Carrier Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Carrier Liability - Essay Example It is, however, necessary to refer to the Hague-Visby Rules (hereinafter referred to as HVR) and case law in order to investigate the carrier's liability. The HVR function to clarify the duties owed to, and responsibilities owed by, cargo liners, providing a comprehensive explication of the circumstances and types of damages to cargo which carriers are not liable for as well as those that they may be held liable for. Further, and as established by CoGSA (1971) and by national courts, HVR is applicable when either party to the dispute is a member of a Contracting State.1 With these points in mind, the issues to be investigated are, firstly, whether HVR is applicable in this instance and, secondly, in case of applicability, whether the carrier is liable for the damages to the rice. As determined by English law, and as further emphasised through CoGSA, HVR is enforceable upon carriers travelling from any port in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to any port within it.2 More relevant, however, is the fact that it is enforceable upon carriers that are travelling from a port or to any port which is party to HVR.3 The implication here is the HVR is enforceable as both the USA and Netherlands are parties to HVR. Within the context of the stated, it is important to note that Articles III, 1c and III, 2 of HVR establish the carrier as responsible for ensuring that its holds and chambers are well-suited for the storage of cargo, including their preservation and protection.4 These articles further emphasise that the carrier, including its personnel, are obligated to exercise all due caution to safely store and protect the goods.5 Furthermore, as stipulated in Article II, not only is the carrier responsible for the safe storage of the cargo but it is further liable for any damages which may befall the goods through loading and stowing.6 The above mentioned articles are immediately relevant to the question of the carrier's liability towards the damages which the rates may have wreaked upon the bagged rice. In brief, they establish liability as a direct outcome of the failure of the crew to exercise due care regarding the protection of the cargo from damages. The carrier's liability is established by HVR. HVR, Article IV, 2b states that the carrier is not liable for damages to cargo by "fire, unless caused by the actual fault or privity of the carrier." 7 This liability directly arises from Article IV, 1's assertion that the carrier and its personnel are obligated to exercise all "due diligence" to ensure that the ship is seaworthy and its crew fit.8 The crew did not exercise the requisite due diligence, as is evident from the failure to report the sighting of the rates and, the vessel was not seaworthy, a fact which takes on additional importance when considering liability for delay in delivery. Case law supports the argument pertaining to the carrier's liability, as in the matter of Papera Traders Co Ltd & Ors V (1) Hyundai Merchant Marine Co Ltd (2) Keihin Co Ltd Sub Nom Eurasian Dream (2002)9 In this case, the cargo owners sued the carrier following the occurrence of a fire which destroyed the cargo and rendered the vessel a total loss. As the owners of the

The American image of Thanksgiving Essay Example for Free

The American image of Thanksgiving Essay The American image of Thanksgiving is much different from the historical facts. The American vision is a big happy celebration with many people sitting around a long, wooden table. This, sadly, is not historically accurate at all. In this essay I will explain the current American’s Thanksgiving story as well as the historically accurate version. Today, Thanksgiving in America consists of big family gatherings, plentiful food, and giving thanks. One of the more obvious differences between the current Thanksgiving and the first on is the food. Today, everyone has an electric oven to bake breads, pies, and cakes. In the early American days electricity had not been invented yet. This meant that cooking meat was long, tedious, and over a fire. The early pilgrims and Native Americans had no way to bake all the foods we have today. In the earlier days, the people would hunt their food. The first Thanksgiving probably consisted of wild turkey, deer, fowl, and fish. This is very different from the big, farm-raised, store-bought turkeys that sit on our tables today. If you ask any elementary student, they will describe Thanksgiving as many happy pilgrims and Indians around a big table with plenty of food to go around. This, again, is incorrect. The Native Americans and pilgrims were quite hostile during this time. Several pilgrims had died by cause of disease and malnutrition. Many of the Native Americans had also been killed off because of Indian raids from the pilgrims. Some fragments of the current American’s story of the first Thanksgiving are correct. The famous Native American, Squanto did help the pilgrims learn how to plant food. He was there, helping create peace between the two groups of people. The pilgrims were very thankful for Squanto and his help, as we give thanks today. The meal eaten at the first Thanksgiving was similar to the Thanksgiving meal we eat today, with few differences. They ate wild turkey, along with other hunted meat and vegetables. The differences between the American’s view of the first Thanksgiving and the historically accurate version are abundant. The pilgrims and Native Americans were very hostile toward each other at the time of the first Thanksgiving. Food was not as plentiful as it seems. There were far less  people than thought at the first Thanksgiving due to disease, malnourishment, and Indian raids.

Essay example --

Major George E. Pickett was from a Virginia family that came to the Colony in 1635. George was a friendly and brave man who made the decision to attend West Point Military Academy, later graduating last with the class of 1846, but with George B. McClellan and Thomas J. Jackson. Due to George’s academic standings at his graduation, he was placed in the infantry and became an army officer, who received two brevets in the Mexican War with officers that he would later have to fight against. When the 9th U. S. Infantry was established, Pickett was soon promoted to Captain stationed within Washington Territory. He and 68 of his men went against hundreds of British troops, giving him a victory in what is known in history as â€Å"the Pig War†. After serving 15 long years in the United States army, Pickett was assigned as a brigadier general for the CSA in January 14, 1862. When the Seven Days Campaign began, he injured himself while serving with his command during the Battle of Gaines Mill. With all his hard work acknowledged upon rejoining the army, his rank went up to being Major General Geor...

In this paper, we evaluate a set of three medical

In this paper, we evaluate a set of three medical related websites namely www.nln.org for the National league of Nursing, www.nursingworld.org for the American Nursing Association, www.ama-assn.org for the American Medical Association and the https://www.ncsbn.org/index.htm for the National Council for State boards in Nursing. We also evaluate an Archives resource site namely https://www.congress.gov// or the Thomas, the website of the Library of Congress of the United States of America.Prior to presenting the evaluation we briefly describe each website: the purpose of these sites and their current set-up. We then go into the evaluation proper where we analyze the overall content, style and functionality of each site. In the overall content of the websites the quality of the information being presented and the comprehensiveness of the information is assessed.Moreover, how current the information located in the websites and where they were derived or from what authority this informati on was derived is also assessed. Lastly, in evaluating the style and functionality of the sites we take into consideration the layout or the manner content is presented within the sites, ease in navigating the sites, its compatibility with respect to various browsers, information space with respect to advertising pages, and the speed upon which it is accessed through the internet.The first of the sites to be evaluated is www.nursingworld.org, the official website of the American Nursing Association (ANA). Briefly, ‘ANA is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.9 million registered nurses (RNs) (About the American Nurses association,  that advances nursing through imbibing high standards, promoting the economic welfare in their workplace and by proactively lobbying governmental agencies on issues affecting them.For the overall content, the website contains comprehensive and relevant information supportive of the purpose of ANA mentioned pr eviously. The site has sections on information and services, newsroom and nursing issues/programs that sustain continuous support for promoting high standards in the nursing practice. It also has a section for showing their advocacies and initiatives for nurses’ general welfare, with sub-sections directing users to view publications relevant to nurses in the United States.As for the currency of the documents, the documents are up to date with uploaded documents as latest as January 11, 2007 (‘Press releases from the American Nurses Association†, http://www.nursingworld.org/pressrel/). As for the authority of the documents published, the documents that are published have their corresponding sources accompanying them. All these information are presented in a notably clear and concise fashion.For the style and functionality of the website, the overall layout is easily understandable. The site can be easily navigated and the information is clearly sorted out for easy access, even though the site carries a lot of information it is surprisingly accessible. On the other hand, the address of the site (www.nursingworld.org) is a bit misleading if you were to guess what would be the site of ANA and a name as www.ana.org or www.americannursingassociation.org may have been the better URL.The use of images instead of flash movies may have the decreased the site’s overall aesthetic impact to the user but without the use of flash movies, the site can then be easily accessible from any computer with varying internet speed with information prompting fast. Lastly for the evaluation of the www.nursingworld.org, the information relative to the advertisements, they are separated clearly in order to reduce the clutter and make browsing easier.The second site is www.ama-assn.org or the American Medical Association (AMA). AMA ‘helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional and public health issue s’ (‘The AMA mission’, http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/1815.html). Although it is similar to the initiatives and programs of ANA, AMA has a wider market as it focuses on the entire medical profession.For the overall content of the site, it has similarities as that of the ANA site, with additions of ‘professional resources section’ for medical practitioners and ‘med school ; residency site‘ for medical students. Most of the information is up to date except for the annual report is only has the 2005 annual report. In addition, the site’s information is taken from credible sources, which are also accessible in the site.As for the overall layout of the site, the vast information is batched together in a clear and easily understandable manner such that users can browse through the site easily. The site utilizes flash movies that make the site more appealing and further imbibes to the users the vision and mission of AMA. Apart f rom what was mentioned above, there are however no significant or innovative means of presenting data seen from the ANA and the AMA site.The third website is www.nln.org which is the site for the National League for Nursing (NLN). The purpose of NLN is similar to that of ANA but is slightly varied. According to its purpose (http://www.nln.org/aboutnln/ourmission.htm), the NLN ‘advances excellence in nursing education that prepares the nursing workforce to meet the needs of diverse populations in an ever-changing healthcare environment.’ This purpose is done through achieving the goals of Nursing education, Faculty development, Research in Nursing Education, Data collection, assessment and evaluation and Public Policy.For the overall content of the site, information pertinent to the goals mentioned above is clearly visible. Users who wish to participate in achieving one of the goals or for anyone who would just want to browse through the site can easily go to a specific heading and see its related sections. In terms of the currency of the documents, most of the documents are up to date however there are some documents such as the calendar of activities of NLN, which are still in need of updating (the calendar is still 2006).As for the overall layout, the site has a asymmetric design, departing from the modular and common website design that sets it apart from the rest of the websites being evaluated although the site uses only simple graphics to present its content. The site can easily be navigated, with information clearly divided and grouped together into concise headings that make it easier to browse through. Lastly, uploading time for the site is suitable for users with varying Internet bandwidths due to its low-memory web design, thus information no matter the manner of Internet access can easily acquire information.Another site evaluated is https://www.ncsbn.org/, the site for the National Council for State Boards for Nursing (NCSBN). The NCS BN is a United States-state wide organization aiming to promote and advance regulatory excellence in Nursing for public protection (‘Mission and Values,’ https://www.ncsbn.org/182.htm).For the overall content of the site, it has comprehensive content mostly pertaining to the nursing profession and for the regulatory nursing boards, each other that implies that their site presents specific, relevant and concise information that complement each other. The documents are well cited with authorities in the field clearly stated accompanying any research or paper they did for NCSBN. Overall the site is up to date, with sections for instance the calendar of activities that go as far presenting dates of activities for this year in advance, which is good for most people. However there are sections in the site that still need to be updated, sections such as the News releases and the annual report.As for the style and functionality, the site is more â€Å"cleaner† than the o thers in terms of the layout. The information is presented in such a way that even though there is a lot of information presented, the website is still able to present it in a simple manner that would not make the user â€Å"disoriented.† The site can be easily navigated with all the information easily accessible. The site however goes back to the symmetric design unlike the site of NLN. The site utilizes simple flash presentations in their homepage that gives an additional aesthetic impact to the user.Lastly, we evaluate http://thomas.loc.gov/, the site for the Library of Congress of the United States of America. According to the section describing the site (http://thomas.loc.gov/home/abt_thom.html), ‘THOMAS was launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public.’ Currently is being maintained by the Libra ry of Congress.For the overall content of the site, its presents a multitude of information as concise as possible yet the site still appears to be heavily cluttered with information. However as compared to the other sites and the content they hold, Thomas is appreciably easy to understand-simple as it possibly can. In terms of the authority, the information presented by the Thomas is undoubtedly accurate and comes from directly from the source that is Congress. In addition, the documents stored in the site are the most current in the field, with daily updates coming directly from Congress. Links are also presented in the site that are relevant to users who wish to browse other relevant legislation.In terms of style and functionality, the Thomas has a simple layout and aesthetic appearance as compared to the other sites. The main page is a bit cluttered so there is a possibility that first time users might get lost with regards to the immense information being presented and the one the user wishes to find. However the site boasts of a search engine for their database that is incredibly useful for users and researchers that would want to find the necessary information which adds up to the overall functionality of the website. Lastly, due to its simple web design, the site can be easily accessed with any Internet bandwidth at any location at any time. References:The American Nursing Association. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.nursingworld.orgThe American Medical Association. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.ama-assn.orgThe National League for Nursing. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.nln.orgThe National Council of State boards of Nursing. Retrieved Jan 13, 2006 from www.ncsbn.org

Race Without Color Essay

In this article written by Jared Diamond entitled â€Å"Race Without Color†, he explains about the difference of race in humanity and how humans should not be classified that way because there are too many variations. Depending on how a person looks, they would be put into a certain race categories such as â€Å"African blacks,† â€Å"whites,† â€Å"Mongoloids,† â€Å"aboriginal Australians†, and â€Å"Khoisans.† However, this classification of humans only affect how we view others; it does not involve our senses or who we are as a person. This can be discriminating. Anthropologists believe that humans should not be classified into a particular race. There are other ways to group humans, such as natural selection, sexual preferences, and fingerprints. Diamond goes on to explain how confusion may come up in classifications. In the human race, people in different races are visibly different. This also holds true in the animal world. He gives the example of a common bird, the yellow-rumped warbler. The bird’s throat color in the west is yellow and in the east is white. They have different songs and environmental preferences yet have the same name. Racial classification for these two birds is simple; the color of their throat, song, and their environment. However, their differences in these areas lead to different varied offspring. Some traits in animals alternate because of natural selection. Natural selection has to do with the survival in a particular environment. For example the hare who is white to blend in with snow so that it is invisible to predators. As humans, we live all over the world in different areas and climates. We have traits brought out by natural selection to adapt to the area we live in. Our skin color, body type, height, and hair color all play a role in the environment we live in. Thus is why race is not always a good way to describe cultural differences in humans. If we were to classify the human race by this different criteria, it would produce different groupings. Racial classifications are not a good way to describe biological differences in humans. If we were to classify races by body chemistry, it would be different than races defined by the color of our skin. When it comes to skin color, it plays a role in the climate. People look a certain way in certain parts of the world so that they can survive in that particular environment. For example, someone with very light skin would not do well in an environment with a lot of sun. Other traits have to do with sexual selection are our hair, eye color, and other beauty traits play a role in sexual preference. In America today, we don’t dye or hair or change our appearance to survive. It’s to become more sexually attractive. Science does not play a part in racial classification, but the way our body reacts to someone does. There is another way to classify humans and that is by fingerprint. To do this, everyone with the same pattern would be grouped together. However, fingerprints have nothing to do with survival. Fingerprints also have nothing to do with sexual preferences. There is no real function to a person’s fingerprint. There are certain traits in humans that play a function such as the color of our skin for survival. Others have no function such as fingerprints. Particular traits play a role in sexual preference, such as eye color or hair color. Science does not play a role in racial classification, but attraction does. Our body can tell us if we are attracted to someone or not. People now are more varied in appearance. Now, it is unnecessary to rank people with many difference appearances into a racial classification.

Scoring and Percentiles - PrepScholar 2016 Students Encyclopedia

Scoring and Percentiles - PrepScholar 2016 Students' Encyclopedia SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT measures reasoning skills and college readiness on a 2400 point scale, with a maximum score of 800 for each of its three sections, Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. The SAT has used this scale since 2005, following its addition of the Writing section and essay. Before that, it was scored out of 1600, a scalethat will returnwiththe redesigned SAT in March of 2016. Note: this article is a series in the PrepScholar2016 Students' Encyclopedia, a free students' and parents' SAT / ACT guide that provides encyclopedic knowledge. Read all the articles here! Forstudents in the class of 2014 who took the SAT, the average Critical Reading score was 497, average Math score was 513, and average Writing score was 487.Since colleges use the SAT as an admissions test, they typically share data on the average scores of their accepted students. High school students may use this data to define their target SAT scores and compare their results with those of other applicants to the same or similarly ranked schools. While most colleges do not advertise an SAT score requirement, some admissions officers have suggested that they do not look at an application unless it contains a certain minimum score. Students receive their scores about three weeks after taking the test, as do any colleges they listed as score recipients at the time of registration. Students can indicate additional score recipients for $11.25 each. Basic score reports tell students their scaled scores and raw scores broken down by question type. Students can also order the Question and Answer service ($18) for a detailed report of their performance by each question, along with online answer explanations. Students receive one point for every correct answer, zero points for skipped answers, and a deduction of 0.25 points for wrong answers on multiple choice questions. The ten grid-in math questions have no point deductions for wrong answers, and the essay is graded on a scale between 2 and 12. Students receive essay and multiple choice subscores for the SAT Writing section (the multiple choice questions are scored between 20 and 80). Their composite Writing score is based approximately 30% on the essay and 70% on the multiple choice. A score of 0 on the essay is possible if the section is left blank or is illegible, completely off-topic, or written witha prohibited instrument. Raw scores are converted to scaled scores between 200 and 800 through a process called equating, which takes into account the scores of all students who took the SAT on a given administration. Students also receive a percentile that compares their score to that of other test-takers. The following chart shows the most recent conversion of raw scores to scaled scores. While these figures may have some variation from year to year, they remain more or less the same over time. Raw Scores to Scaled Scores for the Class of 2014 Raw Score Critical Reading Scaled Score Math Scaled Score Writing Multiple Choice Scaled Score Raw Score Critical Reading Scaled Score Math Scaled Score Writing Multiple Choice Scaled Score 67 800 31 500 550 55 66 800 30 500 540 54 65 800 29 490 540 53 64 790 28 480 540 52 63 770 27 480 530 51 62 760 26 470 420 50 61 740 25 460 510 49 60 730 24 460 500 48 59 720 23 450 490 47 58 700 22 440 480 46 57 690 21 440 480 45 56 680 20 430 470 44 55 670 19 420 460 43 54 670 800 18 410 450 42 53 660 790 17 410 440 41 52 650 760 16 400 530 40 51 640 740 15 390 420 39 50 630 720 14 380 410 38 49 620 710 80 13 380 400 38 48 620 700 78 12 370 390 37 47 610 690 75 11 360 380 36 46 600 680 73 10 350 370 35 45 600 670 71 9 340 360 34 44 590 660 70 8 330 350 33 43 580 650 68 7 320 330 32 42 570 640 67 6 310 320 31 41 570 640 66 5 300 310 30 40 560 630 64 4 290 290 29 39 550 620 63 3 270 280 27 38 550 610 62 2 260 260 26 37 540 600 61 1 240 240 24 36 530 590 60 0 220 220 22 35 530 590 59 -1 210 200 20 34 520 58- 58 -2 and below 200 200 20 33 520 570 57 32 510 560 56 Writing on 20-80 scale and combined with essay score. Score percentiles compare test-takers to one another on a given SAT administration. The following chart shows the percentiles for various ranges of composite scores for the class of 2014. Composite Score Ranges and Percentiles for the Class of 2014 SAT Composite Score Range Percentile Range 2350-2400 99+ to 99+ 2300-2350 99 to 99+ 2250-2300 99 to 99 2200-2250 98 to 99 2150-2200 97 to 98 2100-2150 96 to 97 2050-2100 95 to 96 2000-2050 93 to 95 1950-2000 91 to 93 1900-1950 88 to 91 1850-1900 85 to 88 1800-1850 81 to 85 1750-1800 77 to 81 1700-1750 73 to 77 1650-1700 68 to 73 1600-1650 63 to 68 1550-1600 57 to 63 1500-1550 52 to 57 1450-1500 46 to 52 1400-1450 40 to 46 1350-1400 34 to 40 1300-1350 28 to 34 1250-1300 23 to 28 1200-1250 18 to 23 1150-1200 14 to 18 1100-1150 10 to 14 1050-1100 7 to 10 1000-1050 5 to 7 950-1000 4 to 5 900-950 2 to 4 850-900 2 to 2 800-850 1 to 2 750-800 1 to 1 700-750 1Â ­ to 1 650-700 1Â ­ to 1Â ­ 600-650 - to 1Â ­ While the chart above displays data on composite score ranges, the next chart shows percentiles by section score ranges for the class of 2014. The Math section is slightly more competitive than the other sections, meaning that a student would have to achieve a higher score in Math to be in a top percentile. For example, a score of 750 translates to 97th percentile in Math, but 98th percentile in Critical Reading. A score of 700 is 93rd percentile on Math versus 95th on Reading, and a 600 is 75th on Math versus 80th on Reading. SectionScore Ranges and Percentiles for the Class of 2014 Section Score Range SAT Reading Percentiles SAT Math Percentiles SAT Writing Percentiles 780-800 99 to 99 99 to 99 99 to 99+ 760-780 99 to 99 97 to 99 99 to 99 740-760 98 to 99 96 to 97 98 to 99 720-740 97 to 98 95 to 96 97 to 98 700-720 95 to 97 93 to 95 96 to 97 680-700 93 to 95 90 to 93 94 to 96 660-680 91 to 93 87 to 90 92 to 94 640-660 88 to 91 83 to 87 89 to 92 620-640 84 to 88 79 to 83 86 to 89 600-620 80 to 84 75 to 79 82 to 86 580-600 75 to 80 70 to 75 78 to 82 560-580 70 to 75 64 to 70 73 to 78 540-560 64 to 70 59 to 64 68 to 73 520-540 57 to 64 52 to 59 62 to 68 500-520 50 to 57 45 to 52 55 to 62 480-500 44 to 50 40 to 45 48 to 55 460-480 37 to 44 33 to 40 41 to 48 440-460 31 to 37 27 to 33 34 to 41 420-440 25 to 31 21 to 27 28 to 34 400-420 19 to 25 16 to 21 21 to 28 380-400 14 to 19 12 to 16 16 to 21 360-380 10 to 14 9 to 12 12 to 16 340-360 7 to 10 6 to 9 8 to 12 320-340 5 to 7 4 to 6 5 to 8 300-320 4 to 5 3 to 4 4 to 5 280-300 3 to 4 2 to 3 2 to 4 260-280 2 to 3 1 to 2 2 to 2 240-260 1 to 2 1 to 1 1 to 2 220-240 1 to 1 1Â ­ to 1 1 to 1 200-220 - to 1 - to 1Â ­ - to 1 Most admissions officers consider SAT scores within a certain range to be more or less equal, rather than giving a significant advantage to a score that is higher than another by 20 or 30 points. Therefore score ranges and percentiles are particularly important pieces of data for students to consider when determining whether their SAT scores make them competitive candidates to their college(s) of choice. Redesign Alert The new SAT will be scored on a scale from 400 to 1600, with a maximum score of 800 for the Math section and 800 for Reading and Writing together. There will be no more point deductions for wrong answers. Read more from theSAT Encyclopedia! Further Reading What Is a Good SAT Score? A Bad SAT Score? An Excellent SAT Score? How Is the SAT Scored? Scoring Charts Calculate Your SAT Target Score

Organize Your Homework With Color Coded Supplies

Organize Your Homework With Color Coded Supplies Whether you are in high school, college, or beyond, organization is key to academic success. Did you know that you can actually improve your grades if you can organize your homework and study time effectively?  One way to do this is to incorporate a color coding system into your homework routine. Heres how it works. 1.Gather a Set of Inexpensive, Colored Supplies You may want to start with a pack of colored highlighters, then find folders, notes, and stickers to match them. Sticky notesFoldersHighlightersColored labels, flags, or round stickers (for sale items) 2. Select a Color for Each Class For example, you may want to use the following colors with a system like this: OrangeWorld HistoryGreenMathRedBiologyYellowHealth or PEBlueGeographyPinkLiterature 3. Make a Mental Connection Between the Color and the Class For instance, you might relate the color green to money- to make you think of math. You may have to play around with the color system to make each color makes sense for each class. This is just to get you started. The color connection will be clear in your mind after a few days. 4.Folders Obviously, youll use each folder to keep track of homework for each class. The type of folder isnt important; just use the type that is best for you or the type that your teacher requires. 5.Sticky Notes Sticky notes are useful when doing library research, writing down book and article titles, quotes, brief passages to use in your paper, bibliographical citations, and reminders. If you can’t carry around several packs of sticky notes, then keep white notes and use colored pens. 6.Colored Flags These handy markers are for marking pages or reading assignments in books. When your teacher gives a reading assignment, just place a colored flag at the beginning and ending points. Another use for colored flags is marking a date in your organizer. If you carry around a calendar, always place a flag marker on a date when an important assignment is due. That way, youll have a constant reminder that a due date is approaching. 7.Highlighters Highlighters  should be used when reading over your notes. In class, take notes as normal- and be sure to date them. Then, at home, read over and highlight in an appropriate color. If papers get separated from your folder (or never make it into your folder) you can easily recognize them by the colored highlights. 8.Labels or Round Stickers Stickers or labels are great for keeping your wall calendar organized. Keep a calendar in your room or office, and place a color-coded sticker on the day that an assignment is due. For instance, on the day you receive a research paper assignment in history class, you should place an orange sticker on the due date. This way, everyone can see an important day approaching, even at a glance. Why Use Color Coding? Color coding can come in useful in a number of ways, even for a very  disorganized student. Just think: if you see a random paper floating around you’ll be able to know at a glance if it’s a history note, research paper note, or math paper. Organizing your notes and paperwork isn’t the only part of a good homework system. You need a space designated for the time spent studying and working that is also well kept and organized. Ideally, you should have a desk in a well-lit, comfortable, and quiet area. Keeping your workspace organized is just as important as your work. Even though you may keep a planner with you, a wall calendar can be exceptionally useful. School isn’t your whole life and sometimes you have a lot of clubs and engagements to keep track of. Having all that information in one spot will help you organize everything in your life, to make sure you never have conflicting obligations.

Decker Surname Origin and Family History

Decker Surname Origin and Family History The  Decker surname most commonly originated as an occupational surname for a roofer or thatcher, derived from the Old High German word decker, meaning one who covered roofs with tile, straw or slate. The meaning of the word expanded during the Middle Ages to encompass carpenters and other craftsman and was used to refer to one who built or laid the decks of vessels.  The popular Dutch surname Dekker has the same meaning, derived from the Middle Dutch  deck(e)re, from  decken, meaning to cover. The Decker surname may also derive from the German decher, meaning the quantity of ten; this may also have been a name given to the tenth child. Alternate Surname Spellings: DEKER, DECKER, DECHER, DECKARD, DECHARD, DEKKER, DEKKES, DEKK, DECK, DECKERT Surname Origin: German, Dutch Where in the World Is the Decker Surname Found? According to World Names PublicProfiler, the Decker surname is the most commonly found, based on percentage of population, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is also a very popular surname in the countries of Luxembourg and Germany. The Forbears surname distribution map for 2014 identifies the Decker surname as being very popular in Sierra Leone, based on frequency distribution. Famous People With the Decker Surname Jessie James Decker -  American country pop singer-songwriter and reality T.V. personalityEric Decker - American National League Football wide receiverDesmond Dekker - Jamaican  singer-songwriter and musicianThomas Dekker -  English  dramatist and pamphlet writer Genealogy Resources for the Surname DECKER Decker Family Genealogy Forum - Search this popular genealogy forum for the Decker surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Decker surname query.FamilySearch - DECKER Genealogy - Explore over 1.3 million results, including digitized records, database entries, and online family trees for the Decker surname and its variations on the FREE FamilySearch website, courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.GeneaNet - Decker Records - GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Decker surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.Ancestry.com: Decker  Surname - Explore over 2.4  million digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Decker surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com Resources and Further Reading Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

The Influence of Demographic Characteristics on Leadership Practices Research Paper

The Influence of Demographic Characteristics on Leadership Practices in the Hotel Industry - Research Paper Example The rampant globalization of the international market has caused significant growth in the diversity of employee demographics. In order to keep up with the growing demands for quality and innovation, many organizations have formulated new management styles that promote interdependence among the workforce (Gould, 2008). With the aim of determining suitable management styles, various studies have been conducted on employee demographics and how it affects the performance of an organization (Tannenbaum and Schmidt, 2009). There are several management styles that have its advantages and limitations. Such management styles address specific points of interest within the workforce. However, better understanding has to be garnered in order to properly impose management programs that best suits the needs of a company and its subordinates. Moreover, it is necessary to understand how to eliminate or at least minimize the negative effects of social differences within the workforce through proper management techniques. The effects of social differences among the workforce have caused organizations to suffer in terms of performance. Discrimination has also emerged from such growing employee diversity (Appleby, 2007). It has become a necessity for organizations to respond to such issues through effective management programs (Sfodera, 2006). Moreover, the results of this study would be of great value to hotel management officers, enabling them to make better decisions in their management practices. Essentially, the management is the core to the successful performance of an organization (Tannenbaum and Schmidt, 2009). ... Research Objectives 1) To determine hotel employees’ perceptions of the leadership styles practiced within their organisation; 2) To ascertain whether demographic traits influence leadership style perceptions a) gender b) age c) nationality d) educational attainment; 3) To put forth recommendations for improving leadership practices within the hotel. Review of Related Literature Management Styles In the broad sense, management styles are the manner and techniques of handling subordinates and making decisions with them. There are various management styles that fit well in particular circumstances (Tannenbaum and Schmidt, 2009). Moreover, managers should impose different management styles in order to compensate for the weaknesses of every technique. Among the common management styles are Autocratic, Paternalistic, Democratic, Laissez-Faire, and Management by Walking Around (MBWA) Autocratic The Autocratic style is where a manager makes unilateral decisions without giving much co nsideration for the subordinates. This results to decisions and outcomes that reflect the personality and opinion of the manager. Such management style projects a confident, structured and well-managed business. However, the subordinates may end up becoming too dependent on the manager; thus, requiring more supervision (Hurley, 2010). Autocratic leaders could be further categorized into two types: the Directive Autocrat; and the Permissive Autocrat (Tannenbaum and Schmidt, 2009). The Directive Autocrat makes decisions unilaterally while giving much attention and close supervision of the subordinates. On the other hand, the Permissive Autocrat makes unilateral decisions while being more lenient on the subordinates, which enables them to

Revolutions in 20th Century Latin America Essay

Revolutions in 20th Century Latin America - Essay Example Latin America was one of those lands which underwent frequent revolutions. Twentieth century as well as the Caribbean lands are no exceptions. This paper is intended to identify the various reasons for the revolutions in the Latin America. Due to the space constraints two revolutions are taken into account; the Cuban revolution in 1959 and 'tenants revolution' in Brazil in 1930. Any revolution is not a one night process. A whole domain of social, cultural, geographical, internal and external political and/or economical factors plays their role to evolve a revolution. Thus, before analyzing the causes of revolution, it is empirical to have a glance into the social, cultural, geographical, political and/or economical setup of the land in particular and the region in general. When we will analyze them all and try to map them on the chronology of the revolution, this way the causes would be highlighted themselves. United States of America had helped Cuba achieve independence in 1898 from the Spanish domination, thus it was quite obvious that US had an influence over the Cuban Affairs, local as well international, since the day one. The control of the United States of America on the Cuban Economy is evident from the facts that United States had control over almost half of the land of Cuba, three fifth of the railway system, almost ninety percent of electricity production and the telephone system. Furthermore, Cuba was the main supplier of various raw materials to the United States. So we can infer that though Independent, the control of USA was yet not lesser than that of British Imperials in their colonies. Furthermore, the domination did not result in the increase in the efficiency of the overall performance of the country, so there was a general opinion in the people of Cuba, that the United State is exploiting the Cuban people for their (US) interest through the dummy leaders like Batista. (Thomas) Cuban Economy before Revolution: At first look, it appears that Cuban economy was prosperous at that time. Cuba's mortality rate of 7 per thousand was the lowest in Latin America. Its infant mortality rate was by far the lowest. Cuba's mortality rate of 7 per thousand was the lowest in Latin America. Its infant mortality rate was by far the lowest. Cuba had one automobile for every 39 inhabitants, compared with Argentina's one for every 60 and Mexico's one for every 91 people. The wage rate for industrial workers in Cuba was the highest in Latin America (as of 1957) and 9th highest in the world. However, the other side of picture so dark that this appearing brightness of Cuban Economy fade away, when someone browse through these factors. The economy was too dependent on Sugar. Wealth was unevenly distributed. Unemployment was 8% in five months of sugar harvest, but for the rest of the year, it used to be around 30%. As stated above, the economic prosperity had no trickle down effect; the only beneficiaries of the si tuation were the US companies in Cuba and their Cuban associates who were working for their interests. Thus there were high social tensions among the common man of Cuba. (Seers) Political Setup in Cuba: There was no reliable democratic

Critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Critical thinking - Essay Example Accuracy helps in establishing the truthfulness of information. Relevance helps recognize the other people’s perspectives. Logic enables one to identify the consequences of different decisions. Significance helps in decision making since it helps identify the most appropriate options (Paul, Elder, & Foundation of Critical Thinking, 2001). An OD practitioner who does not practice critical thinking is at the risk of making unsuitable decision based on assumption. Without critical thinking, an OD practitioner would be incapable of understanding the purpose of his job from other external purposes and might end up choosing other insignificant and unrealistic purposes. The OD practitioner may not be in a position to seek, identify, and evaluate the right point of view and might end up being biased (Paul, Elder, & Foundation of Critical Thinking, 2001). The sections of the guide that hold most potential for refinement my thought process include the problem of egocentric thinking and the elements of critical thinking. Understanding the problems associated with egocentric think was important in that it enabled me to identify the importance of other peoples of view. I would for example apply this concept in identifying when my thoughts may not be realistic. The elements of critical thinking have the potential of enabling me to understand data, and facts to be able to respond to questions, resolve problems,] and other issues. An example of future application would be able to figure out questions, my point of view, seek other people’s points of view, and evaluate them to come up with the appropriate solution (Paul, Elder, & Foundation of Critical Thinking,

Medicare and Medicaid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medicare and Medicaid - Essay Example A state sets its own eligibility standards. Qualifying for eligibility depends upon age, pregnancy and disability status, citizenship, and other assets. The state includes individuals who receive federally assisted income-maintenance payments and who do not receive cash payments. Medicaid focuses on the group who needs the outmost assistance due to financial instability. Federal poverty line level (FDL) determines the families who will receive the Medicaid program. However, not all the poor benefit from or receive the Medicaid program. Among poor groups in America, about 60% are not covered by the Medicaid program. Under the Medicaid, the state makes an agreement with the Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) to pay the health care providers and reimbursed Medicaid expenditures from the Federal Government. All Medicaid beneficiaries are exempted from copayments for emergency services and family planning services and exclude pregnant women, children under age 18, and hospital or nur sing home patients. On the other hand, Medicare is a social, health insurance program intended for the elderly and disabled Americans. Medicare has four parts. Part A and B deal with hospital insurance while part C and D deal with prescription drugs.

Transmittal of an investigation of the rising cost of insurance Research Paper

Transmittal of an investigation of the rising cost of insurance premium of employees in sparkle industry - Research Paper Example Tobacco usage has adverse effects in the body such as lung cancer which causes sudden death when no treatment is carried out. It is in this regard that Health Insurance Company charges higher cost since treating such kind of diseases is expensive. Alcohol drinking and unhealthy lifestyles also contributed to the increase of the cost of health insurance even though it was minimal compared to tobacco usage. My sincere gratitude goes to employees of sparkle industry who were very obedient in responding to my survey questions. I am also thankful to your company for having trust in the responsibility assigned. For any help concerning the report, you can give me a call. Enc. Report EFFECT OF CIGARETTE SMOKING AND UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE ON THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM PAYABLE TO THE INSURER ON BEHALF OF EMPLOYEES IN SPARKLE INDUSTRY AS A BENEFIT PACKAGE. A RESEARCH REPORT PRESENTED FOR EVALUATION IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATI ON. TABLE OF CONTENT Transmittal letter†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.1 Title page†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..2 Table of Contents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 Executive summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 1.1. INTRODUCTION 1.2. Background of the Studyâ₠¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 1.3. Statement of the Problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....6 1.4. Research Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.7 1.5. Objectives of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..7 1.6. Justification of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.7 1.7. Scope and Limitations of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 1.8. Conceptual Framework†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..8 2.0. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 2.2. Theoretical †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...................9 2.3 Empirical reviews†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.10 3.0. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1. Research Design†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 3.2. Study Area†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 3.3. Study population and Sampling†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 3.4. Data Collection†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 4.0 DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTA TION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 5.0. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦17 5.1. Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦

Medicare and Medicaid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medicare and Medicaid - Essay Example A state sets its own eligibility standards. Qualifying for eligibility depends upon age, pregnancy and disability status, citizenship, and other assets. The state includes individuals who receive federally assisted income-maintenance payments and who do not receive cash payments. Medicaid focuses on the group who needs the outmost assistance due to financial instability. Federal poverty line level (FDL) determines the families who will receive the Medicaid program. However, not all the poor benefit from or receive the Medicaid program. Among poor groups in America, about 60% are not covered by the Medicaid program. Under the Medicaid, the state makes an agreement with the Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) to pay the health care providers and reimbursed Medicaid expenditures from the Federal Government. All Medicaid beneficiaries are exempted from copayments for emergency services and family planning services and exclude pregnant women, children under age 18, and hospital or nur sing home patients. On the other hand, Medicare is a social, health insurance program intended for the elderly and disabled Americans. Medicare has four parts. Part A and B deal with hospital insurance while part C and D deal with prescription drugs.

Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Assignment 6 - Essay Example It is mostly associated with research and development projects whereby, there are very many uncertainties and unknowns. This includes system development and analysis. CPM, however, is mostly used in tasks and projects that are repetitive in nature. Such tasks are normally known to have definite starts and complete dates. CPM is mostly applied in developing projects such as building construction and software development. The critical path is the shortest path identified in the critical path method, and that shows the minimum possible duration of a project. In the given assignment, there are three possible paths ABCCDG, ADG and ADG. The shortest path will be ADG while the critical time taken to complete the assignment will be 3days. This is the advantage of CPM since it enables the optimization of time. Here, slack can also be calculated; hence, preparation for any eventualities. The relationship between lectures and teachers can be put in form of ERDs. These entities (Teacher and students) can be interdependent or dependent in nature. There are three types of relationships between entities (Diagram 1). On Diagram 2 shows a typical example of the one to one entities. Diagram 3 however gives a perfect scenario of a many to many ERD. The learning the analysis tools and components has proven to be a very important and helpful process. This is because all this information will come in handy during the practical execution of the theoretical learning that I have been doing in the course work. System analysis deals with projects. Projects are normally broken down into simpler manageable chunks that make up the complete project. These chunks are given estimated timelines and periods under which they can be completed. Learning about the project management tools and analysis tools and components will ensure professional application in projects to achieve the maximum results. Some project

Concept-mapping software Essay Example for Free

Concept-mapping software Essay Indeed, should it be of necessity or required for students to evaluate, collate and compute data in all work prescription in class, important machinery to achieve this must be recommended as part of the needed gadget. (Zardoya, 2001). Business researchers are similarly concerned with the question of whether or not the introduction of information technology leads to increased output, excellent evaluation in reasoning and advantageous edge of counterparts (Al-Gahtani, 2003). ICT this is an acronyms for Information and Communication and technology, constituting system hardware and software that enhance data resource for use in many applications. Internet inclusive with provision of world wide web. (Clark et al. , 2005). That is, we need to shift focus from robotic use of technology. The quest should rather be innovative ways of information technology to massively enhance the gains and ease of studies at all levels(p. 4). Overall, CACSR makes provision for students through interaction with the surroundings. This possibly ensure a sustained focus at the same time educating students on skills as they read expository text passages (Kim et al. ,). Studies have shown that â€Å"educational technology that includes dictionary components has been used successfully to promote literacy skill development among elementary school students† (Fry Gosky, 2007). In analyzing the study, a researcher suggested that writer’s with back up soft copy in CD-ROM provides more strategy towards enhancing the problem of elaboration from close by tutor. The soft copy leaves the students independent of the teacher to a greater extent than none (Fry Gosky). QuickSmart is a computer-assisted program designed to improve the self-improving ability of students who are face with challenges of grabbing problem most expecially in their mid-year at school (Graham Bellert, et al. , 2007,). Based on an information –analyzing point of intuitive processings, QuickSmart was intended to be a elaborated dealings with attention on the primary learning skills needed to do well in assimilating classroom instruction. (Graham Bellert, et al). It is a Concept-mapping software, or webbing, in that students are permitted to build up strategic maps with the aid of specific programs (Marchinko, 2004,). Concept-mapping software has been used in middle school science classes for example, to help students juxtapose the similarities and differences in plant and animal cells, and in writing class to help students brainstorm. Teachers also use concept-mapping software to give a clue or insight in the direction of the lesson (Marchinko,). The KidTools computer programs as also an electronic performer. It is an aiding technique that focus on behavior and academic performance support software for students with studying default (Miller Fitzgerald, 2007, p. 13). A cognitive-behavioral modification program, KidTools is one of several programs with increased usage recorded within the last two decades owing to their efficacy reports over time (Miller Fitzgerald. RockSim is a rocket design program for middle school science class, which â€Å"takes students along the path of technology that enhance the design of their own rockets and simulation performance (Wilson, 2005,). Finally, BodyFun on its own is a computer game that perfectly educate on nutrition and other health awareness (Geiger, et al. , 2002,). In a test of BodyFun among the middle class of school age, the resource and the technical requirements of the schemes is high, in addition to its acceptability among the study environment, it gives a good result (Geiger Petri, et al. ,). Education is feeling pressure to respond to a mandate to improve the engagement-level of classrooms, due to surveys which repeatedly find middle school students especially characterize traditional classes as cold (Taylor Duran, 2006, p. 11). Overall, most classrooms continue to implement instructional practices. The practice has the main essence of textbooks studying and facts cramming with subsequent commitment to memory (Taylor Duran,). As a result, many researchers have called for a move from the usual teaching to a constructive approach in methods (Taylor Duran, p. 11). In most classes, this entails increasing the students’ abilities of inquiry, and this can be enhanced through implementation with the most suiting instruments (Taylor Duran, p . 11). One teacher reports that her middle school students have become mastery of executing video projects and slide shows, this demonstrate they have learnt (Crawford, 2005, p. 2). InFocus projectors produced a difference that was similar to that of darkness and light with improved class presentation and involvement (Crawford, p. 1). Studies have shown that students who use computers to write reports recorded a higher performance compared to those who do not attempt the use of computer (Taylor Duran, 2006, p. 10). One study found that teachers who made regular use of PowerPoint presentations felt more confident in their ability to teach and assist students’ competence in using multimedia projection and even other similar method of sophisticated learning (Taylor Duran, p. 13). Video streaming is another technology being used in some classrooms (Whitaker, 2003), while some K-12 classrooms are even experimenting with robotics activities to enhance student the convergence of literacy instruction (for example) with Internet technologies is fundamentally reshaping the nature of literacy instruction as teachers seek to prepare children for the futures they deserve engagement in lessons (Williams Ma, et al. , 2007, p. 201), although most reports on the usefulness of robotics is anecdotal in nature and evidence is still required to demonstrate the effectiveness of using robotics in achieving study aims (Williams et al. , p. 201). Now, many believe that â€Å"† (Witte, 2007, p. 93). A threaded discussion group is a series of rotations on a subject (Grisham Wolsey, p. 651). The study found that through threaded discussion, student engagement was increased. This was because an environment found more friendly were self created and fits appropriately with other peers. Therefore each of them have equal dominion of the conversation (Grisham Wolsey, p. 649). Though acknowledging that one of the serious drawbacks to the Web is that students often become lost trying to navigate through â€Å"data smog† (Trotter, 2004, p. 1). The MyAccess program is an internet oriented writing scheme that expressly rewards write-up and supplies correct instruction for students at a middle school in Georgia (Ullman, 2006, p. 76). The program was found to not only relieve teachers much of their paper correcting burden, but also to have permitted immediate report even in more detail that scores it a preferred quality of writing (Ullman, p. 76). Another project reported in the literature was the creation of a website which supported students and average school teachers drawing out a convergence between science and literature within the limited surroundings (Howes Hamilton, 2003, p. 454). WebQuest is another â€Å"powerful instrument† for teachers to use in improving the engagement level of students in their class (Lipscomb, 2003, p. 154). Though relatively new, stakeholders in education are praising its value and facilitate more use (Lipscomb, 2003, p. 153). The important pedagogical purpose of a WebQuest is that it provides tangible experience for students, both with the technology and in the subject matter being explored (Lipscomb, p. 154). More recently, other schools are experimenting with the use of blogs, or web logs, to enhance learning. Witte (2007) pushed for establishment of blog discussion method on the present inter-school network in order to further engage students in learning (p. 95). Witte (2007) decided that blogs were an important go-between among class and students when he found out that, while some students indicated some interest in the period of writing and homework, they were reported, by their parents, to be â€Å"on the computer writing essays and poems for hours each night† (Witte, p. 92). A theory was devised as to why diffusion was so slow, with explanations centering on methods used by farmers in generating information on discoveries, and how they direct this in helping their appropriate usage (Rogers, p. 14). Diffusion theory can help educators understand why technology is and is not adopted in classrooms (Surry, 1997). Other researchers have adopted the diffusion model to counteract the increasing consciousness about how discovered instructive materials have been rendered fallow (Minishi-Majanja Kiplang’at, p. 4). Indeed, Al-Gahtani’s (2003) literature review revealed 75 articles in which perceived attributes were measured, with the overall result being that agreement and comparative merit attained highest ratings when they were instituted. Complexity was on the other hand negative on its procedural acceptance (p. 59). While determinists can be either utopian or dystopian (Marx, McCluhan and Toffler versus Ellul, Orwell or Luddites), all determinists see technology as an independent force out of human control. The equally view technology as the sole engine of social change (Surry, 1997, p. 6). In education, developer-based theory results in top-down technology-based reform initiatives such as Goals 2000, which target the diversity of educational change through proposition of a new system with improved hybrid (Surry, p. 7). Overall, â€Å"the instructional development process† is of the assumption that technological improved hybrid will suffice the only condition necessary to attract participation of innovative practices. (Surry, p. 7). Adopter-based theoreticians such as Ernest Burkman are prone to point out situations where a technologically superior innovation was rejected by users because of the strength of â€Å"human, interpersonal and social factors†. These factors play an importance role in adopting proposed technological superiority† (Surry, p. 11). Another by-product of adopter-based theory is the study of revenge effects, which occur when new establishments, movements and organisms react with real in a factual but unforeseen situation (Surry, p. 11). Indeed, prediction and accounting for likely results to be caused by an innovation is an integral component of many â€Å"adopter-based diffusion theories† (Surry, p. 11). Large scale market forces such as sector growth, volatility and concentration of markets have also been of use in acceptance of technology (Park et al. , p. 1480). Subjective norm is another strong construction developed along this line of research. Subjective norm is defined as an individual’s believe that perhaps exist in contrast to other people. Subjective norm has been shown to strongly influence adoption of technology, especially if use is mandatory and not voluntary (Park O’Brien, et al. , p. 1480). All of this feeds into instruction through the lens of constructivism, or the belief that learning happens in a deliberate effort to construct a â€Å"public entity†, be it the simplest of task where resources are in abundance or a more complex assignment (Williams Ma, et al. , 2007). In this context, technology is used in education to create a system whereby that enhance â€Å"study by making† and â€Å"study by design† (Williams Ma, et al. ,). Various programs along these lines include efforts to have children design computer games, and promote studying with â€Å"programmable bricks† (Williams et al). Thus, from the constructivist point of view, the availability of computer systems in learning rooms does not attach huge significance as presently being in used (Sheumaker Slate,). Integration of computers is deemed successful only when students learn with the computer system and not the reverse (Sheumaker Slate, et al. , p. 3) Finally, reinforcing this model is the ecological model of technology integration in education. According to this model, technologies are only acting in a social settings, incorporated within the events of learning processes (Kupperman Fishman, 2002,). Through the use of new tools we develop new literacies, and from use or non-use are discovered as being â€Å"full, subsidiary or un-involving class members (Kupperman Fishman,). Mention of the word â€Å"actor† enlists actor-network theory into these models as well. According to this model, the social globe is materially diverse and consists of a interconnected chains of animate and inanimate participants who only interact and negotiate for rules imposition through series of deliberations and alliances (Samarawickrema Stacey, 2007). In order to have their way, these various actors may use bargaining, lobbying, subtle computation and at the extreme, violence (Samarawickrema Stacey,).

Gene Therapy for Alzheimers Disease

Gene Therapy for Alzheimers Disease Imagine that in fifty years, people no longer fear forgetting how to make a sandwich, driving to the store without getting lost, or no longer recognizing loved ones; thats a future people can look forward to when Alzheimers disease has been eradicated by gene therapy. Alzheimers is a type of dementia that affects people worldwide as well as those who love them. Gene therapy, the transplantation of normal genes into cells to replace defective ones, is a promising treatment for correcting the underlying causes of the disease instead of just controlling its horrendous symptoms. Alzheimers is a disease for which there is currently no cure. Symptoms of the disease include problems remembering newly learned information, confusion, memory loss, behavioral changes and much more (Alzheimers). Currently available treatments only help to delay the progression of symptoms and improve the quality of life for those it affects. It is imperative that progress be made in treating the disease considering that Alzheimers is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases, affecting over forty million people worldwide, and being the sixth main cause of death in the United States (Brazier, 2016). However, in order to be effective in combating this degenerative brain disease, researchers must first understand the underlying causes. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine as well as in the United Kingdom have found a protein fragment that they believe is a factor in causing Alzheimers: the beta-amyloid protein, AB. AB by itself is not detrimental to the health of the human brain; however, when the concentration of AB in the brain increases, the protein begins destroying synapses before clumping into plaques that ultimately lead to nerve cell death (Goldman, 2013). Scientists at Stanford found that as long as AP is in its soluble form it can travel freely in the brain without negative consequences. However, in its insoluble, clustered form, called plaques, AB can bind to receptors on nerve cells, starting a process that erodes the synaptic connections between cells (Goldman, 2013). AB is generated by the cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein, APP, by the enzyme B-secretase. It was found, in research conducted by S. Herbert, et. al., that the expression of the enzyme B-secretase is Alzheimers patients than in people without Alzheimers. B-secretase is the rate determining step in the production of AB, therefore a reduction in the expression of B-secretase is expected to reduce AB concentration in the brain and maintain a harmless, soluble level, and thus destructive plaques will not be created. Researchers began to develop a new gene therapy that could prevent the accumulation of AB in the brain. The discovery that the PPARy-coactivator-1a, PGC-1a, gene, whose expression is reduced in Alzheimers patients, regulates the transcription of B-secretase (Katsouri, 2016), allowed researchers to start working on a gene therapy to increase PGC-1a expression, thereby reducing B-secretase in the brain. Using mice as models of Alzheimers, researchers experimented with creating a lentiviral vector to express PGC-1a and replace damaged genes with healthy ones in patients brain cells. The mice, called APP23 mice, were bred to develop AB plaques in their brains that increase in size as they age, similar to the way AB plaques in Alzheimers patients behave (Katsouri, 2016). The similarities between the brains of these mice and those of Alzheimers patients allowed the researchers to experiment with the lentiviral vector they developed and observed the effect the ehalthy gene had on the brains of the mice. It was found that, four months after the injection of the PGC-1a carrying lentiviral vector, the mice showed remarkable improvement in spatial and recognition memory as well as significant reduction in AB deposition and B-secretase expression (Katsouri, 2016). The researchers also found that the treatment had neuroprotective effects and helped to preserve neurons and synapses that, without treatment, were being destroyed. Based on the results they observed, L. Katsouri, et. al., were able to conclude that selective induction of PGC-1a in specific areas of the brain is effective in targeting Alzheimers-related neurodegeneration and holds great potential as a therapeutic threatment for this disease. Unlocking the genetic code has been one of the greatest scientific advancements of this age. Treatments such as gene therapy can be used to treat many of the maladies we face and the importance of research in this field cannot be overstated. Utilizing gene therapy, Alzheimers may no longer cause trepidation as we age. Citations/References: Alzheimers Association. (n.d.). Alzheimers Disease Dementia. Retrieved March 01, 2017, from http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.as Brazier, Y. (2016, October 11). Gene therapy could prevent Alzheimers, study suggests. Retrieved March 1, 2017, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313412.php Herbert, S. S., Horre, K., Nicolai, L., Papadopoulou, A. S., Mandemakers, W., Silahtaroglu, A. N., . . . Strooper, B. D. (2008). Loss of microRNA cluster miR-29a/b-1 in sporadic Alzheimers disease correlates with increased BACE1/ -secretase expression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(17), 6415-6420. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0710263105 Goldman, B. (2013, September 19). Scientists reveal how beta-amyloid may cause Alzheimers. Retrieved March 01, 2017, from http://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2013/09/scientists-reveal-how-beta-amyloid-may-cause-alzheimers.html Katsouri, L., Lim, Y. M., Blondrath, K., Eleftheriadou, I., Lombardero, L., Birch, A.M., . . . Sastre, M. (2016). PPARy-coactivator-1a gene transfer reduces neuronal loss and amyloid-B generation by reducing B-secretase in an Alzheimers disease model. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(43), 12292-12297. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1606171113

Driving that Train, High on :: Short Stories Drugs Addiction Papers

Driving that Train, High on. . . "If I could do one line today and not be an addict, I would,'" Melissa said when she was sober and knew she could not handle cocaine. But when she was face to face with the candy for the first time in almost a year, she didn't care whether or not she would become an addict again. Knowing the devastation the drug would cause, knowing one line would bring back all the pain again, she still wanted it more than her education, more than her family, she would have given everything for it, all over again. Sitting at the table, hair pulled back in a pony tail, dressed in a sweater and chinos, (she had really cleaned herself up from a year ago) Melissa drank her beer as if it were going out of style. Watching her friend exchange money for a bag, she had to ask "Can I have a line?" "Melissa, I know you want one, but can you do one and not get hooked on it again?" "Yeah, sure." "I don't want to be the one who gets you all fucked up." "If I couldn't handle it I would tell you, I swear." Melissa walked back to the party, now anxious, and took a seat in her chair. This time she wasn't worried about drinking her beer. The only thing she now thought about was getting that line. She kept him in her sight, the way parents keep an eye on their young children to make sure they don't take off somewhere. If he left, she wouldn't get a line. She wanted that line. "Just one, it won't do anything." "I will in a second, wait until we get back to your house." "It's safe here, no one cares, let's go in the bathroom, no one will know." "Just wait, Melissa." She walked away again. She didn't realize it but she went up to him every five minutes for the rest of the night. "Can I have a line?" "Can I have that line?" "Can I have that line now?" Before she knew it everyone was in the back room, snorting coke. No one would give her a line. She got pissed off and snuck out the sliding glass door.

Enlightenment Movie Study

The Enlightenment Movie Study Guide Part One 1. What other names is often used when referring to the Enlightenment? The Enlightenment is often referred to as the Age of Reason 2. What was Sir Issac Newton's role in the Enlightenment? Identified other natural laws to explain the workings of the universe 3. What changes did they encourage for social progress? Religious tolerance, education reforms, and prison reforms 4. What long-standing political belief did Enlightenment thinkers question? Monarchs rule by divine rightPart Two 5. What important idea did John Locke write about in the Two Treatises of Government? He argued that government should protect people's natural rights to life, liberty, and property 6. What was Voltaire's role in the Enlightenment Era? He wrote plays, novels, and essays attacking slavery, religious intolerance, and other social and political injustices. Passionate advocate for â€Å"Freedom of Speech† Part Three 7. What important political idea did Monte squieu introduce? Introduced the concept of â€Å"Check and balances† . How did Jean-Jacque Rousseau ideas differ from other Enlightenment philosophers? Criticized what he saw as the Enlightenment's excessive reliance on reason, argued  that people should trust their instincts and emotions Part Four 9. Explain the Main Idea behind Rousseau's Social Contract? He explained that government should be based on a contract that allows people to rule themselves by adhering to the general will 10. Analyze which Enlightenment philosopher expressed the most democratic ideas.Use at least three facts from the movies to support your answer. Charles de Montesquieu was a 18th century French philosopher who expressed the most democratic ideas during his time. He divided power between the king and parliament, much like the president and congress. He advocated dividing the government into three independent branches: the executive, legislative and judicial. He had a strong belief for equal dis tribution of power amongst the branches. Therefore, he introduced the concept of â€Å"Checks and Balances. †

Compare And Contrast Japan And China Essay

China and Japan, both with thousand years of ancient culture and civilization history, share numerous similarities and differences. Confucianism is a collectivist based value system which embraces a set of moral codes of behavior designed to regulate the relationships between ruler and subject, father and son, friend and neighbor, husband and wife, and brother and brother. Even though both China and Japan employed Confucianism as the state ideology, there were many features of Confucianism in the two countries that shaped each country’s societies. China and Japan isolated themselves from the rest of the world in the beginning, but later on, the differences in response to the pressure from the West led them to different paths. This essay is going to compare and contrast two main differences between Japan and China, which include a cultural legacy known as Confucianism and the response to the West in 19th century. To begin with, Confucianism stresses particular social relationsh ips, but it is also a universal moral code, which makes it easy for the Japanese adoption. However, the Japanese transform it in their way and to a certain degree Confucian concepts are applied to relationships carrying a different meaning from those in China. At its most basic of culture, Chinese morality is founded on the family structure, with the most important social ties being that of parent and child and its blood-related family clans. The Japanese moral system is founded on a set of kinship relations that go beyond blood ties or extend to members who have no blood relationship, with the primary tie being that between leader and follower. Therefore, Japanese political culture is more group-oriented, more tribal, or more radical. Another example is the paired concepts of loyalty and filial piety that characterize the two cultures. These two values are related: both are the duties we owe to our superiors. Loyalty is our duty to our ruler, and filial piety is our duty to our parents. Both came into the Japanese culture as part of the Confucian influence, but they are treated differently in China and Japan. In China, â€Å"filial piety or reverence for parents is the most important of these  relationships and the one that binds the Confucian moral system together. Confucianists assume that if everyone internalizes such ‘family values,’ society will come into tune with heaven, and harmony, contentment, and prosperity will ensue as a matter of course† (Miller, John H). When there is a conflict between the two, our duty to our parents usually outweighs that to the ruler. In Japan, the Japanese do not acknowledge this tension or contradiction: one is a filial child only if one gives loyal service to one’s superior. Therefore, loyalty is expressed in unquestioning slave-like obedience and implies total selfless devotion to one’s lord. In other words, loyalty in the Japanese culture usually take precedence over filial piety. In addition, harmony, rather than competition, is one of the core Confucian ideas and the concept that helps to shape both Chinese and Japanese political cultures. Both China and Japan are highly â€Å"collectivistic† societies under the Confucian influence, in which each person is born and melt into a collective entity either family, clan, group, society, or state, each person knows his or her status and identity in relation to others in social relations, and each person is required to conform to the collective values. However, in Japan, more emphasis is placed on group orientation and loyalty to the group, for it is the group that gives one a social identity, provides a feeling of security, and receives the rewards of service. Not only the household and the village but also colleagues, fellow students, neighbors, and even industrial sectors constitute the important groups from which one acquires social status and identity. The Second Imperialism of the 19th century, driven by both America and Western Europe profoundly affected Africa and Asia. In Asia, both Japan and China were impacted, but in very different ways. Japan was able to ward off the threats of imperialism, and emerge as a world power. China, on the other hand, suffered the loss of sovereignty and status. The elites of both countries responded to the challenges posed by Western penetration by initiating reforms. In Japan, the Meiji regime chose to remake themselves entirely through Westernization, while in China, the Qing government chose instead to hold on to traditional Chinese values and institutions. China’s efforts at reform, the Self-Strengthening Movements, was in essential traditional answers to traditional problems. There was no significant, large-scale industrialization in China, and they displayed  little willingness to abandon traditional imperial institutions that were incapable to dealing with contemporary problems. Chinese cultural pride was just too deeply ingrained, so much so that it became an impediment, blinding many Chinese and preventing them from recognizing the need to learn from the barbarians and for fundamental change. On the other hand, Japanese efforts to adopt foreign technology to meet their military and industrial needs were largely successful. The Meiji regime, however, saw that military technology and industrialization could not be separated from institutional structures that had produced and accompanied such developments in the West, and showed little hesitation in transforming or abolishing traditional institutions in favor of those that could give Japan the modernity it needed to survive. Overall, the Meiji Restoration was a tremendous success for the Japanese and allowed them to join the ranks of Western new imperial powers. Both nations pursued the goal of a â€Å"rich nation and strong army† as the way to modernization through the Self-Strengthening Movement in C hina and the Meiji Restoration in Japan. However, most of the reforms in the Self-Strengthening Movement belonged to the surface layer of modernization which included manufacturing technology of military and light and heavier industries, and certain infrastructures. The reforms in the Meiji Restoration not only replicated the material manufacturing technology, but also touched the inner and deeper parts of Western civilization that included political structures and legal systems, and Western types of philosophy, culture and ways of thinking. China and Japan, due to geographical proximity, historical, and cultural ties, have many similarities and differences. Confucianism played a very important part in both Chinese and Japanese, but their different understandings in many same concepts lead to different cultures and societies. In addition, during the nineteenth century, facing the pressure of the West, different responses changes the fate of China and Japan. Chinese responded to the Opium Wars and western intrusion through a combination of challenging the West, embracing traditional ways, challenging the Qing Dynasty, or seeking moderate reforms. Japan, though never conquered, responded to the intrusion of West quite differently. Rather than looking to the past, the Japanese sought to emulate the West. During the Meiji Restoration, Japan modernized. Japan sought to avoid China’s fate by adopting aspects of Western culture and faced a turning point in its history. Works Cited Miller, John H. â€Å"Belief Systems and Religions.† Modern East Asia: An Introductory History. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2008. 19. Print.

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-Seven

WALKING INTO THE COURTROOM was one of the most surreal experiences of my life–and not just because I was the one being accused here. It just kept reminding me of Victor's trial, and the idea that I was now in his place was almost too weird to comprehend. Entering a room with a troop of guardians makes people stare–and believe me, there were a lot of people packed in there–so naturally, I didn't skulk or look ashamed. I walked with confidence, my head held high. Again, I had that eerie flashback to Victor. He too had walked in defiantly, and I'd been appalled that someone who had committed his crimes could behave that way. Were these people thinking the same thing about me? On the dais at the front of the room sat a woman I didn't recognize. Among the Moroi, a judge was usually a lawyer who had been appointed to the position for the purposes of the hearing or whatever. The trial itself–at least a big one like Victor's–had been presided over by the queen. She had been the one to ultimately decide the final verdict. Here, the Council members would be the ones to decide if I even reached that stage. The trial makes it official. That's where they pass the verdict and dole out the punishment. My escort took me to the front seating of the room, past the bar that separated the key players from the audience, and motioned me toward a spot next to a middle-aged Moroi in a very formal and very designer black suit. The suit screamed, I'm sorry the queen is dead, and I'm going to look fashionable while showing my grief. His hair was a pale blond, lightly laced with the first signs of silver. Somehow, he made it look good. I presumed this was Damon Tarus, my lawyer, but he didn't say a word to me. Mikhail sat beside me as well, and I was glad they'd chosen him to be the one who literally didn't leave my side. Glancing back, I saw Daniella and Nathan Ivashkov sitting with other high-ranking royals and their families. Adrian had chosen not to join them. He sat farther back, with Lissa, Christian, and Eddie. All of their faces were filled with worry. The judge–an elderly, gray-haired Moroi who looked like she could still kick ass–called the room to attention, and I twisted around to face forward again. The Council was entering, and she announced them one by one. Two sets of benches had been arranged for them, two rows of six with a thirteenth in back raised. Of course, only eleven of the spots were filled, and I tried not to scowl. Lissa should have been sitting there. When the Council was settled, the judge turned to face the rest of us and spoke in a voice that rang through the room. â€Å"This hearing is now in order, in which we will determine whether there is enough evidence to–â€Å" A commotion at the door cut her off, and the audience craned their necks to see what was going on. â€Å"What's this disturbance about?† the judge demanded. One of the guardians had the door partially open and was leaning out, apparently speaking to whoever was in the hall. He ducked back into the room. â€Å"The accused's lawyer is here, Your Honor.† The judge glanced at Damon and me and then delivered a frown to the guardian. â€Å"She already has a lawyer.† The guardian shrugged and appeared comically helpless. If there had been a Strigoi out there, he would have known what to do. This bizarre interruption of protocol was beyond his skill set. The judge sighed. â€Å"Fine. Send whoever it is up here and let's get this settled.† Abe walked in. â€Å"Oh dear lord,† I said out loud. I didn't have to scold myself for speaking out of turn because a hum of conversation immediately filled the room. My guess was that half were in awe because they knew Abe and his reputation. The other half were probably just stunned by his appearance. He wore a gray cashmere suit, considerably lighter than Damon's grim black. Underneath it was a dress shirt that was so bright a white, it seemed to glow–particularly next to the brilliant crimson silk tie he wore. Other spots of red were scattered about his outfit–a handkerchief in the pocket, ruby cuff links. Naturally, it was all as perfectly tailored and expensive as Damon's outfit. But Abe didn't look like he was in mourning. He didn't even look like he was coming to a trial. It was more like he'd been interrupted on his way to a party. And of course, he sported his usual gold hoop earrings and trimmed black beard. The judge silenced the room with a hand motion as he strutted up to her. â€Å"Ibrahim Mazur,† she said, with a shake of her head. There were equal parts amazement and disapproval in her voice. â€Å"This is†¦ unexpected.† Abe swept her a gallant bow. â€Å"It's lovely to see you again, Paula. You haven't aged a day.† â€Å"We aren't at a country club, Mr. Mazur,† she informed him. â€Å"And while here, you will address me by my proper title.† â€Å"Ah. Right.† He winked. â€Å"My apologies, Your Honor.† Turning, he glanced around until his eyes rested on me. â€Å"There she is. Sorry to have delayed this. Let's get started.† Damon stood up. â€Å"What is this? Who are you? I'm her lawyer.† Abe shook his head. â€Å"There must have been some mistake. It took me a while to get a flight here, so I can see why you would have appointed a community lawyer to fill in.† â€Å"Community lawyer!† Damon's face grew red with indignation. â€Å"I'm one of the most renowned lawyers among American Moroi.† â€Å"Renowned, community.† Abe shrugged and leaned back on his heals. â€Å"I don't judge. No pun intended.† â€Å"Mr. Mazur,† interrupted the judge, â€Å"are you a lawyer?† â€Å"I'm a lot of things, Paula–Your Honor. Besides, does it matter? She only needs someone to speak for her.† â€Å"And she has someone,† exclaimed Damon. â€Å"Me.† â€Å"Not anymore,† said Abe, his demeanor still very pleasant. He had never stopped smiling, but I thought I saw that dangerous glint in his eyes that frightened so many of his enemies. He was the picture of calm, while Damon looked like he was ready to have a seizure. â€Å"Your Honor–â€Å" â€Å"Enough!† she said in that resounding voice of hers. â€Å"Let the girl choose.† She fixed her brown eyes on me. â€Å"Who do you want to speak for you?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My mouth dropped open at how abruptly the attention shifted to me. I'd been watching the drama between the two men like a tennis match, and now the ball had hit me in the head. â€Å"Rose.† Startled, I turned slightly. Daniella Ivashkov had crept over in the row behind me. â€Å"Rose,† she whispered again, â€Å"you have no idea who that Mazur man is.† Oh, didn't I? â€Å"You want nothing to do with him. Damon's the best. He's not easy to get.† She moved back to her seat, and I looked between my two potential lawyers' faces. I understood Daniella's meaning. Adrian had talked her into getting Damon for me, and then she had talked Damon into actually doing it. Rejecting him would be an insult to her, and considering she was one of the few royal Moroi who'd been nice to me about Adrian, I certainly didn't want to earn her dislike. Besides, if this was some setup by royals, having one of them on my side was probably my best chance at getting off. And yet†¦ there was Abe, looking at me with that clever smile of his. He was certainly very good at getting his way, but a lot of that was by force of his presence and reputation. If there really was some absurd evidence against me, Abe's attitude wouldn't be enough to make it go away. Of course, he was sly, too. The serpent. He could make the impossible happen; he'd certainly pulled a lot of strings for me. That did not, however, change the fact that he wasn't a lawyer. On the other hand, he was my father. He was my father, and although we still barely knew each other, he'd gone to great lengths to get here and saunter in with his gray suit to defend me. Was it fatherly love gone bad? Was he really all that good a lawyer? And at the end of the day, was it true that blood ran thicker than water? I didn't know. I actually didn't like that saying. Maybe it worked for humans, but it made no sense with vampires. Anyway, Abe was staring at me intently with dark brown eyes nearly identical to mine. Trust me, he seemed to say. But could I? Could I trust my family? I would have trusted my mother if she were here–and I knew she trusted Abe. I sighed and gestured toward him. â€Å"I'll take him.† In an undertone, I added, â€Å"Don't let me down, Zmey.† Abe's smile grew broader as shocked exclamations filled the audience, and Damon protested in outrage. Daniella might have had to persuade him to take me on in the beginning, but now this case had become a matter of pride for him. His reputation had just been sullied by me passing him up. But I'd made my choice, and the exasperated judge would hear no more arguments about it. She shooed Damon away, and Abe slid into his seat. The judge began with the standard opening speech, explaining why we were here, etc., etc. As she spoke, I leaned toward Abe. â€Å"What have you gotten me into?† I hissed to him. â€Å"Me? What have you gotten yourself into? Couldn't I have just picked you up at the police station for underage drinking, like most fathers?† I was beginning to understand why people got irritated when I made jokes in dangerous situations. â€Å"My fucking future's on the line! They're going to send me to trial and convict me!† Every trace of humor or cheer vanished from his face. His expression grew hard, deadly serious. A chill ran down my spine. â€Å"That,† he said in a low, flat voice, â€Å"is something I swear to you is never, ever going to happen.† The judge turned her attention back to us and the prosecuting lawyer, a woman called Iris Kane. Not a royal name, but she still looked pretty hard-core. Maybe that was just a lawyer thing. Before the evidence against me was laid out, the queen's murder was also described in all its grisly detail. How'd she'd been found this morning in bed, a silver stake through her heart and a profound look of horror and shock on her face. Blood had been everywhere: on her nightgown, the sheets, her skin†¦ The pictures were shown to everyone in the room, triggering a variety of reactions. Gasps of surprise. More fear and panic. And some†¦ some people wept. Some of those tears were undoubtedly because of the whole terrible situation, but I think many cried because they'd loved or liked Tatiana. She'd been cold and stiff at times, but for the most part, her reign had been a peaceful and just one. After the pictures, they called me up. The hearing didn't run the way a normal trial did. There was no formal switching back of lawyers as they questioned witnesses. They each just sort of stood there and took turns asking questions while the judge kept order. â€Å"Miss Hathaway,† began Iris, dropping my title. â€Å"What time did you return to your room last night?† â€Å"I don't know the exact time†¦.† I focused on her and Abe, not the sea of faces out there. â€Å"Somewhere around 5 a.m., I think. Maybe 6.† â€Å"Was anyone with you?† â€Å"No, well–yes. Later.† Oh, God. Here it comes. â€Å"Um, Adrian Ivashkov visited me.† â€Å"What time did he arrive?† asked Abe. â€Å"I'm not sure of that either. A few hours after I got back, I guess.† Abe turned his charming smile on Iris, who was rustling through some papers. â€Å"The queen's murder has been pretty accurately narrowed down to between seven and eight. Rose wasn't alone–of course, we would need Mr. Ivashkov to testify to that effect.† My eyes flicked briefly to the audience. Daniella looked pale. This was her nightmare: Adrian getting involved. Glancing farther over, I saw that Adrian himself seemed eerily calm. I really hoped he wasn't drunk. Iris held up a sheet of paper triumphantly. â€Å"We have a signed statement from a janitor who says Mr. Ivashkov arrived at the defendant's building at approximately nine twenty.† â€Å"That's pretty specific,† said Abe. He sounded amused, like she'd said something cute. â€Å"Do you have any desk staff to confirm that?† â€Å"No,† Iris said icily. â€Å"But this is enough. The janitor remembers because he was about to take his break. Miss Hathaway was alone when the murder took place. She has no alibi.† â€Å"Well,† said Abe, â€Å"at least according to some questionable ‘facts.'† But no more was said about the time. The evidence was admitted into the official records, and I took a deep breath. I hadn't liked that line of questioning, but it had been expected, based on the earlier conversations I'd heard via Lissa. The no-alibi thing wasn't good, but I kind of shared Abe's vibe. What they had so far still didn't seem strong enough to send me to trial. Plus, they hadn't asked anything else about Adrian, which left him out of this. â€Å"Next exhibit,† said Iris. There was smug triumph all over her face. She knew the time thing was sketchy, but whatever was coming up, she thought it was gold. But actually, it was silver. A silver stake. So help me, she had a silver stake in a clear plastic container. It gleamed in the incandescent lighting–except for its tip. That was dark. With blood. â€Å"This is the stake used to kill the queen,† declared Iris. â€Å"Miss Hathaway's stake.† Abe actually laughed. â€Å"Oh, come on. Guardians are issued stakes all the time. They have an enormous, identical supply.† Iris ignored him and looked at me. â€Å"Where is your stake right now?† I frowned. â€Å"In my room.† She turned and glanced out over the crowd. â€Å"Guardian Stone?† A tall dhampir with a bushy black mustache rose from the crowd. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"You conducted the search of Miss Hathaway's room and belongings, correct?† I gaped in outrage. â€Å"You searched my–â€Å" A sharp look from Abe silenced me. â€Å"Correct,† said the guardian. â€Å"And did you find any silver stakes?† asked Iris. â€Å"No.† She turned back to us, still smug, but Abe seemed to find this new information even more ridiculous than the last batch. â€Å"That proves nothing. She could have lost the stake without realizing it.† â€Å"Lost it in the queen's heart?† â€Å"Miss Kane,† warned the judge. â€Å"My apologies, Your Honor,† said Iris smoothly. She turned to me. â€Å"Miss Hathaway, is there anything special about your stake? Anything that would distinguish it from others?† â€Å"Y-yes.† â€Å"Can you describe that?† I swallowed. I had a bad feeling about this. â€Å"It has a pattern etched near the top. A kind of geometric design.† Guardians had engraving done sometimes. I'd found this stake in Siberia and kept it. Well, actually, Dimitri had sent it to me after it had come loose from his chest. Iris walked over to the Council and held out the container so that each of them could examine it. Returning to me, she gave me my turn. â€Å"Is this your pattern? Your stake?† I stared. It was indeed. My mouth opened, ready to say yes, but then I caught Abe's eye. Clearly, he couldn't talk directly to me, but he sent a lot of messages in that gaze. The biggest one was to be careful, be sly. What would a slippery person like Abe do? â€Å"It†¦ it looks similar to the design on mine,† I said at last. â€Å"But I can't say for sure if it's the exact same one.† Abe's smile told me I'd answered correctly. â€Å"Of course you can't,† Iris said, as though she'd expected no better. She handed off the container to one of the court clerks. â€Å"But now that the Council has seen that the design matches her description and is almost like her stake, I would like to point out that testing has revealed†Ã¢â‚¬â€œshe held up more papers, victory all over her face–â€Å"that her fingerprints are on it.† There, it was. The big score. The â€Å"hard evidence.† â€Å"Any other fingerprints?† asked the judge. â€Å"No, Your Honor. Just hers.† â€Å"That means nothing,† said Abe with a shrug. I had a feeling that if I stood and suddenly confessed to the murder, he would still claim it was dubious evidence. â€Å"Someone steals her stake and wears gloves. Her fingerprints would be on it because it's hers.† â€Å"That's getting kind of convoluted, don't you think?† asked Iris. â€Å"The evidence is still full of holes,† he protested. â€Å"That's what's convoluted. How could she have gotten into the queen's bedroom? How could she have gotten through the guards?† â€Å"Well,† mused Iris, â€Å"those would be questions best explored in trial, but considering Miss Hathaway's extensive record of breaking into and out of places, as well as the countless other disciplinary marks she has, I don't doubt she could have found any number of ways to get inside.† â€Å"You have no proof,† said Abe. â€Å"No theory.† â€Å"We don't need it,† said Iris. â€Å"Not at this point. We have more than enough to go to trial, don't we? I mean, we haven't even gotten to the part where countless witnesses heard Miss Hathaway tell the queen she'd regret establishing the recent guardian law. I can find the transcript if you like–not to mention reports of other ‘expressive' commentary Miss Hathaway made in public.† A memory came back to me, of standing outside with Daniella while I ranted–with others watching–about how the queen couldn't buy me off with an assignment. Not a good decision on my part. Neither was busting in on the Death Watch or complaining about the queen being worth protecting when Lissa had been captured. I'd given Iris a lot of material. â€Å"Oh yes,† Iris continued. â€Å"We also have accounts of the queen declaring her extreme disapproval of Miss Hathaway's involvement with Adrian Ivashkov, particularly when the two ran off to elope.† I opened my mouth at that, but Abe silenced me. â€Å"There are countless other records of Her Majesty and Miss Hathaway sparring in public. Would you like me to find those papers too, or are we able to vote on a trial now?† This was directed at the judge. I had no legal background, but the evidence was pretty damning. I would have said that there was definitely reason to consider me a murder suspect, except†¦ â€Å"Your Honor?† I asked. I think she'd been about to give her declaration. â€Å"Can I say something?† The judge thought about it, then shrugged. â€Å"I see no reason not to. We're collecting all the evidence there is.† Oh, me freelancing was not in Abe's plan at all. He strode to the stand, hoping to stop me with his wise counsel, but he wasn't fast enough. â€Å"Okay,† I said, hoping I sounded reasonable and wasn't going to lose my temper. â€Å"You've put up a lot of suspicious stuff here. I can see that.† Abe looked pained. It was not an expression I'd seen on him before. He didn't lose control of situations very often. â€Å"But that's the thing. It's too suspicious. If I were going to murder someone, I wouldn't be that stupid. Do you think I'd leave my stake stuck in her chest? Do you think I wouldn't wear gloves? Come on. That's insulting. If I'm as crafty as you claim my record says I am, then why would I do it this way? I mean, seriously? If I did it, it'd be a lot better. You'd never even peg me as a suspect. This is all really kind of an insult to my intelligence.† â€Å"Rose–† began Abe, a dangerous note in his tone. I kept going. â€Å"All this evidence you've got is so painfully obvious. Hell, whoever set this up might as well have painted an arrow straight to me–and someone did set me up, but you guys are too stupid to even consider that.† The volume of my voice was rising, and I consciously brought it back to normal levels. â€Å"You want an easy answer. A quick answer. And you especially want someone with no connections, no powerful family to protect them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated there, unsure how to classify Abe. â€Å"Because that's how it always is. That's how it was with that age law. No one was able to stand up for the dhampirs either because this goddamned system won't allow it.† It occurred to me then that I had strayed pretty far off the subject–and was making myself look more guilty by slamming the age law. I reined myself back in. â€Å"Um, anyway, Your Honor†¦ what I'm trying to say is that this evidence shouldn't be enough to accuse me or send me to trial. I wouldn't plan a murder this badly.† â€Å"Thank you, Miss Hathaway,† said the judge. â€Å"That was very†¦ informative. You may take your seat now while the Council votes.† Abe and I returned to our bench. â€Å"What in the world were you thinking?† he whispered. â€Å"I was telling it like it is. I was defending myself.† â€Å"I wouldn't go that far. You're no lawyer.† I gave him a sidelong look. â€Å"Neither are you, old man.† The judge asked the Council to vote on whether they believed there was enough evidence to make me a viable suspect and send me to trial. They did. Eleven hands went up. Just like that, it was over. Through the bond, I felt Lissa's alarm. As Abe and I rose to leave, I looked out in the audience, which was starting to disband and buzzing with talk over what would happen now. Her light green eyes were wide, her face unusually pale. Beside her, Adrian too looked distressed, but as he stared at me, I could see love and determination radiating. And in the back, behind both of them†¦ Dimitri. I hadn't even known he was here. His eyes were on me too, dark and endless. Only I couldn't read what he was feeling. His face betrayed nothing, but there was something in his eyes†¦ something intense and intimidating. The image of him ready to take down that group of guardians flashed through my mind, and something told me that if I asked, he would do it again. He would fight his way to me through this courtroom and do everything in his power to rescue me from it. A brushing of my hand distracted me from him. Abe and I had started to exit, but the aisle ahead of us was packed with people, bringing us to a halt. The touch against my hand was a small piece of paper shoved between my fingers. Glancing over, I saw Ambrose was sitting near the aisle, staring straight ahead. I wanted to ask what was going on, but some instinct kept me silent. Seeing as the line still wasn't moving, I hastily opened the paper, keeping it out of Abe's sight. The paper was tiny, its elegant cursive almost impossible to read. Rose, If you're reading this, then something terrible has happened. You probably hate me, and I don't blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had planned. There are some Moroi who want to force all dhampirs into service, whether they want it or not, by using compulsion. The age decree has slowed that faction down. However, I write to you with a secret you must put right, and it is a secret you must share with as few as possible. Vasilisa needs her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives, the illegitimate child of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you will give Vasilisa the power she deserves. No matter your faults and dangerous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. Waste no time in fulfilling it. –Tatiana Ivashkov I stared at the piece of paper, its writing swirling before me, but its message burning into my mind. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives. If that was true, if Lissa had a half-brother or half-sister†¦ it would change everything. She would get a vote on the Council. She would no longer be alone. If it was true. If this was from Tatiana. Anyone could sign her name to a piece of paper. It didn't make it real. Still, I shivered, troubled at the thought of getting a letter from a dead woman. If I allowed myself to see the ghosts around us, would Tatiana be there, restless and vengeful? I couldn't bring myself to let down my walls and look. Not yet. There had to be other answers. Ambrose had given me the note. I needed to ask him†¦ except we were moving down the aisle again. A guardian nudged me along. â€Å"What's that?† asked Abe, always alert and suspicious. I hastily folded the note back up. â€Å"Nothing.† The look he gave me told me he didn't believe that at all. I wondered if I should tell him. It is a secret you must share with as few as possible. If he was one of the few, this wasn't the place. I tried to distract him from it and shake the dumbstruck look that must have been on my face. This note was a big problem–but not quite as big as the one immediately facing me. â€Å"You told me I wouldn't go to trial,† I said to Abe. My earlier annoyance returned. â€Å"I took a big chance with you!† â€Å"It wasn't a big chance. Tarus couldn't have got you out of this either.† Abe's easy attitude about all this infuriated me further. â€Å"Are you saying you knew this hearing was a lost cause from the beginning?† It was what Mikhail had said too. How nice to have such faith from everyone. â€Å"This hearing wasn't important,† Abe said evasively. â€Å"What happens next is.† â€Å"And what is that exactly?† He gave me that dark, sly gaze again. â€Å"Nothing you need to worry about yet.† One of the guardians put his hand on my arm, telling me I needed to move. I resisted his pull and leaned toward Abe. â€Å"The hell I don't! This is my life we're talking about,† I exclaimed. I knew what would come next. Imprisonment until the trial. And then more imprisonment if I was convicted. â€Å"This is serious! I don't want to go to trial! I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a place like Tarasov.† The guard tugged harder, pushing us forward, and Abe fixed me with a piercing gaze that made my blood run cold. â€Å"You will not go to trial. You will not go to prison,† he hissed, out of the guards' hearing. â€Å"I won't allow it. Do you understand?† I shook my head, confused over so much and not knowing what to do about any of it. â€Å"Even you have your limits, old man.† His smile returned. â€Å"You'd be surprised. Besides, they don't even send royal traitors to prison, Rose. Everyone knows that.† I scoffed. â€Å"Are you insane? Of course they do. What else do you think they do with traitors? Set them free and tell them not to do it again?† â€Å"No,† said Abe, just before he turned away. â€Å"They execute traitors.† Many thanks to all the friends and family who have lent their considerable support to me as I worked on this, especially my amazing and patient husband. I know I couldn't get through this without you! Special thanks also to my pal Jen Ligot and her eagle eyes. On the publishing side, I'm always grateful for the hard work of my agent Jim McCarthy, as well as everyone else at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management–including Lauren Abramo, who helps spread Vampire Academy around the world. Thank you also to the gang at Penguin Books–Jessica Rothenberg, Ben Schrank, Casey McIntyre, and so many others–who work a lot of magic for this series. My publishers outside the U.S. are also doing wonderful things for getting the word out about Rose, and I'm constantly amazed to see the growing international response. Thank you so much for all you do. A last shout-out to my readers, whose continued enthusiasm still overwhelms me. Thank you for reading and loving these characters as much as I do.