The Universe Next Door

Purpose of book 1. outline basic worldviews underlying way we in west think about selves. 2. trace historically how worldviews have developed from breakdown in theistic worldview, moving in turn into deism, naturalism, nihilism, existentialism, eastern mysticism, new consciousness of New age and Islam recent infusion from Middle East. 3. show how postmodernism puts a twist on worldviews 4. encourage us all to think in terms of worldviews with consciousness of not only our own way of thought but also that of other people, so we can first understand and genuinely communicate with others in pluralistic society. Chapter 1Worldview or vision of life is framework or set of fundamental beliefs thru which we view world and our calling and future in it. Vision need not be fully articulated, may be so internalized that it goes largely unquestioned. May not be explicitly developed into a systematic conception of life. May not be theoretically deepened into a philosophy. may not even be codified into creedal form. May be greatly refined thru cultural historical development. Vision is a channel for ultimate beliefs which give direction and meaning to life. Integrative and interpretative framework by which order and disorder are judged.Standard by which reality is managed and pursued. Set of hinges on which all our everyday thinking and doing turns. Worldview is commitment of heart expressed as story in set of assumptions true, partially true, or false that we hold consciously and subconsciously and consistently or inconsistently about basic constitution of reality and provides foundation on which we live, move, and have our being. Commitment – Worldview involves mind and soul and heart. Bible sees as wisdom, emotion, desire, and will, and intellect. Presuppositions expression – expressed as a story of your life. Assumptions T, PT, F, etc. eality is everyone’s own perception of world. Foundation on which we lived expressed by words and actions. We all ta ke some position whether we realize it or not, Chapter 2 Clockwork Universe: Natualism How did theism get replaced with deism? Deism came about to replace chaos with unity of theological and philosophical explanations. Shift from scriptures to reason or human intuition (inner light). Started studying world form based on matter and how things were put together. Orderly, mechanized, clockwork timing with perfect mechanical precision. Science was born. Middle ages directed toward God and studying Him to become good and holy.Theology was born. Some deists Christians some not. To deist God is distant, foreign, alien, and unavailable. 1. Wv? 1 – a transcendent God as a first cause created universe then left it to run on its own. God is not immanent not triune, not fully personal, not sovereign over human affairs not providential. 2. Wf? 2 – cosmos God created is determined, because it is created as a uniformity of cause and effect in a closed system so no miracle is possible . Any tampering or interference by God would be considered as saying His creation is flawed. Locked up in cause and effect clockwork world. Humans cannot change. 3. Wv ? human beings though personal are part of clockwork of universe. Deism says we are just puppets and no free will. No one has special relationship with God. 4. Wv? 4human being may or may not have a life beyond their physical existence. Destroyed triune and led to naturalism and nihilism. Warm still believed in afterlife cold did not. 5. Wv? 5 – thru innate and autonomous human reason and the methods of science, we can not only known universe but can infer at least something of what God is like. Cosmos, this world, is understood to be in its normal state; it is not fallen or abnormal. Deism human reason is autonomous and not from God.Learn about God from universe. Theists believe God revealed Himself in nature but also with His word. Deists God no communicate with man/architect and designer only. 6. Wv? 6ethics is intuitive or limited to general revelation because universe is normal it reveals what is right. Weather disaster is natural events. Deists do not consider human reason or universe itself to be fallen. Normal state. 7. Wv? 7 history is linear for course of the cosmos was determined at creation. Still meaning of the events of history remains to be understood by the application of human reason other data unearthed and made available to historians. . Cold deists use their own autonomous reason to determine their goal in life, warm deists may reflect on their commitment to a somewhat person God and determine their goal in accordance with what they believe their God would be pleased with. MODERN DEISM Sophisticated scientific deism – cold deism God is embodiment of laws of physics. Sophisticated philosophic deism – there is something out there but is it God? Popular deism – belief in a being, force, or intelligence. Cold deism God is simply abstract force bringing world into existence. Warm deism God is clearly personal and even friendly. Monotheistic therapeutic deism – . God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth. 2. God want people to be good nice, and fair to each other, as taught in bible and by most religions, 3. Central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself. 4. God does not ;need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve problem 5. Good people go to heaven when they die. UNSTABLE COMPOUND 1. Autonomous human reason replaced Bible and tradition as authority for way reality was understood. 2. Autonomous human reason replaced bib and tradition as authority for morality. . Deists rejected biblical notion of Fall and think universe is a s it should be. 4. Universe cannot be reordered, human action is determined. 5. Today find more aspects of deism to question. Chapter 4 Naturalism Deism (God is reduced) connects theism (God exalted) and n aturalism (no God at all). BASIC NATURALISM 1. WV ? 1 Prime reality is matter. Matter exists eternally and is all there is. Cosmos rules. God does not exist. Nothing comes from nothing. Something always was and was matter of cosmos itself. 2. Wv ? 2 cosmos exists as a uniformity of cause and effect in a closed system. 3. Wv ? human beings are complex machines personality is an interrelation of chemical and physical properties we do not yet fully understand. 4. Wv ? 4 death is extinction of personality and individuality. 5. Wv ? 5 thru our innate and autonomous human reason, including the methods of science, we can know the universe. The cosmos, including this world is understood to be in its normal state. 6. WV ? 6 ethics is related only to human beings. Theist God foundation of values. Naturalist human beings foundation of values. For ethics to matter has to be personality along with consciousness and self-determination.Naturalists say ethics is autonomous and situational and came from human experience, need, and interest. Also say all humans have a sense of moral values that come from culture and growing up in environment. 7. Wv ? 7 history is linear stream of events linked by cause and effect but without an overarching purpose. Natural history begins with origin of universe. 8. Wv ? 8 naturalism itself implies no particular core commitment on the part of any given naturalist. Rather core commitments are adopted unwittingly or chosen by individuals. NATURALISM IN PRACTICE: SECULAR HUMANISM Humanism says overall attitude human beings are of special value.Emphasis on value of individual person. Term used since Renaissance. NATURALISM IN PRACTICE: MARXISM Scientific socialism. Marx believed human history began with people living in family like tribes. No private property. Individuals identified with community as a whole. Technology developed and division of labor develops and controllers of tools and resources society depends on enables them to exploit others. Class struggle since primitive tribes with classes dominated by those controlling means of production. Classless society will result with less competitive individuals working for good of all.

Feminism present in “The Yellow Wall Paper” & “Girl” Essay

Gender equality has been a prevalent theme writer’s use to deliver their own personal views on the female role in society. This is the case in both â€Å"Girl† by Jamaica Kincaid and â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gillman. Kincaid and Gillman use their works to present a feminist approach on women’s roles and societal standings in their respective eras. Feminism can be defined as a diverse collection of social theories, moral philosophies and political movements, fundamentally motivated by/ concerning the experiences of women. These experiences have a tendency to revolve around women’s social, political and economic standings. As a social movement, feminism mainly focuses on limiting or eliminating gender inequality and promoting women’s rights, interests’ and issue in society. Feminist literary criticism is literary criticism informed by feminist theory or by the politics of feminism more broadly. Its history has been broad and varied. Kincaid and Gillman are two of many writers whose works adopt this criticism as a way in which to discuss their respected lives pertaining to the view and treatment of women by their societies. In the most common and simple terms, feminist literary criticism before the 1970s (in the first and second waves of feminism) was concerned with the politics of women’s authorship and the representation of women’s condition within literature, this includes the depiction of fictional female characters. The father or in this case the mother of feminist literary criticism, is â€Å"Jane Eyre† written by Charlotte Bronte in 1847. Jane Eyre follows the emotions and experiences of its eponymous character, including her growth to adulthood and her love for Mr. Rochester. The novel contains elements of social criticism, with a resilient sense of morality at its core, but is nonetheless a novel many consider ahead of its time given the individ ualistic character of Jane and the novel’s exploration of classism, sexuality, religion and feminism. In its internalization of the action, the story revolves around the gradual unfolding of Jane’s moral and spiritual awareness and all events are colored by a heightened intensity that were previously confined to poetry. Bronte’s story allows her to be labeled â€Å"the first historian of the private consciousness† and the literary ancestor of Jamaica Kincaid. Jamaica Kincaid-Girl Jamaica Kincaid was born Elaine Potter Richardson in 1949 in Antigua, in the British West Indies, but changed her  name when she started writing because her family disliked her career choice. Her simple change of her name and having to operate under an alias provides and insight to Kincaid’s life. Her family disliking her choice of career gives a suggestion to the societal perception of a woman’s role. Women in society in the 1970s were only beginning to find their voice and Richardson’s family’s disapproval of her career choice, proposes the idea that socie ty were still not comfortable with the newly found voice women had. Jamaica Kincaid’s â€Å"Girl† can be analyzed from a Feminist perspective like Jane Eyre as it also revolves around a young girl’s interaction with her mother. Upon closer examination, the reader sees that the text is a string of images that are the cultural practices and moral principles that a Caribbean woman is passing along to her young daughter. Jamaica Kincaid has taken common advice that daughters are constantly hearing from their mothers and tied them into a series of commands that a mother uses to prevent her daughter from turning into â€Å"the slut that she is so bent on becoming† (Kincaid 23). But they are more than commands; the phrases are a mother’s way of insuring that her daughter has the tools that she needs to survive as an adult. The fact that the mother takes the time to train the daughter in the proper ways for a lady to act in their culture is indicative of their familial love; the fact that there are so many rules and moral p rinciples that are being passed to the daughter indicates that mother and daughter spend a lot of time together. The story is written in the second person point of view, in which the reader is the girl and the speaker (perceived to be her mother) is passing on her interpretation as to what a girl should be. Jeanette Martinez, an English Literature major studying at NYE notes in a paper â€Å"Analyzing ‘Girl’ from a feminist perspective†: â€Å"the diction degrades women; the word â€Å"slut† is used to describe a girl that does not conduct herself like a â€Å"proper† lady.† This is an interesting way in which to observe the diction used by Kincaid. The term â€Å"slut† is used as a negative comparison in which the mother in the story fears her daughter will become. Kincaid using the term â€Å"slut† takes a step in the wrong direction where feminism is concerned. The inclusion of the word and the sexual connotations attached draws attention to women being seen as depraved of morals if they are promiscuous. This word takes attention away from the real message and goal of feminism; equality amongst men and women. Reducing a woman to being  debauched purely on the premise of sexual immorality, takes respect away from women as their moral fiber is not taken into consideration. Martinez then proceeds to discuss how the tone and style of the text can be seen as being â€Å"reflective of Kincaid’s own social stand point.† Martinez states, â€Å"The tone is commanding; we see a repetitive â€Å"this is how† throughout the short story. The style of the short story is in lines, which allows each line to be a command. For example: â€Å"This is how you smile to someone you don’t like too much; This is how you smile at someone you don’t like at all; This is how you smile to someone you like completely’† (Kincaid 24).† The tone and short, sharp manner in which Kincaid decides to communicate the life instructions, is representative of the voice of society and the harsh ways in which it tries to control and impart wisdom/ teachings. The final paragraph is integral to understanding this story from a feminist perspective. Kincaid states; â€Å"But what if the baker won’t let me feel the bread? you mean to say that after all you are really going to be the kind of woman who the baker won’t let near the bread?†. This interaction is essential to understanding and indicating Kincaid’s attempts to comment on her society. This excerpt can be interpreted as the mother challenging the girl’s morals. Kincaid uses this instead, to challenge the girl’s strength as a person. It is seemingly ironic that a mother has harshly demanded the young girl to learn all the mother’s habits and methods, not giving the girl much of a word in any of her decisions. This is Kincaid’s ways to speak directly to her audience and say â€Å"how can the voices of society order women and girls alike to act a certain way without giving them the strength to make these decisions themselves?† Kincaid ultimately uses her story to tell women ‘strength is learned through experience, not instruction.’ The Yellow Wallpaper The Yellow Wallpaper is a feminist text, telling a story about a woman’s struggles against male-centric thinking and societal ‘norms’. The text may be unclear to the reader who is unfamiliar with Gilman’s politics and personal biography, yet, it impresses any reader with the immature treatment of the main character, who remains nameless in the text. To the casual reader, the story is one of a good-meaning, but oppressive husband who drives his wife mad in an attempt to help her, but it story illustrates how established procedures of behavior could have distressing effects on the  women o f Gilman’s time, regardless of the intentions of the source. By late 20th century standards, the behavior of John, the husband, seems unnervingly inappropriate and restrictive, but was considered quite normal in the 19th century. After learning of Gilman’s life, and by reading her commentary and other works, one can readily see that The Yellow Wallpaper has a definite agenda in its quasi-autobiographical style. As revealed in Elaine Hedges’ forward from the Heath Anthology of American Literature, Gilman had a distressed life; because of the choices she had made which disrupted common conventions—from her ‘abandonment’ of her child to her amicable divorce. Knowing that Gilman was a controversial figure for her day, and after reading her other works, it is easy to see more of her feminist suggestions in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† She carefully crafted her sentences and metaphors to instill a picture of vivid and disturbing male oppression. Her descriptions of the house recall a past era; she refers to i t as an ‘ancestral hall’ (Gillman 648) and goes on to give a gothic description of the estate. She falls just short of setting the scene for a ghost story. The reference to old things and the past can be seen as a reference to out-dated practices and treatment of women, as she considers the future to hold more equality. By setting the story in this tone, Gilman alludes to practices of oppression that, in her mind, should be relegated to the past. Charlotte Gillman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† and Jamaica Kincaid’s â€Å"Girl† are both great examples of feminism being represented in literature. A feminist text states the author’s agenda for women in society as they relate to oppression by a male-controlled power structure and the consequent creation of social ‘standards’ and ‘protocols’. Kincaid and Gillman’s tales respectively, are outstanding examples of this and are great tales in which the writers point out deficiencies in society regarding equal opportunity. Both texts are used by the writers to discuss their respected lives pertaining to the view and treatment of women by their societies.

Process Of Becoming A Radiology Professor Education Essay

Introduction I am a professor of radiology and I work in a university learning infirmary. My work is learning radiology classs for undergraduate and graduate student pupils, and developing occupants in our radiology section. The purpose of our radiology section is to be certain that the pupils will derive sufficient sum of cognition and accomplishments to be able to pattern clinical diagnosing and understanding imaging which is an built-in portion of patient direction. I am graduated since 1989 and I work in learning Radiology course of study for more than ten old ages, it ‘s interesting to look back but I will non get down from the beginning as this was many old ages ago and I will discourse what I do during instruction and reflect it for farther development. In our section, the instruction design alteration between learning basic scientific discipline such as radiological anatomy, pathology, radiobiology and radiological natural philosophies and learning radiologic imagination of assorted systems and the function of imaging in clinical direction. So I use different instruction methods which are suited to the intended acquisition results of our radiology course of study. These methods include formal talk to stress on basic scientific discipline elements, little groups learning ( like: instance survey, seminar, tutorial, conference and job based acquisition ) which is the standard instruction signifier for learning radiology course of study i n which we use different radiological images as a acquisition focal point, and clinical instruction for developing our occupants how to achieve different accomplishments of radiological scrutiny. I will concentrate my composing on job based acquisition ( PBL ) as an illustration of little group learning and on clinical instruction of radiological accomplishments.Problem based acquisitionWe apply job based acquisition as a instruction method in some parts of graduate student foundation programme ; I have a deep construct that PBL is an of import manner for learning radiology course of study due to the presence of radiological subspecialties of system based manner which is relevant to job based scheme. Barrows and Tamblyn1 suggest that â€Å" Problem-based acquisition can be defined best as the acquisition that consequences from the procedure of working towards the apprehension or declaration of a job † . Albanese and Mitchell2 provide another position â€Å" PBL at its most cardinal degree is an instructional method characterized by the usage of patient ‘s jobs as a context for pupils to larn problem-solving accomplishments and get cognition about the basic and clinical scientific discipline † . There is no individual construct about the theoretical footing of practising job based learning.3 Savin-Baden4 suggests different dimensions of job based acquisition and place that the best distinction in which the cognition, acquisition and the pupil function are manifested and conceptualized in the course of study. Self direct acquisition is an active procedure and high efficient attack for go oning medical instruction as the acquisition is based on the pupils old cognition, the new cognition and understanding which can be blended through the personal and professional context of the person.5 Spencer and Jordan6 suggested that in PBL, new cognition and understanding comes from working on the job while in traditional larning the new cognition is indispensable for working on the job. I agree with those writers and I follow self directed theory, as PBL is pupil centered larning I direct the pupils for ego acquisition and actuate them to increase their self assurance, besides I consider the old experience a utile resource for constructing more information through reading, all these make the scholar able to be confronted with many undertakings. The constructivism position of acquisition is concerned on the significance of apprehension is built up through a procedure include the specific cognition foundations and cognitive operation.7 Mayes and Freitas8 suggested that constructivism acquisition is based on cognition which must be constructed through accomplishing understanding to let pupils associate new experience to bing cognition. The constructivism is the other theory which I follow in job based acquisition by stressing on activation, constructing on old experience and prosecuting the current apprehension and the new experience through active relevant job and group interaction. With many seeking about job based acquisition, I found another construct which is illustrated by Norman and Schmidt9 who show that job based acquisition has relevant countries including: activation on anterior cognition, larning in context, amplification of cognition and fosterage of competency by utilizing speculative manner of larning. Sing the old construct, I have to concentrate more on those relevant countries which are needed for job based acquisition and are closely related to constructivism. Implanting job based larning without a prepared program about the environment of the acquisition including the function of the instructor, pupil group organisation, scenario development, making the resources and measuring pupils public presentation will take to confusion between the instructors and pupils without accomplishing PBL goals.3 First, I will analyse the function of instructor in our section, in the first meeting I apply the job scenario to the pupils which include radiological images related to the PBL object, full clinical history and related medical, surgical and pathological information. I do my best to promote all pupils to inquire inquiries which explain subjects of the scenario and steer the pupils towards developing larning aims. After spliting the undertakings on the pupils, I direct the pupils for the needed resource and assist them for research, besides I take attention about the clip allowed to the pupil ‘s research to be sufficient for their ego directed larning about the undertakings divided on them. In the 2nd meeting, the pupils return back after roll uping the needed information, I do my attempt to keep all pupils showing their new information, synthesis account and use the new acquired information into the job. As I am believing about my old public presentation, I find that sometimes I face some pupils who have loose bad attitude which cause dysfunctional group behaviours, so I have to take attention about cues which denote the disturbed behaviour inbetween the pupils, give chance to keep regular interpersonal kineticss and command the challenge degree of the pupils. In discoursing the function of the instructor as a facilitator in the tutorial of November 11 2010 ( group 2 ) , there is a argument about who is the best facilitator, I understand from it a new construct as some institute use a biomedical scientist with rich scientific discipline base as a facilitator non the clinician as they believe that the clinicians are n't really good facilitators as they may exaggerate the instance and intend to develop what they think. But in our section the radiological physician is the lone facilitator for PBL Sessionss as he about understand the radiological course of study and expected to hold facilitation accomplishments in his forte. With more deep position, I think we need more staff development to avoid troubles which may confront some of the staff in pull offing PBL Sessionss, so we have to trip our ego survey by reading more books and article about PBL direction, and use new facilitator to achieve many PBL Sessionss with another experient facilitat or. Newman3 showed that the tutorial procedure have a certain frame to let the development and pattern of cognitive and metacognitive accomplishments. There are many theoretical accounts of job based larning tutorial procedure that give greater ground tackle to observe spreads in cognition and autonomous acquisition program to achieve needful knowledge.10 When I begin a PBL session with a new scenario, I direct the pupils to research the job and analyse it to place what they do n't cognize, find which undertaking they will make and be engaged in ego directed research for cognition. At the 2nd meeting the pupils presents their new information that they have learnt from research, synthesis it and reflect this information on the procedure of acquisition. Venon and Blake11 identified that different job based acquisition showed that the feedback is limited. The feedback is related to the method by which the acquisition aims are classified between the students.3 In the tutorial of November 11 2010 ( group 2 ) in which Fred Pender was discoursing PBL, he explains the importance of PBL feedback as certain institute use four electronic equal appraisal feedback per twelvemonth and he considered peer appraisal is one of the of import transferable accomplishments which the pupils will derive during PBL, in which each pupil is able to advert the difference of other pupils attitude by giving comments about his equals to measure them with respect to their professional attitude. Sing to the old construct, we do n't use peer appraisal as an appraising method due to our limited experience about this method, but now I think we need equal preparation in peer appraisal schemes and our pupils have to larn how to execute peer appraisal to develop their accomplishments of self-appraisal. Benson etal12 suggested that for the betterment of communicating accomplishments and the development of coaction, it is best to do larning group within five and 10 members. In peculiar for keeping all pupils sharing and leting deep acquisition, in the last PBL session I divide the pupils into two groups, in each one eight pupils are involved alternatively of 16 pupils per session. In some theoretical accounts, the construction of PBL includes sharing a different pupil to ease the session. Newman3 argued that, as this reinforces the message that the pupils take the duty of acquisition and the map as a facilitator. Benson etal12 showed that when the pupils take the function of facilitator in a supporting environment, this will assist them to pattern and develop facilitation accomplishments. Looking at this construct from Benson etal position, I make the first test by using one pupil to be a chair of the group, at the start of the session the pupil chair reads the scenario and seek to promote other pupils under my supervising. Although this is the first test, I think it may actuate the group and give them more duty, but, I ca n't measure the benefit of this alteration for farther development. The job based acquisition scenario is referred to the content presented to the pupils. Evans13 stated that scenario should be written harmonizing to the class larning aims, it allows pupils to incorporate old cognition to their current cognition, encourage pupils to research the subjects through searching. Some PBL scenarios which I use in learning focused on coevals and reading of medical images like images of conventional radiology, computed imaging and magnetic resonance imagination, while other scenarios begin with simple and unfastened reappraisal of patient history followed by using more information in a consecutive manner about the diagnostic processs with several radiological images are attached to the scenario, besides sometimes we apply PBL scenarios which connect radiology to metabolic procedure by utilizing functional imagination.But in malice of the applied attempts to arouse pupil involvement and challenge, I found myself confronting of import point as during PBL learni ng there is small clip to cover basic cognition related to medical images like discoursing radiation safety and radiological natural philosophies, as most of the scenario focal point on utilizing radiological images as resources for reading. So I suppose using more job based acquisition scenario which is relevant to this topic ( like, how to look into a pregnant adult female with acute thorax hurting, as this will trip the pupil to derive necessary cognition about the consequence of radiation on the foetus and understanding the natural philosophies of different mode to get the better of this job ) . Although we apply PBL as an effectual instruction method in some parts of graduate student foundation programme but there are many practical accomplishments which are n't suited for PBL ( like, how to execute a radiological guided biopsy ) . So we have to promote our pupils to larn different practical radiological accomplishments in concurrence with other learning methods.Clinical instruction of radiological accomplishmentsSecond, I will concentrate my composing on clinical preparation of the occupants in Radiology section, Radiology differs from other fortes as trainees are working in a close apprenticeship with their supervisors for deriving cognition and accomplishments in their workplace until they can execute many processs harmonizing to their degree of residence preparation. During the occupants developing they will larn many practical and communicating accomplishments related to Radiology field. There are many theories which explain clinical instruction and preparation. In self finding, there are two primary sorts of motive: controlled motive which is brought by external force per unit area and independent motive in which the scholar has internal beliefs and interest.14 Harmonizing to self finding, our occupants spend most of their professional life-time in a specific radiological environment which is adapted to their demands as they will be motivated and interested when they become more adept in observing instances of losing diagnosing. With more deep position, I find that some of occupants with higher degree of residence preparation lose some of their motive once they move into independent pattern, so I have to take attention about keeping their internal motive by promoting their of import function in real-life pattern and actuating their feeling about the chance of doing a difference in the patient life. Kolb15 explained that larning occur in four phase rhythm and immediate experience is the base for observation and contemplation, besides he stated that for effectual larning the scholar needs four different sorts of abilities â€Å" concrete experience, brooding observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation † . I follow experiential theory of kolb during occupants ‘ preparation as I involved the occupant for taking new experience ( like, go toing a session of chest x-ray reading ) , after that I guide him to detect and reflect these new experience from many positions by inquiring and believing about this new experience ( like, what this determination means, what the relation between it and other findings and if it is related to old instance findings ) , so the occupant Begin to make a construct that incorporate his observation and assisting him for naming chest X ray, after that he will be able to utilize this new applications for following thorax x- ray reading. Kolb15 suggested that experiential acquisition can get down at any of the four phases while the scholar rhythms continuously through these four phases. Following this construct, I will actuate the occupants to look in the literature and read new information ( like, reading about chest x-ray reading ) and discourse it with their colleges, to get down larning from the 3rd measure by understanding the general rules and so they will finish the rhythm. The Honey and Mumford larning manner stock list is based on Kolb ‘s learning rhythm and they identify four chief acquisition manners which are activist, reflector, theoretician and pragmatist.16 I believe that no 1 has individual preferable manner of acquisition, with following Kolb ‘s learning rhythm I found that when the occupant take a new experience he is in activist manner as he learn by engagement in an activity, but when he pass to the brooding phase he learn by reflecting and detecting on his experience, while when he get down the abstract conceptualisation phase he learn through theoretician manner by developing account of the implicit in grounds and constructs, and when he pass to the active experimentation phase he learn straight from his experience through pragmatist manner. With deep thought, I normally begin the acquisition rhythm by exposing the militant manner, but I have to direct the occupant to get down his larning at any measure of the learning rhythm as this will expose different acquisition manners which will suit him. Community of pattern emphasize on the importance of incorporating certain single in a professional community and the function of community in reinforcing and rectifying single practice.17 I follow community of pattern during my clinical instruction, as the occupant starts as an perceiver and bit by bit he becomes a participant in group activity, this occur when the occupant joins our radiology section and begins his preparation we allow him to take parts of work activity and by this manner he will get cognition and accomplishments and he will travel from legitimate peripheral participant into nucleus participant. But sometimes I find some occupants lose their involvement emmet attempt to get away from group engagement so I have to follow these occupants and apply uninterrupted encouragement to them to increase their enthusiasm and better their engagement. Ramani and Leinster16 stated that clinical instruction must present cognition and acquisition of accomplishments to the scholar and they emphasis the phases in which the scholar base on balls from unskilled to skilled which Begin by consciousness, acquisition so development and terminal by amplification. I follow the old stairss during developing the occupants, for illustration, when I teach the occupant how to make Ba survey, at first I aware the occupants about the importance of these scrutiny through active treatment as this help them in observing their spreads in cognition, so I begin to present the new information either in the tutorial, during discoursing Ba images or during executing the Ba scrutiny. Gradually the new cognition will develop and the occupants will execute the process. I normally follow my occupants during executing the process to be certain that they will come on good and for uninterrupted betterment. With respects to my public presentation, I think that my of import function is how reassign the occupant from witting incompetent phase to witting competent phase, I normally allow the occupant to inquire any inquiry and I help him for ego survey, mentoring him and follow his advancement until he can make the accomplishment, and bit by bit with more pattern and follow up the occupant will reassign into unconscious competent phase as he can execute the accomplishment without witting. But I find that some older occupants fall into unconscious unqualified phase, so I have to take attention about the occupants ‘ public presentation in all survey old ages by forcing them to continuous ego survey for more mature pattern. Understanding the psychomotor learning rules is necessary for learning clinical accomplishments, these rules are based on Taxonomy of the psychomotor sphere which are conceptualisation, visual image, verbalisation, pattern, rectification, skill command and accomplishment autonomy.18 I was believing that I follow the old rules during clinical preparation of the occupant, as at the beginning of the preparation, I perform the scrutiny in forepart of the occupant while explicating what I do and let him to inquire inquiries, after that I perform the accomplishments several times while the resident provide account about what I do and I provide rectification for any misinterpretation until I become satisfied that the resident full understand the accomplishment, so I allow the occupant to execute the scrutiny under my supervising while he describe each measure before it is taken. But when I look about my old public presentation, I find that I miss an of import phase as I do n't show the prac tical accomplishment without account and I run through this phase rapidly in malice of its importance. So I have to take attention of this measure and get down my clinical instruction by executing the process with no remark to let the occupant observe the stairss of the process which is of import for ocular scholar. Besides for suiting different acquisition manners I have to increase the resident-patient interaction as patient-centered instruction maintain the attack for visual- audile – kinaesthetic learning manner of the scholar through detecting the patient, analyzing him and transporting out radiological processs. Barrows19 defined fake patients as a â€Å" normal individual who has been carefully coached to accurately portray a specific patient when given the history and physical scrutiny † . I gain a important information about fake patient from the tutorial of October 28 2010 ( group 5a ) in which some colleges emphasize on utilizing fake patients in their infirmary after taking a specific session for developing under academic staff supervising to larn them how simulate different medical status. We do n't use utilizing fake patients during clinical instruction, but I think we have to be after to use fake patients in learning non invasive process like how to execute ultrasound scrutiny as this may ease the occupant to derive experience from normal ultrasound scrutiny before they proceed to the existent patients. There are great grounds for positive consequence of communicating accomplishments preparation, this decision is based on big figure of surveies which show that a different group of medical pupils improved their ability of questioning efficaciousness and deriving information from the patients.20 I have a construct that the relation between the radiotherapist and the patient who will undergo radiological imagination scrutiny is different from that of other clinical specializer, so for radiotherapist, larning communicating accomplishments is necessary to observe patient ‘s complain and taking attention of patient when they come for imaging. Besides I think that there is no argument about the effectivity of communicating accomplishments but existent job is how to reassign such accomplishments to the occupant through day-to-day pattern. Aspegren20 concluded that experiential methods of larning are more effectual than instructional methods. In the imagination room I become in direct contact with the patient, this relation may happen one clip or may be intermittent over long clip. I set up this relation by inquiring the patient why he is showing to the survey, discourse the process before executing it, keeping scrutiny distractions and eventually I discuss the consequences of the scrutiny to the patient. I take attention about every measure I do as the occupant will larn from my behaviour the high points of radiologist patient interaction in the radiology imaging room during these meetings. There are seven indispensable communicating accomplishments which are: â€Å" constructing the doctor-patient relationship, open the treatment, gather information, understanding the patient ‘s position, portion information, reach an understanding on job and program and supply closing † .21 As it is clear that equal patient-centered relation between the physician and patient will heighten the quality of the patient attention I normally try to keep a clear patient-centered environment. First, I respect the patient confidentiality and I avoid taking the patient history, discoursing the scrutiny or doing the process in a busy room as the scrutiny room must be safe and comfort. When I see the patient at the first clip I greet him by his name and warm smiling, I spend few proceedingss in looking to the patient with close eyes contact and stress to him that the consequences of scrutiny are wholly confidential. I ne'er rush the patient into the scrutiny and I take my clip in acq uiring the patient history, discoursing the stairss of the scrutiny and replying any obscure inquiry for him. Beck etal22 execute a systematic reappraisal of surveies of GP-patients interactions to mensurate specific behaviours faithfully and supply grounds of their influence on patients results, they found 14 surveies of verbal and eight surveies of non-verbal communicating which had an consequence on patient results. I agree with the writers about the importance of verbal phrases and organic structure linguistic communications, as I normally use verbs which evoke empathy, support, reassurance, account and sometimes wit and courtesy, but I change my verbal linguistic communication when my patient is a kid as the words which I use with kids must related to cognitive degree of the kid. I remember a old bad communicating, in which I was executing endovenous urography scrutiny to a immature kid, while I asked the kid to make full his vesica like a balloon he become so hard-pressed as he believe his vesica will detonate. After this clip, I make a frame of mentions which are easy understood by th e kid. Many observations show that there is no individual communicating accomplishment but different facet of patient and physician interaction demand to be learnt.20 Many radiological processs distress the patients like executing radiologic guided interventional processs, with this patient I direct him during explicating the scrutiny and depict the feeling and esthesis of what he might experience, this is what I think it may better the patient hurt along the processs, but I need more betterment in my communicating attack as I do n't take uninterrupted patient feedback or peer group feedback to measure my public presentation with the patients. So I have to turn out my communicating accomplishments by thoughtful contemplation from revising patient and peer feedback, and taking more classs in communicating accomplishments. Miller 23 suggested a celebrated pyramid for appraisal of scholar ‘s clinical competency, this pyramid is formed of four degree, at the lowest degree of the pyramid is knowledge ( knows ) , followed by competency degree ( knows how ) , so public presentation degree ( shows how ) and terminal by action ( does ) . In my construct, the ambitious function of the clinical instructor is how to measure the pupil public presentation at the highest degree of the pyramid in the workplace, in which the patient attention take the precedence and clinical instructor has to detect the occupants interaction with the patient. I normally observe the resident clinical accomplishment ‘s public presentation at the imagination room when he fix the patient for scrutiny, do the process under my supervising or make it independently, besides I take attention about the resident behaviour during patient interaction. After that I give my occupant a frequent feedback about his public presentation, whi ch is non judgmental, descriptive non give voicing feedback ( like ; when the patient was stating you about the site of her abdominal hurting, you are concentrated on ultrasound screen and you do n't look at her ) , besides I try to depict his behaviour which can be changed in little measures and promote any helpful cues he do. I try to be supportive to my occupant by avoiding unfavorable judgment signifier of the feedback which makes the occupant blamed or rejected. Sing my public presentation, I ever do my best for detecting and follow up the occupants and give them feedback about their public presentation, but in some occasions I hesitate in giving negative feedback to some occupants who view negative feedback as a personal onslaught and reject it. So I think that we must set up more positive acquisition environment in which errors are acknowledged and feedback is accepted, besides I have to assist the occupants to understand the benefits of effectual feedback as when they take insight about what they do either well or hapless, they know where they are in comparing to where they must to be and what they must make.

Three Perspectives on a Current Issue from the Three Paradigms Being Research Paper

Three Perspectives on a Current Issue from the Three Paradigms Being Covered in Class - Research Paper Example Rent paid by entrepreneurs basically constitutes the land resource, which is used to produce other economic goods and services. Human resource is an active factor of production, which constitutes human labor as a service provision for the production of goods and services that is paid through wages and salaries. Man-made goods that are used for further production of goods and services are referred to as capital goods and include buildings and machinery that are paid as interests. Land, labor, and capital are exploited for production of goods and services in the economy to constitute the national income. Factors of production that can be shifted are capital and labor while land cannot be shifted, since it is a limited factor of production. Labor organizes capital for production although entrepreneurs must maintain an effective ratio of capital goods and labor with a production firm. The decision-making process needs to put into consideration that excess labor per unit of capital and vi ce versa may lead to losses due to inefficiency. Therefore, labor and Capital must be applied in effective ratios for realization of the highest possible economic value (Sagar 50). Organization of Factors of Production Enterprises should be organized by combining labor, land, and capital effectively through a business plan so as to start and run the business. Organization of factors of production does not only constitute planning and running a business, but also absorbing loss for continued production. Enterprise organization as Production process is complex and essential, since there exists small situations in and outside a country that influence organization, thus the necessity of proper planning and operation of an enterprises. Land, as a factor of production, is controlled by land owners, while capital goods are controlled by capitalist and labor as a human resource with respect to occupation skills and salaries. These factors of production are scattered within the economy and t hus the need for organization of these factors of production. Social Institutions The economic interactions of technology, capital goods and social institutions contribute significantly to economic growth through effective production. Social, political, economic and legal institutions in a country affect the economic growth both positively and negatively. Normally, countries seek to redesign their social, political and legal institutions to alter their impact for the improvement of the economy. Institutions that are known to be beneficial in contribution to economic growth should lead to importation of the institutional structures of another country that has benefited from economic growth. Examples of countries that have imported institutional countries include Dubai, which imported London’s commercial law that helps the government in city regulations. However, in many countries, the complete overhaul of institutional structure may not be possible due to political and social disagreements. Political, legal and social institutions go beyond the aspects of basic institutional entities such as the judiciary and parliament.

Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Accounting - Assignment Example In our current case however, the FIFO method will result in higher profits due to the fact that the older inventory was at held at a lower cost. The new inventory costs more, due to which the Cost of Goods Sold goes up in the LIFO method. However, when we talk to about meaningful profits, then I would say that the LIFO method is more relevant. This is because FIFO results in "inventory profits"; profits that arise merely from holding inventory; and fails to provide the best matching of costs and revenues. Thus in terms of more meaningful profit, I would say that LIFO is more meaningful as it depicts a better matching better revenues and costs. FIFO is the costing method which depicts a better approximation of actual physical flow of goods. This is because companies generally use the oldest items in inventory first so they can continually roll the stock and prevent deterioration or obsolescence. Furthermore, it’s a matter of common sense that inventory bought in the last quarter cannot be used in the first three quarters, thus the physical flow of goods initiates from the inventory in hand at the beginning. There will be more cash available for the management under the FIFO method and not the LIFO method. The exact amount which would be available to the management based on the income statements generated would be $5,100. This is due to the fact that in FIFO, the cost of goods is lesser, resulting in greater profits. In the LIFO method, the cost of inventory is much higher, and thus our profits shrink. The assumption that is being made here is that the net profit after taxation is the cash which is available for the management. As the income statements in Part A prove, FIFO would provide more cash rather than LIFO. The gross profit will be lower in the average cost method when compared to the FIFO method because average cost method accounts for the expensive inventory as well as the cheaper inventory. Likewise,

Contract Law Exam seen case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Contract Law Exam seen case study - Essay Example In order to get that loan, he made Sophia sign on a deed which gave the Bank legal charge over her house. In this case, Tim has an undue influence over Sophia. He stands in a superior position to her and as, according to the given facts, Sophia is expecting her first child and wants to marry Tim, he can persuade her to do anything he wants. Also, Tim is described to be of an aggressive nature. It can be easily construed that Sophia gave the guarantee without knowing the consequences and she did that to secure her future with Tim as he had given assurances to her. He told her that he could afford to marry her only if he could raise some money and became a partner in the firm. That was the sole reason that Sophia agreed with Tim but she was not aware of the subtleties of this transaction. The only advice that she got in respect of this transaction was from Tim. Tim had undue influence over her and his advice would be disregarded. In Yerkey v Jones, a husband procured a guarantee from h er wife against his creditor. It was held that such a guarantee was not valid. In a special set of circumstances, such a guarantee is invalidated, they are: a. A husband procures his wife’s guarantee to obtain a loan; b. The guarantee is not for the benefit of wife but of husband; c. There is a default in repayment by the husband; d. The creditor relies on the wife to get repaid; e. The creditor does not have sufficient reasons to believe that the wife’s consent was free. Sophia’s consent was not free. Tim is not her husband but his relation with her and the facts of the case are quite similar those of Yerkey v Jones. The transaction was for the sole benefit of Tim and had nothing in it for Sophia. Tim has left Sophia after having an affair. The Bank seeks to get possession of her house. There are no sufficient grounds for Trusty Bank to believe that Sophia understood the transaction and gave a free consent. It was obtained under undue influence and resulted in a voidable contract. As Sophia is looking to get out of the contract, it can be easily construed that the contract would become void. Sophia’s guarantee would be invalidated and Trusty Bank would not be able to get possession of her house. Tim is still liable to pay the loan and Trusty Bank has all the rights of a creditor against Tim. Against Deluxe Kitchens Ltd In a legally binding contract, the parties involved must perform their respective promises according to terms on which they agreed on. If any of the parties does not perform its promise correctly, the other party becomes entitled to sue for damages. The damages involve the amounts of losses that are caused directly due to the negligence or fault of the other party. In the given case, Sophia had contracted with Deluxe Kitchens Ltd to build and install some new fitted kitchen units to match existing units and new kitchen equipment for ?15,000. The work was not done as it was promised and Deluxe Kitchens Ltd were 4 week s late in doing their job. Also, their work was not satisfactory. Sophia hired them to install units that would match her kitchen and they did not. Furthermore, there were some errors in their working. In order to fix those errors, almost ?3000 would be required. Sophia was without a cooker and she was offered by Deluxe Kitchens Ltd that they would install her old cooker but she refused. Due to delay in getting a new cooker, she was unable to cater for her sister’

Victim Advocacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Victim Advocacy - Essay Example The need for such profile of the victim arose and its utility was realized when the investigation teams had to solve the cases of serial criminals. The development of the profile of the potential victims on the basis of the existing victim's information helped to trace the serial criminals. However, this strategy is now not restricted to the serial crimes only, rather a separate field of studies has been developed to work on the matter; this field is termed as 'victimology'. "The scientific study of victimization, including the relationships between victims and offenders, the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system -- that is, the police and courts, and corrections officials -- and the connections between victims and other societal groups and institutions, such as the media, businesses, and social movements." (Karmen) The concept of victim dates back to ancient cultures and civilizations. Its original meaning was rooted in the exercise of sacrifice -- the taking of the life of a person or animal to satisfy a deity. (Karmen) Before 1940's, as mentioned earlier, the criminology and the crime investigation had total focus of research and academic analysis on the criminals, victims had no significant place in the investigation. However, the field of criminology gave birth to victimology when Mendelson and Von Hentig started studying the victims of the crime as well, since were of the view that like criminals, the victims should also be the integral part of such analysis. These two are know as the father of the study of Victimology. (Roberson) Mendelson asserted that victims had an "unconscious aptitude for being victimized." (Roberson, 1994) Von Hentig published an article in 1941 with the title "Remarks on the Interaction between Perpetrator and Victim" (Hentig). Later on, he published "The Criminal and his Victim", a textbook on criminology in which he wrote a chapter about the victim (Hentig). He treated the victim as one of the participants in a crime. The term victimology was evolved by Mendelsohn in 1947 in a paper presented in French at a congress in Bucharest. Another significant contribution in the development of the field of Victimology as a separate discipline of studies is by S. Schafer who published in 1968 a remarkable book on the subject entitled "The Victim and his Criminal; a study into functional responsibility" It was the result of all these efforts that victimology evolved as a separate branch of studies in 1970's and is now progressing by leaps and bounds. Difference between Victimology, Criminology, Sociology and Psychology: Before moving on to the differences, one must be clear about respective definitions since they form the basis for difference. Criminology is the scientific study of the crime. Sociology is the study of the individuals, groups and institutions

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

Tsunami - Essay Example (Boork, 2005). a. Studies into the causes of tsunamis have revealed that there are actually many different factors that can lead to tsunami generation – including the already mentioned earthquake – but not every earthquake causes a tsunami and not every tsunami is caused by earthquake. b. Earthquakes can cause tsunamis. It is generally believed that earthquakes that move in a vertical direction are more likely to cause tsunami, but Dr. Tony Song from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has shown how â€Å"horizontal motions of continental slopes confer five times the energy of a vertical displacement.† (Mayer, 2006), indicating that movement of the continental margins should be the focus of tsunami detection. c. Landslides are another possible cause of tsunamis, whether they occur above or below the water level. Landslides that occur above water and slide into the water can cause tsunamis while underwater landslides can cause a high degree of water displacement. These landslides can be caused by excessive flooding or, more commonly as global warming continues, due to the melting of layers of permafrost. Sometimes underwater landslides work in combination with earthquakes to cause tsunami. â€Å"For example, submarine slope failures can be triggered by much smaller earthquakes which could not cause a tsunami by themselves.† (Lauterjung cited in Mayer, 2006). d. A third way in which tsunamis can be generated is with the eruption of volcanoes, again with equal devastating effect regardless of whether the volcano exists above or below the water level. â€Å"Tsunamis started by this process are uncommon, but present a real threat to residents of the lower Cook Inlet region, the Alaska Peninsula, and the Aleutian Islands.† (Haeussler, 2006). f. Characteristics of tsunamis caused by earthquakes and volcanoes are that they travel long distances from the earthquakes epicenter and strike coastlines thousands of miles from their

The Ottoman Architecture and The Effect of the Turkish and Persian Essay

The Ottoman Architecture and The Effect of the Turkish and Persian Cultures on it - Essay Example (Meeker, 2002) There was a time when the residences of officials, the military posts, the primary and secondary schools and education centres, and the public health and social services agencies were all located here. Turkish nation's cultural and historical links to its Ottoman past is not new, however the absence of a native Turkish (and Ottoman) historical school of thought opened the way for the easy penetration of Persian ideas and interpretations concerning even the most basic aspects of Ottoman and Turkish history, society and culture. As a result, wholesale acceptance of Persia and Iranian ideas began in the late Ottoman state and accelerated in the Republic. (Goffman, 2002) Nevertheless, scholars long regarded the Ottoman civilization and its predecessor as derived solely from Islam either in Arabic or Persian garb, even though the Ottoman Islam always possessed distinctive regional and ethno-cultural characteristics. Islam was the Turks' most durable link to their Central Asian origins and to the Arab-Persian world, but the unique Turk-European characteristics of the form of Islam that developed in Rumeli and Anatolia were from the very start the real "national" feature of the Ottoman state. (Kerpat, 2002) The Ottoman era along with the Seljuk period began forming an original and interrelated era of historical, cultural, artistic and political civilization. The Ottoman was embedded with all the features that a civilization upholds, all the distinct intellectual, philosophical, ethical, artistic and political characteristics, specific organisation modes and its own material culture (architecture, food, dress, etc.) with particular tastes, values and outlooks. No doubt the Ottomans did not acquire sufficient consciousness of their distinct civilizational characteristics, which are required to analyse and write about. Might be they were not aware of their valuable rituals and intellectuals or these characteristics were not important for them. Some writers have written down like this that they were so much indulged in their religious values that they ignored such characteristics. The truth behind this perception is skeptical but that does not mean that they lacked such characteristics of a civilization. Their main inspiration was to follow the art and architecture of Turkey and Persia, as they were used to it. Fig 2 The question to be debated is why the Ottomans did not seem to be aware of their own artistic, literary, and architectural achievements, many of which surpassed their Arabic, Persian and Byzantine models. According to the 'Orhun' inscriptions, the early Turks had shown some interest in their ethnic identity and "national" solidarity and in writings such as the Divan- Lgat-it-Trk of Mahmud Kasgari, which described the Turks as a distinct linguistic and cultural entity, so the standard answer is that the Ottomans immersed themselves so much in Islam as to forget their ethnic identity. (Goffman, 2002) But this explanation cannot be accepted at face value. Rather, the Ottoman government purposefully ignored the Turkish features of society and stated and emphasized their Islamic characteristics in the second half of the fifteenth century in order to consolidate the Balkan conquests and integrate the newly converted Bosnians, Albanians et al. into the

Freedom of Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Freedom of Speech - Essay Example The essay "Freedom of Speech" highlights that the call to convention for the purpose of devising and discussing all provisions for a constitution went out on October 16, 1786. The citizens of the new country knew that they had to have something in place that would provide for a free government instead of the loose confederation they had in place. It was realized that most of the problems being experienced by the new federation or union of states were of an economic nature and could be solved only by a common venture or government. James Madison for one read the tenor of the times and knew it was time to preserve the union they now enjoyed. A representative government was the only thing that would solve the collective problems of the union. The entire concept of a free government would have to be protected by a constitution created by elected representatives. The whole concept of a free government would have to be based on the will of the citizens who would choose representatives to a two house government which would provide for the governmental needs of the union. Something had to bind the people together for a fee government to work and that one thing turned out to be the separation of church and state. (Joseph Smith, 1987).

Defining Corruption in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Defining Corruption in Society - Essay Example o government intervention where they are not needed, in turn significantly affecting their ability to pursue policies where they are needed most, such as in safety and health regulation, environmental regulation, contract enforcement, or macroeconomic stabilization. In moral and philosophical discourse, corruption is considered as the misuse and abuse of position or power bestowed on an individual for their personal gain. Such corrupt actions may take the form of bribery, theft of state assets, bureaucratic/political corruption, or systematic and isolated corruption (Clausen et al, 2011: p220). While nepotism, favoritism, and cronyism are also considered acts of corruption in this discourse, the family-based nature of specific societies, especially in Asia, means that these acts are more acceptable. Niehaus and Sukhtankar (2013: p245) write that corruption, which in this case means political corruption, is the use of public position and power illegitimately to accrue positive private gains. Another economically-inclined definition identifies corruption as actions that secretly provide services or products to third parties in order for them to influence their actions to their benefit, that of the third party, or even both and where this individual has authority. Legally, the definition of corruption is an activity that involves the abuse of power within legal confines, especially since those with authority and power are in a position to pursue laws and policies for their protection. Corruption as a concept covers a wide array of human actions. Thus, in order to comprehend how corruption may impact on socio-economic and socio-political systems, deconstruction of the term to identify particular transactions and activities that could be corrupt is important (Niehaus & Sukhtankar, 20 13: p245). Essentially, corruption involves the misuse or abuse of public power and office for private gain.

Cell phones how have they changed us socially Essay Example for Free

Cell phones how have they changed us socially Essay Some people might find it hard to believe that there was once a time when cell phones weren’t around. Having to recall a time when letters were used to get messages back and forth from one person to another. Then slowly we added the addition of phones. In the beginning phones were just a way to contact people if they happend to be home when called. Then we invented cell phones. With them we can make and receive calls in almost any location and we can send text messages . Cell phone use has increased in the past years because is really easy and economic to have one. Year into year cell phones become better and better. Today , except making and receiveing calls and also texting messages, we can do a lot of interesting things with them. For example we can listen to music, record voice notes, make video clips, play games, take pictures, access the internet and many other things. But there is also a bad side of cell phones. They affected the way we socialize these days; if you notice people are starting to text their friends and family instead if actually speaking verbally. Many adolescents and also older generations spend more time sending text messages or chatting on Facebook than speaking You go out to dinner and look around and see people out with family but there is no conversations going on at the table mostly just huh†¦ yeah†¦ mmhm.., because they are busy texting someone not there on their phones. I feel human communicant is slowly disappearing among friends and family. You even see parent’s texting their kids when in the same house to discuss something with them. Our communication between each other is depending on a little electronic device. People use cell phones in public places, and during church. I have even seen ten-year olds walking across the street texting their friends instead of paying attention to the cars.

Dichotic Listening Experiment

Dichotic Listening Experiment George Papamanolioudakis Dichotic listening Abstract: In this experiment we collected data from seventeen (17) first year psychology students in order to identify the differences in speech recognition between the left and the right ear. Based on previous findings we expect that there will be a significant difference between them, as the left hemisphere of the brain which controls the right side of humans bodies, contains major areas controlling speech producing and recognition (Gallese Stamenov, 2002). A dichotic test was produced, using headphones, presenting the participants nonsense syllables such as â€Å"ka† and â€Å"ta† at the same time to both left and right ear. Our goal was to analyse scores from both ears and confirm if there would be a difference between them. The data we collected was ratio, within participants, and they were analyzed using a non-parametric test (Man-Whitney) due to the small sample given. The results have shown that we can confirm the above hypothesis, although later research with higher sam ple, would help as finalize the findings, and provide evidence with different methods. Introduction: In this study, we are going to examine whether people’s ability to report words accurately, is affected by which ear they hear them in. In order to investigate this, we are going to perform a dichotic listening task. Previous research (Kimura, 1961) on this subject, showed that the left hemisphere recognizes speech sounds better than the right. As the brain is connected with the body almost contra-lateral we assume that the right ear will be more capable of receiving words than the left. We can question this experiment, as it was performed to patients with epileptogenic foci, in different parts on the brain. Later on, based on an annual meeting of the academy of Aphasia in Chicago 1966, Doreen Kimura (1967) reviewed all evidence relating the asymmetry in speech recognition between the two hemispheres of the brain, confirming that the right ear of all humans was more able to recognize verbal stimuli due to better connections with the left hemisphere of the brain. Another experi ment (Molfese, Freeman, Palermo, 1975), which recorded auditory evoked responses from both cerebral hemispheres of humans in all ages, agreed that the left hemisphere responded more dynamically in speech stimuli, than the right which responded better in non-speech stimulus. The reason that makes the left hemisphere more accurate in verbal – speech stimuli, is that many areas related to speech are located there. Variety of evidence can prove that, such as many case studies of damaged brain cells on the left hemisphere of individuals that caused speech dysfunctions. More specific Broca’s area among other areas of the left hemisphere, has been repeatedly reported to be very important in the verbal domain (Gallese Stamenov, 2002). All these studies would not be so accurate if scientists were not able to analyze brain activity through specialized technology such as Magnetic encephalography (MEG), FMRI and PET scans. Using FMRI scientists Embick, Marantz, Miyashita and Oâ⠂¬â„¢Neil (2000) concluded that Broca’s area is specialized in the syntactic process of our brain, therefore there is a certain correlation given. Another area of the brain seems to play a crucial role on language understanding. Scientists found that when they increased the mean arterial pressure (pharmacologically) of a patient with a left frontal-temporal stroke, they managed to improve his language deficits as the Wernicke’s area (located on the left hemisphere) had improved perfusion (Hillis, et al., 2001) Other interesting findings have been discovered by examining patients with â€Å"split brain†. These patients had their corpus callosum removed (the part that unites the left with the right hemisphere), for other medical reasons, and gave scientists the opportunity to explore the differences between the â€Å"connected† brain and the â€Å"split brain†. Those findings showed that in the split brain condition the individual could not identify verbally an object presented on his left eye only, (left eye – right hemisphere) because there was no connection between the two hemispheres (Gazzaniga, 1967). Many researchers have used the dichotic listening test in order to examine whether the left or the right ear (right or the left hemisphere of the brain) would analyze better speech stimulus or other sounds (birds, music etc.). In this experiment we will introduce the same method in order to come up with a conclusion, as we expect that there will be a significant difference between the left and the right ear. Method: Participants: Seventeen first year undergraduate psychology students participated in this experiment. Ten (10) males and seven (7) females. Mean age =22.3, and the range was eighteen (18) to twenty-nine (29). All participants were right – handed. Design: The independent variable of this experiment was the left and the right ear, and the dependent was the correct identifications of the syllables provided both from the left and right ear. The experiment was within participants, as we measured correct answers from each participant individually. Materials: Each participant used a pair of headphones which provided stimuli for each ear. The stimuli was 15 combination of nonsense syllables, consisted of one of a series of consonants (b, d, g, k. p, t) paired with the vowel â€Å"a†. These sounds were recorded in 16 bit mono-aural mode and edited to 500 millisecond duration. Each person listened 30 presentations of the stimuli, carefully balanced for both ears, each one providing a different consonant – vowel pairing. For example the sounds â€Å"ka† and â€Å"ta† were presented at the same time on a different ear. The presentation of the sounds was reversed for a total of 30 trials. For example the sounds â€Å"ka† and â€Å"ta† were presented in both ears equally. Here is the link to the test (Dichotic Listening) Procedure: All participants arrived on CityU on time. They were welcomed by the instructors and placed on their seats. They were asked to read the information sheet and after all questions were answered they signed the consent form. Each participant used his/her own computer with her/his own headphones. They were asked to visit the link to the test, and when everyone was ready they completed the dichotic listening test individually. The test that was used was from APA webpage: ( http://opl.apa.org/Experiments/AlphabetList.aspx) on the â€Å"experiments† section located under word â€Å"d† (for dichotic listening). After clicking in the test they were asked to put the class ID number in order to collect the data from each of them. After they finished, they were thanked for their participation in the study and left. Results: This experiment took place in order to confirm that the right ear would recognise better syllables due to the immediate connection to the left hemisphere, than the left ear. The data we collected was ratio, within participants, and a non-parametric test was carried out (Man-Whitney) because of the small number of participants. The data shows that there was a significant difference understanding syllables from left and right ear. More specifically the right ear scored much higher (m=11,76 sd= 3,63) than the left (m=6,71 sd=3,08). The hypothesis was two tailed, and based on Man –Whitney’s non parametric test z=3,64 p Discussion: Based on previous research, we were able to perform a dichotic listening test in order to confirm that there would be a difference understanding syllables from right to left ear. As Doreen Kimura suggested (1961) the right ear was more capable recognising verbal stimulus as it is connected directly to the left hemisphere of the brain. Assumption which was made after many dichotic listening tests (Kimura, 1961), brain dysfunctions especially in the Broca’s and the Wernicke’s area (Gallese Stamenov, 2002), and specialized brain scanning through MEG, FMRI and PET technology (Embick, Marantz, Miyashita O’Neil, 2000). The absence of corpus callosum in many case studies confirmed that after separating the two hemispheres of the brain (split brain), the patients were not able to recognize verbally an object presented on their left eye, as the connection to the left hemisphere was lost (Gazzaniga, 1967). Our hypothesis was that there would be a significant difference understanding speech stimulus from the left to the right ear, and our findings can confirm those differences showing a huge possibility to find the same results to the whole population p References: Embick, D., Marantz, A., Miyashita, Y., ONeil, W., Sakai, K. L. (2000). A syntactic specialization for Brocas area. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 97(11), 6150-6154. Etard, O., Mellet, E., Papathanassiou, D., Benali, K., Houdà ©, O., Mazoyer, B., Tzourio-Mazoyer, N. (2000). Picture naming without Brocas and Wernickes area. Neuroreport, 11(3), 617-622. Gallese, V., Stamenov, M. (2002, April 1). Mirror Neurons and the Evolution of Brain and Language. Retrieved from ebscohost: http://web.a.ebscohost.com Gazzaniga, M. S. (1967). The split brain in man. Scientific American, 217(2), 24-29. Hillis, A. E., Barker, P. B., Beauchamp, N. J., Winters, B. D., Mirski, M., Wityk, R. J. (2001). Restoring blood pressure reperfused Wernicke’s area and improved language. Neurology, 56(5), 670-672. Kimura, D. (1961). Cerebral dominance and the perception of verbal stimuli. Canadian Journal of Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie, 15(3), 166. Kimura, D. (1967). Functional asymmetry of the brain in dichotic listening. Cortex, 3(2), 163-178. Molfese, D. L., Freeman, R. B., Palermo, D. S. (1975). The ontogeny of brain lateralization for speech and nonspeech stimuli. Brain and language, 2, 356-368.

Supporting Anticipatory Care for Long Term Conditions

Supporting Anticipatory Care for Long Term Conditions Supporting Anticipatory Care for Long Term Conditions Management Introduction Better management of individuals with long-term health problems has been an important priority of the Scottish government since the beginning. This is because Scotland has been under influence of alcohol misuse, smoking, physical idleness and poor dietary habits.ÂÂ   All these are the critical risk factors for a number of chronic diseases like, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, dementia and chronic lung disease. Moreover, ageing population is also increasing at an unprecedented rate and is constantly under the risk of developing several of these chronic conditions simultaneously; thus necessitating support and care (Epping, Pruitt, Bengoa, Wagner, 2004). The effect of multi-morbidity is intense as well. Individuals with numerous long-term conditions have noticeably pitiable quality of life, financial issues, and bad clinical outcomes, in addition to staying longer at hospitals (Department of Health, 2005). A long term condition is basically the one that is unable to cure, remains for a longer duration of time, for instant, more than a year and have an effect on any aspect of a humans life. It also needs ongoing medical help and restricts a person for what he/she can do. In Scotland, approximately 2 million people have either one or more long term health problems (N.H.S. Scotland, 2010). This demonstrates considerable work is needed to fulfil the requirement of people having long term conditions and tackle the broader determinants of health like standard of living, behaviours, attitude and socioeconomic deficit. With the present transformed political attention on social and health care, there is a prospect in the Scotland to redefine the framework of care. The nature of health care is also transforming; the focus is towards a system that not only considers physical health of public but also wellbeing and overall health, and which distinguishes public as co-makers of their health and its care. The endeavour is showed in the idea for services which emphasises on capacities and management of health problems and recognises notions like optimism, social inclusion, happiness, revival, and autonomy (N.H.S. Scotland, 2010). Anticipatory care planning comes true to such efforts because it involves the personal outcomes to health care planning in society care. It is generally applied to help people living with any long term health problem to prepare for an anticipated change in health condition (Baker, Leak, Ritchie, Lee, Fielding, 2012). It also includes health enhancement and living healthy. Overal l, vision of anticipatory care planning to reduce acute hospital admission, effectively manage chronic condition, acknowledged and empowered health education and provides social care services. Thus, in order to provide practical means for elucidating, detecting and improving patient outcome, the health model and theories can be used and these include the Mutual Care Model for Long Term Condition (CEL 23, 2009), theÂÂ   House of Care model (Coulter, Roberts, Dixon,2013) and the Chronic Care Model (Wagner,2001).ÂÂ   Though the description of all these models varies yet all focus on one point i.e. betterment of patients. They also offer vision for professionals in offering quality care not only for patients, but also for their families (Eaton et al, 2015). The aim of this paper is to examine the existing approaches for providing and supporting anticipatory care for proper management of long term conditions. It will use and highlight different care models, policies and strategies applied by the Scottish government in providing anticipatory care. References Baker, A., Leak, P., Ritchie, L. D., Lee, A. J., Fielding, S., 2012. Anticipatory care planning and integration: a primary care pilot study aimed at reducing unplanned hospitalisation. The British Journal of General Practice, 62(595), pp.113-e120. CEL 23, 2009. Improving Health Wellbeing Of People With Long Term Conditions In Scotland: A National Action Plan. The Scottish Government. [Online] [Viewed 05 March 2017]Available from: http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2009_23.pdf Coulter, A., Roberts, S. Dixon A., 2013. Delivering better services for people with long-term conditions. The Kings Fund. pp.1-28. Department of Health 2005. Supporting People with Long-Term Conditions. London: Department of Health. Eaton, S., Roberts, S. Turner, B., 2015. Delivering person centred care in long term conditions. BMJ. 1(2) Epping-Jordan, J.E., Pruitt, S.D., Bengoa, R., Wagner, E.H., 2004. Improving the quality of health care for chronic conditions. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 13 (4), pp 299-305. N.H.S. Scotland 2010. Long Term Conditions Collaborative Making the Connections Food For Thought. [Online]. [Viewed 4 March 2017]. Available from: http://www.scdc.org.uk/media/resources/what-we-do/mtsc/Making%20the%20Connections.pdf Wagner, E.H., 2001. Meeting the needs of chronically ill people. BMJ.323, pp. 945-6.

Lasers: What Everyone Should Know Essay -- Technology Tools Papers

Lasers: What Everyone Should Know Lasers are very important tools in modern science, industry, and everyday life. From their creation over forty years ago their designs have improved and their usefulness increased. They work on physical principles that are a mix of both classical and quantum mechanical, thus making them great examples for demonstrating the properties of light and excited states of atoms and molecules. The process of producing laser light can be complicated, but the explanation of laser action, becomes easily accessible when an explanation of the underlying physical principles, and the apparatus involved in creating it is given. Indeed, there are a number of different types of lasers, solid-state lasers, gas lasers, semiconductor laser and dye pumped lasers. Each of these has different properties that make them ideal for certain situations. Furthermore, each type functions differently, yet produces the same result. That is, light created from stimulated emission, which is totally in phase, all of the same wavelength, and all propagating in the same direction. With this knowledge everyone should gain a new appreciation of light and lasers. Introduction: Without a doubt, everyone has heard about lasers, and while the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of the word can be anything from some sort of death ray to a doctor performing eye surgery, their infusion into society is certainly very deep. However, the average layman may not be all that familiar with how exactly a laser functions or the sum total of its applications, which can range from medical instruments, to industrial machinery, to CD players, and as important tools in scientific research. First off, laser, or more appropriate... ...rd, R.L., Omni Mar., 54 (1979). [3] Gordon, J.P., Zeiger, H.J., Townes,C.H., Phys. Rev. 95, 282 (1954). [4] Shawlow, A.L. and Townes, C.H., Phys. Rev. 112, 47 (1958). [5] Maiman, T.H., Nature 187, 493 (1960). [6] Larsen, E., Inc. Mar. 1, 68 (1989). [7] Bennett, W.R., Phys. Rev. 126, 580 (1962). [8] Turro, N.J., Modern Molecular Photochemistry, The Benjamin; Menlo Park (1988). [9] Huheey, J.E., Inoganic Chemistry, HarperCollins; New York (1993). [10] Williams, M., PC World, â€Å"Sanyo's Blue Laser May Boost Optical Storage,† 3/13/2002. [11] Brownlee, C., Medical Drug Discovery, 4.11 14 (2001). [12] Bell Labs Photonics Unit [13] Lane, E., The Seattle Times, â€Å"Space detectives: Scientists seek 'waves' of gravity,† 10/9/2002. [14] Kent, D.F. and Nene, G., Enlighten, 6, 4 (2001).

Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia - Mercy Killing :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Euthanasia Mercy Killing Sue Rodriguez has reminded us all of our own mortality and our need to think carefully about the kind of society we want to live and to die in. Sue Rodriguez was known through the media, and her well spoken and eloquent speeches. People painfully in support of what she believed in, watched as her strength was sapped by the devastating disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and we were moved by her clear thought and her bravery as a person facing death. Here was a woman who acted on her beliefs with courage and tenacity and whose grace has enriched us all. It is no defense to point to the fact that a person has requested to be killed: "No person is entitled to consent to have death inflicted upon him, and such consent does not affect the criminal responsibilities of any person by whom death may be inflicted upon the person by whom consent is given," which seems to mean that no one has a right to consent to have death inflicted on him or her. In addition, if a person causes the death of another, the consent of the deceased does not provide the person who caused the death a defense to criminal responsibility. Is there a difference, do you think, between a person who, at a dying person's request, prepares a poison and leaves it on the bedside for that person to take, and a person who helps the patient to drink it or who administers it directly at the request of a dying person who is unable to take it personally? Is there, in short, a real distinction between killing and letting die? Well, this is the difference between passive and active euthanasia, and if you believe in euthanasia, you must decide which one is correct or even accept both to be correct depending upon the situation. We must carefully think through a number of conceptual issues. What is a person? What is death? How does the difference between active and passive function in arguments for and against euthanasia? Is there any difference between killing and letting die? Suppose the doctor agrees to withhold treatment... The justification for his doing so is that the patient is in terrible agony, and since he is going to die anyway, it would

Business Ethics VS. Military Ethics Essay -- essays research papers

Business Ethics versus Military Ethics June 18, 2005 Business Ethics versus Military Ethics â€Å"The ultimate basis for ethics is clear: Human behavior has consequences for the welfare of others. We are capable of acting toward others in such a way as to increase or decrease the quality of their lives. We are capable of helping or harming. What is more, we are theoretically capable of understanding when we are doing the one and when the other. This is so because we have the capacity to put ourselves imaginatively in the place of others and recognize how we would be affected if someone were to act toward us as we are acting toward others† (Elder & Paul, 2003). There are many types of ethics and many ways to incorporate practices to enforce ethics as well as punish violators of ethics requirements. Two categories of ethics that are similar yet different are ethics in Corporate America and ethics in the United States Air Force (U.S.A.F.). First, we need to understand what ethics are. Ethics contributes to the learning what is right or wrong. â€Å"Doing the right thing is not as straight forward as conveyed in a great deal of business ethics literature†(McNamara, C. 2003, 6). The definition between corporations and the military provides us with a general description of ethics. Are military and corporate ethics different? Business Ethics in Corporate America The Business ethics concept means many things to many different people. It is coming to know what is â€Å"right or wrong in the workplace and doing what is right -- this is in regard to effects of products/services and in relationships with stakeholders† (McNamara, C. 2003, 8 ). â€Å"According to Carter McNamara, business ethics is summarized into â€Å"Two Broad Areas of Business Ethics† defined as managerial mischief and moral mazes.† (McNamara, C. 2003, 10). The first discussion will be managerial mischief. â€Å"Madsen and Shafritz, in their book "Essentials of Business Ethics" (Penguin Books, 1990) further explain that "managerial mischief" includes "illegal, unethical, or questionable practices of individual managers or organizations as well as the causes of such behaviors and remedies to eradicate them" (McNamara, C. 2003,10). Business ethics is merely teaches the basics of what is wrong and right. Business ethics is a matter of dealing with situations that have no clear indication o... ...ed to maintain discipline and cohesiveness in an organization and generally documented to provide specific guidance. No matter what the root cause of Ethics in Business or the Military, most ethical conflicts came to dealing with contracts and agreements between themselves and their customers or their employees. Most people have come to the understanding that lower ethical standards related to lower moral standards in society, in general. From this, one can conclude that it is management that has the social responsibility to conduct his or her business in the most ethical ways possible, for his or her actions is reflexive on society. References McNamara, C. (2003). Complete Guide to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for Managers. Retrieved 15 June 2005 from www.mapnp.org/library/ethics/ethics.htm Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2003) The Miniature Guide to Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning, The Foundation for Critical Thinking. Dillon Beach, CA. Retrieved 06-18-2005, from UoPHX rEsource GEN/300 Toner, J. H., Military OR ethics, Air & Space Power Journal Vol. 17,Iss 2, Summer 20032003. Retrieved 06/15/2005 from UoPHX rEsource GEN/300

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 14

I woke the next morning and stretched my arms outward, dejected when I touched nothing but goose-down pillows. A slight indentation in the mattress next to me was the only proof that what had happened had been real, and not one of the fever dreams I'd been having since Rosalyn's death. Of course, I couldn't expect Katherine to have spent the night with me. Not with her maid waiting at the carriage house, and not with the way the servants talked. She'd told me herself that this had to be our secret, that she couldn't risk ruining her reputation. Not that she had to worry about that. I wanted us to have our own secret world, together. I wondered when she'd slipped away, remembering the feeling of her in my arms, a warmth and lightness I'd never felt before. I felt whole, and at peace, and the thoughtof Rosalyn was just a vague memory, a character in an unpleasant story that I'd simply put out of my mind. Now my mind was consumed with thoughts of Katherine: how she pulled the curtains closed as the summer storm pelted hail on the windows, how she'd allowed my hands to explore her exquisite body. At one point, I was caressing her neck when my hands fell on the clasp of the ornate blue cameo necklace she always wore. I began to unclasp it when Katherine had roughly pushed me away. â€Å"Don't!† she'd said sharply, her hands flying to the clasp, making sure nothing had been disturbed. But then, once she patted the charm into place on the hollow of her neck, she'd resumed kissing me. I blushed as I remembered all the other places she did allow me to touch. I swung my legs out of bed, walked toward the hand basin, and splashed water on my face. I looked in the mirror and smiled. The dark circles were gone from my eyes, and it no longer felt like an effort to walk from one side of the room to the other. I changed into my waistcoat and dark-blue breeches and left the chambers humming. â€Å"Sir?† Alfred asked on the stairs. He was holding a silver-domed platter–my breakfast. My lip curled in disgust. How could I have lain in bed for an entire week when there was a whole world to discover with Katherine? â€Å"I'm quite well, thank you, Alfred,† I said as I took the stairs two at a time. The storm from last night had disappeared as quickly as it came. In the sunroom, the early-morning light was sparkling through the floor-to- ceiling windows, and the table was decorated with freshly cut daisies. Damon was already there, drinking a mug of coffee while flipping through the morning paper from Richmond. â€Å"Hello, brother!† Damon said, holding up his coffee mug as if he were toasting me. â€Å"My, you look well. Did our afternoon ride do you some good, after all?† I nodded and sat opposite him, glancing at the headlines on the paper. The Union had taken Fort Morgan. I wondered where exactly that was. â€Å"I don't know why we even get the paper. It's not like Father cares about anything except the stories he makes up in his head,† Damon said disgustedly. â€Å"If you hate it here so much, why don't you just leave?† I asked, suddenly annoyed with Damon's constant grumbling. Maybe it would be better if he were gone, so that Father wouldn't be so frustrated. An odious voice in the back of my mind silently added, And so I don't have to think about you and Katherine, swinging on the porch swing together. Damon raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Well, I'd be remiss if I didn't say things were interesting here.† His lips curved in a private sort of smile that made me suddenly want to grab his shoulders and shake him. The force of my emotions surprised me, so much so that I had to sit down and shove into my mouth a muffin from the overflowing basket on the table. I'd never felt jealous of my brother before, but suddenly I was dying to know: Had Katherine ever snuck up to his bedroom? She couldn't have. Last night, she'd seemed so nervous about getting caught, having me promise over and over again that I'd never breathe a word to anybody about what we'd done. Betsy, the cook, came in, her arms laden with plates of grits, bacon, and eggs. My stomach rumbled, and I realized I was starving. I quickly tucked in, reveling in the saltiness of the eggs combined with the sweet bitterness of my coffee. It was as if I'd never tasted breakfast before and my senses were finally awakened. I sighed in contentment, and Damon looked up in amusement. â€Å"I knew all you needed was some fresh air and good food,† Damon said. And Katherine, I thought. â€Å"Now let's go outside and cause some trouble.† Damon smiled wickedly. â€Å"Father's in his study, doing his demon studies. Do you know he even has Robert in on it?† Damon shook his head in disgust. I sighed. While I didn't necessarily believe all the discussion about demons, I did respect Father enough to not make fun of his thoughts. It made me feel vaguely disloyal to hear Damon's dismissal of him. â€Å"I'm sorry, brother.† Damon shook his head and scraped his chair back against the slate floor. â€Å"I know you don't like it when Father and I fight.† He walked over to me, pulling out my chair from under me, almost causing me to fall. I scrambled to my feet and good-naturedly shoved him back. â€Å"That's better!† Damon called with glee. â€Å"Now, let's go!† He ran out the back door, letting the door slam shut. Cordelia used to scream at us for that offense as children, and I laughed when I heard her familiar groan from the kitchen. I ran toward the center of the lawn, where Damon had unearthed the oblong ball we'd been tossing two weeks before. â€Å"Here, brother! Catch!† Damon panted, and I turned and leapt into the air, just in time to catch the pigskin in my arms. I pulled it tightly to my chest and began running toward the stable, the wind whipping my face. â€Å"Y boys!† a voice called, stopping me in my ou tracks. Katherine was standing on the porch of the carriage house, wearing a simple, cream-colored muslin dress and looking so innocent and sweet that I couldn't believe that what happened last night wasn't a dream. â€Å"Burning off excess energy? â€Å" I sheepishly turned around and walked toward the porch. â€Å"Playing catch!† I explained, hastily throwing the ball to Damon. Katherine reached behind her, braiding her curls down the back of her neck. I had a sudden fear that she thought we were tiresome with our childish game and that she'd come out here to scold us for waking her so early. But she simply smiled as she settled on the porch swing. â€Å"Are you ready to play?† Damon called from his position on the lawn. He held the ball far back behind his head as if he were about to throw it toward her. â€Å"Absolutely not.† Katherine wrinkled her nose. â€Å"Once was enough. Besides, I feel people who need props for their games and sports are lacking in imagination.† â€Å"Stefan has imagination.† Damon smirked. â€Å"Y should hear him read poetry. He's like a ou troubadour.† He dropped the ball and ran toward the porch. â€Å"Damon has imagination. too. Y should see ou the imaginative way he plays cards,† I teased as I reached the steps of the porch. Katherine nodded at me as I bowed to her but didn't make any other effort to greet me. I stepped back, momentarily stung. Why hadn't she at least given me her hand to kiss? Hadn't last night meant anything to her? † I am imaginative, especially when I have a muse.† Damon winked at Katherine, then stepped in front of me to grab her hand. He brought it to his lips, and my stomach churned. â€Å"Thank you,† Katherine said, standing up and walking down the porch steps, her simple skirts swishing down the stairs. With her hair pulled back from her eyes, she reminded me of an angel. She gave me a secret smile, and finally I relaxed. â€Å"It's beautiful here,† Katherine said, spreading her arms as if blessing the entire estate. â€Å"Will you show me around?† she asked, turning and glancing first at Damon, then at me, then back at Damon again. â€Å"I've lived here for more than two weeks, and I've barely seen anything besides my bedchambers and the gardens. I want to see something new. Something secret!† â€Å"We have a maze,† I said stupidly. Damon elbowed me in the ribs. Not like he had anything better to say. â€Å"I know,† Katherine said. â€Å"Damon showed me.† My stomach fell at the reminder of how much time the two of them had spent together in the week I was in my sickbed. And if he'd shown her the maze †¦ But I pushed the thought out of my head as best I could. Damon had always told me about all the women he'd kissed, ever since we were thirteen and he and Amelia Hawke had kissed on the Wickery Bridge. If he had kissed Katherine, I would have heard about it. â€Å"I'd love to see it again,† Katherine said, clapping her hands together as if I'd just told her the most interesting news in the world. â€Å"Will you both escort me?† she asked hopefully, glancing at us. â€Å"Of course,† we said at the same time. â€Å"Oh, wonderful! I must tell Emily.† Katherine dashed inside, leaving us standing on opposite ends of the stairs. â€Å"She's quite a woman, isn't she?† Damon asked. â€Å"She is,† I said shortly. Before I could say anything else, Katherine came bounding down the stairs, holding a sun umbrella in one hand. â€Å"I'm ready for our adventure!† she cried, handing me her parasol, an expectant look on her face. I hooked it over the crook of my arm, while Katherine linked arms with Damon. I walked a few feet behind, watching the easy way their hips bumped each other, as if she were simply his younger, teasing sister. I relaxed. That was it. Damon was always protective and was simply being a big brother to Katherine. And she needed that. I whistled under my breath as I followed them. We had a small labyrinth in the front garden, but the maze on the far corner of the property was expansive, built from a boggy marsh by my father, who had been determined to impress our mother. She'd loved to garden and had always bemoaned the fact that the flowers that bloomed in her native France simply couldn't withstand the hard Virginia soil. The area always smelled of roses and clematis and was always the first place couples would retreat to when they wanted to be alone at a Veritas party. The servants had superstitions about the maze: that a child conceived in the maze would be blessed for life, that if you kissed your true love in the center of the maze, you'd be bonded for life, but that if you told a lie while within its walls, you'd be cursed forever. Today it felt almost magical: The arbors and vines provided shade from the sun, making it seem that the three of us were in an enchanted world together–away from death and war. â€Å"It's even more beautiful than I remembered!† Katherine explained. â€Å"It's like a storybook. Like the Luxembourg Gardens or the Palace of Versailles!† She plucked a calla lily and inhaled deeply. I paused and glanced at her. â€Å"Y ou've been to Europe, then?† I asked, feeling as provincial as any of the country bumpkins who lived in the shanty town on the other side of Mystic Falls, the ones who pronounced the word creek like crick and who already had four or five children by the time they were our age. â€Å"I've been everywhere,† Katherine said simply. She tucked the lily behind her ear. â€Å"So, tell me, boys, how did you amuse yourselves when you didn't have a mysterious stranger to impress with a tour of your grounds?† â€Å"We entertain pretty young things with real Southern hospitality.† Damon smirked, falling into his overdone accent that always made me laugh. Katherine rewarded him with a giggle, and I smiled. Now that I saw Damon and Katherine's flirtatious friendship as being as innocent as the relationship of cousins, I could enjoy their banter. â€Å"Damon's right. Our Founders Ball is just a few weeks away,† I said, my spirits lifting as I realized that I was free to go to the ball with whoever I pleased. I couldn't wait to twirl Katherine in my arms. â€Å"And you'll be the prettiest girl. Even the girls from Richmond and Charlottesville will be jealous!† Damon pronounced. â€Å"Really? Why, I think I should like that. Is that wicked of me?† Katherine asked, glancing from Damon to me. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Y Damon said at the same time. â€Å"And I, for es,† one, think more girls should admit their wicked natures. After all, we all know the fairer sex has a dark side. Remember when Clementine cut off Amelia's hair?† Damon turned toward me. â€Å"Y es,† I chuckled, happy to play the role of storyteller for Katherine's amusement. â€Å"Clementine thought Amelia was being too forward with Matthew Hartnett, and since Clem fancied him, she decided she'd take it in her own hands to make Amelia less attractive.† Katherine put her hand over her mouth in a gesture of exaggerated concern. â€Å"I do hope poor Amelia's recovered.† â€Å"She's engaged to some soldier. Don't worry about her,† Damon said. â€Å"In fact, you shouldn't worry about anything. Y ou're far too pretty.† â€Å"Well, I am worried about one thing.† Katherine widened her eyes. â€Å"Who shall escort me to the ball?† She swung her parasol back and forth on her arm as she gazed at the ground, as if thinking through a deep decision. My heart quickened as she looked up at both of us. â€Å"I know! Let's have a race. Winner may get to take me!† She threw her parasol on the ground and ran off to the center of the maze. â€Å"Brother?† Damon asked, raising an eyebrow at me. â€Å"Ready?† I smiled, as if this were just a casual children's footrace. I didn't want Damon to know how fast my heart was beating, and how very much I wanted to catch Katherine. â€Å"Go!† Damon yelled. Immediately I began running. My hands and legs flailed, and I propelled myself into the maze. When we were in school, I was the fastest boy in the class, lightning quick when the school bell rang. Then I heard peals of laughter. I glanced back. Damon was doubled up over himself, slapping his knee. I gulped air, trying not to seem winded. â€Å"Scared to compete?† I said, running back and slugging Damon on the shoulder. I'd meant it to be a playful punch, but it landed with a heavy thud. â€Å"Oh, now we're on, brother!† Damon said, his voice light and full of laughter. He grabbed my shoulders and wrestled me easily to the ground. I struggled to my feet and tackled him, throwing him onto his back and pinning down his wrists. â€Å"Think you can still lick your little brother?† I teased, enjoying my momentary victory. â€Å"No one came for me!† Katherine pouted, wandering out of the maze. Her frown quickly turned into a smile as she saw us on the ground, breathing heavily. â€Å"Good thing I'm here to save you both.† She knelt and pressed her lips first to Damon's cheek, then to mine. I released Damon's wrists and stood up, wiping the dirt off my breeches. â€Å"See?† she asked, as she offered an arm to Damon. â€Å"All you need is a kiss to make everything better–although you boys shouldn't be such brutes with each other.† â€Å"We were fighting for you,† Damon said lazily, not bothering to stand up. Just then, the sound of horses' hooves interrupted us. Alfred dismounted his horse and bowed to the three of us. It must have been a sight: Damon lying on the ground, resting his head on his hand as if he were simply reclining, me frantically brushing grass stains off my trousers, and Katherine standing between us, looking amused. â€Å"I'm sorry to interrupt,† Alfred said. â€Å"But Master Giuseppe needs to speak to Master Damon. It's urgent.† â€Å"Of course it is. Everything is always urgent for Father. What do you bet he has another ridiculous theory he needs to discuss?† Damon said. Katherine lifted her parasol from the ground. â€Å"I should get going, too. I'm all disheveled, and I'm due to visit with Pearl at the apothecary.† â€Å"Come,† Alfred said, gesturing for Damon to jump onto the back of his horse. As Alfred and Damon rode away, Katherine and I slowly walked back to the carriage house. I wanted to bring up the Founders Ball again but found myself afraid to do so. â€Å"Y don't need to keep pace with me. ou Perhaps you should keep your brother company,† Katherine suggested. â€Å"It seems that your father is a man who's best taken on by two,† she observed. Her hand brushed my own and she grabbed my wrist. Then she stepped on her tiptoes and allowed her lips to graze my cheek. â€Å"Come see me tonight, sweet Stefan. My chambers will be open.† And with that, she broke off into a spirited run. She was like a colt, galloping free, and I felt my heart gallop along with her. There was no question: She felt the same way I did. And knowing that made me feel more alive than I ever had in my life.