quincy of course took one of his random hoes to the prom; whereas Monica just to please her mom. She went with a college guy who her sister set her up with.

Zoe’s Tale PART II Chapter Seventeen

The four of us moved as silently as we could into the forest, from the place where Gretchen had seen Magdy, Enzo and their two friends go into the tree line. We listened for their sounds; none of them had been trained to move quietly. It wasn't a good thing for them, especially if the creatures decided to hunt them. It was better for us, because we wanted to track them. We listened for our friends on the ground, we watched and listened for movement in the trees. We already knew whatever they were could track us. We hoped we might be able to track them, too. In the distance, we heard rustling, as if of quick, hurried movement. We headed that direction, Gretchen and I taking point, Hickory and Dickory fast behind. Gretchen and I had been training for months, learning how to move, how to defend ourselves, how to fight and how to kill, if it was necessary. Tonight, any part of what we learned might have to be used. We might have to fight. We might even have to kill. I was so scared that if I stopped running, I think I would have collapsed into a ball and never gotten up. I didn't stop running. I kept going. Trying to find Enzo and Magdy before something else did. Trying to find them, and to save them. â€Å"After Gutierrez left, Magdy didn't see any point in keeping our story quiet anymore, so he started blabbing to his friends,† Gretchen had told me. â€Å"He was giving people the idea that he'd actually faced these things and had managed to keep them off while the rest of us were getting away.† â€Å"Idiot,† I said. â€Å"When you parents came back without the hunting party, a group of his friends came to him about organizing a search,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Which was actually just an excuse for a bunch of them to stalk through the forest with guns. My dad caught wind of this and tried to step on its head. He reminded them that five adults just went into the forest and didn't come out. I thought that was the end of it, but now I hear that Magdy just waited until my dad went to go visit yours before gathering up some like-minded idiots to head off into the woods.† â€Å"Didn't anyone notice them heading off?† I asked. â€Å"They told people they were going to do a little target practice on Magdy's parents' homestead,† Gretchen said. â€Å"No one's going to complain about them doing that right about now. Once they got there they just took off. The rest of Magdy's family is here in town like everyone else. No one knows they're missing.† â€Å"How'd you find out about this?† I asked. â€Å"It's not like Magdy would tell you this right now.† â€Å"His little group left someone behind,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Isaiah Miller was going to go with him, but his dad wouldn't let him have the rifle for ‘target practice.' I heard him complaining about that and then basically intimidated the rest of it out of him.† â€Å"Has he told anybody else?† I asked. â€Å"I don't think so,† Gretchen said. â€Å"Now that he's had time to think about it I don't think he wants to get in trouble. But we should tell someone.† â€Å"We'll cause a panic if we do,† I said. â€Å"Six people have already died. If we tell people four more people – four kids – have gone off into the woods, people will go insane. Then we'll have more people heading off with guns and more people dying, either by these things or by accidentally shooting each other because they're so wired up.† â€Å"What do you want to do, then?† Gretchen asked. â€Å"We've been training for this, Gretchen,† I said. Gretchen's eyes got very wide. â€Å"Oh, no,† she said. â€Å"Zoe, I love you, but that's loopy. There's no way you're getting me out there to be a target for these things again, and there's no way I'm going to let you go out there.† â€Å"It wouldn't just be us,† I said. â€Å"Hickory and Dickory – â€Å" â€Å"Hickory and Dickory are going to tell you you're nuts, too,† Gretchen said. â€Å"They just spent months teaching you how to defend yourself, and you think they're going to be at all happy with you putting yourself out there for something to use as spear practice. I don't think so.† â€Å"Let's ask them,† I said. â€Å"Miss Gretchen is correct,† Hickory said to me, once I called for it and Dickory. â€Å"This is a very bad idea. Major Perry and Lieutenant Sagan are the ones who should deal with this matter.† â€Å"My dad's got the whole rest of the colony to worry about at the moment,† I said. â€Å"And Mom's in the medical bay, getting fixed from when she dealt with this the last time.† â€Å"You don't think that tells you something?† Gretchen said. I turned on her, a little angry, and she held up a hand. â€Å"Sorry, Zoe. That came out wrong. But think about it. Your mom was a Special Forces soldier. She fought things for a living. And if she came out of this with a wound bad enough for her to spend her night in the medical bay, it means that whatever is out there is serious business.† â€Å"Who else can do this?† I asked. â€Å"Mom and Dad went after that hunting party on their own for a reason – they had been trained to fight and deal with experiences like that. Anyone else would have gotten themselves killed. They can't go after Magdy and Enzo right now. If anyone else goes after them, they're going to be in just as much danger as those two and their other friends. We're the only ones who can do this.† â€Å"Don't get angry at me for saying this,† Gretchen said. â€Å"But it sounds like you're excited to do this. Like you want to go out there and fight something.† â€Å"I want to find Enzo and Magdy,† I said. â€Å"That's all I want to do.† â€Å"We should inform your father,† Hickory said. â€Å"If we inform my father he'll tell us no,† I said. â€Å"And the longer we talk about this the longer it's going to take to find our friends.† Hickory and Dickory put their heads together and clacked quietly for a minute. â€Å"This is not a good idea,† Hickory said, finally. â€Å"But we will help you.† â€Å"Gretchen?† I asked. â€Å"I'm trying to decide if Magdy is worth it,† she said. â€Å"Gretchen,† I said. â€Å"It's a joke,† she said. â€Å"The sort you make when you're about to wet your pants.† â€Å"If we are to do this,† Hickory said. â€Å"We must do it on the assumption that we will engage in combat. You have been trained with firearms and hand weapons. You must be prepared to use them if necessary.† â€Å"I understand,† I said. Gretchen nodded. â€Å"Then let us get ready,† Hickory said. â€Å"And let us do so quietly.† Any confidence that I had any idea what I was doing left me the moment we entered the forest, when the running through the trees brought me back to the last time I raced through them at night, some unknown thing or things pacing us invisibly. The difference between now and then was that I had been trained and prepared to fight. I thought it would make a difference in how I felt. It didn't. I was scared. And not just a little. The rustling, rushing sound we had heard was getting closer to us and heading right for us, on the ground and moving fast. The four of us halted and hid and prepared ourselves to deal with whatever was coming at us. Two human forms burst out of the brush and ran in a straight line past where Gretchen and I were hiding. Hickory and Dickory grabbed them as they passed by them; the boys screamed in terror as Hickory and Dickory took them down. Their rifles went skidding across the ground. Gretchen and I rushed over to them and tried to calm them down. Being human helped. Neither was Enzo or Magdy. â€Å"Hey,† I said, as soothingly as I could, to the one closest to me. â€Å"Hey. Relax. You're safe. Relax.† Gretchen was doing the same to the other one. Eventually I recognized who they were: Albert Yoo and Michel Gruber. Both Albert and Michel were people I had long filed away under the â€Å"kind of a twit† category, so I didn't spend any more time with them than I had to. They had returned the favor. â€Å"Albert,† I said, to the one closest to me. â€Å"Where are Enzo and Magdy?† â€Å"Get your thing off of me!† Albert said. Dickory was still restraining him. â€Å"Dickory,† I said. It let Albert go. â€Å"Where are Enzo and Magdy?† I repeated. â€Å"I don't know,† Albert said. â€Å"We got separated. Those things in the trees started chanting at us and Michel and I got spooked and took off.† â€Å"Chanting?† I asked. â€Å"Or singing or clicking or whatever,† Albert said. â€Å"We were walking along, looking for these things when all these noises started coming out of the trees. Like they were trying to show us that they had snuck up on us without us even knowing.† This worried me. â€Å"Hickory?† I asked. â€Å"There is nothing significant in the trees,† it said. I relaxed a little. â€Å"They surrounded us,† Albert said. â€Å"And then Magdy took a shot at them. And then things really got loud. Michel and I got out of there. We just ran. We didn't see where Magdy and Enzo went.† â€Å"How long ago was this?† I asked. â€Å"I don't know,† Albert said. â€Å"Ten minutes, fifteen. Something like that.† â€Å"Show us where you came from,† I said. Albert pointed. I nodded. â€Å"Get up,† I said. â€Å"Dickory will take you and Michel back to the tree line. You can get back from there.† â€Å"I'm not going anywhere with that thing,† Michel said, his first contribution to the evening. â€Å"Okay, then you have two choices,† I said. â€Å"Stay here and hope we come back for you before these things do, or hope that you make it to the tree line before they catch up with you. Or you can let Dickory help you and maybe survive. Your choice.† I said it a little more forcefully than I had to, but I was annoyed that this idiot didn't want help staying alive. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"Good,† I said. I picked up their rifles and handed them to Dickory, and took his. â€Å"Take them to the tree line near Magdy's homestead. Don't give them back their rifles until you get there. Come back and find us as soon as you can.† Dickory nodded, intimidated Albert and Michel into movement, and headed off. â€Å"I never liked them,† Gretchen said as they left. â€Å"I can see why,† I said, and gave Dickory's rifle to Hickory. â€Å"Come on. Let's keep going.† We heard them before we saw them. Actually, Hickory, whose hearing goes above human range, heard them – trilling and chirping and chanting. â€Å"They are singing,† Hickory said quietly, and led Gretchen and me to them. Dickory arrived, silently, just before we found them. Hickory handed over its rifle. In the small clearing were six figures. Enzo and Magdy were the first I recognized. They knelt on the ground, heads down, waiting for whatever was going to happen to them. The light was not good enough for me to see any expression on either of their faces, but I didn't have to see their faces to know that they were scared. Whatever had happened to the two of them had gone badly, and now they were just waiting for it to end. However it would end. I took in Enzo's kneeling form and remembered in a rush why I loved him. He was there because he was trying to be a good friend for Magdy. Trying to keep him out of trouble, or at the very least to share his trouble if he could. He was a decent human being, which is rare enough but is something of a miracle in a teenage boy. I came out here for him because I still loved him. It had been weeks since we'd said anything more than a simple â€Å"hello† at school – when you break up in a small community you have to make some space – but it didn't matter. I was still connected to him. Some part of him stayed in my heart, and I imagined would for as long as I lived. Yes, it was a really inconvenient place and time to realize all of this, but these things happen when they happen. And it didn't make any noise, so it was all right. I looked over at Magdy, and this is the thought I had: When all of this is through, I am seriously going to kick his ass. The four other figures†¦ Werewolves. It was the only way to describe them. They looked feral, and strong, and carnivorous and nightmarish, and with all of that was movement and sound that made it clear that there were brains in there to go along with everything else. They shared the four eyes of all the Roanoke animals we had seen so far, but other than that they could have been lifted right out of folklore. These were werewolves. Three of the werewolves were busy taunting and poking Magdy and Enzo, clearly toying with them and threatening them. One of them held a rifle that it had taken off of Magdy, and was jabbing him with it. I wondered if was still loaded, and what would happen to Magdy or the werewolf if it went off. Another held a spear and occasionally poked Enzo with it. The three of them were chirping and clicking at each other; I don't doubt they were discussing what to do with Magdy and Enzo, and how to do it. The fourth werewolf stood apart from the other three and acted differently. When one of the other werewolves went to poke Enzo or Magdy, it would step in and try to keep them from doing it, standing between the humans and the rest of the werewolves. Occasionally it would step in and try to talk to one of the other werewolves, gesturing back to Enzo and Magdy for emphasis. It was trying to convince the other werewolves of something. To let the humans go? Maybe. Whatever it was, the other werewolves weren't having any of it. The fourth werewolf kept at it anyway. It suddenly reminded me of Enzo, the first time I saw him, trying to keep Magdy from getting into an idiotic fight for no reason at all. It didn't work that time; Gretchen and I had to step in and do something. It wasn't working now, either. I glanced over and saw that Hickory and Dickory had both taken up positions where they could get clean shots at the werewolves. Gretchen had moved off from me and was setting up her own shot. Between the four of us we could take all of the werewolves before they even knew what had happened to them. It would be quick and clean and easy, and we'd get Enzo and Magdy out of there and back home before anyone knew anything had happened. It was the smart thing to do. I quietly moved and readied my weapon, and took a minute or two to stop shaking and steady up. I knew we'd take them in sequence, Hickory on the far left taking the first of the three group werewolves, Dickory taking the second, Gretchen the third, and I the last one, standing away from the rest. I knew the rest of them were waiting for me to make the shot. One of the werewolves moved to poke Enzo again. My werewolf hurried, too late, to stop the assault. And I knew. I didn't want to. I just didn't. Didn't want to kill it. Because it was trying to save my friends, not kill them. It didn't deserve to die just because that was the easiest way to get back Enzo and Magdy. But I didn't know what else to do. The three werewolves started chittering again, first in what seemed like a random way, but then together, and to a beat. The one with a spear began thumping it into the ground in time, and the three of them started working off the beat, playing against each other's voices for what was clearly a victory chant of some sort or another. The fourth werewolf started gesturing more frantically. I had a terrible fear of what was going to happen at the end of the chant. They kept singing, getting closer to the end of that chant. So I did what I had to do. I sang back. I opened my mouth and the first line of â€Å"Delhi Morning† came out of it. Not well, and not on key. Actually, it was really bad – all those months of practicing it and playing it at hootenannies were not paying off. It didn't matter. It was doing what I needed it to do. The werewolves immediately fell silent. I kept singing. I glanced over to Gretchen, who was not so far away that I couldn't read the Are you completely insane? look that she had on her face. I gave her a look that said, Help me out please. Her face tightened up into something unreadable and she sighted down her rifle to keep one of the werewolves squarely in target – and started to sing the counterpoint of the song, dipping above and below my part, like we had practiced so many times. With her help I found the right key to sing and homed in. And now the werewolves knew there was more than one of us. To the left of Gretchen, Dickory chimed in, mimicking the sitar of the song as he did so well. It was funny to watch, but when you closed your eyes it was hard to tell the difference between it and the real thing. I drank in the twang of his voice and kept singing. And to the left of Dickory, Hickory finally came in, using its long neck to sound off like a drum, finding the beat and keeping it from then on. And now the werewolves knew there were as many of us as them. And that we could have killed them anytime. But we didn't. My stupid plan was working. Now all I had to do was figure what I had planned to do next. Because I really didn't know what I was doing here. All I knew was that I didn't want to shoot my werewolf. The one, in fact, who had now stepped off entirely away from the rest of his pack and was walking toward where he thought my voice was coming from. I decided to meet him halfway. I set down my rifle and stepped into the clearing, still singing. The werewolf with the spear began to raise it, and suddenly my mouth was very dry. I think my werewolf noticed something on my face, because it turned and chattered madly at the spear carrier. The spear went down; my werewolf didn't know it, but he'd just saved his friend a bullet in the head from Gretchen. My werewolf turned back to me and started walking toward me again. I kept singing until the song was through. By that time, my werewolf was standing right next to me. Our song was finished. I stood there, waiting to see what my werewolf would do next. What he did next was point to my neck, to the jade elephant pendant Jane had given me. I touched it. â€Å"Elephant,† I said. â€Å"Like your fanties.† He stared at it again and then stared at me again. Finally it chirped out something. â€Å"Hello,† I said back. What else was I going to say? We had a couple more minutes of sizing each other up. Then one of the three other werewolves chirped something. He chirped something back, and then tilted his head at me, as if to say, It would really help me if you actually did something here. So I pointed to Enzo and Magdy. â€Å"Those two belong to me,† I said, making what I hoped were appropriate hand signals, so my werewolf would get the idea. â€Å"I want to take them back with me.† I motioned back in the direction of the colony. â€Å"Then we'll leave you alone.† The werewolf watched all my hand signals; I'm not sure how many of them he actually got. But when I was done, he pointed to Enzo and Magdy, then to me, and then in the direction of the colony, as if to say, Let me make sure I've got this right. I nodded, said â€Å"yes,† and then repeated all the hand signals again. We were actually having a conversation. Or maybe we weren't, because what followed was an explosion of chittering from my werewolf, along with some wild gesticulating. I tried to follow it but I had no idea what was going on. I looked at him helplessly, trying to get what he was saying. Finally he figured out I had no clue what he was doing. So he pointed at Magdy, and then pointed at the rifle one of the other werewolves was holding. And then he pointed at his side, and then motioned at me as if to take a closer look. Against my better judgment, I did, and noticed something I missed before: My werewolf was injured. An ugly furrow was carved into his side, surrounded by raw welts on either side. That idiot Magdy had shot my werewolf. Barely, sure. Magdy was lucky that his aim continued to be bad, otherwise he'd probably already be dead. But even grazing it was bad enough. I backed up from the werewolf and let him know I'd seen enough. He pointed at Enzo, pointed at me, and pointed back to the colony. Then he pointed at Magdy and pointed at his werewolf friends. This was clear enough: He was saying Enzo was free to go with me, but his friends wanted to keep Magdy. I didn't doubt that would end badly for Magdy. I shook my head and made it clear I needed the both of them. My werewolf made it equally clear they wanted Magdy. Our negotiations had just hit a really big snag. I looked my werewolf up and down. He was stocky, barely taller than me, and covered only in a sort of short skirt cinched up with a belt. A simple stone knife hung from the belt. I'd seen pictures of knives like it from history books detailing the Cro-Magnon days back on Earth. The funny thing about the Cro-Magnons was that despite the fact that they were barely above banging rocks together, their brains were actually larger than our brains are now. They were cavemen, but they weren't stupid. They had the ability to think about serious stuff. â€Å"I sure hope you have a Cro-Magnon brain,† I said to my werewolf. â€Å"Otherwise I'm about to get in trouble.† He tilted his head again, trying to figure out what I was trying to say to him. I motioned again, trying to make it clear I wanted to talk to Magdy. My werewolf didn't seem happy about this, and chattered something to his friends. They chattered back, and got pretty agitated. But in the end, my werewolf reached out to me. I let him take my wrist and he dragged me over to Magdy. His three friends fanned themselves out behind me, ready if I should try anything stupid. I knew outside the clearing Hickory and Dickory, at least, would be moving to get better sight lines. There were still lots of ways this could go very very wrong. Magdy was still kneeling, not looking at me or anything else but a spot on the ground. â€Å"Magdy,† I said. â€Å"Kill these stupid things and get us out of here already,† he said, quietly and fast, still not looking at me. â€Å"I know you know how. I know you have enough people out there to do it.† â€Å"Magdy,† I said again. â€Å"Listen to me carefully and don't interrupt me. These things want to kill you. They're willing to let Enzo go, but they want to keep you because you shot one of them. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?† â€Å"Just kill them,† Magdy said. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"You went after these guys, Magdy. You were hunting them. You shot at them. I'm going to try to keep you from getting killed. But I'm not going to kill them because you put yourself in their way. Not unless I have to. Do you understand me?† â€Å"They're going to kill us,† Magdy said. â€Å"You and me and Enzo.† â€Å"I don't think so,† I said. â€Å"But if you don't shut up and actually listen to what I'm trying to say to you, you're going to make that more likely.† â€Å"Just shoot – † Magdy began. â€Å"For God's sake, Magdy,† Enzo said suddenly, from Magdy's side. â€Å"One person on the entire planet is risking her own neck for you and all you can do is argue with her. You really are an ungrateful piece of crap. Now would you please shut up and listen to her. I'd like to get out of this alive.† I don't know who was more surprised by that outburst, me or Magdy. â€Å"Fine,† Magdy said, after a minute. â€Å"These things want to kill you because you shot one of them,† I said. â€Å"I'm going to try to convince them to let you go. But you're going to have to trust me and follow my lead and not argue and not fight back. For the last time: Do you understand me?† â€Å"Yes,† Magdy said. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"They think I'm your leader. So I need to give them the idea I'm angry with you for what you did. I'm going to have to punish you in front of them. And just so you know, this is going to hurt. A lot.† â€Å"Just – † Magdy began. â€Å"Magdy,† I said. â€Å"Yeah, all right, whatever,† Magdy said. â€Å"Let's just do this.† â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Sorry about this.† Then I kicked him in the ribs. Hard. He collapsed with a whoosh and fell flat to the ground. Whatever he was expecting, he wasn't expecting that. After he had gasped on the ground for a minute I grabbed him by the hair. He clutched at my hand and tried to get away. â€Å"Don't fight me,† I said, and gave him a quick punch in the ribs to make the point. He got it and stopped. I pulled his head back and yelled at him for shooting the werewolf, pointing at his rifle and then the wounded werewolf and back and forth several times to make the point. The werewolves seemed to make the connection and chittered among themselves about it. â€Å"Apologize,† I told Magdy, still holding his head. Magdy reached out to the wounded werewolf. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said. â€Å"If I had known that shooting would mean Zoe got to beat the crap out of me, I would never have done it.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said, and then let go of his hair and smacked him hard across the face. Magdy went down again. I looked over to the werewolf to see if this was sufficient. He didn't look like he was quite there yet. I loomed over Magdy. â€Å"How are you doing?† I asked. â€Å"I think I'm going to throw up,† he said. â€Å"Good,† I said. â€Å"I think that would work. Need any help?† â€Å"I got it,† he said, and retched all over the ground. This got impressed chirps from the werewolves. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Last part, Magdy. You really have to trust me on this one.† â€Å"Please stop hurting me now,† Magdy said. â€Å"Almost done,† I said. â€Å"Stand up, please.† â€Å"I don't think I can,† he said. â€Å"Sure you can,† I said, and wrenched his arm to give him motivation. Magdy inhaled and stood up. I marched him over to my werewolf, who eyed the both of us, curiously. I pointed at Magdy, and then to the werewolf's wound. Then I pointed to the werewolf, and made a slashing motion on Magdy's side, and then pointed at the werewolf's knife. The werewolf gave me yet another head tilt, as if to say, I want to be sure we understand each other, here. â€Å"Fair's fair,† I said. â€Å"You're going to let him stab me?† Magdy said, his voice rising dramatically at the end of that sentence. â€Å"You shot him,† I said. â€Å"He could kill me,† Magdy said. â€Å"You could have killed him,† I said. â€Å"I hate you,† Magdy said. â€Å"I really really really hate you now.† â€Å"Shut up,† I said, and then nodded to the werewolf. â€Å"Trust me,† I said to Magdy. The werewolf drew his knife, and then looked back at his companions, who were all chattering loudly and beginning to chant what they were chanting earlier. I was all right with that. The difference now was that it was my werewolf who would do whatever violence would be done. My werewolf stood there for a minute, soaking in the chant of his fellow werewolves. Then without warning he sliced at Magdy so quickly that I only got him moving back, not forward. Magdy hissed in pain. I let him go and he fell to the ground, clutching his side. I moved in front of him and grabbed his hands. â€Å"Let me see,† I said. Magdy moved his hands and winced preemptively, expecting a gush of blood. There was only the thinnest red line on his side. The werewolf had cut Magdy just enough to let him know he could have cut him a lot worse. â€Å"I knew it,† I said. â€Å"You knew what?† Magdy said. â€Å"That I was dealing with a Cro-Magnon,† I said. â€Å"I really don't understand you,† Magdy said. â€Å"Stay down,† I said. â€Å"Don't get up until I tell you.† â€Å"I'm not moving,† he said. â€Å"Really.† I stood up and faced the werewolf, who had put his knife back on his belt. He pointed to Magdy, and then pointed to me, and then pointed back toward the colony. â€Å"Thank you,† I said, and gave the werewolf a little nod of my head, which I hoped would convey the idea. When I looked up again, I saw him staring at my jade elephant again. I wondered if he'd ever seen jewelry before, or if it was simply because an elephant looks like a fantie. These werewolves followed the fantie herds; they would be a main source of food for them. They were their lives. I took off my necklace and handed it to my werewolf. He took it and gently touched the pendant, making it twirl and glitter in the dim light of the night. He cooed at it appreciatively. Then he handed it back to me. â€Å"No,† I said. I held up a hand, and then pointed to the pendant, and to him. â€Å"It's for you. I'm giving it to you.† The werewolf stood there for a moment, and then uttered a trill, which caused his friends to crowd around him. He held up the pendant for them to admire. â€Å"Here,† I said, after a minute, and motioned to him to hand me the necklace. He did, and I – very slowly, so I wouldn't surprise him – put it around his neck and fastened it. The pendant touched his chest. He touched it again. â€Å"There,† I said. â€Å"That was given to me by someone very important, so I would remember the people who loved me. I'm giving it to you, so you'll remember that I'm thanking you for giving me back people I love. Thank you.† The werewolf gave me another of his head tilts. â€Å"I know you don't have any idea what I'm saying,† I said. â€Å"Thank you anyway.† The werewolf reached to his side, pulled his knife. Then he laid it flat on his hand and offered it to me. I took it. â€Å"Wow,† I said, and admired it. I was careful not to touch the actual blade; I'd already seen how sharp it was. I tried to return it but he held up his hand or claw or whatever you want to call it, in a mirror of what I did for him. He was giving it to me. â€Å"Thank you,† I said again. He chirped, and with that he returned to his friends. The one holding Magdy's rifle dropped it, and then without looking back they walked to the nearest trees, scaled them at an unbelievable speed and were gone almost instantly. â€Å"Holy crap,† I said, after a minute. â€Å"I can't believe that actually worked.† â€Å"You can't believe it,† Gretchen said. She came out of hiding and stalked right up to me. â€Å"What the hell is wrong with you? We come out all this way and you sing at them. Sing. Like you're at a hootenanny. We are not doing this again. Ever.† â€Å"Thank you for following my lead,† I said. â€Å"And for trusting me. I love you.† â€Å"I love you too,† Gretchen said. â€Å"It still doesn't mean this is ever going to happen again.† â€Å"Fair enough,† I said. â€Å"It was almost worth it to see you beat the crap out of Magdy, though,† Gretchen said. â€Å"God, I feel horrible about that,† I said. â€Å"Really?† Gretchen said. â€Å"It wasn't just a little bit of fun?† â€Å"Oh, all right,† I said. â€Å"Maybe a little.† â€Å"I'm right here,† Magdy said, from the ground. â€Å"And you need to thank Zoe you are,† Gretchen said, and bent down to kiss him. â€Å"You stupid, exasperating person. I am so happy you are still alive. And if you ever do anything like this again, I will kill you myself. And you know I can.† â€Å"I know,† he said, and pointed to me. â€Å"And if you can't, she will. I get it.† â€Å"Good,† Gretchen said. She stood up and then held out her hand to Magdy. â€Å"Now get up. We've got a long way to go to get home, and I think we just blew all our dumb luck for the year.† â€Å"What are you going to tell your parents?† Enzo asked me, as we walked home. â€Å"Tonight? Not a thing,† I said. â€Å"Both of them have enough to worry about tonight. They don't need me coming in and saying that while they were out I faced down four werewolves who were about to kill two more colonists, and defeated them using only the power of song. I think I might wait a day or two to drop that one. That's a hint, by the way.† â€Å"Hint taken,† Enzo said. â€Å"Although you are going to tell them something.† â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"We have to. If these werewolves are following the fantie herds then we're going to have problems like this every year, and every time they come back. I think we need to let people know they're not actually murdering savages, but we're all still better off if we just leave them alone.† â€Å"How did you know?† Enzo asked me, a minute later. â€Å"Know what?† I said. â€Å"That those werewolf thingies weren't just murdering savages,† Enzo said. â€Å"You held Magdy and let that werewolf take a shot at him. You thought he wouldn't stab Magdy to death. I heard you, you know. After it did it, you said ‘I knew it.' So how did you know?† â€Å"I didn't,† I said. â€Å"But I hoped. He had just spent God knows how long keeping his friends from killing the two of you. I don't think he was just doing it because he was a nice guy.† â€Å"Nice werewolf,† Enzo said. â€Å"Nice whatever he is,† I said. â€Å"Thing is, the werewolves have killed some of us. I know John and Jane killed some of them trying to get our people back. Both of us – the colonists and the werewolves – showed we were perfectly able to kill each other. I think we needed to show that we were capable of not killing each other, too. We let them know that when we sang at them instead of shooting them. I think my werewolf got that. So when I offered him a chance to get back at Magdy, I guessed he wouldn't really hurt him. Because I think he wanted us to know he was smart enough to know what would happen if he did.† â€Å"You still took a big risk,† Enzo said. â€Å"Yeah, I did,† I said. â€Å"But the only other alternative was to kill him and his friends, or have them kill all of us. Or all of us kill each other. I guess I hoped I could do something better. Besides, I didn't think it was too big a risk. What he was doing when he was keeping the others away from you two reminded me of someone I knew.† â€Å"Who?† Enzo asked. â€Å"You,† I said. â€Å"Yes, well,† Enzo said. â€Å"I think tonight marks the official last time I tag along with Magdy to keep him out of trouble. After this he's on his own.† â€Å"I have nothing bad to say about this idea,† I said. â€Å"I didn't think you would,† Enzo said. â€Å"I know Magdy gets on your last nerve sometimes.† â€Å"He does,† I said. â€Å"He really, really does. But what can I do? He's my friend.† â€Å"He belongs to you,† Enzo said. â€Å"And so do I.† I looked over at him. â€Å"You heard that part, too,† I said. â€Å"Trust me, Zoe,† Enzo said. â€Å"Once you showed up, I never stopped listening to you. I'll be able to recite everything you said for the rest of my life. Which I now have, thanks to you.† â€Å"And Gretchen and Hickory and Dickory,† I said. â€Å"And I will thank them all, too,† Enzo said. â€Å"But right now I want to focus on you. Thank you, Zoe Boutin-Perry. Thank you for saving my life.† â€Å"You're welcome,† I said. â€Å"And stop it. You're making me blush.† â€Å"I don't believe it,† Enzo said. â€Å"And now it's too dark to see.† â€Å"Feel my cheeks,† I said. He did. â€Å"You don't feel especially blushy,† he said. â€Å"You're not doing it right,† I said. â€Å"I'm out of practice,† he said. â€Å"Well, fix that,† I said. â€Å"All right,† Enzo said, and kissed me. â€Å"That was supposed to make you blush, not cry,† he said, after we stopped. â€Å"Sorry,† I said, and tried to get myself back together. â€Å"I've just really missed it. That. Us.† â€Å"It's my fault,† Enzo started. I put a hand up to his lips. â€Å"I don't care about any of that,† I said. â€Å"I really don't, Enzo. None of that matters to me. I just don't want to miss you anymore.† â€Å"Zoe,† Enzo said. He took my hands. â€Å"You saved me. You have me. You own me. I belong to you. You said it yourself.† â€Å"I did,† I admitted. â€Å"So that's settled,† Enzo said. â€Å"Okay,† I said, and smiled. We kissed some more, in the night, outside Enzo's front gate.

20 Proficient Essay Topics The Best Facts from the History of Internet Development

20 Proficient Essay Topics The Best Facts from the History of Internet Development In our previous guide, 11 facts on Internet history for a proficient essay, you were given some very interesting research material and now you must be aching to go with a particular topic. You’re in luck because this part of the guide is going to do just that. We have a few highly essay-worthy topics you might find helpful. We assure you after reading these 20 topic suggestions, your mind will be swirling with creative ideas. Here are 20 topics on Internet history for a proficient essay: The Inspiration Behind the Internet. The Global Expansion of the Internet Moral and Ethical Dilemmas with The Expansion of the Internet technology Globally Traffic Handling on the Internet. Spread of the Internet Through Satellites in Outer Space From Telephone to the Internet – Point to Point Communications to Wide Area Networks The Modern Historical Uses of the Internet in Cases Of Wars, Turmoil and Natural Disasters. How File Sharing Conquered a Major Chunk of the Internet Business Uses of the Internet – from Inception Till to Date. The Unreliability of the Internet – No Alternative to the Internet The Evolution of the Internet Development of WWW at CERN Birth of TCP – Transmission Control Protocol Brief History of Internet Browsers The Distribution of the Internet through ISPs The Future of the Internet – What to Expect Now The History of E-marketing How the Internet Revolutionized the Field of Research The Science Behind Domain Names Why Is the Internet Termed as the Most Important Scientific Discovery of the 20th Century? These topic suggestions are sure to spark your intellectual juices so you can write a compelling essay on the Internet’s history. You have half your work cut out; the next part of this guide is a detailed piece on how to write a history essay on the Internet. That’s not all; below is a sample essay on one of the topics mentioned above. This is to give you a fair idea on how to go about writing the essay. Without further ado, here’s the sample essay: Sample Proficient Essay: Development of WWW at CERN It was the year 1980 when Tim Berners-Lee built ENQUIRE. At the time, Mr. Lee was an independent contractor who worked at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). ENQUIRE was originally designed to be a database for people and models of software. Other purposes included displaying hypertext which means that every page of ENQUIRE was connected to another existing page. Although his contract in the year 1980 was to expire in December, Mr. Lee would return to CERN four years later in 1984 and this time, in a more permanent capacity. He took over the emerging demand and challenges of information management at a time when physicists from all over the globe were desperately looking for better means to share data. It was a dire need at the time to have a common machine which could share data and presentation software. After the return of Mr. Lee at CERN, TCP/IP protocols were installed on a few specific machines which were running non-Unix platforms. Within a few years the institution became one of the most prominent Internet hubs in Europe. CERN’s infrastructure was then the perfect nest for the Internet’s egg to be laid in and all this was possible due to Berners-Lee. And we saw the creation of The Web. In March 1989 Berners-Lee, presented a project proposal which would make access to large hypertext databases possible through typed links. This proposal, unfortunately, was far ahead of its time and attracted very little attention, though Berners-Lee’s boss, Mike Sendall, encouraged him to start building the platform. Hence, Berners-Lee began working on the NeXT workstation to make the proposal possible. It came to be known by several names such as The Information Mine, Mine of Information and Information Mesh. Eventually, Mr. Lee settled on the name we know today as the World Wide Web. It was a lonely road after that, so to speak, and it wasn’t until Christmas of 1990 that Mr. Lee had all the tools necessary to launch a functional Web; the HyperText Markup Language (HTML), HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) 0.9, the first Web browser, the first web server, the first HTTP server software and last but not the least, the first ever web page were all made official, which explained the project itself. The initial browser was able enough to handle FTP files and access Usenet newsgroups. The limitation was that it could only run on NeXT. It was Nicola Pellow who translated the system to a simple text browser known as Line Mode Browser which almost any computer could run. To ensure that CERN would still be used, Bernd Pollermann uploaded CERN’s contact information on the web. This was a good development because earlier web users had to log onto the mainframe if they wanted to get that contact information. References: Kenneth P. Birman (2005). Reliable Distributed Systems: Technologies, Web Services, and Applications. Springer-Verlag New York Incorporated. Hillebrand, Friedhelm (2002). Hillebrand, Friedhelm, ed. GSM and UMTS, The Creation of Global Mobile Communications. John Wiley Sons Abbate, Janet (1999). Inventing the Internet. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press Ryan, Johnny (2010). A history of the Internet and the digital future. London, England: Reaktion Books. Turings Legacy: A History of Computing at the National Physical Laboratory 1945–1995, David M. Yates, National Museum of Science and Industry, 1997 Tanenbaum, Andrew S. (1996). Computer Networks. Prentice Hall. Mueller, Milton L. (2010). Networks and States: The Global Politics of Internet Governance. MIT Press.

Italian Present Perfect Tense - Il Passato Prossimo

Italian Present Perfect Tense - Il Passato Prossimo The passato prossimo- grammatically referred to as the present perfect- expresses a fact or action that happened in the recent past or that occurred long ago but still has ties to the present. It’s a compound tense (tempo composto), which means that you need to use an auxiliary verb  - either â€Å"essere† or â€Å"avere† -   plus a past participle. An example of a past participle would be â€Å"mangiato† for the verb â€Å"mangiare†. If you want to talk about events that happened repeatedly in the past, like going to your Italian lesson every Sunday, or telling a story, you’ll need to use the imperfect tense. Here Are a Few Examples of How the Passato Prossimo  Appears in Italian: Ti ho appena chiamato. - I just called you.Mi sono iscritto/a alluniversit quattro anni fa. - I entered university four years ago.Questa mattina sono uscito/a presto. - This morning I left early.Il Petrarca ha scritto sonetti immortali. - Petrarca wrote enduring sonnets. How to Form the Past Tense In order to form the past tense, there are two main things you need to know. Does the verb you want to use need the auxiliary verb â€Å"essere† or â€Å"avere†?What is the past participle of the verb you want to use? For example, if you wanted to say, â€Å"I went to Rome last summer†, you would need to use the verb â€Å"andare†. The verb â€Å"andare† takes the verb â€Å"essere† as a helper, or auxiliary, verb because it’s a verb that has to do with motion. Then, the past participle of the verb â€Å"andare† is â€Å"andato†. However, when you use the verb â€Å"essere† as an auxiliary verb, the past participle MUST agree in number and gender. Ad esempio: L’estate scorsa sono andato a Roma. - I went to Rome last summer. (masculine, singular)L’estate scorsa sono andata a Roma. - I went to Rome last summer. (feminine, singular)L’estate scorsa mia sorella e mia madre sono andate a Roma. - My sister and mother went to Rome last summer. (feminine, plural)L’estate scorsa siamo andati a Roma. - We went to Rome last summer. (masculine, plural) If you’re using â€Å"avere† as an auxiliary verb, it’s much simpler as the past participle does not have to agree in number and gender (that is, unless you’re using direct object pronouns.) For example, let’s use the sentence, â€Å"I watched that movie†. First, you need to use the verb â€Å"guardare - to watch†. The past participle of â€Å"guardare† is â€Å"guardato†. Then you conjugate your auxiliary verb â€Å"avere† into the first person singular, which is â€Å"ho†. The sentence then becomes, â€Å"Ho guardato quel film†. TIP: If the verb you’re using is reflexive, like â€Å"innamorarsi - to fall in love†, you need to use â€Å"essere† as your auxiliary verb. For example, â€Å"Ci siamo innamorati due anni fa. - We fell in love two years ago.† When to Use Il Passato Prossimo (Present Perfect) Instead of L’Imperfetto (Imperfect) It is notoriously difficult to correctly decide between il passato prossimo and l’imperfetto when you try talking about the past in Italian. While there are some rules for when to choose one or the other, it’s also helpful to know which phrases are typically used with il passato prossimo. The following table lists some adverbial expressions that are often used with the passato prossimo: Common Expressions Used With Il Passato Prossimo ieri yesterday ieri pomeriggio yesterday afternoon ieri sera last night il mese scorso last month laltro giorno the other day stamattina this morning tre giorni fa three days ago

Review Discussion of Chris Hackley (2013), Marketing in Context Essay - 1

Review Discussion of Chris Hackley (2013), Marketing in Context - Essay Example According to Hackley, critics have been against marketing and its role because of the associated theories and techniques used in the business world in the name of marketing. The author is honest about the fact that the developed world has experienced some of the benefits associated with marketing. This is through increasing affluence. Despite the evident benefits of marketing, only a few people have a conscience understanding of the functioning of marketing. Many of the books seeking to elaborate the concepts of marketing have not succeeded in doing so in accordance with the views expressed by Hackley. Hackley has the conviction that marketing research and the findings recorded as well as the theories developed from such findings do not conform to the real life aspects of marketing. These reasons prompted Hackley to develop a text that can describe marketing concepts in the appropriate context. Hackley’s book succeeds in clarifying several marketing concepts, its role, and set ting a new scene that allows marketing to be understood in its appropriate context. This paper will present a critical review discussion of Chris Hackley’s introductory chapter and the conclusion he presents. The review is going to consider other chapters in the book, and describe how Hackley develops them to set a â€Å"marketing scene†. In the first chapter of the book, Hackley develops an introduction to his involving text. In this chapter, Hackley introduces the overgeneralization of concepts that has been happening in the marketing field. More specifically, he highlights that only a few people understand marketing in its appropriate context. The efforts of previous authors have not succeeded in enlightening readers on how to understand marketing. This is despite the fact that marketing is one of the fields with a remarkable economic contribution as well as a cultural presence with numerous effects on the society. In an effort to address