Primary and Community Care Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Primary and Community Care Policy - Essay Example These families need to be supported on the huge responsibilities (Department of Health 2008). Primary care is diverse and wide in terms of its healthcare with different skilled people who work for the care of patients. Patients can be taken care of by different community service in the comfort of their homes (Walshe and Smith 2011). This paper will review the health care policy relevant to the primary or community care setting, and identify the key factors of the policy and analyze how effective the policy has been in the primary and community environment. This document will analyze some of the major policies that are often discussed. Health care policy Health care policy is the strategic plan, and decision performed to achieve specific health care goal within a society. An explicit health care can make up for a couple of important things (Nolan and Badger 2002). It sets up a vision for the future that assists in establishing targets of reference for the short and medium term goals. It lays down the priorities, and the role expected of different groups, and it creates consensus and informs people on the better way of life. Various policies have been placed to ensure that children are in a position to have the best start of life, and support their families need to give them in the form of a chance to fulfill their potentials. In essence, children and young adults with a grievous life condition are in positions that best equate them to access of high-quality, family centered, sustainable care support, with services provided in a selected setting, as stated by the children, and their families’ desires (Nolan and Badger 2002). The services shall be commissioned and delivered in line with identified local need and national policy and driven by best practice. These practices are associated with the myriad of services that are generally provided in the proposed settings, those that have been chosen by the children, and their families’ (Sines et al 2009). Moreover, disabled children will be considered both at local and national priority in all the settings that the government shall be undertaking. The healthcare communities must be in positions where they can deliver excellent health care services to all their clients without discrimination of the payment of services. According to Smith and Goodwin 2005, better care in all the settings ensures help in improving the outcome for children, young people together with families who might be living with limiting and threatening health conditions (Ashworth et al 2002). Effect created by policy in primary and community environment. Partnership working The government is determined on working together with other partners in the voluntary and private sector in sharing the agenda towards the realization of better changes in the improvement of lives for children who experience life-limiting and life-threatening conditions like the disabled persons. Patient care teams are professionals who are div erse in their line of duty. In fact, the professionals continually communicate on the best ways of taking care and attending to different patient groups, and participate in the care through out. Good working teams are depicted by strong working leadership that is effective, shared obligations, common visions, and cooperation, and obedience, members must also invest in their talents, defined roles, and responsibilities (Cox and Hill 2010). This

Blue Streak Essay Example for Free

Blue Streak Essay What suggestions would you offer to Art to improve his operation? It seems as though, Art prematurely opened the two locations in neighboring states. Because Art was a constant figure in his other locations from inception, the vision that he had for those locations were taught and able to be practiced to his standards. There are at least three areas in which this operation can be improved. It is clear that art believes that the common denominator in the success of all his other locations is his presence. At the locations in neighboring states his managers feel as though, he frequents the locations too much. There is a clear disconnect in his intent and their out look of the situation. His manager likely believe that he doesn’t trust them to effectively manage, and do the job in which they were hired. They likely seem his as a micromanager. I believe that this problem can be solved with simple communication. He explains the reasoning behind his constant visitations and I’m sure his manager will be able to understand his reasoning and that will relieve some of the tension. Also, his managers do not seem to know what Art is expecting of them as managers. This problem can be handled with training. Art may want to think about closing down his locations for a limited period of time in order to teach his managers what is expected of them. When Art visited these locations, it seems as though he never effectively What management skills must Art master if he is to resolve his problems and continue to grow? Conceptual skills may help him to understand that in order for the company to succeed he needs to plan and organize his goals. Using these skills increases the ability to see the organization as a whole. It would help Mr. Benton to understand the relationships among the different offices and see how the organization fits into its broader environment. These skills are cruel for the top management and will the company will grow and it will also allow Mr. Benton to grow as a person. Mr. Benton can apply the skills mastered in his company by realizing how the out-of-state offices are connected to the other offices. By understanding this he can understand the business as a whole and decide on the objectives and then proceeding to plan and organize management task. Therefore, mastering conceptual skills are  recommended to learn since it will help the CEO understand the company as whole making better decisions and resolving the problems at easier way.

islam :: essays research papers

The Founder   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Muhammad was born in Mecca, Arabia, in AD 570. His father died before he was born and his mother died when he was only a child. He was first raised by his grandfather and later by his uncle Abu Talib. He lived with a desert tribe for a while and learned how to shepherd the flocks. At age 25, he began to serve a wealthy widow aged 40 by the name Khadija. They got married and had two sons and four daughters. The two sons died early. One of his daughters married his uncle Abu Talib’s son Ali.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Arabia at that time was under bloody civil wars, political corruptions, and oppression of the poor. Muhammad felt the cal of Allah to preach against the present system. He began preaching in AD 610 but faced resistance from his own people. They threatened to kill him. In AD 622, he moved north to Medina. He soon gained some followers. Those accepted Muhammad as the messenger of God were called Muslims which means â€Å"one who submits† to God. In AD 630 Muhammad and his followers came back to Mecca and took control of it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today, the cities of Mecca and Medina are significant in the Islam religion. The year 622 which Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina is also significant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Muhammad died in AD 632. His elected successor, Abu Bakr, declared the jihad or holy war from Medina and Mecca to win the world from Spain to India. When they reached Europe, they were defeated by Charles Martel’s troops at the Battle of Pointiers or known as the Battle of Tours in 732. Faced with opposition in Europe, they turned eastward to Central Asia, India, and Indonesia. Today, Islam is the major religion in the Middle East, North Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Indonesia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Muslims respect and honor Muhammad, they do not worship him. He is considered to be one of the prophets or messengers of God along with Moses, Abraham, and Jesus. The Teachings   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Islamic book is called the Koran which means the â€Å"recitation.† Parts of the Koran resembles the Bible especially, the Apocrypha and the Talmud. The book has many stories of the Old Testament prophets and Jesus whom was called the â€Å"Word of God.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many tenets in Islam are identical to those of Christianity. The Koran teaches the absolute unity of the power of God. It teaches that God is merciful and just.

Mathematics of Light Essay -- Math

Introduction Up to the seventeenth century, most theories attributed color to some sort of modification of light that was thought to occur when light interacted with matter. Light, in its purest form (such as sunlight) was thought to be colorless. However, progress in understanding color was made by Isaac Newton when in 1666 he was able to show that normal white light already contained all the colors of the spectrum, which could be separated using a prism. He also concluded from his experiments that objects have color because they selectively reflect certain colors of the spectrum while absorbing light of other colors. Light is the small part of the electromagnetic spectrum that can affect the human sense of sight. The visible part of the spectrum (for us) ranges from 400 nm (blue) to 700 nm (red). Each wavelength value within the visible band corresponds to a distinct colour. Parameters of light that are of interest to us: Wavelength - the length of one light-wave cycle Frequency - the number of wavelengths per second Three attributes are used to specify a color: hue, saturation and brightness. These describe only the perception of light, not its physical properties. 1. Hue - a feature of monochromatic light that varies with wavelength and used to denote the various regions of the spectrum (in other words, the basic color from the spectrum). 2. Saturation - how much a color differs from white (ie vivid pure color versus pastel color) 3. Brightness - the perceived intensity of light Spectral Power Distribution Monochromatic light is light that has only one wavelength, and thus cannot be further divided into different components using a prism. But most light sources are not monochromatic ... ...d (B) of wavelength 435.8nm. This means that given an RGB color (C) = L1(R) + L2(G) + L3 (B), its coordinates in the XYZ system are: X = 2.7689*L1 + 0.38159*L2 + 18.801*L3 Y = L1 + L2 + L3 Z = 0 + 0.012307*L2 + 93.066*L3 This particular transformation was chosen so that the XYZ system would have several convenient properties. One is that there are no negative tristimulus values, which reduces the possibility of error. Another is that the color triangle enclose the spectrum locus as closely as possible. Works Consulted Williamson, Samuel J. and Herman Z. Cummins. Light and Color in Nature and Art. 1983. John Wiley and Sons. Overheim, R. Daniel and David L. Wagner. Light and Color. 1982. John Wiley and Sons. Bouma, Dr. P. J. Physical Aspects of Colour. 1971. MacMillan. Wright, W. D. The Measurement of Colour. 1969. Adam Hilger.

Reserach Methodology Essay

3.1 Research Design This study is a quantitative-descriptive in nature where the purpose is to describe the level of student’s satisfaction on services provided by the school towards the enrollment system through quantitative research method to quantify and reflect in numbers the observation made of the respondents being studied (Sampa, 2012). It attempts to explore and explain while providing additional information about the topic. This is where research is trying to describe what is happening in more detail, filling in the missing parts and expanding our understanding. This is also where as much information is collected as possible instead of making guesses or elaborate models to predict the future – the ‘what’ and ‘how,’ rather than the ‘why.’ The researchers used a modified questionnaire which answers the first two objectives of this study which is the extent to which students meets and/or exceeds their expectations and perceptions towards the enr ollment system provided by the University of Mindanao. 3.2 Research Respondents The respondents of this study were the students of University of Mindanao selected randomly according to their year level and their type (freshmen, old student, and transferee). 3.2.1 Population Population, statistically, refers to the entire aggregate of items, i.e., group of people or element, who shares common set of characteristics or interest, from which samples can be drawn, in which the researcher wishes to investigate. University of Mindanao has large population of students from both Bolton Campus and Matina Campus, hence, the population refers to the University of Mindanao students who are enrolled in Matina Campus. 3.2.2 Sampling Frame Sampling Frame refers to the target population. In this study, 60 respondents was selected from students currently enrolled in Matina Campus. 3.2.3 Types of Sampling Technique The researcher chose the simple random sampling whereby every element is selected independently and the sample is drawn by a random procedure from  the sampling frame. Sekaran(2003) as cited by Abdullah (2005) points out that through simple random sampling technique, all elements in the population are carefully weigh and each element has an equal chance of being chosen as the subject. If the main objective of this study is to generalize the ability of the findings to the whole population then, this sampling design is best suited. 3.2.4 Sampling Size It is concerned with how many people that should be surveyed. The sample size larger than 30 and less than 500 are appropriate for most research (Roscoe (1975) cited by Abdullah ( 2005)). It is believe that large sample generates inevitable results than smaller samples. However, it is not necessary to sample the entire target population or even a material portion to have reliable results. With this, the researcher only chose 60 sample units as the sampling size randomly due to the time constraints, cost and other human resources. Sixty questionnaires were being distributed to respondents who are currently enrolled in Matina Campus. 3.3 Research Instruments The researchers used a survey questionnaire in checklist form. This instrument was modified by the researchers to establish the level of student’s satisfaction on enrolment system provided by University of Mindanao. The instrument determined, among others, the gender, type of student (freshmen, old student and transferees), and year level of the respondents. The Itemized Rating Scale survey was the selected questionnaire type as this enabled the respondents to answer the survey easily. Though, it is somewhat similar to Likert Scale but it uses other than agreement /disagreement item statement. This rating scale requires the subject to indicate his or her level of satisfaction to a statement. In this type of questionnaire, the respondents were given five response choices.

Biography of Diego de Almagro, Spanish Conquistador

Biography of Diego de Almagro, Spanish Conquistador Diego de Almagro (1475–July 8, 1538) was a Spanish soldier and conquistador, famous for his role in the defeat of the Inca Empire in Peru and Ecuador and his later participation in a bloody civil war among the victorious conquistadors. He rose from humble beginnings in Spain to a position of wealth and power in the New World, only to be defeated by his former friend and ally Francisco Pizarro. His name is often associated with Chile: He led an expedition of exploration and conquest there in the 1530s, although he found the land and its people too harsh and tough. Fast Facts: Diego de Almagro Known For: Helped conquer the Inca EmpireBorn: 1475 in Almagro, Castile (now Spain)Parents: Juan de Montenegro, Elvira Gutià ©rrezDied: July 8, 1538 in Cuzco, PeruSpouse: Ana Martinez  Children: Diego de  Almagro el Mozo Early Life Diego de Almagro was born illegitimately in Almagro, in present-day Spain, which explains why his name is based on his place of birth rather than his parents, Juan de Montenegro and Elvira Gutià ©rrez. According to most accounts, his father shunned him; when he was very young he was raised by his mother or a servant of his mother. At any rate, his parents were of little help to him as he grew up. Later, he was raised by his maternal uncle Hernn Gutià ©rrez, but he is believed to have struck out on his own around age 15. At some point, he is thought to have served in the Spanish navy. By 1514 he was in the New World- possibly after killing a man in a fight- having arrived with the fleet of Pedrarà ­as Dvila, a colonial administrator. A tough, determined, ruthless soldier, Almagro quickly rose through the ranks of the adventurers who were conquering the New World. He was older than most, approaching 40 by the time of his arrival in Panama. He eventually took a common-law wife, Ana Martinez, and they had a son, Diego de Almagro el Mozo. The latter part of the sons name is variously translated as the younger or the lad. Panama Gov. Dvilas first mainland outpost was created in the isthmus of Panama. The spot that Dvila picked for the settlement was humid and buggy, and the settlement struggled to survive. The highlight of this period was without a doubt Vasco Nà ºÃƒ ±ez de Balboas overland voyage that discovered the Pacific Ocean. Three of the hardened soldiers of the Panama expedition were Almagro, Francisco Pizarro, and the priest Hernando de Luque. Almagro and Pizarro were important officers and soldiers, having participated by this time in various expeditions. Exploring the South Almagro and Pizarro remained in Panama for a few years before receiving news of Hernn Cortà ©s’ stunning conquest of the Aztec Empire. Together with Luque, the two men put together a proposal to the Spanish king to outfit and direct an expedition of a conquest to the south. The Inca Empire was as yet unknown to the Spanish: they had no idea who or what they would find down south. The king accepted the proposal, and Pizarro set forth with about 200 men. Almagro remained in Panama to send men and supplies to Pizarro. Conquest of the Inca In 1532, Almagro heard that Pizarro and 170 men had captured the Inca Emperor Atahualpa and were ransoming him for a treasure unlike any the world had ever seen. Almagro hurriedly gathered reinforcements and departed for present-day Peru, catching up with his old partner in April 1533. His 150 well-armed Spaniards were a welcome sight to Pizarro. Soon the conquistadors began hearing rumors of the approach of an Inca army under Gen. Rumià ±ahui. In a panic, they decided to execute Atahualpa. The Spanish somehow managed to hold onto the Empire. Troubles with Pizarro Once the Inca Empire was pacified, Almagro and Pizarro began having troubles. The crown’s division of Peru was vague: The wealthy city of Cuzco fell under Almagro’s jurisdiction, but the powerful Pizarro and his brothers held it. Almagro went north and participated in the conquest of Quito, but the north was not as rich. Almagro seethed at what he saw as Pizarros schemes to cut him out of the New World loot. He met with Pizarro and it was decided in 1534 that Almagro would take a large force south into present-day Chile, following rumors of vast wealth. His issues with Pizarro were left unsettled. Chile The rumors turned out to be false, and the journey was arduous. The conquistadors had to cross the treacherous, mighty Andes, which took the lives of several Spaniards and countless African slaves and native allies. Once they arrived, they found Chile to be a harsh land, full of tough-as-nails Mapuche natives who fought Almagro and his men on several occasions. After two years of exploring and finding no rich empires like the Aztecs or Incas, Almagro’s men prevailed upon him to return to Peru and claim Cuzco as his own. Civil War Almagro returned to Peru in 1537 to find Manco Inca, an Inca prince who had been a puppet ruler of the Inca Empire, in open revolt against Pizarros forces, who were on the defensive in the highlands and the city of Lima. Almagros army was weary and tattered but still formidable, and he was able to drive off Manco. Almagro saw the revolt as an opportunity to seize Cuzco and quickly engaged the Spaniards who were loyal to Pizarro. He had the upper hand at first, but Pizarro sent another force up from Lima in early 1538. They soundly defeated Almagro and his men at the battle of Las Salinas. Death Almagro fled to Cuzco, but men loyal to the Pizarro brothers pursued and captured him there. Almagro was sentenced to death, a move that stunned most of the Spanish in Peru, as he had been elevated to a nobleman by the Spanish king some years before. He was executed by garrote, an iron collar slowly tightened around the neck, on July 8, 1538, and his body was put on public display. Legacy The unexpected execution of Almagro had far-reaching consequences for the Pizarro brothers, turning many against them in the New World as well as in Spain. The civil wars did not end. In 1542 Almagro’s son, then 22, led a revolt that resulted in the murder of Francisco Pizarro. Almagro the Younger was quickly caught and executed, ending Almagro’s direct line. Today, Almagro is remembered chiefly in Chile, where he is considered an important pioneer even though he left no real lasting legacy there other than having explored some of it. Pedro de Valdivia, one of Pizarro’s lieutenants, finally conquered and settled Chile. Sources Hemming, John. The Conquest of the Inca. Pan Books, 2004.Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present. Alfred A. Knopf, 1962.Diego de Almagro. Euston.Diego de Almagro. Encyclopedia.com.Diego de Almagro: Spanish Conquistador. Encyclopedia Brittanica.

Census Offers Statistics on Older Americans

Census Offers Statistics on Older Americans On July 1, 2004, 12 percent of all Americans were 65 years of age and over. By 2050, people 65 and over will comprise an impressive 21 percent of the U.S. population, reports the U.S. Census Bureau. Every year since May 1963, Older Americans Month has been honored with a presidential proclamation. Last year, President George W.  Bush said, â€Å"Older Americans help others to understand the past, and they teach timeless lessons of courage, endurance and love. Through their legacy of patriotism, service, and responsibility, Americas seniors also unite families and communities and serve as role models for younger generations.† In observance of Older Americans Month 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau has compiled some revealing statistics about Americas aging population. Population 36.3 million The number of people 65 and over in the U.S. on July 1, 2004. This age group accounts for 12 percent of the total U.S. population. Between 2003 and 2004, 351,000 people moved into this age group.86.7 million Projected number of people 65 and over in the year 2050. People in this age group would comprise 21 percent of Americas total population at that time.147% Projected percentage increase in the 65-and-over population between 2000 and 2050. By comparison, the population as a whole would have increased by only 49 percent over the same period. Jobs 4.6 million Number of people age 65 and over who are still employed. This amounts to 13 percent of all people in this age group. Education 77%- Proportion of people ages 65 to 69 who graduated from high school. Seventy-three percent of people ages 70 to 74 and 68 percent of those 75 and over are also high school graduates.20% Percentage of the population ages 65 to 69 who have a bachelors degree or higher education. Among people ages 70 to 74, 19 percent have achieved this level of education; for those 75 and over, 15 percent are college graduates.73,000 Number of people 65 and over enrolled in college in October 2002.The Census Bureau has also reported that a college degree greatly increases a persons lifetime earnings, with persons holding masters degrees typically earning $1.3 million over their lifetimes than those with high school diplomas only. On a yearly basis, a college degree typically at least doubles a persons average annual earnings.   Income and Wealth $108,885 Median net worth in 2000 of households with householders 65 and over. In contrast, householders under the age of 35 had a median household net worth of $7,240.$23,787 Median 2003 income of households with householders 65 and over, statistically unchanged, in real terms, from the previous year.10.2% Poverty rate for people 65 and over in 2003. Voting Patterns 65% Percentage of registered voters ages 65 to 74 who voted in the 2002 Congressional election. Seventy-two percent of people ages 65 to 74 voted in the 2000 presidential election. This age group had the highest rate of voter participation in both the 2000 and 2002 elections. Service to Our Nation 9.7 million Estimated number of people age 65 and over who are military veterans. [Source: U.S. Census Bureau]

What is a DBQ The Document-Based Question Explained

What is a DBQ The Document-Based Question Explained SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The dreaded DBQ, or â€Å"document-based question,† is an essay question type on the AP History exams (AP US History, AP European History, and AP World History). For the DBQ essay, you will be asked to analyze some historical issue or trend with the aid of the provided sources, or "documents," as evidence. The DBQis an unfamiliar type of in-class essay for many students, but it does not need to be a source of dread or panic. In this guide I'll go over the DBQ's purpose and format, what the documents are and how to use them, how this type of essay is scored, and how to prepare. I'll tell you everything you need torock this unique type of essay! Note: The rubric, guidelines, and skills tested for all of the History APs are identical; only the historical source material is different. The DBQ Essay Explained As a veteran of the DBQ, I'm here to answer all your questions.Why do the AP History exams even have adocument-based question?What will it look like on the exam? What are these documents, anyways? Let's dive right in. This baby is too young to be diving into the DBQ! Why the DBQ? Thepoint of the document-based questionis not to torment you but actually to put you in the historian’s shoes as an interpreter of historical material. Cool, right? The DBQ is testing your ability to: create a strong thesis and support that thesis with the aid of the documents provided analyze sources for characteristics such as author’s point of view, the author's purpose, the audience, and context make connections between the documents bring in outside knowledge to strengthen the argument This may sound like a tall order, but you probably already use all these skills all the time. Here's an example: Suppose yourfriend asks for your help in deciding whether to buy a particular new brand of soccer ball. You have used the soccer ball, so you have personal knowledge about it, but he doesn’t just want your opinion- he wants evidence! (Your friend takes buying soccer balls very seriously). So first, you collect information (your â€Å"documents†). These could include: online reviews of the soccer ball your brother’s opinion the price at the store the cost of other soccer balls ads for the soccer ball Next, you'll analyze these "documents" to make a decisionabout whether the ball is a good purchase for your friend or not. For that, you might: Assess bias (also known as the author’s point of view): Maybe the soccer ball ad isn’t the most objective measure of the ball’s quality. Maybe your brother hates soccer. Consider the author’s audience: Maybe that review of the soccer ball was written for professional soccer players, and you want to know how it is for casual players! Think about the context of your friend's decision: What time of year is it? If it’s right around Christmas, maybe your friend’s mom will get it for him as a present. What you already know about soccer is part of the context as wellyou know your friend won’t want a ball that’s too bouncy, for example. Buying the right soccer ball might have higher stakes than the AP exam. If you were going to go back and write an essay for your friend about this after you've reviewed your "documents," your thesis might be something like one of these examples: â€Å"This soccer ball is a good purchase for my friend because it has all the elements of a good soccer ball at a great price point.† â€Å"This soccer is not a good purchase for my friend right now because even though it looks amazing, I know my friend’s birthday is in a week and his sister might buy it for him.† Then you would use the â€Å"documents† and your outside knowledge (for example, your experience with the soccer ball and your knowledge about soccer) to support that claim. That's a document-based question! In fact, I would assert thatthe DBQ is the easiest essay to score highly on in the AP History exams.As overwhelming as it might be now to think about all of that information getting thrown at you at once, think of it this way: Instead of relying primarily on your knowledge, the DBQ gives you a bunch of sources to use in your analysis. This meansyou don’t have to be worried you’ll waste five minutes racking your brain trying to remember the name of that guy who did that thing. It’s important to bring in some outside information for a top score, but the main thing you need to do is analyze. 95% of the info you really need is there. You just have to learn how to use it. Let's move on to test formatting so you know what to expect from document-based questions. What Does the DBQ Format Look Like? Each of the AP history tests has one DBQ, and itis always the first question in the test booklet for the writing section (Part II of the exam). When you open your booklet and turn to the DBQ, you will see the instructions, the prompt, and then the documents. You will have a 15-minute reading period, with a recommended 40 minutes of writing time. The test has two essays, and you will have 90 minutes total to plan and write them. You won't be forced to move on from one essay to the other, so be sure to budget your time carefully. You are not required to use the entire reading/planning period. You can begin writing whenever you wish. However, be sure you plan carefully because the writing will go much faster if you have a good outline. That covers the general format, but no doubt you want to hear more about these mysterious documents. Stay tuned! What's the Deal With These Documents? You will receiveup to seven sources.These could be primary or secondary, and they could take almost any form: letters, newspaper articles, maps, pictures, cartoons, charts, and so on. You will need to use all or all but one of the documents in your essay. You should go further in-depth on at least four of the documents. (See the rubric breakdown section below for more details). For US History, no DBQ will focus exclusively on the time period prior to 1607 or after 1980, although theymay focus on a broader time period that includes one of those time periods. Don't worry, they won't be original copies. Now that we've discussed the purpose, format, and document protocol of the DBQ, we need to discuss scoring. How Is the DBQ Scored? How much is the DBQ worth on your exam? And how do those pesky AP graders even score it? How Much Is the Document-Based Question Worth? The DBQ is 25% of your total grade. The entire second section of exam is 50% of your grade, and there are two equally weighted essays. What Does the Rubric Mean? The rubric the graders use is freely available to you on the College Board website. Click herefor the rubric. Don't worry if these look like gibberish to you. I'll break it down briefly here, and go even more in-depth on my article about how to prepare for and write a DBQ. DBQ Rubric Breakdown There are four categories in this rubric: thesis, analysis of the document, using outside evidence, and synthesis. You can score up to seven points. Thesis and Argument - 2 points The breakdown: One point for having a clear, historically plausible thesis that is located in the introduction or conclusion. You can get another point here for having a particularly good thesis that presents a nuanced relationship between historical factors, and doing a good job supporting that thesis in your essay. Document Analysis - 2 points The breakdown: One point for using 6-7 of the documents in your essay. Easy-peasy. One point for doing further analysis on four of the documents. This further analysis could be on any of the following points: author’s point of view author’s purpose historical context audience Just be sure to tie any further analysis back to your main argument! Using Outside Evidence - 2 points The breakdown: One point is just for context - if you can locate the issue within its broader historical situation. You do need to write several sentences about it but the contextual information can be very general. One point is for being able to name an additional specific example relevant to your argument that is not mentioned in the documents. Don't stress if you freeze up and can't remember one on test day. This is only one point and it will not prevent you from getting a 5 on the exam. Synthesis - 1 point The breakdown: All you need to do for synthesis is relate your argument about this specific time period to a different time period, geographical area, historical movement, etc. It is probably easiest to do this in the conclusion of the essay. Still with me? Just remember: the most important thing is having a strong thesis that is supported by the information in the documents and whatever other related information you have around in your brain. If you are an auditory learner, I recommend the following video, which breaks down all the components you need to get a seven. Parting Thoughts on Scoring If this seems like a lot to take in, don't worry. You don’t have to get a perfect score on the DBQ to get a five on the AP.Somewhere in the 5-6 range can definitely get you there. To get a 3on the exam (which still gives you course credit at a lot of colleges), you only need a 3on the DBQ. (See page eight of this document.) Additionally, overall historical accuracy is important but not 100% necessary for every tiny detail of the essay. Anything that is in the documents should be correct, but when you start to bring in outside sources for your DBQ essayon unionization and working conditions and you can’t remember if the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire was in 1911 or 1912, just pick one and don’t sweat it.If minor details are incorrect and don’t detract from the overall meaning of the essay, you won’t lose points. Now that you understand the purpose, format, and rubric for document-based questions, I'll give you some tips on how to get the score you're aiming for. How Can I Rock the DBQ? Two things will help you crush the DBQ: prepping beforehand, and hitting all the right notes on test day! Rock the DBQ like Jimi rocked the 1960s. Preparing for the DBQ As you might expect, the most important thing you can do to prepare is to practice writing this type of essay. Try out thepractice DBQs available online at the College Board website: look here for AP US History (and here for a complete APUSH practice test), here for AP European History, and here for AP World History. You don’t necessarily have to write an entire essay every time you practice- it’s also helpful to read the question and texts and then create outlines with a thesis. Aska trusted teacher or advisor to look over your practice drafts and/or outlines withthe rubric and advise what you might be missing. Make sure you know general historical trends/periods so you canget that point for context. You can findmore prep tips in my article on how to write a DBQ. During the Test Read the question carefully. Make sure you know what is being asked before you start trying to answer. While you read the documents, take notes on what they mean, who is writing, etc. Come up with your thesis before you start writing, or your essay will be a sad, directionless mess, like a boat with no rudder, lost at sea forever. If you aren’t sure of your thesis yet, brainstorm in your notes- not while you are writing. Once you have a thesis, stay on topic. If you’re writing about how Smaug wrecked the Forbidden Mountain, don’t start talking about how amazing and clever Bilbo is, even if it’s true. Make sure you use all the documents- doing so gets youeasy points. However, don’t simply regurgitate sources with no analysis. If you find yourself doing a lot of â€Å"Source A says blah, and Source B says blah, and Source C says blah...† make sure you are using the documents to make a point, and not letting the documents use you. A great way to analyze the documents is to make connections between them! Who agrees? Who disagrees? Why? Don’t forget to provide context, one outside example, and a connection to another period/area/historical theme if you can! That’s three points right there. And there you have it! You are ready to start prepping for success. Abraham Lincoln believes in you! Final Thoughts I know I just threw a lot of information at you. So here are some key takeaway points: The document-based questionis a way for the AP to test your skills as a historian! Don’t panic! It doesn’t have to be overwhelming, even though you are getting tons of information thrown at you in a short time. The DBQ is based on skills that you can learn and practice: writing a strong thesis, using given evidence to support an argument, making connections between different documents and pieces of evidence, placing specific information in a broader context, analyzing an author’s intent, bias, audience, etc. What's Next? Need more study resources for AP World History? See our Best AP World History Study Guideor get more practice tests from our complete list. Need more resources for AP US History? Try this article on the best notes to use for studying from one of our experts. Also check out her review of the best AP US History textbooks! Or just looking for general information about your upcoming APs? See here for instructions on how to register for AP exams, complete 2016 test dates, and information on how much AP tests cost(and how to get AP financial aid). Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

New technology Getting Mixed Grades in School Essay

New technology Getting Mixed Grades in School - Essay Example The ideal solution in such a situation would be to earmark training funds wherever there is going to be new technological equipment to be used in any classroom across America. While it is easy to say that school administrators fully understand what their school needs, the same may not be true for state legislators or lawmakers which have a greater circle of influence (Lifto and Senden, 2006). They may know in general that computers are good for a school and may even help them win more votes if they are able to convince the voters that they supported more technology for the school but the question would remain if it was the right technology. Further, the appropriate use of the right technology can only be governed by school administrators since they control what equipment would be used and by which classes. While at first it seems that Lewis is describing some magnificent work of technological greatness such as a smart board which is in use in many schools today, the year of the article, i.e. 1840, makes that proposition a very unlikely one. A clear picture of the article and an explanation of what exactly Lewis (1840) is describing comes from Donawerth and Seeff (2001) who note that, â€Å"This article was describing the blackboard (Donawerth and Seeff, 2001, Pg. 238)†. Knowing that makes the article all the more interesting since it shows that problems in using new technologies in teaching have existed for more than 150 years. Computers themselves have met the charges since they were expected to revolutionize teaching with things such as CBT and self guided lessons that let students explore and learn on their own. However, the failure of computers to improve our children’s education levels has also been blamed on the lack of training that our teachers may have with regard to using them. In fact, any modern technology such as projectors, media systems or even VCRs could fir the charges since they all may confuse the individual using

International Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International - Research Paper Example Besides, it will help the company to build its name and have a good reputation in the eyes of the public. The staffing alternatives to be adopted by the company in a foreign country include the hiring of locals and expatriates both on permanent and contract basis. The employment of the locals is a necessary requirement for all multinationals operating in any country. Since one of our goals will be to create employment opportunities, we will have to engage the locals either as senior managers, junior managers or subordinate staff. On the other hand, expatriates are employees assigned to a foreign country to offer specialized services which may be lacking in the foreign country in which the company has established its subsidiary (Ulrich, 2011). In my opinion, high-quality mentoring system should be a necessity for international assignees. It helps in providing and equipping the expatriates with all the important information that they need to know about their new assignment. It is only through mentoring that assignees can know much about their roles, responsibilities and the challenges that they might experience in the new country in which they are attached. At the same time, mentoring can help in enlightening them on the socio-cultural and political conditions of the new country in which they are to serve (Inkson, K. et al., 2009). Such adequate preparation can help in preparing the assignees to succeed. An example of a high-quality mentoring program should be based on a solid research, be integrated and realistic. This is the only way through which it can cover all the necessary issues to be tackled. As a HRM, I would like to suggest the use of cash flow method to help in measuring my company’s ROI. It is a very simple activity that does not necessarily require a lot of training. If procedurally used as outlined, it can be useful in helping the company to quantify the value of return on its investments on services like advertising which of course, can

Code of ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Code of ethics - Research Paper Example n the system give the example that others follow in conducting ethical behavior within the correctional facilities and outside as stipulated in the code of ethics. The correctional system just like any other organization is prone to gross unethical practices. This is more so because prisoners are more likely to be denied their rights by unethical prison officials, by assuming that they have no right to be treated right for being behind bars (Misha, 2006). The written code of ethics in the correctional system is thus highly important in ensuring that prison official, probation officers, and all officials within all ranks of the correctional system act within the required behavioral provisions, both within the prison facilities and outside (Justiits Ministeerium, n.d.). Ethics within the correctional system is not clear cut, which is why the written code of ethics acts as a guide of virtuous practices, traditions and morals required in the prison service. The code of ethics also acts as the guide within which to get rid of members of the correctional system who commit policy violation and who engage in criminal acts, the most reported being drug peddling to prisoners and sexual exploitation of prisoners (Misha, 2006). The importance of the code of ethics is also based on the need for members of the correctional services to act honestly, serve with respect for dignity and individuality of all human beings, and be committed to offering professional and compassionate service to all members of the public, including prisoners (Justiits Ministeerium, n.d.). The code of ethics promotes respect not only for prisoners but also amongst colleagues within the correctional system. The fourth provision of the written code is that members shall only make public criticism of their colleagues if they have constructive and verifiable evidence (ACA, 2012). This creates an aspect of respect and prevents events of malice amongst officials, which would be accompanied by vices of

Research of Dissertation Problem Statements Essay

Research of Dissertation Problem Statements - Essay Example The patients were selected on the basis of their and birth weight and the diagnosis of RDS of prematu ­rity. There is no reference in the work regarding the randomization of the treatments. However the statement that all the neonatal who suffered from RDS were treated with the new ventilatory strategy for 24 months points towards a wide range of population. All the 72 patients included in the study were properly accounted for at the conclusion of the trial as data on gestational age, birth weight gender, incidence of prenatal steroid treatment, low Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, and severity of RDS of prematurity were recorded and analysed in the case of all the 72 patients. There is no reference to the homogeneity of the group in the trial. However as the basic differences on gestational age, birth weight gender, incidence of prenatal steroid treatment, low Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, and severity of RDS were accounted for as variables in the study and thus wont affect the pr ecision of the result. The trial addressed a clearly focused issue that whether the improved pulmonary out ­come and less lung injury persisted (outcome) in the infants who had respiratory distress syndrome(population) and were exposed to high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) in comparison with the infants exposed to conventional ventilation (CV) (intervention). The trial was a follow up design of a previous multicenter controlled clinical trial in which surfac ­tant-heated premature newborns with moderate to se ­vere respiratory distress syndrome were randomly assigned to early treatment with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) or to conventional ventilation (CV). Compared with control infants who were treated with CV, neonates who were treated with HFOV using a strategy designed to recruit and maintain lung volume and

Congressional Representation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Congressional Representation - Research Paper Example Moreover, ideology, policy preferences and the nature of information received etc can also affect the Congressmen while they vote. In short, â€Å"congressional voting on specific bills is correlated with the economic self-interest of the representative's constituents and a measure of the representative's ideology† as indicated by his broader voting record†(Bender, 1991, p.1) This paper briefly analyses various reasons why congressmen vote the way they do, and how their constituencies at times play a large role in that. The role of Hannah Pitkin’s theory; substantive vs. descriptive representation in controlling the voting behaviour of the Congressmen is also analysed in this paper. Factors which influence Congressmen while they vote Fellow Congressmen can influence a Congressman very much while he takes decisions upon certain topic. Fellow congressmen can act as the source of lots of information which may influence the Congressman while he takes decision about a particular topic. In most of the cases, Congressmen may engage in mutual discussion both in and out of the office and that also formally and informally. All these discussions will bring lot of new information which may affect the decision making process of the Congressmen. ... Thus fellow congressmen have wider influence on the decision making abilities of a particular congressman. The influence of Constituent is another major factor which controls the voting of the Congressmen. â€Å"The constituency imposes some meaningful constraints on Congressmen’s voting behaviour†(Kingdon, 1989, p.68). Moreover, â€Å"a basic principle of representative democracy is that elected officials must pay homage to their districts if they wish to secure reelection† (Crespin, n. d. p.2).It is difficult for congressmen to sacrifice the interests of the people in their constituencies since they need the support of the people for their re-election. In other words, a congressman who has planned to seek re-election should vote in accordance with the interests of the people in their constituencies. Only on issues that the constituency doesn't feel strongly, the Congressman may think of taking an independent decision. Ultimately, the congressmen have the moral responsibility or liability to explain his stands to the people in his constituencies since the people are the ones who elected him. Party leadership and the committee members can also influence the decision making or the voting of the congressmen. â€Å"The degree of party cohesions affects the voting behaviour of the congressmen†(Froman, 1963, p.57). Each party may have a well defined stand on all policy matters. In most of the cases, the congressmen vote in favour of his party’s stands. However, in many cases, congressmen take stands which are different from that of his party. For example, many democrats opposed Obama’s healthcare reform bill along with the republicans. If the president is popular in the constituency, the congressman will extend greater support to the policies of the

Research of Dissertation Problem Statements Essay

Research of Dissertation Problem Statements - Essay Example The patients were selected on the basis of their and birth weight and the diagnosis of RDS of prematu ­rity. There is no reference in the work regarding the randomization of the treatments. However the statement that all the neonatal who suffered from RDS were treated with the new ventilatory strategy for 24 months points towards a wide range of population. All the 72 patients included in the study were properly accounted for at the conclusion of the trial as data on gestational age, birth weight gender, incidence of prenatal steroid treatment, low Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, and severity of RDS of prematurity were recorded and analysed in the case of all the 72 patients. There is no reference to the homogeneity of the group in the trial. However as the basic differences on gestational age, birth weight gender, incidence of prenatal steroid treatment, low Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, and severity of RDS were accounted for as variables in the study and thus wont affect the pr ecision of the result. The trial addressed a clearly focused issue that whether the improved pulmonary out ­come and less lung injury persisted (outcome) in the infants who had respiratory distress syndrome(population) and were exposed to high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) in comparison with the infants exposed to conventional ventilation (CV) (intervention). The trial was a follow up design of a previous multicenter controlled clinical trial in which surfac ­tant-heated premature newborns with moderate to se ­vere respiratory distress syndrome were randomly assigned to early treatment with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) or to conventional ventilation (CV). Compared with control infants who were treated with CV, neonates who were treated with HFOV using a strategy designed to recruit and maintain lung volume and

Strategy and Corporate Planning PowerGen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Strategy and Corporate Planning PowerGen - Essay Example The report starts with analyzing the effect of the organizational change on corporate planning. It is found that PowerGen reorganized itself three times between 1990 and 1998. The changes in the organizational structure had to be supported with effective corporate plans which specified the roles and responsibilities of each function. Initially, PowerGen had a centralized structure which underwent a complete transformation to a decentralized operation with unit managers at each business level being given wider responsibilities. The next section tries to analyze the core competencies and capabilities which have helped PowerGen to maintain its market share. It has been found that PowerGen’s focus was to supply electricity at a low cost. It formed an effective supply chain across various geographical locations and by partnering with various companies which helped it to produce electricity at low cost. This section also analyzes the core competencies and capabilities of two other major players in the industry which are EDF and E.ON. The last section deals with understanding the effect of privatization and deregulation and PowerGen’s merger with Midland electricity which was a major strategic move and helped PowerGen immensely to stay ahead of the competition. The report ends with an analysis of the centralized system of planning adopted by CEGB in the context of Hofstede’s article titled â€Å"Cultural constraints in management theories†. It shows the importance of cultural aspects while dealing with employees. The end product of electricity industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The spiraling demand for energy is expected to rise considerably till 2030. The total value of the electricity market comprises of the total electricity sold to commercial, industrial, residential and other users. In 2007, the total value of the market increased by 14.5%.

Cup cake can make us happy Essay Example for Free

Cup cake can make us happy Essay An afternoon spent whipping up cakes, biscuits and pies doesn’t just make your kitchen smell amazing, it can also help alleviate stress, anger and even depression. Baking enthusiast Alix Walker reveals why it’s making us very happy Photography: Patrice De Villiers Baking: Pamela Giles Supermodel Karlie Kloss may have appeared on 20 magazine covers this year alone, but she still finds time to send the editors at US Vogue her homemade toffee at Christmas. She also spends the night before important shoots baking her Perfect 10 Kookies (milkbarstore. com) to calm her nerves. I may be a good foot shorter (and wider) than Karlie, but we do have something in common. Two weeks before my wedding I decided it would be a brilliant idea to bake my own four-tiered wedding cake. It wasn’t like I was already about to internally combust with stress or anything†¦ When we launched Stylist I worked until 2am for three months but I still spent my first weekend off making a giant gingerbread house. When I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed, like my brain can’t quite focus and my heart is a bit racy, I bake. John Whaite, the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2012, has spoken about how baking helped with his depression. He says, â€Å"You can turn the destructive into the creative just by stirring some sugar and eggs. Working through the steps of a recipe in a methodical way means you don’t have time to concentrate on everything else that is whirring through your mind. † Spending an afternoon in icing sugar is certainly becoming an increasingly popular pastime. The fourth series of The Great British Bake Off started on BBC Two last Tuesday night, hoping to draw in even more viewers than the 7.2 million who watched last year’s series finale. Sales of baking paraphernalia have shot up at John Lewis; cult baking clubs like Band Of Bakers and Clandestine Cake Club are popping up around the country; and owning a KitchenAid is suddenly as prestigious as possessing an Alexander Wang bag. And this is not a hobby just for the retired: 287 Stylistreaders lovingly crafted everything from a Ryan Gosling cake to the perfect afternoon tea in our competition to bake this week’s cover (click here to read an interview with Pamela Giles, who baked the winning cover), showing the passion for baking among professional 30-somethings. We’ve fallen back in love with this age-old hobby for a simple reason: it makes us happy. In an increasingly fast-paced and unpredictable world, baking has become the modern woman’s stress buster. Today, we spend eight hours a day in front of a computer screen and rarely have something tangible to show at the end of it. Modern technology means we don’t switch off until we actually sleep. Baking is the antithesis to this. It’s physical. Methodical. It can’t be rushed. Follow a recipe step by step and you’re almost (almost) guaranteed a certain result. There is calm in its predictability; reassurance in its simplicity. Unconvinced? Type ‘stress bake’ into Google and nearly seven million entries flash up. In addition,the Depressed Cake Shop, a series of baking pop-ups, appeared throughout the UK this month to recognise the power of baking to soothe (not cure) depression. And author Marian Keyes wrote her first cookbook Saved By Cake after a newfound passion for baking pulled her out of depression: â€Å"To be perfectly blunt, my choice sometimes is: I can kill myself or I can make a dozen cupcakes. Baking makes me focus. It is sort of magic – you start off with all this disparate stuff and what you end up with is so totally different. Sweet and scientific It makes sense, really. For a start, the techniques used in baking – stirring, mixing, kneading – are very similar to other proven stress relievers such as knitting or squeezing a stress ball. Chartered psychologist Dr Jill Owen explains: â€Å"Repetitive behaviour and rituals can be very effective in increasing focus and reducing stress. Countless studies have also found a strong connection between being creative and wellbeing. Focusing on a new icing technique means you don’t focus on individual pieces of information, which is why you may find the answer to the problem you’ve been stewing on all day the minute you bring your hot cross buns out of the oven. You also receive an extra shot of happiness when you see the positive reaction your baking has on other people. Then, of course, there’s the eating. Tucking into a thick slab of apricot and ginger cake, a flaky millefeuille or a raspberry clafoutis subtly change our brain chemistry, making us altogether happier. The sweet sticky carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin into the blood, which clears out all the amino acids in the bloodstream apart from tryptophan, which is then converted into serotonin in your brain, that warm, fuzzy hormone that makes us want to hug people and smile a satisfied grin. That, in my opinion, is worth all the calories.

The relationship between social and health problems

The relationship between social and health problems Abstract: The term Social Problems is a misnomer and is an admission of the fact that the actual nature and constitution of the situation has not been deliberated at depth. When senior people see that the rules and behavioural patterns they have held so dear are getting challenged they term it as creation of problems. Criticising the social order that is emerging is the easiest way to admit defeat. The brave and sensible way is to accept the challenges and find ways and means of retaining the value system – may be with certain modifications – that has been followed for generations. In this way the young generation can adjust to the social changes and yet remain healthy and flourish in life. Introduction: The present day health issues are very closely related to the current social set up and coming into existence of a new set of social norms and values. While most of the social norms and values are traceable to and intimately related to the economic factors yet there is a trend of getting carried away by foreign cultures and their different social bearings. The pressure on the present day youth for being economically successful is very high and this gives a peculiar dimension to these ‘youngsters’ way of life which is enormously different to the type of pressures felt by the previous generations. While on one hand parents expect their children to become successful – which is a decent way of saying that they earn pots and pots of money – on the other the boys and girls are expected to follow the same set of social rules which has been followed by the ‘elders’ for generations. Thus the social problems have many causes but one significant reason is the inability of the older generations to accept and adjust to the changes in the society which is inevitable. The main problem that surfaced is that previous generation weighed the social structure of today by the norms and values that were taught to them quite a few decades back. The ground reality has changed rapidly and the senior generations are still getting guided by the rules of the game of yesteryears. The world is changing faster than it ever did before and the changes are not only very wide and rapid but are also very deep penetrating. Thus the changes are in effect causing social ‘evils’ as seen by the previous outlook but in reality the developments of the world is going on for centuries and what is being called as social problems is a manifestation of the inability to change and adjust to the new life order. Discussion: As stated in the introduction above, it is evident that there is need to face the societal changes that are coming up every day. In order to examine the situation in depth, three generation of society were interviewed to get to the bottom of the problem. The first were the generation of grandparents – who learned their ways of life some fifty to sixty years back. The next set consisted of parents i.e. father and mother group of today’s youngsters and they learned what they believe to be correct social norms some twenty-five to thirty year back. The final subset consisted of growing boys and girls of today and consisted of college and university students. These are the people who are bearing the brunt of the social problems which in turn is having a serious effect on their health. The first set of people consisting of grandparents carried fixed and set ideas about what the societal norms and beliefs are supposed to be. They saw no reason for changing those norms and beliefs. The behavioral norms were very strictly defined and centered around simple living and high thinking with very little emphasis and importance – if any at all – being paid to the economic progress and well being. They had lived their life in a very definite way and firmly believed that what was good for them is also god for their grandchildren today. Above all, their firm belief that ‘one size fits all’ concept as far as social behavior is concerned was much too firm for accommodating any updating necessitated by the present day life style. This brought about the severe view of the present day social interactions and the resultant problems. They knew that they had lived their life and were in no mood to accommodate or even tolerate the changing pattern of social values and norms. The best thing is that – in fact it should be called the worst thing – is that his set of people failed to see the few very good aspects of the changing patterns of social behavior. They invariably were quick to point out the drawbacks without for a moment acknowledging the good and beneficial aspects of the emerging new social order. The second set of people who were interviewed represented the parents. This group had its own problems. They fully appreciated the beneficial aspects of the change but were hesitant to admit the same since it clashed with what they were taught as the ideal way of social behavior. They too saw the problems of the present social setups and behavioral patterns but at the same time knew that there is no stopping of the changes coming about. Further they saw the new order did bring new problems but at the same time it encouraged the democratic institutions so very necessary for the well being of the future generations. They wanted to break away from the traditional social order and get into the flow of development of the new order. However, they had reached an age where they were unable to be adventurous and were cautious about accepting the changes. This gave rise to a very unbalanced state since while in their heart of hearts they knew that what was seen as social problems were more of aberrations of their viewing the outcomes than causing difficulties for the new generations. Yes, they wanted their children to bag high-pay job offers but at the same time wanted their children to stick to the ‘five prayers a day’ schedule despite the demands of their job conditions. This kind of situation is prevalent not only in the Middle East but such situation also exists in most of the emerging economies like Brazil, India, China, Pakistan etc. This group, like the previous group of grandparents, also quickly saw the social problems – but with a difference. This group simultaneously tried to find a solution which would accommodate the social change and at the same time keep a balance with the past so that the health (both mental as well as physical) hazards were contained. This is a very healthy indicator of the changes in social order being slowly accepted and though it is a slow process but it is a sure process. The present social norms have taken centuries to develop; it is very likely that the new social order will take some time to settle down. The last group consisted of the people of the below twenty-five age group. The first priority for this group was a better and more comfortable way of life. They valued democracy in all walks of life. They carried no negative feelings for the age old systems and gave full credit to the social order which has seen their predecessors to reach the current state. Yet when any of the social behavioral patterns got into the way of their achieving the goal they so cherished they did not hesitate to set aside the existing social norms. They were ready to burn the midnight lamp if that meant getting higher grades which would translate into their landing better jobs. Yes this was a potential health hazard but it also promised attainment of their dream goals. These groups wanted to make it big and for achieving this they were ready to take on with a ‘no-holds-barred’ situation. Good health is basic pre- requisite of good life. Without having good heath one will lose the very capacity for any human pursuit – from the grossest to the subtlest. He will not be able to enjoy the fruits of his toil. Health does not mean absence of diseases but it implies the possession and cultivation of a physically fit, morally strong and mentally alert individual who is able to meet the physical demands of life pursuits with full vigour and enthusiasm. The present day society seeks comforts, conveniences and freedom from drudgeries and wants to avoid working on monotonous, back-breaking and tedious chores from dawn to dusk – except out of compulsion. They prefer freedom from all hindrances and choose democratic way of life. Democracy for them is not just a merely form of government but it is a foundational societal value and hence they prefer a democratic society. In such a preferred democratic society values of freedom, equality, respect for the individual, collective decision making and the right to dissent should be inbuilt into the social arrangements and transactions. The young people with a democratic bent of mind respected the rights and freedoms of other people. They treated people at the level of equality and were tolerant of the views and opinions which were different from their own. When they were invested with authority they would use it with care and that too for the common benefit of people. Instead of imposing their views on others they would look for a consensus solution for making any collective decision. While the first group (grandparents) stood out by their intolerant attitude, this group of young citizens were endowed with refined, liberal and humanistic values. Though the members of the first group found the young people as creators of all trouble and labelled them as ‘rebels’ the younger generation were accepting their new found status of that of a rebel with alarming ease and comfort. They knew that if they stuck to the ways of the senior citizens then the possibilities of their realising their dreams of making it big would never materialise. There is ample historical evidence which go to prove that change – be it social, economic, technological or even environment – are all here to stay. Either one makes himself capable to adjust to the change or the process of change will eliminate them for good. Now, SOCIETY is an organisation for cooperative working to ensure human development, through production and distribution of sharable social goods. Society is made up of various constituents like individuals, different classes and groups, social, economic institutions and many more. In UAE and other Middle East countries the individual goals and the collective goals are often in conflict with each other. Yet the main objective of any developing and healthy society is to ensure human development which is not restricted to social, political, economic issues but also the development of the members on a total basis which would include health, formality and above all the value system of life. As stated earlier, one of the major aim of any society is to ensure production and distribution of sharable social goods like roads, transportation, water, electricity, health care and a host of other facilities. Opportunities and means of gainful employment, jobs, career and other rightful and legitimate means of seeking personal economic betterment are also to be treated as part of sharable social goods. Thus, the social changes taking place in every country and in every society aim at providing better opportunities and means of gainful employment and suitable jobs to the members of the society. There is no harm if the young people of today seek better standards of living and are prepared to dissociate themselves from the social norms which prevent their advancement in life. Conclusion: To sum up the entire picture it is necessary to understand that the so called Social problems are the result of the failure to appreciate the wisdom behind each and every change that is taking place in the world around. Older people who have lived their lives may conveniently call such changes as resulting in problems causing health hazards but such changes are for ‘GREATER GOOD’ and hence should be accepted if not welcomed. The budding Engineer or Manager or Professor faces an uphill task and shying away from sharing the gains available today is certainly not wise. Though the severe challenges may prove to be a health hazard in the short run but over time people will learn to cope with it and emerge the winner. Thus finding faults with the social problems is the weak person’s way of handling the changes taking place in the milieu. A strong and healthy individual will take the bull by its horns and will certainly succeed in controlling the social changes to his advantage.

Mending Wall :: essays research papers

â€Å"Mending Wall† is a poem that presents two opposing attitudes towards keeping barriers up between people. Each neighbor has a different opinion. One neighbor wants a visible line to separate their property lines and the other sees no reason for it. The poem implies a lack of security and trust one person may have towards another, even when it may not seem illogical or necessary. Each year the two neighbors meet annually at the adjoining wall. Both men walk the length of the wall to assess and repair the year’s wear and tear. Frost’ writing style invites the reader to probe the need for communication or, more precisely, the way people put up walls to create barriers between themselves. The visual imagery of the wall helps the reader to shift from just seeing the wall as a basic, natural setting to an abstract consideration of human behavior. In the first stanza of the poem it establishes the sense of mystery, a true color of atmosphere, â€Å"something† that does not want the wall to be there. Whatever it is, it’s a powerful force and it creates a â€Å" frozen ground swell† that disrupts the wall from underneath, forcing stones on top to tumble off. Damage appears each year so the neighbors walk along the wall to repair the gaps and fallen stones that have not been created by either of the two neighbors. Frost then gives the reader an uncertain question as to why should neighbors need walls anyway. Why do good fences make good neighbors? If one or both neighbors had cattle or something that could do possible damage then a fence would be reasonable. However, it is pointed out in the poem that there are no cattle. So, there must be some sort of human distrust between one of the neighbors. What is the distrust? Frost doesn’t let the reader know. Perhaps it is an age difference that results in extreme points of view or tradition. Or maybe there is a religious bias about the other. One neighbor wants to separate and possibly his family. The wall prevents the evil of indifference from entering. The phantom of discomfort seems to be kept in check by this rock structure. Frost gives us the impression that he doesn’t agree with separating people. The poem might have something to do with racism. Maybe one neighbor is black and the other is Caucasian.

Beowulf Papers -- English Literature Heroes Essays

Beowulf Papers A hero is a man of courage and ability who is admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. A hero is a person who does not come along very often in any time period. He is a special person, who is a step above the average person in the way that he handles any situation that may arise. This statement is very true for the time of Anglo-Saxon culture and literature. A hero was like a god and was put on a pedestal far above the others. A hero brought peace to situations that were deemed impossible and brought joy to many people. In the poem Beowulf, there is a great example of what a hero is about in this time. Beowulf is the great warrior of the Geats and he will do anything necessary to keep peace and to make a better life for his people. That is why he is described as, "The mildest of men and the gentlest, kindest to his people, and most eager for fame" (Norton, 68). Beowulf leads the Geats for fifty years of happiness and prosperity and in turn, made a name for himself that will be remembered for centuries to come. A hero always fights to win but it not unfair in battle. For example, Beowulf could have fought Grendel with a sword and made the battle much easier for himself because Grendel, "In his recklessness cares not for weapons" (Norton, 32). Beowulf would rather have a fair battle so he uses his special strength, courage and ability and he wins, like a hero does. A hero also performs tasks that are deemed impossible for others. If an average warrior gets caught in a monsters' grip, it is all over for him. Beowulf, on the other hand, has dealt with this before, and he deals with it in the battle against Grendel's mother. For example, "She groped toward him, took the warrior in her aw... ... when used properly, they can help turn a literary work from ordinary to extraordinary. Bibliography *Abrams, M.H., ed., et al. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Sixth Edition. Vol.I. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. *Blakelock, Jane. Online. Internet. 03/16/99. "Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath". Available http://www.media.wright.edu/studorgs/english20403/chaucer.html. *Geoffrey Chaucer. Online. Internet. 03/16/99. Available http://csc.calpoly.edu/~ercarlso/essays/Geoffrey Chaucer.html. *Jokinen, Anniina. Online. Internet. 03/16/99. "Geoffrey Chaucer (Ca. 1343-1400)". http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/chaucer.html. *Jones, Sam. Online. Internet. 03/16/99. "The Litrix Reading Room". Available http://www.litrix.com. *Skill, Elaine Strong. Cliffs Notes on Beowulf. Lincoln: Cliffs Notes Incorporated, 1990.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 6 FRIENDS

THE MOTORCYCLES DIDN'T NEED TO BE HIDDEN ANY further than simply placing them in Jacob's shed. Billy's wheelchair couldn't maneuver the uneven ground separating it from the house. Jacob started pulling the first bikethe red one, which was destined for meto pieces immediately. He opened up the passenger door of the Rabbit so I could sit on the seat instead of the ground. While he worked, Jacob chattered happily, needing only the lightest of nudges from me to keep the conversation rolling. He updated me on the progress of his sophomore year of school, running on about his classes and his two best friends. â€Å"Quil and Embry?† I interrupted. â€Å"Those are unusual names.† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"Quil's is a hand-me-down, and I think Embry got named after a soap opera star. I can't say anything, though. They fight dirty if you start on their namesthey'll tag team you.† â€Å"Good friends.† I raised one eyebrow. â€Å"No, they are. Just don't mess with their names.† Just then a call echoed in the distance. â€Å"Jacob?† someone shouted. â€Å"Is that Billy?† I asked. â€Å"No.† Jacob ducked his head, and it looked like he was blushing under his brown skin. â€Å"Speak of the devil,† he mumbled, â€Å"and the devil shall appear.† â€Å"Jake? Are you out here?† The shouting voice was closer now. â€Å"Yeah!† Jacob shouted back, and sighed. We waited through the short silence until two tall, dark-skinned boys strolled around the corner into the shed. One was slender, and almost as tall as Jacob. His black hair was chin-length and parted down the middle, one side tucked behind his left ear while the right side swung free. The shorter boy was more burly. His white T-shirt strained over his well-developed chest, and he seemed gleefully conscious of that fact. His hair was so short it was almost a buzz. Both boys stopped short when they saw me. The thin boy glanced swiftly back and forth between Jacob and me, while the brawny boy kept his eyes on me, a slow smile spreading across his face. â€Å"Hey, guys,† Jacob greeted them halfheartedly. â€Å"Hey, Jake,† the short one said without looking away from me. I had to smile in response, his grin was so impish. When I did, he winked at me. â€Å"Hi, there.† â€Å"Quil, Embrythis is my friend, Bella.† Quil and Embry, I still didn't know which was which, exchanged a loaded look. â€Å"Charlie's kid, right?† the brawny boy asked me, holding out his hand. â€Å"That's right,† I confirmed, shaking hands with him. His grasp was firm; it looked like he was flexing his bicep. â€Å"I'm Quil Ateara,† he announced grandly before releasing my hand. â€Å"Nice to meet you, Quil.† â€Å"Hey, Bella. I'm Embry, Embry Callyou probably already figured that out, though.† Embry smiled a shy smile and waved with one hand, which he then shoved in the pocket of his jeans. I nodded. â€Å"Nice to meet you, too.† â€Å"So what are you guys doing?† Quil asked, still looking at me. â€Å"Bella and I are going to fix up these bikes,† Jacob explained inaccurately. But bikes seemed to be the magic word. Both boys went to examine Jacob's project, drilling him with educated questions. Many of the words they used were unfamiliar to me, and I figured I'd have to have a Y chromosome to really understand the excitement. They were still immersed in talk of parts and pieces when I decided that I needed to head back home before Charlie showed up here. With a sigh, I slid out of the Rabbit. Jacob looked up, apologetic. â€Å"We're boring you, aren't we?† â€Å"Naw.† And it wasn't a lie. I was enjoying myselfhow strange. â€Å"I just have to go cook dinner for Charlie.† â€Å"Oh well, I'll finish taking these apart tonight and figure out what more we'll need to get started rebuilding them. When do you want to work on them again?† â€Å"Could I come back tomorrow?† Sundays were the bane of my existence. There was never enough homework to keep me busy. Quil nudged Embry's arm and they exchanged grins. Jacob smiled in delight. â€Å"That would be great!† â€Å"If you make a list, we can go shop for parts,† I suggested. Jacob's face fell a little. â€Å"I'm still not sure I should let you pay for everything.† I shook my head. â€Å"No way. I'm bankrolling this party. You just have to supply the labor and expertise.† Embry rolled his eyes at Quil. â€Å"That doesn't seem right,† Jacob shook his head. â€Å"Jake, if I took these to a mechanic, how much would he charge me?† I pointed out. He smiled. â€Å"Okay, you're getting a deal.† â€Å"Not to mention the riding lessons,† I added. Quil grinned widely at Embry and whispered something I didn't catch. Jacob's hand flashed out to smack the back of Quil's head. â€Å"That's it, get out,† he muttered. â€Å"No, really, I have to go,† I protested, heading for the door. â€Å"I'll see you tomorrow, Jacob.† As soon as I was out of sight, I heard Quil and Embry chorus, â€Å"Wooooo!† The sound of a brief scuffle followed, interspersed with an â€Å"ouch† and a â€Å"hey!† â€Å"If either of you set so much as one toe on my land tomorrow† I heard Jacob threaten. His voice was lost as I walked through the trees. I giggled quietly. The sound made my eyes widen in wonder. I was laughing, actually laughing, and there wasn't even anyone watching. I felt so weightless that I laughed again, just make the feeling last longer. I beat Charlie home. When he walked in I was just taking the fried chicken out of the pan and laying it on a pile of paper towels. â€Å"Hey, Dad.† I flashed him a grin. Shock flitted across his face before he pulled his expression together. â€Å"Hey, honey,† he said, his voice uncertain. â€Å"Did you have fun with Jacob?† I started moving the food to the table. â€Å"Yeah, I did.† â€Å"Well, that's good.† He was still cautious. â€Å"What did you two do?† Now it was my turn to be cautious. â€Å"I hung out in his garage and watched him work. Did you know he's rebuilding a Volkswagen?† â€Å"Yeah, I think Billy mentioned that.† The interrogation had to stop when Charlie began chewing, but he continued to study my face as he ate. After dinner, I dithered around, cleaning the kitchen twice, and then did my homework slowly in the front room while Charlie watched a hockey game. I waited as long as I could, but finally Charlie mentioned the late hour. When I didn't respond, he got up, stretched, and then left, turning out the light behind him. Reluctantly, I followed. As I climbed the stairs, I felt the last of the afternoon's abnormal sense of well-being drain from my system, replaced by a dull fear at the thought of what I was going to have to live through now. I wasn't numb anymore. Tonight would, no doubt, be as horrific as last night. I lay down on my bed and curled into a ball in preparation for the onslaught. I squeezed my eyes shut and the next thing I next I knew, it was morning. I stared at the pale silver light coming through my window, stunned. For the first time in more than four months, I'd slept without dreaming. Dreaming or screaming. I couldn't tell which emotion was strongerthe relief or the shock. I lay still in my bed for a few minutes, waiting for it to come back. Because something must be coming. If not the pain, then the numbness. I waited, but nothing happened. I felt more rested than I had in a long time. I didn't trust this to last. It was a slippery, precarious edge that I balanced on, and it wouldn't take much to knock me back down. Just glancing around my room with these suddenly clear eyesnoticing how strange it looked, too tidy, like I didn't live here at allwas dangerous. I pushed that thought from my mind, and concentrated, as I got dressed, on the fact that I was going to see Jacob again today. The thought made me feel almost hopeful. Maybe it would be the same as yesterday. Maybe I wouldn't have to remind myself to look interested and to nod or smile at appropriate intervals, the way I had to with everyone else. Maybe but I wouldn't trust this to last, either. Wouldn't trust it to be the sameso easyas yesterday. I wasn't going to set myself up for disappointment like that. At breakfast, Charlie was being careful, too. He tried to hide his scrutiny, keeping his eyes on his eggs until he thought I wasn't looking. â€Å"What are you up to today?† he asked, eyeing a loose thread on the edge of his cuff like he wasn't paying much attention to my answer. â€Å"I'm going to hang out with Jacob again.† He nodded without looking up. â€Å"Oh,† he said. â€Å"Do you mind?† I pretended to worry. â€Å"I could stay† He glanced up quickly, a hint of panic in his eyes. â€Å"No, no! You go ahead. Harry was going to come up to watch the game with me anyway.† â€Å"Maybe Harry could give Billy a ride up,† I suggested. The fewer witnesses the better. â€Å"That's a great idea.† I wasn't sure if the game was just an excuse for kicking me out, but he looked excited enough now. He headed to the phone while I donned my rain jacket. I felt self-conscious with the checkbook shoved in my jacket pocket. It was something I never used. Outside, the rain came down like water slopped from a bucket. I had to drive more slowly than I wanted to; I could hardly see a car length in front of the truck. But I finally made it through the muddy lanes to Jacob's house. Before I'd killed the engine, the front door opened and Jacob came running out with a huge black umbrella. He held it over my door while I opened it. â€Å"Charlie calledsaid you were on your way,† Jacob explained with a grin. Effortlessly, without a conscious command to the muscles around my lips, my answering smile spread across my face. A strange feeling of warmth bubbled up in my throat, despite the icy rain splattering on my cheeks. â€Å"Hi, Jacob.† â€Å"Good call on inviting Billy up.† He held up his hand for a high five. I had to reach so high to slap his hand that he laughed. Harry showed up to get Billy just a few minutes later. Jacob took me on a brief tour of his tiny room while we waited to be unsupervised. â€Å"So where to, Mr. Goodwrench?† I asked as soon as the door closed behind Billy. Jacob pulled a folded paper out of his pocket and smoothed it out. â€Å"We'll start at the dump first, see if we can get lucky. This could get a little expensive,† he warned me. â€Å"Those bikes are going to need a lot of help before they'll run again.† My face didn't look worried enough, so he continued. â€Å"I'm talking about maybe more than a hundred dollars here.† I pulled my checkbook out, fanned myself with it, and rolled my eyes at his worries. â€Å"We're covered.† It was a very strange kind of day. I enjoyed myself. Even at the dump, in the slopping rain and ankle-deep mud. I wondered at first if it was just the aftershock of losing the numbness, but I didn't think that was enough of an explanation. I was beginning to think it was mostly Jacob. It wasn't just that he was always so happy to see me, or that he didn't watch me out of the corner of his eye, waiting for me to do something that would mark me as crazy or depressed. It was nothing that related to me at all. It was Jacob himself. Jacob was simply a perpetually happy person, and he carried that happiness with him like an aura, sharing it with whoever was near him. Like an earthbound sun, whenever someone was within his gravitational pull, Jacob warmed them. It was natural, a part of who he was. No wonder I was so eager to see him. Even when he commented on the gaping hole in my dashboard, it didn't send me into a panic like it should have. â€Å"Did the stereo break?† he wondered. â€Å"Yeah,† I lied. He poked around in the cavity. â€Å"Who took it out? There's a lot of damage† â€Å"I did,† I admitted. He laughed. â€Å"Maybe you shouldn't touch the motorcycles too much.† â€Å"No problem.† According to Jacob, we did get lucky at the dump. He was very excited about several grease-blackened pieces of twisted metal that he found; I was just impressed that he could tell what they were supposed to be. From there we went to the Checker Auto Parts down in Hoquiam. In my truck, it was more than a two hour drive south on the winding freeway, but the time passed easily with Jacob. He chattered about his friends and his school, and I found myself asking questions, not even pretending, truly curious to hear what he had to say. â€Å"I'm doing all the talking,† he complained after a long story about Quil and the trouble he'd stirred up by asking out a senior's steady girlfriend. â€Å"Why don't you take a turn? What's going on in Forks? It has to be more exciting than La Push.† â€Å"Wrong,† I sighed. â€Å"There's really nothing. Your friends are a lot more interesting than mine. I like your friends. Quil's funny.† He frowned. â€Å"I think Quil likes you, too.† I laughed. â€Å"He's a little young for me.† Jacob's frown deepened. â€Å"He's not that much younger than you. It's just a year and a few months.† I had a feeling we weren't talking about Quil anymore. I kept my voice light, teasing. â€Å"Sure, but, considering the difference in maturity between guys and girls, don't you have to count that in dog years? What does that make me, about twelve years older?† He laughed, rolling his eyes. â€Å"Okay, but if you're going to get picky like that, you have to average in size, too. You're so small, I'll have to knock ten years off your total.† â€Å"Five foot four is perfectly average.† I sniffed. â€Å"It's not my fault you're a freak.† We bantered like that till Hoquiam, still arguing over the correct formula to determine ageI lost two more years because I didn't know how to change a tire, but gained one back for being in charge of the bookkeeping at my houseuntil we were in Checker, and Jacob had to concentrate again. We found everything left on his list, and Jacob felt confident that he could make a lot of progress with our haul. By the time we got back to La Push, I was twenty-three and he was thirtyhe was definitely weighting skills in his favor. I hadn't forgotten the reason for what I was doing. And, even though I was enjoying myself more than I'd thought possible, there was no lessening of my original desire. I still wanted to cheat. It was senseless, and I really didn't care. I was going to be as reckless as I could possibly manage in Forks. I would not be the only keeper of an empty contract. Getting to spend time with Jacob was just a much bigger perk than I'd expected. Billy wasn't back yet, so we didn't have to be sneaky about unloading our day's spoils. As soon as we had everything laid out on the plastic floor next to Jacob's toolbox, he went right to work, still talking and laughing while his fingers combed expertly through the metal pieces in front of him. Jacob's skill with his hands was fascinating. They looked too big for the delicate tasks they performed with ease and precision. While he worked, he seemed almost graceful. Unlike when he was on his feet; there, his height and big feet made him nearly as dangerous as I was. Quil and Embry did not show up, so maybe his threat yesterday had been taken seriously. The day passed too quickly. It got dark outside the mouth of the garage before I was expecting it, and then we heard Billy calling for us. I jumped up to help Jacob put things away, hesitating because I wasn't sure what I should touch. â€Å"Just leave it,† he said. â€Å"I'll work on it later tonight.† â€Å"Don't forget your schoolwork or anything,† I said, feeling a little guilty. I didn't want him to get in trouble. That plan was just for me. â€Å"Bella?† Both our heads snapped up as Charlie's familiar voice wafted through the trees, sounding closer than the house. â€Å"Shoot,† I muttered. â€Å"Coming!† I yelled toward the house. â€Å"Let's go.† Jacob smiled, enjoying the cloak-and-dagger. He snapped the light off, and for a moment I was blind. Jacob grabbed my hand and towed me out of the garage and through the trees, his feet finding the familiar path easily. His hand was rough, and very warm. Despite the path, we were both tripping over our feet in the darkness. So we were also both laughing when the house came into view. The laughter did not go deep; it was light and superficial, but still nice. I was sure he wouldn't notice the faint hint of hysteria. I wasn't used to laughing, and it felt right and also very wrong at the same time. Charlie was standing under the little back porch, and Billy was sitting in the doorway behind them. â€Å"Hey, Dad,† we both said at the same time, and that started us laughing again. Charlie stared at me with wide eyes that flashed down to note Jacob's hand around mine. â€Å"Billy invited us for dinner,† Charlie said to us in an absentminded tone. â€Å"My super secret recipe for spaghetti. Handed down for generations,† Billy said gravely. Jacob snorted. â€Å"I don't think Ragu's actually been around that long.† The house was crowded. Harry Clearwater was there, too, with his familyhis wife, Sue, whom I knew vaguely from my childhood summers in Forks, and his two children. Leah was a senior like me, but a year older. She was beautiful in an exotic wayperfect copper skin, glistening black hair, eyelashes like feather dustersand preoccupied. She was on Billy's phone when we got in, and she never let it go. Seth was fourteen; he hung on Jacob's every word with idolizing eyes. There were too many of us for the kitchen table, so Charlie and Harry brought chairs out to the yard, and we ate spaghetti off plates on our laps in the dim light from Billy's open door. The men talked about the game, and Harry and Charlie made fishing plans. Sue teased her husband about his cholesterol and tried, unsuccessfully, to shame him into eating something green and leafy. Jacob talked mostly to me and Seth, who interrupted eagerly whenever Jacob seemed in danger of forgetting him. Charlie watched me, trying to be inconspicuous about it, with pleased but cautious eyes. It was loud and sometimes confusing as everyone talked over everyone else, and the laughter from one joke interrupted the telling of another. I didn't have to speak often, but I smiled a lot, and only because I felt like it. I didn't want to leave. This was Washington, though, and the inevitable rain eventually broke up the party; Billy's living room was much too small to provide an option for continuing the get-together. Harry had driven Charlie down, so we rode together in my truck on the way back home. He asked about my day, and I told mostly the truththat I'd gone with Jacob to look at parts and then watched him work in his garage. â€Å"You think you'll visit again anytime soon?† he wondered, trying to be casual about it. â€Å"Tomorrow after school,† I admitted. â€Å"I'll take homework, don't worry.† â€Å"You be sure to do that,† he ordered, trying to disguise his satisfaction. I was nervous when we got to the house. I didn't want to go upstairs. The warmth of Jacob's presence was fading and, in its absence, the anxiety grew stronger. I was sure I wouldn't get away with two peaceful nights of sleep in a row. To put bedtime off, I checked my e-mail; there was a new message from Renee. She wrote about her day, a new book club that rilled the time slot of the meditation classes she'd just quit, her week subbing in the second grade, missing her kindergarteners. She wrote that Phil was enjoying his new coaching job, and that they were planning a second honeymoon trip to Disney World. And I noticed that the whole thing read like a journal entry, rather than a letter to someone else. Remorse flooded through me, leaving an uncomfortable sting behind. Some daughter I was. I wrote back to her quickly, commenting on each part of her letter, volunteering information of my owndescribing the spaghetti party at Billy's and how I felt watching Jacob build useful things out of small pieces of metalawed and slightly envious. I made no reference to the change this letter would be from the ones she'd received in the last several months. I could barely remember what I'd written to her even as recently as last week, but I was sure it wasn't very responsive. The more I thought about it, the guiltier I felt; I really must have worried her. I stayed up extra late after that, finishing more homework than strictly necessary. But neither sleep deprivation nor the time spent with Jacobbeing almost happy in a shallow kind of waycould keep the dream away for two nights in a row. I woke shuddering, my scream muffled by the pillow. As the dim morning light filtered through the fog outside my window, I lay still in bed and tried to shake off the dream. There had been a small difference last night, and I concentrated on that. Last night I had not been alone in the woods. Sam Uleythe man who had pulled me from the forest floor that night I couldn't bear to think of consciouslywas there. It was an odd, unexpected alteration. The man's dark eyes had been surprisingly unfriendly, filled with some secret he didn't seem inclined to share. I'd stared at him as often as my frantic searching had allowed; it made me uncomfortable, under all the usual panic, to have him there. Maybe that was because, when I didn't look directly at him, his shape seemed to shiver and change in my peripheral vision. Yet he did nothing but stand and watch. Unlike the time when we had met in reality, he did not offer me his help. Charlie stared at me during breakfast, and I tried to ignore him. I supposed I deserved it. I couldn't expect him not to worry. It would probably be weeks before he stopped watching for the return of the zombie, and I would just have to try to not let it bother me. After all, I would be watching for the return of the zombie, too. Two days was hardly long enough to call me cured. School was the opposite. Now that I was paying attention, it was clear that no one was watching here. I remembered the first day I'd come to Forks High Schoolhow desperately I'd wished that I could turn gray, fade into the wet concrete of the sidewalk like an oversized chameleon. It seemed I was getting that wish answered, a year late. It was like I wasn't there. Even my teachers' eyes slid past my seat as if it were empty. I listened all through the morning, hearing once again the voices of the people around me. I tried to catch up on what was going on, but the conversations were so disjointed that I gave up. Jessica didn't look up when I sat down next to her in Calculus. â€Å"Hey, Jess,† I said with put-on nonchalance. â€Å"How was the rest of your weekend?† She looked at me with suspicious eyes. Could she still be angry? Or was she just too impatient to deal with a crazy person? â€Å"Super,† she said, turning back to her book. â€Å"That's good,† I mumbled. The figure of speech cold shoulder seemed to have some literal truth to it. I could feel the warm air blowing from the floor vents, but I was still too cold. I took the jacket off the back of my chair and put it on again. My fourth hour class got out late, and the lunch table I always sat at was full by the time I arrived. Mike was there, Jessica and Angela, Conner, Tyler, Eric and Lauren. Katie Marshall, the redheaded junior who lived around the corner from me, was sitting with Eric, and Austin Marksolder brother to the boy with the motorcycleswas next to her. I wondered how long they'd been sitting here, unable to remember if this was the first day or something that was a regular habit. I was beginning to get annoyed with myself. I might as well have been packed in Styrofoam peanuts through the last semester. No one looked up when I sat down next to Mike, even though the chair squealed stridently against the linoleum as I dragged it back. I tried to catch up with the conversation. Mike and Conner were talking sports, so I gave up on that one at once. â€Å"Where's Ben today?† Lauren was asking Angela. I perked up, interested. I wondered if that meant Angela and Ben were still together. I barely recognized Lauren. She'd cut off all her blond, corn-silk hairnow she had a pixie cut so short that the back was shaved like a boy. What an odd thing for her to do. I wished I knew the reason behind it. Did she get gum stuck in it? Did she sell it? Had all the people she was habitually nasty to caught her behind the gym and scalped her? I decided it wasn't fair for me to judge her now by my former opinion. For all I knew, she'd turned into a nice person. â€Å"Ben's got the stomach flu,† Angela said in her quiet, calm voice. â€Å"Hopefully it's just some twenty-four hour thing. He was really sick last night.† Angela had changed her hair, too. She'd grown out her layers. â€Å"What did you two do this weekend?† Jessica asked, not sounding as if she cared about the answer. I'd bet that this was just an opener so she could tell her own stories. I wondered if she would talk about Port Angeles with me sitting two seats away? Was I that invisible, that no one would feel uncomfortable discussing me while I was here? â€Å"We were going to have a picnic Saturday, actually, but we changed our minds,† Angela said. There was an edge to her voice that caught my interest. Jess, not so much. â€Å"That's too bad,† she said, about to launch into her story. But I wasn't the only one who was paying attention. â€Å"What happened?† Lauren asked curiously. â€Å"Well,† Angela said, seeming more hesitant than usual, though she was always reserved, â€Å"we drove up north, almost to the hot springsthere's a good spot just about a mile up the trail. But, when we were halfway there we saw something.† â€Å"Saw something? What?† Lauren's pale eyebrows pulled together. Even Jess seemed to be listening now. â€Å"I don't know,† Angela said. â€Å"We think it was a bear. It was black, anyway, but it seemed too big.† Lauren snorted. â€Å"Oh, not you, too!† Her eyes turned mocking, and I decided I didn't need to give her the benefit of the doubt. Obviously her personality had not changed as much as her hair. â€Å"Tyler tried to sell me that one last week.† â€Å"You're not going to see any bears that close to the resort,† Jessica said, siding with Lauren. â€Å"Really,† Angela protested in a low voice, looking down at the table. â€Å"We did see it.† Lauren snickered. Mike was still talking to Conner, not paying attention to the girls. â€Å"No, she's right,† I threw in impatiently. â€Å"We had a hiker in just Saturday who saw the bear, too, Angela. He said it was huge and black and just outside of town, didn't he, Mike?† There was a moment of silence. Every pair of eyes at the table turned to stare at me in shock. The new girl, Katie, had her mouth hanging open like she'd just witnessed an explosion. Nobody moved. â€Å"Mike?† I muttered, mortified. â€Å"Remember the guy with the bear story?† â€Å"S-sure,† Mike stuttered after a second. I didn't know why he was looking at me so strangely. I talked to him at work, didn't I? Did I? I thought so Mike recovered. â€Å"Yeah, there was a guy who said he saw a huge black bear right at the trailheadbigger than a grizzly,† he confirmed. â€Å"Hmph.† Lauren turned to Jessica, her shoulders stiff, and changed the subject. â€Å"Did you hear back from USC?† she asked. Everyone else looked away, too, except for Mike and Angela. Angela smiled at me tentatively, and I hurried to return the smile. â€Å"So, what did you do this weekend, Bella?† Mike asked, curious, but oddly wary. Everyone but Lauren looked back, waiting for my response. â€Å"Friday night, Jessica and I went to a movie in Port Angeles. And then I spent Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday down at La Push.† The eyes flickered to Jessica and back to me. Jess looked irritated. I wondered if she didn't want anyone to know she'd gone out with me, or whether she just wanted to be the one to tell the story. â€Å"What movie did you see?† Mike asked, starting to smile. â€Å"Dead Endthe one with the zombies.† I grinned in encouragement. Maybe some of the damage I'd done in these past zombie months was reparable. â€Å"I heard that was scary. Did you think so?† Mike was eager to continue the conversation. â€Å"Bella had to leave at the end, she was so freaked,† Jessica inserted with a sly smile. I nodded, trying to look embarrassed. â€Å"It was pretty scary.† Mike didn't stop asking me questions till lunch was over. Gradually, the others were able to start up their own conversations again, though they still looked at me a lot. Angela talked mostly to Mike and me, and, when I got up to dump my tray, she followed. â€Å"Thanks,† she said in a low voice when we were away from the table. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"Speaking up, sticking up for me.† â€Å"No problem.† She looked at me with concern, but not the offensive, maybe-she's-lost-it kind. â€Å"Are you okay?† This is why I'd picked Jessica over Angelathough I'd always liked Angela morefor the girls' night movie. Angela was too perceptive. â€Å"Not completely,† I admitted. â€Å"But I'm a little bit better.† â€Å"I'm glad,† she said. â€Å"I've missed you.† Lauren and Jessica strolled by us then, and I heard Lauren whisper loudly, â€Å"Oh, joy Bella's back.† Angela rolled her eyes at them, and smiled at me in encouragement. I sighed It was like I was starting all over again. â€Å"What's today's date?† I wondered suddenly. â€Å"It's January nineteenth.† â€Å"Hmm.† â€Å"What is it?† Angela asked. â€Å"It was a year ago yesterday that I had my first day here,† I mused. â€Å"Nothing's changed much,† Angela muttered, looking after Lauren and Jessica. â€Å"I know, I agreed I was just thinking the same thing.†