Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-Five

I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE anyone after that. I trekked back to my room as quickly as I could, hardly noticing the obstacles and people in my path. Over and over, Dimitri's words played in my head: Love fades. Mine has. Somehow, that was the worst thing he could have said. Don't get me wrong: The rest wasn't easy either. Having him tell me he was going to avoid me and ignore our past relationship made me feel awful too. Yet, within that, no matter how much it hurt, was the tiny hope that there was still some spark of love between us. That he still loved me. But†¦ love fades. That was something else altogether. It meant that what we had would die, going pale until it crumbled and drifted away like dried up leaves in the wind. The thought of it caused a pain in my chest and stomach, and I curled up on my bed, wrapping my arms around myself as though that might lessen the hurt. I couldn't accept what he had said. I couldn't accept that somehow, after his ordeal, his love for me had gone away. I wanted to stay in my room for the rest of the day, curled up in the darkness of my covers. I forgot about Sydney's conversation and my earlier concerns about Lissa's dad. I even let go of Lissa herself. She had a few errands today, but every so often, a message would flit to me through the bond: Come join me? When I didn't contact her, she began to grow worried. I was suddenly afraid that she–or someone else–might come seeking me in my room. So I decided to leave. I had no real destination; I just had to keep moving. I walked around the Court, scouting places I'd never seen before. It was filled with more statues and fountains than I'd realized. Their beauty was lost on me, though, and when I returned to my room hours later, I was exhausted from all the walking. Oh well. At least I'd dodged having to talk to anyone. Or had I? It was late, past my usual bedtime, when a knock came at my door. I was hesitant to answer. Who would be coming by so late? Did I want the distraction or did I want to keep my solitude? I had no idea who it could be, save that it wasn't Lissa. God. For all I knew, it was Hans, demanding to know why I hadn't been showing up for my work detail. After much thinking (and more persistent knocking), I decided to open it. It was Adrian. â€Å"Little dhampir,† he said with a small, weary smile. â€Å"You look like you've seen a ghost.† Not a ghost, exactly. Believe me, I knew ghosts when I saw them. â€Å"I just†¦ I just didn't really expect to see you after this morning†¦.† He entered and sat down on my bed, and I was glad to see he'd cleaned up since our earlier talk. He wore fresh clothes, and his hair was back to its normal perfection. I still caught the lingering scent of cloves, but after what I'd put him through, he was entitled to his vices. â€Å"Yeah, well, I didn't expect to come by either,† he admitted. â€Å"But you†¦ well†¦ you got me thinking about something.† I sat down beside him, keeping a healthy distance. â€Å"Us?† â€Å"No. Lissa.† â€Å"Oh.† I'd accused Dimitri of being egotistic, but here I was, naturally assuming love for me was all that could have driven Adrian over. His green eyes turned speculative. â€Å"I kept thinking about what you'd said, about her dad. And you were right–right about the gambling thing. He'd have the money to pay off any debt. He wouldn't have had to keep it a secret. So I went and asked my mom.† â€Å"What?† I exclaimed. â€Å"No one's supposed to know that–â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah, I figured your information had been top secret. Don't worry. I told her that when we were in Vegas, we heard some people talking about it–about Lissa's dad making secret deposits.† â€Å"What'd she say?† â€Å"The same thing I did. Well, actually, she snapped at me first. She said Eric Dragomir was a good man and that I shouldn't spread rumors about the dead. She suggested that maybe he had a gambling problem, but if so, people shouldn't focus on that, when he did so many great things. After the Death Watch, I think she's afraid of me causing more public scenes.† â€Å"She's right. About Eric,† I said. Maybe someone had stolen those records as some part of a slander campaign. Admittedly, spreading rumors about the dead was pointless, but maybe someone wanted to blacken the Dragomir reputation and get rid of any chance of the voting law being changed for Lissa? I was about to say as much to Adrian when he interrupted with something even more shocking. â€Å"And then my dad overheard us, and he was like, ‘He was probably funding some mistress. You're right–he was a nice guy. But he liked to flirt. And he liked the ladies.'† Adrian rolled his eyes. â€Å"That's a direct quote: ‘He liked the ladies.' My dad is such an ass. He sounds twice his age.† I gripped Adrian's arm without realizing it. â€Å"What did he say after that?† Adrian shrugged but left my hand where it was. â€Å"Nothing. My mom got mad and said the same thing to him that she said to me, that it was cruel to spread stories no one could prove.† â€Å"Do you think it's true? Do you think Lissa's dad had a mistress? Was that what he was paying out for?† â€Å"Don't know, little dhampir. Honestly? My dad's the type who would jump on any rumor he could. Or make one up. I mean, we know Lissa's dad liked to party. It's easy to jump to conclusions from there. Probably he had some dirty secret. Hell, we all do. Maybe whoever stole those files just wanted to exploit that.† I told him my theory about it being used against Lissa. â€Å"Or,† I said, reconsidering, â€Å"maybe someone who supports her took it. So that it wouldn't get out.† Adrian nodded. â€Å"Either way, I don't think Lissa's in mortal danger.† He started to rise, and I pulled him back. â€Å"Adrian, wait†¦ I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I swallowed. â€Å"I wanted to apologize. The way I've been treating you, what I've been doing†¦ it wasn't fair to you. I'm sorry.† He looked away from me, eyes focused on the ground. â€Å"You can't help the way you feel.† â€Å"The thing is†¦ I don't know how I feel. And that sounds stupid, but it's the truth. I care about Dimitri. I was stupid to think I'd be unaffected by him being back. But I realize now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Love fades. Mine has. â€Å"I realize now that it's over with him. I'm not saying that's easy to get past. It'll take a while, and I'd be lying to both of us if I said it wouldn't.† â€Å"That makes sense,† Adrian said. â€Å"It does?† He glanced at me, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. â€Å"Yes, little dhampir. Sometimes you make sense. Go on.† â€Å"I†¦ well, like I said†¦ I've got to heal from him. But I do care about you†¦. I think I even love you a little.† That got a small smile. â€Å"I want to try again. I really do. I like having you in my life, but I may have jumped into things too soon before. You don't have any reason to want me after the way I've dragged you around, but if you want to get together again, then I want to.† He studied me for a long time, and my breath caught. I'd meant what I said: He had every right to end things with us†¦ and yet, the thought that he might terrified me. At last, he pulled me against him and lay back against the bed. â€Å"Rose, I have all sorts of reasons to want you. I haven't been able to stay away from you since I saw you at the ski lodge.† I shifted closer to Adrian on the bed and pressed my head against his chest. â€Å"We can make this work. I know we can. If I screw up again, you can leave.† â€Å"If only it were that easy,† he laughed. â€Å"You forget: I have an addictive personality. I'm addicted to you. Somehow I think you could do all sorts of bad things to me, and I'd still come back to you. Just keep things honest, okay? Tell me what you're feeling. If you're feeling something for Dimitri that's confusing you, tell me. We'll work it out.† I wanted to tell him that–regardless of my feelings–he had nothing to worry about with Dimitri because Dimitri had rejected me a number of times now. I could chase after Dimitri all I wanted, and it wouldn't do any good. Love fades. Those words still stung, and I couldn't bear to give voice to that pain. But as Adrian held me and I thought about how understanding he was about all of this, some wounded part of me acknowledged that the opposite was true as well: Love grows. I would try with him. I really would. I sighed. â€Å"You're not supposed to be this wise. You're supposed to be shallow and unreasonable and†¦ and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He pressed a kiss to my forehead. â€Å"And?† â€Å"Mmm†¦ ridiculous.† â€Å"Ridiculous I can manage. And the others†¦ but only on special occasions.† We were wrapped close together now, and I tilted my head to study him, the high cheekbones and artfully messy hair that made him so gorgeous. I remembered his mother's words, that regardless of what we wanted, he and I would eventually have to part ways. Maybe this was how my life was going to be. I'd always lose the men I loved. I pulled him hard against me, kissing his mouth with a force that caught even him by surprise. If I had learned anything about life and love, it was that they were tenuous things that could end at any moment. Caution was essential–but not at the cost of wasting your life. I decided I wasn't going to waste it now. My hands were already tugging at Adrian's shirt before that thought was fully formed. He didn't question it or hesitate in taking my clothes off in return. He might have moments of profoundness and understanding, but he was still†¦ well, Adrian. Adrian lived his life in the now, doing the things he wanted without much second-guessing. And he had wanted me for a very long time. He was also very good at this sort of thing, which was why my clothes came off faster than his. His lips were hot and eager against my throat, but he was careful to never once let his fangs brush my skin. I was a little less gentle, surprising myself when I dug my nails into the bare skin of his back. His lips moved lower, tracing the line of my collarbone while he deftly took off my bra one-handed. I was a little astonished at my body's reaction as we both fought to get the other's jeans off first. I'd convinced myself that I'd never want sex again after Dimitri, but right now? Oh, I wanted it. Maybe it was some psychological reaction to Dimitri's rejection. Maybe it was an impulse to live for the moment. Maybe it was love for Adrian. Or maybe it was just lust. Whatever it was, it made me powerless beneath his hands and mouth, which seemed intent on exploring every part of me. The only time he paused was when all my clothes were finally off and I lay there naked with him. He was almost naked too, but I hadn't quite gotten to his boxers yet. (They were silk because, honestly, what else would Adrian wear?). He cupped my face in his hands, his eyes filled with intensity and desire–and a bit of wonder. â€Å"What are you, Rose Hathaway? Are you real? You're a dream within a dream. I'm afraid touching you will make me wake up. You'll disappear.† I recognized a little of the poetic trance he sometimes fell into, the spells that made me wonder if he was catching a little of the spirit-induced madness. â€Å"Touch me and find out,† I said, drawing him to me. He didn't hesitate again. The last of his clothes came off, and my whole body heated at the feel of his skin and the way his hands slid over me. My physical needs were rapidly trampling over any logic and reason. There was no thought, just us, and the fierce urgency bringing us together. I was all burning need and desire and sensation and– â€Å"Oh, shit.† It came out as kind of a mumble since we'd been kissing, our lips eagerly seeking out the other's. With guardian reflexes, I barely managed to shift away, just as our hips started to come together. Losing the feel of him was shocking to me, more so for him. He was stunned, simply staring in astonishment as I wriggled further from him and finally managed a sitting position on the bed. â€Å"What†¦ what's wrong? Did you change your mind?† â€Å"We need protection first,† I said. â€Å"Do you have any condoms?† He processed this for a few seconds and then sighed. â€Å"Rose, only you would pick this instant to remember that.† That was a fair point. My timing kind of sucked. Still, it was better than remembering it afterward. In spite of my body's rampant desire–and it was still there, believe me–I suddenly had a startling, vivid image of Dimitri's sister Karolina. I'd met her in Siberia, and she'd had a baby that was about six months old. The baby was adorable, as babies often are, but by God, she had been so much work. Karolina had a waitressing job, and as soon as she was home from that, her attention went to the baby. When she was at work, Dimitri's mother took care of the baby. And the baby always needed something: food, changing, rescue from choking on a small object. His sister Sonya had been on the verge of having a baby too, and with the way I'd left things with his youngest sister, Viktoria, I wouldn't be surprised to find she was pregnant before long. Huge life changes made from small, careless actions. So I was pretty confident I didn't want a baby in my life right now, not this young. With Dimitri, it hadn't been a concern, thanks to dhampir infertility. With Adrian? It was an issue, as was the fact that while disease was rare among both our races, I wasn't the first girl Adrian had been with. Or the second. Or the third†¦ â€Å"So do you have any?† I asked impatiently. Just because I was in responsible mode, it didn't mean I wanted sex any less. â€Å"Yes,† said Adrian, sitting up as well. â€Å"Back in my bedroom.† We stared at each other. His bedroom was far away, over in the Moroi section of Court. He slid nearer, putting his arm around me and nibbling my earlobe. â€Å"The odds of anything bad happening are pretty low.† I closed my eyes and tipped my head back against him. He wrapped his hands around my hips and stroked my skin. â€Å"What are you, a doctor?† I asked. He laughed softly, his mouth kissing the spot just behind my ear. â€Å"No. I'm just someone willing to take a risk. You can't tell me you don't want this.† I opened my eyes and pulled away so that I could look at him directly. He was right. I did want this. Very, very badly. And the part of me–which was pretty much all of me–that burned with lust was attempting to win me over. The odds probably were low, right? Weren't there people who tried forever to get pregnant and couldn't? My desire had an okay argument, so it was kind of a surprise when my logic won. â€Å"I can't take the risk,† I said. Now Adrian studied me, and at last, he nodded. â€Å"Okay. Another time then. Tonight we'll be†¦ responsible.† â€Å"That's all you're going to say?† He frowned. â€Å"What else would I say? You said no.† â€Å"But you†¦ you could have compelled me.† Now he was really astonished. â€Å"Do you want me to compel you?† â€Å"No. Of course not. It just occurred to me that†¦ well, that you could have.† Adrian cupped my face in his hands. â€Å"Rose, I cheat at cards and buy liquor for minors. But I would never, ever force you into something you don't want. Certainly not this–â€Å" His words were cut off because I'd pressed myself against him and started kissing him again. Surprise must have kept him from doing anything right away, but soon, he pushed me away with what seemed like great reluctance. â€Å"Little dhampir,† he said dryly, â€Å"if you want to be responsible, this is not a good way to do it.† â€Å"We don't have to let this go. And we can be responsible.† â€Å"All of those stories are–â€Å" He came screeching to a halt when I tossed my hair out of the way and offered my neck to him. I managed to turn slightly so that I could meet his eyes, but I said nothing. I didn't have to. The invitation was obvious. â€Å"Rose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said uncertainly–though I could see the longing spring up in his face. Drinking blood wasn't the same as sex, but it was a yearning all vampires had, and doing it while aroused–so I'd heard–was a mind-blowing experience. It was also taboo and hardly ever done, so people claimed. It was where the definition of blood whore had originated: dhampirs who gave their blood during sex. The idea of dhampirs yielding blood at all was considered disgraceful, but I'd done it before: with Lissa when she needed food and with Dimitri when he'd been Strigoi. And it had been glorious. He tried again, his voice steadier this time. â€Å"Rose, do you know what you're asking?† â€Å"Yes,† I said firmly. I gently ran a finger along his lips and then slipped in to touch his fangs. I threw his own words back at him. â€Å"You can't tell me you don't want this.† He did want it. In a heartbeat, his mouth was at my neck and his fangs were piercing my skin. I cried out at the sudden pain, a sound that softened to a moan as the endorphins that came with every vampire bite flooded into me. An exquisite bliss consumed me. He pulled me hard against him as he drank, almost onto his lap, pressing my back against his chest. I was distantly aware of his hands all over me again, of his lips upon my throat. Mostly, all I knew was that I was drowning in pure, ecstatic sweetness. The perfect high. When he pulled away, it was like losing part of myself. Like being incomplete. Confused, needing him back, I reached for him. He gently pushed my hand away, smiling as he licked his lips. â€Å"Careful, little dhampir. I went longer than I should have. You could probably grow wings and fly off right now.† It actually didn't sound like a bad idea. In a few more moments, though, the intense, crazy part of the high faded, and I settled back to myself. I still felt wonderful and dizzy; the endorphins had fed my body's desire. My reasoning slowly came back to me, allowing (kind of) coherent thought to penetrate that happy haze. When Adrian was convinced I was sober enough, he relaxed and lay down on the bed. I joined him a moment later, curling up against his side. He seemed as content as I was. â€Å"That,† he mused, â€Å"was the best not-sex ever.† My only response was a sleepy smile. It was late, and the more I crashed down from the endorphin rush, the drowsier I felt. Some tiny part of me said that even though I'd wanted this and cared about Adrian, the whole act had been wrong. I hadn't done it for the right reasons, instead letting myself get carried away by my own grief and confusion. The rest of me decided that wasn't true, and the nagging voice soon faded into exhaustion. I fell asleep against Adrian, getting the best night of sleep I'd had in a long time. I wasn't entirely surprised that I was able to get out of bed, shower, get dressed, and even blow-dry my hair without Adrian waking up. My friends and I had spent many a morning trying to drag him out of bed in the past. Hungover or sober, he was a heavy sleeper. I spent more time on my hair than I had in a while. The telltale mark of a vampire bite was fresh on my neck. So I wore my hair down, careful to style it with a part so that the long waves hung heavy on the bite side. Satisfied the bruise would stay camouflaged, I pondered what to do next. In an hour or so, the Council was going to listen to arguments from factions with varying ideas on the new age decree, Moroi fighting, and the Dragomir vote. Provided they let me in the hall, I had no intention of missing the debates on the hottest issues in our world right now. I didn't want to wake up Adrian, though. He was tangled up in my sheets and slept peacefully. If I woke him up, I'd feel obligated to stick around while he got ready. Through the bond, I felt Lissa sitting alone at a cafe table. I wanted to see her and have breakfast, so I decided Adrian could fend for himself. I left him a note about where I was, told him the door would lock on his way out, and drew lots of x's and o's. When I was halfway to the cafe, though, I sensed something that ruined my breakfast plan. Christian had sat down with Lissa. â€Å"Well, well,† I muttered. With everything else going on, I hadn't paid much attention to Lissa's personal life. After what had happened at the warehouse, I wasn't entirely surprised to see them together, though her feelings told me there had been no romantic reconciliation†¦ yet. This was an uneasy attempt at friendship, a chance to get over their constant jealousy and distrust. Far be it from me to intrude on love at work. I knew another place near the guardians' buildings that also had coffee and doughnuts. It would do, provided no one there remembered that I was technically still on probation and had made a scene in a royal hall. The odds on that probably weren't good. Still, I decided to give it a try and headed over, eyeing the overcast sky uneasily. Rain wouldn't help my mood any. When I got to the cafe, I discovered I didn't have to worry about anyone paying attention to me. There was a bigger draw: Dimitri. He was out with his personal guard, and even though I was glad he had some freedom, the attitude that he needed close watching still angered me. At least there was no giant crowd today. People who came in for breakfast couldn't help but stare, but few lingered. He had five guardians with him this time, which was a significant reduction. That was a good sign. He sat alone at a table, coffee and a half-eaten glazed doughnut in front of him. He was reading a paperback novel that I would have bet my life was a Western. No one sat with him. His escort simply maintained a ring of protection, a couple near the walls, one at the entrance, and two at nearby tables. The security seemed pointless. Dimitri was completely engrossed in his book, oblivious to the guards and occasional spectators–or he was simply making a good show of not caring. He seemed very harmless, but Adrian's words came back to me. Was there any Strigoi left in him? Some dark part? Dimitri himself claimed he still carried the piece that prevented him from ever truly loving anyone. He and I had always had this uncanny awareness of each other. In a crowded room, I could always find him. And in spite of his preoccupation with the book, he looked up when I walked toward the cafe's counter. Our eyes met for a millisecond. There was no expression on his face†¦ and yet, I had the feeling he was waiting for something. Me, I realized with a start. Despite everything, despite our fight in the church†¦ he still thought I would pursue and make some pledge of my love. Why? Did he just expect me to be that unreasonable? Or was it possible†¦ was it possible he wanted me to approach him? Well, whatever the reason, I decided I wouldn't give it to him. He'd hurt me too many times already. He'd told me to stay away, and if that was all part of some elaborate game to toy with my feelings, I wasn't going to play. I gave him a haughty look and turned away sharply as I walked up to the counter. I ordered chai and a chocolate eclair. After a moment's consideration, I ordered a second eclair. I had a feeling it was going to be one of those days. My plan had been to eat outside, but as I glanced toward the tinted windows, I could just barely make out the pattern of raindrops hitting the panes. Damn. I briefly considered fighting the weather and going somewhere else with my food, but I decided I wasn't going to let Dimitri scare me off. Spying a table far from him, I headed toward it, going out of my way not to look at or acknowledge him. â€Å"Hey Rose. Are you going to the Council today?† I came to a halt. One of Dimitri's guardians had spoken, giving me a friendly smile as he did. I couldn't recall the guy's name, but he'd seemed nice whenever we passed each other. I didn't want to be rude, and so, reluctantly, I answered back–even though it meant staying near Dimitri. â€Å"Yup,† I said, making sure my attention was only on the guardian. â€Å"Just grabbing a bite before I do.† â€Å"Are they going to let you in?† asked another of the guardians. He too was smiling. For a moment, I thought they were mocking my last outburst. But no†¦ that wasn't it. Their faces showed approval. â€Å"That's an excellent question,† I admitted. I took a bite of my eclair. â€Å"But I figure I should give it a try. I'll also try to be on good behavior.† The first guardian chuckled. â€Å"I certainly hope not. That group deserves all the grief you can give them over that stupid age law.† The other guardians nodded. â€Å"What age law?† asked Dimitri. Reluctantly, I looked over at him. As always, he swept my breath away. Stop it, Rose, I scolded myself. You're mad at him, remember? And now you've chosen Adrian. â€Å"The decree where royals think sending sixteen-year-old dhampirs out to fight Strigoi is the same as sending eighteen-year-olds,† I said. I took another bite. Dimitri's head shot up so quickly, I nearly choked on my food. â€Å"Which sixteen-year-olds are fighting Strigoi?† His guardians tensed but did nothing else. It took me a moment to get the bite of eclair down. When I could finally speak, I was almost afraid to. â€Å"That's the decree. Dhampirs graduate when they're sixteen now.† â€Å"When did this happen?† he demanded. â€Å"Just the other day. No one told you?† I glanced over at the other guardians. One of them shrugged. I had the impression that they might believe Dimitri was truly a dhampir but that they weren't ready to get chatty with him. His only other social contact would have been Lissa and his interrogators. â€Å"No.† Dimitri's brow furrowed as he pondered the news. I ate my eclair in silence, hoping it would push him to talk more. It did. â€Å"That's insane,† he said. â€Å"Morality aside, they aren't ready that young. It's suicide.† â€Å"I know. Tasha gave a really good argument against it. I did too.† Dimitri gave me a suspicious look at that last part, particularly when a couple of his guardians smiled. â€Å"Was it a close vote?† he asked. He spoke to me interrogation style, in the serious and focused way that had so defined him as a guardian. It was a lot better than depression, I decided. It was also better than him telling me to go away. â€Å"Very close. If Lissa could have voted, it wouldn't have passed.† â€Å"Ah,† he said, playing with the edges of his coffee cup. â€Å"The quorum.† â€Å"You know about that?† I asked in surprise. â€Å"It's an old Moroi law.† â€Å"So I hear.† â€Å"What's the opposition trying to do? Sway the Council back or get Lissa the Dragomir vote?† â€Å"Both. And other things.† He shook his head, tucking some hair behind his ear. â€Å"They can't do that. They need to pick one cause and throw their weight behind it. Lissa's the smartest choice. The Council needs the Dragomirs back, and I've seen the way people look at her when they put me on display.† Only the slightest edge of bitterness laced his words, indicating how he felt about that. Then it was back to business. â€Å"It wouldn't be hard to get support for that–if they don't divide their efforts.† I started in on my second eclair, forgetting about my earlier resolution to ignore him. I didn't want to distract him from the topic. It was the first thing that had brought the old fire back to his eyes, the only thing he seemed truly interested in–well, aside from pledging lifelong devotion to Lissa and telling me to stay out of his life. I liked this Dimitri. It was the same Dimitri from long ago, the fierce one who was willing to risk his life for what was right. I almost wished he'd go back to being annoying, distant Dimitri, the one who told me to stay away. Seeing him now brought back too many memories–not to mention the attraction I thought I'd smashed. Now, with that passion all over him, he seemed sexier than ever. He'd worn that same intensity when we'd fought together. Even when we'd had sex. This was the way Dimitri was supposed to be: powerful and in charge. I was glad and yet†¦ seeing him the way I loved only made my heart feel that much worse. He was lost to me. If Dimitri guessed my feelings, he didn't show it. He looked squarely at me, and, like always, the power of that gaze wrapped around me. â€Å"The next time you see Tasha, will you send her to me? We need to talk about this.† â€Å"So, Tasha can be your friend, but not me?† The sharp words were out before I could stop them. I flushed, embarrassed that I'd lapsed in front of the other guardians. Dimitri apparently didn't want an audience either. He looked up at the one who had initially addressed me. â€Å"Is there any way we could have some privacy?† His escort exchanged looks, and then, almost as one being, they stepped back. It wasn't a considerable distance, and they still maintained a ring around Dimitri. Nonetheless, it was enough that all of our conversation wouldn't be overheard. Dimitri turned back to me. I sat down. â€Å"You and Tasha have completely different situations. She can safely be in my life. You can't.† â€Å"And yet,† I said with an angry toss of my hair, â€Å"it's apparently okay for me to be in your life when it's convenient–say, like, running errands or passing messages.† â€Å"It doesn't really seem like you need me in your life,† he noted dryly, inclining his head slightly toward my right shoulder. It took me a moment to grasp what had happened. In tossing my hair, I'd exposed my neck–and the bite. I tried not to blush again, knowing I had nothing to feel embarrassed about. I pushed the hair back. â€Å"That's none of your business,† I hissed, hoping the other guardians hadn't seen. â€Å"Exactly.† He sounded triumphant. â€Å"Because you need to live your own life, far away from me.† â€Å"Oh, for God's sake,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Will you stop with the–â€Å" My eyes lifted from his face because an army suddenly descended upon us. Okay, it wasn't exactly an army, but it might as well have been. One minute it was just Dimitri, me, and his security, and then suddenly–the room was swarming with guardians. And not just any guardians. They wore the black-and-white outfits guardians often did for formal occasions, but a small red button on their collars marked them as guardians specifically attached to the queen's guard. There had to be at least twenty of them. They were lethal and deadly, the best of the best. Throughout history, assassins who had attacked monarchs had found themselves quickly taken down by the royal guard. They were walking death–and they were all gathering around us. Dimitri and I both shot up, unsure what was happening but certain the threat here was directed at us. His table and its chairs were between us, but we still immediately fell into the standard fighting stance when surrounded by enemies: Go back-to-back. Dimitri's security wore ordinary clothing and seemed a bit astonished to see their brethren, but with guardian efficiency, the escort promptly joined the advancing queen's guard. There were no more smiles or jokes. I wanted to throw myself in front of Dimitri, but in this situation, it was kind of difficult. â€Å"You need to come with us right now,† one of the queen's guards said. â€Å"If you resist, we'll take you by force.† â€Å"Leave him alone!† I yelled, looking from face to face. That angry darkness exploded within me. How could they still not believe? Why were they still coming after him? â€Å"He hasn't done anything! Why can't you guys accept that he's really a dhampir now?† The man who'd spoken arched an eyebrow. â€Å"I wasn't talking to him.† â€Å"You're†¦ you're here for me?† I asked. I tried to think of any new spectacles I might have caused recently. I considered the crazy idea that the queen had found out I'd spent the night with Adrian and was pissed off about it. That was hardly enough to send the palace guard for me, though†¦ or was it? Had I really gone too far with my antics? â€Å"What for?† demanded Dimitri. That tall, wonderful body of his–the one that could be so sensual sometimes–was filled with tension and menace now. The man kept his gaze on me, ignoring Dimitri. â€Å"Don't make me repeat myself: Come with us quietly, or we will make you.† The glimmer of handcuffs showed in his hands. My eyes went wide. â€Å"That's crazy! I'm not going anywhere until you tell me how the hell this–â€Å" That was the point at which they apparently decided I wasn't coming quietly. Two of the royal guardians lunged for me, and even though we technically worked for the same side, my instincts kicked in. I didn't understand anything here except that I would not be dragged away like some kind of master criminal. I shoved the chair I'd been sitting in earlier at one of the guardians and aimed a punch at the other. It was a sloppy throw, made worse because he was taller than me. That height difference allowed me to dodge his next grab, and when I kicked hard at his legs, a small grunt told me I'd hit home. I heard a few scattered screams. The people working at the cafe ducked behind their counter like they expected automatic weapons to come out. The other patrons who'd been eating breakfast hurriedly sprang from their tables, heedlessly knocking over food and dishes. They ran for the exits–exits that were blocked by still more guardians. This brought more screams, even though the exits were being cut off because of me. Meanwhile, other guardians were joining the fray. Although I got a couple of good punches in, I knew the numbers were too overwhelming. One guardian caught hold of my arm and began trying to put the cuffs on me. He stopped when another set of hands grabbed me from the other side and jerked me away. Dimitri. â€Å"Don't touch her,† he growled. There was a note in his voice that would have scared me if it had been directed toward me. He shoved me behind him, putting his body protectively in front of mine with my back to the table. Guardians came at us from all directions, and Dimitri began dispatching them with the same deadly grace that had once made people call him a god. He didn't kill any of the ones he fought, but he made sure they were out of action. If anyone thought his ordeals as a Strigoi or being locked up had diminished his fighting ability, they were terribly mistaken. Dimitri was a force of nature, managing to take on both impossible odds and stop me each time I tried to join the fight. The queen's guards might have been the best of the best, but Dimitri†¦ well, my former lover and instructor was in a category all his own. His fighting skills were beyond anyone else's, and he was using them all in defense of me. â€Å"Stay back,† he ordered me. â€Å"They aren't laying a hand on you.† At first, I was overwhelmed by his protectiveness–even though I hated not being part of a fight. Watching him fight again was also entrancing. He made it look beautiful and lethal at the same time. He was a one-man army, the kind of warrior that protected his loved ones and brought terror to his enemies– And that's when a horrible revelation hit me. â€Å"Stop!† I suddenly yelled. â€Å"I'll come! I'll come with you!† No one heard me at first. They were too involved with the fight. Guardians kept trying to sneak behind Dimitri, but he seemed to sense them and would shove chairs or anything else he could get a hold of at them–while still managing to kick and punch those coming at us head-on. Who knew? Maybe he really could have taken on an army by himself. But I couldn't let him. I shook Dimitri's arm. â€Å"Stop,† I repeated. â€Å"Don't fight anymore.† â€Å"Rose–â€Å" â€Å"Stop!† I was pretty sure I'd never screamed any word so loudly in my life. It rang through the room. For all I knew, it rang through the entire Court. It didn't exactly make everyone come to a halt, but many of the guardians slowed down. A few of the cowering cafe workers peered over the counter at us. Dimitri was still in motion, still ready to take everyone on, and I had to practically throw myself at him to get him to notice me. â€Å"Stop.† This time, my voice was a whisper. An uneasy silence had fallen over everyone. â€Å"Don't fight them anymore. I'm going to go with them.† â€Å"No. I won't let them take you.† â€Å"You have to,† I begged. He was breathing hard, every part of him braced and ready to attack. We locked gazes, and a thousand messages seemed to flow between us as the old electricity crackled in the air. I just hoped he got the right message. One of the guardians tentatively stepped forward–having to go around the unconscious body of his colleague–and Dimitri's tension snapped. He started to block the guardian and defend me again, but I instead put myself between them, clasping Dimitri's hand and still looking into his eyes. His skin was warm and felt so, so right touching mine. â€Å"Please. No more.† I saw then that he finally understood what I was trying to say. People were still afraid of him. No one knew what he was. Lissa had said him behaving calmly and normally would soothe fears. But this? Him taking on an army of guardians? That was not going to get him points for good behavior. For all I knew, it was already too late after this, but I had to attempt damage control. I couldn't let them lock him up again–not because of me. As he looked at me, he seemed to send a message of his own: that he would still fight for me, that he would fight until he collapsed to keep them from taking me. I shook my head and gave his hand a parting squeeze. His fingers were exactly as I remembered, long and graceful, with calluses built up from years of training. I let go and turned to face the guy who had originally spoken. I assumed he was some sort of leader. I held out my hands and slowly stepped forward. â€Å"I'll go quietly. But, please†¦ don't lock him back up. He just thought†¦ he just thought I was in trouble.† The thing was, as the handcuffs were clamped onto my wrists, I was starting to think I was in trouble too. As the guardians helped each other up, their leader took a deep breath and made the proclamation he'd been trying to make since entering. I swallowed, waiting to hear Victor's name. â€Å"Rose Hathaway, you are under arrest for high treason.† Not quite what I'd expected. Hoping my submission had earned me points, I asked, â€Å"What kind of high treason?† â€Å"The murder of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Tatiana.†

Forms and Classification of Online Business

Forms and classification of online business According to (Adam, Z. R. ), the major different types of e-commerce (B2B) Business-to Business, (B2C) Business-to-Consumer, (B2G) Business-to-Government, (C2C) Consumer-to-Consumer and M-commerce which is mobile commerce. Business-to-business is simply e-commerce that is present between two businesses. It is said that it is the fastest growing type of e-commerce, much faster than B2C. It is a type of e-commerce wherein two businesses transact with each other online. About 80% of online businesses are of B2B type. Business-to-consumer is e-commerce between companies and consumers. It is the second largest in growth and numbers among the types of E-commerce. It basically is interactions between consumers whether they transact online or offline or just gather information about products that are being offered by the company. Examples of such companies that are of B2B are Amazon and Costco. Business-to-government is e-commerce between companies and the public sector. It refers to the use of the Internet for public procurement, licensing procedures, and other government-related operations Consumer-to-consumer is e-commerce between private individuals with their fellow consumers. This type of e-commerce is characterized by online markets and online auctions wherein these sites serve as a medium for consumers to transact with other consumers. This type of e-commerce is said to have huge potential of growth out of all the types of e-commerce. Consumer-to-business is e-commerce that is likened to reverse auction. It is basically the opposite of selling wherein a company would respond to a consumer’s need. This type of e-commerce is rarely encountered. However, e-bays report that there is a large number of this type of e-commerce wherein they earn millions of dollars every day. Mobile commerce is e-commerce wherein transactions from businesses to consumers are done through wireless networks through the medium of PDA’s and portable handheld devices. Business Models used on the Internet According to (Starting an internet business- we make it simple), there are numerous ways on making money in the internet. There are business models on which they are differentiated on how they execute and return profit. Some of these are retail while some use the power of information to sell. Affiliate Marketing  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ the most common type of Internet business around. It objective is to market and sell someone  else’s  product. There are various ways to market the brand both on and offline. Passive (or niche sites)  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ sites designed to market advertising and/or products that require little to no maintenance. These sites can be focused on small subjects or some are built to be big multi-subject sites. The main intention here is build, promote and forget. Information Sites – this could fall into the category of passive. These sites are built for advertising; they target a narrow subject and are intended to make money primarily from advertising. Once set up and promoted, they only require occasional maintenance. Other specific business models are Product creator wherein creating one’s product be it a fashion line, shoes, and etc as long as it’s an original product and not someone else’s. Its difference with affiliate marketing is that Product creator makes one’s products and sells it as well. Email Marketing or more commonly called List building makes use of Email marketing wherein one has to build relationships with its customers and is particularly effective in building targeted traffic. It is the most highly rated way of making money in the Internet. Services are providing services such as weight loss program, quit smoking plan and etc. This provides more consumer interaction and is recommended if one excels in interacting with people. There are also more specific types of business models and more recognizable which is the Retail and Wholesale which is like an online store version of a store such as SM, Costco or Walmart. The main difference between them is that one is whole sale and the other is not. This requires a higher investment compared to other business models since additional cost through shipping products, payment processing, customer service and etc are accumulated. Creating a website for online business According to Poo (2008), in creating one’s website for business purposes, the first step is to determine one’s goals on what will one use the site for? Is it for retailing or purely marketing website? These are some things that need pondering before designing a website to make it an effective website. By brainstorming and finding out the main goals, determining the genre of the website is the next step. This will determine the pros and cons of the website. There are four genres of websites which are the sales or retailing, marketing, information and a web-based application. Poo (2008) describes that retailing or sales website it focuses much on a lot of pictures, sporadic text on product descriptions and these sites are very user friendly and easy to navigate. However, one disadvantage of retail websites is that they are not usually recognized by search engines and one way of counteracting that and bringing in traffic is making use of affiliate programs. Marketing websites compared to retailing websites is that it is designed to sell a product and one product only. Marketing website is very easy to design which feature mostly text and a few images. What is great about marketing websites is that it is perfectly positioned to make money through advertisements and affiliate programs and they are better optimized for search engines which are a huge advantage in getting traffic into the site. Information website compared to marketing and retailer is that its purpose is mainly to inform the consumers of its products or what is its trying to sell. Although some corporate websites such as Nokia, Honda, Sony, and etc. are information websites that can also sell, they are primarily designed to inform its consumers. Information websites are only recommended for businesses that has a national or international presence since local businesses that only has a local presence only gets a few visits on its website while having a business that has a nationwide presence gives off many visits and informs its consumers well on its products. Web based application works like traditional programs but the difference is that web based application is accessed through the web unlike traditional programs which are installed beforehand. It’s basically computer based application that is hosted in a browser-controlled environment. This type of business venture requires a team of programmers who are creative and persevering. The payoff is very profitable but this type of business is not recommended for the newcomers. Efficiency of Online Business compared to Traditional Business According to (Nielsen, 2008), about over 85% of the world’s online population has used the internet to make a purchase which is a staggering 875 million people. Reason why there is a huge percentage of the online community using internet for purchasing is that the internet is unrivaled for its convenience when it comes to researching and shopping. Consumers nowadays would rather stay at the comfort of their homes shopping than travel and find their desired product which is very tiring compared to single click buying. In Philippine context, about 45% of Filipino online population has purchased through online means. Compared to other countries like South Korea which hails to be the number 1 in frequency of using internet for shopping, Philippines is near the bottom list of infrequent use of online shopping. However, for a third world country like Philippines this is a new innovation that is newly tapped into by consumers and in a few years the trend would be increase in use of online shopping could be observed just like what is observed in the Global population which jumped 40% for only two years. In matters of what people look for in an online shop, according to (Nielsen, 2008). â€Å"In selecting sites on which to shop, one-third used a search engine or just surfed around to find the best online store. One in four relied on personal recommendations. It is said that once an online shop captures the hearts and loyalty of its consumers about 60% of these consumers would tend to stick to the same shop in buying its products since consumer relationship has been playing a large role in making these online businesses successful. Furthermore, recommendations from fellow consumers also play a huge role in making an online site successful. Feedback is one important aspect in closing transactio ns in online businesses especially businesses on online auctions or social networking sites that seem to make 1st time online shoppers reluctant to purchase. Using Social Networking for Business According to (Brown of Inc. Technology), online social networking sites are new grounds for profiteering through online means. It is said that two out of every three internet user has used or visited a social networking site according to internet research company Compete. These numbers alone show the potential of what social networking has to offer for business opportunities. Among social networking sites, Myspace, multiply, facebook and etc. are the popular ones while there are other networking sites that have been primarily geared towards entrepreneurs such as LinkedIn, Ryze and Spoke. One of the main strengths and factor in making a successful social networking business is to focus on building networks. First is to find the niche and build the appropriate networks that fit the desired business niche. This is the essential step if not the key step in establishing a successful online business through social networking sites. References: Adam, Z. R. (2003). E-commerce and e-business. Manila, Philippines: United Nations Development Programme. Brown, D. (2009). Using Social Networking for Business. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from the World Wide Web: http://technology. nc. com/internet/articles/200611/interneticebreakers. html Nielsen (2009). Trends in Online Shopping. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from the World Wide Web: http://th. nielsen. com/site/documents/GlobalOnlineShoppingReportFeb08. pdf Poo, C. (2007) Build Website Online. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from the World Wide Web: http://www. cessypoo. com/build-website-online. html Starting an internet business- we make it simple (2010). Types of Business Models- Step 2. Retrieved March 14, 2010 from the World Wide Web: http://biggbucksonline. com/2009/08/25/types-of-internet-business-models/

Defining Multilingualism

How do schools define multilingualism in their public presentations of work? Emily Marshall In our readings, there are many different terms used to describe English Language Learners. Understanding the terms and labels will help us better understand how school districts word choice might reflect on how they deal with a particular population. Terms Associated With ELLS Reading through Gibbons, think most people would agree that he uses the term â€Å"EL Learners which is English Language Learners.In our community, his would mean anyone who is actively learning the English language. While Gibbons only mentions one term, Offline mentions many. In the introduction, Offline describes the different names that happen to come up when describing English Language Learners. Some of the terms mentioned are ELLS, Lips, bilinguals, culturally and linguistically diverse, children with English language communication barriers, English as a second language, language minority, emergent bilinguals, Eng lish proficient, and LOT E.As was reading, I was amazed at how many terms there actually are ND that's probably not even half of them. ELLS being already described, LEAP means Limited English Proficient and basically means students who have an insufficient level of English to meet the state's English requirements. The term basically implies that nonnative English speakers are deficient. Bilingual means that the person has the ability to communicate successfully in two languages, much like some of our college professors.Culturally and linguistically diverse as well as language minority can also include those who re already bilingual and in our community that would mean someone who speaks a language other than English since English is the majority language. Whenever I think of children with English language communication barriers, think more along the lines of 2nd generation children who are children born on American soil of immigrants. It also makes me think of the children of worker s who move frequently from one school to another as their parents search for jobs.English as a second language is a subject and not people although sometimes it is used to describe those students whose first language is not English. LOTT means language other than English which is commonly used to describe what languages students speak at home or in their community. As think of what some of these labels might mean for our community, I have come to the conclusion that most of the people in this community would probably not even know what half of the labels are and thus be confused and unsure of what to make of the meaning. How do schools define multilingualism?

The Internet and the Role it plays in the Lives of Consumers and Term Paper

The Internet and the Role it plays in the Lives of Consumers and Businesses - Term Paper Example line Advertising 13 The Ability to Purchase Goods and Services at any Time 14 Timely Customer Service 14 Announcements and Promotions 14 Improved Bargaining Power for Customers 15 Share Experiences on Company Blogs 16 Disadvantages of the Internet for Customers 16 Conclusion 17 Bibliography 18 The Internet and the Role it plays in the Lives of Consumers and Businesses What is the Internet? According to Shuman (2001), it is gradually becoming more and more difficult to reach a consensual working definition of what exactly is the internet. However, it can broadly be defined as a worldwide interconnection of thousands of separate computer networks. The Internet was originally developed in the 1960’s in the United States and it was intended to help link the country’s government agencies with various universities and colleges. However, the internet’s real expansion was first witnessed in the early years of the 1990’s when thousands of different companies as wel l as millions of individual persons realized that they could actually be able to easily afford the necessary telecommunication technology as well as the graphic browsers that are found to be vital in securing access to the internet as well as exchanging messages (Oggerino, 2001). Since its introduction, the internet has played a strategically vital role in revolutionizing communications and computers. The internet is found to serve multiple roles by acting as a mechanism through which information can be disseminated, a vast and intricate world-wide broadcasting capability as well as acting as a medium that allows interaction and collaboration between various computers and the individuals operating them all over the world regardless of their present geographical location (Betz, 2011). The Internet is widely...These benefits are seen to range from reduced advertisement costs for businesses, large market share and penetration to making it easier for business organization in general to be able to carry out cheaper and more effective market surveys. Customers are also able to experience several key benefits that are seen to result from the role played by the internet such as it is now relatively easier for customers to be able to make various purchases from their homes, they are also able quickly compare the price of a given commodity between different stores before making a purchase a factor which makes them gain more bargaining power. However there are several innate disadvantages that have been seen to affect both customers and businesses as a result of the role that the internet is seen to play. Some of these disadvantageous roles that are played by the internet are seen to include, increased risk of identity theft on the part of the customers and the common fact that business enterprises and especially so those in the entertainment industry are finding it increasingly difficult to adequately safeguard their intellectual properties (Fatayerji, 2004). Regardless of the specific role that the internet has been seen to have played that has impacted either customers or businesses, it’s continuous and general influence cannot be ignored and it is important for all business organizations and customers to ensure that they continuously evaluate it so as to effectively determine any advantages they stand to reap or the potential dangers resulting from the role played by the internet.

Feasibility study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Feasibility study - Research Paper Example The new business venture will be called Pizzeria Inn. It will be located at the northern Mexico. The new industry will, therefore, feature Dine in, Take Out and also Delivery services. Most economists and researchers agree that entrepreneurship is one of the significant ingredients for stimulating economic growth as well as offering job opportunities to the jobless members of all the societies. According to Jacksack & Start (2003), globally, successful SMEs have become the primary engines of job creation and poverty reduction in the marginalized communities. As a business entrepreneur, a business plan is the only tool which can help the small business expand. It is the road map an entrepreneur needs to follow in order to realize the set goals and objectives. It is, therefore, the initial step to a successful business venture. Any business entrepreneur should, therefore, provide a business plan which acts as a guide to the whole business process. The paper, therefore, endeavors to conduct a business plan for New Antoniou Pizzeria. The new business venture will target the middle income pizza in Sparks. Pizza inn is thought to be conveniently accessible to over 90,000 targeted market consumers in this region. This includes one of the most attractive market opportunities for this venture. The competitive analysis of the business venture has identified significant market place gaps to serve as the base for the industries competitive advantage. This business venture would help Mexican middle class residents around the beach as well as far residents who come to the beach to benefit from low priced delicious dishes which maybe could not have afforded from other huge restaurants. It would also help other entrepreneurs to venture in innovative business ventures hence gain the managerial and entrepreneurial skills needed to run such

Information power inside an organization Research Proposal

Information power inside an organization - Research Proposal Example The aim of this research work is to study and identify the fundamentals of information power that exist within an organization in association with organizational behavior. Additionally the role played by information power in decision making shall also be discussed. Power distance supports the concept of inequality on physical and intellectual basis within an organization. Women in Canada are able to seek career promotions because over there people are more concerned about individualism as opposed to India where women have comparatively less chances of promotions due to power distance and lack of individualism (Aruna Chandra, 2002). First of all I shall be discussing the main aims and objectives of the research work along with the basic definitions of the terminologies. Then there would be a detailed literature review related to the topic. Subsequently I will mention the conceptual framework, research methodology and finally the findings followed by a brief and comprehensive conclusion. The author has critically analyzed the business activities in India and subsequently its comparison is built with US and Canada. This book will be helpful for me so as to define power distance with respect to Indian and Canadian organization. This research article has discussed the role of information in relation to power exercised over the employees in Finish Food Industry. The relationship between buyer and seller is greatly influenced by the information power and therefore it must be handled carefully. I shall be doing the primary research which includes collection of related data, facts and figures. It would be an online data collection process. Research articles from well-known and authentic websites shall be used. Additionally some of the renowned books published on the subject shall also be considered. Deadline for submission is 9th April, 2013. Therefore the

Financial Innovation & Risk Management of Goldman Sachs Essay

Financial Innovation & Risk Management of Goldman Sachs - Essay Example The paper tells that over the recent years, commercial banks in the banking industry have recorded dramatic losses because of risks it faces due to global crisis. This is because, in the financial perspective, risk is assessed as the tendency whereby the actual return does not match with the expected return. As a commercial bank, Goldman Sachs faces market risk, financial risk and operation risk that arise from either external or internal activities. With banks facing a crisis as a result, of risks that arise from credit exposure and interest rate position among other risks they have resolved to upgrade the risk management strategies and theories they use. Goldman Sachs is one of the banks using risk management strategies that either eliminates or mitigates some risks. In other instances, Goldman Sachs management decides to shift the risks to other parties. The risk management strategies comprise of liquidity risk management, operations risk management, credit risk management and mar ket risk management that has over the years, seen the bank remain stable during both the financial and economic crisis. More significantly, banks carry out risky business, as it provides financial services to its clients. In the banking industry, Goldman Sachs is well known as the leading securities and global investment-banking firm. It has three main business lines that it operates comprising of investment banking, asset management and securities services and trading and principal investments. Goldman Sachs is an international corporation that provides services to a substantial and diversified client base that is widely distributed worldwide. With banking institutions in over twenty-three countries, it has diversified its operations outside the United States and grown globally (Goldman Sachs, 2012). Its wide base of clients includes other financial institutions, governments, corporations, and high net worth individuals. As a result, the management of Goldman Sachs focuses on being the leading member in worldwide financial markets besides being a leading advisor of choice to its wider clients’ base. Goldman Sachs just like other financial institutions faces business and operational risks that originates from its internal activities apart from financial risk that arise from outside activities (Goldman Sachs, 2012). As a result, liquidity, market and credit risks fall under liquidity risk because it relates to the outside clients of the bank. On the other hand, legal, people, system, equity investment and external risks relate to day-to-day operational risks of the bank. At Goldman Sachs, the management and strategic risks are more likely associated with business risks within the banking institution. More than often, institutions face a financial crisis, and economic crisis that have affected Goldman Sachs bank operations just like any other banks in the industry. Nonetheless, the impact of the crisis depends on the level of risk management an organizati on has been implemented (Goldman Sachs, 2012). With the high level of competition that exists in the banking industry today, besides the existence of an open economic system that is followed by sensitive market players and other strong external influences it is more challenging for institutions to carry out efficient liquidity management plans. Goldman Sachs, as one of the strong banking institution with branches in different countries faces competition from non-banking financial institutions that has recently seen banks declining reliance on the levels of deposits because of the immense competition. In addition, the competition in the banking industry has become immense thus, affecting the global position of Goldman Sachs in the financial market. With pressure mounting up for accountability to the shareholders based on risk management, Goldman Sachs just as, many banks have resorted to ensure that it mitigates risks while efficiently managing its liquidity levels

Housing and regeneration in developing countries (housing study) Essay

Housing and regeneration in developing countries (housing study) - Essay Example Housing is a main concern especially to human beings. Regeneration is the process by which the housing conditions are improved through economical, social and environmental measures. According to Ademiluyi (2010), houses are permanent structures that are built in order to cater for human needs especially habitation. House regeneration leads to the achievement of sustainable development. The reason as to why housing regeneration is done is to improve the concerned area which is to be regenerated, and thus bring in a positive impact to the people who live in the place. Regeneration has positive as well as negative impacts to the areas that are being regenerated and the people who live in the areas as well. The developmental interventions on housing require the participation of partners who are the actors involved in the development of these houses. Therefore, there is need for housing development in these areas due to increased population of people who are moving. There is therefore need for involving people who can participate in the development of these houses. The participants in the process of development are controlled by the initiatives that affect the decisions made to ensure that development is enhanced. The participants involve themselves in the local, national and international decision making which makes it possible for the housing development. The participants involved in the housing development first have to receive information about what is to be done and also what has already been done. This means that the research has to be done in order to get information about the approaches needed to be taken into account in order to find out how the housing can be developed. Once the participants have been informed, they are consulted in order to give opinions that are needed to help in the development, and this will also i nclude the aspects of defining the

Analysis of Democratization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of Democratization - Research Paper Example Freedom of self-expression has a great relation to the freedom of speech, together of which enables individuals to air their views and criticize unethical proceedings in the given society. Freedom of self-expression is, in fact, the foundation of every other form of democracy (Camp 16). With self-expression, individuals are able to rebuke tyrannical leadership and rules that apply immense force in handling citizens’ affairs. Freedom to self-expression is an empowering tool to enable the individual citizens overcomes any form of discrimination that has a direct or indirect effect on their personal developments. Inglehart and Christian describe that with the freedom to self-expression, individuals can also raise alarm over economic inequalities that are particularly detriment to their individual developments and society as a whole (20). Freedom to self-expression enables individuals discloses any forms of corruption that occurring in a given society and threatening to corrode th e resources of the victim society. The developmental process of the individuals’ democracy also requires assurance of freedom of association. Freedom of association empowers individuals to decide and interrelate with groups of their individual choice. As illustrated by Camp, freedom of association helps individuals form strategic movements tasked with purposes of ensuring collective representation of ideas and views of a given group that feels underserved and unrecognized by the ruling authority in a given society (21). Furthermore, freedom of association as a tool towards democratization helps individuals with lower say in a given society team up and form groups capable of challenging a given repressive rule or leadership in a particular society. Individual democratization process that defines the whole democracy has to encompass and cover religious rights (Inglehart and Christian 24). Allowing individuals’ freedom of religion ensures the spiritual development of the given individuals in the most appropriate direction. Freedom of religion is a tributary to freedom of association as it advocates for allowing individuals to initiate and interrelate with groups of their personal choice. The democratization process also has to take into consideration the economic equality among individuals of a given country. Economic issues and gaps have been the epicenter of wars in various societies and particularly among individuals. Ensuring economic equality will empower individuals to have a say on the manner of handling a country’s resources for the best of developing the entire society or community. Institutional democratization stems and develops from individual democratization. Democracy in institutions starts with freedom of self-expression among constituent employees and parties. With self-expression, individuals within a given institution have the power to share their views and even spell out dissatisfaction with managerial techniques and proces ses (Krishna 16). Allowing freedom of self-expression to individuals, institutions are likely to benefit from innovation and creative ideas exhibited by individuals in a particular organization. Institutional democracy has to base on the freedom of association among the constituent employees and parties. Institutional democracy also needs to take into consideration gender issues. Many organizations have faced problems compounded by disparities in gender biases and inequality.

Coursework..'Why has Britain traditionally resisted the idea of the Essay

Coursework..'Why has Britain traditionally resisted the idea of the European Union' Consider the issues full - Essay Example Its most prominent feature has been the importance of the financial sector, the City of London, both economically and politically. The City of London forms with the Treasury and the Bank of England an extremely powerful economic policy community that has normally been successful in shaping the policy of British governments on major economic issues. Priority has generally been given to the interests and perspectives of the City rather than those of manufacturing or the trade unions in determining the national interest (Aspinwall 2004). There was no similar test for manufacturing. The nature of the City as an international financial centre has always led it to favor a policy of openness to the markets of the whole world, not just Europe. "For Britain, therefore, deregulation, whether nationally or the European Union-inspired, has been experienced as deregulation, with the creation of legal procedures, where informal agreements generally held, and the establishment of independent regula tory bodies" (Schmidt 1997, p. 167). Also, the business cycle in the Great Britain has normally been aligned with the US economy rather than the European economy. This provides a practical obstacle to early entry; but, more than that, it symbolizes a different view as to where British economic interests lie. Politically, on Politically, one reason for the hesitation was that the political class in Britain has been much more divided over the euro than the political class in other member states. Popular opposition to joining the single currency has also been strong in Denmark and Sweden, and the Danes voted narrowly in a referendum in September 2000 to stay outside. But the Danish currency is already pegged to the euro, and the Danish economy is more integrated within the Euro-Zone than the British economy is. The political class in Britain has become deeply split, with one of the two major parties, the Conservatives (Giddings & Drewry 2004). The Conservative party was initially the party of Europe, conceiving Europe as an enterprise which was very much in the security and economic interests of the British state, as well as a new external challenge to replace the Empire. It was a Conservative government under Edward Heath that narrowly secured parliamentary approval of the terms of entry in 1971 (Aspinwal l 2004). It was the Labor Party whose leaders were prone to talk of 'a thousand years of history' (Aspinwall 2004, p. 56) and who were immensely distrustful of the Common Market because of the restrictions it imposed on national planning. "The erosion of the greater powers of Parliament have been cause for concern not only for members of Parliament but also for the executive, which given the lesser party discipline and the more vocal" (Schmidt 1997, p. 167). Although a majority of the Labor leadership did eventually support British membership of the European Community, a majority of trade unions and Labor Party members remained opposed because of their commitment to national economic planning. Culturally and nationally, the Great Britain tries to preserve its uniqueness keeping old traditions and social institutions unchanged. For the anti-Europeans, the European Union is a dangerous semi-sovereignty process which forces new states meets its rules and obligations. British attachment to outmoded forms of

Project Managment Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Managment Leadership - Essay Example Discuss how you would manage this project using a matrix OBS approach. 6 Reference 8 1. Discuss how your company manages projects which span two or three department? Project management is the process to facilitate planning, scheduling and controlling of the different activities in an organization. Operating projects in a multi project platform is setting up projects at the same time at different departments in an organization. The team in different departments may share members and organizational support systems and clients and also may use same resources to some extent but the working styles of the different departments are completely different in most cases. Project management includes project portfolio management in which the different processes are selected according to their need, organization performance and the objectives with the controlling groups are selected. This includes a planning and budgeting process by consulting with the team members of the different departments for an effective utilization of the resources by the management. Co-ordination with the different departments with effective communication can address the risk issues from different departments and help the management to cope with the unexpected occurrences during the execution of the project. Resource allocation is another important issue of the management to look after while working with multiple departments. The collaboration between the different team members of the separate department are needed to be understood by the management otherwise it may lead to conflict in the work place. The project team should be build by the company keeping in mind the goals of the project and dividing the roles of the different departments with the individual roles of the tea members can ease the processes and its execution. Working together can build a better relationship amongst the employees and collaborative problem solving can help the departments identify and cope with diverse problems faced at work environment. Administering the daily activities of the departments and managing the performance of the organizational departments will optimize the different processes and help the company to effectively deal with issues arising from different departments (Portny, 2006, p. 287). 2. Discuss how your company manages the two boss situation when a staff member is reporting to both the project manager and the functional manager. Reporting to different bosses can be a challenging situation in management issues. But with proper communication skill and expertise in the business this situation can be handled very effectively by the managers. With consistent work and documentation of the work schedule this situation can be handled and the staff member will be able to impress two bosses of both project management and functional department. Few points are needed to be maintained by the staff to manage two bosses at the same time. First step is to know the two managers and their relationsh ip amongst them. Knowing the style of working of the two different managers will help the staff to communicate effectively with them in their way of working. If the managers need to be reported every day or weekly or after project completion the staff should work accordingly. The communication process is also needed to be understood by the staff. Knowing whether there is any communication between the two bosses is an important task. Otherwise staff needs to

Comparison of the Great Gatsby, Leisure Class, and Teaching in Tehran Essay Example for Free

Comparison of the Great Gatsby, Leisure Class, and Teaching in Tehran Essay Class differences in society are a major impact on the lifestyle of people. Even today we can see how it effects how a person experiences their life. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, we can clearly see how Gatsbys social status changes while in Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi we can see how class differences effect the opinions of the people in the class. The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen also demonstrates the philosophy and the dynamics of the differences between the rich and the poor. In these three works, status is portrayed as a dominant force in shaping ones educational and/or social experience. In The Great Gatsby we can see how ones status effects a persons educational and/or social experience. Gatsby was born into a poor family and so he wasnt able to get a proper education. Instead he worked as a clam-digger and a salmon-fisher, unlike Tom and Nick who had the best education due to their higher status and abundance of money. Gatsby had a different social experiece from Nick who was raised as a wealthy young boy who knew of his status. This acted as a confidence booster, one that assured him of his identity. Nicks father once said to him Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone just remember that all the people in this world havent had the advantages that youve had (1). Gatsby, on the other hand, had a different social experience. Gatsby wasnt spoiled and became mature at a younger age. However, when Gatsby moves to West Egg, his educational and social experiences now differ from his past due to him being a higher status. Gatsby, now a wealthy man, is able to pursue an education with more confidence. He is also able to experience a new social standing. An example of him excercising his new wealth and position in society is his hosting of popular parties in which he is able to observe how higher class people interact. Despite this he is always uncomfortable with the rest of the higher class and is only a spectator of his parties. He never really fits in because although he is now a higher class, he grew up poor with different ideals. Growing up in a different environment made Gatsby think that with money he can achieve anything even his goal of attaining Daisys love. His naivety with money shows distinct class division between poor and rich. Interaction between men and women in Tehran make women dependent on men. Gender plays a role in determining staus in Tehran. No matter how poor a man is he is seen as having more status than most women. In the excerpt Reading Lolita in Tehran, we can see the different educational and social values between men and women. Since men are raised thinking they have the superior status and their outlook on women are all similar. Unlike men, women are forced to be dependent on the male because of Tehran laws. This restricts women to do what men want to. Educationally both men and women were taught in this excerpt ,but how they perceived education was different. For a very religous man like Mr Nyazi, The Great Gastby as a book goes against eveything he believed in. Religon and his beliefs made him more narrow-minded and unable to look at the whole picture, making his argument biased. Mr. Nyazi argued, West is our great enemy, it is the Great Satan, not because of its military might, not because of its economic power, but because of its sinister assault (126). For a woman in Tehran to be able to argue back to a man was a big deal. Zarrin had a less biased view than Mr. Nyazi arguing how he wasnt reading critically enough. Zarrin said, An inablility to read a novel on its own terms. All he knows is judgement, crude, and simplistic exaltation of right and wrong (128). In this particular society, gender is a status that is even more difficult to break through than wealth. Being born into a wealthy family meant that you have many advantages. In The Theory of the Leisure Class we can see how the standards of the wealthy are very different from the poor. Being born into a higher class also comes with social pressure to be like everyone else and be different from the poor. Thorstein speaks of some guidelines wealthy people follow to show off their wealth to say Im not poor ,but rich. At this tage of wealth consists chiefly of slaves benefits accruing from the possesions of the riches and personal service and the immediate products of personal service(1). What the wealthy experience is very different from the poor. The wealthy has more freedom of choice, having more leisure time to do what they please, while the poor must work everyday to survive. Whether through status or gender ,these roles in society inevitably effect the experiences and oppurtunities that are offered. Gatsby being how he changed from the lower class to the higher class or even how Zarrin viewed The Great Gatsby versus Mr. Nyazis view.

Present And Future Of Electrical Engineering

Present And Future Of Electrical Engineering ABSTRACT The report is all about the past, present and the prediction of the future of electrical engineering in the branch of electronics which plays an important role in the improvement of electronic devices as well as the new technology, electronic engineering is a broad and challenging discipline because it is composed of different kinds of electrical components such as electron tube, transistors, integrated circuits etc, therefore from all these electronic components the most vital components are transistors as they have amazing characteristics compared to other components, transistor sizing is the most challenging when electronic engineers start to design thing like computers, electronic machine etc. Basically transistors make electronics engineering to become more efficient when it comes to the production of electrical appliances because from the past until nowadays, the usage of transistors had been increasing rapidly which shows that electronic engineers always makes life become easi er. 1. INTRODUCTION Electronic engineering in the past was not interesting because during that time it was hard to invert electronic material because there was scarcity of resources that was taking control over humans life. Electronics today is taking a lead because the economy and society benefits from electronic engineering, as this is seen by anyone living on this planet. Many companies use electrical appliances such as computers, laptops, telephones etc. which lead to a good profit to their companies and thus this result in a huge growth of the economy worldwide. Electronic components are more easily to be improved and this predicts that in the future things like plasma, laptops, internet are going to disappear because the electronics creates new technological devices every second and the way electronic engineering functions create hope of amazing changes that people might not believe because things such as Identity documents for the next years will be regarded as useless papers. The society also be nefits from electronic engineering because nowadays many health services uses electronics for example such X-rays and other electronics devices to detect for other diseases. Professional electronic engineers have good ethics because they also create strong educational activities by creating fair regulations that must be followed strictly to ensure that protection is sustained towards peoples life. 2. ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING CHARACTERITICS Electronic engineering is a branch of electrical engineering that deals with the implementation of applications, principles and algorithms by using non linear and active electrical components such as transistors, diodes and integrated circuits to produce electronic machines, televisions etc which is more related to other field, for example radio engineering, telecommunication, control system and many other [1, 2].The transistors are the best electronic components that has become more useful after they had been inverted and transistors have different function because of their size. They have different physical characteristics. 2.1. Design and application of transistors in circuits Transistors may have N-P-N or P-N-P structure which function as a switch both N-P-N transistors and P-N-P transistors consists of three regions: collector, base and emitter. The base is the transistors main lead, without it, the transistor wont function, the collector is the positive lead and the emitter is the negative lead. Therefore the N-P-N and other transistors are may be used to control the flow of electrical current, power flow through the transistors from the power supply to the relay controlling the flow of electricity. Sometimes NPN transistors may usually work as amplifiers by controlling large amount of current [3]. Figure is on the appendix. 2.2. Electronic components There are many electronics that are widely used in electronic engineering to invert special electrical appliances. Symbols of some electronic components are represented on the appendix. 3. BACKGROUND OF ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING 3.1. The past of electronics Electronic engineering has evolve from technological improvements in the telegraph industry long time ago in the late 19th century , Transistor is a well-known electronic component that is inverted in 1948 at the Bell Telephone Laboratories followed by integrated circuits in 1960, electronics is often considerable to have started when Lee De Forest inverted the first vacuum tube in 1907 within 10 years, all of his electronic device was found in radio, transmission and receivers as well as system for long distances telephone cells [1, 2],electronic engineering was interesting because many things that are inverted during the 19th century are now improved to produce better materials that are very useful. Electronics play a significant role when it comes to telecommunications because the beginning of electronics is more likely based on communication and it is also improving because after the invention of radio, telegraphy and other past electronics appliances the first purely electronic television is inverted in 1928 by Philo Farnsworth [2], therefore this trend shows accurately that electronics always strive to progress from generation to another. During 1930s television had become more popular because it was recognized by millions of people to the best thing that was transferring information easily. During the past the computers that was inverted they were not programmed like the one that are being used now because they were very big and it hard to find because they only found at the laboratory of High institution and these computers was using big transistors that was storing less resources, therefore the most benefit from early computers is that they were better in terms of information transmission when compared to televisions. During the First World War electronic applications had tried to play a vital role by creating electronic weapons for defence but the most successful electronics weapons are the one that was produced when Second World War take place[5]. Hence electronics had created a wonderful social awareness by providing people with strong electronic weapons to protect their life against their enemies. 3.2. The present of electronics Electronic engineering nowadays is a challenging field because there is a lot of competency for producing desirable electrical appliances which benefit the whole world. Electronic engineering is the best because many things that are being used all over the world to create peace, economic growth, excitement and employments are produced by electronic engineers. Information technology today is based on electronics because information is transferred from one place to another by using electronic materials such as cell phones, digital computers, advanced television such as plasma and other useful electrical appliances, therefore all of this benefit the country because it maintain peoples rights. Electronics is more useful for health services and educational purpose because today at universities they are using computers, power point during the lecture time and this help students to adapt, gain knowledge and skills in the electronic and technological environment. People all over the world ar e getting proper health care because there is variety of electronic applications on medicine e.g. X-rays, Ultrasound detectors, medical research and expands other diagnostic test which save human lives. Since the invention of radio television in the past other previous century the electronics industry has been increasing drastically with the beginning of computer technologies and cell phones the electronics industry is regarded as the world largest and fastest growing manufacturing industry. Therefore this flowing of electronics it release hazardous material that affect the environment because when electric product become cheaper they tend to rapidly become more useless and some of these materials are dumped everywhere which lead to pollution [6]. 4. THE PREDICTION OF THE FUTURE OF ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING Electronic engineering will always proceed to develop amazing things because educational level of electronics is improving each year which means that the economy will succeed more toward the following years because many people who are studying will invert new things that can become more useful than the present electronics devices. Technology is also faced with a huge change because electronic engineers are always trying to improve their skills. Cars the next following years they might use electronic components and electricity to move because petrol and other oils are regarded as dangerous pollutant on the environment. Electronic engineering it might be bad when it comes to domestic employment because the many things that are created by electrical engineers makes life easier to a specific person even other professionals might lose their jobs because the engineers work it shows accurately that one day an electronic doctor can be inverted to save doctors from their work because other di sease might infect during the working times. Therefore any person must try to be preparing for the next electronic generation because new desirable things are coming such as cell phones that can be used to drive cars. Laptops will be replaced by electronic engineers because they are big when compared to cell phones. 4.1. THE TREND OF ELETRONIC ENGINEERING The diagrams representing the trend of electronic engineering 5. CONCLUSION Electronic engineering in the past was poor but it has evolved rapidly. Nowadays people are used to electronic systems, therefore this shows accurately that electrical engineering as whole it will dominate toward the next four years because without electrical engineers lot of things will disappear like a mist for example the economy depends on electronics to fulfil its profit which means that when electronics drop the whole process all over the world will subside resulting in lack of employment, poor health care and other technological system will disappear. Electronics for the next twenty years it might program people to function as electronics because the introduction has already began by computers e.g. people are using computers to improve their thinking capacity and to get lot of information. Really electronics is the best thing that symbolise peoples intelligence because amazing things are taking place because of electronics e.g. the night is changed by lights which symbolise th at everything it might be created by electronic devices. 6. REFERENCES 1. F.K. Manasse, J.A Ekiss and C.R Gray, Modern transistor Electronics Analysis and Design,Englewood Cliffs, N .J,prentice-Hall, Inc, 1967,pp ix-1. 2. Electronic engineering-wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.mht, last accessed 10 May 2011. 3. J.G. Linvill and J.F Gibbons, Transistors and active circuits, New York: McGRAW-HALL, 1961, pp 91-97. 4. http://www.clker.com/clipent-11203.htm,last accessed 10 May 2011. 5. http://www.cl,cam.ac.uk/~rja14/papers/SE-16.pdf,last accessed 09 may 2011. 6. B ward, Transistors Ignition systems handbook, Britain, August 1963, pp 92-100.

Issues of Discrimination in Sports

Issues of Discrimination in Sports There are many different aspects that define the culture of a group of people. Whether it is the food or the music or the traditions, every single person in this world lives based on the culture that surrounds them. One vital part of a culture is sports. Games are a source of revenue, income, careers and entertainment. They create bonds between people who would otherwise have nothing in common, whether fans, athletes or administrators. A chance of healthy competition between individuals of a society is the basis for the games in which a select few participate and millions watch. Especially for the population of the United States, sports are so ingrained into the culture that it would be hard to imagine a country without them. Sports have been praised for their ability to be a melting pot (Lumpkin), an idea easily understood by the United States, which holds the same nickname. They are considered to be the great equalizer because more attention is given to the abilities of a person than to who they actually are (Humara). Most people believe that sports provide equal opportunities for both majorities and minorities alike (Kahn). But what if this is not true? Just as minorities are discriminated against in everyday society, there is speculation and debate that discrimination occurs in sporting institutes as well. Economists and the general public have become more interested in the issue of discrimination against minorities in professional sports (Kahn). This topic is easily pursued and assessed considering statistics are readily available for the public, such as the gender, age, race, ethnicity and salary of players in professional sports such as baseball, football and basketball (Kahn). A growing number of sports sociologists are focusing on these inequalities and trying to discover if there is an actual problem and if so how it can be corrected (Eisen 127). The general issue of discrimination in institutions was addressed by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This article prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin (Hanna). Some people argue that there is still evidence of racial discrimination in sports today, though. Despite laws, the situation becomes sticky when it comes to racial discrimination. Is it really possible to prove that someone was not hired based on their race? In some cases, yes, but in others, no. The government cannot force people to hire certain candidates, but their ability to punish institutions for denying a position to a candidate based on race is limited (Hanna). Within the institution of sports, there are several ways that a person can be discriminated against, such as during the hiring process, what position he or she is allocated, or how much he or she is paid in salary (Kahn). Discrimination can come from employers, coworkers, customers, and people who hold prominent positions such as sportscasters, Hall-of-Fame selection committees, sports executives and franchise owners (Leonard). Discrimination not only affects if someone is able to be a part of a team, but how they are treated while on that team. Minorities are said to experience discrimination during the hiring process simply based on their origin and the fact that those in decision-making positions are more inclined to hire those who are similar to themselves. Since several administrators are white males, they are more likely to hire white males when given the chose between several well-qualified candidates. Those who are hired could possibly experience discrimination through the allocation of their positions; minorities may be given less-prominent leadership and critical-thinking positions such as pitchers and quarterbacks (Kahn). Salary is a difficult area to determine discrimination due to the fact that numbers may be biased, figures may be omitted, players perform different positions at different skill levels, veterans are paid more than rookies, and contracts may differ based on the number of years and the salary to be paid (Kahn). Customers may show their own form of discrimination by refusing to attend games or purch ase certain merchandise, as well as racial slurs said during taunting or trash talking (Lumpkin). The three sports that are voted as the most popular in the United States are baseball, basketball and football. These three only offer a handful of positions: 737 in Major League Baseball (MLB), 245 in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 1400 in the National Football League (NFL) (Eisen 230). The chances of someone securing a position on a team in these institutions is miniscule, with four out of every 100,000 Caucasians, two out of every 100,000 African Americans and three out of every 100,000 Hispanics successfully doing so (Egendorf 95). Professional sports organizations are required to submit a Racial and Gender Report Card to assess the hiring practices of women and people of color in each organization. These assessments ensure that minorities are justly represented in such prominent organizations by considering the composition of the players, coaches and administration. For example, if African-Americans represent twenty-four percent of the population then twenty-four percent of the positions held in a sports organization must be held by African-Americans. In the 2010 Racial and Gender Report Cards, the MLB, NBA and NFL each scored an A in racial hiring practices, with the MLB and NFL improving from an A- and the NBA dropping from an A+ in 2009 (CBA). The color barrier in baseball was broken by Jackie Robinson in 1947 when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and ended segregation in professional baseball (Kahn). At the start of the 2010 season, minorities composed over forty percent of the players in the MBL, including African-Americans, Latinos and Asian-Americans. Nine people of color (three African-Americans, five Latinos and the first Asian-American) hold the title of manager in the MLB, bringing the total managers of color to thirty percent. Thirty-two percent of coaching positions are held by minorities, and they are also well represented in administration positions as well (CBA). The National Basketball Association employs the highest percentage of minorities with eighty-two percent of their players being African-American, Latinos and Asian-Americans. Seventy-seven percent of those players are African-American. International players hold eighteen percent of positions on NBA teams. Michael Jordan is the only African-American majority owner of a professional sports team, but there are four African-American presidents in the NBA. Thirty percent of the head coaches are of a minority, with one American-Asian and eight African-Americans holding positions, while forty-one percent of the assistant coaches are of color (CBA). Administration in the National Football League hosts many positions for minorities as well, with twenty-five percent of the positions being held by African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans, but no person of color has ever held majority ownership of an NFL team. The representation of minorities is relatively high for African-Americans at sixty-seven percent, but Latinos and Asian-Americans are only represented with one and two percent, respectively. Out of all of the professional sports organizations, the NFL has the smallest percentage of international players with two percent. The coaching staff of the NFL boasts six African-American coaches and one hundred fifty seven assistant coaches of color (CBA). Based on the data collected from the Racial and Gender Report cards of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Football League, minority representation fares well in these professional sports. Certain measures, such as this report card, have been taken to ensure that minorities are represented in sporting institutes (CBA). One such measure is the Rooney Rule, enacted by the NFL in 2002. The Rooney Rule was headed by Dan Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers and states that any NFL team seeking to hire a head coach must interview one or more minority applicants (Hanna). This rule is most likely accountable for the fact that one fourth of NFL teams have a minority coach. Measures like these enable minorities to have an equal opportunity to be represented in the sporting organizations in the country in which they reside. While the numbers show that discrimination is very low, if not nonexistent, in sporting organizations in the United States, they can only go so far. Discrimination is not just about how many players of color are on a sporting team, but what they had to do in order to achieve their position and how they are treated once they are a part of the team. Blacks were excluded from professional sports all together until the 1940s, after World War II (Kahn). Before this time, African-Americans began their own black leagues that mirrored the white-only versions of the sport. For example, Rube Foster founded the National Negro Baseball League in 1920 that offered an alternative for black athletes excluded from the major leagues (Eisen 138). These leagues were a chance for African-Americans and other minorities to play sports they loved, although they were far from equal to their white counterparts. Once minority players were allowed to become a part of professional sports alongside white people, it was an uphill battle. African-Americans were striving for success in institutions that were controlled and defined by white standards (Eisen 135). They had to face the fact that they were both black and American playing white sports (Eisen 133). They wanted to be classified equally with their teammates, but they were defined by their color and not their ability (Eisen 138). These players strove to gain acceptance but never completely broke away from being defined by their race (Eisen 136). Wins symbolized symbolic nails in the coffin of racial inferiority but losses were evidence of their limits as minorities (Eisen 133). Many prominent minority athletes used their social status to help those in their race that were less fortunate while they pursued their careers (Eisen 136). Some may argue that discrimination exists in sporting organizations in the United States today. Qualifications and abilities may be overlooked because of the race of the applicant (Egendorf 103). Since many controlling positions in both professional and collegiate sports are held by white males, minorities have less of a chance of being hired due to the fact that the employer is more likely to hire someone similar to themselves (Egendorf 99). Athletes who have played the sport should be awarded leadership positions, but more often than not whites are hired over minorities (Egendorf 98). Minority athletes, many of whom grow up in lower-income areas, are denied equal training facilities during high school and are therefore at a disadvantage compared to their white counterparts when it comes to trying out for spots on professional sports teams (Kahn). Others do not see discrimination present in organizations such as the MLB, NBA and NFL. These people look at the statistics and notice that minorities are represented more in sports than they are in the entire population (Kahn). They also notice trends, such as the fact that the NBA is representative of more minorities than whites and that the NFL is increasingly composed of Pacific Islanders and Latinos (Egendorf 97). Since white players have more opportunities in society after retirement, they are more likely to retire earlier and therefore will not be as valuable as a minority who will play for a longer amount of time (Kahn). Either way the situation is looked at, minorities are fast becoming a majority (Justice Reader 2). Since the United States have been considered a melting pot for people from so many cultures and the country offers so many more opportunities, more and more people are immigrating in search of a better life. Although America has been defined as white, that is slowly beginning to change (Justice Reader 2). So how is justice ensured to minorities wishing to pursue a career in professional sports? The principle of distributive justice should be followed, or rewards, rights, opportunities, services and treatments because of who that person is, what he or she has done or to which group he or she belongs (Justice Reader 40). If an African-American athlete and a white athlete train equally for a position on a team, they should be given an equal opportunity to try out for that position. Their chances should be fair and consistent. Justice should be understood as merit focused on what is owed a person by virtue of his or her actions, efforts and impacts (Justice Reader 49). In the Old Testament of the Bible, we are told that God loves justice (Isaiah 61:8). The sin of humanity creates injustice in the world, yet we are called to live just and righteous lives (Micah 6:8). A reoccurring theme in the Old Testament is the law that God calls His people to live by. When the law is followed, we are able to live in harmony with God and other humans. This law has been broken, though, creating the injustices that we are dealing with in our day and age. One of the main focuses of the New Testament is the teachings of Jesus. In these teachings, He calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31). By treating our brothers and sisters in just ways, we are loving them as we love ourselves and treating them how we would want to be treated. The New Testament also tells us that we are all one body of Christ and therefore everyone is equal (Galatians 3:28). Why should some have privileges over others or be treated with injustice? Sporting organizations are very prevalent in the culture and society of the United States. The issue of minority representation has always been a controversy in the sporting world due to the fact that a successful career in athletics leads to success away from the athletic world (Eisen 221). Not only is minority representation important since they are a large part of the culture, but minorities are given more opportunities through a career in sports. Creating a system that gives equal opportunities and treatments to both majorities and minorities is one way to solve injustices in sporting organizations. Some actions to begin this system have been started, such as the Rooney Rule in the NFL. Individuals can voice their opinions when it comes to sporting organizations, such as protesting unjust actions and treatments. One voice may not be a lot, but many voices together can make a loud sound.