Genetic Engineering in Agriculture Essay - 2099 Words

Genetic Engineering in Agriculture Whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before would deserve better of Mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together. -The King of Brobdingnag, Gullivers Travels by Jonathan Swift, 17271 Introduction Genetically engineered foods are the rage of the day for farmers across the world. Farmers are able to grow larger, tastier, more colorful foods that are more readily available and attractive to consumers. At the same time, farmers actually have been saving money because their crops are now more resistant to drought, frost, insect infestations, and bruising during†¦show more content†¦Nowadays, it is a more complicated process (although you could still use the same process as before), where people choose to modify some of the genes and cells to generate a new genetically engineered plant. The process of altering the genome through transfer of a gene or genes from another species or breed is know as transgenics3. Transgenics has allowed us to speed up the evolution of plants and animals to solve worldwide problems to benefit humanity. What Are the Benefits? Benefits for cloning and genetic engineering in agriculture are abundant. Typically tropical plants can be grown in in colder areas of the world. Water-starved drought stricken desert areas will be able to produce food with a lot less water allowing needy people access to a supply of food. Large volumes of pesticides will no longer be needed as much with insect resistant crops. This not only saves the farmers money, but it also saves the worlds water supply from an additional very dangerous water pollutant. Finally, crops with tougher outer skins that resist bruising,Show MoreRelatedGenetic Engineering in Agriculture Essay3427 Words   |  14 PagesGenetic Engineering in Agriculture Among the millions of species that inhabit the planet, only twenty species provide ninety percent of the human food supply (Montgomery 2000). Since the introduction of genetic engineering, however, livestock and crops have a more productive future. Transfer of engineered genes from organism to organism occurs through hybridization, conjugation, and transformation in microorganisms. By the substitution of genes into agricultural species, biodiversityRead MoreThe Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Essay1291 Words   |  6 PagesGenetic engineering is a way in which specific genes for an animal or plant can be extracted, and reproduced to form a new animal or plant. These new organisms will express the required trait for that gene. This practice is a very controversial topic within the scientific world. It is being implemented in various areas such as agriculture even though there are many alternatives that can be found for genetic engineered crops, such as organic materials and reducing leeching of the soil. The controversyRead MoreThe Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Essay1409 Words   |  6 PagesThe Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Agribiotechnology is the study of making altered agricultural products. Agribusiness is trying to alter the genes of already existing products to try to enhance the biocompetitiveness and adaptability of crops by enhancing plant resistance to drought, salinity, disease, pests and herbicides. They are going to try to enhance their growth, productivity, nutrient value, and chemical composition. The old way of doing this was through selectiveRead MoreTrials. Genetic Engineering Is Commonly Found In Agriculture897 Words   |  4 Pages Trials Genetic engineering is commonly found in agriculture and within the past few years scientists began animal experimentation, but this technology is now touching upon human embryos. â€Å"The first field experiments of food crops that had been genetically modified using recombinant DNA technology began in 1987† (Range, Gabriel).The trial consisted of extending the shelf life of tomatoes. Animals are the next trial class â€Å"animals that have been safely genetically engineered (GE) include cattleRead MoreThe Use Of Genetic Engineering On Agriculture And Food Production Essay1622 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction : The use of genetic engineering techniques in agriculture and food production is seen as an exciting and valuable development by many people who welcome the improvements in production efficiency that they offer to farmers and the enhanced nutritional value that is envisioned to benefit consumers. Others, however, are objecting strongly, raising environmental, food safety, and ethical concerns. A majority of people in Western Europe, Japan and Australia, for example, want at leastRead MoreDustin Peacher . Engl 1302.C09. Professor Mccovery. April985 Words   |  4 Pagesof Genetic Engineering and it s Ethics How far would you go to save human lives and to progress society for those in need? The benefits of genetic engineering have shown to outweigh the ethical and environmental consequences associated within the field. Genetic Engineering has shown to provide major benefits in the field of medicine and agriculture but is faced with extreme criticism and backlash, specifically on the basis of ethics. To understand the modern concept over field of the Genetic EngineeringRead MoreGenetic Engineering : The Technique Of Producing Recombinant Hybrid Dna By Combining Two Different Strands Of Dna1731 Words   |  7 Pagesgroup for their help in improving and reviewing this paper. Finally I would like to thank Abdul Ahad Memon for proof reading my paper. Abstract Genetic engineering is the technique of producing recombinant hybrid DNA by combining two different strands of DNA. The fundamental concept of genetic engineering is gene cloning; the technique of altering the genetic structure of an organism. Gene cloning has four basic processes, namely cutting : the process of isolating the required starnd of DNA, modificationRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms Are Dangerous Or Bad For Our Citizen s Health1025 Words   |  5 Pagesscientists have been working on developing new forms of technology regarding genetic modification. This involves the transfer of genes from one plant or animal, to another similar specimen. Furthermore, with the help of genetically modified organisms, scientists are now able to help prevent pollution, increase crop productivity, as well as aid in medicinal purposes. To begin, due to a past study that linked genetic engineering to the following possibilities such as stomach inflammation, the transferRead MoreDna And Ethics Of Recombinant Dna1601 Words   |  7 Pages Recombinant DNA and Ethics Brooke Boland BIO/410 - Genetics October 23, 2017 Miranda Gauthier Recombinant DNA and Ethics Recombinant DNA technology has become a powerful influence to many fields including medicine, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. Genetic modifications of plants, animals and other organisms have allowed scientists to improve the quality of human life. As genetic engineering continues to rapidly grow, many ethical, social and legal issues arise evaluating the risksRead MoreEssay about Should Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law?992 Words   |  4 PagesShould Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law? â€Å"Just as the success of a corporate body in making money need not set the human condition ahead, neither does every scientific advance automatically make our lives more meaningful† ( Professor George Wald, Noble Prize winning biologist, The Dangers of Genetic Engineeering 1976, p.45) . Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. It uses the techniques of molecular cloning and transformation to alter the

Julian Assange; Hero or Villain Free Essays

Julian Assange Hero or Villain? The question of whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, whose organization can be credited with releasing thousands of classified documents from various countries, is a hero or a villain depends entirely on one’s political opinions. Those who believe in transparent government and freedom of speech/publishing would call Assange a hero. Those who believe governments must have some secrecy from citizens would call him a villain. We will write a custom essay sample on Julian Assange; Hero or Villain? or any similar topic only for you Order Now As a believer in the ideals America was founded on it is clear that Assange’s actions are heroic. He is fighting to keep the average citizen informed of any corruption within their government, fighting for the mainstream press to stop supporting the government’s views on everything, fighting to introduce the power of technology into a political system that has become outdated and corrupt. The United States is looked on as the ideal example of democracy. People have freedom of speech, elect the officials who represent them and the government works to benefit the everyday person. Right? Wrong. How can we try and set up a new government where the people are actively involved in countries such as Iraq when the average American doesn’t know anything about what’s going on in our own government. Julian Assange’s organization revealed 1,500 civilian deaths in Iraq previously unreported to the American public. (4) Our relatives are fighting for their country and we’re told that civilian casualties are going down when in fact there are 1,500 previously unreported deaths, there’s something wrong with that picture. Outside of the U. S. WikiLeaks has made an impact in Tunisia when they published remarks made by Ambassador Robert Godec stating that the government’s inner circles were corrupt. The leaks added with the already tumultuous anger at the government pushed Tunisians over the edge, and they overthrew the corrupt government. (1) Those who believe Assange to be a villain site his â€Å"vendetta† against the U. S. as the primary reason for distrust and hatred, but the publication of Robert Godec’s statements helped the U. S. gain power in the Middle East and succeed in their, â€Å"efforts to work with other countries to solve shared problems†. Hillary Clinton) The leaks posted on WikiLeaks aided the U. S. more so than it harmed them, making Julian Assange a hero, not a villain. If Julian Assange’s crusade isn’t against the United States, then what is he fighting for? How about for the mainstream press to report more than one side of the story? The mainstream press refu ses to even acknowledge Assange as a legitimate journalist and publisher; in fact the freedom of the press committee of the Overseas Press Club of America in New York City declared Assange â€Å"not one of us†. 2) This seems odd when the duty of the press has always been to inform the people, which Assange is doing, albeit in an unconventional way. Take for example the war in Afghanistan, without WikiLeaks the public is subjected to claims that the Taliban is losing — and that al Qaeda has been severely weakened and yet we’re told that our country will have to stick it out until 2015, rather contradictory! Organizations such as WikiLeaks force the traditional press to acknowledge inconsistencies in Washington’s story. Although they do continue to try and control the narrative so that it does not radically digress from the official Washington storyline. Without the pressure put on by Julian Assange freedom of press would be declining, making him a hero, At least once a century governments encounter radical change. In the 1700’s it was the American Revolution, in the 1800’s it was the French Revolution, in the 1900’s it was the Russian (Bolshevik) Revolution. What will the revolution of the 2000’s be? Governments have already been de-stabilized in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen. Who says that the protests won’t continue over to the United States? Protests in other countries happened because the systems were outdated and corruption was suspected. This is certainly true in the U. S. , where the government’s inefficiency is being blamed on outdated technology. Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget admitted that the gap between the public and private sectors results in â€Å"billions of dollars in waste, slow and inadequate customer service and a lack of transparency about how dollars are spent,† this â€Å"lack of transparency† is exactly what Assange is fighting against. (3) WikiLeaks forces the United States government to think about the extreme secrecy it operates under and whether this is the best for its citizens. Without Assange the â€Å"lack of transparency† would only grow, making him a hero. Julian Assange has been called many names; traitor, anarchist and even a high-tech terrorist, but the proper name for him is hero. WikiLeaks is an organization that truly works for the people. Keeping people informed with the inner workings of government, putting pressure on the press to acknowledge the truth and forcing change within government. WikiLeaks is driving journalism into the future and Assange is the driver. Sources: 1) Jackson, William E. , Jr. â€Å"A Liberated Press and WikiLeaks: Bulwarks Against Claims of ‘Victory’ in Afghanistan . † The Huffington Post. N. p. , 2 Feb. 2011. Web. 2 Mar. 2011. . 2) Zapata, Xavier. â€Å"Is Julian Assange a hero or a villain? † World Have Your Say Blog. BBC, 7 Dec. 2010. Web. 2 Mar. 2011. http://www. bbc. co. uk/blogs/worldhaveyoursay/2010/12/is_julian_assange_a_hero_or_vi. html 3) Swanson, Ian. â€Å"Budget director blames old computers for ineffective government. † The Hill. Capital Hill Publishing Co. , 14 Jan. 2010. Web. 6 Mar. 2011. . 4) Assange, Julian. â€Å"Julian Assange; The Man Behind WikiLeaks. † Interview by Steve Kroft. 60 Minutes. CBS News. 30 Jan. 2011. CBS News. Web. 6 Mar. 2011. . How to cite Julian Assange; Hero or Villain?, Papers

Comparing Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness Essay Example For Students

Comparing Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness Essay comparison compare contrast essaysThe Importance of Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness Todays society contains stories that model the ideal life that each individual lives each day. Stories may shape our mind in creative and positive ways that may enlighten the road towards the future. They have been examples for us to survive by and thrive on for decades: in the past, and now, continuing in the future. People around the world have been told stories that may have influenced their lives in a unique way. Children long to be enlightened by stories that fill their young and fruitful minds, allowing thoughts and new ideas to be instilled. Throughout the worlds cultures and literature, stories have influenced the actions and morals of man with their underlying meaning. This can be explained in various examples. The human race has told stories since the beginning of time. These stories may have had a major impact upon the individuals actions, as well as influencing the way people chose to live their lives. Looking back, you can find stories origins ranging from a variety of places. Tales of how the prince rescues the day and saves the world could be found in childrens books, while in the Bible you find how God worked in the lives of His disciples. Extricating the meaning and point of the story may be easily done or become an extremely arduous task. However, individuals are given the choice to accept this moral, or point, and apply it to their own lives. In the book Heart of Darkness, a story within a story is being told. The character, Marlow, is telling the story of Kurtz to legitimize his role in the events that are taking place. A downside to this approach is that the reader only hears rumors and accounts about this mysterious figure, Kurtz, before actually meeting him. Kurtz remains an unknown and enigmatic character in Marlows mind. However, Marlow has heard so much about him through the stories that have been shared that Kurtz seems to become a distant frie nd. I looked at him, lost in astonishment his very existence was improbable, inexplicable, and all together bewildering. (Conrad 90) At first Marlow was speechless to finally have met this seemingly idol. Yet, after having spent time with Kurtz and getting to know his character, Marlow finds out for himself that Kurtz really was not the person that the stories had described him to be. Heart of Darkness is an accurate example of how stories can be a negative impact upon an individual. An accumulation of false information can be deceiving, as well as, misgiving- and in Marlows case, disappointing. As told in the story Things Fall Apart, in Ibo culture, male and female stories perpetrate the social classes- separating men and women. So Okonkwo told them stories of the land- masculine stories of violence and bloodshed. Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to be violent, but somehow he still preferred the stories that his mother used to tell (Achebe 53) In a utopian society, the masculine, violent stories would not be needed because the society is tranquil. Yet, for realistic cultures, masculine stories are important to keep people from being nave. These stories prepare people for the survival of the fittest type of outlook and reality. The function of stories is to explain the whys and hows of what society has done. They may arise out of peoples belief and faith, therefore they cannot be disproved- only accepted or rejected. Stories have many functions; to strengthen ones ability and motivation to become a significant person, give an example that may allow one to become more cautious, enlighten an individual in countless number of ways, or even hinder a person and cause controversy. Whatever the purpose or meaning that stories entail, they have allowed individuals and ordinary people to become influenced and fashioned by their unique function. Stories are extremely important in todays culture, as much as they have been for the pasts as well. We, as peo ple, need to recognize how stories may have the power to adjust or educate the human race in an effective way. I personally challenge todays society to dig deeper- and attempt to understand that underlying meaning placed in-between the lines in the stories of the past, present, and future that will come. .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 , .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .postImageUrl , .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 , .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4:hover , .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4:visited , .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4:active { border:0!important; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4:active , .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4 .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u04f63fab89d9b569c1981489940f5bb4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: how to get twenty Essay

Theatre Review Mamma Mia free essay sample

First one is to add up more feature to the stage plan, play content, etc†¦ simply by adding up something new to discover to the audience. The other one is to perform a new reviewed scenario with more visual content. We have decided that fisrt solution is much more appropriate for this masterpiece. Rather reviewing the whole scenario and corrupt its origins, adding up some small but modern details, like integration of the play with augmented reality and social media will be a very good idea. If Mamma Mia can enable an online experience of Mamma Mia during the play it would receive much more attention than the original version. Since the attention is considered as the new curreny, these increased attention rates will result in as an increase in the cash flow. IF think about a performance play while you can actually interact with the play real-time that would be the next level for entertainment and stage performance industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Theatre Review: Mamma Mia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With the help of hashtags and QR codes audience can experience more about the play, a counter argument may be put on this measure of change like what if the new adaptations will ruin the uniqueness of the play. This could be right to some extent but offering something new to the audience is mostly perceived as an update, something more advanced by the people. Enhancing the play with various utilities of modern technology or a screenplay it can enrich the whole experience of Mamma Mia Mama Mia Case Questions 1. Can the performing arts be considered â€Å"an industry†? WE can say that its an emerging industry all exclusive for 1st world countires due to importance given to art amp; entertainment rather than stability of economy. It is not hard to see that this is becoming an industry slowly and gradually in the United States of America. We can definitely say that they are creating a momentum in the sub-categories of daily consumption.. People who came to see the shows spend their money on activities, local products, services, and employees, etc†¦ these momentum created by viewers also creates a cash flow within its range. In USA where performing arts are spread widely and happens on a large scale and therefore ends up contributing a whole lot to the overall economy. According to the Broadway statistics it is estimated as per the years 2006-2012 that the estimated direct spending, indirect spending and related audience spending in total amounts to be more than 1 billion dollars per year, which happens to be a huge amount in this industry.. Even Mama Mia ended up brining a large sum of million dollars since 2003, contributing to the economy. ttp://broadwayworld. com/grossesshowenlarge. cfm? show=MAMMA-MIA! In conclusion we can say that its still premature to call that as an industry however there are a lot of potential, as resulted from statistics its growing and reaching huge numbers not just only revenue scale but also the magnifiying effect of side-expenditures, created job opportunities, promised increase of audience life quality and maybe the more important aspect. Inspiration created by these mast erpieces to posterity of society. 2. From an entrepreneurship perspective, highlight the issues that must be considered when dealing with creations in the performing arts that have cultural or classical roots. The most important issue of the cultural root is the audiovisual content of the show. The story and the songs must be familiar to the culture of the audience of the region where the show is first debuted. However, it is not likely to success in the industry by only considering cultural requirements of the show since art is still art and it is widely criticized about its artistic value. There should be a perfect balance between what the audience can find familiar to their lives in the show and what takes artists breath away in details and in the framework. Also from an entrepreneur’s perpective there are some key indicators that should not be forgotten, evaluation of different alternatives while only the one having potential is further finalized ,does not always mean the results of natural selection is succesfull. An entrepreneur must watch over whole process from beginning concept stage to commercialization. , he must constantly evaluate the idea throughout the processes to successfully finalize the project. Fresh ideas are the hardest ones to evaluate on their value so first challenge is this one to cope up with the newness of the idea, thinking like an entrepreneur is no easy task. 3. Are there special conditions or conflicts of interest, which apply, in the quasi-public sector of the performing arts to businesses such as Mamma Mia? Yes there are actually there are numerous conflicts of interests between a quasi-public sector of performing arts and a regular business, as a quasi-public sector which is backed by the government causes different margin rates than the regular business since they are not strict as regular business element of retention rate is higher and much more flexible. The first conflict arises from distribution of benefits, for quasi-public organizations which is the cost of provision of goods is not proportional to the number of people who benefit from it, as it is typical in the regular business. The more the cost is involved by means of investment, the more is value added in the product and therefore it can reach more people. However, its not like when an organization is backed up by the government. as they have a mandated activities to be performed by a particular number of people which they can afford as they are backed by the government. On the contrary in regular business, people who did not pay for the good are being excluded from the provision of goods or services which is not the case in government based products or services, since they have regulated and mandated activities and audience. As we can conclude from this , the quasi-public organization or activities have a advantage over the regular business activities due to the backing of government in case of any kind of crisis or unexpected situation. Slight losses are easily recovered by the services as opposed by annual funding which regular businesses cannot support these situations so in case of a loss this may take up to years to recover properly. 4. What do you think of the Mamma Mia! Show? Is it entrepreneurship? Definitely. The â€Å"Mamma Mia! show is considered nothing new but the story of it reveals a great success of a determined entrepreneur. The show comes to life as a result of the hard work of Judy Cramer who for a decade pursued her dream to come true. Years of development and carefully selected staff made nothing new into something huge. It is not undone, yes, but entrepreneurship cannot be considered as a concept where at the something new has been done. Accomplishing something marvelous from and o ld idea is a typically not fit for the definition of entretpreurship however the idea itself is a way of entrepreneurship. Only this kind of way of thinking can redefine old tastes and turn them into something new to experience. Conclusion: Developing amazing ideas does not mean that they had to be brand new ideas. Some amazing projects such as Mamma Mia is a combination of quality and new tech, only an entrepreneur can combine the past with present. It is one of the most successful plays of the world and a lot people making a living out of it so stage performances can be considered as an industry up to some extent

Iraqi and Western Sahara Statehood essays

Iraqi and Western Sahara Statehood essays The state of Iraq has a turbulent history and has rarely stayed the same in its long history of different sovereign rulers over the territory. The battleground for different civilizations over centuries of political and religious rivalry, Iraq now finds itself divided into three distinct groups: the Kurds, the Sunni, and the Shia. Since its inception by the French and British in the First World War, Iraq has been a melting pot of different cultures. Yet, the Sunni population won out for control of the country in 1968 when the Ba'athis party overthrew the President Abdul Rahman Arif whose brother was responsible for the removal of the British installed Hashemite monarchy in 1958. Saddam Hussein rose to power in 1979 and installed a firm authoritative hold over the country, about the same time as the Iranian Revolution which resulted in Shi'ite Muslim theocratic state. The Ba'ath party and Saddam Hussein were primarily Sunni while they only composed about 35% of the population as oppo sed to the 65% Shia majority. The history and violence between both sects of the Islamic culture made the composition of the Iraqi state in the first place an uneasy Union. If the three main groups were split into two, there would be complications for each to cope with in order to become meet the criteria of statehood according to Article 1 of the Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States 1933. The legal qualifications for the international community require that the three new states would have to possess a permanent population, establish a defined territory, a government, and the capacity to enter into legal relations with other states. Though there has been a large migration out of Iraq since the United States invasion in 2003, it is clear that there will be a permanent population in Iraq. There has always been competition for control of the land around the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. Combined with the oil fields in the north and sout...

Article In Business Example

Article In Business Ryanair warns fares will rise This article published in The Guardian discusses about Ryanair’s warning to shoot its fare up in the near future. Thisrise in fare would have to be made to meet the company’s targets. All such measures are been taken by the company to increase its profits in the upcoming years. This sudden move to increase the fares and profit is because the company posted an approximate loss of â‚ ¬11 million in the third quarter of 2010. Although the company has been a successful airline service provider recognized as one of the best in the world, it has recently been criticized by some critics along with some of its customers. The basic reason for Ryanair’s success was their ability to cope with their costs which they offered to their customers in the form of low fares, such fares were really low when compared to other airline service providers. Ryanair’s great tendency to innovate always led them to reduce their costs and increase the q uality of their service. Innovation had always been a main factor that led Ryanair to open new dimensions in the airline industry. The strategy followed by Ryanair to reduce their costs was to have low emission aircrafts such as Boeing 737; these aircrafts were also fuel efficient hence they helped Ryanair to have better control over their fuel costs even in the era when fuel costs increased drastically. Such better quality and low cost led Ryanair to be pronounced as the most profitable airline in the world by an Air Transport World Magazine. The article discussed that the company had good prospect as one of its competitors, Germany’s Blue Wings, had left the market and had created a greater scope for Ryanair to capture a much larger market share in the upcoming future. Although according to the company’s Chief Financial Officer, the company might increase its fares in the future, Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair was of the view that the company would heavily focus on cutting its costs much more. Besides this statement, he also pointed towards the better and productive performance of the company and increased gain in the market share of the company in area such as Spain, Scandinavia, etc. Because of this news, there was a sudden rise of 5 % in the company’s share in the Dublin market. This article lead to an increase in the share price for Ryanair but this can also signal alarms for its customers as there may be some rise in the fares charged by the company. The positive thing derived from this article would be to favor the shareholders of the company, who would enjoy better profits in the following years to come. References Ryanair warns fares will rise, Katie Allen, guardian.co.uk, 2010 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/01/ryanair-fares-rise

An Examination of Men in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

An Examination of Men in Nursing - Essay Example The other critical part in the paper is the literature review that focuses mainly on the studies and research conducted by varied scholars and researchers pertaining to the men serving in the nursing profession. Methodology happens to be the last part of this paper and it focuses mainly on the selected methods of data collection, methods of data analysis, the sample description and the limitations associated with the proposed research. Introduction The government, health care employers, professional nursing organizations and the academic institutions have a pivotal role to play in assuring that there is a continued supply of adequate and sufficient number of nurses in the health care system serving an ever aging population and an enhanced demand for health care services in the United States of America and other developed economies like Canada (LaRocco 2007:259). Currently the United States of America is facing a dire shortage of the nurses irrespective of the fact that the profession is critical for the society. This shortage of nurses has led to many men joining the nursing profession. ... Irrespective of being a minority in the nursing profession, men have been noticed to bring a higher degree of comfort in varied aspects of patient care. Stereotyping is one of the major factors that have led to men being a minority in the nursing profession. Stereotyping has hitherto greatly influenced the number of men joining the nursing services (Hess-Biber and carter 2005). However, the reality is that men nurses have been there since the ancient times (Tranberger 2007). Yet, in the last two centuries, the ever growing demand for nurses has made it impossible for the traditionally white, female nurses to cater to this change. This has encouraged a rapid entry of men in the nursing services. History testifies to the fact that men can serve well as nurses, when given the opportunity and can in fact serve with distinction if given a chance to do so. This has also encouraged women to pursue medical courses in the medical schools. However, it has not been so in the past when the men w ere known to dominate the medical schools. Recent researches have shown that in future the shortage of nurses will exceed three times the current shortage maximum point (Auerbach et al 2007). Another research related with the same issue has shown that the projected shortage of nurses could be dealt with by allowing more men to enter the nursing profession. This could be achieved by encouraging more men to enter the nursing schools and to join the nursing profession. Women who constitute a majority in this profession ought to be encouraged to keep what has always been theirs, and should be expected to motivate their male counterparts to enter the nursing profession, and compete in this field that is

Good Cholesterol and Breast Cancer risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Good Cholesterol and Breast Cancer risk - Essay Example This phenomenon reduces the risk of heart diseases but at the same time HDL also stimulates migration and activates signal transduction pathways in the human breast cancer cell lines, thus acting like a catalyst in the development of breast cancer. Thus knocking down the HDL receptor, SR-BI by some pharmacological methodologies play an essential role in regulating cellular proliferation and migration, thus controlling the growth of tumor cells, and hence SR-BI can be essentially used in the treatment of breast cancer in humans. The Popular article, Good cholesterol and breast cancer risk explains about the above detailed primary research article in a crisp manner. Though HDL that is, good cholesterol is good for health and acts like a protective shield against heart disorders, it has a negative impact on breast cancer development in humans. Higher the level of HDL in blood, higher is the risk of developing breast cancer. Thus limiting the HDL receptor, SR-BI the rapid proliferation o f tumor cells were found to be greatly reduced. The popular article also interacts with Dr. Philippe Frank, head of the research team and a cancer biologist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Thomas Jefferson University who stresses on the importance of inventing more specific drugs to inhibit SR- BI and the safer level of HDL to be mentioned in cancer patients. How it relates to the theme – ‘Gender, Science and Technology’ Both the articles are interlinked and have a strong correlation with the theme of ‘Gender, Science and Technology’. The main focus of both the articles is about the treatment for breast cancer. Though the exact cause for breast cancer is still a topic under research, analysing the risk factors can show who is most likely to develop the disease. Lifestyle choices, genetic disorders and medications taken for some kind of diseases may be some of the risk factors for developing the disease but some risk factors are more vulnerable, particularly one’s ‘Gender’. Breast cancer is most common in women because they have more breast tissue than men. Breast cancer causes include what stimulates the breast tissue to grow and develop. Female relatives can also be a risk factor for getting breast cancer. If one’s mother, sister or daughter have breast cancer, the chances of getting the disease is doubled. Though cancer of several types is the leading cause of death in the world, medical science and technology has empowered people to make life changing decisions by matching them with modern and advanced treatment options based on individual conditions of the patients. Modern science and technology has revolutionized the breast cancer research therapies and now chances of overcoming breast cancer are much better than in earlier days. Main Scientific Claim The authors claim that their examination about the role of HDL and SR-BI in the regulation of cellular signalling pathwa ys in breast cancer cell lines and development of tumors show that, HDL can stimulate the signal transduction pathways in the human breast cancer cell lines. Then, accelerate the formation of tumors and hence knocking down of HDL receptor, SR-BI limits the

US Magnesium Essay Example for Free

US Magnesium Essay In Feb 2004, US Magnesium, the sole surviving US producer of magnesium, a metal that is primarily used in the manufacture of certain automobile parts and aluminum cans, filed a petition with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) contending that a surge in imports had caused material damage to the US industry’s employment, sales, market share, and profitability. According to US Magnesium, Russian and Chinese producers had been selling the metal at prices significantly below market value. During 2002 and 2003, imports of magnesium into the US rose 70%, while prices fell by 40% and the market share accounted for by imports jumped to 50% from 25%. â€Å"The US used to be the largest producer of magnesium in the world†, a US Magnesium spokesman said at the time of the filing. â€Å"What’s really sad is that you can be state of the art and have modern technology, and if the Chinese, who pay people less than 90 cents an hour, want to run you out of business, they can do it. And that’s why we are seeking relief†. During a yearlong investigation, the ITC solicited input from various sides in the dispute. Foreign producers and consumers of magnesium in the US argued that falling prices for magnesium during 2002 and 2003 simply reflected an imbalance between supply and demand due to additional capacity coming on stream not from Russia or China but from a planned Australian plant. The Canadian plant shut down in 2003, the Australian plant never went into operation, and prices for magnesium rose again in 2004. Magnesium consumers in the US also argued to the ITC that imposing antidumping duties on foreign imports of magnesium would raise prices in the US significantly above world levels. A spokesman for Alcoa, which mixes magnesium with aluminum to make alloys for cans, predicted that if antidumping duties were imposed, high magnesium prices in the US would force Alcoa to move some production out of the US. Alcoa also noted that in 2003, US Magnesium was unable to supply all of Alcoa’s needs, forcing the company to turn to imports. Consumers of magnesium in the automobile industry asserted that high prices in the US would drive engineers to design magnesium out of automobiles or force manufacturing elsewhere, which would ultimately hurt everyone. The six members of the ITC were not convinced by these arguments. In March 2005, the ITC ruled that both China and Russia had been dumping magnesium in the US. The government decided to impose duties ranging from 50% to more than 140% on imports of magnesium from China. Russian producers face duties ranging from 19% to 22%. The duties will be levied for five years, after which the ITC will revisit the situation. According to US Magnesium, the favorable ruling will now allow the company to reap the benefits of nearly $50 million in investments made in its manufacturing plant during the last few years and enable the company to boost its capacity by 28% by the end of 2005. Commenting on the favorable ruling, a US Magnesium spokesman noted, â€Å"Once unfair trade is removed from the marketplace we’ll be able to compete with anyone†. US Magnesium’s customers and competitors, however, did not view the situation in the 2002-2003 period as one of unfair trade. While the imposition of antidumping duties no doubt will help to protect US Magnesium and the 400 people it employs from foreign competition, magnesium consumers in the US are left wondering if they will be the ultimate losers.

Alzheimers Disease Essay -- Alzheimers Disease Essays

We are currently living in the age of technology. Our advancements in the past few decades overshadow everything learned in the last 2000 years. With the elimination of many diseases through effective cures and treatments, Canadians can expect to live a much longer life then that of their grandparents. In 1900 about 4% of the Canadian population was over the age of 65. In 1989 that figure tripled to 12% and the government expects that figure to rise to 23% by the year 2030 (Medical,1991,p.13). This increase has brought with it a large increase in diseases associated with old age. Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is one of the most common and feared diseases afflicting the elderly community. AD, once thought to be a natural part of aging, is a severely debilitating form of mental dementia. Although some other types of dementia are curable or effectively treatable, there is currently no cure for the Alzheimer variety. A general overview of Alzheimer's disease including the clinical description, diagnosis, and progression of symptoms, helps one to further understand the treatment and care of patients, the scope of the problem, and current research. The clinical definition of dementia is "a deterioration in intellectual performance that involves, but is not limited to, a loss in at least 2 of the following areas: language, judgement, memory, visual or depth perception, or judgement interfering with daily activities" (Institute,1996, p.4). The initial cause of AD symptoms is a result of the progressive deterioration of brain cells (neurons) in the cerebral cortex of the brain. This area of the brain, which is the largest and uppermost portion, controls all our thought processes, movement, speech, and senses. This deterioration initially starts in the area of the cortex that is associated with memory and then progresses into other areas of the cortex, then into other areas of the brain that control bodily function. The death of these cells causes an interruption of the electrochemical signals between neurons that are a key to cognitive as well as bodily functioning. Currently AD can only be confirmed at autopsy. After death the examined brain of an Alzheimer victim shows two distinct characteristics. The first is the presence of neuritic plaques in the cerebral cortex and other areas of the brain including cerebral blood vessels.... ...988).Understanding Alzheimer's disease.New York: Scribner's. Brassard, Daniel.(1993).Alzheimer's Disease.Ottawa: Library of Parliament, Science and Technology Division. Brown, Phyllida.(1992, November 7).Alzheimer's May Not be Linked to Aluminum.New Scientist Supplement,p.6. Carlton University Department of Health Sciences Freenet.(1996).Internet.http:\www.nct.carlton ca/fp/social.services/alzheimer/disease.dir Evans, Denis, et al.(1989).Prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease in a Community Population of Older Persons.Journal of the American Medical Association,272(15),1152. Institute for Brain Aging.(1996).Internet.http:\www.128.200.55.17/aboutad.html Medical Research Council of Canada.(1991).Presidents Report 1989-1990. Myers, David.(1996).Exploring Psychology.New York: Worth. Pollen, Daniel.(1990).Hannah's Heirs: The Quest For the Genetic Origins of Alzheimer's Disease.London:Oxford University Press. Statement on Use of Apolipoprotein E Testing for Alzheimer's Disease.(1996).American College of Medical Genetics/American Society of Human Genetics Working Group on ApoE and Alzheimer's Disease.Internet.http:\www.faseb.org/genetics/asng/policy/pot

Richard Matheson

Every author has a different style of writing and getting people to read it. If it's not exciting or different you won't want to read it. Richard Matheson's stories leave you thinking what just happened? Did that really happen? Richard Matheson uses situational irony to get you interested in reading. When reading Richard Matheson's â€Å"Girl of My Dreams† situational irony is shown. For example the story is about how Carrie dreams about people and a situation they are going to encounter, her husband Greg is controlling and cruel, to where he is making these families pay money for the information Carrie dreamed.Carrie had a dream about a boy getting hit by a car; Greg wanted ten thousand dollars in cash. â€Å"†Thursday, the fourteenth! † she blurted into the mouthpiece. â€Å"Two-sixteen in the afternoon! †Ã¢â‚¬  (Matheson). â€Å"He emphasized each repetition of the word with another savage blow across her face. † (Matheson) Greg had killed Carrie because she gave the information to the lady that Greg wanted ten thousand in cash from, but before she died she gave greg information â€Å"Street† she whispered, â€Å"†¦night.†She sucked in the wheezing, blood choked breath. â€Å"Greg. † She tried to sit up but couldn’t. Her expression was becoming one of terrified concern. She whispered, â€Å"Man†¦. razor†¦. you oh no! †Ã¢â‚¬  (Matheson). Richard Matheson’s â€Å"Girl of My Dreams† in the beginning would make you think why it is like this, and wouldn’t expect Carrie to die, but yet before she dies she has a dream about Greg and dies before she can give him what day, just like he was doing to the families.â€Å"Button, Button† Richard Matheson did the same with the Situational irony. The story was about a button that if it was pressed you would receive a payment of fifty thousand dollars but someone in the world would die. â€Å"She felt unreal as the voice informed her of the subway accident, the shoving crowd. Arthur pushed from the platform in front of the train. She was conscious of shaking her head but couldn’t stop† (Matheson). This was after she had pushed the button that her husband Arthur was against.â€Å"â€Å"My dear lady,† Mr. Stewart said, â€Å"do you really think you knew your husband? †Ã¢â‚¬ . Richard Matheson had us thinking that they could have ended up with the money and not knowing who died, but in the end it was a shock to us to find out it was her own husband who was so against it. These stories by Richard Matheson â€Å" Button, Button† and â€Å"Girl of My Dreams† both prove my point of how Richard Matheson uses Situational Irony in his stories to draw the reader in and keep his stories different and keep you in shock.

Improving Wound and Pressure Area Care in a Nursing Home Essay

In Sprakes and Tyrer’s (2010) research article entitled â€Å"Improving Wound and Pressure Area Care in a Nursing Home†, the effectiveness of wound and pressure ulcer management was examined. The rate of wounds and pressure ulcers in a nursing home is often an indicator of the quality of care received as these injuries can lead to illness and a decreased quality of life (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010). Sprakes and Tyrer have identified gaps in overall management of wound and pressure ulcers. They have also identified a large volume of referrals regarding advice and support for wounds and pressure ulcers. For these reasons the authors’ research was aimed toward whether utilization of a new wound and pressure ulcer management system in the nursing home would decrease rate and severity of these injuries (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010). The reason this article was selected for critique was due to personal encounters with pressure ulcers in the nursing home setting and first-hand observations of the debilitating effects they can have on an individual. Summary Research took place in a nursing home that was selected due to observations of poorly managed wounds and pressure ulcers. The authors’ overall aim of the research was to â€Å"improve outcomes for patients requiring wound and pressure ulcer management† (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010, p. 47). The authors planned on meeting this goal through improving staff knowledge, improving documentation, and finally encouraging owners to uphold the proper standards of care. Before implementing their management framework, the authors obtained data to establish a control. The authors collected data over a six month period regarding frequency of wounds and pressure ulcers and regarding the number of times additional support nurses were contacted to aid with wounds/pressure ulcers. Next, staff knowledge was assessed regarding wound and pressure ulcer assessment and management (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010). The authors then created a unique competency-based framework. This competency-based framework served as the standard of care to be used throughout the project. It also served as an evaluating tool when measuring staff performance. From there the authors then went on to discuss the project with the staff. Concerns, barriers, and benefits were all discussed as the authors felt â€Å"if staff understand why change is occurring, they are more likely to implement the required change† (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010, p. 47). When implementing their competency-based framework the authors selected four nurses to be supported through the program. Only four were chosen due to the amount of time required to support each individual member. The four nurses then received two theoretical training sessions with a day on wound assessment and a day on pressure ulcer prevention and management (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010). Once complete, the nurses worked alongside one of the authors in implementing the framework in the clinical setting. Completion of the process took an average of six weeks per nurse (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010). After completion of the program the four nurses had their knowledge reassessed and another set of data was collected over a six month period to allow time for the nursing staff to incorporate the framework into practice (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010). After analyzing the data, the authors found a 77% decrease in the number of wounds and a 57% decrease in the number of pressure ulcers. The data also revealed a significant increase in wound and pressure ulcer documentation and a decrease in the number of contacts to supportive nurses. When reassessed the staff demonstrated an increase in knowledge and skill. Overall the authors came to the conclusion that both the nursing staff and patients considerably benefited from the project. Based off the results, they encourage the implementation of similar projects in other nursing homes (Sprakes & Tyrer, 2010). Analysis of the authors’ references affirms their appropriateness to the study; however, 66% of the references used are not current as indicated by a publication date greater than 5 years. Critique Based on the article, the authors’ purpose of the study was apparent and the results were conclusive. The authors’ decision to implement an evidenced-based wound assessment tool was a great choice as it significantly benefited documentation rates as one was not being used in the nursing home prior. Through this choice it was evident that the authors were able to help the nursing staff to â€Å"ensure the credibility of their profession and provide accountability for nursing care† (North Carolina Concept-Based Learning Editorial Board, 2011, p. 2324). When analyzing the study it clearly demonstrates the impact that proper guidelines and education can have on wound and pressure ulcer management. Through education the authors were able to aid the nursing home in preventing the occurrence of more wound and pressure ulcers as â€Å"prevention is the goal for the clients at risk for pressure ulcers† (NCC-BLEB, 2011, p. 1918). Although this article is a good resource for information and statistics on wound and pressure ulcers, it is not recommended for individuals looking for particular nursing interventions used for wound and pressure ulcers. While the authors did broadly explain their competency-based framework, they lacked depth in explaining specific information and interventions taught and used throughout the project. In conclusion, this work greatly contributes to the nursing profession because it created a unique quality management plan that has the potential to better numerous nursing homes and improve the lives of many patients. References North Carolina Concept-Based Learning Editorial Board. (2011). Nursing: A concept-based approach to learning (Vols. 1-2, pp. 1915-1926, 2324, 2425). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Sprakes, K. , & Tyrer, J. (2010). Improving wound and pressure area care in a nursing home. Nursing Standard, 25(10), 43-49. Retrieved from http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2010893921&site=

Phobia Intervention Outline Essays

Phobia Intervention Outline Essays Phobia Intervention Outline Essay Phobia Intervention Outline Essay Phobias â€Å"A phobia is strong, persistent, specific fears lasting more than 6 months and accompanied by intense physiological symptoms and avoidance or distress typify the presence of a specific phobia. † –DSM-IV-TR Article #1: Intensive Treatment of Specific Phobias in Children and Adolescents Population: Children and Adolescents * Ages: 7-17 * Boys girls Hypothesis: Researchers wanted to see what the actual implementation of OST with children and adolescents would be while extending the techniques from the unpublished OST Manual for Children. Researchers also wanted to see a host of practical issues associated with using exposure therapy for the treatment of specific phobias. Method: A type of Cognitive-behavioral therapy- One Session Treatment About the Intervention: * OST is developmentally informed and intensive- lasting 90-180 minutes * Combines in vivo exposure, psycho-education, particular models, cognitive challenges, reinforcement (contingency management), and skills training in intensive treatment model. Creates a fear hierarchy simultaneously probes for catastrophic thoughts associated with varying levels of exposure * GOAL: not to create another traumatic experience but to create an opportunity for child to learn that the negative expectations and thoughts believed to surround the stimulus either do not occur or if they do occur are not as anxiety-arousing as believed. Before applying the treatment researchers conducted: Diagnostic Assessment- chose appropriate evidence-based treatment for the phobia. * Anxiet y Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV Child Parent Version * Makes diagnosis for phobia and introduces a rating system of fear for child * Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised * Discriminates types of phobia and proved an index of fear level/ intensity * BAT- Behavioral Avoidance Test Info from observing the child’s reaction and avoidance to stimulus * Functional Assessment (45 mins)- meeting for parents and children in different setting * Determine maintaining variables, generate fear hierarchy, catalog child’s most severe catastrophic cognitions (asking child what the easiest interaction with stimulus is, then most difficult and then ask for ranks in-between) , determine onset and course of phobia, build rapport and present rationale for treatment * GOAL: to assess both child and parent(s)’ motivation for treatment * Family and Parental Factors Rationale and pretreatment instructions * Lets parents know what’s coming and alleviates misconcepti ons about treatment and how it will be conducted and experienced Conducting OST * Exposure (negotiation)- *in vivo* * Elicits fear so that catastrophic cognitions expectancies can be activated and addressed * Permits fear to habituate and avoidance to extinguish * Prevents behavioral and cognitive avoidance in a safe and controlled environment * TECHNIQUES: â€Å"foot in the door† and â€Å"door in the face† * Cognitive Challenges Participant Modeling * Reinforcement * Psychoeducation and skills training * Implementation After OST * Instructions to continue self-exposure for next few months + follow up appts Results: Results showed that this approach is effective and not only works better with girls but also children with animal phobia. Discussion: Benefits of OST * Follows children’s expectations 75. 4% * Satisfied with treatment 82. % Evaluation: We decided that we would use this intervention. It alters one, if not more, of the cognitive, behavioral and physi ological aspect of the patient’s phobic emotional response. How OST came about: Researchers were not coming up with new interventions, they just modified â€Å"the wheel†, therapies that have existed for years. They wanted to see how treatments worked better together.

Motivation and Self Regulation in Learning Essay

Motivation and Self Regulation in Learning - Essay Example (Ablard and Lipschultz, 1998) Self-regulatory processes can only work if students have the ability to organize themselves and stick to it with great determination and will power. It seems that the major cause of underachievement is the lack of self-control of students. For those children who have a do not have the confidence it takes to have faith in their own abilities, setting goals can lead to positive outcomes as the achievement of these goals influence students' task persistence and problem-solving efforts. Research has proved that for self-regulation to be truly effective students need to have goals and keep assessing their goals and how close they are to achieve their goals. There are many issues to address while assessing goals such as what exactly is it that the student wants to achieve, how difficult is it to achieve that particular goal and how close the student is to achieving the goal. Such evaluation acts as a continuous reality check and encourages students to keep working towards their goals. Another major problem that people often face is that they don't set their goals correctly. They don't weight the time factor in enough. Procrastination is a huge issue here. They seem to think they have all the time in the world and keep putting what they have to do off until the last minute. This may also be due to distractions such as the television or friends. No matter what the reason it results in their goals remaining unachieved. Sometimes students do weight the time factor in and then when they realize that their goals might take a very long time to achieve, they refuse to set such goals. "Students become more motivated when goals are "in sight" or proximal, rather than when the goals seem to be a long way off (this last point may be particularly true for low-achieving children)." (Shunk and Zimmerman 1994) When the goals seem a too long way the opposite is true. This can happen when students set goals that are not practical and unrealistically extraordinary. The simple task of imagining what the achieving the goal will take can make students crumble and not even bother to take the first step towards completing their goal. Goals that are within the student's reach should be set so that the student can see himself or herself actually achieving that goal and the path to achieving the goal will be embarked upon easily. This should be especially noted for students who are setting goals for the first time. If they are discouraged, frustrated and disappointed right at the beginning they will not be inclined to set goals again. Once they start achieving their goals, higher and higher goals can be set each time. Now they will have the confidence to embark on achieving even the highest goals because of the good success rate they have enjoyed. A few failures will disappoint them but will not dishearten them from goal setting entirely. The confidence an d sense of enthusiasm receive from achieving their earlier goals will keep pushing them to keep trying. This tie in with the learning theory of the classical conditioning. The success experienced acts as a positive rein forcer. "A positive rein forcer is anything pleasurable which increase the probability of a

Unauthorized Practice of Law by Legal Assistants and Paralegals Research Paper

Unauthorized Practice of Law by Legal Assistants and Paralegals - Research Paper Example The ABA adopted in 1997 the following definition:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"A legal assistant or paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.†   The ABA adopted in 1997 the following definition:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"A legal assistant or paralegal is a person qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.†   According to the National Association of Legal Assistants, or NALA, certain standard determines the qualifications of a paralegal (http://www.nala.org/98model.htm).   To be accredited a paralegal or legal assistant, one has to undertake the following:   1. Successful completion of the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA)/Certified Paralegal (CP) certifying examination of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.;2. Graduation from an ABA approved a program of study for legal assistants;3. Graduation from a course of study for legal assistants which is institutionally accredited but not ABA approved, and which requires not less than the equivalent of 60 semester hours of classroom study;4. Graduation from a course of study for legal assistants, other than those set forth in (2) and (3) above, plus not less than six months of in-house training as a legal assistant;5. A baccalaureate degree in any field, plus not less than six months in-house training as a legal assistant;6. A minimum of three years of law-related experience under the supervision of an attorney, including at least six months of in-house training as a legal assistant; or7. Two years of in-house training as a legal assistant.   For purposes of these Standards, "in-house trainin g as a legal assistant" means attorney education of the employee concerning legal assistant duties. In addition to the review and analysis of assignments, the legal assistant should receive a reasonable amount of instruction directly related to the duties and obligations of the legal assistant.

REPEAT OFFENDERS IN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS Research Paper

REPEAT OFFENDERS IN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS - Research Paper Example Community corrections have their pedigrees in community-based programming adopted by non-governmental organizations. Notably, community corrections are an assortment of numerous reprimands for nonaggressive wrongdoers. Community corrections were adopted three decades ago and have offered residential services in halfway accommodation. Community corrections were introduced for a number of aims, the key one being to instill discipline and hold the offender accountable for their felonious deeds. The other purposes of these corrections comprise protecting public safety and provision of restitution to communities by the felons through restitution programs. Nonetheless, the proportion of wrongdoers has augmented and there have been little changes in strategy on handling the offenders, since all the offenders come from different backgrounds and have different desires. The the system has unceasingly adopted the â€Å"one size fits all† tactic without considering their different circums tances. As a result, the community corrections system grapples to offer useful interventions for the huge number of people who pass through the system annually. It is because of this lack of follow up that the offenders find themselves repeating crimes and ending up in the community corrections again. Recidivism refers to an individual’s reversion into an unlawful deed after an intermediation or sanction for a previous offense. Recidivism is a critical concept in criminal justice that is assessed through criminal acts that lead to re-incarceration and return to prison or correction center for the first three years after discharge. For the past years, the proportion of repeat offenders into correction centers has shot up. The National Institute of Justice (2014) acknowledges that two thirds of the released prisoners indulge in crime activities that get them back to prison or other correction facilities after 3

What can literature, music, cinema, theatre or art bring to the study Essay

What can literature, music, cinema, theatre or art bring to the study of International Relations - Essay Example The field of International Relations (IR) is a body of knowledge that deals with political activities that are intertwined among various key state players. According to the research conducted by Polat (2012), through International Relations, individuals are able to comprehend the kind of relations that exist between various states. In this case, International Relations refers to the study of the interactions between the members of the field of International Relations, which are the nation states. International Relations can also be defined as the study that scrutinizes the relationships between countries and the responses displayed by these countries as a result of the interactions between the states. It would appear that no country can subsist on its own. In this case, it is imperative to appreciate the power relations between the nations in the International Relations. International Relations, according to Mandaville (2003), is a body of knowledge that highlights the factors that inspire the connection between the countries in the world. In simple terms, International Relations refers to an understanding of the interactions that are present between different countries in the International arena. This includes reviewing the flow of information from one country to another, the manner of responses by each party, and the outcomes that spring from the entire relations process. These implications vary from political, social and economic implications.

Organizational strategy of Samsung

Organizational strategy of Samsung In the current volatile business industry marketing plays a vital and significant role and it is a process or method to create, deliver, exchange and communicate with customers and clients. It is the mechanism that identifies the requirements, needs, expectations of a particular customer base and creates methods and offerings to satisfy that customer base. In the current situation the complete business is customer-centric and the marketing revolves around satisfying the customer at every possible opportunity. Whatever the company offer should be based on the needs of the customer, it may be a product or can be a service or it can be both. When an organization offers both service and product, it can be termed as solution that plays vital role in strategic marketing. Samsung electronics is one of the biggest players in the electronics industry world that was established in 1969 had spread its wings over 50 countries worldwide and has workforce of more than 66000 and ranks at 131st on the list of Global Fortune 500. This paper aims to evaluate the marketing strategy of Samsung Electronics in the global television industry using the available theories and concepts. Company Background Samsung one of the greatest brands available in the market aims to secure the world leadership in the industry and earn devastating competitive strength by synchronizing the development and manufacturing of product, design, marketing and sales. The organization is well known for its great accomplishment in the industry of semiconductors based on memory. Samsung maintains its high position in the industry continuously from 1992 maintaining its top rank and stretch its financial structure throughout the industry to maintain itself as a number one company in the industry of mobile phones, semiconductors, monitors, computer gadgets, televisions, TFT and LCD screens. It also achieved 4th place in the semiconductor industry and sixth place in the mobile gadget industry by selling huge volumes. Importance and the use of information in their marketing strategy It is the era of information age and the information plays a vital and unavoidable role in any field exceptionally in the marketing industry. There is a great need for the managers to incorporate loads of data, convert it into information, construct decisions on the information and then compose decisions to lead them to achieve greater success in the business For any business, information is also considered as significant resource required same like money, machinery and manpower. Information is must and crucial for the survival of the organization in the varying business industry. Previously before the computer age, it was difficult for the companies to gather, store, maintain, organise and distribute huge volumes of information and data. The growth of computer and information technology helped the managers and organizations to effectively handle the information available. Managers are able to get the current information at required time in an accurate manner. And another great advantage is that the information can be accessed by many people at the same time accurately, completely that is organized and storable. The information system is the method that makes sure the information is presented to the managers in the form they expect it and when they expect it helping them to support their effort by giving appropriate information for their decision-making. Computers or Information Technology can evidently help companies in processing information and data in a accurate and well presented manner that is timely, relevantly and completely. All kind business organizations now a days have some kind information maintenance system either it may for accounting or stock control or market monitoring. The supremacy technology changed the function of information in the business. The complete business world acknowledged the information aslifeblood. Papows (1998) accredited that the modern organization is dead without Information. Samsung as a strong business leader accepted the fact and had given priority to the process of information throughout the organization at every stage. To gain from its Managing information System and Information Technology, Samsung addressed information needs not only in its environment but also in their relationships with customers, suppliers, trade partners, Production systems, work processes, skills and labour requirement. These advancements of Samsung have created huge and complex processes and information systems, thereby creating a requirement to align them to have a universal overview of the complete information system setting it as a strategic tool. According to American Marketing Association (AMA), 2007 marketing can be defined as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. Marketing people of various organizations endeavour to get the perfect goods or services to the correct people at the perfect place at the accurate time at the right price, utilizing the proper promotion techniques. This explains how marketing managers organize the several factors that eventually decide marketing success. For this, organizations must have timely decision-making information. The significance of efficient marketing changes heavily in respect to the market in which a firm operates. It also depends on the important competences existing within the company. These competences will offer the current market information based on which decisions can be taken quickly. Corporate strategy depends deeply on the scrutiny of such information. Samsung aims to achieve the world leadership and accomplish great competitive strength. It is targeting to coordinate design and development of product, manufacturing, sales and marketing with effective information management. Samsungs marketing strategy related to their overall organisational strategy Slogan of Samsung Company says that Everyones invited explains its vast marketing strategy, with a huge range of products. As per the market researches, the main strengths of Samsung are identified as Strong global business network Huge credibility of Brand Name Innovative changes and inspiring new styles The awards it is continuously receiving Samsung has strong global present with its service and sales caters locating in 4 different countries. Samsung can utilize its strengths available as major threats to other organizations. Samsung can effortlessly improve its image the by the promotional Adds and quality products. Viewing ahead, Samsungs vision is to turn out to be a leading company of the digital convergence revolution. The next generation will be a time where the Internet, wireless communications, networked systems and contents will be united. Various forms of convergence technology that link conventional stand-alone appliances through networks will be developed. Samsung Electronics vision for the new decade is, Inspire the World, Create the Future. This new vision statement mirrors Samsung Electronics dedication to stimulating its communities by accelerating its three key strengths: New Technology, Innovative Products, and Creative Solutions. And to advance new value for Samsungs core networks such as Industry Partners and Employees. Through these efforts, Samsung hopes to contribute to a better world and a richer experience for all. (www.samsung.com, 2010) SAMSUNG Vision Statement Source: http://www.samsung.com/uk/aboutsamsung/corporateprofile/visionmission.html [accessed on 20/07/2010] The main aim of the strategy of any business organization is growth (Chandler, 1962; Penrose, 1959). Even for Samsung, this growth is the main competence. The diagram above explains its motto of creating future in its industry and wants to be a leader. So Samsungs vision is clear. Samsungs strategic methods can be classified in to organic growth and alliances based on strategic. Organic growth According to moneyterms.co.uk (2010) Organic growth is the growth that is achieved by the companys existing business by increasing output and enhance sales (Investopedia, 2009 Moneyterms, 2010). Organic growth lets a firm to extend market position over the long term and helps to accomplish growth much cheaper than merger and acquisitions and is well suitable growing organizations (Coyle, 2000). This suits well with Samsung present strategic position as it is one of the market leader and has all the measures to extend into other markets. Moreover, though Samsung has huge cash reserves, organic growth permits cash reserves to be focused on other important factors such as Research and Development. At last, the external environmental analysis shows growth in the television market and the complete industry. But only the organic growth is not sufficient for an organization. Even though it is stable that is not enough when entering in to a new market in a new country. When entering in to a new country a strong understanding of local market is necessary that can be achieved only through local strategic alliances. Strategic Alliances A COPAC Commissioned Study defines (2000) Strategic Alliance as a formal and mutually agreed partnership arrangement that links specific facets of two or more enterprises or organizations. It is a mutual arrangement and understanding that allows partners to accomplish goals mutually that they could not accomplish alone. Strategic alliances are normally seen as methods for generating strong and efficient mode for competing in a globalized business. Bleeke and Ernst (1992) explain this as a formal relationship between two or more parties to pursue a set of agreed upon goals while remaining independent organisations. From 2001, Samsung has undergone with 29 various alliances (Samsung.com, 2010). They also accredit that the alliances are the best possible ways to enter in to the new market. With the new alliances Samsung may not learn anything new as they are very strong in technology and innovation. Further Analysis of Current Strategies Porter (1980) argue there are three fundamental strategic options available for companies that are looking for achievement of competitive advantage; they are Cost Leadership, Differentiation and Focus. This is explained in Porters Generic Strategies (Porter, 1985) Samsung comes under the category of Cost Leadership strategy as it augments profits by dropping costs, while charging low prices in the industry. Cost Leadership can be considered as one of the core competencies of Samsung. Apart from the cost leadership, Differentiation strategy also appropriate to Samsung as the company in continuously involved in inventing the technologies. So, Samsungs strategy is a combination of both cost leadership and differentiation strategy. Bowmans Strategic Clock (1997) is the other method used regularly to evaluate strategic options. It sees at professed additional value by the customer in opposition to price. Based on this Samsungs strategy can be explained to be mostly Hybrid. This refers to a strategy which is low cost to the consumer but still differentiated. Samsungs new 3D and Interactive TV Samsung, an industry leader for flat-screen TVs, will begin promoting its 3DTVs on 21 March in the US, before rolling out the activity globally in April. Mintzberg et al (2005) stated the Competitive advantage of an organization is usually recognized as the managements capability to set the companys assets adjacent to some external context. This can be termed as (Porter, 2004) external environment for a specific company. This external environment sets the means of survival for any company (Johnson et al, 2008:54). So, it is vital for the companies to understand this environment. This paper will look at the macro environment of Samsung using PESTEL analysis, then the Industrial environment where it operates, and finally at Competitors mainly utilizing Porters five forces model (Porter, 2004:6). It is also important to analyse the external environment of the firm to understand the opportunities and threats to achieve a strategic competitiveness. This consists of a general environmental, market, five forces analysis and competitors analysis. SWOT analysis is a prospective forecasting technique that helps to evaluate the match between opportunities and capabilities of the firm in the competitive environment. External environment The macro and industry environments will now be looked at to assess the strategic position of Samsung. Social Factors Current generation of people have strong passion and obsession for new innovative technology. Electronics industry plays a vital role in fulfilling this obsession. Children watching late night programs and getting addition to TV programs that reduces their interest towards games and studies is an important social factor. Technological Factors The electronics industry has been considered as one of the largely growing (Sixto, 2003) with low product life cycles (Mathews, 2005) that have show the way to global revenues. A 3D TV set is a special viewing TV device that utilizes 3D techniques of appearance that projects a TV program into a realistic three-dimensional field. The technology is brand new to TV industry that further reduces people going to Cinemas. Samsung is leading the industry with another milestone of new innovative Technology. Political Factors Political factors have an enormous control on the regulation of businesses that comprises of regulations forced by the government under which businesses should operate. As per the research the political environment in United Kingdom is said to pretty stable. Polices structured by the new conservative government like taxation, Cutting the Public spending and decision to raise petrol prices will have tough impact on the buying power of individuals. Additionally, the industrial policies of Korea also plays very important role for assisting international competitiveness to transfer technology in swap for market access (Kim, 1997). Economic Factors The economic factors plays very critical and significant role in marketing the 3D TV. The recession or down turn of economy reduced the spending power of individual. U.K economy is endangered by the financial downturn. As the unemployment rate increases customers passion for new technology may be sidelined. Sales has been continuously depreciating and the exchange rate is all time low that will increase the importing prices. Environmental Factors Consumers are having more awareness towards environmental and expecting increased energy efficiency, minor or no emission of dangerous radiation (Tarr, 2009; EE Times-Asia, 2009). Legal Factors Intellectual property is becoming a critical and important in the industry. There are huge chances conflicts can happen like the resent famous Apples conflict with Googles Nexus One regarding a patent issue. Samsung itself won a dispute recently in opposition to sharp regarding a patents issue that was initiated in the year 2007(Wall Street Journal, 2009). Legislations about local employee rights, Taxation and Intellectual Property will advance influence on Samsungs strategic decisions. Swot analysis STRENGTHS Strong international experience. Strong global business network Huge credibility of Brand Name Innovative changes and inspiring new styles The awards it is continuously receiving OPPORTUNITIES New technology 2012 Olympics offers an plenty of opportunity to get more sales Offering more models with stylish and individuality. The consumer will have the real entertainment for the money. WEAKNESSES Perception of High Prices Customers disinterest Buyer sophistication and knowledge Substitute products or technologies Very less availability of 3D viewing content THREATS New existing competition Price volatility Economic recession or financial downturn Extremely huge competition for customers and resources 6 Five Forces Analysis This analysis discusses five competitive forces related to the new product of Samsung Industry Competitors: Sony, Panasonic and LG. All are bigger players in the industry The competition is very High Buyers Individuals and families with high passion for technology And reasons for buying is Young passion mind, affluent professionals, status maintainers *Threat of New Entrants *Threat not significant as already many established players in the market and required a significant initial network, resources and investment Suppliers Bargaining power is low Substitutes Wide verity of TV models including Plasma, LCDs and digital TVs. Electronics Gadgets like smart phones, gamers and computers are also affect the new 3D Force Strength Trend Comments Entry Low Changing New entries are less. Suppliers Low Changing Suppliers cant negotiate prices Buyers Medium Increasing Overall consumers have medium bargaining power but generally it should be a win-win situation. Substitutes High Not Changing There are huge substitutes available at the present time. Like smart phones, Plasma, LCDs and gamers Rivalry High Increasing The competition is very high with SONY, Panasonic and LG are planning to launch the 3D TVs Lower Threat of New Entrants Threat from new companies entering in to the business is low as huge requirement of capital and Samsung have huge research and marketing process along with the proven productive process. It also has the strong brand name and best product differentiation. Overall the threat is minor. Low Bargaining Power of Suppliers Many competitive suppliers are available in the industry. The suppliers of Samsung have low switching cost and product differentiation (Lee, 2006). Overall the bargaining power of suppliers is low. The price increasing of raw materials can be easily passed on to the consumers. So the overall bargaining power of suppliers is low. Medium Bargaining power of Customers Bargaining power of customers is medium as very little range of products available in the 3D TV marketing industry. High Threat of Substitute Products There are huge number of substitutes are available for this product like Plasma TVs, LCD TVs, Mobile gadgets like smart phones, gamers, computers and laptops. Competitive Rivalry within the Industry High Overall, rivalry is high with many diverse competitors. LG, the worlds No. 2 Television brand by revenue, has put a destructive sales target for 3D TVs, planning to construct a leadership position in an emerging market where rivalry is expected to heat up. In 2010, LG targeted to sell 400,000 3D Televisions and in the next year it aims more than 3.4 million, the South Korean company announced in a news conference on 15th Tuesday December, 2009(canada.com, 2010). Electronics giant Sony is also planning to launch and leverage its power in 3D TVs business. Sony said in a press conference that it is expecting 3D TVs to account for up to 50 per cent of its total TV sales by March 2013 (canada.com, 2010). Panasonic also launched its plans to roll out 3D TVs in 2010 (canada.com, 2010). Source: http://www.canada.com/competition+heating+2010/2342815/story.html Segmentation The new generation 3D TV is initially targeted at the high class and technology lovers. The initial price of the 3D TV is very high. The Marketing Mix Marketing mix is an essential notion in current marketing and rationally it is referred to as the set of convenient tools that the organization combines to create the response it wants in the target market, so it consists of everything the firm can do to influence the demand for its product (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004). Marketing is about projecting the correct product at the correct price in the accurate way to the accurate customers. This is how value is added. Getting a product in to the market involves balancing numerous significant ingredients, i.e. the 4Ps of the Marketing Mix: Product, Price, Promotion and Place. Product The Next generation 3D TV is new innovative product. In simpler terms, the product includes all features of innovation to provide true entertainment to its customers. The 3D televisions were voiced as the biggest innovation in the television history with combination of highest performance and stylish design. With the Samsung 3D TV the customer will have the prospect of enjoying TV programs in 3D sitting at home and viewing TV will never be the same as the audience will be able to enjoy and experience the feel of their favourite stars of sports, film and TV leap off their TV in to the living room right before them. Samsung is proposes a series of 3D-capable TVs, including the LED 7000/8000/9000 Series, LCD 750 Series and the Plasma 7000/8000 Series (www.samsung.com, 2010) Price Pricing is principally fixing a specific price for a product or service offered. In simple words, Kotler and Armstrong (2004) explain the perception of price to obtain the product. Fixing a price is not something simple. Normally in general law people argue that a small price will draw additional customers. The argument is not true. Because customers not only look for price alone. The customers expect a proper service and value for the money that he pays. They act in response to value so a lesser price does not essentially signify stretched sales if the product is not fulfilling the expectation of the customers (Lazer, 1971). The price for the 3D brands starts from  £1600 to  £2000. The price is not so competent. Placement Samsung unveiled its prestigious 3D TV brands globally in the major countries like US, UK, Australia and china. The product is launched in all the major stores like John Lewis, Currys etc. Promotion The promotion takes the form of a new Starter Kit that offers U.S. consumers the chance to enjoy 3D movies in their own living rooms, rather than having to head to nearest cinema to check out the eye-popping action. Samsung utilized the FIFA Football World Cup to publicize several value-added bundles along with its new 3D TV ranges. Fresh buyers were offered bundled 3D movies, home theatre systems and Blu-ray players. People who procure certain Samsung 3D TV models from dealers all over the country will have the chance to seize the Bonus 3D bundle. This includes Samsung 3D Blu-ray player and two sets of rechargeable 3D glasses. Apart from this Bonus 3D bundle, customers are also entitled to obtain a Bonus 3D TV starter kit that includes 3D Blu-ray Disc of DreamWorks Animation SKGs hit movie, Monsters vs. Aliens, and An additional two sets of battery powered 3D glasses. Source: http://3dtvsets.co.uk/samsung-electronics-starts-3d-tv-war/ (accessed on 25/07/10) Apart from these bundled promotional offers, Samsung has launched a strong advertisement campaign for its range of 3D TVs. The TV advertisement campaign is worth of  £8 Million that runs over 3 months. Apart from the TV advertisement, it has also launched  £7 million print media advertisements (www.marketingweek.co.uk, 2010) Target Market Samsung should aim both the high-end market segment as well as low-end market segment because in both areas there are opportunities. The international brands like Sony, Panasonic, LG, Philips and Sharp have more than 75 percentage share of the high-end market segment globally. Samsung being an international brand, it can easily step in both the high-end and low-end marketing segment because of its overall knowledge and ability to invest in the market. Market research firm Generator Research(2010) forecasts a major update of the novel 3D TV technology globally, showing that by the year of 2014 the business share for 3D sets is predicted to reach over 39% and the market will value more than $117billion (Samsung.com, 2010). In reference to another market research organization, DisplaySearch (2010), the 3D TV market is predicted to increase from the year 2008s value of $ 902 million to $ 22 billion in 2018. particularly, the 3D TV business is predicted to grow to $ 17-billion, and the number of units expected to sale will increase to 64 million in the year of 2018 from 200,000 units in 2009 (Samsung.com, 2010). Globally, in the year of 2010, it is expected that there will be approximately 4.2 million 3D TVs will be sold as all the major players like Samsung, SONY, Panasonic, LG and sharp are entering in the business. The value is expected to triple to 12.9 million in the next year itself according to a new market research. Above said figures looks like huge but the fact is that the above stated figures are just a fraction of the original LCD TV sale. On the other hand, it is expected that by 2012, 27.4 million 3DTelevisions will be sold globally and by the year of 2015 the value is expected to 78.1 million units. This shows an enormous composite annual growth of 80.2% between 2010 and 2015. The figures show that the 3D Televisions here for growth and may replace all the existing TVs in near future. Samsung, however, is ready to lead in this Age as it will use its strengths in semiconductor, telecommunications and consumer electronics technology to develop innovative multi-capable products and create powerful networks that will empower the user for anytime, anywhere communications and a higher quality of life. http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Documents/American%20Marketing%20Association%20Releases%20New%20Definition%20for%20Marketing.pdf

Gifted Hands Essay -- essays research papers

Gifted Hands is an inspirational novel based around the life of Ben Carson, from his rugged upbringing in inner-city Detroit to his position as director of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins Hospital at age 33. The novel foregrounds Carson’s struggle to defy all odds - aided by his iron will, tremendous faith, respect, meekness and an unconditional devotion to God. Carson displayed great determination and dedication from a young age. He thrived to be ahead of his studies and went the extra mile for the well-being of his education. After I started pulling ahead in school, the desire to be smarter grew stronger and stronger. Carson focused more on being the best he could be rather than being top of the class. The desire to be smarter is an admirable trait essential for an academically ...

Blood Promise Chapter Fourteen

The encounter with Denis left me even more confused than before. It was a shocking illustration of Mark's warning, an omen of what I too might become if I wasn't careful. I wasn't really the same as Denis, was I? I wasn't aimlessly seeking danger. I was seeking danger†¦ well, for a reason. I had to fulfill the promise I'd made to find Dimitri. Maybe it was suicidal and I was only deluding myself into thinking it was noble. Viktoria left me little opportunity to ruminate. Later that evening, as the family was settling down in the living room after way too much food, she glibly asked Olena, â€Å"Can I go over to Marina's? She's having a party before we go back to school.† Wow. It looked like Abe and the Alchemists weren't the only ones keeping secrets around here. I glanced between Olena and Viktoria's faces, curious as to how this would play out. Olena and Yeva were both knitting, but Yeva didn't look up. Viktoria had spoken in English. Olena's face turned thoughtful. â€Å"You have to leave early tomorrow to go back to school.† â€Å"I know. But I can sleep on the bus. Everyone else will be there tonight.† â€Å"? ®Everyone else' isn't a convincing argument,† scoffed Olena. â€Å"They'll all be tired tomorrow too,† replied Viktoria, grinning. â€Å"You'll miss your last night with Rose.† â€Å"I'll hang out with her after I get back.† â€Å"Great. And stay up even later.† â€Å"Not that late. I'll be back by two.† â€Å"Absolutely not. You'll be back by midnight.† Olena returned to her knitting. But that had been permission if I'd ever heard it. Viktoria looked at the clock. It was almost eight thirty. Her face told me she wasn't happy about the curfew, but she apparently decided to take what she could get. Karolina gave us an odd look as we left the room but remained silent. Sonya and Paul, engrossed in TV, barely noticed our departure. I had to find out what was going on. â€Å"Okay,† I said once we were heading upstairs, â€Å"what gives? I thought you weren't going to Marina's.† Viktoria grinned and beckoned me into her bedroom. I'd recently learned her bedroom used to be Dimitri's, and every time I was in here, I had to resist the urge to go bury myself in the bed, even though I knew the sheets had been washed countless times since those days. Somehow, I could imagine them smelling like Dimitri and feeling warm as though we were both lying there together. â€Å"I'm not.† Viktoria began rifling through her closet and pulled out a short, sleeveless red dress with lace around the straps. The fabric was stretchy -the kind that looked like it'd show everything. I was shocked when she began putting it on. It was pretty trashy. â€Å"Is this a joke?† Nope. Viktoria took off her shirt and jeans and pulled the dress on. She had no trouble with it, but it was every bit as clingy as it had appeared. She wasn't as filled out as I was on top, but in a dress like that, it didn't matter. â€Å"Okay,† I said, catching on at last. â€Å"What's his name?† â€Å"Rolan,† she said. â€Å"Oh, Rose. He's amazing. And this is the last night I'll get to see him before school.† I didn't know whether to feel happy for her or sad for Nikolai. This Rolan guy must have been the reason she couldn't give Nikolai the time of day. She was totally in love with someone else. Still, that dress†¦ â€Å"You must really like him,† I observed dryly. Her eyes widened. â€Å"Do you want to meet him?† â€Å"Er, well, I don't want to interfere with your date†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You won't. Just stop by and say hi, okay?† It felt pretty intrusive, yet at the same time†¦ well, I was kind of curious about a guy who could get her to leave the house in that kind of outfit, particularly when she started applying really heavy makeup: extra-dark eyeliner and bright red lipstick. So I agreed to meet Rolan, and we left the house as quietly as we could. Despite wearing a coat over her dress, Viktoria still didn't want to run into her mother. We headed downtown, following a few twists and turns until we ended up behind what looked like an ordinary warehouse in an abandoned part of town. All was quiet, but a tall, tough-looking dhampir stood by a door leading into the building, his arms crossed in front of him. Viktoria brought us to a halt nearby, saying we had to wait there. A minute later, a group of Moroi men of mixed ages wandered up, chatting and laughing. The dhampir gave them a once-over and then opened the door for them. Light and music spilled out until the door shut-and all went silent again. â€Å"So this is Baia's secret dhampir world,† I murmured. She didn't hear me because suddenly, her face lit up. â€Å"There he is!† She pointed to two approaching guys. Both were Moroi. Well, who knew? Viktoria's secret boyfriend wasn't a dhampir. I guessed that wasn't too shocking, really, though the way she'd dressed tonight still bothered me. She gave him a fierce hug and introduced us. His friend was named Sergey, and he smiled politely before hurrying inside where he was apparently meeting a girl too. I had to give Viktoria credit: Rolan was hot. His hair was dark auburn, soft and wavy. The green of his eyes reminded me-painfully-of Adrian's. And when he smiled at Viktoria, it was dazzling. The look on her face was exactly like Nikolai's whenever he was around her. Rolan took a hold of Viktoria's hands and brought them to his lips, kissing each one. Those green, green eyes gazed at hers, and he murmured something I couldn't hear. She blushed and replied in Russian. I didn't need any translation to know the content was sexy and flirty. Still smiling, he glanced over at me, and although she'd introduced us, it was like he was noticing me for the first time-and was interested. â€Å"You're new here, aren't you?† he asked. Viktoria wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. â€Å"Rose is visiting. She's a friend of the family.† â€Å"Ah,† he said. â€Å"Now I remember hearing about you. I had no idea such a fierce Strigoi killer would be so beautiful.† â€Å"It's part of the job description,† I said dryly. â€Å"Will you be returning to school with Viktoria?† he asked. â€Å"No. I'll be staying here a little longer.† I still had no clue, though, if â€Å"a little longer† was one hour or one year. â€Å"Hmm,† he said thoughtfully. He looked back down at Viktoria and pressed a kiss to her hair, running his fingers along her throat. His next words were to her. â€Å"I'm glad you were able to come here before you left. I don't know how I'll get by with you so far away.† She beamed. â€Å"There was no way I could leave without seeing you one more time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She trailed off, too overcome with emotion, and as he leaned down, hand still on her throat, I thought for an awful moment that they were going to start making out then and there. Fortunately, the appearance of an approaching dhampir girl interrupted them. Viktoria broke from Rolan and embraced the other girl. They apparently hadn't seen each other in a while and chatted rapidly in Russian, ignoring Rolan and me. Free of her for a moment, he leaned toward me. â€Å"Once Viktoria has returned to school, you'll be all alone here. Maybe I could show you around then?† â€Å"Thanks, but I've already seen everything.† He kept that big smile on. â€Å"Of course. Well, then, perhaps we could simply get together and†¦ talk?† I couldn't believe it. This guy had had his hands all over Viktoria thirty seconds ago and was now trying to score plans with me the instant she left town. I was disgusted and had to restrain myself from doing something stupid. â€Å"Sorry, but I don't think I'll be around long enough.† I got the impression that women didn't refuse him very often. He frowned and started to protest, but Viktoria returned and wrapped herself around him again. He studied me for several more puzzled seconds and then shifted his attention to her, smiling and turning on the charm. She ate it all up, and while the two tried to include me in their conversation, it was clear they were totally absorbed in each other. Rolan might be interested in me, but for now, she was an easier target-and one that wouldn't be available much longer. I felt that disgust roil up in me again. The longer we stood out there, the more I realized what was going on. All the people going inside were Moroi guys or dhampir girls. And the girls were all dressed like Viktoria. This was a blood whore den. Suddenly, Baia's secret dhampir world held no appeal. I hated it. I wanted nothing more than to get out of here. No, wait. I wanted nothing more than to get out of here and drag Viktoria away, even kicking and screaming. Rolan was sleazy, no question, and I didn't want her anywhere near him. Yet it soon became clear they weren't going to stand out in the alley all night. They wanted to go inside and do God only knew what. â€Å"Viktoria,† I said, trying to be reasonable, â€Å"are you sure you don't want to come back home and hang out? I mean, I won't get to see you tomorrow.† She hesitated, then shook her head. â€Å"I won't get to see Rolan either. But I promise I'll come see you as soon as I get home later. We'll stay up all night. Mom won't care.† I didn't know what other protests to make. Rolan's impatience, now that I'd refused him, was starting to show. He wanted to go inside. I wondered what was there†¦ a dance floor? Bedrooms? I probably could have gone with them to see for myself, despite being underdressed-or, well, overdressed as far as amounts of clothing went. Yet I couldn't bring myself to do it. All my life, I'd been taught about blood whores and why their lifestyle was wrong. I didn't know if Viktoria was becoming one-and I hoped she wasn't-but there was no way I could set foot in there. It was a matter of principle. I watched them go with a heavy heart, wondering what I'd just let my friend walk into. Seeing her in that ultra-tight dress, plastered all over him, suddenly made me reevaluate everything. How much of this peaceful life in Baia was a sham? Was Viktoria-the girl who'd called me a sister really not the person I thought she was? Confused, I turned away to head back home-And almost walked into Abe. Again. â€Å"What the hell?† I exclaimed. He wore a tuxedo tonight, complete with tails and a silvery silk scarf. â€Å"Are you stalking me?† Stupid question. Of course he was. I hoped his formal wear meant he wouldn't be dragging me off this evening. His guardians were equally well dressed. Idly, I wondered if a place like this had something to do with his illegal business dealings. Was he trafficking blood whores? Like some kind of pimp? Unlikely, seeing as most of these girls didn't require much urging. Abe gave me that annoying knowing smile of his. â€Å"I see your friend is off to an interesting night. I had no idea Viktoria had such lovely legs. Now everyone knows, thanks to that dress.† I clenched my fists and leaned toward him. â€Å"Don't you dare talk about her like that, old man.† â€Å"I'm not saying anything that isn't obvious to everybody else. It'll certainly be obvious to young Rolan soon.† â€Å"You don't know anything about them!† Yet I didn't believe my own words, not after seeing them walk off together. Abe, I could tell, knew what I was thinking. â€Å"These girls all say it won't happen to them. But it always does. It's what'll happen to you if you stay.† â€Å"Oh, here we are,† I said mockingly. â€Å"I knew a threat had to be coming. The part where you order me again to leave the country or else bad, bad things will happen.† He gestured toward the door, where more Moroi and dhampirs were going. â€Å"I don't even need to make anything bad happen. You'll do it on your own by staying here. You'll waste your life away, running errands for Olena Belikova. Potlucks will become the most exciting thing in your world.† â€Å"They're good people,† I growled. â€Å"Don't mock them.† â€Å"Oh, I'm not denying that.† He straightened his silk scarf. â€Å"They are good people. But they aren't your people. This is a fantasy. You're deluding yourself.† He was all sternness now. â€Å"Your grief has sent you here. Your man was ripped away from you, and you've ripped yourself away from your old friends. You're trying to make up for it by convincing yourself that this is your family, that this is your home. They're not. This isn't.† â€Å"I could make this my home.† I still wasn't sure of that, but my stubborn nature made me want to contradict him. â€Å"You aren't meant for Baia,† he said, dark eyes blazing. â€Å"You're meant for better things. You need to go back home, back to your school and the Dragomir princess.† â€Å"How the hell do you know about her? Who are you? When are you going to tell me who you work for? What do you want with me?† I had a feeling I was on the verge of hysterics. Hearing him refer to Lissa snapped something inside of me. â€Å"I'm merely an observer who can tell you're wasting your time here. This is no life for you, Rose. Your life is back in the States. They say you were on track to be a great guardian. Do you know what an honor it is to be assigned to the last Dragomir? You could spend your life in elite, powerful circles. The reputation you've already gained will raise you in status and regard. You have a stunning career ahead of you, and it's not too late to go back to it. Not yet.† â€Å"Who are you to talk about how I should live my life? I've heard that your hands are bloody-Zmey. You're not exactly a good role model. What is it you're involved in, anyway?† â€Å"My own affairs. And it's exactly because of the life I lead that you should listen to me when I say abandon this path and go back home.† His words were urgent and authoritative, and I couldn't believe he had the audacity to talk to me like that. â€Å"That's not my life anymore,† I said icily. He gave a harsh laugh and gestured around us once more. â€Å"What, and this is? You want to go off and be a blood whore like your friend in there?† â€Å"Don't call her that!† I shouted. â€Å"I don't care if you've got bodyguards or not. I will hurt you, old man, if you say anything else about Viktoria.† He didn't flinch at my explosion. â€Å"That was harsh, I admit. She's not a blood whore. Not yet. But she's one step away from it. As I said, it always happens in the end. Even if you aren't used by someone like Rolan Kislyak-and believe me, he will use her, just like he did her sister-you'll still end up alone with a baby you're way too young for.† â€Å"Her†¦ wait.† I froze. â€Å"Are you saying he's the guy who got Sonya pregnant? Why would Viktoria be involved with him after he did that and left her sister?† â€Å"Because she doesn't know. Sonya doesn't talk about it, and Mr. Kislyak thinks it's a game, getting two sisters into bed. Too bad for him that Karolina's smarter than the others or he could have had them all. Who knows?† He gave me a sardonic smile. â€Å"Maybe he'll consider you part of the family enough to go after you next.† â€Å"Like hell. I'd never get involved with anyone like that. I'm never going to be involved with anyone again. Not after Dimitri.† Abe's sternness gave way to momentary amusement. â€Å"Oh, Rose. You are young. You've barely lived. Everyone thinks their first love is the only one they'll ever have.† This guy was really pissing me off, but I gained enough control to decide I wasn't going to punch him. At least, I didn't think so. I backed up a little, toward the building. â€Å"I'm not going to play your game here. And you can tell whoever you're working for that I'm not playing theirs either and that I'm not going back.† One way or another, whether it was to hunt Dimitri or live with his family, I was staying in Russia. â€Å"You're going to have to box me up and ship me there.† Not that I wanted to give Abe any ideas. I suspected he could do it if he wanted. Damn it. Who was behind this? Who would want to find me badly enough to send this guy after me? Weirder still, whoever it was was someone who cared enough about me to attempt reason. If Abe had actually wanted to abduct me, he already would have. He could have done it the night he brought me to Baia. All he would have had to do was keep driving to the nearest airport. I eventually needed to figure this out, but first I needed to get away from Abe. I backed up further. â€Å"I'm leaving, and you can't stop me. And don't spy on me anymore. This ends now.† Abe studied me for several seconds, his dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully. I could practically see the wheels of plots and world domination spinning in his head. At last he said, so quietly I could hardly hear him, â€Å"It won't end with them, though.† â€Å"Who?† He pointed at the door. â€Å"Viktoria and Rolan.† â€Å"What are you getting at?† â€Å"You know what I'm getting at. She thinks she's in love with him. He knows she'll be back in school tomorrow. Tonight's his last chance with her, and he won't waste it. There are lots of bedrooms in there. They're probably in one right now.† I tried to control my breathing. â€Å"Then I'll go tell her mother.† â€Å"It'll be too late. She'd never find them in time, and tomorrow, Viktoria will be on her way to school-and he'll have no interest anymore. What can her mother do after the fact? Ground her?† I was getting angry, largely because I had a feeling he was right. â€Å"Fine. Then I'll drag her off myself.† â€Å"That'll never happen. She wants to do this. She won't leave with you. Even if she did, she'd just find him again.† I eyed him. â€Å"Enough. You're obviously hinting at something, so just get on with it.† He smiled, apparently pleased at my astuteness-or maybe my bluntness. â€Å"If you want to save her, you've got to go through him. Through Rolan.† I scoffed. â€Å"Not likely. The only way he'd leave her alone is if I offered to take her place.† And hey, friendship only went so far. â€Å"Not if I talk to him.† â€Å"What are you going to do, give him a talk on morality and sway him with reason?† â€Å"Oh, I'll sway him, all right. But believe me, I won't do it with reason-well, at least not the kind you're thinking of. If I tell him to leave her alone, he'll leave her alone. For good.† I stepped backward without realizing it and hit the wall. Abe looked scary as hell. Zmey. I didn't doubt his words at all. He could get Rolan to leave Viktoria alone. In fact, he probably wouldn't even use his dhampirs. Abe could deliver enough terror-and probably a good punch-to make it happen. â€Å"Why would you do that for me?† I asked. â€Å"As a sign of good faith. Promise to leave Baia, and I'll deal with him.† His eyes gleamed. Both of us could feel the net closing around me. â€Å"That's your tactic now? You're offering me a trade? My leaving isn't really worth you scaring some Moroi asshole.† The net grew tighter. â€Å"Isn't it, Rose?† Frantically, I thought about what to do. Some part of me thought Viktoria was free to make her own choices, to love whom she wanted†¦ but I knew for a fact that Rolan didn't love her. She was a conquest for him, as shown by his willingness to go after me-and Sonya, apparently. What would happen to Viktoria? Would she become like the rest of the women here? Would she be the next Belikov to have a baby? Even if she had no intentions of becoming a guardian, this wasn't the right path for her. Karolina had declined to join the guardians and now lived a respectable life with her kids and a job that-if not exciting-was steady and allowed her to keep her dignity. I couldn't let Viktoria turn down a road that could ruin the rest of her life. I couldn't let that happen to Dimitri's sister. Dimitri†¦ I knew him. I knew his protective nature. He would never let anything happen to those he cared about. I hated the thought of that blood whore den, but I still would have run in to get her-because that was what Dimitri would have done. But I didn't know if I'd find her there in time. I knew, however, that Abe could-and that he could keep Rolan away forever. And so, I spoke without fully understanding the consequences of my words. â€Å"I'll leave Baia.†