Digital media in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Digital media in China - Essay Example This "Digital media in China" outlines how restrictions and censorship in China caused the emergence of the local Chinese social networks instead of western and also describes the most popular forms of digital media in this country. The first forms of digital media that are popular in china are the video sharing sites. These include Tudou and Youku. The sites are the equivalent of You Tube that is popular in the western countries. Tudou started in April 2005, and was the first online video platform to be introduced in china. Most of the content is user-generated videos and premium licensed content (Crampton 1). Youku, on the other hand, enjoys the largest Chinese video animation. This site started in December 2006. The videos are licensed, and professional, user generated and self-produced web videos (Crampton 1). However, the use of these sites by Chinese Netizens is different from how Americans use YouTube. These sites do not contain short video of cute animals or silly domestic mi shaps that are popular among YouTube users (Crampton 1). The content of these sites is more reliable, longer, and up to 70 percent is professionally produced (Crampton 1). Most of the users spend more than one hour as compared to counterparts that spend less than 20 minutes per day (Crampton 1). The Chinese sites are more online television stations or a substitute for digital video recorders. An individual in China have discretion of posting videos, but most of the subject of online video is longer-format professional videos. Most of the videos are external programs pirated, subtitled, and uploaded hours after screening in western countries such as United States (Crampton 1). However, there is increased demand of content on Youku and Tudou, and this has resulted to mushrooming of companies that focus solely on online video. The sites television like atmosphere has prompted most of young Chinese reliance on them. The other site is Sina Weibo. This is an equivalent of Micro blog site of the western nation. This started in 2009, three years after twitter. This is the most popular micro blogging platform in china. It has

A Good Fall by Ha Jin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Good Fall by Ha Jin - Essay Example The characters are hit by reality which is a new environment that although different from the usual life in China, imposes a new kind of harsh limitations that often experienced in crisis that molds a new, and at times unwanted, transitional identity for the Chinese immigrants. This essay contrasts the concepts of freedom and imprisonment in â€Å"A Good Fall† with â€Å"The House behind a Weeping Cherry as the emigrants attempt to break away from the limitations presented by life in Flushing in order to achieve a more purposeful life. In the "The House behind a Weeping Cherry" (Jin 195) the main characters are depicted as living inside a prison due to the circumstances they find themselves in while in New York. "The House behind a Weeping Cherry" begins with Wanren contemplating his next move after his roommate had moved meaning he had to shoulder all the rent by himself. This was going to be a daunting task for Wanren as he could not shoulder all the rent by himself. It could have been easier for Wanren to move to a new place but the apartment is located continently near his workplace. Wanren is therefore caught between finding a new apartment which will further incontinence him work as he will have to travel from the new place to his workplace or pay more which will further complicate his financial situation as a migrant without any proper skill. Therefore, Wanren is caught in a mental prison with all his options having a negative impact on his financial and social status. Wanren is however saved from these pos sibilities when Mrs. Chen presents him with an alternative of driving the girls to see their clients in exchange for Wanren maintain his rent was it was. Wanren is however not salvaged from his imprisonment as he is now forced to break the law by being initiated into something illicit playing part in a prostitution

Research Methods College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Methods College - Essay Example Cheerfulness enhances the quality of life and improves productivity. A positive outlook makes one upwardly mobile. A cheerful disposition naturally reaches out to help someone. This person is not sticking out his neck. He knows he is doing something within reach. He knows he is capable. He simply reaches out, achieves the purpose and continues with his course. He radiates life and all the issues that make life happy and purposeful. It is difficult to say if strengths outweigh weaknesses. If it was so easy for strengths to outweigh weaknesses, almost everybody would be happy. Even the happiest people go through bouts of depression and anxiety. However, happy people have the resilience to bounce back. They do not carry forward their depressions to another day. As a matter of fact, going through depressions and anxieties improve resilience. They make a person stronger. It is mentioned that for every 17 articles on negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, there was only one article that dealt with the emotion of joy (Happiness). Basically, it is hope that drives man to live on. As long as man has life, he also has hope. Irrespective of his constant state of mind, there is the urge within man to press on. He knows better days are ahead. Even the most hardened skeptic harbors the notion that there is the silver lining. In the ultimate analysis, one has to learn to live above factors that make for weaknesses.

Overactive bladder Essay Example for Free

Overactive bladder Essay Overactive bladder is a condition, especially observed in older adults and is associated with a sudden and uncontrollable need to pass urine (urinary urgency), urge incontinence (leakage of urine before the woman has a chance to reach the toilet) and increased frequency of micturition (Rovner, Walls, 2007). An overactive bladder is a condition that results from sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscles in the wall of the urinary bladder. Another type of urinary continence is known as stress incontinence which is associated with involuntary loss of urine when the woman gets involved in activities, like coughing, sneezing, laughing etc, which cause only a slight increase in intra-abdominal pressure. Vaginal childbirth is often cited as a big risk factor for development of problems related to urinary incontinence by causing weakening of the pelvic tissues and structures around the urethra which can prevent it from holding back urine even when a mild physical activity causes slightest increase in intra-abdominal pressure. Vaginal childbirth can also causes weakness of various tissues and ligaments supporting the uterus, resulting in prolapse of uterus out of vaginal opening. All these problems associated with the weakness of pelvic floor structures may cause significant social, psychological, occupational, domestic, physical, and sexual problems for the woman. Thus overactive bladder can be considered as an important problem which can significantly influence the health related quality of life of affected women. In this essay, a comparison would be done between what the public reads about the problem of overactive bladder in the written media, and the way medical community supports or refutes the information that has been presented by the media. This would be done by presenting the summary and main points of the two articles, one after the other, followed by the comparison of two articles. The article by Sheehan (2008) titled, â€Å"Your most embarrassing ‘female’ problem solved† describes the symptoms of the various pelvic-floor disorders including bladder incontinence, (both stress incontinence and urge incontinence) and uterine prolapse. The article describes the problem in simple language, which even a layperson can understand. It helps in alleviating fears out of the mind of lay person by explaining that these disorders occur commonly, affecting almost one in every three women under the age of 54 years. One of the main reasons for development of stress incontinence is the weakening of the tissues and structures around the urethra, which can prevent it from holding back urine whenever there is even the slightest increase in intra-abdominal pressure related to minor degree physical activities like coughing, laughing etc as well as with more-energetic activities like sexual intercourse or exercise. Pelvic-organ prolapse, can be defined as protrusion of the pelvic organs through the vaginal opening. Though the main risk factor associated with weakening of pelvic floor tissues is vaginal delivery particularly that associated with a large baby, prolonged labor and the use of forceps or vacuum extraction, other risk factors which can contribute to the risk of development of pelvic tissue weakness include obesity, hysterectomy, estrogen deficiency (e. g. menopause), constipation etc. Uterine prolapse can result in significant distress to the women by causing pelvic and back discomfort, increased frequency of urinary tract infections, and problems related to emptying the bladder or bowel. Besides explaining the symptoms and pathophysiology related to the development of various pelvic floor disorders, this article also highlights various treatment options for these disorders. Kegel exercises or the exercise which aim at strengthening the muscles of pelvic floor by regularly squeezing-and-holding the pelvic floor muscles can especially prove to be helpful both for problems related to incontinence and uterine prolapse. For overactive bladder, kegel exercises can prove to be really helpful if combined with behavior modification strategies. Behavior modification aims at re-training the bladder by helping the patient schedule her bathroom trips, helping her resist the urge to urinate between trips, thereby gradually increasing the intervals between trips. Prescription medicines like Detrol (tolterodine) and Ditropan (oxybutynin) can help by reducing the activity of hyperactive tissues. For overactive bladder use of botox injection, though yet not approved by the FDA, is also being commonly used. It is thought to provide relief from overactive bladder by paralyzing the overactive bladder muscles. Stress incontinence symptoms can also be relieved through the use of a small diaphragm like device known as pessary, which is placed inside the vagina in order to support the uterus and other pelvic structures. Surgical procedures involving the use of a synthethic mesh or sling to support the utrethra also help in providing relief. Though the vaginal delivery is more likely to be associated with development of incontinence and prolapse, having a caesarean section may not necessarily prevent their development. Besides, caesarean sections are associated with their own share of complications including bleeding, scarring, prolonged recovery, risk of development of infections etc. Summary of Professional Article (Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners) This review article by Bradway et al (2008) titled, â€Å"Lower urinary tract symptoms in women—A common but neglected problem† is a review article which focuses primarily towards providing the nurse practitioners (NPs) an understanding of female lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). This article also highlights the present evidence regarding the prevalence, epidemiology, risk factors, symptoms, impact of these symptoms on the patient’s quality of life, diagnosis and treatment, and treatment barriers for LUTS in women. Though these symptoms are commonly present, they are often overlooked, and may not be adequately addressed in many women. This article emphasizes the fact that LUTS forms a global women’s health problem, which requires a stronger a nursing focus in order to fully understand its impact on the quality of woman’s life. The nursing staff also needs to understand the likely barriers which might prevent them from giving adequate care to these individuals and to develop strategies for acceptable and effective evidence-based management. The article divides LUTS into seven categories, with the three main ones being related to storage, voiding, and postmicturition symptoms. Storage symptoms, which are related to bladder filling, include increased urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia, and urinary incontinence (UI). UI has been further subdivided into urge urinary incontinence (UUI), stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). This article has described overactive bladder (OAB) as a syndrome complex associated with LUTS mainly in relation to the storage symptoms, including urinary urgency, with or without UUI, along with increased frequency and nocturia. Voiding symptoms include slow stream, hesitancy, straining, and terminal dribbling etc. This article presents good evidence emphasizing how LUTS (and specifically OAB) can cause considerable emotional distress, have a negative impact on health related quality of life (HRQL), and can interfere with daily activities. Women with overactive bladder often restrict their physical and social activities, due to the fear of embarrassment in public, leading to social isolation and depression. LUTS can also profoundly affect the woman’s sexual behavior and her sexual quality of life. Treatment strategies for LUTS and OAB include a combination of patient education; pelvic floor muscle training exercises (Kegel’s exercises); behavior modification (management of fluid intake, controlling the frequency of micturition etc); and pharmacotherapy with antimuscarinic agents (e. . , oxybutynin, tolterodine, trospium, darifenacin, solifenacin, etc). Refractory cases may require surgery. The article highlights the importance of developing an awareness regarding the high prevalence of LUTS for the nursing professionals in clinical practice. Nurses also need to be aware that a large percentage of patients may not seek treatment, due to occurrence of embarrassing symptoms which may prevent them from discussing the problem with their health care provider. The nursing staff needs to develop an empathetic attitude towards these individuals and discuss the various available therapeutic options with them. Comparison of the two articles The two articles are basically same in the sense they both describe the same problem i. e. symptoms related to lower urinary tract dysfunction resulting from the weakness of the muscles of the pelvic floor. The main problems described in both the articles include urge incontinence, stress incontinence and uterine prolapse. However the two articles differ from each other based on the target audience they are meant to cater to. The article by Bradway et al (2008) is meant for the medical health professionals, especially the nursing staff. On the other hand, the article by Sheehan (2008) is meant for layperson, or a person who has no medical knowledge. This is the kind of article which may appear in woman’s magazine. It aims at making the layperson understand the problems commonly encountered in women, resulting from weakness of pelvic floor muscles. Though this article also describes more or less same things as the article by Bradway et al (2008), the terminology used by Bradway et al is more difficult and is meant for a person who already has knowledge regarding this topic. The article by Sheehan (2008) highlights simple changes in lifestyle which the woman can make on her in order to prevent the occurrence of this problem. For e. g. according to Sheehan (2008), â€Å"Dietary changes are also helpful: Eat more fiber to normalize the stool and avoid caffeine, carbonated beverages, dairy, spicy foods, and acidic fruit (like oranges and pineapples), which can irritate the bladder. On the other hand the article by Bradford et al (2008) highlights the interventions required on part of the nursing staff to prevent the occurrence of the disorders related to weakness of pelvic floor. According to Bradford et al (2008), â€Å"In terms of clinical practice, and given the large percentage of patients who do not seek treatment, increased attention is warranted as to the obstacles that prevent patients and healthcare providers from discussing the problem†. Though the information provided by Bradford is well supported by good evidence, the article by Sheehan (2008) gives generalized information not supported with high quality research studies. Even though the names of few renowned gynecologists and physicians have been included, the exact sources from where these references were taken have not been mentioned. If a person wants to go into further details of the subject he/she can readily do it with the help of article by Bradford et al (2008) but not with the help of article by Sheehan (2008)

Humanism and Clericism Of The 16th Century :: Philosophy

Humanism and Clericism Of The 16th Century The two paintings, The conversion of St. Paul by Caravaggio, and lady writing a letter with her maid by Vermeer, reflect the religious conflict between the Protestant and catholic cultures of 16th century Europe. Before we take a look at why they reflect the religious dispute, first we must know some background on what caused it. Humanism and Clericism. During the renaissance humanism stood for the intellectual attitudes of the ancient world paired with the wide acceptance of the existence of God. Humanists were interested in aesthetics, saw the usefulness of historic knowledge, and were convinced that man's main duty in life, was to enjoy his life soberly and to be active in his community. It was believed that those who studied the past would be able to lead better, more responsible lives. On the contrary, there is something called Clericism, where people believed G-d reigned supreme to all and that humanism remained useless because the mer man was worth so little. The statue of David best describes the ongoing influence of Protestant and catholic controversy on the visual arts. Michaelangelo uses David, a character from the Old Testament as his subject matter. The story goes that David, a mer man throws a stone with a slingshot at the mighty giant Goliath and kills him. (Your basic good vs. Evil.) Michaelangelo uses Clericism in this piece by incorporating a story from the bible, and on the other hand also incorporates his humanism influence into the work of art by placing himself as the character David; Giving us the impression that even the mer man can overcome his problems with knowledge of how to defeat them, instead of continually relying on the almighty to solve your problems for you. David shows the 2 conflicting views in a magnificent statue form. Another Magnificent piece of artwork is Leonardo's sketch of a man within a circle. Vitruvius adding a quote to the piece later on, "man in his perfect proportions, is the center of all things", suggests that this piece was influenced by humanism. We say this because the piece portrays a mere man as the center instead of what the catholics may haved placed, that which god would be in the center of the circle. Catholics, Priests, and church officials alike would not approve of this irrational idea and the sketch itself. A christian priest & scholar, Martin Luther, was a man of thought, as well as a man of action.

Human impact on climate Essay

Abstract Climate change has long been a controversial issue among governments and world bodies. It is defined as the variation in the Earth’s global climate or in regional climates over time. These variations may be caused by a multitude of factors, some of which include geological changes within the Earth itself, changes in forces outside the earth, or human activity. When talking about this issue, two terms are often interchanged to refer to these variations in normal weather patterns, namely global warming and climate change. The two however, while similar, belong to different spectrums. This paper seeks to examine the role of human activities as a form of climate change. Overview Global warming simply pertains to the recent gradual warming of the temperature in different locations around the earth. Climate change, as defined by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), talks of variations in weather in general, but which are caused particularly by human activity. Although there have been steps taken towards curbing the destructive effects of climate change, there continues to still be a sense of apathy on the parts of some governments with regard to it. The continued burning of fossil fuels in power plants, vehicles and other machines are directly responsible for producing air particles that contribute to warming the earth’s atmosphere. The conversion of forests to farmland or real estate developments has also reduced the amount of trees overall, thus cutting down the chances of more trees mitigating the carbon levels in the air, as well as absorbing and acting as a natural control for floods. Effects of Climate Change Climate change will have many effects on the environment, some of them already visible while others are slowly already being experienced in different parts of the world. Currently, scientists project that the mean global temperature will rise about 3 degrees Celsius, assuming the amount of carbon dioxide in the air doubles due to continued use of fossil fuels. Another projection was the rising of the mean sea level by about 50 cm, a relatively significant rise in light of the fact that computer model estimates have shown that several low-lying states and countries may, in part or whole, be submerged by the rising water level. The warming of temperatures at the mid-continent levels, as well as those in higher latitudes, will also be greater as compared to other locations. It has therefore been predicted that a considerable amount of polar and glacial will melt, as well as the continued warming of the oceans. These two events will constitute for the most part the increase in water levels mentioned earlier. Also to be seriously affected is the ecosystem, along with the natural order of the environment. Due to the heat that would be generated, more tropical climates would be prevalent, thus the focus on migration as well as agricultural production and output would shift all over the world. For the wildlife, the changing ecosystems would directly affect their natural habitats and breeding places. As it is, researchers continue to forecast that global warming may cause the easier proliferation of disease due to the idea that disease-carrying insects and other animals may migrate to other locations due to the changing weather. The hydrologic cycle will also intensify, with changes in water supplies as well as weather seasons such as droughts and flood, which could then greatly affect crops and other natural sources of food. Lastly, the effects of climate change on the broad concept of international security cannot be discounted. With more poor countries potentially facing an environmental disaster of catastrophic proportions, masses of refugees could converge on those remaining industrialized and highly urbanized nations that remain only somewhat affected. Also, should fossil fuel use not be successfully curbed in time, the scarcity of it will only mean that nations who have remaining reserves will become more powerful and dominant in the world stage, with new influential nations possibly developing.

Brand Loyalty vs Generic Brands

Brand Loyalty: Brand Names vs. Generic Brands Why do we as, customers and consumers chose to stay loyal to specific brands? Are you guilty of being loyal to one brand and not attempt to try other brand names and/or generic brands? I am. There are so many different products, materials, strategies, etc. that companies compete with each other to try to get us (the consumers) to be loyal to that brand. Example: Coke vs. Pepsi; AT&T vs. Sprint. There are also, people that wonder are their big differences in products when it’s a brand name vs. eneric brand. Upon my research I hope to answer these questions that we all have, a time or two, have wondered about? Definition The extent of the faithfulness of consumers to a particular brand, expressed through their repeat purchases, irrespective of the marketing pressure generated by the competing brands. (www. businessdictionary. com) Brand Loyalty ranges from foods, clothing, cars, places, electronics, etc. How they get us to stay loyal There are many reasons why we stay true to the brands we’ve developed to familiar ourselves with such as: knowing the quality in the product, don’t trust other brands or don’t care to try it, costs, availability, and /or easier resources, such as internet, the reputation of the brand by word of mouth and society standards. Companies are always developing newer and better ways to outdo their products, and old products and the products of their competitors. Brand Name vs. Generic Brand People have also stayed loyal when it comes to comparing the same products, but the difference is one is a brand name and the other is a generic.Such as, Tylenol vs. generic store name such as equate (wal-mart store brand). There is a difference in price? The generic (store brand) is always less in cost but is the product the same? Yes, the generic store brand of Tylenol is the same as the brand name Tylenol, the dosage, effects, risks, safety and strengths are the same, except for the price the store brand is cheaper and that’s because the manufacturer has not had the expenses of making and selling a new drug. Interviews on brand name loyalist: I have interviewed the following people to compare their loyalty to a brand and why?Questions asked: Friend: 1. Q: What brand are you loyal to? And Why? A: Sony, the picture, sound and quality of the different products. Nike, the comfortability of the shoes, larger range of styles, the different professional athletes under that name; meaning that they’re producing more of the products that allows the cost to lower, making it more affordable. Lexus, the quality, the appearance, the non-depreciate value it has compared to other brands and the reputation of the name? 2. Q: How long have you been loyal to the brand?A: Sony, 1995 is when I purchased my first Sony product; Nike, 1984 in High School, I bought a new pair of sneakers; Lexus, 2010. I bought my first Lexus, and currently I’m driving my second Lexus. 3. Q: Have you tired other similar/competitors brands? And what was your outcome? A: Yes. a. before my Sony, I owned a Zenith, RCA, and Magnovox and none of them have compared to the quality of Sony. Sony’s bottom of the line product is better than the Vizio’s top of the line products. All the electronics currently in my house is all Sony. b. I had Adidas sneakers in the past but the quality doesn’t compare to Nike.

Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America

Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America Introduction Singapore is an Asian country that has a population of approximately five million people. The country has one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world. Since its independence in 1965, the country has taken several steps that have led to significant improvements in its healthcare system. In 1983, the government developed the National Healthcare Plan.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The aim of the plan was to provide a roadmap for the development of the healthcare system for the next 20 years (Meng-Kin 17). During this period, the government introduced several programs that targeted various groups of people. In 2002, the government introduced the ElderShield plan. The aim of this program was to improve the healthcare of the elderly and disabled. On the other hand, the US healthcare industry i s more than two centuries old. The US government spends vast sums of money on healthcare provision. Medicaid and Medicare account for the lion’s share of government expenditure on healthcare provision. This necessitates the US government to formulate strategies that would help in reducing the cost of healthcare provision. Increase in the proportion of the elderly to the total population necessitates the US government to take urgent steps to prevent further escalation of the healthcare budget. The US government should formulate a strategy that would help in replicating the strengths of the healthcare system of Singapore in the US healthcare system. Healthcare Regulation Singapore’s healthcare system has three pillars. The healthcare system strives to improve the general health of the population through various preventive healthcare programs. In addition, the healthcare system puts great emphasis on the personal responsibility of individuals towards their healthcare. The government strives to reduce the cost of healthcare services by subsidising healthcare in public health institutions. The Ministry of Health (MOH), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Central Provident Fund (CPF) are the main health regulators. CPF is a social security savings plan that enables Singapore nationals to support themselves in their old age (Ho 95). On the other hand, the US has one of the most complex healthcare regulations in the world. Numerous agencies help in regulation of healthcare. Healthcare agencies may regulate healthcare at the state or federal level. In addition, the regulators may be private or public.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The United States Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are the major bodies that cater for the healthcare needs of all American citizens. The Ame rican Medical Association (AMA) is one of the vital private organisations that help in the oversight of healthcare industry (Field 608). In the US, different states may have different agencies that help in regulation of healthcare. Healthcare Delivery Singapore’s healthcare system helps in the delivery of various types of healthcare to the population. Approximately 2000 private hospitals provide 80% of the primary healthcare needs of the population. This shows that the government’s efforts to provide primary healthcare services to the population have been unsuccessful. However, the government provides the bulk of hospital care services. Government healthcare facilities provide approximately 80% of hospital care services. In 2010, there were 8,881 hospital beds in government healthcare facilities (Ministry of Health Singapore para 1). Public health facilities had slightly less than thirteen thousand nurses and approximately 1800 nurses. On the other hand, private health care facilities had 2,268 hospital beds. The number of doctors and nurses in the private healthcare facilities was approximately 3,300 and 5,100 respectively (Ministry of Health Singapore para 2). These statistics show that the government is the dominant player in the provision of hospital care. However, a close analysis of the number of doctors and nurses shows that there are less hospital beds for every healthcare practitioner. The number of hospital beds per healthcare practitioner has a significant effect on the quality of healthcare. This may imply that the quality of healthcare services in private healthcare facilities is higher than in government healthcare facilities. Community hospitals play a key role in healthcare delivery in the US. Community hospitals may be state-owned or investor-owned. Community hospitals are the major healthcare facilities that provide primary and intermediate healthcare services. Most community hospitals tailor their services to meet the healthcare needs of the community (Purves 88). This improves the efficiency of healthcare services of community hospitals. There are 4,973 community hospitals. The total capacity of these community hospitals is 797,403 beds. On the other hand, there are slightly more than 200 federal government hospitals.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The total capacity of these hospitals is slightly more 100,000 beds. Therefore, community hospitals are vital in designing various preventive health programs. Most community hospitals have adequate staffing levels that enable them to meet the healthcare needs of the community. Funding Medisave, MediShield, Medifund, and ElderShield are the main medical schemes that help in financing public health in Singapore. Medisave is a social scheme that helps people to save for future healthcare expense s. Medisave caters for hospitalisation expenses and certain outpatient treatments of individuals and their immediate family members. In addition, Medisave may help in paying the premiums of MediShield and Private Medical Insurance Scheme (PMIS). On the other hand, MediShield is primarily a medical insurance scheme that caters for severe health conditions. It caters for partial expenses of prolonged hospitalisation and outpatient treatment of various serious illnesses. ElderShield is a health insurance scheme that caters for people who need long-term care. ElderShield mainly covers the elderly. Medifund is a government endowment fund that acts as a last resort source of funds if Medisave and MediShield are unable to cater for medical expenses. The government replenishes the funds when there is a budget surplus. However, the government is not the only major player in the healthcare insurance industry. Several private health insurance companies provide health insurance to individuals a nd groups (Meng-Kin 19). In the US, it is the duty of employers to ensure that their employees have medical cover. Medicare and Medicaid are the major medical schemes that help in financing public health. Medicare is a healthcare plan that covers the elderly and disabled. On the other hand, Medicaid covers people who have low incomes. Federal funds help in supporting Medicare while state and federal funds support Medicaid. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a healthcare regulation that ensures that all Americans have access to healthcare insurance. Access to healthcare insurance enables people to save huge sums of money that they would have used to cater for medical expenses (Pipes 107). People who would like to receive extended healthcare services may enrol in various private healthcare plans.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Healthcare Expenditure Healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP is one of methods that help in determining the government’s commitment to improving the health status of the nation. In 2009, Singapore’s ratio of healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP was 3.9% (Ho 95). There is a gradual increase in the ratio of direct government expenditure on health through Medifund. On the other, there is a gradual decrease in the social security expenditure on healthcare. In the private sector, out-of-pocket expenditure accounts for a sizeable percentage of healthcare payments (Ho 95). This necessitates the government and the private sector to formulate strategies that would improve access to healthcare insurance. In 2008, the US had the highest healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP. The expenditure of the US on healthcare was 16% of its GDP. Medicare and Medicaid accounted for a sizeable percentage of the government spending on healthcare. In addition, out-of-poc ket healthcare expenditure of the US was very high (Squires 2). Conclusion The US has one of the most efficient economic systems in the world. Very few economic systems can rival the US economic system. However, the healthcare system of the US has many flaws. Exponential increase in healthcare costs is one of the major problems that the healthcare system faces. On the hand, Singapore has been able to replicate the efficiency of its economic system to the healthcare system. Despite having significantly lower expenditure on healthcare, Singaporeans are some of the healthiest people on the planet. Copying the healthcare structure of Singapore would enable America save huge sums of money. It would free up money for other activities that would lead to economic development. However, the healthcare systems of the countries face several problems that are unique to each country. Field, Robert I. â€Å"Why is health care regulation so complex?† Pharmacy and Therapeutics. 33.10. (2008) : 607–608. Print. Ho, Lok-sang. Health policy and the public interest. Burlington, MA: Routledge, 2012. Print. Meng-Kin, Lim. â€Å"Health care systems in transition ll. Singapore, part I.† Journal of Public Health Medicine. 20.1. (1998): 16-22. Print. Ministry of Health Singapore. â€Å"Healthcare institution statistics.† Statistics. n.d. Web. Pipes, Sally C. The truth about Obamacare. Washington DC: Regnery Gateway, 2010. Print. Purves, Geoffrey. Primary care centres. Burlington, MA: Routledge, 2012. Print. Squires, David A. â€Å"The U.S. health system in perspective: A comparison of twelve industrialized nations.† The Commonwealth Fund. 16.1. (2011): 1-13. Print.

Comparison of Hector and Achilles essays

Comparison of Hector and Achilles essays In book VI, Hector returns to battle despite the pleas of those he loves. Compare Hectors behavior with Achilles' refusal to fight after he has been shamed. Both are heroes. What is heroic about each decision? Do you approve of one more than the other? Why? If so, what values do they have that you do not? Both Hector and Achilles are noble warriors. These two men are skilled in the ways of war and the politics surrounding war. These brave warriors are considered by many to be heroes, but they both have the same driving flaw. This flaw shared by many other heroes of the Illiad, is the reason I see these two men as cursed, not heroic. In the beginning of the Illiad, Agamemnon has been counseled by the seer to return the priests daughter to him at once. Agamemnon will not give up his prize with out receiving compensation for his loss. "But fetch me another prize, and straight off too, else I alone of the Argives go without my honor." (Homer 81) With this Achilles points out that all the "plunder" has been portioned out. Agamemnon replies with hostility. He threatens to take Briseus, Achilles own prize. This enrages Achilles. He verbally assaults Agamemnon, "Shameless- armored in shamelessness-always shrewd with greed." (Homer 82) Achilles continues venting his rage over Agamemnon's lack of respect. The two continue there argument, growing more heated with every breath. Achilles reaches the end of his rope "What a worthless, burnt out coward I'd be called if I would submit to you and all your orders....never again." (Homer 86) Achilles returns to his ship as Agamemnon dispatches two men to retrieve Bris eus. Achilles welcomes the men, for they have not wronged him. He wishes for these men to bear witness to his grief. He also wants them to know that he will not take up arms to help the Achaean army. He has been disgraced, his pride mortally wounded. His rage will not subside. His stubborn pride will stay ...

The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT Science Tips, Practice, and Strategies

The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT Science Tips, Practice, and Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips We've written the best ACT Science guide available anywhere.This is not an exaggeration- we've studied dozens of ACT prep books and online resources, both paid and free, and we believe this is the best resource available right now, by far. In this guide, we cover every question type on the ACT Science section and give you strategies to attack them. In addition, we provide you with our best ACT Science tips and teach you how to get the most out of your ACT Science practice and ACT prep. If you're serious about raising your ACT Science score, read through every link. Bymastering all the key concepts, engaging with realistic practice questions, and reviewing your mistakes, you'll dramatically improve your ACT Science score. I've organized the guides logically, based on how you'll proceed through your ACT Science prep. We'll start off by looking at the ACT at a high level and getting yourself in the right mindset. Next, we'll dive into the individual skills tested on ACT Science. Finally, we'll explore study plans and explain how you should spend your time in order to maximize your score improvement. In your first pass, try to read these guides roughly in this order. As you study, you can then come back and use this article as a reference to keep your ACT Science prep on track! High-Level Guidance for ACT Science These guides set the stage for your learning. How should you think about ACT Science? What high-level strategies should you keep in mind? In addition, we'll go over the overarching structure of the ACT as well as the types of content you'll see on it. What's Actually Tested on the ACT Science Section? Skills and Topics The first step is to make sure you understand the basic format and requirements of ACT Science. It might be different from what you think! This article explains what kinds of concepts you'll see on it and how questions will look on test day. The 3 Types of ACT Science Passages: What You Must Know The ACT Science section has the same number and types of passages on every single test, so it's important to familiarize yourself with what these might look like. Read this guide to learn the three types of Science passages and the types of questions that are unique to each one. The Big Secret of ACT Science: It's More Reading Than Science It's a common misconception that ACT Science requires you to be a science genius. This is 100% false!In reality, you simply need to know how to read scientific passages effectively as well as how to interpret data. With this guide, learn how to excel on the ACT Science section through reading comprehensionand focused practice. How to Do Well on ACT Science for Non-Science People Are you intimidated by ACT Science because you haven't done that well in your high school science classes? Don't fret! In this guide, weshow you how you can excel on this section, even if you don't know anything about quantum physics. The 5 Best Strategies for Reading ACT Science Passages Doing well on the ACT Science section doesn't require just answering questions well- it involves approaching the reading passages both efficiently and effectively. Learn how you should be reading the ACT Science passages and answering the questions that follow them using this guide. How to Get 36 on ACT Science: 13 Strategies From a Perfect Scorer If you're already doing well on ACT Science but want perfection, this is the article for you. Written by a perfect scorer, this essential guide will give you tips on motivation, strategies, and everything else you need to know in order to get your Science score to the highest level possible. ACT Science Skills and Topics These guides break down every single question type on ACT Science. You'll learn how questions work, get strategies and tips on how to answer them, and work with real ACT practice problems. Working With Data Factual Questions in ACT Science: How to Read Graphs, Tables, and Data This is the most fundamental skill you'll need for ACT Science. If you can't read graphs reliably, it's impossible to do well on this section. Read this guide to ensure you know the best strategies for interpreting data from Science reading passages. Interpreting Trends in ACT Science: Relationships Between Data Points ACT Science questions often ask you to understand how data points relate to each other. Are they directly or inversely correlated? What are the trends? Learn the patterns of how data appears with this guide. Calculating Questions on ACT Science: Interpolating and Extrapolating From Data You'll also get questions dealing with finding values that don't actually appear on the graph. You'll need to infer what the values are from the data. Read this guide to learn how to do it right. Understanding Experiments Experimental Design Questions in ACT Science The ACT Science section tests your understanding of the scientific method.You need to be able to understand why an experiment was set up in a certain way, and what the experiment is meant to show. We teach you how to do all of this here. Interpreting Experiments Questions in ACT Science When you conduct an experiment, understanding the results and conclusion is the final goal. Therefore, you'll often run into questions asking you to interpret conclusions from an experiment and decide whether the data supports those conclusions or not. Learn the skills with this guide. Special Guides Conflicting Viewpoints in ACT Science: Strategies and Tips There's always one conflicting viewpoints passage on ACT Science, and many students find it the most difficult of all. Multiple scientists will share their theories and you need to find the differences and commonalities between them. The Only Actual Science You Have to Know for ACT Science On every ACT, there are always a few questions (three to four) that require you to know alittle basic science outside of what's given in the passage.While thesearen't hard concepts, you do need to be familiar with them. We've studied dozens of tests and compiled all the facts you need to know in this guide. ACT Science Strategies and Tips Now that you understand how the ACT Science works in-depth, it's time to put together everything you've learned and start to work on improving your skills. These guides take you through how to structure your ACT Science prep, focus your studying, and perform your best on test day. The Best Way to Study and Practice for ACT Science You only have a limited number of hours to prep for ACT Science; thus, you'll need to maximize the efficiency of your prep so you don't waste time. Read our core study principles here. ACT Science Practice Tests: What to Use and What to Avoid It's important to practice for ACT Science using the right materials. If you were training for baseball, you wouldn't practice with Wiffle balls, right? Find out what practice questions and tests you should be using so you can train yourself correctly. Time Management Tips and Section Strategy on ACT Science Constantly running out of time on ACT Science? This is a common problem. Try these strategies to save yourself time on every passage and as you answer questions. The 11 ACT Science Strategies You Must Be Using More than any of the other sections on the ACT, the Science section rewards strategy more than knowledge. Read this article to learn the top 11 strategies you should definitely implement in your ACT Science prep. How to Improve ACT Science Scores: 6 Tips From a Perfect Scorer The strategies you’ll need to use if you’re aiming for a 26 on ACT Science arenotthe same as those you'll need if you're aiming for a perfect 36. If you’ve already taken an official ACT practice test and are currently scoring below 26, read this article to learn how to boost that score and get yourself to the level at which you want to be. The 9 Reasons You Miss ACT Science Questions We all make mistakes. The important part is understanding why you made a mistake and how you can avoid making it again in the future.Here, we break down the most common reasons test takers miss ACT Science questions and offer advice on what to do. The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them Over the many years of ACT Science, some questions have been truly difficult and head-scratching for even the most experienced test takers. We've collected the most difficult Science questions we've ever seen on real ACT tests and present them here. Go ahead and challenge your skills! The Top 6 ACT Science Tips You Must Use Need a quick fix to improve your ACT Science score? Read our expert tips to quickly improve your score without deep prep. Want to learn more about ACT Science? Check out our new ACT Science prep book. If you liked this lesson, you'll love our book. It includes everything you need to know to ace ACT Science, including deep analysis of the logic behind ACT Science questions, a full breakdown of the different passage and question types, and tons of expert test-taking and study tips. Download our full-length prep book now: Conclusion: How to Use This Ultimate ACT Science Guide This is a lot to take in- I know. But there's a lot to understand about the ACT Science section if you want to do well on it. After you read these guides, the hard work starts. You need to gather high-quality resources to work with and diagnose your specific weaknesses on every practice test you take. You also need to train these weaknesses through focused practice and then adjust your study plan accordingly so that every hour is giving you results. Above all, you need to stay motivated and be held accountable for your prep. What's Next? Need help on other ACT sections? Take a look at our ultimate study guides for ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Writingto get the best tips and resources available anywhere. Not sure what ACT score to aim for? Read our in-depth guide to learn what a good ACT score is based on the schools you're applying to. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Integrated Logistics Core Process Redesign Case Study

Integrated Logistics Core Process Redesign - Case Study Example Siemens ROLM management was willing to benchmark its processes with other Giant corporations. They aimed at restructuring the whole company. This was a difficult project since it involved radical changes. The management awareness was a critical enabler to ensure that the re-engineering process was a success. This awareness was a process from the beginning of the project to when the company began to yield substantial profits. The process begins when the management recognizes the need to adopt the change to improve the operations of the enterprise. At his time the management knowledge and understanding is minimal. With time the management understanding shifts to another level where they understand the business process idea and how they can effectively adapt and bring change within the company. After the management has adopted the process, they clearly identify the company’s vision and then have a different view of the processes not as a project but a way to run the business (Sto ddard and Jarvenpaa, 1995). According to the case, the integrated logistics core process-reengineering program instigated in August 1992. This logistic was viewed as a cycle from the initiation until when the equipment was operational. The customer focus is another important enabler that Siemens ROLM focused on. At the beginning of the re-engineering process, the employees are uncertain of how to meet the customer needs. This is due to the change of products they are offering to their customers this tends to be difficult to determine the needs of new customers in the market. The employees also realize their aim top deliver extraordinary products and also realize that customers demand uniform excellence in the product quality. They later build up a relationship with the trading partners to meet the needs of the final customers. According to the case, ROLM had the reputation on focusing on its customers at whatever cost.

Human Sexuality-Response Post to Classmates Essay

Human Sexuality-Response Post to Classmates - Essay Example However, with the passage of time, they learn the importance of these attributes. The writer has changed his stance in the next paragraph saying that individuals seek honesty, loyalty, confidence, and sense of humor in the opposite gender. This is totally different from what the writer said in the first paragraph. May be the writer is talking about the middle adulthood when the value of loyalty, sincerity, and other such attributes overshadow the importance of physical attraction. The writer has also talked about the assumed roles of men and women. About the question of same-sex relationships, the writer has said that same sex partners usually look for love because for such people the value of love is more than any other thing even if that love is with some person of the same sex. Moreover, the writer has given examples of a movie and of is own parents revealing the importance of love in relationships. Summing it up, I would say that the overall approach to the discussion questions was good and the discussion was based on facts. This post has been written in a succinct and simple way. For example, the author has briefly answered the question about characteristics that men and women look for in each other. He has written that desires for the other partner change with the passage of time. I think it is absolutely true because at a young age, preferences for both men and women for the partner form the opposite gender are different than what they are as a person ages. The author has mentioned that men do not seek for looks in the partner. I do not agree with this because young men mostly look for physical beauty. However, the author has correctly mentioned that women look for love when they are young and look for a supportive and fatherly figure when they start getting older and mature. About same sex relationships, the author has said

Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano (Title), From hiring to harassment, Article

Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano (Title), From hiring to harassment, social media can explode on employers (subtitle) - Article Example However, the data received during this kind of search might lead to a biased opinion about the candidate, and it might be better in the long run not to have all the information available, as many of that kind of data should be irrelevant for the decision making. However, if the employer sees the need to conduct social media research during the hiring process, some guidelines should be put in place. These are important to ensure maximum benefit for business. It is recommended for the research to be carried out by the HR specialists rather than any other manager or supervisor. Also, to ensure unbiased decision about a candidate it is best to have a media check after the initial interview with the individual. If social media check is conducted during the hiring process, then the same process should be applied to all the candidates, to ensure they are in equal position. And finally, if the decision about rejecting a candidate was made based on the findings of the research, the specific r eason for denial should be documented to avoid misunderstanding. Harassment. There should be policies in place that prohibit any form of harassment in the workplace. Usually, those include many possible form of harassment, excluding issues concerning social networks. It is obvious that if the employee engages in social media activity on the behalf of the employer then all the policies should apply. Issues arise on the level of personal social networking during off-work hours. There might be some posts reported to an employer or to the co-worker who might be targeted in it, therefore working relations might suffer. It seems that in this case the employer should intervene for the sake of common good; however, employee’s off-duty activity might be protected by several legal sources, such as the Constitution, work unions, stated off-duty conduct protecting statutes. Therefore, the employer should warn the employee that if personal

Future demographic change in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Future demographic change in the UK - Essay Example This paper explores the benefits associated with the demographic change to businesses in the UK. Wealth The older population is wealthier than present and former generations of retirees. Previous studies show that the increasing number of this population results to high rates of home ownership, investment and savings. This has positive impacts on the economy in general and the businesses enjoy increased stability (Davidson and Fielden, 2004:26). In addition to, there has been an increased grown in share prices and in the worth of superannuation. This provides increased disposable incomes that contribute positively to overall spending and investments (Hobbs, 2008:384). Older people have also been observed to make sound decisions while investing their money and this leads t increased economic growth and a better performing stock market. Work The UK is a difficult situation as the most populous age group is on the verge of retirement, wealthier and even healthier than other generations. The government has come up with policies to tap into the strength of this population to boost economic growth and allow their positive participation in the business sector. The current government policy is aimed at discouraging the trend of early retirement. This will lead to a stabilized tax revenue and productivity in companies (Davidson and Fielden, 2004:26). Most workers opting for early retirement find it difficult to fund a comfortable life for the remaining part of their life. This explains why the government and companies are coming up with incentives to make the older generation work for longer. Retaining or hiring mature age workers has numerous advantages to an entity. Allowing older people to work longer gives them the chance to share their vast experience and knowledge for the benefit of the business (Davidson and Fielden, 2004:26). Older people have a higher work experience and have been experienced a number of economic changes that have taken place over the years. Th ey can be instrumental in advising the company on how to deal with economic downturns crisis and any other challenges facing the company. However, for a long time older people have been undervalued and are deemed fit for the elderly homes instead of the current business environment. Companies in the modern times prefer hiring employees from the younger generation so as to give the company a positive public image. Additionally, the younger generation is techno savvy and owing to the increased use of modern technology, this is the appropriate work force to retain (Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Science and Technology Committee, 2005:67). However, with this demographic change, companies will have to have hire mature workers. Contrary to popular belief, mature workers belonged to the baby boomer generation that was highly educated and competitive. The older workers can quickly adjust to the use of the cutting edge technology being adopted by companies in the modern world. Ag e advocacy groups have constantly asserted that early retirement is wastage of experiences, skills and knowledge that are much needed in the current business environment (Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Science and Technology Committee, 2005:67). Most companies argue that older people have declined physical capabilities. However, it has been found that age does not lead

Project Law and Evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Law and Evidence - Essay Example Goodwin was tried and found guilty of both offences on 31 May 2006. Whilst the defense case is that Goodwin may have been guilty of burglary, the prosecutions case was that Goodwin also shot victim, in an execution style, and then stole from him.Much of the case against Goodwin relied upon scientific evidence. This consisted of three main items found at the scene of the crime. Firstly the prosecution produced evidence of a cigar stub; found a few feet from the basement window, within which the victim was discovered. Secondly, the police had discovered the defendants palm print on the inside of a window through which the intruder entered the property. Both of these items of evidence were connected directly to Kevin Godwin through the scientific method of DNA testing. As he had a previous conviction, a DNA sample from the defendant, they were able to directly link the DNA to Goodwin. The third item of evidence from the crime scene was a boot print, which the prosecution claimed matched a pair that Goodwin owned and was wearing on the day of the murder, however they could not confirm the exact size, only that the design was consistent with Godwin’s boots. At the defendant’s home the police found a gun and a humidifier that belonged to the victim. They also found other physical evidence of stolen property at a later date, being two other guns from the victim’s collection. Thus we find there are two types of evidence submitted in this case, scientific, being the DNA and physical.

Future demographic change in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Future demographic change in the UK - Essay Example This paper explores the benefits associated with the demographic change to businesses in the UK. Wealth The older population is wealthier than present and former generations of retirees. Previous studies show that the increasing number of this population results to high rates of home ownership, investment and savings. This has positive impacts on the economy in general and the businesses enjoy increased stability (Davidson and Fielden, 2004:26). In addition to, there has been an increased grown in share prices and in the worth of superannuation. This provides increased disposable incomes that contribute positively to overall spending and investments (Hobbs, 2008:384). Older people have also been observed to make sound decisions while investing their money and this leads t increased economic growth and a better performing stock market. Work The UK is a difficult situation as the most populous age group is on the verge of retirement, wealthier and even healthier than other generations. The government has come up with policies to tap into the strength of this population to boost economic growth and allow their positive participation in the business sector. The current government policy is aimed at discouraging the trend of early retirement. This will lead to a stabilized tax revenue and productivity in companies (Davidson and Fielden, 2004:26). Most workers opting for early retirement find it difficult to fund a comfortable life for the remaining part of their life. This explains why the government and companies are coming up with incentives to make the older generation work for longer. Retaining or hiring mature age workers has numerous advantages to an entity. Allowing older people to work longer gives them the chance to share their vast experience and knowledge for the benefit of the business (Davidson and Fielden, 2004:26). Older people have a higher work experience and have been experienced a number of economic changes that have taken place over the years. Th ey can be instrumental in advising the company on how to deal with economic downturns crisis and any other challenges facing the company. However, for a long time older people have been undervalued and are deemed fit for the elderly homes instead of the current business environment. Companies in the modern times prefer hiring employees from the younger generation so as to give the company a positive public image. Additionally, the younger generation is techno savvy and owing to the increased use of modern technology, this is the appropriate work force to retain (Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Science and Technology Committee, 2005:67). However, with this demographic change, companies will have to have hire mature workers. Contrary to popular belief, mature workers belonged to the baby boomer generation that was highly educated and competitive. The older workers can quickly adjust to the use of the cutting edge technology being adopted by companies in the modern world. Ag e advocacy groups have constantly asserted that early retirement is wastage of experiences, skills and knowledge that are much needed in the current business environment (Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Science and Technology Committee, 2005:67). Most companies argue that older people have declined physical capabilities. However, it has been found that age does not lead

Nokia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nokia - Term Paper Example The complacency or lack of proactive action by Nokia is in line with the psychic prison metaphor. â€Å"This metaphor joins the idea that organizations are ultimately created and sustained by conscious and unconscious processes, with the notion that people can actually become imprisoned in the images, ideas, thoughts, and actions to which these processes give rise.† (Morgan 207). These aspects of self-limitations could develop in an employee, then in a team and could occur in an entire organization, causing negative impacts like non-growth and further slide. After reaching the top, Nokia from its top management to the lower-level employees allowed this psychic prison factor to creep in, thereby forming a false sense of security. Nokia not only avoided improving its existing strategies but also avoided carrying out key innovations particularly in the aspect of its operating system, thus allowing its competitors to leapfrog over it. Thus, the psychic prison factor made Nokiaâ₠¬â„¢s growth a stagnant one, and in course of time caused a downslide. As its market share continued to slide, Nokia decided to come up with strategic changes to avert the slide and emerge successful. In that direction, Nokia found that it’s Operating System (OS), Symbian was not able to compete with newer and more advanced OSs like iOS and Android, thus contributing sizably to the slide in Nokia’s Market Share. This perspective was validated by Gartner analyst Nick Jones, who stated, â€Å"Market share is an existential threat to Symbian, it imperils the very existence of the platform, and the main reason Symbian is losing share is the user experience, which isn’t competitive with Apple or Android.† (Chen). Key issue or issues to be investigated Due to this understanding, Nokia went in search of other OSs, which can be incorporated into its devices. After doing in-depth study, Nokia and in particular its recently appointed CEO, Stephen Elop, who is actua lly a former head of Microsoft business division, decided to form a strategic alliance with Microsoft in early 2011, thereby replacing not only Symbian but also MeeGo with Microsoft's Windows Phone operating systems particularly with Windows Phone 8. Although, Nokia decided to run its low-to-mid end mobile devices on Symbian and MeeGo, majority of its devices especially Smart Phones were planned to be migrated to Windows OS. After being attached with Symbian OS for many years, this decision to incorporate Windows OS is not an easy process to adopt and implement, as it involves sizable changes to the whole organization including its different departments. Any change in strategy will have to be accompanied by a sizable amount of change within the organizational structure. This need to actualize changes in various departments is line with the metaphor of Flux and transformation. This metaphor focuses on how entities including organizational bodies will be in a constant state of change, based on the changes that are happening in their external and internal environment. â€Å"Everything flows and nothing abides; everything gives way and nothing stays fixed.† (Morgan 241). If the organization maintains a rigid stance, without changing and flowing with the flow, then it will stagnate. Only if the organization in line with Flux and Transformation updates its organizational processes, filtering out failing processes and

Experience hyperthermia Essay Example for Free

Experience hyperthermia Essay Marian suffered from a heat stroke causing her body to experience hyperthermia. Marian body went through the process of homeostasis from experiencing hyperthermia. â€Å"Homeostasis is a state of body equilibrium or stable internal environment of the body.†(Marieb 8) Homeostasis protects the body by allowing it to adapt to the environment. Marian homeostasis tried to cool the body but failed. Though Marian was lucky her daughter found her in time. When a heat stroke occurs the body’s homeostasis shuts down where the temperature can reach high enough to cause brain damage to where you die. Heat strokes can cause damage internally well as externally. Hyperthermia causes a positive feedback mechanism within the body. â€Å"A positive feedback mechanism is a feedback that tends to cause the level of variable to change in the same direction as an initial change.†( Marieb 9) When the body stimulus rises the hypothalamus’s thermoreceptors start to work as the body’s thermostat. The thermoreceptors send messages allowing the hypothalamus to make temperature changes in the core. When the core starts to raise the heat loss mechanism starts one or two things: â€Å"dilation of cutaneous blood vessels or enhanced sweating.†(Marieb 833) â€Å"Dilation of cutaneous blood vessels is where the vessels swell with warm blood, heat is lost from the radiation, conduction, and convection† (Marieb 833) Some symptoms for a heat stroke are â€Å"throbbing headache, dizziness and light-headedness, lack of sweating despite the heat, red hot skin, muscle weakness or cramps, nausea and vomiting, rapid heartbeat, which may either strong or weak, rapid shallow breathing, behavioral changes such as confusion, disorientation or staggering, seizures, and unconsciousness.†( http://firstaid.webmd.com/heat-stroke-symptoms-and-treatment) The treatments of methodologies for hyperthermia that were used in this case study was to apply cold wash cloth to forehead and face, position in front of a fan while using a spray bottle with water on her skin. Applying a cold wash cloth to face and forehead allows the body to drop in temperature. Positioning the body in front of a fan allows cooling. Spraying water allows hydration to the dehydrated skin. Hyperthermia is, also, used for cancer patients. â€Å"Hyperthermia treatment heats body tissues to 113 degrees Fahrenheit to damage and destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy tissue unharmed.†( http://www.ehow.com/about_6470647_new-hyperthermia-cancer-treatment.html)Hyperthermia can happen very easily. People need to wear sun screen, lose fitting of clothing to cover the skin. Eat small portions; drink plenty of fluids but not alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates the body. Watch the weather to see if a heat advisory is in effect. Make sure not to do hard exercise work out during hot days. Talk to your primary doctor to see if your medications or your disease(s) can be effected by the sun. In this case though, Marian suffered from a heat stroke due to being in a house with no windows open. Hyperthermia is more harmful to infants or small children, elderly, overweight, people who are ill or medications. Small children or infants depend on others to protect them. They are defenseless in the sense when it comes to staying out of the sun, sunscreen, and hydration. The elderly may not feel heat stress. Elderly for the most part don’t response or sense to the change in climate. People who have diabetes tend to have poor circulation. Poor circulation is dangerous during heat waves because the blood needs to flow throughout the body to cool itself. So having poor circulation already would mean the body would trouble pumping blood faster to cool the body, thus, causing a heat stroke. People who are overweight retain more body heat than skinny people. When having more body heat it causes heat stress. Heat stress leads to a heat stroke. People who work out can over do it and experience dehydration. Dehydration can cause heat stress. People who have heart disease or high blood pressure are at risk because when the body is trying to the cool its self the heart has to pump in a faster pace causing the heart rate and blood pressure to go up. This is not good because it causes these people more stress on the heart. People on other medications have to be careful because the sun can cause increase or decreases in the function of the body which the medications are already trying to control without the factor of the sun. How a medical personal treat hyperthermia is very carefully. The body can be damage either by the tissue, brain, and /or body organs or maybe all three are damaged. The first thing is to check the people’s vitals to see if they are stable. Second, a physical assessment can be done to look over the skin.

Strategy and practice

Strategy and practice Strategy and practice Human resource management and industrial relations The role of line managers in human resource management Abstract Recent research indicates that there is an increasing trend that human resource specialists and line managers share more effective responsibility for their organizations human resource practice. However, HR specialists and line managers often have different opinions and implementation on human resource management. Line managers didnt work well as expected. Therefore, much literature argues that line managers are the weak link in converting HR strategy into practice. Introduction In the first part, this paper analyzed HR specialists and line managers perspectives on line managers involvement in HR activities. Many literatures and a case study are used to find out the reasons. Line managers who are regarded as the weak part in HR practice implementation can be analyzed from four aspects: the competence of line managers, disdain for HR work, working priorities for line managers, tension and conflict with HR specialist. Secondly, this paper comprised the suggestions which could enhance line managers contribution to organizational performance. Defining line management It is important to define the concept of line management at the first stage. An early literature described that â€Å"the distinction between line function and staff function within organization, despite some speculation, maybe limiting.†( Logan, H. 1966,p.46) It is valuable to distinguish boundaries of responsibilities between line function and staff function. Stewarts defined line mangers as â€Å"those that have direct responsibility for achieving the objectives of organization, and are often identified in production terms (production/ operation/ manufacturing), while staff functions exit to provide advice and service to line functions†. (Stewart 1963 p. 24) Storey proposed a typology of senior/ middle line managers which is clear to show the role of line managers in organization. (Storey, J., 1992) Firstly, he identified two dimensions of line managers role. It was shown in a matrix. (Figure 1) The first dimension concluded commercial oriented and technical oriented. The second dimension is the extent to which line managers response to organization: proactive and reactive. Storey defined four types of line managers: business mangers, manufacturing managers, sales managers and production managers. Storey suggested that HR specialists and line mangers share different proportion of HRM responsibility in each type. Production mangers was regarded as the most traditional interpretation of the role, hence, HR specialist takes mostly responsibilities for the HRM. The manufacturing managers share HRM responsibilities with HR specialists. Business managers should have a general insight in the whole organizational business and environment. They a re expected to be more focused on strategy version. Here, HRM responsibilities are shared by line managers and HR specialists as well. The last types of line managers- sales managers, Storey have not got clear findings yet. The role of line mangers in HRM Much literature noted that the involvement of line managers in human resource management (HRM) has been a heated issue in the past few years (Guest, 1987, Storey, 1992), and HR work are partly devolved to line mangers in practice. The reasons of line managers involvement in HRM have been concluded by Brewster and Larsens research (2000) in five aspects: â€Å"to reduce cost; to provide a comprehensive approach to HRM; to place responsibility for HRM with managers most responsible for it, to speed up decision making; and as an alternative to outsourcing HR function. (Brewster and Larsen, 2000, p 196-198) The relationship between line managers and HR specialists is probably clarified as â€Å"partnership† in much literature. And a popular view is that line managers should be engaged in particular HR practice, cooperating with HR practitioners. Results from CIPDs research indicated that HR specialist is more likely to cooperate with HR specialist in resourcing, training and development but undertake alone in employee relations and reward management. (CIPD 2006) Furthermore, whats the particular work line managers should be responsible for? From Marchington and Wilkinson‘s point of view, the major responsibilities of line managers are: â€Å"leading team briefings, problem-solving groups and informal communications; performance review; team/staff development; managing employee absence.† And the shared responsibilities are â€Å"selection decisions; induction and ongoing training; disciplinary cases; flexible working patterns.† Lastly, the little responsibiliti es are: â€Å"performance-related pay; recruitment advertising, applications and initial search; promotions welfare; organization development.† However, although line managers have always been engaging in some specific HR work, they have been criticized by many researcher and HR managers for less effective performance than they expected. Thus, in the next section, an examples and case were illustrated to analyze these drawbacks from training, appraisal performance, EIPï ¼Å'recruitment and selection, theoretically and practically. Methodology In the next section, the weakness of line managers in implementing best HR practice and strategy will be discussed from many literatures and the results of interviews with line managers on their own experience in undertaking HR work, which is conducted by Douglas Renwick (2002). The research was done in three organizations in UK-Utility Co, Local Authority, Manufacturing Co. All three organizations distribute part of HR work to line managers, â€Å"appraisal performance, recruitment, communication with employees, sickness absence, and employee development.† A qualitative method was used to analysis interview resources. Some useful findings from the in case study are: â€Å"the line have many duties, and lack time to do HR work well; doing HR work diluted the lines generalist managerial focuses; significant line inadequacies in handling HR work; tensions between HR and line over transfer and completion of HR duties; the line are reliant on HR to do HR work properly.†(Dou glas Renwick 2002 p 271-272) Combined with these findings, if we look at more literatures, some explanations for criticisms of line managers in the delivery of HR practice can be summarized. (Below) Lack of competences Many researchers indicated that line managers dont have adequate competence and professional knowledge to implement HR activities if they dont receive supports and advice from HR specialists. Douglas Renwicks researchï ¼Ë†2002ï ¼â€° typically pointed out that: â€Å"significant line inadequacies in handling HR work† Thus, the line sometimes lacked the skills and abilities to do HR work but they still want to speed up decision making. The ineffectiveness of delivery is likely to emerge. Therefore, it is accepted by most line managers that they need proactive support from HR specialists. In Hiltons case study (Maxwell and Watsonï ¼Å'2006)ï ¼Å'Maxwell and Watson indicated that HR specialists in Hilton provided large support to line managers on training, coaching, recruitment and retention; staff budgeting; performance appraisals. Competing priorities Many line managers fell that they dont have enough time and effort to undertake HR activities when they are responsible for their own business jobs. Compared with their HRM responsibility, they are more likely to consider their own duties first. Using Hiltons study again, 86% line managers feel that they are enduring â€Å"heavy workload† while 78% think they have â€Å"short term job pressures.† (Maxwell and Watsonï ¼Å'2006). And Douglas Renwicks interview has similar findings. (2002) â€Å"line managers inadequacy in HRM was sometime to lead to problems when they are doing HR work.† As a line managers said in the interview (Douglas Renwick, 2002 p 269): â€Å"Quite often the manager doesnt have the time to deal with the problem and hes maybe unaware of it. And some managers are strong characters and give staff a hard time.† If we look at certain HR practice, Redmans findings (2001) showed that line managers dont like some HR activities, for example, in performance management; they think it is time consuming. Tension and conflict with HR specialist When HR specialists hold different views with line managers about the responsibility of specific HR practice, tension and conflicts would be emerged. For example, in terms of recruitment, many line managers think that recruiting an excellent employee is HR departments business, while HR practitioners think Line manager should take more responsibility because they understand clearly what kind of employees are truly needed. Thus, unclear boundaries of responsibility in particular HR practice may lead to conflict and reduce the effectiveness. Furthermore, different reorganization about the importance of particular HR work between the two groups also may result in tension and conflict. Finally, as performers of HR policy, most of line managers feel that some HR policies are unrealistic and hard to apply it into practice. According to Douglas Renwicks study, â€Å"line managers thought problems in HR policy lead to poor outcomes in HRM†. As some managers from UK-Utility Co, Local Authority, and Manufacturing Co said: â€Å"This is a HR initiative from corporate HR, but something is wrong. You should be developed now.† â€Å"If you really fall out- you try to give them a doing and it depends how well you defend themselves† (Douglas Renwick,2002, p.272) Disdain for HR practice Bevan and Hayday(1994) found that some lime managers are not clear about their responsibility and role in HRM. Many line managers think that a specialist qualification in HRM is not necessary because they believe that these skills and competence are gained from practical work and experience, not from training and development. Some line managers are even dont believe that HRM can make contribution to organization performance. Hayman and Cunningham (1995) confirmed that there was a lack of training and development among line managers even they realize the weakness. In a small organization in which lack of HR specialist, HR work are usually implemented by line managers who may dont posses any relevant knowledge. But in many cases, the organization still runs well because line managers only focus on routine and easy HR practice, such as regular pay, sickness absence, data collection, payroll management and simple appraisal management. Line managers can do this kind of work easily and well. But situations are totally opposite in a big organization. Operational system and people management are much more systematic. HR presence is essential as they can afford professional advice for line mangers. Whats more important, line managers as performers of HR practice need to handle much more complicated HR affairs than that of small organization. For example, in terms of recruitment, many big organizations adopt professional staff evaluation method, such as assessment centre, which need relevant knowledge and training to make full use of these appraisal me thods. Hence, line managers disdain for HR training and development inevitable is regarded as an evidence of line managers inadequacy in HR implementation. What line managers should do? Though line managers are recognized as a weak link in converting HR policy and strategy into practice, we could not deny their contribution and influence to HRM if the delivery of devolution of HR practice is effective. What should line managers do to enhance their contribution to HRM? First, from the view of line managers, a new perspective of HRM should be established. They need to realize their responsibility and role in HR work deeply. Also, they have to admit that HR work is kind of professional job and requires relevant knowledge and skills. A useful way to test to what extent line managers emphasis on HR work is establishing an effective appraisal management system. Secondly, I think HR training and development system are very crucial for line managers. High quality of skills to handle interview, staff management and a series of HR work can be developed through training and development. In fact, more and more companies are aware of the importance of HR training for line mangers. For example, in order to support line managers to undertake HR issues, MarksSpencer created an e-learning system, called Line Manager Performance Centre, which is a flexible and creative training system for line managers. The result of feedback from line managers showed that 88% line mangers feel this training improved their knowledge and skills in HRM. And 72% think the training improved employee commitment. Another case in point is Searle, a pharmaceutical company in America, in order to change precious unsuccessful training, they carried out an systematic training program, which include needs analysis; line managers fully engagement in training; financial support; pro fessional training in specific field, appraisal, etc. The result is satisfactory; employees course satisfaction was increased from 82.5% to 87%. Except practical work like conducting an interview, absence management, appraisal, etc, focus on employee involvement and engagement does have positive effects. The LMX theory also proposed that a good relationship between employees and their line managers can increase employee outcome and performance. Line managers should held informal meetings with employees to listen to their suggestions and take care of their work-life balance. These small changes can improve their commitment to the organization. Finally, learning to use information technology has been promoted by many HR specialists. Line managers are required to be trained to use information technology in conducting absence management, personnel records which can greatly increase work efficiency. Conclusion Line managers are playing a very important role in human resource management. Their responsibility and performance in HR work have large impact on organization effectiveness. The relationship between line managers and HR specialists is defined as â€Å"partnership†. But much literature argued that line managers are the weak link in the implementation of HR activities. The reasons are analyzed from four aspects: Lack of competences, competing priorities, tension and conflict with HR specialist, disdain for HR practice. To strengthen line managers contribution to HRM, we proposed three suggestions: establishing a correct perception of HR work, emphasis on training and development, adopting the use of information technology. Reference 1. Logan, H., on line and staff: an obsolete concept of personnel. 1966 2. Stewart, R., The reality of managementï ¼Å'Pan, London,1963 3. Storey, J., developments in the management of human resource, Blackwell, Oxford, 1992 4. Hope-Hailey V, Farndale E and Truss C (2005), ‘The HR departments role in organisational performance, Human Resource Management Journal, 15(3), pp49-66 5. Purcell, J. and Hutchinson, S. (2007), ‘Front-line managers as agents in the HRM-performance causal chain: theory, analysis and evidence, Human Resource Management Journal, 17(1), pp 3-20 6. Noreen Heraty and Michael Morley, ‘ Line managers and human resource manage net, Journal of European industrial training,19(10), pp 31-36 7. McGovern et al., ‘Human resource management on line? Human Resource Management Journal, 7(4), pp 12-29 8. Whittaker S. and Marchington M. (2003), ‘Devolving HR responsibility to the line: threat, opportunity or partnership, Employee Relations, 25, 3, pp245-61 9. Currie G. and Procter S. (2001), ‘Exploring the relationship between HR and middle managers, Human Resource Management Journal, 11, 3, pp53-69 10. Perry, E. and Kulik, C. (2008), ‘The devolution of HR to the line: implications for perceptions of people management effectiveness, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19, 2, pp262-73 11. Douglas Renwick, ‘ Line manager involvement in HRM: an inside view, Employee relations, 25(3), 2002, pp 262-280 12. G. Maxwell* and S. Watson, ‘Perspectives on Line Managers in Human Resource Management: Hilton Internationals UK Hotels, 13. Marchington M. and Wilkinson A. (2008) op cit, pp 200-210 14. Susan w. and Marchington M, ‘Devolving HR responsibility to the line: threat, opportunity or partnership, Employee relations, 2002, pp 245-261 15. Adrian Thornhill and Mark N.K. Saunders. ‘What if line managers dont realize theyre responsible for HR, Personnel Review, 1998, pp 460-476 16. http://www.kineo.com/case-studies/line-managers.html 17. Nicola Mindell, Case studies: Developing training and development to line mangers. Management Development Review, 1995

Millers Irony and the Truth about American Witch Hunts Essay -- Polit

Silence has pervaded every imaginable recess in the old dilapidated courthouse. A hundred silent onlookers hold their breath in baited anticipation. Suddenly, the dull sound that only wood can make as it slams into an desk echoes for what may as well be all eternity. A single man garners the attention of two hundred eyes as he unintentionally clears his throat. However his lips only are able to take form around one bloodcurdling word: guilty. Although of what crime depends on the time period of the aforementioned case, for trials such as these have occurred in American History not once but twice. The first began back in the 1600's in a little town known as Salem Massachusetts, where people were killed for crimes of witchcraft. The second instance, while not quite as known for bestowing rigor mortis still put ruin on the lives of many. Trials in the 1950's fueled by McCarthyism and the idea that communism was invading the United States led to the blacklisting of many people as supposed socialists. Arthur Miller saw the real story of the trials for supposed unamericans during his time and he set about making it known to the public. However, had miller outright stated his views he would have found himself in the same position as those who's stories he tried to tell. Therefore he devised a creative solution; he wrote a story based on events in the Salem witch trials that is nearly perfectly symbolic of the McCarthyism trials. Miller's extensive [use of] irony in the crucible reveals the actual motives behind events carried out during the Salem witch trials, and thereby he exposes the dark truth of what happened during 1950's McCarthyism trials on Unamerican activities. Even in the very beginning Miller wastes no time in d... ... in the court goes back to the confession of John proctor. He finally admits to his sin after months of concealing it and then Danforth and the court bluntly say to him â€Å"she spoke nothing of lechery, and this man has lied.† (113?) This shows that when an actual bit of truth is presented to the lawmen, they reject it and again side with the liars. The situational irony lies in the fact that when Proctor confesses his sin, the court rejects his confession altogether on only the evidence of his wife's claim. These three examples of irony are perhaps the most important of all in relation to McCarthyism. They reveal that the court itself may represent unfairness in its proceedings. (jr 23?) Miller urges his readers to believe that the judges not only believed liars and rejected the truth, but also that they pushed for the convictions rather than a fair trial.

1800’s Era of Good Feelings Essay

Although many seemingly happy events such as the â€Å"Era of Good Feelings† and the granting of universal white manhood suffrage occurred during the early 1800’s, the statement that nationalism and not the fear of sectionalism caused westward expansion is an invalid statement. Westward expansion was truly an effect of a growing sectionalism in the country originating from events such as the Tariff of 1828 , the National Bank, and the Missouri Compromise. Preceding the Missouri Compromise was the Tallmadge amendment. When the Tallmadge amendment was passed, the South was infuriated. The amendment decreed that the slave state of Missouri had to gradually free all of their slaves and prohibited any more slaves to be brought into Missouri before they could be admitted into the Union. See more: Homelessness as a social problem Essay This made slave-owning Southerners upset because they viewed the amendment as a threat to sectional equality and balance. With the South suspicious of the North trying to ban slavery and the North suspicious of the South trying to expand slavery, both sides naturally flocked to the West in order to gain another slave or free state to tip the balance of power in their direction. Even in the Florida Purchase Treaty of 1819, after war hero Andrew Jackson exceeded his orders from the White House and tore through Florida, motives for acquiring new land seemed to continually hint towards the growing sectionalism and concern about the issue of slavery. Also, the uneasy Missouri Compromise gave both North and South even more reason to expand westward. The Missouri Compromise established Missouri as a unrestricted slave state which gave abolitionists and Northerners great concern about the spread of slavery while the establishment of the Missouri Compromise line that prohibited slavery above it caused Southerners to worry about slavery too. All the suspicions and fears of the two sections resulted in a fast and furious expansionism in the west. Then, during the presidency of John Quincy Adams, his nationalistic policies of roads and canals laid a heavy financial burden upon the federal government requiring the continuation of the tariff which caused tension among the South. The National Bank, although established by the nationalist Alexander Hamilton, played a big role in sectionalism in the United States. When the Bank of the United States irresponsibly overspeculated in the West, the financial crisis of 1819 arose in which many western banks were shut down and had to foreclose mortgages on numerous farms in the West. The foreclosure of farms in the West made the National Bank extremely unpopular in the West and fueled western sectionalism, pushing western farmers to lean towards the slave-owning Southerners in the battle for influence in the West. In addition to these events, the Tariff of 1828 made Southerners angry yet again and widened the rift between the North and South even more. The extremely high tariff was not for revenue but rather for the purpose of protecting American manufacturing. This made the Southerners upset because it showed partiality to the northern factories and hurt the southern farmers who were large consumers of manufactured goods. The hated tariff would then prompt South Carolina to take action and bring out the old Kentucky and Virginia resolutions to nullify the tariff. Thus, these two events added to the worries of both sides and to the westward expansion fever.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 22. FIRE AND ICE

THE WIND SHOOK THE TENT AGAIN, AND I SHOOK WITH IT. The temperature was dropping. I could feel it through the down bag, through my jacket. I was fully dressed, my hiking boots still laced into place. It didn't make any difference. How could it be so cold? How could it keep getting colder? It had to bottom out sometime, didn't it? â€Å"W-w-w-w-w-what t-t-t-t-time is it?† I forced the words through my rattling teeth. â€Å"Two,† Edward answered. Edward sat as far from me as possible in the cramped space, afraid to even breathe on me when I was already so cold. It was too dark to see his face, but his voice was wild with worry, indecision, and frustration. â€Å"Maybe . . .† â€Å"No, I'm f-f-f-f-f-fine, r-r-r-really. I don't w-w-w-want to g-go outside.† He'd tried to talk me into making a run for it a dozen times already, but I was terrified of leaving my shelter. If it was this cold in here, protected from the raging wind, I could imagine how bad it would be if we were running through it. And it would waste all our efforts this afternoon. Would we have enough time to reset ourselves when the storm was over? What if it didn't end? It made no sense to move now. I could shiver my way through one night. I was worried that the trail I had laid would be lost, but he promised that it would still be plain to the coming monsters. â€Å"What can I do?† he almost begged. I just shook my head. Out in the snow, Jacob whined unhappily. â€Å"G-g-g-get out of h-h-h-ere,† I ordered, again. â€Å"He's just worried about you,† Edward translated. â€Å"He's fine. His body is equipped to deal with this.† â€Å"H-h-h-h-h-h.† I wanted to say that he should still leave, but I couldn't get it past my teeth. I nearly bit my tongue off trying. At least Jacob did seem to be well equipped for the snow, better even than the others in his pack with his thicker, longer, shaggy russet fur. I wondered why that was. Jacob whimpered, a high-pitched, grating sound of complaint. â€Å"What do you want me to do?† Edward growled, too anxious to bother with politeness anymore. â€Å"Carry her through that? I don't see you making yourself useful. Why don't you go fetch a space heater or something?† â€Å"I'm ok-k-k-k-k-k-kay,† I protested. Judging from Edward's groan and the muted growl outside the tent, I hadn't convinced anyone. The wind rocked the tent roughly, and I shuddered in harmony with it. A sudden howl ripped through the roar of the wind, and I covered my ears against the noise. Edward scowled. â€Å"That was hardly necessary,† he muttered. â€Å"And that's the worst idea I've ever heard,† he called more loudly. â€Å"Better than anything you've come up with,† Jacob answered, his human voice startling me. â€Å"Go fetch a space heater,† he grumbled. â€Å"I'm not a St. Bernard.† I heard the sound of the zipper around the tent door pulling swiftly down. Jacob slid through the smallest opening he could manage, while the arctic air flowed in around him, a few flecks of snow falling to the floor of the tent. I shivered so hard it was a convulsion. â€Å"I don't like this,† Edward hissed as Jake zipped the tent door shut. â€Å"Just give her the coat and get out.† My eyes were adjusted enough to see shapes – Jacob was carrying the parka that had been hanging on a tree next to the tent. I tried to ask what they were talking about, but all that came out of my mouth was, â€Å"W-w-w-w-w-w,† as the shivering made me stutter uncontrollably. â€Å"The parka's for tomorrow – she's too cold to warm it up by herself. It's frozen.† He dropped it by the door. â€Å"You said she needed a space heater, and here I am.† Jacob held his arms as wide as the tent allowed. As usual, when he'd been running around as a wolf, he'd only thrown on the bare essentials – just a pair of sweats, no shirt, no shoes. â€Å"J-J-J-J-Jake, you'll f-f-f-freez-z-z-ze,† I tried to complain. â€Å"Not me,† he said cheerfully. â€Å"I run at a toasty one-oh-eight point nine these days. I'll have you sweating in no time.† Edward snarled, but Jacob didn't even look at him. Instead, he crawled to my side and started unzipping my sleeping bag. Edward's hand was suddenly hard on his shoulder, restraining, snow white against the dark skin. Jacob's jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring, his body recoiling from the cold touch. The long muscles in his arms flexed automatically. â€Å"Get your hand off of me,† he growled through his teeth. â€Å"Keep your hands off of her,† Edward answered blackly. â€Å"D-d-d-don't f-f-f-f-fight,† I pleaded. Another tremor rocked through me. It felt like my teeth were going to shatter, they were slamming together so hard. â€Å"I'm sure she'll thank you for this when her toes turn black and drop off,† Jacob snapped. Edward hesitated, then his hand fell away and he slid back to his position in the corner. His voice was flat and frightening. â€Å"Watch yourself.† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"Scoot over, Bella,† he said, zipping the sleeping bag open farther. I stared at him in outrage. No wonder Edward was reacting this way. â€Å"N-n-n-n-n,† I tried to protest. â€Å"Don't be stupid,† he said, exasperated. â€Å"Don't you like having ten toes?† He crammed his body into the nonexistent space, forcing the zipper up behind himself. And then I couldn't object – I didn't want to anymore. He was so warm. His arms constricted around me, holding me snugly against his bare chest. The heat was irresistible, like air after being underwater for too long. He cringed when I pressed my icy fingers eagerly against his skin. â€Å"Jeez, you're freezing, Bella,† he complained. â€Å"S-s-s-s-sorry,† I stuttered. â€Å"Try to relax,† he suggested as another shiver rippled through me violently. â€Å"You'll be warm in a minute. Of course, you'd warm up faster if you took your clothes off.† Edward growled sharply. â€Å"That's just a simple fact,† Jacob defended himself. â€Å"Survival one-oh-one.† â€Å"C-c-cut it out, Jake,† I said angrily, though my body refused to even try to pull away from him. â€Å"N-n-n- nobody really n-n-n-n-needs all ten t-t-t-toes.† â€Å"Don't worry about the bloodsucker,† Jacob suggested, and his tone was smug. â€Å"He's just jealous.† â€Å"Of course I am.† Edward's voice was velvet again, under control, a musical murmur in the darkness. â€Å"You don't have the faintest idea how much I wish I could do what you're doing for her, mongrel.† â€Å"Those are the breaks,† Jacob said lightly, but then his tone soured. â€Å"At least you know she wishes it was you.† â€Å"True,† Edward agreed. The shuddering slowed, became bearable while they wrangled. â€Å"There,† Jacob said, pleased. â€Å"Feeling better?† I was finally able to speak clearly. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Your lips are still blue,† he mused. â€Å"Want me to warm those up for you, too? You only have to ask.† Edward sighed heavily. â€Å"Behave yourself,† I muttered, pressing my face against his shoulder. He flinched again when my cold skin touched his, and I smiled with slightly vindictive satisfaction. It was already warm and snug inside the sleeping bag. Jacob's body heat seemed to radiate from every side – maybe because there was so much of him. I kicked my boots off, and pushed my toes against his legs. He jumped slightly, and then leaned his head down to press his hot cheek against my numb ear. I noticed that Jacob's skin had a woodsy, musky scent – it fit the setting, here in the middle of the forest. It was nice. I wondered if the Cullens and the Quileutes weren't just playing up that whole odor issue because of their prejudices. Everyone smelled fine to me. The storm howled like an animal attacking the tent, but it didn't worry me now. Jacob was out of the cold, and so was I. Plus, I was simply too exhausted to worry about anything – tired from just staying awake so late, and aching from the muscle spasms. My body relaxed slowly as I thawed, piece by frozen piece, and then turned limp. â€Å"Jake?† I mumbled sleepily. â€Å"Can I ask you something? I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, I'm honestly curious.† They were the same words he'd used in my kitchen . . . how long ago was it now? â€Å"Sure,† he chuckled, remembering. â€Å"Why are you so much furrier than your friends? You don't have to answer if I'm being rude.† I didn't know the rules for etiquette as they applied to werewolf culture. â€Å"Because my hair is longer,† he said, amused – my question hadn't offended him, at least. He shook his head so that his unkempt hair – grown out to his chin now – tickled my cheek. â€Å"Oh.† I was surprised, but it made sense. So that was why they'd all cropped their hair in the beginning, when they joined the pack. â€Å"Then why don't you cut it? Do you like to be shaggy?† He didn't answer right away this time, and Edward laughed under his breath. â€Å"Sorry,† I said, pausing to yawn. â€Å"I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me.† Jacob made an annoyed sound. â€Å"Oh, he'll tell you anyway, so I might as well. . . . I was growing my hair out because . . . it seemed like you liked it better long.† â€Å"Oh.† I felt awkward. â€Å"I, er, like it both ways, Jake. You don't need to be . . . inconvenienced.† He shrugged. â€Å"Turns out it was very convenient tonight, so don't worry about it.† I didn't have anything else to say. As the silence lengthened, my eyelids drooped and shut, and my breathing grew slower, more even. â€Å"That's right, honey, go to sleep,† Jacob whispered. I sighed, content, already half-unconscious. â€Å"Seth is here,† Edward muttered to Jacob, and I suddenly understood the point of the howling. â€Å"Perfect. Now you can keep an eye on everything else, while I take care of your girlfriend for you.† Edward didn't answer, but I groaned groggily. â€Å"Stop it,† I muttered. It was quiet then, inside at least. Outside, the wind shrieked insanely through the trees. The shimmying of the tent made it hard to sleep. The poles would suddenly jerk and quiver, pulling me back from the edge of unconsciousness each time I was close to slipping under. I felt so bad for the wolf, the boy that was stuck outside in the snow. My mind wandered as I waited for sleep to find me. This warm little space made me think of the early days with Jacob, and I remembered how it used to be when he was my replacement sun, the warmth that made my empty life livable. It had been a while since I'd thought of Jake that way, but here he was, warming me again. â€Å"Please!† Edward hissed. â€Å"Do you mind!† â€Å"What?† Jacob whispered back, his tone surprised. â€Å"Do you think you could attempt to control your thoughts?† Edward's low whisper was furious. â€Å"No one said you had to listen,† Jacob muttered, defiant, yet still embarrassed. â€Å"Get out of my head.† â€Å"I wish I could. You have no idea how loud your little fantasies are. It's like you're shouting them at me.† â€Å"I'll try to keep it down,† Jacob whispered sarcastically. There was a brief moment of silence. â€Å"Yes,† Edward answered an unspoken thought in a murmur so low I barely made it out. â€Å"I'm jealous of that, too.† â€Å"I figured it was like that,† Jacob whispered smugly. â€Å"Sort of evens the playing field up a little, doesn't it?† Edward chuckled. â€Å"In your dreams.† â€Å"You know, she could still change her mind,† Jacob taunted him. â€Å"Considering all the things I could do with her that you can't. At least, not without killing her, that is.† â€Å"Go to sleep, Jacob,† Edward murmured. â€Å"You're starting to get on my nerves.† â€Å"I think I will. I'm really very comfortable.† Edward didn't answer. I was too far gone to ask them to stop talking about me like I wasn't there. The conversation had taken on a dreamlike quality to me, and I wasn't sure I was really awake. â€Å"Maybe I would,† Edward said after a moment, answering a question I hadn't heard. â€Å"But would you be honest?† â€Å"You can always ask and see.† Edward's tone made me wonder if I was missing out on a joke. â€Å"Well, you see inside my head – let me see inside yours tonight, it's only fair,† Jacob said. â€Å"Your head is full of questions. Which one do you want me to answer?† â€Å"The jealousy . . . it has to be eating at you. You can't be as sure of yourself as you seem. Unless you have no emotions at all.† â€Å"Of course it is,† Edward agreed, no longer amused. â€Å"Right now it's so bad that I can barely control my voice. Of course, it's even worse when she's away from me, with you, and I can't see her.† â€Å"Do you think about it all the time?† Jacob whispered. â€Å"Does it make it hard to concentrate when she's not with you?† â€Å"Yes and no,† Edward said; he seemed determined to answer honestly. â€Å"My mind doesn't work quite the same as yours. I can think of many more things at one time. Of course, that means that I'm always able to think of you, always able to wonder if that's where her mind is, when she's quiet and thoughtful.† They were both still for a minute. â€Å"Yes, I would guess that she thinks about you often,† Edward murmured in response to Jacob's thoughts. â€Å"More often than I like. She worries that you're unhappy. Not that you don't know that. Not that you don't use that.† â€Å"I have to use whatever I can,† Jacob muttered. â€Å"I'm not working with your advantages – advantages like her knowing she's in love with you.† â€Å"That helps,† Edward agreed in a mild tone. Jacob was defiant. â€Å"She's in love with me, too, you know.† Edward didn't answer. Jacob sighed. â€Å"But she doesn't know it.† â€Å"I can't tell you if you're right.† â€Å"Does that bother you? Do you wish you could see what she's thinking, too?† â€Å"Yes . . . and no, again. She likes it better this way, and, though it sometimes drives me insane, I'd rather she was happy.† The wind ripped around the tent, shaking it like an earthquake. Jacob's arms tightened around me protectively. â€Å"Thank you,† Edward whispered. â€Å"Odd as this might sound, I suppose I'm glad you're here, Jacob.† â€Å"You mean, ‘as much as I'd love to kill you, I'm glad she's warm,' right?† â€Å"It's an uncomfortable truce, isn't it?† Jacob's whisper was suddenly smug. â€Å"I knew you were just as crazy jealous as I am.† â€Å"I'm not such a fool as to wear it on my sleeve like you do. It doesn't help your case, you know.† â€Å"You have more patience than I do.† â€Å"I should. I've had a hundred years to gain it. A hundred years of waiting for her.† â€Å"So . . . at what point did you decide to play the very patient good guy?† â€Å"When I saw how much it was hurting her to make her choose. It's not usually this difficult to control. I can smother the . . . less civilized feelings I may have for you fairly easily most of the time. Sometimes I think she sees through me, but I can't be sure.† â€Å"I think you were just worried that if you really forced her to choose, she might not choose you.† Edward didn't answer right away. â€Å"That was a part of it,† he finally admitted. â€Å"But only a small part. We all have our moments of doubt. Mostly I was worried that she'd hurt herself trying to sneak away to see you. After I'd accepted that she was more or less safe with you – as safe as Bella ever is – it seemed best to stop driving her to extremes.† Jacob sighed. â€Å"I'd tell her all of this, but she'd never believe me.† â€Å"I know.† It sounded like Edward was smiling. â€Å"You think you know everything,† Jacob muttered. â€Å"I don't know the future,† Edward said, his voice suddenly unsure. There was a long pause. â€Å"What would you do if she changed her mind?† Jacob asked. â€Å"I don't know that either.† Jacob chuckled quietly. â€Å"Would you try to kill me?† Sarcastic again, as if doubting Edward's ability to do it. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Why not?† Jacob's tone was still jeering. â€Å"Do you really think I would hurt her that way?† Jacob hesitated for a second, and then sighed. â€Å"Yeah, you're right. I know that's right. But sometimes . . .† â€Å"Sometimes it's an intriguing idea.† Jacob pressed his face into the sleeping bag to muffle his laugher. â€Å"Exactly,† he eventually agreed. What a strange dream this was. I wondered if it was the relentless wind that made me imagine all the whispering. Only the wind was screaming rather than whispering . . . â€Å"What is it like? Losing her?† Jacob asked after a quiet moment, and there was no hint of humor in his suddenly hoarse voice. â€Å"When you thought that you'd lost her forever? How did you . . . cope?† â€Å"That's very difficult for me to talk about.† Jacob waited. â€Å"There were two different times that I thought that.† Edward spoke each word just a little slower than normal. â€Å"The first time, when I thought I could leave her . . . that was . . . almost bearable. Because I thought she would forget me and it would be like I hadn't touched her life. For over six months I was able to stay away, to keep my promise that I wouldn't interfere again. It was getting close – I was fighting but I knew I wasn't going to win; I would have come back . . . just to check on her. That's what I would have told myself, anyway. And if I'd found her reasonably happy . . . I like to think that I could have gone away again. â€Å"But she wasn't happy. And I would have stayed. That's how she convinced me to stay with her tomorrow, of course. You were wondering about that before, what could possibly motivate me . . . what she was feeling so needlessly guilty about. She reminded me of what it did to her when I left – what it still does to her when I leave. She feels horrible about bringing that up, but she's right. I'll never be able to make up for that, but I'll never stop trying anyway.† Jacob didn't respond for a moment, listening to the storm or digesting what he'd heard, I didn't know which. â€Å"And the other time – when you thought she was dead?† Jacob whispered roughly. â€Å"Yes.† Edward answered a different question. â€Å"It will probably feel like that to you, won't it? The way you perceive us, you might not be able to see her as Bella anymore. But that's who she'll be.† â€Å"That's not what I asked.† Edward's voice came back fast and hard. â€Å"I can't tell you how it felt. There aren't words.† Jacob's arms flexed around me. â€Å"But you left because you didn't want to make her a bloodsucker. You want her to be human.† Edward spoke slowly. â€Å"Jacob, from the second that I realized that I loved her, I knew there were only four possibilities. The first alternative, the best one for Bella, would be if she didn't feel as strongly for me – if she got over me and moved on. I would accept that, though it would never change the way I felt. You think of me as a . . . living stone – hard and cold. That's true. We are set the way we are, and it is very rare for us to experience a real change. When that happens, as when Bella entered my life, it is a permanent change. There's no going back. . . . â€Å"The second alternative, the one I'd originally chosen, was to stay with her throughout her human life. It wasn't a good option for her, to waste her life with someone who couldn't be human with her, but it was the alternative I could most easily face. Knowing all along that, when she died, I would find a way to die, too. Sixty years, seventy years – it would seem like a very, very short time to me. . . . But then it proved much too dangerous for her to live in such close proximity with my world. It seemed like everything that could go wrong did. Or hung over us . . . waiting to go wrong. I was terrified that I wouldn't get those sixty years if I stayed near her while she was human. â€Å"So I chose option three. Which turned out to be the worst mistake of my very long life, as you know. I chose to take myself out of her world, hoping to force her into the first alternative. It didn't work, and it very nearly killed us both. â€Å"What do I have left but the fourth option? It's what she wants – at least, she thinks she does. I've been trying to delay her, to give her time to find a reason to change her mind, but she's very . . . stubborn. You know that. I'll be lucky to stretch this out a few more months. She has a horror of getting older, and her birthday is in September. . . .† â€Å"I like option one,† Jacob muttered. Edward didn't respond. â€Å"You know exactly how much I hate to accept this,† Jacob whispered slowly, â€Å"but I can see that you do love her . . . in your way. I can't argue with that anymore. â€Å"Given that, I don't think you should give up on the first alternative, not yet. I think there's a very good chance that she would be okay. After time. You know, if she hadn't jumped off a cliff in March . . . and if you'd waited another six months to check on her. . . . Well, you might have found her reasonably happy. I had a game plan.† Edward chuckled. â€Å"Maybe it would have worked. It was a well thought-out plan.† â€Å"Yeah.† Jake sighed. â€Å"But . . . ,† suddenly he was whispering so fast the words got tangled, â€Å"give me a year, bl – Edward. I really think I could make her happy. She's stubborn, no one knows that better than I do, but she's capable of healing. She would have healed before. And she could be human, with Charlie and Rene, and she could grow up, and have kids and . . . be Bella. â€Å"You love her enough that you have to see the advantages of that plan. She thinks you're very unselfish . . . are you really? Can you consider the idea that I might be better for her than you are?† â€Å"I have considered it,† Edward answered quietly. â€Å"In some ways, you would be better suited for her than another human. Bella takes some looking after, and you're strong enough that you could protect her from herself, and from everything that conspires against her. You have done that already, and I'll owe you for that for as long as I live – forever – whichever comes first. . . . â€Å"I even asked Alice if she could see that – see if Bella would be better off with you. She couldn't, of course. She can't see you, and then Bella's sure of her course, for now. â€Å"But I'm not stupid enough to make the same mistake I made before, Jacob. I won't try to force her into that first option again. As long as she wants me, I'm here.† â€Å"And if she were to decide that she wanted me?† Jacob challenged. â€Å"Okay, it's a long shot, I'll give you that.† â€Å"I would let her go.† â€Å"Just like that?† â€Å"In the sense that I'd never show her how hard it was for me, yes. But I would keep watch. You see, Jacob, you might leave her someday. Like Sam and Emily, you wouldn't have a choice. I would always be waiting in the wings, hoping for that to happen.† Jacob snorted quietly. â€Å"Well, you've been much more honest than I had any right to expect . . . Edward. Thanks for letting me in your head.† â€Å"As I said, I'm feeling oddly grateful for your presence in her life tonight. It was the least I could do. . . . You know, Jacob, if it weren't for the fact that we're natural enemies and that you're also trying to steal away the reason for my existence, I might actually like you.† â€Å"Maybe . . . if you weren't a disgusting vampire who was planning to suck out the life of the girl I love . . . well, no, not even then.† Edward chuckled. â€Å"Can I ask you something?† Edward said after a moment. â€Å"Why would you have to ask?† â€Å"I can only hear if you think of it. It's just a story that Bella seemed reluctant to tell me about the other day. Something about a third wife . . . ?† â€Å"What about it?† Edward didn't answer, listening to the story in Jacob's head. I heard his low hiss in the darkness. â€Å"What?† Jacob demanded again. â€Å"Of course,† Edward seethed. â€Å"Of course! I rather wish your elders had kept that story to themselves, Jacob.† â€Å"You don't like the leeches being painted as the bad guys?† Jacob mocked. â€Å"You know, they are. Then and now.† â€Å"I really couldn't care less about that part. Can't you guess which character Bella would identify with?† It took Jacob a minute. â€Å"Oh. Ugh. The third wife. Okay, I see your point.† â€Å"She wants to be there in the clearing. To do what little she can, as she puts it.† He sighed. â€Å"That was the secondary reason for my staying with her tomorrow. She's quite inventive when she wants something.† â€Å"You know, your military brother gave her the idea just as much as the story did.† â€Å"Neither side meant any harm,† Edward whispered, peace-making now. â€Å"And when does this little truce end?† Jacob asked. â€Å"First light? Or do we wait until after the fight?† There was a pause as they both considered. â€Å"First light,† they whispered together, and then laughed quietly. â€Å"Sleep well, Jacob,† Edward murmured. â€Å"Enjoy the moment.† It was quiet again, and the tent held still for a few minutes. The wind seemed to have decided that it wasn't going to flatten us after all, and was giving up the fight. Edward groaned softly. â€Å"I didn't mean that quite so literally.† â€Å"Sorry,† Jacob whispered. â€Å"You could leave, you know – give us a little privacy.† â€Å"Would you like me to help you sleep, Jacob?† Edward offered. â€Å"You could try,† Jacob said, unconcerned. â€Å"It would be interesting to see who walked away, wouldn't it?† â€Å"Don't tempt me too far, wolf. My patience isn't that perfect.† Jacob whispered a laugh. â€Å"I'd rather not move just now, if you don't mind.† Edward started humming to himself, louder than usual – trying to drown out Jacob's thoughts, I assumed. But it was my lullaby he hummed, and, despite my growing discomfort with this whispered dream, I sank deeper into unconsciousness . . . into other dreams that made better sense. . . .