DESIGNING CURRICULUM FOR THE PRESCHOOL

Main focal point of this paper will be sketching how to make a course of study that is child-centered and handles every kid ‘s demands in each and every developmental country such as physical country, emotional, creativeness and cognitive facets of kids aged 3-8 old ages old. II. The preschool educational criterions in America. A. How the criterions helps the instructors. B. Lesson Plans. C. Factors to see while planing a good course of study III. Integrating other activities such as games, tourneies and teamwork in the Curriculum. A. Choosing relevant criterions and subjects. B. Sing several thoughts when planing and be aftering larning for immature kids. C. Elementss to see while planing a good course of study. IV. Early Childhood doctrines. A. Requirements of Early Childhood Doctrines B. Research and its findings. C. Subject theoretical account. V. How to efficaciously utilize math in schoolrooms for good acquisition. VI. Decision VII. Reconfirmed Thesis: A good lineation of an educational course of study consequences to good instruction and acquisition in preschool, and managing the demands of every kid. Planing Curriculum for the Preschool The early childhood pedagogue should hold necessary accomplishments in planing course of study criterions that are based on appropriate developmental facets in a kid. It is besides imperative to hold lesson programs that meet and are guided by specific criterions of kindergarten in every province. This is because in the United States, larning in early childhood tends to vary and are distinguishable from one province to the other. However, there are common subjects that can be found among the changing early childhood acquisition criterions. In United States, preschool acquisition criterions are subdivided into developmental sensitive curricular in different facets such as linguistic communication proficiency, development in literacy facets, originative humanistic disciplines, and societal surveies. In each standard country, there are other divided criterions that are conceptualized through specific constructs and thoughts. For case, a scientific discipline topic may be sub-divided int o standard constructs such as biological science, physical scientific discipline, and environmental scientific discipline. Furthermore, these sub-divided constructs may every bit good be categorized into smaller constructs such as clime and conditions, workss and animate beings among others. Standards of Preschool or early childhood course of study should be designed in such a manner that it should integrate the diverse nature of the kids. Every kid ‘s demands should be incorporated and should non be left out in the designing of the preschool course of study. The intent of this research paper is to look into all the facets of preschool educational course of study and to convey all facets of early childhood instruction including theories, doctrines, and constructs into position. This paper gives focal point to kids aged between 3-8 old ages. The chief focal point of this paper will be sketching how to make a course of study that is child-centered and handles every kid ‘s demands in each and every developmental country such as physical country, emotional, creativeness, and cognitive facets of a kid. It is imperative to observe that many provinces in America offer thoughts in necessary illustrations and patterns that are critical in back uping each specified criterion. This is of import in assisting instructors in understanding the set criterions and transforming and interpreting it in planning of lessons. This paper imposes criterions for pre-kindergarten as a theoretical account for this paper, in making a lesson program that is standard based. It is of import to observe that lesson planning is a critical constituent in instruction in daily maps of a schoolroom. A lesson program that has a strong construction can be critical in making and prosecuting even to the toughest pupils while at the same clip giving challenges to the pupils who are most talented. A good lesson program acts as a design and sets up the foundation for educational supporters to make pupils who are characterized to hold a broad assortment of larning manners. Schools in both private and public scenes can accomplish an effectual lesson program through pattern. A good and strategic planning of a lesson can integrate contents of a simple instructor ‘s usher and thenceforth guaranting that larning for every pupil is maximized. The key to the success of be aftering a lesson purely lies in effectual action research. An effectual lesson program addresses both today ‘s high criterions and the differentiated manners of acquisition of each pupil. In making a good preschool course of study, one must first place and use the right scheme for every course of study design. Planing a course of study that incorporates direct instructions by making inquiries that are designed to take pupils through the necessary stairss that aid in content comprehension is necessary. Planing indirect instructions that guide pupils to get the hanging contents through geographic expedition of common constructs, footings, informations, and events properties. When making a course of study for preschool, it is necessary to guarantee that the course of study aids pupils in previewing, predicting, and placing relevant stuffs. Another method that can be incorporated in course of study design for preschool is grouping kids to make partnerships, which can reciprocally profit them. Theories of larning assert that kids learn efficaciously while in groups/teams. Course of study interior decorators can plan the course of study in a manner that the content command in the lessons may be through the usage of games, tourneies, and squads. When suitably applied, a good preschool course of study can do a deadening stuff to be appealing therefore doing larning for kids interesting. It is of import for instructors to set into consideration that it is non entirely a necessity to take one peculiar criterion when developing a criterion based lesson program. Choosing one criterion when developing a lesson program merely works efficaciously when developing a lesson for merely one activity. However, when developing a one-week-long subject, it is critical to use and administrate a broad scope of countries. Thereafter, an early childhood instructor should set into consideration what other contents constructs can be added every bit good. Other facets that can be included in an effectual preschool course of study may include, among others, ocular and originative humanistic disciplines, graphical designs in instance it ‘s a math lesson, fiction and non-fiction books reading on facets such as conditions or one can every bit good expression and survey maps in instances the lesson is societal surveies or geographics. This impression is in line with the behaviourist theo ry where behaviourists acknowledge the fact that acquisition is finite. They continue to asseverate that acquisition is open, discernible, and mensurable utilizing empirical methods. This aspect fronts the thought that larning is best when alterations are observed in the scholar. It is every bit of import to see several thoughts when planing and be aftering larning for immature kids. It is of import to supply activities undertakings and subjects that are suited to the age and individualised demands of each kid. Several elements can besides be put into position. Such elements include a ) . Age rightness ; the ages for the kids should be considered and incorporated into the plan. Any individual age group, for case 4 year-olds, has distinguishable demands from a group of kindergartners who have mixed age group. The course of study should be designed in such a manner that is suited for the development of each age group by offering a broad assortment of appropriate activities. Thereafter, the demands group ends should be set after measuring the demands of that peculiar age group. B ) . Individual rightness ; the early childhood instructor should believe about every kid ‘s development and focal point should be made towards these demands. It is deserving observing that theories assert that kids tend to follow similar growing forms, it is merely the clip frame for each kid that differs. Each kid ‘s involvements, his/her abilities, and background of the household should be good understood prior to run intoing the demands for each kid. Theories assert that acquisition is best when old cognition is the foundation of new information since new cognition is built on old information. Child-centered planning should be necessitated in such a manner that focal point is made on a kid ‘s mundane experiences. This will in bend imply when a kid is developing and turning more independently, so will the child become egoistic. This will in bend make the instructors to spread out learning programs, degree Celsius ) . Family and civilization ; kids should non mee t separation from household and civilization. It is of import for instructors to plan activities that are taken into consideration the wants of households and their values. It is every bit of import to affect parents in planing the curricular since different households have different ways of doing meaningful parts. However, there are households that would non wish to be involved, yet others would desire to be involved. Those that wish to be involved should non be disappointed, as they will do any necessary parts, vitamin D ) . What the instructor values as of import should be given ample considerations when planing a course of study. The instructor should analyse his/her ain involvements, his/her ain personal doctrine and he/she should non bury seting the plans philosophy into position, vitamin E ) . Passages should be effected in planing a course of study for the preschool. Factors such as the agendas for each twenty-four hours and the twenty-four hours ‘s length should impac t the designing of the course of study. Passages are times that take topographic point between different activities, which may at times interfere with the flow of drama. The course of study should avoid excessively many passages and the preschool kids should be given ample clip to be good engaged in their drama. The passages should every bit good be held swimmingly, degree Fahrenheit ) . Parents and instructors that are critical in the course of study should take subjects. Necessary subjects that are existent in a kid ‘s life should be applied. Undertakings and activities that are closely associated with a kid ‘s place environment, vicinity should be administered in the course of study. As the kid keeps on turning, so is his/her involvements, therefore necessary accommodations should be made in concurrence with the growing. The maximal clip that a subject should last should be a upper limit of one hebdomad. It is besides necessary to guarantee that subjects flow and inst ructors should observe the growing in kids ‘s involvements. This can be done through observations and paying attending to the non-verbal communicating in a kid ‘s activities. Children can be helped to develop growing and accomplishments through planning and showing a assortment of stuffs, which may include books, images, activities, and exploratory undertakings. One of the early doctrines of early childhood instruction known as the High/Scope was incorporated in the United States in 1960. The doctrine is based on Jean Piaget ‘s thoughts that kids should be actively involved in their ain acquisition. Children learn best through making, most frequently working best with custodies on stuffs and chose undertakings they can manage. This therefore means that the grownups who are working with the kids should comprehend themselves as facilitators or spouses than directors or supervisors. This is in line with the theory of humanists, which backs the impression that acquisition is best done when the scholars have desires to larn. The potency of growing of an individualised scholar is unbounded. Learners should hence be empowered to be independent in commanding their acquisition procedure, therefore, larning should non be non be done for them. High/Scope doctrine ensures that all the facets of a kid ‘s development are encompassed and instructors and parents are actively involved in giving support for a kid ‘s emotional, rational, societal, and physical abilities and accomplishments. Therefore, when planing a preschool course of study, it is compulsory to set into consideration all the attacks that are advocated for by the High/ Scope doctrine. High/Scope doctrine should be a usher in footings of denominating different countries for different activities. Children are hence supposed to entree all the necessary installations independently and hence should be responsible for the usage of these countries. A research was conducted to place whether the High/Scope is an effectual manner of preschool acquisition. David Weikart, who evaluated 128 kids in a randomised mode. Sixty-four pupils were subjected into intervention group, while a control group of 64 pupils was non subjected into intervention. Before initialising the research, Weikart ensured that the preschool and the control groups were tantamount in footings of rational public presentations and demographic traits. The consequences were so important since the kids who were subjected to the intervention showed superior feedback as compared to their equals who were non subjected to randomise intervention. Mathematicss construct is used as a theoretical account in this paper. Teaching mathematics in early childhood is really good to a kid ‘s development. It is imperative to observe that the kid acquires foundation for important development during the early old ages. Therefore, this paper give focal point on the importance of larning in the country of math. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics emphasis the importance of larning math early among kids by asseverating that a high-quality and challenging every bit good as accessing mathematics instruction by supplying the chance with necessary foundations for understanding mathematics in their hereafter lives. The National Association besides fronted this thought for the Education of Young Children. The two organisations assert that early instruction in math is of import in the development cognitive facets of kids in multiple countries. By presenting a course of study in math that based on research, preschool instructors ca n efficaciously help immature scholars to turn. One manner of guaranting effectual math larning takes topographic point in a schoolroom is by guaranting that the course of study is based on experiences that are specific to the kids in the schoolroom. Necessary words and stuffs that are relevant and familiar to the kids in respect to the old cognition, background of the community and their cultural importance should be put into consideration. The course of study should guarantee that the interactions are extended and sustained in respect to the math constructs. Math activities should be pre-planned and added where they deem fit in the lesson program. It is besides critical to incorporate and absorb math larning into other countries of the course of study. This will guarantee that kids are exposed to math in all their countries of acquisition and in this respect, kids will cognize that math surrounds every facet of their lives. The course of study should be designed in such a manner that it makes larning to be fun, and an synergisti c procedure that encompasses other larning countries such as literacy, art, music, and physical instruction. Teachers should besides integrate the right vocabulary for math that is ideal for immature kids. For case, instructors can utilize words such as geometry while presenting forms as this will linger for a long clip in a kid ‘s head. In decision, quality experiences of larning in kids are good enhanced by a course of study that is planned right. The course of study interior decorators should take activities, undertakings, and subjects that are necessary in run intoing the demands of the diverse kids. Appropriate consideration should be harmonizing to the age of the pupils so they are given contents that they can easy get the hang and grok. The course of study interior decorators should besides guarantee that the demands of parents and/or defenders are absorbed, and that they are in line with household differences and cultural heritage of every kid. Teachers should ne'er deter early childhood scholars in respect to their age, gender from any peculiar subject or schoolroom activity. In planing a course of study for preschool kids, educational theories, doctrines, and constructs should be taken into consideration.

Mckinsey Model Essay

McKinsey 7S Model This model was developed in the 1980’s by Robert Waterman, Tom Peters and Julien Philips whilst working for McKinsey and originally presented in their article † Structure is not Organisation†. To quote them: â€Å"Intellectually all managers and consultants know that much more goes on in the process of organizing than the charts, boxes, dotted lines, position descriptions, and matrices can possibly depict. But all too often we behave as though we didn’t know it – if we want change we change the structure. Diagnosing and solving organizational problems means looking not merely to structural reorganization for answers but to a framework that includes structure and several related factors.† The 7S Model which they developed and presented became extensively used by mangers and consultants and is one of the cornerstones of organizational analysis. [pic] Essentially the model says that any organisation can be best described by the seven interrelated elements shown above: Strategy Plans for the allocation of a firm’s scarce resources, over time, to reach identified goals. Environment, competition, customers. Structure The way the organization’s units relate to each other: centralized, functional divisions (top-down); decentralized (the trend in larger organizations); matrix, network, holding, etc. Systems The procedures, processes and routines that characterize how important work is to be done: financial systems; hiring, promotion and performance appraisal systems; information systems. Skills Distinctive capabilities of personnel or of the organization as a whole. Staff Numbers and types of personnel within the organization. Style  Cultural style of the organization and how key managers behave in achieving the organization’s goals. Shared Value  The interconnecting centre of McKinsey’s model is: Shared Values. What the organization stands for and what it believes in. Central beliefs and attitudes. However the model is more than simply a list. Key Points are: 1. The top 3, strategy , structure and systems, are the hard elements. The bottom 4, skills, staff, style, and shared values are the soft elements. 2. At that time, any organisational study focused on the top â€Å"hard† elements and ignored the bottom â€Å"soft† elements. 3. The current view is to focus on all 7, accepting that for each business or enterprise, two or three will be the VITAL ones. 4. The key point is that all the elements are all inter-dependant. Changes in one will have repercussions on the others. Thus introduction of new systems will certainly affect skills, and may well effect structure, style and staff. It could even have an impact on strategy. Similar repercussions occur with decentralization. 5. If you just try to change one element on its own, the other element may well resist the change and try to maintain the status quo. 6. In this sense, any change in organisation is best seen as a shift in the whole picture. Waterman Jr., Robert H., Peters, Thomas J., and Julien R. Phillips. 1980. STRUCTURE IS NOT ORGANIZATION.† Business Horizons 23, no. 3: 14

Elecriccity and Magnatism Essay

A hostile takeover defense wherein the target firm makes its stock less attractive to a potential acquirer is called Choose one answer. | a. a standstill agreement. | | | b. greenmail. | | | c. a poison pill. | | | d. crossing the palm with silver. | | Question 38 Marks: 1 Compared to managers, shareholders prefer Choose one answer. | a. riskier strategies with greater diversification for the firm. | | | b. riskier strategies with more focused diversification for the firm. | | | c. safer strategies with more focused diversification for the firm. | | | d. afer strategies with greater diversification for the firm. | | The Enron employee who reported the financial manipulations at the company to her superiors can be considered to have engaged in Choose one answer. | a. an act of courage. | | | b. white-collar crime. | | | c. vindictive disloyalty. | | | d. managerial opportunism. | | Question 40 Marks: 1 The longer the focus of managerial incentive compensation, the greater the ____ top -level managers. Choose one answer. | a. earnings potential for | | | b. incentives for | | | c. potential tax burden for | | | d. risks borne by | | Marks: 1 The choices that a firm has for entering the international market include all of the following EXCEPT Choose one answer. | a. acquisition. | | | b. leasing. | | | c. exporting. | | | d. licensing. | | Question 36 Marks: 1 There are few true mergers because Choose one answer. | a. few firms have complementary resources. | | | b. of managerial resistance. True mergers result in significant managerial-level layoffs. | | | c. integration problems are more severe than in outright acquisitions. | | | d. one firm usually dominates in terms of market share, size, or value of assets. | | Market power is derived primarily from the Choose one answer. | a. size of a firm and its resources and capabilities. | | | b. core competencies of the firm. | | | c. depth of a firm strategy. | | | d. quality of a firm top management team. | | Question 34 Marks: 1 The use or application of entrepreneurship within an established firm is called Choose one answer. | a. transformational leadership. | | | b. corporate entrepreneurship. | | | c. corporate emergence. | | | d. exceptional R&D. | | Four perspectives are integrated to form the balanced scorecard framework. The financial perspective focuses on the view of the firm by the Choose one answer. | a. employee. | | b. general society. | | | c. customer. | | | d. shareholder. | | Question 32 Marks: 1 Managers may decide to invest ____ in products that are not associated with the firm’s current lines of business to increase the firm’s level of diversification and decrease their employment risk. Choose one answer. | a. free cash flows | | | b. unsubstantial pro fits | | | c. marginal profits | | | d. frozen assets | | An international diversification strategy is one in which a firm Choose one answer. | a. acquires a firm in a foreign country | | | b. expands into a potentially large number of geographic locations and markets | | | c. xpands into one or a few markets | | | d. expands into nearby markets | | Question 30 Marks: 1 Firms needing to change their strategies should Choose one answer. | a. emphasize the training and development of internal managerial talent. | | | b. implement transformational leadership. | | | c. focus on their core customer base. | | | d. create more heterogeneous top management teams. | | The primary responsibility for effective strategic leadership of the organization rests with the Choose one answer. | a. top management team. | | | b. stakeholders. | | | c. CEO. | | | d. board of directors. | | Question 28 Marks: 1

Crime and Ethical Standards Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crime and Ethical Standards - Term Paper Example The individual is only suspected to be under influence of drugs. Therefore, this crime can be argued to be misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance (Braswell et al., 2005).   An individual who illicitly obtains or uses items coded controlled substances is charged with a crime. It is a criminal offense to possess a controlled substance. In my state, the quantity, the nature of the drugs and the circumstances that one is assumed to possess a controlled substance influence the nature of conviction that one receives. The penalty for this crime depends also on the classification of the drug. An individual is charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance in the event that the very individual is found to be in possession of coded substances below a specific limit (Leighton & Riemann, 2001).   Societal factors influence individual’s behaviors. Societies where social values and norms are adhered to the letter experience less social problems because individua ls are discipline. In the paradigm case, Jones’ negative behavior that has put him into troubles can be associated with various societal factors. It can be suggested that Jones is brought up in a society where people commonly engage in drug abuse. The first duty of any government is to ensure safety of its citizens. Social contract theory states that government sets rules governing individuals’ behavior that is wholly accepted by rational citizens. The state exists to enforce these rules and laws for positive social living. It is in Jones’ interests that the law enforcing agencies, police in this case, do not take advantage of their powers and abuse him. This implies that they must adhere to the rules that protect the suspect. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the criminal justice system in place is effective to prosecute suspects of crimes while protecting their rights by providing fair trials and rational punishment. Government’s duty to offer security and safety is in Jones’ interest. The government would require law enforcing agencies and the criminal justice system to pursue critical analysis of the condition of the suspect before making any conclusion (Leighton & Riemann, 2001).   Marconi is a police officer hence has a role to ensure that there is law and order in the society. The law requires law enforcing agencies such as police to pursue their duties diligently for the benefit of the citizens. In this event, Marconi has a number of roles to play. He ought to question the suspect before arresting as a matter of procedure. However, this did not happen. The officer has a duty to proof the nature of the crime committed by Jones in order to guarantee far trial and punishment. Police officers are expected to be subjective in their undertakings to avoid prejudicial mistreatment of the suspect as it happened to Jones (Leighton & Riemann, 2001).   The clearest miscalculation by Officer Marconi is his failure to read the suspect (Ms. Jones) her Miranda Rights. Ms. Jones’ custodial interrogation satisfies her Miranda needs, â€Å"†¦the person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be informed that he [she] has the right to remain silent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Miranda v Arizona (1966), 384 US 436) and further, anything she says can and will be suppressed by applying â€Å"†¦the product of a rational intellect and free will†

How Brands Win by Listening Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How Brands Win by Listening - Assignment Example The customers are well informed, and most of them are on the social media. Using the social media to sell the brand will not only upturn the company’s sales but will also enable the company to identify areas that need improvements. In this regards, the power of listening through social media stands out to be one of the effective marketing strategies in the 21st Century. How do marketing managers engage with the consumers and how brands can capitalize on the power of listening are important factors that every business should focus on as stated by Jeff. The power of social marketing on improving the brand is not just a theoretical aspect or rather a practical one. Jeff Bodzewsk gave several examples to highlight this point. However, the example of Nissan stands out to be a great example on the importance social marketing. Nissan had not been getting the best reviews on the social media regarding their brands. Their reaction was quite splendid. They took this positively, and they listened to consumers’ opinions and integrated them into improving their brand. The fact that they did that through social media is the outstanding fact. Since this presentation was released in 2010, several companies have engaged in a â€Å"listening strategy†. For example, Samsung has improved its brands tremendously by launching different kinds of brands of its smartphones. The power of social marketing has played a vital role in this process. That is; Samsung uses social media to determine tastes and preferences of its customers. Thereafter, it produces brands that satisfy those taste and preferences. Jeff Bodzewsk’s advice on the power of listening is an important business aspect that every business entity should implement. Companies such as General Motors Ltd should implement this strategy. This is because General Motors has not been active on social media. It is not enough to just start the conversation, but a firm should go

Lessons Learned from WWI, WWII and Vietnam War Essay

Lessons Learned from WWI, WWII and Vietnam War - Essay Example The most probable cause of the war was the assassination of Ferdinand the crown prince of Austria-Hungary by Serbian Slavs on June 28, 1914 at Sarajevo. If you ask many leaders of the time, they would say the war was inevitable. However, as Stoessinger would put it â€Å"it was people who actually precipitated wars† (Xiii). The Austria-Hungary leader Emperor Franz Joseph had a great hatred for Slavs and combined with unrelenting pressure from his chief of staff general Conrad Von Hotzendorff and foreign minister Count Leopold Von Berchtold, he decided to wage war on Serbia. The war was thus not a revenge for the assassination as the Kaiser of Germany Wilhelm II would have expected. The Kaiser gave Joseph his undying support not knowing his real intentions. The support was sacred and irrevocable hence could never be retracted (Nibelungentreue) and Joseph knew this. That is one lesson leaders should have learnt: never to let personal ethics rule over political judgment. If Kaise r had known what his support would result to, he would not have given it in the first place. The effect was that it put him right at crossroads with his cousin Czar Nicholas II of Russia as he entered the war to defend Serbia against unjust aggression by Austria. Czar did not see the reason why Austria would send such a humiliating and provocative ultimatum to Serbia. He saw it as an excuse to wage war on Serbia and he was not mistaken therefore, despite diplomacy from Kaiser nothing could stop his army from mobilizing for an imminent war.

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

Social Networking - Research Paper Example There is a long list of things one can delve on social networking sites; for example, keeping in touch with family and friends, being "nosey", expressing personal opinions and views, meeting people with similar interests, and also for specific and distinct reasons like documenting trips, availing of opportunities to date, and sharing photographs, music, video clips, and other endeavors. In this regard, the essay aims to find out everything there is to know about social networking and the ethical issues that relate to it. The discourse would initially trace its origin, define social networking, identify the pros and cons of being involved in these sites, and determine the ethical issues pervading social networking sites (SNSs). Finally, policy recommendation pertinent to major ethical principles seen to be applicable in social networking sites would be proffered. Social Networking: Ethical Issues Reviewed Contemporary generation has joined the bandwagon of active participants in socia l networking sites (SNSs) that one wonders if all users really know its origin and the intricate details that envelope its existence. For sure, today’s social network patronizers could not even imagine a world without SNSs. Just like any organizational structure, SNSs are bound by ethical standards and codes of moral conduct and discipline that participants are expected to adhere to and that SNSs themselves, are obliged to comply. The current research aims to find out everything there is to know about social networking and the ethical issues that relate to it. The discourse would initially trace its origin, define social networking, identify the pros and cons of being involved in these sites, and determine the ethical issues pervading social networking sites (SNSs). Finally, policy recommendation pertinent to major ethical principles seen to be applicable in social networking sites would be proffered. Historical Background In a study conducted by Boyd and Ellison (2007), the origin of SNS, first recognizable, was traced in 1997, through the efforts and creative design of SixDegrees.com. As averred, â€Å"SixDegrees.com allowed users to create profiles, list their Friends and, beginning in 1998, surf the Friends lists† (Boyd & Ellison, 2007, par. 15). On the other hand, Davies (2010) presented an even earlier discovery of SNSs historical beginnings with a social media site reported to be created by Randy Conrad, Classmates.com, where the website’s aim was to help â€Å"helps members find, connect and keep in touch with friends and acquaintances from school life. Classmates has more than 40 million active members in the US and Canada. In early 2008, Nielson Online ranked Classmates as number 3 in unique monthly visitors among social networking sites† (Davies, 2011, par. 2). The figure below illustrates historical date lines of major SNSs as presented by Boyd and Ellison (2007, par. 19): Source: Boyd and Ellison (2007) After 2006, Davi es’ timeline indicate that the newest addition to the SNSs was Google.com/buzz, which as reportedly designed â€Å"to integrate the googles web-based program, G-mail. Shared links and messages show up in the user’s inbox. Buzz focuses on  integrating  photos, videos and links as part of the â€Å"conversations† aspects of G-mail like conversation threading† (Davies, 2011, par. 10). Definitions of SNSs Boyd and Ellison (2007) defined SNSs as â€Å"web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others

Assignment 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment 5 - Essay Example â€Å"Bullwhip effect describes how inaccurate information, a lack of transparency throughout the supply chain, and disconnect between production and real-time supply chain information result in lost revenue, bad customer service, high inventory levels and unrealized profits† (Paritosh Agarwal, 2009). The Bullwhip effect can be minimized by studying the drivers of demand and supply patterns. Moreover, companies should try to reduce the cycle time, ensure smooth and quick flow of information and take corrective actions to reduce the impacts of price fluctuations, inaccurate demand forecasts and order batching. Question 2: explain why Volvo manufacturing department believed that customers had started to like green cars in the mid 1990’s. Answer: the demand and supply variations at Volvo resulted in huge stocks of unsold green cars. The overproduction of cars can have a potential impact on unrealized revenues and excessive cost for storing the cars. Therefore, the company planned to offer incentives in order to increase the demand of green cars. On one hand the company was successfully able to sell the excess stock which resulted in the revenue realization of the green cars. However, the production department misinterpreted the sales record and started ordering excessive raw materials in order to produce more cars. This inaccurate assessment of the situation can have a multiplier effect on the profits and production capacity. In future, the company will again have to offer some incentives and attractive deals to deal with the overproduction of cars which will not only reduce the profit margins but it will also lead to increased workload and decline in quality caused by 100% capacity utilization. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AT WAL-MART. Question 3: Discuss how the Bullwhip effect can be reduced. Explain how Wal-Mart uses IT to reduce the Bullwhip Effect. Answer: the Bullwhip effect can be controlled by accurately forecasting demand by gathering the real-t ime information, which can be acquired by working closely with suppliers and distributors. The regular flow of information combined with the proper management of sales and inventory growth can be helpful in attaining the proposed financial results. From a different perspective, all the parties involved in the supply-chain management process are mutually dependent on each other and they can significantly influence the rest of the industry players with their actions. Therefore suppliers, distributors, production department and customer relationship department should work in coordination with each other in order to improve the business-customers sales record. Apart from this, organizations should try to improve the downstream communication by using the point of sales (POS) data collection method and vendor-managed inventories (VOI) so that demand is not over/under estimated. Also, price fluctuations caused by various discount offers can create variability in demand; therefore, every da y low price (EDLP) should be used to keep the prices stable. Moreover, cycle time should be reduced to make the availability of the product faster and easier and â€Å"order capacity reservations† could be used by production department so that the retailers reserve a specific quantity of items to be purchased in a given time frame which will help to keep the distributor’

Effective approaches in teaching Second language Essay

Effective approaches in teaching Second language - Essay Example For this reason, exploring ways on how writing teachers can further improve the writing skills of L2 students is very important. Methods to measure the effectiveness in teaching are often subjected to endless criticism. Back in early 1990s, the assessment of effective teaching was more focused on the students’ learning, highly dependent on the students’ knowledge on the subject, the ability of the teachers to manage the students and think thoroughly on how they can further improve their teaching practice (Clark, 1993, p. 2). Today, the term ‘effectiveness’ is defined based on the â€Å"students’ achievement† (Stronge, 2007, p. x). The process of correcting the L2 students’ mistakes in writing does not guarantee that there will be improvements in their writing skills (Schwieter, 2010, p. 34). Therefore, effective teaching should be monitored based on the revision instruction and feedback each of the L2 students will receive from their wr iting teachers (Ferris, 2007, p. 167; Schwieter, 2010, p. 34). As a general rule, teachers are directly accountable for the learning of the L2 students (Dunne and Wragg, 2005, p. 1). Therefore, it is part of the teachers’ duty and responsibility to continuously improve their professional knowledge and skills particularly when it comes to teaching the L2 students the effective way of writing in English. (Because your essay topic /essay question told me to focus on discussing the best teaching approach when teaching the L2 students how to write.) This essay aims at exploring the different approaches used in teaching L2 students within a writing class. In addition to examining the similarities and differences between the genre approach, process approach, and product approach, the advantages and limitations of each type of teaching approach and how L2 teachers can avoid the limitations or challenges associated with each type will be addressed. 2. Teaching Approaches There are s everal of innovative teaching approaches which can be applied in the teaching of writing. Based on the history of L2 writing studies, Alhosani (2008, p. 48) explained that there was a shift â€Å"in writing instruction from product to process†. Since studying the writing process can be very complicated, a lot of writing teachers have argued that the use of the process approach in writing is better in terms of improving the L2 students’ knowledge and attitude towards writing (Alhosani, 2008, p. 40). Therefore, between the late 1960s and early 1970s, second language teachers started to use the process approach in teaching writing to L2 students [Corbett, 2003, p. 87; Matsuda, 2003, cited in Alhosani, 2008, p. 40]. Today, a lot of second language teachers have managed to shift their focus to the use of the genre approach in teaching (Alhosani, 2008, p. 44). There are cases where teachers who are teaching L2 students how to write are using â€Å"out-dated teacher-centred method† (Babalola, 2012) or are totally unprepared in teaching the L2 students the proper way of writing (Lee, 2011). By examining the similarities and differences between the genre approach, process approach, and product approach, writing teachers who teach TESOL students could be guided by the most effective use of these approaches. 2.1 Product Approach Considered as a traditional method in teaching a second language, the product approach is generally more focused on the students’

Internship in an Investment Bank Essay Example for Free

Internship in an Investment Bank Essay Internship is a system of on-the-job training for white-collar jobs. It is a work related learning experience for individuals who wish to develop hands on work experience in a certain occupational field. Most internship is temporary assignments. As such my intern too was temporary for a period of one month. My association with Goldman Sachs was during my semester vacation. To me internship is to combine theory with practical work experience. As such my intern period was of great help in that sense. Generally the objectives of internships are: * Develop skills in the application of theory to practical work situation. * Aptitude test for a particular career. * Develop and pursue business ethics. * Increase on the sense of responsibility. * Opportunity to understand informal organizational interrelationships. * Enhance employment opportunities * Develop skills and techniques directly applicable to their careers. * Provides inside exposure to the structure, operations and decision process within the organization without a commitment to a permanent employer. Some of the obvious advantages an internship offers include strengthening written and oral skills, helping to make contacts to gain future employment, to enhance and strengthen the intern’s resume. Gain an increased awareness of skills, attributes, personal qualities and values. Guides a student to find out what it is to like to work in a business environment. However duties which aren’t structured either not enough to do or random office work or nothing to do with the supposed internship may result in just a waste of time and valuable resources. Sometimes the intern may not have enough time to learn the nuances of the industry and no proper guide or a mentor to guide the individual through the process. It may also result as a burden financially and mentally. About Goldman Sachs History 1869–1930 Goldman Sachs was founded in New York in 1869 by the German-born Marcus Goldman. The company made a name for itself pioneering the use of commercial paper for entrepreneurs and was invited to join the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 1896. In the early 20th century, On December 4, 1928, it launched the Goldman Sachs Trading Corp. a closed-end fund. 1930–1980 In 1930, Sidney Weinberg assumed the role of senior partner and shifted Goldmans focus away from trading and towards investment banking. It was Weinbergs actions that helped to restore some of Goldmans tarnished reputation. On the back of Weinberg, Goldman was lead advisor on the Ford Motor Companys IPO in 1956, which at the time was a major coup on Wall Street. Under Weinbergs reign the firm also started an investment research division and a municipal bond department. It also was at this time that the firm became an early innovator in risk arbitrage. 1980–1999 On November 16, 1981, the firm made a move by acquiring J. Aron Company, a commodities trading firm which merged with the Fixed Income division to become known as Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities. J. Aron was a player in the coffee and gold markets, and the current CEO of Goldman, Lloyd Blankfein, joined the firm as a result of this merger. In 1986, the firm formed Goldman Sachs Asset Management, which manages the majority of its mutual funds and hedge funds today. Since 1999 One of the largest events in the firms history was its own IPO in 1999. The decision to go public was one that the partners debated for decades. In the end, Goldman decided to offer a small portion of the company to the public, with some 48% still held by the partnership pool 22% of the company was held by non-partner employees, and 18% was held by retired Goldman partners. Goldman Sachs Overview The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients. Goldman Sachs was founded in 1869 and is headquartered at 200 West Street in the Lower Manhattan area of New York City, with additional offices in international financial centers. The firm provides mergers and acquisitions advice, underwriting services, asset management, and prime brokerage to its clients, which include corporations, governments and individuals. The firm also engages in market making and private equity deals, and is a primary dealer in the United States Treasury security market. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious investment banks in the world. As of 2009, Goldman Sachs employed 31,701 people worldwide.Goldman Sachs is divided into three businesses units: * Investment Banking * Trading and Principal Investments * Asset Management and Securities Services Investment banking Investment banking is divided into two divisions and includes Financial Advisory (mergers and acquisitions, investitures, corporate defense activities, restructuring and spin-offs) and Underwriting (public offerings and private placements of equity, equity-related and debt instruments). Goldman Sachs is one of the leading MA advisory firms, often topping the league tables in terms of transaction size. The firm gained a reputation as a white knight in the mergers and acquisitions sector by advising clients on how to avoid hostile takeovers, moves generally viewed as unfriendly to shareholders of targeted companies. Goldman Sachs, for a long time during the 1980s, was the only major investment bank with a strict policy against helping to initiate a hostile takeover, which increased the firms reputation immensely among sitting management teams at the time. The investment banking segment accounts for around 17 percent of Goldman Sachs revenues. The firm has been involved in brokering dea ls to privatize major highways by selling them to foreign investors, in addition to advising state and local governments – including Indiana, Texas, and Chicago – on privatization projects. Trading and principal investments Trading and Principal Investments is the largest of the three segments, and is the companys profit center. The segment is divided into four divisions and includes: * Fixed Income The trading of interest rate and credit products, mortgage-backed securities, insurance-linked securities and structured and derivative products * Currency and Commodities The trading of currencies and commodities * Equities The trading of equities, equity derivatives, structured products, options, and futures contracts * Principal Investments merchant banking investments and funds This segment consists of the revenues and profit gained from the Banks trading activities, both on behalf of its clients known as flow trading and for its own account known as proprietary trading. Most trading done by Goldman is not speculative, but rather an attempt to profit from bid-ask spreads in the process of acting as a market maker. On average, around 68 percent of Goldmans revenues and profits are derived from trading . Asset Management and Securities Services As the name suggests, the firms Asset Management and Securities Services segment is divided into two components: Asset Management and Securities Services. The Asset Management division provides investment advisory and financial planning services and offers investment products (primarily through separately managed accounts and commingled vehicles) across all major asset classes to a diverse group of institutions and individuals worldwide. The unit primarily generates revenues in the form of management and incentive fees. The Securities Services division provides clearing, financing, custody, securities lending, and reporting services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, mutual funds, and pension funds. The division generates revenues primarily in the form of interest rate spreads or fees. About Operations Division Operations is at the core of Goldman Sachs. For every trade agreed, every new product launched or market entered, every transaction completed, it is Operations that enables business to flow. Operations is a dynamic, multi-faceted division that partners with all areas of the firm to deliver banking, sales and trading and asset management capabilities to clients around the world. In addition, Operations provides essential risk management and control, preserving and enhancing the firm’s assets and its reputation. The Operations division represents approximately 14% of the firm, with more than 4,500 employees across the globe. Operations spans across all product lines and markets where business is conducted. Each area of business offers diverse opportunities that leverage a common core skill set. While there may be a group that interests you, it is not necessary to identify the group you would like to join when applying. †¢Clearing Operations provides clearing, execution and custody services for all major trading products across 75 exchanges. Our goal is to deliver superior client service, broad product offering and scalable technology to our global client base and franchise trading businesses, while minimizing operational risk. Our clients include hedge funds, asset managers, governments, corporates, broker dealers, Goldman Sachs franchise traders, other professional investors and market markers. †¢Derivatives Operations is responsible for ensuring efficient and accurate transaction processing across a broad range of products. Generally, the products supported are complex instruments that require close alignment with the business. A key focus for the organization is establishing strong risk management procedures and controls to ensure the firm and our clients are properly protected. Derivatives Operations is at the forefront of shaping and driving change in the industry with the ultimate aim of delivering greater accuracy, control and efficiency for our clients and our business. †¢Investment Management Operations delivers asset management and wealth management capabilities to clients around the world. We are a multi-faceted group that partners with all areas of the Investment Management Division to support evolving markets and business requirements. Alongside that vital service delivery role, Investment Management Operations provides essential risk management and control. †¢Liquidity Collateral Operations (LCO) manages the operational elements for daily funding and liquidity of the firm, oversees the firms payment strategy and overall cash flows and positions, and also performs key functions related to counterparty risk management, client transparency, and product and pricing data. In addition to the traditional line functions, LCO is home to Operations Technology Strategy and Reference Data Strategy, both of which focus on strategic process and technology solutions for the division and often the broader firm. †¢Regulatory Tax Operations is responsible for over 500 non-financial reporting and monitoring functions to over 400 regulators and exchanges. The group enhances the firms regulatory and tax transaction and position data and operational controls and develops best practices and standards for processing, infrastructure, and change management. The group aims to leverage expertise consistently across regions and entities in order to demonstrate supervision to regulators and provide efficiency, data accuracy, and transparency around controls. †¢Risk Control Operations supports the firm by ensuring the integrity of books and records, assessing regulatory requirements, and interfacing with regulators frequently. In addition, the group provides the firm with critical control indicators that assess economic, regulatory, and operational risks, while providing oversight of the Operations Division Risk Framework. †¢Securities Operations supports the Securities, Investment Management and Investment Banking Divisions of the firm. This group manages key relationships for the bank and infrastructure providers, on boarding of institutional and prime brokerage clients, and assists in the coordination of issuance of new financial product. Work Done and Experience I did my summer internship in the Operations Division of Goldman Sachs. My project was primarily based on corporate card reconciliation process. Being an intern to the office, there was a lot to be learnt and a lot more to be implemented, but the people at GS were really accommodating and willing to give the interns the required space and time. Goldman Sachs has, a completely flat organizational structure and everyone is very helpful and you can reach out to almost anyone and he/she will be more than willing to help. The Program is very efficiently carried out and there’s a lot to learn. The firm has its own In-House University where there are innumerable courses on Financial Markets, Corporate Finance, Investment Banking that we needed to learn from. Everything you do and suggest mostly goes into Production i.e. LIVE so obviously you will be having a hands-on experience on things which are actually going to be implemented. All things said, there is deadline within which the work needs to be done. Goldman Sachs was a good shot to achieve out of this internship – improved Problem Solving, Industrial Exposure, Understanding of Financial Markets. At Goldman Sachs, everyone is encouraged to take on more responsibility and stretch themselves. People are very professional and are always there to help when needed. This makes it a fun place to work even though the nature of work is very challenging.

History Of Massage And Massage Therapy Nursing Essay

History Of Massage And Massage Therapy Nursing Essay Massage therapy is the manipulation of the soft tissue on the body by a practitioner through the movement of their hands and arms as well as advanced techniques. Massage has been used to help people relax as well as a way to help treat minor ailments as a complement to other medication or treatment. As A Whirlwind Tour through the entire History of Massage webpage states Massage is a universal instinct. From the day they descended from the trees, humans have known that it helps to rub a sore limb and that to touch is beneficial. So since then we have used and developed the skills and techniques through the years into the massage routines we see and use today. History of Massage; Throughout ancient history many different countries have been using massage and developing their skills as well as passing these down through the years. They have been borrowed, stolen and shared through different times as well as different places geographically around the world, many of the different types of massages resemble each other as techniques have been copied, borrowed and shared. Pre-historic people used to practise some forms of therapeutic touch or massage as there has been evidence to suggest that they used to massage their muscles and rub herbs and oils onto their bodies to help with healing or to protect as this has been found in caveman paintings and drawings showing the giving and receiving of massage. After then the next stage that has been recorded in history to show the major use of massage where the Chinese in around 3000BC in a book called Con Fou of the Tao-Tse. As mentioned in the eBook History of Massage, Therapies Rules in China for years, blind people where the main masseurs. According to A Whirlwind Tour Through the entire history of Massage Chinese writing dates from around 1400BC, near the start of the Shang dynasty, and it from around this time that we can reliably date massage. It was in China that the first exam in massage was sat about fifteen hundred years later as an addition to the occult studies schools. Around the same times as China the Egyptians also used massage and this has been depicted in tomb paintings of individuals being Kneaded by others. The Japaneses received their knowledge from China through the study of Buddhism and soon customised the techniques which became known as anma, which later became Japanese Shiatsu. According to The history of Massag e: Learn How Massage Dates Back over 5,000 Years Ago The primary goal of Shiatsu is to raise the energy level in the patient. In turn, this increased energy level regulates and fortifies the functioning of the organs and stimulates natural resistance to illnesses. The practitioners use a variety of techniques to pressure points on the body to balance the energies and work without needles or other equipment to do so. However, some sources believe India was practicing massage before the Egyptians and the Chinese while others believe they might have acquired it from China a little later so the dates of when India first started to use any forms of massage range from around 3000BC to between 1.800-500BC. Massage in India is referred to in ancient Hindu books such as Ayurveda (Art of Life) which was written around 1800BC. It describes how movements such as shampooing and rubbing were used to relieve tiredness, increase energy levels and improve general health. Francesca Gould in Body Massage for Holistic Therapists (2004). After this stage in history the next step in the time line is around 2000BC when the Greeks and Romans first started to use massage in the early foundations of their civilisations. The ancient Greeks used the knowledge from the Egyptians massage techniques, and it was given to the athletes, women and soldiers as described in History of Massage, Therapies Rules. The Greeks wrote many books on massage including some written by Homer, Aesculapius, Herodotus and Hippocrates who was the Father of Medicine. It was the Greeks who used to rub up the body towards the heart to help the venous and lymph in that direction, they also used this technique to move sickness towards the centre of the body to where is can be expelled with the waste materials. The Romans however used massage as more of an indulgence than as a medical therapy; it was saved for those who could pay for it. The Romans received massage from the Greeks and enjoyed bathing before a full body massage and it was said that even Julius Caesar was pinched every day. The Roman gladiators were vigorously massaged before fights to make sure their muscles where warmed up and supple. Galen was the main figure in Rome for massage but he was actually Greek, according to A Whirlwind Tour through the History of Massage he lived from 130AD to 201AD and he acquired his knowledge of anatomy and physiology through working with the gladiators. Massage then was used as an alternative for exercise to help relive their excessive eating and drinking. Massage was used throughout the different tribes in North America before the Europeans arrived, some tribes would massage/rub down their warriors before and after battle or rub ointments into ailing joints or muscles. Massage has also been seen through a variety of different countries through history including those such as Persia, Kurdistan, Thailand, Tibet, Indonesia and Hawaii. The most recent history of massage can be seen is western civilisation. The earliest record was written by Ambroise Pare (1510-1590) but he was ridiculed for his publication. However by the time Henrik Ling (1776-1839) became the father of modern western massage it had become less of a ridicule. As the History of Massage, Therapies rules tell us Henrik Ling once put. We ought not to consider the organs of the body as the lifeless forms of a mechanical mass, he wrote, but as the living, active instruments of the soul. And through this he finally developed the system known as Swedish massage. Massage has now moved back towards the old holistic attributes instead of the physiological attributes so we are back to seeing massage in the same way as the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Greeks once saw the therapy. As reported by The Massage Bible, during the first World War injured soldiers were treated with massage, while the Californian bodywork movement in the 1960s combined massage with personal growth. There are many different kinds of massage practiced today all over the world and many of them can be received by almost anyone unless they have a specific reason that it cannot be preformed. There are a few different people who have been in the forefront of massage in modern history and those are Cornelius E. Who is the Father of massage in the USA, David Palmer, the Father of chair massage, Dr Tiffany Fields, the Mother of massage research and Jack Meagher the Father of sports massage. In figure I. In the appendices is a time line of the history of massage along with the cre ation and history of other therapies this has been take from the eBook History of Massage, Therapies Rules. Massage Principles and Holistic Experience: To decide if massage is a holistic therapy first of all we need to know what holistic means and according to thefreedictionary.com Holistic means Concerned with wholes rather than analysis or separation into parts. And with this definition we shall determine whether or not massage is a holistic experience. A massage whether it is a Swedish, Shiatsu or any other form of massage moves across the whole surface of the skin missing only a few vital places which are left for either health and safety reasons or due to the intimacy of the area. Most massages that even just incorporate one certain area such as an Indian head massage or even reflexology they all use different points of that area to correspond with different areas or energies upon the body. With different energies running throughout in specific channels which move around the entire body, when a massage is preformed to the whole body or even just a small portion of the body such as the hands, feet or head all the energies are involved which in turn incorporates the body as a whole. With this in mind a massage can be believed to be Holistic as this matches with the definition of holistic in taking the body as a whole instead of a separation of its individual parts. There is only one reason as to not treat a certain part of the body and that is due to a contra-indication such as pregnancy where you would not touch or massage the abdominal area or is say someone had a fungal infection upon their feet you would not massage their feet and would move onto the next step of the massage itself. These contra-indications could be on a temporary basis or they could be permanent and therefore this client would not be able to receive a treatment. There are some contra-indications such as cancer, epilepsy and a few others which would need a doctors approval before a treatment could be carried out upon the client for insurance reasons. For example for epilepsy if you do not know the trigger for a seizure and you had not received a doctors approval for the treatment and the client unfortunately had a seizure upon your table then the client might decide to sue the practitioner for causing this, this is why doctors approval is sought. Due to the Health and Safety at work act 1974 all employers and employees must maintain a high standard of health and safety in the work place as described in F. Goulds Body Massage for Holistic Therapists. Employers are responsible for the health and safety of anyone who enters their premises. If an employer has more than five employees, the work place must have a health and safety policy, of which all staff must be aware. There are many different procedures in the work place that all employees must adhere to such as the first aid and fire procedures, all employees should know where the first aid kits and fire extinguishers/ exits are located within the building for the safely of themselves and the clients, It is advisable however, that all practitioners are first aid qualified themselves in the event of an emergency. From the clients point of view the practitioner should know these things as well as have a basic understanding of personal hygiene in the sense of washing their hands properly, being of a clean and presentable appearance and be dressed appropriately for the treatment. This is due to the intimate nature of the massage with the close skin to skin contact as strong smelling perfumes or strong body odour can be very unpleasant for the client. A general knowledge of health and safety is beneficial for the example to clean up spillages as and when they happen as to avoid trips, slips and falls of either the client or yourself. A good general idea of protecting your equipment is ideal as oils and creams can become a hazard if left un-cleaned from the treatment table as this could cause a slip or the degrading of your equipment such as the vinyl of the table tops. For insurance purposes the practitioner must ensure that they do not perform a massage while they are unwell or when the client is contagious due to the spread of infection and should always wear gloves if they have any open areas upon their hands. This is for their own protection and that of the client as to not pass anything between them or onto any other client from the previous client. However it is also important to know if the client is well enough to receive the treatment, for this the practitioner must refer to the contraindication lists to see whether or not the client is acceptable to treat. The client should also be aware that at any point the practitioner is legally allowed to refuse treatment for withholding information or for unacceptable behaviour. The practitioner must also get the permission off the client at all times before a treatment if they can touch the client themselves, and they must ensure the client understands this and what is going to happen during the tr eatment for insurance purposes for the protection of both the client and practitioner. Personal safety for the practitioner is also important; these include the correct posture and the compression of the wrists. If either of these are incorrect then the practitioner later in their career could cause themselves more pain due to repetitive strain on the joints and could cause more damage if continued. To help prevent this the right table height should be selected for the practitioner as well as the correct foot wear to help with posture, also the right hand movements should be followed to help prevent the compression of the wrists. The most important piece of safety a practitioner should adhere to is their own safety when working with a client on their own such as a residential call or even in their own rooms at their treatment centre. If doing a residential call then the practitioner should only really perform these on clients that already know, they have a personal phone number for and they should always make sure someone knows where they are at which times and check i n after the appointment with either a family member or work colleague to show they are safe. If they get a new client after a residential call they should always follow the rules of asking for the residential phone number and insist upon phoning the day before the treatment to see if they still wish to receive the treatment. Making the treatment of a client a positive experience is one of the most important parts of making a massage holistic, the practitioner should look after their clients making sure they are comfortable with what is going on whether they are new or long term clients. To be a massage practitioner you should have excellent customer service skills, client care should be the most important thing to remember and should always be used every day with every client, the client should believe that the practitioner cares. The practitioner should always consult with the client and devise a treatment plan to suite the clients and stick to this plan unless anything changes in the circumstances with the client as well as receiving permission from the client for the practitioner to touch them during the treatment. During the treatment the discussion should be at a comfortable level for the client but also low enough for the client to relax and enjoy the treatment. After care should always be adhered to and offered to the client with a small encouragement of lifestyle changes if needed for the clients needs. Effects of Massage including the Physiological and psychological effects upon the client: Massage even though it is a holistic experience has been seen to have an effect of other areas of the human body and not just as a way to relax; a massage has been seen to show that it has both physiological and psychological effect upon the clients. Physiological effects are those which are shown upon the body itself and its function whereas psychological effects are those which manifest themselves in the mind and the emotions of the client. There are many different outcomes which could manifest for both on the anatomy and the body systems. In two different clinical trials that have been preformed independently of each other there is a show of the two different effects received after a massage treatment, one for the Physiological effects and one for the psychological effects. In the first trial the objective was to see if the early intervention with massage in children with Down syndrome would help with the motor skills and muscle tone. So parents with children suffering from Down syndrome where asked to attend one of two early intervention classes, one class was a body massage session and the other a reading session after a base line had been assessed upon their severity of the syndrome, some children were not used if sever mobility where involved or they had emotional problems as this might interfere with the trial. Twelve of the children were assigned to the massage sessions and eleven to the control reading session, so in overall there where twenty one children involved in this trial. Each session was scheduled for the same times each week and specific times of the day for both classes, and each session was on an individual basis, the sessions lasted for half an hour each, twice a week for two months, while the reading session was conducted the same way with the therapist holding the child while reading for the half an hour. This was the treatment that the children received in the following sequence: The 30-minute massage therapy session started with the child lying on a small mat on the floor. The therapist conducted the following sequence three times with the child in a supine position: Legs and feet-(a) while forming hands like a letter C and wrapping the fingers around the childs leg, long, milking and twisting strokes from the thigh to the ankles; (b) massaging foot by gliding thumbs across bottom of foot followed by squeezing and tugging each toe; (c) massaging across top of foot by gliding thumbs from ankle to toes; (d) flexing and extending the foot; (e) massaging from ankle to foot and back to ankle; (f) stroking from the ankle up towards the thigh; and (g) back and forth rolling movements (as if making a rope from dough) from the ankle to the thigh. Stomach-(a) slow, circular, rubbing movements to stomach area with one hand; (b) using the palms, hand over hand down the stomach in a paddlewheel fashion; (c) starting with thumbs together at the umbilicus, stroking horizontally to sides of body and then twice above and twice below the umbilicus; (d) using fingertips and starting below the umbilicus on the childs right side, small circular upward movements until even with the umbilicus, then continuing across to the left side, and then down on the left side to below the umbilicus; (e) with one hand following the other, short upward stroking from right side below the umbilicus, then Massage and Down syndrome 401 across the umbilicus to the left side of the body, and then down on the left side to below the umbilicus; and (f) cupping or holding sides of knees, bending both knees simultaneously towards the stomach and holding for three to five seconds. Chest-(a) with palms of hands on childs sternum, stroking outward across chest; (b) starting at sternum, stroking upwards and over tops of shoulders and down the sides of the ribs; and (c) starting at the right thigh, stroking diagonally through the chest to the opposite shoulder and back down to the same thigh; repeat starting at the left thigh; Arms and hands-same as legs and feet (i.e. replace legs with arms and feet with hands). Face-(a) making small circles to entire scalp (as if shampooing hair); (b) with flats of thumbs together on midline of forehead, stroking outward towards the temples; (c) stroking gently over the eyes and brows; (d) starting at the bridge of the nose, stroking across the cheekbones to the ears; and (e) making circular movements under the chin, around the jaw line, around the ears, to the back of the neck and the rest of the scalp. The following sequences were done after placing the children on their stomach (in a prone position). Back-applying oil to the hands: (a) starting at the top of the spine, alternating hand strokes across the back working down towards the tail bone (never pressing the spine) and reaching over to include the sides; (b) hand over hand movements from upper back to hips with flats of hands and then continuing to feet; (c) using circular motion with fingertips, from neck to hips stroking over the long muscles next to the spine and retracing on the other side of the spine; (d) making circular strokes with the palm of the hand to rub the tops of the shoulders; and (e) ending with long gliding strokes from the neck to the feet. As was described in the journal Children with Down syndrome improved in motor functioning and muscle tone following massage therapy (2006). The trial was held at the childrens early intervention pre-school centres, while the test was run by the university of Miami school of medicine. The results of this trial show that there was a greater gain for the results of the children who where massaged in their sessions than to those who where read too. The improvements were shown in the gross motor skills and fine motor skills development of the children as well as a marginal effect in their language development. This then showed that through the early intervention with massage it could help children with Down syndrome enhance their motor development at a faster rate than if they were left to mature in their own way. These results help to show that massage can have a physiological effect upon the body in helping to produce and enhance muscle tone. However, there is the argument that another control group could have been added into the trial to help show whether this is successful or not is a control group that uses light stokes instead of a pressure massage to help with the ethical problems of withholding the intervention from those in the reading session. This was all shown in the clinical trial journal of Children with Down syndrome improved in motor functioning and muscle tone following massage therapy (2006) which is located in the appendices. The second trial is to determine whether or not massage can have a psychological effect on the client and for this the trial was preformed for the Association of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology Nurses (2009). The aim of this trial was to reduce symptoms of children with cancer and to reduce the anxiety of their parents. Children with cancer, ages 1 to 18 years, received at least 2 identical cycles of Chemotherapy, and one parent, participated in the 2- period crossover design in which 4 weekly massage sessions alternated with 4 weekly quiet-time control Sessions. As described in the article Massage Therapy for Children with Cancer (2009). To determine if the massage was helping to relieve the psychological symptoms of anxiety in the parents and the symptoms of the children while the trial was progressing they measured everyones heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure, and salivary cortisol level as well as their pain, nausea, anxiety, and fatigue levels. According to the results of this trial the massage was more effective in reducing heart rate than quiet time in the children, the anxiety in the children aged fourteen and older and the anxiety in the adults. The clients all commented upon how the massage rather than the quiet time helped with their anxiety and helped them feel better. So due to their result it is feasible to massage children with cancer and their parents to help relieve their anxiety. Therefore this result helps to show that massage to the body can have a psychological effect upon the client in this sense it has reduced the anxiety of the both the children and the parents although in the younger babies the results did vary a little more than the other ages, but the results of the older children and the adults help to prove that just a massage on its own can have a psychological effect upon the human body. The trial that this assessment was based upon is located in the appendices as clinical trial 2. So both of these trials show that massage can had a successful outcome on the physiological and psychological effects portrayed on the body, they both proved that through a short massage the body can manifest its effects through muscle tone or motor function progression as well as to reduce anxiety in both children and adults. Neither of these two trials have a negative out come and therefore both are a success but there shall be a few trials where massage has not appeared to be successful at all or shows that it is a little less successful than anticipated, these however are normal and show both sides to an ongoing argument about whether massage is actually good for the body, mind and spirit on a whole or if it just theoretically works on the body.

Rising Above a Corrupt World in Voltaires Candide Essay -- Candide Vo

Rising Above a Corrupt World in Voltaire's Candide      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Society can be, and is, corrupt in many different ways. Within our lives we are subject, but not limited to, corruptions within religion, corruptions of morals, and corruption within the government. Voltaire, the author of Candide, uses a naà ¯ve protagonist to illustrate his view of the world. Candide, surrounded by a corrupt society, and bombarded by various character defining events, is able to come to a higher understanding as to his philosophy of life.    Candide, by Voltaire, is a story about an optimistic young man who encounters various misfortunes on his search for an ideal world. Having unfortunately been kicked out of his home for the love of Lady Cunegonde, Candide suffers through many natural and unnatural catastrophes during his travels. However, holding on to his claim that all is for the best, Candide travels the world abroad with a totally naà ¯ve attitude. Constantly being reunited with many of his peers, Candide suffers the cruelty of the Bulgar army, a tempest, a shipwreck, an earthquake, and an auto da fe'.    Candide's optimism, stemming from his tutor Dr. Pangloss, keeps him totally determined to find his lost love, Lady Cunegonde, and an ideal world. However, Voltaire takes Candide around the world to discover that, contrary to the teachings of his distinguished tutor Dr. Pangloss, all is not always for the best.    In Candide, Voltaire uses general criticisms paired with specific examples to illustrate his idea concerning the contemporary corruption of the time. It is a "grinning critique of the 18th century's excesses and cruelties" (Kanfer 1). With Candide, Voltaire tried to show the world just how unjust and cruel it was.... ...we in fact free ourselves from the constraints of "the game". It is in this choice, and freedom associated with it, that enables us (Candide, Lady Cunegonde, etc...) to live the rest of our lives content and fulfilled.    Works Cited Beck, Ervin. "Voltaire's Candide." Explicator 57 (Summer99). Ebsco Academic Search Elite. 10 Oct. 2000. Bell, Ian A. "Candide: Overview." Reference Guide to World Literature 2nd ed. (1995). 5 Nov. 2001 Kanfer, Stefan. "Barnum meets Voltaire." New Leader 80 (1997). Ebsco Academic Search Elite. 10 Oct. 2000. Mason, Hayden. "Voltaire: Overview." Reference Guide to World Literature 2nd ed. (1995). 5 Nov. 2001 Voltaire. Candide. 1759. Ed. Stanley Appelbaum. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1991. Wade, Ira O. "Voltaire's Quarrel with Science." Bucknell Review VIII.4 (1959): 287?298. 5 Nov. 2001

Essay --

I am going into event planning, in the sector of the hospitality industry. Event planning industry is on the rise and is not glued to one specific genre, hence, there are several to choose from. Event planning is needed for all sorts of occasions such as, birthday parties, weddings, fundraisers, product launches, concerts, anniversaries, fashion shows, conferences, graduations, business meetings, and much more! It is an industry that will never stop growing and improving. Specifically, an event planner job includes working with clients, creating a positive self-image, networking with clients, and personal and financial gain. The job of an event planner is much more than hanging up streamers, laying table clothes down and checking the quality of the lights. Event planning requires tedious work and strenuous planning. Also called meeting and convention planners, they do everything involved with making sure these events go as anticipated. This includes, working with the client to choose a fabulous and affordable location, hiring quality caterers, selecting perfect entertainment, and even arranging lodging and transportation for attendees who are visiting from afar (McKay). The goal of an event planner is to make sure the event runs very much as anticipated, which includes multiple plans to combat what-if scenario, because no event will ever run exactly as planned. Event planning is a very personally rewarding career. Not only is it personally rewarding, but it also offers benefits such as gaining public recognition, and financial rewards. Besides that, event planning offers the individual flexibility, and independence (being able to start your own event planning business). Even though this job seems ideally easy and person... ...one’s business, but should also be included with the basic necessities like business cards and portfolios. From business conferences to weddings, there are events going on all around us, and where there are events there are event planners constructing it, putting it all together, while making everything run effectively. Event planning is always unpredictable and you need to be always ready for any problematic situation that may occur. When starting out there is a great chance that problems will occur that one will not prepared to face, but this is all a part of the improvement process. These situations should be looked at as a learning experience and should give you some ideas of how to improve one’s event planning skills and one’s own business. Because of all the hospitality, craziness, and personal gratification, I have chosen to become an event planner.

The Dynamics of U.S. “Indian Policy”: 1830-Today :: Essays Papers

The Dynamics of U.S. â€Å"Indian Policy†: 1830-Today U.S. Indian Policy after 1830 is characterized by the strengthening of governmental paternalism primarily demonstrated by U.S. ideals of expansion and prosperity, and is only checked within the explosive political era of the American Indian movement. As a national ideology that still endures in some states to this day, paternalism assumes that native peoples are uncivilized, backward, and in need of foreign leadership and guidance. Often termed ‘cultural imperialism’, this system is inherent to promoting the economic development of a nation state despite the rights and existence of native peoples. As several paternalistic acts of the late 1800s demonstrate, the U.S. government actively sought to destroy traditional Indian values and life styles in favor of more ‘competent’, European systems of society and economic development. However, in the last 50 years, radical Indian opposition and growing political awareness has transformed U.S. Indian Policy a more eq uitable relationship between veritable governments. Today, U.S. Indian policy must account for Indian rights and sovereignty over their own lands, and maintains a growing record of Indian victories in the struggle for justice and racial equality. The purported ideology of the Removal period, as championed by Jackson and his contemporaries, was the salvation of Indian culture and lifestyle. Indeed, under the approval of the newly formed Bureau of Indian Affairs, aptly subservient to the U.S. Dept. of War, removal was advocated for the recovery of Indian heritage in the face of white culture and demands. Yet the Removal period was not the end all be all of U.S. dominance over Indian land and culture. Rather, this tearful time was merely a government tool used to further break up traditional tribal bonds and sow discord between families through co-optation and favoritism to half-whites. This underlying national intention was revealed in the 1840s period of expansion following the Removals of the 1830s. In subsequent decades, U.S. Indian relations were a product of governmental needs for stability and peace, in the midst of war and organization of this new country. Western expansion saw the conquest of the Sioux in the â€Å"fev er† for California and Oregon, and more guns and cattle poured into the west. With the Election of Polk in 1844 and his victory in the Spanish American War of 1848, the South West became US land. While the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 established more territory for Indian life and preservation, and more land was granted both in Kansas and Nebraska, U.

Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 3

one for, lost, a goner. Blaise had chosen him, and it was only a matter of how she was going to play him. A parade of names marched through Thea's mind. Randy Marik. Jake Batista. Kristoffer Milton. Troy Sullivan. Daniel Xiong. And now: Brie Ross. But Eric was talking, sounding animated. â€Å"Your cousin? Is she that other new girl? Thea?† â€Å"Yes. Now-â€Å" â€Å"Look, do you know where she is? I really want to talk to her.† The hazy look descended again, and Eric stared into the distance. â€Å"She's just†¦ I've never met anybody like her†¦.† Blaise let go of the notebook and stared. From her hiding place, Thea stared, too. It had never happened before. This guy didn't even seem to see Blaise. That was strange enough. But by the Blue Monkey-headed Goddess of Inquisitiveness, what Thea really wanted to know was why she herself felt so relieved by it. A bell rang. Blaise was still standing there flabbergasted. Eric stuffed the notebook in his backpack. â€Å"Could you just let her know I asked about her?† â€Å"She doesn't care if you asked about her!† Blaise snapped, voice no longer honeyed. â€Å"She said very explicitly that she never wanted to see you again. And I'd watch out if I were you. Because she has a temper.† The last word was uttered in rising tones. Eric looked slightly alarmed-and crestfallen. Thea saw his throat move as he swallowed. Then, without saying good-bye to Blaise, he turned and walked out the far side of the corridor. Well by the Red Crow-headed Thunderbolt Goddess. Blaise turned around and stalked up the corridor in Thea's direction. Thea didn't even try to hide. â€Å"So you saw all that. Well I hope you're happy,† Blaise said waspishly. Thea wasn't. She was confused. Strangely agitated-and scared, because the Cup of Death was still floating before her eyes. â€Å"I guess we should both just leave him alone/' she said. â€Å"Are you kidding? I'm going to have him,† Blaise said. â€Å"He's mine. Unless,† she added, eyes glittering, â€Å"you've already staked a claim.† Thea floundered, shocked. â€Å"I†¦ well no†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Then he's mine. I like a challenge.† Blaise ran a hand through her hair, disordering the black waves. â€Å"Isn't it nice that Gran has so many love charms in the shop,† she mused. â€Å"Blaise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea had a hard time collecting her thoughts. â€Å"Don't you remember what Gran said? If there's any more trouble†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"There isn't going to be any trouble for us,† Blaise said, her voice flat and positive. â€Å"Only for him.† Thea walked to her next class feeling oddly empty. Ignore it, she thought. There's nothing you can do. She didn't see many Night People along the way to class. A young kid, probably a freshman, who looked like a shapeshifter; a teacher who had the hunting light of the lamia-the born vampires-in his eyes. No made vampires, no werewolves. No other witches. Of course, she couldn't be certain. All the people of the Night World were masters of secrecy, of blending in, of passing unseen. They had to be. It was what allowed them to survive in a world where there were so many more humans†¦ and where humans loved to kill anything different. But when she was sitting in the world literature classroom, Thea noticed a girl in the next row. The girl was small-boned and pretty, with thick eyelashes and hair as black and soft as soot. She had a heart-shaped face-and dimples. But what caught Thea's eye was the girl's hand, which was playing with a pin on the girl's blue-and-white-striped vest. A pin in the shape of a black flower. A dahlia. Thea immediately turned to a blank page in her notebook. While the teacher read a passage from the story Rashomon, Thea began drawing a black dahlia, tracing it over and over until it was large enough for the girl to see distinctly. When she raised her head, she saw the girl was looking at her. The girl's lashes swept down as she looked at the drawing, then up again. She smiled at Thea and nodded slightly. Thea smiled and nodded back. After class, without any need to discuss it, Thea followed the girl to the front of the school. The girl looked around to make sure no one was in earshot, then turned to Thea with something like resigned wistfulness. â€Å"Circle Midnight?† she said. Thea shook her head. â€Å"Circle Twilight. Aren't you?† The girl's face lit up with shy delight. Her eyes were dark and velvety. â€Å"Yes!† she said and rushed on, â€Å"But there are only two more of us-two seniors, I mean-and they're both Circle Midnight, and I was afraid to hope!† She thrust out her hand, dimpling. â€Å"I'm Dani Abforth.† Thea felt her heart lighten. The girl's laughter was infectious. â€Å"Thea Harman. Unity.† It was the age-old greeting of the witches, the symbol of their harmony, their oneness. â€Å"Unity,† Dani murmured. Then her eyes widened. â€Å"Harman? You're a Hearth-Woman? A daughter of Hellewise? Really?† Thea laughed. â€Å"We're all daughters of Hellewise.† â€Å"Yes, but-you know what I mean. You're a direct descendent. I'm honored.† â€Å"Well, I'm honored, too. Abforth is ‘All-bringing-forth,' isn't it? That's a pretty impressive line itself.† Dani was still looking awed, so Thea said quickly, â€Å"My cousin's here, too-Blaise Harman. We're both new-but you must be, too. I've never seen you around Vegas before.† â€Å"We moved in last month, just in time to start school,† Dani said. Her brow puckered. â€Å"But it you're new, what do you mean you haven't seen me around?† Thea sighed. â€Å"Well, it's kind of complicated†¦.† A bell rang. Both she and Dani looked at the school building in frustration, then at each other. â€Å"Meet me here at lunch?† Dani asked. Thea nodded, asked which way her French class was, and then flew off toward the other side of the building. She sat through her next two classes trying to actually listen to the teachers. She didn't know what else to do. She had to concentrate to keep the image of gray-flecked green eyes out of her mind. At lunch, she found Dani sitting on the steps out front. Thea settled beside her and opened a bottle of Evian water and a chocolate yogurt she'd bought at the snack bar. â€Å"You were going to explain how you know Vegas,† Dani said. She spoke softly because there were kids everywhere in the front courtyard, sprawled in the sun with paper bags. Thea eyed a row of sago palms and felt herself sighing again. â€Å"Blaise and I-our mothers died when we were born. They were twin sisters. And then both our dads died. So we grew up sort of moving around from relative to relative. We usually spend the summers with Grandma Harman, and we live with somebody else during the school year. But these last couple of years†¦ well, we've been in five high schools since we were sophomores.† â€Å"Five?† â€Å"Five. I think five. Isis knows, it could be six.† â€Å"But why?† â€Å"We keep getting expelled,† Thea said succinctly. â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"It's Blaise's fault,† Thea said. She was mad at Blaise. â€Å"She does-things-to boys. Human boys. And somehow it always ends up getting us kicked out of school. Both of us, because I'm always too stupid to tell them she's the one responsible.† â€Å"Not stupid, I bet. Loyal,† Dani said warmly, and put her hand on Thea's. Thea squeezed it, taking some comfort in the sympathy. â€Å"Anyway, this year we were in New Hampshire living with our Uncle Galen-and Blaise did it again. To the captain of the football team. His name was Randy Marik†¦.† When Thea stopped, Dani said, â€Å"What happened to him?† â€Å"He burned the school down for her.† Dani made a sound halfway between a snort and a giggle. Then she straightened out her face quickly. â€Å"Sorry, not funny. For her?† Thea leaned against the wrought-iron stair railing. â€Å"That's what Blaise likes,† she said bleakly. â€Å"Having power over guys, messing with their minds. Getting them to do things they would never ordinarily do. To prove their love, you know. But the thing is, she's never satisfied until they're completely destroyed†¦.† She shook her head. â€Å"You should have seen Randy at the end. He'd lost his mind. I don't think he'll ever get it back.† Dani wasn't smiling anymore. â€Å"Power like that†¦ she sounds like Aphrodite,† she said softly. And that's right, Thea thought. Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love who could turn passion into a weapon that brought the whole world to its knees. â€Å"Remind me sometime to tell you what she's done to the other guys she's played. In a way. Randy was lucky†¦.† Thea took a breath. â€Å"So, anyway, we got shipped back here to Grandma Harman because there weren't any other relatives willing to take us. They figured if Gran couldn't straighten us up, nobody could.† â€Å"But that must be wonderful,† Dani said. â€Å"I mean, living with the Crone. Part of the reason my mom moved us here was that she wanted to study with your grandmother.† Thea nodded. â€Å"Yeah, people come from all over to take her classes, or to buy her amulets and things. She's not always easy to live with, though,† Thea added wryly. â€Å"She goes through a couple of apprentices a year.† â€Å"So is she going to straighten Blaise up?† â€Å"I don't think anybody can. What Blaise does-it's just her nature, the way it's a cat's nature to play with mice. And if we get in trouble again, Gran says she's going to send us to our aunt Ursula at the Connecticut enclave.† â€Å"The Convent?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"Then you'd better stay out of trouble.† â€Å"I know. Dani, what's this school like? I mean, is it the kind of place where Blaise can keep out of trouble?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dani looked dismayed. â€Å"Well-I told you before, there's only two other witches in our class, and they're both Circle Midnight. Maybe you know them†¦ Vivienne Morrigan and Selene Lucna?† Thea's heart sank. Vivienne and Selene-she'd seen them going to summer Circles, wearing the darkest robes of any of the Circle Midnight girls. The two of them plus Blaise would make†¦ well, a lethal combination. â€Å"Maybe if you explain to them how important it is, they might help you keep Blaise under control,† Dani said. â€Å"You want to go talk to them now? They'll be on the patio by the cafeteria-I usually eat with them there.† â€Å"Um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea hesitated. Talking to those two- well, she doubted it would help. But on the other hand, she didn't have a better idea. â€Å"Why not?† On the way to the cafeteria, she saw something that made her stop dead. Taped to the stucco wall was a giant piece of butcher paper, painted orange and black at the margins. In the center was a grotesque figure: an old woman with a black dress, disheveled white hair, and a wart-covered, haglike face. She was straddling a broom and wearing a pointy hat. Lettering under the picture said coming OCTOBER 31 †¦ THE ULTIMATE HALLOWEEN PARTY. Hands on hips, Thea said, â€Å"When will they learn that witches never wore pointy hats?† Dani snorted, her heart-shaped face surprisingly dangerous. â€Å"You know, maybe your cousin has the right idea after all.† Thea looked at her, startled. â€Å"Well, they are an inferior species. You have to admit that. And maybe it sounds prejudiced, but then they're so prejudiced themselves.† She leaned closer to Thea. â€Å"You know, they even have prejudices against skin.† She held out her arm. Thea looked at the flawless skin, which was a deep, clear brown. â€Å"They'd think we were two different races,† Dani said, pressing her arm against Thea's tan one. â€Å"And that maybe one was better than the other one.† Thea couldn't deny it. All she could say, feebly, was, â€Å"Well, two wrongs don't make a right†¦.† â€Å"But three lefts do!† Dani burst out, finishing the old witch carol. Then she dissolved into laughter and led Thea to the patio. â€Å"Let's see, they should be over there†¦. Oh. Oops.† Oops, Thea thought. Vivienne and Selene were at a secluded table on the far side. Blaise was with them. â€Å"I should have known she'd find them first thing,† Thea muttered. From the way the three girls had their heads together, it looked as if trouble were brewing already. As Thea and Dani approached the table, Blaise looked up. â€Å"Where've you been?† she said, waving a finger reproachfully. â€Å"I've been waiting to introduce you.† Everybody said hello. Then Thea sat down and studied the other two girls. Vivienne had fox-red hair and looked tall even sitting down. Her face was animated; she seemed sparkling with energy. Selene was a platinum blond with sleepy blue eyes. She was smaller, and moved with languid grace. Now, how do I politely say, â€Å"Please help me suppress my cousin?† Thea wondered. She could already tell it wouldn't be much use. Viv and Selene seemed to be under Blaise's spell already-they turned to her every other second as if checking for approval. Even Dani was watching Blaise with something like fascinated awe. Blaise had that effect on people. â€Å"So we were just talking about guys,† Selene said, twirling a straw languorously in her bottle of Snapple iced tea. Thea's heart plummeted. â€Å"Toyboys,† Vivienne clarified in a lovely melodious voice. Thea felt the beginnings of a bad headache. No wonder Blaise is smirking, she thought. These girls are just like her. She'd seen it at other schools: young witches who seemed to flirt with breaking Night World law by flaunting inhuman power over boys. â€Å"Aren't there any of our kind of guys here?† Thea asked, as a last hope. Vivienne rolled her eyes. â€Å"One sophomore. Alaric Breedlove, Circle Twilight. That's it. This place is a desert-no pun intended.† Thea wasn't really surprised. There were always more witch girls than guys-and nobody seemed to know why. More girls got born, more survived to grow up. And in some places the ratio was particularly unbalanced. â€Å"So we just have to make do,† Selene drawled. â€Å"But that can be fun sometimes. Homecoming dance is this Saturday, and I've got my boy all picked out.† â€Å"So,† Blaise said, â€Å"have I.† She glanced at Thea significantly. And there it was. Thea felt her throat close. â€Å"Eric Ross,† Blaise said, savoring the words. â€Å"And Viv and Sel have told me allll about him.† â€Å"Eric?† Dani said. â€Å"He's the basketball star, isn't he?† â€Å"And the baseball star,† Vivienne said in her beautiful voice. â€Å"And the tennis star. And he's smart-he takes honors courses and works at the animal hospital, too. He's studying to get into U.C. Davis. To be a vet, you know.† So that's why he cared about the snake, Thea thought. And why he's got flatworms in his notebook. â€Å"And he's so cute,† Selene murmured. â€Å"He's so shy with girls-he can hardly talk around them. None of us have gotten anywhere with him.† â€Å"That's because you used the wrong methods,† Blaise said, and her eyes were very smoky. Thea's insides seemed hollow and there was a circlet of pain around her head. She did the only thing she could think of. â€Å"Blaise,† she said. She looked her cousin directly in the face, making an open appeal. â€Å"Blaise, listen. I hardly ever ask anything of you, right? But now I'm asking something. I want you to leave Eric alone. Can you do that-for me? For the sake of Unity?† Blaise blinked slowly. She took a long drink of iced tea. â€Å"Why, Thea, you're getting all worked up.† â€Å"Ism not.† â€Å"I didn't know you cared.† â€Å"I don't. I mean-of course I don't care about him. But I'm worried about you, about all of us. I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea hadn't meant to say this, but she found the words spilling out anyway. â€Å"I think he might have some suspicions about us. This morning he told me that I seemed so different from other girls†¦.† She managed to stop herself before she mentioned that he'd guessed she had healed him. That would be incredibly dangerous, especially since she didn't know who Vivienne or Selene might blab to. Blaise's pupils were large. â€Å"You mean-you think he's a psychic?† â€Å"No, no.† She knew he wasn't a psychic. She'd been inside his mind, and he wasn't from any lost witch family. He didn't have any powers. He was as much a human as that snake had been a snake. â€Å"Well, then,† Blaise said. She chuckled, a rich, rippling sound. â€Å"He just thinks you're different-and that's hardly something to worry about. We want them to think we're different.† She didn't understand. And Thea couldn't explain. Not without getting herself into very hot water. â€Å"So, if you don't mind, we'll just consider my claim staked,† Blaise said courteously. â€Å"Now, let's see, what to do with the boys at the dance. First, I think we need to spill their blood.† â€Å"Spill what?† Dani said, sitting up. â€Å"Just a little blood,† Blaise told her absently. â€Å"It's going to be absolutely vital for some of the spells we'll want to do later.† â€Å"Well, good luck,† Dani said. â€Å"Humans don't like blood-they're going to run like bunnies from you after that.† Blaise regarded her with a half-smile. â€Å"I don't think so,† she said. â€Å"You don't understand this business yet. If it's done right, they don't run. They're scared; they're shocked; and they just keep coming back for more.† Dani looked shocked herself-and still fascinated. â€Å"But why do you want to hurt them?† â€Å"We're just doing what comes naturally,† Blaise purred. I don't care Thea thought, it's none of my business. She heard herself say, â€Å"No.† She was staring at a pile of squashed napkins in her hand. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Blaise's exasperated expression. The others might not know what Thea was saying no to, but Blaise always understood her cousin. â€Å"I asked you before if you wanted him,† Blaise said. â€Å"And you said you didn't. So now you're changing your mind? You're going to play him?† Thea stared at her wad of napkins. What could she say? I can't because I'm scared? I can't because something happened between him and me this morning and I don't know what it was? I can't because if I keep seeing him I have this feeling I might break the law, and I don't mean the one about never telling humans that we exist; I mean the other one, the one about never falling in love†¦. Don't be ridiculous. That sort of thing is out of the question, she told herself. All you want is to keep him from ending up like Randy Marik. And you can do that without getting involved. â€Å"I'm saying I want him,† she said out loud. â€Å"You're going to play him?† â€Å"I'm going to play him.† â€Å"Well.† Instead of snarling, Blaise laughed. â€Å"Well, congratulations. My little cousin is growing up at last.† â€Å"Oh, please.† Thea gave her a look. She and Blaise had been born on two different days-just barely. Blaise had been born one minute before midnight, and Thea one minute after. It was another reason they were so connected-but Thea hated it when Blaise acted older. Blaise just smiled, her gray eyes glinting. â€Å"And, look-there's lover boy right now,† she said, feigning elaborate surprise. Thea followed her nod and saw a figure with sandy hair and long legs at the other side of the patio. â€Å"What luck,† Blaise said. â€Å"Why don't you just walk over and ask him to the dance?†