Criteria for Example Essay

The Criteria For A Good Example Essay There are several factors that contribute to good example essay writing. Having excellent grammar, using words correctly, punctuation, and presentation are the biggest points to me. Grammar is important for several reasons. Grammar is what enables us to make structured sentences. Everyone uses grammar to form a sentence. If you have bad grammar, the point of your sentence(s) may become unclear and make it hard for a reader to understand what you are saying. Using words correctly shows that you have a basic knowledge and understanding of grammar. It is a pet-peeve of mine. If someone writes, â€Å"There enrolled in English class. † as opposed to, â€Å"They're enrolled in English class. † it makes them sound less educated then someone who uses the right form of the word. Using punctuation the right way is very important because it can change the whole meaning of a word or the structure of your sentence. For example: if someone is trying to say, â€Å"There is the classroom for my English class. and they write, â€Å"They're is the classroom for my English class. † it changes the sentence to â€Å"They are is the classroom for my English class. † It just simply doesn't make sense. Also, punctuation allows a writer to separate thoughts, show where someone speaking would normally pause, and make the sentence more easily understood to the reader. Presentation is, in my opinion, the most important thing. It remind s me of my career with food, for example. There could be the most amazing tasting dish in front of you but you would never know it if the plate was a sloppy mess. You are more likely to enjoy a dish if it appears to look appealing before you've even tasted it. The same goes with an essay. If the format is all wrong and it is hard to understand, you will be more likely to think the content isn't well prepared and thought out. In conclusion, I believe you can create your own idea of the criteria for good essay writing. This was my example of what I think it takes to be a successful essay writer. You must have a strong knowledge of all the components you believe are important to successfully express your statement.

Eeffective spheres of development Essay

I believe that to facilitate human learning, a more flexible, more nurturing environment would be needed. Human learning is most often an active cognitive process. Habituation and observational learning require participants to actively attend to the environment, to encode what they have witnessed and to retain this information before showing any evidence of learning. By developmental, I mean the emphasis on the identifiable patterns of growth and models of perceiving and responding, characterized by increasing differentiation and progressive integration as a function of chronological age. By Interaction, I mean the emphasis on the child’s interaction with the environment – adults, other children, and the material world, and second to the interaction between cognitive and effective spheres of development. Indeed, whether one is a formal leader or an informal leader, one can lead with power. A leader is also a follower and sometimes it is important, even necessary, for the leader to listen to others, and follow them. Whatever one’s position or relationship, others may know more than the leader. As Will Rogers was fond of saying, â€Å"We are all ignorant, only on different subjects. † So there are times when the leader also needs to follow. It will all depend on the situation he is in. This is my verbal communication weakness. Since I have a lot of inputs in my head, I get carried away when talking about something. I may get high marks for encouraging them at times I tend to be a boor when I dominate a conversation. I do not want to be branded an egocentric fascinated with the sound of my own voice. I am conscious about barraging them with my words. My life in college has been such an exciting time for me. I never thought it would be this good. Meanwhile, attention is important because individuals cannot learn much by observation unless they perceive and take heed on the significant aspects of the modeled behavior (Delores Isom, 1998). Retention is significant because unless the individual remembers what it has paid attention to, there would be no mental guide for emulating the modeled behavior. Reproduction refers to the physical ability to transduce the mental guide into actual behavior. Motivation provides the impetus for imitating the modeled behavior, thereby demonstrating what one has learned. Motivation can either be positive in the form of reinforcement, or negative in the form of punishment. People must be allowed to try things out and fall. It also means that they must be given answers only after they have generated questions. Applying this in a teacher-student relationship, in order to leverage the processes of natural learning, teachers must offer answers on an as-needed basis. Instead of making the students conform to a schedule of instruction, we must make the schedule of instruction conform to the student. Teachers should take first things first. They must first be concerned with goals, since before they can proceed, students must first acquire goals which interest them. Goals must underlie education. This emphasizes what Rosenthal and Jacobsen (1968) meant about teachers not forming any expectations about their students but allowing them the freedom to try things on their own. I think these critical thinking skills can help people achieve peace in the workplace. For example, the responsibility aspect will spur more insights about ethical dilemmas that arise at all levels in the business world. People may face situations in their work or dealings with other people in which ethical dilemmas arise. The individuals in these cases are faced with ethical questions in their relations with customers, employees, and members of a larger society. More often than not, the answers to these questions are difficult because it involves weighing of values. Conflicting values in a given situation are not capable of compromise. One has to choose one over another. Sometimes, the ethically correct course of action is clear, and hopefully individuals act accordingly. But the answers are often not simple. The dilemma is most commonly presented when ethical concerns come into conflict with the practical demands of business. The field of business ethics has grown from the interest of a few philosophers into an interdisciplinary area of study that has found a secure niche in both the liberal arts and the standard business curricula. Credit for this development belongs to many individuals.

Disraelis’ Reputaion and Promises

To establish whether this statement is true, the promises and reputation of Disraeli must first be identified. In his speeches in 1872 at Crystal Palace and in Manchester†s Free Trade Hall, Disraeli once again showed his skills as an orator. He laid out three basic aims or policies that he wanted to pursue, should he get in power. These were; to conserve the institutions in Britain, uphold British interests abroad and to improve the standard of life for the general population and especially the working classes. Disraeli had also created a reputation for himself with the 1867 Reform Act. He had successfully destroyed the liberal party and due to the nature of the act, extending the franchise by a considerable number, had acquired a reputation for being more open minded about matters of reform, even though the act was mainly passed through necessity, because the act would be passed and it was just a question about which party would do it. He had also tried successfully to establish the Conservative Party as the nationalistic party in the government, the one that would uphold British interest abroad and repair the damage that he claimed that Gladstone was causing. The Alabama arbitration and the dealings that Gladstone had with Russia over the situation in the Black Sea were perfect opportunities for Disraeli to show how Gladstone was destroying Britain†s Empire by his weakness in his dealings with other major powers. This meant that when Disraeli cam into power he had to act upon his criticisms of Gladstone as he had condemned the way that Gladstone had put his faith so strongly in arbitration rather than in action and the way that Gladstone was more concerned about the way that the negotiations were carried out rather than the end result. The only way that Disraeli could fulfil his promises about the welfare and conditions of the people and conserving the institutions was by bringing about various social reforms. In his famous speeches in 1872 he promised the people that he would improve the standard of their lives and give them â€Å"air light and water†. To an extent it would be fair to say that he achieved this although some of the acts that were meant to do this were not very effective at all. The Factory Legislations in 1874, 1875 and 1878 were major steps in Disraeli achieving what he had promised. These were some of his more effective acts because they were compulsory and the consequence of this was that it had a further reaching effect than a large number of the acts that Disraeli passed. In this respect it is very similar to the Public Health Act in 1875 because this also had aspects of it that were compulsory, for example the local councils were compelled to employ a Ministry of Health. The fact that acts like these were compulsory and not permissive is what makes them more successful than the others. While other acts would appear to conform to Disraeli†s claims that he was fulfilling his promises, upon closer inspection they did not have much effect upon the lives of the workingman. The Friendly Societies Act in 1875 was another act that could be used to support the statement that Disraeli†s was a government that lived up to its promises. The societies were formed as a kind of self-help organization and Disraeli†s government supported this, which indicates that he was trying to live up the promise that he would improve conditions for the working classes. The Labour Legislation and the amendment of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act in 1875 were other legislations that lived up to the promises of Disraeli, because they both attempted to change the law in order to make it more fair and even for the workers so that they could negotiate on equal grounds as the employer and to ensure that the laws were equal for both parties involved. The Enclosure of Commons Act in 1876 was an act that showed Disraeli trying to fulfil his promise that he would provide enjoyment of â€Å"air light and water. † However convincing these acts may seem to be in arguing that Disraeli lived up to his promises it must be recognised that there were a great many acts that he passed that were either totally ineffectual or would work in principle but not in practice. The River Pollution Prevention Act in 1876 was a totally ineffectual act. In principle it was supposed to prevent the factory owners who were polluting the rivers from doing so but in practice the pollution of the rivers continued and the act did not stop pollution. This is one of many examples of Disraeli†s government attempting to fulfil the promises that Disraeli made, but in the end passing an ineffectual act that simply does not achieve half as much as was promised. While these acts may have set a precedent to other acts in the future, they do not achieve very much at the time. Other acts like the Sale of Food and Drugs Act in 1875 show how that while the act looks to be a major act, it is only a permissive act that gives the power of change to the local councils who have men on their board who own the shops that are going to lose revenue if they are no longer allowed to adulterate the food or Drugs that they sell. As it was not in their interests, and as it was an enabling act, they simply did not bother to put anything into practice. There was a similar situation with the Merchant Shipping Act and the Artisans Dwelling Act in 1876 and 1875. These two were both permissive instead of compulsory, and both gave the power to change to those who would not benefit and may well lose out if they put the laws into practice. In the case of the Merchant Shipping Act the initiative was left with the owners of the ship who were never personally in danger abroad the ships and profited from the overloading. Again, in the Artisans Dwellings Act it was the councils decision whether to build houses or not, and to do this would require a raise in taxes for the rest of the constituency, and so the council may lose the next election so would not do anything. To illustrate this, by 1881, only ten out of 87 towns would take any action under the act. The Education Act in 1876 was not a very successful act either because it did nothing to ensure that the laws would be carried out until 1891 so there was a high level of truancy and children still worked when they should not, so although it added to the growing improvement of the education system, it did not really change anything significantly. The foreign policy that Disraeli followed between 1874 and 1880 was one that certainly appeared to be consistent with the reputation that Disraeli had acquired. It was very aggressive and he appeared to be fulfilling promises that he had made in 1872. His severe criticism of Gladstone†s weaknesses on foreign policy was one factor that formed peoples expectations that he would act upon the criticisms and that his foreign policy would be constructed so as to protect British interests abroad. Disraeli lived up to his reputation and promises in his foreign policy more than he did at home with his domestic policies. However it was not as he had promised to the people. He had promised to uphold British interests abroad, and to a certain extent he did, but there were events that he could not control and certain concessions that had to make to foreign powers that diminished the influence and threatened the power that Britain held abroad. The problems with Russia were a prime example where he had to concede and let Russia have a fleet in the Black sea even though this was against the interests of Britain. He could not realistically deliver all that he promised, as there would be times like these where he had to make concessions. On the other hand it must be said that Disraeli managed to fulfil the majority of his promises and reputation in regards to his foreign policy, even if at times he did not mean to. In a lot of his speeches a lot of what he said was rhetoric, but when men like Frere and Lytton took him at face value, and started wars with the Afghans and with the Zulus and started wars in order to preserve the British interests in those particular areas, they put action to his words. Even if Disraeli did not actually want these wars, which he did not, the two wars were both in keeping with the reputation that he had gained for being a very aggressive imperialist, even if these wars did work to his detriment. The Congress of Berlin was one of the high points of Disraeli†s foreign policy because in this he managed to rebuild Britain†s reputation as a major imperial power, which adds to the evidence that he did live up to the reputation that he had acquired, and he made secret agreements with the Turks, Russians and Austria-Hungary in order to preserve British interest in that area. The purchase of the Suez Canal shares in 1875 was another one of Disraeli's best judgements because for years on from then it was one of the biggest trade routes in the world and Britain†s involvement in it was a major asset to Britain†s power as an imperial nation. One side of Disraeli†s foreign policy that cannot be ignored is the fact that Disraeli took massive risks in his policy and could have got Britain involved in a war with Russia without nay powerful allies and with an obsolete navy, and also agreed to defend one of Turkeys frontiers without the resources to do so. The fact that was lucky and managed to steer clear of any problems is a credit to Disraeli as it would have been very easy for him to make a very costly mistake. Though Disraeli passed a large number of reforms for his time, he still managed to fulfil his final promise of his 1872 speeches and conserve the institutions. The institutions that he meant were the aristocracy, like the rich landowners and the Anglican Church. While someone like Gladstone was a fanatical Anglican, Disraeli was only really interested in it to keep everyone else happy. It has been argued that acts like the Education Acts sole intention was to prevent the board schools which were more financially popular with the working or lower classes from getting too much of a hold on the education system because most wanted the Anglican churches from being the dominant force in education and the board schools were not. During his period in rule, he did not do anything that was actively conserving the constitutions, he simply avoided doing anything that would offend or threaten the institutions. It would be fair to say in conclusion that while Disraeli fulfilled some of the promises that he made, he did not do so with all of them. His domestic policy is a hard one to say whether he achieved accomplishment of the aims that he laid down in 1872. He certainly tried to do so, as the number of acts that he passed, and the nature of them indicate that they were probably passed with the interests of the people that it would effect, in mind. However there are some opinions that argue that all of the acts passed in Disraeli†s era were in reaction to public opinion at the time. While this is not totally fair to Disraeli, there is a lot of evidence pointing to this being a major contributing factor to the decision. In the case of the Education Act the other politicians were mainly or all Anglican and so wanted to conserve the churches hold over education, in the 1876 Merchant Shipping Act, the reason was predominantly to pacify the people who worked on the docks and Samuel Plimsoll as he was getting particularly worked up over the issue. However far it is possible to give credit to these ideas, it would be unfair to Disraeli to say that he tried to passed acts solely to pacify public demand it is much more likely to be that he was more genuine in his actions than that. However, the did not live up to all of the promises that he made, he may have set a precedent for governments before him in what their duties were to the people, but to the majority of the people of the time he did not have the ability to pass anything that would significantly change their lives. This was due to a number of limiting factors, like a hostile cabinet and a general public that were already sick of reform after a great reforming ministry from Gladstone. In his foreign policy in upholding the interests of the British Empire Disraeli fared a little better. He did not make any disastrous decisions in terms of upholding British interests abroad, although his attitude to problems got him into trouble at home, and did not make any major concessions to foreign powers. His diplomacy in Turkey in 1878 probably saved the Turkish Empire and he was aggressive to an extent that nearly got him into trouble. He certainly lived up to his reputation and promises in his foreign policy, although certain reckless comments landed him in trouble. Overall I think that Disraeli†s government did not live up to the promises that Disraeli made in 1872 and although his foreign policy was very similar to what people would expect and so lived up to his reputation, he did not deliver on the domestic front. The reasons for this were not solely attributable to Disraeli, but the fact remains that he did not deliver what he promised, and if anything the situation worsened with the depression even though this was not his fault. Disraeli tried hard to deliver what he promised but the government, the budget and the attitude of the people, who were not overly enthusiastic to more reforms, limited him in what he was able to do. Disraelis’ Reputaion and Promises To establish whether this statement is true, the promises and reputation of Disraeli must first be identified. In his speeches in 1872 at Crystal Palace and in Manchester†s Free Trade Hall, Disraeli once again showed his skills as an orator. He laid out three basic aims or policies that he wanted to pursue, should he get in power. These were; to conserve the institutions in Britain, uphold British interests abroad and to improve the standard of life for the general population and especially the working classes. Disraeli had also created a reputation for himself with the 1867 Reform Act. He had successfully destroyed the liberal party and due to the nature of the act, extending the franchise by a considerable number, had acquired a reputation for being more open minded about matters of reform, even though the act was mainly passed through necessity, because the act would be passed and it was just a question about which party would do it. He had also tried successfully to establish the Conservative Party as the nationalistic party in the government, the one that would uphold British interest abroad and repair the damage that he claimed that Gladstone was causing. The Alabama arbitration and the dealings that Gladstone had with Russia over the situation in the Black Sea were perfect opportunities for Disraeli to show how Gladstone was destroying Britain†s Empire by his weakness in his dealings with other major powers. This meant that when Disraeli cam into power he had to act upon his criticisms of Gladstone as he had condemned the way that Gladstone had put his faith so strongly in arbitration rather than in action and the way that Gladstone was more concerned about the way that the negotiations were carried out rather than the end result. The only way that Disraeli could fulfil his promises about the welfare and conditions of the people and conserving the institutions was by bringing about various social reforms. In his famous speeches in 1872 he promised the people that he would improve the standard of their lives and give them â€Å"air light and water†. To an extent it would be fair to say that he achieved this although some of the acts that were meant to do this were not very effective at all. The Factory Legislations in 1874, 1875 and 1878 were major steps in Disraeli achieving what he had promised. These were some of his more effective acts because they were compulsory and the consequence of this was that it had a further reaching effect than a large number of the acts that Disraeli passed. In this respect it is very similar to the Public Health Act in 1875 because this also had aspects of it that were compulsory, for example the local councils were compelled to employ a Ministry of Health. The fact that acts like these were compulsory and not permissive is what makes them more successful than the others. While other acts would appear to conform to Disraeli†s claims that he was fulfilling his promises, upon closer inspection they did not have much effect upon the lives of the workingman. The Friendly Societies Act in 1875 was another act that could be used to support the statement that Disraeli†s was a government that lived up to its promises. The societies were formed as a kind of self-help organization and Disraeli†s government supported this, which indicates that he was trying to live up the promise that he would improve conditions for the working classes. The Labour Legislation and the amendment of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act in 1875 were other legislations that lived up to the promises of Disraeli, because they both attempted to change the law in order to make it more fair and even for the workers so that they could negotiate on equal grounds as the employer and to ensure that the laws were equal for both parties involved. The Enclosure of Commons Act in 1876 was an act that showed Disraeli trying to fulfil his promise that he would provide enjoyment of â€Å"air light and water. † However convincing these acts may seem to be in arguing that Disraeli lived up to his promises it must be recognised that there were a great many acts that he passed that were either totally ineffectual or would work in principle but not in practice. The River Pollution Prevention Act in 1876 was a totally ineffectual act. In principle it was supposed to prevent the factory owners who were polluting the rivers from doing so but in practice the pollution of the rivers continued and the act did not stop pollution. This is one of many examples of Disraeli†s government attempting to fulfil the promises that Disraeli made, but in the end passing an ineffectual act that simply does not achieve half as much as was promised. While these acts may have set a precedent to other acts in the future, they do not achieve very much at the time. Other acts like the Sale of Food and Drugs Act in 1875 show how that while the act looks to be a major act, it is only a permissive act that gives the power of change to the local councils who have men on their board who own the shops that are going to lose revenue if they are no longer allowed to adulterate the food or Drugs that they sell. As it was not in their interests, and as it was an enabling act, they simply did not bother to put anything into practice. There was a similar situation with the Merchant Shipping Act and the Artisans Dwelling Act in 1876 and 1875. These two were both permissive instead of compulsory, and both gave the power to change to those who would not benefit and may well lose out if they put the laws into practice. In the case of the Merchant Shipping Act the initiative was left with the owners of the ship who were never personally in danger abroad the ships and profited from the overloading. Again, in the Artisans Dwellings Act it was the councils decision whether to build houses or not, and to do this would require a raise in taxes for the rest of the constituency, and so the council may lose the next election so would not do anything. To illustrate this, by 1881, only ten out of 87 towns would take any action under the act. The Education Act in 1876 was not a very successful act either because it did nothing to ensure that the laws would be carried out until 1891 so there was a high level of truancy and children still worked when they should not, so although it added to the growing improvement of the education system, it did not really change anything significantly. The foreign policy that Disraeli followed between 1874 and 1880 was one that certainly appeared to be consistent with the reputation that Disraeli had acquired. It was very aggressive and he appeared to be fulfilling promises that he had made in 1872. His severe criticism of Gladstone†s weaknesses on foreign policy was one factor that formed peoples expectations that he would act upon the criticisms and that his foreign policy would be constructed so as to protect British interests abroad. Disraeli lived up to his reputation and promises in his foreign policy more than he did at home with his domestic policies. However it was not as he had promised to the people. He had promised to uphold British interests abroad, and to a certain extent he did, but there were events that he could not control and certain concessions that had to make to foreign powers that diminished the influence and threatened the power that Britain held abroad. The problems with Russia were a prime example where he had to concede and let Russia have a fleet in the Black sea even though this was against the interests of Britain. He could not realistically deliver all that he promised, as there would be times like these where he had to make concessions. On the other hand it must be said that Disraeli managed to fulfil the majority of his promises and reputation in regards to his foreign policy, even if at times he did not mean to. In a lot of his speeches a lot of what he said was rhetoric, but when men like Frere and Lytton took him at face value, and started wars with the Afghans and with the Zulus and started wars in order to preserve the British interests in those particular areas, they put action to his words. Even if Disraeli did not actually want these wars, which he did not, the two wars were both in keeping with the reputation that he had gained for being a very aggressive imperialist, even if these wars did work to his detriment. The Congress of Berlin was one of the high points of Disraeli†s foreign policy because in this he managed to rebuild Britain†s reputation as a major imperial power, which adds to the evidence that he did live up to the reputation that he had acquired, and he made secret agreements with the Turks, Russians and Austria-Hungary in order to preserve British interest in that area. The purchase of the Suez Canal shares in 1875 was another one of Disraeli's best judgements because for years on from then it was one of the biggest trade routes in the world and Britain†s involvement in it was a major asset to Britain†s power as an imperial nation. One side of Disraeli†s foreign policy that cannot be ignored is the fact that Disraeli took massive risks in his policy and could have got Britain involved in a war with Russia without nay powerful allies and with an obsolete navy, and also agreed to defend one of Turkeys frontiers without the resources to do so. The fact that was lucky and managed to steer clear of any problems is a credit to Disraeli as it would have been very easy for him to make a very costly mistake. Though Disraeli passed a large number of reforms for his time, he still managed to fulfil his final promise of his 1872 speeches and conserve the institutions. The institutions that he meant were the aristocracy, like the rich landowners and the Anglican Church. While someone like Gladstone was a fanatical Anglican, Disraeli was only really interested in it to keep everyone else happy. It has been argued that acts like the Education Acts sole intention was to prevent the board schools which were more financially popular with the working or lower classes from getting too much of a hold on the education system because most wanted the Anglican churches from being the dominant force in education and the board schools were not. During his period in rule, he did not do anything that was actively conserving the constitutions, he simply avoided doing anything that would offend or threaten the institutions. It would be fair to say in conclusion that while Disraeli fulfilled some of the promises that he made, he did not do so with all of them. His domestic policy is a hard one to say whether he achieved accomplishment of the aims that he laid down in 1872. He certainly tried to do so, as the number of acts that he passed, and the nature of them indicate that they were probably passed with the interests of the people that it would effect, in mind. However there are some opinions that argue that all of the acts passed in Disraeli†s era were in reaction to public opinion at the time. While this is not totally fair to Disraeli, there is a lot of evidence pointing to this being a major contributing factor to the decision. In the case of the Education Act the other politicians were mainly or all Anglican and so wanted to conserve the churches hold over education, in the 1876 Merchant Shipping Act, the reason was predominantly to pacify the people who worked on the docks and Samuel Plimsoll as he was getting particularly worked up over the issue. However far it is possible to give credit to these ideas, it would be unfair to Disraeli to say that he tried to passed acts solely to pacify public demand it is much more likely to be that he was more genuine in his actions than that. However, the did not live up to all of the promises that he made, he may have set a precedent for governments before him in what their duties were to the people, but to the majority of the people of the time he did not have the ability to pass anything that would significantly change their lives. This was due to a number of limiting factors, like a hostile cabinet and a general public that were already sick of reform after a great reforming ministry from Gladstone. In his foreign policy in upholding the interests of the British Empire Disraeli fared a little better. He did not make any disastrous decisions in terms of upholding British interests abroad, although his attitude to problems got him into trouble at home, and did not make any major concessions to foreign powers. His diplomacy in Turkey in 1878 probably saved the Turkish Empire and he was aggressive to an extent that nearly got him into trouble. He certainly lived up to his reputation and promises in his foreign policy, although certain reckless comments landed him in trouble. Overall I think that Disraeli†s government did not live up to the promises that Disraeli made in 1872 and although his foreign policy was very similar to what people would expect and so lived up to his reputation, he did not deliver on the domestic front. The reasons for this were not solely attributable to Disraeli, but the fact remains that he did not deliver what he promised, and if anything the situation worsened with the depression even though this was not his fault. Disraeli tried hard to deliver what he promised but the government, the budget and the attitude of the people, who were not overly enthusiastic to more reforms, limited him in what he was able to do.

Problems and ergonomic approaches in taxi driver position Essay

Problems and ergonomic approaches in taxi driver position - Essay Example All this is possible with ergonomics. The science of ergonomics relates to the provision of health and safety conditions within a workplace. According to the International Ergonomics Association: â€Å"Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance† (IEA, 2000). The ergonomic rearrangement of appropriate aspects within a workplace can provide comfort to operators and can have a significant impact on executing several daily tasks in a more accurate and convenient way (Donald, 2007). The purpose of this assignment is to redesign the work environment, meaning the seating arrangement for a professional taxi driver based on the principles of ergonomics. If it is found that the shape of the taxi is such that the taxi driver’s seating is cramped and uncomfortable, a shift to a vehicle with a more spacious interior may also be recommended. As can be seen from Picture 1 taken of the taxi driver at work, he feels cramped and uncomfortable and this position moreover is not congenial to long hours of work with minimal movement. In fact this is the problem with most sedentary occupations. This study will explore the faults that exist within the work environment in relation to comfort or discomfort and will develop a plan of suggested interventions. Its primary aims are for the driver to minimize the symptoms of pain in the lower back that he has been experiencing, as well as to enhance comfort at work. The foundation of such a plan begins with understanding both somatic and cognitive limitations of human behaviour, in relation to their interaction with products available (Jacobs, 2008). The application of ergonomic principles supports this relationship by diminishing the present symptoms and by preventing injuries caused by repet itive movements, faulty posture and over use of body muscles. However, before attempting to apply ergonomic actions it is necessary to carefully examine the driver’s complaints and ergonomically assess the workplace in order to identify existing errors (Jacobs, 2008). Description of the Case & Associated Problems The subject is a professional taxi driver. He has been driving a taxi for five years now and works for approximately six hours per day. This profession is considered to be difficult as per occupational standards but is necessary for him, as he is studying and working at the same time. He has been complaining of low back pain since the last six months, which he suspects has originated from the uncomfortable driving posture coupled with the long hours of minimal movement on the job. The car is fitted with a manual rather than an automatic gearbox. The driver’s symptoms are reported to be a moderate pain in his lower back. However he has failed to seek treatment so far due to lack of time and his erroneous perspective that the symptoms will eventually ease with time. (Picture 1) I observed these problems when I asked the subject to sit down as he normally would in his vehicle. As can be seen from the picture, he is sitting at the wrong angle and moreover there is no lumbar support. Both of these issues are contributing to the back pain

American Workforce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Workforce - Essay Example The workers are witnessing a steady rise in various new segments such as health, computers, information technology and numerous other public sectors. The service sector itself saw a substantial rise in the number of labors in transportation, services, wholesale and retail trade, utilities, finance, real estate, insurance and even in the government jobs. Now let us look closely at the changing percentage of gender, age, race and disability the face of the changing job market. Role of Gender Men are historically known to contribute the largest part of employee ratio, with white men leading the show. However this statistics is witnessing an amazing transformation as more and more ladies step out of their homes to earn a living. Women play a very significant role in the contribution of the total labor force as they account for 46.8 percent of labor as of 2009. America gives employment to 66 Million women of which 74 percent worked on a full time basis while the remaining 26 percent compr ised of part time workers.

Write a critical reivew of Five minds of a manager of Henry Mintzberg Annotated Bibliography

Write a critical reivew of Five minds of a manager of Henry Mintzberg and 3 other peer reviewed articles - Annotated Bibliography Example What is critical about this article is the assumption that the authors have actually attempted to generalize the different organizing principles applied by the managers. Though authors have focused upon managing self, organization, context, relationships and change within an organization however, for a manager to master all the traits at one time could be difficult task. As authors suggested that the managers must have to bring all mindsets to work together it is therefore relatively difficult for the managers to assume all the roles and perform them at their best. Managers may have to make a trade-off between certain mindsets as their actions must be based upon what is exactly in the best interest of the organization by taking into account the cost benefit analysis of their decisions and actions. Authors argue that all five mindsets must be weaved together to achieve the balance however this balancing act may not be possible to achieve. This article discussed about the mindset required to actually mentor the employees and help them to grow. The author has actually outlined that in order to properly groom the successors, organizations actually let the time pass on and fail to actually groom the employees and successors. The approach taken by the managers may not be suitable enough to actually allow successors to develop more maturity to assume the positions of responsibility in future. Author therefore has argued that to properly mentor the employees for the next level in their career, it is important that mentors must assume a special mindset which can foster such mentoring within the organization. This mindset requires slow, subtle and forgiving mindset which can actually allow managers to accommodate the mistakes of the followers and actually help them to correct their mistakes. This article is limited in the sense that it presents just one side of the argument and provides

Unit 13&14 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Unit 13 - Essay Example The film scenario exemplified Andrew being discriminated from undertaking his responsibilities as a lawyer upon the discovery of his affliction. Besides being unfairly and unjustly prejudiced towards his condition, the case affected senior management, who wrongfully dismissed him, and society, in general, who scorned people afflicted with the disease. The lawyer, who Andrew initially approached to defend him, Joe Miller, played by Denzel Washington, was first apprehensive to take the case given the sensitivity of the issues. As it turned out, the court ruled in favor of Andrew and ordered the firm to award him for damages for wrongful dismissal. It is fortunate for Beckett to have been remunerated for the discrimination case filed in court. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2008) â€Å"proving a discrimination claim is inherently difficult, since the elements of proof are generally in the hands of the defendant, i.e. the employer† (5). Most victims choose to ignore the matter of filing appropriate cases due to the costs involved in pursuing discrimination cases. Regular-average-everyday Americans can make a profound difference to transform this country by acts of random kindness to others. With no thought of reward, the Good Samaritan in the Bible stops to help a man who has been beaten and robbed. That is the essence of an altruistic act: unselfishly giving help when it is needed, no strings attached. If each and every American believes in simple, unselfish acts, then each would be instrumental in making this nation a more conscientious one. Most men do some thing or behave in a certain way because we expect to get a reward for doing so. Naturally, one does not do something because the cost of doing it would be great. The leadership model that must be manifested in contemporary societies should assist in transforming the society through focusing on encouraging others

Portfolio Management (Masraf Al-rayyan) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Portfolio Management (Masraf Al-rayyan) - Essay Example There is another section called wholesale banking still offered by the bank. This section offers advisory services. It also offers financing products. They offer trade finance which is meant to meet the requirements of small enterprises. (Writers 27) This bank was offered a license to carry brokerage services in the year 2011. This license came from the Qatar Financial Markets in Doha. The Qatar Financial Market was founded in 2011 by the Masraf Al Rayan bank. It was pronounced as a fully independent body in the same year. Its paid up capital was 50 million QAR. The Masraf Al Rayan is a fast growing bank. By 2013 it had 11 branches all over Qatar and a total of 52 cash points or Automated Teller Machines. (Writers 29) Masraf Al Rayan has its mission and vision. The vision states, â€Å"It is to be a leading and innovative international Islamic financial institution, specialized in providing Sharia compliant products and services†. The bank is owned mostly by the public as they have more shares holding since they have a 55% subscription in total. The rest of the 45% has been contributed by the founders of the bank (Times 78). The share capital is QAR 7,500,000,000. This amount is divided into shares. The shares are 750,000,000 in cash with a nominal value of QAR10 per share. (Writers 30) There are no big differences in the current ratio and Quick Ratio as seen in the figures. This shows that the accounts are stable. The highest ratio is in 2010 and lowest in 2009 at 0.9% and 0.33% respectively (Writers 27). According to the figures the bank is doing well. When the bank liquidates the assets they use the ratio to calculate amount of money for each stakeholder. It keeps on increasing from 2009 t0 2013 (Times 80). This ratio gives the financial stability of the company by giving the money left after comparing revenues to goods sold. The ratio is highest in 2013 at 15.5% and lowest in 2010 at 12.6% as seen in the table. (Writers 26) Stock

How do sociological perspectives contribute to an understanding and Essay

How do sociological perspectives contribute to an understanding and explanation of media images of ageing and older age - Essay Example In the said analysis, this writer will elucidate upon as to why and how the type of media portrayal is what it is at present. The mass media has become an integral part of the postmodern society. Everyone, regardless of age, has some form of interaction with mass media in his life. Spring (1993) gives an estimate of how much of their leisure time elderly people (above-50) spend listening to the radio, watching television, listening to music, reading and going to the movies. His research reveals that as much as forty percent of their leisure is time dedicated to these activities. Knowing this, it is easy to see why creating a more accurate picture, if not a more compassionate and humanistic one, of the elderly’s situation in the realm of mass media, is very important. Curbing negativities in media’s portrayal of the elderly, many as they are as will be seen in the following paragraphs, should be given high priority. This is so because, it is undeniable that the mass media impacts interpersonal interaction1, affects our mental and physical health2, and, as most relevant to the proceeding discussion, the mass media greatly influence perceptions of aging and elderly people3. The images of the elderly as shown by the media vary depending on the (1) underlying purposes for which these images are created and, quite surprisingly, by the (2) type of communication medium in question. Broadly speaking, there are two types of media portrayal of the ageing population, first is the positive kind of portrayal, while the second paints a more negative picture of the group. Applying the concepts of sociology, the cause of this negative portrayal can be attributed to the phenomenon of ageism4 which will be given more attention later in this paper. For now, a more detailed presentation of the two types of portrayal is called for. Underlying purposes No great amount of intellect needs to be

Ontela Picdeck Essay Example for Free

Ontela Picdeck Essay Ontela PicDeck creative approach to have cellular customers have the ability to automatically have pictures and videos directly sent to their computer. This reduces time needed and simplifying the strenuous act of doing it manually. The U. S mobile phone service industry earned 150 billion dollars in 2007 and growing. This technology has potential of playing a role in that with critiquing the marketing strategy they have approached the market with. It is essential for a better marketing strategy for Ontela to show customers so they can better understand the benefits and how to efficiently utilize it. The qualitative research segments best defined the customer expectations. Sarah, the parent, loved the fact the pictures â€Å"just appear â€Å"on the computer automatically. Steve, the young professional, looked to not always have to lug around the digital camera. Instead have a phone that can take care of both jobs. Regina, the teen, expectation exceeded both Steve and Sarah, but still within the abilities of PicDeck. Regina wanted to manage her pictures from her phone and monitor the pictures for her social networking sites. Herzberg’s 2-factor theory can be used in this instance. Using this theory to understand and distinguishing what motivates the purchase while staying â€Å"relevant†. In other words you must keep up with the recent trends like the social networking wave. These three segments all produce various expectations but all acknowledged the expectations of a simplified and quicker method to transferring pictures. These segments age groups and lifestyles greatly vary so the solution to market them must be more specified to that target group. The improvement of creating a more knowledgeable customer base will require a critiqued advertising campaign. In the case of Regina, advertising within the social networking programs like Facebook and MySpace. This advertising will catch the attention of these teen and inform them of the product. Specifically push the simplicity, timeliness, and how the pictures are still stored even when your cellular device is lost. For the younger generation and phones being a huge commodity, phones are constantly being stolen and lost. If interpreted right, then the teen will approach their parents to have their plan changed to include PicDeck. Then the parent will be informed and furthering the utterfly effect of a strict advertising scheme to the teenage target customers. This is how Sarah would be notified. Social is a major influence in customer behavior through family, friends, and reference groups. All play as contributors to trusting a buy of a product. Continuously for people who aren’t very tech savvy like Sarah and Steve; they do though always have an email and usually check it frequentl y. So a mass email to the entire customer base informing them of the new product. Steve would be influenced more by the occupation. Besides using this program for personal use, Steve would use this for his real estate job. To be successful in a job market like Steve’s you must influence your work with newer technology so you may keep up with competitors. â€Å"With PicDeck, work assignments are accomplished more efficiently and simply†, statements like this boost the products equity and what customers like Steve would want to hear. For a product to blossom you must target the younger generation first. With constant technology improvements it’s hard for the older generation to keep up. The younger generation is constantly working with the new technologies so you inform the younger generation and it will spread to older generations. Ontela has created an inferior product and now need to raise awareness of the tech advances this product has influenced. The magazine Telephony stated PicDeck to be â€Å"helping the bridge the gap between phone and PC†. Continuous advertising is needed in magazines for the working class people to involve this program into their workplace. For instance putting an ad in the magazine SkyMall. The magazine you see on every flight you’re on. This can target a business class customer base because the individuals who travel most are individuals travelling on business. And this is the only reading material on the plane.

The World Of Tambun Theme Park

The World Of Tambun Theme Park In this research, I have selected the Lost World of Tambun a theme park of my choice. The Lost World of Tambun is an action-packed, exciting adventure with the most thrilling rides and attractions in Ipoh, Malaysia. Located in the historic town of Ipoh, in the middle of the North-South corridor in Perak, this place is not just a man made water theme park with beautiful Mayan architecture, gargoyles, and water canals, but is surrounded by 400-million-year-old natural limestone hills which offers a unique breathtaking view. The World of Tambun is built by Sunway Group in 2006 at a cost of RM60 million, this theme park is well-designed with many unique features. It has many different playgrounds and is certainly an added attraction to the popular Sunway Lagoon theme park in Kuala Lumpur. Five main elements that make up this world of adventure are the Water Park, the Amusement Park, Lost World Hot Springs, the Tiger Valley and the Lost World Petting Zoo. It is a perfect escapade for family and city slickers who want to have a short break away from the city and enjoy the outdoor elements from man made beaches, to hot water springs, theme park rides; both wet and dry, a tiger valley where you get to see the wild beast roam freely, and beyond that jungle trekking, caving and tunneling activities. Answer Water Park Begin the journey at River Beach Garden, a landscaped beach with waterfalls surrounded by 20 feet twin waterfalls with two rivers flowing into the pool. For a start, grab a float for a single person or two, and jump into Adventure River, Asias longest man-made river ride with a wave generator in the water park section. Besides, refresh with a musical shower at the Musical Body Wash before heading to the Sandy Bay for an intense game of volleyball with friends and family or perhaps, for a relaxing soak in the sun. Next, get ready for a wet world of fun in the kids-only zone, Explorabay, specifically designed children. Explorabay boasts special smaller slides and a large, wet, interactive play area with giant tipping buckets, water canons, spraying elephants, water curtains and fountains. Designed for more-thrill seeking adults and teenagers, the Cliff Racer injects a boost of adrenaline when your mine cart flies, Indiana Jones style straight down the speed-coaster at maximum speed! In addition, do not miss going on the Tube Raiders, longest inflatable tube ride in Malaysia! Amusement Park Enjoy the scenery while you dry off on the Dragon Flights ride, as you get swung in the air in this thrilling swing-chair ride; before you sail on over to the Stormrider, a pirate boat which will swing you 180 degrees for some knee-knocking, spine-tingling excitement. Besides, get your little ones to cool down after playing explorer at the water park, on the Perak Parade carousel; and go on the Giddy Galleon for a perfect family ride away from the water. In addition, make sure you go on the Adventure Express; where you can sit back and let this ancient locomotive take you and your family on a journey past majestic ruins, surging waters and wild tigers; giving you a quick tour of the Lost World of Tambuns other attractions. Lost World Hot Springs Spa Afer a day of excitement, immerse yourself in the source of pure relaxation in our Lost World Hot Springs. The 100% natural mineral hot springs is clean and fresh as the water flows through the pool continuously from the main source and is then channeled to the nearby Kopisan River. Containing healthy minerals such as Calcium Carbonate, Sodium, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Sulphate, Chloride and Iron, the Hot Springs are heavenly for those looking for a healthy retreat. This addition includes many elements which are catered for everyone: giving them the ultimate relaxation experience. The elements include Infinity Pool, Lost World Steam Cave, Foot Spa, Crystal Spa, Top of the World Pool, The Geyser of Tambun, Crystal Pool and Saphiras Bistro. Infinity Pool It is specially designed as a true spa and can accommdate up to 300 people at once and is surrounded by the serene and calming sounds of the volcanic waterfall. Lost World Steam Cave The Lost World Steam Cave is great for those looking for a respite after long stressful days. The steam cave acts as a sauna promotes the action of sweating where the toxins and waste are expelled through the pores on the epidermis leaving the dermis clean and refreshed. The high temperature also prmotes blood circulation. Foot Spa Foot Spa in the Lost World Hot Springs and Spa has reflexology pebbles fitted to the floor. Visitors can walk on the pebbles while enjoying the hot springs water soothing their feet. Crystal Spa Crystal Spa is a spa facilities where visitors can enjoy body therapy at a nominal charge. There are three huts located here, named as a Sapphire, Topaz and Amethyst. The spa offers Aromatherapy Massage and Head Shoulder Massage. Within the privacy and comfort of your own massage hut, you will be pampered and treated to an invigorating massage of your choice and feel rejuvenated from inside out. Top of the World Pool Top of the World Pool is a jacuzzi pool that allows a full range of therapeutic hydro-massage for muscles, joints and pressure points. It is advisable for guest who are suffering from muscle, neck, shoulder and back pain. Athletes recovering from sports injuries are encouraged to take a dip in this pool because it could help to speed up the recovery. Besides, the heat from the hot springs water ease joint movement for guest suffering from arthritis. Saphiras Bistro To further enhance the experience in the Lost World Hot Springs Spa, a swim-up dining outlet known as Saphiras Bistro has been built to cater for visitors seeking for some bites to whet their appetites. This bistro boasts a healthy selection of food and bevarages such as Salmon Fillet, Chicken Stew, Open Sandwiches, Western Style Curry and Salads Saphiras Special. Tiger Valley Meet Sultan, Raima, Putra, Jazz and Azian; Lost World of Tambunà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s very own Siberian tigers. One of the unique attractions here is the Tiger Valley where you get to see the wild animals roam freely in their enclosure, and perform stunts during feeding time. There are a total of eight tigers, formerly circus animals abandoned by their owners, when they could not afford to fly them back, and were subsequently adopted by the theme park and now given the best possible care by experienced trainers. Lost World Petting Zoo Take walk on the wild side at the Petting Zoo, where you will be able to get personal with just some of the zoo favorites such as Ruby the raccoon, Nia the Python and Wira the Green Macaw. Take some time to walk through the different areas, where you would be able to feed, touch and experience animals in their natural habitats. Besides, the Petting Zoo allows the public to touch, feel, feed and play with the animals; giving those looking for a more personal encounter, a closer perspective. It features a large variety of exotic animals in an environment created as close to nature as possible and apart from being a fun activity that families can do together, it also serves as a nature education platform for schools and tourists. Kids can look forward to having an enjoyable time petting and playing with rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoises, African Dwarf Goats and Deer and adorable primates such as the white-eared marmosets, black-eared marmosets and macaques. In addition, the large aviary h ouses over 500 birds from 18 species with all-time favourites such as cockatoos, mandarin ducks and peacocks. The Serpentarium features a host of slithering reptiles such as the reticulated pythons, mangrove snake and the Giant Monitor Lizard. To keep the memory for a long time, kids and adults alike can pose for pictures with the ferret, wallaby, Sugar Glider, and Blue-Gold Macaw and the Giant Iguana at the Rock Canopy. Adventure For The Eco-Enthusiast Make your way, jungle trekking through the deep limestone hill forests of the Lost World of Tambun. Witness and explore the unique flora and fauna, get up close and personal with wild animals and experience the beauty of its waterfalls and mysterious caves. Delve deeper into the caves for a one three exploration of the Gua Datok, a cave dating back to 400 million years; with naturist guides as they expose magnificent history and the formations of the stalagmites and stalactites. For the younger thrill seekers who wants a taste of the action there is a smaller cave called Gua Anak Datok, located at near the feet of Gua Datok. Opt for the three-hour cave exploration experience at the Six Mile Tunnel. Eco-enthusiasts are guided by experienced guides through the 700 meter long cave tunnel; walking through knee-deep mud, swimming across a shallow pool, before continuing to walk through chest-deep water inside the tunnel. Stay close to nature and camp overnight. Share adventures with friends and family over a bonfire at any one of the two camping sites at the Lost World of Tambun the Needle Village, the Riverside Village; where you indulge in bonding activities such as lake kayaking, rafting, teambuilding sessions, as well as themed dinners. If you are looking for a more relaxed break, hop on board the Tambun River Cruise at a mere RM6 per person. Sit back and take it all in as the cruise sails you through the picturesque bends of the Tambun River. Once youve sailed through the Tambun river, take control and take the lead by paddling around in the Lost World of Tambuns Koi Pond in one of the swan-designed paddle boats. Whether you opt for a partner, or go solo in the paddle boats, be sure to feed the Koi fish following you around! Food and Beverage The Ipoh White coffee is love at first sip! Made only from the finest selections of Liberica, Robusta and Arabica quality beans, the coffee is skillfully roasted to perfection by Ipohs old, legendary masters. If coffee is not your cup of tea, try Lost World of Tambuns Roasted Rice Tea. A traditionally unique cuppa, the Roasted Rice Tea reflects the authentic flavors of a recipe that has been handed down through many ancestral generations. For those seeking any other reason to sample the Lost World of Tambuns Roasted Rice Tea, the tea touts a list of health benefits which include soothing sore throats, cooling down body temperatures and alleviating fevers. The park is opened from Monday to Fridays from 11am to 6pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm, and during school and public holidays from 10am to 6pm. The park is closed every Tuesday except during Malaysian school and public holidays. The park rates are RM30.00 per adult, RM24.00 for children below 12, and free of charge for children below 90cm in height. Group packages are also available with minimum number of 30 persons advance booking is required. The Lost of Tambun is premier tourist destination for the region by the launch of its largest investment project which covers the tourism, real estate, hospitality, entertainment, leisure and retail sectors. The Lost World of Tambun is the best water theme park within the northern region because it offers various elements such as Water Park, Amusement, Hot Springs Spa, Tiger Valley and Petting Zoo that attract visitors from local and tourists from other countries. Besides, the Lost World of Tambun is the only water theme park with natural hot spring in Malaysia that can accommodate more than 10,000 people. Key attractions also include the action-packed dry and wet adventure rides as well as a range of eco-adventures. Furthermore, the Lost World of Tambun has received many pretigious awards for its excellent innovation, visual appeal, quality, branding and the uniqueness as a water theme park. For instance, the Lost World of Tambun has been awarded Winner of the 2008/2009 Innovative Tourist Attraction Award by Tourism Malaysia. Moreover, it has a large parking place and other park facilities such as prayer rooms, locker, tube towel hire service, shower and changing rooms including for disabled, fully qualified lifeguards, fully equipped and staffed first aid station, hut areas and seating, bicycle hiring, security guard and ample parking space. Future expansion to be made for example; expanding the theme for the building of hotels. Besides, monorail system to be introduced for an overall transportation for both visitors and staffs. The Lost of Tambun can boost their sales and profits by offering family packages and extending their business time. Besides, they can organize party relevant to the theme park. In addition, they can invite international performers as a part of advertisement to attract more people to visit their theme park. A part for that, free water toys can be provided for children and special range to be offered for senior citizen. One way to promote their business to a global scale is to advertise their business through travel and tours agency by putting what they have in packages. Besides, online promotion also helps them to promote their products and build closer customer relationships. They should also get foreigner investment to let them open a branch in their country. In addition, they can deal with large foreigner companies through international conferences and events. Conclusion In conclusion, the Lost World of Tambun certainly offers a unique experience beyond the thrills and spills of a theme park, with the opportunity of being in the heart of nature to witness something wonderful and irreplaceable. Thus, constant facilities upgrade must be performed from time to time. Besides, they need to keep on changing to follow up the current customer needs and wants. In addition, customer should be informed about the latest news and happenings such as the launching of new products in their theme park. The heart of each business lies in the hands of its customers. Therefore, the companys ability to establish and maintain a strong and firm customer base is essential for its growth and survival. All customers come into the customer situation with differing needs and wants. Thus, it is very important for a company to understand customer needs and wants to ensure the repeat customer. The one unseen bonus is that it actually costs less to service repeat customers because their expectations levels are established and they know the role they are to play. Final customer needs and wants are always the key to the success in a business.

Orion Nebula :: Essays Papers

Orion Nebula The Orion Nebula contains one of the brightest star clusters in the night sky. With a magnitude of 4, this nebula is easily visible from the Northern Hemisphere during the winter months. It is surprising, therefore, that this region was not documented until 1610 by a French lawyer named Nicholas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc. On March 4, 1769, Charles Messier inducted the Orion Nebula, M42, into his list of stellar objects. Then, in 1771, Messier released his list of objects for its first publication in Memoires de l’Academie.1 The Orion Nebula is one of the closest stellar regions to the Earth. Using parallax measurements, it has been estimated that this nebula is only 1,500 light years away. In addition, the Orion Nebula is a relatively young star cluster, with an approximate age of less than one million years. It has even been speculated that some of the younger stars within the cluster are only 300,000 years old. The Orion Nebula is an emission nebula because of the O-type and B-type stars contained within it. These high-temperature stars emit ultraviolet (UV) light that ionizes the surrounding hydrogen atoms into protons (H+) and electrons (e-). When the protons and electrons recombine, the electrons enter a higher energy level (n=3). Then, when the electron drops from the n=3 level to the n=2 level, an Hï  ¡Ã¯â‚¬  photon is emitted. 2 This photon has a wavelength of 6563 Ã…, and therefore corresponds to the red portion of the visible spectrum. It is these Hï  ¡ photons which give the nebula the distinctive red color which we see. The extreme brightness of the O-type and B-type stars, coupled with the Earth’s atmosphere, has always made high-resolution imaging of the star-forming region difficult. But recent advances in adaptive optics and the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope have allowed for incredible detail into the center of the dust cloud. 3 The technological advances have also helped reveal several faint stars within the center of the nebula. The Orion Nebula is a spectacular sight. Consequently, it has been a preferred target of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) over recent years. The HST has provided a great deal of insight into the complicated process of star formation. In June of 1994, C.

Suicide Essay -- essays research papers

Suicide The natural end of every human life is death. Some people, for reasons that have never been fully understood, choose to end their own lives. This is called suicide, which means literally "self-killing." For all the uncertainty that has surrounded the phenomenon of suicide, his assessment of the problem is probably as accurate as any. The individual, in seemingly hopeless conflict with the world, decides to end his or her existence in what amounts to a final assault against a society that can no longer be tolerated. In so doing, the person tries to obtain a final revenge on everything and everyone that have caused their feelings of depression. Sometimes suicide has been used as a form of execution. Perhaps the most famous such case is that of the philosopher Socrates, who was required to drink hemlock to end his life in 399 BC, after being found guilty of corrupting the youth of Athens. In the 20th century the German general Erwin Rommel took poison rather than be executed for his role in a plot to oust Adolf Hitler from office. In some societies suicide has had social ties. In Japan, for example, the customs and rules of one's class have demanded suicide under certain circumstances. Called seppuku or popularly known as hara-kiri, which means "self-disembowelment" it has long been viewed as an honorable method of taking one's life. It was used by warriors after losing a battle to avoid the dishonor of defeat. Seppuku was also used as a means of c...

A Day at Work Essay -- Dialogue in Narrative Essays

A piercing sound grew louder as I slowly gained consciousness. Realising where it was coming from, I glanced at the stupid phone responsible for awakening me. Who the hell was phoning me at this time in the morning? Picking up the ringing object, I glanced at the clock hanging on the cream wall. 8:40am. Shit, I was late. Work started at 9am. I sighed. Whoever was making me even later better have a damn good reason. I hit the answer button. "Yo." I mumbled into the speaker. I recognised my step-mother's annoyingly highpitched voice screeching through the phone. "Robert James! That is no way to answer the phone! Next time I expect to be hearing a nice, 'hello, Robert speaking', none of this 'ya' nonsense-" By this stage I had placed the phone next to my half-finished bio report on the desk. I had no intention of listening to her lecturing. She could try what she wanted, but she'd never replace my mum like she desperately seemed to be trying to accomplish. I was nineteen anyway, not much she could do. She couldn't even say 'yo' without sounding like a retard. Hell, she didn't even take the time to notice that noone called me by my full name. I was known as Rob to practically everyone apart from her. Fully clothed in my wrinkled uniform, I grabbed the phone, rushing for the door. "Later's Ax!" I called over my shoulder to my roommate Axel, not giving a shit if he heard me or not. I was already running late. "I'll be back after work." I said, slamming the door behind me. As I rushed down the dull dormitry halls of Greenville college, I wearily raised the phone back up to my ear. Not surprisingly, the screech-master was still at it. Before she could continue further on whatever the hell she was on about, I interrupted. "Du... ...es. Realising I had zoned out again, stopped in the middle of the shop, whilst balancing 5 coffees on a tray, I looked over to see some customers glaring impatiently at me. Sheesh, calm your farms, it's only coffee. Not wishing to get any closer to those stuck up looking customers, I swivelled around again and headed straight back to the kitchen. I threw the orders back on the bench and slapped Cade round the shoulder, "Tell the boss I'm sick won't ya? " He looked at me doubtfully. "Cough, cough?" I half heartedly faked illness. "Whatever dude, " He eventually gave in, "But you know, you owe me now, right?" "Anything you want mate." I honestly would have agreed to anything. At that moment I just needed to get out of that place. As soon as I got back to the dorms, I was planning on grabbing Axel and going on one of our not so legal adventures together. A Day at Work Essay -- Dialogue in Narrative Essays A piercing sound grew louder as I slowly gained consciousness. Realising where it was coming from, I glanced at the stupid phone responsible for awakening me. Who the hell was phoning me at this time in the morning? Picking up the ringing object, I glanced at the clock hanging on the cream wall. 8:40am. Shit, I was late. Work started at 9am. I sighed. Whoever was making me even later better have a damn good reason. I hit the answer button. "Yo." I mumbled into the speaker. I recognised my step-mother's annoyingly highpitched voice screeching through the phone. "Robert James! That is no way to answer the phone! Next time I expect to be hearing a nice, 'hello, Robert speaking', none of this 'ya' nonsense-" By this stage I had placed the phone next to my half-finished bio report on the desk. I had no intention of listening to her lecturing. She could try what she wanted, but she'd never replace my mum like she desperately seemed to be trying to accomplish. I was nineteen anyway, not much she could do. She couldn't even say 'yo' without sounding like a retard. Hell, she didn't even take the time to notice that noone called me by my full name. I was known as Rob to practically everyone apart from her. Fully clothed in my wrinkled uniform, I grabbed the phone, rushing for the door. "Later's Ax!" I called over my shoulder to my roommate Axel, not giving a shit if he heard me or not. I was already running late. "I'll be back after work." I said, slamming the door behind me. As I rushed down the dull dormitry halls of Greenville college, I wearily raised the phone back up to my ear. Not surprisingly, the screech-master was still at it. Before she could continue further on whatever the hell she was on about, I interrupted. "Du... ...es. Realising I had zoned out again, stopped in the middle of the shop, whilst balancing 5 coffees on a tray, I looked over to see some customers glaring impatiently at me. Sheesh, calm your farms, it's only coffee. Not wishing to get any closer to those stuck up looking customers, I swivelled around again and headed straight back to the kitchen. I threw the orders back on the bench and slapped Cade round the shoulder, "Tell the boss I'm sick won't ya? " He looked at me doubtfully. "Cough, cough?" I half heartedly faked illness. "Whatever dude, " He eventually gave in, "But you know, you owe me now, right?" "Anything you want mate." I honestly would have agreed to anything. At that moment I just needed to get out of that place. As soon as I got back to the dorms, I was planning on grabbing Axel and going on one of our not so legal adventures together.

Landfills problem in Hong Kong Essay

Imagine one day that we may have nowhere to dispose our waste, ______. You may be dubious that there is still a long way to this nightmare; however, according to the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department, the three major strategic landfills in Hong Kong will be saturated in the mid to late 2010s. In other words, our landfills are going to be filled up within ten years. It implies that Hong Kong indeed has an imminent waste problem associated with the sturation of the landfills. At present, we depend merely on landfills to dispose of our garbage. Therefore, it will be inevitable for us to face great trouble concerning the disposal of waste if we pay no attention to this acute situation and allow it to deteriorate. Thesis statement 2. Problem Topic sentence (define the problem clearly) As time passing by in these few years, landfills Proof (provide concrete data or statistics to prove the existence/severity of the problem) Causes 1: wasteful lifestyle At present, most of Hong Kong’s food waste is disposed of at landfills together with other municipal solid waste. In 2011, there were some 8,996 tonnes of MSW disposed of at landfills each day. Of these, about 3,584 tonnes (39.8%) were food waste, constituting the largest MSW category being landfilled. Among the food waste disposed of daily, some 1,056 tonnes were generated from commercial and industrial (C&I) sources such as restaurants, hotels, wet markets, food production and processing industries. In recent years, the amount of food waste arising from the C&I sectors has increased steadily: from less than 400 tonnes per day in 2002 to over 1,000 tonnes per day in 2011. Cause 2: food waste Cause 3: limited land resources Negative consequences 3. Solution and Evaluation Solution 1: Topic sentence Explanation Advantages/Disadvantages Solution 2: Topic sentence Explanation Advantages/Disadvantages Solution 3: Topic sentence Explanation Advantages/Disadvantages 4. Conclusion Best solution Future outlook 5. References

Cost Management:a Strategic Emphasis

Syllabus Course number: Course(in English): Management Accounting Credit hour:3 Pre-course: Instructing language: Chinese Courseware: English Semester: Fall Course kind: Required course Objects: Master The Course Objectives After the study of this course, students should gain full knowledge of the key conceptual framework and generally used methods of management accounting as an important decision making tool for management of businesses and organizations of other types. Consequently, they would be capable of taking medium and advanced management accounting courses in the future.Course book and references Course book(CB): Ronald W. Hilton, Michael W. Maher, Frank H. Selto,Cost Management strategies for Business Decisions,Second edition, McGraw Hill Companies Inc. 2006. References: 1. Charles T. Horngren, Gary L. Sundem, William O. Stratton, Introduction to Managerial Accounting, Chaptpers1-19, 2002 edition, Prentice Hall Publishing. 2. Jerold L. Zimmerman, Accounting for Decision Mak ing and Control, 4th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2003. 3. Anthony A. Atkinson, Rajav D. Banker, Robert S. Kaplan, and S. Mark Young, Management Accounting, 3rd edition, Prentice-Hall , 2001 . 4.He yingqi Chen jiajun,Management Accounting,Shanghai Financial and Economic Press,2003. 5. Harvard Business Review on Managing the Value Chain, HBS Press 1999 The Final Result of Study At the end of the semester, students will be required to submit a semester paper as final examination. After that each student’s final result of study will be computed with 10% participation in the lesson and 20% of the average mark of his/her homework done and 20% of case studies and 50% of his/her mark of the final examination(semester paper). The satisfactory weighted average mark should be at least 60. Instructing plansTeaching plans and the content to see the table as following: DateContentReadingsAssignments 12008. 9. 19Topic 1 Cost management and value chainCB-Chapter 1 and its PPTE1. 26; P1. 33; C1. 41 ; 22008. 9. 26- 2008. 10. 10Topic 2 I. Product costing system: concept and design II. Cost accumulation for job and batch production operationCB-Chapter 2; chapter 3 and their PPTE2. 36; P2. 64; C2. 80; P3. 55; 32008. 10. 17- 2008. 10. 24Topic 3 I. Activity-based costing II. Activity-based managementCB-Chapter 4 ;Chapter5;and their PPTE4. 39; P4. 52; C4. 63; P5. 42; 4Topic 4 Managing quality and time to create valuechapter6;chapter 7 and their PPTC6. 3; C7. 76; 52008. 10. 31- 2008. 11. 7Topic 5 Process costing and cost alloationCB-Chapter 8, chapter9,chapter10 and its PPTP8. 36; P9. 46; E10. 24; 62008. 11. 14Topic 6 Cost estimationCB-Chapter 11, and their PPTP11. 53; C 11. 57; 7Topic 7 Financial and CVP modelsCB-Chapter 12 and its PPTP12. 50;C12. 63; 82008. 11. 21Topic 8 Cost management and decision makingCB-Chapter 12, chapter 13 and their PPTP13. 49;P13. 50; P13. 54; 9Topic 9 Strategic issues in long term capital investment decisionCB-Chapter 14, and its PPTC14. 52 102008. 11. 28T opic 10 Budgeting and financial planingCB-Chapter 15, and itsr PPTC 15. 55 112008. 2. 5Topic 11 Standard costing system and variance analysisCB-Chapter 16, and its PPTC16. 48 122008. 12. 12Topic 12 Flexible budget and overhead cost managementCB-Chapter 17, and its PPTC17. 68 132008. 12. 19Topic 13 Organizational design, responsibility accounting, and evaluation of division performanceCB-Chapter 18, andits PPTP18. 38;P18. 46; 142008. 12. 26Topic 14 Transfer pricingCB-Chapter 19, and its PPTP19. 36;P19. 40;C19. 42; 15Topic 15 Incentive system, performance evaluation, and balanced-scord card CB-Chapter 20, chapter 21 and their PPTC21. 57 162009. 1. 9Final examination (Semester paper)——–

High School Exit Examinations Essay

In order to evaluate the educational ability of students Standardized Tests or examinations, have been designed, which do so in an unbiased manner, irrespective of social background and educational experience. One such test is the multiple-choice examination, wherein the students have to make a selection from a number of answers for a particular question and indicate their choice on a test form. Such tests are frequently given to students who study in elementary and secondary schools (Standardized Tests, 2006). These examinations benefitted students to a large extent, because they had to take just one set of examinations, in order to apply for admission to different schools. The College Board initiated the Scholastic Aptitude Test or the SAT in 1926. The SAT is a multiple choice test that was based on the psychological tests given to US Army recruits. The SAT, by the year 1940, was being widely employed by educational institutions in the US (Standardized Tests, 2006). Standardized tests are taken by elementary school and high school, and undergraduates and graduates. The majority of these tests are controlled by the Educational Testing Service or ETS and the American College Testing or ACT Program. The results of these tests help educational institutions to assess scholastic performance and to ascertain the suitability of a student for a particular undergraduate or graduate degree program (Standardized Tests, 2006). The Center on Education Policy or the CEP had made it mandatory for fifty two percent of the students studying in the public schools to take the high school exit examinations. However, the implementation of this policy became difficult as the CEP had realized that opposition from the public towards this compulsory high school exit examination had been on the increase. It was also decided that students who failed to obtain a pass mark in this examination would not be awarded the high school diploma. This decision to withhold high school diplomas to students who failed in the exit examination was greeted with a great deal of resistance (Darling-Hammond, Rustique-Forrester, & Pecheone, 2005). The implementation of the exit examinations also caused a gradual reduction in the number of graduate students. This was evident in the Afro – American and Latino students, English language learners and students with disabilities. This reform would result in reduced incentives for students who had been striving to remain in school, a reduction in the curriculum and a disregard for higher order performance skills, because of the utilization of limited measures and irrelevant judgments regarding student learning (Darling-Hammond, Rustique-Forrester, & Pecheone, 2005). The use of exit examinations varies from state to state. Some states have already implemented them, whereas other states have not implemented them. A majority of states have put forward several options and alternatives. So far only eight states have implemented the mandatory exit examination as a compulsory requirement, in which the student has to obtain a pass mark, in order to obtain a high school diploma. Further, this system does not take cognizance of the excellence of performance of the students and their academic record and is solely guided by whether the students have obtained a pass mark in the exit examination or not (Darling-Hammond, Rustique-Forrester, & Pecheone, 2005). Most of the states have implemented multiple measures of performance in order to evaluate the student’s capability of learning. The student requires a pass mark in the state examination, which is used as an indicator for the student’s ability to obtain a state diploma. Moreover, the student is also required to obtain a pass mark in other alternatives that test the student by using a wide range of methods so as to establish their academic learning. In these states, there is not just a single test to disqualify students from graduation but there exist an array of indicators to determine the knowledge of the students (Darling-Hammond, Rustique-Forrester, & Pecheone, 2005). In an important report relating to the implementation of the high school exit test in the state of Mississippi, sixty five recommendations had been proposed. Some of these are, it would be totally inappropriate to require students to obtain a pass mark in an examination that contained material that had not been taught to the students. Further, the exit examination should be based on a multiple choice system, which would test thinking skills. Moreover, the exit examination would be undesirable for the students of the state of Mississippi. In addition, the national – level exit examination would require a total restructuring of the curriculum of the district schools, which would create serious difficulties. Furthermore, measures that evaluate the student’s skills and performance should be segmented. Moreover, great care would have to be taken while implementing tests that evaluate the performance and skills of students (ED384990 – Issues To Consider in Moving beyond a Minimal Competency High School Graduation Test, 1995). The states of Arizona, California and Utah introduced high school exit examinations, in which high school students from the year 2006 have to obtain a pass mark, in order to be awarded a high school diploma. In most of the states of the Union that enforce such high school exit examinations, students are required to take it in the sophomore year. The level of these tests is of the tenth grade and students who are unable to obtain a pass mark are provided with a number of opportunities to again take this test. Sixteen of the twenty three states that have made these tests compulsory have directed the schools to provide remediation to students who fail to obtain a pass mark. Furthermore, in states that are introducing these examinations, financial help for such remediation has in most of the cases been provided by it (David, 21st June, 2006). In the state of New York students have taken these high school exit tests with a very high degree of success and have obtained a large number of diplomas. However, this has not proved to be applicable to students belonging to the minority communities. The Education Commissioner disclosed that eighty one percent of white students obtained their diplomas in due course, whereas the students of minority communities found the obtention of pass marks in English, mathematics, global history, geography, US history and science to be a daunting task. Consequently, only forty two percent of the Hispanic students, forty five percent of African American and sixty eight percent of Asian students obtained their diplomas within the stipulated time (Hoff, 23rd of March, 2005). A survey conducted by the National Center on Educational Outcomes has revealed the fact that fifty percent of the states of the Union have made it mandatory to obtain a pass mark in the exit test, in order to be eligible to obtain a high school diploma. However, very few states have implemented an alternative procedure for evaluating disabled students, which is of an equivalent standard in comparison to the test applied to regular students. This report goes on to state that the absence of tests for the disabled and regular students that are of equivalent rigor, gives rise to the impression that disabled students are not competent to undertake grade level work (Samuels, 4th of May, 2005). In the state of California, the Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed a law that exempts disabled students from taking and obtaining a pass mark in the high school exit test. This new law states that if a student had been permitted to follow an individual education plan and if such a student had satisfied all other criteria for being awarded with a high school diploma and further if that student had received remediation for the exit test, then that student would be allowed to graduate, irrespective of having obtained a pass mark in the exit test. The objective of this law was to enable the state of California to provide better instructions for disabled students (Jacobson, 8th of Februray, 2006). In the state of Utah, even if students who do not obtain a pass mark in every portion of the high school exit test, they are awarded the high school diploma. However, such diplomas contain a statement that the student had not obtained a pass mark in the high school exit test. Several states of the Union are having second thoughts about continuing with such high school exit tests and at the same time a several students have proved to be unsuccessful in obtaining a pass mark in their graduation examinations. The law in the state of Utah has made it mandatory for high school students to obtain a pass mark in mathematics, reading and that part of the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test that comprises of tests on writing skills, in order to be awarded with a high school diploma (Olson, 25th January, 2006). In another study it was established that states of the Union, in which high school exit tests are in vogue, have a graduation rate and college entrance examination marks that are significantly lower than states that do not have such tests. In particular, students from states of the Union, that had made it mandatory to obtain a pass mark in the high school exit examination, fared worse than students from states of the Union that did not insist on such a condition, in the internationally acknowledged Scholastic Aptitude Test. Moreover, such students had a significantly lower rate of graduation (Viadero, 2nd of February, 2005). It has been opined by many people that high school exit examinations result in an increase in the number of students who discontinue their studies, before obtaining a high school diploma. The detractors of such exit examinations have very pertinently pointed out the fact that the already low graduation rates are being forced down to a much lower level. Many critics have stated that it would be patently unfair to deny a student who had completed thirteen years of schooling a high school diploma, merely because that student could not obtain a pass mark in the high school examination. Moreover, many persons consider such a denial of a high school diploma to be ruthlessly unjust, because such a diploma is essential for ensuring a bright future.

Night World : Witchlight Chapter 1

The mall was so peaceful. There was no hint of the terrible thing that was about to happen. It looked like any other shopping mall inNorth Carolina on a Sunday afternoon in December. Modern. Brightly decorated. Crowded with customers who knew there were only ten shopping days until Christmas. Warm, despite the chilly gray skies outside. Safe. Not the kind of place where a monster would appear. Keller walked past a display of â€Å"Santa Claus Through the Ages† with all her senses alert and open. And that meant a lot of senses. The glimpses she caught of herself in darkened store windows showed a high-school-aged girl in a sleek jumpsuit, with straight black hair that fell past her hips and cool gray eyes. But she knew that anybody who watched her closely was likely to see something else-a sort of prowling grace in the way she walked and an inner glow when the gray eyes focused on anything. Raksha Keller didn't look quite human. Which was hardly surprising, because she wasn't. She was a shapeshifter, and if people looking at her got the impression of a half-tamed panther on the loose, they were getting it exactly right. â€Å"Okay, everybody.† Keller touched the pin on her collar, then pressed a finger to the nearly invisible receiver in her ear, trying to tune out the Christmas music that filled the mall. â€Å"Report in.† â€Å"Winnie here.† The voice that spoke through the receiver was light, almost lilting, but professional. â€Å"I'm over by Sears. Haven't seen anything yet. Maybe she's not here.† â€Å"Maybe,† Keller said shortly into the pin-which wasn't a pin at all but an extremely expensive transmission device. â€Å"But she's supposed to love shopping, and her parents said she was headed this way. It's the best lead we've got. Keep looking.† â€Å"Nissa here.† This voice was cooler and softer, emotionless. â€Å"I'm in the parking lot, driving by theBingham Street entrance. Nothing to report- wait.† A pause, then the ghostly voice came back with a new tension: â€Å"Keller, we've got trouble. A black limo just pulled up outside Brody's. They know she's here.† Keller's stomach tightened, but she kept her voice level. â€Å"You're sure it's them?† â€Å"I'm sure. They're getting out-a couple of vampires and†¦ something else. A young guy, just a boy really. Maybe a shapeshifter. I don't know for sure; he isn't like anything I've seen before.† The voice was troubled, and that troubled Keller. Nissa Johnson was a vampire with a brain like the library of Congress. Something she didn't recognize? â€Å"Should I park and come help you?† Nissa asked. â€Å"No,† Keller said sharply. â€Å"Stay with the car; we're going to need it for a fast getaway. Winnie and I will take care of it. Right, Winnie?† â€Å"Oh, right, Boss. In fact, I can take 'em all on myself; you just watch.† ‘You watch your mouth, girl.† But Keller had to fight the grim smile that was tugging at her lips. Winfrith Arlin was Nissa's opposite-a witch and inclined to be emotional. Her odd sense of humor had lightened some black moments. â€Å"Both of you stay alert,† Keller said, completely serious now. â€Å"You know what's at stake.† â€Å"Right, Boss.† This time, both voices were subdued. They did know. The world. The girl they were looking for could save the world-or destroy it. Not that she knew that†¦ yet Her name was Iliana Harman, and she had grown up as a human child. She didn't realize that she had the blood of witches in her and that she was one of the four Wild Powers destined to fight against the time of darkness that was coming. She's about to get quite a surprise when we tell her, Keller thought That was assuming that Keller's team got to her before the bad guys did. But they would. They had to. There was a reason they'd been chosen to come here, when every agent of Circle Daybreak in North America would have been glad to do this job. They were the best. It was that simple. They were an odd team-vampire, witch, and shapeshifter-but they were unbeatable. And Keller was only seventeen, but she already had a reputation for never losing. And I'm not about to blow that now, she thought. â€Å"This is it, kiddies,† she said. â€Å"No more talking until we ID the girl. Good luck.† Their transmissions were scrambled, of course, but there was no point in taking chances. The bad guys were extremely well organized. Doesn't matter. Well still win, Keller thought, and she paused in her walking long enough really to expand her senses. It was like stepping into a different world. They were senses that a human couldn't even imagine. Infrared. She saw body heat. Smell. Humans didn't have any sense of smell, not really. Keller could distinguish Coke from Pepsi from across a room. Touch. As a panther, Keller had exquisitely sensitive hairs all over her body, especially on her face. Even in human form, she could feel things with ten times the intensity of a real human. She could feel her way in total darkness by the air pressure on her skin. Hearing. She could hear both higher and lower pitches than a human, and she could pinpoint an individual cough in a crowd. Sight. She had night vision like-well, like a cat's. Not to mention more than five hundred muscles that she could move voluntarily. And just now, all her resources were attuned to finding one teenage girl in this swarming mall. Her eyes roved over faces; her ears pricked at the sound of every young voice; her nose sorted through thousands of smells for the one that would match the T-shirt she'd taken from Iliana's room. Then, just as she froze, catching a whiff of something familiar, the receiver in her ear came to life. â€Å"Keller-I spotted her! Hallmark, second floor. But they're here, too.† They'd found her first. Keller cursed soundlessly. Aloud, she said, â€Å"Nissa, bring the car around to the west side of the mall. Winnie, don't do anything. I'm coming.† The nearest escalator was at the end of the mall. But from the map in her hand, she could see that Hallmark was directly above her on the upper level. And she couldn't waste time. Keller gathered her legs under her and jumped. One leap, straight up. She ignored the gasps- and a few shrieks-of the people around her as she sprang. At the top of her jump, she caught the railing that fenced off the upper-level walkway. She hung for a second by her hands, then pulled herself up smoothly. More people were staring. Keller ignored them. They got out of her way as she headed for the Hallmark store. Winnie was standing with her back to the display window of the store beside it. She was short, with a froth of strawberry curls and a pixie face. Keller edged up to her, careful to keep out of the line of sight of the Hallmark. â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"There's three of them,† Winnie murmured in a barely audible voice. â€Å"Just like Nissa said. I saw them go in-and then I saw her. They've got her surrounded, but so far they're just talking to her.† She glanced sideways at Keller with dancing green eyes. â€Å"Only three-we can take them easy.† â€Å"Yeah, and that's what worries me. Why would they only send three?† Winnie shrugged slightly. â€Å"Maybe they're like us-the best.† Keller only acknowledged that with a flicker of her eyebrows. She was edging forward centimeter by centimeter, trying to get a glimpse of the interior of the Hallmark shop between the stockings and stuffed animals in the display window. There. Two guys in dark clothing almost like uniforms-vampire thugs. Another guy Keller could see only as a partial silhouette through a rack of Christmas ornaments. And her. Iliana. The girl everybody wanted. She was beautiful, almost impossibly so. Keller had seen a picture, and it had been beautiful, but now she saw that it hadn't come within miles of conveying the real girl. She had the silvery-fair hair and violet eyes that showed her Harman blood. She also had an extraordinary delicacy of features and grace of movement that made her as pretty to watch as a white kitten on the grass. Although Keller knew she was seventeen, she seemed slight and childlike. Almost fairylike. And right now, she was listening with wide, trusting eyes to whatever the silhouette guy was saying. To Keller's fury, she couldn't make it out. He must be whispering. â€Å"It's really her,† Winnie breathed from beside Keller, awed. â€Å"The Witch Child. She looks just like the legends said, just like I imagined.† Her voice turned indignant. â€Å"I can't stand to watch them talk to her. It's like-blasphemy.† â€Å"Keep your hair on,† Keller murmured, still searching with her eyes. â€Å"You witches get so emotional about your legends.† â€Å"Well, we should. She's not just a Wild Power, she's a pure soul.† Winfrith's voice was softly awed. â€Å"She must be so wise, so gentle, so farsighted. I can't wait to talk to her.† Her voice sharpened. â€Å"And those thugs shouldn't be allowed to talk to her. Come on, Keller, we can take-them fast. Let's go.† â€Å"Winnie, don't-â€Å" It was too late. Winnie was already moving, heading straight into the shop without any attempt at concealment. Keller cursed again. But she didn't have any choice now. â€Å"Nissa, stand by. Things are going to get exciting,† she snapped, touching her pin, and then she followed. Winnie was walking directly toward the little group of three guys and Iliana as Keller reached the door. The guys were looking up, instantly alert. Keller saw their faces and gathered herself for a leap. But it never happened. Before she could get all her muscles ready, the silhouette guy turned-and everything changed. Time went into slow motion. Keller saw his face clearly, as if she'd had a year to study it. He wasn't bad-looking-quite handsome, actually. He didn't look much older than she was, and he had clean, nicely molded features. He had a small, compact body with what looked like hard muscles under his clothes. His hair was black, shaggy but shiny, almost like fur. It fell over his forehead in an odd way, a way that looked deliberately disarrayed and was at odds with the neatness of the rest of him. And he had eyes of obsidian. Totally opaque. Shiny silver-black, with nothing clear or transparent about them. They revealed nothing; they simply threw light back at anyone who looked into them. They were the eyes of a monster, and every one of Keller's five hundred voluntary muscles froze in fear. She didn't need to hear the roar that was far below the pitch that human ears could pick up. She didn't need to see the swirl of dark energy that flared like a red-tinged black aura around him. She knew already, instinctively, and she tried to get the breath to yell a warning to Winnie. There was no time. She could only watch as the boy's face turned toward Winnie and power exploded out of him. He did it so casually. Keller could tell that it was only a flick of his mind, like a horse slapping its tail at a fly. But the dark power slammed into Winnie and sent her flying through the air, arms and legs outstretched, until she hit a wall covered with display plates and clocks. The crash was tremendous. Winnie! Keller almost yelled it out loud. Winnie fell behind the cash register counter, out of Keller's line of sight. Keller couldn't tell if she were alive or not. The cashier who had been standing behind the counter went running and screaming toward the back of the shop. The customers scattered, some following the cashier, some dashing for the exit. Keller hung in the doorway a second longer as they streamed out around her. Then she reeled away to stand with her back against the window of the next shop, breathing hard. There were coils of ice in her guts. A dragon. He was a dragon.