Legal Liberalism Calls For Equality - 1680 Words

Legal liberalism calls for equality before the law; it was a manner to ensure that there shall be equality before all citizens, protecting them from unjust statutes or acts the state may incorporate. However, despite the protections in our constitution, there are instances in American history where the Supreme Court has endorsed other branches to violate or limit its citizens’ economic freedom. In this essay I will cite court cases and documents that incited conflict, most notably â€Å"substantive due process† and â€Å"liberty of contract.† In light of these cases it prompted a massive transformation in constitutional jurisprudence such as Equal protections clause, right to privacy, and criminal defendants’ rights that moved the nation towards†¦show more content†¦In reaction, the butchers filed a lawsuit claiming that this Louisiana law violated their fundamental rights to pursue happiness and to pursue their calling as butchers. They argued th at the right was protected under the privileges or immunities clause of the 14th amendment, which had been ratified in 1848. In a 5-4 decision, the supreme Court conflicted with the butchers’ reasoning. The Supreme Court ruled that the monopoly inflicted by the state did not violate the 13th and 14th amendments (privilege and immunities clause); in other words, the claim did not forbid limits on the rights to use one’s property (Lecture). Essentially, the Supreme Court rendered the â€Å"privileges and immunities† clause of the 14th amendment insignificant. In the Field and Bradley dissent, they argue that the purpose of the immunities clause was to limit state action, Bradley went so far as to incorporating the Bill of Rights into the dissent. The Slaughter house case is one of the Supreme Court’s worst decisions plus an example of the U.S. violating its Constitution. The 14th amendment, privileges and immunities clause states: â€Å"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the

Instinct and circumstance Free Essays

Buber believes, that then â€Å"I† of the human is double, and relative to the relationships into which it enters. The â€Å"I† that replies to â€Å"Thou† is vastly different from the â€Å"I† that replies to â€Å"It†. Every act of saying I is an act of being I in one of these ways. We will write a custom essay sample on Instinct and circumstance or any similar topic only for you Order Now I-It is any being as experience, analytic, I-Thou is the being as a relationship, synthetic. There is nothing in particular to be known about the Thou, it can only be understood in its wholeness and not known. We see it clearly and yet cannot tell the details. I-Thou comes before I-It, it is the basic â€Å"main word†. It is the first comprehension of the Other. But I-Thou is doomed to be come I-It as we familiarize ourselves with it and find a utilitarian approach to the Other. And yet I-It may become I-Thou if the scrutinizing man chooses to further the relationship and not look at the details of the one with who he is interacting, but at its essence. Still, it is impossible to live in the I-Thou mode constantly, for it is being only in the present and paying attention only to the present. Deep and essential it may be, and yet fickle and does not bode well for survival. As Buber puts it, â€Å"The human being cannot live without the It. But the one who lives only with the It is not a human being†, as these few fickle moments are the most direct manifestation of what makes us human – our ability to dialog directly. A growing civilization means a growing world of It, because each new civilization gathers within itself the â€Å"It† of the previous culture. It is usually falsely called a growth of spiritual life, but this is not true: spiritual life is the domain of the I-Thou, a response to the Absolute, while the growth of cognitive capacity generally diminishes the capability for having a true Relationship. The I-It word is nothing bad, unless it attempts to take the place of its rightful counterpart, as one is useless without the other. If one divides the â€Å"spheres of interest† of the Thou and It, he will get communities with nothing in common on one hand and feelings without substance on the other, a divided and sad existence. Buber speaks of two opposite pairs: of freedom and destiny and of necessity and fate. The first belong to I-Thou, the second to I-It. Destiny is a measure of self-actualization: only the person who has achieved freedom and understood what he is and what he truly desires can find his destiny. On the other hand, he who gives in to the laws of necessity and causality and does not act from the very depths of his being discounting causality meets the jaws of fate as his form of existence. He is the toy of the forces beyond him, while the man who follows his destiny rides the waves. Any culture generally starts on the impulse of I-Thou and declines on I-It, as does the human being. Buber differentiates between the Will and the self-will. The first is the grand impulse to meet with one’s destiny, to participate in the dialog. The second is merely the fickle desires of the limited human being, the lesser will controlled by instinct and circumstance. It is up to every human to choose what path he will take. This is the difference between individuality and personality, between learning one’s boundaries by creating more of them or by destroying them – the result, in the end, is one and the same, but how different the experience! It is the choice between living in a mortal world or of mingling – even but momentarily – with Eternity itself. By relating the boundaries of the I-Thou one shapes them, as well, and creates them in a living response to outside circumstance, in dialog with it. By putting up walls in the I-It relationship, one distances oneself from the world, and is unable to react to any situation at hand, he may merely remember and try to act according to experience. There is no external difference between how the men in I-Thou and in I-It live. Both interact with the outside world, the man in I-Thou does not stop seeing the differences between things, lost in dialog. The difference is internal. For the man in I-Thou it is all a part of one living dialog. For the man in I-It, things are separate and only vaguely related. The man in I-Thou is interdependent on his dialog with the Absolute, but the Absolute is dependent on him, as well. The man in I-It thinks himself free but is dependent upon a thousand things. These two states are strangely interrelated. The stronger the It takes its hold on the I, the stronger the epiphanies the personal relationship of the I-Thou variety brings. Only through the greatest darkness will there be the greatest light, only through the loss of the word – dialog, only by going to the edges of fate can we know freedom, and through causality we learn the ways of destiny. Such are the cycles of the world in its eternal revolution. How to cite Instinct and circumstance, Papers

Breast Cancer Essay Paper Example For Students

Breast Cancer Essay Paper INCIDENCEBreast cancer is the most common malignancy among women and has the highest fatality rate of all cancers affecting this sex. It is the leading cause of death among women aged 35-54. In 1999 an estimated 175,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. That is one woman every three minutes. At the same time 43,000 will die, at the rate of one every two minutes. The incidence of men diagnosed with breast cancer is rare, however it does occur. Approximately 1,300 men a year are diagnosed, and 400 die annually due to the disease. A total of 75% of all breast cancers occur in women with no known risk factors. 80% of breast cancers occur in women aged 50 and up. The mortality rate would decrease if every woman over 50 was informed and followed guidelines. When confined to the breast, the survival rate is 95%. We will write a custom essay on Breast Cancer Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Studies have shown that more white women than black women get breast cancer, however more black women die of breast cancer because they are not diagnosed at an early stage. SIGNS AND SYMPTONS Most breast cancers appear as a slowly growing, painless mass, though a vague discomfort may be present. Physical signs include a retracted nipple, bleeding from the nipple, distorted areola or breast contour, skin dimpling over the lesion, attachment of the mass to surrounding tissues including the underlying fascia and overlying skin, and enlarged lymph nodes. In most advanced stages of the disease the skin nodules with ultimate breakdown and ulcer formation may be seen. Metastases should be sought immediately so that further spread will not be a factor. Among the common sites of metastases are the lungs and pleura, the skeleton (specifically the spine, pelvis, and skull), and the liver. Whenever possible, distant spread of the disease should be confirmed by a lymph nose biopsy, by x-ray, or by liver and bone scans using radioactive isotopes. WHO IS AT RISK? All women and men are at risk of getting breast cancer. However personal history with family members having breast cancer adds an increase to the risk factor. Contradictory to this though studies have shown that 75% of breast cancer occurs in women with no history and no known risk factors. Not ever having children, or having ones first child after 30 yrs., also increases the risk of breast cancer in women. Heavy alcohol abuse is a risk factor as well. Studies have also shown that women who began menstruation early, twelve years or less, and women who began menopause late, fifty-five years plus, also have a greater risk of breast cancer. PREVENTION There are three ways to attempt to detect prevention, however since there is no cure, one cannot determine what actions to take to prevent. The most common technique for early detection is by a regular doctors examination. The second technique at detecting breast cancer is by a breast self-examination (BSE), and lastly, by mammogram. BSE should begin when a woman is eighteen or older, so that the breast is fully developed. During the BSE women should begin to learn what is normal and what is not in their breasts. Mammography is the best method at detecting breast cancer. A woman should have a mammogram when she is 40 yrs. old, and then one every two years until she is 50 yrs. old. Once a woman is 50 yrs. old she should have a mammogram annually because as ones age increases, so does the risk of getting breast cancer. Many women also need to be educated about the risks of breast cancer and how to detect it early. The majority of women with breast cancer do not know about the fortunateness of detecting breast cancer early, never mind follow the detection guidelines. TREATMENT Therapy depends mainly on the extent of the disease and the patients age. .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 , .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .postImageUrl , .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 , .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18:hover , .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18:visited , .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18:active { border:0!important; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18:active , .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18 .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u54dcf6ffc49aeac3f823fad021608f18:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Maturity Essay If there is evidence of wider metastasic spread, treatment will be palliative. This means that treatment will lessen the severity of pain, however it will not cure. When there is no evidence of spread, the treatment of choice is total mastectomy and modified radical mastectomy. This is an entire or partial removal of the affected breast. In the best circumstances, the 10 yr. survival rate is greater than 50%. However these clinical cures may recur with fatal outcome as late as 20 yr after surgery. Total or Partial Mastectomy Is now accepted as an equivalent alternative to conventional radical mastectomy for the treatment of all primary operable breast cancers. The entire, or partial area of, breast is removed together with virtually all of the axillary lymph nodes, but since the pectoral muscles are preserved their function is left intact, the cosmetic result is far superior. In addition, the procedure leads to far better breast reconstruction using implants that often can be inserted 6-12 mos. after surgery. Radiotherapy This technique is sometimes used instead of surgery. After a radical Mastectomy if additional metastases are found, the internal lymph node chain may be irradiated because of the high incidence of occult lymph node metastases in this area when the disease has already reached the axilla. For recurrent cancer, palliative radiotherapy can be valuable in controlling local chest wall or cervical lymph node recurrences and relieving pain from skeletal metastases. Irradiation is of little value for large internal metastases. Hormonal Therapy This treatment has proven to be of the greatest use in palliation of symptoms or in delaying the advancement of breast cancer. It is most often combined with radiotherapy when cancer recurs following a mastectomy and when the tumour is so advanced that surgery is not indicated or is palliative. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is useful in patients that have a high risk of developing recurrent cancer after a mastectomy.. Chemotherapy is used in the management of patients with recurrent breast cancer usually after the failure of previous hormonal manipulations. A variety of chemotherapeutic agents are used in various combinations, sometimes with a corticosteroid to suppress endogenous adrenal function or with the estrogen antagonist tamoxifen. (Quote) The agents in chemotherapy have demonstrated value in halting or delaying the appearance of metastases, especially in premenopausal patients, and in treating recurrences.

The Competition NSSA Nationals Essay Example

The Competition NSSA Nationals Essay Today was the day I was entered in the NSSA National Competition. This will be the first competition since the accident. I can see the images replaying in my head as I lay wide awake in my bed, dreading to get this day started with. â€Å"Bethany.† My dad yelled from downstairs. â€Å"Yes!† I exclaimed back. â€Å"Come downstairs for breakfast NOW!† He said. I sighed. So I lazily rolled out of my bed and walked downstairs. â€Å"Good morning Dad.† I said. My father was in his early fifty’s, tall, blonde hair, and has a slim beer belly. â€Å"Good morning Bethany.† He replied back. â€Å"Today is the big day, are you ready?† as he handed me a plate with two pancakes with syrup and a slice of turkey bacon. â€Å"Yes I am ready and excited but I do feel a little nervous. I haven’t been in the water for a few months and I don’t how it will feel surfing with one arm.† I sighed. After breakfast, I showered and got ready for my competition. I gathered my accessories and headed to car the car where my dad was waiting for me. â€Å"You ready?† he said. I sighed â€Å"Yes.† I sighed. We drove to Ha’ena beach in Kauai, Hawaii, where I was attacked. Excitement and anxiety arose in me not only, because I was excited to surf and compete but because this is where I lost my arm. We arrived to the beach, before I got out of the car I said just a little prayer â€Å"Lord, please get me through this competition and keep me safe.† I walked out the car and down to the beach with my custom-made surfboard that was now longer and thicker to make it easier to paddle in my right arm. People were waving, smiling and wishing me good luck before my competition. That really boosted my confidence up. The competition has just begun, I watched a few surfers compete and they were amazing. I was kind of a little nervous now. Especially now that it is my turn . â€Å"Number eight Bethany Hamilton, please walk towards the water.† the announcer said. I picked up my surfboard We will write a custom essay sample on The Competition NSSA Nationals specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Competition NSSA Nationals specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Competition NSSA Nationals specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

When the programme starts it is pitch black and you can only see the outline of the word lost Essays

When the programme starts it is pitch black and you can only see the outline of the word lost Essays When the programme starts it is pitch black and you can only see the outline of the word lost Essay When the programme starts it is pitch black and you can only see the outline of the word lost Essay When the programme starts it is pitch black and you can only see the outline of the word lost written out in white, gradually the word comes nearer to the screen and the word lost appears on the screen slanted coloured in, in a shocking white. While the word lost is spinning there is a scary eerie music. The next thing we see is a white man wearing a dark blue suite with a black tie and a white shirt which is smothered in dirt. He has a closely cut shaven head and a scar on his left cheek which is dripping with blood, the man is very attractive and handsome looking this is very generic of the producers to put a handsome man on any programme, that the female audience would be interested not the programme particularly but the handsomeness of the main character Jack. His whole face and clothes are dirty and the man looks frighten and looks up in shock of where he has landed when he does look up we can see the bright green exotic trees towering over him. And the s un slightly covered by the trees. There is some eerie music in the background while the man tries to get up, he is puffing and sounds out of breath. From behind him a big dog comes and barks in his face and runs off again. The man thinking that the dog may lead him somewhere, the man follows him, running and puffing felling out of breath. While the man is running the same eerie music is on, suggesting to the audience that someone or something may be following him or when the dog leads him to somewhere. Someone or something maybe waiting for him. As the sharp edits of the trees disappears the man sees a clear blue sea that stretches for miles upon miles. To the left of the shot he sees a plane on fire and people running away from it. A fat man with hair that comes to his shoulders appears, he has a chubby face with squinted eyes and a green, greyish t- shirt, and he is wearing brown shorts. He says something to Jack the main character but it is blocked by the others screaming and crying , this is very typical of a cha racter this is in all programme and films , the character that hasnt got many friends and the one that is an outside. Its also generic as mostly the character that is an outsider, that character is always fat, overweight or chubby. However this character may play a vital role during the episode or during the series in helping the main character or characters. In the corner of his eye he sees the right wing of the plane about to break and most of it detached from the body of the plane and about to fall onto a blonde haired women. Jack runs over to her, running in the white hot sand he manages to save the women by lifting her up and running to safer place away from the plane. As the wing of the plane hits the ground there is a massive explosion, there are red hot burning flames everywhere. Jack and women look on in disbelief. The women has long wavy blonde hair that comes down to back she has piercing blue eyes and she to is smothered with dirt and black patches on her face , maybe because of the hot flames from other parts of the plane that caught on fire. She was wearing a white tank top and blue trousers she was showing a bit a cleavage. This is a typical woman that is represented as being the heros fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ or lover. The role of the women being put in danger, when the planes wing was about to drop on her is very typical of a women role and maybe stereotypical as it shows her in a defenceless and venerable way, she calls out him as if she wants someone to save her. She can only be saved if only a strong courageous man can save her, which is the role of jack the main character the hero to do so, even though that may not be his role later on the episode or series, but the charter has been presented with a call to adventure by the women being in danger and jack being called to rescue her in the Jack is reluctant, in case the remain of the plane falls on him. However he saves the women in the end. Afterwards an Indian man with long hair and a black moustache comes along with a ripped white shirt and black trousers and blood all over his hands. He offers them help but Jack and women say agree and the Indian man o ffers to help them. This scene is shown in a good light as it shows that people from different ethnic backgrounds and come together in a desperate time of need and help each other.

The Chemistry and History of Silly Putty

The Chemistry and History of Silly Putty Silly Putty is an amazing stretchy toy thats sold in a plastic egg. In the modern era, you can find many different types of Silly Putty, including types that change colors and glow in the dark. The original product was actually the result of an accident. Silly Putty History James Wright, an engineer at General Electrics New Haven laboratory, may have invented silly putty in 1943 when he accidentally dropped boric acid into silicone oil. Dr. Earl Warrick, of the Dow Corning Corporation, also developed a bouncing silicone putty in 1943. Both GE and Dow Corning were trying to make an inexpensive synthetic rubber to support the war effort. The material resulting from the mixture of boric acid and silicone stretched and bounced farther than rubber, even at extreme temperatures. As an added bonus, the putty copied newspaper or comic-book print. An unemployed copywriter named Peter Hodgson saw the putty at toy store, where it was being marketed for adults as a novelty item. Hodgson bought the production rights from GE and renamed the polymer Silly Putty. He packaged it in plastic eggs because Easter was on the way and introduced it at the International Toy Fair in New York in February of 1950. Silly Putty was a lot of fun to play with, but practical applications for the product werent found until after it became a popular toy. How Silly Putty Works Silly Putty is a viscoelastic liquid or non-Newtonian fluid. It acts primarily as a viscous liquid, though it can have properties of an elastic solid, too. Silly Putty is primarily polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). There are covalent bonds within the polymer, but hydrogen bonds between the molecules. The hydrogen bonds can be readily broken. When small amounts of stress are slowly applied to the putty, only a few of the bonds are broken. Under these condition, the putty flows. When more stress is applied quickly, many bonds are broken, causing the putty to tear. Lets Make Silly Putty! Silly Putty is a patented invention, so specifics are a trade secret. One way to make the polymer is by reacting dimethyldichlorosilane in diethyl ether with water. The ether solution of the silicone oil is washed with an aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The ether is evaporated off. Powdered boric oxide is added to the oil and heated to make the putty. These are chemicals the average person doesnt want to mess with, plus the initial reaction can be violent. There are safe and easy alternatives, though, that you can make with common household ingredients: Silly Putty Recipe #1 This recipe forms a slime with a thicker consistency, similar to that of putty. Solution of 55% Elmers glue solution in waterSolution of 16% sodium borate (Borax) in waterFood coloring (optional)Ziploc bags Mix together 4 parts of the glue solution with one part of the borax solution. Add food coloring, if desired. Refrigerate the mixture in the sealed bag when not in use. Silly Putty Recipe #2 The glue and starch recipe may also be seen as a slime recipe by some people, but the materials behavior is much like that of putty. 2 Parts Elmers white glue1 Part liquid starch Gradually mix the starch into the glue. More starch may be added if the mixture seems too sticky. Food coloring may be added, if desired. Cover and refrigerate the putty when not in use. This putty can be pulled, twisted, or cut with scissors. If the putty is left to rest, it will pool out, like a thick liquid. Things to Do With Silly Putty Silly putty bounces like a rubber ball (except higher), will break from a sharp blow, can be stretched, and will melt into a puddle after a length of time. If you flatten it and press it over comic book or some newpaper print, it will copy the image. Bouncing Silly Putty If you shape Silly Putty into a ball and bounce it off a hard, smooth surface it will bounce higher than a rubber ball. Cooling the putty improves its bounce. Try putting the putty in the freezer for an hour. How does it compare with warm putty? Silly Putty can have a rebound of 80%, meaning it can bounce back to 80% of the height from which it was dropped. Floating Silly Putty The specific gravity of Silly Putty is 1.14. This means it is more dense than water and would be expected to sink. However, you can cause Silly Putty to float. Silly Putty in its plastic egg will float. Silly putty shaped like a boat will float on the surface of water. If you roll Silly Putty into tiny spheres, you can float them by dropping them into a glass of water into which you have added a little vinegar and baking soda. The reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide gas, which will stick to the spheres of putty and cause them to float. As the gas bubbles fall off, the putty will sink. The Solid Liquid You can mold Silly Putty into a solid form. If you chill the putty, it will hold its shape longer. However, Silly Putty isnt really a solid. Gravity will take its toll, so any masterpiece you sculpt with Silly Putty will slowly soften and run. Try sticking a glob of Silly Putty to the side of your refrigerator. It will stay as a glob, showing your fingerprints. Eventually it will start to ooze down the side of the refrigerator. There is a limit to this it wont run like a drop of water. However, Silly Putty flows.

Stereotype paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Stereotype paper - Essay Example Moreover, I believe that there is no afterlife because there seems to be no purpose in it and no one has proven it so far. I am prejudiced against these pastors who spread the so-called â€Å"Word of God† in order to convince their congregation to buy everything that they say simply out of faith and perhaps for their own benefit, even if that benefit were only a smug feeling of satisfaction that they have done something good or others have followed them. The more they assert their beliefs, the more they make me feel that it is just easy for them to say those things because they live rich lives and they are not exactly the ones suffering. I believe their convictions about God would be different if they were the ones waiting for their execution in Rwanda or dying of cholera in Sierra Leone. Nevertheless, I have realized that Peter Ditto of the University of California-Irvine was right in saying that â€Å"people are much more skeptical processors of information [that] they don’t want to believe† (â€Å"How Pre-existing Beliefs,† 2012). Perhaps, my arguments were also flawed in that I have assumed that for God to exist, then He must be good, and that for heaven and the afterlife to make sense then they must at least require some proof. It appears that I was not able to consider the idea that God may exist but may be just and not kind, and He may have a purpose that I may not be able to comprehend. Moreover, the afterlife may really actually exist and that just because something does not have proof does not necessarily mean that it does not exist. Lastly, I may have committed the fallacy of argumentum ad hominem against pastors because I may have attacked them and their personal circumstances instead of their actual convictions (Walker, 2009). I may have unjustly assumed that they were rich and had good things happening around them all the time that is why I assumed that they would not be able to exactly understand how hard the poor

Analysis report of Shuttle Wagons project Essay

Analysis report of Shuttle Wagons project - Essay Example This happened due to the fact that the safety regime was not defined properly and lacked clarification at the start of the project. Some approvals took longer than expected; the safety regulators did not fully know what the environment of the Channel Tunnel was like because of the Kings Cross Fire incidents which took place in 1987. These are the main considerations of the entire project. Analysis Report of Shuttle Wagons Project Purpose of the Report The task of constructing the shuttle wagons was given to Trans Manche Link who subcontracted other manufacturers to build the wagons. The project faced a lot of business problems and the major problem was the delay in building the shuttle due to several reasons and the approval of safety regulators (Clancy 2008). The purpose of this report is to give comprehensive analytical and evaluative business recommendations and to present solutions to the problems which the Shuttle Wagon Project has faced. In this regard, it is pertinent to addre ss some issues first. Background of the report The Eurotunnel is the biggest infrastructure to be owned and financed privately in the world’s history. ... iven to Trans Manche Link (TML) who in turn subcontracted different manufacturers to build high speed shuttle wagons which were to transport freight as well as passengers to different parts of Europe (Clancy 2008). The project was a combination of two different functions firstly it needed the finance and secondly it needed construction contractors. So naturally there were two groups who were involved in the projects, banks and constructions companies. But despite all that there were a number of equity issues that the project was facing due to the fact that the financial institutions were risking more than they originally planned, a number of things got delayed due to the UK general elections, there were no negotiations on a credit agreement and everything was turning out to be a mess due to the delays (Harris 1996). On top of that there were various shuttle design issues and as there was no concise safety regime plan which developed the shuttle wagons were brought back to be redesign ed according to the safety regulations. Interest on payments was piling up due to the delays and it was getting difficult for the project to determine the profits. Plus there a number of problems gave birth to other problems for example as all the changes which were to be made systematically as the issue was with the product which was the shuttle, it was necessary to change other elements of their design as well which took time. Secondly there were complications in the design of the under car (Rosenberg 2012). The manufacturing of cross related products became complex, the fact that in order to make one element or design one element a number of elements had to also be re designed this caused problems for the technicians and the manufacturers who were already over burdened with the

Personal Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Personal Responsibility Essay Personal responsibility is extremely important in life because it dictates the quality of your life. Your life is directly affected by the level of personal responsibility you practice. The definition of personal responsibility is vague and broad. It is comparable to defining a personality trait that includes several traits in one. These traits include ethics, moral decisions, freedom of choice, self-discipline and accountability. Personal responsibility also plays a vital role in your success as a student. Your success as a college student has a direct correlation with personal responsibility. As a college student it is also important to have strategies in place for your success. Having a plan on how you are going to succeed keeps you on track and helps you to enhance your personal responsibility. Personal responsibility does not have the same meaning for everyone or the value that is placed on this practice. What is Personal Responsibility Responsibility is something that exists in the lives of everyone. On a daily basis we are required to satisfy some form of personal responsibility. If I had to define the word personal responsibility I would define it as consistently following through with what needs to be done and establishing a level of self-discipline and trust. The dictionary states the definition of responsibility as the state, quality or fact of being responsible; a duty, obligation or burden. There are many levels of responsibility: financial responsibility, economic responsibility, professional responsibility, and so on. I want to elaborate on personal responsibility. I believe this particular level also incorporates ethics and morals in its definition as well. Moral responsibilities are equally pervasive, in that we are vulnerable human beings, caring for and cared by others. Moral sentiments relate to things that we have reason to value, moving us into action† (Sanghara, Ablezova, Botoeva, 2011). Personal responsibility encompasses your ethical beliefs which also requires you to admit to your mistakes. It seems we live in a world where that is not practiced as often as it should. â€Å"Doing the right thing whether or not it is witnessed by others is a key part of taking personal responsibility for your actions† (Tracey, 2011). The demise of personal responsibility occurs when individuals blame their family, their peers, their economic circumstances, or their society for their own failure to meet standards† (Haskins, 1996). It is so easy to place the blame of your problems on your environment. I believe this particular part of personal responsibility is the hardest to practice. If we all took the time to be aware of our lack of acceptance of our problems and started placing the blame on our own failures, we as individuals will have a whole new sense of freedom. This new freedom can be comparable to a weight being lifted of our shoulders and we can finally start taking control of our lives. This particular part of personal responsibility should be included in the dictionary definition because I believe it is easily over looked. Personal responsibility also encompasses our right of freedom. Our level of responsibility is surrounded by choices. We have the freedom to choose how we are going to fufill our obligations, the level of accountability we display, and whether or not we will accept when we made a mistake. The subject is condemmed to be free, and to decide for himself/herself. Such a freedom is also related to his or her own responsibility, because his or her decisions will have to be made without any refrence to any higher ethical norm else that the one the subject is defining for himself† (Ballet, Dubois, Mahie, 2007). In other words, we are able to make our choices of responsibility and we do not have to answer to anyone. This makes it easier to make irresponsible choices. We are 100 percent in charge of our outcomes. This makes it imperative for us to use our freedom wisely. Consistently choosing to be responsible, accountable, and ethical creates a foundation for a happier life. This equates to our life being in our hands and no one elses. In my definition of personal responsibility I used the word self-discipline and trust. I believe these two terms are key components of the act of being responsible. If someone is consitently responsible you know that you will be able to trust that person with something that is important to you. A responsible person has a proven track record of following through with their obligations or the obligations of others. Self-discipline goes along with freedom. Freedom, in essence, is a priveledge that must be exercised properly. The abilty to recognize freedom is crucial and to do the right thing is a key element of personal responsibility. Self-discipline is the restraint that is necessary to stay within the ethical boundaries of decision making and it is the power you have inside you to finish all the necessary tasks that are in front of you. There are obligations that we are required to fulfill, but most of the time we do not have to answer to anyone when we do not meet our obligations. Consequences are most always present, but tend not to be enough to stop us from our irresponsible actions. †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦a responsible agent is one who is self-conciously self-determined† (Spector, 2008). Personal responsibilty is having the knowledge to say no when certain situations arise and that comes with self-discipline. Personal Responsibility and College Success The level of personal responsibility you practice will directly affect the amount of success you achieve in higher education. Your work load can essentially double while you are in a college setting because this type of learning environment usually consists of adults that have jobs and families. College success will require you to make moral and ethical decisions, exercise self-discipline, and be accountable. All of these terms are related and involve personal responsibility which can be summed up with this citation, â€Å"It’s the absolute minimum requirement for the accomplishment of everything you could ever really want in life† (Tracey, 2011). Personal responsibility is required in our daily lives and is required for college success in the same regard. We are in charge of our outcomes and if the outcome we are striving for in college is success with a degree, we have nothing standing in our way. The only thing we need to do is be aware of the level of responsibility we currently have and the level of personal responsibility we need to maintain. With this in mind, meeting the demands of a college student can be easily managed. Effective Strategies to be a Successful Student To fully incorporate personal responsibility in your college life it is beneficial to be prepared. Being prepared includes coming in with some type of idea and organization. A very simple and effective way to manage the demands of college is preparing schedules. A daily schedule helps you to prioritize your obligations and tasks. They also put less stress on you depending on your memory. A schedule will allow for you to add time when a important project is coming up and you need to prepare in stages. This adding of time will allow for you to attend to your personal obligations while making time for your school obligations. It also gives you the sense of accomplishment when you are able to start crossing off your schedule. This accomplishment in turn gives motivation for you to stay on top of your duties and stay consistent. Another important strategy for college success is utilizing all the available resources colleges have available. Many institutions provide access to libraries with faculty ready and willing to help whenever you need to ask. This can really ease the stress level when you have major projects or papers due. They are familiar with the college and faculty and are able to give you approprate advice. Also on the faculty of many colleges are counselors. These individuals are trained to guide you in course selection and degree plans. They are familiar with the schools curriculum and requirements and can help you make informed decisions. Higher learning institutions may also provide programs that include child care to job placement. Taking advantage of these programs is vital to maintaing your success while in college. Most importantly, one of the best strategies for college success is setting goals for yourself. Goals can be set in a variety of areas which makes goals so helpful. The most important part to remember about setting goals is to write them down so you can visualize your goals daily. You can set short term goals and include steps to how you are going to achieve them. You can, at the same time, set long term goals. Your short term goals will be steps to getting to your long term. You can also stay motivated about your goals by placing rewards when you do achieve them. I belive these strategies are important ingredients to college success and can be implemented by maintaining consistent levels of personal responsibility. â€Å"This clearly shows that a person cannot only be defined in a consistent way by a series of added characteristics, whether they be rights, capabilities, or freedoms† (Ballet, Dubois, Mahie, 2007). Conclusion Personal responsibility is a trait that everyone obtains, and everyone practices personal responsibility in different ways. The key to a productive lifestyle is practicing your level of personal responsibility to the highest degree. And with that practice to always engage in moral and ethical behaviors as well. I believe in consitently staying responsible in all your tasks and this in turn can open the doorway to accomplishing all of your dreams. We hold the power and the control of our destiny and it all starts with the term personal responsibility. Utilzing personal responsibilty in all aspects of your life is the key to your happiness and your future. Take it from the wise words of Abraham Lincoln, â€Å"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. †

Charlie was Better off Before the Operation in Flowers for Algernon Ess

In this novel, Flowers for Algernon, written by Daniel Keyes, a man named Charlie Gordon has an operation done to increase his intelligence. He started as a mentally retarded man and slowly became a genius. He seemed to soak up information like a sponge and he was able to figure out the most complex scientific formulas. The only problem with the operation is that it does not last for ever and in his remaining time he tries to figure out why it is not permanent. He will eventually lose everything he learned and become worse off than when he started, so Charlie was better off before he had the operation. Before Charlie had the operation preformed on him, he had friends at the bakery he worked at. They were not really his friends because they always made jokes about Charlie, but he was not smart enough to realize it. As he gets smarter he loses his friends because they think he is just trying to act smart. ?This intelligence has driven a wedge between me and all the people I knew and loved, driven me out of the bakery. Now, I?m more alone than ever before.? (75). This quote expla...

Is Rationalisation a Desirable Strategy?

Foundations of Managing and Organising – Essay 1 Is rationalisation a desirable strategy for managing and organising Junction Hotel in the current economic climate? Junction Hotel is an ‘upmarket, city centre hotel with proud tradition of strong customer service with a traditional approach’. (2012, pp. 2-3) FoM Seminar workbook 1 – 2012-13). Simon Chance is the newly appointed C. E. O of the hotel in hope to restore the glorious hotel there once was. Simon Chance is a venture capitalist and president of Second-Chance consortium and is willing to step up to the challenge of updating the hotel through the way it operates, looks and how its run.Problems with the hotel range from poor management and organisation to dated equipment and deteriorating interior. This does not impress the high-class clientele the Hotel claims to cater for. The poor condition of the hotel matched with the very expensive room charges is not something customers will oblige to pay for e specially in the current economy where people’s expenses are rising alongside taxation and a poor economic climate leaving people with less disposable income.Furthermore, with the worldwide hotel sector looking as if it will be much more profitable there will be increased competition for Junction Hotel and a wider choice of hotels for customers to choose from. (MarketingCharts Staff, February 21, 2012. Hotel Industry Poised for 2012. http://www. marketingcharts. com/direct/hotel-industry-poised-for-2012-growth-21201/). Chance has decided a new business strategy is what Junction Hotel needs in order to regain the success it once had and looks at rationalisation as a potential strategy.Rationalisation is organising a business through principles of management in order to gain efficiency often accomplished through downsizing e. g. reducing workforce or selling/closing plants. By increasing efficiency it can cut hotel running costs of which the money can be spent on renovating the run down hotel. A problem with the current state of Junction Hotel is the lack of clear roles and job titles, which can be seen as almost essential today for all businesses.A more bureaucratic approach would be a great way to overcome this. This would include a clear hierarchy of authority usually presented in an organisational chart appointing each staff member their place in the organisation and who they answer to i. e. who their supervisor/s are. At the moment there is confusion with a number of staff as to what their roles are such as Linda Wilkinson whose responsibility is continually growing ranging from cleaning staff to reception staff to maintenance etc.This poses a problem as there is no division of labour which instantly reduces efficiency in the organisation as employees may not be clear on what to do and therefore there may be more people than necessary doing a specific job or important tasks left altogether. Furthermore, there is confusion over the roles in the restau rant with the Head Chef and Wilkinson both wanting control over the waiting staff. A well thought out organisation chart will indicate the position of each employee very clearly and means everyone should be able to cope with the workload thus minimising mistakes.It may be that Chance needs to hire more supervisors as Wilkinson seems to be accountable for many of the staff – a much higher ratio than what would be ideal. Morgan, G, (2006) â€Å"Mechanization Takes Command: Organizations as Machines† from Morgan, G, Images of Organization p 19 states that there should be Unity of Command meaning an employee should receive orders from only one supervisor as well as a low Span of Control meaning the number of employees reporting to one supervisor should not be so large that it creates communication problems.It is evident that this is not the case in Junction Hotel and the problems of this are beginning to show. (REFERENCE ABOUT SPECIALISATION e. g. relating to mcdonalds/tra velodge). Taking this more bureaucratic approach will enable Chance to make the workforce more rational and organised allowing efficiency of work to increase. Chance may decide the workers are unmotivated if rationalisation is put into action. By allocating specific jobs especially monotonous labour that is carried out day in day out workers may feel dehumanised and can get easily bored.This is a downside of the strategy Chance wishes to use however, there have been studies such as the Hawthorne studies which suggest it is possible to overcome these problems. Furthermore, on the plus side work at Junction Hotel is not as repetitive and dehumanising as factory workers who worked for Taylor or Ford and is even better than much of today’s work which has been a victim of ‘McDonaldization’. Ritzer, G. (2008) The Mcdonaldization of society p. 7 claims due to efficiency ‘Managers†¦ gain because more work gets done, more customers are served and more profits a re earned’ and therefore aim to achieve greatest efficiency which is defined as ‘choosing the optimum means to a given end’. This type of rational organisation is very mechanical, employees work solely for monetary rewards and work is very individual. This type of working environment would not suit Junction Hotel as a hotel is a very social place where workers need to communicate with each other and customers.This type of work environment in modern society would be found in a fast food restaurant such as McDonalds – here monotonous tasks are continuously carried out by the workers and even what they say is scripted. This would not work well in the Junction Hotel setting as each customer in the hotel will have different queries besides â€Å"would you want the receptionist to have the same conversation with you as somebody serving you in McDonalds? † (FoM Seminar (2012) Nottingham Trent University). Furthermore, the Hawthorne Studies found that there are many factors that changed the output workers produced.I feel these are not entirely relevant to the workers at Junction Hotel because a lot of the jobs to do at Junction Hotel are more concerned with the quality than the quantity. For example there are only 100 rooms to clean though these should although be done quickly there should be certainty that each room is spotless to maintain this luxurious hotel image. Changes in the light level won’t have much impact on the rate of work in the Hotel or have much impact on customers as they are not really buying products. Such changes may be necessary in the restaurant as here it is important for food to be made and served quickly.Overall, I think rationalisation is a much needed strategy but not in the way it is made clear to us in the modern day e. g. by dehumanising workers and giving them simple, boring tasks to do. It is important for Junction Hotel to gain a structure/hierarchy as well as division of labour to occur though there is a risk of workers being stripped of their individuality and therefore a line must be drawn at how bureaucratic the organisation should become as it must remain a high class venue and not equivalent to a Travelodge where there are hundreds of venues which look and operate the same and include no perks for the customer.REFEERNCE LIST: Anon. (2012, pp. 2-3) FoM Seminar workbook 1 – 2012-13 MarketingCharts Staff, February 21, 2012. Hotel Industry Poised for 2012. http://www. marketingcharts. com/direct/hotel-industry-poised-for-2012-growth-21201/ Morgan, G, (2006, p 19) â€Å"Mechanization Takes Command: Organizations as Machines† from Morgan, G, Images of Organization Ritzer, G. (2008, p. 57) The Mcdonaldization of society Anon. (2012) FoM Seminar Nottingham Trent University

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Early Marriage Essay

Below is a free essay on â€Å"Advantages and Disadvantages of an Early Marriage† from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. Young people in modern society have completely different views on marriage. Ones prefer to get married at an early age; others, however, tend to postpone marriage until they finish their studies and make a successful career. Early marriages have lots of advantages, such as experiencing the joy of parenthood and other benefits of the wedlock and becoming mature as early as possible, but also have some negative sides, such as economic restrictions, misunderstanding between partners and inability to get proper education. On the one hand, marrying young has some advantages. Firstly, due to the heavy workload arising from new responsibilities and duties, such as earning the living, taking care of children, organizing time properly, running the household, the newly married youngsters mature much earlier than their peers. see more:advantages and disadvantages of family Read more:  Child Marriage Essay Introduction Secondly, the earlier the partners get married, the more time they spend together, the more obstacles they overcome hand in hand, the more mutual interests they have, and, as a result, it is quite easy for them to find common ground and see eye to eye on various problems. Besides, such spouses are more likely to compromise and to comfort each other more successfully. Thirdly, having children is another important aspect of family life, which is worth mentioning. The idea is that giving birth at an early age is not likely to be followed by any health problems. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages in getting married at an early age. To begin with, both partners do not have an opportunity to finish their education, as they have to provide for their family and one of the spouses is likely to become a breadwinner. Furthermore, marrying young leads to a wide range of problems and inconveniences, such as insufficient income and lack of suitable accommodation. This is when a young couple realizes that the reality is much tougher, than their pure feelings and family life is not always about being lovers, but it also demands self-sacrifice.

Political Cartoon on Health Care Reform in the United States

Political Cartoon on Health Care Reform in the United States Cartoon Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Political Cartoon on Health Care Reform in the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More (Toles 1) The cartoonist portrays the factors influencing the pace of the healthcare reform process in the United States. He suggests that the process has been very slow and has suffered several setbacks. In spite of the fact that the whole procedure of reforming the healthcare sector has covered a period more than a decade, there are massive political efforts adding some slack the process. The cartoonist demonstrates the parties involved in the healthcare reform bound to suffer from the pace of the reform process. The cartoonist mainly uses metaphors to pass his message. He likens the pace of the reform process to that of a snail meaning that the process has been very slow. In fact, he uses the picture of snail as an ambulance carrying the reform process in its back. In this case, re form process is seen to be in a critical point as symbolized by the ambulatory function of the snail carrying the reform process (Toles 1). The winding path used by the proverbial snail ambulance indicates that the process itself has not been progressive with regard to the achievements made to complete the process. In addition, the cartoonist adds a time frame to the winding path which gives an indicator of the years that the process suffered setbacks. This means that the process took a period of more than a decade. The cartoonist also employs personification to relay his message. An elephant asking the snail to reduce the pace is drawn at the end of the path to suggest that some stakeholders have tried to thwart the reforms. The human ability to talk is attributed to the two animals, and for that reason, presents the use of personification as a literary stylistic device.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The stakeholders in this case have massive influence on the whole process represented by the elephant image interacting with the small snail. The allegorical snail portrays the burden carried in the reform process since the snail is known to carry its shell on its back (Sheppard 21). At the foot of the cartoon, the elephant intimidates the snail ambulance that some people might get hurt in the reform process. This shows that some political bigwigs argue that the position of the reform process may be detrimental to some extent. Figuratively the snail is pictured as bigger than the elephant in the cartoon. This is symbolic of the weight that the reform processes and effort carries over the individual needs of the reform stakeholders The cartoonist exaggerates the pace, which the stakeholders would want to be used in the reform process. The snail pace is proverbially known to be the slowest pace, however, the parties would want the slowest speed be slackened the more. Their influence makes the reform process sluggish, which is portrayed in the year 2010 by the elephant standing on the year’s mark (Sheppard32). The audience of this cartoon will need to correlate the process of perform reforms within the healthcare sector and its impact on the society. One must reckon the fact that the process was established some times in the past and has arrived its critical stages. The reader must also notice that there exist stakeholders with vested interests in the whole reform process who have been a hindrance to its progress. A reader can offer a rebuttal to the cartoonist claim that the stakeholders influence the process in a detrimental manner. This is attributed to the reform process that is meant to be beneficial to all parties. This means that no matter how long it takes to carry out the reforms, all efforts to achieve an all-beneficial policy is valid, and for that reason, it should not be viewed negatively.Advertising We will wri te a custom essay sample on Political Cartoon on Health Care Reform in the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sheppard, Alice. Cartooning for suffrage. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2008. Print. Toles, Tom. Political cartoon on health care reform in the United States. Right to Health Care ProCon.org. Right to Health Care ProCon.org. N.p.,2009.

INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH AND CULTURE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH AND CULTURE - Essay Example Old age may come with a few disadvantages. It is possible to have Lanesha’s grandmother preoccupied with other aspects of her life, and may be incapable of thinking critically about what her granddaughter needs. Marietta may have a tough time having a normal routine with all the people under her care (Cross Cultural Health Care 1). It is next to impossible to look after two children and an older person, while being expected to remember every detail of their lives. It may be easier if she was a little bit younger, but it is an issue many individuals face. It is also a daunting task trying to carry on with one’s daily life when other individuals are in need of attention and care. Lanesha’s situation is tricky to many individuals. It is difficult to cater to a growing child who is in such a condition while all alone. Lanesha is trying to cope with the situation in her own way. In most cases, people tend to react to their situation in a way to suggest they are handling their condition. Lanesha, in this case, tends to lash out at everything and everyone around her. It is a common phenomenon among individuals who might feel helpless when under such situations (Cross Cultural Health Care 1). It is an emotional reaction toward her condition, which suggests that she does not like depending on others to carry out basic functions. Marietta, on the other hand, chooses to look at it differently in that, she wishes she was not responsible for her grandchildren and aging mother. This is explained her lack of interest in Lanesha’s medication when she says it is not her responsibility to do so. This is an indicator of strong, pent up emotions of hurt and sadness, which seem to be the order of the day in her life. Futility is another common indicator of her feelings toward the situation she might be facing (Cross Cultural Health Care 1). This may arise because; she is afraid there is nothing she might do to assist her granddaughter with what she is

Resource Review - Social Media and Vaccine Rejection Essay

Resource Review - Social Media and Vaccine Rejection - Essay Example What is social media’s role in all of this? Traditionally, geographic proximity was necessary for mobilizing anti-vaccination forces. However, social media has circumvented this potential barrier, allowing individuals from disparate regions who likely would not have otherwise communicated to come into contact. In this process, individuals who had otherwise had their viewpoints rejected and been marginalized can be emboldened and can feel empowered. Social media also provides these individuals with new dynamic mechanisms to communicate their viewpoints. Researchers have observed this in several ways while studying vaccine concerns. 7 Vaccination is an important aspect of modern medicine and has been used to avert adverse effects of many diseases. It is believed that vaccines have saved more lives across the world more than any other medical product. The history of vaccination can be traced to 429 BC when the Greek historian, Thucydides noted that those who suffered from small pox in Athens were not re-infected with the disease. During the 900 AD, Chinese discovered and used a vaccination form called variolation which was carried as early as 10th century but was most used between 14th and 17th centuries (Hsu, 2012). The technology used to prevent people from small pox during this time was exposing healthy individuals to tissue from the disease’s scabs. Even though variolation caused mild illness and sometimes death, the rate of small pox infections were lower in many populations. During 1796, Dr. Edward Jenner, a British physician discovered the modern vaccination and proved to the medical professionals that it worked. This led to the support for vaccination in 1803 and founding of the Royal Jennerian institute which popularize vaccination in Europe and United States (Hsu, 2012). However, during 1870s, vaccination encountered violent oppositions as it spreads since

Research and Analysis Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

And Analysis - Research Paper Example the whole government of the United States and more specifically federal government appeared confused and unprepared for this calamity and there emergency response was very minimal, what they did was not satisfactory at all. Federal Emergency Management Agency or (FEMA) were not able to response on time instead they delayed to set up an immediate operation center in New Orleans, in addition to that they seemed not having a concrete plan of action to work upon. Including the president of the day Mr George Bush appeared to be unaware on how bad the situation was on the ground or entire affected region, the number of people stranded or missing, the figure of homes destroyed or under floods and much aid was needed (Levitt & Whitaker, 2009). One reporter described the aftermath of the disaster as a â€Å"total disaster zone† and a place people are â€Å"getting absolutely desperate† daily. Overall emergency needed proper management at different levels and coordination. Many people had nowhere to call home any more while at Superdome where people had gathered the suppliers were running low day by day, the officials were so adamant but finally accepted about 15,000 more refugees running from the storm that following Monday after which they locked the doors. The so called City leaders were seen as status because they had no appropriate plan to follow while tens of thousands citizens were desperate looking for food, water, and at the same time shelter. This led them to Ernest N. Morial and Convention Center complex but what they found was chaos all over, in other words it was now impossible to depart from New Orleans to any other place, this increased desperateness especially the poor people who had no cars and had to go nowhere, for example some group of people attempted to walk over famous Crescent City Connector overpass to the close by town of Grema but it was in vain since the standby police officers carrying short guns stopped them and insisted for them to go

Unit 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit 3 - Essay Example Age and can possibly provide an example for this relationship. As one ages, resistance to diseases decreases. This means that the increase in age negatively affect resistance to diseases. Correlation studies can take many forms. Let us consider non-experimental correlation studies and quasi-experimental studies. Non-experimental studies involve measuring things as the objects appear. In non-experimental studies, the methods used include observation, case history, and surveys. It is it is unethical to manipulate independent variables. Non-experimental values are used to provide solutions to problems and question existing realities. Lawrence Lisa (2011), conducted a non-experimental descriptive correlation study to examine the relationship amongst four variables, moral distress, education level, CRP and work ethics and how these variables affected nurses work engagement. The study found out that there was a positive direct relationship between CRP and work engagement and a negative correlation moral distress and work engagement. According to Ramos-Alvarez, Moreno Fernandez, Valdez Conroy, & Catena (2008), quasi experiments are evaluations that attempt to determine whether a program or intervention has an expected effect on the participants. Quasi experiments take different forms but usually lack aspects of true experiments. This is the reason quasi experiments are not ideal for dissertation work. In a true experiment, there must be pre-test and posttest design, treatment group, control group and random assignment. For quasi experiment, either one or two of these aspects are lacking. Raanas, Grindel & Herting (2012) conducted a quasi experiment study to examine the health advantages of a bedroom window observethe natural background for patients undergoing a rehabilitation program. The funding for this research was that a blocked view appeared to influence negative physical health changes in women. For men, blocked views

The Iberian Lynx: Habitat, Features and Endangerment

The Iberian Lynx: Habitat, Features and Endangerment Josue Flanquin The Fate of the Iberian Lynx Among the many carnivore species that exist in Europe, the Iberian lynx and the European mink-Mustela lutreola are the only two indigenous species of the continent. In 1992, after series of careful observations and head count by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Iberian Lynx was quickly considered â€Å"critically endangered,† to see one of them go extinct is inacceptable. Despite the many researches, money and time spent in their protection and conservation, yet not much improvement has been shown in their survival. The Iberian lynx, also known as lynx of Spain and as lynx pardinus, will be the first member of the feline species to go extinct since the extinction of the Saber-toothed tiger 10,000 years ago. Being part of the wildcat family, the lynx pardinus displays many of their characteristics including long legs, ruff beard-like fur and tufted ears but unlike many other wildcats, the Iberian lynx coat is spotted, colored and shorter. Geographical Range The Iberian Lynx is known to be a native of Spain and Portugal, mainly in the Southern of the Iberian Peninsula. It is thought that before, they were well-spread all over the area, however, about a century and a half ago, their range has diminish tremendously. Before, their presence was known to be noticeable mainly in the south but also in some northern part of the area. Rapidly within fifty years they started to become extinct in the north Iberian region and an intense decline in density also began to ravage the south. From 1960 to 1990, the decline had become more extreme, and more prominent in south Spain and Portugal with about 80% with only 2% of their previous original range remained occupied. (Ferreras, et al., 2004) Two surveys were published, one in 1988 and the other in 2008. The first one estimated there were in a very fragmented range, about 800 to 1100 Iberian lynxes (adult) living in nine populations. And the other survey that was done in the more recent years has shown a much lower estimated head count to confirm that their presence were only spotted in the southwestern region of the Iberian peninsula. The total estimated number of Iberian lynx spotted and reported was between 475 to 680 Iberian lynxes living in five populations instead of nine populations as previously reported. In order to protect them, they are being kept in the Donana National Park. The species used to be very common in Portugal, but now its thought to be extirpated since their presence was last reported in January 1992. (Delibes, et al., 2000; Ferreras, et al., 2004) Habitat Like many wild felids, the Iberian lynx requires a wide range of terrains, especially below 1300 meters that contain mosaic of closed scrubland that is scattered among open patches of grassland. The reasons for choosing such landscapes are because it provides a great balance between wide-open space and shrub cover. Mostly, lynxes use scrubland as shelter and breeding while other areas that are not totally covered tend to become a shelter for their prey, more specifically their mainstay pray the European Rabbits, also know as Oryctolagus Cuniculus, which is very prominent in these locations. Unfortunately beside the many suitable habitat locations that are available, the species have been extinct from those areas presumably due to the low availability of their main prey (Ferreras et al., 2004). One of the features observed from felids is that they are very solitary and depend on a distributed demographic structure among populations where inbreeding is avoided. This requires passages b etween areas that meet the criteria of the suitable territory. Those passages allow the lynx to look for new habitats outside of the given endemic territory that fits their living condition. (Pedro Sarmento, et al., 2008) Physical Description The Felidae family has many other lynx species in their genus that includes the Canadian lynx (Lynx Canadensis), the Eurasian lynx and the Bobcat (Lynx rufus). The common family traits explain their resemblance and relativeness to each other, for example, although they are very similar in size as the Canadian lynx and the Bobcat lynx but yet smaller than the Eurasian lynx and black shorted-tipped tails. However, the Iberian lynx has some unique features of their own; they have small heads and flat faces, black tufted ears and jowls-bearded appearance and tawny pelage. Those differences have been used recently in the configuration and characterization of their size, shape and intensity of those distinctions in order to determine the degree of diversity genetically within the species. (Beltrà ¡n and Delibes, 1993; Cope, 1879; Delibes, et al., 2000; Meachen-Samuels and Van Valkenburgh, 2009) The mortality rate of the Iberian lynx is higher than their reproduction rate. According to a s tudy led by Delibes, et al 2000, 40% of their mortality happens while scattered over the land. The lifespan of the species and their longevity of captive individual are unknown. The oldest Iberian lynx as of date died at 13 years of age. The Iberian lynx has a straighten-reduced skull, small muzzles; long jaws that give each bite the â€Å"force of a smaller canines.† Those features are very beneficial adaptations for the Iberian lynx, they help them in catching small, fast prey and also enable them with the ability to kill their target with a single bite in the posterior region of the neck in order to puncture and damage the prey’s spinal cord, as opposed to suffocating bite practice by larger lynx. (Cope, 1879; Beltran and Delibes, 1993; Meachen-Samuels and Valkenburgh, 2009) Reproduction The Iberian lynx is known to be a monogamous polygynous species when observed in the Donana National Park, a close-up metapopulation at its carrying capacity density. With the total availability of suitable territories diminishing, Intrasexual interaction has become very competitive, resulting in the male Iberian lynx to have smaller territories that can be easily defended against other surrounding rivals looking for mates. Therefore, such circumstance turns the Iberian lynx to become more of a monogamy community since the males are forced to put all their strength on defending avoiding access to a particular, exclusive single female of that community. The Iberian lynx often reach sexual maturity within a period of nine months to a year after birth. Though even after sexual maturity the females will not breed until they have secured a set territory of their own. After maturity mating is always the next step, given the fact that females’ estrus peak is in January so breeding us ually happens from January to July since it is the only time that the males and females interact. Although males’ territories might overlap with those of the females’, aggressive interaction over mating right is uncommon; however the prominence of the population dictates the fluctuation rates of aggressive intrasexual, the higher the density rate, the higher the population rate will be and vice versa. (Fernà ¡ndez, et al., 2003) Food Habit The Iberian Lynx is a specialized feeder, its diet consist of 80%-100% Oryctolagus cunicuus. One adult Iberian lynx requires between 700 and 1100 kilocalories per day in order to gain the approximate amount of energy needed to function. By consuming their primary prey, the European rabbit. the Iberian lynx get that amount of energy from one single rabbit. One can imagine that an adult female with younger lynxes will require up to three rabbits per day. Because of their distinctive diet, it makes impossible or hardly do they show geographic variation. Threat to their Survival The Iberian lynx species has made it on the top of the red list of critically endangered species facing extinction, according to the IUNC. Many argument and debates are circulating over who or what is responsible for the Iberian lynx decline with barely 150 left in the Iberian Peninsula (see table 1). The three main cause of their death include but not limited to the decline in the Rabbit population, human hunting and human fragmentation. The rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, is wild invasive animal. This rabbit has been flagged as nearly endangered species in the IUNC red list due to the disease myxomatosis, habitat loss and human-induced mortality (Smith and Boyer 2008). Many Spaniards enjoy hunting. It is part of their way of life also their a way to make a living. Although the government of Spain and Portugal, both have passed laws that prohibits the hunting of the Iberian lynx, many locals still continue those habits. They would hunt them in order to used get their skin to directly sell them in the black market or to use them to make fur coats. Another main threat to the survival of the Iberian lynx is land fragmentation. During the beginning the 20th century when everything including culture start to get influenced by the western world, many rich companies moved to Spain due to low tax or free tax deal. The government allows big companies such as lumber industries to use portions of the iberian lynx habitat to be converted as stands for timbers, or also they have allowed the construction and development of tower-buildings, roads and highways, shopping malls and modern recreational public parks, invading huge part of the forest’s ecosystem and damaging the lynxes’ native habitat. Part of the life cycle of an Iberian lynx is â€Å"inter-population dispersal,† they use habitat corridors as passage, so with new roads being built that also take its toll on the species. Among the many different researches out there, there have not been enough evidence supporting the idea that human fragmentation as the main cause of death. However, according to â€Å"Delibes, et al., 2000,† most recent mortalities have been reported to be human induced which includes traffic collisions from roads, illegal hunting (5% annually), caught in traps (6% annually), and forest fires. Therefore according to the IUNC 2006, the rabbit’s decline remains the primary cause of death and extinction of the Iberian lynx. http://ge09d-geography-2010.wikispaces.com/file/view/Decline_in_Iberian_Lynx_Numbers_2.1.png/123004189/Decline_in_Iberian_Lynx_Numbers_2.1.pn Conservation Status The Iberian lynx is the most threatened species in Europe. This carnivore has fewer than 200 breeding individuals left. They have suffered not only a huge decline in their population rate and a decline in their prey’s availability but also a massive lost of range contraction. The preservation of this species requires immediate intervention from both government, Spain and Portugal accordingly, in order for it to be successful. Many captive breeding programs have begun but little is known about their success and may need to be thoroughly investigated. The inability of the species to disperse due to habitat fragmentation, has led to their isolation. Habitat fragmentation includes road construction, urban development, agriculture and elimination of corridors. Inter-population dispersal is very important in the species’ life cycle; to disperse they use habitat corridors. Another important step that need to be taken into consideration is the restoration of habitat corridors, their protection is important in the recovery of the iberian lynx, if we need re-establish successful inter-population connectivity Pedro Sarmento, et al., 2008). Furthermore, poaching remains on the list as one of the main threat of death of the Iberian lynx with 5% of annual mortality. Spain government in 1973 and Portugal in 1974 have long passed laws prohibiting exploitation and trade of the Iberian lynx by humans, because such activities are kept secret, sensitivity program has been put in place to inform the locals not to partake in such activities and report them. (Beltrà ¡n and Delibes, 1993) Citations Smith, A.T. Boyer, A.F. 2008. Oryctolagus cuniculus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Francisco Palomares, Miguel Delibes, Eloy Revilla, Javier Calzada and Jose Marà ­a Fedriani, Wildlife Monographs No. 148, Spatial Ecology of Iberian Lynx and Abundance of European Rabbits in Southwestern Spain (Oct., 2001) GIL-Sà NCHEZ J, MCCAIN E. Former range and decline of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) reconstructed using verified records.Journal Of Mammalogy[serial online]. October 2011;92(5) Sunquist, M. and Sunquist, F. (2002) Wild Cats of the World. The University of ChicagoSunquist, M. and Sunquist, F. (2002) Wild Cats of the World. The University of Chicago F. palomares, vegetation Structure and Prey Abundance Requirements of the Iberian Lynx: Implications for the Design of Reserves and Corridors Journal of Applied Ecology Vol. 38, No. 1 (Feb., 2001), pp. 9-18 JESUS M. PEREZ, The dilemma of conserving parasites: the case of Felicola (Lorisicola) isidoroi (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae) and its host, the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) Insect Conservation and Diversity (2013) Carlos Carroll and Dale G. Miquelle, Spatial Viability Analysis of Amur Tiger Panthera tigris altaica in the Russian Far East: The Role of Protected Areas and Landscape Matrix in Population Persistence Journal of Applied Ecology vol 43 Ferreras, P., Gaona, P., Palomares, F. and Delibes, M. (2001), Restore habitat or reduce mortality? Implications from a population viability analysis of the Iberian lynx. Animal Conservation, 4:265–274. Palma, L., Beja, P. and Rodrigues, M. (1999), The use of sighting data to analyse Iberian lynx habitat and distribution. Journal of Applied Ecology J. Torres, R. Garcà ­a-Perea, J. Gisbert and C. Feliu (1998). Helminth fauna of the Iberian lynx, Lynx pardinus. Journal of Helminthology, 72, pp 221-226. Meli ML, Cattori V, Martà ­nez F, Là ³pez G, Vargas A, et al. (2009) Feline Leukemia Virus and Other Pathogens as Important Threats to the Survival of the Critically Endangered Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus).

ABC Electric Company :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

ABC Electric Company Introduction ABC Electric has been in business since 1970. The company makes hand-held arc welders its primary customers are construction firms, shipbuilders, auto-repair shops, and â€Å"self-help† amateurs. The company has 30% of the current market share along with four other competitors it has an annual sales of $800 million. The company has a satisfied customer-base. Although, their products are priced above the competitors, customers prefer ABC’s welders due to their superior finish, reliability, and durability. Recently, demand for hand-held welders in the U.S. was steadily growing at a rate of 7% rate annually but has currently drop. However, demands are growing in the West European market, which is currently value at $1 billion. Recently, ABC Electric found its market share and profitability decreasing. Due to the fact that the company has made some gain in its customer base by improving product quality and service while maintaining price. Moreover, a component supplier of ABC has raised its price by almost 10%. In addition, industry wide competition has generated excessive price reduction, which help in the fluctuation of the company profitability. Strategic Issues Facing ABC Electric ABC Electric is facing several issues that needs to be address in order to stabilize their competitors growth as well as increasing their market share and profitability. These issues are closely related to their external competitive strategy, which seems to be non-existence on a whole. Base on my brief discussion above, I believe that ABC Electric has in-voluntarily allows, one of its competitors to make advancement by improving its quality and service of their product without increasing price. Due to the fact that, ABC perceived its customers to be immune to price thereby remaining loyal to its product because of the quality and reliability that comes with the product image. As a result, this perceived brand loyalty created a threat to the company. The second issue facing the company is, a supplier of whom ABC purchases its electric motors from for its welder has raised the price by almost 10%. In looking at this, the bargaining power of the supplier is very strong bec ause the switching cost might be very high. Moreover, it will become damaging to the company based on the current reduction in price within the industry if the problem is not solved.

Bloodlines Chapter Nineteen

IF I'D HAD TROUBLE SLEEPING BEFORE, Adrian's dream only made things worse. Even though I was safely back in my own bed, I couldn't shake the feeling of violation. I imagined that my skin was crawling with the taint of magic. I'd been so anxious to get out of the dream that I'd only half-realized what I'd been agreeing to. I respected Adrian's desire to go to college but now wondered if I should really be helping with that after my father's chastisement about â€Å"getting friendly† with vampires. I wasn't in the greatest of moods when I finally got up a few hours later. The tension in our room was thick as Jill and I prepared for school. Jill's defiance from yesterday was gone, and she kept watching me nervously when she thought I didn't notice. At first, I figured my outburst from last night had made her uneasy. But as we walked out of the room for breakfast, I knew there was more to it. â€Å"What?† I asked bluntly, breaking the silence at last. â€Å"What do you want to ask me?† Jill gave me another wary glance as we joined the rush of other girls heading downstairs. â€Å"Um, something happened yesterday.† A lot of things happened yesterday, I thought. That was my overtired, bitter self talking, and I knew that wasn't what she was leading up to. â€Å"Such as?† I asked. â€Å"Well†¦ I was starting to tell you about how Lee took me to that store. That clothing boutique where he knew the owner? Her name's Lia DiStefano. We talked, and she, uh, offered me a job. Kind of.† â€Å"The modeling job?† We reached the cafeteria's food line, though I had little appetite. I selected a yogurt, which looked sad and lonely in the middle of my otherwise empty tray. â€Å"We talked about that. It's not safe.† Still, it was ironic that a random visit could land Jill a job when three formal interviews had failed for Adrian. â€Å"This isn't for posed pictures that would be in a magazine or anything, though. It's a runway show of local designers. We told her this story that we're part of a religion that has rules about photos and identity. Lia said she'd actually been thinking of having her models wear half masks. Like the kind you wear at a masquerade? Between that and the lighting and the movement†¦ well, it'd be hard to identify me if any candid shots got out. It's just a onetime event, but I'd have to see her beforehand for fittings†¦ and to practice. She'd pay me too, but I'd need rides to get there and parental permission.† We sat down, and I spent an unnecessary amount of time stirring my yogurt as I mulled over her words. I could feel her gaze on me as I thought. â€Å"It's kind of silly, I guess,† she continued when I didn't answer. â€Å"I mean, I don't have any experience. And I don't even know why she'd want me. Maybe it's some gimmick she's going for. Weird models or something.† I finally ate a bite of yogurt and then looked up at her. â€Å"You're not weird, Jill. You really do have the ideal body type for modeling. It's hard to find. For humans, at least.† Once again, I tried not to think about how hard it was for us humans to live up to Moroi perfection. I tried not to think about how, years ago, my dad had criticized my figure and said, â€Å"If those monsters can do it, why not you?† â€Å"But you still think it's a terrible idea,† she said. I didn't respond. I knew what Jill wanted, but she couldn't bring herself to directly ask me for it. And I couldn't easily give it to her yet. I was still too upset about yesterday and not feeling kindly toward any favors. On the other hand, I couldn't tell her no either. Not yet. Despite how irresponsibly she'd behaved, her words about how miserable her life was here had hit me hard. This was something positive and good that would fill her time. It was also a muchneeded ego boost. Laurel had thrived on using Jill's unusual features against her; it would do Jill good to see that others viewed them positively. She needed to realize she was special and wonderful. I didn't know whether to curse or thank Lee for this opportunity. â€Å"I don't think we can decide anything until we go talk to Mrs. Weathers,† I told her at last. I glanced at a nearby clock. â€Å"In fact, we need to meet with her now.† I took a few more bites of my yogurt before throwing it away. Jill took a donut to go. When we returned to our lobby, we found out a delivery had arrived for Jill: a bouquet of perfect red roses and an apologetic note from Lee. Jill melted, her face filling with adoration at the gesture. Even I admired the romance of it, though a snarky part of me said maybe Lee should've sent flowers to Eddie and me instead. We were the ones he needed to apologize to. Regardless, the flowers were quickly forgotten when we sat down in Mrs. Weathers's office and learned the verdict on Jill. â€Å"I spoke to the principal. You aren't being suspended,† she told Jill. â€Å"But for the next month, you are restricted to your dorm when not in class. You are to report to me immediately after classes end so that I know you're here. You may go to the cafeteria for meals – but only your dorm's. Not the one on West Campus. The only exceptions to this policy are if an assignment or teacher requires you to go elsewhere outside of school hours, like the library.† We both nodded, and for a moment, I was simply relieved that Jill hadn't been expelled or anything like that. Then the real problem hit me like a slap in the face. I'd told Jill this meeting would impact any modeling decisions, but there was something much worse on the line. â€Å"If she's grounded to the dorm, then she can't leave the school,† I said. Mrs. Weathers gave me a wry smile. â€Å"Yes, Miss Melrose. That is what ‘grounded' generally means.† â€Å"She has to, ma'am,† I argued. â€Å"We have family gatherings twice a week.† Ideally, we had them more than that, but I was hoping a lowball number might buy us freedom. It was absolutely essential Jill get blood, and two days a week was about the minimum a vampire could survive on. â€Å"I'm sorry. Rules are rules, and in breaking them, your sister has lost the privilege of functions like that.† â€Å"They're religious,† I said. I hated to play the religion card, but that was something the school would have a hard time countering. And hey, it had apparently worked on the fashion designer. â€Å"We go to church as a family on those days – us and our brothers.† Mrs. Weathers's face showed me I had indeed gained ground. â€Å"We'd need a signed letter from your parents,† she said finally. Great. That had worked so well in PE. â€Å"What about our brother? He's our legal guardian here.† Surely even Keith couldn't drag his feet on this, not with blood on the line. She considered this. â€Å"Yes. That might be acceptable.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I told Jill when we walked outside to catch the shuttle. â€Å"About the modeling. We're going to have a hard enough time getting you permission to leave for feedings.† Jill nodded, making no effort to hide her disappointment. â€Å"When's the show?† I asked, thinking maybe she could do it when her punishment was over. â€Å"In two weeks.† So much for that idea. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I repeated. To my surprise, Jill actually laughed. â€Å"You have no reason to be. Not after what I did. I'm the one who's sorry. And I'm sorry about Adrian too – about the interviews.† â€Å"That's something you have no reason to be sorry about.† It struck me again how easily everyone made excuses for him. She proved this with her next comment. â€Å"He can't help it. It's how he is.† He can help it, I thought. Instead, I said, â€Å"Just hang in there, okay? I'll get Keith to sign off on our religious experiences.† She smiled. â€Å"Thanks, Sydney.† We usually parted ways when the bus reached Central Campus, but she held back once we got off. I could see again that she wanted to tell me something but was having trouble getting the courage. â€Å"Yes?† I asked. â€Å"I†¦ just wanted to tell you I really am sorry for giving you so much grief. You do a lot for us. Really. And you being upset, it's because†¦ well, I know you care. Which is more than I can say for other people back at Court.† â€Å"That's not true,† I said. â€Å"They care. They went to a lot of trouble to get you here and keep you safe.† â€Å"I still feel like it was more for Lissa than for me,† she said sadly. â€Å"And my mom didn't put up much of a fight when they said they were going to send me away.† â€Å"They want you safe,† I told her. â€Å"That means making hard choices – hard for them too.† Jill nodded, but I don't know if she believed me. I gave Eddie the morning report when I reached history. His face displayed a range of emotions with each new development in the story. â€Å"You think Keith will write the note?† he asked in a low voice. â€Å"He has to. The whole point of us being here is to keep her alive. Starving her to death kind of defeats the purpose.† I didn't bother telling Eddie that I was in trouble with my father and the Alchemists and that in two weeks, there was a good chance I might not even be around. Eddie was clearly upset over Jill's situation already, and I didn't want him to have one more thing to worry about. When I met up with Ms. Terwilliger at the end of the day, I turned in the last of the notes I'd made for her on the old books. As I was settling myself at a desk, I noticed a folder of articles sitting on a table. Carlton College was printed on the folder in embossed gold letters. I remembered now why I'd thought the name was familiar when Adrian had mentioned it in the dream. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger†¦ didn't you say you knew people at Carlton College?† She glanced up from her computer. â€Å"Hmm? Oh yes. I should think so. I play poker with half of the history faculty. I even teach there in the summers. History, that is. Not poker.† â€Å"I don't suppose you know anybody in admissions, do you?† I asked. â€Å"Not so much. I suppose I know people who know people there.† She turned her attention back to the screen. I said nothing, and after several moments, she looked back at me. â€Å"Why do you ask?† â€Å"No reason.† â€Å"Of course there's a reason. Are you interested in attending? Goodness knows you'd probably get more out of there than here. My class being the exception, of course.† â€Å"No, ma'am,† I said. â€Å"But my brother wants to attend. He heard classes haven't started yet but isn't sure if he can get in on such short notice.† â€Å"It's very short notice,† agreed Ms. Terwilliger. She scrutinized me carefully. â€Å"Would you like me to make some inquiries?† â€Å"Oh. Oh no, ma'am. I was just hoping to get some names I could contact. I'd never ask you to do something like that.† Her eyebrows rose. â€Å"Why ever not?† I was at a loss. She was so difficult to understand sometimes. â€Å"Because†¦ you have no reason to.† â€Å"I'd do it as a favor to you.† I couldn't muster a response for that and simply stared. She smiled and pushed her glasses up her nose. â€Å"That's impossible for you to believe, isn't it? That someone would do a favor for you.† â€Å"I†¦ well, that is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, still unsure what to say. â€Å"You're my teacher. Your job is to, well, teach me. That's it.† â€Å"And your job,† she said, â€Å"is to report to this room during last period for whatever mundane tasks I have for you and then turn in a paper at the end of the semester. You are not in any way required to fetch me coffee, show up after hours, organize my life, or completely rearrange your own to meet my ridiculous requests.† â€Å"I†¦ I don't mind,† I said. â€Å"And it all needs doing.† She chuckled. â€Å"Yes. And you insist on going above and beyond in your tasks, don't you? No matter how inconvenient for you.† I shrugged. â€Å"I like to do a good job, ma'am.† â€Å"You do an excellent job. Far better than you need to. And you do it without complaint. Therefore, the least I can do is make a few phone calls on your behalf.† She laughed again. â€Å"That startles you most of all, doesn't it? Having someone praise you.† â€Å"Oh no,† I said lamely. â€Å"I mean, it happens.† She took off her glasses to look at me more intently. The laughter was gone. â€Å"No, I'm thinking it doesn't. I don't know your particular situation, but I have known a lot of students like you – ones whose parents ship them off like this. While I appreciate the concern for higher education, I find that more often than not, a bigger piece of students coming here is that their parents simply don't have the time or inclination to be involved with – or even pay attention to – their children's lives.† We were dealing with one of those interpersonal areas that made me uncomfortable, particularly because there was an unexpected element of truth in them. â€Å"It's more complicated than that, ma'am.† â€Å"I'm sure it is,† she replied. Her expression turned fierce, making her look far different from the scattered teacher I knew. â€Å"But listen to me when I say this. You are an exceptional, talented, and brilliant young woman. Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you're less. Do not ever let anyone make you feel invisible. Do not let anyone – not even a teacher who constantly sends you for coffee – push you around.† She put her glasses back on and began randomly lifting up pieces of papers. At last, she found a pen and grinned triumphantly. â€Å"Now, then. What is your brother's name?† â€Å"Adrian, ma'am.† â€Å"Right, then.† She took out a piece of paper and carefully wrote down the name. â€Å"Adrian Melbourne.† â€Å"Melrose, ma'am.† â€Å"Right. Of course.† She scribbled out her mistake and muttered to herself, â€Å"I'm just glad his first name's not Hobart.† When she was finished, she leaned back casually in her chair. â€Å"Now that you mention it, there is one thing I'd like you to do.† â€Å"Name it,† I said. â€Å"I want you to make one of the spells from that first book.† â€Å"I'm sorry. Did you say, make a spell?† Ms. Terwilliger waved a hand. â€Å"Oh, don't worry. I'm not asking you to wave a wand or do an animal sacrifice. But I'm terribly intrigued by how complex some of the formulas and steps of the spells were. I have to wonder, did people actually follow them in such painstaking detail? Some of these are quite complicated.† â€Å"I know,† I said dryly. â€Å"I typed them all out.† â€Å"Exactly. So, I want you to make one. Follow the steps. See how long it takes. See if half the measurements they ask for are even possible. Then write up the data in a report. That part, I know you excel at.† I didn't know what to say. Ms. Terwilliger wasn't actually asking me to use magic, certainly not in the same way vampires did. Such a thing wasn't even possible. Magic was not the province of humans. It was unnatural and went against the ways of the universe. What the Alchemists did was based on science and chemistry. The tattoos had magic, but it was us bending vampire magic to our wills – not using it ourselves. The closest we came to anything supernatural was the blessings we called down on our potions. She was only asking me to reenact a spell. It wasn't real. There was no harm. And yet†¦ why did I feel so uneasy? I felt like I was being asked to lie or steal. â€Å"What's the matter?† she asked. For a moment, I considered using religion again but then dismissed it. That excuse had come up too often today, though this time, it was actually semilegitimate. â€Å"Nothing, ma'am. It just seems weird.† She picked up the first leather book and flipped to the middle. â€Å"Here. Do this one – an incineration amulet. It's complicated, but at least you'll have an arts and crafts project when you're done. Most of these ingredients should be easy to come by, too.† I took the book from her and scanned it. â€Å"Where am I going to get nettle?† â€Å"Ask Mr. Carnes. He has a garden outside his classroom. I'm sure you can buy the rest. And you know, you can give me receipts. I'll pay you back whenever I send you out to get something. You must've spent a fortune on coffee.† I felt a little better when I saw how random the ingredients were. Nettle. Agate. A piece of silk. There wasn't really even anything flammable. This was nonsense. With a nod, I told her I'd start soon. In the meantime, I typed up an official letter to Amberwood on Keith's behalf. It explained that our religious beliefs required family church attendance twice a week and that Jill needed to be excused from her punishment during those times. It also promised that Jill would check in with Mrs. Weathers both before and after the family trips. When I finished, I was rather pleased with my work and felt that I'd made Keith sound far more eloquent than he deserved. I called him up when school ended and gave a brief rundown on what had happened with Jill. Naturally, I got the blame. â€Å"You're supposed to keep an eye on her, Sydney!† Keith exclaimed. â€Å"I'm also supposed to be undercover as a student here, and I can't be with her every second of the day.† It wasn't worth mentioning that I'd actually been out with Adrian when Jill had run away – not that Keith could do any more to me. He'd already done his damage. â€Å"And so I have to suffer the consequences,† he said in a world-weary voice. â€Å"I'm the one who gets put out for your incompetence.† â€Å"Put out? You don't have to do anything except sign the letter I wrote for you. Are you home right now? Or will you be? I'll drive it over to you.† I figured he'd jump all over the offer, seeing how annoyed he seemed to be by the matter. So, it was a surprise when he said, â€Å"No, you don't have to do that. I'll come to you.† â€Å"It's not a problem. I can be at your place in less than ten minutes.† I didn't want him to have any more reason than necessary to go on and on about how I was inconveniencing him – or complain to the Alchemists. â€Å"No,† said Keith, with surprising intensity. â€Å"I'll come to you. I'm leaving right now. Meet you at the main office?† â€Å"Okay,† I said, totally puzzled at this change of heart. Did he want to check up on me or something? Demand an inspection? â€Å"See you soon.† I was already on Central Campus, so it took no time at all to reach the main office. I sat outside on an ornate stone bench with a good view of the visitors parking lot and waited. It was hot out, as usual, but being in the shade actually made it pretty pleasant. The bench was situated in a little clearing filled with flowering plants and a sign that read The Kelly Hayes Memorial Garden. It looked new. â€Å"Hey, Sydney!† Kristin and Julia were walking out of the building and waved at me. They came and sat down beside me to ask what I was doing. â€Å"I'm waiting for my brother.† â€Å"Is he cute?† asked Kristin hopefully. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Not at all.† â€Å"Yes, he is,† countered Julia. â€Å"I saw him in your dorm last weekend. When you all went out for lunch.† It took me a second to realize she meant Adrian. â€Å"Oh. Different brother. They don't have a lot in common.† â€Å"Is it true your sister's in big trouble?† asked Julia. I shrugged. â€Å"Only a little trouble. She can't leave campus, except for family stuff. It could be worse. Although†¦ it did cost her a modeling job, so she's sad about that.† â€Å"Modeling for who?† asked Kristin. I racked my brain. â€Å"Lia DiStefano. There's some show in two weeks, and she wanted Jill to walk in it. But Jill can't practice because she has to stay here.† Their eyes went wide. â€Å"Lia's clothes are amazing!† said Julia. â€Å"Jill has to do it. She might get free stuff.† â€Å"I told you. She can't.† Kristin tilted her head thoughtfully. â€Å"But what if it was for school? Like some kind of career or vocational thing?† She turned to Julia. â€Å"Is there still a sewing club?† â€Å"I think so,† said Julia, nodding eagerly. â€Å"That's a good idea. Does Jill have an activity?† Along with a sport, Amberwood also required its well-rounded students to participate in hobbies and activities outside of class. â€Å"There's a sewing club she could join†¦ and I bet she could get working with Lia counted as some kind of special research.† In attempting to fix a loose thread on her cardigan the other day, Jill had nearly unraveled the entire sweater. â€Å"I don't think that's really Jill's thing.† â€Å"Doesn't matter,† said Kristin. â€Å"Most of the people in it can't sew anyway. But every year, the club volunteers with local designers. Miss Yamani would totally let walking in the show count as volunteering. She loves Lia DiStefano.† â€Å"And they'd have to let her go,† said Julia, face full of triumph. â€Å"Because it'd be for school.† â€Å"Interesting,† I said, wondering if there was any chance of it working. â€Å"I'll tell Jill.† A familiar blue car pulled into the driveway, and I stood up. â€Å"There he is.† Keith parked and got out, scanning around for me. Kristin gave a small sound of approval. â€Å"He's not bad.† â€Å"Believe me,† I said, walking forward. â€Å"You want nothing to do with him.† Keith gave the girls what was probably supposed to be a charming smile and even winked at them. The instant they were gone, his smile dropped. Impatience radiated off of him, and it was a wonder he didn't tap his foot. â€Å"Let's make this fast,† he said. â€Å"If you're in such a rush, you should have just let me come by when you had more time.† I took out a binder containing the letter and handed it over with a pen. Keith signed without even looking at it and handed it back. â€Å"Need anything else?† he asked. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Don't mess up again,† he said, opening the car door. â€Å"I don't have time to keep covering for you.† â€Å"Does it matter?† I challenged him. â€Å"You've already done your best to get rid of me.† He gave me a cold smile. â€Å"You shouldn't have crossed me. Not now, not back then.† With a wink, he turned around and began to leave. I stared, unable to believe the audacity. It was the first time he'd directly referenced what went down years ago. â€Å"Well, that's the thing,† I shouted at his retreating figure. â€Å"I didn't cross you back then. You got off easy. It's not going to happen again. You think I'm worried about you? I'm the one you need to be scared of.† Keith came to a halt and then slowly turned around, his face awash with disbelief. I didn't blame him. I was kind of surprised myself. I couldn't ever remember a time I'd so openly countered someone in a higher position of authority, certainly not someone who had so much power to affect my situation. â€Å"Watch it,† he said at last. â€Å"I can make your life miserable.† I gave him an icy smile. â€Å"You already have, and that's why I've got the advantage. You've done your worst – but you haven't seen what I can do yet.† It was a big bluff on my part, especially since I was pretty sure he could still do worse. For all I knew, he could get Zoe out here tomorrow. He could get me sent to a re-education center in a heartbeat. But if I went down? So would he. He stared at me for a few moments, at a loss. I don't know if I actually scared him or if he decided not to dignify me with an answer, but he finally turned and left for good. Furious, I went inside to deliver the letter to the office. The front desk secretary, Mrs. Dawson, stamped it and then made a copy for me to give to Mrs. Weathers. As she handed it to me, I asked, â€Å"Who's Kelly Hayes?† Mrs. Dawson's usually dimpled face grew sad. â€Å"That poor girl. She was a student here a few years ago.† My memory clicked. â€Å"Is she the one Mrs. Weathers mentioned? Who went missing?† Mrs. Dawson nodded. â€Å"It was terrible. She was such a sweet girl too. So young. She didn't deserve to die like that. She didn't deserve to die at all.† I hated to ask but had to. â€Å"How did she die? I mean, I know she was murdered, but I never heard any details.† â€Å"Probably just as well. It's pretty gruesome.† Mrs. Dawson peered around, as though afraid she'd get in trouble for gossiping with a student. She leaned over the counter toward me, face grave. â€Å"The poor thing bled to death. She had her throat cut.†