Dokument Bez Tytu U

It is the story of wholeheartedly, naughty redhead Dads Mezzanine who lives in a titular academy with tenderfoot other boys – whose names begin with the letter A. Mr. Sleeks takes care of them with MattheWs, a starling who can pronounce only words' endings and who was once a boy. But The Sleeks' Academy is not a typical school – Mr.. Sleeks can interprets dreams, and his students throw ink during lessons as well as talk to heroes of other fairytale. The second book that I want to compare is a series of â€Å"Harry Potter† novels written by the British novelist J. K. Rolling in 1997.Her books about Harry Potter are still a age phenomenon not only in the Great Britain but also around the world. It is about a young boy (Harry Potter) and his adventures during his presence at the Hogwash's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In school he goes on many adventures with his friends: Ron and Hermann. Many people in Poland who read both books are saying that the plot is alm ost the same. The similarities between â€Å"Harry PoetIn this essay will try to compare these kooks and to find out whether it's a plagiary or just a result of happenstance. In both books main heroes, Adam and Harry, suddenly go to the Academy of Magic. Both schools are run by the elderly men who have long, grey hair and distinctive glasses. Both directors love children and they really love teaching. Tumbledown and Mr. Sleeks are famous for their unusual actions. Moreover, Harry and Adam are at the same age, they learn in a magic academy, know the magic tricks, they can fly and they have identical professors. Furthermore, areas of the universities where they are learning are magical places.On the there hand these books have also many significant differences. Before Adam went to Academy Of Mr.. Sleeks he was living with his parents whereas Harry lost his parents when he was a baby. Henceforth, he was living with his aunt Petunia, uncle Vernon and their son Dudley. On his eleventh b irthday, Harry found out that he is a wizard and he will go to Hogwash's. Adam got into Academy of Mr.. Sleeks in slightly different circumstances. Before he joined the academy he was always late for school, obviously he never had his homework done, he was also all fingers and thumbs. That was the main reason why his parents sent him to the Academy of Mr..

Enhancing Participation in Distance Learning Environments Essay

Given the increasing diversity and changes happening in the classroom today, it created new approaches in facilitating education and learning for students. Similarly, with the advent of information technology via the Internet in the late 20th century spurred the creation and design of distance learning environments. These capabilities encourage the development of curriculum created to facilitate the same results in a classroom based setup. It is in here that â€Å"students work on their own, with supplied course materials, print-based media and postal communication, some form of teleconferencing and/or electronic networking, and learner support from tutors and mentors via telephone or E-mail† (Sherry, 1996, p. 1). However, comparing this to the traditional classroom-based setup, there is wide range of problems associated in implementing this objective. â€Å"These include redefining the roles of key participants, technology selection and adoption, design issues, strategies to increase interactivity and active learning, learner characteristics, learner support, operational issues, policy and management issues, equity and accessibility, and cost/benefit tradeoffs† (Sherry, 1996, p. 1). Due to this, there is a need to reinforce strategies that advocates and realizes the importance of participation to cultivate and realize the objectives of any distance learning environment. Objectives: Upon the completion of training, participants are expected to carry out the following objectives and goals: †¢ Understand the functions of every distance learning †¢ Develop strategies for participation †¢ Point out relevant communication mechanisms available †¢ Realize the concepts and ideas presented on a particular subject †¢ Choosing and using adequate information for the topic †¢ Learn new motivational ways to effectively increase participation using virtual environments. †¢ Increase capabilities of participants to practice distance learning with a renewed vigor and determination to create success. Role of the Presenter Given the objectives of these training, it is necessary that the presenter must be adept and adequate to facilitate the needs of participants. Due to these, here are the responsibilities of the presenter: †¢ Present accurate and sufficient data concerning distance learning and participation †¢ Motivate individuals to interact in the discussion †¢ Generate feedback and effective communication among participants and guest speakers †¢ Interact and take part in activities that are designed within the course of the training †¢ Provide interactive slides and presentation data to support the argument. †¢ Extract reactions and checklist to the determine whether or not the objectives of the program were met accordingly Participants The training shall be comprised of students who are specializing in education. The group shall be composed of 20 selected third year individuals who were first to sign up in the sessions that were given one week before the program. In here, everyone shall be expected to attend this whole day event and learn from various speakers who have had experience in the realies of distance learning. Similarly, each individual is expected to bring a positive attitude so as to help facilitators bridge the information accordingly to each one. Schedule of Training In achieving the mentioned objectives and goals of the training, facilitators and organizers shall divide and use numerous programs that will attain this purpose. Kindly refer to index 1 to view the table and see several instructional mechanisms and agenda’s in the one day training. The Training Environment Location and time: It shall take place in a classroom based setup wherein there are 20 seats available for participants and several more for the guest speakers and lecturers who shall facilitate in the process. With this, the duration of the exercise shall begin at 8:00 AM and shall conclude at 5:30 in the afternoon. Snack and Lunch shall be served. Refer to Index 1 for the schedule. Audio-Visual: It is the prerogative of lecturers to use audio-visual equipment to supplement their talk. However, the organizers have encouraged each one to provide one to enhance student grasp of what he/she is talking about. Similarly there are numerous instruments made by organizers to also guide students to (1) familiarize with participants, (2) use their skills in determining solutions and (3) enhancing their grasp of the topic. These things shall be elaborated in the next section. Exercise and Activities Discussion 1: Enhancing Participation Under this section, participants are given numerous tenets and ideas surrounding the distance education practice. It incorporates the processes that correspond to the needs of students and instructors in imparting the needed skills and expertise in a particular subject (Montera-Gutierrez, 2002). In here, students shall be given the idea on how to enhance participation in distance education to supplement the objectives of a particular subject. Similarly, it shall focus on several facets in attaining this mainly increasing motivation, content and communication. Discussion 2: Dwelling into Communication In here, the facilitator shall point out the relevance of available communication apparatuses and mechanisms. By elaborating on these innovations, there is a better way wherein students can express their intentions while at the same time increasing participation. â€Å"If a teacher cannot communicate effectively with his or her learners, it is reasonable to assume that their learners will struggle in class† (Purland, n. d. , p. 1). Also, the speaker can identify several skills necessary to achieve this kind of communication among online students. Lastly, this discussion shall seek to introduce participants in various apparatuses and devices available for each ones use in bridging the gap between student and teacher. Discussion 3: Enhancing Content and Motivation The speaker in this section shall deal with creating and stimulating motivation among participants in distance learning. One initiative that can be made involves creating a good extra credit program to influence students to post in discussion forums and gather information and insights necessary for the class. Likewise, the program can also seek to showcase chat discussions concerning the grading of a paper and how the student can enhance his participation even better. On the other hand, the content must also be attractive to students given a particular subject. In here, the facilitator should encourage future distance learning instructors to try to look outside the box and gather resources that are relatively interesting and stimulates thinking. Here, members shall be given techniques in determining which information is adequate. Moreover, the speaker shall also point out relevant ideas and practices that are supplemental in addressing these situations. In each activity, students shall be divided into five (5) groups composed of four Ice breakers and Activities The design of the activities and ice breakers are deemed to encourage each one to participate with the members of the training. Since there are activities after every discussion to test their understanding and capacity, it is expected that everyone should participate and give out their best in addressing the situations given to them. On the other hand, ice breakers are given before the program and after lunch break. These have their defining purposes as the first one seeks to open up with the people to make the comfortable with each other. The latter addresses the sleepiness and laziness that may be felt after having lunch. Evaluation Tools There are two ways in which the student shall be evaluated in the training. The first part involves each speaker’s comments and response to the required reaction papers given to participants after the duration of the lecture and activities. In here, each one shall be given sets of questions devised by speakers to have them answered accordingly. The second way is via the feedback system given by each student in describing the overall success of the program in general and several insights revolving on what they had learned in the process. Closing At the end of the training, each one is expected to have learned something from the endeavor. It must not only revolve around the idea of distant education, but at the same time understand and comprehend what important facets continue to shape participation of students in the success and growth of interaction between the lecturer using communication, content and motivation.

Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-One

MIXING WHAT I NEEDED TO was easy. Getting it to where I needed took a couple of days. I first had to pay attention to what kind of shampoo Laurel used in the PE showers. The school provided shampoo and conditioner, of course, but she wouldn't trust her precious hair with anything so commonplace. Once I knew her brand, I hunted it down at a local beauty supply store and emptied its expensive contents down the drain. I filled bottles with my homemade concoction instead. The next step was switching it with Laurel's own bottle. I recruited Kristin for this. Her locker was next to Laurel's in PE, and she was more than willing to help me out. Part of it was that she shared our dislike of Laurel. But also, ever since I'd saved her from the tattoo reaction, Kristin had made it clear that she was indebted to me and had my back in whatever I needed. I didn't like the idea of her owing me, but her assistance did come in handy. She found a moment when Laurel looked away from her unlocked locker and covertly made the switch. We then simply had to wait for the next time Laurel used the shampoo to see the results of my handiwork. Meanwhile, my other lab experiment wasn't receiving quite the reaction I'd expected. Ms. Terwilliger accepted my report but not the amulet. â€Å"I have no use for it,† she remarked, glancing up from the papers I'd handed her. â€Å"Well†¦ I certainly don't either, ma'am.† She set the papers down. â€Å"This is all true? You followed every step precisely? I'd certainly have no way of knowing if you'd, ah, fudged some of the details.† I shook my head. â€Å"Nope. I followed every step.† â€Å"Well, then. It looks like you have yourself a fire-making charm.† â€Å"Ma'am,† I said, by way of protest. She grinned. â€Å"What do the directions say? Throw it and recite the last incantation? Do you know it?† ‘†Into flame, into flame,'† I said promptly. After having typed the spell initially for her notes and then re-creating it, it was hard not to have picked it all up. According to the book – which was an English translation of a Latin text – the language didn't matter so long as the words' meaning was clear. â€Å"Well, there you go. Give it a try one of these days and see what happens. Just don't light any school property on fire. Because that's not safe.† I held up the amulet by the string. â€Å"But this isn't real. This is nonsense. It's a bunch of junk thrown together in a bag.† She shrugged. â€Å"Who are we to question the ancients?† I stared, trying to figure out if she was joking. I'd known she was eccentric from day one, but she'd still always come across as a serious scholar. â€Å"You can't believe that. Magic like this†¦ it's not real.† Without thinking, I added, â€Å"Even if it was, ma'am, it's not for humans to mess around with powers like that.† Ms. Terwilliger was silent for several moments. â€Å"You truly believe that?† I fingered the cross around my neck. â€Å"It's how I was raised.† â€Å"Understood. Well, then, you may do what you like with the amulet. Throw it away, donate it, experiment with it. Regardless, this report's what I need for my book. Thank you for putting in the time – as always, you've done more than was required.† I put the amulet in my purse when I left, not really sure what to do. It was useless†¦ and yet, it had also cost me a lot of time. I was disappointed it wasn't going to have a more meaningful purpose in her research. All that effort gone to waste. The last of my projects showed development the next day, however. In AP Chemistry, Greg Slade and some of his friends scurried into class just as the bell rang. Our teacher gave them a warning look, but they didn't even notice. Slade was preening over his eagle tattoo, baring it for everyone to see. The ink was gleaming silver again. Next to him, one of his friends was also proudly showing off another silver tattoo. It was a pair of stylized crossed daggers, which was only slightly less tacky than the eagle. This was the same friend who had been worrying earlier this week that he wouldn't be able to get a tattoo. Apparently, things had worked out with the supplier. Interesting. Part of holding off on reporting to the Alchemists had been to see if Nevermore would replenish what I'd stolen. â€Å"It's amazing,† Slade's friend said. â€Å"The rush.† â€Å"I know.† Slade gave him a fist bump. â€Å"Just in time for tomorrow.† Trey was watching them, his expression dark. â€Å"What's tomorrow?† I whispered to him. He eyed them contemptuously for a few more moments before turning back to me. â€Å"Do you live under a rock? It's our first home game.† â€Å"Of course,† I said. My high school experience wouldn't be complete without the quintessential football hype. â€Å"A lot of good it'll do me,† he muttered. â€Å"Your bandages are off,† I pointed out. â€Å"Yeah, but Coach is still making me take it easy. Plus, I'm kind of deadweight now.† He nodded toward Slade and his friend. â€Å"How come they don't get in trouble for those? They're not making any effort to hide them. This school has no discipline anymore. We're practically in anarchy.† I smiled. â€Å"Practically.† â€Å"Your brother should be on the team, you know. I've seen him in PE. He could be a star athlete if he bothered trying out for anything.† â€Å"He doesn't like drawing attention to himself,† I explained. â€Å"But he'll probably go watch the game.† â€Å"Are you going to go to the game?† â€Å"Probably not.† Trey arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Hot date?† â€Å"No! But I'm just†¦ well, not into watching sports. And I feel like I should stay with Jill.† â€Å"You won't even go to cheer me on?† â€Å"You don't need my cheers.† Trey gave me a disappointed look as a response. â€Å"Maybe it's just as well,† he said. â€Å"Since you really wouldn't get to see me performing to my full level of awesomeness.† â€Å"That is a shame,† I agreed. â€Å"Oh, stop with the sarcasm already.† He sighed. â€Å"My dad's going to be the most upset. There are family expectations.† Well, that was something I could relate to. â€Å"Is he a football player too?† â€Å"Nah, it's less about football itself than keeping yourself in peak physical shape. Excelling. Ready to be called upon in a moment's notice. Being the best on the team's been a way to keep him proud – until these tattoos started.† â€Å"You're good without any tattoo help. He should still be proud,† I said. â€Å"You don't know my father.† â€Å"No, but I think I know someone just like him.† I smiled. â€Å"You know, maybe I do need to go to a football game after all.† Trey simply smiled back, and class started. The day passed calmly, but Jill ran up to me as soon as I entered the locker room for PE. â€Å"I heard from Lia! She asked if I could come by tonight. She's had regular practices with the other models but thought I could use a special session of my own since I don't have any experience. Of course, the thing is, I†¦ you know, need a ride. Do you think†¦ I mean, could you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Sure,† I said. â€Å"It's what I'm here for.† â€Å"Thank you, Sydney!† She threw her arms around me, much to my astonishment. â€Å"I know you don't have any reason to help me after everything I've done, but – â€Å" â€Å"It's fine, it's fine,† I said, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder. I took a steadying breath. Think of it as Jill hugging me. Not as a vampire hugging me. â€Å"I'm glad to help.† â€Å"Would you two like to be alone?† sneered Laurel, striding in with her entourage. â€Å"I always knew there was something weird about your family.† Jill and I split apart, and she blushed, which only made them laugh more. â€Å"God, I hate them,† she said when they were out of earshot. â€Å"I really want to get them back.† â€Å"Patience,† I murmured. â€Å"They'll get what's coming to them someday.† Eyeing Laurel's locker, I thought that â€Å"someday† might come sooner rather than later. Jill shook her head in amazement. â€Å"I don't know how you can be so forgiving, Sydney. Everything just rolls right off of you.† I smiled, wondering what Jill would think if she knew the truth – that I wasn't quite as â€Å"forgiving† as I appeared. And not just when it came to Laurel. If Jill wanted to think of me that way, so be it. Of course, my facade as a kindly, turn-the-other-cheek person was shattered when Laurel's shriek's filled the locker room at the end of class an hour later. It was almost a repeat of the ice incident. Laurel came tearing out of the shower, wrapped in a towel. She ran to the mirror in horror, holding her hair up to it. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked one of her friends. â€Å"Can't you see it?† cried Laurel. â€Å"There's something wrong†¦ it doesn't feel right. It's oil†¦ or I don't know!† She took out a blow dryer and dried a section while the rest of us watched with interest. After a few minutes, the long strands were dry, but it was hard to tell. It really was like her hair was coated in oil or grease, like she hadn't washed it in weeks. That normally gleaming, bouncy hair now hung in lank, ugly coils. The color was also off a little. The bright, flaming red now had a sickly yellow hue. â€Å"It smells weird too,† she exclaimed. â€Å"Wash it again,† suggested another friend. Laurel did that, but it wasn't going to help. Even when she figured out that her shampoo was causing the problem, the stuff I'd made wasn't going to come out of her hair easily. Water would continue fueling the reaction, and it was going to take many, many scrubbings before she fixed the problem. Jill gave me astonished look. â€Å"Sydney?† she whispered, a million questions in my name. â€Å"Patience,† I assured her. â€Å"This is just the first act.† That evening, I drove Jill down to Lia DiStefano's boutique. Eddie went with us, of course. Lia was only a few years older than me and nearly a foot shorter. Despite her tiny size, there was something big and forceful about her personality as she confronted us. The shop was filled with elegant gowns and dresses, though she herself was dressed ultra-casual, in ripped jeans and an oversized peasant blouse. She flipped on the closed sign on her door and then confronted us with hands on her hips. â€Å"So, Jillian Melrose,† she began. â€Å"We have less than two weeks to turn you into a model.† Her eyes fell on me. â€Å"And you're going to help.† â€Å"Me?† I exclaimed. â€Å"I'm just the ride.† â€Å"Not if you want your sister to shine in my show.† She stared back up at Jill, the difference in their heights almost comical. â€Å"You have to eat, drink, and breathe modeling if you're going to pull this off. And you have to do it all – in these.† With a flourish, Lia grabbed a nearby shoe box and produced a pair of glittery purple shoes with heels that had to be at least five inches high. Jill and I stared. â€Å"Isn't she tall enough already?† I asked at last. Lia snorted and thrust the shoes at Jill. â€Å"These aren't for the show. But once you master these, you'll be ready for anything.† Jill took them gingerly, holding them up to study them. The heels reminded me of the silver stakes Eddie and Rose used to kill Strigoi. If Jill really wanted to be prepared for any situation, she could just keep these around. Self-conscious of our scrutiny, she finally kicked off her brown flats and fastened the many elaborate straps of the purple shoes. Once they were on, she slowly straightened up – and nearly fell over. I hastily jumped to catch her. Lia nodded in approval. â€Å"See? This is what I was talking about. Sisterly teamwork. It's up to you to make sure she doesn't fall and break her neck before my show.† Jill shot me a look of panic that I suspect was reflected on my own face. I started to suggest that Eddie be Jill's spotter, but he had discreetly moved off to the side of the shop to watch and seemed to have escaped Lia's notice. Apparently, his protective services had limits. While Jill simply attempted not to topple over, I helped Lia clear space in the store's center. Lia then spent the next hour or so demonstrating how to properly walk for fashion, with emphasis on posture and stride in order to display clothing to its best effect. Most of those fine details were lost on Jill, though, who struggled to simply walk across the room without falling. Grace and beauty weren't concerns as much as staying upright. Nonetheless, when I glanced over at Eddie, he was watching Jill with a rapt look on his face, as though every step she were taking was pure magic. Catching my eye, he immediately resumed his wary, protective guardian face. I did my best to offer Jill words of encouragement – and yes, stop her from falling and breaking her neck. Halfway through the session, we heard a knock at the glass door. Lia started to scowl and then recognized the face on the other side of the door. She brightened and went to unlock it. â€Å"Mr. Donahue,† she said, letting Lee in. â€Å"Come to see how your starlet's doing?† Lee smiled, his gray eyes instantly seeking out Jill. Jill met his gaze, grinning just as widely. Lee hadn't been around at the last feeding, and although they talked constantly on the phone and IM, I knew she had been pining to see him. A glance at Eddie's face showed me he wasn't nearly as delighted by Lee's presence. â€Å"I already know how she's doing,† said Lee. â€Å"She's perfect.† Lia snorted. â€Å"I wouldn't go that far.† â€Å"Hey,† I said, inspiration striking me. â€Å"Lee, do you want to be in charge of keeping Jill from breaking her neck? I need to run an errand.† Unsurprisingly, Lee was more than willing, and I knew I didn't need to fear for her safety with Eddie on watch. I left them, hurrying two streets over to Nevermore. Ever since I'd heard Slade and his friends confirm the tattooists were in business again, I'd wanted to pay an in-person trip. Not a covert one, though. My stolen goods had already yielded their evidence. Except for the clear liquid, I had identified all the other substances in the vials. All the metallics were exact matches for Alchemist compounds, meaning these people either had an Alchemist connection or were stealing. Either way, my case got stronger and stronger. I just hoped it'd be enough to redeem me and keep Zoe out of here, particularly since the clock was ticking on her arrival. We were almost a week away from when my father had said she'd be replacing me. My plan was to see how willing Nevermore was to give me a tattoo. I wanted to know what warnings (if any) they gave out and how easy it was in the first place. Adrian's conversation hadn't yielded much info, but probably his on-fire-biker-skelet-on-with-a-parrot tattoo request hadn't done much to help his credibility. I was armed with cash today, which I hoped would get me somewhere. As it was, I never needed to flash any. As soon as I walked in, the guy behind the counter – the same one Adrian had spoken to – looked relieved. â€Å"Thank God,† he said. â€Å"Please tell me you have more. These kids are driving me crazy. When we got into this†¦ I had no idea it was gonna get this big. The money's good, but Christ. It's crazy to keep up with.† I kept my confusion off of my face, wondering what in the world he was talking about. He was acting as though I was in on his scheme here, which made no sense. But then his eyes flashed to my cheek, and suddenly, I understood. My lily tattoo. It was uncovered, since school was over. And I knew then, with absolute certainty, that whomever he was working with to get his supplies was also an Alchemist. He'd assumed my tattoo made me an ally. â€Å"I don't have anything with me,† I said. His face fell. â€Å"But the demand – â€Å" â€Å"You lost the other batch,† I said haughtily. â€Å"You let it get stolen right out from underneath you. Do you know how much trouble we go to in order to get that?† â€Å"I already explained that to your friend!† he exclaimed. â€Å"He said he understood. He said he'd taken care of the problem and that we didn't have to worry anymore.† There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. â€Å"Yeah, well, he doesn't speak for all of us, and we're not sure we want to continue. You were compromised.† â€Å"We're careful,† he argued. â€Å"That theft wasn't our fault! Now, come on. You have to help us. Didn't he tell you? There's a huge demand for tomorrow because those private school kids have a game. If we can deliver, we'll make double the money.† I gave him my best icy smile. â€Å"We'll discuss it among ourselves and get back to you.† With that, I turned around and began to leave. â€Å"Wait,† he called. I spared him a haughty glance. â€Å"Can you make that person stop calling?† â€Å"What person?† I asked, wondering if he meant some persistent Amberwood student. â€Å"The one with the weird voice who keeps asking if any tall, pale people are showing up around here. Ones that look like vampires. I figured it was someone you knew.† Tall, pale people? I didn't like the sound of that but kept my face blank. â€Å"Sorry. Don't know what you're talking about. Must have been a prank.† I left, making a mental note to investigate that further. If someone was inquiring about people who looked like vampires, that was a problem. It wasn't, however, the immediate problem. My mind raced as I processed what else the tattooist had told me. There was an Alchemist supplying Nevermore. In some ways, that shouldn't be a surprise. How else were they going to get ahold of vampire blood and all the metals necessary for their tattoos? And apparently, this rogue Alchemist had â€Å"taken care of the problem† that led to the theft of their supplies. When had my father called saying I was being pulled because of Keith's reports? Right after I'd broken into Nevermore. I knew who the rogue Alchemist was. And I knew that I had been â€Å"the problem.† Keith had taken care of me, making moves to get me out of Palm Springs and bring in someone new and inexperienced who wouldn't interfere with his illicit tattoo operation. It was why he'd wanted Zoe in the first place. I was aghast. I didn't have a great opinion of Keith Darnell, not by any means. But never, never had I thought he'd stoop to this level. He was an immoral person, but he'd still been raised with the same principles I had about humans and vampires. For him to abandon those beliefs and expose innocents to the dire side effects of vampire blood for his own material gain†¦ well, it was more than a betrayal of the Alchemists. It was a betrayal of the whole human race. My hand was on my cell phone, ready to call Stanton. That's all it would take. One call with the kind of news I had, and Alchemists would swoop in on Palm Springs – and on Keith. But what if there was no hard evidence to connect Keith? It was possible another Alchemist might go in and play the same game I had, getting the tattooist to think that they were part of Keith's team. Keith was the one I wanted to bust, however. I wanted to ensure that there was no way he could slip out of this. I made my decision, and rather than the Alchemists, I called Adrian. When I arrived back at Lia's shop, I found the training session winding down. Lia was giving Jill some last-minute instructions while Eddie and Lee lingered nearby. Eddie took one look at my face and instantly knew something was wrong. â€Å"What's the matter?† â€Å"Nothing,† I said blandly. â€Å"Just a problem I'm going to fix soon. Lee, would you mind taking Jill and Eddie back to the school? I have a couple errands I need to run.† Eddie frowned. â€Å"Are you okay? Do you need someone to protect you?† â€Å"I'll have someone.† I reconsidered, seeing as I was about to meet up with Adrian. â€Å"Well, kind of. Anyway, I'm not in trouble. Your job's to keep an eye on Jill, remember? Thanks, Lee,† I added, seeing him nod. A thought suddenly struck me. â€Å"Wait†¦ I thought this was one of the days you had a night class. Are we keeping you†¦ or†¦ well, what days do you have class?† I hadn't thought much about it, only noticing that some days Lee was around and other days he was in Los Angeles. But in looking back, there was no real pattern. I saw realization light Eddie's face as well. â€Å"That's true,† he said, eyeing Lee suspiciously. â€Å"What kind of schedule are you on?† Lee opened his mouth, and I sensed a ready story coming. Then he stopped and cast an anxious look at Jill, who was still talking to Lia. His face fell. â€Å"Please don't tell her,† he whispered. â€Å"Tell her what?† I asked, keeping my voice low as well. â€Å"I'm not in college. I mean – I was. But not this semester. I wanted some time off but†¦ didn't want to disappoint my dad. So, I told him I was just going part-time, which is why I was around more.† â€Å"What do you do in LA during all that time, then?† asked Eddie. That was an excellent question, I realized. â€Å"I still have friends there, and I need to keep my cover.† Lee sighed. â€Å"It's stupid, I know. Please – let me be the one to tell her. I wanted so badly to impress her and to prove myself to her. She's wonderful. She just caught me at a bad time.† Eddie and I exchanged glances. â€Å"I won't tell,† I said. â€Å"But you really should let her know. I mean, I guess there's no harm done†¦ but you shouldn't have that kind of lie between you.† Lee looked miserable. â€Å"I know. Thank you.† When he stepped aside, Eddie shook his head at me. â€Å"I don't like him lying. Not at all.† â€Å"Lee trying to save face is the least weird thing going on here,† I said. I found out then that Jill could walk from one side of the store to the other and back without falling over. It wasn't pretty, but it was a start. She was still a long ways from looking anything like the runway models I saw on TV, but considering she hadn't been able to stand in the shoes at first, I supposed she'd made considerable progress. She started to take off the heels, but Lia stopped her. â€Å"No. I told you. You have to wear these shoes all the time. Practice, practice, practice. Wear them home. Wear them everywhere.† She turned to me. â€Å"And you – â€Å" â€Å"I know. Make sure she doesn't break her neck,† I said. â€Å"She's not going to be able to wear those all the time, though. Our school has a dress code.† â€Å"What if they were in a different color?† asked Lia. â€Å"I don't think it's just the color,† Jill said apologetically. â€Å"I think it's the stiletto part. But I promise to wear them outside of class and practice in our room.† That was good enough for Lia, and after a few more words of advice, she sent us on our way. We promised to practice and come back in two days. I told Jill I'd meet up with her later, but I don't know if she heard. She was so caught up in the idea of Lee driving her home that pretty much everything else went past her. I drove over to Clarence's and was met at the door by Adrian. â€Å"Wow,† I said, impressed at his initiative. â€Å"I didn't expect you to be ready so quickly.† â€Å"I'm not,† he said. â€Å"I need you to see something right now.† I frowned. â€Å"Okay.† Adrian led me deeper into the house, beyond where I normally went, which made me nervous. â€Å"Are you sure this can't wait? This thing we've got to do is kind of urgent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"So is this. How did Clarence seem the last time you saw him?† â€Å"Weird.† â€Å"But health-wise?† I thought about it. â€Å"Well, I know he's been tired. But usually he seemed okay.† â€Å"Yeah, well, he's not ‘okay' now. It's gone beyond just tired. He's weak, dizzy, and confined to his bed.† We reached a closed wooden door, and Adrian stopped. â€Å"Do you know what caused it?† I asked, alarmed. I'd been worried about the complications of a sick Moroi but hadn't expected to deal with it so soon. â€Å"I have a pretty good idea,† said Adrian, with surprising fierceness. â€Å"Your boy Keith.† â€Å"Stop saying stuff like that. He's not ‘my boy,'† I exclaimed. â€Å"He's ruining my life!† Adrian opened the door, revealing a large, ornate canopied bed. Walking into a Moroi bedroom wasn't something I was comfortable with, but Adrian's commanding look was too powerful. I followed him in and gasped when I saw Clarence lying on the bed. â€Å"Not just yours,† said Adrian, pointing at the old man. Clarence's eyes fluttered at the sound of our voices and then closed again as he shifted into sleep. It wasn't his eyes that held my attention, though. It was the pale, sickly pallor of his skin – that, and the bloody wound on Clarence's neck. It was small, made with just one prick, like it had come from a surgical instrument. Adrian looked at me expectantly. â€Å"Well, Sage? Do you have any idea why Keith would be draining Clarence's blood?† I swallowed, scarcely able to believe what I was seeing. Here was the last piece. I knew that Keith had been supplying the tattooists, and now I knew where Keith was getting his â€Å"supplies.† â€Å"Yes,† I said at last, my voice small. â€Å"I have a very good idea.†

Diabetic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Diabetic - Essay Example Social support is getting support from friends and family who give assistance and comfort. Having the social support can improve the psychological well being of the patient (Schwartz, 2000). The relationship that exists among social support life stress, patient’s locus of control and the blood glucose control become evaluated in individuals with diabetes mellitus, using the objectives measures of the psychosocial variables. Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) and Glycosylated Hemoglobin (Hgb A-1C) control measures become taken at two regions for them to check the problems of the psychosocial variables on the change in diabetes control. A decrease in the social support leads to the worsening of the long term glycosylated hemoglobin control over time (Hellier, 2009). According to medics, diabetes is a progressive disease that surfaces as impaired glucose intolerance with a high level post meal glucose. These high glucose levels increasingly demand the pancreas to secrete additional insulin leading to a state of hyperinsulinemia. Nevertheless, the body gets resistant to insulin, and it later develops lack of insulin and high fasting glucose levels. This pattern represents Type 2 diabetes. The eventual exhaustion of the islet cells leads to the absolute lack of insulin presenting type 1 diabetes. To patients suffering from diabetes is quite a frightening experience, and the patients require all the physical and emotional support they can receive from their loved ones (Schwartz, 2000). The patients suffering from diabetes often complain of anxiety and fear about the future, experience fluctuations in their moods and find it difficult to cope with their daily lives. They also get tired at times. Depression is another common and dangerous complication witnessed by the people suffering from diabetes. The diabetics with depression posses a high rate of recurrent episodes of depressions in the preceding five years. Depressed persons do not have the motivation to

Vacation in Thailand(Special Occasion Speeches) Essay

Vacation in Thailand(Special Occasion Speeches) - Essay Example For someone who grew up in the East and travelled to the West, it is hard to explain in words how deep the desire is to smell the Eastern air again, and be with warm, welcoming, and smiling people. This is not to say that Western people are cold and unwelcoming, but no one can deny the magic of the East when it comes to warmth and hospitality. Furthermore, they do not call Thailand the â€Å"Land of Smiles† for nothing (Burke 5). If you have even considered visiting Thailand for a vacation, the country will not let you down. It you are able to get past the more than 14-hour flight (Rickman 17), Thailand is definitely an amazing destination whether you are vacationing as single, partnered, or with your family. However, it is advisable that a vacationer has several days to spare, because definitely, a weekend will not be enough once you set foot in this amazing country. There are several reasons why Thailand is a good place to spend vacation in. Dollars have high value in the country, and several guesthouses and hotels are available for less than $20 USD a night (Burke 68). Food will never be a problem as they are available almost everywhere for even less than a dollar (Burke 71-72). Even resorts are inexpensive, making the vacation less costly than the typical daily cost of living in your own hometown (Rickman 54). Also, being a tropical country in the Southeast Asia, there are clear, warm days almost throughout the year. The seasons in this country are either rainy, hot, or cool. During the warm season, one can splurge in Thailand’s beaches, some of which are considered the best in the world (Rickman 35). And whether you look for a beach hosting party-all-night events, or just a quiet nature-type one, Thailand has one to offer you. Some might try to dissuade you when it comes to Thai food, but you will be in for a surprise when you get o taste the original Thai food taste. Additionally, Thai cuisine easily offers you lots of variety at, again,

Exercise is now known to benefit cognitive function in people of all Essay

Exercise is now known to benefit cognitive function in people of all ages. Describe the evidence that supports this statement - Essay Example Along with VO2max and brain oxygenation, the adults who participated in the study showed an improvement in their cognitive function after they finished the exercise program that was designed for them for four months (â€Å"Exercise Improves† & â€Å"Exercise makes†). Another research was conducted for people with mild cognitive problems such as those diagnosed with about an average of ten times the risk of having dementia. During the intervention of an aerobic exercise to the adult participants with mild cognitive impairment, the result of the study found that there was an improvement on the cognitive function of the participants. For the women, there was an observed change in the physical and chemical reaction that includes â€Å"better disposal of glucose, decreased fasting plasma levels of insulin, cortisol, and brain –derived neurotrophic, while men showed an increase in their plasma level of insulin-like growth factor (Bankhead n.d).† Similarly, Kramer, Erickson, and Colcombe (2006) obtained a result showing an improvement of people, this time with anemia, found to have a positive effect of exercising to those who are already affected by dementia. Specifically, the controlled studies conducted by Baker, et al (n.d.), the effect of high-intensity aerobic exercise though geared towards the improvement of cognitive function, specifically identified the specific effects of exercise to men and women. While men’s plasma levels of insulin-like growth is increased, women’s disposal during the metabolic clamp is increased and the function of fasting plasma levels of insulin is decreased (Baker et al,

Energy and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Energy and Development - Essay Example This paper thematically focuses on energy development in view of attaining the millennium development goals with a bias towards developing countries. In reference to meeting energy demands in the developing countries, the focus should be on renewable sources. Over the years, environmental pollution has been a challenge to the human population. In fact, environmental pollution poses the greatest threat to human development. In view of that, in order for the developing countries to meet their goals, the focus has to be in harnessing renewable sources of energy. The sources of renewable energy include, for instance, hydroelectric power. Electricity forms a significant energy source for both domestic as well as industrial consumption. Its generation from hydroelectric turbines makes it a preferred choice since it is relatively non pollutant to the environment. In addition, the fact that it is generated by water through rotating turbines implies that it is renewable since the water used can be used again. Its generation is in tandem with the MDGs since it promotes su8stainable environment. However, in view of developing countries, the challenge they face in generating electricity may be attributed to financial in ability as well as lack of appropriate technological expertise. Solar offers a form of renewable energy which is both cheap and safe to the environment. In addition, the harnessing of solar as a form of energy for the developing counties would create the much needed jobs for economic sustenance. However, there are imminent challenges in adopting solar as the preferred form of energy for the developing countries. For instance, unpredictable weather patterns in some of the demography imply that it can not be relied on throughout the year. Some of the countries, for instance those in Africa, experience tropical weather patterns which

Faith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Faith - Essay Example Wills (2006) points out that faith meant something different then from what it means today. Ehrman (2005) is concerned with the separation of Christians and Jews on the grounds of faith as salvation and more important than law. Ludemann (2002) attempts to achieve a synthesis with Christ as the common meeting ground for the two religions. Grant (1976) notes that Paul’s labours were devoted to the equation of sin with the flesh, and hints at the early notions that later bore fruit in the Reformation whilst Muggeridge and Vidler (1972) seem to complete the circle with the return to the claim that by receiving Christ, one becomes justified and joins a community—the body of Christ. The Role of Faith in the First Century in the Justification of all Peoples before God The Apostle Paul has written a letter advising the Romans of his intention to visit on his way to Spain. An important theme of his letter concerns the role of faith as a unifying element in the deliverance of var ious peoples to what he sees as the supreme reality, Jesus Christ. In essence, he seeks a synthesis and detente that will include all citizens in the new monotheism. In Wills (2006) faith is equated with trust. God promotes people into partnership with Him through the Son. Also, Wills sees faith as meaning something very different in ancient times than what it connotes today. Then, faith meant belief in a person, not a dogma as in recent times. (Wills 2006, pp.183-184) The powerful personality of Jesus obviously had much influence on potential converts. Ehrman (2005)shows the division of faith in Rome at this time. To the Jews, Jesus was weak, and definitely not the Messiah. To them, the Romans had all the temporal power needed to dominate the world. The earliest Christians disagreed by asserting that Jesus was the Messiah and that His death was an act of God designed to bring salvation to the world. Indeed Paul claimed that salvation could come to Jews and Gentiles alike not by scr upulous adherence to the law but by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 10:3-4, New Jerusalem Bible). Here Paul delineates perhaps the main reason why the Jews would not recognise Jesus. Ehrman also notes that Paul held that the Jews were not justified by obedience to the law, and reminds Gentiles not to follow the law too closely but to remain as they are and to follow Jesus. Paul also believed that both faiths traced to Abraham—the â€Å"father of many nations.† His faith was surely put to the test, and Abraham was justified by this faith, for it guaranteed his salvation ( Ehrman 2005, pp. 188-189). Ludemann (2002) also agrees with Paul that salvation is achieved through Christ alone (Thessalonians 1:9-10). By having faith in Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles become members of a third group—both qualified and eligible-- to enter the new synthesis. There is a three step process as an admission requirement: first, faith in Jesus, then baptism as a rite and finally inclusion in the church as a social body (Ludemann 2002, p.154). Grant (1976) is focused more on the sub-theme of sin, and notes that the ancient Greeks had a different definition of it than did Paul. To them, sin was a consequence of ignorance, and a rational mind could nullify it through reason. Paul was obsessed with the concept of sin and linked it closely with that of flesh He seemed to think that men and women were predestined for sin (Grant 1976, pp.31-32). In this, there is a surprising foreshadowing of Calvinism many

Core Subsystems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Core Subsystems - Assignment Example The scheduler policies fail to receive priority from the memory managers. In such scenarios, there may de diverge allocations of the central processing unit (Torkkeli and Tuominen, pg. 277). Such a scenario may result to two main problems. For instance, there is the schedule oblivious; where scheduling policies fail to exist and even those who are operating, the systems do not use it. In addition to that, the core objective remains to maximize the final and overall faults. Such an approach deters the achievement of schedule goals. The scheduling aspects of the general systems are based on the priority purposes in all times. The input is kept at a high end at all times. Delaying of one priority task occurs for the sake of more than five low priorities. Real time operating systems have the mandate of managing the hardware aspects, which are found in the computer, and other applications installed in it. It remains very reliable it enhances measurement and general automation where the downtime remains a costly affair. The real time systems operate under maximal time. It does provide a high level of real time consistent timing (Grimmer and King, pg. 2647). A number of real-time systems are constructed and operate using the general systems. The operating system is at the chance of providing real time support though they are engineered for a robust real time production, with a number of unpredictability. The disk activity and schedule granularity is at a consistent angle. The critical difference between the general-purpose operations system and real-time operating system is all about the physical aspects of the system. It is all about the time sensitivity aspect. An example of a time conscious system is an automated machine, where one gets the money in not more than five seconds after request of the transaction. Such a system is critical in being time responsive. A personal computer does not portray such a time sensitivity aspect. When one is

Beowulf Comparison Essay Example for Free

Beowulf Comparison Essay Beowulf is a very appealing novel as well as a film. The novel Beowulf and the film have many similarities, but they have more differences then anything. While watching the film I noticed many added parts that were not included in the novel. In the film, Grendel’s arm caught is caught on a rope as he’s trying to escape. As the men get closer he has no choice but to cut his own arm off in order to escape, this action is an actual animal reaction when their limb gets caught, the eat their own limb off. This event does not occur in the novel. In the novel Grendel is described as an evil monster with claws, while in the film he appears to be a regular human being. There is also some romance that goes on in the film. Another difference is that the novel is written in very old English while the English in the film seems a little more modern. Religion also seemed to play an important role in the film that it didn’t play on the novel. Before I watched the film I expected an ugly demon looking thing to play the role of Grendel, but instead he was just a very tall man with birth defects. In my opinion Grendel is not the monster the book makes him out to be. When Beowulf becomes furious with Grendel he begins to mimic Beowulf in amusement. While in the novel Grendel becomes angry and goes completely wild. I found both the novel and the movie amusing because they both had something different to offer. Reading the book allows you to visualize the characters and what their personality traits are going to be like. The novel will also allow me to better understand the climax and main points. As far as the film goes, it really helped me comprehend what is going on in the story, due to the novel being in Old English. After reading the novel I expected the film to be distinctively different, especially the way Grendel was portrayed. Despite the differences from the novel and the film, they both give me a clear understanding of what is occurring in the story.

The Role Of Franchising Tourism Essay

The Role Of Franchising Tourism Essay What is a franchise according to the American heritage dictionary franchising means using one that is granted to use a business model in a certain area for a fee. Well it does not matter how the transaction or agreements are done whether it includes license, joint venture, consulting and supply agreement, and dealership when these terms are included in the contract, its a franchise (Grueneberg Solish, 2010). Legally franchising is viewed as contractual arrangement between the two legally independent parties where the franchisee pays the franchisor for the right to sell the franchisors product or the right to use his trademarks in a given location for a specified time period (Francine  Lafontaine Kathryn  L.  Shaw, 1999). As franchising sector is growing at rapid pace franchisor should look for expansion in international market as the home market specifically developed countries like us Canada, Europe is becoming saturated. It is vital import for a firm to have a strategic pla n to successfully establish in global economy (Richard John, 2004). The global franchising prospect seems great as said by Hoffman and Preble (1993) after their global survey of global franchise association around the world. The survey came out true as according to the United States census bureau revels that in US total franchise business accounted for 1.3 trillion and total work force of 59 million the report also showed that Limited-service restaurants, sometimes called fast food restaurants, had the highest number of franchise establishments with paid employees (124,898), followed by gas stations with convenience stores (33,991), and full-service restaurants (30,130). Thus the data revels franchise in hospitality industry is observing massive growth (U.S.CensusBureau, 2010). The massive upward growth in information and technology and simple long distance travel has made the world a small and well interconnected. Organizations should and are taking advantage of these developments and trends to pursue a global expansion. As the global market around the world are opening up and the market in developed countries are at the point of saturation companies are trying to tap into these newly opened markets for example China with one quarter of world population and high number of mid income group is considered as most under-retailed country in the world (Richard John, 2004). The concept of franchise is flexible and basically suits service sector. Given that franchise relation are influenced to an extent to which the system can be transfer and sustain in local market in terms of product acceptance, local support and service (John, 1999). Thus due to consistent economic importance of franchise we can find lots of research and literature to help us understand the concept. Franchising is a major expansion strategy for hospitality firms into a global market, especially hotels and restaurants to name a few Marriotts, Hyatt, Hilton Accor, IHG, McDonalds, KFC are a very few examples. In global markets franchising add value to the chain by enhancing and understanding the local values culture and customs. Franchising is one of the two main types of operations of which the other one owning. Franchising provides restaurants and hotels with stable franchising revenue through royalties and fees regularly according to the agreement and the time frame of the period (Koh, Lee, Boo, 2009). Unlike most other service sectors, the hotel industry is generally capital-intensive and its logistics and supply chain can be as complex and difficult to manage as those in manufacturing operations. Thus for hospitality related organization, this can be a huge complication to an equity-based expansion model in various markets, particularly in the international market. Thus, it r aises the issue of the importance of the internationalization process through franchising as a non-equity-based expansion strategy(Alon, Ni, Wang, 2012). But as a matter of fact franchising in international market delivers a scope for rapid expansion and global presence and hotels do have potential to overcome the hurdles like cultural, linguistic, technical, legal, and employment problems commonly associated with franchising internationally. Hotel industry in particular is different among another service franchisee as it requires big financial investment to establish facilities to start the business. To give a rough idea the total investment required by Choice Hotels International ranges from $2.3 to 14.6 million, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) $2-20 million, Motel 6, $1.9-2.3 million, and Hilton 53.4-90.1 million due to such huge capital requirement makes acquiring and setup a franchise hotel a complex process (Alon et al., 2012). Franchising in Australia originated in a significant way in the early 1970s under the influence of the franchised US fast food systems KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonalds which commenced operations here at the time. Increased intensity in business competition during the 1970s and early 1980s resulted in the failure of many small and medium sized businesses and encouraged growth in franchising. Franchising continued to grow at an accelerated rate during the 1980s. This was attributed to an increase in interest from the financial and public sectors (Frazer, 2000). Over the last two decades franchising in Australia saw a rapid growth and has developed into a highly significant and dynamic business activity The Australian franchise sector with 71000 units and 1,100 business format contributes AUD $ 61 billion to Australian economy in year 2007 thus these sector is of vital important top Australian economy (Scott, Lorelle, Jeff, 2010). Comparing the franchising sector in Australia and New Zealand is not new for years there has been a friendly rival among the two countries for title of most franchised country in the world. When the survey carried out New Zealand was more franchised than Australia with 450 franchise system and around 24000 franchise system which was 17% higher than Australia on per individual basis (Lord, 2011). Franchising in New Zealand is not taken seriously enough compared to other business due to lack of legislation and treating franchise as just a business deal. The franchise sector is substantially larger than many people realize, says Graham Billings, GM of the Franchise Association of New Zealand (FANZ). Current estimates suggest turnover of between $15 billion and $20 billion, representing between eight percent and ten percent of GDP (Moore, 2009). Taking into consideration the various hotel franchises across New Zealand and Australia gives a clear picture about the franchise investments in the market. Australia has the following well Known International hotel franchise: Swissotel * Hilton Accor * Radisson Four Seasons * Best western Hotel Sheraton * Marriott IHG * Shangri- La Hyatt * Starwoods * Choice hotels (expedia.com, 2012). These are the some of the many brands which have presence in Australian market when compared to the brands present in New Zealand which are: *IHG *Accor *Marriot *Hilton (expedia.com, 2012). Thus when compared the hotel franchise sector in both the countries Australia definitely has much mature market for franchising then New Zealand as many big hotel organization are yet to tap the New Zealand market like Hyatt, four-season, Shangri-La, Starwoods. To get a better picture of comparison between role of franchising in hotel industry in Australia and New Zealand lets compare two cities in both the countries. Instead of comparing between the cities like Sydney and Auckland will not give fair information as Sydney is far bigger Metro than Auckland. Hence we will compare the role of franchising between Auckland and Brisbane as they are equal in many aspects and also they are known as sister cities. With parks and botany gardens and population, urban area and economy almost similar to each other helps to compare the role of franchising easier and comparable to each other. Thus when searching for hotels on www.expeidia.com for hotels in Brisbane there are 145 hotels listed on web site the result for hotels in Auckland are 149, the search result shows the hospitality sector are very similar in both the cities. But when we see the ratio of number of five star category hotels the difference is more than double as Auckland has around 20 five star hotels as compared Brisbane has only 7. After comparing the brands owned by franchise as mentioned above the number shows a slight difference of Auckland having more number(9) of franchised hotels as compared to Brisbane(7). Hence if we consider the various factors like Number of visitors, density of the hospitality market and economy franchise sector in New Zealand is much denser and bigger than compared to Australia. This shows despite size and regulatory environment franchising has much in common on both the sides. Also when consider the basic hospitality franchising and various local franchised restaurants franchising in New Zealand has much denser network of franchising. It also concludes that the franchising process is market-sensitive and as a result market characteristics play an important role in affecting franchising operations. These factors may include, among others, the market segment, the degree of control, either by the hotel industry sector or by government policy, the risks and costs of entry, and similarities of cultural norms and business. In addition, other situational factors which that affect how hotel franchising is carried out in a market such as Australia and New Zealand which ar e mature and stable in both the countries, the level of technology infrastructure development in the market, and the overall economic and financial conditions in the financial market of Australia and New Zealand (Alon et al., 2012).