Land That Contains Substances Environmental Sciences Essay

Metallic elements have played an of import function in the development of adult male, gold and Cu, both native metals have been worked into desirable objects since 15000BC. ‘Advanced ‘ smelting techniques were developed by 4000BC, used to pull out Cu from ores and within a farther 1,000 old ages, other metals were being extracted, including Ag, lead, Sn and Zn. The development of the blast furnace centuries subsequently led to the big scale production of Fe and steel ( sgm.ac.uk 2002 ) . The last 100 old ages has seen Great Britain shaped by the ‘great ‘ industrial revolution and witnessed the development of a overplus of industries, notably, the steel, coal and chemical industries. Industrial ‘visionaries ‘ , focused on the development of industry had non planned a sustainable hereafter and the effects to the environment were overridden by enlargement. It is this deficiency of planning that has led to historical industrial procedures leting waste to be disposed of by merely tipping it onto the land, chemicals and natural stuffs were frequently spilt in situ ensuing in land taint ( sepa.org.uk 2012 ) .Contaminated landLand that contains substances in or under the land that are considered to be a possible jeopardy to human wellness or the Environment is considered to be ‘Contaminated ‘ ( environmental-protection.org.uk 2012 ) . Contamination can be categorised into assorted signifiers and can impact in different ways, depending upon legion factors including ; type, concentration and the nature of the substance ensuing in a huge array of impacts to both human wellness and the environment ( sepa.org.uk 2012 ) . A study undertaken by the British Geological Survey ( BGS ) in 2009, estimates that in England entirely, there are around 15,470 hectares of land that is classed as contaminated ( nerc.ac.uk 2009 ) . Contamination is assessed on a site – site footing, in a command to ease the deployment of the most efficient and operable technique. In order to find the best technique, inside informations of the contamination ( s ) contained within the dirt foremost necessitate to be assessed along with the type of land stuffs present at the surface and in the subsurface ( defra.gov.uk 2010 ) . Following initial probes, contaminations can be determined and classified into groups depending on their belongingss ( organic or inorganic ) ( Brown 2009 ) . Table 1: Contaminant categories used to find redress technique applied. Adapted from ( defra.gov 2010 ) .OrganicTypical illustrationsHalogenated volatile organic compounds ( VOCs )1-chlrobutane, methoxyflurane, pentafluoropropan-1olHalogenated semivolatile organic compounds ( SVOCs )Chlorophenol, Tetrachlorophenol, ChlordaneNon-halongenated volatile organic compounds ( VOCs )Benzene, Xylene, propanone, Carbon disulphideNon-halongenated semivolatile organic compounds ( SVOCs )Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAH ) , phenolOrganic CorrosivesAcetic acid, aminobenzineOrganic nitrilesOrganonitrilesPolychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs )PCB ( Arochlor ) -1016Pesticides / weedkillers4, 4-DDT, HeptachlorDioxins / Furans2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuranInorganicMetallic elementsLead, Mercury, Chromium, ZincRadionuclidesRadioactive isotopes of U, radonCorrosivesHydrochloric acid, sulfuric acidNitrilesMetallic nitrilesAsbestosBlue, brown, whiteMiscExplosives2,4,6 -trinitrotoluene ( TNT ) , hydrazine Table 1 is intended to supply a fundamental position of the categorization of contaminations, measuring the rightness of redress techniques is a complicated procedure in world, in world, several constituent contaminations will be contained within the mark site, each class of contamination would be assessed separately to measure the pertinence of a redress technique ( epa.gov 2012 ) .Redress of contaminated landEnvironmental hazards associated with contaminated land are typically remediated – a technique that seeks to take contaminations contained within the dirt ( ny.gov 2012 ) . Redress techniques are typically capable to an array of regulative demands – Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 that is based on the likeliness of important injury to human wellness and important pollution of the H2O environment ( northdevon.gov.uk 2012 ) .Appropriate redressThe appropriate redress solution should be implemented to ensue in the land being ‘suitable for usage ‘ . Remediation should render the land no longer contaminated and the effects of any important injury, or pollution of controlled Waterss that has occurred has been remedied, the suitably selected redress technique can in many state of affairss see the degree of taint reduced to such a degree that any considered important hazard is minimum, this does non nevertheless connote that all contaminations are removed wholly, in some state of affairss the contaminations are at such low degrees that they pose no hazard or that they are for good contained unmoved ( environment-agency.gov.uk 2004 ) .Remediation engineerings availableHistorically, the redress of contaminated land can be expensive and relies to a great extent upon procedures that are basically really proficient ( defra.gov.uk 2010 ) . Many of these procedures have involved heavy technology solutions, although considered to be really effectual, and in many instances, the merely feasible option, they have high environmental , societal and economic impacts ( clu-in.org 2012 ) .Categorization of dirt redress engineeringsSoil redress engineerings can be categorised into four distinguishable wide categories ( Table 1 ) harmonizing to the cardinal rules involved in the remotion / containment of contamination ( s ) which can be farther sub-divided into unmoved and ex-situ techniques ( ehu.es 2012 ) . In situ clean-ups require no digging of contaminated stuff, in situ techniques are frequently preferable because of their lower application cost ; nevertheless, the general consensus is that these techniques take longer to make the preferable position and are more hard to supervise because of non-uniformity in intervention because of discrepancies in dirt stuffs ( DETR 1998 ) . Ex situ attacks ( digging of a contaminated country ) and handling it on site ( antique situ, on-site ) or transporting it to a distant site for ‘cleaning ‘ ( ex situ, off-site ) is by and large considered to be the more expensive option given the logistics of the operation, nevertheless, ex-situ techniques present the advantage of taking the bulk of taint forestalling farther spread ( iastate.edu 2012 ) . Table 1: Overview of both in situ and ex situ redress engineerings available, adapted from: ( defra.gov. 2010 ) .In-situTechnologyBiologicalPhysicalChemicalThermalChemical oxidization and decreaseiElectro – redressiiEnhanced bioremediation utilizing redox amendmentsiBlushingiiiPhytoremediationiAir SpargingiBiospargingiStabilization and hardeningiiThermal TreatmentiVentingiiVitrificationiiiEx situBiopilesiSlurry stage bioreactorsiChemical oxidization and decreaseiSoil lavation and separation proceduresiiStabilization and hardeningiiThermal desorptioniIncinerationiEx situ dirt vapour extractioniiVitrificationiiiWater and gas / vapour interventioniiiBiological redress engineeringsBioremediation uses micro-organisms ( barm, fungi or bacteriums ) to degrade organic contaminations ; bioremediation can be carried out both unmoved and ex-situ. The contaminations act as a nutrient beginning for the micro-organisms that break them down. Aerobic processes require a beginning of O, chase awaying C dioxide COa‚‚ and H2O H2O ( clu-in.org 2012 ) ( Figure 1 ) Figure 1: Conventional diagram of aerophilic biodegradation in dirt ( tamu.edu 2008 ) . Ex situ techniques include slurry-phase bioremediation, a procedure of keeping contact between micro-organisms and contaminations by adding H2O to contaminated dirts to organize ‘slurry ‘ ( iastate.edu 2012 ) . Other bioremediation techniques include ; Bioventing Injection of H peroxide ( H202 ) Solid stage bioremediation Landfarming Dirt biopiles Composting ( clu-in.org 2012 ) . Bioremediation is an economical procedure for a wide scope of applications of organic wastes. Many of the procedures can be handled in situ avoiding the demand to transport risky stuffs from site ( sa.gov.au 2005 ) .Physico – Chemical interventionsPhysical methods of dirt renewal are those that do non alter the physic-chemical belongingss of the pollutants accumulated in the dirt to be cleaned ( cieh.org 2007 ) . Physical redress techniques include simplified procedures such as dirt extraction and storage of contaminated dirts along with more complicated and technological techniques ( defra.gov.uk 2010 ) . In the physical procedures, the stage transportation of pollutants is induced. In the chemical processes, the chemical construction of the pollutants is changed by agencies of chemical reactions to bring forth less toxic or better dissociable compounds from the solid matrix ( unido.org 2012 ) . Physical redress techniques offer a cost effectual solution that can be concluded comparatively rapidly, and devour really small technology or energy resources ( eugris.info 2012 ) . Physical applications can be engaged both unmoved and ex-situ, and have the advantage that a wide spectrum of pollutants can be removed from the contaminated site and that they can be widely administered ( little, local sites ) ( unido.org 2012 ) . Physical-chemical interventions include ; Dirt Blushing Dirt lavation ( Figure 2 ) . Fracturing hypertext transfer protocol: //renewcanada.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/swallowtail2.png Figure 2: Dirt rinsing technique ( renewcanada.net 2010 )Thermal interventionsIt is by and large considered that thermic procedures are the most dearly-won, nevertheless, a speedy redress clip is offered as compensation ( unido.org 2012 ) . Thermal redress involves the debut of hydrocarbon contaminated dirts into a het vas and retaining those dirts until they reach a unvarying temperature. Contaminants are heated by the thermic procedure, heat is applied to increase the volatility, to fire, break up, destruct or run the contamination. The hazard of let go ofing dioxins into the ambiance is an of import consideration and hence, runing temperatures are limited to 800A °F ( purdue.edu 2006 ) . Factors that influence the timescale of effectivity are the type and sums of contaminations present that scope from site to site, the physical size of the site and dirt stuff nowadays ( clu-in-org 2012 ) . Thermal techniques can be applied both unmoved and ex-situ, the rule advantage of unmoved techniques is that dirt can be treated without the demand to take and transport cut downing operating costs, nevertheless, unmoved techniques by and large take longer to de-contaminate a site and cost nest eggs are negligible. Ex-situ techniques involve the digging and remotion of contaminated dirts where they are exposed to high temperatures in intervention cells ; the cells contain contaminated media during the application. Although ex-situ techniques offer a decreased intervention clip, increased logistical deductions offset intervention costs ( clu-in-org 2012 ) . Thermal techniques typically include ; Hot gas taint Vitrification Injection of hot air Thermal Conduction Additional techniques are shown in tabular array? hypertext transfer protocol: //www.emis.vito.be/sites/default/files/data_sheets/migrated/schema % 20thermische % 20reiniging.PNG Figure 3: Diagram of thermic cleaning ( vito.be 2012 ) .2.0 A critical appraisal of the effectivity of dirt redress techniques and the protection of groundwater2.1 The Groundwater systemâ€Å" The largest available reservoir of fresh H2O † ( Environment-agency.gov.uk 2012 ) Water that is continually traveling through the environment is known as the H2O rhythm, nevertheless, most of the rain that falls will be soaked up by dirt, through the procedure of infiltration, H2O will soak farther down into the land and finally into underlying stones, this is known as groundwater ( groundwateruk.org 2012 ) .2.2 The importance of groundwater70 % of the planetary capacity of fresh water is groundwater, 30 % of this sum is found within rivers, lakes and watercourses, many of these rivers and lakes etc. are fed straight by groundwater, it can non be underestimated how much groundwater plays an of import function within the human civilization, groundwater is the line of life afforded to planetary wetland sites and a major helper to industry in a planetary context ( environment-agency.gov.uk 1999 ) . Whilst groundwater is by and large of good biological quality, it is invariably threated by contaminations, pollutants that seep through the surface and into the groundwater system, pollution occurs from diffuse beginnings when a pollutant is spread onto the land in the signifier of an applied agricultural pesticide for illustration and besides from point beginning pollution, where a chemical spillage has occurred for illustration. Some pollutants inputs will of course degrade or will be filtered out as the H2O flows through permeable stones, but on many occasions, the pollutants are relentless types and have to be subjected to typically dearly-won redress procedures ( groundwateruk.org 2012 ) . Figure 4: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ( mfe.gov.nz 2007 ) .3.0 Are dirt redress engineerings effectual at protecting groundwater?The mobility and destiny of contaminations that enter dirt are determined by a figure of factors ( postpone? ) , in order for a comprehensive and realistic site hazard appraisal to be carried out, consideration should be given to the nature and prevalent conditions in the dirts, including ; geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, contaminant geochemistry, geotechnics, ecotoxicology and microbiology, one time these have been decently addressed, a predicted behavior theoretical account of the contamination can be produced to help in the choice of the most efficient and cost effectual redress technique ( eugris.info 2012 ) .Relevant dirt and groundwater belongingss may include:Relevant contaminant Physico-chemical belongingss may include:Soil profile Contaminant concentration Dirt texture ( comparative proportions of sand, loam and clay ) Chemical speciation e.g. the valency or oxidization province of a metal Presence of mineral components such as clays, carbonates, phosphates, oxides and organic affair ( expressed as the fraction of organic C foc ) Solubility in H2O ( or other dissolver if a non-aqueous free stage liquid is present ) Moisture content Sorption ( soil-water divider coefficient Kd and organic carbon-water divider coefficient Koc ) Particle size distribution Octanol-water divider coefficient ( kow ) Bulk dry denseness Vapour force per unit area Porosity ( air-filled and water-filled ) Henry ‘s Law invariable Sorption capacity of the dirt Biodegradation pH and redox possible Nature of metabolites Microbial populations Vegetable consumption ( dirt to works concentration ) Elevation of H2O tabular array Weathering possible Groundwater flow way Diffusion coefficient in air Hydraulic gradient Diffusion coefficient in H2O Hydraulic conduction Viscosity ( gases and bluess ) Hydraulic dispersivity Viscosity ( non-aqueous stage liquids ) Table? : Factors act uponing the destiny and mobility rate of contaminations in dirt, adapted from ( eugris.info 2012 ) .

Asian Cuisine: Thailand Foods Essay

Thailand is a small country in Southeast Asia, sharing a peninsula with Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Like all local and national cuisines, the food of Thailand reveals a great deal about the country—it is a palimpsest of its political history, its trade, and its geography. Thailand sits between the cultural and political powers of India and China, and its food is clearly influenced by both. Yet Thailand’s food, like her people, has maintained its own distinct. Thailand is not a very big nor a very rich country, but it is unique. It has a way of life that mixes ancient ritual with the ways of the modern world. Thailand is most fortunate, with both the land and surrounding seas yielding rich harvests. The staple, rice, is grown in abundance, as do the numerous varieties of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices that enliven the Thai palate. Despite all the problems of the modern world Thailand still has much of old Siam. Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. The spiciness of Thai cuisine is well known. As with other Asian cuisines, balance, detail and variety are of great significance to Thai chefs. Thai food is known for its balance of three to four fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty, and bitter. As an acknowledged expert of Thai cuisine, David Thompson, explains in an interview: â€Å"Thai food ain’t about simplicity. It’s about the juggling of disparate elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a complex musical chord it’s got to have a smooth surface but it doesn’t matter what’s happening underneath. Simplicity isn’t the dictum here, at all. Some westerners think it’s a jumble of flavours, but to a Thai that’s important, it’s the complexity they delight in. Thai food is also known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce. Each Thai dish has more than 3-4 flavors. The ingredients of each dish helps to not only harmonize all different flavors but also to make it mouth wateringly delicious. Traditionally, Thai cooks & families usually needed quite a long time to prepare the ingredients and to cook, therefore, cooperation and team work is needed to cook a family meal. The process of Thai cuisine explains Thai life: its traditions, customs and culture. It shows Thai families were large, in which its family members live together with a warm, close relationship. In cooking, Thai family members have their fair share of helping as a team. With their Buddhist background, Thais shunned the use of large animals in big chunks. Big cuts of meat were shredded and laced with herbs and spices. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing and baking, or grilling. Chinese influences saw the introduction of frying, stir frying and deep-frying. Culinary influences from the 17th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French and Japanese. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired a taste for them while serving in South America. Thais were very adapt at ‘Siamese-icing’ foreign cooking methods, and substituting ingredients. The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk substituted for other daily products. Overpowering pure spices were toned down and enhanced by fresh herbs such as lemon grass and galanga. Eventually, fewer and less spices were used in Thai curries, while the use of fresh herbs increased. It is generally acknowledged that Thai curries burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting dinners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes. A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be replaced by non spiced items. There must be a harmony of tastes and textures within individual dishes and the entire meal. Although considered as a single cuisine, Thai food would be more accurately described as four regional cuisines corresponding to the four main regions of the country: Northern, Northeastern (or Isan), Central, and Southern. Each cuisine sharing similar foods or derived from those of neighboring countries. ⠝â€" Central Thailand Central Thailand has a moderate flavor with herbs and sugar. Most curry with coconut milk dishes origin from central Thailand. For example, Kaeng Kaew Wan (Green Curry), Tom Yam (Spicy & sour soup), Tom Kha (Coconut milk soup), Panang Curry (Dry red curry). ⠝â€" Northern Thailand The dishes of Northern Thailand have light flavors, with a little spices, not very hot with chillies, not salty and most without sugar. The popular dishes are Sai-ua (Thai northern sausages), Nam-Prig Ong (Minced pork and tomato chillies paste), Kaeng Kare (vegetarian curry), and Cap Moo (Som Tam (papaya salad) is a north-eastern dish). ⠝â€" North Eastern (or Isan) The cuisine of Northeastern (or Isan) Thailand is heavily influenced by Laos. For example, Lap and Tom Sabb. Traditionally very spicy and strong tasting dishes, which show that north-eastern Thais like strong flavors with chillies, salt, herbs, and spices. ⠝â€" Southern Thailand The south has a very strong flavor of food with spicy herbs, like turmeric, and tend to contain coconut milk. For example, Kaeng Leang, Kaeng Tai-pla, and Kua Kling. In fact, Thai food always has various kinds of vegetables as a main ingredient. These can be found in many curry dishes with or without coconut milk, stir fried, salad, and eaten with chillies paste. As the Thai food’s ingredients have small quantities of fat and meat, Thai people are fortunate in their fat intake being far less than most westerners. Many popular dishes eaten in Thailand were originally Chinese dishes which were introduced to Thailand by Chinese emigration. Such dishes include Jok (Rice soup), Kway teow (noodle dishes), Khao Kha Moo or Moo Pa-loh (Pork stew, with or without rice) and Khao Mun Gai (Boiled chicken on lightly oily steamed rice). However, Thai people adapted and modified these dishes for local Thai flavor and taste. Not only the unique taste in each dish, there are more reasons why Thai food is popular among foreigners. Decoration, Thai food has an attractive decoration inducing appetites. Such as, Thai fruit and vegetable carving is an art which has been introduced to dishes, which makes you feel fascinated with the delicate preparation. Also, Thai food has both values of nutrition and medicine, obtained from ingredients such as vegetables, spices and herbs and without artificial flavoring substances. Moreover, Thai food can be harmoniously taken with other food, for example, Pad Kaprao as spaghetti sauce, and Nam-prig Pao, chili paste, as sandwich filling or bread spread. Thai folk wisdom, art and Thai culture is translated in Thai food. It reveals the characteristics of Thai people: their delicate taste, discipline, rules of conduct, artistic taste and human relationship. Hence, Thai cuisine is not only about food but it is an art to learn. Thai cuisine is not only about food but it is an art to learn. Eating & Ordering Thai Food Thai food is eaten with a fork and spoon. Even single dish meals such as fried rice with pork, or steamed rice topped with roasted duck, are served in bite-sized slices or chunks obviating the need for a knife. The spoon is used to convey food to the mouth. Ideally, eating Thai food is a communal affair involving two or more people, principally because the greater the number of diners the greater the number of dishes ordered. Generally speaking, two diners order three dishes in addition to their own individual plates of steamed rice. Thais do not use knives and forks but forks and spoons, holding the fork in their left hand to help get the food onto the right-hand-held spoon. Each spoonful should be moderately filled to conform with accepted custom. Eating by stuffing the mouth full is considered impolite. There shouldn’t be any sound of scraping the utensils on the plate nor should there be grains of rice on the lips. The Thais do not scoop portions onto their plates as home style serving in the west tends to do. They share from a common dish, taking only enough for a bite or two at a time. This way one avoids seeming too greedy and everyone has an ample share of each dish. What Comprises a Thai Meal : ⠝â€" Titbits These can be hors d’oeuvres, accompaniments, side dishes, and/or snacks. They include spring rolls, satay, puffed rice cakes with herbed topping. They represent the playful and creative nature of the Thais. ⠝â€" Salads A harmony of tastes and herbal flavours are essential. Major tastes are sour, sweet and salty. Spiciness comes in different degrees according to meat textures and occasions. ⠝â€" Dips Dips entail some complexity. They can be the major dish of a meal with accompaniments of vegetables and some meats. When dips are made thinly, they can be used as salad designs. A particular and simple dip is made from chilies, garlic, dried shrimps, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and shrimp paste. ⠝â€" Soups A good meal for an average person may consist simply of a soup and rice. Traditional Thai soups are unique because they embody more flavours and textures than can be found in other types of food. ⠝â€" Curries Most non-Thai curries consist of powdered or ground dried spices, whereas the major ingredients of Thai curry are fresh herbs. A simple Thai curry paste consists of dried chilies, shallots and shrimp paste. More complex curries include garlic, galangal, coriander roots, lemon grass, kefir lime peel and peppercorns. ⠝â€" Single Dishes Complete meals in themselves , they include rice and noodle dishes such as Khao Phat and Phat Thai. ⠝â€" Desserts No good meal is complete without a Thai dessert. Uniformly sweet, they are particularly welcome after a strongly spiced and herbed meal. The tastes of modern-day Thailand boast an ancient history. As early as the thirteenth-century, the Thai people had established what might be considered the heart of Siamese cuisine as we know it today: various types of meat and seafood combined with local vegetables, herbs and spices such as garlic and pepper, and served with rice. Later, the Chinese brought noodles to Thailand, as well as the introduction of the most important Thai cooking tool: the steel wok. Thai cuisine is also heavily influenced by Indian spices and flavours, which is evident in its famous green, red, and yellow curries. However, it would be nearly impossible to confuse an Indian curry with one from Thailand. Although Thai curry incorporates many Indian spices in its pastes, it still manages to maintain its own unique flavour with the addition of local spices and ingredients, such as Thai holy basil, lemongrass, and galangal (Thai ginger).

A Critical Analysis of Ground Handling Service Benchmarking at European Hub Airports Essay

This paper will critically analyze a paper published in the International Journal of Production Economics in January 2009 (Volume 117, Issue 1) (Schmidberger, Bals, Hartmann, & Jahns, 2009) concerning the development and application of a Performance Management System (PMS) for air-side crews in some of the major European hub airports. This study is valuable in that the benchmarking principles established here are relevant to other industries since the same process for developing this holistic benchmarking process can be adapted and applied to generic business processes. See more: how to write an analysis This critique will focus on three major components of this discussion of the benchmarking process, first the conditions that increase the demand for benchmarking considerations prior to benchmarking, and the problems benchmarking can be used to fix. Second, this paper will analyze Schmidberger’s discussion of the development of the PMS including its integration with the business strategies of associated corporations. The third and final section of discussion will be concerning the discussion of the post-validation of the PMS and recognition of performance gaps and potentially under-emphasized sections of the study. The Under-Emphasized Demand for Benchmarking Performance in the aviation industry is extensively studied and evaluated on quite a routine basis. Due to the high levels of competition and often relatively slim profit margins enterprises in aviation are constantly seeking ways to cut costs and increase efficiency (SAS Group, 2005). Ways of increasing efficiency are often classified into two major categories, vertical and horizontal integration (Sitkin & Bowen, 2010). Horizontal integration involves taking a firm’s existing business processes to a new market to expand market share, this can be difficult for airlines, and often they will elect to enter into code-sharing agreements with competitors in the new markets rather than complete expansion into these potentially saturated areas. This leaves vertical integration as a very attractive option for expansion and efficiency improvements, the process for this integration involves the analysis of both upstream and downstream components of the value chain. This is where ground handling should be considered, however both airlines and airports tend to focus on other areas such as overall airport performance with very little emphasis on such a critical component of the airline industry (Francis, Humphreys, & Fry, 2002). Deregulation has also had a large effect on the demand for airport comparisons and benchmarking. Opening the market for airside ground services up to a wider range of firms is excellent in terms of encouraging healthy competition and an open market; however it also introduces choice to airlines and airport authorities. For these choices to be made effectively there must be more research done into the ability of firms to replace traditional ground handling service providers (such as government or airport supplied entities). The research currently done in the post-deregulation era of European aviation has focused on several key areas such as financial, qualitative, political, or ecological perspectives (Murillo-Melchor, 1999). While these studies are useful from an overall airport efficiency standpoint, they do not place sufficient focus on ground handling to allow entities to decide who should provide their services. This is a specific division of aviation that has a larger impact on overall efficiency than the majority of current studies indicate, Schmidberger’s critique does a good job of recognizing this and discussing developing benchmarking processes accordingly. Developing a Standardized PMS in a Non-Standardized Industry A difficulty with a standardized PMS of airside airport services stems from variations in the management and governance of ground services. While major airports often have several firms operating the ground services, others may use a department integrated with the airport authority itself. Still others may simply allow for airlines to establish their own corporate ground service bases to work independently of other generic airport services (Fuhr & Beckers, 2006). Applying any standardized measurement system to something so non-standardized presents quite a challenge, if the PMS is too flexible or broad it will not be able to adequately express enough detail to be useful, if it is too rigid it simply won’t apply to all of the airports and doesn’t allow for change in an inherently volatile industry. Schmidberger’s critique of the PMS established throughout European airports is very positive, though it does not place a very high emphasis on establishing this need for balance between detail and flexibility. Schmidberger’s report contrasts his proposed PMS with the usual methods of evaluation currently in use at several airports. Most of these measurement systems define airside ground services as subsets of other larger firms (such as airport authorities or airlines) (Chow, Heaver, & Henriksson, 1994), this is not necessarily an accurate representation of these ground service entities seeing as in many cases they are quite separate from associated parent companies or completely separate entities wherein logistics are a primary function. While the establishment of this contrast in Schmidberger’s report certainly has value, it fails to note that in some cases these logistics divisions are quite heavily influenced by and even directly run by airport authorities or other enterprises (Francis, Humphreys, & Fry, 2002). This results in the aforementioned problem concerning applying a standardized measuring system to a highly diverse environment. The study should certainly consider the potential for ground handling entities to operate as separate entities placing logistical goals as their highest priority, though it should also make allowances for those entities that rely on collective corporate resources and function as a division of a company with a non-logistic primary focus. Post-Validation of New Benchmarking Systems Schmidberger’s report transitions into the application and post-validation of the new benchmarking systems with an identification of performance gaps as a result of the measurement phase in accordance with a study by (Jarrar & Zairi, 2001). This section quickly becomes difficult to analyze as a whole seeing as the hub-based focus of these benchmarking tactics involved a diverse use of ground handling entities for loading various types of aircraft. Schmidberger begins by dividing the results according to general aircraft size: wide body, narrow body, or regional jets. While this is an effective way of summarizing results it contrasts to the FAA and ICAO methods of classifying aircraft according to weight and/or seating capacity. The gaps identified using the new benchmarking systems and analyzed by Schmidberger’s report are concerning labour costs, overhead structures, net-availability of employees, procurement quality, and process quality. These categories result in quite a holistic summary of the efficiency of these ground service entities, a point that Schmidberger explains early and often throughout the entirety of his report. This being said, certain areas studied such as overhead and labour costs are not appropriately weighted to offset the benefits of smaller operations working on lower weight and/or capacity aircraft, at the same time revenue differences resulting from working with larger aircraft are not discussed. An interesting analysis would be a discussion of the potential for larger scale operators to use increased revenues to offset costs of damaged unit load devices, as the number of devices damaged (another measured factor in the benchmark) is not a very accurate measurement statistic if greater revenues more than offset the cost of devices. This benchmarking process takes steps to increase the transparency of ramp service providers, whether they are affiliated with airlines, airports, or independent entities. This increased operational transparency could be considered a major threat to any competitive advantage that firms had established through proprietary practices. Schmidberger recognizes the potential for this problem and addresses it by stating that the entry of new market entities presents a greater threat than the sharing of information between existing airside ground handlers. While this may be true, Schmidberger presents it as a fact without any justification. This leads to a potential for further research into whether or not new entrants to the market have taken advantage of the results of this study or if previous leaders in efficient airside ground services are seeing practices they have developed being used by their competition. Unfortunately this study would depend on the integrity of studied entities to truthfully disclose whether they used this study to discover new competitive strategies or if they developed them in-house. Conclusion The report analyzed by this article presents a comprehensive, holistic perspective on the planning, development, and post-validation of new benchmarking processes in the major European airport hubs. Schmidberger accounts for several shortfalls of the benchmarking process, effectively emphasizes the importance of this benchmarking and discusses the implications benchmarking has upon the dynamic aviation industry. Another key strength of this paper is that it successfully synthesizes the results of the study and the literature review of existing summary quickly and clearly, allowing greater focus on why benchmarking is necessary, how it is established, and how well it performed. This analysis discusses a number of shortfalls of Schmidberger’s report, while these shortfalls do not detract from the value of his analysis; they leave room for improvement of future discussion. Firstly Schmidberger does not go into very significant detail concerning the level of detail the PMS should strive for; he mentions that the study may not be applicable to many airports due to the generalizability of the study, though doesn’t discuss ways of varying the weighting and specifics of the study to account for a more flexible range of variable resulting in more reproducible results at a wider range of airports. Secondly this report could factor in the level of integration airside ground handling units have with parent companies or larger non-logistic-based firms, or at least discuss that this level of involvement could greatly influence the results of the study by varying the amount of capital and resources available to the entities. Schmidberger defines the classification of aircraft in the study, though a more comprehensive study could have discussed further the reasoning behind these classifications, such as why a deviation from general ICAO and FAA classifications was chosen and how this selection benefits or detracts from the study. A final consideration for the improvement of future studies in this field would be to establish and cite original research that supports Schmidberger’s claim that the participants in the study were not negatively affected by the increased operational transparency associated with the benchmarking process. A concise, engaging, and well-informed piece, Schmidberger’s Ground handling services at European hub airports: Development of a performance measurement system for benchmarking discusses many general benchmarking and competitive advantage issues in a specific industry environment. This allows for direct application of the lessons learned in the studies analyzed to the aviation industry but also provokes thought of the application of these principles and considerations to other industries through a balanced and reflective approach.

Media Sensationalism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Media Sensationalism - Research Paper Example It is a hallmark of playing with the public emotions in order to create a picture that is intended by government agents or terror groups. Some of the tactics normally employed include editorial biases, exaggeration, deliberate obtuse information that is intended to play with public emotion. Besides, it encompasses magnifying trivial information in order to appear loud and sensible2. Media sensationalism appears to have thrived best during the American September 11, 2001 terror attack and subsequent events. Notably, as the Bush administration strived to keep bold face after terror act, the reality of the eventually created public discontent on the role of security agents and the government in safeguarding its people. It was a devastating event that left 3031 people dead and many maimed. The paper explores how media sensationalism has since evolved as a terrorist tool and as a counter-terrorism weapon. Without communication, there would be no terrorism. Though it existed prior to mass media, terror groups have begun using mass media as a tool to discredit perceived success on the war on terror. Most notably, the Islamist extremist groups such as ISIS have used mass media as a war tool. Dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y video clip by Johan Grimpez in 1997 reflects a medium and the terrorist conflict way back before the September 11, U.S terror attack. The video offers a historical chart of airplane hijacking and how progressive television coverage became more and more deadly. It centers on an imagined conversation between a terrorist and a novelist. As the video progresses, media coverage increases leading to inward society shock on the reality of plane hijack by the terrorist. The media coverage of incidence serves to create societal tension. Mouna Abdel-Majid, a member of PLO, tells the reporter that westerners have fought beyond their territory, and they were now avenging3. Notably, they engage in exchange

Toasting the Rebellion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Toasting the Rebellion - Essay Example The examples of how such public display of Celebration shaped the formation of various revolutions are explained quite vividly in the text. Some of the examples are, The Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party and The Stamp Act Riots. The text points out that despite the idea behind such Toasting and loud singing are revolutionary the act in itself have been carried out in a very peaceful manner on various occasions. Thus, the focus remained on affirmation of political and national identities rather than public outcry. The significance of Toasts and Singing were usually carried out by huge amounts of drinking and singing in famous public places like Tavern and coffeehouses. At first the tradition was to play and sing songs that are mainly patriotic, however later the tradition moved on to playing satirical Ballads especially on politico-administrations. Usually its significance lay in venting oneself out, and to display one’s spirit openly. Most of the time, such Toasts and songs we re utilized in exerting enough pressure by certain politico groups. A huge amount of nationalism and collective consciousness was created among the people of similar beliefs, or even drawing people on one’s belief, during that time.

Human Resources Management and Strategies Research Paper

Human Resources Management and Strategies - Research Paper Example Their strategy is focused on specification. They take order specifications from clients. In such a case, they are not in competition with the mass producers. This strategy requires innovation and time. However, two orders can be very different requiring different expertise. At our business level, the strategic management process includes activities that range from appraising the organizations' current mission and goals to strategic evaluation. Given the level of competition in the furniture market, they should state their goals more precisely reflecting the volatility of the market. This first step is for senior managers evaluating their position in relation to the current mission and goals. Environment analysis looks at the strengths and weaknesses the companies are facing. Use of SWOT analysis is very important. Competition is tight and a company should know its strong points, weak points, opportunities, and threats. Some of these are external and internal. Bench hill and sons strong points are its ability to be a cost leader and the threat is the raging competition in the market. Strategy formulation involves senior managers evaluating the interaction between strategic factors and working strategic choices that guider managers meet organizations goal s. Some strategies are formulated at the corporate, business and specific functional levels. Strategy implementation focuses on technique... In particular, it refers to activities that deal with leadership styles, the structure of organization, information and control systems and the management of human resources. Leadership is the most important and difficult part of the strategic implementation process. Strategy evaluation determines what extent the actual change and performance match desired change and performance.

Future for fisheries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Future for fisheries - Essay Example Fishes are one of them. According to WWF, ‘two thirds of the worlds fish stocks are either fished at their limit or over fished’ (WWF, 2002). However, there are also other reasons for the depletion of fisheries that the writer has failed to mention or elaborate upon. One of the most glaring one is the contamination of water by industrial waste. Also not much attention is being given to these fisheries and many are being depleted as a result of neglect. The depletion or alteration of fresh water is further exacerbating the problem. Despite this, the short essay was a pleasant read and opens up the reader’s mind to the importance of the course. I agree that fisheries management is a very insightful course. Fishery management is a neglected topic and making such a course allows us as consumers to understand how we are contributing to the problem. I also agree that fish data analysis and other practical applications of the course would have been quite helpful in increasing our knowledge and interest in the subject. Overall, the writer has introduced many concepts in the short essay. His positive attitude towards the course was very pleasing to

Private and Public Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Private and Public Schools - Essay Example Private and Public Schools: The differences and Ultimate Goal According to general definition, a public school is funded, maintained, and conducted by a private group other than government while public schools are maintained at public expenses or in other word from the tax money. The opponents vow that private schools detract students from their main objectives - education, and create social segregation for the future society. The proponents of private schools also refer to various benefits: (1) students build strong, personal relationship with their lecturers and instructors, as there is a special program planned to increase interaction and dialogue between the two, (2) both private high schools and private colleges have small class sizes, (3) private colleges have a significant amount of extra-curricular programs and activities that develop a strong sense about the community. The proponent of public schools explains that there are more competitions in public schools, and these schools are more innovative. The children of these schools know th at they will have to face competitions in lives; family background will not help in achieving success in their future lives. The proponents also point to the following benefits: (1) Students have more variety in selecting geographical areas of the nation, (2) Fees are cheaper than that of private schools, (3) Public colleges are much bigger and more equipped than the average private university, and students will be more comfortable with high student population.

Planning care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Planning care - Essay Example Various nursing care plans can be applied in the health care of a patient but selection on which plan to use can be best stated according to the type of medical conditions of the patient or type of health care conditions requested for. Patient’s introduction Mrs. Mary johns is 72 years old woman admitted at the health care facility after suffering a stroke at her home. She lives with her 45 years old daughter. The patient brought in by the daughter after resuscitation after suffering a minor stroke. The daughter being the only member of the family and has to work long hour shifts to support her mother fears for life and well being of the mother. This prompted her to check in the mother at the facility for more investigations and better care as she recovers as opposed to staying at home alone as the daughter goes to work. Apart from the daughter signing her mother in at the facility, the mother is fully responsive, and she also mutually agreed to be brought into care it the fac ility. The condition and agreement is to investigate the sole cause of the minor stroke and nurture her back to her normal health condition prior to the stroke (Taylor and Lillis, 2001). Orem self care model This is a self care deficit theory proposed by Orem in self care providence, and it is a combination of the theory of self care, self care deficit, and nursing systems. In the theory, of self care it details self care as the activities carried out by an individual to maintain their self health condition. While self care agency refers to the acquired to perform an individual’s self care self care activities and highly determined by various basic conditions such as the individual’s family system, age and health care system among others (George, 2000). The third Orem’s theory of self care is the therapeutic, self care demand. This is the totality of all the self care measures required for such an individual. The carrying out of self care is to ensure the fulfil lment of the self care requisites of which there are three main types of self care requisites such as developmental, universal and deviation self care requisites. Through a full assessment, of the patient by the health care giver the deficit identified. Upon this identification, of the deficit or need, the nurse then selects the most appropriate nursing systems to provide care. These are partly compensatory, wholly compensatory, or educative and supportive systems. The health care given to the individual in accordance to the total degree of deficit or want the patient is showing of and once the health care provided the total nursing activities and the use of nursing systems for the case are to be evaluated to allow am assessment of whether the mutually planned objective met or not. Care planning A nursing care process described as being cyclical made up of various interconnecting elements and having a dynamic nature. It has been for long been an accepted feature of nursing care plan ning used in conjunction with selected nursing models. It facilitates evidence based care nursing, consistency and enables the application of correct and updated health care providence care documentation. The care planning nursing process consists of four supremely distinct phases. Each phase holds a vital role in the health care planning strategy while still being independent on functioning

Facial Expression Categorization by Chimpanzees Using Standardized Essay

Facial Expression Categorization by Chimpanzees Using Standardized Stimuli - Essay Example Four experiments were conducted onchimpanzees using a set of standardized, prototypical stimuli created using the newChimpFACS coding system. 1) The first experiment was to determine whether chimpanzees could discriminate the3D facial expression figures in a MOT (matching-to-sample). It was a reproduction ofthe study by study by Parr, Hopkins, et al. (1998) Procedure: Data were collected on experimenting 6 male and female chimpanzees aged11 years and above. They were tested in their home cage. The computer placed in anaudio visual cart was positioned about 30 cms from the cage and the eye of each animalwas about 40 cms from the computer. A joystick was attached protruding 4 cms into themesh. The experiments conducted were: 1) Initial Discrimination of Poser Stimuli 2)Inversion Effect for Facial expression 3) Examining Perceived Dissimilarity usingMultidimensional Scaling 4) Discriminating Facial Expressions using ComponentMovement. Experiment 1:The aim of this initial experiment was to verify whetherthe Poser facial expression stimuli were prominent for the subjects, and whether it couldbe discriminated at high levels of skill and that expressions were dealt with no evidentparent stimulus biases. The analysis showed that 'scream' was the most salientexpression to single out. In fact the subjects reached the final testing criteria for screamsin minimum time. Experiment 2:Experiment 2 revealed a significant inversion effect suggesting a generalconfigural processing strategy for all expressions. Experiment 3:Subjects' pattern of error when differentiating all expressions. Apart from screams and pant-hoots showed much difference based on the identity of thefoil expression. They share the majority of their individual component movements, suchas the bared-teeth display, the presence of these similarities did little to confuseperformance. The MDS analysis provides a statistical interpretation of howexpressions were categorized based on their perceived dissimilarity. Experiment 4:The results showed that for each facial expression, at least one component movement wasseen to

Overcoming Cultural Barriers to Change Essay Example for Free

Overcoming Cultural Barriers to Change Essay There is a popular saying â€Å"the only thing that is constant is change† by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. What it simply means is that the only guarantee in life is that things do not always stay the same. Change is needed to grow and advance in life. In the corporate and healthcare industries, change is happening all the time. This article addresses how the Corporate Culture within an entity can aid or hurt the change process at hand. Corporate Culture is defined as a set of characteristics that define a particular company. It involves employee attitudes, values, customs, standards, policies and procedures, and rites and rituals. It defines how a company performs and how it gets things accomplished toward either a positive or negative outcome. The article describes the characteristics of a high performance corporate culture and a low performance corporate culture. In a high performance corporate culture the individuals are more willing to embrace the changes compared to a company were low performance corporate culture is the norm. When organizations are able to adopt change and readily execute systems to carry it out, they tend to be more prosperous. A company with a low performance corporate culture can place a burden on the attempts to change, making it more difficult for everybody involved from management all the way to customers. The article also gives advice on how to overcome cultural barriers to move the culture from low performing to high performing. Some of these principles include giving rewards, showing by example, encouraging involvement, repetition, stating over and over the change and how it will benefit the organization and the expectations from the team and be passionate. By considering the organization’s culture, and acknowledging any key barriers to change, one can help make the change initiative more successful. Perseverance, communication, and passion is needed to build and support new ways of working. Building a higher-performance culture is fundamental to the organizations ability to adapt and change, and to its lasting prosperity. References Last Name, F. M. (Year). Article Title. Journal Title, Pages From To. Last Name, F. M. (Year). Book Title. City Name: Publisher Name.

Not yet forgotten Essay Example for Free

Not yet forgotten Essay There have been many wonderful periods of time in my life and the one I have chosen to talk about here is high school. Not the English type of high school, but the Romanian one: those four years before university. Before I had got there, I had already got used to the idea that school is an unlikely place for friendships to occur and it cant get any better than boredom and stress. Nevertheless, it was with hope and confidence that I stepped into the high school entrance. From the very first day I could feel something was going on well. I had a cheerful feeling and I was very comfortable and motivated. People would mind their own business and, if they had to choose, would rather be nice to each other. It was there that I really met people who appreciated me and with whom I could get on. Each morning here I must make clear that I am a night owl I got up with a smile on my face, even if outside was still dark. I would then take the bus and watch the sunrise on my way to the last station. The buses at that time of the day were terribly crowded and despite the fact that us pupils had special buses on which others werent allowed to board, no-one respected that rule. Afterwards, I would have to walk to the high school for about ten minutes past a great statue of a Romanian revolutionary and fighter which had different backgrounds, depending on the weather. The statue was in front of a cathedral for which the city is famous: an enormous, astonishingly beatiful Orthodox cathedral built in the middle ages. It was a very energizing feeling watching so many people go to work or school in the centre of the city. The buzz managed to nudge me from my semi-conscious state of mind in which I was still, due to the early hour of the morning when I had lessons and had to get up. It is true that the spirit of a place is given by the people in it. Obviously, not all my classmates were great friends, but those who were taught me lots of things about peoples behaviour and what really counts, directly and indirectly. They let me know that I can really be loved for who I am and that being yourself is worth it. The teachers were, for the first time ever, happy to teach us and be part of the education system. The lessons were fun, informative and, although quite tiring, we would all leave the high school at the end of the day with a smile on our face, if not laughing. That single year of high school was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences I have had until now. Sometimes my friends and I would skip classes and go to a pub in the city centre, but these naughty adventures will take their place in another story, another time.

Short Answers to Questions on providing nursing care for clients

Short Answers to Questions on providing nursing care for clients Treatment provided to manage pain and alleviate suffering experienced by a person dying. Palliative care is a unique moment in life where emphasis is on the journey not the destiny. In adopting a holistic approach to care practice the nurse can support the essence of the individual by ensuring their comfort and needs are met within an environment conducive to stages of end of life living. (Harris, Nagy Vardaxis 2006, p.1274). b) How does the practice of palliative care differ from acute care for the nursing staff? Although death occurs in both practices, expectations of the client by the nursing staff would be significantly reduced in palliative care as the body is in a progressive degenerative state contrary to the acute setting where increases in body functions indicate recovery and expedite discharge (Harris, Nagy Vardaxis 2006, p.28 p.1274). c) What ethical issues may staff face while working in a palliative setting? Contradictions of core values, defining and segregating personal assumptions and professional development of nursing staff would be continuously challenged in a palliative setting. Politics, global economics and organisational constraints would also impinge on ethical issues faced by staff (Johnstone 2006, pp. 130-134). d) What personal care strategies may nurses need to employ to help them deal with the unique stresses related to working in palliative care? Strategies to reduce stress include regular physical exercise, maintenance of a nutritional eating plan, personal hygiene and routine sleep patterns-albeit shift work is disruptive. Acknowledge self-worth either by indulging in a regular luxury or personal time out. Participate in grieving, team de-briefing and grief counselling. Understanding human foibles and maintaining a sense of humour can improve coping skills required to deal with stress (McMurray 2005, p.101). e) How can reflective practice be of benefit to nurses in the palliative care settings? Observational skills are heightened when consciously aware of environment and subjectivity can increase the ability to improve outcomes by manipulation. Reflection allows for self and procedural evaluation and promotes resilience. Experience in the clinical care setting combines theory with practical knowledge which can increase coping mechanisms required by the nurse to evolve and adapt to perpetual change (Usher Holmes 2006, pp. 100-105). Q 2 a) List three pathophysiological changes that you may observe while caring for a client in the last few weeks or days of life care? Three changes that may be observed in end life care include; Anorexia-loss of appetite, Akinesia-absence of movement and Atrophy-decrease in muscle and body mass (Porth 2005, p.1501). b) How do palliative illnesses such as cancer affect a persons ability to perform ADLs? The presence of disease, retention of chemical therapy, controlled medication all exacerbate chronic fatigue alienating mind from body increasing frustration borne from the inability to perform activities of daily living. At all stages of disease the body is fighting to compensate perpetuating fatigue encouraging systemic changes that cannot be regulated to resonate throughout the system. One example would be the inability to swallow caused by either obstruction or medication affecting respiration and appetite, creating chemical imbalances in the stomach and along the gastrointestinal tract with further complications resulting in the bowel (Tollefson 2005, pp. 908-911) (Mott 2005, pp. 1379-1380.) c) What interventions and or equipment may be used to support palliative clients to perform ADLs? Equipment may include frames, walkers, lifters, trapeze bars, thickeners in fluids, pureed food, prompts with ablutions and routines. Enable continuity in care by providing succinct habits in documentation and communication with all staff members. Continuous assessment to identify pain, symptoms and recovery times following exertion will assist the nurse in educating and supporting client losses and create realistic alternatives to manage ADLs while encouraging client autonomy. (Mott 2005, pp. 1385-1396). d) How do palliative clients hydration and nutritional needs differ from acute clients particularly during end of life care? Nutrition and hydration needs of the palliative client fluctuate as the effects of anxiety, depression and futility of disease progress. Decline in the bodys need and tolerance for nutrition and hydration which eventuates to mouth swabs and ice chips is compounded by continual bed rest, medication and immobility, further disabling the bodys ability to secrete hormones required to regulate and balance homeostasis and avoid organ failure. Generally with acute care clients, the body is capable of compensating single organ failure by intervening with appropriate responses. Interventions by the body include mobilisation of body defences and an increase in metabolism which requires a balance of nutrition and hydration to promote healing (Tollefson 2005, pp. 1245-1252). Q 3 Case Study Mr Klamic a) What would be the benefits of offering a grief counsellor to Mr. Klamic and his family? Particular benefits of offering grief counselling is that it can allow all family members to address unresolved issues of disillusion and resentment associated with loss. A grief counsellor helps the family understand the processes involved by exploring coping mechanisms, strengthening communication skills, and forming allegiances (Griffiths Crookes 2006, pp. 185-189). b) What would be the benefits of discussing the spiritual and cultural aspects of Mr. Klamics care with Mr. Klamic and his family. Recognition and understanding of specific cultural needs by the nurse will encourage a therapeutic relationship with the client and his family which will facilitate in appropriate care for Mr. Klamic. Promoting inclusion can empower the family to actively participate in care. An example of benefits regarding discussing spiritual needs would be rituals associated with religion as in the administration of Holy Communion and Last Rites (Omeri 2006, pp. 277-280). c) Discuss the grieving process and how it might differ for each of the parties involved, Mr. Klamic, his wife and children. Experience associated with the transition of dying and death is unique and the impact on the surviving family members needs to be acknowledged and addressed. Although Mr Klamics children no longer live at home, the family structure is fractured, dynamics within the family will shift, behavioural changes may occur as perceptions of role in life, become displaced (Mooney 2005, pp. 559-568). d) What significant others or community services could the nurse access for support in the grieving process for Mr. Klamic and his family. Community support services could include, a senior member of the families religious affiliation which would offer pastoral care, Polish associations also offer support with members volunteering their time to friendship visits, respite for family members, Centrelink financial support, Family Services can advise on government assisted funeral schemes, Domicillary help with house, garden and shopping (SA Community Connecting Up Australia 2009, website). e) Why is it important to consider language barriers when information needs to be discussed with a client and their family? Client confidentiality requires medically trained health care translators be appointed when there is a language barrier. Informed consent relies on the understanding of medical information received by the client and their family. Other obstacles that need to be considered with language barriers are loved ones protecting client or denial by client, cultural and religious beliefs, personal and or vested interests by other parties (Dowd, Eckermann Jeffs 2005, pp. 131-137). f) How does pain management in the palliative setting differ from in the acute setting? The goal in palliative care is to comfort and alleviate whereas the focus in acute care is on rehabilitation albeit pain management is ultimately directed by the opinion of the Doctors will. Managing pain with the palliative client requires administration prior, to prevent increases in suffering. Timing of administration when moderated appropriately may reduce dosage required for continual pain control. Generally in acute care initial aggressive pain management is required to stimulate the body, inducing healing processes. Increased homeostasis enables mobility of the body which is beneficial in reducing pain management as the clients body avails to strategies implemented (Tollefson 2005, pp. 1188-1189). g) Other than Opioid use what other strategies may be employed to manage Mr. Klamics pain? All forms of diversional therapy warrant investigation and use of if client is agreeable. Simple strategies of holding a hand, giving a gentle hug, listening, participation in a chat or debate of interest to client, encourage journaling-written or taped, arouse interest in unexplored possibilities. Initiate changes to environment so the client can absorb and enjoy the seasons or an excursion outside in the elements. Massage, aroma, visualisation and music therapy, are alternatives that may be offered to Mr. Klamic to increase his comfort. Guidelines for implementing therapies will probably vary between organisations, prior reference to policies and procedure is recommended (Taylor 2005, pp. 896-900). h) Other than patient statements, what are some of the observations and assessment nurses may use to gauge a patients pain level? Regular assessment of vital signs, deep sadness watery eyes, pallor of the skin, grinding of teeth, flinching and clenching of extremities, irregularities in breathing , inability to find comfort or solace and foetal curling. Listening to and enquiring with family members of noticeable pain. Reduce external irritants and monitor signs on skin; pressure areas, pallor, cyanosis, jaundice, heat and beads of sweat. Reference to medication, pain (Wong Baker) and behavioural charts and levels of participation in activities of daily living may help to gauge clients pain levels (Tollefson 2005, pp. 1183-1198). i) What are the Enrolled nurses responsibilities when caring for a patient with a morphine infusion? Responsibilities include ensuring machine is functioning and calibrated in accordance to pharmacy order and that pain is being controlled and frequently reassessed. Cannulation tube should be free of kinks and the area surrounding the site of insertion is devoid of redness, heat, swelling and pain. Co-signing record of use of a schedule 8 drug on register and reporting variants, adverse reactions and side effects to the Registered Nurse while implementing the five rights of medication are mandatory of the Enrolled nurse working within their scope of practice (Tollefson 2005, p.1210) (Davis, 2005, pp. 874-881) (ANMC, 2007 p.2). Q 4 a) How does Mr Klamics diagnosis affect his ability to be an organ donor? Although Mr. Klamics diagnosis impedes his ability to donate organs and tissue to a living recipient, it may be possible for him to donate himself in entirety to science. Criteria for scientific donation would be assessed on an individual basis by the receiving school of medicine and would require prior contact between Mr. Klamic and or his power of attorney and the particular institution. (The University of Adelaide School of Medical Sciences 2011, website) (Australasian Transplant Co-ordinators Association Incorporated 2006, website). b) When may an autopsy be required in the palliative setting? Who carries out the autopsy, who gives permission for the autopsy? Several occasions when an autopsy is performed include times when death occurred within 24 hours of seeking emergency treatment and or discharge from a hospital, residents of licensed residential facilities and residential homes where cause of death was unable to be certified by a doctor or qualified paramedic. An autopsy is performed by a medical pathologist under the direction of the State Coroner to establish precise cause of death. The Coroners Act 2003 permits the autopsy, delays can occur when objections raised by next of kin warrant consideration by the State Coroner (Courts Administration Authority of South Australia-Coroners Court 2011, website). c) What is an Advanced Health Directive? An Advanced Care Directive or Living Will is a legal document notarised at a time when a person is sound of mind, eighteen years or over in age. In this document the bearer states in advance how their future personal needs are to be met, if and when an event fails them to do so. Advantage of the ACD is it allows the person to control preferences of medical treatment while releasing others of decision making responsibility (Attorney-Generals Department 2011, website). d) Which legislation governs the provision of palliative care? Legislation governing palliative care in South Australia is the Consent to Medical Treatment and Palliative Care Act 1995 and Schedules under the Act 1995. Guardianship and Administration Act 1993, Power of Attorney and Agency Act 1984, Coroners Act 2003, Controlled Substances Act 1984, and Drugs of Dependence Regulations (Australasian Legal Information Institute 2011, website). e) Care delivery in the palliative care setting is governed by the policies and procedures of the Hospital. What kind of situations may these policies deal with? Situations that may be in Hospital policies include admissions, discharge and patient care documentation, client rights, dying with dignity, standards of care, clinical procedures, informed consent advanced health directives, death certification, code blue and met calls, do not resuscitate requests, bereavement, use of complimentary therapies, life prolonging intervention, organ donation, O.H. Safety, equity and diversity, grievances, cultural safety, risk management, staffing, nursing informatics and hospital emergencies (Royal Adelaide Hospital 2010, website).

Child Characters in Great Expectations Essay -- Great Expectations Es

Child Characters in Great Expectations      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first part of Dickens' novel, Great Expectations, is an account of the childhood of, Pip, the main character of the novel.   In these beginning chapters Dickens paints an extremely vivid picture of childhood.   The reader is able to enter Pip's mind and see the world through the eyes of a child.   This is possible because Dickens understood the thoughts and feelings of children and applied this to Pip's every thought and action when he wrote the novel.   Dickens had an obvious gift for creating child characters in his works.   The word "pip" itself refers to a seed from a plant.   Seeds need to be nurtured if they are to grow and flourish.   In order to understand both Dickens' talent and his compulsion to write about children it important to realize that through the characters in his novels he took up the plight of all children.   In Dickens' view of childhood, he felt that children have certain needs: guidance in a nurturing hom e, to be free from emotional and physical abuse, to have a good education, and to be allowed to use their imaginations.   In order for children to succeed in life he felt these needs must be met.   Through his portrayal of child characters in the novel, Great Expectations, Dickens' demonstrates how adults rarely, nor adequately provided for the particular needs that children have.    Dickens often wrote about children in his stories who were crippled, such as Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol.   However, Dickens chose to create most of his main child characters with no physical maladies.   As Collins points out, these characters were impeded emotionally in some way: "Most of his child heroes and heroines are born sound in wind and limb... ... be unhappy.   One may wonder why Dickens always seemed to make the world weigh so heavy on the little shoulders of so many of his characters.   One reason is that Dickens appears to have created these suffering characters was that he wanted to protest the injustices toward children that he saw in Victorian society.   He illustrated what these children needed and what they were missing.   Just as a "seed" that is not nurtured cannot grow, children who are not loved and cared for can not grow up to live happy lives. Works Cited Bell, Vereen. "Parents and Children in Great Expectations." Victorian Newsletter 27 (1965): 21-24. Collins, Philip. Dickens and Education. New York: St. Martin's P, 1964. Rawlins, Jack P. "Great Expectations: Dickens and the Betrayal of the Child." Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. 23 (1983): 667-683.   

The Importance of Foreign Language Education Essays -- Foreign Languag

The Importance of Foreign Language Education The main goal of learning a new language is to be able to communicate in that language. The ERIC database’s thesaurus defines language proficiency as the capacity of a person to accurately and fluently communicate using language (Language Proficiency, 2004). While gaining this ability is a main reason for studying a foreign language, there are many other reasons why everyone should take the time to do so. Occupational, cultural and developmental benefits are some of the most prominent ones to be had. Occupational benefits are perhaps the most important and widely known ones associated with language learning. When a person speaks more than one language, they are usually highly valued by employers. Favor in an employer’s eyes can obviously lead to desirable promotions and salary increases for multilingual workers. A CNN writer reported, â€Å"When a manager decides whether to promote on of two people with identical technical skills, the better communicator is more likely to get the nod† (Hall, 2001). Companies, especially ones with international operations, like to have a staff that is able to interact with partners and associates in overseas markets, as well as multinational clients here at home in the United States. This allows them to create and maintain positive relationships and increase revenue. One authority affirms the nature of such companies by saying that many of the operations of international corporations occur on a on a truly global scale (Gutek, 1993, p. 233). For companies that do not have global operations, hiring a staff that is multilingual is sure to facilitate the creation of a profitable international department. Small businesses that sell foreign goods, as well as lar... ...ison between English and non-English speaking countries. Retrieved September 28, 2004, from http://www.stanford.edu/~hakuta/freitas.html. Freitas’ short report compares foreign language policy and education programs in various countries. Hall, M. (2001, May 24). Business benefits of a second language. Retrieved November 16, 2004 from http://www.cnn.com/. Hall describes many of the benefits of being linguistically competent in the business world. Simon, P. (2001, October 23). Beef up the country's foreign language skills. Retrieved September 28, 2004, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/. Simon tells about the current lack of foreign language competent officials in essential government national security positions. Starr, L. (2002). Habla espanol? Do you speak Spanish? Retrieved Nov 14, 2004, from http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr398.shtml/.

Sammy in Updikes A&P Essay -- John Updike

The main character in John Updike's short story â€Å"A&P† is Sammy. The story's first-person context gives the reader a unique insight toward the main character's own feelings and choices, as well as the reasons for the choices. The reader is allowed to closely observe Sammy's observations and first impressions of the three girls who come to the grocery store on a summer afternoon in the early 1960s. In order to understand this short story, one must first recognize the social climate of the era, the age of the main character, and the temptation this individual faces. Sammy is a product of his generation. In the 1960s the social climate was changing. The new ideas of the youth were taking over the traditions of their parents. Music and the drug culture began to change the perspective as more people were listening to rock and roll music and experimenting with mind-altering drugs in an effort to free themselves from the strict societal demands of the 1950s. Sammy demonstrates this as he describes his work uniform - the bow tie and apron. This can also be observed when Sammy's manager, Le... Sammy in Updike's A&P Essay -- John Updike The main character in John Updike's short story â€Å"A&P† is Sammy. The story's first-person context gives the reader a unique insight toward the main character's own feelings and choices, as well as the reasons for the choices. The reader is allowed to closely observe Sammy's observations and first impressions of the three girls who come to the grocery store on a summer afternoon in the early 1960s. In order to understand this short story, one must first recognize the social climate of the era, the age of the main character, and the temptation this individual faces. Sammy is a product of his generation. In the 1960s the social climate was changing. The new ideas of the youth were taking over the traditions of their parents. Music and the drug culture began to change the perspective as more people were listening to rock and roll music and experimenting with mind-altering drugs in an effort to free themselves from the strict societal demands of the 1950s. Sammy demonstrates this as he describes his work uniform - the bow tie and apron. This can also be observed when Sammy's manager, Le...

Romeo And Juliet Friendship Essay Essay

A friendship includes trust, honesty, commitment, caring, dependable, loyality, witty, love and communication. I will analyse the friendship between Romeo and Mercutio, and between Romeo and Benvolios. I will compare Rome and Benvolio’s friendship to Romeo and Mercutio’s friendship and decide which is better. Romeo and Mercutio’s friendship is filled with humour and is frivolous with care, but care isn’t shown emotional. Romeo and Benvolio’s friendship is filled more with emotion and care is shown more emotional than through humour. Shakespeare presents Romeo and Mercutio’s friendship as frivolous and light-hearted but caring. Shakespeare shows this through the dialogue when Mercutio says, â€Å"Nay gentle, Romeo, we must have you dance.† Mercutio is trying to cheer Romeo up to have fun and forget about Rosaline. Shakespeare uses the imperative â€Å"must† to suggest to the audience that there is control in the friendship as Mercutio wants Romeo back to himself because Mercutio thinks Romeo has lost his way and needs to be brought back to himself. The adjective â€Å"gentle† is used by Shakespeare to convey how fond Mercutio is of Romeo, but is said by Mercutio through humour showing the audience how light-hearted and frivolous Mercutio is. The frivolous and light-heartedness is one-sided in the friendsip teeling the audience that Romeo and Mercutio isn’t the same. The adjective â€Å"gentle† is also used to show the audience how fragile and easily hurt Romeo is which gives the audience an insight into Romeo’s character. Shakespeare then use the collective pronoun â€Å"we† to show the audience that Mercutio sees Romeo’s problems as his own showing the audience how caring Mercutio is of Romeo. This makes the audience feel that there is support and care in their friendship. This alsomakes the audience feel sorry for Romeo being so focused on love because he’s heart always gets broken and Mercutio’s support and care may cheer up the audience up. Romeo and Mercutio’s friendship is presented by Shakespeare as a caring friendship. This is shown to the audience when Mercutio says,† Prick love for pricking , And you beat love down.† Mercutio is giving Romeo advice ,which is to fight back at love for giving him heartache ,which shows the  audience the care in their friendship and that Mercutio wants to see Romeo happy, again, showing the audience he cares. Shakespeare uses repetition of the word â€Å"love† to reinforce that Mercutio’s view of love is different to Romeo’s showing the differences in their friendship and that they aren’t the same as they have different personalities. Shakespeare uses the metaphor, â€Å"Prick love for pricking, And you beat love down.† This metaphor is used by Shakespeare to imply that, again, he is giving him advice to move on which shows even more care in their friendship. Shakespeare uses foreshadowing, which is that love is violent, to tell the audience that Romeo will get over his heartache as he moves on to love Juliet. The audience may feel that Mercutio genuinely cares for Romeo and wants him to be happy, even though they have different views on love, but they may feel it’s not the best friendship as Mercutio doesn’t offer Romeo the sensitivity he needs. Shakespeare presents Romeo and Mercutio’s friendship as caring in and witty and sarcastic way. This is shown to the audience by Shakespeare when Mercutio says,† you are a lover borrow cupid’s wings and soar with them above common bound.† Mercutio is trying to cheer Romeo up in a sarcastic way to try and make him laugh and show Mercutio wants him to enjoy himself, which shows the audience that he cares. Shakespeare uses the metaphor,† borrow cupi’s wings and soar with them above common bound.† The metaphor is advice to imply to the audience that Romeo is cupid in the situation as he falls in love easily and he needs to be free from love and fly away from it to be back to himself. The metaphor also is giving the audience an insight into his character, which is that he falls in love all the time telling us he is a romantic. Mercutio is being serious but trying to make it seem a joke to cheer Romeo up telling the audience that he does care for Romeo by being sarcastic in a funny and witty way, but meaning no harm. Romeo and Mercutio’s friendship is presented by Shakespeare as a loyal friendship. This is shown by Shakespear through the dialogue when Romeo says,†and fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!† This tells the audience that Romeo is loyal to Mercutio is loyal to Romeo. Shakespeare uses alliteration â€Å"fire-eyed fury† which used to reinforce how frustrated Romeo is and â€Å"fire-eyed fury† is used as a metaphor by Shakespeare to reinforce how angry  Romeo is. Puncuation is also used to show Romeo’s anger to the audience, â€Å"!†. The word â€Å"conduct† is used by Shakspeare to foreshadow the impact of Tybalt’s death, where Romeo killed Tybalt because Tybalt killed Mercutio when Mercutio was protecting Romeo, which shows the audience the loyality in Romeo and Mercutio’s friendship. This may make the audience feel that Shakespeare is foreshadowing that love wont be as easy and because Romeo is angry it may hint to the audience that it is something to do with his actions. Shakespeare presents Romeo and Benvolio’s friendship as a caring and reliable friendship. This is shown through the dialogue by Shakespeare when Benvolio says,† I’ll pay that doctrine or else die in debt.† Benvolio is the more emotional friend who you would rely on as he cares for Romeo’s sensitive side and his emotions. The use of the verb â€Å"die† is used by Shakespeare to tell the audience how much Benvolio cares and would do anything for Romeo as he loves unconditionally, as they are cousins. Although Mercutio did die for Romeo which tells the audience he equally cares but has a different way of showing his care for Romeo. Hyberbole is used by Shakespeare to show the audience that Benvolio, again, really cares for Romeo and would do anything for him showing how reliable Benvolio is showing he is the more reliable friend than Mercutio. This might make the audience feel that both Benvolio and Mercutio care, but Benvolio has a better way of showing it as he offers Romeo more support. I think that both friendships are good friendships to have, nut Romeo and Benvolio’s friendship was best because he was a more emotional friend and he cared more for Romeo’s emotions. Benvolio also shows the audience that he cares a lot for Romeo in a better way than Mercutio does and is more reliable than Mercutio. I think the audience feels that Mercutio doesn’t take Romeo’s feelings seriously sometimes even though he cares a lot but isn’t a friend you would rely on. The audience think Romeo and Mercutio’s is better because Benvolio is too serious and isn’t as humorous as Mercutio, but Benvolio is really just being mature and is doing what’s best for Romeo.

Maximization of Shareholder Wealth Essay

Question: Firms often involve themselves in projects that do not result directly in profits, for example by sponsorship of sporting events of the opera or other entertainment. Do these projects contradict the goal of maximization of shareholder wealth? Why or why not? Answer: Participating in programs that are socially responsible does not contradict the goal of maximization of shareholder wealth. Having a good reputation from your local community is very important for sustaining a business. Although it remains true that spending on social programs could cost a major business millions of dollars, it is the goodwill that is formed through that community that can offer an essential guarantee for the continuation of that firm. For an example, if the Australian Company ‘Energex’ stopped spending some of their money on alternative energy initiatives or programs, that can be seen as being environmentally concerned, some of Energex’s customers could decide to do business with other energy companies who are engaging with programs that are seen as being more socially responsible. Failing to engage in socially responsible programs, thus potentially losing many customers, goes against maximizing shareholder wealth. When all is said and done, there is far more meaning to business and shareholder wealth than just dollars and cents. An investment in the greater good of the human race pays dividends to the company many more times than penny pinching. By participating in socially responsible programs, this can ensure that a company keep a positive reputation and goodwill, which in turn creates loyalty from their customers which leads to a maximization of shareholder wealth. It is then imperative for businesses to invest in a few respectable social initiatives that may not always generate profits in order to sustain maximizing shareholder wealth.

Wedding In Malaysia

Wedding tourism in our country has becoming popular as more foreigners and local tourist are taking interest and start to recognize this tourism field. Nowadays, lots of visitors start to take interest in the grand wedding functions which held in attractive and tourism place as well as at Historical Places and magnificent place of our country.It’s a well-known fact that our country are based from numerous type of races with its colorful culture and traditions. These tradition and rituals of Malaysian reflect the rich cultural heritage of our nation.Ones of the tradition that can generate high income and have a bright chance to be develops in the future is Wedding Tourism which is gaining popularity due to the distinctive celebrations and religious ceremonies that are held in the course of a wedding.Though there are grand and magnificent weddings conducted in tourism and magnificent places in our country includes at the beaches of Malaysia. All kind of Malaysian various races w edding have recently become a hit among tourist around the world.Wedding tourism in our country offers lot more than just the wedding rituals which according to its own culture and religions. Along with the wedding ceremonies, tourist and visitors can enjoy and get a firsthand experience of the wedding preparations that are done by both parties. Besides, wedding tourism in Malaysia also helps tourist in this country to explore the hidden facts of Malaysian wedding and enjoy the warmth and hospitality of our peoples that are well known for their warmness and smile.Realizing this potential in wedding tourism towards the future, our government also take a step ahead in promoting and encourage this industry to enhance its wider around the world. Thus, lots of accommodations such as excellent facilities in hotels, better transportation, mouthwatering cuisine and many more are integrated part of the packages for wedding. The special wedding tour package also helps to get insight into the life style of our peoples and offers an enjoyable moments that can stand to be memories for a  lifetimes. Wedding in Malaysia Wedding tourism in our country has becoming popular as more foreigners and local tourist are taking interest and start to recognize this tourism field. Nowadays, lots of visitors start to take interest in the grand wedding functions which held in attractive and tourism place as well as at Historical Places and magnificent place of our country.It’s a well-known fact that our country are based from numerous type of races with its colorful culture and traditions. These tradition and rituals of Malaysian reflect the rich cultural heritage of our nation.Ones of the tradition that can generate high income and have a bright chance to be develops in the future is Wedding Tourism which is gaining popularity due to the distinctive celebrations and religious ceremonies that are held in the course of a wedding.Though there are grand and magnificent weddings conducted in tourism and magnificent places in our country includes at the beaches of Malaysia. All kind of Malaysian various races w edding have recently become a hit among tourist around the world.Wedding tourism in our country offers lot more than just the wedding rituals which according to its own culture and religions. Along with the wedding ceremonies, tourist and visitors can enjoy and get a firsthand experience of the wedding preparations that are done by both parties. Besides, wedding tourism in Malaysia also helps tourist in this country to explore the hidden facts of Malaysian wedding and enjoy the warmth and hospitality of our peoples that are well known for their warmness and smile.Realizing this potential in wedding tourism towards the future, our government also take a step ahead in promoting and encourage this industry to enhance its wider around the world. Thus, lots of accommodations such as excellent facilities in hotels, better transportation, mouthwatering cuisine and many more are integrated part of the packages for wedding. The special wedding tour package also helps to get insight into the life style of our peoples and offers an enjoyable moments that can stand to be memories for a  lifetimes.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 22

Twenty-two DEIRDRE THE COUNSELOR must not have had much of a life, because she scheduled our next appointment on a Sunday. I wasn't thrilled about it, seeing as it wasn't just my day off – it was also the day my friends had off. Orders were orders, however, so I grudgingly showed up. â€Å"You're wrong,† I told her as soon as I sat down. We hadn't really addressed the questions from my first session yet. We'd spent our last couple of times talking about my mother and what I thought of the field experience. â€Å"What about?† she asked. She wore a sleeveless floral dress that seemed too cold for a day like today. It also bore an eerie resemblance to the nature photographs that hung around the office. â€Å"About the guy. I don't just like him because I can't have him. I like him because †¦ well, because he's him. I've proven it to myself.† â€Å"Proven it how?† â€Å"It's a long story,† I said evasively. I didn't really want to get into the details of my Adrian compulsion experiment. â€Å"You just have to trust me.† â€Å"What about the other thing we talked about?† she asked. â€Å"What about your feelings about Lissa?† â€Å"That idea was wrong too.† â€Å"Did you prove it to yourself?† â€Å"No, but it wasn't the kind of thing I could really test the same way.† â€Å"Then how can you be sure?† she asked. â€Å"Because I am.† That was the best answer she was going to get. â€Å"How have things been with her recently?† â€Å"Recently how?† â€Å"Have you spent a lot of time together? Kept up with what she's been doing?† â€Å"Sure, kind of. I don't see her as much. She's doing the same things as usual though. Hanging out with Christian. Acing every test. Oh, and she's practically got Lehigh's website memorized.† â€Å"Lehigh?† I explained the queen's offer to Deirdre. â€Å"She won't even be there until fall, but Lissa's already looking at all her classes and trying to figure out what she wants to major in.† â€Å"What about you?† â€Å"What about me?† â€Å"What will you do while she attends classes?† â€Å"I'll go with her. That's what usually happens if a Moroi has a guardian close to her age. They'll probably enroll me too.† â€Å"You'll take the same classes she does?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"Are there classes you'd rather take instead?† â€Å"How do I know? She hasn't even picked the ones she's going to take, so I don't know if I want to take them or not. But it doesn't matter. I have to go with her.† â€Å"And you don't have a problem with that?† My temper was starting to prickle. This was exactly what I hadn't wanted to talk about. â€Å"No,† I said tightly. I knew Deirdre wanted me to elaborate, but I refused to. We held each other's eyes for a few moments, almost like we were challenging the other to look away. Or maybe I was reading too much into it. She glanced down at the mysterious notepad she always held and flipped through a couple of pages. I noticed that her nails were perfectly shaped and painted red. The polish on mine had started to chip. â€Å"Would you rather not talk about Lissa today?† she asked at last. â€Å"We can talk about whatever you think is useful.† â€Å"What do you think is useful?† Damn it. She was doing the question thing again. I wondered if one of the certificates on her wall gave her some sort of special qualification to do that. â€Å"I think it'd be useful if you stopped talking to me like I'm a Moroi. You act like I have choices – like I have the right to be upset about any of this or pick what classes I want to take. I mean, let's say I could choose them. What good would it do? What am I going to do with those classes? Go be a lawyer or a marine biologist? There's no point in me having my own schedule. Everything's already decided for me.† â€Å"And you're okay with that.† It could have been a question, but she said it like a statement of fact. I shrugged. â€Å"I'm okay with keeping her safe, and that's what you keep missing here. Every job has bad parts. Do I want to sit through her calculus classes? No. But I have to because the other part is more important. Do you want to listen to angry teenagers try to block your efforts? No. But you have to because the rest of your job is more important.† â€Å"Actually,† she said unexpectedly, â€Å"that's my favorite part of the job.† I couldn't tell if she was joking or not, but I decided not to pursue it, particularly since she hadn't responded with a question. I sighed. â€Å"I just hate everyone acting like I'm being forced to be a guardian.† â€Å"Who's ‘everyone'?† â€Å"Well, you and this guy I met at Court†¦this dhampir named Ambrose. He's†¦well, he's a blood whore. A guy blood whore.† Like that wasn't obvious. I waited to see if she'd react to the term, but she didn't. â€Å"He made it sound like I was trapped in this life and all that too. But I'm not. This is what I want. I'm good at this. I know how to fight, and I know how to defend others. Have you ever seen a Strigoi?† She shook her head. â€Å"Well, I have. And when I say I want to spend my life protecting Moroi and killing Strigoi, I mean it. Strigoi are evil and need to be wiped out. I'm happy to do that and if I get to be with my best friend in the process, that's even better.† â€Å"I understand that, but what happens if you want other things – things that you can't have by choosing this lifestyle?† I crossed my arms. â€Å"Same answer as before. There are good and bad sides to everything. We just have to balance them as best we can. I mean, are you going to try to tell me that life isn't that way? That if I can't have everything perfect, then there's something wrong with me?† â€Å"No, of course not,† she said, tilting back in her chair. â€Å"I want you to have a wonderful life, but I can't expect a perfect one. No one can. But what I think is interesting here is how you respond and cope when you have to reconcile these contradictory pieces of your life – when having one thing means you can't have another.† â€Å"Everyone goes through that.† I felt like I was repeating myself. â€Å"Yes, but not everyone sees ghosts as a result of it.† It took several heavy seconds for me to finally realize what she was getting at. â€Å"So wait. You're saying that the reason I'm seeing Mason is because I secretly resent Lissa for the things I can't have in my life? What happened to all the trauma I've been through? I thought that was the reason I'm seeing Mason?† â€Å"I think there are a lot of reasons you're seeing Mason,† she said. â€Å"And that's what we're exploring.† â€Å"And yet,† I said, â€Å"we never actually talk about Mason.† Deirdre smiled serenely. â€Å"Don't we?† Our session ended. â€Å"Does she always answer your questions with questions?† I asked Lissa later. I was walking with her through the quad, heading toward the commons for dinner. Afterward, we were going to meet up with the others for a movie. It had been a while since she and I had hung out just by ourselves, and I realized now how much I'd missed it. â€Å"We don't see the same counselor,† she laughed. â€Å"It'd be a conflict of interest.† â€Å"Well, does yours do that then?† â€Å"Not that I've really noticed. I take it yours does?† â€Å"Yeah †¦ it's actually pretty amazing to watch.† â€Å"Who knew the day would come when we'd be comparing notes on therapy?† We both laughed at that. Several moments passed, and then she started to say something. She wanted to tell me about what had happened with Jesse and Ralf, not realizing I already knew. Before she could say anything, though, someone joined us. Dean Barnes. â€Å"Hey, Rose. A bunch of us are trying to figure out why you're on half-time.† Great. I'd known somebody would ask about that sooner or later. And honestly, I was kind of surprised it hadn't happened already. Everyone had been too busy with their own field experiences to give it much thought until now. I had an excuse ready. â€Å"I've been sick. Dr. Olendzki didn't want me going full-time.† â€Å"Really?† he asked, staggering a little. â€Å"I thought they were always talking about how in the real world, you don't get sick days. Or something like that.† â€Å"Well, this isn't the real world, and Dr. Olendzki's word is final.† â€Å"I heard it was because you're a threat to Christian.† â€Å"No, believe me, that's not it.† The scent of alcohol radiating off of him gave me a convenient way to change the subject. â€Å"Have you been drinking?† â€Å"Yeah, Shane got some stuff and had a few of us up in his room. Hey.† â€Å"Hey what?† I asked. â€Å"Don't look at me like that.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Like you disapprove.† â€Å"I'm not,† I argued. Lissa giggled. â€Å"You are, actually.† Dean put on an offended face. â€Å"Hey, it's my day off, and even if it is Sunday, that doesn't mean I can't – â€Å" Something moved beside us. I didn't even hesitate. It was too fast, too covert to be anything friendly. And it was wearing all black. I threw myself between it and Lissa and lashed out at my attacker. In the flurry of activity, I vaguely recognized a guardian who generally taught the elementary novices. Her name was Jane or Joan or something like that. Jean, that was it. She was taller than me, but my fist made contact with her face anyway. She staggered back, and then I noticed another shape coming up beside her. Yuri. I leapt over so that she was between him and me. I kicked her in the stomach. She fell toward him, and both stumbled. In that brief moment, I had my practice stake out and aimed for her heart. I hit the mark, and she immediately stepped aside since she was now technically â€Å"dead.† Yuri and I then faced off. Beyond me, I heard a muffled sound that I suspected was Dean fighting his own attacker or attackers. I didn't have time to check yet. I needed to dispatch Yuri, which was harder since he was stronger than Jean. He and I circled, both feinting and landing blows. Finally, he made his major move, but I was faster and wiggled out of his grip. I stayed out of his reach just long enough to stake him too. As soon as he backed away in defeat, I turned toward Dean. Lissa stood off to the side, watching as Dean sparred with his attacker. It was pathetic, to say the least. I'd given Ryan a hard time, but his mistakes were nothing compared to this. Dean's practice stake was on the ground, and his moves were jerky and unsteady. I decided then that he was more of a liability if he stayed in the fight. I threw myself forward and shoved him out of the way, off toward Lissa. I think I might have pushed hard enough to make him fall, but I didn't care. I needed him out of the way. Facing my opponent, I saw: Dimitri. It was unexpected. Some little voice in the back of my head said I couldn't fight Dimitri. The rest of me reminded that voice that I'd been doing it for the last six months, and besides, he wasn't Dimitri right now. He was my enemy. I sprang toward him with the stake, hoping to catch him by surprise. But Dimitri was hard to catch by surprise. And he was fast. Oh, so fast. It was like he knew what I was going to do before I did it. He halted my attack with a glancing blow to the side of the head. I knew it would hurt later, but my adrenaline was running too strong for me to pay attention to it now. Distantly, I realized some other people had come to watch us. Dimitri and I were celebrities in different ways around here, and our mentoring relationship added to the drama. This was prime-time entertainment. My eyes were only on Dimitri, though. As we tested each other, attacking and blocking, I tried to remember everything he'd taught me. I also tried to remember everything I knew about him. I'd practiced with him for months. I knew him, knew his moves, just as he knew mine. I could anticipate him the same way. Once I started using that knowledge, the fight grew tricky. We were too well matched, both of us too fast. My heart thumped in my chest, and sweat coated my skin. Then Dimitri finally got through. He moved in for an attack, coming at me with the full force of his body. I blocked the worst of it, but he was so strong that I was the one who stumbled from the impact. He didn't waste the opportunity and dragged me to the ground, trying to pin me. Being trapped like that by a Strigoi would likely result in the neck being bitten or broken. I couldn't let that happen. So, although he held most of me to the ground, I managed to shove my elbow up and nail him in the face. He flinched, and that was all I needed. I rolled him over and held him down. He fought to push me off, and I pushed right back while also trying to maneuver my stake. He was so strong, though. I was certain I wouldn't be able to hold him. Then, just as I thought I'd lose my hold, I got a good grip on the stake. And like that, the stake came down over his heart. It was done. Behind me, people were clapping, but all I noticed was Dimitri. Our gazes were locked. I was still straddling him, my hands pressed against his chest. Both of us were sweaty and breathing heavily. His eyes looked at me with pride – and a hell of a lot more. He was so close, and my whole body yearned for him, again thinking he was a piece of me I needed in order to be complete. The air between us seemed warm and heady, and I would have given anything in that moment to lie down with him and have his arms wrap around me. His expression showed me that he was thinking the same thing. The fight was finished, but remnants of the adrenaline and animal intensity remained. Then a hand reached down, and Jean helped me stand up. She and Yuri were beaming, as were the spectators who had wandered up. Even Lissa looked impressed. Dean, understandably, looked miserable. I hoped word of my stunning victory would spread around campus as fast as the recent bad stuff about me had. Probably not. â€Å"Well done,† said Yuri. â€Å"You took down all three of us. That was textbook perfect.† Dimitri was on his feet now too. I looked pointedly at the other two guardians because I was pretty sure if I looked at him, my expression would give everything away. My breathing was still heavy. â€Å"I hope †¦ I hope I didn't hurt any of you,† I said. This made all of them laugh. â€Å"That's our job,† said Jean. â€Å"Don't worry about us. We're tough.† She glanced at Dimitri. â€Å"She got you pretty good with her elbow.† Dimitri rubbed his face near his eye, and I hoped I hadn't caused too much damage. â€Å"The student surpasses the teacher,† he joked. â€Å"Or stakes, rather.† Yuri was giving Dean a hard look. â€Å"Alcohol isn't allowed on campus.† â€Å"It's Sunday!† he exclaimed. â€Å"We aren't supposed to be on duty.† â€Å"There are no rules in the real world,† said Jean in a very teacherlike way. â€Å"Consider this a pop quiz. You passed it, Rose. Very nice job.† â€Å"Thanks. Wish I could say the same for my clothes.† I was wet and muddy. â€Å"I'm going to have to go change, Liss. I'll meet you for dinner.† â€Å"Okay.† Her face was alight. She was so proud of me, she could barely contain it. I could also sense her keeping something secret, and I wondered if there would be a congratulations surprise when I saw her later. I didn't probe too deeply, lest I ruin it. â€Å"And you,† said Yuri, tugging at Dean's sleeve, â€Å"are going to take a walk with us.† I met Dimitri's eyes. I wished he could have stuck around and talked. My adrenaline was running high, and I wanted to celebrate. I'd done it. Finally. After all the embarrassment over my fumbles and alleged incompetence, I'd finally proven what I could do. I wanted to start dancing. Dimitri had to go with the others, though, and only a slight nod of his head told me he wished it were otherwise. I sighed and watched them leave, and then I walked back to my dorm alone. Back in my room, I discovered the situation was worse than I thought. Once I'd stripped off my muddy clothes, I realized I was going to need a shower and a good scrubbing before I was presentable. By the time it was all done, nearly an hour had passed. I'd missed most of dinner. I ran back over to the commons, wondering why Lissa hadn't sent me any nagging thoughts. She had a tendency to do that when I was running late. Probably she'd decided I'd deserved a break after my triumph. Thinking about it again, a big grin crept over my face, one that dried up when I headed down the hallway that led to the cafeteria. A big group of people had gathered around something, and I recognized the international sign of a fight. Considering how Jesse's band liked to conduct their beatings in secret, I figured this probably had nothing to do with them. Squeezing through people, I pushed myself forward and peeked over some heads, curious as to who could have drawn such a crowd. It was Adrian and Christian. And Eddie. But Eddie was clearly there in a referee role. He was standing between them, trying to keep them away from each other. Manners gone, I shoved aside the last few people in front of me and hurried to Eddie's side. â€Å"What the hell's going on?† I demanded. He looked relieved to see me. He might be able to fend off our instructors in combat, but this situation was clearly something he was confused about. â€Å"No idea.† I looked at the two combatants. Fortunately, no one seemed to have hit anybody †¦ yet. It also looked as though Christian was the one on the offensive. â€Å"How long did you think you could get away with it?† he exclaimed. His eyes were like blue fire. â€Å"Did you seriously think everyone would keep buying your act?† Adrian looked laconic as usual, but I could see some anxiety under that lazy smile. He didn't want to be in this situation, and, like Eddie, he wasn't even sure how it had happened. â€Å"Honestly,† said Adrian in a weary voice, â€Å"I have no idea what you're talking about. Can we please just go sit down and discuss this reasonably?† â€Å"Sure. Of course you'd want that. You're afraid I might do this.† Christian held up his hand, and a ball of flame danced over his palm. Even under the fluorescent lights, it glowed bright orange with a deep blue core. There were gasps from the crowd. I'd long since gotten used to the idea of Moroi fighting with magic – Christian in particular – but for most, it was still a taboo thing. Christian smirked. â€Å"What have you got to fight back with? Plants?† â€Å"If you're going to go start fights for no reason, you should at least do it the old-fashioned way and throw a punch,† said Adrian. His voice was light, but he was still uneasy. My guess was that he figured he could do better with hand-to-hand than spirit-to-fire. â€Å"No,† interrupted Eddie. â€Å"No one's going to set anyone on fire. No one's going to punch anybody. There's been some huge mistake.† â€Å"What is it?† I demanded. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"Your friend there thinks I'm planning to marry Lissa and carry her off into the sunset,† said Adrian. He spoke to me, but his eyes never left Christian. â€Å"Don't act like it's not true,† growled Christian. â€Å"I know it is. It's been part of your plan – yours and the queen's. She's been backing you the whole time. Coming back here†¦the whole studying thing †¦ it was a scam to get Lissa away from me and tied to your family instead.† â€Å"Do you have any idea how paranoid you sound?† asked Adrian. â€Å"My great-aunt has to manage the entire Moroi government! Do you think she really cares about who's dating who in high school – especially with the state of affairs lately? Look, I'm sorry about all the time I've spent with her†¦we'll find her and figure this out. I really wasn't trying to get between you. There's no conspiracy going on here.† â€Å"Yes, there is,† said Christian. He glanced over at me with a scowl â€Å"Isn't there? Rose knows. Rose has known for a while about this. She even talked to the queen about it.† â€Å"That's ridiculous,† said Adrian, surprised enough that he too shot me a quick glance. â€Å"Right?† â€Å"Well †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I began, realizing this was getting very ugly very quickly. â€Å"Yes and no.† â€Å"See?† asked Christian triumphantly. The fire flew from his hand, but Eddie and I jumped into motion at the same time. People screamed. Eddie grabbed Christian, forcing the fire to fly high. Meanwhile, I grabbed Adrian and slammed him to the floor. It was a lucky division of labor. I didn't want to think what would have happened if Eddie and I had gone for the same person. â€Å"Glad you care,† muttered Adrian, wincing as he lifted his head from the floor. â€Å"Compel him,† I murmured as I helped him up. â€Å"We need to sort this out without someone spontaneously combusting.† Eddie was trying to restrain Christian from leaping forward. I grabbed a hold of one arm to help. Adrian didn't look thrilled about coming any closer, but he obeyed me nonetheless. Christian tried to jerk free but couldn't fight both Eddie and me. Uneasily, probably afraid of his hair catching on fire, Adrian leaned over Christian and made eye contact. â€Å"Christian, stop this. Let's talk.† Christian struggled a little against his restraints, but slowly, his face went slack and his eyes started to glaze over. â€Å"Let's talk about this,† repeated Adrian. â€Å"Okay,† said Christian. There was a collective sigh of disappointment from the crowd. Adrian had used his compulsion smoothly enough that no one suspected. It had looked as though Christian had simply seen reason. As the crowd dispersed, Eddie and I released Christian enough to a lead him over to far corner where we could talk in private. As soon as Adrian broke the gaze, Christian's face filled with fury, and he tried to leap at Adrian. Eddie and I were already holding on. He didn't move. â€Å"What did you just do?† exclaimed Christian. Several people down the hall glanced back, no doubt hoping there'd be a fight after all. I shushed loudly in his ear. He flinched. â€Å"Ow.† â€Å"Be quiet. Something's wrong here, and we need to figure it out before you do something stupid.† â€Å"What's wrong,† Christian said, glaring at Adrian, â€Å"is that they're trying to break up Lissa and me, and you knew about it, Rose.† Adrian glanced at me. â€Å"Did you really?† â€Å"Yeah, long story.† I turned back to Christian. â€Å"Look, Adrian didn't have anything to do with this. Not intentionally. It was Tatiana's idea – and she hasn't even actually done anything yet. It's just her long-term plan – hers alone, not his.† â€Å"Then how did you know about it?† demanded Christian. â€Å"Because she told me – she was afraid that I was moving in on Adrian.† â€Å"Really? Did you defend our love?† Adrian asked. â€Å"Be quiet,† I said. â€Å"What I want to know, Christian, is who told you?† â€Å"Ralf,† he said, looking uncertain for the first time. â€Å"You should have known better than to listen to him,† remarked Eddie, face darkening at the name. â€Å"Except, for once, Ralf was actually telling the truth – aside from Adrian being in on it. Ralf's related to the queen's best friend,† I explained. â€Å"Wonderful,† said Christian. He seemed calm enough, so Eddie and I released him. â€Å"We've all been played.† I looked around, suddenly taken aback by something. â€Å"Where's Lissa? Why didn't she stop all of this?† Adrian raised an eyebrow at me. â€Å"You tell us. Where is she? She didn't come to dinner.† â€Å"I can't. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned. I'd gotten so good at shielding myself when I needed to that long periods of time would go by without me feeling anything from her. This time, I sensed nothing because there was nothing coming from her. â€Å"I can't feel her.† Three sets of eyes stared at me. â€Å"Is she asleep?† asked Eddie. â€Å"I can tell when she's asleep†¦This is something different†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Slowly, slowly, I gained a sense of where she was. She'd been blocking me out on purpose, trying to hide from me, but I'd found her as I always did. â€Å"There she is. She was – oh God!† My scream rang down the hall, echoing Lissa's own screams as, far away, pain shot through her.