An Analysis in the Caltech Rationale - 829 Words

In the analysis of the events and inspirations in my life that led to my decision on where to attend college, I view the motif of puzzles and games of logic stemming from my infancy into the current day as a major component of the reason I picked Caltech over Penn, the final two colleges in narrowing down my college search. Caltech, a very small school of 235 students per grade represented hardcore academics with an infamously difficult core curriculum, focused mainly in pure and applied math and sciences, went at odds with the University of Pennsylvania’s class size of 2400, representing a school more renowned for its Wharton School of Business than its sciences and for the college and social experiences, as it’s widely known as the Social Ivy. The decision between these two extremes – an Ivy League prestige and a fun four years versus academic rigor and a strenuous undergraduate experience filled with all-nighters – represents a microcosm of my values as the amalgamation of my past experiences, which, due to the motif of puzzles, contributed to my personal convictions for (1) the study of some form of mathematics, possibly consolidated with real-life applications, and (2) my personal philosophy of striving for knowledge and being at the top of my field, no matter the sacrifice. As a toddler, I loved to sit with my grandma and work for hours on jigsaw puzzles of increasing difficulty, as the pictures got bigger and the pieces got smaller. This led to my appreciation of

Nursing and Work Schedule/job Placement Free Essays

Nursing Nursing is a wise career option, it is a career that allows you to help save people’s lives, and bring cheer and comfort to those in need. The nursing career is very gratifying and rewarding in terms of the joys it brings to those who need your help. There are three main reasons that caused me to choose nursing as my field of choice: you are trusted with others’ lives, you are continuously learning new things, and you can make a flexible work schedule/job placement opportunities. We will write a custom essay sample on Nursing and Work Schedule/job Placement or any similar topic only for you Order Now One main reason that caused me to choose nursing is that nurses are trusted with extremely sensitive information and they have to do things by the rules and maintain confidentiality. As a nurse, you must be able to analyze a patient’s pathology and diagnostic test results to decide on how to proceed with the patient. You should be able to analyze cardiac monitor strips and start reviving a patient during emergencies. You should be able to decide within a split second which specialist to call, which equipment to turn on, and what exactly to tell a patient. You are trusted with lives, with confidential information and you have the important task of watching over the life of the patient in your care. Nursing requires a great amount of responsibility, and the thrill of it excites me. As a nurse, you have a continuous opportunity for learning. You can choose to work in different departments, study to be a medical assistant and also get into nursing management where you can grow and nurture new nurses and share your knowledge. You can make a significant impact on health care using your initiative and compassion. You can also encourage people who show compassion and caring for life to take up nursing as a career. Nursing is the ideal career for anyone who wants to be challenged continually and also want to gain knowledge pertaining to the human body, its diseases, and life challenges. A final reason that caused me to choose nursing is that many nurses choose this career because of the flexible hours and days they work. Nurses can work in hour combinations of four, six, eight, 10 and 12 each day. Nurses lso have the opportunity to work different shifts. If you had children being able to set your work schedule around what is going on in their lives would be wonderful. In addition to flexible scheduling, nurses also have a variety of job-placement opportunities like doctor offices, nursing homes, hospitals and even schools hire nurses. Between the making your own work schedule and getting to pick what kind of place you want to work, I do not understand why you would not want to be a nurse. In all if you show a commitment to learning, are willing to work hard, and above all, have the right compassion and respect for life then being a nurse might be the right career choice for you. Studying to be a nurse can be demanding and stressful, however if you just remember that you are trusted with others’ lives, and you can learn new things continuously, and you can make a difference in someone’s life, then you can make it in this field. How to cite Nursing and Work Schedule/job Placement, Essay examples

Color Stratification free essay sample

Color stratification has been a part of American History since the days of slavery. During slavery light skinned Blacks were freed earlier than dark skinned Blacks. These lighter slaves were able to obtain education, better jobs, and property due to their white ties. Research has shown that before and during the 1960’s color stratification was still prevalent but due to Black Pride this thought took a change for the better. Several studies done by Blackwell (1975); Drake and Cayton (1945); Davis, Gardener, and Gardener (1941); Dollard (1957); Frazier (1957a, 1957b, 1966); Myrdal (1944); and Landry (1987) have all stated that in past generations , higher status Blacks tended to have light skin toes than theier lower status darker skin tone counterparts. It is also noted that a lighter skin tone was an important criterion for attaining prestige within the black community. Due to this color stratification relies on racism (race as a biological identity instead of social construct) and colorism (system that privileges lighter tones over darker tones within a community; according to Margaret L. We will write a custom essay sample on Color Stratification or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hunter’s â€Å"If Youre Light Youre Alright: Light Skin Color as Social Capital for Women of Color†. Symbolic interactionism tries to understand stratification by looking at people’s interaction and understandings in their daily lives. Unlike the functionalist and conflict views, it does not try to explain why we have stratification in the first place. Rather, it examines the differences that stratification makes for people’s lifestyles and their interaction with other people. Samuel L. Jackson and Lawrence Fishbourne had this exchange of words in the Spike Lee movie â€Å"School Daze†: Leeds (Samuel L. Jackson): Now I bet you niggers do think yall white. College dont mean shit. Yall niggers, and you gonna be niggers forever just like us. Niggers. Dap (Lawrence Fishbourne): Youre not niggers. This scene and this movie shows the color stratification between Blacks by using fraternities and sororities as a way of showing how lighter skin tones are better than darker skin tones. This scene explains the mentality of Black people who view their own people as sellouts because they want to better themselves. These blacks are considered â€Å"white† for being educated. It has become a common thing to hear African American males say â€Å"I would rather date a light-skinned woman than a dark skinned one. † Comments like these have affected African Americans in a negative and seemingly irreversible way. African American males are in debate about if light skinned men are â€Å"in† again because of rappers such as Drake, J. Cole, or Frank Ocean. Not only does it affect African Americans but people of African descent who seem to have some sort of thought that beauty is determined by how fair your skin tone is. This sort of thinking comes from our internalized oppression where we believe that anything white is good wile anything black is bad as proven by Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s doll experiments. This other scene shows how much hatred there was between the females in the movie who were of different complexions. Rachel Meadows: [as the Jiggaboos and the Wannabes encounter each other in the hallway] The word is Excuse me. Jane Toussaint: No one told you to stand in the hall, either. Excuse me. Rachel Meadows: Thats better, Ms. Thing. Doris Witherspoon: [as Jane turns and flips her hair] Its not real! Dina: [as the Jiggaboos laugh] Say what? Lizzie Life: You heard Rachel Meadows: It aint even real. Jane Toussaint: You wish you had hair like this. Doris Witherspoon: Girl, you know you werent even born with blue eyes! Lizz ie Life: Thats right. Blue contact lenses. Dina: Theyre just jealous! Rachel Meadows: Jealous? Jane Toussaint: Picaninny! Doris Witherspoon: Barbie doll! Rachel Meadows: High-yellow heifer! Dina: Tar baby! Lizzie Life: Wannabe white! From a symbolic interactionist viewpoint color stratification among blacks is something that they live with everyday because light skinned people are viewed as beautiful. Due to their lighter tones they are able to receive some of the advantages of white privilege but never able to â€Å"pull the race card†. Margaret Hunter believes that because lighter tones are associated with beauty and beauty operates as social capital for people especially for females. Some people view the typical dark skinned African American female s loud, annoying, â€Å"easy†, lazy, having trust issues, and comes with plenty of past baggage. These notions are stereotypes which are seen in some dark skinned African American females while light skinned females are seen as having class, nice, pure, being the creme de la creme. This is what we perceive and others chase after because these qualities are more appealing. T hey may not be true but at first glance you feel that they are the best choice. Internalized oppression? Very much so. In my case I am more attracted to light skinned African American females because I do have that feeling that they a prettier than a dark skinned girl. Me and my half-brother are the only people in my family that have dated lighter complexions and he is married to a light skinned female. But this has just been ingrained in my head by my aunt who lives around white people and tells me how I should act to fit in such as, playing golf, dating light skinned African American female with European features or white females, being able to cook, and going to an ivy league school where white people go to so that one day I can be seen as respected by the â€Å"elite†. The last time I saw my aunt she asked me if I believed that if I lived with her I would have had a white girlfriend or two or a fiancee And it shows because when I tell people that I like going to Montreal they ask why and I usually say because of the sexy French white females; a language I don’t speak but am willing to learn just for them. I have also planned to attend McGill University because just so that I can increase my chances of dating a white woman. My friend calls me a race traitor because I would rather be with a white woman than a dark skinned African American. From my personal experience I have only dated light skinned women and can’t see myself dating any other kind of skin tone which is bad since I’m looking at only at the surface and could be missing an opportunity at happiness but I’m willing to take that loss and leave it at that. There are some dark skinned females that I do find attractive such as Megan Good; she’s most likely the only one. Going to MEC causes me to not really say anything about that because most of the females here are dark skinned and they wouldn’t take too kindly to that statement. For me it is the perceptions that come with being with light skinned women. I feel more accepted or that I beat the white people by being able to marry something they had a hand in creating. But as I look around the computer room as I type this I am more attracted to the light skinned Black female in this range shirt than the pretty dark skinned Black next to me. The first thoughts I get from the dark skinned black girl aren’t good ones but the light skinned girl seems more of a safe choice because from the movies I have watched its always the light skinned ones that get hurt and need someone to help them while the dark skinned woman just wants to control. This is not from personal experience just what I grew up believing and still do believe.

The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde (1856 - 1900) Essays

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1856 - 1900) The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1856 - 1900) Type of Work: Fantasy novel Setting London, England; late nineteenth century Principal Characters Dorian Gray, an extremely handsome young man Basil Hallward, Dorian's older friend, a portrait artist Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian's vile tempter Sibyl Vane, Dorian's actress-lover James Vane, Sibyl's brother Story Overveiw As Basil Hallward artfully put the finishing touches on his full-length portrait of an extraordiiiarily beautiful young man, Lord Henr Wotton paid him a call. Lord Henry mucn admired the painting and desired to meet the subject. The artist objected, knowing the poisonous influence of which Lord Henry was capable; young Dorian Gray was his ideal of purity and had inspired Basil to the most expressive art of his life. Just then, in walked Dorian Gray. Against Hallward's wishes, the two met, and Dorian was immediately taken by Lord Henry's fascinating words, presence and wittiness. Henry flattered Dorian with his comments on the virtues of beauty, the charms of youth, and expressed his sadness at the thought that such youth should fade into the ugliness of age. This caused Dorian to plummet into melancholy. Seeing his portrait for the first time, Dorian gasped at his own beauty. He lamented that the picture would mock him his entire life; age would indeed steal his color and grace: "I know, now, that when one loses one's good looks, whatever they may be, one loses everything ... Lord Henry Wotton is perfectly right. Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself." Then he wished instead that the picture might grow old while he remained forever young: "I would give everything. I would give my soul for that!" Alarmed by these passions in the young man, Hallward attempted to destroy the painting, but Dorian stopped him and had it taken home that very evening. After that first meeting, Dorian and Lord Henry became fast friends and frequent partners at local theatres. Henry presented Dorian with a gift - a book about a young man's passions, sins and vileness. Dorian became captivated by its plot. For years he leafed through its pages - anct the book became an entrenched, tragic guide in the life of Dorian Gray. Dorian met and fell madly in love with Sibyl Vane, a beautiful and talented actress who was portraying Juliet in a cheap theatrical troupe. But the night Dorian invited Lord fienry and Basil Hallward to meet his new love, her performance was lifeless. She was hissed and booed by even the uneducated audience. Afterward, she joyfully explained to the disappointed Dorian that her love for her "Prince Charming," - as she knew him - had transformed her from a mere actress into a real woman. Dorian coldly shunned her, admitting that his love for her had been killed, and vowed that he would see her no more. On returning home, he was surprised to notice that the face in his painting had changed. A touch of cruelty now lined the mouth. His wish that the painting might be seared with suffering and guilt while his own face was left untarnished, had been granted! But now he pitied the portrait and resolved to live a pure life. He would return to Sibyl and marry her. He would see no more of the selfish Lord Henry. Dorian wrote Sibyl a passionate letter and fell asleep, confident that he would make amends to Sybil the following day. However, that next morning Lord Henry brought bad news: in grief, Sibyl had killed herself during the night. Lord Henry charmed the devastated youth, urging him to imagine the tragedy as a drama, with Juliet or Ophelia the victims, not the flesh-and-blood Sibyl. No, she will never come to life. She has played her last part ... To you at least she was always a dream, a phantom that flitted through Shakespeare's plays ... But don't waste your tears over Sibyl Vatic. She was less real than they are. Now Dorian forgot his good resolutions. If fate would deal unjustly with him, he, in turn, determined to give himself up to a life of pleasure and let the portrait bear the burden of his corrupting soul. Eternal youth, wild joys, infinite passion would be his. Horrified at Dorian's lack of remorse and feeling, Basil Hallward tried to reason with him. But Dorian was unmoved. He continued to guard the secret of the portrait from Basil, first covering it a with a sheet, and later moving it to an upstairs room, unopened since his grandfather had died mere five

10 Fulfilling Teaching Jobs That Pay More Than $60k Per Year

10 Fulfilling Teaching Jobs That Pay More Than $60k Per Year You might not think a career in education is a particularly lucrative choice, but if teaching is your passion, it is definitely possible to make a very good living. Check out these 10 examples of financially rewarding jobs in education. Some might take a bit of time to get there, but if you have your eye on the prize and a career path in mind, you can take the steps necessary to reach the upper levels of the profession. 1. Law ProfessorSure, you’ll have to go to law school first, and have some experience in the field, but once you get all those things- plus some teaching experience, you’ll be set to make six figures by the middle of your career, with junior positions coming in at an average of about $68,000 per year. There’s stiff competition for this career path, of course, but it is possible to land a gig.2. Chief Executive of a UniversityIf you can work your way up to head honcho of a top-tier college or university, whether you’re the chancellor or pres ident or provost, you can make anywhere from $100,000 to $3 million (!)- especially if you’re good at bringing in the money for endowments and capital funds for campus ventures. The downside: this is not a very high growth field, and jobs are scarce. Once people get them, they tend to hold on tight!3. DeanIf you can’t get to executive level in the academic world, you could try working your way up to Dean level. You’ll want an advanced degree in the subject, plus some years as a tenured professor in your field, but then you can start earning some serious money- an average of about $83,000 per year.4. Engineering ProfessorIf you got a fancy education in engineering, you could always go the academic route. Get a little experience in your field, then go back to teaching and research. You could earn up to $100,000 per year in a top tier school. This field is growing rather nicely.5. School SuperintendentThe high administrator of the area public school system makes an ywhere from $130,000 to $196,000 per year. You’ll want a doctorate in education, plus a healthy base of teaching experience and some leadership experience to pursue this job.6. PrincipalWant to be more involved in the day-to-day and less in the macro-level budgeting and overseeing? School principals can make anywhere between $86,000 and $130,000 per year working closely with both teachers and students. A master’s in education is a plus here, as well as some teaching experience.7. Curriculum DeveloperStart out as a classroom teacher, then get your master’s and start working on instructional design. Help determine what students should be learning and how they should be evaluated most effectively. Train your fellow teachers to teach better, and make up to $75,000 per year.8. Registrar or Financial Aid CounselorStep back into the admin side for a while and work in the front office of secondary and post-secondary schools. Help guide students through the stressful adm inistrative stuff they have to take care of for their studies, and make up to $90,000 per year.9. Health/Allied Health ProfessorTeaching would-be health care professionals is serious and stringent work. You’ll need to build up to this with a degree of your own in a medical field, plus years of practical experience and teaching experience, but the job prospects and growth rates are great and you can make almost $100,000 per year.10. Economics ProfessorIf you’re an expert in economic theory and want to research and teach, take your experience as an analyst, policy maker, or researcher back into an academic institution and make about $90,000 per year. The better your credentials, the better your chances of landing a job in this competitive field.

After the Sirens

As soon as the radio is switched on it is described as screaming and it startles the man. He also recognized the radio announcers voice but it this was the first time his voice did not sound upbeat and happy as it usually was during his morning show. The author also describes his voice as Cracking with hysteria (Hood, pig. 161) which clearly sets the mood in the story. The way his voice is described stresses the role that the announcer plays in this story.The radio announcer uses repetition right from the beginning of the story and creates suspense, when he repeats This not an pig. 160) three times. He also repeats This Is an air raid pig. 160) twice right after the radio Is turned on. He continues with the count down right until ten seconds before the bomb hit. The radio announcer sets this man Into action to save himself and his family. The man responds Immediately by telling his wife not to ask questions and to dress her self and the baby In many layers of heavy clothing.While she Is doing that he gathers up food, Hater. Canned goods and two can openers. The radio announcer also helps the man to decide where they should take cover in the house because he reported the target and the man knew where the blast would be coming from. The radio announcer helped them survive. I was captured immediately by his voice and was taken on a Lorene of anticipation and suspense.

Appraise Project Management Process Groups Essay

Appraise Project Management Process Groups - Essay Example The executing group enhances timely dissemination of information to the stakeholders, for quick decision making and timely end of the project (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin, 2011). In fact, the executing process group implements the cost management policies, integration management policies, procurement management policies and other policies made in the planning process. Consequently, human resource management is well taken care of in then executing the group of project management process. Controlling activities aim at monitoring the execution of the project. Controlling process group monitors the project performance. Controlling activities can be applied in monitoring the cost management, procurement management, the human resource management and other types of management in a project. In case of any deviation from the main objective, adjustments are made to fix the problem. Controlling process aids in the timely application of risk management strategies to cover future uncertainties. The controlling group coordinates the alterations that may arise in course of the project. Additionally, the controlling process group keeps a close check on the performance of all the stakeholders to determine whether they work in conformity to the project’s objective. Closure of the project process is the last group. This project management process involves the termination of all activities. The process validates the completion of the project. The elements of this group are management and project closeout procedure.

Multi Media buy Rationale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Multi Media buy Rationale - Essay Example Each medium had a budget of $214,000 for April, giving a total of $642,000. During the months of May and June, each had a budget of $143,000 giving a total of $429,000. This gives a total budget of $1,500,000. Tactics for Magazines: The MNI networks for the different packages are presented below, with their respective median age, female % and median HHI. It was concluded from the tables that female population played a big role in these magazines. The Ad Size of these magazines was full page, full colors were used to design their pages. According to the budget and calculations, it was concluded that the magazines to be included in the April budget were: Beauty, Style&Design, Family, Healthy Living, Luxury and Entertainment. The magazines to be included in the May and June budget were Beauty, Style&Design, Family and Healthy Living. The Weekly Broadcast TV Expenditures are shown in the table below. Most of the budget goes to the prime day time. For the introductory period (April), the Net budget per week was $53,500 and the Gross budget per week was $62,943. For the Sustaining period (May & June) the Net budget per week was $31,778 and the Gross budget per week was $37,387. April had 36 spots per week, consuming $59,760 from the April gross weekly budget. The sustaining period of May and June had 22 spots per week, consuming a total of $33,200 from the gross weekly

The Garden Party - a Short Story Essay Example for Free

The Garden Party a Short Story Essay The wonderful short story â€Å"The Garden Party† found in Chapter 27 of the book How to Read Literature like a Professor shows the maturing of a young woman. The main character, a vibrant girl named Laura, takes on big responsibilities and sees how hard the world can really be. She goes through a series of test that introduced her to growing up, such as planning a garden party and helping out her neighbors during a hard time. This great story helps one know what it looks like when a situation comes our way that makes us grow up, not in size but in maturity. One of the greatest impacts in life is going through an experience that is so big or impossible to you and being able to get through it to find the deeper meaning. The young girl was given a huge responsibility when her mother said, â€Å"It’s no use asking me. I’m determined to leave everything to you†¦ treat me as an honored guest.† Laura had to plan the garden party; deal with the florist, bakery, and the men who put up the marquee. Wanting to prove how independent she could be Laura not only had to conquer her fears, she had to act tough and make the best garden party to prove to her mother she was capable of it. She wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps and be as professional as she could. When the men came to put up the marquee she had a very hard time trying to act older with the workers and trying to show them that she was the one with all the power. The way she acts proves that she was trying very hard to not disappoint anyone, making it seem like she was in control of everything at all times. The second example really finished out the transformation it opened her mind to a deeper understanding. It all started the day of the party when a man down the block had passed away. When Laura heard of his passing she wanted to cancel the celebration, but due to a talk with her mother, Laura realized that she should just go on with the party and afterward worry about the man and his mourning family. As soon as the party was over she went over and took the leftovers to the family down the block. Despite the crowd of people dressed in black sobbing about the loved one she gathered up all her strength and was taken inside to see the deceased man. When a young girl experiences an event such as the death of someone its life changing; to see the life of someone sucked out of their body and seeing them just lying there as if in a deep sleep is not an easy task for a child to understand yet she got every part of it and even felt for the crying woman and cried herself . And though she wasn’t familiar with the man she felt for him, she shared the sadness of the family along with the realization that things happen that one cannot control. It not only made her more mature but it also changed the way she saw the world around her. Growing up is not easy and some have more trouble than others, yet the young girl did a exceptional job of putting aside her emotions for time being and just keep going no matter what problems came into her path; there is a time for everything. The amazing outcome of the garden party along with the life-changing experience of seeing a dead man made her see life through different eyes. She showed great courage in every step that she made and proved that she was capable of anything.

Genetic Screening Essay -- Genetic Engineering Essays

Genetics has provided knowledge that is changing humanity's view of itself and its relation to the rest of the universe. This has brought changes of our current philosophies and religions. For instance, the catholic church has accepted the evolution theory (1). Genetic, cytogenetic and molecular studies show that we are related to every living thing on the planet, including plants, fungi and bacterium (6) An important area in which current genetic knowledge is causing revolution is anthropological science (14). DNA of the human specie carries more or less the same set of DNA, but small variations in the DNA contributes to human variations. So, genomic variations of the human specie are being studied, through analysis of DNA from populations, families, and individuals worldwide. Ancient DNA is used for to do studies of evolution. Many genetic diseases may be detected early Medicine is a very important area in which genetics is a powerful tool. Indeed, a large proportion of human health has a genetic basis. Inherited genetic diseases are caused by abnormal forms of a single or a group of genes that are passed on from one generation to the next. Some single genes responsible for inherited genetic diseases, such as the ones responsible for familial Alzheimer's disease, familial breast cancer and cystic fibrosis (6) are being isolated and characterized at molecular level. More complex human hereditary disorders, those which are caused by the interaction of several genes, also interacting with the environment, such as heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes, various forms of cancer and infections, are also being investigated using a molecular approach (13). HGP and HGDP a great international effort Many countries are... ...Human Evolution. Science, 272: 1363 The Genetic Confidentiality and Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 (Summary). Obtained from the WWW: http://www.ncgr.org/gpi/GCNA/sum.html Tranoy, K. E. Ethical Principles in Public Health Care in Scandanavia: With a remark about relativism and the cultural foundations of health care ethics. Obtained from the WWW: http://www.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp/~macer/BFPKT.html UNESCO Revised Outline of a Declaration on the Human Genome and its Protection in Relation to Human Dignity and Human Rights. Obtained from the WWW: http://www.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp/~macer/EJ56/EJ56H.html Declan Buter, 1996, French Scientis rally against racist claim. Obtained from Nature in WWW: http://www.nature.com/ ELSI Working Group Responds to The Bell Curve. Obtained from WWW: http://www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human_Genome/publicat/hgn/v7n5/16bellcu.html Genetic Screening Essay -- Genetic Engineering Essays Genetics has provided knowledge that is changing humanity's view of itself and its relation to the rest of the universe. This has brought changes of our current philosophies and religions. For instance, the catholic church has accepted the evolution theory (1). Genetic, cytogenetic and molecular studies show that we are related to every living thing on the planet, including plants, fungi and bacterium (6) An important area in which current genetic knowledge is causing revolution is anthropological science (14). DNA of the human specie carries more or less the same set of DNA, but small variations in the DNA contributes to human variations. So, genomic variations of the human specie are being studied, through analysis of DNA from populations, families, and individuals worldwide. Ancient DNA is used for to do studies of evolution. Many genetic diseases may be detected early Medicine is a very important area in which genetics is a powerful tool. Indeed, a large proportion of human health has a genetic basis. Inherited genetic diseases are caused by abnormal forms of a single or a group of genes that are passed on from one generation to the next. Some single genes responsible for inherited genetic diseases, such as the ones responsible for familial Alzheimer's disease, familial breast cancer and cystic fibrosis (6) are being isolated and characterized at molecular level. More complex human hereditary disorders, those which are caused by the interaction of several genes, also interacting with the environment, such as heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes, various forms of cancer and infections, are also being investigated using a molecular approach (13). HGP and HGDP a great international effort Many countries are... ...Human Evolution. Science, 272: 1363 The Genetic Confidentiality and Nondiscrimination Act of 1996 (Summary). Obtained from the WWW: http://www.ncgr.org/gpi/GCNA/sum.html Tranoy, K. E. Ethical Principles in Public Health Care in Scandanavia: With a remark about relativism and the cultural foundations of health care ethics. Obtained from the WWW: http://www.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp/~macer/BFPKT.html UNESCO Revised Outline of a Declaration on the Human Genome and its Protection in Relation to Human Dignity and Human Rights. Obtained from the WWW: http://www.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp/~macer/EJ56/EJ56H.html Declan Buter, 1996, French Scientis rally against racist claim. Obtained from Nature in WWW: http://www.nature.com/ ELSI Working Group Responds to The Bell Curve. Obtained from WWW: http://www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human_Genome/publicat/hgn/v7n5/16bellcu.html

How did war world 1 impact women Essay

There are all types of information including lesson plans, articles and news. BBC origin is a British Broadcasting Corporation. Established in 1922,London. The founders of BBC are John Reith and George Villers. BBC purpose is to â€Å"enrich peopleÊ ¼s lives with programs and services that inform, educate and entertain.† The values of the source are that it has beneï ¬ ts of hindsight; this is because they wrote this a long time after the event, which makes them less likely to have strong emotions that will make them biased. The source was written long after the event, so it has a greater ability to see turning points/ key events. This source has credibility, because it was written by academic authority. The limitation of the source is that it is not ï ¬ rst hand, meaning that facts could be changed or interpreted differently over time. This source might be biased because it is British. It might take their side. In my opinion overall BBC is a trustworthy source. Notes Beyond Domestic Services: -WWI changed the role of women politically and economically. -WWI gave women bigger opportunities in paying jobs. -Around two million women took over menÊ ¼s jobs – The War left women with a a wide range of jobs that were not available to them before and different jobs opportunities in different ï ¬ elds – â€Å"The war revolutionised the industrial position of women – it found them serfs and left them free.† Said the founder of Cambridge College in 1918 – The war changed women’s roles in factories. It gave women job opportunities which was not available before. Summary: WW1 affected women in the home front because it gave women an opportunity to prove themselves in a male role, doing more than house work and caring for their family. How did war world 1 impact women at the home front during the war? Sources Book: The us borne introduction to ï ¬ rst war world (December,6,12) O.P.V.L â€Å"The Usborne Introduction to ï ¬ rst World War† book is a reliable source because it is a book which provides detailed information and published works of the ï ¬ rst world war. The origin is Great Britain, published in 2007. The authors of the book are Ruth Brocklehurst and Henry Brook. The purpose of  the book is to â€Å"provide a fascinating and detailed introduction to the First World War. It also includes a selection of recommended websites to take readers even further, with ï ¬ lm footage, photographs and eyewitness accounts.† The value of the source is hindsight; this is because they wrote this a long time after the event, which makes them less likely to have strong emotions that will make them bias. The source was written long after the event, it has a grater ability to see turning points/ key eve nt. This source has credibility, because it was written by academic authority. The source is published, meaning that it was checked for accuracy many times. The limitation of the source is that the source is not ï ¬ rst hand, meaning that facts could be changed or interpreted differently over time. This source might be biased, because it is a british book. In conclusion this is a reliable source because it is a published book. Even though it may be biased it has facts that need to be edited. Notes Women into work -Before the war, jobs were available to to women, but they were limited (e.g. domestic work). -Before the war most were expected to watch over their family -In beginning of war, women were mostly involved in in charity work (e.g. making bandages and socks to send to the soldiers). -The war created many new jobs, keeping the soldiers supplied with basic needs. -Government used many posters to persuade women of all ages and classes to help out in the war and factories. -Millions of women helped out -Women operated telephones exchange, drove busses, worked agriculture and even worked dangerous, heavy jobs (e.g. mining, shipbuilding and packing explosives shells.) Summary WW1 affected women in the home front because women replaced men jobs, they helped in any area they could, from sending the soldiers basic needs to working dangerous jobs. How did war world 1 impact women at the home front during the war? Sources http://www.nls.uk/ learning-zone/history/ themes-in-focus/womenin-the-great-war (december 7,12) O.P.V.L NlS (national library of Scotland) is a reliable source because it is a library with information for educators and others. NIS origin is a library established in 1880s in Britain. NIS is a government funded organization. NIS purpose is to give educators and others a verity of resources and information. The values of the source is, The source has beneï ¬ ts of hindsight; this is because they  wrote this a long time after the event, which makes them less likely to have strong emotions that will make them biased. The source was written long after the event, it has a grater ability to see turning points/ key event. This source has credibility, because it was written by academic authority. The limitation of the source is that it is not ï ¬ rst hand, meaning that facts could be changed or interpreted differently over time. This source might be bias, because it is a british government funded organization, the government might want good things to be said. In my option overall TIS is a trustworthy source because it is government funded, meaning information is checked. Notes Women at work -During the ï ¬ rst year of the war, there was a lot of unemployment. -Women now took over menÊ ¼s jobs. -Even though women enjoyed working and earning money on their own, life for them was not easy. -Women worked long hours, plus they had to care for their children Summary: WW1 affected women in the home front because it changed the role of women, it changed the daily lives of women, and how the society looked at womenÊ ¼s roles in general. How did war world 1 impact women at the home front during the war? Sources http:// www.nationalarchives.go v.uk/education/ homefront/women/ factories/default.htm (December,11,12) O.P.V.L The National Archives, is a reliable source because it is a source which provides detailed information and reliable government sources. The origin is Great Britain, published in 2006. The purpose of the source is to â€Å"Provide many resources and documents for members of the public as well as professionals.† The value of the source is hindsight; this is because they wrote this a long time after the event, which makes them less likely to have strong emotions that will make them biased. The source was written long after the event, it has a greater ability to see turning points/ key event. This source has credibility because it was written by academic authority (government library). The source is published, meaning that it was checked for accuracy many times. The limitation of the source is that the source is not ï ¬ rst hand meaning that facts could be changed or interpreted differently over time. This source might be bias, because it is a british online library, the sources in the library might take sides. Overall this source is reliable because it has a wide range of government supported sources. Notes -Although women worked  in factories before. There was a big increases when the war started. -When men were called to the home front women were there to replace them. -Women did many different kinds of work. -they worked in the chemical and explosive industry,made shells and bombs, electrical cable and wire, uniforms, clothing etc.. -Around 7 million women were employed during the war. -Many women never worked before and had to learn how to cope with it all. (e.x. coping with working and taking care of their family) -Some had to travel far to work. -Some had to work part time so they could look after their children. -Some work for women was dangerous and risky. Summary: WW1 affected women in the home front because it gave women a change to showed a different side of women (e.g. how they are able to work and balance life.) Reï ¬â€šection on action plan: I thought I did a overall good job on my reï ¬â€šection plan. I thought I organized my reï ¬â€šection plan well. I like how I colored coded the plan and added check boxes next to the task. This helped me to stay organized and to see my progress. I thought overall I did a good job with keeping up with my reï ¬â€šection plan. Except for 2 days where I did not complete the OPVl. But ended up completing them the next couple of days. I think the action plan did help me with this task. It kept me organized and on task.

In What Ways Did Religion and Economics Influence the Development of Medieval Europe and Japan?

God’s laws told them that they were equal to the King. The archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls were freeman that could not be taken or imprisoned, outlawed or exiled or ruined unless by lawful judgments. General of injustice’s would cause the souls of them and the souls of their ancestors and successors to burn in all eternity. 2) How did the Magna Carta limit the power of King John? According to the Magna Carta: the king could no longer collect taxes from the English people unless the Great Council agreedany free man who was brought to trial for a crime had the right to be judged by his equals, rather than the king or his officials; this is what we know as a jurylegal decisions were also now influenced by the judges’ interpretation of previous court decisions; this made rulings more consistent so that the same crime couldn’t be punished in two different waysthe king himself now had to obey the laws of England; this was a brand new idea: that even the king was not above obeying the law3) How did the Magna Carta lay the foundation for democracy? Many of the ideas first written in the Magna Carta would later form the basis of modern democracy. It was the first document to limit the powers of the monarchy. This would influence the democratic idea of a system of checks and balances to keep one pie ce of the government (such as the president) from having too much power. It also established rights for everyday people and influenced the content of other documents that protect the rights of citizens, such as the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution Another result of the Magna Carta was the establishment of the first English parliament. It created the Great Council, a group of 25 barons that the king was supposed to consult when he made a decision. This planted the seeds of a parliamentary government where the power was shared between the ruling monarch and the people, and the people had a voice. Later, Philip IV of France would use a similar idea in 1302 to establish the Estates-General. This was an assembly of noblemen, clergy, and townspeople that was also useful in uniting France under one national identity.

Industrialization dbq essays

Industrialization dbq essays In the early 19th century, as industrialization began to take place in America, the lives of American citizens changed drastically. Manufacturing was becoming a greater part of the economy than agriculture, and transportation was changing the ways of life for everyone. By the middle of the 19th century, U.S. manufacturing surpassed agriculture in value, and by the end of the century, it was the worlds leader. For some people, this change was great, but for others, it only led to more hardships. Inventions from the late 18th century provided for the factory systems that were to be used in the early 1800s. The ideas of Samuel Slater, who used British secrets to help develop American industry, contributed to the factory system very greatly. In the 1820s, New England became the countrys leading manufacturing center because of the areas abundant waterpower to operate new machinery, and its good seaports for shipping goods. The decline of New Englands overseas industry made money available for manufacturing. Other northern states such as New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania followed the example made by New England. The factory system quickly began to expand. This expansion led to more jobs for people, more consumer goods, and less imports. In this way, the expansion benefited the colonies. At first, it was hard to find workers for the mills and factories, because factories had to compete with the lure of cheap land in the West. Textile mills in Lowell, Massachusetts recruited young farm women and housed them in company dormitories. Many factories looked at the Lowell System as an example, and manufacturers began to employ young children. These girls were fed, housed, and there were even parties thrown for them. Aside from this good treatment, the regulations in Lowell were strict. They were not to be absent from their work without consent of the overseer, and they were engaged to the system for...

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Strategic Management - Essay Example An organization performs poorly when there is low climax in the cyclical marketplace. In order to augment the demand for services and products in mature markets, companies will result into restructuring. Through restructuring, an organization anticipates enhancing of the products or services in the market. Mature product marketplaces are a factor of all product lifecycles. After the initial fast growth period is complete, sales will persist to increase but at a slower rate (Thompson & Martin 2010, p. 383). Predicaments associated with mature markets comprise; increased threat of rivals capturing market share, slower expenditure recovery, and risk of products budging into the decline phases of product lifecycle. Once entire product marketplaces go into maturity, there is petite scope for expansion through innovation since the marketplace is already saturated. However, it is significant for every technology based corporations to retain research and expansion expenditure with an aim of sustaining a competitive advantage and keeping up with rivals. In a mature market, possibilities for expansion become significantly limited; alternatives comprise exploiting fresh markets and tactics to endeavor capturing rivals’ marketplace share. Maturity of markets increases the significance of brand names. Caterpillar has an advantage of a tremendously well established and globally known product name (Thompson & Martin 2010, p. 385). Until 1990, the organizational structure of Caterpillar paid attention to functional areas for instance accounting, manufacturing and engineering. The notion was that if every functional area attained its objectives and goals, the client would be satisfied and the firm prosperous. In mid-1990, the company... This paper stresses that the positive effects exceeded the negative effects on performance since the introduction of fresh performance measures and restructuring of the organization resulted to enhancement of the market, financial and productive performance of the company. The development of fresh performance assessment measures a reorganization of business units enabled Caterpillar to achieve its chief goals. The restructuring and execution of the fresh performance assessment system enabled Caterpillar to increase flexibility, responsiveness and customer focus. This report makes a conclusion that Caterpillar Inc. is the global dominant producer of mining and construction equipment, industrial gas turbines, natural gas and diesel engines, and diesel-electric trains. The corporation is also a dominant services provider through Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Financial and Progress Rail. In 1990s, the company initiated restructuring process in order to enhance its performance. The restructuring process was largely influenced by the fact Caterpillar products were operating in mature and cyclical markets. The new strategy, which was adopted by the company in 1990s positively, transformed the financial, market and productive performance. However, the new strategy had negative spillover effects on the performance of the company although the impact was not substantial. In 2010, the company adopted a new business tactic, which has enhanced its performance and competitiveness especially in developing economies.

LEAN MANAGEMENT FEASIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS Assignment

LEAN MANAGEMENT FEASIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS - Assignment Example Such factors as lack of profit motivation, political issues in the hierarchy, scepticism and doubts about willingness to support lean management by the leaders, and even legal impediments can cause failures in the implementation of lean management as it is often understood to mean reduction in personnel and jobs. Assuming there is no law preventing lay-offs for public sector workers, the leadership may consider the strategy. Another assumption would be the fact that a Collective Bargaining Agreement with a labor union can permit lay-offs. In situations wherein lean management is possible, careful study of the implications of that strategy would have to be done. Research findings have identified dangerous negative results like lower quality of public services and loss of capability to be more competitive given a change in requirements for more competitive services, and the long term problems for public workers who will be obliged to shoulder additional tasks due to manpower reductions . Lean management can work if there are no legal impediments and if the available workforce will have the skills and capabilities to takeover some jobs not frequently required. Thus, careful preparations, training, and knowledge dissemination to tap all other alternative means to improve performance in order to reduce cost and expenses thereby reducing budget requirement before resorting to job cuts – all these should be done. Cooperation of leaders and followers will be needed for the successful implementation of lean management strategy. The organization’s culture will have to be ready for changes. Table of Contents Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 1. Scenario Description 2. Lean Management Defined 3. Objectives of the Business Research & Report Methods†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Results†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 1. Limitations of Lean Management 1.1 Adequate Manpower Capacity to Perform with Good Performance 1.2 Must Consider Short Run & Long Run Impact 1.3 Manpower Knowledge & Awareness of Urgency for Change 2. Implementation Challenges in Public Organizations: Nine (9) Factors 3. Why Projects in Public Sectors Failed 4. Warnings Against Unprepared Implementations of Lean Management 5. Pre-requisites for Successful I mplementation 5.1 Adequate Knowledge for Proper Implementation 5.2 Adequate Capacity for Good Performance 5.3 Leadership Participation & Workforce Cooperation 5.4 Short-to-Long Term Consequences Foreseen to be Good Conclusions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..11 Appendix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..15 Introduction The CEO has requested for a careful study of the Lean Management process for a public organization in order to evaluate the impact and feasibility of implementing it as a way of initiating improvements to arrive at cost reduction while having better work performance. Lean Management is a comprehensive system of getting things done by learning from past experiences, eliminating unnecessary activities, costs, and expenses, and then continuously improving processes in order to do more with less

How to become a police in the United Arab Emirates Research Paper

How to become a police in the United Arab Emirates - Research Paper Example On May 6, 1976, the Armed Forces of the seven United Arabs Emirates became unified. The union merged the Sharjah National Guard, Abu Dhabi Defence Force, Mobile Force of Ras al Khaimah, and then the Dubai Defence Force together with the other emirates’ small protection forces. The union was a great achievement for the United Arabs Emirates – it helped the nation become a ‘contemporary institutional state’. Statistics from the United State’s Department of State indicate that at present, the United Arabs Emirates’ Armed Forces consist of approximately fifty-thousand active-duty military units, with roughly two thousand five hundred in the Navy and four thousand in the Air Force (Thomas par. 7-8).Role of the Police and Security Apparatus in the United Arab EmiratesThe duty of the national police officers of the United Arabs Emirates entails maintaining public order, preventing and investigating crimes, and taking care of the lives as well as guar ding national and individual possessions of citizens. They have the responsibility of ensuring that citizens obey the state’s laws and regulations. It is the responsibility of police officers to maintain law and order, to stop individuals from engaging in any criminal activity, and to arrest offenders. Police officer jobs are of various kinds and the main police divisions include civil defense, criminal investigation, emergency police, traffic, immigration, nationality and passports, courts-martial, trials, and prisons.

The Cause of Drug Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Cause of Drug Abuse - Essay Example Additionally, it is possible to treat drug addiction and enable people to go back to their normal lives. Drug addiction can be considered as a chronic disease that causes obsessive behavior in spite of the negative consequences to the individual and those around them. It leads to changes in the structure and functioning of the brain (Allen 67). Many individuals indulge in drug abuse voluntarily at first, and lose self control overtime, thus negatively influencing their lifestyle. Some root causes of drug abuse include curiosity, exposure to drug addiction from media and friends, genetic predisposition to addiction, lack of self-esteem and depression. According to a famous saying, â€Å"curiosity killed the cat.† This is true in the case of drug abuse (Lowinson 48). People addicted to drugs are curious about its effect on them. They think that drugs can be so much fun. With it, they can be someone else because they can do things they cannot do when they are not under the influence of drugs. The media serves as one of the most influential factors to the way people behave nowadays. According to Castillo (48), the media portrays drug abuse as similar to being cool. For instance, pop artists who have the most number of fans are those who look or were reported to be drug users (e.g., Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, etc. Conversely, there are a few people who can serve as role models in the contemporary society. Peer pressure is also among the leading causes of drug abuse in the contemporary society (Lowinson 48). This is especially true for young people who use drugs to feel cool, fit in a certain group and impress their friends. For example, if one’s friends smoke marijuana or engage in alcoholism, there is a big chance that the person will take part in similar behavior just to be accepted. Peer pressure is the urge to do what one’s friends are doing is very common among teenagers who are desperate to impress their friends and be accepted in a

Furthering Emotional Intelligence through Video Games

Furthering Emotional Intelligence through Video Games The field of serious digital learning games that aim to develop players empathy along with their cognitive competencies has made tremendous strides in the past decade. Today, virtual simulations and video games for social change have much to offer the field of education. Even though the benefits of these offerings are still making themselves apparent, a growing number of teachers are trying to stay on the front-end. Many teachers are experimenting with new ways to connect with students through the very same technologies that occupy hours of young peoples leisure time. Teachers are increasingly interested in whether and how digital games and simulations might contribute to civic engagement and action. If video gaming and virtual simulations are so appealing to young people, how can we better harness these forms of entertainment to foster emotional intelligence and empathy so that students can exhibit a more caring and active response to relevant social issues? How can computerized sim ulation games help foster global empathy and interest in global civic learning/action? How might simulations help learners to empathize and identify with the lives of global Others? These are just a few questions that contribute to classroom learning in significant ways. Before considering the value of video games and virtual simulations in relation to empathy, it is important to recognize why empathy should be taught in schools. In our era of globalization, there is a growing need to educate for global citizenship, especially as people across the globe become more and more connected. A true global citizen values empathy and the ability to understand other people across borders and cultural divides. As a significant factor of being human, empathy is often defined as an emotional state that involves feeling in oneself the feelings of others. Empathy is emerging as an especially significant disposition for global citizenship because it enables us to perceive the world through others perspectives, experience the emotions of others, and communicate and act in ways that consider others views and needs (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 438). As adults, we come to see ourselves not only as citizens of our local community, country, or ethno-cultural group, but also a s global citizens willing and able to empathize with other peoples and their situations elsewhere in the world. While students can certainly learn about the plight of disadvantaged peoples around the world, adding empathy to the learning experience helps them retain and relate to this knowledge in a more profound way: emotion plays a variety of important roles in thinking and learning. First, when we are processing information, we store it more deeply and integrate with our prior knowledge better when that new information has an emotional charge for us, when we feel something is at stake or matters (Gee, 2008, p. 35). In addition, just as empathy can be used to increase understanding of various global issues, the more students are asked to analyze and relate to global issues through the eyes of an Other, the deeper their empathic response becomes. As a result, empathy is a key component of social justice education. If a primary goal of social justice education is to cultivate a responsibility to take action, then we cannot truly teach social justice without empathy. Social justice education is based on a need to identify and change structural inequalities and disparities worldwide. An effective way to teach this is to provide students with opportunities to not only gain contextual knowledge but also have experiences that create empathic insights into the lives of people who are oppressed. Segal (2011) believes that when there is a shared definition of the empathic insights into discrimination, injustice, or inequality, individuals are better able and more willing to take action that promotes social justice (p. 268). Therefore, the capacity to experience empathy through a true contextual lens deepens our understanding of the society we live in and compels us to feel a social responsibility that can result in social justice. Segal (2011) states that exposing children to others who are different f rom themselves gives them an opportunity to practice affect sharing or mirroring and self/other-awareness while at the same time enhancing their awareness and understanding of different social conditions (p. 274). This awareness, in conjunction with empathy, can lead to a greater desire to take action for social change. Video games and virtual simulations are a simple and effective vehicle to connect students to the lives of people from various social groups. These tools are effective in promoting empathy within a social justice context because they feature compelling narratives that draw players into a given situation. The power of narrative thus serves as a fundamental aspect of educational gaming: Narrative-centered learning environments afford significant opportunities for students to participate in motivating story-based educational experiences. Virtual characters can engage users in a variety of task-oriented educational and entertainment roles. Fantasy contexts in educational games have been shown to provide motivational benefits to learning. Because of the power of story to draw audiences into compelling plots and rich settings through the promotion of suspension of disbelief and increased story involvement, narrative can contribute to learning in important ways. (McQuiggan et al, 2008, p. 1511) Besides hooking students into a story, narrative-based games invite players to adopt the point of view of a person who may be very different from the players own self, which then results in a number of judgments about the Other being altered, as the player exercises empathy: By encouraging us to exercise our moral imagination, we develop our capacity to more fully put ourselves in another persons situations and thus those different to ourselves in circumstance, identity or practice can no longer be dehumanized or Other-ised as disgusting or subhuman' (McRobie, 2014, n.p.). Narrative-based games and simulations forge connections between humans from different parts of the planet, and the player can learn to better identify with and understand the plight of someone whom he or she may never otherwise meet in real life. Furthermore, this role-playing facet of gaming, with all of its imaginative capacity, can result in better identification with the Other as empathy continues to develop in the player: Empathy may be further developed when a player not only takes the perspective of another, but also begins to identify with the character represented (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 440). Increased identification with the media character has further benefit, as Bachen et al. (2012) explain that this leads to greater attention to and retention of messages associated with those characters (p. 440). As a result, educators can exploit games and virtual simulations because they not only connect students to various peoples across the globe, but ultimately can result in deeper learning because students become immersed in their learning and take more away with them by the end of the experience. A key difference between traditional written narratives (stories, novels, etc.) and virtual simulations is the ability to simulate (and virtually live) a real-life experience that a student would otherwise only read about. Video games and virtual simulations open up the possibility to interact with a time and place that can be worlds away: a virtual world provides an experience set within a technological environment that gives the user a strong sense of being there (Warburton, 2009, p. 415). Because of their narrative feature, videos games and virtual simulations present players with a character that they adopt, while living out a set of experiences from the perspective of the character (Gee, 2008). They allow for exposure to authentic content and culture and allow for reproduction of contexts that cannot be reproduced easily in real life: Most games for change simulate real physical casualties so that the player develops an awareness of a situation where war and genocide may be cent ral to everyday life (Huang and Tettagah, 2010, p. 138). This, in turn, allows students to experience complex and potentially dangerous situations without risk, virtually adopting the perils of the characters life, while simultaneously feel[ing] sympathy and/or empathy for the characters in the game (Huang and Tettagah, 2010, p. 138). Raphael et al. (2010) propose that [r]ole playing games permit players to explore institutional, geographical, and temporal settings that would otherwise be inaccessible, allowing players to learn from the consequences of choices made in the world of the game that would be impractical or dangerous to experience directly (p. 200). Within this role-playing context, players exercise agency, as they are given the freedom to experiment according to their own goals. Players are permitted to do and act according to their own judgments. This experimentation can help the player better understand the potential consequences of certain actions or choices. In virtu ally living out the consequences, the player is more likely to empathize with the character in the situation, which hopefully will lead to increased understanding of inequities around the world and the need for action to address issues of social justice. To put my discussion of game-playing, empathy and social justice into an educational context, I would like to present three examples of virtual simulations and video games that can be used in classrooms to encourage empathy and action. The first is called Real Lives (http://www.educationalsimulations.com/), a simulation game designed for middle and high school students in which the player is born into a life from any country in the world. For instance, students can experience life as a peasant farmer in Bangladesh, a factory worker in Brazil, a policeman in Nigeria, or a computer operator in Poland. As players adopt the perspective of the given identity, they apply knowledge to solve real problems while comparing different value systems as they play the game. Students must make a variety of decisions that involve work opportunities, financial standing, health, marriage and family life, and participation in civil society. The game prompts players to engage in ethical reflection, alway s in the context of challenges or opportunities prevalent to the given country (based on real-world statistics for the countrys poverty rate, infant mortality rate, and so on) (Raphael et al, 2010, p. 216). The efficacy of this game in creating empathic insights is evidenced by Bachen et al.s (2012) study, which did show that Real Lives had a considerable effect on players development of global empathy: Comparing students who played the game with those who participated in an alternate computer-assisted learning activity, we found that playing the simulation game was associated with significantly higher levels of global empathy (Bachen et al., 2012, p. 450). Games like Real Lives are well suited to developing personal responsibility or character. Raphael states games for social change lend themselves to exploring individual ethics rather than the ethics of institutions or society although they still introduce students to the dynamics of large-scale structures that shape lives giving them little power to alter those structures but demanding ethical evaluation of them (p. 219). As in Real Lives, games of responsibility can also force players to grapple with the question of how to live a good life in a society that may be imperfect and unjust (Raphael et al, 2010, p. 221). A second virtual simulation video game that evokes player empathy is Darfur is Dying (http://darfurisdying.com/). This online game is based on the genocide in Sudan and is described by the games developers as a narrative-based simulation where the user, from the perspective of the displaced Darfurian, negotiates forces that threaten the survival of his or her refugee camp. It offers a faint glimpse of what its like for the more than 2.5 million who have been internally displaced by the crisis in Sudan (http://www.darfurisdying.com/aboutgame.html). I have used this game in my classroom teaching with grade seven students and have observed that many enjoy the experience because of the game-based challenges that students must be overcome as their characters risk their lives to protect their village while still seeking to maintain survival. Huang and Tettegah (2010) state that the goals of the developers and instructional designers of Darfur is Dying include raising awareness so that the player/user shares fear, empathy, and other emotions associated with victims of war. Darfur is Dying was developed with goals to educate, provide support and inspire (p. 142). Characters depict actual situations that occur in real life, summoning the players emotive capacity as s/he virtually becomes a displaced Darfurian who must take serious risks while completing seemingly mundane daily tasks, such as gathering food and water. I use this game in my classroom with the hope that students develop empathy for the character, based on the experiences portrayed in the game, and that this leads to cultural awareness and a deeper human connection to the peoples of Sudan. In other words, empathy becomes the main learning outcome as opposed to acquiring specific content. Finally, Against All Odds (http://www.playagainstallodds.ca/) is a third internet-based video game simulation for social change that can be used to teach empathy within a social justice framework. The game was developed by the United Nations Refugee Agency and is designed to teach 12- to 15-year-old players about the plight of refugees. Players take on the role of a refugee, and play through stages, from depiction of persecution and flight from their native country to eventual integration into a foreign country as an asylum seeker. I find this game particularly pertinent today, especially in view of our current political climate and the displacement of Syrian refugees. Many students are hearing about these issues in the news and in discussions at home, but do not fully understand what it means to be a refugee, the struggles refugees face, and how individual citizens in Canada might be able to aid in this situation. Raphael et al. (2010) argue that virtual simulation games that promot e empathy, such as Against All Odds, can encourage students to seek out more knowledge beyond the game and make efforts to act rather than merely observe: playing or developing games may increase students motivation to learn and drive them to consult sources outside the game, inspire critical reflection on history and politics and how they are represented, provide multiple viewpoints on contested events and ideas, allow players to draw on distributed knowledge and develop skills in leadership and collective action that can be used to tackle real-world political problems, or afford opportunities to explore ethical choices and develop empathetic understanding by projecting oneself through an avatar into places and times otherwise inaccessible. (p. 200) My ultimate goal in using video game simulations such as Against All Odds is to promote civic action. It is not enough for students to know about a problem, empathize with those affected, and then go on living their normal lives without further reflection. I hope that the empathy that is established by the game playing incites students to take action, even in a small way, so that they understand that global citizenship is an active task and that we are each individually responsible for the Other. Given that a fundamental part of social justice is developing a community of citizens who take action, it is important that students who play video game simulations such as Real Lives, Dying in Darfur, and Against All Odds are provided with an outlet to both show understanding of empathy and take action. The question that remains for me is what can students do with this experience? Based on their experiences playing one or more virtual simulation games, students can now create their own video game simulations presenting a day in the life of a refugee of their choosing. Using online software called Twine, students can create a narrative that allows players to choose various paths, much like a choose-your-own-adventure book. As students create their game, they demonstrate an understanding of the daily struggles faced by a particular refugee, thus exhibiting empathy for lives of people who may be very different from themselves. In order to make this task an activist one, my middle-schoo l students will be asked to create their game for a younger student in our neighbouring elementary school. This allows students to do something with what they have learned, and as they share the game with a younger child, they take on the role of educator and active citizen. Social justice video games can provide real opportunity for reflection and learning in todays classrooms. For teachers who wish to engage students in learning about real world issues, or who are seeking alternative resources to enhance student learning, pairing young peoples interest in games with a serious social justice topic has the potential to result in powerful educational experiences. The narrative component of virtual simulation games is a real hook that can entice students to learn about the lives of people around the world, and the interactive features require students to both become the character while exercising agency to solve authentic civic problems. The problem-solving aspect of these virtual games puts students in the shoes of the Other, allowing them to better understand hardships and hopefully strongly empathize with a life that may otherwise seem distant and irrelevant. While video game simulations are not a magic solution to increasing student engagement or devel oping empathy, they certainly can be a great tool that allows students to realize that they play an important role in making change around the world.

MBA Admissions Essay -- MBA Admissions Essay

MBA Admissions Essay After graduation from KOREA University, I decided to enter Hyndai MotorCompany(HMC), which is the largest Korean car manufacturer and global player, to pursue a career as an international businessman. In January 1991, I joined Domestic Finance Team of HMC. My specific assignment was to plan monthly and annual financial schedules for HMC's domestic funding needs. About two years later, in January of 1993, I was transferred to Retail Finance Team from Domestic Finance Team and responsible for financing by the sales and factoring of Car Receivables. First Challenge the expertise for strategy formulation implementation within a changing business environment. In May 1994, I was selected as a member of Task Force Team that prepare to set up HMC's own finance company. During my six-month assignment, I worked under pressured time constraints. After lots of conflicts with Ministry of Finance and Economy, we got government approval in late 1994. This opportunity provided me with valuable experience in every aspect of business and team experience. Working with the extremely qualified and professional upper management was valuable in shaping my career goals. Especially, during my business trip to Hyundai Motor Finance Company in CA, USA, the international exposure increased my confidence and desire to pursue a career in international business. After the expiration of the Task Force, I was given the option between joining the newly established Finance Company and remaining in HMC. At that time, International Finance Team(IFT) offe red to work together with them. I accepted the proposal because I wanted to further expand my international exposure. Second Challenge the enhancement of the global perspective and strategic vision required to successfully compete in a globalized business setting. In January 1995, I was trasferres to IFT and took over two jobs of financing Foreign Direct Investment and Investor Relations. In march 1995, HMC was planning the biggest foreign direct investment in India ever since the failure in canada, and I, together with my two subordinates, was responsible for project. Despite the fact that only three months had passes after taking a new position. I could carry out the complicated processes on the project. partly owning to the past force team experience. Third Challenge : Throughout my wor... ... The program is clearly not a perfect substitute for experience, but I believe it would program would also allow me to further research my business ideas through the experiences of my peers, independent study, and related summer employment. This would let me have a deep understanding, as I hope, of financial and other market structures, competitiveness, and other factors that a consultant needs take into account when recommending whether to pursue a career as an international business consultant. My long-term professional aspiration is to enter the field of international management consulting. A MBA from your school in interdisciplinary studies will enhance my understanding of all aspects of business. This will contribute significantly to becoming effective in the consulting profession. I am extremely enthusiastic about the future of International Business. I believe that there are major breakthroughs yet to be made in the field. After completing a MBA in your school, I hope to gain practical experience and exposure with a major international business firms. Eventually, I wish to establish my own consulting company providing various financial and managerial services.

Renaissance Architecture as the Pinnacle of Genius Or Brunelleschi’s Dome

Architecture is the evolution of beauty in the fourth dimension. Art has continuously been about the creation of something beautiful, intrepid, and ingenious. Although there are many great art movements such as Baroque, Pop Art, Gothic, Avant-Guard, none are more striking in architecture as that of the Renaissance era. With the Renaissance convalescence to beauty, the color combination and the presence of the classical nude incorporated into a lot of the decor, it is with the Renaissance art era that art history was witness to the best possible architecture. The following essay will seek to prove this point using the geniuses of the Renaissance period and using their works as examples of this thesis. The Renaissance took its cue from the elegant forms of architecture and beauty from the Greeks and Romans. The idea of symmetry and shapes and elegance are staple features in Renaissance architecture. Thus, a viewer can see a lot of Rome represented in the Renaissance architecture such as columns, pediments, arches and domes. It was through Vitruvius’s writings on architecture that inspired many Renaissance artists to embrace the Roman ideal of beauty, harmony, and symmetry (Architecture in Renaissance Italy paragraph one). This is Vitruvius’s idea of symmetry as is presented in Renaissance architecture and conceptualized by Vitruvius in the human body, The measurement pertaining to the body being designated by headlengths is emphasized by Vitruvius in this manner, â€Å"For the human body is so designed by nature that the face, from the chin to the top of the forehead and the lowest roots of the hair, is a tenth part of the whole height; the open hand from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger is just the same†¦The other members, too, have their own symmetrical proportions, and it was by employing them that the famous painters and sculptors of antiquity attained to great and endless renown† (72). Some of the famous architects of the Renaissance era included Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Battista Alberti and Palladio. Each had their own style and power to not only engineer great feats of architectural beauty but to also bring forth their vision of classical Roman design with symmetr y as the focal point. Though Vitruvius speaks of symmetry his nature of the term also gives leeway, â€Å"Therefore, since nature has designed the human body so that its members are duly proportioned to the frame as a whole, it appears that the ancients had good reason for their rule, that in perfect buildings the different members must be in exact symmetrical relations to the whole general scheme† (73). This is especially seen in Brunelleschi’s brilliant masterpiece the dome of the Florence Cathedral or duomo as the Italians call it. The genius of the duomo was that it is a dome built within a dome. Bruniselleschi realized the weight issue of this dome, and thought that another structure to hold most of the weight would allow for the architecture to last longer without future engineering. Along with the genius of building this dome within a dome, Brunelleschi also used less material at the top of the dome where the oculus is located in order for the issue of weight to have less of a detrimental effect on the design, â€Å"As the total weight of the structure was thereby lightened, he could dispense with the massive and costly wooden trusswork required by the older method of construction† (Janson 1997, 419). Among Brunelleschi’s other major accomplishments and contributions to architecture is he renewal of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns in their proper places. Another recognized accomplishment of Brunelleschi is his system of proportions; although his architecture seems simple to the layman, his intricacies lie within his use of appropriate measurement inducing harmony in his overall structure such as the Ospedale degli Innocenti. This modular cube building is pristine in its measurements between columns, and the height and space are especially p roportioned (Architecture in Renaissance Italy paragraph two). There is a definite sense of these elements intermingling in architecture so much so that the physical is being eclipsed by the virtual and when this happens the most important element of architecture which will lead the evolution is light. The Renaissance was an era of individuals. The art movement occurred in the 1400s at which time the world was succumbing to great travesties. The one hundred years war was happening, the bubonic plague had killed at least 50% of the population among such countries as France, Germany and England, but Italy was spared. Due to Italy’s political system, which is a series of city republic states with not king, no true peasant class, and so there is room for social mobility, and capitalism has made the culture a commercial society. Merchants, such as the Medici’s, ran this commercial society and all of these circumstances put together gives way for the Renaissance, â€Å"In 1419, while he was working out the final plans for the Cathedral dome, Brunelleschi received his first opportunity to create buildings entirely of his own design. It came from the head of the Medici family, one of the leading merchants and bankers of Florence, who commissioned him to add a sacristy to the Romanesque church of S. Lorenzo† (Janson 1997, 419). . In order for artists to have observed the world around them, leisure time must have been pursued and because Italy did not so entirely succumb to the great plague, the entire culture was left to flourish. They flourished in everything, mostly art. This era of individuals allowed for self-made millionaires who would commission artists to create whatever they wanted. One of the main contributors to the Renaissance was the Church. The ability of a Renaissance artist to create and invent hinged on the indulgence of the commissioner. Thus, many great religious art works were also the focal point of the artist. , and so, by observing the world around them Renaissance artists created a plethora of religious structures. By seeing the world around them and inventing necessary objects with which to engage in that world or to improve life, Renaissance artists proved that invention was key in discovering the world. Thus, the Renaissance did not only give the world great art, but the artistic genius and fortitude to create great monuments and inventions. By simple observation, artists such as Brunelleschi could give the world new forms of sculpture, architecture, and design implementations involving grand scale construction. Observation is the key to artistic genius, and it is through observation that art and invention collide. The genius of Brunelleschi was able to flourish because of religion. His work on the duomo was not limited to just the architecture, but the engineering as well, â€Å"Instead of having building materials carried up on ramps to the required level, he designed hoisting machines† (Janson 1997, 419). Thus, not only was architecture thriving but also other avenues of art such as engineering. It was financial freedom which lead to the greatness of the duomo, and Brunelleschi’s stamp in art history.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 26

I spent the night at the lake again, but this time I didnt sleep. Instead I sat along the bank, listening to the world hum around me as though I was an audience member at a musical show. Frogs croaked melodically, blowing out their chests with proud puffs. Fish swam to the lakes surface to gulp down the water bugs that hovered there, then dived back down to the depths with soft flips of their tails. Birds flew overhead in V formation, and small animals rustled through the reeds, chasing one another as they ferreted out their next meal. Then came the grand finale as the sun, an enormous, watery orb, rose to its place of prominence in the sky, signaling that it was the all-powerful king and Earth was its subject. As I sat there, watching the one thing that could kill me in an instant if it werent for the ring Katherine gave me, a sense of calm rippled through my body. The world was beautiful and magical and I was lucky to still have a place in it. Grabbing a perfectly round, flat stone, I stood and looked out over the water. I closed my eyes.If it skips four times, everything will be okay.Then I let the stone soar. It skipped once twice three times â€Å"Four skips! Impressive!† a voice cheered, followed by enthusiastic clapping. I turned around just as Callie leaped into my arms. â€Å"Youre in a good mood,† she said with a smile. â€Å"I am. And its all thanks to you.† She tucked her arm through mine. â€Å"In that case, I know just how you can thank me!† I felt her pulse beating through my coat, and her blood smelled nearly irresistible. But the stone had skipped four times, so I bent down to kiss her. Callie and I spent all day together, and then I slept at the lake again. When I arrived home the following day at dusk, I found a pile of clothes, including the black trousers and gray coat Id modeled for Lexi, on the floor outside my room. On top of the pile was a note, written in block handwriting. Follow your heart. You're lucky you still have one. I scooped the bundle up into my arms, touched, relieved, and a little bit sad all at once. I changed into a blue chambray shirt and white trousers and slicked my hair back in the mirror. I looked like any young man preparing for a rendezvous with a pretty girl. I just wished it were that simple. I crept down the stairs, waiting for someone to jump out of the shadows to stop me–to tell me my plan would never work. But I made it all the way down and then through the kitchen and out the backdoor without that happening. Once outside, I walked the two miles to Laurel Street with my hands in my pockets, whistling the strains of â€Å"God Save the South.† I paused to pick a white magnolia from a bush in front of a peach-colored mansion at the bottom of Callies street. â€Å"Stefan!† an urgent whisper came from behind the tree at the bottom of the Gallagher driveway. Callie stepped into view. Her hair was loose and flowing down her back, and she was wearing a white nightdress trimmed in eyelet lace, just like the first time Id seen her, except that this time she was standing close enough to me that I could see that although she was wearing a heavy gray woolen shawl, she wasnt wearing a petticoat. I turned away, suddenly shy. â€Å"Stefan,† Callie murmured, brushing my arm with her fingers. â€Å"Are you ready?† â€Å"Yes,† I said. I took the flower and tucked it behind her ear. She smiled. â€Å"Youre such a gentleman.† â€Å"And youre beautiful,† I responded, reaching out to push a strand of hair behind her ear. Her tresses were as soft as rose petals and smelled of honey. I wanted to stay there forever, watching her breath form puffs of air in front of me. â€Å"Callie † I began, when the bells of a distant church chimed suddenly into the frosty air. Twelve bells. Midnight. The witching hour. â€Å"Its time,† Callie said. â€Å"Jaspers shift lasts until twelve thirty, but I can tell him youre there to relieve him early. That will buy us some time. Once the second guard shows up, youll be long gone. But we have to hurry.† She sounded very sure of herself, but her trembling lip gave away her emotions. I wanted to throw my arms around her, tuck her into bed, and whisper â€Å"sweet dreams† in her ear. But I, a vampire, was relying on this child to protect me. Callie knit her fingers together as if in silent prayer. Then she nodded and gave me a wan smile. â€Å"Dont be scared,† she said, pressing her palm into mine. But I could feel her heart thumping at a gallop from the pulse points in her palm. She led me through the iron gates and around the gravel driveway, and opened a nondescript door on the side of the house. â€Å"Be quiet,† Callie commanded, as my eyes adjusted to the dark. Unlike the rest of the house, with its polished marble and gleaming oak, this entrance was strictly utilitarian, designed for servants to have easy access to the storage space in the attic without disturbing the residents of the house. A steep staircase, made of unfinished walnut beams, loomed in front of us. Callie cocked her head, listening for something. I followed suit, although my thoughts were buzzing too loudly for me to hear specific words. Suddenly, I heard a scraping sound from the floor above us. Callie glanced at me; shed heard it as well. â€Å"Jasper,† Callie explained. â€Å"We should go up.† She walked up the rickety steps, as I followed quickly behind her. Once we got to the cracked, whitewashed door, she knocked–two quick raps followed by a pause, then a longer one. A lock clicked, and then we heard the scratch of metal against metal as Jasper undid the bolt. Finally, he opened the door, wedging his body next to the edge so we couldnt see inside. â€Å"Well, well, well. Callie and the man who staked the vampire, then ran for his life. To what do we owe the pleasure?† Jasper leered. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to get a glimpse inside the room. â€Å"Hello, Jasper,† Callie said, brushing past him and motioning for me to follow. In the darkness, I could just make out a sizable cage in the corner. A large, unmoving lump lay inside. â€Å"Father needs you in the study. Stefan will take over until the next shift arrives.† â€Å"Meet Jasper in the study?† a loud voice boomed. â€Å"But Im right here.† I froze.Gallagher. Callies father was perched at a rickety table behind the door, a hand of cards laid out in front of him. In the center of the table, a single candle flickered. â€Å"Oh, Father.† Callie giggled. The sound felt forced, out of place. â€Å"I must have been confused. I know youd wanted to play cards tonight, and I suppose I thought youd be more comfortable in the study or † she began, her voice wavering. She licked her lips and sat down at the table across from Gallagher. â€Å"Youre kind to think of me, girl,† Gallagher said gruffly. â€Å"Mr. Gallagher,† I said, bowing slightly. â€Å"I was told to report for duty, but perhaps Im mistaken?† The confusion wasnt hard to feign. Callie had sworn her father would be out of the house. â€Å"Is that right, Jasper?† Gallagher asked. â€Å"Guess it is. He aint bad, that one. A little nervous, but when he sticks em, he sticks em good.† Gallagher nodded, taking in the information. â€Å"And this is that boy you trust, Miss Callie?† Gallagher asked his daughter. Callie nodded, her cheeks reddening under her freckles. Then finally, thankfully, Gallagher stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. â€Å"Well, then, Ill leave you boys to it,† he said, taking his whiskey and following his daughter downstairs. â€Å"So youre Gallaghers guy now, aint you?† Jasper asked, shoving a vervain-soaked stake in my hands. My skin burned, and pain shot through my arms. I fought the urge to growl and clamped down on my tongue. Tensing, I felt the stake with only two fingers, trying to minimize the contact the poisoned wood had with my body. â€Å"Well, I aint going to stick around,† Jasper continued. â€Å"The vampires hungry tonight. Hope he eats you. And while he does that, Im going to spend some time with Miss Callie and her daddy. Show em youre not the only man who can be all friendly and genteel-like,† Jasper said. His movements were loose, and I could smell whiskey on his breath. â€Å"Brother?†I whispered. Damon reared up, fangs bared, causing me to jump back in surprise. He laughed, a hoarse chuckle, then collapsed against the side of the cage, exhausted from the exertion. â€Å"What, brother? Scared of a vampire?† I ignored him as I began wresting the door off the structure. Damon watched in curiosity and then slowly crawled over toward me. He was just reaching out when I felt a searing pain radiate from my spine through my entire body. â€Å"Gotcha!† a voice yelled.