Insulin Degludec a New Long-Acting Insulin - 800 Words

Insulin Degludec; a New Long-Acting Insulin Diabetes mellitus is an ever common and increasing in prevalence, disease process afflicting many. Proper treatment, management and ultimately control of diabetes, is a complex and difficult task. Many factors contribute to the complexity of diabetes treatment. These factors play a role in the large occurrence of non-compliance in diabetic treatment therapies. Identifying, understanding and finally, addressing these issues will help alleviate these obstacles in diabetes management. Factors Contributing to Insulin Therapy Non-adherence According to Stockley (2014), consistently following an insulin therapy schedule will better control blood glucose levels and will decrease and help prevent†¦show more content†¦16). Stockley affirms that the pharmacokinetic studies done on insulin degludec have shown a therapeutic effect lasting more than 42 hours with a maintained glucose lowering action (2014 p. 16). This increased sustained release far exceeds the current 24 hour duration of action that both insulin glargine and insulin determir possess. Clinical Evidence In a 52 week randomized clinical study, patients with either type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes were treated using insulin glargine or insulin degludec. The study focus was on the effectiveness, safety and how well the patients tolerated the insulin degludec. One area of the study that was of particular interest was the occurrence of hypoglycemic events and mainly nocturnal hypoglycemia. The results of this study were then analyzed and the findings interpreted to compare insulin glargine and insulin degludec. The clinical study outcome showed that insulin degludec compared similarly with insulin glargine in both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients on the reductions of both HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose levels. However, when the amount of episodes of hypoglycemia were compared, the patients taking insulin degludec showed an increased reduction of hypoglycemic events, anywhere from 18% to 25% fewer incidences (Stockley, 2014, p. 18). This finding is extremely important and beneficial because the main reason cited for

The Invisible Native American Essay - 936 Words

The Invisible Native American nbsp; When most people think of Indians, they think of the common stereotyped of the wild, yelling, half-naked savages seen on the television movies. With more modern movies like Dances with Wolves and some of the documentaries like How the West was Lost, some of these attitudes have changed. But the American public as a whole is still very ignorant of what it means to be a Native American-today, or historically. Whose fault it this? The public school system is one problem. When I was in school, if I wanted to learn anything of my heritage, I had to search it out myself. Trying to find the truth was difficult, if not at times impossible. Today it is not much better. It is a well-known†¦show more content†¦If there can be European Literature and Black Literature, there can also be Native American Literature. And there is, but it is difficult to find. There is a wealth of knowledge and literary genius just waiting to be read by thousands of inquiring minds. But there is also a lot of junk written by people who want to ride on the back of pretense and vanity, and they write anything without regard for the subject or the truth. nbsp; The best example of this is a book I read some time ago on the subject of historical Indian people. Although these same Native Americans were heroes to their people, they were not represented as heroes in this book. One chapter in particular exasperated me. It was about Crazy Horse, an outstanding military genius and a respected religious leader to the Lakota people. The book had a picture of what they claimed was Crazy Horse, and it said he signed a document that stated he was guilty of treason! The truth is, he never allowed his picture to be taken, nor did he trust the written word-let alone sign his mark to a paper he could not read. nbsp; Another problem is the unavailability of Native American literature. Several weeks ago, I went into a large bookstore. I saw an aisle devoted to United States History and another to Black History and Black American Literature. I could not find anything about Native American. When I asked if theShow MoreRelatedWomen During The Nineteenth Century : Women And The Trail Of Tears1676 Words   |  7 Pagescolor (African, Native-Indian) and lower class women who were forced to work under dire conditions were deemed â€Å"invisible† to this movement. Considering they did not fit the standards of race and class, their position as â€Å"women† or citizens was not fought for. Evidence of this issue lies in the document edited by Miriam Schneir â€Å"Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiment and Resolutions† and its failure to include ethnic women. To further address the reality of degradation that slave, native, and impoverishedRead MoreThe Brown Eyed / Blue Eyed Experiment 980 Words   |  4 Pages1. The invisible knapsack is an analogy for a set of invisible and not widely talked about privileges that white people possess in the society. In her article, Peggy McIntosh compares the white privilege to an invisible set of unearned rewards and benefits that white people utilize in their lives unconsciously on a daily basis. The privileges that white people often take for granted include, amongst others, being able to get a well-paid job, being able to afford to live in a desired neighborhoodRead MoreRace Theory Of Race And Racism845 Words   |  4 PagesDwanna Robertson in her analysis of racism against Native Americans and the consequences they have experienced as a result. She uses the term legitimized racism to discuss the racialization of American Indians. By classifying Indians as evil and less than human, whites felt justified in using cruelty against them in order to appropriate their land and resources during the settlement of the Americas. As a result of this, the part Native Americans play is both pivotal and foundational in the economicRead MoreEssay on Cinderella Transformations968 Words   |  4 Pagesand Asia. Although the name, clothes, and other details alter in each story, the theme remains the same. In each story, there is an outward transformation of Cinderbottom to Cinderella. In the French Cinderella by Charles Perrault, the Native American Oochigeasw by an unknown author, and A Chinese Cinderella by Tuan Cheng-shih, all of them show the transformation of Cinderella from rags to rich because of her kind heart and dedication (614-616). Charles Perraults French versionRead MoreSocial Change During The Civil Rights Movement1239 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Native Americans fighting for equality in the Civil Rights Movements.The Native Americans, Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans had to participate in the Civil Rights Movements in order to prevent their cultures from being taken away. Equal pay, equal education, and different types of natural born rights are still being addressed today, and overtime advocacy groups have been working to achieve equal rights.â€Å"We are confronted primarily with a moral issue†¦ whether all Americans are toRead More The Theme of Silkos Ceremony Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pagescultures, traditions, religions, and livelihoods of other societies. The Native Americans, for example, were one of the many civilizations that were conquered by the English. The result was their ways of life based on nature changed into the more â€Å"civilized† ways of the colonists of the English people. Many Native Americans have lost their old ways and were pulled into the new â€Å"civilized† ways. Today only a small amount of Native American nations or tribes exist in remote areas surviving following theirRead MoreRace Is a Significant Factor in Identification of Individuals and Groups1493 Words   |  6 Pages273). Inferential racism or naturalised racism is most commonly found in pop culture specifically in television and movies. In his analysis of British television and movies Hall explains that there are three characters African Americans tend to play, the â€Å"slave†, â€Å"the native† and â€Å"the clown or entertainer† (Hall, 276). In present day these particular versions have changed but they still hold the same traces (Hall, 277). An example of these modern black characters would be the â€Å"gangster or hood-rats†Read MoreEthnic Groups and Discrimination- Native Americans791 Words   |  4 PagesEthnic Groups and Discrimination Native Americans The ethnic group that I choose was Native Americans. I am of Caucasian descendant with Native American from my dad’s side. I really want to learn more about my heritage and family background. The Native Americans didn’t participate in discrimination; they were affected by people discriminating against them. The immigration of Indian American has taken place in several waves since the first Indian American came to the United States in the 1700’sRead MoreThe Preservation of Identity in Ceremony: Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony.1645 Words   |  7 Pagesfear. The coming of change and meshing of cultures has brought an impending threat of ruin to Native American traditions. Although they reject him for his mixed heritage, Tayo’s journey is not his own but a continuation of the storytelling tradition that embodies Native American culture. Through tradition he learns to use his white and Mexican heritage to identify himself without abandoning his Native American practices. Tayo’s journey begins with his visit to Night Swan. Unknowing to Tayo, she embodiesRead MorePersonal Views On Anthropology And Ethnography1445 Words   |  6 Pages(Graeber 1996). In his process of examining power, money, and currency, he expresses the difference between men and women and their power: invisible vs visible (Graeber 1996). Much like Shaw, he explains the power differential that exists between those in power, and those who submit (Graeber 1996; Shaw 1985). However, Shaw points out, like Abu-Lughod, that invisible resistance is possible, and common, though unwanted (Shaw 1985; Abu-Lughod 1990). In addition, James Clifford and George Marcus wrote about

Who does the space exclude free essay sample

However, the main character Junior was in the same situation as the others because his family was very poor but his appearance was very different. When he was born he suffered a brain damage, which in turn made him look different from everyone else in the community. He partially blind, his hands and feet are way to big for his skinny little body and he had an enormous scull. Juniors unusual appearance made him a bullying target In school. His appearance made it so easy for people to pick on him.From the essay Recognizing Strangers, the author Sara Aimed redefines the meaning of strangers. When we hear the word stranger we associate it with someone that we do not know at all and we are threaten by the concept of unknown. She defines the word stranger as someone that we do know because we have seen them around before however we do not know them well personally. In closed small communities that people live in tend to have similar values, beliefs, cultures, and similar physical appearances. Those aspects and similarities between them connect people and thereIs a sense of belonging. However, In the context that Sara Aimed defines the strangers are the people that do not belong particularly to others within those aspects aforementioned above. When someone Is different he Is automatically seen as stranger or a threat. People tend to be threaten with something or something that is different and as a result place all their fears that they have on that particular figure and they feel secure. Placing fears with physical object makes us feel secure because when we encounter It In front of us we take measures to keep It away.Junior, In the novel did not belong with the people In his community even though he was the same race as everyone else but the fact that he looked different made him an outcast automatically. By Junior being physically different a person could easily define him as a stranger In the community and could place all his Insecurities and fears upon poor Junior. The community Reservation had the concept of neighborhood watch because they wanted everyone who lived In that particular area to be the same as everyone else.When Junior transferred too new school In another town where the white people lived, again he was out castes and seen as a stranger In the eyes of his classmates and teachers. People make Judgments and assumptions about others without even meeting them. We make stick to stereotypes and believe that defines them. Juniors teacher believed that he was stupid based on his race and his ethnicity even when they new that his observations or comments were correct.HIS new classmates did not even look at him when he first came In to class because he looked different and so they automatically acted as If he was not art to realize without even realizing we all make Judgments about others and place them into a category to see if they do belong or if they do not belong. Its so wrong for one to be Judged by his race or his physical appearance because the person did not choose to be what he is or what he looks like. Its devastating to see even in our days in 2013 where the human mind has involved so much in so many aspects that it still makes these ignorant pre assumed Judgments about others.We are better and smart than that to make these naive and biased assumptions and actually stick with them. Themes of the book Belonging- beginning of Indian school did not belong at all Rules of society- social rules, values system of fighting. Concept of friendship- abused child Rowdy. Rowdy is the reflection of what is he supposed to be. Does not want to become Tough, not value of education, poverty, drunkenness, Junior does not belong in his society. Junior is going to change because he is going adopt different values. Its going to change who he is.Similarities to Recognized Strangers and the book Neighborhood watch similar to the reservations because everyone looks the same Prejudges when Junior thought that he will punch by the white dudes. Preconceived notion of the teachers had that he will not be smart. Product of environment the way he lives Keeping everyone pure Junior as stranger Neighborhood watch keeping everyone the same Fear changes the way we see the world and move around it Penelope did not even recognized strangers or deal with strangers. Visual economy- not being worth to place money on it.His parents are brilliant people but because of there economy they can not improve. Read up to 151 He begins to fit in He starts dating Penelope who is the most popular girl so he is seen popular Becoming more distance from his own culture Rowdy hit Junior hit him in the head with a ball because he feels intimidated by him. Not the same person- his friends from school at the basketball game called him Arnold. He is placing new values that are clashing with his old values. Who would be the stranger. Why would anyone feel like a stranger on campus. 2. Who does the space exclude? 3. What are the daily practices to keep the exclusion in place?Started to question his identity when he beat the basketball game. Because he realized that they were not going anywhere. Indian kids the basketball game was everything to them. To the white kids had a future ahead of them. Multiculturalism- 21 at Century Academy Insiders not associated as a group. Egocentrics- assumes that they see the world the way they do (insiders). Outsiders- the unwritten roles that they can see where they belong. Insight of how the world works and the insiders do not have the privilege because they are inside. People should not look at the world in as a color blindness.

Love And Marriage

Researchers agree that marriages have been changing throughout recent decades. For instance, Elliott (2008) notes that people tended to remain in their marriages even though they did not obtain emotional and psychological satisfaction as the marriage was seen as a social institution aimed at addressing social and economic issues.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Love And Marriage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At present, people seek for emotional and psychological satisfaction and are reluctant to work hard to preserve their marriages. Though, there are people who are satisfied with their relationships. Researchers claim that this satisfaction comes from self-expansion, i.e. people affect each other and share positive experiences (Neff Karney, 2009). Notably, the social expansion theory has gained popularity among researchers. The present research is aimed at discovering the correlation between satisf action with marriage and self-expansion in marriage. The hypothesis can be formulated as follows: there is a strong correlation between the degree of self-expansion and satisfaction with marriage. The quantitative method is employed in the present research. Two couples (an unmarried and a married couple) completed questionnaires. They rated key factors which are important for the happy marriage. They also chose a pattern on the Inclusion of Other in the Self Scale. Finally, they reported on their satisfaction with their marriage. The results of the present research suggest that the hypothesis is confirmed. Thus, the partners in the unmarried couple had similar views on the importance of sharing experiences and understanding. The two partners chose the circle, which shows a considerable degree of self-expansion. The partners also reported that they were satisfied with their relationship even though one of the partners felt their relationship was getting into a rut. When it comes to t he married couple, the partners rated the key factors quite differently though they both mentioned such aspects as trust, responsibility, communication and wealth.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The two partners also noted that their life was getting into a rut. Finally, the degree of their self-expansion is quite low. Remarkably, the partners were not totally satisfied with their marriage (one of the partners was ‘somewhat satisfied’ while the other was ‘somewhat dissatisfied’). Therefore, it is possible to note that there is certain correlation between the degree of satisfaction with marriage and the degree of self-expansion. The partners who reveal considerable degree of self-expansion reported about their satisfaction with their relationship while those reporting about their dissatisfaction show low self-expansion degree. It is necessary to not e that the results of the present research can have a number of implications. In the first place, the results justify accuracy of social expansion theory. The results can be seen as an illustration of the major claim of the theory’s opponents that self-expansion in marriage results in satisfaction and proper relationships. Thus, Parker-Pope (2010) states that ‘happy marriages’ are based on shared values and positive experiences. Tsapelas, Aron and Orbuch (2010, p. 545) also point out that â€Å"enhancing positive† is as important as â€Å"eliminating negatives†. Clearly, there are still gaps in the theory and further research is needed. For example, Brody et al. (2009) highlight certain gaps in the theory. Thus, it is still unclear whether openness is one of the crucial factors affecting people’s relationship. The researchers note that happy marriages are not always characterized by openness though partners report about their satisfaction wit h their marriage (Brody et al., 2009). Therefore, it is important to discover the correlation between openness and marriage satisfaction. On the other hand, the present research also illustrates effectiveness of questionnaires. This method requires less time than other strategies (e.g. interviewing). It also ensures relevance of the data obtained. Clearly, during interviews people may be somewhat constrained and tend to be insincere. When it comes to questionnaires, people are more focused and determined to provide truthful answers due to anonymity. Admittedly, the data obtained only help trace some trends. As has been mentioned above, questionnaires can include a lot of meaningful questions and people spend less time completing them. Nonetheless, such methods as interviews provide researchers with more detailed information.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Love And Marriage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn Mor e Interviews can also help reveal some factors that affect people’s decisions. It is also possible to trace people’s reactions while asking questions, which can also be important. When it comes to research on marriage, it can be effective to combine the two methods to obtain more information. It is necessary to note that the present study has a number of limitations. One of the major limitations is certain lack of data. Further research on the matter is necessary. The research should include more participants. The research can be based on questionnaires which should be expanded. It can also be beneficial to hold a number of interviews with several participants. Furthermore, the present research focuses on the degree of satisfaction with relationship, but it does not reveal factors that determine attraction. In other words, it is not clear how people start their relationship, in the first place. At that, it is important to understand how people are attracted to be abl e to analyze their relationship in the future. Sharing similar values is seen as one of the key factors affecting development of relationship though physical attraction is also an important factor. It is accepted that different people are attracted to each other. Brody et al. (2009) note that people tend to strive for new discoveries. Clearly, this is quite difficult when partners are very similar as they know everything about themselves and their partners. This understanding can soon grow in boredom (Tsapelas, Aron Orbuch, 2010). On the other hand, totally different people will not be able to develop proper relationship and have a ‘happy’ marriage. Totally different people are unlikely to share similar values. Self-expansion will require additional effort and partners’ commitment in such relationship. Irrespective of these limitations, the present research provides valuable insights into the nature of marriages. It also helped understand existing gaps in the st udy. Thus, further research may involve analysis of such aspects as factors affecting people’s attraction and socioeconomic factors influencing development of relationship.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Further research will involve more participants and the mixed research method will be employed. Participants will complete more detailed questionnaires and some participants will be interviewed. Clearly, social expansion theory will be the basis of the further research as it has proved to be effective. Participants will contemplate the degree of their self-expansion. All in all, it is possible to note that the present research is the first step which can result in a profound analysis of marriages. Admittedly, it is essential to understand what factors affect people’s relationship to help people have ‘happy’ marriages. This, in its turn, will help the society develop properly as a strong state is built by strong and happy families. Reference List Brody, S., Wright, S.C., Aron, A., McLaughlin-Volpe, T. (2009). Compassionate love for individuals in other social groups. In B. Fehr, S. Sprecher, L.G. Underwood (Eds.), The science of compassionate love: Theory, resea rch, and applications (pp. 201-223). Malden, MA: John Wiley Sons. Elliott, A. (2008). Contemporary social theory: An introduction. New York, NY: Routledge. Neff, L.A., Karney, B.R. (2009). Compassionate love in early marriage. In B. Fehr, S. Sprecher, L.G. Underwood (Eds.), The science of compassionate love: Theory, research, and applications (pp. 201-223). Malden, MA: John Wiley Sons. Parker-Pope, T. (2010, December 31). The happy marriage is the ‘me’ marriage. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/weekinreview/02parkerpope.html?_r=3 Tsapelas, I., Aron, A., Orbuch, T. (2009). Marital boredom now predicts less satisfaction 9 years later. Psychological Science, 20(5), 543-545. This research paper on Love And Marriage was written and submitted by user Yaretzi Williamson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Intervention A plan for intervention deals with theories of strain labeling association social control essays

Intervention A plan for intervention deals with theories of strain labeling association social control essays Take-home Midterm Exam Part Two In order to prevent children from growing up in environments that produce deviant behavior we can take certain crucial steps while they are still receptive to social molding. Through the plan of intervention that I propose, we are assured that the next generation of our societys children will not be plagued by the problems described by the theories of Labeling, Differential Association, Social Control, and Strain. The program I propose involves inserting highly-trained mentors into our elementary, junior high, and high schools. The objective is to have these mentors, or role models, develop a personal relationship with their students, and through that relationship they will provide the guidance, support, and counseling that each student requires. As there are no funding limitations, it is possible to have the abundant amount of mentors that is necessary. With each mentor dedicated to his group of about 10 students, an ample amount of time and attention is guaranteed to each student. The mentor, who must first pursue a college education in the areas of psychology, sociology, and child development, as well as specialized mentor training will be well-suited and educated to help guide the children into good social standing. Each mentor will first be introduced to their group of children at the beginning of each educational institution (i.e. elementary school, junior high, high school), and then stay dedicated to that group for the remainder of their stay at the institution. The point of this aspect of the program is to provide time for the mentor and group to develop a trusting and respectful relationship; hopefully, a bond will develop between each member of the group, as well as between each member and the mentor. From the theory of Differential Association, we learn that people are often pushed into d ...

Victim-Blaming Rape Myths

Victim-Blaming Rape Myths Question: What are Rape Myths - Why Do Myths About Rape Often Blame the Victim? Answer: Rape myths are assumptions about the act of rape and the victims of rape that frequently reduce empathy for and even shift blame to the victim. Often unproven or downright wrong, rape myths are nonetheless widely accepted. A concept first introduced by sociologist Martha R. Burt in 1980, rape myths are defined as prejudicial, stereotyped, or false beliefs about rape, rape victims and rapists. Rape myths can lead us to justify acts of sexual violence by rationalizing that the victim did something wrong and therefore is at fault. When women believe rape myths, they frequently separate and/or distance themselves from the victim by saying, That would never happen to me because.... The following are common rape myths: Its not rape if theyre datingthere was no force/violence involvedshe didnt fight itshe went home with himshe wasnt aware of what was happeningshe said no but really meant yesshes a prostitute She wouldnt have been raped if she wasnt drinking alcoholwearing tight/sexy clothingleading him onslutty/a bad girl/sleeping aroundasking for ityoung and attractivein the wrong place at the wrong time the LA Weekly blog described her The tendency to take a judgmental view of rape victims is s direct result of viewing this violent crime through the lens of rape myths. Sources:Beere, Carole A. Sex and gender issues: a handbook of tests and measures. Pages 400-401. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1990.Raja, Sheela. Rape Myths Persist - Reactions to the Assault on Lara Logan. WomensMediaCenter.org. 17 February 2011.Wilson, Simone. Lara Logan, CBS Reporter and Warzone It Girl, Raped Repeatedly Amid Egypt Celebration. Blogs.LAWeekly.com. 16 February 2011.

End of the course reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

End of the course reflection - Essay Example However, the writing skills develop with time. In writing, we consider the purpose, audience, and rhetorical strategies for any writing process. Indeed, my writing has improved with time where I have manifested fundamental changes in my method of writing. Initially, writing proved a difficult task for me since I could not understand different writing topics and develop an idea for writing. Moreover, my writing manifested numerous grammatical errors, poor formatting, incoherence, and lack of logical flow. Nevertheless, I have perfected my writing after a continued practice. Indeed, writing is a learning process that has enabled me to improve my writing skills. As I advanced in my course, I made significant adjustments in my writing practice to address the professional audience that involved my tutors and fellow students. Moreover, the need to present professional messages and address particular aspects in my course forced me to adjust my writing. As such, my writing became more objective, focused and professional. The changes in my writing style altered my grammar, introduction, rhetoric strategies, and diction that enhance professionalism in my works. As a result, my writing was able to convince my colleagues and met the course standards. I have developed immense love in writing about different topics. Initially, I wrote for fun and followed no procedures since I lacked a professional audience. I have learned to go through the subject before starting to write about a particular topic. The process has enabled me to understand what I am writing about with the aim of convincing my audience and addressing all the course aspects. I also write and revise a draft after understanding the writing concept that helps me to eliminate irrelevance and grammatical errors in my writing. I have also learned the need to proofread my work before submitting that

Should the N-word be removed from the version of the The Adventures of Essay

Should the N-word be removed from the version of the The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn - Essay Example There are two reasons why censorship of the book should not be allowed. First, it goes against the spirit and letter of the Freedom of Speech provisions in the constitution of the country. Second, there is nothing inherently sinister about the word ‘nigger’. In other words, the author, instead of reinforcing the negative stereotype of black people, is only showing the abusive usage of language by their white owners. Moreover, the language used in the American South during the antebellum years can only be truly captured if such words are included in the novel. The essence and literary style of the Realist genre, which the novel employs, would be lost if political correctness is given importance over real substance. Also, since the civil rights movement of 1960s, the usage of the word ‘nigger’ is substituted by the more acceptable ‘black Americans’. But the change in nomenclature has not translated into change in their social status. Despite the U nited States presently boasting a black President, the community lags behind white folks in many respects. In this sense, this token change was merely euphemistic. Terming the language in the novel as being abusive is to miss the point. Author Mark Twain is playing the twin roles of writer and historian in the book.

I Love College Essay Example for Free

I Love College Essay I Love College by Asher Roth is considered 2009s college anthem. A dance song about college parties, complete with under-age drinking, possible date rape, and the lack of focus on academics, I Love College is on most teenagers iPod playlist, especially the teenagers who are planning on going to college in the fall. I Love College by Asher Roth is not only degrading to women and sends the message to impressionable teenagers that women are only for mens enjoyment. The lyrics of I Love College are offensive, to say the least, to all college students, not only women. The lyrics imply that all a college student does is go to parties and drink. However, women suffer the most because of these lyrics. This song is a prime example of men taking advantage of women. For example, the chorus of this song details how a college student went to a party, got drunk and high, got a girl â€Å"completely naked†, and did it all over again the next night. This song, because of its catchy beat, sends the message to teenagers that this behavior is acceptable, and it implies that every college student acts this way. The music video for I Love College could be considered more offensive than the lyrics. The music video opens with a man standing up from sitting on a couch, pushing a girl, who is passed out, off of him. The next view the video shows of women is a group of girls, half nude, playing what appears to be strip poker. Throughout the video, Asher Roth kisses many different women, all of them wanting to be near him. The only image of women that viewers get from this music video is women undressing; this is all the women in this video did. To impressionable young people getting ready for college, this video, along with the lyrics, send the message that men are superior to women, and that women are only there for mens entertainment. The lyrics and music video for I Love College also sends the message that college is for partying and taking advantage of others, not for studying for a career, for a successful future. The lyrics and music video put women in a degrading light, portraying them as toys for mens pleasure. This sends the wrong message to teenagers. The future of the American society is in trouble if these are the messages young people are getting through the entertainment they love so much.

the life of Dorothy Day :: essays research papers

Dorothy was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 8 1897. In 1906 her family survived the San Francisco earthquake and her and her family took a drastic change in lifestyle conditions after Day’s father became unemployed and they were forced to move into a small flat in Chicago’s South Side. After seeing the shame her father felt with unemployment sparked her vocation to help the poor. Originally Day, in high school rejected organized religion because she claimed she never saw these â€Å"Religious people† helping the poor. Her religious development was a slow process but eventually she became a very devoted catholic. She Saw the Catholic Church as â€Å"the church of immigrants, the church of the poor† This calling and strong beliefs in the teaching of God encouraged Day to help those who were poor and unemployed. With this in mind and her experience, strong faith and family past Dorothy started a paper known as The Catholic Worker. She sold the paper for a penny a copy â€Å"So cheap anyone could afford it† she explained. And on May 1st the first copies were issued at Union Square and by December 100 000 copies were being printed each month. The paper’s purpose was to publicise catholic social teaching and promote steps to bring about the peaceful transformation of society. By the winter the paper had received so much success homeless people began to knock on her door. Eventually an apartment was rented with space for 10 women and soon after a place for poor men. Next came a house in Greenwich Village. Then in1936 this community moved to two buildings in China town. The charity became a national movement. There were 33 Catholic worker houses spread across the country because of the depression there were many people in need of these places. Day took these people in â€Å"As members of her family†. As a strong catholic she went to daily mass and weekly confession and regularly went on religious retreats and read the bible. Today the organisation is still running with 185 catholic worker communities which are committed to non-violence, voluntary poverty, p rayer and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry and forsaken. They protest injustice, war, racism and all violence. Through Day’s protests, achievements, actions, words and writings of 8 books, 350 plus articles for journals and magazines and also over 1 000 articles for the Catholic Worker newspaper she proved to be an excellent role model for many people.

Critically Examine the Arguments for and Against Deliberately Trying to Change Organizations

Assessed Essay OC4 â€Å"Critically examine the arguments for and against deliberately trying to change organizations† Introduction Before we begin to explore whether it is a worthwhile exercise to seek to change an organisation through a planned approach we must first begin with a definition of our terms. What might we mean by â€Å"deliberate†, â€Å"change† and an â€Å"organisation† To do so will help us explore under what circumstances planned change may be worthwhile or even possible. Huczynski & Buchanan (1991) define organizations as â€Å"social arrangements for the controlled performance of collective goals†. This definition fits well those who would propose a deliberate change approach as it suggests an element of control of the organisation is possible. It also pictures the organisation as a separate entity whose goal is to control and that there is agreement by the members on what these goals should be. The fits with the roots of Organisational Development that the performance of the organisation can be enhanced by exerting control in some way over the structures, processes and individuals that make up the organisation. Some would take issue however with the concept of the organisation as a seperate entity: Morgan (1986) â€Å"organizations are complex and paradoxical phenomena that can be understood in different ways† thus change of the organisation is a much more complex issue. In Morgans view, the idea that we can identify the elements that make up the organisation, in the same way that you might dismantle a machine, does not allow for the complexity that exists. As our view of the organisation affects our perspective our definition of the type of change we are examining will also affect the scope of our investigation. Schein (1969) defines change as â€Å"the initiation of new patterns of action, belief and attitudes among substantial segments of the population†. Change is something that is started by someone (a change agent), but does not necessarily need to involve everyone. For Schein, change is deep rooted in that it goes beyond the surface level change of process and goes to the core of behaviour: beliefs and attitudes. Lippett (1973) uses a broader definition: â€Å"any planned or unplanned alteration to the status quo†. We will explore whether, using such a broad definition, the planned approach might be more suitable to particular contexts. Our final term in need of definition is â€Å"deliberate change†. Ford & Ford (1995) define this as â€Å"when a change agent deliberately and consciously sets out to establish conditions and circumstances that are different from what they are now and then accomplishes that through some set or series of actions and interventions either singularly or in collaboration with other people†. Thus deliberate change involves intent that distinguishes it from change which is not consciously produced and instead occurs as a series of side effects, accidents or unanticipated consequences of actions. The Arguments for Deliberate Change 1. Performance is enhanced by the controlled introduction of change rather than allowing it to happen haphazardly. It is worth noting that the classical approach, from which this argument derives, was developed during a period when the management approach was fairly reactive and adhoc. The scientific approach to management was an attempt to create order and efficiency. Fayol (1949), suggested the role of mangers is to plan, organise, command, co-ordinate and control. Critics of the approach would attack the concept of leadership portrayed by Fayol and others e. g. Collins who speaks of â€Å"Level 5† leaders who are more servants than charismatic controllers; those who would look in the mirror when performance dips and praise their team for the successes achieved. Those who would act more as facilitators than controllers. There is also wider criticism of the notion that planned change is good for organisations per se. This seems to be a notion that permeates much of OD literature, that individuals need to be controlled for change to be effective.. Croch et al challenges the view that because leaders see unprecedented turbulence they act as a buffer to the organisation to minimise this by resistance, denial or inaction. Leaders are inherently obstructionist in their stance. Burnes & Stalker (1961) found that rather than act as a blocker to change; leaders seized the opportunity to initiate action. Thus one could argue that rather than needing to control individual action it may be more appropriate to allow individuals the freedom to seize the opportunities that prevail around them. One could also question the view that planned change is more effective than â€Å"unplanned† change. Studies examining the success of transformations have suggested that 66% of organisations fail in their change efforts (Sturdy 7 Grey (2003) 2. Change now takes place at an ever accelerating rate, if managers do not plan how to deal with change there is a danger that the organisation will be driven by vagaries of its environment. Some critics would question the notion that change is as rapid and all pervasive as some writers would suggest. Weick (1985) would argue that the turbulence is only created in the perception of those who create the turbulence rather than by the events themselves. One could argue that rather than planned change perhaps there is a call for planned stability. Individuals may be getting tired of the changes that are imposed upon them and instead seek stability in their environment. Some would argue change has always been with us, others would argue that stability is equally as prevalent. The notion that change is a given is built on Darwinian concept that all things evolve in a common way to attain improved circumstances. 3. Planned change is the most effective way to deliver the performance as organisations need long term strategic plans to enable them to attain the results they require. This build from a top down view of the organisation guided by a group of rational individuals who make decisions for the good of the organsiation and its members. Taylor (1911) and his scientific view of management â€Å"the work of everyman is fully planned out by management† supported the concept of leaders as rational decision makers, fully able to plan every task of the workers who in turn simply carried out the tasks assigned to them. John Harvey-Jones and would support this managerialist position by building a picture of the â€Å"hero† manager fully capable of implementing any change they see fit. The argument also portrays the change process itself as rational capable of being controlled e. g. Leighs (1988) who identifies a list of internal and external triggers to change that can enable the control to take place. Pettigrew (1985) criticises the approach for taking an acontextual, atheoretical and aprocessual stance: organisations are not this independent entity that the writers suggest. Clegg (1990) suggests organisations are embedded in a network of wider social relationships. Organisations don’t just reside in an environment; they are part of its fabric. Thus even if the leaders have the skills the control of the complexity would be beyond them. There is also criticism aimed at the assumption that planned change results in the intended outcomes. Grevenhoest et al (2003) â€Å"The outcome of the change process is often different from what was planned and new projects are often started before previous ones have finished properly† Other studies have questioned the success rate of planned change in achieving their initial goals. What would be the â€Å"success rate† of unplanned change? How much change takes place as a reaction of internal and external forces rather than through some strategic planning process? 3. Planned change enables the change agent and those implementing the change to take into account a range of issues that would not otherwise be included. Although this may be true it does not necessarily follow that this means they are able to influence or control these factors. The argument, by adopting a scientific approach assumes that by identifying the issues the individuals then have the skills and ability to manipulate the â€Å"issues† to make the change more effective. Such capacity, even if it is possible, presumes highly sophisticated skills. Would the individuals possess such skills? . Planned change enables leaders of the change to ensure that the changes are introduced in such a way that they are accepted by the individuals within the organisation. Ford & Ford (1995) point to the power of communication in driving change. â€Å"everything, including prevailing conditions and circumstances, is seen as created by and in communication†¦ in the absence of communica tion there is no intentional change. † Such communications follow fairly simple patterns and the drivers of change can use different types of conversation to make the changes happen. At a more macro Level Lewin (1951) placed the individual in the group to which they belong which forms the individuals perceptions, feelings and actions. He maintained the status quo is held together by various field forces which, when identified could be strengthened or diminished to bring about the necessary change. By â€Å"unfreezing† the status quo, then â€Å"moving† to the new state and finally â€Å"re freezing† the changes become effective. These concepts seem to adopt a rather simplified view of individual behaviour and of the change process itself. They imply change can be mapped as a set of stages hat individuals go through and which can then be planned and controlled, e. g. by the use of communication techniques. Bandura (1986) questions this simplistic approach to individual behaviour and instead proposes a social cognitive view â€Å" people are neither driven by inner forces nor automatically shaped and controlled by external stimuli†¦behavi our, cognitive and other personal forces and environmental events all operate as interacting determinants of each other. Arguments against Planned Change Burnes and Salauroo (1995) aim four criticisms at the planned change approach: 1. Much of OD on which it is based was designed for top-down, autocratic; rule based organisations, which operated in a predictable and stable environment. Such a picture of the organisation is one that the management Guru’s of the 1980’s and 1990’s fought against (Peters & Waterman, Kanter) arguing instead for an organisation that was bottom up, that was built around team working rather than hierarchy. Involving matrix management and extended spans of control rather than vast hierarchical structures to exercises control over the workers. Handy (2001) now argues that such vast hierarchical organisations will be few in numbers and instead the workforce will be epitomised by â€Å"fleas† living in some symbiotic relationship but over whom the large organisations have little control. Thus one should not attempt to apply the principles to a business environment that undergoes constant change and whose watchwords are consultation and facilitation rather than authority and control. However to suggest that all organisations have moved away from a top down, autocratic stance is perhaps a little naive. Many may advocate a consultative approach but it is still the board of directors who make the strategic decisions. There is also the argument highlighted previously that the notion of rapid continual change is one of perception rather than concrete reality. 2. The focus of planned change tends to be on incremental change, taking place through a series of defined and controllable phases (Lewin) and so it is unable to incorporate radical transformational change (Schein) Planned change involves detailed diagnosis of the issues, action and then evaluation before further action and evaluation in an iterative cycle. It recognises change needs to be self-sustaining. Quinn (1980) draws a picture of the executive who seeks out, through various channels, a range of data before proactively taking steps to â€Å"implant support†, form coalitions, and constantly re evaluate the direction of the organisation as he moved it gradually in the direction he seeks. Such planned change, could be very costly and labour intensive. Payne & Reddin’s study of a major change at a tobacco factory calculated the cost as 25-person manager years of OD. Is such a cost justified in light of the research that suggests much of the changes would prove ineffective? In the case of rapid, radical change a coercive approach might be more appropriate than the planned approach. Does change really take place in such a controlled, phased way? Are change agents able to introduce change in such a controlled way? What about the role of power and politics? Buchanan & Badham suggested that politics is a reality and by necessity change agents have to get involved otherwise the changes are likely to fail. However, would the change agent have the skills to engage in such behaviour successfully? If the change involves culture change, difficulties start at the analysis stage as culture is difficult to define therefore how can you then plan to make changes? Where would the start and end point be and how would you evaluate the differences? 3. Planned change makes the assumption that there is common agreement between all parties and that they all have a willingness and interest in making the changes. It seems to adopt a unitarist approach to change that suggests organisations are essentially co operative, that little conflict exists amongst the members on the overall aims of the organisation. Both the pluralist and radical schools would argue much conflict exists in reality. The radical school might go as far as to suggest that the workers need protection from management, as the drivers of the two groups are completely different. Certainly the planned approach seems to view the managers as rational, altruistic individuals who always act for the good of the organisation and its members. Bowman C. (1999) suggests that changes to the status quo tend to emerge from action and rarely come from strategic analysis. It is far better then for changes to take place as a stream of decisions over time than agreeing some common vision of the outcomes intended by the changes. The Marxist view would challenge this by suggesting that as their focus is on increasing profits, by necessity that involves the exploitation of the members of the organisation. 4. The planned approach assumes the approach is suitable for all organisations. Pettigrew & Whipp (1991) instead suggest that no such universal rules exist and leading change actually involves a flow of actions that need to be appropriate to the context rather then working through some recipe for success as is suggested by some texts e. g. Leighs (1988) â€Å"Effective change: twenty ways to make it happen† Pettigrew (1985) criticises the approach for concentrating on change episodes rather than the â€Å"processual dynamics of changing†. Few have undertaken longitudinal studies to explore the process of change which would enable you to place the changes in the context within which they occur: For Pettigrew it is these structures and contexts which give the changes â€Å"form, meaning and dynamic†. He also criticises planned change for assuming managers work to achieve an end state that is knowable and achievable whereas change is a complex process that doesn’t occur in bite size chunks. You need to explore the process of changing and not just the change itself. This is perhaps rather a harsh criticism, as it was not suggested that the approach would suit all situations at all times. In fact the focus is very much on incremental change however even here critics question the basic tenets of the approach built on the idea that change takes place as a steady flow of incremental changes towards a common goal. Gersick (1991) suggests a â€Å"punctuated equilibrium paradigm† through which to view change to challenge the view that individual systems develop along the same path. Gersick proposes the notion of periods of equilibrium punctuated by revolutionary periods that cause upheaval in the change process rather than some gradual incremental step to the end goal. Van de Van & Poole (1995) suggest that rather than take the â€Å"one shoe fits all approach† we need to look at the different perspectives through which writers view change and explore where they are inter related. One could also argue that the planned approach to change suggests that conflict needs to be eliminated and organisations need to strive for a smooth transition from one state to another. The notion goes back to the notion that change occurs in phases and the concept that individuals reaction hen faced with change is to attempt to block it. There has also been much criticism of the planned approach in that, although it attempts to tackle â€Å"how to implement change† when it comes to specific guidance the writers provide little substance. Recipes for success do exist however they are very general in their approach e. g. The planned approach seems to view change as episodic, the result being that it takes the view that the organisation exists in a stable environment which is interrupted by periods of change which need to be controlled to ensure a smooth transition from one state to another and recreate the stability. The role of the change agent is to create the change by focusing on leverage points that will help ensure any conflict is resolved. It is possible however to take a different perspective: Weick & Quinn (1999) Organisations are not specific entities but social processes, which are emergent and constantly changing rather than inert. Change instead of punctuated equilibrium is a pattern of endless incremental modifications that is driven by a range of internal and external forces. As such rather than using a set recipe for success the individuals involved in the change need a vast range of skills to enable them to adapt to the forces affecting them. Change is not an end state but a process that is cyclical. The role of the change agent is to facilitate rather than create, to redirect the change that already takes place rather than create change. However Weick and Quinn argue that because episodic change examines change at the macro level and continuous change at the micro level it is possible to reconcile the two approaches. â€Å" Change is a mixture of reactive and proactive modifications, guided by purposes at hand, rather than an intermittent interruption of periods of convergence†. Collins (1998) â€Å"change and continuity are not alternative objective states†¦. Because they are typically coexistent†¦what constitutes change or continuity is perspective dependent† One could ask the question: Do managers need to learn how to manage change or â€Å"enhance stability and learn to manage continuity if they want to survive? † References Armenakis, A. A. and Bedeian A. G. (1999) Organizational Change: a Review of Theory and research in the 1990s. Journal of Management 25 (3) 293-315. Bandura, A. 1986 Social Foundations of thought and Action: a social cognitive theory. Bowman, C. (1999) Action Led strategy and managerial self-confidence. Journal of Managerial Psychology 7/8 555-568. Buchanan, D. and Badham, R (1999) Politics and organizational change: the lived experience. Human Relations 52 (5) 609-629. Burnes, B. 2000 Managing change: a strategic approach to organisational dynamics. Collins, D. (1998) Organizational Change: Sociological Perspectives. Doolin, B. (2003) Narratives of Change: Discourse, Technology and Organization Organization 10 (4). Ford, J. D. and Ford, L. W. (1995) The role of conversations in producing intentional change in organizations. 20 (3) 541-570. Francis. H and Sinclair. J. (2003) A processual analysis of HRM-based change. Organization 10 (4) 685-700. Gersick, C. J. G. 1991) Revolutionary change theories: a multilevel exploration of the punctuated equilibrium paradigm. Academy of Management Review 16 (1) 10-36. Gravenhorst, K. M. B. Werkman, R. A. & Boonstra. J. J. (2003) The change capacity of Organisations: general assessment and Five Configurations. Applied Psychology 52 (1) 83-105. Greenwood, R. and Hinings, C. R. (1996) Understanding radical Organizational Change: Bringing together the old and new institutionalism. Aca demy of Management Review 21 (4) 1022-1054. Hardy, C. (1996) Understanding Power: bringing about strategic change. British Journal of Management 7 (special issue):S3-S16. Hoskings, D. M. and Anderson, N 1992 Organizational change and innovation: Psychological perspectives and practices in Europe. Petigrew, A. and Whipp, R,1993 Managing Change for competitive success. Pettigrew et al (2001) Studying Organizational Change and development: Challenges for future research. Academy of Management Journal 44 (4) 697-713 Quinn, J. B. (1980) Managing strategic change. Sloan Management Review 21 (4) 67-86. Rajagopalan, N. and Spreitzer, G. M. 1996 Toward a theory of strategic change: a multi-lens perspective and integrative framework. Academy of Management Review 22 (1) 48-79. Sturdy, A. and Grey , C. (2003) Beneath and Beyond organizational change management: exploring alternatives 10 (4) 651-662. Tsoukas, H. (1998) Chaos, complexity and organization theory Organization 5 (3) 291-313. Van de Van A. H. and Poole, M. S. (1995). Explaining development and change in Organizations. Academy of Management Review 20 (3): 510-540. Weick, K. E. and Quinn, R. E. (1999) Organizational change and development. Annual Review of Psychology 50: 361-386. Weick K. E. (2000) Emergent Change as a universal in organizations in â€Å"Breaking the code

The Process Of Modelling Erosion Environmental Sciences Essay

This papers is intended as a literature reappraisal of research on how to pattern the eroding. Erosion is a natural procedure that has become a serious environmental job due to the action of several natural and human factors. For case, deforestation, fires, unequal agricultural patterns or inordinate building of edifices and roads have skyrocketed this phenomenon. Erosion causes transit of deposits to rivers, swamps and lakes, increasing the hazard of deluging when raining. Besides, eroding reduces the capacity of dirts to hive away H2O, and do the loss of foods and organic affair worsening the biodiversity of the part. The engagement of the governments is needed to set up programs to command this phenomenon. 2 Definition of Erosion The word eroding, from Latin, means gnaw off ( Ghanshyam, 2009 ) . Erosion means the remotion of stuff from one topographic point of the Earth ‘s crust to the other by the impact of geological agents ( Krebs, 2003 ) . Erosion is a phenomenon that occurs at really slow rates. For illustration, Patric ( 1976 ) references some illustrations of a general rate of 0.18 to 0.30 dozenss / acre / twelvemonth. Obviously this rate will change depending on many variables on the surface of the Earth. Areas on the Earth surface that is more immune to erosion, such as forest land can supply rates of 0.05 to 0.10 ton / acre / twelvemonth. In contrast, countries with high rates of eroding such as agricultural land may stop up giving rates of 1 to 5 dozenss / acre / twelvemonth. Erosion is a natural procedure linked to the kineticss development of the planet and is a measure within the geological rhythm of the Earth ‘s crust. The geological rhythm which includes eroding is intended to accomplish a mass balance between the highest countries of the planet and the lower countries ( Khan, 2006 ) .3 Erosion within the Geological rhythmThe Earth ‘s crust is subjected to a uninterrupted transmutation ensuing from the action of geological agents, both internal and external, which are the elements that model the Earth surface ( Ramberg, 2008 ) . The Internal geological procedures have their chief beginning in the internal heat of the planet, and they are constructive, they are responsible for the formation of the Earth surface. These geological procedures appear in signifier of slow motions ( orogenic ) or sudden events ( temblors and vents ) , which give manner to the formation of new minerals and stones. External geological procedures are caused by the action of external agents ( air, H2O, air current, snow ) .3.1 Weathering, conveyance and depositWeathering is the procedure of break and decomposition of stones by the action of external agents. Weathering occurs in the topographic point where the stones are, without being transported. When the decomposition takes topographic point in combination with conveyance so is called eroding ( Gifford, 2005 ) . Weathering may be chiefly mechanical ( physical ) or chemical, but in most occasions operate combined. The conditions will be a cardinal factor in the laterality of mechanical or chemical weathering. Mechanical weathering is the physical decomposition of stones due to events such as dilation and alterations in H2O temperature ( Gifford, 2005 ) . This instance is common in hot dry climes where the uninterrupted alterations of temperature contribute to do snap and break in the stones. In cold climes, the H2O freezes in clefts perforating moving as a cuneus, doing the break and atomization of stones. Chemical weathering is the change of the mineral components of stones by the action of atmospheric gases ( O, C dioxide ) and H2O ( Gifford, 2005 ) , which performs procedures such as hydrolysis and hydration. Transport occurs on weather-beaten stuffs, fragmented or dissolved which can be eroded and moved from their topographic point of beginning, by the action of gravitation, which will take them from high to low countries. The chief conveyance agents are H2O overflow ( watercourses, rivers ) , ice ( glaciers ) , air current and sea ( coastal countries ) ( Ghanshyam, 2009 ) . The deposition of the eroded and transported stuff ( fragments of stones, dead beings and chemicals ) consequences in their deposit when it stops the consequence of gravitation and make more stable topographic points. The zones of accretion of deposits are sedimentary basins, which may be inland ( a lake or a river vale ) and ocean, deep sea, which are the most of import. In the instance of comeuppances, deposit occurs when the consequence of air current Michigans.3.2 Wind erodingWind eroding occurs in desert parts ( dry conditions ) , where rainfall and flora are scarce, with a preponderantly mechanical weathering. Wind eroding depends on many factors: conditions forms, dirt conditions, and flora screen ( Shao, and Leslie, 1997 ) . The deposition of stuffs occurs when the air current velocity lessening, ensuing the dunes, which are accretions of sand, which besides appear in coastal countries, as seen in some beaches.3.3 Water erodingSurface H2O ( overflow ) is the chief conveyance agent of alleviation modeling in the Earth ‘s surface. The behavior of surface H2O depends on their speed, which is relative to the incline. The greater is the speed larger the eroding consequence. Therefore, a graduation of the features of surface H2O can be seen from the topographic point of beginning until deposition occurs of the stuffs transported.3.4 Ice erodingGlaciers are accretions of ice, being located in the polar caps and in cragged countries. They originate in topographic points where rainfall is in the signifier of snow, which does non run and accumulates, until it becomes compacted and hardened into ice. The erosive glaciers can be of great importance in some countries of the Earth. In some countries of the planet can go the chief agent eroded go forthing a characteristic landscape. Glacial eroding occurs when immense multitudes of ice traveling easy through gravitation. This phenomenon carries the stuff in its way that act as an scratchy, crunching and smoothing the rock bed on which it travels.3.5 Coastal erodingGeological action of sea H2O plays an of import function in coastal modeling. The eroding occurs when moving ridges impact the stone. The accrued energy of the moving ridges crashing against the drops causes its gradual dislocation. Erosion rate depends on the petrology of the seashore and the moving ridge energy. Materials are so transported by moving ridges and currents and deposited in the signifier of pebbles, crushed rock and sand at the pes of the drop. Lighter atoms are deposited on the ocean floor.3.6 Human erodingHuman activities contribute in a meaningful manner t o the eroding of the dirt, including large-scale agribusiness patterns.Factors that determine the erodingAmong the most of import factors that have a major influence on the control of the eroding is without uncertainty the clime. There are several variables which can be derived from climate, including the most of import, the rain. The kinetic energy of raindrops when they hit the land cause the decomposition of the stuffs and therefore the eroding occurs.

ACT Math Tutor

What Makes for An Effective SAT/ACT Math Tutor SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You’d think that finding a good SAT/ACT Math tutor should be simple – just get someone who is really good at math to tutor you. Unfortunately, just because someone is good at math doesn’t make her the most effective tutor, particularly when it comes to the SAT or ACT. For instance, while I'm better at SAT/ACT Reading (compared to SAT/ACT Math), I'm actually a better math tutor, because I don’t always â€Å"get it" right away – I have to try out different ways to teach myself the material before I grasp it fully. Read on for more specifics on what makes the most effective SAT/ACT Math tutor. And if you want specific advice on SAT/ACT Reading tutoring as well, don't worry– we have an article about what to look for in an SAT/ACT Reading tutor here. feature image credit: Math, Math, Math, math, mathh....maaah..... by Aaron Escobar, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Effective SAT/ACT Math Tutors Are High Scorers Effective SAT/ACT math tutors must have scored in the 99th percentile on the test. At PrepScholar, we take it one step further: not only do we exclusively hire 99th percentile scorers, but many of these tutors were perfect scorers on the sections that they tutor. Why is this important? Because in order to be able to customize teaching, a tutor must have mastered the material. This doesn’t just mean knowing the content (probability, plane geometry, etc.). Tutors need to understand HOW the SAT/ACT questions you on math. The medium to hard questions in particular are not things you would have learned in school – it’s as much about interpreting the questions as it is solving the problems. Effective SAT/ACT Math Tutors Can Pinpoint Your Weaknesses The best math tutor needs to understand WHERE students are making mistakes in the questions. When all is said and done, a particularly challenging math question can test half a dozen or more skills. Take this sample problem: There are many complicated steps you have to take to solve this problem. Understand the problem: what’s this weird question even asking for? What information does the problem give you to solve the question? How do you use this information to solve the question? How does the angle of a polygon relate to the number of sides? How many degrees are in a quadrilateral? What does this mean about the degree measure of the other two sides? What does this mean about how many sides the polygon has? A student who misses the question could be tripped up by any one of these steps. How should a tutor address this? A mediocre tutor will just make sure the student understands how to get the answer to this particular question and move on. Why is this bad? It’s inefficient – it’s highly unlikely this particular question will show up on the SAT/ACT, and so the assistance given is not generalizable. Furthermore, it doesn't identify the student's actual weaknesses - it just patches over serious problems with a quick fix. The best tutor will pinpoint exactly where the student is having issues, then work on weaknesses until there are no longer any issues.A student who doesn't understand the formula for polygon angles needs very different help from a student who makes mistakes in the algebraic portion of this question. If the tutor doesn't identify these weaknesses and address them, the student will find it very hard to improve her score. be my valentine (cc) by Martin Fisch, used under CC BY-SA 2.0. Disclaimer: We at PrepScholar do not guarantee that the best tutors will be immortalized in statue form. Effective SAT/ACT Math Tutors Will Customize Test Strategies To You The best tutors will understand optimal strategies and be able to teach them to students, customizing the strategies to a student's particular level. Read on for an example of two different strategy suggestions: one suggestion is for someone aiming for a 600 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT and the other is for someone aiming for a perfect score on the SAT/ACT). Students who are aiming for a 600 or a 27 or a can skip hardest 25% of questions and instead focus on easier ones. For more strategies like these, read our articles on how to improve low SAT Math Scores or low ACT Math scores. If you're aiming for the perfect score, on the other hand, you might need to take note of time management. Take a timed practice test, and if you run out of time, mark the questions you answer with extra time. Compare your scaled score with extra time with your realistic score (the score that only includes questions answered during the normal time period). If your score differs by more than 50 points (on the SAT) or 1 point (on the ACT), you have serious time management issues. Are you generally slow at math questions, or were there particular questions that slowed you down? For more time management tips and other strategies, read our articles on scoring an 800 in SAT Math or 36 in ACT Math. Actions To Take The best way to get a sense of any tutor’s teaching style is to get her to demonstrate how she’d explain the process of answering a difficult question. PROTIP: Pick out a question ahead of time that you previously missed and have had trouble with from a real SAT and use it every time, so you can compare the explanations of multiple tutors. I’ve also compiled a list of sample questions parents and students might want to ask potential tutors. Click to download the PDF, or click on the image below. Use the answers to these questions to assess how a tutor teaches and whether or not her particular teaching style and method will be effective for you. What’s Next? Curious about tutoring for the SAT/ACT Reading sections? 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The Pros and Cons of Biofuels

The Pros and Cons of Biofuels There are many environmental benefits to replacing oil with plant-based biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. For one, since such fuels are derived from agricultural crops, they are inherently renewable- and our own farmers typically produce them domestically, reducing our dependence on unstable foreign sources of oil. Additionally, ethanol and biodiesel emit less particulate pollution than traditional petroleum-based gasoline and diesel fuels. They also do not have much of a net contribution of greenhouse gases to the global climate change problem, since they only emit back to the environment the carbon dioxide that their source plants absorbed out of the atmosphere in the first place. Biofuels Are Easy to Use, but Not Always Easy to Find And unlike other forms of renewable energy (like hydrogen, solar or wind), biofuels are easy for people and businesses to transition to without special apparatus or a change in vehicle or home heating infrastructure- you can just fill your existing car, truck or home oil tank with it. Those looking to replace gasoline with ethanol in their car, however, must have a â€Å"flex-fuel† model that can run on either fuel. Otherwise, most regular diesel engines can handle biodiesel as readily as regular diesel. Despite the upsides, however, experts point out that biofuels are far from a cure for our addiction to petroleum. A wholesale societal shift from gasoline to biofuels, given the number of gas-only cars already on the road and the lack of ethanol or biodiesel pumps at existing filling stations, would take some time. Are There Enough Farms and Crops to Support a Switch to Biofuels? Another major hurdle for widespread adoption of biofuels is the challenge of growing enough crops to meet demand, something skeptics say might well require converting just about all of the world’s remaining forests and open spaces over to agricultural land. â€Å"Replacing only five percent of the nation’s diesel consumption with biodiesel would require diverting approximately 60 percent of today’s soy crops to biodiesel production,† says Matthew Brown, an energy consultant and former energy program director at the National Conference of State Legislatures. â€Å"That’s bad news for tofu lovers.† Of course, soy is now much more likely to be grown as an industrial commodity than as an ingredient for tofu! In addition, the intensive cultivation of crops for biofuels is done with the help of large amounts of pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers. Does Producing Biofuels Use More Energy than They Can Generate? Another dark cloud looming over biofuels is whether producing them actually requires more energy than they can generate. After factoring in the energy needed to grow crops and then convert them into biofuels, Cornell University researcher David Pimental concludes that the numbers just don’t add up. His 2005 study found that producing ethanol from corn required 29 percent more energy than the end product itself is capable of generating. He found similarly troubling numbers in the process used to make biodiesel from soybeans. â€Å"There is just no energy benefit to using plant biomass for liquid fuel,† Pimentel says. The numbers might look quite different, though, for biofuel derived from agriculture waste products which would otherwise end up in a landfill. Biodiesel has been manufactured from poultry processing waste, for example. Once fossil fuel prices rise back up, those types of waste-based fuels might present favorable economics and will likely be developed further. Conservation is a Key Strategy for Reducing Dependence on Fossil Fuels There is no one quick-fix for weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels and the future will likely see a combination of sourcesfrom wind and ocean currents to hydrogen, solar and, yes, some use of biofuelspowering our energy needs. The â€Å"elephant in the living room† that is often ignored when considering energy options, however, is the hard reality that we must reduce our consumption, not just replace it with something else. Indeed, conservation is probably the largest single â€Å"alternative fuel† available to us. Edited by Frederic Beaudry.

Decision Making Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decision Making Model - Essay Example The initial step in this model involves identifying the decision to be made since it is vital that one is fully aware and clearly comprehends the decision at hand. The second stage is knowing one's self or undergoing self-assessment. This means that a person should be familiar with his/her skills, interests, values and personal traits as these factors would have substantial effects in making the decision. (Roberts, n.d.) The third step begins with identifying options or exploring alternatives. A person should know the choices available that are in line with the abovementioned factors. The fourth step involves gathering information or researching about what may be the potential consequences of the decisions. This step may entail interviewing other people with regard to their experiences in making the same decisions. One may also read books or surf the internet during this decision-making point. It is important to remember that the more information gathered the easier it is to make the decision. (Roberts, n.d.) The next step entails evaluating the options by identifying the pros and cons of each alternative. This may be done by listing the values affected and needs satisfied by each option as well as the risks involved (Roberts, n.d.). Note that some pros and cons may carry more weight than others. In this regard, it may help to assign grades to these listings to gauge what truly matters to the decision-maker ("Make Decision", 2005). Given the information gathered and analyzed, the sixth step involves selecting one of the options. This process does not end in choosing but with the seventh step that entails the designing and implementing an action plan relative to the decision that has been made. The final stage requires taking the necessary steps to effect the decision. (Roberts, n.d.) I have recently utilized this model in my current job when I was faced with deciding on whether to transfer to another department that was in need of someone with my qualifications. With this, I have instantly identified the decision of whether to grab the opportunity to transfer to another department or stay in the same section. In making this decision, I have assessed my values, skills, interests and characteristics. I have recognized my nursing skills, the value I assign to health and money, and my being sociable that enables me to easily get along with my colleagues and superior. Following these steps, I have proceeded with researching about the job opening. After all, more information would empower me to choose the best option. As such, I interviewed some friends who are assigned to the said department. Based on their experience, being assigned to the section entails longer working hours coupled with late lunches during a number of weekdays when work load is quite heavy. They also cited that the head of the department is somewhat demanding. However, this also means relatively higher take-home pay due to the additional overtime work rendered. After these, I evaluated my options based on the information I have obtained and my personality, values and skills. I listed down the advantages and disadvantages of opting to transfer and staying. I also

Neurology Clerkship eBook - Introduction Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Neurology Clerkship eBook - Introduction - Thesis Example 2. The â€Å"best† instruction for the eBook should be efficient in a way that it demands less time from the learners to allow for achievement of the goals; effective in a way that it facilitates acquisition of identified skill and knowledge by a learner; and appealing in such a way that it interests and motivates the learner, thus promoting participation in the learning task(McGrane & Lofthouse, 2012). 4. The evaluation of the instructional eBook should include evaluation of its instructional effectiveness among the Neurology clerkships and evaluation of the performance of the learners.(McGrane & Lofthouse, 2012) Information concerning evaluation of the instruction is enough for guiding revision of the instruction with the view to making it appealing, efficient, and effective. The process of determining instructional materials’ effectiveness through randomized large-scale experiments is uncommon due to its high expenses and increased time requirements. Various smaller studies have been carried out in the view of examining how effective it is to introduce new packages of instructional approaches in comparison to the existing ill-defined instructional approaches. Most of these studies offer useful information concerning exploitation of alternative instructional methods such as the development of an instructional e-Book for Neurology Clerkship among Medicine students.However, there are various limitations. One of the limitations of this study is the failure of evaluating most of the instructional approaches, especially among studies that offer useful information to practitioners and policymakers (Andrews, 2013). This is a problem that worsens with the exploitation of web-based open-source instructional materials such as the instructional eBooks. Another important issue is the constant nature of the studies even as they remain outdated and unable to suit the constantly updated instructional approaches. As such,

Discussion wk 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion wk 4 - Assignment Example Similarly, firms that are looking to minimize their risk even at a higher cost would go for conservative financing strategies. Nominal interest rate is also termed as the stated interest rate. This interest rate does not include the compounding of the period or the time of the loan or investment and this interest rate is the simple interest rate. On the other hand, effective interest rate considers the compounding of the period throughout the period of the loan or investment. Effective interest rate is used in order to analyze and compare the annual interest between loans or investment with different time periods. Generally, the nominal interest rate is less than the effective interest rate (Elias). Therefore the main factor that causes these two types of interest rate to differ is the period of the loan or investment. Elias, G. What is the difference between effective interest rates and nominal interest rates?. Engineering Economy, 26 Jan. 2014.

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley | Alienation

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley | Alienation In the story of Frankenstein, Victor, a scientific genius, created a monster known as Frankenstein. He abandons the monster as soon as he creates it. Frankenstein, the monster, experienced bad parenting growing up. No one ever taught him any manners at all. In this story, Victor and Frankenstein are both alienated by society for different reasons. The monster is rejected by society because of his terrifying physical appearance and his reactions towards people. Victor experienced alienation his entire life, when he was a child and family due to his scientific obsession. Therefore, in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley used the theme of alienation by having the two main characters, Victor and Frankenstein, alienated by society because people judged the monster based on his physical appearance and his reactions. While, Victor isolated himself from society due to his scientific experiments. Therefore, people alienated him because they thought of him as a very strange scientific maniac. As I previously mentioned, the monster was judged based on his physical appearance. As soon as everyone saw him they would start screaming in horror or run away. The monsters hideous appearance including his eight-foot long body caused people to react this way. This caused the monster to feel rage towards others. The monster would then groan in anger towards individuals. One day Frankenstein finally got to see himself in the mirror. And got surprised. Then he realized why people were so terrified by his physical appearance. This is all Victor fault because if Victor had not created him or messed up during his experiment the monster would of never have had to suffer because of this. The monsters reactions toward people also played a major role in why he was alienated. Whenever he saw how people reacted to him, he would go crazy. He would groan in a very frightening way. The monster reacted this way because of tow reason. First of all, he was rejected un fairly by society. Secondly, he felt very angry towards society. When the monster first came to life, he first saw Victor. Victor looked at him and got really scared. Then he decided to abandon the monster . The monster was raised with basically no parenting at all. He wasnt taught how to be polite or even how to act towards people. This is why the creature had no social skills at all. If the monster would have been raised with good parenting he would have been more of a human because he would of at least known how to act when others were around. The monster then began to feel confused because people didnt want to be around him. What caused him to be confused was that he had no idea why people reacted this way. He wanted to be loved. Unlike his creator he did not isolate himself from society. The monsters first experience with humans is when he meets the villagers. They threw stones at him, which aggravated him. The next experience the creature experienced was with the Dclacey family. This was the first time the monster actually wanted to be part of a certain family. The creature decided to hide because of his previous experience with humans. He was well aware that humans disliked him. As the monster was hiding, he observed the language in which they communicated, he believed it was like a godlike science, which would help him become more a human because if he could communicate like one that was a head start.. The monster continued to observe everything this family did for some time. The monster tried his best to be liked by society but failed. This made the monster come to the conclusion that he would never be accepted by humans. The creature demanded Victor to create a female companion for him. As Victor was working on this he gave up. He decided that he was no longer going to create a companion for the monster. This got the monster very angry. He got revenge by killing Elizabeth, Victors wife. As I have already stated, Victor Frankenstein also experienced alienation throughout this story. He experienced alienation from both his family and society. In Frankenstein, Victor is described as a man whos in love with science. He spent much of his time creating a monster. However, he wasnt aware of the consequences this would bring him. At the end of this story he spent much of his time trying to destroy this monster. As he tried to destroy the monster he isolated himself from society. He would always go to his lab and try to come up with other scientific creations. He regretted ever creating the monster because the monster caused him a lot of trouble. People then thought of him as some crazy scientific genius. Victors scientific views alienated him from all his surroundings. He had a very keen interest in since ever since he was a child. Him being so different from the rest of the family is what got them to alienate him. He just seemed so different and strange from the rest. As Victor was growing up, he became even more obsessed with science. This is what caused him to come up with all his crazy experiments and ideas. He decided to isolate himself from society and spend most of his time at his libratory , where he would mix all different types of chemicals and try to create new inventions. He lived his entire life this way. He had no regrets about any of this until he had created Frankenstein. That was when he had finally realized that he should of stopped all of his scientific experiments and call it quits. The monster got him more frightened then what he had ever been. As I previously mentioned, Victor refused to create a companion for Frankenstein. His reason for this was because he was afraid of making another huge mistake and having to face the consequences for his actions. However, the monster did not understand this and seeked revenge on his own creator by killing his wife Elizabeth. After the death of Elizabeth, Victor became even more scared of the monster because now he knew for a fact that the monster was capable of murdering others in order to get what he wants. Through out this story, both the creature and the creator suffer a lot because of alienation. Victor isolated himself from society. While the monster was alienated by the rest. The monster suffered more than Victor because he truly wanted to be loved. Victor just isolated himself due to obsession with scientific experimenting. The monster, on the other hand, tried his best to be part of society, but he failed and never was. Work Cited Alienation in Frankensteinhttp://ltu.se/ copyright of website 1971,1997 Themes and Construction: Frankenstein http://find.galegroup.com/ Shelly, Mary Frankenstein published by Lackington, Hughes on 1818 Abigail Williams: Friend or Foe? Abigail Williams: Friend or Foe? Abigail Williams, a villain, is manipulative and strong willed but her weaknesses of deception and desire fuel her jealousy of Elizabeth Proctor. To some she was a close companion, her and her small entourage of sneaky young girls, stir up a lot of problems with the small but well known settlement. Back to 1692 the mischievous girls all started with a devious plot to rid elizabeth proctor from the town, abigails hatred for the mistress was enough to put the whole town on the map for witchcraft. Maybe her intentions werent as evil as they see me, but maybe they were, at first the girls and titichuba gathered in the forest for just innocent encounters maybe just to make the boy of there dreams fall for them. Abigail quickly turned to selfishness, having john proctor wouldnt be enough for her, the 17 year old girls twisted intentions were out to kill. In my opinion she definitely is the brains behind this group of attention seeking, sportin girls. She can take everything to extensive drama just to prove silly falsehoods, Most definitely a very skilled actress. Abigail williams would do anything possible to keep her name out of the equation, she definitely did not want to be the root of the trouble, selfish yes, but im sure some could argue that she just wanted to keep her and her friends out of trouble, they were aware of their punishments, maybe being whipped and spanked. In abigails eyes peoples lives were not important she was only concerned about her image. Soon after the story beings you get to see her true colors. Betty one of the youngest turns cold and ill. Abigail has no compassion for even her own so called friend. The witty girl does not care as she threatens her, she is only worried about how much trouble she is going to be in because of bettys actions, even though she is definitely the cause of all the mischievous behavior . Shut up! All of you. We danced. That is all, and mark this, if anyone breathe a word or the edge of a word about the other things, I will come to you in the black of some terrible night, and I will bring with me a pointy reckoning that will shudder you! And you know I can do it. I saw Indians smash my dear parents heads on the pillow next to mine. And I have seen some reddish work done at night. And I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down! One of my favorite abigail williams quotes, even though this is just a little preview of how cruel she can be. The girls intentions become pure, she is doi ng all of this out of despite of john proctor. To her all the townspeoples lives are just part of a big game. The character struggles to make to right decisions and think about others very self conceited. As the story continues the truths unravel and you see the real side of the girls most just devious abigail. The very famous story of the witches in salem massachusetts because more and more popular by the year. As it is all started with the girls cruel scheme to ruin the life of john proctors beloved wife, and mother to two young boys. Abbi was very envious of elizabeth because she had what she always wanted. In the end, abbi lost and so did elizabeth. John Proctor does not make it to the end of this tragic story, if only abigail would have done whatever she could in her power, because she really did have too much power for such a young girl, maybe she would have saved the poor farmer and his family. Elizabeth quickly moves on and re marries,she was a good wife and to me didnt deserve all the drama john had put her through. She lives happily ever after, unfortunately so does abigail and all her young friends. Im sure never have a remorse and sorrowful bone in her body. Over all you can tell this young girl should have never had any sort of authority in a courtroom, her evil games and cruel ways, cost a towns reputation, and her own in my opinion. By the end of the story you see that she was just the talk of the town with her affair with john proctor she was not shunned or put to shame for it though. Even a couple years later only one of all the girls choose to apologize.

Comparing and Contrasting Society in the Book, The Lathe of Heaven and

Comparing and Contrasting Society in the Book, The Lathe of Heaven and the Movie, Matrix In the book The Lathe of Heaven, by Ursula K. Le Guin, there are many similarities and some differences in society in comparison to the movie Matrix. The two stories settings take place in different locations. Although, throughout both stories many huge changes are made, the people in the societies remain unaware of the changes. Then, similarly, only a certain few individuals are knowledgeable of the true reality. A difference between The Lathe of Heaven and the Matrix is the place setting. The Lathe of Heaven's characters are in the real world. The real world is physical and tangible, filled with items that tiger senses. People have feelings and react differently to situations. Each one depending on the person and the circumstance. The real world is the truth, the truth is reality. Although, this reality is changed with one night's dream, from George Orr. Orr is a man who has the ability to change truth, including history and every humans view of what reality is. When Orr dreams, h is thoughts become reality. With one dream he changes today, and the history. Orr is the only one who is aware of the original, true reality. In the Matrix, however, what the society believes to be the real world, is really a computer program invented and run by Machines. In the Matrix, Machines have taken over the human population and created a world, known as the Matrix. This world is only lived out through the minds of the people, as the people are kept in holding tanks. The world, or Matrix is a computer program, and only known to be a computer program by the Machines and a few selected individuals. Similarly, in The Lathe of Heaven and in the Matrix ... ...er begins to manipulate his dreams, abusing his ability to change reality. Orr decides to inform a lawyer, Heather Lelache, with hope she will aid in preventing Orrs dreaming. Together the three of them are the only ones aware of the dreams, and therefore the only ones knowledgeable of the original truth, true reality. In both stories, the novel, The Lathe of Heaven, and the movie, Matrix, the societies compare and contrast. The stores share in similar themes and plot but have different aspect to the changes made in society. The changes in society both, positively and negatively affect and influence the people. Included are powers that are overbearing and controlling that need to be stopped, such as the Machines and the dreaming. Similarly, both stories involve people who want to change the world for themselves and ones who prefer to allow God to plan the future.

Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 6

Your hair!† Amy screamed. â€Å"Gillian, your hair! What did you do to it?† Amy's own hair was short, cropped close in back and full in front. She had large, limpid blue eyes that always looked as if she were about to cry, because she was nearsighted but couldn't wear contacts and wouldn't wear glasses. Her face was sweet and usually anxious; just now it looked more anxious than normal. Gillian put a self-conscious hand to her head. â€Å"Don't you like it?† â€Å"I don't know! It's gone!† â€Å"This is true.† â€Å"But why?† â€Å"Calm down, Amy.† (If this is the way everybody's going to react, I think I'm in trouble.) Gillian had discovered that she could talk to Angel without moving her lips and that he could answer in her head. It was convenient. (Tell her you cut it because it froze. That ought to flip her guilt circuits.) Angel's voice sounded the same as it did when she could see him. Soft, wry, distinctly his. It seemed to be located just behind her left ear. â€Å"I had to cut it because it was frozen,† Gillian said. â€Å"It broke off,† she added brightly, inspired. Amy's blue eyes got even wider with horror. She looked stricken. â€Å"Oh, my God, Gillian-† Then she cocked her head and frowned. â€Å"Actually, I don't think that's possible,† she said. â€Å"I think it'd stay pliable even frozen. Unless, like, you dipped it in liquid nitrogen. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Whatever,† Gillian said grimly. â€Å"I did it. Listen, I've got it slicked back behind my ears right now, but the ends are sort of uneven. Can you smooth them out a little?† â€Å"I can try,† Amy said doubtfully. Gillian sat down, pulling together the neck of the rose-colored bathrobe she was wearing over her clothes. She handed Amy the scissors. â€Å"Got a comb?† â€Å"Yes. Oh, Gillian, I was trying to tell you. I'm so sorry about yesterday. I just forgot-but it's all my fault-and you almost died!† The comb quivered against the back of Gillian's neck. â€Å"Wait a minute. How did you find out about that?† â€Å"Eugeneheard it from Steffi Lockhart's little brother, and I think Steffi heard it from David Blackburn. Did he really save you? That's so incredibly romantic.† â€Å"Yeah, sort of.† (Uh, what do I tell people about that? What do I tell them about the whole thing?) (The truth. Up to a point. Just leave me and the near-death stuff out.) â€Å"I've been thinking all morning,† Amy was saying, â€Å"and I realized that I've been an absolute pig this last week. I don't deserve to be called a best friend. And I want you to know that I'm sorry, and that things are going to be different now. I came to pick you up first, and then we're going to getEugene .† (Oh, joy.) (Be nice, dragonfly. She's trying. Say thank you.) Gillian shrugged. It didn't seem to matter much what Amy did, now that she had Angel. But she said, â€Å"Thanks, Amy,† and held still as the cold scissors went snip behind her ear. â€Å"You're so sweet,† Amy murmured. â€Å"I thought you'd be all mad. But you're such a good person. I felt so terrible, thinking about you alone out there, freezing, and being so brave, trying to save a little kid-â€Å" â€Å"Did they find a kid?† Gillian interrupted. â€Å"Huh? No, I don't think so. Nobody was talking about anything like that last night. And I haven't heard about any kid being missing, either.† (Told you, dragonfly. Are you satisfied now?) (Yes, I am. Sorry.) â€Å"But it was still brave,† Amy said. â€Å"Your mom thinks so, too.† â€Å"My mom's up?† â€Å"She went to the store. She said she'd be back in a few minutes.† Amy stepped back and looked at Gillian, scissors held in the air. â€Å"You know, I'm not sure I should be doing this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Before Gillian could summon up a reply, she heard the sound of the front door opening and the rustling of paper bags. Then her mother appeared, her cheeks red with cold. She had two grocery bags in her arms. â€Å"Hi, girls,† she began, and broke off. She focused on Gillian's hair. Her mouth fell open. â€Å"Don't drop the bags,† Gillian said. She tried to sound careless, but her stomach was clenched like a fist. Her neck felt stiff and unnatural as she held very still. â€Å"Do you like it?† â€Å"I-I-† Gillian's mother put the bags on the counter. â€Å"Amy †¦ did you have to cut it all?† â€Å"Amy didn't do it. I did it last night. I just got tired of it long-† (And getting all wet and icy) â€Å"-and getting all wet and icy. So I cut it. So do you like it, or not?† â€Å"I don't know,† her mother said slowly. â€Å"You look so much older. Like a Parisian model.† Gillian glowed. â€Å"Well.† Her mother shook her head slightly. â€Å"Now that it's done–here, let me shape it a little. Just touch up the ends.† She took the scissors from Amy. (I'm going to be bald when this is finished!) (No, you're not, kid. She knows what she's doing.) And, strangely, there was something comforting about feeling her mother gently wield the scissors. About her mother's scent, which was fresh like lavender soap, without any hint of the terrible alcohol smell. It reminded Gillian of the old days, when her mom taught at the junior college and was up every morning and never had uncombed hair or bloodshot eyes. Before the fights started, before her mom had to go to the hospital. Her mother seemed to feel it, too. She gave Gillian's shoulder a pat as she whisked a bit of cut hair away. â€Å"I got fresh bread. I'll make cinnamon toast and hot chocolate.† Another pat, and then she spoke with careful calm. â€Å"Are you sure you're all right? You must have been†¦ pretty cold last night. We can call Dr. Kaczmarek if you want; it wouldn't take a minute.† â€Å"No, I'm fine. Really. But where's Daddy? Did he already go to work?† There was a pause, then her mother said, still calmly, â€Å"Your father left last night.† â€Å"Dad left?† (Dad left?) (It happened last night while you were asleep.) (A lot seems to have happened last night while I was asleep.) (The world's kind of that way, dragonfly. It keeps on going even when you're not paying attention.) â€Å"Anyway, we'll talk about it later,† her mother said. A final pat. â€Å"There, that's perfect. You're beautiful, even if you don't look like my little girl anymore. You'd better bundle up, though; it's pretty cold out this morning.† â€Å"I'm already dressed.† The moment had come, and Gillian didn't really care if she shocked her mother now or not. Her father had left again- and if that wasn't unusual, it was still upsetting. The closeness with her mother had been spoiled, and she didn't want cinnamon toast anymore. Gillian stepped to the middle of the kitchen and shrugged off the pink bathrobe. She was wearing black hipsters and a black camisole. Over it was a sheer black shirt, worn loose. She had on flat black boots and a black watch, and that was all she had on. â€Å"Gillian.† Amy and her mother were staring. Gillian stood defiantly. â€Å"But you never wear black,† her mother said weakly. Gillian knew. It had taken a long time to cull these things from the forgotten hinterlands of her closet. The camisole was from Great-grandma Elspeth, two Christmases ago, and had still had the price tag attached. â€Å"Didn't you sort of forget to put on a sweater on top?† Amy suggested. (Stand your ground, kid. You look terrific.) â€Å"No, I didn't forget. I'm going to wear a coat outside, of course. How do I look?† Amy swallowed. â€Å"Well-great. Extremely hot. But kind of scary.† Gillian's mother lifted her hands and dropped them. â€Å"I don't really know you anymore.† (Hooray!) (Yup, kid. Perfect.) Gillian was happy enough to give her mother a flying kiss. â€Å"Come on, Amy! We'd better get moving if we're going to pick upEugene .† She dragged the other girl behind her like the tail of a comet. Her mother followed, calling worriedly about breakfast. â€Å"Give us something to take with us. Where's that old black coat I never wore? The fancy one you got me for church. Never mind, I found it.† In three minutes she and Amy were on the porch. â€Å"Wait,† Gillian said. She fished through the black canvas bag she was carrying in place of a backpack and came up with a small compact and a tube of lipstick. â€Å"I almost forgot.† She put on the lipstick. It was red, not orange-red or blue-red, but red red, the color of holly berries or Christmas ribbon. That shiny, too. It made her lips look fuller, somehow, almost pouty. Gillian pursed her lips, considered her image, then kissed the compact mirror lightly and snapped it shut. Amy was staring again. â€Å"Gillian†¦ what is going on? What's happened to you?† â€Å"Come on, we're going to be late.† ‘The outfit just makes you look like you're going out to burgle something, but that lipstick makes you look†¦ bad. Like a girl with a reputation.† â€Å"Good.† â€Å"Gillian! You're scaring me. There's something-† She caught Gillian's arm and peered into her eyes. â€Å"Something about you-around you- oh, I don't know what I'm talking about! But it's different and it's dark and it's not good.† She was so genuinely shaken that for a moment Gillian was frightened herself. A quick stab of fear like the flick of a knife in her stomach. Amy was neurotic, sure, but she wasn't the type to hallucinate. What if- (Angel-) A horn honked. Startled, Gillian turned. Right at the edge of the driveway, behind Amy's Geo, was a somewhat battered but still proud tan Mustang. A dark head was sticking out the window. â€Å"Standing me up?† David Blackburn called. â€Å"What-is-that?† Amy breathed. Gillian waved to David-after a sharp nudge from Angel. â€Å"I think it's called a car,† she said to Amy. â€Å"I forgot. He said he'd drive me to school. So-I guess I should go with him. See you!† It only made sense to go with David; after all, he had asked first. Besides, Amy's driving was life threatening; she sped like a maniac and wove all over the road because she couldn't see without her glasses. It should have been satisfying. After all, yesterday Amy had stood her up for a guy-and a guy like Eugene Elfred. But right this moment Gillian was too scared to be smug. This was it. David was going to see her new self. And it was all happening too fast. (Angel, what if I faint? What if I throw up? That's going to make a great first impression, isn't it?) (Keep breathing, kid. Breathe. Breathe. Not that fast. Now smile.) Gillian couldn't quite manage a smile as she opened the car door. Suddenly she felt exposed. What if David thought she was cheap or even freakish? Like a little girl dressed up in her mom's clothes? And her hair-all at once she remembered how David had touched it yesterday. What if he hated it? Trying to breathe, she slipped into the car. Her coat came open as she sat down. She could hardly make herself look toward the driver's seat. But when she did, her breath stopped completely. David was wearing a look that she'd never seen on any guy's face before, at least not directed toward her. She'd seen it, occasionally, when guys were looking at other girls, girls at school like Steffi Lockhart or J.Z. Oberlin. A stricken gaze, a compulsive movement of the throat, an expression that almost made you sorry for them. An â€Å"I'm lying down and I don't care if you walk on me, babe,† expression. David was looking at her that way. Immediately all her fear, including the little stab induced by Amy, was swept away. Her heart was still pounding and little waves of adrenaline were still going through her, but now what it felt like was excitement. Heady, buoyant anticipation. As if she had started on the roller coaster ride of her life. David actually had to shake himself before he remembered to put the car in gear. And then he kept sneaking glances at her out of the side of his eye. â€Å"You did something to your†¦ and your†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He made a vague motion near his own head. Gillian's gaze was caught by his hand, which was strong, brown, long-fingered, and handsome. â€Å"Yeah, I cut my hair,† she said. She meant to sound careless and sophisticated, but it came out shaky, with a little laugh at the end. She tried again. â€Å"I figured I didn't want to look too young.† â€Å"Ouch.† He made a face. â€Å"That's my fault, isn't it? You overheard that stuff yesterday. What Tanya and I said.† (Tell him you've been thinking of doing it for a while.) â€Å"Yeah, but I've been thinking of doing it for a while now,† Gillian said. â€Å"It's no big deal.† David glanced at her as if to say he disagreed with that. But it wasn't a disapproving glance. It was more like electrified awe†¦ and a sort of discovery that seemed to grow every time he looked at her. â€Å"And I never saw you at school?† he muttered. â€Å"I must've been blind.† â€Å"Sorry?† â€Å"No, nothing. I'm sorry.† He drove in silence for a while. Gillian forced herself to stare out the window and realized they were onHillcrest Road . Strange how different the landscape looked today. Yesterday it had been lonely and desolate; this morning it seemed harmless, and the snow looked soft and comfortable, like old cushions. â€Å"Listen,† David said abruptly. He broke off and shook his head. And then he did something that absolutely amazed Gillian. He pulled the car to the side of the road-or at least as far to the side as he could get it-they were still in the flow of traffic-and parked it. â€Å"There's something I have to say.† Gillian's heart now seemed to be beating everywhere, in her throat and her fingertips and her ears. She had a dreamlike sensation that her body wasn't solid anymore, that she was just a floating mass of heartbeat. Her vision shimmered. She was†¦ waiting. But what David said was unexpected. â€Å"Do you remember the first time we met?† â€Å"I-yes.† Of course she did. Four years ago; she'd been twelve and tiny for her age. She'd been lying on the ground beside her house, making snow angels. Kind of childish, sure, but in those days a stretch of new snow had affected her that way. And while she was lying on her back, arms out, making the imprint of the angel's wings, a tree branch above her decided to shrug off its load of snow. Suddenly her face was covered in damp, closely packed coldness and she couldn't breathe. She came up spluttering and gasping. And found herself steadied. Something was holding her, wiping her face gently. The first thing she saw when she got her vision back was a brown hand and a lean brown wrist. Then a face came into focus: high strong bones and dark, mischievous eyes. â€Å"I'm David Blackburn. I just moved in over there,† the boy said. He was wiping her face with his fingers. â€Å"You'd better be careful, snow princess. Next time I might not be around.† Looking up at him, Gillian had felt her heart explode and leak out of her chest. And she'd walked away on air, even though he'd patted her head after releasing her. She was in love. â€Å"Well, back then, I sort of got the wrong impression,† David was saying. â€Å"I thought you were a lot younger and more-well, more fragile than you are.† There was a pause, and then he said wonder-ingly, not quite looking at her, â€Å"But, it's like, there's so much more to you. I started realizing that yesterday.† Gillian understood. David didn't have a reputation for being wild for nothing. He liked girls who were bold, dashing, out there. If he were a knight, he wouldn't fall in love with the pampered princess back at the castle. He'd fall in love with a female knight, or maybe a robber, somebody who could share the Adventure with him, who'd be just as tough as he-was. Of course he had a strong protective streak. That was why he rescued maidens in distress. But he didn't go for the maidens who needed rescuing. â€Å"And now,† David was saying, â€Å"Now, I mean, you're †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He held his hands up in a whoa motion. He wasn't looking at her at all. In a moment of perfect bliss, Gillian thought, I'm cool. â€Å"You're kind of incredible,† David said. â€Å"And I feel really stupid for not noticing that before.† Gillian couldn't breathe. There was something between her and David-a kind of quivering electricity. The air was so thick with it that she felt pressure all over her. She had never been so awake before, but at the same time she felt as if most of the world was insubstantial. Only she and David were real. And the voice in her head seemed very far away. (Uh, dragonfly, we've got company. Incoming.) Gillian couldn't move. A car drove by, swerving to avoid the Mustang. Gillian couldn't see well through the Mustang's steamed-up windows, but she thought faces were looking at her. David didn't seem to notice the car at all. He was still staring at the gearshift, and when he spoke his voice was very quiet. â€Å"So I guess what I'm saying is, I'm sorry if anything I said hurt your feelings. And-I see you now.† He raised his head. And Gillian suddenly realized he was going to kiss her.