Social Media Networks Impacts on Political Communication

Social Media Networks Impacts on Political Communication Introduction Social media networks have greatly influenced political communication in modern society. Its impact on political activities and governance is especially profound. In the book, the Internet Imaginaire, Patrice Flichy says the development of the internet (social media) is among the most revolutionary processes in modern society (more specifically because the internet has become a super-highway of information).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Media Networks’ Impacts on Political Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the increasing importance of the internet, today, Flichy argues that most politicians have only joined an ongoing trend of designers, business executives, and individuals (among others) who have resorted to use social media as a technical utopia for advancing their goals. Since many people have accepted the internet as their main communication paradigm, the internet h as become widely successful in changing how politicians interact with their subjects. In sum, Flichy argues that the internet has been widely successful in politics because it transforms the interaction between leaders and their followers. From an emphasis on the Middle East political space, this paper focuses on explaining the impact of social media in the UAE political life by exploring if social media networks make leaders more visible and transparent. To have a practical understanding of this issue, this paper focuses on the social media activities of UAE’s foreign affairs minister, H.H. Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Through an analysis of his Twitter account, this paper proposes that social media networks make political accountability easier and friendlier, as it increases the visibility and transparency of political leaders. However, to understand this fact, this study first explains how social media has created a new way to represent political leaders in the UAE. A New Way to Represent the Political Leader in the UAE Culture The social media presence of Abdulla Bin Zayed draws significant inferences from the works of Louis Marin, in the book, the King’s Portrait. Marin largely borrows from the experiences of King Louis XIV in portraying the image of a politician as an immortal onlooker (through the transformation of politicians from theological bodies to immortal political figures). Flichy contextualises this transformation through his understanding of the power that most politicians enjoy in transforming themselves to political relevance today (through social media). Marin explains the same situation, although from a historical perspective, by saying that the transformation of politicians to political relevance (through the internet) is a symbol of absolutism.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Absolutism represents a poli tical order that redefines the meaning and status of representation by redefining the configurations of power. Broadly, Marin’s work shows how politicians achieve social control through art. The relationship between politics and art is unfamiliar for most political studies, but it symbolises the interaction between aesthetics and kingship. This relationship also stems from the interaction between state, God, and the truth. A complete symmetry of these three aspects of governance stems from the absolute achievement of sovereignty and power. Most literatures that have explored the impact of social media in the UAE political space have chronologically shown that the growth of social media has led to a shift of its use from a social paradigm to a political and civic paradigm. Recent events surrounding the Arab spring and the increased influence of civic movements in the Arab world have especially supported this change. The influence of social media in the UAE political space asso ciates with several political and social factors, like the acceptance of divergent political views, the support of social and political changes, people’s empowerment, and the influence of social media on people’s views of the society. Across the Arab world, social media use has however introduced political change in different measures. Particularly, social media has had a huge impact on how political leaders interact with their followers. A key issue that manifests here is persuasion because it explains how political leaders interact with their followers. The role of social media in persuading people to follow a leader is a departure from the traditional role of social media as a tool for collecting signatures, or for advocating a social or political cause. Nonetheless, every political leader has a distinct reason for using social media. An analysis of Sheikh Zayeds Twitter page shows that the uses of social media are highly dynamic (even though it should primarily inc rease the level of interaction between political leaders and their followers). Therefore, today, social media serves to provide a more intimate/personal access to political leaders. For example, people know Sheikh Zayed more intimately through random tweets. For example, one tweet (which appears on his Twitter page) says, â€Å"Read my piece on how Sheikh Zayeds childhood and early youth shaped his character as a leader.†Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Media Networks’ Impacts on Political Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Such tweets offer a personal insight into the life of the political leader. Despite providing a personal touch to political leadership, social media also provides a platform where people can be entertained and informed about political events. For example, in Sheikh Zayed’s Twitter account, there is a lot of information regarding the dangers of driving, the importance of eating healthy, personal inspiration (among other factors). In sum, social media has helped to package political leaders differently, by presenting them as multifaceted individuals with a more personal touch (than before). This platform gives them visibility in their public lives. Too Much Visibility While social media offers immense advantages to businesses, political institutions, individuals, and political leaders, it also has its disadvantages. A common disadvantage is too much visibility. In the past, visibility was mainly limited to the presence of individuals on one location and at a specific time. However, with the development of social media communication, people do not have to be at the same place and at the same time to be visible; online presence gives them this visibility. This new form of visibility has a huge impact on the relationship between visibility and power because it may destroy or build the reputation of politicians. However, smart political lea ders seek the services of third parties, like public relations (PR) firms, to manage this new level of representation and exploit it to their advantage. Usually, such political leaders use this platform to create a strong support base for their political causes. Relative to the above assertion, Abdulla Bin Zayed uses his visibility on his Twitter page to create a strong support base for his official duties. As the minister of foreign affairs, Abdulla Bin Zayed uses his Twitter account to communicate positive issues about the UAE. For example, his Twitter account has the following tweets, â€Å"Abu Dhabi is the worlds fourth favourite city, ranked behind only New York, London, and Paris.† â€Å"American University in Paris receives anonymous donation from UAE in honour of late educator.† These tweets report positive issues (such as security, development, tourism, and charitable matters) about the UAE and some of its cities. A positive portrayal of the UAE also complemen ts his role as an ambassador for the government (especially in his capacity as the minister for foreign affairs). Depending on the contextual framework, too much visibility may be a positive and negative thing for social media users. For example, for political leaders, too much visibility is a positive thing because political leaders are public figures and the higher their visibility, the better they achieve political effectiveness. Even though some political leaders use social media for the right reasons, the proper management of increased public attention may expose such leaders to new risks.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More New risks create new areas of fragility for political leaders because even though the smart ones manage this visibility to their advantage, they cannot have an absolute control over social media issues. Therefore, their efforts to exploit social media may still work to their disadvantage. The public may however enjoy increased political transparency through social media. Increased Transparency in the UAE Political Life – A Social Media Analysis The role of social media in increasing the level of transparency in the political life of the UAE largely stems from its influence in determining how people share information (its implication on governance is usually very profound). Social media therefore introduces new risks and opportunities for the UAE political space because on one hand, political leaders may use this platform to influence people’s perceptions, but on the other hand, the same platform has greatly empowered the people to question and criticise political activ ities in the country. Therefore, through an angry blog or tweet, someone can easily tarnish the name of a political leader. While many political leaders have understood these inherent risks and opportunities, they cannot afford to be complacent. Increased transparency is therefore one issue that political leaders cannot wish away. While traditional communication channels included extreme barriers of bureaucracy and lack of access to political leaders, social media has broken down these barriers and made leaders more accessible to the electorate. This way, the electorate finds it easy to question their leaders. In turn, the leaders have become more accountable and transparent in their political and professional activities. A tweet from Abdulla Bin Zayed’s account confirms the above assertion because it contains evidence of public complaints and responses to such complaints (increased accountability). For example, one person said, â€Å"believe it or not; they called to tell m e that they credit the money back based on my complaint.† This tweet shows an interesting dynamic of social media communication in politics because it highlights a seamless communication between the electorate and political leaders. In the past, this type of communication was one-sided (from the political leaders to the electorate). A transformed communication framework outlines one aspect of Flichy’s argument (in the book, the internet Imaginaire) that captures the essence of this paper redefining information sources. Through a constructivist model, Flichy says the transformation of communication (through the internet) means that information does not have to originate from only one source. Instead, people may interact freely without experiencing the traditional communication barriers held by politicians and mainstream media. This assertion largely explains the nature of information in the Twitter account of Abdulla Bin Zayed because most of the content (tweets) appear ing in his pages do not necessarily originate from him. The potentials that social media and other internet platforms hold for politicians create a huge bulk of the arguments presented by Flichy because he says that the internet has helped politicians to transform mask utopia to liberal ideology. This argument mentions the role of social media in transforming the political causes of some US politicians, such as Al Gore, who used the internet to transform mask utopia to liberal ideology. Nonetheless, evidence of unbiased information sources of interaction also exists between other Middle Eastern leaders and their subjects. In sum, this level of interaction shows that social media has greatly increased the level of transparency in political governance in the Middle East. Conclusion After weighing the findings of this paper, we can affirm that social media networks increase the level of political accountability and transparency in the Middle East. Evidence from Abdulla Bin Zayedâ€℠¢s Twitter account also shows that social media has helped to package political leaders as more humane, fun, and entertaining. However, the main goal of a political leader, in using social media, is to persuade their followers to be more familiar with their thinking. As leaders strive to achieve this objective, they should use the increased visibility they get through social media to advance their ideologies and relate better with their followers. Marin says that the proper use of social media may immortalise the relevance of political leaders because they can re-invent themselves this way. Comprehensively, smart political leaders identify the right types of conversations (that promote their cause) and engage their audiences accordingly. This attempt should be followed with extreme persuasion because the value of social media exists here – persuading the electorate.

Describe your son room Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Describe your son room - Essay Example The furniture rises out of this mess as varying levels of more of the same. The bed I gave him was a wooden framed futon with a full-sized black mattress but all one can see of this is one side of the wooden frame closest to the wall where an inexplicable and largely inaccessible hole exists in the mess reaching all the way to the floor – only a few wrappers here and a couple other pieces of trash. The rest of the bed is more of the same scattered blankets, clothing and pillows. The desk is recognizable thanks to the computer monitor and keyboard, but these are crowded as well by piles of papers and unopened mail. A standing lamp rises disdainfully out of the boxes and bundles piled up against one wall that haven’t moved since we moved here more than a year ago and a TV set peeks out from under yet more clothes slung over its top as if it were a waiting valet. I don’t dare peek in the closet for fear of what monsters might exist in there. At one point in time, I would have thrown a fit for him allowing his living space to become such a danger zone but over the years I have determined that I have other things to spend my energy on. He is uncomfortable in his room but I am allowing him to discover on his own the joy and the relaxation available when one can simply rest in their own quiet, private, clean space – something not at all possible in the room’s current state forcing him to frequently invade his cleaner sister’s room or vacate the house altogether in order to find a place to relax. As long as he keeps his door closed so none of his disaster spills into the rest of the house and he avoids destroying the rest of the house as he has his room, I try to stay out of his business. He had an entire childhood of having to keep his room clean; now that he’s a teenager, it’s time for him to choose when he wants to actually grow up and take care of his

Java Programing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Elizbeth Bishop Personal Response Intro Essay Example for Free

Elizbeth Bishop Personal Response Intro Essay The poetry of Elizabeth Bishop appeals to me because she writes about things which are relevant, in a remarkably vivid and vital way. Bishops misfortune in life has inspired her to write distressing poems in which she describes to us the loss she suffered at an early stage in her childhood. She also tells us about her deepest and darkest moments in life. Out of Bishops troubled life, her poetry was born. Bishop has a painters eye and she vividly describes the world around her. She has a keen eye for detail and this is shown in the descriptive language in her poetry. Her strong sense of imagery draws the reader into her poetry. The themes exploded in Bishops poetry have universal appeal. What makes Bishops poetry particularly appealing is her ability to make ordinary everyday objects seem fascinating. Through Bishops poetry we see how close observation leads the poet to have several moments of awareness where she experiences several epiphanies. These moments of awareness are highly dramatic but extremely interesting. The poems ‘Sestina’, ‘First Death In Novia Scotia’, ‘Filling Station’, ‘The Fish, The Armadillo and ‘The Prodigal’ all demonstrate various issues such as nature and childhood memories. What appealed to me most about Bishop’s poetry was her use of striking and powerful imagery. I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Fish for its unusual imagery and detailed description. I was drawn into the poem immediately as she says, I caught a tremendous fish. She describes the fish as ‘battered’, ‘venerable’ and ‘homely. Bishop then goes on to compare the fish to everyday domestic items. His brown skin hung in strips / like ancient wallpaper. I found this statement particularly appealing as it evoked a sense of homely familiarity in me.

The Dark Side of Judge Pyncheon in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Novel, The Hou

The Dark Side of Judge Pyncheon in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Novel, The House of the Seven Gables People in society live in a masquerade. Everyone wears a decoratively adorned mask that displays beauty, purity, and service. However, behind the mask lies on the inside of all society. One will stop at nothing in order to be well liked, thus becoming hypocrites. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The House of the Seven Gables, the narrator uses intense diction, a vivid selection of detail, and a shocking tone to reveal that the character of Judge Pyncheon resembles perfection on the outside, yet â€Å"darker traits† sit latent on the inside. The narrator uses intense diction to describe Judge Pyncheon’s character as near perfection. He reflects traits such as â€Å"purity,† â€Å"faithfulness,† â€Å"devotedness,† â€Å"zeal,† â€Å"unimpeachable integrity† and â€Å"cleanliness.† This shows that he works very hard to keep a respectable public opinion. It is as if the judge does what the public thinks he ought to do. The narrator’s complement diction gives the judge a near to perfect appearance to onlookers. This respect...

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-Two

I OPENED MY EYES, groggy from the sudden shock of being pulled out of the dream. My body felt sluggish, and I squinted against the light. The lamp I'd left on last night was joined by sunlight streaming in through the window, but my phone's display still showed a freakishly early hour. Someone knocked at my door, and I realized that was what had woken me up. I ran a hand through my disheveled hair and rose unsteadily from the bed. â€Å"If she needs a geography tutor now, I really am going to Mexico,† I muttered. But when I opened the door, it wasn't Angeline standing outside my door. It was Jill. â€Å"Something big just happened,† she said, hurrying in. â€Å"Not to me it didn't.† If she noticed my annoyance, she didn't show it. In fact, as I studied her more closely, I realized she probably had no idea (yet) about what had happened between Adrian and me. From what I'd learned, spirit dreams weren't shared through the bond unless the shadow-kissed person was directly brought into it. I sighed and sat down on my bed again, wishing I could go back to sleep. The heat and excitement of the dream was fading, and mostly I felt tired now. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"Angeline and Trey.† I groaned. â€Å"Oh, lord. What's she done to him now?† Jill settled into my desk chair and put on a steely look of resolve. Whatever was coming was bad. â€Å"She tried to get him to sneak into our dorm last night.† â€Å"What?† I really did need more sleep because my brain was having trouble understanding the reasoning behind that. â€Å"She's not that dedicated to her math grade . . . is she?† Jill gave me a wry look. â€Å"Sydney, they weren't working on math.† â€Å"Then why were they – oh. Oh no.† I fell backward onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. â€Å"No. This can't be happening.† â€Å"I already tried saying that to myself,† she told me. â€Å"It doesn't help.† I rolled over to my side so that I could look at her again. â€Å"Okay, assuming this is true, how long has it been going on?† â€Å"I don't know.† Jill sounded as tired as me – and a lot more exasperated. â€Å"You know how she is. I tried to get answers out of her, but she kept going on about how it wasn't her fault and how it just happened.† â€Å"What'd Trey say?† I asked. â€Å"I never got a chance to talk to him. He got hauled away as soon as they were caught.† She smiled, but there wasn't much humor in it. â€Å"On the bright side, he got in a lot more trouble than she did, so we don't have to worry about her getting expelled.† Oh no. â€Å"Do we have to worry about him getting expelled?† â€Å"I don't think so. I heard about other people trying this, and they just get detention for life. Or something.† Small blessing. Angeline was in detention so much that they'd at least have bonding time. â€Å"Well, then I guess there isn't much to be done. I mean, the emotional fallout's going to be a mess, of course.† â€Å"Well . . .† Jill shifted nervously. â€Å"That's just it. You see, first Eddie needs to be told – â€Å" I shot up out of my bed. â€Å"I am not doing that.† â€Å"Oh, of course not. No one would ever expect you to do that.† I wasn't so sure but let her continue. â€Å"Angeline's going to. It's the right thing to do.† â€Å"Yes. . . .† I still wasn't letting down my guard. â€Å"But someone still needs to talk to Eddie afterward,† she explained. â€Å"It's going to be hard on him, you know? He shouldn't be left alone. He needs a friend.† â€Å"Aren't you his friend?† I asked. She flushed. â€Å"Well, yeah, of course. But I don't know that it'd be right since . . . well, you know how I feel about him. Better to have someone more reasonable and objective. Besides, I don't know if I'd do a good job or not.† â€Å"Probably better than me.† â€Å"You're better at that stuff than you think. You're able to make things clear and – â€Å" Jill suddenly froze. Her eyes widened a little, and for a moment, it was like she was watching something I couldn't see. No, I realized a moment later. There was no â€Å"like† about it. That was exactly what she was doing. She was having one of those moments where she was in sync with Adrian's mind. I saw her blink and slowly tune back into my room. Her eyes focused on me, and she paled. Just like that, I knew that she knew. Rose had said that sometimes in the bond, you could sift through someone's recent memories even if you hadn't actually been tuned into the bond at that moment. As Jill looked at me, I could tell she'd seen it all, everything that had happened with Adrian last night. It was hard to say which of us was more horrified. I replayed everything I'd done and said, every compromising position I'd literally and figuratively put myself in. Jill had just â€Å"seen† me do things no one else ever had – well, except for Adrian, of course. And what had she actually felt? What it was like to kiss me? To run her – his? – hands over my body? It was a situation I had in no way prepared for. My occasional indiscretions with Adrian had come through to Jill as well, but we'd all brushed those off – me in particular. Last night, however, had taken things to a whole new level, one that left both Jill and me stunned and speechless. I was mortified that she'd seen me so weak and exposed, and the protective part of me was worried that she'd seen anything like that at all, period. She and I stared at each other, lost in our own thoughts, but Jill recovered first. She turned even redder than when she'd mentioned Eddie and practically leapt out of the chair. Turning her eyes away from mine, she hurried to the door. â€Å"Um, I should go, Sydney. Sorry to bother you so early. It probably could've waited. Angeline's going to talk to Eddie this morning, so whenever you get a chance to find him, you know, that'd be great.† She took a deep breath and opened the door, still refusing to make eye contact. â€Å"I've gotta go. See you later. Sorry again.† â€Å"Jill – â€Å" She shut the door, and I sank back into the bed, unable to stand. It was official. Whatever residual heat and lust I'd felt from being with Adrian last night had completely vanished in the wake of Jill's expression. Until that moment, I hadn't really and truly understood what it meant to be involved with someone who was bonded. Everything Adrian said to me, she heard. Every emotion he had for me, she experienced. Every time he kissed me, she felt it. . . . I thought I might be sick. How had Rose and Lissa handled this? Somewhere in my addled mind, I recalled Rose saying she'd learned to block out a lot of Lissa's experiences – but it had taken a few years to figure it out. Adrian and Jill had only been bonded for a few months. The shock of understanding what Jill had seen cast a shadow over everything that had been sensual and thrilling last night. I felt like I had been on display. I felt cheap and dirty, especially as I remembered my own role in instigating things. That sickening feeling in my stomach increased, and there was no stopping the avalanche of thoughts that soon followed. I'd let myself spin out of control last night, carried away by desire. I shouldn't have done any of that – and not just because Adrian was a Moroi (though that was certainly problematic too). My life was about reason and logic, and I'd thrown all of that out the window. They were my strengths, and in casting them aside, I'd become weak. I'd been high on the freedom and risks I'd experienced last night, not to mention intoxicated by Adrian and how he'd said I was beautiful and brave and â€Å"ridiculously smart.† I'd melted when he'd looked at me in that absurd dress. Knowing he'd wanted me had muddled my thoughts, making me want him too. . . . There was no part of this that was okay. With great effort, I dragged myself from the bed and managed to pick out some clothes for the day. I staggered to the shower like a zombie and stayed in for so long that I missed breakfast. It didn't matter. I couldn't have eaten anything anyway not with all the emotions that were churning inside me. I barely spoke to anyone as I walked through the halls, and it wasn't until I sat down in Ms. Terwilliger's class that I finally remembered there were other people in the world with their own problems. Specifically, Eddie and Trey. I was certain there was no way they could be as traumatized as Jill and I were by last night's events. But it was obvious both guys had had a rough morning. Neither one spoke or made eye contact with others. I think it was the first time I'd ever seen Eddie neglect his surroundings. The bell cut me off before I had a chance to say anything, and I spent the rest of class watching them with concern. They didn't look like they were going to engage in any testosterone-driven madness, so that was a good sign. I felt bad for both of them – especially Eddie, who'd been wronged the most – and worrying on their behalf helped distract me from my own woes. A little. When class ended, I wanted to talk to Eddie first, but Ms. Terwilliger intercepted me. She handed me a large yellow envelope that felt like it had a book inside. There was no end to the spells I had to learn. â€Å"Some of the things we discussed,† she told me. â€Å"Tend to them as soon as you get the chance.† â€Å"I will, ma'am.† I slipped the envelope into my bag and glanced around for Eddie. He was gone. Trey was in my next class, and I took my usual seat beside him. He gave me a sidelong look and then turned away. â€Å"So,† I said. He shook his head. â€Å"Don't start.† â€Å"I'm not starting anything.† He stayed silent a few moments and then turned back to me, a frantic look in his eyes. â€Å"I didn't know, I swear. About her and Eddie. She never mentioned it, and obviously, they don't talk about it around here. I never would've done that to him. You have to believe that.† I did. No matter what Trey's other faults were, he was good-hearted and honest. If anyone was at fault for bad behavior here, it was Angeline. â€Å"I'm actually more surprised that you'd get involved with someone like her, period.† I didn't need to elaborate that â€Å"someone like her† referred to her being a dhampir. Trey put his head on his desk. â€Å"I know, I know. It all just happened so fast. One day she's throwing a book at me. The next, we're making out behind the library.† â€Å"Ugh. That's a little more information than I needed.† Glancing up, I saw that our chemistry teacher was still getting organized, giving Trey and me a little more time. â€Å"What are you going to do now?† â€Å"What do you think? I have to end it. I shouldn't have let it get this far.† The Sydney from three months ago would have said of course he needed to end it. This one said, â€Å"Do you like her?† â€Å"Yes, I – † He paused and then lowered his voice. â€Å"I think I love her. Is that nuts? After only a few weeks?† â€Å"No – I don't know. I'm not really good at understanding that stuff.† And by not really good, I actually meant terrible. â€Å"But if you feel like that . . . maybe . . . maybe you shouldn't throw it away.† Trey's eyes widened, and surprise completely replaced his blue mood. â€Å"Are you serious? How can you say that? Especially you of all people. You know how it is. You've got the same rules as us.† I could hardly believe what I was saying. â€Å"Her people don't, and they seem to be fine.† For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hope in his eyes, but then he shook his head again. â€Å"I can't, Sydney. You know I can't. It would eventually end in disaster. There's a reason our kinds don't mix. And if my family ever found out . . . God. I can't even imagine. There'd be no way I'd ever get back in.† â€Å"Do you really want to?† He didn't answer that. Instead, he just told me, â€Å"It can't work. It's over.† I'd never seen him look so miserable. Class started, and that ended the discussion. Eddie wasn't in our cafeteria at lunch. Jill sat with Angeline at a corner table and looked as though she was delivering a stern lecture. Maybe Jill hadn't felt comfortable consoling Eddie, but she certainly had no problem speaking out on his behalf. I didn't really want to hear Angeline's excuses or meet Jill's eyes, so I grabbed a sandwich and ate outside. I didn't have enough time to check Eddie's cafeteria, so I sent him a text. Want to go out for coffee later? Don't feel sorry for me, he responded. I hadn't known if he'd answer at all, so that was something. I just want to talk. Please. His next text wasn't nearly so fast, and I could almost imagine his mental battle. Okay, but after dinner. I have a study group. A moment later, he added, Not Spencer's. Trey worked at Spencer's. Now that the Angeline drama was on hold, I was able to return to my own messed-up love life. I couldn't shake that image of Jill's expression. I couldn't forgive myself for losing control. And now, I had Trey's words bouncing around my head. It would eventually end in disaster. There's a reason our kinds don't mix. As though summoned by my thoughts, Adrian texted me. You want to get the dragon today? I'd forgotten all about the callistana. He'd stayed with Adrian during my St. Louis trip, and now it was my turn. Since Adrian couldn't transform him back into quartz, the dragon had been in his true form all weekend. Sure, I wrote back. My stomach was in knots when I drove to Adrian's place later. I'd had the rest of the day to think about my options, and I'd finally reached an extreme one. When he opened the door, his face was aglow – until he saw mine. His expression transformed to equal parts exasperation and sadness. â€Å"Oh no. Here it comes,† he said. I stepped inside. â€Å"Here what comes?† â€Å"The part where you tell me last night was a mistake and that we can't ever do it again.† I looked away. That was exactly what I'd been going to say. â€Å"Adrian, you know this can't work.† â€Å"Because Moroi and humans can't be together? Because you don't feel the same way about me?† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Well, not entirely. Adrian . . . Jill saw it all.† For a moment, he didn't seem to understand. â€Å"What do you – oh. Shit.† â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"I never even think of that anymore.† He sat down on the couch and stared off into space. The callistana came scurrying into the room and perched on the arm of the couch. â€Å"I mean, I know it happens. We even talked about it with other girls. She understands.† â€Å"Understands?† I exclaimed. â€Å"She's fifteen! You can't subject her to that.† â€Å"Maybe you were an innocent at fifteen, but Jill's not. She knows how the world works.† I couldn't believe what I was hearing. â€Å"Well, I'm not one of your other girls! I see her every day. Do you know how hard it was to face her? Do you know what it feels like to know she saw me doing that? And, God, what if there'd been more?† â€Å"So, what's this mean exactly?† he asked. â€Å"You finally come around, and now you're going to just end things because of her?† â€Å"Kissing you isn't exactly ‘coming around.'† He gave me a long, level look. â€Å"There was a lot more than kissing, Miss ‘I'm a Quick Study'† I tried not to show how embarrassed I was about that now. â€Å"And that's exactly why this is all over. I'm not going to let Jill see that again.† â€Å"So you admit it could happen again?† â€Å"Theoretically, yes. But I'm not going to give us the chance.† â€Å"You're going to avoid ever being alone with me again?† â€Å"I'm going to avoid you, period.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"I'm going to go with Marcus to Mexico.† â€Å"What?† Adrian jumped up and strode over to me. I immediately backed up. â€Å"What happened to you working undercover?† â€Å"That only works if I can stay undercover! You think I can pull that off if I'm sneaking around with you?† â€Å"You're with me half the time already!† I couldn't tell if he was angry or not, but he was clearly upset. â€Å"Nobody notices. We'll be careful.† â€Å"All it takes is one slipup,† I said. â€Å"And I don't know if I can trust myself anymore. I can't risk the Alchemists finding out about you and me. I can't risk exposing Jill to what we'd do together. They'll send another Alchemist to look after her, and hopefully Stanton will take precautions against the Warriors.† â€Å"Jill knows I can't put my life on hold.† â€Å"You should,† I snapped. Now he was angry. â€Å"Well, you'd know all about that since you're an expert in denying yourself the things you want. And now you're going to leave the country to make sure you can deprive yourself even more.† â€Å"Yes, exactly.† I walked over to the callistana and spoke the incantation that turned him back into his inert form. I put the crystal into my purse and summoned all my will to give Adrian the coldest look I could manage. It must have been a powerful one because he looked as though I'd slapped him. Seeing that pain on his face made my heart break. I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want to leave him! But what choice did I have? There was too much at stake. â€Å"This is done. I've made my choice, Adrian,† I said. â€Å"I'm leaving this weekend, so please don't make it any more difficult than it has to be. I'd like us to be friends.† The way I spoke made it sound like we were closing a business arrangement. I walked toward the door, and Adrian hurried after me. I couldn't bear to face the agony in his eyes, and it took all my resolve not to avert my gaze. â€Å"Sydney, don't do this. You know it's wrong. Deep inside, you know it is.† I didn't answer. I couldn't answer. I walked away, forcing myself not to look back. I was too afraid my resolve would falter – and that was exactly why I needed to leave Palm Springs. I wasn't safe around him anymore. No one could be allowed to have that kind of power over me. All I wanted to do after that was hide in my room and cry. For a week. But there was never any rest for me. It was always about others, with my feelings and dreams shoved off to the side. Consequently, I wasn't in the best position to give Eddie romantic advice when we met up that night. Fortunately, he was too caught up in his own emotions to notice mine. â€Å"I should never have gotten involved with Angeline,† he told me. We were at a coffee shop across town that was called Bean There, Done That. He'd ordered hot chocolate and had been stirring it for almost an hour. â€Å"You didn't know,† I said. It was hard maintaining my half of the conversation when I kept seeing the pain in Adrian's eyes. â€Å"You couldn't have known – especially with her. She's unpredictable.† â€Å"And that's why I shouldn't have done it.† He finally set the spoon down on the table. â€Å"Relationships are dangerous enough without getting involved with someone like her. And I don't have time for that kind of distraction! I'm here for Jill, not me. I should never have let myself get caught up in this.† â€Å"There's nothing wrong with wanting to be with someone,† I said diplomatically. Unless that person turns your world upside down and makes you lose all self-control. â€Å"Maybe when I've retired, I'll have the time.† I couldn't tell if he was serious or not. â€Å"But not right now. Jill's my priority.† I had no business playing matchmaker, but I had to try. â€Å"Have you ever thought about seriously being with Jill? I know you used to like her.† And I was absolutely certain he still did. â€Å"That's out of the question,† he said fiercely. â€Å"And you know it. I can't think of her like that.† â€Å"She thinks about you like that.† The words slipped out before I could stop them. After my own romantic disaster today, a part of me longed for at least someone to be happy. I didn't want anyone else hurting the way I did. He froze. â€Å"She . . . no. There's no way.† â€Å"She does.† A whole range of emotions played through Eddie's eyes. Disbelief. Hope. Joy. And then . . . resignation. He picked up the spoon again and returned to his compulsive stirring. â€Å"Sydney, you know I can't. You of all people know what it's like to have to focus on your work.† This was the second time today someone had said â€Å"you of all people† to me. I guess everyone had a preconceived idea of who I was. â€Å"You should at least think about it,† I said. â€Å"Watch her the next time you're together. See how she reacts.† He looked as though he might consider it, which I took as a small victory. Suddenly, alarm flashed on his face. â€Å"Whatever happened with you and Marcus? The St. Louis trip? Did you find out anything about Jill?† I chose my next words very carefully, both because I didn't want to alarm him and because I didn't want him taking some drastic action that could accidentally reveal my dealings with Marcus. â€Å"We found some evidence that the Warriors have talked to the Alchemists, but nothing that shows they're working together or have actual plans for her. I've also taken some steps to make sure she's protected.† I hadn't heard anything from Stanton today and wasn't sure if that last part would actually pan out. Eddie looked relieved, though, and I couldn't bear to stress him out any further today. His gaze shifted to something behind me, and he pushed the untouched hot chocolate away. â€Å"Time for us to go.† I looked back at a clock and saw he was right. We still had a comfortable window before curfew, but I didn't want to push it. I finished off the last of my coffee and followed him out. The sun was sinking into the horizon, coloring the sky red and purple. The temperature had finally cooled off to normal levels, but it still didn't feel like winter to me. There'd been a bunch of badly parked cars in the front of the lot, so I'd parked Latte in the back in case some careless person opened a door too fast. â€Å"Thanks for the moral support,† Eddie told me. â€Å"Sometimes it feels like you really are a sister – â€Å" That was when my car exploded. Sort of. I have to admit Eddie's response time was amazing. He threw me to the ground, shielding my body with his. The boom had been deafening, and I cried out as some sort of foam landed on the side of my face. Foam? Cautiously, Eddie rose, and I followed. My car hadn't exploded in flames or anything like that. Instead, it was filled with some sort of white substance that had blasted out with such force that it had blown the doors off and broken the windows. We both approached the mess, and behind us, I heard people coming out of the coffee shop. â€Å"What the hell?† asked Eddie. I touched some of the foam on my face and rubbed my fingertips together. â€Å"It's sort of like the stuff you'd find in a fire extinguisher,† I said. â€Å"How did it get in your car?† he asked. â€Å"And how did it get there so fast? I glanced over at it when we first walked out. You're the chemical expert. Could some reaction have happened that fast?† â€Å"Maybe,† I admitted. At the moment, I was too shocked to really run any formulas. I rested a hand against Latte's hood and wanted to burst into tears. My emotions were at a breaking point. â€Å"My poor car. First Adrian's, now mine. Why do people do stuff like this?† â€Å"Vandals don't care,† said a voice beside me. I glanced over and saw one of the baristas, an older man who I believed was the owner. â€Å"I've seen stuff like this before. Damn kids. I'll call the police for you.† He took out his cell phone and backed away. â€Å"I don't know if we'll make curfew now,† I told Eddie. He gave me a sympathetic pat on the back. â€Å"I think if you show a police report at the dorm, they'll be lenient with you.† â€Å"Yeah, I hope that – ugh. The police.† I hurried over to the passenger side and stared bleakly at the wall of foam. â€Å"What's wrong?† Eddie asked. â€Å"I mean, aside from the obvious.† â€Å"I have to get to the glove compartment.† I lowered my voice. â€Å"There's a gun in there.† He did a double take. â€Å"A what?† I said no more, and he helped me dig through the foam. Both of us ended up covered in it by the time I reached the compartment. Making sure no one was behind us, I quickly retrieved the gun and slipped it into my messenger bag. I was about to shut the lid when something shiny caught my eye. â€Å"That's impossible,† I said. It was my cross, the gold one I'd lost. I grabbed it and then immediately dropped it, yelping in pain. The metal had burned me. Considering the foamy substance was cool, it didn't seem likely it had heated up the cross. I wrapped my sleeve around my hand and gingerly picked up the cross again. Eddie peered over my shoulder. â€Å"You wear that all the time.† I nodded and continued staring at the cross. A terrible feeling began to spread over me. I found a tissue in my purse and wrapped the cross up before adding it to the bag. Then I retrieved my cell phone and dialed Ms. Terwilliger. Voice mail. I hung up without leaving a message. â€Å"What's going on?† asked Eddie. â€Å"I'm not sure,† I said. â€Å"But I think it's bad.† I hadn't yet developed the ability to sense magical residue, but I was almost certain something had been done to the cross, something that had resulted in Latte's foamy demise. Alicia hadn't been able to find the cross. Had Veronica doubled back and taken it? If so, how had she located me? I knew personal items could be used to track back to a person, though the most common ones were hair and nails. As advanced as Veronica was, it was very likely an object – like this cross – would serve just as well. Veronica might very well have found me. But if so, why vandalize my car instead of sucking out my life? The police came soon thereafter and took our statements. They were followed by a tow truck. I could tell from the driver's face that it wasn't looking good for Latte. He hauled my poor car away, and then one of the officers was nice enough to return Eddie and me to Amberwood. Against all odds, we made it back just in time. As soon as I got to my room, I tried Ms. Terwilliger again. Still no answer. I emptied out my bag onto my bed and found it had gathered a number of items today. One of them was a donut I'd picked up at the coffee shop. I put it and the quartz crystal into the aquarium and summoned the callistana. He immediately went after the donut. I found the cross and discovered it was now cool. Whatever spell it had been used in was gone. The gun was near it, and I quickly hid that back in the bag. That left Ms. Terwilliger's envelope, which I'd neglected all day. Maybe if I hadn't been so distracted by personal matters, I could have saved Latte. I pulled the latest spell book out of the envelope and heard something jangle. I removed the book and then saw another, smaller envelope inside. I pulled it out and read a message Ms. Terwilliger had written on the side: Here's another charm to mask your magical ability, just in case. It's one of the most powerful out there and took a lot of work, so be careful with it. That same guilt I always felt about her helping me returned. I opened the small envelope and found a silver star pendant set with peridots. I gasped. I had seen this charm before, this powerful and painstakingly made charm that could allegedly hide strong magical ability. I had seen it around Alicia's neck.

Juvenile Delinquency A Good Movie - 1893 Words

Many scientists and theorists are looking for the exact causes of juvenile delinquency. Average people witness and hear of juvenile delinquency each day. One form in which many people see crime and start to develop their own theories is through movies. The movie Accused at 17 is a good movie for people to develop beliefs because it is about a rich girl, Fallyn, whom kills another girl. The girl was murdered as three friends, Fallyn, Sarah, and Bianca are trying to prove a point to her about cheating with Bianca’s boyfriend. Yet, when Fallyn realizes what she has done, she blames the murder on Bianca and leaves her to get arrested and try to convince everyone that she did not kill the girl that her boyfriend had cheated on her with. Many youth today get caught up in the moment and cannot help but end up committing crimes. Yet, the big thing when it comes to juvenile delinquency is that nobody really knows how to handle it or why it occurs. Juvenile delinquency is the participat ion in illegal behavior by a minor who falls under the statutory age limit (Siegel Welsh, 2014, p. 10). Over the years the United States has had many difficulties in understanding why youths commit crimes and how to deal with the youths afterwards. Some tend to believe that youth need to be taught a lesson after committing a crime, while some feel that children should be rehabilitated and given another chance. In recent years, the criminal justice system has begun to see children as youth that needShow MoreRelatedJuvenile Delinquency A Sociological Approach1408 Words   |  6 PagesA juvenile delinquent is an individual under the age of eighteen years old who fails to abide by the law. When identifying the causes of juvenile delinquency society can slow down or prevent the behavior by using strategies. The quality of peers, family, parenting, community and school area can all be predictors of juvenile delinquency. Theories help us explain why juveniles are engaging in delinquent b ehavior and it is important to understand why because it helps us explain the motives for theirRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Boyz N The Hood 1643 Words   |  7 Pagesin the movie were from broken homes (only one biological parent present) and lived in poor living conditions. Even though that was the case some of the kids prospered more than the others and were able to not get involved in gangs, drugs, or violence despite being in a poor environment where they were forced to live. In addition, some was able to continue their education and eventually get out of the environment, but some could not make it out and died in the poor environment. This movie is a greatRead MoreAnalysis of the Movie Mean Girls1037 Words   |  5 Pages Cold, shiny, hard, PLASTIC, said by Janice referring to a group of girls in the movie Mean Girls. 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The code is printed in booklet form and includes a preamble, section on advancement of education and culture, community responsibility, treatment of news and public events, controversial public issuesRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency : Adult Delinquency2861 Words   |  12 PagesAlexis Kelly SOC 333 William Franks Spring 2015 Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Programs What is juvenile delinquency? Juvenile delinquency relates to minors who commit law violations. Instead of adults commiting â€Å"crimes’, juveniles are considered to commit â€Å"delinquent acts†. Society sees juvenile delinquents as immature and in need of guidance, which is different to adults, who are seen to be responsible for their crimes. Juvenile delinquency can occur in any community, neighborhood, and schoolsRead MoreSheldon And Eleanor Glueck s Research On 500 Juvenile Delinquents Essay1882 Words   |  8 PagesSheldon and Eleanor Glueck s conducted research on 500 juvenile delinquents, non-delinquents, and they also studied adult crime. They worked on this research for half a century, Sheldon was a professor at Harvard Law School during this time. The Gluecks were influenced by Dr. Richard Cabot, which lead the Professor and Eleanor to use Dr. Richards follow up studies of medical therapy, and then they were the first ones to apply this concept. It is very rare that the value of a piece of research isRead MoreTrying to Prevent Juvenile Delinquency2377 Words   |  10 Pagestransition from childhood to adulthood in an increasingly complex and confusing world† (World Youth Report, 2003). There are several factors to juvenile delinquency and also ways to possibly prevent it. From early childhood to adolescence, children need to be surrounded with positive role models and environment. A couple of factors to juvenile delinquency that McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter (2013) state are â€Å"economic factors, lack of adult bonding, poor parental monitoring, and environmental