Strategic Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Strategic Management - Research Paper Example The eight main areas of distinction i.e. business cards, meetings, relationships, communications, gifts and meals, friendship, time consciousness, and business dress code. The main aim here is to gain some awareness and understanding of differences in culture across countries. Based on the table below, it can be concluded that each culture is very different and it is important to understand the basic etiquettes of each culture to avoid embarrassment or also offending the people. Indians pay a lot of importance to the business cards. It is important to read the business card before keeping it in. Also, it is important to give as well as receive the card in the right hand. Left hand is considered to be offensive for most. Japanese give a lot of importance to the business cards and the more visiting cards a person has during the trip the better it is. The business cards need to be specially printed on a double side. The card should be presented with the Japanese version facing upwards. While presenting the business cards to Japanese counter parts, it is essential to not that throwing, sliding, flicking, pushing or lobbing is not acceptable. French pay attention to business cards but are not very particular. Translating the business card to French is often appreciated and considered to be attention to detail. Academic qualifications are a must on the business cards. The business cards of the French tend to be a little larger than the other countries. Proper handshake is a must and in a lot of cases tends to give away the firm handshake, and should be standing while handshake. Americans are very particular of being ‘Politically correct’ at all times. Meetings in India are relatively simple. A major point to be remembered is to keep a respectable distance between men and women. Also, it is not well received by a majority

Martin Luther King vs. Malcolm X Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther King vs. Malcolm X Essay Malcolm X Vs. MLK JR Extremist, or peace maker? That is the true difference between the beliefs, and ideals of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Both men were African-American civil rights activists during the 1950’s and 1960’s, and both wanted to be accepted for their race, but they wanted that acceptance in very different ways. The two men had very diverse beliefs, Malcolm being a devout Muslim and King being a Baptist clergyman, their religions played a big part in each of their views and how they went about achieving their goals. This is where their ideas differed, and why they wouldnt technically be considered same, or â€Å"fighting for the same cause†. Malcolm X was considered an extremist for a few main reasons, one being that he wanted complete segregation from the white race. He believed that African Americans were so mistreated that they should be completely shut off from the white Americans. In his Declaration of Independence (1964), he states that the â€Å"best solution is complete separation, with our people going back home, to our own African homeland†. He wanted himself, and all other blacks to be sent to their ancestors land of Africa where they could live among other blacks, where they wouldnt be thought of as a lower class, but as equals. Although Mr. X wanted equality for blacks and whites, he still believed that there should be segregation; he wanted both races to be â€Å"separate but equal†. In the sense of violence, X didn’t promote the use of violence, yet he did believe that man should be able to â€Å"defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks†. In the end, Malco lm wanted a place of acceptance, and a place where he could be somewhat at peace with what he considered his own kind. Peace is what brought Martin Luther King power in his speeches to the people of America. Like extremist Malcolm X he wanted acceptance for himself, and all of as hed put it â€Å"brothers, and sisters†. The Kings speeches were very motivational during their time, and so uplifting that its generally believed if not assassinated complete freedoms for African Americans wouldve been accomplished much sooner. King believed he could achieve his dreams and goals of having whites and black living together in harmony and peacefulness through nonviolent protesting and also by educating the public. Martin Luther King wanted acceptance just as Malcolm X did, but they wanted it in two very different ways. King wanted it through peace and unification with his fellow Americans, while Malcolm wanted it through rioting, and force of opposition. It might seem like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X fought for different things for the African American people, but in all reality it comes down to the simplest form of an idea. They wanted acceptance. Without acceptance both causes were completely lost, no matter the arguments made, and the battles fought. Till acceptance was granted, all was lost. Thats why the differences of Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr.s differences are what united them, giving them their ultimate similarity.

Friendship Expectations of Early Adolescents in Cuba and Canada :: essays research papers

Friendship Expectations of Early Adolescents in Cuba and Canada Gonzales, Y.S., & Moreno, D.S., & Schneider, B.H. (2004). Friendship expectations of early adolescents in Cuba and Canada. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 35, 436-445. The article entitled â€Å"Friendship Expectations of Early Adolescents in Cuba and Canada† is a study done to see whether the emphasis of character education, as in Cuba, or moral education, as in Canada, create different types of friendships in developing adolescents. He purpose of this study is to see how much the Cuban culture, which is interdependent, is reproduced in the children’s idea of friendship. The Canadians were used to compare the results from Cuba to. The author’s hypothesis is that the idea of friendship in Cuba would be more advanced than the Canadian idea, because of the emphasis of interdependence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this study there are three hundred Cuban and two hundred and ninety-four Canadian students in grades seven, eight, and nine. The seventh graders are the youngest chosen because that is the first year that the students start a new school in both countries. Both groups off students were taken from large cities in their respective countries. The researchers asked the students to write an essay about what a best friend, of the same-sex, should be willing to do for them, and what makes a best friend different from any other friend. These essays were then â€Å"graded† by two raters using a category of numbers, from 1 (not mentioned at all), to 4 (especially important).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The results of this study were varied between the two countries answers. The responses from the subjects could be described as character admiration, and were much more likely to be used by the Canadian adolescents. An example of this was that the Canadian students said that their friends should be easygoing, and does not make them be someone they are not. In contrast many Cubans responded that they like their best friends because of their willingness to help others, and do things for the good of the group. Some of the ideas that were seen as important to one culture were not as important to the other. For example the theme of help given to a friend was present in 82% of Cuban essays, but only present in 22% of Canadian essays. Also, the theme of similar personalities was included in 97% of Cuban essays, and only included in 38% of Canadian essays.

The Role of Diversity Training in Businesses

Diversity training has become a necessity in businesses today. Diversity training is necessary because of people†s differences in our work force. Some of these differences are race, gender, culture, age, and disabilities. Because our organization is so diverse, this program will help educate, sensitize and prepare people to get along in our workplace. If done right, I feel that the training programs will bring our company promising results. One study by Katrina Jordan on diversity training in the workplace from the perspective of organization/human resources diversity practitioners and diversity consultants showed positive results. Some of the outcomes found in this study were changes in staff behavior, increases staff sensitivity, increased executive commitment, recognition that diversity training is not just a H.R function, etc. For some diversity training â€Å"empowers people by helping them to understand others and develop a world view beyond their own. As a result they know how to respond to and resolve differences that might otherwise interfere with their work†(Jordan). Programs are made up to cover a wide range of topics. These topics include defining, developing and managing diversity, harassment prevention, cross cultural communication, and creating an affirming environment. Workers will be able to bring up their own specific topics as well. Training sessions will be of two types. First we will have a series of speaker†s come in at least once every other week and talk to large groups no larger than 75 people. Also during the week between smaller groups of no more that 20 people will meet for discussions. All sessions will be held at times convenient to all employees. To try to create an informal environment we will serve coffee and donuts. For the training programs to make a positive impact it is important for all levels of employees to take part. Training must begin from the top down. H.R participants say that it is essential for top executives to take part in these training sessions. Middle management will be stressed to attend, since they are doing a lot of interaction with people. Following a substantial period of time the company should be able to notice a difference in job performance and hopefully increase profits. Since we can utilize our conference room and auditorium the price for the training program is very inexpensive. The lectures will be brought in from the outside for a standard lecture fee. A small amount will be spent for refreshments to help create a relaxed environment. In the end the program should basically pay for itself.

History of Education Essay

Introduction The period between 1965 and the latter end of the 1980s witnessed significant developments in the provision of post primary education in Ireland. This coincided with changes in Irish and indeed worldwide society. What makes the changes that came about so significant was the fact that for so long education policy in Ireland had remained practically untouched. From the 1920s to the 1950s, Ireland was still a place where education was seen as Ideological and a â€Å"preserve of the middle classes†. The church/religious orders were still underpinning the structures in education. The 1920s was the era of the Gaelic League, and an attempt at reviving the ancient life of Ireland as a Gaelic State. During this time little was done to tackle the low levels of participation in education, especially amongst some groups of society, particularly people from poorer socio economic areas, people from rural areas, and girls in education. It was essentially a period of stagnation from the point of view of any development by government, or any change in attitude from the public towards education. Children were needed on farms to make ends meet. From the mid-sixties onwards however, things began to change. Over the course of the paper I hope to show how the general public understanding of and attitude towards education changed. I will discuss how the government’s attitude towards education also changed, in a number of ways, including how it was provided, and also what was provided as education. Policy, Curriculum, Access and Financing are areas that were all areas of major change. I hope to discuss how these changes in the provision of post-primary education came about, and how the understanding of schooling evolved and were articulated. Changes in public perception of education One of the biggest changes in Education during the 60‘s and early 70’s, was the way people viewed and understood Education. Ireland in the 1930s and 1940s was in a very bad economic situation, with an ailing economy and mass emigration. Between 1932 and 1948, Tomas Derek served as minister for education and effectively done nothing of major significance. Economic conditions were the basis for the decisions made during this time. It was felt there was no need to change the curriculum, peoples thinking was still very rigid, and the thought of free education wasn’t thought of as any way feasible or realistic, with ideas around this described as utopian. Developments were still being affected by post war economic conditions. So what paved the way for the change that was to come? The American economist and historian, Walt Rostow, in his book, â€Å"The Stages of Economic Development†, argues that there are 5 stages on the â€Å"Road to Development†. He speaks of a situation where there is a traditional society, where the ruling elite have all the say and prospects, and the lower income person has little or no prospect of improving their lot. Social customs and traditional values are strong. He argues that there is a second stage, and this is the one I feel Ireland went through in the latter half of the 50s, early 60s. He calls it â€Å"The Preconditions for Take-off†. In this stage people become more away of the possibilities that exist for them, and more aware of the benefits of education and developing new skills for careers away from the traditional farming. Prior to the Investment in Education bill, and the dawn of Free Education, Free buses, comprehensive schools, curriculum changes, there had to be a change in the way people thought. So what brought about this change? Around this time there was a radical change in peoples thinking and also in their expectations for life, brought on by, amongst other things; †¢ The dawn of television, which brought more information into people’s lives, opening their minds to new possibilities and bigger expectations of life, †¢ The establishment of state television in the shape of Telefis Eireann in 1962, which broadcast shows from Britain and America had a profound change on attitude. †¢ Women’s rights, the civil rights movement, the space race, were other events of the time that showed people that there were other possibilities now open to them. The 1960s generation were more vocal, liberal, and more politically aware. There was a growing awareness around this time of social exclusion, especially when it comes to people from poorer economic backgrounds, rural areas, and women. Together, these factors combined to change the way people were thinking about education, and ultimately, helped to change the way the state thought about education. People were now beginning to see that the longer a person could stay in education, and the more qualified they could become, the better chance they had in life of getting a more desirable job and salary. Changes in Investment in Education In terms of Investment in education, at the end of the 1950s, and beginning of the 1960s, Ireland was lagging far behind other countries in the world. To give an example of where we Ireland was at in 1959 in regards to investment in education, Ireland was investing 50p per child, whereas Russia was operating at a level fourteen times higher at ? 7, the USA at ? 5 per child, and perhaps most significant for us, GB/NI was investing ? 2. 25 per child in education. Ireland was coming from a very poor time in its economic history, post-World War II. However, around 1960, there was an upturn in the economy. With this came the thinking that there was a need for more technical skills, leading to the building of 35 Vocational schools, where more technical subjects would be taught. The problem with these schools was that they were poorly resourced, and it was expensive to fund this. The public was becoming increasingly aware of the correlation between spending on education and the increase in the standard of living. There was a growing demand for access to education for all. The OECD report which was commissioned in 1962 was produced in 1965. The report by the OECD was commissioned to analyse the education system in Ireland, identify areas of weakness, and recommend changes for the future. It was also supposed to identify the â€Å"manpower needs† of Ireland over the following 15-20 years. What the report did do was highlight the inequalities that existed in terms of opportunity when it came to access to post primary and 3rd level education and a host of other issues. This was to prove a catalyst for change throughout the following 25 years. The OECD report was the most thorough investigation of the Irish education system conducted in decades, if not ever. The 1991 OECD review of Irish National Policy has referred to the report of 1965 as â€Å"a landmark both in the national and international memory†, and â€Å"remarkable for its comprehensiveness, its studied detachment, its theoretical underpinning, its systematic accumulation of a mass of baseline data, its detailed estimates of quantitative trends and not least the originality of the methods that it used to penetrate unexplored territory†. It highlighted the high instances of school leavers at primary level, (around 17,000 per year (Randles 1975:216)), a low rate of pupils of vocational students going on to third level, (lack of Institute of technology’s at this time), and inequalities in education for children because of geographical location and/or social group, that is, they came from a disadvantaged background financially or from an a rural area with poor access to a school. The report recommended that there was a need for wider participation of students in schooling and for students to be in the education system for longer periods. The report also brought up the economic benefits to Ireland of having educated people. This was a change from the previous way of thinking whereby children were seen to be wasting their time continuing in education when they could be working and earning a wage. Its recommendations included the following; †¢ increased investment to get more children participating in education, and for longer, i. e. the use of scholarship schemes to increase participation †¢ a need for policy planning to improve education across the board in Ireland, at all levels †¢ A need for a programme of building which included amalgamating smaller schools to form bigger more efficient schools †¢ Up skilling and training, (or in service) for teachers. The OECD report wasn’t alone in highlighting these issues. The Labour Party policy document â€Å"Challenge and Change in Education† 1963, highlighted a lot of the same issues as the report, and highlighted the need for a less discriminatory educational system not only ‘†¦.. on social or moral grounds, but (as) a basic economic investment’; In the next few years, this country is going to face enormous economic problems, problems which may indeed put our survival as an independent nation in question. It is, therefore, essential that planning in education should be an inherent part of our economic planning. Already shortages of certain types of skill are becoming felt in our economy, and at the same time there is a surplus of other skills resulting in under employment and emigration (Randles 1975). The Federation of Irish Secondary Schools (1962) report, ‘Investment in Education in the Republic of Ireland’ argued that â€Å"Selfishness is almost always short-sighted†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦maintenance of such restrictions (restricting educational expansion) on educational facilities cannot fail to ultimately adversely affect our Irish economy, and thus indirectly injure both themselves and their families†(O’Sullivan 2005:269). In 1966, Donogh O’Malley announced free education was to be introduced. This was a significant development in Irish society. â€Å"O Malley’s Bombshell†, so called due to his lack of consultation with people over his announcement, detailed free education to leaving certificate at the age of 18, and free buses providing transport for students. This was an attempt to keep children in Education for longer and to an older age. At the time, around 17,000 children left school after finishing primary education. (Randles, 1975:216) He also announced that he was raising the age that children could leave school to 15 years of age from 14 years of age. This was due to be in place by 1970, but this was later deferred until 1972. (The reason behind this deferral was due to the success of the voluntary participation in second level education after the free education announcement, and also to give time to train teachers to know how to deal with the extra reluctant school goers who have less ability and/or educational motivation. ) The effect on numbers attending post-primary school was almost immediate, with a rise in secondary school enrolment of 15,000 between September 1966 and September 1967. An example of the popularity of the free bus scheme can be seen in the figures where out of 79,000 pupils in day school, 92% of the day school pupils opted for the â€Å"free buses† scheme-(Randles p. 276) The government estimated that the number of pupils in post-primary schools increased from 149,000 in 1966 to 184,500 in 1968, and that the raising of the school leaving age to 15 years of age would eventually lead to over 200,000 before the end of the third programme for education. (Hyland, Milne et al 1995). The success of the bill can be measured in the figures of how many pupils and schools opted into the scheme for free education. O’Malley had hoped for a figure of 75% of pupils opting for free education, but the figures showed that in September 1967, the figure was in fact sitting at 92%. (Randles 1975:276) An extract from the â€Å"Third Programme for Economic and Social Development 1969-1972† which was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in March 1969, shows that the government acknowledging the link between education and economic and social development, â€Å"The vital role of education in economic and social development and the need for fundamental changes in this sector has been repeatedly stressed in recent years. This increased emphasis has been reflected in the expansion in state expenditure. During the first programme, Exchequer expenditure on education (excluding agricultural education) increased from less than ? 16 million in 1958/59 to over ? 25 million in 1963/64 at current prices. The rate of increase has been even greater during the second programme; Exchequer expenditure in 1968/69 is estimated at ? 56 million†. (Hyland, Milne et al 1995:41) Changes in Government understanding of education. By the end of the 1960’s, it was for the first time that economic need was shaping education policy rather than pedagogy of the past. This is reflected when Brian Lenihan, who took over as minister for education when Donogh O Malley passed away suddenly in 1968, ordered a review of the education system with a view to job requirements, further emphasising the point that it was now an economy driven vision of education that we were adopting. However, this review was cancelled when Fianna Fail returned to power in 1969 and Padraig Faulkner was minister for education. The third Programme for Economic and Social Development also highlighted the need for more qualified teachers. The report states that â€Å"The number of teachers in secondary and vocational schools has been increasing by about 400 per year. The increase in 1968/69 is about 800†. (Hyland, Milne et al 1995:43) To facilitate the demand, there was a greater number of places in the relevant faculties in University, courses leading to the Higher Diploma in education was introduced in Maynooth, and there was an increase in departmental courses for the training of vocational teachers. The growth in the economy and in the technical sector led to the need for more people qualified in the technical areas. This combined with the OECD report highlighting the need for a building programme in Ireland led to the opening of RTC’s, Regional Technology Institutes. The building of the technical institutes regionally was to serve the dual purpose of tackling the problem of people being geographically disadvantaged, and the need for more technical courses. The relative success in this can be measured in rise of numbers attending, 5. 9% of people took up places in RTC’s in 1965, compared to 36. 7% in 1981-1982. The shift in emphasis or the uptake of higher education courses was towards technical courses, going from a level of 80% of students being in higher education in Universities, to 50% of people taking higher education courses taking up places in technical courses in 1980. Changes in Government understanding of schooling and curriculum While the period from 1965 to the early 1970s was primarily noted for developments such as the introduction of free education and bus travel, the raising of the school leavers age, and the introduction of comprehensive and community schools, it is worth also focusing on the curricular and educational policies that took places in this period. The main changes in regards to the curriculum include introducing common courses and examinations in secondary schools, thus enabling students attending vocational schools, comprehensive and community schools to study for the same exams as they would have been doing had they gone down the traditional route and attended some of the traditional secondary schools. Other changes to the curriculum included the introduction of new subjects, the removal of others, and the changing of content in others. One of the reasons why the second level curriculum was subjected to continuous adaptation around this time(early 1970’s) was to cater for the varied needs and abilities of the greater student population, which was a broader spectrum of student that there had been previously. In 1969, Minister for Education Brian Lenihan produced a booklet called, â€Å"All our Children†. The idea behind this booklet was to explain the changes that were happening in education in Ireland, such as the new Primary School Curriculum, the opening of Comprehensive schools, the new subjects and revision of others, as well as the building of technical colleges. Education in the 1970s may not have strictly followed the guidelines set out in the booklet, but it is an example of the way the government was changing in the way they were thinking about education, and their efforts to keep the public informed. Its publication also highlights the growing demand for information about education from the general population that was occurring at the time. Contrast this to the attitude towards education in previous decades and it highlights how far Ireland had come in such a short period of time. A further example of the change in how the government were approaching education and policy was evident when in 1970, then minister for education Padraig Falkner, said that there was now a change in the emphasis in educational, and that it was now a case of â€Å"passing from that of quantity to quality†, i. e. â€Å"from concentration on an expansion in the number of students attending at educational institutions to particular concern with the diversity of opportunity provided, the suitability of curricula, and long term planning for the future. †(Mulchahy, O’Sullivan 1989:81) This change in thinking and understanding led to developments such as the social and environmental studies project (SESP) based at St Patricks Comprehensive School in Shannon being set up, as well as projects aimed at developing the curriculum in other schools. The Higher Education Authority was set up by an act of the Oireachtas to advise the government on developing higher educational facilities. In 1971 there was the introduction of the New Curriculum for primary schools. Throughout the 1970s Ireland saw changes at third level, with the setting up of the nine Regional Technical Colleges, two National Institutes of technologies, and the opening of Thomand College. During this period, spending on education soared, from ? 78million in 1970 to ? 443 in 1979. (Hyland, Milne et al 1995:50) Faulkner also set up a committee in September 1970 â€Å"to evaluate the present form and function of the Intermediate Certificate examination and to advise on new types of public examinations†. (Randles 1975:315) The rationale behind this came from the drop in the pass rate for the Intermediate Certificate, from 87% in 1968, to 74. 6% in 1969 and then 73. 5% in 1970. This can be attributed to students with a larger span of abilities entering post primary and taking the examinations than had been the case before, and all of these students targeting the Intermediate exam regardless of its suitability to them. It was now being recognised that the Intermediate exam wasn’t suitable to all. The developments at third level are also important to note. Aside from the developmental works/building works done in providing the new RTC’s, aided by the setting up of the Higher Education Authority, teacher training was now looked at as being increasingly important. Teacher training courses was extended from two to three years; the National Institute for Higher Education was set up in Limerick, and Thomand College acting as a facility where teachers of specialist subjects could be educated. There is also a move to lower the pupil-student ratio, and to have greater accessibility to third level education for all. These changes at government level throughout the 1970s and early 1980s highlight the changes in the thinking behind education. No longer was it a â€Å"quantity† issue, it was now about â€Å"quality† of education. Greater facilities, better trained teachers, and increased availability of opportunities at third level are now real issues. If you contrast this to the early 1960’s, where it was a case of getting as many people into education, and then keeping them there as long as possible. Conclusion The way schooling in Ireland was understood changed dramatically over the period between 1965 and the end of the 1980s. It is a period of time where there is so much to discuss and it is hard to limit to speaking about just a few things. I felt that the most significant changes took place in the late 60’s, early, 70’s. I feel these were the most significant because these changes paved the way for changes that were to follow. The change in peoples understanding of the importance of education in turn led to an increased demand for education. Government understanding of the importance of education for the future economy combined with the growing demand for fairer access to education led to the hugely significant announcement of free education and free travel. At this point it was about getting the most amount of people into post-primary education as possible, but it wasn’t long before we began to realise that the quality of education needed to be looked at. The quality of teaching and the quality of what was being taught was looked at. Curriculum and examinations were investigated and changed. Real issues were now being addressed, such as third level requirements. Technical Institutes and courses were built and provided regionally. What made all of the changes so significant for me was the fact that for so long very little had been done in this field. The period between 1965 and the 1980s was a period where both the general public and government, began to see the importance of quality education, accessible to all, and its importance in the development of both the individual and the country. The developments of this period were a major stepping stone to where we are today. References Walt Rostow, â€Å"The Stages of Economic Growth†, 1959. (Available Online at) http://www. nvcc. edu/home/nvfordc/econdev/introduction/stages. html Irish Educational Documents, Volume 2 Aine Hyland, Kenneth Milne (Online Version found here) http://books. google. ie/books? id=8yNl5UCocFIC&pg=PA268&dq=1970+The+community+schools+proposal+ireland&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2H4ET6qMEYLLhAe-6pi-AQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=1970%20The%20community%20schools%20proposal%20ireland&f=false Articles from above Book; Investment in Education, inaugural speech, October 1962 Page 29-32 Third Programme for Economic and Social Development, 1969-1972, Post Primary, 14. Page 43 Whitepaper on Educational Development 1980, foreword Page 52 Ar ndaltai uile- All Our Children 1969 Page 45-47 Bibliography Irish Education Policy, Process and Substance, D. G. Mulcahy & Denis O’Sullivan Cultural Politics and Irish Education since the 1950s, Policy, Paradigms and Power, Denis O Sullivan Post-Primary School Education in Ireland 1957-1970 Sister Eileen Randles, Veritas Publicans 1975 The Politics of Irish Education 1920-65 Sean Farren.

Carol Armstrongs Birth of Photography Essay

Carol Armstrongs Birth of Photography Essay Free Online Research Papers Carol Armstrongs Birth of Photography Essay When reading Carol Armstrong’s article, one is hard pressed to decide what the point of her analysis is. Is it really just perpetuating the reductive, gendered ideas of Cameron’s time, or is it trying to interrogate them? The heavy handed, fairly tenuous nature of her arguments becomes evident even at the beginning of the article, where Cameron’s Cupid’s Pencil of Light is deemed ‘feminine’, because the pencil that cupid is holding is too thin to be phallic, unlike the thick, ‘masculine’ paintbrush of Rejlander’s Infant Photography. If the article is read as the internalisation of the patriarchal, restrictive codes of the day, and how they manifested in Cameron’s work, ie, a psychoanalytical reading of her photos as a reflection of her unconscious, then it becomes more cohesive, but then it is little more than an exercise in applied Freudian psychology and has little merit if the critical tool is not criticised itself as being a product of its times. Being left as it is, it seems a reiteration of the sexist, reductionist ideas of the time, rather than a deconstruction of them. Research Papers on Carol Armstrong's Birth of Photography EssayThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThree Concepts of PsychodynamicTrailblazing by Eric AndersonPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementMind TravelBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Free Essays on Beating The Right Into Them

Beating the Right into Them The U.S. is very well known throughout the world for its violence and violent past. From the battles of the American Revolutionary War, to the civil rights riots of the 1960’s, all the way to the school shootings and terrorist attacks of recent times, violence has laid the foundation of our history books and museums. More recently, however, the American public has become more and more concerned with the root of this violence. A simpler, more contemporary explanation for our countries precedence of violence is the mass media, including: music, movies, video games, the internet and the news media. I believe the true explanation goes deeper than the media. If you look closer at our past conflicts like the Civil War or our current War on Terrorism there is a recurring theme in the causes. The uncompromising belief of righteousness has driven the U.S., its citizens, and those who would attack them to violent acts. The media may seem to be a valid explanation for our nation’s violence but when arguments blaming the media are closely examined they fall short of a full explanation. Renowned child care expert Benjamin Spock has come out speaking against watching violence in the media in his essay Should Children Play With Guns? claiming that watching violence can lower a child’s standards of behavior and stimulate cruelty in adults (Spock 526). However, this theory seemingly contradicts a point he makes earlier in the essay that growing children naturally learn to control their aggression as long as their parents encourage it. This second argument seems to say that the child’s reaction to the violence it views and level of aggression are subject to the rather arbitrary thoughts of their parents. Political activist, writer, and filmmaker Michael Moore shows a view differing from Spock’s in his film â€Å"Bowling for Columbine† where he points out that most of the violent media like movies, mus... Free Essays on Beating The Right Into Them Free Essays on Beating The Right Into Them Beating the Right into Them The U.S. is very well known throughout the world for its violence and violent past. From the battles of the American Revolutionary War, to the civil rights riots of the 1960’s, all the way to the school shootings and terrorist attacks of recent times, violence has laid the foundation of our history books and museums. More recently, however, the American public has become more and more concerned with the root of this violence. A simpler, more contemporary explanation for our countries precedence of violence is the mass media, including: music, movies, video games, the internet and the news media. I believe the true explanation goes deeper than the media. If you look closer at our past conflicts like the Civil War or our current War on Terrorism there is a recurring theme in the causes. The uncompromising belief of righteousness has driven the U.S., its citizens, and those who would attack them to violent acts. The media may seem to be a valid explanation for our nation’s violence but when arguments blaming the media are closely examined they fall short of a full explanation. Renowned child care expert Benjamin Spock has come out speaking against watching violence in the media in his essay Should Children Play With Guns? claiming that watching violence can lower a child’s standards of behavior and stimulate cruelty in adults (Spock 526). However, this theory seemingly contradicts a point he makes earlier in the essay that growing children naturally learn to control their aggression as long as their parents encourage it. This second argument seems to say that the child’s reaction to the violence it views and level of aggression are subject to the rather arbitrary thoughts of their parents. Political activist, writer, and filmmaker Michael Moore shows a view differing from Spock’s in his film â€Å"Bowling for Columbine† where he points out that most of the violent media like movies, mus...

Gases - General Properties of Gases

Gases - General Properties of Gases A gas is a form of matter that lacks a defined shape or volume. Gases share important properties, plus there are equations you can use to calculate what will happen to the pressure, temperature, or volume of a gas if conditions are changed. Gas Properties There are three gas properties that characterize this state of matter: Compressibility - Gases are easy to compress.Expandability - Gases expand to completely fill their containers.Because particles are less ordered than in liquids or solids, the gas form of the same substance occupies much more space.   All pure substances display similar behavior in the gas phase. At 0 ° C and 1 atmosphere of pressure, one mole of every gas occupies about 22.4 liters of volume. Molar volumes of solids and liquids, on the other hand, vary greatly from one substance to another. In a gas at 1 atmosphere, the molecules are approximately 10 diameters apart. Unlike liquids or solids, gases occupy their containers uniformly and completely. Because molecules in a gas are far apart, it is easier to compress a gas than it is to compress a liquid. In general, doubling the pressure of a gas reduces its volume to about half of its previous value. Doubling the mass of gas in a closed container doubles its pressure. Increasing the temperature of a gas enclosed in a container increases its pressure. Important Gas Laws Because different gases act similarly, it is possible to write a single equation relating volume, pressure, temperature, and quantity of gas. This Ideal Gas Law and the related Boyles Law, Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac, and Daltons Law are central to understanding the more complex behavior of real gases. Ideal Gas Law: The ideal gas law relates the pressure, volume, quantity, and temperature of an ideal gas. The law applies to real gases at normal temperature and low pressure. PV nRTBoyles Law: At constant temperature, the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to its pressure. PV k1Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac: These two ideal gas laws are related.  Charless law states at constant pressure, the volume of an ideal gas is directly proportional to temperature.  Gay-Lussacs law says at constant volume, the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its temperature. V k2T (Charless Law), Pi/Ti   Pf/Tf (Gay-Lussacs Law)Daltons Law: Daltons law is used to find pressures of individual gases in a gaseous mixture. Ptot Pa Pbwhere:P is pressure, Ptot is total pressure, Pa and Pb are component pressuresV is volumen is a  number of molesT is temperaturek1 and k2 are constants

Using deductive and inductive logic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Using deductive and inductive logic - Essay Example cision maker as the projection of informed consent -- the competent patient makes a â€Å"living will.† Also, this paper claims that people have the right to die and that their living will is constant throughout. The decision of the surrogate decision maker is also similar to the decision of the incompetent patient; the idea centers on the scope of time: past and present. The choice from the past is still the choice of the present considering the principle of informed consent. It is debatable to say that a person’s decision changes over time, especially when that person expressed it in writing. The living will is a written form of the patient’s explicit declaration concerning his or her thoughts of an ideal life or death. The contents of the living will are true and valid for all time when the physically and mentally competent patient makes one. Humans can choose either life or death especially when one is at the verge of utter helplessness. Life as we know it directly springs from humans; and to exercise mercy killing or suicide per se sounds fairly human. A physically incompetent person, for instance, is better off than live a life not far similar to death; he or she is alive via the brain’s electrical activities but dead via the immobile physical body. A living dead, so to speak, is a horrible human condition. Therefore, the practice of physician-assisted suicide to an incompetent patient is perfectly human. The right to die is an inalienable and human right. Nobody can take one’s life but himself or herself. One’s life and one’s body is one’s own. It is the prerogative of the individual who owns that body/life on when and how he or she wants to die. Death is sweet when the ideal life appears to be impossible to attain or is not attained. People have the right to die like their right to life. Death is the last option when life seems to be not the kind of life one perceives it; for in death, there is life as well. A terminally-ill patient should

Digestion and diseases of Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Digestion and diseases of - Term Paper Example Digestion is a complex process involving mechanical and chemical processes. Different complex molecules in our food are treated differently by our digestive system, depending upon its composition such as fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals etc. All these compounds are important as they provide source of energy, for protein making, for growth and for all the activities that we carry. The digestion starts from the mouth by chewing of food called mastication. A cephalic phase starts in which a signal is transferred to stomach lining to produce acid. The enzymes and saliva (produced by salivary glands for moistening the food) also enters the complex food particles. The starch and fats starts to breakdown right from the mouth due to saliva. The esophagus transfers the chewed food to the stomach, and this ineffective barrier may cause the acid in stomach to come up to the esophagus and cause a disease called gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) which is very common nowa days. The stomach consists of fundus, body and antrum. The gastric phase starts when food enters into a large body called stomach. Here, the proteins start to break down to form peptides and acidic conditions in stomach prevent the microorganisms for further contamination. The fundus lining in the stomach produce hydrochloric acid when as the food enter in the lining of stomach, and by this acid the de naturation of proteins occur. The pepsinogen becomes activated in the form of pepsin after the formation of hydrochloric acid. The gastric lipase further hydrolyzes the fats in the stomach. The anturm stabilizes the acid produced and is a site for the grinding action. Food passing through pyrolic sphincter to the small intestine is called chime, while passing through the pyrolic sphincter, small intestine simulates hormones secretin and cholecystokinin, further resulting in the release of pancreatic juice from pancreas. The food enters the small intestine that is extended and has incr eased surface area for absorption. It contains folding called plicae, villi and microvilli. The sucrose, maltase and lactose hydrolyze di sugars. In the region called duodenum, the bicarbonates mix with chime decreasing its acidity. The pancreatic juice also helps in digestion. Iron and calcium are taken in duodenum, while most minerals and vitamins are absorbed in jejunum. The starch also digested in duodenum and jejunum. The liver produces bile that solubilizes fat. The ileums being the final part of small intestine do the final digestion. At the end of this process, 90 percent of food is digested. The large intestine conserves the water and salts. The remaining fibers in large intestine may remain there for up to 3 days. After the whole process, the unwanted food is defecated outside the body, from colon to rectum and then out of the body. The intestines are the important part of gastro intestinal (G.I) tract because most of the absorption and digestion is done in intestines, so it has vital importance in our body. Intestines are divided into small intestine and large intestine. The anatomy tells us that from which cells, the small intestines are made up of and then discuss the physiological role played by intestines. Small intestine is that portion of intestine which is connected to stomach and food contents from stomach come into large intestine via small intestine. Here, absorption, mixing and digestion takes place. Small intestine

Compare and Contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Compare and Contrast - Essay Example Among these buildings are the Glasgow School of Art by Charles and the Palais Stoclet by Josef. Adolf Stoclet chose Josef to design his house with the help of other designers and artists. Together, they formed a group known as Vienna Sezession (Till 28). The Stoclrt palace was built between 1905 and 1911 and is still considered as the one of the world’s most luxurious private houses in the 20th century. It was built for and is still occupied by the Stoclet family. The palace was built on Avenue de Tervueren in Woluwe Saint-Pierre municipal. It is considered to be one of the most modern buildings consisting of rectangular blocks and underlying corners and lines. The windows of this palace are artistic in nature, giving way to the rays of the sun just at the break of dawn and a spectacular view of the surroundings from the inside. Along its staircase are four nude male bronze sculptures that were designed by Franz Metzner. The roof is more conservatory in nature yet they complem ent the modernity of the building as a whole. When viewed from the street, the palace appears to be a gray facade hiding behind thick hedges. Its windows seem to hide the real beauty of the house while at the same time offering an essential view of the outside world to those in the house. The interior of the building offers a sense of comfort and relaxation to its owners due to the light fittings, convenient doors as well as the upright furniture that helps to bring out order while avoiding clutter and clumsiness (Till 27). The interior decorations are made up of marble panels and artworks. In particular, the dining room is made up of mosaic friezes as proposed by Gustav Klimt. Klimt came up with a dazzling marble mosaic that encircled a dining table with 24 chairs. The room was lit using chandeliers. There are also silver candleholders that are studded with malachite cabochons and carefully placed on ebony sideboards to add to the beauty of the room. The dining room also consists o f 20-foot murals that are mosaic in nature and add to the spectacular artistic view of the entire house. The master bedroom comprises of adouble curve ceiling that drapes over the wooden cocoon that the stoclets slept in during their life time. In the middle of the master bathroom, there is a raised platform that holds a bathtub that is hoolwed from a solid block of marble stone (Till 8 ). A closer view of the bathroom walls shows mosaic fish seemingly swimming on the walls. The living room is also lit using well designed chandeliers and huge glass-paned windows. There are long standing curves that seem to support the upper part of thehouse yet they are a decoration to the living room. Marble benches arranged in the rom of a fountain add to the great inner decor of the house. The Glasgow School of Art was founded in 1845 but in 1897 Charles Rennie Mackintosh oversaw the building of the school at a different location (Till 21). Due to financial constraints, the building was construct ed in two phases: from 1897-1899 and 1907-1909. Unlike the Stoclet palace that is built as a family dwelling, the Glasgow building is used as a school for art lovers. For this reason, it consists of three academies; the Mackintosh School of Architecture, School of Design and School of Fine Art. As a result, the school is open to the public for the viewing of art exhibitions done by the students. The completed building is a high-towered rectangular block with almost no decorations yet it stands out

Managers Duties in Terms of the Four Functions of Management Essay

Managers Duties in Terms of the Four Functions of Management - Essay Example When we say the word planning, we are referring to defining objectives and goals for the organization and then formulating a path of action for their achievement. As far as I have seen, this HR manager is pretty much involved in employees’ planning such as how many employees need to be hired in the coming quarter and how and what kind of training should be given to the existing employees so that they are better able to contribute towards that attainment of organizational goals. Â  The organizing function of management refers to the arrangement of sources and people for the attainment of goals and objectives (Heather Rothbauer-Wanish, 2009). The HR manager is usually seen involved in the division of work so that the goals can be achieved in an organized and clear manner. For instance, if a new project is announced, after designing a recruitment plan, he would assign for himself, HR officers and admin person different tasks such as giving advertisement in newspaper, writing job descriptions, defining a career development plan, identifying training needs, sorting resumes, making interview calls such that the process be carried out systematically. Â  Leading is all about having such an influence on the employees which acts as a motivator for them. This HR manager is keen in communicating with his subordinates on a day to day basis. He discusses problems and their solutions, counsels, motivates and guides them as well as educates them on appropriate behavior. Â  Controlling as a management function means ensuring that all efforts towards goal achievement are being properly carried out. Our HR manager keeps a check on employees’ performance and behavior and corrects them where necessary. Â  The HR manager seems to be carrying out the four management functions effectively.

Application of Management Functions to a Case Study

Application of Management Functions to a - Case Study Example As a new manager, I would choose planning to guide me in the management of the hospital. In any business or an organization, entity that focuses on growth and offering quality services to their customers planning is essential (Kerzner, 2013). According to Kerzner, (2013) planning is one of the basic management functions; it involves the use of the available resources to ensure maximum production of goods or solving of peoples wants and needs. Planning ensures maximization of the resources available for production. Additionally, it ensures that the economies of scale are optimized to ensure growth of the organization. Since the merging brings together two entities with different philosophies and way of doing things, planning will be essential to adopt them into our ways of doing things. Additionally, we have to absorb some of the staff who was working in the small hospital. Absorbing the staff can only be possible through effective planning (Kerzner, 2013). Further, Johnson (2013) stated that planning ensures that our goals are clearly set to prevent any conflicts of interest in the newly merged hospital. I will ensure that the goals outlined clearly by writing and follow up to ensure, all the responsible people work hard to ensure the realization of the goals. Additionally, it can come up with a proposal by which the hospitals goals are pinned on all notice boards of the entire hospital. A goal also doubles up as the objectives of the hospital. Objectives are the laid down principles that act as a guide to every organization success. The success of any organization is measured through; the achievements are compared to the set goals. After the merger of the two hospitals, my main goals will include. To increase the number of staff, to start an expanded laboratory facility and to come up with a new registry that will be holding all the records of patients and their affiliates. Secondly, planning shall be essential in my efforts in setting down of

Dravid Luis and His Oppinions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dravid Luis and His Oppinions - Essay Example According to the paper the number of estimates that he has obtained seems to be a little low considering that worth of the equipment that is being evaluated amounts to millions of dollars. Or he can consult another accountant regarding alternative options that may be offered to Jimmy Westfield to settle their difference in evaluating the worth of the equipment. As the discussion stresses utilitarianism is basically the greatest happiness principle which holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness or pleasure and wrong if they tend to produce pain. Â  However, it is important to note that there are two kinds of utilitarianism- act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. In act utilitarianism the consequence of the act should produce the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people while rule utilitarianism means that we should act so that the rules governing our action produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. With utilitarianism as the ethical framework, we now analyze Dravid Luis’ going along with Jimmy Westfield’s desire to record the equipment at net realizable value.

Application of Management Functions to a Case Study

Application of Management Functions to a - Case Study Example As a new manager, I would choose planning to guide me in the management of the hospital. In any business or an organization, entity that focuses on growth and offering quality services to their customers planning is essential (Kerzner, 2013). According to Kerzner, (2013) planning is one of the basic management functions; it involves the use of the available resources to ensure maximum production of goods or solving of peoples wants and needs. Planning ensures maximization of the resources available for production. Additionally, it ensures that the economies of scale are optimized to ensure growth of the organization. Since the merging brings together two entities with different philosophies and way of doing things, planning will be essential to adopt them into our ways of doing things. Additionally, we have to absorb some of the staff who was working in the small hospital. Absorbing the staff can only be possible through effective planning (Kerzner, 2013). Further, Johnson (2013) stated that planning ensures that our goals are clearly set to prevent any conflicts of interest in the newly merged hospital. I will ensure that the goals outlined clearly by writing and follow up to ensure, all the responsible people work hard to ensure the realization of the goals. Additionally, it can come up with a proposal by which the hospitals goals are pinned on all notice boards of the entire hospital. A goal also doubles up as the objectives of the hospital. Objectives are the laid down principles that act as a guide to every organization success. The success of any organization is measured through; the achievements are compared to the set goals. After the merger of the two hospitals, my main goals will include. To increase the number of staff, to start an expanded laboratory facility and to come up with a new registry that will be holding all the records of patients and their affiliates. Secondly, planning shall be essential in my efforts in setting down of

Poetry College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Poetry College - Essay Example People were kidnapped or trapped in a manner to be tortured only to attain the money. Stealing, robbery, theft were increasing day by day. It was not only suffering in life but terror of slaughtering getting high to its peak. Blacks were suffering from the injustice of Whites, poor were suffering from the miseries country facing due to the colonizing, Children were killed, a totally a horrifying condition was being seen in the country which was only be settled down by changing the thoughts of mind and soul. Many of the authors and poets in addition with the politicians and government tried psychologically to eliminate the major crimes like, terrorism of slaughtering, racism, tortures and literate people from the sufferings and miseries faced by the country due to diasporas and colonized. Margret Atwood, one of the famous Canadian writer known for her novels, but is a good author and writer to brief poems, articles, short stories and few she worked for television and movies as well. She was born in Ottawa, Ontario on 18 November, 1939 and started her writings since she was young. She qualified herself in English literature and taught English for some time in University of British Columbia. She was near to nature and wrote many poems and novels about the environment, personalities, and natural world. Moreover, she was a fervent writer for the kids and though wrote many poems and short stories for them. She was a keen observer and wants to participate herself in the efforts to make the country hygienic to breath in freely. She enthusiastically wrote many short stories and poems to tell the world and the people of her country what they are suffering with and morally help them to eliminate the crimes. "Footnote to the Amnesty Report on Torture" was written in 1978. It wa s a poem compiled in simple English explaining the conditions of the torture chamber along with different shocking and horrifying images in the poem about the torture chamber showing the harsh features of politics. She from the very first stanza clarified the view of the torture chamber by resembling it with something very worst. She made the readers imagine that it neither resembles the dungeon with cob webs, nor it reminds you of opera sets which are being fully designed but by words the dangerous one. It actually looks a lot like to a dirty, grimy, smutty and unclean railway station. However, this railway station is being cleaned every time by a hooked man but still it smells stinky as if it's a hospital with the smell of antiseptics and spirits. These stinky smells are in cooperated with the smell of blood. Her simile for the smell of the blood is equivalent to the one rising from the butcher's shop. She in her following stanza of the poem mentions the briefs about the man working there as a sweeper, cleaning floors all the time. This man cleans all the remnants spread all over the chamber the previous night. The torture is so harsh that people who are brave they forgets their bravery, innocent people may die, their torn fingers, or may hacked tongue are thrown away. To this all that cleaning man is grateful that e has this job to clear vomit, covering the dead bodies or collecting fingers rather than breaking or killing somebody. The words, Margaret Atwood used in the poem "Footnote to the

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald Essay Example for Free

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald Essay Many characters in the Great Gatsby parallel to Fitzgerald life. For example, Daisy, the women Jay Gatsby has been basing his whole life on, is similar to Zelda Sayre, who would not marry Fitzgerald at first because of his lack of success. Gatsby and Fitzgerald both met vital women to their lives at dances, and both while they were stationed at camps in the army. Gatsby met Daisy at Camp Taylor in Illinois, where they danced and fell in love. However, after Gatsby went off to war, they never got back together again. Fitzgerald met his wife, Zelda, at Camp Sheridan in Alabama. Instead of going off to war (his regiment was ready to go to Europe, but the Armistice came before they could leave the States), he went to New York to get enough money to marry Zelda. In the movie version, Daisy tells Gatsby that Rich girls dont marry poor boys. This line was taken straight out of Fitzgeralds life. The father of his first love, a young woman by the name of Ginevra King, supposedly told him that after Fitzgerald asked for Ginevras hand in marriage. The Great Gatsby is F. Scott Fitzgeralds most renowned book, and still one of the most read novels in American literature. A book with this much success was obviously was a product of great influence. The Great Gatsby draws many extensive parallels between F. Scott Fitzgeralds life and this novel. These similarities range from basing characters off important people from his personal life to interweaving intricate love relationships he went through into the novel to recreating the American Dream. The book comes as a direct result of many of the events in Fitzgeralds early life. First off, are the most noticeable parallels, the character he chooses. Fitzgerald parallels himself in two of the main characters in The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, and Nick Carraway. Nick represents Fitzgeralds passive, or indecisive, and observant characteristics. On the other hand, Gatsby shows Fitzgeralds passionate and active attributes.

Development of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI

Development of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Ioannis Tolios â€Å"Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI† Introduction One of the most significant non-invasive imaging modalities applied both in research and clinical diagnostics cis Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Its widespread use is partially based on its characteristic to visualize tissues with high resolutions in 3D and its ability to provide anatomical, functional and metabolic tissue information in vivo (Strijkers, Mulder, van Tilborg, Nicolay, 2007). In an MR image, the basic contrast mostly derives from regional differences in the intrinsic T1, T2 relaxation times, except for local water content differences. T1 and T2 relaxation times can be selected independently to have a commanding influence on image contrast. Nevertheless, a sensitive and accurate diagnosis cannot always be feasible, due to the fact that the intrinsic water, T1 and T2 contrast values are modified and become very often limited by tissue pathology. Consequently, the need for enhanced image contrast led to the growing use of intravenously injected MRI contrast agents, wh ose use although violates partially the non-invasive character of MRI brought about significant benefits. Combining MRI and contrast agents (CA) increases the possibilities to image inflamed tissues in pathologies, such as arthritis, atherosclerotic plaques, and tumor angiogenesis (Strijkers, Mulder, van Tilborg, Nicolay, 2007). Definition of DCE-MRI A technique which combines MRI and contrast agents is Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). According to Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014), â€Å"DCE-MRI analyzes the temporal enhancement pattern of a tissue following the introduction of a paramagnetic contrast agent into the vascular system. This is accomplished by the acquisition of baseline images without contrast enhancement, succeeded by a set of images acquired over time (usually over a few minutes) during and after the arrival of the contrast agent in the tissue of interest†. A time intensity curve (TIC) for the tissue is generated by the acquired signal, as it can be seen in Figure 1. In a TIC, the response of the tissue is represented in enhancement values to the arrival of the contrast agent. Specific physiological properties that are in association with the microvascular blood flow, including tissue volume fractions, vessel permeability, and vessel surface area product, can be extracted by analyzing a TIC (Gordon, et al., 2014). Figure 1: An example of a time intensity curve obtained from a tumor metastasis (Bonekamp Macura, 2008). All variations of DCE-MRI studies are relied on a rather plain fundamental principle: the MR signal intensity of a tissue is modified, when a paramagnetic particle (contrast agent) penetrates and spreads over through the tissue, based on its local concentration (Gordon, et al., 2014). MR images of a chosen region of interest (ROI) are obtained in time intervals of few seconds before, during, and after the intravenous injection of a contrast agent. Each obtained image represents one time point, and each and every pixel in a set of images produces its own intensity curve. After the injection of the CA, the signal intensity varies at every time point (is related to the concentration of the CA in the tissue) based on tissue parameters, including vascularization, vessels’ permeability and surface area product, and in this way parametric maps of particular microvascular biomarkers can be extracted. Furthermore, by using suitable mathematical models absolute values of the aforementioned parameters can be estimated. These parameters usually reflect a compartmental pharmacokinetics model demonstrated by CAs, which are allocated between the intravascular and extravascular spaces as it can be seen in Figure 2 (Gordon, et al., 2014). Figure 2: Toft’s compartmental model for calculating DCE-MRI quantitative pharmakokinetic parameters (Verma, et al., 2012). DCE-MRI techniques Currently, two DCE-MRI techniques are defined based on its registration and the origin of the extracted signal. As MRI is highly sensitive to small concentrations of paramagnetic materials passing through a tissue, there are two different physical-chemical properties (Gordon, et al., 2014). Relaxation effect T1, T2 tissue relaxation times are reduced when a diffusible contrast agent is used. Positively enhanced T1-weighted images are generated, when this effect is used and the studies evaluating this effect are characterized asDynamic Contrast Enhanced(DCE)-MRI,T1-W DCE. Susceptibility effect When a paramagnetic contrast agent is located in the intravascular space of a tissue and its magnetic susceptibility is much higher than that of the surrounding tissue water, local magnetic inhomogeneities between the intra and extravascular space emerge, which generate negative enhanced T2 or T2* weighted images during the passage of the CA through the capillaries. Studies depending on this phenomenon are characterized asDynamic Susceptibility Contrast(DSC)-MRI or T2*-W DCE. Image Acquisition Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014) state that the method of quantification to be applied depends on the number of the measurements, which are required in order to obtain the data; thus, the measurements include: I. Creating a map of pre-contrast native T1 values, which is necessary in order to calculate the CA concentrations. II. Acquiring heavily T1-weighted images, prior and following the Contrast Agent introduction. In this case, high temporal resolution is needed in order to have the ability to further characterize the kinetics of the contrast agent’s entry and exit of the tissue. Typically, 3D image sets are acquired sequentially for 5–10 minutes every few seconds. The ideal for the acquisitions would be to be obtained approximately every 5 seconds, in order to allow the detection of early enhancement. With longer acquisitions (for instance, > 15 seconds), it becomes harder to detect early enhancement. III. Acquisition of the arterial input function (AIF), in order to estimate the CA concentration in the blood plasma of a feeding artery as a function of time. Acquiring the AIF is necessary for almost all quantitative analysis methods and is up to now technically the most difficult part in the data acquisition process. Contrast agents The most regularly used group of contrast agents in DCE-MRI is the low molecular paramagnetic gadolinium (Gd) chelates (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). Principally, in Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI, any low molecular weight CAs can be used. (Tofts). The use of contrast agents with high molecular weights leads to lower permeability and lower Ktrans values, since these agents remain in the intravascular space. Using macromolecular CAs the measurement of regional blood volume acquiring scans of low temporal resolution is feasible (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). Molecular agent with high molecular weight might be more appropriate for tumor angiogenesis and thus offer better response evaluation to therapy (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010). Analysis Methods Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014) state that â€Å"the arrival of CA and thus the enhancement pattern of the tissue depend on a wide variety of factors including vascularity, capillary permeability, perfused capillary surface area, volume and composition of extracellular fluid, renal clearance and perfusion. The analysis of DCE data can provide valuable information concerning the vascular status and perfusion†. Data analysis can be performed using either: qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative approach (Verma, et al., 2012). Qualitative This kind of analysis can range from visual inspection of the images for fast and extreme enhancement of lesions, to the plotting of kinetic curves of signal intensity against time (Gupta, Kauffman, Polascik, Taneja, Rosenkrantz, 2013). The qualitative analysis of DCE-MRI depends on the assumption of rapid and intense enhancement and wash-out as indicator of the existence of a tumor. The tumor vessels are generally leakier and more readily enhanced after the injection of the CA than the ordinary vessels. An early rapid high enhancement after injection is expected followed by a relatively rapid decline compared with a slower and continuously increasing signal for normal tissues during the first few minutes after contrast injection. However, the possibility for an overlap between the natural and the malignant tissues, limit the capabilities of this DCE-MRI approach. Finally, the qualitative approach is regarded as a subjective approach and therefore difficult to standardi ze among institutions, constituting multicenter trials less reliable (Verma, et al., 2012). Semi-quantitative – The semi-quantitative approach also depends on the same assumption as the qualitative approach. On the other hand, in the semi-quantitative analysis various curve parameters are integrated (Verma, et al., 2012). It must be mentioned that depending on the application area, different perfusion parameters are relevant. Nevertheless, some parameters are of general interest for almost all applications. These parameters are acquired to characterize the shape of the TIC, including the time of first arrival of the CA, peak enhancement ( PE the maximum value normalized if the baseline is subtracted), time to peak (TTP the timepoint where peak enhancement takes place), integral (the area between the baseline and the curve, indicating with PE if blood supply is reduced in a ROI), mean transit time (MTT – the timepoint where the integral is bisected), slope (the curve’s steepness during wash-in phase, downslope (the descending curve’s steepness i n wash-out phase ) and wash-in and wash-out curve shapes (Figure 1, Figure 3A). (Preim et al., 2009). Three common dynamic curve types exist in the literature after the initial CA uptake: type 1, persistent increase; type 2, plateau; and type 3, wash-out after initial slope, as it can be seen in Figure 3B and Figure 1. Even though the semi-quantitative approach is used widely in the evaluation of DCE-MRI, significant restrictions arise dealing with the factors contributing to the MR signal intensity (e.g. generalization across acquisition protocols, sequences), which have an effect on the curve metrics (Verma, et al., 2012). Figure 3: A) A typical TIC curve (Preim et al., 2009). B) Differentiation of three patterns of washout phase: type 1 (blue), progressive; type 2 (green), plateau ; type 3 (red), wash-out (Verma, et al., 2012). Factors like the injection rate and the temporal resolution can easily alter the shape of a wash-in/washout curve, creating difficulties in comparison and quantitation. High inter-patient variability is also a factor that can make the definition of threshold values more complex for every parameter that could standardize semi-quantitative approach. However, this approach is relatively simple which makes it even more appealing (Verma, et al., 2012). Quantitative The quantitative approach depends on modeling the concentration change of the CA by integrating pharmacokinetic modeling techniques (Gordon, et al., 2014). Several pharmacokinetic models were proposed, such as by Tofts (Tofts), Brix et al. (Brix et al., 1991). Most of them depend on estimating the exchange rate between extracellular space and blood plasma using some transfer rate constants, like Ktrans(forward volume transfer constant) andkep(reverse reflux rate constant between extracellular space and plasma). â€Å"The transfer constant,Ktrans, is equal to the permeability surface area product per unit volume of tissue.Moreover, Ktransdetermines the flux from the intravascular space to the extracellular space; it may principally represent the vascular permeability in a permeability-limited situation (high flow in relation to permeability), or it may represent the blood flow into the tissue in a flow-limited situation (high permeability in relation to flow). Theveis t he extracellular extravascular volume fraction, andkep=Ktrans/ veexpresses the rate constant, describing the efflux of contrast media from the extracellular space back to plasma. Thevpis the fraction of plasma per unit volume of tissue†, according to Verma et al. (Verma, et al., 2012). In quantitative DCE-MRI analysis, a four compartment model is used for â€Å"tissue†: plasma, extracellular space, intracellular space, and renal excretory pathway (Figure 2). This pharmacokinetic model is applied to the CA concentration changes in the artery (AIF) supplying the tissue of interest, and the CA concentration of the tissue. It must also be noted that due to the fact that pharmacokinetic models require concentration values, signal intensity must be converted to T1 values, because MRI signal intensity is not linear with the CA concentration (Verma, et al., 2012). Clinical Applications of DCE-MRI DCE-MRI has been used for the detection and characterization of tumors in the clinical setting. It also makes the monitoring of tumor treatment and the response to conventional chemotherapy and angiogenic therapies feasible by acting as biomarker (Figure 4). Early tumor detection and treatment affects significantly the survival of patients. DCE-MRI is applied increasingly in a wider range of patients with different kind of cancer, including breast, head and prostate cancer. The method’s quantification ability of characteristics of the lesion microvasculature has stimulated the scientists to use the technique for â€Å"in-vivo staging† of tumors. According to early studies in the field, an evident relationship was demonstrated between large and rapid increases in malignant behavior and signal enhancement in tumors located in prostate, breast, and head. Additionally, important overlapping of contrast enhancement patterns has been noticed between malignant and benign tumor s. Growing accuracy and specificity in the recognition of microvascular characterization parameters is expected to further ameliorate lesion characterization (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). More specifically regarding prostate cancer detection and localization, DCE-MRI contributes to prostate MRI, succeeding higher specificity and sensitivity than T2-weighted MR imaging, and sextant u ltrasound guided biopsy, methods being used widely for the pre-treatment work up and screening of prostate cancer respectively (Choi, Kim, Kim, 2007; Bonekamp Macura, 2008). It has been proven that the multi-parametric approach has improved significantly the accuracy of prostate MRI and has a great future. In a cancerous tissue, the number of vessels and their permeability are increased in comparison with normal tissues. Moreover, the interstitial space is greater. These factors cause significant increase of contrast enhancement parameters, such as MTT, blood flow, interstitial volume. The aforementioned observations are applicable in prostate cancer, too. As it can be seen in Figure 3B, the red curve could represent a prostate cancer with faster and steeper enhancement and faster wash-out than in normal tissues. Figure 4 a-c (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010): a) A patient with prostate cancer. The arrow indicates a low signal intensity focus on axial T2W MR image B) Increased enhancement shown by the lesion on axial T1W DCE-MR image C) fusion of color-coded Ktrans Conclusion The determination of functional microvascular parameters by using DCE-MRI might be instrumental in evaluating many vascular diseases. The potential of the technique to assess the severity of illnesses, to non-invasively and in parallel measure multiple relevant parameters, to study the pathophysiology of diseases, seems to be extremely promising. Even though, the method is known for over 20 years it is still considered immature. This has mainly to do with the significant variations in data analysis and acquisition protocols from study to study. Furthermore, the analysis of the pharmacokinetic parameters is a complex task and computationally expensive, due to the existence of plethora of analysis algorithms (Gordon, et al., 2014). DCE-MRI is restricted in organs with physiologic motion, including lungs and liver, and may not be applicable in some specific group of patients, especially those with renal failure and claustrophobia (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010). However, although the extraction of quantitative pharmacokinetic parameters is more difficult, compartmental model based methods are more robust than the semi-quantitative approaches, and offer deeper understanding of physiology. Finally, they are not potentially based on the scanning technique, the type of scanner, and individual patient variations ( Gordon, et al., 2014).

Essay --

There are a series of complex processes within the human body whose consequences is the wearing out of body cells and tissues and consequently their replacement is quite ideal. Body anatomy confirms that human body is made up of numerous cells that are organized into functional parts that work to achieve various life processes. As the processes in the body progress, there is synthesis of new cells that replace the worn out ones. The new cells need to be a replica or exact copies of the worn out cells with the same functional capacity and attributes. Otherwise, an abnormality occurs in the structure and physiology of the human body. In case malignant growths develop due to abnormality in the body cells, a condition known as cancer develops. Cancer basically can occur on any part of the body. The most common forms of cancer are lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, cancer of the brain and colon cancer among others. Development of colon cancer begins when the process of the normal replacement of cells on the colon lining is interfered with which in most cases is due to faults in the process of mucosal cell division. As a result of this, the lining cells multiply gradually (for almost 10years) forming polyps which are pre-cancerous tumors. Further growth of the polyps generates mutations that facilitate subversion of the cells making them inexplicable. If not detected early, the pre-cancerous tumors may change course and attack other layers of the large intestine thus becoming cancerous (KEVIN, 2014). Precisely, colon cancer is a health condition in which malignant or cancerous cells develop in the tissues of the colon. Colon is actually a section of the digestive tract that helps in the absorption of waste and... ...ancer. A more advanced form of treatment of colon cancer is the use of radiations. This can be done in combination with chemotherapy for patients with colon cancer in the third stage. In the cases where the cancer has reached the fourth stage where the cells have reached adjacent organs like the liver, some treatments can be done to reach the liver. Some of them are ablation, directing the radiation to the liver, cryotherapy and liver surgery. PROGNOSIS Normally, there are higher chances of surviving if the cancer is detected prematurely. The question of certainty in survival depends on the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed. In most cases patients who have been diagnosed of colon cancer have high chances of surviving five years after the diagnosis (Network., 2012). Cancer at the first, second and third stages are essentially curable and the patients survive.

Police Structure Essay

When it comes to law enforcement at the federal there are twenty one agencies that deal with issues of law enforcement. The FBI is one of these agencies, which was established in 1908. It is currently the main investigative agency of the Federal Government. The FBI is one of the agencies that is organized and run under the Department of Justice. The responsibility of the FBI is to investigate any crimes that happen across state lines as well as violation of federal criminal law. Some of the particular offenses that they investigate are civil rights violations, kidnapping, auto thefts and internal security issues. The FBI will also assist local law enforcement with their investigations as well. So when it comes to their role as it applies to the law. The law enforcement powers that the FBI as well as the other federal agencies have is to enforce any violations of current federal laws and mandates, but also have the power to enforce this over the entire United States. When it comes to state law enforcement most states have established their own state police agencies such as the Highway Patrol or State Trooper which is run under the rules of the state government. The primary purpose of establishing these state law enforcement agencies is to allow a policing agency to work throughout the entire state without the restrictions of city or county boundaries. The authority of these state police body’s are to make arrests, execute search warrants, conduct criminal investigations and enforce traffic laws on state and federal highways as well as investigate traffic accidents. Then there are the policing agencies that represent the greatest number of police officers. Throughout the United States these city police officers who work in large and medium size municipalities are the ones in charge of handling the investigation of such crimes as burglaries, robberies, assaults, and rapes as well as patrol all local streets and highways going through the cit y. The boundaries of these departments are restricted to enforcing the law within their own city limits. These local municipalities are usually run by a chief who is appointed by the city government. Outside the cities in the more rural areas there is a policing agency at the county level. These County police departments function much the same as municipal police, but are run by an elected sheriff instead of an appointed chief and the law enforcement officers who work for a sheriff’s department are typically called sheriff deputies. In the sheriff’s department the sheriff is typically elected to a two or four year term by the population of the county in which they serve. Since the sheriff is elected they usually have more degree of freedom that local city official have. When it comes to organizational theories for police officers and other agencies in law enforcement there are two different divisions the police who you see out on the streets patrolling neighborhoods and arresting criminals then there are those who work behind the scenes and whose job it is to hire and train new employees as well as making sure that communication between police and other entities is secure and not disrupted in emergency situations. They also make sure that all equipment is kept running and in good conditions so that it doesn’t fail the office when needed. These two divisions are who make up the large body of people in law enforcements. This chain of command is a very essential component in law enforcement administration, from the chief down to a patrol officer to those behind the scene the utilization of this organizational chart is what allows for clear delegation of authority in any chain of command structure. As stated in the book Police Administration: Structures, Processes, and Behavior. â€Å"The principal of hierarchical authority is a requirement that every lower level organization must be supervised by a higher level. This results not only in the use of multiple spans of control, but also in different grades of authority which increase at each successively higher level in an organization. This authority flows downward in the organization as a formal grant of power from the chief of police to those selected for leadership positions. These two different grades of authority produce the chain of command† (234, Swanson). With departments having these two very different divisions this type of management style in law enforcement is continually going to change and evolve and it will be up to the people that work in their departments to make the necessary changes by adjusting and personnel and department resources accordingly in order to continue with a working straight forward chain of command. Works Cited Swanson, Charles R, Leonard Territo, Robert W. Taylor. Police Administration: Structures, Processes, and Behavior. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2005

You Suck: A Love Story Chapter 23~24

Chapter Twenty-three Being the Chronicles of Abby Normal: The Hunted Apparently I am the Hunted, which, I want to note here, I am totally not qualified for. Here I sit, perched in the rafters (I think these things are rafters) of the Oakland Bay Bridge like a crippled night bird, waiting for doom to descend on me in the form of an ancient, undead thing, to wrench the very limbs from my delicate body. So that sucks. Fortunately I have some sustenance until my Dark Lord and Lady rise from their diurnal slumber to kick some fucking ass. I know I should be eating bugs and spiders and stuff to facilitate my vampyrism, but as a vegetarian, I haven't developed the hunting skills, so I've started with some Gummi Bears I got at the theater. (Supposedly they are made out of beef pectin or extract of horse hooves or something, so I think they make a good transition to the nosferatu diet. And I like biting off their tiny heads.) Here, high above the City – well, actually, we're about ten feet above some homeless people who live under the bridge – I feel like the guardian of an ancient tomb, willing to face any attacker to protect my master and mistress, who are wrapped in tarps, lying on the next beam or rafter or whatever. OMFG, there are fucking pigeons everywhere! Sorry, one just pooped on my notebook. Never mind. Move along. I'm over it. But ewwww! Jared has gone to his dad's house in the Noe Valley to get the lawn cart and minivan so we can transport my masters to safety. He left me his dagger, which I've only had to brandish once, against a woman who wanted to take the tarp from over my Dark Lord. Then I used it to scrape off my old nail polish, which was totally chipped and stuff from doing minion manual labor. So, my masters like met up with us outside the Museum of Modern Art and they were all, â€Å"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?† And they were being all secretive around Jared, like he didn't know we were vampyres. And I was all, â€Å"Just chill, he's assistant minion.† So they relaxed. Then Flood pulls this bronze hand out of his bag and he's all, â€Å"Abby, do you know what this is?† And I was all, â€Å"Why yes, Lord Flood,† because I speak obvious as a second language. â€Å"It's a bronze hand, correct?† So the Countess took the hand from him. â€Å"Abby, this is what's left of the shell of the vampyre who turned me.† So I'm all, â€Å"Begging your pardon and whatnot, Countess, but that's a statue hand.† And she's all, â€Å"That's what I'm saying.† Which is not what the fuck she was saying at all. So it turns out that the bronze statue that used to be in the loft was actually the vampyre who turned the Countess, and then the Countess turned the vampyre Flood, except he was just Flood then. So the old vampyre, whose name is Elijah, got all PMS and started fucking with the Countess by leaving dead bodies all over town with evidence pointing toward her, and threatening to kill her minion, who was Flood at the time, and it got completely out of hand, with some cops and the geeks from the Safeway blowing up Elijah's yacht and really pissing him off, and then the Countess pretending to save Elijah when in fact she was extracting his ancient vampyry secrets, and Flood bronzing them both, but letting the Countess out because she is the love of his life and whatnot. So Flood, who is not a mysterious and ancient creature of the night at all, but has been a vampyre like a week longer than I have, took the statue down to the waterfront to drop it in the Bay, so it wouldn't remind the Coun tess of her heart being torn asunder by the yearning for two lovers and stuff. But the sun came up and Flood left the statue on the Embarcadero, and when they went back it was gone, and it turns out that Elijah is loose and he was the crusty vampyre in the yellow tracksuit I saw shaking the huge cat guy and he is now stalking me to get back at the Countess for being a duplicitous ho. So Jared was all, â€Å"Fuck. That's awesome.† And I was all, â€Å"You lied to me.† And the Countess was all, â€Å"Yeah, sunshine, that's why I'm telling you this now.† Which was completely unnecessary sarcasm on her part. And Jared was like, â€Å"This is the best Christmas ever.† And I was all, â€Å"Shut up, gay-bait. I've been betrayed.† And the Countess was all, â€Å"You'll get over it. We have to go see if William is okay.† And I see now that she was right, but I brooded as we went back to the loft, just to make a point, because I hate it when people take me for granted. When we got to the Countess's block, there was an ambulance there and cops all over the place, so Flood and the Countess hung back and sent me over to get the 411. I could see that the huge cat guy was on a stretcher and they were strapping oxygen on him. And I was all, â€Å"Let me through, this man is my father.† And the EMTs were all, â€Å"No way.† And I was all, â€Å"Who called you, anyway?† And they were like, â€Å"The guy in the building. A sculptor or something.† And then the cat guy was all, â€Å"Let her through.† So they let me through. So I blew by the EMT to the huge cat guy, and I was all, â€Å"Are you okay?† And he was like, â€Å"Well, my head hurts like hell, and I think my leg is broke.† And I was all, â€Å"Is there anything I can do?† Because I was under orders of the Countess to gain information and offer assistance. And he was like, â€Å"If you could take care of Chet. He's in the stairwell. He'll be hungry.† And I was all, â€Å"You got it.† So then he like pulled the oxygen mask off and had me bend over so he could whisper, and I was all, â€Å"Yes, Dad,† for the EMTs who were watching. And he whispered like, â€Å"Before they take me away, could I see your tits.† So I kicked him in the ribs. And the EMTs went all byzerk and shit, and told me to get away, but they were totally overreacting, because I had on my red Converse All Stars, which will hardly even bruise you. So they loaded him into the ambulance, and just as they were shutting the doors, he reached out his hand, like he was a drowning man reaching for the last spark of his mortality before the inky waves of death swept him away – so I flashed my boobs for him, just a quick lift of my bra and top at the same time, because I don't think we do enough to help the homeless, and I wanted him to die a happy man. And besides, they're small and I don't get that many requests. So I got Chet out of the stairway of the old loft and was carrying him kid-style when I saw the two cops from before – the ones the Countess said helped blow up Elijah – so I went up to the Hispano-cop and I was all, â€Å"So, what's up, cop?† And he was all, â€Å"You need to get home, and you have no business out at this hour, and we should take you to the station and call your parents and blah, blah, blah, threat, threat, disapproval, and fascist dogma all up in your darkly delicious grille.† (I'm paraphrasing. Although I do have a delicious grille as I had to wear braces for three years when I was a kid, and now my teeth are like my most acceptable feature. I hope my fangs come in straight.) And the big gay cop was all, â€Å"What are you doing here?† And I was all, â€Å"I live here, bone-smoker, what are you doing here? Aren't you guys homicide cops?† And he was all, â€Å"Let's see some ID blah, blah, bluster, bluster, Oh My God I am so full of shit.† And I was like, â€Å"I guess you wouldn't have to deal with this shit if you had properly blowed up that old vampyre when you stole his art collection.† So all of a sudden the Hispano-cop and his big gay partner were all, â€Å"Whaaa – ?† And I'm like, â€Å"Just so we know where we stand. How long you bitches going to be here?† And they were like, â€Å"Just a half hour or so longer, miss. We need to interview some witnesses and go clean out our boxers where we have just completely shit ourselves. Do you need a ride somewhere?† (Again paraphrasing.) So I walked off, while they were still stunned, let Chet into the new loft down the street like it was mine, then ran around the block and reported to the Countess and Flood. Jared was just staring at them like he was hypnotized or something. I was like, â€Å"Hey, Boo,† to remind him what a tard he was being and Jared snapped out. (Lily and Jared and I watched the To Kill a Mockingbird DVD like six times together and our favorite part is when Scout sees Boo Radley behind the door and goes, â€Å"Hey, Boo.† It's like thanking the universe for sending you a benevolent retard to help you out, which is how I often feel about Jared.) So I was like, â€Å"Buy me a coffee.† And the Countess and Flood look at each other and shake their heads. No money. So I was like, â€Å"You guys are so fucking lame. You have piles of cash and you roll with no money. You are no longer the Dark Lord and Lady of me.† Which I totally didn't mean, but I was stressed and starting to get a low-on-caffeine headache. But Jared goes, â€Å"Hey, Boo† at me, and he's holding a ten-dollar bill. And I pretended to find a snag in my fishnets so everyone would quit looking at me. The Countess said she knew of a Chinese diner off Freemont Street that was open all night on Christmas and we could hang out there until the cops left. Jared and I had cups of coffee and an order of fries, which FYI, taste a little like shrimp in a Chinese diner. And Flood and the Countess are watching us, looking all sad. So I'm like, â€Å"What? What? What?† And the Countess is all, â€Å"Nothing.† Which I know is totally something, because I say it all the time. And I watch her eyes follow Jared's cup as he sips his coffee and I'm all, â€Å"Oh, fucksocks, Countess, cowboy the fuck up, would you?† Then I slipped Jared's dagger out of his boot, grabbed his hand, and poked him in the thumb. I'd like to say right here that the screaming was totally unnecessary. And whatever the Chinese guy was saying at me from behind the counter was a total overreaction and how does he expect me to understand him when he's talking that fast AND in Chinese? Anyway, after I squeezed Jared's thumb into his cup, then a little into my own and gave it to Flood, everyone calmed down, even the Chinese guy after Jared paid him for two more coffees – and the meeting of the Immortal SOMA Drama Queens officially came to order. It seemed like we waited forever, and the Countess and Flood wouldn't answer any of my questions about the way of the nosferatu. It was like they had no idea what they were doing. Like last year I took Advanced Foods class (which is like cooking for nerds) after lunch, and so I usually took a nap. Which was fine, because I'm not even thrilled about regular foods, so, you know, what do I need with like advanced digital HD wi-fi foods and whatnot – so I took the course pass-fail and slept. But then, at the end of the semester, my mom springs this trap on me, like – â€Å"Oh, Allison, I've bought ingredients and you can prepare dinner for Ronnie and me to show what you learned in your Advanced Foods class. It'll be fun.† You can pretty much bet that anytime Mom uses the phrase â€Å"it'll be fun,† she is about to drive a stake in fun's heart so that it may never rise again. Which is what happened. Artichokes? Who eats something like that? I thought it was a weapon. So anyway, after nine eternities in the diner, we went back to the loft, where the Countess said she had my Christmas present waiting. When we got to the block, the cops and EMTs were gone and it looked like the coast was clear, but when the Countess opened the security door to the loft, there, sitting on the steps, was the old vampyre, naked. Well, the Countess and Flood jumped about eighteen feet in the air and I'm pretty sure I peed a little. Yes, I definitely peed. Jared just started an asthma attack, not the whole attack, just the first gasp. He just stopped breathing after that. So Elijah is all, â€Å"I needed to do some laundry.† Let me say right here, if I haven't made it clear, that I have seen as many pale, naked old-man parts in the last twenty-four hours to bruise my delicate psyche for a lifetime, so don't be surprised if you someday find me wandering the moors at midnight, a crazed look in my eye, babbling about albino Tater Tots nesting in Brillo pads and being pursued by sagging man ass, because that shit can happen when you've been traumatized. Then Flood threw himself against the door and screamed for us to run as he bravely held the door against our ancient vampyre ancestor's assaults. I was beginning to doubt Flood's ability to fulfill his duties as my Dark Lord until he stepped up and saved us – valiant vampyre hero that he is – because I was starting to think he was just a geek with a passing knowledge of poetry. As we ran I could hear Elijah saying, â€Å"He peed on my tracksuit,† as he threw himself against the door, or I guessed he did, because I didn't turn around until we were two blocks away. The Countess was all, â€Å"I've got to go back for him.† But before she even turned around, my Dark Lord came running around the corner. And he was all, â€Å"Go, go, go!† waving at us. And we were all, â€Å"Where? Where? Where?† And then as the Countess threw her arms around Flood and started to squeeze the bejeezus out of him, and Jared was all, â€Å"Gasp, get a room, gasp,† her watch started beeping. Then Flood's watch was beeping, too. And they were all, â€Å"Uh-oh.† So we had like ten minutes to find someplace dark to hide them, and no one had any money for a hotel, even if we had the time to check in and whatnot. So they ran toward a big construction site under the Bay Bridge. And I was thinking, I do not want to bury my masters in the construction site. What if they got paved? It would totally freak them out to get paved. And the Countess was all, â€Å"How did you get away?† And the vampyre Flood was all, â€Å"The dryer buzzer went off.† And she was all, â€Å"He let you live because his laundry was done?† And Flood goes, â€Å"Lucky, huh?† Totally not out of breath, even with the running. So when we got to the construction site, everything was either open or would be when everyone came to work. And the Countess looked up into the rafters or whatever of the bridge and goes, â€Å"There.† So there is where we went. I grabbed some tarps that were covering this generator thing by the construction site and Jared and I climbed up into the rafters with our vampyre sires and helped tuck them in just in time for them to go out. But as it got lighter, and we saw all the homeless people around, Jared and I realized that our masters would not be safe here when all the homeless people who lived under the bridge noticed the tarps and our delicate youth or smelled my Gummi Bears and came after us. So Jared went to get the garden cart, some trash bags and duct tape, and hopefully his stepmom's minivan so we can move our masters to a safer realm. Oh, check it, before the Countess passed into the inky sleep of the undead, I was like, â€Å"So what did you get me for Christmas?† And she was all, â€Å"Ten thousand dollars.† And I was like, â€Å"I didn't get you guys anything.† And she was like, â€Å"That's okay. You are our most special favorite minion and it's all good.† Which is why I love her and will guard her to the death. Then she like kissed the vampyre Flood and passed out. I'm sure their love will span the ages, if Jared and I don't fuck up and fry them during transport. OMG! I just remembered, we forgot to feed Chet! Chapter Twenty-four The Half-Life of American Cheese The Cheddar Princess of Fond du Lac was toasted. It wasn't just the bursting into flames that had crispied her up more than somewhat physically, it was that Drew's blood tasted like bong water, and she was still a little mentally baked from feeding on him. She'd made the mistake of trying to get the taste out of her mouth with some orange juice and had been rewarded with five minutes of the dry heaves. She brushed at her arms and great black flakes of burned skin came away, revealing fresh, unscarred skin below. Drew's blood was healing her, but it appeared that the process was going to take time and, like life in general, was going to be messy. Maybe a bath. She padded naked into the bathroom, which was done all in slabs of granite and green glass, and ran her bath. While the tub filled, she picked the last few burned tatters of her dress away from her skin and dropped them into the toilet. There was a swath of gray dust across the black tile, the remains of the original owner, and she was tracking him all over the bathroom and bedroom suite, so she stopped to sweep him into the corner with a towel. That had sort of been a surprise (in what was turning out to be a long line of surprises) when her first victim had disintegrated in her arms two nights ago, just as she was getting the hang of blood drinking. â€Å"Oops.† He had been so nice, too. Had picked her up in his Mercedes not two minutes after she'd stumbled out of Lash's apartment building wearing nothing but a leather bustier and thigh-high platform boots. It wasn't the first time she'd been on the street with her ass hanging out – that wasn't what had thrown her. It was waking up feeling like her tits were on fire to see her body rejecting the giant silicone globes she had spent so much money having implanted. Even as she tried to push them back in with her hands, the implants pushed through her skin, opening her up like they were aliens hatching out of her. She screamed as they broke through and rolled to the floor, then lay there, quivering on the carpet. As she watched, her skin mended, her breasts tightened and lifted, the pain had turned to a tingling, but now she felt a squirming in her face – her lips specifically, and she wiped her mouth and came away with two sluglike lines of silicone that had been injected years ag o. It was only then, in looking at the grotesque globs of lip filler on her hand, that Blue realized she wasn't blue at all. Her palms were baby white. Her arms, her legs – she ran to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. An old familiar stranger looked back at her – the Cheddar Princess of Fond du Lac. She hadn't seen this person since high school; the milky-white skin, hair almost white blond, still in the severe cut of the blue call girl, but looking somewhat like a pageboy cut now. Even the tattoos she'd had done in her early days in Vegas were gone. I'm alive, she thought. Then: And I'm going to be alive forever. Then: And I'm going to need some fucking money. She ran to Lash's bedroom to where she'd left her makeup case. It was gone. Her money was gone! She ran out of the apartment and down the steps like she might see a green trail of bills blowing in the wind in the direction her money had escaped, but once on the street, she headed for the only place she knew, toward the Marina Safeway. She got half a block before the Mercedes pulled up and the electric window rolled down. â€Å"Hey, you need a ride? It's a little chilly out here for that outfit.† His name had been David, and he did something that had to do with moving money around. Whatever it was, it must have paid well. He was wearing a two-thousand-dollar suit and his penthouse apartment on Russian Hill looked out on Golden Gate Bridge and the massive dome at the Palace of Fine Arts. He'd given her his coat to wear up in the elevator. It was in the elevator that the hunger had come upon her. Poor David. They hadn't even talked price before she'd had him bent over the green glass vanity in the bathroom, drinking his life away. â€Å"Oops.† The difference, she realized, between what had happened to her and what had happened to David had been the bloody kiss she'd taken from Tommy. But for a kiss, she, too, would be a pile of dust. There should be a song like that, she thought. At least she'd learned before she took her victims. Now she swept the last of David into the corner, then scraped him up with a piece of cardboard from his shirt drawer and dumped him into the wastebasket. Then she slipped into the tub full of bubbles and began to scrub off her charred skin. She wouldn't be able to stay long. David had been married or had a girlfriend. Blue had found a whole closet full of women's clothes – expensive clothes, and the woman would probably be back. Of course, this would make a great base of operations, maybe she could just wait for the wife to return and sweep her into the wastebasket with David. Blue leaned back and closed her eyes, listened to the bubbles popping, the wires humming through the building, the traffic out on the streets, to fishing boats leaving the wharf – then a sudden intake of breath from the living room, then another, deeper gasp as the second one found life, then a long man-scream. The dead Animals she'd collected were coming back to life. â€Å"Sit tight, boys,† Blue said. â€Å"Mama's just going to get cleaned up and put on a new dress, then we'll go get you something to eat and pick up my money.† She ran a sponge over her arm and smiled. She really could be Snow White now. One dwarf at a time, she thought. Elijah Ben Sapir had roamed the planet for eight hundred and seventeen years. In that time he had seen empires rise and fall, miracles and massacres, ages of ignorance and ages of enlightenment: the full spectrum of mankind's cruelty and kindness. He had seen all manner of freakishness, from the perversions of nature to the perversions of mind, twisted, beautiful, terrifying: he thought he had seen it all. But for all of his years, and all the acuity of perception enabled by his vampire senses, he had never seen a huge shaved cat in a red sweater, and sitting there in his newly washed yellow tracksuit, still warm from the dryer and smelling of soap and fabric softener, he smiled. â€Å"Hey, kitty,† the old vampire said. The huge cat eyed him suspiciously from across the loft. The cat could sense that he was a predator, just as Elijah could sense that the cat had been prey to a vampire. Kitty treat. â€Å"I'm not going to eat you, kitty. I've fed quite enough.† It was true. Elijah was feeling a little bloated from trying to keep the body count up. Perhaps he should just kill the next few, not feed. But no, the police wouldn't know it was a vampire then, and there'd be no joy in terrorizing the fledgling. He just wasn't ready to feed yet. There was someone in the stairwell right now, he could hear her breathing and smell patchouli and clove cigarette odor wafting under the door. Soon enough, he thought. â€Å"Perhaps we'll find something for you to eat, hey, kitty?† Elijah vaulted off the bar stool and began opening cupboards. In the third one he found pouches of Tender Vittles. He took a bowl from the cupboard that looked as if it had never been used, dumped in the meatish nuggets, and shook them around. â€Å"Come, kitty.† Chet padded a few steps toward the kitchenette, then stopped. Elijah put the bowl down and stepped away. â€Å"I understand, kitty. I don't like to eat in front of witnesses either. But sometimes – â€Å" The vampire heard a car pull up outside, a car that hadn't been tuned in a while. He cocked his head and listened as the doors opened and slammed. Four got out. He heard their steps on the concrete, a female voice, hissing at the other three. In an instant he was at the window looking down, and in spite of himself, he smiled again. There was no vivid life aura around the four down on the sidewalk. No healthy pink glow, no black shadow of death. The visitors below were not human. Vampires. On one hand, an indication of an enormous problem – one that just might attract attention that he could ill afford – but on the other, exciting in a way that he hadn't felt in a hundred years. â€Å"Four against one. Oh my, kitty, how ever will I prevail?† The old vampire ran his tongue over his fangs. For all the rage, frustration, and discomfort he'd endured since choosing the redhead as his fledgling, he was, for the first time in decades, not bored. He was having the time of his very long life. â€Å"Killing time, kitty,† he said, slipping into a pair of Tommy's Nikes. Jody awoke to the smell of clove cigarettes and the crunching of Cheese Newts. There was music screeching, too – a whiny guy singing about some girl named Ligeia, who apparently he missed a great deal because he was talking about dragging her worm-worn corpse from the earth and caressing her cheek on a cliff above the sea before throwing himself off, with her in his arms. The singer sounded a little down, and like he could have used a throat lozenge. She opened her eyes and was initially blinded until she adjusted to the black light, then she yelped. Jared White Wolf was sitting on the bed about two feet away from her, shoving handfuls of crunchy Cheese Newts into his mouth. There was a brown rat on his shoulder. â€Å"Hi.† Newt crumbs sprayed and fluoresced on the black sheets and clothing. â€Å"Hi,† Jody said, turning her head to avoid the crumbs. â€Å"This is my room. Do you like it?† Jody looked around, for once not really that thrilled with her vampire night-vision abilities. There were disturbing stains glowing on the sheets, and almost everything else in the room was black with a patina of vibrant blacklight-enhanced dust or lint – there was even lint on the rat. â€Å"It's swell,† she said. Interesting, she thought. She was no longer afraid of gang members and street criminals, and would even throw down with an eight-hundred-year-old vampire if need be, but rodents still sort of gave her the willies. The rat's eyes were glowing silver in the black light. â€Å"This is Lucifer Two.† Jared scooped the animal off his shoulder and held him out. Despite an attempt at self-control, Jody climbed backwards halfway up the wall, shredding a Marilyn Manson poster with her nails in the process. â€Å"Lucifer One went on to his dark reward when I tried to dye him black.† â€Å"Sad,† Jody said. â€Å"Yeah.† Jared turned the rat and rubbed noses with him. â€Å"I was hoping we could turn him to nosferatu when you bring Abby and me into the fold.† â€Å"Yeah, sure, that'll happen. Why am I in your room, Jared?† â€Å"It was the only place we could think to bring you. It wasn't safe under the bridge. Abby had to go, so I'm in charge.† â€Å"Good for you. Where's Tommy?† â€Å"Under the bed.† She would have known that – would have heard him breathing if the music wasn't cranked up to coffin-splitting volume. â€Å"Could you turn the music down a little, please?† † ‘Kay,† Jared said. He tucked Lucifer Two in his pocket and spidered across the bed, getting a little tangled in his black duster, then rolled to the floor and across the room in a commando-under-fire move until he got to the stereo, where he twisted the dial, putting the keening Emo singer out of his misery, or at least shutting him the fuck up. â€Å"Where are we?† Tommy's voice from under the bed. â€Å"It smells like gym socks stuffed with ground-up hippies.† â€Å"We're in Jared's room,† Jody said. She let a hand drop off the edge of the bed. Tommy took it and she pulled him out. He was still partially wrapped in duct tape and garbage bags. â€Å"Was I a hostage again?† â€Å"We had to cover you up to keep you from burning in the sun.† â€Å"Well, thanks.† Tommy looked at Jody, who shrugged. â€Å"I was unwrapped when I woke up,† she said. â€Å"That's because Abby says you're the Alpha vamp. Do you guys want to play Xbox or watch a DVD? I have The Crow Special Collector's Edition.† â€Å"Gee,† Jody said, â€Å"that would be great, Jared, but we'd better be going.† Tommy had already picked up the Xbox controller, but set it down with marked disapproval, as if he'd notice a little botulism there on the trigger button. â€Å"Oh, you can't go until the ‘rents go to bed.† Jared giggled, high and girlish. â€Å"The door is right by where they watch TV.† â€Å"We'll go out a window,† Jody said. Jared giggled again, then snorted a little, then started to honk, then took a hit from the inhaler that hung around his neck before he went on. â€Å"There's no window. This basement is totally windowless. Like we've been walled up in here with our own grotesque despair. Isn't it sweet?† â€Å"We could go to mist,† Tommy said. â€Å"Go out under the door.† â€Å"That would be so cool,† Jared said, â€Å"but my dad put rubber gaskets around the door to contain my disgusting Goth stench. That's what he calls it: my ‘disgusting Goth stench. Although I don't think I'm really Goth, more like death punk. He just doesn't like cloves. Or pot. Or patchouli. Or gay people.† â€Å"Philistine,† Tommy said. â€Å"Oh, would you guys like some Cheese Newts?† Jared picked the box up off the floor and held it out. â€Å"I can open a vein on them if you need me to.† He waved the thumb Abby had stabbed to prepare their coffee the night before, now wrapped in a ragged ball of gauze and medical tape the size of a racquetball. â€Å"I'm good,† Tommy said. Jody nodded in agreement; although she would love a cup of coffee, she didn't think she should ask the kid to stab himself quite so soon. She checked her watch. â€Å"What time do your parents go to bed?† â€Å"Oh, around ten. You'll have plenty of time to stalk the night and whatnot. Would you like to wash up or something? There's a bathroom down here. And a washing machine. My room was the wine cellar, then my dad crashed his car and started twelve-stepping, so I got this sweet room for my own. Abby says it's dank and disgusting – and she says it like it's a bad thing! I think it's just her perky side manifesting. I love her, but she really can be perky sometimes – don't tell her I said so.† Jody shook her head, then nudged Tommy, who shook his head in agreement. â€Å"We won't tell.† The kid was sort of giving her the creeps. She thought she might have lost that ability with blood drinking and the sleep of the undead and all, but nope, she was getting completely creeped out. â€Å"Jared, when is Abby coming back?† â€Å"Oh, she should be here any minute. She went to your loft to feed the cat.† â€Å"She went to our loft? The loft where Elijah was?† â€Å"No, it's okay. She went during daylight so he couldn't hurt her.† â€Å"It's not daylight anymore,† Jody said. â€Å"How do you know?† Jared said â€Å"No windows, duh.† Tommy Stooge-smacked his forehead with enough force to render a mortal man unconscious. â€Å"Because we're awake, you fucking moron!† â€Å"Oh yeah, ha,† Jared said. The trilling giggle again. â€Å"That's bad, huh?†