Hockey Observation Report

Yesterday was the first time bought a ticket to watch a live game of junior hockey. I sat behind the net of Pets for two periods and watched the game. That's a great place to see if London boys are going to shoot the puck into the net or not, but also, it's hard to look at the left way of the rink to follow the game. It was a great time, and it is much better than watching on TV or internet. I can really fell the atmosphere at the stadium and enjoy the game. That was the game that people expected London Knights will get the ten-game winning streak, but London boys were lost before over 9,000 fans atBudweiser Gardens. Subculture Members Senior was the largest group of audiences in Budweiser Gardens. You probably could see them everywhere, and they also are one of biggest fans of London Knights. It's easy to recognize them by their outlooks, drinks they had (mostly were beer for men), clothes (they dressed London Knight Jerseys with old design, not the new one). They have huge knowledg e not only about Indo Knights hockey, but also about other subcultures of hockey: women hockey, NIL, Olympic hockey†¦ Junior and minor also are big parts of fans.They normally had a group of friends and watched the game together. They wore hoodoos or hockey jerseys with jeans and sneakers. You could hear them talk about the game and players that they adore not only London Knights but also other teams from NIL such as Toronto Maple Leaf, Detroit Red wings, Winnipeg Jets Young adults came to the game alone or with their friends. They drank beers, and their outlooks are different with: Jeans, shirts or T-shirts, caps†¦ Beside the topic about London hockey, they also talked about NIL, works, loves, lives†¦ Its not hard to define them with other groups.Families came to the game with their children. They talked to kids bout hockey, players, the rinks, the puck†¦ I believe that a passion Of a kid was developed by their parents, especially their fathers. Kids and then Wi ll become a big fan of hockey and could be a good player too. Beliefs and Values At the last two minutes, after the coach of London decided not to put the goalie on the rink to protect the net after they got the first shot, but another player, Petrography got the chance to shoot the third score in the net of team London. A lot of audiences felt angry and disappointed; they screamed loud.They stood up and left their seats to go home because they believed hat London would lose because no more chances for London to get 3 shots into the net of Petrography to win the game, and finally, Knights' boys were lost. When one player of Petrography had to get in the penalty box and London Knights had a good chance to score, all of audiences that Loon's fans started standing up and chanting: â€Å"Go, Knights go! Go Knights go! † to cheers for the boys because fans believed that London could get one shot for that big chance. They were absolutely right; London boys slapped grateful shot int o the net with all hard try.The scaffold was blow upped by those screams of London fans. Customs and Behaviors Before the game began, everyone stood up and Sang the song â€Å"O Canada†. Almost everybody just stood up and listened to children's choir sing the song, but the man who stood behind me sang it out loud. I could feel that Hess so proud of Canada and also respect to it and all other people. A fan sat right behind the net of Pets punched on the protected glass when London boys missed their shots so many times. He punched and screamed loud: â€Å"Shoot that puck into the net† to show his anger on the boys and the way they played.At the corners of the rink, players of both Pets and London usually push heir rivals into the bar to make them cannot move and get hurt. Therefore, players could create chances to get the puck or help their team mates get the puck to score or protect their goal. Loon's goalie normally went out a little too far from the goal and he stood more on the left of the net. That created chances for Pets boys to get two scores into Loon's net. Lineup is a normal thing but it shows people's behaviors. Audiences waited on the line to get into the arena and also to get out during the break time. People just usually line up to buy foods, tickets†¦ ND other things else, but inning up to go washroom and waiting for quite long time is really polite and culturally. It shows people's good ethics and behaviors. It's absolutely right to say that Canadians are very polite. A London boy broke his stick while he was trying to get the stick from a Pets boy. Then he decided not to care about the stick but moving follow Pets boy to hinder him pass the puck to his team mates. He also tried to get another stick from the other boys when he got a chance. My seat is not the best place to follow all over the rink because it's hard to see what's happening on the left corners at our seats.Teases why every time suck was passed to that place, peo ple normally tried to leaned and moves their body up a bit, so they could watch the game easily; therefore they would not miss if London boys score. Clapping your hands to make applause for your home team is normal thing, but when it's done for Loon's competitor- Pets is a different story. A man that is London Knights' fan, who sat beside my section made applause for Pets boys after they had hit London boys one shot. In my opinion, that was really great shot from the left side of the net, and it should be appreciated not only by Pets fans, but also other people that are not.Almost everyone stood up, clapped their hands, and screamed loud right after London boys got one shoot into Pets' net. That's the way people cheer up for their boys and show their excitations. They kept doing it for a while until the game started again. The referees normally did not move after they dropped the puck until boys get it or shot it far away from him. They do not want their movements affect to the puck ; therefore, players could easily to follow and throw or pass it to their team mates. Social Relationships Few parents came to watch their sons play on the game.They came to enjoy he game and cheer not only for their boys, but also the others too. Taking pictures could not be forgotten because they want to capture the moments that their sons were skating, playing and enjoyed the game. Couple groups of minor players' sibling socializing cam to watch the game of London Knights. They could enjoy watching their favorite sport, but also that could be an example for them to learn how to play, what can be happened, how they can solve problems†¦ They sat together, talked to each other, and commented about the game. A few couples of husband and wife came to watch the game as the way to relax on the weekend.They sat beside each other, shared foods and drinks†¦ During the second break, kiss cam moved around to catch people's kisses and ask people to make kisses. It was wrong for few times when it mixed up two couples and made people laughing. A group of Pets fans came to Budweiser Gardens to support their boys. They sat together and talked about both London and Pets, how they play, about London†¦ They were very happy when Pets beat London boys with ratio 3-1. Some journalists also were there to watch the game and also record about it for London local newspapers. Hind that they watch it more carefully than there people because that they have to write a report later to provide the information about the game for people who did not came to. Institutions and Organizations When got into the gate, saw few groups of minor hockey organization was selling 50-50 tickets for their upcoming game next week. If you buy a ticket at Budweiser Gardens that was sold by minor hockey organization, you just need to pay half of price (it was around 10 bucks), and a lot of people like junior, parents purchased couple tickets for themselves and their kids to enjoy the game while s upport for minor hockey organization.Aluminum Associates sold stuffs of London Knights team such as: hats, stickers, pucks, jerseys†¦ That are provided to Loon's fans. They get involve with Budweiser Gardens to sell things while supporting for London boys and also bring revenue to run the team. Banshee College sold ticket of the game for Banshee students with price that under regular price to bring students to the game. They work with Budweiser to get tickets for students with cheaper price. You probably could see a lot of Banshee students with their tickets that was purchased at Biz Booth. Material GoodsSince I got into the Budweiser Gardens, could see a lot of people wear Indo Knights' jerseys: kids, men, and women, senior†¦ Not only that, they also dressed Knights' hats and scarf. Everything made a wonderful picture of white, yellow and green. A lot of people ate pizza of Pizza Pizza while they were watching the game. During the brake time, the line of people waiting fo r pizza at Pizza Pizza store was as long as other stores'. Pepsi is favorite drink for kids during the game. They also grabbed few bags Of popcorn to get ready for the show. For adult men, they bought a cups or bottle of beer like BudLight or Budweiser with French fried from Harvey's or other brands. In the second breaking time, London Toyota Company showed audiences their two brand new cars for 2014. Everyone kept talking about it for a while until the game start the third period. After the breaks, two girls sat beside me came back with a bag of Lays' chip and a Harvey's' burger. I saw some women and kids wore yellow and green cheer gloves, the main colors of London Knights. There was a kid sat in front of me with a small hockey stick with London Knights' sticker on his hand since the game starts until the end. LanguageI probably have to say that the man sat beside me during the game is one of the craziest fans Of London Knights. He screamed out loud at the guy of Pets, who put a g uy of London team on the rink: â€Å"Shut the f*** up Devils! † He looked very serious and tried to protect the player of the team he likes. â€Å"Go, Knights go! Go, Knights go! † was chanted to cheer up the spirits of players by audiences (kids and seniors almost) when they have good chance to attack and score. The sound kept going around and around with the applause, the sound of the bell from a woman, and the vaguely trumpet.It made both audiences and players feel exciting and happy. Some other young guys from the section beside me got mad when the game almost finished. When London players shot the puck out of the net of Petrography, they screamed: â€Å"That net must have a big hole! † Fans got really angry because London boys missed too many chance to get the puck into the net. When the game almost finished, referees decided to put both players Of Petrography and London into the penalty box because they got fight. The Petrography player yelled at referee: ‘What the h***? Why do I need to go there? ND continued fighting with the boy of London. Both of them finally were eliminated out of the rink. The two boys sat at the 2 lines in front of me attracted me while the discussed about the game and players: â€Å"He should shoot it immediately when he was close to the net, not waiting for others†¦ † They talked about it with a wonderful passion, and they are in live with the game. Ill. Conclusion Attending the game was the great time to relax for the weekend and finish my reading week, but got a bit disappointed because London boys were defeated 3-1 by Petrography Pets.Anyway, enjoyed the game, mingled tit the crowd, and were a part of the game like other London Knights fans. It was a good chance for parents to bring the hockey passion to their kids while showing their passions also. Junior hockey in London is great subculture for everyone who loves Hockey. It is not only the key to help junior players to become a profess ional hockey player, but also, it is the game for people to show their loves to hockey and Loon's team. In addition, London is a door for kids to see that hockey is an important passion of their lives. You cannot have the felling how London fans get crazy until you are a part Of it.

Compare and contrast the poems ‘part one’ by Adrian Henri and the excerpts from William Wordsworth’s poem ‘the prelude’

Both William Wordsworth and Adrian Henri base their poems on childhood experiences, which were inspirational for their poems. Each has a nostalgic view of their childhood and idealise the past which were carefree and when they had no responsibilities. Liverpool was a formative influence for Adrian Henri's poem ‘part one' which is an account of his early life. Whereas William Wordsworth's inspiration for his poem came from where he grew up, The Lake District in Cumbria. He has become Britain's most famous poet of nature. For each poet childhood experiences were a happy time; however there were also traumatic and more disturbing memories, especially for Henri, which they had suppressed. The settings of both Adrian Henri and William Wordworth's poems are the exact antithesis of each other. Adrian Henri grew up in industrial city which is on the north-west coast of England. The reference to ‘the ferryboat' and ‘the seven bridges' indicates that Adrian Henri grew up in Liverpool, the river being the river Mersey. The mention of ‘the boats on the bright river' and ‘the cranes from the dockyard' evokes the sense that Liverpool is a city where shipbuilding is a major source of employment. The description of the ‘nasty smell from the tannery' emphasises the view that Liverpool is an industrial area which creates pollution and causes damage to the environment. The allusion to the ‘big shops at Christmas' reminds us that Liverpool is a sizeable city and very busy at Christmas time. Although Liverpool reached its prime during the heady 1960's and indeed the city did suffer economically during the 1980's. Liverpool is possibly most renowned as the home of the most successful pop band of all time-the Beatles, heralding the beginning of an era in which Liverpool was the capital of popular culture. William Wordsworth's poem ‘the Prelude' has a famous extract in which the poet is ice-skating on a frozen lake, Esthwaite water near Hawkshead. The setting of Wordsworth's poem is a pastural scene where there is mention of ‘cottage windows' and ‘the striking of the village clock' which gives the impression that he came from a rural background and he was bought up in the countryside. The reference to ‘precipes and crags' indicate that there are mountains nearby where he grew up. The extract from the poem is set in the winter season around January or February. There is reference to the ‘frosty season' and there is characterisation of the ‘leafless trees' and the ‘fires blazing through the twilight gloom' the poet also mentions that it is nearly dark at 6 o'clock. Adrian Henri lived in area where there were a wide range of back to back terraced houses. He grew up very much in a traditional working class background, but a proud one which looked after their home, the step was ‘cleaned twice a week' and a ‘polished lobby' they were a devoutly religious family. We get the impression that Adrian Henri was an only child, who was cared by his grandfather as his mum had to work. The poet seemed to have been closer to his grandfather rather than his mother. On returning home from shopping he would shout to his grandfather to show him what he had ‘just been bought' he also recalls his grandfather's moustache tickling him whilst his grandfather was kissing. To a young child the grandfather could have been intimidating with his ‘load voice'. However, this was not the case because of the ‘laughter in his country mans eyes' his bark was more harmful than his bite. He was fastidious over his appearance he wore ‘gleaming black boots' he was a man of habit ‘he never wore a collar but always a stud. ‘ He was a countryman at heart. He grew up in a rural and the agricultural environment. His experiences seem to reflect one of the key movements in the nineteenth century called rural depopulation. Once arriving to Liverpool Adrian's grandfather would try re-create the countryside by building on allotment, he had a connexion with nature Adrian Henri compares his grandfather to a ‘tall fir tree inn the park. ‘ Adrian Henri's uncle Bill was a burden and an embarrassment to the family in front of neighbours and other visitors. He smelt of ‘bear and horses' from this we can conjecture he used to spend most of his time in the pub and betting offices. He was a veteran of the First World War, because of the war he became disabled he was incapacitated and unemployed. Unfortunately William Wordsworth's parents had past away ‘cares not for his home' he does not have to worry about going home on time. The poet uses a simile to compare himself to an ‘un tired horse' to evoke his energy and enthusiasm to be out of doors. In the line ‘we hissed along the polished ice in games' the poet uses onomatopoeia to suggest the sounds the skates would make while moving over the ice. In the middle of the poem Wordsworth deliberately chooses to convey an impression of great sound or movement ‘rhythm', ‘tumult', not a voice was idle'. It is maniphastly clear that Wordsworth preferred spending time alone rather than being around people. We get the impression Adrian Henri had a reasonable happy childhood he has fond memories of relatives ad images of home characterized by bright colours. However when Henri returns to his hometown it was a dillusioning experience. He had hoped to find familiar landmarks but everything had changed. ‘The allotment at the foot of the hill had gone now', ‘great gaunt terraces scarred with graffiti. ‘ By revisiting Liverpool it had bought back unhappy memories which had been forgotten. Wordsworth preferred to be on his own and isolated from other people. At the time of the boat incident it was early evening Wordsworth was independent he was in an adventures spirit. Stealing the boat indicates his willingness to do forbid things. it was an act of stealth and ‘troubled pleasure' at first he enjoyed the experience and deliberately rowed for the ‘horizons utmost boundary'- to escape from where he started willingness to be alone ‘prode of skill' the simile ‘the boat moved through the lake like a graceful swan'. There is a change of mood and atmosphere when the huge mountain comes into view. Wordsworth had a childish imagination that the mountains were alive and like a giant striding after him. Wordsworth uses personification to suggest the mountain is not inamate object but has come alive. Wordsworth had the impression that the mountain was in pursuit of him. Wordsworth hastly returned the boat which indicates how frightened he was at the time. After this incident Wordsworth's mood changed significantly. ‘part one' by Adrian Henri was not actually thought out, the poem is written in an unstructured way with no logical sequence, there is no punctuation, virtually no capital letters apart fro m the names. It is written in a stream of consciousness with a series of disconnected thoughts, whereas Wordsworth's poem. ‘The prelude' is a long autobiographical poem. It is written on a specific childhood experience. Both poems are about childhood memories but clearly there are differences, the settings of both poems, the way the poems are written and the mood and atmosphere of both poems differ. The way that Liverpool had all changed, the place Henri grew changed entirely, everything he had remembered had changed or gone. Houses had been knocked down ‘ugly flats' the people who had lived there had also gone. Henri's Liverpool had dramatically changed into an environment he did not remember. The Lake District is a renowned area of England for its natural scenery beauty, thousands of people visit from England and all over the world. Wordsworth was the one who ‘made it popular. ‘ In my opinion I prefer ‘part one' by Adrian Henri because it does not focus on a specific memory. It is easier to understand as it is not as long as ‘the prelude' which is on specific memories.

Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Essay

There are times when life takes an unforeseen route, and one is faced with an obstacle or situation that was not expected. Many people are diagnosed with terminal diseases, have accidents and are left with severe impairments, and suffer horrendous complications from medical issues. One has the right, according to law, to make medical decisions about their care and treatment options. But should one have the right to end their life? Assisted, or voluntary euthanasia, is the direct administration of a lethal agent to end one’s life at the request of the patient (Tamayo-Velazquez, Simon-Lorda, & Cruz-Piqueras, 2012, p. 678). Should a person have to intolerably suffer for the duration of their disease or disability, or should they have the right to choose to end their life? Related Ethical Implications and Obligations Voluntary euthanasia naturally sparks the debate between â€Å"morality and legality† (Young, 2010). Ethical implications come with being faced with if assisted euthanasia is morally justified, or if respecting one’s right to make choices about their life, including end of life decisions, supersedes all other aspects of the subject. Nurses are an integral part in end of life care of patients, and often times are witness to those expressing the desire to die. Ethical dilemmas are currently high regarding end of life care in nursing, and would only grow more complicated and severe if assisted euthanasia became legal worldwide, as nurses would not only provide comfort measures, but rather be a part of ending life. Currently, assisted euthanasia is legal in three countries; the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Euthanasia is considered murder in every other place in the world. (â€Å"Assisted Suicide & Death with Dignity,† 2013). In the United States, there are currently three states, Oregon, Montana, and Washington, where Physician Assisted Suicide, or PAS, is legal. PAS is referred to as the â€Å"Death with Dignity Act â€Å"and permits doctors to prescribe a lethal  overdose to a patient who is expected to die within six months. This decision is totally dependent upon patient wishes, and physicians are not obligated to inform families, only to write the prescription (â€Å"Analysis of Assisted Suicide Initiative,† 2013). In any other state, assisted suicide is considered manslaughter and is punishable by law. Assisted euthanasia remains a hot topic worldwide, and aims to pass laws are constantly challenged. Ethical Theories Ethical decisions are always difficult for the nurse to make in a challenging situation Confidentiality and privacy are part of ethical issues but can raise confusion as to the best direction of an action for a nurse to take. There is a need for nurses to know that patient obligations and laws concerning privacy and confidentiality matters. Healthcare has the HIPAA law that guides patient’s privacy (HIPAA. ORG, 2008) which is essential for nurses to understand the pertinent guidelines or rules on confidentiality so as to carry out their practices based on the law guidelines. The code of ethics states, â€Å"The nurse advocates for, promotes and strives towards safety, health and the patients’ rights (ANA, 2010). (ANA, 2010) stated that Deontology theory is helpful for the nurse to judges the morality of an action based on the action’s adherence to rules. Whether an action is ethical depends on the intentions behind the decisions rather than the outcomes that result. Beneficence represents compassion on the other hand, taking positive action to help others and desire to do good which is the core principle of our patient advocacy. (Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L, 2008). Autonomy theory hel p nurses respect and honor a patients or clients right to make a course of action and support independent decision making. While the right to autonomy is not to hurt or negatively impact an outcome, it often gives the nurse a sense of freedom to choose a moral decision. Voluntary assisted euthanasia may be justified with the Beneficence theory but ethically wrong for the nurse in assisting. Impact of social valves, morals, and norms The Terry Schiavo case was perhaps the highest profile case to ever address the issue of prolonging one’s life when that person suffers a life-altering medical tragedy. With her husband fighting on one side for the right to not prolong her life and multiple parties, including her other family members, fighting for the right to prolong her life, this case took national media and even the courts by  storm. The case brought to light what has been called the â€Å"right-to-die† question. Because she lacked a living will, the courts were left to determine what her finals wishes would have been in a situation like this. Legally speaking, the court in Florida found that people have the right to refuse medical treatment, and that right extends to them even when they are in a vegetative state. This case was complicated because there was no clear consensus on whether Schiavo would have liked to exercise that right. Ultimately, her husband was able to convince the court of this, and his persuasiveness came largely because he was the closest person to her and was thus in the best position to understand her wishes. The case brought about complicated ethical issues, especially for the medical professionals involved. Nurses and doctors are under an oath to preserve life whenever possible, but they must also respect the wishes of patients. Because the decision involved removing a feeding tube rather than taking any direct action to harm the patient, medical professionals were able to comply with court orders without violating their oath. It is also worth noting that this case was complicated by social and political issues. Pro-life groups advocated on behalf of Schiavo’s family, and President George W. Bush even tried to intervene. Some argue that these things were designed to make a political point. Implementing an ethical theory Implementing an ethical theory or principle to address an ethical dilemma should involve identifying the type of ethical problem. Doing this lays the groundwork for the trajectory in the caring response. From here, an ethical theory can be implemented and methodically followed to conclude with the best caring response. In the case of Terry Schiavo, there were ambiguities of who should make the decisions. With this, a locus of authority was established to this ethical problem and ultimately, the Supreme Court would act as the moral agent. With the trajectory set, the Supreme Court was now going to be held responsible for the caring response outcome. Furthermore, the Courts would likely have to rely on a narrative approach to ethical decision making. Purtilo and Doherty  (2011) define the narrative approach as information told through stories that, as a result, affect the human experience. With the barrage of coming from the Schiavo case, the Supreme Court must be sure to gather all the relevant details in order to establish facts, relationships and values. Consequently, this is the first step in many ethical theories as well as Purtilo and Doherty’s (2011, p. 103) six steps to ethical decision making. The determination of an ethical decision in deeply rooted in personal and societal values. The ethical theory provides the framework, but it is the value-laden details that guide the decision (Aulisio & Arnold, 2008). With this said an accurate prediction with regard to cases such as Terry Schiavo would be the immediate intervention of ethics committees to mitigate lengthy legal processes and preserving a caring response. Conclusion In this case all of the moral and social valves that were implicated involved nursing ethics. Nurses play an important role in caring for patients that are at the end of life. Nurses must understand the issues that involve assisted euthanasia because of the legal and ethical implications that are involved. Nurses must have adequate knowledge and understanding of assisted death to prevent themselves from violating their personal and professional ethics. References Analysis of Washington Assisted Suicide Initiative {I-1000}. (2013). Retrieved from www.patientsrightcouncil.org/site/analysis-washington-state/ Assisted Suicide & Death with Dignity: Past, Present & Future – Part III. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.patientsrightcouncil.org/site/rpt2005-part3/ Aulisio, M. & Arnold, M. (2008). Role of the Ethics Committee: Helping To Address Value Conflicts or Uncertainties. Retrieved from http://journal.publications.chestnet.org/article.aspx?articleid=1086034 Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2009). Principles of biomedical ethics (6th ed., pp. 38- 39).New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2008). Nursing ethics across the curriculum and into practice (2nd ed., pp. 21-22). Sunbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Purtilo, Doherty. (2011). Ethical Dimensions in the Health Professions (5th ed). W.B. Saunders Company. Retrieved from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/978-1-4377-0896-7/id/B9781437708967000138_p0300 Tamayo-Velazquez, M., Simon-Lorda, P., & Cruz-Piqueras, M. (2012). Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide: Knowledge, attitudes and experiences of nurses in Andalusia {Spain}. Nursing Ethics, 19{5}, 677-691. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0969733011436203 Young, R. (2010). Voluntary Euthanasia. Retrieved from http://plato.standford.edu/entries/euthanasia-voluntary/

Spiritual Needs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Spiritual Needs - Research Paper Example He is a Protestant and has attended services with wife and children, but his ailment prevents regular churchgoing. He is aware of religious differences but there is one God for all whom we can pray to. He believes in the power of prayer, although he is not pious or prayerful. At the moment he finds his family as a source of calmness and strength. Of course, God is unseen and in most times not felt. Visit from a Protestant chaplain will be acceptable. The tool worked well, allowing free flow of information and questions. Care was taken to make the interview friendly and casual, and information gathered can serve appropriate spiritual intervention during treatment. As a recommendation, the instrument should preferably be administered by a nurse, opening way for visits by a minister of choice. We understand JCAS wants the instrument administered by chaplains, but religious affiliation can create hindrance in case a patient, in our study a Protestant, is interviewed by a Catholic chaplai n.

Healing hospital paradigm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healing hospital paradigm - Essay Example Healing hospitals avail a healing culture that aids patients to feel safe and comfortable. For instance, Mercy Gilbert Medical Centre focuses on delivering a healing facility, reinforced by a healing environment and healing culture grounded in three essential elements, namely: a healing physical milieu, the incorporation of work plan and environment, and a tradition of radical loving care. A Healing Physical Environment This concept dwells on healthcare personnel care for patients, in addition to the manner, in which healthcare personnel connect with the patient’s families and other caregivers. This encompasses developing an empathetic, affectionate, and gratifying setting that is calm and stress free. As a result, the loving, calm, and satisfying environment enables the patients and their families to manage tension accompanying their infirmity (Chapman, 2003). Hospitals should promote a serene environment that is free from physical turbulence such as strange sound or dull arr angement of hospital settings. The Integration of Work Design and Technology This element details the combination of work design and technology allows the medical providers to carry out their tasks more proficiently, besides providing confidentiality and security to the patients. The implementation of sophisticated technology aids in facilitating and sustaining a healing environment (Hutchinson, 2011). A Culture of Radical Loving Care This philosophy facilitates and reinforces the healing of patients through an all encompassing orientation that satisfies the patient’s bodily, psychological, and spiritual needs. Healing Hospital Paradigm Relationship to Spirituality Spirituality  infers an individual’s experience of meaning and purpose in life, a sense of association with people and things in the world. Healing is mainly spiritual, intangible, and experiential, comprising of integration of body, mind, and spirit (Puchalski & McSkimming, 2006). The integration avails t he individual with a sense of peace. Spirituality encompasses a belief system centering on intangible elements that convey vitality and meaning to life’s events. Spirituality is one of the significant factors that positively influence a patient’s potential health since the body, mind, and spirit work as one. Individuals are cared for and afforded support for not only their medical well being, but also their emotional and spiritual health. Challenges of Creating a Healing Environment Healthcare personnel mainly  diagnose and treat diseases, and may possess few skills on how to respond to the spiritual side of the patients. Furthermore, ethical practice demands that the physicians refrain from impinging their beliefs on patients. Acting within the boundaries of medical ethics, while responding to the spirituality of patients, may be a significant challenge to healthcare personnel. Similarly, the American culture of religious pluralism provides a broad range of belief s ystems and the physicians may not be expected to comprehend all the beliefs systems and practices of the diverse faith communities. Other challenges reported involve developing strategies to aid healthcare providers to differentiate spiritual care from  excellent customer service. There is a thin line between customer service

The Masses should no longer trust the photographs and film in the Essay

The Masses should no longer trust the photographs and film in the strategic communications of a Modern State that is able to use sophisticated technology to alter images - Essay Example This paper argues that the masses should no longer trust the photographs and film in the strategic communications of a Modern State that is able to use sophisticated technology to alter images. The media could have their own private agenda other than showing unbiased visuals. They could be influenced or coerced by politics and economic considerations in order to mislead the viewer. It would be interesting to define the difference between influencing and manipulating. The former term does not necessarily denote a negative tone as per the meaning given in the Oxford dictionary. The term primarily means the capacity of an individual or organization regarding an effect on character, behavior or outlook. It could be either positive or negative. But manipulation, according to the same dictionary indicates cleverness or unscrupulous intent. So any, manipulation of media images and movies could be construed as having a personal agenda, so as to mislead the viewer into believing the wrong scenario or situation. One of the main areas of media manipulation is political in nature. â€Å"The media is manipulated in all manners, for example through professional public relations (PR), and covert and overt government propaganda which disseminates propaganda as news. What are often deemed as credible news sources can often knowingly or unknowingly be pushing political agendas and propaganda†. (Shah). The author provides the example of video news releases (VNR). These clips are created by public relations firms and agencies and integrated into actual news broadcasts. TV stations then add these VNRs into their news time broadcasts thereby fooling the public that it is a live telecast. Shah adds that VNRs are used not only by government agencies, but also by companies who have the financial clout and influence to get their point across. It could be for the purpose of building brand

Scientific versus Industrial Revolutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scientific versus Industrial Revolutions - Essay Example One revolution preceded the other because every revolution is based on man’s need and understanding at that time. If there was a need to increase production to meet the demands of society, then new ways of doing things will be invented and eventually this may lead to a scientific or industrial revolution. These revolutions only occur in certain parts of the world because not all nations have the resources to carry out a certain revolution. Some countries may not have the technically-skilled people to carry out the change. Furthermore, aside from the lack of resources, some countries may not be prepared or ready to accept a new idea or concept. Other regions may find it difficult to leave their beliefs and ways of doing things. One does not think that this would be true today because with globalization, it would be very easy for change to occur simultaneously in different parts of the world. Moreover, countries have no choice but to accept the new changes, else they will be left out. They will not be globally competitive; thus, may result in a slow growth in their

Literature review of my research about Dual authority in matrix Essay

Literature review of my research about Dual authority in matrix organization - Essay Example This resulted in the creation of a structure in which a number of employees were working under two heads, the department head or the project manager of the interdisciplinary project team. When this structure was depicted in paper, it was found that the crossing of the organizational lines could be represented in the form of grids or a matrix. Henceforth it was termed as matrix organizations (Kuprenas, 2003, p.1). When it is compared with the other forms of organizational structures, it is viewed as a combination of the traditional hierarchy which is overlaid with some form of lateral authority, influence or communication. The overlay creates a combination of commands, one which is long the functional aspects of the project and another which are along the project lines. Assuming the complexities of the project management in the business world of today, matrix structures are primarily used where the requirement of technical assistance across many different areas are required (Kuprenas, 2003, p.1). This structure is especially preferred in large scale consulting, the construction and the aerospace industry. One of initial and first users of the structures was Bureau of Engineering in the City of Los Angeles. However, certain problems were faced during the implementation of the same (Kuprenas, 2003, p.1). Implementation Challenges of the Matrix structure Research shows that implementation of the matrix structure in any organizational structure is difficult. Implementation of the matrix design in the Bureau of Engineering came with a number of difficulties. The Bureau experienced a number of confusions and conflicts with regards to the responsibilities and roles of the functional manager

Business to Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business to Business - Essay Example Amazon.com, the world’s largest online retailer, has developed improved mechanisms for promoting its B2B e-business transactions. This paper will analyze Amazon’s B2B arrangements with other companies and the nature of B2B transactions the company engaged in. In addition to discussing Amazon’s technical architecture that supports its B2B transactions, the paper will also identify the benefits and drawbacks of these transactions. Amazon’s B2B transactions Amazon.com has developed B2B arrangements well with firms across the globe. According to the Forbes writer Kanellos, Amazon is under an ongoing evolution process where the organization is transferring from a consumer retailer to a logistics provider to business houses. Amazon allows third parties (or external marketers) to sell their products by means of its online retail services. Firms can display their inventory information, sell their products, and receive payments online once they created an account i n Amazon.com. In addition, sellers can also make use of Amazon’s Webstore, which would help them take advantages of search engine optimization and backend organization. As Kanellos points out, the volume of products sold by external marketers on Amazon website increased to 36 percent. Amazon follows an interesting B2B model in delivering services to third-party retailers. Traditionally, a store owner or a wholesaler considers the difference between the retail and wholesale price as its profit. In contrast to this conventional business practice, Amazon likes to obtain a commission on its online retail services. Market analysts observe that this business model has greatly assisted the company to advance in B2B marketing. The organization has developed an affiliate program for promoting its products and its online retailers. Businesses can earn income when Amazon products are purchased through clicking those firms’ advertisement link. Publishing is another B2B service off ered by the Amazon. The company launched its self-publishing site in 2011with intent to assist individuals to self-publish their movies, music, and books online and thereby to eliminate intermediary costs. Once an individual obtains a copyright on his products like books or movies, he can use the advertisement and payment solutions provided by the Amazon. The company offers free publishing options and finds its revenues through royalty payments and shopping fees. As Smith opines, the fulfillment program is Amazon’s one of the major advancements in its B2B environment; this program allows organizations to store and ship their products through Amazon’s fulfillment center. Once the Amazon fulfillment center receives the items sent by companies, those items are cataloged into the firm’s system. Under this option, companies can either sell their offerings through Amazon.com or complete the sales process using their own techniques. When items are ordered, Amazon fulfi lls the orders and delivers the products to the end customers directly. Amazon’s back office system assists business houses to track the fulfillment. It is identified that Amazon has B2B relationships with different sizes of businesses ranging from sole traders to corporate giants. As per Amazon’s B2B strategy, new and un-established companies need to commence their operations with personal accounts.  

Report on Various Funding Sources Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Report on Various Funding Sources - Dissertation Example The company has no debt and is equally divided in terms of ownership among five private individuals. Differing debt and equity funding opportunities present their own challenges, advantages, disadvantages, and sets of relationships, with equity financing offering greater flexibility on the surface and reduced impact to cash flows, but likewise compromised by its tendency to dilute control and to be of higher cost in the long term compared to debt financing. Debt financing, especially senior debt financing, offers the advantages of low costs in terms of lower interest rates, and of giving the borrowing company complete, unadulterated control of the company's destiny. On the other hand, debt financing impacts cash flow and hinders the company from using cash flow and profits to finance other projects. This is due to the payments that are required on a regular basis to service the debt. There is an opportunity for the firm to float shares in an initial public offering on markets outside of the UK, but this has to be explored in greater depth, given how any equity infusion dilutes ownership and control. On balance, and culling the insights from real-life companies employing differing modes of financing, senior debt financing is the best option for the company (FindLaw 2013; Advani 2006; National Federation of Independent Business 2013; Nolo 2007; Berman and Knight 2009; Terjesen n.d.; Ivashina and Kovner 2008; Kokemuller 2013; Peavler 2013; SimplyFinance 2007; DCA Partners n.d.; Doidge et al. 2011; Krantz 2013; Gan and Applegate 2013). II. Sourcing Funding for the Firm A. Funding Opportunities There are various camps and schools of thought advocating either debt or equity as the preferred mode of funding that yields the most benefits to firms. On the one hand are arguments for debt being cheaper sources of funding, and being sources of funding that does not dilute the ownership stake of current shareholders. This favors the interests of the owners of this firm, who have valid concerns about loss of control tied to funding options (Berman and Knight 2009). On the other hand, there are schools of thought that tout private equity as being of greater overall benefit to firms in comparison to debt financing, for various reasons as well Arguments are tied to the cost of either source of financing, with debt requiring, in some cases, lower returns on investment in comparison to equity infusions, where investors may require of the current owners higher returns, as well as voting rights and ownership rights commensurate to their investments. The rest of this report explores the different options and their implications for the company as well as the issues of interest discussed above (FindLaw 2013; Advani 2006; National Federation of Independent Business 2013; Nolo 2007; Berman and Knight 2009; Terjesen n.d.; Ivashina and Kovner 2008; Kokemuller 2013; Peavler 2013; SimplyFinance 2007; DCA Partners n.d.). The table below details the key points to consid er relating to using either debt or equity to finance the project at this company, as well as to source on-going funds moving forward (DCA Partners n.d.): Table Source: DCA Partners n.d., p. 4 The key differences relating to the concerns of the owners of this company are with regard to level of involvement, which is higher for equity financing options, as well as costs, which is lower for debt financing, together with the role of the providers of the capital in board-level

Partnership among employees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Partnership among employees - Essay Example When one speaks or thinks about an industry or an office or an organization, the 'mental picture', one visualizes is of machines, smoke outlets, sirens etc, etc (in case of industries) and papers, computers, cabins etc, etc (in case of offices). But, the crucial thing that the mind 'crops out' is the picture of a working human. Without delving deeply into why mind always associate industry and office with non-living things, the point is, humans are the crucial things who can put an organization in a cruise mode in terms of production, sales, profits, etc. So, the workers only form the crucial 'cog' in the running of the organization. Only if these crucial workers are recruited or staffed optimally through an effective recruitment process, the organization can achieve optimum success. Even with automation and computerization happening in every segments of organization, all the important processes inside the organization mainly rests with the humans. Even though, all the important proc esses starts and ends with the leader or the management team, the workers will also be included, as part of "successful work teams" or "Partnership for Progress". "Partner for Progress" is the organizational term given to the UK government policy which spelled out how employees should work in partnership as teams for the successful functioning of the organizations. That is, since late 1990s, the U.K. ... So, this paper will critically evaluate the concept of 'Partnership' in employee relations by identifying and describing what organizational requirements must be in place and also what impediments should not be in place, to set the stage for successful Partnership, focussing particularly on the role of leaders. Organization requirements for the establishment of successful Partnership Involving the employees productively and creating partnershipIn any organizations, the successful Partnership can be successfully set or established, if the head or the management team of the unit put their thoughts, strategies and also the organizational goals for discussion among the other organisation officers or workers. This way the workers as a form of work teams can be involved productively. That is, the workers can input their gained knowledge and experience in the decision making process. This strategy will have unexpected at the same time favourable results, because one may never know from where, when and importantly from whom a great idea could come. "Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results" (Patton). So, involving and allowing co-workers to play a part as work teams will yield optimum results, as it create as well as optimize partnership and thereby performance among the employees. But, the aspect that should b e taken care is, even though the workers can be optimally involved as work teams, the head or the management team of the unit should be the final authority. So, if this requirement is fulfilled, successful partnership among the employees can be established successfully, by involving the co-workers of the unit in the appropriate stages. Leaders should be a role model to

Adversity Essay Example for Free

Adversity Essay I woke up at 11 am feeling refreshed. I hadn’t slept in since my family had started on our road trip to Canada. We were finally in Calgary and were leaving for home the next day-A good 22-hour drive. I got up quickly from my bed and jumped over my laptop charger. A disorienting head rush suddenly came upon me and I felt dizzy. I saw the stairs briefly and then it seemed like I was tumbling. When I could finally think again, I realized that my parents were in panic and I was surrounded by blood. Turned out, I fell right into some glass and as I would later find out, it had cut an important tendon in my shin. I was rushed to the ER and got surgery to fix my tendon. I asked the doctor to take some pictures of my leg right before I was sedated. After the surgery, a huge temporary cast was put on my leg and I was given crutches with which I could hobble around. Now came the 22-hours in a car with my injured leg. Luckily they weren’t as bad as I had thought they would be. Finally I was home. My friends visited me and were aghast at the size of my cast and the pictures of my leg! They thought I was just joking and wasn’t really injured. I had to spend 6 weeks in my cast. Six grueling weeks during which all I did was watch movies and tv shows on my laptop. My whole summer passed me by and I couldn’t do anything. My friends play basketball in the heat, thoroughly enjoying themselves while I watched them wistfully. Time went by slowly but finally I got my cast off only to find out that my tendon was too weak to walk on so I had to endure two weeks in a black boot. It was still summer and because my boot absorbed sunlight, my foot often smelled and had heat sores on it. I almost preferred my cast to this hell. Eventually my boot came off too. I could finally walk! I was sent to six weeks of physiotherapy where I found out that I probably wouldn’t be running or jumping for another 6 months almost. Well, at least I didn’t have to run miles for PE. I have only three more months now and I am optimistic. Since I can’t run, I started working on my biceps and now I can show them off. Soon I will be running as fast as the wind and touching the sky with my perfect two legs. That day cannot come fast enough.

Internal and External Analysis of Volvo

Internal and External Analysis of Volvo The macro and micro environmental factors 1) Outline and discuss the macro and micro environmental factors that are influencing Volvos strategy? The micro environment is which explains the internal environment of the company and which tells the position of the company in all the terms of the business and hence this gives an idea of the current position of the company. Micro environment: The Volvo name is 90 years old and has become a Swedish international icon. In the year 1999, Volvo a Sweden based company is sold to Ford motor company, but Volvo maintained independency but benefited from the shared research and development and also the buying power. Volvo employs 27,500 employees. Volvo has its company in 120 countries. And has wide network and distribution of its product ranges to different parts in the world. Volvo sells its products through 2400 dealers worldwide. Volvos main mission is safety, and also invests huge money in Research and development in Safety. Safety in driving has a major role to play in automotive, as majority of the customers priority is safety. Volvo sold 14 million cars in its life time, the figure shows success of the Volvo cars and also how Volvo has retained its position in the market in long run. Volvo is the strongest brand of FORD motors. Volvo is the major contribution to the success of Ford Motors. Volvo has asset oriented advertis ing. The main asset of Volvo is Safety, and hence its advertising campaign is also based on its core competence or asset safety. Volvo being a subsidiary of FORD enjoys a shared Research and development programs. This is very beneficial and cost effective for Volvo, as being a part of the giant automotive group, Volvo can share the cost involved in Research and Development program. Hence this can be one of the key advantages for Volvo to be cost effective. Volvo is also popular for its innovations in the car industry which developed and produced different ranges of cars and hence Volvo has made large profits to FORD motors. The core positioning strategy of Volvo is the Safety and longevity. In order to compete with the luxury brands of Toyota and Lexus, Volvo produced the premier cars which are symbol of luxury. Volvo brand was primary key aspects are Big estate cars, and Safety. Hence Volvo is the symbol of safety and innovations which helped the FORD financially. Macro environment: The macro environment gives the clear picture of the changes in the external environment and how these changes in the external environment have an effect on the performance of the company. The macro environmental factors include Political, Economic, social, technological, environmental, legal factors, which are lose but external to the society. Political factors: There has been an increased regulation on the car industry and also automotive industry is facing a huge taxation on trade. Economic factors There is rise in the fuel prices, and this economic factor has hit the automotive industry fiercely and leads to reduce the performance of the company. Due to this rise in the prices of the oil, most of the customers have started choosing fuel-efficient cars, which has reduced the demand for luxury cars in the market. Social factors: The major problems Volvo is facing is shift in the consumers preferences from a luxury, large engine cars with huge carbon emission to a fuel-efficient, and small cars, due to many reasons like rise in the prices of oil, and also governments are providing tax incentive to those who buy fuel-efficient and eco-friendly cars and other incentives include free parking and road tolls. This shift in the consumers preferences which is a Social factor has downturn the performance of the company. There is also Volvo much emphasis on family sector but in Europe there is decline in the number of families. Hence Volvo market segmentation is wrong and may not be useful for sales growth. Technological factors: Toyota has occupied a major share in the market, with the adaptation and implementation of new and advanced technology into its product strategy, and hence has met the needs of their changing environment with fuel-efficient cars with low carbon emissions into the atmosphere. This technological change of the external environment of including many advanced features into the product was not adapted by Volvo. Volvo has advanced only in safety but did not understand the need for the other features of the product which have become the center of attraction in the market, and those advanced features are fuel efficient, eco-friendly, etc. Environmental factors: Due to the emission of large carbon from the big size cars increased the pollution and hence have caused many problems like polluting air, etc. Legal factors: New laws on the protection of the environment have started rallying and this has hit the whole automotive industries. Due to these environmental protection acts and Clean air Act, which was passed by the legislation, brought about a changes in the preferences and shift the needs and hence as discussed above choosing for eco-friendly cars. Volvo asset was and is also is only Safety, but the external challenges are seeking for more reliable, eco-friendly, fuel-efficient cars as the government is putting heavy taxes on the large cars, who emit large carbon into the atmosphere, and more over the governments are proving more tax incentives for those who choose fuel efficient cars, like free road tolls and parking etc. Volvo has introduced flexi-fuel cars but they did not show a good sign on the profits of the company. 2) Conduct a SWOT analysis on Volvo cars. Strengths: Safety of both the environment and driving is the main strength of the Volvo cars, and hence the Governments policies on safety in driving will not have much influence on the performance of Volvo. Volvo has a reputation for big estate cars and last for long periods of time. Goteberg safety center which is a world renowned, and hence after the acquisition, Volvo has introduced ten new models for its customers, and hence earned more profits for FORD. Volvo has 2400 dealers worldwide and has its presence in 120 countries of the world. Huge investments in safety research and development programs. Volvo is a wholly owned subsidiary of ford motor company which is a world famous company and this helps the Volvo can draw synergies of technical innovations and improvements for its parent company. And also the buying power. 90 years of brand heritage, where Volvo has gained much expertise in manufacturing a car which is very safe in driving and this is the core-competence which has played a vital role which has brought glorious years to Volvos brand. Weakness: No change management programs in its product strategy. There has been no innovations and improvements in the product, improvements like fuel-efficient, best performance, etc, which is quite important for Volvo to meet the intense competition. There is a decline in the sales of the Volvos bi-fuel cars. Cannot meet the customer requirement of fuel-efficient cars. Even though the prospective customers of Volvo are shifting their interests from the big engine cars to fuel-efficient cars, Volvo still stress only on the safety in their mission statement, where its core positioning strategy to face the present changed perceptions of the consumers and external environments demands should be fuel-efficient and reliable cars. Moreover the mission statement aims at providing safest and more exciting car experience for modern families, the brand concentrating on the family sector. But in Europe there is decline in the number of families and many couple is opting to be childless, hence this mission of Volvo would badly hit its performance in future. Most of the market for Volvo is in US and Sweden and consequently it is open to irregular economic and political circumstances of those markets. Volvos most of the production is from the Belgium and hence, the cars produced in Sweden is very expensive for the US consumers. This is due to the less facilities of production of Volvo cars in US. Volvos flexi-fuel cars only in certain geographic markets. Opportunities: There is a hope for further growth for the business due to new business in china and India, with a forecast of sales in china of 10,000 a year. The penetration into new markets has an opportunity for improvement in the performance of the company. Threats: Has the Volvo only concentrates on the Safety in its product design, and ignoring on the other aspects like eco-friendly and fuel efficient cars (Toyota Lexus), performance, styling, reliability, handling and value for money, which are all vitally important. Low restriction on imports and trade will increase the competition from the Japanese companies in the Asia pacific regions. Volvos safety may not have any importance as safety is integrated by almost all the car manufacturers. Hence safety which is the main asset for Volvo has no role to play for the improved performance of the company. 3) Outline the strategic options available to Volvo cars, recommending what you believe to be the best option available, give reasons for your answer? The main problem Volvo cars is facing is the external pressures and changing perceptions and requirements of its customers. Volvo who strategy of Safety was very popular during 1990s but with the changing needs of its customers and external environmental factors, the strategy of Volvo did not change hence Volvo has faced such a downturn in its sales during the period of 2004 to 2006. The external challenges are demanding for a more reliable, fuel-efficient and eco-friendly cars, which Toyota have understood the need of its customers and hence have concentrated heavily on fuel-efficient and eco-friendly cars, and therefore have become the world largest and most successful car manufacturer. Moreover, most of the car manufactures have integrated safety into their product design and hence safety, key element or the core positioning strategy can no more help Volvo to retain its position in this fierce competition. To outline the strategies for the Volvo cars Ansoff product/ market grid (Ansoff, 1957). This model would help the business identify the strategy that gives business the way to grow their business. The four strategies proposed by the Ansoff let us find which would help the Volvo cars to improve their business. This model helps to identify what have to be marketed and at what time and risk involved in marketing these products. The alternatives available to the Volvo cars are: Price strategy, as the cars of Volvo is unaffordable for the common man and hence has to introduce such a model of car for the middle class people. This is the market penetration strategy where with the same product and same market the company has to reduce the cost and hence in turn can reduce the price of its products compared to its competitors. Market development strategy, where the same product is sold in different markets. Product development strategy, where a new product is developed and is sold in the current and existing markets, extensions in the product features which make it different from its competitors and this can also be called as product differentiation. Diversification strategy is one where the new product is sold in new markets, but this is more risky then the market penetration. Let us find which will be best strategy for Volvo cars from the available alternatives from the Ansoff matrix. Market penetration strategy, this strategy of selling its same products in the same market, for lower price by reducing the costs may not be useful for Volvo cars, this is because challenges Volvo is facing is the price rises of complimentary goods and environmental protections laws, which have changed the preferences of its customers from large engine luxury cars to the fuel-efficient cars because of government taxation policies, etc. hence , reducing the price of the cars will not be the best solution to face the challenge. Market development strategy, If Volvo adopts this strategy may not succeed as most of the current markets of Volvo is the developed countries and hence the consumers are in position of afford to buy a premium car. But, if Volvo looks for a market in developing and under developed countries, there is much risk factors involved for the growth of the industry. Diversified strategy will not have a positive effect on the growth of the business as this is risky, and Volvo which is facing a huge performance crisis should not be risk taker but should be risk averter. Product development strategy, this might be the best strategy for Volvo, as in this strategy there is product development according to the changing trends and requirements and hence this would help the Volvo for growth, if it produces cars not only safety and reliability its cars, but integrating safety, fuel-efficient, styling, performance and this leads to differentiation among the players in the industry. If the company integrates all the requirements of the demands of its customers, would automatically increase sales and will enjoy a rapid growth for the business. Volvo being the wholly owned subsidiary of Ford motors enjoys shared research and development. Therefore an investment for further product development is easy and hence it can meet the requirements of the customers. There are Volvos flexi-fuel cars which distributes only to certain geographical areas, and hence Volvo should even have to perform certain product development programs and innovations in these flexi-fuel car s and there should make improvements in distribution networks for these cars so that they are available to all the 120 countries, where Volvo has its network. The reasons for choosing the product development strategy as the best alternative for Volvo cars is, because product development is the only alternative which meets the target customers (especially Volvos target segment of last 15 years) needs and this is the only possible solution to withstand with the challenges Volvo is facing, and Volvo should also consider the some of the aspects like the competitors of Volvo has already met the needs of the customers who are seeking fuel-efficient cars, and hence Volvo have to integrate all the aspects like safety, performance, reliability, fuel-efficient, with low carbon emissions and comfort to compete with their competitors, as Volvo is already reputed for safety and reliability, Volvo has to some other elects in list of product design to provide a best alternative for its customers. Volvos introduction of Flexi-fuel cars to reduce the sales shrink as the customers are moving to fuel-efficient cars shows a positive sign in its performance in the future. Future Product development programs also helps Volvo to achieve its programs like Volvo 2020, where it is trying to differentiate itself on two factors safety of both the environment and driving. Volvo should conduct a budgetary process on the available resources as product development process requires an excess investments into many aspects like research and developments and raw materials and advertising campaigns. REFERENCES: www.volvocars.com WWW.MINTEL.COM Kiley, D (2004), Driven: Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World,N.J. John Wiley Sons, Inc. (US). West, P (2000) Organizational Learning in the Automotive Sector, Routledge. Wilson, R. M. S.; Gilligan, C (2005) Strategic Marketing Management: Planning, Implementation and Control 3Rd Ed., London Elsevier. Wilson, A (2002) TheMarketingAuditHandbook: Tools, Techniques Checklists to Exploit Your MarketingResources,CT Koran. Pickett, K. H. Spencer.; Pickett, Jennifer M.(2003)The Internal Auditing Handbook,NJ John Wiley Sons, Ltd. (UK).

American Views on Sexuality

American Views on Sexuality (Jump to) Introduction Discussion Americans’ Contacts with Homosexuals LGBT Americans Opinions Social Acceptance by American Society Religious Belief References INTRODUCTION Being a bisexual means getting attracted to both people of their own gender and another gender also. Women who get attracted to the female gender are known as lesbians and similarly the men who get attracted to the male gender are known as gay. The bisexual women and men get attracted to both the male and the female gender. Getting attracted to the same gender is also known as homosexuality. The attitudes towards the homosexuality differ in different cultures, because all the cultures have their own values regarding sexuality. Some countries approve the homosexual behavior whereas some disapproves it. The research has been done and it is found that the certain populations have accepted the homosexuality more than others. Homosexuality may be illegal in some countries, but where it is legal, there a age has been defined and that age differs from country to country. Homosexuality is neither a mental illness not a matter of an individual’s choice. It does not threaten the healthy and secure homosexuals. Therefore, there is no need to oppress the homosexuality. But in our society, discrimination occurs daily against gays, lesbians and bisexual people which greatly affect them (Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues). Due to which the gay, lesbian and the bisexual people feel depression and the relationship problems same as the heterosexual people feel. DISCUSSION I agree with your statement, as in my opinion also, being a lesbian or bisexual woman is more accepted than being a gay or bisexual man by the current American society. A research has been done and it has been found out that the most Americans don’t bother while getting surrounded by the homosexuals. Various studies has been done and results into various factors, such as: 82% of the Americans don’t bother when around homosexuals (Views of Gay Man and Lesbians, Roots of Homosexuality, Personal Contacts with Gays, 2013). Whereas, 14% of the Americans say that, it bothers them while surrounded by homosexuals. In 2003, about 76% of the Americans do not bother to be around homosexuals. Few years ago, the balance between the gay and the lesbians was not favorable. As: Gay men were viewed favorable only by the 37 % of the Americans, whereas 51% of the Americans viewed them as unfavorably. Lesbian women were viewed favorable only by the 39 % of the Americans, whereas 48% of the Americans viewed them as unfavorably. By a 2 % margin, the American people are more favorable to lesbian women than gay men. But today, 58% of the American people view the lesbian women favorably while only 29% of the Americans view them as unfavorably. And, 55% to 32% margins (Views of Gay Man and Lesbians, Roots of Homosexuality, Personal Contacts with Gays, 2013) have favorable views towards gay men than unfavorable views. Still, the percentages of Americans who have the favorable views towards lesbian women are more than the ones who have favorable views towards the gay men. The study has found out that the Americans’ views are rapidly changes to acceptance of gay men and lesbian women with time (Harms, 2011). Americans now approve the same-sex relations and moreover, they provide the lesbians and gays the freedom of expression. Moreover, public have different views about the fact that why people are lesbian and gay? And, about 42% of the public thinks that the people choose themselves to live as gay or lesbian. About 8% thinks that it’s a result of upbringing, due to which the people are gay or lesbian, and Others think that they are born as lesbian or gay. In American society, about 66% of the Americans think that the people choose themselves to live as gay or lesbian. About 20% of the Americans think that they are born as lesbian or gay. But overall, 58% of the people thinks that the homosexuality should be accepted as they thinks that its by birth, and 63% of the people think that it should not be accepted as they thinks that it’s just a choice of people of being gay or lesbian. Americans’ Contacts with Homosexuals In Americans Society, different people have different views to share about their contacts with the homosexuals. And, 87% of the Americans are somehow in contacts with ones who are lesbian or gay. 23% of the Americans say that they know personally some people who are gay or lesbian. 61% of the Americans had gay or lesbian contacts (Views of Gay Man and Lesbians, Roots of Homosexuality, Personal Contacts with Gays, 2013). The contacts with gays and lesbians also differ in different religions. As 30 % of the religions say that they know some gays and lesbians, and Only 8 % says that they don’t know any. LGBT Americans Opinions Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender (LGBT) adults are asked the question and it has been found out that the society is accepting them as compared to past decades and more will accept it in upcoming decades (A Survey of LGBT Americans, 2013). And, 39% of the LGBT Americans say that they are not accepted by their families. 30% of the LGBT Americans say that they are attacked physically. 29% of the LGBT Americans say that they are not allowed to go at worship places. 21% of the LGBT Americans say that they are not treated fairly by their employees. 21% of the LGBT Americans say that they are the targets of jokes. Moreover, At the age of 17, the people gets the feel that they are homosexual, and at the age of 20, they share this information with their families. LGBT adults say that their acceptance is increasing as the time passes. But some of LGBT adults say that they still feels discrimination in the society. They said that they need more acceptance in mostly all the societies. Thus, their views needs to be focused on. Social Acceptance by American Society Most of the LGBT adults have said that they have got social acceptance and moreover, there is significant progress towards the social acceptance of LGBT adults. The study has been done to see the criteria of social acceptance. And 19% says that there is progress towards social acceptance of LGBT adults. 59% says that there is some (A Survey of LGBT Americans, 2013), and 21% says that there is no progress in socially accepting the LGBT adults. Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender (LGBT) adults are more accepted by the American society as compared to past and others socities. But, still a more acceptance is needed, so that they don’t feel any discrimination. According to some LGBT adults, they are accepted by most of the American society whereas some LGBT adults said that they need more acceptance in the American Society as they feel discriminants. The views of different LGBT adults are needs to kept in perspective. In compared to all other socities, Americans are found to be ore tolerant towards the lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender (LGBT) adults than they al were in past decades. Only 2 out of 10 said they are not socially accepted as they are treated unfairly by the public, they are not either accepted by their own families, they are physically attacked, and moreover, they are the target of jokes. Religious Belief In opposition to the social acceptance of LGBT adults, Religious belief is an important factor (Religious Belief and Views of Homosexuality, 2013). Over the past decades, 47% to 60% of the Americans belief that the homosexuality should be accepted. While only 45% to 31 % of the Americans think that it should not be accepted. When the Americans who think that the homosexuality should not be accepted are asked why they feel so? Then 52% of them said that, homosexuality is against their religion. As Religion is a big factor, due to which some Americans are against the homosexuality. Moreover, they belief that the homosexuality is traditionally wrong. But, there is only small percentage of Americans who think that the homosexuality is against their religion. 58% of the Americans say that the homosexuality should br accepted by the alw and should be legal according to the laws. They said, it should be supported same as the traditional relations are supported. Thus, It has been notices that the lesbians are more accepted than gays in American Society, But overall, their acceptance in this society has been progressed. REFERENCES A Survey of LGBT Americans. (2013, June 13). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org: http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/06/13/a-survey-of-lgbt-americans/# Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from http://cms.bsu.edu: http://cms.bsu.edu/campuslife/counselingcenter/newsfooteritems/diversityresources/diversityinformationandlinks/glbt Harms, W. (2011, October 5). US VIEWS ON GAYS, LESBIANS SHIFT SHARPLY. Retrieved November 5, 2014, from http://www.futurity.org: http://www.futurity.org/us-views-on-gays-lesbians-shift-sharply/ Religious Belief and Views of Homosexuality. (2013, June 6). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from http://www.people-press.org: http://www.people-press.org/2013/06/06/section-3-religious-belief-and-views-of-homosexuality/ Views of Gay Man and Lesbians, Roots of Homosexuality, Personal Contacts with Gays. (2013, June 6). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from http://www.people-press.org: http://www.people-press.org/2013/06/06/section-2-views-of-gay-men-and-lesbians-roots-of-homosexuality-personal-contact-with-gays/

Encounter Between the Hawaiians and Captain Cook Essay -- History Hawa

Encounter Between the Hawaiians and Captain Cook The arguments of Marshall Sahlins and Gananath Obeseyekere with regard to the cross-cultural encounter between Captain Cook and his men demonstrated different viewpoints and beliefs pertaining to whether or not Captain Cook and his men were perceived to be gods by the Hawaiians. Sahlins and Obeyesekere based the validity of Cook’s deification on several factors that will be focused on below. They both used the physical aspects of Captain Cook in relation to his being perceived as a god or not by the Hawaiians. Sahlins and Obeyesekere argued that the light color of Cook’s skin, his having a physical, human form, the different language that he spoke, his cleanliness, and thinness played a role in how the natives perceived Cook. Sahlins and Obeyesekere also discussed the question of whether or not Cook’s arrival occurred during the Makahiki festival and how this would have affected the views of the natives. The natives could have paralled Cook’s visit with th e return of Lono during this festival, or they could have found to many discrepancies between their beliefs and what they actually observed to believe that Cook was Lono or even a god at all. Both men also attempted to determine whether or not the natives viewed Cook as a god using their own theories of how the Hawaiians thought. Sahlins held the belief that the natives perceived Cook and his men to be gods using his theory of stereotypic reproduction. He defined this theory as a â€Å"society replicating past structures by fitting in present events into pregiven categories†.1 On the other hand, Obeyesekere believed that this wasn’t so, arguing with his theory of practical rationality, which he defined as the common, biological cha... ... Think: About Captain Cook, For Example (The University of Chicago Press, 1995), 245. 2. Gananath Obeyesekere, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook: European Mythmaking in The Pacific (Princeton University Press, 1997), 19. 3. Gananath Obeyesekere, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook, 61. 4. Gananath Obeyesekere, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook, 63, 64. 5. Marshall Sahlins, How "Natives" Think, 6, 8. 6. Gananath Obeyesekere, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook, 65. 7. Marshall Sahlins, How "Natives" Think, 171. 8. Marshall Sahlins, How "Natives" Think, 77. 9. Gananath Obeyesekere, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook, 59. 10. Marshall Sahlins, How "Natives" Think, 32, 33. 11. Marshall Sahlins, How "Natives" Think, 227. 12. Gananath Obeyesekere, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook, 61. 13. Gananath Obeyesekere, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook, 64.

Role of Nature in the Poetry of Keats and Wordsworth Essay -- Poetry An

Nature played an important role in all works of the Romantics but I believe it is John Keats and William Wordsworth who understood not nature in themselves but themselves in nature. As Wordsworth once said: "the feeling therein developed gives importance to the action and situation and not the action and situation to the feeling." 1 Both Keats and Wordsworth understood that the most complex feelings and emotions can be described and understood when related with a simple act of nature. With a simple gust of wind we are given a glimpse into an author's soul as it is used to convey thoughts, feelings and moods of an author. In Keats' "The Eve of St. Agnes" the wind is used not only to set the scene of a stormy night but also I think as a way to describe Porphyro's ecstatic heart. "Flutter'd in the besieging wind's uproar; / And the long carpets rose along the gusty floor."2 You can imagine as they are running through the halls and out the door how his heart must be leaping with both joy and fear. As the wind tugs at the tapestries on the walls and lifts the carpet from the floor his heart may feel tugs of guilt for whisking her away and also freedom and joy. In Keats' poem, "To Autumn" the wind is personified with these words, "...as the light wind lives or dies..."3 As the wind picks up and comes to life with motion and character it can also slow and cease as will life. I believe Keats relates his feelings of life and death to the seasons of nature in this poem. To me this poem seems to end abruptly, perhaps because I know the winter season is yet to come but it makes me wonder if perhaps Keats found peace as he was writing and decided to just leave it at that. When reading this poem in particular I feel Keats' inspiration ... ...ps something much more solid underneath. After speaking to the old man, Wordsworth confirms this realization as he says "I could have laughed myself to scorn to find / In that decrepit Man so firm a mind"15 and Wordsworth ends the poem with a sense of comfort on "the lonely moor".16 During their times both men found solace in their writing. And while they wrote they drew inspiration, motivation and an understanding of what was in their hearts by observing what was in their surroundings. Nature played an important role not only in their imagery but also by giving them something to relate and compare their thoughts and feelings to. Not only did they reach an understanding of themselves through nature but we were left with an understanding of them through the simple, timelessness of nature. "To her fair works did Nature link / The human soul that through me ran".17

Spirit Bound Chapter Four

I DECIDED IT'D BE BEST not to mention my conversation with Adrian's mother to him. I didn't need psychic powers to sense his mixed mood as we walked back to guest housing. His father had annoyed him, but his mother's seeming acceptance had cheered him up. I didn't want to damage that by letting Adrian know she was only okay with our dating because she figured it was a temporary, fun thing. â€Å"So you're going off with Lissa?† he asked when we reached my room. â€Å"Yup, sorry. You know–girl stuff.† And by girl stuff, I meant breaking and entering. Adrian seemed a little disappointed, but I knew he didn't begrudge our friendship. He gave me a small smile and wrapped his arms around my waist, leaning down to kiss me. Our lips met, and that warmth that always surprised me spread through me. After a few sweet moments, we broke apart, but the look in his eyes said it wasn't easy for him. â€Å"See you later,† I said. He gave me one more quick kiss and then headed off to his own room. I immediately sought out Lissa, who was hanging out in her own room. She was staring intently at a silver spoon, and through our bond, I could sense her intent. She was attempting to infuse it with spirit's compulsion, so that whoever held it would cheer up. I wondered if she intended it for herself or was just randomly experimenting. I didn't probe her mind to find out. â€Å"A spoon?† I asked with amusement. She shrugged and set it down. â€Å"Hey, it's not easy to keep getting a hold of silver. I have to take what I can get.† â€Å"Well, it'd make for happy dinner parties.† She smiled and put her feet upon the ebony coffee table that sat in the middle of her little suite's living room. Each time I saw it, I couldn't help but be reminded of the glossy black furniture that had been in my own prison suite back in Russia. I had fought Dimitri with a stake made from a chair's leg of similar style. â€Å"Speaking of which†¦ how was your dinner party?† â€Å"Not as bad as I thought,† I admitted. â€Å"I never realized what an asshole Adrian's dad was, though. His mom was actually pretty cool. She didn't have a problem with us dating.† â€Å"Yeah, I've met her. She is nice†¦ though I never thought she was nice enough to be okay with scandalous dating. I don't suppose Her Royal Majesty showed up?† Lissa was joking, so my response floored her. â€Å"She did, and†¦ it wasn't awful.† â€Å"What? Did you say ‘wasn't'?† â€Å"I know, I know. It was so crazy. It was this really quick visit to see Adrian, and she acted like me being there was no big deal.† I didn't bother delving into the politics of Tatiana's views on Moroi training for battle. â€Å"Of course, who knows what would have happened if she stayed? Maybe she would have turned into her old self. I would have needed a whole set of magic silverware then–to stop me from pulling a knife on her.† Lissa groaned. â€Å"Rose, you cannot make those kinds of jokes.† I grinned. â€Å"I say the things you're too afraid to.† This made her smile in return. â€Å"It's been a long time since I've heard that,† she said softly. My trip to Russia had fractured our friendship–which had ended up showing me just how much it really meant to me. We spent the rest of the time hanging out, talking about Adrian and other gossip. I was relieved to see she'd gotten over her earlier mood about Christian, but as the day progressed, her anxiety grew about our pending mission with Mia. â€Å"It's going to be okay,† I told her when the time came. We were heading back across the Court grounds, dressed in comfortable jeans and T-shirts. It was nice to be free of school curfew, but again, being out in the bright sunlight didn't make me feel very covert. â€Å"This'll be easy.† Lissa cut me a look but said nothing. The guardians were the security force in our world, and this was their headquarters. Breaking in was going to be anything but easy. Mia looked determined when we reached her, though, and I felt encouraged by her attitude–and that she was wearing all black. True, it wouldn't do much in sunlight, but it made this all feel more legitimate. I was dying to know what had happened with Christian, and Lissa was too. Again, it was one of those topics best left unexplained. Mia did, however, explain her plan to us, and I honestly felt it had about a 65 percent chance of working. Lissa was uneasy about her role since it involved compulsion, but she was a trooper and agreed to do it. We went over everything in detail a few more times and then set out to the building that housed guardian operations. I'd been there once before, when Dimitri had taken me to see Victor in the holding cells adjacent to the guardians' HQ. I'd never spent much time in the main offices before, and as Mia had predicted, they were lightly staffed this time of the day. When we walked in, we were immediately met by a reception area like you'd find in any other administrative office. A stern guardian sat at a desk with a computer, filing cabinets and tables all around him. He probably didn't have much to do at this time of night, but he was still clearly on high alert. Beyond him was a door, and it held my attention. Mia had explained that it was a gateway to all the guardian secrets, to their records and main offices–and surveillance areas that monitored high-risk regions of the Court. Stern or not, the guy had a small smile for Mia. â€Å"Isn't it a little late for you? You aren't here for lessons, are you?† She grinned back. He must have been one of the guardians she'd grown friendly with during her time at Court. â€Å"Nah, just up with some friends and wanted to show them around.† He arched an eyebrow as he took in me and Lissa. He gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. â€Å"Princess Dragomir. Guardian Hathaway.† Apparently our reputations preceded us. It was the first time I'd been addressed by my new title. It startled me–and made me feel slightly guilty about betraying the group I'd just become a member of. â€Å"This is Don,† explained Mia. â€Å"Don, the princess has a favor to ask.† She looked meaningfully at Lissa. Lissa took a deep breath, and I felt the burnings of compulsion magic through our bond as she focused her gaze upon him. â€Å"Don,† she said firmly, â€Å"give us the keys and codes to the records archives downstairs. And then make sure the cameras in those areas are turned off.† He frowned. â€Å"Why would I–† But as her eyes continued to hold his, I could see the compulsion seize him. The lines on his face smoothed into compliance, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Plenty of people were strong enough to resist compulsion–particularly that of ordinary Moroi. Lissa's was much stronger because of spirit, though you never knew if someone might break through. â€Å"Of course,† he said, standing up. He opened a desk drawer and handed Mia a set of keys that she promptly gave to me. â€Å"The code is 4312578.† I committed it to memory, and he beckoned us through the all-powerful door. Beyond it, corridors spread in all directions. He pointed to one on our right. â€Å"Down there. Take a left at the end, go downstairs two flights, and it's the door on the right.† Mia glanced at me to make sure I understood. I nodded, and she turned back to him. â€Å"Now make sure the surveillance is off.† â€Å"Take us there,† said Lissa firmly. Don couldn't resist her command, and she and Mia followed him, leaving me on my own. This part of the plan was all on me, and I hurried down the hall. The facility might be lightly staffed, but I could still run into someone–and would have no compulsion to help me talk my way out of trouble. Don's directions were spot-on, but I still wasn't prepared when I punched in the code and entered the vault. Rows and rows of filing cabinets stretched down a huge hall. I couldn't see the end of it. Drawers were stacked five high, and the faint fluorescent lighting and eerie silence gave it all a spooky, almost haunted feel. All the guardians' information from before the digital age. God only knew how far back these records went. To medieval days in Europe? I suddenly felt daunted and wondered if I could pull this off. I walked to the first cabinet on my left, relieved to see it was labeled. AA1 it read. Below it was AA2 and so forth. Oh dear. It was going to take me several cabinets to even get out of the As. I was grateful the organization was as simple as alphabetical order, but I now understood why these cabinets went on forever. I had to go back more than three quarters of the way down the room to get to the Ts. And it wasn't until I got to the TA27 drawer that I found the file for Tarasov Prison. I gasped. The file was thick, filled with all sorts of documents. There were pages on the prison's history and its migration patterns, as well as floor plans for each of its locations. I could hardly believe it. So much information†¦ but what did I need? What would be useful? The answer came quickly: all of it. I shut the drawer and tucked the folder under my arm. Okay. Time to get out of here. I turned around and began heading for the exit at a light jog. Now that I had what I needed, the urgency of escape was pressing on me. I was almost there when I heard a soft click, and the door opened. I froze as a dhampir I didn't recognize stepped through. He froze as well, clearly astonished, and I took it as a small blessing that he didn't immediately pin me against the wall and start interrogating me. â€Å"You're Rose Hathaway,† he said. Good lord. Was there anyone who didn't know who I was? I tensed, unsure what to expect now, but spoke as though us meeting here made perfect sense. â€Å"So it would seem. Who are you?† â€Å"Mikhail Tanner,† he said, still puzzled. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"Running an errand,† I said breezily. I indicated the file. â€Å"The guardian on duty down here needed something.† â€Å"You're lying,† he said. â€Å"I'm the guardian on archive duty. If someone needed something, they would have sent me.† Oh, shit. Talk about best-laid plans failing. Yet as I stood there, a strange thought came to me. His appearance wasn't familiar at all: curly brown hair, average height, late twenties. Pretty good-looking, really. But his name†¦ something about his name†¦ â€Å"Ms. Karp,† I gasped. â€Å"You're the one†¦ you were involved with Ms. Karp.† He stiffened, blue eyes narrowing warily. â€Å"What do you know about that?† I swallowed. What I'd done–or tried to do for Dimitri–wasn't without precedent. â€Å"You loved her. You went out to kill her after she†¦ after she turned.† Ms. Karp had been a teacher of ours a few years ago. She'd been a spirit user, and as the effects of it began to drive her insane, she'd done the only thing she could to save her mind: become a Strigoi. Mikhail, her lover, had done the only thing he'd known to end that evil state: search for and kill her. It occurred to me that I was standing face-to-face with the hero of a love story nearly as dramatic as my own. â€Å"But you never found her,† I said softly. â€Å"Did you?† He took a long time in answering, his eyes weighing me heavily. I wondered what he was thinking about. Her? His own pain? Or was he analyzing me? â€Å"No,† he said finally. â€Å"I had to stop. The guardians needed me more.† He spoke in that calm, controlled way that guardians excelled at, but in his eyes, I saw grief–a grief I more than understood. I hesitated before taking a shot at the only chance I had to not get busted and end up in a jail cell. â€Å"I know†¦ I know you have every reason to drag me out of here and turn me in. You should. It's what you're supposed to do–what I'd do too. But the thing is, this†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I again nodded at the folder. â€Å"Well, I'm kind of trying to do what you did. I'm trying to save someone.† He remained quiet. He could probably guess who I meant and assumed â€Å"save† meant â€Å"kill.† If he knew who I was, he'd know who my mentor had been. Few knew about my romantic relationship with Dimitri, but me caring about him would have been a foregone conclusion. â€Å"It's futile, you know,† Mikhail said at last. This time, his voice cracked a little. â€Å"I tried†¦ I tried so hard to find her. But when they disappear†¦ when they don't want to be found†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"There's nothing we can do. I understand why you want to do it. Believe me, I do. But it's impossible. You'll never find him if he doesn't want you to.† I wondered how much I could tell Mikhail–how much I should. It occurred to me then that if there was anyone else in this world who understood what I was going through, it would be this man. Besides, I didn't have a lot of options here. â€Å"The thing is, I think I can find him,† I said slowly. â€Å"He's looking for me.† â€Å"What?† Mikhail's eyebrows rose. â€Å"How do you know?† â€Å"Because he, um, sends me letters about it.† That fierce warrior look immediately returned. â€Å"If you know this, if you can find him†¦ you should get backup to kill him.† I flinched at those last words and again feared what I had to say next. â€Å"Would you believe me if I said there was a way to save him?† â€Å"You mean by destroying him.† I shook my head. â€Å"No†¦ I mean really save. A way to restore him to his original state.† â€Å"No,† Mikhail said swiftly. â€Å"That's impossible.† â€Å"It might not be. I know someone who did it–who turned a Strigoi back.† Okay, that was a small lie. I didn't actually know the person, but I wasn't going to get into the string of knowing-someone-who-knew-someone†¦ â€Å"That's impossible,† Mikhail repeated. â€Å"Strigoi are dead. Undead. Same difference.† â€Å"What if there was a chance?† I said. â€Å"What if it could be done? What if Ms. Karp–if Sonya–could become Moroi again? What if you could be together again?† It'd also mean she'd be crazy again, but that was a technicality for later. It felt like an eternity before he answered, and my anxiety grew. Lissa couldn't compel forever, and I'd told Mia I would be fast. This plan would fall apart if I didn't get out soon. Yet, watching him deliberate, I could see his mask falter. After all this time, he still loved his Sonya. â€Å"If what you're saying is true–and I don't believe it–then I'm coming with you.† Whoa, no. Not in the plan. â€Å"You can't,† I said swiftly. â€Å"I've already got people in place.† Another small lie. â€Å"Adding more might ruin things. I'm not doing it alone,† I said, cutting off what I figured would be his next argument. â€Å"If you really want to help me–really want to take a chance on bringing her back–you need to let me go.† â€Å"There's no way it can be true,† he repeated. But there was doubt in his voice, and I played on it. â€Å"Can you take that chance?† More silence. I was starting to sweat now. Mikhail closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Then he stepped aside and gestured to the door. â€Å"Go.† I nearly sagged in relief and immediately grabbed the door handle. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you so much.† â€Å"I could get in a lot of trouble for this,† he said wearily. â€Å"And I still don't believe it's possible.† â€Å"But you hope it is.† I didn't need a response from him to know I was right. I opened the door, but before going through, I paused and glanced at him. This time, he no longer hid the grief and pain in his face. â€Å"If you mean it†¦ if you want to help†¦ there might be a way you can.† Another piece of the puzzle had unraveled itself for me, another way we might pull this off. I explained what I needed from him and was surprised at how quickly he agreed. He really was like me, I realized. We both knew the idea of bringing back Strigoi was impossible†¦ and yet we so, so wanted to believe it could be done I slipped back upstairs alone after that. Don wasn't at his desk, and I wondered what Mia had done with him. I didn't wait to find out and instead headed outside, off to a small courtyard that we'd established as our rendezvous point. Mia and Lissa were both waiting there, pacing. No longer distracted with anxiety, I opened myself to the bond and felt Lissa's agitation. â€Å"Thank God,† she said when she saw me. â€Å"We thought you'd been caught.† â€Å"Well†¦ it's a long story.† One I didn't bother with. â€Å"I got what I needed. And†¦ I actually got a whole lot more. I think we can do this.† Mia gave me a look that was both wry and wistful. â€Å"I sure do wish I knew what you guys were doing.† I shook my head as the three of us walked away. â€Å"No,† I replied. â€Å"I'm not sure that you do.†