Zoe’s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty-Four

I entered the storage deck of the other Obin ship. â€Å"So this is the human who has an entire race to do her bidding,† said the Consu waiting there for me. It was the only place on the Obin ship where he would fit, I guessed. I smiled in spite of myself. â€Å"You laugh at me,† the Consu said. It spoke perfect English, and in a light, gentle voice, which was weird considering how much it looked like a large and savagely angry insect. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"It's just that it's the second time in a day that someone's said that to me.† â€Å"Well,† the Consu said. It unfolded itself in a way that made me want to run screaming in the other direction, and from somewhere inside its body a creepily humanlike arm and hand beckoned to me. â€Å"Come and let me get a look at you.† I took one step forward and then had a very difficult time with the next step. â€Å"You asked for me, human,† the Consu said. I developed a spine and walked over to the Consu. It touched and prodded me with its smaller arms, while its giant slashing arms, the ones the Consu used to decapitate enemies in combat, hovered on either side of me, at just about head level. I managed not to completely lose it. â€Å"Yes, well,† the Consu said, and I heard something like disappointment in its voice. â€Å"There's nothing particularly special about you, is there? Physically. Is there something special about you mentally?† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I'm just me.† â€Å"We're all just ourselves,† the Consu said, and folded itself back into its self, much to my relief. â€Å"That is axiomatic. What is it about you that makes hundreds of Obin allow themselves to die to get to me, is what I am asking.† I felt sick again. â€Å"You said that hundreds of Obin died to bring you to me?† â€Å"Oh, yes,† the Consu said. â€Å"Your pets surrounded my ship with their own and tried to board it. The ship killed everyone that tried. They remained persistent and finally I became curious. I allowed one to board the ship and it told me that you had demanded the Obin convince the Consu to help you. I wanted to see for myself what sort of creature could so casually demand this, and could cause the Obin to fulfill it at such a cost to themselves.† It looked at me again curiously. â€Å"You appear upset,† it said. â€Å"I'm thinking about the Obin who died,† I said. â€Å"They did what you asked of them,† the Consu said, with a bored tone. â€Å"You didn't have to kill so many of them,† I said. â€Å"Your pets didn't have to offer up so many to sacrifice,† said the Consu. â€Å"And yet they did. You seem stupid so I will explain this to you. Your pets, to the extent that they can think, did this intelligently. The Consu will not speak to the Obin for their own behalf. We answered their questions long ago and it does not interest us to speak further on the subject.† â€Å"But you spoke to the Obin,† I said. â€Å"I am dying,† the Consu said. â€Å"I am on† – and here the Consu made a noise that sounded like a tractor falling down a hill – â€Å"the death journey that Consu prepared to move forward are permitted if in this life they have proven worthy. Consu on this journey may do as they please, including speaking to proscribed creatures, and may if asked appropriately grant a final boon. Your pets have spied on the Consu for decades – we were aware of this but did nothing about it – and knew the route of the death journey and knew the ceremonial ships those on the journey travel in. Your pets understood this was the only way they could talk to us. And your pets knew what it would require to interest me or any Consu enough to hear them. You should have known this when you made your demand.† â€Å"I didn't,† I said. â€Å"Then you are foolish, human,† the Consu said. â€Å"If I were inclined to feel sorry for the Obin, I would do so because they had wasted their effort and diverted me from my journey on the behalf of someone so ignorant of the cost. But I do not feel sorry for them. They at least knew the cost, and willingly paid it. Now. You will either tell me how you demand I help you, or I will go and your pets' deaths will have truly been for nothing.† â€Å"I need help to save my colony,† I said, and forced myself to focus. â€Å"My friends and family are there and are under threat of attack. It is a small colony and not able to defend itself. The Colonial Union will not help us. The Obin are not allowed to help us. The Consu have technology that could help us. I ask for your help.† â€Å"You said ‘ask,'† the Consu said. â€Å"Your pets said ‘demand.'† â€Å"I demanded help from the Obin because I knew I could,† I said. â€Å"I am asking you.† â€Å"I do not care about your colony or you,† the Consu said. â€Å"You just said that as part of your death journey you can grant a boon,† I said. â€Å"This could be it.† â€Å"It may be that my boon was to the Obin, in speaking to you,† the Consu said. I blinked at this. â€Å"How would it be a boon to them just to speak to me if you won't at least think of helping me?† I said. â€Å"Then it would be you who wasted their sacrifice and effort.† â€Å"That is my choice,† the Consu said. â€Å"The Obin understood that in making the sacrifice the answer might be ‘no.' This is another thing they understand that you don't.† â€Å"I know there is a lot I don't understand here,† I said. â€Å"I can see that. I'm sorry. But I still need help for my family and friends.† â€Å"How many family and friends?† the Consu said. â€Å"My colony has twenty-five hundred people,† I said. â€Å"A similar number of Obin died in order to bring me here,† the Consu said. â€Å"I didn't know that would happen,† I said. â€Å"I wouldn't have asked for that.† â€Å"Is that so?† the Consu said. It shifted its bulk and drew in toward me. I didn't back away. â€Å"I don't believe you, human. You are foolish and you are ignorant, that much is clear. Yet I cannot believe that even you did not understand what you were asking the Obin for when you asked them to come to us for your sake. You demanded help from the Obin because you could. And because you could you did not ask the cost. But you had to have known the cost would be high.† I didn't know what to say to that. The Consu drew back and seemed to regard me, like it might an amusing insect. â€Å"Your capriciousness and callousness with the Obin interests me,† it said. â€Å"And so does the fact that the Obin are willing to give of themselves for your whims despite your lack of care for them.† I said something I knew I was going to regret, but I couldn't help myself. The Consu was doing a really excellent job of pushing my buttons. â€Å"That's a funny thing coming from someone from the race that gave the Obin intelligence but no consciousness,† I said. â€Å"As long as we're talking about capriciousness and callousness.† â€Å"Ah. Yes, that's right,† the Consu said. â€Å"The Obin told me this. You're the child of the human who made the machines that let the Obin play at consciousness.† â€Å"They don't play at it,† I said. â€Å"They have it.† â€Å"And it is a terrible thing that they do,† the Consu said. â€Å"Consciousness is a tragedy. It leads the whole race away from perfection, causes it to fritter its efforts on individual and wasteful effort. Our lives as Consu are spent learning to free our race from the tyranny of self, to move beyond ourselves and in doing so move our race forward. It is why we help you lesser races along, so you may also free yourselves in time.† I bit my cheek at this bit. The Consu would sometimes come down to a human colony, wipe it and everyone in it off the face of their planet, and then wait for the Colonial Defense Forces to come and fight them. It was a game to the Consu, as far as any of us could see. To say that they were doing it for our benefit was perverse, to say the least. But I was here to ask for help, not debate morals. I had already been baited once. I didn't dare let it happen again. The Consu continued, oblivious to my personal struggles. â€Å"What you humans have done to the Obin makes a mockery of their potential,† it said. â€Å"We created the Obin to be the best among us all, the one race without consciousness, the one race free to pursue its destiny as a race from its first steps. The Obin were meant to be what we aspired to. To see them aspire to consciousness is to see a creature that can fly aspire to wallow in mud. Your father did the Obin no favors, human, in hobbling them with consciousness.† I stood there for a minute, amazed that this Consu would tell me, in seemingly casual conversation, things that the Obin had sacrificed half their number for so many years ago but were never allowed to hear. The Consu waited patiently for my response. â€Å"The Obin would disagree,† I said. â€Å"And so would I.† â€Å"Of course you would,† the Consu said. â€Å"Their love of their consciousness is what makes them willing to do the ridiculous for you. That and the fact that they choose to honor you for something that your father did, even though you had no hand in it. This blindness and honor is convenient to you. It is what you use to get them to do what you want. You don't prize their consciousness for what it gives them. You prize it for what it allows you to do to them.† â€Å"That's not true,† I said. â€Å"Indeed,† said the Consu, and I could hear the mocking tone in its voice. It shifted its weight again. â€Å"Very well, human. You have asked me to help you. Perhaps I will. I can provide you with a boon, one the Consu may not refuse. But this boon is not free. It comes with a cost attached.† â€Å"What cost?† I said. â€Å"I want to be entertained first,† the Consu said. â€Å"So I offer you this bargain. You have among you several hundred Obin. Select one hundred of them in any way you choose. I will ask the Consu to send one hundred of our own – convicts, sinners, and others who have strayed from the path and would be willing to attempt redemption. We will set them at each other, to the death. â€Å"In the end, one side will have a victory. If it is yours, then I will help you. If it is mine, I will not. And then, having been sufficiently amused, I will be on my way, to continue my death journey. I will call to the Consu now. Let us say that in eight of your hours we will start this entertainment. I trust that will be enough time for you to prepare your pets.† â€Å"We will have no problem finding a hundred volunteers among the Obin,† Dock said to me. It and I were in the conference room General Gau had lent me. Hickory and Dickory stood outside the door to make sure we weren't disturbed. â€Å"I will have the volunteers ready for you within the hour.† â€Å"Why didn't you tell me how the Obin planned to get the Consu to me?† I asked. â€Å"The Consu here told me that hundreds of Obin died to get him here. Why didn't you warn me that would happen?† â€Å"I did not know how we would choose to try to get the Consu's attention,† Dock said. â€Å"I sent along your requirement, along with my own assent. I was not a participant in making the choice.† â€Å"But you knew this could happen,† I said. â€Å"As a member of the Council I know that we have had the Consu under observation, and that there had been plans to find ways to talk to them again,† Dock said. â€Å"I knew this was one of them.† â€Å"Why didn't you tell me?† I said. â€Å"I told you that attempting to speak to the Consu would come at a high cost,† Dock said. â€Å"This was the cost. At the time, the cost did not seem too high for you.† â€Å"I didn't know that it would mean that hundreds of Obin would die,† I said. â€Å"Or that they would just keep throwing themselves into a Consu firing line until the Consu got curious enough to stop. If I had known I would have asked you to try something else.† â€Å"Given what you required us to do and the time in which we had to do it, there was nothing else,† Dock said. It came to me and opened up its hands, like it was trying to make me see something important. â€Å"Please understand, Zoe. We had been planning to petition a Consu on its death journey for a long time now, and for our own reasons. It was one of the reasons we were able to fulfill your requirement at all. Everything was already in place.† â€Å"But it was my order that killed them,† I said. â€Å"It is not your fault that the Consu required their deaths,† Dock said. â€Å"The Obin who were part of the mission had already known what was required to get the attention of the Consu. They were already committed to this task. Your request changed only the timing and the purpose of their mission. But those who participated did so willingly, and understood the reason for doing it. It was their choice.† â€Å"They still did it because I didn't think about what I was asking,† I said. â€Å"They did it because you required our help,† Dock said. â€Å"They would have thought it an honor to do this for you. Just as those who will fight for you now will consider it an honor.† I looked at my hands, ashamed to look at Dock. â€Å"You said that you had already been planning to petition a Consu on its death journey,† I said. â€Å"What were you going to ask?† â€Å"For understanding,† Dock said. â€Å"To know why the Consu kept consciousness away from us. To know why they chose to punish us with its lack.† I looked up at that. â€Å"I know the answer,† I said, and told Dock what the Consu had told me about consciousness and why they chose not to give it to the Obin. â€Å"I don't know if that was the answer you were looking for,† I said. â€Å"But that's what this Consu told me.† Dock didn't say anything. I looked more closely at it, and I could see it was trembling. â€Å"Hey,† I said, and got up from my chair. â€Å"I didn't mean to upset you.† â€Å"I am not upset,† Dock said. â€Å"I am happy. You have given us answers to questions we have been asking since as long as our race has existed. Answers the Consu would not have given us themselves. Answers many of us would have given our lives for.† â€Å"Many of you did give your lives for them,† I said. â€Å"No,† Dock said. â€Å"They gave their lives to help you. There was no expectation of any compensation for the sacrifice. They did it because you required it. You did not have to give us anything in return. But you have given us this.† â€Å"You're welcome,† I said. I was getting embarrassed. â€Å"It's not a big thing. The Consu just told me. I just thought you should know.† â€Å"Consider, Zoe, that this thing that you just thought we should know was something that others would have seen as something to hold over us,† Dock said. â€Å"That they would have sold to us, or denied to us. You gave it freely.† â€Å"After I told you that I required your help and sent hundreds of Obin out to die,† I said, and sat back down. â€Å"Don't make me out to be a hero, Dock. It's not the way I feel right now.† â€Å"I am sorry, Zoe,† Dock said. â€Å"But if you will not be a hero, at least know that you are not a villain. You are our friend.† â€Å"Thank you, Dock,† I said. â€Å"That helps a little.† Dock nodded. â€Å"Now I must go to find the hundred volunteers you seek,† it said, â€Å"and to tell the Council what you have shared with me. Do not worry, Zoe. We will not disappoint you.† â€Å"This is what I have for you on short notice,† General Gau said. He swept an arm through the space station's immense cargo bay. â€Å"This part of the station is just newly constructed. We haven't actually used it for cargo yet. I think it'll suit your purposes.† I stared at the immensity of the space. â€Å"I think so,† I said. â€Å"Thank you, General.† â€Å"It's the least I could do,† General Gau said. â€Å"Considering how you've helped me just recently.† â€Å"Thank you for not holding the Consu invasion against me,† I said. â€Å"On the contrary, it's been a benefit,† Gau said. â€Å"It stopped the battle around the space station before it could get truly horrific. The traitor crews assumed I had called those ships for assistance. They surrendered before I could correct the impression. You helped me quash the rebellion before it could get started.† â€Å"You're welcome,† I said. â€Å"Thank you,† said Gau. â€Å"Now, of course, I would like them to go away. But it's my understanding that they're here to make sure we don't do anything foolish with our Consu guest while he's here. The ships are fighter drones, not even manned, but this is Consu technology. I don't imagine if they opened fire on us we'd stand much of a chance. So we have an enforced peace here at the moment. Since it works for me, not against me, I shouldn't complain.† â€Å"Have you found out any more about Nerbros Eser and what his plans are?† I asked. I didn't feel like thinking about the Consu anymore. â€Å"Yes,† Gau said. â€Å"Lernin has been quite forthcoming now that he's trying to avoid being executed for treason. It's been a wonderful motivator. He tells me that Eser plans to take Roanoke with a small force of soldiers. The idea there is to show that he can take with a hundred soldiers what I couldn't take with four hundred battle cruisers. But ‘take' is the wrong word for it, I'm afraid. Eser plans to destroy the colony and everyone in it.† â€Å"That was your plan too,† I reminded the general. He bobbed his head in what I assumed was an acknowledgment. â€Å"You know by now, I hope, that I would have much preferred not to have killed the colonists,† he said. â€Å"Eser does not intend to offer that option.† I skipped over that piece of data in my head. â€Å"When will he attack?† I asked. â€Å"Soon, I think,† Gau said. â€Å"Lernin doesn't think Eser has assembled his troops yet, but this failed assassination attempt is going to force him to move sooner than later.† â€Å"Great,† I said. â€Å"There's still time,† Gau said. â€Å"Don't give up hope yet, Zoe.† â€Å"I haven't,† I said. â€Å"But I've still got a lot on my mind.† â€Å"Have you found enough volunteers?† Gau asked. â€Å"We have,† I said, and my face tightened up as I said it. â€Å"What's wrong?† Gau said. â€Å"One of the volunteers,† I said, and stopped. I tried again. â€Å"One of the volunteers is an Obin named Dickory,† I said. â€Å"My friend and my bodyguard. When it volunteered I told it no. Demanded that it take back its offer. But it refused.† â€Å"Having it volunteer could be a powerful thing,† Gau said. â€Å"It probably encouraged others to step forward.† I nodded. â€Å"But Dickory is still my friend,† I said. â€Å"Still my family. Maybe it shouldn't make a difference but it does.† â€Å"Of course it makes a difference,† Gau said. â€Å"The reason you're here is to try to keep the people you love from being hurt.† â€Å"I'm asking people I don't know to sacrifice themselves for people I do,† I said. â€Å"That's why you're asking them to volunteer,† Gau said. â€Å"But it seems to me the reason they're volunteering is for you.† I nodded and looked out at the bay, and imagined the fight that was coming. â€Å"I have a proposition for you,† the Consu said to me. The two of us sat in the operations room of the cargo bay, ten meters above the floor of the bay. On the floor were two groups of beings. In the first group were the one hundred Obin who had volunteered to fight for me. In the other group were the one hundred Consu criminals, who would be forced to fight the Obin for a chance to regain their honor. The Consu looked scary big next to the Obin. The contest would be modified hand-to-hand combat: The Obin were allowed a combat knife, while the Consu, with their slashing arms, would fight bare-handed, if you called being able to wield two razor-sharp limbs attached to your own body â€Å"bare-handed.† I was getting very nervous about the Obin's chances. â€Å"A proposition,† the Consu repeated. I glanced over at the Consu, who in himself nearly filled the operations room. He'd been there when I had come up; I wasn't entirely sure how he'd gotten himself through the door. The two of us were there with Hickory and Dock and General Gau, who had taken it upon himself to act as the official arbiter for the contest. Dickory was on the floor. Getting ready to fight. â€Å"Are you interested in hearing it?† the Consu asked. â€Å"We're about to start,† I said. â€Å"It's about the contest,† the Consu said. â€Å"I have a way that you can get what you want without having the contest at all.† I closed my eyes. â€Å"Tell me,† I said. â€Å"I will help you keep your colony safe by providing you a piece of our technology,† the Consu said. â€Å"A machine that produces an energy field that robs projectiles of their momentum. A sapper field. It makes your bullets fall out of the air and sucks the power from missiles before they strike their targets. If you are clever your colony can use it to defeat those who attack it. This is what I am allowed and prepared to give to you.† â€Å"And what do you want in return?† I asked. â€Å"A simple demonstration,† the Consu said. It unfolded and pointed toward the Obin on the floor. â€Å"A demand from you was enough to cause hundreds of Obin to willingly sacrifice themselves for the mere purpose of getting my attention. This power you have interests me. I want to see it. Tell this one hundred to sacrifice themselves here and now, and I will give you what you need in order to save your colony.† â€Å"I can't do that,† I said. â€Å"It is not an issue of whether it is possible,† the Consu said. It leaned its bulk over and then addressed Dock. â€Å"Would the Obin here kill themselves if this human asked it?† â€Å"Without doubt,† Dock said. â€Å"They would not hesitate,† the Consu said. â€Å"No,† Dock said. The Consu turned back to me. â€Å"Then all you need to do is give the order.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Don't be stupid, human,† the Consu said. â€Å"You have been assured by me that I will assist you. You have been assured by this Obin that your pets here will gladly sacrifice themselves for your benefit, without delay or complaint. You will be assured of helping your family and friends survive imminent attack. And you have done it before. You thought nothing of sending hundred to their death to speak to me. It should not be a difficult decision now.† He waved again toward the floor. â€Å"Tell me honestly, human. Look at your pets, and then look at the Consu. Do you think your pets will be the ones left standing when this is over? Do you want to risk the safety of your friends and family on them? â€Å"I offer you an alternative. It carries no risk. It costs you nothing but your assent. Your pets will not object. They will be happy to do this for you. Simply say that you require this of them. That you demand it of them. And if it makes you feel any better, you can tell them to turn off their consciousness before they kill themselves. Then they will not fear their sacrifice. They will simply do it. They will do it for you. They will do it for what you are to them.† I considered what the Consu had said. I turned to Dock. â€Å"You have no doubt that those Obin would do this for me,† I said. â€Å"There is no doubt,† Dock said. â€Å"They are there to fight at your request, Zoe. They know they may die. They have already accepted that possibility, just as the Obin who sacrificed themselves to bring you this Consu knew what was required of them.† â€Å"And what about you,† I said to Hickory. â€Å"Your friend and partner is down there, Hickory. For ten years, at least, you've spent your life with Dickory. What do you say?† Hickory's trembling was so slight that I almost doubted that I saw it. â€Å"Dickory will do as you ask, Zoe,† Hickory said. â€Å"You should know this already.† It turned away after that. I looked at General Gau. â€Å"I have no advice to offer you,† he said. â€Å"But I am very interested to find out what you choose.† I closed my eyes and I thought of my family. Of John and Jane. Of Savitri, who traveled to a new world with us. I thought of Gretchen and Magdy and the future they could have together. I thought of Enzo and his family and everything that was taken from them. I thought of Roanoke, my home. And I knew what I had to do. I opened my eyes. â€Å"The choice is obvious,† the Consu said. I looked at the Consu and nodded. â€Å"I think you're right,† I said. â€Å"And I think I need to go down and tell them.† I walked to the door of the operations room. As I did, General Gau lightly took my arm. â€Å"Think about what you're doing, Zoe,† Gau said. â€Å"Your choice here matters.† I looked up at the general. â€Å"I know it does,† I said. â€Å"And it's my choice to make.† The general let go of my arm. â€Å"Do what you have to do,† he said. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. â€Å"I think I will.† I left the room and for the next minute tried very hard not to fall down the stairs as I walked down them. I'm happy to say I succeeded. But it was a close thing. I walked toward the group of Obin, who were milling about, some doing exercises, some talking quietly to another or to a small group. As I got closer I tried to locate Dickory and could not. There were too many Obin, and Dickory wasn't somewhere I could easily see him. Eventually the Obin noticed I was walking to them. They quieted and equally quietly formed ranks. I stood there in front of them for a few seconds, trying to see each of the Obin for itself, and not just one of a hundred. I opened my mouth to speak. Nothing would come. My mouth was so dry I could not make words. I closed my mouth, swallowed a couple of times, and tried again. â€Å"You know who I am,† I said. â€Å"I'm pretty sure about that. I only know one of you personally, and I'm sorry about that. I wish I could have known each of you, before you were asked†¦before I asked†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped. I was saying stupid things. It wasn't what I wanted to do. Not now. â€Å"Look,† I said. â€Å"I'm going to tell you some things, and I can't promise it's going to make any kind of sense. But I need to say them to you before†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I gestured at the cargo bay. â€Å"Before all of this.† The Obin all looked at me, whether politely or patiently, I can't say. â€Å"You know why you're here,† I said. â€Å"You're here to fight those Consu over there because I want to try to protect my family and friends on Roanoke. You were told that if you could beat the Consu, I would get the help I needed. But something's changed.† I pointed up to the operations room. â€Å"There's a Consu up there,† I said, â€Å"who tells me that he'll give me what I need to save Roanoke without having to have you fight, and risk losing. All I have to do is tell you to take those knives you were going to use on those Consu, and use them on yourselves. All I have to do is to tell you to kill yourselves. Everyone tells me you'll do it, because of what I am to you. â€Å"And they're right. I'm pretty sure about that, too. I'm certain that if I asked all of you to kill yourselves, you would do it. Because I am your Zoe. Because you've seen me all your lives in the recordings that Hickory and Dickory have made. Because I'm standing here in front of you now, asking you to do it. â€Å"I know you would do this for me. You would.† I stopped for a minute, tried to focus. And then I faced something I'd spent a long time avoiding. My own past. I raised my head again and looked directly at the Obin. â€Å"When I was five, I lived on a space station. Covell. I lived there with my father. One day while he was away from the station for a few days on business, the station was attacked. First by the Rraey. They attacked, and they came in and they rounded up all the people who lived on the station, and they began to kill us. I remember†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I closed my eyes again. â€Å"I remember husbands being taken from their wives and then shot in the halls where everyone could hear,† I said. â€Å"I remember parents begging the Rraey to spare their children. I remember being pushed behind a stranger when the woman who was watching me, the mother of a friend, was taken away. She tried to push away her daughter, too, but she held on to her mother and they were both taken away. If the Rraey had continued much longer, eventually they would have found me and killed me too.† I opened my eyes. â€Å"But then the Obin attacked the station, to take it from the Rraey, who weren't prepared for another fight. And when they cleared the station of the Rraey, they took those of us humans who were left and put us in a common area. I remember being there, with no one looking after me. My father was gone. My friend and her mother were dead. I was alone. â€Å"The space station was a science station, so the Obin looked through the research and they found my father's work. His work on consciousness. And they wanted him to work for them. So they came back to us in the common area and they called out my father's name. But he wasn't on the station. They called his name again and I answered. I said I was his daughter and that he would come for me soon. â€Å"I remember the Obin talking among themselves then, and then telling me to come away. And I remember saying no, because I didn't want to leave the other humans. And I remember what one of the Obin said to me then. It said, ‘You must come with us. You have been chosen, and you will be safe.' â€Å"And I remembered everything that had just happened. And I think even at five years old some part of me knew what would happen to the rest of the people at Covell. And here was the Obin, telling me I would be safe. Because I had been chosen. And I remember taking the Obin's hand, being led away and looking back at the humans who were left. And then they were gone. I never saw them again. â€Å"But I lived,† I said. â€Å"Not because of who I was; I was just this little girl. But because of what I was: the daughter of the man who could give you consciousness. It was the first time that what I was mattered more than who I was. But it wasn't the last.† I looked up at the operations room, trying to see if those in there were listening to me, and wondering what they were thinking. Wondering what Hickory was thinking. And General Gau. I turned back to the Obin. â€Å"What I am still matters more than who I am,† I said. â€Å"It matters more right now. Right this minute. Because of what I am, hundreds of you died to bring just one Consu to see me. Because of what I am, if I ask you to take those knives and plunge them into your bodies, you will do it. Because of what I am. Because of what I have been to you.† I shook my head and looked down at the ground. â€Å"All my life I have accepted that what I am matters,† I said. â€Å"That I had to work with it. Make accommodations for it. Sometimes I thought I could manipulate it, although I just found out the price for that belief. Sometimes I would even fight against it. But never once did I think that I could leave what I was behind. Because I remembered what it got me. How it saved me. I never even thought of giving it up.† I pointed up at the operations room. â€Å"There is a Consu in that operations room who wants me to kill you all, just to show him that I can. He wants me to do it to make a point to me, too – that when it comes down to it, I'm willing to sacrifice all of you to get what I want. Because when it comes down to it, you don't matter. You're just something I can use, a means to an end, a tool for another purpose. He wants me to kill you to rub my face in the fact I don't care. â€Å"And he's right.† I looked into the faces of the Obin. â€Å"I don't know any of you, except for one,† I said. â€Å"I won't remember what any of you look like in a few days, no matter what happens here. On the other hand all the people I love and care for I can see as soon as I close my eyes. Their faces are so clear to me. Like they are here with me. Because they are. I carry them inside me. Like you carry those you care for inside of you. â€Å"The Consu is right that it would be easy to ask you to sacrifice yourselves for me. To tell you to do it so I can save my family and my friends. He's right because I know you would do it without a second thought. You would be happy to do it because it would make me happy – because what I am matters to you. He knows that knowing this will make me feel less guilty for asking you. â€Å"And he's right again. He's right about me. I admit it. And I'm sorry.† I stopped again, and took another moment to pull myself together. I wiped my face. This was going to be the hard part. â€Å"The Consu is right,† I said. â€Å"But he doesn't know the one thing about me that matters right now. And that it is that I am tired of being what I am. I am tired of having been chosen. I don't want to be the one you sacrifice yourself for, because of whose daughter I am or because you accept that I can make demands of you. I don't want that from you. And I don't want you to die for me. â€Å"So forget it. Forget all of this. I release you of your obligation to me. Of any obligation to me. Thank you for volunteering, but you shouldn't have to fight for me. I shouldn't have asked. â€Å"You have already done so much for me. You have brought me here so I could deliver a message to General Gau. He's told me about the plans against Roanoke. It should be enough for us to defend ourselves. I can't ask you for anything else. I certainly can't ask you to fight these Consu and possibly die. I want you to live instead. â€Å"I am done being what I am. From now on I'm just who I am. And who I am is Zoe. Just Zoe. Someone who has no claim on you. Who doesn't require or demand anything from you. And who wants you to be able to make your own choices, not have them made for you. Especially not by me. â€Å"And that's all I have to say.† The Obin stood in front of me, silently, and after a minute I realized that I didn't really know why I was expecting a response. And then for a crazy moment I wondered if they actually even understood me. Hickory and Dickory spoke my language, and I just assumed all the other Obin would, too. That was a pretty arrogant assumption, I realized. So I sort of nodded and turned to go, back up to the operations room, where God only knew what I was going to say to that Consu. And then I heard singing. A single voice, from somewhere in the middle of the pack of Obin. It took up the first words of â€Å"Delhi Morning.† And though that was the part I always sang, I had no trouble recognizing the voice. It was Dickory. I turned and faced the Obin just as a second voice took up the counterpoint, and then another voice came in, and another and another, and soon all one hundred of the Obin were singing, creating a version of the song that was so unlike any I had heard before, so magnificent, that all I could do was stand there and soak in it, let it wash around me, and let it move through me. It was one of those moments that you just can't describe. So I won't try anymore. But I can say I was impressed. These Obin would have known of â€Å"Delhi Morning† for only a few weeks. For them to not only know the song but to perform it flawlessly was nothing short of amazing. I had to get these guys for the next hootenanny. When it was done, all I could do was put my hands to my face and say â€Å"Thank you† to the Obin. And then Dickory came through the ranks to stand in front of me. â€Å"Hey, you,† I said to Dickory. â€Å"Zoe Boutin-Perry,† said Dickory. â€Å"I am Dickory.† I almost said, I know that, but Dickory kept speaking. â€Å"I have known you since you were a child,† it said. â€Å"I have watched you grow and learn and experience life, and through you have learned to experience life myself. I have always known what you are. I tell you truthfully that it is who you are that has mattered to me, and always has. â€Å"It is to you, Zoe Boutin-Perry, that I offer to fight for your family and for Roanoke. I do this not because you have demanded it or required it but because I care for you, and always have. You would honor me if you would accept my assistance.† Dickory bowed, which was a very interesting thing on an Obin. Here was irony: This was the most I had heard Dickory say, ever, and I couldn't think of anything to say in return. So I just said, â€Å"Thank you, Dickory. I accept.† Dickory bowed again and returned to ranks. Another Obin stepped forward and stood before me. â€Å"I am Strike,† it said. â€Å"We have not met before. I have watched you grow through all that Hickory and Dickory have shared with all Obin. I too have always known what you are. What I have learned from you, however, comes from who you are. It is an honor to have met you. It will be an honor to fight for you, your family, and for Roanoke. I offer my assistance to you, Zoe Boutin-Perry, freely and without reservation.† Strike bowed. â€Å"Thank you, Strike,† I said. â€Å"I accept.† And then I impulsively hugged Strike. It actually squeaked in surprise. We unhugged, Strike bowed again, and then returned to ranks just as another Obin came forward. And another. And another. It took a long time to hear each greeting and offer of assistance, and to accept each offer. I can honestly say there was never time better spent. When it was done I stood in front of one hundred Obin again – this time, each a friend. And I bowed my head to them and wished them well, and told them I would see them after. Then I headed back toward the operations room. General Gau was at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for me. â€Å"I have a position for you on my staff, Zoe, if you ever want it,† he said. I laughed. â€Å"I just want to go home, General. Thank you all the same.† â€Å"Some other time, then,† Gau said. â€Å"Now I'm going to preside over this contest. I will be impartial when I'm observing it. But you should know that inside I'm rooting for the Obin. And that's something I never thought I would say.† â€Å"I do appreciate it,† I said, and headed up the stairs. Hickory met me at the door. â€Å"You did what I hoped you would do,† Hickory said. â€Å"I regret not volunteering myself.† â€Å"I don't,† I said, and hugged Hickory. Dock bowed to me; I nodded back. And then I approached the Consu. â€Å"You have my answer,† I said. â€Å"So I have,† the Consu said. â€Å"And it surprises me, human.† â€Å"Good,† I said. â€Å"And the name is Zoe. Zoe Boutin-Perry.† â€Å"Indeed,† the Consu said. He sounded amused at my cheekiness. â€Å"I will remember the name. And have others remember it as well. Although if your Obin do not win this contest, I do not imagine we will have to remember your name for long.† â€Å"You'll remember it for a long time,† I said. â€Å"Because my friends down there are about to clean your clock.† And they did. It wasn't even close.

Computer user freedom Essay

1) Users have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. The freedoms to run the program as you wish, for any purpose. The freedoms to study how the program works and change it so it does your computing as you wish. Access to the source code is a precondition for this. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor. https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html 4) A nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom and to defend the rights of all free software users. Linux is an open-source operating system modeled on UNIX. GNU developed many of the tools, including the C compilers that are part of the Linux operating system. Linux is the name of the operating system kernel developed by Linus Torvalds, which has since been expanded and improved by thousands of people on the Internet. http://www.sobell.com/CMDREF1/answers/01.answers.even.cmdref.i.pdf Chap.2 pg.50 1) Installing Fedora/RHEL is the process of copying operating system files from a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive to hard disk(s) on a system and setting up configuration files so Linux runs properly on the hardware. Several types of installations are possible, including fresh installations, upgrades from older releases of Fedora/RHEL, and dual-boot installations. Chap.3 Pg.86 1) A live system gives you a chance to preview Fedora without installing it. It does not write to hard disks. 4) Put /boot at the beginning of the drive (partition 1) so that there is no issue of Linux having to boot from a partition too far into the drive. 8) When the system enters runlevel 5. http://www.sobell.com/RH4/answers/03.install.main.ans.even.RH4.pdf Chap.11 Pg.498 1) When a system is in single-user mode, you can log in only at the console. Not all of the file systems are mounted, and many daemons are not running. With the system in multiuser mode you can log in at any terminal or workstation that is set up for login, most or all of the file systems are mounted, and all of the daemons that your system is set up to run are  running. 3) The letters stand for substitute user. You can give yourself privileges of any user whose password you know (or any user when you are running as root). You can also execute a command (other than a shell) as the specified user. To log in as Alex, you would first log in as root, and then give the command su alex, or su – alex to establish the same environment that Alex has when he logs in. 7) Use Uppercase and lowercase characters, along with numbers and special characters, and your password should be at least 8 characters long. http://www.sobell.com/RHLINUX1/answers/Chapter_17.ans.pdf

Alfred A. Strauss 1897-1957 Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Alfred A. Strauss 1897-1957 - Personal Statement Example Strauss received his medical degree from University of Heidelberg in the year 1922, and he later served as a research associate at the Heidelberg Psychiatric Clinic (Duchan). Apart from his research work at the clinic, Strauss also served in the Outpatient Patient department at the University of Heidelberg Psychiatric Clinic, in the capacity of Director of Outpatient department. Strauss left Germany in 1933 and he was hosted by the University of Barcelona, as a visiting professor, and it is during this period that he championed and supported the establishment of the first municipal child guidance clinic; Strauss also helped Barcelona to acquire its first private guidance clinic. In the year 1937, Strauss went to the Michigan county school located at Northville, and here, Strauss became a research Psychiatrist until later in the year 1943 (Duchan). This School also had an established childcare center, where Strauss served in the capacity of its director in the year 1946. Strauss was also a former president and co-founder of the Cove Schools of Wisconsin and Illinois- these schools were based in the residential areas for children who had experienced minimal brain injuries. Strauss co-founded the Racine Wisconsin Clove School in 1949 and he became its president until at the time of his death later in the year

Other Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Other - Essay Example Moreover, debt is the cheapest source of financing for long-term since it provides deductibility of interest proportion to tax and during inflation, the rate of debt repayment is cheaper. Moreover, the capital access will help to keep this facilities updated with information, technology and improve the quality initiates. However, once considered in higher levels, it will pose financial risks in the attempt to meet interest repayments and the principal. Accordingly, it becomes difficult in raising funds leading to elevated capital cost (Anwer.com, 2013). According to Fitch Rating CEO, John Well (2013), hospitals are becoming sophisticated by the use of complex debts to achieve lowered cost of debt but with certain risk of not all hospitals can afford to take the debts. As a result, Health Care Financial Management Association CEO (2013) suggests that their issue will not be different to personal investment and to avoid the succumbing to various risks, the management is being advised o n scrutinizing debt structures and the current trends in the capital market. As result, they should always be considered as long as the returns it gives are much higher than its cost. Additionally, for the usage of debt to be effective, the management in health care organizations needs to know the current changes in capital market and the currently available types of finances (Lee, 2013). Case Scenario Market, Strategic, and Financial factors Improve a Hospitals Credit Rating Moody Investor Service, (2009, as cited in William, Michael, & Noah, 2009). According to William, Michael, & Noah, (as cited in Moody Investor Service, 2008), Moody Investor Services improved the credit rating of tax-exempted bonds of Evanston Northwestern Healthcare from Aa3 to Aa2. According to them, they cited improvements to have been achieved from improved factors such as market, strategic and financial aspects. As a result, Evanston has expanded in various sectors such as the patient base since it has bee n able to align with several specialists’ medical groups. Moreover, it financial earnings has improved to a cash flow of 4.2 times payment at the debt service. As a result, in 2007, the hospital had managed to raise it cash flows to 10% compared to 2006, which stood at 9.4%. in fact, the accrued raised gaining were observed to have risen from the expanded medical group, more revenue from outpatient, and establishment of current, advanced technologies in information sector. Additionally, the hospital is cited to be maintaining strong positions of liquidity whereby the unrestricted and restricted capital sums up to $1.6 billion, which can be explained as cash on hand for 509 days. As William, Michael, & Noah, (2009, as cited in Moody Investor Service, 2008) suggests, Over the next few years, the hospital is expected to increase its capital outlay to be more than $100 each year. As a result, the capital will be used for expansions or replacement needed in care unit, operation ro oms, and centers for treating cancer. However, William, Michael, & Noah, (2009, as cited in Moody Investor Service, 2008) concludes that Moody has a concern over the competition in hospitals that are increasing their service areas and Evanston depend only on commercial that have seen its patient revenue rising to 25%. Pros

Contract and Agency Business Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Contract and Agency Business Law - Case Study Example The above are the elements required of a contract and they were all present. However, despite the fact that the elements of the contract were fulfilled, there was no written agreement between the two parties and there is no even records of the existing agreement of the contract between the employees and the executive of ABC and hence and hence no formal legal binding of the contract (Adamson, 38). If there is no formal legal binding which is usually in a form of evidence of the terms of the contract with the agreement by parties being indicated through signatures, then the contract can be considered to be non-existent (Andrews, 37). The employees therefore without producing any formal evidence of the contract between them and the executives of the ABC company will lose the case and the executives who act as the agents/ representatives of the company win and the company gets to keep all the money from the sale of the company without sharing it with their former

Has football become a global sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Has football become a global sport - Essay Example The ball itself has developed from just a ball of pig’s bladder to hi-tech balls with impregnated microchips used to check if the ball has crosses the goal line. Increasing popularity of the game and number of international fixtures forced English football association and football associations from France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland to form an international association Fà ©dà ©ration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on May 21, 1904.Today football is a national sport in many countries and is officially the most popular sport in the world. Sport in modern days has become a global phenomenon. There is a number of literature works is available which tries to relate a sport with various social, political, economical and environmental factors on a global scale. Today, in globalized, world where communication technology has grown leap and bound, all major sporting events are organized and watch on a global scale. The impact of sport is also global, as it affects political relations, national prestige, and policies on education and health. Contrasts between sports across different societies have diminished, yet a growing diversity of sports cultures are available to people of different nations (Maguire). Giulianotti examines systematically footballs key social aspects: the supporter cultures, the development of stadia, the business and television revolution, professional football players and the diversity of playing styles. Sport, in particular football, constitutes one of the most dynamic, sociologically illuminating domai ns of globalization (Giulianotti and Robertson). The speed of spread of football or soccer has been truly astonishing. It has successfully overcome various hurdles of ruthless commercialization, skyrocketing player fees, and salaries to emerge as a most popular game. It has survived faithlessness of players, red-tapes in

Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics - Essay Example He asserts that what we require, in order to live well, is maximum appreciation of the manner in which such goods as pleasure, friendship, virtue, wealth, and honor match together as a whole. In order to apply that general comprehension to particular situations, we must acquire, through significant habits and upbringing, the ability to view each occasion, which course of behavior or action is best backed by reason. Thus, practical wisdom and knowledge as Aristotle understands it, cannot be acquired by solely learning general rules. Human beings must acquire them through practice, social and emotional skills that ensure that we put our general comprehension of well being into practice in manners that are suitable to each occasion or situation. In his book 9 chapter eight, Aristotle explores the necessity of friendship in life of human beings. He argues that some people believe that when fortune is kind to them, they do not see the need of having friends, which according to Aristotle i s irrational thinking that expresses human selfishness. It is a disputed case whether a happy man requires friends or not. It is argued that those who are supremely self-sufficient and happy have no need of having friends for they posses things that are good and therefore being happy and self sufficient they need nothing further. On the other hand, a friend is another self which man is unable to provide by his own efforts. Aristotle argued that it seems weird when one gives all good things to a happy and self-sufficient man, not to give friends, who are viewed as the greatest of external goods. And if it is more plausible of a friend to do well by another person or man than to be well done by, and to bestow rewards is a characteristic of the good man and of virtue and it is rational and nobler to do well by friends than by unknown individuals or strangers. Therefore, the good man will need people for them to prosper and do well in their lives. This situation propels us to ask whethe r we need, friends in adversity or for success/prosperity, on the assumption that a man in adversity requires people to give rewards on him, and those who are successful need people to be more successful than they are. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics tries to explain the system of principles contained in men and how they affect the society. A dynamic debate arises with a question of whether a man has a duty to love oneself most or someone else. People criticizes those who are most lovers of themselves by calling them self-lovers and tend to consider good men who act for honor’s sake, friend’s sake and endures his own interest. But facts conflicts with these arguments where it is said by men that, one should love best one’s best friend of which man in this case, is his own best friend and ought to love himself more. It is suggested that, possibly if those self-lover would act justly and temperately in assigning themselves the great share of wealth, bodily p leasures and integrity, then no one would blame them. Such people would therefore differentiate themselves from other self-lovers by striving towards what is noble and straining to do noblest deeds. This suggestion therefore, shows that a good man ought to be a lover of self. A complex question is moved to a

Qualitative Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Qualitative Research Proposal - Essay Example The employees will be informed of the scope of the research and their consent sought before sampling 137 participants through stratified random sampling. Data will be analyzed by the researcher’s rationale before coding and application of SPSS software for descriptive statistics and comparisons. Application of the software reduces probability of bias. Ethical issues such as nonmalefecence, beneficence, justice, autonomy, and fidelity are expected to arise during the research process and measures have been taken to observe the ethical principles. ‘Effects of drug abuse on domestic violence’ is my topic of interest. The topic’s independent variable is consumption of drugs and is measurable on two scales, consumption, or non-consumption of drugs, and participants’ level of consumption of drugs. The dependent variable is experienced domestic violence with the drug users as victims or perpetrators of the violence. The proposed research aims at ascertaining an assumption of a relationship between drug abuse and domestic violence and the extent to which consumption of the substances contribute to the violence. The relationship between drug abuse and domestic violence has been widely explored for possible solutions. It has for example been established that victims of drug abuse have violent behaviors that they express in their domestic set ups. A research to investigate existence a relationship between drug abuse, violence, and suicide reported history of violent behavior, which can manifest in homes, among a significant percentage of drug addicts, about 75 percent. This indicates that substance abuse is a major factor to domestic violence (Ilgen and Kleinberg, 2011). Drug addicts with violent behaviors in domestic set ups however restrain from the behavior upon rehabilitation but resumes violence when they relapse to substance abuse. This is according to a research that investigated the relationship between relapse to

Introduction to Law and Contracts Research Paper - 1

Introduction to Law and Contracts - Research Paper Example It concludes with a signature page, allowing for the signature of the executive, David G. DeWalt; the Executive Vice President and CFO of McAfee Inc.; Jonathan Chadwick, and Renee J. James, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Software and Services Group, Intel Corporation; and the necessary witnesses. This written contract fulfills the definition of an express contract as â€Å"a contract in which all elements of a contract are specifically stated (offer, acceptance, consideration), and the terms are stated, as compared to an "implied" contract in which the existence of the contract is assumed by the circumstances.† (â€Å"Express Contract†, 2005) The Law of Contracts, Treitels classic text defines a contract offer as â€Å""an expression of willingness to contract on certain terms, made with the intention that it shall become binding as soon as it is accepted by the person to whom it is addressed". (Treitel, 2007) In this case the person to whom it is addressed, also known as the offeree, is the party known as the executive, David G. DeWalt. Therefore, the contract offer is made when the contract document is presented to David G. DeWalt and his attorneys or representatives in these contract negotiations. This offer document also contains conditions on which the offer is contingent. The offer is occurring coincident with merger negotiations and is contingent on â€Å"the execution of the Merger Agreement.† Acceptance is therefore a matter of more than the three parties signing the contract in the presence of the required witnesses. This contract can only be considered to have been accepted if the Merger Agreement is also duly signed and witnessed and â€Å"shall become effective immediately preceding the Closing Date, as defined in the Merger Agrement.† Normally an offer of employment is accepted when it is signed before witnesses. However, this employment contract can only be considered accepted if

Editing my answer papres Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Editing my answer papres - Essay Example The warehouse was burgled and the company suffered a loss of $30,000. The insurance company claimed that the insurance policy did not cover burglary and therefore refused to pay. Duty of care was breached when Daniel failed to check the content of the insurance policy. When Quality Sofa expected to collect insurance it was faced the losses of 30,000 $ which affected its financial state, because he did not carefully check the statement and should be held liable for it. If Daniel is unaware of nature of insurance policies, because he is an accountant, it is no excuse to just sign the policy. He should have spent time and even requested legal advice if necessary not to be held liable in this particular case. As for his liability in duty of loyalty, he is liable for getting personal benefit by offering a client of Quality Sofa Bed a discount that not the company’s interest, but rather his own interest. If the client had approached Daniel as an individual, then he would not be held liable. Although Daniel should have disclosed that the warehouse that Quality Sofa and Bed purchased was his, he saved for Sofa and Bed 5,000 $ because the fair value was valued +5,000 $. In the specific incident he kept his self-interest aside and put the company’s benefit on the first place. Although Daniel did not technically breech his duty of loyalty in the warehouse incident, he definitely breeched his duty of care with the insurance contract and his duty of loyalty with the personal gain he benefited from. There were two violations of duties. I think that although he sold his warehouse for less than fair value and since he insisted on the directors to purchase his warehouse, he should have at least disclosed that he owned the warehouse or even restrained from voting. Since he already breached one duty of care and one duty of loyalty he can’t be considered a reliable director. Corporate governance has failed miserably to alert of send signals to everyone that

Human Services Essay Example for Free

Human Services Essay What needs do each agency meet and what demographic does each agency serve? The department of social services caters to anyone who in in need of assistance as long as basic requirements are met. The DSS mainly caters to women and children .This resource helps with food through a program named SNAP which stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The main role of this service is to supplement the incomes of the people who are having issues providing food for their family. This is done by Social services issuing an electronic benefit card also referred to as EBT card to distribute stamps on a monthly basis until the family is able to provide for their family with no assistance. They having other programs in place to assist with the needs of child care and some clients’ qualify to receive a cash allowance on a monthly basis until the family no longer qualify for the benefit. The program is a federal mandated program put into place to assist the country people that are vulnerable to having a poor quality of life. The other agency that was selected was CAASTL this program is very similar to the department of social services but on a much smaller scale. The Community action agency does not off monthly benefits for food and living expenses. However they do have food pantry that is used to help family eat healthy meals and they offer assistance with utility instead of issues out a monthly allowance. This service mainly cater to families with small children and elderly people in need of assistance. This program was put in place to assist with need of the people who lived in the county and did not qualify for services which were located in the city. Both agencies are there to help people that are in need the department of social services has more funding that CAASTL because it is a program that only receives funds to help pay for resources that would be used to assist people living in that community Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

All About Me Letter Essay Example for Free

All About Me Letter Essay My favorite sports are football and basketball. I play the recorder. I participated in football for three years and basket ball for one year. I played the recorder for one year in the fourth grade and earned all the belts for each skill level. On the other hand I don’t like to read what so ever, but I’m going to improve my reading this year. I don’t like to read because I fall asleep as soon as I begin to read books. The books that I like are adventurous and action-packed books because they interest me so I won’t fall asleep. These kinds of books stimulate my imagination and help me visualize the story. In order to keep me interested in reading I would like to have audio or graphics books. I did great academically last year as I made A’s and B’s. My academic goals this year are to make straight A’s and to receive scores above 900 on the CRCT. Considering that I do not like to read, it’s hard for me to brainstorm ideas and write an essay. Therefore, I do not think of myself as a good writer, as I prefer digital images to awaken my creativity. The few times that I must write, I like to write narratives about my family vacations in new places. Narratives allow me to express my emotions. Unfortunately, brainstorming ideas causes me to have headaches that turn me off from writing. I hope to learn how to overcome this obstacle and improve my writing skills. In conclusion, you can help me achieve my academic goals by suggesting some action-packed or adventurous book titles for me to enjoy reading. I learn best by following examples and listening to instructions. The activities you can help me with are reading and sentence-structure in writing assignments. I welcome the opportunity to learn from your expertise. Sincerely, Phillip Harrington Phillip Harrington

Sustainable Transportation Policy In Malaysia

Sustainable Transportation Policy In Malaysia Climate Change, or Global Warming, is one of the most serious environmental threats of the 21st century. According to NST article on Top 10 list Global Warming Cause, Carbon dioxide emissions from burning gasoline for transportation responsible for about 33% of emissions. With the population growing at an alarming rate, the demand for more cars and consumer goods means that we are increasing the use of fossil fuels for transportation and manufacturing. The problems of greenhouse gas emissions and urban air quality are focusing attention on sustainable transport. There are many definitions on sustainable transportation. A sustainable transport system as defined by The Centre for Sustainable Transportation (Gilbert and Tanguay, 2000) is as follows: Allows the basic access and development needs of individuals, companies and societies to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem, health, and promotes equity within and between successive generations. Is affordable, operates fairly and efficiently, offers choice of transport mode, and supports a competitive economy, as well as balanced regional development. Limits emissions and waste within the planets ability to absorb them, uses renewable resources at or below their rates of generation, and uses non-renewable resources at or below the rates of development of renewable substitutes while minimizing the impact on the use of land and the generation of noise. How can transportation become more sustainable? According to The Center for Sustainable Transportation it is defined as: With respect to society, transportation systems should: Meet basic human needs for health, comfort, and convenience in ways that do not stress the social fabric. Allow and support development at a human scale, and provide for a reasonable choice of transport modes, types of housing and community, and living styles. Produce no more noise than is acceptable by communities. Be safe for people and their property. With respect to the economy, transportation systems should: Provide cost-effective service and capacity. Be financially affordable in each generation. Support vibrant, sustainable economic activity. With respect to the environment, transportation systems should: Make use of land in a way that has little or no impact on the integrity of ecosystems. Use sparingly energy sources that are essentially not renewable or inexhaustible. Use other resources that are renewable or inexhaustible, achieved in part through the reuse of items and the recycling of materials used in vehicles and infrastructure. Produce no more emissions and waste than can be accommodated by the planets restorative ability. According to the Center for Sustainable Transportaion also, there are several barriers to the attainment of sustainable transportation. Four of the most important are these: More than for most other areas of human endeavour, decision-making about transportation by governments, corporations, and individuals has become locked into modes that reinforce the present unsustainable arrangements and trends. There is a mindset that achieving sustainable transportation is too costly, difficult, and will threaten our quality of life and lifestyle. Combustion of low-cost oil provides more than 99 per cent of the energy for motorized transportation and creates many of the environmental problems that result from transportation. Harnessing renewable alternatives will be a major challenge. Mechanisms for identifying improvements in sustainable transportation, and disseminating resulting success stories, and beneficial trends are inadequate. The effort towards achieving sustainable transport includes technological improvements of cars and lorries, fuels and infrastructure. However, using vehicles more efficiently (higher load factor for lorries, and fewer single occupancy private vehicles) would be a good start towards a smarter use of transport. Walking and cycling are the greenest and most sustainable forms of transport. However, public transport is a key option but it is not receiving the priority which it should be. Transport becomes sustainable only when it does not harm the environment or uses fuel from renewable sources such as wind and solar. In terms of human mobility, this means more use of public transport (including integrated mobility services), and non-motorised modes of transport like walking and cycling. For movement of goods, rail freight is more fuel efficient than trucking. The public transportation system in Klang Valley includes busses, commuter Light Rail Transit (LRT), monorail, buses and taxis. Public transport passengers are just as inconsiderate as the drivers. Lining up is a practically unknown phenomenon is frustrating and time consuming 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW Whenever a car is started, sitting idle or driving it is producing emissions that are filling our atmosphere. These emissions include nitrogen gas (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapour (H2O), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2, together called NOx). Bryant et al. 2008. Carbon dioxide represents about 80 percent of the manmade greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. 15% of the manmade carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earths atmosphere comes from cars, trucks, airplanes, trains, and ships. The remaining 85% of atmospheric CO2 comes from industry, buildings and agriculture. Current trends show atmospheric CO2 concentration would double by the end of the century (Jan Fuglestvedt 2008) Figure 1: Projected concentration levels assuming continuing business as usual behaviour (Source:University of Maryland) According ESMAP, Traffic congestion can affect human health due to pollution with high levels of particulates, hydrocarbons, lead and NOx. there are three principal sources of particulate air pollution: vehicle exhaust, re-suspended road dust, and solid fuels, The Federal Highway Administration has documented the levels of these emissions and how much of each compound is produced by cars (see Figure 2). Air Pollutant Proportion from On road Motor Vehicles Note Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) 34% precursor to groundà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ level ozone (smog), which damages the respiratory system and injures plants Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) 34% precursor to groundà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ level ozone (smog), which damages the respiratory system and injures plants Carbon Monoxide (CO) 51% contributes to smog production; poisonous in high concentrations Particulate Matter (PM10) 10% does not include dust from paved and unpaved roads, which are the major source of particulate matter pollution (50% of the total) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 33% thought to be primary contributor to global warming Figure 2: Transportation Air Quality: Selected Facts and Figures 2002. Sterba 2009 According to study on Hybrid Cars (Michael et. al 2010), their higher price turns consumers away and makes the vehicles a less attractive economic investment. Energy efficient processing techniques need to be developed before the advanced materials in hybrids can help add to their clean image. Widespread change to advanced hybrid technologies is not a feasible option in the near future because of both cost and the limited amount of hybrids on the road today. Overall, hybrid technology has a lot of potential in the distant future, but as for right now they are not a significant improvement over todays internal combustion engine. To deal with the severe traffic problems in Malaysia especially in Klang Valley the transportation planners will have to look to solutions such as using public transport and introducing more environmental friendly vehicles. In the 10TH Malaysia Plan, a sum of RM2.8 billion is allocated for improving urban public transportation was chosen as one of six National Key Result Areas (NKRAs), which are priority areas under the Government Transformation Programme. During the 10MP period, connectivity across different modes of public transport will be improved through the establishment of multi-modal transfer hubs for services within cities, from suburban areas into cities and for intercity travel. The Strategic Plan is a document which determines the direction of future transportation system in Malaysia. According to The strategic Plan of The Ministry of Transport (2008 2015), development of transport infrastructure a seamless, integrated, sustainable and competitive to meet the aspirations countries is emphasised. One of the plan objective is to ensure that environmental not contaminated by the land transport, air and maritime. TERAS 2 The strategy highlighted is to optimize new technologies in transport by promoting the use of environmentally friendly vehicles and providing seamless transportation system by improving the park n ride facilities at all stations of urban transport to meet the objective to strengthen and provide world-class integrated transport infrastructure. Park and Ride (PR) system are known as incentive parking system. This facilities system consists of car parks with connections to public transport. The user will use public transportation to travel into city and leave their personnel vehicles in a car park. PR system are generally located in suburbs of metropolitan areas or on the outer edges of large cities. Many countries had using this system such as United Kingdom, United State, Japan and Singapore. Park and Ride was first initiated in the United Kingdom (UK) in the 1960s and 1970s that enjoy most success in cities historic in nature and quite small capacity of controlling that balance to their inhibiting urban structure. In a range of settings across the UK, however, some of which very different in size and nature to the earlier host centres, Park and Ride has subsequently emerged as a major component of local transport policies. In Malaysia, the government starts using Park and Ride system such as Kuala Lumpur, around Klang Val ley and Putrajaya According to CASE STUDY ON AWARENESS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PARK AND RIDE AT PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA the awareness level for both Putrajaya citizens and visitors is not high enough to reach the target of the Park and Ride system. This is because, about only half of the people is using the system while the rest refuse to use the system and do not know to us the system. The understanding about the system need to be well explicate to the both Putrajaya citizens and also the visitors. Therefore, the user of Park and Ride may increase and many traffic problems could reduce. Conference on Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) provide an illustration of how criteria and targets can be linked to significant environmental and health quality objectives. These targets are long-term specific intermediate targets and milestones should be set to focus action. The quantitative target levels below are not prescriptive and could be adapted according to national, regional or local circumstances. What is essential for the EST approach, is that target levels are set to achieve environmental and health quality objectives. CO2 Climate change is prevented by reducing carbon dioxide emissions so that atmospheric concentrations of CO2are stabilised at or below their 1990 levels. Accordingly, total emissions of CO2 from transport should not exceed 20% to 50% of such emissions in 1990 depending on specific national conditions. NOx Damage from ambient NO2and ozone levels and nitrogen deposition is greatly reduced by meeting WHO Air Quality Guidelines for human health and eco-toxicity. This implies that total emissions of NOxfrom transport should not exceed 10% of such emissions in 1990. VOCs Damage from carcinogenic VOCs and ozone is greatly reduced by meeting WHO Air Quality Guidelines for human health and ecosystem protection. Total emissions of transport-related VOCs should not exceed 10% of such emissions in 1990 (less for extremely toxic VOCs).2 Particulates Harmful ambient air levels are avoided by reducing emissions of fine particulates (especially those less than 10 microns in diameter). Depending on local and regional conditions, this may entail a reduction of 55% to 99% of fine particulate (PM10) emissions from transport, compared with 1990 levels. Landuse/Landtake Land use and infrastructure for the movement, maintenance, and storage of transport vehicles is developed in such a way that local and regional objectives for air, water, eco-system and biodiversity protection are met. Compared to 1990 levels, this will likely entail the restoration and expansion of green spaces in built-up areas. Noise Noise from transport no longer results in outdoor noise levels that present a health concern or serious nuisance. Depending on local and regional conditions, this may entail a reduction of transport noise to no more than a maximum of 55 dB(A) during the day and 45 dB(A) at night and outdoors. Minister of Transport Malaysia in his speech mention that The transport sector has now entered the new era of a more challenging and requires a high commitment from all sides. It is now requires a mode of transport and more integrated services and quality system. In addition environmental aspects should also be given emphasis in the planning of all projects for the Ministry of ensure sustainable development. (Message from DATUK ONG TEE KEAT, Minister of Transport Malaysia) 3.0 METHODOLOGY This is Life Cycle Analysis academic writing which needs a lot of journals and article readings, internet surfing and knowledge. Some articles were from Ministry of Transport, 10th Malaysia Plan and Malaysian Strategic Planning to ensure that suggestion proposed relevant to the direction of Malaysia development (Dasar Pembangunan Negara). However, more detailed studies should be done to get ideas that can contribute to achieving the goals. 4.0 DISCUSSION What are the holistic approach toward sustainable transportation policy in Malaysia? Several strategies can be developed such as: 1. Develop of national transportation strategy Transportation networks are an important piece of the communications infrastructure of a country. We are completely dependent on our transportation networks to move goods and people throughout the country. A national transportation strategy such as highlighted in The Strategic Plan would help Malaysia create a sustainable transportation policy. More strategies must emphasis on green technology. 2. Enhance national public transportation strategy In order to reduce the number of private cars on the road, the government must plan their short term and long term strategies for public transportation. People must be encouraged to choose public transport for the movement of goods and people. Long term strategies need to plan on how people can move around in the future by using public transport as a priority and reach the destination faster, convenient and comfortable. The Malaysian government has stated a goal to have 40% of the population using public transportation in the future. Unfortunately, at a meantime we have limited choices for safe, convenient, reliable public transportation. For example, we have a very limited train to travel from North to South. Road accidents which involved express bus are often happen in the country. Thus, task force group which include expertise from relevant field must be formed. This group will come out with the national public transportation strategies and also to advice the stakeholders on how to achieve the mission 3. National public transportation department Public transportation should not be run as a profitable business. It must be look as a choice of transportation that people can choose. Minimum fare should be charge to the people. More subsidies must be given to this department. People will surely use public transport if it is convenient and comfortable with the low fare. It is time for the government to upgrade the public transportation to the first class facilities by locating more money in this department.Research and development unit must also form in this department. This unit will always do research on new technologies to upgrade the transportation systems or transport which environmental friendly like was done in Seoul as an earth friendly transportation city. 4. Expanded national railway network Railway technology is still the most efficient way to move goods and people. Successful rail networks in Europe, Japan, India, China, Taiwan, and soon in Argentina, show us that the movement of passengers by rail is faster, easier, and better than car or air travel. Thanks to the English Channel Tunnel and the Eurostar High Speed Train, London and Paris are now two hours apart by train. Trains move more people, avoid congestion on the roads, use less energy, and are far more appealing than planes or cars. A nation like Malaysia should have a reliable railway transportation network for freight as well as a fast passenger railway network connecting all major cities. High Speed rail connections between Kuala Lumpur and neighbouring capital cities must be explored. Thus, the full double-tracking and electrification of all rail lines within Malaysia is necessary. In addition, triple tracking and the construction of additional rail lines should be considered. 5. Regional/local public transportation authority As we can see in the urban area, there is a more than one public transportation company. for example in Klang valley, Rapid KL and XXX are the famous bus companies. It is suppose to be only one authority which responsible for the planning, regulation and oversight of public transportation. This local authority has the duty to control the bus systems so that it operates under an effective an efficient system. This would eliminate unnecessary and wasteful competition and encourage stability and reliability in public transportation. 6. Additional, secure funding for regional/local public transportation Public transportation service is important infrastructure. It should not be operated like a business. There should be no reason why a bus company should even try to operate a sustainable business. All world-class public transportation services do not make money. They in fact lose money, and their additional costs are borne by a combination of government funds, bonds, and additional investments. The best way to build stable, reliable public transportation infrastructure is to fund it properly and fund it early on. This means capital investment and regular operations subsidies are necessary. No world class transportation agency should even be attempting to recover 50% o more of their revenues from fares paid by passengers. Instead, they should be receiving money from public and private investment. Currently the state government of Terengganu is planning the introduction of Rapid Terengganu, a state-level bus service. While any bus service improvements are good news, this news is even better because it shows that the state government is committed to improving public transportation through government regulated service. One small point, however. The name Rapid is overused, and perhaps should be limited to big cities only. A state-level service should have an appropriate name that reflects the service being offered, not a marketing tool. I personally like Bas Negeri Terengganu and I think the acronym Bantu (for Bas Negeri Terengganu) would be a very appropriate as the word bantu reflects the concepts of helping and supporting each other. 7. Expanded KTM Komuter Service We have to realise that KTM Komuter has the lowest costs and greatest potential for expansion among all modes of transportation. An expanded KTM Komuter service (that means, higher frequencies, longer trains, faster trains, and more lines) would encourage people to use rapid transit. It simply costs too much to build enough LRT lines to make a difference in the transportation infrastructure in the Klang Valley. KTM Komuter expansion plans include new networks in the north and south, extensions from Sentul to Batu Caves, Rasa to Tanjung Malim, and Seremban to Senawang. A plan is underway to rebuild more than a dozen damaged electric-multiple unit (EMU) trains, which would allow higher frequency and more reliable service. The government must commit to a real expansion of KTM Komuter service, meaning more lines, enough trains for five minute frequencies, and reliable service. 8. More urban mass-transit lines LRT and mass transit should be built in urban areas, rather than suburban or rural areas. The cost of construction is increasing daily, and this is why the government should be committing to build lines in urban areas, not suburban or rural areas. There is no reason, for example, to build an LRT from Kuala Lumpur to Klang, when Kuala Lumpur itself still needs at least four more LRT lines (in addition to the new Kota Damansara-Cheras line). Urban areas need mass transit. Urban areas have vast numbers of people and they have the population density to make mass-transit cost effective. Suburban areas do not need mass transit such as LRT lines. They really need enhanced, frequent and reliable bus service to move the vast numbers of people spread out over a wider area. The planned Kota Damansara-Cheras LRT line will travel through Kuala Lumpur. The Sentul-Batu Caves extension will change transportation in the northern areas of Kuala Lumpur. However, additional lines are needed in Kuala Lumpur to create the core of a mass-transit network. The government should be building in urban areas, not the suburban areas. Extensions are for the future. The core of the mass-transit network needs to be built now. 9. Promoting Park and Ride The government should enforce the user of Park and Ridein urban area. But before that the quality of service of Park and Ride system need to be improved where more frequent service of the buses to fetch the people from one point to another. Besides improve the service, other strategies to increase the number of bus user is provide enough information to the customer. Kiosk and information centre is suitable to notify the information about Park and Ride system to the people. Marketing and promotion such as image advertising, new resident promotion and fare incentives may also affect the number of bus user. Malaysians seem to have an obsession with LRT and a misunderstanding of traffic congestion. We also think that traffic problems can be solved with massive projects rather than simple solutions. I wont bore you with the details of why. LRT is a mass-transit, and it is costly. As stated before, there is no possible way to build all of the LRT lines that are needed to create quick, reliable, convenient public transportation. This means that other rapid transit alternatives must be explored. Alternative forms of rapid transit include rapid trams, and bus rapid transit. Even simple things like traffic signal priority, bus lanes, and traffic monitoring cameras will make a huge difference. Sadly, the majority of people in Malaysia still cling to the belief that traffic lights, reduced number of lanes, and roundabouts contribute to traffic congestion. The truth is that traffic congestion is caused by having too many cars on the road at the same time. Fewer cars equal lower congestion. There is hope that the arrival of local public transportation authorities will make a big difference, expanding and enhancing public transportation. Radical ideas need to be implemented to reduce the number of cars on the road. Bus lanes are only a start but they are easy to implement. Bus Rapid Transit would be the next step. A reliable Bus Rapid Transit service running along major roads like Jalan Puchong, Jalan Klang Lama, the Federal Highway, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Kepong, and others, would also help. The government must announce a plan to invest in tram lines, not just additional LRT lines. 10. Reduction in petrol subsidy and incentives to encourage the use of public transportation Petrol subsidies may make the lives of some people easier, but economics say that anytime you fix the price of an item below its natural price, demand will increase and this will ultimately result in shortages of the product. We have seen this happen in Malaysia with cooking oil, sugar, and diesel fuel. Petrol and wheat may be the next items facing shortages. The price of petrol in Malaysia is low (compared to world markets). Malaysians are driving more and demanding more petrol. The supply is less and less reliable. Any imbalance is paid through taxes and government funds. Other countries such as Indonesia (2005) and Myanmar (2007) have seen huge increases in the price of fuel after the government could no longer afford the subsidies. One way to reduce the demand for petrol is to reduce the subsidy (thereby raising the price at the pumps) and directing that money into enhanced public transport service. The government needs to accept that this decision, though unpopular at first, will be in the best interests of the people. To make their point clear, the government should reduce the petrol subsidy by an amount of RM0.08 per litre, which would lead to an increased pump price of RM2.00 per litre. An 8 sen increase in the price of petrol (after the election, of course) would be much easier to accept than a 60 sen hike in 2 to 3 years time. The government should allocate the funds saved towards improving and enhancing public transportation. There are many simple things that the government can do to enhance public transportation across the country, and these can be implemented quickly. An expanded Touch N Go service, subsidies for bus operations, tax incentives on the purchase of monthly transit passes, and investment in funding of public transport authorities would make a huge difference for Malaysia. Summary The proposals here are relatively uninteresting and less glamorous than new LRT lines or monorails in every city that asks for one. The fact is that public transportation can be interesting and glamorous and inspiring. However, before that can all happen, there must be changes in the attitude of the government and the people. It is good to think that improved public transportation is part of the solution to traffic congestion in Malaysia. However, many people do not speak out and demand better public transportation, and do not actually intend to use the improved public transportation. They are missing the point. We can only have inspiring, glamorous, interesting and effective public transportation if there are changes at the government level. Once the government makes the necessary changes, creates a national public transportation strategy and a National Public Transportation Department, then we will finally be on track to a great future. a regular user of public transport, is deeply concerned that government plans to encourage the use of public transport will ultimately fail because of poor planning and lack of support from the public. 5.0 CONCLUSION Ensuring progress towards sustainable development suppose to be a priority of the Malaysian government. Transport is a particularly challenging sector. It is indispensable to modern life, but has many adverse effects on health and environment. Most transport trends are unsustainable. More effort must be put on to develop public transport because study found that using public transport can minimize the environmental pollution and impact of health to human. Although there is a lot of bad news the good news is its not too late! We can implement solutions, but we need to act fast and we need our government to take the lead.

The Big Dig :: Tunnel Construction Essays

The Big Dig The Central Artery Tunnel Project, more commonly known as the Big Dig, is said to be the largest, most complex and technologically challenging highway project in American history. It is the culmination of decades of planning and forethought and is hoped to alleviate the traffic congestion that has plagued the Boston area since the invention of the automobile. The project incorporates a major underground highway system, a revolutionary cable-stayed bridge, and a series of impressive tunnel crossings, each a considerable feat on their own, all constructed in the midst of a bustling city. The idea for a Central Artery through Boston has been talked about since a 1909 special commission determined that a 100-foot wide road should be built through the center of downtown Boston. Little was done with the project until the 1940Ï€s when Boston city planners saw on the horizon a tremendous proliferation of automobiles and decided something must be done. The Massachusetts Department of Public Works eventually came up with a plan that called for an elevated highway 1.5 miles long through the heart of downtown Boston, accompanied by an Inner Belt that wrapped around downtown Boston to the west. In 1948 City and State officials approved a master plan, construction commenced in 1950. As soon as construction had started it became quite clear that the supposedly revolutionary highway had major flaws. The roadway devoured and divided neighborhoods, cut off the city from waterfront, and created confusing traffic situations below. In 1954, it was decided to sink the rest of the roadway underground. Once completed the artery was able to handle about 75,000 vehicles a day. However, a lack of breakdown lanes, an abundance of on and off ramps, and numerous sharp curves makes the artery a treacherous drive. Residents were so unhappy with the Central Artery that officials decided not to build the Inner Belt. That meant that the Central Artery had to handle all of the traffic that was meant to be split between the two. This only exacerbated the existing problems. By the 1980Ï€s conditions on the road had worsened so much that officials were forced to once again step in. Toda the Central Artery carries 190,000 vehicles a day. It has an accident rate four times the national average for urban highways, and is backed up bumper-to-bumper six to eight hours a day.

Diversity in the Newsroom Essay -- Journalism Ethics

Ethics in Journalism: Diversity in newsrooms not a trend in the new millennium My interest in the lack of diversity in newsrooms across the United States began while I was enrolled in an ethics course in the journalism department, this semester. I hadn’t realized until this semester that diversity was integral to good, accurate, and fair reporting, and that it is also widely lacking in newsrooms. While the subject of diversity was only discussed over a few class sessions, it became a noticeably important issue for me, especially as I am an aspiring journalist. As a top editor at the Massachusetts Daily Collegian, a student-run newspaper at the University of Massachusetts that has almost no minority representation in the newsroom, I’m realizing that the problem is increasingly important, yet increasingly ignored. Diversity in the newsroom is an important issue in corporate-owned newspapers, private-owned newspapers, and at university and college newspapers. Statistics show that diversity in newsrooms is especially low for the years proceeding 2006, and, in some cases, is declining. Similarly, while many editors endorse diversity and believe that a representative newsroom provides fair and accurate reporting, statistics show that diversity is not an important priority for newsrooms. Though many newspapers are working towards diversity goals, the minimal progress that is being made in some places is especially slow, and not enough newspapers are taking part. The percentage of diversity representation in the newsroom has an effect on credibility. Without a significant representation of reporters who come from diverse backgrounds equal to the percentage of minority readers, information and content have a Page 2 2... ... Nov 2006. (copied in ethics class course pack). Heyboer, Kelly. â€Å"Losing Ground.† American Journalism Review. 2001 June. p. 43 (copied in ethics class course pack). â€Å"The Lackluster Racial Record of University Student Newspapers.† Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. No. 2 (Winter 1993), p. 28. JSTOR. 28 Nov 2006. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=10773711%28199324%2F199424%290%3A2%3C28% 3ATLRROU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-1> Hold the Presses! Blacks Now Making Gains on Editorial Boards of Student Newspapers. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 18 (Winter, 1997-1998), pp. 33-34. JSTOR. 29 Nov 2006. 3711%28199724%2F199824%290%3A18%3C33%3AHTPBNM%3E2.0.CO%3B2- 8> Tobar, Hector. â€Å"Attempting to Bridge the Divide.† Nieman Reports. Fall 2006. Diversity in the Newsroom Essay -- Journalism Ethics Ethics in Journalism: Diversity in newsrooms not a trend in the new millennium My interest in the lack of diversity in newsrooms across the United States began while I was enrolled in an ethics course in the journalism department, this semester. I hadn’t realized until this semester that diversity was integral to good, accurate, and fair reporting, and that it is also widely lacking in newsrooms. While the subject of diversity was only discussed over a few class sessions, it became a noticeably important issue for me, especially as I am an aspiring journalist. As a top editor at the Massachusetts Daily Collegian, a student-run newspaper at the University of Massachusetts that has almost no minority representation in the newsroom, I’m realizing that the problem is increasingly important, yet increasingly ignored. Diversity in the newsroom is an important issue in corporate-owned newspapers, private-owned newspapers, and at university and college newspapers. Statistics show that diversity in newsrooms is especially low for the years proceeding 2006, and, in some cases, is declining. Similarly, while many editors endorse diversity and believe that a representative newsroom provides fair and accurate reporting, statistics show that diversity is not an important priority for newsrooms. Though many newspapers are working towards diversity goals, the minimal progress that is being made in some places is especially slow, and not enough newspapers are taking part. The percentage of diversity representation in the newsroom has an effect on credibility. Without a significant representation of reporters who come from diverse backgrounds equal to the percentage of minority readers, information and content have a Page 2 2... ... Nov 2006. (copied in ethics class course pack). Heyboer, Kelly. â€Å"Losing Ground.† American Journalism Review. 2001 June. p. 43 (copied in ethics class course pack). â€Å"The Lackluster Racial Record of University Student Newspapers.† Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. No. 2 (Winter 1993), p. 28. JSTOR. 28 Nov 2006. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=10773711%28199324%2F199424%290%3A2%3C28% 3ATLRROU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-1> Hold the Presses! Blacks Now Making Gains on Editorial Boards of Student Newspapers. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 18 (Winter, 1997-1998), pp. 33-34. JSTOR. 29 Nov 2006. 3711%28199724%2F199824%290%3A18%3C33%3AHTPBNM%3E2.0.CO%3B2- 8> Tobar, Hector. â€Å"Attempting to Bridge the Divide.† Nieman Reports. Fall 2006.