Romeo & Juliet Essays (635 words) - English-language Films

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY,unit 4, question #1, Essay

Prologue TO PHILOSOPHY,unit 4, question #1, - Essay Example tions to reasoning Thomas White states â€Å"Aristotle is a lot of a judicious scholar, and conventional reveals to us that individuals ought to be considered answerable for what they do†(White, 2008). Along these lines, since Aristotle accepted and philosophized that individuals are liable for their own lives and activities, which is the meaning of realistic in the domain of theory, Aristotle would fit into such a classification of thinker. The possibility of Aristotle being a judicious savant is additionally appeared through his conversations and contemplations on intentional and automatic activities. White characterizes willful activities as those that are â€Å"under our control,† and automatic activities as those that â€Å"result from requirement or ignorance†(White, 2008). In Aristotle’s see, people ought to be considered capable and responsible for the activities that they themselves have picked and ought not be considered answerable for activities that were constrained upon them or done through ignorance(White, 2008). In any case, Aristotle seems to make the differentiation among duty and responsibility with respect to automatic activities. Apparently this is the place ethical quality has a huge influence as an individual ought to be considered increasingly responsible for automatic activities if those activities negatively affected the general prosperity of mankind. These intentional and automatic activities might be certain or negative, and the two sorts of activities are identified with the idea of prosperity (White, 2008). By keeping up this perspective that people must be considered capable or responsible for their activities, both great and terrible, Aristotle is displaying his conventional way to deal with reasoning. Practical for the most part implies information that everybody has or ought to have. Aristotle’s commitment to theory utilizes a great deal of the good and moral thinking that as of now exists in a socialized society, however was not completely comprehended at that specific point ever. Aristotle brought this sort of reasoning and thinking to the

Writing For College Students - Need For Guidance

Writing For College Students - Need For GuidanceWriting for college students is a very good idea. The number of college-aged people who are reading writing assignments and journals is on the rise and with so many of them demanding articles every day, there are opportunities for writers to excel in this arena. To get their feet wet with such assignment writing assignments, writing sites offer assignments in writing and non-fiction categories in order to fit the requirements of college students.'I had been working on an assignment for my college, and it had been getting a lot of work due to the fact that there were very few assignments that were available in my field,' said Joseph David, 'It was a bit difficult because I had already been studying at school for a year or two. What you needed to do was to look for an assignment that fits with the level of your college and be able to fit the assignment requirements. If you just stick to the subject that you studied for and your school, yo u will be able to pass the writing test as well as the course work easily.'There are different requirements and deadlines for writing assignments for college students. Some of these assignments are fiction assignments, while others are essays or reports. It is advisable to look for assignments that fit the tastes of your students and some guidance from the instructor as well, so that you are able to make sure that the assignment written by you meets the exact standards.There are several types of assignments offered by online writing sites. The commonest type of assignment for college students would be short stories. When you decide to submit an essay, your responsibility would then be to write an analytical introduction to the essay, which would discuss the general characteristics of the essay, the writer's views and what are the relevance of the essay to the topic being discussed. This type of essay might involve complex language and advanced style of writing.You should also provid e the editors with all the necessary supporting information for the essay and be ready to edit the essay once the essay is written. Once you have completed the essay, you should offer feedback on the essay and answer any questions that the editors may have. These essay and critical analysis submissions are generally included with the materials to the editors and writers. If you are satisfied with the essay, you can request that you be given a proper critique.Essays and critical analysis submissions are being offered online by many companies, which are concerned with offering quality writing services. These companies are careful to write essays and analysis submissions according to the requirement of the companies, which in turn include colleges, universities, community, magazines, etc. They are trained to meet the demands of various institutions and are able to provide a great variety of assignments.You need to specify the deadline for submission of your essay or critical analysis s ubmission, the time limit by which the editor or writer should have read and accepted your work, and provide detailed feedback if any on the essays or critical analysis submission. In case of essay or critical analysis submission, you should make sure that the essay is readable and intelligible by the required standards and the material contained in the essay or analysis submission should not be plagiarized.Writing for college students is something that cannot be avoided and therefore college students need a great deal of guidance, advice and assistance in order to be able to get the work done with consistency. Online writing sites are provided by many companies who are dedicated to providing prompt and timely assistance in writing assignments for college students.

Analysis Of The Argument And Evidence Of The Movie Crash

Summary of the argument and evidence Minsky argues that there is Ð ° fundamental and inherent instability in our economy that tends towards Ð ° speculative boom. Ð ° human being is fundamentally Ð ° momentum investor as argued rather than Ð ° value investor. Hence during times of speculative boom three types of market players are prominent namely hedgers , speculators and Ponzi investors. Ponzi investors are those which rely on the increase in asset price to refinance their existing debt. Hence Ð ° Ponzi investor is safe as long as the asset prices tend to rise. This period of mammoth rise in asset prices is triggered by the herd mentality and the fundamental nature of humans being momentum investors rather than value buyers. Unlike other works†¦show more content†¦Furthermore , for coherence to reign in Ð ° market , substitution principle must apply which states that higher relative price of Ð ° commodity tends to discourage buyers from buying it whereas lower rela tive price has the exact opposite effect on the appetite of the buyer. If the substitution principle is strong enough , then decentralised markets are reliable for efficient allocation of output to households and factor inputs to businesses. This leads us somewhere to the idea of Ð ° Pareto optimal equilibrium. â€Å"Equilibrium† would not be the right term to use in Minsky’s context as instead of equilibrium , he proposed â€Å"periods of tranquility† which are characterised by robust financial systems and innovations much like what preceded the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis. But phases of tranquility are just calm before the storm as tranquility encourages more risk-taking that increases incomes even as it disrupts conditions necessary for â€Å"coherency† and â€Å"tranquility†. Therefore , according to this theory the market forces that operate in the time of tranquility are what push the system towards instability so that even if an equilibri um is achieved for some time, it’ll set of behavioural responses that will quickly displace the economy from equilibrium. While Minsky credits Keynes for pointing out that the aggregate quantity of investment was self enforcing on the economy through the multiplier effect , he went one stepShow MoreRelatedSociopath Portrayed In Tv And Movies Vs. Real Life. Name.1683 Words   |  7 Pagesdisorder characterized by at least two distinct and relatively enduring identities. It causes a lack of connection in a person’s thoughts’ memories, feelings, actions, or sense of identity. In the media, DID is misrepresented as seen in the movie called Split. The movie called Split is an American psychological horror thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and released in America in 2017. The film shows a man with 23 different personalities (DID) who imprisons three girls in an isolatedRead MoreWorking Memory Model Essay941 Words   |  4 Pagesneeded to be a store that linked them all too together. To put simply, it integrated all of the other stores together into one unitary code, in order to remember a movie scene. One study to support this is Baddeley et al (1987)... The working memory model has strength over the multi-store model as it provides with a more in depth analysis of short term memory than the multi store model. It also helps to explain why individuals may be better at some short term memory tasks, but not others. AnotherRead MoreThe Inside Job, By Charles Ferguson Essay1583 Words   |  7 Pages In his documentary â€Å"The Inside Job†, Academy-Award winning filmmaker Charles Ferguson attempts to provide a comprehensive analysis of the financial crisis of 2008. In creation of the documentary, Ferguson performed extensive research on the underlying causes of a â€Å"global financial disaster† which many claim could have easily been avoided. The documentary provides interviews with financial insiders and advisers, many in ways that portray the wealthy bankers and executives on Wall Street, and thoseRead MoreThe Wolf Of Wall Street Essay1753 Words   |  8 Pagesunethical film. I will be discussing my own thoughts and perspectives revolved around the movie, from reasons and circumstances that leads to an unethical life, to outcomes of it and much more. The Wolf of Wall Street is a black comedy, dramatic film featuring the great Martin Scorsese as a director, starring Leonardo Di Caprio. Leonardo Di Caprio plays the role of Jordan Belfort, â€Å"The Wolf of Wall Street†. The movie is set in the 1980’s – 1990’s, handling a true story, the story of the successful smartRead MoreEssay on Are Profits the Only Business of Business?4153 Words   |  17 Pagesor a can of tuna fish? Should a risk or benefit analysis be used in situations where a defect in design or manufacturing could lead to death or seriously bodily harm, such as in the Ford Pinto situation? And was it the proper framework to use in this situation? If so, it seems that the correct decision was made. Examining this question after-the-fact, it certainly seems like a poor decision. There are arguments both for and against such an analysis. In May of 1968, the Ford Motor Company, basedRead More The Characters in The Matrix Essay3889 Words   |  16 Pagesby the matrix, an extensive simulacral world that, to its unknowing inhabitants, is in every way the same as reality, and to those merely passing through, is a sinister, green-tinted prison. The film sets, by dialogue and symbolism, a place for analysis, theology, theory, philosophy, and criticism that accommodates any stance within a language of freedom, choice, perception, reality, simulation, mind, computer code, and body. Rationalizations of and within these terms get a place at the table.Read MoreCauses And Consequences Of The Great Depression2847 Words   |  12 Pagescauses, consequences and what the media, historians and people thought. My personal opinion is also included. The Great depression of was a period of economic crisis and business lows throughout the world . It roughly began with the stock market crash of 1929 and spiraled out of control from then onward throughout 1930. Poverty, unemployment, bank failures, social impacts and political consequences were a few of the many downfalls to the depression. But the Great depression was not all doom andRead MoreA View from the Bridge: Story of a Brooklyn Longshoreman6101 Words   |  25 Pagesautobiography, Timebends: A Life, Arthur Miller defines the trajectory of this turbulent chapter of his life that began with his curiosity in a new longshoremen’s movement trying to clean up the corruption on the Brooklyn waterfront: Out of it would come a movie script (never to be produced); a play, A View from the Bridge; and a trip to Hollywood, where I would meet an unknown young actress, Marilyn Monroe, and at the same time come into direct collision with the subterranean machine that enforced politicalRead MoreFirestone and Ford: the Tire Tread Separation Tragedy5367 Words   |  22 Pagesvery outset. It and other companies have been successful in keeping lawsuits and consumer complaint data confidential, or private, saying the Taylor accident was similar to only one other with which they were familiar. Randy Roberts did not buy this argument, and in November 1999, he won a crucial victory from state judge Sam Bournias, who ordered Firestone to turn over any information on complaints or other lawsuits, as well as employee depositions associated with these lawsuits concerning its ATX andRead MoreEssay about The Razors Edge Study Guide23742 Words   |  95 Pagesplease visit: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide−razors−edge/ Copyright Information  ©2000−2007 BookRags, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The following sections of this BookRags Premium Study Guide is offprint from Gales For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare

American Public Education Essay - 676 Words

Public schools in America were regarded as the best public schools in the world up to the 1970s. Today, compared to the development of Asian and European schools, American schools are ranked as some of the lowest schools. Some students are graduating from high school with little or more knowledge about the core classes. For instance, I started school in the US at age twelve, eighth grade, and was placed in college prep classes, even though English was my second language. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to travel and study in different countries like Afghanistan, India, and Yemen. The excellent schooling system of these countries, although they were considered third world countries in the eighties, had prepared me for a higher†¦show more content†¦Are we lacking something in our education system? If so, what is it? If our system is failing, we need to find why it is, before we place our youth at a great risk in the global market. America needs to keep American youth at an equivalent academic level as the Asian and European nations. America argue that one of the main dilemma for American schools is the funding deficiency, for different programs to help the students succeed; the US spends more per student than any other G-7 nation (Asian and European countries). Studies show that the spending per pupil has probably increased about 400% since 1960. It is true that the funding might be a minor cause of our schools failing, not a major cause. Dr. Milton Friedman, a noble laureate, did a study which indicated that the quality of schooling is far worse today, than it was in 1955. This study also illustrates that we do have the highest cost per student, yet lowest quality of education. Another study argues,there is a inverse relationship between spending and quality which is evident to the G-7 nations, who have understood and worked within this system, where as Americans blame the funding mostly when education issues are brought up. The US needs to transform the academic standards and strive for advanced studies in AmericanShow MoreRelatedThe History of American Public Education Essay examples2412 Words   |  10 PagesAfter the American Revolutionary war, the people of the United States were responsible for determining the best course of action within the new republic. The Articles of Confederation were replaced by the new Constitution, which provided a general set of principles the government was to be guided by. This new system was a new and improved integration of historical warnings, hoping to prevent tyranny by individual or the masses and injustice. However, it quickly became apparent that a certain educationRead MoreThe American Public Education System913 Words   |  4 PagesIn American two out of three eighth-graders can’t read proficiently and for African American and Hispanic students across the country dropout rates are close to 40 percent and those were just two of the many ways the Americ an Education System has failed its members. Education in the United States is provided by public schools and private schools. Public education is universally required at the kindergarten through twelfth grade level. Budgets and policies are set through locally elected school boardsRead MoreAmerican Public Education Essays1553 Words   |  7 PagesCollege Writing 24-102 Dr. Boggs American Public Education Today, education enables us to enlarge our knowledge and open doors for opportunities to the path of having a good future. In the five readings, each written by a different author, there was a lesson learned and something to take away from each one. Reading through the passages by Mann, Moore, Malcolm X, Gatto, Rose, and Anyon, each author contributed his or her point of view on general public education. This topic can be very argumentativeRead MoreThe Story Of American Public Education780 Words   |  4 PagesKerrigan Cesar School: The Story of American Public Education 1 During early schooling the religion was taught in the teachings, there was a certain level of fear was instilled in all children that if they disobeyed to follow authority they would fail (Joel Spring). Now a days public school and religion are usually separate but disobeying authority and not being a good student gives students a fear of failing out of school or not being good enough for colleges to notice. The video also said thatRead MoreThe American Public Education System Essay1515 Words   |  7 PagesThink Outside The Box Tired of the same old routine? Too much pressure is being put on high school students; some students do not even know how to cope with it. The way that the American public education system has planned to make these individuals succeed is really not how it should be. Students are being taught information that will not be as useful once they become adults. Students should be able to receive the knowledge they need in order to succeed in life. Students need an opportunity to beRead MoreThe American Public Education System2331 Words   |  10 Pagesproblems in the American public education system today. Some of those include the quality of teachers, who have no real passion for the job, and are only allowed to remain in the position because of tenure privileges. Another issue is the state budgets that are allowed for public schools, with some states investing billions of dollars, and others prioritizing it lower on the list. In hot debate today is standardized testing, and the negat ive effect that it has on high school education, with the limitsRead More American Public Education Essay1785 Words   |  8 Pages The American public educational system is filled with an assortment of problems. Most students are graduating with less knowledge and capability than similar students in other industrialized countries. Classroom disruptions are surprisingly common, and in some classrooms, nearly continuous. The public education system is having difficulty adjusting to the no child left behind act. The No Child Left Behind(NCLB) is a landmark in education reform designed to improve student achievement and changeRead MoreUnderstanding the purpose of american public education Essay1062 Words   |  5 PagesUnderstanding the Purpose of American Public Education American public education has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past several hundred years. This transformation not only includes technology and appearance, but diversity and policies as well. However, an age-old question is still being pondered today. What is the purpose of American public education? Although you may have your own answer for this question; not everyone may agree with you. This is where the problem resides. How canRead MoreCareer Education in American Public Schools Essay1389 Words   |  6 PagesProblem Statement How should the United States government revitalize career and technical education (CTE) to meet 21st century needs, including collaboration and partnership between K-12 public education and the workforce? Background The need for a national career education program is driven by a few principles. Firstly, CTE can help to keep students in school. In 2011, seven percent of American students dropped out of high school (â€Å"Dropout rates†, n.d.). CTE programs help to keep students inRead More American Public Education - Obsessed with Being Average Essay625 Words   |  3 PagesAmerican Public Education - Obsessed with Being Average A countrys educational system is typically influenced by a variety of factors. Racial and ethnic attitudes, for example, can play an important role in policy formation and school administration. Language is a significant factor as well. Political and religious ideologies also are potent influences on the educational system. An average student’s registration into the educational system may be affected by such factors. What is the definition

Discussion on decentralised decision making

Question: Employees put their own goals as priority and forget the companys goals(Uniform policies not Followed).Problem of Co-Ordination - Divergence of opinion among staff ,More Financial Burden? Answer: Todays managers are facing the perennial question of how much freedom in decision making should be given to their employees. The big organizations are working in decentralized system where the work is hand over to subordinates and is viewed as extension of delegation. As defined by Earl P. Strong, decentralization is the division of work and activities among the autonomous units who are given full authority and responsibility for their decision and operations (Smriti, 2013). Thus decentralization is the freedom of decision making power and autonomy to the lower level of employees. When there is freedom, the chance of misuse of this freedom is also high. In modern organizations granting freedom to employees in decision making is becoming a trend, but at the same time the cause of the concern is also increasing. Providing autonomy to employees on their job increases their job satisfaction and motivates them to perform well in their job. In traditional organizations decentralization was not present and autonomy was given to only employees at higher levels. But in todays flatter organization the lower level employees are also given higher levels of authority. Such level of authority and autonomy benefits the employees, managers and company the whole but at the same time these power of decision making and authority is misused by the employees (Mithila, 2013). 1. Uniform policies are not followed: When employees are given freedom of making business decisions on their own with no or minimum supervision they cross the line and start working in their own guidelines by keeping their personal goals on priority and forget the companys goals and missions. Each employee starts framing his own policies as per his talent. When the outcome of decision making come out to be right then decentralization is considered to be right but the wrong outcomes can be devastating for the organization and its workforce (Tanya, 2013). 2. No Co-ordination: As authority flows widely throughout the organization employees and team faces the problem of co-ordination as each employee works with his own decision. When employees are given the freedom of decision making, their confidence level increases and they become more happy and motivated and bring productivity in their work. But sometimes, high level of confidence brings arrogance among the employees and such arrogant employees are difficult to work with and handle. Such arrogant employees do not take direction in proper sense and become insubordinate and brings the problem of co-ordination among the team (Tanya, 2013). 3. Financial Burden: Modern organizations are adopting decentralization type of working but are not following the requirement of employing trained personnel who can accept the authority. The trained employees are capable of taking more responsibility within the organization and can work independently without any supervision. Recruiting such personnel will save business money by not hiring the managerial workforce. But the modern companies are not hiring such qualified personnel because it is considered as a financial burden for the company to match their salary requirements (Smriti, 2013). 4. Increase of Conflicts: When each and every employee starts working with his own working style and starts misusing his power of decision making, this leads to conflicts among the team members. When the employees are given freedom of decision making they end up by misusing this freedom. This leads to conflicts in interpersonal relations and the company is overall affected. In decentralization process there is huge pressure on divisional heads to meet their profits targets, and in meeting their targets managers usually enters into conflicts (Smriti, 2013). Conclusion There is a hair line difference beyond which the freedom granted to employees can have adverse effects on the overall performance of the organization. Granting freedom to employees is like a slippery slope because employees are always in a habit of misusing the freedom by taking more and more liberties which ultimately destroys the structure and discipline of the organization. If the freedom is not properly checked it can be backfired. Employees are in a habit of taking the freedom in granted which hinders their efficiency and performance rather than enhancing it. Employees make a habit of stretching the deadline, not following the office hours, misusing the work from home option, misuse of office internet for personal works like social networking, watching videos, paying bills etc which cannot be tolerated by any organization (Mithila, 2013). Thus the managers while deciding the how much latitude of decision making should be granted to employees they should focus on the intrapersonal experience of their employees like motivation and satisfaction and should also consider how they are perceived as effective leads from their employers. Decentralization in decision making is a positive attribute for the employees and the organization but it has many drawbacks which can destroy the organization thus proper care and monitoring steps should be taken when autonomy and authority is increasing (Roy, 2006). References Smriti Chand. (2013). Decentralization: Meaning, advantages and disadvantages of decentralization. Your article library. Mithila Mehta. (2013). Employees tend to cross the line, always! The times of India. Tanya Robertson. (2013). Negative effects of employee empowerment. Demand media. Roy Young-Joo Chua, Sheena S. Iyengar. (2006). Empowerment through choice? A critical analysis of the effects of choice in organizations. Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol 27, 41-79. ISSN: 0191-3085, doi-10.1016.

Polar Bears an Example by

Polar Bears Polar bear or Ursus maritimus, sympathetic white Teddy bear and formidable predators, is one of the most remarkable animals in the world. Among North Americas largest land carnivores, polar bears are taller than grizzlies and can weigh more than 1,500 pounds. Their claws are needle sharp for traction on the ice and for subduing seals, their canines longer than those of grizzlies and ideally suited to tearing apart flesh. Polar bears are strong enough to pull a beluga whale out of the water, patient enough to wait hours above a seals blowhole, and canny enough to hide their black nose with a paw as they stalk an unwitting seal. They are capable of killing humans and have done so often. Need essay sample on "Polar Bears" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Like sharks, they are attuned so perfectly to their environment that we humans can only be clumsy and ineffective interlopers in their world. Moreover, even to most animals, a description of life on the Arctics frozen seas sounds pretty grim. Not only is it dark for much of the year, bur icy winds, subzero temperatures, and fierce blizzards are the rule. For the polar bear, however, that environment is a happy home. In fact, of all the Earths bears, only the polar bear lives exclusively in the Arctic region, justly earning such nicknames as the sea bear, the ice bear, and lord of the Arctic. Undergraduates Usually Tell EssayLab specialists:How much do I have to pay someone to write my paper online?Essay writers recommend: Find Brilliant Papers For Sale HereEssay Writing Services Professional Writer For Hire Do My Assignment Online Cheap Writing Service Reviews Because its polar bears life is so intimately connected to oceanic environments, scientists consider Ursus maritimus a marine mammal and place it in a group that includes whales, sea otters, and walruses. Exactly how the polar bear adapted to the sea ice is something of a mystery, though in scientific circles it is generally accepted that it evolved from the grizzly bear line. This might have happened during the mid-Pleistocene period 200,000 to 250,000 years ago (Struzik, 39), when a population of grizzly bears became isolated by an advancing ice sheet. Secluded in an environment filled with seals and no other predatory competitors, these opportunistic feeders discovered a wide-open niche and evolved into the modern polar bear. As generations of sea bears adapted to their new environment and life as pure carnivores, their bodies went through dramatic change. Teeth became sharper for shearing of hide and flesh; claws became shorter, sharper, and strongly curved, to permit a better grip on ice and prey (). Most noticeably, their fur became a creamy white, to better blend with ice and snow. Polar bears also have black skin, and blubber, a thick layer of fat below the skin that provides insulation for their bodies and allows them to withstand arctic temperatures. Now North Americas largest land carnivore, adult males average around 1,000 pounds but may weigh up to 1,700 pounds and, standing on hind legs, reach more than 11 feet tall. Adult females, though considerably smaller, may reach 700 pounds. Evolutionary changes also are evident in other aspects. For instance, most female polar bears have four nipples instead of the grizzlys six, which makes it more difficult for them to deal with triplet (Struzik, 42). Throughout the species range, including U.S. habitat in Alaska, polar bear populations are considered to be healthy and stable. Yet these symbols of wilderness and raw animal power require vast, undeveloped landscapes to thrive. That need, plus the species low reproduction rate and relatively small numbers, makes polar bears vulnerable to human intrusion and industrial development - challenges that could have tremendous impact on these giant creatures future. Today, an estimated 22,000 to 28,000 polar bears are scattered throughout fire Northern Hemispheres region of ice-covered seas, occupying lands and waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and the United States (Seaworld, 2005). However, until the 1960s, scientists believed that polar bears were circumpolar nomads that wandered randomly through the Arctic. Close monitoring in recent decades has radically altered that view. Polar bears, it turns out, have a seasonal fidelity to certain regions. At any given season, an inpidual bear is likely to be found in the same area, from one year to the next. Thus, instead of one huge population, scientists now pide polar bears into 16 subpopulations. Polar bears in all these subpopulations prefer to remain on sea ice because that is where they find their primary prey - seals. An adult seal can provide could provide up to eight days of energy for a polar bear (Seaworld, 2005). Ringed seals are a special favorite, hunted in snow-covered lairs or while basking on ice besides breathing holes. Occasionally, though, polar bears will move onto land in search of food, but primarily to den. Unlike grizzly and black bears, most polar bears do not spend their winters in hibernation, because ringed seals provide a reliable year-round supply of food. However, any polar bear may build a temporary den to escape extreme cold or Arctic storms. According to scientific evidence available, only pregnant females normally den for extended periods. Although polar bears prefer to occupy particular territory, large populations of bears inhabit on drifting sea ice. For instance, study conducted by Mette Mauritzen from Norwegian Polar Institute used information from satellite telemetry, satellite images and atmospheric pressure readings to examine how the active movements of 74 female polar bears living on the Barents Sea compare with the movement of the ice (Torr and Hickey, 19). Scientists found that polar bears do undergo an annual migration with drifting ice (Torr and Hickey, 19). However, it does not represent any significant threat to animals, because as Russian bear expert Nikita Ovsyanikov points out, polar bears dont drown. They have been observed swimming as far as 100 kilometers without a rest (Stock, 20). Pregnant polar bears leave the sea ice in the autumn or early winter and search for denning sites in the bank and bluff habitats of the North Slope. When they find a suitable snowbank, they excavate a snow cave and settle in for the winter. Subsequent winter storms cover them and provide the substrate that allows them to expand their space as needed. Settled in their dens, hibernating females give birth in December or January, usually to a pair of cubs. The newborns weigh only 1 to 1.5 pounds at birth, have such fine hair they appear naked, and cannot see (Seaworld, 2005). Protected from winters severity and nursing on milk that is 46 percent fat, the cubs grow quickly and weigh 25 to 30 pounds when they emerge in spring. But months will pass before they are developed enough to survive the rigors of an Arctic winter on their own. Conservationists and some scientists fear that if the coastal plain were opened to oil and gas exploration, seismic testing would endanger the Arctic refuges denning families. Past seismic work on Alaskas wildlife refuges has caused hibernating grizzly bears to abandon dens. Given what's known about denning bears, if a mother and cubs were chased from their den in mid-winter, the cubs would almost certainly die. According to scientists, other dangers to the populations of polar bears include ingestion of contaminants associated with oil development, as well as oil spills that could directly harm, either polar bears or the marine food upon which they depend. Another, though still largely undefined, threat to polar bear populations is pollutants, because many of them transported through the atmosphere. For instance, scientist Derocher has found the highest PCB levels in Svalbards polar bears, with as much as 80 parts of the chemical per million parts of body tissue (Cone, 72). Interestingly, polar bears in Svalbard carry 12 times more of the chemical contaminant in their bodies than do male bears in Alaska (Cone, 72). Indeed, these chemical contaminants in polar bears generally increase from west to east, from the Chukchi and Bering seas across Alaska and Canada and then to Greenland and Norway. This particular pattern makes sense if one considers prevailing wind directions from the North America to Europe. According to scientific evidence available, biological changes in the animals hormone and immune systems are linked to the levels of toxic contaminants in their bodies. However, the problem of global warming imposes even greater challenges on the populations of polar bears. Polar bears inhabiting southern areas of the Arctic Circle are stranded each summer as the melting of ice packs starts. Moreover, being separated from their principal prey of ringed seals, the bears endure a summer-long last until the ice returns in November. According to explanations given by Arctic ecosystems expert Derocher, The climate predictions coming out are showing massive changes in sea-ice distributionYou dont have to be a polar scientist to see that if you take away all the sea ice you don't have polar bears anymore (Cristol, 6). Indeed, over the last 35 years, Arctic ice has thinned from an average of 3.1 meters to 1.8 meters (Cristol, 6). As a consequence of the climatic shifts, polar bears are eating less, thus building up less fat reserves and have fewer chances to survive during hard seasons. Moreover, it diminished cubs birth rate as well as their survival rate because they do not have enough fat too. According to Cristol, some scientists have even predicted the Arctic Ocean could be entirely ice-free by 2050 (Cristol, 6). If these global warming forecasts are correct, they may be a harbinger of what is to come throughout the circumpolar region as the Earths climate continues to heat up. Long-term temperature increases will mean a diminished ice pack that, in turn, will affect the survival of ringed seals, polar bears, and other northern species in unknown ways. It may not happen in our lifetimes, but there may come a day when polar bears, the worlds most remarkable animal, no longer walk the shores of Arctic parklands. As always, that future depends on actions taken in the present. Bibliography Cone, Marla Bear Trouble, Smithsonian, 00377333, Apr 2003, 34(1) Torr, G., Hickey, G., Polar Drift,Nature Australia, 13242598, Spring 2004, 28(2) Stock, Peter Polar opposites,Report / Newsmagazine (National Edition), 14888084, 1/20/2003, 30(2) Cristol Hope. As Arctic ice melts, polar bears may starve,The Futurist.Washington: Jul/Aug 2003, 37(4) Struzik, Ed, GRIZZLIES ON ICE,Canadian Geographic, 07062168, Nov/Dec2003, 123(6) Seaworld, Polar Bears. A SeaWorld Education Department Resource, 2005

Case Study Essay on Nursing Informatics

Case Study Essay on Nursing Informatics Case Study Essay on Nursing Informatics Nursing Informatics in today’s Healthcare Delivery System: This paper highlights the essentiality of informatics processes and technology in informatics in enhancing the safety of patients and summarizes nursing research that is relevant to the matter. The paper makes use of numerous material most of which is current to highlight the importance of informatics in improving health care. The author arranges the information logically, first by defining and describing the key aspects of the article, as well as, key terms. The information is seen as largely accurate and valid as it is cited correctly fro current materials and arranged in a manner that supports the topic and purpose of the article. The conclusions of the paper are based on most of the information cited in the main body of the paper. The recommendations are deducted from the analysis of the information presented and, therefore, are believable to a certain level. One of the things that reduce the level of accuracy of the conclusions of the author is that he introduces new materials at the conclusion level and that makes the conclusion less valid. Though the author might have included this new citation to support the conclusions he draws, it would have been more accurate if the conclusions and recommendations were entirely drawn from the body of the paper. The purpose of this article was to utilize an approach that was qualitative in exploring perceptions in nursing of the effects of health information system utilization in the work place. To achieve its purpose, the research utilized three institutions in National healthcare Group. It also involved seven nurses and interviews. The researchers provided a brief overview of the major aspects of the study which was supported by a number of current studies and literature. The literature is current and well cited and the information is arranged in a manner that is logical. It is highly probable that the information is accurate and valid as it is cited from current material. The authors get their conclusions from a careful analysis of the results of the study. The conclusions and the recommendations of the study, therefore, are believable as one can follow and make sense of them from the methods, results and analysis of the interviews carried out in the study. There are a number of limitations, however, that the study presents. For instance, study was small and, therefore, it is impossible to generalize the results of the study to represent a larger population. Additionally, the quality of the article is determined largely by the skills of the researchers. As it follows, the outcomes might not be wholly accurate or valid. The validity of the truth of the results is also doubtful as the researcher asked the participants sensitive questions regarding HIS and its barriers and effects. However, the study is essential as it gives the audience a first- hand opinion of the users of health information systems and the kind of effects it has on health care, and qu ality of outcomes in patients. The purpose of this article id to look at the level at which Canadian medical institutions have adopted health informatics and the impacts the informatics have on health delivery. The author basis her arguments on a number of materials most of which are current. This indicates that the accuracy of her deductions is assured. Additionally, the work is properly cited and, therefore, it can be thought of as valid. The author introduces the article by giving to her audience the main perspective and focus of the paper. Additionally, the author also carries out her own surveys to add on to the information derived from the literature. The conclusions of the study are made after the careful analysis of the results of the survey and after the careful study of the literature. Though the article is of uttermost importance to the nursing industry, it also poses a number of limitations. The study makes conclusions about Canada and, therefore, the recommendations can only be made about Canada and c annot be generalized with a larger population. This paper is a systematic literature review that seeks to explore the current, available studies that indicate whether the nursing population in the US today, other than the current graduates, have the required, sufficient knowledge and competencies to utilize knowledge in informatics and skills to enhance the advancement of practice based on evidence and utilization of electronic systems of medical records effectively and associated technologies. The author uses articles derived from the period between 1999 and 2006. The currency of the articles he chooses to use in the literature review indicates that the information displayed in the article is current and valid. The information is also properly cited and referenced to indicate that it is accurate; the author arranges the information logically by first defining the main aspects of the subject matter. The author makes several conclusions all of which are based on the information obtained from the literature reviewed. The author does not include any other information that is not priory highlighted in the reviewed literature. There are some limitations in the article nevertheless. For example, the author highlights four different limitations that he deems are the contributing factors to the incomplete study and research if the clinical population. The author does not show how he came with these conclusions. It is not clear that his recommendations are backed up with evidence or they are just personal recommendations. However, the study is extremely significant in today’s health care as they highlight the areas in need of improvement when it comes to nursing informatics in providing health care. The article can be used in the making of the concepts paper as it can be used to help nurses improve their informatics knowledge by highlighting areas of need. The article discusses the importance of electronic health records in improving the kind of health care hospitalized patients get in hospitals. The article also shows how essential it is for nurses to use sources of electronic documentation as it is the only relevant and meaningful way of majority of the essential information about their patients. The article draws a lot of its information from numerous articles and other materials that are logically organized. The material the article draws its evidence from seem appropriate for the subject are, therefore, appropriate. The cited materials help the authors discuss and show the relevant aspects of electronic documentation and its implications. Additionally, the authors carry out their own studies which involve an integrative review of the available literature and the examination of the associations between the quality of health care and electronic documentation. The study does this by following the quality framework by Donabedian. The general discussions and summary of the article are used by the authors to provide an essential overview of the conclusions that article draws. They also could be highly useful to support the conclusion in the research paper. The paper, however, had one significant limitation and that is the researchers did not seek to answer the question, ‘how does electronic documentation aid nurses in delivering quality health care?’ the study did also not evaluate the outcomes of the patient. These limitations, however, can be used as new topics for future research whereby researchers in the future can find out from nurses how electronic documentation help in improving delivery of health care so as to obtain and define variables for evaluating some outcomes in patient health. This source is extremely essential because it provides one with the essential information on how health care can be improved. This is one way that one can come up with recommendations of how today’s he alth care can be improved and enhanced. Are you ready to pay for custom case studies written by highly qualified writers? Dont hesitate to contact our company right now!

Chemical Hazards In The Working Environment Environmental Sciences Essay

Chemical Hazards In The Working Environment Environmental Sciences Essay Chemical Engineering is defined as the branch of engineering which is involved in the application of physical science and mathematics to processing and converting raw materials and chemicals into more useful forms. The outputs and methods of these processes are not always safe and chemical hazards need to be overcome to make the working environment a satisfactorily hospitable for everyone that the process affects. This includes the general public and the environment as well as the workers involved. Chemical Engineers need to ensure that the safety measures which they devise regarding certain processes are adequate enough not to pose hazards and to meet the regulations of the law. This term paper will outline some of the hazards which Chemical Engineers and other workers in the industry need to neutralise to ensure that the working environment is safe for those involved. A hazard is defined as anything which could result in an accident. Such hazards include those caused by the releas e of noxious chemicals which can prove damaging to the health of people and the environment. Chemical hazards can be especially dangerous due to the toxic nature of the substances used in the industry. Plant Safety The health and safety of plant workers is a major concern to the chemical industry. Accidents which result in loss of life or injuries are especially damaging due to the high costs they inflict. Costs in retraining personnel, repairing equipment damaged in have huge costs, as well as the interruption in business that ensues after an accident. The trends have shown that over the years fatalities have decreased but property costs have increased. This trend is due to the increased automated systems used in plants. These systems have increased complexity and productivity to older designs. In earlier designs the workers were more exposed to the chemical processes taking place in the plant, and were in turn exposed to more hazards. This however poses another problem because if workers are more isolated from a process, even if this greatly reduces health and safety hazards then if a malfunction occurs in the plant it is much more difficult to have experienced personnel available to fix a process problem. Due to this action compensation must be made in the case of higher property costs as opposed to loss of life and injury to workers. â€Å"As of the early 1990’s, annual worker fatalities ran about 9 per 100,000 employees; annual lost time disabling injuries ran about 4,000 per 100,000 employees. Property Losses increased fourfold from the 1970’s†. Safety assessments are now undergone on chemical plants to ensure that they adhere to safety levels proposed by regulation standards. Quantification of hazards such as overpressure potential and flammability were done by measurements of vapour pressure and of flash points and flammability limits. The process designers need to make use of data that gives information pertaining to the hazards o f a process such as information of reaction rates and the energies involved in exothermic reactions in which heat is given out, that of unstable chemicals, of temperature limits in which explosive decomposition can occur, rates of generation of gas and vapour and emergency fail-safes such as pressure releases for high pressure systems.

Kathmandu PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kathmandu - PowerPoint Presentation Example Built on an octagonal base, the place is filled with colored flags. The surrounding area of the stupa has various prayer wheels along with a large range of statues, five of which known as the Dhyani Buddhas are of special importance for the Nepal’s Buddhist community. A total of 50 monasteries surround the location and nearly 15% of the population in this area is Buddhists. Their characteristic living style with maroon clothing and shaven heads can be seen here in abundance. The Himalayas mountain span over a length of 1500 miles and contains the most highest mountains of the world. The famous Mount Everest can be approached by a 30 minutes flight to an airport known as Lukla airport. Upon arrival to this destination, the visitors most of whom are climbers trek to reach the Namche Bazaar, where modern facilites like internet cafes, hiking equipment, food and accommodation is available. Everest base camp is further away. It was originally the living space of the royal family of Nepal. It has been centuries since they moved away from this place, but this place still remains a main tourist spot in Kathmandu. Visitors are surprised to see the number of temples that are present in this area, which tell the story of a magnificient past of this area. The hanuman Dhoka and the Taleju Temple which was built by Mahenda Malla are famous tourist attractions in this

Dicrimination in Work Place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dicrimination in Work Place - Essay Example Earlier this week, a federal jury unanimously awarded him a whopping $25 million as a result† (Gordon par. 1). The discrimination in the work place specifically focuses on race and color discrimination ("Section 15†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). One firmly shares the contention that discrimination in the work setting must be immediately addressed through the proper legal avenues. Issues Discussed The discrimination case that was legally filed in court was a racial harassment lawsuit, which, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), reveals that â€Å"racial harassment cases at the EEOC have surged since the early 1990s from 3,075 in Fiscal Year 1991 to nearly 7,000 in FY 2007. In addition to investigating and voluntarily resolving tens of thousands of race discrimination cases out of court, the EEOC has sued more than three dozen employers this decade in racial harassment cases involving nooses† (â€Å"Conectiv and Subcontractors†¦Ã¢â‚¬  par. 9). Nooses we re reportedly being hanged with a stuffed monkey hanged on it and placed in Turley’s car. ... As emphasized by the EEOC, â€Å"[e]mployers risk intervention by the EEOC when supervisors ignore racially offensive working conditions and fail to take prompt and effective remedial action to stop it† (â€Å"Conectiv and Subcontractors†¦Ã¢â‚¬  par. 4). It was allegedly indicated from Gordon’s discourse that â€Å"its executives went to great lengths to stop it, even suspending the guilty employees. Mills said the evidence unequivocally showed "a work environment that went beyond harassment" (Gordon par. 3). From the facts disclosed in the article, it was evident that through a thorough examination rendered from court proceedings, the results and the verdict of awarding a substantial amount in damages to Turley was only enough proof that workers and management at Arcelor Mittal were guilty, as charged. The three years of agony and repeated prejudice and discrimination that Turley endured in the work setting had to be stopped through using the proper avenue to f ile charges of racial discrimination and harassment. Every organization’s human resources department is well aware of the laws and regulations that promote equal employment opportunities that explicitly discourage discrimination through Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), to wit: This law makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. The law also requires that employers reasonably accommodate applicants' and employees' sincerely held religious practices, unless doing so

The Cell Phone Industry :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Cell Phone Industry Cell phone manufacturers and service providers are at the core of the cell phone industry.   These corporations are integral from their research and development endeavors to interactions with the consumer and the marketing of new products.   The companies that control such factors of cellular phones are very numerous, so it is difficult to address all the cell phone manufacturers and service providers.   However, we have focused largely on only the most significant cellular companies namely in the U.S. marketplace, although many have global ties.   Collectively, companies around the world have the same goals in mind – to create desirable cutting-edge technology and to increase consumer satisfaction with hopes of generating sales, and thus profits.      Manufacturers and service providers of cell phones are located throughout the world, although, as inCode, a wireless business and technology consulting firm, suggests, â€Å"Not many wireless carriers today have a truly global presence.†Ã‚   However, the company predicts that â€Å"the top 10 wireless carriers are going to make a push for globalization in the coming years† (â€Å"InCode releases†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ).   Most especially, inCode foresees service providers reaching to â€Å"unconquered markets like China, which is the fastest growing wireless market in the world† (â€Å"InCode releases†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ).   Some companies have already tapped into the global marketplace, spreading areas of coverage across continents.   The cell phone manufacturer Nokia, for example, is rooted in Finland, but sells cellular phone products virtually everywhere on the globe.   Service providers, although most often more less expansive in scope, are also trying to provide more global coverage.    Global service coverage is in large demand, especially from businessmen who frequently travel.   Linda Stern suggests in Newsweek to global travelers that they should â€Å"buy your phone and service from T-Mobile, AT&T or Cingular, the only three U.S. companies to use the internationally dominant GSM (Global System for Mobile communication).†Ã‚   Depending on the service provider, one may or may not get coverage in other countries.   For example, Verizon customers enjoy phones that work in Latin America, while Cingular customers have coverage in Europe.   Even better is AT&T Wireless, which offers â€Å"vast international coverage† or TMobile, another international carrier (Stern).   Service coverage varies greatly by carrier, with some reaching many countries and others only small portions of a single country.    Part of the reason for the absence of a truly global cellular company is because it is difficult for companies to keep up with the changing trends across the world, as consumers in different parts of the world demand different technologies and products.

Frostbite Chapter 11

Eleven LISSA WAS UP AND GONE before I even stirred the next morning, which meant I had the bathroom to myself while I got ready for the day. I loved that bathroom. It was enormous. My king-size bed would have fit comfortably inside it. A scalding shower with three different nozzles woke me up, though my muscles ached from yesterday. As I stood in front of the full-length mirror and combed my hair, I saw with some disappointment that the bruise was still there. It was significantly lighter, however, and had turned yellowish. Some concealer and powder almost entirely covered it up. I headed downstairs in search of food. The dining room was just shutting down breakfast, but one of the waitresses gave me a couple of peach marzipan scones to go. Munching on one as I walked, I expanded my senses to get a feel for where Lissa was. After a couple of moments, I sensed her on the other side of the lodge, away from the student rooms. I followed the trail until I arrived at a room on the third floor. I knocked. Christian opened the door. â€Å"Sleeping Beauty arrives. Welcome.† He ushered me inside. Lissa sat cross-legged on the room's bed and smiled when she saw me. The room was as sumptuous as mine, but most of the furniture had been shoved aside to make space, and in that open area, Tasha stood. â€Å"Good morning,† she said. â€Å"Hey,† I said. So much for avoiding her. Lissa patted a spot beside her. â€Å"You've got to see this.† â€Å"What's going on?† I sat down on the bed and finished the last of the scone. â€Å"Bad things,† she said mischievously. â€Å"You'll approve.† Christian walked over to the empty space and faced Tasha. They regarded each other, forgetting about Lissa and me. I'd apparently interrupted something. â€Å"So why can't I just stick with the consuming spell?† asked Christian. â€Å"Because it uses a lot of energy,† she told him. Even with jeans and a ponytail- and the scar- she managed to look ridiculously cute. â€Å"Plus, it'll most likely kill your opponent.† He scoffed. â€Å"Why wouldn't I want to kill a Strigoi?† â€Å"You might not always be fighting one. Or maybe you need information from them. Regardless, you should be prepared either way.† They were practicing offensive magic, I realized. Excitement and interest replaced the sullenness I'd acquired upon seeing Tasha. Lissa hadn't been kidding about them doing â€Å"bad things.† I'd always suspected they were practicing offensive magic, but†¦ wow. Thinking about it and actually seeing it were two very different things. Using magic as a weapon was forbidden. A punishable offense. A student experimenting with it might be forgiven and simply disciplined, but for an adult to actively be teaching a minor†¦yeah. That could get Tasha in major trouble. For half a second, I toyed with the idea of turning her in. Immediately, I dismissed the notion. I might hate her for making moves on Dimitri, but part of me sort of believed in what she and Christian were doing. Plus, it was just cool. â€Å"A distracting spell is almost as useful,† she continued. Her blue eyes took on the intense focus I often saw Moroi get while using magic. Her wrist flicked forward, and a streak of fire snaked past Christian's face. It didn't touch him, but from the way he flinched, I suspected it had been close enough for him to feel the heat. â€Å"Try it,† she told him. Christian hesitated for only a moment and then made the same hand motion she had. Fire streaked out, but it had none of the finely tuned control hers had had. He also didn't have her aim. It went straight for her face, but before it could touch her, it parted and split around her, almost like it had hit an invisible shield. She'd deflected it with her own magic. â€Å"Not bad- aside from the fact you would have burned my face off.† Even I wouldn't want her face burned off. But her hair†¦ah, yes. We'd see how pretty she was without that raven-black mane. She and Christian practiced a while longer. He improved as time went by, though he clearly had a ways to go before he had Tasha's skill. My interest grew and grew as they went on, and I found myself pondering all the possibilities this kind of magic could offer. They wrapped up their lesson when Tasha said she had to go. Christian sighed, clearly frustrated that he hadn't been able to master the spell in an hour. His competitive nature was almost as strong as mine. â€Å"I still think it'd be easier to just burn them entirely,† he argued. Tasha smiled as she brushed her hair into a tighter ponytail. Yeah. She could definitely do without that hair, particularly since I knew how much Dimitri liked long hair. â€Å"Easier because it involves less focus. It's sloppy. Your magic'll be stronger in the long run if you can learn this. And, like I said, it has its uses.† I didn't want to agree with her, but I couldn't help it. â€Å"It could be really useful if you were fighting with a guardian,† I said excitedly. â€Å"Especially if completely burning a Strigoi takes so much energy. This way, you use just a quick burst of your strength to distract the Strigoi. And it will distract one since they hate fire so much. Then that's all the time a guardian would need to stake them. You could take down a whole bunch of Strigoi that way.† Tasha grinned at me. Some Moroi- like Lissa and Adrian- smiled without showing their teeth. Tasha always showed hers, including the fangs. â€Å"Exactly. You and I'll have to go Strigoi hunting someday,† she teased. â€Å"I don't think so,† I replied. The words in and of themselves weren't that bad, but the tone I used to deliver them certainly was. Cold. Unfriendly. Tasha looked momentarily surprised at my abrupt change in attitude but shrugged it off. Shock from Lissa traveled to me through the bond. Tasha didn't seem bothered, however. She chatted with us a bit longer and made plans to see Christian for dinner. Lissa gave me a sharp look as she, Christian, and I walked down the elaborate spiral staircase leading back down to the lobby. â€Å"What was that about?† she asked. â€Å"What was what about?† I asked innocently. â€Å"Rose,† she said meaningfully. It was hard to play dumb when your friend knew you could read her mind. I knew exactly what she was talking about. â€Å"You being a bitch to Tasha.† â€Å"I wasn't that much of a bitch.† â€Å"You were rude,† she exclaimed, stepping out of the way of a bunch of Moroi children who came tearing through the lobby. They were bundled up in parkas, and a weary-looking Moroi ski instructor followed them. I put my hands on my hips. â€Å"Look, I'm just grumpy, okay? Didn't get much sleep. Besides, I'm not like you. I don't have to be polite all the time.† As happened so often lately, I couldn't believe what I'd just said. Lissa stared at me, more astonished than hurt. Christian glowered, on the verge of snapping back at me, when Mason mercifully approached us. He hadn't needed a cast or anything, but he had a slight limp to his walk. â€Å"Hey there, Hop-Along,† I said, sliding my hand into his. Christian put his anger for me on hold and turned to Mason. â€Å"Is it true your suicidal moves finally caught up with you?† Mason's eyes were on me. â€Å"Is it true you were hanging out with Adrian Ivashkov?† â€Å"I- what?† â€Å"I heard you guys got drunk last night.† â€Å"You did?† asked Lissa, startled. I looked between both their faces. â€Å"No, of course not! I barely know him.† â€Å"But you do know him,† pushed Mason. â€Å"Barely.† â€Å"He's got a bad reputation,† warned Lissa. â€Å"Yeah,† said Christian. â€Å"He goes through a lot of girls.† I couldn't believe this. â€Å"Will you guys lay off? I talked to him for, like, five minutes! And that's only because he was blocking my way inside. Where are you getting all this?† Immediately, I answered my own question. â€Å"Mia.† Mason nodded and had the grace to look embarrassed. â€Å"Since when do you talk to her?† I asked. â€Å"I just ran into her, that's all,† he told me. â€Å"And you believed her? You know she lies half the time.† â€Å"Yeah, but there's usually some truth in the lies. And you did talk to him.† â€Å"Yes. Talk. That's it.† I really had been trying to give some serious thought about dating Mason, so I didn't appreciate him not believing me. He had actually helped me unravel Mia's lies earlier in the school year, so I was surprised he'd be so paranoid about them now. Maybe if his feelings really had grown for me, he was more susceptible to jealousy. Surprisingly, it was Christian who came to the rescue and changed the subject. â€Å"I suppose there's no skiing today, huh?† He pointed to Mason's ankle, immediately triggering an indignant response. â€Å"What, you think this is going to slow me down?† asked Mason. His anger diminished, replaced by that burning need to prove himself- the need he and I both shared. Lissa and Christian looked at him like he was crazy, but I knew nothing we said would stop him. â€Å"You guys want to come with us?† I asked Lissa and Christian. Lissa shook her head. â€Å"We can't. We have to go to this luncheon being hosted by the Contas.† Christian groaned. â€Å"Well, you have to go.† She elbowed him. â€Å"So do you. The invitation said I get to bring a guest. Besides, this is just a warm-up for the big one.† â€Å"Which one is that?† asked Mason. â€Å"Priscilla Voda's huge dinner,† sighed Christian. Seeing him look so pained made me smile. â€Å"The queen's best friend. All the snobbiest royals will be there, and I'll have to wear a suit.† Mason flashed me a grin. His earlier antagonism was gone. â€Å"Skiing's sounding better and better, huh? Less of a dress code.† We left the Moroi behind and went outside. Mason couldn't compete with me in the same way he had yesterday; his movements were slow and awkward. Still, he did remarkably well when one considered everything. The injury wasn't as bad as we'd feared, but he had the prudence to stick to extremely easy runs. The full moon hung in the blankness, a glowing sphere of silvery white. The electric lights overpowered most of its illumination on the ground, but here and there, in the shadows, the moon just barely managed to cast its glow. I wished it were bright enough to reveal the surrounding mountain range, but those peaks stayed shrouded in darkness. I'd forgotten to look at them when it was light out earlier. The runs were super simple for me, but I stayed with Mason and only occasionally teased him about how his remedial skiing was putting me to sleep. Boring runs or no, it was just nice to be outside with my friends, and the activity stirred my blood enough to warm me against the chill air. The light posts lit up the snow, turning it into a vast sea of white, the flakes' crystals sparkling faintly. And if I managed to turn away and block the lights from my field of vision, I could look up and see the stars spilling over the sky. They stood out stark and crystalline in the clear, freezing air. We stayed out for most of the day again, but this time, I called it quits early, pretending to be tired so Mason could get a break. He might manage easy skiing with his tender ankle, but I could tell it was starting to hurt him. Mason and I headed back toward the lodge walking very close to each other, laughing about something we'd seen earlier. Suddenly, I saw a streak of white in my peripheral vision, and a snowball smashed into Mason's face. I immediately went on the defensive, jerking backward and peering around. Whoops and cries sounded from an area of the resort grounds that held storage sheds and was interspersed with looming pines. â€Å"Too slow, Ashford,† someone called. â€Å"Doesn't pay to be in love.† More laughs. Mason's best friend, Eddie Castile, and a few other novices from school materialized from behind a cluster of trees. Beyond them, I heard more shouts. â€Å"We'll still take you in, though, if you want to be on our team,† said Eddie. â€Å"Even if you do dodge like a girl.† â€Å"Team?† I asked excitedly. Back at the Academy, throwing snowballs was strictly prohibited. School officials were inexplicably afraid that we'd throw snowballs packed with glass shards or razor blades, though I had no clue how they thought we'd get a hold of that kind of stuff in the first place. Not that a snowball fight was that rebellious, but after all the stress I'd been through recently, throwing objects at other people suddenly sounded like the best idea I'd heard in a while. Mason and I dashed off with the others, the prospect of forbidden fighting giving him new energy and causing him to forget the pain in his ankle. We set to the fight with a die-hard zeal. The fight soon became a matter of nailing as many people as possible while dodging attacks from others. I was exceptional at both and furthered the immaturity by catcalling and shouting silly insults at my victims. By the time someone noticed what we were doing and yelled at us, we were all laughing and covered with snow. Mason and I once again started back for the lodge, and our mood was so high, I knew the Adrian thing was long forgotten. Indeed, Mason looked at me just before we went inside. â€Å"Sorry I, uh, jumped all over you about Adrian earlier.† I squeezed his hand. â€Å"It's okay. I know Mia can tell some pretty convincing stories.† â€Å"Yeah†¦but even if you were with him†¦it's not like I have any right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared at him, surprised to see his usual brash countenance turn shy. â€Å"Don't you?† I asked. A smile turned up his lips. â€Å"Do I?† Smiling back, I stepped forward and kissed him. His lips felt amazingly warm in the freezing air. It wasn't like the earth-shattering kiss I'd had with Dimitri before the trip, but it was sweet and nice- a friendly sort of kiss that maybe could turn into more. At least, that was how I saw it. From the look on Mason's face, it appeared his whole world had been rocked. â€Å"Wow,† he said, eyes wide. The moonlight made his eyes look silvery blue. â€Å"You see?† I said. â€Å"Nothing to worry about. Not Adrian, not anybody.† We kissed again- a bit longer this time- before finally dragging ourselves apart. Mason was clearly in a better mood, as well as he should have been, and I dropped into bed with a smile on my face. I wasn't technically sure if Mason and I were a couple now, but we were very close to it. But when I slept, I dreamed about Adrian Ivashkov. I stood with him on the porch again, only it was summer. The air was balmy and warm, and the sun hung bright in the sky, coating everything in golden light. I hadn't been in this much sun since living among humans. All around, the mountains and valleys were green and alive. Birds sang everywhere. Adrian leaned against the porch's railing, glanced over, and did a double-take when he saw me. â€Å"Oh. Didn't expect to see you here.† He smiled. â€Å"I was right. You are devastating when you're cleaned up.† Instinctively, I touched the skin around my eye. â€Å"It's gone,† he said. Even without being able to see it, I somehow knew he was right. â€Å"You aren't smoking.† â€Å"Bad habit,† he said. He nodded toward me. â€Å"You scared? You're wearing a lot of protection.† I frowned, then looked down. I hadn't noticed my clothing. I wore a pair of embroidered jeans I'd seen once but had been unable to afford. My T-shirt was cropped, showing off my stomach, and I wore a belly-button ring. I'd always wanted to get my belly button pierced but had never been able to afford it. The charm I now wore here was a little silver dangly one, and hanging at the end of it was that weird blue eye pendant my mom had given me. Lissa's chotki was wound around my wrist. I looked back up at Adrian, studying the way the sun shone off his brown hair. Here, in full daylight, I could see that his eyes were indeed green- a deep emerald as opposed to Lissa's pale jade. Something startling suddenly occurred to me. â€Å"Doesn't all this sun bother you?† He gave a lazy shrug. â€Å"Nah. It's my dream.† â€Å"No, it's my dream.† â€Å"Are you sure?† His smile returned. I felt confused. â€Å"I†¦ I don't know.† He chuckled, but a moment later, the laugher faded. For the first time since I'd met him, he looked serious. â€Å"Why do you have so much darkness around you?† I frowned. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You're surrounded in blackness.† His eyes studied me shrewdly, but not in a checking-me-out sort of way. â€Å"I've never seen anyone like you. Shadows everywhere. I never would have guessed it. Even while you're standing here, the shadows keep growing.† I looked down at my hands but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I glanced back up. â€Å"I'm shadow-kissed†¦.† â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"I died once.† I'd never talked to anyone other than Lissa and Victor Dashkov about that, but this was a dream. It didn't matter. â€Å"And I came back.† Wonder lit his face. â€Å"Ah, interesting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I woke up. Someone was shaking me. It was Lissa. Her feelings hit me so hard through the bond that I briefly snapped into her mind and found myself looking at me. â€Å"Weird† didn't begin to cover it. I pulled back into myself, trying to sift through the terror and alarm coming from her. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"There's been another Strigoi attack.†

Women Writers From Ancient Sumeria, Rome, Greece, Egypt