Saturday, August 31, 2019

Functional Health Assessment

Nursing theorist Marjorie Gordon developed, in 1987, functional health patterns as a tool guide, used by nurses as a comprehensive data collection during patient assessments. Functional health pattern enables the nurses to identify and determine all aspects of health and human function (Kosher, 2013). The purpose of this assignment is to discuss how the interviewed family views their health overall, to improve their health promotion/patient education, and to identify the needs of the family using Gordon’s 11 functional health patterns. Family Health AssessmentThe family selected for this project is a bi-nuclear family with three children. The mother is 40 years old and has two occupations, a phlebotomist and a nursing assistant. She has a 15 year old daughter, 3 year old twin boys. Her daughter is from her previous marriage. The father is 48 years old and works as a long distance truck driver. The couple has been married for 7 years. During the interview the family was asked o pen ended questions to evaluate their overall views of their health. These open ended questions were used in conjunction with Gordon’s 11 functional health patterns.The minor children were included in discussions with parents present. Patterns of Health Perception and Health Management The family as a whole perceives their health in overall good condition. They believe that with frequent and check-ups with their primary physician, their health can be maintained and managed properly. The importance of spirituality plays an important role in maintaining mental and physical wellness. The father has past medical issues with hypertensive crisis induced by stress and diet. The mother has a history of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean section with the childbirth of the  twins.In order to improve health maintenance they are dieting appropriately and exercising regularly and taking what they call a â€Å"family time-out† on the weekends to relieve stress and bu ild emotional bond. Nutrition-Metabolic Pattern Diet is an important part of this family maintaining their health. Because of the fathers condition the family eats a cardiac healthy diet. Their typical daily intake, consist of lots of vegetables, salads, chicken and fish. They have deleted red meat and carbonated drinks out of their diet.The father confessed to eating sweets and other unhealthy items. The children state that they like to snack all day. Mom sends the twins with healthy snacks at daycare and the older daughter opts to eat school lunch every so often. She prefers to bring a Gatorade and sandwich for lunch. The family was noted to practice eating the recommended 6 small meals per day. The main meal in this household is eaten around five or six p. m. The father and mother had experienced weight fluctuations due to diet changes and life changing stressful events.Pattern of Elimination The elimination function is regular without difficulty for anyone with bowel movements o r urination. The frequent urination is no longer an issue for the mother since she has lost some of the baby weight and no longer with pregnant. The twin boys are currently being potty trained, with some episodes of incontinence at night, which is to be expected. They are still using pull-up briefs at bedtime. Pattern of Activity/Exercise This family is very active. The mother says she stays active with work and the two boys at home keep her busy.The mother does a lot of heavy lifting at working so she is required to wear safety brace while at work. The father job requires sitting most of the time with lifting from time to time. They do many outdoor activities for family time, for example, fishing, swimming, and bike riding on the trail, at the local park. The mother participates in zumba exercise class on Wednesday evenings. Cognitive and Perception Education is a continued factor in this household. The mother is in school for licensed practical nursing.The daughter is in high scho ol and maintains  a 3. 5 grade average in her classes. The twins go to day care every day for early learning. The father completed 2 years of college and has degree in general studies, has a special driving license. Pattern of Seep and Rest Family’s response towards rest was different. The mother complained of lack of rest since the twins were born and the father stated that when he is home from a long trip it is difficult for him to sleep at home because he is used to being up all night driving. The twins and the teenage daughter take naps and gets sleep without any complaints.Pattern of Self Perception and Self Concept Some family members noted to feel unsatisfied about their appearances in different ways. The daughter felt that she had chunky legs. The father felt that he could stand to lose a few more pounds because he felt fat. The mother is still worried about fitting into that bathing suit she bought two months ago on sale. Body image was an issue, but it was discuss ed nonchalant throughout the conversation. The daughter appeared to be vainer about her appearance than any other family member.Role Relationships PatternSupport for each is noted throughout the family, they attend church regularly on Sundays has a spiritual and emotional support system. The parents socialize with other church members through activities. They voiced satisfaction with their home life. They often go out on dates with other couples and families with children. The mother’s relatives live close by, so they have frequently family visits. Sexuality –Reproductive Pattern The parents are currently sexually active. The teenage daughter stated she is not, but was curious and had some questions.The daughter started her menses at age 11. The mother started her menses cycle at early age 9. The parents were informed of the teenage daughter curiosity and questions so that could be addressed personally. Pattern of Coping and Stress Tolerance Stress has had an impact on this family. The father has been hospitalized twice with a hypertensive crisis. Life changing events started from the birth of the twins, then the death of his mother a year ago and now work has been slower than usual, not enough hours to work and support his family.The mother is stressed from taking on the extra load of responsibilities. No recreational drugs or alcohol abuse in the home. Stress is relieved by spiritual needs being met and family support. Patterns of Values and Beliefs Religion is very important to this family, by attending church regularly and participating in extra activities at church with their church family. A close knit family is highly valued. The American culture is practiced in this family. Western medicine is their health practice.Wellness Diagnoses/Family Nursing DiagnosisReadiness for Enhanced Caregiver Role related to interrupted family processes and caregiver role strain (Gordon, 1994) Effective therapeutic Regimen Management related to non-complianc e with diet (Gordon, 1994) Conclusion The interviewing process of this family was intensive, but important information was gained. Areas noted for increased education and health promotion/well-being. Based on the functional health patterns assessment, wellness and family nursing diagnoses was implemented. Factors taken into consideration were the diet and weight concern, and the shift of responsibilities increasing stressors.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Develop throughout this play? Essay

      The remains calm about the breaking up of her engagement, and this is something that would not have happened an hour earlier. During the time that Mrs Birling was telling her story, and the fact that she thought whoever was responsible should be sorely punished, Sheila and her, unconsciously change places. Sheila becomes the mother, and Mrs Birling, the child. Throughout Mrs Birling’s elucidation, Sheila is trying to stop her from saying something that she will later regret. Mrs Birling just will not listen to Sheila, and she is acting just as a child would – disobediently. Sheila is trying to protect her family. She does not want others to get involved, although she knows that they will, but she also knows that her mother is making things a lot worse for everybody. This is the place in the play, where Sheila’s maturity is most obvious. Near the end of Act 2, they discover that the man who had got Eva Smith pregnant, was there own Eric. Obviously this affected Sheila, firstly because she knows that now every person in her family is partly responsible for someone’s death, and secondly, because she now knows, that that baby would have been her niece of her nephew. Sheila: Mother – I begged you and begged you to stop. (Act 2, page 49) This was the last line of Act 2, and by this point, everyone knows that everyone in the family played a part in killing that girl, and there was no escaping it. By saying the above, Sheila was blaming her mother for part of the situation. Sheila is not trying to take away her guilt, and put it on her mother, but she needs her mother to understand that she has done wrong. After the Inspector has spoken to Eric, and heard his side of the story, Sheila is the one who tells Eric what his mother had done – she had turned her away. At this news, Eric is absolutely furious. Sheila is the grown-up in all of this. She is the one who explains things, who helps people to understand the situation, and to say what has to be said. Inspector: And you can’t even say ‘I’m sorry, Eva Smith’. (Act 3, page 56) Sheila: That’s the worst of it. (Act 3, page 56) Here, this was the first time that I actually saw Sheila as a totally selfless person. She was not talking, or even thinking about herself. The worst part of all of it, was not that her engagement with Gerald had been called off, or that her evening had been spoilt, but the fact that she could not say that she was sorry, and for Sheila, this was a complete transformation from who she was in the beginning. After the Inspector has left, the family continue to talk about it all. Mr and Mrs Birling are blaming Eric, and he is accepting that. However, Sheila seems to be the only one, who actually understands the predicament. Sheila: I behaved badly too. I know I did. I’m ashamed of it. But now you’re beginning to all over again to pretend that nothing much has happened. (Act 3, page 57) This reveals, that Sheila does have strong feelings for Eva Smith, who has died because of what her family has done. She regrets the mistakes that she has made, and she feels very guilty, but she believes that her parents are acting very irresponsibly. As Sheila and Eric listen to what one another have to say, they become one mind, they both feel the same way, and their parents are a complete contrast to that. We also learn here just how intelligent Sheila is. She is the first person to pick up on the fact the Inspector may be a fake. Sheila: Is that when the Inspector came, just after Father had said that? (Act 3, page 58) She soon after this, says, Sheila: It doesn’t much matter now, of course. (Act 3, page 58) She then continues to make a very relevant speech. Her views and opinions were very close to the Inspector’s, as I said earlier, and this is reflected in her speech. This shows that she was listening carefully to what he had been saying that evening, which shows him a lot of respect. Sheila: If all that’s come out of tonight is true, it doesn’t much matter who made us confess. (Act 3, page 59) This illustrates, that Sheila feels that everything her family had done, has still been done, whether the Inspector was real or not. She has now taken over the Inspector’s role, reminding each member of the family, of their role in contributing towards Eva Smith’s death. Once Gerald has confirmed that the Inspector was a fake, Mr and Mrs Birling are so happy, while Eric and Sheila still strongly believe that they have all behaved in an entirely inappropriate manner. Birling copes with the situation through aggressiveness, unlike the calm and composed attitude of the younger generation. Sheila shows her annoyance and infuriation with the older generation, by saying, Sheila: Don’t let’s start dodging and pretending now. Between us we drove that girl to commit suicide. (Act 3, page 66) This shows that Sheila knows that the girl’s death should be priority, and not trying to pass blame. Following this, Gerald then questions the fact that a girl actually committed suicide, by saying, Gerald: I say – there’s no more evidence we did than there was that that chap was a real Police Inspector. (Act 3, page 66) At first, the family members do not see how this could be possible, but as Gerald then explains how it could be true, they begin to listen to him, and start to understand his point. This shows Gerald’s awareness and intelligence at this point in the play. The confirm his beliefs, Gerald then makes the phone call to the Infirmary, and finds out that no girl has died that night from swallowing disinfectant. People react in different ways to this news. Mr and Mrs Birling have learnt nothing throughout his whole experience, Mr Birling: the whole story’s just a lot of moonshine. (Act 3, page 70) Mrs Birling: In the morning they’ll be as amused as we are. (Act 3, page 71) They are still as they were in the beginning. However, Sheila has changed. Sheila: But you’re forgetting one thing I still can’t forget. Everything we said had happened really happened. If it didn’t end tragically, then that’s lucky for us. But it might have done. (Act 3, page 70) Again, this shows maturity and intelligence. Mr Birling and Sheila, both think that the opposite generation is talking nonsense, but the audience know that Sheila is right. She has learnt from her experience – Mr Birling has not. The play ends, with Mr Birling taking a phone call, saying that a girl had just died in the infirmary, from swallowing some disinfectant. In summary, Sheila’s mature attitude was shown throughout the play, and her guilt and willingness to learn from her mistakes was also displayed. She came through, as a caring and thoughtful character, and an intelligent and realistic girl. Sheila did put forward her feelings, but unfortunately, her parents would not listen. If the whole family had acted similarly to Sheila, then maybe the outcome would not have been so tragic. Word Count: 3, 491 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE J. B. Priestley section.

The Importance of Benchmarking in Strategic Management

The Fortune's list of 100 best companies to work for is a source of prestige to companies that are nominated by their employees as the best companies to work for. The Container Store which is a Dallas-based retail store emerged number 32 in the recently released 2009 Fortune list. One department to reckon with at Container Store is the human resource management which earned the company a position in the Fortune 100 best companies to work for in America. But just what is Container Store's approach to human resource management?This paper seeks to answer this question and offers conclusions about the human resource management approach used by the company. Analysis Container Store makes use of a flexible human resource structure. Their rules on employees are simple and flexible and the concept of a rulebook or manual for employees is not their way of managing people (Laabs, 2001). The company is interested in people's ability to be straight forward and eager to counter different situatio ns with flexibility and creativity.Unlike in the traditional HR system, Container Store makes use of managers and supervisors to promote motivation and staff retention since they are more closer to the employees (Laabs, 2001). There is great interaction between employees and managers in order to create freedom of expression. Even the founders Kip and Garret still frequent the store to interact with employees and help them out (Container Store, 2009).The company's employee development philosophy focuses on employee's talents and not titles letting employees make the best use of their abilities to benefit themselves and the company. Container Store puts great value on employees describing them as the greatest assets in the organization. Motivation and an enthusiastic environment are the factors that give its employees the desire to stay with the company for years (Container Store, 2009). Career development and training ensure well qualified staff for the company which is very keen on customer care.For motivation, great benefits for their employees including exceptional training, job security and attractive pay package are provided. A 40% discount on the company's merchandise, 401(k) retirement benefits, medical and dental plans for employees both full-time and part-time provide even more benefits for the employees (Container Store, 2009). From the above analysis, we can conclude that the human resource management at Container Store is employee oriented. It allows flexibility and is democratic in nature.More so it values success and the management recognizes that the employees are key to achieving this. Container Store is also keen on its employee's welfare and health. This kind of management style brings in positive outcomes in a company since the employees will often feel as contributors to the business growth. According to the vice president of operations, Beth Barret, flexibility gives employees a chance to participate in company decision making (Laabs, 2001) .This gives a sense of responsibility and is better off than using autocratic kind of management system. Allowing employees to be flexible rather than follow a certain set of laws is a motivating factor and plays a big role in defining productivity of employees. Container Store's dedication to employee motivation is a good quality in the human resource management which is aimed at encouraging employee commitment to the company. Employee benefits are a good way of not only retaining employees but also motivation which promotes productivity. ConclusionFlexibility and staff involvement in the business activities are emphasized as the key contributors of Container Store's success. The qualities of the human resource management approach used by Container Store gives a justification for why the employees nominated it as the best company to work with. Word Count: 606 References Container Store (2009). Careers for Great People. Retrieved on April 27, 2009 from www. containerstore. com Laabs , J. K. (2001). Thinking Outside the Box at The Container Store – Human Resource Management Awards. Workforce, March Issue.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 41

Reflection - Essay Example I could even picture white swans swimming beneath the water which flowed from the fountain. These added to life that seemed to eminate from the dynamic and ongoing flow. Likewise, I can even imaging the ripples from the body of water below as the fountain spurt forth its dynamic energy. It gives me a sense of rejuvenation; yet, also a feeling of serenity. I initially perceived that working with watercolors was fairly challenging. As such, Sargent evidently proved that his skills in painting were genuine and innate. The mixing of colors enabled him to create the impression that is intended to be relayed to the audience. The overall effect was therefore effective in eliciting different emotions from the viewers, depending on perspectives and how each person appreciated this particular work of art. I felt exhilirated and inpired when I look at this painting. The magnificent view and lush green landscape at the background was also captured in greater depth and detail. Even the fruit-bearing shrubs added appeal and impact to his work. When I viewed this painting, I would like to be brought to the actual scene; where I am sure it would present a breathtaking view. Thus, by viewing the painting, I am sure the audience is given a glimpse of the beauty of the garden where the painter got the inspiration from. Likewise, the painting also inspires others, especially those reflecting to emulate his profession and become artists in their own respective capacities. By learning how to appreciate works of arts which were created by artists through years of practice and through genuine interest in this endeavor, other prospective artists could likewise be inspired to create similar works of art. Thus, the painting became a source of inspiration and learning experience to look more closely a nd appreciate the beauty in the creation of artists, who wanted to share the exhilirating experience of seeing the magnificence in nature, through art.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Japanese Politics and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Japanese Politics and Culture - Essay Example Electoral System The Koenkai formed during the post war period and can be described as a personal support group for political candidates and those in office. They are formed by the candidates themselves and not the particular party and involve personal acquaintances of every nature and are maintained through the use of personal gestures such as cards and visits which can become expensive for the candidate. It is this expense that led to the creation of what are known as factions. Many actually inherit their koenkai and in 2011 72% of the hereditary candidates were elected to office with the benefit of their koenkai (Neary, p72). The koenkai formation represented an innovative and unique resolution in campaign strategy rather than relying on local politicians and community leaders. Politicians formed the koenkai in response to an inability of aforementioned politicians and leaders to gather enough votes to allow them to win the election. Local politicians are usually made officers of a candidates koenkai, local assemblymen serve as chapter presidents and these koenkai can easily include thousands of members with an example being Nakasone, whose koenkai numbers 50,000 (Curtis, p130). Local politicians give the koenkai a feel of democracy in a mass membership organization and when given titles such as federation chief it becomes more difficult for them to switch their loyalty to another candidate. Their primary function is no longer to gather votes but to add prestige to the koenkai. These koenkai will consist of many groups, including women and youth and other special interest populations. The idea is maintained that it is the will of the people who allow the official to become elected and helps to ensure equal distribution of wealth and income which Japan has... In 2007 political scandal resulted in the suicide of Matsuoka Toshikatsu, Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Though this is a rare occurrence corruption is a constant and prevailing factor in Japanese politics. As a member of the prior ruling liberal democratic party he was extremely influential and involved in bureaucrat led-bid-rigging and political donations from public works contractors to Diet members, allowing opportunity for political expenditures to be hidden used for activities such as vote buying. Shortly before his appointment to be questioned by the House of Counselors’ Budget Committee regarding the misappropriation of political funds Toshikatsu took his own life, followed the next day by associate Yamazaki Shinichi, directly connected to the bid-rigging scandal. Through multiple studies and suggestions there are many possibilities for the long running success of the LDP. Clientelism, the prior electoral system of SNTV/MMD, factions and koenkai, and the preference of the Japanese people to remain within groups may be all strong contributing factors. The Clientelism obviously has led to corruption and essentially makes it much easier to conduct bid-rigging and vote buying as suggested, which led to the suicide of Toshikatsu two years before the LDP lost political power. With the DJP in place it is too soon to know what successes they will create within the government or if they will be able to maintain their power. Naoto Kan, previous Prime Minister, was the sixth Prime Minister in a five year period to be replaced, after his mishandling of the Tsunami disaster that occurred in 2011 and the disaster occurring with the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Control Charts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Control Charts - Research Paper Example The items that are being considered may have one or more quality characteristics that should be inspected at the same time. The item is considered non –conforming or flawed if one of the characteristics under assessment does not match or correspond the laid down standards. The proportional charts can be said to track the proportion of defects and are used when evaluating a product with regard to a certain standard and hence classifying it as being defective or otherwise. These charts plot the proportion of defective items per subgroup. The data collected are the number of flawed items and is assumed to follow a binomial distribution with an unidentified proportional parameter P. The C chart is applicable when a product is known to have various defects, which are controllable. C charts track the number of flaws per unit sampled. C charts are usually used when dealing with an intricate product or service. The C chart requires the following assumptions in order be effectively utilized: it assumes that the likelihood of non-conformity is small at any given location; secondly, the C charts assume that the probable locations for conformity are very huge. The C charts plot the number of defects per unit and the data composed is the total number of defects in every subgroup, which is known to follow poisons distribution with an unknown mean number of defects in each subgroup. Control limits for control charts are basically in the control phase of a six sigma project. These charts should be sensitive enough be able to quickly give a signal when a special cause exists. Assessment of sensitivity is achieved by calculating the number of subgroups needed to signal a special cause. Good control charts should never give a false alarm when the process is controllable.     

Monday, August 26, 2019

Conclusion for my project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conclusion for my project - Essay Example Dark tourism therefore has a history which attracts both history makers and curious people to these sites of history. Looking at Prague, The Church of SS Cyril and Methodius are good historical sites and these two have been voted as the best tourist destinations in the Czech Republic leave alone the aspect of being in Prague (Hannam & Knox, 2010, p. 28). This is because they acted as a refuge centre for assassins of ReichsprotektorHeydrich. In these places, the Germans outnumbered their enemies forcing them (enemies) to take their own lives by shooting themselves. That was in 1942 during the Second World War (Martina, 2011, p. 79). The two names centres are not the only ones in Prague that contribute to its tourism. Apparently the increased demand dark tourism has been boosted by the number of dark tourism centres in Prague. This is because the more the number of dark tourist centres, the richer the history of the town. Some other centres in the town that must have an applied history that is need knowledge for so many people are: Due to this, the statement of the research question would be that; the many dark tourism centres in Prague contain a rich history of past happenings and therefore have increased the demand for dark tourism in the town. The aim of this research is to relate the history contained in each of the dark tourism centres to the increased demand in dark tourism in Prague. This is because each centre has got its own history and there are also different types of tourists that visit the place for their knowledge. It is therefore important that the ability of the sites to attract tourists must be indicated as a cause for the increased demand of the tourists in Prague. The reason for choosing this research topic is that dark tourism is a fast-growing niche of the global tourism market. There is a lot of potential in this niche market because people will be always fascinated and

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Research paper High School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research paper High School - Essay Example Stiva ponders aloud what he should do. The narrative combines his stream of consciousness and the third person perspective in the writing in Part One, Chapter One; ' "But what's to be done What's to be done" he said to himself in despair, and found no answer.' (Tolstoy 3). Tolstoy developed his omniscient narratives to depict different tones of voices while stepping in the shoes of the various characters. For example, the omniscient narrator who writes about Stiva uses a relaxed tone to reflect Stiva's personality. When the narrator writes about Levin, the tone is tense. It tells that Levin is awkward in social manners because he is honest. Levin and Stiva are assigned opposite tones in narratives because their characters are opposites. Levin's unhappiness with the political climate is depicted in this narrative with Levin and Stiva in Part One, Chapter Five, when this is recorded about Levin; ' "On one side it's a plaything; they play at being a parliament, and I'm neither young enough nor old enough to find amusement in playthings; and on the other side" (he stammered) "it's a means for the coterie of the district to make money. Formerly they had wardships, courts of justice, now they have the district council--not in the form of bribes, but in the form of unearned salary," he said, as hotly as though someone of those present had opposed his opinion.' Tolstoy used the characters to ... "Her husband put her with me, and I was delighted to have her..." ' Tolstoy uses the Countess to voice a different opinion of Anna towards the end of the novel. Tolstoy developed Anna's narrator to grow with her role in the novel. In the beginning, she is the successful negotiator who win's Dolly's hand back for he brother, Stiva. The narrator shows Anna's cunning strategy of sympathy, empathy, praise, and eventual victory. Tolstoy has developed the narrative to even use the pauses fruitfully. For example, in Part One, Chapter Nineteen, Anna says; ' "I don't know, I can't judge.... Yes, I can," said Anna, thinking a moment; and grasping the position in her thought and weighing it in her inner balance, she added: "Yes, I can, I can, I can. Yes, I could forgive it. I could not be the same, no; but I could forgive it, and forgive it as though it had never been, never been at all..." ' Towards the end of the novel in Part Eight, Chapter Thirty-One, Anna has changed into a different woman. She is no longer complacent in her old realist views of her Russian society or European world. The narration portrays her as a true tragic heroine who gives up her marriage for love with Vronsky. Vronsky fails her. The narrative describes Anna as becoming confused. She reads meaning into everything she sees. At this stage, Tolstoy is trying to shift his novel, from the realist mode into the modernist. This departure from realism shows when Anna's thoughts leave the unimportant daily experiences and she tries to read deeper meanings into the ordinary activities. The novel introduces modernism then. In Part Eight, Chapter Thirty-One, the narration records Anna as saying; '"Yes, I'm very much worried, and that's what reason was

Saturday, August 24, 2019

International society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International society - Essay Example The group of people triumphed with the help of human forces of the world, and they returned back to reunite with their families. In the end, human resistance around the world destroyed the craft of the aliens. This shows the relevance of the myth that there is an international society. International society refers to values and norms that are shared by states and how they guide international relations (Weber p57). Some of the norms that states of the world share include: diplomacy, international law, and order. It is mainly concerned with humanitarian intervention. Independence Day shows a good example of humanitarian intervention as human forces across the world came together to destroy the aliens who had invaded the world. In the movie, the moral good shared by human populations around the world defeated irredeemable evil forces. Comically, the Independence Day movie demonstrates that even without formal order like in anarchy, it is possible for the world to set aside their differences and unite for the good of all humankind. The invasion of the world by aliens in the movie united humanity against the invaders. In the movie, humans are defined as being morally good. This can be seen in the movie when everyone starts to focus on helping one another as the aliens begin to destroy cities worldwide. In a world full of divisions and individuality, there could be looting of goods and extortion of services. Instead, people helped one another (Weber p47). A good example of this situation of humanity is seen when Jasmine rescues everyone she comes across as she roams the streets of Los Angeles, without considering their backgrounds or asking for anything in return. The Independence Day was therefore considered in the movie to be a time when people are morally good and are ready to help other people who share in that moral goodness. Morse code was used in the movie as a form of international communication to bring together militaries across the world. It was

Friday, August 23, 2019

Environmental Projects NYC Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental Projects NYC - Term Paper Example The three sub basins identified cuts across in excess of 35countries. The environmental context of this basin is of great concern since its water quality has been comprised from time to time. Numerous geological surveys have been conducted all over New York to address environmental issues, and the water quality of this basin is one of the identified environmental issues in New York. This paper is meant to assess the problem of water quality in the basin basing its argument on the applicability of geosciences in understanding and addressing the problem. This problem is brought about by the environmental setting of the basin. The basin occurs in an environment setting that allows massive land use in all the areas that the basin lies on. Application of Geosciences in Understanding and Addressing the Water Quality Issue in the Hudson River Basin Sediments in the stream bottom Geological studies have been conducted in the basin for quite some time now. It has been established that the urb an streams of the basin as well as on other rivers of the basin have considerable levels of stream sediments. These sediments are mostly found on the bottom of the stream. The presence of these sediments has comprised the water quality in the basin due to the fact they raise metal concentration in the water. The metals have also led to the concentration of chemicals resulting from water-metal reactions, for example the polychlorinated biphenyls (Levinton & Waldman 39). The water quality in the basin has as a result deteriorated, evidenced by the fact that the above mentioned concentrations have exceeded the predetermined and set standards of water quality. In addressing this problem, the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) has put measures in place that are aimed at reducing concentration levels in the basin. Part of the basin that lies within urban areas is said to carry large amounts of zinc, lead and mercury. In fact, these levels of concentration exceed those set by the Ne w York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). In this regard, the two agencies have initiated programs that are designed to sensitize the locals about the need to reduce metal concentrations in the water. Although the drinking water quality is still observed, there are concerns that the basin could turn unsafe for human consumption if stern measures are not taken. On this note, de-concentration actions by environmental agencies have been established to deal with this issue. Geosciences experts and professionals have been engaged in the process in order to fully observe such progresses and correct mishaps that may be realized in the course. Stream ecology The Hudson River Basin is characterized by many social and economic activities. Some parts of the basin remains undisturbed but where encroachment has occurred, many activities are conducted. This due tot the fact that the basic’s hydrological potential; exceeds that many other basins in New York. On the sam e note, the basin is characteristic of numerous rivers and tributaries that make up its interconnectedness. This special feature of the basin has attracted many local into farming activities, alongside harboring many animal species like fish and invertebrates. Intolerant animal species have so far been absent in the river, denoting aspects of unfavorable environment. Human encroachment along the basin can be cited as a reason for this. Studies done on the water quality

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Business foundation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business foundation - Essay Example The interactive entertainment programs will encompass frequent contests, karaoke, games, and music hosted by an in-house DJ charged with event programming for the lounge and main room. Key features of target market The primary sources of revenue in a nightclub include high-volume traffic, alcohol and food revenues, and door charges, accompanied by nominal spending. The key to success in this business lies in availing excellent service that leaves a lasting impression on the clients, vibrant entertainment atmosphere and product quality strict control over the costs, and prudent management of internal finances and cash flow to allow upward capital growth (Sengupta 2005, p.4). The growth of the metropolitan area presents numerous opportunities that can support a high-end, dance-themed nightclub. The accessibility of a central location, demographics, and weak direct competition offers major advantages to the established of a nightclub in the Oxford area. The proposed venue will avail a v ibrant social atmosphere for young people aged 21-35 years age group living in and around the Oxford area. The new venue will specialize in availing high-energy themes, offer beer, wine and a broad range of liquors and mixed drinks, as well as a quality video and gaming area. The club will also sell non-alcoholic beverages such as bottled water, juices, and soft drinks, as well as a â€Å"casual† food menu comprising of appetizers and small entrees at low cost. Market Segmentation College students The target market for a nightclub is largely young people aged 21-35 years (both male and female). This client base is mostly outgoing and single who enjoy going out and meeting new people or friends. The proximity of the club to various colleges and universities will aid the resort to attract students within and around the Metropolis area. The distinct dance, as well as other themes, will most likely attract students towards these entertainments. The market segmentation of the stud ents’ client includes those between 18-26 years. The majority of this target market will be single male and female students interested in exploring the night life entertainment in their young age (Moss 2009, p.68). Single young business professionals The other target market for the night club entails young professionals aged between 25 and 40years. Since the area enjoys vibrant business activities, the corporation operating in the area will most likely have employed young professionals, who have sufficient resources for recreation, and who are likely to spend some of their time in night clubs holding parties and get-togethers. The availability of multi-themed entertainment activities, young professionals are likely to spend a significant portion of their income for such entertainments. Married couples This target group encompasses young married couples aged between aged between 30 and 40 years, who either have or do not have kids. The middle-aged couples enjoy sound financial income and are likely to b interested in spending a weekend out for parties. Tourists/Vacationers The Metropolis, Oxford area can be highlighted as one of the most significant tourist area for visitors, especially international tourists. Choices Nightclub will provide multi-level dance, pop entertainment, with a comprehensive range of entertainment and restaurant themes within its facility. The tourists can be attracted to the facility by generating vocational packages with diverse airline agencies

Peter Singer’s Solution to World Poverty Essay Example for Free

Peter Singer’s Solution to World Poverty Essay How can we help people in need, and become better human beings? How can it be that we have money for new cars, houses and vacations, but when UNICEF or some other kind of healthcare organization ask us for just 2 dollars, we turn them down right away? In the article â€Å"Solution to world poverty† Peter Singer gives some of his suggestions on how to help others, and become better persons. Singer tells a story about a man named Bob. Bob just bought himself a new car. The car he bought is one of the most expensive cars you can get. A classic Volkswagen Bugatti. He then has to make a choice. He either has to let his car get destroyed and save the life of a child or save the car and let the child get killed. He chose to save the car. The other story comes from a Brazilian film, a woman called Dora, all she has to leave a homeless nine years old boy to a family that will adopt him in order to make a thousand dollars. Dora delivers the boy into his new family, but she is told that the boy was too old for adoption and he would be killed for organs used in transplantation. To save the boy, Dora decides to take the boy back. In fact Dora would like to save the boy because she has the direct contact with him, but for Bob, he never ever see this kid before, they have no relationship or any contact at all. But what is luxury? Money can be divided into two categories. â€Å"Need to have† and â€Å"Nice to have†. Food is something you need to have, clothes is something you need to have, but a vacation is just nice to have. â€Å"Nice to have â€Å" is just a luxury. I have just used 300 dollars on a new Xbox, but instead of using 300 dollars on this machine, I could have donated the money to the research of cancer. I would not mind giving the 300 dollars to some kind of healthcare organization, but now when I have the Xbox at my home, I say to myself that â€Å"it’s too late†, but in reality it’s not. All I have to do is return the Xbox, and give the money to the organization, but I know I won’t. Singer uses the stories to let himself into the conscience of his readers. Singer says: â€Å"If you think that is was very wrong of Bob not to throw the switch that would have diverted the train and saved the child’s life, then it is hard to see how you could deny that it is also very wrong not to send money to one of the organizations listed above.† Singer â€Å"blames me† for delaying the cure of cancer, when I bought that Xbox, instead of donating the money. I’m sure that the most of people, who have read this article, would think about the subject â€Å"donating† without doing anything more than think about it. Singers article is provoking, and you feel bad after you have read it, and maybe that’s the thing we need. What about people, how would it affect them? Most people might become more humane. The concept of donating would be difficult for the first couple of years, but slowly the public would start to get use to donating. After a few generations, it would be a part of the everyday life, around the world. Singer writes: â€Å"But he was not unlucky at all. We are all in that situation.† Singer is referring to the choice Bob had to make. Singer means that we all have to choose between life or death. Luxury or healthcare. If Peter Singers plan were to actually work, the amount of lives saved would be enormous. By donating the money that would otherwise would go to luxuries, organizations such as UNICEF would send the money overseas to the people who need it. With that money, they could buy food, water, and get roofs above their heads and many other products that are considered to be necessary . There is one problem, however: how much of the money donated would actually reach the people it was intended for? Some organizations take a percentage of the donated money to cover administrative costs. I have talked to a member of Green Peace, and he could not tell me how much of the money that was donated, actually goes to the area that needs it. If only one third of the donated money goes to the troubled area, it’s no wonder why the results is in so slow progress.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Tourism Tourism Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Tourism Tourism Essay Tourism is a popular industry to develop local economics in the world. Apart from the development of economy, tourism also can bring many advantages to local governments and residents. A large number of governments all want to develop tourism to get maximum benefits, even some governments spent much more energy and money on development of tourism. The development of tourism can drive economic growth and working unit increase, so tourism is a significant catalyst for economic growth and employment. Tourism is worth almost  £64bn p.a. to the national economy. It contributes 2.8-3.9% of total GDP and earns almost  £16bn in foreign exchange each year. Tourism employs almost 1.8m people, which is 7% of the employed workforce. One in five of all new jobs are created in the tourism industry. (Liddell 2011). Furthermore, developing tourism is beneficial to local education system. In fact, many tourists go to travel to some famous places, and tourists will point some useful advises to forest or facilities management system. Tourists provide an endless supply of people from around the world that can be targeted and educated on everything from forest stewardship to local history and plans for the future (Stushnoff, 2009). Moreover, tourism can help for fundraising, governments can raise money to build some public facilities or invest for poor children. It is good for the governments credibility, and fundraising is also beneficial to improve the local economy. A tourist provides an easy target for fundraising. Tourists pay fees for everything from camping sites and park entry fees, to licenses for fishing and hunting. The more tourists in a controlled area, means the more money that can be collected for things like education, policing and maintenance of national wilderness areas (Stushnoff, 2009). And then, developing tourism is promoting culture exchange, and local residents can communicate with foreigners. A deep understanding other countries or national culture, it also consummate the local education and broadening residents horizons. Meanwhile, developing tourism also brings many negative effects for local residents and the environment. Above all, pollution is the biggest negative factor concerning tourism. For example, people take transport to their destination, if they take cars or planes, it will cause some air pollution, and it is damage the local environment and affects local residents.Trips to distant conferences can have serious environmental impacts, especially if made by airplane.Because of the aggressive impact of greenhouse gas emissions in the upper atmosphere, their threat to the global climate is more serious than similar trips made at surface level. (Karl and Petter 2001). Moreover, plastic pollution is also a very serious problem from tourism. Many people drop litter carelessly everywhere, especially, some drinks plastics and plastic packets. It causes soil pollution and ruin the environment, this factor can affect local residents lives. Moreover, noise pollution also influences the local residents lives. May not seem like a big problem, but loud noises can scare animals out of the area and possibly even disrupt the local ecosystem (Stushnoff, 2009). Furthermore, water pollution is the most important thing for local residents. People cannot live without water, Visitors often put rubbish into the tourist attractions the stream or sometimes spit into the water and nearby bushes, it causes many kinds of lives dead which live in the river because of pollution, and it influences the ecological balance in the rivers. Regard to local natural resources, developing tourism is wasting many resources, and often behind the requirement. Basically tourism can produce great pressure on local resources like energy, food, and other raw materials that may already be in short supply. So the local governments suffer these pressures from tourism. Greater extraction and transport of these resources depraves the physical impacts associated with their exploitation. Because of the seasonal character of the industry, a high demand is placed upon these resources to meet the high expectations tourists often have (proper heating, hot water, etc.(UNEP, 2001). Concerning Ecological destruction, the development of tourism is indirectly contact to ecological destruction. There are some examples; the first thing is Marine life, it is being wrecked by irresponsible and unregulated tourism by diving, water sports and coastal tourism. Secondly, skiing in Northern Europe has led to mass tourism development which has felled forests and large numbers of tourists have been introduced into fragile and remote destinations. Currently many people worry about the problems of environment from tourism. So there are some solutions to solve the problems which are caused by tourism, first of all, improving the environment management and planning. In the most of countries, the local governments have not carry out good law or rules for improving the environment management and planning. So the local environment has become worse and worse, the local governments should carry out correct and effective environment management to better to develop tourism. In the meantime, governments should also have a good awareness on protecting the environment even local residents. Basically, local governments should carry out some effective actions to make people have better environmental protection consciousness, and the government should play a leadership role to protect the environment. For example, government may require the local media to play some environmental protection advertisements; government officials should get correct points and measures. Then people will realize the serious problem about environment and have a correct awareness for protecting environment. Secondly, regulatory measures are very important for protecting the environment, if governments have not carried out some management measures to environmental protection, it will affect lots of things, even the tourism development. Regulatory measures help offset negative impacts; for instance, controls on the number of tourist activities and movement of visitors within protected areas can limit impacts on the ecosystem and help maintain the integrity and vitality of the site. (UNEP 2001). Recently some governments aggravating the construction of ecological tourism, eco-tourism is a much more important and effective solution for protecting environment and biodiversity. It means increase the income from tourism with protecting environment and biodiversity. And eco-tourism offers countries new opportunities for small-enterprise investment and employment. In the meantime, it increases the national stake in protecting their biological resources. Besides benefits for economy and environmental protection, it also better to save resources. By recognizing the importance of protecting biological diversity, ecotourism is raising appreciation for biological resources and leading to better conservation practices by developing country populations.(Merg,1999) And many countries have trade agreements for protecting the environment. For example, governments limit the number of businessmen and commodities, especially some forest fires which may damage the environment. These measures are very important and effective to solve the environmental problems. Trade agreements and environmental treaties have also played a critical role in strengthening many national environmental practices (Vogel ,1997). Next, investment is one of the most effective ways to protect or manage the environment. Governments get big business and benefits from the tourism, which they can invest to environment. On the one hand, the governments can make the environment better; on the other hand, the better environment can attract more customers to visit. So currently the majority of countries governments all spend a large number of money on managing the environment. Moreover, addressing the impact of tourism transport is also one of the most important for protecting environment; so many local governments carry out some measures to solve this problem. For example, reducing the number of airports and limits some large displacement of transport. According to the needs of tourism development, transport should be used frequently, especially in some the height of tourism, for example, in the summer and public holidays, a large number of customers will go to famous places to travel, it will cause the big pressure for traffic, and it is very easy to cause the traffic jam, which cause traffic inconvenience and travel unhappy. Streets free of traffic congestion, adequate approaches to main highways, enough parking space, usage of ITS for tracking and a more effective utilization of existing infrastructure and regulation of traffic flows, keeping trucks outside of settlements, closing city cores for road transport, creating pedestrian precincts in parts pa rticularly interesting to visitors are main points for the integral organization of traffic in a city or a settlement-tourist destination.'(Mrnjavac,2008). In the future, tourism will be more popular and important in the world.it will brings bigger business and more employment opportunities. In the economic sphere, the WTTC anticipates that tourism will have a global value of US$10.8trillion by 2018, and by 2020, the number of travelling tourists will approach 1.6 billion. On development of employment, those directly employed by tourism worldwide will rise from 238 million this year to 296 million, or one in every 10.8 jobs, by 2018(Rowe 2011). Currently the environmental protection measures are not very effective. But in the future, maybe tourism have good management measures for protecting the environment, and local residents could have the comforts of life without considering the environmental problems from tourism. Many people expect that the environment will be better and the tourism development will be perfection in the future, so in next paragraphs, it will introduce tourism development and environmental changes in the future. In the first place, reducing damage to the environment from tourism, generally governments must carry out some measures and laws to reduce damage to the environment even now the majority of governments spend a large number of money and energy to manage these problem of environment. Thus the environmental problems will be fewer than before, many people believes that the environment will be better and wonderful. In the second place, with the progress of The Times and the technology is in constant updates, so in the future governments will invest more and more money for contributing to local tourism development. More and more different and advanced facilities will be built during the tourism development, which could attract more customers to travel. Furthermore, addressing the impact of tourism transport, as we know, tourisms transport brings a big problem to the environment ¼Ã… ¡air pollution. So in the future the transport system will be more comprehensive and sustainable development, people can do not worry about much more traffic jams during their traveling in happy time, and make the peoples trip more suitable and effective. Moreover, the development of ecological tourism will be more comprehensive in the future, it wills the better to manage the environment and reduce the damage from the tourism, and better to develop the local economy. Increasing local participation in the benefits of biodiversity conservation (through new sources of jobs and incomes), and generating revenues toward conservation of biologically rich areas(Merg 1999) As a result, developing tourism is a very important industry in the world. It brings a big business and many employment opportunities, which are easing the current global employment crisis, and with tourism developing, the local education level and cultural communication skills and have substantially improved. But in the meantime, it also brings many negative effects and very serious problems to the environment and local residents lives. It affects the local residents normal lives with big noise and environmental pollution. And developing tourism is destructing the environment seriously, especially the ecological disruption and environmental pollution. Actually the problems of environmental management should be faced by the whole world, people should consider how to protect the environment and have a good awareness to environmental protection. As a consequence, governments should keep the balance between the environment and tourism revenue.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Factors Affecting Hospitality Graduates Career Perception

Factors Affecting Hospitality Graduates Career Perception Abstract The purpose of this research is to investigate the key attributes, which affects the hospitality graduates to take up a career in hospitality industry. The research is mainly focused on the students in university studying hospitality and to conduct this research in more effective manner past research is also been studied for detailed understanding. The methodology used to conduct this research will be quantitative method, asking students on campus to fill out the questionnaire, which will answer questions about factors affecting and their perception about taking up career in hospitality industry. In addition to identifying the key reasons, this research will also address the specific issues related to employment in hospitality industries for instances long working hours, no benefits and poor work life balances. The outcome of this research will be more beneficial for the tutors to understand the importance of providing right exposure to students about hospitality culture. It will als o benefit managers and hospitality recruiters to understand their employees and address the current issues related to job satisfaction. Overall this research will contribute to increase customer satisfaction and assist with one of the major challenge which is high employee turnover rate. Introduction Hospitality is one of the fastest growing and popular industries around the world. Customer service is the backbone of hospitality and to customer satisfaction we need manpower. According to (Noone, Kimes, and Mattila, 2007) customer satisfaction is directly linked to customer retention. Unhappy and dissatisfied guest will never return and hence we may end up loosing the business. However it is important to understand the vital aspect in providing great customer service to the guest is staff. Without great staff it is impossible to run the hospitality industry. It is requires more manpower, compare to any other sectors, as customer service is the vital task and it cannot be replaced by machines, therefore lot of employees are required to run the operation (Hayes and Ninemeier, 2009). With its rapid growth, it is in high demand of skilled manpower and which is why many universities have started offering courses in hospitality and tourism. The positive part is many universities and col leges have different level of courses to support the growing industry, at the same time it is also creating a negative impact on the students who are currently enrolled in the courses. The previous research have founded that students usually do not join the industry after completing their courses (Pavesic and Brymer, 1990). There are many reasons behind lack of commitment from students such as long working hours, low salaries, fewer benefits and poor working atmospheres (Roney and Oztin, 2007). This negative impact further can be seen in the customer service offered at the different hospitality organization, which then leads to employee turnovers. Therefore it is very essential that students should enter the organization in right frame of mind. Students believe to have wrong impressions either from their tutors or sometimes due to their personal experience at work. Eventually they may end up leaving the industry forever and hence it is important for the tutors and also managers to i dentify these issues to avoid problems and future benefits for both employees and employers. Literature Review There were several research carried out in past to determine the student perceptions about taking hospitality as career. To conduct this research previous research on these issues was been reviewed to help understand the issue in better way. Working Atmosphere It has been noticed over the period that hospitality industry is changing generations by generations according to (Gursoy, Maier and Chi, 2008) hospitality industry has always seen a vast difference between previous and current generation. One of the issues with students in taking up career in hospitality is the working atmosphere as they prefer to work in the environment which is more challenging, change and goal driven, they also love to have feedbacks (Chen and Choi, 2008). Previously employees had no connection with their managers directly as managers would dictate the jobs to supervisors and then the same would be conveyed to the employees. This cycle of communication hence lead to lack of interaction with the managers and since the employees were not qualified enough, they would perform the task as taught by their line supervisors, without understanding the importance or putting in some efforts to enhance it with their own creativity. But as the time passed and hospitality indu stry started booming around the globe, it changed the entire concept of customer service skill. Earlier it was just basic accommodation and food service but today it is more about the guest experience, customer service and retaining them. This is when lot of institution came up with hospitality courses to learn the skills and gain knowledge about hospitality. After taking up the education in hospitality students who entered the industry with skills and qualification found problems to work with older generation (Gursoy et al., 2008). Hospitality industry is totally dependent on manpower and therefore it is very important to have positive attitude people, who can motivate others. Staff can only be positive if the working atmosphere is pleasant and healthy and really matters to people when choosing their career paths (Sibson, 2011). Therefore (Gursoy et al. 2008, p. 454) states that The hospitality industry will need to develop new standards of human resource management in order to successfully connect with a multi- generational workforce. It is possible that a top-down and bureaucratic management and leadership style may not be effective with younger generations of employees. Social Status According to many students hospitality industry is glamours industry and their misconception about the same leads them to disappointment. This happens when the reality strikes after completing education and entering into the industry for their first job experience. As per (Bashar et al, 2013) some student also felt that choosing career in the hospitality will have great impact on the social status and will have good job opportunities. However in reality after completing studies, they have to start from the base positions like waiter/waitress or housekeeper. This really disappoints them because according to them they do not need qualification or education of so many years for this kind of jobs (Tan, 2016). Past Experiences As mentioned above it is one of the important aspects for the students to have right mindset when they are entering into actual job. Most often tutor educating students have no physical experience in the industry and fail to provide realities of the industry (Brown, 2015). It has also been noticed in past researches that students who take up studies in hospitality is required to have some work experience in form of on job trainings or internships to experience the industry culture. Also some students during their studies take up part time jobs to gain field experience. However these experiences sometimes do not turn out to be positive due to lack of correct exposure and guidance from right people. This leaves students with a negative impression and makes them to change their perception about career in hospitality (Richardson, 2008). Long Working Hours and Low Wages Hospitality industry is totally dependent on the manpower as it involves customer service as a main task and it cannot be replaced by machines. Since it is labor intensive industry it usually requires working for long hours. This is another attribute which affects the students perception about hospitality as a career. Study which was conducted by (Richardson, 2010) is that students believes that working hours in hospitality industry are always more than 8 hours which affects the work life balance and also there was less scope to develop the career. Low wage is also one of the major issues as per students (Lu and Adler, 2008). As per (Wong and Kos, 2009) factors which can drive students in taking up hospitality as a career are flexi working hours, work life balance, rewards for working extra hours and should have freedom to reduce the working hours as per their convenience. Some studies carried out on students of generation Y by (Choi and Kwon, 2013) prove that students expect their w orkplace to be fun loving and relaxed compare to strict environments. Finally to conclude it seems that above reasons are the main reasons for students changing their mind about career in hospitality. This gap should be addressed by tutors if they make students aware about the reality of the hospitality and give them a clear understanding. Also it is essential that tutors providing education about hospitality must have some industry experience at least, to have a realistic approach during teaching. Other strategy would be inviting guest speakers to colleges for addressing doubts of student on working in hospitality related to long working hours, work life balances and working atmosphere. However this is not the complete solutions to the factors stated above to change the students perception about hospitality as a career. Hence further investigation is required to understand the issue and expert advice on the same will be beneficial. Methodology As the research is focused on students, the ideal location for this research will be college campus. Pilot study will be carried out in order to cut down the cost and time, to derive the outcome from limited participants. Participants for this research will be students mostly undergraduates students who are studying hospitality or post graduate students who have taken hospitality as a specialization. To conduct this research approach of quantitative methodology will be applied for collecting data. A set of questionnaires will be designed keeping in mind the research topic. It will consist questions about their perception about career in hospitality, barriers in hospitality industry which can influence them to leave the industry, what are the positive aspects which can make them stay and necessary improvements which can be implemented to the current job structure. In addition to this questionnaires will also include demographic information of the students, age, sex, and gender. Timeline Schedule Objective Week 1 Conducting research to select topics related to the contemporary issues in hospitality and finalizing the topic. Week 2 Researching on the scholarly journal articles related to the topic for drafting literature review. Week 3 Start writing introduction about the topic and literature review to support the research topic with the help of selected scholarly journal articles. Week 4-5 Developing questions related to research topic and analyzing possible approaches to gain maximum response. Week 6 Connecting with field experts for doubts and questions about the research topic for more knowledge and findings. Week 7 Refining and designing research questions and distributing them to students on campus. Week 8 Analyzing the data collected from questionnaire for results and findings. Week 9-10 Working on data collected to draft report with findings achieved from questionnaire. Week 11-12 Assembling all the data together, formatting and finalizing the report. References Bashar A.A.M., Hamam T.A. (2013). Motivation of students to study tourism hospitality programs. International Journal of Asian social science, 3(7), 1637-1647. Brown, E. A., Thomas, N. J., Bosselman, R. H. (2015). Are they leaving or staying: A qualitative analysis of turnover issues for Generation Y hospitality employees with a hospitality education. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 46, 130-137. Chen, P., Choi, Y. (2008). Generational differences in work values: A study of hospitality management. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 20(6), 595-615. Choi, Y.G., Kwon, J. (2013). Effects of attitudes vs. experience of workplace fun on employee behaviors. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 25, 410-427. Gursoy, D., Maier, T.A., Chi, C.G. (2008). Generational differences: An examination of work values and generational gaps in the hospitality workforce. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 27(3), 448- 458. Hayes, D. K., Ninemeier, J. D. (2009). Human resource management in the hospitality industry. Canada, United States of America: John Wiley Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NewJersey. Lu, T., Adler, H. (2008). Career goals and expectations of hospitality and tourism students in China. Journal of Teaching in Travel Tourism, 9, 63-80. doi: 10.1080/15313220903041972. Noone, B. M., Kimes, S. E., Mattila, A.S. (2007). The effect of meal pace on customer satisfaction. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 48, 231-245. Pavesic, D. V., Brymer, R. A. (1990). Job Satisfaction: Whats Happening to the Young Managers? The Cornell H.R.A. Quarterly, 31(1), 90-96. Richardson, S. (2008). Undergraduate tourism and hospitality students attitudes toward a career in the industry: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Teaching in Travel Tourism, 8(1), 23-46. doi: 10.1080/15313220802410112 Richardson, S. (2010). Tourism and hospitality students perceptions of a career in the industry: A comparison of domestic (Australian) students and international students studying in Australia. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 17(1), 1-11. Roney , S. A., Oztin, P. (2007). Career perceptions of undergraduate tourism students: a case study in Turkey. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport Tourism Education, 6(1), 4-17. Sibson, R. (2011). Career choice perceptions of undergraduate event, sport and recreation management students: An Australian case study. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sports and Tourism Education (Pre-2012), 10(2), 50. Tan, Z. M. A., Baharun, N., Wazir, N. M., Ngelambong, A. A., Ali, N. M., Ghazali, N., Tarmazi, S. A. A. (2016). Graduates Perception on the Factors Affecting Commitment to Pursue Career in the Hospitality Industry. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 224, 416-420. Wong, S. C., Ko, A. (2009). Exploratory study of understanding hotel employees perception on work-life balance issues. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28, 195- 203. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2008.07.001

Monday, August 19, 2019

Investigation into the Factors that Affect the Enthalpy Change During a

Investigation into the Factors that Affect the Enthalpy Change During a Displacement Reaction The Task -------- To investigate the factors affecting the enthalpy change during a displacement reaction. Background Knowledge ==================== In this investigation a displacement reaction will be observed. A displacement reaction occurs when more reactive metal displaces, (or removes) a less reactive metal from a solution of its salt. Also known as chemical bullying because a more reactive metal effectively bullies the original metal out of its compound. In this investigation zinc and copper sulphate will be reacted together. Zinc is the more reactive metal here, so the copper is displaced from the copper sulphate solution. Zinc + Copper sulphate à   Zinc sulphate + Copper Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq) à   ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu (s) After the reaction it will be observed that the solution will change from blue to clear, colourless. The copper discharged will be observed as a salmon pink deposit in the base of the vessel the reaction occurs in. Reactions like this can be used to purify metals that are low down in the reactivity series. A more reactive metal can simply be added to purify the less reactive metal, leaving it in its pure state. Lead Oxide + Tin à   Lead + Tin Oxide In reality thought this process is hardly ever used, as the more reactive metal is the left in an impure form, and thus must be reduced by an even more reactive metal. As this is not economically viable metals are generally reduced using electrolysis, which leaves them in a pure state, and requires no expensive more reactive metals, just ... ...pacity of the solution (assume this equals 4.2 J/g/degrees Celsius), /T = temperature change (estimated from extrapolation). The results here show the heat energy in each reaction. To calculate the enthalpy change one must account for the respective moles involved in each reaction. To equal out the number of moles simply multiply the results by the respective amounts required to make them all amounts of Joules/1 mole. When this calculation is performed on all the heat energy results enthalpy change can be compared. In an accurate experiment the enthalpy change when copper sulphate solution is reacted with zinc powder should remain constant. By taking into account the number of moles in each equation when multiplying the results will be brought into proportion, so the enthalpy changes should be roughly equal.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Anatomy and Actions of the Knee Essay -- essays research papers

The knee joint is formed by the articulation of the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia. The fibula is only involved to the extent that it serves as an attachment site for connective tissue. In this paper, the anatomy of the joint will be discussed. The knee is a hinge-type, diarthrotic, or freely moveable joint. Also referred to as a synovial joint, the 2 articulating ends of bone are encased in a capsule that lubricates the joint with synovial fluid to reduce friction. Each bone in a synovial joint has articular cartilage at the articulating surface. The C-shaped medial and lateral menisci serve to deepen the articulation at the superior surface of the tibia, thus enhancing the bony stability of the joint. Also adding to the joints stability are the two major pairs of ligaments: the cruciates and the collaterals. The medial and lateral collateral ligaments have a stabilizing effect in a lateral plane of motion, helping to prevent sideward displacement and over-rotation. The medial collateral attaches the femur to the tibia, also attaching to the medial meniscus. The lateral collateral attaches the femur to the fibula but has no attachment to the lateral meniscus. Both collaterals lie slightly posterior to the lateral axis of the knee joint and are taut when the knee is full extension. This positioning of the ligaments causes a slackness when flexion occurs, allowing medial and lateral rotation to take place. The cruciate ligaments are so named because of their cross-configuration within the joint. The anterior cruciate ligament attaches to the tibia on its anterior-superior surface, crossing through the joint from the medial side to its lateral attachment on the femur. The posterior cruciate ligament attaches on the posterior-superior aspect of the tibia, crossing diagonally and medially to its lateral attachment on the femur. The anterior and posterior cruciates protect against hyperextension and hyperflexion, respectively. The actions performed at the knee include flexion, extension, and medial and lateral rotation. Flexion is the bending of a joint so that the angle between the two bones decreases. The primary muscles that flex the knee are a group collectively known as â€Å"hamstrings.† The hamstrings consist of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus. The muscles that assist in flexion are the sartorius, gracilis,... ...g  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Linea aspera on posterior femur, greater trochanter of femur Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral VASTUS INTERMEDIUS Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anterior and lateral femoral shaft Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of the knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral VASTUS MEDIALIS Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Linea aspera on posterior femur Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral TENSOR FASCIA LATA Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iliac crest (posterior to ASIS) Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iliotibial tract (which continues to attach to the lateral condyle of the tibia)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assists extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Superior gluteal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Consent forms

Although many people may think that signing a consent form is crazy, but there are many different think that people may hear about signing consent forms such as; you have to pay for the form, there are a lot of questions on the form, and they are not real at all. The real question we should all ask ourselves is that.Should informed consent be limited in certain situation? I'm about to give you some good reasons why we should sign consent forms at the doctor's office and the hospital. For example, while reading he book about Henrietta Lacks gave me a different outlook on what really goes on in the doctor's office and the hospital, and we all need to watch out and read everything that we get from the hospital and doctors.Now if Henrietta got consent form she would have read that paper before she signed it and then the doctor's would have never took her cells Just to run some test on them without her knowing, and that is where the consent form comes in at. As though many of us do not re ad everything that is on that form and the entire only thing that we do see on the paper is ignature and date, but we really need to read the whole thing before we go and sign a form and we have no idea what they will do without cells Just like Henrietta.One of the quotas that stand out to me in â€Å"Transparency: informed consent in primary care (Hoard Brody)†, and I feel that this quote was a good one because it gets right to the point about signing consent forms: Physicians may also view informed consent as an empty charade, since they are confident in their abilities to manipulate consent by how they discuss or divulge information (Brody par 4). While reading this quote had e thinking about a lot of thing that we may not know about these consent forms because our doctors do not really tells us about them, yet the only thing they do is give it to us so that we can read it and sign the paper.However many of us may have a lot of questions that about signing a consent form a t the doctor's office and we may not think that it is very important to sign and most of us do not want to sign that paper and they doctors may do something to you cells, and you did not sign that paper the only person that you can be upset with is yourself because you did not ead that consent form all of the way, but the one that you was ready to do is not sign that paper and Just walk out the doctor's office.Another quote that I thought that Howard Brody wrote about in his article was: Some positive side-effects of this might be more focus on good diagnostic and therapeutic decision making on the physician's part, since it will be understood that the patient will be made aware of what the physician's reasoning process has been like, and better documentation of management decisions in the patient record (Brody middle of par 18). The speed of edical research together with drug companies race to create products has overtaken the system designed to keep people safe (Robert Davis par 2 ).While reading this quote from â€Å"U. S. : Human Medical Test Lack Oversight (Robert Davis)†, I feel that we should get a better understanding of the medical, and consent forms because if we don't read and understand something then we will signing something tor someone to take without us knowing. In conclusion many people may not understand why we should sign a consent form Just in the case something may happen to us while we are at the doctor's office or in the hospital.While reading these articles and the Henrietta Lacks book made me realize that signing a consent form is important because you do not give the doctors the rights to take anything from you that they did not ask for, but back in the day they could Just take anything that didn't belong to them; however, now you have to ask that patience if you can, but most of the time they will say no.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Poetry Coursework Essay

Love poems can be traced back many years, love is typically thought of as lust, commitment and sacrifice all rolled into one and here is a quote from Abraham Crowley on love â€Å"A mighty pain to love it is, and ’tis a pain that pain to miss; but of all the pains, the greatest pain is to love, but love in vain.† Love poems tend to be thought of as very conventional. Traditionally, i would expect a love poem to have comparisons, comparing their loved one to angels or goddesses and to build a image in the readers mind that their love was pure and faultless, they would also include in the poem comparisons between their loved one and goddesses or angels and would describe their facial features to something so pure and faultless. However, i have found that some unconventional love poems describe their loved ones to something ugly or dark, some may compare their loved ones to fleas and insects but yet they say that their love is pure and unbreakable. In From Fidessa written by Bartholomew Griffin which was a petrarchan sonnet written in 1596, Bartholomew Griffin talks about his lady obsessively as he uses the metaphor ‘My lady’s hair is threads of beaten gold’ which gives the reader the image that she has the looks of a goddess which fits in with the conventional images of love. It also fits in with how women were thought of in this time period as they were mainly depicted as goddesses or angels by many men, I think this is obsessive love because its like he keeps ranting on about how beautiful she is and how she is faultless in appearance he even goes as far as to say ‘Her feet, fair thetis praiseth evermore.’ This shows the kind of extent he goes to, describing her feet which shows just how obsessive his love is for this women, he says her feet, should be praised ever more this showed how deep and pure his love is, as he has even fallen head over heels with her feet which is a unsignificant part of the body to find appeasing. This is a conventional sonnet because he makes the comparisons between his lady and pure objects such as ‘beaten gold’ which is expected in a conventional sonnet. In sonnet 18 famously written by William Shakespeare and published in 1592, this sonnet was the 18th in 154 and arguably one of the better known of his sonnets as it is shrouded by mystery by the fact that he is writing a love sonnet to a man while normally love sonnets are traditionally made for women and homosexual relationships were frowned upon in those times as they were thought as ‘not natural’, Shakespeare says this man is more ever-lasting and beautiful then natures beauty, as he says ‘Shall I compare thee to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate’. This sonnet once again displays obsessive love because Shakespeare compares this man to natures finest beauty, a summer day but yet says that he simply cant for he is far better then a summer day which shows just how in love and obsessed he is with this man. This sonnet is a conventional poem depicting a type of unconventional type of love because although it has all the characteristics of a conventional poem, however it is based on a unconventional love between a man and man where as that type of love is normally shown between a man and a woman and in those times, other types of love relationships were frowned upon which make this type of love unconventional in my opinion . In From Canzoniere written by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) in 1484 is a conventional Petrarch sonnet where he shows the reader how strong and demanding his love is as he says ‘Could my own soul from its own self beguile’ he says that his love is so strong for this women that he feels that his soul and his body could be parted which shows just how strong he feels for this women and gives the reader a strong image of exactly how obsessive this man’s love is for this women as he then goes on to say ‘and my sad harp can sound but notes of pain’, where he basically tells the reader that although he loves this women he isn’t loved back and that all that happen is that his love turns to pain as he knows he isn’t loved back and desperately just wants to be loved by this women. This is a conventional poem as he simply is ‘head over heels’ for this woman and makes comparisons to angels when he says ‘ and the soft lightning of the angelic smile’. â€Å"Soft lightning†is a clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ because as we know lightning is never soft it simply thunders and is rough so i believe this quote is hiding behind its true meaning because the poet says that although her smile is angelic however when angered or bad tempered the â€Å"soft† lightning within her smile begins to show and he seems not to want to upset his beloved one so he hides his true meaning within a sentence full of praise. However, in The Flea written by John Donne in 1630 it is a unconventional poem as he uses unusual things to describe his love for his beloved and shows a erotic type of love as he says ‘Mark but this flea and mark in this’ which tell us he is asking her to notice the flea and notice what he is about to state but then he goes on to say ‘and pampered swells with one blood made of two, and this, alas is more then we would do.’ He suggests that the flea connects them more then she allows as the flea has bit them both and both their blood has fused into one, he displays erotic love because all he wants to do with this woman is break the barrier between them and have sex with her, by comparing their relationship to a flea shows just how lowly he regards their relationship as he badly wants to have sex with her but yet she keeps denying him and just shows exactly how unconvertible this poem is as it goes against all the rules of a conventional poem by making comparisons between a flea and love. Also in To His Coy Mistress written by Andrew Marvell in 1652, Andrew Marvell also doesn’t follow the conventional way of a poem as he describes her shyness to go to bed with him as a devastating world story as he says ‘Had we but world enough, and time, this coyness lady were no crime’ he says that he would wait for all the time in the world has he the time and says that if so then her shyness would be no crime, which shows that he is longing to have sex with her and he goes on to say that he would wait tell ‘the conversion of the Jews’ but not all Jews would convert so he is saying that he would wait forever if he had the time but he nobody truly has all the time in the world. This is erotic love as he looks solely for pleasure although he shows his love for her he simply just wants to have sex with her and this poem is unconventional because in my opinion he doesn’t follow the conventional rules and praise her looks and compare her to angels and goddesses, he simply says that he cant wait any longer although he loves her forever. In Sonnet 130 written by William Shakespeare in 1592, this unconventional Shakespearean sonnet has William Shakespeare makes comparisons to crude and beastly things rather then things of any beauty or angelic resemblance as he starts off his sonnet by saying ‘ My Mistress eyes are nothing like the sun’ he gives out the image to the reader that her eyes are dark and have no light within them, he then goes on to say ‘If snow be white, why then her breast are dun’ this specific quote famously gives the impression that his mistress could be black as he says the word dun which meant tanned or mud – colored, in those time inter – racial relationships were frowned upon as black people were seen as second class citizens, he also adds ‘ the breath that from my mistress reeks’ the word â€Å"reeks† empathizes the point of her breath being unbearable and the poem generally shows that Shakespeare wants people to see how love really is t hat it cant be perfect as many say it is and that every person has their faults and no matter what is said love is never perfect, this is my interpretation on what Shakespeare trys to show us in this sonnet. Shakespeare also in his poem The Dark Lady he also describes his lover with hair as â€Å"wirey† which shows once again that Shakespeare doesn’t like to â€Å"sugar coat† anything he simply write exactly what he sees. In conclusion, I believe that Sonnet 130 written by William Shakespeare portrays the most effective expression of love because although its not what you expect from a love sonnet he portrays the solid truth with no sugar coating and no silver white lining to hide behind, as although it may seem as he simply is just having a rant about his mistress maybe because she has refused to go on with it a person may say but to me Shakespeare is trying to show the reader exactly what love is about, love is about putting up with the persons faults recognising them and finding a way past them and yet having a relationship together rather then letting people believe that love is about roses, heaven and everything becomes perfect, Shakespeare gives his opinion with no half-hearted approach.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirty-three

CRIES AND SCREAMS FROM THE audience told me my disguise was gone. Many eyes also went to Dimitri. Adrian had dropped that illusion too, once I'd shed mine. And, as we'd been expecting, the guardians who had been gradually taking up position around us surged forward, armed with handguns. I still thought that was cheating. Fortunately, my mother and Mikhail moved quickly into place to block our attackers and deter any gunshots. â€Å"Don't,' I snapped at Dimitri, who I knew was probably about to join our two defenders. It was crucial he and I stay perfectly still, so we weren't taken as threats. I even went as far as to hold up my arms, and–reluctantly, I suspected–Dimitri did too. â€Å"Wait. Please listen to us first.' The guardian circle was tight, with no gaps. I was pretty sure my mom and Mikhail were the only thing keeping them from shooting us then and there. Guardians would always avoid fighting other guardians if possible. Two blockers were easy to take down, though, and these guardians wouldn't wait forever. Jill and Abe suddenly moved forward, taking positions next to us. More shields. I saw one of the looming guardians grimace. Civilians complicated things. Adrian had not moved, but the fact that he was enclosed in the circle at all still made him an obstacle. â€Å"Haul us off later if you want,' I said. â€Å"We won't resist. But you have to let us talk first. We know who killed the queen.' â€Å"So do we,' said one of the guardians. â€Å"Now, the rest of you †¦ back away before you're hurt. These are dangerous fugitives.' â€Å"They need to talk,' said Abe. â€Å"They have evidence.' Again, he pushed forward with his case, acting confidently about things he had no clue about. He was staking it all on me. I was starting to like him. It was kind of unfortunate that our evidence wasn't as 100 percent solid as I'd hoped, but as I'd said earlier †¦ technicalities. â€Å"Let them talk.' It was a new voice, but a voice I knew by heart. Lissa pushed her way through two of the guardians. They held their tight position, the immediate concern being that we not escape. This allowed her to slip through–but only so one could grab her arm and stop her from reaching us. â€Å"They've come this far. They were right about †¦ Jill.' Boy, that was not easy for her to say with a straight face, seeing as she hadn't entirely come to terms with the issue. My imminent death was probably the only thing distracting her from the earth shattering experience of learning she had a potential sibling. She too was taking a lot on faith here, confident I was telling the truth. â€Å"You've got them. They can't go anywhere. Just let them talk. I've got evidence to support their case too.' â€Å"I'd hold off on sharing that, Liss,' I said in a low voice. Lissa still believed Daniella was the killer and wasn't going to like hearing the truth. Lissa flashed me a confused look but didn't protest. â€Å"Let's hear them,' said one of the guardians–and not just any: Hans. â€Å"After an escape like they pulled, I'd really like to know what brought them back.' Hans was helping us? â€Å"But,' he continued, â€Å"I'm sure you two will understand we'll have to restrain you before you make your great reveal.' I looked at Dimitri who had already turned to me. We'd both known what we were getting ourselves into, and honestly, this was a better scenario than I'd envisioned. â€Å"Okay,' said Dimitri. He glanced at our noble protectors. â€Å"It's okay. Let them get through.' My mom and the others didn't move right away. â€Å"Do it,' I said. â€Å"Don't end up as our cellmates.' I thought for sure those loveable fools wouldn't listen to me. But Mikhail backed off first, and then the others did too, practically in sync. In a flash, guardians seized them all, leading them away. Dimitri and I stayed put, and four guardians moved in, two for Dimitri and two for me. Adrian had retreated with the others, but Lissa still stood a few feet away from us, all her trust in me. â€Å"Get on with it,' said Hans. He gripped my right arm tightly. I met Lissa's eyes, hating what I had to say. But, no. She wasn't the one I was worried about hurting the most. Looking out into the audience, I found Christian, who was understandably watching this drama with avid attention. I had to turn away and stare at the crowd as a whole, refusing to see individual faces. Just a blur. â€Å"I didn't kill Tatiana Ivashkov,' I said. Several people grumbled doubtfully. â€Å"I didn't like her. But I didn't kill her.' I glanced at Hans. â€Å"You've questioned the janitor who testified about where I was during the murder, right? And he ID'd the man who attacked Lissa as the one who paid him off to lie about where I was?' I'd learned from Mikhail that Joe had eventually admitted to taking money from the mystery Moroi, once the guardians had cornered him with the picture. Hans frowned, hesitated, and then nodded for me to continue. â€Å"There's no record of his existence–at least not with the guardians. But the Alchemists know who he is. They saw him at one of their facilities–acting as someone's bodyguard.' My eyes fell on Ethan Moore, who stood with the guardians near the door. â€Å"A bodyguard for someone who was let in to see Tatiana the night she died: Tasha Ozera.' There was no need for any uproar from the audience this time because Tasha more than made up for it on her own. She'd been sitting next to Christian and sprang up from her chair. â€Å"What on earth are you saying, Rose?' she exclaimed. â€Å"Are you out of your mind?' When I'd stood there defiantly, ready to face the crowd and demand justice, I'd been full of triumph and power. Now †¦ now I was just sad as I stared at someone I'd always trusted, someone who was staring back at me with so much shock and hurt. â€Å"I wish I was †¦ but it's true. We both know it is. You killed Tatiana.' Tasha's disbelief grew, tinged now with a little anger, though she still seemed to be giving me the benefit of the doubt. â€Å"I never, never believed you killed her–and I've fought for you on that. Why are you doing this? Are you playing on the Strigoi taint in our family? I thought you were above that kind of prejudice.' I swallowed. I'd thought getting evidence would be the hard part. It was nothing compared to revealing it. â€Å"What I'm saying has nothing to do with Strigoi. I almost wish it did. You hated Tatiana for her age law and refusal to let Moroi fight.' Another memory came to me, when Tasha had learned about the secret training sessions. Tasha had been aghast with what I now suspected might have been guilt at misjudging the queen. The crowd was riveted and stunned, but one person came to life: an Ozera I didn't know but who apparently had family solidarity on his mind. He stood up, crossing his arms defiantly. â€Å"Half this Court hated Tatiana for that law. You among them.' â€Å"I didn't have my bodyguard bribe a witness or attack Lis–Princess Dragomir. And don't pretend you didn't know the guy,' I warned her. â€Å"He was your bodyguard. You were seen together.' Ian's description of her when she visited St. Louis had been perfectly clear: long black hair, pale blue eyes, and scarring on one side of her face. â€Å"Rose, I can't even believe this is happening, but if James–that was his name–did whatever you're talking about, then he acted alone. He always had radical ideas. I knew that when I hired him as outside protection, but I never thought he was capable of murder.' She glanced around, looking for someone in charge, and finally settled on the Council. â€Å"I've always believed Rose was innocent. If James is the one responsible for this, then I'm more than happy to tell you whatever I know to clear Rose's name.' So, so easy. The mystery Moroi–James–was almost everywhere Tasha had been. He'd also been spotted in suspicious situations where she hadn't been–like Joe's bribery and Lissa's attack. I could save Tasha and just blame it all on him. He was already dead. Tasha and I could stay friends. She'd acted on principle, right? What was wrong with that? Christian stood up beside her, looking at me like I was a stranger. â€Å"Rose, how can you say any of this? You know her. You know she wouldn't do it. Stop making a scene and let us figure out how that James guy killed the queen.' So, so easy. Blame the dead man. â€Å"James couldn't have staked Tatiana,' I said. â€Å"He had an injured hand. It takes both hands for a Moroi to stake someone. I've seen it happen twice now. And I bet if you can get a straight answer out of Ethan Moore †¦' I glanced over at the guardian who had gone pale. He could probably jump into a fight and kill without hesitation. But this kind of scrutiny? And eventual interrogation by his peers? I didn't think he'd hold up. It was probably the reason Tasha had been able to manipulate him. â€Å"James wasn't there the night Tatiana died, was he? And I don't think Daniella Ivashkov was either, despite what Princess Dragomir was told earlier. But Tasha was. She was in the queen's chambers–and you didn't report it.' Ethan looked like he wanted to bolt, but his odds of escape were about as good as mine and Dimitri's. He slowly shook his head. â€Å"Tasha wouldn't kill anyone.' Not exactly the confirmation of her location I wanted–but close. The guardians would get more out of him later. â€Å"Rose!' Christian was pissed off now. Seeing him look at me with such outrage hurt even more than Tasha's expression. â€Å"Stop it!' Lissa took a few hesitant steps forward. I could feel in her mind that she didn't want to believe what I was saying either †¦ yet she still trusted me. She thought of a controversial solution. â€Å"I know it's wrong †¦ but if we used compulsion on the suspects †¦' â€Å"Don't even suggest that!' exclaimed Tasha, turning her sharp eyes on Lissa. â€Å"Stay out of this. Your future's on the line here. A future that could make you great and achieve the things our people need.' â€Å"A future you could manipulate,' I realized. â€Å"Lissa believes in a lot of the reforms you do †¦ and you think you could convince her of ones she doesn't. Especially if she's with your nephew. That's why you've fought so hard to change the quorum law. You wanted her to be queen.' Christian started to step forward, but Tasha laid a restraining hand on his shoulder. It didn't stop him from speaking. â€Å"That's idiotic. If she wanted Lissa to be queen, why make that James guy attack her?' That was a mystery for me too, one of the holes I hadn't quite figured out. But Dimitri had. Conscious of his two guards, he shifted closer to me. â€Å"Because no one was supposed to die.' Dimitri's low, resonant voice sounded wonderful with the room's acoustics. He needed no microphone as he directed his words to Tasha. â€Å"You didn't expect a guardian to be with her.' He was right, I realized. Eddie had been drafted that night under weird circumstances and only barely made it back in time to see Ambrose with Lissa. â€Å"James was probably going to fake an attack and run †¦ enough to generate sympathy and more support for Vasilisa. Which it certainly did–just a little more severely.' The outrage on Tasha's face transformed to something I couldn't entirely gauge right away. She'd seemed offended at my accusations, but from Dimitri–it was more. She looked legitimately hurt. Crushed. I knew that look. I'd seen it on Adrian's face a couple hours ago. â€Å"Dimka, not you too,' she said. Through Lissa's eyes, I watched the colors of Tasha's aura shift, burn a little brighter as she gazed at Dimitri. I could see exactly what Sonya had explained to me, how the aura showed affection. â€Å"And that's why I took the fall,' I murmured softly. No one but Dimitri and our guardians heard me. â€Å"Hmm?' Dimitri asked. I just shook my head. All this time, Tasha had still loved Dimitri. I knew she had last year, when she'd made him an offer to hook up and have kids–not something a lot of dhampir men had the chance to get. He'd refused, and I thought she had accepted simply being friends with him. She hadn't. She'd still loved him. When Lissa had revealed my relationship with Dimitri to Hans, Tasha had already known. But for how long? I wasn't sure. She'd obviously known about the relationship before killing Tatiana, and putting the murder on me left Tasha free and clear and opened back up her chances with Dimitri. There was no point in bringing up her personal motives for blaming me. Tatiana's murder was the real issue at stake. I just looked at Hans. â€Å"You can take me into custody, I meant it. But don't you think you've got enough to take her–and Ethan–in too?' Hans's face was unreadable. His feelings toward me had always gone back and forth, since the day we met. Sometimes I was a troublemaker without a future. Other times I had the potential to be a leader. He'd believed I was a murderer, yet he'd still allowed me to address the crowd. He didn't really like my friends either. What would he do now? He lifted his eyes from my face and looked to where several guardians were stationed in the audience, ready for any action. He gave a curt nod. â€Å"Take Lady Ozera. And Moore. We'll question them.' Seeing as Tasha was seated amidst other people, there was a bit of fear and panic when four guardians moved toward her. They avoided injuring other audience members as much as possible, but there was still plenty of pushing and shoving. What came as a total surprise was how fiercely Tasha fought back. She was trained, I remembered. Not in the same way guardians were, but enough to make it hard to get a hold of her. She could kick and punch–and stake queens–and even managed to knock one guardian down. She might actually try to fight her way out of here, I realized–though I didn't believe for an instant she could. It was too crowded and chaotic. Guardians were heading toward the fray. Terrified Moroi were trying to get away from the fight. Everybody seemed to be getting in everyone else's way. Suddenly, a loudcrack echoed through the room. A gunshot. Most of the Moroi dropped to the floor, though guardians kept coming. Holding a handgun she must have seized from the guardian she'd knocked over, Tasha grabbed the first Moroi she could with her free hand. So help me, it was Mia Rinaldi. She'd been sitting near Christian. I didn't think Tasha even noticed her hostage choice. â€Å"Don't move!' Tasha yelled at the encroaching guardians. The gun was at Mia's head, and I felt my heart stop. How had things escalated to this point? I'd never foreseen this. My task was supposed to be neat and tidy. Reveal Tasha. Put her away. Done. The guardians froze, less because of her command and more because they were sizing up how to deal with the total threat. Meanwhile, Tasha began to slowly–very slowly–make her way toward the exit, dragging Mia along. Her progress was slow and unwieldy, thanks to all the chairs and people in the way. The delay gave the guardians time to solve this ugly dilemma. They come first. Mia's life–a Moroi life–was on the line. The guardians didn't want Mia killed, but a gun-toting warrior Moroi also couldn't be allowed to go free. The thing was, Tasha wasn't the only warrior Moroi in the room. She had probably picked the worst hostage possible, and I could tell by the glint in Mia's eyes that she was not going to go quietly. Lissa realized this too. One or both of them were going to get killed, and Lissa couldn't let that happen. If she could get Tasha to look at her, she could compel her into submission. No, no, no, I thought. I didn't need another friend involved. Both Lissa and I saw Mia tensing to break her way out of Tasha's hold. Lissa realized she had to act now. I could feel it through the bond. I could feel her thoughts, the decision, even the way her body's muscles and nerves moved forward to get Tasha's attention. I felt it all so clearly, as if we shared the same body. I knew where Lissa would move before she even did. â€Å"Tasha, please don't–‘ Lissa sprang forward, her plaintive cry interrupted as Mia kicked back at Tasha and broke away, slipping down out of the gun's reach. Tasha, startled on two fronts, still had her gun pointed out. With Mia out of her grasp and everything happening so fast, Tasha frantically fired off a couple shots at the first threat moving toward her–which wasn't the rapidly approaching guardians. It was a slim figure in white who had shouted at Tasha. Or, well, it would have been. Like I said, I'd known exactly where Lissa would step and what she would do. And in those precious seconds before she acted, I broke out of my captors' hold and threw myself before Lissa. Someone leapt after me, but they were too late. That was when Tasha's gun had gone off. I felt a biting and burning in my chest, and then there was nothing but pain–a pain so complete and so intense it was almost beyond comprehension. I felt myself falling, felt Lissa catching me and yelling something–maybe to me, maybe to someone else. There was so much commotion in the room that I didn't know what had happened with Tasha. There was just me and the pain that my mind was trying to block out. The world seemed to grow quieter and quieter. I saw Lissa looking down on me, shouting something I couldn't hear. She was beautiful. Brilliant. Crowned in light †¦ but there was darkness closing in around her. And in that darkness, I saw the faces †¦ the ghosts and spirits that always followed me. Thicker they grew, closing in. Beckoning. A gun. I had been brought down by a gun. It was practically comical. Cheaters, I thought. I'd spent my life focusing on hand-to-hand combat, learning to dodge fangs and powerful hands that could snap my neck. A gun? It was so †¦ well, easy. Should I be insulted? I didn't know. Did it matter? I didn't know that either. All I knew in that moment was that I was going to die, regardless. My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in, and I swore, it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world. The dead could finally have me. And I'd fulfilled my purpose, right? To protect? I'd done it. I'd saved Lissa, just like I'd sworn I'd always do. I was dying in battle. No appointment books for me. Lissa's face shone with tears, and I hoped that mine conveyed how much I loved her. With the last spark of life I had left, I tried to speak, tried to let Dimitri know I loved him too and that he had to protect her now. I don't think he understood, but the words of the guardian mantra were my last conscious thought. They come first.