Market Entry Strategies for a Fast Food Company Essay

Market Entry Strategies for a Fast Food Company - Essay Example However, studies shows that the importance of taking into consideration the context of market entry constituted by the host countries’ institutions. The institutional context involves both informal institutions such as norms and culture and formal institutions such as laws and regulations. Collectively these institutions formulate the â€Å"rules of the game† in society, thereby constraining and enabling firm behavior and foreign market entry strategies. However, entry to a foreign market comes at a cost due to challenges posed by the institutional contexts of emerging market, which are often less familiar to developed country firms, weaker and less market-supporting and less stable. The four most common modes of foreign market entry are licensing/franchising, exporting, and joint venture and Greenfield acquisitions. Therefore, this paper will analyze McDonald’s market expansion for its products in the emerging market of China. The paper will consist of two secti ons: the first section will be a market analysis of China and the second section will be an exploration of potential market entry strategies by McDonalds. Market AnalysisGeneral InformationThe People’s Republic of China has a total land area of approximately 9,596,960 square kilometers. It is considered the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada. It has a coastline of approximately 14,500 kilometers. China is situated in eastern Asia to the West of Yellow Sea, Korea Bay, East China Sea, and South China Sea.

Allelopathy Paper Essay Example for Free

Allelopathy Paper Essay Introduction: Considering the beneficial properties of plants, not only to us, but the environment as well, it is important to understand the nature of Allelopathy and how it affects plant ecology. According to the Topics in Biology Laboratory Manuel, allelopathy refers to â€Å"the beneficial or harmful effects of one plant on another plant, by the release of chemicals from plant parts in both natural and agricultural systems. † By secretion of biochemical materials, allelopathy involves a plant’s ability to inhibit germination or growth of the surrounding germination. In our exercise, we tested for the presence of allelopathic chemicals in plant shoots and the effect of the allelopathic chemicals (our I. V. ) on the germination and growth (our D. V. ) on radish seeds. The question proposed became, â€Å"Does Rose seed extract affect the germination and growth of radish seeds? † Keeping the allelopathic effects in mind, our working hypothesis became, â€Å"If radish seeds get exposed to the rose leaf extract, then their percent successful germination and the average length will be less than the percent successful germination and the average length of the radish seeds which do not get exposed to the Rose leaf extract. Materials: For week 1 and week 2 the following materials were used: 10 grams of fresh leaves (rose), sandwich-type plastic bag, a scale, a blender, 100 mL of distilled water, folded cheesecloth, a funnel, one stock bottle, 3 pieces of filter paper, two Petri dishes, and 40 radish seeds. Methods: According to the Topics in Biolo gy Laboratory Manuel, the experiment was conducted as follows: First we needed to collect fresh leaves from one plant species, and fill up a plastic sandwich bag, which we were to bring with us to the lab. Next in groups we were to weigh 10 grams of leaves from the one plant species and place the measured sample in a blender. Next we added the 100 mL of distilled water to the blender. Holding the lid of the blender, we blended the mixture completely. Then we placed some folded cheesecloth into a funnel and sat it into a stock bottle. Finally we poured the blended mixture through the funnel/cheesecloth to filter the solution. To test the Allelopathic effects, we then needed to place 3 pieces of filter paper in each of the bottoms of the two Petri dishes. In one Petri dish (labeled with the leaf extract) we added 10 mL of the filtered solution, so that it soaked the filter paper layers. In the second Petri dish (labeled control), we added 10 mL of distilled water so that the water soaked the filter paper layers as well. Next in each of the Petri dished we added 20 radish seeds on top of the 3 pieces of filter paper, evenly spaced. Then we placed another piece of filter paper on top of the seeds in both dishes. Finally, we placed the lids on top of both Petri dishes to prevent excessive evaporation and stored them at room temperature, giving them a week to germinate, then be evaluated. Results: For our results, after careful observations and measurements, the percentages of successful germination were as follows: For the Experimental group, that is the group treated with extract, had a 70% success rate in which 14 of the 20 radish seeds had sprouts. However, the Control group, which had been treated with distilled water, had an 85% of successful germination in which 17 of the 20 seeds had sprouted. When comparing the seedlings length, the experimental group recorded 3. 0 mm being the shortest, and 13. 0 mm being the longest, making 4. mm the average length of the seedlings, all which is indicated on the following two pages by bar graph representations on average seed length and percentage rates of both groups. When looking at the control group, however, the shortest length measured was 12. 0 mm and the longest was 62. 0 mm, making their average 42. 0 mm. When observing each of the radish seed’s conditions, it was obvious that the control group produced healt hier, more vibrant seedlings with an extended root system and hair. However the experimental group contained more so dry, yellowish seeds with little to no root hair. Discussion: When observing the results of the Allelopathy experiment, it is evident that the results reflect and indeed support my hypothesis which stated that, â€Å"If radish seeds get exposed to the rose leaf extract, then their percent successful germination and the average length will be less than the percent successful germination and the average length of the radish seeds which do not get exposed to the Rose leaf extract. † So again when comparing the average length of seedlings between the control group and the experimental group, there really is no comparison; the experimental group had a mere 4. mm length verses that of the control group which had a remarkable 42. 0 mm length. Although noted both had a high percentage rate of germination, it really comes down to Allelopathy and the competitive â€Å"chemical warfare,† present in our experimental group. As for leaving room for error, a number of problems could have taken place, such as if small amounts of water needed to be added to re-saturate the filter paper, or if fungus appeared due to the high temperatures, etc. Over all I believe the experiment did a good job of explaining and demonstrating the Allelopathic effects on plant economy.

Jurassic Park Essays -- essays papers

Jurassic Park The author is Michael Crichton, and the book is The Lost World. Many people have read this book, along with its predecessor, Jurassic Park, and many people have been enthralled with the thought of living dinosaurs in the 20th century. â€Å"What if the dinosaurs did not become extinct? What if they still exist?† (The Lost World takes off a couple years after the first book. A separate island is discovered, an island where the dinosaurs were actually created. There are two different research groups sent to the island. One to observe the dinosaurs in the wild and the other to bring them back for research purposes. The fighting starts from there. What many people don’t know, is that these books, along with countless other Crichton works, contain many of the same themes. One of these themes is that Technology will backfire if it is taken for granted. Also, he says that power corrupts those who possess it. Chaos and randomness rule the world. Nothing can be predicted, and nothing is as it seems. Last and not least, mother nature sits above all else. Technology plays a key role in many parts of society in today’s world. Computers run everything from huge assembly lines to the light switch. Some hard-core proof that technology will backfire is the Year 2000 bug (Y2K). The Y2K bug will make many computers not work properly, and in many cases, they will shut down completely. The problem stems back some 50 years, to when the first computers were being ma...

Grand Alliance 1945

?Why did the foundations for mistrust and suspicion between the members of the Grand Alliance already exist by 1945? In 1945 the war had been fought on one side by the nations of Great Britain, USA and USSR, the members of the Grand Alliance achieved victory in WW2. It was more important than ever the victorious powers remained united as they faced the enormous task of reconstructing war torn Europe. However, as they sought to do this, their unity was already weakened by the existence of mistrust and suspicions between them.Despite the outward appearance of unity, these nations were fundamentally divided by their ideological rivalry which had already existed between them since 1917: the disagreements and strains they experienced; and their competing aims and ambitions for the future of post-war Europe on which their societies were based. The fundamental struggle between the communist system of USSR and capitalist ideas of USA and Great Britain ideological rivalry is evident to be the most significant explanation for the existence of mistrust and suspicion between them.Due to the fact, it lies at the basis of the other casual factors. The long term issues of their ideological rivalry which was present between the USSR and the West since the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 was a significant contributory factor in the development of a hostile relationship between them. The great power rivalry was evident during the years of 1917 to 1941; the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 saw the rise of Lenin which meant a rise in Communism. It can be said the Soviet foreign policy was driven by communist ideology rather than national security.This was a threat of a totalitarian state. Ideology of Marxism was alien to the USA as left wing politics were unheard of; this was especially threatening as Marxist ideology saw the destruction of capitalist societies such as the USA. Its egalitarian values and its attacks on the freedoms held to be so important in a Liberal Democracy. Truman a dopted a strident policy to combat spread of communism towards the Soviet Union; in 1945 he upbraided USSR’s foreign minister Molotov, over Soviet occupation of Poland.A greater source of fear in the West was the communist belief in the inevitable conflict between capitalism and communism views. The idea of communism succeeding to worldwide revolution and this meant the downfall of capitalism. In addition, Europe faced the growing threat from Nazi Germany. In the years of 1939 saw the introduction of a non-aggression pact between Russia and Germany. Seen by many as what gave Hitler the confidence to invade Poland which sparked WW2.Stalin feared Germany would go against them in war and were not ready arms wise in the battle to fight against them. It can be said Hitler didn’t want to fight war on both East and West fronts, that’s why he wanted to attack Poland, already achieving taking over Czechoslovakia. These approaches were rejected by the British government w hose ideological opposition to Fascist Germany. Their differences in ideology created British suspicions to rise, as Stalin appeared to be confirmed in August, in the view of the British making the outbreak of war in Europe inevitable.1941, when the Grand Alliance was formed, it was out of a mutual need to defeat a common enemy (Hitler. ) Not a natural alliance of allies but an alliance of ideological enemies. The suspicion and mistrust relationship between them continued to exist below the surface. This helps to explain why despite the superficial show of unity, there were extensive dissimilarities and strains in their wartime relationship which further served to fuel the latent hostility between them. The strands in the Grand Alliance were due to the ideological suspicions that arose between them.The disagreements that they experienced in the years building up to 1945, was due to the fact their key personalities and how they dealt with situations. The constraints and pressure they were put in as national leaders, added to their layer of mistrust and suspicion between them. Despite improved relations there were also cracks in the Soviet-American Alliance during the years of 1942 to 1944. Two sides argued about the opening of a second war front against Germany; as Stalin wanted the USA and Great Britain to invade Western Europe in order to relieve pressure on the Red Army in the east.Knowing that Stalin approached a different aspect of leadership, with his dysfunctional personality and suspicious nature, he remained wary of capitalist West authority, actions that the USA choose to take only proved his xenophic style of leadership to be expressed in his government. As early as 1942, Roosevelt promised to this however his following actions contributed to the suspicions. In the end the D Day landings didn’t occur until June 1944; in the meantime millions of Russians had died. The preoccupation with Stains obsession with Soviet security, USA wasn’t i n a position to appreciate USSR deep sense of insecurity in 1945.This delay drove Stalin’s suspicions that USA and Britain were hoping that Germany and the USSR would ‘kill each other off. ’ This theory was viewed by many people; the revisionist. They asserted the USA’s policies of capitalist expansionist such as not helping USSR, was primarily responsible for the onset of the Cold War. The war never saw Russia and the USA fight alongside each other. Also, Soviet spies infiltrated the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico where US scientists were attempting to build the first atomic bomb; this soviet operation was on a massive scale.The residual mutual suspicion and disagreement on specific issues, (the second front) suggests the two sides had already mistrusted each other by 1945; due to their unprecedented cooperation. Considering all the factors, only when you get the opportunity to get them into a close contact that’s when ideology rivalry becomes the most significant factor in the foundations for mistrust and suspicion between the members of the Grand Alliance. The strains caused between them in the build up by 1945, may have been an ultimate trigger to anguish the mistrust and suspicion.Never the less, ideological rivalry is a catalyst in terms of in accelerating a difference between them. Therefore, leading the members to have completely different competing aims and ambitions in post-war Europe. Growing tensions and suspicions between the members of Grand Alliance which already existed through their ideological rivalry and strains steered them to having opposite aims and ambitions in post-war Europe. The reality of Soviet Union and the West having different competing aims and ambitions only put the final layer of the mistrust and suspicion to become an alarming problem.Despite having won the war together, the USA and USSR faced the post-war world with more differences than similarities. Stalin demands regarding Ge rmany where that the future of the Soviet Union was to be secured, to prevent repercussions of the effects of WW2 happen again; such as 2,700,000 of its citizens being killed. Also, the opportunity of friendly governments and he wanted to seek revenge as the whole of Russia was destroyed; 70,000 villages were destroyed. The chances of USSR achieving these aims regarding Germany were unlikely as the West would be against them.The mistrust and suspicions which had already been implanted in the leaders’ minds caused the USA not to contribute, because of the threat of impact in ideological differences. However, they did agree in the principle of dividing and occupying Germany among the victory and have a shared goal of continued cooperation after war; this could re-kindle the trust between them. In 1944, they had different ideology which was based on their different economic and political ideas within their government. This was evident in their communist and capitalist ideas.USA had a very fixed idea about the shape of the world economy after the war. USA had become strong advocates of free trade, the unrestricted exchange of goods between nations based on their capitalist ideas. Individual countries should operate in Open Door policies, having production and distribution of goods should be on responsibility of a private sector and not the state. However, USA aims and ambitions for a free market were completely different to those of USSR government, they saw the preference of the command economy and state control necessary.The economy of the government was organised along the communist financial principles, a command economy. In addition, their aims and ambitions also differed in political ideology. Where the USA was in favour of (liberal democracy) democracy and right, a system where by freedom of speech was apparent which formed the basis of the post-war Europe. These rights were unheard of in the USSR and were not seen as fundamental or important; as the y were in contrast to the ideas of USA.The fear of capitalist ideas spreading towards the East added to the mistrust and suspicion of Stalin; as his role was an expansionist communist. They believed in (one-party state) freedom of speech and dissents were not tolerated in any basis, within a party or society at large. Along with that, the recent devastating effects of WW2 for Russia, Stalin pursued in creating a belt of friendly states on Russia’s western border. USSR had experience mistrust and twice in Stalin’s lifetime Russia had been invaded by Germany through these eastern neighbours, he longed for a sense of security.But, Roosevelt wanted no empires or sphere of influence in the world. He believed that all states had no right to self-determination. Their differences in post-war agreements added tension in their fragile relationship. These events would sow the seeds for the eventual collapse of the Grand Alliance; these can be detected in the agreements made at Ya lta even though ironically these marked the highpoint of allied unity. Ideological rivalry and a history of mistrust and suspicions made the potential for the continuation of Grand Alliance to deteriorate.Contrasting post-war visions held by the USA and USSR reflected their different value systems, different historical experience and different security needs. The chances of them working together in a complacent way were stacked against them as they were expected to cooperate in the reconstruction of post-war Europe. Ideological rivalry was extremely important in whether the members of Grand Alliance trusted or grew intense suspicions on each other by 1945, as it was an inner-deep layer of foundation which hidden their capitalism and communism ideology differences.The long term effect of mistrust and suspicion had only been waiting underneath the layer of the foundations to be exposed, through their close proximity of being allies with one another. That’s when their difference s and strains come to light. Dissimilarities in the Grand Alliance were fundamentally being reflected on their ideological differences in their economic and political state. Therefore, creating a complete contrast in competing aims and ambitions in post-war Europe; between capitalist West and communist Soviet Union.

Human Morality Essay

A common question throughout history has always been about human morality. Because of our higher thinking capacity, we are hardwired to adapt and refine our basic instincts to survive; therefore, it is obvious this question would be disputed throughout time. Are humans innately good, bad, or plainly neutral? The position that any one person takes may be derived from any number of ideas, be them philosophical thoughts or scientific inquiries. This essay asserts that morality is innate, and uses both scientific studies and ideas from philosophers to support this argument. Man is essentially good, and the different ways people are nurtured—from societal influences to parental influences—creates the large spectrum and variety of behavior that may not be deemed â€Å"good† or â€Å"moral. † The magazine Smithsonian published an article named â€Å"Born to Be Mild† in January of 2013 on morality in young children. This article wrote about a few different studies done on children by three different experimenters. In one of the studies titled â€Å"Spontaneous Altruism by Chimpanzees and Young Children,† Felix Warneken tested the morality of humans through young babies (because they have had little to no socialization) and also tested morality of chimpanzees, the closest relative to humans. In this study, 18-month-old toddlers were tested to see if they would help others in need by retrieving a dropped item that an adult struggled for. In almost all instances, the child returned the item. Warneken stated, â€Å"[Helping at that age] is not something that’s been trained, and [the children] come to help without prompting or without being rewarded† (Tucker 39). Not only did the toddlers help people in need, they also helped without social cues (such as the distress someone in need has). Many toddlers in the experiment Warneken created helped retrieve a can that had fallen off a table next to an adult and the adult failed to realize something was amiss. When Warneken tested the chimpanzees to see if they would return the same answers, he tested chimpanzees that were nursery-raised and semi-wild chimps. Both tests displayed the same results as the tests on the toddlers—chimpanzees were willing to help both humans and other chimps in need with no reward for themselves (Tucker 39-41). The fact that most of the toddlers and human relatives, the chimpanzees, helped others in need both with and without social cues strongly points to the idea that human morality is innate. A second study highlighted in the Smithsonian article was a reproduction of a previous study from the mid-2000s. The original study was an animated presentation shown to six to ten month old babies in one group and three month old babies in a second. The animated presentation consisted of a red circle attempted to climb a hill. In one instance, a triangle helped the circle climb, and in another, a square knocked the circle down. When the square and triangle were presented to the older group of babies, almost all babies chose the helping triangle over the hindering square. For the younger group, the researchers tracked the eye movement of the babies to either the triangle or square, because the babies could not physically grab the object. In the reproduction, done by another experimenter, the results were the same. Once again, evidence suggests that because babies seem so morally good, humans are innately good, and it is the nurture we receive as we are socialized into this culture that may cause some people to seem morally corrupt (Tucker 38-39). It should be noted that because the reproduction provided the same results as the original study, an even stronger case was created for the idea of innate human morality. The messages that Machiavelli gives in â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince† may cause one to believe that humans are innately evil because through â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince,† Machiavelli details how to be cunning, take control, and maintain control as a ruler of a province. His teachings seem to create humans as greedy people, hungry for more. This is actually very incorrect. Machiavelli clearly states, â€Å"it is necessary for a prince†¦to learn how to not be good† (42). I emphasize that Machiavelli wrote a man must learn to not be good. One can assume from this that Machiavelli is saying man is at least in some degree, wholesome and moral. After all, humans were never meant to civilize and evolve. We are, in true form, animals that have an instinct to survive. Ruling and gaining power is a man-made idea. Opponents to the idea that humans are moral might suggest that if ruling is man-made, evil is already within us because we created the concept of ruling others; however, if man were truly evil, he would not take murder as a heavy offense, and would kill others in his way to get what he wants instead of just gaining control. The examples of rulers that Machiavelli writes help to reiterate this point. These men were not born thinking of war and control. They were raised and socialized to lead and gain power. Steinbeck and the messages he delivers in The Grapes of Wrath also point to the idea that human morality is innate. The author often writes of the distinct line of those with, and those without—in other words, the owners and the migrants or farmers. Steinbeck makes a point to write about how close-knit the migrants are in many instances. Steinbeck writes â€Å"‘I lost my land’ is changed†¦[to] ‘We lost our land. ’,† ‘I have a little food’ plus ‘I have none’†¦. is ‘We have a little food’† (151); â€Å"the twenty families became one family† (193); and â€Å"when a baby dies a pile of silver coins grew at the door flap† (195). All of these quotes show the goodness in others, to do something for someone in need. This is all in contrast to the owners, which on multiple different pages Steinbeck writes how disconnected they are from the land, and â€Å"the quality of owning freezes you forever into ‘I’† (Steinbeck 152). These owners are so encompassed by the material culture around them, by the greed and the blanketed reality that they cannot see with a moral compass anymore. Of course they have one, for at one point they might have been like the farmers, caring for others and instituted into the â€Å"we† group. Proponents for human neutrality might argue that the owners were never at any point good, that they were neutral and socialized into the owning culture, unlike the farming culture. This is not the case, however, through a passage that Steinbeck wrote very early in The Grapes of Wrath, which said, â€Å"Some of the owner men were kind because they hated what they had to do, and some of them were angry because they hated to be cruel, and some of them were cold because they had long ago found that one could not be an owner unless one were cold† (31). This insinuates that in all types of owners, there is a moral compass. Even in the coldest owners, deep within them, they acknowledge the idea that the work they do is wrong. Because the owners know what is wrong, they know the opposite as well—what is right. If the owners were not innately good, their views on what is right or wrong would be skewed by their societal influences. While people will never give up the argument of human morality, it is a safe bet to argue that humans are innately good. We possess the ability to help spontaneously and without reward, as shown in the scientific studies, and we understand what is right and wrong. Our societal influences and the way we were raised affects if we will channel our morality or go against it, as shown by Machiavelli in â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince† and by Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolo. â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince. † A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee Jacobus. 8th e. Boston: Bedford, 2010. Print. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 1939. Print. Tucker, Abigail. â€Å"Born to Be Mild. † Smithsonian Jan. 2013: 35-41, 76-77. Print.

Aeneid By Virgil Essays - Roman Mythology, Aeneid, Free Essays

Aeneid By Virgil Essays - Roman Mythology, Aeneid, Free Essays Aeneid By Virgil The Aeneid, by Virgil, is an epic that attempts to give the Roman Empire an illustrious founding. As the story progresses, Virgil presents two very real human emotions: pietas, and impious furor. Pietas is duty towards the Gods, country, and family. Impious furor, in contrast, is the feeling of fury and passion. These two emotions are consistently at odds with each other. Many characters within the epic, such as Juno, are consumed by their own fury, a trait which Virgil sheds negative light on. Aeneas, the hero and central character, on the other hand, is a man who is presented as pious and dutiful. He obeys the Gods and journeys to Rome. However, at the end of the novel, Aeneas himself is overtaken by rage, and he kills out of vengeance. Virgils goal in writing the Aeneid is to present Aeneas as a pious individual, and thus giving Rome a glorious founding. By closing the novel with an act of rage, however, Virgil portrays Aeneas as a ruthless killer. The ending is inappropriate beca use it casts doubt on the very reason for which Virgil wrote the Aeneid. Aeneas is presented as someone who is the model of pietas. A Roman must show piety towards his family, his country, and above all, piety to the Gods. When Aeneas visits Carthage, he falls in love with Queen Dido, and plans to remain there for an indefinite amount of time. However, he is quickly reminded of the more important task at hand. Are you forgetful Of what is your own kingdom, your own fate? remember Ascanius growing up, the hopes you hold For Iulus, your own heir, to whom are owed The realm of Italy and land of Rome. (Aeneid, 4:353-369) Mercury, the messenger god, is scolding Aeneas for remaining in Carthage. Mercury reminds him that he must remember his fate, and that he should leave for Italy immediately. He also reminds Aeneas of his son Ascanius, and that he should leave for Latium so that his son can eventually rule over the realm of Italy. Aeneas now must make a decision, does he stay with Dido, the woman he loves, or does he continue his journey to found Rome? Even though Aeneas longs to soften, soothe [Didos] sorrow (Aeneid, 4:540) because he cares for her, pious Aeneas carries out the gods/instructions (Aeneid, 4:544-545). Pietas is love for Gods and putting aside your own heart to comply with the will of Gods. Therefore, Aeneas gives up Dido and instead chooses Rome and its glorious future. He is being dutiful by following the words of Mercury, who in turn represents Jove, God of Olympus. Virgil clearly intends this to be seen as a commendable trait. In addition, Aeneas is explicitly referred to as pious w ithin the text. This description of Aeneas is appropriate, because by choosing the Gods over Dido, he has now become worthy of the term piety. Virgil is attempting to make a distinction between Aeneas and the other characters of the Aeneid. While others may indulge their anger, Aeneas has control over his emotions. One different point of view that can be presented against Aeneass piety is his killing in the war against the Latins. Aeneas kills many of Turnus men in the course of the battle. However, Aeneas, in his battle with Lausus, feels compassion for the man he has beaten. Poor boy, for such an act what can the pious/ Aeneas give to match so bright a nature?/ Keep as your own the arms that made you glad;/ and to the shades and ashes of your parents I give you back- (Aeneid, 10:1132-1136). Aeneas has mortally wounded the man, but he still shows compassion towards him. Instead of taking Laususs weapons, Aeneas allows him to keep them, and he gives the man his blessing. For this reason, Aeneas displays piety, even when he takes the life of a man. In contrast to pious Aeneas, Juno, Goddess of marriage, is someone who is overtaken by her own anger. She does not want the Trojans to reach the site of Rome, and her dislike of them is recounted early in the epic. And Saturns daughter- remembering the old war the causes of her bitterness, her sharp and savage hurt, for deep

Discussion On Renzullis Three-ring Conception Of Giftedness To The

Discussion On Renzullis Three-ring Conception Of Giftedness To The Discussion On Renzullis Three Discussion on Renzulli’s three-ring conception of giftedness to the Marland According to Marland, talented and gifted kids have the potential of high achievement. The children require special education programs and services to realize the hidden potential. High performance children are those with potential ability and demonstrated achievement in different areas like general intellectual ability, psychomotor ability, leadership ability, visual and performing arts, specific academic ability and creative thinking (Jones well-above-average ability and performance that comprise of either universal intellectual ability. While specific talents, are seen in areas such as social behavior, academics, and arts. Creativity and leadership work together, the only difference is, the area they are performed. Renzulli observed that task commitment as a gift as observed when students realize their goals for learning, normally in a group or as an individual. Task commitment should be included i n the execution activities of the gifted. It motivate the person to work hard and set the targets. The technique also allows for saving of time and improvement in work. Task commitment initiates through allocation of specific duty to specific time of completion and person.Gifted children should be involved in community’s affairs. The issues in the community not only acquaint one with the general community perspective, but help them recognize and utilize their intelligence. The gifted are then capable to provide solutions to the problems being faced and in the process increase their knowledge.Concept of giftedness considers intellectual abilities, creativity, the personal disposition, motivation, attitudes, artistic talents, and the social leadership, ReferencesJones E. & southern T. (2007) Academically Gifted and talented. Upper River Saddle, NJ: Prentice Hal

How to Pass a Test

How to Pass a Test We sometimes spend so much time using flashcards and memorizing terms that we dont get around to really  gaining a deep understanding of the material were supposed to be  learning!  The fact is, many students dont realize that there is a difference between memorizing and learning.Memorizing terms and definitions may help you prepare for some types of tests, but as you advance into higher grades, youll find that teachers (and professors) expect a lot more from you on test day. You may go from providing definitions to words in middle school, for example, to more advanced types of responses like long answer essays when you reach high school and college. For those more complex question and answer types, youll need to be able to put your new terms and phrases in context. There is a way to know if youre really ready for any test question the teacher can throw at you. This strategy is designed to help you take the knowledge youve gained about a subject and explain it in context And you can learn this strategy in three steps! First, develop a list of all the terms (new words) and concepts contained in your material.  Find a way to randomly pick two of these terms. (No picking and choosing!) For example, you could use index cards or scraps of paper to write the term on one side and then place them face-down. Then select two different cards. The strategy works best if you actually manage to pick two (seemingly) unrelated words.Now that you have two unrelated terms or concepts, your challenge is to write a paragraph (or several) to show the connection between the two. It may seem impossible at first, but it is not!Remember that any two terms from the same class will be related. You just have to create a path from one to the other to show how the topics are related. And you cant possibly do this unless you really know the material. Tips for Passing Your Test Repeat the process of selecting random terms until youve done several different combinations of terms.Every time you write your paragraph(s) to connect the terms, use as many other terms as you can. You will begin to build a web of knowledge and begin to understand how everything relates to everything else in your notes.Once youve studied this way, follow up with a friend a day or two later. Use a study partner and write up practice essay questions and exchange them. Make sure that each answer contains at least two of the terms youve practiced.

Radins arguments Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Radins arguments - Assignment Example t hold that a person offering is entitled to understand the persons in the other position of person offering enters the contract in the proposed terms, if the person in the position of being the person being promised gets to understand the words and conduct of the offered as signaling consent according to the terms of the person offering. It also applies to a situation where there is a mutual understanding among the traders; this theory doesn’t apply to boilerplate. Objective theory relies on an individual’s free will; it also relies on the communication and language of the individual. Autonomy theory has an objective basis; it relies on the individual’s free will. Autonomy theory fosters exchange of transition and which the state is justified in diverting breaching promise of the property entitled. Individual autonomy is an institution of contrast and it is justified on basis of free will. Radin also used a background theory that justifies exchange under consensual transfer contracts in another example. For example a liberal state that failed to set up proper rules for enforcing these contracts and refusing to enforce those that aren’t. According to Baird’s argument that focuses on the contract theory upon individual and barging never applies to the boilerplate. Consent plays an important role in contract as a product review. According to Baird’s reasoning relinquishing one’s right to bring action into the court especially without knowing what one is doing. For example one buying computer and the hard disk fails two years later and by then the warrant would have expired. Another issue that Radin addressed is if utilitarian-welfare economic theory can actually justify boilerplates deletion of rights or not. With the intention of knowing the efficiency of the goals, the economic theory of contracts had to be examined although this tends to submerge caused by autonomy in transfer by collapsing the actual requirements of the hypothetical

Afrojack concert report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Afrojack concert report - Essay Example Enormous crowds of enthusiastic fans of all ages and from across the world conversed to create an amazing opening show. The key stage for Ultra’s first day on Friday had an all-star listing of talent amid them: Afrojack, David Guetta, Tiesto, and Skrillex among others who brought dazzling visual elements and fresh music, and used Ultra’s new tricks to take the multitude to new heights for 2012. The Ultra music festival was held on 23-25 March in Miami and this was its 14th year in a row. The estimated attendance was about 150,000 for three continuous days. The lineup on Friday, March 23rd, was Carl Cox, Mike Snow, Tommy Tash, The Knocks, Nick Romero, Chris Lake, and Dirty South among others. The lineup for Saturday, March 24, was: Fatboy slim, Metronomy, Doctor P, Flux Pavilion, 12th Planet, High Contrast, and Carbon Airways among other artists. On Sunday, March 25th, there were: David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Sander Van Doom, Magnetic Man, Jamie Jones, Bloody Beetroots (DJ Set) among other artists. The festival goers bolded the Miami afternoon heat for all the three consecutive days only to be later charmed by the warm, restrained nights Florida is famous for. As the afternoon Sunday started off as being cloudy, the weather detained out long enough for one last day of madness in Bayfront Park. Party goers praised Bayfront Park’s pleasant view of the water and excess of concrete, organized areas for drinks, food and commodities. This year’s event was much more prepared and better sustained than in the other years, with immense cleaning crew doing regular rounds throughout the park. The party goers were a diverse crowd from across the world to enjoy the Miami climate and the world’s most excellent selection of electronic dance music. The festival was insane and the weather conditions and positive atmosphere created from the personnel and

Protein Targeting and Integrations Research Paper

Protein Targeting and Integrations - Research Paper Example The mitochondrial matrix is a viscous fluid that carries hundreds of enzyme components, which are responsible for different functions. The mitochondrion is a cell component that plays the role of producing energy. For this reason, it is also called the cell powerhouse. This cell organelle is characteristic with eukaryotic organisms, ad its size varies between 0.5 to 10 micrometers. The mitochondrion is composed of different components: mitochondrion ER, the matrix, intermembrane space, inner membrane and the outer membrane. The inner and outer membrane layers are formed by phospholipids layers and protein, while the matrix is formed by varied enzymes and it plays many functions (Lodish et al., 2000; Das & Robbins, 1988). Protein import into mitochondrial matrix takes place across the outer and the inner mitochondrial membranes. Unfolded proteins components are routed into the matrix region with a chaperone type protein; the communication model required for channeling the precursor protein to the mitochondrial matrix, from the cytosol is comprised of an N-terminal matrix-targeting series. The translocation of the precursors to the matrix series takes place at sites where the inner and outer membranes are close to one another. In the area of targeting and synthesis there is the usage of the proto-motive force, and the protein F-class ATPase – towards the synthesis of the ATP. A major type of the proteins routed to the matrix area is synthesized at the cytosol, and then integrated into the mitochondrion. The largest proportion of the processed proteins is taken to the matrix, while the remaining portion is taken to the intermembrane area or stored at the inner or outer membrane areas (Lodish et al., 2000; Austen & Westwood, 1991). Protein importation into the mitochondrial matrix area: as a originator protein, whish is characteristic with an N-terminal matrix-targeting series (red), comes from the cytosolic ribosome, binding to the chaperone proteins, for

Covering the measurement and calculation of Real GDP Assignment

Covering the measurement and calculation of Real GDP - Assignment Example The goods as well as the services produced in a certain country and brought to the market have some price. Some experts regard GDP as the price of the total output. The GDP can be calculated in the following ways. Cumulative figure of all income within an economy or the total spending made by all the participating agents within the same economy is referred to as GDP. Both the spending and the income will roughly be the same. It should be kept in king that Gross Domestic product and Gross National product is not the same thing. The market value of the goods as well as services produced within a particular time period by the residents of a particular country is regarded as the GNP. It allocates the production based on the ownership. Three approaches can be used in order to determine the GDP. They are- the income approach, the expenditure approach and the product approach. The product also called as the output approach sums the total produced within the economy in order to attain the va lue of GDP. The expenditure approach assumes that the products produced must be bought by someone and so the total value of the product must be matched by the total expenditure of the people in purchasing things. The last approach takes into consideration that the value of the products must be equal to the incomes of the factors of production. It determines the value of GDP by calculating the sum of the income of the producers. The expenditure method: Where, C= Consumption, I=investment, G=government expenditure, X=exports, M=imports. The reciprocal circulation of income between the producers as well as the consumers is referred as the circular flow of income. From the circular flow of income the following equation is derived: Leakages=Injections (Tucker, 2010, p.429). i.e. S+T+M=I+G+X where, S= net savings, T=net taxes, M= import expenditure, I=Investment, G=government expenditure, X=export expenditure. It following equation can also be derived from the above: (S-I) + (T-G) = (X-M) . If the value of the left hand side of the equation is negative, then it must have been financed from somewhere. The right hand side of the equation denotes the current account balance. Therefore, (S-I) + (T-G) = (X-M) + foreign savings The production method consists of three stages. In the first step the gross value of the output produced domestically is estimated. The second step involves determination of the value of intermediate consumption while in the third step the value of the intermediate consumption is subtracted from the gross value in order to arrive at the net value. The total of the gross added value in various activities related to the economy is referred to as GDP at factor cost. The sum of the indirect taxes and GDP at factor cost subtracted from subsidies will give GDP at producers’ price. There are two methods to determine the gross output of any sector. The gross output can be determined by multiplying the products of each sector with the respective price s prevailing in the market and add them up. It can also be determined by manipulating data on sales as well as inventories from companies records and again add them up. According to the income approach, GDP is calculated by summing up the incomes that firms are required to pay to the households for providing the production factors namely wages, interest, rents as well as profits.

How did a major religious, intellectual, or political transformation Essay - 1

How did a major religious, intellectual, or political transformation affect feminist ideas and demands Answer with an that focuses on one such transition - Essay Example ance from 600 BCE to Present to illustrate the historical underpinnings of feminist thought, with a special focus on the underlying political transformation. Marlene LeGates states that the events and circumstances surrounding the French Revolution of eighteenth century provided crucial political transformations which were later manifest fully during the feminist movement. The French tradition of ‘querelle des femmes’ served as an open forum for both men and women to freely express their political opinions. At these gatherings, members of both sexes were known to express their discontent with the then prevailing religious, political and intellectual culture. This forum allowed women to question the â€Å"authoritarian, hierarchical and patriarchal† social order that most considered the natural and only social arrangement possible. It also has to be remembered that the preceding century was also the time when two crucial breakthroughs were achieved in the intellectual realm. These were the discoveries made by Galileo Galilei about the cosmos surrounding earth and the physical laws of nature purported by Isaac Newton. T he significance of a forum such as ‘querelle des femmes’ should be seen in light of the way these parallel scientific developments were treated by the religious and political Establishment of the day. The fact that women freely argued and expressed their opinion with men at a time when Galileo was being persecuted by the Church for expressing scientific truths, says something about the advanced status of women in the period immediately preceding the French Revolution (LeGates, p.121). It is then apt to infer that the political transformation that is effected by the French Revolution of the late Eighteenth century is induced by and later absorbed into notions of gender equality during the feminist movement. In the preceding century, equally important political developments took place across the English Channel, namely the establishment

Managing in public and private sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing in public and private sector - Essay Example It is imperative to relate the inherent differences and similarities between private and public sectors based on their primary objectives as aforementioned. The paper explores similarities and differences in strategic management between the private and public sector. There are significant strategic administrative similarities between the public sector and private sector. It is imperative that both the sectors greatly relies on common business administration techniques including planning, budgeting, organization, delegation, and control in conducting daily activities. The aforementioned administration techniques are imperious for all business entities and consequently, both private and public sectors have to apply them in strategic management. For instance, budgeting for business involvement in specific functions remains as a vital activity in both public and private management activities. Both the sectors require budgeting techniques to ensure minimal use of resources and exploitation of business finances. Furthermore, both the public and private sectors require use of planning techniques in remaining relevant to market trends and developments. Planning is an imperious activity for all business entities and managers who aim at success and achiev ement of organizations goals. In addition, planning is of central importance for strategic managers who aim at overcoming competition in the market. Apparently, both the private and public sectors require comprehensive planning techniques in strategic management to enable them achieve their objectives (Desmarais & Abord de Chatillon, 2010). Corporate social responsibility relates to business organizations’ involvement in non-profit activities within the society. Majority of organizations engages in corporate social responsibility to enable them create a good public image within the community that they operate. It is the responsibility of a business entity to attract interest from the public

How did a major religious, intellectual, or political transformation Essay - 1

How did a major religious, intellectual, or political transformation affect feminist ideas and demands Answer with an that focuses on one such transition - Essay Example ance from 600 BCE to Present to illustrate the historical underpinnings of feminist thought, with a special focus on the underlying political transformation. Marlene LeGates states that the events and circumstances surrounding the French Revolution of eighteenth century provided crucial political transformations which were later manifest fully during the feminist movement. The French tradition of ‘querelle des femmes’ served as an open forum for both men and women to freely express their political opinions. At these gatherings, members of both sexes were known to express their discontent with the then prevailing religious, political and intellectual culture. This forum allowed women to question the â€Å"authoritarian, hierarchical and patriarchal† social order that most considered the natural and only social arrangement possible. It also has to be remembered that the preceding century was also the time when two crucial breakthroughs were achieved in the intellectual realm. These were the discoveries made by Galileo Galilei about the cosmos surrounding earth and the physical laws of nature purported by Isaac Newton. T he significance of a forum such as ‘querelle des femmes’ should be seen in light of the way these parallel scientific developments were treated by the religious and political Establishment of the day. The fact that women freely argued and expressed their opinion with men at a time when Galileo was being persecuted by the Church for expressing scientific truths, says something about the advanced status of women in the period immediately preceding the French Revolution (LeGates, p.121). It is then apt to infer that the political transformation that is effected by the French Revolution of the late Eighteenth century is induced by and later absorbed into notions of gender equality during the feminist movement. In the preceding century, equally important political developments took place across the English Channel, namely the establishment

Analysis of the microeconomic theory of supply and demand Research Paper

Analysis of the microeconomic theory of supply and demand - Research Paper Example An individual quantity demanded is the amount of goods a consumer is willing and able to buy at a particular price while a market quantity demanded is the total amount of goods that all buyers in the market would be willing and able to purchase at a particular price (Robert and Marc). One will realize that demand focuses on the buyer’s choice but not actually the amount that the buyer will purchase and the use of price is stressed in defining the quantity demanded. Market demand is the sum of all the individual demands for a particular good or service. Since market demand is derived from individual demands, it is affected by all the factors that affect each buyer in the market. For that reason, market demand can be said to depend on an individual’s income, taste, expectations as well as prices of related goods. A demand schedule usually shows what happens to the quantity of goods demanded with the variation in their prices with all the other variables affecting the dema nd held constant. Individual demand curves are summed up horizontally to come up with the market demand curve. The law of demand states that the price of a good will rise as the quantity falls, with all factors held constant (ceteris paribus). This becomes so evident when something becomes expensive in the market since people will buy less of it. This observation applies to virtually everything that people buy in the market including magazines, nuts, foodstuff education and the rest. The price and quantity then exhibit a negative relationship in all these goods and services-when quantity rises, the price falls and when quantity fall, price rises. The law of demand was then derived by economists from this negative relationship between price and quantity which was a regular phenomenon in the market. This law only applies when all other factors influencing the buyer’s choice remain unchanged and only price of the good changes. Demand schedule is a table with a list of different quantities of a product demanded at different prices, all the other factors affecting demand decision held constant. For instance, demand schedule will show us that when the price of a bottle of maple syrup is $3.00, the quantity demanded will be 2000 bottles per month and as the price increases to $4.00 per bottle, the quantity demanded will be 1500 bottles per month and the rest are shown in the table below. One will clearly notice that the demand schedule obeys the law of demand: as the price per bottle increases, the quantity demanded will reduce. Demand schedule for Maple Syrup in a given market Price per bottlee) Quantity demanded (per month) $1.00 3,000 2.00 2,500 3.00 2,000 4.00 1,500 5.00 1,000 When these values are plotted in x and a y ax, a curve is formed which is referred to as the demand curve as shown below: Price ($) 5 4 3 1500 2000 Quantity demanded Demand curve therefore, is a curve that shows the relationship between the prices of a good and quantity demanded at s uch prices with all other factors affecting demand held constant. Each point in the demand curve shows the quantity that buyers will buy at a specific price. The demand curve is also observed to follow the law of demand and according to the law of demand, graphically, the demand curve slopes downward. There exist a variety of events in the market that affect the choice of a buyer. Some of these events will cause a movement along the demand curve

Organizational structure of the business Essay Example for Free

Organizational structure of the business Essay Businesses can take different approaches on the way they structure the organization of their business. The different types of structures include flat, matrix, and tall. These represent hierarchical, centralized and decentralized forms of organization. These different structures are used in different types of organization relating to the needs the business may require. In a tall structure there are many levels. People of different status within the business take each level. This is hierarchical. As the levels get higher in the structure, the power and responsibility usually increases. In a tall structured organization there would the top layer of the structure but many at the bottom represent few people. This structure would be used in a large business where there would be many members of staff, many groups under different supervision. This form of organization would cause there to be a lack of communication throughout the business as issues would be passed through the levels, supervisors to managers and may never reach the managing director. Elements like this in a tall structure could lead to a lack of control throughout the business. Flat is another style of organizational structure. This is still of a hierarchical form yet there is less layers in the business. This is more of a democratic approach as there is a smaller span of control throughout the organization. As there is less levels in the structure there is less separate sections of power. The reduction in the amount of layers means that communication throughout the business is greatly improved therefore the managing director has a greater level of control over the business as a whole. This would be used in a smaller business. It would consist of a managing director followed by possibly a number of directors then supervisors then staff in a hierarchical fashion. A matrix approach can also be used. This is constructed by the business itself. It can be a democratic, autocratic or lassiez-faire approach or a mixture of the three. Very large businesses, PLC or LTDs use this. As the business is so large a tall matrix would not be appropriate as there would be a lack of interaction and control of the business would not be great. To prevent this happening, Boots designed a structure of its own. These are known as matrix structures. Each level has independent managers and spans of control that do not lead up or down the hierarchy of the business. Each level has independent managers and line supervisors so they are self-contained. The local span of control is the responsibility of the line manager. To keep communication strong within the business there is a strong chain of command throughout the structure. This ensures that any problems; ideas or achievement are known throughout the business. This approach keeps communication and control strong, as although there are a great number of people within the structure it is easy to find out what is happening at present through the chain of commanding supervisors who are responsible at that level. The different sections of the business that are present within the matrix are   Boots the Chemist Wellbeing services   Supply and support services   Boots Healthcare international Each of these sections (levels) of the business has line managers and supervisors. These communicate through the chain of command through out the business. This gives a firm structure of a high level of control and interaction, which is within the best interests of the smooth running of the business. The diagram below shows the set out of the business and how the different sections relate to each other. Within these sections the directing and supervisory structure is set out like this throughout the business This is Richard Baker; he is the chief executive of Boots PLC. He does not work in a store but control along with Howard Dodd Paul Bateman the running nationwide of the Boots Empire. They have control over every structure in every store throughout the country from managers to floor workers however it is rare they interact with any one but senior staff in the department stores. Boots to maximize the benefits created the matrix structure. This shows that they have taken their own approach upon their business and changed with the times. Using a matrix structure as the business expanded to the size it is now has proved beneficial and reaches an objective. Boots aimed to Develop, modernize technology and strategies. Using the matrix structure has been a form of modernizing therefore reaching a set objective. Boots aim of globalization would need to lead from a base of a stable market in the UK business sector. To gain a stable grasp in the UK economy Boots needs a stable business. The matrix structure consisting of effective interaction through out the levels and a hold on control ensures that the business runs smoothly and is stable in doing so. This reaches the objective of taking a strong hold in the UK business field, which can lead, to greater expansion and globalization. Companies can survive at a steady pace without altering too much about the workings of the business. However to expand, as Boots wish to, some of the most beneficial ideas may come from staff low down in the hierarchical structure. It is for this reason that the matrix structure is extremely beneficial as communication and interaction is strong between the levels so ideas can quickly be picked up on along with problems. This benefits the performance of the business and issues are quickly picked up on. This also contributes to the working towards of the objective relevant to expansion and customer loyalty as both business and custom seek to gain return from the matrix structures benefits and overall performance of the business as a whole. The matrix structure has many advantages that would not be applicable if the organization structure was of another form. The chain of command within the business ensures that the communication within the different groups is regular and effective. Within the boots organization there are many different sections that deal with different aspects of the business. The seven sections within the Boots group deal with their specific part of the business whether it is the chemist, retail or health care. The specialization within the business is a great advantage to all concerned. The staff employed in each of the sections are special trained in that area. Specialization is a great advantage to the business as it means that jobs can be carried out informatively and effectively. As staff is specialized in their area they provide great customer service as they are well educated in the fields in which they work. Empowerment enables the staff within the different sections to have freedom to do tasks that they are delegated without supervisions. This increases moral and self-motivation, as the staff feels confident and independent within the business. High motivation increases staff productivity, which improves the performance of the business. The span of control within the individual areas of the business ensures that the business is smooth running and any problems that occur can be dealt with quickly and efficiently. This is an advantage, as problems do not have to travel into other areas of the business through the chain of command. The separate sections of the business are independent in the way they work. This ensures the business has high levels of control throughout the whole business in all sections and all can be accessed quickly through the chain of command. All these are advantages that help a great deal towards improving the performance of the business for the reasons listed. Communication within Boots There are many different types of communication that businesses can adopt. Different forms of communication are used in different situations within a business. The main types of communication that are used now a day revolve around ICT. ICT stands for Information Communication Technology. Communication is used everyday from the second a business opens in the morning till the second that it closes. With out communication a business would never reach its full potential or have the smooth operations it could achieve. Within a large business, like a PLC or LTD like boots communication is essential. Without communication different sections of the business would not operate well together and issues could quickly fall out of hand. Communication through the chain of command is so important in keeping a business afloat and operating efficiently. Good communication ensures that the business keeps control and the top of the hierarchical structure is aware, or can easily find out the major movements from day to day. Between departments and hierarchical levels communication links must be strong as decisions and movements are often made that effect other departments. There are many different types of communication method. The specific sectors include   Written   Non-verbal. Verbal   Electronic Face to face Each of these has specific areas in which it is of most benefit to use. Different types of communication are used dependant on the issue that is relevant, who is sending it, and who is receiving it. It is important that communication towards employees is regular and efficient. This is because employees need to be kept informed of the movement of the business in all aspects. If there is product alterations or price changes employees must be informed straight away so that no problems occur within the business. Also information about extra shifts, overtime, work hours and bonuses, especially over Christmas are very important in the smooth operation and motivation of the staff. Supervisors and managers are usually the ones who would communicate with the staff. There are many methods that could be used. Employees could be informed and communicated with by the use of notice boards. This is a cheap method, which means that everyone can see the information present. This is a good method if everyone is aware there is a notice to be seen. This could easily be ignored or not notice quickly however. Letters with the employees pay slips are a good method to use, as it is likely that a very high majority of the employees will read them. This is good if it can wait till payday for the notice to go out although still staff may not read them. A team meeting at the beginning of the day is a very efficient way of communicating with staff as issues can be raised and the employees can communicate also. This means that everyone can be informed and there are no excuses why staff ignores issues raised. Employees who have computers (not floor workers) such as administration areas and HRM can be communicated with many more forms of modern communication such as email and uses of the Intranet. Managers and supervisors need to be able to receive communication from higher up in the chain of command and also to be able to distribute down the chain. This is very important. Higher levels in the hierarchical structure need to be able to communicate regularly and efficiently in order to hold a strong level of control over the business and make alterations and give advice where necessary. It is very important this area of the business is easy to communicate with so that no time is wasted in trying to do so. Managers in the Boots organization have offices in individual branches and headquarters; some supervisors also have computer access. This enables Boots to provide computers for the staff that is a great benefit when it comes to communication. The use of computers means that these managers can be easily and quickly communicated with via the use of email, Intranet messaging and time tabled events that may be stored and altered on network software that is specific to the Boots store. Different forms of communication are used in different parts of the business depending on different factors. These factors determine the form of communication and approach taken. These are described below.   Formal   Informal   Important   Urgent   Optional   Open to all   Sent to a specific person   Person   Impersonal   Relaxed   Who its aimed towards   Who its from Confidential This all affect what type of communication are used in different situations within the business. The different categories that the forms of communication fall into are know as the channels of communication.

A Case for Therapeutic Massage for Chronic Neck Pain

A Case for Therapeutic Massage for Chronic Neck Pain Holly Jackson The title of the article I chose is: Five-Week Outcomes From a Dosing Trial of Therapeutic Massage for Chronic Neck Pain. It was published in the Annals of Family Medicine in the March/April issue in 2014. I chose to use this article because it relates to the chief complaint of my Wednesday client and supports massage as a viable treatment option. I recognized a need to learn more about the condition in order to be a more competent massage therapist. In the United States, chronic neck pain is a common complaint and ranks high on the list of disabilities. Individuals who suffer often seek help from qualified massage therapists. Learning the ins and outs of the neck, including muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves is crucial for giving a quality massage. This knowledge, paired with the proper techniques, becomes an invaluable tool in the massage therapists tool belt for success, which will create lasting benefits for the client. Inconclusive results prior to this study have been a result of too many variables in the techniques and infrequency of treatments. The purpose of this study was to set a specific duration of treatment, with variance on the number of treatments received, to determine if massage therapy could help ease chronic neck pain. Study subjects had to meet a rigorous list of requirements: Adults aged 20 to 64 years with chronic nonspecific neck pain lasting at least 3 months exclud[ing] individuals whose neck pain had a pathologically identifiable cause, was complex, or was too mild, [had] potential contraindications for massage, [received] massage within the last 3 months, [and had not received] massage for neck pain within the last year. (Sherman, et al. 2014, p. 113) There were 228 participants chosen and individuals were randomly assigned to one of six groups. One of the groups was the control group where the participants were put on a wait list. Each of the groups contained 37 to 39 individuals. The study lasted 4 weeks, with final outcomes gathered in the fifth week over the phone by an individual who wasnt aware of group assignments. Besides the control group, which didnt receive massage, there were five groups with variances of massage ranging from 30 minutes 2 or 3 times a week to 60 minutes 1, 2, or 3 times a week. Each of the groups had specific parameters for the treatments, which included range of motion assessment, hands-on check-in, massage applied directly to the neck, [and] addressing compensatory patterns (Sherman, et al. 2014). The results were measured using several point systems including patient satisfaction. The investigators found convincing results from the study groups. According to the study measurements, all of the groups showed improvement except for the control group, which did not receive massage. The measurements for neck pain intensity and neck disability index (or NDI), indicated that even though the 30-minute massage groups showed improvement in the measurements of the study, the most significant results came from the 60-minute massage groups, especially those groups receiving 3 massages per week. Studies that were conducted prior to this were inconclusive in their methods and findings. The significance of these findings cannot be understated. Massage is a viable, verified method of treating chronic neck pain with considerable measures of improvement and relief of symptoms when administered with regularity. The thoroughness of this study supports the use of therapeutic massage as a complementary treatment option. The measurements taken at the onset of the study showed that most people who suffer from chronic neck pain are not satisfied with conventional treatment options. With the finding of this study supporting therapeutic massage, the impact on the massage industry has the potential to grow exponentially. Massage has much more to offer than just feeling great, it has the ability to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. I believe this is a perfect prescription for repeat business with satisfied clients. References Sherman, K., Cook, A., Wellman, R., Hawkes, R., Kahn, J., Deyo, R., Cherkin, D. (2014). Five-Week Outcomes From a Dosing Trial of Therapeutic Massage for Chronic Neck Pain. Annals of Family Medicine, 12(2), 112-120. doi:10.1370/afm.1602

Essay --

Colour vision refers to the ability of an organism to distinguish between stimuli based on the wavelengths of light they emit, reflect or transmit. We live in a world filled with colours which we use as an advantage on a day-to-day basis; to signify danger, make things stand out and to help us categorise the world around us. However, 1 in 12 males and 1 in 200 females (approximately 4.5% of the population) suffer from some sort of colour vision deficiency or blindness (Colour Blind Awareness, 2014). It is therefore of interest to investigate what is different about the visual system in this minority and why the occurs. This essay will investigate this by considering what ‘colours’ actually are in terms of wavelengths of light, investigating the differences of what we perceive to be a ‘coloured’ world based on the different visual systems of non-human animals. Finally it will look at what makes the system of colour blind humans different, questioning whether we can really consider them colour blind at all. The basis of our vision is a direct cause of photons (light) entering our eyes from the environment around us. We examine these photons in one of two ways; either the intensity of the light (number of photons) or by examining the wave energy. This wave energy is what enables colour vision, and refers to our eyes ability to detect slight changes across the electromagnetic system of light. As a whole this consists of a variety of parts; cosmic rays, gamma rays, x-rays, ultra-violet light, visible/white light, infrared, microwaves and radio waves. Our human eyes are only sensitive to the visible white-light which ranges from approximately 400 to 700 nanometres (nm) across the electromagnetic system. Newton is heavily credited towa... ...t differences in colour therefore relies on the sensitivity of different types of cone cell within our retina. This is what enables us to see the full spectrum of visible light from blues into the deep reds. It is evident from studies with dogs, birds, snakes and other animals that having a different number of cones, or having these cones sensitive to different wavelengths causes a completely different perspective of our colour world. As a result Dichromatic or Monochromatic humans who are missing a certain type of cone(s), or even trichromatic humans with a cone sensitive to an anomalous wavelength can be labelled as colour blind. Whilst these ‘colour blind’ individuals are usually still able to detect differences in colour across the visible spectrum of light they ultimately see the colour world in an abnormal way to an individual with a normal visual system.

Major issues in second language classroom research Essay

Chapter one is all about the major issues in second language instruction that arose during classroom research. There are four general issues concerning the effectiveness of the classroom instruction that was mentioned. The first issue is entitled â€Å"Learning from instruction† which concerns Krashen’s extensive analysis of the role of instruction within his framework of interpreting L2 acquisition, wherein he views the effects of instruction as limited, however: the classroom should function to provide the learner with comprehensible target language (TL) input in an affectively supportive climate. The second issue is entitled â€Å"Teacher talk† the main goal of this research has been to determine what makes teacher talk an aid to learning, the initial approach of this research has been to describe the features of L2 teacher talk which distinguish it from speech to L2 learners in non instructional settings. The third issue is entitled â€Å"learner behavior†, both the teacher and the learners have been investigated not only their linguistic behavior but their learning strategies and social interactions with other learners have been the target of research. Some researchers have placed great emphasis on finding out whether the learners are viewed as being in control of their own learning. The last issue is entitled †Interaction in the classroom †, interaction is viewed as significant because it is argued that 1) only through interaction can the learner decompose the TL structures and derive meaning from classroom events, 2) interaction gives learners the opportunities to incorporate TL structures into their own speech. In chapter one the four major issues were introduced, because in the chapters that will follow, each chapter will treat the issues just outlined in greater detail. Chapter 2: Classroom research methods. Chapter two presents the principal studies and concepts that have elaborated the methodology for observing and analyzing classroom instruction and interaction. Several approaches were mentioned in this chapter, majority of it is the methodological approaches. Methodological approaches to the study of L2 classrooms are extremely varied, reflecting both a great diversity of research questions and purposes, and a range of theoretical perspectives on the conduct of research. There is a continuous give-and-take between the success and failures of quantitative and qualitative approaches to portray and explain precisely the processes and products of classroom interactions. These approaches have followed methods adopted by researchers in native language schooling or other sociological and sociolinguistic studies of communicative interaction. In this chapter these methods were described with regard to their capacity to extract and validate generalizations about social and linguistic processes occurring in L2 classrooms. Chapter 3: Teacher talk in second language classrooms Chapter three surveys research on the linguistic and discourse characteristics of teacher speech to L2 learners. This chapter reviews research that has investigated second language classrooms in terms of teacher’s language use in the classroom, especially the characteristic features that differentiate speech to nonnative speakers from that to native speakers. It was also mentioned here the four modifications in teacher speech which are: first is the modifications of speech rate, prosody, phonology, wherein the researchers that were involved , found teacher’s speech to second language learners to be slower, in comparison with other contexts and conditions. Second is the modifications of vocabulary, where they claim that both non teachers and teachers tend to use a more basic set of vocabulary items in their narratives told to L2 learners. Third is the modifications of syntax, it is by far one of the most investigated and quantified characteristics of teacher talk has been teacher’s syntactic modifications. These can be grouped into five types: measures of length of utterances, measures of subordination, measures of markedness, measures of grammaticality, and measures of distribution of sentence types. And the last one is the modification of discourse, which has two categories: the framing moves, where the only significant difference in framing moves was that visiting teachers used more, compared with the regular teachers. The second category is the self-repetition, where on the assumption that repetitions may provide the learner with more opportunities to process information or follow the teacher’s model. In this review, a variety of teacher behaviors have been described and compared across different contexts. Chapter 4: Learner behavior in second language classrooms Chapter four reviews research on the characteristics of learner behavior- participation and speech. They consider research on the contribution of the learner acquisition of a second language. Classroom researchers have focused on learner’s verbal and social interactions and have inferred learning strategies from learner’s behavior in such interactions. There were also hypotheses in the data and tentative conclusions about relationships to learning that are described in this chapter. These hypotheses will form the basis for organizing the results of studies on learner behavior. Research on learner’s classroom behaviors addressed several major hypotheses. In addition, a final section of this chapter examines studies of learner’s learning strategies, a relatively recent area of investigations in second language classroom research. As for learner strategies, there are clearly fruitful topics for further research. It is evident that the strategies identified to date constitute a very mixed set of phenomena, not all of which can be investigated under classroom conditions. Chapter 5: Teacher and student interaction in second language classrooms Chapter five describes research on teacher-leaner interaction. In this chapter several of the factors that have been considered to influence the quality and quantity of teacher-student interaction are examined. The interaction which occurs as a result of these factors is described, and some of the likely consequences of the interaction for learners are suggested. In the view of many researchers and practitioners, conversation and instructional exchanges between teacher and students provide the best opportunities for the learners to exercise target skills, to test out their hypotheses about the target language, and to get useful feedback. The classroom research has shown that teachers may be less likely to address L2 learners when they are mixed with native speakers. It has also been revealed that teacher’s different questioning strategies may be either helpful for inhibiting of communication in classrooms. The greatest error teachers make may be the assumption that what occurs as †correction† in the classroom interaction automatically leads to learning on the part of the student. The nature of interaction in L2 classrooms is perhaps the most critical issue concerning formal second language learning, and although the research cited in this chapter suggests important ways in which current instructional practice may be both effective for and detrimental to promotion of TL skills, the complete picture remains to be developed. Chapter 6: Learning outcomes Chapter six draws together all of the foregoing research, as well as other studies, to determine the state of knowledge about learning outcomes resulting from teacher’s and learner’s classroom interaction. This chapter will review research on L2 classroom processes that have a potentially positive effects on learner’s perception and incorporation of the forms and functions of the target language. It should be clear that there is substance to the view that classroom instruction will aid L2 acquisition. The direction of results in the few large-scale classroom studies favors slightly a focus on form or explicit talk about grammar. Research on outcomes of learner production and teacher-learner interaction, suggests furthermore that other factors in classroom learning may contribute greatly to acquisition. Some of these factors may underline or interact with the effects noted in this section. The research reviewed here concerning the TL learning effects of interaction in L2 classrooms is limited in its conclusions, yet highly suggestive for further research. But still there are many research that remained unsolved, but hope that in the future many of these will be once and for all solved. Chapter 7: Directions for research and teaching As the last chapter it is obvious that the major findings of the research will be summarized, and that implications for further research and teaching in second language classrooms will be suggested. Despite the increase of classroom-oriented research in recent years, few can be made with great confidence because of the difficulty of synthesizing. When all the research has been carefully analyze it has been shown that research is lacking in consistent measures of classroom processes and products. Sometimes inadequate in design to address critical research question. It is also incomplete in its quantitative or qualitative analysis, which leads to a need of greater theoretical specification of the constructs and relationships to be investigated. A discussion of these methodological issues is to be carried out before any future directions are suggested. In this chapter it was also pointed out the areas for future research on classroom reading, outline major implications for curriculum planning and L2 instruction, and lastly to suggest ways of achieving greater consistency across classroom research studies. The reason of pointing these out is because, it makes it more easier for future researchers to find answers. Summary Since the 1960s, there has been an increasing attempt in research on teaching and learning from instruction to relate the major features of teacher and student behavior in classrooms to learning outcomes. The research in this book deals with the nature of the teacher and student behavior in real classroom. Using this set up , researchers were able to observe and analyze what is really the nature of the teacher and the student’s behavior. They were able to determine what are the factors that can affect a L2 learner in acquiring language. They were focused on the learning and acquisition of the L2. In the first chapter, they discussed the major issues that arose during the research. The chapters that follows, the primary research studied is that conducted in L2 classrooms, in simulations of language classrooms, or in semi-instructional, tutoring interactions between teachers or L2 speakers and language learners. Many theories, hypotheses and approaches were formed and used in these research. But there was a memo in the start of the chapter, it says that the fact that this book is reviewing research on the preceding issues does not guarantee that the research will provide unambiguous answers to them. It’s because the research that was done in this book has not yet been proven to be accurate. The purpose of this book has been to attempt to elucidate the critical issues and findings of research in and about second language classrooms. While the studies reviewed here clearly are not always as rigorous or convincing as we would like, the past ten years of classroom-oriented research is impressive in the breadth and depth of study of a variety of issues, when virtually every study was groundbreaking in one respect or another- methodology, research questions, population studied, analytical techniques applied. At the same time, second language instruction has been gaining importance, as more people throughout the world find the need to acquire one or more second languages. There is diversification in the specific purposes of language instruction, an increase in language schools and programs, and an expansion in training programs for second language teachers, researchers, and program developers. For these reasons alone, second language classroom research has an important role to play. Reflection I think this book is quite the catch. Especially if you are an English major like me. This book helped me to understand a bit more the importance of second language acquisition. I already know from my ESL/EFL class that learning a second language is important, but this book made me realize that acquiring a second language will be very advantageous for me. Because if I learn my second language perfectly, I know that I will be more confident in myself. And that I can be globally competitive. This book does not only talk about second language acquisition, it also talks about classroom-oriented research. In the classroom-oriented research they tackled the nature of the teacher and the behavior of the students. They wanted to know what are the factors that affect the L2 leaner in acquiring language and how can they overcome these if they were to be problems, and how can they improve it if it were a solutions. In this book there were also hypotheses theories, and approaches that were formed and used. The setting that was used is the classroom, and that the main subjects are the teachers and the learners. This book is a big help in understanding second language acquisition. Although some words are a bit hard to understand , I will still recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning and acquiring a second language. And also to my fellow majors, because I know this book will be a big help in our studies.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 16

â€Å"Once upon a time,†began Bonnie, â€Å"there were a young girl and boy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She was immediately interrupted. â€Å"What were their names?†Ã¢â‚¬ Were they slaves?†Ã¢â‚¬ Where did they live?†Ã¢â‚¬ Were they vampires?† Bonnie almost forgot her misery and laughed. â€Å"Their names were†¦Jack and†¦Jil . They were kitsune, and they lived way up north in the kitsune sector around the Great Crossings†¦Ã¢â‚¬ And she proceeded, albeit with many excited interruptions, to tel the story she had gotten from the star bal . â€Å"So,†Bonnie concluded nervously, as she opened her eyes and realized that she'd attracted quite a crowd with her story, â€Å"that's the tale of the Seven Treasures, and – and I suppose the moral is – don't be too greedy, or you won't end up with anything.† There was a lot of laughter, the nervous giggling of the girls and the â€Å"Haw! Haw haw!†kind of laughter from the crowd behind them. Which Bonnie now noticed was entirely male. One part of her mind started unconsciously to go into flirt mode. Another part immediately squashed it. These weren't boys looking for a dance; these were ogres and vampires and kitsune and even men with mustaches – and they wanted to buy her in her little black bubble dress, and as nice as the dress might be for some things, it wasn't like the long, jeweled gowns that Lady Ulma had made for them. Then they had been princesses, wearing a fortune's worth of jewels at their throats and wrists and hair – and besides, they had had fierce protection with them at al times. But now, she was wearing something that felt a lot like a baby-dol nightgown and delicate little shoes with silvery bows. And she wasn't protected because this society said you had to have men to be protected, and, worst of al †¦she was a slave. â€Å"I wonder,†said a golden-haired man, moving through the girls around her, al of whom hurried out of his way except Mouse and Eren, â€Å"I wonder if you would go upstairs with me and perhaps tel me a story – in private.† Bonnie tried to swal ow her gasp. Now she was the one hanging on to Mouse and Eren. â€Å"Al such requests must go through me. No one is to take a girl out of the room unless I approve,†announced a woman in a ful -length dress, with a sympathetic, almost Madonna-like face. â€Å"That wil be treated as theft of my mistress's property. And I'm sure we don't al want to be arrested as if we'd been caught carrying off the silverware,†she said and laughed lightly. There was equal y light laughter among the guests as Well, and movement toward the woman – at a sort of mannerly run. â€Å"You tel real y good stories,†Mouse said in her soft voice. â€Å"It's more fun than using a star bal .† â€Å"Mouse, here, is right,†Eren said, grinning. â€Å"You do tel good stories. I wonder if that place real y exists.† â€Å"Well, I got it out of a star bal ,†Bonnie said. â€Å"One that the girl – um, Jil , put her memories in, I think – but then how did it get out of that tower? How did she know what happened to Jack? And I read a story about a giant dragon and that felt real too. How do they do it?† â€Å"Oh, they trick you,†Eren said, waving a dismissive hand. â€Å"They have somebody go someplace cold for the scenery – an ogre probably, because of the weather.† Bonnie nodded. She'd met mauve-skinned ogres before. They only differed from demons in their level of stupidity. At this level, they tended to be stupid in society, and she'd heard Damon say with a curled lip that the ones that were out of society were hired muscle. Thugs. â€Å"And the rest they just fake somehow – I don't know. Never real y thought about it.†Eren looked up at Bonnie. â€Å"You're an odd one, aren't you, Bonny?† â€Å"Am I?†Bonnie asked. She and the two other girls had revolved, without letting go of hands. This meant that there was some space behind Bonnie. She didn't like that. But, then, she didn't like anything about being a slave. She was starting to hyperventilate. She wanted Meredith. She wanted Elena. She wanted out of here. â€Å"Um, you guys probably don't want to associate with me anymore,†she said uncomfortably. â€Å"Huh?†said Eren. â€Å"Why?†asked Mouse. â€Å"Because I'm running through that door. I have to get out. I have to.† â€Å"Kid, calm down,†Eren said. â€Å"Just keep breathing.† â€Å"No, you don't understand.†Bonnie put her head down, to shade out some of the world. â€Å"I can't belong to somebody. I'm going crazy.† â€Å"Sh, Bonny, they're – â€Å" â€Å"I can't stay here,†Bonnie burst out. â€Å"Well, that's probably al to the good,†a terrible voice, right in front of her, said. No! Oh, God. No, no, no, no, no! â€Å"When we're in a new business we work hard,†the Madonna-like woman's voice said. â€Å"We look up at prospective customers. We don't misbehave or we are punished.†And even though her voice was sweet as pecan pie, Bonnie somehow knew that the harsh voice in the night shouting at them to find a pal et and stay on it, had been this same woman. And now there was a strong hand under her chin and Bonnie couldn't keep it from forcing her head up, or from covering her mouth when she screamed. In front of her, with the delicate pointed ears of a fox, and the long sweeping black tail of a fox but otherwise looking human, looking like a regular guy wearing jeans and a sweater, was Shinichi. And in his golden eyes she could see, twisting and turning, a little scarlet flame that just matched the red on the tip of his tail and the hair that fel across his forehead. Shinichi. He was here. Of course he could travel through the dimensions; he Stillhad a ful star bal that none of Elena's group had ever found as well as those magical keys Elena had told Bonnie about. Bonnie remembered the horrible night when trees, actual trees, had turned into something that could understand and obey him. About how four of them each grabbed one of her arms and legs and pul ed, as if they were planning to pul her apart. She could feel tears leaking out behind her shut eyelids. And the Old Wood. He'd control ed every aspect of it, every creeper to trip you, every tree to fal in front of your car. Until Elena had blasted al but that one thicket of the Old Wood, it had been ful of terrifying insect-like creatures Stefan cal ed malach. But now Bonnie's hands were behind her back and she heard something fasten with a very final-sounding click. No†¦oh, please no†¦ But her hands were definitely fixed in place. And then someone – an ogre or a vampire – picked her up as the lovely woman gave Shinichi a smal key off a key ring ful of identical keys. Shinichi handed this to a big ogre whose fingers were so large that they eclipsed it. And then Bonnie, who was screaming, was quickly whisked up four flights of stairs and a heavy door thunked shut behind her. The ogre carrying her fol owed Shinichi, whose sleek scarlet-tipped tail swung jauntily from a hole in his jeans, back and forth, back and forth. Bonnie thought: That's satisfaction. He thinks he's won this already. But unless Damon real y had forgotten her completely, he would hurt Shinichi for this. Maybe he would kil him. It was an oddly comforting thought. It was even ro – No, it's not romantic, you nitwit! You have to find a way to get out of this mess! Death is not romantic, it's horrible! They had reached the final doors at the end of the hal . Shinichi turned right and walked al the way down a long corridor. There the ogre used the key to open a door. The room had an adjustable overhead gaslight. It was dim but Shinichi said, â€Å"Can we have a little il umination, please?†in a false polite voice, and the other ogre hurried and turned the light up to interrogation-lamp-in-your-face level. The room was a sort of bedroom-den combination, the kind you'd get at a decent hotel. It had a couch and some chairs on the upper level. There was a window, closed, on the left side of the room. There was also a window on the right side of the room, where al the other rooms should be in a line. This window had no curtains or blinds that could be drawn and it reflected Bonnie's pale face back at her. She knew at once what it was, a two-way mirror, so that people in the room behind it could see into this room but not be seen. The couch and chairs were positioned to face it. Beyond the sitting room, off to her left, was the bed. It wasn't a very fancy bed, just white covers that looked pink, because there was a real window on that side that was almost in a line with the sun, sitting as it always was, on the horizon. Right now, Bonnie hated it more than ever before because it turned every light-colored object in the room pink, rose, or outright red. The bow at her own bodice was deep pink now. She was going to die saturated with the color of blood. Something on some deeper level told her that her mind was thinking of such things as distractions, that even thinking about hating to die in such a juvenile color was running away from the bit in the middle, the dying bit. But the ogre holding her moved her around as if she weighed nothing, and Bonnie kept having little thoughts – were they premonitions? Oh, God, let them not be premonitions! – about going out of that red window in a sitting position, the glass no impediment to her body being thrown at a tremendous force. And how many stories up were they? High enough, anyway, that there was no hope of landing without†¦Well, dying. Shinichi smiled, lounging by the red window, playing with the cord to the blinds. â€Å"I don't even know what you want from me!†Bonnie found herself saying to Shinichi. â€Å"I've never been able to hurt you. It was you hurting other people – like me! – al the time.† â€Å"Well, there were your friends,†murmured Shinichi. â€Å"Although I seldom wreak my dread revenge against lovely young women with red-gold hair.†He lounged beside the window and examined her, murmuring, â€Å"Hair of red-gold; heart true and bold. Perhaps a scold†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie felt like screaming. Didn't he remember her? He certainly seemed to have remembered their group, since he'd mentioned revenge. â€Å"What do you want?†she gasped. â€Å"You are a hindrance, I'm afraid. And I find you very suspicious – and delicious. Young women with red-gold hair are always so elusive.† Bonnie couldn't find anything to say. From everything she'd seen, Shinichi was a nutcase. But a very dangerous psychopathic nutcase. And al he enjoyed was destroying things. In just one moment there could be a crash through the window – and then she'd be sitting on air. And then the fal would begin. What would that feel like? Or would she already be fal ing? She only hoped that at the bottom it was quick. â€Å"You seem to have learned a lot about my people,†Shinichi said. â€Å"More than most.† â€Å"Please,†Bonnie said desperately. â€Å"If it's about the story – al I know about kitsune is that you're destroying my town. And – â€Å"She stopped short, realizing that she could never let him know what had happened in her out-of-body experience. So she could never mention the jars or he'd know that they knew how to catch him. â€Å"And you won't stop,†she finished lamely. â€Å"And yet you found an ancient star bal with stories about our legendary treasures.† â€Å"About what? You mean from that kiddy star bal ? Look, if you'l just leave me alone I'l give it to you.†She knew exactly where she'd left it, too, right beside her sorry excuse for a pil ow. â€Å"Oh, we'l leave you alone†¦in time, I assure you,†Shinichi said with an unnerving smile. He had a smile like Damon's, which wasn't meant to say â€Å"Hel o; I won't hurt you.†It was more like â€Å"Hul o! Here's my lunch!† â€Å"I find it†¦curious,†Shinichi went on, Stillfiddling with the cord. â€Å"Very curious that just in the middle of our little dispute, you arrive here in the Dark Dimension again, alone, apparently without fear, and manage to bargain for a star bal . An orb that just happens to detail the location of our most priceless treasures that were stolen from us†¦a long, long time ago.† You don't care about anybody but yourself, Bonnie thought. You're suddenly acting al patriotic and stuff, but in Fel ‘s Church you didn't pretend to care about anything but hurting people. â€Å"In your little town, as in other towns throughout history, I had orders to do what I did,†Shinichi said, and Bonnie's heart plunged right down to her shoes. He was telepathic. He knew what she was thinking. He'd heard her thinking about the jars. Shinichi smirked. â€Å"Little towns like the one on Unmei no Shima have to be wiped off the face of the earth,†he said. â€Å"Did you see the number of ley lines of Power under it?†Another smirk. â€Å"But of course you weren't really there, so you probably didn't.† â€Å"If you can tel what I'm thinking, you know that story about treasures was just a story,†Bonnie said. â€Å"It was in the star bal cal ed Five Hundred Stories for Young Ones. It's not real.† â€Å"How strange then that it coincides so exactly with what the Seven Kitsune Gates are supposed to have behind them.† â€Å"It was in the middle of a bunch of stories about the – the Dz-Aht-Bhi'iens. I mean the story right before it was about a kid buying candy,†Bonnie said. â€Å"So why don't you just go get the star bal instead of trying to scare me?†Her voice was beginning to tremble. â€Å"It's at the inn right across the street from the shop where I was – arrested. Just go and get it!† â€Å"Of course we've tried that,†Shinichi said impatiently. â€Å"The landlady was quite cooperative after we gave her some†¦compensation. There is no such story in that star bal .† â€Å"That's not possible!†Bonnie said. â€Å"Where did I get it, then?† â€Å"That's what I'm asking you.† Stomach fluttering, Bonnie said, â€Å"How many star bal s did you look at in that brown room?† Shinichi's eyes went blurry briefly. Bonnie tried to listen, but he was obviously speaking telepathical y to someone close, on a tight frequency. Final y he said, â€Å"Twenty-eight star bal s, exactly.† Bonnie felt as if she'd been clubbed. She wasn't going crazy – she wasn't. She'd experienced that story. She knew every fissure in every rock, every shadow in the snow. The only answers were that the real star bal had been stolen, or – or maybe that they hadn't looked hard enough at the ones they had. â€Å"The story is there,†she insisted. â€Å"Right before it is the story about little Marit going to a – â€Å" â€Å"We probed the table of contents. There is the story about a child and† – he looked scornful – â€Å"a sweetshop. But not the other.† Bonnie just shook her head. â€Å"I swear I'm tel ing the truth.† â€Å"Why should I believe you?† â€Å"Why does it matter? How could I make something like that up? And why would I tel a story I knew would get me in trouble? It doesn't make any sense.† Shinichi stared at her hard. Then he shrugged, his ears flat against his head. â€Å"What a pity you keep saying that.† Suddenly Bonnie's heart was pounding in her chest, in her tight throat. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because,†Shinichi said cool y, pul ing the blinds completely open so that Bonnie was abruptly drenched in the color of fresh blood, â€Å"I'm afraid that now we have to kil you.† The ogre holding her strode toward the window. Bonnie screamed. In places like this, she knew screams went unheard. She didn't know what else to do.