The Impact of Employee Participation for Transparency Research Paper

The Impact of Employee Participation for Transparency - Research Paper Example The selection process needs to be ethical, legal, documented, transparent and should involve the current or existing employees of the firm (Larson & Gray, 2006). The participatory approach is also crucial towards the implementation of team working activities. According to renowned scholars, whenever a company is thinking of bringing a new employee in the organization, their potential collaboration with the coworkers and fit in the system is important. As a result of that when an employee itself is a part of the recruitment process they become more committed to making the new joining employee get accustomed to the situation and succeed in their professional life. Hence, it is evident that employee participation in the process of employee recruitment is a beneficial factor for the firm (Love & Bullen, 2009). This research paper will, however, concentrate on the hiring and recruitment process of the public agencies and to what extent participation of the employees would ensure transpare ncy in the recruitment process. Summary of the literature Selecting and retaining the valuable and efficient employees is a key to business success. Employees who seek continuous skill development, as well as add value to the organization, are the most vital resources of the organization. Thus, it is extremely important to value the employees as well as put more efforts in selecting the right candidates. The principal element of any recruitment plan is to enhance the quality of staffing and developing the overall productivity of the organization. ... g employees and hiring the new employees is an area of business where the company is expected to maintain high levels of transparency, lucidity, and responsibility. Although, the same is evident in many companies whereas some companies often fail in maintain transparency in the recruitment process and are alleged of getting involved in biases or deceptive activities. According to Mumford (2011), one of the most useful ways to maintain transparency in the recruitment process is to involve the existing employees in the recruitment process. The same concept is applicable to the public agencies as well. Since the principal aim of these organizations is to make the welfare of the general public and profit making intention are on the second list, high levels of honesty and veracity in the recruitment process are expected from them. A number of research studies have shown that the recruitment process of the organizations differs in various aspects. For example, some companies have lengthy s creening process whereas some have a unique evaluation system. Nevertheless, what is important is to maintain a greater level of lucidity.  

The Sexual Misconduct Underage Girls In The Swimming Teams Undergo Movie Review

The Sexual Misconduct Underage Girls In The Swimming Teams Undergo Under Their Coaches - Movie Review Example The coaches see the girls as easy prey and spread their sexual tentacles to them. They threaten them to ensure that word of their sexual misconduct does not reach adults. Their sexual misconduct is a slow process that starts with simple talks and then advances to caressing. This is followed by kissing and later fondling. Some stop at this point but some coaches simply break the limit. They advance to deep kissing and later full sexual intercourse (Ross, 2010). They do not care that these are minors they are dealing with which is not only legally unacceptable but it is morally and ethically inappropriate. They do not care about the lives of the young girls they are messing around with nor do they care about the life long trauma the girls will get as a result of guilt and harboring secrets. All they care about are their own sexual gratification and when discovered, they quickly relocate to another state and continue the same cycle. The other key point raised is the fact that the US swimming association does not take the issue seriously. It defends their coaches and lets them back on the job after suspension or simply with a warning. They also fail to conduct proper background checks on a coach before being hired and they simply rely on official criminal records. Many coaches who are sexual molesters and have gotten away with it still roam around and seek similar jobs elsewhere and hunt for new preys to sexually molest.

Pediatric Trauma Scoring System in Predicting Mortality

Pediatric Trauma Scoring System in Predicting Mortality PEDIATRIC TRAUMA SCORE AS PREDICTOR OF OUTCOME OF PATIENTS ADMITTED TO CENTRALIZED SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT IN A GOVERNMENT TERTIARY HOSPITAL: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY I. Justification of the Study Intensive trauma care of pediatric patients is faced with many issues such as quality of care, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Scoring systems such as the Pediatric Trauma Score can aid in clinical decision making through objective measurement of severity of illness in relation to a particular outcome such as mortality or morbidity. In particular, scoring systems have become the standard for intensive care unit outcome and efficiency benchmarking. Furthermore, there is considerable difference between clinicians prognostication estimates. Early identification of patients with high probability of mortality can help families with difficult decisions, prevent unnecessary suffering and help direct limited resources to a more practical use. Thus, this study will investigate the use of a simple Pediatric Trauma Scoring system in predicting mortality. II. Relationships of research objectives, data substrates, operationally-defined variables and data analyses. Objective Data Substrates Operationally-defined variables Analyses To compare the outcome of patients to pediatric trauma score Pediatric trauma score sheet Pediatric Trauma Score Mortality rate per category of Pediatric Trauma Score Rate of patients with Prolonged Hospital Stay per category of Pediatric Trauma Score Relationship of outcome of patient (mortality and prolonged hospital stay) to pediatric trauma score TOPIC BACKGROUND Intensive trauma care of pediatric patients is faced with many issues such as quality of care, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.1 Quantitative observations of severity of illness in pediatric trauma using scoring systems has the potential to impact overall evaluation from baseline presentation to case endpoints.2 Scoring systems have become the standard for intensive care unit outcome and efficiency benchmarking.1 Early identification of patients with high probability of mortality can help families with difficult decisions, prevent unnecessary suffering and help direct limited resources to a more practical use.1 A Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS) was developed with grading variables commonly seen in pediatric trauma accounting for the unique physiological and anatomical nature. The PTS consists of six variables. Each variable is scored +2 for minimal or no injury, +1 for minor or potentially major injury, or -1 for major or life-threatening injury. The total score ranges from +12 to -6 with increasing severity.3 Scoring systems such as the Pediatric Trauma Score can aid in clinical decision making through objective measurement of severity of illness in relation to a particular outcome such as mortality or morbidity.4 Several studies revealed consistently the direct linear relationship between Pediatric Trauma Score and injury severity thereby confirming that P.T.S. is an effective predictor of both severity of injury and potential for mortality.5 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Most of the scoring systems are not appropriate for pediatric trauma patients. Variables such as respiratory rate, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure differ with infancy and childhood. In addition, the verbal response as used in GCS is not applicable for young children. For these reasons, Tepas and colleagues3 created the Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS). The authors stated that weight becomes a variable because pediatric patients had fewer physiologic reserve. Systolic blood pressure, patency of airway, level of consciousness, presence of wounds or fractures were variables included. 3 The presence of these injuries suggests severe energy transfer and positively correlates with concomitant visceral injury.10 Below is the Pediatric Trauma Score. Pediatric Trauma Score +2 +1 -1 Weight >20kg 10-20 kg Airway Patent Maintanable Unmaintainable Systolic B/P >90 mmHg 50-90 mmHg CNS Awake + LOC Unresponsive Fractures None Closed or suspected Multiple, closed or open Wounds None Minor Major, penetrating or burns The assessment of severity of illness as well as mortality predictive value of the Pediatric Trauma Score (P.T.S.) was evaluated in several studies with different conclusions. In a study by Tepas, three categories of patients with probability of mortality were identified. Pediatric trauma score of greater than 8 had a 0% mortality while pediatric trauma score between 0 and 8 had an increasing mortality related to their decreasing pediatric trauma score. Score of less than 0 had 100% mortality. This study documented the direct linear relationship between Pediatric Trauma Score and injury severity validating that P.T.S. is an effective predictor of both severity of injury and risk for mortality.5 Consistent with the findings of the latter, Ramenonofsky compared the evaluation of pediatric trauma patients by paramedic in the field versus the physician in the emergency room using the Pediatric Trauma Score. There was agreement between the scores of these two individuals 93.6% of the time, correlation coefficient 0.991, r2 = 0.982. The sensitivity and specificity of Pediatric Trauma Score was computed at 95.8% and 98.6%, respectively. He described Pediatric Tra uma Scoring System as a straightforward modality for assessing the severity of injury.6 Eichelberge examined the applicability of the PTS found significant correlations with survival, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and mortality. 8 On the other hand, the use of PTS as a predictor of mortality was found to be inadequate in a retrospective study by Balik. Size classification was noted to be overemphasized because of the low mortality (7.7%) in children less than 10 kg. Forty-nine of 71 surgically treated patients with intra-abdominal organ injuries had a PTS >8. The existing variables of PTS did not have equal relationships to mortality.7 Critics have also noted that the PTS suffers from scoring ambiguity leading to misinterpretation and inadequate scoring.11 Problem also arises due to a systematic bias in scoring. For example, the assessment of a patient’s consciousness can be done at the scene or on admission to the emergency department. 12 Despite exhaustive review of the literature on Pediatric Trauma Scoring, there has been no mention of the predictive value of Pediatric Trauma Scoring done on patients upon entry to an ICU. Conclusion of studies on Pediatric Trauma Score may be less generalizable due to possible variability in settings.9 RESEARCH QUESTION Among pediatric trauma patients admitted to Centralized Surgical Intensive Care Unit in Davao Regional Hospital, what is the relationship of outcome of patients to pediatric trauma score using a retrospective cohort study? SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Investigating the reliability of Pediatric Trauma Scoring system in predicting mortality and prolonged hospital stay is important. The results of this study can be a validation of earlier studies made on this scoring system as a tool in objective measurement of severity of illness as well as an intensive care unit outcome and efficiency benchmarking. OBJECTIVES To determine the pediatric trauma score of all patients and classify as to pediatric trauma score category of greater than 8, 0 to 8 and less than 0 To determine the mortality rate per pediatric trauma score category of greater than 8, 0 to 8 and less than 0 To determine the survival rate per pediatric trauma score category of greater than 8, 0 to 8 and less than 0 To determine the rate of pediatric trauma patients with prolonged hospital stay per pediatric trauma score category of greater than 8, 0 to 8 and less than 0 among surviving patients To determine the risk for mortality or prolonged hospital stay among pediatric trauma patients per pediatric trauma score category of greater than 8, 0 to 8 and less than 0 METHODOLOGY RESEARCH DESIGN A retrospective cohort study of all pediatric trauma patients admitted to Centralized Surgical Intensive Care Unit between January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013 in Davao Regional Hospital will be conducted. SETTING This study will be conducted in Davao Regional Hospital (DRH), a tertiary hospital with 250-bed capacity, in Tagum City. The Centralized Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CENSICU) is an intensive care unit for adult and pediatric surgical patients in Davao Regional Hospital. The Department of Surgery of Davao Regional Hospital is a member of the Mindanao Integrated Surgical Residency Training Program under the Department of Health, Region XI. PARTICIPANTS All pediatric trauma patients admitted to CENSICU in Davao Regional Hospital between January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013 will be retrospectively included in the study. INCLUSION CRITERIA All patients admitted to Centralized Surgical Intensive Care Unit due to trauma All patients aged less than 14 years old EXCLUSION CRITERIA Patients discharged against medical advice Patients transferred to another hospital OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS Traumaan injury to any site of the body described as multiple or single (neck, thorax, abdomen or extremeties) site caused by an extrinsic, blunt or penetrating agent Pediatric trauma patients-patients aged less than 14 years old admitted due to trauma Pediatric Non-Trauma patients- patients aged less than 14 years old admitted for surgical intervention of non-trauma cause (example: intestinal obstruction due to Hirschsprungs disease, massive pleural effusion due to malignancy) Prolonged Hospital Stay-length of hospital stay is more than 14 days with or without surgical intervention DATA GATHERING All pediatric trauma patients admitted to Centralized Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CENSICU) in Davao Regional Hospital between January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013 will be identified from the admission logbook in the CENSICU of Davao Regional Hospital. The patients will be identified using the inclusion and exclusion criteria . The list of patients will be submitted to Medical Records Section of Davao Regional Hospital for chart retrieval. The charts will be reviewed for the following data will be gathered from each patient: age in years, sex, length of hospital stay in days, weight in kilograms, systolic blood pressure in mmHg, patency of airway, loss of consciousness, presence of fractures and wounds. After calculating the Pediatric Trauma Score of each patient, the category of Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS greater than 8, PTS between 0 to 8, or PTS less than 0) can be determined. In addition, the outcome of the patient will be determined as to: Mortality With prolonged hospital stay among surviving patients MaIN OUTCOME MEASURES AND OTHER DEPENDENT VARIABLES The primary outcome is the mortality rate of admitted patients categorized per pediatric trauma score of greater than 8, pediatric trauma score of 0 to 8 and pediatric score of less than 0, respectively. The secondary outcomes are the following: Number of pediatric trauma patients categorized per pediatric trauma score of greater than 8, pediatric trauma score of 0 to 8 and pediatric score of less than 0, respectively Survival rate of admitted patients categorized per pediatric trauma score of greater than 8, pediatric trauma score of 0 to 8 and pediatric score of less than 0 Rate of surviving pediatric trauma patients with prolonged hospital stay per pediatric trauma score category of greater than 8, 0 to 8 and less than 0 INDEPENDENT VARIABLE The identified independent variables include age, sex, weight in kilograms, length of hospital stay, patency of airway, systolic blood pressure in mmHg, level of consciousness, presence of fractures and minor or major wounds. SAMPLE SIZE COMPUTATION Sample size for this study was computed using Epi Info 7 StatCalc. Calculations were based on the assumptions that: 1) the ratio of patients unexposed to the risk factor (i.e., PTS greater than 8) to patients exposed to the risk factor (i.e., PTS 8 or less) is 3; and 2) the prevalence of the outcome (i.e., death) in the unexposed group is 15%. Estimations were done in order for the study to detect an odds ratio of 5 as statistically significant. In a computation for odds ratio carried out with 5% level of significance, a sample size of 79 patients will have 80% power of rejecting the null hypothesis (no significant increase or decrease in odds ratio) if the alternative holds. DATA HANDLING AND ANALYSIS Clinical characteristics (age in years, sex, weight in grams, length of hospital stay), systolic blood pressure in mmHg, patency of airway, loss of consciousness, presence of fractures and wounds, and Pediatric Trauma scores of patients will be compared statistically. A p value will be computed to establish whether the difference in the values were significant or not. A p value The Pediatric Trauma Score of each patient will be calculated and the category of Pediatric Trauma Score (PTS greater than 8, PTS between 0 to 8, or PTS less than 0) to which the patient belongs will be determined. The total number of patients in each category will be evaluated. Outcome (mortality rate or survival rate) of each patient belonging to a particular category will be tallied and each frequency computed. Among surviving patients, length of stay will be evaluated as to prolonged (>14 days) or not prolonged. Rate of surviving patients with prolonged hospital stay will be determined. Risk of mortality as well as prolonged hospital stay among surviving patients will be expressed in odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval.

Teenage Depression Statistics Essay -- Psychology, Pessimism, Social

Twenty percent of teens in America today suffer from at least one symptom of depression.( Teenage Depression Statistics ) Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts, that affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. Depression symptoms include loss of emotional expression, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, and social withdrawal (Teenage Depression Statistics )Holden Caulfield, in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, suffers from symptoms of depression. Because of his mental illness, he is a misunderstood, confused young character who is in search of his identity and place in the world. He suffers from symptoms of depression, which are rooted in a lack of closure concerning his brother's death. The devastation Holden experiences after Allie's death is understandable. This unfortunately leads to a lack of personal motivation, low self esteem and compulsive lying. Holden's inability t o self-reflect and his stubbornness in overlooking the obvious has resulted in a chronic lack of motivation. Holden lacks the necessary ability to motivate himself, which is required to survive in the 'real' world. Holden feels no need to self motivate, because all those who survive in the 'real' world, he considers phonies. He is unable to realize the importance of progress, maturity and responsibility. Compulsive lying is a trait that Holden demonstrates. Holden would lie to people simply so they could not become closer to the real Holden. Holden tells lies on several occasions attempting to gain sympathy from others. Holden pathetically informs Mrs. Morrow, " I have to have a tiny operation... it isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor ... ...ing thoughts In conclusion, Holden Caulfield is a troubled young man who is isolated from the 'real' world and the adult wold. Holden is stuck the path of moving from adolescence and innocence to to and adult world he considers insensitive and phony. Holden has issues discovering his personal identity as he isolates himself. Shutting the world out and scrutinizing those whom he considers to be "phonies." Because he is so eager to criticize the world around him. Holden thus is differentiated from those in society. It is an undeniable fact, that each one of use at some point or another must grow up. Holden is unable to grasp this idea and this leads to his nervous breakdown . If Holden had a less traumatic past and had the ability and willingness to connect to others and create and maintain relationships he would have a less unsettling furture ahead of him.

The Pearl Characters Pen Portrait

Pen Portraits-The Pearl Juana- Juana is a very young lady and she has just had her first child. In the starting of the book, she is very calm and does not speak much. Towards the end of the book she is a lot more aggressive and speaks more than she used to. Her attitude changes and she stays by Kino whatever happens. An example is when Kino has killed a man; she helps him hide the dead body instead of telling anyone of the crime. Steinbeck also writes that when she carries out her way of curing Coyotito by putting the poultice on his sting, she does not have any faith in her technique and thinks that they should go to the doctor.This is the proof that tells us that she has a strong belief in authority. At the end of the book, she becomes very stubborn and this stubbornness leads to her son’s death. When Kino tells Juana that she should hide with Coyotito to stay safe, she says no three times without any hesitation or weakness. This is an example of her stubbornness. If she wou ld have hidden with Coyotito, the consequences could have differed. My opinion of Kino is that she was a very strong character and had a very large roll to play in this book.Her roll was not only protecting Coyotito, but she was also Kino’s largest support. Kino- Kino is a young man who thinks he will achieve everything after he gets the pearl. He has too many ambitions such as sending his son to school, getting married, and having a rifle. He tells his ambitions to all the villagers and the priest becomes even greedier after hearing what he can do with just a Pearl. Although the priest cannot do anything wrong as he is a religious man, the doctor can. He also sets himself some ambitions such as drinking wine in a rich restaurant.But to achieve his ambitions he must have the pearl. He tries to seal it but is not successful. Kino knows that on the way to achieving his ambitions he will have to face evil but he is too greedy and the greed makes him blind. All he can see are his ambitions. His foolishness is also a reason of his son’s death. If he would have sold it for 1500 pesos than his sons death could have been avoided, but as I have written, greed can make a person blind. In my opinion, Kino was trapped by the pearl and he can do nothing to get rescue himself from the pearls invisible trap.It is not every day that a man gets lucky. And when Kino gets lucky, he wants to make too much from the luck and this teaches him a lesson; â€Å"you should always be happy with what you have†. Juan Tomas- Juan Tomas is Kino’s bigger brother and his wife is Apolonia. Juan Tomas warns Kino about the consequences of what the pearl could do. Kino does not listen to his brother and very unfortunate consequences follow. For example, Juan Tomas says ‘there is a devil in this pearl’ but Kino knows this but instead of throwing it away, he keeps it as a hope, he keeps it as his soul.When Kino kills a man in self-defense, Juan Tomas and Apol onia hide Kino’s family. This shows us that Juan Tomas’ nature is very helpful although he knows that he is helping a criminal who could be sent to jail or even executed, he remembers that he is Kino’s brother and should always stay as a support for him and his family From my opinion, He is a very humble man and seems happy with his post in his life; yet, he understands Kino and why he wants to earn too much from the pearl. Juan Tomas, although he has a very short part to play, it is still a very important one.

Alzheimer’s Disease Research Paper Essay

â€Å"Five million people in America have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and one in three seniors will die because of this disease of another form of dementia† ( Lawrence Robinson). Alzheimer’s is a disease that gradually worsens with time, and is incurable. This horrible disease is also hereditary and can cause a family much pain. I’ve experienced Alzheimer’s first hand. My grandfather was diagnosed in April of 2007 and passed away April of 2012. It was a long a winding journey and I remember all the stages of his illness really well. The first sign of Alzheimer’s is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. I remember like it was yesterday. The first time my grandpa did something strange that raised a red flag. Me and my brother were staying with our grandparents one weekend I was 11 and my brother 15. One night me maw told us guys (me, my brother and granddad) to get some food she had ordered from a place called Abe’s that we were oh so familiar with. We got in the truck and headed down the road, carrying on conversation we didn’t even realize that we had passed our destination. The truck stopped at Poppies, puzzled I asked what we are doing here. My grandpa looked back at me and explained that we were picking up dinner. I laughed and said we are supposed to go to Abe’s. He gave me a real dumbfounded look and said lets go inside. He proceeded to go to the counter and asked for our order that me maw had placed we begged him to get in the car we looked so stupid. Finally my brother got my grandmother on the phone and handed it to him. She chewed him out, like a dog with his tail between his legs he walked out we followed suite. At that time in my life I had not the slightest clue of any mental illness such Alzheimer’s but I’m pretty sure my brother did. He stared out the window, not saying a word the whole way back as me and grandpa laughed and giggled about the incident. Throughout my research I have found that â€Å"Alzheimer’s is hereditary and in some studies say it skips a generation†( Mayo Clinic staff). In my case could be me that inherits this disease. Knowing what I know now I’ll have check-ups annually, not because I’m scared of dying but for the quality of life I may live. â€Å"Alzheimer’s attacks four of the 23 chromosomes in a human’s body. It is similar to Down syndrome just happening in a later age†( Jon Glass). In the play we are talking about, in my opinion Willy has this disease and can be important because one of his sons could inherit it. I find it strange that no one in Willy’s family is concerned or wants to take him to a doctor to find out what’s going on. Alzheimer’s disease is a very cruel illness and I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy. I’ve seen the things that monster of a thing can do to the sick, and the loved ones caring for the victim. I’ve learned the best thing to do is to get help, be patient and love the ill unconditionally.

Sensation and Perception Essays

Sensation and Perception Essays Sensation and Perception Essay Sensation and Perception Essay Sensation is a process by which we detect physical energy from the environment and encode it as neuron signals.   Perception is the process by which we select, organize, and interpret our sensations.   Sensory adaptation occurs when our sensitivity is diminished due to unchanging stimulus; in other words, after constant exposure to a stimulus, our nerve cells fire less frequently (we â€Å"feel it† less, it becomes almost unnoticeable).   Even though sensory adaptation reduces our sensitivity, it enables us to focus our attention on informative changes in our environment, without being distracted by the uninformative constant stimuli we are bombarded with (like the feel of our clothing, or the sound of street noise).Pain is your body’s way of telling you that   something has gone wrong.   It is not just a matter of sensing, but is also a property of the brain.   However, the pain system is not located in any one simple neural cord connected to a specific par t of the brain.   There is no one type of stimulus that triggers pain, and there are no specific receptors for pain.   At low intensities, the stimuli that cause pain can also cause other sensations, such as warmth or coolness.There is no one pain theory that explains all findings, but there are some useful theories that try to offer explanations.   The gate-control theory proposes that the spinal cord contains a neurological â€Å"gate† that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain.   The â€Å"gate† is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain.   In the cultural differences in pain theory, different cultures understand pain differently and place different significance on certain sensations.   One culture’s severe pain might be another’s minor ache, something that is just accepted as the way it is and thus needs to be dealt with, not allowing it to become a primary point of focus.

Italian Verbs Conjugated With Two Pronominal Particles

Italian Verbs Conjugated With Two Pronominal Particles Italian pronominal verbs (verbi pronominali) are verbs conjugated with two different pronominal particles (particelle pronominali). In the infinitive, these verbs frequently end in -sene (such as tornarsene or vergognarsene) or else have other pronominal  particles attached (such as mettercela or squagliarsela). Oftentimes these verbs are used idiomatically. Intransitivi Pronominali There are several pronominal verbs which are intransitive. Examples include curarsene and partirsene, in which the reflexive pronoun si is used to emphasize the concept or describe a reciprocal action and the pronoun can mean about it, any, some, or from there. Note that the pronoun si becomes se when followed by another particle (partirsene and not partirsine). Below is a list of some common intransitivi pronominali: approfittarsene: to take advantage of something or somebodycurarsene (or prendersene cura): to be cured ofdirsene di tutti i colori: to call one another namesfregarsene: not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)- Me ne frego.guardarsene: to beware, to avoidinfischiarsene: not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)- Me ne infischio.intendersene: to be an expertinvaghirsene: to become infatuated; dated, but can be still encountered in written speech- Narciso vide il suo viso riflesso nellacqua e se ne invaghà ¬.lavarsene (le mani): to wash ones hands of somethingoccuparsene: to take care of somethingpentirsene: to regret somethingsbattersene : not to care (colloquial; to be avoided in formal situations)- Me ne sbatto.tornarsene: emphatic for - Basta! Me ne torno da mia madre! Andarsene The verb andarsene (to go away- used emphatically) is a frequently encountered Italian pronominal verb and can serve as a model for conjugating similar verbs. Here are some examples of the verb andarsene used in a sentence: Vattene, non ti voglio pià ¹ vedere! (go away, I dont want to see you again)Me ne vado (Im going away)Perchà © ve ne andate?(Why are you going away?)Se ne stava tutta sola in un angolo† (she was sitting in a corner all by herself); Note, when conjugating the imperative and gerund of andarsene and similar verbs that have two pronominal  particles that both are appended to the conjugated verb (Andatevene!; Vattene!; Andiamocene!), while in other moods and tenses the pronoun ne, as well as the particles mi, ti, si, ci, and vi precede the verb. In addition, the particles make a phonetic change to me, te, se, ce, and ve. Two Pronominal  Particles In addition to the ending -sene, some Italian pronominal verbs are formed with the reflexive particle sà © plus a pronome oggetto (object pronoun), or else a combination with the particles ci and ne. These verbs frequently have idiomatic meanings also. More Italian Pronominal Verbs / Verbi Pronominali avercela: to be angry withcavarsela: to get out of a difficulty- Siamo riusciti a cavarcela.darsele: to come to blows- Carlo e Giacomo se le sono date per lei.darsela a gambe: to run awaydormirsela: to sleep soundly- Io lavoro e lui se la dorme! farcela: to manage- Scommetto che ce la farai a superare l’esame.filarsela: to beat it- Potrebbero sorprenderci, à ¨ meglio filarsela.godersela: to have a good time- Lui sà ¬ che se la gode!intendersela: to have an affair- Sai con chi se la intende? Se la sono intesa per un anno e poi si sono lasciati.mettercela tutta: do ones bestprendersela: to take offenseprendersela (comoda): to take ones time- Prenditela pure comoda, non cà ¨ fretta.squagliarsela: to sneak away- Ce la siamo squagliata per non incontrarli.svignarsela: to sneak away- Appena possibile ce la svignamo.trovarcisi: to find oneselfvedercisi: to see oneself doing somethingvedersela brutta: to fear the worst

A Case Study On Devlin Philosophy Essay

A Case Study On Devlin Philosophy Essay Devlin had a very keen inquiry regarding law and morality and he was in favour of interference of law in the case of private morality, whereas Hart was in favour of individual rights. Dworkin was famous for his critique of Hart’s legal positivism. . Instead he was in favour of a middle ground between positivism and natural law. Morality differs from place to place, country to country. For example, adultery is a crime in most Asian countries but not in United Kingdom. This essay consist of Wolfenden committee’s report, the inquiry of Devlin about the report, analysis of HART’s individual rights, HART- Devlin debate and Dworkin’s full analysis of all the reports. The Wolfenden Report: In 1957 the committee on homosexual offenses and prostitution under the chairmanship of Sir John Wolfenden published its report, bringing the issue of legal regulation of morality to the forefront of public attention.   [ 1 ]    The committee gave their most significant pr oposal that homosexual conduct between consenting adults in confidential should no longer be criminal offense, which we believe to be crucial, specially the importance which society and the law must give to freedom of a person of choice and action in private morality matters.   [ 2 ]    Devlin’s Inquiry about the Wolfenden Report: Devlin took an interest about the report as he has to pass the sentence as a Judge. According to Devlin if a female is punished for abortion then there is no difference between crime and sin. So there should not be any separation between crime and moral law. After publication of Wolfenden report he argued that â€Å"The suppression of vice is as much the law’s business as the suppression of subversive activities.   [ 3 ]   Devlin pointed out three questions: Firstly, is society entitled to pass judgement on all matters or can pass on some matters or reserved it into the private sphere?   [ 4 ]    Secondly, if society is entitled to pass judgement, is it also entitled to use law as a means of enforcement?   [ 5 ]    Thirdly, if the second question receives an affirmative answer, is society entitled to use the law in all matters or only in some?   [ 6 ]    Now the question is what is meant by society? According to Devlin, society means a community of ideas, without shared ideas on politics, moral and ethics no society can exist.   [ 7 ]   Each one of us has ideas about good and evil, they cannot be kept private from the society in which we live. If man and woman try to create a society in which there is no fundamental agreement about good and evil they will fail, if having based it on common agreement, the agreement goes, the society will disintegrate.   [ 8 ]    For society is not something that is kept together physically, it is held by the invisible bonds of common thought, if the bonds are too far relaxed, the members would drift apart, a common morality is part of the bondage, the bondage is part of the price of society, mankind which needs society must pay its price.   [ 9 ]    According to Devlin the answer of his first question would depends upon the second question’s answer. If society has no right to make judgement on morals, the law must find some special justifications for entering into the field of morality, if homosexuality and prostitutions are not in themselves wrong, the onus very clearly on the law giver who wants to frame a law against certain aspects of them to justify the exceptional treatment.   [ 10 ]   But if a society has a right to make a judgement and has it on the basis that a recognised morality is as necessary to society, say a recognised government, then society may use the law to preserve morality in the same way as its uses it to safeguard anything else that is essential to its existence.   [ 11 ]

Managing Business in Europe - Airbus versus Boeing Research Paper

Managing Business in Europe - Airbus versus Boeing - Research Paper Example The formation of the European Monitory Union (EMU) and its subsequent policies stirred the aircraft manufacturing industry to a new level of anxiety and competition. At the forefront of this competition, wars are the two major manufacturers of large commercial aircrafts, Boeing and Airbus. The success story or lack thereof of the euro poses a lot of challenges to the role the U.S dollar has played in the international aircraft market, more so in the European market. Most affected in this regard is Boeing, which carries out its production and sales using the dollar. The negative impacts of a credible euro on the dollar stem from the fact that the euro has become an attractive alternative to the dollar in the European aircraft market. The euro’s challenge to the dollar as the world’s leading currency in the aviation industry still attracts a lot of debates and uncertainty. On one side of the debate are those stakeholders holding the opinion that forces of inertia will sti ll see the dollar maintain its role as the leading currency in the aviation industry for quite a long time. The euro-enthusiasts, on the other hand, foresee a situation in which the euro will soon rival the dollar as the preferred currency in the aviation industry’s manufacturing subsector. Besides the above lines of thought, there are those aviation stakeholders who assert that it is too early to postulate on the long-term impacts of the EMU on the role of the dollar or the euro on the manufacturers of aircraft such as Boeing and Airbus.

Human Resource Management Relations and Rewards Essay

Human Resource Management Relations and Rewards - Essay Example â€Å"Grievances are best dealt with at an early stage, informally, with the immediate line manager. However, organizations should have formal procedures in place to handle cases left unresolved. Having formal grievance procedures in place allows employers to give reasonable consideration to any issues which can't be resolved informally and to deal with them fairly and consistently†. The problems are solved in the grievance hearing meeting. The line manager will hear the complaint of the employee first and then it is taken a open discussion by the group about the issues. Disciplinary cases include poor performance or misconduct by the employee during his work .If an employee’s performance does not meet the set standards, the employer has to improve the performance through informal discussion with the employee. But if the employee continues his poor performance, the employer has to take disciplinary actions against him. Basic useful direction is given in the Acas Code of Practice on Grievance and Discipline issues. It provides a detailed guidance and advice for the employers and employees which will be useful to them in their current and future career. This code is adopted to help the employer and employee to handle the disciplinary and grievance issues in the working environment. â€Å"If the employer decides to a take disciplinary action or dismiss the employee, they should follow the procedures which are laid out in the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures†.

Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Cancer - Essay Example Cancer may affect people of all ages, but the chances of occurrence increases with age. Though it is found to affect people all over the world, it is identified as one of the major causes of death in developed countries. Cells do divide and proliferate in most tissues, but the body exercises strict control over the proliferation and death of cells, in order to maintain a balance. The mutations in cell DNA sometimes disrupt this control, leading to cancer. The result is usually a tumor, which may be benign or malignant. Benign ones neither spread to other tissues nor invade others, and is not life threatening except in some cases where their presence compresses critical organs etc. Malignant tumors are life threatening since they invade and spread to other tissues. Cancer can be of many types and are usually identified by the location of the most severe manifestation of the disease. The site of occurrence, character of malignancy, and evidence of metastasis etc determine the severity. Examination of the affected tissue by a pathologist is essential to arrive at a definite diagnosis. Surgery or biopsy is needed to extract tissue. Once identified, there are specific treatments for cancer depending on l ocation, severity and other factors. Common forms of treatment are surgical removal, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Many cancers can be cured by proper and timely treatment. Untreated cancers may eventually result in death. It is commonly believed that cancer strikes for no apparent reason. Such a belief has grown since medical science has so far not been able to identify a direct, one-to-one reason for the occurrence of cancer. However, despite being unable to identify every cause, it has been possible to identify many of the factors that cause cancer. The causative factors are either intrinsic, such as heredity, diet or hormones or extrinsic, such as chemicals, radiation, viruses or bacteria. The common perception that smoking causes cancer arises from this

Answer questions'' toenails'' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Answer questions'' toenails'' - Essay Example The narrator was pointing out the need of young doctors to take a break and refresh themselves. He observed that due to the high level of energy of young doctors, the work really hard and continuously. In this case most are burnt out early leading to giving up or hating the profession that they worked hard for. He even explained that a person should know the importance of his or her own self like a priest, it is important to nourish his faith so that he can help others strengthen theirs. The narrator had special nicknames to every member of the library regulars and Neckerchief became his friend. One day when he noticed that Neckerchief is wincing as he walks, he discovered that he has toenail problem. He then decided to get the toenail cutters from the hospital, bring it to the library and cut his friend’s toenails. This act revealed that even during breaks, the narrator cannot put his vocation on pause. His dedication to the need of patients or people can be observed in his every action. In terms of the conversation with the nurse, it can be presumed that they have a friendship that can be based on working together a long time. Also, the nurse can be older than the narrator since a parental care even while teasing and joking can be observed. The climax is the part wherein Neckerchief felt relief due to the fact that he can walk better and with less pain after his toenails were cut. This led to the decision of the narrator to help all the people in his â€Å"library group.† The plot of the short story revolves around the doctor who recognizes the need to take a break from work to be able to refresh himself in order to fully and optimally help his patients by going to a library and fulfill his love for reading. In the process though, he still was able to help more people by being a person who really cares about his patients, and other people in need of assistance. The theme represents the

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION (700 words) Managing Groups and Teams Essay

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION (700 words) Managing Groups and Teams - Essay Example There was a feeling that some people in the group always benefit at the expense of others. Such sentiments had been gained after watching movies where in most cases those who did not put any effort benefited the most, while the hard working people got a small share of the reward. However, hard work, as groups is advantageous than working individually. This is because it is possible knowing much through the discussions forums. Group activities have made it possible for me to change the bad attitude towards group work. It was learned that working as groups can be sometimes motivational to members. The greatest lesson learned through the group work was that teamwork involves synchronizing aptitudes, attributes, and positions. The same sentiments are shared by Cardona and Wilkinson â€Å"If people use their aptitudes and position in an isolated way without taking other team members’ aptitude and positions into account, they are not working as a team. Rather, they are working on their own company† (Cardona and Wilkinson, 2006, p. 3). In the group, members were motivated by encouraging them to do the research and were given assistance in cases of difficulties. Gradually, each other’s weakness were learned and eventually, it was possible to work on the weak points hence making the weak group members strong. During the group work, various challenges were encountered. One of the challenges was that the group had not met before with the rest of the group members. This made the initial stages difficult. However, as time progressed, they understood each other’s weaknesses group. The group work became easy for them and even enjoyed participation. Additionally, there was the intellectual challenge, which involved understanding the behaviors and characteristics of group members. This mainly occurred during group discussions. It became evident that some members had a difficult time in settling for a good answer with other group members. Most notably, there was a

Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Cancer - Essay Example Cancer may affect people of all ages, but the chances of occurrence increases with age. Though it is found to affect people all over the world, it is identified as one of the major causes of death in developed countries. Cells do divide and proliferate in most tissues, but the body exercises strict control over the proliferation and death of cells, in order to maintain a balance. The mutations in cell DNA sometimes disrupt this control, leading to cancer. The result is usually a tumor, which may be benign or malignant. Benign ones neither spread to other tissues nor invade others, and is not life threatening except in some cases where their presence compresses critical organs etc. Malignant tumors are life threatening since they invade and spread to other tissues. Cancer can be of many types and are usually identified by the location of the most severe manifestation of the disease. The site of occurrence, character of malignancy, and evidence of metastasis etc determine the severity. Examination of the affected tissue by a pathologist is essential to arrive at a definite diagnosis. Surgery or biopsy is needed to extract tissue. Once identified, there are specific treatments for cancer depending on l ocation, severity and other factors. Common forms of treatment are surgical removal, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Many cancers can be cured by proper and timely treatment. Untreated cancers may eventually result in death. It is commonly believed that cancer strikes for no apparent reason. Such a belief has grown since medical science has so far not been able to identify a direct, one-to-one reason for the occurrence of cancer. However, despite being unable to identify every cause, it has been possible to identify many of the factors that cause cancer. The causative factors are either intrinsic, such as heredity, diet or hormones or extrinsic, such as chemicals, radiation, viruses or bacteria. The common perception that smoking causes cancer arises from this

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION (700 words) Managing Groups and Teams Essay

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION (700 words) Managing Groups and Teams - Essay Example There was a feeling that some people in the group always benefit at the expense of others. Such sentiments had been gained after watching movies where in most cases those who did not put any effort benefited the most, while the hard working people got a small share of the reward. However, hard work, as groups is advantageous than working individually. This is because it is possible knowing much through the discussions forums. Group activities have made it possible for me to change the bad attitude towards group work. It was learned that working as groups can be sometimes motivational to members. The greatest lesson learned through the group work was that teamwork involves synchronizing aptitudes, attributes, and positions. The same sentiments are shared by Cardona and Wilkinson â€Å"If people use their aptitudes and position in an isolated way without taking other team members’ aptitude and positions into account, they are not working as a team. Rather, they are working on their own company† (Cardona and Wilkinson, 2006, p. 3). In the group, members were motivated by encouraging them to do the research and were given assistance in cases of difficulties. Gradually, each other’s weakness were learned and eventually, it was possible to work on the weak points hence making the weak group members strong. During the group work, various challenges were encountered. One of the challenges was that the group had not met before with the rest of the group members. This made the initial stages difficult. However, as time progressed, they understood each other’s weaknesses group. The group work became easy for them and even enjoyed participation. Additionally, there was the intellectual challenge, which involved understanding the behaviors and characteristics of group members. This mainly occurred during group discussions. It became evident that some members had a difficult time in settling for a good answer with other group members. Most notably, there was a

Being a Rich and Fabulous CEO Essay Example for Free

Being a Rich and Fabulous CEO Essay CIMB Wealth Advisors (CWA) was incorporated in 1990. Since then, they have becoming among the top ranking in the wealth management and financial service industry. It provides a complete financial system with comprehensive solutions for wealth management for their client. On June 6 2013, CWA team successfully carried out a career talk for the student of INTI International University College, Subang Jaya. Everyone can take part in this career talk especially to those who taking business course. The talk started at about 2:30pm with the master of ceremonies by one of our college student. She gave us a short background of the talk later. The MC then introduced the Vice president of CWA, John Lau. He started to explain to us the topic of the talk. The title of the talk was â€Å"Being a Rich and Fabulous CEO†. The purpose that having this talk with everyone is telling us the way and tips to become a successful CEO although just a normal business man. Firstly, he explain to us what’s CWA helping to us. He also let us know how much income that every level class of worker or manager earning every year. Beside that, he told us need to set a goal for our future. Instead, he let us know what attitude and personality that every successful person that must have. For example, do not order others people doing something else, but the best one is listens to the comment or feedback and do something on it. Every successful CEO or leader must listen to others in order to let other people to listen on you. Become a CEO was a dream of every human, but dream without action, dreams still remains dreams. The speech was finish in 35mins. After that, we having the â€Å"role playing game†. We separated to few small groups. The rules was create a new company with one CEO. CEO must be chosen in one of us inside the group. Then, we have to create a new plan for our company. Beside of that, the plan must be persuade the judges to sign up for our plan. The power of teamwork has shown when we giving our best idea to each other. The ability and the spirit of leadership are important for group or maybe a company. This talk help us a lot in what are the ways we need to do when we graduated and also planning our future from now on. There is no such thing as a free lunch, so we must start from the low.

Examining the theory of mind hypothesis for autism

Examining the theory of mind hypothesis for autism The Theory of Mind (TofM) hypothesis for autism has been investigated extensively in the last 30 years. This essay will review the literature which examines this theory, considering a wide range of methodological and theoretical approaches. It will be argued that whilst there are several strengths of the theory, the TofM hypothesis cannot account for the non-social symptoms of ASD, and therefore cannot be considered to provide a comprehensive account of the disorder. Cognitive evidence (including a range of TofM tests), theoretical issues, and alternative hypotheses of autism will be considered. What is the Theory of Mind Hypothesis for Autism? The TofM hypothesis of autism was first proposed by Baron-Cohen, Leslie and Frith in 1985. It proposed that individuals with autism lack a TofM, leading them to have specific deficits, such as an inability to partake in pretend play and impairment in social skills. The theory has been controversial since its proposal, with several alternative hypotheses being suggested. Cognitive Evidence The earliest tests of TofM ability often relied heavily on tests of false belief, in which participants are required to understand that other people do not necessarily know (or believe) the same as them. For example, Baron-Cohen, Leslie and Frith (1985) investigated TofM ability in children with autism and children with Downs syndrome, and found those with autism were significantly impaired in their understanding of false belief, suggesting a deficit in TofM ability in autism, and thereby supporting the TofM hypothesis for autism. Similar tests involving false belief, such as those carried out by Happe (1995), have supported findings by Baron-Cohen, Leslie and Frith (1985), providing strong support for the TofM hypothesis of autism. The principle problem in using false belief tests is their reliance on language use. (Bloom and German, 2000). Colle, Baron-Cohen and Hill (2007) investigated concerns that a potential inability to understand language associated with false belief tasks may result in individuals with autism failing these tasks, despite have the TofM ability required to pass tests (e.g. Bloom and German, 2000). They used a non-verbal false belief test to compare the TofM understanding of children with ASD to children with SLI, and found that autistic children have specific deficits in TofM which were not present in the SLI control group. They concluded that previous findings of a TofM deficit by research using standard tests of false belief (e.g. Surian and Leslie, 1999) were unlikely to have been confounded by language ability, thereby revalidating claims made by this research. However, there are other issues associated with the reliability of false belief tasks. For example, Bloom and German (2000) have suggested that a single test of TofM is unlikely to comprehensively test all elements of TofM ability in an individual. Furthermore, whilst research in the field shows the majority of autistic participants fail tests of false belief, a small minority of high-functioning autistic individuals pass the test (e.g. Baron-Cohen, Leslie and Frith, 1985). This has raised questions regarding the ability of false belief tests to recognise subtle deficits in TofM ability potentially shown in the high-functioning autistic population (Rutherford, Baron-Cohen and Wheelwright, 2002). As a result, new research in the field has often focused on using alternative tests of TofM. The Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001) is an alternative to false belief tasks, in which participants are required to recognise emotions based on images of a persons eyes. To pass this test, participants must rely on subtle cues indicated in the eyes, thereby indicating ability in mental state understanding, or TofM. Baron-Cohen et al. (2001) used this test to show that individuals with ASD are significantly impaired in their ability to recognise emotions using subtle cues, thereby indicating a deficit in TofM ability. A similar test was used by Rutherford, Baron-Cohen and Wheelwright (2002) and Golan et al. (2007) in which participants were required to establish how a person was feeling after listening to a phrase spoken by that person. This test also indicated social impairments caused by a deficit in TofM ability in ASD, as participants with ASD were significantly impaired in their ability to recognise emotions using vocal cues. Research into TofM ability using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test is particularly beneficial in supporting the TofM hypothesis. Methodologically, the test does not rely on language comprehension, and therefore passing or failing the test is based purely on TofM ability. Both the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test and the Voice variation are able to detect subtle differences in participants social sensitivity, allowing for deficits to be identified in populations that often pass false belief tasks (such as individuals with high-functioning Autism, Baron-Cohen, Leslie and Frith, 1985), and thereby suggesting the TofM hypothesis is generalisable and universal across the highly varied autistic population. The Faux Pas test was also developed by Baron-Cohen et al. (1999), and assesses recognition of faux pas (defined as being when something is said without consideration of whether the information may be something that the listener does not wish to hear or know, Baron-Cohen et al., 1999). In 2009, Zalla et al. investigated faux pas recognition ability in individuals with Aspergers syndrome using the Faux Pas test, and found these individuals made significantly more errors in detecting faux pas than typically developing individuals, were unable to correctly justify the speakers behaviour and were unable to comprehend the impact of this behaviour. Zalla et al. (2009) concluded that this showed a specific deficit in TofM ability in individuals with ASD. Methodologically, research using tests of faux pas lend strong support for the ToM hypothesis for autism by using an alternative test to false belief tasks. Using faux pas tests helps to revalidate claims made by the theory, which could have been considered questionable if relying purely on false belief tests. As a result, these tests provide strong support for the theory that individuals with autism have deficits in TofM. The TofM hypothesis for autism is also strongly supported by research into joint attention ability in autism (Baron-Cohen, 2009). Evidence suggests that joint attention and TofM ability are linked, such that early joint attention ability is a precursor to TofM ability (e.g. Charman et al., 2000). Furthermore, research has indicated that joint attention skills are significantly impaired in infants with ASD. For example, Charman (2003) investigated joint attention ability in infants (aged 20 months) with autism, and found significant deficits. Charman then assessed the social and communication symptoms of these infants at 42 months, and found that symptom severity was correlated with joint attention disability indicated at 20 months. Colombi et al. (2009) also found that young autistic children show joint attention deficits. As joint attention ability is considered to be a precursor for TofM ability, this suggests that TofM deficits are present from infancy or birth in individuals with ASD. This thereby provides support for the TofM hypothesis as a causal account of autism, by suggesting that a TofM deficit may be a primary deficit. This concept is supported by research into symptom severity and TofM ability. In 2003, Tager-Flusberg et al. used a battery of tests to assess TofM ability and symptom severity in autistic participants, and found that severity of social and communication symptoms was partially explained by TofM impairment. These conclusions imply that TofM deficits are causal in producing the social and communication impairments shown in ASD, thereby supporting claims made by the TofM hypothesis that a deficit causes symptoms associated with the condition. In 2007, Tager-Flusberg presented one of the most comprehensive reviews of the hypothesis to date. She assessed evidence which addressed key issues associated with the theory (for example, why some children pass false belief tasks, and whether a TofM deficit can account for all deficits associated with autism), evaluating a wide range of evidence (including cognitive testing and neurological evidence). She concluded that whilst there is a TofM deficit in autism, the hypothesis cannot account for all deficits in social-affective information processing associated with the condition. The issue raised by Tager-Flusberg (2007) is perhaps the most important weakness in the TofM hypothesis. Whilst the theory provides an explanation for social and communication deficits typically found in ASD (as successful communication skills require TofM ability, Baron-Cohen, 2009), there is no evidence to suggest that a TofM deficit may account for symptoms such as repetitive behaviour, obsessively pursued interests, and dislike of change (Baron-Cohen, 2009). Joseph and Tager-Flusberg (2004) investigated TofM deficits and repetitive behaviour in ASD, and found no correlation between deficits and severity of repetitive symptoms, thereby supporting the suggestion that the TofM hypothesis cannot account for repetitive behaviour. As a result, the theory cannot be considered comprehensive in terms of explaining all possible symptoms associated with autism. Another issue associated with the TofM hypothesis is that individuals with other disorders have also shown deficits in TofM. For example, Brune (2005) found that individuals with schizophrenia showed significant impairment in TofM, and associated impairments in social behaviour and emotion recognition, similar to deficits shown by individuals with autism. The TofM hypothesis for autism provides no explanation for how autistic individuals are unique in their symptoms, when other conditions exist which show similar TofM impairment. A theoretical constraint associated with the TofM hypothesis is the potentially ambiguous nature of the term TofM. The hypothesis is complicated by debates surrounding the nature of TofM ability in typical individuals. The two principle theories of TofM (Theory Theory and Simulation Theory) explain autism in terms of an inability to form thoughts, representations, and hypotheses about the social world (Theory Theory), or alternatively in terms of an inability to simulate the mental states of others (Simulation Theory) (Currie, 1996). Until an absolute theory of TofM can be established, any evidence in support of a TofM hypothesis for autism remains ambiguous in terms of exactly what deficits individuals with autism have (i.e. deficits described by Theory Theory or deficits suggested by Simulation Theory). When considering the literature investigating the TofM hypothesis, it is worthwhile acknowledging the wide body of neurological research. Research in this field provides strong support for a TofM deficit in ASD, with studies such as those by Kana et al. (2009), Mason et al. (2008), and Dapretto et al. (2006) suggesting abnormal brain activation in autistic participants in brain regions associated with TofM. However, research into a neurological basis for autism has also emphasised the issues associated with the TofM hypothesis. For example, Hadjikhani (2007) state that it is unclear whether dysfunction in brain regions associated with TofM could explain behavioural symptoms shown in autism (such as repetitive behaviour and concrete thought), or how structural and functional brain abnormalities originate in autistic individuals. This research highlights the key strengths and weaknesses associated with the TofM hypothesis as a cognitive account of autism, and reinforces cognitive resea rch suggesting the hypothesis cannot be considered as a comprehensive account of the condition. Summary The preceding review provides strong evidence to support a deficit in TofM in autism, which is likely to be present from birth. The review also suggests that symptom severity can be at least partially accounted for by degree of TofM deficit. However, there are significant issues when considering the TofM hypothesis for autism. These issues include an inability of the hypothesis to explain how non-social symptoms can be accounted for by a TofM deficit, a lack of explanation of the significant symptom variability shown in the autistic population, as well as theoretical constraints. Until these issues are addressed, the TofM hypothesis cannot be considered as a comprehensive account of autism. Alternative Theories of Autism The issues associated with the TofM hypothesis led to a range of alternative theories of autism being developed, which must be considered when reviewing literature investigating the TofM hypothesis. One of the first theories to be proposed since the TofM hypothesis was the Executive Dysfunction theory (Ozonoff, Pennington and Rogers, 1991). This theory contradicted the TofM hypothesis, in that it proposed that individuals with autism have deficits in executive function ability (Yerys et al., 2006). This theory became popular in autism research, as the theory appeared to provide more comprehensive accounts of the autistic traits (both social and non-social) presented in these individuals daily (Hill, 2004). Furthermore, a large number of investigations found executive dysfunction in autistic individuals. For example, Ozonoff and McEvoy (2008) examined cognitive development in autistic individuals over a three-year period, and found significant deficits in executive functioning. McEvoy , Rogers and Pennington (2006) also found a deficit in executive functioning in autism. However, recent research has suggested that executive dysfunction may be secondary to the autism. Yerys et al. (2006) investigated executive function in young children with ASD and found no evidence of dysfunction, suggesting that executive dysfunction in adults with ASD has developed gradually and is not a causal factor of the condition. Dawson et al. (2002) also found evidence for normal executive function ability in young autistic children, and concluded that dysfunction found at a later age was a consequence of living with the disorder. As a result, whilst this theory initially appeared to provide a valid and reliable alternative to the TofM hypothesis for autism, there is now strong evidence to refute executive dysfunction as a causal account of autism, and this research cannot be considered to provide evidence to invalidate the TofM hypothesis. A more successful theory was proposed by Baron-Cohen (2008) as a development of the TofM hypothesis of autism. The Empathizing-Systemizing theory proposes that individuals with autism have deficits in understanding others mental states and responding appropriately (empathy), but have an average or above average systemizing ability (i.e. using rules and regularities to analyze and construct systems). As a result, autistic individuals show deficits in social ability (caused by empathy deficits) and non-social symptoms such as repetitive behaviours, obsessively pursued interests, and dislike of change (caused by average or above systemizing ability) (Baron-Cohen, 2009). This theory is particularly successful for several reasons. From a methodological perspective, the theory provides an explanation for both social and non-social symptoms of autism, a key issue in the TofM hypothesis. The theory also explains the uniqueness of autism, such that whilst other conditions may show deficits in empathy (e.g. schizophrenia, Montag et al., 2007), no other condition also shows average or above average systemizing ability (Baron-Cohen, 2009). The theory is also strongly supported by research. For example, Lawson et al. (2004) investigated empathizing and systemizing in participants with ASD and typically developing controls, and found those with ASD were significantly worse at empathizing than controls, but were not significantly different in their ability to systemize. Wakabayashi et al. (2007) found individuals with ASD were impaired in their ability to empathize, but significantly better than typical controls in their ability to systemize. This theory has therefore become a valid and reliable alternative to the TofM hypothesis for autism. Conclusions This essay has reviewed the literature which critically examines the TofM hypothesis for autism. It is clear that whilst there is adequate evidence to suggest a TofM deficit in autistic individuals, the hypothesis cannot account for non-social elements of ASD. New theories of autism must incorporate the concept of TofM deficits, whilst aiming to account for all social and non-social symptoms, as well as symptom variability and severity. A greater emphasis on the understanding how cognitive deficits associated with autism generate the symptoms shown in the condition would have important implications for the development of interventions aimed at improving social skills and symptom management in individuals with autism.

My Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Teaching Educational

My Philosophy of Education Is there a certain set of guidelines that need to be followed when teaching? If so, what should the main points of these rules be? I believe that when teaching, an instructor needs to consider the nature of the students and the importance of a good education. A teacher should also have some sort of idea about the teaching methods that should be used in the classroom. I believe that all students are capable of learning when given the opportunity. Children are not born evil. They are just simply born with a curiosity for new things. I think that the environment of a child affects their ability to learn. For instance, if a child is sent into a classroom where the temperature is constantly uncomfortable, the child’s attention will be diverted away from the lesson. A student needs to feel comfortable and relaxed when attempting to learn something new. I also feel that lessons should be taught on the level of the students because children do not think the same as adults do. They learn better through their experiences. Therefore, lessons should be as simple as possible and involve some sort of hands-on learning experiments. I think that the nature of knowledge is relative because the truth can vary depending on certain factors. These factors include the individual person, the time, and the place where the truth is created. I believe that a person can develop their own knowledge based upon their own personal beliefs and experiences, whereas, the absolute nature would require the truth to be discovered instead of created. The overall purpose of education is to teach children the skills that are needed to function in the real world. These skills allow the children to receive better jobs, which in turn... ...want my students to respect me; I do not want them to fear me. The areas of particular importance in the elementary curriculum are reading and writing. I will stress these areas because they are used in everyday life for entertainment and other activities. For example, many people read books or magazines to pass the time. Some people write in diaries or write letters to family and friends during their spare time. I believe that students need to have a firm grasp on these two subjects before pursuing further education. In conclusion, there are a set of guidelines that teachers need to follow. These rules are not universal but they are the personal beliefs and goals of the teacher. A teacher needs to have an idea about the nature of the students, the purpose of education, the teaching methods, and curriculum before attempting to educate a class full of students.

In what important ways is the American South Different to the North? Es

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American South represents the more agricultural sector of the United States; it was and in some places is still quite far behind the Northern sectors of America. Northerners tended to be better educated than their southern partners. The North also had a much larger population than the South with a 21.5 million population, whilst the south had a population of 9 million. The fundamental differences between the two can be classified through religion, the slave movement as well as the agricultural and industrial differences between the north and south of North America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Religion played a major role in the split between the north and south. The original migrants were purely Englishmen abroad, moving abroad to follow their own religion without the authoritarian Church of England. A split between the two appears to be evident in the naming of the states; all southern states were named after English monarchs, whilst in the North none are named after English monarchs, this is due to the mainly dissenting population of the north, who wanted nothing to do with England. This is due to the domination the Church of England had over the south, whilst the Northerners pursued newer approaches such as Protestantism, Baptist and Methodist movements. The Baptist and Methodist movements seemed to reflect the newer mood and plans of the nation, and it is this that attracted the new followers particularly in the North. The United States still has the highest population of church attendees, more so in the South, this is partly why those who travelle d around the country attempting to convert found most of their support in the south. The religious difference between the North and South was the start of the split.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first fundamental difference between the North and South was the slave trade, and subsequent racist hatred. All southern states with the exception of Texas had a slave population of between 25-30% of the entire population. Southerners saw slavery as a constructive measure, whilst northerners began to see slavery as immoral. The legalisation of slavery varied from state to state, and there was no overall law on slavery during most of the eighteenth century. The use of African slaves in tobacco fields proved successful and more slaves were gradually imported, the practice was by ... ...uch as bankers and lawyers. This helps to further illustrate the differing outlooks that the progressive North and the repressive South possessed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American South took on many meanings during this period; the South was seen as economically backwards, and socially and morally corrupt; through the slave owners and the agricultural movement that was followed. Fundamentally the Southerners followed a less liberal belief system than the Northerners, and also followed many traditions, religious and otherwise that the Northerners had wanted to leave behind in Britain. However it is unfair to portray the South as a completely backward movement, as the southerners did in fact have some progressive ideals and also succeeded agriculturally, but the two differed, and the Civil War can be accredited to the confrontational stance taken by both the North and the South during this time period. Bibliography Andrew Sinclair, A Concise History of the United States, Sutton Publishing Limited 1999 Maldwyn A. Jones, The Limits of Liberty American History 1607-1980, Oxford University Press 1983 Steve Collins, The Origins of Americas Civil War, Edward Arnold 1981

Urban Problems and the Authors Who Revealed Them to Us

Around the 18th century, the industrial revolution began. This is when immigrants came and started to work in factories, not-so-good conditions. They worked in sorrowful rooms called sweatshops. There are some authors who were alive at the time and decided to investigate upon it. Others who were not alive at the time and they still were interested and were destined to research it. These authors were cordial to inform us the problems and vexations during that era. In this essay, I will be conducting, comparing and contrasting two books; ‘The jungle by Upton Sinclair†.And ‘How the other half lives† by Jacob Riis. How the Other Half Lives Imagine living in a dark, unlit tenement which is windowless and about 10 feet square. Photographers would come; a flash explodes, enlightening their impoverishment. Although the dimness of the room, a document of urban poverty is made. That is the way; Jacob Riis took pictures in lower Manhattan. This pioneering work of photojo urnalism by Jacob Riis focused on the plight of the poor in the Lower East Side, and greatly influenced future â€Å"muckraking† journalism.Riis mostly attributed the plight of the poor to environmental conditions, but he also divided the poor into two categories: deserving of assistance (mostly women and children) and undeserving (mostly the unemployed and intractably criminal). He wrote with prejudice about Jews, Italians, and Irish, and he stopped short of calling for government intervention. Still, the catalyst of his work was a genuine sympathy for his subjects, and his work shocked many New Yorkers.The Jungle Upton Sinclair was a desperately poor, young socialist hoping to remake the world when he settled down in a tarpaper shack in Princeton Township and penned his Great American Novel. Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle to expose the appalling working conditions in the meat-packing industry. His description of diseased, rotten, and contaminated meat shocked the public an d led to new federal food safety laws. Before the turn of the 20th century, a major reform movement had emerged in the United States.Known as progressives, the  reformers were reacting to problems caused by the rapid growth of factories and cities. Progressives at first concentrated on improving the lives of those living in slums and in getting rid of corruption in government. By the beginning of the new century, progressives had started to attack huge corporations like Standard Oil, U. S. Steel, and the Amour meat-packing company for their unjust practices. The progressives revealed how these companies eliminated competition, set high prices, and treated workers as â€Å"wage slaves. â€Å"

Shadow Kiss Chapter 14

Fourteen ABOUT A HALF HOUR before my alarm was scheduled to go off the next morning, I heard a knock at my door. I expected it to be Lissa, but a sleepy check of our bond showed that she was still fast asleep. Puzzled, I staggered out of the bed and opened the door. A Moroi girl I didn't recognize handed me some folded clothes with a note attached. I wondered if I should tip her or something, but she left too quickly for me to react. I sat back on my bed and unfolded the clothing. Black slacks, white blouse, and a black jacket. It was the same ensemble that the other guardians wore around here, and it was in my size. Wow. I was about to become part of the team. A slow grin spread over my face, and I opened the note. It was in Dimitri's writing: Wear your hair up. The grin stayed on my face. A lot of female guardians cut their hair to show off their molnija marks. I'd reluctantly considered it once, and Dimitri had told me not to. He loved my hair and had told me to wear it up. The way he'd said it back then had given me chills, just like now. An hour later, I was on my way to the trial with Lissa, Christian, and Eddie. Someone had rustled up a black-and-white outfit for Eddie too, and I think we both kind of felt like kids playing dress-up with their parents' clothing. My cropped jacket and stretchy blouse were actually pretty cute, and I wondered if I'd be able to bring these back with me. The courtroom was over in the large, ornate building we'd passed upon arrival. Walking through its halls, I saw a mix of the old and the new. Outside, it was all arched windows and stone spires. Inside, it was a hub of modern activity. People worked in offices with flat-screen monitors. Elevators led to upper floors. Yet, despite that, a few antique touches could still be found. Sculptures on pedestals. Chandeliers in the halls. The courtroom itself had beautiful murals that stretched from floor to ceiling, and in the front of the room, seals from all the royal families hung on the walls. Lissa stopped as we walked in, her eyes falling on the Dragomir dragon. King of the beasts. A sea of conflicting emotions swirled within her as she stared at the seal and felt the full weight of being the only one left to carry on her name. Pride to be part of that family. Fear that she wouldn't be good enough to live up to the name. Giving her a gentle nudge, I urged her on toward our seats. The seating was split by an aisle down the middle of the room. We sat at the front of the right-hand section. There were still several minutes to go before proceedings began, but the room wasn't very full yet. I suspected that wouldn't change, due to the secrecy surrounding what had happened with Victor. A judge sat at the front, but there was no jury. An elevated seat on one side of the room marked where the queen would sit when she arrived. She would be the one who made the ultimate decision. That was how it worked with royal criminal cases. I pointed it out to Lissa. â€Å"Let's hope that she's against him. Looks like she'll be the only one making the decision.† Lissa frowned. â€Å"Not having a jury feels kind of weird.† â€Å"That's because we spent so much time around humans.† She smiled. â€Å"Maybe. I don't know. Just seems like there's a lot of room for corruption.† â€Å"Well, yeah. But this is Victor we're talking about.† Moments later, Prince Victor Dashkov himself entered the courtroom. Or, rather, just Victor Dashkov did. He'd been stripped of his title when he'd been imprisoned. It had gone to the next oldest person in the Dashkov family. Fear shot through Lissa, and the little color that was in her cheeks completely disappeared. Mingled with that fear was an emotion I hadn't expected: regret. Before he'd kidnapped her, Victor had been like an uncle to her – that was even how she'd referred to him. She'd loved him, and he'd betrayed her. I put my hand over hers. â€Å"Easy,† I murmured. â€Å"It's going to be okay.† His eyes, narrowed and cunning, looked around the courtroom as though it were a party. He had that same unconcerned look he'd had while talking to Dimitri and me. I felt my lips curl into a sneer. A red haze tinged my vision, and I worked hard to be as serene as the other guardians in the room. He finally focused on Lissa, and she flinched at seeing the same eye color she and others of her family had. When he nodded a sort of greeting to her, I felt my control snap. Before I could actually do anything, I felt new words in my mind – Lissa's. Breathe, Rose. Just breathe. It looked like we were going to have to rely on each other to get through this. A heartbeat later, Victor was walking again, off to take his seat on the left side of the room. â€Å"Thanks,† I said to her, once he was gone. â€Å"It's like you can read my mind.† â€Å"No,† she said gently. â€Å"I could just feel your hand.† I looked down at where I'd put my hand over hers. I'd done it to comfort her and had ended up clenching her fingers in my own agitation. â€Å"Yikes,† I said, jerking away and hoping I hadn't broken her bones. â€Å"Sorry.† Queen Tatiana's entrance followed his, which distracted me and helped calm my dark feelings. We all stood when she appeared and then knelt. It was all kind of archaic, but it was a custom the Moroi had held onto over the years. We didn't rise until she took her seat, and then the rest of us were able to sit too. The trial started. One by one, those who had witnessed the events with Victor gave their account of what they'd seen. Largely, this involved the guardians who had pursued Lissa when Victor had taken her away and who had subsequently been part of the raid on Victor's hideout. Dimitri was the last of the guardians to go. On the surface, his testimony wasn't much different than theirs. They'd all been part of the rescue squad, but his part in the story had begun a little earlier. â€Å"I was with my student, Rose Hathaway,† he said. â€Å"She shares a bond with the princess and was the first to sense what had happened.† Victor's lawyer – I couldn't even imagine how they'd gotten anyone to represent him – glanced at some papers and then looked back up at Dimitri. â€Å"Based on the events, it sounds like there was a delay between when she discovered that and when you alerted the others.† Dimitri nodded, his mask of composure never slipping. â€Å"She couldn't act on it because Mr. Dashkov had inflicted a charm on her, one that caused her to attack me.† He spoke the words so levelly, it amazed me. Not even the lawyer seemed to notice anything. Only I could see – or maybe it was just because I knew him – how much it hurt for Dimitri to lie. Oh, he wanted to protect us – wanted to protect me in particular – which was why he was doing this. But it killed a piece of him to stand up there, under oath, and lie. Dimitri was not perfect, no matter how much I thought he was some days, but he always tried to be truthful. Today he couldn't be. â€Å"Mr. Dashkov works with earth magic, and some who use that power and are strong in compulsion can influence our base instincts,† continued Dimitri. â€Å"In this case, he affected her anger and violence through an object.† Off to my left, I heard a sound – like someone choking on their own laughter. The judge, an elderly but fierce Moroi woman, glared. â€Å"Mr. Dashkov, please respect the decorum of this courtroom.† Victor, still smiling, waved his hands in apology. â€Å"I'm terribly sorry, Your Honor and Your Majesty. Something in Guardian Belikov's testimony just tickled my fancy, that's all. It won't happen again.† I held my breath, waiting for the blow to fall. It didn't. Dimitri finished his statement, and then Christian was called up. His part was short. He'd been with Lissa when she'd been taken and had been knocked out. His contribution was being able to ID some of Victor's guardians as the kidnappers. Once Christian sat down, it was my turn. I walked up, hoping I looked calm in front of all those eyes – and in front of Victor. In fact, I went out of my way to not look at him at all. As I said my name and gave my oath to tell the truth, I suddenly felt the full force of what Dimitri must have experienced. I was standing before all these people, swearing I'd be honest, but I would lie in an instant if the lust charm came up. My version was pretty straightforward. I had details to offer from before the night of the kidnapping, like about when Victor had laid his sick traps to test Lissa's power. Otherwise, my story lined up with Dimitri's and the other guardians'. I'd said before that I could lie well, and I brushed over the â€Å"attack† charm part with such ease that no one paid any attention. Except Victor. Despite my refusal to look at him, I inadvertently glanced in his direction when I mentioned the charm. His eyes bored into me, and a small smirk sat on his lips. His smugness, I realized, was more than just because he knew I was lying. It was also because he actually knew the precise truth – and the look he gave me told me that he had that power over me and Dimitri, the power to ruin everything for us in front of all these people – no matter what Dimitri had threatened. All the while, I kept my face calm enough to make Dimitri proud, but inside my chest, my heart thudded loudly. It seemed to last forever, but I knew I was only on the stand for a few minutes. I finished, sagging with relief that Victor hadn't called me out, and then it was Lissa's turn. As the victim, she offered the first new perspective thus far, and everyone there grew caught up in her story. It was compelling; no one had ever heard anything like it. I also realized that, without even trying, Lissa was using her spirit-induced charisma. I think it came from the same place compulsion did. People were enraptured and sympathetic. When Lissa described the torture Victor had put her through to force her to heal him, I saw faces go pale with shock. Even Tatiana's stern mask faltered a little, though whether she felt pity or just simple surprise, I couldn't say. The most amazing thing, though, was how calmly Lissa managed to deliver the story. On the outside, she was steady and beautiful. But as she spoke the words, describing exactly how Victor's henchman had tortured her, she relived the pain and terror of that night. The guy had been an air user, and he'd toyed with that element, sometimes taking it away so she couldn't breathe and at other times smothering her with it. It had been horrible, and I'd experienced it right along with her. In fact, I experienced it with her again now as she spoke about the events on the stand. Each painful detail was still etched in her mind, the pain echoing back to both of us. We were both relieved when her testimony finished. Finally, it was Victor's turn. From the look on his face, you never would have guessed he was on trial. He wasn't angry or outraged. He wasn't contrite. He didn't plead. He looked like we were all hanging out somewhere, like he had nothing in the world to worry about. Somehow, that made me that much angrier. Even when answering, he spoke as though he made perfect sense. When the prosecuting lawyer asked why he'd done what he had, he looked at her as though she were crazy. â€Å"Why, I had no choice,† he said pleasantly. â€Å"I was dying. No one was going to condone me openly experimenting with the princess's powers. What would you have done in my place?† The lawyer ignored that. She was having a hard time keeping the disgust off of her face. â€Å"And you found coaxing your own daughter into turning Strigoi also necessary?† Everyone in the courtroom shifted uncomfortably. One of the most awful things about Strigoi was that they were made, not born. A Strigoi could force a human, a dhampir, or a Moroi into becoming Strigoi if the Strigoi drank the victim's blood and then fed Strigoi blood back to the victim. It didn't matter if the victim wanted it or not, and once she became Strigoi, she lost all sense of her old, moral self. She embraced becoming a monster and killing others to survive. Strigoi converted others if they found someone they thought would strengthen their ranks. Sometimes they did it just out of cruelty. The other way a Strigoi could be made was if a Moroi willingly chose to kill another person during feeding, destroying all the magic and life within themselves. Christian's parents had done that because they'd wanted to be immortal, no matter the cost. Victor's daughter Natalie had done it because he had talked her into it. The extra strength and speed she'd gotten from being a Strigoi had helped her free him, and he'd felt his goals were worth the sacrifice. Again, Victor showed no remorse. His answer was simple. â€Å"Natalie made that decision.† â€Å"Can you say that about everyone you used to meet your ends? Guardian Belikov and Miss Hathaway had no say in what you made them do.† Victor chuckled. â€Å"Well, that's a matter of opinion. I honestly don't think they minded. But if you have time after this case, Your Honor, you might want to consider trying a statutory rape case.† I froze. He'd done it. He'd really done it. I expected everyone in the room to turn and point at Dimitri and me. No one even looked in our direction, though. Most people were giving Victor appalled looks. I realized that was exactly what Victor had known would happen. He just wanted to tease us; he didn't actually expect anyone to take him seriously. Lissa's feelings through the bond confirmed as much. She felt like Victor was trying to shift attention off of himself by making up stories about Dimitri and me. She was horrified that Victor would stoop so low. The judge was too, and she chastised Victor for getting off topic. By that point, most of the questioning was done. The lawyers wrapped up, and it was time for the queen to deliver her verdict. I held my breath again, wondering what she would do. He hadn't denied any of the charges. The evidence was overwhelming, thanks to my friends' testimonies, but as even Victor had pointed out, there was a lot of corruption among royals. The queen could very well decide that she didn't want the scandal involved with imprisoning someone so well known. Even if no one knew the details, his imprisonment would start a buzz. Maybe she didn't want to deal with that. Maybe Victor had bought her off too. But in the end, she found Victor guilty and sentenced him to life in prison – a different prison, not the one at Court. I'd heard stories about Moroi prisons, and they were terrible places. I suspected his new home would be very different from the cell we'd found him in. Victor remained calm and amused throughout it all, just as he had yesterday. I didn't like that. The conversation I'd had with him made me think he wasn't going to accept this as serenely as he pretended. I hoped they'd watch him closely. A gesture from the queen ended formalities. The rest of us stood up and began talking while she surveyed the room with a sharp eye, probably taking notes. Victor's escort started to lead him out. He passed by us again. This time, he stopped and spoke. â€Å"Vasilisa, I trust you've been well.† She didn't answer. She still hated and feared him, but with this verdict, she finally believed he could no longer hurt her. It was like the end of a chapter she'd been stuck in for months. She could finally move on and hopefully let those horrible memories fade. â€Å"I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk, but I'm sure we will next time,† he added. â€Å"Come on,† said one of the guardians with him. They led him away. â€Å"He's crazy,† muttered Lissa once he was gone. â€Å"I can't believe he said that stuff about you and Dimitri.† Dimitri was standing behind her. I looked up and met his eyes as he moved past us. His relief mirrored my own. We'd danced with danger today – and we'd won. Christian came up to her and hugged her, holding her for a long time. I watched them fondly, surprised at my own kind feelings for them. When a hand touched my arm, I jumped. It was Adrian. â€Å"You okay, little dhampir?† he asked softly. â€Å"Dashkov said a few †¦ uh †¦ suggestive things.† I stepped closer, keeping my voice low as well. â€Å"No one believed him. I think it's okay. Thanks for asking, though.† He smiled and tapped my nose. â€Å"Two thank-yous in as many days. I don't suppose I'll get to see any, uh, special gratitude?† I scoffed. â€Å"Nope. You'll just have to imagine it.† He gave me a half-hug and released me. â€Å"Fair enough. But I have a good imagination.† We started to leave, and then Priscilla Voda hurried over to Lissa. â€Å"The queen would like to meet with you before you leave. In private.† I glanced over to the raised chair where the queen sat. Her gaze was fixed on us, and I wondered what this could be about. â€Å"Sure,† said Lissa, as confused as I was. To me, she sent through the bond: Will you listen again? I gave her a quick nod before Priscilla spirited her off. I returned to my room, tuning in to Lissa while I packed my things up. It took a little while because Tatiana had to finish a few courtroom formalities, but she finally arrived in the same room as yesterday. Lissa and Priscilla bowed as she entered and waited for the queen to sit. Tatiana made herself comfortable. â€Å"Vasilisa, you need to be in the air soon, so I'll make this brief. I would like to make an offer to you.† â€Å"What kind of an offer, Your Majesty?† â€Å"You'll need to go to college soon.† She spoke like it was a done deal. And yeah, Lissa did plan on going to college, but I didn't like the presumption. â€Å"I understand you're dissatisfied with your choices.† â€Å"Well†¦it's not that I'm dissatisfied, exactly. It's just, all the places Moroi are supposed to go are small. I mean, I understand it's for safety, but I don't know. I'd like to go somewhere bigger. Somewhere prestigious.† Guardians monitored a handful of select colleges in the country so that Moroi could safely attend them. As Lissa had noted, though, they tended to be smaller schools. Tatiana nodded impatiently, like she already knew this. â€Å"I'm going to give you an opportunity that no one else has ever been given, to my knowledge. After graduation, I would like you to come live here, at the Royal Court. You have no family, and I think you'd benefit from learning politics right in the heart of our government. Along with this, we would make arrangements for you to attend Lehigh University. It's less than an hour from here. Have you heard of it?† Lissa nodded. I'd never heard of it, but she was enough of a nerd to have researched every college in the U.S. â€Å"It's a good school, Your Majesty. But†¦ still small.† â€Å"It's bigger than the ones Moroi usually attend,† she pointed out. â€Å"True.† In her mind, Lissa was trying to puzzle out what was going on here. Why was Tatiana making this offer? Especially considering how she'd seemed to disagree with Lissa earlier. There was something weird going on here, and she decided to see how far she could push it. â€Å"The University of Pennsylvania isn't that far either, Your Majesty.† â€Å"That school is enormous, Vasilisa. We couldn't ensure your safety there.† Lissa shrugged. â€Å"Well, then it probably doesn't matter if I go to Lehigh or one of the others.† The queen looked shocked. So did Priscilla. They couldn't believe Lissa seemed indifferent to the offer. Truthfully, Lissa wasn't indifferent. Lehigh was a step up from what she'd expected, and she wanted to go. But she also wanted to see how badly the queen wanted her to go. Tatiana frowned and appeared to be weighing matters. â€Å"Depending on your grades and experiences at Lehigh, we could possibly arrange for you to transfer in a couple years. Again, the safety logistics would be very difficult.† Wow. The queen did want her around. But why? Lissa decided to simply ask. â€Å"I'm very flattered, Your Majesty. And grateful. But why are you offering me this?† â€Å"As the last Dragomir, you're a precious commodity. I'd like to make sure your future is secure. And I do so hate to see bright minds wasted. Besides†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused, hesitant to speak her next words. â€Å"You were right to a certain extent. The Moroi do have trouble changing. It could be useful to have a dissenting voice around here.† Lissa didn't answer right away. She was still analyzing this offer from every possible angle. She wished I was there to advise her, but I wasn't sure I'd have much of an opinion. Splitting my guardian duty between the Court and a cool university could be pretty neat. On the other hand, we'd have more freedom elsewhere. In the end, Lissa decided in favor of higher education. â€Å"All right,† she said at last. â€Å"I accept. Thank you, Your Majesty.† â€Å"Excellent,† said Tatiana. â€Å"We'll see that the arrangements are made. You may go now.† The queen made no signs of moving, so Lissa bowed again and scurried to the door, still reeling with this news. Tatiana suddenly called out to her. â€Å"Vasilisa? Will you send your friend here to talk to me? The Hathaway girl?† â€Å"Rose?† she asked in astonishment. â€Å"Why do you – ? Yes, of course. I'll get her.† Lissa hurried toward guest housing, but I met her halfway. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked. â€Å"I have no idea,† said Lissa. â€Å"Did you hear what she said?† â€Å"Yup. Maybe she wants to tell me how I have to be extra careful with you going to that school.† â€Å"Maybe. I don't know.† Lissa gave me a quick hug. â€Å"Good luck. I'll see you soon.† I went to the same room and found Tatiana standing with her hands clasped, posture stiff and impatient. She was dressed like a corporate businesswoman again, with a sleek brown blazer and skirt set. That color wouldn't have been my first choice to go with her dark gray hair, but that was her style adviser's problem, not mine. I bowed just as Lissa had and glanced around the room. Priscilla was gone; only a couple guardians remained. I expected Tatiana to tell me to sit, but instead, she stood up and walked right over to me. Her face did not look happy. â€Å"Miss Hathaway,† she said sharply, â€Å"I'm going to keep this brief. You are going to stop this atrocious affair you're having with my great-nephew. Immediately.†