The Link Between Nationalism and Feminism - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 845 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/08/02 Category Politics Essay Level High school Tags: Nationalism Essay Did you like this example? Nationalism and feminism are two very closely linked ideologies. Websters Dictionary defines nationalism as loyalty and devotion to a nation and feminism as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. Both nationalism and feminism deal with loyalty to a cause, in addition to fighting to support that cause, because it is felt that the cause is important. In the 20th Century these two ideologies were closely related, because feminists contributed to the strengthening of their own nation of feminists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First off, Treitschke is a great example of nationalism. He was a German that supported Germany, and felt that everyone in Germany should work together for the greater good of Germany. He said The simple loyalty of the German contrasts remarkably with the lack of chivalry in the English character, which demonstrates his belief that Germans as a whole nation work very well together. He believes that this is better than how England operates, because the English dont work together, but instead work for individual gain. He additionally said that Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Link Between Nationalism and Feminism" essay for you Create order The state is a moral community, which is called upon to educate the human race by positive achievement. Its ultimate object is that a nation should develop in it, a nation distinguished by a real national character. To achieve this state is the highest moral duty for nation and individual alike. He wanted to show that there is nothing more honorable than supporting your nation. He felt that everyone is equal, and should make Germany the greatest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Treitschke also believed that it was important to compete for national honor and pride, as opposed to silly little prizes. He said The English possess a commercial spirit, a love of money which has killed every sentiment of honor and every distinction of right and wrong. and even the youth of the [British] nation have turned their sports into a business, and contend for valuable prizes, whereas German students wrought havoc on their countenances for the sake of a real or imaginary honor. These are not only additional examples of his belief that the Germans are far superior to the English, but this also shows that contributing to making the nation stronger is the ultimate honor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shaw was a woman that was in favor of feminism. She believed that liberating women wouldnt have an effect that is negative, specifically saying that The great fear that the participation of women in public affairs will impair the quality and character of home service is irrational and contrary to the tests of experience. She was quite certain that by giving more power to the nation of women, no one else would be negatively impacted.   She also said Woman as an industrial factor and wage-earner is not new. But woman as an industrial competitor and wage-collector with man is new, not because of womans revolt against her own industrial slavery, but because changed economic conditionshave laid their hands upon the isolated labors and products of womans toil Shaw believed that women were very qualified to do the same jobs as men. This is important, because women working with men in harmony would contribute to building a stronger nation. Both men and women would be working together towards a common goal of helping the nation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another strong feminist was Qiu Jin, who devoted her life to womens liberation. She wrote about how horrible life was for women in China, and how women must work together for change. She said that the greatest injustice in this world must be the injustice suffered by our female population of two hundred million. This is because of how poorly females were treated. She also made a call to action, stating that [women] must know that [theyll] get nothing done if [they] rely upon others. [They] must go out and get things for [themselves]. She wanted women to get things done for themselves. She didnt necessarily mean that she wanted women to work alone as individuals however. She wanted all women to work together as a single feminist nation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1915 women were in a much worse position than men were, specifically with respect to employment. This is mainly due to the fact that school boards preferred female teachersbecause they would do what male principals told them while accepting less than a mans wage. Women all over America were being subjected to hard work at an unfair wage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nationalism and feminism are linked by the fact that feminism is a form of nationalism. Both Shaw and Jin wanted to get women to be devoted to working towards a common goal. Additionally, the secondary source, America in 1915, talks about how women were oppressed, and were not treated fairly. All of these sources tie in closely with the definition of nationalism, which deals with devotion to a nation. Feminists can be thought of as a nation, as they are a group with common ideals and goals. Treitschke believed that people in nations were meant to work together, which definitely goes along with the goals of Shaw, Jin, and other women living during that time period.

Serial Killers Born Or Created - 1113 Words

Chloe Rice Mrs. Powell English 1020 13 April 17 Serial Killers: Born or Created? Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do? Everyday we question ourselves about activities we see others performing and wonder what could possibly be their reasoning behind it all. Asking more questions is something we should all be doing. Some researchers have taken this curiosity to the next level and have asked themselves â€Å"Are serial killers born or created?† Are the actions of these psychopaths brought on by different events, or are they simply born with the ability to take another person s life? These are the million dollar questions that everyone should be asking about serial killers. Something is different about those who are capable†¦show more content†¦These disorders are believed to be the leading cause of serial killing because they are abnormal mutations in the brain. These deformities have been proven through technology. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (or an MRI) has been used to look into the minds of these psychopaths, which allows scientist to evaluate the brains of serial killers and take note of the things that are not quite normal. Sean Martin discusses in his article that neuroimages â€Å"found diminished activity in areas of the brain are linked to self-awareness.† Self-awareness is the processing of emotions and sensitivity to violence. (Sean Martin). The article tells us that the findings on these scans propose that several people who are being punished for their crimes at the moment cannot control their behaviors. This shows these people are experiencing different disorders that need treatment. Also in the article, Graeme Fairchild states that he found adolescents with violent tendencies had a shrunken amygdala, which is the part of the brain that controls emotions and morality. These brain scans simply show that people with disorders are not actually killing others to be harmful and h orrific human beings, but because they can not actually control themselves or the way they feel when performing these actions. According to bestcouncelingdegrees.net, Jim Fallon, a neurologist, also studied brain scans and compared them to his sons brain, as well as his own. These scans showedShow MoreRelatedSerial Killers : Born Or Created?1658 Words   |  7 PagesStumbo 1 Lauryn Stumbo Sandy Warrens English 100 12 December 2016 Serial Killers: Born or Created? Seventeen. Seventeen men and boys who never got the opportunity to have a future. Seventeen families who grieved and lost hours of sleep, waiting on their son, brother, or friend to come home but never would. Seventeen young lives taken by one of the most infamous serial killers in the history of the United States; Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer. Jeffrey Dahmer was much more than a murderer; he raped, ate,Read MoreLE300J Final Essay1628 Words   |  7 PagesLE300J Serial Killers as Heroes in Popular Culture Professor Donna Strong Park University Throughout time many have had a fascination with serial killers and with help from the media they have become celebrities within our culture. There are many books, movies, television shows, and news coverage to introduce viewers to their lives. With all the interest behind serial killers, many wonder how they come to be this violent. The question is often asked, are serial killers born or madeRead MoreSerial Killers And The Serial Killer1566 Words   |  7 Pagesthe serial killer is ultimately unknown, many researchers agree about â€Å"one-half of 1%† of homicides are determined to be the product of serial killers (Homant Kennedy, 2014). In order to prevent future victims, improve the ability of law enforcement to detect and apprehend, potentially incorporate treatment for current serial killers, and increase the ability to detect potential future serial killers it is important to identify characteristics that may cause one to become a serial killer. TheRead MoreInnocent s Transformed Into Monsters. Alexis Kirsch.Mrs.1445 Words   |  6 PagesMonsters simply Born? Or are They Created? Serial Killers. We’ve all heard these words, but what does it mean? A Serial Killer is a person who commits a series of murders, often with no apparent motive, and typically following a predictable behaviour pattern. They tend have a cooling off period, and their reason for killing usually is for a sexual component. They have to kill at least three to five people to be counted as serial. A Serial Killer usually gets confused with Spree Killers and Mass MurderersRead MoreChild Development: Heredity and Environment1240 Words   |  5 Pagesdelinquency. â€Å"According to Eric Hickey (Author of Serial Murderers and Their Victims), stress caused by childhood traumatizations may be a trigger to criminal behavior in adulthood. It is important to understand that most people go through one or more of these traumatizations with no lifelong effects. However, in the future serial killer, the inability to cope with the stress involved with these traumas leads to the offending acts.† (Serial Murderers: The Construction by Daniel Larson, UniversityRead MoreThe Medical Field And The Science Field942 Words   |  4 PagesSerial killers often are torn between their mental stability and their immoral actions. Mental issues are widely overlooked in the medical field and in the science world. Psychology does not seem to be an objective science to the majority of the world, and the brain is one of the arduous organs to study in the body. Not much detail is known about how the brain works and why it works the way it does, as the study of t he human brain is still a relatively new field in the medical and science field.Read MoreEssay on Robert Ressler Coined the Term Serial Killer1131 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow.† (Ted Bundy). Serial killers are not always those people that look like monsters or behave in strangeous ways. Sometimes they are the successful people, the ones that have a family and a job. The term â€Å"Serial Killer† was first coined by Robert Ressler, former director of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. Serial killers are often defined as people thatRead MoreWhat Drives A Person Insane? Serial Killers997 Words   |  4 PagesWhat drives a person insane? Serial killers are created, not born. It has been confirmed that a person’s early years are vital in the development of a child’s brain (Kirouac, McBride, 2009). As a baby, brain development is reliant on its environment (Kirouac, McBride, 2009). A young child’s brain behaves like a sponge; it absorbs details through observing their surroundings (Kirouac, McBride, 2009). The surroundings of a serial killer as an infant can greatly influence the way they go aboutRead MoreFemale Serial Killers773 Words   |  4 PagesFEMALE SERIAL KILLERS Rudyard Kipling once said that the female of the species is far more deadly than the male. Female serial killers more than prove that theory, yet they have always been something of an anomaly in criminology and a puzzle for law enforcement. These are the quiet killers, every bit as lethal as their male counterparts, but we are seldom aware of one in our midst because of their low visibility. Most female crime is hidden. Kelleher Kelleher (1998) argue that female serialRead MoreChapter 16. Serial Killers Are Not A New Development. They1189 Words   |  5 PagesChapter 16 Serial killers are not a new development. They have been among us since the beginning of time. Evidence of this can be seen by reviewing some of the world’s most high-profile crimes; some of which remain unsolved. Serial killers are difficult to detect. They are able to move through society, masquerading as normal, healthy individuals. A serial sexual sadistic killer is a specific type of predator. Their crimes suggest that they are void of any feelings or emotion. However, theories suggest

Strategic Alliances Access

Question: Strategic Alliances are a better way of accessing and strategically developing knowledge, when compared to other forms of external and internal development.Critically evaluate this statement, using academic literature and current business examples. Answer: Introduction: The essay focuses on the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its impact on the organizational behavior. Many studies have shared their opinion about the concept of social responsibility and also mentioned that why it is necessary for an organization to perform it properly. In this essay, the focus will be on the comment made by one of the famous economist of the world Milton Friedman regarding the concept of corporate social responsibility. Friedman mentioned, The only social responsibility of business is to make profit, which has made huge amount of controversy. Since, traditionally CSR reflects that organization will have to perform specific task in order to become a good corporate citizen. Now, ccorporate citizenship is primarily about running a business properly such as paying taxes, obeying the law and also represent itself as a good neighbor like any other responsible citizen of the society. Hence, it is contradictory of the comment made by the Friedman. Theref ore, the essay will try to analyze the comment of Friedman critically in order to evaluate different perspective of the concept CSR. Main body: Friedman argues that there is one and only social responsibility that is to engage in activities, which can help the organization to increase in revenue level in the market. It reflects that like any other individuals in the society, every organization also have their rights to act freely. However, many studies have argued against this, as they mentioned that Friedman neglects the concept of business ethics that every organization has to perform in order to develop a popular image in the market. Specifically, the study made by Carroll in 1991 argued that organizations would have to perform a four layered of responsibilities in order to maintain its growth in long run. Carrolls highlighted four layered responsibilities are economical, ethical, legal and philanthropic, which all the organization will have to perform in order to achieve a sustainable growth (Du et al. 2013). Naturally, it argues against the Friedmans study that reflects that organizations only have to care about its rev enue level. As per the article by Moser and Martin (2012), Friedman has completely neglected the importance of the concept of business ethics. Rather Friedman has developed a pure economic approach, so that an organization can able to maximize its profit and revenue level. However, this economic self-interest view can actually damage the business of an organization. Since, organizational activities have huge amount impact on the overall image of the company. Therefore, if an organization only consider about its revenue level, it will affect its overall image. Thus, it will ultimately result in lower profit level of the organization. According to Fleming, Roberts and Garsten (2013) organizations represent a group of people working together for accomplishing the business objectives. Therefore, like any other element, it is also have to consider as a very important part of the organization. As a result, if it only consider about increasing its profit level, it might influence the organization to en gage in several unethical activities. This will eventually will create adverse impact on the on the business of the organization. As opined by Chandler and Werther Jr (2013) social responsibly has emerged as one of the prime factors in business environment over the past few decades. Since, performing social responsibility properly, an organization can able to enhance its reputation in the market. Therefore, it will definitely create positive impact on the future businesses of the organization. Furthermore, as competition in the market is increasing day by day, every organization is trying to utilize different strategies in order to maintain its position in the market. Many studies have identified that the companies that are performing its social responsibilities properly and maintaining its ethical responsibilities as well are able to gain major competitive advantage in the market. Therefore, it highlighted that an organization will have to perform its ethical and social responsibilities properly in order to increase its revenue. In the article, Friedman tries to separate society from business, which faced lot of criticism. Since, business transactions heavily depend on the social values and norms. This highlighted the significance of adopting ethical approach to the business. As argued by Kitzmueller and Shimshack (2012) Friedmans theory has overlooked the significance of business decisions in the social and ethical responsibility that has the capability to affect many different groups, people in the society. Hence, it emphasizes that business decision regarding the social and ethical responsibility can actually affect the well-being of an organization. It also highlighted that Friedman has acknowledge the fact that both employees and customers have a stake in the company. However, Friedmans theory does not agree with the fact that employees and customers interests are different to the shareholders interest. It is imperative that all the business decisions often affect large number of groups, individuals or institutions, i.e. all the stakeholders of the organization. According to Carrolls theory, corporate social performance and its activities beyond the profit making perspective of the organization has great impact on the significance of the corporate citizenship of the company. In fact, performing social responsibilities properly an organization can able to improve its public relations with its potential customers present in the society and also helps to improve the relationships among the companies. In addition, corporate citizen address the relationship between organizations and all its stakeholders (Windsor 2013). Thus, it highlighted that organizations will have to focus immensely on its additional ethical activities, which is not related to the profit or revenue of the company so that it can able to maintain a strong bonding among all its stakeholders. Thus, it opposes the comment of Friedman that state that company only have to focus on its revenue perspectives. As argued by Friedman (2013) Friedman neglects ethical dilemmas and conscience-oriented motives by developing an smoke screen theory that prime principles have to be spewed under the rug at the time of focusing on the outsource labor to under privileged employees in the pursuit to enhance profits. The article also argued against the Friedman suggestion of implementing cheaper labor in the market in order to enhance the profit level of the organization. The article highlighted that Friedman does not consider about the implementation of change or improvement of the domestic job market so that the society can able to grow along with the organization. Thus, it highlighted that Friedmans theory abandons the organizational responsibility to the society and indicates that the organization is only willing to work with labor markets that can able to fulfill its demanding requirements. Hence, the article highlighted the fact that Friedmans theory is for the fickle organizations that implements backstabbing approaches towards the domestic labor market in order to increase the revenue level to its fullest (Blome and Paulraj 2013). Furthermore, utilizing cheaper labor force has some of its own issues as well. Since, lower wages does not motivated the employees to give their best for the organization, which eventually will create negative impact on the revenue level of the organization. However, many organizations has failed considerably by focusing too much on the organizational economic activities such as producing goods and services and neglects the significance of people present in the community (Jo and Harjoto 2012). Many studies also highlighted the fact that community can able to generate a sense of security for an organization that allows to initiate several innovative approach, which can help an organization to overcome the challenges of at the bad time. As a result, if an organization only focuses on its revenue generation, it will definitely not able to improve its security level. In addition, positive relationship with the community helps the organization to enhance its brand value (Hack, Kenyon and Wood 2014). As a result, it creates a serious positive impact on the sustainable growth perspectives of the organizations. Thus, it ultimately will create negative impact on the economic perspective of the company. Hence, it also contradicted with comment of Friedman. Since, it highlighted that if an organization focus on continues improvement, it will defiantly have to perform its social and ethical responsibilities properly. As per the article by Deng, Kang and Low (2013) Friedmans suggestion of implementing cheap labor force for the increasing the revenue level of the company can also have great amount of negative impact on the relationship among the employers and employees within the organization. Therefore, it can have major negative impact on the internal process of the organization. The article also highlighted the importance of the strong relationship among different level of employees, as it has the potential to make or break any business. The article highlighted that strong relationship among the different level of employees helps an organization to maintain its structure properly (Baden and Harwood 2013). As a result, it can able to utilize all its internal resources to its fullest. As a result, it will help to minimize the operational cost of the company, which definitely able to help organization to improve its present level of revenue. A recent survey has estimated that the US companies outsource almost 5 million computer related jobs in different economies. It also highlighted that companies that are working for the US outsourced markets are actually utilizing cheap labor force in the developing economies as compared to US economy (Lopez and Fornes 2015). Therefore, US loose capital, technology and jobs that move offshore to implement cheaper labor. Many economists have argued that loss of capital does not necessarily reflects in the rate of unemployment rather in reflects on the lower rate of wages that the employees have to face. The study highlighted that around $135 billion transform to US to other countries like India, China, Philippines and Russia (Flammer 2013). Thus, it do highlighted the concept of Friedman, as the organizations are looking to outsource huge portion of their works in the other countries so that it can able to utilize cheap labor force of the developing economies. It also highlighted organ izations will have to invest comparatively lesser amount in order to enhance its existing level of capitals. Hence, it highlighted that utilizing cheap labor force effectively can actually help an organization to improve its present level of revenue. However, the success of utilizing the cheap labor force depends on the several factors as well. For instance, outsourcing a job in different economy has to go through many legal obligations. The legal system is generally different in different economies. Therefore, companies will have to be extremely careful about the factors such as intellectual property rights, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets (Fooks et al. 2013). Otherwise, it will come up as a major legal issue for the company, which will create adverse impact on the business process. As mentioned earlier, Carroll theory states that performing legal responsibilities is among the top social responsibilities of the companies. Hence, for utilizing cheap workforce also companies will have to perform its legal responsibilities properly. Hence, it contradicts with the Friedmans concept of focusing only on the revenue factors. As per the article by Cheng, Ioannou and Serafeim (2014) Friedman has fail to understand only focusing on the revenue will not allow any organization to maintain its ethical responsibilities properly. In fact, it induces organizations to utilize back door policy, which can able to help the company to increase its revenue level. The article has mentioned that there are numerous examples that reflect organizational failure for trying to achieve quick success by outsourcing its important jobs to other economies. Since, it has failed to overcome all the legal obligations properly. In addition, legal obligation also made the operational processes comparatively slow, which creates major negative impact on the business processes of an organization. On the other hand, the article highlighted Harley Davidson company policy of not to choose outsourcing for its operational process. Since, the company has able to enjoy continues improvement in its revenue level without having to utilize outsourc e labor. Hence, the article highlighted the fact that utilizing cheap labor force does not necessarily improve the revenue level of the organization. Therefore, it also contradicts with the concept of Friedman. Ioannou and Serafeim (2015) highlighted that maintaining proper social and ethical responsibility not only helps the organization to improve its image in the market but also help the organizations to improve its internal working atmosphere. The article highlighted the fact that community desires that every organizations will put their best effort in order to represent itself as a good corporate citizen. In addition, employees also expect more than just the paycheck from the company. Flammer (2015) highlighted that providing additional benefits to the employees such as health insurance, performance appraisal, timely increment of salary can actually help an organization to have a motivated workforce, which will help the organizations to enhance its profit level. Therefore, the article states that company does not only have to focus about its revenue level. Rather if an organization can able to perform its internal responsibilities properly, it can definitely able to improve its present level of profit. In the article, Friedman outlined shareholders wealth maximization concept. It highlighted that focus on discretionary social investments was improper for corporations. Hence, it highlighted that the prime goal of the organization will have to focus on the return to shareholders. Hence, Friedman mentioned that if an organization focuses too much on the external social factors it would lose its prime objective. In the article, Friedman mentioned that organizations do not know how to invest effectively for the social causes in order to create an effective image for the company (Melo and Garridoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Morgado 2012). Hence, inept custodian argument highlighted that ethical and social responsibilities will have to be performed by the individuals not by the corporation. However, Boulouta and Pitelis (2014) has countered the opinion of Friedman by stating that companies can solve the inept custodian argument by employing hire executives whom are experts in the concept of social resp onsibility. The article also argues that employing experts in the social responsibility department, an organization can definitely able to invest in a much effective way. This effectiveness in the investment process will allow the organization to cope up with the additional cost of employing experts in the economy. Throughout the article, Friedman clarify that shareholder wealth maximization is an imperative of the organization. Friedman also does not support organizational funding for the discretionary social activities (Bondy, Moon and Matten 2012). Friedman also highlighted that unless a clear objectives from employers is provided, philanthropic activities of the organization will not able to improve the profitability of the company. However, Garay and Font (2012) mentioned that Friedman has forgotten to taken into consideration about the externalities factors that can occur in normal business transaction. For instance, if an organization plan to develop a plant in the United States, it will increase the pollution level of the economy, which ultimately will create negative impact on the health of the citizen. Hence, it will provide benefits in the form of higher profitability. Therefore, it highlighted that increase wealth of the shareholders does not always increase the welfare level of the stakeholders. The article also highlighted that main challenge to the Friedman concept is it simplicity that completely different from the practical situation. Therefore, it only focuses on the revenue aspect of the organizations, which is obviously the prime objective of any company. However, the externality factor has established that many other factors that organizations will have to consider in order improving its positio n in the market. In fact, it mentioned that organizations would have to perform its social and ethical responsibilities in order to increase its revenue as well. Conclusion: The above discussion has highlighted the fact that Friedman concept primarily focus on the investment process of the companies. Friedman theory focuses too much on the revenue level of the company. Therefore, it does not provide enough emphasize on the social and ethical aspect of the organizations. Therefore, it also faced huge amount of criticism from many other studies. The above discussion also highlighted the importance of maintaining proper social and ethical responsibilities for the sustainable growth of the company. Specifically, as the competition is increasing in the market, many organizations are focusing on the significance of the social and ethical responsibilities for gaining competitive advantage in the market. The above study also highlighted the fact that every organization will have to perform its social responsibilities in order to represent itself as good corporate citizen and also to gain competitive advantage in the market. Thus, Friedman comment regarding the s ocial responsibilities of the organizations is somewhat controversial in the organizational business context. References: Baden, D. and Harwood, I.A., 2013. Terminology matters: A critical exploration of corporate social responsibility terms.Journal of Business Ethics,116(3), pp.615-627. Blome, C. and Paulraj, A., 2013. Ethical climate and purchasing social responsibility: A benevolence focus.Journal of Business Ethics,116(3), pp.567-585. Bondy, K., Moon, J. and Matten, D., 2012. An institution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in multi-national corporations (MNCs): Form and implications.Journal of Business Ethics,111(2), pp.281-299. Boulouta, I. and Pitelis, C.N., 2014. Who needs CSR? The impact of corporate social responsibility on national competitiveness.Journal of Business Ethics,119(3), pp.349-364. Chandler, D. and Werther Jr, W.B., 2013.Strategic corporate social responsibility: Stakeholders, globalization, and sustainable value creation. Sage Publications. Cheng, B., Ioannou, I. and Serafeim, G., 2014. Corporate social responsibility and access to finance.Strategic Management Journal,35(1), pp.1-23. Deng, X., Kang, J.K. and Low, B.S., 2013. Corporate social responsibility and stakeholder value maximization: Evidence from mergers.Journal of Financial Economics,110(1), pp.87-109. Du, S., Swaen, V., Lindgreen, A. and Sen, S., 2013. The roles of leadership styles in corporate social responsibility.Journal of business ethics,114(1), pp.155-169. Flammer, C., 2013. Corporate social responsibility and shareholder reaction: The environmental awareness of investors.Academy of Management Journal,56(3), pp.758-781. Flammer, C., 2015. Does corporate social responsibility lead to superior financial performance? A regression discontinuity approach.Management Science,61(11), pp.2549-2568. Flammer, C., 2015. Does product market competition foster corporate social responsibility? Evidence from trade liberalization.Strategic Management Journal,36(10), pp.1469-1485. Fleming, P., Roberts, J. and Garsten, C., 2013. In search of corporate social responsibility: Introduction to special issue.Organization,20(3), pp.337-348. Font, X., Walmsley, A., Cogotti, S., McCombes, L. and Husler, N., 2012. Corporate social responsibility: The disclosureperformance gap.Tourism Management,33(6), pp.1544-1553. Fooks, G., Gilmore, A., Collin, J., Holden, C. and Lee, K., 2013. The limits of corporate social responsibility: techniques of neutralization, stakeholder management and political CSR.Journal of Business Ethics,112(2), pp.283-299. Friedman, J., 2013. Milton Friedman Was Wrong About Corporate Social Responsibility.Huffington Post. Garay, L. and Font, X., 2012. Doing good to do well? Corporate social responsibility reasons, practices and impacts in small and medium accommodation enterprises.International Journal of Hospitality Management,31(2), pp.329-337. Hack, L., Kenyon, A.J. and Wood, E.H., 2014. A Critical Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Timeline: how should it be understood now.International Journal of Management Cases,16(4), pp.46-55. Ioannou, I. and Serafeim, G., 2015. The impact of corporate social responsibility on investment recommendations: Analysts' perceptions and shifting institutional logics.Strategic Management Journal,36(7), pp.1053-1081. Jo, H. and Harjoto, M.A., 2012. The causal effect of corporate governance on corporate social responsibility.Journal of business ethics,106(1), pp.53-72. Kitzmueller, M. and Shimshack, J., 2012. Economic perspectives on corporate social responsibility.Journal of Economic Literature, pp.51-84. Lopez, B. and Fornes, G., 2015. Corporate social responsibility in emerging markets: case studies of Spanish MNCs in Latin America.European Business Review,27(2), pp.214-230. Melo, T. and Garridoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Morgado, A., 2012. Corporate reputation: A combination of social responsibility and industry.Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management,19(1), pp.11-31. Moser, D.V. and Martin, P.R., 2012. A broader perspective on corporate social responsibility research in accounting.The Accounting Review,87(3), pp.797-806. Windsor, D., 2013. Corporate social responsibility and irresponsibility: A positive theory approach.Journal of Business Research,66(10), pp.1937-1944.

Black Holes Essay Research Paper Black HolesBlack free essay sample

Black Holes Essay, Research Paper Black Holes Black holes are one of the more eccentric and challenging anticipations of Einstein # 8217 ; s theory of gravitation. Surprisingly, there is now a great trade of experimental grounds that black holes do be, both in binary star systems and at the centre of most galaxies, including our ain. Although we are deriving more cognition of black holes, they still stay one of the strangest things anyone has of all time heard of, and we may neer cognize what precisely one of these things are and can make. It is impossible to fabricate black holes in a research lab. The denseness of affair required is excessively great. In order to do a black hole the size of a baseball, you would hold to pack all the affair in and on the Earth into a volume the size of a fist. Nature can do black holes, nevertheless. We will write a custom essay sample on Black Holes Essay Research Paper Black HolesBlack or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Matter of course collapses unless there is some other force to keep it up. The objects in a room are kept from fall ining by electromagnetic forces. The gas in an active star is held up by thermic force per unit area. However, one time a star uses up its thermonuclear fuel, it starts to fall in, and if there is adequate mass to get the better of other, microscopic forces, it collapses into a black hole. Harmonizing to Einstein # 8217 ; s theory, if we could pack adequate affair into a little adequate volume, the thing created indoors will acquire so deep that the affair inside can neer get away. A circle of no return signifiers. Any affair that passes the point of no return can no longer get away to the outside universe. It needfully keeps fall ining, traveling towards the centre. It gets deeper and deeper until eventually a hole is literally torn in the cloth of spacetime: the denseness of affair at the centre becomes basically infinite. Therefore, what is meant by # 8220 ; a hole in the cloth of spacetime # 8221 ; is: a bantam part of infinite whe re the known Torahs of natural philosophies interrupt down. A black hole is a part of infinite so tightly packed with affair, that nil, non even light can get away. Hidden at its centre is a tear in the cloth of spacetime. Stephen Peddling showed in the seventiess that black holes aren # 8217 ; t really black. They glow in the dark. They emit radiation via microscopic processes that occur merely outside the skyline. This means black holes finally evaporate. In world, though, a solar mass black hole will take many times the life-time of the Universe to vaporize. In some sense, a black hole marks a boundary to spacetime: a skyline beyond which no 1 can see without going through it. This radius of no return is called the event skyline of the black hole. All the bumps and wiggles of the affair from which they were formed are smoothed out as the affair contracts, so that the concluding form of the skyline is ever absolutely smooth and unit of ammunition. This is where everything gets truly eldritch. To a distant perceiver, events near the skyline appear to decelerate down. If you drop a clock into a black hole it appears to click more and more easy as it approaches the event skyline. Time really appears to halt right at the skyline. The clock # 8217 ; s gesture towards the black hole besides slows down and to a distant perceiver it takes literally everlastingly to fall through. If you fell in the event skyline with the clock, you would be sucked into the uniqueness in no clip. As you fall, clip and infinite become jumbled, and you can? t control your falling to the centre every bit much as you can? t aid yourself falling into the hereafter. Black holes are decidedly one of the most eccentric things anyone has of all time heard of. We will neer wholly understand everything about them. They make up merely a little portion of our cryptic existence, though.

Susan Reynoldss Attack on the Concepts of Feudalism Supported by F.L. Ganshof and Marc Bloch

How to Think like a Hiring Manager and Get the Job

How to Think like a Hiring Manager and Get the Job When you’re interviewing for a new job, the odds are in your favor if you can rely on a referral from a mutual friend or a big-name former employer. If that’s not the case, you’re going in to a situation where you’ll need to sell yourself. Hiring managers are often misled by their personal biases- and learning to stack the deck in your favor can pay off when it comes time to get hired!Keep the following in mind if you’re gearing up for an important interview:We tend to think positively about people who we think are like us.What can you find out about the company culture or even the hiring manager in particular to help you demonstrate interests they may share?We tend to view those different from us negatively, even if we need someone with very different skills.While it’s good to be yourself in an interview, it’s only common sense to downplay any fringe interests or edgy personal style features- for example, hide visible tattoos or pierc ings until you’re sure the office culture is receptive to them.First impressions count.â€Å"The halo effect† and its opposite (â€Å"the pitchfork effect,† maybe?) is what happens when we find one quality we like in a person and assume that the rest of their unknown qualities are probably just as good (or as a bad, if we focus on a quality we don’t like).If you make a great impression with one area of experience or personality trait, the interviewer may give you the benefit of the doubt in areas where they know less about you! (The flip side is of course that one bad impression may color their whole perception of you just as easily.)People  make subconscious assumptions.Try as you might, you won’t know what traits will ping a hiring manager’s radar. It could be your college, your  last company, your hometown, the teams you  support, or the stores you visit. Keep an eye out for what you might mention, but always always  be genuine. E veryone can spot a fake.Living and working in New York, I have had to become as cautious about disclosing sports affiliations as most people are about politics, religion, and money! But when I’m lucky enough to encounter a fellow Mets fan or a member of my alumni association, I play that up like nobody’s business- don’t be shy about school/team/town name-dropping, just avoid coming across like The Office‘s  Andy Bernard and trying to mirror everyone’s experience with your own!

Formal Report-Analyzing two possible career choices Assignment

Formal Report-Analyzing two possible career choices - Assignment Example The choices that are being considered are that of a career as a Sales Manager or as a Marketing Manager. These two positions will be evaluated on the basis of the salary, number of hours worked, the benefits that go with the job and the long term prospects for the job. Career Alert conducted extensive research on the job opportunities open for a Sales Manager and a Marketing Manager through the website Glassdoor.com, the ExecutivesOnTheWeb.com and Careerbuilder.com. Information regarding the current salary ranges of both the Sales and Marketing Managers were based on these sites. Interviews were conducted among current Sales and Marketing Managers to get insights on their careers. Career Alert believes in the importance of making the right decision in choosing a career. We are aware that a career choice is dependent on several factors such as the salary and the future prospects for the job. Your concern is our concern too. We measure our success by the success of our clients. We are dedicated to helping you decide what the best career path is for you, a Sales Manager or a Marketing Manager. Glassdoor. (2012, March 27). Sales and marketing manager salaries. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from glassdoor.com Web site:

MKTG Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MKTG - Essay Example The first stage in the market study was interviewing potential consumers in the areas in China like Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. In the first stage of study the aim was to understand the packaging and pricing elements of the product. In the process also 30 retailers were interviewed exclusively to understand the way to penetrate in to the Chinese markets and to understand the way to approach the right customers in an appropriate way. The second phase of the marketing study was the analysis of the extensive information or data collected from the customers and reviewing them. The main aim of this phase was to decide whether it is right for the company to enter the Chinese market to widen their market area. It is very essential for a company in a research process to look in to the nature of their targeted market, the customer buying behavior and product demand .Finally, results of the interview would allow the company to decide whether they should enter Chinese market or not to boo st up their sales. Please refer to this site to find the web page with information on marketing study. http://www.cmrconsulting.com.cn/services/casestudies/cosmeticscase.html

Human Impact on Environmental Degradation and Climate Change - A Research Paper

Human Impact on Environmental Degradation and Climate Change - A Sociological Perspective - Research Paper Example l of development and export intensity are correlated with the total carbon dioxide emissions and in the contamination of air, water, and land so in this case, it proves that industrial advancements contribute greatly to environmental degradation. Forests were also converted into export materials for some countries. Aside from deforestation, desertification, and oil spillage and sea erosion are forms of environmental degradation that were created based on functionalism’s doctrine. The overall culture of present America supports environmental restoration and so some technologies were centered on environmentalism but these things will be useful if people will be aware of their role in preserving the environment as well. Religion is one of the components in shaping the environmental beliefs and practices of people. There are religions that are aware of the environmental destructions like Buddhism. Buddhists believe that there are other living things on this planet and that ‘Mother Earth’ and all other beings living in it should be respected and cared. According to the principle, the People-as-Problem-Solvers Perspective, societies can institute changes that positively respond to the needs of the environment and that they can also craft solutions to combat the signs of damage existent therein. As proven by the study of Fien et al., young members of the society who have attended school have higher levels of concern toward the environment. Additionally, the researchers advocated for community participation that helps the youth to become more appreciative to the bounty of nature and more sensitive to its limits. From the work of Petkus.

Children of parents who misuse alcohol

Children of parents who misuse alcohol Children Of Parents Who Misuse Alcohol Or Substances Introduction It is estimated that there are between 200,000 and 300,000 children in England and Wales where one or both parents have serious drug problems. Research and local knowledge have shown that substance and alcohol misuse in parents or pregnant women can have a significant impact on parenting and increase risk, especially for babies and younger children (Hidden harm 2003). This does not mean that parents who experience substance / alcohol misuse are poor parents. However the impact of substance misuse problems can, on some occasions lead to children and families needing additional support; or in a small number of cases support and multi agency disciplinary action to prevent significant harm. The most effective assessment and support comes through good information sharing, joint assessment of need, joint planning, professional trust within the interagency network and joint action in partnership with families. These guidelines apply whenever there are professional concerns about the wellbeing or safety of children whose parents or carers have substance/ alcohol misuse problems, specifically where these difficulties are impacting, or are likely to impact, on their ability to meet the needs of their children. These guidelines also apply to professionals working with pregnant women who have substance/ alcohol misuse problems, where their partners are known to have substance/alcohol problems or where someone with substance misuse problems is living in a household where children are present. Aims 2.1. To increase the professional’s understanding of the impact of an adult’s substance misuse problems on children’s lives. 2.2. To enable universal and specialist services to improve their identification of children in need where adult substance/alcohol misuse is a problem 2.3. To enhance the provision of co-ordinated services to families in which there are dependant children of parents, carers or pregnant women with substance/ alcohol misuse problems. Principles 3.1. All those who come into contact with children, their parents and families in their everyday work have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. 3.2. Parents, carers and pregnant women with substance/ alcohol misuse problems have the right to be supported in fulfilling their parental roles and responsibilities. 3.3. A multi agency approach to assessment and service provision is in the best interest of children and their parents/ carers. 3.4. Risk is reduced when information is shared effectively across agencies. 3.5. Risk to children is reduced through effective multi agency and multi disciplinary working. 3.6. While many parents, carers and pregnant women with substance/ alcohol abuse problems safeguard their children’s well being, children’s life chances may be limited or threatened as a result of these factors, and professionals need to consider this possibility. Identifying The Need Of Children, Their Parents Or Carers, Or Pregnant Women With Substance/ Alcohol Misuse Problems 4.1. The birth of any new child changes relationships and often brings new pressures to parents. Agencies need to be sensitive and responsive to the changing needs of parents with substance/ alcohol misuse problems. 4.2. Parents, carers or pregnant women with substance / alcohol misuse problems may have difficulties which impact on their ability to meet the needs of their children, unborn child or new baby. 4.3. The adverse effects of alcohol/substance misuse on children are typically multiple and cumulative and will vary according to the child’s stage of development. They may include fetal alcohol syndrome, failure to thrive, blood-borne virus infections; incomplete immunisation and otherwise inadequate health care; a wide range of emotional, cognitive, behavioural and other psychological problems; early substance misuse and offending behaviour; and poor education attainment. These can range greatly in severity or may often be subtle and difficult to detect. 4.4. There is growing evidence to suggest that children often take on a caring role in families where there is parental drug or alcohol use. In some cases, it is particularly hard for children to cope with one or more parents with drug or alcohol dependency and they need help and support. 4.5. The risk of harm to the child may be reduced by effective treatment and support for the affected parent(s) and by other factors such as the presence of at least one other consistent, caring adult; a stable home with adequate financial resources; maintenance of family routines and activities; and regular attendance at a supportive school. Guidelines For Referral And Assessment For Pregnant Women With Substance/ Alcohol Misuse Problems 5.1 All agencies are responsible for identifying pregnant women with substance/ alcohol misuse problems who may be in need of additional services and support. 5.2. When a professional identifies a pregnant women experiencing substance/ alcohol misuse problems an assessment must be undertaken to determine what services she requires. This must include gathering relevant information from her GP, PDAC, the Midwifery service, in addition to any other agencies involved, to ensure that the full background is obtained about any existing or previous diagnosis, or treatment for mental illness. 5.3. Consideration must be given to the impact and harm continued substance misuse has on an unborn child. Where this assessment identifies that a pregnant woman has substance / alcohol misuse problems a referral must be made to Powys Children’s services for a pre-birth assessment. 5.4. Where the need for a referral is unclear, this must be discussed with a line manager or the Safeguarding Children’s Team. If a referral is not made this must be clearly documented. Staff should ensure that all decisions and the agreed course of action are signed and dated. Section 10 gives guidelines in relation to assessment of risk. 5.5. A pre-birth assessment should be undertaken on all pre birth referrals and a multi agency meeting held to share information. If a pre-birth multi agency meeting is not needed this must be endorsed by a manager and the reason for the decision clearly recorded on the agency’s records. Guidance For Referral To Pdac 6.1. In the case of pregnant women where there is evidence of problematic use of illicit, proprietary or prescribed drugs or alcohol, agencies becoming aware of the evidence should initially discuss the benefits of a referral to PDAC with the individual. If there is agreement referral should then be made to the appropriate area office of PDAC. This referral may be made initially by phone, but should be followed up immediately with a written referral. In the event that the woman is already a client of PDAC it would be appropriate to confirm that the pregnancy is known to them. In the event of a woman refusing to agree to a referral being made it is the responsibility of the agency to consider whether a referral can be made without consent on Child Protection grounds. This would need to be subject of discussions between all the appropriate agencies – Children’s Services, Police, Health etc. PDAC will always be willing to discuss the appropriateness of referral prior to formal contact being made. Guidance For Referral To Powys Children’s Services A referral for an initial assessment to Children’s services must always be made if a parent carer or pregnant woman is considered to have significant substance/ alcohol problems. A referral should be discussed with a line manager. NB If a child is in immediate danger then a referral to the police/social services should be made. Partnership Working Assessment and identification of parents, carers and children’s needs for services is not a static process. The assessment should also inform future work and build in an evaluation of the progress and effectiveness of any intervention. Where more than one agency continues to be involved in a joint assessment or provision of services for parents or carers with substance misuse problems, and their children, regular review dates must be set to jointly review the situation and to ensure that interagency work continues to be co-ordinated. Each agency should document their own actions and responsibilities clearly and also the roles and responsibilities of other agencies. References All Wales Child Protection Procedures Children Act 1989 Children Act 2004 DOH (2000). Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. Hidden Harm (ACMD) 2003 Appendix A Guidelines For Professionals For Assessing Risk When Working With Drug Using Parents The following assessment guidelines were developed by the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse (SCODA) [May 1997] to assist professionals in identifying children who may be in need or at risk as a result of parental substance/ alcohol misuse. They should be used as guidelines in the holistic assessment of the family. Parental Drug Use 1. Is there a drug free parent, supportive partner or relative? 2. Is the drug use by the parent Experimental? Recreational? Chaotic? Dependent? 3. Does the user move between categories at different times? Does the drug use also involve alcohol? 4. Are levels of childcare different when a parent is using drugs and when not using? 5. Is there any evidence of coexistence of mental health problems alongside the drug use? If there is, do the drugs cause these problems, or have these problems led to the drug use? Accommodation And The Home Environment 6. Is the accommodation adequate for children? 7. Are the parents ensuring that the rent and bills are paid? 8. Does the family remain in one area or move frequently, if the latter, why? 9. Are other drug users sharing the accommodation? If they are, are relationships with them harmonious, or is there conflict? 10. Is the family living in a drug using community? 11. If parents are using drugs, do children witness the taking of the drugs, or other substances? 12. Could other aspects of the drug use constitute a risk to children (e.g. conflict with or between dealers, exposure to criminal activities related to drug use)? 13. Is there adequate food, clothing and warmth for the children? 14. Are the children attending school regularly? 15. Are children engaged in age-appropriate activities? 16. Are the child’s emotional needs being adequately met? 17. Are there any indications that any of the children are taking on a parenting role within the family (e.g. caring for other children, excessive household responsibilities etc)? Procurement Of Drugs 18. Are the children left alone while their parents are procuring drugs? 19. Because of their parent’s drug use are the children being taken to places where they could be â€Å"at risk†? 20. How much are the drugs costing? 21. How is the money obtained? 22. Is this causing financial problems? 23. Are the premises being used to sell drugs? 24. Are parents allowing their premises to be used by other drug users? Provision Of Basic Needs Health Risks 25. If drugs and/or injecting equipment are kept on the premises, are they kept securely? 26. Are the children aware of where the drugs are kept? 27. If parents are intravenous drug users: Do they share injecting equipment? Do they use a needle exchange scheme? How do they dispose of syringes? Are parents aware of the health risks of injecting or using drugs? 28. If parents are on a substitute prescribing programme, such as methadone: Are parents aware of the dangers of children accessing this medication? Do they take adequate precautions to ensure this does not happen? 29. Are parents aware of, and in touch with, local specialist agencies who can advise on such issues such as needle exchanges, substitute prescribing programmes, detox and rehabilitation facilities? If they are in touch with agencies, how regular is the contact? Family Social Network And Support Systems 30. Do parents and children associate primarily with:   Other drug users?   Non-users?   Both? 31. Are relatives aware of the drug use? Are they supportive? 32. Will parents accept help from the relatives and other agencies? Parents’ Perception Of The Situation 33. The degree of social isolation should be considered particularly for those parents living in remote areas where resources may not be available and they may experience social stigmatisation. Do the parents see their drug use as harmful to themselves or to their children? Do the parents place their own needs before the needs of their children? Are the parents aware of the legislative and procedural context applying to their circumstances, (e.g. child protection procedures, statutory powers?

After School Programs Essay -- Education, Constructivism

This chapter provides a review of the literature related to after school programs. The literature review is organized into the following categories: History of After School Programs, Need for After School Programs, Effectiveness of After School Programs, Frequency and Duration, and Middle School After School Programs. This section also reviews the theoretical framework for this research. Theoretical Framework Constructivism is a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own knowledge of the world we live in (Au & Carrol, 1996). Learning is simply the process of adjusting what we already know to accommodate new experiences. Constructivism can be traced to the eighteenth century and the work of Giambattista (Bhattacharya & Han, 2001). Bhattacharya and Han maintained that humans are able to understand only what they themselves have constructed. Many philosophers and educators have worked with these ideas, but the first to develop a clear idea of what constructivism consists of were Jean Piaget and John Dewey. Von Glaserfield (1990) acknowledged that constructivism means â€Å"knowledge is not passively received.† Piaget (1973) stated that students are not just â€Å"empty heads† that can be filled with facts from packaged curriculum that is given out my teachers. Constructivism does not depend on a standardized curriculum. Instead, it promotes using curriculum customized to the students’ prior knowledge. Also, it emphasizes real world problem solving, experiments, reasoning and communication (Au & Carrol , 1997). Constructivism gives students the power to make connections, reformulate ideas, and reach conclusions (Brewer & Daane, 2002). After school programs often focus on teac... ...ved in 21st Century Community Learning Centers. The evaluation revealed that programs had difficulty recruiting and retaining young teens, and those that did participate attended inconsistently. The middle school students were less likely to participate in academic classes and more likely to be involved in recreation activities. Beth Miller (2003) stated that after school programs serving middle school children, must keep students engaged in the program by a variety of popular and engaging activities. She further noted that after-school programs are successful when participants have motivation to achieve academically. In summary, middle school learners benefit from frequent participation in quality after school programs that increase engagement in learning, provide a variety of recreational activities, and build key skills necessary for academic success.

Communication Studies Reflection

Communication Studies Reflection â€Å"It Shouldn’t Hurt To Be A Child† The scene takes place in a doctor’s office. David and Sarah Thompson have brought in their 10-year-old son Michael because of an ankle sprain. As the doctor enters the room, Michael is sitting on the examination table in shorts and a T-shirt with a bare right foot and ankle. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are sitting in chairs close to him. Doctor: So, you are Michael. I am Dr. Gupta. Nice to meet you Michael. [shakes Michael’s hand] How are you doing today? Michael: Okay. Doctor: [turning to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson] And are you Michael’s parents, Mr. and Mrs.Thompson? Nice to meet you. [extends hand to shake] Mrs. Thompson: Nice to meet you also. [shakes hands with doctor] Mr. Thompson: Charmed I’m sure [shakes hands with doctor] Doctor: Ok.. [turning back to Michael] So what brings you in today, Michael? Michael: I hurt my ankle. Doctor: How did this happen? Michael: I was skatebo arding and, I don’t know [pauses and looks over to his parents] I guess I just slipped or something? Doctor: When did this hap†¦.? [Mrs. Thompson intrudes] Mrs. Thompson: He did it about three days ago but last night I noticed he was still limping and I thought I ought to bring him in.I don’t think it’s broken, do you? Doctor: Well, let me take a look first. [begins to examine ankle] I’m just going to take a look at your foot. Is that sore? Michael: Ouch! Yes it hurts! Mr. Thompson: Stop being ah fool an leh de docta check yuh foot fuh meh please! Mrs. Thompson: [at Mr. Thompson] Oh gosh.. yuh doh hadda talk to him so.. [Mr. Thompson eyebrows frown together] Mr. Thompson: I ask yuh anything! [Mrs. Thompson remains quiet] Doctor: That’s okay. Let me just do one more thing. I’m going to raise your foot. [raises ankle] Michael: Owwww! Mr. Thompson: MICHAEL! Behave yuh self boy! pinches Michael on the arm] How much times I hadda talk tuh yu h. [Michael begins to cry] Doctor: [looks at Mr. Thompson in disgust] It’s okay, Michael.. [notices bruise in proximal fibular area] What happened here? Michael: I don’t know [pauses] I guess I fell another time. Mr. Thompson: He’s a really clumsy kid. I keep telling him to stay off that skateboard, but he just doesn’t listen. Doctor: [scanning both of Michael’s legs, stopping over left femur] And here? Another fall? Michael: Yeah, sure†¦ Mr. Thompson: I told you, he’s clumsy, but could you please get back to his ankle?Doctor: [continuing to examine Michael’s arms] Michael, can you take your shirt off for me please? Mr. Thompson: [getting a bit edgy] Doctor, we came in for his ankle. Could you please get back to his ankle? Michael takes off his shirt at the Doctor’s insistence. Doctor: [examines Michael, pausing over several spots on arms and back] Michael, you have a lot of bruises. Some are older than others. Whatâ€℠¢s been going on? Mr. Thompson: [getting more agitated] Steups, Doctor I rel eh understand wah is de purpose of dis non-sense. I payin my money fuh you to check he foot we could get back to his ankle please. Doctor: I have some concerns.Michael has a lot of injuries and some of them seem to have occurred at different times. When we see that in a child we worry that perhaps the injuries were not all accidental. Mr. Thompson: [rolls eyes] So wah yuh gettin at? Doctor: I’m not getting at anything. I am just saying that for Michael’s safety, we need to check a few things beyond his ankle. For this reason, I am going to have one of our social workers come and talk to you, your husband and Michael. Mr. Thompson: [getting more upset] I rel nuh in de mood fuh dis, yu eh have de right tuh do dat. Doctor: Actually, I do have the right. It’s the law.The main reason I’m doing it is to be sure that Michael is safe at home and I’m sure that is what you want, too . Raising kids can be very tough, sometimes we can all use a little help. Mr. Thompson: look! docta wah nonsense yu tellin mi bout help and how tuh raise mi son, I look like I need any help? If he harden I go beat some manners in tuh he. I is ah big man nobodi gwine tell mi wah and wah nuh tuh do, suck salt eh! I gwine from here! Mr. Thompson storms out the office Doctor: [shouts] Mr. Thompson where are you going? [Looks at Mrs. Thompson as she bursts into tears] Mrs. Thompson: [crying] Doctor please help me! Scene fades

Female Circumcision-con essays

Female Circumcision-con essays Imagine watching a horror movie in which a young girl of six is crying out in pain and fear because she is being held down by four women, each holding down either an arm or a leg. While this is going on an older women walks in with a razor blade and walks directly to the child. Without administrating any anesthesia to the girl, she attempts to cut off the childs genitals. Unfortunately, this isnt just fiction; this operation known as female genital mutilation happens everyday in Africa, the Middle East, and Far East. In a recent article news article, The World Health Organization says, As many as an estimated 130 million of the world's girls and women have undergone genital mutilation (Gollaher 189). It is easy to see why female circumcision is a barbaric ritual that should be banned. People generally assume that female and male circumcision are one and the same. However, this is false for two important reasons. Female circumcision doesnt consist of one just one type of operation, instead there are many different types of female circumcision, varying in the degree of how much of the clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora are cut (Althaus). The other reason is due to the environment of where a female child is circumcised. When a girl is circumcised, this operation is often performed by untrained practitioners, with no form of anesthesia, and no proper cutting instruments (Romberg 18). Even though female circumcision has been practiced worldwide for over twenty centuries (Gruenbaum 193), only a small percentage of the population are actually educated in the matter. And for those that actually know about female circumcision they only think it happens in third world countries including, Africa and the Middle East. However it also occurs in immigrant communities in parts of Canada, Europe, Latin America and the United States (Wilkinson). In a recent article in the AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRI ...

Seniors Wall Essays

Seniors Wall Essays Seniors Wall Essay Seniors Wall Essay Essay Topic: Senior For School PaperSenior’s WallS.L. Tick-tock-tick-tock. The sound of an invisible clock hovers in every mind of every 4th year student. Graduation is, after all, mere weeks away. Soon, they will have to say goodbye to their peers, to their favorite teachers and to their Alma Mater who nurtured them to become champions. Now that their â€Å"rule† is nearly at its end, the â€Å"crown† is free for the taking. For the students who aspire to be at the top, here are some advices and words of inspiration from the kings and queens of BCC High:JPat: What advice can you give to the aspiring athletes of BCC â€Å"Just do your best in your chosen sport because your skill will eventually develop. Be patient because sooner or later it will be your time to shine.† * Christina Mae Hachero, Team Captain, Volleyball Girls * JPat: Being a leader is a tough responsibility. For you, what is leadership in BCC â€Å"Leadership in BCC is about sacrificing your time and self to serve and to be a good inspiration to others. The meaning of success as a leader is not about being perfect but being satisfied, confident, and honest to yourself the way you act and react in a certain situation. It is all about giving your best shot in everything you do, not only for yourself but also for other people. As Bl. Arnold Jensen said ‘To God, the glory; to my neighbors, the benefits; to myself, the burden.’† * Roger Joshua Venzal, SAO Senator, Former SAO President * JPat: What made you boost your confidence in high school â€Å"Well, first of all, you should be YOUrself. Just as the saying goes ‘be strong and thrive, be weak and you’ll perish.’ Don’t mind haters and people who speak negative about you. Remember always, on whatever words they will throw upon on you, take it as a challenge. Sooner or later you will succeed. And always bear in mind, you own the spotlight of your life; no one could ever ta ke it away from you.† * Miles Therese

Auditing theory and practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Auditing theory and practice - Essay Example The company follows (assumption) international accounting standards (IAS) and international financial reporting system (IFRS) for accounting and presenting its financial statements. In addition, since the company operates in UK, all the relevant UK laws and regulations are applicable for its operations, financial statements development and reporting along with disclosure requirements. The company is facing stiff competition in the perfect competition market in which it operates. This has caused the company to reduce its selling price in order to remain competitive in the marketplace. This cost cutting has adversely affected the sales revenue growth rate and hence, the profitability. This is a prominent business risk that the company has been unable to satisfactorily deal with; as a result, the company has to bear a loss in 2005. In addition, another glaring risk is the ownership structure of the firm and demise of the majority shareholder Mr. Kale. This might lead to power struggle in the company which ultimately results in loss of productivity and negative politics. Together these five areas can be used to gather insightful information about the company’s internal control environment and its effectiveness in preventing, detecting or mitigating risks to the company. The control environment refers to the overall organisation structure and values system. The commitment of top management is mandatory, and control environment study provides assurance about top management’s philosophy and operating styles. These are reflected in company’s policies, strategies and operating procedures. The auditor should conduct detailed interviews with top management and should study the company documentation to gather information about the control environment of the company; as top management is ultimately responsible for implementing and operating the corporate governance structure for the company. Studying the control environment with a view to identify management’s

The Usefulness of Cognitive Theories of Learning for Human Resource Essay

The Usefulness of Cognitive Theories of Learning for Human Resource Practitioner - Essay Example The paper tells that nowadays, senior managers tend to invest more money, time, and thought in the learning of their employees, and consider learning and development a strategic HR function Thus, it would be important to comprehend how and why learning takes place. Theories of workplace learning are placed into three main categories; these are psychological, socio-cultural and postmodern theories. Each view has different focus and contribution to different contexts. Various cognitive theories have been put forward including the Piaget developmental stage theory, the Bandura social cognitive theory, and Vysotsky and the Zone of proximal development. All these have a contribution to the development of employees and have been implemented at different levels. Cognitive theories of learning have enhanced employee productivity and effectiveness in most of the areas that they have been applied. Learning is a very important aspect of both individuals as well as organizational development. Le arning is a wide concept that has attracted several definitions from different individuals in different contexts. According to Wilson, learning is the process whereby knowledge, attitude or behavior is changed as a result of formal training and development, or transformation of informal experiences. Many assumptions have been proposed over the years to explain different cognitive approaches. The theories of three outstanding cognitive theorists including Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bandura explain some of the cognitive aspects that are very important when it comes to influencing the workforce in an organization. The development of a person has been a subject of intensive research by psychologists all across the world. One of the outstanding theories in this area is the Piaget developmental stage theory that helps us to understand behavioral development, especially at a young age. According to Piaget’s findings, there are four developmental stages that individuals go through, both o f which are relative to cognitive development. The first is the sensory-motor period in about the first two years when the child can only focus on physical interactions with their immediate environment. Next is the preoperational period from two to seven years old. During this stage, the child develops language skills and is able to think symbolically though still cannot think completely logical and empathetically. The period from seven to eleven years old is called concrete operational stage when the child becomes more rational to solve a simple problem and develops logical thought. The formal operational stage from adolescence through adulthood was Piaget’s fourth stage of cognitive development in children. The child/ adult develop the ability to think theoretically and formulate hypotheses. This theory was immensely influential on education research and policy during the 20th century.

Global Warming and Human Actions Research Paper

Global Warming and Human Actions - Research Paper Example The sun releases energy to the atmosphere in form of radiations and some scientists argue that approximately a third of the energy released by the sun to the earth are reflected to the space upon hitting the earth’s surface (Houghton, 1997). The remaining portion of solar energy released to the earth is absorbed by the oceans and land. Consequently, the surface of the earth gets heated and becomes warm, emitting infrared rations, which are considered as long-wave. The greenhouse gases in the atmosphere tap part of the long-wave radiations, leading to the warming of the atmosphere. The gases that naturally occur as greenhouse gases consist of methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, water vapor, and carbon dioxide. Together, these gases form a natural greenhouse, which increasingly warms the Earth (Maslin, 2006). Scientists have hypothesized and are increasingly researching on the contribution of the solar energy output’s variation and its possible cause in increasing the earthâ⠂¬â„¢s temperature (Harding, n.d). However, there is an increased consensus on the role played by human beings in increasing the problem of global warming. Scientific researchers have concluded increasingly that global warming is fundamentally linked to the rising level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mainly methane, and carbon dioxide, as a result of fossil fuel combustion, farming, deforestation, and industrial activities by human beings. This paper critically analyzes whether global warming is due to human actions or not and if there is a possibility of the human race taking actions to stop the effects of global warming or not. Is Global Warming Due Do Human Actions? Global Warming Not Because of the Human Actions The question whether the actions of human beings contribute towards global warming has long been a debate by the scientists with others refuting the assertion whereas others acknowledge it as a fact. Guy Callender, in 1938, established that the trends in global w arming contributed to the 10% rise in the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide as a result of combustion of fossil fuels. However, some scientists threw away the suggested findings of Callender arguing that large amounts of carbon dioxide gas that humans emit are dissolved safely in oceans. Later, Roger Revelle, and Hans Suess dispelled this school of thought by discovering that there was a complex chemical buffering system preventing the sea water from absorbing large volumes of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Since then, the potential of humans contributing to global warming was raised (Harding, n.d). Human beings should not be blamed for the ever-increasing levels of global warming. The increase in atmospheric temperatures may be attributed to the more vigorous solar energy’s output. A section of scientists researching on the causes of global warming have postulated that the solar activity have increased rapidly over the past decades as well as the amount of carbon dioxide from the volcanic emissions, and this may have potentially contributed to the increased amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere leading to a rise in global warming (Harding, n.d). According to the theory on solar variation, scientists assert that the sun is continually gaining strength and as a result it is as the strongest point as compared to the past years. The increased amount of radiation from the sun is therefore hypothesized as the contributing factor toward the increasing global warming phenomenon. The amount of radiant energy that the sun emits

The food Pip Essay Example for Free

The food Pip Essay Magwitch had been sent to Australia to work, and if he ever returned to Britain he would be sentenced for death. Pip did not expect a convict to be his benefactor he couldnt image such a dirty, poor, old man to give him that much amount of money. He wanted to get rid of Magwitch as soon as possible. However pip develops a real affection for Magwitch. Magwitch tell pip about Compeyson the man who made Miss Havisham the way she is. Pip gradually becomes fond of Magwitch. Pip tries to help Magwitch by smuggling him out of London by sea. As they were doing this they were being watched by Compeyson- who is terrified of Magwitch. As they are about to get on to the steamer, Magwitch fights Compeyson the two men fall in to the sea in the struggle Compeyson drowns. Pip dives in to the sea to rescue Magwitch. Once they are on dry land the escape failed and Magwitch is found guilty of returning to England. He was sentenced to death but he was dying anyway. He had caught something in the polluted sea; he swallowed the dirty water and became ill. Pip nurses Magwitch and starts to love Magwitch. Pip learns that Magwitch grew up without parents in a brutal society. Society did little for him. He blames society it forced him into becoming involved with some dodgy people. By Magwitch returning pip realises that he has mistreated those who were truly dear to him, like Joe who is always faithful towards Pip. The courts are incapable of showing compassion. Magwitch came back to Britain out of love for Pip. Eventually Pip learns that Magwitch has been generous towards him so he feels the need to return it. Pip realises that Magwitch is also human. Pip understands the true depth of the sacrifice that Magwitch has made for him. Pip is made to un-learn every thing that he has learnt to re-discover the importance of human relations. Dickens gave pip a chance to become more than he is only to have reverted back to the old kind and pleasant Pip. Pip learns that he cannot change who he is inside from Magwitch. Magwitch uses Pip as his revenge on Society. He uses pip like a doll and moulded it into a gentleman. Compeyson got a lighter sentence because of his status he wanted pip to have the same advantage. Dickens tries to tell us something about the legal system at the time in the twentieth century. However Magwitch s motives were not only revenge but also gratitude for the food Pip gave him. Pip could have turned a blind eye to Magwitch when he was in his hour of need. Magwitch develops a fatherly affection towards Pip. Magwitch relates pip to his daughter who he lost. Magwitch though that his little girl had been killed but pip told him that she was well and he was in love with her. Magwitch teaches pip that there are two meanings behind the term Gentleman 1. Is the status and class.

energy :: essays research papers

What do we really need, energy or power? This was a question proposed to me at the beginning of the semester and it really made me think. Energy is a property of matter that can be converted into work, heat, or radiation. It is the capacity for doing work, generating heat, and emitting light or radiation. Power is the rate of spending energy or energy per unit time. Immediately, I thought the answer was energy since you need energy to have power. But then I heard that the answer was power and it boggled my mind, but after it was explained it really opened my mind. We do need energy to have power but what would we do without power. We can’t live without power. We really need power because it is energy spent per unit time and what is the point of energy if we cant control it. There are six fundamental forms of energy. They are mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, nuclear, and electromagnetic. Mechanical energy is kinetic and potential energy. Kinetic energy is the energy that is possessed by a body due to its motion. And Potential energy is the Energy that a body possesses by virtue of its physical position above the reference level. Therefore, it depends on height above the reference level and the mass of the object. So potential energy is the mass *gravitational force *height. Thermal energy is the energy of the random motion of particles of a substance. An example of this would be warming up by a campfire or taking a hot bath. Chemical energy is energy that is stored in the chemical bonds that hold molecules together. When certain chemicals combine or react, energy is released usually in the form of heat. Some examples of this would be a tank of gasoline, coal, and natural gas. Electrical energy is the energy of electrons in motion. It is usually generated by the rotation of a conductor in a magnetic field and it is easily converted to other forms of energy.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Chapters 8

â€Å"I think we should fol ow Riley. Find out what he's doing.† I stared. â€Å"But he'l know we tracked him. He'l catch our scents.† â€Å"I know. This is how I figure it. I fol ow his scent. You keep clear by a few hundred yards and fol ow my sound. Then Riley only knows I fol owed him, and I can tel him it's because I had something important to share. That's when I do the big reveal with the disco bal effect. And I'l see what he says.† His eyes narrowed as he examined me. â€Å"But you†¦ you just play it close to the chest for now, okay? I'l tel you if he's cool about it.† â€Å"What if he comes back early from wherever he's going? Don't you want it to be close to dawn so you can glitter?† â€Å"Yes†¦ that's definitely a possible problem. And it might affect the way the conversation goes. But I think we should risk it. He seemed like he was in a hurry tonight, didn't he? Like maybe he needs al night for whatever he's doing?† â€Å"Maybe. Or maybe he was just in a big hurry to see her. You know, we might not want to surprise him if she's nearby.† We both winced. â€Å"True. Stil †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He frowned. â€Å"Doesn't it feel like whatever's coming is getting close? Like we might not have forever to figure this out?† I nodded unhappily. â€Å"Yeah, it does.† â€Å"So let's take our chances. Riley trusts me, and I have a good reason for wanting to talk to him.† I thought about this strategy. Though I'd only known him for a day, real y, I was stil aware that this level of paranoia was out of character for Diego. â€Å"This elaborate plan of yours†¦,† I said. â€Å"What about it?† he asked. â€Å"It sounds kind of like a solo plan. Not so much a club adventure. At least, not when it comes to the dangerous part.† He made a face that told me I'd caught him. â€Å"This is my idea. I'm the one who†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated, having trouble with the next word. â€Å"†¦ trusts Riley. I'm the only one who's going to risk getting on his bad side if I'm wrong.† Chicken as I was, this didn't fly with me. â€Å"Clubs don't work that way.† He nodded, his expression unclear. â€Å"Okay, we'l think about it as we go.† I didn't think he real y meant it. â€Å"Stay in the trees, track me from above, ‘kay?† he said. â€Å"Okay.† He headed back toward the log cabin, moving fast. I fol owed through the branches, most of them so close-packed that I only rarely had to real y leap from one tree to another. I kept my movements as smal as possible, hoping that the bending of the boughs under my weight would just look like wind. It was a breezy night, which would help. It was cold for summer, not that the temperature bothered me. Diego caught Riley's scent outside the house without trouble and then loped after it quickly while I trailed several yards back and about a hundred yards north, higher on the slope than he was. When the trees were real y thick, he'd rustle a trunk now and again so I wouldn't lose him. We kept on, with him running and me impersonating a flying squirrel, for only fifteen minutes or so before I saw Diego slow down. We must have been getting close. I moved higher in the branches, looking for a tree with a good view. I scaled one that towered over its neighbors, and scanned the scene. Less than half a mile away was a large gap in the trees, an open field that covered several acres. Near the center of the space, closer to the trees on its east side, was what looked like an oversized gingerbread house. Painted bright pink, green, and white, it was elaborate to the point of ridiculousness, with fancy trim and finials on every conceivable edge. It was the kind of thing I would have laughed at in a more relaxed situation. Riley was nowhere in sight, but Diego had come to a complete stop below, so I assumed this was the end point of our pursuit. Maybe this was the replacement house Riley was preparing for when the big log cabin crumbled. Except that it was smal er than any o f the other houses we'd stayed in, and it didn't look like it had a basement. And it was even farther away from Seattle than the last one. Diego looked up at me, and I signaled for him to join me. He nodded and retraced his trail a little ways. Then he made an enormous leap – I wondered if I could have jumped that high, even as young and strong as I was – and caught a branch about halfway up the closest tree. Unless someone was being extraordinarily vigilant, no one ever would have noticed that Diego'd made a side trip off his path. Even stil, he jumped around in the treetops, making sure his trail did not lead directly to mine. When he final y decided it was safe to join me, he took my hand right away. Silently, I nodded toward the gingerbread house. One corner of his mouth twitched. Simultaneously we started edging toward the east side of the house, keeping high up in the trees. We got as close as we dared – leaving a few trees as cover between the house and ourselves – and then sat silently, listening. The breeze turned helpful y gentle, and we could hear something. Strange little brushing, ticking sounds. At first I didn't recognize what I was hearing, but then Diego twitched another little smile, puckered his lips, and silently kissed the air in my direction. Kissing didn't sound the same with vampires as it did with humans. No soft, fleshy, liquid-fil ed cel s to squish against each other. Just stone lips, no give. I had heard one kiss between vampires before – Diego's touch to my lips last night – but I never would have made the connection. It was so far from what I'd expected to find here. This knowledge spun everything around in my head. I had assumed Riley was going to see her, whether to receive instructions or bring her new recruits, I didn't know. But I had never imagined stumbling across some kind of†¦ love nest. How could Riley kiss her? I shuddered and glanced at Diego. He looked faintly horrified, too, but he shrugged. I thought back to that last night of humanity, flinching as I remembered the vivid burning. I tried to recal the moments just before that, through al the fuzziness†¦. First there was the creeping fear that had built as Riley pul ed up to the dark house, the feeling of safety I'd had in the bright burger joint dissolving entirely. I was holding back, edging away, and then he'd grabbed my arm with a steel grip and yanked me out of the car like I was a dol, weightless. Terror and disbelief as he'd leaped the ten yards to the door. Terror and then pain leaving no room for disbelief as he broke my arm dragging me through the door into the b lack house. And then the voice. As I focused on the memory, I could hear it again. High and singsong, like a little girl's, but grouchy. A child throwing a tantrum. I remembered what she'd said. â€Å"Why did you even bring this one? It's too smal .† Something close to that, I thought. The words might not be exactly right, but that was the meaning. I was sure Riley had sounded eager to please when he answered, afraid of disappointing. â€Å"But she's another body. Another distraction, at least.† I think I'd whimpered then, and he'd shaken me painful y, but he hadn't spoken to me again. It was like I was a dog, not a person. â€Å"This whole night has been a waste,† the child's voice had complained. â€Å"I've kil ed them al . Ugh!† I remembered that the house had shuddered then, as if a car had col ided with the frame. I realized now that she'd probably just kicked something in frustration. â€Å"Fine. I guess even a little one is better than nothing, if this is the best you can do. And I'm so ful now I should be able to stop.† Riley's hard fingers had disappeared then and left me alone with the voice. I'd been too panicked at that point to make a sound. I'd just closed my eyes, though I was already total y blind in the darkness. I didn't scream until something cut into my neck, burning like a blade coated in acid. I cringed back from the memory, trying to push the next part from my mind. Instead I concentrated on that short conversation. She hadn't sounded like she was talking to her lover or even her friend. More like she was talking to an employee. One she didn't like much and might fire soon. But the strange vampire kissing sounds continued. Someone sighed in contentment. I frowned at Diego. This exchange didn't tel us much. How long did we need to stay? He just held his head on the side, listening careful y. And after a few more minutes of patience, the low, romantic sounds were suddenly interrupted. â€Å"How many?† The voice was muted by distance, but stil distinct. And recognizable. High, almost a tril . Like a spoiled young girl. â€Å"Twenty-two,† Riley answered, sounding proud. Diego and I exchanged a sharp glance. There were twenty-two of us, at last count, anyway. They must be talking about us. â€Å"I thought I'd lost two more to the sun, but one of my older kids is†¦ obedient,† Riley continued. There was almost an affectionate sound to his voice when he spoke of Diego as one of his kids. â€Å"He has an underground place – he hid himself with the younger one.† â€Å"Are you sure?† There was a long pause, this time with no sounds of romance. Even from this distance, I thought I could feel some tension. â€Å"Yeah. He's a good kid, I'm sure.† Another strained pause. I didn't understand her question. What did she mean, are you sure? Did she think he'd heard the story from someone else rather than seeing Diego for himself? â€Å"Twenty-two is good,† she mused, and the tension seemed to dissolve. â€Å"How is their behavior developing? Some of them are almost a year old. Do they stil fol ow the normal patterns?† â€Å"Yes,† Riley said. â€Å"Everything you told me to do worked flawlessly. They don't think – they just do what they've always done. I can always distract them with thirst. It keeps them under control.† I frowned at Diego. Riley didn't want us to think. Why? â€Å"You've done so wel ,† our creator cooed, and there was another kiss. â€Å"Twenty-two!† â€Å"Is it time?† Riley asked eagerly. Her answer came back fast, like a slap. â€Å"No! I haven't decided when.† â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"You don't need to. It's enough for you to know that our enemies have great powers. We cannot be too careful.† Her voice softened, turned sugary again. â€Å"But al twenty-two stil alive. Even with what they are capable of†¦ what good wil it be against twenty-two?† She let out a tinkling little laugh. Diego and I had not looked away from each other throughout al this, and I could see in his eyes now that his thoughts were the same as mine. Yes, we'd been created for a purpose, as we'd guessed. We had an enemy. Or, our creator had an enemy. Did the distinction matter? â€Å"Decisions, decisions,† she muttered. â€Å"Not yet. Maybe one more handful, just to be sure.† â€Å"Adding more might actual y decrease our numbers,† Riley cautioned hesitantly, as if being careful not to upset her. â€Å"It's always unstable when a new group is introduced.† â€Å"True,† she agreed, and I imagined Riley sighing in relief that she was not upset. Abruptly Diego looked away from me, staring out across the meadow. I hadn't heard any movement from the house, but maybe she had come out. My head whipped around at the same time the rest of me turned to a statue, and I saw what had startled Diego. Four figures were crossing the open field to the house. They had entered the clearing from the west, the point farthest from where we hid. They al wore long, dark cloaks with deep hoods, so at first I thought they were people. Weird people, but just humans al the same, because none of the vampires I knew had matching Goth clothes. And none moved in a way that was so smooth and control ed and†¦ elegant. But then I realized that none of the humans I'd ever seen could move that way, either, and what's more, they couldn't do it so quietly. The dark-cloaks skimmed across the long grass in absolute silence. So either these were vampires, or they were something else supernatural. Ghosts, maybe. But if they were vampires, they were vampires I didn't know, and that meant they might very wel be these enemies she was talking about. If so, we should get the hel out of Dodge right now, because we didn't have twenty other vampires on our side at the moment. I almost took off then, but I was too afraid to draw the attention of the cloaked figures. So I watched them move smoothly forward, noticing other things about them. How they stayed in a perfect diamond formation that never was the slightest bit out of line no matter how the terrain changed under their feet. How the one at the point of the diamond was much smal er than the others, and its cloak was darker, too. How they didn't seem to be tracking their way in – not trying to fol ow the path of any scent. They simply knew their way. Maybe they were invited. They moved directly toward the house, and I felt like it might be safe to breathe again when they started silently up the steps toward the front door. They weren't coming straight for Diego and me, at least. When they were out of sight, we could disappear into the sound of the next breeze through the trees, and they would never know we'd been here. I looked at Diego and twitched my head slightly toward the way we'd come. He narrowed his eyes and held up one finger. Oh great, he wanted to stay. I rol ed my eyes at him, though I was so afraid, I was surprised I was capable of sarcasm. We both looked back to the house. The cloaked things had let themselves in silently, but I realized that neither she nor Riley had spoken since we'd caught sight of the visitors. They must have heard something or known in some other way that they were in danger. â€Å"Don't bother,† a very clear, monotone voice commanded lazily. It was not as high-pitched as our creator's, but it stil sounded girlish to me. â€Å"I think you know who we are, so you must know that there is no point in trying to surprise us. Or hide from us. Or fight us. Or run.† A deep, masculine chuckle that did not belong to Riley echoed menacingly through the house. â€Å"Relax,† instructed the first inflectionless voice – the cloaked girl. Her voice had that distinctive ring that made me certain she was a vampire, not a ghost or any other kind of nightmare. â€Å"We're not here to destroy you. Yet.† There was a moment of silence, and then some barely audible movements. A shifting of positions. â€Å"If you are not here to kil us, then†¦ what?† our creator asked, strained and shril . â€Å"We seek to know your intentions here. Specifical y, if they involve†¦ a certain local clan,† the cloaked girl explained. â€Å"We wonder if they have anything to do with the mayhem you've created here. Illegally created.† Diego and I frowned simultaneously. None of this made sense, but the last part was the weirdest. What could be il egal for vampires? What cop, what judge, what prison could have power over us? â€Å"Yes,† our creator hissed. â€Å"My plans are all about them. But we can't move yet. It's tricky.† A petulant note crept into her voice at the end.