Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Methane as a Greenhouse Gas
Methane as a Greenhouse Gas Methane is a major constituent of natural gas, but its chemical and physical characteristics also make it a powerful greenhouse gas and worrisome contributor to global climate change. What Is Methane? A methane molecule, CH4, is made of a central carbon atom surrounded by four hydrogens. Methane is a colorless gas usually formed in one of two ways: Biogenic methane is produced by microorganisms breaking down certain types of sugars in conditions where oxygen is absent. This biologically-produced methane can be released to the atmosphere immediately upon being produced, or it can be accumulated in wet sediment only to be released later.Thermogenic methane was formed when organic matter was buried deeply under geological layers and over millions of years, and then broken down by pressure and high temperatures. This type of methane is the primary constituent of natural gas, making up 70 to 90% of it. Propane is a common by-product found in natural gas. Biogenic and thermogenic methane may have different origins but they have the same properties, making them both effective greenhouse gases. Methane as a Greenhouse Gas Methane, along with carbon dioxide and other molecules, contributes significantly to the greenhouse effect. Reflected energy from the sunà in the form of longer wavelength infrared radiation excites methane molecules instead of traveling out into space. This warms up the atmosphere, enough that methane contributes to about 20% of the warming due to greenhouse gases, second in importance behind carbon dioxide. Because of the chemical bonds within its moleculeà methane is much more efficient at absorbing heat than carbon dioxide (as much as 86 times more), making it a very potent greenhouse gas. Fortunately, methane can only last about 10 to 12 years in the atmosphere before it gets oxidized and turns into water and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide lasts for centuries. An Upward Trend According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the amount of methane in the atmosphere has multiplied since the industrial revolution, growing from an estimated 722 parts per billion (ppb) in 1750 to 1834 ppb in 2015. Emissions from many developed parts of the world have now appeared to have leveled off, however. Fossil Fuels Once Again to Blame In the United States,à methane emissions come primarily from the fossil fuel industry. Methane is not released when we burn fossil fuels, like carbon dioxide does, but rather during the extraction, processing, and distribution of fossil fuels. Methane leaks out of natural gas wellheads, at processing plants, out of faulty pipeline valves, and even in the distribution network bringing natural gas to homes and businesses. Once there, methane continues to leak out of gas meters and gas-powered appliances like heaters and stoves. Some accidents occur during the handling of natural gasà resulting in the release of large amounts of gas. In 2015 very high volumes of methane were released from a storage facility in California. The Porter Ranch leak lasted for months, emitting almost 100,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere. Agriculture: Worse Than Fossil Fuels? The second largest source of methane emissions in the United States is agriculture. When evaluated globally, agricultural activities actually rank first. Remember those microorganisms that produce biogenic methane in conditions where oxygen is lacking? Herbivorous livestock guts are full of them. Cows, sheep, goats, even camels have methanogenic bacteria in their stomach to help digest plant material, which means they collectively pass very large quantities of methane gas. And it is not a minor issue, as a full 22% of methane emissions in the United States are estimated to come from livestock. Another agricultural source of methane is the production of rice. Rice paddies contain methane-producing microorganisms as well, and the soggy fields release about 1.5% of global methane emissions. As the human population grows and with it the need to grow food, and as temperatures rise with climate change, it is expected that methane emissions from rice fields will continue to increase. Adjusting rice-growing practices can help alleviate the problem: temporarily drawing down water mid-season, for example, makes a big difference but for many farmers, the localà irrigation network cannot accommodate the change. From Waste to Greenhouse Gasââ¬âto Energy? Organic matter decomposing deep inside a landfill produces methane, which is normally vented out and released into the atmosphere. Itââ¬â¢s an important enough problem that landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions in the United States, according to the EPA. Fortunately, an increasing number of facilities captureà the gas and route it to a plant that uses a boiler to produce electricity with that waste gas. Methane Coming From the Cold As Arctic regions warm up quicklyà methane is released even in the absence of direct human activity. The Arctic tundra, along with its numerous wetlands and lakes, contains large amounts of peat-like dead vegetation locked in ice and permafrost. As those layers of peat thaw, microorganism activity picks up and methane is released. In a troublesome feedback loop the more methane there is in the atmosphere, the warmer it gets, and more methane is released from the thawing permafrost. To add to the uncertainty, another worrying phenomenon has the potential to further disrupt our climates very rapidly. Under Arctic soils and deep in oceans large concentrations of methane exist entrapped in an ice-like mesh made of water. The resulting structure is called a clathrate, or methane hydrate. Large deposits of clathrate can be destabilized by changing currents, underwater landslides, earthquakes, and warming temperatures. The sudden collapse of large methane clathrate deposits, for whatever reason, would release lots of methane into the atmosphere and cause rapid warming. Reducing Our Methane Emissions As a consumer, the most effective way to lower methane emissions is by reducing our fossil fuel energy needs. Additional efforts include choosing a diet low in red meat to reduce the demand for methane-producing cattle and composting to reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfills where it would produce methane.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Aging Population in Hk
In the past, many people dead in childhood due to sickness and improper medical treatment, which enzymes and bacteria can easily kill them. However, with the development of medical technology, such as introduction of new treatments like antibacterial, people can combat many diseases and have a longer life, and the death rate can be lowered. Hence, as Hong Kong is a stable place, it can make people in Hong Kong live longer. Hong Kong is a stable place without the threat of civil wars and lack of essential resources like water and food, compare with some undeveloped countries. In addition, the Hong Kong government also maintain stability by making policies such as food hygiene policy. With maintaining stability, people can live longer then. The above conditions lead to the increasing longevity of Hong Kong people, which caused the aging population in Hong Kong. Declining birth rate In the past 50 years, there was a baby boom occurred in Hong Kong. People at that time did not concern about the cost of bring the child up and the problem of population explosion, which lead to the high birth rate at that time. After reaching 1980s, the birth rate started to be declined. This is mainly due to higher education rate in HK, when there is a higher educates rate, less female would unwilling to born more children. Hence, fearing from financial burden, as it bringing a child up requires a high cost, families are unwilling to give birth to child. Moreover, people are more likely to settle down at a later age, form their families when they become old, this also lead to a low birth rate. In fact, the low death rate could bring few negative effects. However, when there is a declining birth rate, the young age group cannot support the size of old age group born in the baby boom. This will lead to a serious problem. In short, a declining birth rate and a low death rate caused the aging population. Situation in Hong Kong In Hong Kong, the population sizes of youngsters are keeping decreasing with a decrease of 17. 9% in 33 years. In contrast, the number of old people are keeping increasing, it is estimated in 2033, the old age group will become one-forth of the whole population. Hence, there is a decreasing trend in birth rate in 40 years with a drop of 1500 babies per year. Nevertheless, the trend grow again since 2005 due to migration from Mainlanders, they could only be able to work until 2030,which may hard to combat the problem. To conclude, the problem of aging population is serious. Impact of aging population In medical aspect, aging population may increase medical expenditure of government because elderly people may have the high risk of chronic diseases. Due to increases of medical services, the demand of doctor and nurses would also be increased. However, the government may not have enough money to provide better medical services as a lower tax income. This may lead to poor quality of medical services. From the point of view of the government, aging population reduces the governmentââ¬â¢s income as providing more welfare and medical care for elderly. It would also affect the GDP of HK due to more elderly people and less working population, which reduce Hong Kongââ¬â¢s economic development. HK competitiveness in the world may be seriously affected. In social aspect, aging population may increase the pressure of working force, as they need to pay more tax to government for providing better medical services and welfare, even though the demand of productivity at will be high and high salaries will be paid in the future. On the other hand, it may also enhance the problem of poverty as they may unable to work after retired. Suggestions of aging population From the above passage, we can see that aging population will cause a high expenditure and welfare on the government. The aims of the solutions below are to solve these problems. To start with, the government can solve the problem by Enabling older individuals to keep economically active. For example, the government can employed these old age people part-time works to enhance productivity. It can also encourage them to spend more money to enhance the economy by encourage them to travel in Hong Kong, such as the $2 Public Transport Concessions for the elderly. For those retired who are poor and disable to work, the government should put more resources to help them maintain a living. For example, increase the amount of welfare on the poor, or provide resources to some fund, which helps the old age groups, such as the Community Collusion Fund. On the other hand, the government should also cut some welfare, for example, the introduction of the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) can let the old people save money itself for entire when they are working; the issue of health care voucher can reduce the burden of the government-owned health system. These measures can help the government to reduce the welfare.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Homework 5 Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Homework 5 - Speech or Presentation Example 2) Historically, the average amount of time to assemble an electronic component on a production line has been 14 minutes. The supervisor of this production line is interested in determining whether this is no longer true. Assume that assembly time is normally distributed with a known population standard deviation of 3.4 minutes. The supervisor times the assembly of 25 randomly chosen components, and finds that the average time to assemble is 12.6 minutes. Is there sufficient evidence to suggest that the population mean assembly time is not 14 minutes at the 1% level of significance? What is the p-value? 3) The manufacturer of a new chewing gum asserts that at least 80% of dentists prefer their type of gum. An independent consumer research firm decides to test their claim. The findings of a sample of 200 dentists indicate that 76% of respondents actually prefer the manufacturers gum. At the 5% level, is there sufficient evidence to suggest that the population proportion of dentists who prefer the manufacturers gum is less than 80%? What is the p-value? 4) A college professor is interested in determining the relationship between the number of hours a student sleeps prior to an exam and a students exam grade. The joint distribution is assumed bivariate normal. The professor draws a random sample of four students and records each students exam grade and hours of sleep preceding the exam. These data are found in the table below. The professor runs a simple regression, but has misplaced her regression output. Recognizing that Exam Grade is the dependent variable and Hours of Sleep is the sole independent variable, she asks you to perform the
Saturday, February 1, 2020
American culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1
American culture - Essay Example n and continue to be acquired and get integrated as parts of our own culture mostly this is through mass media in music and movies, as well as social network. These include positive philosophies like the believe in their rights, patriotism as well as the negative aspects such as popular drug and substance abuse and certain hedonistic elements especially pertaining to youths and sex. In this paper, I will discuss aspects of American culture that I would like to have acquired in my country as well as those I hope will never become part of my countries culture. Respect for the rights of others is the embodiment of American way of life, through the mass media, we hear about Americans having the right to express themselves as long as they do not interfere with othersââ¬â¢ freedom, live anywhere, marry anyone they want their sexual orientation, and often make designs about abortion. World over, Americans are known for agitating for their rights, and I believe that having citizens aware and understanding their rights is something from which my country can benefit. The nationalism of the American people is another admirable attribute of the American culture they are very patriotic, and this is evident in their music and from the mass media especially through political campaigns. The success of songs like Springsteenââ¬â¢s born in the USA and Kanyeââ¬â¢s American Boy are a tribute to the high levels of patriotism in the USA (Hilker). The political campaigns are the embodiment of nationalism and the leaders often deal with people centere d issues such as health and economic growth. Nonetheless, I consider some negative aspects of American culture undesirable, and I would hope they do not become a part of my countries culture. One of this is the casual way in which the youth seem to treat the subject of drugs, especially Marijuana in many American movies such as American, pie and the more recently, ââ¬Å"Harold and Kumarâ⬠. Some of the characters are seen smoking weed ââ¬Å"as a
Friday, January 24, 2020
Robert Boyle (1627-1691) :: Biography Biographies Essays
à à à Robert Boyle is the most influential Anglo-Irish scientist in history.à He played a key role in the history of science by establishing the experimental method, on which all modern science is based (Mollan).à Also, with his assistant Robert Hooke, he began pioneering experiments on the properties of gases, including those expressed in Boyle's law.à He demonstrated the physical characteristics of air, showing that is is necessary in combustion, respiration, and sound transmission.à He also wrote The Sceptical Chymist in 1661, in which he attacked Aristotle's theory of four elements.à This was an essential part of the modern theory of chemical elements. Childhood à à à Robert was born on January 25, 1627 to a Protestant family in Lismore, Ireland.à He was the youngest of fourteen children.à His father was Richard Boyle, First Earl of Cork.à Richard came to Ireland from England in 1588 at the age of 22.à He was appointed clerk of the council of Munster by Elizabeth I in 1600 (Robert).à At one point he was imprisoned for embezzlement and theft, but he managed to receive a royal pardon, and went on to accumulate a huge fortune and advance his social standing and political influence (Mollan).à He was a very successful man and Robert grew up in a very noble and high-class life.à à Robertââ¬â¢s mother, Catherine Fenton, was Richardââ¬â¢s second wife, his first having died within a year of the birth of their first child.à When Richard married the well connected Fenton she was 15 and he was 37.à Richard was in his 60ââ¬â¢s and Catherine in her 40ââ¬â¢s when Robert was born (Robert). à à à à Robert was born into an affluent English aristocratic family and received a conventional gentleman's education (Clulee).à In a brief autobiography of his early life, Robert paints himself as being different from the other children in his family.à He says he was rather self-righteous, preferring to study rather than play or do other normal boyish activities.à Robert wrote that he was very much his fatherââ¬â¢s favorite (Mollan).à Robertââ¬â¢s parents believed that the best upbringing for young children, up to the time they began their education, could be provided away from their parents.à Robert was sent away to be brought up in the country while his father continued to aim for higher political successes (Robert).à After his mother died Robert returned from his stay with his country nurse and rejoined his family.à He went to school, along with one of his older brothers, at Eton College in England in 1635 when he was 8 years old (Sargent, 23) .
Thursday, January 16, 2020
The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 6
Elena was using all her considerable talents at negotiation to calm Matt down, encouraging him to order a second and third Belgian waffle; smiling at him across the table. But it wasn't much good. Matt was moving as if he were driven to rush, while at the same time he couldn't take his eyes off her. He's still imagining Damon swooping down and terrorizing some young girl, Elena thought helplessly. Damon wasn't there when they stepped out of the coffee shop. Elena saw the frown between Matt's eyebrows begin and had a brainstorm. ââ¬Å"Why don't we take the Jag to a used-car dealership? If we're going to give up the Jaguar, I want your advice on what we get in return.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, my advice on beat-up, falling-apart heaps has got to be the best,â⬠Matt said, with a wry smile that said he knew Elena was managing him, but he didn't mind. The single car dealership in the town didn't look very promising. But even it was not as depressed-looking as the owner of the lot. Elena and Matt found him asleep inside a small office building with dirty windows. Matt tapped gently on the smudged window and eventually the man started, jerked up in his chair, and angrily waved them away. But Matt tapped again on the window when the man began to put his head down once more, and this time the man sat up very slowly, gave them a look of bitter despair, and came to the door. ââ¬Å"What do you want?â⬠he demanded. ââ¬Å"A trade-in,â⬠Matt said loudly before Elena could say it softly. ââ¬Å"You teenagers have a car to trade,â⬠the little man said darkly. ââ¬Å"In all my twenty years owning this place ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Look.â⬠Matt stepped back to reveal the brilliant red Jag shining in the morning sun like a giant rose on wheels. ââ¬Å"A brand-new Jaguar XZR. Zero to sixty in 3.7 seconds! A 550-horsepower supercharged AJ-V8 GEN III R engine with 6-speed ZF automatic transmission! Adaptive Dynamics and Active Differential for exceptional traction and handling! There is no car like the XZR!â⬠Matt finished nose to nose with the little man, whose mouth had slowly come open as his eyes flickered between the car and the boy. ââ¬Å"You want to trade that in for something on this lot?â⬠he said, shocked into frank disbelief. ââ¬Å"As if I'd have the cash to ââ¬â waitaminute!â⬠he interrupted himself. His eyes stopped flickering and became the eyes of a poker player. His shoulders came up, but his head didn't, giving him the appearance of a vulture. ââ¬Å"Don't want it,â⬠he said flatly and made as if to go back into the office. ââ¬Å"What do you mean you don't want it? You were drooling over it a minute ago!â⬠Matt shouted, but the man had stopped wincing. His expression didn't change. I should have done the talking, Elena thought. I wouldn't have gotten into a war from word one ââ¬â but it's too late now. She tried to shut out the male voices and looked at the dilapidated cars on the lot, each with its own dusty little sign tucked into the windshield: 10 PERCENT OFF FOR XMAS! EASY CREDIT! CLEAN! GRANNY-OWNED SPECIAL! NO DOWN-PAYMENT! CHECK IT OUT! She was afraid she was going to burst into tears at any second. ââ¬Å"No call for a car like that around here,â⬠the owner was saying expressionlessly. ââ¬Å"Who'd buy it?â⬠ââ¬Å"You're crazy! This car will bring customers flocking in. It's ââ¬â it's advertising! Better than that purple hippo over there.â⬠ââ¬Å"Not a hippo. S'an elephant.â⬠ââ¬Å"Who can tell, with it half deflated like that?â⬠With dignity, the owner stalked over to look at the Jag. ââ¬Å"Not brand-new. S'got too many miles on it.â⬠ââ¬Å"It was bought only two weeks ago.â⬠ââ¬Å"So? In a few more weeks, Jaguar will be advertising next year's cars.â⬠The owner waved a hand at Elena's giant rose of a vehicle. ââ¬Å"Obsolete.â⬠ââ¬Å"Obsolete!â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah. Big car like this, gas guzzler ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"It's more energy efficient than a hybrid ââ¬â !â⬠ââ¬Å"You think people know that? They see it ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Look, I could take this car anywhere else ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Then take it. On my lot, here and now, that car is barely worth one car in exchange!â⬠ââ¬Å"Two cars.â⬠The new voice came from directly behind Matt and Elena, but the car dealer's eyes widened as if he had just seen a ghost. Elena turned and met Damon's unfathomable black gaze. He had his Ray-Bans hooked over his T-shirt and was standing with his hands behind his back. He was looking hard at the car dealer. A few moments passed, and thenâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Theâ⬠¦silver Prius in the back right corner. Underâ⬠¦under the awning,â⬠the car dealer said slowly, and with a dazed expression ââ¬â in answer to no question that had been asked aloud. ââ¬Å"I'llâ⬠¦take you there,â⬠he added in a voice to match his expression. ââ¬Å"Take the keys with you. Let the boy test-drive it,â⬠Damon ordered, and the owner fumbled to show a key ring at his belt, and then walked slowly away, staring at nothing. Elena turned to Damon. ââ¬Å"One guess. You asked him which was the best car on his lot.â⬠ââ¬Å"Substitute ââ¬Ëleast disgusting' and you'd be closer,â⬠Damon said. He flashed a brilliant smile at her for a tenth of a second, and then turned it off. ââ¬Å"But, Damon, why two cars? I know it's more fair and all, but what are we going to do with the second car?â⬠ââ¬Å"Caravan,â⬠Damon said. ââ¬Å"Oh, no.â⬠But even Elena could see the benefits of this ââ¬â at least after they held a summit to decide on a rotation schedule between the cars for Elena. She sighed. ââ¬Å"Well ââ¬â if Matt agreesâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"Mutt will agree,â⬠Damon said, looking very briefly ââ¬â very briefly ââ¬â as innocent as an angel. ââ¬Å"What have you got behind your back?â⬠Elena said, deciding not to pursue the question of what Damon intended to do to Matt. Damon smiled again, but this time it was an odd smile, just a quirk of one side of his mouth. His eyes said it was nothing much. But his right hand came out and it was holding the most beautiful rose Elena had ever seen in her life. It was the deepest red rose she had ever seen, yet there wasn't a hint of purple to it ââ¬â it was just velvety burgundy, and open at exactly the moment of full bloom. It looked as if it would be plush to the touch, and its vivid green stem, with just a few delicate leaves here and there, was at least eighteen inches long and straight as a ruler. Elena resolutely put her own hands behind her back. Damon wasn't the sentimental type ââ¬â even when he got on his ââ¬Å"Princess of the Nightâ⬠soapbox. The rose probably had something to do with their journey. ââ¬Å"Don't you like it?â⬠Damon said. Elena might be imagining it, but it almost sounded as if he were disappointed. ââ¬Å"Of course I like it. What's it for?â⬠Damon settled back. ââ¬Å"It's for you, Princess,â⬠he said, looking hurt. ââ¬Å"Don't worry; I didn't steal it.â⬠No ââ¬â he wouldn't have stolen it. Elena knew exactly how he would have gotten the roseâ⬠¦but it was so prettyâ⬠¦. As she still made no move to take the rose, Damon lifted it and allowed the cool, silky-feeling petals to caress her cheek. It made her shiver. ââ¬Å"Stop it, Damon,â⬠she murmured, but she didn't seem to be able to step backward. He didn't stop. He used the cool, softly rustling petals to outline the other side of her face. Elena took a deep breath automatically, but what she smelled was not flowerlike at all. It was the smell of some dark, dark wine, something ancient and fragrant that had once made her drunk immediately. Drunk on Black Magic and on her own heady excitementâ⬠¦just to be with Damon. But that wasn't the real me, a small voice in her head protested. I love Stefan. Damonâ⬠¦I wantâ⬠¦I want toâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Do you want to know why I got this particular rose?â⬠Damon was saying softly, his voice blending in with her memories. ââ¬Å"I got it because of its name. It's a Black Magic rose.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠Elena said simply. She'd known that before he said it. It was the only name that fit. Now Damon was giving her a rose kiss by swirling the blossom in a circle on her cheek and then applying pressure. The firmer petals in the middle pressed into her skin, while the outer petals just brushed it. Elena was feeling distinctly light-headed. The day was warm and humid already; how could the rose feel so cool? Now the outermost petals had moved to trace her lips, and she wanted to say no, but somehow the word wouldn't come. It was as if she had been transported back in time, back to the days when Damon had first appeared to her, had first claimed her for his own. When she had almost let him kiss her before she knew his nameâ⬠¦. He hadn't changed his ideas since then. Vaguely, Elena remembered thinking something like that before. Damon changed other people while remaining unchanged himself. But I've changed, Elena thought, and suddenly there was quicksand under her feet. I've changed so much since then. Enough to see things in Damon I'd never imagined could be there. Not just the wild and angry dark parts, but the gentle parts. The honor and decency that were trapped like veins of gold inside that stone boulder in his mind. I have to help him, Elena thought. Somehow, I have to help him ââ¬â and the little boy chained outside the boulder. These thoughts had trickled slowly through her mind while it seemed separated from her body. She was so involved with them, in fact, that she somehow lost track of her body, and only now did she realize how much closer Damon had gotten. Her back was against one of the sad, sagging cars. And Damon was speaking lightly, but with an undertone of seriousness. ââ¬Å"A rose for a kiss, then?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"It is called Black Magic, and I did come by it honestly. Her name wasâ⬠¦it wasâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Damon stopped, and for a moment a look of intense bewilderment flashed across his face. Then he smiled, but it was the warrior's smile, the brilliant one he turned on and off almost before you were sure you had seen it. Elena sensed trouble. Sure, Damon still didn't remember Matt's name correctly, but she had never known him to forget a girl's name when he was really trying to remember. Especially within minutes of when he must have fed from that girl. Shinichi again? Elena wondered. Was he still taking Damon's memories ââ¬â only the highlights, of course? The thrills, good or bad? Elena knew that Damon himself was thinking the same thing. His black eyes were smoldering. Damon was furious ââ¬â but there was a certain vulnerability about his fury. Without thinking, Elena put her hands on Damon's forearms. She ignored the rose, even as he traced the curve of her cheekbone with it. She tried to speak steadily. ââ¬Å"Damon, what are we going to do?â⬠That was the scene that Matt walked in on. Ran in on, actually. He came weaving through a maze of cars, and dashed around a white SUV with one flat tire, shouting, ââ¬Å"Hey, you guys, that Prius isâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ And then he stopped dead. Elena knew what he was seeing: Damon caressing her with the rose, while she was practically embracing him. She let go of Damon's arms, but she couldn't back away from him because of the car behind her. ââ¬Å"Matt ââ¬â â⬠Elena began, and then her voice trailed off. She had been about to say ââ¬Å"This isn't what it looks like. We're not in the middle of a cuddle. I'm not really touching him.â⬠But this was what it looked like. She cared about Damon; she had been trying to get through to himâ⬠¦. With a small shock, that thought repeated itself with the force of a shaft of sunlight shooting through an unprotected vampire's body. She cared about Damon. She really did. It was usually difficult being with him because they were alike in so many ways. Headstrong, each wanting their own way, passionate, impatientâ⬠¦ She and Damon were alike. Small shocks were going though Elena, and her entire body felt weak. She found herself glad to lean against the car behind her, even though it must be getting dust all over her clothes. I love Stefan, she thought almost hysterically. He's the only one I love. But I need Damon to get to him. And Damon may be falling to pieces in front of me. She was looking at Matt all the while, her eyes full of tears that would not fall. She blinked, but they stubbornly stayed on her lashes. ââ¬Å"Mattâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ she whispered. He said nothing. He didn't need to. It was all in his expression: astonishment turning to something Elena had never seen before, not when he was looking at her. It was a sort of alienation that shut her out completely, that severed any bonds between them. ââ¬Å"Matt, noâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ But it came out in a whisper. And then, to her astonishment, Damon spoke. ââ¬Å"You do know it's all me, don't you? You can hardly blame a girl for trying to defend herself.â⬠Elena looked at her hands, which were shaking now. Damon was going on, ââ¬Å"You know it's all my fault. Elena would never ââ¬â ââ¬Å" That was when Elena realized. Damon was Influencing Matt. ââ¬Å"No!â⬠She took Damon off guard, grabbing him again, shaking him. ââ¬Å"Don't do it! Not to Matt!â⬠The black eyes that were turned on hers were definitely not those of a suitor. Damon had been interrupted in the use of his Power. If it had been anyone else, they would have ended as a small spot of grease on the ground. ââ¬Å"I'm saving you,â⬠Damon said coldly. ââ¬Å"Are you refusing me?â⬠Elena found herself wavering. Maybe, if it was only once, and only for Matt's benefitâ⬠¦ Something surged up inside her. It was all she could do not to let her aura escape completely. ââ¬Å"Never try that on me again,â⬠Elena said. Her voice was quiet but icy. ââ¬Å"Don't you dare ever try to Influence me! And leave Matt alone!â⬠Something like approval flickered in the endless darkness of Damon's gaze. It was gone before she could be sure she'd seen it. But when he spoke, he seemed less distant. ââ¬Å"All right,â⬠he said to Matt. ââ¬Å"What's the game plan now? You name it.â⬠Matt answered slowly, not looking at either of them. He was flushed but deadly calm. ââ¬Å"I was going to say, that Prius isn't bad at all. And the dealer guy has another one. It's in okay condition. We could have two cars just alike.â⬠ââ¬Å"And then we could caravan and split up if someone was following us! They won't know which to follow.â⬠Normally Elena would have thrown her arms around Matt at this point. But Matt was looking at his shoes, which was probably just as well really, since Damon had his eyes shut and was shaking his head slightly as if he couldn't believe something idiotic. That's right, Elena thought. It's my aura ââ¬â or Damon's ââ¬â that they're homing in on. We can't confuse them with identical cars unless we have identical auras, too. Which really meant that she should drive with Matt the whole way. But Damon would never accept that. And she needed Damon to get to her beloved, her one and only, her true mate: Stefan. ââ¬Å"I'll take the ratty one,â⬠Matt was saying, arranging it with Damon and ignoring her. ââ¬Å"I'm used to ratty cars. I already arranged a deal with the guy. We should get going.â⬠Still speaking only to Damon, he said, ââ¬Å"You'll have to tell me where we're really going. We might get separated.â⬠Damon was silent for a long moment. Then, brusquely, he said, ââ¬Å"Sedona, Arizona, for a start.â⬠Matt looked disgusted. ââ¬Å"That place full of New Age lunatics? You're kidding.â⬠ââ¬Å"I said we'll start out from Sedona. It's complete wilderness ââ¬â nothing but rock ââ¬â all around it. You could get lostâ⬠¦very easily.â⬠Damon flashed the brilliant smile and instantly turned it off. ââ¬Å"We'll be at the Juniper Resort, off North Highway 89A,â⬠he added smoothly. ââ¬Å"I've got it,â⬠Matt said. Elena could see no emotion in either his face or his expression, but his aura was seething red. ââ¬Å"Now, Matt,â⬠Elena began, ââ¬Å"we should really meet every night, so if you just follow us ââ¬â â⬠She broke off with a sharply inhaled breath. Matt had already turned around. He didn't turn back when she spoke. He just kept going, without another word. Without a backward glance.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
The Monograph Coming of age in Mississippi - 1286 Words
MONOGRAPH PAPER COMING OF AGE IN MISSISSIPPI Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody was published on 1968. This autobiography is memoires of Anne Moody about growing up poor and black in the rural Mississippi. The book was divided into four parts from childhood until her late 20s that described the experiences of Anne Moody in the Civil Rights Movement and her struggles against racism. Anne Moody was born in the 1940s which was the time after World War II. This was the period of the development of the U.S. However, the racism between Whites and Blacks still existed. As an African-American girl lived in that time, she had a life of poverty and misery. During her childhood, she had to face with manyâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦It was a time of conflict, excitement, and confusion in the United States. And this was also ââ¬Å"Black Powerâ⬠of the Civil Rights Movement. Moody at that time was a member of NAACP. She was involved in her first sit-in, and her social science professor, John Salter, who was in charge of NAACP asked her to be the spokesman for a team that would sit-in at Woolworthââ¬â¢s lunch counter (Moody 1968, 286). Although she could go to jail for this, but she still agreed. After that, she joined CORE and continued to fight for the voting rights (Moody 1968, 311). Following passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, the struggle for racial justice moved to the next battleground: voting rights in the Deep South. The campaign was already under way in places like Selma, Alabama, where local activists, facing intense white resistance, asked Martin Luther King, Jr., and his Southern Christian Leadership Conference for support (Ayers 2010, 780). Black voter registration in the South was one of the great accomplishments of the civil rights movement. Within months of its passage, more than 2 million black southern were registered to vote. Most supported the Democratic Party of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, which had endorsed the cause of civil rights (Ayers 20 10, 782). By 1963, racial injustice in America was a central issue. The struggle for equal rights of African Americans has reached its peak in the 1960s. Two famous people for fighting against racismShow MoreRelatedEssay Classism and Its Perspective863 Words à |à 4 PagesCulture Shock of College,â⬠notes that many first generation college students struggle during their first year in college. When her sample of college students who were the first in their families to go to college shared their reflection on how they felt coming into a climate of fellow students from more privilege environments; many whose families had traditions of higher education as a part of their background, many of these students related feeling of intimidation and doubt about their self worth. 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In part this reflects a more general decline in the academic world as falling relative salaries and status have reduced the intake of talented academic entrepreneurs. But I also think it reflects the cumulative impact of regulatory and careerist
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