The Algarve is Portugal’s southern coast

The Algarve is Portugal's southern coast. It is about a hundred miles of marvellous sandy beaches. Most of the beaches round here have red lined cliffs and have unusual rock formations. The villages you find amongst the coasts are unspoilt and have spectacular views. Where ever you go you will find a great variety of bars, restaurants and cafes. The food round this part of Portugal is very cheap compared to other countries. You only have to spend a little money to eat out and enjoy your self. The nightlife here is fantastic and has a very energetic atmosphere. The rugged coastlines here are dazzling And have a very weird kind of atmosphere to them. Costa del Sol is quite famous for its towers and battles that took place in this historic place. The countryside here is studded with these towers and castles and between them tiny towns with huge fields filled with orchards of olive trees and other great delicacy's that this great city has to offer. After a tiring day you can go back to your apartment that is gigantic. (They include bathrooms and kitchens). The nightlife here can get a bit over crowded at times and this city has a tendency to get a bit over ecstatic. The people here are really friendly and help the visitors to fit in. Ibiza is the third largest of the Balearic Islands. Ibiza is renowned for its nightlife and partying that goes on on this island. The beaches here are glorious and the cliffs here are even better. The resorts here are magnificent but I suggest that you go and have a lie down on the boiling beach and after that go for a dip in the refreshing sea. The nightlife here is the best out of all the places I have been and I would like to go again. There are huge clubs that you can go to to have a good time and hang around with your friends or family. Ibiza is a place for young and old people and has a huge variety of sports and water sports that you can take part in. Tenerife is in the Canary Islands and is a great place to go to get a tan and enjoy yourself. The south of Tenerife under the cloudless sky the landscape is desert like. This is where two major holiday resorts have emerged. (Paya de Los Americas and Los Cristianos). From these magnificent places you can see the titanic sized mount Teide. This mountain is actually a volcano and at 3,700m high is Spain's highest peak. Tenerife gives off a fabulous 74-84à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½F right through April up until August when the temperature drops a little. The views here are tremendous and have to be seen. You can go trekking on the hills and see the sites and sounds. Rhodes is in Greece. Legend has it that Rhodes was a gift from Zeus to the sun god Helios and any holidaymaker will know why, its magnificent sunshine. Rhodes is known for its speciality of seafood. Rhodes has some of the best restaurants in Greece. There are many villages in Rhodes and most of them are covered with small roads and large trees scattered in the vast open fields. The cliffs are humongous and you can often find large caves in water and above. The Hotels are so big and spacious that you don't have to worry that a rooms going to be too small. The climate here is very good and can be extremely hot in the summers.

Causes of Conflict Essay

Scarce resources are very important to the country. It is a source of revenue for the country and it can be sold off for money and as raw resources for industrialization. Thus, countries would want to compete for scarce resources. An example would be the Iceland-britian conflict. As Iceland depends on the fishing industry for survival, its source of revenue comes from the fish caught. In 1970s, the number of fish, especially cod, dropped by 1/3 and these were due to the over fishing of Belgium, german and britian on Iceland seas. Thus, Iceland has came up with measures in controlling the number of fish caught to the UN but most were ignored. As 79% of the total export comprises of fresh fish and fish products, it is important for Iceland to maintain a sustainable levels of fish stocks in the seas around Iceland. Source of economic survivals is threatened, Iceland had to fight to ensure that this source of natural resource is sustained. This conflict resulted in Iceland breaking displomatic ties with britian. When a country’s scarce resources is being threatened, they have to fight back as it is their main source of revenue and survival. Losing the main source of scarce resource ewould lead to economic downfall, jobs and livelihood at stake resulting in poverty Different values and benefits. Countries fight over different values and benefits due when they feel that it is being threatened by others. This is evident in the Korean war. Korea is being separated into 2 halves in the 38th parallel after the Japanese surrended in the 1945. The Russian occupied the north of parallel and the American occupied the south of parallel. Attempt of un to establish a single government failed as the north parallel did not want to have an election in the north. North korea was then created and became a communist party whereas south korea was then created and became democratic party. Both the government claimed that they both have the rights to rule the Korean peninsula. China, afraid that the north korea would be influenced by the south korea’s democractic system, helped and supported north korea in the war of north korea and south korea to spread communism. This showed that when countries come into conflict to extend their balue systems to other territories and also protect their value systems from being threatened to fight back

Learning from Mass Media Campaigns for Hiv/Aids Prevention

Learning from Mass Media Campaigns for HIV/AIDS Prevention Reviews of mass media campaigns have a special interest for me. They demonstrate what can be done, and as importantly, what cannot be done, by relying on a 1P approach. I have talked about the 5% Solution before, and noted another review of mass media campaigns for changing health behaviors. This post focuses on the findings from a review of recent campaigns to prevent HIV/AIDS. What is interesting in this report are the comparisons it draws to reviews of earlier campaigns in this area as well as the current state of the art and science.The authors used seven principles to guide their analysis: (1) conducting formative research on and about the target audience; (2) using theory as a conceptual foundation; (3) segmenting one’s audience into meaningful subgroups; (4) using a message design approach that is targeted to the audience segment(s); (5) utilizing effective channels widely viewed by and persuasive with the targe t audience; (6) conducting process evaluation and ensuring high message exposure; and (7) using a sensitive outcome evaluation design that reduces threats to internal validity and allows causal inferences about campaign impact to be made.The question they explore is: to what extent have recent HIV/AIDS campaigns in the literature adhered to these principles? Noar et al (2009) began with a search of peer-reviewed articles appearing from late 1998 through October 2007. Mass media had to be a central or prominent part of a campaign that focused on increasing safer sexual behaviors, reducing risky sexual behaviors, or encouraging HIV testing.At least one outcome measure had to be reported; 38 articles were identified that met these criteria, representing 34 different campaigns. The results on the variables of interest were: Formative research – 16 of the 34 studies (47%) reported any type of research with the audience or pretesting of messages. the most commonly reported activity was research about campaign messages, including pretesting messages or examining message preferences of members of the target audience.Only two studies used formative research to develop or test their outcome measures (a neglected part of the research process in too many studies). Using theory – 44% reported using theory, most often the Health Belief Model, Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior, Social Cognitive Theory, the Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change and the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model. Audience segmentation – 94% (all but 2) described an approach to audience segmentation.Message design – very few campaigns used theory to guide development of persuasive messages. The authors note that while behavioral theories can suggest the type of content to include, HOW that content is formed into messages is often approached without explicit reference to relevant theoretical models such as message framing, emotional appeals, sensation-see king, elaboration likelihood model and the use of narratives.Channels – 21% used a single media channel with television, radio and print media being the channel of choice. The remaining campaigns used other channels (billboards, brochures, Internet, newsletters) and a variety of promotional materials such as baseball cards, postcards, condom packs; a variety of interpersonal strategies including peer education and skill-building workshops and hotlines; and some also included community partners, coalitions and community mobilization in their activities.Process Monitoring – 82% of the campaigns reported audience exposure to messages, with a mean exposure of 77% of the targeted audience (a range of 35% – 100%). There was little reporting of frequency of exposure to campaign messages, and when those data were reported, it was difficult to make comparisons across studies. Outcomes – Pre-Post test designs using independent sampling were employed by a plurality of the campaigns (13 of the 34, or 38%). Eleven studies used only a post-test measure.The authors note that this means that 70% of the campaigns used weak outcome evaluation designs. In 24 of the campaigns (71%) behavioral outcomes were reported, most often either condom use or HIV/STD testing. Among the studies that used stronger designs (the other 30%), only 2 of the 10 found no statistically significant effects. Six studies reported significant changes in outcomes including talked with others about safer sex, continued abstinence, initiated condom use, increased condom use, reduced number of sexual partners, or were tested for HIV.The other two reported changes in behavioral intentions (for example, to use condoms and shifts in stages of change). The authors conclude that, when compared to another review of this literature in 2000, HIV/AIDS mass communication campaigns are increasingly: (1) targeting defined audiences developed through audience segmentation procedures; (2) design ing campaign themes around behavior change (rather than solely knowledge or attitude change – though given their selection criteria, this is hardly surprising); (3) using ehavioral theories to inform campaign design; (4) achieving higher message exposure to campaign messages; (5) using stronger quasi-experimental designs with control groups for outcome evaluation (although still far too few studies use these stronger designs); and (6) including measures of behavior change (or behavioral intentions) in outcome assessments. This review highlights how mass communication efforts for HIV/AIDS prevention have shifted from general awareness and knowledge outcomes to ones more tightly focused on achieving behavioral changes among defined segments of the population.While formative research has become commonplace, there are relatively few studies that use research designs that allow for drawing strong conclusions from their findings. This latter point does not mean that research design s must be randomized controlled studies, but as the authors note, even the addition of control groups or using time-series with control communities help address the question of whether there are alternative explanations for the observed effects (for example, that the respondents are not simply placating researchers with favorable or socially desirable responses to their questions).Social marketing is more than mass communication campaigns, but we often use mass media in conjunction with products and services, providing incentives and reducing costs of engaging in new behaviors, and increasing access and opportunities to perform these behaviors. Learning what works with mass media is important, but as other reviews have pointed out, it is not enough to achieve public health outcomes.Some marketers will note that health communication planners have adopted our practices of segmentation, targeting behavior change and using formative research. However, the importance of using theories th at fit the problem of designing persuasive messages is one important takeaway. The other takeaway is the challenge of designing better studies to assess outcomes.Thinking about using comparison populations, or simply delaying intervention among some priority groups while continuing to assess important outcomes, can help us demonstrate that we have more than a very elaborate, and perhaps even effective, placebo. Reference: Noar, S. M. , Palmgreen, P. , Chabot, M. , Dobransky, N. & Zimmerman, R. S. (2009). A 10-year systematic review of HIV/AIDS mass communication campaigns: Have we made progress. Journal of Health Communication, 14: 15-42. 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Learning through touch - why children who are deafblind or Essay

Learning through touch - why children who are deafblind or multi-sensory impaired (MSI) are more reliant on touch or their tactile senses to experience the world - Essay Example 2000; Bradley-Johnson et al., 2004; Chen, 1995 & 1999; Chen et al., 2000; Goold & Hummerll, 1993; McLinden & McCall, 2002; Miller & Ockelford, 2005; RNIB, 2011; SENSE, 2011). In many instances children who are deafblind or multi-sensory impaired (MSI) may also have additional physical and health problems that limit their ability to move about in the world as freely and independently as possible. The disability of deafblindness or multi-sensory impairment (MSI) presents unique challenges to teachers who must make sure that the person who has varying degrees of visual and hearing impairment, possibly combined with learning and physical disabilities, has access to the world beyond the limited reach of his or her eyes and ears. They must try to include them in learning and in experiencing the physical environments that surround them. If they do not, the child will not have the opportunity to develop (Department of Education, 2011; Huebner et al., 1997; Joffee & Rikhye, 1997; McInnes, 1999; McInnes & Treffry, 2001). In this assignment, I aim to discuss the reasons why children who are deafblind or multi-sensory impaired (MSI) are more reliant on touch or their tactile senses to experience the world. This assignment is divided into the following sections. Firstly, I have attempted to define the function of touch in development of a deafblind or multi-sensory impairment (MSI) child. Secondly, I have outlined the abilities of one particular pupil as I observed him over the period of two weeks in order to gain an insight into his learning. I have provided information about the child’s special educational needs based on references to information in the school class files, archived materials (medical reports) and my own observations. Thirdly, I have tried to point out the various challenges that were presented to me during the course of my observations. Finally, I will consider how to develop his early tactile skills. My role in relation to this project was chiefly

What effect does the conversation Between tuco and his brother have on Essay

What effect does the conversation Between tuco and his brother have on the moral vision of the fillm - Essay Example Within the rather unlikely matchup of the ‘good’ (Blondie) portrayed by Clint Eastwood, the ‘bad’ (Angel Eyes) for Lee Van Cleef, and the ‘ugly’ (Tuco) given to Eli Wallach, the film may be recognized of the thematic attempt to depict a moral position through the character of Tuco Ramirez. Compared to the traditional approach of signifying adventure with crime via the struggle of the good against the bad, in this setting, a neutral figure is put in the middle so as to lay a perspective of viewing the film in the light of being caught within a moral thread which Tuco himself may either opt to keep or snap knowing that his wasted life has been a far cry to that of his brother Pablo. Amidst the conspicuous desperation to hold the stolen Confederate gold worth $200,000 in acquisition, the story of â€Å"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly† is bound to confront the essence of personal transformation with reference to the role Tuco ‘the ugly’ plays. This is particularly indicated in the special scene Tuco shares with Pablo which gradually explicates how severely divergent are the separate paths they take in life leading one to become a bandit while the other a clergyman. At the onset of meeting his brother, Tuco is shown to apply an ethical mode of expressing how greatly he yearns to see and talk to Pablo. So with an overly proper conduct and gesture, he initiates â€Å"Hey Pablo, don’t you recognize me?† and claims â€Å"I don’t know the right thing, I was just passing by here; I said to myself I wonder if my brother remembers his brother.† It were as if Tuco can be felt to have temporarily gone out of his originally misc hievous self to a pleasing human outfit for the sake of delighting Pablo with his cheerful presence. On the contrary, nevertheless, the brother chooses to exercise his priesthood for the thief to be brought to a sense of remorse over the demise of their parents stating

Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Statistics - Essay Example Find your name in the list and make a note of your dataset number. You will use this to access your own datasets for the questions in section B. This project is worth 100% of the final mark Section A: Statistics Quiz Answers to questions in this section require no more than one or two sentences each! 1. Quantitative variables can be discrete or continuous. Explain the difference between discrete data and continuous data, and give one example of each. Answer: A discrete variable can assume only a countable number of values such as number of persons in a family, whereas a continuous variable can assume any numerical value over a certain interval or intervals (uncountable number of values) such as height of a person. 2. A measure of location is a quantity which is ‘typical’ of the data. Give the names of three such measures, and explain (in words, not formulae) how each is found. Answer: The most common measures of central tendency or location used to describe data are; Mod e: This is the most commonly occurring value. Median: The middle value when all the data are placed in order. Mean (Arithmetic Mean): It is the ratio of the sum of the scores to the number of the scores. 3. What is a measure of spread? Give the names of three such measures. ... in figure 1 suggests that median would be a suitable measure of location and interquartile range would be a suitable measure of spread for these data. 5. The probability that a ship has a defective radar is 0.05. The probability that a ship has a defective echo is 0.06. Three in one hundred ships have both a defective echo and a defective radar. Find the probability that a randomly chosen ship has either a defective echo or a defective radar. Answer: P(def. radar) = 0.05 P(def. echo) = 0.06 P(def. radar and def. echo) = 3/100 = 0.03 P (def. radar or def. echo) = P(def. radar) + P(def. echo) – P(def. radar and def. echo) P (def. radar or def. echo) = 0.05 + 0.06 – 0.03 = 0.08 6. Under what conditions might we use a binomial distribution as a probability model for our data? Answer: We use a binomial distribution when following four conditions are satisfied; The number of trials ‘n’ is fixed. Each trial is independent. Each trial represents one of two outcomes ("success" or "failure"). The probability of success ‘p’ is the same for each trial. 7. Under what conditions might we use a normal distribution as a probability model for our data? Answer: The mean, median and mode are equal The graph is symmetrical about the mean (50% above and 50% below) Because 100% of the distribution lies below the curve, the total area below the curve is 100% or 1.  ± 68% of the sample lies within one standard deviation of the mean; 34% above and 34% below  ± 96% within two standard deviations: 48% above and 48% below  ± 99.7% within three standard deviations: 49.85% above and 49.85% below The two ends are asymptotic to the horizontal axis. 8. In hypothesis testing, the p-value can be thought of as the chance of obtaining the observed results, or more extreme results, if the

Critical response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical response - Essay Example As it was the fate of Jordan (and of many other women), they are pushed to the wall because they seem to live with people that do not appreciate them (June 361). Really, in some cases, some women even become the breadwinners in their home. They are given so much responsibility and much is expected from them, but they are never really appreciated. While reading it, one would easily notice Jordan’s unique manner of narration—the way she transposes between the past and the present. One is inevitably led to believe that the connection between her past and present is undeniable. Of course, the experiences she narrates are not just her but also those of marginalised women all over the world, not just Africans and those that have African root. Thus, June Jordan’s essay effective serves one of the purposes of literature which to creatively represent the (unvoiced) ideal and â€Å"unideals† of people. It must be noted that June Jordan is not the first person to write on these issues. One other person that has written on it is Alice Walker (Walker 7). Like Jordan, many of what one reads in Walker’s works is not just her but about many others like her. So, â€Å"Many Rivers to Cross† by June Jordan deserves lots of commendation but no one should ever make the mistake of thinking it is just the story of African or Africa-American

Small Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Small Business Management - Assignment Example Keeping the objective in mind the study looks to analyze the cafe and restaurant market of Sydney, Australia. In order to conduct the feasibility study, methodical analysis of the market condition is required. Market conditions tend to have significant effect on the viability of a business. While conducting market analysis certain strategic tools are required. Keeping the objective in mind PEST analysis of Australia has been conducted. Special emphasis has been to the city of Sydney while conducting a PEST analysis. A part from this the 4 P’s of marketing has also been used to provide a future action plan. The in-depth analysis has been punctuated with a brief market audit of the Australian Restaurant and cafe market to analyze the present and future market scenario as well as growth opportunities.However the preference of gourmet coffee among of the coffee has been quite evidently visible. This is largely due to the fact that the Aussies view quality coffee like a luxury prod uct at an affordable price. If numbers are to be believed more than one billion cups of coffee have been sold in Australia. The percentage of out of home consumption of coffee has seen a steady rise. According to analysts as the economic conditions are set for improvements, steady growth of the cafe and restaurant business is expected over the course of next five years and so. Such growth is applicable as there is likely to be presence of both international players as well as other franchises. This discussion outlines that competitive Landscape The cafe and restaurant industry of Australia can be tagged as highly competitive. The main reasons can be presumed as very low barriers to entry. Add to that the industry is believed to be highly fragmented. According to reports the major players hold less than ten percent of the total market share. The small players enjoy a fair share of success as the 91% of the food chain businesses have less than fifty employees. There exists strong pres ence of franchisee model or any equivalent business strategy. Companies like McCafe, Coffee club, Hudsons Coffee, out back Jacks, etc. have set up strong and successful franchisee models in Australia. The companies mainly compete on the merit of quality, price and customer service. Growth Opportunities The key to the success in Aussie restaurant and Cafe business is to understand the customers and providing the customers something unique.  

One computer in a classroom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

One computer in a classroom - Essay Example Practical ideas start with the room arrangement to maximize space and provide convenience to teachers and students. Next is proper management and scheduling, this is where computer users are given their individual timing and cycle through to complete a project. It may be on a daily or weekly basis depending on the estimated length or duration of the project. Encourage cooperative or group learning that would break large student's class into smaller and more manageable groups. Consider computer skill and particular assignment when pairing students and allow change of partners according to requirements. Set and provide guidelines for the proper use of computer, let users clearly understand their rights and responsibilities and the restrictions they should follow while using the computer station. This approach will greatly save time and allow more groups to participate. To enable effective use of time, display posters with computer terms and commands for user's easy reference. Teachers can now use administrative applications to increase productivity such as correspondence, worksheets, tables, test questions, handouts, and bulletin board posting materials. They can also design and print forms for filling like personal information data of students. They can publish newsletters, calendars, reports, certificates, graphic organizers and seating arrangement charts. Convenient and more accurate electronic grade book, students attendance records, students information database. For student's information, teachers can write and post announcements, and important reminders. Computer as a creation tool for students to do word processing, create functional database, data tabulation and spreadsheets, graphs, and other multimedia applications. They can also use the computer as an

Effective Religious Practices Essay Example for Free

Effective Religious Practices Essay Throughout our history, leaders of various religious sects have used a number of methods, materials, and programs to initiate their followers into a certain ideology or belief system. This has proved to be both useful and destructive over the course of time. We have seen many horrifying events take place in the name of certain religions (Jim Jones, The Peoples Church), and have also seen many cases that could serve as a message of hope for others (Mother Teresa). The outcome of events that are sparked by the formation of a new religious sect, are primarily influenced by the programs and methods used by the sects religious leader, to instruct his followers to believe in certain belief systems, and commit actions that are justified by those underlying beliefs. When analyzing how a religious sect instructs its followers, or disciples, we should analyze both positive and negative correlations shared by various sects, in doing this, we could determine what practices have proved beneficial to society, and which ones have proved to be destructive. When observing certain pastors methods in instructing their followers, we could come to the assumption that a leader who preaches a peaceful and uplifting message is more likely to attractive followers who share the same views, on the other hand, a pastor who preaches destructive and self righteous message is more likely to have a congregation that reflects those same views. For example, Joel Olsten, a pastor at Lakewood church, has a consistent uplifting message that he shares with his congregation on a daily basis. When using this method of preaching, the pastor is not focusing on the negative actions of some of the members of his congregation, (Hell, or Damnation) but rather inspiring them to try harder, or to do better. When a pastor only focuses on topics such as sin, Hell, or damnation, then many members of his congregation will leave feeling ashamed and scared, rather than uplifted and motivated. A useful method that a pastor can use is always having sermons with a positive and uplifting theme, focused on what’s ahead for an individual rather than what they have done in there past. Another useful method practiced by certain pastors is not classifying there religion under a certain categories, such as Catholic, Methodist, or Jehovah Witness, but rather inviting people of all faiths to join, not just a select view. In practicing this, a pastor’s congregation has the potential to grow, without being confined by a certain sect’s moral philosophies. A church is only as powerful as its congregation, the larger the congregation, the more influence a church has in its surrounding communities. When practicing such things, a pastor does not limit himself to one moral view, but rather stays open minded and tolerant to the many views that his congregation may have. If I were to become a pastor, I wouldn’t be subject to one particular faith, but rather welcome any faith to my congregation. I feel that it is important to have a diverse congregation; it teaches people how to be tolerant and appreciative of another persons belief system. This ideology also proves useful in expanding a church’s total number of members, therefore harboring growth and overall success. As a church’s congregation grows, so does its net worth, and its influence in its surrounding communities. Secondly, I would choose to preach messages of hope rather than self-shame. I would want people to come to my church and leave with a renewed vision of hope, so that they are self motivated to become active members in there communities. In my opinion, this would prove to be very effective in increasing the total number of people in my congregation. In conclusion, it is far more beneficial when recruiting members for a congregation, to appeal to everybody’s emotional needs, by preaching an unbiased message that has a theme based in hope, and inspiration.

How Do Abiotic Factors Influence the Rate of Photosynthesis?

How Do Abiotic Factors Influence the Rate of Photosynthesis? Table of Contents (Jump to) I. Background Research Design II. Research Question III. Hypothesis IV. Variables V. Apparatus VI. Safety Aspects/Animal Welfare Issues VII. Method Data Collection and Processing Conclusion and Evaluation Evaluation Conclusion Bibliography I. Background Research Photosynthesis is the process in which green plants, algae and cyanobacteria use the energy of sunlight to form carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll. Organisms need complex carbon compounds to build the structure of their cells and to process essential and vital procedures. Some organisms are able to form all the carbon compounds they need using only light energy and simple inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide and water (Alott Mindorff). Photosynthesis can be described by a chemical equation. The overall balanced equation is: Plant cells use carbon dioxide and water for photosynthesis. To finish this process, plants also need light energy captured from the sun, which they gain using a separate process. The usable end product the plant produces through photosynthesis is glucose, which the plant uses as food. The oxygen produced as an outcome of this process is a byproduct and is consequently released back into the environment. Animals and plants both construct fats and proteins from carbohydrates; therefore glucose is an essential energy foundation for all living organisms. The oxygen released as a photosynthetic byproduct provides most of the atmospheric oxygen essential to respiration in plants and animals, and animals in turn produce carbon dioxide vital to plants (Lagassà ©). The rate of photosynthesis in a plant can be determined by three external factors: temperature, light intensity, and available carbon dioxide concentration. In any given situation any one of these may become a limiting factor if they are below the optimal level (Alott and Mindorff). According to the concept of limiting factors, under any combination of light intensity, temperature and carbon dioxide concentration, only one of the factors is essentially limiting the rate of photosynthesis. This is the factor that is farthest from its optimum. As the limiting factor is moved closer to its optimum, while keeping the other factors constant, a point will be reached where this factor is not the one that is furthest from the optimum anymore and another starts acting as the limiting factor. An increase in the carbon dioxide concentration increases the rate at which carbon is incorporated into carbohydrate in the light-independent reaction, and so the rate of photosynthesis generally increases until limited by another factor. Increasing carbon dioxide concentration causes a rapid, significant increase in the rate of photosynthesis, which eventually plateaus when the optimal level is reached. E. canadensis is a submerse macrophyte, an aquatic plant immersed in water. It has bright green, translucent and oblong leaves which are borne in whorls of three round the stem (Rose and Reilly) (see fig. 1). It is easily available in aquarium shops or pet shops that have aquarium sections. Fig. 1: Elodia canadensis (Fischer). Design II. Research Question How do different concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) solution affect the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea canadensis? III. Hypothesis As the concentration of carbon dioxide increases, the rate of photosynthesis will increase until a certain point where it reaches the optimal level and plateaus. IV. Variables Table 1: Dependent Variable Dependent Variable Photosynthesis rate Table 2: Independent Variable Table 3: Controlled Variables V. Apparatus 25 samples of E. canadensis 500 ml of pre prepared dilute sodium carbonate solutions with the following CO2 concentrations: 1% 2.5% 3% 5% 10% 50 test tubes (used as containers to make a respirometer, not for measurements) 25 x 100 ml 25 x 150 ml 5 x 300 ml beaker (used as containers, not for measurements) 30 cm ruler ) Compact fluorescent lamp as light source 100 ml graduated cylinder ( ± 0.5 ml) Stopwatch ( ± 0.01s) Scalpels Thermometer ( ± 0.01C) VI. Safety Aspects/Animal Welfare IssuesScalpels are sharp and should be used with caution. The glassware involved in the experimentation may lead to injuries if used without caution and broken. Use of liquids may also lead to some risks if spilled because the floor may become slippery. The lab did not lead to any animal welfare issues.VII. Method Label the five beakers with the following: 1% CO2 2.5% CO2 3% CO2 5% CO2 10% CO2 Set up the light source. Place the beakers in a spot that is 20 cm away from the light source. Place one E. canadensis sample into a 100 ml test tube and fill the test tube with 100 ml of the 1% CO2 dilute sodium carbonate solution. The tube should be filled as full as possible. Carefully invert a larger tube and place it over the smaller tube containing the sample plant and the 1% CO2 dilute sodium carbonate solution.   Push the smaller tube all the way into the larger tube using your finger or a pencil and then invert both tubes so that the opening of the larger tube is up. Be sure that the small tube is pushed to the top of the larger tube before inverting it (see fig. 2).   Mark the water level on the test tube with a marker. Place this set up in the beaker which was previously labeled as 1% CO2. As soon as the set up is ready place it under the light source and start the stopwatch. With time, the distance between the water level and the top of the test tube will increase because of photosynthetic activity, which will produce O2 gas. Photosynthetic activity by E. canadensis samples will cause the water to displace and increase the space at the top of the test tube. The volume of fluid displaced will equal the volume of the gas produced. Run the trial for and monitor it for 20 minutes. After every 2 minutes, check the test tube and measure how much of the dilute sodium carbonate solution has displaced with a ruler. Each time after taking measurements, use a marker to mark the new liquid level for the future measurements you will make. Repeat steps 5 to 14 for 4 more times. At the end of this, there should be 5 trials done in total for the 1% CO2 dilute sodium carbonate concentration. Repeat steps 5 to 15 for the remaining 2.5%, 3%, 5% and 10% CO2 dilute sodium carbonate solutions. The process described in the previous steps should give 10 raw data points for each trial with a total of 250 data points. Record this data in a â€Å"Raw Data† table. All the lab work is completed for this experimentation. The lab and the apparatus can be cleaned if necessary.   Data Collection and ProcessingFigure 3: Raw Data for Liquid Displacement over Time in Different CO2 ConcentrationsFigure 4: Processed Data with Means, Standard Deviations and Average RatesFigure 5: Processed Data: Average Photosynthesis Rate in Different CO2 ConcentrationsConclusion and EvaluationEvaluationThe collection of data was an easy process. My results match my predictions. But the uncertainties in the data, which I sh.ould have considered before processing the experiment, are preventing me from making clear and strong statements. One uncertainty preventing me from making clear statements derived from this lab is the fact that I ran the trials for 20 minutes only. It was unfortunately not possible to see any changes in such a short time with low concentrations such as 1% CO2 . If I had run the experiments for longer, I could have seen the photosynthesis rate reaching it’s limit and becoming constant, but because I ran it for a short time, I am not able to understand if , for example 0,3 mm/minutes is the maximum photosynthesis rate the plant Elodea can reach in 10% CO2 concentration. I needed to do it for a longer time to say it has reached a limit or not.Second thing I should have considered is the fact that although they belong to the same species, the plants used in the experiment were still not the same in terms of leaf sizes. If I could use the exact same plant in each tube (take Elodea from one tube and place it in other), results might have changed because plants might be doing photosynthesis at different rates. This is also something I should have searched before starting the experiment, while doing my background research so that I could be sure about it.If I was doing the same experiment again, I would avoid these uncertainties and that would help me make clear statements about my results saying that they match every prediction I made and are strong justifications. Right now, they still match some of my predictions. For example, the photo synthesis rate in 10% CO2 was 0.3 mm/minute while it was 0.2 mm/minute in 5% CO2. This shows that the rate of photosynthesis is greater when higher concentrations of CO2 are present. But like I have stated above, this can be caused by other factors such as the difference in plants or anything I have not considered. Therefore, I should have run more trials.ConclusionMy aim was to see the effects of CO2 concentration on photosynthesis and although I was not able to see them, I was able to make predictions about the effects. I have listed everything that has caused uncertainties in the experiment, and these uncertainties are unfortunately preventing me from making clear statements. If I could do this again, I would avoid all of these uncertainties. The results meet my predictions but one should not say that these results are clear and direct justifications of the background research. Some other factors were involved in the experiment, therefore I would not consider this experiment as s uccessful, and I would do it again.BibliographyAlott, Andrew and David Mindorff. IB Biology Course Book 2014 edition: Oxford IB Diploma Programme. Oxford University Press, 2014.Lagassà ©, Paul, ed. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th Edition. New York: Columbia University Press, 2013.McGinley, Mark. Differences between aquatic and terrestrial environments . 5 February 2009. 1 March 2015 http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151726/>.Rose, Francis and Clare Reilly. The Wild Flower Key: How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland. London: Frederick Warne, 2006.

Factors Affecting The Successful Implementation Of Balanced Scorecard Accounting Essay

Factors Affecting The Successful Implementation Of Balanced Scorecard Accounting Essay Aim- The objective of this paper is to exhibit the factors affecting the sucessful implementation of a Balance scorecard. Introduction- A brief idea about balanced scorecard,definition operation. Literature Review and and Analytical framework- Detailed Analytical review of the researchers , on the factors affecting sucessful implementation of BSC. Conclusion A summary of the above topic and recommendations . BSC INTRODUCTION Balance scorecard is a strategic planning and management system that is used extensively in business and industry, government, and non profit organization worldwide to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications, and monitor organization performance against strategic goals. The first balance scorecard was invented by Art Schneiderman(an independent consultant on the management of processes) in 1987 at analog devices, a mid sized semi conductor company Later on it was restructured by Robert Kaplan and David P. Norton in the use of balance scorecard in their 1992 article on balanaced scorecard.(The balance scorcard) The balance scorecard was made for the improvement in organizational performance and competitiveness. (Arthur M schneiderman) Traditional performance measures are inadequate to measure performance and guide organizations in rapidly changing, complex economic environment. Organizations need to link performance measurement to strategy, and must measure performance in ways that both encourage positive future results and replicate past performance. Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, among the proponents of these strategic concepts, give a better definition: Balanced scorecard provides managers with the instrumentation they need to navigate to future competitive success. Today, organizations are competing in complex environments so that an accurate understanding of their goals and the methods for attaining those goals is vital. Balance scorecard translates an organizations mission and strategy into a comprehensive set of performance measures that provides the framework for a strategic measurement and management system. It retains an emphasis on achieving financial objective but also includes the performance drivers of these financial objectives, (The Balanced Score Card: Translating Strategy into Action, pp. 1-3) The introduction undertaken discusses first of all how the BSC evaluated with the course of time the need for the same. Then in the literature review a thorough discussion and viewpoint of the authors of articles are taken into consideration followed by a criticism. In the conclusion a proper summary and what the research has produced will be discussed highlighting the importance, need and factors affecting the successful implementation of BSC would be discussed. In the last eleven years, balance scorecard has play an vital role for implementing strategy and monitoring performance. Creating a strategy focused organization (the phrase coined by the founders of the Balanced Scorecard methodology) is a significant, challenging culture change for many organizations. Success in achieving this change requires: Regular executive support and involvement. Education, communication, and visibility of the strategy and measurements of its effectiveness throughout the organization. To review the stragy so that constant feedback is obtained. Tools to enable non-technical users to understand the key drivers of the measures. Translation of the strategy to operational terms so that alignment to strategy and implementation of it occur at all levels of an organization. Process of BSC We have to view the organization from four perspectives in order to relate strategy to achieve organizational goals : Financial perspective Organisations objective will be to earn higher profits by applying all the resources . Kaplan and Norton regards traditional need for financial data. Customer perspective In any business, importance on customer focus is relevant for organizational growth if the customers are not satisfied the revenues will be lowered and as a result return on investment will decrese. Internal business perspective The internal process refers to quality production , timely delivery wich will retain the existing customers and also will improve to find new customers Learning and growth perspective Here employee is trained and motivated ,and improved learning skills are provided To improve the work process, which will improve the quality of the product and alsoTimely delivery. The four perspectives is shown below in form of chart : Literature Review: Factors affecting successful implementation of Balanced Scorecard: Strategy Implementation and control: Here author has stressed the importance about formulation and implementation . Once the strategy has been devised, major problem Is to implement the BSC Scorecard. The most frequent problem include underestimating the time needed for implementation and uncontrollable factors in the external environment.( Helen Atkinson pp.1443,1444) Another author (Ulf johanson et. Al) also argued about idea of BSC implementation.The concept does not allow for an open invitation to participate in learning and development process.Trying to force the objectives on another is risky. Senior management style, is another factor author has bought to the notice . Here he argues that without proper senior management support and delegation it is difficult to properly implement balanced scorecard. Strategic control systems : Strategic control system provides the short term targets that deliver long term goals. Strategic control are required to provide a balance between long term organizational goals and short term operational demands. (Helen Atkinson pp.1446). Thus he sees that there is a need to establish co-ordinated strategic and management control objectives. Furthere more, he points that issues relating to employee and suppliers are not co-related to performance management. Translating vision into strategy,is difficult process as its time consuming focuses on much wider change in the organization.(Helen Atkinson pp.1449) Organizations that have successfully implemented the Balanced Scorecard have achieved remarkable transformations in their financial performance, in many cases vaulting to the top ranks in their industry groups. Many aspects of Balanced Scorecard development and deployment depend on effective use of technology to be successful. Numerous software packages have been developed to help automate the Balanced Scorecard, but it is very difficult to deliver the needed capabilities in a single software package. Therefore, the Microsoft Balanced Scorecard Framework has been developed to allow organizations to: Develop and deploy a scorecard economically using an existing infrastructure. Manage and display the data and knowledge pertinent to Balanced Scorecards. Facilitate analysis of measures so that prompt corrective action can take place. The framework provides a comprehensive, flexible, cost-effective way to deploy the Balanced Scorecard and deliver superior returns on people, processes, customers, and technologies. Management involvement and endorsement- Without the full personal support and endorsement of the executive team the transformation would be impossible. Communication of Balanced scorecard needs to be focused as ,it delivers top management ideas, views on strategy to lower level( Anthony A. Atkinson et al.) Floor level employees are the ones who will achieve the targets, so they should be aware of the objectives and targets provided to them.(Meena Chavan) Scorecard is prepared as one time event .In most cases, Top executive team spends much more time in designing and launching the BSC, as a result there lacks some missing measures at the time of start of project and launch time. Here BSC implementation fails which lacks in considering the review of BSC. (Anthony A. Atkinson et al.) Critical Analysis of the Literature: Referring to Helen Atkinson on strategy implementation and control it is backed up in the sense that without proper implementation of the project, objectives will not drive further. Once the vision is set clear , proper strategy should be chalked out so that Objectives will be achieved without any hindrance. As Atkinson said full involvement of top management is essential in order to achieve organizational goals with the help of balanced scorecard by adopting four perspectives. Morever, internal process plays a vital role in increasing return on investments if, it is properly backed up by employee training and growth. Employees should be provided adequate training to do the job. Many, consultants criticizes that it does not provide a final score or view with proper recommendations or suggestions. It is a simply list of metrics. For Example employees cannot view their score with respective to their objectives. Most of the organisations follows the four perspectives and doesnt allow scope for external perspectives. They should take into consideration external factors according to the needs of the situation and change. Various researchers and authors have critically bought most important issues that will affect the implementation of BSC. We should take their consideration as a review so that BSC will run smoothly in achieving organisational objective In balance between Goals and accountability- I agree with meena chavan, in the sense that all the people should take responsibility of the goals they are given. Unless they take accountability and responsibility goals will not be achieved There are certainly all elements which forms the basis for a good scorecard , however it is important to add some extra detail to the perceptions. The quick consideration of the scorecard should lead to a very specific understanding of the strategy of the organisation . Furthermore, it should not be over financial. Financials are usually,though not always,the measure of success or failure. The balanced scorecard is treated as a consultancy project. It is implemented as a consultancy project rather than management project. By treating it as a consultancy project , time is spent and also cost is increased. In addition, the senior management team will be overpassed , to whom their will be no idea about strategies, objectives of the organization. BSC viewed as short term project No organisation likes to deviate from the objectives and run the same for short period. They insists that whatever strategy they developed should work for long term. This is baseless factors. BSC should be developed as an instrument for change.To grasp the importance of intangible resources in the value creation process and mobilize the attention and action of middle management , BSC should be developed with its emphasis on management control and non-financial indicators. Conclusion: Balanced scorecard was designed to measure organizations performance against strategic goals. It use has been made by most of the fortune 500 companies. For designing of BSC four perspectives are important . Various researches have indicated that BSC should also include others factors in the perspectives such as environment, Job security. Focusing on one measurement of business success can lead to hazardous. In the Literature and books that I have reviewed, while designing the major factors that are responsible for implementation are , formulating strategy,setting up of proper perspectives, formulation of team, communication of the Strategy and objectives and poor score card designs. Furtheremore, balanced scorecard approach requires some major changes in culture within the organization. The balanced scorecard requires understanding commitment and support from the top executive level. Different organizations have different needs, markets, products and services For which balanced scorecard will differ. It has also to consider the various perspectives. Properly designed Balanced scorecard, will address the key problems with strategy implementation, the performance of the organization ,the communication, the role of middle management and existing control systems. Balanced scorecards have been implemented in corporations, government organizations ,non profit organizations and schools. In conclusion , balanced scorecard is a management system , which has overcome the traditional measurement system enables the organization to illuminate their vision and strategy and interpret into action..It provides feedback internal business external business process in order to continuously improve strategic performance and results.

Time And Technology Essay -- essays research papers fc

RESEARCH QUESTION How did telecommunications advance from the end of the 1800’s to the end of the 1900’s ? THESIS Telecommunications have revolutionized business and communication between people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the beginning of time communication has always been a crucial part in our societies for development. Without communication there was no or little development, people did not know what was out there, and what was available. It is communication that has developed our large and very intricate societies with different institutions communicating for the welfare of our people. People have always strived for contact with other people. Man wants to know his surroundings and with the arrival of telecommunications this became possible very quickly all over the world. Telecommunications is one of the reason we live in such a fast-pace and high-tech society today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first invention in the telecommunications field is the telegraph. It was invented by Samuel Morse and utilizes an electrical current to send signals in the shaped of dot and lines called the Morse Code. It was first used in 1844 and it was mainly reserved for companies which needed information quickly such as banks, this helped them grow and more efficient. With the telegraph one could pass a message across any distance almost effortlessly and it was cheap, so the need for this kind of communication was already there. This new medium also meant that even people which were not rich could send a message very far without having to pay incredible amount of money. The whole world began to expand their telegraph networks and soon Europe and the United States had connecting transatlantic marine lines under the Atlantic. Information has always meant power and wealth and it is no wonder that telegram traffic became an important economical as well as political tool. In earlier times it would takes days if not weeks for news to reach certain countries or other parts of our world and in some cases this proved to be disastrous for business and economy, but now the whole world could pinpoint every event that happened around the world in a matter of hours if not minutes. Business deal could be closed quicker and markets could grow with international influence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then in about 30 years or so in the mid 1870’s the telephone was inven... ... the world is becoming a smaller place. The question is what is next?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Never before have people communicated and done business as much as now, and as frequently as now. After researching about the telecommunications it is fair to say that telecommunications did have a huge impact on the way our society communicates, and in the way we conduct our lives. It was hard to find any contradicting evidence to my thesis statement and most of the information I found concluded that business and communications have been revolutionized by telecommunications. The outcome of wars, business transactions, relationships have changed and depended upon communications, and together with this great change of communications so did these events change. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lorenz. D. â€Å"How the world became smaller†. History Today. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Telegraph† Microsoft Encarta 95. Funk & Wagnalls Corporation (1994). 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Telecommunications† Microsoft Encarta 95. Funk & Wagnalls Corporation (1994). 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Telephone† Microsoft Encarta 95. Funk & Wagnalls Corporation (1994).

Why Criticize People For Helping Themselves :: essays research papers

Why Criticize People For Helping Themselves?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many things in this world that seem offensive. Some of what is considered offensive is necessary to how some people make their livings. Court systems, parents, and other groups have come to believe that what is said in music, movies, and video games, contribute to the actions of some individuals as youngsters. To me this is wrong; I have always felt that way. It has actually helped the people saying the stuff, more than it has every hurt anybody, and I am going to explain this in the rest of this writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now when I talk about the person saying the offenses, I am speaking of the performers. Most of my paper is going to be centered on Interscope Records, and their number one artist, Marshal Mathers III.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marshal Mathers III is also known as Eminem, or Slim Shady. He says these are his alternate personalities, obviously a show for the fans. Marshal Mathers III is named after his grandfather. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and moved around with his mother until the age of 9. He never really had any friends, or family other than his mother until they settled down in Southwest Detroit. There they settled down into an apartment in the ghetto, and lived in poverty for most of his childhood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marshal had no friends because of their constant moving, and being a skinny white kid in the ghetto, he got picked on, and bullied a lot. This caused him to grow more and more angry at the world, and then to finally isolate himself to work on his music.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He got teased a lot for wanting to be a white rapper, and never really got any appreciation until his first freestyle contest. At age 18 he entered his first rap freestyle contest and came in runner-up. This just encouraged him to try harder and entered in the Annual L.A. Rap Olympics one year later.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He finally came out triumphant when he took first place. This started his career, because veteran rapper Dr. Dre was attending the Rap Olympics and liked what he heard. Dr. Dre at that time was the C.E.O. of Death Row Records at the time and immediately signed Eminem on for a record deal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marshal’s first professionally recorded cd, Slim Shady L.P., started a nationwide fan club. He used language and lyrics that have never before been used in music, that offended most of the nation’s parents.

Nursing and Theory

Theories and models of nursing practice Dr. Sabah Abbas Ahmad College of Nursing university of Baghdad Sabah. [email  protected] com COMPETENCIES 1. Definitions of theory, concept, model, proposition. 2. Explain the relationships of concepts and propositions to theory 3. Discuss the purpose of theory. 4. Explain the USE OF theories from other disciplines: . .5. Explain the interdependent roles of nursing practice, nursing theory, and nursing research. .6. History and evolution of nursing theory 7. Identify m Common concept in nursing Theories. 8.Identify the three categories relating to the scope of theories. .. – Theories and models of nursing practice Introduction: Nursing theory provides a perspective from which to define the what of nursing, to describe the who of nursing (who is the client) and when nursing is needed, and to identify the boundaries and goals of nursing’s therapeutic activities. Theory is fundamental to effective nursing practice and research. Th e professionalization of nursing has been and is being brought about through the development and use of nursing theory.The basic elements that structure a nursing theory are concepts and propositions. In a theory, propositions represent how concepts affect each other. A concept is the basic building block of a theory. Definitions – A concept : Is a vehicle of thought? According to Chinn and Kramer (1995, p. 78), the refers to a â€Å"complex mental formulation of †¦ our Perceptions of an observable fact that term concept the world. † A concept labels or names a phenomenon, can be perceived through the senses and explained.A concept assists us in formulating a mental image about an object or situation. Concepts help us to name things and occurrences in the world around us and assist us in communicating with each other about the world. Independence, self-care, and caring are just a few examples of concepts frequently encountered in health care. Theories are formulat ed by linking concepts together. -A conceptual framework or Model: is a structure that links global concepts together and represents the unified whole of a larger reality.The specifics about phenomena within the global whole are better explained by theory. By its nature, a concept is a socially constructed label that may represent more than a single phenomenon. For example, when you hear the word chair, a mental image that probably comes to mind is an item of furniture used for sitting. The word chair could represent many different kinds of furniture for sitting, such as a desk chair, a high chair, or an easy chair . It is important to remember that the same concept may be used differently in various theories.For example, one nursing theory may use the concept of environment to mean all that surrounds a human being (the external environment), whereas another theory may use this concept to mean the external environment and all the biological and psychological components of the person (the internal environment). – What Is a Proposition? A proposition: (another structural element of a theory) is a statement that proposes a relationship between concepts. An example of a nonnursing proposition might be the statement â€Å"people seem to be happier in the springtime. This proposition establishes a relationship between the concept of happiness and the time of the year. A nursing propositional statement linking the concept of helplessness and the concept of loss might be stated as â€Å"multiple and rapid losses predispose one to feelings of helplessness. † Propositional statements in a theory represent the theorist’s particular view of which concepts fit together and, in most theories, establish how concepts affect one another. What Is a Theory? A theory: is a set of concepts and propositions that provide an orderly way to view phenomena.In the scientific literature, Nursing theory is developed to describe the phenomenon (process, occurrence, or event) called nursing. Nursing theory differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities that in that the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcome of nursing care practices. – â€Å"The purpose of a theory: in scientific disciplines is to guide research to enhance the science by supporting existing knowledge or generating new knowledge†. A theory not only helps us to organize our thoughts and ideas, but it may also help direct us in what to do and when and how to do it.The use of the term theory is not restricted to the scientific world, however. It is often used in daily life and conversation. For example, when telling a friend about a mystery novel you are reading, you may have said, â€Å"I have a theory about who committed the crime. † -USE OF theories from other disciplines: In addition to using theories specifically constructed to describe, explain, and predict the phenomena of concern to nursing, the nursi ng profession has long used theories from other disciplines. A discipline : is a field of study.Theories from biological, physical, and behavioral sciences are commonly used in the practice of nursing. For example, nonnursing theories such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Basic Human Needs, Erikson’s Theory of Human Development, and Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome have been and continue to be useful in nursing practice. These nonnursing theories are often incorporated into nursing practice together with specific nursing theories. – – Importance of nursing theories ;in clinical practice: Nursing theories provide a framework for thought in which to examine situations.As new situations are encountered, this framework provides a structure for organization, analysis, and decision making. In addition, nursing theories provide a structure for communicating with other nurses and with other members of the health care team. Nursing theories assist the discipline of nursing in clarifying beliefs, values, and goals, and they help to define the unique contribution of nursing in the care of clients. When the focus of nursing’s contribution is clear, then greater professional autonomy and, ultimately, control of certain aspects of practice are achieved.In the broadest sense, nursing theory is necessary for the continued development and evolution of the discipline of nursing. Because the world of health care changes virtually on a daily basis, nursing needs to continue to expand its knowledge base to proactively respond to changes in societal needs. Knowledge for nursing practice is developed through nursing research that, in turn, is used to either test existing theories or generate new theories. Nursing Practice Nursing research Nursing theory Process of knowledge development. Nursing practice, theory, and research are interdependent.Nursing theory development and nursing research activities are directed toward developing nursing practi ce standards . Nurses may use a specific nursing theory to help guide their practice or may choose a more eclectic approach and adopt ideas from several theories. Both of these approaches are valid. Furthermore, nurses may find some theories more appropriate for certain situations. In that case, one theory can be used with a client in a home health care setting, whereas another theory may be more applicable to a client in an acute care environment.Regardless of the approach chosen, nurses will recognize the value and usefulness of nursing theory as a tool for effective nursing practice. Common concept in nursing Theories: Four concepts common in nursing theory that influence and determine nursing practice are: 1-The person (patient) 3- Health and 4- Nursing Each of these concepts is usually defined and described by a nursing theorist, and although these concepts are common to all nursing theories, both the definition and the relations among them may differ from one theory to another .Of the four concepts, the most important is that of the person . The focus of nursing, regardless of definition or Theory, is the person. Relationship of theory to nursing process: Professional nurses use theories from nursing and from the behavioral sciences to collect, organize, and classify patient data and to understand, analyze, and interpret patients' health situations.Theoretical concepts and theories guide all phases of the nursing process, including planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care, while also describing and explaining desired responses to and outcomes of care. The major concepts of a chosen model or theory guide each of the nursing process . The concepts serve as categories to the nurse in determining what information is relevant and should be collected to make assessments and to formulate nursing diagnoses.The concepts also suggest the appropriate types of nursing interventions and patient outcomes to be included in the care plan. Types of theories: â €Å"Although theories address relatively specific and concrete phenomena, they vary in scope. Scope refers to the relative level of substantive specificity of a theory and the concreteness of its concepts and propositions† three different categories relate to the scope of theories: grand theories, middle-range theories, and micro-range theories.This classification is applicable to both nursing and nonnursing theories. 1- A grand theory is composed of concepts representing global and extremely complex phenomena. It is the broadest in scope, represents the most abstract level of development, and addresses the broad phenomena of concern within the discipline. Typically, a grand theory is not intended to provide guidance for the formation of specific nursing interventions, but rather provides an overall framework for structuring broad, abstract ideas (Fawcett, 1993).An example of a grand theory is Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory of Nursing. 2- Middle-Range Theory : A theor y that addresses more concrete and more narrowly defined phenomena than a grand theory is known as a middle-range theory. Descriptions, explanations, and predictions put forth in a middle-range theory are intended to answer questions about nursing phenomena, yet they do not cover the full range of phenomena of concern to the discipline. A middle- ange theory provides a perspective from which to view complex situations and a direction for interventions (Fawcett, 1993). An example of a middlerange theory is Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations. 3- A micro-range theory is the most concrete and narrow in scope. A micro- range theory explains a specific phenomenon of concern to the discipline (Fawcett, 1993), such as the effect of social supports on grieving and would establish nursing care guidelines to address the problem. History and evolution of nursing theory The work of early nursing theorists in the 1950s focused on the tasks of nursing practice from a somewhat mechan istic viewpoint. Because of this emphasis, much of the art of nursing—the value of caring, the relationship aspects of nursing, and the esthetics of practice—was diminished. During the decades of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, many nursing theorists struggled with making nursing practice, theory, and research fit into the then prevailing view of science.Reflecting changes in global awareness of health care needs, several contemporary nursing theorists have projected a new perspective for nursing that truly unifies the notion of nursing as both an art and a science. Noted nursing theorists such as Leininger, Watson, Rogers, Parse, and Newman have been urging the discipline of nursing to embrace this new emerging view that is seen as more holistic, humanistic, client focused, and grounded in the notion of caring as the core of nursing.Since the early 1950s, many nursing theories have been systematically developed to help describe, explain, and predict the phenomena of conc ern to nursing. Each of these established theories provides a unique perspective and each is distinct and separate from other nursing theories in its particular view of nursing phenomena. REFERENCES Leahy,j. ,Kizilay,P. : Foundations of nursing practice; Nursing process Approach, New York, W. B. Saunders, 2005 White, L. : Foundations of Nursing: Caring the Whole Person, NewYork, Thomson Learning, 2001

History of Art Forgery

University of Central Missouri The Art of Forgery History of Art Forgery 4/15/2012| Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the history of Art Forgery and the history of one of the greatest art forgers of our time, Tom Keating. The paper will go into the basic history of art forgery from the first recorded art forgery all the way up to the ways forgeries are made today. It will also go into the changes of how forgeries were detected and how forgers are prosecuted. The history of art forgery is not as sinister as some people may believe.In the past, and in some art schools today, students were/are made to copy the works of the master artists, such as Leonardo, Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Monet, and countless others, to hone their skills and practice. In years long past the masters would create their originals and then many copies would be made to make it visible to many people all over the world and to enhance the likelihood that the art would survive the ages. (Dutton, 1983) Thi s went on for years without any thought but as time went on more and more of the masters art started to surface the need for experts were needed to make sure the art in question was the real thing.In the past a person would have to spend years if not a lifetime researching and studying the way an artist would paint by looking at brush strokes, type of paint and canvas used, and other distinctive characteristics of the artist. As time progressed those same experts became some of the most accomplished art forgers. One such forger was French artist Jean-Pierre Schecroun. Before he was arrested and found guilty of forgery in 1962, Schecroun is said to had produced somewhere around eighty forgeries of artists’ works like Picasso and other modern masters. The pictures were said to have brought in ? 5,000 in two years (Dolice, 2003). Forgeries have become such a common practice that any work that surfaces that is allegedly a work done by a modern master such as Van Gogh, Picasso, Da li, Miro, and Chagall is put under great scrutiny. Along with art experts, art restores make good forgers. In 1970 at an auction house in Europe auctioneers noticed that of all the paintings they were getting ready to auction off that there were thirteen paintings of the famous British painter Samuel Palmer but all of them had the same theme, the town of Shoreham, England.After an article was released revealing their suspicions an art restorer named Thomas Patrick Keating claimed that all thirteen were of his making. Keating was born in 1918 Lewisham, a borough of London to poor un-noteworthy parents. From a young age Keating was a gifted painter and have of love art. After World War II he became an art restorer. (Keating, Norman, & Norman, 1977) After not being able to support himself and his family he became a house painter to make extra money to make ends meet. He did all he could to break into the art market by exhibiting his paintings at numerous galleries but he never got much recognition.In his own eyes Keating believed that the whole gallery system was â€Å"rotten. † He stated that the system was â€Å"dominated by American â€Å"avant-garde fashion, with critics and dealers often conniving to line their own pockets at the expense both of naive collectors and impoverished artists. † (Keating, Norman, & Norman, 1977) Keating had have enough and decided to get revenge on the broken system. He formed a plan to destabilize the gallery and auction system by flooding the market with forgeries. By the time he was caught he allegedly produced over 2,000 forgeries and copied over 100 different artists.In an article to the Guardian, a British news network a friend of Keating’s, John Brandler said that â€Å"He thought, ‘I'm as good as Rembrandt, Palmer, Renoir and all the rest of the classic painters, and I'm going to prove it',† and many think that he did. Known as a forger with a cause he would leave tell-tale markin gs that would one day reveal that the work was a fake. Known to sometimes write on the canvas with lead before he painted, Keating knew that an x-ray would reveal the message underneath. It was also not unknown of him to purposefully add miniscule flaws or to use materials not available in the time of the original painter.One of the more devious things that were done to ensure the fallacy of his works was done to a few of his oil painting forgeries. Keating knowing that one day all oil paintings will need to be cleaned put a layer of glycerol under his painting. When the restorer would go to clean the painting the chemical reaction would cause the glycerol to dissolve and then the layer of paint would disintegrate leaving the whole work a ruin and revealing that it was a forgery (Keating, Norman, & Norman, 1977). He also had specific techniques he would use on forgeries of certain artists.When it came to Rembrandt’s works he would boil nuts for hours to make the paint fad e in the future where true paints from the era of Rembrandt would not. In 1977 after an extensive investigation Tom Keating was finally arrested, not for forgery per-say but for conspiracy to defraud. That same year his autobiography, The Fake’s Progress: The Tom Keating Story was published. The years had not been kind to Keating. Years of smoking and inhaling the chemicals that are used in art restoration; turpentine, ammonia and methyl alcohol had taken a toll on his life. The case was dropped due to his poor health.The case was just what was needed to launch him to the fame that has eluded him when he first started to break into the art market. In 1982 through 1983 he had a television program where he talked about the old masters of painting and the techniques that they and he had used to become famous. The following year in 1984, Thomas Keating passed away from a heart attack. After his passing his works have become even more collectable and many find that his forgeries a re worth just as much, if no more, than his originals (Keating, Norman, & Norman, 1977). Tom Keating was in no fashion one of the first art forgers.As stated above forgery has been around as long as art has. People will always want to replicate something that they find pleasing or today that they can make some money. The concept of forgery has not really changed that much over the years. If you want to forge a famous painting or sculpture you study the original artist, try to copy the style that they use, and use materials as close to those used by the artist as possible. Unlike the process, the methods of detection have made great strides. In the beginning the only way to spot a fake was through examination.Some of the few things beside style that are looked at when determining the authenticity of a piece are frames, signatures on the art, stretch bars, and nail holes. (Fleming, 1975) All of these have possibilities of being originals because all of the following, minus the sig natures can be changed when an art restorer works on a painting but a true expert can tell. As technology advanced so did the ways of detecting forgeries. The development of the use of x-rays has brought about the use of x-ray diffraction and fluorescence. Both are used to determine the omposition of the materials used. In x-ray diffraction, used in the authentication of paintings, not only analyzes the components but also to detect pentimento, the alteration of a painting. Carbon and â€Å"White lead† dating are used to measure the age of a painting, Dendrochronology used to date wooden objects and Thermoluminescence is used to date pottery. (Fleming, 1975) One of the newest forms of authentication is digital authentication. Wavelet decomposition is when the picture is broken down into smaller pictures and then the texture is analyzed by the stroke of the paint.The United States has many laws against counterfeiting and fraud but when it comes to prosecuting forgers they have a hard time proving the burden of proof. Just like the forgers changing with the times, prosecutors have adapted. It has become standard practice for prosecutors to go after forgers under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). This has worked because it is very seldom that a forger works alone. They usually have someone they trust that helps them find a buyer or get the forgeries into an auction.In going after all of the people prosecutors have been successful against art forgers such as the case United States v. Amiel. (Dolice, 2003) Forgers and the sellers of counterfeit art can also be held accountable through civil actions. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) protects against unfair trade practices in the art market. In 1993 the FTC brought a case against Magui Publishers, Inc. In FTC v. Magui Publishers, Inc. , the court found Magui guilty of and made them pay $1. 96 million in restitution. (Federal Trade Commision , 1993) Art Forgery has been around since a rt was first made.Though it started as nothing but a simple exercise to better ones skill, it has become a crime that is hard to fight. With the discovery that one can make money just by copying an artist’s style art forgers started selling their own paintings as the work of the masters and they haven’t stopped. This brought about such forgers as Thomas Keating, the forger with a cause. As the forgers themselves changed, the ways they were caught have changed to. The introduction of using x-rays was a great advance in the detection of pentimento, the alteration of the original painting.When going after the forgers prosecutors must rely on other means than just federal statutes against forgery. RICO has made it easier for federal prosecutions to go farther. As art continues to flourish, so will the ways that people try to copy that art. In the years to come, forgers will become more and more skilled at the art of copying. That being the case, all who work against forger s must be vigil and work as hard as the forgers themselves to stay one step ahead of them. If not, one day forgers may be making forgeries of the master forgers of today. Works Cited Dolice, J. 2003). Fabulous Fakes and a History of Art forgery. Dutton, D. (1983). The Forger's Art. Berkeley: University of California Press. Federal Trade Commision . (1993). 9 F. 3d 1551: Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Magui Publishers, Inc. ; Pierre Marcand, Defendants-appellants. Retrieved April 2012, from FTC. gov. Fleming, S. J. (1975). Authenticity in Art: The scientific Detection of Forgery. New York: Crane, Russak ;amp; Co Inc. Keating, T. , Norman, G. , ;amp; Norman, F. (1977). The Fake's Progress: The Tom Keating Story. London: Hutchinson and Company.

Revision practice Essay

The revision changes recommended, in the darft states the topic sentence should directly address, the thesis as well as state the topic. Each paragraph should have an effective closing, that reinforces the main point. The revision changes also recommend, the thesis statement should be present, but don’t forget the essay which should begin with an entire. The introductory paragraph, should provide background information on the topic to the readers and grab the readers attention. When writing the supporting detail, for instance when using, learning style, it also means how each individual student learn best, it is best to try to write options for learning. Remember to organize the information in the parargraph, each paragraph should consist of at least five sentences of a topic sentence, and three supporting sentence, and a concluding sentence only in the first line of the paragraph, should be indented. Do not use first person pronouns like †i† in academic writing, also avoid using personal stories in, academic writing, these same ideas can still be convey without making it personal. Working on rewording the paragraph would help to highlight the, same benefits of the ideas, without describing a personal experience. Academic writing should be formal writing, and not informal writing. Avoid repetitive of words, keep conclusion short, it should be four sentence and focus on summarizing, the two or three of the most important main ideas from the essay. The revision changes recommended by, writepoint states when writing avoid leaving a space before a comma. Also remove comma before writing a restrictive phrase otherwise replace†that† with â€Å"which†. Don’t use lots in an essay without commercial words, the word lots is used only for commercial shipments and real estate, are measured in lots. To use â€Å"a lot of†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ means â€Å"many† â€Å"much† or a large amount†. Also recommended by writepoint for any academic writer, should not divide two-part verb beginning with has/ have/ had. The revision provided by plagiarism checker reports processed on, march 16 2012,the feedback states the slimilarity index, was 0%, internet sources 0%, publication 0%, and student papers n/a. 1. The topic sentence directly address the thesis, as well as states the topic, for instance, the topic sentence states, although students either can learn from online classroom or traditional classroom, online classroom is more flexible. 2. Each paragraph have an effective closing that reinforces the main point , for instance the main ideas are in the three paragraphs, for instance, learning styles, benefits, and cost of education. 3.  The essay is coherent, it flows with ideas smoothly, for instance, online learning and traditional learning, flow in order, one after the other this make the essay easy to understand. It flows from the beginning to the end, because the starting of the essay starts with the topic sentence and ends with the topic sentence, this allows the idea to flow after one another within the paragraph, and from paragraph to paragraph so the ideas can flow smoothly.  The essay flows from the beginning to the end, which starts with the introduction of the topic s entence in the beginning and to the end of the conclusion of the three main ideas, flows in order. 4. The order of the support is logical and effective, because it gives support to the essay, for instance, the essay giveS example of how student can balance work and school, the supporting detail, is how flexible online learning is, and how effective the support is states how student can balance school life and personal life, this makes the order of support logical and effective. . The essay provides strong evidence to support any opinions, the evidence to support the opinions is ,saves money on gas for car, due to no travel time, this allows saving time and money saving. 6. The essay reflects on the evidence and explain its importance, the evidence is student can benefit, the importance is student can save money and time, which do explain no travel time and also student don’t have to pay for parking, this allows students to save time and money. . The essay use strong transition between sentences and between paragraphs, the words and phrases shows how the ideas in the sentence and paragraph are related, for example, online learning style, is the transitions between traditional learning The next steps to be taken in the revision process, is to take out unnecessary words and replace weak words, with specific and appropriate wording, this helps the essay. Revision process, allows you to make changes to the first draft before you put the finishing touches, during the editing and proofreading stage. The revision process allows you to improve the draft before you start the editing process. The revision process, is the step when you, add, cut, move, or change information in order to make the ideas in the essay, more accurate, more interesting or more convincing. After revising the content, the next step is to do the editing. This allows you to examine the surface features of the content. The editing process, allows you to examine your spelling, grammer, usage of words, and punctuation in the darft. When editing, it helps you to use proper format when creating the finished essay. The revision process, overall allows you to, add, cut, move, or change information in order to make the ideas in the essay, more accurate, more interesting, or more convincing, when writing your essay.

Vampire Academy Chapter 14

FOURTEEN I CONTINUED SPYING ON LISSA over the next couple of days, feeling mildly guilty each time. She'd always hated it when I did by accident, and now I did it on purpose. Steadily, I watched as she reintegrated herself into the royal power players one by one. She couldn't do group compulsion, but catching one person alone was just as effective, if slower. And really, a lot didn't need to be compelled to start hanging out with her again. Many weren't as shallow as they seemed; they remembered Lissa and liked her for who she was. They flocked to her, and now, a month and a half after our return to the Academy, it was like she'd never left at all. And during this rise to fame, she advocated for me and rallied against Mia and Jesse. One morning, I tuned into her while she was getting ready for breakfast. She'd spent the last twenty minutes blow-drying and straightening her hair, something she hadn't done in a while. Natalie, sitting on the bed in their room, watched the process with curiosity. When Lissa moved on to makeup, Natalie finally spoke. â€Å"Hey, we're going to watch a movie in Erin's room after school. You going to come?† I'd always made jokes about Natalie being boring, but her friend Erin had the personality of dry wall. â€Å"Can't. I'm going to help Camille bleach Carly's hair.† â€Å"You sure spend a lot of time with them now.† â€Å"Yeah, I guess.† Lissa dabbed mascara across her lashes, instantly making her eyes look bigger. â€Å"I thought you didn't like them anymore.† â€Å"I changed my mind.† â€Å"They sure seem to like you a lot now. I mean, not that anyone wouldn't like you, but once you came back and didn't talk to them, they seemed okay ignoring you too. I heard them talking about you a lot. I guess that's not surprising, because they're Mia's friends too, but isn't it weird how much they like you now? Like, I hear them always waiting to see what you want to do before they make plans and stuff. And a bunch of them are defending Rose now, which is really crazy. Not that I believe any of that stuff about her, but I never would have thought it was possible – â€Å" Underneath Natalie's rambling was the seed of suspicion, and Lissa picked up on it. Natalie probably never would have dreamed of compulsion, but Lissa couldn't risk innocent questions turning into something more. â€Å"You know what?† she interrupted. â€Å"Maybe I will swing by Erin's after all. I bet Carly's hair won't take that long.† The offer derailed Natalie's train of thought. â€Å"Really? Oh wow, that would be great. She was telling me how sad she was that you're not around as much anymore, and I told her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  On it went. Lissa continued her compulsion and return to popularity. I watched it all quietly, always worrying, even though her efforts were starting to reduce the stares and gossip about me. â€Å"This is going to backfire,† I whispered to her in church one day. â€Å"Someone's going to start wondering and asking questions.† â€Å"Stop being so melodramatic. Power shifts all the time around here.† â€Å"Not like this.† â€Å"You don't think my winning personality could do this on its own?† â€Å"Of course I do, but if Christian spotted it right away, then someone else will – â€Å" My words were interrupted when two guys farther down the pew suddenly exploded into snickers. Glancing up, I saw them looking right at me, not even bothering to hide their smirks. Looking away, I tried to ignore them, suddenly hoping the priest would start up soon. But Lissa returned their looks, and a sudden fierceness flashed across her face. She didn't say a word, but their smiles grew smaller under her heavy gaze. â€Å"Tell her you're sorry,† she told them. â€Å"And make sure she believes it.† A moment later, they practically fell all over themselves apologizing to me and begging for forgiveness. I couldn't believe it. She'd used compulsion in public – in church, of all places. And on two people at the same time. They finally exhausted their supply of apologies, but Lissa wasn't finished. â€Å"That's the best you can do?† she snapped. Their eyes widened in alarm, both terrified that they'd angered her. â€Å"Liss,† I said quickly, touching her arm. â€Å"It's okay I, uh, accept their apologies.† Her face still radiated disapproval, but she finally nodded. The guys slumped in relief. Yikes. I'd never felt so relieved to have a service start. Through the bond, I felt a sort of dark satisfaction coming from Lissa. It was uncharacteristic for her, and I didn't like it. Needing to distract myself from her troubling behavior, I studied other people as I so often did. Nearby, Christian openly watched Lissa, a troubled look on his face. When he saw me, he scowled and turned away. Dimitri sat in the back as usual, for once not scanning every corner for danger. His attention was turned inward, his expression almost pained. I still didn't know why he came to church. He always seemed to be wrestling with something. In the front, the priest was talking about St. Vladimir again. â€Å"His spirit was strong, and he was truly gifted by God. When he touched them, the crippled walked, and the blind could see. Where he walked, flowers bloomed.† Man, the Moroi needed to get more saints – Healing cripples and blind people? I'd forgotten all about St. Vladimir. Mason had mentioned Vladimir bringing people back from the dead, and it had reminded me of Lissa at the time. Then other things had distracted me. I hadn't thought about the saint or his â€Å"shadow-kissed† guardian – and their bond – in a while. How could I have overlooked this? Ms. Karp, I realized, wasn't the only other Moroi who could heal like Lissa. Vladimir could too. â€Å"And all the while, the masses gathered to him, loving him, eager to follow his teachings and hear him preach the word of God†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Turning, I stared at Lissa. She gave me a puzzled look. â€Å"What?† I didn't get a chance to elaborate – I don't even know if I could have formed the words – because I was whisked back to my prison almost as soon as I stood up at the end of the service. Back in my room, I went online to research St. Vladimir but turned up nothing useful. Damn it. Mason had skimmed the books in the library and said there was little there. What did that leave me with? I had no way of learning more about that dusty old saint. Or did I? What had Christian said that first day with Lissa? Over there, we have an old box full of the writings of the blessed and crazy St. Vladimir. The storage room above the chapel. It had the writings. Christian had pointed them out. I needed to look at them, but how? I couldn't ask the priest. How would he react if he found out students were going up there? It'd put an end to Christian's lair. But maybe†¦maybe Christian himself could help. It was Sunday, though, and I wouldn't see him until tomorrow afternoon. Even then, I didn't know if I'd get a chance to talk to him alone. While heading out to practice later, I stopped in the dorm's kitchen to grab a granola bar. As I did, I passed a couple of novice guys, Miles and Anthony. Miles whistled when he saw me. â€Å"How's it been going, Rose? You getting lonely? Want some company?† Anthony laughed. â€Å"I can't bite you, but I can give you something else you want.† I had to pass through the doorway they stood in to get outside. Glaring, I pushed past, but Miles caught me around the waist, his hand sliding down to my butt. â€Å"Get your hands off my ass before I break your face,† I told him, jerking away. In doing so, I only bumped into Anthony. â€Å"Come on,† Anthony said, â€Å"I thought you didn't have a problem taking on two guys at the same time.† A new voice spoke up. â€Å"If you guys don't walk away right now, I'll take both of you on.† Mason. My hero. â€Å"You're so full of it, Ashford,† said Miles. He was the bigger of the two and left me to go square off with Mason. Anthony backed off from me, more interested in whether or not there'd be a fight. There was so much testosterone in the air, I felt like I needed a gas mask. â€Å"Are you doing her too?† Miles asked Mason. â€Å"You don't want to share?† â€Å"Say one more word about her, and I'll rip your head off.† â€Å"Why? She's just a cheap blood – â€Å" Mason punched him. It didn't rip Miles' head off or even cause anything to break or bleed, but it looked like it hurt. His eyes widened, and he lunged toward Mason. The sound of doors opening in the hall caused everyone to freeze. Novices got in a lot of trouble for fighting. â€Å"Probably some guardians coming.† Mason grinned. â€Å"You want them to know you were beating up on a girl?† Miles and Anthony exchanged glances. â€Å"Come on,† Anthony said. â€Å"Let's go. We don't have time for this.† Miles reluctantly followed. â€Å"I'll find you later, Ashford.† When they were gone, I turned on Mason. † ? ®Beat up on a girl'?† â€Å"You're welcome,† he said drily. â€Å"I didn't need your help.† â€Å"Sure. You were doing just fine on your own.† â€Å"They caught me off guard, that's all. I could have dealt with them eventually.† â€Å"Look, don't take being pissed off at them out on me.† â€Å"I just don't like being treated like†¦a girl.† â€Å"You are a girl. And I was just trying to help.† I looked at him and saw the earnestness on his face. He meant well. No point in being a bitch to him when I had so many other people to hate lately. â€Å"Well†¦thanks. Sorry I snapped at you.† We talked a little bit, and I managed to get him to spill some more school gossip. He had noticed Lissa's rise in status but didn't seem to find it strange. As I talked to him, I noticed the adoring look he always got around me spread across his face. It made me sad to have him feel that way about me. Guilty, even. How hard would it be, I wondered, to go out with him? He was nice, funny, and reasonably good-looking. We got along. Why did I get caught up in so many messes with other guys when I had a perfectly sweet one here who wanted me? Why couldn't I just return his feelings? The answer came to me before I'd even finished asking myself the question. I couldn't be Mason's girlfriend because when I imagined someone holding me and whispering dirty things in my ear, he had a Russian accent. Mason continued watching me admiringly, oblivious to what was going on in my head. And seeing that adoration, I suddenly realized how I could use it to my advantage. Feeling a little guilty, I shifted my conversation to a more flirty style and watched Mason's glow increase. I leaned beside him on the wall so our arms just touched and gave him a lazy smile. â€Å"You know, I still don't approve of your whole hero thing, but you did scare them. That was almost worth it.† â€Å"But you don't approve?† I trailed fingers up his arm. â€Å"No. I mean, it's hot in principle but not in practice.† He laughed. â€Å"The hell it isn't.† He caught hold of my hand and gave me a knowing look. â€Å"Sometimes you need to be saved. I think you like being saved sometimes and just can't admit it.† â€Å"And I think you get off on saving people and just can't admit it.† â€Å"I don't think you know what gets me off. Saving damsels like you is just the honorable thing to do,† he declared loftily. I repressed the urge to smack him over the use of damsels. â€Å"Then prove it. Do me a favor just because it's ? ®the right thing to do.' â€Å" â€Å"Sure,† he said immediately. â€Å"Name it.† â€Å"I need you to get a message to Christian Ozera.† His eagerness faltered. â€Å"What the – ? You aren't serious.† â€Å"Yes. Completely.† â€Å"Rose†¦I can't talk to him. You know that.† â€Å"I thought you said you'd help. I thought you said helping ? ®damsels' is the honorable thing to do.† â€Å"I don't really see how honor's involved here.† I gave him the most smoldering look I could manage. He caved. â€Å"What do you want me to tell him?† â€Å"Tell him I need St. Vladimir's books. The ones in storage. He needs to sneak them to me soon. Tell him it's for Lissa. And tell him†¦tell him I lied the night of the reception.† I hesitated. â€Å"Tell him I'm sorry.† â€Å"That doesn't make any sense.† â€Å"It doesn't have to. Just do it. Please?† I turned on the beauty queen smile again. With hasty assurances that he'd see what he could do, he left for lunch, and I went off to practice.