Relationaship between Work and Non-Work Life Essay

Relationaship between Work and Non-Work Life - Essay Example This section will clarify the work and non-work issues in order to create clear understanding. Individual have to handle challenging issues in work and non-work life. Such activities include job, stress, family, children, different roles, social activities, and workload among others. Consequently absenteeism, mental illness, conflicts become prevalent as the challenges increases. Achieving â€Å"balance† in work and non-work life means, ability of individuals to make good interaction between work and non-work life without undermining the satisfactory performance of one domain by another (Noon & Blyton, 2007). In recent years, there is an increasing trend of involvement of spouses and family members in the work force, which brings a role conflict among people. Everyone tends to be very busy with workload and focus less on individual roles such as in the family decisions. This situation is increasing stresses and misunderstandings among the family members, which is becoming a ma jor contributor to absenteeism, low employee morale, high accident and turnover rates, decreased productivity, and increased company medical expenses. Stress is viewed not just as a function of being under pressure in an occupational sense, but also as a function of an individual’s whole life situation (Cooper et al., 1988). Moreover, work and non-work balancing will help workers to balance between work and family demands, which will in turn increase the productivity and business profitability (Glass & finley, 2002). finley, 2002). However, there is huge effect of non-work life on work life and vice versa. A happy non-work such as family and social life can help individuals to handle challenges in work life too. Therefore, it can be argued that, the relationship between work and non-work is two-way. Marks et al. (2001) and Gutek et al. (1991) posit that work life influences the non-work life in many different ways and vice-versa, because of the financial dependency on jobs an d less flexibility in job schedules. Therefore, it has been a challenge for the employees to make balance between these two. Job satisfaction is highly

Types Of Operating Systems Computer Science Essay

Types Of Operating Systems Computer Science Essay An operating system, or OS, is a software program that enables the computer hardware to communicate and operate with the computer software. Without a computer operating system, a computer would be useless. In computing. operating system (OS) linked between hardware and user, which is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of a computer, that acts as a host for computing applications run on the machine. One of the purposes of an operating system is to handle the resource allocation and access protection of the hardware. This relieves the application programmers from having to manage these details. Explanation At the simplest level, an operating system does two things: It manages the hardware and software resources of the system. In a desktop computer, these resources include such things as the processor, memory, disk space and more (On a cell phone, they include the keypad, the screen, the address book, the phone dialer, the battery and the network connection). It provides a stable, consistent way for applications to deal with the hardware without having to know all the details of the hardware. Operating systems offers many services to application programs and usersApplications access these services through application programming interfaces (APIs) or system calls. By invoking these interfaces, the application can request a service from the operating system, pass parameters, and receive the results of the operation. Users may also interact with the operating system with some kind of software user interface like typing commands by using command line interface (CLI) or using a graphical user interface. For hand-held and desktop computers, the user interface is generally considered part of the operating system. On large multi-user systems such as Unix-like systems, the user interface is generally implemented as an application program that runs outside the operating system. Types of Operating Systems As computers have progressed and developed so have the types of operating systems. Below is a basic list of the different types of operating systems. Within the broad family of operating systems, there are generally four types, categorized based on the types of computers they control and the sort of applications they support. The categories are: 1.Real-time operating system (RTOS) Real-time operating systems are used to control machinery, scientific instruments and industrial systems. An RTOS typically has very little user-interface capability, and no end-user utilities, since the system will be a sealed box when delivered for use. A very important part of an RTOS is managing the resources of the computer so that a particular operation executes in precisely the same amount of time, every time it occurs. In a complex machine, having a part move more quickly just because system resources are available may be just as catastrophic as having it not move at all because the system is busy. 2. Single-user, single task As the name implies, this operating system is designed to manage the computer so that one user can effectively do one thing at a time. The Palm OS for Palm handheld computers is a good example of a modern single-user, single-task operating system. 3. Single-user, multi-tasking This is the type of operating system most people use on their desktop and laptop computers today. Microsofts Windows and Apples MacOS platforms are both examples of operating systems that will let a single user have several programs in operation at the same time. For example, its entirely possible for a Windows user to be writing a note in a word processor while downloading a file from the Internet while printing the text of an e-mail message. 4. Multi-user A multi-user operating system allows many different users to take advantage of the computers resources simultaneously. The operating system must make sure that the requirements of the various users are balanced, and that each of the programs they are using has sufficient and separate resources so that a problem with one user doesnt affect the entire community of users. Unix, VMS and mainframe operating systems, such as MVS, are examples of multi-user operating systems. Examples of most popular operating systems : Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, and media centers. It was released in 2001. The name XP is short for eXPerience.[3] Windows XP is the successor to both Windows 2000 Professional and Windows Me, and is the first consumer-oriented operating system produced by Microsoft to be built on the Windows NT kernel and architecture. Windows XP was first released on October 25, 2001, and over 400 million copies were in use in January 2006, according to an estimate in that month by an IDC analyst.[4] It was succeeded by Windows Vista, which was released to volume license customers on November 8, 2006, and worldwide to the general public on January 30, 2007. Direct OEM and retail sales of Windows XP ceased on June 30, 2008. Microsoft continued to sell XP through their System Builders (smaller OEMs who sell assembled computers) program until January 31, 2009.[5][6] XP may continue to be available as these sources run through their inventory or by purchasing Windows Vista Ultimate or Business and then downgrading to Windows XP. MS-DOS MS-DOS is an operating system for x86 based personal computers, which was purchased by Microsoft. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for personal computers during the 1980s[citation needed] and 1990s. It was preceded by M-DOS (also called MIDAS), designed and copyrighted by Microsoft in 1979. MSDOS was written for the Intel 8086 family of microprocessors, particularly the IBM PC and compatibles. It was gradually replaced on consumer desktop computers by operating systems offering a graphical user interface (GUI), in particular by various generations of the Microsoft Windows operating system. MS-DOS developed out of QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System), also known as 86-DOS . Several versions were released under different names for different hardware.[3] MS-DOS had eight major versions released before Microsoft stopped development in 2000. Unix UNIX is an operating system which was first developed in the 1960s, and has been under constant development ever since. By operating system, we mean the suite of programs which make the computer work. It is a stable, multi-user, multi-tasking system for servers, desktops and laptops. UNIX systems also have a graphical user interface (GUI) similar to Microsoft Windows which provides an easy to use environment. However, knowledge of UNIX is required for operations which arent covered by a graphical program. The UNIX operating system is made up of three parts; the kernel, the shell and the programs. The kernel of UNIX is the hub of the operating system: it allocates time and memory to programs and handles the filestore and communications in response to system calls. The shell acts as an interface between the user and the kernel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system http://www.howstuffworks.com/operating-system.htm/printable

Legalizing Abortion and Back-alley Abortionists :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Legalizing Abortion and Back-alley Abortionists      Ã‚  Ã‚   The head of one of the major pro-choice/pro-abortion organizations in the U.S. has said: "In 1972 there were 1,000,000 illegal abortions and 5,000 to 10,000 women died from them." The data would indicate that legalized abortion is a godsend for women. This essay will examine the truth or falsity of the above quote in all of its complexity.    True? Or False? No one knows. For the obvious reason that illegal abortions have never been reported. There are no statistics, no numbers anywhere to report. Therefore, if anyone tells you that there were X numbers of illegal abortions somewhere in a certain time, they are guessing. The pro-abortion leader may guess 1,000,000. The pro-life spokesman may guess 100,000, but both are guessing.    There is only one reported figure that can lead us to some degree of accurate estimate of the numbers of illegal abortions and that is the number of women who died from illegal abortions. Many nations report only one figure for women who die, lumping together women's deaths from spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), legally induced abortion and illegally induced abortion. Such statistics are no help. The United States, since the 1940s, has reported such deaths separately, so we know the number of deaths from illegal abortions. Good! Now if we knew how many illegal abortions it took to cause one death, we could easily calculate the total number of illegal abortions. The problem is, no one has the slightest idea how many it took, and so we're back to where we started from.    How many women died? The chart used on the floor of the US Senate during the tumultuous debate on abortion in 1981 was compiled from official U.S. statistics and was not challenged by the pro-abortion forces. It shows that after Penicillin became available to control infections, the number of deaths stabilized during the 1950s at about 250/year. e.g. 1956 = 250. Note that by 1966, with abortion still illegal in all states, the number of deaths had dropped steadily to half that number - 120, because of new and better antibiotics, better surgery and the establishment of intensive care units in hospitals. This was in the face of a rising population. Between 1967 and 1970 sixteen states legalized abortion. In most it was limited, only for rape, incest and severe fetal handicap (life of mother was legal in all states).

Previously conducted

Business environments exhibit a variety of structures and processes, Including flat and horizontal organizational forms, ultrasonically matrix structures, networks of â€Å"virtual organizations† and self- directed work teams. When business organizations respond to challenges by embarking on a change management path, they are faced with choices of which one of the management methods, techniques, and systems would be most effective (Waldron, 2005). Every organization is located within a particular configuration of contingencies.It Is dependent on the market and technological environment In which it operates its scale and diversity of operations, the technology applied to its work, ND the type of personnel it employs. To achieve congruence, an appropriate design is the one which best suits it's contextual and operational contingencies. According to Mores and Yen (2001 , p. 352), â€Å"to be internally consistent, organizations must have tightly independent and mutually supporti ve parts In terms of strategies, structures and process†. The management of organizations faces a challenge to reinforce the management accounting system. Tragedies and structures together In order to achieve competitive advantage and enhance performance. Thus, research needs to e carried out to help management make appropriate decisions in order to achieve this congruence. This study examines companies in Malaysia's manufacturing industry in responding to the rapid changes in technological and competitive environment In Malaysia as a result of globalization. Globalization has changed the environment surrounding organizations operating In developing countries with an increase In uncertainty, Intensified Industry competition and advanced technology.According to Kansas, Md-Mansard and Doris (2003) globalization brings in new genealogy and makes a developing country open to greater competition. These changes may affect the choice of management accounting practice (MAP) in an orga nization and may also result in the need for the firm to reconsider its existing organizational design and strategies in order to fit with the changing environment. This argument Is supported by Burns and Escapes (2000) and Shields (1 997), who suggest that changes in environment cause changes in organizations, which in turn cause changes in MAP.Background and Significance of the Study The business environment in a developing country differs from that within a plopped country with regards to market size, access to manufactured Inputs, although some developing economies are quite large, most are not; the menu of domestically produced intermediate inputs and capital equipment is often limited; a scarcity of technicians and scientists also affects flexibility in the production process and the ability to absorb new technologies; infrastructure is relatively limited; macroeconomic and relative price volatility is typically more extreme; legal systems and crime prevention are also relativ ely poor; and corruption is often a serious problem. Malaysia is categorized as the developing country, however it has more advanced infrastructure and technology compared to most other developing countries. Malaysian manufacturing industries are also more concentrated than those of most developed countries (Apothecary, 2002). With globalization, the application of technology in Malaysia has increased, especially through foreign investment (Kansas et al. , 2003).Changes in business environment in Malaysia arising from a market- oriented economy and government policies that provide businesses with the opportunity for growth and profits, have made Malaysia a highly nominative manufacturing and export base. LITERATURE REVIEW Management Accounting and Its Evolution: The basic purpose of accounting information is to help users make decisions. Management accounting is branch of accounting that produces information for managers and forms an important integral part of the strategic process within an organization. It involves the process of identifying, measuring, accumulating, analyzing, preparing, interpreting, and communicating information that helps managers fulfill organizational objectives (Hormone, Sunder, Stratton, Burgomaster, & Chatterer, 2007).Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (I-J) views management accounting as an integral part of management which requires the identification, generation, presentation, interpretation and use of information relevant to: – Formulating business strategy; – planning and controlling activities; – decision-making; – efficient resource usage; – performance improvement and value enhancement. Johnson and Kaplan (1987) argued for a ‘relevance lost' in management accounting. They pointed the issue of inappropriateness of conventional management accounting techniques which offered little capacity for roving useful and timely information for better decision and control in the contempo rary environment of rapid technological change and vigorous competition. Following Johnson and Kaplan (1987), management accounting techniques had rapidly developed for better decision-making and management control.To promote a better understanding of the changes in management accounting practices, the International Federation of Accountants (AFC) (1998) provides a framework explaining the development of management accounting. This framework explains the evolution in management accounting through four recognizable stages. Management Accounting change: Management accounting change is not a uniform phenomenon. Consequently one confirmed by management accounting. Researchers. It is evident that both the external factors (environmental) and internal factors (relating to the organization concerned) have influenced the recent development of new management accounting systems and techniques. According to Shields (1997), the potential change drivers are competition, technologies, organizatio nal design and strategies.These drivers of change also indicate the differing roles which causal factors can have in the process f change. Change in environment also implies uncertainty and risk which create a demand for further management accounting change in the form of ‘non-financial' measures (Vivo, 1999). Less attention has been given by researchers to the management accounting change process. Burns and Escapes (2000, p. 4) observed that, â€Å"little research attention has been given to understanding the processes through which new management accounting systems and practices have emerged (or failed to merge) through time†. Change can be addressed in a variety of dimensions.According to The American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Edition, change includes all of the following aspects: becoming different or undergo alteration; transformation or transition; going from one phase to another; making an exchange; modifying; substitution; giving and receiving reciprocally; repla ce with another; abandon. This definition illustrates different types of change and shows that, in general, it is not a uniform phenomenon. Wisecracking and Alliterate (2007) suggest change in management accounting as a learning methodology to understand how environmental factors shape internal process within organization. According to them, the process of change reflects on the question of how management accounting techniques emerged, evolved and were transformed when new demands from the changing environment are in place. From a management accounting perspectives, different types of change can be researched upon.For example Essay (2003) study change with respect to the integration of Activity Based Costing (BBC) into strategy to manage organization's operating activities. It is suggested that BBC can contribute to improve organizational performance if implemented as part of the overall organizational change strategy. Prefer, McKinney and Harrison (2003), examined changes in term o f introduction, abandonment and reintroduction of transfer pricing in government trading enterprise as it moved from protected monopolistic status to centralization. Research Method Data sources There are two types of data sources are used to obtain the required information 2. 1. Primary Data: Direct interview though a survey questionnaire. That was needed for this assignment. Secondary data Online articles on management accounting Previously conducted research papers on different issues of management accounting magazines, brochures, etc This study has attempted to enhance our understanding of the effect of alignment among management accounting and organizational change, in Malaysian manufacturing companies, on performance. It explores the causal relationship between competitive environment and advanced manufacturing technology; with MAP, strategy and structure. Interrelationship between MAP with structure and strategy is also investigated.The research findings confirm that the mode l developed mainly from a Western perspective is largely applicable to the Malaysian context. Moreover, this study presents a number of distinctive findings to add to the existing iterate. It identifies certain important associations, particularly in relation to the alignment among the organizational factors, I. E. , MAP, structure and strategy. As the business environment is continuously changing, organizations and their managers will find it is critical to cope with these changes to ensure that institutional factors are properly matched. Supply of relevant information is essential for managers to make effective decisions regarding an appropriate alignment.This study had been designed to achieve the research objectives. By employing a valid and reliable theology, this study has significantly contributed to the theoretical and methodological knowledge in this area. The findings from this research also provide a useful guideline to organizations, especially their managers, to make de cisions in light of the current changing environment. Apart from these contributions, this research's outcome has also provided useful guidance for future research. References magazines, brochure CT Web link http://www. En. Wisped. Org/wick/about management accounting http:// en. Wisped. Org/wick http://en. Wisped. Org/wick/management accounting system

Reduction of Demand for Drugs by Incorporation of Elasticity

Prohibited drugs have been one of the major concerns of the federal government for the past decades. Various negative effects of prohibited drugs not only on the user itself but also on the immediate community of the latter have been identified. Due to this, various programs has been launched by the federal government just to regulate and prevent citizens from drug addiction. One of the said government projects to minimize drug addiction would be the intensification of drug treatments aside from the border patrolling etc. The question now would be which of the identified two governments program will be more effective?Since prohibited drugs are addictive, users will continue to buy the said good even if there is a high risk involving its usage, not to mention that it is expensive (Kuehlwein, 2007). In other words, drug users will continue to buy as long as their will be someone who will supply them with those prohibited drugs regardless how much will it cost. Therefore, the intensific ation of drug treatment programs would be more effective as compared to the border patrolling since the former will reduce the addiction of the drug users which will eventually shifts its demand elasticity towards elastic demand.On the other hand, border patrolling will only lower down the supply of prohibited drugs in the market which only further increases its price level due to possible shortage as authorities on borders confiscate more prohibited drugs. At the end of the day, the root of the problem will not be solved by only patrolling on borders since drug users will always find ways on how to get marijuana or cocaine on the streets.This makes the intensification of drug treatment programs more effective since this attacks the root of the problem by minimizing the drug dependency of users which eventually leads to quitting drug usage. At this point, it is already clear that through reducing the demand of drug users to prohibited drugs will solve the said problem of the governm ent more effectively than with the border patrolling. It would be better on the part of the federal government to concentrate more on the drug treatment programs than with border patrolling. AppendixWith the drug treatment program, the elasticity of demand of drug users will shift from being inelastic to being elastic. The good thing with this will be, under the elastic demand; by the time drug users will quit using prohibited drugs, there is a big possibility that they will no longer go back into being drug addicts since they are no longer drug dependent. Whereas, border patrolling will do only no harm on the demand of the drug users and at the same time will only boost the prices of prohibited drugs on the streets as shown by demand curve1.Demand curve 1 is inelastic while demand curve 2 is elastic and the latter is the end effect of the intensification of drug treatment programs. Reference Kuehlwein, M. (2007). Cocaine and the Elasticity of Demand. Retrieved February 21, 2008, fr om http://images. google. com. ph/imgres? imgurl=http://www. unc. edu/depts/econ/byrns_web/GreatIdeas/ART/GI05-12. gif&imgrefurl=http://www. unc. edu/depts/econ/byrns_web/GreatIdeas/02-CoreMicro/GI-05. htm&h=411&w=909&sz=10&hl=tl&start=13&um=1&tbnid=wBaZSi2QPBBJ3M:&tbnh=66&tbnw=147&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dinelastic%2Bdemand%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dtl%26sa%3DN

The Boys from Brazil Essay Example

The Boys from Brazil Essay Example The Boys from Brazil Essay The Boys from Brazil Essay The boys from Brazil| Written by Ira levin | A horrible plan is devised by former Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele. Journalist Yakov Lieberman, Jewish journalist, and Nazi hunter, discovers the plans of Mengele. His plan is to kill the fathers of the 94 boys, who are made by Joseph Mengele himself by cloning the DNA of Adolf Hitler. The two hunt each other, which comes to a climax at the home of one of the children, namely family Wheelock. Mengele’s experiment is about making clones of Adolf Hitler himself, and with this terrifying plan, Joseph Mengele would like to take over the world with clones of Hitler.My research question: Is Mengele able to dominate the world by using clones of Hitler? The question now is what does Mengele want to achieve? First, Joseph Mengele is an old Nazi-doctor, who worked in a concentration camp in Auschwitz during the second world war. Mengele wants to take over the world, making a fourth Reich, with the goal to continue the ideas of Hitler. The ideas are that the world has to be inhabited by people who do not have any deviations. This is based on the relieve that Mengele and his comrades see the German people as the purest and most beautiful race on earth, and what needs to be brought back.The way in which Mengele wants to achieve this goal is complicated. He wants to get his hands on the world, by cloning the genetic material of Adolf Hitler in 94 boys . The boys arise and live in a simulated environment, where their parents have the same jobs as Hitler’s parents did have. Mengele thinks this will increase the chance for the arise of the new Hitler. But why this way? First by using of clones, the offspring who has the same genetic characteristics as the cruel dictator.The idea is that when you have the same DNA, you are identical and to your predecessor, with the same characteristics. Second, during the reign of the Nazis, Hitler won the votes of the people by praising them. He impressed the people by telling them they w ere strong and said tha other people made the Germans worse, he created a perfect situation to come to power. Mengele wants to achieve a Fourth Reich in exactly the same way, therefore he needs a descendant of Hitler. The murders all took place under conditions and with a reason.The gruesome plan of Mengele now is to murder the fathers of the boys at the time the boys are 12 years old, because Hitler lost his father at the same age, according to Mengele this moment in Hitler’s life would have been decisive for the development of the beast in him. Lieberman discovers Mengele’s plan , and he immediately takes action. This story takes place in 1976, almost 30 years after the Second World War. After the war, Joseph Mengele fled to Brazil and adopted a different name. Because Mengele is underground, he is free to free put his plan into practice.Namely the people all over the world think that Joseph Mengele no longer exists, that the Nazi regime was ousted, and gone forever, so they thought they did not have to worry about a new rise of the Nazi regime. But will Mengele’s plan succeed? Mengele will not able to take power in this way, and I will explain why not. First, Mengele is chasing Lieberman, because Lieberman has discovered the plan of Mengele to kill a next victim, Mr. Henry Wheelock. Lieberman is doing everything to prevent this murder. But Mengele spied Liebermann and knows to visit Wheelock earlier.When Mengele is trying to persuade and cajole the son of Mr. Wheelock, by saying that he is a descendant of Hitler and he is the greatest, he gets an unexpected answer: â€Å"Who are my parents? He challenged ‘Who am I? ’ â€Å"Your father is Adolf Hitler† â€Å"You know what? † the boy said. â€Å"You are the biggest nut I have ever met! † The son of Wheelocks has been to school and had lessons in History. He knows better than to believe just a strange guy. The son did not think about the possibility of re combination techniques. If even one child says its an idiot plan, it says enough. Everyone is conviced Mengele is crazy.Second, the plan is a big gamble. It is impossible to create a cruel person like Hitler by cloning his DNA and raise the boys in slightly similar conditions. It is impossible to form a new leader. That Hitler developed such radical ideas was a combination of character, living conditions and social events, such as the economy of Germany and the First world war. It is simply impossible to replicate the conditions and therefore it will not be possible to create a new Hitler as Mengele tells himself. Mengele thinks because genetic material is present in the boys, they start acting like Hitler.But what it important is that genes do not control the mind. The boys will not get extreme ideas only by the genes. Even if they were not told what happened to their genetics and that their fathers were murdered. The main character of the book, Yakov Liebermann is a survivor of th e concentration camps and knows the infamous Joseph Mengele. He also knows what happened with twins in Auschwitz, and what role Mengele has played in it. Lieberman will do everything to stop Mengele to perform his horrible plans for he learned from history. He does everything to thwart the plans, so that history cannot repeat itself.Finally, everyone in the world has learned from the Second World War except Mengele. However, that Mengele comes up with this plan to the lines of Hitler and this strategy again, this but will never work. It is not possible to grasp the way Hitler did, namely power winning over and then make afraid. After the war there are innovations, more control and intelligence which make it all that much harder. It seems like Mengele played the role of the famous wizard Catweazle, who also suddenly comes into the modern era and has to deal with major changes.Mengele does not realize that the world has changed, that the world has learned from the horrors that have h appened. Mengele didn’t learn from the mistakes, and now he made a mistake again. Conclusion The conclusion is that in addition to DNA, there are other factors in the formation of someones personality. The plan was good, but he was too naive like to forget what happened in the past. He only thinks about his target, is concentrated too much, and lost the conspectus. Mengele is a dedicated man, but his plan would not work, that is clear.He has everything figured out, but he did not think about the opponents. The story is exciting and it draws you into the story quickly. But the points that make the story and the plan of Mengele are clearly difficult to get out. Furthermore, the book is well written with many exciting pieces that make you think, like why Mengele now need exactly the clones? Very interesting for a discussion, for instance. I must say that the story is very good, exactly what I expected of it. Sources: The boys from Brazil by Ira Levin. life of Hitler: http://nl . wikipedia. org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler.

Rates of Reaction Essay Example

Rates of Reaction Essay Example Rates of Reaction Essay Rates of Reaction Essay The task that we were given was to measure the rates of reaction. I chose to measure it by changing the concentration of the reactant which will enable me to use collect a wide range of data.StrategyOur reactants were hydrochloric acid and magnesium whilst our products were hydrogen and salt.Hydrochloric acid (HCl) + Magnesium (Mg) Hydrogen (H) + Salt (MgCl)To achieve the different concentration of hydrochloric acid we used a 2 molar base concentration and then diluted it with water. For example, the 1M acid was 10ml HCl and 10ml H2O. As we were using 2M, we chose to test eight different concentrations, at 0.25 intervals as this would provide us with the necessary range of data and also, with an equal amount between each, it would make it easier for us to draw conclusions.The method that we used was: we filled up the plastic bowl with water and then also filled a measuring cylinder with water and turned it upside down with its end in the water of the bowl. It was held in place with a clamp stand. We had to ensure that there were no air bubbles in the cylinder or the measurements that we took would be inaccurate because it wouldnt have begun with zero gas in the cylinder. We placed the end of the tube and bung into the cylinder and measured out the appropriate amount of hydrochloric acid and poured it into a boiling tube. Next, we cut a strip of magnesium down to 2cm long and put it into the boiling tube, placing the bung in immediately and starting the stopwatch.We chose to see how long it took to produce 15cm3 of hydrogen because, during our preliminaries, when our original measurement was 20cm3, sometimes not enough hydrogen was produced.The measuring equipment that we used was chosen for the specific measurements that it could provide to measure out the water and acid we used a pipette as it could easily remove or add a very small measurement to exactly make up the 20ml that was the total measurement of our acid and water solution. The technique for collec ting the gas was reliable. The same person completed the same specific job in the practical which meant that the reaction times of the person with the stopwatch wasnt different each time and one person didnt shake the boiling tube to give the particles more energy to collide when they were placing the bung on, all of which would make the tests slightly more unreliable.Collecting DataWe took careful care to keep any interfering factor under control throughout the practicals by recognising them during the preliminaries that we conducted. These included the exact concentration of the acid, the exact length of the magnesium, the speed with which the bung was placed on and the temperature of the room (and consequently the solution). We were able to easily control the former three with little problems but the latter was much harder to manage. The measurements were correct to the closest millilitre and milligram that was feasibly possible as we used measuring cylinders and rulers that offe red the highest level of accuracy.In the preliminaries, we chose the person who was most suited to continually placing the bung on and as they were able to get a feel for the speed and the reactions that were required during the introductory experiments they were able to place it on at a consistent speed. This at least improved the reliability of the experiments. The temperature of the room was out of our control so the only thing that we were able to do was try and complete the tests in one session as the temperature wouldnt have varied greatly. However, we were unable to do that so instead we continued the experiments on a day which was about the same temperature.The range of our data covered 2M, which was the most that we able to do. The values tested were: 0.25M (2.5ml HCl/17.5ml H20); 0.5M (5ml HCl/15ml H20); 0.75M (7.5ml HCl/12.5ml H20); 1M (10ml HCl/ 10ml H20); 1.25M (12.5ml HCl/7.5 ml H20); 1.5M (15ml HCl/5ml H20); 1.75M (17.5 ml HCl/ 2.5ml H20) and 2M (20ml HCl). In total, we conducted twenty-four experiments as we repeated each concentration three times to ensure accuracy and reliability in the results. Also, if there were any anomalies it would have allowed us to recognise the fault almost immediately instead of only realising when we compared all the data after the practical aspect was finished. Thankfully, we did not receive any anomalies.

Definition of a Learning-Rich Environment

Definition of a Learning-Rich Environment Homeschoolers have a language of their own that may sometime be confusing to outsiders or newbies. One such term is a learning-rich environment. For some, the term may seem self-explanatory. For others, it may sound intimidating. They may wonder, if I don’t create the perfect environment for my kids, am I going to be a homeschool failure? Fortunately, the definition of a learning-rich environment may vary from family to family, but all definitions will probably encompass a setting in which children are encouraged to learn through natural curiosity and exploration and in which the tools for doing so are provided. Some common components of a learning-rich environment may include some of the following: Books in Relation to Homeschooling There probably isn’t a homeschooling family on the planet for whom a learning-rich environment will not include access to books. To create a setting in which natural learning can take place, children of all ages should have easy access to a variety of reading materials. Easy access may mean bookshelves placed low where young children can reach them. Rain gutter bookshelves provide a highly visual storage idea, which often encourages young readers to explore. Easy access also means placing books in high traffic areas of your home. You may have bookshelves in bedrooms or  your living room (or even your dining room) or you may use your coffee table to strategically place books you think will interest your children. A variety of reading materials may include books, magazines, graphic novels, or comics. It may include biographies, historical fiction, non-fiction, and books of poetry. A learning-rich environment will include ready access to the written word and the freedom to use the materials at will. Its important to teach children how to properly care for books, so you may wish to start with providing free access to sturdier reading material such as cloth or board books if you have young children. Tools for Expressing Creativity A learning-rich environment will typically include ready-access to tools for kids to express their creativity. Depending on the age of your children, these tools may include: Play-doh or modeling clayArt supplies such as paints, brushes, or chalksMusical instrumentsCameras digital or videoCraft supplies such as glue, pipe cleaners, pom-poms, or construction paperHandicraft supplies such as knitting needles or crochet hooks, yarn, sewing notionsBlocks or LEGOsBlank paper and crayonsOld magazines and greeting cards In order to encourage self-directed creativity, it is best to allow open access to art supplies and tools for creative expression. To offset the potential for disaster, you may wish to consider having a specific area in your home for art or leaving only water-based and washable art supplies openly accessible  (just skip the glitter). You might also consider teaching your children to cover their work surface with a plastic tablecloth and provide smocks (over-sized t-shirts work well) for art projects. Tools for Open-Ended Play and Exploration A learning-rich environment will also have the tools necessary for open-ended play and exploration. Dry beans can make the perfect math manipulatives, but can also double as the substrate for a sensory box. Old boxes of varying sizes can be used for building a fort or creating a stage for an impromptu puppet show. Preschool and elementary-aged children can enjoy self-directed learning and play with items like dress-up clothes; old dishes and cookware; or small notepads for playing restaurant or store. Children of a variety of ages will enjoy having access to items such as: Binoculars or a magnifying glassA microscope and/or telescopeField guidesA child-friendly computer or laptop with safe-search options Older kids may enjoy taking apart non-working electronics and appliances. Just be sure to take the proper safety precautions first. The idea is to provide the tools to let your children’s imaginations and natural curiosity take over and direct their playtime. The Value of Learning Stations Learning stations are not necessary for a learning-rich environment particularly if all the elements of the stations are readily accessible to children but they can be a lot of fun. Learning stations or learning centers need not be elaborate. For example, a math station may consist of clear, plastic box filled with items such as: RulersA plastic clock for learning to tell timeCounting bearsRegular playing cards (adaptable for a variety of math games)Buttons for countingTangram piecesA set of plastic shapesA set of diePlay money We had a writing center that was made up of a tri-fold presentation  board with a variety of writing helps (such as a word wall of common words and a printout of a hand with the 5W  questions, â€Å"Who, what, when, where,  and why?†). The board was set up on a table which held a dictionary, thesaurus, a variety of paper, journals, pens, and pencils. You might also consider creating learning centers such as: A reading nookA kitchen centerA science/nature study centerA geography center Again, learning centers don’t have to be elaborate. They can be stored in cabinets; boxes or baskets; on top of a bookshelf; or on a wide windowsill. The key is to make the elements of the learning station visible and easily accessible so that students understand that they are free to explore with the items. Creating a learning-rich environment can also be as simple as a purposeful use of your home and materials. For example, if you have an interest in astronomy and would love to share that with your children, pull out all your astronomy books and place  them around your home. Let your children see you studying the stars through your telescope, and point out to them some of your favorite constellations. It also may mean simply capitalizing on the everyday learning moments and demonstrating through your actions that learning never stops and isnt confined to the 4.5 hour/180 day school year (for example) that your state requires. It may mean simply being okay with the potential mess and with the kids using all those great math manipulatives that you purchased at the homeschool convention for something other than their originally intended purpose. And with any luck, you may discover that creating a learning-rich environment is more about your attitude than the articles in your home.

Patient Satisfaction and Retention Strategies in Hospitals Thesis

Patient Satisfaction and Retention Strategies in Hospitals - Thesis Example This paper illustrates that the performance of any hospital is dependent on the patient satisfaction and retention strategies for hospitals. Studies have been conducted on how hospitals can improve their patient satisfaction and retention strategies, as well as, how hospitals can attract patients. However, the studies did not explain explicitly the tactics that can be implemented to help attract patients and retain them at the same time. Therefore, the need to understand and analyze various factors that can help in improving patient satisfaction and retention in hospital settings. Although studies have been conducted to establish why different hospitals perform better than others, employee satisfaction has always satisfaction has always been a very important tool for medical staff. Staffs who are content will be more productive than discontented staff and will also have the low turnover of staff. The question of why some hospitals perform better than others is asked by many and by co nducting a research on the patient satisfaction and retention strategies on Sheikh Khalifa some of the questions will be answered. Though sickness is not something that can be wished for it is foolish or naà ¯ve to ignore the fact that people fall ill. It is in this context that SKMC tries to understand that treating a patient does not necessarily mean he or she is satisfied with the services offered. SKMC was built in 2005 due to the merger of publicly managed health care providers in Abu Dhabi. It encompasses several ‘Centers of Excellence’ and it is run by the Cleveland Clinic. It functions as the leading institution in SEHAs system. It is overseen by its obligation to practice modern health care services to high standards as high as the world’s best medical facilities. SKMC’s broad healthcare services provide for the priorities of the people of Abu Dhabi. It ensures both the finest levels of patient satisfaction and care and promotes overall health th rough awareness and education. SEHA is standing for Abu Dhabi Health Services and Company. SEHA is the Arabic word for health. It was launched in December 2007 and it is owned and run by the Abu Dhabi government. SEHA was launched by the government has plans to reform the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi and represent a positive milestone in the provision of the best healthcare services in the world by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa.

The American Identity Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The American Identity Crisis - Essay Example On the other hand, there were those who felt that American colonists had come to the New World to leave the world of monarchy and authoritarian decree behind, to found a home for democracy and for personal equality and freedom. The current debate in public opinion has to do with the American war in Iraq. There are many who believe that the United States, once an example for freedom and liberty, is acting like a colonial, or even an imperial power in its handling of Iraq. Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, the country has sunk into a brutal civil war, which neither the American military nor the Iraqi military can contain. These thinkers assert that, since there is no clear exit strategy for the American military, that President Bush has given his military forces an impossible task of restoring full order before returning home. Instead of leaving the troops there indefinitely, these people argue, preparations should begin immediately for troop withdrawals, since there is no clear rationale for their continued presence in the country. On the other side of the argument are those who believe that the American military has a duty to establish that order before it leaves, and that to leave any earlier would g ive terrorists a foothold in the Middle East and would leave a power vacuum that could end up being very dangerous to American interests. Paine, of course, was on the side of military action against the British government. He used highly incendiary language in his pamphlets: in The Crisis, he wrote that "[t]yranny, like hell, is not easily conquered, yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." He explicitly compares the fight for American independence from Great Britain to a religious battle between forces of good and evil. He scorned the sensibilities of the Tory loyalists, who, in his opinion, were selling out their children's futures for their own short-term comfort: he quotes the Tory tavern owner who said, "Well! Give me peace in my day!" while playing with his young son. Paine argues that his concern should be more the future, and that he should think, "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." Paine's argument was that a swift military action against the British would serve to lance the boil of American servitude that wo uld only continue to fester under the pressure of further British acts of taxation and other forms of official oppression. Paine's rhetoric is no tamer in his larger pamphlet known as Common Sense. He wrote, "Now is the seed-time of Continental union, faith and honour. The least fracture now will be like a name engraved with the point of a pin on the tender rind of a young oak; the wound would enlarge with the tree, and posterity read in it full grown characters." In other words, Paine felt his time period to be a crucial one in the direction of the fledgling colonies: they would either continue under British imperial rule, as would such areas as India and South Africa, or they could break free from their colonial ties and become a flagship for liberty in the New World. He uses the metaphor of writing on the tree to show how long-lasting the lessons of that historical moment would be. And just how permanent

The Fashion Industry and the Role of the Media in Shapin Dissertation

The Fashion Industry and the Role of the Media in Shapin - Dissertation Example The study "The Fashion Industry and the Role of the Media in Shapin" concerns the fashion and media and analyzes the Changing Perception of a Woman’s Physical Image. After World War I, with the popularity of fashion magazines, print media, television and the internet, the popular media has presented the perceived ‘ideal’ image of a woman. This mostly unrealistic perception, being pushed on to the people, has had a negative effect on the women’s own perception of their physical image often putting health on a lower priority or even contradicting healthy routines in favor of attaining such physical attire. The complicated perceptions of one’s own physical image make one concerned about this aspect. Research on this self perception has found discontent among women showing their body dissatisfaction and at a higher rate than males. Such false projections, which have nothing to do with a real drive to get a better appearance, put individuals at a risk of disturbance and discontent. The idealized thinness and prejudiced height, hair and weight projected by the media as being ‘attractive’ influences the masses and makes women match those descriptions which is not only destruction of originality but also dangerous for health the way it gets commercialized, rather littered, and then picked by the adolescents. The wrong message of ‘standards for acceptability’ that the models from fashion industry and the media send do not actually define the beauty; in fact, the repeated pushing of such image on the women.... ? that the models from fashion industry and the media send do not actually define the beauty (Dittmar & Howard, 2004; Thompson & Stice, 2001); in fact, the repeated pushing of such image on the women population puts a conflict between the actual standards and the depicted standard making a woman choose to be unhealthy in order to achieve that standard (Dittmar & Howard, 2004, p. 478). This has been found in previous research to have direct proportion to the time of exposure to such commercial propaganda (Schooler et al. 2004). Many times, the sole purpose of such depictions and portrayal is to create an artificial need of the products, which are not actually needed, and then to sell them to that audience. 2.0 Purpose of research The purpose of this research is to evaluate the change in perception of a woman’s physical image in the eyes of the population in general and in the eyes of woman herself. Researching on why and how these perceptions have changed over this period of ti me, which can safely be regarded as an era of contemporary change in this respect, can provide us with useful results that actually provide some insight on how the fashion and show business industry has driven this. Addressing everlasting concern over weight and appearance in a non issue approach can help minimize the prejudice on being slimmer from as young as 6 years old (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002). The dissatisfaction, which is one of the major issues in a woman’s teenage due to perception of one’s own physical image (Schwitzer, Bergholz, Dore, & Salimi, 1998; Stice & Whitenton, 2002), is a topic that needs special attention to guard young girls from further worsening their health situation in fear of weight gain (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002; Field et al., 1999). What you think of

Explaining a Concept Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Explaining a Concept Research Paper - Essay Example This research paper, therefore, purpose to provide the definition of human trafficking as well as elucidating how it differs from human smuggling. The document will also argue in detail the aspect of Minor Sex Trafficking and mention new laws that defend victim’s necessities. Undoubtedly the role of Christian organizations is crucial in providing assistance to the victims of sexual trafficking. After that, the discussion will also mention some of the organizations that contribute to psychological and financial support to the victims of this unpleasant experience. Global human trafficking is estimated to be about 600,000 to 4,000,000 with the majority of human trafficking individuals being victims of sex trafficking. According to De Chesnay, sex trafficking is explained as the conscription, sheltering, shipping, necessitating, or acquiring of people for the intentions of commercial sex, (De Chesnay 1990). Notably, human trafficking differs from human smuggling because the latter involves a situation where a person freely requests to be transported outside the country of birth of migration. Trafficking in persons, on the other hand, refers to trade in humans, most commonly for the purpose of sexual slavery. Trafficking is not only illegal but also a serious crime that result to a severe violation of the human’s rights. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, human trafficking has increased dramatically to the point of being an epidemic, (United Nations 47-48). Even though, the United States Government knows about this crime; it is very difficult to estimate the real number of victims because many of these victims do not report their victimization. Hartjen & Priyadarsini (2012) claims that the State Government estimates that about 14,500 to 17,500 people cross over into the United States annually, (Hartjen & Priyadarsini 173). David Hodge argues further that most of the trafficking in the United States involves citizens that have

Children under 12 Should not Be Introduced to the Internet Essay

Children under 12 Should not Be Introduced to the Internet - Essay Example For this reason, researchers and scholars have not hesitated to state that the internet has become an integral part of the contemporary world. However, science and technology comes at a cost (Staples, 2008, p. 288). The internet causes more harm than benefit to children. Efforts to control activities and content of the internet to children have proved futile since the internet does not belong to any company or state. This paper delineates the dangers that internet poses to children both in social and academic activities. It discovers the risks associated with unsupervised internet use by children. Conspicuous chat rooms, instant messaging and explicit contents are the intermediates that make smooth the progress of the fundamental issues and problems within this topic. In addition, this paper discusses the role of the parents in ensuring their children’s safety in the internet. Unsupervised access to the internet by children under the age of 12 exposes the child to a world of d etrimental dangers that are both physically and psychologically abusive (Livingstone, 2009, p. 23). Arguably, the content in the internet posses a higher danger and risk to children than movies, music and television. Chat rooms and social media have become the areas of interest in exploring the risks exposed to children. In the recent past, cases of abduction, murders and physical and sexual abuses on children have been on the increase. National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (2005, p. 2) has linked the internet as the major cause of these evils. The report notes that 89 percent of sexual solicitations or approaches occur in the internet annually and that 29 percent of all the children who use the internet have been sexually victimized. In addition, the report suggests that 31 percent of girl children have been sexually harassed in a chat room. Debatably, National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (2005, p.13) reported in a research, that more than 4 million child ren between the age of 7 and 17 who use the internet have a higher probability of giving out their home address and their email addresses. It has been reported that 29 percent of all the children under the age of 12 who use the internet would give out their home address if asked while 14 percent would give out their email address if requested (National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, 2005, p. 14). This has been the primary contributor of child abductions and murders. Reports indicate that children have opted to turn to the internet where their social life cannot be known by their parents. The internet permits private and real time conversations. This has made children succeed in safeguarding and protecting their social life from scrutiny by the parents and adults (Staples, 2008, p. 288). However, this has had more harm than benefit. Children spend a lot f time in the internet and are disconnected from the societal happenings that have for long equipped adolescents into ad ult hood (Strasburger & Wilson, 2002, p. 134). Though researches have portrayed the internet as a revolutionary method of supplementing people’s social lives and civic connections, it has replaced head to head connections with friends and family members. For this reason, the internet has left the youths with no social skills. Staples (2008, p. 289) notes that they

Gone With The Wind Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gone With The Wind - Research Paper Example As such, parody on its own or with the inclusion of satire does not attract infringement while a satire that stands alone attracts infringement of the copyright law. This brings the issue of fair use as demonstrated by several infringement battles such as in the case of Colting’s 60 Years Later novel and Suntrust Bank v Houghton Mifflin. Fair use sets a legal ground that permits commercial and creative decisions regarding rewrites. This leads to more cultural products making our culture richer, but also poses the big challenge of determining what qualifies as fair use and what does not. Thampapillai, Dilan. The Novel as a Social Satire: 60 Years Later, the Wind Done Gone and the Limitations of Fair Use. Deakin Law Review (2012): 427-452.Print. In The Novel as a Social Satire: 60 Years Later, The Wind Done Gone and the Limitations of Fair Use, the author, Dilan Thampapillai, evaluate the doctrine of fair use and its application in the society. He also explores the difference be tween fair use in Australian Copyright law and the American Copyright law in order to give an insight into the distinction between satire and parody. Furthermore, Dilan evaluates application of fair use with reference to the case of 60 Years Later and the rewrite of Gone With The Wind. Dilan Thampapillai currently works as a lecturer at the Deakin University School of Law. Prior to this, Dilan worked at the Australian Government Solicitor and Attorney-General’s Department as a lawyer. Evidently, he has a good background in the area of law giving credibility to his work. In addition, Dilan specializes in topics such as free speech, intellectual property, and public law. Dilan currently studies PhD at Melbourne University, holds a Master in Laws and a Bachelor of Laws from Cornell University and Australian National University respectively. Furthermore, the article is recent, published in 2012, thus, has up to date information about fair use. I will use the information in this a rticle to get an insight into the issue of fair use and infringement of Copyright issues. I will use the information from this article to evaluate the circumstances that a rewrite qualifies as fair use, and the circumstances under which it does not, that is, qualifies as infringement. Thus, this article will help me to understand better the concepts of parody and satire, and how they apply in Copyright issues. Dilan Thampapillai writes, â€Å"What must be accepted then is that both parody and satire are exercises in free speech and the fact that they warrant a free use exception in copyright law suggests that the statutory monopoly that is copyright needs to be reconciled with democratic values† (429). Beebe, Barton. An Empirical Study of US Copyright Fair Use Opinions, 1978-2005. University of Philadelphia Law Review (2008): 582-586. Print. In An Empirical Study of US Copyright Fair Use Opinions, the author, Beebe Barton discusses several opinions that argue for fair use. Ba rton refers to the four conditions in the US Copyright Act that fair use is dependent on. These are character and purpose of use, nature of the work copyrighted, sustainability and amount, and effect on the market. Beebe Barton is an intellectual law expert and a lecturer of the same at the New York University of Law. Beebe has J.D. from Yale school of Law attained in 2001, PhD from Princeton University and B.A. in Masters from the University of Chicago. In addition, Beebe is well vast in the topic of intellectual law, infringement, and

Children under 12 Should not Be Introduced to the Internet Essay

Children under 12 Should not Be Introduced to the Internet - Essay Example For this reason, researchers and scholars have not hesitated to state that the internet has become an integral part of the contemporary world. However, science and technology comes at a cost (Staples, 2008, p. 288). The internet causes more harm than benefit to children. Efforts to control activities and content of the internet to children have proved futile since the internet does not belong to any company or state. This paper delineates the dangers that internet poses to children both in social and academic activities. It discovers the risks associated with unsupervised internet use by children. Conspicuous chat rooms, instant messaging and explicit contents are the intermediates that make smooth the progress of the fundamental issues and problems within this topic. In addition, this paper discusses the role of the parents in ensuring their children’s safety in the internet. Unsupervised access to the internet by children under the age of 12 exposes the child to a world of d etrimental dangers that are both physically and psychologically abusive (Livingstone, 2009, p. 23). Arguably, the content in the internet posses a higher danger and risk to children than movies, music and television. Chat rooms and social media have become the areas of interest in exploring the risks exposed to children. In the recent past, cases of abduction, murders and physical and sexual abuses on children have been on the increase. National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (2005, p. 2) has linked the internet as the major cause of these evils. The report notes that 89 percent of sexual solicitations or approaches occur in the internet annually and that 29 percent of all the children who use the internet have been sexually victimized. In addition, the report suggests that 31 percent of girl children have been sexually harassed in a chat room. Debatably, National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (2005, p.13) reported in a research, that more than 4 million child ren between the age of 7 and 17 who use the internet have a higher probability of giving out their home address and their email addresses. It has been reported that 29 percent of all the children under the age of 12 who use the internet would give out their home address if asked while 14 percent would give out their email address if requested (National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, 2005, p. 14). This has been the primary contributor of child abductions and murders. Reports indicate that children have opted to turn to the internet where their social life cannot be known by their parents. The internet permits private and real time conversations. This has made children succeed in safeguarding and protecting their social life from scrutiny by the parents and adults (Staples, 2008, p. 288). However, this has had more harm than benefit. Children spend a lot f time in the internet and are disconnected from the societal happenings that have for long equipped adolescents into ad ult hood (Strasburger & Wilson, 2002, p. 134). Though researches have portrayed the internet as a revolutionary method of supplementing people’s social lives and civic connections, it has replaced head to head connections with friends and family members. For this reason, the internet has left the youths with no social skills. Staples (2008, p. 289) notes that they

SKILLS GAPPING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SKILLS GAPPING - Essay Example For example, if the area was customer service focused, skills gapping would look for gaps in areas of service delivery and then try to bridge that gap through training or technology. The health care environment can benefit greatly from skills gapping, especially in areas of patient care in a hospital setting. Nurses and physicians, and many other support staff, are exposed to people of many different cultural, ethnic, or family backgrounds and each have different interpersonal dimensions and personalities. Being able to provide a quality face-to-face interaction with patients, at all staff levels, means being able to be adaptive to their unique cultural values. Skills gapping could recognize all areas which come in contact with patients, assess the goals of each job role, and then assess staff for their ability to provide multi-cultural support at the social level. Gaps in knowledge or experience in these areas would be located in skills gapping process, allowing for the health care analyst to review training programs related to multi-cultural relationships or enhancing patient psychology. Patient care is much more than just the delivery of medicine, it is inter active at multiple staff levels and skills gapping can be a competitive edge. Offers one human resources expert, â€Å"Training and development plans should be regularly reviewed and certainly more than once per year† (Wilson and Western, 2001, p.93). It seems that many companies develop training programs and then continue to allow them to become standardized over the passage of time without upgrading or modernizing them. This would provide ineffective training for the real-time health care environment. Skills gapping can act as a regular auditing tool within the business to improve training delivery and training program development which would be ongoing. For example, if a hospital administrator decided that it would become the organizational mission to

Negative Consequences Of Gender Role Stereotyping Sociology Essay

Negative Consequences Of Gender Role Stereotyping Sociology Essay In todays community so many stereotypes happen daily. People judge others based on the visual representation they see and at times even make allegations based on these evaluations. Its immoral and shouldnt be supported. This assertion is true no concern how some in community wants to see it as wrong. It happens and I believe that people should not be judged based on their characteristics. Some people might believe we live in a community where stereotyping is eliminated to a minimum, as far as addressing them goes. Nevertheless, gender stereotypes, racism stereotypes, and sometimes prejudice stereotypes towards people have been acknowledged, they have attempted to be dealt with and attempted to be controlled but its unavoidable. Sure some might feel we live in a community where this doesnt occur, but the fact of the matter is its not, and it wants to be understood. Some feel you can accept people despite of race or sex. Accepting an individual who just selects to dress or look differe nt shouldnt be that difficult. Nevertheless, some have found, this is not the situation. Stereotypical bias towards anybody, particularly the ones who select to look differently, is a main problem. It is a main issue that goes most of the time un-addressed and its sad. The purpose of this paper is to establish a research in order to identify the negative consequences of gender stereotypes. Negative Consequences of Gender Role Stereotyping In our existing society, males and females execute specifically different roles which are found on nothing more than their natural gender. Although these roles do not posses true for every person, the mainstream of people lives out their lives in accordance with these very pervasive roles. Community tends to allocate classes of social roles to man individuals and classes of social roles to woman individuals (as community perceives their genders). These sex roles boundaries what both men and women can and cannot do. Gender roles enslave persons and force them to be what others want them to be. They are perpetuated and enforced by the mass media and community usually several ways, some which are evident and others which are more subtle. In several communities, there is a strong trend to overstate these sex roles, and it appears to regularly jump from a valid surveillance to a false conclusion. Gender roles can be described as a set of behaviors and attributes that are standard for every gender in a community. Gender role stereotypes are broadly-held beliefs about those behaviors and attributes (Singleton, 1987). The stereotypes to a great extent become the roles. Community forces people into some roles simply by anticipating that those roles are appropriate and enforcing them. Generally, the roles common in modern Western community recommend that males should be bossy, aggressive, and better at the maths and sciences, should become victorious in their professions, and should manage and suppress their emotions. Females, on the contrary, should be obedient, nurturing, gentle, superior at languages and the humanities, emotional, and eager of nothing more than a content family and a husband to provide for her, while she remains at home and tends the house. These gender-typed roles are effected and reinforced by the mass media and community usually in several ways, some evident and others more subtle. Nevertheless, there is a formerly broadly-held standpoint, somewhat less popular presently, that sex roles are the consequence of innate biological distinction between the genders; that men are biologically better-suited to hold positions of authority, for instance, and that females are more suited to look after the home and kids. It has been presently and regularly suggested that the presently championed roles are limiting and damaging to all engaged, males and females alike, from the time that they are kids. This view holds that our gender roles are solely the product of the community in which we live, and that their inappropriateness with the truth of individual characters causes pain and stress for several individuals, as do other types of oppression and stereotyping. Most of the study in this area has been based on researches which indicate the disparity and subordinate position of females in Western community. The natural view of sex roles states that the discriminated sex roles which survive in our community are the products of our evolution, and are inextricably connected with capabilities predominant in one gender or the other which are decided naturally. The roles prescribed for each gender are based on physical capabilities and properties of that gender, such as intelligence, brain lateralization, and varying hormone levels. This view was the accepted one all over the history, and has only recently been challenged. The issues with this view are, first, that it supposes that existing Western gender roles are the correct ones, second, that it rejects that we can or should alter our existing roles, and third, that it implies that conventional gender roles are adaptive and helpful to physical and psychological health. Recent proof and study favors the conclusion that none of these three points is really true. If existing Western gender roles are in fact naturally programmed into all human beings, we would anticipate such roles to be universal, and this is obviously not the case. If nothing else, this view overlooks, or diagnoses as pathologic, individual distinctions. Although certain consistency across several cultures is in fact discovered, even those who see these personalities as evolutionarily based have developed other, superior explanations for them than that they are natural and unchangeable. One such view states that societal distinctions in child-rearing practices are accountable for varying capabilities in every sex, but that these distinctions are due to the evolutionary sexual behavior of a polygenes species, as they believe humans to be. The supposition that gender roles are natural, and thus unchanging, can be refuted by the simple visible fact that gender roles, even within our community, have altered and are in the procedure of altering. Females, long deemed to be incapable to hold positions of authority or professions engaging intelligence, are at last beginning to be enabled to serve in such abilities (though the struggle for full identification is still far from over). Additionally, females are in the procedure of refuting the belief that they must have a family and kids to be done, when in fact several are happier without them. As regards psychological health and the adaptively of gender roles, the simple fact is that, when a association between gender roles and physical and mental health is discovered, it generally points to the conclusion that the woman gender role in specific is extremely associated to lower self-respect, higher levels of neuroticism (noticeable in such traits as over-sensitivity to condemnation and denial to involve in assertive behavior), and reduced capability to cope in those persons who adhere sternly to their socially prescribed sex role. Researches have proved that females, as well as males who are considered to be extremely feminine on the Bem Sex Role Inventory, are much more probably in situations of job stress to use avoidance coping at the cost of other, more useful, techniques. Additionally, females have been proven to be considerably less contented with their bodies, due to a sex role which states that they must be beautiful in order to attract a male, which should be of dominant significance in their lives. Even females of low body weight commonly diet, supposing themselves fat. This becomes an issue when it is proved that these thoughts of insufficiency about ones own body are connected to eating diseases, low self-respect, despair, and lowered or insufficient use of contraceptives. Perhaps one of the causes for the raised stress clear among those trying to adhere to the gender role recommended for them, also the most compelling proof against the natural approach, is the fact that several of the commonly-held Western gender capability stereotypes on which gender roles are based are simply inexact. Past and existing transforms in gender roles can furthermore be described by the fact that, since cultures alter, what roles are adaptive to each culture will also alter over time, and should do so. The socio-cultural view, affected to a large extent by feminism, additional states that the existing woman gender roles in our community are psychologically harmful to females, in that they encourage as desirable behaviors and beliefs which are unsuited with truth and are maladaptive to mental adjustment. The man sex roles are also harmful to males for the same causes. Much of the study completed on the harmful effects of sex stereotyping has concentrated on the way in which these stereotypes serve to further subjugate females. Nevertheless, males are hurt as well. Males are described that they should never show their feelings, they are socialized to be aggressive, and they are taught to derogate anything woman. This manifests itself as a high level of competitiveness, a disability to be open and susceptible, and a lack of ability in interpersonal communications. Inherent in this rejection of all things feminine is also a natural belief that maleness and femaleness are opposites. This dichotomy is damaging to males in specific, because it teaches them that if they try to gain some wanted feminine characteristics, they will in turn lose some of their maleness, which is perhaps the ultimate terror of the sex-stereotyped male. Moreover, both these dichotomized gender roles are detrimental to community as a whole because they promote violent behavior in males, against both each other and females, discourage individuals from following some activities in which they might excel provided the opportunity, and foster the communication space between the genders. For instance, several researches have establish that acceptance of rape myths such as most sufferers are at least partially to blame, are connected to gender role stereotyping and mistrust of the opposite sex on the part of both males and females. It would look clear, provided all the study extant, that even if it is the case that gender roles are the consequence of our species evolution and the physiological predispositions of each sex, and were adaptive in the past, these roles have not changed to reflect the altering truths of our community. Thus, any adaptive benefits they may have presented in the past are no longer present, and the roles must alter in order to be adaptive for individuals these days. This view is certainly daunting; if sex roles are to alter, then so must several other institutions of our community. The truth that most if not all adults these days adhere to these roles to some extent does not make this any easier. To alter the outlook on females would need alters in how we perceive family relations, how we teach our kids, our criminal and civil laws, and religion, among other things. Maybe the first step to making these alters is to change the methods in which males and females are presented in the mass media. Presently, such materials as T.V. perpetuate the conventional gender roles by presenting and emphasizing them, while discrediting those who go against the existing roles by either presenting them in an adverse light or, more regularly, by failing to present them at all. The belief that all females should be young and good-looking, and that their looks should be their main concern, is perpetuated by the facts that most females on TV are under 30 years old, and these females are shown continuously paying concentration to their looks, and by the fact that when females do make news, such things as their marital status, height, and hair color are regularly mentioned, even when these are unrelated to the problem at hand. Conclusion This is a very significant, if not essential, realization for community to come to. Provided that the existing gender role stereotyping has so several negative effects for all individuals in our community, and has yet to show any positive consequences, it stands to cause that when such an unbelievable force for oppression is eliminated from our lives, it can only advantage all engaged in the long run. Such study as has been completed in the past is required also in the future, but it must be accompanied by an active try to alter the things that are discovered, rather than simply acknowledging their harmful consequences in statistical breakdowns. It must also be made apparent that these roles are not general and unchallengeable and that there is hope for alter. Only when these truths are realized can our community begin to move toward a prospect of gender relationships that is adaptive for our time and for the upcoming.

alcatraz Essay -- essays research papers

An icon of power and strength, Alcatraz has become the single most recognizable symbol of American society. Situated in the San Francisco Bay, one can’t help but be drawn to the rocky shore, the dark walls, and the lone light tower sanding cold against a picturesque sunset imagining what it would have been like to be incarcerated in one of the world’s most infamous prisons. Discovered in 1775 by the Spanish explorer Juan Miguel de Ayala, La Isla de los Alcatraces was little more than a rock inhabited by a group of pelicans from which the island bears its name (Alcatraces meaning pelicans in Spanish). However, in 1847 the US government began to look at it as much more. Strategically placed at the mouth of the San Francisco Bay it was the perfect site for a military fort. By 1853 a state of the art military fortress was protecting the Western United States against foreign infiltration. In 1861, with outbreak of the Civil War, Alcatraz began receiving its first military prisoners. However, it wasn’t until 1898 and the Spanish- American War that the isolation of the island that made it an impregnable military installation also made it an inescapable prison. During this war the prisoner population jumped from 26 to 450. That number spiked again as civil prisoners were transferred from city jails after the famous 1906 earthquake. With the island becoming more and more a prison and less and less a military fort, a cell house was built in 1912. This is generally felt to be the p...

Narrators Role in Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and Kerouacs On The R

Narrator's Role in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Kerouac's On The Road Over the last fifty years, since the release of On The Road in 1957, it has not been uncommon for critics to draw parallels between Kerouac’s semi-autobiographical novel and Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, released thirty-two years previously. It is for certain that both the novels share many similar traits, both examine concepts of American ideals and The American Dream, both are heavily influenced by the jazz age of the time, but nothing binds the novels closer to one another than the authors’ use of the first person narrative and that narrators relationship with their leading character. It is perhaps the most common reading to see both Jay Gatsby and Dean Moriarty awarded iconic status by their corresponding narrators. The connotations concerning the epithet found in the very centre of Fitzgerald’s title alone can bring an image to the reader’s mind of one of history’s great leaders, putting Gatsby in league with characters such as Alexander the Great, Catherine the Great, Peter the Great and Frederick the Great. It would seem obvious from the title that Gatsby is one beheld with admiration and respect by the narrator. The relationship between Kerouac’s Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty is often viewed in much the same light. The importance of Dean to Sal is visible from his very first paragraph, where he states that, â€Å"the coming of Dean Moriarty began the part of my life you could call my life on the road†. Within a short time period, Sal allows his life to be turned in a completely different direction by someone who is basically a stranger. This willingness to uproot and follow somebody else’s lifestyle pays a great complim... ... with the door flapping, and roar off to the next available spot, arc, pop in, brake, out, run. It would be easy to substitute the car in this instance with a woman to come up with a justifiable description of Dean’s attitude towards women. Just in the way Sal admires and enthuses about his car-parking abilities, describing him as, â€Å"†¦the most fantastic parking-lot attendant in the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sal admirers and enthuses about his sex life. In 1991, Eagleton published an essay with a Marxist sentiment declaring that, much like Nick, â€Å"Sal is suffering from ideology – a false consciousness that is imposed on them by the hegemonic social order†. This adds to the link between the two narrators concerning their feelings towards their leading characters; in particular the manner in which they both admire the achievements made by Gatsby or Dean in their love lives.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 8

As they hastened from the car to the secluded motel room, Elena had to put pressure on her legs to keep them steady under her. As soon as the door to the room slammed shut, with the storm more or less outside and her own stiff and aching body inside, she headed for the bathroom without even turning on a light. Her clothes and hair and feet were all damp. The fluorescent lights of the bathroom seemed too bright after the darkness of the night and the storm. Or maybe it was the beginning of her learning to circulate her Power. That had certainly been a surprise. Damon hadn't even been touching her, but the shock she had felt still reverberated inside her. And as for the feeling of having her Power manipulated from outside her body, well, there just weren't words. It had been a breathtaking experience, all right. Even now just thinking about it made her knees tremble. But it was more clear than ever that Damon wanted nothing to do with her. Elena confronted her own image in the mirror and winced. Yes, she looked like a drowned rat that had been dragged backward a mile through the gutter. Her hair was damp, turning its silky waves into tiny wisps of curls all around her head and face; she was as white as an invalid, and her blue eyes were staring out of the pinched and exhausted face of a child. For just a moment she remembered being in even worse shape a few days – yes, it was only days – ago, and having Damon treat her with the utmost gentleness, as if her bedraggled appearance had meant nothing to him. But those memories had been taken from Damon by Shinichi, and it was too much to hope that that might have been his real state of mind. It had been†¦whim†¦like all his other whims. Furious at Damon – and at herself for the prickling behind her eyes she felt – Elena turned away from the mirror. The past was the past. She had no idea why Damon had suddenly decided to start jerking away from her touch, or to look at her with the hard cold eyes of a predator. Something had caused him to hate her, to barely be able to sit in the car with her. And whatever it was, Elena had to learn to ignore it, because if Damon left, she would have no chance of finding Stefan. Stefan. At last her trembling heart could find rest in thinking of Stefan. He wouldn't care what she looked like: his sole concern would be for her well-being. Elena shut her eyes as she turned on the hot water in the tub and stripped off her clammy clothes, basking in her imagination of Stefan's love and approval. The motel had provided a small plastic bottle of bubblebath, but Elena left it alone. She'd brought her own translucent-gold bag of vanilla bath crystals in her duffel bag, and this was the first chance she'd had to use it. Carefully, she shook about a third of the beribboned bag's crystals into the rapidly filling tub and was rewarded with a steamy blast of vanilla, which she drew into her lungs gratefully. A few minutes later, Elena was shoulder deep in hot water covered with a vanilla-scented foam. Her eyes were shut and the warmth was soaking into her body. The softly disintegrating salts were easing away all pain. These weren't ordinary bath salts. They had no medicinal smell, but they'd been given to her by Stefan's landlady, Mrs. Flowers, who was a genteel elderly white witch. Mrs. Flowers's herbal recipes were her specialty, and right now Elena would swear that she could feel all the tension of the last few days being actively sucked out of her body and gently soothed away. Oh, this was just what she had needed. Elena had never appreciated a bath like this before. Now, there's just one thing, she told herself firmly, as she inhaled breath after delicious breath of vanilla steam. You asked Mrs. Flowers for bath salts that would relax you, but you cannot fall asleep here. You'll drown, and you already know what that feels like. Been there, done that, didn't even have to buy the shroud. But even now Elena's thoughts were dimmer and more fragmented, as the hot water continued to relax her muscles, and the vanilla scent swirled around her head. She was losing continuity, her mind drifting off into daydreams†¦. She was giving herself to the heat and the luxury of not having to do anything at all†¦. She was asleep. In her dream, she was moving briskly. It was only half-light, but she could tell somehow that she was skimming downward through deep gray mist. What worried her was that she seemed to be surrounded by arguing voices, and they were arguing about her. â€Å"A second chance? I've spoken to her about it.† â€Å"She won't remember anything.† â€Å"It doesn't matter whether she remembers. Everything will remain inside her, if unawakened.† â€Å"It will germinate inside her†¦until the time is right.† Elena had no idea what any of it meant. And then this mist was thinning, and clouds were making way for her, and she was drifting down, more and more slowly, until she was deposited gently on a ground covered with pine needles. The voices were gone. She was lying on a forest floor, but she wasn't naked. She was wearing her prettiest nightgown, the one with real Valenciennes lace. She was listening to the tiny night sounds all around her when suddenly her aura reacted in a way that it never had before. It told her someone was coming. Someone who brought a sense of safety in warm earthen hues, in soft rose colors and deep, blue violets that enfolded her even before the person arrived. These were†¦someone's†¦feelings about herself. And behind the love and soothing concern she experienced, there were deep forest greens, shafts of warm gold, and a mysterious tinge of translucency, like a waterfall that sparkled as it fell and foamed like diamonds around her. Elena, a voice whispered. Elena. This was so familiar†¦. Elena. Elena. She knew this†¦. Elena, my angel. It meant love. Even as Elena was sitting up and turning in her dream, she was holding out her arms. This person belonged with her. He was her magic, her solace, her best-beloved. It didn't matter how he'd gotten there, or what had happened before. He was her soul's eternal mate. And then†¦ Strong arms holding her tenderly†¦ A warm body close to hers†¦ Sweet kisses†¦ Many, many times†¦ This familiar feeling as she melted into his embrace†¦ He was so gentle, but almost fierce in his love for her. He had vowed not to kill, but he would kill to save her. She was his most precious thing in all the world†¦. Any sacrifice would be worth it if she were safe and free. His life meant nothing without her, so he would gladly give it, laughing and kissing his hand to her with his last breath. Elena breathed in the wonderful autumn-leaves scent of his sweater and was comforted. Like a baby, she allowed herself to be soothed by simple familiar odors, by the feeling of her cheek against his shoulder and the wonder of the two of them breathing together in synchronicity. When she tried to put a name to this miracle, it was at the front of her mind. Stefan†¦ Elena didn't even need to look up at his face to know that Stefan's leaf-green eyes would be dancing like the waters of a small pond ruffled by wind and sparkling with a thousand different points of light. She buried her head in his neck, afraid somehow to let go of him, although she couldn't remember why. I don't know how I got here, she told him nonverbally. In fact, she didn't remember anything before this, before awakening to his call, only jumbled images. It doesn't matter. I'm with you. Fear seized her. This isn't†¦just a dream, is it? No dream is just a dream. And I'm with you always. But how did we get here? Shhh. You're tired. I'll hold you up. On my life, I swear it. Just rest. Let me hold you just once. Just once? But†¦ But now Elena felt worried and dazed, and she had to let her head fall backward, had to see Stefan's face. She tilted her chin back and found herself meeting laughing eyes of an infinite darkness in a chiseled, pale, and proudly handsome face. She almost cried out in horror. Hush. Hush, angel. Damon! The dark eyes that met hers were full of love and joy. Who else? How dare you – how did you get here? Elena was more and more confused. I don't belong anywhere, Damon pointed out, suddenly sounding sad. You know I'll always be with you. I do not; I do not – give Stefan back to me! But it was too late. Elena was aware of the sound of water trickling and of tepid liquid sloshing around her. She woke up just in time to keep her head from going underwater in the bathtub. A dream†¦ She felt much more flexible and easy in her body, but she couldn't help feeling saddened by the dream. It hadn't been an out of body experience, either – it had been a simple, crazy, mixed-up, dream of her own. I don't belong anywhere. I'll always be with you. Now what was gibberish like that supposed to mean? But something inside Elena trembled, even as she remembered it. She hastily changed – not into a Valenciennes lace nightgown, but into a gray and black sweat suit. When she emerged, she was feeling overtired and prickly and ready to start a fight if Damon gave any sign of having picked up on her sleeping thoughts. But Damon didn't. Elena saw a bed, managed to focus on it, stumbled toward it and collapsed, flopping down on pillows that sank unsatisfactorily beneath her head. Elena liked her pillows firm. For a few moments she lay, savoring her after-bath sensations, as her skin gradually cooled – and her head cooled as well. As far as she could tell, Damon was standing in exactly the same position as he had taken up when they'd entered the room. And he was still as silent as he had been since the morning. Finally, to get it over with, she spoke to him. And being Elena, she went straight to the heart of the problem. â€Å"What's wrong, Damon?† â€Å"Nothing.† Damon stared out the window, pretending to be engrossed in something beyond the glass. â€Å"What nothing?† Damon shook his head. But somehow, his turned back eloquently conveyed his opinion of this motel room. Elena examined the room with the too-bright vision of someone who has forced their body beyond its limits. She contemplated beige walls, beige carpet, a beige armchair, a beige desk, and of course, a beige bedspread. Even Damon couldn't reject a room on the grounds that it doesn't match his basic black, she thought, and then: oh, I'm tired. And bewildered. And scared. And†¦incredibly stupid. There's only one bed in here. I'm lying on it. â€Å"Damon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  With an effort, she sat up. â€Å"What do you want? There's a chair. I can sleep on the chair.† He half turned, and she saw in the movement that he wasn't annoyed or playing games. He was furious. It was all there in the faster-than-the-human-eye-could-follow assassin's spin and the complete muscular control that stilled it almost before it had begun. Damon with his sudden movements and his frightening stillness. He was looking out the window again, body poised as always for†¦something. Right now it looked poised to jump through glass to get outside. â€Å"Vampires don't need sleep,† he said in a voice icier and more controlled than she'd heard since Matt had left them. That gave her the energy to get off the bed. â€Å"You know I know that's a lie.† â€Å"Take the bed, Elena. Go to sleep.† But his voice was the same. She would have expected a flat, weary command. Damon sounded more tense, more controlled than ever. More shaken than ever. Her eyelids sank. â€Å"Is this about Matt?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Is it about Shinichi?† â€Å"No!† Aha. â€Å"It is, isn't it? You're afraid that Shinichi will get past all your defenses and possess you again. Aren't you?† â€Å"Go to bed, Elena,† Damon said tonelessly. He was still shutting her out as completely as if she weren't there. Elena got mad. â€Å"What does it take to show you that I trust you? I'm traveling all alone with you, without any idea where we're really going. I'm trusting you with Stefan's life.† Elena was behind Damon now, on the beige carpet which smelled like†¦nothing, like boiled water. Not even like dust. Her words were the dust. There was something about them that sounded hollow, wrong. They were the truth – but they weren't getting through to Damon†¦. Elena sighed. Touching Damon unexpectedly was always a tricky business, with all the risks of setting off murderous instinct by accident, even when he wasn't possessed. She reached out, now, very carefully, to put her fingertips on the elbow of his leather jacket. She spoke as precisely and unemotionally as she could. â€Å"You also know that I have other senses now than the usual five. How many times do I have to say it, Damon? I know it wasn't you torturing me and Matt last week.† Despite herself, Elena heard a certain pleading in her own voice. â€Å"I know that you've protected me on this trip when I was in danger, even killing for me. That means – a lot to me. You may say you don't believe in the human sentiment of forgiveness, but I don't think you've forgotten it. And when you know that there is nothing to forgive in the first place – â€Å" â€Å"This has absolutely nothing to do with last week!† The change in his voice – the force in it – hit Elena like a whiplash. It hurt†¦and it frightened her. Damon was serious. He was also under some dreadful strain, not completely unlike that of fighting off Shinichi's possession, but different. â€Å"Damon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Leave me alone!† Now, where have I heard something like that before? Befuddled, her heart pounding, Elena groped through memories. Oh, yes. Stefan. Stefan when they had first been in his room together, when he was afraid to love her. When he was sure he would cause her to be damned if he showed he cared. Could Damon be that much like the brother he always mocked? â€Å"At least turn around and talk with me face-to-face.† â€Å"Elena.† It was a whisper, but it sounded as if Damon couldn't summon up his usual silky menace. â€Å"Go to bed. Go to hell. Go anywhere, but stay away from me.† â€Å"You're so good at that, aren't you?† Elena's own voice was cold now. Recklessly, angrily, she moved in even closer. â€Å"At pushing people away. But I know that you haven't fed this evening. There's nothing else you want from me, and you can't do the starving-martyr bit half as well as Stefan – â€Å" Elena had spoken knowing that her words were guaranteed to incite a response of some kind, but Damon's usual response to this sort of thing was to lounge against something and pretend not to have heard. What happened instead was completely outside the range of her experience. Damon whirled, caught her precisely, held her locked in an unbreakable grip. Then, with a swoop of his head like a falcon on a mouse, he kissed her. He was more than strong enough to hold her still without hurting her. The kiss was hard and long and for quite a while Elena resisted out of sheer instinct. Damon's body was cool against hers, which was still warm and damp from the bath. The way he was holding her – if she put enough pressure on those particular points, it would hurt her possibly seriously. And then – she knew – he would release her. But did she really know what she knew? Was she prepared to break a bone to test it? He was stroking her hair, which was so unfair, curling the ends and crushing them in his fingers†¦just hours after he'd taught her to feel things to the tips of her hair. He knew her weak spots. Not just every woman's weak spots. He knew hers; he knew how to make her want to cry out in pleasure and how to soothe her. There was nothing to do but test her theory and maybe break a bone. She would not submit when she had not invited him. She would not! But then she remembered her curiosity about the little boy and the great stone boulder, and she deliberately opened her mind to Damon's. He fell into the trap of his own making. As soon as their minds connected there were something like fireworks. Explosions. Rockets. Stars going nova. Elena set her mind to ignoring her body and began looking for the boulder. It was deep, deep inside the most locked-off part of his brain. Deep in the eternal darkness that slept there. But Elena seemed to have brought a searchlight with her. Wherever she turned, dark festoons of cobwebs fell and heavy-looking stone arches crumbled and fell to the ground. â€Å"Don't worry,† Elena found herself saying. â€Å"The light won't do that to you! You don't have to live down here. I'll show you the beauty of the light.† What am I saying? Elena wondered even as the words left her lips. How can I promise him – and maybe he likes living here in the dark! But in the next second she had come much closer to the little boy, close enough to see his pale, wondering face. â€Å"You came again,† he said, as if it were a miracle. â€Å"You said you would come, and you did!† That brought down all Elena's barriers at once. She knelt, and pulling the chains to their utmost length, took him on her lap. â€Å"Are you glad that I came back?† she asked gently. She was already stroking his hair smooth. â€Å"Oh, yes!† It was a cry, and it frightened Elena almost as much as it pleased her. â€Å"You're the nicest person I've ever – the most beautiful thing I ever – â€Å" â€Å"Hush,† Elena told him, â€Å"hush. There's got to be some way to warm you up.† â€Å"It's the iron,† the child said humbly. â€Å"Iron keeps me weak and cold. But it has to be iron; otherwise he wouldn't be able to control me.† â€Å"I see,† Elena said grimly. She was beginning to get a grasp on what kind of relationship Damon had with this little boy. For a moment, on a hunch, she took two lengths of iron in her hands and tried to tear them apart. Elena had super-light here; why not superpowers? But all that happened was that she twisted and turned the length for nothing, and finally cut the web of her finger against an iron burr. â€Å"Oh!† The boy's huge dark eyes fixed on the dark bead of blood. He stared as if he were fascinated – and afraid. â€Å"Do you want it?† Elena held out the hand to him uncertainly. What a poor scrap of a creature to be coveting other people's blood, she thought. He nodded timidly as if he were sure she'd be angry. But Elena just smiled and he reverently held her finger and took the whole globe of blood at once, closing his lips like a kiss. As he lifted his head, he seemed to have a tinge more color in his pale face. â€Å"You told me Damon keeps you here,† she said, holding him again and feeling heat being sucked from her into his cold body. â€Å"Can you tell me why?† The child was still licking his lips, but he turned his face toward her immediately and said, â€Å"I'm the Warden of Secrets. But† – sadly – â€Å"the Secrets have gotten so big that even I don't know what they are.† Elena followed the motion of his head from his own small limbs to the iron chain to the huge, metallic ball. She felt a sinking inside herself and a deep pity for such a small warden. And she wondered what on earth could be inside that great stone sphere that Damon was guarding so intently. But she didn't get the chance to ask.