Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Mechanical Properties of Loading Arm Research Paper

Mechanical Properties of Loading Arm - Research Paper Example The export of oil is one of the inherent activities that earn the country a revenue to maintain a good standard of living. However, the revenue delivered may not be optimum especially when considering the rate of wear and tear occuring in the loading arms. The signficance of including loading arm in this study is because it represent an equipment used in shipping oil the production process. This triggered the main objective of the study which was to study the spare part, packing, for its association to the worrying problem of leaking petrols at the ports. The accessment of the spare part provides possible solution because it gives more information about the various parts that susceptible to damage in the loading arm. Further, the background of the study resulted from the urge to reduce the delay problems caused by the probability of mechanical breakdowns occuring when loadin gas products at the ports. In case of gas products, the problem causes havoc at the ports since the customer h ave to be stopped from the moving, to assure them of safety transactions. The effect of the breakdown on the customers add to the weight of this study, which was to perfom experiment on the sealant (parking in the loading arm) and extract results useful in providing probable solutions. In order to achieve the objective of the study, the experiment involved the use of three instruments in studyign the spare part. The three instruments used included The CSM Tribometers, mechanical tensile testing machine and Differential scanning calorimetry.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Britian And France Over Educational Practices Essay Example for Free

Britian And France Over Educational Practices Essay The existence of mass education is a common feature of industrial societies. It is agreed by sociologists that the education system accepts some responsibility in preparing young people for the world of work. It is viewed as an institution where socialisation takes place, involving acquisition of knowledge and skills. It with or without intent also helps to shape beliefs and moral values. Education is an issue that plays an essential role in all aspects of society and sparks debates in issues of national economic competitiveness, national identity, and social justice. It is viewed as protecting the status quo and is a crucial element of personal growth and social transformation. The education system has existed since the early 19th century and appears o expand as society progresses. Education in general appears to be shaped by four educational traditions. The first view is known as Encyclopaedism, it is very strongly inherent with the ideas from the ËÅ"enlightenment period. It has been a very influential frame, especially for European countries such as France. This view promotes the idea that valid knowledge should be categorised, codified, and learnt. It promotes the concept that education provides the ability to think rationally, to reason, which leads to a better society with ËÅ"enlightened people who, from education have the ability to use knowledge and reasoning with situations they encounter throughout their lives. The second traditional view is based from a philosophical root known as humanism. It highlights the concept that education creates a ËÅ"virtuous individual who posses high qualities of moral values, and high levels of intelligence. The humanism belief is strongly developed from English public schools and universities. This approach strongly emphasises the role of the academic tutor who in some ways acts as a ËÅ"role model and though their guidance and example results in the pupil becoming a well rounded individual. The third view is Vocationalism, which is orientated around the national economy. Its objective is to meet the needs of the national economy for skilled labourers who possess the suitable attitude towards work. The fourth tradition is a recent philosophy in education known as Naturalism. This has developed from a combination of psychology, sociology, and philosophy. It highlights the significance of an individual child, its needs, ability knowledge, and its social world. It is based on the ideology of learning, influences, and interaction from the environment. It is a skill based approach, focusing on ËÅ"learning how to learn* and how the child interacts with its environment, education and other institutions, from which the child develops into a whole person. Although the education systems may have been adapted as time progresses and vary slightly from country to country, the root of education originates from these four views. Therefore similarities can be seen in the education system in Britian and France. (* Extracted from Spyby; line 10 pg 222) In both countries France and Britain, majority of children attend preschool. Their compulsory schooling begins around the age of 4/5.The pre-school stage is a period where children in Britain are encouraged to mostly play and develop rather than being taught any academic subjects, where as in France, children at pre school stage encounter formal teaching of subjects such as mathematics and reading and writing. In general there is a higher level of participation in preschool in France than Britain. It appears that the France system bases its pre school system on the Naturalism approach, where by the childs personality, creativity, intellect and socialisation is developed external to the family. From around the age of 5 children in both countries enter primary education. At this stage it is apparent that the naturalism ideology concludes and other traditional views become evident. In primary education there is similarity in the subjects studied throughout Europe, such as Maths, science, their language, P.E, arts. The History of the France and Britain were similar in the changes they experienced in the 19th century. The primary education in England and Wales was originally based on the humanist tradition in the early 19th century. From the late 18th century,  large amounts of children had access to free elementary education from which basic values were conveyed. The Hadow reports 1931 and 1933 changed the structure of schools to form primary and secondary sectors. Primary school was based around developmental psychology, which then advances the child onto highly differentiated secondary school. The Hadow report was also the basis of the education act in 1944. There had also been a change in the ideology of teachers after war where childcentered learning became an issue with primary school teachers in Britain. In the 70s education in Britain became strongly associated with economic issues thus having a large impact in aspects of education. In turn an Education reform act had been produces in 1988, which imposed the National Curriculum. The national curriculum was strongly based on an encyclopaedism view. It arose problems for teachers as it restricted teachers from having the capacity to apply their professional judgement, and resulted teachers as being messengers of the curriculum to submissive learners. The French system also went through changes around this time. Like Britain the education system primarily prepared labouring class children for the world of work. In the early 90s issues were highlighted where teachers were regarded more as ËÅ"cultural emitters rather than a ËÅ"teacher especially secondary school teahers . Primary school teachers focused on the development of children rather than academic development. The educateion system in both France and Britiain share a common factor of taking interst in the childs devlopment and both have a nationaal curriculum to follow. The French system however differs compared to Britian in their child centered approach.The French very strongly follow the tradtion of equality, where everyove achieves at the same rate and every individual is treated the same. Therefore a dtrucutres learning programme has been implemented where pupils learn at the same rate and achieve at the samt rate. Teachers on France play a crucial role in assisting every individual pupil to a similar stage as each other and unlike the British teachers do not view their professional role as involving curriculum development. There is generally a diffrenc ein the way children are taught in France and Britain. As evident from a study conducted by Sharpe (92) the French primary schools tend to adopt a less child centred approach compared to Britain, they have a formal setting with blackboards and chalk, with desks faced towards the black board where as in Brtian there is more diversity in the way the National curriculum is taught, through working in groups, existence of play corners and there is a much more bright colourful displays of childrens work. Another difference in the French and British system is the concept of equality which is promoted on scholls. In the British system there os a emphasis in schools to reseocet multicultural values and other tradtions and cultures each being unique and individual. Whereas in the French system the ideology of a single nation culture is strongly promoted. The next stage from primary school is secondary school (in france refered to as lycÃÆ' ¨es professionelles), which the typical age for in both countries is between 10-12. [more recently there has been debates amongst the british overment about the way children are taught in primary schools and the very ËÅ"child centered ËÅ" approach has been critised. There has been speculation that the educational practices in Britiain may somewhat resmble the France system in the instructive and the extensive use and structure of the whole class. However these practices can only be implemented in the eduacational system through doverment intervention as unlike Britain, such practices in France are more ËÅ"teachers professional culture (Mclean 199

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Vacation Gone Awry Essay -- Descriptive Writing Examples

I lay asleep in the car crammed between my brother and my sister; I open my eyes just in time to see a sign with half of the lights burnt out that read "State Bridge, Resort, Saloon, Restaurant, and Lodging." By the looks of the sign, I had a feeling that this place was going to be a dump. The word "resort" led me to believe it wasn't that bad. The thought I always kept in the back of my mind was what a Hawke family "vacation" was. We would always spend the least amount of money as we could, and we would leave as soon as possible. This, to my dad, was the greatest vacation. My dad had this great last minute idea of going to his sister's house in Steamboat Springs for Christmas. My family is known for last minute planning. We started planning this the day before we wanted to leave. Things never go according to plan, and we ended up leaving that very same day because there was supposed to be a huge snowstorm the next morning. So, at six that night, we all piled into our 1982, Dodge minivan. Of course, my dad made my mom drive because he hates to drive at night or driving period. He always says to my mom "Honey, if you get tired just wake me up and I'll drive." On long trips, he always falls asleep and it is quite difficult to wake him up when he is snoring. My mom always ends up driving the entire way. After driving for what seemed like an eternity, my mom decided it was time to settle into a hotel because she was getting tired, hungry, and cranky. We saw a number of hotels but every hotel that we passed showed a "no vacancy" sign. The first actual stop we made was in Eagle. As soon as the car came to a stop, my brother and my dad awoke, and of course, the bickering began because we were all cranky. My brother had been taki... ...od?" Sarcastically my mom replied, "What do you think?" "I slept good, I didn't even wake up once," my dad answered. "You didn't hear all the trains going by last night?" my mom asked. My dad replied "Nope, I didn't hear a thing." I took my spot in the crammed back seat, and I couldn't believe what had happened in that endless night. As we drove away, I hoped that we would never return to that dreadful place again. Before the vacation was even over, the Hawke family vacation goal was a success. We managed to spend only $25, and we were to start home the next day. To my dad this was a fun filled vacation, but to the rest of us, it was the most dreadful time we had ever had. Still crammed between my brother and sister, I couldn't stop thinking of our awful experience. I could only hope that our final destination would better than the previous encounter. Vacation Gone Awry Essay -- Descriptive Writing Examples I lay asleep in the car crammed between my brother and my sister; I open my eyes just in time to see a sign with half of the lights burnt out that read "State Bridge, Resort, Saloon, Restaurant, and Lodging." By the looks of the sign, I had a feeling that this place was going to be a dump. The word "resort" led me to believe it wasn't that bad. The thought I always kept in the back of my mind was what a Hawke family "vacation" was. We would always spend the least amount of money as we could, and we would leave as soon as possible. This, to my dad, was the greatest vacation. My dad had this great last minute idea of going to his sister's house in Steamboat Springs for Christmas. My family is known for last minute planning. We started planning this the day before we wanted to leave. Things never go according to plan, and we ended up leaving that very same day because there was supposed to be a huge snowstorm the next morning. So, at six that night, we all piled into our 1982, Dodge minivan. Of course, my dad made my mom drive because he hates to drive at night or driving period. He always says to my mom "Honey, if you get tired just wake me up and I'll drive." On long trips, he always falls asleep and it is quite difficult to wake him up when he is snoring. My mom always ends up driving the entire way. After driving for what seemed like an eternity, my mom decided it was time to settle into a hotel because she was getting tired, hungry, and cranky. We saw a number of hotels but every hotel that we passed showed a "no vacancy" sign. The first actual stop we made was in Eagle. As soon as the car came to a stop, my brother and my dad awoke, and of course, the bickering began because we were all cranky. My brother had been taki... ...od?" Sarcastically my mom replied, "What do you think?" "I slept good, I didn't even wake up once," my dad answered. "You didn't hear all the trains going by last night?" my mom asked. My dad replied "Nope, I didn't hear a thing." I took my spot in the crammed back seat, and I couldn't believe what had happened in that endless night. As we drove away, I hoped that we would never return to that dreadful place again. Before the vacation was even over, the Hawke family vacation goal was a success. We managed to spend only $25, and we were to start home the next day. To my dad this was a fun filled vacation, but to the rest of us, it was the most dreadful time we had ever had. Still crammed between my brother and sister, I couldn't stop thinking of our awful experience. I could only hope that our final destination would better than the previous encounter.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Main Objectives of Financial Management

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT The main objectives of financial management are:- 1. Profit maximization : The main objective of financial management is profit maximization. The finance manager tries to earn maximum profits for the company in the short-term and the long-term. He cannot guarantee profits in the long term because of business uncertainties. However, a company can earn maximum profits even in the long-term, if:- i. The Finance manager takes proper financial decisions. ii. He uses the finance of the company properly. 2.Wealth maximization : Wealth maximization (shareholders' value maximization) is also a main objective of financial management. Wealth maximization means to earn maximum wealth for the shareholders. So, the finance manager tries to give a maximum dividend to the shareholders. He also tries to increase the market value of the shares. The market value of the shares is directly related to the performance of the company. Better the performance, higher is the market value o f shares and vice-versa. So, the finance manager must try to maximise shareholder's value. . Proper estimation of total financial requirements : Proper estimation of total financial requirements is a very important objective of financial management. The finance manager must estimate the total financial requirements of the company. He must find out how much finance is required to start and run the company. He must find out the fixed capital and working capital requirements of the company. His estimation must be correct. If not, there will be shortage or surplus of finance. Estimating the financial requirements is a very difficult job.The finance manager must consider many factors, such as the type of technology used by company, number of employees employed, scale of operations, legal requirements, etc. 4. Proper mobilisation : Mobilisation (collection) of finance is an important objective of financial management. After estimating the financial requirements, the finance manager must d ecide about the sources of finance. He can collect finance from many sources such as shares, debentures, bank loans, etc. There must be a proper balance between owned finance and borrowed finance.The company must borrow money at a low rate of interest. 5. Proper utilisation of finance : Proper utilisation of finance is an important objective of financial management. The finance manager must make optimum utilisation of finance. He must use the finance profitable. He must not waste the finance of the company. He must not invest the company's finance in unprofitable projects. He must not block the company's finance in inventories. He must have a short credit period. 6. Maintaining proper cash flow : Maintaining proper cash flow is a short-term objective of financial management.The company must have a proper cash flow to pay the day-to-day expenses such as purchase of raw materials, payment of wages and salaries, rent, electricity bills, etc. If the company has a good cash flow, it can take advantage of many opportunities such as getting cash discounts on purchases, large-scale purchasing, giving credit to customers, etc. A healthy cash flow improves the chances of survival and success of the company. 7. Survival of company : Survival is the most important objective of financial management.The company must survive in this competitive business world. The finance manager must be very careful while making financial decisions. One wrong decision can make the company sick, and it will close down. 8. Creating reserves : One of the objectives of financial management is to create reserves. The company must not distribute the full profit as a dividend to the shareholders. It must keep a part of it profit as reserves. Reserves can be used for future growth and expansion. It can also be used to face contingencies in the future. 9.Proper coordination : Financial management must try to have proper coordination between the finance department and other departments of the company . 10. Create goodwill : Financial management must try to create goodwill for the company. It must improve the image and reputation of the company. Goodwill helps the company to survive in the short-term and succeed in the long-term. It also helps the company during bad times. 11. Increase efficiency : Financial management also tries to increase the efficiency of all the departments of the company.Proper distribution of finance to all the departments will increase the efficiency of the entire company. 12. Financial discipline : Financial management also tries to create a financial discipline. Financial discipline means:- i. To invest finance only in productive areas. This will bring high returns (profits) to the company. ii. To avoid wastage and misuse of finance. 13. Reduce cost of capital : Financial management tries to reduce the cost of capital. That is, it tries to borrow money at a low rate of interest.The finance manager must plan the capital structure in such a way that the c ost of capital it minimised. 14. Reduce operating risks : Financial management also tries to reduce the operating risks. There are many risks and uncertainties in a business. The finance manager must take steps to reduce these risks. He must avoid high-risk projects. He must also take proper insurance. 15. Prepare capital structure : Financial management also prepares the capital structure. It decides the ratio between owned finance and borrowed finance. It brings a proper balance between the different sources of. apital. This balance is necessary for liquidity, economy, flexibility and stability. How are financial market and financial services regulated in India? In this context briefly examine the role of SEBI? Financial regulators in India have been obligated to inter alia undertake the development of the market. This has been expressively incorporated in the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Act, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda) Act, and is propo sed in the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill (PFRDA) since reintroduced in the Rajya Sabha.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), until the constitution of sector regulators like Sebi, Irda, etc, undertook the responsibility of developing various segments of the financial market. Setting up of institutions like the Industrial Development Bank of India ( IDBI), Unit Trust of India (UTI), National Housing Bank (NHB) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development ( Nabard) and so on, establishes historical track of the role played by the RBI in the development of the financial markets.At the conclusion of my presentation as Sebi chairman in one of the Neemrana Conferences; an annual event jointly organised by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), US, Martin Feldstein, the then-chairman of NBER, asked me how could Indian capital market undergo so many fast-paced reforms (after the 2001 marke t scam), and was visibly surprised to hear that Sebi has been legislatively obligated to develop the market as well and eventually became the driver of development.Market and its constituents were persuaded, albeit compelled, to march along the route charted out by the regulator. Here, it might be worthwhile to reflect on the growth and development of the insurance, asset management and pension markets, which has been stagnating for the last three years. The market participants in all the sectors bemoan that the growth has been torpedoed by the fast-paced regulatory changes ushered in by the concerned regulators.The regulatory authorities, on the other hand, profess that the regulatory changes were warranted to protect the interest of the investors. It has also been argued, on occasions, that the environment and functioning of the market necessitated the changes to prevent possible scam and/or the market collapse. However, it appears significant part of the reform's inspiration has been drawn from the practices in the developed markets and even thelocalisation, albeit customisation, has not been woven in some of the areas.The questions that prominently surface are: (a) whether regulatory changes have helped or adversely impacted the growth and development of the market, and (b) whether investors' interests have actually been protected. Answers to these questions would require putting the ethos of the market in perspective. There is no gainsaying that financial illiteracy is rampant in the country. The malaise is not limited to rural and/or the illiterate masses. Low level of understanding of financial products and lack of self-propelled actualisation to buy is widespread even among the educated elite in metropolitan towns.Groping deeper in the basket of reforms reveals that sudden and drastic reduction or elimination of intermediation fees seems to have had lethal impact on the existence and sustainability of the intermediaries' structure — both tied an d third party. Some have gone out of business — the number of insurance agents has gone down by over three lakh during the last year alone — and quite a few others are on brink of disengagement. The imposition of the regulatory direction of customer paying the fees for the advice as against the age-old practice of being woven in the pricing could not be absorbed.This is just an example of what choked the growth of the mutual fund industry. Savings and disposable incomes are finding their way into the ‘gold rush' notwithstanding prices going through the roof. Investment in gold does not add to the growth of economy, as it is a locked investment and very little leveraging is done. It is well understood that the regulator has to architect a framework that ensures efficient functioning of the market and protects investors' interests. However, this has to be achieved without impacting the growth and development of the market, at least in medium-to-long term.Contractio n of growth in a developing economy has the potential of a double whammy. The economy does not get the required resources; impacting the GDP growth and rise in disposable incomes, culminating into deceleration of financial market with multiple cascading effects. The savers miss the opportunity of profiting from the potentials of the economy. In fact, it is customary in most developed markets to undertake a pre-study of the cost of regulatory changes with an evaluation of the benefits to judge the trade of between cost and benefits.The level of development of financial markets suggests that it is time for Indian regulators to begin the practice of undertaking such an exercise before embarking upon designing and implementing the new regulatory regime. At this point in time when the economy needs to grow at a level higher than 8. 5%, the growth of the financial sectors, which is critical, has to be ensured. It is an accepted dictum that securing an aspired rate of GDP growth requires r oughly four times that rate as investment. The financial services industry is the enabler.A revisit of the regulatory craft is imminently desirable. Explain role of SEBI in regulating Indian Capital Market more deeply with following points: 1. Power to make rules for controlling stock exchange : SEBI has power to make new rules for controlling stock exchange in India. For example, SEBI fixed the time of trading 9 AM and 5 PM in stock market. 2. To provide license to dealers and brokers : SEBI has power to provide license to dealers and brokers of capital market. If SEBI sees that any financial product is of capital nature, then SEBI can also control to that product and its dealers.One of main example is ULIPs case. SEBI said, † It is just like mutual funds and all banks and financial and insurance companies who want to issue it, must take permission from SEBI. † 3. To Stop fraud in Capital Market : SEBI has many powers for stopping fraud in capital market. – It ca n ban on the trading of those brokers who are involved in fraudulent and unfair trade practices relating to stock market. – It can impose the penalties on capital market intermediaries if they involve in insider trading. 4.To Control the Merge, Acquisition and Takeover the companies : Many big companies in India want to create monopoly in capital market. So, these companies buy all other companies or deal of merging. SEBI sees whether this merge or acquisition is for development of business or to harm capital market. 5. To audit the performance of stock market : SEBI uses his powers to audit the performance of different Indian stock exchange for bringing transparency in the working of stock exchanges. 6. To make new rules on carry – forward transactions : a.Share trading transactions carry forward can not exceed 25% of broker's total transactions. b. 90 day limit for carry forward. 7. To create relationship with ICAI : ICAI is the authority for making new auditors of c ompanies. SEBI creates good relationship with ICAI for bringing more transparency in the auditing work of company accounts because audited financial statements are mirror to see the real face of company and after this investors can decide to invest or not to invest. Moreover, investors of India can easily trust on audited financial reports.After Satyam Scam, SEBI is investigating with ICAI, whether CAs are doing their duty by ethical way or not. 8. Introduction of derivative contracts on Volatility Index : For reducing the risk of investors, SEBI has now been decided to permit Stock Exchanges to introduce derivative contracts on Volatility Index, subject to the condition that; a. The underlying Volatility Index has a track record of at least one year. b. The Exchange has in place the appropriate risk management framework for such derivative contracts. 2.Before introduction of such contracts, the Stock Exchanges shall submit the following: i. Contract specifications ii. Position and Exercise Limits iii. Margins iv. The economic purpose it is intended to serve v. Likely contribution to market development vi. The safeguards and the risk protection mechanism adopted by the exchange to ensure market integrity, protection of investors and smooth and orderly trading. vii. The infrastructure of the exchange and the surveillance system to effectively monitor trading in such contracts, and viii. Details of settlement procedures & systems ix.Details of back testing of the margin calculation for a period of one year considering a call and a put option on the underlying with a delta of 0. 25 & -0. 25 respectively and actual value of the underlying. 9. To Require report of Portfolio Management Activities : SEBI has also power to require report of portfolio management to check the capital market performance. Recently, SEBI sent the letter to all Registered Portfolio Managers of India for demanding 10. To educate the investors : Time to time, SEBI arranges scheduled workshops to educate the investors. On 22 may 2010 SEBI imposed workshop.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Bloodlines Chapter Seventeen

MY DISCOVERY KICKED the tattoo problem up to a whole new level. Before, I'd just thought I was fighting against people using techniques similar to Alchemist methods to expose Amberwood to drugs. It had been a moral issue. Now, with blood on the line – it was an Alchemist issue. Our whole purpose was to protect humans from the existence of vampires. If someone was illicitly putting vampire blood into humans, they'd crossed the line we worked hard, every day, to maintain. I knew I should immediately report this. If someone had gotten their hands on vampire blood, the Alchemists needed to send a force here and investigate. If I followed the normal chain of command, I supposed the thing would be to tell Keith and let him tell our superiors. If he did, however, I had no doubt he'd claim all the credit for uncovering this. I couldn't let that happen – and not because I wanted the glory for myself. Too many Alchemists erroneously believed Keith was an upstanding person. I didn't want to fuel that. But before I did anything, I needed to figure out the rest of the vials' contents. I could make guesses at the metallic residues but wasn't sure if, like the blood, they came straight from the Alchemist catalog or were just knockoffs. And if they were our formulas, it wasn't obvious at a glance which were which. The silver powder in one vial, for example, could have been a few different Alchemist compounds. I had the means to do some experiments and figure it out, but one substance eluded me. It was clear, slightly thick liquid that had no discernable odor. My guess was that it was the narcotic used in the celestial tattoos. Vampire blood wouldn't cause that high, though it would absolutely explain the crazy athleticism of the so-called steel tattoos. So, I began running what experiments I could, while going on with the normal routines of school. We were playing basketball inside in PE this week, so Jill was participating – and being subjected to Laurel's biting comments. I kept hearing her say things like, â€Å"You'd think she'd be a lot better since she's so tall. She can practically touch the basket without jumping. Or maybe she should turn into a bat and fly up there.† I winced. I had to keep telling myself not to make a big deal of the jokes, but every time I heard one, panic seized me. I had to hide it, though. If I wanted to help Jill, I needed the teasing stopped as a whole – not just the vampire stuff. Drawing more attention to those comments wouldn't help. Micah tried to comfort Jill after each attack, which clearly infuriated Laurel more. Laurel's weren't the only comments reaching my ears. Since my raid of the tattoo parlor, I'd been hearing a fair amount of interesting information from Slade and his friends. â€Å"Well, did he say when?† Miss Carson was taking attendance, and Slade was interrogating a guy named Tim about a recent trip to the parlor. Tim shook his head. â€Å"No. They're having some trouble with their shipment. It sounds like the supplier's got it but doesn't want to give it up for the same price.† â€Å"Damn it,† growled Slade. â€Å"I need a touch-up.† â€Å"Hey,† said Tim. â€Å"What about me? I don't even have my first one.† It wasn't the first comment I'd overheard from someone who already had a celestial and needed a touch-up. Addiction in action. Jill's face was hard when PE ended, and I had the feeling she was trying not to cry. I tried talking to her in the locker room, but she simply shook her head and headed off for the showers. I was about to go there myself when I heard a shriek. Those of us who were still by the lockers raced to the shower room to see what was happening. Laurel jerked the curtain back from her stall and came running out, oblivious to the fact that she was naked. I gaped. Her skin was covered in a fine sheen of ice. Water droplets from the shower had frozen solid on her skin and in her hair, though in the steamy heat of the rest of the room, they were already starting to melt. I glanced over to the shower itself and noticed that the water coming out of the faucet was also frozen solid. Laurel's screams brought Miss Carson running in – shocked as the rest of us at the seemingly impossible thing we'd just witnessed. She finally declared it was some kind of freak problem with the pipes and the water heater. That was typical of my fellow humans. They'd always reach for far-fetched scientific explanations before delving into fantastic ones. But I had no problem with that. It made my job easier. Miss Carson tried to get Laurel to go into a different shower to get the ice off, but she refused. She waited for it all to melt and then toweled herself off. Her hair was atrocious when she finally left for her next class, and I smirked. I guessed there'd be no hair-tossing today. â€Å"Jill,† I called, catching sight of her trying to blend in to the group of girls leaving the locker room. She glanced guiltily over her shoulder but didn't otherwise acknowledge that she'd heard me. I followed close behind her. â€Å"Jill!† I called out again. She was definitely avoiding me. In the hall, Jill spotted Micah and hurried over to him. Smart. She knew I wouldn't ask any dangerous questions with him around. She managed to avoid me for the rest of the day, but I staked out our room until she finally came home, just before curfew. â€Å"Jill,† I exclaimed as soon as she walked through the door. â€Å"What were you thinking?† She threw her books down and turned toward me. I had a feeling I wasn't the only one who'd been preparing a speech today. â€Å"I was thinking I'm sick of listening to Laurel and her friends talk about me.† â€Å"So you froze her shower?† I asked. â€Å"How is that going to stop her? It's not like you can claim credit for it.† Jill shrugged. â€Å"It made me feel better.† â€Å"That's your excuse?† I could hardly believe it. Jill had always seemed so reasonable. She'd survived becoming a princess and dying with a clear head. This was what broke her. â€Å"Do you know what you risked? We're trying to not attract attention here!† â€Å"Miss Carson didn't think it was weird.† â€Å"Miss Carson came up with a flimsy excuse to reassure herself! That's what people do. All it's going to take is some janitor investigating and saying pipes don't randomly freeze – especially in Palm Springs!† â€Å"So what?† Jill demanded. â€Å"What then? Is their next leap going to be that it was vampire magic?† â€Å"Of course not,† I said. â€Å"But people are going to talk. You've raised their suspicions.† She eyed me carefully. â€Å"Is that what's really upsetting you? Or is it that I used magic at all?† â€Å"Isn't it the same thing?† â€Å"No. I mean, you're upset that I used magic because you don't like magic. You don't like anything to do with vampires. I think this is personal. I know what you think of us.† I groaned. â€Å"Jill, I do like you. You're right that magic makes me a little uneasy.† Okay, a lot uneasy. â€Å"But my personal feelings aren't what's going to make people wonder what could have caused water to freeze like that.† â€Å"It isn't right that she can keep doing that!† â€Å"I know. But you have to be better than her.† Jill sat on the bed and sighed. Like that, her anger seemed to melt into despair. â€Å"I hate it here. I want to go back to St. Vladimir's. Or Court. Or Michigan. Anywhere but here.† She looked at me pleadingly. â€Å"Hasn't there been any news about when I can go back?† â€Å"No,† I said, unwilling to tell her it might be a while. â€Å"Everyone's having a great time here,† she said. â€Å"You love it. You have tons of friends.† â€Å"I don't – â€Å" â€Å"Eddie likes it too. He's got Micah and some other guys in their dorm to hang out with. Plus, he's got me to look after, which gives him a purpose.† I'd never thought of it like that but realized she was right. â€Å"But me? What do I have? Nothing except this stupid bond that just makes me more depressed because I have to listen to Adrian feel sorry for himself.† â€Å"I'm taking Adrian job-hunting tomorrow,† I said, not sure if that would really help. Jill nodded bleakly. â€Å"I know. His life'll probably be great now too.† She was sinking into melodrama and her own self-pity, but in light of everything, I kind of felt like she was entitled to it right now. â€Å"You have Lee,† I said. That brought a smile to her face. â€Å"I know. He's great. I like him a lot, and I can't believe†¦ I mean, it just seems crazy that he'd like me too.† â€Å"Not that crazy.† Her brightness faded. â€Å"Did you know Lee told me he thinks I can be a model? He says I've got the figure human fashion designers really like and knows this designer downtown who's looking for models. But when I told Eddie, he said it was a terrible idea because I can't risk having my picture taken. He said if it leaked out, others could find me.† â€Å"That's true,† I said. â€Å"On all counts. You do have a model's figure – but it'd be too dangerous.† She sighed, looking defeated. â€Å"See? Nothing works out for me.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Jill. I really am. I know it's hard. All I can ask is that you keep trying to stay strong. You've done really great so far. Just hang in there a little longer, okay? Just keep thinking of Lee.† My words sounded hollow, even to me. I almost wondered if I should bring her along with Adrian and me but finally decided against it. I didn't think Adrian needed any distractions. I also wasn't sure how interesting it would be for her. If she was really that eager to watch Adrian go through job interviews, she could â€Å"listen in† through the bond. I met up with Adrian after school the next day, and for the first time in ages, neither Lee nor Keith was around the old house. Clarence was, however, and he practically ran me down when I entered. â€Å"Did you hear?† he demanded. â€Å"Did you hear about that poor girl?† â€Å"What girl?† I asked. â€Å"The one killed in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago.† â€Å"Oh, yeah,† I said, relieved there was no new death. â€Å"It was tragic. We're lucky there are no Strigoi here.† He gave me a surprisingly knowing look. â€Å"It wasn't Strigoi! Haven't you paid attention? It was them. The vampire hunters.† â€Å"But they drank her blood, sir. Didn't you say vampire hunters are human? No human would have any reason to drink Moroi blood.† He turned away from me and paced the living room. I glanced around, wondering where Adrian was. â€Å"Everyone keeps saying that!† said Clarence. â€Å"As though I don't already know that. I can't explain why they do what they do. They're a strange lot. They worship the sun and have weird beliefs about evil and honor – more unusual than even your beliefs.† Well, that was something. At least he knew I was human. Sometimes I wasn't sure. â€Å"They also have strange views on which vampires should die. They kill all Strigoi without question. With Moroi and dhampirs, they're more selective.† â€Å"You sure know a lot about them,† I said. â€Å"I've made it my business to, ever since Tamara.† He sighed and suddenly seemed very, very old. â€Å"At least Keith believes me.† I kept my face expressionless. â€Å"Oh?† Clarence nodded. â€Å"He's a good young man. You should give him a chance.† My control slipped, and I knew I was scowling. â€Å"I'll try, sir.† Adrian entered just then, much to my relief. Being alone with Clarence was freaky enough without him actually praising Keith Darnell. â€Å"Ready?† I asked. â€Å"You bet,† said Adrian. â€Å"I can't wait to be a productive member of society.† I gave his outfit a once-over and had to bite off any comments. It was nice, but of course, his clothes always were. Jill had claimed I had an expensive wardrobe, but Adrian's blew mine away. Today he wore black jeans and a burgundy button-down shirt. The shirt looked like it was some sort of silk blend, and he wore it loose and unbuttoned. His hair was carefully styled to look like he'd just rolled out of bed. Too bad he didn't have my hair's texture. My hair did that without any styling at all. I had to admit, he looked great – but he didn't look like he was going to a job interview. He looked like he was about to go clubbing. This left me kind of conflicted. I found myself admiring him nonetheless and was again reminded of that impression I got from him sometimes, like he was some kind of work of art. It was a little disconcerting, particularly since I had to keep telling myself that vampires were not attractive in the same way humans were. Fortunately, the practical part of me soon took over, chastising me that it didn't matter if he looked good or not. What mattered was that he looked inappropriate for job interviews. I shouldn't have been surprised, though. This was Adrian Ivashkov. â€Å"So what's on the agenda?† he asked me once we were on the road. â€Å"I really think ‘Chairman Ivashkov' has a nice ring to it.† â€Å"There's a folder in the backseat with our itinerary, Chairman.† Adrian twisted around and retrieved the folder. After a quick scan of it, he declared, â€Å"You get points for variety, Sage. But I don't think any of these are going to keep me in the lifestyle I'm accustomed to.† â€Å"Your resume's in the back. I did my best, but we're operating within limited parameters here.† He flipped through the papers and found the resume. â€Å"Wow. I was an educational assistant at St. Vladimir's?† I shrugged. â€Å"It was the closest you had to a job.† â€Å"And Lissa was my supervisor, huh? I hope she gives me a good referral.† When Vasilisa and Rose were still in school, Adrian had lived there and worked with Vasilisa on learning spirit. â€Å"Educational assistant† was kind of a stretch, but it made him sound like he could multitask and show up for work on time. He shut the folder and leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes. â€Å"How's Jailbait? She seemed down the last time I saw her.† I considered lying but figured he'd probably find out the truth eventually, either from her directly or through his own deductions. Adrian's judgment might be questionable, but I'd discovered he was excellent at reading people. Eddie claimed it came from being a spirit user and had mentioned something about auras, which I wasn't quite sure I believed in. The Alchemists had no hard evidence that they were real. â€Å"Not good,† I said, giving him the full report as we drove. â€Å"That shower thing was hilarious,† he said when I finished. â€Å"It was irresponsible! Why can't anyone see that?† â€Å"But that bitch had it coming.† I sighed. â€Å"Have you guys forgotten why you're here? You of all people! You saw her die. Don't you get how important it is for her to stay safe and keep a low profile?† Adrian was quiet for several moments, and when I glanced over, his face was uncharacteristically serious. â€Å"I know. But I don't want her to be miserable either. She†¦ she doesn't deserve it. Not like the rest of us.† â€Å"I don't think we do either.† â€Å"Maybe you don't,† he said with a small smile. â€Å"What with your pure lifestyle and all. I don't know. Jill's just so†¦ innocent. It's why I saved her, you know. I mean, part of it.† I shivered. â€Å"When she died?† He nodded, a troubled look in his eyes. â€Å"When I saw her there, bloody and not moving†¦ I didn't think about the consequences of what I was doing. I just knew I had to save her. She had to live. I acted without question, not even knowing for sure if I could do it.† â€Å"It was brave of you.† â€Å"Maybe. I don't know. I do know she's gone through a lot. I don't want her to go through any more.† â€Å"Neither do I.† I was touched at the concern. He kept surprising me in weird ways. Sometimes it was hard to imagine Adrian really caring about anything, but a softer side of him surfaced when he talked about Jill. â€Å"I'll do what I can. I know I should talk to her more†¦ be more of a friend or even a fake sister. It's just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He eyed me. â€Å"Is it really so terrible being around us?† I blushed. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"But†¦ it's complicated. I've been taught certain things my entire life. Those are hard to shake.† â€Å"The greatest changes in history have come because people were able to shake off what others told them to do.† He looked away from me, out the window. The statement annoyed me. It sounded good, of course. It was the kind of thing people said all the time without really understanding the implications. Be yourself, fight the system! But people who said them – people like Adrian – hadn't lived my life. They hadn't grown up in a system of beliefs so rigid, it was like being imprisoned. They hadn't been forced to give up their ability to think for themselves or make their own choices. His words didn't just annoy me, I realized. They made me angry. They made me jealous. I scoffed and threw out a comment worthy of him. â€Å"Should I add motivational speaker to your resume?† â€Å"If the pay's right, I'm in. Oh.† He straightened up. â€Å"I finally placed him. That Micah guy you're so worried about.† â€Å"Placed him?† â€Å"Yeah. Why he looks so familiar. Micah's a dead ringer for Mason Ashford.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"A dhampir that went to St. Vladimir's. He dated Rose for a while.† Adrian scoffed and rested his cheek against the glass. â€Å"Well, inasmuch as anyone ever dated her. She was crazy for Belikov, even then. Just like she was when we dated. Don't know if Ashford ever knew or if she was able to fool him the whole time. I hope so. Poor bastard.† I frowned. â€Å"Why do you say that?† â€Å"He died. Well, was killed, I should say. Did you know about that? A bunch of them were captured by Strigoi last year. Rose and Castile made it out. Ashford didn't.† â€Å"No,† I said, making a mental note to look into this. â€Å"I didn't. Eddie was there too?† â€Å"Yup. Physically, at least. The Strigoi kept feeding off him, so he was useless for most of it. You want to talk about emotional damage? Look no further.† â€Å"Poor Eddie,† I said. Suddenly, a lot about the dhampir was beginning to make sense to me. We arrived at the first place, a law firm that was looking for an office assistant. The title sounded more glamorous than it really was and would probably involve a lot of the same errands Trey and I ran for Ms. Terwilliger. But out of the three positions I'd found, this one also had the most potential for future advancement. The firm was obviously doing well, judging from the lobby we waited in. Orchids grew in giant, well-placed vases, and there was even a fountain in the middle of the room. Three others waited in the lobby with us. One was a very nicely dressed woman in her forties. Opposite her was a man about the same age, sitting with a much younger woman whose lowcut blouse would've gotten her thrown out of Amberwood. Each time I looked at her, I wanted to cover her cleavage up with a cardigan. The three of them obviously knew each other, however, because they kept making eye contact and trading glares. Adrian studied each of them in turn and then turned to me. â€Å"This law firm,† he said in a low voice. â€Å"It specializes in divorce, doesn't it?† â€Å"Yes,† I said. He nodded and took a few moments to process the information. Then, to my horror, he leaned over me and said to the older woman, â€Å"He was a fool, clearly. You're a stunning, classy woman. Just wait. He'll be sorry.† â€Å"Adrian!† I exclaimed. The woman flinched in surprise but didn't look entirely offended. Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, the younger woman straightened up from where she'd been cuddling against the man. â€Å"Sorry?† she demanded. â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† I willed the earth to swallow me up and save me. Fortunately, the next-best thing came when the receptionist called the threesome in to meet with a lawyer. â€Å"Really?† I asked when they were gone. â€Å"Did you have to say that?† â€Å"I speak my mind, Sage. Don't you believe in telling the truth?† â€Å"Of course I do. But there's a time and place! Not with perfect strangers who are obviously in a bad situation.† â€Å"Whatever,† he said, looking extremely pleased with himself. â€Å"I totally made that lady's day.† Just then, a woman in a black suit and very high heels emerged from an inner office. â€Å"I'm Janet McCade, the office manager,† she said. She glanced between the two of us uncertainly, and then she decided on me. â€Å"You must be Adrian.† The name mistake was understandable, but the mix-up didn't bode well for him. My assessment of his clubbing outfit had been correct. My brown skirt and ivory blouse apparently seemed more appropriate for an interview. â€Å"This is Adrian,† I said, pointing. â€Å"I'm just his sister, here for moral support.† â€Å"Very kind of you,† said Janet, looking a little perplexed. â€Å"Well, then. Shall we go talk, Adrian?† â€Å"You bet,† he said, standing. He started to follow her, and I jumped up. â€Å"Adrian,† I whispered, catching his sleeve. â€Å"You want to tell the truth? Do it in there. Do not embellish or make up crazy claims that you were a district attorney.† â€Å"Got it,† he said. â€Å"This is going to be a breeze.† If by breeze he meant fast, then he was right. He emerged from the office door five minutes later. â€Å"I don't suppose,† I said, once we were in the car, â€Å"that she just gave you the job based on looks alone?† Adrian had been staring off but now flashed me a big smile. â€Å"Why, Sage, you sweet talker.† â€Å"That's not what I meant! What happened?† He shrugged. â€Å"I told the truth.† â€Å"Adrian!† â€Å"I'm serious. She asked me what my greatest strength was. I said getting along with people.† â€Å"That's not bad,† I admitted. â€Å"Then she asked what my greatest weakness was. And I said, ‘Where should I start?'† â€Å"Adrian!† â€Å"Stop saying my name like that. I told her the truth. By the time I was on the fourth one, she told me I could go.† I groaned and resisted the urge to beat my head on the steering wheel. â€Å"I should've coached you. That's a standard trick question. You're supposed to answer with things like ‘I get too devoted to my work' or ‘I'm a perfectionist.'† He snorted and crossed his arms. â€Å"That's total bullshit. Who'd say something like that?† â€Å"People who get jobs.† Since we had extra time now, I did my best to prep him with answers before the next interview. It was actually at Spencer's, and I'd gotten Trey to pull a few strings. While Adrian was interviewing in the back, I got a table and some coffee. Trey came to visit me after about fifteen minutes. â€Å"Is that really your brother?† he demanded. â€Å"Yes,† I said, hoping I sounded convincing. â€Å"When you said he was looking for a job, I pictured a male version of you. I figured he'd want to color code the cups or something.† â€Å"What's your point?† I asked. Trey shook his head. â€Å"My point is that you'd better keep looking. I was just back there and overhead him talking with my manager. She was explaining the cleanup he would have to do each night. Then he said something about his hands and manual labor.† I wasn't the swearing type, but in that moment, I wished I was. The last interview was at a trendy bar downtown. I'd taken it on faith that Adrian probably knew every drink in the world and had made up a fake credential for the resume, claiming he'd taken a bartending class. I stayed in the car for this one and sent him in alone, figuring he had the best chance here. At the very least, his outfit would be appropriate. When he came out in ten minutes, I was aghast. â€Å"How?† I demanded. â€Å"How could you have screwed this one up?† â€Å"When I got in, they said the manager was on the phone and would be a few minutes. So, I sat down and ordered a drink.† This time, I did lean my forehead against the steering wheel. â€Å"What did you order?† â€Å"A martini.† â€Å"A martini.† I lifted my head. â€Å"You ordered a martini before a job interview.† â€Å"It's a bar, Sage. I figured they'd be cool with it.† â€Å"No, you didn't!† I exclaimed. The volume of my voice surprised both of us, and he cringed a little. â€Å"You aren't stupid, no matter how much you pretend to be! You know you can't do that. You did it to screw around with them. You did it to screw around with me! That's what this has all been about. You haven't taken any of this seriously. You wasted these people's time and mine, just because you had nothing better to do!† â€Å"That's not true,† he said, though he sounded uncertain. â€Å"I do want a job†¦ just not these jobs.† â€Å"You're in no position to pick and choose. You want out of Clarence's? These were your tickets. You should've been able to get any of them if you'd just put in a little effort. You're charming when you want to be. You could've talked yourself into a job.† I started the car. â€Å"I'm done with this.† â€Å"You don't understand,† he said. â€Å"I understand that you're going through a tough time. I understand that you're hurting.† I refused to look at him and gave all my attention to the road. â€Å"But that doesn't give you the right to play around with other people's lives. Try taking care of your own for a change.† He made no response until we were back at Clarence's, and even then, I didn't want to hear it. â€Å"Sage – † he began. â€Å"Get out,† I said. He hesitated like he might disagree but finally conceded with a swift nod. He left the car and strode toward the house, lighting a cigarette as he went. Fury and frustration burned within me. How could one person continually send me on such emotional highs and lows? Whenever I was starting to like him and feel like we were actually connecting, he would go and do something like this. I was a fool to ever start letting myself feel friendly toward him. Had I really thought he was a work of art earlier? More like a piece of work. My feelings were still churning when I arrived back at Amberwood. I particularly cringed at the thought of running into Jill in our room. I had no doubt she'd know everything that had happened with Adrian, and I had no desire to hear her defend him. But when I walked into my dorm, I never made it past the front desk. Mrs. Weathers was in the lobby, along with Eddie and a campus security officer. Micah hovered nearby, face pale. My heart stopped. Eddie sprinted toward me, panic written all over him. â€Å"There you are! I couldn't get ahold of you or Keith.† â€Å"M-my phone was off.† I looked over at Mrs. Weathers and the officer and saw the same worry on their faces as his. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"It's Jill,† said Eddie grimly. â€Å"She's missing.†

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Doctors Riot essays

Doctor's Riot essays In former times body-snatching, or digging up bodies for dissections was much more heard of than at present. The fear if it was so great, that often, in the neighborhood where medical students were pursuing their studies, persons who lost friends and family members would have a watch kept over their graves for several nights, to prevent them from being dug up. Neither the high social position nor sex of the dead provided a barrier to this disturbance of the graves. Although it was established that for thorough instruction in medical science, subjects for dissection were necessary, yet no one outside of the medical profession could be found to authorize body-snatching. In the winter of 1787 and 1788, medical students of New York City dug up bodies more frequently than usual. Usually, the students had contented themselves with ripping open the graves of strangers and Negroes, about whom there was little concern. This winter, however, they dug up respectable people, even young women, of whom they made an indecent exposure. The stories did not lose anything by reputation, and soon the conduct of physicians and medical students became a town talk. The graveyards were easily accessible while there are plenty of men to be found, who, for a small sum, would dig up any body anyone desired. In 1788 the towns only shelter for the ill was New York Hospital, a three-story structure atop a small hill west of Broadway between Duane and Reade streets.1 Due to the fact that British soldiers had left the place in horrible condition, the facility could not be used for practice of medicine. Two of its rooms had been altered by the professors of the nearby Columbia College into dissecting rooms for the students. A mere accident caused this state of feeling to culminate and suddenly break out into action. On Sunday, April 13th, some boys were playing in the rear of the New York Hospital as they...

Monday, October 21, 2019

How to Write a Last Minute Essay that Rocks 7-Step Guide

How to Write a Last Minute Essay that Rocks 7-Step Guide Do you know that there are 2 types of successful essay writers? Some students are very organized they always plan ahead to be deadline-ready. They start researching their topics early and read a lot about the subjects of their essays just as their tutors have told them. Other students are last minute dashers. They tend to procrastinate and often leave their coursework assignments to the very last minute. Nevertheless, they manage to nail their essays in the unbelievable time and get decent grades. Wondering how it is possible? Want to learn about the tricks to produce a good essay fast and be proud of it? Keep reading our easy 7-step guide where we are going to show you how you can do it. 1. Download a Self-Control App Procrastination is not an option when you have only a few hours to write an essay. That’s why you’d better turn off your phone and reduce your internet options to avoid distractions. The easiest way to escape online distractions is to download a Self-Control app as fast as you can and temporarily block your own access to distracting websites. You should block Mix, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Spotify, YouTube, and any other sites you’re addicted to until your essay is submitted. You’ll be surprised to see how productive you can be when you ban yourself from social networks. 2. Make a Killer Outline Start with an outline. It’s an important step of the essay writing process which you should never skip. You need to create an essential frame of your future essay that will help you organize your thoughts and stay focused when writing. Making an outline can be fun if you use a mind-mapping technique. Think about the topic of your essay and write down all the ideas that come to your mind no matter how silly some of them may seem to you. Select the most productive ideas that you’ll tackle in your argument and find connections between them to make a single outline. Create a clean mind map to show the structure of your essay. You can use such online mind-mapping software as MindMup and MindMeister. 3. Do a Profound Research All good college essays are well-researched. And the lack of time is not an excuse to skip this essential step. Your professor won’t be impressed if your paper is based on vague and unconvincing arguments. So you have to gather outside information and quotes to support them. Here are some tips on how to conduct a research fast: Use your outline as a guide and choose search keywords wisely. Use Google Scholar instead of Google to find authoritative sources worth referencing. Try using Google Books to find direct quotes without spending a lot of time on reading paragraphs. Don’t forget to keep notes of your sources to make a list of citations. Wikipedia can help you find authoritative online sources and conduct a brilliant research in practically no time. Check the citations on the Wikipedia page and choose some references to search the books and articles in journals online. 4. Write Like the Wind Now start typing out your ideas as they come and don’t worry much about the writing style. Don’t care about word choice, spelling mistakes, and grammar errors at this stage. Just type everything that you want to say first and copy-edit at the end. Your task is to prove your thesis. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that relates to your thesis. Support the key idea of your paragraph with relevant evidence. Then, provide a quote, citing the source, and analyze the quote. End each paragraph with a concluding sentence and make a transition to the next one. 5. Edit to Perfection Revise your first draft. Read the essay and make sure that your argument is relevant to the prompt and supports your thesis. Check if your organization makes sense and take out the parts that don’t fit in. Add the necessary information if you notice that there are gaps in the logical flow. When you are satisfied with the content and the structure, copy-edit your essay. Improve word choice and fix grammar and spelling mistakes. There are 2 online tools you can use for final editing and proofreading. Grammarly can effectively identify more grammar and spelling mistakes than the ordinary word processor. Hemingway Editor marks the complex words and sentences that are hard to read and encourages you to make your writing readable and clear. 6. Double-check Your Paper for Plagiarism To ensure that your essay is unique and that you haven’t copied someone’s ideas, check your writing for plagiarism. Use Plagtracker and TurnItIn to find suspicious sections in your essay. Paraphrase the parts that are not completely unique or reference the sources. Citation Machine can help you create citations according to the chosen citation style. 7. Reward Yourself If you followed these steps and worked intensively, you have a great essay that is ready for submission. Now you really deserve a reward. Eat a chocolate bar, watch an episode of your favorite TV show and take a nap. And if you want to move to this very step right away, then order a sample essay from our agency. Our experienced academic writers will cover all the steps above only on a more profound level. As a result, you’ll save lots of time and efforts.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to Make a Desiccant Container

How to Make a Desiccant Container A desiccator or desiccant container is a chamber that removes water from chemicals or items. It is extremely easy to make a desiccator yourself using materials you probably have on hand. Have you ever wondered why so many products come with little packets that say Do Not Eat? The packets contain  silica gel beads, which absorb water vapor and keep the product dry. Including packets in packaging is an easy way of preventing mold and mildew from taking their toll. Other items would absorb water unevenly (e.g., parts of a wooden musical instrument), causing them to warp. You can use the silica packets or another desiccant to keep special items dry or to keep water from hydrating chemicals. All you need is a hygroscopic (water-absorbing) chemical and a way to seal your container. Key Takeaways: How to Make a Desiccator A desiccator is a container used to maintain a low-humidity environment.Dessicators are simple to make. Basically, a dry desiccant chemical is sealed within a closed container. Objects stored within the container will not become damaged from moisture or humidity. To some extent, a desiccator can absorb water already stored within an object.Many desiccants are available, but they vary widely in terms of safety and cost. The safest chemicals to use include silica gel beads, calcium chloride, and activated charcoal.Desiccant chemicals can be recharged by heating in order to drive off the water. Common Desiccant Chemicals Silica gel is the most widely available desiccant, but other compounds work, too. These include: Silica gel (the beads in those little packets)Sodium hydroxide (sometimes sold as a solid drain cleaner)Calcium chloride (sold as a solid laundry bleach or a road salt)Activated charcoalCalcium sulfate (gypsum or plaster of Paris)ZeoliteRice However, some of these chemicals are more effective and safer than others. Rice, for example, is extremely safe. It is often added to salt shakers as a desiccant to prevent water absorption, allowing the seasoning to flow through the shaker. Yet, rice has a limited ability to absorb water. Sodium hydroxide and calcium chloride are extremely effective, but sodium hydroxide is a caustic compound capable of producing chemical burns. Both sodium hydroxide and calcium chloride eventually dissolve in the water they absorb, potentially contaminating objects stored within a desiccator. Sodium hydroxide and calcium sulfate evolve considerable heat as they absorb water. If a lot of water is absorbed within a short amount of time, the temperature within the desiccator may spike dramatically. In summary, for a basic home or lab desiccator, silica gel and activated charcoal may be the two best choices. Both are inexpensive and non-toxic and dont degrade upon use. Make a Desiccator This is extremely simple. Just place a small amount of one of the desiccant chemicals into a shallow dish. Enclose an open container of the item or chemical you wish to dehydrate with the container of desiccant. A large plastic bag works well for this purpose, but you could use a jar or any airtight container. The desiccant will need to be replaced after it has absorbed all of the water that it can hold. Some chemicals will liquefy when this occurs so that you will know they need to be replaced (e.g., sodium hydroxide). Otherwise, youll just need to switch out the desiccant when it starts to lose its effectiveness. How to Recharge a Desiccator Over time, desiccants become saturated with water from humid air and lose their effectiveness. They can be recharged by heating in a warm oven to drive off the water. The dry desiccant should be stored in a sealed container until use. Its best to expel all of the air out of the container, since it contains some water. Plastic bags are ideal containers because its easy to squeeze out the excess air. Sources Chai, Christina Li Lin; Armarego, W. L. F. (2003). Purification of Laboratory Chemicals. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-7506-7571-0.Flà ¶rke, Otto W., et al. (2008) Silica in Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a23_583.pub3Lavan, Z.; Monnier, Jean-Baptiste; Worek, W. M. (1982). Second Law Analysis of Desiccant Cooling Systems. Journal of Solar Energy Engineering. 104 (3): 229–236. doi:10.1115/1.3266307Williams, D. B. G.; Lawton, M. (2010). Drying of Organic Solvents: Quantitative Evaluation of the Efficiency of Several Desiccants. The Journal of Organic Chemistry 2010, vol. 75, 8351. doi: 10.1021/jo101589h

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The short stories The Tell-Tale heart and The Cask of Amontillado by Research Paper

The short stories The Tell-Tale heart and The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe both portrays the narrators' - Research Paper Example Poe, in many of his short stories, magnificently combines embellished vocabulary and strong thematic plots which creates a force compelling his readers to devote their attention into his works and gauge them in deep contemplation of the abysmal meanings and concepts embedded in the story. Some of his works are rich with repetition for a subtle emphasis of his point. His written works are cooked with phantasmagoric imagery, elusive foreshadowing, double-edged symbolism and skewed contextual implications (Long). There is thematic parallelism is his works such as the â€Å"Cask of Amontillado†, â€Å"The Black Cat† and â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†. The common leitmotif of these stories evolve in the idea of murder, revenge, issues of sanity, and the dark spirit of perverseness and evil that enveloped the characters of his plot. The repetition of words that are subtly reminding the readers that the story is headed somewhere and the foreshadowing of events is consistent ly engraved in the events of the characters. Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado is a good exemplary for horrific suspense thriller scenes considered as one of the best short stories throughout history. The story is contextually rich with ironies nevertheless contributing to the plot’s consistency and complete unity of the elements. Every line and spoken dialogues of the characters, Montessori and Fortunato, contributes to the totality of the effect that Poe tries to convey to his readers. Some of the most noted ironies start with the name Fortunato meaning â€Å"fortunate†. The atmospheric ambiance of the calculated atrocious act of revenge of Montessori to entomb his enemy Fortunato to be executed in the height of gaiety is also an irony. There is no specification of the deed that Fortunato has done towards Montessori aside from the subtle allegations about insults hurled upon him which, being rich and famous, may have scarred his pride deeply. Thus the incorrigible punishment such as death should suffice (â€Å"Cask†). The lofty ironic scenes of the story makes the readers acclimate with intellect so as to comprehend their deeper meanings. Other paradox includes, Montressor’s words to Fortunato â€Å"you are luckily met†, the coat of arms and the Montressor’s remarks about the mason, the jingling of the bells to announce a death, their constant toast of wine as if in celebration in contrast with a coming death, the atmosphere gradient from the carnival feast from that of the path towards Hades, and the remarks of the characters â€Å"let us be gone† to signify death. The elemental ingredients of the short story exemplify perfect unity of Poe’s thoughts and real intentions. He directed to uncover the events through foreshadowing and double-sided meanings in their dialogues. Meanwhile, the total effect of the short story creates an eerie feeling to whoever perceives. The horrific appeal is so strong tha t anyone can get captivated with the play of words between the characters. Poe has indeed endowed such compelling murderous act quite so invincibly. His plot for murder is quite flawless, incriminating the enemy with raw avenging without a single pint of trace. Montressor has indeed lived a life with impunity not until five decades. Another Poe’s work, The Tell-Tale Heart, is yet another magnificent work. It is a profound psychological archetypal for paranoia and sanity. In fact, the story began with the narrator defending himself from the accusation that he is

Friday, October 18, 2019

Discussion Forum #7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Forum #7 - Essay Example The first changes yield the most warming but subsequently produce lesser warming. Coupling the increased carbon dioxide emissions and the lesser and lesser warming resulting from more and more carbon dioxide emissions, it would be reasonable to consider the future warming projections as a straight line (Michaels, 2009). Therefore, once climate warming by humans starts, it occurs at a constant rate. Indeed, BBC (2013) reports on data from balloon radiosondes and satellite that support this finding. According to these records, since 1998, there has been no discernible warming. Michaels further argues that the observed rates of warming are below the average of climate models and that the assumptions by pro-global warming activists could not be true. Climate models postulate a greater increase in the degree of warming with a rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases than experienced at the surface (Michaels, 2010). Supportive evidence from BBC (2013) indicates that these models have not been able to model all the involved processes even after many years of development. Water vapor distribution, influence of clouds and plants’ response to changes in water supply are among some of these models not captured. Thus, the models are unreliable. Michaels (2009) also observes that contrary to expectations, the carbon dioxide greenhouse warming effect at Antarctic has exhibited just a slight temperature increase since the measurements in the 1950s and 1960s. In fact, the International Geophysical Year observed that the Antarctic temperatures exhibited a warming trend from 1957 to mid-1960s, with subsequent studies thereafter indicating cooling or no change. This erroneous data has been supported by BBC (2013) and Pittock (2009) who observe that the atmosphere does not behave as predicted by the models. The predictions of computer models

Office Art Memorandum Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Office Art Memorandum - Research Paper Example In addition to these impressionist works there are a number of seminal post-impressionist works. One major post-impressionist work is Henri Rousseau's 'Centennial of Independence'. Another significnat work is Vincent Van Gogh's 'Breton Women and Children.' The final post-impressionist work is Georges-Pierre Seurat's 'Evening, Honfleur.' 2. Van Gogh's 'the Night Cafe' features a cafe ostensibly at night. In the center of the cafe is an old type of pool table with a patron hovering near it. There are chains that surround the table. There are a number of lights in the room that emanate an orange and red-like color. The walls are depicted in a bright red and what appears to be a roof in bright green. Monet's 'Impression, Sunrise' is a slightly abstract depiction of a sunrise on a lake. The image implements lights blues and oranges to depict the sunrise. This sunrise blends seamlessly into the lake. The lake features an individual in a boat, with light signs of waves. Pissarro's 'Pont Boi eldieu in Rouen, Rainy Weather' features a river and a bridge. Individuals are crossing the brdige and and steam is emanating from a steamboat on the bridge. Henri Rousseau's 'Centennial of Independence' depicts a party-like atmosphere with individuals dancing in a celebratory way. Vincent Van Gogh's 'Breton Women and Children' depicts a number of nuns congregating and speaking together. The nuns are created in odd and oblong ways. Georges-Pierre Seurat's 'Evening, Honfleur' depicts a coast with a beach house nearby. 3. Van Gogh's 'The Night Cafe' is a significant work of art for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the most prominent reason that this work is considered significant is because of its use of vibrant colors. While obviously color were a prominent aspect of 19th century impressionism, the bright colors and technique implemented in this work foresee the future advent of expressionism (Gowing 2005, p. 201) Monet's 'Impression, Sunrise is significant for a variety of reasons. Per haps most prominently is the recognition that this image, despite using experimental techniques, is able to achieve a heightened realism; in this way the design elements are structured to reach the human visual cortex on a level that is not possible with more traditional painting techniques (Gowing 2005, p. 67). Pissarro's 'Pont Boieldieu in Rouen, Rainy Weather' is a significant work of art as it depicts the industrialization in the surrounding region from a fresh perspective (Gowing 2005, p. 93). Rousseau's 'Centennial of Independence' is a seminal work as it implemented cut and paste techniques that would later evolve in animation and Pop art methods in the 20th century (Rewald 1978, p. 34). Vincent Van Gogh's 'Breton Women and Children' is significant as it features a significant change in Van Gogh's style from the impressionist form, to a more post-impressionist style. Georges-Pierre Seurat's 'Evening, Honfleur' is significant as it implements the pointillist method of construc tion (Rewald 1978, p. 55). 4. This piece of art fits the corporate image because it is a highly contemplative piece. The table in the center of the room is indicative of a board room table, with the individual hovering nearby indicative of an employee considering the next project to take on. 'Impression, Sunrise' fits into the main spectrum of the organization as it depicts on early morning scene in a non-obtrusive way. In this way the painting could be featured in a morning break room or meeting room. Pissarro's 'Pont

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Unit 7 Discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Unit 7 Discussion - Research Paper Example Path 1case of Child and Family Welfare that has been given as an example here is an indicator to the fact that many victims especially teens who are tested HIV positive do suffer from lack of proper exposure on how they should handle such crisis, thus tend to leave in seclusion from reality. In this case, the mother of Ron finds Ron’s result without being told by Ron, calls for proper handling of both the mother and the teen – Ron by the caregiver. According to Ahsan (2006), the caregiver should ensure that the mother is equipped with enduring and underling protective factors that should be rendered to Ron in order to live positively healthy without also infecting others. This means that the mother must be told the truth of the Ron’s infection and a match of interventions must be optimized in order to help the teen cope with the situation. This is often referred to as the parent-centered strategy. On the other hand Ron must be kept on constant counseling to provi de him with skills and belief necessary to overcome stigmatization. This approach is known as child centered strategy. Strong family support is the hallmark of proper handling of the victims who need rehabilitation. Caregivers should therefore ensure that the family members are always in cooperated in such programs for the success of the

HRM450-0704B-02 Organizational Change - Phase 1 Discussion Board Essay

HRM450-0704B-02 Organizational Change - Phase 1 Discussion Board - Essay Example to change model of change management, a leader’s job is be foresighted and bring the change in their organizations through informing and educating the employees about the change and finally committing them to the changing process. By informing the employees of such a change, it prepares them for changing their behavior and makes them aware of change and the reason for its occurrence. Education about the change is an understanding process and helps employees to make decisions whether to accept or reject the change. An important thing here is to portray a positive perception to the employees about the change so that they finally commit to the change and act upon it. The Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Model of change management describes that employees of an organization may differently react to the change initiation process. In extreme cases employees may deny that any change can take place and show anger and depression to ward off the change. Leaders must give enough time to such employees so that change can sink in the employees’ minds and their routine. In some cases employees may bargain or even accept the change without any problems especially if the employees are new and young as they are in the case of the Tech department. But in organizations that have decade full of history, change may not be only difficult to implement, it might just become more of a problem just like in the case of CF&F. The cultural indicator tree model looks to identify the core beliefs and commonly held assumptions of the employees working in the company so that leaders can focus their attention to the roots of change management. Cultural indicators like values, beliefs, stimuli, legends etc. all need to be identified to give a chance to the leaders to properly understand the reasons behind change acceptance. Custom Food and Feed Corporation has been a major player in the industry for quite a few years. Overtime in has built on its name and reputation however with recent allegations this

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Unit 7 Discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Unit 7 Discussion - Research Paper Example Path 1case of Child and Family Welfare that has been given as an example here is an indicator to the fact that many victims especially teens who are tested HIV positive do suffer from lack of proper exposure on how they should handle such crisis, thus tend to leave in seclusion from reality. In this case, the mother of Ron finds Ron’s result without being told by Ron, calls for proper handling of both the mother and the teen – Ron by the caregiver. According to Ahsan (2006), the caregiver should ensure that the mother is equipped with enduring and underling protective factors that should be rendered to Ron in order to live positively healthy without also infecting others. This means that the mother must be told the truth of the Ron’s infection and a match of interventions must be optimized in order to help the teen cope with the situation. This is often referred to as the parent-centered strategy. On the other hand Ron must be kept on constant counseling to provi de him with skills and belief necessary to overcome stigmatization. This approach is known as child centered strategy. Strong family support is the hallmark of proper handling of the victims who need rehabilitation. Caregivers should therefore ensure that the family members are always in cooperated in such programs for the success of the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Biometrics and Wireless Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Biometrics and Wireless Technologies - Essay Example Dominant security-enhancement technologies leave a lot to be desired. In addition to security risks, has been estimated that between half to a third of calls to IT help desks are password related, and that managing multiple passwords and password resetting costs can range between $200 (Forrester Research estimate) to $340 (Gartner estimate) per employee per year (www.Forrester.com (2005); www.Gartner.com (2005)). Biometrics can offer significant security enhancements as well as other value-added applications. Potential applications of biometric technologies range from controlling physical access to facilities (used by Disneyworld to provide access to season pass holders), enabling voice recognition at call-centers (used by the Home Shopping Network and Charles Schwab to enable hassle-free client authentication), controlling time and attendance of employees (used by McDonalds), providing self-service access to safe deposit vaults at banks (used by the Bank of Hawaii and First Tennessee Bank), or cashing checks in supermarkets (used by Kroger, Food 4 Less and BI-LO). Security concerns and higher levels of fraud, such as the rising incidence of identity theft, combined with advancements in biometric technologies and reducing costs of the technologies involved, have provided an impetus for greater diffusion and highlighted biometrics' immense potential. In 2003, while industry revenues were US$719 million, the estimate for 2004 is US$1.2 billion. This is expected to rise to US$4.6 billion in 2008. Currently the lion's share of biometric technologies is accounted for by fingerprint biometrics at 48 percent, followed by face recognition at 12 percent and hand geometry at 11 percent. Iris recognition, by far the most secure method, has just 9 percent market share, since it costs a lot more to implement and there is a lower level of customer acceptance (International Biometrics Group, 2005). However, the overwhelming majority of current biometrics applications are focused on simply improving security rather than being led by a clear mandate of providing quantum leaps to customer service while simultaneously raising efficiency as well as security. We believe that the winners of tomorrow will be firms that manage to harness the power of biometrics to achieve this essential combination (Wirtz and Heracleous, 2005). Following several industry interview results and other industry participant interactions, the researchers arrived at the conclusion that many, but not all, biometric industry vendors appear to be depending on sales based on "supply push" rather than "demand pull" marketing strategies. That is to say, the biometrics vendors appeared to be captivated with the technology underlying the biometric devices more so than concentrating on current biometric devices as part of a solution to a business problem for prospective customers. However, on the contrary, it was appar ent from our conversations with customers and potential customers that they were inclined to be less interested in devices, and more focused on buying solutions to problems. For instance, three prospective customers pointed out that they were "waiting it out" in order to see which technology or vendor would come

Unscrupulous Master of the House Essay Example for Free

Unscrupulous Master of the House Essay â€Å"Master of the House† is one of the few songs in the musicale Les Miserables that has a happy air, although I would say there is nothing happy or good-natured in the lyrics of the song. The song is sung primarily by M. Thenardier and a chorus group, with Mme. Thenardier, also known as the Thenardiess as Hugo calls her, joining her husband near the end of the song. â€Å"Master of the House† is one of the songs sung at the inn scene of the musicale in Act I. It typifies the demeanor of an unscrupulous inn-keeper who is bent on squeezing as much as he can from his clientele by posing such marketing pitch so base that even his wife deplores him. Like all other businessmen, it is understandable that Thenardier would try to entice a prospective client with lines that would highlight the best in him and his establishment. He tries to be charming, amiable, and always ready to be of service to his clients for a fee, after all, â€Å"everything has got a little price. † But his price tends to be a bit exorbitant, bordering on plain thievery. Although nothing is said in the song as to what he charges his clients for the services he offers, the list of â€Å"extras† that he charges, however, would easily outweigh the main service charge as the list could easily ran into miles for â€Å"when it comes to fixing prices, there are a lot of tricks he knows. † More than that, he practically overcharges for the wine and food that he serves his guests: watered-down wine, minced-meat posed as beef, and sausage made from horse kidney and cat liver. What he serves as porridge or clear soup to his guests, I would not even try to make a guess for sure enough it would appall us who have been born at a time when consumer protection laws are tighter than the belts on our waists. But then again, Les Miserables is set in the early 19th century, when such laws are not yet thought of as necessary. The thinking was that if one can get away with deceit, good for him as he gets a â€Å"good† bargain for his products and services; as for the poor client on discovering the deceit, better luck next time if he can’t force a refund. Thenardier was such a despicable tradesman engaging in deceitful activities in his inn that even the Thenardiess could not hold him in any esteem. Such expletives coming from the Thenardiess could only show her great contempt in being married to such a man, â€Å"hypocrite, toady and inebriate. † In a toast where glasses are asked to the raised in honor of the master, she would rather raise the glass â€Å"up the master’s arse,† or ass in American English. â€Å"Master of the House† is a very good song. It is good in terms of instrumentation, lyrics, and when interpreted properly, it can even be viewed as hilarious. But on close reading of the lyrics and the mirth presented in its interpretation we are presented with a reality that nowadays we, as consumers, are protected from this kind of a tradesman. We are lucky, that when we discover deceit committed on us, there are agencies that can help us get our money back or at least get the value of the product that we agreed to pay for. We do not have to resort to brawny resolutions of dubious transactions involving money. But to make consumer protection laws a lot more fierce and efficient, consumers should do their part: not to engage in illegal trade, intellectual property rights piracy, tax evasion and to report to proper authorities suspicious trade activities. There can never be enough an amount of legislation to protect consumer rights as long as consumers would not learn to defend and fight for his rights. After all, it would not cost us anything to be vigilant on small matters like these. I believe, personally, that it would cost us more when we are duped by the ready handshake, open palm and saucy tale of the next Thenardier that comes along our way. It may be 21st century, but Thenardier is still out there.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Communication Competencies in Selling Socialization Process

Communication Competencies in Selling Socialization Process Introduction The topic of this assignment is to study Communication competencies in the socialization process in the direct selling business. Objectives There are many objectives of doing this assignment. So, the objectives of this assignment is to let us understand the following: Definition of communication competencies, socialization process and direct selling business. The influence of communication competencies to the socialization process in the direct selling business. The relationship of communication competencies in the socialization process in the direct selling business. Communication competencies Communication is the process by which information is exchanged between different individuals through a common system of interaction by using symbols, signs, or behaviours. Communication is the ability to listen to others and also can communicate in an effective manner at the same time. For most people, communication can be defined as simply talk and it is a natural event that occurs in daily life. Communication competency is the ability for someone who is able to communicate with another person in order to reach their goals through interactive and suitable interactions. Besides, communication competency also means the ability to achieve communication goals in a manner which can maintain the relationship on terms acceptable to those who are involved. Particularly, it is a type of skill level that human resources professionals should practises and it is responsible for managing others which must be attained and possessed. In order to achieve competency in communication, there are six c riteria which a communicator must meet which include flexibility, involvement, management, empathy, effectiveness and appropriateness. For the flexibility, the communicator needs to be very flexible to adapt different kind of situations and willing to change the behaviours of others in order to achieve goals. Adaptability may require a person who is communicating with other people always be sensitive to both the goals itself and also the people who is responsible for achieving the goals.The other skill that required to achievecommunication competency is involvement in the conversation. This requires the communicator to interact directly with the other parties and the interaction includes listening to the needs and concerns of others.Secondly, the other skill required to achieve communication competency is involvement in the conversation. This requires the communicator to interact directly with the other parties. Interaction includes listening to the needs and concerning of others. Thirdly, being able to manage the conversation requires the communicator to adjust how they interact with each other, control the convers ation and social interactions. It also requires the communicator to control the direction of the conversation takes. Fourthly, empathy means the ability of communicator to show that they understand where the others are coming from and understand their problems to share their own emotions. Fifthly, effectiveness is the ability of communicator to reach the goal of the conversation and the ability to meet both the requirements of the communicator and the other parties who are involved. Lastly, appropriateness is the ability to adhere the expectations of the situation on hand. One of the primary measurements for attaining communication competency is depends on how appropriate the conversation is in achieving the goals. Socialization process Socialization is a learning process which begins shortly after birth. Early childhood is the period of the most crucial and the most intense socialization. It is then which we acquire language and learn the basics of our culture. Besides, it is also a process when much of our personalities take shape. During socialization, we learn the language of the culture which we are born into as well as the roles we are to play in life.However, we continue to be socialized throughout our lives. Socialization can also be defined as a process which may lead to acceptable, or moral, outcomes in the opinion of society said. Individual views on certain issues, such as economies or race, are deeply influenced by the view of the society and at last, it became a normal and acceptable outlook or value to have within the society. For example, human infants are born without any culture. Then, they must be transformed by their parents, teachers, friends and others into cultural and socially skilled animals . The general process of acquiring this culture is referred to as socialization. Besides, socialization can also be defined as the process by which children and adults learn from others through daily activities. We begin our learning from others during the early days of lifeand most people can continue their social learning all through life.Socialization is important in the process of personality formation. While much of human personality is the result of our genes, the socialization process can imitate it in particular directions by encouraging specific beliefs and attitudes as well as selectively providing experiences. Direct selling business Direct selling is the marketing and selling of products directly to consumers which are away from fixed retail location. It is marketed through the independent sales representatives who are also referred to as consultants or distributors. A very small percentage of direct sellers are employees from the companies whose products they sell. It is a type of sales channel where the products are marketed directly to customers while eliminating the need for middlemen such as wholesalers, advertisers and also retailers. They are independent contractors who market and sell the products or services of the company and in return for a commission from those sales.Direct sellers do not necessarily have to sell door-to-door even though that is usually how they get started out. Many of them sell their products through the phone or even through the mail or via a personal website. Direct selling can be conducted as one-on-one, in a group, as a party format or selling online. There are many benefits of online selling. The factor that makes direct selling such an attractive career option is the flexibility which it offers. Those who are engage in direct selling are known as independent contractors who determine how much time and energy they want to invest in their businesses. They can set their own hours, define and control their work-family life balance. An Independent sales representative is they become their own boss. Besides, direct selling is also a way to own a business with the most minimal capital investment. The other strengths of direct selling isdue to its tradition of independence, service provide to consumers, and commitment to entrepreneurial growth in a free market system. Direct selling provides accessible business opportunities to people who are looking for other alternative sources of income, and the entry for direct selling is generally not restricted by gender, age, education, or any other previous experiences. Around the world there is a substantial majority o f direct sellers are women and most work in their direct selling businesses are based on a part-time basis. The influence of communication competencies to the socialization process in the direct selling business As we know, direct selling business is emphasize to the â€Å"inheritance† rather than closing deals, with provide different seminars or courses for different level to independent distributors. Mostly courses are major in how to recruit the potential customers with the communication and social skills. So, socialization is the process by which whether children and adults learn from others. Therefore there are differences in outcomes for teenagers and adults due to socialization process after they attend the courses which organize by direct selling companies and apply when selling products or recruit new members. This is because the mentality and needs in the between of teenagers and adults are different. So, it is very important to choose to the proper ways in communicating with others in order to reach communication effectiveness in communication competencies and to reach the communication’s objectives. The common definition of direct selling business for a customers an d fulfil their materialism but for adults they are more preferable to sustain with consistent income in order to have more time with their families. â€Å"Zero Attitude â€Å"is another point which is emphasize by the direct selling companies, they are require the new independent distributors to learn and manage in communication competency, the ability for them to communicate with potential clients to reach their goals through interactive and appropriate interaction. Therefore, a good interaction between each other is very important in the socialization process. The interaction includes listening to the needs and concerns of others. It also requires the independent distributors to be aware of how potential clients perceive them and to know what to say in response to all of this. Direct selling business normally are being misunderstood by the public which they are applying impropriate way to â€Å"brain wash† new incomers but practically they are â€Å"cloning† or â⠂¬Å"inheriting† their culture of communication and social skills to become a mature distributors which can lead them to be able to expand their business and recruit new incomers independently. Direct selling business also requires a good communication competency in order to develop the messages which the sellers want to deliver to the targeted customers about the products selling. The relationship of communication competencies in the socialization process in the direct selling business In conclusion, there is a strong relationship between communication competencies and socialization process in the direct selling business. It is very important to have a good communication competency in the socialization process in order to bring out good outcomes in the organization through the socialization process. This is very important as the communication competency is about communicating with other in order to reach their goals through interactive interactions and socialization process is the process when much of our personalities take shape and adapting the culture which affected by the surrounding environment. Without a good socialization process in the process of communication in an organization, there will never have a good communication competency to produce good outcomes from the communication process. With a good communication competency, a person who has good communication and promoting skills when selling the products through direct selling method can makes the target ed customers to have a more understanding about the descriptions and usages of the certain products. So, with a good communication competency, this will lead to successful in most of the trading process especially for the direct selling business. Besides, a good communication competency will also can prevent the misunderstanding of the products’ information to happen or cases such as customers feeling blur about the marketing products to occur. References COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE DEFINED. (29 Jan, 2000). Retrieved 6 April, 2014, from http://www.uky.edu: http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/capstone/commcomp.htm What is Direct Selling. (2014). Retrieved 8 April, 2014, from http://www.avoncompany.com: http://www.avoncompany.com/earningsopportunity/directselling.html What is the socialization process. (July, 2001). Retrieved 8 April, 2014, from www.soc.ucsb.edu: http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/faculty/baldwin/classes/soc142/scznDEF.html