The Five Phases of the Project Lifecycle Assignment

The Five Phases of the Project Lifecycle - Assignment Example A project has to be approached in a systematic way that will ensure there is minimal time wasting and deviation from the main goals and objectives of the project from the time it was initiated. To do so, there are a number of approaches used that guide the progress of the project to completion. The most common used approach is the traditional phased approach that has five phases explaining the activities involved in each phase form the time an idea is conceived to the time the project is closed. The five phases include initiation, planning/ design, execution, monitoring and closing of the project. Each step has its unique activities that make it possible for the project to be completed successfully. Initiation is the first phase of any project. This phase seeks to define the project or a new phase of an already existing project. It also involves the process of gaining authorization from the relevant authorities for the project to be commenced (Indelicato, 2013). To achieve the goals of this phase, there is need to first develop a project charter and then identify the stakeholders. The project charter contains, project success criteria and objectives, constraints/assumptions, high level budget and schedule, the list of stakeholders, project justification or purpose and lastly assign a project manager. A well-developed project charter, will provide adequate information to the authorities and convince them to commit an organizations resources towards achieving the goals and objectives of the project. It gives them a knowhow on the amount of resources needed to complete the project, hence guiding the decision making of the authorities on whether the project is achievable or not. At the same time, it provides one with its contribution to the organization in achieving its primary goals without violating their mission, vision, values and

Foreign Born American Writers Essay Example for Free

Foreign Born American Writers Essay American literature has changed and evolved from the early colonial days to develop characteristics that are unique and which identify it from other literary works. Several writers have contributed to the development of American literature. Some of these writers immigrated into the United States and their works were accepted into the American literary canon. Some of the notable foreign born American writers include Vladimir Nabokov, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and CzesA‚aw MiA‚osz (Czeslaw Milosz). Vladimir Nabokov was born in Russia in 1899 and moved to the United States in 1940 together with his family. Nabokov produced both fiction and non-fiction works including novels, short stories, drama, poetry, and some translations. Among his works is his 13th novel titled Pnin published in 1957 and built around the life of a Russian professor who moves into the US as a refugee and the challenges that the professor encounters in a new world (Boyd 271-287). Isaac Singer was a Jewish American author born in Poland and was the 1978 Nobel Prize winner in literature. Among his many collections is Gimpel the Fool and other Stories published in 1960. It has twelve short stories with a mix of contemporary and folk legend aspects and heavily based on Jewish life in Poland (Kirkus). Born in 1911 Poland, Czeslaw Milosz became an American citizen in 1970. Milosz is known for his poetry, essays, prose, and translations. He was the Nobel Prize winner in 1980 for his literary works. His A Magic Mountain poem reflects his personal experiences of living in Berkeley, CA (Kirkus). The three writers have received various recognitions for their contribution to the American literature. Each of the writers has written about his life experiences in the US depicting the differences and the challenges of adapting to a new world. References Boyd, Brian. Vladimir Nabokov: The American Years. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 1991. Kirkus Rev. of Bells in Winter by Czeslaw Milosz. New York, NY: Ecco Press (1978). 2010. 5 May 2010. http://books. google. co. ke/books? id=THVhAAAAMAAJsource=gbs_book_other_versions Kirkus Rev. of Gimpel the Fool and other Stories by Isaac Singer. New York, NY: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux. (1960). 2010. 5 May 2010. http://books. google. co. ke/books? id=yZJnPwAACAAJdq=isaac+bashevis+singer+gimpel+the+foolsource=gbs_book_other_versions

Death in A Streetcar Named Desire Essay -- A Streetcar Named Desire Th

Death in A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams uses the theme of death continually in the play ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ through the use of dramatic imagery and literal references. The characters of Blanche and Mitch are used the most frequently to express Williams’ own obsession with death. Though neither of the characters actually obsesses about death, Blanche’s life has been smothered by the deaths of those she loves and the coming death of Mitch’s mother is an obvious motivation for his actions. Blanche first voices the theme of death in the very first scene whilst discussing the fate that has befallen Belle Reve. She passionately raves at length about the horrible deaths and her experience of loved ones dying around her; â€Å"all of those deaths†¦ Father, Mother, Margaret, that dreadful way!† The horrific visions of bloated bodies and â€Å"the struggle for breath and breathing† have clearly cast a permanent effect on Blanche’s mind. She talks of the quiet funerals and the â€Å"gorgeous boxes† that were the coffins, with bitter, black humour. The deaths of Blanche and Stella’s family are important to the play as they highlight the desperation of Blanche’s situation through the fact that she has no other relative to turn to. This makes Stella’s decision at the end of the play seem even harsher than if Blanche had just simply shown up on her doorstep instead of going elsewhere. Stella states that Blanche’s life has been heavily affected by the death of her husband, Allan. Blanche’s marriage â€Å"killed her illusions† which can be interpreted literally. Blanche states that she fell in love â€Å"all at once and much, much too completely,† however, her love was unrequited since instead of returning the love Blan... ...o have experienced some sorrow,† which Mitch agrees with, thus revealing that he has been affected by the loss of this girl. This statement also emphasises much of Blanche’s own views on sorrow and explains how it has affected her life since she has made the comment from personal experience. To conclude, Tennessee Williams’ dramatic use of death and dying is an overarching theme in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ from which everything about Blanche’s character has formed from. Without the death of Allan, Blanche would not have resorted to prostitution and the brief affairs with strangers, also the deaths of her family have driven Blanche to Stella’s where she is â€Å"not wanted† and â€Å"ashamed to be†. Therefore these dramatic deaths have lead to the past which comes back to haunt Blanche meaning that she can never find happiness until she dies and is forgotten.

Routine Communication

What kinds of tasks fall into each quadrant? Therefore, what kinds of communications norms do we need? routine/autonomous To the extent team members are working autonomously on tasks which remain static, there is little need for a lot of cross-team communications. Communications should be: Minimalist. Local. Compliance oriented where necessary. Automated whenever possible. The danger for virtual teams is that the â€Å"disconnected† feeling of a distributed team sometimes leads to over-reporting as a strategy to give people the feeling of â€Å"knowing what's going on. Sometime team members generate a lot of reporting in order to make sure the team leader â€Å"knows† that they are working. This kind of communication creates sludge in the team's arteries. It is a common cause of information overload which can sometimes result in team members avoiding engaging in the communications which actually are important to the team. The team needs to agree on a strategy to defend itself against communication sludge! Be on the lookout for what can be eliminated. 2 of 5routine/interdependent. Team members need to provide enough information to each other about areas where their routine work is interdependent to enable them to coordinate. Communications should be: Standardized. Organized. Easy. â€Å"Pull† v. â€Å"Push† (You go get what you need when you need it rather than having it pushed at you automatically). The danger for virtual teams is that because we have technology which allows us to exchange and store large amounts of information, we do it because we can without really addressing whether doing it adds value. The team needs to agree on a strategy to manage and coordinate this communication. Choose a few, processes for exchanging critical information and make a commitment to sticking to agreements about when and what will be produced by each member of the team. emerging/autonomous When individuals (or sub groups) on the team notice changes emerging in the work they have been doing, it's critical to make this â€Å"intelligence† available to the team as a whole. Communications should be: Timely (it can't wait for the next face-to-face meeting). â€Å"Push† v. â€Å"Pull† (to make sure that nobody misses a key indicator). The danger for distributed teams is that a weak communications strategy results in missing signals where something new happening in one place is a bell weather for something that will sooner or later have an effect on other parts of the system. A team that doesn't share this kind of intelligence is less than the sum of its parts. The team needs a strategy for scanning, scouting the environment within which they are operating, noticing pattern changes to make sure that important things get up on the team's radar screen soon enough when something which has been static starts changing. But it's not enough to simply report the information, it's critical that the whole team have an opportunity to discuss its meaning.

Gender Comparisons in Cognitive Abilities Essay

Gender differences are not only noticeable in physical and reproductive areas as far as men and women are concerned. These physical and reproductive differences are minimal in terms of the determinants of how men and women operate as far as other issues relating to their cognition are concerned (Gur et al. 1999). Sex hormones that are secreted during their development are responsible for the difference in brain organizations of men and women. Men and women have been shown by several studies to learn differently due to the difference in their cognition. Kimura (2000) postulated that even at infancy, girls gaze at objects longer than boys an argument that gives premise to the fact that boys have attention problems. Their sensory systems show a discrepancy even at such a young age, something that persists into old age. In addition to the above, women tend to remember some things like land marks better than the men who remember directions and distance. These are the spatial cues that the men are better off in as opposed to women (Kimura 2000). A myriad of other differences have been suggested especially in linguistic, interpersonal, logical and mathematical, musical, intrapersonal and linguistic among other areas. As the environment starts acting on the individual boys and girls after birth, they already have wired brains that show differences in how they respond to the above areas that lead to the differences. The females and males differences in their intellectual faculties lie in their abilities rather than their Intelligence Quotient, which may be the same in girls and boys, all other factors held constant but the sampled girls and boys will have differences in their linguistic and most probably their spatial abilities. Different areas of the brain are suited for various tasks and which the males and females have differing usage abilities in. Spatial differences On average, studies have found that male outperform female in spatial activities/ spatial visualizations like in situations that require the rotation of objects in a given space or in manipulation of objects in one way or another or just mental rotation. They are also able to outdo women in tasks which deal with maneuvering of their way through a maze of routes but this does not include grasping of landmarks for use as a means to remember their routes while women are able to recall landmarks more than men can. In addition to this, men are better off than women in the accuracy with which they target objects either in movement or in their static positions. They also do well in disembedding hidden objects. This extends to interception or guiding of projectiles and ability to realize any movements in the field of vision. This performance cuts across all ages as shown by Kaufman et. al (1999) that used the Weischeler Adult Intelligence Scales-Revised (WAIS-R) in determining fluids and crystallized differences in men and women. The study states that the ability to target an object develops well before puberty. The performance of men and women on Block Design, Digital Symbol and Information showed that men outperformed women in Block Design and Information while women did better than men in Digital Symbol. Verbal fluency In 2003, Shaywitz et al. were able to discern differences in gender as far as the brain’s language functional organization is concerned. They used a study called the functional resonance imaging and through this, females showed more abilities in verbal fluency than men. This included their manner of acquisition and longer spans of attention in conversation unlike men who lagged behind. They also tended to excel in memory tasks like fluency in generation of synonyms and better rapidity of identification of matching objects or items because their perception skills are better than those of their male counterparts (Shaywitz, B et al. (1995,). Kimura, 1996). They demonstrate better recall ability linked to verbal fluency than men in addition to having a higher episodic memory. They also show a greater ability to reckon words that begin with a certain letter more than the men can do. The fields of priming, semantic and primary memories do not however show any difference in men and women. Men on the other hand showed better performance in semantic measures and a higher order in the crystallized factor of intelligence. Due to the bigger cortical space in females assigned for language and its functions, there is less space left for the working of the spatial space which implies that females cannot be better than men in both language and spatial abilities. Problem-Solving Tasks There are differences in gender as far as the brain’s problem-solving tasks are concerned as reported by Gur et al. (1999) that conducted various studies and presented test to a sample of men and women under same condition. The results were basis for the conclusion drawn. First, arithmetic differences tests showed that men are higher cognitive abilities in terms of mathematics calculations and reasoning than women. In this test, set of mathematical based questions were asked to the selected sample; men responded more accurate and quick than women who displayed slowness and inaccuracy in calculated responses. In another experiment, a piece of paper was folded with a punched hole, and then the participants were asked to determine where punched hole shall fall if the paper shall be unfolded. Most men responded correctly and quickly in determining where the hole shall fall should the paper be opened than their female counterparts. Moreover, objects and images were placed before the participant and asked to rotate objects and manipulate the images. Men excelled better than women on this problem-solving task. Lastly, studies show that when men and women are targeting or aiming at an object, men are more likely to get their target than women can. This implies that women are less accurate in target-directed motor skills for example intercepting projectiles. To assert this finding, the practical example that can be used to explain this target-direct motor skill is by essence that men are good at target involving games like dart playing than women. Therefore, problem-solving task favors men than women in the sense that men perform better than women in spatial undertakings like tasks that involve mental rotating objects. Emotional coping Cognitive abilities of an individual to great extend help in process of coping with stress or depression. The essence that facilitates connection between coping with emotions and cognitive abilities is because through use of intelligence that a person can think, perceive and react to the surrounding. In this regard, intelligence needed to cope with emotions is defined as cognitive ability and content of the thought which differ greatly in men than women (Shaywitz et al. 1999; Gur et al. 1999). The meta-analyses studies conducted found that men are less affected with emotions than women. For instance, women were found to be affected by maladaptive or negative thinking about an emotional problem than male. Men usually indulge in alcoholism, aggressive behaviors and violent behaviors. While women are worse affected by the emotional since are usually depressed and can develop various eating and psychological disorders like bulimic or anxiety. Differences in precision in manual tasks Women are a bit faster than men in precision as far as some manual tasks like placing pegs in the holes on a given board. Coupled with their ability to recall the positions of objects more precisely than men, women show a greater likelihood of replacing an object to its initial position with a greater accuracy than men or state whether a given object had been displaced or not. Women therefore show a better fine motor coordination as compared to men The neuroanatomic difference in males and females has been found to contribute to cognitive abilities especially those that are sexual in nature. Females have XX genetic make-up while males have XY. These genes play a great role in differentiation and it is due to the absence of the Y chromosome in females that leads to the release of androgens which are the male hormones. These hormones cause the female to develop. Some periods when there is the release of sex hormones, there is an impact in the brain which leads to differences in cognition from the periods when there is no hormonal release. Prenatal development period has shown the greatest levels of hormone release according to several researches done (Shaywitz et. al 2003). During puberty the levels of the hormones do rise again and these fluctuations continue throughout one’s life span. Research has established that girls who were exposed to high testosterone levels were shown to display greater spatial skills when compared with other girls who had not been exposed to the hormone. This shows that the male hormone testosterone is responsible for the spatial abilities that males have. Males show some excellence at problem-solving in school more than females in addition to working out multiple choice tests better than females. Such examinations like SATs are performed in better by males than females who, apparently do well in written and untimed tests while getting higher overall grades in their schooling years. Girls have also proved to be better performers in math than males up to high school level where they drop, an aspect that has been attributed to the inclusion of m ore spatially oriented math in which the girls appear to be lower in performance than males (Shaywitz, B et al. 1995). Males are known to have a larger brain than females with a size which is 10% larger than that of females. Some researches have indicated that there is a correlation between the size of the brain and intellectual abilities. The males’ brains have more cerebrospinal and white matter than the brains of females. More white matter according to Gur et. al 2000 (cited in Shaywitz et. al 2003) is responsible for the information transfer to other regions of the brain thus contributing to their superb spatial abilities while the women who have more of the grey matter enhance greater processing capacity and efficiency. As has been stated earlier on, the brain is laterized such that one hemisphere dominate t6he other in a given or given fuction(s). The brain’s two halves are more laterized in the performance of some cognitive functions. In males, the laterization is more pronounced than in the females due to the neurohumoral interactions mediated by the testosterone hormone. Fourie and Stuart (2006) carried out an investigation on the role of gender and temperament in Functional Hemispheric Asymmetry and perception of emotional stimuli. In this investigation, they used a total population sample of 112 with females being 58 and men 54. The sample had four groups of students who were right-handed and chosen in terms of their gender, and temperament. Their levels of neuroticism, introversion and extroversion were measured using a personality questionnaire. The Divided Visual Field Technique, their differential hemisphere performance regarding latency and accuracy were determined. After the use of T-square test (Hotelling’s), the results showed that the accuracy in terms of the response time scores in men and women had a great difference in the way the two genders process their emotional stimuli. Women were found to do so faster and more accurately than their male counterparts in the processing and response to emotional stimuli. There are also some gender differences in maladaptive thinking and coping with stressful situations. The risk of depression in men is 8-12% while in women it has been found to be between 20-26%. Disorders related to depression affect about 70% of women and 30% of men due to the fact that women show uncontrollability in perception more than men (Kaufman, 1999 Voyer, 2005). Individuals with unilateral brain lesions or damages were studied (Inglis & Lawson 2001) and it was found that males lost their verbal ability more than the females after both genders suffered damages in the left hemispheres. Men also lost their spatial abilities after a brain damage on their right hemispheres. Women were found to be better off than men in verbal ability even after suffering the same damage on either lobe. This justifies the fact that language and spatial abilities are bilaterally represented less in men than in women. Brain organization The human brain organization is an important part aligning for performing the cognitive tasks. The human brain has two hemispheres which are specialized in carry a specific kind of activity better that the other hemisphere. Brain organization for male is more lateralized to its cognitive functions than women brain. The major difference in lateralization of the brain is the hormonal roles (Shaywitz, et al. 1999). For instance, the testerone hormone facilitates neurohormonal linkage during early stages of cognitive development creating dimorphism in cerebral (Kimura, 1992). On the other hand, women brain is less lateralized with more of its portion assigned to verbal or language tasks. In electrical activities, men show they use their right hemisphere for spatial activities as opposed to women who use their left hemisphere. Conclusion In conclusion, the paper has discussed with illustrations the major gender cognitive difference between men and women. In the discussion, the paper has Spatial differences, Verbal fluency, Problem-Solving Tasks, Emotional coping, Differences in precision in manual tasks, and Brain organization. However, a point of worth to note is that there is distinct difference between the female and male cognitive abilities which is influenced by brain structures such as hypothalamus region. Moreover, SDN (sexually dimorphic nucleus) is smaller in women while larger for males. References Gur, RC et al. (1999) â€Å"Sex differences in brain; correlations with cognitive performance† Journal of Neuroscience, 29, p. 4042-4059 Kimura, D. (2002). â€Å"Sex, sex hormones and sexual orientation influence on human cognitive function† Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 16, p. 261-268 Kimura, D. (1998). Sex differences in the brain, Scientific American, 10, p. 26-31 Kaufman, A et al. (1999), â€Å"Intellectual growth pattern and decline across the adult life-span for women and men† Journal of Clinical Psychology, 37, p. 759-802 Shaywitz, B et al. (1995), â€Å"Sex differences in the functional organization of the brain for language† Nature, 363, p. 595-610. Shaywitz, S et al. (1999). â€Å"Estrogen changes functional organization of brain† Journal of the American Medical Association, 271, p. 1103-11513. Voyer, D. (2005) â€Å"A meta- analysis of Magnitude of sex differences in spatial abilities† Psychological Bulletin, 107, p. 252-273

Free Essays on Racism In Education

One of the most troublesome areas of racism is in places of education. Finding a cure for this would be a major step towards ending racism in general. No one has ever thought of a solution yet, and racism will be strong as long as there isn't one. Slaves were never taught how to read or write, and their lack of education was facilitated by whites throughout the centuries. In the 1800's everyone's feelings about slavery, good or bad, culminated into the American Civil War. Also, during this period, the slaves were fighting to break free from their past stereotypes. A small percentage of them taught themselves to read and write and they began to teach others. The film â€Å"Glory† depicted how some blacks even fought in the Civil War. The film captures the essence of the pride that the 1st all Black Platoon carried and the feelings that whites had toward blacks, even at a time of war. The Civil War is important when looking at the origins of racism in education, because once the North had defeated the South in the war, the slaves were freed from bondage. Institutions of education were then put in place so that African Americans could have a place to learn. However, being freed from bondage did not mean that they would be freed from the terrible prejudice that still permeated the country. The schools that sprang up in all black areas were not given the public funding that they needed and deserved. They were usually only one room and very dirty, and were given the oldest and most worn out books and equipment that was available. Plus, there weren't many teachers who were qualified and were willing to teach at an all black school. Even though education was instituted for African Americans, which was a step in the right direction, it was a very small step and still didn't give African Americans the education they deserved. This treatment continued for many years after the Civil War. A new concept, segregation, evolved and was predominant fr... Free Essays on Racism In Education Free Essays on Racism In Education One of the most troublesome areas of racism is in places of education. Finding a cure for this would be a major step towards ending racism in general. No one has ever thought of a solution yet, and racism will be strong as long as there isn't one. Slaves were never taught how to read or write, and their lack of education was facilitated by whites throughout the centuries. In the 1800's everyone's feelings about slavery, good or bad, culminated into the American Civil War. Also, during this period, the slaves were fighting to break free from their past stereotypes. A small percentage of them taught themselves to read and write and they began to teach others. The film â€Å"Glory† depicted how some blacks even fought in the Civil War. The film captures the essence of the pride that the 1st all Black Platoon carried and the feelings that whites had toward blacks, even at a time of war. The Civil War is important when looking at the origins of racism in education, because once the North had defeated the South in the war, the slaves were freed from bondage. Institutions of education were then put in place so that African Americans could have a place to learn. However, being freed from bondage did not mean that they would be freed from the terrible prejudice that still permeated the country. The schools that sprang up in all black areas were not given the public funding that they needed and deserved. They were usually only one room and very dirty, and were given the oldest and most worn out books and equipment that was available. Plus, there weren't many teachers who were qualified and were willing to teach at an all black school. Even though education was instituted for African Americans, which was a step in the right direction, it was a very small step and still didn't give African Americans the education they deserved. This treatment continued for many years after the Civil War. A new concept, segregation, evolved and was predominant fr...

Gender Disparity essays

Gender Disparity essays Gender Disparity: Whats the Big Deal? In 1999, speculation over political futures of Clinton and Dole came into focus. Not Bill and Bob, but Hillary and Elizabeth. With Mrs. Clinton a leading candidate for the New York Senate seat (having since attained that position) and observations that Mrs. Dole was a promising choice for the Republican presidential candidacy, gender disparity would seem no longer a Big Deal. More recently, Nancy Pelosi won the race for the No 2 House Democratic leader and will become the top-ranking woman ever in Congress. One of the first issues spoken about upon her victory was the fact that she sought no votes on the basis of her gender. She acknowledged that this is a difficult turf to win on for anyone, but for a woman breaking ground here it was a tough battle and history has been made. Despite the fact that women are now seen as desirable candidates for the nations most prestigious jobs, women still have a long way to go before their power, political and otherwise, can be considered e qual to men. Although gender disparity can been seen in areas outside the workforce such as intercollegiate scholarships, health insurance, and education and medical treatment, I have chosen to focus on the workforce. A news article dated March 26, 2001 quotes a national union leader as saying women earn 28 percent less than men in comparable jobs. Linda Chavez Thompson, executive vice president of the AFL-CIO said women work for free one week every month, and a 25 year-old female will earn $500,000 less than a man in a lifetime because of the wage gap on the national scene. Alicia Smalley, lobbyist for the National Association of Social Workers, said that females comprise 80 percent of her states social workers. Although this group had a 24 percent turnover rate, the governor did not recommend social workers receive a pay increase as he did for male dominated occ...

Raising Biracial Children to Be Well-Adjusted

Raising Biracial Children to Be Well-Adjusted Biracial children have existed in the United States since colonial times. America’s first child of dual African and European heritage was reportedly born in 1620. Despite the long history, biracial children have in the U.S., opponents to interracial unions insist on invoking the â€Å"tragic mulatto myth to justify their views. This myth suggests that biracial children will inevitably grow into tortured misfits angry that they fit into neither black nor white society. While mixed-race children certainly face challenges, raising well-adjusted biracial children is quite possible if parents are proactive and sensitive to their children’s needs. Reject Myths About Mixed-Race Kids Want to raise mixed-race children who thrive? Your attitude can make all the difference. Challenge the idea that multiethnic children are destined for a life of difficulty by identifying successful Americans of mixed race such as actors Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry, news anchors Ann Curry and Soledad O’Brien, athletes Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods, and politicians Bill Richardson and Barack Obama. It’s also helpful to consult studies that debunk the tragic mulatto myth. For example, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry  posits that â€Å"multiracial children do not differ from other children in self-esteem, comfort with themselves, or a number of psychiatric problems.† On the contrary, AACAP has found that mixed children tend to celebrate diversity and appreciate an upbringing in which various cultures played a part. Celebrate Your Child’s Multiethnic Heritage Which biracial kids have the best chance of success? Research indicates that they’re the kids allowed to embrace all components of their heritage. Multiracial children forced to choose a single-race identity tend to suffer from this inauthentic expression of self. Unfortunately, society often pressures mixed-race individuals to choose just one race because of the outdated â€Å"one-drop rule† which mandated that Americans with any African heritage be classified as black. It wasn’t until 2000 that the U.S. Census Bureau allowed citizens to identify as more than one race. That year the Census found that about 4% of children in the U.S. are multiracial. How mixed children racially identify depends on a number of factors, including physical features and family attachments. Two multiethnic siblings who look as if they belong to different races may not identify the same way. Parents, however, can teach children that racial identity is more complicated than what someone looks like on the outside. In addition to physical appearance, mixed children may choose a racial identity based on which parent they spend time with most. This especially proves true when interracial couples separate, causing their children to see one parent more than the other. Spouses who take an interest in their mate’s cultural backgrounds will be more equipped to teach children about all aspects of their heritage should divorce occur. Familiarize yourself with the customs, religions, and languages that play roles in your mate’s background. On the other hand, if you’re alienated from your own cultural heritage but want your children to recognize it, visit older family members, museums and your country of origin (if applicable) to learn more. This will enable you to pass traditions on to your kids. Choose a School That Celebrates Cultural Diversity Your children likely spend just as much time in school as they do with you. Create the best educational experience possible for multiracial children by enrolling them in a school that celebrates cultural diversity. Talk to teachers about the books they keep in the classroom and the general education curriculum. Suggest that teachers keep books in the classroom that feature multiethnic characters. Donate such books to the school if the library lacks them. Talk to teachers about ways to counteract racist bullying in the classroom. Parents can also improve their children’s experience in school by discussing with them the types of challenges they’re likely to face. For example, classmates may ask your child, â€Å"What are you?† Talk to children about the best way to answer such questions. Mixed-race children are also commonly asked if they’re adopted when seen with a parent. There’s a scene in the 1959 film â€Å"Imitation of Life† in which a teacher openly disbelieves that a black woman is the mother to a little girl in her class who looks like she’s completely white. In some instances, a biracial child may appear to be from an entirely different ethnic group than either parent. Many Eurasian children are mistaken for Latino, for example. Prepare your children to deal with the shock classmates and teachers may express upon discovering their racial background. Teach them not to hide who they are in order to fit in with mono-racial students. Live in a Multicultural Neighborhood If you have the means, seek to live in an area where diversity is the norm. The more diverse a city is, the higher the chances that a number of interracial couples and multiethnic children live there. Although living in such an area won’t guarantee that your children never face problems because of their heritage, it lessens the odds that your child will be viewed as an anomaly and your family subjected to rude stares and other bad behavior when out and about.

Concept of Managerial Escalator Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Concept of Managerial Escalator - Coursework Example In addition to the skills, the inner personality of the individual seeking or playing the role of the manager also plays a vital contributory role in determining his success as a manager. It is commonly misunderstood among the business studies and circles that management is the responsibility of few people who are at the leading positions in the organization. The reality is the management functions are spread through all the levels of the organization and every other individual is involved in one or other type of management activity. As the organization has several functions and the individuals serving in various departments have specialized skills in the function they are performing, it is quite logical that the managers of that very area also have the specialized skills. It happens that the people with increased expertise in their specialized skills are supposed to perform better than the one who has comparatively less experience. With the passage of time, they assume or are assigned the supervisory role, helping and guiding the other junior members about how the activity is to be planned and carried out. They also benefit others with the skills and tips they have self-learned in that field with the virtue of their experience. Gradually they achieve higher positions and formal supervisory roles. A stage comes where they design the standard operating procedures of the function in which they are expert and the organization tends to consider them an authority in that function. This gradual progression towards the managerial positions in the organization by acquiring enhanced expertise in their specialized field is called managerial escalator (Rees & Porter, 2008). As per the authors, the managerial escalation is directly related to the level of specialized skills in one’s field.  

Discussing the benefits and costs of such a metallic monetary system Essay

Discussing the benefits and costs of such a metallic monetary system for an aspiring new country - Essay Example In as much as metallic money has its advantages, it also has its dark sides. For metallic money to be effective in any country, it requires a large amount of gold and silver (Poor, 121). Since gold and silver are highly valued metals, there are used in place of monetary value. This can, however, be an expensive the metallic monetary system, for a young nation. The initial cost of producing metallic money is also expensive because of the machinery and equipment used, and the high labor cost required. This can be a burden to the country’s resources. Due to the expensive nature of gold and silver used in production of metallic money, their circulation in the economy can be limited. A new nation cannot afford to purchase a large number of these metals. It is hard to make metallic money distinctive enough so that large denomination of money can be produced (Poor, 127). There are few metals used to make money and so a limited color choice. Metallic money is, therefore, not desirable to make large denomination of money. . Metallic money is a durable type of money system. To a new country, this is advantageous because the nation will spend once on their manufacture. The metals are highly resistant to wear and tear as compared to paper money (Poor, 120). This is because most of the metals used to make money are combined with other metals to make alloys which make them last longer. In the long run, the metallic monetary system can be cheaper to produce and are cheaper to count as compared to paper money. Metal money is valuable. The main metals used for making metal money are gold and silver, which are expensive metals. The value of the currency of a nation will still be controlled by gold and silver, which hardly lose value in the world. Therefore, if a new nation decides to use metallic monetary system, its currency will be stable for a long time. Metallic money is made from gold and silver, which are very expensive. This will make the

Hospitality Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Hospitality Management - Essay Example Wal-Mart offers a wide range of variety having more than 30 departments at all the outlets, that has rendered the company to be the market leader in general merchandise industry and it has consistently been able to secure the name in Fortune 500 (Walmart, 2014). â€Å"Saving people money to help them live better was the goal that Sam Walton envisioned when he opened the doors to the first Walmart ®. This focus drives everything we do at Walmart. And, for the millions of customers who shop in our stores around the world each week, it means they can trust that our brand means we have everyday low prices.† (Walmart, 2014). Currently the company does not have as such mission and vision statement while having one such statement may guide the customers and employees to integrate with the values and philosophy of the company. There are several internal and external factors that are responsible to generate opportunities as well as the threats for the company. Following is step by step evaluation of the factors through the matrices: The EFE matrix reveals that the company has been in relatively stronger position as the score is 2.81 which is greater than the average score of 2.5. However the score below 3.0 shows that the company is not in extraordinary position. The above internal evaluation reveals that the score is 2.92 which is above average i.e. 2.5 and is close to 3.0 and hence one can conclude that the company has been adequately strong from internal point of view. Its competitor company Costco Wholesale Corp has the current ratio of 1.19 and Target Corp has the ratio of 0.91 while the industry average is of 1.09. This shows that the company has not been able to maintain ability of fulfilling its short termed debts and in this regard it also lags behind its direct competitors. Its competitor company Costco Wholesale Corp has debt to equity of 4.75 and Target Corp with the ratio of 0.85 while that of industry is 6.95. This shows that

Mcdonalds restaurants(Just in time and Lean Production concepts) Research Paper

Mcdonalds restaurants(Just in time and Lean Production concepts) - Research Paper Example In an eFS Network, a business, which functions as a B2B marketplace, assists sales as well as acquisitions to the foodservice industry. Main Competitive Base Identifying the value of the supply chain in preserving quality is one of McDonald’s competitive again, and consequently McDonald's plans to form long-term dealings with a restricted amount of suppliers. Suppliers are generally scrutinized to ascertain that they can meet McDonald's necessary standards. Repeat orders indicate that suppliers can be sure of continued existence and development, whereas McDonald’s constantly enjoys consistent, high quality products. McDonald's highlights its firm principles supported by quality, value and hygiene. McDonald’s as well records the source of each product, which allows the business to manage each link within its supply chain (Facella & Genn, 2008). Figure 1: McDonald’s food supply chain structure (Source: McDonald’s) Figure 2: Length of McDonald’s supplier relationships in UK and US (Source: McDonald’s) McDonald’s lately went through drastic strategy alterations to serve their customers in an enhanced manner. In its earlier system, the company would prepare several sandwiches at once, and place in a warming bin until bought by a consumer. Here, management had to forecast how much foodstuff had to be set aside accurately. Accurate forecast had to be employed because if there were not an adequate amount of foodstuff placed on hold, this would generate the issues of rise of waiting times for consumers and a lot of food would create waste of expired products. McDonald’s radically transformed their approach with the intention of staying competitive with other fast food businesses. Inventory Management McDonalds follows a Just in Time (JIT) method of inventory management, which is the system of delivering produce to consumers the moment they have ordered for it, with least delay between order placement and rec eiving it. McDonalds does not start to cook or preheat its stuff until it gets a customer order. This makes the finished food item in the inventory for the smallest possible time. This facilitates suitable inventory management and decreases leftovers while providing maximum satisfaction to the consumer. Some of the obvious benefits of shifting to JIT system are; (1) Better quality of food - The burgers are prepared fresh for the consumer and therefore, offer utmost satisfaction. Increased customer satisfaction creates consumer retention as well as improved sales. (2) Improved customer service: McDonalds earlier used to make â€Å"special orders for customers while dishing out precooked burgers from the inventory to most customers. Hence such special orders were dreaded by the staff and used to freak them out† (Lai & Cheg, 2009); the staff, now following implementation of the JIT system, is more composed and provides improved service to the consumers. This improved customer se rvice is conditional on the capacity to make burgers quicker. McDonalds is capable of dealing with the demand a lot better. It does not have to waste time in determining the approximate sales hour by hour and maintaining inventory. (3) Improved costs: The holding expenses for the raw material such as â€Å"bread, beef, cheese, chicken† (Lai & Cheg, 2009) is quite high due to their spoilage costs. In the previous system, McDonalds used to keep a high inventory

What are the ultimate principles of morals for both Hume and Kant Essay

What are the ultimate principles of morals for both Hume and Kant - Essay Example He goes on to observe that only good will is good sans qualification. Good will is always good in itself and not just for the things that it produces. Will is good if will comes from duty, as well as other moral motives, which do not simply conform to duty. For instance, grocers who give the right change because of fairness, rather than from the fear of being caught, do so from good will. The reasoning goal is not in producing happiness but rather producing will that can be seen to be good in it. The satisfaction of man’s desires, which is happiness, is not determinate enough to use as a workable guide. Good will cannot act as the complete and sole good, although it is the worthy condition of being happy and the highest good. Complete good can only be goodwill combined with happiness. Rationality possesses its own laws of objectiveness. Because man is rational only partially, he experiences the various laws as constraints and imperatives that he is required to follow. These im peratives are grounded on the premise that is valid for all rational beings as such. These imperatives, according to Kant, could be hypothetical, i.e. if one wants to get to end E, then he should do A, or categorical, which is he ought to perform A. Ethics that are based on imperatives that are hypothetical are heteronymous because they involve following laws set by another. Categorical imperatives are hard to understand, although their content is clear. The basic imperative of category states that man acts on principle and these principles can be willed on everybody (Laursen 21). Ethics and morals are autonomous if they are based on categorical imperatives because man follows their own laws. Kant’s supreme moral principle is the universal law formula, which contends that man should act on a maxim that they follow to be used as a universal law (Laursen 23). Kant continues by applying his formula to two duties that are perfect and exception-less. These are not making promises with deceit and not committing suicide, as well as two imperfect duties, which to help those who have needs and development of one’s talents. These ideas can be expressed more loosely in two ways. Firstly, it is to treat all humanity, both you and others, not as a means only, but also as an end in itself (Laursen 23). Secondly, man should act as if one’s action maxim would be turned into nature’s universal law. Kant also connects freedom with morality. According to him, to be free means to follow one’s own principles of rationality rather than following our desires only. This means that one should follow their own legislation and act on maxims that they would follow, rather than the universal laws (Laursen 24). Therefore, freedom is morality. So morality and freedom, ultimately, are the same mystery. It is not possible to explain what free will is. It is only possible to assume what it is and reject all objections against it. Man knows that he/she is free through knowledge of his/her duties. Since probably an individual could have acted in a different way, then one is free. In order for man to recognize himself as free, he needs to see himself as being a member to two worlds. These worlds are a higher intelligible world and a sensible world. Acting in a moral way, therefore, has a supreme moral worth since through it, one participates in an existence of a higher order. This can be perceived as the foundation of human dignity as an end to itself (Laursen 24). Hume, on the other hand, contends that reason and moral sense combine to make our moral judgments. He says that moral sense is essential in making a distinction between virtue and vice,

Organisational Mischief. Organisational Behaviour vs. Misbehaviour Literature review

Organisational Mischief. Organisational Behaviour vs. Misbehaviour - Literature review Example Such type of behaviour is it become regular would hamper the culture of the organisation. A key element of the contract that exists between the employer and the employee is the input of employee compliance, and the acceptance of degree of managerial control. In order to defend their sense of self, employees often engage in activities such as burning down the workplace or stealing a pencil, circulating rude cartoons in the office to playing jokes or pranks on their co employees. Such activities do not deny that employees at work often joke at each other only because of the sake of enjoying the joke. Organisational mischief involves a mixture of psychological self defence. Some form of mischief is individualistic whereas some are formed in groups. Individual mischief includes like individual act of being absent, inattentiveness of the employee usually by chatting with colleagues or day dreaming, no or less compliance with the given instruction by the company, trying to keep information to oneself, bullying other employees, sexual harassment, breaking of equipment out of frustration and also leaving organisation at an inconvenient time. Some social mischief’s which happens in the organisation are such as organised fiddles, using the work place for discussing the non work things, workplace games, practical jokes, wind-ups, piss takes, harassment and bullying. In such types of organisational mischief’s people try to protect the material aspect of implicit contract (Tony, 2006, p.143). The research topic chosen is organisational mischief especially in the category of joke. Joke are practised in the organisation sometimes just for the sake of making a joke. The organisational misbehaviour or mischief remains a further paper to research as it gives an area to find out more about the misbehaviour by the employees and the need to issue some ethical code of conduct with respect to the mischiefs in the work place. The paper starts with the literature review o f the topic which takes into consideration the critical review of workplace mischief, the major issues and concepts which are used in such type of mischief. Critical Literature Review Organisational Behaviour vs. Misbehaviour In an organisation there are many forms of behaviour as well as misbehaviour which are not stock in trade of any required discipline but they might be very common. These forms of behaviour might scant attention from the textbooks and are not regarded as an important feature of the organisation. Factors such as bullying, practical joking, sexual harassment also includes rituals and also rites of passage. Different forms of misbehaviour are connected with each other. Both the management and the social scientists have overlooked the organisational misbehaviour despite of the fact that they know misbehaviour exists in the organisation, this action is seen as inessential by the management. Sometimes there is complicity with the other members of the organisation abou t misbehaviour. Employees are not official allowed to exhibit their respective behaviour. Therefore there is a substantial agreement that until and unless such types of behaviour interferes with organisational purpose it is most likely to pass unnoticed by the management.

What are the ultimate principles of morals for both Hume and Kant Essay

What are the ultimate principles of morals for both Hume and Kant - Essay Example He goes on to observe that only good will is good sans qualification. Good will is always good in itself and not just for the things that it produces. Will is good if will comes from duty, as well as other moral motives, which do not simply conform to duty. For instance, grocers who give the right change because of fairness, rather than from the fear of being caught, do so from good will. The reasoning goal is not in producing happiness but rather producing will that can be seen to be good in it. The satisfaction of man’s desires, which is happiness, is not determinate enough to use as a workable guide. Good will cannot act as the complete and sole good, although it is the worthy condition of being happy and the highest good. Complete good can only be goodwill combined with happiness. Rationality possesses its own laws of objectiveness. Because man is rational only partially, he experiences the various laws as constraints and imperatives that he is required to follow. These im peratives are grounded on the premise that is valid for all rational beings as such. These imperatives, according to Kant, could be hypothetical, i.e. if one wants to get to end E, then he should do A, or categorical, which is he ought to perform A. Ethics that are based on imperatives that are hypothetical are heteronymous because they involve following laws set by another. Categorical imperatives are hard to understand, although their content is clear. The basic imperative of category states that man acts on principle and these principles can be willed on everybody (Laursen 21). Ethics and morals are autonomous if they are based on categorical imperatives because man follows their own laws. Kant’s supreme moral principle is the universal law formula, which contends that man should act on a maxim that they follow to be used as a universal law (Laursen 23). Kant continues by applying his formula to two duties that are perfect and exception-less. These are not making promises with deceit and not committing suicide, as well as two imperfect duties, which to help those who have needs and development of one’s talents. These ideas can be expressed more loosely in two ways. Firstly, it is to treat all humanity, both you and others, not as a means only, but also as an end in itself (Laursen 23). Secondly, man should act as if one’s action maxim would be turned into nature’s universal law. Kant also connects freedom with morality. According to him, to be free means to follow one’s own principles of rationality rather than following our desires only. This means that one should follow their own legislation and act on maxims that they would follow, rather than the universal laws (Laursen 24). Therefore, freedom is morality. So morality and freedom, ultimately, are the same mystery. It is not possible to explain what free will is. It is only possible to assume what it is and reject all objections against it. Man knows that he/she is free through knowledge of his/her duties. Since probably an individual could have acted in a different way, then one is free. In order for man to recognize himself as free, he needs to see himself as being a member to two worlds. These worlds are a higher intelligible world and a sensible world. Acting in a moral way, therefore, has a supreme moral worth since through it, one participates in an existence of a higher order. This can be perceived as the foundation of human dignity as an end to itself (Laursen 24). Hume, on the other hand, contends that reason and moral sense combine to make our moral judgments. He says that moral sense is essential in making a distinction between virtue and vice,

American Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Politics - Essay Example While the limitations of the President in effecting change can limit a President whose point of view does not reflect that of the best welfare of the United States, the powers of Congress can impede a President whose interests would better suit the welfare of the citizens of the United States. The nature of the three branches of power within the federal government of the United States were set into balance so that no one branch could attain so much power that it could fully countermand those of the other branches. While the President holds veto power and the Supreme Court can discount laws where they do not fall in line with the spirit and intent of the constitution, these powers can too be circumvented by the powers of Congress. The powers of the Presidency, in particular, were limited so that no one man could rule the nature through despotic power. Although, in recent history the nation has experienced events that led to such types of power taken and used inappropriately. This goes to show that vigilence must be attended in order to contain the nation as a truly democratic and free social structure that is defined by its federal diligence at maintaining that integrity (Tucker and Tucker 407). Article II of the Constitutions of the United States sets down the powers of the President of the United States. Section 1 provides the parameters of the term of office, the parameters of who is eligible to be President, and the parameters of how the President will be elected. Section 2 provides initial context to the nature of the powers of the President. The first clause gives the President the command of the armed forces, but implicitly states that it is only through Congressional agreement that war can be declared. The second clause outlines the President’s power to put into effect treaties. He must get a two thirds vote

Kudler Fine Foods Computer Information System Essay Example for Free

Kudler Fine Foods Computer Information System Essay Kudler Fine Foods (KFF) is a California-based provider of a variety of high end foods, both local and from around the world, founded by Kathy Kudler in 1998. Since the opening of the first location, Kudler has opened two more locations in the San Diego area; Del Mar in 2000 and Encinitas in 2003 (About, 2011). As a growing business, Kudler’s needs are constantly changing, especially in terms of the company’s information technology and information systems. This paper will discuss the needs of the company in regards to business operations and accounting, as well as discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the systems currently in place. Based on the current technological opportunities, suggestions will be made to further improve these systems, and evaluate any threats that may affect these systems. Primary Findings Business and Accounting Needs Business Needs As a retail company, Kudler Fine Foods needs to run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Kathy Kudler budgeted over $50,000 for Smith Systems to select and install the existing finance and accounting system, called Retail Enterprise Management System (REMS). REMS provides an Point-of-Sale module, or POS module, to automate all retails sales made, in detail. This system automatically reports this data to the accounting modules, as well as manages all credit/debit card transactions made in the stores. This helps to eliminate data entry errors by limiting the amount of data requiring manual input by employees (Accounting System Overview, 2011). Accounting Needs REMS also addresses the accounting needs of KFF, by providing applications for the general ledger, accounts payable, bank reconciliation, asset management and accounting modules. Each of these modules is interconnected with the POS, which allows for direct transfer of data between modules (Accounting System Overview, 2011). General Ledger Module. The General Ledger module includes the chart of accounts, and transaction details transferred y the POS system. This data is used to create the company’s budget and financial reporting. Due to the electronic transfer of data from the POS to the general ledger, this module requires minimal manual data entry (Accounting System Overview, 2011). Accounts Payable Module. The AP module allows for the check disbursement portion of the business to be done electronically. This module holds vendor data, tax and freight data, and accepts data from other modules that directly affect purchasing (Accounting System Overview, 2011). Bank Reconciliation Module. Data from the accounts payable, accounts receivable and purchase order modules are compiled automatically by the bank reconciliation module. This data is used in cash flow analysis for financial reporting (Accounting System Overview, 2011). Asset Management and Accounting: There was no module created for this portion of the business. Kudler needs to develop an efficient and economical way to track inventory and other assets, other than relying on the leasing company and spreadsheets (Accounting System Overview, 2011). Strengths and Weaknesses in the Current System Strengths The strength in the existing information system is that the modules that are installed reduce the manual data entry, thus eliminating unnecessary errors to the information, by allowing the modules to share information provided by the point-of sale machines. The POS system itself is a major benefit to the IT system as a whole, due to the number of transactions it is able to detail, catalog and parse to the interconnected modules. Secondly, the network set up at each location supports 3-4 POS terminals, an inventory terminal and a server terminal. Each individual network, for each store is providing enough storage power for the needs of each location (Information Technology, 2011). Weaknesses As previously discussed, the network setup has benefits on an individual store basis. However, the system as a whole is not sufficient in running a cohesive, multi location business. Kudler’s inventory systems are completely separate from one another, which could cause a serious issue in asset management within the company. A second weakness is the lack of policy regarding security within the system. This could lead to vulnerability to an internet attack for customer personal information and identity theft. Also, without back up procedures, there is no way for Kudler to prevent data loss, should the network(s) fail. Recommendations Based on the information above, the recommendation for Kudler and KFF would be to first, establish a set of security policies and back up procedures, in order to prevent hacking and data loss, respectively. In order to do so, Kudler would best benefit by reestablishing a working relationship with Smith Systems. Smith would then set up and maintain an offsite server that will service all three KFF locations, and allow the company to consolidate the three separate inventory systems. The offsite server would then serve as a repository for all accounting, inventory and human resources related items. Doing so will cut down the potential staffing and duplication in the inventory system. Additionally this would reduce the number of servers required, and thus reduce the potential of IT related hardware issues. Conclusion To conclude, Kudler Fine Foods uses and information system established by Smith Systems that sufficiently handles point-of-service retail sales receipts, and disburses the information to the appropriate accounting software modules. The modules receive the financial data from the sales to create financial reports, budgeting reports, and analyze accounts receivable and accounts payable. The system also maintains ordering and purchase order data, however, it does not maintain a single inventory module, which could track the sales of these items after the goods are received in the individual stores. In order for this to occur, Kudler needs to establish a solid set of security measures and procedures in the case of data loss. To address this, Smith Systems can be contracted to maintain an offsite server with security maintenance. This will help to prevent internet attacks by hackers searching for customer identification and credit card information. Once these changes are in effect KFF should see an increase in efficiency in the current systems in use.

Effects of Globalization on Business

Effects of Globalization on Business Introduction Globalization indicates to the entire exertion towards making the world worldwide group as a one town. Products that were just found in western nations can now be found over the globe. Presently immature ranges can appreciate the advantages of experimental advances and mechanical advancement accessible in created nations for the change and development of their regions. Because of globalization the economies of the world are as a rule progressively coordinated, illustration cellular telephones and web have brought individuals closer. The world is turning into a littler spot. Work can be outsourced to any piece of the world that has a web association due to changes in activity base one has the capacity achieve one's destination in a brief while. Globalization can likewise be characterized as a progressing process by which local economies, social orders and societies have ended up coordinated through a globe spreading over system of correspondence and exchange. The procedure of globalization incorporates various variables, which are fast innovation advancements that make worldwide interchanges conceivable, political improvements, for example, the fall of socialism, and transportation advancements that make voyaging speedier and more continuous. For sure, globalization has positive and negative effects on business, education and society. Below are discussed briefly about the effects of globalization on business. Globalization increases the competition among the international companies No wonder that globalization is very effective in the right time and the exact place when activated according to the proper mechanism. It plays an effective role in the competition between many companies. Now, it is easier if you are in China and selling your products in the US market. Here is the sense of competition. A standout amongst the most noticeable beneficial outcomes of globalization is the enhanced nature of items because of globe competition. Client administration and the 'client is the ruler' ways to deal with generation have prompted enhanced nature of items and administrations. As the local organizations need to battle out outside competition, they are constrained to raise their guidelines and consumer loyalty levels to make due in the business. In addition, when a worldwide brand enters another nation, it comes in riding on some goodwill, which it needs to satisfy. This makes competition in the business sector and a survival of the fittest circumstance. The beneficial outcomes of globalization on society are numerous! Not every great practice were conceived in one human advancement. The world that we live in today is a consequence of a few societies meeting up. Individuals of one society, if responsive, have a tendency to see the defects in their way of life and get the way of life, which is more right or tuned in to the times. Social orders have ended up bigger as they have invited individuals of different human advancements and foundations and made an entire new culture they could call their own. Cooking styles, dialects and traditions have spread all because of globalization. The same can be said in regards to motion pictures, musical styles and other fine arts. They too have moved starting with one nation then onto the next, leaving an impact on a society which has embraced them. Globalization can lead to high investment in the world One of the major attribute is the high and intensive market investment domestically and globally. Globalization plays a massive role in encouraging investors to give in their capitals in order to gain higher and expandable revenues. A standout amongst the most noticeable constructive outcomes of globalization in India is the stream of remote capital. A considerable measure of organizations have straightforwardly put resources into India, by beginning generation units in India, yet what we likewise need to see is the measure of Foreign Investment Inflow that streams into the creating nations. Indian organizations, which have been performing admirably, both in India and off the shores, will pull in a considerable measure of remote investment, and subsequently pushes up the store of outside trade accessible in India. This is likewise one of the beneficial outcomes of globalization in America and other created nations as creating nations issue them a decent investment suggestion. Administrators' targets may not be the same with those of stockholders in a few circumstances. The more perplexing the partnership the more troublesome it is for shareholders to screen administration's activities whereby it gives the administrators more flexibility to act in their own self enthusiasm to the detriment of shareholders. Multinational firms are more unpredictable than national firms are. Supervisors may support global enhancement because it diminishes firm particular hazard or adds to their glory. These objectives may be of minimal enthusiasm to shareholders. This dissimilarity of hobbies in the middle of shareholders and chiefs may lessen the estimation of multinationals with respect to residential firms. Globalization can help company open new branches in new branches in the world For sure, globalization has been the key factor recently in the last few decades. It all started in the late years of the past millennium where big developed countries called for globalization. The markets are now open and extremely expanding. The sole company can be operating in many markets around the world. As a small business owner, you can start domestically and later open branches in the very close future in different countries. This way you are making extra profits and a global admired brand. With the existence of internet and satellite, people are no closely monitoring the best products in terms of quality and affordability. Now also you can do your shopping online from the Far East countries and receive it at your doorstep. Best developing markets in created nations are an aftereffect of privatization of state claimed commercial enterprises. All together for these commercial ventures to expand customer interest a significant number of them are endeavoring to grow and extend their worth bind to a universal level. The effect of globalization on business administration is seen by the sudden increment of number of exchanges over the outskirts. In ensuring yields and looking after intensity, businesses are keeping on developing an extensive variety of their foot shaped impression as it brings down expense and appreciates economies of scale. Multinational partnerships is a consequence of globalization. They possess a focal part inside the procedure of globalization as confirm through worldwide remote direct investment inflows. Their fixations inside Europe in western economies has prompted size limitations, thusly there is a requirement for new topographical ranges to work whereby they will confront a considerable measure of competition in the business sector. Through this they will augment their business sector and appreciate economies of scale as globalization encourages time space pressure, economies contend at all levels including that of pulling in financial specialists. Conclusion To sum it up, globalization has the marvelous positive effects on business in terms of flexibility and free trade between countries and markets. Considering every one of these components, it can be inferred that globalization has positive effect on business advancement for a few reasons. These elements incorporate expanding competition that brings down costs and expand nature of items. The following is expanded investment opportunities, which prompt quicker advancement of business. In conclusion, it offers access to the new advancements that can support to businesses to get higher benefit. It is accepted that globalization is an advancement, which is not going to be ended, and this procedure presumably will keep on widening.

Talented teenagers: The roots of success and failure :: teenagers, learning, integration

1. Complex attentional structure is mentalities formed by habits enforced in early childhood development environment that eventually become the person natural behavior such as personality trait. Related because the perspective of the theory is defined by a process of two opposing forces that mutually combined to further an individual’s development to a higher level. Piaget thought that cognitive development was stimulated by the mind taking new information comparing or incorporates with already existing learned information. Also, that the mind adjusted to accommodate to the new information. These are the same concept applied to the theory of attentional structure that without incorporating certain parts creating a certain behavior influenced through our development the person will be delayed. 2. Integration and differentiation are systems that stand for general dialectical processes of constant and change. An integrated system is which an individual part is that cover the system true form successfully interconnected and reinforced. To integrate an item means to organize and incorporate different parts creatively breaking the rules to somehow make something that originally separate work great together. The differentiate system has a unique function that cannot be changed or molded. To differentiate is to be bias toward different parts that are unique to themselves. 3. Flow is a mindset that people feel when their mind is completely involved or focused on one specific task by losing track of time, unaware of fatigue, and oblivious to everything occurring around them except the task. Studies have that when an individual experiences flow they desire to experience the same joy again seeking after the same reasons. For the reasons that the person continues to set clear goals is flow compared to a motor for development of talent because as the person develops they must continually be actively involved in the skills they would love to develop. As the person begins to loss themselves subconsciously the person no longer stresses if they are amazing or not but more participate because of the joy felt during the activity. Lastly, the person must constantly find techniques to further their skills and continue to challenge them self or they may become bored bringing the motor to a halt or change of pace in development. 4. Flow affect adolescent talent development by experiencing flow when involved in different activities such as sport, math, games, religious practices, or anything that stimulates such feelings. When a teenager succeeds in experiencing such feelings when involved in a talent, the teen will not progress any further in learning and improving, but will enjoy the activity continually.

Advancements in Medical Research Due to Hela Cells

Katrina Samborski Honors English 1100 Dr. Nicole Caswell November 10, 2012 Advancement of Medical Research from HeLa Cells HeLa simply stands for Henrietta Lacks, a young mother in the 1951 who went to the doctor complaining of vaginal bleeding and discovered she had cervical cancer. Henrietta’s cells were taken for a biopsy and were found to be like nothing ever seen before; her cells were immortal. Her cancer cells double every 20 to 24 hours and have lived on for the past 60 years. Since HeLa cells were created, our world of modern medicine has been completely changed.We now vaccines for once incurable diseases and have used the cells for cloning and other biomedical research. Although the cells have done a great deal of good, they have also caused substantial harm to Henrietta Lacks, her family, and potential trial research participants. Therefore, though some may think it was ethically wrong of Henrietta Lacks’ doctors to not inform her that they were using her cel ls, she is the reason we have been able to save thousands of lives. It was at Johns Hopkins Hospital when Dr.Gey, a prominent cancer and virus researcher, discovered Henrietta’s cells were immortal. Since cancer cells will die outside the body without the right mix of chemicals, Dr. Gey created the roller tube. This contraption held glass tubes containing samples in nutrient-rich fluids, turned slowly – sometimes just two revolutions an hour, exposing the cells to just the right mix of air and nutrients. When Henrietta’s cells were placed in this device, they never stopped dividing. While their research value is unquestioned, the tumor cells had created havoc in Henrietta Lacks' body.Skloot recounts the lab technician Mary Kubicek who was present at the autopsy. â€Å"The tumors had completely blocked her urethra, leaving doctors unable to pass a catheter into her bladder to empty it. Tumors the size of baseballs had nearly replaced her kidneys, bladder, ovarie s and uterus. And her other organs were so covered in small white tumors it looked as if someone had filled her with pearls† (Williams). Although her cells are cancerous, HeLa cells share many traits with normal cells, making them useful in studying protein synthesis, the human genome and how viruses work. Dr.Gey sold the cells to researchers around the world, who used them to develop a variety of medicines. HeLa cells were the first to travel into space in an unmanned satellite to see if humans could survive zero gravity. â€Å"This cell line is used all around the world and revolutionized cell biology because they grew so well in culture, said William Earnshaw, principal research fellow at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Cell Biology. â€Å"They yielded a huge amount of information,† Earnshaw said (Sharp). In the early 1950s, the world experienced the biggest polio pandemic in history.Jonas Salk devised the world's first polio vaccine, but testing it would r equire huge supplies of live cells that, at the time, would have involved the sacrifice of thousands of monkeys. HeLa cells proved to be technically more suitable for testing, and much less expensive and messy, than using monkeys. Moreover, HeLa cells grew virtually anywhere and on any surface, including while floating on liquid. A HeLa mass production and distribution center was therefore established at the Tuskegee Institute, ironically at exactly the same time that the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study on black subjects was being carried out.Soon HeLa cells were to enable the first disaggregation of chromosomes, numerous discoveries from genetic and viral studies, and the first-ever cloning of a cell, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization and much, much more. (Ncayiyana) HeLa cells have had a positive influence on medicine in many ways including with giving us knowledge about the human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA and HPV18-positive. HeLa cells have been linked to changes in microRNA e xpression. Since HPV18 has been associated with very aggressive adenocarcinomas, this finding may explain why Dr.Gey was surprised by the prolific growth of HeLa cells in culture. Routine Papanicolaou smear screening may not detect rapidly progressive cervical carcinomas; the new HPV vaccine holds the promise of preventing these tumors. (Hutchins). The problem of possible contamination of other long-term cultured tumor cell lines with HeLa cells not only caused an international embarrassment, but also raised the concern of misattributing a specific property so another cell line, for example, a virus or a tumor-specific marker, which actually belongs to HeLa.With the continued and growing use of tissue culture in biochemist research, intra- and interspecific contamination becomes a significant risk. The determination of stable genetic markers on cultured cells is a powerful tool for monitoring such contamination. Recent experiments in which cultured cells and innumerable clones of so matic cell hybrids have been used for genetic analysis have shown that, with the proper use of polymorphic markers to characterize the cells, the possibility of undetected cross contamination of cultures is no longer the problem it once may have been.Therefore, in an effort to clarify the characteristics of the HeLa cell and establish its probable genotype for better-known polymorphisms, we studied HLA and other markers, in the surviving husband and children of Henrietta Lacks. (Hsu) Not only were there several negative effects for Henrietta Lacks, but the general public has found flaws with HeLa cells as well. The Drug Information Association sponsored a workshop that brought together people who deal with facilitating or regulating the collection of clinical specimens for genetic analyses to complement drug trials.Genetic studies of clinical samples have for years had to negotiate a tricky path through informed consent, confidentiality, and regulatory-oversight, but according to a couple of speakers who noted the Henrietta Lacks story, the 19 months since the book's publication have made some people even more wary of this research. â€Å"I think it was disconcerting to people who are not used to thinking about how specimens are handled, that their specimens could outlive them,† said the meeting's main organizer and chair, Amelia Wall Warner, Ph. D. who heads clinical pharmacogenomics and clinical specimen management for the drug company Merck. The Skloot book seems to be creating a lot of conversation, with patients often asking for a menu of consent that large-scale trials with many thousands of patients can't accommodate, she noted. (Zoler) Although there are accusations against doctors and corporations that bought these cells stating they did so without Henrietta Lacks’ consent, we owe our world of modern medicine to her. Her cells allowed us to research and experiment countless diseases and opened the door to learn about the human enome and cancer cells. Dr. Gey said, â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. † It was the best of times for science in that this very peculiar tumor gave rise to the HeLa cell line, which has been available for the various studies referred to by others. For Mrs. Lacks and the family she left behind, it was the worst of times. Scientific progress and indeed progress of all kinds is often made at great cost, such as the sacrifice made by Henrietta Lacks† (Jones). While her family has yet to be compensated, HeLa cells continue to be used everyday in the medical field.Works Cited: Ncayiyana, Daniel J. â€Å"The extraordinary story of the life after death of Henrietta Lacks. †Ã‚  South African Medical Journal  101. 3 (2011): 141. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. Grover M. Hutchins, Brendan P. Lucey, and Walter A. Nelson-Rees. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. 133. 9  (Sept. 2009)  p1463. Word Count: 4083. Jones HW Jr â₠¬â€œÃ‚  Am J Obstet Gynecol  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 01-JUN-1997; 176(6): S227-8 MEDLINE ® is the source for the citation and abstract of this record   Susan H.Hsu, Bernice Z. Schacter, Nancy L. Delaney, Thomas B. Miller, Victor A. McKusick, R. H. Kennett, J. G. Bodmer, D. Young and W. F. Bodmer Science  , New Series, Vol. 191, No. 4225 (Jan. 30, 1976), pp. 392-394 Published by:  American Association for the Advancement of Science Article Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/1741942 Mitchel Zoler. Internal Medicine News. 44. 17  (Oct. 15, 2011)  p63. Word Count: 433. Williams, Nigel. â€Å"Prize For the HeLa Cell Story. †Ã‚  Current Biology  20. 23 (2010): n. ag. Sciverse. com. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. Manfuso, Jamie, and Stephanie Desmon. â€Å"Honoring the Henrietta Lacks Legacy at Hopkins. †Ã‚  Hopkins Medicine Magazine. Johns Hopkins, 20 May 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. Hepworth, Jeri, PhD. â€Å"Advocacy for Henrietta Lacks and Family Medicine. † Editorial. Fam ily Medicine  Sept. 2011: 595-96. Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. Sharp, Rob. Life and afterlife of a women who will live for ever. The Independent. November 10 2010. Web. Nov 12 2012.

The Golden Lily Chapter 15

I FELT SO BAD for Brayden the next day that I actually called him, as opposed to our usual texting and e-mailing. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† I said. â€Å"Running out like that†¦ it's not my usual style. Not at all. I wouldn't have left if it wasn't a family emergency.† Maybe that was stretching it. Maybe not. â€Å"It's okay,† he said. Without seeing his face, I couldn't tell if it really was okay. â€Å"I suppose things were winding down anyway.† I wondered what â€Å"things† he meant. Did he mean the dance itself? Or was he talking about us? â€Å"Let me take you out to make up for it,† I said. â€Å"You always do everything. I'll handle it for a change. Dinner will be on me, and I'll even pick you up.† â€Å"In the Subaru?† I ignored the judgment in his tone. â€Å"Are you in or not?† He was in. We made the necessary arrangements, and I hung up feeling better about everything. Brayden wasn't mad. Adrian's visit hadn't ruined my fledgling relationship. Things were back to normal – at least for me. I'd kept to myself the day after the dance, wanting to catch up on work and not stress about social matters. Monday morning started the school week again, back to business as usual. Eddie walked into East's cafeteria when I did, and we waited together in the food line. He wanted to know about Adrian's visit to the dance, and I gave a glossed-over version of the night, simply saying that Adrian had gotten drunk and needed a ride home. I made no mention of my role in getting the queen to act on his behalf or of me being â€Å"the most beautiful creature walking this earth.† I certainly didn't mention the way I'd felt when Adrian had touched me. Eddie and I walked over to a table and found the unusual sight of Angeline trying to cheer up Jill. Normally, I would've chastised Angeline for what she'd done at the dance, but there'd been no damage done†¦ this time. Plus, I was too distracted by Jill. It was impossible for me to see her down without immediately assuming something was wrong with Adrian. Eddie spoke before I could, noticing what I hadn't. â€Å"No Micah?† he asked. â€Å"He was out the door before me. I figured he would've beat me over here.† â€Å"You had to ask, didn't you?† Angeline grimaced. â€Å"They had a fight.† I swear, Eddie looked more upset about this than Jill. â€Å"What? He didn't say anything. What happened? You guys seemed to be having such a great time on Saturday.† Jill nodded morosely but didn't look up from her uneaten food. I could just barely catch sight of tears in her eyes. â€Å"We did. So good that he actually talked to me yesterday and asked†¦ well, he asked if I wanted to have Thanksgiving with his family. They're from Pasadena. He thought he could either get permission from the school or talk to you guys.† â€Å"That doesn't sound so bad,† said Eddie cautiously. â€Å"Thanksgiving with his family is serious! It's one thing for us to hang out together here, but if we start expanding that†¦ becoming a couple outside of school†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sighed. â€Å"It's going to go too fast. How long would I be able to hide what I am? And even if that wasn't an issue, it's not safe anyway. The whole point of me being here is that it's a safe, controlled environment. I can't just take off to meet strangers.† It was another step of progress to her accepting the difficulties of a â€Å"casual† relationship with Micah. I offered a neutral comment. â€Å"Sounds like you've thought a lot about this.† Jill looked up sharply, almost as if she hadn't even realized I was there. â€Å"Yeah. I guess I have.† She scrutinized me for a few seconds, and weirdly, her distraught expression softened. She smiled. â€Å"You look really pretty today, Sydney. The way the light hits you†¦ it's kind of amazing.† â€Å"Um, thanks,† I said, uncertain as to what had prompted that comment. I was pretty sure there was nothing remarkable about me today. My hair and makeup were the same as ever, and I'd chosen a white shirt and plaid skirt uniform combo today. I had to make up for this weekend's color splurge. â€Å"And the burgundy trim in your skirt really brings out the amber in your eyes,† Jill continued. â€Å"It's not as good as the bright red, but still looks great. Of course, every color looks great on you, even the dull ones.† Eddie was still focused on Micah. â€Å"How'd the fight come about?† Jill dragged her gaze from me, much to my relief. â€Å"Oh. Well. I told him I didn't know if I could do Thanksgiving. Probably if I'd just given him one reason, it would've all been fine. But I started freaking out, thinking about all the problems, and just went off on a ramble, saying we might go back to South Dakota or maybe family would come here or maybe you wouldn't let me†¦ or, well, a bunch of other things. I guess it was pretty obvious I was kind of making it all up, and then he outright asked me if I didn't want to be with him anymore. Then I said I did but that it was complicated. He asked what I meant, but of course I couldn't explain it all, and from there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She threw up her hands. â€Å"It all just kind of exploded from there.† I'd never thought much about Thanksgiving or meeting one's family as a rite of passage in dating. Brayden's family lived in southern California t oo†¦ would I be expected to meet them someday? â€Å"Micah's not the type to hold a grudge,† said Eddie. â€Å"He's also pretty reasonable. Just tell him the truth.† â€Å"What, that I'm one of the last in a line of vampire royalty and my sister's throne is dependent on me staying in hiding and surviving?† Jill asked incredulously. Amusement flickered in Eddie's eyes, though I could tell he was trying to stay serious for her sake. â€Å"That's one way, I suppose. But no†¦ I meant, just give him the simplified version. You don't want to get too serious. You like him but just want to watch how fast things are going. It's not unreasonable, you know. You're fifteen and have been ‘dating' for barely a month.† She pondered his words. â€Å"You don't think he'd be mad?† â€Å"Not if he really cares about you,† said Eddie vehemently. â€Å"If he really cares, he'll understand and respect your wishes – and be happy at just any chance of spending time with you.† I wondered if Eddie was referring to Micah or himself, but that was a thought best kept quiet. Jill's face lit up. â€Å"Thanks,† she told Eddie. â€Å"I hadn't thought of it that way. You're so right. If he can't accept my feelings, then there's no point to anything.† She glanced over at a wall clock and jumped to her feet. â€Å"I think I'm going to go try to find him now before class.† Like that, she was gone. Good work, Eddie, I thought. You may have just helped get the girl of your dreams back together with her boyfriend. When Eddie caught my eye, the look on his face told me he was thinking the exact same thing. Angeline watched Jill dart out of the cafeteria, her blue eyes narrowed in thought. â€Å"Even if they make up, I don't think it'll last. With their situation†¦ it can't work.† â€Å"I thought you were all about vampire and human relationships,† I said. â€Å"Oh, sure. Back home, no problem. Even out in your world, no problem. But Jill's a special case. She's got to stay out of sight and stay safe if she's going to help her family. Dating him won't do that, and she knows it – no matter how much she wishes it weren't true. She'll do the right thing in the end. This is duty. It's bigger than personal wants. Jill gets that.† Angeline then declared she needed to get back to her room to catch up on homework. Eddie and I were left staring. He shook his head in amazement. â€Å"I don't think I've ever seen Angeline so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ subdued?† I suggested. â€Å"I was thinking†¦ coherent.† I laughed. â€Å"Come on, she's coherent plenty of times.† â€Å"You know what I mean,† he argued. â€Å"What she just said? It was totally true. It was†¦ wise. She understands Jill and this situation.† â€Å"I think she understands more than we give her credit for,† I said, recalling how much better-behaved she'd been since the assembly – breaking into dances aside. â€Å"It's just taken her time to adjust, which makes sense, considering what a change this is. If you'd seen where she's from, you'd understand.† â€Å"I may have misjudged her,† Eddie admitted. He seemed astonished by his own words. Part of me had expected to get chastised by Trey today for having skipped out on Brayden at the dance. Instead, I found Trey missing again from our morning classes. I almost worried but then reminded myself that his cousin was still in town, possibly muddling Trey in â€Å"family stuff.† Trey was competent. Whatever was going on, he could handle it. Then why all the bruises? I wondered. When I reached Ms. Terwilliger's independent study, she was waiting expectantly for me, which I took as a bad sign. Usually, she was already hard at work at her own desk and just gave me a nod of acknowledgment when I took out my books. Today, she was standing in front of her desk, arms crossed, watching the door. â€Å"Miss Melbourne. I trust you had an enjoyable weekend? You were certainly the belle of the ball at the Halloween dance.† â€Å"You saw me?† I asked. For a moment, I expected her to say she'd been watching the whole dance through a crystal ball or something. â€Å"Well, certainly. I was there as a chaperone. My post was near the DJ, so I'm not surprised you didn't see me. That, and I hardly stood out the way you did. I must say, that was an exquisite neo-Greco reproduction you were wearing.† â€Å"Thanks.† I was getting compliments left and right today, but hers were much less creepy than Jill's. â€Å"Now then,† said Ms. Terwilliger, all business again. â€Å"I thought it might be useful for us to discuss some of the spells you've been researching for my project. Notating them is one thing. Understanding them is another.† My stomach sank. I'd grown comfortable in my avoidance of her and the repetitive, almost mindless nature of annotating and translating spells. So long as we didn't have to actually delve into them, I felt reassured that I wasn't doing anything real with magic. I dreaded whatever she had in mind, but there was little I could make in the way of protest, so long as this was all couched in the terms of my study and didn't involve harm to myself or others. â€Å"Would you be kind enough to close the door?† she asked. I did, and my feeling of unease increased. â€Å"Now. I wanted to examine that book I gave you further – the one on protective spells.† â€Å"I don't have it with me, ma'am,† I said, relieved. â€Å"But if you want, I'll go get it from my dorm room and bring it back.† If I timed the shuttle bus right – by which I meant, wrong – I could probably use up a huge part of our hour in the round-trip. â€Å"That's all right. I obtained that copy for your personal use.† She lifted a book from her desk. â€Å"I have my own. Let's take a look, shall we?† I couldn't hide my dismay. We sat in adjacent student desks, and she began by simply going over the table of contents with me. The book was divided into three sections: Defense, Planned Attacks, and Instant Attacks. Each of those subsections was divided into levels of difficulty. â€Å"Defense includes a lot of protective charms and evasion spells,† she told me. â€Å"Why do you think those come first in the book?† â€Å"Because the best way to win a fight is to avoid one,† I said immediately. â€Å"Makes the rest superfluous.† She looked startled that I had come up with that. â€Å"Yes†¦ precisely.† â€Å"That's what Wolfe said,† I explained. â€Å"He's the instructor in a self-defense class I'm taking.† â€Å"Well, he's quite right. Most of the spells in this section do exactly that. This one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She flipped a few pages into the book. â€Å"This one's very basic but extremely useful. It's a concealment spell. Many physical components – which you'd expect from a beginner spell – but well worth it. You create an amulet and keep a separate ingredient – crumbled gypsum – on hand. When you're ready to activate it, add the gypsum, and the amulet comes to life. It makes it nearly impossible for someone to see you. You can leave a room or area in safety, undetected, before the magic wears off.† The wording wasn't lost on me, and in spite of my inner resistance, I couldn't help but ask: â€Å"‘Nearly impossible?'† â€Å"It won't work if they actually know you're there,† she explained. â€Å"You can't just cast it and become invisible – though there are more advanced spells for that. But if someone isn't actively expecting to see you†¦ well, they won't.† She showed me others, many of which were basic and amulet based, requiring a similar means of activation. One that she dubbed intermediate had kind of a reverse activation process. The caster wore an amulet that protected her when she cast the rest of the spell – one that made all people within a certain radius go temporarily blind. Only the caster retained sight. Listening, I still squirmed at the thought of using magic to directly affect someone else. Concealing yourself was one thing. But blinding someone? Making them dizzy? Forcing them to sleep? It crossed that line, using wrong and unnatural means to do things humans had no business doing. And yet†¦ deep inside, some part of me could see the usefulness. The attack had made me reconsider all sorts of things. As much as it pained me to admit it, I could even see how giving blood to Sonya might not be so bad. Might. I wasn't ready to do it yet by any means. I listened patiently as she went through the pages, all the while wondering what her game was here. Finally, when we had five minutes left of class, she told me, â€Å"For next Monday, I'd like you to re-create one of these, just as you did with the fire amulet and write a paper on it.† â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger – † I began. â€Å"Yes, yes,† she said, closing the book and standing up. â€Å"I'm well aware of your arguments and objections, how humans aren't meant to wield such power and all of that nonsense. I respect your right to feel that way. No one's making you use any of this. I just want you to continue getting a feel for the construction.† â€Å"I can't,† I said adamantly. â€Å"I won't.† â€Å"It's no different than dissecting a frog in biology,† she argued. â€Å"Hands-on work to understand the material.† â€Å"I guess†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I relented, glumly. â€Å"Which one do you want me to do, ma'am?† â€Å"Whichever you like.† Something about that bothered me even more. â€Å"I'd rather you choose.† â€Å"Don't be silly,† she said. â€Å"You have freedom in your larger term paper and freedom in this. I don't care what you do, so long as the assignment's complete. Go with what interests you.† And that was the problem. In having me choose, she was making me get invested in the magic. It was easy for me to claim no part in it and point out that everything I did for her was under duress. Even if this assignment was technically dictated by her, that one small choice she'd given me forced me to become proactive. So, I put the decision off – which was almost unheard of for me when it came to homework. Some part of me thought that maybe if I ignored the assignment, it would go away or she'd change her mind. Besides, I had a week. No point in stressing about it yet. Although I knew we had no obligation to Lia for giving us the costumes, I still felt the appropriate thing to do was return them to her – just so there was no doubt of my intentions. Once Ms. Terwilliger released me, I packed up my and Jill's costumes into their garment bags and headed into downtown. Jill was sad to let hers go but conceded that it was the right thing to do. Lia, however, felt otherwise. â€Å"What am I going to do with these?† she asked when I showed up at her shop. Large rhinestone hoop earrings made her dazzling to look at. â€Å"They were custom made for you.† â€Å"I'm sure you can alter them. And I'm sure they're not far off from your sample sizes anyway.† I held the hangers out, and she obstinately crossed her arms. â€Å"Look, they were great. We really appreciate what you did. But we can't keep them.† â€Å"You will keep them,† she stated. â€Å"If you don't take them, I'll just leave them on your counter,† I warned. â€Å"And I'll have them shipped back to your dorm.† I groaned. â€Å"Why is this so important to you? Why can't you take no for an answer? There are plenty of pretty girls in Palm Springs. You don't need Jill.† â€Å"That's exactly it,† said Lia. â€Å"Plenty of pretty girls that all blend into each other. Jill is special. She's a natural and doesn't even know it. She could be great someday.† â€Å"Someday,† I repeated. â€Å"But not right now.† Lia attempted another approach. â€Å"The campaign is for scarves and hats. I can't do masks again, but I can put her in sunglasses – especially if we shoot outside. Tell me if you'd agree to this plan – â€Å" â€Å"Lia, please. Don't bother.† â€Å"Just listen,† she urged. â€Å"We'll go do a photo shoot. Afterward, you can go through all the pictures and throw out any that don't meet your weird religious criteria.† â€Å"No exceptions,† I insisted. â€Å"And I'm leaving the dresses.† I set them on a counter and headed out, ignoring Lia's protests about all the amazing things she could do for Jill. Maybe someday, I thought. Someday when all of Jill's problems are gone. Something told me that day was far away, however. Although my loyalty to Spencer's was steadfast, a small French cafe caught my attention as I walked back to my car. Or rather, the scent of their coffee caught my attention. I had no obligations at school and stopped into the cafe for a cup. I had a book for English class on me and decided to do some reading at one of the cafe's small tables. Half of that time was spent texting back and forth with Brayden. He'd wanted to know what I was reading, and we were swapping our favorite Tennessee Williams quotes. I'd barely been there for ten minutes when shadows fell over me, blocking the late afternoon sun. Two guys stood there, neither of whom I knew. They were a little older than me, one blond haired and blue eyed while the other was dark haired and deeply tanned. Their expressions weren't hostile, but they weren't friendly either. Both were well built, like those who trained regularly. And then, after a double-take, I realized I did recognize one of them. The dark-haired guy was the one who'd approached Sonya and me a while ago, claiming to know her from Kentucky. Immediately, all the panic I'd been trying to suppress this last week came back to me, that sense of being trapped and helpless. It was only the realization that I was in a public place, surrounded by people, which allowed me to regard these two with astonishing calm. â€Å"Yes?† I asked. â€Å"We need to talk to you, Alchemist,† said the blond guy. I didn't twitch a muscle in my face. â€Å"I think you've got me mixed up with someone else.† â€Å"No one else around here has a lily tattoo,† said the other guy. He'd said his name was Jeff, but I wondered if he'd told the truth. â€Å"It'd be great if you could take a walk with us.† My tattoo was covered up today, but something told me these guys had been following me for a while and didn't need to see the lily to know it was there. â€Å"Absolutely not,† I said. I didn't even need Wolfe's reminders to know that was a terrible idea. I was staying here in the safety of the crowd. â€Å"If you want to talk, you'd best take a seat. Otherwise, go away.† I looked back down at my book, like I didn't have a care in the world. Meanwhile, my heart was pounding, and it took every ounce of control I had to keep my hands from shaking. A few moments later, I heard the sounds of metal scraping on concrete, and the two guys sat down opposite me. I looked back up at their impassive faces. â€Å"You've got to go inside if you want coffee,† I remarked. â€Å"They don't have service out here.† â€Å"We're not here to talk about the coffee,† said Jeff. â€Å"We're here to talk about vampires.† â€Å"Why? Are you filming a movie or something?† I asked. â€Å"We know you hang out with them,† said Blond Hair. â€Å"Including that Strigoi, Sonya Karp.† Part of my tattoo's magic was to prevent Alchemists from revealing information about the vampire world to outsiders. We literally couldn't do it. The magic would kick in and prevent it if we tried. Since these guys seemed to already know about vampires, the tattoo wasn't going to censor my words. Instead, I chose to censor myself of my own free will. Something told me ignorance was the best tactic here. â€Å"Vampires aren't real,† I said. â€Å"Look, if this is some kind of a joke – â€Å" â€Å"We know what you do,† continued Blond Hair. â€Å"You don't like them any more than we do. So why are you helping them? How could your group have gotten so muddled and lost sight of our original vision? Centuries ago, we were one united group, determined to see all vampires wiped from the face of the earth in the name of the light. Your brethren betrayed that goal.† I had another protest ready, and then I noticed a glint of gold in Jeff's ear. He was wearing a tiny earring, a small golden sphere with a dark dot in the middle. I couldn't help myself. â€Å"Your earring,† I said. â€Å"It's the sun symbol – the symbol for gold.† And, I realized, it was exactly the same symbol that had been on the hilt of the sword we'd retrieved from the alley. He touched his earring and nodded. â€Å"We haven't forgotten the mission – or our original purpose. We serve the light. Not the darkness that hides vampires.† I still refused to acknowledge anything they said about vampires. â€Å"You're the ones who attacked my friend and me in the alley last week.† Neither one denied it. â€Å"Your ‘friend' is a creature of darkness,† said Blond Hair. â€Å"I don't know how she's managed this current enchantment – making herself look like one of the other vampires – but you can't be fooled. She's evil. She'll kill you and countless others.† â€Å"You guys are crazy,† I said. â€Å"None of this makes any sense.† â€Å"Just tell us where her main lair is,† said Jeff. â€Å"We know it's not that apartment on the other side of downtown. We've been watching it and she hasn't returned since our last attempt to destroy her. If you won't actively help us, that information will be all we need to rid the world of her evil.† We've been watching it. Adrian's apartment. Chills ran through me. How long had they been spying on his place? And to what extent? Had they simply sat outside in a car, stakeout style? Did they have high tech surveillance equipment? Wolfe had warned against being stalked in parking lots, not in homes. The small comfort I had here was that they obviously didn't know about Clarence's. Their surveillance couldn't have been that thorough if no one had followed her yet. But had they followed me? Did they know where I went to school? And with their own words, they were confirming the terrible reality I'd hardly dared speculate about. It was a reality that meant there were forces moving unseen beneath the Alchemists' seemingly all-knowing vision, forces working against our goals. Vampire hunters were real. With that realization came a hundred more terrifying questions. What did this mean for the Moroi? Was Jill in danger? Was Adrian? â€Å"The only thing I'm going to do is call the police,† I said. â€Å"I don't know who you guys are or why you're obsessed with my friend, but neither of us have done anything to you. You're even crazier than I first thought if you think I'm going to tell you where she is so that you can stalk her.† Then, by the sheerest luck, I saw a patrolling police officer walking down the street. The two guys at my table followed my gaze and undoubtedly could guess my thoughts. It would be very easy to call her over. We'd filed no report about the alley attack, but accusing these guys of a recent assault would certainly detain them. In sync, they both rose. â€Å"You're making a terrible mistake,† Jeff said. â€Å"We could have had this problem eradicated ages ago if our groups worked together. First the Strigoi, then the Moroi. Your misguided descent into their corruption has nearly ruined everything. Fortunately, we still walk the true path.† The fact that he'd just named the two groups was particularly alarming. These guys were scary, certainly, but less so if they were just talking about vampires in shadowy, vague terms. Using â€Å"Moroi† and â€Å"Strigoi† indicated extensive knowledge. Blond Hair tossed down a small, homemade pamphlet. â€Å"Read this, and maybe you'll see the light. We'll be in touch.† â€Å"I wouldn't if I were you,† I said. â€Å"Mess with me again, and I'll do a lot more than just have a pleasant chat.† My words came out more fiercely than I'd expected. Maybe Dimitri and Wolfe were rubbing off on me. Jeff laughed as the two of them began walking away. â€Å"Too bad you got so bogged down in books,† he said. â€Å"You've got the spirit of a hunter.†