Stretching Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stretching - Assignment Example Yoga stretches are different from conventional forms of stretches in that they are rhythmic and are designed to boost flexibility. Borden particularly prefers the â€Å"Stretch and Fire† which entails stretching one muscle group while contacting the others (Sherman 5). In the process, a muscle reflex is triggered and this deepens the stretch while increasing the range of motion. What is more, the exercise lasts only about 20 minutes a day. For effective results, one would repeat the regimen five times a week. Yoga also helps the mind to focus. It increases mental alertness and reduces lethargy. Research reveals that Yoga reduces anxiety and depression (Sherman 4). According Borden, people who practice yoga are better performers across various realms of life, whether they are at work or in other social events. Muscle flexibility improves posture and leads to that chisel-shaped body or lean shape that both men and women crave for (Sherman 4). Even most important is the fact that yoga boosts confidence. Want to be flexible? Stretch for enhanced

Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Corporate Strategy - Essay Example These strategies are very workable for any company in need of expansion to adopt. The intensive strategy used by an organization can improve its market share and the revenue benefits it acquires. It is a strategy of aggregation and strategy where benefits come through expansion of the business. The business can expand its product’s range and market with the view of deeper market penetration. Market development for a business means introducing a new product in the market to achieve an increased profit margin. It also aims at reducing the total cost of produce but increase the average cost of the output (Lamb, 2011:453). Market development of a company makes a company enjoy the economies of scale and a diverse spread of the business risks. However, market development is different from product development but is more often than not confused. Product development helps the current product achieve more revenue under a new strategy. A business may improve its products that are presen tly in the market or replace it with a new product. For example, the Toyota Company always seeks for new technology to increase its vehicle fuel efficiency hence making it to be more competitive than others do. Therefore, the Toyota Company gains more sales by selling the hybrid vehicles that help reduce pollution to the environment as well (Mullins, Walker and Boyd, 2010:45). Integration strategies can be forward either backward, or horizontal. Forward integration is where a firm grows by taking over it functions forward in the chain value previously provided by manufacturers, distributors, or retailers. This takes more control over the final product and distribution strategies. Backward integration means that growth of a company may take functions that were earlier in the chain as provided by suppliers and other organizations. For example, the Toyota may make agreements with suppliers who wish to meet the JIT processing. This is a win-win deal where the company may increase its co ntrol powers over the suppliers and hence increase revenue and profit (Thomas, 2001:276). Horizontal integration is a strategy that seeks the ownership to increase control over the firm’s competitors. This form of integration increases control power of the company over the firm’s competitor and encourage mergers and takeovers by the enhanced transfer of resources and competitiveness (Armstrong and Kotler, 2002:267). Diversification strategy is also another from of cooperate strategy that seeks to increase the profitability of a company through greater sales obtained from new products and new markets. Diversification of the business can be at unit level or at the cooperate level. Diversification can be concentric, conglomerate, or horizontal. Concentric diversification focuses on portfolio creation with business relation. Conglomerate diversification refers to diversification on matters that relate to the current line of business. It aims at improving the profitability and achieving proper marketing. The case study analyses the growth strategies of the of Toyota industry in the era of currency fluctuations and the new needs of the market. The Toyota industry, founded in 1926 by the Sakichi Toyoda, manufactures and sells the automatic looms, which he had invented and perfected. Since then the Toyota Company

Speech And Language Therapy For Children

Speech And Language Therapy For Children The Speech and Language Therapy profession is arguably one of the most important in Irish healthcare today. Its combat against the prevalence of communication disorders in this country especially for young children up to five years of age, in their crucial development stage, is fundamental in enabling those that could not otherwise manage it themselves, participate normally in society. But the last decade has seen a steady rise in such cases accessing public speech and language therapy services and the resources are currently not meeting existing and future demand. In fact quite the opposite is happening; public resources managed by the HSE are in decline as cuts to HSE budgets have been a constant since the beginning of the recession. Waiting lists for the public services are at an all-time-high and demand for private services have risen as a consequence but overall, children with speech and language needs are in a state of neglect and these needs will become more complex and problematic the longer they wait. Introduction. There are a lot of problems in our health system today that are apparently being addressed by the concept of reform. But somewhere within this system in reform there is an immerging issue of pretty dire proportions. Communication in human beings is a fundamental and natural skill that shapes the very world we live in. To not be in possession of such a seemingly basic skill would to essentially, be left out of society. Hard to imagine, yet thousands of children in the country each year present with communication difficulties. Speech and Language Therapy addresses these difficulties and with great success however such difficulties left untreatedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ What is Speech and Language Therapy? Classified as a healthcare profession Speech and Language Therapy aims to assess, diagnose and manage those who have difficulties with their communication skills. Speech and Language Therapy enables those with such difficulties to achieve their full potential to communicate and therefore integrate properly into society. Children with speech and language issues are among a very common group that are at a risk of developmental, learning, behavioural and social difficulties. Between 50-90% of children aged three with communication deficiencies will continue to have difficulties throughout their childhood. (HSE.ie Speech and Language Therapy. 2013). Image www.arcspeech.ieSpeech and Language skills are vital to a childs development which happens through communication. Language forms the very basis of communication for which reading, writing, speaking and listening are all part of. The ability to communicate is crucial for children to communicate with their peers. Children with delayed language development entering their first year in school are at risk of not being able to access the school curriculum. (ARC Speech Language Therapy Clinic 2013). The key to a more successful outcome for communication disorders is early intervention. When Would a Child Need Speech and Language Therapy? Guidelines. There are general guidelines for parents who may suspect that their child might be in need of or may benefit from speech and language therapy. For example, if the child has difficulties understanding instructions compared to other children, is late in development of talking, has a hoarse voice, has a stammer or stutter, finds playing with peers challenging or is not interested in interacting with others or is 3 and there is difficulty understanding their speech. (Irish Association of Speech Language Therapists. 2013). Typical stages of speech and language development for parents to understand at what stage their child should be at are outlined in the table below. Figure : Typical Stages 6 to 9 months 9 to 12 months 12 to 15 months 15 to 18 months 18 to 24 months 2 to 3 years 3 to 4 years 4 to 5 years Babble a long string of syllables aloud Point and imitate. Say yes and no and shake head accordingly Understand and respond to simple instructions. Be able to say 6 to 20 words and understand even more. Have a range of up to 50 phrases. Ask for food and drink. Understood 50 to 75% of the time. 3 to 4 words together in a sentence. Understand opposites. Ask Why questions. Understood 80% of time. 6 word sentences. Recognise some words in books/signs. More complex sentences with few errors. (Catriona Lysaght Speech and Language Therapist. 2013). My Child is Not Following the Typical Stages. All children develop at different rates and a parent knows their child best (Catriona Lysaght 2013) but a parent whose child does not seem to follow or fit the typical development stages, should have reasonable cause for concern and talk to their G.P. who can form their own opinion and refer to a Speech and Language Therapist if necessary. Assessment. The very first step to the Speech and Language process is always the initial assessment in which to gauge the childs speech and language skills in relation to the typical stages of speech and language development. The assessment is child age and ability specific and the parent normally will have completed a questionnaire to give the therapist a good understanding of the childs skills. General Assessments. Some of the general things that the therapist assesses during the initial assessment may include: Figure : Assessments Speech Sounds The sounds that the child uses to make words and how the child uses those words themselves as part of their language. Oro-motor/Motor Speech The childs ability to move the mouth muscles for both speech and non-speech tasks. Receptive Language Skills The childs understanding of language used by others around them. Expressive Language Skills How the child uses words to expresses themselves. Fluency/Stuttering/Stammering The therapist examines the characteristics of the childs stammering. Feeding, Eating, Drinking and Swallowing (FEDS) Only for children with difficulty in the area, the therapist observes the childs eating to assess things like chewing skills, drooling and ability to feed independently. (Irish Association of Speech Language Therapists. 2013). Image www.spectrumhealth.ie Feedback. Once the initial assessment has been completed the therapist will give the parent verbal feedback on their findings and discuss the results of the assessment. A plan for moving forward to best suit the needs of the child is also discussed along with whether or not the need for a block of speech and language therapy is required. (Irish Association of Speech Language Therapists. 2013). Potential Issues. Speech and language issues for a child could also indicate other potential issues for that child that otherwise could not be determined at an earlier stage of their development. While most children who attend speech and language therapy benefit greatly from the intervention, for some parents it can mean the realisation on an underlying issue such as Autism or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Early Intervention. Prompt assessment and early intervention is critical if the long-term implications of a speech and language impairment is to be successfully reduced. (HSE.ie Health Service Executive Website Speech and Language Therapy. 2013). The earlier a child is assessed and diagnosed for treatment, the earlier that treatment can begin and the more successful the treatment will be. Children have a window up to the age of five of prime time for brain development and ideally any therapy treatment should be during this time. The older the child, the least effective the therapy is so early intervention is key. Image www.speechlanguagetherapyni.com Services: Public vs. Private. Public speech and language therapy services are free in Ireland but there are private alternatives for a family who wish to have their child seen to much more quickly than they could be seen to by the public service. Private services can also offer more regular, specialist services with more flexible hours and the associated costs are mostly covered by many of the health insurance companies but the outlay can be expensive overall. Parents who simply cannot afford to have their child seen privately have little alternative but to join the public waiting list. Speech and Language Therapy Demand in Ireland. It is estimated that over 5% of children will experience a Speech and Language delay which means that up to 6,000 children each year will have a specific speech or language impairment by the time they reach the school-going age. (Cluas.ie | Speech and Language Therapy| Language Development. 2013). With the increase on birth rates in Ireland today, this figure is likely to increase. The demand for speech and language therapy in Ireland has been steadily rising over the last decade as figure 3 shows: Figure : People Accessing Primary Speech and Language Therapy in Ireland (Department of Health, 2012) Speech and Language Resources in Ireland. Public resources for Speech and Language Therapy have drastically reduced since the beginning of the recession where recruitment bans across the Health Service have impacted heavily on the patient-to-therapist ratio that have seen waiting lists grow longer and longer up to 2 years in some areas (Irish Examiner 2013). Desperate parents have been flocking to their local TDs as a last resort and a number of them have pleaded on their constituents behalf in the Dail for a lifting of the ban specifically for Speech and Language Therapists e.g. (Patrick Nulty 2013). Therapists themselves are feeling the stresses and strains of the system where the long waiting lists are the main source of frustration (HSE.ie Speech and Language Therapist 2013). They are only too aware of the ticking clock that is the development window of each child on the list. All of this in contrast to the promises made by the Minister for Health in 2011 for radical reform across the health sector (James Reilly 2011). Conclusion. With the rising demand for speech and language therapy coupled with reductions in public services, the very foundation of speech and language development; early intervention has become a contradiction in terms. Paradoxically, the relatively small savings currently being made with recruitment embargos in the health service are very likely to be overshadowed by the future costs that will be associated with developing the children whose needs are not currently being met. This might make some economic sense to those who maintain that the funds simply are not there now to meet current demands but on a human level, its simply unjust to expect children to delay their own learning development for the sake of economics. Recommendations. Resources for speech and language therapy need to be restored to appropriate levels to handle current demand with priority given to the areas in most need; with the longest waiting lists and lower patient-to-therapist ratios. Similarly reforms within the health service, especially in this field are desperately required and long overdue. The Government and HSE must deliver on their reforms promised in 2011 to reduce waiting lists across the health system (James Reilly 2011).

Invisble Man :: essays research papers

Invisible Man – Part II by Ralph Ellison Before being expelled Dr. Beldsoe tries to make a deal with the narrator. He says â€Å"if you can get a well paying job in New York, you can come back to the college†(pg. 101). The narrator agrees to this, and Dr. Bledsoe gives him several letters of recommendation and sends him on his way. When the narrator gets to New York, the son of Mr. Emerson, one of the people Dr. Bledsoe wrote a letter to, tries to tell the narrator about the tyranny that he is being exploited by. But the narrator refuses to listen until he is shown the letter that Dr. Bledsoe wrote. He discovers that all the letters of recommendation are phony and that Dr. Bledsoe never actually intended for him to be able to re-enroll in the college. This realization finally causes the narrator to become at least partially disillusioned. Because of this, he decides to forget about the college and takes a job at a paint factory. At the paint factory he begins working as an assistant to Lucius Brockway, an old black man that works the machines in the basement. Brockway explains to the narrator that it is the people who work the machines, and not the machines themselves that are responsible for the success of the company. He tells him, "We the machines inside the machine." The narrator, however, fails to grasp the broader meaning of this quote. Afterwards, Brockway tells the narrator that a union has been trying to get the employee’s higher wages and that if that happened the paint factory could go under. When Brockway discovers that the narrator went to a union meeting, he attacks the narrator. While they are fighting, the machinery goes haywire and when the narrator tries to fix it, it explodes, knocking him unconscious. The narrator wakes up in the factory hospital. At first he thinks they are going to help him-that they are going to try and relieve his pain and suffering. But again, this i s only a naive illusion. Instead, he becomes a guinea pig for experimental electroshock therapy. The electroshock therapy causes him to forget who he is. This is symbolic of how his continual exploitation has been robbing him of identity. After he recovers from the amnesia and leaves the hospital, he realizes that he is no longer afraid of important men since he no longer expects anything from them.

Issues Facing Education Essay

This article points out the varying trends in higher education. In the current learning dynamic, one has many options. Some can pursue a more traditional education by way of a four year university or do what the students enrolled in this course are doing; seeking education by way of the Internet. Colleges, universities and educational opportunities in general have evolved throughout history. To save myself and my readers from a long history lesson, I will narrow it down to the last few decades. If you look back to our parents, or even grandparents generations, you can see there has been a transition not only in curriculum, but also in how we receive our education. We are able to further our educations despite not being able to physically be in a classroom. Bill Gates predicted that â€Å"place-based activity in college will be five times less important than it is today. † (Aoun, par. 1). The author points out that higher learning is available to many that would not have the opportunity due to location, careers, or another important aspect; sufficient funding. For example, students can attend larger colleges by way of satellite locations, online learning opportunities, overseas and international opportunities and still have the option to decide between many degrees. The main point of the article is not that one is better than the other or will eventually replace the other. Instead, these added variations are an enhancement to today’s educational opportunities. I completely agree with the author’s perspective that just because one chooses an alternate path to pursue higher education, it does not mean that the end state of one is better than the other. Bill Gates is right to have faith in the ability of online education to empower new generations of students to advance their educations. But if past is prologue, online education will remain a component of–not the answer to–the diverse system that has cemented the leadership of American higher education in the world (Aoun, par. 16). It is through technological advancement and the evolution of education that someone in my position is able to serve in the military ull time, maintain a family and still have the opportunity to attend college. If education would have remained a â€Å"brick and mortar† institution, I would have to wait until my service was complete which would limit my career opportunities in the future. The evolution of education can only be seen as beneficial to today’s society, economy and to the advancement of our culture as a whole. I feel this article would be very useful in a research essay due to the fact that the author does not take a biased approach to the issue. He does point out the very different aspects, good and bad, of different ways education is offered and the additional activities that may or may not be present during place based learning. I don’t necessarily agree that the lack of peer to peer contact, school spirit, or community activities involved with campus life will make a person more or less successful. Throughout our lives we are faced with diversity, new opportunities, new ways of thinking and the chance to learn from different experiences. Lifelong learning is about opening yourself up to all of these things no matter whether it’s for a degree or for personal enrichment.

Research: Sampling and Chili Sauce

1. 0Introduction The paper seeks to propose a research on the management of Tesco Stores Malaysia would like to introduce own branded chili sauce to Malaysia consumer. This paper will be organized under the following broad headings: * Problem identification * Literature review * Research philosophy and approach and research design * Data collection 2. 0General statement of the Problem. There are many type of products in the market. For example, in Malaysia there are more than ten type of chili sauce are selling in the market.Tesco would like to introduce its own branded chili sauce to the Malaysian consumer. The main factor of successful to introduce the chili sauce is the acceptance of the consumer. Brands vary in the amount of value and power they have in the marketplace. For example, Life brand chili sauce is a well known in the existing market, when a consumer knows that a brand exists in the market, the brand is said to have high brand awareness. If consumers’ awareness t owards the brands is high, its brands equity is also high.Besides that, the quality of the chili sauce also important, consumer will compare the ingredient, texture and etc with the other brands of chili sauce. A brand is valued high when consumers stay loyal to that particular brand. Consumers don’t switch to other brands and they willing to wait even if the store runs out stock. Example of products and brand that have high brand loyalty are Kimball, Maggie and Life. A brand is perceived to have high value if the brand is of goods quality. 3. 0Formulated research questionThe aim of this research is to survey the successfulness of the management of Tesco Stores Malaysia to introduce its own brand to the consumer. The research questions are: 1) To investigate quality, packaging, availability, range, promo and how the perceptions differ across demographic profile, that is level of income and age group. 2) Pricing 3) To determine the perception of customer towards to know the pr oduct quality. For example, the chili sauce texture, taste and so on. 4. 0Literature ReviewNo. | Author / title| Objective| Variable| Methodology| Finding| 1. | Marketing Communications Plan for : a new sauce brand under magi by nestleAuthor : IIoka Benneth Kueh Yi Kia Teng King Wee| To increase the market share and sales volume of Maggi brands in Malaysia up to 10 percent by the 12th month of compaign. To increase brand awareness of Maggie brand in Malaysia up to 20 percent by the end of the 12th Month. To generate up to 10 percent of total sale of Maggie brand in Malaysia. Selecting a new brand, unique selling point, positioning, new label design and packaging graphic, advertising and other promotional strategic. | Survey research will be used on the commencement, middle and conclusion stages of the campaign. A media evaluation service will be engaged to ascertain whether the media accomplished (qualitative and quantitative)Website participation be evaluated. | The strengths and w eaknesses of internal and external factor of Maggi.For example, Management, marketing, research and development,Competitive, technology and so on. | 2. | H. J. Heinz Inc: Industry AnalysisAuthor : Kasey FeigenbaumJustin WhiteElliott Matticks| Heinz is seeking to expand its offerings by focusing on emerging markets in countries such as brazil, Philippines, Turkey, and Vietnam where there is large potential growth. | Heinz is striving to develop globally while positively impacting the world. The company is promoting sustainability and supplying more than 30 countries with natural hybrid tomato seeds. Products sold through heinz’s own sales organizations through independent brokers, and agents distributors of chains, wholesalers, cooperative and independent grocery accounts, convenient stores, bakeries and so on. â€Å"Heinz Ketchup Road trip† and the campaign was pitched on social media site including twitter and facebook. | Heinz manufactures and markets products meet t he standards of individual countries, and the needs and wants of consumers in these countries.Heinz focuses on marketing their products with an emphasis on health, wellness and sustainability. | 3. | Cooking with ease: new Kikkoman Asian sauce line make home preparation of ethnic cuisine more convenient, providing consumers with an easy means of cooking Asian cuisine is a smart move and the new Kikkoman Restaurant series Asian Sauces supply this mean for today’s busy consumer. | One of the goals during the development of Kikkoman Asian sauces was maintaining an authentic or traditional flavor in each of the four varieties. During product development, several prototypes underwent numerous iterations and internal tests to ensure the ideal flavor profile was created in each version. | â€Å"The reason behind our decision to launch this brand new product line, the Kikkoman Restaurant Series Asian Sauces, results from extensive market research with consumers revealing the trend t hat Asian cuisines are becoming very popular,† says Shig Nemoto, vice president of sales and marketing at Kikkoman. â€Å"Kikkoman is known as the expert in the manufacture of soy sauces and teriyaki sauces, and our corporate strategy was to grow and extend within the same arena through the popular Asian flavors captured in these sauces,† says Nemoto. â€Å"Our brand is perceived as the highest quality product, and we expect consumers will associate these new entities, this new product line, with the same standard for high quality. â€Å"| 4. | Campbell reaches into pouch to heat up soup salesAuthor : Martinne Geller| Introducing new line called â€Å"Campbell’s Go†.Campbell plans to extent that line to other simple meals that are meant to appeal to younger shoppers with graphic that are edgier than Campbell’s traditional products. | The company plans to launch over 50 new items in fiscal 2013| Campbell spending on advertising to spur sales, rathe r than price-driven promotions. | Campbell’s are changing plan will not go back to heavy discounting and they confidence that between the levers of price, promotion, brand building and news to the base with innovation, they will be able to fully competitive in this business. 5. 0Research philosophy and approach & research design. In research, understanding of the appropriate research philosophy and approach is important before beginning a research. Quantitative analysis can be done for a number of reasons such as measurement, performance evaluation of a financial instrument. It can also be used to predict real world events such as changes in a share price. A business or financial analysis technique that seeks to understand behavior by using complex mathematical and statistical modeling, measurement and research.By assigning a numerical value to variable, quantitative analysts try to replicate reality mathematically. The survey can be collect from population There are issued a ssociated with population decline and changes in population composition in the developed world (low fertility, population ageing, increasing international migration and ethnic minority population) and those associated with population growth and environment in the developing world (rapid decline of fertility, disease and mortality control and urbanization).Population studies, as an integrated social science, seeks to examine processes and patterns of population change their local and global impact. For example, from the population we can collect the data of gender, age range, gender and so on to analysis the data how many of people like Tesco own brand chili sauce, how many don’t like. Besides that, the research also can collect data through questionnaire. A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of question and other prompt for the purpose of gathering information from respondents.Questionnaire have advantages over some other type of survey in that they are cheap, do not require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone surveys, and often have standardized answer that make it simple to compile data. For example, questionnaire may include the question of the consumer satisfaction to the Chili sauce like the texture, taste, ingredient, price, packaging and so on. Other than that, sampling techniques provide a range of method that enable the researcher to reduce the amount of data needed, by considering only data from a subgroup rather than from all possible cases or element.In order to ensure that the data collected is representative, a few term related to the concept of sampling must be understood like population, element, censes, population frame or study population, sample, sampling unit or subject and sampling frame. The reason for using a sample are many; in research investigation involving several hundreds and even thousands of elements it would be impractical to collect data, test or examine every element. Con sider the cost of using a census, the time and the human resources needed; they are prohibitive.The quality of the information obtained from a sampling study is likely to be more reliable than from a census; this is mostly because fatigue is reduced and fewer errors will result in collecting the data, especially if a large number involved. In some situations, sampling is required. In testing the chili sauce of Tesco product, it would be impossible to test the entire population because the amount is large. A variety of sampling designs are available and the choice depends on the requirements of the research, the objectives of the study and the resources available.The sampling technique available is divided into two type. Probability sampling, the chance of probability of each case being selected from a population is known and is usually the same. It is based on the concept of random selection, which is a controlled procedure that assures each population element, or case is given a kn own –zero chance of selection. By using a probability samples, it is possible to answer research questions and to achieve objectives of estimating characteristics of the population from the sample. Thus, probability sampling is often used in surveys and in experimental research.In non-probability sampling, the probability of each case being selected from the total population is not known, and it is impossible to answer research questions or to address objectives that require statistical inferences about the characteristics of the population. Although generalizations could still be made from non-probability samples about the population, it cannot be done on statistical grounds. For this reason, non-probability sampling is often used in a case study research. 6. 0Data collection Data collection can be collect by using simple random sampling.In this sampling technique, each population element has an equal chance of being selected into the sample. The samples are drawn using rand om number tables or generators. This technique is best used if an accurate, complete and easily accessible sampling frame is available. By using random numbers, the selection of sample is done without bias, thus making the sample representative of the whole population. The Tesco management can randomly choose the consumer from the Tesco card member randomly to send the questionnaire by e-mail, posted mail or Short Message Service (SMS).From the database of the Tesco store can send by the area Tesco. For example, Penang Tesco will send questionnaire to the consumer who join the member at Penang Tesco, that mean the consumer maybe stay near Penang, same to Bukit Mertajam Tesco and other too. In this sampling technique the questionnaire, the major disadvantages of this sampling form is that is requires a listing of the population elements. This will take longer time to implement if the population covers a large random geographical area of selection, then a selected case is likely to be dispersed throughout the area, and will be costly due to the postage charges.The Tesco management can prepare reply envelope to the consumer that who don’t have e mail address and have to by normal postages, this is easier the consumer return the questionnaire. 7. 0Conclusion. A good sample should be accurate; there is little or no bias or systematic variance. Research is to collect accurate data and to analysis then only the management of Tesco Stores Malaysia know whether it would be feasible to introduce its own branded chili sauce to the Malaysia consumers after evaluated the entire questionnaire that received back from the consumer.Reference http://www. iservices. ilokabenneth. com/images/Maggi_Nestle. pdf http://www. culturaldiplomacy. org/culturaldiplomacynews/content/articles/participantpapers/2011/april/biec-roa-nua/h. j. _heinz_inc-_industry_analysis-_kasey_feigenbaum. pdf http://goliath. ecnext. com/coms2/gi_0199-5295700/Cooking-with-ease-new-Kikkoman. html http:/ /www. reuters. com/article/2012/02/22/us-campbellsoup-idUSTRE81L22V20120222 OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA (OUM), AUGUST 2011 BBRC4103

Powerful Work Wardrobe Tips for Professional Women

Powerful Work Wardrobe Tips for Professional Women You might be the brightest and most talented person in the room, and you of course should always be judged on those merits alone. Still, it doesn’t hurt to dress for success every now and then, just to make a statement with a polished and professional first impression. People are shallow. This is an unfortunate fact. And this disproportionately impacts women in the workplace. You shouldn’t even have to fight it- it’s 2017!- but fight it you can. Here are a few strategies how:1. Be yourself.Don’t try to wedge yourself into whatever is in style or what everybody else is wearing. Make sure to pick things that make you comfortable and confident and feel like yourself. Don’t let your clothes wear you; wear your clothes.2. Add a pop of color.The world is dreary enough. Figure out your favorite colors and see if you can’t incorporate them into your work wardrobe. Shades of red, particularly on the blue side of the spectrum, are said to convey power. But then again, so does black. The colors that flatter you and make you confident are going to be your power colors, no matter what. Bonus: solid colors are less distracting than loud prints.3. Adapt to the style of your workplace.If you’re applying to work in a super corporate environment where formal dress is required, you’ll need you get yourself a suit. If your work culture is much more casual than you’re used to, don’t fret. Get yourself a nice pair of designer jeans that really really fit well. Get some high quality t-shirts and a good jacket. You’ll still feel equipped and powerful- even sophisticated- but you won’t stand out as too gussied up.4. Invest in a good suit.If your work requires you to have a suit, get a really good one. A bespoke one. And have it fitted. Good tailoring is always a great investment.5. Keep it neutral.You may love your tattoos and piercings, or your unique hair choices, but in certain work environments- at least until they catch up to the realities of modern life- it’s best not to display all the wonderful quirks in your personal style.6. Dress for the job you want.Don’t be hamstrung by convention. You know where you want to go in your career. Do your research and know how to dress for that job you want. Trust your instincts. You’re a grown woman and capable of making it work for you.

The cheese slicer, invented by Thor Bjrklund of Norway

The cheese slicer, invented by Thor Bjrklund of Norway The cheese slicer, or cheese plane, is an ingenious invention developed by a Norwegian cabinet maker, Thor Bjà ¸rklund. Using a principle similar to that of the carpenter’s plane found in his workshop, Bjà ¸rklund perfected a device for making very thin, uniform slices from the hard cheeses favored in Norway, such as gouda and jarlsberg. Thor Bjà ¸rklund Invents the First Cheese Slicer Bjà ¸rklund invented and patented the cheese plane in 1925. He founded the company Thor Bjà ¸rklund Sà ¸nner AS in Lillehammer two years later, which was Norway’s only producer of the traditional Norwegian cheese slicer (ostehà ¸vel), and the first in the world. Since then, the company has produced over 50 million cheese slicers. Originally, it took an hour to produce each cheese slicer, while today, approximately 7,000 slicers can be made in an hour. Other Cheese Slicing Inventions The cheese plane is not the only invention dedicated to cheese, however.  The cheese knife itself is designed to combat the issue of very soft cheeses. With a serrated blade, the cheese knife reduces the amount of soft cheese stuck to the blade. Most blades will also have holes to reduce the likelihood of cheese sticking to the knife.  The cheese cutter features a board with a wire on a cutting arm. The wire is of a fine gauge, again designed to cut through soft cheese without sticking. The action of the cheese wire is like that of a garotte.

Northern Arizona NAU Admissions and Acceptance Rate

Northern Arizona NAU Admissions and Acceptance Rate With an acceptance rate of 78  percent, Northern Arizona University (NAU) is generally accessible to most. Students, in order to apply, will need to submit an application (which can be completed online) and official high school transcripts. While the school is test-optional, students interested in scholarship opportunities may be required to submit SAT or ACT scores. For complete guidelines and instructions, be sure to visit Northern Arizonas website, or get in touch with an admissions counselor. Will You Get In? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex Admissions Data (2016) Northern Arizona University Acceptance Rate: 78%GPA, SAT and ACT Graph for NAU AdmissionsNorthern Arizona University Has Test-Optional AdmissionsBig Sky Conference SAT score comparisonSAT comparison for Arizona collegesACT comparison for Arizona collegesBig Sky Conference ACT score comparison Northern Arizona University Description Founded in 1899, Northern Arizona University is a large public university whose 738-acre campus is located in  Flagstaff, Arizona, and the school also has many satellite campuses. NAU  can boast that it is closer to the Grand Canyon than any other university. Students come from 50 states and 70 countries, and they can choose from 91 undergraduate degree programs and 60 graduate degree programs offered through the universitys seven colleges. Education and business are both extremely popular among undergraduates. The university has a 18 to 1  student/faculty ratio  and an average class size of 28. In athletics, the NAU Lumberjacks compete in the NCAA Division I  Big Sky Conference. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 30,361  (26,500 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 41% Male / 59% Female81% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17) Tuition and Fees: $10,764 (in-state); $24,144 (out-of-state)Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $9,872Other Expenses: $4,850Total Cost: $26,486 (in-state); $39,866 (out-of-state) Northern Arizona University Financial Aid (2015  - 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 92%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 86%Loans: 52%Average Amount of AidGrants: $9,222Loans: $6,122 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Biology, Business Administration, Criminology, Elementary Education, Liberal Arts, Management, Nursing, Psychology, Special EducationWhat major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 76%4-Year Graduation Rate: 36%6-Year Graduation Rate: 53% Intercollegiate Athletics Mens Sports: basketball, cross country, football, tennis, track fieldWomens Sports: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track field, volleyball Data Source National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Northern Arizona University, You May Also Like These Schools Arizona State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Arizona: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Oregon: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Nevada Los Angeles: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Southern California: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphColorado State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of New Mexico: ProfileSan Diego State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphCSU Long Beach: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWashington State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

Microsoft To Issue Record Number of Patches Essay

Microsoft To Issue Record Number of Patches - Essay Example To find the average of values in B3 and B4, a formula = (B3+B4)/2 is typed into, say cell E2, giving the4 average. Entering a value into the cell causes the value to be visible in the formula thus enabling it to be changed without edition of the formula. The easiest way to enter cell references into formulas is by typing the reference. To use values in B4 and B6 in a formula meant to calculate monthly revenue, one types in = B4+B6 then enter to get a result. However, it is much easier to utilize functions, which are algorithms that can be followed, by excel, to attain a result (Smart 5). To get the average of values in B3 and B4, one could type = then type the average function’s name, followed by a left parenthesis, then the two cells. After typing a colon, excel discerns that one is defining a cell range. On entering the cell references, one types, a right parenthesis and then presses enter to get the result. Charts display a series of numeric data in the form of a graph in order to make it easier to understand enormous quantities of data, in addition to the relationships, between the data series (Smart 7). Excel supports many chart types that help one to display data in a meaningful manner. Charts have many elements with some displayed by default, and others added when needed. The display of the elements in the chart can be changed by moving them to different chart locations, adjusting their size or reformatting them. The spreadsheet consists of a chart area, plot area, plotted data points, category (horizontal) and value (vertical) axes, chart and axes titles, and data labels. After the creation of a chart, any of its elements can be modified. One can change the chart axes’ display, add data labels and titles, add a data table or legend, and apply a special option for every type of chart. To add a chart title, one click where the title is to be added, clicks chart title on the layout tab, clicks above chart, then types the

A comparison between the Japanese kimono and Chinese robe Research Paper

A comparison between the Japanese kimono and Chinese robe - Research Paper Example Dress materials and designs are the best indicators of the history of a particular region. It holds absolutely true when we say that by looking at the texture, designs, pattern and also the color of the dress material that was worn, one could easily decipher the culture of the people who wore it and also get to the know their way of life in general. Japanese kimono and Chinese robes have been brought into comparison as they resemble each other to a very great extent. There seems to be a cultural link between that of Japan and China which could be deciphered from their clothing. Japanese kimono and Chinese robes looks similar yet comes with their own uniqueness.The kimono came into being in the fifth century. A kimono robe is the typical sign of the Asian cultures. The garment has its long history entrenched in the hearts of the Japanese and Chinese culture. Later, the garment was made more contemporary to include kimono robes that are fundamentally all one size for both men and women . While silk kimonos are traditional garments in Japan, Chinese have Cheongsam as their traditional Chinese garment (Garrett, 1998). Both of these garments are very old and carry with it a long lost historical angle to it. Kimono, a piece of clothing, is not just a form of dressing among the Japanese but is also a clear-cut manifestation of how the Japanese history has evolved over time. The style of Kimono has been altered from one age to that of another and it has undergone changes throughout its history and has finally attained a form today. Goldstein-Gidoni (1997, p. 35) comments â€Å"The word kimono used in contemporary Japanese refers to the modern kimono, which â€Å"stems from the decorative festive clothing worn on special occasions† The inception time of the Kimono dates back to the time in Japan history pointed out as a specific period. That specific period is the Jomon period (Said, 1995). Kimono was in the form of a piece of clothing that was loosely draped ove r the body of the wearer. Those times, people did not pay much of attention to clothing as their major activity was to go for hunt and assembling. It was between the year 300 and 550 AD, Kimono dress patterns went for a change. Now the influence of the Chinese culture over the Japanese can be seen and the Kimono dress became a two-piece cloth. The arrival and the settlement of the Chinese in Japan brought about a huge change in their dressing patterns. Kimono was made in white color that was taken from the silk worm. Figure 2: Chinese White Women’

Richard Nixon-successes and failures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Richard Nixon-successes and failures - Essay Example Although started by the Kennedy-Johnson Administration, it was President Nixon who oversaw the peak of the war in Vietnam. This war would lead to loss of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese lives and 50,000 American lives. Waged on grounds of ideological defense against Soviet Communism, the Vietnam War proved to be a public relations disaster for the American government and depleted its treasury. Eventually, the war was called-off by President Nixon due to mounting public pressure and escalating domestic issues. But the most embarrassing episode in the career of President Nixon was his involvement in the Watergate affair, where he used unethical and illegitimate means to cover-up his wrongdoings. He also used threats and coercive tactics to undermine the Democratic Party who were at the case. When major newspapers in the country broke the news of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon had little choice but to resign from office and face trial. He spent the rest of his life in politica l wilderness, only rarely making public appearances, as he was burdened with shame and guilt. In sum, the career and Presidency of Richard Nixon is a mix of limited successes and glaring failures. Reference: John Hollitz, Thinking Through the Past: A Critical Thinking Approach to U.S. History, ISBN 066933488X (0-669-33488-X), published by D C Heath & Co.

Ionic and covalent Bonding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ionic and covalent Bonding - Essay Example The element that loses electrons forms cations while the element that gains electrons forms anions and the opposite charges form the ions to constitute the bonding (Saha 2010, p. 4). Covalent bonding however defines attractive forces between atoms through sharing of electrons. Each atom in the bond is unstable but is requires high energy to either gain or lose electrons and therefore shares electrons with a nearby atom. Covalent bonding may occur between atoms of the same element or atoms of different elements. The shared electrons forms part of the energy levels of both of the atoms and the attraction to each of the atom’s nuclei forms the bonding (Khanna, Verma and Kapila n.d., p. 230). Ionic bonding works through attraction between the formed ions. The bond between sodium and chlorine to form sodium chloride illustrates this. Sodium atoms lose electrons from their outer most energy levels and therefore form ions with positive charges, sodium ions. Chlorine atoms gain the lost electrons into their outer most energy levels to form chloride ions with negative charges. The sodium and chloride ions then attract each other to form sodium chloride compound under ionic bond. The bond between chlorine atoms in a chlorine molecule however illustrates covalent bonding. Since the two atoms have high and equal affinity for an electron, they donate an electron each, that they share in the outer most energy level to attain stability (Saha 2010, p. 4; Khanna, Verma and Kapila n.d., p. 230). The main similarity between covalent and ionic bonding is the resultant bond that is created between atoms. Both ionic and covalent bonds also identify transfer of electrons across atoms towards formation of bonds (Vandermeer 2011, p. 157). Despite the similarities between the two types of bonds, they have many differences. The first difference is in the transfer of electrons in the

Comparative Study of Existing ATM Systems and Systems for Small Literature review

Comparative Study of Existing ATM Systems and Systems for Small Payment Transactions Using Mobile Phones - Literature review Example With the development and advent of e-commerce, the mobile transactions have also evolved and gained much popularity in recent years. In several small payment transactions, uses of direct cash have changed by mobile payment systems. It provides users the advantage of using mobile phone for any kind of financial transactions such as bill payment or purchase goods. The increasing uses of ATM system and mobile technologies in payment have also increased the security risks. In present days, these electronic means of money transaction involve several security threats from illegal activities such as card trapping, swapping, cloning, phishing, shoulder surfing, and smishing among others. These activities result in loss of huge money and account information of users. The paper will describe the existing ATM system and small payment transactions by using mobile technology along with the security issues of these systems. Keywords: ATM System Security, Small Payment Transactions, Mobile Technolo gies. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Literature Review 4 Introduction 4 Existing ATM System 4 Small Payment Transactions through Mobile Technology 6 Mobile Transaction 7 ATM System Security 9 Conclusion 11 References 12 Bibliography 17 Literature Review Introduction Presently, ATM system can be found in almost every bank and financial institution and the uses are growing rapidly. The paper will describe the ATM system and several security issues of this technology. ATM stands for â€Å"Automated Teller Machine† which is a real time methodology having extremely complex design and operation. ATM technology has been developed through â€Å"Real-Time Process Algebra† (RTPA) systems and â€Å"Unified Data Models† (Wang, 2010). The static actions of ATM machine are indicated by Unified Process Models for processing money transaction and dynamic actions are indicated by process precedence allocation, process disposition, and report processing simulations. The AT M system never performs autonomously it should be controlled by some banks and requires specialized software and computer which is aimed for performing the money transaction operations. The software of ATM must support the electronic system of bank (Wang, 2010). Existing ATM System This theme will provide a brief description about ATM system, how it performs and its importance. This section is relevant for conducting the research as it can help the reader to understand the characteristics of ATM system. ATM system is most efficient in microfinance institutions (MFIs) (Whelan, 2011) which take money and help customers in numerous sites throughout non-office hours. The value of a single ATM machine is almost 22,600 Pounds (Approximately 35,000 USD) and needs dependable electrical and communication networks (Whelan, 2011). In today’s dynamic business environment, the excellence in service quality and flexibility has become imperious for organisations to survive. The progress of machinery has empowered banks to deliver superior services for enhancing customer satisfaction. This is the reason, majority of banks provide self service delivery system such as ATM in order to increase self-sufficiency in performing the money transactions. In the banking sector, ATM system acts as a pioneering service which provides diversified facilities such as money withdrawal, account transfer, cash payment, credit card notices, check book applications, and other monetary queries (Khan, 2010). The advancement of ATM system is

The structure of the legal profession in the United Kingdom Essay

The structure of the legal profession in the United Kingdom - Essay Example The essential difference between the two was that a barrister could represent a client in court, whereas a plain solicitor could not (Farley, 2001). A brief explanation of the reasons given for the division between the two types of lawyers will explain both the advantages and disadvantages of the fused system that has now been proposed and appears to be inevitable in the near future. The barrister was traditionally trained at one of the Inns of Court, and undertook both formal legal training and practical experience under the pupilage of a senior barrister. This system was meant to ensure that there was a relatively small but highly experienced group of trial advocates who would give the highest quality of representation to clients whose cases actually got to court, and who would also maintain a smoothly running court because they were specialists in that procedure (Hailsham, 1983). There were also other reasons given for having a separation between barristers and solicitors. These include the fact that having an independent barrister reviewing a cause for action enables the client to receive a fresh and independent opinions. The barrister system also enables smaller firms of solicitors to compete with larger firms as they all have access to the same independent barristers (who are legally barred from forming partnerships). A barrister can also act as a kind of check and balance on a solicitor during the trial, and if incompetence is seen may advise the client on a possible cause for action against the solicitor. The disadvantages of the barrister system are supposedly many, and these are starting to outweigh the perceived advantages throughout the British legal system. These include the fact that having more than one legal adviser leads to higher costs. It is also argued that as barristers depend upon solicitors for their work referrals, they are unlikely to criticize them. Thus the "checks and balances" idea is somewhat offset by the fact that a barrister is unlikely to bite the hand that feeds him/her. The over-specialization of barristers means that they may not have sufficient legal exposure outside of their fields and thus may not in fact give the best representation in cases that overlap several areas of the law (Clementi, 2004). As the government has suggested the legal system in Britain is widely regarded as "outdated, inflexible, over-complex and insufficiently accountable or transparent" (Clementi, 2004). The idea that the two major sections of the legal service system:- solicitor and barrister - should be fused together, is currently gaining steam within the United Kingdom. The main thrust for future developments is to be found within the very title of the government's latest policy issuance on the subject: The Future of Legal Services: Putting Consumers First (Crown, 2005). The government is careful not to suggest that those solicitors and barristers that currently work separately are in general offering bad services to their clients, stating that "the professional competence of lawyers is not in doubt . . . the caliber of many of our legal professionals is among the best in the world" (Crown, 2005). But the report goes on to say that "many consumers are finding that they are not receiving a good or fair deal." In response to this the government seeks to produce a legal system that is "efficient, effective and economic" and which will be a "transparent and accountable industry" (Crown,

Comparative Study of Existing ATM Systems and Systems for Small Literature review

Comparative Study of Existing ATM Systems and Systems for Small Payment Transactions Using Mobile Phones - Literature review Example With the development and advent of e-commerce, the mobile transactions have also evolved and gained much popularity in recent years. In several small payment transactions, uses of direct cash have changed by mobile payment systems. It provides users the advantage of using mobile phone for any kind of financial transactions such as bill payment or purchase goods. The increasing uses of ATM system and mobile technologies in payment have also increased the security risks. In present days, these electronic means of money transaction involve several security threats from illegal activities such as card trapping, swapping, cloning, phishing, shoulder surfing, and smishing among others. These activities result in loss of huge money and account information of users. The paper will describe the existing ATM system and small payment transactions by using mobile technology along with the security issues of these systems. Keywords: ATM System Security, Small Payment Transactions, Mobile Technolo gies. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Literature Review 4 Introduction 4 Existing ATM System 4 Small Payment Transactions through Mobile Technology 6 Mobile Transaction 7 ATM System Security 9 Conclusion 11 References 12 Bibliography 17 Literature Review Introduction Presently, ATM system can be found in almost every bank and financial institution and the uses are growing rapidly. The paper will describe the ATM system and several security issues of this technology. ATM stands for â€Å"Automated Teller Machine† which is a real time methodology having extremely complex design and operation. ATM technology has been developed through â€Å"Real-Time Process Algebra† (RTPA) systems and â€Å"Unified Data Models† (Wang, 2010). The static actions of ATM machine are indicated by Unified Process Models for processing money transaction and dynamic actions are indicated by process precedence allocation, process disposition, and report processing simulations. The AT M system never performs autonomously it should be controlled by some banks and requires specialized software and computer which is aimed for performing the money transaction operations. The software of ATM must support the electronic system of bank (Wang, 2010). Existing ATM System This theme will provide a brief description about ATM system, how it performs and its importance. This section is relevant for conducting the research as it can help the reader to understand the characteristics of ATM system. ATM system is most efficient in microfinance institutions (MFIs) (Whelan, 2011) which take money and help customers in numerous sites throughout non-office hours. The value of a single ATM machine is almost 22,600 Pounds (Approximately 35,000 USD) and needs dependable electrical and communication networks (Whelan, 2011). In today’s dynamic business environment, the excellence in service quality and flexibility has become imperious for organisations to survive. The progress of machinery has empowered banks to deliver superior services for enhancing customer satisfaction. This is the reason, majority of banks provide self service delivery system such as ATM in order to increase self-sufficiency in performing the money transactions. In the banking sector, ATM system acts as a pioneering service which provides diversified facilities such as money withdrawal, account transfer, cash payment, credit card notices, check book applications, and other monetary queries (Khan, 2010). The advancement of ATM system is

Female infanticide Essay Example for Free

Female infanticide Essay Imagine a world with no women. There are no wives, no sisters, no daughters, and no mothers. Unfortunately, this world is on the brink of becoming a scary reality for Asian countries such as China and India. Due to attempts to control population and the low value associated with females in these societies historically and culturally, both China and India are now facing a serious gender imbalance. Female infanticide and sex-selective abortion are responsible for this gender imbalance. Due to the high occurrence of foeticides, infanticides, including new born neglect and abandonment, he world is currently deprived of over 100 million women. China and India alone are responsible for 80 million missing females. CHINA: In 1978 China introduced the one-child policy. The Chinese population was growing too fast and already was enormous. The government introduced this policy to slow down the growth of the population of China. This encouraged female infanticide even more. Before the introduction of the one-child policy female infanticide already existed. According to a report, an interview with 40 women over age 50, who claimed to have given birth to 183 sons and 175 daughters, of whom 126 sons but only 53 aughters survived to age 10. By their account, the women had destroyed 78 of their daughters. To Chinese families the son is the most important child. They believe that the son can work, carry the family name and look after elderly parents. Only after the desire of having a son or two has been met, do Chinese families prefer having a girl. INDIA: In the global arena, India is indeed fast developing and is gradually becoming a force to reckon with and this makes us extremely proud. However, there are certain home truths we arent aware of or chose to turn a deaf ear to. Female infanticide is one of them. India as a country is steeped in patriarchal values and thereby continues to talk about the importance of raising a male child. The idea of the male child enwraps an image of future security, protection, wealth and prosperity. Only can a male child grow up to look after his family. Only can a male child protect his family. Women are simply viewed as commodities and properties belonging to men. Women are perceived to be a burden on the family. From the time she is born, the only way her physical being/existence is given meaning is by virtue of marriage. In the institution of marriage lies the salvation of the woman. In looking after her husband and bearing children lies her attainment of Nirvana. And with marriage comes the social evil of dowry (giving away lump sums of money and gifts during marriage) which continues to haunt families. A large population of India continues to struggle on a daily basis for its survival. In a situation like this, the additional appendage of giving dowry to the grooms family increases the misery of an already devastated financial situation of the average Indian family. female infanticide.

Quantitative Comparison of Learning Environment Effect

Quantitative Comparison of Learning Environment Effect CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 4.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the data analysis and interpretation also purpose of this study was to compare the learning of developmental mathematics course which received instruction in two different environments to determine whether mathematic online course enhanced their learning. Specifically, the study investigated whether there was a significant difference in mathematics online course as measured by the exam of students enrolled in mathematic classes receiving traditional instruction, with online instruction. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for the analysis with an alpha = .05 level of significance. 4.2 T-Test: Paired Two Samples for Means: Paired data tests engage taking exam score without online course and with online course students participate the mathematic course from the same large number (n=60) of object and operating a hypothesis test on the differences between the without online course and with online course samples. TABLE 1 student’s result 4.3 SPSS Annotated Output: The paired samples t-test is hypothesis test of the difference two groups means based on the means of two paired samples. Under this test, the two samples are compared in such a way, that the elements in one sample are matched or paired with the elements or paired with the other sample, thereby helping in doing a precise analysis in finding out whether any significant difference exists in the two series. In our analysis, under paired samples t-test, the two samples are: Exam score with online course Exam score without online course Thus, the paired sample t-test has been used to compare the means of the abovementioned two variables. As such, it helps in finding out if there is a statistically significant difference between the Exam score with online course at which trading took watched video on Moodle tool and the Exam score without online course. For the paired samples t-test, we state the null hypothesis that there is no significant mean difference between the two series and hence the two series do not statistically differ the alternate hypothesis is the two series differ from each other significantly. So, the hypothesis can be stated as follows: H0: m =0 H1: m ≠ 0 Where, mean is difference between the two series. The alternative is two-tailed at a signification level of 5% (ÃŽ ±=0.05). That this study used SPSS to conduct the paired samples t-test. The SPSS output is shown in this table which views that difference Exam score with online course and Exam score without online course is significant or not. In the Paired Samples Statistics Box, the mean for the WithoutOnlineCourse is 16. The mean for the WithOnlineCourse is 21.3667. The standard deviation for the WithoutOnlineCourse is 6.44874 and for the WithOnlineCourse, also 8.15997 . The number of participants in each condition (N) is 30. Paired Samples Test Box This is the next box as will views. It contains info about the paired samples t-test that the conducted. There will be most interested in the value that is in the final column of this table. Take a look at the Sig. (2-tailed) value. Correlation This is the correlation coefficient of the pair of variables indicated. This is a measure of the strength and direction of the linear relationship between the two variables. The correlation coefficient can range from -1 to +1, with -1 indicating a perfect negative correlation, +1 indicating a perfect positive correlation, and 0 indicating no correlation at all. (A variable correlated with itself will always have a correlation coefficient of 1.) You can think of the correlation coefficient as telling you the extent to which you can guess the value of one variable given a value of the other variable. The .160 is the numerical description of how tightly around the imaginary line the points lie. If the correlation was higher, the points would tend to be closer to the line; if it was smaller, they would tend to be further away from the line. Sig This is the p-value associated with the correlation. Here, correlation is significant at the .05 level. Std Error Mean Standard Error Mean is the estimated standard deviation of the sample mean. This value is estimated as the standard deviation of one sample divided by the square root of sample size: 9.55739/sqrt(30) = . 1.74493. This provides a measure of the variability of the sample mean. Sig (2-Tailed) value This value will tell us if the two condition Means are statistically different. Often times, this value will be referred to as the p value. In this example, the Sig (2-Tailed) value is 0.005. If the Sig (2-Tailed) value is greater than 0.05 It is means there is no statistically significant difference between two groups. it can conclude that the differences between condition Means are likely due to chance and not likely due to the IV manipulation. If the Sig (2-Tailed) value is less than or equal to .05. You can conclude that there is a statistically significant difference between your two conditions. You can conclude that the differences between condition Means are not likely due to change and are probably due to the IV manipulation. What does the t-value and two-tailed P-value how do they compare to each other? Is this information significant enough to say that with online course came from the same family as without online course? A two-tailed P-value of 0.6, for example, would mean that there is a 0.6 (or 60%) chance that the two groups of score come from the same group. In other words, there is a 60% chance that the average score of the exam in each group is the same and would say that there is no significant difference between the ages of the two populations. The traditionally accepted P-value for something to be significant is P Larger t-values translate into smaller P-values. So the larger the t-value is the more likely the difference is significant. A critical t-value is the minimum t-value you need in order to have P 4.4 Testing Hypothesis: The results as reported in Table indicated there was statistically significant difference for method of instruction, p-value=0.005. Therefore, Null Hypothesis was rejected. There was a statistically significant difference in exam scores of without online course group and online course group mathematic courses, when adjusting for the effect of exam scores. Therefore was statistically significant difference in exam. 4.5 Finally With online course and without online course test scores of the group was compared. The average score in with online course was 21.3667, whereas the average score in the without online course was 16. This can be seen in figure 3. The P value two-tail test is used to control if the mean score of with online course and without online course tests are significantly different. Is the learning mathematic course with online course significantly better or worse? The P value is greater than t value which establishes that scores in with online course test are significantly different and higher than the scores in without online course test. This supports the premise that with online course Choices is effective instruction strategy to impart the importance of Hawler Institute of computer and concept of video technology. Therefor there was a statistically significant difference in exam scores, decidedly two methods The analysis of tests responses shows that the instruction methodology of imparting the concept of technical debt through with online course choices is effective. At the following figure 4.4 as shown rate of students participate with online course increased. Figure 7 online course CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION In view of the writing and the discoveries of the current study, a few conclusions can be drawn concerning developmental mathematics online course. The results of this study indicate that video technology can using for development mathematic online course. The mere presence of video online course does improve student learning mathematic lecture. Students have an interest in utilizing technology for a variety of purposes including academics. Online video course have the potential to be useful tools to improve learning. They provide educators the opportunity to create and record courses then upload on Moodle tool. Also give opportunity to student for participate mathematic course without missing lecture. SUMMARY Many students enter college without the mathematics skills and knowledge to successfully meet their educational and career goals (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2003b). Most colleges and universities offer developmental mathematics courses and other services to prepare these students for college-level mathematics courses. Developmental mathematics courses have been taught with the traditional lecture method used for years in most college-level courses (Armington, 2003; Kinney and Kinney, 2003; Maxwell, 1979; Miles, 2000; Roueche and Kirk, 1974). Educators are concerned about the low pass rates (Boylan, Bonham, and White, 1999; Trenholm, 2006; Waycaster, 2001; Wright, Wright, and Lamb, 2002) and are exploring alternative instructional approaches in order to increase the number of students who stay in school or institute, pass a class mathematic course, and graduate. Video mathematic online course make conceivable a variety of new showing methodologies, permitting students to have decisions about when, where, and how they learn math. The review of literature indicated a need for further studies on the impact of video record and uploaded on Moodle tool on the learning of developmental mathematics course. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the academic performance of students enrolled in a developmental mathematics course using traditional instruction with mathematic online course. Students’ mathematics course at the end of the course related to be exam at the Institute Hawler for Computer. Therefore, the exam, which measured mathematical performance with online course with without online course, was used as the Hypothesis in the analysis. T-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means adjusted the means of the exam paired groups. Null Hypothesis case there was significance difference in the mathematics lecture for developmental mathematics course using traditional lecture and video record and uploaded on Moodle then students participate with watched video online. The independent variable was method of instruction, and the dependent variable was the exam score. At the .05 level of significance, there was significant difference between the exam scores of students who completed a traditional developmental math course and watched video online course on Moodle tool. DISCUSSION LIMITATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY: The following recommendations for further investigation were based on the findings of this study. To further validate the findings of this research, the study should be replicated with a larger sample and in other developmental subject courses. Also recommended add same technology for learning in the institute Hawler for computer. REFERENCES Surname: KHUDHUR Name: WSHYAR OMAR Place and Date of Birth: TaqTaq, Erbil Kurdistan Iraq /1ST July 1983. Gender: MALE Address: STATE IRAQ, ERBIL – GOVERNORATE, KOYA CITY Language: KURDISH, ENGLISH Marital Status: MARRIAGE E-mail: [emailprotected] Mobile Phone: +90 548 873 7683, +964 772 159 7828 B.Sc. Software Engineering, Koya University Erbil, Iraq

Essay on Global Warming: The Effects of Climate Change -- environment,

Climate change is a long-term alteration in the statistical distribution of weather pattern over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. The world is currently experiencing drastic change in temperature. This change can be felt in the tropical climate areas where the weather is getting hotter and hotter every day. The change in global temperatures and precipitation over time is due to natural variability or to human activity. It is also caused by accumulation of greenhouse effects (Arrhenius, 1896). Should we as humans let this problem worsen? Climate change will affect everything including humans, flora and fauna, and the environment. One of the effects of climate change is how it will affect the people. Climate change will have a huge impact on the people’s health. The health of the people will be affected mostly by air pollution and respiratory problems will have the greatest risk of health effects. Increases in moulds and pollens due to warmer temperatures could also cause respiratory problems such as asthma for some people. Should the effects of climate change get any worse than what it is now, people around the world will have to face some serious problems. Food security will be affected and thus diseases can easily get transmitted. Food or waterborne diseases are acquired through eating or drinking. For example, Hepatitis A is a viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver. It can be spread through consumption of food or water contaminated by fecal matter (CIA World Factbook, 2011). Apart from being infected with Hepatitis A, people around the world can potentially get infected with Hepatitis E, bacterial diarrhoea, and Typhoid fever. Climate change will also have an impact on the financial s... ...of the flora and fauna species are unlikely to have time either to adapt to this warming, or to adjust their ranges to keep pace with the shift in climatic zones. To put things on a conclusive note, global warming already disrupts millions of lives daily in the forms of destructive weather patterns and loss of habitat (Houghton, 2007). What is already happening is only the tip of the melting iceberg, for it is our children and grandchildren who may suffer most from the effects of climate change. The effects of climate change are likely to be severe and irreparable. If we do not reduce the rate of climate change, hundreds of millions of people may be exposed to famine, water shortages, extreme weather conditions and a 20-30% loss of animal and plant species. While humankind has the ability to destroy the planet, we can also help to protect and sustain it.

The Death Penalty is a Necessary Deterrent to Crime Essay -- Exemplifi

The Death Penalty is a Necessary Deterrent to Crime    Murder and rape are serious crimes, although they aren't the only crimes that could be considered serious. Others that might be considered are stealing, which has numerous categories under it such as grand theft auto, etc†¦ The following story is the true account of a young female named Donna. This story tells of Donna's rape and then her murder by a man named McCorquodale and his friend Leroy. The author is telling this story in order to create the mental picture of what murder and rape really are. "†¦The appellant, after telling Donna how pretty she was, raised his fist and hit her across the face. When she stood up, he grabbed her by her blouse, ripping it off and tied her hands behind her back with a nylon stocking. Then he bound her mouth with tape and a washcloth. Leroy then kicked Donna and she fell to the floor. McCorquodale then had [forced] intercourse with her. . . Then Leroy had [forced] intercourse with the victim. . . The victim was then permitted to go to the bathroom to 'get cleaned up.' While she was in the bathroom, McCorquodale secured a piece of nylon rope and told Bonnie, her roommate, that he was going 'to kill the girl.' He hid in a closet across the hall from the bathroom and when Donna came out of the bathroom he wrapped the nylon cord around her neck. Donna screamed, 'My God, you're killing me.' As McCorquodale tried to strangle her, the cord cut into his hands and Donna fell to the floor. He fell on top of her and began to strangle her with his bare hands. He removed his hands and the victim began to have convulsions. He again strangled her and then pulled her head up and forward to break her neck. [After killing her] he covered her life... ...rred by the death penalty. In Schonebaum, S.E. (Ed.), Does capital punishment deter crime? (pp. 45-46) San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc. Sowell, T. & DiIulio, J. Jr. (1997) The death penalty is a deterrent. In Winters, P.A.(Ed.), The death penalty opposing view points (pp. 103-107). San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc. Specter, A. (1997) A swifter death penalty would be an effective deterrent. In Winters, P.A. (Ed.), The death penalty opposing view points (pp. 114-119). San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc. Specter, A. (1998) A swifter death penalty would be an effective deterrent. In Schonebaum, S.E. (Ed.), Does capital punishment deter crime? (pp. 87-96) San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc. The death penalty will discourage crime (1701). In Winters, P.A. (Ed.), The death penalty opposing view points (pp. 17-20). San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc.

Independent Reading Reflection

Over the summer I read five books for a total of 1308 pages. I read three fiction novels and two realistic fiction novels. For me one of my favorite books was the Dear John by Nicholas Sparks, which I had been wanting to read and finally got around to it. Right from the start of the book, you could tell it would be a summer love story, but what I didn’t realize was how much you could feel just by how Nicholas Sparks described their feelings. As John went off to Germany for war, I could feel Savannah’s sadness and fear as she thought this could be the last time she could see him alive. Not to mention how hurt John was to come home to find Savannah happily married and moved on with a new life. Overall, I loved how descriptive Dear John was and how you could feel like you were falling in love, just like them. Even though his books are usually stereotypical, The Choice also by Nicholas Sparks was a great book I read this summer. Instead of summer romance, this time it was forbidden love. When neighbors Travis and Gabby start off with a heated argument, Gabby soon finds herself with a strange attraction to the fun-loving, wild Travis. One problem, she has a boyfriend, Kevin, whom she now has to choose between him and Travis as her love for him grows more and more. I loved this book because like Dear John, it had a love story but instead, it started out with hatred and disapproval of each other but slowly grew to their love. Also in The Choice, Nicholas Sparks used great description of feelings and sights. For example, parasailing high above the sound he described exactly what they saw and felt and I felt like I were right there with them a hundred feet above the water too. I can’t leave out that first night they met; Gabby was fuming at Travis when she thought his dog got her perfect, purebred collie pregnant. Not to mention the night Travis first kissed her and she suddenly thought what life could be like with Travis, instead of Kevin. I chose Dear John and The Choice as my favorite books from this summer because they both had great description and plot lines, even if you could somewhat predict the ending . I love when I can picture everything that is going on in a book and remember almost every detail, and these both did that for me.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 5

I jerked my head away from him. â€Å"What?† Bastien didn't miss a beat, obviously amused by my reaction. â€Å"You heard me. We're going to break in. I overheard Bill saying the whole family would be out the night after next.† â€Å"And pray tell, how are we going to lead her to scandal through violating her home? By proving to the world that her security system isn't as good as she thought it was?† He laughed. â€Å"No, by rifling through her paperwork and finding some sort of incriminating evidence. Money laundered from the CPFV. Illegal means of carrying out the group's goals. Maybe even love letters from the infamous pool boy. You know there's got to be something.† â€Å"Bastien, this is – â€Å" â€Å"Ingenious?† â€Å"Ridiculous. Even for us.† â€Å"Hardly. Like I said, it's a backup plan. Probably not even necessary, since I suspect she's probably in the shower right now masturbating to fantasies of me.† â€Å"Yeah, she sure looked like it back there,† I said nastily. â€Å"More likely she's sanitizing her pool after my defilement of it. Well, backup or no, you're going to have to do this break-in on your own. â€Å" â€Å"Come on! We'll bein visible. Nothing to lose.† â€Å"That's not the point. The point is I don't do this kind of thing.† â€Å"We're agents of evil. We lead innocents into temptation and suck away their life. How is breaking and entering that much of a leap?† I tightened my lips and shook my head. â€Å"I thought those broadcasts pissed you off. Don't you want to see her fall?† â€Å"Not enough, apparently.† He fixed me with a sharp stare. â€Å"Did you know that the CPFV recently kicked out a woman for leaving her husband? He had been beating her incessantly – sent her to the hospital twice. When she finally got the nerve to walk out on him, Dana condemned her for violating the sanctity of marriage. Said the woman hadn't tried hard enough to make things work.† I groaned. â€Å"Don't tell me this stuff.† â€Å"So are you in or out?† â€Å"You sure are pushy, you know that?† He kissed my cheek and hugged me. â€Å"I learned from the best.† I went to Doug's concert the following night, showing up about halfway through the opening act's set. I found several of the bookstore staff occupying a corner but saw no sign of Seth yet. Part of me regretted the whole separate-arrival mandate, but then I remembered the part in Seth's story where Genevieve had spanked O'Neill. Suddenly I didn't feel so bad anymore. While waiting at the bar for a vodka gimlet, a familiar shape slid up next to me. â€Å"Hey, hey, pretty lady.† I flashed a smile at Doug's bass player, Corey. â€Å"Hey yourself. You guys ready for this? You're in the big time now.† He returned my smile, eyes alight. Intimidating and fierce looking, he wore a lot of black and had piercings everywhere. He was also one of the nicest guys I knew. â€Å"Hell yeah, we are. We were born for this night. This is the night that's going to define our existence! The night that's going to define existence for everyone in this room!† He extended his hands over his head and whooped with delight, emitting something like a cross between Tarzan and a B movie Apache chief. The silvery glitter of those piercings added to his savage persona. He was as exuberant as Doug had been the other day. Maybe more so. As much as I wanted to see the band succeed, there was no telling what true fame would do to them. They'd be bouncing off the walls. Setting things on fire. When I got the gimlet, Corey tugged at my arm. â€Å"Come on. I'll give you a sneak peek backstage. You can say hi to Doug.† I glanced back at the corner, saw no sign of Seth, and followed him. In the dressing room, the rest of the band was in similar form. They all knew me and cheered my arrival, holding up their drinks in a giddy salute. Doug was dressed in a spectacularly gaudy manner, sporting black spandex biker shorts, a Thundercats shirt Seth would have envied, and a sweeping red velour cape. His shoulder-length black hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail. He scooped me up as I entered, hoisting me so that I nearly sat on his shoulder. Min, the group's saxophonist, waved the instrument over his head in barbaric approval at my capture as Doug roared a cry of victory. â€Å"Here she is! Kin-fucking-caid! You ready to rock, babe?† â€Å"I'm ready to dump this drink on your head. Put me down. â€Å" Doug laughed and eased me down to the floor. I stumbled a bit but not from being set down. It was here again. That weird tingling feeling I'd felt with Doug in our office. Only this time, it was stronger. Much stronger. It pulsed around me, almost making me squirm. I peered around stupidly, trying to figure out where it came from, but it was impossible to tell. The sensation was everywhere, an abrasive vibration singing through the air that only I seemed affected by. Wyatt, a redheaded guitarist, grinned at me. â€Å"How much have you been drinking out there? You look a little glazed over. â€Å" â€Å"Starry-eyed's more like it,† said Doug, teasing. â€Å"Not every day a girl can be around this much sexy action, huh?† â€Å"Whatever. I think her sexiness is a little more lethal than ours,† Wyatt said. He gently turned me around. â€Å"You met Alec yet?† The new drummer, presumably. He stepped forward and bowed before me with a flourish, just as goofily wound up as the rest. He was a little younger than they were, a bit lanky, and had fading blue streaks in his blond hair. He seemed only slightly less keyed up. Still clueless about what was making me feel so weird, I attempted to push it out of my mind and offer Alec a normal smile. â€Å"Hi,† I said. â€Å"You sure you want to hang with this group of misfits?† â€Å"I've seen worse.† â€Å"In an asylum?† He laughed and nodded at my drink. â€Å"What are you having?† â€Å"Vodka gimlet.† â€Å"Nice choice,† he said coolly, though I suspected he'd probably never heard of one before. There was a total look of fumbling inexperience about him. â€Å"Order your next one on me. Tell the bartender to put it on my tab.† I worked hard to keep a straight face. He was attempting suave movie-star lines, but they lost some of their effectiveness coming from someone who was barely old enough to drink himself. He probably hoped Wyatt's earlier assessment of my inebriation was accurate. â€Å"Hey,† said Doug, grabbing hold of me. â€Å"Stop flirting with my Groupie Queen. Only when you can snatch the fly with the chopsticks, Grasshopper, can you accumulate the groupies. For now, the student must leave the groupies to the master. â€Å" Doug marched me around the room in a – very bad – mock tango. The jerking motion, combined with that grating buzzing in the air, made me lightheaded. â€Å"Is the rest of the gang out there?† â€Å"Waiting with bated breath,† I promised. I cocked my head at him. â€Å"Shouldn't you be a little more nervous than this?† â€Å"Sure. If I had anything to be nervous about. Which I don't.† I felt just as astonished now as I had at work. Doug knew his own talent, but I'd seen him before shows in the past. While always joking and in a good mood, there had been a nervousness to him before, a private sort of ruminating while he mentally braced himself to put on the best show he could. I knew he'd said the band had hit some sort of peak recently, but the change was dramatic, to say the least. After a few more jokes and sexual innuendoes, I finally left them. Just like that, the discordant feeling disappeared as soon as I cleared the door. It was like breathing fresh air after a sandstorm. Glancing behind me, I stared into the room, trying to find any indication of what had just happened. Nothing revealed itself. The band had forgotten me already. They were laughing at something else, drinking their beer or pop or whatever, and roughhousing in what must have been some male tension-reliever. Puzzled, I walked away. Seth had joined the others when I finally made my way back to the main floor. I felt a smile creeping up on me in spite of my concerns. His hair was as unkempt as ever, and he wore a Thundercats shirt. â€Å"Hey,† I said when I saw him, conscious that everyone was watching us, apparently waiting for me to pull out my handcuffs. â€Å"Hey,† he returned, hands casually in his pockets, posture relaxed and easy like always. â€Å"You know, Doug's wearing a shirt very similar to that.† â€Å"I know. I lent it to him.† We all shared a good laugh over that, and Beth turned to me. â€Å"You saw Doug? Is he ready for this?† â€Å"The question, actually,† I told them with a small frown, â€Å"is ‘Is the world ready for Doug?'† A half hour later, they saw what I meant. Nocturnal Admission burst onto the stage, and suddenly all that pent-up energy and enthusiasm was channeled into their music. Like I'd told Doug, I'd long been a fan of the group. Their style combined hard rock with a bit of ska, and the fusion always hooked me. After centuries filled with repetition, innovation was a treat. They regularly performed with flair and passion, making them as much fun to watch as to listen to. My biased affection for Doug didn't hurt either. Tonight was unbelievable. All of their songs were new; I'd never heard any of them before. And Christ, what songs they were. Amazing. Incredible. Ten times better than the old ones – which I'd hitherto found hard to beat. I wondered when Doug had had time to compose these. He wrote most of their stuff, and I'd last seen them perform about a month and a half ago. He must have had help to write all of those in so short a time. I knew he usually took a while to compose one, refining lyrics over and over. He never treated the process lightly. And the performance itself†¦Well, Doug was always flamboyant; it was his trademark. Tonight, I swear, he never stopped moving. Pure energy in human form. He danced, he sauntered, he did cartwheels. His between-song monologues were hilarious. His singing voice surpassed anything I'd ever heard from him, rich and deep. It resonated in my body. The audience couldn't get enough. They loved him, and I understood why. No one, even the people who worked there, could take their eyes off the stage. Except one. There, along the far edges of the crowd, was a man casually making his way toward the exit. By his stride and apparent lack of interest, he didn't find Nocturnal Admission as compelling as the rest of us. While this was intriguing enough to draw my own gaze from the band, his attire struck me even more strongly. If GQ magazine had been around in the days of Victorian poets, he would have been their cover model. He wore beautifully tailored black slacks paired with a long, black coat, the tails of which almost touched the backs of his knees. Underneath the coat was a gorgeous, billowing white shirt that might have been silk. Whatever it was, it made me want to touch it and see how soft it was. Unlike Horatio, whose demonic wear had simply been out-of-date, this guy had taken the past and made it his own. His own hot historic couture. The kind the modern day â€Å"goth† movement so longed to achieve. He'd opened the first few buttons to reveal smooth, tanned skin. That skin tone paired with the glossy black hair that flowed halfway down his back made me think he must be of Middle Eastern or Indian descent. When he reached the door leading out, he paused and turned toward the stage, watching the band for a few moments. A small, pleased smile played along his lips, and then he was gone. Weird, I thought. I wondered who he was. Prospective agent maybe? Or perhaps just someone who didn't get down to this type of music. He had looked like the kind of guy who owned Chopin's complete works, after all. I considered the man for a few more moments, then turned back toward the stage. The group was taking a momentary reprieve from their new stash and doing a cover of one of my favorite Nine Inch Nails songs. Nothing like hearing Trent Reznor's lyrics paired with a saxophone. â€Å"I can't believe this,† I told Seth later, moving to the back of our group so I could stand near him. Our friends were so hypnotized by what was onstage that Seth and I could actually talk without drawing attention. â€Å"It's†¦unbelievable.† â€Å"That it is,† he agreed. â€Å"I take it this isn't the norm then?† â€Å"No. Absolutely not. But I hope it becomes the norm. Jesus.† We fell silent then, our eyes and ears drawn back to the band. As we watched, however, Seth rested his hand on my back in a friendly, innocent gesture that made me promptly lose interest in the music. And that was saying something. The shirt I wore was hardly a shirt at all. It was a glittering tunic type thing that covered the front of me only, then tied behind my neck and once below my shoulder blades, thus letting his fingers stroke bare, exposed skin. Less than a week ago, I'd been in a hotel room with a guy who'd massaged scented oil all over my body and then gone down on me in a way that left me gasping. And yet, I swear that didn't do as much for me as Seth's fingers on my bare skin did now. The rest of my body jolted to life, suddenly ravenous for more of him. When he trailed his fingertips down to my lower back, I could perfectly discern every place he had touched me and every place he hadn't, as though his fingers left scorch marks in my flesh. Magic fingers. Seductive fingers. My nerves pulsed hungrily, demanding I take action and give them more. When his hand finally came to rest by my tailbone, right at the edge of my jeans, I murmured, â€Å"You can go lower if you want. â€Å" â€Å"No,† he returned. His voice seemed huskier than usual, holding an unfamiliar intensity. But it was laced with wistfulness too. â€Å"I really can't.† The audience whooped and demanded an encore when the show ended, which the band was only too happy to give – multiple times. Talk about stamina. As I watched them wrap up the song and make their bows, an idea suddenly struck me. Excusing myself for the bathroom, I headed back in the direction of the dressing room. Once out of any passerby's eyesight, I turned invisible and slipped back into that room, still perplexed about that burning, crawling sensation. It was gone. Everything felt perfectly normal in the room. Jackets and instrument cases lay in unceremonious heaps on the floor, and empty red plastic cups vied with overflowing ashtrays to cover up other flat surfaces. I paced around slowly, peering in corners, looking for something – anything – that would explain what I had felt. And again, I came up empty-handed. All was quiet and still. No person or creature waited to leap out, though I was pretty sure what I'd felt hadn't come from anything living. Yet, it also hadn't resembled any charm or enchanted object I knew of either. If anything, that tingle had felt like something in the middle: half sentient, half not. But that made no sense. Returning to my friends, I saw them making preparations to leave. None of us could stop talking about the show. We separated and met up again at Doug's place for a post-show party he'd invited us to. I'd been to similar gigs of his but saw more people here than ever before. They packed the place. Alcohol and pot flowed like milk and honey, but I stopped after a couple shots since I had to open at work in the morning. Through the smoky, decadent haze, the band worked the crowd like they'd done this sort of PR all their lives. They talked to everyone, charismatic and outgoing, though never too proud or conceited. As this went on, Seth and I kept a respectable distance from each other in order to maintain the illusion we were nothing but friends. While I still believed that was a good idea, it sort of seemed like rubbing salt into open wounds. Bad enough we couldn't touch each other; now we couldn't talk either. Alec found me at some point, attempting to resume the conversation we'd been having when Doug spirited me away. The drummer handed me a plastic cup. â€Å"This guy over there knows how to make vodka gimlets,† he said happily. I sniffed the cup. It smelled like pure vodka. Probably a cheap kind at that. â€Å"Thanks,† I said, literally keeping it at arm's length. Alec leaned against a nearby wall, propping his elbow against it to create a more enclosed sense of space between us. â€Å"So, did you like the show?† â€Å"Yes. Absolutely. You guys were amazing.† His chest puffed up with pride. â€Å"Thanks. We've been working really hard. We've got some other big shows coming up soon – I hope you'll come see us.† â€Å"I will if I can. I seem to be working a lot lately.† â€Å"Over at that bookstore with Doug? I can't figure that out. Neither of you seem like that type. Especially you. You look like someone with a wild side. Someone who likes to party. â€Å" I kept my smile up and took a step back. â€Å"Sure. Just not on school nights, you know?† Ignoring what I thought were obvious â€Å"back off† signs, he took a step toward me with a smile he probably believed was seductive. His clumsy attempts at flirtation suddenly seemed less endearing. â€Å"Come on,† he laughed. â€Å"Call in sick tomorrow. I know somewhere†¦somewhere we could go if you really wanted to have a good time. A more intense scene than this.† â€Å"No. I can't. Sorry. Um, thanks for the drink, but I've got to go ask Doug†¦uh, something about work. I'll see you around.† Clear disappointment flashed across Alec's face at my rejection, but he didn't push the matter as I made a hasty retreat toward Doug. When I found him, he and I didn't really discuss work, but we hashed out a number of other amusing topics, made more so by his increasing intoxication and the fact that he really did now have an entourage of groupies. It looked like he'd be getting lucky after all. If he was still running on the same energy tonight, he'd probably keep a bunch of them happy. Finally, tired of the scene, I told him good-bye and found Seth on the other side of the room. Not surprisingly, he was by himself and not drinking. He'd been born without the small-talk gene, and I knew for a fact interacting with others at parties made him uncomfortable. I had teased him in the past that he might actually be pleasantly surprised if he just made an attempt at talking to new people. He wouldn't have any of it, however. He seemed fairly entertained by people-watching, eyes twinkling and lips quirked in a half-smile as if he were in on some kind of joke the rest of us didn't know about. I wouldn't have been surprised if he was logging all of this for future novels. â€Å"Hey,† I said. He brightened upon seeing me. The twinkling eyes took on a warm, knowing look. Something inside of me heated and tightened. â€Å"Hey.† â€Å"I'm ready to go. You want to come over to my place?† He deserved it after the way I'd neglected him tonight. â€Å"Sure.† We were discussing who would leave first when I looked across the room and saw Alec handing Casey a drink. She looked like she'd already had more than enough, and Alec was doing the same closing-in maneuver he'd tried on me. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Seth, seeing my frown. â€Å"That new drummer. Alec. He hit on me earlier, and now he's moving in on Casey. I think he's one of those guys who thinks plying girls with liquor is the only way to get laid.† â€Å"Wait. I thought I was the only guy who knew that secret.† I chastised him with a dry look before turning back to Alec and Casey. â€Å"I don't like it. I don't like him thinking he can do that to women.† â€Å"You don't even know he's thinking that. Besides, look around. Every guy here is trying to get laid. Alcohol is par for the course. Casey's old enough to know that.† â€Å"I'm going to go over there.† Seth gave me a warning glance. â€Å"She won't thank you for playing mother hen.† â€Å"Better she's mad at me than does something stupid.† â€Å"Thetis, don't – â€Å" I'd already left him behind, weaving through the people as I honed in on my target. â€Å"†¦look like someone who likes to party,† Alec was saying as I approached. â€Å"Hey,† I said loudly, sort of wedging my way in between them. They both turned to me in surprise. â€Å"Hi, Georgina. What's up?† â€Å"I'm heading home,† I told her. â€Å"Wondered if you wanted a ride.† Casey smiled, glanced at Alec, then back to me. College-age, Casey was Hawaiian and Filipino, with high cheekbones and sleek black hair. Very pretty. â€Å"Thanks, but I'm gonna stay here for a while.† Alec looked very pleased with himself. I turned back to her. â€Å"Okay, but can I ask you something real quick, Case?† I smiled sweetly at Alec. â€Å"It'll just take a minute.† I steered her away, catching her as she stumbled. Closer inspection revealed she'd been indulging in more than just alcohol. â€Å"Casey,† I told her, once we were out of earshot, â€Å"I don't think you should be hanging around with him. â€Å" â€Å"Why not? He's a nice guy.† â€Å"I don't know about that. He just used the same pick-up lines on me. I think he's trying to get laid.† â€Å"Every guy here is trying to get laid. I know the game.† â€Å"Yeah, but – â€Å" â€Å"Look,† she said, â€Å"I appreciate the big sister thing, but I'm not stupid. I can handle this.† A mischievous look crossed her face. â€Å"Besides, I never would have thought you would be the one preaching sexual caution.† Like I didn't know what that was a reference to. Damn O'Neill's libido. I made a face and attempted a few more logical pleas. She rejected them all, indulgence soon giving way to annoyance. By then, Alec hadn't been able to control himself. He came back over and put a possessive arm around her. She looked up at him adoringly, and I knew a lost cause when I saw one. Seth and I met up back at my place, and he listened with admirable patience while I vented about men preying on women. â€Å"Isn't that what you do though?† We were sitting on my living-room floor, setting up a game of Scrabble. â€Å"I†¦no. It's not the same at all.† â€Å"How so?† He held my eyes for a moment, and I finally looked away. â€Å"It just isn't. Do you want to go first?† He let the matter drop. Another nice thing about being with a non confrontational guy. I quickly discovered playing Scrabble with Seth was like playing Monopoly with Jerome. A losing battle from the first turn. Admittedly, my knowledge of more than two dozen languages gave me a large vocabulary, but I didn't craft or manipulate words on a regular basis. Seth was a master. He could study the board, spend a minute calculating, and then play some word that was not only worth tons of points but interesting too. Maize. Hexagon. Tawdry. Bisque. That last one was just cruel. Meanwhile, I was spelling words like as, lit, ill, and tee. And almost never on high-point spaces. â€Å"Wait,† he said. â€Å"That's not a word.† I looked down to where, in a moment of desperation, I'd played zixic on a triple-word-score space. â€Å"Uh, sure it is.† â€Å"What's it mean?† â€Å"It's sort of like†¦quixotic, but with more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Bullshit?† I laughed out loud. I'd never heard him swear before. â€Å"More zeal. Hence the z.† â€Å"Uh-huh. Use it in a sentence.† â€Å"Um†¦'You are a zixic writer.'† â€Å"I don't believe this.† â€Å"That you're zixic?† â€Å"That you're trying to cheat at Scrabble.† He leaned back against my couch, shaking his head. â€Å"I mean, I was ready to accept the whole evil thing, but this is kind of extreme. â€Å" â€Å"Hey, it's not cheating. Just because your limited vocabulary doesn't include this word doesn't mean there's anything sinister going on.† â€Å"Care to back that up with a dictionary?† â€Å"Hey,† I said haughtily, â€Å"I don't appreciate your zixistic tone.† â€Å"If you weren't such a zixy woman, I'd be angry.† â€Å"Your zixicism is infuriating.† The game forgotten, we spent the next twenty minutes coming up with as many zix variations as we could. Interestingly, it seemed to function just as well as a suffix as a prefix. I suspected that if Bastien had heard this conversation, I'd be accused of more boring geekiness. Seth and I finally went to bed on the verge of hysterics, both of us still giggling once we were wrapped up in my covers. â€Å"You smell good,† I told him, my face close to his neck. â€Å"What cologne is that?† He stifled a yawn. â€Å"I don't wear cologne. Too strong.† â€Å"You must.† I pressed my face closer. â€Å"Hey, be careful. You're giving me funny ideas.† He had skin and sweat smells unique to him and him alone, deliriously delicious. With that, however, was a faint scent of something else. Almost like apples, but not in a girly, boutique sort of way. It was fleeting and lovely, mingled with musk and soft leather. â€Å"No, it's something. You must. Is it your deodorant?† â€Å"Oh,† he mumbled, yawning again. â€Å"I bet it's this soap Andrea and Terry got me. Came as part of some set.† â€Å"Mmm. It's perfect.† It made me want to eat his neck – among other things. â€Å"You know, you still owe me pancakes. I think I could go for†¦apple cinnamon ones now. â€Å" â€Å"Apple cinnamon? You sure are demanding.† â€Å"It's all right. I think you're man enough for it.† â€Å"Thetis, if I actually believed you had either apples or cinnamon in your kitchen, I'd make them for you right now.† I didn't answer. I was pretty sure I had some year-old Apple Jacks, but that was about it. Seth gave a low laugh at my silence and then kissed my temple. â€Å"I don't know how anyone could think you were Genevieve. I couldn't make up someone like you in a thousand years.† I considered that, not entirely sure if it was a compliment or not. â€Å"How do you come up with your characters then?† He laughed again. â€Å"If I didn't know any better – and I'm sure I do – I'd say that sounds suspiciously like ‘Where do you get your ideas from?'† I blushed in the darkness. When he and I had first met, I'd taken a haughty high ground over that question, making fun of the fans that so often asked him that. â€Å"Hey, it's a totally different question.† I could sense his amusement as he contemplated an answer. Part of the reason he stumbled in conversation sometimes was because he didn't like to blurt things out. He chose his words carefully. â€Å"They come from my head, I guess. The stories too. They live there, screaming to get out. If I didn't write them down, they'd eat me up. Give me less of a grip on the real world than I already have.† â€Å"Not that I'm complaining†¦but, if there's so much inside, do you even need to care about the real world?† â€Å"Well, that's the paradox. The stories are born in my head, but my inner self is fueled by my outer self. Symbiotic relationship of sorts. The stories' ideas wouldn't come if I didn't have experiences to draw on. Jealousy. Love. Lust. Anger. Heartache. All that stuff.† Something pulled inside of me. â€Å"You had your heart broken much?† He paused. â€Å"Of course. Everyone does. Part of life.† â€Å"Tell me her name. I'll kick her ass. I don't want anyone hurting you.† He rested his face against my hair, his tone even and gentle when he spoke. â€Å"You're wondrous and powerful and gifted, but even you can't save me from hurting. No one can do that for anyone. I can make things perfect in the fictions I create, but the real world isn't so kind. That's just how it is. And anyway, for every bad thing in life, there are more good things to tip the balance.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Like little blonde nieces. And royalty checks. And you.† I sighed and relaxed into him. His grip on me shifted into something more comfortable, and in a few minutes he was asleep. Amazing. I lay snuggled with him for a while, but sleep proved more elusive for me this time, as I turned over his words. I thought about someone breaking his heart and wondered if I'd be the next culprit, intentionally or otherwise. When sleep came, I immediately dropped into a steamy dream in which Seth and I were having mad, passionate sex. He'd tied my hands to my bedposts, and naturally, he was huge. Each thrust made my headboard bang against the wall, so much so that my neighbors complained. I woke up with a start, suddenly thinking being so entwined with him wasn't such a great idea. Of course, I was apparently the only one who had a problem with it. Seth slept on peacefully and heavily, like I wasn't even there, no doubt having properly chaste dreams. A paradigm of virtue and resolve. I watched him for a long time, admiring the way the soft lighting fell across his features. The fit muscles of his upper body. Eyelashes I wished I could have had as a mortal. Biting my lip, I resisted the urge to reach out and touch him. It was lust and something else, something that just wanted to be close to him. It scared me. Maybe he wasn't the only one who could walk away from this with a broken heart. I wiggled my own weak self away to the other side of the bed, putting what space I could between us. As I lay there, my back to him, Aubrey jumped up and lay next to my stomach. I stroked her black-speckled white head and sighed. â€Å"They were all wrong, Aub,† I whispered. â€Å"There's at least one guy in this world not trying to get laid.†