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.

Psychology Adrian Monk Essay

Adrian Monk, portrayed by actor Tony Shalhoub, is the main character in the USA Network series MONK. Monk is a former homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department, suffering from an anxiety disorder known as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as well as numerous phobias. After Monk’s wife was murdered, his disorder worsened leading to his suspension from the police force. When the series opens, Monk works as a private police homicide consultant and undergoes therapy to overcome his anxiety disorder and phobias. He is assisted by a private nurse who helps him cope with his disability on the job. Part One—Case Study Character Background The episode â€Å"Happy Birthday Mr. Monk† shows that Monk, born October, 17, 1959, is a California man of Welsh ancestry. Monk is 50 years old, and was born in Marin County, CA. He stated, â€Å"His alma mater is the University of California, Berkley. † His parents were very strict and authoritarian. Monk’s father Jack Monk abandoned the family when Monk was eight years old. Jack said that he was going to get Chinese food, but he never came back. Ambrose Monk, Monk’s brother, is agoraphobic and afraid to go out in public. Monk’s mom died in 1994. Because of these childhood family events, Monk is already a very sensitive and fragile person. Mr. Monk dislikes unorganized, rude, dirty, and filthy people. He also dislikes murderers, people who commit evil acts, and criminals on the loose. That is the reason he became a homicide detective. Mr. Monk likes people who help others, such as his physician and Trudy. In addition, he likes organized, clean, and tidy people. Mr. Monk’s strength is that he is a very clever detective. Plus, he has an amazing photographic memory, which helps him catch criminals. His weakness is that he has many phobias, which affect his performance as a detective. Mr. Monk doesn’t have any friends because of the weird and odd behaviors caused by his OCD. His family consists of his assistants/nurses Sharona, and then Natalie. He also works with people in the homicide department, namely Captain Leland Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Randy Disher. Stressors/Pathology Mr. Monk does not have any relationships with anyone, mainly because of his odd behaviors. He acts strangely in front people because of his OCD. In the episode â€Å"Mr. Monk Makes A New Friend† he annoys a new friend by calling him too much. Monk explains himself, stating, â€Å"I can’t not call him or hear his voice. † It is very annoying to call a friend every hour. That is one example of how Mr. Monk has difficulty with personal relationships. His wife, Trudy Monk, with whom he had a meaningful relationship, died in a car bomb. Before his wife’s death, Mr. Monk’s OCD symptoms had alleviated. After Trudy was murdered, the OCD symptoms intensified, and those around him could clearly see that he had issues, which affected his job performance and led to his isolation. When the series begins, Mr. Monk’s condition is somewhat stable, but his lives in an overly organized apartment. The battle Monk faces daily is how to make it through the day with his OCD. He tries to avoid everything that makes him uncomfortable or is viewed as a threat. Mr. Monk stresses over the fact that every room must be neat and tidy. Plus everything must be a multiple of 10; for example he buys a box of eggs, which contains 12 eggs and deliberately throws two eggs away. Mr. Monk doesn’t have any history of this disorder, but his brother was agoraphobic. Symptoms Other symptoms of OCD manifest themselves typically as ritual behavior such as repetitive hand washing. Mr. Monk needs to wash his hands every time he touches an object or shakes a hand. He becomes obsessed with shapes. For example, his toast has to be a perfect square. Numbers occupy his time. As mentioned above, everything must come in multiples of 10. He has the typical preoccupation with dirt and germs. For example, he can’t stay in an untidy or dirty room; he has to tidy it up. Mr. Monk is terrified of germs, milk, dust, and heights. So what Mr. Monk does all day is try to stay away from all of these fears. These symptoms never emerged in the series; rather, the viewer is led to believe that Mr. Monk had OCD since he was born. However, the viewer is also informed in conversations with the police sergeant and with Monk’s nurse and therapist that what triggered this disorder was the murder of his wife. Immediately after his wife died, his disorder worsened. Outcome of Case Monk’s treatment was to go to Dr. Charles Kroger for psychotherapy that would aid him to cope with his disorder. In the sessions, Mr. Monk talks about what he did during the day and the goals he accomplished. The treatment is not entirely effective, but it helps Mr. Monk relax and get all the stress out. In the long term, Mr. Monk cannot overcome his disorder because he cannot imagine that he can be cured. In addition, he is not a risk taker, meaning he could never do anything that would make him uncomfortable. Because of this, there is little hope that he will be able to completely overcome his disorder. This makes sense because his disorder is inherited, and not attributed to environmental causes. Part Two—Disease Diagnostic Criteria Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a pattern of recurring obsessions and compulsions that are severe enough to be time consuming and interfere with a person’s daily functioning. They must cause marked distress (such as pain or physical harm to the person) or significant impairment. Usually, they take more than one hour of a person’s time. It is important to specify whether or not the patient has poor insight, meaning that the person does not realize that the obsessions or compulsions are unreasonable or excessive. At some point, the person must realize that their obsessions and compulsions are not reasonable (i. e. , normal). â€Å"Obsessions are consistent ideas, thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or stress† (DSM IV-TR, 300. 3). Most common obsessions are about contamination with dirt or germs, repeated doubts, a need to have things in a particular order, horrible impulse, the need to shout obscene words, or sexual impulses. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors which people do to reduce the anxiety or distress of the obsessions. For example, repeated hand washing is a compulsion, which satisfies the obsession of repeated thoughts of contamination from dirt. For a complete list of Diagnostic Criteria from the DSM IV-TR, see Appendix A. Etiology (Causes) Nearly 1 to 2 percent of the population suffers from OCD. Most of those begin to be afflicted in early adulthood, and it is often preceded by a particularly stressful event such as pregnancy, childbirth, or family conflict. It may be closely associated with depression, with the disorder developing soon after a bout of depression or the depression developing as a  result of the disorder. Men and women are equally affected. A fairly high proportion (as much as 50 percent) do not marry (Baldridge 2001). Although Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood, it may begin in childhood. Modal age at onset is earlier in males than in females: between ages 6 and 15 years for males and between ages 20 and 29 years for females. For the most part, onset is gradual, but acute onset has been noted in some cases. The majority of individuals have a chronic waxing and waning course, with exacerbation of symptoms that may be related to stress. About 15% show progressive deterioration in occupational and social functioning. About 5% have an episodic course with minimal or no symptoms between episodes (DSM IV-TR, 300. 3) No cause for OCD has been isolated. Four theories exist which try to explain the basis of OCD psychologically: guilt, anxiety, and superstition. 1) The theory of guilt has its origins in Freudian psychoanalysis. Freud believed that patients with OCD developed repetitive rituals, such as hand washing, to replace obsessive thoughts about sex. The obsessive ritual, then, was seen as a way to replace the guilt of being overwhelmed by forbidden, sexual thoughts. 2) The anxiety hypothesis poses that OCD behaviors develop to reduce anxiety. Many thought or action patterns emerge as a way of escape from stress, such as daydreaming during an exam or cleaning one’s room rather than studying for a test. If the stress is long lasting, then a compulsive behavior may set in. 3) The superstition theory proposes a connection between a chance association and a reinforcer that induces a continuation of that behavior. In other words, a particular obsessive-compulsive ritual may be reinforced when a positive outcome follows the behavior; anxiety results when the ritual is interrupted. 4) A fourth theory is accepted by those who believe that mental disorders are the result of something physically or physiologically amiss in the sufferer, employing data from brain structure studies, genetics, and biochemistry. Brain chemistry has been found to be altered in those suffering from OCD, along with increased metabolic activity. In addition, relatives of OCD sufferers are twice as likely as unrelated individuals to develop the same disorder, indicating that the tendency for the behavior could be inheritable (Baldridge 2001). Treatments OCD is one of the most difficult disorders to treat. Treatments usually fall into four categories: psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, drug therapy, and psychosurgery. The goal of psychotherapy in treating OCD is to find and then remove an assumed repression so that the patient can deal honestly and openly with whatever is actually feared. It is hoped that in dealing with the fear, the compulsions that have developed to replace the fear will lessen. The most effective type of psychotherapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder is behavioral therapy. It can help by desensitizing the patient to the feared object or situation. For example, the therapist will aid the patient in replacing the symptoms of the obsession or compulsion with preventive or replacement actions, such as a non vocal, internal shout of â€Å"stop! † when obsessive thoughts enter the mind or the action of snapping a rubber band on the wrist. Behavioral therapy may also help by gradually lengthening the time between the stimulus and response. For example, a patient may hold dirt and then gradually lengthen the amount of time after which he or she will wash his or her hands. While behavioral treatment can help to control OCD, it does not â€Å"cure† the disorder. Drugs used to treat OCD include antidepressants, tricyclic, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), LDS, and tryptophan. Antidepressants help by reducing depression by correcting the serotonin abnormality in the brain, which may decrease the need for compulsive behavior. MAOIs may help OCD associated with panic attacks, phobias, and severe anxiety. With drug therapy, it should be noted that when the drugs are stopped, the patient often returns to the obsessive-compulsive behavior. Psychosurgery to reduce OCD is a last resort. The patient would undergo a lobotomy in which the frontal cortex would be separated from the lower brain area in an 8-centimeter square area. A combination of behavioral therapy, psychotherapy and drug therapy is recommended. General Research Behavioral treatments are new ways to deal with the disorder. For example, someone with an obsession about germs might be asked to practice handling dirt and then not washing his hands for increasing lengths of time. With repeated exposure to the anxiety-provoking object or situation without performing the compulsion, usually the anxiety lessens, and the compulsion weakens its hold. Obsessions can fall into one of five categories: 1. Obsessive doubts, which are persistent doubts that a task has been completed. 2. Obsessive thinking, which is an almost infinite chain of thought, targeting future events. Obsessive impulses, which are very strong urges to perform certain actions, whether they be trivial or serious, that would likely be harmful to the obsessive person or someone else and that are socially unacceptable. 4. Obsessive fears, which are thoughts that the person has lost control and will act in some way that will cause public embarrassment. 5. Obsessive images, which are continued visual pictures of either a real or an imagined event. (DSM IV-TR, 300. 3) Compulsions on the other hand are repeated, ritualized behaviors. For example, fearing one has forgotten to turn off an appliance, such as a stove, is a common obsession. It is likely to be accompanied by a compulsion to check repeatedly, perhaps hundreds of times each day, perhaps to see if the appliance has been turned off. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors, the goal of which is to prevent or reduce anxiety or distress, not to provide pleasure or gratification. In most cases, the person feels driven to perform the compulsion to reduce the distress that accompanies an obsession or to prevent some dreaded event or situation. For example, those with obsessions about being contaminated may reduce their mental distress by washing their hands until their skin is raw. There is difference between OCD and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). A personality disorder is, on the one hand, a type of mental illness characterized by serious and persistent distortions in the total personality. Every perception, attitude, feeling and behavior is affected. OCD, on the other hand, is an anxiety disorder. Like other anxiety disorders, fear is at its root—fear of a hot appliance burning down the house, for example, or fear of the body being contaminated by germs. The fear produces an anxiety which can only be alleviated by a ritual, or compulsion, which will reduce the fear. Conclusion— Evaluation of Case In conclusion, Adrian Monk has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. He satisfies the following OCD patterns of behavior: 1. Washer, because he is afraid of contamination; 2. Checker, because Mr. Monk repeatedly checks if the door is locked, or whether the oven is turned off. Mr. Monk checks everything a dozen time just to make sure. For example, he checks his oven if it is closed everyday at least twelve times; 3. Arranger, because he always arranges his utensils based on size and shape and his books based on color. He cannot function in a messy room or disorganized room. In addition, Mr. Monk has other phobias, such as fear of blood and fear of the woods. He is terrified of germs, milk, heights, and spiders. Mr. Monk has a rule that everything he has must come as a multiple of ten. When he buys milk, he gets 10 bottles even though he lives alone and the milk will expire before he has time to drink it all. Monk’s symptoms may improve with therapy, but his OCD will not completely resolve.

Slavery in Texas essays

Slavery in Texas essays In the book, "An Empire for Slavery", Randolph B. Clark describes the way in which Texas slaves coped with life under oppressive circumstances. Some of the topics discussed in the book include how slaves approached daily chores and provided for their material and physical condition. Also, it is demonstrated how slaves tended to their psychological and spiritual well being and how they displayed their feelings towards this "Peculiar Institution." Some slaves in Texas approached responsibility for work in such a manner that they were given a great deal of leeway for their own daily job assignments and were even given supervisory positions over other slaves. Some bondsman, working as managers, tended to plantations and farms in the absence of the owners. This practice is quite remarkable when we sometimes visualize a slave as a blackman with a chain and heavy ball attached to one foot. The conception of manager slaves apparently was propagated in such an encompassing manner that some proponents of slavery found it to be very disconcerting. Some slave owners felt too much liberty was being given to the interned hoard. In 1858, state senator Henry E. McCulloch introduced a bill to outlaw the practice. The bill passed, but had little effect because it had little support in the white community. Some blacks, if not managers, were more in the order of middle managers known as "drivers." Drivers were specialty supervisors who oversaw operations related to "chopping" cotton (cultivating), plowing, planting and harvesting. As slavery progressed many slaves graduated to other jobs that required a different degree of responsibility, such as carpenters, blacksmiths, personal valets, and housekeepers and the like. So it would appear bondsmen were perfectly capable of accomplishing any task given to them by their tormentors. Material conditions and physical treatment of slaves can be broken down into five main categories: food, housing,...

tiger shark essays

tiger shark essays The Tiger sharks name derives from the distinctive dark bands that run from the top of its back down along its sides. The stripes are very evident in younger sharks because the stripes start to fade away as it ages, then turning a gray or brownish color. However, all of the Tiger sharks have an off-white ventral surface. The Tiger sharks scientific name, Galeocerdo cuvier, consists of its Genus, Galeocerdo, and Species, cuvier, names. The Tiger shark belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, Class Chondrichthyes, and Family Carcharhinidae. Tiger sharks can grow in size up to 20 feet (6m) and in weight 800 pounds. Some Tiger sharks have exceeded these measurements but the average is about 12ft. and 600lbs. Tiger sharks can be found worldwide in tropical waters and most temperate seas. They are most commonly found along the coast of South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and in the Caribbeans. The Tiger shark is quite flexible in tolerating different habitats. They inhabit both the surfaces of shorelines and deep, open waters (up to 500 miles away from shore and 150m deep). A few have been found in rivers and small lagoons. The Tiger shark is second to the Great White in being most feared by humans. They are very strong and fast. They use their powerful caudal fins to swim over 20mph. And they have an excellent sense of smell and keen eyesight. Their teeth are saw-edged, razor-sharp, and curved. Their teeth are located in rows and rotate into place as needed. They replace the broken or worn down teeth in both the lower and upper jaws. Most Tiger sharks swim in deep waters during the day and come to shore to feed during the night. The Tiger shark has earned the nickname the "garbage can" shark. They will take a bite out of anything and then sees ...

Labor vs. Belabor

Labor vs. Belabor Labor vs. Belabor Labor vs. Belabor By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, Can you tell me which is preferred, labor the point or belabor the point. Ive heard them used interchangeably. The Google Ngram Viewer indicates that â€Å"labor the point,† (â€Å"to continue to repeat or explain something that has already been said and understood†) has been around for about 100 years longer than â€Å"belabor the point.† A Web search suggests that the two versions are now used interchangeably: The vice president was apologizing for being long-winded and belaboring points, even as he continued to  belabor  long-winded  points. Not to  belabor the point, but writing for publication is hard. The speaker labored the point  so long that we lost interest. I will not labor the point that the power company doesn’t have many fans in Kenya. The verb belabor has other applications. Literally, â€Å"to belabor† is â€Å"to thrash or buffet with all one’s might,† as in this description from Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Legree was provoked beyond measure by Tom’s evident happiness; and riding up to him, belabored him over his head and shoulders. Figuratively, â€Å"to belabor† is â€Å"to assail with words.† In this quotation from The Red Badge of Courage, the officers are urging their men to move faster: Belabored  by their officers, they began to move forward. When applied to prose, belabored applies to a type of writing style characterized by long sentences and inappropriately erudite or archaic vocabulary: [â€Å"The Turn of the Screw† by Henry James] may have created and sustained tension and horror when it was written, but now it is mostly belabored, overextended prose. While popular criticism struggles to find its bearings, academia keeps on producing mountains of belabored prose for the sake of sustaining the small but diverse group of important thinkers still doing important work.   [A]n unreasonable fascination with how spare one can make a sentence can have an equally destructive effect on the readers experience and draw just as much attention to the authors skill in restraint as belabored prose draws to his cleverness or intelligence. Both extremes are destructive to the overall health of a story. The Bailee translation captures the lyrical flavor of Hegels highly belabored prose.   Ian M. Banks and China Mieville write rings around Herbert’s belabored prose. Sometimes the writer’s use of belabor leaves the reader wondering about its intended meaning in the context: No need to belabor the  awfulness of this film, a romantic comedy devoid of romance.  Ã‚   I dont mean to belabor the discussion of Royals GM Dayton Moore. He had been  belaboring Rockefeller  for many years.   In 2007, the year that NCLB was evidencing belabored breathing, Colemanstarted a new, national-standards-writing company (which turned nonprofit in 2011), Student Achievement Partners.† This event did not belabor the federal intrusion on education but did introduce realities of FedLedEd rearing its head. No primary votes are lost by  belaboring the opposition. Note: A person who is having difficulty breathing is said to exhibit â€Å"labored breathing.† Here are some alternative words and expressions for belabor that may be clearer in some contexts: dwell on overdo overdramatize make too much of Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterTop 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad)Advance vs. Advanced

The impact of DNA in Criminal Justice System Research Paper

The impact of DNA in Criminal Justice System - Research Paper Example The persons who are credited for discovering the DNA of double helix structure are James Watson and Francis Crick. Here, a key point has to be specifically mentioned. It were the endeavors by Linus Pauling, Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins that were instrumental in ensuring that Crick and Watson faced minimum hassles in coming out with the discovery. (1) (Explore DNA, n.d.) Watson and Crick, who were a biologist and a physicist, respectively, began their efforts in the first part of 1950s. At that point of time Pauling, who was a chemist, identified a key protein structure. Almost during the same period, Wilkins, who also was a physicist, took the initial DNA X-ray pictures. As a matter of fact, it was solely because of these X-ray pictures that everyone got aware that the structure of DNA is helical. (1) (Explore DNA, n.d.) During the early 1950s, Pauling, Crick and Watson had pointed out that the structure of DNA is triple helical, but this theory eventually went on to be disp roved. This error was partly attributable to the fact that Watson misinterpreted a conversation that he had with Franklin. The thing that ultimately made Crick and Watson to go on the right path was the photo-51 of Franklin. As a matter of fact, this particular picture projected the correct pattern of DNA, and based on it, Watson and Crick went on to develop the DNA structure. (1) (Explore DNA, n.d.) Eventually, the basic discovery of DNA was attributed to the efforts of Crick and Watson, and the work of Franklin was not given its due recognition. This can be considered to be rather improper because, as mentioned earlier, it was the photo-51 of Franklin that went on to simplify things for Crick and Watson. Wilkins was working under Franklin, and owing to some sequence of events, she went on to remove him (Wilkins) from the team. Wilkins was very unhappy and he decided to get even with Franklin. Consequently, he befriended both Watson and Crick, and started providing them with key in formation about Franklin’s work. In fact, even the aforementioned photo-51 was the one that Wilkins gave to both of them (Watson and Crick) in a stealthy manner. In light of all the points discussed in this paragraph, it can conveniently be maintained that even Franklin should have been given the credit, with regard to the discovery of DNA. (2) (Heather Kane, n.d.) DNA and criminal justice The scientific procedure that enables in identification of persons based upon sequences of DNA is very precise where; the possibility of error is highly remote, almost non-existent. Owing to that, there have been countless cases where DNA played a key role in both identifying the criminals and also in getting the innocent persons to be acquitted. It would now be very much relevant in focusing on the manner in which DNA is helpful in solving crimes. (3) (National Academy of Sciences, 2011) The gene sequences in a substantial chunk of people are more or less the same. But it has been found th at there are some zones in the sequence of DNA where there are variations from one individual to other. When a comparison of variations in two DNA samples is carried out, it can be known whether or not they pertain to the same person. To elaborate further, when the crime investigation people gather a DNA sample at the scene of the crime, and they also apprehend some suspects, the above analysis of DNA samples is conducted. (4) (National Academ

Economic History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Economic History - Essay Example With respect to the role of Hayek in the socialist calculation debate, he reveals his position with respect to the possibilities of planning. While arguing against the possibility that is associated with planning in the case of the socialist calculation debate, Friedrich Hayek worked on two major theoretical papers. These include; â€Å"The Meaning of Competition† and â€Å"The use of Knowledge is Society†. Both of Hayek’s works were aimed at serving as a disproof to a fellow economist named Oscar Lange as well as the endorsements that he had made regarding a planned economy. This paper will evaluate Hayek’s works; â€Å"Meaning of Rivalry† and â€Å"The Adoption of Knowledge in Society†, to help determine his position with respect to the possibilities of planning for the economy. Based on his work, â€Å"Meaning of Competition†, Hayek reveals the benefits that are associated with a free market, which has not been subjected to the regulations that the government imposes to regulate the market. Instead, he reveals that the suppression of competition is among the major evils that prevail in a society, which experience has revealed to be a regular consequence. Also, these evils are also different from those imperfections that are affiliated with rivalry. Hayek stipulates that competition is an essential process that facilitates in the formation of different points of view. This is because it is efficient in terms of facilitating for the spread of information to diverse parties. It also facilitates in the creation of coherence and unity in the economic system, which most people presuppose whenever they treat it as one market. With a coherent and united economic system, it becomes possible for people to identify the goals that they have in common, and hence adopt approaches that can help them to boost the productivity and competitiveness of their society (Vaughn 537). Competition helps people to understand the best product for them and where

Bonnie Raitt and the Boom Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bonnie Raitt and the Boom Generation - Essay Example In 1945, the number was 2.8 million births; it marked the beginning of the Baby Boom. In 1946, the first year of the Baby Boom, new births in the U.S. skyrocketed to 3.47 million births! A contributing article on about.com further detailed that new births continued to grow throughout the 1940s and 1950s, leading to a peak in the late 1950s with 4.3 million births in 1957 and 1961. (There was a dip to 4.2 million births in 1958) By the mid-sixties, the birth rate began to slowly fall. In 1964 (the final year of the Baby Boom), 4 million babies were born in the U.S. and in 1965, there was a significant drop to 3.76 million births. From 1965 on, there was a plunge in the number of births to a low of 3.14 million births in 1973, lower than any year’s births since 1945! The Boom Generation produced children that would one day become leaders throughout their respective fields and leave long lasting impacts among all who they have come across. Such examples of these people include Ge orge W. Bush and Bonnie Raitt. Bonnie Raitt was born November 8 1949 in Burbank, California, and raised in Los Angeles, in a climate of respect for the arts, Quaker traditions, and a commitment to social activism. The daughter of John Raitt, a famous Broadway star who featured in productions of ‘Carousel’, ‘Oklahoma!’ and ‘The Pajama Game’, and Marge Goddard, a skilled pianist and singer, she was exposed to music from a very young age. As such, she took up playing guitar at the age of eight, when she received one as a Christmas present. (Helium.com, Biography: Bonnie Raitt) While growing up, though passionate about music from the start, she never considered that it would play a greater role than as one of her many growing interests. In the late '60s, restless in Los Angeles, she moved east to Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a Harvard/Radcliffe student majoring in Social Relations and African Studies, she attended classes and immersed herself in th e city's turbulent cultural and political activities. Raitt was already deeply involved with folk music and the blues at that time. Exposure to the album Blues at Newport 1963 at age 14 had kindled her interest in blues and slide guitar, and between classes at Harvard she explored these and other styles in local coffeehouse gigs. Three years after entering college, Bonnie left to commit herself full-time to music, and shortly afterward she found herself opening for surviving giants of the blues. From Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sippie Wallace, Son House, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker she learned first-hand lessons of life as well as invaluable techniques of performance. Each generation views the world with a different perspective. This perspective is often shaped by key events (national catastrophes) in their lives as well as cultural influences (such as music) at the time. Understanding some of these viewpoints can greatly enhance successful communication and working relationshi ps. The Baby boomer generation grew up with the Vietnam War, the space race, and assassinations of Martin Luther King and President John F. Kennedy. Their childhood was typically modeled with very conservative mores. The civil rights movement, women’s liberation, the advent of television, rock ‘n’ roll, and the hippie movement caused them to question and rebel against the establishment. This constant

High-Risk Nutritional Practices Paper First Draft Essay

High-Risk Nutritional Practices Paper First Draft - Essay Example de the lack of constant exercising, proper hydration, and continuous cleanliness, as well as participation in general medical checkups and examination. In this regard, there are a host of factors that inevitably result in the lack of or limitation of access to proper nutritional value and health. When delving into the aspect of culture and traditional affiliations, it is critical to note that a majority of cultural practices and/ traditions and essentially linked to the religious aspects of given social settings. Therefore, the need to be considerate of religious input with regard to cultural practices pertaining to nutritional intake and practice is vital (Grant, 1998). The paper will delve on the influences of cultural ideals and practices, on various populations’ dietary/ nutritional intake. Focus will be on the existing influential factors as well as co-relative factors founded on cultural perspectives and practices. This will encompass prevailing historical belief systems and inclusive practices portrayed, with each culture being explored further in terms of such high-risk behaviors. Within European contexts, the U.S. is often regarded as the ‘melting pot’ of all cultures, religions and ways of life. As Kittler and Sucher (1999) portray, this is best represented by the diversity portrayed and subsequently experienced in the daily life of American citizens, eventually affecting critical aspects such as socialization, nutritional value intake, political affiliations and ideological perspectives. Looking at high-risk nutritional behaviors, it is worthwhile to note that other aspects of socializations i.e. family/ gender roles, age-group category/ bracket, spiritual beliefs, education, health care practices, physical activities, drug and substance abuse, cultural practices and traditions amongst others, fundamentally influence the nutritional behaviors present within different social contexts. In terms of cultural diversity, the U.S. is uniquely

Celia Cruz Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Celia Cruz - Research Paper Example She also lived together with her mother in the city of Havana. During her schooling, she enrolled at the Normal School for Teachers located in Havana with an intention of becoming a literature teacher. Celia Cruz later interrupted her studies to pursue a singing career after winning a talent show. From the talent show, she realized she could sing well since she captured the attention of her audience. In addition, Cruz had a passion for singing. Celia Cruz won the talent show from her tango presentation of Nostalgia presentation. From her performances, Celia Cruz had many fans that enjoyed her music and dance. She later replaced the lead singer Myrta Silva. In 1962, Cruz fell in love with the orchestra’s lead trumpet performer Pedro Knight. Cruz’s husband directed and managed her after pursuing a solo artiste career. The 1960s made it hard for Cruz to locate a huge audience in America in spite of the number of recordings she had done during her music career (Sloan 159). Her success rose when she became popular with salsa music and dance. Salsa dance evolved from musical experimentation with Caribbean sounds. Cruz became famous for her music and salsa dance that thrilled her fans while she performed on stage (Mendible 108). Celia Cruz had a soft voice that people described as operatic. During her performances, she controlled her voice through high and low pitches with ease. She also added flavor to salsa music with her rhyme music. In addition, Celia Cruz also thrilled her fans with her flashy costumes. Cruz became a leader in her professional circle in the years that followed by appearing in one of a 1988 BBC feature film entitled My Name is Celia Cruz. Four years later, Cruz was featured in The Mambo Kings and afterwards The Perez Family in 1995. Ana Cristina Reymundo, originally published in Spanish, wrote Celia Cruz’s autobiography. Celia Cruz became famous from her many honors that she received from her recordings. Cruz and her husband became citizens

High-Risk Nutritional Practices Paper First Draft Essay

High-Risk Nutritional Practices Paper First Draft - Essay Example de the lack of constant exercising, proper hydration, and continuous cleanliness, as well as participation in general medical checkups and examination. In this regard, there are a host of factors that inevitably result in the lack of or limitation of access to proper nutritional value and health. When delving into the aspect of culture and traditional affiliations, it is critical to note that a majority of cultural practices and/ traditions and essentially linked to the religious aspects of given social settings. Therefore, the need to be considerate of religious input with regard to cultural practices pertaining to nutritional intake and practice is vital (Grant, 1998). The paper will delve on the influences of cultural ideals and practices, on various populations’ dietary/ nutritional intake. Focus will be on the existing influential factors as well as co-relative factors founded on cultural perspectives and practices. This will encompass prevailing historical belief systems and inclusive practices portrayed, with each culture being explored further in terms of such high-risk behaviors. Within European contexts, the U.S. is often regarded as the ‘melting pot’ of all cultures, religions and ways of life. As Kittler and Sucher (1999) portray, this is best represented by the diversity portrayed and subsequently experienced in the daily life of American citizens, eventually affecting critical aspects such as socialization, nutritional value intake, political affiliations and ideological perspectives. Looking at high-risk nutritional behaviors, it is worthwhile to note that other aspects of socializations i.e. family/ gender roles, age-group category/ bracket, spiritual beliefs, education, health care practices, physical activities, drug and substance abuse, cultural practices and traditions amongst others, fundamentally influence the nutritional behaviors present within different social contexts. In terms of cultural diversity, the U.S. is uniquely

Policies and Procedures to Manage the Release of PHI Research Paper

Policies and Procedures to Manage the Release of PHI - Research Paper Example Mobile phone and other related technology, retrieve personal health information for patients. Rapid exchange of vital medical information helps to quality delivery of medical aid to individuals (Kelly, Vottero & Christie-McAuliffe, 2014). On the contrary, there is a risk of unwanted access to privacy of medical information. It is important that health institutions have policies procedure to guide the process of revealing the medical information of individuals. Agency should implement an information management system to assist in managing health records. There would be effective quality control of health information. Proper health information management harmonizes the differences in law governing the release of medical information. Management of health information is one of the ways to regulate the release of medical information for patients (Kelly, Vottero & Christie-McAuliffe, 2014). The release of health information is an important topic because it dictates the quality of medical delivery. The state laws conflict and there are some states that have different rules governing the release of medical information. There is no uniformity in the state laws governing the protection of a patients medical information. There is varying degree of seriousness in handling the release of medical information for patients. Some states require patient permission to publish his or her personal information. On the contrary, some states do not have significant restrictions in releasing medical information to individuals. It is important to have install management systems that will ensure that there is protection of health information of patients. Installation of better management systems provides tracking of patients information. It is an important component in the implementation of a health care policy. The management should manage patients information in the hospital, and teams

Internet Mental Health Issues Essay Example for Free

Internet Mental Health Issues Essay Mental health services conducted on the Internet have been described as e-therapy, online counseling, e -mail therapy, Internet-based therapy, and similar terminology. Online therapy services may be provided as an adjunct to more traditional forms of mental health treatment, or may be initiated without any offline contact between the therapist and client. Currently, there are a variety of websites providing links and information regarding online therapy. As I was reading about benefits and risks in using internet as a source for mental health services, I realized that there are a lot of factors that make it a controversial issue. There are many pro and con to its benefits. Some Pros are the convenience of a client, Flexibility in scheduling, Anonymous and private, Access to those with physical disabilities; emotionally safe environment on of my biggest issues is making use of the time-delay (email) to work on issues. Appeal to those who are shy, uncomfortable with face-to-face treatment and make them feel more those who are shy more comfortable. Some disadvantages are Privacy, security and privilege cannot be guaranteed, Lack of patient skills to use the Absence of face-to-face therapy relationship, Lack of behavioral cues may lead to problems in treatment and most importantly is Urgent, crises, or suicidal issues may not receive immediate and appropriate attention. I work in a Community clinic where we offer many treatments one of them is therapy also. As I came across this assignment I ask one of our doctors what they believed. One of the doctors sends in miner cases it could be useful as long as is a well program with credentials and the issues are not really serious. At this time we are transitioning from paper charts to computers so most of the time there sitting in front of the computer typing away while the patient is speaking. It made me realized that in a way internet and mental services are becoming more and more essential for each  other. When I was reading the website for American Psychological Association it provided me the ethics they have to fallow when they provide service public advice or comment via print, Internet or other electronic transmission, they take precautions to ensure that statements (1) are based on their professional knowledge, training or experience in accord with appropriate psychological literature and practice; (2) are otherwise consistent with this Ethics Code; and (3) do not indicate that a professional relationship has been established with the recipient. I believe in conclusion we could benefit from these services as long as we are really aware that they are legit and trustworthy. In my case I believe sometimes I could benefit from therapy but simply have no time. One of the reasons I choose online schooling. Definitely I would use these services and give it a try. There are programs offer here in California that can help you as a guide to search for help. The Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) would like to make the following recommendations to California consumers who choose to seek therapy or counseling over the Internet. Individuals, who provide psychotherapy or counseling, either in person, by telephone, or over the Internet, are required by law to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state. Individuals who provide psychotherapy or counseling to persons in California are required to be licensed in California. Such licensure permits the consumer to pursue recourse against the licensee should the consumer believe that the licensee engaged in unprofessional conduct. References 1. National Association of Social Workers â€Å"Code of Ethics â€Å"Retrieved From: https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/default.asp 2. American Psychological Association â€Å"Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct â€Å"Retrieved From: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx# 3. The Branch Journal of Psychiatry Dr. John Powell â€Å"Internet information-seeking in mental health† Sept 2006 retrieved from: http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/189/3/273.short 4. Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Behavioral Sciences â€Å"Consumer Information Regarding Online Psychotherapy† Retrieved From: http://www.bbs.ca.gov/consumer/consumer_psych_online.shtml

Human Resource Accounting

Human Resource Accounting First we need to look at any business in a profit motive and of course in a society prosperous kind as well. When we talking about any entity first thing that one can ask is about the output of that firm in terms of production. Resources to that particular organisation provided will have an intention in yielding some kind of output. Human resources in particularly will have a kind of criteria that should only satisfy with their skills and capabilities. Though skills and capabilities are not quite easy to design and anticipate in a desirable context but can draw some equators to expect. In doing this professionals need elaborated information with a measurable set of ends that possibly design the role and responsibilities of individuals in the organisation. When things can measure will evidently get managed. It is always important to set some standards and giving targets to the individuals such will helps in creating organisational structure with more ease and straight. Thus intellectu al capital all set to have advanced significance in valuing the firm value. Where human capital also get place in it. Organisations have got to control over the human resources in order to get more rigid and assist organisation carry further efficiency. Human resource management functions thus got more prominence in evaluating; measuring and managing human resources like any other divisions attain control over their relevant functions. Human Resource Accounting (HRA) is part of function of accounting and Human Resources as well. Much attention laid on human resource accounting in many years ago as research began in the 1960s by Rensis Likert [Bowers, 1973]. The importance which Emperor Akbar gave to the nine jewels (courtiers) is a strong evidence of this in the sixteenth century only. Many critics, researchers, scholars and many others perceived human resource accounting in different ways as a part of financial accounting, management accounting view and as a human resource function. Organisations must estimate the value arising out of employees then only it will make advantage to the stakeholders in terms of financial and managerial perspectives. Having a same kind of resources in terms of technology, tangible assets and even in number of human resources will still makes lot of difference between one to another. The bridge among the difference would be skills and capabilities of human resources. With the same technology, a solid human resource team makes all the difference [Archel, 1995]. Human resource accounting involves assigning; budgeting, measuring costs expend on (employees) human resources while recruit, select, hire, train and develop employees and judge their economic value to the organisation. Human resource accounting is an effort to recognize and report investments made on the human resources of an organisation which are not currently accounted under conventional accounting practice. In essence, it acts like an information system that advice the management what changes took place overtime to the human resources of the business, and cost and value of the human factor in particular organisation. The process may well furnish both the internal and external users; strengthen human resource management function (internal users) providing with relevant data which supports recruiting, training and other development decisions in and supplying investors, lenders and other external users of financial statement make presented information as to the investment in and utilisation of human resources in the organisation. Enhance the skills and capabilities of employees, setting some standards and to schedule the training and development programs by this practice. Exhibiting comprehensible strength of the organisation by exploring more information about potentialities of the organisation and to overcome the missing scarce of balance sheet for the investors by means of providing necessary adequate information. â€Å"Human Resource Accounting is mainly an information system that informs management what changes are occurring over time to the human resources of the business. HRA also involves a ccounting forinvestmentin people and their replacement costs, and also the economic value of people in an organization,† says P K Gupta, the director of strategic development-intercontinental operations, of Legato Systems India. HRA is primarily an information system, which update the management about the changes that are taking place in the human resource of an organisation. It is the art of valuing, recording and presenting methodically about the human resources in the books of accounts of an organisation. Definition: â€Å"Human Resource Accounting is the process of identifying and measuring data about human resources and communicating this information to interested parties.† American Accounting Society Committee on HRA â€Å"Human resource accounting is the measurement of the cost and value of the people for the organisation.† Eric Flamholtz of university of California, Los Angeles IT, hospital, sports club, research oriented and many organisations mostly depends on human capital rather physical capital. When we have a look at service oriented organisations which are creating more wealth to the society typically have greater significance to the human resources as the value of the knowledge and skills of its personnel more than that of physical assets of the organisation. Should HR accounting be rejuvenated at the present time? The answer lies in the level of consensus which presently exists about the crucial role that employee plays in all organisations (1992: 312).Most of the works on HRA focused primarily on validation and development of accounting the human resources. The treatment of human resource capital in final accounts and also on methodologies approaching in computing HRA and there are some researchers like Robinson (2009) questioning about the need of HRA. Though this study may/could not provide answers to these questions but can make a sense about HRA prevalence India and how they are handling in the books of accounts. However, in order to assess the value of the human capital, method of quantifying the significance of the knowledge, skills, capabilities and contribution of the human element as well as that of the organizational processes, like recruitment, selection, training etc., which are used to form and carry these human aspects, is developed. No particular HR accounting model is accepted by the accounting bodies all over the world. However, many organisations in India using the application ofLev Schwartz modelin both public and private sectors as well. Models for measurement of knowledge capital in monetary terms:- Cost modelsare based on the acquisition cost, including replacement and training costs and opportunity cost of human asset. The supporters of this model are Burmment, Flamholtz and Pyle. TheLev Schwartz model, more monetary-centric, is based on the likely future earnings of an employee till his retirement. Methods for Valuation: Historical Cost Method This method was proposed by Brummet to measure a firms investment in human resources. The current scarifies for obtaining future benefits is the cost of human resource. The method suggests capitalizing the firms expenditure on recruitment, selection, training and development of employees and treats them as assets for the purpose of human resource accounting. Capitalization of costs is contrary to traditional accounting norms and does not reflect value. Moreover the accumulated costs of human resource acquisition and development may not reflect its proper worth. Instead of this, the total performance needs should be assessed in relation to the total cost associated with human resource to reflect their value. Replacement Cost Method This method involves assessment of replacement cost of individuals, and rebuilding cost of the organization to reflect human resourceasset value of both the individuals and the organization. However, the replacement cost may not reflect either the actual costs or the contribution associated with human resource. Opportunity Cost Method According to this method the computation of monetary value and allocation of people to the most promising activity and thereby to assess the opportunity costs of key employees through competitive bidding among investment centers. Behavioural Method In this method a set of casual variables through psycho-social test results reflecting the appreciating or depreciating condition of human organization as reflected by a set of intervening variables, which in turn, are likely to result in the achievement of the end result variables. The investment in human resource value has been proposed to be amortized over the years in tune with the condition of the human organization. Economic Method Lev Schwartz advocated the estimation of future earnings during the remaining life of the employee and then arriving at the present value by discounting the estimated earnings at the employees cost of capital. The formula adopted for computation of the present value of the future earnings in an extension to the formula propounded by Lev Schwartz. Flamhlotz value human resource on the basis of the roles which the employees are to perform. The method also considers the present value of the future services at different service states and takes into consideration the migration of an employee from one service state to the other. However, the estimates of the employees occupying different service states in his career in the organization can be highly probabilistic and unreliable. Harmonson advocated the human resource value as the present value of the future wages payable for the next five years discounted at the adjusted rate of return. The adjusted rate of return is the average rate of return on the owned assets of all firms in the economy multiplied by efficiency ratio of the organization. This method attempts to bring into question the effectiveness of return on investment of the industry on the assumption that there are no extraneous factors and that the results were due to efforts of the employees. Each model has its own negatives and positive when it comes to practical application. In an Indian context, the Lev Schwartz model has an edge over the other models. Since the method has been widely adopted by Indian companies such as Infosys, DSQ Software Ltd., Satyam Computers, BHEL and SPIC, it enables the company to benchmark the performance and efficiency of their human resources with others. The assumptions in this model are realistic and scientific. The method has practical applicability when availability of quantifiable and analyzable data is concerned. Organisations which are undertaking this HRA process in India and some other global companies as well are as follows: Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited, India Infosys Technologies, India Reliance Industries, India NIIT Limited, India HCL Technologies, India Cadence Systems, India Legato Systems, India SBI, India Novo Nordisk, Denmark Frederiksborg County, Denmark Skandia, Sweden Environmental Protection Agency, Denmark The Body Shop, London, UK Xerox Mitsubishi Whitbread Ford Motors Esso And the some human resource accounting softwares: ADP, Kronos, Ceredian, Lawson, TempWare, Empact, SAP, UltiPro, Stromberg. [SOURCE : secondary] Interesting points to come across in this study are; o Book representation of HRA o Methodologies to adopt in computing HRA o The present importance given to HRA in different countries, organisations and in perspective of many scholars, researchers. o Is HRA more advantage in accounting perspective or HR perspective? And the belief of people involved in it through some sort of interviewing the professionals. o More focus on Infosys and BHEL where two organisations has different mode of industries. o And the value of HRA in recession timings.

Essay --

After studying the sonnet of Shakespeare, I think if the emotion between two men is only called male friendship, Shakespeare‟s sonnets assert too much love to be addressed to a man. It seems ridiculous that Shakespeare, a moral man addressed abundant affectionate sonnets to men. His poems use language of love: â€Å"lord of love†, â€Å"eternal love†, â€Å"my lovely boy†, â€Å"my friend and I are one†, â€Å"thou mine, I thine†. Those languages sometimes can be regarded as non-sexual friendship, in Shakespeare‟s work; they are certainly the language of sexual love. Many of the sonnets are saturated in the language of longing and desire; they showed some sorrow about the lacking of the male friend‟s â€Å"sweet love†. There are many explicit and implicit clues in the sonnets that show the male love in Shakespeare‟s heart. Next I want to turn to the plays, the male love are even more distinctly open to interpretation than sonnets. And some interesting things I found that is if the plays are open to gay readings then those readings will have their own kind of rationality. Some male characters in Shakespeare openly betray idealized intensity of affection for other men comparable to that expressed by the persona of the sonnets. One is Antonio, a comparatively minor character in Twelfth Night. It is easy to portray him as an older man enamored of a younger Sebastian who only partly under the nature of Antonio‟s affection, and such a description successful build a kind of sad atmosphere which saturate the pain of unreturned love. The male love brought out far more clearly not at the end of the play but in Antonio‟s first appearance. He and Sebastian appeared on a bed in which they had clearly just slept together. Indeed, Stephen Orgel has described Antonio ... ...ul is that maybe even Shakespeare can not answer the question that whether Bassanio, sometimes when a story is created, the emotions of characters do not all under controlled by the writers. In other irresponsible words, only Bassanio can answer the questions for us but maybe he does not want to say anything. Before talking about Shakespeare‟s racism of shylock, we can firstly focus on some background information. Shakespeare‟s plays showed his awareness of the ineradicable enmity between Christian generosity and the Jewish fixation on money. According to Stanley Wells, Shakespeare may be actually a German. How ever, not matter Shakespeare is belongs to which country. Nazi Germany should congratulate that Shakespeare can stands for them to show the understand of the racial psychology The merchant of Venice is a anti-semitic story which obviously appealed to the

ACC cements Company Essay

ACC was among the first Indian companies to adopt automation of information technology. We started computerizing our systems as early as 1968 – a commitment to progress through the harnessing of relevant available technologies, a practice that continues even today. We have traveled a long way from our early days when we were using simple keypunching machines. Significant improvements have been made in application systems and infrastructure since then – from Batch processing to on-line systems, from IBM 1401 and Data General system to the latest Linux/UNIX and Windows 2003 based machines. We have made timely transitions determined by available technologies and business requirements. In February 2007 the company made a quantum jump from in-house developed systems using Oracle 9i and Developer 6i to an ERP (SAP) based solution. This decision was based solely on our strategic objectives and the business benefits that we expect to derive from implementing such a solution. With this move we also aligned people, business processes and technologies across the country. The Company has an Intranet Portal called ‘Accelerate’ which is dedicated to employees. The portal’s content is based on Personal information relating to Human Resource matters, Performance Management, as well as other information of use to employees such as the latest news on company affairs, developments on sustainable development, house magazines and newsletters. Being a large organization with a countrywide network of manufacturing, marketing and R&D centers, we have invested in the creation of a comprehensive infrastructure that allows free flow of information across the organization. This enables almost instant communication between all levels in the organization. A hybrid WAN network connects each of our 275 plus locations. A judicious mix of VSAT and VPN links ensure adequate connectivity between these locations. Each manufacturing location has a well designed LAN to meet its needs. IT in ACC is well placed to master future expansions of our core businesses. DID YOU KNOW ? _Patni Computer Systems installed India’s first Data General computer in ACC in 1978 and deployed a team of their best employees to manage it. The team comprised the legendary Narayanamurthy, then among the earliest employees of PCS. They were given an office in Cement House. Later when he and others from PCS established Infosys Technologies in Bangalore 1981, ACC was among their first customers._ Cement major ACC’s Tikaria plant in Sultanpur has become the first unit of the company to implement an innovative logistics management program called â€Å"Speed† which is aimed at enhancing productivity, increasing efficiencies and save time, fuel costs as well as enviornment. The success of the program at the 2.6 million tonne Tikaria plant has led to the company adopting the programe at its two more cement units in West Bengal and Karnataka and hopes to bring all 16 plants ofACC under the ‘Speed’ fold in about two years time. Speed is essentially a logistics and supply chain management project which is a major part of any cement plant with hundreds of heavy duty trucks bringing in raw material and picking up cement for further distribution in the market. Director, Logistics-North, ACC Ltd, Deepak Gulati, said â€Å"at any given point of time our Tikaria plant had atleast 500-600 trucks lined up for uploading cement. The efficient management of this huge fleet on a daily basis was a major concern. After studying various logistics projects abroad we evolved our very own program called ‘Speed’ and now besides saving costs which results in cheaper product to customers, we have better functioning among drivers, truck owners, customers and ACC employees. Delivery timelines are also efficiently adhered to with this project†. He said that while earlier 500 odd trucks used to be parked outside the plant gates waiting for their turn almost 110 trucks were lined up inside the  plant for uploading cement, which became a big task to handle. But now due to effective adoption of Speed there are only 27 trucks inside the plant at any point of time and only 200 trucks outside. ACC’s Tikaria plant engages nearly 4,000 trucks for this exercise. Due to the speed initiative the tonnage per truck has increased increasing productivity and is time saving thus allowing trucks to make more trips to the plant in the same given time. ACC has also deployed Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) and Global Positioning System (GPS) in all vehicles for effective tracking of vehicles and keeping in constant contact with drivers. â€Å"Inward and outward transportation forms a significant share of ACC’s overall costs and the Speed initiative has allowed about 5% saving in costs. With 30 million tonnes cement moved across the country by various ACC plants which engage about 12,000 heavy duty vehicles the savings from this initiative can be huge when adopted across all plants† said Director ACC Tikaria Plant, N Keshav. Tikaria was the first cement plant in the country to adopt such a logistics project and would soon take it to all 16 plants of the country said, Director-Logistics, Tushar Dave. He said that the program has also led to manpower efficiency and drivers find it more convenient and comfortable to do their duty. Acc to hindu ACC Ltd. has embarked on an initiative to improve the efficiency of its supply chain, which include 10,000 trucks that carry cement from its plants to sales outlets across the country. Transportation costs account for 35 per cent of the total sale price of cement and ACC, the subsidiary of Swiss cement major Holcim, hopes to bring down this cost by 4 to 6 per cent. ACC has deployed radio-frequency  identification (RFID) and global positioning system (GPS) technologies to radically change the way cement is supplied to the market. RFID has been deployed at its cement plants in Tikaria (Uttar Pradesh), Damodhar (West Bengal) and Thondebhavi (Karnataka). Over 400 trucks have been GPS-enabled so far. Within two years, 10,000 trucks and all plants would have GPS and RFID. This project, which is in its pilot stage, has yielded satisfactory results, and a veteran logistics professional has been hired to spearhead the initiative. â€Å"Considering the huge costs involved in road transport, as well as to address the issue of time and asset efficiency, we embarked on a new journey 12 months back. Through automated and technology-enabled process we have improved the asset utilization in road logistics,† said Tushar Rameshchandra Dave, Vice-President, Central Logistics, ACC. He said RFID and GPS would together increase the utilization of assets (trucks) which, in turn, would lead to freight savings and optimization of resources. â€Å"Fixed costs of trucks will go down as the same number of trucks can now ship more cement in lesser time. A truck that was doing up to 4000 kms a month can now do 6000 kms. Apart from financial benefits, it will help in curbing pollution,† Mr Dave said. â€Å"There is an increase in evacuation of 15-20 per cent and betterment of service levels up to 40-50 per cent,† he added. With RFID, a truck that was taking 220 minutes to drive from the entrance to the exit gate of a plant, is now doing it in 75 minutes. RFID tracks the historical data of a truck and the time taken to go from the entrance to the exit gate of the plant. It is also helps in tracking the non-value added time. GPS, however, tracks the movement of a truck once it is outside the plant. â€Å"RFID and GPS together are ensuring better visibility of trucks and helping in complete transparency of operations,† Mr Dave said.

Blood Promise Chapter Fourteen

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