Earth's Magnetic Pole Reversals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Earth's Magnetic Pole Reversals - Essay Example â€Å"In 2005, the North Magnetic Pole (NMP) was about 810 km (503 miles) from the Geographic North Pole. The NMP was in the  Arctic Ocean  north of Canada. The South Magnetic Pole (SMP) was about 2,826 km (1,756 miles) from the Geographic South Pole. The SMP was off the coast of  Antarctica  in the direction of Australia† (Russel). The presence of earth’s magnetic field can be explained through the dynamo effect. Deep inside the earth’s core is a solid iron ball with temperatures reaching as high as that on the sun. This inner core is surrounded by a molten mass of iron, called the outer core. The molten mass of iron circulates relative to the motion of the earth. Convection currents within this region generate our planet’s magnetism (Phillip). Over years, many scientists have proven that the earth’s magnetic field is changing. James Ross located the pole for the first time in 1831 after an exhausting journey during which his ship got stuck. No one retrieved it until four years and when they did, they noticed that the pole had shifted from its original position, even though by a small amount. The next observation occurred in 1904 when Ronal Amundsen found the pole again and discovered that it had moved almost fifty kilometers since the days of Ross. This movement of the magnetic poles has hastened in the recent past. â€Å"The pole kept going during the 20th century, north at an average speed of 10 km per year, lately accelerating to 40 km per year (Phillip). This sparked interest of researchers to study this phenomenon in detail. It has been discovered that iron and other heavy metals, present inside molten lave, align themselves in the direction of the external magnetic field when solidifying to form hardened rock. By studying the various layers of these rocks, scientists have measured the historical directions of the Earth’s magnetic field and concluded that the Earth’s poles

Basic Principles of the Marketing Research Paper

Basic Principles of the Marketing - Research Paper Example The researcher states that relevant example of an intangible product can be Australian Open Championship that offers its services for the purpose of satisfying entertaining needs of spectators. Its arrangement requires different kinds of assets, including financial, human and material resources. Sports equipment, food, and beverages for cafeterias, souvenirs play the role of tangible assets, meanwhile administrative and maintenance staff plays the role of human resources. Visitors buy tickets for the Championship, therefore this event has profit basis along with the social goal to develop sport around the country. Tennis Australia considers that the more people enroll in clubs, the more skillful and distinguished players can be trained and stand out. This will increase Australia’s chances to win awards on world championships, improve state’s reputation and attain international recognition of the country. Tennis Australia strives for raising people’s interest and attraction their attention to sports activities. Watching professional players, potential consumers are prone to follow their examples and become tennis players later on by themselves. Australian Open Championship can be considered as a brand due to its main purpose to promote tennis. Its biggest value is that people get closer to sports events and later on become more interest in it. Brand statement of Tennis Australia cannot be considered as useful one in a full way because, in my opinion, it does not display all the urgency and importance of organization’s mission. A brand statement should be more profound and all-embracing so that potential consumers have a clear presentiment about company’s direction and promotion campaign. The success of brand realignment can be measured with the help of the increased number of people who enroll in clubs after realignment. The main participants of the microclimate of air travel industry are competitors; companies that deliver raw materials; suppliers of integrated products; partners and distributors. For instance, if the prices for raw materials increase, the total cost of airplane grows also, therefore airlines which use modern airplanes will increase prices of tickets for preventing a situation from losing additional profits. Factors of macroenvironmental can be political, economic, ecological and legislative situation in the country. If the level of economic development in specific country drops, this decreases profits of the population, who consequently due to lower salary will prefer a less expensive method of transportation substituting jets for trains or buses. Decreased level of demand will influence on air industry’s profits. Finally, airlines will be compelled to review price policies for affecting ticket sales.

Domestic Terrorism In The United States Essay Example for Free

Domestic Terrorism In The United States Essay To varying degrees, domestic terrorism has survived and affected the social and political structure of the United States. As defined by the country’s Department of Justice, these words connote â€Å"the unlawful use of force or violence, committed by a group(s) of two or more individuals, against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives† (U. S. Department of Justice, 1994, p. 26). Though such characterization is considerably clear in its meaning, oftentimes a case-by-case interpretation is necessary to ascertain where extremism ends and terrorism begins. Terrorism vs. Extremism A more concise demarcation between extremism and terrorism is evident in the recognition that extremism is not unusual in any political environment, and is more often than not directed by societal pressures, civil discourse, education and the law. On the other hand, in terrorism, the violence is far beyond control by civil, educational or societal elements and must be tracked down, penalized and castigated by law enforcement agencies. The Dictionary of Political Thought defines extremism as â€Å"a vague term, that can mean a) the taking of a political idea to its limits, regardless of unfortunate repercussions, impracticalities, arguments and feelings to the contrary and with the intention not only to confront but also to eliminate opposition; b) intolerance towards all views other than one’s own; and c) the adoption of means to political ends which show disregard for the life, liberty and human rights of others† (Scronton, 1982). The complexity of separating terrorism and extremism is that in various situations, domestic groups which are seemingly law-abiding at present, may be contemplating of violent actions in the future. As it is, many violent groups started as non-violent discussion or protest movements with very lofty ideals; however, as time elapsed they evolved into something else. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, provides a suitable and a more fitting characterization of terrorism when he described it as â€Å"the deliberate and systematic murder, maiming and menacing of the innocent to inspire fear for political ends. † USA Patriot Act Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act stretched the definition of terrorism to include domestic in contrast to international terrorism. An individual is said to be involved in domestic terrorism if he/she does an act that is dangerous to human life, that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, and if the act appears to be intended to a) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; b) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or c) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping. Further, the acts have to take place chiefly within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States and if they do not, then these acts can already be regarded as international terrorism. Clearly, Section 802 does not create a new crime of domestic terrorism. Nonetheless, it does extend the kinds or the nature of actions that the government can examine and probe into when it is investigating terrorism. The USA Patriot Act stretched out the powers of the government when they do their investigations and some of these powers are applicable to domestic terrorism. Such definition of domestic terrorism is expansive enough to cover the actions and activities of many known activist campaigns and organizations. Greenpeace, Operation Rescue, Vieques Island and WTO protesters and the Environmental Liberation Front have all recently engaged in activities that could make them subject to investigations as engaging in domestic terrorism. Contemporary Domestic Terrorism Though governments, private and public institutions have been beleaguered and weighed down by terrorism for hundreds of years in one form or another, the strategies and the application associated with it have changed and progressed as surely as the societies upon which it is imposed. Technological advances in the transportation, communication and in the area of weaponry have permitted the capacities of current domestic terrorist groups to get their message out and have enhanced their ability to take aggressive and sadistic action to achieve their objectives. President Clinton launched a counter-terrorism bill to the Senate and House of Representatives in February of 1995. One exceedingly contentious proposal in the bill is the assigning of the Department of Defense a dominant role in assisting the investigation of domestic terrorism incidents in which chemical and biological agents are utilized. Currently, the military can be used in cases of terrorist activities where there is an alleged employment of nuclear weapons or devices and much more if such allegation has been established (Hall, 1995, Sec A). Though the amplified role of the military would be limited, necessitating a further amendment to the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, civil liberties experts cautioned that it would infringe the tenets of civil supremacy over the military and would only rekindle the hostilities and anti-government sentiments of the citizen-militias and conspiracy theorists (Landay, 1995). Furthermore, several Congressmen, law-enforcement officials and some military advisers concur that such employment of the military would be an exceedingly precarious approach in combating domestic terrorism. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a Democrat from New York, responded to questions as to whether the use of the military, in an expanded role, should be a part of the counterterrorism package, said, â€Å". . . the military defends the nation and does not involve itself in internal affairs† (Minzesheimer, 1995, Sec A). Incidents and Implications There has been an evident and persistent decline in the number of terrorist incidents in the United States during the past twenty years. To further delineate the trend of decline over time, a comparison of the average number of incidents per year during each of three, six-year periods would be useful. During the six year period from 1977 through 1982, there was an average of 59. 0 incidents/year; from 1983 through 1988 an average of 15. 7 incidents/year were recorded; this compared to an average of 5. 3 incidents/year investigated during the period from 1989 through 1994 (FBI, 1994). *** ACTIVE GROUPS OPERATING WITHIN THE UNITED STATES CLASSIFIED AS TERRORISTS African National Prison Organization (ANPO). An arm of the African Peoples Socialist Party. Animal Rights. Principally against use of animals for any purpose beyond their natural existence. Armed Resistance Group (ARG) aka Revolutionary Fighting Group, Red Guerrilla Faction. This group has been characterized in 1988 as tired and aging revolutionaries. Greenpeace Principally environmental-use extremists. Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Reorganized and relocated several arms of its group in 1989. Macheteros. Puerto Rican nationalists. Ohio Seven. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Very public-relations oriented. Radical Feminist Organizing Committee (RFOC). Driven-out of the feminist movement in 1989, operating independently. RAMBOC (Restore a More Benevolent Order Coalition). Targets and actively pursues the US assets and people of foreign groups with terrorist links, such as the PLO, SWAPO, ANC, etc Rolling Thunder aka American Foundation for Accountability; primary focus is to draw attention to the POW/MIA issue from Vietnam War. Satanic Cult. Associated with attempted bombing of churches and kidnapping, and animal sacrifices, tombstone vandalism, and miscellaneous actions. Skinheads (SKA). Groups consist of both racist and anti-racist factions. SS Action Group. Principally anti-Semitic. Apparent Motivation There are principally four classifications into which groups that are regarded as domestic terrorists can be distinguished currently existing in the United States. These groups can be generically delineated as being either motivated by religious convictions, racial prejudice and supremacist goals, anarchistic/anti-government/politically motivated, or in pursuit of unique special interests. These classifications have been extracted from a collection of the categorization and delineation of extremist and terrorist groups by two respected subject-authorities, Stephen Segaller and FBI’s Department of Justice. Segaller, in his book Invisible Armies, classified domestic terrorism in the United States into four groups as well, but lists them as being: a) Cuban infighting (political), b) â€Å"backwoods terrorism† (a combination of religious, racist and anarchistic), c) violent Puerto Rican independence groups (political), and d) a handful of domestic revolutionary Marxist groups (anarchistic/anti-government and racist) (Segaller, 1987, pp. 221-225). Theoretically speaking, the stimulus for the creation and sustained existence of extremist and terrorist groups can unequivocally be associated in many circumstances to ethnic, cultural, religious, and racial feelings of superiority. An accurate depiction of the continuum formed by these supremacist attitudes, and how they promote further tension is succinctly articulated by Frank G. McGuire, when he said that as long as Christians feel superior to Jews (or vice-versa) and Catholics feel superior to Protestants and Ashkenazic Jews feel superior to Sephardic Jews, men feel superior to women and whites feel superior to blacks/browns/yellows/reds and so on, such phenomenon will be with us (McGuire, 1990, p. 10). These cultural, racial, gender, and a myriad of other differences that are present among people in society, particularly one as diverse as the United States of America, must be acknowledged and respected, but shouldn’t be seen or considered as a encumbrance to peace and harmony within society. Nor should these diversities be seen as wholly benign in their impact on the functioning of society as a whole. Tibor Machan, a social and political commentator, showed a well-timed dissertation on the myths and erroneous beliefs associated with viewing multiculturalism as simply a difference in dress, music, dance, and customs. Dr. Machan asserted that cultural differences, whether a result of race, gender, religion, or whatever, impacts both negatively and positively on other cultures within the society (Machan, 1996, pp. 134-135) and further opined that attitudes of cultural-superiority and intolerance are directly related and incorporated into many of the extremist views and motivations that are plaguing America today. The period from 1982 through 1994 showed that the targets of domestic terrorism were predominately commercial establishments. The majority of incidents directed against commercial establishments were conducted by animal-rights and/or anti-abortion extremists, either attacking stores that sold fur, or clinics that performed abortions or provided abortion advice, respectively (FBI, 1994; McGuire, 1990). Religious Racial Supremacy/Intolerance Religious intolerance founded upon fundamentalist standpoints has been the stimulus for acts of terrorism all throughout history and such as involved Orthodox Jews, Moslems, Catholics, and Protestants. Perhaps, there is no issue or idea among human beings that is as provocative and as seditious as that of religious beliefs. Auspiciously, at least as far as the United States is concerned, terror stimulated by religious intolerance has not been as significant a threat as in other parts of the world like in Africa, the Middle East or Bosnia. â€Å"America is a unique nation in that it guarantees the freedom of religion with the First Amendment and the right to [keep and] bear arms with the Second Amendment. This means that people can believe whatever they want, and they can buy the guns to protect that belief† (LeBaron, n. d). The statement was made in direct reference to Mormon fundamentalism and summarizes the very ideology upon which this country was founded which also provides an insight into the potential dangers that exist with religious extremist groups. Recently however, there has been rhetoric and open threats of aggression from different extremist groups that describe themselves as being inspired by religion, nonetheless, have undisputedly displayed racial supremacist and hate-mongering views. The leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan, advocates sundry rhetoric of black supremacist views and religious fervor. He professes to have the faith and devotion of some four million people (Fletcher, 1996). In addition, several white-supremacist clusters, including some of the many Christian militia splinter groups, advocate exceptionally caustic and hate-filled threats as well, apparently an endless, ages-old game of â€Å"I call you a name, you call me a name. † Oddly enough, two racial supremacist groups representing opposite extremes, the Nation of Islam and the Posse Comitatus, have concurred to an ultimate end-state segregation of the United States into regions of pure racial integrity. Another group operating within the United States that has historically merged a racist agenda with religious rhetoric, and was truly very sadistic in its actions and objectives, is the Ku Klux Klan. They have, however, considerably lessened in both their membership numbers and invisible power-base in recent years, and though there are still very strident individuals appearing from time to time, the danger posed by the Klan nowadays is essentially restricted to local regions, and their activities are in the form of parades and rallies. As the Klan has faded in its activities and numbers, it has been replaced by the tremendously vicious and rapidly growing racist movement known as the Aryan Nations, which is strongly associated with the Identity Church that proclaims Anglo-Saxons as Gods chosen people. The fundamentalist Mormons are another religiously-motivated cluster within the United States that are catching the attention and concern of law enforcement and other government officials. This group has been at odds, to a certain degree, with the government since its creation in the early 1800s. Many of these fundamentalist Mormons are well-armed conspiracy-minded survivalists, who have retreated to the mountains of central Utah to await Armageddon, which they believe will occur on April 6, 2000. Believing in their gifts of prophecy and revelation, and fired-up by heavenly visions and doctrines of blood atonement and oaths of vengeance, they have isolated themselves awaiting the end of the world and fearing that the government is about to take away their freedoms (LeBaron, n. d. ). A specifically insightful yet explosive issue to a huge section of the American people, despite individual beliefs, is the classification of particular abortion clinic-related hostility as domestic terrorism. The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994 in concurrence with the Attorney General Guidelines (AGG) on General Crimes, Racketeering Enterprise and Domestic Security/Terrorism Investigations, instigated and directed the creation of the Department of Justice Task Force on Violence Against Abortion Providers to look into conspiratorial acts of violence against abortion clinics and personnel as domestic terrorism (FBI, 1994). Although personal opinions on the ethical aspects associated with abortion, whether for or against, are not wholly confined to religious beliefs, the most articulate, open and visible anti-abortion advocates are directly allied with religious organizations. As it is, abortion rights and issues persist to be one of the most contentious and conflict-ridden questions among Americans and motivate exceedingly passionate and rousing rhetoric and reactions from people from both sides of the matter. In the period between 1982 and the end of 1984, there were a total of 220 separate acts of violence, including 89 cases of bombing, arson and other serious incidents, conducted against clinics where abortions were performed or abortion-advice offered (Segaller, 1987, pp. 222-223). Ethnically and racially stimulated bias, extreme loathing and carnage are as much a part of human history as any other characteristics of mankind, and have at least to some extent have a bearing on the cultural and social identities of essentially all civilizations to date. From the subjugation of Hebrews by ancient Egyptians, to present-day current situation in the Balkans, racial and ethnic differences have triggered incalculable suffering and death. The history of racial and ethnic turmoil in the United States is no different, and is seemingly experiencing an increase in such activity recently. Racially-motivated extremist and terrorist groups in the United States, especially those of today, seem to employ religious rationalizations and teachings for their sadistic tendencies and aggressive actions, and all indications point to the fact that such trend will continue at an accelerating rate into the foreseeable future. Anarchistic/Anti-government /Political Terrorist clusters of today that are actually anarchist, anti-government or political in their motivations are mostly associated with the growing self-determination, radical citizen-militia movements, or have been around a relatively long time, such as the Puerto Rican freedom fighters. The former has drawn considerable attention, and extracted wary concern from law-enforcement and civil-rights groups due to the bombing in Oklahoma City, and their rapid and continuing growth in numbers and visibility. A few of the more extreme citizen-militia groups, often motivated by New World Order conspiracy theorists and anger over a belief that government has become too large and repressive in everyday life, are openly soliciting and calling for the overthrow of the United States government. These groups, when linked with the self-described â€Å"Constitutionalists,† are being considered as extremely dangerous by many law-enforcement and watchdog groups (Knickerbocker, 1995). The Puerto Rican terrorist groups have been almost exclusively limited in their actions to operating within Puerto Rico against local and federal targets of opportunity. Unique Special Interests Within this designation of domestic terrorist groups are those of relatively recent creation, or at least they have relatively recently gained high public visibility through their actions. Groups such as the extremist animal-rights groups, environmental extremist groups and homosexual-rights groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Earth Night Action Group, and Act Up, respectively, have emerged within the past two decades and have actively used violence, destruction and intimidation to gain recognition, and to further their respective political agendas. References *** McGuire, Frank. 1990. Security intelligence sourcebook: Whos Who in terrorism. Silver Spring, MD. : Interests, Ltd. U. S. Department of Justice. 1994. Terrorism in the United States, 1994. Washington, DC. : National Security Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Terrorist Research and Analytical Center Scronton, R. 1982. Dictionary of Political Thought. New York: Hill and Wang Hall, M. 1995. â€Å"Clintons Military Police Plan Under Fire. † USA Today, 11 May Sec. 5A. Landay, J. S. 1995. â€Å"Tempering Terrorism. † The Christian Science Monitor, 8 May Sec. US. Minzesheimer, B. 1995. â€Å"Terrorism Bill Warning: Go Slow. † USA Today, 1 May Sec. 5A. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 1994. Terrorism in the United States 1982 – 1992; Terrorism in the United States 1994. Segaller, S. 1987. Invisible armies, terrorism into the 1990s. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Machan, T. 1996. â€Å"Fallacies of Uncritical Multiculturalism. † The Freeman, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 134-135. LeBaron, G. Jr. â€Å"Mormon Fundamentalism and Violence: A Historical Analysis available at http://www. tcd. net/~garn/ polygamy. html. Fletcher, M. A. 1996. â€Å"Farrakhan Vows to Take Libyas Aid. † Washington Post, 26 February, Sec. A1. Knickerbocker, B. 1995. â€Å"US Militias: The Dark Side of Frontier Independence. † The Christian Science Monitor, 24 April, Sec. NATIONAL.

Explain The Need For Lesson Pacing English Language Essay

Explain The Need For Lesson Pacing English Language Essay Explain how pacing differs for a class that includes English language learner students from a class that does not include ELL students. Instructional pacing will vary from classroom to classroom based on any special needs of the students that occur in each classroom. A classroom that contains English Language Learners (ELL) needs to maintain a pacing  that is slower than a classroom that does not contain ELL students. ELL students need a pace that is much slower than non-ELL students. They need opportunities to ask questions during and after instruction, extended time requirements for activities, and longer wait times when being asked a question. Teachers need to provide students with a pace that is slower than non-ELL students; however, teachers should take care that the pace is not so slow that the natural rhythm of the English language is completely lost. ELL students need concepts to be broken down into less complex, easy steps that are offered at a more gradual pace. It is also necessary for teachers to check for student comprehension more often in an ELL classroom than it is for a teacher in a non-ELL classro om. It is essential for ELL students to receive instructional pacing that is according to their language and academic abilities. Teachers may need to make accommodations in their lesson plans to provide students with instruction that is paced according to their language abilities, but it is necessary for the ELL student to achieve academic and language success that the pace is adapted according to his/her needs.When a lesson is particularly complex, the teacher needs to provide students with a pacing that coincides with their ability levels. This is essentially the case in a classroom that contains ELL students. While a moderate pace could be adapted for a classroom that does not contain ELL students, a complex lesson may need to have a slower pace in a classroom with ELL students. ELLs need complex concepts broke down into simple and easy components, and sometimes need additional instruction in their first language, in order to gain appropriate comprehension of the subject. Because ELL students need more complex materials to be broken down into more easier, manageable steps, the instructional pacing that the teacher has established of planned for could be directly affected. Pacing would become much slower when concepts need more extensive instruction than what would normally be required. However, it is essential to remember that pacing must always take a backseat to the student being able to gain mastery of the content. Pacing does not govern the classroom-student learning does and with ELL students, that pace could become much slower at times and cause teachers to pick the essential content that must be taught and maybe foregoing extensive instruction on easier to grasp subjects. (I did not write thisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦copied from a website. It looked pretty good.) http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1820697/instructional_pacing_in_the_classroom_pg2.html?cat=4 Providing content clarity for ELL students requires a significantly slower pace of instruction in the classroom than teaching students who possess a fluent understanding of the English language at there age/grade level. Although preparation for a classroom with or without ELL students requires similar planning procedures, such as defining objectives and providing activities that reinforce what the students are learning, executing the lesson and reaching those objectives differs. Because ELL students do not possess the level of proficiency that non ELL students at a similar age possess, the teacher must speak more slowly and articulate the language on a level that students can understand, never assuming that they know what he/she is talking about. The teacher must also provide visual assistance more often in the form of words, pictures, graphic organizers, etc. The teacher must also provide more opportunities with ELL students to interact with one another in the classroom. This can be done by utilizing group work with partners, groups of three or more students, or teams that vary in language development so as to reinforce and encourage further language development. This gives children an opportunity to practice new language concepts that have been taught. Teaching ELL students also requires a special knack for providing lessons that incorporate a well rounded task set. Students that learn lessons that allow them to hear, speak, read and write words experience more effective reinforcement than students who only have one or two of those concepts provided in a lesson. Teach and Assessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.teach and assessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦teach and assessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦must be a constant and consistent technique. Explain how the complexity of lesson content can influence lesson pacing with a class that includes ELL studentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Referring to the above paragraphà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦see key concepts and build on different ways in order to present them in the classroom. Each concept requires a framework that engages the students in using multi-sensory activities. If they seeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦written letters that make words that make sentences that make paragraphs that actually communicate somethingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦word walls, word study books, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, hear words spoken as vocabulary with definition and spoken in contextà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦word usage, touchà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦using manipulatives in the classroom. Where words are concerned, writing them is key concept. Writing words and sentences that make sense. Speakà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ talking to the teacher and one another makes a huge difference. Interaction, interaction, interactionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦immersion in the language!!!

The Wife of Bath as a Feminist Essay -- The Wife of Bath Essays

The Wife of Bath’s Tale features a character that seemed to resemble a feminist. But in Chaucer’s time, feminism was thought to be abnormal and the pilgrims reacted negatively towards her for it, but The Wife of Bath had no shame about displaying herself as she really was. She was not ashamed of the fact that she had been married five times, and was about to marry again and she hid nothing. The prologue of this tale showed that the Wife of Bath was not seen as an upstanding woman, nor did she desire to be seen as one. She portrayed feminism, almost as soon as she began speaking in the prologue, she explained that she had gone through five husbands, and she was on the look out for a sixth. She also admitted that she married for money: "I’ll tell the truth. Those husbands I had, three of them were good and two of them bad. The three I call â€Å"good† were rich and old. They could indeed with difficulty hold the articles that bound them all to me† (Bath 263). She even went to the point of saying that she didn’t value her husbands’ love. Then again, why should she? She received what she wanted which was money, control, and anything that she desired, they provided. The Wife of Bath thought that all women needed to be the controlling factors in marriage. That is how she believed she would gain her husbands’ money. She claimed that if women can’t marry for money, they must marry for sex, for those are the only two things that really matter. Women must have control of their husbands, according to the Wife, and she is proud of the fact that she governed her husbands. If she had to put them in their place, she would make her husbands feel guilty, even if they had nothing to feel guilty about. The Wife exaggerated with her accusations, showin... ...raitor, you say she’s game for any fornicator.† (Bath 265). The wife wanted what every woman wants in a relationship which was POWER. The Wife of Bath came across as a very fake woman. So how would she be portrayed in today’s society? There are plenty of women out there who marry for money. Some of them like to publicize it, while others do not. There is only one thing that would make The Wife of Bath not as successful today, which is the law. Most men who do come from money, or have earned their own wealth, watch it closely. There are protectors out there, and contracts such as a pre-nuptial agreement. But The Wife played it well as she would wait until the husband would die. In that case, she would gain his wealth. But in my opinion, I have a hard time thinking that a man would stick around with an ugly old woman that liked to beat him and never honor his love. The Wife of Bath as a Feminist Essay -- The Wife of Bath Essays The Wife of Bath’s Tale features a character that seemed to resemble a feminist. But in Chaucer’s time, feminism was thought to be abnormal and the pilgrims reacted negatively towards her for it, but The Wife of Bath had no shame about displaying herself as she really was. She was not ashamed of the fact that she had been married five times, and was about to marry again and she hid nothing. The prologue of this tale showed that the Wife of Bath was not seen as an upstanding woman, nor did she desire to be seen as one. She portrayed feminism, almost as soon as she began speaking in the prologue, she explained that she had gone through five husbands, and she was on the look out for a sixth. She also admitted that she married for money: "I’ll tell the truth. Those husbands I had, three of them were good and two of them bad. The three I call â€Å"good† were rich and old. They could indeed with difficulty hold the articles that bound them all to me† (Bath 263). She even went to the point of saying that she didn’t value her husbands’ love. Then again, why should she? She received what she wanted which was money, control, and anything that she desired, they provided. The Wife of Bath thought that all women needed to be the controlling factors in marriage. That is how she believed she would gain her husbands’ money. She claimed that if women can’t marry for money, they must marry for sex, for those are the only two things that really matter. Women must have control of their husbands, according to the Wife, and she is proud of the fact that she governed her husbands. If she had to put them in their place, she would make her husbands feel guilty, even if they had nothing to feel guilty about. The Wife exaggerated with her accusations, showin... ...raitor, you say she’s game for any fornicator.† (Bath 265). The wife wanted what every woman wants in a relationship which was POWER. The Wife of Bath came across as a very fake woman. So how would she be portrayed in today’s society? There are plenty of women out there who marry for money. Some of them like to publicize it, while others do not. There is only one thing that would make The Wife of Bath not as successful today, which is the law. Most men who do come from money, or have earned their own wealth, watch it closely. There are protectors out there, and contracts such as a pre-nuptial agreement. But The Wife played it well as she would wait until the husband would die. In that case, she would gain his wealth. But in my opinion, I have a hard time thinking that a man would stick around with an ugly old woman that liked to beat him and never honor his love.

Australia :: History

Australia  ¡Ã‚ §The Portuguese were the first to discover the East Coast of Australia ¡Ã‚ ¨ In Australian history books, it has been thought for hundreds of years that Captain Cook from England was the first to discover the east coast of Australia on 28th April 1770. However latest evidence shows that this historic event is inaccurate. A number of relics and remains have been found which indicate the Portuguese arrival at Australia in the early to mid 1500 ¡Ã‚ ¦s, 200 years before Cook. These clues include the Mahogany Ship, a Portuguese caravel that was shipwrecked six miles west of Warrnambool; a stone house at Bittangabee Bay; the Dieppe map, a secret map drawn by the Portuguese; a cannon and five keys found in Geelong. The shipwreck of Mahogany Ship remains Warrnambool ¡Ã‚ ¦s first shipping disaster. The Mahogany Ship is believed to be a Portuguese caravel lost in 1522 in Warrnambool under the command of Cristovao de Mendonca. Prince Henry, the ruler of Portugal at that time, had sent Mendonca and his crew to Australia in order to discover unfound land on the other side of the world that he had located on the French Map, the Dieppe Map that the Portuguese had stolen and copied. Many people believed that the world was a flat saucer but Prince Henry believed that the world was a sphere. Prince Henry wanted to find out if there was in fact such land over the other side of the world as Australia, if it was inhabited and if there was any treasure or valuable things there. This journey had to be kept a secret because the Portuguese were breaking an agreement that they had made with the Spanish. The agreement stated that the Spanish and Portuguese had half of the world each to explore but they could not explore past their boundaries. Mendonca and his crew set out from Portugal in the 1500 ¡Ã‚ ¦s to find out about this new territory. Unfortunately the Mahogany ship was shipwrecked at Warrnambool in Victoria, Australia. Twenty-seven people reported that they saw the Mahogany Ship sink however no one ever found the remains of the caravel. It has been believed that a great storm last century had buried the ship in sand, under sand dunes, but also the last timbers might have been burnt by whalers and locals who were in need of firewood. In July 1999, Mr. Des Williams discovered some wood buried three metres underneath the sand dunes between Warrnambool and Port Fairy.

Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-One

I woke up the next morning, lying on top of my covers, with sunlight streaming in through the eastern windows. It was barely sunrise, but already the air was warming up. It was, as the saying went, going to be a hot one. If I truly was connected with the land, I wondered what a heat wave said about my mood. Was it indicative of my preparedness for battle? I squinted up at the play of sunlight on the stone ceiling, unsure of that question, just like so many lately. With a sigh, knowing I needed to get up, I rolled over and came face-to-face with Kiyo. I yelped in surprise. His dark chocolate eyes were open, wide awake. I think he'd been watching me while I slept. He smiled that sexy, smoky smile of his, eyes crinkling slightly. He was bare-chested, clad only in navy blue boxers. â€Å"When did you get here?† I asked. â€Å"I didn't notice a thing.† â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"You were sleeping pretty heavy. Didn't even budge when I slid into bed.† He rested a hand on my hip and slid it along my bare leg. I'd fallen asleep in a T-shirt. Seeing his eyes and feeling his hand on my skin warmed something in me. Surely all would be right in the world-worlds, even-so long as I had Kiyo. There was just something so overwhelmingly strong and secure about him, a steadiness in the midst of that dangerous sex appeal. I reached out and touched the side of his face, a bit surprised at just how happy I was to have him here with me. â€Å"I didn't know for sure that you'd come,† I admitted. â€Å"Eugenie, how can you think that?† He continued stroking my leg, but his other arm pulled me close. â€Å"I said I would. I won't let you go into danger alone.† â€Å"I know you don't approve of some of the things I do. Roland doesn't. We had a huge fight.† Kiyo kissed my forehead, then my nose, and then my lips. â€Å"He's worried about you. I am too. But I understand what you have to do here and why you want to help these people.† I looked at him and felt something lighten up within me, some lonely and aching part that so desperately needed someone to get me. Before, I'd felt like Dorian could. I prayed Kiyo was able to as well. â€Å"You do?† â€Å"Yes.† He kissed me again, his mouth warm and searching. The hand that had been on my leg moved up to my breast. â€Å"I know what it's like to live in two worlds. You're brave and do what you think is right, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you,† he breathed in my ear. â€Å"Neither are any of the people gathered downstairs.† He moved his mouth back to mine, but I wiggled out. â€Å"Wai-what? Who's gathered?† He gave a half shrug, hands still roving over my body. â€Å"Everyone. Rurik's got the guards there. Jasmine's up and cuffed. Even Dorian's here.† I sat up. â€Å"Kiyo! We have to get downstairs then. We can't-ah.† He'd moved one hand up my inner thigh-up, up, and up. â€Å"We've got time.† â€Å"No†¦we†¦don't,† I managed as his fingers moved in and out of me. For a moment, I thought of how Dorian had done almost exactly the same thing, but then I shoved the memory away. â€Å"They're waiting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Five minutes, Eugenie,† Kiyo murmured. His other hand shoved up my shirt, and he leaned down to kiss one of my breasts, slowly moving on to suck the nipple, harder and harder. I flinched slightly at the feel of his teeth, and he lifted his face up. â€Å"I've missed you, Eugenie, no matter what else you think. I've missed you and I love you.† He slid his fingers out of me, and I whimpered at their loss. He smiled. â€Å"And I think†¦I think maybe you missed me too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And with no other preamble, he rolled me over to my knees and moved up behind me. I don't know when his boxers came off, but suddenly, he was in me, hard and swollen and grunting with each thrust. I gripped the sheets with my fists, keeping my body arched for him so that he could take me even deeper. His hands clutched my hips, letting him bury himself as far as he could go. I moaned and tipped my head back, my body wanting to take more and more of him into me. Leaning his body over mine, he reached forward and managed to cup my breasts without breaking his rhythm. His fingers caressed them, thumbs rubbing against the erect nipples. The sensations in my body were dizzying, every piece of me feeling like it was on fire. At last he shifted back to his kneeling position and returned his hands to my hips, giving him the best position to fully take me. His strokes grew even harder and faster, shoving himself into me with such force that I could hear our bodies hitting each other. With a great groan, his nails dug into my hips and his whole body jerked as he came. Hands still tight on my hips, he held himself there for several moments, taking his full release. Finally, he pulled away and collapsed onto the bed. Flipping over, I sprawled beside him. â€Å"Okay,† I gasped. â€Å"Now I think I'm ready to fight some demons.† I don't think anyone really noticed that Kiyo and I had just had sex when we came downstairs. Mercifully, it didn't even rain. If anyone suspected anything, it was Dorian, with that uncanny way he had of reading people. The guards were drawn up in formation outside, but Dorian was in the parlor sipping tea with Shaya while Ysabel all but sprawled on his lap. Girard was there as well, testing the weight of Dorian's old sword while Dorian himself studied the drawing of the new sword. â€Å"Eugenie,† said Dorian, arching an eyebrow. â€Å"Don't you look radiant this morning. Why, you're positively glowing.† Ysabel scowled at his praise. â€Å"It's the leather,† I said, tugging self-consciously at my shirt. I'd argued against needing armor, but Shaya had nonetheless obtained a sleeveless top for me made of lightweight leather, good for deflecting blades. It wasn't porn-star leather or anything, but it wasn't something I was used to. â€Å"And this,† Dorian continued, pointing to the drawing, â€Å"is exquisite. Thank you.† â€Å"What is it?† asked Kiyo. â€Å"A sword from legends. One to slay evildoers everywhere. Eugenie's having it made for me.† Kiyo gave me a wordless look that was nonetheless full of questions. â€Å"It's a thank-you gift. Dorian's done me a lot of favors lately,† I explained. â€Å"I assure you,† said Dorian straight-faced. â€Å"I take as much joy in the giving as you do in the receiving.† â€Å"Okay,† I said hastily. â€Å"Are we good to go? I saw the guards out there. I'd like this done sooner rather than later.† The biggest impediment turned out to be Ysabel, who threw her arms around Dorian and begged him to be careful. He patted her hastily on the shoulder, assuring her he'd be fine. His eyes were impatient, though, and he didn't look back when he strode out with the rest of us. Poor Ysabel. I was almost starting to feel bad for her, despite her hopes that I wouldn't come back. She really was nothing more than a bed warmer to Dorian, and while most of his women knew that, she just couldn't accept it. Jasmine was ready as well, still bound and looking angry. Volusian was with us, and he had standing orders to subdue her if she tried anything-which I felt pretty sure she would. Unfortunately, I also needed Volusian to fight demons, which meant he couldn't watch her all the time. None of us could, and I was going to have to do some tricky maneuvering to keep the gun on her while still attempting banishing. Kiyo frowned disapprovingly when he saw her, more so when she had to be helped on to her horse. â€Å"This is wrong, Eugenie,† he said softly, once we were all riding. He was going in human form today. â€Å"Which part? Bringing her or keeping her prisoner?† â€Å"I don't like any of it.† â€Å"What happened to you saying you understood the choices I have to make?† I hissed. â€Å"Was that just to score sex?† Dorian had ridden up on my other side. I had no doubt he'd heard the sex comment, but he didn't acknowledge it. â€Å"How would you suggest she handle it then? Let the girl go?† â€Å"No,† Kiyo said, giving Dorian a dark glance. â€Å"But there are more humane ways of dealing with her.† â€Å"I gave Jasmine her own room and got her better cuffs! What else can I do?† I asked. â€Å"I don't know,† admitted Kiyo. â€Å"Then don't criticize if you can't offer a solution,† said Dorian. â€Å"It's easy to want peace and love in hypothetical situations-then reality sets in, and sometimes we have to do what's ugly.† â€Å"I don't recall asking for your input here,† snapped Kiyo. â€Å"As it is, Eugenie, you've got a hard choice ahead.† Dorian was speaking like Kiyo wasn't even there. â€Å"What are you going to do when you've finally taken care of this rabble? What will you do with the prisoners?† I shrugged. â€Å"Send them off to work details.† â€Å"Even their leader, Cowan? The one who summons these demons? Surely you don't want him out and about, even if it is digging ditches.† â€Å"Don't listen to him,† said Kiyo. â€Å"He's baiting you. There are prisons, even in the Otherworld. You can send him there if he survives.† â€Å"A charming act of mercy, no doubt,† mused Dorian. â€Å"One that will terrify future enemies.† â€Å"I'm not going to kill everyone who gets in my way,† I exclaimed. â€Å"I'm not my father, no matter how much you want me to be.† â€Å"I wouldn't quite say that's what I want,† chuckled Dorian. â€Å"But as a leader, you need to make examples sometimes.† â€Å"Mercy's not a horrible thing,† I argued. â€Å"Storm King never showed any,† said Kiyo. â€Å"Indeed,† agreed Dorian. â€Å"And I just want to make sure his daughter doesn't show too much. You aren't the only one who protects her, master kitsune. We all just do it in different ways.† â€Å"Enough,† I ordered. Rurik was drawing the group to a halt up front, meaning it was time to go on foot. I was grateful, seeing as I was getting sick of listening to Kiyo and Dorian's pissing contest. Just like before, we went on foot, the whole experience giving me a strange sense of deja vu, even though the bandits had changed location. I also had odd recollections of the time I'd defeated Aeson. Dorian and Kiyo had been with me then, about as thrilled to be with each other as they were now. Shaya had been there too, but Rurik had nearly had a fit when she offered today, and I couldn't help but recall Girard's words. I certainly hadn't had an army at my back when we'd gone after Aeson. Rurik sent men with a knack for moving stealthily to scope out the camp and dispatch any enemy scouts. The waiting made me restless, and a tense silence settled over everyone. I glanced at Jasmine, still bound. I wouldn't uncuff her until the last possible moment and still didn't trust her. â€Å"You know what you have to do?† I asked her. She'd been staring off thoughtfully at the guards ahead, taking in the sloped land and scattered pines. Probably planning her escape, I thought ruefully. Like before, these brigands had chosen the best cover they could find in this barren land. She turned to me, immediately putting on her standard scowl. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And you know what'll happen if you try anything?† â€Å"Yes.† Pure malice looked at me from her eyes. â€Å"Good,† I said, shifting my hold on the gun. Her eyes flicked briefly to it, and if it scared her, she made a good show of still looking defiant. â€Å"I hope you hold true to your word,† murmured Dorian, walking up to me. â€Å"Stop poisoning her,† growled Kiyo. â€Å"And both of you let me make my own decisions,† I said. The scouts returned shortly thereafter, giving us the all-clear. We headed toward the encampment, circling it and descending in full force. Thankfully, no one announced our presence, and we had a brief element of surprise before the bandits mobilized. I unfastened Jasmine's cuffs, hoping I wasn't making a mistake. My right hand firmly held the gun against her back-holding it to her head had seemed a little too cruel-while the left held my wand poised and ready. Kiyo and the other fighters were going in for the hand-to-hand combat while the other magic users and I stayed back and waited-not that I intended to use magic today. I was strictly in shamanic banishing mode. And there they were. A deep swell of magic permeated the air, and fiery forms materialized on the far side of the camp. I saw Rurik's gaze travel to the spot they'd come from, his attention not on the demons but on what was potentially the demons' summoner. Circling around, he headed toward that area. The demons were my job. I nudged Jasmine with the gun. â€Å"Do your thing. Volusian-attack.† I held my breath, wondering what Jasmine would do. A moment later, I felt magic well up in her, a magic similar to my own but with a slightly different feel. Some part of my brain tried to grasp it, hoping I could learn it for later. The rest of me watched as there was a ripple in the air-an opening to the Underworld. Two forms stepped out from the slash in our world. Much like the water elemental from the other night, these two demons were composed of water, sloshing with each step yet maintaining a solid form. They were bigger than the elemental, though, adorned with horns and glowing yellow eyes. â€Å"Only two?† I exclaimed. â€Å"There are five of the others!† Jasmine didn't respond but held up her hand like a conductor drawing a powerful note from her musicians. For a heartbeat, I wondered if the water demons would come charging toward us. They didn't. Their attention turned to the fire demons, their ancient enemy from the Underworld. Nearby, Dorian was wielding magic of his own, ripping up the earth from underneath the fire demons so that they stumbled and sank into great holes, making them easy prey. â€Å"Demons aren't that easy to summon,† he said in her defense, eyes on his handiwork. â€Å"In fact, this will be it for the fire demons. There's no way that man can summon any more. I'd be surprised if he's still conscious.† Well, that was something. Jasmine's servants had two of the fire demons in a deadlock, which meant none of them were going after my people. Volusian was making good work on one of the demons as well, though the other two were rampaging forward. It was time for me to step up. I drew up the human power I'd used my entire life, the power that was based on will and not emotion like gentry magic. My wand focused it, and I sent it out toward one of the loose fire demons, encircling him and summoning up the strength of Persephone to open up a way to the Underworld and suck him back. He sensed the banishment happening, and I felt his power surge as he tried to fight it. I steeled up my own strength, and what seemed like a land mine suddenly went off near him, showering him in dirt and rock as he stumbled. Thank you, Dorian. The Underworld opened up, and the demon dissolved back to his domain, unable to fight my strength. And like the last time I'd fought these guys, the power required for that banishing took a lot out of me. Surveying the rest of the battle, I saw with pleasant surprise that one of Jasmine's water demons had defeated a fire demon. That water demon had then joined his partner, and it appeared as though they would make quick work of their target. Kiyo and the other soldiers were doing a good job of killing or subduing the rest of the bandits. I turned back to the fire demons, assessing my next strategy. One was unengaged and starting to move toward my soldiers. This banishment was going to be harsh. I drew up all my strength and repeated the process, calling out to Persephone and reciting the words to send the demon back to the Underworld. It distracted him from my soldiers, and he started lumbering toward me. Fuck. â€Å"He. Is. Coming,† said Jasmine stiffly. I couldn't see her face with my gun to her back but got the impression she was as strained as I was. â€Å"Yeah, I kind of noticed.† He was pushing back at me with his own strength of will. I clenched my teeth. No, no. I am stronger. I am Storm King's daughter. I needed another distraction to slip him up, but everyone else was busy. Dorian's attention was on the demon that Volusian battled. That demon was moderately stronger than my minion, but seeing that Volusian couldn't really die†¦well, it made it hard to destroy him. So, neither was gaining ground until Dorian used some of his magic to attack the demon with a nearby chunk of rock, letting Volusian move in for the kill. My demon was still approaching, and I needed a distraction of my own. Iron didn't dampen my powers anywhere near as much as it did Jasmine's, but it could sometimes affect me a little. I could still work my gentry powers while in contact with it, but it was easier without. In an act I was certain I'd regret, I dropped the gun and immediately called upon my storm magic. I would have given anything to blast this demon with lightning, but that was still beyond my control. Instead, I reached up toward the sky, calling on water and air. To my astonishment, I was able to bind them together. Thick, leaden clouds formed, whirling into a weak funnel cloud that descended on the demon. It was the most powerful force of weather I'd ever-consciously-summoned, and it knocked the demon over. I couldn't maintain my hold on it, and the ministorm dissipated instantly. It was enough, though, and I sent out the banishing before he could respond. It felt like my insides were being ripped out, but I manag ed it, kicking him out of this world. Gasping and woozy, I looked around, realizing there were no more demons left-well, no fire demons at least. The water demons, victorious, were still there-and they were charging toward us. Shit. I realized then what I'd potentially unleashed. I cuffed Jasmine on the shoulder, nearly knocking her over, and reached for my gun. â€Å"I warned you not to try anything,† I cried, pointing the gun at her. â€Å"Send them away!† â€Å"It's not me,† she exclaimed back. â€Å"I can't control them!† Stepping forward, I got a good look at her face. She was covered in sweat, skin pale. Dorian had said demon summoning was hard, and the full weight of what I'd done hit me. She'd summoned them but no longer had the power to control them. I had no more strength left for banishing, but I could feel Jasmine still trying to work her magic, weak as it now was. It was impossible to sense every part of what someone else was doing with their magic, but I got a strong feel for hers. These creatures were bound to water. They were part of my domain. Doing my best to mimic her, I joined my strength to hers, sending commands through my magic, willing them to leave this world. They were nearly on us, and I almost laughed at the irony as my own death approached. Then, suddenly, I felt my magic sync up perfectly with Jasmine's. Control of the demons slipped into place, and they froze. Together, she and I ordered them back, and there was a tear in the fabric of space, an opening to the Underworld. It was almost like a banishing, but not quite. The demons were willingly-well, with our urging-returning, and our magic helped them with the passage. A moment later, they dissolved from our world. After that, I felt like I'd run a marathon. Every part of me ached and was wearied. Yet, as bad as I was, Jasmine was worse. â€Å"I guess blood really is thicker than water,† she whispered in a very bad attempt at a joke. She swayed on her feet, eyes rolling back in her head, and then she collapsed. I barely managed to catch her in my own weakened state, but then stronger arms took hold. Kiyo. He barely had a scratch, and relief poured through me. â€Å"Thanks.† He lifted her easily into his arms. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Fine,† I said, looking down at my sister-who hadn't betrayed me after all. â€Å"She's bad, though. Get her to a healer.† Kiyo hesitated, not wanting to leave me. Then, he gave a quick nod and loped off in that way that was half-human and half-wild animal. Looking around, I saw that the others were rounding up the remaining rabble. My losses looked light. Rurik was leading a man who seemed to be in the same shape as Jasmine. The demon summoner. Dorian was with Rurik and gave me a quick glance. I knew what was in the look. Kill the summoner or not? I gave a sharp shake of my head. Dorian grimaced and then turned back to help Rurik with his prisoner. No one seemed to notice or need me, and I sank gratefully to the ground, waiting for my strength to return. I wondered if I'd be able to call up the magic again that I had used with Jasmine. Trying to piece it together seemed like too much work now, and I contented myself with watching my people work. Then, out of my peripheral vision, I saw movement. I stood up and looked far to my side, toward a stony bluff covered in cacti. A face peered out at me and then ducked back. I knew the face. It was the scarred gentry who'd come to my house the other night. With no further thought, I started to hurry after him. Then, to my astonishment, I paused and did what Rurik would have wanted. A couple of my soldiers were lingering nearby. â€Å"Hey, come here,† I called, gesturing. They immediately followed as I set off at a brisk pace, moving as fast as I could to reach the bluff. When I turned around the side of it, I saw no sign of the gentry warrior I sought. The ground rose sharply here, beginning to turn into foothills reminiscent of the ones near my house in Tucson. The vegetation was thicker, though still a far cry from a true forest. It was mostly cacti, shrubs, and scraggly trees. Going up the small hill was a narrow path, and on impulse, I headed up it in search of my prey. The footsteps of my soldiers sounded behind me, their boots crunching in the gravel. Who was that guy? And why was he here now? Was he one of the bandits? I hadn't seen him in the fight. Was he some sort of spy, perhaps, which was why he'd come to my house and- Snick. Snick. Two arrows came out of nowhere as we reached the crest of a hill. Each one hit one of my soldiers in the chest, dropping them to the ground. I came to a screeching halt, waiting for my arrow, peering around the trees for the mystery gentry to reveal himself. But he didn't. Art did. He smiled, stepping forward. â€Å"Eugenie, nice to see you again. You've been very busy around here, I hear.† He waved vaguely toward where I'd come from, though my people were nowhere in sight. Eugenie, I thought, you are a fucking moron. Beyond Art, I saw the gentry I'd chased emerge from the cover, along with two others-all wearing leather armor like Jasmine had described. They carried bows and wore red shirts under the armor. â€Å"Roland called me last night and nearly bit my head off about getting you involved in gentry politics.† Art shook his head, amused. â€Å"I wonder what he'd say if he only knew just how involved you were-your majesty.† I was exhausted as hell and devoid of magic. But-I was still human and not without human implements. The gun was still in my hand, and I jerked it up toward him. I needed to distract him until some of my own people came. Fuck. I shouldn't have come rushing up this hill, even if I had had the sense to bring some backup. The question now was, would the rest of my people notice I was gone? Usually, I could hardly step outside the castle's door without a dozen people in tow. Art tsked me. â€Å"Would you really do it? Would you really kill one of your own kind? Or are we even your own kind?† Magic suddenly filled the air-familiar magic. Shamanic magic. It encircled me like fog, thick and heavy. Forgetting Art, I turned abruptly around, toward the sound of words being chanted-words I knew by heart. Abigail was standing there, wand in hand. And so help me, she was banishing me. I felt her will shove up against mine, just as I'd grappled with the demons. The world around me began to tear open as a vortex started to pull my essence apart. I fought it, fought it with every ounce of strength I had-but there was just none left to give. When it came to traveling the worlds, crossroads and gateways were the way to go. They made for a smooth transition. Or, one could travel like I often did, journeying to some item imbued with your essence, an item that couldn't help but draw your soul to it. And rarely, if you had the strength, you could tear open a gateway by force and shove your way into another world. That wasn't recommended. It hurt like hell. And essentially, that's what a banishing was-only it wasn't your choice. It was someone ripping you out of the world and shoving you into another. I felt the fabric of this world open up, felt the unstoppable pull of another. I couldn't fight it. I tried. I kicked, I screamed, but I was too weak. I felt like I was shattering into a million pieces, sucked into a whirlwind and then, I was gone.