Monday, January 27, 2020
Studying New Age Tourism Potential In Kerala Tourism Essay
Studying New Age Tourism Potential In Kerala Tourism Essay Tourism seeks greener pastures for its growth and in this century every dimension of human culture has the potential to become a tourism product. Gauging the potential of variety, the products that are offered in new age tourism varied from alternative healing methodologies, avenues for aesthetic development, discourses by spiritual gurus and innovative tourism practices. This variety in tourism product resulted in the evolution of centres of attraction, which are almost three times more growth potential than the classic tourism market. Kerala is considered as the first State in India, which had initiated steps to exploit the emerging market of new age tourism and is now providing with wide and varied centres of attraction like aesthetic development, experiential and personalised self-development, and alternative approaches to health care. This study is of the view that there is a need for Certification of these New Centers of tourist attractions which will ensure quality of service provide and finally will boost tourism in Kerala. Introduction The history of tourism industry depicts a picture of exponential growth and increasing diversity. The number of activities and experiences that can be categorised as tourism has increased significantly and now every dimension of human culture has the potential to become a tourism product. It is rightly opined that tourism seeks for greener pastures to grow and expand. It uniquely celebrates differences in places and peoples to create novel experiences (Tejvir, 2004). Gauging the potential of variety, the products that are offered with new age tourism varied from alternative healing methodologies, avenues for aesthetic development, discourses by spiritual gurus and innovative tourism practices. This variety in tourism product resulted in the evolution of centres of attraction, which are almost three times more growth potential than the classic tourism market. Now tourist destinations are not seen as set of distinct natural, cultural, artistic and environmental resources but as an over all product, a complex and integrated package offered by a territory able to supply a holiday, which meets the varied needs of the tourist (Maria and Peter, 2006). The New Age faction has grown significantly since its emergence in the 1950s and 1960s (Dallen and Daniel, 2006). Originally, it was a counter-cultural movement, interacting with other counter-cultural movements of that time, such as the ecology, hippie, and commune movements. During the last decades, spiritual and esoteric methods have been popularized and commercialized by an expanding market of literature and workshops. This has made New Age a socially accepted phenomenon and it has thus lost much of its anti-modernist and culture-critical character. Objective of the study The main objective framed for this study is to analyse the available potential of tourism in Kerala vis-à -vis to the New Age Tourists. The other objectives are as follows To identify the basic motivations of tourists visiting Kerala. To analyze the socio-demographic profile and the image of the destination from the tourist perspective. To examine the activities undertaken by tourists and the usage of usage of tourism intermediaries and suppliers. Study Area The new age destinations are facing a challenge to manage and organize their resources in order to supply a holiday experience that must be equal to or better than the alternative destinations experiences on the market (Maria and Peter, 2006). Hence Kerala can be considered as the first State in India, which had initiated steps to exploit the emerging market of new age tourism. As is rightly opined by Professor Peter Cochrane Travel has long been with us. Virtual reality is well upon us. Experience is already being revealed in tourism to the extent that it may now be the key objective of todays traveler (Khan, 1997). It is this urge of the present day traveler which made the tourism authorities in Kerala to developed wide and varied centers of attraction like aesthetic development (Kalamandalam art, drama and music); experiential and personalised self-development, (courses on meditation, personal relationships and self knowledge and finally, courses on alternative approaches to heal th care (Ayurveda massage for body rejuvenation). Moreover, it can also be opined that the primary sector comprising of agricultural allied operations is stagnant and tourism is considered one of the alternative strategy that can be adopted to regenerate the economy especially in the rural area (Tribe, 1995). During the last decade, one can witness the development of tourist resorts where packages are provided where all the above amenities are clubbed together. The study area was restricted to Kovalam, Varkala, Guruvayoor, Vallikavu, Kumarakom and Munnar. Out of this Kovalam and Varkal are beach resorts, Munnar, the famous hill resort and Gurvayoor and Vallikavu are religious centers. Methodology Both primary and secondary data was used for the study. Through the primary survey, we tried to analyse the demographic profile, visitor motivation, activities indulged at the centre and duration of stay. Statistical tools like correlation analysis were used to analyse the expenditure pattern and duration of stay of these visitors. Results and Discussions Driven by a buoyant economy and increase in the purchasing power of the middle class population along with the rising interest towards oriental culture and values, one can witness an increasing shift of tourism traffic towards India. From the Figure 1.1, it is clear that the tourist flow to India is showing an increasing trend. Only the moths April to June can be considered as slump period while peal flow is observed during the tourist season October to February. * = Provisional                                           Source : Ministry of Tourism, GOI Likewise, only the off season period between April-May, one can observe a short fall in the tourist earnings. The efforts made by the Central government along with the sufficient support of various State Governments to make tourism a yearlong affair, can be clearly observed in the Figure 1.2 shown below. * = Provisional                                           Source : Ministry of Tourism, GOI Though with vast potential and diversity in the products that can be offered by India, yet it ranks only twenty-second. Hence, India was not able to harness its multiplier effects for employment and poverty eradication. The recent policy changes like liberalization in aviation sector, rationalization of tax rates in the hospitality sector, tourist friendly visa regime etc is imperative to boost the tourism sector in India. Tourism in Kerala Domestic tourist arrivals (excluding pilgrims) rose from 52.40 lakhs in 2001 to 59.46 lakhs in 2005. Thus in five years, annual growth rate for foreign and domestic tourist arrivals are respectively 13.27% and 2.69%. According to the study of World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) on tourism sector in the State, Travel and Tourism generates as much as 7.7% of GSP and 6.2% of total employment. Visitor exports (tourism receipts) are worked out as 14.3% of the total export of the State. Figure : 1.3. Earnings from Tourism Source : Economic Review, 2006. Figure 1.3 provides a clear insight into the earnings from Tourism between 2001 2005. It can be observed that the foreign exchange earnings during 2005 is Rs. 1552.31 Crores and the total earnings from the tourism sector is Rs. 7738 Crores. The Economic Review highlights that the Tourism sector employs around 10 Lakhs persons in the State. As per the estimates of World Tourism Organization (WTO), propelled by the tourism and business travel boom, India needs an additional 300,000 by the year 2020. When we analyzed the expansion plan of various tourist markets in India, it is observed that Kerala is considered as a potential tourist zone, yet the expansion plan should be further strengthened to accommodate the needs of the tourists. Figure 1.3 illustrates the new room supply expected to be included in the key tourist zones. Potential of Spiritual Tourism in Kerala It is the Greeks and the Romans who cultivated the quest of well being through Spiritual tourism. One can also observe that the followers of majority of the religions used to undertake spiritual journeys at least once in a year. It is rightly opined by Timothy Dallen that spiritual tourism as the oldest and now one of the fastest-growing segments in the travel industry. The new breed of spiritual travelers likes to enjoy spiritual enlightenment without giving up their comforts, which resulted in this being added as an important component of New Age Tourism (Greg, 2007). Various studies had pointed out that many thousands of tourists visit India for various types of spiritual interactions with diety or godman. Though there are reservations against comodifying religion and to put holy places into spot light for mass consumption and to make holy things unholy, yet one can observe that the lines between mass tourists and religious tourists are becoming increasingly blurred. Even spiritual tourism is seen by many government and tourism officials as a way to either diversifying or save struggling economies (Dallen and Daniel, 2006). There exist difference of opinion about whether spiritual tourism is related to escapism from the self to an entirely different environment that offers pure relaxation, or, an opportunity to renegotiate ones place in the world and relationships. In extreme cases, it might be about confrontation of the worlds darker side and human tragedy, a reminder of ones mortality and place in a universal cycle (Steiner and Reisinger, 2006). This kind of exploration arguably has philosophical and spiritual dimensions, which can make ones minor troubles, seem relatively insignificant. Katusuhiko Yazaki who is the Japanese mail-order multimillionaire opined that We cannot find true meaning in life by occupying spacious residences. At some point people will need to raise their desires to a higher level (Khan, 1997). His illusion is that we have material possessions but for fulfillment, we need something beyond them, which urged the present day traveler to undertake spiritual journeys of self-discover y. These spiritual journeys make the traveler feel that he is just a minute component in the massive super structure called Universe. The study observed that majority of the tourists selected for the study falls in the age group 35 45 and 45 55. It is surprising to note that in both the groups majority of them is from the female group rather than male. This can be attributed to male ego, which refrain them speaking aloud about their personal life or difficulties. The study also observed that there exists a positive correlation (+.73) between income and expenditure on spiritual journeys. Majority of the tourists are from the higher income group due to which there demand for quality in services is much higher than the others. The Gurus or Godmans are of the view that when the tourist (patient) feels confident and energetic without any negative side effects literally provides them the assurance that the treatment had achieved its ultimate objective. Potential of Health Tourism in Kerala From the Medieval Age one can trace the elements of health tourism like the scrupulous attention paid to well-being of Romans and Greeks (Melanie and Catherine, 2006) along with the development of seaside and spa tourism of the 18th and 19th century by the European elite which continues even now though at a much faster rate. The House of Lords opined that the proliferation of wellness centers, holistic retreats, spas, spiritual pilgrimages, and complementary and alternative therapies is unprecedented (House of Lords Report, 2000). Experts came forward with various theories to justify the sudden spurt in growth. Some of them are of the view that the anomie of the western capitalist societies, the breakdown of traditional religions and the fragmentation of the communities. Though the advancement made in the field of medical science had resulted in the development of curative care for major diseases, yet one can observe that the psychological and emotional problems of man are left untr eated. Depression is commonly cited as being one of the greatest disease burdens of the 21st century and suicide rates are rising, especially amongst young men (e.g., Mealanie Smith and Catherine Kelly 2005). This can be attributed to high pressure he should withstand in a performance related pay-package work environment. But the only viable solution that is left for the mankind is to indulge in Health Tourism. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, deals with both the preventive and curative aspects of health in a most comprehensive way. Besides contributing to maintenance of health, it also has a wide range of therapeutic measures to combat various illnesses. Though the art of Ayurveda had spread around in the 6th century BC to Tibet, China, Mongolia, Korea and Sri Lanka, yet one can witness in Kerala that this medical system is still being practised and perfected by the Kalari Gurukals who are considered as the master of the traditional martial art of Kerala Kalari. Vogue magazine once opined that Technology is destroying usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Nature has a remedy for every illness, an answer for every problem (Khan, 1999). It is from this view that the strength and growth of Ayurveda lies. Kerala is the only state in India, which can boast of making concerted efforts to promote health tourism in a big way, which has resulted in a substantial increase of visitor arrivals into the state. Kerala and ayurveda have virtually become synonymous with each other. The study observed that many of the health resorts are located in beach resorts like Kovalam and Varkala. Yet one can also observe that the serene hill resorts of Kerala also attract health tourists in sizeable numbers. Like all other form of tourism, Health Tourism also attracts mainly the affluent sections of the society. It is observed that both man and woman of various age groups are showing considerable interest in ayurveda and body rejuvenation therapies. Kerala can also boast of having the best pool of ayurvedic physicians and masseurs who are effectively trained and added to the resource pool by the many number of ayurvedic hospitals. When we made a correlation analysis with that of the total expenditure incurred by the tourists, it was observed that the correlation value is 0.89. Though the study observed that many of the ayurvedic health resorts are available in developed countries yet majority of them feel that it only at the origin of the practices, they feel that they ha d received optimum service. The study observed that though there is negative opinion about the effectiveness of certain therapies of ayurveda yet the people are of the view that it has placebo effect. Potential of Culture Tourism in Kerala Cultural tourism has been identified as one of the most rapidly growing areas of global tourism demand. Cultural tourism is about people traveling for cultural motivations and is measured by determining whether the travelers attended activities and venues such as festivals, exhibitions, theatre performances or historic sites. Kerala can boast of a unique Dravidian culture and tradition. It is because of the uniqueness, Kerala can boast of a unique standard of living, which is very different from the rest of India. This unique model is popularly known as the Kerala Model of Development. Hence both domestic and foreign tourists want to have a first hand experience about the social and cultural wealth of Kerala. Along with various historical sites, Kerala also boast of unique centers of learning where can both witness the art forms of Kerala. Moved by the unique nature, many of the tourists got enrolled in these centers of learning like Kalamandalam. The study observed that though vario us tour packages had included short duration performance by the traditional artists, only the dedicated ones like to purse these art forms. The short duration performance also enhanced the sales prospects of art souvenirs of Kerala. From the table given below, one can observe that the highest consumer group of cultural tourism in Kerala is the foreign tourists. Table 1.1 Trend in Expenditure Pattern of Foreign Tourists Activity Foreign (in percentages) Domestic (in percentages) Shopping for Souvenirs 78 52 Local Cuisine 63 48 Historic Buildings 81 67 Other Findings The other findings of the study are as follows. Though both the foreign and domestic tourists are satisfied with their visits, yet majority of them opined that there is still scope for improvement. From the study, it is clear that the tourists irrespective of the area to which they belong, depends on internet for their information needs. The study also observed that spiritual and cultural tourism is most preferred by domestic tourists than international tourists. The period of stay is higher for the foreign tourists than the domestic. It ranges between two to four days for the foreign tourists while majority of the domestic had a shorter stay of less than three days. The size of the group comprising the domestic tourist is much higher than the foreign tourist. Hence it is clear that the emphasis for domestic tourist is quantity and for the foreign tourist it is quality. This also conveys that for the domestic tourist, time is an important criterion whereas for the foreign they dont give undue importance to time factor. Finally, it can be opined that that the foreign tourist is very selective about the type of accommodation whereas the domestic tourists are satisfied with the available accommodation at the area. Conclusion Suggestions It can be opined that just as (old) mass tourism is not necessarily unsustainable, in all circumstances, new or alternative forms of tourism are not inevitably panacea in all situations. Indeed neither form of tourism is sustainable unless an appropriate planning and management regime is in place (Moscardo et.al, 1998). Much of the research till date focused on service quality in the hospitality sector, and in particular, measurement of customer perceptions of quality. There is little or no effort integrating quality into all aspects of managing tourism enterprise (Derek et.al, 2003). One of the views that emerged from this research is that majority of tourists visit Kerala for relaxation and rejuvenation. It was observed that both domestic and foreign tourist on their arrival at the destination, a sense of anti-climax prevailed in their minds. This is due to the gap between what that is propagated and what is actually practiced. The study observed that Certification of these New Cen ters of tourist attractions should be incorporated which will ensure the quality of service provide and finally will boost the tourist traffic to Kerala. These New Centers should adopt Co-opetetion strategies whereby the new or minor centers should co-operate with one another to achieve a sustained flow of tourists to these centers (Edgell, 2006). It can be concluded that it is due to the availability of diversified products that ensures that tourism still thrives in Kerala economy. Finally this study is of the view that still the government lacks a holistic view towards tourism development in Kerala. The authorities consider competitiveness and attractiveness as different entities but it is rather supply and demand side of tourism. Only through such a holistic approach, policy makers will have a clear understanding about what the tourists are looking for and what the stakeholders are investing in. Though there is an increase in the employment for the local community due to the appe arance of tourism, yet this study is of the view that there one can witness conflicts between the host and service providers. Hence it is suggested that the onus for bridging the gap should be on the shoulders of the service providers and the government. They should try to make the centers of tourist attraction especially the villages a self-sufficient one. The growing needs of tourist sector like meat, egg, fish etc can be sourced from the village itself rather than depending on external markets which will ensure the trickle down effect and sustainability in the long run.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Dangerous Dogs
Exercise A Dangerous dogs 1. Give an outline of the various views on dangerous dogs presented in text 1, 2 and 3. There are different opinions in the three texts. In text 1, â€Å"Police bask new law on killer dogs†by Jamie Doward, the police officer, Bernard Hogan-Howe has demanded a change to the law on dangerous dogs so children are better protected and so the new rules will target the owners of dangerous dogs, rather than the animals themselves. That happens after five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson was mauled by a pit bull and died.Four breeds were banned as followed by the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act. That led to hundreds of people handing in their dogs to the police in the Merseyside area, because they were afraid they might be prosecuted. Bernard Hogan-Howe says that there are now 200 fewer illegal dogs in Merseyside. In text 2, â€Å"Jail owners of killer dogs†by Victoria Stilwell has another view. She is against breed-specific legislation. She means that you should fa ce jail if your dog kills someone, and it is time owners take responsibility when they mix kids and pets.The death of 13-month-old Archie-Lee Hirst – mauled by his family’s rottweiler – has started a tighter control on dangerous dogs. But Victoria Stilwell says that people should not start thinking that all rottweilers are killers, because they certainly are not. Instead she recommend people to consider which breed that fit into their home, and not to buy a dog on the net or from a backyard breeder. In text 3, â€Å"If the dog is dangerous, the owner will be, too†by Simon Heffer, Simon Heffer himself means that the Dangerous Dogs Act is a pointless piece of legislation, because many pit bulls are still to be found.He also writes that the owner of the dog, who killed five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson, Kiel Simpson was a drug dealer and was jailed for possessing 44Ib of cannabis. Simon Heffer thinks that this underlines that if you meet a dangerous dog, a dang erous human is not far away. Both Jamie Doward and Simon Heffer find a change in the legislation necessary after a pit bull mauled five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson. They both blame the owners to the dogs and see it as a big problem that irresponsible people has it bulls. Victoria Stilwell is opposite the to men against breed-specific legislation. She also blame the owners and says â€Å"you would not leave your baby alone with a stranger – so why a dog†? 2. Characterize the tone used by Simon Heffer in text 3. Illustrate your answer with examples from the text. Simon Heffer uses a readable language and do already catch the reader in the headline. Simon Heffer use a little Ethos and a little pathos when he writes about dangerous dogs and their owners.He explains his points in shortly sentence and he is easy to understand; â€Å"(†¦) 1057 of these repulsive animals are â€Å"legally†owned in this country†¦Ã¢â‚¬ After reading the text we can see that Sim on Heffer is very subjective when he writes about the owners of dogs; not only the owner in the Story of Ellie Lawrenson, but every owner of a dog; â€Å"And it underlines the point that wherever one finds a dangerous dog, there is normally a dangerous human lurking not far away†. It is like he also indicates that he find it more necessary to take control of all the dangerous human, like drug dealers (Kiel Simpson) and so on.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 6
The room was fil ed with a sudden blaze, and I felt the warmth on my leg in the same instant that I realized there wasn't enough room for me to pin Diego to the wal without some part of myself touching the sunlight. â€Å"Bree!†he gasped. I twisted away from him automatical y, rol ing myself tight against the wal . It took less than a second, and the whole time I was waiting for the pain to get me. For the flames to hit and then spread like the night I'd met her, only faster. The dazzling flash of light was gone. It was just the pil ar of sun again. I looked at Diego's face – his eyes were wide, his mouth hanging open. He was total y stil, a sure sign of alarm. I wanted to look down at my leg, but I was afraid to see what was left. This wasn't like Jen ripping my arm off, though that had hurt more. I wasn't going to be able to fix this. Stil no pain yet. â€Å"Bree, did you see that?†I shook my head once quickly. â€Å"How bad is it?†â€Å"Bad?†â€Å"My leg,†I said through my teeth. â€Å"Just tel me what's left.†â€Å"Your leg looks fine to me.†I glanced down quickly, and sure enough, there was my foot and my calf, just like before. I wiggled my toes. Fine. â€Å"Does it hurt?†he asked. I pul ed myself off the ground, onto my knees. â€Å"Not yet.†â€Å"Did you see what happened? The light?†I shook my head. â€Å"Watch this,†he said, kneeling in front of the beam of sunshine again. â€Å"And don't shove me out of the way this time. You already proved I'm right.†He put his hand out. It was almost as hard to watch this time, even if my leg felt normal. The second his fingers entered the beam, the cave was fil ed with a mil ion bril iant rainbow reflections. It was bright as noon in a glass room – light everywhere. I flinched and then shuddered. There was sunlight all over me. â€Å"Unreal,†Diego whispered. He put the rest of his hand into the beam, and the cave somehow got even brighter. He rol ed his hand over to look at the back, then turned it palm up again. The reflections danced like he was spinning a prism. There was no smel of burning, and he clearly wasn't in pain. I looked closely at his hand, and it seemed like there were a zil ion tiny mirrors in the surface, too smal to distinguish separately, al shining back the light with double the intensity of a regular mirror. â€Å"Come here, Bree – you have to try this.†I couldn't think of a reason to refuse, and I was curious, but I was also stil reluctant as I slid to his side. â€Å"No burn?†â€Å"None. Light doesn't burn us, it just†¦ reflects off of us. I guess that's kind of an understatement.†Slow as a human, I reluctantly stretched my fingers into the light. Immediately, reflections blazed away from my skin, making the room so bright that the day outside would look dark in comparison. They weren't exactly reflections, though, because the light was bent and colored, more like crystal. I stuck my whole hand in, and the room got brighter. â€Å"Do you think Riley knows?†I whispered. â€Å"Maybe. Maybe not.†â€Å"Why wouldn't he tel us if he did? What would be the point? So we're walking disco bal s.†I shrugged. Diego laughed. â€Å"I can see where the stories come from. Imagine if you saw this when you were human. Wouldn't you think that the guy over there just burst into flames?†â€Å"If he didn't hang around to chat. Maybe.†â€Å"This is incredible,†Diego said. With one finger he traced a line across my glowing palm. Then he jumped to his feet right under the sunbeam, and the room went crazy with light. â€Å"C'mon, let's get out of here.†He reached up and pul ed himself toward the hole he'd cut to the surface. You'd think I would have been over it, but I was stil nervous to fol ow. Not wanting to seem like a total chicken, I stayed close on his heels, but I was cringing inside the whole way. Riley had real y made his point about burning in the sun; in my mind it was linked to that horrific time of burning as I became a vampire, and I couldn't escape the instinctive panic that fil ed me every time I thought of it. Then Diego was out of the hole, and I was next to him half a second later. We stood on a smal patch of wild grass, only a few feet from the trees that covered the island. Behind us, it was just a couple of yards to a low bluff, and then the water. Everything around us blazed in the color and light shining off of us. â€Å"Wow,†I muttered. Diego grinned at me, his face beautiful with light, and suddenly, with a deep lurch in my stomach, I realized that the whole BFF thing was way off the mark. For me, anyway. It was just that fast. His grin softened a little bit into just the hint of a smile. His eyes were wide like mine. Al awe and lights. He touched my face, the way he'd touched my hand, as if he was trying to understand the shine. â€Å"So pretty,†he said. He left his hand against my cheek. I'm not sure how long we stood there, smiling like total idiots, blazing away like glass torches. The inlet was empty of boats, which was probably good. No way even a mud-eyed human would have missed us. Not that they could have done anything to us, but I wasn't thirsty, and al the screaming would have ruined the mood. Eventual y a thick cloud drifted in front of the sun. Suddenly we were just us again, though stil slightly luminous. Not enough that anyone with eyes dul er than a vampire's would notice. As soon as the shine was gone, my thoughts cleared up and I could think about what was coming next. But even though Diego looked like his normal self again – not made of blazing light, anyway – I knew he would never look the same to me. That tingly sensation in the pit of my stomach was stil there. I had the feeling it might be there permanently. â€Å"Do we tel Riley? Do we think he doesn't know?†I asked. Diego sighed and dropped his hand. â€Å"I don't know. Let's think about this while we track them.†â€Å"We're going to have to be careful, tracking them in the day. We're kind of noticeable in the sunlight, you know.†He grinned. â€Å"Let's be ninjas.†I nodded. â€Å"Super-secret ninja club sounds way cooler than the whole BFF thing.†â€Å"Definitely better.†It didn't take us more than a few seconds to find the point from which the whole gang had left the island. That was the easy part. Finding where they'd touched ground on the mainland was a whole other problem. We briefly discussed splitting up, then vetoed that idea unanimously. Our logic was real y sound – after al, if one of us found something, how would we tel the other? – but mostly I just didn't want to leave him, and I could see he felt the same. Both of us had been without any kind of good companionship our whole lives, and it was just too sweet to waste a minute of it. There were so many options as to where they could have gone. To the mainland of the peninsula, or to another island, or back to the outskirts of Seattle, or north to Canada. Whenever we pul ed down or burned down one of our houses, Riley was always prepared – he always seemed to know exactly where to go next. He must have planned ahead for that stuff, but he didn't let any of us in on the plan. They could have been anywhere. Ducking in and out of the water to avoid boats and people real y slowed us down. We spent al day with no luck, but neither of us minded. We were having the most fun we'd ever had. It was such a strange day. Instead of sitting miserably in the darkness trying to tune out the mayhem and swal ow my disgust at my hiding place, I was playing ninja with my new best friend, or maybe something more. We laughed a lot while we moved through the patches of shade, throwing rocks at each other like they were Chinese stars. Then the sun set, and suddenly I was stressed. Would Riley look for us? Would he assume we were fried? Did he know better? We started moving faster. A lot faster. We'd already circled al the nearby islands, so now we concentrated on the mainland. About an hour after sundown, I caught a familiar scent, and within seconds we were on their trail. Once we found the path of the smel, it was as easy as fol owing a herd of elephants through fresh snow. We talked about what to do, more serious now as we ran. â€Å"I don't think we should tel Riley,†I said. â€Å"Let's say we spent al day in your cave before we went looking for them.†As I spoke, my paranoia started to grow. â€Å"Better yet, let's tel them your cave was fil ed with water. We couldn't even talk.†â€Å"You think Riley's a bad dude, don't you?†he asked quietly after a minute. As he spoke, he took my hand. â€Å"I don't know. But I'd rather act like he was, just in case.†I hesitated, then said, â€Å"You don't want to think he's bad.†â€Å"No,†Diego admitted. â€Å"He's kind of my friend. I mean, not like you're my friend.†He squeezed my fingers. â€Å"But more than anyone else. I don't want to think†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Diego didn't finish his sentence. I squeezed his fingers back. â€Å"Maybe he's total y decent. Our being careful doesn't change who he is.†â€Å"True. Okay, the underwater cave story it is. At least at first†¦ I could talk to him about the sun later. I'd rather do it during the day, anyway, when I can prove what I'm claiming right away. And just in case he already knows, but there's some good reason why he told us something else, I should tel him when we're alone. Grab him at dawn, when he's coming back from wherever it is he goes†¦.†I noticed a ton of I's rather than we's going on in Diego's little speech, and it bothered me. But at the same time, I didn't want much to do with educating Riley. I didn't have the same faith in him Diego did. â€Å"Ninja attack at dawn!†I said to make him laugh. It worked. We started joking again as we tracked our herd of vampires, but I could tel he was thinking serious stuff under the teasing, just like I was. And I only got more anxious as we ran. Because we were running fast, and there was no way we had the wrong trail, but it was taking too long. We were real y getting away from the coast, up and over the closest mountains, off into new territory. This wasn't the normal pattern. Every house we'd borrowed, whether it was up a mountain or on an island or hidden on a big farm, had a few things in common. The dead owners, the remote locale, and one other thing. They al were sort of focused on Seattle. Oriented around the big city like orbiting moons. Seattle was always the hub, always the target. We were out of orbit now, and it felt wrong. Maybe it meant nothing, maybe it was just that so many things were changing today. Al the truths I'd accepted had been turned upside down and I wasn't in the mood for any other upheavals. Why couldn't Riley have just picked someplace normal? â€Å"Funny they're this far out,†Diego murmured, and I could hear the edge in his voice. â€Å"Or scary,†I muttered. He squeezed my hand. â€Å"It's cool. The ninja club can handle anything.†â€Å"You got a secret handshake yet?†â€Å"Working on it,†he promised. Something started to bug me. It was like I could feel this strange blind spot – I knew there was something I wasn't seeing, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Something obvious†¦ And then, about sixty miles farther west than our usual perimeter, we found the house. It was impossible to mistake the noise. The boom boom boom of the bass, the video-game soundtrack, the snarling. Total y our crowd. I pul ed my hand free, and Diego looked at me. â€Å"Hey, I don't even know you,†I said in a joking tone. â€Å"I haven't had one conversation with you, what with al that water we sat in al day. You could be a ninja or a vampire for al I know.†He grinned. â€Å"Same goes for you, stranger.†Then low and fast, â€Å"Just do the same things you did yesterday. Tomorrow night we'l get out together. Maybe do some reconnaissance, figure out more of what's going on.†â€Å"Sounds like a plan. Mum's the word.†He ducked close and kissed me – just a peck, but right on the lips. The shock of it zinged through my whole body. Then he said, â€Å"Let's do this,†and headed down the side of the mountain toward the source of the raucous noise without looking back. Already playing the part. A little stunned, I fol owed from a few yards behind, remembering to put the distance between us that I would put between myself and anyone else.
Friday, January 3, 2020
Nsa s Surveillance Program A Violation Of The 4th...
Arturs Kazijevs PLSC 1320 4/14/2014 The NSA’s Surveillance Program: A Violation of the 4th Amendment Edward Snowden’s disclosures have brought to light many secret government actions that were previously unknown. One of the most controversial government programs that Snowden disclosed was how the National Security Agency (NSA) collected virtually every phone record for calls made in the United States between US citizens. It makes sense to monitor phone calls to or from callers located outside the United States, because non-US citizens don t have the protection of the US Constitution and monitoring these calls also might be helpful in identifying foreigners who might be plotting terrorist attacks in the US. However, US citizens have 4th Amendment privacy rights under the Constitution, so it is much more of a problem when the US government collects bulk information about US citizens who do not pose an obvious danger to the country. The 4th Amendment of the Constitution states that: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. The 4th Amendment is a result of the concerns that the colonists had excessive powers used by the King of England to search homes and property. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Ns The National Security Agency1250 Words  | 5 Pages The National Security Agency or otherwise known as the NSA, had sparked a recent debate of the fundamental amendment rights that American citizens have. To provide some historical context, the NSA in 2013 was exposed by Edward Snowden, a former contractor and employer of the NSA. 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