Home Inspection Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Home Inspection Case Study - Assignment Example This created a market opportunity to the sellers and filling it one had to do it in a manner that the consumers’ needs, preferences and wants are attended to their satisfaction. Furthermore Lack of professionalism was a problem to the industry because no one viewed any of the inspections firms to being very qualified or professional as argued Ramesh (59). With this the market opportunity availed itself to Doug for him to fill the gap thus come with a solution to the problem through his services and product. Additionally there was the need to deliver on any promise made to prospective customers. These two aspired to attain their mission and objective of their business in that they would offer the best services to the consumers both at a professional level and technical approach to the satisfaction of their customers. They also wanted their business to accomplish the needs and want of the customers that coming up with a brand name that the buyers associate with easy and simple to identify with. Doug and Mary wished that their consumers would have a good perception on their service where professionalism and trustworthy is an essential matter that is always put into consideration to appoint of them doing research on how other inspection firms do their work and Doug enrolling for an 8 week course on home inspection to acquire skills thus make him professional ascertain to the industry thus boasting professionalism problem in the business. There are two targeted audience in this case study, first the primary audience who are the real estate agents who will actual need the service as first hand customers due the functional and emotional need they have for the services. The functional need is the purpose of the service in this case is what Doug and Mary has to offer them in terms of services which must be tangible and visible while the emotional need is the intangibles need, where the customers can actually trust and

Managing Change and Innovation in Health Care Essay

Managing Change and Innovation in Health Care - Essay Example It has not been an easy process since the health care unlike other sectors is sensitive since it deals with the pertinent information about clients. However, with adequate planning, implementation and intervention, electronic record keeping has been a success in the health sector. In bid of this insight, this paper will present a summary of managing change and innovation in Health care as pertains to electronic record keeping. Three academic concepts will be highlighted within the discussion; foundation of planning, motivating employees, and understanding individual behavior. This will be aimed at affirming the thesis statement that asses the success and failure of electronic record keeping in the health care sector (Hayrinen, Saranto, and Nykanen, 2008). ... This has led to the adoption of the Health Information Accountability Act (HIPAA) that sets rules and standards to ensure that only authorized individuals access the patient’s information. In bid to encourage hospitals to implement electronic record keeping, the United States has posed an ultimatum of up to 2014 where all health care facilities will be expected to have implemented and electronic record keeping system. This will accrue benefits from Medicaid and Medicare while those that will have not have implemented will bear sanctions and penalties from the government. This is aimed at networking the health care system and thus increasing the efficiency of the health care system (Hayrinen, Saranto, and Nykanen, 2008). The greatest benefit of electronic record keeping in heath care organization is associated with swift access to health information. Once the information of the patient is entered into a networked computer, its access is faster compared to manual record keeping. This is consequently increases the speed with which the patients are attended to and reduces delay in the provision of care to the patients. This further enhances the continuity of care for the patient attributed to the fact that the information of the patient’s previous information is easily accessible. Consequently, upon referral of the patient, it is possible to convey the relevant information of the patient to the next care provider. Also this information is essential as it acts as a reference point in assessing the progress of the patient since the baseline data can still be accessed. This method of record keeping not only aids the health care organization but also helps the patient since they can confirm appointments from their homes and do not have to travel to the

Money Is The Biggest Motivator Commerce Essay

Money Is The Biggest Motivator Commerce Essay Money is the biggest motivator of people at the workplace. Most people are motivated by money. According to Alison Griffiths, journalist of Metro Canada, survey showed that 53 percent of Baby Boomers in Canada did want to earn more money while 32 percent of them did plan to open a own business after retirement to earn more money too. Besides that, Reuters (2012) also stated that 31.4 percent of Americans aged from 65 to 69 were still working in year 2010, compared to year 1990 with a lower percentage which is 21 percent. These showed that Baby Boomers value money as an important motivation factor. For example, A Generation X employee tells a Boomer manager that he had been working too hard and request for taking an off for family vacation. Instead of saying thanks, the Boomer replies, I work to get ahead, to get a promotion, not for a vacation. The Boomer manager then gave the employee a bonus, rather than a vacation (Hammill, G., 2005). In contrast, Generation X seek a work-life bal ance where they will take less money if they are given opportunity to work lesser hours and have time off to spend with family or take a vacation. For them, money act as an incentive or reward but it does not add value to the job. Whilst, Boomers are attracted to position and even more money rather than placing value on vacation time or flex time. According to Mcshane (2010), Generation X and Generation Y employees expect a more egalitarian workplace. For them, money is an important factor but it is not a standalone. A study by Accenture consulting firm found that 50% of middle managers were interested in new job that provide benefits such as more time off rather than more pay (Williams, R., 2010) Thus, money is very important to employees for number of reasons. I firmly believe that money is the major and biggest motivator at the workplace. Some of the motivation theory model also explains the importance of money as a major motivator factor such as Maslows Needs Hierarchy Theory, E RG Theory, Equity Theory and etc. 2.0 Content Maslows needs hierarchy theory According to Maslow, the most basic needs on the needs hierarchy had to be satisfied before the next level of needs emerge (Mcshane, 2010). Maslow stated that individual needs are arranged in a hierarchy from the lower level to the higher level of needs. It classified individual needs into 5 levels which is physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs, esteem needs and self-actualization. Money which is a basic needs for survival, as stated by Maslow, it is very important as money can get shelter, food, clothing, water and other necessaries of life to satisfy individual basic physical needs such as physiological and security needs. As a matter of fact, worker is motivated to work in the organization to receive economic rewards to meet his basic needs. Whilst, the organization helps an individual to satisfy their basic needs by providing good salaries, benefits and good working condition. Besides that, the most general theoretical explanation for moneys importance is the fac t that it is useful for obtaining many other things that we want and wish for because of its symbolic value (Davis, K. and Newstrom, J. W., 2002). Thus, money or pay did satisfy individual drives and needs. Company and organization such as Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Tesco, Kelloggs, Siemens motivates its workers by providing these basic needs wherever they create job (McShane, 2010). Furthermore, money or pay is frequently used as a standard used for comparison for social status and personal accomplishment (Davis, K. and Newstrom, J. W., 2002). In addition, money or pay can help an individual to acquire a higher level on Maslows motivational needs hierarchy, including social esteem and self-actualization (Davis, K. and Newstrom, J. W., 2002). For instance, money can carve the path towards social recognition, making it possible for early retirement, a good education for ones children as well as free time for enjoyment. For example, a manager motivate his worker by raises his worke rs pay because the worker had done a good job. The worker felt he was respected and rewarded as well as more security and was highly pleased with this recognition (Davis, K. and Newstrom, J. W., 2002). Hence, money or pay did affect ones self-esteem as well as self-respect. ERG Theory In ERG theory, needs affect an individuals behavior as described by Maslow. Alderfers ERG theory reorganizes Maslows five groups into three which is existence, relatedness, and growth (McShane, 2010). Existence needs are the same as physiological and safety needs as Maslow. Relatedness needs are the same as belongingness needs as Maslow. Growth needs are the same as self-esteem and self-actualization needs. Unlike Maslow, which only explained how people progress up the hierarchy, ERG theory also describes how people regress down the hierarchy when fail to fulfills a higher needs (McShane, 2010). In another word, Alderfer suggested that more than one needs may be operative at the same time. Likewise, assume that a nurse who is seeking a promotion because the promotion will raise her pay. This promotion will promote her to a head nurse position would help meeting the nurses needs for growth as well. After a prolonged wait, she learned that she was dropped from further consideration. Sh e becomes frustrated, disappointed, and concerned about her future. Her supervisor and her co-workers talk with her assuring her that other opportunities will occur and her value to other co-workers is immeasurable. After few days of feeling frustrated, she redirected her need for the promotion to the relatedness category and seems to enjoy her work and her colleagues. Furthermore, Alderfer also suggested that the failure to satisfy relatedness or growth needs will cause renewed interest in existence needs. For instance, this might increase the desire for more money or for better working condition. Likewise, money or pay which is the factor of existence needs. It drives people to go to work for survival. Individual at the existence level who is given the opportunity to earn additional $100 will be more motivated compare to someone earning $100,000 per year. This can be explained with McClellands theory which low achiever view monetary reward as an end in itself while high achiever v iew monetary reward as symbol of success or achievement and feedback about job performance. In contrast, the importance of money or pay is indeed a strong motivator. It ensures an individual primary needs to be met as well as providing security and personal growth and development as the worker is assign to perform more responsibility on the job. Other than achievement, money can be use to buy affiliation and power. For example, people can use money to buy their way into expensive clubs as well as giving them the capacity to influence others such as through political contributions. Furthermore, money or pay is classified as a hygiene factors in Frederick Herzbergs motivator-hygiene theory. Herzberg suggested that manager first must improve the hygienic conditions of work before trying to increase motivation. Negative hygienic conditions distract employees because they are necessary for building a foundation on which to maintain a reasonable level of motivation in employees. Therefore , the role of money or pay must not be ignored. Expectancy Theory According to Victor Vrooms Expectancy theory, the theory stated that work effort is directed toward behaviors that people believe will lead to desired outcomes. That is, people are motivated to achieve the goals with the highest expected payoff. For example, a person may be a high-performing employee because he believes that this will lead to a merit increase in pay. This means that an employee must want more pay or money which is valence, must believe that effort will be successful in producing desired performance which is expectancy, and must trust that the monetary reward will follow better performance which is instrumentality. Most employees do respond to money as a reward. For instance, a person may prefer a 10 percent merit increase rather than transfer to a new department. Thus, money often has high valence. Likewise, pay or money also plays a larger role in applicants job choices. That is, a level of pay must be met before an individual will even consider accepting a job offe r. Company that offer starting salary or pay below the market range will not even being considered by the applicant. In another word, money can attract employee as well as retaining the employee such as offering high salaries and increased variable pay. Equity Theory In equity theory, the equity principle infers that people should be paid in proportion to their contribution. The theory posits that individuals evaluate the fairness of their pay by comparing their own ratio of inputs and outcomes to the input and output of other person such as close coworkers, workers in other companies, or the employees past work history. In addition, the theory predicts that an individual who perceives his raise to be inequitable is likely to change his behavior in several ways like expressing dissatisfaction to his supervisor, working harder to get a bigger raise next year, working less to bring her inputs in line with his perceived outcomes, or even quit the job in disgust. Hence, money or pay level clearly becomes important as an outcomes perceived by the employees in exchange for their services. For instance, it will affect employee behaviors if it is cut. As such, employees are on high alert and sensitive for every time employers make pay changes. It reflect s differences in how the employees are regarded or value by the employer. In another word, employees react strongly to changes in pay. An example of employee reaction to underpayment inequity occurred in a manufacturing plant that the company cut 15 percent pay of all employees because some important contracts were canceled. The affected employees reacted by doubling their normal theft rate by stealing tools and supplies from the company. Turnover rate also increased from 5 percent to 23 percent. In particular, underreward seems to produce motivational tension with negative consequences. Hence, pay was a symbolic scorecard to employee that they are overreward, equity or underreward. 3.0 Recommendation Based on the above theory and facts, in emphasizing the importance of money as the biggest motivator, we are not saying that money is the only important motivator but money play a key role in motivating people especially among the low achiever. Indeed, it is clear that many other factors such as interesting work, participation in decision making, flexible working hour and etc are also important motivator to many people. However, in order for money to be the biggest motivator, pay or money has to be used in a way that would produce motivation such as incentives or bonuses that boost the morale of the workers by performing better performances. This is simply because money acts as a mechanism for rewarding and modifying behavior in industry. It is an extrinsic reward that encourages people to work harder, more energetically as well as motivate the employee to achieve higher level of performance. Furthermore, the effectiveness of money as a motivator depends on variety of individual and situational factors. Each individual has different perception, preferences, expectancy, and self-concept toward money. Thus, manager has to talk to their employees to understand and find out which needs or preferences a particular employee is seeking. 4.0 Conclusion In conclusion, we strongly believe that money is indeed the biggest motivator in the workplace. Based on the points and statements above, we can clearly see that money is indeed the important factor that motivates people at the workplace. Money is regarded as a very high reward for the individuals that have worked hard for it. It is also regarded as the highest form of reward for employees. The higher the pay grade, the higher the recognition they receive from their employers as well as from the working mates. Finally, we conclude that money is indeed the most important factor that motivates individuals at the work place. (2001 words) 5.0 References McShane, S.L. and Glinow, M.A.V. (2010) Organizational Behavior. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Luthans, F. (2008). Organizational Behavior. 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Gibson, J.L., Ivancevich, J.M., Donnely, J.Jr. and Konopaske, R. (2003) Organizational Behavior Structure Processes. 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Newstorm, J.W. and Davis, K. (2002) Organizational Behavior: Human Behavior At Work. 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Gibson, J.L., Ivancevich, J.M. and Donnely, J.Jr. (1997) Organizations Behavior Structure Processes. 9th ed. United States of America: McGraw Hill. Edward, J. (2011) Organizational Behavior: Intergrating Individuals, Groups, and Organizations. 4th ed. Milton Park: Taylor Francis Group. Banerjee, M. (1995) Organizational Behavior. 3th ed. Madras: Allied Publishers Limited. Aswathappa K (2005) Human Resource and Personnel Management: Text and Cases. 4th ed. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Raju, R.S. and Parthasarathy, A. (2009) Management. 2nd ed. New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited. The Times 100 (2012) Motivational Theory In Practice At Tesco [Online]. Retrieved from: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/motivational-theory-in-practice-at-tesco/taylors-motivational-theory.html#axzz2ChPkuekgl [Accessed 12 November 2012 ]. The Times 100 (2012) Motivating Through Total Reward [Online]. Retrieved from: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/royal-bank-of-scotland/motivating-through-total-reward/what-is-motivation.html#axzz2Ch7FZfye [Accessed 12 November 2012]. Griffiths, A. (2012) The Boom In Canadian Baby Boomer Small Business [Online]. Retrieved from: http://metronews.ca/voices/alison-on-money/404772/the-boom-in-canadian-baby-boomer-small-businesses/ [Accessed 12 November 2012]. Hammill, G. (2005) Mixing and Managing Four Generations Of Employees [Online]. Retrieved from: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm [Accessed 12 November 2012].

The Bay :: The Hudson’s Bay Company

INTRODUCTION The Hudson’s Bay Company is the oldest incorporated merchandising company in the world. The Bay has remained in business in North America after its incorporation on May 2, 1670 by the Royal Charter. The official title of the company is, â€Å"The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson’s Bay†. This title is usually shortened to â€Å"Hudson’s Bay Company† or, just â€Å"the Bay. I was attracted to the Hudson’s Bay Company because firstly, I am frequently shop at the Bay. As a result of this, I would like to show the pride and respect I have for this successful company and its great history. Secondly, I have easy access to the information required to complete this independent study. Lastly, as I am not an expert when it comes to the operations of the company, this independent study will enable me to achieve a deeper understanding of management, and how it affects me. I utilized a number of resources in order to create this report. The resources are: Hudson’s Bay Company Annual Repoorts of 1996, 1997, 1998, Employee Training handbook, the Internet, and magazines. I combined these resources to produce a very informative report on the Hudson’s Bayu Company. In addition to this, the resources I used gave me a chance to cover many aspects and areas of this corporation. The topics covered in this report are: Company Profile, Human Resources, Customer Services, Organization, and Community Involvement. I included these types of information to give you, the reader, a deep interpretation of the Hudson’s Bay Company. To understand how the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) became the corporation it is today, a brief history is needed to gain some background knowledge. In the Bay’s first century of existence, it created forts on the Hudson Bay and traded furs to the Native Peoples. In the Bay’s second century, competition from the North West Company was acknowledged and responded to. This total time period of 200 years assisted in the discovery of Canada. In 1821, the two competitors merged under the name of Hudson’s Bay. In the twentieth century, HBC began to concentrate on retailing which is it’s primary activity today. Between 1913 and 1968, HBC made downtown department stores in the major cities of western Canada. As time rolled along, the Bay moved into eastern Canada and the suburbs of major Canadian cities.

Manfold Toy Essay

Question 1 – Do you see the selection of Directors at Manfold Toy’s as entirely suitable to an ethical standing? Why? Many relevant corporate governance issues arise regarding the composition of Manfold Toy’s board of directors. With respect to the main purpose of a board of directors, we need to reflect on whether the elected directors were the best possible representatives of stockholders interests. Additionally, we should analyze to what extent were the elected directors eager to accomplish their responsibilities/duties. To begin the analysis, we should study the process of director’s election to the Company’s board. Taking into account that 68% of Manfold Toy stake belonged to Joseph Wan, founder and chairman of the company, he held enough majority to decide on the board composition. The remaining stake was insufficient to refuse Joseph choices. Thus, Joseph choices could not be refused by the other shareholders, even if they believed there could be better representatives of their interests on the board. According to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), a global association of investment professionals, â€Å"Board members owe a duty to make decisions based on what ultimately is best for the long-term interests of shareholders. In order to do this effectively, board members need a combination of three things: independence, experience and resources†. Manfold Toy’s board was composed by three INEDs (Independent Non-Executive Directors). These directors should comply with the rules of independence towards the company, so that they are able to effectively perform their duty: ensure that the interest of the shareholders are preserved in executives’ acts. However, if they are dependent in any way to the Company, their decisions and acts will have external undesirable influences. Fred Wong Sau-lim, one of the Company’s Independent Non-Executive Directors since 2001, and Chairman of the Audit Committee, was the Director of On Yee Exports since 2000. On Yee Export s had exclusive rights to distribute Manfold Toy’s products in Australia & New Zealand, which accounted for 17,8% of Manfold Toy’s sales. According to the independence rules for INEDs (HKEx), Fred could not be a Manfold Toy’s director due to its business relationship with the company. The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx) state that independence is key to ensure a director behaves fairly and with integrity. Due to its close  relationship with Joseph, Fred was aware of major operational actions that two senior executives were told to take in order to improve the financial statements for the audit. As Chairman of the Audit committee, Fred did not accomplish his role of monitoring the internal governance of the company. Fred should have ensured that the information present on the company’s accounts was accurate and reliable (HKEx), making him fail its INED responsibility of advocating shareholders’ interest (Rosenstein and Wyatt, 1990; Byrd and Hickman, 1992). Fred also violated the fundamental principles of the â€Å"Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants†. He was not honest, has he did not disclosed the relevant financial information of the Company. With its position in On Yee Exports, he carried conflict of interest, which disallows him to be objective in its functions. Moreover, he disclosed confidential information  acquired as a result of his professional position in On Yee Exports to Manfold Toy’s Chairman, violating the principle of confidentiality. Fred was uncorrectly elected, not in the eyes of Joseph, to both of his positions on the board. He was not independent to the company, and thus should have never become part of the Audit Committee. There are other directors violating the independence rules and compromising the effective accomplishment of its duties. For instance, Maggie Mok Su-yee, the Chairman of Big Capital, was performing a millionaire consulting work on Manfold Toy for Mitchell & Meyer, the possible future buyer of the first. Furthermore, Sherona Leung Ka-yi, an Independent Non-Executive Director since 2003, Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and Member of the Audit Committee was the President of charity organization We Care. Joseph was the biggest contributor to its charity organization. This business relationship between Sherona and Joseph violates the independence guidelines as well. Sherona would have incentives to behave in a way that would please Joseph, so that he continues to â€Å"feed† her charity organization. To conclude Non-Executive Directors should be independent to pursue their functions and responsibilities correctly. However, they entailed familiar or business  relations with Manfold Toy and rules for independence were not respected. Due to the violation of ethical standings in the selection of INEDs , they are not complying with its main duty, the defense of shareholders’ interests. Thus, the selection of Directors at Manfold Toy’s is not suitable to the ethical standings.

Love and Happiness

According to the Webster dictionary love is to share one’s life, and downfalls; not just ones personal property; love is an affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; a strong feeling of attraction. Being honest about you and allowing the other person involved in the relationship to really get to know who you really are. Happiness is an agreeable feeling or condition of the soul arising from good fortune or propitious happening of any kind; the possession of those circumstances or that state of being which is attended with enjoyment. To love and be loved is the beauty of life; many people yearn for peace, love and happiness myself included. Love brings happiness that is what we are made to think from very early stages in life. Must we make others happy for us to be happy; therefore there are some dangerous myths in life that can keep you from being happy; it’s a bad life where we try to please others throughout life; if this fouls people usually bitter resentful and in most cases hateful to people we fail to please. If we do not resist the planked seed of co-dependence we are doomed to live for others. Collins II Love is a present experience; it has no opposite and is the union and connection of all things. Love is vast; infinitely vast; love expands with wisdom, patience and kindness. It is so expansive that it even contains room for all fears to nestle into. Love embraces all fears; within love, seeds of fear can either grow or remain unchanged or these seeds can transform and blossom into more love. Love welcomes both the unchanged fears and the transformed ones. love has room for all things at all times; for judgment, weakness, and disappointment, as well as for joy, compassion and peace. All experience nestle and find room within the open cradle and forever accepting, expanding nature of love. Happiness is much more than what an article could describe; some people describe happiness as the feeling you experience when you realize that everything is exactly as it should be; some define it as the state of feeling that you experience after reaching your goal; while others define it as having inner peace. Happiness is perspective dependent emotion; it means that what could make someone happy could not be of importance to someone else. Happiness is just like love it is energy and when it’s shared it brings out the best results; try thinking of a moment when you share a joke with a friend the laughter brings out the best that makes you feel good and happy. Although this is what gives a good feeling; a happy person in fact can attract a lot of love because in fact its easily reflected in every activity; otherwise this creates a strong bond between love and happiness; however people will always return your Collins III charming smile, even though they are frowning and looking angry people will scowl at you. There is a common edge that â€Å"life is hard and we have to struggle to be happy; with this in mind I tend to differ to our expectations of struggles and problems. It’s amazing when things are moving so swiftly for us; we subconsciously wait for the storm to come. Life was meant to be easy but pessimism interferes with the flow of happiness in our lives. Open your heart to love and happiness and you will experience a breakthrough in love and happiness; there are time when you feel a lot of joy in your heart; but nevertheless the peace you feel within your heart should beneath your soul. You choose to be happy and worry less; meanwhile you will have successful romantic relationship if you are positive about yourself; however you and others will enjoy life as well as relaxing, being together without going out of your way to impress other. This is a misconception that loves and happiness is truly a goal to attend in the future; a lone each passing day you should bring a new and unique experience to you and your love one; to share one’s life and down falls; not just ones personal property; happiness is a agreeable feeling or condition of the soul arising from fortune or propitious happening of any kind. Happiness is a perspective dependent emotion. Commitment is needed in order to build a beautiful relationship; without commitment love and happiness would not be able to grow.

Moma essays

Moma essays The untitled art work by Lee Bontecou displayed in the museum can be compared very much to the description of chaos. It must be noted that all of the sculptures displayed in the museum by Lee Bontecou are untitled so the titles of them would not distract or influence the viewers interpretation of the sculpture. The sculpture is a hanging mobile in the fourth room of the retrospective of Lee Bontecuos art work and is a piece that stands out from the other sculptures in the room. Upon entering you immediately are drawn to the center of this art work as it is a porcelain ball painted mostly black. From this center point the artist connected many long and short wires going in every directions giving you the sense that within all the chaos there is a beginning. At the ends of many of the wires there are smaller porcelain balls similar to the center one. Throughout the sculpture there are many of the smaller balls as the ending points to the wires coming from the center. The long wi res with the balls are not the only objects coming from the center of the sculpture. There are also long sheets of what seem to look like long strips of canvas running along or around the center porcelain ball in different directions. The canvas strips are being held up by wires running along the edges of the canvas and attached to it by copper wires which stand out when looking at this sculpture. The best description of this art work would be if you could picture an exploding sun or star in space with the center being a black hole, the porcelain ball center of the hanging mobile. The long and short wires sticking out in all different directions look similar to the trial left by balls of fire after an explosion of a star in space. The smaller porcelain balls at the ends being the solar matter being shot in every direction by the explosion. The long strips of canvas shooting in different directions can be compared in their appearance to...

Environmentalist Essay

Environmentalist Essay Environmentalist Essay Becerra 1 Victoria Becerra English 091 5/22/2014 Environmentalism In the article â€Å"Is Humanity Suicidal?† E.O. Wilson talks about the dangers in the environment that are posing a threat in the next 60 years. Wilson tries to bring attention to the fact that the ecosystem of the earth is diminishing and human kind plays a large role in the destruction. He explains there are â€Å"two types of viewpoints in the world, exemptionalism and environmentalism† (118). â€Å"An exemptionalist believes that in time the world will save itself and that we are off to a good future† (118). However, an environmentalist believes we are furthering the destruction of our earth and that we need to start saving the world today. Environmentalism has more validity than exemptionalism because we need to preserve the earth for future generations, saving the earth in small amounts can be beneficial to our environment, and the relief felt when knowing that the world is a safer place. To begin, an environmentalist’s main cause i s saving the earth in order for our future generations to live. It is our duty to help this earth since we were born. We have to think about our future children and what they could possibly go through if we do not make change. Our environment is a precious and delicate thing that we must protect and do our best to keep clean and healthy. â€Å" The environment , after all, is where we all meet, where we all have mutual interest.It is one thing that all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves but a focusing lens on what we can become† (Johnson). It is true that we all have one thing in common, the environment, and it should be our responsibility to protect the future human lives and animal Becerra 2 species on this earth. As well as it is in our own best interests to make that the air is clean, the land and water is free of contaminates and toxins and that we strive to maintain environmental conditions that are as close to natural as possible. Often environmentalists are embarrassed and ashamed that there is such a huge mess going on in the ecosystem that humankind has created and that environmentalists feel the need to take initiative and do their part to save the earth. The main concern is to protect the earth and help human beings live in suitable and safe surroundings. Secondly, doing something to help the environment, even if it is small, is better than not doing anything at all. Environmentalists are constantly trying to better the environment and no matter what time of the day they are trying to help. It only makes sense to adopt an attitude such as this one because a polluted and dirty environment can be deadly to humans and present dangers to our human race. For these two reasons alone, the people of the world should work together for a cleaner and healthier planet Earth. After all, by destroying the e nvironment, we destroy ourselves.We can all help with the cause, whether we spend our entire time helping, or start making small changes in our lives to help our earth can make a big difference. â€Å"One individual cannot possibly make a difference it is individual efforts collectively, that makes a noticeable difference- all the difference in the world† (Goodall). Small changes can go a long way if everyone joins in the cause. Also, one thing is certain is that humankind can be selfish at times and believe that in time it will all be fixed. People should discard the attitude that someone else will solve the problem of pollution or leave the problem for the next generation to solve. That way of thinking does more harm

Customer Request Listening Quiz

Customer Request Listening Quiz You will hear a customer asking for help in a shop. Write down the answers to the questions concerning what she wants. Click on the listen here link. Once you have listened twice, return to this page and take the listening quiz. Write or type the answers. After you have finished, find the answer key at the bottom of the page to see if you have answered the questions correctly. Listen here.   What did the woman receive as a gift?What kind of gift was it?Why does she not want it?Why cant she get her money back?What can she do with it?What would she like?What kid of handbag would she like?What kind of handbag was she looking for?Where is the handbag that she likes?What is the problem with the handbag she likes?What can she have instead of a refund?Who would she like to speak to?What does the man think the manager will say?Where has the manager been? Answer Key: A briefcaseA birthday giftShe doesnt like it and she already has one.She doesnt have a receipt.She can exchange the briefcase.A handbagSomething black, smallish, and not too expensiveSomething more classicalIn the windowIt costs less than the briefcaseA credit noteThe ManagerHe will say the same thing.At lunch

1.Critically examine the challenges facing the NHS in employing the Essay

1.Critically examine the challenges facing the NHS in employing the use of computer-based systems in the management of patients care since the introduction of the National Programme for IT in 2005 - Essay Example e National Audit Office (2006) the establishment of the specific Programme was decided mostly because of the following reasons: a) the high volume of cases handled by hospitals and other care centers; it has been estimated that every week about 6 million people are likely to visit their GP (National Audit Office, 2006, p.9), b) the increase of security in regard to the storage and management of personal data, c) the high cost in prescribing in healthcare settings across Britain. Despite the above advantages, the NHS IT Programme of 2005 has faced a series of challenges – an indication of the failures related to its design/ monitoring. These challenges are analytically presented in the next section; it is concluded that the use of the NHS IT Programme has helped towards the increase of quality of healthcare services across Britain; however, appropriate initiatives should be developed so that the above system to fully perform. Such schemes of action would be the training of user s, the introduction of simpler guidelines and the continuous review of the system’s needs. Through the introduction of information systems in the management of activities across NHS the performance of the specific organization has been improved. The advanced information technologies available to health practitioners have helped to the increase of quality of the services provided to the patients but also to the establishment of services which were not available previously – for instance the services available in the context of the Geographical Information System (GIS) which is incorporated in the IT systems used in NHS’ healthcare settings (Higgs et al., 2001, p.247). However, the performance of information systems in NHS has faced severe delays mostly because of the failures developed across the organization in regard to the management of the specific systems. The update of existing NHS IT systems framework in 2005 has been considered as a necessary solution in order for the above

Key Strengths Related to Potential Employment Options Essay - 181

Key Strengths Related to Potential Employment Options - Essay Example Civil engineering is a dynamic field with new information being introduced every day. It is important for a person in the field to focus on finding new information and employing them in becoming competitive in the job market. As a result, when I go to work in a particular place either on a voluntary program or internship, I try to learn from the experiences in the place. Consequently, reading books and some modern literature have helped me in improving on my strengths. I am a creative individual and seeking new alternatives to solve problems is always my ambition. Creativity has helped me become an outstanding individual in my field of study and various engagements. Ideally, I always employ the art of creativity to introduce new ideas that can ensure efficiency and effectiveness. While working as an intern in an electricity station, I managed to introduce new steps in checking the electrical devices and instruments within the organization. For example, I developed an automated model that determined if there were faults in the system. I have tried to improve on this strength by ensuring that I constantly and progressively provide solutions to problems and dealing with inefficiencies. Taking control and being assertive are some of the areas that require attention as I move through my career journey. Working as a civil engineer is marred by certain complexities and a person needs to take charge and push the ideas that are crucial for success. My desire is to become assertive in every instance by proposing solutions and ideas that provoke positive outcomes. Being timid and less assertive cannot make an individual succeed in different situations. To achieve this, I intend to participate in many events and read some books that provide directions on how people can be assertive and take control of situations as well as circumstances.

Solve for the value of pi Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Solve for the value of pi - Research Paper Example However, it can be agreed that pi is based on the circle, which has many interesting properties (Gap-System). The circle, regardless of the size, always has the same perfect properties; therefore, the value of pi is constant. The history of pi can not be conclusively decided, since it is untraceable where the circle was decided as the basis. However, biblical references to pi and the discovery of a variation of the constant in ancient texts seem to indicate that the number is old. The vale of pi has been around for a long time; the bible contains two references to pi, though the values given are incorrect, ancient Egyptians and Babylonians had a value for the value of pi, and old-time mathematicians proved the existence of pi. The value of pi is a fixed value, and is determined to be infinite. The determination of the formula, which gives pi, is important in determining the origin of the value, therefore, this paper will seek to determine the formulas for the determination of pi, fro m Archimedes to Machin. The first mathematical and theoretical proof of pi was given by Archimedes, a brilliant mathematician in old times. Archimedes showed that pi is a value between two numbers; 223/71 and 22/7. This can be mathematically denoted as: This derivation used by Archimedes is based on the equation of the area of a circle,, which he derived by using a simple system of equations. In the derivation of pi, Archimedes used a system where regular polygons were inscribed and circumscribed on a circle, from which the diameter and circumference of the circle can be determined by determining the properties of the polygons. The diagram that was used by Archimedes is: 1 In this calculation, consider a circle with a radius OA of 1 unit, over which is circumscribed a regular hexagon (or any regular polygon of 3*2n-1 sides), and in which is inscribed another regular hexagon (or any regular polygon of 3*2n-1 sides). In this case, we assume that the semi perimeter for the inscribed polygon is bn, and that the semi perimeter for the super scribed polygon is an. The diagram given implies that the semi perimeter for the bigger polygon is ever decreasing, while the sequence for the smaller polygon is increasing, such that they converge at a value pi. Using trigonometric notation, it can be inferred that the semi perimeters of the polygons are given by the formula, , and, where K is the number of sides of the polygon. It also follows that; , and . Archimedes then used the same trigonometric principles to show that: , and. From these formulas, Archimedes could calculate the values of a and b from n=1, 2†¦ 6. After this calculation, Archimedes concluded that as the semi perimeters of the two polygons changed, the convergence was towards the limit pi, where. The deduction by Archimedes follows a simple principle of trigonometry and mathematical application, where it is known that the inner sides of the hexagon used in the calculation are all equal t o the radius of the circle, which means that the perimeter of the hexagon is 6 times the radius of the circle. Another complicated calculation used by Archimedes is that a line drawn from the middle of a side of the outer polygon is

Project Scheduling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Project Scheduling - Essay Example (Dilworth 1992, p.567) Using the precedence diagram and activity schedule given, the following bar chart was made showing earliest and latest dates for activities A through K. To work out the early start and early finish of our network one has to start at the beginning activity, that is the activity/ activities with no predecessor. The early start of a job in a network is the earliest that a job can begin. In the case of a job with predecessors, the early start of a job is the largest of the early finish times of its predecessors. The early finish of a job is its early finish plus its own duration. This procedure of starting at the beginning and working out the early start and early finish of the activities in a network is often referred to as "forward pass". without extending the total time of the project. Late finish of an activity is the late start of the activity that succeeds. If an activity has more than one successor, then the smaller of the late starts is to be taken. In the case of activities that do not have a successor, the late finish is taken as the total time of the project. The late start of such activities is their late finish less their duration. Working out the late start of activities will help answer the questions: can the start of some activities be delayed, and if so by how much It must be mentioned at this juncture that this is a luxury that does not apply to activities on the critical path. By definition a critical path is "the longest path or sequence of connected activities, through the network" (Wiest & Levy 1977, p.26). Table 1 below gives the early start (ES), early finish (EF), late start (LS) and late finish (LF) for the activities under normal duration. Activity ES EF LS LF Slack A 0 6 5 11 5 B 0 10 4 14 4 C 0 14 0 14 0 D 6 10 11 15 5 E 14 16 14 16 0 F 16 17 16 17 0 G 14 19 15 20 1 H 17 25 17 25 0 J 19 23 21 25 2 K 19 24 20 25 1 Table 1 Bar chart showing earliest and latest dates for each activity, using normal cost durations 3 Critical Path under Normal Cost Duration An analysis of the network in fig 1 shows that the An analysis of the data given under normal cost duration shows that the path CEFH is the longest sequence of connected activities and it is therefore the critical path. The duration of the critical path is 25 weeks. In other words this is the total duration of the project. Although by definition a critical path in a network is of the longest duration, it does not mean that there cannot be more than one critical path. Besides by lengthening or shortening the duration of one or more activities, the critical path in a network could change. (Wagner 1972, p. 186). The total normal cost of all the activities is 96000 pounds. To this add the weekly setup cost @ 4500 pounds per week and the total cost of the project is 208500 pounds. Activities rescheduled after 16 weeks In a review of project status 16 weeks from its start it was observed that activities A, B, C, and E were all completed on time. However activity F has been delayed by a 4 week and the duration of activity D is now 12 weeks. An extension of a week has been granted. The assumption here

Fat and Happy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fat and Happy - Essay Example The essay begins by exaggerating common mistaken notions of how and why being fat is a personal, social, and medical liability, then provides evidence and examples for each to show why society developed the perception that the body defines and reflects who a person is. Facts expose and dispel the underlying viewpoint, proving fat people can be beautiful, gracious, elegant, strong, and healthy, just like you and me. The influence of these perspectives can pose a more serious health risk than fatness itself, insults and dieting "must certainly contribute to the shortening of many fat people's lives." (Worley, par. 8) The added stress and effort caused by worrying about your body's set point, means that some would be "happier and healthier not concentrating energies on weight change." (Curtis, ed., A1) Ignorance, inaccurate knowledge, and personal biases being the roots of these mistakes, the essay enhances our knowledge of "fatness" by sharing touching, personal experiences. In additio n to correcting the reader, she gives alternative solutions that cost less and are comfortable and enjoyable: to know and understand the body, to know why some are predisposed to being fat, and how to gain a deeper appreciation and acceptance of our bodies and who we really are. The essay is serious but entertaining, lighthearted but credible, full of evidence familiar to both sides in the issue: fat people who feel miserable and the not-fat who cause the misery. The essay is written to provoke a reaction from any reader with personal issues on the topic. She uses a large variety of argumentative techniques, filling the essay with analogies, assumptions, metaphors, and similes, using authority and common ground, appealing to emotions (pathos) and ethos (the author after all is fat), as well as stimulating the imagination with vivid descriptions of the inhabitants of the "planet" where fat is good and beautiful, as they socialize in swimsuits and show their talents like belly-dancing. Personally, I don't have issues against fat people, although I have friends who do. I also have fat friends whom I have observed to be suffering the miserable consequences of non-acceptance. I have, to be sure, been on the giving end of this lack of acceptance, if only unintentionally. Now that I am seven months pregnant, I feel I am on the receiving end of these biases, and can add my own personal experiences to Worleys list. The alternative to accepting the status quo is to help others see that being fat is as good and beautiful as any other body type, that fat people can be healthy and strong, and that being fat is neither a sign of weakness nor a disease. Understanding that these mistaken notions are the effect of faulty reasoning, I can avoid the same mistakes in the future and help others avoid them. These specious arguments appear, at first, to be logical, but are not. The essay shows that associating "fat" with "bad" is merely a prejudice, so people who think that way are gui lty of non sequitur. A product of careless thinking, the idea of fatness equating negatively is as incorrect as associating "slim" with "bad."

Family In Later Life Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Family In Later Life Research Paper - Essay Example Widowhood in the later life leaves the surviving spouse to undergo a normal process from grief to acceptance; the challenges associated with widowhood are likely to open new opportunities for increasing and maintaining social relationships. Widows/Widowers and the Efforts of Overcoming Grief Widows are generally associated with â€Å"isolation, loss and vulnerability† (Walker, 1993, p. 34), especially the post feminism era. With the women almost completely dependent on men, widowhood seems to be the worst thing that can happen to a woman, especially in the presence of young children. However, the changing views of women’s roles in the contemporary society made widowhood less burdensome for the surviving spouse, but contemporary views do not spare widows in the process to acceptance. The first challenge for a widow is coping with grief, where older people are seen to cope better than their younger counterparts (Bryant, 2003). According to Balkwell (1981), there seems to have a reaction pattern following a spouse’s death where initially, surviving partners undergo â€Å"shock or bewilderment...and may refuse to believe that the spouse is dead† (p. 120). ... Bureau of Census (1993) indicated that 80% of women between the ages 65 and 75 are already widowed compared to 39% of widowers in the same age bracket (as cited in Bryant, 2003). The issue of sex or gender related to acceptance of death seems to receive contradictory comments from psychologist through the years. Kail and Cavanaugh (2008) stated that men generally have problems with social relationships after the death of the spouse. Moreover, they were seen to be â€Å"more vulnerable† than women because (1) they are the ones who would initiate dating, â€Å"which is awkward after being married;† (2) retirement and the loss of contact from workmates; (3) there are less widowers in whom they can relate to; and (4) they lack familiarity with the things women do such as house hold chores (Balkwell, 1989, p. 120). On the other hand, women are perceived to be more efficient in coping with widowhood, but it depends on the kind of coping mechanism she uses. Lopata (1973) label ed three types of widows: the modern woman, the lower class urbanite, and the social isolate (as cited in Chambers, 2005). Each of the three types possesses unique qualities in which Lopata (1973) based their names. The modern woman would have to be the most familiar, where the widow is generally passive but is â€Å"willing to re-engage.† Such characteristic is also evident for women who belong to the lower class urbanite only that they generally seek emotional counsel to family and friends, and not from outside peers such as at work. These qualities are the opposite to what â€Å"social isolates† have. As the term suggests, women belonging to this category do not engage with socialization and basically are withdrawn even to people whom they have closer connections (Chambers, 2005, pp. 27-28). In contrast

Fat and Happy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fat and Happy - Essay Example The essay begins by exaggerating common mistaken notions of how and why being fat is a personal, social, and medical liability, then provides evidence and examples for each to show why society developed the perception that the body defines and reflects who a person is. Facts expose and dispel the underlying viewpoint, proving fat people can be beautiful, gracious, elegant, strong, and healthy, just like you and me. The influence of these perspectives can pose a more serious health risk than fatness itself, insults and dieting "must certainly contribute to the shortening of many fat people's lives." (Worley, par. 8) The added stress and effort caused by worrying about your body's set point, means that some would be "happier and healthier not concentrating energies on weight change." (Curtis, ed., A1) Ignorance, inaccurate knowledge, and personal biases being the roots of these mistakes, the essay enhances our knowledge of "fatness" by sharing touching, personal experiences. In additio n to correcting the reader, she gives alternative solutions that cost less and are comfortable and enjoyable: to know and understand the body, to know why some are predisposed to being fat, and how to gain a deeper appreciation and acceptance of our bodies and who we really are. The essay is serious but entertaining, lighthearted but credible, full of evidence familiar to both sides in the issue: fat people who feel miserable and the not-fat who cause the misery. The essay is written to provoke a reaction from any reader with personal issues on the topic. She uses a large variety of argumentative techniques, filling the essay with analogies, assumptions, metaphors, and similes, using authority and common ground, appealing to emotions (pathos) and ethos (the author after all is fat), as well as stimulating the imagination with vivid descriptions of the inhabitants of the "planet" where fat is good and beautiful, as they socialize in swimsuits and show their talents like belly-dancing. Personally, I don't have issues against fat people, although I have friends who do. I also have fat friends whom I have observed to be suffering the miserable consequences of non-acceptance. I have, to be sure, been on the giving end of this lack of acceptance, if only unintentionally. Now that I am seven months pregnant, I feel I am on the receiving end of these biases, and can add my own personal experiences to Worleys list. The alternative to accepting the status quo is to help others see that being fat is as good and beautiful as any other body type, that fat people can be healthy and strong, and that being fat is neither a sign of weakness nor a disease. Understanding that these mistaken notions are the effect of faulty reasoning, I can avoid the same mistakes in the future and help others avoid them. These specious arguments appear, at first, to be logical, but are not. The essay shows that associating "fat" with "bad" is merely a prejudice, so people who think that way are gui lty of non sequitur. A product of careless thinking, the idea of fatness equating negatively is as incorrect as associating "slim" with "bad."

Economic Issues Simulation Paper Essay Example for Free

Economic Issues Simulation Paper Essay The Castor Collins health plan is a health maintenance program (HMO) that was found in 1999 and has grown over the years. The company provides health insurance coverage through a system that involves a network of physicians and hospitals. Castor Collins Heath Plan uses the capitation model to fund its large distributed group of physicians and health care organizations. Castor Collins currently provides health care coverage to 100,000 subscribers and would like to increase their enrollees. It is the responsibility of the Vice President along with his most trusted advisers, Helen Feuerman, Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan Wilkes, Chief Medical Officer, and Adam Hunter, Executive Vice President, Planning and Development, to reach out to new clients; two in particular, E-Editors and Constructit. E-Editors The company E-Editors employs 1,600 individuals, 760 males and 840 females. The employee’s ages range from 35-54. Most of the employees with E-Editors are married so they will need to provide an affordable health care plan for their families. Looking at the kind of work involved for most of the employee’s, Castor Collins found that many of the individuals have a sedentary position. In fact, ninety-five percent of the employees at E-Editors have a position that requires long hours of sitting in front of a computer; the remaining five percent of the employees have positions that require physical activity. A thorough health screening was conducted by Castor Collins. Their findings were as followed, most of the employees who have sedentary positions had problems with their vision. Twenty two percent of the employees had no history of health issues. Twenty six percent of the employees are smokers, most of them revealing that they are considered heavy smokers, although none of employees that smoke reported any respiratory complications. The remaining forty- five percent of the employees are obese. Interestingly, the obesity is due to a sedentary job, poor eating habits, and little to no physical activity. These populations of employees are at risk for severe health complications and diseases. Constructit Constructit has 1,000 employees; 550 being male and 450 are females. The age group ranges from 26-42, and sixty percent of the employees are married. Fifty three percent of the employees have positions that require physical activity. Thirty-two percent of this group has high activity positions and twenty five percent have moderate activity positions. The remaining forty three percent of the employees have sedentary positions. The result from this groups health screening are as followed, thirty-eight percent of the employees have no preexisting health issues and are in good physical health. Ten percent of the employees are smokers. Thirty nine percent of the employees are considered obese, which is a high obesity rate. Some of the illnesses that were reported are digestive disorders, respiratory diseases, injuries, and allergies. Analysis of both groups It is Castor Collins job to find suitable health care plans that will benefit both companies, employees, and Castor Collins while keeping in mind to make it affordable and beneficial to all. They will need to evaluate the potential risks and assess the cost of premiums for both. All members of the team determined the best way for deciding would be best conducted by using the cost-benefit analysis system. â€Å"The cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a set of techniques for assisting in the making of decisions that translates all relevant concerns into market (dollar) terms† (Gertzen Allen, 2007). The team must first consider the age, gender, and profiles of all employees. Secondly, decide the potential health risks, calculate premium and profit. Thirdly, decide what services will be covered and co-payments for these health plans. When taking into consideration the different health profiles of all employees’ obesity seemed to be an issue for both. This alone makes the population at high risk for health issues associated with obesity such as; heart diseases, strokes, and diabetes. E-editors seem to have a higher percentage of obesity and smokers putting them at a much higher risk with health issues. Outcome After evaluating the cost and benefits that go along with providing health insurance coverage to both E-Editors and Constructit, Castor Collins financial team decided that they would only be able to provide health insurance coverage to Constructit and not E-Editors. The reason for this decision is E-Editors have a higher percentage of employees that are at risk for developing chronic diseases. The team went ahead and presented an offer to Constructit and their employees. Castor Collins can offer their employees the Castor Standard plan, which the premium to be charged will be $3,428.00. The reasoning behind choosing this plan over the Castor Enhanced and the Castor Enhanced Minor is the premiums for each employee would be significantly lower than the Enhanced and Enhance Minor plans even though each employee was willing to pay a maximum of $4,000 for their annual premium. Also, Castor Standard does not cover preexisting health conditions, so this would be a low risk investment. Preexisting conditions can cost a company thousands of dollars and in the end not be beneficial to the company’s profits. If Castor Collins were to contemplate preexisting conditions a much higher premium may have to be considered. This is an advantage that can help keep the annual premiums down and still provide many other health coverage services. The premiums that Castor Collins will charge the employees at Constructit are much lower than anticipated, which means a lower profit return. This group is considered a lower health risk group so increasing premiums could create a possibility to make greater returns, but the outcome is still fitting. Conclusion Many hours of planning and development were considered for the final decision of adding Constructit and not E-editors as a client. The team made this decision by utilizing the CBA method and determining that Constructit would be low risk to provide health coverage too. The plan that was chosen Castor Standard will have a lower return but in the long run be beneficial to Castor Collins. The employees at Constructit will be able to afford the health coverage plan and look towards the future knowing they are insured and covered for any emergencies without draining the wallet. Castor Collins and Constructit will begin a rewarding journey that will benefit both companies in the end. The team based this decision on considering all the  necessary health profiles, risks, and premiums and comparing all of the facts between both companies. Reference Getzen, T. E., Moore, J. (2007). Health Care Economics: Principles and tools for the Health Care Industry. Hoboken,, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc.

Analysis of John Greens Looking for Alaska

Analysis of John Greens Looking for Alaska Looking for Alaska Introduction: â€Å"The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.† John Green, the author of Looking for Alaska, writes a story about a group of young adults, where we see how love and friendship are special and how life can vanish in a moment. This book shows how sometimes adults just do not understand or do not see how big situations are for teenagers. Adults think that teenagers think they are invisible which somehow it is true teenagers do feel like they are invisible, but there is a big picture in all this. Teenagers will always have friends that are always there for them. There will be always that someone that helps them go on and that is when friendship and live comes in. Life is a puzzle is a â€Å"labyrinth† and everyone has to find their way out by themselves before life is gone. The young adult novel represents a combination of genres. It has romance, mystery, and adventures and this is thanks to how the characters in the story live this crazy and adventuro us experiences. Summary: Miles Halter is a young adult who is fascinated by famous last words. Miles leaves his family in Florida to start boarding school in Alabama. Miles goes to Culver Creek to seek a â€Å"Great Perhaps† which are the last words of his favorite poet before he died referring to find the path of success. At Culver Creek, Miles start a very strong friendship with his roommate Chip. Chip introduces Miles to his other two very close friends, Alaska and Takumi. Miles in company of Alaska, Chip and Takumi experience crazy adventures. One day Miles, Chip and Alaska got really drunk. Couple days later the school receives the news; Alaska had a car accident and she died. Now Miles and Chip are set to investigate to know what really happened and if Alaska’s death was intentional in her own way to get out of the â€Å"labyrinth†. At last Miles and Chip never get to know what really happened in that accident but they understood that the only way out of the â€Å"labyrinth† of life and suffering is to forgive themselves which was what Alaska had left them after her death. Boarding school was over, Chip got ready to leave for vacation with his mother and Miles as well. Miles went home for vacation but he never forgot the message Alaska tried to make him understand about how to get out of the â€Å"labyrinth†. Character analysis: Alaska is one of the main characters of the story. She becomes a mystery to her friends and to the readers when she dies. Alaska has this bipolar type of personality; she is funny, crazy, and mysterious, and she can sometimes be rude and mean but most of all she is very smart. Alaska has been tormented since her mother died when she was little, somehow Alaska feels guilty for her mothers’ death. â€Å"She had fallen over. She was lying on the floor, holding her head and jerking. And I freaked out. I should have called 911, but I just started screaming and crying until she finally stopped jerking.† Even though Alaska has lived a very tough past, she is still very happy and energetic; or maybe that is just how she wants others to see her. Alaska is the type of person that can be having fun one day and the next one she is totally other person by being mean and rude. â€Å"I’m really not up for answering any questions that start with how, when, where, why, or what.à ¢â‚¬  Alaska is really pretty or maybe is just Miles making her look good. â€Å"And now is as good a time as any to say she was beautiful†¦I could see her eyes-fierce emeralds†¦And not just beautiful, but hot, too, with her breast straining against her tight tank top, her curved legs swinging back and forth beneath the swing.† Throughout the story Alaska changes a lot. She evolves from being a confident and strong girl to a very confused and depressive one. After remembering what happened to her mother, she cannot stand the guilt she feels and she becomes a cold person. Alaska dies in the story and that is when the mystery comes since she left everything to be continued. â€Å"‘This is so fun’ she whispered, ‘but I’m so sleepy. To be continued?’† Alaska always thought of life as a labyrinth of suffering and she wanted to know what the way out of it was. She discovers that her only way out of the â€Å"labyrinth† of su ffering was to forgive. Alaska had to forgive herself for what happened to her mother and top getting all the guilt of something she did not do. Analysis and Evaluation: In this book John Green was trying to tell how he sees the real world in a teen fiction story. John was trying to introduce the reader into the â€Å"labyrinth of life† and persuade us to look for our own â€Å"Great Perhaps† (purpose in life). John did a pretty good job gathering us into the labyrinth and making us think about what we really want. He hides the real meaning; his thoughts about what he really thinks about life in the story. He created a story that could be easily enjoyed by everyone that reads the book and still has the result he wanted. Reading the book was very worth it. Now I have a different perspective of life. How I see life now is as a game, a challenge, a puzzle and if I find the way to win the game, surpass the challenge or solve the puzzle life will have a reward for me. If I find what I am here for I will be successful. As a reader of Looking for Alaska, I would totally recommend it to other readers. I might not be an expert of books but of al l the books I have read this book totally goes into my favorite ones. The book supports many of my beliefs and way of thinking about certain things. One of the things that the book supports me on is about affection and love. â€Å"If you must express affection, I always felt, you should do it†. This quote really got to me because that is the exact same thing I always says about someone who says that loves somebody else. If someone truly loves someone else the person has to show their affection to the other person. Another thing that the book and I have the same thought is about fighting for what we really want. â€Å"‘Sometimes you lose a battle. But mischief always wins the war.’† This quote caught my attention because this is actually a very general way of thinking and many people might think this way too. But I liked this quote because it reminded me of times when I could not do something and then I remembered what my parents always told me, similar to the quote, that sometimes in life you will lose some battles but if you work enough you could win the war and be successful. Conclusion: Looking for Alaska is a really good book. The book has a pretty interesting story. Even though there were parts in the book that seemed that something was missing it was kid of the purpose; leaving the reader thinking about what was the next event. The author introduced the readers into this new perspective of life. Just how Miles understood the way out of the â€Å"labyrinth of life† everyone has to find their own way out. Also besides finding the way out of the labyrinth people have to find their purpose in life so they no longer live this life full of emptiness asking themselves what they are missing.

The Women of Shakespeares Othello :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Women of Othello The women of Shakespeares Othello are put into stereotypical roles, but behind peoples backs play much stronger types. Desdemona, goes against her fathers orders and marries a moor. Bianca innocently takes part in Desdemona's death. Emilia has an opportunity to save Desdemona but sneakingly remains silent. These women are similar because they are treated like they are lower then the men in their days. But they do not let that hold them back. These women take part in anything that pleases them. In no way would they let men tell them what to do! Desdemona was the daughter of the Venetian Senator Brabantio. Against her father's wishes, she marries a moor, Othello. "The marriage seems to be monstrous- in the sense that it represents a deviation from that which is natural. How else, Brabantio asks, would Desdemona, so carefully, have brought such scandal upon herself and her father by shunning, the wealthy curled darlings of our nation"(Act 1 Scene 2 Line 68). Desdemona arrives and gently resolves the dispute by acknowledging split loyalties to her father and to her new husband, but making it clear that she now belongs to Othello. For the play being set in the late sixteenth century, Desdemona's defense of her actions is remarkably forthright, spirited, and courageous. She was aware of the great risk involved when she married a moor. She says "She remains bound to her noble father for her life and education; he remains her lord of duty, and she will always honor him as such. Now however, she has a husband, and she must recogniz e her duties to him just as her mother did to Brabantio"(Act 1 Scene 3 Line 181). Desdemona is a well-born and well educated daughter of a Venetian senator. She has been trained to adapt herself easily to any social situation. You could see how she is headstrong in her choice of a husband and in her defense of him. Desdemona's generous nature tries to help Cassio receive his spot as Liutenant back. This is when her kindness falls for weakness. Using Desdemona and her natural goodness, Iago will "turn her virtue into pitch, and make the net that shall enmesh them all"(Act2 Scene 3 Line 366). It is Desdemona's innocent attempt to reconcile Othello with Cassio that gives Iago the opportunity to wreak vengeance upon Othello, causing the murder and suicide, which bring this tragedy to its violent conclusion.

Violent Video Games: A Bad Choice for Parents and Children Essay

Violent Video Games: A Bad Choice for Parents and Children A twelve year old boy named Paul sits about three feet from the fifty-two inch screen television with his eyes fixated on his character, a humanlike fox. He is able to use his game controller without looking away from the television. He sits erect and is so focused on what he is doing that he is unaware of everything that is going on around him. Occasionally he will yell out "Die! Die, sucker!" Just then his five year old brother, Skyler, stops beside him. Skyler exclaims with a smile, "What are you playing?" followed by, "Can I play?" The violence has caught his eye. Paul replies, "Sure, but I need to show you how to work the controller." He continues explaining, "This is Star Fox Adventure and see this red thing moving. That is your fox's sight box. What you see in the box is what the fox sees. You aim it at things and you push this 'A' button to make the fox shoot rockets at things and blow them up." Skyler begins to get really excited, laughing and shouting, "T hat's cool!" It did not take Skyler very long to become engulfed by Paul's Nintendo GameCube system to the point of being totally unaware of all the other children running around him. This scene quickly brought to my mind a question: Are video game systems good or bad for children within these age groups? A parent should get educated on this issue before choosing to buy one of many video systems. Parents should be concerned about the effects on their children. Despite the therapists and psychologists who have said that video games can be used as positive teaching tools (Salamander 2), I see that children of all ages, races and genders become addicted to the violence and tech... ...ay Violate Children's Health." http://lists/.essential.org/pepermail/commercial-alert/2001/000079.html. 3 Nov. 2002. Salamander. "Violence and Video Games." Game Zero Magazine. <www. gamezero.com/team-0/articles/features/violenc_92/> 3 Nov. 2002. Stern, Michael and Jane. "Nintendo." Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. New York: Harper, 1992. "Video Games=Good, and Study Proves It!" 2001. Nintendo Village. http://www.nintendo/village.com/press/releases/archives/pr3.asp> 3 Nov. 2002. "Video Games and Their Effect on Youth." <www.bishops.ntc.nf.ca/ct3200/students02/andrewb/term%202%20project.html.> 3 Nov. 2002. Willis, Susan. "Growing Up With TV and Turtles." Rev. of Playing With Power in Movies, Television and Video Games: From Muppet Babies to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, by Marsha Kinder. Berkeley. Un. of California Press, 1991.

A Class Prophecy

CLASS PROPHECY â€Å"It’s already 10:30 in the morning, I must hurry or else I will be late for my next flight. † I suddenly exclaimed as I look at my watch to check the time. It was the last day of my trip here in Seoul, a getaway from the pressures of being a neurosurgeon. I immediately left the hotel to get my car and drive myself to the airport. While I am looking out the window of my car, the big screens in the busy streets caught my attention featuring the fashion and showbiz industry.Speaking of fashion, Angelica Somoray, a supermodel, is now a well-known K-Pop performer who is soon to be married. Desiree Micairan, an accountant, owns a workshop for dancing, singing and acting. Elaina Lara is currently working in her newest romantic movie with the most sought after leading man, Mike Joshua Luchana, who is hailed as the â€Å"Actor of the Decade. † These three girls, Angelica, Desiree, and Elaina are also International Dance Icons who replaced the Pussycat Dolls. As I arrive in the airport.I never expected that I would run into my former classmate, Celina Burlat dressed with a uniform that has the logo of a U. S Airline. She is now a flight stewardess taking the same trip to France where she and her family migrated. While waiting for departure, Celina handed me a magazine that features Mr. Vhan Gonzales, and Mr. Alexis Virgel Aladad who are successful business tycoons. After some time, the pilot announces that we are almost ready to depart. Such voice seems so familiar to me.So that when the stewardess announces the names of the pilots, I was really sure that the pilot of the plane which I was boarding is our former classmate, Jay Roll Solon, and his assistant, Jason Baterbonia. So when the plane landed in the airport, I did not waste time to meet the pilots. When we were standing face to face each other, I could hardly believe to see the pilots such handsome & self-assured persons in their pilot uniforms. They invited me to a flashy lounge in the airport. We were so excited to meet again and we talked about our present lives as well as reminisce our high school experiences.I ask about our former classmates and immediately, Jay Roll, having met many of them to different parts of the world, told me about their success and their whereabouts. John Riel Deiparine and Daniel Van Manaez who are both famous classical musicians, are currently in a world concert tour. John Riel was named as the â€Å"Mozart of the 21st century. † Daniel, on the other hand, is named as â€Å"The Great Soprano. † Runette Marie Diaz, the writer of the best cooking magazine in the world, owns 52 branches of her Spanish Restaurant.Oscar Awardee, Nicole Manuawan was declared as one of the richest people in the world by Forbes Magazine. The Chicago Bulls sharp shooter Kevin Cortez who replaced Derrick Rose led his team on a championship game against the big-three of Miami Heat who were Randy Gumapac, Ryan Lara, and Clark Lauron. T hey are few of the Filipino Athletes in the NBA League. May Roselle Joyce Ang, owns one of the most prestigious commercial banks in the world. Marjewrie Gallego, a lawyer in profession, is elected as judge in the International Criminal Court.John Dorryl Payumo works as a manager at the Microsoft Company. He is one of the founders of the latest social networking site. John Aleth Bocal, who is a clinical pharmacist, owns the famous Aleth’s Pharmacy. After bonding with the pilots, I got into my car and drive to the nearest hotel to stay in. The next morning, I started the day with a prayer. I turned on the television and again, I saw Bea Ayuban on her daily news segment, â€Å"Good Morning Bea† with her co-host who is apparently his husband, Tombelle Lara. Tombelle is one of the members of the famous Altima Band.The lead vocalist, Julian Caderao, is on a vacation trip with her fiance. After the segment, I turned the TV off. All of a sudden, my phone began to ring. It was Engineer Kristine Joy Alcordo inviting me to visit her home. It was already dark when I reached her home. My friends, Engineer Leo Abunda and Architect Xena Gonzales were also there. They told me about the constructions they have been through. Kristine, Leo, and Xena are the men behind those great buildings around the world. The night was fun bonding with them. Not until the neighboring house began to explode on fire.I quickly opened my eyes and realized that I was only dreaming as my classmates laugh because I was taking a nap in our Economics class under Sir Jefferson Guinang. But for me, it is not only a dream. It is a dream that needs fulfillment. If only we persevere, study hard, and pray, nothing would be impossible to be reached. This prophecy serves as a challenge among the Seniors. May we all achieve these realms. Thank you and God Bless Us All. Written by: downbeatdynamo. tumblr. com Written for: IV – EMERALDS BATCH 2011-2012

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Ten

December 12, Thursday morning Dear Diary, So after a week of work, what have we accomplished? Well, between us we've managed to follow our three suspects just about continuously for the last six or seven days. Results: reports on Robert's movements for the last week, which he spent acting like any normal businessman. Reports on Alaric, who hasn't been doing anything unusual for a history teacher. Reports on Mrs. Flowers, who apparently spends most of her time in the basement. But we haven't really learned anything. Stefan says that Alaric met with the principal a couple times, but he couldn't get close enough to hear what they were talking about. Meredith and Bonnie spread the news about other pets besides dogs being dangerous. They didn't need to work very hard at it; it seems as if everybody in town is on the verge of hysteria already. Since then there've been several other animal attacks reported, but it's hard to know which ones to take seriously. Some kids were teasing a squirrel and it bit them. The Massases' pet rabbit scratched their littlest boy. Old Mrs. Coomber saw copperhead snakes in her yard, when all the snakes should be hibernating. The only one I'm sure about is the attack on the vet who was keeping the dogs in quarantine. A bunch of them bit him and most of them escaped from the holding pens. After that they just disappeared. People are saying good riddance and hoping they'll starve in the woods, but I wonder. And it's been snowing all the time. Not storming but not stopping, either. I've never seen so much snow. Stefan's worried about the dance tomorrow night. Which brings us back to: what have we learned so far? What do we know? None of our suspects were anywhere near the Massases' or Mrs. Coomber's or the vet's when the attacks happened. We're no closer to finding the Other Power than we were when we started. Marie's little get-together is tonight. Meredith thinks we should go to it. I don't know what else there is to do. Damon stretched out his long legs and spoke lazily, looking around the barn. â€Å"No, I don't think it's dangerous, particularly. But I don't see what you expect to accomplish.† â€Å"Neither do I, exactly,† Elena admitted. â€Å"But I don't have any better ideas. Do you?† â€Å"What, you mean about other ways to spend the time? Yes, I do. Do you want me to tell you about them?† Elena waved him to silence and he subsided. â€Å"In the basement,† chorused several voices. â€Å"And we're all just sitting here. Does anybody have a better idea?† Meredith broke the silence. â€Å"If you're worried about its being dangerous for me and Bonnie, why don't you all come? I don't mean you have to show yourselves. You could come and hide in the attic. Then if anything happened, we could scream for help and you would hear us.† â€Å"I don't see why anybody's going to be screaming,† said Bonnie. â€Å"Nothing's going to happen there.† â€Å"Well, maybe not, but it doesn't hurt to be safe,† Meredith said. â€Å"What do you think?† Elena nodded slowly. â€Å"It makes sense.† She looked around for objections, but Stefan just shrugged, and Damon murmured something that made Bonnie laugh. â€Å"All right, then, it's decided. Let's go.† The inevitable snow greeted them as they stepped outside the barn. â€Å"Bonnie and I can go in my car,† Meredith said. â€Å"And you three-â€Å" â€Å"Oh, we'll find our own way,† Damon said with his wolfish smile. Meredith nodded, not impressed. Funny, Elena thought as the other girls walked away; Meredith never was impressed with Damon. His charm seemed to have no effect on her. She was about to mention that she was hungry when Stefan turned to Damon. â€Å"Are you willing to stay with Elena the entire time you're over there? Every minute?† he said. â€Å"Try and stop me,† Damon said cheerfully. He dropped the smile. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because if you are, the two of you can go over alone, and I'll meet you later. I've got something to do, but it won't take long.† Elena felt a wave of warmth. He was trying to trust his brother. She smiled at Stefan in approval as he drew her aside. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"I got a note from Caroline today. She asked if I would meet her at the school before Alaric's party. She said she wanted to apologize. Elena opened her mouth to make a sharp remark, and then shut it again. From what she'd heard, Caroline was a sorry sight these days. And maybe it would make Stefan feel better to talk to her. â€Å"Well, you don't have anything to apologize for,† she told him. â€Å"Everything that happened to her was her own fault. You don't think she's dangerous at all?† â€Å"Be careful,† Elena said as he started off into the snow. The attic was as she remembered it, dark and dusty and full of mysterious oilcloth-covered shapes. Damon, who had come in more conventionally through the front door, had had to take the shutters off to let her in through the window. After that they sat side by side on the old mattress and listened to the voices that came up through the ducts. â€Å"I could think of more romantic settings,† Damon murmured, fastidiously pulling a cobweb off his sleeve. â€Å"Are you sure you wouldn't rather-â€Å" â€Å"Yes,† said Elena. â€Å"Now hush.† It was like a game, listening to the bits and pieces of conversations and trying to put them together, trying to match each voice to a face. â€Å"And then I said, I don't care how long you've had the parakeet; get rid of it or I'm going to the Snow Dance with Mike Feldman. And he said-â€Å" â€Å"-rumor going around that Mr. Tanner's grave was dug up last night-â€Å" â€Å"-you hear that everybody but Caroline has dropped out of the snow queen competition? Don't you think-â€Å" â€Å"-dead, but I'm telling you I saw her. And no, I wasn't dreaming; she was wearing a sort of silvery dress and her hair was all golden and blowing-â€Å" Elena raised her eyebrows at Damon, then looked meaningfully down at her sensible black attire. He grinned. â€Å"Romanticism,† he said. â€Å"Myself, I like you in black.† â€Å"Well, you would, wouldn't you?† she murmured. It was strange how much more comfortable she felt with Damon these days. She sat quietly, letting the conversations drift around her, almost losing track of time. Then she caught a familiar voice, cross, and closer than the rest. â€Å"Okay, okay, I'm going. Okay.† Elena and Damon exchanged a glance and rose to their feet as the handle on the attic door turned. Bonnie peered around the edge. â€Å"Meredith told me to come up here. I don't know why. She's hogging Alaric and it's a rotten party. Achoo!† She sat down on the mattress, and after a few minutes Elena sat back down beside her. She was beginning to wish that Stefan would get here. By the time the door opened again and Meredith came in, she was sure of it. â€Å"Meredith, what's going on?† â€Å"Nothing, or at least nothing to worry about. Where's Stefan?† Meredith's cheeks were unusually flushed, and there was an odd look about her eyes, as if she were holding something tightly under control. â€Å"Nothing, or at least nothing to worry about. Where's Stefan?† Meredith's cheeks were unusually flushed, and there was an odd look about her eyes, as if she were holding something tightly under control. â€Å"Never mind where he is. Who's coming up the stairs?† â€Å"What do you mean, ‘who's coming up the stairs?' † said Bonnie, rising. â€Å"Everybody just stay calm,† Meredith said, taking up a position in front of the window as if guarding it. She didn't look overly calm herself, Elena thought. â€Å"All right,† she called, and the door opened and Alaric Saltzman came in. Damon's motion was so smooth that even Elena's eyes couldn't follow it; in one movement he caught Elena's wrist and pulled her behind him, at the same time moving to face Alaric directly. He ended in a predator's crouch, every muscle drawn taut and ready for the attack. â€Å"Oh, don't,† cried Bonnie wildly. She flung herself at Alaric, who had already begun to recoil a step from Damon. Alaric nearly lost his balance and groped behind himself for the door. His other hand was groping at his belt. â€Å"Stop it! Stop it!† Meredith said. Elena saw the shape beneath Alaric's jacket and realized it was a gun. Again, she couldn't quite follow what happened next. Damon let go of her wrist and took hold of Alaric's. And then Alaric was sitting on the floor, wearing a dazed expression, and Damon was emptying the gun of cartridges, one by one. â€Å"I told you that was stupid and you wouldn't need it,† Meredith said. Elena realized she was holding the dark-haired girl by the arms. She must have done it to keep Meredith from interfering with Damon, but she didn't remember. â€Å"These wood-tipped things are nasty; they might hurt somebody,† Damon said, mildly chiding. He replaced one of the cartridges and snapped the clip back in, aiming thoughtfully at Alaric. â€Å"Stop it,† said Meredith intensely. She turned to Elena. â€Å"Make him stop, Elena; he's only doing more harm. Alaric won't hurt you; I promise. I've spent all week convincing him that you won't hurt him.† â€Å"And now I think my wrist is broken,† Alaric said, rather calmly. His sandy hair was falling into his eyes in front. â€Å"You've got no one but yourself to blame.† Meredith returned bitterly. Bonnie, who had been clutching solicitously at Alaric's shoulders, looked up at the familiarity of Meredith's tone, and then backed away a few paces and sat down. â€Å"I can't wait to hear the explanation for this,† she said. â€Å"Please trust me,† Meredith said to Elena. Elena looked into the dark eyes. She did trust Meredith; she'd said so. And the words stirred another memory, her own voice asking for Stefan's trust. She nodded. â€Å"Damon?† she said. He flipped the gun away casually and then smiled around at all of them, making it abundantly clear that he didn't need any such artificial weapons. â€Å"Damon?† she said. He flipped the gun away casually and then smiled around at all of them, making it abundantly clear that he didn't need any such artificial weapons. â€Å"Oh, I'm sure,† Bonnie said. Elena walked toward Alaric Saltzman. She wasn't afraid of him, but by the way he looked only at her, slowly, starting from the feet and then continuing up, he was afraid of her. She stopped when she was a yard from where he sat on the ground and knelt there, looking into his face. â€Å"Hello,† she said. He was still holding his wrist. â€Å"Hello,† he said, and gulped. Elena glanced back at Meredith and then looked at Alaric again. Yes, he was scared. And with his hair in his eyes that way, he looked young. Maybe four years older than Elena, maybe five. No more than that. â€Å"We're not going to hurt you,† she said. â€Å"That's what I've been telling him,† Meredith said quietly. â€Å"I explained that whatever he's seen before, whatever stories he's heard, you're different. I told him what you told me about Stefan, how he's been fighting his nature all those years. I told him about what you've been going through, Elena, and how you never asked for this.† But why did you tell him so much? Elena thought. She said to Alaric, â€Å"All right, you know about us. But all we know about you is that you're not a history teacher.† â€Å"He's a hunter,† Damon said softly, menacingly. â€Å"A vampire hunter.† â€Å"No,† said Alaric. â€Å"Or at least, not in the sense that you mean it.† He seemed to come to some decision. â€Å"All right. From what I know of you three-† He broke off, looking around the dark room as if suddenly realizing something. â€Å"Where's Stefan?† â€Å"He's coming. In fact, he should be here by now. He was going to stop by the school and bring Caroline,† Elena said. She was unprepared for Alaric's reaction. â€Å"Caroline Forbes?† he said sharply, sitting up. His voice sounded the way it had when she'd overheard him talking with Dr. Fein' berg and the principal, hard-edged and decisive. â€Å"Yes. She sent him a note today, said she wanted to apologize or something. She wanted to meet him at school before the party.† â€Å"He can't go. You've got to stop him.† Alaric scrambled to his feet and repeated urgently, â€Å"You've got to stop him.† â€Å"He's gone already. Why? Why shouldn't he?† Elena demanded. â€Å"Because I hypnotized Caroline two days ago. I'd tried it earlier with Tyler, with no luck. But Caroline's a good subject, and she remembered a little of what happened in the Quonset hut. And she identified Stefan Salvatore as the attacker.† â€Å"Don't you understand? You're not just dealing with high school students anymore,† Alaric said. â€Å"It's gone too far. Caroline's father knows about it, and Tyler's father. They're concerned for the safety of the town-â€Å" â€Å"Hush! Be quiet!† Elena was casting about with her mind, trying to pick up some hint of Stefan's presence. He's let himself get weak, she thought, with the part of her that was icy calm amid the whirling fear and panic. At last she sensed something, just a trace, but she thought it was Stefan. And it was in distress. â€Å"Something's wrong,† Damon confirmed, and she realized he must have been searching, too, with a mind much more powerful than hers. â€Å"Let's go.† â€Å"Wait, let's talk first. Don't just go jumping into this.† But Alaric might as well have been talking to the wind, trying to rein in its destructive power with words. Damon was already at the window, and the next moment Elena let herself drop out, landing neatly by Damon in the snow. Alaric's voice followed them from above. â€Å"We're coming, too. Wait for us there. Let me talk to them first. I can take care of it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena scarcely heard him. Her mind was burning with one purpose, one thought. To hurt the people who wanted to hurt Stefan. It's gone too far, all right, she thought. And now I'm going to go as far as it takes. If they dare to touch him†¦ images flashed through her mind, too quickly to count, of what she would do to them. At another time, she might have been shocked at the rush of adrenaline, of excitement, that coursed up at the thoughts. She could sense Damon's mind beside her as they raced over the snow; it was like a blaze of red light and fury. The fierceness inside Elena welcomed it, glad to feel it so near. But then something else occurred to her. â€Å"I'm slowing you down,† she said. She was scarcely out of breath, even from running through unbroken snow, and they were making extraordinary time. But nothing on two legs, or even four, could match the speed of a bird's wings. â€Å"Go on,† she said. â€Å"Get there as fast as you can. I'll meet you.† She didn't stay to watch the blur and shudder of the air, or the swirling darkness that ended in the rush of beating wings. But she glanced up at the crow that soared up and she heard Damon's mental voice. Good hunting, it said, and the winged black shape arrowed toward the school. Good hunting, Elena thought after him, meaning it. She redoubled her speed, her mind fixed all the while on that glimmer of Stefan's presence. Stefan lay on his back, wishing his vision wasn't so blurred or that he had more than a tentative hold on consciousness. The blur was partly pain and partly snow, but there was also a trickle of blood from the three-inch wound in his scalp. If only he could collect his thoughts enough to call for help†¦ but the weakness that had allowed these men to overcome him so easily prevented that, too. He'd scarcely fed since the night he'd attacked Tyler. That was ironic, somehow. His own guilt was responsible for the mess he was in. I should never have tried to change my nature, he thought. Damon had it right after all. Everyone's the same-Alaric, Caroline, everyone. Everyone will betray you. I should have hunted them all and enjoyed it. He hoped Damon would take care of Elena. She'd be safe with him; Damon was strong and ruthless. Damon would teach her to survive. He was glad of that. But something inside him was crying. The crow's sharp eyes spotted the crossing shafts of headlight below and dropped. But Damon didn't need the confirmation of sight; he was homing in on the faint pulsation that was Stefan's life-force. Faint because Stefan was weak and because he'd all but given up. You never learn, do you, brother? Damon thought to him. I ought to just leave you where you are. But even as he skimmed the ground, he was changing, taking a shape that would do more damage than a crow. The black wolf leaped into the knot of men surrounding Stefan, aiming precisely for the one holding the sharpened cylinder of wood above Stefan's chest. The force of the blow knocked the man ten feet backward, and the stake went skittering across the grass. Damon restrained his impulse-all the stronger because it fit the instincts of the shape he was wearing-to lock his teeth in the man's throat. He twisted around and went back for the other men who were still standing. His second rush scattered them, but one of them reached the edge of the light and turned, lifting something to his shoulder. Rifle, thought Damon. And probably loaded with the same specially treated bullets as Alaric's handgun had been. There was no way to reach the man before he could get a shot off. The wolf growled and crouched for a leap anyway. The man's fleshy face creased in a smile. Quick as a striking snake, a white hand reached out of the darkness and knocked the rifle away. The man looked around frantically, bewildered, and the wolf let its jaws fall open in a grin. Elena had arrived.