Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Essay - 1

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies - Essay Example In acquisition, one company purchases another and establishes itself as a new owner. Normally, the dissolving company has to get the approval to merge with another through a majority vote of the share holders or as stipulated in the company’s constitution. The driving principle in mergers and acquisition is to make investor value. This means that after the merger the value of the two companies must exceed the value of the individual companies before the merger. It is important to note that the reasons behind mergers are far reaching, especially during the hard economic times. During such periods, big companies take the advantage of receding companies through share purchases with a view of creating a competitive advantage while achieving cost reduction. Any meaningful merger should be able to gain greater market share and efficiency. Once an agreement has been reached, then it should be made legal and its implementation done within the period stipulated in the agreement. The cu lture and working environment of the target company’s workforce must be considered at the time of merger acquisition strategy. When this is done, the workforce will not feel left out in the agreement and this boosts morale. The process of merging and acquisition is vital deal whose signing determines the gains and profits of the merging corporations. The process should therefore, be conducted in defined steps. The decision to have merging between two companies is complex in nature. This is because if it is not done carefully, it can affect the gains intended for in the merger or acquisition. In addition, merger and acquisition process should be conducted in steps as earlier stated. The initial step is the business valuation step in which the value of stock is assessed. In the assessment, the current financial performance as well as the estimated future performance is examined. Such steps should be geared towards profitability (Rosenbaum, 2008). 2. Identify one (1) company tha t would be a profitable candidate for the corporation to acquire or merge with and explain why this company would be a profitable target. Alcoa is a leading aluminum company in the United States of America. This public corporation was formed in 1907. The acronym Alcoa was coined in 1910 because of a merger with another company, which later in 1999 adopted it as an official name in 2001; Alcoa went into an acquisition agreement with Aluminum Corporation of china (Chalco) buying from them 9% of their shares. Alcoa has had a number of challenges since its inception, for instance in 1938, the department of justice-sued Alcoa for trying to monopolize. It also faced a financial crisis in 2004 leading to the sale of one of its divisions to Rhone Group, which has adopted the name Almatis Inc (Kazmi, & Kazmi, 2008). in the present day. In 2005, Alcoa acquired Russia and Belaya Kaliva production facilities that were major industry players to boost its performance and gain international recogn ition. It was during this time that Alcoa began improving on its performance when it started the construction in Iceland. This was the company’s first Greenfield smelting centre. This centre has been in existence for the last 20 years amid criticisms of corruption. In 2006, Alcoa shifted

The upper and even middle class Essay Example for Free

The upper and even middle class Essay Ever since the beginning of civilization, there has been a difference in economic and social, creating two separate classes. The wealthier and educated made up the upper status of society making up what is today called upper class. The poor and uneducated made up the people which were often looked down upon by the upper class, and now make up what is considered lower class. This was true in the earliest times of the bible, through the Renaissance time period and even to today. It is nearly impossible for the lower class to become higher class, much less middle class, without being provided a full education by the higher classes. Why can these people of lower class never achieve crossing the class boundary? Most of lower class does not have an education. Therefore their opportunities for having profitable and non-dead-end jobs are nearly impossible by all standards. Because of their lower education, their job selection is limited to mostly manual labor, where pay is minimal, at best. Due to their low-paying salaries, a good college education is usually completely out of the question for their children. College is too much money and they got along fine without a college education, which is sometimes the case, but severely limits future opportunities for their children. Lower class is a vicious cycle. These people represent the people in the cave which can only see the shadows of what is happening around them. They are never allowed out to see the light of a true education, and have to remain in the dark all of their lives. The upper and even middle class, which usually has a good education, have the duty to show the lower class the light and to get these people out of the shadows for good. This can and is being done minutely to help the uneducated by providing scholarships, but for the most part no one is doing anything to help the less fortunate. Unfortunately, today has a very everyone for themselves attitude. Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life. We need to be concerned for their future, if no one else is, because their future depends solely on their education. We need to make it our goal as a society to educate the uneducated. If everyone is educated then there is equal opportunity and pay therefore eliminating social class. If the enlightened educated class can just come into the cave, relate with the people, and then actually show them the light, rather than telling them what to do, we can actually make a positive difference and make the lives of a lower class citizen much easier. The easiest solution to this problem is to create a utopian society, but those are bound to fail before even being attempted. A utopian society would completely obliterate the class system, because everyone would receive equal pay and equal education, or at least opportunity for education. The best suggestion that is plausible and possible is to create countless scholarships. It would be just like the armed forces; education is free but a certain amount of service is demanded in return. Even though everyone does not have money, everyone has time. All education can be provided by the state and the jobs, needed by the state, can be filled by the graduated students. This can potentially give an education to everyone and keep the jobs needed. It is a win-win situation. If someone could just show society and our leaders the light.

British Legal Framework For Construction Health and Safety

British Legal Framework For Construction Health and Safety In 1974 in Great Britain, the parliament adopted the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) which became the major piece of legislation at work for health and safety matters in the country. This Act was adopted for all industries including construction. Its aims were to provide the main principles and duties to employers, employees and all the participant of the work activity in general (St John Holt, 2005). Then, the European Union (EU) imposed new directives to its members on health and safety issues. The legal framework in Great Britain changed and new acts and directive had been adopted by the parliament setting up a hierarchy of component in the legal system (Howarth Watson, 2009): European Union regulations and directives: all the members of EU are subject to European legislation UK statutory law: acts of parliament HSWA 1974 is the principal act in the UK Statutory instrument: regulations to develop and detail specific duties and requirement concerning health and safety law in the UK Approved Codes of Practice: practical guidance for compliance with health and safety regulations Since 1974, the HSWA had been supported and supplemented by several statutory instruments and regulations (Joyston-Bechal Grice, 2004). Following the framework directives of the EU aiming to improve health and safety for workers at work, the Management of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 and then 1999 (MHSW) came to provide additional elements to the HSWA. Other daughter regulations had been adopted to implement this act on specific construction related areas (Fewings, 2005). Some examples of these new regulations (St John Holt, 2005; Fewings, 2005): MHSW Management of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992/1999 CHSW Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996/2000 PUWER Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 LOLER Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 CSHHR Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 MHOR Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 CDM Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994/2007 The HSWA first objectives were to impose duties on the stakeholders involved in the work activity related to the safeguarding of health and safety standards. The key duties were places on employers toward employees, on employers towards people other than employees, on people in control of premises, on designer, manufacturers, suppliers and plant installer for the safety of their products, on every employees and more generally on everybody concerned by work activity (Howarth Watson, 2009). The responsibility for enforcing these act and regulations is taken by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) which is appointed by the government to develop policies on its behalf. Its executive arm, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is in charge of the enforcement. It controls and advise the companies in the applications of the regulations (St John Holt, 2005). The HSC and HSE are also responsible of recording and monitoring construction industry health and safety statistics in Great Britain. Injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences are then considered with numbers and corrective actions can be made (Howarth Watson, 2009). Construction design and management (CDM) On 6 April 2007 came into force in Great Britain the new Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 written by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and approved by the Secretary of State and the Parliament. These regulations update, combine and replace the former Construction Design and Management Regulations 1994 (CDM94) and the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 (CHSW) which both needed to be reviewed and updated accordingly with the recent evolutions of the considerations towards health and safety issues in construction and after consultations of the main stakeholders of the construction industry (HSC, 2007). The CDM2007 Regulations aim to reduce construction accidents and ill health in Great Britain by encouraging the various stakeholders of the construction industry to improve in planning and managing their projects taking into consideration matters of safety and health early on in the project definition. By starting focusing on these essential points at the beginning of a project, risks can be identified and managers are able to make good decisions ahead of difficulties (Howarth Watson, 2009). In this new version of the regulations, the HSC focuses on communication and co-ordination between all the parties involved in the construction project and set up several duties for each of the different stakeholders. It also highlights that the amount of paperwork and all the bureaucracy caused by the previous version of the regulations should be reduced and the focus put on the planning and management. (HSE Website) The CDM set up obligations for clients and designers. The main obligation imposed to the client is to appoint the main stakeholders for the planning and the realisation of construction work (St John Holt, 2005). By construction work, the CDM broadly refers to the carrying out of building, civil engineering or engineering construction word (HSC, 2007). The regulations also impose duties to the central figures then appointed which are related to health, safety and occupational safety on construction project and which will be summarised later in this paper. Among the dutyholders which participate to the carrying out of the project are the Client, the Designer, the CDM-Coordinator, the Principal Contractor and the Contractors (St John Holt, 2005). The Client The Client is defined as any person for whom construction work is being carried out, whether done by external labour or in-house (Joyston-Bechal Grice, 2004). It can be an individual as well as a company. By this definition of the investigator of the work, the Client is the one who provides adequate funds to design and realise the work in respect of safety and health regulations imposed by the CDM and thus has a certain influence on what happens on site (St John Holt, 2005). The CDM Regulations 2007 submit the Client to several duties (Howarth Watson, 2009) (Joyston-Bechal Grice, 2004) (HSE, 2006): Appoint a CDM-Coordinator and a Principal Contractor Make sure that these two stakeholders and all the other the client could directly appoint are competent and have the adequate resources to mange health and safety problem associated with the project Ensure that the construction does not start until suitable welfare facilities have been provided as well as an agreeable health and safety plan Provide the CDM-Coordinator and the Designers with all the relevant information about health and safety matters related to the project Retain and make the health and safety file available to anyone who asks for it The CDM-Coordinator should be appointed as soon as possible so the Client can receive advice from him in order to appoint the other stakeholders (St John Holt, 2005). One of the important duty of the Client is to make sure that all the main figures he (it?) has to appoint are competent and have the adequate resources to deal with health and safety issues. That means the Client has to ensure that these stakeholders understand well the project, are familiar with construction techniques, are well aware of health and safety matters their risks and consequences but also that they allocate enough money and persons to do the job (Joyston-Bechal Grice, 2004). Maybe what they are not required ? Fraser The CDM-Coordinator The CDM-Coordinator is a person or a company appointed as early as possible by the Client in the preparation of the project. He is a key element for the prevention of risks related to health and safety as he is the main advisor of the Client and he is the guarantor of coordination and co-operation between the main figures involved in the construction process (HSC, 2007). The duties of the CDM-Coordinator imposed by the Regulations 2007 are (HSC, 2007) (Semple Fraser, 2007) (Howarth Watson, 2009): Advise the Client and other stakeholders on appointments: competence and resource availability Notify HSE about the project Coordinate planning and design work on health and safety matters Cooperate with the Principal Contractor and facilitate good communication between the stakeholders involved in the project Collect pre-construction information and prepare a pre-tender health and safety plan Prepare and update the health and safety file Supervise designers and ensure the design is prepared adequately The CDM-Coordinator is appointed only in the case of notifiable projects. That covers all the construction works which are scheduled to last more than 30 days or involve more than 500 person-days of work. A person-day is defined as one individual carrying out construction work during one normal working day (St John Holt, 2005). An important part of the CDM-Coordinators duties is to work close to designers in order to ensure they get the right information are the good moment and to supervise their work in order to figure out if they consider hazard, risks and control (WS Atkins Consultants, rev A. Gilbertson, 2004). The Designer Designers have a key role in managing health and safety on site. They are the persons or companies who can prevent risks at the source (Semple Fraser, 2007). The designer is the one who analyse site information and prepare drawings and specifications for the project. He can be an architect, a land surveyor or an engineer (HSE, 2006). For complex projects, several designers can be appointed to split the design and ensure to identify and examine all the health and safety factors that need to be addressed (WS Atkins Consultants, rev A. Gilbertson, 2004). The main duties of a designers are Eliminate hazards and reduce health and safety risks Provide all the stakeholders with information about the remaining risks that could be eliminated Ensure the client is aware of duties and that he (it?) appointed a CDM-Coordinator Update the health and safety file with all the new information concerning health and safety matters Cooperate with the CDM-Coordinator and the other designers and supply the relevant information Designers have the duty of indentifying and eliminating hazards and reduce the risks of those which cannot be eliminated (HSC, 2007) by using risk assessment methods to detect foreseeable risk and ensure the safety of workers by tackling the problem at the source. For this purpose they have to reduce de likelihood of harmful occurrences and the potential severity of harm resultant from it, limit the number of people exposed the these occurrences on site as well as and the duration and frequency of exposition (Howarth Watson, 2009). The Principal Contractor The Principal Contractor is an individual or a company appointed early in the construction process by the Client and is responsible for planning, managing and controlling health and safety on site during the construction phase of the project (HSE, 2006). The Principal Contractor is usually the main Contractor of the project. He (it?) has to ensure a good cooperation and coordination of work between the Contractors involved in the construction because of the fact they may work on the same site at the same time and then interaction between then can create unexpected hazards (HSC, 2007). The duties imposed to the Principal Contractor are (Howarth Watson, 2009) (Joyston-Bechal Grice, 2004) (HSE, 2006): Plan, manage and control construction phases and provide a good communication with Contractors Create and implement the health and safety plan on the base of the pre-construction plan Set up site rules Provide Contractors with all the information available concerning health and safety matters to ensure safety of their workers Ensure the availability of suitable welfare facilities at the beginning of the work and maintain it during the duration of the construction phase Check the resource availability and the competence of its (his?) appointed stakeholders Provide the workers with an induction when they arrive on site and further training and information for specific work Make the site a safe place and restrict access to people involved in the construction Consult with the workers and liaise with the CDM-Coordinator The Principal Contractor has a significant health implication when designs change or decisions are modified. The consultation process with the workers and the CDM-Coordinator permits to make everyone aware of the new updates in the construction phase plan and of the changing in managing health and safety (Semple Fraser, 2007). The Contractor The Contractor is any person or company who is in charge of the carrying out or the management of the construction work. The Contractor can also organise the work of other stakeholders who carry out the work on his (it ?) behalf (Joyston-Bechal Grice, 2004). The duties of the Contractor are (Howarth Watson, 2009) (HSC, 2007): Plan, manage and control own work and that of workers Check competence of workers and sub-contractors Specific training for workers Provide health and safety information to workers Make sure workers beneficiate of suitable welfare facilities Check the project is notified before starting the work Cooperate with other Contractors and with the Principal Contractor Provide any information to update the health and safety file Report any accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the Principal Contractor as well as problems with the health and safety plan. Most of the time on large projects, several contractors work at the same time on the same site. In this case it is essential they cooperate with each other and follow the instructions of the Principal Contractor not to interact and create new hazards on site. The contractors should ask for the health and safety construction phase plan produced by the Principal Contractor to get all the information they need to ensure safety of their employees (HSE, 2006).

The Endocrine System Essay -- Biology, Hormones

In the human body we have a system that deals with chemical communication through the use of hormones, the ductless glands that secrete hormones and the target cells that respond to the hormones, this system is called the Endocrine system. This is used to help maintain the essential purpose of the human body which can range the metabolism to growth. This system also works in line with the nervous system in regulating the interior functions and keep up homeostasis and also long term behaviour. There are many hormones in the human body that can affect attitude and behaviour. A very common behaviour throughout the human life, which is affected greatly by hormones, is the sexual behaviour. There are a range of hormones which are created from the gonads and placenta which affect this behaviour. These can be set into two different categories for both male and female, male hormones is known as androgens, which has testosterone which allows the progression of the male reproductive area and the preservation, also provides secondary characteristics and behaviour. The female hormones is known as Estrogens, such as estradiol, which functions in the improvement plus preservation of the woman’s reproductive area, which allows the growth of the other sex characteristics , also the changes in behaviour and in the reproduction of the mammary glands. However both male and females, produce both types of hormones and both have important effects, but males produce more androgens and females produce more estrogens. There has been lots of attention in the connection among behaviour and hormones and it shows that the normal difference in the quantity of hormones which is presented is related with the difference in behaviour. A case of this can be... ...he affects of the female hormones as a result of it been seen as controversial to do. Therefore we have to assume that hormones affect the behaviour of all humans even though research is done on the male hormones. Although there is still knowledge in the fact that when a woman goes through her menstrual cycle that it affects their behaviour and mood, there is still no clear research into which hormones affects this change. On the other hand, females do still contain a little of the testosterone hormone in their system so this could still affect the females behaviour even though they don’t have a high amount of testosterone, however this is still yet to be researched due to complications. Overall we can see that hormones can affects one’s behaviour and there is still research yet to be done into a greater extent to find which hormones can affect which behaviour. The Endocrine System Essay -- Biology, Hormones In the human body we have a system that deals with chemical communication through the use of hormones, the ductless glands that secrete hormones and the target cells that respond to the hormones, this system is called the Endocrine system. This is used to help maintain the essential purpose of the human body which can range the metabolism to growth. This system also works in line with the nervous system in regulating the interior functions and keep up homeostasis and also long term behaviour. There are many hormones in the human body that can affect attitude and behaviour. A very common behaviour throughout the human life, which is affected greatly by hormones, is the sexual behaviour. There are a range of hormones which are created from the gonads and placenta which affect this behaviour. These can be set into two different categories for both male and female, male hormones is known as androgens, which has testosterone which allows the progression of the male reproductive area and the preservation, also provides secondary characteristics and behaviour. The female hormones is known as Estrogens, such as estradiol, which functions in the improvement plus preservation of the woman’s reproductive area, which allows the growth of the other sex characteristics , also the changes in behaviour and in the reproduction of the mammary glands. However both male and females, produce both types of hormones and both have important effects, but males produce more androgens and females produce more estrogens. There has been lots of attention in the connection among behaviour and hormones and it shows that the normal difference in the quantity of hormones which is presented is related with the difference in behaviour. A case of this can be... ...he affects of the female hormones as a result of it been seen as controversial to do. Therefore we have to assume that hormones affect the behaviour of all humans even though research is done on the male hormones. Although there is still knowledge in the fact that when a woman goes through her menstrual cycle that it affects their behaviour and mood, there is still no clear research into which hormones affects this change. On the other hand, females do still contain a little of the testosterone hormone in their system so this could still affect the females behaviour even though they don’t have a high amount of testosterone, however this is still yet to be researched due to complications. Overall we can see that hormones can affects one’s behaviour and there is still research yet to be done into a greater extent to find which hormones can affect which behaviour.

A Comparison of the Codes of Ethics

The Alabama Educator Code of Ethics and the University of North Alabama’s Code of Ethics Professional Dispositions both focus on many of the same core values. There are nine standards in the Alabama Educator COE and seven dispositions in UNA’s COE. Standard 1 and Disposition 1 both advocate having a commitment to professional standards. While UNA’s COE simply states that an educator should have a commitment to professionalism and ethical standards and leaves the interpretation of this up to the educator, the Alabama Educator COE goes more in depth.Standard 2 focuses on trustworthiness, and Standard 3 concentrates on unlawful acts. Standard 5 states that an educator should refrain from the use of alcohol and tobacco products and never use illegal drugs. Standard 4 and Disposition 5 both address respecting the differences of students. They both state that an educator should not discriminate by race, gender, religion, or disability. Both also encourage educators to provide challenging, equitable learning opportunities for all students. Both the Alabama Educator COE and UNA’s COE promote collaboration, but the UNA’s COE is more comprehensive in its description.Both Disposition 6 and Disposition 7 address collaboration; Disposition 6 focuses on working with family and community members, and Disposition 7 focuses on working with other educators. The Alabama Educator COE only mentions collaboration in standard one. One big variation between the two codes is that UNA’s COE does not address any obligations to your contract, while the Alabama Educator COE uses the entire Standard 9 to focus on it. Another key difference is that the Alabama Educator COE discusses confidentiality thoroughly in Standard 8, but UNA’s COE does not mention it.The ethical conduct discussed in Standard 6 (Public Funds and Property) and Standard 7 (Remunerative Conduct) does not show up in UNA’s COE either. UNA’s COE uses Disposition 3 to concentrate on using technology and research in the classroom, but the Alabama Educator COE does not discuss technology. The two sets of ethical behavior share many of the same principles, but are laid out in different ways. If an educator applies both COEs to his or her practice, then they will definitely be successful.

InterClean-Enviro Tech Merger Paper Essay

InterClean-Enviro Tech Merger Paper With the impending merger between InterClean and EnviroTech, it has become very important that both companies realize the most important issue that will make their merging successful; and that is understanding that customers are becoming more concerned about the rigorous environmental safety requirements that have started to plague the industrial cleaning and sanitation industry. Health care clients are being put on notice as to the new regulations that are rising about the maintenance of how sterile they are able to keep their environment. This merger will not only provide customers with the usual offering of products that can only cut through the grime and kill most of the germs that are present in these clients environments, but it will also give the client the opportunity to receive training for the clients employees, regular monitoring of the satisfaction of the product, possible full cleaning service contracts and also consistent information sharing of guideline changes. At this point, the plans that the CEO David Spencer expects to meet as far as staffing is concerned are as follows: †¢Inventory the skills of the current sales force, and identify skills and competency levels needed for the new sales direction. Determine which gaps need to be filled with new hires. †¢Establish optimal size and composition of the sales force. †¢Project estimated training and development costs. †¢Develop a staffing audit process, and identify phases of execution. (Universty of Phoenix, 2013, p. 4). The CEO, Mr. Spencer has opted to try and acquire 60 of EnviroTechs sales staff and operations specialists for the InterClean merger. Once the above mentioned tasks are completed, then The HR department will be able to determine whether or not they will need to start doing possible rightsizing  within the company. Although it seems obvious that this is not the current plans for the company, when mergers take place there is always the possibility that some employees may lose their positions. Rightsizing, according to â€Å"Rightsizing vs. Downsizing? Big Difference!† (2012), tends to be less detrimental for an organization than downsizing is. Downsizing tends to come at the time when an organization is put into the position of having to let go of employees due to economic issues, natural disaster, and other uncontrollable circumstances. However, rightsizing is looked at in a more positive light by some. Even though it is pretty much the same outcome, rightsizing is a more proactive stance for the organization to take because instead of waiting for disaster or hard times to hit that will cause lay-offs, the decision makers are constantly assessing the market trends and needs, new ideas for the organization and also new technologies available for the organization. Rightsizing focuses on the future of the organization and does a sort of forecasting to determine what skills they will need their employees to have in order to guide the organization in the way that is desired. Once this is done it will give the decision makers, mostly managers and HR staff, a better vision of who they need to hire, what training is needed for new and existing employees and/or what employees that may need to eliminate. Understanding the position that InterClean is in right now, this would be the best opportunity for them to determine if they are going to take part in rightsizing within their organization. The HR staff is taking all the necessary steps to determine if they any staffing changes will be necessary during this merger. If it comes to the point where InterClean sees that it will have to make adjustments and layoffs some of its employees the most ethical and legal way to do so will be for them to use the performance evaluations of the employees and measure their abilities to perform the jobs to help them determine who goes and who stays. They can also take the step of retaining the senior employees in each department as well. However, there are senior employees that coming over from EnviroTech as well so they must be kept in consideration to retain their positions as well, because they are the senior employees for the acquired company and their knowledge will be needed for the direction the company is trying to travel in. The company may find that some of their senior employees are not the best qualified. Seniority based layoffs can raise important but thorny procedural internal labor market issues, such as how to exactly county seniority and what bumping rights employees targeted for layoffs might have (Heneman & Judge, p. 26, 2009). Therefore, InterClean must ensure that must be in line with the laws and regulations that have been set up for things of this nature. Layoffs must be based on legitimate basis such as merit, seniority, or performance. When and if the choice comes for InterClean to make the choice of involuntary separations, they should still make sure that all the necessary steps are taken to ensure that all employees from both companies are afforded the opportunity to have their performance evaluations reviewed to make sure they are given the best chance to be retained among all other employees. They must make sure that they have reviewed the laws for involuntary layoffs and have their contingencies in place just in case those employees that may have been let go try to fight the decision the company has made. Anytime an organization is consideration the acquisition of another company, there is always the possibility that some employees may be eliminated. In the acquisition between InterClean and EnviroTech, the CEO seems to have made it clear that he wants to try and bring as many employees over from EnviroTech to utilize their expertise in the organization and also towards the plans and direction he has envisioned for the organization. While rightsizing is similar to downsizing and can even be thought of as the same, rightsizing does not seem to have such a sizable negative impact, unlike downsizing: partly because, the managers are consistently trying to implement strategic ways to help the organization become more efficient, competitive and profitable. References Heneman, H., & Judge, T. (2009). Staffig Organizatons (6th ed.). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx Rightsizing vs. Downsizing? Big Difference!. (2012, September). The Growth Strategist, . Retrieved from http://ambler.com/article-library/rightsizing-vs-downsizing-big- difference/ Universty of Phoenix. (2013). InterClean-EnviroTch Merger Scenario. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, HRM/548 website.

Electronic Medical Records Speech Essay Example

Electronic Medical Records Speech Essay Example Electronic Medical Records Speech Essay Electronic Medical Records Speech Essay Electronic Medical Records Speech HCR 240 University of Phoenix March 27, 2011 Electronic medical records stores physician’s reports of examinations, surgical procedures, tests, X-rays, and other clinical information that is necessary for taking care of patients. Electronic medical records also provide access to data for research and quality improvement purposes. EMR’s also allows immediate access to health information, computerized physician order management, clinical decision support, automated alerts and reminders which alerts the staff regarding important information for the patient such as follow up on testing, or if a result is critical, and it also provides error reduction. Some EMR’s allows patients to access their own medical records (Sanderson, p. 24-25). Practice management is used by most offices to complete routine office tasks, including patient scheduling, recording patient information, creating and transmitting electronic claims, receiving electronic payments, billing patients, creating financial reports, and collecting overdue accounts (Sanderson, p. 26-27). Practice management is very useful in order for a medical office to survive. It helps with accuracy and timely records that are required to determine whether the practice is profitable. PMPs are also important for tax-reporting (Sanderson, p. 27). PMPs contain information about each patient, such as names, addresses, contact numbers, insurance coverage, information about each provider, including facts about providers, referring providers, and outside providers such as labs. Practice management also collect data about the health plans used by the practice’s patients. PMP’s have codes used by the practice to note a diagnosis and the treatment provided, as well as the facility where the treatment was provided. When the program contains all of the data the software can be used in a medical office and perform many of the office computer duties (Sanderson, p. 6). PMP’s have the ability to schedule appointments. The scheduling helps with double booking and gives accurate times the patient can be seen. Most of the PMP programs will print out a page that gives the office staff the patients that are going to be seen that day (Sanderson, p. 26). PMP also helps with claims and billing. Insurance claims and patient sta tements need to be accurate and the PMP’s can help with that. Patient data and transaction data are two things that practice management programs require. Patient data is personal information about the patient and their medical insurance coverage. Transaction data is the date the patient visits the doctor, and the type of treatment, the diagnosis and procedure codes, and if the patient made any payments. With this program all the office staff has to do is enter the information and submit it to the insurance company. It is more accurate than doing it by hand. When the insurance company receives the claim, they will perform an edit and send it back to the health care facility. It makes the process much faster (Sanderson, p. 27-28). When a patient makes a payment at the office the amount is entered into the PMP and a walkout statement is given to the patient. A remittance advice with payment from a health plan usually pays for a number of patients and claims at once. Once the payments listed on the RA are entered in the PMP and applied to each account. Some practices use an automated process called out posting to record this information in the program. Without posting it makes the process much faster (Sanderson, 28-29). The computer software will benefit most health care facilities. It provides more accurate information and faster way to receive payment from the insurance company and the patients. In a medical setting the computers are linked together so more than one person can enter patient information and it allows for sharing patient information. Information on the computer system is much easier than looking in multiple files trying to find the right one. With the computer system all you have to do is enter the last name or the date of birth. Electronic medical records help with the loss of files or misplaced files and it helps with privacy of the patient’s information. With the EMR it makes more room in the office because you do not have to worry about filing systems. Charting is done a lot faster and more accurately. Most medical errors are because of charting on the wrong chart, with the EMR’s it makes that less possible (Sanderson, p. 31). References Sanderson S, Computers In the Medical Office sixth edition. Pages 24-30, retrieved on March 26, 2011

Hero and Leander Story Summary Essay Example

Hero and Leander Story Summary Essay Example Hero and Leander Story Summary Paper Hero and Leander Story Summary Paper This story began with Hero living in States and Leander living in Abodes. Now Hero was said to have had Apollo and Cupid try to get her hand in marriage, but she didnt marry either of them. Instead she became a priestess for Venus. One day Hero had to give Venus honor and it was also the day that Leander was in States as well that day. When the two saw each other they fell in love at first sight. Heros parents forbade her to see Leander, but neither of them wanted that to happen. They set up codes to know when to meet each other. At night Hero would light a lantern and put it at the top of the tower of the temple, then Leander would swim the Hells point, they would see each other for an hour or so then go back to their respective homes. But one night Hero put up her lantern to signal Leander to swim to her. One thing she didnt now was coming was a storm that arrived Just after he embarked on his Journey to her. The strong winds blew out the lantern so Leander had nothing to follow to find Hero. Instead of swimming to safety, he swam out to sea. The storm was too much for him to handle so he eventually perished in the storm.

Ecological Footprints Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ecological Footprints - Essay Example This paper will explore the concept of ecological footprint as applied in the universe today to monitor the relationship between humanity and nature. First and foremost, the paper will look into what is ecological footprints and then focus on the importance of this concept and lastly explore the strengths, benefits as well as the weaknesses of the concept. Ecological footprint is the metric tool that allows us to evaluate human pressure on the universe and it is defined as a measure of the load imposed on nature by a given population (Spellerberg 108). It can also be defined as the estimate of the land area or land equivalent necessary to sustain current levels of resource consumption and waste assimilation for a given population, where land is the area of the environment including the aquatic habitat (Spellerberg 108). It is for instance estimated that the earth today takes about one year and six months to regenerate the resources used up by humanity and to assimilate the waste prod uced (â€Å"Global Footprint Network†). ... this way, the concept provides a simple way for comparison between the demand for natural resources and the ability of nature to provide, bio capacity. When there is increased ecological footprint, there is increased demand for resources than the capacity of nature to provide and this creates a deficit/gap commonly referred to as overshoot. The world ecological footprint is described to have increased by 50% between the year 1970 and 1997, an increase of about 1.5% per year and the living planet index decreased by about 33% (Spellerberg 108). Overshoot is one of the most underestimated threats to the human population and it is maintained through the utilization of nature in a manner that is not sustainable (Smith 10). The concept of ecological footprint is very useful to the human race and the universe in general as it helps to monitor the use of ecological resources and foster advancements in sustainable development. By measuring the ecological footprint of a certain population be i t individuals, a state, a business or even humanity in general, we can be able to evaluate the pressure we are exerting on the planet and take caution. We will be able to utilize the available resources more wisely and also take individual and even collective initiatives to support and improve the ecological habitat of humanity. A UN projection study for instance shows that if the recent consumption model continues, by the year 2030, humanity will need the equivalent of two Earths to sustain itself (â€Å"Global Footprint Network†). The concept is very instrumental in helping the society deal with the problems that arise from overshoot whereby people are converting resources into waste faster than the waste can be put back into resource. The results of overshoot are devastating to humanity

Essential of forensic investigation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Essential of forensic investigation - Case Study Example The humanity has been served by the forensic science for decades, yet there are major flaws which influence the court decisions in criminal cases and the case of ‘Murder of Marilyn Sheppard in 1954’ underlines how fatal can be the forensic science investigations. On the pretext of the case, the study analyzes the ways of recovering evidence, the ways of analyzing them and the way they were presented at court. The paper also examines the details of the police investigation and the sort of evidence used in the investigation. It also focuses on the techniques used in the examination and the relevance of the techniques in the current forensic examination. Further, the paper examines the types of evidence, number of evidence taken into consideration or overlooked. The evidence taken into consideration was the only prime evidence or it was part of a bigger picture is also discussed in this study along with analyzing the fact that whether they were given due importance by the court and the police investigation or not. If yes, how was the evidence used used at trial, and, if not, why? It also speculates the possible conclusion, if the case is tried now. The case study also examines the factors that went wrong as well as the factors that can be consi dered as good practices. It also identifies the desirable or necessary changes that would have affected the outcome of the case. For examining the crime scenes the only scientific process is the forensic science and its investigation reports are quite important for influencing court decisions. In the selected case the decision made once was reversed in the second trial of the case and the second trial of the case was accepted by the court on the basis of new forensic investigation and it proved how important the evidence collected by the forensic scientists and their investigation are for the legal purposes. Often, forensic

English Language Learners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English Language Learners - Essay Example The major education reform issue stemming from this perspective is that "bridges" must be created between the repertoire of students and forms of knowledge and behavior accepted within classrooms and the school. Building connections between schools and homes and communities is likely to be a necessary component in improving schooling success. There is a need to build multiple forms of connections. Two important goals are to strengthen parents' and community members' participation in the education of children and to improve the quality of instruction offered students. Yet a third goal may emerge as very important and that is to devise learning opportunities for parents so that they may improve their literacy and schooling knowledge and opportunity to help their children progress in school (Baker, 2001). This focus is not meant to imply lesser importance to parental and community involvement in schooling decisions and indeed the latter deserves separate attention in a broader, more systematic discussion of interventions. Everyday survival is dependent upon "funds of knowledge" or sociocultural capital that is exchanged among community members as they go about everyday activities. Funds of kno wledge are exemplified by skills required in everyday activities and chores of life, such as childcare, purchasing goods and appliances, repairing equipment and cars, dealing with institutions such as hospitals, banks, etc (Crawford, 1995). The survival of family and community in the everyday world requires making sense out of the world and requires cooperation among community members in resolving everyday needs and problems. Schools are critical. Many educators advise bilingual families avoid a native language usage and help their children to master a new language. They are settings where many of the skills for real world survival are learned (Crawford, 1995). This appreciation is missing for students because of the failure of schools to draw these connections into the curriculum and because bilingual students do not see the ways in which their own family-community experiences are related to schooling. Building ties between funds of knowledge in families, communities, and schools appears promising in that it can provide bilingual students with a way to see how school learning fits into the everyday experiences of family and community members. Extensions of such work to bridge connections between foreign students and other communities and institutions would also appear to be just as promising. Other institutional contexts worthy of attention include college and university connections to elementary and high schools and industry connections to home and community settings (Baker, 2001). Resources for language acquisition involve peer groups and roles models, home support and classroom interaction, motivation and community programs for bilingual children. Recent years, more attention to ways in which the everyday world of students is connected to schooling in and of itself will not ensure that students learn in classroom settings (Baker, 2001). The very nature of classroom activities needs to be reconceptualized and cast from within more effective models of teaching and learning (Crawford, 1995). While research on effective instruction has

Religion -Ethical and Social Issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religion -Ethical and Social Issues - Assignment Example Even though Mrs. Wilkins is in her last life cycle the natural law demands that what is consistent with natural law is morally right during anything that is not is morally wrong. In connection to this, these laws are determined human beings. Human beings have the ability to reason and decide for themselves what is right or wrong. Even though she agreed to take the trial, it was not morally because she was not given enough time to think about the experiment. Kant ethics also states that the only good thing which cannot be quantified is good will. Kant also argues that there is no occasion that we can forfeit a moral behavior in order to have some good object. In connection to these conditions by Kant, the doctors should not push the patients just to have the medicine tested. According to Act Utilitarianism.... â€Å"Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By "happiness" is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by "unhappiness" pain, and the privation of pleasure. In this case, Mrs. Wilkins has agreed to take part in the trial because she feels it will help other people overcome the sickness she is having. Rule-utilitarianism suggests that a person’s decision should be based on the overall consequences that the decision will make. Therefore, by Mrs. Wilkins accepting to take part of the trials she is convinced that in the long ran, there are people who will benefit. Kant’s theory concludes that by rational agents agreeing to take part in any activity; they are bound to these activities by their own will. Finally, Kant concludes that while, in pursuit of the kingdom of ends, rational agents should act as if their law established a hypothetical kingdom. Therefore, Kant theory can be used to justify that Mrs. Milkins is a potential candidate for the experiment. Also according to Primer face duties, there is always a primer face

PRoject Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PRoject - Research Paper Example Its main components are feldspar and quartz, even though, there are small amounts of amphiboles, mica, and numerous other elements. Due to the varying composition of the granite rock, it comes in various shades and colors such as white, pink, red and gray. Mable, on the other hand, is the metamorphic rock that will be formed when limestone is exposed to the pressure and heat of the metamorphism. Its main component is calcium calcite and normally can have other minerals such as quartz, clay minerals, graphite, iron oxide, pyrite, and micas. Under the intense condition of metamorphosis, the calcite components of the limestone rejoin each other and form larger calcite crystals. Nigeria has its unique culture that is also in cooperated into their business world. One is likely to find self spending in the first two hours of a first conversation just exchanging pleasantries and talking about matters of family and health. To them, these matters are of great importance. One might find himself trying to rush things at this stage. Something that is worth noting is that Nigerians often work as a team and closed door meetings are bound to be frequently interrupted by phone calls, emails, and errands. Some scholars have argued that the law of supply and demand is enough to shape the business world in any region, however, others argue that politics is very vital for business in any region of the world. However what is now known to be true is that lots of political factors determine which direction the economy swings. The ruling government in Nigeria often introduces new rules and regulations or eliminate old ones that determine how business transactions in the country are to be countries out. By this, may include; waivers, import promotion decrees, tariffs, import duties and industrial promotion policies. It can is best illustrated by the 2004 import waiver of Dangote Industries that enabled the firm to

Proposal for the analytical report Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

For the analytical report - Thesis Proposal Example Technology has revolutionized business activities especially sales and marketing. I will present a variety of smartphone options that the company’s sales and marketing department can use to ensure the achievement of company’s vision in sales. I will then do a comparison of the options gauging their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the objectives of the company. I will ultimately present my recommendation to the company suggesting the best option that it can settle that is relevant to the same objectives. The company is operating in a highly competitive environment where success involves an integration of many factors .The sales have been dwindling in the past couple of months owing to inadequate networking between the sales staff and the company’s product consumers. The high cost of advertising via the local media (radio and television) has made it virtually impossible to advertise these products adequately. The sales manager noted that the company started losing some of its customers to rival companies. He noted that this was not necessarily due to the competitors having better products but attributed this to the loss of personal touch between the company sales agents and the customers. The company realised that the figures they were getting from revenue sales were way less than the ones projected at the beginning of the financial year. The scope of the options that I chose for the report have features that will help address these concerns and hopefully provide even more ben efits. The company has a goal of further expansion of its network and it’s afraid this would not be possible with poor sales and without an effective system of communication. With this goal in mind, the company would like a recommendation of my report to suggest a good brand of smartphone that it can invest in for use in sales and

Religion -Ethical and Social Issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religion -Ethical and Social Issues - Assignment Example Even though Mrs. Wilkins is in her last life cycle the natural law demands that what is consistent with natural law is morally right during anything that is not is morally wrong. In connection to this, these laws are determined human beings. Human beings have the ability to reason and decide for themselves what is right or wrong. Even though she agreed to take the trial, it was not morally because she was not given enough time to think about the experiment. Kant ethics also states that the only good thing which cannot be quantified is good will. Kant also argues that there is no occasion that we can forfeit a moral behavior in order to have some good object. In connection to these conditions by Kant, the doctors should not push the patients just to have the medicine tested. According to Act Utilitarianism.... â€Å"Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By "happiness" is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by "unhappiness" pain, and the privation of pleasure. In this case, Mrs. Wilkins has agreed to take part in the trial because she feels it will help other people overcome the sickness she is having. Rule-utilitarianism suggests that a person’s decision should be based on the overall consequences that the decision will make. Therefore, by Mrs. Wilkins accepting to take part of the trials she is convinced that in the long ran, there are people who will benefit. Kant’s theory concludes that by rational agents agreeing to take part in any activity; they are bound to these activities by their own will. Finally, Kant concludes that while, in pursuit of the kingdom of ends, rational agents should act as if their law established a hypothetical kingdom. Therefore, Kant theory can be used to justify that Mrs. Milkins is a potential candidate for the experiment. Also according to Primer face duties, there is always a primer face

Proposal for the analytical report Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

For the analytical report - Thesis Proposal Example Technology has revolutionized business activities especially sales and marketing. I will present a variety of smartphone options that the company’s sales and marketing department can use to ensure the achievement of company’s vision in sales. I will then do a comparison of the options gauging their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the objectives of the company. I will ultimately present my recommendation to the company suggesting the best option that it can settle that is relevant to the same objectives. The company is operating in a highly competitive environment where success involves an integration of many factors .The sales have been dwindling in the past couple of months owing to inadequate networking between the sales staff and the company’s product consumers. The high cost of advertising via the local media (radio and television) has made it virtually impossible to advertise these products adequately. The sales manager noted that the company started losing some of its customers to rival companies. He noted that this was not necessarily due to the competitors having better products but attributed this to the loss of personal touch between the company sales agents and the customers. The company realised that the figures they were getting from revenue sales were way less than the ones projected at the beginning of the financial year. The scope of the options that I chose for the report have features that will help address these concerns and hopefully provide even more ben efits. The company has a goal of further expansion of its network and it’s afraid this would not be possible with poor sales and without an effective system of communication. With this goal in mind, the company would like a recommendation of my report to suggest a good brand of smartphone that it can invest in for use in sales and

Vouch for Versace Essay Example for Free

Vouch for Versace Essay Don’t let your clothing wear on your bank account (if you’re a teenager) ‘’ Young people spend too much money on clothes and are too often influenced by brands and designer labels’’ This is in fact the distressing reality my friends. You see how narrow-mindedly we teenagers are perceived. In actual fact at least 7 out of 10 people would agree with that statement. Unquestionably scandalous, isn’t it? Anyone who isn’t a teenager is entitled to spend ‘too much’ money on clothes, or rather, they won’t be deemed as the easily ‘influenced’ youth of today. What is ‘too much’ money anyway, where is that line which, when crossed, says that you have spent too much on your clothes? I’ll tell you exactly where it is- nowhere. That line does not even exist as a fine line, and it just simply cannot be. Many people seem to forget that that it cannot exist due to the fact that we save up money with the intention of using it to buy clothes; I would hardly call that spending too much when that is in fact the only thing we desire to spend on. I have to grant that many people agree with this statement on the valid basis that clothes are not as important as other things that teenagers should be spending their money on, such as school equipment and resources, community, sport and what not. Nonetheless most of that is and should be paid for by parents should it not? After all since education is so vital and imperative shouldn’t your parents provide you with all the resources and equipment you require in order to do your greatest? On the other hand your parents may be paying for all that already, but they may also be funding your regular shopping sprees, especially for all you girls out there! All those accessories and make up products must come up to a hefty sum. Studies show that 68% of teenagers get their parents to pay for their outfits and extra apparel, 43% of these teenagers being girls. This study shows that teenagers obsession with designer labels and clothes in general seems to have had a knock on effect on their parents. Some may even wonder, ‘why do they actually need to dress different? ‘’ I’ll tell you why. We have been mobbed into society’s misconception of teenagers. In fact, we spend money on clothes in order to actually go against these stereotypes that we are time and again stapled with. Many of you would agree with me when I say that by spending money on clothes we are in fact expressing our individuality as young people. What else can we do to overcome these stereotypes that we are stuck with? As far as being ‘’often influenced by brands and designer  labels’’, we do not just go for brands. We are young adults and we are aware of financial issues around us, so why would we waste money continuously to replace our clothes? Would it not be better to spend a fair bit of money on a designer brand that can assure you of its quality? By purchasing designer labels and brands we are essentially saving money in the long run, after all do they not say quality over quantity- or in this case the cost. Just because we take a liking to designer labels does not necessarily mean that we are victims of celebrity peddling. Conversely many people agree that teenagers are most definitely influenced by designer labels and brands, and I agree with this quite a bit because it is in fact a truth, however they are not to blame. Many young people only wear designer brands because their friends are too. They wear it to, well, fit in I guess. Peer pressure plays a huge part in young people’s lives, such as you. You just want to fit in and not become that kid who has no sense of style don’t you? It segregates you; it shows the divide between the rich and the poor, and if you’re lucky it elevates your social status. Furthermore the other way teenagers such as yourselves are influenced into buying only the designer l abels and brands is due to the relentless influence of celebrities who promote these labels and brands in order to generate money for themselves. Nowadays many young people have access to the latest fashion through all media. You and many others can become victims of this celebrity peddling, and sooner or later you can become entangled in this fashion conscious loop. I mean, you’re always going to find something that’s more fashionable are you not? Obviously you’ll want to keep up with the latest style and inevitably you will eventually become a victim just like so many others before you. There is one thing that is a perk of being selective about your clothing. By being discerning about who you buy your clothes from you may just be doing something good. Just imagine, if you bought that t-shirt from Primark then how much would the poor young children who made that shirt after hard labour get paid? Exactly, you know they’ll get practically nothing. Yet by purchasing higher brand apparel you are in fact taking into consideration the ethical side of fashion. You may seem confused by that statement; however, there is an ethical side to everything, including clothes. Many people are picky about the clothes they buy because of religious reasons. Perhaps they need their clothes to be long and cover their body properly, who knows? It is a likely  possibility though that the reason that we teenagers spend a lot of money on clothes is simply because we need, not want them. Sad to say when asked 86 out of 100 people said that they strongly agreed that teenagers spent too much money on clothes even after being given the full picture as to why you pay so much attention and money on your clothing. One person actually said ‘’ Advertisers are exploiting young people and their desire to conform’’. Even after being told how some young people are actually paying these prices to prove to people that they are not conforming because of advertisers, rather, because of society and how they regard teenagers as a whole generation. This was all quite amusing actually, after all, who raised this ‘’Influenced’’ generation .Not me.

Modern society in the UK and Saudi Arabia

Modern society in the UK and Saudi Arabia Modern society has many definitions and this essay will introduce one of them, It is a society indicated that same modern about a basis of age, or technological and social or indeed anything else. Moreover, is the modern period of the developed world different to that of the less developed world .(Llexperts) Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom have similarities in modern society such as the Monarchy and differences in modern society such as the culture. Also, they have differences and similarities in youth culture, social welfare, gender roles, and population and I will describe them later in the main body for this essay. I have chosen this topic because I am studying in the United Kingdom and I want learn and research more about the modern society in the UK and I will compare modern society in the UK and Saudi Arabia. First of all, will be given information about the youth culture in Saudi Arabia and the UK such as what the young people prefer of clothes, sport, carsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. Secondly, compare and evaluate the social welfare such as education, social programme, hospital. In the UK and Saudi Arabia. Finally, the gender roles in the UK and Saudi Arabia what job they prefer and what the opportunity for them in the future. Analysis: In youth culture mean what distinguishes human rights as an object sane thinker develops ideas and knowledge by thinking and experiences and learn from others, and of the basic instincts shared by human and animal is jealous of assembly youth culture in general Indicates to the ways of young people such as teens differentiate themselves from the general culture of their community. There are many differences and similarities between the youth culture in the UK and the KSA. The main difference between the young people in the UK and the KSA is that in the UK most of young people spend the time at the weekend in the pop or club with the friends while in the KSA most of young people spend the time with the family and friends in the house, beach, and coffee shop. That mean the crime is increase in the UK at the weekend because the young people were drunk and did behave badly whereas in the KSA better and they will do behave well.(BBC) Young people in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia are similar in that they have interested for sport, according to, (Haynes, R. 1995). Says that The Football Imagination is the first in-depth study of football fanzine (fan magazine) culture, contributing to the extensive body of knowledge on the football industry which has developed over the past 25 years in the UK and Europe As will as sporting, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia are similar in terms of slang, More importantly, they share the same cultural beliefs. But maybe this custom can be effect for the Arabic and English language because nobody can be use the old language and maybe the people has forgotten it also make the language difficult for the people who need to learn other language. Gender mean that eliminating gender disparity, or otherwise cancel the impact of biological differences between the sexes and to prevent without taking into account those differences when dealing with the distribution of roles and functions between the sexes; where indicates that the concept of gender roles that have been classified social impact of the community.(moheet). According to faqs says that What is male? What is female? Your answers to these questions may depend on the types of gender roles you were exposed to as a child. Gender roles can be defined as the behaviors and attitudes expected of male and female members of a society by that society. Gender roles vary. Different cultures impose different expectations upon the men and women who live in that culture. The United States has experienced tremendous upheaval and revising of its traditional gender roles in the last generation. These changes in gender roles affect the home, the workplace, and the school, and they affect all Americans to some degree. There are many differences and similarities between the gender roles in the UK and the KSA. The main difference between the girl in the UK and KSA is that in the UK, the girl can drive a car, whereas in the KSA the girl can not drive as well. But may be in the future the girl will drive because there are no differences between the girl and men also according to the king Abdullah says women well be drive a car in future in the KSA nearly. While the people in the UK male and female can work together as a one team, the people in the KSA male and female can not work together unless in the specific job such as the bank or the companies. Because the culture in the KSA it does not accept that. Even though, mix gender in work has some advantages for example, will increase competition with the other, the women will try to prove their presence in the work, and the man will be interested in appearance and dressed, whenever he went to his job. Also, mix gender in the work has some disadvantages such as Sexual harassment. According to ( Hinsliff,G. 2006) says A hidden world of sexual harassment, with female managers exploiting their power over men in the office, has been unveiled by a new government survey. Despite the common stereotype of the male executive putting pressure on his secretary, two in five victims of sexual harassment are men, the study found. A quarter of the men questioned in the Department of Trade and Industry survey reported being pestered by a client whom they also felt obliged to please. According to the Equal Opportunities Commission, 8 per cent of calls to its sexual harassment helpline are from men, even though research shows male victims are less likely than women to complain. It insists that male complaints should be taken just as seriously. It affects both women and men, causing stress, health problems and financial penalties when they leave their jobs to avoid it, said Jenny Watson, chair of the EOC. Legally, sexual harassment is defined not just as lecherous behavior such as groping, but as any form of denigration of workers because of their sex. Male victims were more likely than women to complain of the second kind of harassment where a female manager treats women more favorably than men or criticizes male employees more regularly . As well as women can not drive in the KSA, UK and KSA are differences in the facility for the women such as sport the women in the KSA they do not have choice to play sport where as in the UK they can play. Football, rugby, and swimming. Welfare mean that the range of efforts made by the State through it is institutions, and members of the community through the efforts of volunteers to achieve social welfare and housing programs include social security and child careà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.etc. Also, the social welfare mean the Pattern of services the organization that are submitted by families or the countries or voluntary organizations to prevent or improve the social conditions.( ejtemay) According to wikipedia says Welfare or welfare work consists of actions or procedures especially on the part of governments and institutions striving to promote the basic well-being of individuals in need. These efforts usually strive to improve the financial situation of people in need but may also strive to improve their employment chances and many other aspects of their lives including sometimes their mental health. In many countries, most such aid is provided by family members, relatives, and the local community and is only theoretically available from government sources. In American English, welfare is often also used to refer to financial aid provided to individuals in need, which is called benefit(s) or welfare benefits in British English. Welfare can take a variety of forms, such as monetary payments, subsidies and vouchers, health services, or housing. Welfare can be provided by governments, non-governmental organizations, or a combination of the two. Welfare schemes may be funded directly by governments, or in social insurance models, by the members of the welfare scheme . UK and KSA are dissimilar in education, especially with fee. Students in KSA can study without pay anything, whereas students in UK have paid for that. According to wikipedia.org says Undergraduates pay up to  £3000 per annum (capped) in top-up fees and Postgraduates typically pay  £3000 per annum however some institutions charge more ,while students in KSA have got monthly allowance from government to encourage them.(moe) Health care system in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia are similar in that they have good health care system according to Wikipedia.org says Healthcare in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter, meaning England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each has its own system of private and publicly-funded healthcare, together with alternative, holistic and complementary treatments. Public healthcare is provided to all UK permanent residents and is free at the point of need being paid for from general taxation. Taken together, the World Health Organization, in 2000, ranked the provision of healthcare in the United Kingdom as fifteenth best in Europe and eighteenth in the world. Also, KSA has good health care system according to www.moh.gov.sa says The positions of access or the health of the population of Saudi Arabia to the fullest extent possible and the best in terms of justice and equality in care and in terms of effectiveness and the possibility of carrying the financial burde n of treatment and health care and to work in order to reach the level of the consumer to satisfy his ambitions, by providing this special home health services and the public with a high level of quality and services to cover the entire population Finally, there are differences between the UK and KSA for the housing that the UK support the people whereas the KSA it does not. According to Page Richard (223:1999) says that In 1900 around 10 per cent of housing was owner occupied and 90 per cent was rented from privet landlords and in 1995 , 77 per cent dwelling in the UK were either owner occupied or rented from privet landlords Conclusion: The most striking feature that British government help the British people more than Saudis government but some of the young people did not care. Also, the UKs government help the people by give them houses as a free whereas the Saudis government did not do it. The KSA government support the students by give them scholarships to study outside the country at about 20000 students in the UK and 40000 students in the USA also in Canada, Australia, Japan, France, China, Spain, New Zealand, Germany, and Malaysia at about 150000 students . (moe)

Zora Neale Hurstons They Eyes Were Watching God Essay -- Hurston Eyes

Zora Neale Hurston's They Eyes Were Watching God It’s no wonder that â€Å"[t]he hurricane scene in Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is a famous one and [that] other writers have used it in an effort to signify on Hurston† (Mills, â€Å"Hurston†). The final, climactic portion of this scene acts as the central metaphor of the novel and illustrates the pivotal interactions that Janie, the protagonist, has with her Nanny and each of her three husbands. In each relationship, Janie tries to â€Å"’go tuh God, and†¦find out about livin’ fuh [herself]’† (192). She does this by approaching each surrogate parental figure as one would go to God, the Father; she offers her faith and obedience to them and receives their definitions of love and protection in return. When they threaten to annihilate and hush her with these definitions, however, she uses her voice and fights to save her dream and her life. Hurston shows how Janie’s parental figures t ransform into metaphorical hurricanes, how a literal hurricane transforms into a metaphorical representation of Janie’s parental figures, and how Janie survives all five hurricanes. Janie’s first parental, godlike figure is Nanny, and she is the first to assume the form of a metaphorical hurricane or â€Å"[s]omething resembling a hurricane in force or speed† (â€Å"Hurricane†). Nanny establishes her parental, godlike status to Janie when she says, â€Å"’You ain’t got no papa, you might jus’ as well say no mama, for de good she do yuh. You ain’t got nobody but me†¦Neither can you stand alone by yo’self’† (15). While acting as the sole provider of love and protection to Janie, Nanny assumes the speed and force of a hurricane; â€Å"she bolt[s] upright† upon witnessing Janie’s first kiss an... ...er, she uses her voice and fights to save her dream and her life. Because the hurricane scene serves as the central metaphor of Hurston’s novel, it’s not surprising that other writers would want to use the hurricane to signify on Hurston. What may surprise these other writers, however, is that the novel actually includes five hurricane scenes, not just one. Works Cited â€Å"Fill.† The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 2000 Fourth ed. Bartleby.com. 13 Nov. 2004 . Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Perennial, (1937) 1965. â€Å"Hurricane.† The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 2000 Fourth ed. Bartleby.com. 13 Nov. 2004 . Mills, Elizabeth. â€Å"Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God.† Eighteenth Class Meeting. English 281. Davidson College. 26 Oct. 2004.

Good and Evil in Good Country People Essay examples -- people

Good and Evil in Good Country People  Ã‚   In her short story, Good Country People,  Flannery O’Connor employs all the elements of humor, irony and, paradox intermingled within the system of Christian belief in evil and redemption. This is no more evident than in the character of Joy, the daughter, who had lost a leg in a hunting accident at the age of 12 and who now has a wooden leg in his place. Throughout the story, it becomes increasingly clear that Joy’s physical affliction is closely paralleled by a spiritual one as well. As the narrative unfolds, the great lengths Joy has gone to recreate her inner self, her soul, are revealed in painstaking detail. It appears she has succeeded in fashioning her own soul into a spirit that is as hard and unyielding as the prosthesis that now takes the place of her missing naturally soft and flexible appendage. In Christian society and belief, as well as many other religions, the one true possession that a person has total control over is their everlasting soul. It is this spirit that makes one truly unique from everyone else. The fight within one’s self between good and evil and the day to day struggle to ensure that the goodness prevails is the focal point of a true believer’s life. It is only by this triumph on goodness that he can achieve Salvation in the eyes of God. Joy, on the other hand, seems intent on building barriers around her soul that would make it as rigid and unfeeling as her wooden leg. As did the surgeon who had to perform the prosthetic surgery years before to replace a natural part of her physical body, she is apparently trying to perform this same function with the spiritual side of herself as well. She has taken great care to recreate her  «Ã‚  self  Ã‚ » into one th... ...ears were now completely useless. To be an atheist and realize, not that there is a God, but discover there is a Devil, must be a very chilling and disheartening experience. For if there is definitely one, there must be the other. Works Cited Asals, Frederick. Flannery O’Connor  : The Imagination of Extremity. The University of Georgia Press  : Athens, Georgia, 1982. Brinkmeyer, Robert H. The Art and Vision of Flannery O’Connor. Louisiana State University Press  : Baton Rouge, Louisiana  , 1989. DiYanni, Robert. Literature Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. McGraw Hill  : Boston, Massachusette, 1998. Eggenschwiler, David. The Christian Humanism of Flannery O’Connor. Wayne State University Press  : Detroit, Michigan, 1972. Feeley, Kathleen. Flannery O’Connor  : Voice of the Peacock. Rugers University Press  : New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1972.

The Canning of Charles Sumner

On May 20, 1856, Senator Charles Sumner, a Massachusetts anti-slavery Republican, delivered a speech called â€Å"Crime against Kansas†. The speech was about Kansas` admission to the Union as a Slave State or Free State. In his speech, Sumner insulted two Democratic senators. South Carolina senator, Andrew Butler, who was not present, got his share of Sumner insults. Senator Butler`s kinsman Preston Smith Brooks, representative from South Carolina, offended by Sumner`s speech, he considered the speech as â€Å"libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler†.First He thought of challenging Sumner to a duel but he did not believe Sumner to be a gentleman and decided to discipline Sumner with public beating. On May 22, 1856, Brooks waited in Senate Chamber for ladies to leave. While Sumner was seated at his desk, the Chamber was clear of ladies, Brooks walked up to Sumner`s desk and marked his feelings about Sumner`s speech as â€Å"libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler† . Brooks then started to strike the Senator with a gold headed gutta percha cane. First Sumner tried to defend himself but he was trapped between desk and his chair.After couple of hits Sumner was already blinded by his own blood, but that did not stopped Brooks. Brook kept hitting Sumner until his cane shattered. Brooks left the chamber after seeing Sumner collapsed unconscious on the floor. Later on Brooks informed his brother what happened, he wrote that he gave Sumner â€Å"about30 first rate stripes† with the cane and he wrote â€Å"every lick went where I intended†. Brooks’ action was celebrated by many Southerners and condemned by Northerners. Both men became heroes in their respective states.The caning of Charles Sumner was a symbolic of two regions conflict and factor of rising tension leading up to the American Civil War. Bibliography Gienapp, William E. The Crime Against Sumner: The Caning of Charles Sumner and the Rise of the Republican Party. Civil War History pp. 218-245. September 1979. Geniapp’s journal provides a thorough examination of the caning of Charles Sumner and aftermath of the incident towards political parties. The author discusses how important this case was on the road to civil war. Woods, Michael E. â€Å"The Indignation of Freedom-Loving People†: The Caning ofCharles Sumner and Emotion in Antebellum Politics. Journal of Social History pp. 689-705. Spring 2011. Woods`s journal provides the role of emotion in antebellum American politics and political culture through an analysis of the outraged northern response to the May 1856 caning of Charles Sumner. The author discusses how important was indignation in antebellum political culture. Sinha, Manisha. The Caning of Charles Sumner: Slavery, Race, and Ideology in the Age of the Civil War. Journal of the Early Republic pp. 233-262. Summer 2003.Sinha`s journal analyzes the argument of slavery, race and ideology motivated by the caning of Charles Sumne r. White, Laura A. Was Charles Sumner Shamming, 1856-1859?. The New England Quarterly pp. 291-324. September 1960. White`s journal provides Sumner`s recovery and return to politics after Brooks attack. The author discusses both Northern and Southern response to the incident. Meriwether, Robert L. Preston S. Brooks on the Caning of Charles Sumner. The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine pp. 1-4. January 1951. Meriwether`s journal provides the letters sent by Preston S.Brooks to his brother. Pierson, Michael D. â€Å"All Southern Society IS Assailed by the Foulest Charges†: Charles Sumner`s â€Å"The Crime against Kansas† and the Escalation of Republican Anti-Slavery Rhetoric. The New England Quarterly pp. 531-557. December 1995. Pierson`s journal provides the detailed â€Å"Crime against Kansas† speech material. The author discusses if Sumner was offensive enough to get things physical. On May 20, 1856, Senator Charles Sumner, a Massachusetts anti -slavery Republican, delivered a speech called â€Å"Crime against Kansas†. The speech was bout Kansas` admission to the Union as a Slave State or Free State. In his speech, Sumner insulted two Democratic senators. South Carolina senator, Andrew Butler, who was not present, got his share of Sumner insults. Senator Butler`s kinsman Preston Smith Brooks, representative from South Carolina, offended by Sumner`s speech, he considered the speech as â€Å"libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler†. First He thought of challenging Sumner to a duel but he did not believe Sumner to be a gentleman and decided to discipline Sumner with public beating. On May 22, 1856, Brooks waited in Senate Chamber for ladies to leave.While Sumner was seated at his desk, the Chamber was clear of ladies, Brooks walked up to Sumner`s desk and marked his feelings about Sumner`s speech as â€Å"libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler†. Brooks then started to strike the Senator with a gold heade d gutta percha cane. First Sumner tried to defend himself but he was trapped between desk and his chair. After couple of hits Sumner was already blinded by his own blood, but that did not stopped Brooks. Brook kept hitting Sumner until his cane shattered. Brooks left the chamber after seeing Sumner collapsed unconscious on the floor.Later on Brooks informed his brother what happened, he wrote that he gave Sumner â€Å"about30 first rate stripes† with the cane and he wrote â€Å"every lick went where I intended†. Brooks’ action was celebrated by many Southerners and condemned by Northerners. Both men became heroes in their respective states. The caning of Charles Sumner was a symbolic of two regions conflict and factor of rising tension leading up to the American Civil War. Bibliography Gienapp, William E. The Crime Against Sumner: The Caning of Charles Sumner and the Rise of the Republican Party. Civil War History pp. 218-245.September 1979. Geniapp’s jou rnal provides a thorough examination of the caning of Charles Sumner and aftermath of the incident towards political parties. The author discusses how important this case was on the road to civil war. Woods, Michael E. â€Å"The Indignation of Freedom-Loving People†: The Caning of Charles Sumner and Emotion in Antebellum Politics. Journal of Social History pp. 689-705. Spring 2011. Woods`s journal provides the role of emotion in antebellum American politics and political culture through an analysis of the outraged northern response to the May 1856 caning of Charles Sumner.The author discusses how important was indignation in antebellum political culture. Sinha, Manisha. The Caning of Charles Sumner: Slavery, Race, and Ideology in the Age of the Civil War. Journal of the Early Republic pp. 233-262. Summer 2003. Sinha`s journal analyzes the argument of slavery, race and ideology motivated by the caning of Charles Sumner. White, Laura A. Was Charles Sumner Shamming, 1856-1859?. The New England Quarterly pp. 291-324. September 1960. White`s journal provides Sumner`s recovery and return to politics after Brooks attack. The author discusses both Northern and Southern response to the incident.Meriwether, Robert L. Preston S. Brooks on the Caning of Charles Sumner. The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine pp. 1-4. January 1951. Meriwether`s journal provides the letters sent by Preston S. Brooks to his brother. Pierson, Michael D. â€Å"All Southern Society IS Assailed by the Foulest Charges†: Charles Sumner`s â€Å"The Crime against Kansas† and the Escalation of Republican Anti-Slavery Rhetoric. The New England Quarterly pp. 531-557. December 1995. Pierson`s journal provides the detailed â€Å"Crime against Kansas† speech material. The author discusses if Sumner was offensive enough to get things physical.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 25

When I got back to the vampire house, the moon was hanging high in the sky. Lexi was sprawled on the sofa, her eyes closed as she listened to Hugo play the piano. The piano was so out of tune that the music he pounded out, which was supposed to be a rousing revolutionary march, sounded more like a funeral dirge. Still, I couldnt help but pull Lexi up, whirling her around in an impromptu dance. â€Å"Youre late,† Lexi said, ducking out of the twirl. â€Å"Or were you on anotherdate?† â€Å"Or killing more humans?† Buxton asked, entering the room. â€Å"Are you in love?† Percy asked, leaning his elbows on his knees and glancing up at me jealously from the corner table, where he was playing a game of solitaire. Percy clearly loved women, but his childlike face made him look like a boy of fifteen, and often the women he was most attracted to assumed Lexi was his mother. I was thankful Id been turned into a vampire at the age I had been. I shook my head. â€Å"Imnotin love,† I said, wondering if I was saying it to convince myself. â€Å"But Im settling into the routine at the freak show. I think Im learning to like New Orleans.† â€Å"Thats great news,† Buxton breathed sarcastically. â€Å"Buxton.† Lexi glanced at him reproachfully before turning her attention back to me. â€Å"Did you forget our plans?† I racked my brain, but finally shook my head. â€Å"Im sorry.† Lexi sighed. â€Å"Remember–Im taking you shopping. I may be a vampire, but I still have a womans vanity, and it simply doesnt suit me to be surrounded by men in ill-fitting clothing. What would the neighbors think?† She laughed, amused by her own joke. â€Å"Oh, right.† I inched toward the stairway. â€Å"Maybe we could go tomorrow? Im exhausted.† â€Å"Im serious, Stefan,† Lexi said, taking my arm. â€Å"You need clothes, and its a tradition of sorts. I took those two gentlemen in for fittings, and look at them now,† she said, nodding toward Buxton and Hugo as if exceptionally pleased with her work. It was true. From Buxtons high-collared blue coat to Hugos well-tailored britches, theydidlook handsome. â€Å"Besides, you dont have a choice,† she said mischievously. â€Å"I dont?† â€Å"No.† Lexi opened the door with a flourish. â€Å"Boys, were off. When we come back, you wont even recognize Stefan, hell look so handsome!† â€Å"Bye,handsome!† Buxton yelled sarcastically as the door clicked closed. Lexi shook her head, but I didnt mind. In an odd way, Id gotten used to Buxton. He was like a brother of sorts. A brother with a potentially fatal short temper, but one Id gotten used to managing. Together, Lexi and I walked companionably into the cool night air. I saw Lexi looking at me out of the corner of her eye, and I wondered what she saw. I felt I was living three distinct lives: In one, I was a loyal brother, in another I was a new member of a club I didnt quite understand, and in the third I was a young man placing my trust in a human woman–a woman whom I had staked my own flesh and blood to save. The trouble was, I wasnt sure how to seamlessly live all three lives. â€Å"Youre quiet,† Lexi said in midstep. â€Å"And†Ã¢â‚¬â€œshe sniffed the air–â€Å"you havent been drinking human blood. Im proud of you, Stefan.† â€Å"Thanks,† I murmured. I knew she wouldnt be proud of me if I told her about the conversation Callie and I had shared. Shed say that I was too impulsive, too naï ¿ ½ve, that Id made a huge mistake telling Callie my secret. Although I hadnttoldas much asconfirmedher remarkably accurate suspicions. â€Å"Here we are,† Lexi said, stopping at a nondescript wooden door on Dauphine Street. She took a slim metal hook from her pocket and jiggled it in the lock of the front door. After a moment, it clicked open. â€Å"And now, the shop is open for business.† Lexi spread her hands wide, perching on a stiff leather ottoman. â€Å"Take your pick.† A dozen mannequins with puffed-out chests held court in the store. One in a tweed jacket lifted its arm in a wave, while another in a sailors cap had a hand above its eyes, as though staring straight out to sea. Bolts of fine fabrics were propped up against the back wall, and a row of cuff-links glistened under glass. Stacks of ready-made shirts kept silent watch over the darkened shop, and a few cravats spilled out of a drawer. Lexi crossed her ankles beneath her skirts and gazed at me, a look of pride on her face as I pulled a camel-hair coat off a mannequin and draped it around my shoulders. I stood stiffly, waiting for approval, as I had done when my mother had taken me shopping. â€Å"Well, I cant tell when you stand there as wooden as a mannequin. Walk around a bit. See what you think,† Lexi said with an impatient wave of her hand. I rolled my eyes but took a turn around the room, acting like the rich men Callie and Id seen at the burlesque show. I held out my hand to Lexi with a flourish. â€Å"Care to dance?† I said in an exaggerated British accent. Lexi shook her head, amusement evident in her eyes. â€Å"Okay, I get it. Its a little too dandy. How about that one?† She angled her chin at a mannequin in black trousers and a gray coat with red piping. I removed my jacket and pulled the coat around my shoulders. Lexi nodded, her eyes taking on a faraway look. â€Å"What are you thinking about?† I asked. â€Å"My brother,† she said. I thought of the boy in the portrait, his eyes so much like Lexis. â€Å"What about him?† Lexi picked up a silk cravat and laced it between her fingers. She didnt look at me as she spoke. â€Å"After our parents died, I started taking walks with a boy who was a vampire. He asked if I wanted to live forever. And of course I did, because I was young, and whowouldn'twant to always be young and beautiful? Also, if I turned, it meant Id never have to leave Colin. Hed already lost so much, and I thought, well, at least he could know that hed never lose me.† â€Å"Was Colin a vampire?† Lexi pulled the cravat through her fingers and cracked it like a whip. â€Å"Id never do that to someone I loved.† The image of me forcing Damon to drink from Alice, the barmaid in the tavern back home, flashed through my mind. I looked down, not wanting Lexi to sense what Id done to someone I loved. â€Å"So what happened?† â€Å"People got suspicious. I didnt know then how careful we needed to be. My brother was growing up, and I was staying the same. People wondered. And there was a siege, and our house was torched. And the irony is, I escaped and Colin didnt. And he was the innocent one. He was only sixteen.† â€Å"Im sorry,† I said finally. I tried to imagine Lexi as a human, leaning on the arm of the man who had promised the world to her, just as Katherine had promised the world to me. I pictured him spiriting her away to a dark alley, taking just a little blood at first, asking her to drink his, then stabbing her through the heart to complete the transformation. Lexi waved her hand, wiping away the image of herself as a young girl. â€Å"Dont be sorry. It was more than a century ago. Hed be dead anyway by now.† She appraised me. â€Å"That jacket looks good on you.† â€Å"Thank you,† I said. Suddenly the weight of my discussion with Callie felt heavy in my stomach. â€Å"I have a plan to save Damon,† I blurted out. Lexis head jerked up, her eyes flashing. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Tomorrow night. Callies helping me.† I allowed my eyes to meet Lexis. â€Å"Damons back at Laurel Street. Her father will be out of the house at a card game, so well free Damon then.† â€Å"Did you tell Callie what you are?† she asked, her voice low and hard. I chewed on my thumb. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Stefan!† â€Å"She guessed,† I said defensively. â€Å"And I trust her.† â€Å"Trust!† Lexi spat. She stood up so abruptly the ottoman toppled over. â€Å"You dont know the meaning of the word. Callie is the daughter of Patrick Gallagher, who just forced your brother to fight a mountain lion to the death. How do you know this isnt some elaborate plan to imprison you, too?† â€Å"How stupid do you think I am?† I challenged, stepping closer to Lexi. â€Å"I may be young, but I have good instincts.† Lexi gave a derisive snort. â€Å"You mean the same instincts that landed you backed up in a butcher shop with three vampires surrounding you? The same instincts that led you to murder that woman on the train?† â€Å"Im still here, arent I?† â€Å"Because of me! And the boys back at the house. But I will not allow you to drag us into confronting Patrick Gallagher, of all people.† â€Å"No ones dragging you into anything!† I yelled in frustration. â€Å"Just because you let your brother die doesnt mean Im going to let mine! I owe him that much.† â€Å"You ungrateful child!† she spat, pushing me with all her force against a gold-framed mirror. I fell as the mirror shattered around me. One large shard cut a large gash across my arm, but it barely hurt. Instead, I was shocked by Lexis strength. Id seen it before, but Id never been on the receiving end. Lexi towered above me, her eyes glittering. â€Å"You need to learn your place, and you need to learn it fast. Youre a vampire. And vampires donotconsort with humans.† I leaped to my feet and pushed her away from me. She flew across the store and landed against the bolts of fabric. â€Å"This one does, if it means saving Damon,† I growled. Then I stalked out of the shop and into the blackness of the night.