The Anthropology of Latin America and the Caribbean weekly Reflection Assignment

The Anthropology of Latin America and the Caribbean weekly Reflection - Assignment Example Mestizos in the Latin society gain their identity from their hard work and economic success while Mestizaje refers to those that are indigenous. Metrizos build racial discrimination to the African-origin people regardless of them gaining the originality from industrialization. Indigenous and black movements seek to minimize the politics of difference by sensitizing minimum native identification and equitable distribution of resources. (Sanabria Harry, 2007) On gender and sexuality, the Latin American women for a long time have been considered inferior in allocation of labor activities and distribution of resources for economic growth. High rates of illiteracy gaps between the male and female gender has been associated with the minimum number of females who are educated. Since colonialism, the Latin American gender parity has reduced and enabled more women get education and training. Gender in the Latin society is faced with a new identity that is considered a third sex in the society. This is neither man nor woman, transgender. The anatomic difference between proto-men and proto-women are not systematically cognized. (Sanabria Harry, 2007)To them sexual identity is less important in defining a person’s interpersonal bonds and self identity or recognition in the society. Heterosexuality and homosexuality is disregarded and the society does not teach any sexual disparity to the younger generation. Feminism has promoted empowerment of women in the general aspects to men. Women through their movements have been able to maintain their homesteads as single mothers who have been oppressed by masculine domination and left to fend for themselves. Behavioral experiences, drugs and gangs in the Latin American society degrade the fatherhood ability of the male gender leaving women to be the responsible homestead keepers. (Sanabria Harry, 2007)Gender violence is an issue that will require

The 60's Societal customs and norms of the period (such as gender Essay - 1

The 60's Societal customs and norms of the period (such as gender roles, and. Also what is the collective view on God during this era) - Essay Example The evident changes ranged from values, education, laws, lifestyles, and entertainment. As the article The groovy 1990’s discusses, the 1960’s was a decade in which gender roles were thoroughly questioned. Inspired by the success of the civil rights movement, women in America and elsewhere around the world had set out on a quest to convert the ensuing quest for racial equality to a pursuit for women’s rights. Access to a credit, equal pay, and equal rights amendments were some of the agendas that were being pursued. A notable feature of this era was the escalation in the popularity of the birth control pill. Besides being an affordable tool for curbing unwanted pregnancies, the pill became a symbol of female emancipation. Having acquired unrestricted access to the pill, women had finally managed to gain increased control over their future. Not only did they now have the power to pursue long term jobs, they also had the ability to pursue higher education and compete for careers previously preserved for men. Besides the pill, the rise of feminisms wa s another notable feature in the fight for a shift in gender roles: Throughout the 1960’s, women groups such as New York Radical Women and the New York Radical Feminists emerged to challenge male supremacy both within the family and the political arena. According to the book The Age of Contradiction, the first two years marked the emergence of the phenomenon, â€Å"radical feminist† (â€Å"1998 Howard Brick†). Musically, it was a decade characterised by a surge in the celebrity culture and celebrity worship. Taking a departure from earlier decades in which great musicians were merely appreciated, the 1960’s ushered in a new era in which musicians became the ideal representation of success and fame; musicians were now the only standard against which one’s fame could accurately be measured. It was thus a decade in which musicians such as Elvis Presely, Jack Kennedy

Pediatric Developmental Care Plan

Pediatric Developmental Care Plan Running Head: PEDIATRIC DEVELOPMENTAL PAPER Pediatric Developmental Paper Arlena Davis Subjective Clarissa is a 3 year old girl with upper respiratory infection. She has always lived with her parents and, grandmother in the same place. Her parents are mainly responsible for raising her since she was born. However, the child spends most of the time with her grandmother as the parents go to work. The caregiver described the child as calm, playful, hot tempered and shy. The grandmother spends more than 8 hours with the child as her parents go to work at 8.00am and come back at 5.00pm. The child wakes up at 8. 00 am and eats her meals with the grandmother. However, the child interacts with her parents during dinner and bedtime. The caregiver and the child interact well as the toddler shows affection by hugging. However, the caregiver identified the child’s upsetting behaviors including pushing people when she is angry. The caregiver disciplines the child when she misbehaved or went to dangerous places (Burns et al., 2013). Additionally, the parents worry about the child’s safety at home since she likes going to dangerous places. The grandmother finds it challenging to control the child’s movement since she is starting to learn about her surroundings. The parents also do not get adequate support from family members as they only rely on the child’s grandmother. However, they count on few friends for help since they have a large social network (Burns et al., 2013). The parents and the grandmother do not spend adequate time with friends, and thus the small social circle. The father is involved in the care giving role according to the grandmother and the mother. The father is helpful as he assists in feeding the child and playing with her. In addition, the mother did not have complications during pregnancy and the baby was not born premature. The baby was almost 3.2 kgs and 19 inches at birth. The parents take the child for healthcare at different facilities including emergency rooms an d walk-in clinics (Burns et al., 2013). The child has normal growth, appetite, bowel movement, urination and sleep patterns. However, the caregiver claims the child got sick often and she has to call her parents to take her to the hospital. Despite the sickness, the child has managed to learn new words and sounds. The child does not have visual and hearing (Burns et al., 2008). The child interacts well with other people, but the caregiver is worried about the Childs frequent sickness. The family has no major issues and concerns as there is one ill, alcoholic, using drugs or behaving strangely (Provence Apfel, 2001). The family has satisfactory housing and lives in a safe neighborhood. The family does not deal with fear of violence and no one owns a gun. Nonetheless, the family has financial problems and found it challenging to meet basic needs like paying rent and bills. Observation The child has had normal gross and motor development from 6 months up to now according to the caregiver (Provence Apfel, 2001). The child was able to sit alone, stand and grasp objects with the index and thumb finger according to the caregiver by 12 months. She could walk independently and scribble with crayon on paper. Additionally, she could build powers of cubes by the age of 18 months and squat and stand at 21 months. Also, she could jump off floor with two feet. She can hold crayon with thumb and finger and duplicate cross on the paper. The child has also had a normal social and emotional development as reported by the caregiver. The child was able to differentiate the main caregiver from other people and establish social contact by smiling by 6 months. She also played social games and enjoyed playing with dolls. She also showed affection to the caregiver and helped her with house chores and organizing things. Nevertheless, she expressed differ emotions including anger, anxiety and sadness by 12 months. She also found it challenging to cooperate while playing with other children. The child has no language development problems as she can speak and answer comprehension questions well. She has coping and self- development issues (Provence Apfel, 2001). She pushes away unwanted people, diet and objects. On the other hand, she can feed self with a spoon and drink from the cup without assistance. She also helps with dressing. Therefore, the child’s gross and fine motor development, language development and coping and self-help development are at age level. The child’s social and emotional development is below age level. Assessment Clarissa has a normal development in different areas including language, fine and gross motor, coping and self- help development (Provence Apfel, 2001). However, she has an abnormal social and emotional development. She is unable to manage her emotions when playing with other children, with the caregiver and other people. She expresses negative emotions including anger and sadness. She pushes away people, objects and foods she does not like. The caregiver and the child interact well as she shows affection to the caregiver by hugging. The child has a positive relationship with the family members including mother and father. Nonetheless, the frequent sickness may affect the child’s development as she has upper respiratory infection (Provence Apfel, 2001). The family seeks medical care from the emergency room or walk-in clinics when the child is sick. However, the family concerns include inadequate finances to meet basic needs and safety of the child at home. The child spends m ost of the time with the grandmother and she is unable to control and prevent the child from going to dangerous places. The family members have a small social network as they do not spend sufficient time with friends. They get financial and social support from the grandmother and few friends. The family has no history of alcoholism or fear of violence. Plan The following interventions will be implemented to address the concerns and issues raised by the caregiver and parents. Improving the safety at home is critical to prevent accidents. In this case, parents and the grandmother will be educated on the importance of safety at home to improve the child’s wellbeing. Dangerous substances including poisonous liquids should be stored far from the child to decrease accidents (Burns et al., 2008). The home should be redesigned to eliminate dangerous places and hence promote the child’s safety. Adaptations including fireguards and stair gates make the home safe. Further, providing medical care to the child is important to improve her health outcome and quality of life. Different medications will be administered to treat upper respiratory infections including Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl and cough drugs. Additionally, social support interventions will be provided to improve the social wellbeing of the family. Social support interventio ns are important in increasing social networks or circles and enhancing physical and mental wellbeing (Burns et al., 2013). The parents and the grandmother will be able to share their concerns with friends and get necessary support. Lastly, the child should socialize with caregiver, peers and other adults to develop social and emotional skills. Adults should respond to the child’s signals in a reliable and predictable manner to enable her regulate emotions (Burns et al., 2013). Reference Burns, C. E., Dunn, A. M., Brady, M. A., Barber Starr, N., Blosser, C. G. (2013). Pediatric primary care. (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders. Burns, C. E., Dunn, A.M., Brady, M.A., Starr, N. B., Blosser, C.G. (2008). Pediatric Primary Care-pageburst on vital source. Saunders: Elsevier Health Sciences Provence, S., Apfel, N. H. (2001).Infant-Toddler and Family Instrument. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing

daves American Civil War :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was a long tiring winter after the Union army pushed the Confederate army further south. The Union captured Forts Henry and Donelson on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. This is where I had to take over reporting the war for my brother Mike Bloom who was killed in the line of duty. It was his job that's is now mine John Bloom to report for the Union Observer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After these courageous Union victories the Confederate army General Sidney Johnston was forced to abandon much of west and middle Tennessee as well as Kentucky. Johnston felt that it was necessary to protect the only all weather access between Richmond and Memphis. Which was the Charleston and Memphis railroad. There he set up a new defensive line.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While this was going on I was stationed at Fort Shiloh with some 40,000 soldiers who were busy drilling yet mostly hanging around grasping the little leisure and rest time they ever saw. I asked one solider who just got out of the creek after a refreshing swim â€Å"Why he was swimming and not training†. His response was â€Å"Didn’t you know that Shiloh is the Hebrew word for place of peace† we both got a good chuckle out of that and he gave me some moon shine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After talking with the troops I decided it was time to ask the commanding officer who was General Ulysses S. Grant what the plan of action was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I asked the General if he had any orders his response was â€Å"My superior General H.W. Halleck has ordered me to sit tight at Shiloh and wait for the reinforcement of General Don Carlos Buell and his army from Ohio to arrive.† I then asked him hat did he feel was the catalyst of this war? â€Å" Well in my opinion I fell that if the South just could have thought about their morals and how immoral slavery was which is why the North made it illegal and wanted it abolished from the South.† Are there any other reasons you think the war started? â€Å"Yes I also feel that when the South succeeded from the Union was also a large factor.† Thank you sir for all of that information the people up north will be enveloped with your opinion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Little did I know that when I was sleeping that the Confederate troops were mounting an attack this night of April 5, 1862.

The Frontier Thesis

The emergence of western history as an important field of scholarship started with Frederick Jackson Turner’s (1861-1932) famous essay â€Å"The Significance of the Frontier in American history. †[1] This thesis shaped both popular and scholarly views of the West for the next two generations. In his thesis, Turner argued that the West had to be taken seriously. He felt that up to his time there had not been enough research of what he in his essay call â€Å"the fundamental, dominating fact in the U. S. istory†: the territorial expansion from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. The frontier past was, according to Turner, the best way to describe the distinctive American history and character. To this day, Turner’s thesis remains one of the most widely discussed interpretations of the American past and it still continues to influence historians. Even though many scholars have questioned the thesis as an acceptable theory of explaining American history and cul ture, the thesis has its strengths. Turner explained what made America unique. America as a unique nation was already a belief when the first colonies were established on the East coast. And the notion that America was exceptional would continue to be re-created again and again on the frontier. The frontier was closely related to the myth that sustained the American faith, the ideals and images that represent the American Dream as well as America as an exceptional nation. The purpose of this paper is to look at the essence of Turner’s argument in his essay, as well as discuss his strongest and weakest arguments. The paper will end with a look at the West as a myth. The essence of Turner’s thesis In Turner’s mind, the settlement of the West by white people –â€Å"the existence of an area of free land, its continuous recession, and the advance of American settlement westward† was the most important part of American history. [2] This is the major theme in Turner’s essay and the heart of the frontier thesis. Turner did not define the West as a geographical place or region but as a process, which defined what he looked upon as uniquely American. According to Turner, the westward expansion had transformed the savage and wild land into a modern civilization. This westward expansion could explain the American development, the national character as well as its democracy. Turner believed that this settling of a wild area of â€Å"free land† was an important factor in shaping the American character. American characteristics like individualism, democracy and a strong work ethnic, which Turner looked upon as typical American qualities had all been developed when newcomers settled the wilderness. These special qualities would later influence the whole nation. Other historians and philosophers such as Tocqueville and Hegel have also talked about the impact of the frontier on the American experience, but the Turner thesis was the first to be accepted by other historians. Turner insisted upon the frontier as the number one â€Å"explanation† of American history. But it is difficult to understand what he really meant by â€Å"explanation†. As argued by Joshua Derman, it is almost impossible for the reader of Turner’s work to deduce whether he intended the â€Å"frontier to be the ‘prime mover’ in American political history, the single best explanation for why American cultural and political institutions developed the way they did, or a dogmatic rule for interpreting all events in American history. †[3] The notion that democracy arose because of the frontier is also weak. For example, both Russia and China have vaster frontiers than America, but they lack democracy. And in his essay, Turner has not showed what made the American frontier experience different from other countries with considerable frontiers. To say that the frontier shaped American democratic institutions is vague and hard to prove. It is clear that the new land and communities in the wilderness demanded greater participation in political activities (than in Europe) and because of this ordinary people had to step in and contribute. 4] This notion that the ‘common man’ should contribute in civil life became an important part of American society. [5] It was not only American democracy that Turner thought had developed out of the unique frontier experience. There were also several other values that owed the frontier its striking characteristics, for example the complex nationality (later termed the melting pot), individualism and economic mobility (the American Dream). â€Å" The result†, Turner concluded, was â€Å"that to the frontier the American intellect owe[d] its striking characteristics†(100). Individualism was one of the most important and distinctive qualities created by the frontier, as stated in the essay: That coarseness and strength combined with acuteness and acquisitiveness; that practical inventive turn of mind, quick to find expedients; that masterful grasp of material things†¦. the restless, nervous energy; that dominant individualism, working for good and evil, and withal the buoyancy and exuberance which comes with freedom – these are traits of the frontier, or traits called out elsewhere because of the existence of the frontier. (100) As we can see from these lines, frontier individualism did not only promote positive things, it had negative traits as well. On the frontier, newcomers had to rely on themselves. This feeling created the traditional, individualistic feeling. Since life was so hard on the frontier one could not carry one’s ancestry into the wilderness. As a consequence, Turner thought, social life became more informal †¦ than in the older and more settled communities. According to the frontier thesis, all the resources on the frontier as well as its lack of an established socio-political structure provided opportunities for the settlers. They could now pursue their dreams â€Å"of limitless wealth and self-betterment. †[6] Cheap or free land meant more opportunities for the self-made man, and provided a ‘safety valve’ for the ‘newcomers’: Since the day when the fleet of Columbus sailed into the waters of the New World, America has been another name for opportunity, and the people of the United States have taken their tone from the incessant expansion which has not only been open but has even been forced upon them. (100) Free land led to new opportunities, and it was up to each individual and their desire to work hard and climb the economic and social ladder: â€Å"†¦each frontier did indeed furnish a new field of opportunity, a gate of escape from the bondage of the past; and freshness, and confidence, and scorn of older society†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Turner, 100). Everything was open to the man who knew how to seize the opportunity. The self-made man became the ideal of the West, and eventually every man in the U. S. A. should be like him. It was the work ethic of the frontier, not of the South or East, Turner thought, that had contributed the most to the American character. The frontier culture concentrated on the dollar and it became important to make something out of your life. People were constantly moving in search of larger acreage and new opportunities. The large amount of unclaimed western land offered huge opportunities for those who were willing to take a risk. It could, if they worked hard, give them even more wealth and money. This â€Å"gospel of wealth† has continued to be a part of American society. The idea of the â€Å"American Dream† was already a part of the Puritan faith, but it gained even more strength as a modern conception of the frontier. The frontier became the American Dream. To some extent, Turner is right when he talks about the opportunities on the frontier. Newcomers came to the U. S. A. because of new opportunities, and America letters described all the opportunities the frontier offered those who were willing to take a risk. [7] Whereas genealogy divided classes in the Old World, money from hard work divided classes on the American frontier. This became uniquely American. And this myth of America as a place of opportunity and optimism is still a part of the American character. Also, the American tradition of competition and self-betterment was born on the frontier and continues in America even today. But a weakness of the frontier thesis is that Turner ignored the fact that many Americans have never or would never live on the frontier. The West was not a place of opportunity and freedom for everyone, as it seems in Turners essay. For example, to many women and minorities and of course the Indians, the West was no promised land. Life was hard. It was not as romantic and idealistic as Turner made it seem in his essay. And not all men benefited from the frontier. For example, the cost of starting a farm in West was high and few poor urban workers of the East could afford to get a second chance in the West. Also, the largest migration was actually to the city and not to the farm. [8] Historians have concluded that the American West was not â€Å"some rough-hewn egalitarian democracy, where every man had a piece of land and the promise for prosperity, but a world quickly dominated by big money and big government. †[9] Despite shortcomings in Turner’s essay, the frontier myth meant social and economic mobility. As argued by Degler, â€Å"precisely because it [the frontier] was believed to be a safety valve, regardless of what it was in fact, the western frontier worked an influence upon the attitudes of Americans. It left its mark in the optimism, the belief in progress, the promise of the future and the second chance – all of which have been deeply embedded in the American character† (142). Turner also ignored the fact that the land was not ‘free’ (which is illustrated by all the Indian wars). And the essay does not say much about the violence and lawlessness of western expansion. Clearly, opportunities aided the development of democratic ideals in America. But the availability of opportunities should not be confused with the origination of democratic ideas (Degler, 137). The idea of ‘starting over’ is closely connected with opportunity and an important part of the frontier thesis. As stated in the thesis: â€Å"American social development has been continually beginning over again on the frontier. This perennial rebirth, this fluidity of American life, this expansion westward with its new opportunities, its continuous touch with the simplicity of primitive society, furnished the forces dominating American character† (Turner, 88). The wilderness overwhelmed the newcomers and reduced them to a sort of â€Å"primitiveness. † It is a reversed evolution of civilization Turner explains in his thesis. But this step backwards was overshadowed by the hope for a new and better society. Euro-Americans turned the wilderness into civilization, and in doing so they themselves were transformed. In the ‘contest’ between nature and the colonists emerged a unique American character and a distinctive political culture – individualism and democracy. [10] Turner addressed all these new opportunities the frontier created as a â€Å"social rebirth†. America became a sign of a new start to many. People were willing to lie their past behind in search of new opportunities. Turner also set the stage for what would later become known as the â€Å"melting pot†. He looked upon the frontier as a crucible where people with different backgrounds came together and formed a distinct American character: â€Å"In the crucible of the frontier the immigrants were Americanized, liberated and fused into a mixed race, English in neither nationality nor characteristics. † The result was †the formation of a composite nationality for the American people† (94-95). But Turner as well as many others were wrong since the West was not a homogeneous as they thought. Many thought the newcomers would be Americanized, but the reality was that many newcomers kept their traditions and Americanization happened much more gradually than Turner believed. For example, Germans and English colonists differed in farming methods, crops and labor systems even though they lived on the same frontier. And many ethic groups settled in areas dominated by their own people and showed resistance to change. Another central aspect of Turner’s frontier thesis was that the frontier had made the United States different from Europe. According to Turner, the frontier remade the Europeans who entered it: â€Å"The frontier is the line of most rapid and effective Americanization. † The frontier â€Å"finds him [the settler] a European in dress, industries, tools, modes of travel and thought †¦ little by little he [the settler] transforms the wilderness, but the outcome is not the old European, not simply the development of Germanic germs†¦[but] a new product that is American (89). The only uniquely â€Å"American† part of American history is the history of the frontier regions, since the other regions are too influenced by European institutions, Turner thought. He broke away from the notion that America was an extension of European culture and the so-called †Germ Theory† of American historical development, which stated that American institutions had their roots in ancient Teutonic forests (European roots of American institutions). [11] Turner looked upon the frontier as a powerful force. It shaped European settlers into something different from the European character. [12] The settling of the New World, especially the American frontier, had shaped an exceptional country, different from the Old World. The United States was something new and unique, something independent of European experience. As argued before, America as exceptional was a part of the American republic from the beginning and the frontier thesis carried this view even further. [13] The American frontier became something different and made a sharp contrast to the shadows of urban Europe. America became â€Å"the land of European dreams. † And this is not all, the frontier actually influenced not only America, but Europe as well: â€Å"Steadily the frontier settlement advanced and carried with it individualism, democracy and nationalism, and powerfully affected the East and the Old World† (Turner, 99). One weakness in Turner’s essay is that he puts too much emphasis on the effect on the frontier and because of this fails to mention other important features that have formed both the West and America as a whole. The frontier clearly contributed, but other factors are important as well, like slavery, immigration, agriculture, violence, industrialization, urbanization as well as women and ethnic minorities. For example, Indians received far too little attention. Turner considered Native Americans to be of little significance. They were part of that wild frontier environment and posed â€Å"a common danger and served as â€Å"a consolidating agent in our history,† faceless obstacles to be overcome and subdued in the process of westernizing† (Milner, 213). Turner’s estimated effect of the frontier on American politics and institutions was also exaggerated. As Turner puts it: â€Å"The legislation which most developed the powers of the national government, and played the largest part in its activity, was conditioned on the frontier† (Turner, 95). But actually, the frontier state was not that different from eastern models in state government and legislation. For example, the constitution of both Tennessee and Kentucky were modeled after the Pennsylvania constitution of 1790. Just some clauses had actually originated in the West (Degler, 136). In fact, regarding property qualifications for suffrage and the structure of state legislature, the western states modeled their government and legislation after older eastern States. The western states were also more reluctant than eastern states to permit black suffrage and even to allow them to enter their states both before and after the Emancipation. 14] Benjamin F. Wright, Jr. , argues that democracy had emerged in the Old World and had generally moved from east to west, rather than visa versa. Turner has also been criticized when he defines the frontier. To him, the frontier means different things. Sometimes it is an area where the civilization and wilderness meets, and other times the western part of the United States. It can even refer to a process – a way of life for those participa ting the settling of the land or a place full of natural resources. Critics have argued that if the frontier is the edge of civilization, it cannot also be the western part of the USA at a stage of social evolution (Degler, 135). The Western myth The frontier has become essential to Americans’ becoming who they are as a people. As argued by Faragher, †the belief that ‘westernizing’ defines our unique national heritage, and that it amounted to the purest expression of American idealism, has been what historian Warren Susman called â€Å"the official American ideology†(Faragher, 230). Henry Nash Smith and other specialists in American studies demonstrated that reality did not always rule in thinking about the West and that myths, symbols, images and stereotypes developed in response to the conditions of a particular time, could become a part of American culture and be transmitted to subsequent generations (Milner, 12). It was on the western frontier that America formed its own independent identity. Americans have located their nation-building myths and heroes out west, and the west has connected America’s to a national culture through a common story. The frontier thesis had, and continues to have, a powerful hold on popular and scholarly imagination. It reinforced the American sense of uniqueness and accomplishment, and strengthen the American nationalism (Milner, 21). The frontier played a role in endowing the people of the United States with distinguished character traits. Conclusion With his frontier thesis, Turner wanted to get away from the notion that America was just an extension of Europe. Instead, he emphasized the importance of the frontier as the promotion of distinctive American characteristics. It was on the western frontier you could trace the uniquely American character traits like, for example, individualism, opportunity and democracy. The West would be known as a place for opportunity and success for millions of Americans throughout the frontier, eastern cities and soon rest of the world. America became the â€Å"New Eden† and the land of opportunity. The affluence in America made Americans unique to Europe and also the rest of the world. The frontier’s work ethic and individualism spread across the country because it spoke to all Americans. And American frontier values like individualism continue to be important even today. No other country in the world would use the word frontier as Americans do: it convey so many different things to them. Most of all it means optimism. It is not strange that people were encouraged to go West for example during the depression of 1857, where they were promised more opportunities. [15] Despite shortcomings and weaknesses in Turner’s essay, the frontier thesis has a lasting appeal and the frontier idea keeps turning up in new forms, for example in everything from western movies, commercials and politics. The frontier has become an important part of American consciousness. There is something of substantial merit at the core of Turner’s views. The characteristics we think about when we hear the name America, even if it’s true or just a myth is qualities Turner described in his thesis. The frontier has become a symbolic repository of American values and characteristics. Turner articulated the American ‘myth’ that people already thought was true and what many thought was a distinctive American characteristic. The West became an image of a mythmaker and a preserver of distinctive American values. Clearly, the West continues to live one, and it is a distinctive American characteristic.

Operations in management

Operations Management Is one of the essential business functions and is therefore vital to any organizational system that delivers products and services , for example a bank, airline, or computer manufacturer. At the very core, operations management Is all about, designing, creating, controlling and Improving the many operational processes wealth a company (In such system environments).Operations management deals with a transformation of inputs such as raw materials, labor, capital and information into outputs such as goods and services and can include finished products that are ready for consumptions and semi ready products such as work-in-progress or inputs for other operations. Transformation of inputs usually requires a series of processes (steps) in order to get the desired output. Successful transformation depends on sufficient feedback so that we can continuously control and improve the existing processes.Supply chains bring products to customers ND consist of a network or all interactions between suppliers and customers. In order to efficiently manage each facet of the SC, each company has to perform in each area; any operational decision might effect and impact the other stakeholders in the supply chain. They ensure alignment of strategy and operations with suppliers and customers through communication and information flows. -Involves several different companies. The individual companies are connected through flows. However Supply chains are usually more complex. Multitude structure made up of multiple companies. These companies have to work together in order to form a functional supply chain. SCM is about planning and controlling all the aspects of interaction between the companies involved in the complex process of forming a Vs†¦ A â€Å"system† refers to a collection of parts working interdependently to create a specifiable outcome. Feedback is the information about the performance of the system, that when returned to the system, can mod ify the system's behavior.A system is an interconnected and coordinated set of elements and process that converts inputs into desired outputs. A company is made up of numerous individual systems in the various functional areas, not only in manufacturing or operations but also in engineering, marketing, accounting, and other areas that together constitute the overall system that is the company itself moment in time. LINE VIEW: multiple activities in sequence. 0 CIRCLE VIEW: results of one cycle provide feedback to the next cycle.Help everyone see the big picture: employees do not focus too heavily on their own goals, the business is interrelated, therefore it is important employees also focus on he business' goals as a whole so that the system works efficiently. -Understand how individual systems really work and how they interact: while trying to improve one system it is important not to damage another. Therefore it is important not to try and fix a system without understanding how e ach one works and how they interact with other systems. Understand problems before trying to fix them: â€Å"The typical way of managing is to take the whole and divide it into parts, then try to make each part perform as well as possible. But we have proven many times now that when you improve the reference of the parts you do not necessarily improve the performance of the whole. In fact, you can make it worse. Putting a Mercedes engine in a Volkswagen, for instance, doesn't make the Volkswagen a better car, even though it now has a superior engine. A system has properties that none of the parts have.

life in becoming a pediatric nurse

life in becoming a pediatric nurse Language Arts 24 June 2011Life in Becoming a Pediatric NurseChildren are the future and keeping them healthy is a very important step as they become adults later in life. The Pediatric Nurse plays a special role in the lives of infants, and adolescents. These specialized nurses usually complete advanced training in pediatrics and work together closely with physicians and other health care providers who share their dedication to children's health.Pediatric Nurses devote their knowledge and skills to caring for children of all ages. They provide a great amount of help to the doctors they come across every day, assisting them in procedures, testing, and diagnosing the patients. Like other nurses, pediatric nurses can perform physical examinations, measure vital statistics, take blood, urine samples and order diagnostic tests. With advanced training these nurses can understand test results and are able to form diagnoses as well as developing treatment plans.Nurse PractitionerA pediatric nurse knows how to talk to children and are able to chase away all their fears. "Children are often afraid to go to the doctor, so the pediatric nurse must be able to dispel that fear and quickly earn the child's trust."(California Career Zone pg.2) They also help families cope with illnesses and educate them on how to protect their child's health. Pediatric nurses work in doctor's offices, clinics, hospitals, surgical centers and other health care settings. They work a 9-to-5 shift and if required they must work nights and weekends. Pediatric nurses earn $48,000 to $68,000 a year and experienced pediatric nurses earn $100,000 a year or more. The job outlook is excellent and is increasing every year.Education, dedication, and commitment is very important to becoming a pediatric nurse. Pediatric Nurses must first get certification as a registered nurse. After graduating from a four...

7 negotiation tips for Millennials

7 negotiation tips for Millennials When you’re just starting out, negotiating may seem like some far-off point in your career: something you’ll do in your life eventually, like buy a minivan or start watching CBS procedural dramas. After all, you don’t have years of experience to use as leverage yet, right? Wrong! I don’t know how you feel about sensible family car choices, but negotiating in your work life is definitely something you should do now. There’s no magic rule that you must have a certain amount of experience or a particular level of work gravitas. And in fact, the more familiar you become with the process now, early in the game, the more potent your negotiation skills will be as you advance in your career.Why you should negotiateWhen employers make a job offer, they usually expect a little haggling these days. The offer may be at the lower end of a range for them, and why not? They have nothing to lose here: they have a good candidate on the line. If that person accepts t he offer straight away, they got a solid deal at the low end of the range. If that person negotiates up, the company is still likely within the scope of what they expected to pay. But it’s important to remember that you aren’t likely to lose much here either: as long as you negotiate reasonably and civilly, they’re probably not going to yank the job offer just because you tried to negotiate in the first place. And you do have the potential to make this sweet job offer even sweeter, either with more money or more perks.Negotiation also establishes a couple of things up front, before you even start the job: 1) that you’re a confident person who knows your worth; and 2) that you want to maximize your salary and benefits. The higher your starting salary is, the more you’ll be able to get when it comes to percentage-based raises and bonuses. Think of it as a professional investment that you can make now.When you should negotiateIt may be tempting to tal k about salary in a job interview, in a show of confidence- or even just curiosity to see if this job is going to be worth your while. Resist that urge. (And if the interviewer tries to sneak in their own stealth salary questions, here’s how to get around them.) Get past the application, the interview, the second interview, all of it†¦wait until you have a job offer in hand, with a salary attached as a starting point.Alternatively, you can negotiate when you already have a job, but feel ready for a raise or a promotion. Whatever the circumstance, it’s the same basic process: prepare, ask for what you want, and be ready for the back-and-forth.Tips for negotiatingLet’s look at some tips to help you build your negotiation skills and get ready to bargain with your employer. The more prep work you do now, the more ready you’ll be when it comes time- you don’t want to waste any time once you have that offer letter.1. Be prepared with an elevator pit ch.This is your headline, basically. Based on my previous experience managing social media, I was hoping to see a salary of $X. Your elevator pitch in this case summarizes why you’re worth the extra salary. I want and I need aren’t going to get you very far here- the employer isn’t concerned with what your preferences are. They want to make sure that you bring value in exchange for the extra salary bump or incentives added to your offer package. The more you emphasize those qualities in the negotiation process, the higher your chances of success.And this is especially important if you’re negotiating a raise at your existing job. The question of why is going to be one of the first you’ll need to tackle. Wanting a raise is all well and good (who doesn’t want one), but you need to show that you deserve it too.2. Be specific and realistic.This is where you should have a sense of what you’re worth. And I don’t mean that in a â€Å" my mom thinks I’m priceless† kind of way. I mean it in a â€Å"this is what people at my level in this field can make† kind of way. Once you know what you can reasonably expect, you can come up with specific dollar amounts as a counteroffer. Unrealistic counteroffers, just for the sake of seeing what you can get, are not likely to be met with success. Do your research- a search of similar positions on Glassdoor or Salary.com can often give you a good sense of what the market-level salary is for your new or current job. Use that knowledge to come up with a realistic range for your salary. It’s okay to reach a little in your counteroffer, but make sure it’s within a realistic range.3. Think outside the salary box.You know you can negotiate for more than just salary, right? When you get a job offer, you may also receive information on company policies, benefits, etc. Core benefits like insurance coverage and retirement savings plans may be set in stone , depending on your new company’s policies. However, you might be able to negotiate additional vacation or personal days, or work-from-home flex time. If the company seems pretty intractable on a salary bump, think about other ways you might be able to negotiate a more appealing package. But again, the key is being realistic. A junior employee is not likely to score an extra week of vacation up front, but if you think there’s wiggle room on time off, work that into your negotiation.4. Know what your limits are.Part of being realistic about your negotiation means having a dealbreaker in mind as well. It’s not defeatist to think about what could make you walk away from the negotiating table. You should decide ahead of time what your minimum is for this job. Maybe it’s the same salary as you make now. Or maybe you truly don’t want the job unless you can get a 2% raise over what you’re making now. Whatever the case may be, have that â€Å"last chance† number in mind before you get started. That way, if the negotiating drags on and you don’t see the company offering more than the bottom of your range, consider walking away and turning down the offer.5. Don’t panic.Once you’ve started negotiating, you may feel a little jumpy, like you overstepped your bounds. That can lead to accepting a counteroffer too quickly, just to get the process over with. If you’ve done your due diligence and have your range in mind, you know what you can realistically get. If the company indicates that they’re standing firm, then it’s time to accept (or reject) and move on.6. Keep it civil.A little confident swagger can be good when you’re negotiating. You know what’s not good? Threatening to take your ball and go home. It may seem like a baller move, but this is not the place to make ultimatums or threats. When you’re negotiating salary or a raise, both you and the company are d oing it in good faith, with the goal of finding an employment package that works for both parties. If you blatantly threaten to walk away if they don’t meet particular demands, then you just may find the job offer rescinded anyway. Or if you’re negotiating a raise and threaten to quit if you don’t get your way, you risk doing irreparable damage to your relationship with your boss and company. Always keep the tone civil and friendly, even when you’re making bold requests.7. Keep an eye on the clock.This isn’t necessarily a speed event, but you don’t want this to drag out. You want the job, and the company wants someone in the job as soon as possible. Try not to sit on any offer for more than a day without checking in with the company, or letting them know your decision timeline. When you get an offer, it’s fine to say, â€Å"I’d like to take a day to consider this offer. Is it okay if I get back to you on Wednesday?† Or à ¢â‚¬Å"I’m traveling this weekend. Okay if I let you know on Monday?† That way, the company knows you haven’t disappeared, and that you’re considering the next move.Negotiating is a process that you want to be familiar with as early in your career as possible. If you’re realistic and do your research, there’s no reason why you can’t be an advocate for your financial interests as a junior employee. Again, there’s no magic line where you can start negotiating, so why not now?

Merriam-Websters Words of the Year 2008

Merriam-Websters Words of the Year 2008 Merriam-Websters Words of the Year 2008 Merriam-Websters Words of the Year 2008 By Maeve Maddox The most looked-up words in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2008 reflect the nations preoccupation with discussions surrounding the Presidential campaign. Seven of the tenbailout, vet, socialism, maverick, rogue, misogyny, and bipartisanhave political associations. The other threeturmoil, trepidation, and precipicehave appreared frequently this year in discussions of the stock market and the economy. Some of these words have more colorful backgrounds than others. bailout [bÄ lout] When I hear bailout I have the mental image of corporation executives in 3-piece suits sitting in a leaking boat, tossing bucketfuls of water overboad as fast as they can, and scanning the horizon for a ship that will rescue them. The verb to bail, with the sense toss water out of a boat comes from a word for bucket. vet [vÄ•t] This verb, with the meaning to examine carefully before approving, may derive from the examination of a racehorse by a veterinarian before a race. Kipling used it in this sense in 1904. Its meaning expanded to mean the careful vetting of anything requiring approval, from a manuscript to a job applicant. The word was apparently unfamiliar to a lot of Americans until Obama used it. I heard it used frequently when I lived in England. socialism [sÃ… shÉ™-lÄ ­zÉ™m] Not at all an unfamiliar word to Americans, the spike in looking it up may have had something to do with the contradictory ways in which the word was being used. While the socialism label was being waved about as a Bad Thing by campaigners, the federal government was practicing what seemed to be a form of socialism by taking over ownership of Wall Streets mortgage-backed assets. rogue [rÃ… g] When Sarah Palin supposedly contradicted something McCain had said, TV commentators kept saying shed gone rogue. Their meaning seemed to be that shed become uncontrollable, rather like a rogue elephant trampling its keepers. Here are some definitions of rogue from Merriam-Webster: adjective: resembling or suggesting a rogue elephant, especially in being isolated, aberrant, dangerous, or uncontrollable corrupt, dishonest of or being a nation whose leaders defy international law or norms of international behavior noun: a dishonest or worthless person; scoundrel a mischievous person : scamp a horse inclined to shirk or misbehave an individual exhibiting a chance and usually inferior biological variation misogyny [mÄ ­-sÃ… jÉ™-nÄ“] hatred of women. The question of misogyny comes up whenever a woman runs for office. This years campaign with two high profile women explains interest in this word. maverick [mÄÆ'vÉ™r-Ä ­k or mÄÆ'vrÄ ­k]- John McCain frequently described himself as a maverick. When Sarah Palin joined his campaign, she too adopted the epithet. They used it in the sense of person who is not controlled by others. Maverick is an eponynm. Samuel Maverick (1803-1870) was a lawyer, politician, and land baron who refused to brand his cattle. He claimed he didnt want to hurt them, but other ranchers believed he didnt brand them so that he could then claim any unbranded calf as his own. Maverick first meant an unbranded calf, but came to have the figurative sense of masterless. bipartisan [(bÄ «-prtÄ ­-zÉ™n, -sÉ™n] Heres a word that sounds pretty good at the end of a two year campaign filled with inter- and intra-party bickering: of, relating to, or involving members of two parties; specifically, marked by or involving cooperation, agreement, and compromise between two major political parties. I can vote for that! The remaining three words in the Top Ten are all fraught with scary connotations. trepidation [trÄ•pÄ ­-dÄ shÉ™n] from a Latin word meaning to tremble, trepidation is a synonym for fear. People who regard a situation with trepidation may be shaking in their boots. Ex. Chinas Widening Footprint Prompts Trepidation. precipice [prÄ•sÉ™-pÄ ­s] from a Latin word meaning headlong, a precipice is a steep eminence from which it would be very scary to fall, as in Were hurtling over the economic precipice. turmoil [tà »rmoil] a state or condition of extreme confusion, agitation, or commotion, as in World Economic Turmoil. Maybe next year well be looking up happier words. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:The Four Sounds of the Spelling OU

Low carb better than low fat to prevent cardiac disease Assignment

Low carb better than low fat to prevent cardiac disease - Assignment Example ed, parallel-group trial with the aim of examining the effects of low-carbohydrate in comparison to the effects of a low-fat diet on body weight and CVD" (Bazzano et al., 2014, p. 308). The participants included representatives of all populations and observation were made for a period of twelve months. In the previous studies either the participants failed to complete the study, had low participation, involved small size, failed to examine the effect of low-carbohydrate on weight reduction or did not take into consideration the population diversity. However, the present clinical trial involved examination of the effect of low-carbohydrate diets on weight loss, included black members that were previously ignored and had high completion rate of eighty percent and the sample size relatively bigger (Bazzano et al., 2014). Therefore, the outcome of the investigation was more accurate and convincing. Consumption of diet with low-carbohydrate results to a reduction of weight and CVD risk factors compared to low-fat diets. The low-carbon and low-fat diets use contribute to decline of plasma glucose, blood sugar, creatinine and serum insulin levels in an uniform fashion among the diverse population of the participants (Bazzano et al., 2014). Therefore, persons intending to lose weight or reduce CVD risk factors can decide to consume a diet with low-carbohydrate as opposed to low-fat diets. Furthermore, the policy makers can plan on policy intervention applicable to diverse groups in the United States as opposed to using of different policies for various groups since similar foods have same effects on diverse populations. The study is of significance to the research centers because it has increased knowledge about effects of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets on reduction of weight and CVD risk factors. The health caregivers can comfortably recommend the use of low-carbohydrate diet s to people with obesity for reducing weight and CVD risk factors There has been a major

Philosophy of Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Philosophy of Science - Essay Example This paper discusses the problem of induction and how it impacts current knowledge and approach to science. This discussion revolves primarily around works of David Hume and Karl Popper due to the former theorising on induction more than any other philosopher and the latter revealing inapplicability of induction for science and scientific method. Alan Musgrave (2004) in his critique of induction problem introduces Hume's argument as the basis for understanding the dilemma. Musgrave distinguishes Hume's three points, namely: (1) we reason, and must reason, inductively; (2) inductive reasoning is logically invalid and (3) to reason in a logically invalid way is irrational. Thus, the problem of induction is a problem confronted by scientists and philosophers concerned with science, but more specifically it is a problem for scientific method. Furthermore, it is a problem for the practice of science, for scientific endeavor, and it is a problem for the procedures of science. From the critical perspective, as science is or ought to be, it faces and must solve the problem of induction. David Hume created a philosophical system to explain his understanding of human nature. He provided a solid non-metaphysical explanation of the nature of human thought to use as a foundation to his philosophy. As an empiricist, Hume believed our knowledge is of the phenomenal world and is gained through experience. The following passage addresses not only his opinion regarding metaphysics, but his basic belief regarding the significance of ideas and impressions: All ideas, especially abstract ones, are naturally faint and obscure: the mind has but a slender hold of them: they are apt to be confounded with other resembling ideas; and when we have often employed any term, though without a distinct meaning, we are apt to imagine it as a determinate idea annexed to it. On the contrary, all impressions, that is, all sensations, either outward or inward, are strong and vivid; the limits between them are more exactly determined: nor is it easy to fall into any error or mistake with regard to them (Hume, 1985, p.49). Hume built a unique system of knowledge. Creating complex ideas by comparing or combining simple ideas is the province of understanding, which includes imagination as well as the intellect. Everything we believe comes from experience, either as a simple idea derived from direct experience or as a complex of related ideas abstracted from experience. Human understanding comes from applying the intellect and imagination to ideas in order to form beliefs about the phenomenal world. Hume claimed there are only three types of connection between ideas: resemblance, contiguity in time and space, and cause and effect (Hume, 1999, p.101). Therefore, beliefs are gained by applying the intellect and imagination to ideas to abstract what they have in common, including location

The Use and Impact of the Internet and Social Media Essay

The Use and Impact of the Internet and Social Media - Essay Example The introduction and growth of social media have had adverse effects on the quality of friendship made. Currently, people are in a rush to make friends without clear knowledge and understanding of what these people are, their backgrounds and what common interests you share. Others prefer interacting with their friends via smartphones and computers rather than creating friendship time where people can interact with each other and build on friendship ties. On the other hand, I disagree with some of Deresiewicz 's opinions and thoughts. Social media platform has taken dissemination of information to another level. In my opinion, people using online platforms can share what they want others to see. Most of the social media platforms have a privacy column where one can choose what other people can see about them. Apart from that, social sites such as Facebook and Twitter have helped bridge strong ties between their users. Information can be easily passed from one person to another via twe ets and Facebook updates hence as much as Deresiewicz describes them as a liability to quality friendship, it is important to look at the positives as a whole.From his view, Deresiewicz has a solid argument with candid illustrations but it is important to look at the positive attributes the online platform has created so far.In her article "The Things People Say: Rumors in an Age of Unreason", Elizabeth Kolbert describes how the use of the World Wide Web has influenced peoples way of analyzing critical issues affecting them in the society.

Analyze the main causes of African immigration to the United States of Essay - 1

Analyze the main causes of African immigration to the United States of America - Essay Example As it were, there is a crisis of being that presents existentially and materially, affluence in the intended country of immigration, and widespread poverty in the home country. Attending the poverty are serious political and socio-economic crises that make departure and immigration all the more attractive.†(Okome). After the Second World War, several African migrants swamped the U.S. Consulate with the apparent objective of quick and immediate departure from their respective countries. Many of them sought different purposes like education, business or simple leisure. But analysts derived the motives of migrating to U.S. were far more complicated in socio-political and economic fronts. The main problem with the Third World countries, in this era of globalization lies in the fact that they are considered just as a vast resource of lowly paid labor force. The migrants, inhabiting these Less Developed Countries (LDCs), consequently get drawn to the other parts of the looking for a permanent remedy to their crisis of unemployment and underemployment. After the migration, many of them settle there permanently, except for short period home visits and many others lack visas to get back. According to Okome, the Immigrants are defined as migrants who turn out to be everlasting settlers in the U.S., as b ecause migrating moves are temporary. Exiles are those who are relocated out of the home countries due to political reasons. The 1951 Convention regarding the Refugees is well demarked. All of the different types forms a cluster and signifies the migration volume from the African continent. The situation indeed is quite different qualitatively between African migration then, and the present immigrations. However it is statistically observed that the number of immigrants coming from Africa is much less when compared to the total immigrants in U.S. according to the

A Need to Extend the Social Responsibility to Modern Business Dissertation

A Need to Extend the Social Responsibility to Modern Business - Dissertation Example Royal Dutch Shell plc (shell) is Royal Dutch Shell plc is engaged in all principal aspects of the oil and natural gas industry, and also has interests in chemicals and additional interests in power generation and renewable energy. The Company operates in five segments: Exploration & Production, which searches for and recovers oil and natural gas around the world; Gas & Power, which liquefies and transports natural gas, and develops natural gas markets and related infrastructure; Oil Products, which include all of the activities necessary to transform crude oil into petroleum products; Chemicals, which produces and sells petrochemicals to industrial customers globally, and Other Industry Segments and Corporate, which include Renewables and Hydrogen. Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, operating in more than 140 countries and territories, employing more than 109,000 people. (www.Shell.com) In order to alleviate the fears and doubts from the minds of the people of various strata, the Researcher has undertaken the assignment on behalf of the Company to make a comprehensive report on the compliance or otherwise by the Company, of its Social and Environmental Commitments globally by adopting a suitable research method and analysis. Before commencing the research analysis into the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility we need to have a basic understanding of the concept, the purpose of our study of this concept, the hypothesis which this paper aims to analyse followed by a literary review.

Promtional Activities of Hobbs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Promtional Activities of Hobbs - Essay Example ance of one to one marketing, more personal promotions, word of mouth and the emerging technologies like the internet and mobile based marketing that are less expensive to launch and more efficient when it comes to delivering results. The majority of the Hobbs customers are located in London as however the company has significant customers in Ireland and the rest of the UK as well. The marketing plan depicted below however is targeted towards the current and the prospective customers of the company in Birmingham. The Mosaic for Birmingham depicted that fashion consumers in the region are very versatile with people taking cues for their seasonal fashion trends from those generated by the Milan, Paris and the New York fashion weeks. The customers are highly influenced by the fashion trends generated from these fashion capitals of the world and seek to go to retailers that can provide such fashion to them in an accessible and more affordable manner. These target markets are dominated by the South Asian Families, settled Majorities, Upper Floor families and urban youth and professionals. The analysis of the various types of customers that tend to shop at Hobbs depicted that the customers consider store ambiance, its environment, theme and layout. The Hobbs retail company has realized this and an effort has been made by the management to change the look and the feel of the store by employing a walnut and white interior in their stores to make them more fashionable and trendy. â€Å"When retail organizations make a major shift from an old-fashioned merchandise management orientation to a strategic marketing orientation, the development of a functional marketing plan for the implementation of strategic plan gains in importance† (Samli, 1998, p2) Other retailers in their business have also taken to store management and the management of store ambiance to further foot traffic in their stores and increase profits through sales revenue. â€Å"Starbucks, Pottery Barn, Eddie

A Need to Extend the Social Responsibility to Modern Business Dissertation

A Need to Extend the Social Responsibility to Modern Business - Dissertation Example Royal Dutch Shell plc (shell) is Royal Dutch Shell plc is engaged in all principal aspects of the oil and natural gas industry, and also has interests in chemicals and additional interests in power generation and renewable energy. The Company operates in five segments: Exploration & Production, which searches for and recovers oil and natural gas around the world; Gas & Power, which liquefies and transports natural gas, and develops natural gas markets and related infrastructure; Oil Products, which include all of the activities necessary to transform crude oil into petroleum products; Chemicals, which produces and sells petrochemicals to industrial customers globally, and Other Industry Segments and Corporate, which include Renewables and Hydrogen. Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, operating in more than 140 countries and territories, employing more than 109,000 people. (www.Shell.com) In order to alleviate the fears and doubts from the minds of the people of various strata, the Researcher has undertaken the assignment on behalf of the Company to make a comprehensive report on the compliance or otherwise by the Company, of its Social and Environmental Commitments globally by adopting a suitable research method and analysis. Before commencing the research analysis into the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility we need to have a basic understanding of the concept, the purpose of our study of this concept, the hypothesis which this paper aims to analyse followed by a literary review.

Will come into handsome property Essay Example for Free

Will come into handsome property Essay Pip is very un-happy with his life, Pip loves Estella however Estella is just enticing him. Pip has been affected by Estella, Estella has made Pip feel he is common and so he decides to acquire an education. Pip turns to Biddy for support as she is well educated and he admires her with great respect. Pip has always wanted to work in a blacksmiths however he reconsiders this and thinks about the lifestyle. Our sympathy for Pip grows as we realise how un-happy he is in his place in life. Pips education is limited. He attends an evening school in the village run by Mr Wopsles Great Aunt. Usually Pip has to teach himself how to read, write and do simple sums as the teacher sleeps through the lesson. Learning to read and write does not come easily to Pip; he does not receive any help at home either. We feel sympathy for Pip as he wants to learn, however he cannot as he does not get the teaching and help he needs. Dickens does this to show how Pips home life is bad; although Joe would want to help Pip he cannot because he is not very well educated either. A lawyer from London, named Jaggers, tells Pip that the boy has great expectations and will come into handsome property. Jagger says that Pip must come to London and start his education with Mr.Pocket immediately. Pip is impatient to leave for London and begin his new life. Pip is already starting to act in a superior way; Dickens makes the readers feel distanced from Pip, due to the way he is acting. Pip says goodbye to Joe and Biddy and takes the coach to London, only then does Pip realise he might have behaved ungratefully to Joe. Pip arrives in London and is disappointed by the ugliness of it. Pip believed he was going to a paradise but is now seeing the complete opposite. Pip gets taken to Jaggers office and Jaggers tells him that he is going to stay in Barnards Inn and then going to Mr.Pockets father to see if it suits him there. Jaggers tells Pip about his allowance and then tells Wemmick to take Pip to Barnards Inn. Dickens creates sympathy towards Pip as Pip is being treated like a parcel. Jaggers spends no time on Pip and is being pragmatic towards Pip. Pips behaviour in London makes the readers feel distanced form the main character. Pip acts snobbishly and starts to show off about his Great Expectations. Pips education proceeds well but we are seeing the beginnings of Pips extravagance with money, Pip soon gets into debt as he is not used to the lifestyle. Jaggers invites Pip to dine with him and tells him to bring Herbert, Drummle and Startop. Bentley Drummle is a fellow student at Matthew Pockets. He shows himself to be bad tempered, condescending and unsociable. Drummle is a rival for Pip and there rivalry is for Estellas affection. At the party Drummle begins to boast and behave in an unpleasant manner. Jaggers soon realises that Drummle is trouble and nicknames him spider. Charles Dickens uses the adjectives idle proud niggardly and suspicious to describe Drummle. The author uses negative vocabulary to manipulate the reader about Drummle. We get the impression that all Drummle wants is attention and that also Dickens has created the character to be disliked. After the party Pip goes and says his apologies to Jaggers, this shows that Pip is transforming into a Gentleman. Pip receives a letter from Biddy, to say that Joe is coming to London. Pip doesnt want Joe to visit and says Not with pleasure. Pip has become ashamed of his background and so doesnt want Joe to visit. Joes visit is embarrassing and awkward as the blacksmith feels out of place. Joe upsets Pip by calling him Sir. Joe feels awkward like he did in Miss Havishams house, he fiddles with his hat and looks around the room and clearly displays his nerves, which creates a tense atmosphere. Dickens uses Joes visit to make the readers feel distanced from the main character as Pip has become a snob and has begun to deceive himself. Joe refuses Pips invitation to dinner and suggests that Pip would see him in a better light if he visited the forge. Dickens creates sympathy towards Pip however we still feel slightly distanced from the protagonist of the novel. Pip feels upset by Joes sudden departure but also feels ashamed of Joe and his background.

Drug Treatments and Courts in US Prisons

Drug Treatments and Courts in US Prisons Drugs such as marijuana and cocaine and amphetamines and heroin together with drug-addiction are correlated to crime in a number of ways. Being a criminal offence to use, to be in possession, to produce, or to dispense these drugs, they are categorized as prohibited. The upshots of usage of drugs, including aggression, including robbery to obtain funds to acquire drugs, including aggression against competitor traffickers, affect the society every day and are criminal effects. A number of treatment alternatives are on hand to tackle inmates requirements and conditions in the correctional system. Drug treatment programs in correctional centres most often than not are successful in averting patients going back to unlawful behaviour, but are unsuccessful most often than not if they are not connected to community-centred programs that continue treatment when the patient leaves prison. The most successful drug treatments programs in prison have diminished the re-arrest rate by 25% to 50% ( Belenko 33). The aim of correctional facilities such as prison is twofold; first, it punishes wrongdoers and secondly it rehabilitates criminals and individuals with deviant behaviour. The French philosopher Michel Foucault argued that punishment has changed over a period from instilling discipline in the body to instilling discipline in the soul. The rehabilitation of convicted criminals is an important facet of the contemporary criminal justice system. The criminal justice system nowadays is working to rehabilitate inmates and the prison rehabilitation programs vary in degrees, type, and form from prison to prison. In the past years, rehabilitation was focused straight at reforming the personality of offenders, its aim now is on averting reoffending. Prison program: Drug treatment In a similar fashion, drug Treatment programs in Prison are designed to rehabilitate drug addicts in prison. For instance, the Delaware Model, a continuing examination of wide-ranging treatment methods for prisoners who are addicted to drug abuse illustrates that prison-based treatment programs, work release therapeutic community, community-based aftercare and therapeutic community surroundings included; cuts the chances of re-arrest by 57 percent and cut the odds of relapsing into drugs by 37 percent. One quality essential for successful programs is progressing, wide-ranging aftercare in the society. This decreases the probability that an addict will be detained and found guilty another time (Thomas 16). History of Drug Treatment: Using drug relates to violent crime (statistic) Statistics show that drug addicts are more prone than nonusers to perpetrate crimes, which arrested criminals, are found often to be under the influence at the time they carried out the offence and that drugs breed violence. It is the weighing up the nature and degree of the effects of drugs on criminal activities that necessitate that dependable information about the crime, and the lawbreaker is accessible and meanings of terms be consistent. In the face of challenging data, it is not possible to establish quantitatively the influence of drug addiction on the happening of crime. Drugs are linked to most criminal activities through the outcomes they have on the addicts actions and by breeding violence and other prohibited goings-on associated with drug trafficking. Drug-related crimes and the drug-using way of life play a key part in the U.S. crime issue. More than 50% of arrested criminals in the US test positive for illicit drugs (Thomas 17). According to the same institute, use of and addiction on drug is strongly associated to robbery and assets crime more than it is to violent offences. A majority of addicts carries out crimes to obtain money to purchase drugs. According to the National Institute of Justice, at least 25% of men who carry out acts of domestic violence have drug problems and that drug-addicted women are more prone to suffering abuse (Thomas 18). The 2004 survey of Inmates in State and Federal penitentiaries found out that 32% of State convicts and 26% of Federal prisoners admitted to having committed the crimes they are serving time for under the influence of drugs. In State prisons, drug offenders and property offenders recorded the highest admission rates for being under the drugs influence when committing a crime at 44% and 39% respectively. In Federal penitentiaries, drug offenders (32%) and violent crimes convicts (24%) reported the highest occurrence of being under drugs influence when they committed their crimes. Efforts to prevent drug abuse using retribution systems do not succeed since these attempts do no tackle the multifaceted basis of drug abuse, which start in the milieu of family issues and deviant conduct. Many go to prison. Few reform in prison. Cause Overcrowding in Prison The vicious cycle of arrest, imprisonment, discharge, and re-arrest is very common. As indicated by various nationwide studies, more than half of the prison population test positive for illegal drugs (Taylor et al. 3-4). The U.S. state and federal prisons and jails hold approximately 1.9 million convicts (Beck and Harrison). This means that the major contribution of the high-prison population in the United States is drug abuse. Most of the inmates are finally released from the prisons to go back to the community. However, about six hundred thousand state and federal convicts are nor returning to prison each year. A majority of those returning are drug addicts; therefore, keeping the cycle rolling. Effectively cutting that cycle and related crime is largely dependent on successfully treating drug-abusing criminals. A number of treatment alternatives are on hand to tackle inmates requirements and conditions in the correctional system. One such alternative program is the Drug Courts program. Drug Courts are judicially administered court dockets that deal with cases of nonviolent drug abusing lawbreakers under the juvenile, family, adult, and tribal justice structures. Drug Courts function under a specific mould in which the courts, prosecutors, defence bar, the police, mental health services, community services, and the treatment services work jointly to assist nonviolent lawbreakers find restoration in healing and turn into productive human beings. The essay analyses how the Drugs Courts program can help reduce the number of ex prisoners who are being sent back to prison each year. It also analysis how the program helps reduce the population in the American prisons. The essay su mmarizes the general workings and usefulness of drug courts all over the country and underlines possible concerns and areas where additional study is required. DRUG COURTS In 1989, Florida officials set up the nations pioneer drug court. This unique court was calculated to entrench drug treatment fully into the prison system and the criminal justice system in general. The courts were established for criminals with a past of drug abuse as a measure for their addiction treatment, while concurrently guaranteeing control, and approval when necessary, from the courts. The movement for a different court to rule on drug offenders come about from the swiftly sprouting truth that the nations resolution to tackle drug abuse by employing law enforcement methods would keep on posing considerable problems for the criminal justice system. In 2004, 53% of prisoners incarcerated in state prison were identified as drug addicts or users, but merely 15% were getting professional help (Mumola and Karberg 7). Drug use and addiction linked criminal activities remain an expensive load to the American society, one that most prison drugs treatment programs have failed to halt. In 2001, the bureau of National Drug Control Policy approximated that in 1998 prohibited use of drug cost the exchequer $31.1 billion in criminal justice costs, $30.1 billion in lost output and $2.9 billion in costs connected to property damage and discrimination (Belenko 2). Ever since 1989, drug courts have increased all over the country. Presently, there are more than 1,500 Drug courts functioning in all states. This drug courts are a reflection of the aspiration to change the stress from trying to battle drug crimes by diminishing drugs supply to tackling the demand for drugs by treating drug craving. Drug courts employ the criminal justice system to tackle addiction by the use of an incorporated set of communal and legal services as an alternative to depending on sanctions through imprisonment or probation. In spite of broad signs of drug court efficiency, more than twenty years after the first Drug court a number of questions linger. Since drug courts are planned and ran at the state level, there are deep-seated disparities that make cross-jurisdictional evaluation hard. While the underlying structure may be similar from one program to the next (a diversion program for particular types of low-level defendants who have shown a connection between thei r drug abuse or addiction and criminal acts), protocols for arbitration, detailed selection standards, ways of control and revocation measures do vary radically. The localism that is the system of drug court design makes efforts to make out best practices very hard. Nonetheless, we can make out explicit elements from diverse drug courts that are significant elements for the success of the program. WORKING OF DRUG COURTS Several elements determine the running of drug courts, albeit with disparity based on setting of the defendant population, legal questions etc. Below are a few elements universal to every drug court. Legal Framework There are commonly two approaches for drug courts i.e. deferred/delayed prosecution and post-adjudication programs. In a delayed prosecution, defendants who that meet some particular eligibility prerequisites are sidetracked to the drug court system before pleading to a charge. Defendants are not obliged to plead guilty, and those who successfully see through the drug court program are not further prosecuted. However, if one does not complete the program, he or she is prosecuted. On the other hand, in the post-adjudication approach, defendants are obliged to plead guilty to their charges but the ruling of their cases is deferred or left pending as they take part in the drug court program. Successful conclusion of the program earns the former user or addict in a waived sentence and occasionally an obliteration of the crime and the charges. However, if one does not successfully meet the standards of the drug court, for example, a routine return of drug abuse or addiction, they will be taken back to the criminal court to face the ruling on the guilty plea. Eligibility Criteria Eligibility standards differ from court to court. However, usually defendants have to be charged with being in possession of drugs or a nonviolent crime and must have positively tested for drugs or have proved drug abuse trouble during arrest (Fluellen and Trone 5). For drug courts that get federal financial support, there is a prerequisite to rule out persons with a present or previous violent crime record. However, this barring, whether by the state or federal rules, has been questioned as to whether it truly serves the interest of public safety as it is claimed to serve. Particularly, the classification of a violent crime at times may refer to merely being in possession of a weapon when one was arrested, even if it was not held, wielded, or put into use. In addition, individuals who are at present facing charges for a drug crime may be disqualified from admission into the drug court program owing to a past crime that is completely unrelated. Programming and Sanctions Programs characteristically run for a period between half and one year. However, some addicts stay longer in the program. Addicts and users must see through the whole program phase to graduate. Successful completion is dependent upon staying free of drugs and arrests for a specific period. Participants have to go to regular status hearings in front of a judge alongside judicial and medical staff who screen the development of every person. Sanctions including more court proceedings, drug tests and short stints in jails are enforced for participants who do not comply at the courts discretion. ADVANTAGES OF DRUG COURTS As noted earlier in this essay, the majority of adults and juveniles who are under arrest for criminal activities test positive for illicit drugs. As such, much of crime is drug or alcohol linked. However, imprisoned drug offenders do not obtain the handling they require, and will probably use drugs yet again and execute another crime once they are out of prison. That is where drug courts need arise. Drug courts present a valuable option that blends justice and drug management. Drug addicts who are taking part in a drug court program undergo rigorous drug abuse management, individual case management, substance testing, administration, and supervision. The participants report to recurrently programmed status hearings in front of a judge who is skilled in the drug court programs. Drug courts offer psychological well being treatment, disturbance and family psychoanalysis, and work skills instruction, which assist in ensuring a long-lasting healing from drug and alcohol dependence. Drug courts programs surpass all other approaches that have been employed with drug-using offenders. Drug abuse and criminal activities are significantly diminished in cases where offenders are put through a drug court program. Since the drug court programs assess offenders for substance abuse frequently, data concerning substance abuse by offenders in a drug court program is accessible on a continual basis. The use of drugs by offenders is reduced considerably or eliminated altogether by drug programs nationally, and this in turns has lowered recidivism amongst graduates. Adult drug court programs considerably decrease crime rates by cutting down re-arrest and conviction rates amongst graduates of drug courts a long time after the programs conclusion. Individuals who have graduated from drug courts are, according to recent appraisals, less expected to be re-arrested than individuals routed through other prison mechanisms. Results from drug court assessments show that involvement in drug courts upshots, in fewer re-arrests and re-convictions, or more extended periods between arrests or relapses. A breakdown of study findings from 76 drug courts established that there is a 10% decline in re-arrest, with pre-adjudication courts occasioning a 13% drop in re-arrest (Aos, Miller and Drake 4) Drug courts are very cost efficient. Several fresh studies have demonstrated that saved costs vary from $3,000 to $12,000 per offender (Belenko, 2005, 45). According to Fluellen and Trone (1), depending on the magnitude of a drug court program, the cost saved in some states goes beyond $7 million annually. Many courts are using the drug court mould to repeal driving under the influence and driving while intoxicated cases. This is being done either by employing selected driving while intoxicated courts or by accommodating offenders into conventional grown-up drug courts. Driving under the influence courts are holding offenders responsible for their actions at the same time as treating the fundamental drug abuse issues and stimulating behavioural transformation. Drug courts have also been very useful to juvenile offenders. Lastly, the drugs courts, in addition to saving cost, frees up the justice system and enables their departments resourcefully apportion criminal justice funds. Personnel and services, hitherto used up by the minor and less severe but prolonged drug cases which are now taken care by the drug court programs, are presently concentrated to other serious cases and to criminals who pose bigger threats to the society security and well being. The caseloads taken up by the drug court programs allow more docket time for the justice systems judges and are therefore, on hand for other criminal and civil matters in various jurisdictions. Previously, these serious criminal and civil cases were relegated to inferior precedence owing to drug related caseload. The programs have also freed jail space, and it is now being used to accommodate serious and dangerous criminals or to guarantee they serve their times. After more than two decades of drug courts operation, various studies show that many drug courts reduce recidivism and save the taxpayers funds. Figures from many studies carried out in more than ninety-five courts expose that former offenders who have graduated from drug courts program are re-arrested less than other prison program groups (Belenko, 44). The decline in re-arrest rates is the main contributor to cost-savings reported for most drug courts (Belenko, 44). CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS Studies up to date have been consistently reporting that that drug courts are accomplishing significant benefits. However, there practices, though mostly unfamiliar, which cause accomplishment or breakdown of a drug court. Of huge interest is the argument that drug courts might be escalating the quantity of individuals under arrest for drug crimes, rather than decrease, in the long term, the quantity of individuals who go through the criminal justice system. Studies have not yet zeroed in on the establishment of whether individuals who are taken through drug courts would have ended up in the criminal justice system and consequently into the conventional prison programs if not for the drug court. The use of drug courts should be used in a large scale to solve the twin problem of drugs and crime and that of overpopulation in our prison system.

Tone and Irony in Oedipus Rex :: essays research papers

Besides for being an entertaining play, Oedipus Rex, is also an incredibly in-depth and insightful piece of literature. Sophocles does an outstanding job of bringing the play to another level, making the reader delve deep into the. Sophocles uses literary devices such as irony and tone to enhance the story. Tone and irony are constant throughout the play, and used well to develop the characters. From the beginning we know a lot about Oedipus, mostly from previous knowledge in previous plays. It is known that he was a hero and the leader of many people. In this novel it is clear from an early point that the city is once again in trouble and Oedipus’s help is again required. At first he seems very honest and sincere about helping his people but as time goes on we see a different side of Oedipus. When Teiresias first meets Oedipus is a perfect example. At the beginning of their encounter Oedipus seems to be more concerned with his people and fixing the plague, but as soon as Teiresias brings up the notion that Oedipus has anything to do with it he immediately becomes very defensive and aggravated. We quickly learn that Oedipus is more concerned with himself than with his people. After the discussion with Teiresias, Oedipus plays the murder off on his friend, Creon. This is another example of Oedipus being more concerned with himself than the people around him. Oedipus of ten questions his past or other people about his past. He is unsure about himself and often seems troubled and short tempered. Tone is a huge part of the play and especially Oedipus. Another literary device used in the play is Irony. In Oedipus Rex, dramatic irony is often present in Oedipus’ long speeches. Oedipus constantly sees things incorrectly, and is in denial that he has, in fact, killed his father and married his mother. This is first apparent when he demands the death of the man who killed Laius. Oedipus calls the man who did this an evil murder. Oedipus assumes that, as he became a citizen of Thebes after the murder, though he did kill someone, he is ruled out Laius. In another speech, Oedipus accuses Creon of setting him up in order to get the throne, by framing him as the murderer. At this point, Oedipus proves that he has no feelings for his friends and it shows his true colors.

Monetary Policy in Canada :: essays papers

Monetary Policy in Canada The Bank of Canada’s Control Over the Money Supply  · The ability of the central bank to affect the money supply is critically related to its ability to determine the reserves of the commercial banking system.  · One important tool that the Bank uses for influencing the supply of money is the purchase or sale of government securities on the open market. These actions are known as open-market operations.  · Whenever the Bank is involved in either the purchase or sale of government securities, the reserves of the entire banking system are altered, and this affects the money supply.  · When the Bank of Canada buys a treasury bill or a bond from a household or a firm, it pays for the bond with a cheque drawn on itself and payable to the seller. The seller deposits this cheque in a commercial bank, which then presents the cheque to the Bank of Canada for payment.  · The bank of Canada then makes a book entry, increasing the deposit of the commercial bank at the central bank, which adds to the commercial bank’s reserves.  · Typically, when the Bank buys securities on the open market, the reserves of the commercial banks are increased. These banks can then expand deposits, thereby increasing the money supply.  · When the Bank sells a security to a household or firm, it receives in return the buyers cheque drawn against a deposit in a bank. The Bank presents the cheque to the commercial bank for payment.  · Payment is made by a book entry that reduces the bank’s deposit at the central bank, and hence reduces its reserves.  · When the central bank sells securities on the open market, the reserves of the commercial banks are decreased. These banks must in turn contract deposits, thereby decreasing the money supply.  · Extension 29-1  · Cash management - the shifting of government deposits between the Bank of Canada and the chartered banks – is a major tool used by the Bank of Canada in its day-to-day operations.  · When the Bank transfers government deposits, it influences the reserves of the banking system relative to its target level of reserves, thereby inducing an expansion or contraction of commercial bank lending and thus an expansion or contraction of the money supply.  · Open-market operations and control of government deposits give the Bank of Canada potent weapons for affecting the size of commercial bank reserves and thus for affecting the money supply.  · Though the details of an open-market operation differ from

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Four

â€Å"Trust Bonnie to meet a cute guy on her first day at col ege,† Elena said. She careful y drew the nail-polish brush over Meredith's toenail, painting it a tannish pink. They'd spent the evening at freshman orientation with the rest of their dormmates, and now al they wanted to do was relax. â€Å"Are you sure this is the color it's supposed to be?† Elena asked Meredith. â€Å"It doesn't look like a summer sunset to me.† â€Å"I like it,† Meredith said, wiggling her toes. â€Å"Careful! I don't want polish on my new bedspread,† Elena warned. â€Å"Zander is just gorgeous,† Bonnie said, stretching out luxuriously on her own bed on the other side of the room. â€Å"Wait til you meet him.† Meredith smiled at Bonnie. â€Å"Isn't it an amazing feeling? When you've just met somebody and you feel like there's something between you, but you're not quite sure what's going to happen?† She gave an exaggerated sigh, rol ing her eyes up in a mock swoon. â€Å"It's al about the anticipation, and you get a thril just seeing him. I love that first part.† Her tone was light, but there was something lonely in her face. Elena was sure that, as composed and calm as Meredith was, she was already missing Alaric. â€Å"Sure,† Bonnie said amiably. â€Å"It's awesome, but I'd like to get to the next stage for once. I want to have a relationship where we know each other real y Well, a serious boyfriend instead of just a crush. Like you guys have. That's even better, isn't it?† â€Å"I think so,† said Meredith. â€Å"But you shouldn't try to hurry through the we-just-met stuff, because you've only got a limited time to enjoy it. Right, Elena?† Elena dabbed a cotton bal around the edges of Meredith's polished toenails and thought about when she had first met Stefan. With al that had happened since then, it was hard to believe it was only a year ago. What she remembered most was her own determination to have Stefan. No matter what had gotten in her way, she had known with a clear, firm purpose that he would be hers. And then, in those early days, once he was hers, it was glorious. It felt as if the missing piece of herself had slotted into place. â€Å"Right,† she said final y, answering Meredith. â€Å"Afterward, things get more complicated.† At first, Stefan had been a prize that Elena wanted to win: sophisticated and mysterious. He was a prize Caroline wanted, too, and Elena would never let Caroline beat her. But then Stefan had let Elena see the pain and passion, the integrity and nobility, he held inside him and she had forgotten the competition and loved Stefan with her whole heart. And now? She stil loved Stefan with everything she had, and he loved her. But she loved Damon, too, and sometimes she understood him – plotting, manipulative, dangerous Damon – better than she did Stefan. Damon was like her in some ways: he, too, would be relentless in pursuing what he wanted. She and Damon connected, she thought, on some deep core instinctive level that Stefan was too good, too honorable to understand. How could you love two people at the same time? â€Å"Complicated,† Bonnie scoffed. â€Å"More complicated than never being sure if somebody likes you or not? More complicated than having to wait by the phone to see if you have a date for Saturday night or not? I'm ready for complicated. Did you know that forty-nine percent of col ege-educated women meet their future husbands on campus?† â€Å"You made that statistic up,† Meredith said, rising and picking her way toward her own bed, careful not to smudge her polish. Bonnie shrugged. â€Å"Okay, maybe I did. But I bet it's a real y high percentage, anyway. Didn't your parents meet right here, Elena?† â€Å"They did,† Elena said. â€Å"I think they had a class together sophomore year.† â€Å"How romantic,† Bonnie said happily. â€Å"Well, if you get married, you have to meet your future spouse somewhere,† Meredith said. â€Å"And there are a lot of possible future spouses at col ege.† She frowned at the silky cover on her bed. â€Å"Do you think I can dry my nails faster if I use the hair dryer, or wil it mess up the polish? I want to go to sleep.† She examined the hair dryer as if it were the focal point of some science experiment, her face intent. Bonnie was watching her upside down, her head tipped back off the end of the bed and her red curls brushing the floor, tapping her feet energetical y against the wal . Elena felt a great sWellof love for both of them. She remembered the countless sleepovers they'd had al through school, back before their lives had gotten †¦ complicated. â€Å"I love having the three of us together,† she said. â€Å"I hope the whole year is going to be just like this.† That was when they first heard the sirens. Meredith peered through the blinds, col ecting facts, trying to analyze what was going on outside Pruitt House. An ambulance and several police cars were parked across the street, their lights silently blinking red and blue. Floodlights lit the quad a ghastly white, and it was crawling with police officers. â€Å"I think we should go out there,† she said. â€Å"Are you kidding me?† Bonnie asked from behind her. â€Å"Why would we want to do that? I'm in my pajamas.† Meredith glanced back. Bonnie was standing, hands on hips, brown eyes indignant. She was indeed wearing cute ice-cream-cone-printed pajamas. â€Å"Well, quick, put on some jeans,† Meredith said. â€Å"But why?† asked Bonnie plaintively. Meredith's eyes met Elena's across the room, and they nodded briskly to each other. â€Å"Bonnie,† Elena said patiently, â€Å"we have a responsibility to check out everything that's going on around here. We might just want to be normal col ege students, but we know the truth about the world – the truth other people don't realize, about vampires and werewolves and monsters – and we need to make sure that what's going on out there isn't part of that truth. If it's a human problem, the police wil deal with it. But if it's something else, it's our responsibility.† â€Å"Honestly,† grumbled Bonnie, already reaching for her clothes, â€Å"you two have a – a saving-people complex or something. After I take psychology, I'm going to diagnose you.† â€Å"And then we'l be sorry,† Meredith said agreeably. On their way out the door, Meredith grabbed the long velvet case that held her fighting stave. The stave was special, designed to fight both human and supernatural adversaries, and was made to specifications handed down through her family for generations. Only a Sulez could have a staff like this. She caressed it through the case, feeling the sharp spikes of different materials that dotted its ends: silver for werewolves, wood for vampires, white ash for Old Ones, iron for al eldritch creatures, tiny hypodermics to fil with poisons. She knew she couldn't take the stave out of its case on the quad, not surrounded by police officers and innocent bystanders, but she felt stronger when she could feel the weight of it in her hand. Outside, the mugginess of the Virginia September day had given way to a chil y night, and the girls walked quickly toward the crowd around the quad. â€Å"Don't look like we're heading straight over there,† Meredith whispered. â€Å"Pretend we're going to one of the buildings. Like the student center.† She angled off slightly, as if she was heading past the quad, and then led them closer, glancing over at the police tape surrounding the grass, pretending to be surprised by the activity next to them. Elena and Bonnie fol owed her lead, looking around wide-eyed. â€Å"Can I help you ladies?† one of the campus security men asked, stepping forward to block their progress. Elena smiled at him appealingly. â€Å"We were just on our way to the student center, and we saw everyone out here. What's going on?† Meredith craned her head to look past him. Al she could see were groups of police officers talking to one another and more campus security. Some officers were on their hands and knees, searching careful y through the grass. Crime scene analysts, she thought vaguely, wishing she knew more about police procedure than what she'd seen on TV. The security officer stepped sideways to block her view. â€Å"Nothing serious, just a girl who ran into a bit of trouble walking out here alone.† He smiled reassuringly. â€Å"What kind of trouble?† Meredith asked, trying to see for herself. He shifted, blocking her line of sight again. â€Å"Nothing to worry about. Everyone's going to be okay this time.† â€Å"This time?† Bonnie asked, frowning. He cleared his throat. â€Å"You girls just stick together at night, okay? Make sure to walk in pairs or groups when you're out around campus, and you'l be fine. Basic safety stuff, right?† â€Å"But what happened to the girl? Where is she?† Meredith asked. â€Å"Nothing to worry about,† he said, more firmly this time. His eyes were on the black velvet case in Meredith's hand. â€Å"What have you got in there?† â€Å"Pool cue,† she lied. â€Å"We're going to play pool in the student center.† â€Å"Have a good time,† he said, in a tone of voice that was clearly a dismissal. â€Å"We wil ,† Elena said sweetly, her hand on Meredith's arm. Meredith opened her mouth to ask another question, but Elena was pul ing her away from the officer and toward the student center. â€Å"Hey,† Meredith objected quietly, when they were out of earshot. â€Å"I wasn't done asking questions.† â€Å"He wasn't going to tel us anything,† Elena said. Her mouth was a grim straight line. â€Å"I bet a lot more happened than someone getting into a little trouble. Did you see the ambulances?† â€Å"We're not real y going to the student center, are we?† Bonnie asked plaintively. â€Å"I'm too tired.† Meredith shook her head. â€Å"We'd better loop back behind the buildings to our dorm, though. It'l look suspicious if we head right back where we came from.† â€Å"That was creepy, right?† Bonnie said. â€Å"Do you think† – she paused, and Meredith could see her swal ow – â€Å"do you think something real y bad happened?† â€Å"I don't know,† Meredith said. â€Å"He said a girl ran into a little bit of trouble. That could mean anything.† â€Å"Do you think someone attacked her?† Elena asked. Meredith shot her a significant look. â€Å"Maybe,† she said. â€Å"Or maybe something did.† â€Å"I hope not,† Bonnie said, shivering. â€Å"I've had enough somethings to last me forever.† They'd crossed behind the science building, down a darker, lonelier path, and circled back toward their dorm, its brightly lit entryway like a beacon before them. Al three sped up, heading for the light. â€Å"I've got my key,† Bonnie said, feeling in her jeans pocket. She opened the door, and she and Elena hurried into the dorm. Meredith paused and glanced back toward the busy quad, then, past it, at the dark sky above campus. Whatever â€Å"trouble† had happened, and whether the cause was human or something else, she knew she needed to be in top condition, ready to fight. She could almost hear her father's voice saying, â€Å"Fun time is over, Meredith.† It was time to focus on her training again, time to work toward her destiny as a protector, as a Sulez, to keep innocent people safe from the darkness.