Night World : The Chosen Chapter 14

The first person Rashel met in the mansion was Ivan. It was sheer dumb luck, the same luck that had helped keep her alive so far tonight. She slipped in the back door, the way she and the girls had gone out. Standing in the huge silent kitchen, she listened for an instant to the music that was still blasting from the inner house. Then she swiveled to check the cellar-and met Ivan the Terrible running up the stairs. He had clearly just discovered that his twenty-four valuable slave girls were missing. His blond hair was flying, his eyes were wide with alarm, his mouth was twisted. He had the taser in one hand and a bunch of plastic handcuffs-the kind police use on rioters-in the other. When Rashel suddenly appeared on the stairway, his eyes flew open even wider. His mouth opened in astonishment-and then Rashel's foot impacted with his forehead. The snap kick knocked him backward, and he tumbled down the stairs to hit the wooden door below. Rashel leaped after him, making it to the bottom only a second after he did. But he was already out. â€Å"What are these? Were you supposed to take some girls up?† She kicked at the plastic handcuffs. Ivan the Unconscious didn't answer. She glanced at her watch. Only a quarter to nine. Maybe he'd been taking the girls to get washed or something. It seemed too early to start the feast. Running noiselessly back up the stairs, she quietly closed the door. Now she had to follow the music. She needed to see where the vampires were, how they were situated, how she could best get at them. She wondered where Lily was. The kitchen opened into a grand dining room with an enormous built-in sideboard. It had undoubtedly been made to accommodate whole suckling pigs or something, but Rashel had a dreadful vision of a girl lying on that coffinlike mahogany shelf, hands tied behind her, while vampire after vampire stopped by to have a snack. She pushed the idea out of her mind and moved silently across the floorboards. The dining room led to a hall, and it was from the end of the hallway that music was coming. Rashel slipped into the dimly lit hall like a shadow, moving closer and closer to the doors there. The last door was the only one that showed light. That one, she thought. Before she could get near it, a figure blocked the light. Instantly Rashel darted through the nearest doorway. She held her breath, standing in the darkened room, watching the hall. If only one or two vampires came out, she could pick them off. But nobody came out and she realized it must have just been someone passing in front of the light. At the same moment she realized that the music was very loud. This wasn't another room-it was the same room. She was in one gigantic double parlor, with a huge wooden screen breaking it up into two separate spaces. The screen was solid, but carved into a lacy pattern that let flickering light through. Rashel thrust her knife in her waistband, then crept to the screen and applied her eye. A spacious room, very masculine, paneled like the dining room in mahogany and floored in cherry parquet. Glass brick windows-opaque. All Rashel's worry about somebody looking out had been for nothing. A fire burned in a massive fireplace, the light bringing out the ruddy tones in the wood. The whole room looked red and secret. And there they were. The vampires for the bloodfeast. Seven of the most powerful made vampires in the world, Fayth had said. Rashel counted heads swiftly. Yes, seven. No Lily. â€Å"You boys don't look that scary,† she murmured. That was one thing about made vampires. Unlike the lamia, who could stop aging-or start againwhenever they wanted, made vampires were stuck. And since the process of turning a human body into a vampire body was incredibly difficult, only a young human could survive it. Try to turn somebody over twenty into a vampire and they would burn out. Fry. Die. The result was that all made vampires were stuck as teenagers. What Rashel was looking at could have been the cast for some new TV soap about friends. Seven teenage guys, different sizes, different colors, but all Hollywood handsome, and all dressed to kill. They could have been talking and laughing about a fishing trip or a school dance†¦ except for their eyes. That was what gave them away, Rashel thought. The eyes showed a depth no high school guy could ever have. An experience, an intelligence†¦ and a coldness. Some of these teenagers were undoubtedly hundreds of years old, maybe thousands. All of them were absolutely deadly. Or else they wouldn't be here. They each expected to kill three innocent girls starting at midnight. These thoughts flashed through Rashel's mind in a matter of seconds. She had already decided on the best way to plunge into the room and start the attack. But one thing kept her from doing it. There were only seven vampires. And the eighth was the one she wanted. The client. The one who'd hired Quinn and set up the feast. Maybe it was one of these. Maybe that tall one with the dark skin and the look of authority. Or the silvery blond with the odd smile†¦. No. Nobody really looks like a host. I think it's the one who's still missing. But maybe she couldn't afford to wait. They might hear the powerboats leaving over the steady pounding of the music. Maybe she should just†¦ Something grabbed her from behind. This time she had no warning. And she wasn't surprised anymore. Her opinion of herself as a warrior had plummeted. She intended to fight, though. She went limp to loosen the grip, then reached between her own legs to grab her attacker's ankle. A jerk up would throw him off balance†¦. Don't do it. I don't want to have to stun you, but I will. Quinn. She recognized the mental voice, and the hand clamped across her mouth. And both the telepathy and the skin contact were having an effect on her. It wasn't like before; no lightning bolts, no explosions. But she was overwhelmed with a sense of Quinn. She seemed to feel his mind-and the feeling was one of drowning in dark chaos. A storm that seemed just as likely to kill Quinn as anyone else. He lifted her cleanly and backed out of the room with her, into the hall, then up a flight of stairs. Rashel didn't fight. She tried to clear her head and wait for an opportunity. By the time he'd pulled her into an upstairs room and shut the door, she realized that there wasn't going to be an opportunity. He was just too strong, and he could stun her telepathically the instant she moved to get away. The tables had turned. There was nothing to do now but hope that she could face death as calmly as he had. At least, she thought, it would put a stop to her confusion. He let go of her and she slowly turned to look at him. What she saw sent chills between her shoulder blades. His eyes were as dark and chaotic as the clouds she'd sensed in his mind. It was scarier than the cold hunger she'd seen in the eyes of the seven guys downstairs. Then he smiled. A smile that shed rainbows. Rashel pressed her back against the wall and tried to brace herself. â€Å"Give me the knife.† She simply looked at him. He pulled it out of her waistband and tossed it on the bed. â€Å"I don't like being knocked out,† he said. â€Å"I don't know why, but something about it really bothers me.† â€Å"Quinn, just get it over with.† â€Å"And it took me a while to get myself untied. Every time I meet you, I seem to end up hog-tied and unconscious. It's getting monotonous.† â€Å"Quinn†¦ you're a vampire. I'm a vampire hunter. Do what you have to.† â€Å"We're also always threatening each other. Have you noticed that? Of course, everything we keep saying is true. It is kill or be killed. And you've killed a lot of my people, Rashel the Cat.† â€Å"And you've killed a lot of mine, John Quinn.† He glanced away, looking into a middle distance. His pupils were enormous. â€Å"Less than you might think, actually. I don't usually kill to feed. But, yes, I've done enough. I said before, I know what you think of me.† Rashel said nothing. She was frightened and confused and had been under strain for quite a long time. She felt that at any moment she could snap. â€Å"We belong to two different races, races that hate each other. There's no way to get around that.† He turned his dark eyes back on her and gave her a brilliant smile. â€Å"Unless, of course, we change it.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"I'm going to make you a vampire.† Something inside Rashel seemed to give way and fall. She felt as if her legs might collapse. He couldn't mean it, he couldn't be serious. But he was. She could tell. There was a kind of surface serenity pasted over the dark roiling clouds in his eyes. So this was how he'd solved an unsolvable problem. He had snapped. Rashel whispered, â€Å"You know you can't do that.† â€Å"I know I can do that. It's very simple, actually- all we have to do is exchange blood. And it's the only way.† He took hold of her arms just above the elbow. â€Å"Don't you understand? As long as you're human, Night World law says you have to die if I love you.† Rashel stood stricken. Quinn had stopped short, as if he were startled himself by what he'd said. Then he gave an odd laugh and shook his head. â€Å"If I love you,† he repeated. â€Å"And that's the problem, of course. I do love you.† Rashel leaned against the wall for support. She couldn't think anymore. She couldn't even breathe properly. And somewhere deep inside her there was a trembling that wouldn't stop. â€Å"I've loved you from that first night, Rashel the Cat. I didn't want to admit it, but it was true.† He was still gripping her tightly by the arms, leaning close to her, but his eyes were distant, lost in the past. â€Å"I'd never met a human like you,† he said softly, as if remembering. â€Å"You were strong, you weren't weak and pathetic. You weren't looking for your own destruction. But you were going to let me go. Strength and compassion. And†¦ honor. Of course I loved you.† His dark eyes focused again. He looked at her sharply. â€Å"I'd have been crazy not to.† Falling into darkness†¦ Rashel had a terrifying desire to simply collapse in his arms. Give in. He was so strangely beautiful, and the power of his personality was overwhelming. And of course she loved him, too. That was suddenly excruciatingly clear. Undeniable. From the beginning he had struck a chord in her that no one else had ever touched. He was so much like her-a hunter, a fighter. But he had honor, too. However he might try to deny it or get around it, deep inside him there was still honor. And like her, he knew the dark side of life, the pain, the violence. They had both seen-and done-things that normal people wouldn't understand. She was supposed to hate him†¦ but from the beginning she'd seen herself in him. She had felt the bond, the connection between them†¦. Rashel shook her head. â€Å"No!† She had to stop thinking these things. She would not surrender to the darkness. â€Å"You can't stop me, you know,† Quinn said softly. â€Å"That ought to make things easier for you. You don't even have to make a decision. It's all my fault. I'm very, very bad, and I'm going to make you a vampire.† Somehow that gave Rashel her voice back. â€Å"How can you do that-to someone you love?† she spat. â€Å"Because I don't want you dead! Because as long as you're human, you're going to get yourself killed!† He put his face close to hers, their foreheads almost touching. â€Å"I will not let you kill yourself,† he said through his teeth. â€Å"If you make me a vampire, I will kill myself,† Rashel said. Her mind had cleared. However much she wanted to give in, however enticing the darkness might be, it all disappeared when she thought of how it would end. She would be a vampire. She'd be driven by bloodlust to do things that would horrify her right now. And she'd undoubtedly find excuses for doing them. She would become a monster. Quinn was looking shaken. She'd scared him, she could see it in his eyes. â€Å"You'll feel differently once it's done,† he said. â€Å"No. Listen to me, Quinn.† She kept her eyes on his, looking deep, trying to let him see the truth of what she was saying. â€Å"If you make me a vampire, the moment I wake up I'll stab myself with my own knife. Do you think I'm not brave enough?† â€Å"You're too brave; that's your problem.† He was faltering. The surface serenity was breaking up. But that wasn't really helpful, Rashel realized, because underneath it was an agony of desperate confusion. Quinn really couldn't see any other solution. Rashel couldn't see any herself-except that she didn't really expect to survive tonight. Quinn's face hardened, and she could see him pushing away doubts. â€Å"You'll get used to it,† he said harshly, his voice grating. â€Å"You'll see. Let's start now,† he added. And then he bit her. He was so fast. Unbelievably fast. He caught her jaw and tilted her head back and to the side-not roughly but with an irresistible control and precision. Then before Rashel had time to scream, she felt a hot sting. She felt teeth, vampire teeth, extended to an impossible delicacy and sharpness, pierce her flesh. This is it. This is death. Panic flooded her. But it wasn't death, of course-not yet. She wouldn't even be changed into a vampire by a single exchange of blood. No, instead it would be slow torture†¦ days of agony†¦ pain†¦. She kept waiting for the pain. Instead she felt a strange warmth and languor. Was he actually drinking her blood? All she could sense was Quinn's mouth nuzzling at her neck, his arms around her tightly. And†¦ His mind. It happened all at once. In a sudden silent explosion, white light engulfed her. It burst around her. She was floating in it. Quinn was floating in it. It was shining around them and through them, and she could feel a connection with Quinn that made their last connection seem like a faulty telephone line. She knew him. She could see him, his soul, whatever you wanted to call it, whatever it was that made him John Quinn. They seemed to be floating together in some other space, in a naked white light that revealed everything and mercilessly lit up all the most secret places. And if anyone had asked her, Rashel would have said that would be horrible, and she would have run for her life to get away from it. But it wasn't horrible. She could see dreadful dark bits in Quinn's mind, and dreadful dark bits in hers. Tangled, thorny, scary parts, full of anger and hate. But there were so many other parts-some of them almost unused-that were beautiful and strong and whole. There was so much potential. Rainbow places that were aching to grow. Other parts that seemed to quiver with light, desperate to be awakened. We ask so little of ourselves, Rashel thought in wonder. If everybody's like this-we stunt ourselves so badly. We could be so much more†¦. I don't want you to be more. You ‘re amazing enough the way you are. It was Quinn. Not even his voice, just-Quinn. His thoughts. And Rashel knew her thoughts flowed to him without her even making an effort. You know what I mean. Isn't this strange? Does this always happen with vampires? Nothing like this has ever happened to me in my life, Quinn said. What he felt was even more, and Rashel could sense it directly, in a dizzying sweet wave. There was an understanding between them that ran deeper than any words could convey. Whatever was happening to them, however they had gotten to this place, one thing was obvious. Under the white light that revealed their inner selves, it was clear that small differences like being vampire or human didn't matter. They were both just people. John Quinn and Rashel Jordan. People who were stumbling through life trying to deal with the hurt. Because there was hurt. There was pain in the landscape of Quinn's mind. Rashel sensed it without words or even images; she could feel the feelings that had scarred Quinn. Your father did something-he killed Dove? Oh, John. Oh, John, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. Rainbow lights shimmered when she called him John. It was the part of him that he had repressed the most ruthlessly. The part that she could almost feel growing in her presence. No wonder you hated humans. After everything you'd ken through, to have your own father want you dead†¦ And no wonder you hated vampires. They killed someone dose to you-your mother? And you were so young. I'm†¦ sorry. He wasn't as easy with words as she was, but here they didn't need words. She could sense his sorrow, his shame, and his fierce protectiveness. And she could sense the emotion behind his next question. Who did it? I don't know. I'll probably never know. Rashel didn't want to pursue it. She didn't want to feed the dark side of Quinn; she wanted to see more of the shimmering light. She wanted to make the light grow until the dark disappeared. Rashel, that may not be possible. Quinn's thought wasn't bitter; it was serious and gentle. Tinged with infinite regret. I may not be able to become anything better- Of course you can. We all can. Rashel cut him off with absolute determination. She could feel the bone-deep cold that had set into him years ago, that he'd allowed to set in. I won't let you be cold, she told him, and she went for a romp in his mind, kissing things and blowing warmth into them, thinking sunlight and comfort everywhere. Please stop; I think you're killing me. Quinn's thought was shaky-half serious and half hysterical, like the helpless gasp of somebody being tickled to death. Rashel's whole being was singing with elation. She was young-how strange that she had never really felt young until now-and she was in love and stronger than she had ever been before. She had John Quinn the vampire squirming and semi-hysterical. She was unstoppable. Anything was possible. I'll make everything be right, she told Quinn, and she was happy to see that she'd driven his doubt and his sadness away, at least for the moment. Do you really want me to stop? No. Quinn sounded dazed now-and bemused. I've decided I'll enjoy dying this way. But†¦ Rashel couldn't follow the rest of his thought, but she felt a new coldness, something like a wind from outside. Outside. She'd forgotten there was an outside. In here, in the private cocoon of their minds, there was nothing but her and Quinn. It was almost as if nothing else existed. But†¦ There was a whole world out there. Other people. Things happening. Things Rashel had to stop†¦. â€Å"Oh, God, Quinn-the vampires.†

Tcs Environmental Policy

Environmental Policy of TCS Commitment to the environment stems from the Tata Group’s abiding concern for the environment and society, which is embodied in the Tata Code of Conduct. The Tata Group considers climate change to be the greatest threat affecting economic stability, vulnerable communities and the society at large. The Tata Group’s Climate Change Policy mandates that all group companies assume leadership roles in climate change mitigation in the pursuit of business aspirations and enhancement of shareholder value.In the business of providing IT services, business solutions and outsourcing. Our environmental impacts result from our business operations globally and through the services and solutions that we provide our customers with. True to the Tata spirit, TCS regards climate change mitigation and environmental improvement as essential features of its sustainable business philosophy.We are committed to continuously benchmarking and enhancing our own environme ntal performance through the reduction of our carbon and ecological footprints with the involvement of our business associates and partners, thereby  striving to be leaders in our industry sector. Through our services and solutions, we endeavor to help customers improve their environmental performance toward their sustainability objectives.Aim to fulfill  our environmental commitments through the following broad-level actions: * Integrate energy and environmental considerations in the design of new infrastructural facilities * Improve resource efficiency in operations, especially for key resources such as energy and water * Adopt the â€Å"3-R† (reduce, reuse and recycle) philosophy for all types of wastes toward prevention of pollution and dispose of â€Å"inevitable† wastes, especially electronic waste, in line with regulatory requirements or industry best practices * Promote â€Å"green procurement† to the maximum extent possible * Consider stakeholder ex pectations on our environmental performance in the design of infrastructure, operations, processes and solutions to the extent feasible *Set, monitor and review objectives and targets on an ongoing basis toward achieving continuous improvement in environmental performance and the overall environmental management system * Remain committed to complying with all the applicable environmental and related legal and other requirements and, wherever feasible, enhance the prescribed standards in all the countries that we perate out of * Continue public reporting of our environmental performance and our contribution to climate change-related issues through relevant national and international forums and to other stakeholders through appropriate communication channels * Communicate the environmental policy to all employees, business associates and other stakeholders and ensure that the policy is available to the public *Review the environmental policy and allied management systems periodically to ensure their continuing applicability and relevance to our operations and evolving stakeholder expectations * Strive to support various voluntary national and international protocols, conventions and agreements on environment protection and proactively engage with governmental and other agencies in driving future environmental policy and regulation At TCS, concern for the environment is integral to our business strategy toward sustainability, and we shall strive to fulfill all our environmental obligations and commitments toward being responsible global corporate citizens.TCS embodies the Tata group’s philosophy of building strong sustainable businesses that are firmly rooted in the community and demonstrate care for the environment. The elements that make for strong corporate sustainability at TCS include the following: * A fair, transparent and value-driven corporate governance * A strong strategy for longer-term business growth * Best-in-class HR processes * Initiatives for community betterment * Our stewardship of the environment Green Procurement PolicyAs a part of  the ongoing commitment to improve the environment, this policy seeks to reduce the environment impacts of our operations and promote sustainable development by the integration of environment performance considerations in the procurement process. committed  to the  integration of environment performance considerations in the procurement process including planning, acquisition, use and disposal. TCS is committed to considering the environmental aspects, potential impacts  and costs, associated with the life cycle assessment of goods and services being acquired. This calls for conscious efforts across TCS in the following areas: 1.Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: TCS is committed to reducing resource consumption and minimizing waste while considering the life-cycle costs of products. We seek to implement the hierarchy of preference to reduce, reuse and recycle resources throughout the procurement activity. 2. Buy Recycled: We are committed to buying recycled/part-recycled products to optimize consumption and stimulate demand for recycled products, promoting the collection and reprocessing of waste and working toward zero discharge to the landfill. 3. â€Å"Green† the Supply Chain: We hope to maximize the benefits by encouraging  our supplier/vendors to adopt TCS' environment practices.We endeavor to undertake procurement activities with suppliers who share TCS' values. We will actively promote the green procurement policy  throughout  our supply chain to ensure selection  that has minimum environmental impact. Green Procurement Green procurement or environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) is the practice of procuring products and services that are less harmful to the environment (land, air and water) and all species including humans that depend on environment for survival. Green products are those that are made with less harmful materials or wh ich when produced or  used/consumed would have a minimal impact  on the environment.Listed below are a few ways through which we aim to integrate the green procurement policy with the TCS environment policy. 1. TCS shall encourage and prefer eco-friendly products, which are more power efficient. 2. TCS shall prefer to purchase from a source  that is less polluting or uses clean technology. 3. TCS shall encourage and prefer vendors who use recycled packaging material. The possibilities of further reuse and/or recycling shall be explored with the user or the administration department. 4. For software products, as far as possible and to the extent feasible, the preferred mode of delivery shall be through the electronic method (download). A server is proposed to be deployed  that would host the most commonly required software.Instead of burning CDs, secured access would be made available to the respective project team to download the product from this common server. 5. The IPD  shall make efforts to recycle material from old sites to the practically possible extent. Focus Areas * Promoting procurement from Energy Star Partners * Procurement of low-energy consumption desktop configuration * Procurement of laser printers with GREEN functionality * Procurement of servers with low voltage CPUs and low-wattage storages * Procurement of server racks with efficient cooling systems * Eco-friendly procurement considerations for infrastructure and development * Eco-friendly procurement considerations for consumables   WASTE REDUCTION POLICYAt TCS, they are committed to reducing the environmental impact of  our operations through appropriate ongoing material management. This calls for a conscious effort across TCS in the following areas: Reduction of waste at source:  All delivery centers and offices must manage operations to reduce the quantity or toxicity of waste produced. Such measures include, but are not limited to the following: * Printing reports and documents, whenever possible, on both sides of the paper * Updating mailing and distribution lists periodically to avoid overrun; use of e-mail whenever appropriate * Giving preferential purchasing consideration to products that are reusable, refillable, repairable, more durable, less toxic, recyclable and which avoid excess packaging.Reuse of material wherever possible:  All products and materials must be reused wherever possible. * Recycling:  It is the responsibility of every associate to separate identified recyclable materials and place them in appropriate recycling containers. Office paper, corrugated cardboard and aluminum beverage cans must always be recycled in the appropriately marked container. Other materials are to be recycled whenever feasible and wherever containers are provided. Reuse is preferable to recycling. * Purchasing products with recycled content:  All offices across TCS must purchase and use products manufactured from recycled materials whenever feasi ble. In particular, recycled paper products must be used.It is important that all recycled purchases be reported to the Admin/Purchase Department across TCS for record keeping and reporting purposes In addition to the specific efforts mentioned above, all delivery centers and offices are encouraged to designate one associate as a Recycling Monitor who will serve as liaison to Head – Health Safety Environment. TCS E-Waste Management Policy Tata Consultancy Services, being an IT-centric organization, contributes  majorly to global electronic waste. Reaffirming our commitment to environmental protection, and in accordance with the stringent standards we set ourselves, the eWaste Management Policy reflects our objectives and practices toward this end.

Storm Born Chapter Six

I turned the light back on. â€Å"Hey, Volusian, how's it going?† He stepped forward, blinking with annoyance at the light, just as I'd known he would. He was shorter than me, very solid and humanoid in shape, which indicated a fair amount of power. He had smooth, almost shiny black skin and those narrow red eyes that always unnerved me a little. His ears had a slight point to them. â€Å"I am the same as always, mistress.† â€Å"You know, you never ask how I am. That hurts.† He answered my lazy smile with a long-suffering scowl. â€Å"That is because you are also always the same. You smell of life and blood and sex. And violets. You are a painful reminder of all the things I once was and all the things I will never be again.† He paused thoughtfully. â€Å"Actually, the scent of sex is stronger than usual. My mistress has been†¦busy.† â€Å"Did you just make a joke?† I said this partially to deflect the sex issue but also to keep teasing him. Volusian was about as damned as a soul could be. I didn't know what he'd done when alive, but it had been evil enough that someone had cursed him from ever entering the world of the dead. His soul would never find any peace. So he had haunted my world and the Otherworld until I'd discovered him tormenting a suburban family. He was so powerful, as was his curse, that I had not been strong enough to destroy him and send him on. The best I could have done was cast him to the Otherworld, but I had no guarantees he wouldn't return. So I'd done the next best thing I could: I'd enslaved him. He was bound to me until I released him or lost control. This way, I dictated his actions. I usually kept him in the Otherworld until I needed him. Teasing him was a way to project confidence in my control, like I wasn't worried at all. I couldn't show any weakness with him. He had made it perfectly clear a number of times that he would kill me horrifically if he ever broke free. He didn't respond to my last comment. He simply stared. He was only obligated to answer direct questions. â€Å"I need some advice.† â€Å"I do as my mistress commands.† There was an implied until I can choke the breath from her body at the end of that seemingly subservient statement. â€Å"I'm going to be crossing over into the Otherworld soon. Physically.† That almost surprised him. Almost. â€Å"My mistress is foolish.† â€Å"Thanks. I have to find a human girl that some horny gentry abducted.† He reconsidered. â€Å"My mistress is brave and foolish.† â€Å"She was taken by a guy named Aeson. Do you know him?† â€Å"He is king of the Alder Land. Powerful. Very powerful.† â€Å"Stronger than me?† Volusian stayed silent, thinking. â€Å"Your powers do not diminish in the Otherworld, as some humans' do. Even so, he will still be at his full strength. It would be a close battle. Were you to fight him in this world, there would be no contest. He would be weaker by far.† â€Å"I don't think I can manage that. What about you guys? I'm going to bring you along. Will it help?† â€Å"I feared my mistress would say that. Yes, of course it will help. You know my binds force me to protect you, no matter how much angst it causes me.† â€Å"Aw, don't sound so glum. Think of it as job security.† â€Å"Make no mistake, mistress. I may protect you now, but as soon as I have the chance, I will rip the flesh from your body and tear your bones apart. I will ensure you suffer so gravely that you will beg me for death. Yet, even then, your soul will not find relief. I will torture it for all eternity.† He spoke in a flat tone, not as a threat, but simply as a statement of fact. Honestly, after my week of propositions, statements about my impending death were kind of a refreshing return to normality. â€Å"Looking forward to it, Volusian.† I yawned and sat on the bed. â€Å"Anything else constructive you've got to offer? In rescuing the girl, I mean.† â€Å"I suspect my mistress is too†¦set in her ways for my advice, but you could solicit help.† â€Å"Solicit it from whom? I don't have anyone else to go to.† â€Å"Not in this world you don't.† It took me a moment to get what he was saying. â€Å"No. No way. I'm not going to some gentry or spirit for help. Not like they'd give it anyway.† â€Å"I would not be so certain of that, mistress.† Gentry were petty and dishonest. They had no regard for anyone but themselves. No way would I appeal to one. No way would I trust one. Volusian watched me. When he saw I would not respond, he said: â€Å"It is as I thought. My mistress will not hear anything she doesn't want to. She is too stubborn.† â€Å"No, I'm not. I'm always open to things.† â€Å"As you say, mistress.† The look on his face somehow managed to be angelic and scream you fucking hypocrite all at the same time. â€Å"All right,† I said impatiently, â€Å"let's hear it.† â€Å"There is another king, Dorian, who rules the Oak Land. He and Aeson hate each other – in a polite-faced, political manner, of course.† â€Å"No surprise there. I'm surprised they aren't all turning on each other. That doesn't mean he'd help me.† â€Å"I believe Dorian would be very happy to see someone come and kill off Aeson. Especially if he did not have to actually do it himself. He might offer a great deal of assistance to see you do it.† â€Å"‘Might' being the operative word. So you're suggesting I just show up at his door and ask for help?† Volusian inclined his head in the affirmative. â€Å"Have I ever killed or cast out any of his people?† â€Å"Likely.† â€Å"Then I think it's ‘likely' he'd kill me the moment I set foot on his land. I can't imagine any gentry's keen on letting their biggest assassin in the door.† I wasn't touting ego in that statement. Much like Volusian's death threats, I simply stated a fact. I knew my own worth and reputation as far as the Otherworld was concerned. I mean, it wasn't like I was reaching genocide levels or anything; I just had more notches on my belt than most. â€Å"Dorian has†¦an odd sense of humor. It might amuse him to welcome an enemy like you. He would enjoy the sensation it would cause among others.† â€Å"So he uses me for entertainment and then kills me.† I couldn't believe Volusian was even suggesting a plan like this. He hated me, but he also knew me. If he hadn't had such a stick up his ass, I would have sworn he was messing with me. Yet, his bindings forced him to sincerely give the best of his counsel if I asked it. â€Å"If he gives you his word of hospitality, he is honor-bound to keep you safe.† â€Å"Since when do gentry keep their word? Or have honor?† Volusian regarded me carefully. â€Å"May I speak bluntly, mistress?† â€Å"As opposed to usual?† â€Å"Your hatred of the gentry blinds you to their true nature. You are also blind to the only thing that might let you escape this mad scheme alive – not that I would mind if you were torn to bloody shreds by Aeson's people. But whatever else you believe, one of the gentry will stake his life on his word. They keep their oaths better than humans.† I honestly didn't believe that. No matter how much I might need help with this, it wasn't worth it. I would not make a deal with the devil. â€Å"No. I won't do it.† Volusian gave a small shrug. â€Å"As my mistress wishes. It makes no difference if you speed your own death. I cannot die, after all.† I stared at him in exasperation. He stared back. Shaking my head, I stood up for another summoning. â€Å"Okay, if that's all, I'm gonna call the rest of the gang.† He hesitated. â€Å"May I†¦ask my mistress a question first?† I turned in surprise. Volusian was the epitome of don't-speak-until-spoken-to. He only answered what was asked of him. He did not seek out other information. This was new. Wow. What a week of earth-shattering events. â€Å"Sure, go ahead.† â€Å"You do not trust me.† â€Å"That's not a question, but no, I don't.† â€Å"Yet†¦you came to me for advice first. Before you spoke to the others. Why?† It was a good question. I was about to summon two other minions. I didn't trust them either, but they had more reason to show loyalty than Volusian. They did not describe my graphic death on a regular basis. â€Å"Because no matter what else you may be, you're smarter than they are.† I could have elaborated on that, but I didn't. That was really all there was to it. He thought about this for a long time. â€Å"My mistress is less foolish than she normally appears.† I think it was the closest he could come to thanking me for a compliment – or giving one. I took out the wand and summoned my other two spirits. I didn't bother with candles or darkness because these ones were easier to call – especially since I was technically only â€Å"requesting† one to come, not ordering him. The coldness and pressure came again, and then two other forms appeared. Volusian stepped back, arms crossed, not looking impressed. The two newcomers glanced around, taking note that I had gathered all of them. The three of them never interacted much in my viewing, but I always wondered if maybe they hung out for coffee or something in the Otherworld and made fun of me. Kind of like how people make fun of their boss after work during happy hour. Still affecting unconcerned, lazy control, I unwrapped a Milky Way and sat back on my bed again. Leaning against the wall, I surveyed my team. Nandi was less powerful than Volusian, so she had a less substantial form in this world. She appeared as a translucent, opalescent figure that seemed vaguely female in shape. Centuries ago, she had been a Zulu woman accused of witchcraft by her people. They had killed her and, like Volusian, cursed her from finding rest. Unlike Volusian's, I could break this curse and send her on to the land of death. I had encountered her haunting this world, more frightening than harmful, and bound her in service to me in exchange for eventual peace. I had demanded three years of loyalty, one of which she had fulfilled. When the other two were up, I would let her pass on. Whereas Volusian always seemed sullen and sarcastic, Nandi was always sad. She was the poster child for a lost soul. A real downer. Finn, however, was a different story. Of the three, only he looked happy to be here. He too was not powerful enough to have a solid form. He translated to this plane as small and glittering, barely there, much like how humans perceived Disney-type pixies. I had no claims on Finn. He had started hanging around because he found me entertaining. So he popped up from time to time, followed me, and would generally come when called. I had the power to force his service, but – even as much as I disliked all things from the Otherworld – I was hard-pressed to do so without provocation. I didn't entirely trust anyone who offered help so freely, but he had never given me reason to doubt him either. Indeed, he'd always been very helpful. I had no idea what his story was, if he too was a cursed spirit. I'd never pressed for the details. His shining body settled upon my dresser. â€Å"Hey, Odile, what's new? Why do you smell like sex? Did you get some? Why are we all here?† Too much exposure to my world and television had given him a better grasp of our slang than the others. I ignored the questions. â€Å"Hey, Finn, hey, Nandi.† The female spirit merely nodded in acknowledgment of the greeting. â€Å"So,† I said in my best boardroom voice, â€Å"I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here today.† None of them found that funny, so I just kept going. â€Å"Well, brace yourselves: I'm going to be paying you guys a visit. In the flesh. The real deal.† Nandi showed no reaction whatsoever. Finn leapt up in excitement. â€Å"Really? Truly? When? Now?† Nice to know someone appreciated me. I debriefed them, telling them the story. Volusian leaned against my wall, letting his body language convey to me what an utter waste of his time it was to have to hear this all again. Finn's enthusiasm diminished a little. â€Å"Oh. Well. That's ballsy but also kind of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Foolish,† said Nandi in her typically gloomy monotone. â€Å"It will end in despair. Dark, bitter despair. You will die, and I will never know peace. My suffering will be without end.† â€Å"Never thought I'd hear you two agree with Volusian.† Finn shrugged. â€Å"It is a good cause, honest. But you can't really just walk into Aeson's castle and take the girl. Not that I'm saying you aren't tough enough or anything. You'll just need a plan. A really good one. Yeah. What's your plan?† â€Å"Um, well†¦to walk into his castle and take the girl.† Volusian sighed loudly. It was hard to tell with those red slits, but I think he rolled his eyes. I shot him an angry glance. â€Å"Hey, it's a hell of a lot better than your plan. Would you like to share it with the rest of the class?† He did. When he finished, Finn said, â€Å"Now, that's a good plan.† I threw my hands up. â€Å"No, it's not. It's a horrible plan. I'm not asking one of the gentry for help.† â€Å"King Dorian might help you,† offered Nandi, â€Å"although his help would most likely only offer a brief flaring of hope, which would then make our ultimate defeat that much more tragic.† â€Å"Stop with the maudlin crap, Nandi.† I wished they made ghost Prozac. â€Å"Anyway, it's a moot point. We're taking on Aeson directly. End of discussion.† I gave them the time and location of our meeting spot, binding them to silence about the plan. I had to take it on faith that Finn wouldn't let the cat out of the bag, but once he'd reconciled himself to my possible demise, he seemed pretty stoked about the whole idea. â€Å"I have one more question for all of you before I release you. In the last week, three denizens from the Otherworld knew my name. What's going on? How many of them know who I am?† None of the spirits answered right away. Finally, in a voice that sounded like he couldn't believe I was asking, Finn said, â€Å"Why, everyone. Well, almost everyone. Everyone that counts. It's all they've been talking about for the last couple of weeks. Odile Dark Swan is Eugenie Markham. Eugenie is Odile.† I stared. â€Å"Everyone's been talking about this?† The three spirits nodded. â€Å"And none of you – none of you! – thought this was worth bringing to my attention?† More silence. Finally Nandi, compelled to answer any direct question, merely said, â€Å"You did not ask, mistress.† â€Å"Yes,† agreed Volusian dryly. â€Å"Had you summoned us and asked, ‘Is my name known in the Otherworld?' then we would have readily answered.† â€Å"Smartass.† â€Å"Thank you, mistress.† â€Å"It wasn't a compliment.† I ran a hand through my hair. â€Å"How did this happen?† â€Å"Maybe someone guessed,† said Finn. Volusian cut him a glance. â€Å"Do not be an even bigger fool than you already are.† The dark spirit turned back to me. â€Å"Not all creatures come to this world to fight you. Some may have spied. For someone quiet, discovering your identity would not have been so difficult.† â€Å"What are they saying, then? Are they all going to try to kill me?† â€Å"Some are,† said Finn. â€Å"But most of them are weak. You could probably take them in a fight.† â€Å"Unfortunately,† added Volusian. Great. This was not good news. Some part of me had been hoping only a few knew, but now it seemed my identity was the gossip du jour in the Otherworld. I wondered if it would be worthwhile to find a local witch and set wards around my house. I could also keep the spirits on permanent guard duty, but I didn't really know if my patience was up for large doses of their idiosyncrasies. â€Å"All right, then. Get out of here. Come back at the time we set up. Oh, and if any of you hear anything that might be useful about Aeson and the girl, come tell me. Do not wait until I explicitly ask you.† Those last words were a growl. Finn vanished instantly, but Nandi and Volusian watched me expectantly. I sighed. â€Å"By flesh and spirit, I release you from service until next I call. Depart to the next world in peace and do not return until my summons.† The spirits faded into nothing, and I was left alone.

Prevention of HIV among black African men under 30s in UK Essay

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Summary Essay Example for Free

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Summary Essay The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is often considered Twains greatest masterpiece. Combining his raw humor and startlingly mature material, Twain developed a novel that directly attacked many of the traditions the South held dear at the time of its publication. Huckleberry Finn is the main character, and through his eyes, the reader sees and judges the South, its faults, and its redeeming qualities. Hucks companion Jim, a runaway slave, provides friendship and protection while the two journey along the Mississippi on their raft. The novel opens with Huck telling his story. Briefly, he describes what he has experienced since, The Adventures ofTom Sawyer, which preceded this novel. After Huck and Tom discovered twelve thousand dollars in treasure, Judge Thatcher invested the money for them. Huck was adopted by the Widow Douglasand Miss Watson, both of whom took pains to raise him properly. Dissatisfied with his new life, and wishing for the simplicity he used to know, Huck runs away. Tom Sawyer searches him out and convinces him to return home by promising to start a band of robbers. All the local young boys join Toms band, using a hidden cave for their hideout and meeting place. However, many soon grow bored with their make-believe battles, and the band falls apart. Soon thereafter, Huck discovers footprints in the snow and recognizes them as his violent, abusive Paps. Huck realizes Pap, who Huck hasnt seen in a very long time, has returned to claim the money Huck found, and he quickly runs to Judge Thatcher to sell his share of the money for a consideration of a dollar. Pap catches Huck after leaving Judge Thatcher, forces him to hand over the dollar, and threatens to beat Huck if he ever goes to school again. Upon Paps return, Judge Thatcher and the Widow try to gain court custody of Huck, but a new judge in town refuses to separate Huck from his father. Pap steals Huck away from the Widows house and takes him to a log cabin. At first Huck enjoys the cabin life, but after receiving frequent beatings, he decides to escape. When Pap goes into town, Huck seizes the opportunity. He saws his way out of the log cabin, kills a pig, spreads the blood as if it were his own, takes a canoe, and floats downstream to Jacksons Island. Once there, he sets up camp and hides out. A few days after arriving on the island, Huck stumbles upon a still smoldering campfire. Although slightly frightened, Huck decides to seek out his fellow inhabitant. The next day, he discovers Miss Watsons slave, Jim, is living on the island. After overhearing the Widows plan to sell him to a slave trader, Jim ran away. Jim, along with the rest of the townspeople, thought Huck was dead and is frightened upon seeing him. Soon, the two share their escape stories and are happy to have a companion. While Huck and Jim live on the island, the river rises significantly. At one point, an entire house floats past them as they stand near the shore. Huck and Jim climb aboard to see what they can salvage and find a dead man lying in the corner of the house. Jim goes over to inspect the body and realizes it is Pap, Hucks father. Jim keeps this information a secret. Soon afterwards, Huck returns to the town disguised as a girl in order to gather some news. While talking with a woman, he learns that both Jim and Pap are suspects in his murder. The woman then tells Huck that she believes Jim is hiding out on Jacksons Island. Upon hearing her suspicions, Huck immediately returns to Jim and together they flee the island to avoid discovery. Using a large raft, they float downstream during the nights and hide along the shore during the days. In the middle of a strong thunderstorm, they see a steamboat that has crashed, and Huck convinces Jim to land on the boat. Together, they climb aboard and discover there are three thieves on the wreck, two of whom are debating whether to kill the third. Huck overhears this conversation, and he and Jim try to escape, only to find that their raft has come undone from its makeshift mooring. They manage to find the robbers skiff and immediately take off. Within a short time, they see the wrecked steamship floating downstream, far enough below the water-line to have drowned everyone on board. Subsequently, they reclaim their original raft, and continue down the river with both the raft and the canoe. As Jim and Huck continue floating downstream, they become close friends. Their goal is to reach Cairo, where they can take a steamship up the Ohio River and into the free states. However, during a dense fog, with Huck in the canoe and Jim in the raft, they are separated. When they find each other in the morning, it soon becomes clear that in the midst of the fog, they passed Cairo. A few nights later, a steamboat runs over the raft, and forces Huck and Jim to jump overboard. Again, they are separated as they swim for their lives. Huck finds the shore and is immediately surrounded by dogs. After managing to escape, he is invited to live with a family called the Grangerfords. At the Grangerford home, Huck is treated well and discovers that Jim is hiding in a nearby swamp. Everything is peaceful until an old family feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons is rekindled. Within one day all the men in the Grangerford family are killed, including Hucks new best friend, Buck. Amid the chaos, Huck runs back to Jim, and together they start downriver again. Further downstream, Huck rescues two humbugs known as the Duke and the King. Immediately, the two men take control of the raft and start to travel downstream, making money by cheating people in the various towns along the river. The Duke and the King develop a scam they call the Royal Nonesuch, which earns them over four hundred dollars. The scam involves getting all the men in the town to come to a show with promises of great entertainment. In the show, the King parades around naked for a few minutes. The men are too ashamed to admit to wasting their money, and tell everyone else that the show was phenomenal, thus making the following nights performance a success. On the third night, everyone returns plotting revenge, but the Duke and King manage to escape with all their ill gotten gains. Further downriver, the two con men learn about a large inheritance meant for three recently orphaned girls. To steal the money, the men pretend to be the girls British uncles. The girls are so happy to see their uncles that they do not realize they are being swindled. Meanwhile, the girls treat Huck so nicely that he vows to protect them from the con mens scheme. Huck sneaks into the Kings room and steals the large bag of gold from the inheritance. He hides the gold in Peter Wilkss (the girls father) coffin. Meanwhile, the humbugs spend their time liquidating the Wilks family property. At one point, Huck finds Mary Jane Wilks, the eldest of the girls, and sees that she is crying. He confesses the entire story to her. She is infuriated, but agrees to leave the house for a few days so Huck can escape. Right after Mary Jane leaves, the real Wilks uncles arrive in town. However, because they lost their baggage on their voyage, they are unable to prove their identities. Thus, the town lawyer gathers all four men to determine who is lying. The King and the Duke fake their roles so well that there is no way to determine the truth. Finally, one of the real uncles says his brother Peter had a tattoo on his chest and challenges the King to identify it. In order to determine the truth, the townspeople decide to exhume the body. Upon digging up the grave, the townspeople discover the missing money Huck hid in the coffin. In the ensuing chaos, Huck runs straight back to the raft and he and Jim push off into the river. The Duke and King also escape and catch up to rejoin the raft. Farther down the river, the King and Duke sell Jim into slavery, claiming he is a runaway slave from New Orleans. Huck decides to rescue Jim, and daringly walks up to the house where Jim is being kept. Luckily, the house is owned by none other than Tom Sawyers Aunt Sally. Huck immediately pretends to be Tom. When the real Tom arrives, he pretends to be his younger brother, Sid Sawyer. Together, he and Huck contrive a plan to help Jim escape from his prison, an outdoor shed. Tom, always the troublemaker, also makes Jims life difficult by putting snakes and spiders into his room. After a great deal of planning, the boys convince the town that a group of thieves is planning to steal Jim. That night, they collect Jim and start to run away. The local farmers follow them, shooting as they run after them. Huck, Jim, and Tom manage to escape, but Tom is shot in the leg. Huck returns to town to fetch a doctor, whom he sends to Tom and Jims hiding place. The doctor returns with Tom on a stretcher and Jim in chains. Jim is treated badly until the doctor describes how Jim helped him take care of the boy. When Tom awakens, he demands that they let Jim go free. At this point, Aunt Polly appears, having traveled all the way down the river. She realized something was very wrong after her sister wrote to her that both Tom and Sid had arrived. Aunt Polly tells them that Jim is indeed a free man, because the Widow had passed away and freed him in her will. Huck and Tom give Jim forty dollars for being such a good prisoner and letting them free him, while in fact he had been free for quite some time. After this revelation, Jim tells Huck to stop worrying about his Pap and reveals that the dead man in the floating house was in fact Hucks father. Aunt Sally offers to adopt Huck, but he refuses on the grounds that he had tried that sort of lifestyle once before, and it didnt suit him. Huck concludes the novel stating he would never have undertaken the task of writing out his story in a book, had he known it would take so long to complete.

Globalization And Global Warming

Globalization And Global Warming The Earth Hour launched by World Wildlife Fund since 2007 has entered its fourth year. This activity led the charge at first in Sydney, later the lineup expanded to countries around the world. However, after turning off the lights for one hour, what kind of awakening did people get? The symbolism of participating in this event is that despite the power of a few countries alone, people throughout the world must work together to solve the global warming problem. We live in a globalized world in which we obtain the prosperity and development. In this stunning development, however, the global warming or climate change problem hidden behind has seriously threatened the existence of the human environment. We must rely on the forces of globalization and the global joint efforts of people to tackle such a crisis and to safeguard the benefits of our next generations. Along with economic globalization, industrial production and free trade among countries in the world have developed to a very advanced stage; however, the damage to the environment, as well as the tremendous impact of climate change, makes us have to retake the great crisis of human existence lurking behind of the globalization into account. Nowadays, the atmosphere is gradually warming with the accumulation of the greenhouse gases (GHG), all kinds of climate change phenomenon such as droughts, floods, increasing temperatures and rising sea-levels bring impacts to the entire globe (Hallman, 2002). Chanda (2007) claimed that the connection between carbon-emitting economic growth and increasing trade and industrialization brought by globalization is unmistakable. In his article, he also pointed out that though globalization does not account for deforestation alone, it does become the conduit and accelerator for the forces which reduce the forest area. The news titled Globalization Is F ueling Global warming reported by Les Leopold (2007) also claimed that our world would continue to be chemically poisoned and globally warmed if the accelerating global trade was not limited sensibly. It also censured that the pro-globalization forces disregarded climate change and kept inculcating the advantages of free trade: falling prices, increased efficiency, shaking the country off poverty and achieving global wealth (Leopold, 2007). It is undeniable that commercial trade develops to enhance the peoples living standard, it is easier and more convenient to access to needed goods. However, if we do not take measures to protect the Earth, then, one day, we have no chance to enjoy the wealth because this land which we step on will perish. Climate change is not only closely linked with peoples daily routines, but also affect the production of peoples food, particularly the most common crops, rice and wheat food. If the bad weather causes crop failures, the worlds growing population will very likely suffers from famine. A news (December, 2009) from UN News centre reported that as Asias agriculture has been damaged by the climate change, 10 countries, held an UN-sponsored meeting in December 2009 in Hanoi, Vietnam to discuss how to maintain sustainable farming practices to meet the demand of the current population. According to the news, the World Meteorological Organization (MWO) recommended these countries to enhance indoor and urban agriculture to deal with the need of growing populations in Asian cities. While facing the increasingly severe climate change, this would certainly be a way to meet the needs of the population, but such a proposal is obviously a solution which demands substantial human and material resourc es. Moreover, among these countries, such as Vietnam, Afghanistan, Thailand are developing countries. Depending on their economic abilities may not be able to afford to set indoor and urban agriculture. In this case, if the rich countries can play the spirit of international mutual-assistance, funds will be injected into these developing countries to help them raise the level of agriculture and to save the threat of climate change to agriculture. Furthermore, a fact stated by Chanda (2007) is that the ozone hole has been partially mended by the effort of the Montreal Protocol in combating ozone depletion. This shows that if the states are willing to cooperate and contribute a force, it is possible to save the earth crisis. Nevertheless, the most critical work should be to reverse the phenomenon of climate change. The most important job to avoid the tragedy of the destruction of Earth is reducing GHG emissions to slow global warming rate. David G. Hallman (2007) argued that the global problem should not be equal responsibility of all people and a distinction between the luxury emissions of the rich and the survival emissions of the poor should be made. This is because the industrialized nations covering less than one-fifth of the worlds population were actually the main culprits for most of the GHG emission over the twentieth century. As he mentioned, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change had been adopted in the Rio Earth Summit 1992 and the negotiations had furthered another agreement requiring the industrialized countries to afford more precise aim of emission reduction. Although some campaigns which intended to convince the public and government of the downsides of gases reduction were mounte d in the western countries, dependable studies proved that enhancing energy efficiency brings advantages to ecological and economical aspects (Hallman, 2002). Besides, according to the negotiations, the industrialized nations could assist the developing countries in raising their manufacturing conditions, by increasing the energy-efficiency, to reduce emissions (Hallman, 2002). Therefore, those industrialized countries should make the best of their science and technology achievement to facilitate the emission reductions of other developing countries. Apart from this, when the communication and transportation are developed to promote links between people and increase access to information or goods, a potential consumption of resource and energy is caused. The suffering one is eventually the Earths ecological environment. An example taken from New York Times is China, which obtains an enormous economic growth, consequently consumes a large amount of fuel and power (Leopold, 2007). An ironic fact pointed out by Leopold (2007) is that while we import the high-efficiency light bulbs to save energy, the transportation results in the gain of carbon. Leopold hence proposed the next wave of green products to be made near to the product-using place; this not only creates homemade and green jobs, but also reduces global warming. It is worth noting while we think of using high-tech products to protect the environment, the transport strategy, manufacturing sites and other objective factors, to a certain extent, influence the green-environment al programs. Hence, we can deduce that not merely the national attitudes to environmental issues and their policy implementation are critical in dealing the global warming issue, but the consciousness of the entrepreneurs, business groups and individuals is also significant. Besides governments have leading powers on this issue of globalization while playing a role in international decision-making, the business groups and individuals also have to respond positively to the governmental policies on this global subject which has close relationship with the general public. Although many non-governmental organizations serve and contribute in this area, no power is more significant than those of the governments to fight against the problems (Chanda, 2007). Dahl (1998) also claimed that there is problem of values implanted in the institutional structures and the problem is aggravated by phenomena of rapid economic globalization, while the counterbalancing political structures have not kept pace and are losing their power over a globalizing world. Like he mentioned, the idea is that the social and environmental problems are the responsibilities of the government while businesses only account for businesses. This is incorrect because the Earth belongs to everyone . To protect it is not just of the countries and the government but the common task of all people. Actually, there is also an issue of global justice. Joseph E. Stiglitz (2006) indicated that the United States as the worlds biggest polluter had refused to sign the Kyoto agreement while the other developing countries had no commitments of reducing environmental pollution. He refuted some U.S. politicians opinion about reduction of emissions compromises the quality of American life, but also pointed out the inadequate point in the Kyoto Protocol, which is in line with national emission reductions relative to each nations level in 1990 (Stiglitz, 2006). There was conflict between the U.S and the developing countries. The U.S. refused to sign the protocol if the developing countries did not reduce emissions, while the developing countries consider unreasonable to allow them to pollute as much per capita as the U.S. (Stiglitz, 2006). Stiglitz (2006) hence put forward a proposal suggesting a global environmental tax on emissions, which requires the reduction level to equal the Kyoto tar get. This is an approach of everyone pays the social cost of their emissions. Actually, it is fair for those people who caused more damage to the Earth should contribute more forces in this case. They gain more benefits than others from business and industry, thus they should take greater responsibility to the environment. On the other hand, educating the public about the awareness to protect the earth and slow down the speed of climate change also becomes an important issue. We often say that a trend of the globalization is in the message transmission has reached the same speed of light for all around the world to receive messages. Therefore, we should use this advantage of globalization. In this era of information explosion, it is an easy task for a concept to spread around the world, so, the power of media to be should be made full use to spread the knowledge of protecting the earth and awake all people to show concern to the threat of global warming. In conclusion, under globalization, developed transport and communications are great achievements that they promote the trade prosperity and the exchange of the world, so there is large population mobility resulting in shrinking space and time. However, the climate change and global environmental issues have been serious threats to human survival. Climate change not only has implication on peoples daily life, but also affects one of the most basic needs of human life, the food production. Therefore, countries should help each other ride out the storm together. Many developing countries need the help of developed countries to achieve rapid economic development, so that they have enough technology to reduce emissions and help slow global warming problem. Developed countries with enormous wealth have become the biggest emissions culprits, so they should pay more efforts than the other developing countries to reduce emissions. In addition, global warming is not just the responsibility of the government, but all walks of life, all individuals should be concerned about it. Transport and communications should be developed as the benefits of globalization and provide a good channel to awaken people to care for the Earth. .