Consumer Behavior Essay

This section describes the roles of product appearance in the process of consumer evaluation and choice. For this aim, literature in the fields of product development, product design, consumer behavior, marketing, and human factors has been searched. The literature shows that the visual appearance of a product can influence consumer product evaluations and choice in several ways. Several authors considered the role of product or package appearance in consumer product evaluation or choice (Bloch, 1995; Garber, 1995; Garber et al. , 2000; Veryzer, 1993; Veryzer, 1995). However, they did not discuss explicitly the different ways in which appearance influences consumer choice and their respective implications for product design. In addition to these more recent contributions to the literature, the functions of a product in consumer–product interaction are described in earlier industrial design literature (Lo? bach, 1976; Pilditch, 1976; Schu? rer, 1971). Several of these functions concern product appearance. There are differences between authors in the number of roles (i. e. , functions) of product appearance they distinguish and the terms they use. For example, communication of ease of use was mentioned by Bloch (1995) and was described as part of the aesthetic function by Lo? bach (1976), while Veryzer (1995) called it the communicative function of a product appearance. If all the roles mentioned in the literature are considered as a whole, the following six roles of product appearance for consumers can be distinguished: (1) communication of aesthetic, (2) symbolic, (3) functional, and (4) ergonomic product information; (5) attention drawing; and (6) categorization. A description of these six roles and their implications for product design follows. Product Appearance and Aesthetic Product Value The aesthetic value of a product pertains to the pleasure derived from seeing the product, without consideration of utility (Holbrook, 1980). A consumer can value the ‘‘look’’ of a product purely for its own sake, as looking at something beautiful is rewarding in itself. When product alternatives are similar in functioning and price, consumers will prefer the one that appeals the most to them aesthetically (see, for example, Figure 1). Aesthetic responses are primarily emotional or feeling responses, and as such they are very personal (Bamossy et al. , 1983). Several researchers have tried to determine properties of products that are related to aesthetic appreciation. Innate preferences are proposed for visual organization principles, such as unity (i. e. , congruence in elements), proportion (e. g. , ‘‘the Golden Section’’), and symmetry (Hekkert, 1995; Muller, 2001; Veryzer, 1993; Veryzer and Hutchinson, 1998), and an inverted U-shaped relation is proposed between aestheticpreference and complexity (Berlyne, 1971). Another property influencing aesthetic judgments is color. The desirability of a color will change according to the object to which it is applied (e. g. , a car or a table) and with the style of the object (e. g. , modern or Georgian) (Whitfield and Wiltshire, 1983). In addition to (innate) preferences for certain properties of stimuli, prototypicality is found to influence the aesthetic response. Proto typicality is the degree to which something is representative of a category (see also the section about categorization). In several studies, evidence is found for a positive influence of visual prototypicality on aesthetic preference (Hekkert, 1995; Veryzer and Hutchinson, 1998; Whitfield and Slatter, 1979). According to Hekkert et al. (2003), products with an optimal combination of prototypicality and novelty are preferred aesthetically. As well as the product-related characteristics previously mentioned, there are cultural, social, and personal influences on design taste. For example, color preferences differ between cultures and in time (Whitfield and Wiltshire, 1983). In addition, personal factors, such as design acumen, prior experience, and personality influence the design taste of consumers (Bloch, 1995). The influence of an aesthetic judgment on product preference can be moderated by the perceived aesthetic fit of the product with other products the consumer owns, or his or her home interior (Bloch, 1995). Product Appearance and Symbolic Product Value Consumer goods carry and communicate symbolic meaning (McCracken, 1986). Symbolic value even can be the key determinant for product selection (Hirschman and Holbrook, 1982) and can account for the selection of products that clearly are inferior in their tangible characteristics (Levy, 1959). An example of the latter is Philippe Starck’s Juicy Salif lemon squeezer (Lloyd and Snelders, 2003). The choice for a specific product or brand may convey the kind of person someone is or wants to be; consumers use products to express their (ideal) self-image to themselves and to others (Belk, 1988; Landon, 1974; Sirgy, 1982; Solomon, 1983). Symbolic meaning can be attached to a product or brand on the basis of, among other things, advertising (McCracken, 1986), country of origin, or the kind of people using it (Sirgy, 1982). But the productitself also can communicate symbolic value in a more direct way, namely by its appearance. A product’s appearance communicates messages (Murdoch and Flurscheim, 1983), as it may look cheerful, boring, friendly, expensive, rude, or childish (see, for example, Figure 2). In addition, a certain style of appearance may evoke associations with a certain time or place (e. g. , the Fifties). Furthermore, the product or package appearance can reinforce the image of a brand, as the identity of a brand is expressed visually in the appearance of products (Schmitt and Simonson, 1997). Consumers may attach the meaning of a brand to elements of the physical appearance of products. In this way, a brand image may transfer to different kinds of products (see the section about categorization). Many companies therefore make consistent use of certain design elements, such as a color combination, a distinctive form element, or style. For example, car manufacturers often try to keep different car models recognizable as belonging to the same brand. The distinctive radiator grill of BMW automobiles is an example of a recognizable design element. The linking of brand meaning to elements of the product appearance will be easier when the associations these elements engender by themselves (e. g. , because they are innate or are determined by culture) correspond to the desired brand image. For example, use of bright colors and a large size, which is associated with aggression (Murdoch and Flurscheim, 1983), will make it easier to position a car brand as aggressive. Although there are large individual and time-specific differences in the experience of color and form, there are certain associations that seem to be relatively constant. Overviews of the influence of form and color on consumer perception of symbolic value (but also ergonomic and aesthetic value) can be found in Muller (2001), Murdoch and Flurscheim (1983), Schmitt and Simonson (1997), and Whitfield and Wiltshire (1983). For example, angular forms are associated with dynamism and masculinity, while roundness evokes softness and femininity (Schmitt and Simonson, 1997). Culture is an important determinant of the interpretations that consumers give and the associations they have with certain factors of a product’s appearance. For example, color associations vary from culture to culture (Whitfield and Wiltshire, 1983). In America and Europe, the color white stands for purity, and brides traditionally dress in white; in Japan itis a color of mourning. Furthermore, meaning is context dependent. The impression that colors give may change completely by combining certain colors (Muller, 2001). Also, the meaning of forms and colors may change in time, as meanings are continuously transformed by movements in art, fashion, etcetera (Muller, 2001). There is some debate about whether symbolic interpretation is part of the aesthetic experience. In most literature, aesthetic value is mentioned as botha hedonic impression and a result of interpretation and representation (Schmitt and Simonson, 1997; Vihma, 1995). It is acknowledged in this article that whether a product is conceived of as beautiful is affected by what it represents (Vihma, 1995). The same style can be considered ‘‘good taste’’ at one point in time, while being considered ‘‘bad taste’’ 10 years later, because the connotations associated with it or the interpretations given to it have changed. For example, orange was a modern color for clothes, furniture, and plastic products in the Seventies, generally was perceived as old-fashioned and ugly in the Eighties, and became used in products and clothing again in the Nineties. However, the view in this article is that aesthetic and symbolic value should be distinguished, as they may have opposite influences on preference. For example, someone who likes a colorful design may not buy it because it looks ‘‘too childish. ’’ Product Appearance and Functional Product Value

Cross Contamination Example Essay

There are 3 different types of contamination in the food industry; microbial contamination, physical contamination and chemical contamination, with microbial contamination being a more frequent cause of food poisoning and rising, with the amount of products contaminated having seen 91 % between 2006 and 201 1 (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs , 2012) . A variety of things can cause microbial cross- contamination, but the most common causes are through vehicles or vectors carrying harmful bacteria (pathogens) from a source to the food.The source or reservoir is where the contamination Originates from, for example, humans, raw food, rodents, dust and soil. In the context of cross- contamination, a vehicle is a substance, object or living thing that moves the contaminant away from its source to the food. The vehicle could either be dictionary or a mobile vehicle. A vector is an organism, usually a bird or an insect, that transmits a pathogen from one place to another. The aim for a food manufacturer is to make a commercially sterile, not completely sterile.The definition for a commercially sterile product is â€Å"Commercial sterility of food means the conditions achieved by application of heat which renders such food free from microorganisms capable of growing in the food at temperatures at which the food is likely to be held during distribution and storage. † (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2007). The reason for this is that he severe thermal treatment needed to make a product completely sterile would severely reduce the sensory quality and nutritional value of the product, as well as increasing the energy consumption to reach higher heats.There are various reasons as to why cross-contamination happens and is a major cause of food poisoning, for example, poor hand washing techniques, confusion of terminology by staff, equipment design and color coded equipment which people do not adhere to. It is also very difficult to track down the causes of an outbreak, so it may take a while to take the relevant assure to stop the outbreak and sometimes the wrong thing is blamed, for example, in 2011 , Spanish fruit and vegetables were blamed for an E. Coli outbreak across Europe, killing 22 people.However, it was later discovered that German bean sprouts were the likely cause (BBC News, 201 1). The mistake cost the Spanish fruit and vegetable industry Emma per week, proving how economically important it is to get the causes right (BBC News, 201 1). In many food poisoning cases, a sequence of events contributes to an outbreak, rather than just one activity alone. This is called the microbial chain ND makes it even harder to discover the true cause Of an outbreak. An example of a microbial chain is; cooked ham comes into a store and is sliced.This ham has come from the supplier contaminated so has now contaminated the slices used. The slices is not washed and other meats, for example, more cooked ham or cooked beef, is slice d on it. This then causes the other meats to become contaminated, making it difficult to find the meat that originally caused the problem. The cooked meat that has been contaminated is ready to eat, so therefore is a high risk product as no further retirement will be done to kill pathogens, meaning it is very likely that a case of food poisoning would come from this microbial chain if the pathogen was harmful enough.A wide range of things can act as vehicles for microbes, for example, hands, clothes, cleaning cloths and pests can all act as mobile vehicles, and food- contact surfaces, food itself and hand-contact surfaces, such as door handles, fridge door and taps, can all act as stationary vehicles. These vehicles can carry pathogens onto high risk foods such as ready to eat products such as, cooked meats, cooked prawns, oysters, and dairy products. A high risk food can be defined as â€Å"any ready-to-eat food that will support the growth of pathogenic bacteria easily and does n ot require any further heat treatment or cooking'. Warwick University , 2011). This means that special care needs to be taken preparing these foods in the factory or in the kitchen, for example, using separate areas in the factory or using separate chopping boards for raw and cooked meat in the kitchen. There are many laws that have been put in place to try and prevent cross-contamination, therefore reducing the frequency of major food poisoning outbreaks. These laws can be found in SEC) 852/2004 Hygiene of Food Stuffs and it is the job of environmental health officers to enforce these laws, through audits.This laws have been changed and updated over time since 2004 to make them more relevant and applicable. A public enquiry on the 2005 E. Coli 0157 outbreak in South Wales, chaired by Hugh Pennington, a professor Of bacteriology, helped further improve this piece of legislation when it was published in 2009. However, many find these difficult to interpret and use in the context of t heir own business, so the Food Standards Agency created Safe Food Better Business', tit different sections for different types of companies that handle food, for example, for caterers, takeaways, retailers, child minders and care homes.These documents are also provided in different languages to help provide businesses, run by foreign owners who don't speak English, improve the safety of the food from the business and help them adhere to the laws in (SEC) 852/2004, therefore reducing the risk of an outbreak occurring through cross- contamination from this business. There are many examples of where cross- contamination has been the probable cause of major food poisoning outbreaks, for example, an outbreak of Weston Blumenthal ‘The Fat Duck' restaurant in 2009, the E. Oil 0157 outbreak in in 2005 in South Wales and an E. Coli outbreak in Lancashire, Scotland in 1996. The 2005 outbreak of E. Coli 0157 in South Wales was a major outbreak and lots of mistakes were made for it to occ ur, which were highlighted in the Pennington Report. In the outbreak, 157 cases were identified, 31 people admitted to hospital and 1 five year old boy died. This prompted a public enquiry carried out by a Professor in Bacteriology called Hugh Pennington.The problems identified were; poor audits carried out by Environmental Health Officers at John Tudor and Son, critical control points not met, no valid ‘Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point' (HACK) plan and issues with cooked meat being prepared and packed in the same area as raw meat, therefore causing cross-contamination (Pennington, 2009). The meat also ending up in schools in the area, meaning smaller children with weaker immune systems were more at risk of becoming infected, so they were more vulnerable to serious illness and death.One cause of the outbreak was that there was only one Vic packer, which are used o vacuum pack a product, was used for cooked and raw meat, causing any pathogens that were on the raw meat to contaminate the Vic packer, which then contaminated the cooked meat. This then became the problem as the cooked meat will not be treated again, so there is a good chance that a harmful level of pathogens will be present in the meat when consumed.Environmental health officers that had inspected the premises had noticed that there was only one Vic packer for both, however the Food Business operator had told that they had another Vic packer that was of site for repairs. This turned out to be a lie and could have easily been detected, had the inspector enquired further and asked for proof, however it was only discovered to be not true at later inspection. In the Pennington Report it states that ‘special attention' was paid to the Vic packer and that ‘the use of one for both raw and cooked meats carried with it a serious risk of cross- contamination'.

Dexterity Impairment

Definition: Dexterity Impairment (Arms/Hands/Fingers) Reduced function of arms and hands makes activities related to moving, turning or pressing objects difficult or impossible. This does not influence speech communication itself but makes it hard to make a phone call or use a wide range of other equipment. Big button phones, text-to-speech and other handy products If you have problems with dexterity you don't have to struggle with small buttons or fiddly switches. Many of our phones have features which may help make using them easier.More about Easy grip handsets Handsfree and headset options Large or well-spaced buttons Memory store to reduce the number of times you have to press buttons to make a call Speed dial options so you can store frequently used numbers under dedicated buttons for one touch dialing Pre-dial facility to check the number you have entered is correct before dialing Dedicated 1571 buttons for easy message retrieval. BT Big Button 200 The BT Big Button 200 is our most popular phone, with lots of features to make calling easier.It has large, well spaced buttons ideal for anyone who struggles to see a smaller keypad, easy volume controls, an inductive coupler for use with a hearing aid, and much more. . Simple tips to help with dexterity Keep items you use regularly in places that are easy to reach, perhaps get a cordless phone. Don't use your hands for a long period of time without breaks, you may like to consider a hands free telephone. Consider making adjustments to your home like adding hand rails or lever taps.

International Business Law 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Business Law 2 - Essay Example Hiring manpower from the Indian outsourcing company is permitted under the Contract Labor Act, 1970 (Majmudar & Co n.d., 4). Considering the strategy of Stone Technical Ltd, it can be assumed that the company can be regarded as a principal employer, because its business is not of an intermittent nature in respect of contracts (Majmudar & Co n.d., 4). If the Stone Technical Ltd will hire 20 or more contract workers, it is required to comply with the provisions of the Contract Labor Act (Majmudar & Co n.d., 4). As well it is necessary to take into consideration the fact that Indian law should govern the outsourcing contract; this measure will enable the client to restrain contractor in case of the breaching an outsourcing contract (Majmudar & Co n.d., 4). So as the Indian employee laws are considered to be relatively restrictive, Stone Technical Ltd need to be concerned about the employment rules relating to holidays, flexible working hours, etc. (Mohapatra n.d.). Privacy and data protection is a matter of concern in India because of the lack of a comprehensive legislation (Chawla 1, 2007). There is neither a specific statute for dealing with this legal issue nor a comprehensive data protection law (Eisenhauer 7, 2005). However, it is possible to derive the protection of privacy and data from different laws concerning the information technology, crimes, intellectual property and contractual relations (Chawla 1, 2007). Even though there is not enough stringent data protection laws in India in order to protect the Indian outsourcing market, there are some provisions in the Act 17 (Sinha 2009). Also the Indian government has enacted a set of electronic commerce regulations, known as the Information Technology Act 2000, which addresses breach of confidentiality provisions, hacking and damage to computer source code (Eisenhauer 7, 2005). For violation of data

Auditing Accounts Receivable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Auditing Accounts Receivable - Essay Example Supporting documentation can include a receipt of purchase, check numbers, and invoices just to name a few. Such analytical procedures to verify existence assertions would be bank reconciliations and cash flow analyses. Without the documentation and analytical procedures to support financial transactions, the accuracy of the accounts receivable will not be strong and this will greatly overstate or understate each account. To correct this, the existence and rights assertions are necessary to audit each account and verify that each transaction recorded has been recorded accurately and within the specified time period. The payroll cycle is a common source of frustration for an accounting and auditing department because of the myriad errors and cases of fraud that can take place. Employees may turn in fraudulent time sheets that state they have worked more or less hours than were actually completed. Supervisors may not adequately review all time sheet data and it may be passed through the payroll cycle without ever being checked for accuracy. Furthermore, employees can sometimes create ghost employee records where payroll is paid to an employee that does not exist and costs the company thousands of dollars in unnecessary payroll expenses. Separation of duties is a common control method utilized by accounting and payroll professionals to detect payroll errors and catch fraudulent activity before it ever truly becomes an issue. For instance, companies are encourage to â€Å"have a minimum of two employees review bank statements and returned checks every month. Also, divide Payroll duties so differen t people are responsible for approving time sheets, entering hours worked data, distributing paychecks, etc.† (Bilski, 2010). Having multiple people fill specific duties throughout the payroll cycle will have an adequate set of controls in place to

Shouldice Hopsital Limited Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Shouldice Hopsital Limited - Research Paper Example The bed capacity later increased from 36 to 89. Dr. Shouldice died in 1965, and the facility was taken over by Dr. Nicholas Obney. Dr. Obney became the chairman and the surgeon-in-chief of the institution. Under the leadership of Dr. Obney the hospital started to operate both hospital facilities and clinical facilities. The hospital generally follows the business model of focus on a single standardized service (James & Mona, 2006). This enables the hospital to have a narrow target of clients. Quick, convenient, and reliable cure for external types of abdominal hernias is the main operation line for the hospital. The institution uses its own technique of enabling a relatively short period of recovering after undergoing an operation (James & Mona, 2006). This technique is called the Shouldice method. The basis of this technique was the incorporation of operative and posts operative processes, for instance, using local anesthetics, the nature of the operation process, the design of a fa cility to enable comfortable movement, and design and communication of the regimen by the medical staff. This communication enabled early ambulation. This whole process has cut down number of days a patient would stay in hospital. To the patients this was the most affordable option (James & Mona, 2006). ... More than 300,000 patients have been operated by the surgeons at the hospital. The success rate of operation at the hospital has been more than 99%. Operations of primary inguinal indirect hernia by the surgeons at the hospital are almost 100% (Heskett, 1987). Experience of the Doctors The hospital boosts of twelve surgeons who work on a full time basis. There are eight assistant surgeons working on a part time basis. The operations are carried in teams (Heskett, 2009). Each operation team comprises of four members. These are a senior surgeon, an assistant surgeon, a scrub nurse, and a circulating nurse. Experience of the nurses According to Heskett (2009), total of thirty four nurses are usually on duty at the hospital in a period of 24 hours. The number of nurses available in the facilities during the periods when no operation is in progress is six. These usually carry out counseling to the patients. Work distribution The number of operations carried out in a single day ranges betw een thirty patients to thirty-six patients (Heskett, 2009). The number of patients that a surgeon can operate in a day is three or four at most. A surgeon on day shift ends his or her day at 4 p.m. Hospital facilities The institution operates two facilities namely hospital and clinic in one building. The compound at the institution is divided into three levels. Level one comprises of the kitchen facilities and the dining room. The second level is composed of lounge area, an office for admission, and rooms for patients. The third level in the compound consists of additional rooms for patients and recreational areas (Heskett, 1987). How the hospital operates. The facility deals with two kinds of patients. These are local patients and patients coming from

Petroleum supply in the usa Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Petroleum supply in the usa - Term Paper Example According to the energy sector of the United States, petroleum products meets about 40 % of the Americans needs and wants. Most of the American citizens worry about the harzoudous effects of oil on the environment and they would like the nation to keep moving and acquiring more sustainable oil sources. Additionally, there is controversy over the political stage management and the sources of the American oil, which is vital in meeting the demands of oil in the American state (Wisegeek.com, 1). In more than 200 million years, formation of oil beneath the surface of the earth occurs continuously. However, in 200 years time, the rate of consumption of the oil formed beneath the surface of the earth is high. Research done shows that in 40 years to come, depletion of the oil resources remaining would occur. The United States would still have other fossil oil like shale, oil, coal, tar, sands and natural gas. This means that even if depletion of all the oil resources occurs in the United States, they would still have other fossil fuels that would earn them capital. United States do not only depend on the sale of oil as their only source of income but they have other sources. However, most of these energy resources are too expensive and the process of converting them to transportable fuels for use would cause harm to the environment as they produce harmful emissions to the surroundings (Glass, 5). Between the year 1950 and 1970, the world demand for oil has increased from 11 million barrels to 57 barrel respectively. The United States consumes almost 20.7 barrels of oil, which is the most compared to other countries, which are the five next largest consumers of oil, which Germany, Japan, Russia, China and India. The United States remains the largest consumer of oil even though the world demand for oil has increased as the economies of China and India has developed (Wright, 1). In the year 2009, refineries used an

Leadership diary 6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership diary 6 - Assignment Example Take an instance of a family; it is the role of my father to ensure that the family is well taken care of. Among others, he has to ensure that the family is healthy. In addition, he has to provide for the family. Despite the fact that my mother assists in this role, I must say that as the head of the family, my father does a pretty good job. He is also responsible for ensuring that, we, as his children have access to quality education. This is also an area that he has been able to tackle very well. In as much as it is it is a requirement by the government I still feel that he is able to manage this role just fine. With all said and done, he is also a role model for the whole family. The president also serves a similar task as a father only that this time it is at the national level. At this level, some roles of leadership like role modelling may not be possible (Kouzes, and Barry 32). In addition, we don’t get to interact with the president on a day to day basis. I consider president Obama to be a good leader in so many aspects. Taking a look at his historical achievements, Obama has among others been able to bring an end to Al Qaeda through the killing of Osama bin Laden as well as Libya’s dictatorship. This can be considered to be great achievements by the

Apply The Prescribed Ethical Decimation Making Model (P.30 ) Useing Case Study

Apply The Prescribed Ethical Decimation Making Model (P.30 ) Useing The Article Port Hueneme Police chief resigns - Case Study Example As such, this paper is dedicated to evaluating the Ethical Decimation Making Model as discussed of this book. More so, the model will be compared to the actions taken by Port Hueneme Police chief through her resignation. As seen earlier, there are various hardships that a public administrator faces while on duty. Most of these challenges are ethical. Virtually, ethics are not simple and will often need one to evaluate the best alternative to balance them. In addition, ethics cannot be subdivided it is a continuous and process. Cooper revisits the peculiarity between principles, values, and codes of conduct among other in order to clearly show the continuity (Cooper, 2012). Moreover, the means through which organizations can be designed in order to support ethical conducts is very important. In addition, cooper revisits the reasons as to why people should be treated equally to acquire fairness and time at which should be treated unequally. In essence, there are various levels of ethical reflection these levels help the administrator to act in the best way possible. The expressive level that according to cooper is the realm of emotions that is characterized by frustrations, the level of ethical analysis, level of post ethical where the person ask s; why should I be moral. In this level the person has the fear of being caught, the conscience is demanding, and personal evaluation is at its highest levels. As presented in pg. 30 of the book it is very important when one is analyzing how ethics are applied by administrators. The model starts at the point where the administrator is faced with an ethical problem. The stage ethical problem will consequently force the administrator to reflect on the problem and equally define the ethical issues therein. This is the easiest part when solving ethical issues. However, it is not the end of the process. The administrator must therefore, identify what alternatives he/she has. Such alternatives

Leadership, Ethics and Irrational Behavior Essay

Leadership, Ethics and Irrational Behavior - Essay Example Definition of Terms To be able to understand the interrelationships and implications of the concepts, it is important to individually define the terms. Leadership is the manner by which a leader handles people and resources to achieve common organizational goals. The leader is a person who has the capability to influence a group of individuals in the process of attaining the objectives of the group (Northouse, 2009, p.3). Leadership can be affected by different factors such as the traits and the manner by which a person leads and influences others. For that matter, it can then be considered to have correlation with the character and behavior of a leader (p.5). This is where the concepts of ethics and irrational behaviors enter. Ethics is related to the decorum, which based on the purpose of the study is related to the proper attitude within an organization. One definition had been presented through the model of living code of ethics in a positive ethical organization which showed eth ical organizational identity as the product of the interaction between the authentic leadership, aligned processes, and ethical culture of the organization (Verbos et al., 2007, p.19). Based on the said definition, leadership and ethics in an organization are contributing factors to the success and achievement of goals. Irrational behavior is the third concept in the study which represents the challenges and the hindrances encountered by the leaders of organizations. This concept represents the lapse of judgment or mistake in the decision-making process committed by the leader of an organization. Due to the fact that the occurrence of such mistakes can be considered inevitable due to complexity of interactions of the different factors within an organization, the science of irrational behavior is one of the main subjects in the study (Brafman and Brafman, 2009, p.1). The Relationship of Ethics and Leadership It is an ideal notion that leadership and ethics work hand in hand for the a chievement of goals. Although perceived as good for the organization, this is not always the case due to the different factors that can affect the decision making process and the perception of a leader and the members of the group. In the study by Caldwell and colleagues, the leaders were described as â€Å"ethical stewards† and stress the importance of trust and leadership in an organization. The authors presented an ethical stewardship analysis that discusses the different issues of governance, the ethical stewardship characteristic and the leadership implication. One issue presented was the ethical focus. Based on the study, by focusing on ethical goals, there is commitment not only to the interest of the society but to the welfare, virtues and rights of the members of the society. In this case, the leader will not only focus on the profitability of the company but on the welfare of the people in the society (Caldwell et al., 2008, p.155). In general, the study presented t he positive influence of ethics in the achievement of a focused and rational form of leadership in an organization. One example that can be cited is the case of spiritual, philosophical or religious leaders. In the study by Heine, he focused on the relationship between the success in business and the decision-making ad interpersonal skills shaped by the philosophical and spiritual outlooks of the different cultures around the world and the different eras through history. Based on the conclusion of the study, a deep

Nutrition and Fit Essay Example for Free

Nutrition and Fit Essay In my composition, I am going to describe some advantages why, we should keep fit. In my opinion is that be fit has not got disadvantages. I am also going to describe what we should do when we want to keep fit and also what we should not do when we want to keep fit. To be fit has a many advantages. When you are fit you have better mood and we do not feel sleepily on the contrary we feel full of energy. You have not got many health problems like arteriosclerosis, heart attack, obesity, anemia etc. When we want to keep fit, like first we should change our eating habits. We should not eat many junk food, candy, sweetened beverages for example Sprite, Coca-Cola, Fanta etc. We have to try to eat a lot of vegetables, fruits and a lot of healthy food because this food comprises from lots of antioxidants, protein and vitamins. We also should try to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and also for snack and afternoon snack. When somebody wants to keep fit he/she should aim do a lot of exercises. I think we should try to run every morning and evening. Sometimes we should visit some gym and swimming pool. When we want to keep fit we should not smoke and drink a lot of alcohol. We should not eat a lot. We also must not laze. In my opinion is that be fit is better than be lazy person. I hope that my composition will can help someone to keep fit.

The Curtin Teaching Essay Example for Free

The Curtin Teaching Essay The Curtin Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Plan 2013-2017 outlines an ambitious vision for reforming teaching and learning, enhancing the student experience, optimising the education portfolio and the student experience. This vision, enabled through a number of strategic projects will position Curtin as leaders in globally innovative education; provide a richly interactive and personalised learning experience and provide opportunity for graduates, equipping them with skills for the future. It is in this context, that teaching excellence is defined. Key to the development of teaching academics, who are engaged in facilitating student learning, is the establishment of criteria to which excellent teachers can aspire. These criteria highlight the capabilities and skills that guide the successful recruitment, development, recognition and retention of quality teaching academics in higher education. The Curtin Teaching Excellence criteria provide a single set of measures to underpin all relevant reward and recognition processes, so that teaching excellence is clear and consistent with the University’s strategic goals. The teaching excellence criteria are designed to assist individual academic staff, particularly new and early career staff, in clarifying expectations, as well as providing guidelines to assist in the process of supporting academics and establishing guidelines for promotion and awards. The criteria will be used by academic staff and their supervisors as a formative development tool to identify career objectives, and development needs, in addition to forming the basis for informing promotion and awards. Curtin’s Teaching Excellence criteria are designed to be broad and flexible, whilst providing a robust and valid definition of excellent teaching within the Curtin context. The criteria are aligned to the teaching roles within Curtin Expectations for Academic Performance (CEAP)1 and the Curtin University Academic, Professional and General Staff Enterprise Agreement 2012-2016 Curtin’s Teaching Excellence Criteria Curtin’s Teaching Excellence criteria mirror those developed in an Office for Learning and Teaching Project2 and informed by criteria and evidence employed by the Office for Learning and Teaching3, the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education  20124, the Higher Education Academy Benchmarking Project on Recognition of Teaching in Academic Promotion Project and analysis of criteria developed in other Australian universities. Staff who show evidence of ‘excellence in teaching’ will ‘contribute to systemic change in learning and teaching through ongoing knowledge sharing and dissemination, for example, presentations within the learning and teaching community, collegial mentoring, pairing and networking, and involvement in university and higher education committees’ (Office for Learning and Teaching). Curtin’s Teaching Excellence criteria aim to: 1. Support the initial and continuing professional learning of staff engaged in teaching and supporting learning. 2. Foster dynamic and culturally inclusive approaches to teaching and learning in transforming Teaching and Learning at Curtin through creativity, innovation and continuous development in diverse academic and/or professional settings 3. Acknowledge the variety and quality of teaching, learning and assessment practices that support and underpin student learning. 4. Facilitate individuals in gaining formal recognition for quality enhanced approaches to teaching and supporting learning. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) for Curtin is systematic inquiry, critique, research and development in teaching, learning and the broader educational context which advances and publicly provides educational benefit to students, staff and the higher education sector. Teachers engaging in scholarship in teaching and learning seek to improve teaching at the tertiary level by: Consulting and applying the literature on teaching and learning Investigating their own teaching Adopting innovative teaching approaches Formally communicating their ideas and practice to peers through publication and other formal means; and Seeking and obtaining peer recognition for their ideas and practice. The scholarship of teaching and learning that underpins the teaching excellence criteria is taken from the definitions first proposed by Boyer (1990)5 and later adapted by the University of Queensland. Scholarly teaching Scholarly teaching in a discipline involves all of the following: striving for a high level of proficiency in stimulating students and fostering their learning in a variety of appropriate ways, being familiar with the latest ideas in ones subject,  being informed by current ideas for teaching that subject,   evaluating and reflecting on ones teaching practice and the student learning which follows. The scholarship of teaching The scholarship of teaching develops from a basis of scholarly teaching in a discipline but is not the same as excellent teaching. It involves exploring, testing, practicing and communicating improved pedagogies, learning processes, curricula, policies and learning materials. It meets the following additional criteria in the context of promoting student learning: It requires high levels of discipline-related expertise. It requires an understanding of who the learners are, how they learn and what practices are most effective in the context of the discipline (pedagogical content knowledge) It breaks new ground and is innovative It can be replicated and elaborated It is documented and subjected to peer review Educational Research Like other social science researchers, educational researchers are guided by theoretical and methodological paradigms. A research academic in the field of education deploys theoretical perspectives to understand educational practice. Educational research includes psychological and philosophical inquiry; historical, policy and cultural analysis; and empirical research on a range of areas including learning and teaching processes, pedagogy and curriculum studies. Such research tests the assumptions and worth of theory  in terms of whether it provides adequate explanations of the data and evidence. The aim of educational research is to expand our understanding of all aspects of education and to contribute to theoretical debates and developments in the area. The questions addressed are broader than those focused on in the area of teaching innovation and involve stakeholders beyond the context in which the innovation takes place (Research Assessment Exercise Guidelines, 2008)6. Curtin’s Teaching Excellence Criteria The seven criteria are: 1. Design and planning of learning activities, units and courses 2. Teaching and supporting student learning 3. Assessment and giving feedback to students 4. Developing effective learning environments, student support and guidance 5. Integration of scholarship, research and professional activities with teaching and in support of student learning 6. Evaluation of practice and continuing professional learning 7. Professional and personal effectiveness Evidence of Teaching Excellence at Curtin Teaching 1. Design and planning of learning activities, units and courses 2. Teaching and supporting student learning 3. Assessment and giving feedback to students 4. Developing effective learning environments, student support and guidance Evidence eVALUate Unit Summary Report including unit coordinator response eVALUate Teaching Evaluation Report Student learning outcomes: (retention and pass rates, student projects) Formal Peer Review Report Formal Teaching Evaluation Review – evidence of report Report from community partners and feedback on outcomes Faculty, University or national teaching awards Peer recognition of quality teaching eg invitations to teach in other universities Scholarship of teaching 5. Integration of scholarship, research and professional activities with  teaching and in support of student learning 6. Evaluation of practice and continuing professional learning Evidence Certificate of completion of Professional Learning program eg FOLT, ALUCP, ALCCP, ALFCP Formal teaching qualification in higher education e.g. Grad Certificate in Teaching Attendance at internal or external teaching-related workshops Training and experience from the relevant industry/profession/ discipline Invitation to present, design or evaluate a teaching and learning workshop Peer reviewed publications / citations University or national teaching and learning grants Details of grants, awards (successful and unsuccessful) and outcomes Service and Leadership in Teaching and Learning (including Community Engagement and Professional Practice) 7. Professional and personal effectiveness Evidence Independent reports from mentees Peer review/ reviewer of curricula which demonstrate engagement with the teaching/research nexus Peer review of curricula as an expert Leadership in supporting colleagues’ teaching through peer support and review. Outcomes of committee leadership Professional Association Awards that validate leadership and expertise in teaching and learning External Reports from the relevant industry/profession/ discipline Invitation to present, design or evaluate a teaching and learning workshop Invitations to present keynote at Teaching and Learning and disciplinary conferences on teaching and learning Membership of senior advisory groups to Government Leadership in external professional networks / interest groups in teaching and learning Recognition by national or international professional bodies (awards, fellowships, honorary memberships etc) Leadership of professional bodies Contribution to the review and development of national and international professional practice standards Leadership of a school, faculty, university or national teaching and learning initiative Level Dimensions of Curtin’s Teaching Excellence Evidence of achievement Teaching Teach and support student learning Design and plan for learning Assess and give feedback to learners Develop effective learning environments and approaches to student support and guidance A A developing profile in teaching and a scholarly approach to teaching as evidenced by: ââ€" participating in team teaching within an established program with appropriate mentoring ââ€" gaining experience in teaching in a variety of settings (eg small and large group, clinical, lab, field, research supervision) ââ€" developing skills in all aspects of teaching practice, with appropriate mentoring, including -curriculum design, -development of learning materials -analysis of learning needs of students -identification of appropriate approaches to teaching moderation of assessments -development of formative and summative assessment appropriately linked to learning outcomes ââ€" seeking ways to improve practice by obtaining and analysing feedback ââ€" embedding reflective practice within all aspects of teaching. ââ€" maintaining currency with the latest ideas in discipline ââ€" being informed of current ideas for teaching in the discipline Formal Peer review report Evidence of reflective practice and plan for improvement Teaching evaluation review report Evidence of planned learning activities designed to develop the students’ learning Sound knowledge of the unit material eVALUate TER 80% agreement or higher for two consecutive years and in most units taught B A developing profile in teaching and a scholarly approach to teaching as evidenced by: ââ€" using the latest ideas and research in the discipline in teaching and learning ââ€" applying current pedagogies in teaching and learning Formal Peer review report Evidence of reflective practice and plan for improvement eVALUate USR with unit coordinator response and response in unit outline Teaching evaluation review report Evidence of well-planned learning activities designed to develop the students learning Scholarly/informed approach to learning design Thorough knowledge of the unit material and its contribution in the course Effective and appropriate use of learning technologies Evidence of effective unit coordination and management of teaching teams and impact of mentoring on peers, colleagues Quality assurance and evaluation of teaching and learning (eg moderation, academic integrity) Student learning outcomes: (retention and pass rates, student projects) Additional evidence Tutor feedback on preparation, organisation, mentoring support Evidence of effective supervision of honours/postgraduate students to completion eVALUate TER 80% agreement or higher for two consecutive years and in most units taught eVALUate USR 80% agreement or higher for two consecutive years and in most units taught C Strong teaching practice evidenced by: ââ€" teaching in a range of different settings (1st year to PG; large and small group, different learning environments); ââ€" consistently high percentage agreement in teaching and unit evaluations; other evidence of positive student feedback and peer review ââ€" reflection, review and continuous improvement of curricula, teaching resources and teaching approaches; ââ€" application to teaching practice of new ideas in the discipline and new ideas about teaching in the discipline ââ€" Recognition through awards and prizes at School or Faculty level ââ€" Mentoring and supporting the development of teaching skills in Early Career teaching academics As per level B plus: Formal Peer review report Evidence of reflective practice and plan for improvement Teaching evaluation review report Tutor feedback on preparation, organisation, mentoring support Evidence of effective supervision of honours/postgraduate students to completion Report from community partners and feedback on outcomes Receiving a teaching award (faculty or university) D A sustained record of excellence in teaching practice at all levels as evidenced by: ââ€" Breadth and depth of teaching portfolio, ââ€" recognition through awards and prizes at University level and above Mentoring and supporting the development of teaching skills in Early Career and Mid-Career teaching staff As per level C plus: Teaching evaluation review report (External expert) Evidence of leadership of effective curriculum development at the program level. Evidence of contribution to the teaching or curriculum and/or discipline at the national level. Curriculum, learning materials adopted at other universities Receiving a teaching award including curriculum development (university or national) Details of leadership roles and specific contribution Feedback from staff mentored E A distinguished record of scholarly teaching at all levels as evidenced by: ââ€" demonstrable impact on student learning in and attitude towards the discipline over a sustained period ââ€" demonstrable impact on success of graduates over a sustained period ââ€" recognition through awards and prizes at National level ââ€" substantial role in mentoring and supporting the development of teaching skills of Early Career and Mid-Career teaching academics. As per level D plus: Teaching evaluation review report (External expert) Evidence of a leadership role and impact in curriculum design and review, planning and/or development at the (inter) national level Evidence of  significant curriculum, disciplinary contribution through published student learning materials, textbooks Leadership in mentoring and supporting colleagues in planning and designing learning activities and curriculum Details of mentoring and leadership support of colleagues External peer recognition and/or review on impact of curriculum, discipline, innovation Scholarship of teaching Engage in continuing professional learning in subjects/ disciplines and their pedagogy, incorporating research, scholarship and the evaluation of professional practice A A developing profile in the scholarship of teaching as evidenced by: ââ€" Participation in the communication and dissemination of teaching practice within the discipline ââ€" Participation in research on how students learn in the discipline ââ€" Presentations on teaching and learning at local and national conferences Teaching evaluation review report Excerpts from unit materials demonstrating incorporation of current teaching and learning research into teaching activities Evidence of teaching and learning scholarship in the practice of teaching and curriculum development Evidence of teaching materials and curricula which demonstrate engagement with the teaching/research nexus Evidence of self-evaluation leading to changes in practice and student learning Evidence of professional learning Completion of FOLT (all modules) Completion of ALUCP (if in unit coordination role) Evidence of attendance at internal or external teaching-related workshops Evidence of participation in conference / forum relevant to teaching and learning Working toward a formal teaching qualification in higher education e.g. Graduate Certificate in Higher Education A developing profile in teaching and a scholarly approach to teaching as evidenced by: ââ€" using the latest ideas and research in the discipline in teaching and learning ââ€" applying current pedagogies in teaching and learning As per level A plus: Evidence of professional learning Completion of ALUCP, ALCCP and/or ALFCP (according to role) Evidence of attendance at internal or external teaching-related workshops Contribution and systematic participation in professional learning or disciplinary engagement in the area, scholarship of Teaching and learning Formal teaching qualification in higher education e.g. Graduate Certificate in Teaching Teaching evaluation review report Evidence application of current pedagogies in the practice of teaching and curriculum development Membership of disciplinary teaching network (e.g. teaching and learning network, HERDSA, OLT) A strong record in the scholarship of teaching as evidence by: ââ€" Demonstrated institutional impact through curriculum development at the discipline or interdisciplinary level; ââ€" Presentations on teaching and learning at local and national conferences ââ€" Success in attracting funding to undertake projects related to teaching practice in the discipline As per level B plus: Details of grants, awards (successful and unsuccessful) and outcomes Teaching evaluation review report Contribution and systematic participation in professional learning or disciplinary engagement in teaching and learning Peer reviewed publications in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (local and national conferences) An excellent record of scholarship of teaching as evidenced by: ââ€"  Demonstrated institutional impact in relation to teaching policy and practice ââ€" Evidence of text books or innovative teaching materials that are used elsewhere ââ€" Participation in international organisations related to teaching area ââ€" A strong record of scholarly publication in major international education journals ââ€" Invited presentations at national and international conferences Partner and/or lead investigator on externally funded teaching and/or curriculum projects As per level C plus: Contributes to teaching and learning policy development and practice Invitation to present, design or evaluate a teaching and learning workshop (evidence of invitation) Peer recognition of quality teaching e.g. invitations to teach in other universities, awarded a faculty and/or University teaching award. Leadership and innovation in teaching practices and supporting students recognised at the university, disciplinary, national level Leadership in supporting colleagues’ teaching through peer review and teaching evaluation Success in a university, national, discipline teaching award Peer reviewed journal publications in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Textbook publications or innovative teaching materials used in the higher education sector A distinguished record of scholarship of teaching as evidenced by: ââ€" Recognition as an eminent international authority for scholarship of teaching, as reflected in: high quality scholarly publications in international education journals invitations to present keynote addresses workshops at relevant national and international conferences Lead investigator on externally funded teaching and/or curriculum projects teaching fellowships †¢Evidence of text books or innovative teaching materials that are used elsewhere As per level D plus: Teaching evaluation review report (External expert) Evidence of successful, strategic leadership and innovation in enhancing quality teaching practices and supporting student learning at the university, disciplinary, (inter) national level Evidence of championing an integrated approach to academic practice in the university, discipline, (inter)nationally. Evidence of establishing effective organisational policies and/or strategies for supporting and promoting others (eg through mentoring, coaching) in delivering high quality teaching and support for student learning Evidence of Keynote addresses and workshops in national and international Teaching and Learning conferences Peer reviewed publications in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning sustained publication record in high quality international journals Leadership in Teaching and Learning, Engagement and Professional practice A Demonstration of potential for leadership in teaching and learning Teaching evaluation review report Contribution and active participation in school teaching and learning committees Evidence of participation in external activities relevant to the discipline/profession and community engagement Demonstration of growing profile in service and leadership in teaching and learning Teaching evaluation review report Active participation in School committees with measureable outcomes details, role and outcomes Independent reports from mentees Peer review/ reviewer of curricula which demonstrate engagement with the teaching/research nexus Evidence of significant external contributions to the discipline/profession and community engagement Demonstration of effective service and leadership in teaching and learning ââ€"  As per level B plus: Teaching evaluation review report Successful prosecution of a major task (sustained or one-off project) that enhances performance of School/Faculty in teaching and learning Evidence of supporting the development of teaching skills in Early Career teaching academics Evidence of successful achievement in roles such as mentor, peer reviewer A significant leadership role in teaching and learning as evidenced by: ââ€" Leadership in curriculum development and renewal at School, Faculty and institutional levels ââ€" Leadership in introduction of new approaches to teaching and learning at School, Faculty and institutional levels ââ€" Invitations to participate in reviews of teaching and learning at other institutions; involvement in national educational activities ââ€" Participation in collaborative partnerships relating to teaching and learning with other educational institutions or other bodies As per level C plus: Teaching evaluation review report (External expert) Peer review of curricula as an expert Leadership in supporting colleagues’ teaching through peer support and review Outcomes of committee leadership Professional Association Awards that validate leadership and expertise in teaching and learning External Reports from the relevant industry/profession/ discipline Invitation to present, design or evaluate a teaching and learning workshop – evidence of invitation Invitations to present keynote at Teaching and Learning and disciplinary conferences on teaching and learning – evidence of invitation Leadership of a school, faculty, university or national teaching and learning initiative E A national and international leadership profile in teaching and learning as evidenced by: ââ€"  Impact on educational policy and curriculum development nationally and internationally; contributions to curriculum debates ââ€"  Leadership in educational activities of national and international organisations ââ€"  Leadership of collaborative partnerships relating to teaching and learning with other educational institutions or other bodies As per level D plus: Membership of senior advisory groups to Government Leadership in external professional networks / interest groups in teaching and learning Recognition by national or international professional bodies (awards, fellowships, honorary memberships etc) Leadership of professional bodies Contribution to the review and development of national and international professional practice standards

Cloning in Plants And Animals

Cloning in Plants And Animals What is cloning? Cloning is a process carried out in a laboratory by which a genetically identical organism can be made through non-sexual means. How it started? In February 1997, when embryologist Ian Wilmut and his colleagues at Roslin Institute in Scotland were able to clone a lamb, named Dolly. Who are cloned? Both plants and animals can be cloned. Plant Cloning is an ancient form of producing desired outcomes in plant species. Animal Cloning is the process by which an entire organism is reproduced from a single cell taken from the parent organism and in a genetically identical manner. This simply means the cloned animal is an exact duplicate in every way of its parent; it has the same and exact DNA. What does it involve? For different purposes there exist different extents of cloning such a molecular cloning; the process of making multiple molecules, cellular cloning, which can be further divided into unicellular cloning; in which you derive a population of cells from a single c ell, and Cloning in stem cell research; used to create embryos for research or therapeutic purposes, and the most complex type of cloning is organism cloning; it refers to the procedure of creating a new multicellular organism, genetically identical to another. Is cloning advantageous or disadvantageous? Cloning has both advantages and disadvantages to human beings. Advantages may include the creation of human beings that can be used to study human development and to potentially treat diseases. Disadvantages may include the lack of diversity of organisms and the hindrance of evolution. Why clone, and why not to clone? The ethics of cloning has become a great issue. Scientifically speaking, cloning can be the solution to problems associated with organ transplants that can benefit human health, and can also help in great yield production of healthy crops. But, ethically speaking the bible states that a new individual should be born from a husband (which provides the sperm) and a wife (which provides the egg), therefore by cloning one will blunder the world of God for it involves asexual reproduction of organisms. Cloning has indeed been the subject of scientific experiments for years but it was first known to be successful in 1997 when, after about 277 eggs used, the first cloned mammal Dolly was born. In the United States, the human consumption of meat and other products from cloned animals was approved by the FDA on December 28, 2006, with no special labeling required. CONCEPT AND SIGNIFICANCE Cloning can have slightly different meanings depending of the specific field one is studying. In general Biology cloning refers to the process of production of similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occur in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. In Biotechnology cloning refers to the process used to create copies of DNA fragments, cells, or organisms. Cloning has two main branches. They are Plant Cloning and Animal Cloning. Plant Cloning is an ancient form of producing desired outcomes in plant species. For farmers plant cloning is used to duplicate the success of good plants, and rich crops with very high yields. Plant cloning is easier than using seeds to generate new plants because the duplication of desired genes is rapid and the grower knows the type and quality of plant he would be growing since the new plant can be created from just a twig. Animal Cloning is the process by which an entire organism is reproduced fr om a single cell taken from the parent organism. This new organism is genetically identical; the exact duplicate in every way including DNA, to the parent organism. Animal cloning can be done both for reproductive and non-reproductive or therapeutic purposes. In the second case, cloning is done to produce stem cells or other such cells that can be used for therapeutic purposes, for example, for healing or recreating damaged organs. Cloning can happen both naturally and in the lab. Natural forms of cloning can include asexual reproduction in certain organisms such as bacteria and also in the development of twins from a single fertilized egg. Cloning can be done in the labs; an example would be the process of nuclear transfer of embryonic cells which leads to the production of cloned mammals. Cloning is divided into three major compartments, they are; molecular cloning, cellular cloning, and organism cloning. Molecular Cloning is the process of making multiple molecules. It is used to amplify DNA fragments containing whole genes, but can be used to amplify any DNA sequence such as promoters, non-coding sequence and randomly fragmented DNA. It is used for biological experiments and practical applications ranging from genetic fingerprinting to large scale protein production. Cellular Cloning has two subgroups; unicellular cloning and cloning in stem cell research. Unicellular cloning occurs in organisms such as bacteria and yeast; these processes are simple and only require inoculation of the appropriate medium for them to derive a population of cells from a single cell. For stem cell research, Somatic-cell nuclear transfer is  used to create embryos for the research and therapeutic purposes. This is called research cloning and its goal is to harvest stem cells that can be used to study human development and to potentially treat diseases such as Diabetes and Alzheimers. Organism Cloning refers to the procedure of asexually creating a new multicellular organism, genetically identical to another. Successful animal cloning, in particular cloning from an adult animal, one knows exactly how the clone is going to turn out. This becomes especially useful when the whole intention behind cloning is to save a certain endangered species from becoming totally extinct. ACTUAL PROCESS Animals: Molecular Cloning which is the cloning of any DNA fragment can be divided into the following different steps: Fragmentation breaking apart a strand of DNA Ligation gluing together pieces of DNA in a desired sequence Transfection inserting the newly formed pieces of DNA into cells Screening/Selection selecting out the cells that were successfully transfected with the new DNA. Unicellular Cloning of organisms is performed using a culture technique which involves the use of cloning rings. In this technique: A single-cell suspension of cells that have been exposed to a mutagenic agent or drug used to drive selection is plated at a high dilution to create isolated colonies; each arising from a single and potentially cloned distinct cell. At an early growth stage when colonies consist of only a few of cells, sterile polystyrene rings (cloning rings), which have been dipped in grease are placed over an individual colony and a small amount of trypsin is added. Cloned cells are collected from inside the ring and transferred to a new vessel for further growth. Somatic-Cell Nuclear Transfer is used to create embryos for research and therapeutic purposes. The SCNT process to create embryos for stem cell research is: First, the collection of cells from the organism that will be cloned, the cells can be used immediately or can be stored in the lab for later use. The maternal DNA from an oocyte is removed at metaphase II. The nucleus can then be inserted into an egg cytoplasm. This creates a one-cell embryo. The grouped somatic cell and egg cytoplasm are then introduced to an electrical current. The sexual energy allows the cloned embryo to begin development. The successfully developed embryos are then placed in surrogate recipients. Organism Cloning the procedure of creating a new multicellular organism, genetically identical to another is achieved by: The transfer of a nucleus from a donor adult cell (somatic cell) to an egg that has no nucleus. When the egg begins to divide normally it is transferred into the uterus of the surrogate mother. An example of the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell is Dolly, a Finn-Dorset ewe. She was cloned at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. Dolly was formed by taking a cell from the udder of her biological mother. Her embryo was created by taking the cell and inserting it into a sheep ovum. The embryo was then placed inside a female sheep that went through normal pregnancy. She lived for 6 years, from 1996-2003. There were early claims that Dolly the Sheep had pathologies resembling accelerated aging, but other researchers, including Ian Wilmut who led the team that successfully cloned Dolly, argue that Dollys early death due to respiratory infection was unrelated to deficiencies with the cloning process. In amphibians the ultimate test of whether the nucleus of a differentiated cell has undergone any irreversible functional restriction is to have that nucleus generate every other type of differentiated cell in the body. If each cells nucleus is identical to the zygote nucleus, then each cells nucleus should be totipotent (capable of directing the entire development of the organism) when transplanted into an activated enucleated egg. Before such an experiment could be done, three techniques for transplanting nuclei into eggs had to be perfected: a method for enucleating host eggs without destroying them; a method for isolating intact donor nuclei; and a method for transferring such nuclei into the host egg without damaging either the nucleus or the oocyte. Plants: The process of cloning a plant is relatively easy compared to that of animals. Simply: Trim a piece of the root from a plant. Supply it with nutrients and plant it in soil. The resulting growth will be identical to the original plant. BENEFITS TO HUMANITY Economically, cultivating existing plants with good yields ensures that farmers will most likely get an identical yield from that new plant, providing similar situations are sustained. Through the process of cloning, the University of Arkansas states that a number of different varieties of foods, such as grapes and oranges without seeds, have been created that consumer prefer over traditional plants. Cloning can save endangered species. On January 8, 2001, scientists at Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., announced the birth of the first clone of an endangered animal, a baby bull gaur (a large wild ox from India and Southeast Asia) named Noah. Noah died of an infection unrelated to the cloning procedure. But this experiment served as prove to show that they can bring back endangered species. Research Cloning or Therapeutic Cloning can harvest stem cells that can be used to study human development and to potentially treat diseases such as Diabetes and Alzheimers. In the case of the Alzheimers disease, the nucleus from a skin cell of the patient is placed into an empty egg. The reprogrammed cell begins to develop into an embryo because the egg reacts with the transferred nucleus. The embryo will become genetically identical to the patient. The embryo will then form a blastocyst which has the potential to become any cell in the body. Other Potential Medical Benefits of cloning include: the possibility that we will learn to renew activity of damaged cells by growing new cells and replacing them, the creation of humans with identical genetic makeup to act as organ donors for each other, cloning allows the study of cell differentiation, and cloning also gives sterile couples the ability to have offspring that will have either the mothers or fathers genetic pattern. DISADVANTAGES OF CLONING In a large percentage of cases, the cloning process fails in the course of pregnancy or some sort of birth defects occur, for example, as in a recent case, a calf born with two faces. Sometimes the defects manifest themselves later and kill the clone. This long lasting process before the success of cloning can lead to the extinction of little remains of DNA from extinct species if it is used with no successive results. Changes in genomes may not only result in changes in appearance, but in psychological and personality changes as well. In plants; cloning limits diversity which makes the plants more susceptible to diseases and pests. Possible potential harms and disadvantages are: the possibility of compromising individualities, the loss of genetic variation, technology is not well developed; it has low fertility rate; in cloning Dolly, 277 eggs were used, 30 started to divide, nine induced pregnancy, and only one survived. ETHICAL ISSUES Although most scientists consider the process of animal cloning as a major breakthrough and see many beneficial possibilities in it, many people are uncomfortable with the idea, they say it is against nature and it is ethically damning, particularly in the instance of cloning human beings. One of the main goals of the government is to protect human life. Some people want the government to regulate cloning and not allow it. Producing clones for research or to use their parts is unethical. It would be against the code of ethics of a doctor to harm a clone (i.e., use it for an organ transplant). The clone would be a human being and deserve all the rights and privileges that a non-cloned human has.   A clone should not be a second-class citizen. It is speculated that clones would be considered as such. The American Medical Association holds four points of reason why cloning should not take place. They are: there are unknown physical harms introduced by cloning, unknown psychosocial harms introduced by cloning, including violations of autonomy and privacy, impacts on familial and societal relations, and potential effects on the human gene pool. Serious ethical concerns arise by the future possibility of only harvesting organs from clones. Some people have considered the idea of growing organs separately from a human organism in doing this; a new organ supply could be established without the moral implications of harvesting them from humans. Research is also being done on the idea of growing organs that are biologically acceptable to the human body inside of other organisms, such as pigs or cows, then transplanting them to humans, a form of Xeno-transplantation. From a Latter-day Saint point of view, the Proclamation on the Family clearly does not agree with cloning. The Proclamation states: We . . . declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in Gods plan. In other words, the power to create humans is only to be used in a marriage between husband and wife. Cloning only involves one parent, therefore it is not following Gods plan in which a mans sperm and a womans egg are needed to create life. CONCLUSION Cloning is the process of creating a copy of a biological entity. In genetics, cloning refers to the process of making an identical copy of the DNA of an organism. Cloning is an established process today, which holds the promise of repopulating endangered and even extinct animals. Cloning can revolutionize the world and the way we live. Animal cloning has been one of the greatest frontiers scientists have conquered. However, there are various ethical and scientific issues related to cloning that have been debated. Foods from healthy cloned animals are deemed safe to eat. In recent years, there has been a shoot of new laws banning or regulating cloning around the world. In some countries, animal cloning is allowed, but not human cloning. Some advocacy groups are seeking to ban therapeutic cloning, even if this could potentially save people from many debilitating illnesses.

J.B. Priestleys Play An Inspector Calls :: Priestley Inspector Calls Essays

J.B. Priestley's Play "An Inspector Calls" "Why shouldn't they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices. And I don't see why she should have been sacked". Eric to Mr Birling says this. Eric is drawing a comparison between the Upper class owners, and the lower class workers. Eric can see the comparison between Mr Birling trying to do the best for him, and the workers doing the same for themselves and their families. Mr Birling won't allow these sentiments, however, and sees them as a bad attitude. One can assume that this attitude is a general reflection of the attitudes held by older generation of the upper classes in 1912 as portrayed in 'An Inspector Calls', when it is set, with Mr and Mrs Birling representing the older generation of the upper class. 'An Inspector Calls' is primarily focused on he attitudes surrounding the higher classes in 1912, and how these attitudes can lead to actions with potentially devastating consequences. The attitudes are particularly aimed at women, especially those of working class status. In the play women are portrayed as second class citizens, after men. However the difference (e.g. in independence) between upper class men and women is greater than that of working class men and women. Many women living alone and supporting themselves (for example by working in factories- like Mr Birling's) and their families demonstrate this, whereas the upper class women are totally dependent on their husbands for money and accommodation. The play shows that the treatment of working class women is degrading. For example it portrays the assumptions that the working class women who are jobless are quite willing to turn to prostitution. "Have you any idea what happened to her after that? Get into trouble? Go on the streets?" Mr Birling assumes that working class woman, like Eva Smith, get into trouble regularly, and if they are fired, they turn to prostitution quickly. This shows that the attitudes are totally different between upper class and working class women. Working class women are seen as easy virtue, and whores, whilst the upper class 'virgin maidens' are almost untouchable in their purity. The upper class girls are treated with respect, and are on the whole protected. "I think you ought to go to bed now, and forget this absurd business" Mr and Mrs Birling want to protect Sheila from the horrors of affairs. However in the Edwardian society there were upper class men, who were abusive, and over domineering. For example Alderman Meggarty who tried to harass not only Eva Smith (who was working class) but a girl that Sheila knew, who must be upper class, because Sheila would only socialise in upper

The Rise of Intercollegiate Football and Its Portrayal in American Popu

The Rise of Intercollegiate Football and Its Portrayal in American Popular Literature With the success of the Merriwell literature, juvenile sport fiction became abundant. In all subsequent stories, the model for traditional juvenile sport fiction, even continuing today, is the illustrious Frank Merriwell (Oriard, 1982). As the Merriwell series dwindled to a halt in the 1910’s, books began to dominate the world of children’s sport fiction. Oriard (1982) suggested the popularity of these books rose because â€Å"the juvenile sports novel combined the action of the dime novels with the middle-class morality of the Alger (rags-to-riches) novel† (p. 47). In 1912, the year Gilbert Patten retired as the author of the Merriwell stories, Owen Johnson published his children’s novel, Stover at Yale. Dink Stover looms as the hero of Johnson’s novel, which follows young Dink from his freshman year to the beginning of his senior year at the illustrious Yale University. Johnson’s novel while similar to the Merriwell series, establishes a ne w era in juvenile sport literature that starts the maturation process of the collegiate athlete-hero. Many of Frank Merriwell’s challenges did occur on the playing field at Yale in a multitude of sports that included football, baseball, crew, and track. During most of these events, however, the precocious hero and his comrades usually solved a mystery or righted some wrong. In addition, Merriwell left college for a few years, and this respite from college life enabled the multifaceted young man to write a play, purchase a champion thoroughbred horse, and travel the world in his pursuit to stamp out all wrongdoing, all activities contrary to the ideals of amateurism. Stover receives the hero worship typical o... ...mith, R.A. (1988). Sports and Freedom: The Rise of Big-Time College Athletics. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Smith, R.A. (1993). â€Å"History of Amateurism in Men’s Intercollegiate Athletics: The Continuance of a 19th-Century Anachronism in America.† QUEST. Vol. 45, pp. 430-447. Standish, B.L. (1900). â€Å"Frank Merriwell’s Policy; or, Playing Columbia for Practice.† TipTop Weekly. No. 238. Standish, B.L. (1901). â€Å"Dick Merriwell at Fardale; or, The Wonder of School.† Tip Top Weekly. No. 291. Thelin, J.R. (1994). Games Colleges Play: Scandal and Reform in Intercollegiate Athletics. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. Valenzi, K.D., Ed. (1990). Champion of Sport: The Life and Times of Walter Camp, 1859-1925. Charlottesville, VA: Howell Press, Inc. Watterson, J.S. (1988). â€Å"Inventing Modern Football.† American Heritage. Sept./Oct., pp. 102-113.

Temperatures effect on Chemiluminescence :: essays research papers

Temperature's effect on Chemiluminescence Sitting by a fire on a fall night one would not think of a campfire as cold light. Could there be such a thing? â€Å"Cold light† is what the word luminescence means (Fluorescent Mineral Society, 1 of 2). Cold light can be seen at many different temperatures. Not only does cold light exist, but there are several types of luminescence including bioluminescence or â€Å"living light†, photoluminescence or fluorescence, â€Å"day-glow†, and phosphorescence which is delayed luminescence or â€Å"afterglow† (Fluorescent Mineral Society, 1 of 2). Chemiluminescence is when two or more chemicals mix and react to create light energy. An example of bioluminescence is a firefly. The production of light in bioluminescent animals is caused by converting chemical energy to light energy (Bioluminescence, 1 of 1). In a firefly, oxygen, luciferin, luciferase (an enzyme), and ATP combine in the light organ in a chemical reaction that creates cold light (Johnson, 42). This bright, blinking light helps the male firefly attract female fireflies as a possible mate. Other examples of bioluminescent organisms are fungi, earthworms, jellyfish, fish, and other sea creatures (Berthold Technologies, 1 of 2). Light sticks work in a similar way. When you â€Å"snap† a light stick, the chemical in the glass capsule mixes with a chemical in the plastic tube and creates light energy. Instead of the chemicals used by a firefly, other chemicals are used to create a glow. The light stick that you can buy at a store usually contains hydrogen peroxide, phenyl oxalate ester, and fluorescent dye (New York Times Company, 1 of 3). The light stick will glow the same color as the fluorescent dye placed in it. In luminescence, the chemical reaction â€Å"kicks an electron of an atom out of its ‘ground’ (lowest-energy) state into an ‘excited’ (higher-energy) state, then the electron give back the energy in the form of light so it can fall back to it’s ‘ground’ state (Fluorescent Mineral Society, 1 of 2). Controlling chemiluminescent light was how Omniglow Incorporated became the first company to produce light sticks. In 1986, when the first light stick was invented, scientists thought they could make a lot of money selling light sticks. However, since they had to make light sticks by hand, it was harder for them to produce very many of them. Until machines were invented to make light sticks, it cost too much money to make them by hand.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 16. EPOCH

â€Å"I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!† I MOANED TO MYSELF. Every item of clothing I owned was strewn across my bed; my drawers and closets were bare. I stared into the empty recesses, willing something suitable to appear. My khaki skirt lay over the back of the rocking chair, waiting for me to discover something that went with it just exactly right. Something that would make me look beautiful and grown up. Something that said special occasion. I was coming up empty. It was almost time to go, and I was still wearing my favorite old sweats. Unless I could find something better here – and the odds weren't looking good at this point – I was going to graduate in them. I scowled at the pile of clothes on my bed. The kicker was that I knew exactly what I would have worn if it were still available – my kidnapped red blouse. I punched the wall with my good hand. â€Å"Stupid, thieving, annoying vampire!† I growled. â€Å"What did I do?† Alice demanded. She was leaning casually beside the open window as if she'd been there the whole time. â€Å"Knock, knock,† she added with a grin. â€Å"Is it really so hard to wait for me to get the door?† She threw a flat, white box onto my bed. â€Å"I'm just passing through. I thought you might need something to wear.† I looked at the big package lying on top of my unsatisfying wardrobe and grimaced. â€Å"Admit it,† Alice said. â€Å"I'm a lifesaver.† â€Å"You're a lifesaver,† I muttered. â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Well, it's nice to get something right for a change. You don't know how irritating it is – missing things the way I have been. I feel so useless. So . . . normal.† She cringed in horror of the word. â€Å"I can't imagine how awful that must feel. Being normal? Ugh.† She laughed. â€Å"Well, at least this makes up for missing your annoying thief – now I just have to figure out what I'm not seeing in Seattle.† When she said the words that way – putting the two situations together in one sentence – right then it clicked. The elusive something that had been bothering me for days, the important connection that I couldn't quite put together, suddenly became clear. I stared at her, my face frozen with whatever expression was already in place. â€Å"Aren't you going to open it?† she asked. She sighed when I didn't move immediately, and tugged the top of the box off herself. She pulled something out and held it up, but I couldn't concentrate on what it was. â€Å"Pretty, don't you think? I picked blue, because I know it's Edward's favorite on you.† I wasn't listening. â€Å"It's the same,† I whispered. â€Å"What is?† she demanded. â€Å"You don't have anything like this. For crying out loud, you only own one skirt!† â€Å"No, Alice! Forget the clothes, listen!† â€Å"You don't like it?† Alice's face clouded with disappointment. â€Å"Listen, Alice, don't you see? It's the same! The one who broke in and stole my things, and the new vampires in Seattle. They're together!† The clothes slipped from her fingers and fell back into the box. Alice focused now, her voice suddenly sharp. â€Å"Why do you think that?† â€Å"Remember what Edward said? About someone using the holes in your vision to keep you from seeing the newborns? And then what you said before, about the timing being too perfect – how careful my thief was to make no contact, as if he knew you would see that. I think you were right, Alice, I think he did know. I think he was using those holes, too. And what are the odds that two different people not only know enough about you to do that, but also decided to do it at exactly the same time? No way. It's one person. The same one. The one who is making the army is the one who stole my scent.† Alice wasn't accustomed to being taking by surprise. She froze, and was still for so long that I started counting in my head as I waited. She didn't move for two minutes straight. Then her eyes refocused on me. â€Å"You're right,† she said in a hollow tone. â€Å"Of course you're right. And when you put it that way. . . .† â€Å"Edward had it wrong,† I whispered. â€Å"It was a test . . . to see if it would work. If he could get in and out safely as long as he didn't do anything you would be watching out for. Like trying to kill me. . . . And he didn't take my things to prove he'd found me. He stole my scent . . . so that others could find me.† Her eyes were wide with shock. I was right, and I could see that she knew it, too. â€Å"Oh, no,† she mouthed. I was through expecting my emotions to make sense anymore. As I processed the fact that someone had created an army of vampires – the army that had gruesomely murdered dozens of people in Seattle – for the express purpose of destroying me, I felt a spasm of relief. Part of it was finally solving that irritating feeling that I was missing something vital. But the larger part was something else entirely. â€Å"Well,† I whispered, â€Å"everyone can relax. Nobody's trying to exterminate the Cullens after all.† â€Å"If you think that one thing has changed, you're absolutely wrong,† Alice said through her teeth. â€Å"If someone wants one of us, they're going to have to go through the rest of us to get to her.† â€Å"Thanks, Alice. But at least we know what they're really after. That has to help.† â€Å"Maybe,† she muttered. She started pacing back and forth across my room. Thud, thud – a fist hammered against my door. I jumped. Alice didn't seem to notice. â€Å"Aren't you ready yet? We're gonna be late!† Charlie complained, sounding edgy. Charlie hated occasions about as much as I did. In his case, a lot of the problem was having to dress up. â€Å"Almost. Give me a minute,† I said hoarsely. He was quiet for half a second. â€Å"Are you crying?† â€Å"No. I'm nervous. Go away.† I heard him clump down the stairs. â€Å"I have to go,† Alice whispered. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Edward is coming. If he hears this . . .† â€Å"Go, go!† I urged immediately. Edward would go berserk when he knew. I couldn't keep it from him for long, but maybe the graduation ceremony wasn't the best time for his reaction. â€Å"Put it on,† Alice commanded as she flitted out the window. I did what she said, dressing in a daze. I'd been planning to do something more sophisticated with my hair, but time was up, so it hung straight and boring as on any other day. It didn't matter. I didn't bother to look in the mirror, so I had no idea how Alice's sweater and skirt ensemble worked. That didn't matter, either. I threw the ugly yellow polyester graduation robe over my arm and hurried down the stairs. â€Å"You look nice,† Charlie said, already gruff with suppressed emotion. â€Å"Is that new?† â€Å"Yeah,† I mumbled, trying to concentrate. â€Å"Alice gave it to me. Thanks.† Edward arrived just a few minutes after his sister left. It wasn't enough time for me to pull together a calm faade. But, since we were riding in the cruiser with Charlie, he never had a chance to ask me what was wrong. Charlie had gotten stubborn last week when he'd learned that I was intending to ride with Edward to the graduation ceremony. And I could see his point – parents should have some rights come graduation day. I'd conceded with good grace, and Edward had cheerfully suggested that we all go together. Since Carlisle and Esme had no problem with this, Charlie couldn't come up with a compelling objection; he'd agreed with poor grace. And now Edward rode in the backseat of my father's police car, behind the fiberglass divider, with an amused expression – probably due to my father's amused expression, and the grin that widened every time Charlie stole a glance at Edward in his rearview mirror. Which almost certainly meant that Charlie was imagining things that would get him in trouble with me if he said them out loud. â€Å"Are you all right?† Edward whispered when he helped me from the front seat in the school parking lot. â€Å"Nervous,† I answered, and it wasn't even a lie. â€Å"You are so beautiful,† he said. He looked like he wanted to say more, but Charlie, in an obvious maneuver that he meant to be subtle, shrugged in between us and put his arm around my shoulders. â€Å"Are you excited?† he asked me. â€Å"Not really,† I admitted. â€Å"Bella, this is a big deal. You're graduating from high school. It's the real world for you now. College. Living on your own. . . . You're not my little girl anymore.† Charlie choked up a bit at the end. â€Å"Dad,† I moaned. â€Å"Please don't get all weepy on me.† â€Å"Who's weepy?† he growled. â€Å"Now, why aren't you excited?† â€Å"I don't know, Dad. I guess it hasn't hit yet or something.† â€Å"It's good that Alice is throwing this party. You need something to perk you up.† â€Å"Sure. A party's exactly what I need.† Charlie laughed at my tone and squeezed my shoulders. Edward looked at the clouds, his face thoughtful. My father had to leave us at the back door of the gym and go around to the main entrance with the rest of the parents. It was pandemonium as Ms. Cope from the front office and Mr. Varner the math teacher tried to line everyone up alphabetically. â€Å"Up front, Mr. Cullen,† Mr. Varner barked at Edward. â€Å"Hey, Bella!† I looked up to see Jessica Stanley waving at me from the back of the line with a smile on her face. Edward kissed me quickly, sighed, and went to go stand with the C's. Alice wasn't there. What was she going to do? Skip graduation? What poor timing on my part. I should have waited to figure things out until after this was over with. â€Å"Down here, Bella!† Jessica called again. I walked down the line to take my place behind Jessica, mildly curious as to why she was suddenly so friendly. As I got closer, I saw Angela five people back, watching Jessica with the same curiosity. Jess was babbling before I was in earshot. â€Å". . . so amazing. I mean, it seems like we just met, and now we're graduating together,† she gushed. â€Å"Can you believe it's over? I feel like screaming!† â€Å"So do I,† I muttered. â€Å"This is all just so incredible. Do you remember your first day here? We were friends, like, right away. From the first time we saw each other. Amazing. And now I'm off to California and you'll be in Alaska and I'm going to miss you so much! You have to promise that we'll get together sometimes! I'm so glad you're having a party. That's perfect. Because we really haven't spent much time together in a while and now we're all leaving. . . .† She droned on and on, and I was sure the sudden return of our friendship was due to graduation nostalgia and gratitude for the party invite, not that I'd had anything to do with that. I paid attention as well as I could while I shrugged into my robe. And I found that I was glad that things could end on a good note with Jessica. Because it was an ending, no matter what Eric, the valedictorian, had to say about commencement meaning â€Å"beginning† and all the rest of the trite nonsense. Maybe more for me than for the rest, but we were all leaving something behind us today. It went so quickly. I felt like I'd hit the fast forward button. Were we supposed to march quite that fast? And then Eric was speed talking in his nervousness, the words and phrases running together so they didn't make sense anymore. Principal Greene started calling names, one after the other without a long enough pause between; the front row in the gymnasium was rushing to catch up. Poor Ms. Cope was all thumbs as she tried to give the principal the right diploma to hand to the right student. I watched as Alice, suddenly appearing, danced across the stage to take hers, a look of deep concentration on her face. Edward followed behind, his expression confused, but not upset. Only the two of them could carry off the hideous yellow and still look the way they did. They stood out from the rest of the crowd, their beauty and grace otherworldly. I wondered how I'd ever fallen for their human farce. A couple of angels, standing there with wings intact, would be less conspicuous. I heard Mr. Greene call my name and I rose from my chair, waiting for the line in front of me to move. I was conscious of cheering in the back of the gym, and I looked around to see Jacob pulling Charlie to his feet, both of them hooting in encouragement. I could just make out the top of Billy's head beside Jake's elbow. I managed to throw them an approximation of a smile. Mr. Greene finished with the list of names, and then continued to hand out diplomas with a sheepish grin as we filed past. â€Å"Congratulations, Miss Stanley,† he mumbled as Jess took hers. â€Å"Congratulations, Miss Swan,† he mumbled to me, pressing the diploma into my good hand. â€Å"Thanks,† I murmured. And that was it. I went to stand next to Jessica with the assembled graduates. Jess was all red around the eyes, and she kept blotting her face with the sleeve of her robe. It took me a second to understand that she was crying. Mr. Greene said something I didn't hear, and everyone around me shouted and screamed. Yellow hats rained down. I pulled mine off, too late, and just let it fall to the ground. â€Å"Oh, Bella!† Jess blubbered over the sudden roar of conversation. â€Å"I can't believe we're done.† â€Å"I can't believe it's all over,† I mumbled. She threw her arms around my neck. â€Å"You have to promise we won't lose touch.† I hugged her back, feeling a little awkward as I dodged her request. â€Å"I'm so glad I know you, Jessica. It was a good two years.† â€Å"It was,† she sighed, and sniffed. Then she dropped her arms. â€Å"Lauren!† she squealed, waving over her head and pushing through the massed yellow gowns. Families were beginning to converge, pressing us tighter together. I caught sight of Angela and Ben, but they were surrounded by their families. I would congratulate them later. I craned my head, looking for Alice. â€Å"Congratulations,† Edward whispered in my ear, his arms winding around my waist. His voice was subdued; he'd been in no hurry for me to reach this particular milestone. â€Å"Um, thanks.† â€Å"You don't look like you're over the nerves yet,† he noted. â€Å"Not quite yet.† â€Å"What's left to worry about? The party? It won't be that horrible.† â€Å"You're probably right.† â€Å"Who are you looking for?† My searching wasn't quite as subtle as I'd thought. â€Å"Alice – where is she?† â€Å"She ran out as soon as she had her diploma.† His voice took on a new tone. I looked up to see his confused expression as he stared toward the back door of the gym, and I made an impulse decision – the kind I really should think twice about, but rarely did. â€Å"Worrying about Alice?† I asked. â€Å"Er . . .† He didn't want to answer that. â€Å"What was she thinking about, anyway? To keep you out, I mean.† His eyes flashed down to my face, and narrowed in suspicion. â€Å"She was translating the Battle Hymn of the Republic into Arabic, actually. When she finished that, she moved on to Korean sign language.† I laughed nervously. â€Å"I suppose that would keep her head busy enough.† â€Å"You know what she's hiding from me,† he accused. â€Å"Sure.† I smiled a weak smile. â€Å"I'm the one who came up with it.† He waited, confused. I looked around. Charlie would be on his way through the crowd now. â€Å"Knowing Alice,† I whispered in a rush, â€Å"she'll probably try to keep this from you until after the party. But since I'm all for the party being canceled – well, don't go berserk, regardless, okay? It's always better to know as much as possible. It has to help somehow.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† I saw Charlie's head bob up over the other heads as he searched for me. He spotted me and waved. â€Å"Just stay calm, okay?† He nodded once, his mouth a grim line. In hurried whispers I explained my reasoning to him. â€Å"I think you're wrong about things coming at us from all sides. I think it's mostly coming at us from one side . . . and I think it's coming at me, really. It's all connected, it has to be. It's just one person who's messing with Alice's visions. The stranger in my room was a test, to see if someone could get around her. It's got to be the same one who keeps changing his mind, and the newborns, and stealing my clothes – all of it goes together. My scent is for them.† His face had turned so white that I had a hard time finishing. â€Å"But no one's coming for you, don't you see? This is good – Esme and Alice and Carlisle, no one wants to hurt them!† His eyes were huge, wide with panic, dazed and horrified. He could see that I was right, just as Alice had. I put my hand on his cheek. â€Å"Calm,† I pleaded. â€Å"Bella!† Charlie crowed, pushing his way past the close-packed families around us. â€Å"Congratulations, baby!† He was stillyelling, even though he was right at my ear now. He wrapped his arms around me, ever so slyly shuffling Edward off to the side as he did so. â€Å"Thanks,† I muttered, preoccupied by the expression on Edward's face. He still hadn't gained control. His hands were halfway extended toward me, like he was about to grab me and make a run for it. Only slightly more in control of myself than he was, running didn't seem like such a terrible idea to me. â€Å"Jacob and Billy had to take off – did you see that they were here?† Charlie asked, taking a step back, but keeping his hands on my shoulders. He had his back to Edward – probably an effort to exclude him, but that was fine at the moment. Edward's mouth was hanging open, his eyes still wide with dread. â€Å"Yeah,† I assured my father, trying to pay enough attention. â€Å"Heard them, too.† â€Å"It was nice of them to show up,† Charlie said. â€Å"Mm-hmm.† Okay, so telling Edward had been a really bad idea. Alice was right to keep her thoughts clouded. I should have waited till we were alone somewhere, maybe with the rest of his family. And nothing breakable close by – like windows . . . cars . . . school buildings. His face brought back all my fear and then some. Though his expression was past the fear now – it was pure fury that was suddenly plain on his features. â€Å"So where do you want to go out for dinner?† Charlie asked. â€Å"The sky's the limit.† â€Å"I can cook.† â€Å"Don't be silly. Do you want to go to the Lodge?† he asked with an eager smile. I did not particularly enjoy Charlie's favorite restaurant, but, at this point, what was the difference? I wasn't going to be able to eat anyway. â€Å"Sure, the Lodge, cool,† I said. Charlie smiled wider, and then sighed. He turned his head halfway toward Edward, without really looking at him. â€Å"You coming, too, Edward?† I stared at him, my eyes beseeching. Edward pulled his expression together just before Charlie turned to see why he hadn't gotten an answer. â€Å"No, thank you,† Edward said stiffly, his face hard and cold. â€Å"Do you have plans with your parents?† Charlie asked, a frown in his voice. Edward was always more polite than Charlie deserved; the sudden hostility surprised him. â€Å"Yes. If you'll excuse me. . . .† Edward turned abruptly and stalked away through the dwindling crowd. He moved just a little bit too fast, too upset to keep up his usually perfect charade. â€Å"What did I say?† Charlie asked with a guilty expression. â€Å"Don't worry about it, Dad,† I reassured him. â€Å"I don't think it's you.† â€Å"Are you two fighting again?† â€Å"Nobody's fighting. Mind your own business.† â€Å"You are my business.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Let's go eat.† The Lodge was crowded. The place was, in my opinion, overpriced and tacky, but it was the only thing close to a formal restaurant in town, so it was always popular for events. I stared morosely at a depressed- looking stuffed elk head while Charlie ate prime rib and talked over the back of the seat to Tyler Crowley's parents. It was noisy – everyone there had just come from graduation, and most were chatting across the aisles and over the booth-tops like Charlie. I had my back to the front windows, and I resisted the urge to turn around and search for the eyes I could feel on me now. I knew I wouldn't be able to see anything. Just as I knew there was no chance that he would leave me unguarded, even for a second. Not after this. Dinner dragged. Charlie, busy socializing, ate too slowly. I picked at my burger, stuffing pieces of it into my napkin when I was sure his attention was somewhere else. It all seemed to take a very long time, but when I looked at the clock – which I did more often than necessary – the hands hadn't moved much. Finally Charlie got his change back and put a tip on the table. I stood up. â€Å"In a hurry?† he asked me. â€Å"I want to help Alice set things up,† I claimed. â€Å"Okay.† He turned away from me to say goodnight to everyone. I went out to wait by the cruiser. I leaned against the passenger door, waiting for Charlie to drag himself away from the impromptu party. It was almost dark in the parking lot, the clouds so thick that there was no telling if the sun had set or not. The air felt heavy, like it was about to rain. Something moved in the shadows. My gasp turned into a sigh of relief as Edward appeared out of the gloom. Without a word, he pulled me tightly against his chest. One cool hand found my chin, and pulled my face up so that he could press his hard lips to mine. I could feel the tension in his jaw. â€Å"How are you?† I asked as soon as he let me breathe. â€Å"Not so great,† he murmured. â€Å"But I've got a handle on myself. I'm sorry that I lost it back there.† â€Å"My fault. I should have waited to tell you.† â€Å"No,† he disagreed. â€Å"This is something I needed to know. I can't believe I didn't see it!† â€Å"You've got a lot on your mind.† â€Å"And you don't?† He suddenly kissed me again, not letting me answer. He pulled away after just a second. â€Å"Charlie's on his way.† â€Å"I'll have him drop me at your house.† â€Å"I'll follow you there.† â€Å"That's not really necessary,† I tried to say, but he was already gone. â€Å"Bella?† Charlie called from the doorway of the restaurant, squinting into the darkness. â€Å"I'm out here.† Charlie sauntered out to the car, muttering about impatience. â€Å"So, how do you feel?† he asked me as we drove north along the highway. â€Å"It's been a big day.† â€Å"I feel fine,† I lied. He laughed, seeing through me easily. â€Å"Worried about the party?† he guessed. â€Å"Yeah,† I lied again. This time he didn't notice. â€Å"You were never one for the parties.† â€Å"Wonder where I got that from,† I murmured. Charlie chuckled. â€Å"Well, you look really nice. I wish I'd thought to get you something. Sorry.† â€Å"Don't be silly, Dad.† â€Å"It's not silly. I feel like I don't always do everything for you that I should.† â€Å"That's ridiculous. You do a fantastic job. World's best dad. And . . .† It wasn't easy to talk about feelings with Charlie, but I persevered after clearing my throat. â€Å"And I'm really glad I came to live with you, Dad. It was the best idea I ever had. So don't worry – you're just experiencing post-graduation pessimism.† He snorted. â€Å"Maybe. But I'm sure I slipped up in a few places. I mean, look at your hand!† I stared down blankly at my hands. My left hand rested lightly on the dark brace I rarely thought about. My broken knuckle didn't hurt much anymore. â€Å"I never thought I needed to teach you how to throw a punch. Guess I was wrong about that.† â€Å"I thought you were on Jacob's side?† â€Å"No matter what side I'm on, if someone kisses you without your permission, you should be able to make your feelings clear without hurting yourself. You didn't keep your thumb inside your fist, did you?† â€Å"No, Dad. That's kind of sweet in a weird way, but I don't think lessons would have helped. Jacob's head is really hard.† Charlie laughed. â€Å"Hit him in the gut next time.† â€Å"Next time?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"Aw, don't be too hard on the kid. He's young.† â€Å"He's obnoxious.† â€Å"He's still your friend.† â€Å"I know.† I sighed. â€Å"I don't really know what the right thing to do here is, Dad.† Charlie nodded slowly. â€Å"Yeah. The right thing isn't always real obvious. Sometimes the right thing for one person is the wrong thing for someone else. So . . . good luck figuring that out.† â€Å"Thanks,† I muttered dryly. Charlie laughed again, and then frowned. â€Å"If this party gets too wild . . . ,† he began. â€Å"Don't worry about it, Dad. Carlisle and Esme are going to be there. I'm sure you can come, too, if you want.† Charlie grimaced as he squinted through the windshield into the night. Charlie enjoyed a good party just about as much as I did. â€Å"Where's the turnoff, again?† he asked. â€Å"They ought to clear out their drive – it's impossible to find in the dark.† â€Å"Just around the next bend, I think.† I pursed my lips. â€Å"You know, you're right – it is impossible to find. Alice said she put a map in the invitation, but even so, maybe everyone will get lost.† I cheered up slightly at the idea. â€Å"Maybe,† Charlie said as the road curved to the east. â€Å"Or maybe not.† The black velvet darkness was interrupted ahead, just where the Cullens' drive should be. Someone had wrapped the trees on either side in thousands of twinkle lights, impossible to miss. â€Å"Alice,† I said sourly. â€Å"Wow,† Charlie said as we turned onto the drive. The two trees at the entry weren't the only ones lit. Every twenty feet or so, another shining beacon guided us toward the big white house. All the way – all three miles of the way. â€Å"She doesn't do things halfway, does she?† Charlie mumbled in awe. â€Å"Sure you don't want to come in?† â€Å"Extremely sure. Have fun, kid.† â€Å"Thanks so much, Dad.† He was laughing to himself as I got out and shut the door. I watched him drive away, still grinning. With a sigh, I marched up the stairs to endure my party.