Most people believe they directly and completely perceive the world Essay - 1

Most people believe they directly and completely perceive the world that surrounds them - Essay Example It is the very sense that causes us to come up with innovative things and creative ideas. Often, we come across illusion images concentrating upon which for some time, we acquire the image in our eyes that we retain for some time, though there are none other than biological reasons behind this. The images are reflected against plain white background for a matter of seconds. As we see around after that, the memory of the image fades away. Contexts in which stimuli are experienced greatly affect human perception and remembrance of those stimuli. This was confirmed in a research conducted by Palmer. In his study, Palmer first made the research participants see a kitchen scene, and the participants were immediately then shown a loaf of bread, a drum and a mailbox (Sternberg, Mio, and Mio 112). Later when the participants were asked to memorize the things they were shown, all of them remembered the loaf of bread much better than the other two things because the loaf of bread was consistent with the context that the participants were originally shown. Taking the results of this research into consideration, it can be safely said that human perceptions of things are determined by the contexts in which they experience the stimuli. The doctrine of constructivism makes a lot of emphasis upon the meaning. Constructivism, is in itself a theory that revolves around learning. The main idea behind the doctrine of constructivism is that an individual constructs knowledge on the basis of his/her mental activity. The doctrine of constructivism considers learners as the organisms that actively seek knowledge and meaning. Initially, meaning is constructed in such a way that its relationship is very weak with reality, like the mindset of children, who are in constant phase of discovering the world and perceiving it. However, with the passage of time, as an individual gains more and more experience, the concepts become

Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults Essay Example for Free

Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults Essay Explain how you use effective communication in developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults. Why is this important? 1. 1 In developing positive relationships we use effective communication in several ways. We use it to: †¢help us better understand a situation or person which can help to determine our approach when engaging with them. †¢build trust and respect. If individuals feel comfortable speaking with us and feel they can approach us at any time on any subject, they are more likely to co-operate and look favourably on any suggestions made. †¢show that we care about the welfare and future of an individual and will do our best to aid in their success †¢ensure that all parties are agreed upon the same goal, making sure that everyone is clear about the final aim and how it will be achieved. †¢build and maintain a positive working environment where creativity and learning can flourish. It is important to do this because poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, lack of trust and conflict. Without a positive relationship you are unlikely to gain support and co-operation and find it challenging to achieve a good outcome from any situation. Explain the principles of relationship building with children, young people and adults 1. 2 When trying to develop positive relationships there are several principles to follow. Firstly effective communication is essential. You must be clear in what you say and ensure you have been understood correctly. At the end of a communication you can reiterate your key points and if necessary outline responsibilities and actions. Also be sure to use language appropriate to the person with whom you are communicating. When speaking with young children keep key points to a minimum and ask them to repeat what you have said. Secondly, take time to listen to others and try to understand their point of view. Use active listening techniques to show that you are interested in what they are saying and respond appropriately. Also make sure that, if you tell someone you will get back to them, you do get back to them. This will help engender a sense of trust and respect. It is also essential that you show respect for the person with whom you are communicating. Remember their name and details of how they like to be addressed and issues which are personal to them. Recalling details of their lives adds to the feeling that you are genuinely interested in them and their welfare. When communicating be sure to acknowledge the individual. Accommodate any religious and cultural beliefs and show that you value these differences. Be considerate of the person’s situation trying to understand and accommodate any issues which may influence their feelings, actions and responses. Finally, remain positive and retain a sense of humour. Laughter is a good way to break the ice and relieve tension in a stressful situation. Explain how different social, professional and cultural contexts may affect relationships and the way people communicate 1. 3 There are several ways in which social, professional and cultural contexts may affect our relationships and the way we communicate. We must remember that communication is not just verbal and context will influence the way we act, what we wear, how we communicate and what we say. In a social setting our actions, language and dress may be less formal. If we have colleagues and parents from school as friends outside of school, then we might perhaps greet them with a hug and a wave. Our language might incorporate slang and jokes and conversation might be more generic and less serious. We might be more casual in our attire and the situation would suggest whether this is acceptable. For example, you would not be expected to attend a party wearing your best suit. The manner in which we communicate socially is also likely to be different from a professional setting. As well as telephone and face to face conversations we might also engage via text message, email and social media sites and we would be unlikely to write a letter to someone we might see daily. Communications might, for example, utilise text speak and jargon and not necessarily demand an immediate response if any at all. In a professional context you would be expected to act, speak and dress more formally. Your actions language and clothing should match the severity of the issue which you will address and show appropriate respect for the location and people with whom you are meeting. If participating in a parent/ teacher meeting at school for example the same people you greeted with a hug the night before would be better greeted with perhaps a handshake to highlight the position you hold in this scenario. Our language would be more formal and depending who was present we might try to eliminate jargon to ensure clarity and minimise misunderstandings. Similarly again our clothing would be more formal to identify the position we hold and show respect for those involved in any meeting. When contacting people professionally the use of social media sites would not be appropriate to discuss any matters relating to school, pupils or staff. Text messages might be appropriate to inform parents/carers of a school social event for example but to arrange a meeting or discuss an important matter it would be more appropriate to speak with a parent/carer or write a letter if the contact needs to be documented. When working with outside agencies email, for ease of use and speed, has become the standard form of communication but again when broaching a sensitive or important issue, a phone call or face to face meeting might be preferred. Emails can easily be misread which can lead to misunderstanding and conflict. When speaking we can use tone of voice to help ensure a point is understood correctly and face to face we can use body language in the same way. The timeframe in which we contact someone or reply to a communication can also affect relationships. When someone has taken the time to contact you they will expect a response to show that you value their contact and it should be made in the same manner or more personally. Responding to a phone call with an email, for example, could be seen as rude and deter future contact. Similarly, delaying a response could suggest that you do not value the input of the individual or consider them or their issue to be important and bring about the same result. Finally, we need to consider the cultural differences of those with whom we interact. Different cultures may also have different standards in terms of behaviour, dress, communication and contact. Actions could be misinterpreted and cause offence leading to the breakdown of a relationship. If you are meeting with someone from a different culture it may be worth doing some research and asking their preferred form of contact etc. to show that you value their beliefs. However, whilst it may be detrimental not to account for cultural differences you could see the same consequences if you assume differences because of background or race when actually there are none. What skills do you need to communicate with children and young people 2. 1 Communication is still a relatively new thing for children and young people and they may not be used to asking questions and holding conversations. One skill required to communicate effectively is giving children and young people opportunities to speak. As adults we are inclined to think that we know what children are thinking and feeling and try to tell them this or fill the gaps in their speech. Whilst we should continue to try and communicate with children as often as possible we should ensure it is a two-way conversation and not a one-way stream of instructions. We should remain patient and allow children time to organise their thoughts and formulate their sentences. When a child is relaxed and at ease they will be more forthcoming. Children may be shy and reluctant to say more than a few words if they feel you are not interested in what they have to say. Using positive body language we can encourage children to speak out. We should come down to the child’s level, face them and maintain eye contact. Remaining focussed on the child rather than continuing with another task will confirm your interest and appropriate facial expressions will show that you are listening and have understood what they are saying. Active listening is another key skill. Be interested and make appropriate responses whilst the child is speaking to confirm that you are really listening. Add to this by repeating back what the child has said to ensure your understanding is correct and by giving positive comments when they have finished. Asking open questions will extend the conversation giving the child more practice, boost the child’s confidence so they are encouraged to communicate more and model a real conversation for them to learn from. Finally, we must also ensure that communication is appropriate for the child or young person and be able to adapt the style we use. Depending on the age and ability of the child we may be able to simply converse or might need to incorporate visual support or play into the communication. We should not assume children and young people will not understand but instead make our communication clear, use vocabulary which is appropriate to their age and encourage questioning. Give a detailed explanation of how you adapt communication with children and young people for: 2. 2 aThe age of the child or young person When communicating with younger children you should try choose a setting which is familiar to the child and where they are more confident – their favourite area of the classroom for example. Get down to the level of the child perhaps sitting on the carpet and use body language to make them feel more comfortable – ensure you are facing the child, smile, nod, turn toward them, keep your arms open and remove any barriers between you. Younger children will require more reassurance and perhaps more physical contact. They may feel more confident holding your hand or sitting close together. Vocabulary should be kept simple and sentences short, broken down into easy steps. The same point may need to be repeated several times in different ways and it is helpful to provide examples based around their own experiences. If a child is very reluctant to communicate you may want to use puppets to speak through, include pictures or props to help them engage or perhaps incorporate your communication into a favourite game. The attention span of younger children is very short and you must also account for this. Monitor the length of time you spend together and include attention switches to maintain their interest: change your method of communication, switch speakers, move location, ask questions etc. Older children and young people will still need to feel comfortable in your company but are more independent and will require less reassurance and physical contact. They are more familiar with the school environment so will find it easier communicate in different settings but will more comfortable in a setting they have used before. Older children often view themselves as grown up and will appreciate being treated accordingly. Positive body language will still be beneficial in encouraging a child to speak but it will no longer be necessary to sit on the floor. Language and vocabulary should be more mature and sentences can be more complex. It may also not be necessary to repeat a point so often unless it is something new and above that person’s ability level. Examples can be drawn from a variety of sources as their experiences are wider and additional materials should be more sophisticated such as written texts or †you tube† clips. Older children are more aware of themselves and can be easily embarrassed. They will benefit from confidence boosting reminders of how well they are progressing and positive re-enforcement. They will, however, withdraw and react negatively if patronised, preferring to be treated with respect and spoken to honestly. With age attention span also increases so it is still necessary to include attention switches to maintain focus but not as frequently. bthe context of the communication We will encounter children in a variety of situations at school and it will be necessary to adapt our communication accordingly. Primarily our contact will be made inside school during a learning activity. In this case we need to remain quite formal, be directive and model the behaviour we require through our own actions. Ground rules should be laid down in clear, concise Instructions and the learning objectives highlighted to ensure all children fully understand what we expect and are trying to achieve from the lesson. There will be other children in the same area working on separate activities so we need to make our lesson interesting to retain the attention of our group but not distract the others. We can do this through tone of voice, choice of vocabulary and supplementary resources but must be wary not to overexcite the group because of the other learners present. If your activity is away from other learners then it may be possible to incorporate physical activity and allow greater expression. Distractions will be plentiful and we will need to encourage and focus our learners through positive re-enforcement and challenges. If appropriate to the task we should encourage discussion through questioning but keep discussion restricted to the subject at hand. In a more social setting, for example the playground, we can be less formal and more relaxed in our approach. This would be reflected in our body language, tone of voice and vocabulary. These times can be used as opportunities to build relationships and get to know the children better. Children can be encouraged to discuss outside interests and we might share our own experiences to help form a bond. Whilst it may be necessary to give little reminders of school rules to avoid bad behaviour it should not be necessary to outline them in full and they can be made in a more playful and conspiratorial manner – a helpful friend rather than a figure of authority. Although conversation might be more light hearted we must still remember to maintain the relationship of teacher and pupil. A school trip, however, is a more social event, but still a learning activity and the degree of formality should remain on a similar level to the classroom. The formality of the pupil teacher relationship should remain so the children understand that you â€Å"are in charge†. Children will need to be reminded often of their objectives but communication might be more light hearted and children allowed to speak more freely, discussing outside interests highlighted by the current situation. Outside the school environment they will be excited and more forgetful of their code of conduct. It will not always be possible to speak with the whole group when on a trip so we should communicate through our own behaviour, modelling what we expect from the children: remaining focussed, respectful, and responsible.

Censorship Gone Too Far :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Censorship Gone Too Far Seven Works Cited Have you ever walked into a music store and seen those parental advisory stickers on most of todays' popular music? Or have you seen those TV ratings on the top left corner of your favorite shows? How about the ratings on your favorite video games? I'm sure you have, but do you really know what those so-called harmless stickers, and images do to the world of entertainment and your freedom of expression for that matter? A recent craze to promote "family values" in the U.S. has caused censorship panels to go entirely too far with the censorship of the entertainment industry including television, radio, the Internet, and even authors. Not only do the customers suffer by having parental bans on their favorite music, but the musicians suffer as well. The musicians are betrayed by their own labels, who are there to support them, not hurt them! The world of music is basically a collage of the artist's thoughts, so banning what they write is a violation of their freedom of speech. (Crowley, 1) One of those artists is three time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow. In 1996, Crow released her self-titled album to her many awaiting fans. When most went to their local Wal*Mart to pick it up, they were turned down because of the contents in the lyrics. (Family-Friendly..., 76) Wal*Mart said the lyrics were offensive and argued that Crow, and her record label change the offensive lyrics. (Family-Friendly..., 76) When Crow and her label refused to change the lyrics, Wal*Mart and many other large-retail stores refused to sell her album. (Family-Friendly, 76) That was not the only time a large retail store refused the sale of an item! In 1986, Wal*Mart stopped the sale of certain rock magazine, including Creem and Rolling Stone. (Family-Friendly..., 76) The company argued that the magazines conflicted with the family oriented atmosphere they tried to maintain. (Family Friendly..., 76) The same goes for the CDs with Parental Advisories. Wal*Mart and most large retail stores like it, will not sell any Parental Advisories CDs. Therefore, they have decided to clean up those CDs before putting them on the shelves, altering them in many ways to get rid of the so-called explicit lyrics.

Frederick Douglass Essay

In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave, Douglass describes the dehumanization of both slaves and slave owners. Many slaves were dehumanized by getting beat, raped and even killed. He has seen many horrid things like the incident with Denby’s death and how he had to fight over scraps of food. Douglass not only describes the dehumanization of the slaves, he also talks about how it also changed many of the slave owners that he had encountered. The first time Douglass sees the dehumanization of the slave owners was when he met Mrs. Auld. She had never owned a slave before so she treated him with respect and with kindness. At first, Mrs. Auld is described by Douglass as angelic, kind, and humble. She taught him the alphabet and how to read. Frederick said, â€Å"When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach.†(pg. 82) However, her husband scorned her for teaching a slave how to read. He influenced her with his corrupt mindset about treating slaves and changed Mrs. Auld from â€Å"Angelic† to â€Å"demonic† as Frederick described. He said, â€Å"Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness.† This shows how immensely Mrs. Auld was changed just by her husband commanding her and telling her what was right in his mind. Once she discovered this new found power, that she has power over another human being, she used it to her advantage and went from being the nice lady that taught Douglass how to read to the lady that would punish him if she caught him reading. Another example of the dehumanization of the slave owners is Mr. Covey. He was a very religious man and was also nicknamed the â€Å"n****r breaker† because all the slaves that went to him, he emotionally broke, leaving their life even more depressing and gloomy. Mr. Covey was proud of his nickname and cared very much for his reputation. It says in the novel, â€Å"Added to the natural good qualities of Mr. Covey, he was a professor of religion — a pious soul — a member and a class-leader in the Methodist church.†(Pg. 101) Covey was devoted to religion and breaking his slaves to build on his reputation that he has. The dehumanizing part is that he likes what he does and how he beats the poor slaves. The novel states, â€Å"My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!† this shows how cruel Mr. Covey is that he made Douglass â€Å"transform†. Everything that he learned went away, his slight sense of joy if there was any was now wiped away from him. Douglass also talks about the dehumanization of the slaves. Branching off from Mr. Covey, Many women slaves were dehumanized by being â€Å"baby machines.† Mr. Covey bought a women slave, Caroline, and her only job was to breed with another man which was Samuel Harrison which was a married man. This is very contradictory because Covey claims to be a man of god when he is doing things like this. Another example of the dehumanization of slaves was when Douglass and his mother were separated when he was born. The slave owners didn’t want them to gain affection with each other because they thought it would distract them from working. In the novel it says, â€Å"I do not recollect of ever seeing my mother by the light of day. She was with me in the night. She would lie down with me, and get me to sleep, but long before I waked she was gone.† This shows how his mother would walk all the way to another plantation just to see him at night when he was sleeping because she loved him very much. It was very dehumanizing when Douglass described what kind of food they had to eat, â€Å"We were not regularly allowanced. Our food was coarse corn meal boiled. This was called MUSH. It was put into a large wooden tray or trough, and set down upon the ground.† He later describes how the children were called to eat the mush like pigs and how they had to fight over the little they had. It was the survival of the fittest. As you can see, dehumanization had an effect on the slaves by destroying them physically and mentally, making them depressed and malnourished, and in some cases, dying. There were also effects on slave owners but not as bold as the ones slaves endured. Mrs. Auld went from being a nice, angelic lady who was nice to everyone and everything to cruel and punishing.

Organized crime in the 1920s Essay

The 1920s was time of music and literature but it was also a decade of crime. This rise ot illegality was not random but caused by prohibition and immigration. The advancement of guns also helped gangs progress. one of the most Important figureheads of this era was A1 Capone. organized crime flourished during the 1920s In America. The typical Italian mafia stereotype has some truth since our mafia was strongly influenced my Italy. During the mid-1800s the Sicilian mafia grew exponentially In Italy, but this quickly came to an end. At the end of the 19th century the Fascist egime of Benito Mussolini attacked the crime organizations of Italy (Mafia in the United States) Sicilian Mafiosi decided to escape to America to continue their illegal ways In Just New York in went from 20,000 in 1880 to 500,000 by 1 910 (Mafia in the United States), In 1919. the 18th amendment was passed starting the Prohibition era and sparking a wave of crime. The 1 8th amendment also known as Prohibition banned the consumption, manufacturing, and sale of alcohol. This left a major market unclaimed with a lot of potential profit. This market also gave Sicilian Mafiosi nother reason to immigrate. The mafia eventually took over the alcohol business using their skills of skilled a smuggling and bribery to get around the amendment (Mafia in the United States). The advancement of guns thanks to World War helped the mana operate and even gave them another product to sell. Directly due to the passing ot prohlbltlon the gun market In America expanded (Prohibition). Gangs used guns to kill off rival gangs and keep hold of your territory, the most famous of which Is Thompson gun.

Animal and Human Research Ethics Paper

Animal and Human Research Ethics Paper Free Online Research Papers In any aspect of life, the well being of oneself comes before any other considerations. With in mind, medicine has a very similar view. The health and prosperity of the human race comes before any other considerations. This brings about the grounds for the practice of nonhuman animal testing. With this, professional and ethical issues are raised and must be explored in order for a conclusive answer to be given. The statement that â€Å"animals have rights† is one that very few people will disagree with. There are those, however, who see animal cruelty as a form of entertainment. The ethical question then arises asks whether the â€Å"cruelty† against an animal can be benefited for humans or should humans benefit from themselves. It is evident that the human race is at the pinnacle of creation as they have achieved progressive heights that cannot be matched by any other species. Unfortunately, animal research has been a fundamental part of their continued progress. Since Aristotle, animals have been used utilized for the benefit of humans. The question of why this has occurred for some time is because they had no other alternative than direct human testing. Man has come a long way and must find seek other testing techniques that are advanced in order to eliminate this harmful practice. One possibility is from Professor Joordens in which he indicates that humans should test on humans who have the desired disease. This would bring about greater thought as experiments would encompass a greater meaning to them. Medical research done on humans is a delicate process. There are many skeptics who believe that human testing should be prohibited as human life is considered more valuable than the life of animals. From a biological standpoint, it is said that all life is stemmed from a common ancestor. What then is the difference between the experiments of a human and an animal as treating animals differently would make them subhuman – no rights, feeling of pleasure and pain. (You may want to rephrase this sentence) This subhuman difference causes negative effects as some drugs that are safe on animals may potentially not be safe on humans and vice versa. Thus, it is apparent that testing on animals is erratic which is why promotion of human testing should be carried out. Furthermore, animals have rights! Every day, laboratory animals are exploited and are enduring suffer for the benefit of testing and research. How is it that a person can be charged for neglecting and not feeding their pet while companies can torture and kill millions of animals every year and no consequence is donned upon them? Thus, animals are deprived of their dignity. When a human imposes its life on an animal, they have taken over that life have become its jury, judge and executioner. Animals have no say which is why human testing should be implemented. Humans voluntarily submit to an experiment with the acknowledgment that something potentially can go wrong. According to Professor Joordens’, his opinion piece says that human based exponents are much more accurate even though progress may slow down. It occurs as scientists will spend more time planning the experiment through as they are dealing with a human. The speed of progress is only relative as it is compared to the past. Over time, man will become accustomed to it and will find the true benefit of human rather than animal testing. Consequently, animal research is an immoral practice that must be reduced and abolished whenever possible. The cruelty performed among animals may be beneficial but it is certainly not ethical. The development to the extensive application of substitutes to animal experimentation will persistently gain momentum as people become more aware about the problem. However, for now, all one can do is try to reduce the number of animals harmed. Research Papers on Animal and Human Research Ethics PaperGenetic EngineeringStandardized TestingResearch Process Part OneInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Spring and AutumnCapital PunishmentArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Effects of Television Violence on ChildrenPETSTEL analysis of IndiaOpen Architechture a white paper

Ethics in Research The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment Essay Example

Ethics in Research The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment Essay Example Ethics in Research The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment Essay Ethics in Research The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment Essay The field of medical specialty has experienced rapid growing with in the few 150 to 200 old ages. and over the old ages we have learn that many of these scientific developments were made at the disbursal of irregular processs and research carried out with small to no concern on the unethical facets of the research. as medical scientific discipline progress the research workers place small or no attempt towards informing topics about the nature of experiments. Tuskegee syphilis experiments in Alabama was on particularly an ill-famed experiment. from 1932 to 1972’ the U. S. Public Health Services ( PHS ) conducted an experiment on 400 African American males in the late phases of pox these work forces. for the most portion nonreader sharecrop farmers from one of the poorest counties in Alabama. were told what disease they were enduring from or of its earnestness. informed that they were being treated for Bad Blood their Doctors had no purpose of bring arounding them for pox at all. The information for the experiment was to be collected for necropsies of the work forces. and they were therefore intentionally left to devolve under the depredations of third poxs which can include tumours. bosom disease. palsy. sightlessness. insanity and decease. this is the most unethical. immoral and genocidal act carried out and funded my U. S. Public Health Services. Coercion or purchase was the chief tactic the PHS research workers use to enroll their trial topics. whom was hapless uneducated sharecrop farmers that luck the resources needed to seek out side aid. by misleading the participants about the truth of their unwellness ( pox ) . but non the less this was a agency for the PHS to transport out their concealed docket. to do them aware that they do hold an unwellness and The U. S. Public Health Services was at that place to assist handle them of their so call bad blood pandemic. this act of coercion provided the PHS the purchase they need to enroll necessary research topics. Because of this the consent acquired by the research workers from the research subjects was invalid because the information provided by the research workers was topics was invalid. this misdemeanor of inform consent stemmed further. the research workers did non explicate the anticipation and badness of the research. the research workers intentionally did non inform the topics that they have the right to worsen to take part and to retreat from the research once it has begun. The spider web of prevarications and misrepresentation planed and carried out by The U. S. Public Health Services research workers had no programs of bring arounding the syphilis pandemic. the misrepresentation in this research is the chief implicit in ground why this research survey is unethical in nature. instead than the existent misrepresentation itself. the deliberate usage of misrepresentation in this research resulted in the deceases of a 100 African Americans research topics. these deceases was really apart of the research it self. ’The survey actively kept the work forces off from intervention. even after penicillin became widely used for the intervention of pox in 1950s. In February of 1969. the PHS decided to go on the survey and to go on to deny the work forces antibiotic intervention even though penicillin had become established as the criterion intervention for pox. because it assumed that the disease was far excessively advanced for it to be treated. Associated Press newsman Jean Heller broke the narrative on July 25. 1972 on the front-page of the New York Times and the survey stopped at once After the research had ended the lone 74 participants of 400 septic topics had still been a unrecorded after the survey got exposited. In August 1972. an ad hoc commission found the survey to hold been ethically unjustified and argued that penicillin should hold been given to the work forces upon its find. 40 old ages after the experiment had ended the trial topics was non Adequate debriefed on the true nature of the survey and the long-run effects of the of the pox on their organic structures. married woman and childs. After the imperativeness release of the Tuskegee pox experiment the trial topics was provided with small to no confidentiality from the imperativeness or PHS after the findings of the research was publish. The experiment diverseness was limited to African Americans males. who were the carry of the pox. Mentions William J. Clinton. Remarks. in Tuskegee’s Truths: Rethinking the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. erectile dysfunction. Susan M. Reverby ( Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. 2000 ) . 574-577. Thomas G. Benedek and Jonathan Erlen. The Scientific Environment of the Tuskegee Study of Syphilis. 1920-1960. Positions in Biology and Medicine 43 no. 1 ( 1999 ) . 1-30. Ad Hoc Tuskegee Syphilis Panel. Selections from the Final Report. in Tuskegee’s Truths: Rethinking the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. erectile dysfunction. Susan M. Reverby ( Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. 2000 ) . 166. Jean Heller. Syphilis Victims in the U. S. Went Untreated for 40 old ages. in Tuskegee’s Truths: Rethinking the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. erectile dysfunction. Susan M. Reverby ( Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. 2000 ) . 116-117. anessa N. Gamble and Deborah Stone. U. S. Policy on Health Unfairnesss: the Interplay of Politics and Research. Journal of Health Politics. Policy and Law 31. ( 2006 ) : 93-126. Ruth R. Faden. Susan E. Lederer. J. E. Lederer. and Juan D. Moreno. U. S. Medical Researchers. the Nuremberg Doctors Trial. and the Nuremberg Code. Journal of the American Medical Association. 276 no. 20 ( 1996 ) : 1668. Martin S. Pernick. The patient’s function in medical determination devising: a societal history of informed consent in medical therapy. in Making Health Care Decisions: A Report on the Ethical and Legal Implications of Informed Consent in the Patient-Practitioner Relationship. President’s Commission for Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research. 3 1-25.

The Great Barrier Reef - Worlds Largest Reef System

The Great Barrier Reef - Worlds Largest Reef System Australias Great Barrier Reef is considered to be the worlds largest reef system. It is made up of over 2,900 individual reefs, 900 islands and covers an area of 133,000 square miles (344,400 sq km). It is also one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is the worlds biggest structure made out of living species. The Great Barrier Reef is also unique in that it is the only living organism that can be seen from space. Geography of the Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea. It is off the northeast coast of Australias state of Queensland. The reef itself stretches over 1,600 miles (2,600 km) and most of it is between 9 and 93 miles (15 and 150 km) from shore. In places the reef is up to 40 miles (65 km) wide. The reef also includes Murray Island. Geographically, the Great Barrier Reef stretches from Torres Strait in the north to the area between Lady Elliot and Fraser Islands in the south. Much of the Great Barrier Reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It covers over 1,800 miles (3,000 km) of the reef and runs along Queenslands coast near the town of Bundaberg. Geology of the Great Barrier Reef The geologic formation of the Great Barrier Reef is long and complex. Coral reefs began forming in the region about between 58 and 48 million years ago when the Coral Sea Basin formed. However, once the Australian continent moved to its present location, sea levels began to change and coral reefs started to grow quickly, but changing climate and sea levels after that caused them to grow and decline in cycles. This is because coral reefs need certain sea temperatures and levels of sunlight to grow. Today, scientists believe that complete coral reef structures where todays Great Barrier Reef is were formed 600,000 years ago. This reef died off however due to climate change and changing sea levels. Todays reef began to form about 20,000 years ago when it started growth on the remains of the older reef. This due to the fact that the Last Glacial Maximum ended around this time and during glaciation sea level was much lower than it is today. Following the end of the last glaciation about 20,000 years ago, sea level continued to rise and as it got higher, the coral reefs grew on the hills being flooded on the coastal plain. 13,000 years ago sea level was almost where it is today and the reefs began to grow around off the coast of Australia islands. As these islands became further submerged with rising sea levels, the coral reefs grew over them to form the reef system present today. The current Great Barrier Reef structure is about 6,000 to 8,000 years old. Biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef Today the Great Barrier Reef is considered a World Heritage Site due to its unique size, structure and high levels of biodiversity. Many of the species living in the reef are endangered and some are endemic only to that reef system. The Great Barrier Reef has 30 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises. In addition, six species of endangered sea turtles breed in the reef and two green sea turtle species have genetically distinct populations in the north and south of the reef. The turtles are attracted to the area due to the 15 species of sea grass that grow in the reef. Within the Great Barrier Reef itself, there are also a number of microscopic organisms, different mollusks and fish that inhabit spaces inside the coral. 5,000 species of mollusk are on the reef as are nine species of seahorses and 1,500 species of fish, including the clownfish. The reef is composed of 400 species of coral. The areas closer to land and on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef are biodiverse as well. These places are home to 215 bird species (some of which are seabirds and some of which are shorebirds). The islands within the Great Barrier Reef are also home to over 2,000 types of plants. Although the Great Barrier Reef is home to many charismatic species like those previously mentioned, it should also be noted that a variety of very dangerous species inhabit the reef or areas near it as well. For example, saltwater crocodiles live in the mangrove swamps and salt marshes near the reef and a variety of sharks and stingrays live within the reef. In addition, 17 species of sea snake (most of which are venomous) live on the reef and jellyfish, including the deadly box jellyfish, also inhabit nearby waters. Human Uses and Environmental Threats of the Great Barrier Reef Due to its extreme biodiversity, the Great Barrier Reef is a popular tourist destination and around two million people visit it per year. Scuba diving and tours via small boats and aircraft are the most popular activities on the reef. Since it is a fragile habitat, tourism of the Great Barrier Reef is highly managed and sometimes operated as ecotourism. All ships, aircraft and others that want to access the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park need to have a permit. Despite these protective measures, however, the Great Barrier Reefs health is still threatened due to climate change, pollution, fishing, and invasive species. Climate change and rising sea temperatures are considered the greatest threats to the reef because coral is a fragile species that needs water to be about 77ËšF to 84ËšF (25ËšC to 29ËšC) to survive. Recently there have been episodes of coral bleaching due to higher temperatures. To learn more about the Great Barrier Reef, visit National Geographics Great Barrier Reef interactive website and the Australian governments webpage on the Great Barrier Reef.

Are Prison Sentences The Best Way To Deal With Criminals Essay

Are Prison Sentences The Best Way To Deal With Criminals - Essay Example Adding even more prisoners is not in the best interest of this nation’s people because they must pay more in taxes to build more prisons, support a increasing inmate population and are in the end less safe as a consequence. The economy is also hurt as this tax money is basically thrown away unnecessarily instead of being spent within the community. For more than two decades, lawmakers have frequently updated sentencing guidelines by enacting mandatory minimum sentences. Of these modifications, the predetermined prison terms ordered by politicians have been the most prevalent by far. The movement toward more severe sentencing reforms has had adequate time to be thoroughly studied and specific conclusions obtained. The initial determination has been that the broadly held viewpoints on which these ‘tougher’ sentencing laws were legislated via the public through their representatives were for the most part wrong. The sentences for violent crimes were not as relaxed as commonly assumed prior to this period of substantial reforms nor were they softer than sentences imposed in other developed nations for similar offenses. Distorted facts used by political groups combined with the media that focused sensationalism such as showing uncharacteristic examples of light sentences given to violent offenders. During the past quarter century, the U.S. has seen an unmatched proliferation of federal and state and prison inmates.

Analysis Karl Marx View of Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis Karl Marx View of Capitalism - Essay Example   One of the major aspects that led to the support of the capitalism by Marx is that it leads to economic efficiency due to the fact that the principles of capitalists are widely adopted at the international and national levels. As a result of the free entry of new firms in the capitalist system, the level of investment rises to lead to more job opportunities and improved economic position of households. In this regard, Marx just like Engels, his fellow philosopher was on the opinion that capitalism should be emulated by government and business communities since it improved the living standards of individuals by initiating technological, scientific and economic developments. In his analyzes of capitalism, Karl Marx covered two main elements that include Proletariat and Bourgeoisie. The section below candidly indicates the relationship between the two elements according to Karl Marx. Capitalist class structures Proletariat and Bourgeoisie are the two primary social classes that make up capitalists society. According to Karl Marx, Bourgeoisie is the owners of the factors of production that includes land, machinery, raw materials, factories as well as business organizations that are used to produces commodities demanded by members of the society. On the other hand, Proletariat works to earn wages and they own little or no property. Similarly, Marx depicts that due to the polarisations of the classes within a society, members of the intermediate classes would be converted into either Proletariat or the Bourgeoisie. Nevertheless, Marx argued that as a result of economic growth and the establishment of stock companies, the level of employment would improve leading to more jobs thus resulting in the emergence of the middle class. The major area that Marx covered in his theory of capitalism is the relationship that exists between Proletariat and Bourgeoisie. He indicated that the two classes are dependent on each other. For example, Bourgeoisie depends on Proletariat during the production of goods and services since the latter do not own property and they have to work to earn wages. In this way, Bourgeoisie derives profits from their firms. On the other hand, Proletariat relies on Bourgeoisie who provides them with employment opportunities from where they generate their income. Even though the two classes have a strong positive relationship, the aspects of conflict and exploitation are evident. For instance, the Proletariat who are the providers of labor in the firms owned by Bourgeoisie, are exposed to poor working conditions that include low salaries, working for long hours that exposes them to poor health as well as poor housing. In their efforts to increase profits, property owners exploit the workers by paying them low salaries that are not equivalent to the value of the goods and services produced in the factories. The theory of capitalism as depicted by Karl Marx stipulates that the decision of which goods and services to produce largely depends on the desire to maximize profits rather than the need to meet human wants.  Ã‚  

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 6

Human Resource Management - Essay Example All these efforts are aimed at making organizations more competitive and yet these activities have one profound effect on organizational life: Managers are being asked (told) to do more with fewer people The growing competitive environment results in the paradigm shift in the recruitment strategy. Research indicates that there is a strong case of behavioural recruitment model. The best organizations succeed not because of their people, but because they have the right people. Skill, knowledge, and attitude of the workforce are critical inputs for the success of any organization (Cronin 1996). Hence, there is the strong need for competency-based recruitment and behavioural interview which can provide a desirable option. The traditional methods which focus more on resume, references and past experience fail to capture the complexity of identifying the right candidate. Competency-based recruitment through behavioural interviews focus more on the right fit between the organization and the individual. Behavioural interviewing provides the structure for describing jobs in terms of the values and behaviour of the organization. It also helps in interpreting the candidates behaviour and not j ust their experience. The job of recruiting a new candidate does not end by signing on the dotted line. The real effort actually begins after that. What today is bringing many companies to become aware of this is often ignored and an overlooked fact is the growing realization that the employees quit within first two to three months of their recruitment, which is often termed as the "honeymoon period". The failure of an employee to stick around can damage the company in many ways. More energy is spent on damage control and to motivate the rest of the employees. The HR department should design induction program to help the employees acclimatize and become comfortable with the

Master dissertation proposal (outline)of about 600 words Essay

Master dissertation proposal (outline)of about 600 words - Essay Example The purpose of introducing ICT in education is to enhance the language learning and educational activities of students and support the teaching process by means of computers, internet and the latest technologies. ICT has already become a part and parcel of young kids’ lives. The research will focus on questions like: has introducing ICT concepts at so young an age helped children discover, examine, explain and solve problems, foresee, argue and judge? For primary school children, that is, key stage 1 and 2, do teachers feel their responsibility where to make use of ICT tools to support language learning of the students? Is ICT also helping children with special needs or not? There are a lot of ICT tools available that help children with special needs adapt to their new learning environment which is more efficient and more helpful to them. Do these tools help children who find difficulties such as language hurdles, cultural hurdles, writing trouble (dysgraphia), reading difficu lties (dyslexia), math difficulties (dyscalculia), memorizing difficulties and environmental disadvantages? These issues have inspired me to conduct a research about ICT in CALL for young children. Harriet, Price. The Really Useful Book of ICT in the Early Years. United Kingdom, UK: Routledge, 2008. (This book helps explain the role of ICT in young children’s education especially their language learning process.) Siraj-Blatchford, Irum., & John Siraj-Blatchford. A Guide to Developing the ICT Curriculum for Early Childhood Education. United Kingdom, UK: Trentham Books, 2006. (This book is also a great help in understanding the importance of ICT in CALL in early childhood phases.) Questionnaires and personal interviews with teachers, parents and children will be conducted. I shall visit parents at homes and teachers and children at school. I shall conduct a comparative research based on results received from children

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Essay

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself - Essay Example It is because in male dominated society, female slaves were the worst sufferers of male lust. Also since women’s financial contribution was equal to their male counterparts’, they were often neglected the allowances which were normally granted to the male slaves. In the narrative, Jacob upholds the fact that the nineteenth century society was, in the first place, very much discriminatory to women. On top of it, slavery would permit the male dominated society to exert their brutal desires over the female slaves to the fullest extent. Such brutal treatment would never hold them accountable. In the narrative, Jacob shows that the evil of slavery puts the despotic males at the control of humanly institutions like motherhood, womanhood, etc. Therefore, the slave-owners not only denied humanity by continuing slavery, but also reached the extent to oppose the most sacred institution of womanhood as well as motherhood. When Jacob says that â€Å"Slavery is terrible for men; bu t it is far more terrible for women†¦Superadded to the burden common to all, they have wrongs, and sufferings, and mortifications peculiarly their own† (Jacobs 23), she refers to a masculine but horrible face of slavery in the context of femininity. In addition to what the slaves, whether they are male and female, suffer from, a female slave has to suffer vehemently from a torrent of emotional anguish first as an object of lust and then as a mother. Different from other slave narratives, Jacob has used the scope to view slavery from a quite different angle. Jacob notes that most of the lave narratives of her era have a common pattern of depicting the graphic details of whipping, physical torturing, etc. Subsequently these narratives uphold a dangerous escape of their slave protagonists to the North. But Jacob depicts a quite different situation for a female slave. She shows that for a female slave, any attempt to escape from the slavery was more of a heart-piercing dilemm a because of their progenies. She could neither endure the torture nor leave their children behind and run away. So, their only way was to submit to their fate. But when other women would let themselves collapse under the crushing torture of slavery, Linda retains her mental strength to oppose Mr. Flint’s desire. Linda’s mental strength is evident in a speech: â€Å"When he told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in every thing; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his, never before had my puny arm felt half so strong† (Jacobs 46). Indeed, this simple comment of Linda tends to summarize the gist of the whole narrative as well as of the evil of slavery in American society during the early nineteenth century. It can be viewed from different perspectives and angles. As a mother, Linda violently fights against slavery. She wants to save her children from the evil of slavery. She plays hoax on Mr. Flints in ord er to attain freedom for her children, Benny and Elena. She had to spend innumerous sleepless night in the tight attic in which she can hardly stand. But her only pleasure is that she can see her run around her Aunt Martha’s house freely. Indeed, for any male reader, such sacrifice may seem to be something mere, but the pains, sufferings and angst she undergoes during those days of slavery are

Response to Classmates Week 11 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Response to Classmates Week 11 - Coursework Example When workers determine the significance of the others, they will work as a team to improve patient care. The Head Nurse may be helped by other parties who are neutral to this case so that the nurses and their assistants may pay attention to the training. This is because if Michelle clarifies the issue alone, some of the workers may fail to listen to her because she is one of their own (Xerri, 2013). As Brenda states, the supervisor may help by giving all the employees the workplace code of conduct. However, the supervisor should do this after investigating the case and understanding the root cause of the hostility. This is because if the supervisor highlights only the code of conduct, the problems among the workers may remain unsolved and this will worsen the case (Woska, 2013). Therefore, I suppose that after investigating the cause of the hostility, the supervisor should work with Michelle to solve the case and remind the employees of the healthcare rules by providing them with the code of conduct. I do not agree with James’s idea that the head nurse should document the wrongdoings of the employees because this may create the feeling of job insecurity among the workers. This is because employees may think that they records of their wrongdoings may cost their job in future and they may become nervous. Documenting the mistakes of the workers may also waste the time that Michelle would use to solve the problem (Valsecchi, Wise, Mueller, & Smith, 2012). The documentation is also unethical because the information may trickle to other parties who may use it to threaten the workers in future. I concur with James that teamwork and partnering may improve the workers relations and the quality of services that patients receive. This is because these strategies may increase the employees’ understanding of one another. Shearer and Maes (2014) argue that the understanding

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Essay

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself - Essay Example It is because in male dominated society, female slaves were the worst sufferers of male lust. Also since women’s financial contribution was equal to their male counterparts’, they were often neglected the allowances which were normally granted to the male slaves. In the narrative, Jacob upholds the fact that the nineteenth century society was, in the first place, very much discriminatory to women. On top of it, slavery would permit the male dominated society to exert their brutal desires over the female slaves to the fullest extent. Such brutal treatment would never hold them accountable. In the narrative, Jacob shows that the evil of slavery puts the despotic males at the control of humanly institutions like motherhood, womanhood, etc. Therefore, the slave-owners not only denied humanity by continuing slavery, but also reached the extent to oppose the most sacred institution of womanhood as well as motherhood. When Jacob says that â€Å"Slavery is terrible for men; bu t it is far more terrible for women†¦Superadded to the burden common to all, they have wrongs, and sufferings, and mortifications peculiarly their own† (Jacobs 23), she refers to a masculine but horrible face of slavery in the context of femininity. In addition to what the slaves, whether they are male and female, suffer from, a female slave has to suffer vehemently from a torrent of emotional anguish first as an object of lust and then as a mother. Different from other slave narratives, Jacob has used the scope to view slavery from a quite different angle. Jacob notes that most of the lave narratives of her era have a common pattern of depicting the graphic details of whipping, physical torturing, etc. Subsequently these narratives uphold a dangerous escape of their slave protagonists to the North. But Jacob depicts a quite different situation for a female slave. She shows that for a female slave, any attempt to escape from the slavery was more of a heart-piercing dilemm a because of their progenies. She could neither endure the torture nor leave their children behind and run away. So, their only way was to submit to their fate. But when other women would let themselves collapse under the crushing torture of slavery, Linda retains her mental strength to oppose Mr. Flint’s desire. Linda’s mental strength is evident in a speech: â€Å"When he told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in every thing; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his, never before had my puny arm felt half so strong† (Jacobs 46). Indeed, this simple comment of Linda tends to summarize the gist of the whole narrative as well as of the evil of slavery in American society during the early nineteenth century. It can be viewed from different perspectives and angles. As a mother, Linda violently fights against slavery. She wants to save her children from the evil of slavery. She plays hoax on Mr. Flints in ord er to attain freedom for her children, Benny and Elena. She had to spend innumerous sleepless night in the tight attic in which she can hardly stand. But her only pleasure is that she can see her run around her Aunt Martha’s house freely. Indeed, for any male reader, such sacrifice may seem to be something mere, but the pains, sufferings and angst she undergoes during those days of slavery are

Should economic efficiency be the primary consideration and priority Essay

Should economic efficiency be the primary consideration and priority for the enforcement of competition law - Essay Example This research considers both sides of the debate and emphasises EU competition law and policies. It is concluded that there is no real dominant theme as between economic and non-economic policies and purposes in the enforcement of competition law. This is as it should be, since, the social, political and economic aspects of competition law and policies are equally important to the efficient operation of the market. It is argued that economic efficiency cannot be obtained unless, the political and social objectives of competition laws are achieved. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 The Purpose of Competition Law 5 Non-Economic Purposes and Policies of Competition Law 7 Economic Purposes and Policies of Competition Law 10 Non-Economic Factors as the Main Consideration in the Enforcement of Competition Law 11 Economic Efficiency as the Main Consideration in the Enforcement of Competition Law 15 Conclusion 17 Bibliography 19 Introduction Governments have introduced national com petition laws reflecting a growing trend toward a general consensus that competition laws are primarily aimed at promoting economic efficiency in the market (Lloyd, 1998, p. 1129). Non-economic policies are also reflected in competition laws which are divided between social and political concerns (Baker, 2013, p. 2176). ... 93). Economists tend to favour the economic efficiency of competition law while legal scholars are not comfortable with this view (Kerber, 2009, p. 93). Lianos (2013) presents the two sides of the debate in terms of the economic welfare perspective versus the normative perspective (p. 7). The economic welfare perspective views economic efficiency as the main objective of competition laws. In this regard, economic efficiency refers to enabling consumption choices and the fairer distribution of production permitting freer market entry (Lianos, 2013, 7). The normative perspective refers to the promotion of innovation and democracy in the market for the social and political efficiency of the market (Lianos, 2013, p. 13). This paper analyses both sides of the debate and determines that while economic efficiency appears to be the main consideration and priority for the enforcement of competition law, non-economic factors should have equal consideration. In making this argument, this paper is divided into three parts. The first part of this paper presents the economic and non-economic policies of competition law. The second part of this paper analyses the non-economic arguments and the final part of this paper analyses the economic arguments. The Purpose of Competition Law The purpose of EU competition law can be gleaned from Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Consolidation Edition) 2012 (hereinafter TEFU). Article 101 in general bans any agreement or collusion calculated to distort trade and competition in the market (TEFU, Article 101). A list of the applicable activities include, price fixing, production restrictions or controls, sharing markets or

Master of Business Administration Essay Example for Free

Master of Business Administration Essay Pricing policy refers to the policy of setting the price of the product or products and services by the management after taking into account of various internal and external factors, forces and its own business objectives. Pricing Policy basically depends on price theory that is the corner stone of economic theory. Pricing is considered as one of the basic and central problems of economic theory in a modern economy. Fixing prices are the most important aspect of managerial decision making because market price charged by the company affects the present and future production plans, pattern of distribution, nature of marketing etc. Generally speaking, in economic theory, we take into account of only two parties, i. e. , buyers and sellers while fixing the prices. However, in practice many parties are associated with pricing of a product. They are rival competitors, potential rivals, middlemen, wholesalers, retailers, commission agents and above all the Govt. Hence, we should give due consideration to the influence exerted by these parties in the process of price determination. Broadly speaking, the various factors and forces that affect the price are divided into two categories. They are as follows: I External Factors (Outside factors) 1. Demand, supply and their determinants. 2. Elasticity of demand and supply. 3. Degree of competition in the market. 4. Size of the market. 5. Good will, name, fame and reputation of a firm in the market. 6. Trends in the market. 7. Purchasing power of the buyers. 8. Bargaining power of customers 9. Buyers behavior in respect of particular product II. Internal Factors (Inside Factors) 1. Objectives of the firm. 2. Production Costs. 3. Quality of the product and its characteristics. 4. Scale of production. 5. Efficient management of resources. 6. Policy towards percentage of profits and dividend distribution. 7. Advertising and sales promotion policies. 8. Wage policy and sales turn over policy etc. 9. The stages of the product on the product life cycle. 10. Use pattern of the product. Objectives of the Price Policy: A firm has multiple objectives today. In spite of several objectives, the ultimate aim of every business concern is to maximize its profits. This is possible when the returns exceed costs. In this context, setting an ideal price for a product assumes greater importance. Pricing objectives has to be established by top management to ensure not only that the company’s profitability is adequate but also that pricing is complementary to the total strategy of the organization. While formulating the pricing policy, a firm has to consider various economic, social, political and other factors. The Following objectives are to be considered while fixing the prices of the product. 1. Profit maximization in the short term The primary objective of the firm is to maximize its profits. Pricing policy as an instrument to achieve this objective should be formulated in such a way as to maximize the sales revenue and profit. Maximum profit refers to the highest possible of profit. In the short run, a firm not only should be able to recover its total costs, but also should get excess revenue over costs. This will build the morale of the firm and instill the spirit of confidence in its operations. 2. Profit optimization in the long run The traditional profit maximization hypothesis may not prove beneficial in the long run. With the sole motive of profit making a firm may resort to several kinds of unethical practices like charging exorbitant prices, follow Monopoly Trade Practices (MTP), Restrictive Trade Practices (RTP) and Unfair Trade Practices (UTP) etc. This may lead to opposition from the people. In order to over- come these evils, a firm instead of profit maximization, and aims at profit optimization. Optimum profit refers to the most ideal or desirable level of profit. Hence, earning the most reasonable or optimum profit has become a part and parcel of a sound pricing policy of a firm in recent years. 3. Price Stabilization Price stabilization over a period of time is another objective. The prices as far as possible should not fluctuate too often. Price instability creates uncertain atmosphere in business circles. Sales plan becomes difficult under such circumstances. Hence, price stability is one of the pre requisite conditions for steady and persistent growth of a firm. A stable price policy only can win the confidence of customers and may add to the good will of the concern. It builds up the reputation and image of the firm. 4. Facing competitive situation One of the objectives of the pricing policy is to face the competitive situations in the market. In many cases, this policy has been merely influenced by the market share psychology. Wherever companies are aware of specific competitive products, they try to match the prices of their products with those of their rivals to expand the volume of their business. Most of the firms are not merely interested in meeting competition but are keen to prevent it. Hence, a firm is always busy with its counter business strategy. 5. Maintenance of market share Market share refers to the share of a firm’s sales of a particular product in the total sales of all firms in the market. The economic strength and success of a firm is measured in terms of its market share. In a competitive world, each firm makes a successful attempt to expand its market share. If it is impossible, it has to maintain its existing market share. Any decline in market share is a symptom of the poor performance of a firm. Hence, the pricing policy has to assist a firm to maintain its market share at any cost. Ques2. Explain the important features of long run AC curve. Ans: Long run AC curves Long run is defined as a period of time where adjustments to changed conditions are complete. It is actually a period during which the quantities of all factors, variable as well as fixed factors can be adjusted. Hence, there are no fixed costs in the long run. In the short run, a firm has to carry on its production within the existing plant capacity, but in the long run it is not tied up to a particular plant capacity. If demand for the product increases, it can expand output by enlarging its plant capacity. It can construct new buildings or hire them, install new machines, employ administrative and other permanent staff. It can make use of the existing as well as new staff in the most efficient way and there is lot of scope for making indivisible factors to become divisible factors. On the other hand, if demand for the product declines, a firm can cut down its production permanently. The size of the plant can also be reduced and other expenditure can be minimized. Hence, production cost comes down to a greater extent in the long run. As all costs are variable in the long run, the total of these costs is total cost of production. Hence, the distinction between fixed and variables costs in the total cost of production will disappear in the long run. In the long run only the average total cost is important and considered in taking long term output decisions. Important features of long run AC curve 1. Tangent curve Different SAC curves represent different operational capacities of different plants in the short run. LAC curve is locus of all these points of tangency. The SAC curve can never cut a LAC curve though they are tangential to each other. This implies that for any given level of output, no SAC curve can ever be below the LAC curve. Hence, SAC cannot be lower than the LAC in the ling run. Thus, LAC curve is tangential to various SAC curves. 2. Envelope curve It is known as Envelope curve because it envelopes a group of SAC curves appropriate to different levels of output. 3. Flatter Unshaped or dish-shaped curve. The LAC curve is also U shaped or dish shaped cost curve. But It is less pronounced and much flatter in nature. LAC gradually falls and rises due to economies and diseconomies of scale. 4. Planning curve. The LAC cure is described as the Planning Curve of the firm because it represents the least cost of producing each possible level of output. This helps in producing optimum level of output at the minimum LAC. This is possible when the entrepreneur is selecting the optimum scale plant. Optimum scale plant is that size where the minimum point of SAC is tangent to the minimum point of LAC. . Minimum point of LAC curve should be always lower than the minimum point of SAC curve. This is because LAC can never be higher than SAC or SAC can never be lower than LAC. The LAC curve will touch the optimum plant SAC curve at its minimum point. A rational entrepreneur would select the optimum scale plant. Optimum scale plant is that size at which SAC is tangent to LAC, such that both the curves h ave the minimum point of tangency. In the diagram, OM2 is regarded as the optimum scale of output, as it has the least per unit cost. At OM2 output LAC = SAC.

Present and Discuss the Views submitted by Socrates and Thrasymachius i

In the first book of the Republic Socrates and Thrasymachus argue about the nature of justice. Thrasymachus claims that justice is the advantage of the stronger. He also claims that Socrates’ arguments against that position stem from a naive set of beliefs about the real intentions of rulers, and an uncritical approach to the way words acquire their meaning. Present the arguments on both sides. Who do you think is right? Justify your position. In the first book of the Republic Plato orchestrates a dialogue between his teacher Socrates and one of his peers Thrasymachus in order to demonstrate the desirable nature of justice. In this essay I shall present Thrasymachus argument that justice is a tool of oppression wielded by the strong over the weak, whereas injustice provides a happy and fulfilled existence, and Socrates notion that justice is a desirable commodity and characteristic that benefits all individuals and is the only way to achieve any common goal. I believe that both philosophers have elements of truth in their arguments, however in the essay I intend to show that it is not possible to agree entirely with either party because of the underlying premise of their argument. I shall demonstrate that neither party has a correct view because they base their arguments on examples whose essence is incompatible with the concept of justice, and refute their claims due to the obvious fallacy of arguing two extremes when con sidering human nature. In the first book of the Republic, Thrasymachus states that justice is not desirable. He describes human behaviour as fundamentally self-interested, and states that justice is ‘an advantage of the stronger’ employed to suppress ‘the weaker’ . He submits the view that injustice is therefore preferable in relation to politics and to common living. Thrasymachus postulates that it is right and just to obey the rules of the state created by the ruling power, but that the ruling power will be making rules that benefit themselves. He supports his claim that the ruling power capitalise upon the weaker party by drawing a parallel between the profession of government and the profession of sheep herding: ‘The shepherd and the herdsman study the good of their flock and herds (for) the good of their masters and themselves’ . He considers that rulers rule with the objective of procuring some profit from them. On a basic level ... ... is in favour of ‘the weaker party’ and is a position of strength that provides a more fulfilling life. However, both arguments attempt to provide an explanation for the nature of justice without defining it and base their arguments on tangible concepts such as crafts and professions in order to give weight to their beliefs. Without a definition of the subject we cannot make a concrete comparison as it is unrealistic to try to prove that the nature of justice is the same as the nature of medicine. In addition, both arguments endeavour to confine human nature to extremes, just and unjust, knowledgeable and ignorant, and good and bad, without acknowledging the depth of the human experience and intermediate levels that we have. The conclusions of these arguments are incongruous with human nature and when we speak of justice, we are trying to define a concept that has distinct links with human nature. Therefore, I cannot say that either of the positions is ‘rightâ €™ as neither acknowledge my nature and have attempted to justify that justice is a commodity to desire or expel without explicating justice itself. Word Count: 2120 Bibliography Plato, The Republic, (Penguin Books, 2003)

Anesthetics :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every thing in life has a question, every question in life has an answer, and every answer in life has a reason. My question is, why be an anesthesiologist? Well why be anything, why be parents, why be young, why is the world getting more and more violent. Because we want to be, we have to be, and that's just where the world is taking us. I want to help people I want to make a difference in the way that people feel. I could very easily be a psychologist but it takes one to know one and I don't want to do that. Being a doctor I have the chance to help people of all ages and I won’t be compromising my physical and mental health.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Going into surgery knocked out by an anesthetic is like stepping on to an airplane, because you are temporarily putting your life into what you hope are trained professionals. Anesthesia has revolutionized the way we look at surgery. Hundreds of new, better and safer anesthetics have been introduced in the past 40 years. Just think of how it would be to be one of the doctors to bring one those new advances into the world. How many millions of people would you be helping?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Science is rapidly growing in the medical field every day their is a new discovery of a drug, or a procedure that works better than the old, so their for to be a part of the advancing age would be more gratifying than many other things that I can think of. An estimated 15 million people undergo anesthesia each year with only the rarest of complications. The most interesting thing about this miracle is that their is not a person on the face of this earth that can tell you what it is about the drugs we use that makes them do what they do. We don't even know how they work, or understand how they work. Yes this is a very scary thing but just think of the rewards and benefits that you could have if you could come with the answer to all those questions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fact is, is that we don't know any more now about anesthetics now than we did 150 years ago when we first started using them. Like many revolutions in medicine, anesthesia was first discovered by chance in the early 1900’s.

Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-One

I woke up the next morning, lying on top of my covers, with sunlight streaming in through the eastern windows. It was barely sunrise, but already the air was warming up. It was, as the saying went, going to be a hot one. If I truly was connected with the land, I wondered what a heat wave said about my mood. Was it indicative of my preparedness for battle? I squinted up at the play of sunlight on the stone ceiling, unsure of that question, just like so many lately. With a sigh, knowing I needed to get up, I rolled over and came face-to-face with Kiyo. I yelped in surprise. His dark chocolate eyes were open, wide awake. I think he'd been watching me while I slept. He smiled that sexy, smoky smile of his, eyes crinkling slightly. He was bare-chested, clad only in navy blue boxers. â€Å"When did you get here?† I asked. â€Å"I didn't notice a thing.† â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"You were sleeping pretty heavy. Didn't even budge when I slid into bed.† He rested a hand on my hip and slid it along my bare leg. I'd fallen asleep in a T-shirt. Seeing his eyes and feeling his hand on my skin warmed something in me. Surely all would be right in the world-worlds, even-so long as I had Kiyo. There was just something so overwhelmingly strong and secure about him, a steadiness in the midst of that dangerous sex appeal. I reached out and touched the side of his face, a bit surprised at just how happy I was to have him here with me. â€Å"I didn't know for sure that you'd come,† I admitted. â€Å"Eugenie, how can you think that?† He continued stroking my leg, but his other arm pulled me close. â€Å"I said I would. I won't let you go into danger alone.† â€Å"I know you don't approve of some of the things I do. Roland doesn't. We had a huge fight.† Kiyo kissed my forehead, then my nose, and then my lips. â€Å"He's worried about you. I am too. But I understand what you have to do here and why you want to help these people.† I looked at him and felt something lighten up within me, some lonely and aching part that so desperately needed someone to get me. Before, I'd felt like Dorian could. I prayed Kiyo was able to as well. â€Å"You do?† â€Å"Yes.† He kissed me again, his mouth warm and searching. The hand that had been on my leg moved up to my breast. â€Å"I know what it's like to live in two worlds. You're brave and do what you think is right, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you,† he breathed in my ear. â€Å"Neither are any of the people gathered downstairs.† He moved his mouth back to mine, but I wiggled out. â€Å"Wai-what? Who's gathered?† He gave a half shrug, hands still roving over my body. â€Å"Everyone. Rurik's got the guards there. Jasmine's up and cuffed. Even Dorian's here.† I sat up. â€Å"Kiyo! We have to get downstairs then. We can't-ah.† He'd moved one hand up my inner thigh-up, up, and up. â€Å"We've got time.† â€Å"No†¦we†¦don't,† I managed as his fingers moved in and out of me. For a moment, I thought of how Dorian had done almost exactly the same thing, but then I shoved the memory away. â€Å"They're waiting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Five minutes, Eugenie,† Kiyo murmured. His other hand shoved up my shirt, and he leaned down to kiss one of my breasts, slowly moving on to suck the nipple, harder and harder. I flinched slightly at the feel of his teeth, and he lifted his face up. â€Å"I've missed you, Eugenie, no matter what else you think. I've missed you and I love you.† He slid his fingers out of me, and I whimpered at their loss. He smiled. â€Å"And I think†¦I think maybe you missed me too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And with no other preamble, he rolled me over to my knees and moved up behind me. I don't know when his boxers came off, but suddenly, he was in me, hard and swollen and grunting with each thrust. I gripped the sheets with my fists, keeping my body arched for him so that he could take me even deeper. His hands clutched my hips, letting him bury himself as far as he could go. I moaned and tipped my head back, my body wanting to take more and more of him into me. Leaning his body over mine, he reached forward and managed to cup my breasts without breaking his rhythm. His fingers caressed them, thumbs rubbing against the erect nipples. The sensations in my body were dizzying, every piece of me feeling like it was on fire. At last he shifted back to his kneeling position and returned his hands to my hips, giving him the best position to fully take me. His strokes grew even harder and faster, shoving himself into me with such force that I could hear our bodies hitting each other. With a great groan, his nails dug into my hips and his whole body jerked as he came. Hands still tight on my hips, he held himself there for several moments, taking his full release. Finally, he pulled away and collapsed onto the bed. Flipping over, I sprawled beside him. â€Å"Okay,† I gasped. â€Å"Now I think I'm ready to fight some demons.† I don't think anyone really noticed that Kiyo and I had just had sex when we came downstairs. Mercifully, it didn't even rain. If anyone suspected anything, it was Dorian, with that uncanny way he had of reading people. The guards were drawn up in formation outside, but Dorian was in the parlor sipping tea with Shaya while Ysabel all but sprawled on his lap. Girard was there as well, testing the weight of Dorian's old sword while Dorian himself studied the drawing of the new sword. â€Å"Eugenie,† said Dorian, arching an eyebrow. â€Å"Don't you look radiant this morning. Why, you're positively glowing.† Ysabel scowled at his praise. â€Å"It's the leather,† I said, tugging self-consciously at my shirt. I'd argued against needing armor, but Shaya had nonetheless obtained a sleeveless top for me made of lightweight leather, good for deflecting blades. It wasn't porn-star leather or anything, but it wasn't something I was used to. â€Å"And this,† Dorian continued, pointing to the drawing, â€Å"is exquisite. Thank you.† â€Å"What is it?† asked Kiyo. â€Å"A sword from legends. One to slay evildoers everywhere. Eugenie's having it made for me.† Kiyo gave me a wordless look that was nonetheless full of questions. â€Å"It's a thank-you gift. Dorian's done me a lot of favors lately,† I explained. â€Å"I assure you,† said Dorian straight-faced. â€Å"I take as much joy in the giving as you do in the receiving.† â€Å"Okay,† I said hastily. â€Å"Are we good to go? I saw the guards out there. I'd like this done sooner rather than later.† The biggest impediment turned out to be Ysabel, who threw her arms around Dorian and begged him to be careful. He patted her hastily on the shoulder, assuring her he'd be fine. His eyes were impatient, though, and he didn't look back when he strode out with the rest of us. Poor Ysabel. I was almost starting to feel bad for her, despite her hopes that I wouldn't come back. She really was nothing more than a bed warmer to Dorian, and while most of his women knew that, she just couldn't accept it. Jasmine was ready as well, still bound and looking angry. Volusian was with us, and he had standing orders to subdue her if she tried anything-which I felt pretty sure she would. Unfortunately, I also needed Volusian to fight demons, which meant he couldn't watch her all the time. None of us could, and I was going to have to do some tricky maneuvering to keep the gun on her while still attempting banishing. Kiyo frowned disapprovingly when he saw her, more so when she had to be helped on to her horse. â€Å"This is wrong, Eugenie,† he said softly, once we were all riding. He was going in human form today. â€Å"Which part? Bringing her or keeping her prisoner?† â€Å"I don't like any of it.† â€Å"What happened to you saying you understood the choices I have to make?† I hissed. â€Å"Was that just to score sex?† Dorian had ridden up on my other side. I had no doubt he'd heard the sex comment, but he didn't acknowledge it. â€Å"How would you suggest she handle it then? Let the girl go?† â€Å"No,† Kiyo said, giving Dorian a dark glance. â€Å"But there are more humane ways of dealing with her.† â€Å"I gave Jasmine her own room and got her better cuffs! What else can I do?† I asked. â€Å"I don't know,† admitted Kiyo. â€Å"Then don't criticize if you can't offer a solution,† said Dorian. â€Å"It's easy to want peace and love in hypothetical situations-then reality sets in, and sometimes we have to do what's ugly.† â€Å"I don't recall asking for your input here,† snapped Kiyo. â€Å"As it is, Eugenie, you've got a hard choice ahead.† Dorian was speaking like Kiyo wasn't even there. â€Å"What are you going to do when you've finally taken care of this rabble? What will you do with the prisoners?† I shrugged. â€Å"Send them off to work details.† â€Å"Even their leader, Cowan? The one who summons these demons? Surely you don't want him out and about, even if it is digging ditches.† â€Å"Don't listen to him,† said Kiyo. â€Å"He's baiting you. There are prisons, even in the Otherworld. You can send him there if he survives.† â€Å"A charming act of mercy, no doubt,† mused Dorian. â€Å"One that will terrify future enemies.† â€Å"I'm not going to kill everyone who gets in my way,† I exclaimed. â€Å"I'm not my father, no matter how much you want me to be.† â€Å"I wouldn't quite say that's what I want,† chuckled Dorian. â€Å"But as a leader, you need to make examples sometimes.† â€Å"Mercy's not a horrible thing,† I argued. â€Å"Storm King never showed any,† said Kiyo. â€Å"Indeed,† agreed Dorian. â€Å"And I just want to make sure his daughter doesn't show too much. You aren't the only one who protects her, master kitsune. We all just do it in different ways.† â€Å"Enough,† I ordered. Rurik was drawing the group to a halt up front, meaning it was time to go on foot. I was grateful, seeing as I was getting sick of listening to Kiyo and Dorian's pissing contest. Just like before, we went on foot, the whole experience giving me a strange sense of deja vu, even though the bandits had changed location. I also had odd recollections of the time I'd defeated Aeson. Dorian and Kiyo had been with me then, about as thrilled to be with each other as they were now. Shaya had been there too, but Rurik had nearly had a fit when she offered today, and I couldn't help but recall Girard's words. I certainly hadn't had an army at my back when we'd gone after Aeson. Rurik sent men with a knack for moving stealthily to scope out the camp and dispatch any enemy scouts. The waiting made me restless, and a tense silence settled over everyone. I glanced at Jasmine, still bound. I wouldn't uncuff her until the last possible moment and still didn't trust her. â€Å"You know what you have to do?† I asked her. She'd been staring off thoughtfully at the guards ahead, taking in the sloped land and scattered pines. Probably planning her escape, I thought ruefully. Like before, these brigands had chosen the best cover they could find in this barren land. She turned to me, immediately putting on her standard scowl. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And you know what'll happen if you try anything?† â€Å"Yes.† Pure malice looked at me from her eyes. â€Å"Good,† I said, shifting my hold on the gun. Her eyes flicked briefly to it, and if it scared her, she made a good show of still looking defiant. â€Å"I hope you hold true to your word,† murmured Dorian, walking up to me. â€Å"Stop poisoning her,† growled Kiyo. â€Å"And both of you let me make my own decisions,† I said. The scouts returned shortly thereafter, giving us the all-clear. We headed toward the encampment, circling it and descending in full force. Thankfully, no one announced our presence, and we had a brief element of surprise before the bandits mobilized. I unfastened Jasmine's cuffs, hoping I wasn't making a mistake. My right hand firmly held the gun against her back-holding it to her head had seemed a little too cruel-while the left held my wand poised and ready. Kiyo and the other fighters were going in for the hand-to-hand combat while the other magic users and I stayed back and waited-not that I intended to use magic today. I was strictly in shamanic banishing mode. And there they were. A deep swell of magic permeated the air, and fiery forms materialized on the far side of the camp. I saw Rurik's gaze travel to the spot they'd come from, his attention not on the demons but on what was potentially the demons' summoner. Circling around, he headed toward that area. The demons were my job. I nudged Jasmine with the gun. â€Å"Do your thing. Volusian-attack.† I held my breath, wondering what Jasmine would do. A moment later, I felt magic well up in her, a magic similar to my own but with a slightly different feel. Some part of my brain tried to grasp it, hoping I could learn it for later. The rest of me watched as there was a ripple in the air-an opening to the Underworld. Two forms stepped out from the slash in our world. Much like the water elemental from the other night, these two demons were composed of water, sloshing with each step yet maintaining a solid form. They were bigger than the elemental, though, adorned with horns and glowing yellow eyes. â€Å"Only two?† I exclaimed. â€Å"There are five of the others!† Jasmine didn't respond but held up her hand like a conductor drawing a powerful note from her musicians. For a heartbeat, I wondered if the water demons would come charging toward us. They didn't. Their attention turned to the fire demons, their ancient enemy from the Underworld. Nearby, Dorian was wielding magic of his own, ripping up the earth from underneath the fire demons so that they stumbled and sank into great holes, making them easy prey. â€Å"Demons aren't that easy to summon,† he said in her defense, eyes on his handiwork. â€Å"In fact, this will be it for the fire demons. There's no way that man can summon any more. I'd be surprised if he's still conscious.† Well, that was something. Jasmine's servants had two of the fire demons in a deadlock, which meant none of them were going after my people. Volusian was making good work on one of the demons as well, though the other two were rampaging forward. It was time for me to step up. I drew up the human power I'd used my entire life, the power that was based on will and not emotion like gentry magic. My wand focused it, and I sent it out toward one of the loose fire demons, encircling him and summoning up the strength of Persephone to open up a way to the Underworld and suck him back. He sensed the banishment happening, and I felt his power surge as he tried to fight it. I steeled up my own strength, and what seemed like a land mine suddenly went off near him, showering him in dirt and rock as he stumbled. Thank you, Dorian. The Underworld opened up, and the demon dissolved back to his domain, unable to fight my strength. And like the last time I'd fought these guys, the power required for that banishing took a lot out of me. Surveying the rest of the battle, I saw with pleasant surprise that one of Jasmine's water demons had defeated a fire demon. That water demon had then joined his partner, and it appeared as though they would make quick work of their target. Kiyo and the other soldiers were doing a good job of killing or subduing the rest of the bandits. I turned back to the fire demons, assessing my next strategy. One was unengaged and starting to move toward my soldiers. This banishment was going to be harsh. I drew up all my strength and repeated the process, calling out to Persephone and reciting the words to send the demon back to the Underworld. It distracted him from my soldiers, and he started lumbering toward me. Fuck. â€Å"He. Is. Coming,† said Jasmine stiffly. I couldn't see her face with my gun to her back but got the impression she was as strained as I was. â€Å"Yeah, I kind of noticed.† He was pushing back at me with his own strength of will. I clenched my teeth. No, no. I am stronger. I am Storm King's daughter. I needed another distraction to slip him up, but everyone else was busy. Dorian's attention was on the demon that Volusian battled. That demon was moderately stronger than my minion, but seeing that Volusian couldn't really die†¦well, it made it hard to destroy him. So, neither was gaining ground until Dorian used some of his magic to attack the demon with a nearby chunk of rock, letting Volusian move in for the kill. My demon was still approaching, and I needed a distraction of my own. Iron didn't dampen my powers anywhere near as much as it did Jasmine's, but it could sometimes affect me a little. I could still work my gentry powers while in contact with it, but it was easier without. In an act I was certain I'd regret, I dropped the gun and immediately called upon my storm magic. I would have given anything to blast this demon with lightning, but that was still beyond my control. Instead, I reached up toward the sky, calling on water and air. To my astonishment, I was able to bind them together. Thick, leaden clouds formed, whirling into a weak funnel cloud that descended on the demon. It was the most powerful force of weather I'd ever-consciously-summoned, and it knocked the demon over. I couldn't maintain my hold on it, and the ministorm dissipated instantly. It was enough, though, and I sent out the banishing before he could respond. It felt like my insides were being ripped out, but I manag ed it, kicking him out of this world. Gasping and woozy, I looked around, realizing there were no more demons left-well, no fire demons at least. The water demons, victorious, were still there-and they were charging toward us. Shit. I realized then what I'd potentially unleashed. I cuffed Jasmine on the shoulder, nearly knocking her over, and reached for my gun. â€Å"I warned you not to try anything,† I cried, pointing the gun at her. â€Å"Send them away!† â€Å"It's not me,† she exclaimed back. â€Å"I can't control them!† Stepping forward, I got a good look at her face. She was covered in sweat, skin pale. Dorian had said demon summoning was hard, and the full weight of what I'd done hit me. She'd summoned them but no longer had the power to control them. I had no more strength left for banishing, but I could feel Jasmine still trying to work her magic, weak as it now was. It was impossible to sense every part of what someone else was doing with their magic, but I got a strong feel for hers. These creatures were bound to water. They were part of my domain. Doing my best to mimic her, I joined my strength to hers, sending commands through my magic, willing them to leave this world. They were nearly on us, and I almost laughed at the irony as my own death approached. Then, suddenly, I felt my magic sync up perfectly with Jasmine's. Control of the demons slipped into place, and they froze. Together, she and I ordered them back, and there was a tear in the fabric of space, an opening to the Underworld. It was almost like a banishing, but not quite. The demons were willingly-well, with our urging-returning, and our magic helped them with the passage. A moment later, they dissolved from our world. After that, I felt like I'd run a marathon. Every part of me ached and was wearied. Yet, as bad as I was, Jasmine was worse. â€Å"I guess blood really is thicker than water,† she whispered in a very bad attempt at a joke. She swayed on her feet, eyes rolling back in her head, and then she collapsed. I barely managed to catch her in my own weakened state, but then stronger arms took hold. Kiyo. He barely had a scratch, and relief poured through me. â€Å"Thanks.† He lifted her easily into his arms. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Fine,† I said, looking down at my sister-who hadn't betrayed me after all. â€Å"She's bad, though. Get her to a healer.† Kiyo hesitated, not wanting to leave me. Then, he gave a quick nod and loped off in that way that was half-human and half-wild animal. Looking around, I saw that the others were rounding up the remaining rabble. My losses looked light. Rurik was leading a man who seemed to be in the same shape as Jasmine. The demon summoner. Dorian was with Rurik and gave me a quick glance. I knew what was in the look. Kill the summoner or not? I gave a sharp shake of my head. Dorian grimaced and then turned back to help Rurik with his prisoner. No one seemed to notice or need me, and I sank gratefully to the ground, waiting for my strength to return. I wondered if I'd be able to call up the magic again that I had used with Jasmine. Trying to piece it together seemed like too much work now, and I contented myself with watching my people work. Then, out of my peripheral vision, I saw movement. I stood up and looked far to my side, toward a stony bluff covered in cacti. A face peered out at me and then ducked back. I knew the face. It was the scarred gentry who'd come to my house the other night. With no further thought, I started to hurry after him. Then, to my astonishment, I paused and did what Rurik would have wanted. A couple of my soldiers were lingering nearby. â€Å"Hey, come here,† I called, gesturing. They immediately followed as I set off at a brisk pace, moving as fast as I could to reach the bluff. When I turned around the side of it, I saw no sign of the gentry warrior I sought. The ground rose sharply here, beginning to turn into foothills reminiscent of the ones near my house in Tucson. The vegetation was thicker, though still a far cry from a true forest. It was mostly cacti, shrubs, and scraggly trees. Going up the small hill was a narrow path, and on impulse, I headed up it in search of my prey. The footsteps of my soldiers sounded behind me, their boots crunching in the gravel. Who was that guy? And why was he here now? Was he one of the bandits? I hadn't seen him in the fight. Was he some sort of spy, perhaps, which was why he'd come to my house and- Snick. Snick. Two arrows came out of nowhere as we reached the crest of a hill. Each one hit one of my soldiers in the chest, dropping them to the ground. I came to a screeching halt, waiting for my arrow, peering around the trees for the mystery gentry to reveal himself. But he didn't. Art did. He smiled, stepping forward. â€Å"Eugenie, nice to see you again. You've been very busy around here, I hear.† He waved vaguely toward where I'd come from, though my people were nowhere in sight. Eugenie, I thought, you are a fucking moron. Beyond Art, I saw the gentry I'd chased emerge from the cover, along with two others-all wearing leather armor like Jasmine had described. They carried bows and wore red shirts under the armor. â€Å"Roland called me last night and nearly bit my head off about getting you involved in gentry politics.† Art shook his head, amused. â€Å"I wonder what he'd say if he only knew just how involved you were-your majesty.† I was exhausted as hell and devoid of magic. But-I was still human and not without human implements. The gun was still in my hand, and I jerked it up toward him. I needed to distract him until some of my own people came. Fuck. I shouldn't have come rushing up this hill, even if I had had the sense to bring some backup. The question now was, would the rest of my people notice I was gone? Usually, I could hardly step outside the castle's door without a dozen people in tow. Art tsked me. â€Å"Would you really do it? Would you really kill one of your own kind? Or are we even your own kind?† Magic suddenly filled the air-familiar magic. Shamanic magic. It encircled me like fog, thick and heavy. Forgetting Art, I turned abruptly around, toward the sound of words being chanted-words I knew by heart. Abigail was standing there, wand in hand. And so help me, she was banishing me. I felt her will shove up against mine, just as I'd grappled with the demons. The world around me began to tear open as a vortex started to pull my essence apart. I fought it, fought it with every ounce of strength I had-but there was just none left to give. When it came to traveling the worlds, crossroads and gateways were the way to go. They made for a smooth transition. Or, one could travel like I often did, journeying to some item imbued with your essence, an item that couldn't help but draw your soul to it. And rarely, if you had the strength, you could tear open a gateway by force and shove your way into another world. That wasn't recommended. It hurt like hell. And essentially, that's what a banishing was-only it wasn't your choice. It was someone ripping you out of the world and shoving you into another. I felt the fabric of this world open up, felt the unstoppable pull of another. I couldn't fight it. I tried. I kicked, I screamed, but I was too weak. I felt like I was shattering into a million pieces, sucked into a whirlwind and then, I was gone.