Personal Narrative The Vision Of A New World - 1077 Words

He gave a tiny brushstroke on the side of the train that smeared radiant yellow oil paint across the rusted metal. It was small, but it was bold. Mixing warm colors together, he gave another quick stroke of cadmium red just overlapping the yellow he had laid down. He was never able to afford oil paint before, so on the rare occasion that he could paint with it, he treasured every drop, being meticulous with each application. He didn’t care much for it, but it was necessary to avoid wasting such precious mediums. But now money didn’t exist, so he was free to relish in his strong, quick, impressionistic style. It’s maybe the most interesting thing about me, he thought. Maybe the only interesting thing. Though the world had changed, the†¦show more content†¦He had no significant other, no kids, so he owned a one-bedroom apartment in a large complex. Gazing in the atrium, he could see the silhouette of another tenant, probably retrieving his mail. He conside red waiting outside until the tenant left, sure that they’d attempt conversation, but after awkwardly pacing about outside the door, the tenant made eye contact, smiled, and went outside to greet him anyway. â€Å"Jeremy!† the tenant hollered. â€Å"Hey! I haven’t seen you in a while. What’s up?† it was Leon, who lived on the ground floor. Jeremy had seen him over the past week, but because he lived on the upper floor, he was able to see when he was hanging around and was able to avoid him. â€Å"I’m good,† Jeremy replied. Jeremy wasn’t particularly fond of Leon, who was arrogant and brash. In fact, Jeremy thought he was a bit of a prick. Much like himself, Leon lived alone and was probably in his late twenties or early thirties. â€Å"How’s school?† â€Å"God, it tries my patience some days,† Leon let out an exaggerated sigh. â€Å" I’m jealous of my friends and their four-hour days. But, anyway, we’re still trying to figure things out. We’re thinking a pass-fail system might be best. I was working with middle schoolers last week, but I thought I’d try at kindergarteners this week.† Leon was a job-jumper, and often expressed disbelief at people who actually stayed at their jobs more than a month or two. Jeremy just stared, nodding, even whenShow MoreRelatedEssay on Race and Class in Alice Walkers Color Purple1622 Words   |  7 PagesRace and Class in The Color Purple  Ã‚     Ã‚   An important  Ã‚  juncture in Alice Walkers The Color Purple is reached when Celie first recovers the missing letters from her long-lost sister Nettie. This discovery not only signals the introduction of a new narrator to this epistolary novel but also begins the transformation of Celie from writer to reader. 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Sankofa is an Adinka term from the Ghanaian Twi language, ideologically meaning that people of African descent must â€Å"go back and get it,† with â€Å"it† referring to an essential Afrocentricity necessary to achieve racial, social, and personal, wholenessRead MoreVideo Report : Desmorg Canada753 Words   |  4 Pagesare here to share their story and information to influence Canadians to consider the need for new energy and the source of energy by showing the world what is being lost. This was best illustrated by Boon’s statement, when they tell the audience about what their future looks likes, if the project proceeds. 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The main motif that dominated Matthiass and Elijah PiersonsRead MoreCommunity, Individuals, And Religious Liberty1415 Words   |  6 Pages001059537 Community, Individuals, and Religious Liberty. The end of the 16th century and beginning of 17th century witnessed the departures of various European fleets setting out on their journeys westward to explore the New World. From the Pilgrims, who came to America aboard the Mayflower, to the Puritans, who later came across their sacred â€Å"city upon a hill,† hundreds of thousands of people eagerly set sail across the Atlantic Ocean on the premise of escaping the King’s tyranny and the unchecked

A Critical Literature Review On Highway Asset Management

1.1 Context In this critical literature review I am going to investigate what guidance and information is currently available on the use of recycled content asphalt and research some of the more innovative methods that are being trialled and utilised. The current economic climate in the UK is placing additional pressures on highway authorities to increase efficiency within their capital and operational spends. It has been suggested that using high recycled content asphalt mixes can play a large role in reducing the costs and environmental impacts of highway maintenance plans (Metcalfe, 2016). 1.2 Highway Asset Management With so many stakeholders depending on the roads network, highway asset management plays a pivotal role in any major economy, as without a well maintained and managed infrastructure network, people would not be able to travel easily for work and leisure, products would not be delivered across the country and economic prosperity would suffer. As the most valuable asset owned by the public sector it is crucial that it is managed in transparent and accountable manner (DfT, 2013). The Highway Assest Management Infrastructure Guidance docucment (DfT, 2013) offers the following interpretation of highway asset management: â€Å"A systematic approach to meeting the strategic need for the management and maintenance of highway infrastructure assets through long term planning and optimal allocation of resources in order to manage risk and meet the performanceShow MoreRelatedRenewable And Environmental Friendly Transportation Programs1362 Words   |  6 Pagesextensively encouraged in highway projects in the latest years. Though there are numerous characterizations of what is renewable transportation, there has mostly been a qualitative reports of such plans in precedent efforts and works. The purpose of this paper is to propose an analysis for a low cost and sustainable highway approaches. 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It provides a quick measure of the worthiness of the organization and so becomes easier for organizations to prepare their final accounts as they are able to quickly estimate the value of their assets. Well managed organizations are required to perform regular fixed asset audits. Tracking and managing corporate assets and equipment is a challenge to most organizationsRead MoreEffect of Inventory Management on Organizationa Performance6356 Words   |  26 PagesEFFECT OF INVENTORY MANAGEMENT ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN KENYA. 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Gransberg, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE 3 Abstract: Utility management systems (UMSs) have become more common for government agencies, and their use has recently been advocated by AASHTO on a statewideRead MoreUnderstanding the Infrastructure Industry and How it is Essential for the Growth of Our Nation3335 Words   |  13 Pagestherefore may not be of much help in decision making. †¢ The companies publishing the data may be biased in their approach and hence unreliable. †¢ Lack of prior research studies on the topic -- citing prior research studies forms the basis of your literature review and helps lay a foundation for understanding the research problem you are investigating. Since we did not have much knowledge about the industry it took us time to understand certain concepts. 3.3 Scope The scope of studying this industryRead MoreExternal Environmnet Ducati2575 Words   |  11 PagesAnalysis of External Environment of Ducati (Answer of Q. 2) In classical strategy literature, competitive advantage of a company is generally attributed to the management’s ability to position the company’s assets against some external context (Mintzberg et al, 2005 amp; Juga, 1999). This external context is referred (Porter, 2004) as external environment for a particular company. According to Johnson et al (2008:54), the environment is what gives organisations their means of survival.† So, itRead MoreProject Report on Ratio Analysis on Omax Autos Pvt. Ltd.15967 Words   |  64 PagesTraining Project Report On â€Å"RATIO ANALYSIS† Of OMAX Autos Pvt. Ltd. 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Critically Evaluate the Role of Leaders free essay sample

Critically evaluate the role of leaders and managers contributes to employee motivation and engagement within organisations Introduction As Anderson says (2010), organizational success not only requires project managers not only handle projects, but also lead employees. Managers and leaders must possess knowledge, skills, tools, and experiences therefore employees will to follow them. For organization, to gain and sustain employees can not only create value and high levels of performance, but also as the only vehicle through which an organizational goals are accomplished. More importantly, the best style of leaderships is more than one style; it depends on followers’ needs. As we know that management engages in the process of integrating work activities therefore people can complete work more efficient. According to Mullins (2005), management is a process with enables organizations to set and achieve objectives by planning organization amp; controlling their resources, including their resources, including gaining the commitment of their employee. The process of management involves sets of ongoing decisions and action in which managers engage as they plan, organize, lead and control. As Laurie (2005) says, management strives for high efficiency and high effectiveness. Management exists in different kinds of organization. Organization is more likely a tool used by people by coordinate their different actions to obtain something they desire to. In terms of Otara (2001), a good organization structure does not by itself produce good performance without leaders and mangers. Leaders and managers in organization need to know the main influences on behaviour in work organizations and the nature of the people. According to Otara (2011), managers and leaders in organization are entrusted with employees whom they must work with and through to realize organizational objectives. In organizations, perceptions of leaders, managers and employees shape the climate and effectiveness of the working environment. This paper firstly focus on the critical review the role of leadership and management in supporting employees’ motivation with relevant motivation theory, and then critical review how leaders and managers in achieving employee engagement today. The reason of leaders and mangers in motivating individuals In terms of the study of Robert (2001), a leader or a manager must first be motivated within in order to inspire others to action. A good leader and manager can motivate others can turn a difficult situation into a learning experience. In terms of motivating, Mullins (2005) has identified four common characteristics of motivation. First, motivation is typified as an individual phenomenon. This means that everyone is unique and all the major theories of motivation allow for this uniqueness to be demonstrated in one way or another. Second, motivation is usually as intentional, which means that motivation is assumed to be under the workers’ control and behaviours are influenced by motivation. Third, motivation is multifaceted and the fourth is that motivational theory is to predict behaviour. Motivation concerns action, and the internal and external forces which influence a person’s choice of action. Leadership in supporting individual motivation Leader is the people telling people do the right things and manager is the people who telling people do the things right. Mathis (2007) emphasizes that effective leaders build bridges, which means that a good leader not only connect past but also present future to employees. A good leader is always keeping employee performing at high levels in their work. Moreover, there are two important styles of leadership: transactional and transformational. Transformational is about leaders raise individual’s motivation, while transaction focuses on exchange between leaders and individuals.. Both of Caldwell, Truong, and Tuan (2011) have suggested that transformational leadership require leaders keep a commitment to motivate individuals to achieve excellence. In terms of Mathisen, Einarsen, and Mykletun (2010), leaders are treated as role models, who always requiring followers inspired by them. In this sense, leaders directly influence individual motivation through their behaviour, personality, encourage and discourage. Leaders can also indirectly influence individual motivation through building a favourable work climate. Management in motivating individuals According to Hindle (2008) emphasizes Fayol’s management theory includes planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling. This approach differs from others since from the bottom up. Fayol starts with the most elemental units of activity, worker’s actions, and then to study the effects of their actions on productivity, discover new methods to make employees more efficient, and applied what he learns at lower levels to the hierarchy. Fayol also looked for management principles which could be applied to wider organizations. In terms of motivation, this paper focuses on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model and Herzberg’s two-factor theory with relevance examples. In terms of Maslow’s theory, employee always wants more. This hierarchy of needs include five in total, which are physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. Physiological comes from human nature. Safety likes working safety and security. Love refers to receive and give love. Esteem includes self-respect and esteem of others. Self-actualization needs are about development of person’s full potential. All these five needs display in a pyramid structure. After lower needs been achieved, leaders and managers need to transfer to focus on higher ones. Moreover, Maslow indicates that the hierarchy is not necessarily a fixed order and it relatively universal among different cultures. So there still exist some difficulties to relate this theory to real word. In terms of manager and leaders, they not only need to understand employees’ life during work, but also need an overview understanding of employees’ family and social life. Even so, different individual means that people may place different values on the same need, for example, motivation factors may not the same for people at the same level of needs. In terms of Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the hygiene factors are factors which causing working dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors connect to job environment. Dealing with hygiene factors is aiming to avoid dissatisfaction in work. Motivating factors relate to works. Hygiene factors associated with low needs of Maslow’s theory and motivators factors associated with high level of Maslow’s theory. For leaders and managers, they need give attention to the motivators or hygiene factors. Moreover, this theory suggests that if leaders and managers are ready to provide positive motivation, they need to pay attention to both of these two factors instead of one only. The requirements in leaders and managers in engaging employees In general, there are four phases in process of engagement. First, satisfaction with the job, employee who overall enjoys the job, satisfied with the terms and conditions. Second, employees energetic with jobs and strive to achieve personal goals more than team ones. Third, employees usually work well in teams. Final, employees contribute defending the organization. According to Yukl (2008), leadership is about setting a new direction for a group, while management is about directing and controlling according to established principles. In terms leaders and mangers, Otara (2011) has emphases that in general, leaders and managers are possessing three major skills within organizations, these four skills include vision, interpersonal skills, perception skills and technical skills. Moreover, Simanskene and Trarasevicius (2010) emphasize that without these four skills from employers, employees are likely to be low productivity in the whole engagement. Therefore if leaders and managers access to achieve engagement, it is necessary for them to possess all of these four skills. Non-core role engagement as a new solution Study of Trahant (2007) has argued employee engagement tends to be a leading indicator in working performance, especially in public sectors. The more engaged employee, the more effective the organization will be. However, the study of Welbourne (2007) has shown only 14 per cent to 30 per cent of employees are engaged at work today. In terms of leaders and manages in achieving employee engagement, many people may think that engagement means long-term commitment, marriage, and family. In 1980s, Japanese employers expected loyalty therefore offered lifetime employment to employees. But now, globalization has changed workforce and skilled employees are not willing overtime and extra effort. This leads to productivity decrease. In terms of Woodruffe (2006), many leaders and managers are outdated and simply thinking that employees would give good work performances just since company hires them. Actually, there are some non-financial factors which determine employees’ working place besides money factor. As Welbourne (2007) states, role-based performance model is a new option to provide employee engagement in the respect of behaviours. This model helps leaders and managers to identify types of behaviours needed from employees and the result of employee’s engagement in non-core job role would be new ideas today. The process of leaders and mangers in achieving engagement According to Welbourne (2007), in today’s employment market, employers concern on where they work since they may go somewhere else if they do not feel being developed. Therefore leaders and managers need to understand training and development to their employees, especially to talented employees. As mention before, in order to promote good environment in core and non-core roles, these following things are necessary for leaders and managers to do. First, leaders and managers need to be engaged first, this requires they need familiar with core and non-core roles. Second, leaders and managers need to how role of core and non-core roles help to support the organization’s strategy and plan, therefore can give correct and effective orders. Moreover, leaders and managers need to remove barriers to employee’s working between core and non-core roles. According to the role-based model, leadership education is necessary for employers to create an environment that core and non-core roles are treated as the same. Moreover, to engage employees in the right roles at the right time, leaders and managers can conduct assessments to understand the determinants of engagement. Oppositely, disengaged employees can costs as much as billions. Conclusion Towards to the leadership and management in motivating individuals within organization, transactional and transformational leadership styles are essential for leaders. In terms of managers, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model, leaders and managers need to motivate their employees from physiological needs, safety needs, love needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. In terms of Herzberg’s two-factor theories, leaders and managers need to motivate their employees from hygiene and motivating factors. General speaking, the hygiene factors equal to lower Maslow’s theory and motion factors equal to higher Maslow’s theory. Towards to the leaders and managers in contributing employee engagement, it has been argued that leaders and managers themselves are required to posse’s vision skills, interpersonal skills, and technical skills, and perception skills. After that, the role-based performance model provides useful ideas that employee’s engagement in non-core job role would be new ideas today. Leaders and managers not only need to close the gap between core and non-core job roles, but also need to conduct from a transformative leadership angle to achieve employee engagement and act as model roles. Engaging talented people needs to be a top organizational priority because they likely to find another organization if not feel satisfaction and sense of self-worth. More importantly, it is worth for leaders and mangers to distinguish the differences between engaging employees through helping them and simply want to give their best for the jobs.

The Importance Of Laertes And Fortinbras Essay free essay sample

, Research Paper In the Shakespearian drama, Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras have of import functions although they are minor characters. Fortinbras and Laertes importance arise because they are parallel characters to Hamlet, and they provide polar points on which to compare the actions and emotions of Hamlet throughout the drama. They are besides of import in Hamlet, as they are imperative to the secret plan of the drama and the concluding declaration. Laertes is a mirror to Hamlet. Shakespeare has made them similar in many facets to supply a greater base for comparing when revenging their several male parent s deceases. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance Of Laertes And Fortinbras Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hamlet and Laertes love Ophelia. Hamlet wishes Ophelia to be his married woman, Laertes loves Ophelia as a sister. Hamlet is a bookman at Wittenberg, and Laertes at France. Both are admired for their swordsmenship. Both work forces loved and respected their male parents, and show obliqueness when plotting to revenge their male parent s deceases. Hamlet s response to heartache is a trait starkly contrasted by Laertes. Laertes response to the decease of his male parent is immediate. He is publically angry, and he leads a public violence that occurs outside Elsinore, for which Polonius decease and speedy entombment served as a accelerator. He is leery, as is apparent in his address to Claudius. # 8220 ; How came he dead? I ll non be juggled with. / To hell, commitment! # 8221 ; ( Act 4, 5:130 ) . Hamlet nevertheless is really private with his heartache. His mourning for King Hamlet is long and drawn out, two months after his male parent s decease, he is still observed to be have onin g # 8221 ; suits of solemn black. # 8221 ; ( Act 1, 2:78 ) Claudius and Gertrude remark on his sadness, nevertheless it is non until Hamlet s first monologue that the audience is made cognizant of the deepness of his agony. Although dismayed at his female parent s speedy remarriage to his uncle, Hamlet suspects nil of his male parent s slaying until the shade discloses this to him. When brought to the call of revenging their male parent s deceases, Laertes is fast to move, he wants retaliation and wants it instantly. His actions are roseola, based in choler, and Claudius easy draws Laertes into Denmark s corruptness. Claudius manipulates Laertes into going Hamlet s bravo. Laertes is confident of his abilities to recover award through retribution: † my retaliation will come.† ( Act1, 2:78 ) Contrasting to Laertes speedy response, Hamlet procrastinates. Although Hamlet wants to recover award by revenging his male parent s decease, Hamlet is doubtful of his ability to finish what he promised to the shade. For two months, he procrastinates, and chides himself for m aking so. Hamlet agonizes over what he is to make, and how he is to revenge the slaying of his male parent. While Laertes Acts of the Apostless on urge, and on a rendezvous with Claudius originating from the emotions of choler and retaliation, Hamlet mulls over how he is traveling to move and defers action until his ain cunctation disgusts him into moving. This does non intend, nevertheless that Hamlet is unable to move on urge, since in Act V Hamlet acts impetuously when he and Laertes jumped into Ophelia s grave. However, despite the insidious actions of Laertes in suggesting the challenge of a affaire dhonneur with Hamlet, Laertes is without the inhuman treatment and vengefulness of Hamlet. Hamlet

In or on - Emphasis

In or on In or on This may be a post mostly for our non-native English speaking readers. When to use in or on at any given moment is something native speakers give little thought to, simply because theyve grown up hearing where these words slot in. But it can be more confusing for those coming to the language later. And its hardly surprising, considering how many definitions these tiny but mighty words can carry. In can be an adverb, noun, adjective or preposition, while on can be an adjective, adverb or preposition. As prepositions alone, they each have over a dozen definitions. Isabel from Natural England wrote in on the subject: In Spanish, both translate as en and I am unsure when to use one or the other in many situations. Is it a matter of learning them by heart or are there any useful rules out there? The answer to that (perhaps unfortunately) lies somewhere in between. But for the most common areas where these two words share territory, this downloadable PDF will be a handy reference. Print it off, stick it on your wall or monitor, and the rules will soon be lodged in your mind. Download In or on

How to Treat Gummosis, or Bleeding in Tree Bark

How to Treat Gummosis, or Bleeding in Tree Bark Bleeding bark on  trees and other woody plants  often leads to concern when its discovered by tree growers and yard tree owners. Gum or sap draining from a tree trunk or limbs is common in trees in the genus Prunus, which includes peaches and cherries, but it can happen in many species. This sap flow can be caused by biotic diseases, which are triggered by living organisms such as fungi, and abiotic injury, caused by non-living factors such as sunlight and temperature change. One textbook definition gummosis is the copious production and exudation of gum by a diseased or damaged tree, especially as a symptom of a disease of fruit trees. But it also can be an early symptom of other problems, not only in orchards but in prized landscape trees in yards, parks, and forests.   Gummosis can weaken a tree, but it isnt the end of the world. Bleeding or oozing of sap from a tree, although not normal, wont necessarily permanently harm a tree or woody plant; most of them will survive. Its also important to remember that there are many causes for free-running sap from trees, including insect borers, cankers, bark injury, and a variety of diseases. Controlling these sources of damage will control gum deposits and sap flow, but there usually is no cure. Causes Gum exuding from cherry, peach, and sweetgum trees is common, so keep an eye on these species. Gummosis isnt a pathogen in itself but the response to environmental stress from pathogenic, insect, or mechanical injury. Pathogenic infectious diseases and cankers that result in bleeding sap can become problematic in fruit orchards. Particularly, the  cytospora canker, or perennial canker, commonly causes fungal bleeding in stone fruited trees such as apricot, cherry, peach, and plum. This infection can be distinguished from insect damage and mechanical injuries because sawdust or pieces of bark arent mixed in the sap, as would be the case with insect or mechanical damage. It isnt vital for you to identify the specific cause or causes involved, but its very important to differentiate between insect infestation, mechanical injury, and infectious disease for diagnosis. Prevention and Treatment There are management practices you can follow to lower the risk of gummosis: Be careful when using lawn and garden equipment to avoid tree tissue injury, which can harbor fungal spores.Prevent winter cold injury to your tree by planting cold-hardy species within their hardiness zones and outside isolated wind  avenues.Maintain a trees health to discourage boring insects.Prune and dispose of limbs during late winter.Try to identify whether the tree has been injured mechanically, been attacked by insects, or infected by a disease. Typically, mechanical injury and insects will leave exposed sapwood or sawdust. Treat the  causes as best you can while increasing the most comfortable tree conditions for optimal health. Increasing tree vigor is important and will yield great results. One helpful treatment is applying several pints of garden lime under the tree drip line if your site has a low to moderate PH. Raising soil Ph to 6.5 can do wonders for tree health.

Personal reflection - and academic literature to support that Essay - 1

Personal reflection - and academic literature to support that reflection - Essay Example As a secretary, I learnt a lot in regard to how a business is ran as will be discussed in the paper below. Personally, I believe that it is the places I have been working in that have a toll on how I make decisions. In this paper, we will be doing an academic reflection supposed to underscore the importance of available resources and disciplines. In today’s business world, being able to organize, plan, and being able to meet set goals are very important part of a job (Bryson & Alston 2011). In my case, I have worked as a secretary in an area that required such experiences. As the secretary of a robust enterprise, I was supposed to keep all leader board members and shareholders up to date with decisions and company policies. The reason is if people are not kept in the loop, they tend to waste a lot of time finding up what they are supposed to know yet the issue might be trivial. As a secretary, I was supposed to keep record of all financial transactions. In one way or another, such an attribute is fundamental in operabillity of a firm and should be bolstered (Zimmerman 2008). If a secretary is able to keep a clear record of what is happening in the firm, the manager will find it easy to follow up with progress of each department. Clearly, experience is a good teacher. I have worked in administrative roles before and that has helped me significantly in coping up with different tasks. My work as a committee secretary for 2 years has been a great part of my 15 year experience. While it may not seem as a big deal, the truth is that it is this type of experience that acts as way to learn. The experience was very important in my career as it allowed me understand what a business setup is and how it works. With the experience, I was able to understand the course a new business takes and at what timeframes this changes occur. Such a position also equipped me with other important tools in management a business. Some of the tools involve

The concept of beauty in anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The concept of beauty in anthropology - Essay Example Due to this it is considered a great challenge to find a uniform definition of beauty because what a person finds beautiful is not the same as another. Beauty is based on personal perspective and own concepts honed by own culture and society. It is a universal word but has many definitions and meaning. Scrotun (1) cited the idea of Pato and Plotinus that beauty is an ultimate value  ­Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œsomething that people pursue for its own sake and for the pursuit of which no further reason is needed to be given. As Santayan stated beauty is truth, the expression of the ideal, the symbol of divine perfection and the sensible manifestation of the good. According to Scruton (5) beauty pleases us, it is always a reason for attending to the thing that possesses it, and it is a subject-matter of judgement: the judgement of taste where it is all about beautiful objects not the subject’s statement of mind. Beauty is always associated with aesthetics and is always associated with arts. Stout as cited by Van Damme (40) defined aesthetic as a branch of philosophy dealing with the beautiful and the tests by which the beautiful may be judged. Beauty can be found in different works of art. Paintings on the wall that give joy to the audience; sculptures that please the eye and resonate the beauty that can be touched; and other works of art that are considered as important possessions because of beauty. According to Santayana (126), our judgment of aesthetic is intrinsic when based on the perception of beauty and based on the character of immediate experience and never consciously on the idea of eventual utilities of the object. Judgements about moral worth, on the contrary, are always based, when they are positive, upon the consciousness probably involved. However, in Africa, art forms are made to illustrate ugliness (Van Damme 41). This is the definition by the word anti-aesthetic introduced by R. Thomson

Europe’s Interaction with Africa, Asia Essay Example for Free

Europe’s Interaction with Africa, Asia Essay In the mid-15th century, European nations started sending merchants, explorers, colonizers and missionaries to various parts of the world. Historians often referred to this phenomenon as the Age of Discovery, an era in which unknown seas were traversed, new lands and peoples were discovered and an astounding new phase in global encounters was initiated (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 3). The Age of Discovery played an important role in the political and economic development of Western Europe. Some of its key legacies included colonization, the development of large-scale horticultural industries and the spread of Christianity. The Age of Discovery, however, is usually portrayed as exclusively European and historically unique. It must be made clear that such a description is misleading and incomplete. Exploration and expansion are not historical novelties, and neither are they uniquely European. Furthermore, they have other motivations, attitudes and cross-cultural perceptions apart from the desire to discover other lands (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 3). Muslim and Chinese explorers and traders have been traveling across Asia, Arabia and Africa centuries before Christopher Columbus set out from Spain in 1492. The journeys of Ibn Battuta in the mid-14th century, for instance, took him through the vast extent of the Islamic world. Zheng He, a fleet admiral who lived during the Ming Dynasty, sailed as far as the coast of east Africa in the mid-15th century (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 3). Tunisian philosopher and historian Ibn Khaldun traveled as far as Spain in the 14th century (Ahmed 102). But European and non-European explorers differed in terms of the motives behind their respective journeys. Non-European explorers traveled primarily to create extensive religious and trade networks. Muslims were partially bound by religion and commerce as a form of compensation for the near-absence of political unity in the Islamic world. Despite ethnic and regional differences, their adherence to Islamic laws and values provided them with a sense of unity and shared identity. The establishment of long-distance trading networks, meanwhile, allowed Muslim producers and consumers from different regions to communicate with one another, as well as with peoples of different religions (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 4). Muslim traders therefore organized camel caravans to the frontiers of India and across the Sahara in Africa. They likewise established equally profitable trade routes by sea across the Indian Ocean. By the late 15th century, the commercial activity in most of the regions surrounding the Indian Ocean was almost under their control. Furthermore, certain localities in the Islamic world were gaining recognition for their excellence in specific industries. Persia, for example, was renowned in the 14th century for its exquisite glassware, jewelry and pottery (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 4). Extensive trade and industry, in turn, provided the Islamic world with urbanized and cosmopolitan societies. Sophisticated commercial centers such as Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, Timbuktu and Zanzibar attracted residents from distant regions that eventually converted to Islam. These new converts subsequently spread Islam and elements of Islamic culture to their respective homelands. The Delhi Sultanate of India and the West African kingdom of Mali are some examples of regions that were not originally Islamic but were later Islamized (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 4). In sharp contrast, the motive behind most European explorations was the pseudo-revival of the Reconquista (the struggle of the Spanish and Portuguese Christians to expel the Moors from their respective countries). In the 14th and 15th centuries, anti-Moor sentiment was still strong in Spain and Portugal – it was during these periods that Spanish and Portuguese Christians successfully expelled the Moors from Iberia. But this victory soon left many knights idle and looking for new adventures. Many knights thus joined overseas expeditions, viewing these as new opportunities to vanquish the hated Moors (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 5). Certain economic conditions in Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries were also responsible for the xenophobic attitude that many European explorers had during the Age of Discovery. In these eras, most European economies were still small, largely agrarian and geared towards meeting local needs. Muslim merchants and middlemen were the sole sources of spices and other luxury goods. In addition, Europe was politically fragmented – the continent’s monarchs wasted scarce resources and manpower in the numerous wars and conflicts that they waged against each other. Lastly, the Black Death (bubonic plague) killed millions and further weakened economies, adding to the pervasive atmosphere of dread and xenophobia (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 5). Given the insular, backward and unsophisticated nature of Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, it was no longer surprising that the expeditions from the continent had mostly detrimental effects. Many explorers viewed the natives that they encountered in foreign lands as â€Å"barbarians† that must be â€Å"civilized† by being subjugated to them. By the 16th and 17th centuries, therefore, many countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas ended up being the colonies of Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Britain and France (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 5). In addition, the transatlantic slave trade occurred from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Mainstream historians had indeed painted a misleading and incomplete picture of the Age of Discovery. By claiming that the Age of Discovery was an exclusively European and historically unique phenomenon, they are implying that it was an event that was born out of Europe’s benevolent desire to discover other lands. But the truth is that the Age of Discovery should not be glorified. Exploration and expansion have already been taking place long before it happened – proof that the inhabitants of the regions outside of Europe are not savages. The Age of Discovery occurred at a time when Europe was still insular, backward and unsophisticated. Thus, many of the continent’s explorers exhibited a fearful and xenophobic attitude when it came to dealing with people not of their own race. This paranoia, in turn, led to the colonization of several nations in Africa, Asia and the Americas. In addition, slavery became a centuries-old practice. Works Cited Ahmed, Akbar S. Discovering Islam: Making Sense of Muslim History and Society. New York: Routledge, 1989. Sanders, Thomas, Stephen Morillo, and Samuel H. Nelson. Encounters in World History: Sources and Themes from the Global Past, Volume II: From 1500. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005.

A Visit to the ER :: Personal Narrative, Autobiographical Essay

A Visit to the ER I did not want to be there, but visiting the emergency room was part of the local Youth Science Program. When I had first thought of becoming a doctor I was awed by the science involved. I frequently pictured myself as a "know it all" who saw patients and wrote prescriptions in an office. The thought of working in a hospital with extremely ill patients did not appeal to me. The emergency room presented the possibility of changing my mind about my career goals. I did not want to leave thinking that I no longer knew what I wanted to do. John, one of the Youth Science Program directors, handed me a lab coat. It was time to go, and in a daze I wondered if I would one day, wear a lab coat that read, "Patricia Reynoso, M.D." That day I met an Hispanic lady who had previously had two spontaneous abortions. This time she had vaginal bleeding and the fetal heart sound was not audible. Only an ultrasound would determine whether her baby was alive or not. While the doctors made the arrangements I kept her company. I did not know how she felt about me since she had only been told that I was a student who would translate for her. All I know is that at that moment, my conflicting feelings about being there were forgotten. Her apprehension over losing her third child and her inability to communicate with the people around her became my new concern. My early school days helped me relate to her situation. I will never forget the time I was sitting, Indian style, in front of my classroom. Some children held my arms against the wall while others poked fun at me in a language I did not understand. The frustration of being forced to contain my feelings inside was despicable. I was glad to be there for her at such an important moment. Her worry was greater than her pain and she needed someone who would listen to her. What made me happier was her asking me to be present during the ultrasound test. When one of the doctors said, "The baby's moving," there was no need to translate.

Effect of Technology on Human Social Interaction Essay

Humanity has come far from its primitive beginnings. From sticks and stone wheels to the fantastic technology of today. Each tool made toward the betterment of life more wondrous – and many times more dangerous – than the next. Humans have come from stone tools to hydrogen bombs. Humanity has become so accustomed to – so connected to — technology that it can no longer live without it. If all electricity were to somehow cease to be a thing in the world, society might very well collapse before our eyes. Really, there is no stopping this evolution, whether humanity as a whole see error in technology or not. In â€Å"The Evolution of Technology,† George Basalla asks how the world came to such a point that it could not stop its advancement. I question its exact effects. The advancement of media technologies in the 21st century have greatly impacted society. More specifically, the merging of modern media technology and the various social settings of socie ty has had major influence on social interaction between individuals. The media technologies of today effect social interaction in many different ways. Modern media technologies can encourage the interaction of many groups of people claiming different backgrounds, ethnicities, and generations. It can aid in bridging gaps both generational and cultural. To the contrary however, media technologies in any social setting can – according to the studies in â€Å"The Impact of New Media Technologies on Social Interaction in the Household† – easily result in a growing privatization in areas of life that, in an earlier, less technologically advanced time, would have been shared with friends and family. People are using technology separately rather than in groups. How are 21st century media technologies impacting social interaction among individuals? Do modern media technologies actually bring members of every social group together and increase social interaction amongst one another, or do they more commonly cause social division instead? Media technologies are now much more involved into people’s every day routine s than ever before. Media technologies of today have changed much of life in the last few decades. The mere pace of life has increased to levels that those of earlier decades could only have imagined. Much of the world has come into a time in which most things are instantly achieved (â€Å"Proceedings of the Media Ecology Association: Volume 11†). It is,  in fact, the era of instant gratification, in which much is sacrificed in the search for convenience and efficiency. Many see the ever falling value of face to face social interaction as being directly connected to the spike in modern media technology. Communication through technological media, in particular has advanced by leaps and bounds. With the click of mouse or the touch of a screen people are, in seconds, be put into contact with others that are tens of thousands of miles away. While this marks a definite height of media technology – linking people that would, in another time, not have been so connected, it would seem as though the use of the technology to communicate instantly with typed words on a digital screen has replaced other modes of human interaction. Younger members of generations of the 21st century have chiefly taken to the latest forms of communication: emailing, texting, messaging, et cetera†¦ Physical and interpersonal communication had been the status quo for hundreds of years. A person’s personality and ability to speak, convey his or her ideas with charisma, and articulate well using not just words, but body language and eye contact have long been the defining characteristics of the greatest people of our societies. This is changing. It has become the preferences of the general public to send emails instead of taking the time to write letters, to send texts messages from phones instead of calling from them, and to friending someone on a social network instead of asking to spend time with them. It can be seen that the ever falling value of face to face social interaction and communication as being directly connected to the spike in modern media technology. In another way, technological media used for recreation al purposes has had its various effects on social interaction as well. Gaming for instance, is one entertainment that has for years been met with very mixed opinions and arguments. I will not venture to link the meager social skills to or violent behavior to the playing of video games here. There are many examples of video games bring people closer together. Upon interviewing several people that play video games regularly, I found that many play video games with other people. Many play video games with their friends and family. A percentage of these people even said it was a routine of their family to have â€Å"game night† as a sort of tool to encourage familial bonding in the household. On the other hand, however, there was a significant number of people that I interviewed that played and preferred to play their video  games alone and spent little time with their families or in social settings away from video games. These people spent many hours alone with nothing but a screen, a game controller or mouse (depending on the medium the game was being played on), and sometimes an opponent and fellow gamer several miles or states away. When asked about other activities they took part in during the week or weekends, their responses were meager. Few partook in other activities, social or otherwise. In this way, one can understand video games to be a hindrance to the social interaction of the many individuals that play them. A gamer, distracted by a screen for countless hours a week does not have the time a person unimpeded by such things may have to take part in regular conversation with his or her peers. Television is yet another technological medium that has been argued over in its decades of use. Perhaps the varying viewpoints on the positive and negative aspects of television stem for the many purposes it can and has served. There are many channels on any cable television that are geared toward the moral and academic education of their viewers. There are also many more channels that are meant for the simple enjoyment of their watchers. A number of researchers propose that spending a small amount of time watching the more wholesome programs can, to some degree, strengthen families and friendships (â€Å"Inclusive Leisure Services†). Then, of course, there are many researchers that continually warn against television. Television is among the easiest of society’s media technology; easiest to operate, easiest to access, easiest to become addicted to. It is also possibly the most passive of media technologies today requiring almost no thought to use recreationally. Television, without the motive of the viewer to have conversation with those around, presents little chance for growth of social interaction between individuals. Now, possibly the most controversial, though fastest growing media technology in use: the cellular phone. There has never been any denying the convenience of the device. There have been, however, thousands of complaints and arguments against the cell phone for its ability to capture and hold the attention of its user. The cell phone has recently become all forms of media technology rolled into one: the telephone for calls, the camera for photographs, the music player, the television for vi ewing movies and TV shows, and the internet for all other digital uses, and so the list goes on†¦ The younger generation of today can only just  imagine the world in which most, if not everyone, has a cell phone – which, ironically, was not so many decades ago. The benefits of the modern cell phone to social interaction are obvious. Though more advanced than it was years ago, it still holds to its original purpose. The cell phone still provides the easiest, most convenient way to contact friends and family. In an emergency, it remains to be the best way to call for help. Modernly speaking, one can always send a quick text to ask how a friend is doing. Several million people would not be able to function or go through their daily routine without their cell phone. However, the opposition lives on. Many researchers maintain that the cellular as it is today is one the largest distraction to social interaction rather than the aid that others believe it to be (â€Å"The Impact of New media Technologies on Social Interaction in the Household†). Schools and certain work places have banned them for the fact that the people can’t seem to keep them from interrupting their work and learning. It is possible to now to walk into a room filled with people that in decades earlier would have been filled with individ uals mixing and socializing with each other, but now, could be packed with overzealous texters and social networkers gazing down at small screens in the palms of their hands. This generation has been described as incessantly â€Å"plugged in† – constantly in communication and in touch with technology (â€Å"Plugged In: generation Y Guide to Thriving at Work†). No other device is credited as much for the decline in values for face to face physical interaction than the cellular phone. Nor is any other device so credited for it advantages. It is evident that digital media technologies, such as television, video games, and cell phones have increasingly lead to social isolation and a growing privatization in social settings that would’ve been very different decades ago. It is also true that communication in general has become more impersonal than ever with the advancement of these technologies. Digital technologies are negatively affecting social interaction and communication between individuals. It is right to worry about the drastic changes they present society’s relationships and values. In order for digital technologies t o positively impact social interaction, friends and family have used these devices as a way of communicating and interacting with each another. This has to include using the media technology as a medium to interact, such as, playing a computer game  together or watching television together and discussing it afterwards. It is important for individuals to consume new media technologies together – thus, promoting togetherness – instead of individually. By consuming technology individually, this leads to social isolation. In turn, this results in a drastic decrease of communication and social interaction in all social groups. Though one thing is clear: as the presence of technology in our lives becomes more pervasive, the greater the changes in our interactions will be. Works Cited Basalla, George, The Evolution of Technology, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989 Dattilo, John, Inclusive Leisure Services, New York: Venture Publishing, Inc., 2002 Erickson, Tamara, Plugged In: generation Y Guide to Thriving at Work, Cambridge: Harvard Business Review Press, 2008 McGrath, Siobhan, The Impact of New media Technologies on Social Interaction in the Household, Ireland: Nui Maynooth, 2012 Rose, Ellen, Proceedings of the Media Ecology Association: Volume 11, Maine: Media Ecology Association, 2010

Disruptive Behavior Essay

In a 4th grade private school classroom and child showed disruptive behavior when approached with authority of an adult telling him to stop doing something that was in appropriate like calling other student’s stupid and fat. When a teacher would tell him please stop he would continue to say rude things but now geared toward the teacher. It would take several minutes to get him to calm down. The disciplinary effect after his disruptive behavior would be indoor suspension and a phone call home. Student’s history at school had been temperamental for the past 2 years and he had been taken out sent to a public school then returned after a 2 grading periods when in 2nd grade. In 3rd grade he had showed the same type of behavior with classmates and teachers. This student was behind a grade and attended class with a relative that was in there respective grade. His disruptive behavior in 3rd grade was slightly manageable after several conferences with the parent. As the student had entered into 4th grade he had received a new teacher but remained with the same students from the previous year and now his relative  was no longer attending the same school. The students entering 4th grade would be attending another school which had put them into a new atmosphere with new teachers. This change did not sit well with this student in particularly who had become disruptive verbally and aggressively with other students and class property. The student at this point was suspended from the school for 3 days. Upon returning the student seemed content until the current teacher had to leave and he received a new teacher. At this point the student was filling out the new teacher and what she would allow and wouldn’t. The student shortly found out what the teacher wouldn’t allow and that was speaking and getting up without raising hand. The teacher was new to the class, but not to the student’s, was known for having a productive class with no disruptive behaviors. The teacher had reintroduced herself to the class on her first day and had given the children the floor about what they had been learning so far. The student’s responded well to her curiosity accept for the student who was known for the misconduct. After the teacher’s first week she decided to reset some rules for the class and allow them to give input on what is allowed and what isn’t. The student with the disruptive behavior did participate in this exercise. She also rearrange the classroom fixed some posters around the room and hung some of the students best work around the room. The teacher put a class pledge on the board that the student would have to recite every morning before class started. As piece of the pledge said, â€Å"I will treat others with the respect that I want for myself and to use kind words to show how Ià ¢â‚¬â„¢m feeling whether I am happy or mad.† The teacher after the second week had seen a major changed in the class and especially in the student with the misbehavior. By the 5th week all the disruption had been gone.

Free Essays on International Law And The Right Of Self-Determination

Throughout the years since the second world war, there has been a need to determine what conditions would legitimize a group of people’s right to control their own governance. International law provides a vague definition of self-determination and an even vaguer description for the conditions that justify it. I will discuss the particular importance of this principle, its evolution and several different interpretations of the laws of self-determination. I will also reference specific cases to show how the ICJ deals with the claims based upon this principle. The right of self-determination is of particular importance because its realization is an essential condition for the effective guarantee and respect of individual and minority rights. History has proven that the realization and respect for the right of self-determination of peoples contributes to the establishment of friendly relations and cooperation between states. Considering the importance of the self-determination principle, it is necessary to explore the beginnings of the concept and its development through the decolonization period and outside of the colonial context. Before 1945 there was little clout given to the idea that people living within a territory of a state had a right to determine the political and legal status of that territory. This right was mentioned by a few treaties and applied only to specific territories (Malanczuk p. 326). The principle of self-determination emerged in the nineteenth century but it achieved significant prominence with U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s famous Fourteen Points plan for peace. The principle is generally associated with the decolonization process that took place after the propagation of the United Nations Charter of 1945 (Parker). The intention of the decolonization process was to restore sovereignty to the people and give them full control of internal and external affairs, with a seat in the UN and all the other... Free Essays on International Law And The Right Of Self-Determination Free Essays on International Law And The Right Of Self-Determination Throughout the years since the second world war, there has been a need to determine what conditions would legitimize a group of people’s right to control their own governance. International law provides a vague definition of self-determination and an even vaguer description for the conditions that justify it. I will discuss the particular importance of this principle, its evolution and several different interpretations of the laws of self-determination. I will also reference specific cases to show how the ICJ deals with the claims based upon this principle. The right of self-determination is of particular importance because its realization is an essential condition for the effective guarantee and respect of individual and minority rights. History has proven that the realization and respect for the right of self-determination of peoples contributes to the establishment of friendly relations and cooperation between states. Considering the importance of the self-determination principle, it is necessary to explore the beginnings of the concept and its development through the decolonization period and outside of the colonial context. Before 1945 there was little clout given to the idea that people living within a territory of a state had a right to determine the political and legal status of that territory. This right was mentioned by a few treaties and applied only to specific territories (Malanczuk p. 326). The principle of self-determination emerged in the nineteenth century but it achieved significant prominence with U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s famous Fourteen Points plan for peace. The principle is generally associated with the decolonization process that took place after the propagation of the United Nations Charter of 1945 (Parker). The intention of the decolonization process was to restore sovereignty to the people and give them full control of internal and external affairs, with a seat in the UN and all the other...

All About the French Verb Falloir

All About the French Verb Falloir Falloir is an irregular impersonal French verb that is better known in its conjugated form: il faut. Falloir means to be necessary or to need. It is impersonal, meaning that it has only one grammatical person: the third person singular. It may be followed by the subjunctive, an infinitive, or a noun. Examples of Falloir   Ã‚  Ã‚  Il faut partirIts necessary to leaveIl faut que nous partionsWe have to leaveIl faut de largent pour faire à §aIts necessary to have / You need money to do thatWhen falloir is followed by an infinitive or noun, it may be used with an indirect object pronoun to indicate who or what needs whatever comes next:Il faut mangerIts necessary to eatIl nous faut mangerWe have to eatIl faut une voitureIts necessary to have a carIl me faut une voitureI need a car Expressions with Falloir Falloir is used in a number of expressions, including:ce quil faut - what is neededIl a bien fallu  ! - I/We/They had to!sil le faut - if (its) necessaryFaudrait voir voir (informal) - Come on! Come off it!Il faut ce quil faut (informal) - Youve got to do things right S'en falloir The impersonal pronominal construction sen falloir means to be missing or short of something, as in this action did not occur because something was missing:Tu as ratà © son appel, il sen est fallu de 10 minutesYou missed his call by 10 minutesJe nai pas perdu, mais il sen est fallu de peuI very nearly lost (I didnt lose, but it was close) Conjugations Here are the most common tenses of falloir.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Present tense  Ã‚  Ã‚  il fautImperfect  Ã‚  Ã‚  il fallaitFuture  Ã‚  Ã‚  il faudra

ART Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

ART - Essay Example amous 16th century portrait by Leonardo da Vinci, has been painted in oil on a poplar panel which illustrates the essential features of the Italian Renaissance. To perceive it visually, it is a length portrait depicting a woman who has an enigmatic expression on her face and the piece was celebrated for the ambiguity concerning the woman’s expression. The social relevance of the work by da Vinci is due to the monumentality of this half-figure composition and the delicate modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism. These features were central to the progress of painting and there is a sense of mystery connected with the work. â€Å"Given the fact that Da Vinci manages to capture so many different emotions and character-traits in one painting, it seems natural that every time one looks at the Mona Lisa, one sees something different, irrespective from which direction the painting is looked at. In that light her ‘mysterious smile’ seems nothing out of the ordinary .† (Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa) In comparison with this celebrated work by Da Vinci, Marilyn Diptych, the 1962 painting by the American pop artist Andy Warhol, is an illustrious example of silkscreen painting which is important to the pop art style in painting. This work of acrylic and silkscreen on canvas makes use of the juxtaposition of the color images in order to depict the meaning of the artist. â€Å"The ‘Marilyn Diptych’ divides into 25 colored Monroes on the left and 25 black and whites on the right, with the image passing through near total blackening and disfiguration in the seventh column to extreme faintness on the far right. The more you look at the coloured panels, the more the hair, eye-shadow and lips look like paper cutouts that have been stuck on the faces, emphasising the artificially constructed nature of the Monroe ‘image’.† (Molyneux) Also, the misregistration or the failure of the color to fit exactly with the underlyin g black and white photograph gives the painting its great

The Economics of Women Men and Work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Economics of Women Men and Work - Assignment Example Men labored in the fields, traded, or worked at other jobs in order to bring his earnings home to his wife. The wife then made what was given last. Whether it was gold, bread, or other goods, the wife had to manage it. The wife also made clothes, soap, and other daily essentials. Children were expected to do chores. Cows produced milk, eggs were laid by hens, and other essentials chores were expected from the children. Everyone contributed to the economics of this household. Feminism and Marxism revolutionized the economics of the family. Whereas in the neoclassical family the man held all the power, women started gaining power in the 21st century. Today two working parents are common. What has become even more commonplace is a single family home. Mothers that get child support, or most of the time do not receive child support, are raising children. Divorce has given women a bargaining chip but has created a hardship on the single mothers. Domestic violence has decreased due to divorce, but the divorce rate has risen to nearly a 50/50 percent ratio. Another economic concern is childcare and housework. When women work out, or both parents work out, childcare must be considered. School-aged children must have a care before and after school if a parent has a 9 to 5 job. A nanny might be required for parents working unusual hours like the graveyard shift. Parents might choose to work opposite shifts in order to watch the children. Housework might have to be paid for as well. If two parents, or a single parent, is working too many hours a housekeeper might be necessary. It all plays into the economics of the family. Chapter Four discusses the balance between home and the labor force. The number of hours to work in order to make a living to the women’s attachment to the workforce was looked at. Economically the labor force must balance both work and home.

Effectiveness of Teaching Program on QoL of Elderly Patients

Effectiveness of Teaching Program on QoL of Elderly Patients CHAPTER – 1 INTRODUCTION â€Å"It’s not how old you are, it’s how you are old Live your life and forget your age† Older adults recognize that they have less time in which to continue achieving their goals, so they face their challenges with resilience and determination. Gerontologists are increasingly recognizing that older adults who are aging successfully possess wisdom, which includes factual knowledge, problem- solving strategies, and the ability to manage uncertainty. Because many of the challenges of older adulthood involve health and functioning, older adults need accurate information, not only about aging, but also about interventions to promote wellness. Nurses are ideally positioned to teach older adults about health and aging and empower them to implement problem-solving strategies directed towards wellness, improved functioning, and quality of life (Blazer, Brugman, 2006). With increases in life expectancy, delayed onset of morbidity, and higher expectations for old age, interest in well-being in later life and how to achieve it has intensified. ‘Successful ageing’ has come to the fore as a goal for the ageing population. While an agreed definition of successful ageing remains elusive, there is broad agreement that core constituents include physical health and functioning, psychological wellbeing, and social functioning and participation. As the older population surges both in absolute and relative numbers, well-being in old age has also become a focus for policy-makers as a key indicator of the physical and psychological health, social integration and economic security of the older community (Bowling A, Dieppe P Dec 24). Despite the adverse changes that occur with increasing age, older people typically report high levels of well-being. Most feel younger than their actual age and maintain a sense of confidence and purpose. In the HeSSOP (Health and Social Services for Older People) surveys of older people in Ireland, conducted in 2000 and 2004, over three-quarters of community-dwelling older people scored high on morale (Garavan R, Winder R, McGee H. ; 2001, O’Hanlon A, McGee M, Barker M 2005). In fact, older people are more likely to report satisfaction with their lives than younger people (Strine TW, Chapman DP 2008). Old age, it appears, brings with it an ability to adapt to age- related changes and stresses. One study found, for example, that physical decline did not have an impact on older people’s satisfaction with life, suggesting that they regard it as a normal and relatively acceptable part of ageing (Steverink N, Westerhof GJ .2001). Moreover, older people recognize benefits in old age, such as increased wisdom and maturity, with opportunities for growth and lessening of demands upon them. Research has come to emphasize that ageing is highly specific to each individual, which implies that the pathway of old age is not predetermined. While growing older unavoidably entails losses, some individuals cope better with these losses than others. With this in mind, it aims to shed some light on the personal, material and social circumstances that influence how well people cope. â€Å"Successful ageing† refers to those cases where ageing people are free of (acute and chronic) diseases, do not suà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬er from disability, are intellectually capable, possess high physical à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ tness and actively use these capacities to become engaged with others and with the society they live in. Concepts which have been used in gerntological research and which emphasize dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erent aspects of the ageing process are healthy ageing (Ryà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬, 2009) Gerontology has seen many dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erent conceptions of active ageing. A classic deà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ nition of active ageing was presented by Rowe and Kahn (1997) who used the term successful ageing: â€Å"We deà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ne successful ageing as including three main components: low probability of disease and disease-related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with life† (Rowe Kahn, 1997, p. 433; Rowe Kahn, 1987). â€Å"Successful ageing† refers to those who are free of (acute and chronic) diseases and do not suffer from any disability, aged who are intellectually capable and those who possess high physical fitness and actively use these capacities and engage with others and the society they live in. Concepts which have been used in gerontological research and which emphasize different aspects of the ageing process are healthy ageing (Ryff, 2009), productive ageing (Morrow-Howell, Hinterlong, Sherraden, 2001), ageing well (Carmel, Morse, Torres-Gil, 2007). There is a strong normative element in the definition of successful ageing. Successful, healthy and productive ageing are evaluated as the more desirable as â€Å"normal† or even â€Å"pathological† ageing processes. Most people want to grow old without being affected by chronic illnesses and functional disabilities. Despite the efforts are to increase the proportion of healthy life expectancy, a substantial part of the old, and the very old population will have to face dependency and frailty. Hence, attention have to be paid to the fact that normative definitions of â€Å"active ageing† should not lead to the degradation and a discrimination against individuals and groups who do not reach the positive goal of â€Å"active ageing†. (Fernà ¡ndez-Ballesteros, 2008). The WHO deà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ nition of active ageing was more inclusive in respect to dià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â€š ¬erent ageing trajectories and the diverse groups of older people: â€Å"Active ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for health and participation and security in order to enhance quality of life of aged people† (WHO, 2002) The Regional Implementation Strategy for the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, the UNECE members express their commitment to enhance the social, economic, political and cultural participation of the older people and also to promote the integration of older people by encouraging their active involvement in the community and by fostering intergenerational relations (UNECE, 2002). Old age often bring decreasing functional capacity and health problems which may affect the individual’s sense of wellbeing.The goal of health for the elderly in the society may not be free from diseases but the possibility of having a good life despite of illness are in decreasing capacities (Lawton, 1991; Nordenfelt, 1991b; Sarvimaki and Stenbock-Hult, 2000). The Quality of life of the people in a developed country with chronic health condition will have a lower impact rather than the patients with the same disease in a low income country where the resources to ameliorate the disability may be scarce. The subjective and the contextual nature of Quality of life inform the World Health Organization’s definition as: â€Å"an individual’s perception of his/her position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which he/she lives, and in relation to his/her goals, expectations, standards and concerns† (The WHO QUALITY OF LIFE Group, 1995). Thus Quality of life reflects a extended view of subjective wellbeing and life’s satisfaction that encompasses physical and mental health, material wellbeing, interpersonal relationship within and without the family, personal development, work and activities within the communities, and fulfillment and active recreation (Niemi et al., 1988). There is an important consideration in studying the factors associated with the Quality of life of the elder persons is the multi-dimensional nature of the construct and the possibility that determines from one dimension may be different from those of the other dimension. (Patel et al., 2007). NEED OF THE STUDY Little is known about factors that determine the Quality of Life of the elderly persons living in the developing societies and who are undergoing rapid social changes. Quality of life has become increasingly important as an outcome in medical research. The influence of health status is often emphasized, but other dimensions are important. In order to improve quality of life, there is a need to know what people themselves consider important to their perception of quality of life. The studies that are conducted among the groups of elderly persons have shown that Quality of life and the subjective evaluation of the life satisfaction are determined by several factors (Jakobson et al., 2007). Other than the demographic features such as age and financially status, the health, including social support functional disability and networks are often found to be important in the elderly person’s assessment of their Quality of life. (Bowling, 1994;Low and Molzahn, 2007;Richard et al., 2005 ). Other than functional impairments and the health problems to which most of the elderly persons are vulnerable (Clark and Siebens, 1993), old age may also predispose to some social and economic problems. The ccess to health care is severely limited both by manpower and paucity of health facilities and by out-of-pocket payment arrangement. Traditional family support is decreasing and social network is dwindling as migration and urbanization take the young members of the family away. Social changes are also affecting the position of the elderly in the society and leading to a reduction in their social status and influence in the community (Gureje and Oyewole, 2006). All of these factors affect the Quality of life of elderly. (Hickey et al., 2005) Quality of life is the central concepts in the ageing research. Two different traditions can be distinguished in this respect: Concepts which define quality of life in terms of objective living conditions, and concepts which define quality of life in terms of subjective evaluation (Noll, 2010). Similar distinctions have been made in the context of social gerontology. Objective quality of life can be measured by the extent to which the elderly has access and command over the relevant resources like income, health, social networks, and competencies that serve the individuals to pursue their goals and direct their living conditions. Hence, objective quality of life is high in those cases where the health is good, income is high, social networks are reliable and large and the competencies as achieved by the educational status are high. Objective quality of life can be measured by the external observers (Erikson, 1974). Subjective quality of life, in contrast, emphasizes an individual’s perceptions and evaluations. Individuals compare their (objective) living situation according to different internal standards and values. That means the elderly people with different aspiration levels may evaluate the same objective situation differently. Subjective quality of life depends upon the individual person – and lies in the â€Å"eye of the beholder† (Campbell, Converse Rodgers, 1976). Hence, high subjective quality of life can be defined as subjective well-being (high life satisfaction on, strong positive emotions like happiness, and low negative emotions like sadness). Quality of life has become increasingly important as an outcome in medical research. The influence of health status is often emphasized, but other dimensions are important. In order to improve quality of life, there is a need to know what people themselves consider important to their perception of quality of life. The study was of 141 randomly selected people aged from 67 to 99 years that formed a control sample for a study of suicide among older people. They were interviewed in person about their health, socio-demographic background and, using an open-ended question, what they considered to constitute quality of life. Their answers were grouped into eight categories. In addition, they were asked to choose from a ‘show card’ three items that they regarded as important to quality of life. Functional ability was the most frequently selected domain, followed by physical health, social relations and being able to continue to live in ones present home. It was found that socia l relations, functional ability and activities influence the quality of life of elderly people as much as health status. ( Katarina Wilhelmson ,Christina Andersson, et al., 2004) Since 1970s cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, cardiovascular mortality rates have been declined in many high-income countries Age is an important risk factor in developing cardiovascular diseases, though it usually affects the older adults. It is estimated that 87 percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are 60 and older. â€Å"It’s important that this vulnerable group of people doesn’t get overlooked so that they are properly assessed and they receive the best treatments to improve their quality of life.† Newcastle University,British Heart Foundation, (Professor Bernard Keavney, July 25, 2012) A study wasrecently carried out376heart scans calledechocardiogramson 87- 89 year olds in their homes. The results revealed that around a quarter hadundiagnosed heart problemsand are missing out on treatments, which could improve their symptoms and theirquality of life. (Newcastle University,British Heart Foundation, Professor Bernard Keavney, July 25, 2012) The purpose of the present study is to identify the effectiveness of structured teaching program on awareness of quality of life among elderly patients with cardiac disorders, at GKNM Hospital, Coimbatore. The researcher strongly believes that, the result of the proposed study can be used to enhance nursing initiatives, and to establish a teaching strategy for elderly patients attending cardiac and cardio thoracic opd’s at GKNM Hospital and thereby improve their quality of life. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Program on the Awareness of Quality Of Life among Elderly Cardiac Patients at G.K.N.M Hospital, Coimbatore. OBJECTIVES To assess the quality of life of elderly cardiac patients To assess the effectiveness of structured teaching program To find the association between the pre- test level of scores and selected demographic variables OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Effectiveness: It refers to the outcome of the planned teaching program in terms of awareness gained Structured Teaching Program: It refers to the systematic information provided to the elderly cardiac patients regarding quality of life. Awareness: It is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, and sense data confirmed by an observer. Quality of life: It is the personal satisfaction with the cultural or intellectual conditions under which a person lives. Elderly cardiac patients: Patients above 60 years of age and having cardiac disorders. HYPOTHESIS H0: There will be no significant difference between the pre-test and the post-test awareness scores of elderly cardiac patients regarding quality of life. H1: There will be significant association between the demographic variables and the pre-test awareness scores of elderly cardiac patients regarding quality of life. ASSUMPTIONS The elderly patients will not have adequate awareness regarding Quality Of Life. The structured teaching program will enhance the quality of life of elderly cardiac patients.

Dad :: Personal Narrative Profile

Personal Narrative- Dad My brother and I were standing in a white room where people were franticly running around. I looked at this man being wheeled by lying on a blood soaked bed. His eyes were swelled shut and he was moaning in excruciating pain. I took a closer look and realized his skull was exposed. His scalp was completely off the side of his head. Tears started coming when I thought about this poor man's family. How were the doctors going to tell his wife and kids what he looked like; or even worse, he had died. I looked at my brother in horror and disbelief. He said in a dismayed voice, "Jess, that's Dad!" I was running around the gym and warming up for a game of "capture the ball." A loud beeping noise sounded through the gym and I heard a sweet voice say, "Please excuse Jessie Jones." My heart pumped as I jumped for joy. No P.E. today! I got my bag and waited at the door for my mom. I was messing around with my friend, when Mrs. Ledger told me that my mom sounded very upset. I thought nothing of it and kept joking around. I walked outside and a woman from my Mom's work was waiting to pick me up. I gave her a perplexed look as she said, "Your Dad got in a wreck." At this point, the significance of the whole event still had not hit me. I met my Mom at City Market and she was hysterical. Seeing my Mother in her hysteria didn't affect me because, getting worked up easily was her routine. She told me that they had to "Flight for Life" my Dad to St. Mary's Hospital. At that point, I knew the accident was serious. I tried to swallow the apple-sized lump in my throat. We waited, for what seemed like an eternity, in the waiting room. I was anxious to see my Dad so I kept going in and asking when we could see him. They said when he was cleaned up they would come and get us. They brought out his clothes and his shoes were covered with a crimson color. My chest got heavy and I fought to breathe. My heart skipped a beat and my throat started to hurt. I was sucking back my tears.

Lego in China

3. ECONOMIC China has several factors that contribute in strengthening their economic position. One of the contributors is their government policy. ‘Chinese government has stressed the importance of develop IT sector to the whole economic development of the country, with considerable commitments to massive investments in infrastructure positive effects of IT on its economic development’ stated by (Li, n. d. ). With more advanced IT departments, China is able to attract more investments from foreigners.Not only that, China also created flexible investors policies. With developed IT structure and a supporting policy, Lego will have no trouble penetrating China’s market. China was known as the most populated place on Earth, hence creating a high demand for products available in market. This will keep the market activity going, given that there is enough supply for everyone. Hoshiko (2011) demonstrated that ‘Cheap labor rates are the keystone to the Chinese econ omic boom’. With a population above 1. 2 billion, labor isn’t one of their main concerns.With low cost of labor, production cost will also drop, this enable them to produce inexpensive goods. If Lego decided to enter China’s market, they will also gain this advantage; they’ll be able to produce their products at a lower cost. Bradsher (2012) has written that ‘China’s exports to all countries rose 9. 9 percent in September from a year earlier, led by especially strong exports to Southeast Asia’. All of these factors in the end helps China’s economic activity, and making it more appealing for investors to come in and plant their money inside of China. The government said Tuesday that it planned to nurture as many as 50 state-owned enterprises to become globally competitive companies while maintaining control of companies engaged in key industries’ (Anon. , 2006). We can see what the government is doing here, they are trying to nurture their companies to complete globally, and giving less concern in internal competition. But global companies have started coming in and practiced the same thing too. Lego may do the same as well; it will give them a new experience curve to see how they should run their business in China.Even though the specific strategy might not be the same in any other country, but Lego will be able to realize what are the steps and actions needed to succeed in foreign areas. Knudstorp (2012) as cited in Hansegard (2012) ‘We're seeing growth in most Asian markets ‘. Recent findings have found that Lego’s sales have been increasing in Asian countries, why? ‘Disposable incomes in China have been growing faster than GDP growth, making toys more affordable for parents and children. ’ (Anon. , 2012). Take as an example China; the people have more disposable income to be spent on their children.Moreover due to the baby-boomer the generation of China, there are a lot of parents now, and now with China’s one child Policy parents are more willing to spend for their loved ones. 4. CULTURE Chinese culture is not as interchangeable, the people held on to it and still respects it as we speaking, and they respect relationship, ranking and protocols. Saying ‘no’ isn’t as easy as it looks like in the Chinese culture, because they believe to deny someone would cause both parties to be embarrassed causing a loss of face. Kjerulf (2010) ‘The Culture in Denmark tends towards the individualistic rather than collective and is very feminine’.We can see there is a difference between Lego and the Chinese culture. We can directly tell, Chinese people are higher in power distance; they call others by their title and last name. Also the Chinese are very more likely to be collectivist, actions that they decided are for the greater good of their people. Lego is very flexible in case of their products itself by having a lot of product lines. With a lot of movie based product lines, such as Indiana Jones, Lego is able to market and alternate their products according to other cultural preference.We found a difference in between China’s Lego official website with the other such as US, Lego in China had excluded the Monster Fighters edition. This can be understood, judging that Chinese people are not that keen on all these western monster theme and Halloween. So Lego figured they would rather not produce this product line, and focus on the others. If Lego had made an investment in Xiamen China, there should not be any problem. To begin with the Chinese people are more uptight towards ranking, and collectivist. While the employer has more of a flexible style, which gives the employees a new working experience and probably a better one.Reference: Home Www1. american. edu (2002) Home. [online] Available at: http://www1. american. edu/initeb/fl9577a/IT%20S;W. htm [Accessed: 5 Nov 2012]. China’s Strengths and Weaknesses 101 | Center for American Progress Americanprogress. org (2011) China’s Strengths and Weaknesses 101 | Center for American Progress. [online] Available at: http://www. americanprogress. org/issues/china/report/2011/02/08/9074/chinas-strengths-and-weaknesses-101/ [Accessed: 5 Nov 2012]. China Exports Rise, Hinting at a Glimmer of a Revival – NYTimes. com BRADSHER, K. 2012) China Exports Rise, Hinting at a Glimmer of a Revival – NYTimes. com. [online] Available at: http://www. nytimes. com/2012/10/14/business/global/china-exports-rise-hinting-at-a-glimmer-of-revival. html? _r=0 [Accessed: 7 Nov 2012]. China to nurture companies for global competition – Business – International Herald Tribune – The New York Times Nytimes. com (2006) China to nurture companies for global competition – Business – International Herald Tribune – The New York Times. [online] Available at: http://www. nytimes. com/2006/12 /19/business/worldbusiness/19iht-nurture. 3951635. tml [Accessed: 7 Nov 2012]. Lego Chief Sees Weak – WSJ. com Online. wsj. com (2012) Lego Chief Sees Weak – WSJ. com. [online] Available at: http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10000872396390444914904577622962273573438. html [Accessed: 7 Nov 2012]. Toys and Games Market Research, Analysis, and Commentary Blog. euromonitor. com (2012) Toys and Games Market Research, Analysis, and Commentary. [online] Available at: http://blog. euromonitor. com/toys-and-games/ [Accessed: 7 Nov 2012]. Business Communication Styles in China and Successful Communication with Chinese Businesses and Colleagues :: World Business Culture

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 7

Finding Todd and Vic turned out not to be easy. It was late afternoon by the time Mary-Lynnettewalked into the Briar Creek general store, which sold everything from nails to nylons to canned peas. â€Å"Hi, Bunny. I don't suppose you've seen Todd orVic around?† Bunny Marten looked up from behind the counter. She was pretty, with soft blond hair, a round, dimpled face, and a timid expression. She was in MaryLynnette's class at school. â€Å"Did you check over at theGold Creek Bar?† Mary-Lynnette nodded. â€Å"And at their houses, andat the other store, and at the sheriff's office.† The sheriff's office was also city hall and the public library. â€Å"Well, if they'renot playing pool, they're usuallyplinking.† Plinkingwas shooting atcans for practice. â€Å"Yeah, but where?† Mary-Lynnette said. Bunny shook her head, earrings glinting. â€Å"Yourguess is as good as mine.† She hesitated, staring down at her cuticles, which she was pushing back with a little blunt-pointed wooden stick. â€Å"But, you know, I've heard they go down to Mad Dog Creeksometimes.† Her wide blue eyes lifted to Mary Lynnette's meaningfully. Mad Dog Creek. . . Oh, great. Mary-Lynnette grimaced. â€Å"I know.† Bunny raised her shoulders in a shiver.†I wouldn't go down there. I'd be thinking about that body the whole time.† â€Å"Yeah, me, too. Well, thanks, Bun. See you.† Bunny examined her cuticles critically. â€Å"Good hunting,† she said absently. Mary-Lynnette went out of the store, squinting in the hot, hazy August sunlight. Main Street wasn'tbig. It had a handful of brick and stone buildingsfrom the days when Briar Creek had been a gold rush supply town, and a few modem frame buildings with peeling paint. Todd and Vic weren't in any of them. Well, what now? Mary-Lynnette sighed. There was no road to Mad Dog Creek, only a trail that was constantly blocked by new growth and deadfall. And everyone knew more than plinking went on there. If they're out there, they're probably hunting, she thought. Not to mention drinking, maybe using drugs. Guns and beer. And then there's that body. The body had been found last year around thistime. A man; a hiker, from his backpack. Nobody knew who he was or how he'd died-the corpse wastoo desiccated and chewed by animals to tell. But people talked about ghosts floating around the creek last winter. Mary-Lynnette sighed again and got into her station wagon. The car was ancient, it was rusty, it made alarming sounds when forced to accelerate, but it was hers, andMary-Lynnette did her best to keep it alive. She loved it because there was plenty of room in back to store her telescope. At Briar Creek's only gas station she fished a scrolled fruit knife from under the seat and went to work, prying at the rusty gas cap cover. A little higher up . . . almost, almost . . . now twist †¦ The cover flew open. â€Å"Ever think of going into the safecracking business?† a voice behind her said. â€Å"You've got the touch.† Mary-Lynnette turned. â€Å"Hi, Jeremy.† He smiled-a smile that showed mostly in his eyes,which were dear brown with outrageously darklashes. If I were going to fall for a guy-and I'm not-itwould be for somebody like him.Not for a big blond cat who thinks he can pick his sisters' friends. It was a moot point, anyway-Jeremy didn't goout with girls. He was a loner. â€Å"Want me to look under the hood?† He wiped his hands on a rag. â€Å"No, thanks. I just checked everything last week.† Mary-Lynnette started to pump gas. He picked up a squeegee and a spray bottle and began to wash the windshield. His movements were deft and gentle and his face was utterly solemn. Mary-Lynnette had to swallow a giggle herself, butshe appreciated him not laughing at the pitted glass and corroded windshield wipers. She'd always had an odd feeling of kinship with Jeremy. He was the only person in Briar Creek who seemed even slightlyinterested in astronomy-he'd helped her build a model of the solar system in eighth grade, and ofcourse he'd watched last year's lunar eclipse with her. His parents had died in Medford when he was justa baby, and his uncle brought him to Briar Creek in a Fleetwood trailer. The uncle was strange-alwayswandering off to dowse for gold in the Klamath wil derness. One day he didn't come back. After that, Jeremy lived alone in the . trailer in the woods. He did odd jobs and worked at the gas station to make money. And if his clothes weren't as nice assome of the other kids', he didn't care-or he didn't let it show. The handle of the gas hose clicked in MaryLynnette's hand. She realized she had been daydreaming. â€Å"Anything else?† Jeremy said. The windshieldwas dean. â€Å"No †¦ well, actually, yes. You haven't, um, seenTodd Akers or Vic Kimble today, have you?† Jeremy paused in the middle of taking her twentydollar bill. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I just wanted to talk to them,† Mary-Lynnettesaid. She could feel heat in her cheeks. Oh, God, hethinks I want to see Todd and Vic socially-and he thinks I'm crazy for askinghim. She hurried to explain. â€Å"It's just that Bunny saidthey might be down by Mad Dog Creek, so I thoughtyou might have seen them, maybe sometime this morning, since you live down around there†¦.† Jeremy shook his head. â€Å"I left at noon, but I didn'thear any gunshots from the creek this morning. Ac tually, I don't think they've been there all summerI keep telling them to stay away.† He said it quietly, without emphasis, but Mary-Lynnette had the sudden feeling that maybe evenTodd and Vic might listen to him. She'd never knownJeremy to get in a fight. But sometimes a look came into his level brown eyes that was ..: almost frightening. As if there was something underneath thatquiet-guy exterior-something primitive and pure and deadly that could do a lot of damage if roused. â€Å"Mary-Lynnette-I know you probably think thisis none of my business, but †¦ well, I think you should stay away from those guys. If you really wantto go find them, let me go with you.† Oh. Mary-Lynnette felt a warm flush of gratitude. She wouldn't take him up on the offer †¦ but it was nice of him to make it. â€Å"Thanks,† she said. â€Å"I'll be fine, but †¦ thanks .† She watched as he went to get her change insidethe station. What must it feel like to be on your own since you were twelve years old? Maybe he neededhelp. Maybe she should ask her dad to offer him some odd jobs around the house. He did them for everyone else. She just had to be careful-she knew Jeremy hated anything that smacked of charity. He brought back the change. â€Å"Here you go. And, Mary-Lynnette †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked up. â€Å"If you do find Todd and Vic, be careful.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"I mean it.† â€Å"I know,† Mary-Lynnette said. She had reached for the change, but he hadn't let go of it. Instead hedid something odd: He opened her curled fingers with one hand while giving her the bills and coins with the other. Then he curled her fingers back over it. In effect, he was holding her hand. The moment of physical contact surprised herand touched her. She found herself looking at his thin brown fingers, at their strong but delicate grip on her hand, at the gold seal ring with the black design that he wore. She was even more surprised when she glanced up at his face again. There was open concern in his eyes-and something like respect. For an instant she had a wild and completely inexplicable impulse to tell him everything. But she could just imagine what he would think. Jeremy was very practical. â€Å"Thanks, Jeremy,† she said, conjuring up a weak smile. â€Å"Take care.† â€Å"Youtake care. There are people who'd miss you if anything happened.† He smiled, but she could feel his worried gaze on her even as she drove away. All right,now what? Well, she'd wasted most of the day looking for Todd and Vic. And now, with the image of Jeremy's level brown eyes in her mind, she wondered if it had been a stupid idea from the beginning. Brown eyes †¦ and what color eyes did the bigblond cat have? Strange, it was hard to remember.She thought that they had looked brown at one point when he was talking about his old-fashioned family. But when he'd said he liked a girl with spirit, she remembered them being a sort of insipid blue. And when that odd knife-glint had flashed in them, hadn't they been icy gray? Oh,who cares?Maybe they were orange. Let's just go home now. Get ready for tonight. How come Nancy Drew always found the people she wanted to interrogate? Why? Why? Why me? Ash was staring at a yellow cedar weeping into a creek. A squirrel too stupid to get out of the sun was staring back at him. On a rock beside him a lizard lifted first one foot, then another. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. He didn't even believe it. He'd always been lucky. Or at least he'd alwaysmanaged to escape a hairsbreadth away from disaster. But this time the disaster had hit and it was a total annihilation. Everything he was, everything he believed abouthimself †¦ could he lose that in five minutes? For a girl who was probably deranged and certainly more dangerous than all three of his sisters put together? No, he concluded grimly. Absolutely not. Not in five minutes. It only took five seconds. He knew so many girls-nice girls. Witches withmysterious smiles, vampires with delicious curves, shapeshifters with cute furry tails. Even human girls with fancy sports cars who never seemed to mind when he nibbled their necks. Why couldn't it have been one of them? Well, it wasn't. And there was no point in wondering about the injustice of it. The question was, what was he going todo about it? Just sit back and let fate ride over him like an eighteen-wheeler? I'm sorryfor your family, Quinn had said to him. And maybe that was the problem. Ash was a victim of his Redfern genes. Redfern never could stay out of trouble; they seemed to tangle with humans at every turn. So was he going to wait for Quinn to come backand then offer that as an excuse? I'm sorry; I can't handle things here after all; I can't even finishthe investigation. If he did that, Quinn would call in the Elders and they would investigate for themselves. Ash felt his expression harden. He narrowed his eyes at the squirrel, which suddenly darted for thetree in a flash of red fur. Beside him, the lizard stopped moving. No, he wasn't just going to wait for fate to finish him off. He'd do what he could to salvage the situa tion-and the family honor. He'd do it tonight. â€Å"We'll do it tonight,† Rowan said. â€Å"After it's fully dark, before the moon rises. We'll move her to the forest.† Kestrel smiled magnanimously. She'd wonthe argument. â€Å"We'll have to be careful,† Jade said. â€Å"That thingI heard outside last night-it wasn't an animal. I think it was one of us.† â€Å"There aren't any other Night People aroundhere,† Rowan said gently. â€Å"That was the whole pointof coming here in the first place.† â€Å"Maybe it was a vampire hunter,† Kestrel said.†Maybe the one that killed Aunt Opal.† â€Å"If avampire hunter killed Aunt Opal,† Rowansaid. â€Å"We don't know that. Tomorrow we should look around town, see if we can at least get an ideawho mighthave done it.† â€Å"And when we find them, we'll take care ofthem,† Jade said fiercely. â€Å"And if the thing you heard in the garden turnsup, we'll take care of it, too,† Kestrel said. She smiled, a hungry smile. Twilight, and Mary-Lynnette was watching thedock. The rest of her family was comfortably, settledin for the night; her father reading a book about World War II, Claudine working conscientiously on a needlepoint project, Mark trying to tune up his oldguitar that had been sitting in the basement for years. He was undoubtedly trying to think of words to rhyme with Jade. Mary-Lynnette's father looked up from his book. â€Å"Going starwatching?† â€Å"Yup. It should be a good night-no moon till aftermidnight. It's the last chance to see some Perseids.† She wasn't exactly lying. It would be a good night, and she could keep an eye out for stragglers from the Perseid meteor storm as she walked to Burdock Farm. â€Å"Okay; just be careful,† her father said. Mary-Lynnette was surprised. He hadn't said anything like that for years. She glanced at Claudine, who jabbed with her needle, lips pursed. â€Å"Maybe Mark should go with you,† Claudine said, without looking up. Oh, God, she thinks I'm unstable, Mary-Lynnette thought. I don't really blame her. â€Å"No, no. I'll be fine. I'll be careful.† She said it too quickly. Mark's eyes narrowed. â€Å"Don't you need any help with your stuff?† â€Å"No, I'll take the car. I'll be. fine. Really.†Mary Lynnette fled to the garage before her family could come up with anything else. She didn't pack her telescope. Instead, she put a shovel in the backseat. She looped the strap of her camera around her neck and stuck a pen flashlight in her pocket. She parked at the foot of her hill. Before she gotthe shovel out, she paused a moment to look dutifully northeast, toward the constellation Perseus. No meteors right this second. All right. Keys inhand, she turned to open the back of the station wagon-and jumped violently. â€Å"Oh, God!† She'd nearly walked into Ash. Mary-Lynnette's pulse was racing and her knees felt weak. From fear, she told herself. And that's all. â€Å"You nearly gave me a heart attack!† she said. â€Å"Doyou always creep up behind people like that?† She expected some smart-ass answer of either the joking-menacing or the hey-baby variety. But Ashjust frowned at her moodily. â€Å"No. What are you doing out here?† Mary-Lynnette's heart skipped several beats. But she heard her own voice answering flatly, â€Å"I'm starwatching. I do it every night. You might want to make a note of that for the thought police.† He looked at her, then at the station wagon. â€Å"Starwatching?† â€Å"Of course. From that hill.† She gestured. Now he was looking at the camera looped around her neck. â€Å"No telescope,† he commented skeptically. â€Å"Or is that what's in the car?† Mary-Lynnette realized she was still holding the keys, ready to open the back of the wagon. â€Å"I didn't bring a telescope tonight.† She went around to the passenger side of the car, unlocked the door, reached in to pull out her binoculars. â€Å"You don't need a telescope to starwatch. You can see plenty with these.† â€Å"Oh, really?† â€Å"Yes,really.†Now, that was a mistake, Mary -Lynnette thought, suddenly grimly amused. Acting as if you don't believe me †¦ just you wait. â€Å"You want to see light from four million yearsago?† she said. Then, without waiting for him to answer: â€Å"Okay. Face east.† She rotated a finger at him. â€Å"Here, take the binoculars. Look at that line of fir trees on the horizon. Now pan up †¦Ã¢â‚¬ She gavehim directions, rapping them out like a drill sergeant. â€Å"Now do you see a bright disk with a kind of smudgeall around it?† â€Å"Um. Yeah.† â€Å"That's Andromeda. Another galaxy.But if you tried to look at it through a telescope, you couldn't seeit all at once. Looking through a telescope is like looking at the sky through a soda straw. That's all the field of view you get.† †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†All right. Okay. Point taken.† He started to lower the binoculars. â€Å"Look, could we suspend the starwatching for just a minute? I wanted to talk toyou â€Å"Want tosee the center of ourgalaxy?† Mary -Lynnette interrupted. â€Å"Turn south.† She did everything but physically make him turn.She didn't dare touch him. There was so much adrenaline racing through her system already-if shemade contact she might go supercritical and explode. â€Å"Turn,† she said. He shut his eyes briefly, then turned, bringing the binoculars up again. â€Å"You have to look in the constellation Sagittarius.† She rattled off instructions. â€Å"See that? That's where the center of the Milky Way is. Where all the star clouds are.† â€Å"How nice.† â€Å"Yes, it is nice. Okay, now go up and eastyou should be able to find a little dim sort of glow†¦.† â€Å"The pink one?† She gavehim a quick look. â€Å"Yeah, the pink one.Most people don't see that. That's the Trifid Nebula.† â€Å"What are those dark lines in it?† Mary-Lynnette stopped dead. She forgot her drill sergeant manner. She stepped back. She stared at him. She could feel her breath coming quicker. He lowered the binoculars and looked at her. â€Å"Something wrong?† â€Å"They're dark nebulae. Lanes of dust in front of the hot gas. But †¦ you can't see them.† â€Å"I just did.† â€Å"No. No. You can't see those. It's not possible, notwith binoculars. Even if you had nine millimeter pupils †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She pulled the flashlight out of her pocket and trained it full in his face. â€Å"Hey!† He jerked back, eyes squeezing shut, hand over them. â€Å"That hurt!† But Mary-Lynnette had already seen. She couldn't tell what color his eyes were right now, because the colored parts, the irises, were reduced to almost invis ible rings. His eye was all pupil.Like a cat's at maxi mum dilation. Oh, my God †¦the things he must be able tosee. Eighth-magnitude stars, maybe ninth-magnitude stars. Imagine that, seeing a Mag 9 star with yournaked eye. To see colors in the star clouds-hot hy drogen glowing pink, oxygen shining green-blue. To see thousands more stars cluttering the sky .. . â€Å"Quick,† she said urgently. â€Å"How many stars doyouseein the sky right now?† â€Å"I can't seeanything,†he said in a muffled voice, hand still over his eyes. â€Å"I'mblind.† â€Å"No, I meanseriously,†Mary-Lynnette said. And she caught his arm. It was a stupid thing to do. She wasn't thinking. But when she touched his skin, it was like completing a current. Shock swept over her. Ash dropped hishand and looked at her. For just a second they were face-to-face, gazes locked. Something like lightning trembled betweenthem. Then Mary-Lynnette pulled away. I can'ttakeany more of this. Oh, God, why am Ieven standing here talking to him? I've got enough ahead of me tonight. I've got abody to find. â€Å"That's it for the astronomy lesson,† she said, holding out a hand for the binoculars. Her voice was justslightly unsteady. â€Å"I'm going up the hill now.† -240She didn't ask wherehe was going. She didn't care, as long as it was away. He hesitated an instant before giving her the binoculars, and when he did he made sure not to touchher. Fine, Mary-Lynnette thought. We both feel the same. â€Å"Goodbye.† â€Å"Bye,† he said limply. He started to walk away. Stopped, his head lowered. â€Å"What I wanted to say †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well?† Without turning, he said in a flat and perfectly composed voice, â€Å"Stay away from my sisters, okay?† Mary-Lynnette was thunderstruck. So outragedand full of disbelief that she couldn't find words. Then she thought: Wait, maybe he knows they're killers and he's trying to protect me. Like Jeremy. Around the sudden constriction in her throat she managed to say, â€Å"Why?† He shook his drooping head. â€Å"I just don't thinkyou'd be a very good influence on them. They'rekind of impressionable, and I don't want them getting any ideas.† Mary-Lynnette deflated. I should have known, shethought. She said, sweetly and evenly, â€Å"Ash? Get bent and die.†