Stroke free essay sample

A stroke can cause memory loss, speech impairment, reasoning ability, loss of vision, paralysis, coma, and death, depending on what region of the brain is affected. Strokes are considered to be medical emergencies that require immediate treatment. About one third of strokes can be followed by transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes). These strokes temporarily interrupt blood flow to the brain and cause similar symptoms like sudden vision loss or temporary weakness in a limb. Quick treatment can improve the chances of survival and increase the degree of recovery. A person who may have suffered a stroke should be seen in a hospital emergency room immediately. To be most effective, blood clot prevention treatment should begin within three hours of a stroke. More than half a million people in the United States experience a new or recurrent stroke each year. Three million Americans are currently permanently disabled from stroke. Stroke is the leading cause of disability. We will write a custom essay sample on Stroke or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke kills about 150, 000 Americans each year. Two thirds of strokes occur in people over age 65. Research shows that strokes affect men more often than women for some reason, although women are more likely to die from a stroke. Contributing factors in these types of strokes are usually atherosclerosis or hypertension. Risk factors for stroke involve sex, age, diseases, heredity, lifestyle choices and medical conditions. Men are more likely to have a stroke than women. The risk of stroke increases with age, doubling each decade after the age of 55. People with heart disease, diabetes, prior stroke or high blood pressure are at greater risk for stroke. People with a family history of stroke are at an increased risk of stroke. Patients with one or more transient ischemic attacks have ten times the risk of stroke. Stroke risk increases with high blood cholesterol, high red blood cell count, and obesity. African-Americans, Asians, and Hispanics all have higher rates of stroke than whites, in relation to higher blood pressure, for some reason. Stroke risk also increases with cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, cocaine and intravenous drug usage. Causes and symptoms: Study shows that there are four main forms of stroke: cerebral embolism, cerebral thrombosis, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cerebral thrombosis and cerebral embolism are known as ischemic strokes. They are caused by blood clots that block an artery supplying the brain. They can be in the neck or in the brain. These strokes account for seventy to eighty percent of all strokes. Intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage are hemorrhagic strokes that occur when a blood vessel bursts in or around the brain. They are caused by excessive internal pressure or trauma. Symptoms : Knowing the symptoms of a stroke is very important. Patients with symptoms of stroke should seek emergency treatment immediately. Certain symptoms of a stroke depends on the type of stroke. However, there are some characteristics that are common with all types of stroke. symptoms of a thrombotic stroke are more gradual while, an embolic stroke usually occurs suddenly may be very intense from the start. These ischemic strokes may include syptoms like decreased vision or blurring in both or one eye, severe headaches, numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm, and legs (usually occurring on one side of the body) dizziness, along with loss of balance and coordination. Though, hemorrhagic strokes are different. Symptoms of a subarachnoid hemorrhage include severe headache that begins suddenly, vomiting, nausea, stiff neck, light intolerance and loss of consciousness. An intracranial hemorrhage may exhibit extreme hypertension, loss of consciousness, paralysis (especially on one side of the body), seizure, vomiting, severe nausea, altered mental state weakness, numbness, severe or sudden headache. Diagnosis Diagnosing a stroke usually begins with a careful medical history, especially concerning the distribution and onset of the symptoms and the presence of risk factors, so that other possible causes are excluded. Performing a brief neurological exam may be used to identify the location and degree of any deficits, such as vision loss, weakness, or lack of coordination. Once stroke is suspected imaging technology is used to determine which type of stroke the patient has suffered. Blood and urine tests are run to look for abnormalities. A non contrast computed tomography scan (CT scan) is used to identify hemorrhagic strokes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect ischemic strokes, caused by blood clots, earlier and more reliably than CT scanning. Other investigations include electrocardiogram, angiography, ultrasound, and electroencephalogram. Prevention: The risks of stroke can be reduced through daily, basic lifestyle changes. These changes include getting regular exercise, stop smoking, controlling blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding excessive alcohol and drug consumption, getting regular checkups, following a nutricious diet and taking the required medications to prevent the risks of stroke. Research shows that treatment of atrial fibrillation may also significantly reduce the risk of stroke. Warfarin (Coumadin) has also been proven to be more effective than aspirin for those with higher risk of stroke.

Fire Science Fair Project Ideas

Fire Science Fair Project Ideas Are you looking for a science fair project that involves fire or combustion? Here are some ideas for fire projects to get you brainstorming. What chemicals burn in different colors?What substances can mask the colors of flames?Which type of oil produces the least soot when it burns? You can collect soot (carbon black) by burning in a container and wiping it down between tests or by examining a filter paper (or coffee filter) placed in with the test oil.Analyze whether burning trash is a good alternative to landfills.Examine the effects of flame retardant chemicals on growing plants or on animals, such as insects or aquarium fish.Which common materials (e.g., paper, foam, cloth, vinyl) produce the worst smoke/air pollution when burned?Examine how controlled burning is used for forests and parks.Examine the effects of ash on soil composition.How does diminishing oxygen affect the appearance of a flame?Does it matter what type of wax is used to make a candle?Can you construct candles using liquid oils or other fuels besides wax? More Science Fair Project Ideas

Google Innovation & Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Google Innovation & Technology - Essay Example 50 percent of the audience is from outside the United States and the company is having 5,680 full-time employees working for the betterment of the company, over the years we have seen so many new services started by Google, such as Google Earth, G-Mail, G-Talk, Google Books, Google Cash, Google Desktop, Google Adwords, Google Adsense, and Google Maps. The services that Google is providing is exactly by putting the needs of the customers first, although every website claims to put their customers first but not the case with Google, which doesn't offer anything that is not beneficial to the visitors/users, even the search engine is fast and easily loadable, it doesn't advertise anything that can prove to be distracting the visitors/users and exactly the same way they have taken very good care of small things that can create more value in the eyes of visitors/users, the Google co-founder L. Page has said that "The perfect search engine [Google] would understand exactly what you mean and give back exactly what you want", this is clearly showing the signs of highly innovated technology, as the matter of fact, it is Google's goal to provide the visitors/users the information they seek in an absolute form. Google has gained success and popularity in an unusual way, they haven't really done any advertisement of their own and also haven't run any such campaigns, but their success and fame is from the word of mouth, just like from one person to another, another strange thing one can notice about google is the first online company who's stated goal is to have its users leave its website as soon as possible, which means that they want every thing to work fast perhaps just on a click, the time is taken by a query is even less than half a second, Google doesn't rely on big servers in fact they claim to have networked PCs that made their work so fast and innovative, another good thing found in google is that it has used a "Page Rank" technology in their search engine, through this technology they are able to rank websites that are mostly visited by the users for the purpose of information through Google, another technology used by google is "Hypertext-Matching Analysis".

The impact of the crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The impact of the crisis - Essay Example It has been found out that the cause that resulted in such a drastic financial condition was the excessive borrowing that the countries belonging to the Euro zone had undertaken. Adding on to this problem there was lack of competitiveness in specific countries of this zone which resulted in the imbalances in the trade of these countries and also an increase in the current account deficit. This led to a weakening of the financial condition of the banks and they had problems in getting any further funding. Hence the credit and cash crisis in the country set in. While in Greece the problem surrounded every aspect of the economy in the countries like Spain and Ireland the problem was solely linked with the crisis that took place in the banking sector due to the unavailability of credit. This essay would look into the various aspects of the financial crisis that have taken place in the European Union and the effects of such liquidity crisis on the financial markets of these countries. The crisis in the Euro zone had far reaching effects on the entire world. Background of the crisis Most of the economic systems of the world are interconnected and therefore any adverse situation in one country would have its effect on the other countries as well. ... 726-741). The major problem that the countries faced was a common monetary policy but a different fiscal policies for each of the countries since the countries had different sets of government. The European Union was formed with a motive of maintaining a uniform monetary policy in all the member nations of the EU. The nations included in the list of the nations in the EU would have a common currency known as the Euro and it would be circulated over the borders of these nations. The main motive behind this process was bringing in all the countries of Europe in the same platform for international trade and to increase the intensity of competition. This in turn would increase the domestic production of the countries and would add to the GDP of the individual nations. In the previous days most of the East European countries followed the communist ways of governance. The EU would ensure that that the market economies structure along with free trade and competitive atmosphere is introduced in the country. The Euro Crisis was a combination of a debt crisis, lack of competitiveness and a banking sector credit crisis. The credit condition of the countries during this time was at a worse situation. The Monetary union of the European nations made a provision to the countries for guaranteeing loan for each other (Galil and Soffer, 2011, pp. 3101-3119). Since most of the nations lacked the creditworthiness due to the shortage of immediate cash and the financial conditions of the countries were intertwined, the entire Euro zone fell under this debt trap. Therefore along with the countries with adverse budgetary conditions, the ones which had proper condition of public

Self-Disclosure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Self-Disclosure - Essay Example Sadness is expressed when one is in such condition as discouraged, gloomy depressed or downhearted. It is a difficult moment of every human being. Empathy is regarded when people have the ability and will for sensing people’s emotions that are accompanied by the capability to imagine what they think or feel (Spence, Fox, Golding & Daiches, 2012). It is expressed when one feel stressed when we detected another person’s fear or anxiety. Sympathy goes beyond one’s empathy since it is acknowledging another person’s emotional hardships and providing comfort and assurance. Personally has been a victim of grapevine information. This is due to the fact that all human beings are front of informal person to person means of circulating information or gossip. Handling rapine information is a real challenge but when handled in a proper way cannot lead to fighting. The best way I can handle is through dialogue and understanding the root cause of the information, eventually the situation is contained leaving both parties satisfied (Spence, Fox, Golding & Daiches, 2012). Good moral values guide me to control expressing my emotions to any other person except in the circumstance when in depression. I have spent some time without expressing my emotions. It was last during a session when I was given an opportunity to represent my institutions in competition and was ranked the best; it was a moment of great joy for my life. I felt like it was like a turning point my

An overview of project management

An overview of project management Project management is an essential component of the organizational structure and its use is built into the organization’s work flow process. An effective project management will influence the organizational outcomes. The project means a temporary effort undertaken to produce a unique product (PMI, 2004). On the project, it can be divided into several phases which include project conception and initiation, project definition and planning, project execution, project performance and control, and project close. The project usually has an objective to meet specific requirements of the organization and has a specific time to accomplish it either long time or a short time. A project is temporary which has a beginning and has the end in a specific time, and therefore defined scope and resources. According to Gaddis (1959), a project is an organization unit dedicated to the attainment of a goal. It is generally the successful completion of a developmental product at point in time, with in the cost estimate, and in conformance with prearranged performance specifications. A project is fundamentally an approach of working, an approach of organizing people, and an approach to manage tasks. A project starts at a defined point of time, ends at specific in time and, is complete when the outcome is completed (Newton, 2005). Hurricanes (2002) stated that a project is an impermanent in nature that has specific start and finish. Other than that, project is a unique, one time undertaking. It can be said like that because the project cannot be done exactly in the same approach by the same project manager and within the same environment The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques are important to project management, which enables project activities meet the project requirements. Its a strategic competency for organizations, which enable to organize to get project results which to fulfill the business goals. The project management involves the process of directing and controlling a project from start to finish. The purpose of project management is to predict as many risks and problems as possible besides planning, organizing and controlling the activities. So, the project is completed as successfully as possible in spite of all the risks. Project Management is formal discipline that has been developed to manage projects (Newton, 2005). There are many activities that can benefit from project management like building a ship, construct a house, launching new products, information technology systems project and many more. Project Management is the process of guiding a project from its beginning through its performance to its end (Portny, 2006). There are includes three basic operations in project management, which are planning, organizing and controlling the project. Project management knowledge draws on nine areas. Figure 1 below illustrates the project management knowledge area: In project management, there is a key element that is included in a project management framework like project stakeholder. The stakeholders are the people who involved in the project activities. The stakeholder in project management can include the project manager, project sponsor, the project team, support staff, suppliers, opponents, client, users and many more. In this paper, the project manager roles and skills will be discussed in depth. The project manager cooperates closely with the other stakeholders. So this paper will discuss in depth the project manager roles and skills in the project management process. Project manager (PM) is generally taken to be the person accountable for delivering a project which runs smoothly on the designated period, within the cost plan and to the preferred performance or quality standards determined by the client (Sommerville, Craig Hendry, 2010). Project Manager is one of the stakeholders in any project management in the organization. Project Manager is responsible for delivering all the components of the project. Project Manager can be full time or the role of project manager given by the condition. Steyn (2008) stated that the project manager is the bonding medium holding the project together. The project manager’s influence the achievement the project, either success or fail. Project Manager should cooperate closely with the stakeholders, especially the sponsor and project team to meet the expectation of the project. The Project manager is the person ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the project (Heerkens, 2002). The project m anager can be called as team leader in a group. Project managers often are considered the direct leadership component essential to project success. The project manager is the element of project success in the company or organization. The project manager is responsible for managing the project’s scope, project schedule, and project cost to support the client or customer expectations for the successful completion of the project. The success or failure of a project is influenced by the project manager’s appointment. Petty (2009) indicates the project’s managers has the capability to connect between the organization which able to perform and serve the project. It is a critical factor of project success in the organization. The work of project manager does vary from project to project. The Project manager is responsible for scoping out the work, planning it and determining what resources are required, getting the resources allocated, and then managing the completion of the task required and ensuring any problems that may cause the completion of the tasks to be delayed. A project manager works according to project management approach. A project manager is the person responsible for leading a project from its initiation to complete. This includes planning, execution and managing the people, resources and goals of the project. Project Management, it is important to have project manager which is acting as manager. 97% of successful projects was led by qualified project managers which is who can often help to affect success factors (Schwalbe, 2006). As project manager, they can have many job description based on the organization and also based on the project. Although it is based on the organization and the project, there are similar tasks that project manager perform. There are several job categories for project manager which includes: Project Manager for a Consulting firm Project Manager should plans, schedule, and controls activities to fulfill the objectives of the project by applying technical, theoretical and managerial skills. Those skills are to meet the project requirements. Apart from that, the project manager should coordinate and integrates team and build a good relationship with the clients and associates to make sure the project is successful. Information Technology Project Manager for a financial services firm Project Manager should manage, prioritizes, develops, and implement information technology solutions to meet business needs. For example, project manager prepares and executes project plans using project management software in accordance with the standards. It is vital to have plans which are built a Gantt chart in order to make sure the project could finish at the specific time. Information technology project Manager for a nonprofit consulting firm. The project manager responsibilities include business analysis, project requirement gathering and project planning, budget estimating, project development, project testing, project implementation, and many more. For nonprofit consulting firm, project manager should work with various resource providers to ensure the development or project completed on specific times, high quality and cost effective for the project. Project Manager Roles are very important and more challenging other than the typical functional manager. Project Manager. The project manager roles are a success factor for project management in organizing. Project Manager is an individual that in charge of developing, in conjunction with the Project Sponsor. The Project Manager then makes sure that the project is delivered on time, within the budget and to the specific quality standard. Project Manager also ensures that the project is effectively resourced and manages relationships with a wide range of groups including all the project stakeholders. The Project Manager is also responsible for managing the work of consultants, allocate and utilize all the project resources in a professional manner and maintaining a cooperative, motivated and successful team. Project managers are professed to be leading a various set of people with direct control over the team members (Baker, Murphy Fisher, 2008). A number of roles are identified for the project manager such as planned all the activities, tasks, schedules and budgets. Other than that, he or she is organizing, selecting and placing the project team. The project manager is leading the project team and control all the activities and schedules. Besides that, the project manager also is able to select and develop a project team and give a motivation to the team members. Apart from that, the project manager also should always communicate with the project team and all stakeholders. The project manager also is the person who able to solve the problem, make a decision. A project managers responsibilities include overall management The project manager plays their role from the beginning of the project until the end of the project. Below is the roles should be required of a project manager. Manager Project Manager must oversee and manages the work and the employees Facilitator Project Manager must ensure that all resources are available when it’s needed as well can solve any problems. Communicator Project Manager must effectively communicate with top management, customer, project team, and the other stakeholders. The project manager must frequently communicate with the stakeholders in order to manage the works and all the work can be done by all the participants in the project. Politician Project Manager must act as a politician, which is able to influence the people and able to make a decision. Project Manager should know how to get things done, how to operate with the system, how to get people to collaborate and how to influence the people Negotiator Project Manager must act as negotiator which able negotiates with the stakeholders. The Negotiator is the skilled at getting what is needed for the project to be successful. For example, a Project Manager negotiates with senior management for more resources, negotiate with functional managers to get a particular project team member or to use a functional resource, negotiate with vendors for shorter lead time, negotiate with clients about project goal changes and others. Project Manager also has responsibility in project management as follows: Defining the scope Planning the scope Activity and resource planning Developing schedules and timescales Cost estimating Budgeting Completing documentation Risk analysis Risk management Progress monitoring Team Management Business Partnering Scalability and portability analysis Quality control To be a good project manager, it is important to possess several skills in order to manage the project in the organization. Project managers need to have a wide variety of skills which can help them to do the best in project management. All the skills that possess by the project manager is determinant of the success of the project in project management. It is to fulfill the responsibilities as the project manager. There are several major knowledge and skill categories for project manager. Skills requirement of the project manager divided into four categories (Heerkens, 2002). Below are the four major knowledge and skills categories of the project manager. Project management process skills Project Management process skills are the knowledge and skills related to the mechanism of project management. The project manager should be knowledgeable about tools, techniques and process technology in project management as well able to apply them in real situations. For instance, the project manager should know how to develop a complete customer document, build a network diagram, and build a work breakdown structure. With all these skills, the project manager will able to facilitate and organize the project plan. Project Manager also can encounter all the problems during the project management activities and will get respect from all the team members and other stakeholder. Interpersonal and behavioral skills Interpersonal skills are the tools of people used to interact and communicate with other people in the organization. Interpersonal communication skills has seven main areas that required by the project manager, including verbal communication skills, nonverbal communication skills, listening skills, negotiation skills, problem solving skills, decision making skills and assertiveness. Project Manger skills in dealing with the people are immeasurable valued. Besides the interpersonal skills, project manager also needs to have behavioral skills like personal conduct, style and approach. Technology management skills As we know, most of the project is surrounded with the technology. It is referring to the process areas at the core of the project that used information technology infrastructure. The technology skills required might include software and hardware in order to do the task. The ability of the project manager to coordinate the application of technology is the key success as project manager. It is important to project manager to have adequate knowledge and skills that embedded with the technology. There are several technology management required by project manager such as proficiency in project core technology, proficiency in the supporting technology area, industry knowledge, patent knowledge, design skills, and many more. The project manager should familiar with the technology applied in the project. The project manager must able effective in the use of technology. Desired personal traits To be a successful project manager, a personal trait is most important. Personal traits means is the action, attitudes and behavior should project manager have. Possessing personal traits will become a good project manager and be able to performing the duties as a project manager. The desirable traits should possess by project manager such as honesty and has integrity. Other than that, project manager should thinks like a generalist, has high tolerance with other people, and process-oriented, self-aware, open and accessible, politically, and decisive. The manager’s leadership role is of great importance in motivating people and creating an effective working environment in order for the project team to encounter greater challenges in today’s environment. The characteristics of a project manager to indicate the type of leader and leadership style that the project manager applies during the management of projects. All project managers need to demonstrate leadership skills and managerial skills. Leadership and management are terms often used in managing the organization or company. The project manager must be a leader and manager. A leader focuses on long term objectives and give inspiration to people to achieve the project management the goals in the organization (Schwalbe, 2011). Meanwhile, a manager deals with day-to-day project activities in order to achieve the goals. The leadership skills of project manager are very important to lead the project to success. Leadership can be defined as a style of behavior designed to integrate both the organizational requirements and personal interests in the pursuit of some objectives. Managers hold a leadership responsibility. Project managers are often selected or not selected because of their leadership styles (Kerzner, 2001). The leadership role is crucial to facilitating various project success factors that contribute to project execution. According to Anantatmula (2010), the project manager’s leadership roles and responsibilities influence the project deliverables and the project performance. Besides that People skills are essential when a project manager become. People skills are leadership circles of leaders that are encouraged to share the vision and team members are encouraged to be service oriented. The leader also has good relationships with customers or vendors. Barnard (1938) suggested the functions of a leader are needed to have both managerial and emotional functions. Managerial and emotional functions are called as cognitive and cathe ctic. Cognitive functions are managerial functions which involve directing, guiding the people, and constraining choices and actions, meanwhile cathectic functions are emotional functions which include motivational as well emotional aspects towards the objectives of the project and increasing trust and commitment to a larger moral purpose. Leadership and People skills are very important for a project manager to manage the project in the organization from the beginning until the end. All the skills are crucial in order to facilitate the project and make sure the project run smoothly within the time, scope and the cost. The project manager that is trusted by the team and gets the team to work together will communicate successfully. Project team members need to collaborate, share, collaborate and integrate information and knowledge to meet project objectives. A project manager does not communicate with language only, but also with character, which includes attitude, behavior and personality. Project manager with characteristics will allow team members to take responsibility for their work, developing trust, collaboration and teamwork; and sharing the vision will apply during the execution of a project. Besides acting as manager, project manager also act as a facilitator and also as a communicator. He or she must ensure that all resources and work are available when needed and that any problems are resolved. The project manager also must effectively communicate with top management, customer, project team, and other participants in project management. Other than that, the project manager should act as a politician and also negotiator. When they act as a politician, the project manager able to influence the others and have a great influence in decision making. It is important for a project manager to be a negotiator because they need to negotiate with all the stakeholders in managing all the process in the project management activities. The factor which may cause the project management to fail is by assigning the wrong person as project manager. Responsibilities of a Project Manager are to ensure successful completion of a project within a specific time and within the budget allocation. However, it involves many other stages in project management. Project manager plays a key role in helping projects and organization success. The project manager must perform a variety of job duties and have many skills. It is to develop skills in project management, general management, and also their application area such as in the information technology area. To be a successful project manager, they must care about everything and responsible in broad areas including for a project, company, project team members and also the project manager itself. To be a successful project manager, it should be somebody who consistently completes the project and meet the organization goals and also project management goals. The project must getting deliverables completed and handed over. When the project is completed, it can see the business profit increasing and leaves the customer with smiles on their faces. In the nutshell, it can be said that project manager gives big influence to the project management which involve in all the activities of the project management. 1

History Other :: essays research papers fc

Mikey Ritualistic Sacrifice in Ancient Greek Mythology The ritual of sacrifice in Greek literature played a prominent role in societal influence, defining many aspects of their culture. Sacrifice was the foundation of moral concern, as well as an effective means of narrative development in Greek tragedy. The thematic reoccurrence of sacrifice in Greek literature reveals its symbolic importance. At a time when politics and religion were one in the same, sacrifice was crucial in regulating governmental issues. Tragedies manipulate rituals in order to portray a community’s current sense of order or disorder. The pattern of sacrifice typically entails conflict between the needs of an individual and those of a community in crisis, ultimately resolved in favor of the community through willing participation of the sacrificial victim (Easterling 188). Rites of sacrifice serve to rectify corrupted relations, and maintain moral balance. The social order of Greek life is constructed, by sacrifice, through irrevocable acts; religion and political existence were thoroughly integrated forcing all other life functions to reflect this foundation. In Greek literature, the role of sacrifice served many functions. The literal meaning of sacrifice, in most instances, juxtaposes the consequences of its perpetrations, ultimately establishing beneficial results. Most importantly, sacrifice was the basis of the relations maintained between men and gods, establishing a means of contact and interaction. Additionally, the practice of ritual sacrifice helped to classify the gods, and differentiate them from one another: double aspects of a single deity, hierarchical relations between two dietes, or the outstanding nature of one particular deity. And finally, sacrifice functions directly to clarify the political rights of each individual and reveal the structures of their social body (Sissa and Marcel). However, various implementations of sacrifice can possibly induce different res ults depending on the direction of the interaction. For example, sacrifice can take place between a god and animals, humans, or another god thus revealing rites both of, and to mythological gods. Mortals made sacrifices at any time, to any god during the occurrence of something that fell with that deity’s’ jurisdiction, or as a payment of a vow (Sissa and Marcel). Rites of sacrifice were also the focus of many cultural festivals in which additional purposes were combined, such as rites of initiation, purification, fire, blood and oath. These rites presented themselves in all facets of Greek culture, producing ritualistic transfers of virtue, possessions, and power seeking to redress past injustices or to return existence to the status quo.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 30

Matt watched Mrs. Flowers go over Sheriff Mossberg's badge, holding it lightly in one hand and running her fingers over it with the other. The badge came from Rebecca, Sheriff Mossberg's niece. It had seemed entirely a coincidence when Matt had almost run into her earlier that day. Then he'd noticed that she was wearing a man's shirt as a dress. The shirt had been familiar – a Ridgemont sheriff's shirt. Then he had seen the badge still attached to it. You could say a lot of things about Sheriff Mossberg, but you couldn't imagine him losing his badge. Matt had forgotten all sense of gallantry and snatched at the little metal shield before Rebecca could stop him. He'd had a sick feeling in his stomach then, and it had only gotten worse since. Mrs. Flowers's expression was doing nothing to comfort him. â€Å"It wasn't in direct contact with his skin,† she said softly, â€Å"so the images I get are hazy. But oh, my dear Matt† – she lifted shadowed eyes to his – â€Å"I am afraid.† She shivered, sitting at her kitchen table chair, where two mugs of hot spiced milk sat untouched. Matt had to clear his throat and touch the scalding milk to his lips. â€Å"You think we need to go out to look.† â€Å"We must,† said Mrs. Flowers. She shook her head, with its soft, wispy white curls, sadly. â€Å"Dear Ma ma is most insistent, and I can feel it too; a great disturbance in this artifact.† Matt felt the faintest shade of pride tingeing his fear for having secured the â€Å"artifact† – and then he thought, yeah, robbing badges from the shirts of twelve-year-old girls is really something to be proud of. Mrs. Flowers's voice came from the kitchen. â€Å"You'd best put on several shirts and sweaters as well as a pair of these.† She emerged sideways through the kitchen door, holding several long coats, apparently from the closet in front of the kitchen door, and several pairs of gardening gloves. Matt jumped up to help her with the armfuls of coats and then went into a coughing fit as the smell of mothballs and of – something else, something spicy – surrounded him. â€Å"Why do – I feel – like Christmas?† he said, forced to cough between each few words. â€Å"Oh, now that would be Great-Aunt Morwen's clove preservation recipe,† Mrs. Flowers replied. â€Å"Some of these coats are from Mother's time.† Matt believed her. â€Å"But it's still warm out. Why should we wear coats at all?† â€Å"For protection, dear Matt, for protection! These clothes have spells woven into the material to safeguard us from evil.† â€Å"Even the gardening gloves?† Matt asked doubtfully. â€Å"Even the gloves,† Mrs. Flowers said firmly. She paused and then said in a quiet voice, â€Å"And we'd better gather some flashlights, Matt dear, because this is something we're going to have to do in the darkness.† â€Å"You're kidding!† â€Å"No, sadly, I am not. And we should get some rope to tie ourselves together. Under no circumstances must we enter the thicket of the Old Wood tonight.† An hour later, Matt was still thinking. He hadn't had any appetite for Mrs. Flowers's hearty Braised Eggplant au Fromage dinner, and the wheels in his brain just wouldn't stop turning. I wonder if this is how Elena feels, he thought, when she's putting together Plans A, B, and C. I wonder if she ever feels this stupid doing it. He felt a tightening around his heart, and for the three-hundred-thousandth time since he'd left her and Damon, he wondered if he'd done the right thing. It had to be right, he told himself. It hurt the worst, and that's the proof of it. Things that really, really hurt are the right thing to do. But I just wanted to say good-bye to her†¦. But if you'd said good-bye, you'd never have left. Face it, moron, as far as Elena goes you're the world's biggest loser. Ever since she found a boyfriend she liked better than you, you've been working like you were Meredith and Bonnie to help her keep him and keep away The Bad Guy. Maybe you should get you all little matching T-shirts saying: I am a dog. I serve the Princess Ele – SMACK! Matt leaped up, and landed crouching, which was more painful than it looked in movies. Rattle-Smick! It was the loose shutter on the other side of the room. That first bang had really been a slam, though. The exterior of the boardinghouse was in pretty bad shape, and the wooden shutters there sometimes suddenly came free of their wintertime nails. But was it really just a coincidence? Matt thought, as soon as his heart had stopped galloping. In this boardinghouse where Stefan had spent so much time? Maybe somehow there were still remnants of his spirit around, tuned to what people thought within these halls. If so, Matt had just been given a solid whack to the solar plexus, from the way he felt. Sorry, bud, he thought, almost saying it out loud. I didn't mean to trash your girl. She's under a lot of pressure. Trash his girl? Trash Elena? Hell, he'd be the first person to knock out anybody who trashed Elena. Provided Stefan didn't use vampire tricks to get in front of him! And what was it Elena always said? You can't be too prepared. You can't have too many subplans because, just as sure as God made a pesky shell around a peanut, your major plan was going to have some flaws. That was why Elena also worked with as many people as possible. So what if C and D workers never needed to get involved. They were there if they were needed. Thinking this, and with his head feeling a lot clearer than it had since he had sold the Prius and given Stefan's money to Bonnie and Meredith for plane fare plus, Matt went to work. â€Å"And then we took a walk around the estate, and saw the apple orchard, and the orange orchard, and the cherry orchard,† Bonnie told Elena, who was lying down, looking small and defenseless, in her four-poster bed, which had been hung with dusty-gold sheer panels, right now held back by heavy tassels in various shades of gold. Bonnie was sitting comfortably in a gold upholstered chair that had been drawn to the bed. She had her small bare feet up on the sheets. Elena was not being a good patient. She wanted to get up, she insisted. She wanted to be able to walk around. That would do her more good than all the oatmeal and steak and milk and five-times-a-day visits from Dr. Meggar, who had come to live at the estate. She knew what they were all really afraid of, though. Bonnie had blurted it all out in one long sobbing, keening wail one night when the little redhead had been on duty beside her. â€Å"Y-you screamed and all the v-vampires heard it, and Sage just picked up Meredith and me like two kittens, one under each arm, and he ran to where the screaming was. But b-by then so many people had gotten to you first! You were unconscious but so was Damon, and somebody said, ‘They-they've been attacked and I th-think they're dead!' And every-b-body was s-saying, ‘Call the G-Guardians!' And I fainted, a little.† â€Å"Shhh,† Elena had said kindly – and cannily. â€Å"Have some Black Magic to make it feel better.† Bonnie had had some. And some more. And then she'd gone on with the story. â€Å"But Sage must've known something because he said, ‘Here, I'm a doctor, and I'm going to examine them.' And you would really believe him, the way he said it!† â€Å"And then he looked at both of you, and I guess he knew right away what happened, because he said, ‘Fetch a carriage! I need to take them t-to Dr. Meggar, my colleague.' And the Lady Fazina herself came and said that they could have one of her carriages, and just send it back wh-whenever. She's sooooo rich! And then, we got you two out the back way because there were – were some bastards who said, let them die. They were real demons, white like snow, called Snow Women. And then, then, we were just in the carriage and, oh my God! Elena! Elena, you died! You stopped breathing twice! And Sage and Meredith just kept doing CPR on you. And I – I prayed so h-h-hard.† Elena, fully into the story by now, had cuddled her, but Bonnie's tears kept coming back. â€Å"And we knocked at Dr. Meggar's as if we were going to burst the door in – and – and someone told him – and he examined her and said, ‘She needs a transfusion.' And I said, ‘Take my blood.' Because remember in school when we both gave blood to Jody Wright and we were practically the only ones who could do it because we were the same kind? And then Dr. Meggar got two tables ready like that† – Bonnie had snapped her fingers – â€Å"and I was so scared I could hardly hold still for the needle, but I did. I did, somehow! And they gave you some of my blood. And, meanwhile, you know what Meredith did? She let Damon bite her. She really did. And Dr. Meggar sent the carriage back to the house to ask for servants who ‘wanted a bonus' because th-that's what it's called here – and the carriage came back full. And I don't know how many Damon bit, but it was a lot! Dr. Meggar said it was the best medicine. And Meredith and D amon and all of us talked and we convinced Dr. Meggar to come here, I mean to live, and Lady Ulma is going to turn that whole building he was living in into a hospital for the poor people. And ever after that we've just been trying to get you well. Damon was fine the next morning. And Lady Ulma and Lucen and he – I mean it was their idea but he did it, sent this pearl to Lady Fazina – it was one that her father had never found a client rich enough to buy, because it's so big, like a good handful in size but irregular, that means with twists and turns, and a sheen like silver. They put it on a thick chain and sent it to her.† Bonnie's eyes had filled again. â€Å"Because she saved both you and Damon. Her carriage saved your lives.† Bonnie had leaned forward to whisper, â€Å"And Meredith told me – it's a secret, but not from you – that being bitten isn't that bad. There!† And Bonnie, like the kitten she was, had yawned and stretched. â€Å"I would have been bitten next,† she'd said almost wistfully, and quickly added, â€Å"but you needed my blood. Human blood, but mine especially. I guess they know all about blood types here because they can taste and smell the differences.† Then she gave a little jump and said, â€Å"Do you want to look at the fox key half? We were so sure it was all over and we'd never ever find it, but when Meredith went in the bedroom to get bitten – and I promise that was all they did – Damon gave it to her and asked her to keep it. So she did and she took good care of it and it's in a little chest Lucen made out of something that looks like plastic but it's not.† Elena had admired the little crescent, but other than that there was nothing to do in bed but talk and read classical books or encyclopedias from Earth. They wouldn't even let her and Damon rest in the same room. Elena knew why. They were afraid she wouldn't just talk to Damon. They were afraid that she would get near to him and smell his exotic familiar smell, made up of Italian bergamot, mandarin, and cardamom, and that she would look up into his black eyes that could hold universes inside the pupils, and that her knees would go weak and she'd wake up a vampire. They didn't know anything! She and Damon had been safely exchanging blood for weeks before the crisis. If there was nothing to drive him out of sanity again, the way the pain had before, he would conduct himself like a perfect gentleman. â€Å"Hm,† Bonnie said, upon hearing this protest, pushing a tiny throw pillow around with toenails that had been painted silver. â€Å"I maybe wouldn't tell them that you've been exchanging blood so many times from the beginning. It might make them go ‘Aha!' or something. You know, read something into it.† â€Å"There's nothing to read into. I'm here to collect my beloved Damon and Stefan is just helping me.† Bonnie looked at her with her brows knitted and her mouth pursed, but didn't venture a word. â€Å"Bonnie?† â€Å"Um-hm?† â€Å"Did I just say what I thought I said?† â€Å"Um-hm.† Elena, with one motion, gathered an armful of pillows and deposited them on her face. â€Å"Could you please tell chef that I want another steak and a big glass of milk?† she requested in a muffled voice from under the pillows. â€Å"I'm not well.† Matt had a new junk car. He was always able to get his hands on one when he really needed it. And now he was driving, in fits and starts, to Obaasan's house. Mrs. Saitou's house, he corrected himself hastily. He didn't want to tread on unfamiliar cultural customs, not when he was asking for a favor. The door at the Saitous' was opened by a woman Matt had never seen before. She was an attractive woman, dressed very dramatically in a wide scarlet skirt – or maybe in very wide scarlet pants – she stood with her feet so far apart that it was hard to tell. She wore a white blouse. Her face was striking: two swaths of straight black hair and a smaller, neater swath of bangs that came to her eyebrows. But the most striking thing of all about her was that she was holding a long curved sword, pointed directly at Matt. â€Å"H-hi,† Matt said, when the door swung open to reveal this apparition. â€Å"This is a good house,† the woman replied. â€Å"This is not a house of evil spirits.† â€Å"I never thought it was,† Matt said, retreating as the woman advanced. â€Å"Honest.† The woman shut her eyes, seemed to be searching for something in her own mind. Then, abruptly, she lowered the sword. â€Å"You speak the truth. You mean no harm. Please come in.† â€Å"Thank you,† Matt said. He'd never been so happy to have an older woman accept him. â€Å"Orime,† came a thin, feeble voice from upstairs. â€Å"Is that one of the children?† â€Å"Yes, Hahawe,† called the woman that Matt couldn't help thinking of as â€Å"the woman with the sword.† â€Å"Send him up, why don't you?† â€Å"Of course, Hahawe.† â€Å"Ha ha – I mean ‘Hahawe'?† Matt said, turning a nervous laugh into a desperate sentence as the sword swung by his midriff again. â€Å"Not Obaasan?† The sword-woman smiled for the first time. â€Å"Obaasan means grandmother. Hahawe is one of the ways to say mother. But mother won't mind at all if you call her Obaasan; it's a friendly greeting for a woman of her age.† â€Å"Okay,† Matt said, trying his best to seem like an all-around friendly guy. Mrs. Saitou gestured him up the stairs and he peeped into several rooms before he found one with a large futon in the exact middle of a completely bare floor, and in it a woman who seemed so tiny and doll-like as not to be real. Her hair was just as soft and black as the sword-woman's downstairs. It was put up or arranged somehow so that it lay around her like a halo as she lay on the bed. But the dark lashes on the pale cheeks were shut and Matt wondered if she had fallen into one of the sudden slumbers of the elderly. But then quite abruptly, the doll-like lady opened her eyes and smiled. â€Å"Why, it's Masato-chan!† she said, looking at Matt. Bad beginning. If she didn't even recognize that a blond guy wasn't her Japanese friend from about sixty years ago†¦ But then she was laughing, with her small hands in front of her mouth. â€Å"I know, I know,† she said. â€Å"You're not Masato. He became a banker, very rich. Very thick. Especially in the head and the stomach.† She smiled at him again. â€Å"Sit down, please. You can call me Obaasan if you want, or Orime. My daughter was named for me. But life has been hard for her, as it was for me. Being a shrine maiden – and a samurai†¦it takes discipline and much work. And my Orime did so well†¦until we came here. We were looking for a town that would be peaceful and quiet. Instead, Isobel found†¦Jim. And Jim was†¦untrue.† Matt's throat swelled with the desire to defend his friend, but what defense could there be? Jim had spent one night with Caroline – at Caroline's pressing invitation. And he had become possessed and had brought that possession to his girlfriend Isobel, who had pierced her body grotesquely – among other things. â€Å"We've got to get them,† Matt found himself saying earnestly. â€Å"The kitsune who started it all – who started it with Caroline. Shinichi and his sister Misao.† â€Å"Kitsune.† Obaasan was nodding her head. â€Å"Yes, I said there would be one involved from the very beginning. Let me see; I blessed some charms and amulets for your friends†¦.† â€Å"And some bullets. I just sort of filled my pockets,† Matt said, embarrassed, as he spilled out a jumble of different calibers on the edge of her futon cover. â€Å"I even found some prayers on the Web about getting rid of them.† â€Å"Yes, you've been very thorough. Good.† Obaasan looked at the hard copies he'd printed of the prayers. Matt squirmed, knowing that he had only been running down Meredith's To-Do list, and that the credit really belonged to her. â€Å"I'll bless the bullets first and then I'll write out more amulets,† she said. â€Å"Put the amulets wherever you need protection most. And, well, I suppose you know what to do with the bullets.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am!† Matt fumbled in his pockets for the last few, put them into Obaasan's outstretched hands. Then she chanted a long, elaborate prayer holding her tiny hands out over the bullets. Matt didn't find the incantation frightening, but he knew that as a psychic he was a dud, and that Bonnie had probably seen and heard things he couldn't. â€Å"Should I aim for any particular part of them?† Matt asked, watching the old woman and trying to follow along on his own copy of the prayers. â€Å"No, any part of the body or head will do. If you take out a tail, you'll make it weaker, but you'll enrage it, as well.† Obaasan paused and coughed, a small dry old-lady cough. Before Matt could offer to run downstairs and get her a drink, Mrs. Saitou entered the room with a tray and three cups of tea in little bowls. â€Å"Thank you for waiting,† she said politely as she knelt fluidly to serve them. Matt found with the first sip that the steaming green tea was much better than he'd expected from his few experiences at restaurants. And then there was silence. Mrs. Saitou sat looking at the teacup, Obaasan lay looking white and shrunken under the futon cover, and Matt felt a storm of words building up in his own throat. Finally, even though good sense was counseling him not to speak, he burst out, â€Å"God, I'm so sorry about Isobel, Mrs. Saitou! She doesn't deserve any of this! I just wanted you to know that I – I'm just so sorry, and I'm going to get the kitsune who's at the bottom of it. I promise you, I'll get him!† â€Å"Kitsune?† Mrs. Saitou said sharply, staring at him as if he'd gone mad. Obaasan looked on in pity from her pillow. Then, without waiting to gather up the tea things, Mrs. Saitou jumped up and ran out of the room. Matt was left speechless. â€Å"I – I – â€Å" Obaasan spoke from her pillow. â€Å"Don't be too distressed, young man. My daughter, although a priestess, is very modern in her outlook. She would probably tell you that kitsune don't even exist.† â€Å"Even after – I mean how does she think Isobel – ?† â€Å"She thinks that there are evil influences in this town, but of the ‘ordinary, human' kind. She thinks Isobel did what she did because of the stress she was under, trying to be a good student, a good priestess, a good samurai.† â€Å"You mean, like, Mrs. Saitou feels guilty?† â€Å"She blames Isobel's father for much of it. He is a ‘salaryman' back in Japan.† Obaasan paused. â€Å"I don't know why I have told you all this.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Matt said hastily. â€Å"I wasn't trying to snoop.† â€Å"No, but you care about other people. I wish Isobel had had a boy like you instead of her daughter.† Matt thought of the pitiful figure he'd seen at the hospital. Most of Isobel's scars would end up invisible under her clothes – presuming she learned to speak again. Bravely, he said, â€Å"Well, I'm still up for grabs.† Obaasan smiled faintly at him, then put her head back down on the pillow – no, it was a wooden headrest, Matt realized. It didn't look very comfortable. â€Å"It's a great pity when there has to be strife between a human family and the kitsune,† she said. â€Å"Because there are rumors that one of our ancestors took a kitsune wife.† â€Å"Say what?† Obaasan laughed, again behind concealing fists. â€Å"Mukashi-mukashi, or as you say, long ago in the times of legend, a great Shogun became angy at all the kitsune on his estate for the mischief they made. For many long years they were up to all sorts of pranks, but when he suspected them of ruining the crops in the fields, that was it. He roused every man and woman in his household, and told them to take sticks and arrows and rocks and hoes and brooms and flush out all the foxes that had dens on his estate, even the ones between the attic and the roof. He was going to have every single fox killed without mercy. But the night before he did this, he had a dream in which a beautiful woman came and said she was responsible for all the foxes on the estate. ‘And,' she said, ‘while it is true that we make mischief, we repay you by eating the rats and mice and insects that really spoil the crops. Won't you agree to take your anger out just on me and execute me alone instead of all the foxes? I will come at dawn to hear your answer.' â€Å"And she kept her word, this most beautiful of kitsune, arriving at dawn with twelve beautiful maidens as attendants, but she outshone all of them just as the moon outshines a star. The Shogun could not bring himself to kill her, and in fact asked for her hand in marriage, and married her twelve attendants to his twelve most loyal retainers as well. And it is said that she was always a faithful wife, and bore him many children as fierce as Amaterasu the sun goddess, and as beautiful as the moon, and that this continued until one day the Shogun was on a journey and he happened to accidentally kill a fox. He hurried home to explain to his wife that it hadn't been intentional, but when he arrived he found his household in mourning, for his wife had already left him, with all his sons and daughters.† â€Å"Oh, too bad,† Matt muttered, trying to be polite, when his brain elbowed him in the ribs. â€Å"Wait. But if they all left†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I see you're an attentive young man,† the delicate old woman laughed. â€Å"All his sons and daughters were gone†¦except the youngest, a girl of peerless beauty, although she was just a child. She said, ‘I love you too much to leave you, dear father, even if I must wear a human shape all my life.' And that is how we are said to be descended from a kitsune.† â€Å"Well, these kitsune aren't just causing mischief or ruining crops,† Matt said. â€Å"They're out to kill. And we have to fight back.† â€Å"Of course, of course. I didn't mean to upset you with my little story,† Obaasan said. â€Å"I'll write out those amulets for you now.† It was as Matt was leaving that Mrs. Saitou appeared at the door. She put something into his hand. He glanced down at it and saw the same calligraphy that Obaasan had given him. Except that it was much smaller and written on†¦ â€Å"A Post-it note?† Matt asked, bewildered. Mrs. Saitou nodded. â€Å"Very useful for slapping on the faces of demons or the limbs of trees or such.† And, as he stared at her in complete amazement, â€Å"My mother doesn't know all there is to know about everything.† She also handed him a sturdy dagger, smaller than the sword she was still carrying, but very serviceable – Matt immediately cut himself on it. â€Å"Put your faith in friends and your instincts,† she said. Slightly dazed, but feeling encouraged, Matt drove to Dr. Alpert's house.

Grid Topologies Essays

Grid Topologies Essays Grid Topologies Essay Grid Topologies Essay The concept of Grid computing is very generic in nature. Some organizations are revising their own grid system so that it fits in their needs. In an organization, a number of computers are connected to one another in order to share resources. The intra-grid topology is configured in a single organization. The computers are connected through a high-speed locally configured network. In this topology, the design of a scheduling system is much easier since it provides static computing resources between computer systems.An intra-grid is a single administrative domain and the locally configured network which is designed privately guarantees a bandwidth. (http://oslab. khu. ac. kr/mgrid/resources/rao_ZHU_Yanmin_Survey_Report. pdf) The main idea of this is a unity among servers, networks and some storage systems into a single one for as faster delivery of information. The complicated system of an organization can be transformed into a single virtual computer which can help solve complicated problems. ( ibm. com/developerworks/grid/newto/) The idea of grid computing is to allow computers to work together.The virtualization of computers allows an organization to enhance development of older system and to enable the development of a new one and utilize the resources which are available to the users. The administrators can benefit from this since this helps provide a resilient infrastructure and it also improves the access to the data and information and it supports collaboration across different disciplines. : The idea of this also allows business establishments to increase the use of their existing resources. ( ibm. com/developerworks/grid/newto/)It is always the goal of grid computing to implement systems which can be help to everybody who is a part of the organization. With this, grid computing keeps on grouping computers and keeps on conducting researches in order to find ways on how to make things better and to improve transaction processing. If two or more intra-grids are configured, an extra-grid exists. If an intra-grid is designed a single administrative domain, an extra-grid is designed for more than one administrative domain which makes the level of management issues more complicated as well as its complexities increases.The resources in this topology become more dynamic in nature. An extra-grid involves a dispersed security, multiple domains and Wireless Area Network (WAN) connectivity. (http://oslab. khu. ac. kr/mgrid/resources/rao_ZHU_Yanmin_Survey_Report. pdf) The principle of grid computing involves networking file systems to provide ease of information dissemination, increase communication and bandwidth and increase the processing power of all systems used in the organization.This also may be an instrument to decrease the cost in the development of new applications and increase the speed of application so that the response becomes faster as well. In addition, this also allows the management for a high utilization of the company’s existing resources. ( ibm. com/developerworks/grid/newto/) The principle of an extra-grid always has an impact in the society since the result is very evident. Another topology adopted by the grid computing is the inter-grid which has the same concept as the internet.Since it has the most complex form of topology, it has dispersed security, multiple domains as well as a Wireless Area Network (WAN) connectivity. If in an organization, there is a need for collaboration among the various computing community, the establishment of an Inter-grid is necessary. This can also simplify and end-to-end process within the organization. (http://oslab. khu. ac. kr/mgrid/resources/rao_ZHU_Yanmin_Survey_Report. pdf) The internet offers a variety of information and allows users to share ideas and files. The concept of inter-grid is somewhat the same as this.This allows the computers to communicate in a much easier and faster way. Grid computing allows the management to provide a capacity for application which demands are high. This, additionally, helps the organization in the creation of a virtual one so that data and other resources can easily be shared. In some organizations, grid computing can speed up transactions as well as the provision of stable IT environment which can be used to provide a mission-critical environment. ( ibm. com/developerworks/grid/newto/) The figure below shows the relationship between these three topologies:

Important Read This Before Sending ACT Scores to Colleges

Important Read This Before Sending ACT Scores to Colleges SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips No college application is complete without test scores. But sending scores to colleges doesn't have tobe a confusing and frustrating process! Read this article tounderstand all theoptions for sending out your ACT scores,to get help with the many decisions you will have to make, and to know what to do if you run into problems. I'll describe the basic process of how to send ACTscores, how to take full advantage of the ACT's individual score reporting, when to send scores, and howto make sure your scores don't get lost. At the same time, I'll go through the pros and cons of every option and suggest a recommended course of action. How to Send Your ACT Scores: 2 Methods You can send your ACT scores either when you take the test or any time after you get your scores. Method 1: Use Your Four Free Score Reports From the time youregister for the ACT until noon Central Time the Thursday after your test date, you have the option of sending out four free score reports to colleges or scholarship programs. However, this means you'll be sending your scoreswithout having actually seen them. Whether you should take this free reports offerreally depends on your circumstances: Pros:These four reports are free,so you'll save some money. Cons:You won’t be able to take advantage of the ACT score choicepolicy (more on this later). In other words, instead of getting to pick and choose which of your scores colleges will see, yourtest results will be sent to colleges even if you do worse than you expect. I recommend usingthe free reports to send scores to colleges thatrequire you to send all your ACT scores. Method 2: Order Additional Score Reports You can also send your ACT scores any time after you receive them by logging into your ACT accountor by sending in an order form for additional score reports. In your account, you can see your scores from all ACTs you've taken and create reports of these scores forcolleges to see. Here's our advice about whether you should send ACT scores after you've seen them: Pros:You can customize each score report to have only the test dates you want to send to colleges. This lets you take advantage ofACT score choice(again, I'll tell you all about this a little further down). Cons:Each score report costs $13 (even for students eligible for fee waivers), and each report can only have one test date and one college on it. For example, sending one test score to 10 schools costs $130, while sending four test scores to one school costs $52. Priority reports cost even more: $16.50 per report. These fees add up quickly,so think carefully about what you want to send where. Here are some of our recommendations on when to send additional score reports: Send scores withyour best section results to colleges that superscore the ACT. These schools willmake a new composite score for you using your best English, Math, Reading, and Science scores from any ACTs you took. Send your single highest score to colleges that neither superscore norrequire all your scores,to ACT scholarship programs,andto the NAIA if you are going to playcollege sports. Can You Send Old ACT Scores? To send ACT scores from any test taken before September 1, 2016, you have to request them from the ACT archives.Each regular archived report costs $38 (including a nonrefundable $25 archived scores fee), and each priority report costs $41.50. Here are three options for ordering older ACT scores: Request your scores online by creating anACT account. Send in a request form(if you can remember your approximate test year, ACT, Inc., can check a range of years in their records for you) or a letter of request (if you can't remember) to the following address: ACT Customer Care- Score Reports PO Box 451 Iowa City, IA 52243-0451 Call ACT, Inc., at(319) 337-1313.Note that you can only order regular reports this way- no priority reports. In addition, there is an extra $15 phone service fee. Pro Tip:Some QA websites claim that you can print out your scores from the ACT website and mail or fax them to colleges as a way of sending scores for free. If only!Unfortunately, the vast majority of colleges only accept score reports sent by ACT, Inc. What's more, most colleges only accept electronic scores through ACT's special service. It didn't work when you tried to mail your baby brother away when you were 4, and it won't work now for your ACT scores. Can You Choose Which ACT Scores to Send? Because of the way the ACT score ordering process is structured- you get to pick which score or scores to send to which colleges- their policy ends up being almost identical to the College Board's Score Choice policy for the SAT. (The ACT doesn’t call it Score Choice, but I will for the sake of simplicity.) Let's say you tookthe ACT twice. The first time you took it you were getting over the flu and having a terrible day. The basic idea of ACT Score Choice is that you can send just your second test score to your target colleges and pretend your first testdidn’t even happen. Here are some of the major pros and cons of ACT Score Choice: Pros Score Choice is awesome for colleges that don’t want to see all your ACT scores. It's also perfect for colleges that superscore- you can send your schools just those test dates that have your highest section scores. It’s also the best way to send your highest score to scholarship programs and the NAIA. Cons You have to be careful and read your target colleges' score submission policies carefully. Failing to send all your ACT scores to collegesthat require all of them could jeopardize your application! Because each score report can only haveone college and one score on it,sending out many reports can get reallyexpensive fast. The hot, new "make it rain" rap video montage accessory? A stack of envelopes from ACT, Inc. When Should You Send Your ACT Scores? Now, let's talk about the best times to send your ACT scores to schools. Should You Send ACT Scores Early? Some students have heard that sending ACT scores early (maybe even in your junior year!) shows colleges that you're a very interested applicant. It’s true that there is such a thing as demonstrated interest- admissions committees sometimes want to see proof that an applicant sincerely wants to go to their school. But demonstrated interest only comes into play after yourfull application has been submitted, usually as a way to move someone up on a waitlist. In any case, sending ACT scores early willnot give you an edge or constitute demonstrated interest.Generally, if you send scores to a college but haven’t applied there yet, the admissions committee will simply save them under your name in a general file until your application shows up. They don’t keep track of whose scores get there first. And it's not only that:if you send your scores early but are still planning to retake the ACT, you won't get the full benefit of Score Choice since you won't be able to choose between that early score and ones from later tests. Sending scores early enough for Neanderthals to receive them won't give you a leg up. When Should ACT Scores Get to Colleges? It'll be no surprise to hear that official score reports should be received by each university's respective application deadline.In order to figure out what this means in terms of when to send your ACT scores, let’s go through the timing of everything that happens after you take the test. Step 1: ACT, Inc., Scores Your Test This usually takes two weeks for multiple-choice scores (but can take up to eight). It takes an extra two weeks for Writing scores (if you took the ACT with Writing). It also takes an extra one to two weeks if you took the test outside the US or Canada (on top of the extra two weeks for Writing). Step 2: Score Reports Are Posted Online and Processed for Sending Scores are posted online as soon as multiple-choice results are ready (and Writing results are added two weeks later when they are finished). However, if you tested through State and District, School, or DANTES Testing, you’ll only see your scores online after getting your printed score report in the mail. If you registered for the four free score reports, these are sent out as soon as your full score report (multiple choice plus Writing, if you took the latter as well) is ready. Any score reports ordered through the ACT website take aboutone week of processing before being sent to colleges. Step 3: Colleges Receive ACT Scores Mostcolleges get ACT scores electronically.The schools themselves determine how often they receive scores. The least frequent possibility is once every two weeks, though most schools choose to receive scores far more often (for example, UVA gets them daily). A small number ofcolleges receive paper score reports sent by first-class mail. These are usually delivered within a few days. Remember that there will be a lag between when a college gets your scores and when it adds them to your application file. In most circumstances, the math for ordering the test goes like this: 1 week for ordering scores + 1 week for colleges to get and file scores = you need to order at least 2weeks before the application deadline Just in case, however, it's best to send ACT scores as soon as you're done testing and are sure which schools you're applying to. Your last possible test-date math looks like this: 2 weeks for scoring multiple choice + 2 weeks for scoring Writing + 3 weeks for ordering tests = take your last test no later than 7 weeks before the application deadline Sending your scores is the synchronized swimming of college applications: to do it well, you have to master perfect timing. Should You Order ACT Priority Score Reports? If you’re running short on time, you can send colleges your scores throughACT’s rush service. Here are the pros and cons of doing this: Pros Instead of taking up to one week to send your scores, ACT, Inc., guarantees that scores will be processed within two business days of your request and delivered three to four days later. Cons This service does not speed up how long it takes to score your test. This service also does not speed up how long it takes for colleges to receive your scores- colleges choose the timing themselves, which cantakeup to two weeks. In other words, while scores are sent sooner, they aren't necessarily going to be seen sooner. Colleges that receive ACT score reports electronically might not view priority reports at all. The cost is$16.50 per report. Here are our recommendations:if every moment counts because the deadline is fast approaching, it might make sense to pay extra to buy yourself a little more time. Just keep in mind that colleges might not see your scores any faster if their delivery preferences aren’t set up for priority reports. What If Your ACT Scores Arrive After the Application Deadline? What happens to applications when ACT scores are received late ultimately depends on each college’s individual policy. Some schools have a hard-and-fast rule that late application materials disqualify applicants. For example, theUniversity of Texas’s policy even overrides the guaranteed admission this state school offers to any in-states students in the top 10% of their class. At some schools, late ACT scores are a gamble- you’re betting that your application won’t be considered until further into the process, so your scores might have a chance to get there. For example, here's whatStanford’s admissions site warns in regard to late scores: â€Å"We cannot delay the review of an application in anticipation of scores that will arrive after the deadline nor can we guarantee that late [ACT] scores will be reviewed." Meanwhile,UVA points out what happens if your scores are late: â€Å"There is a chance that we will have already started the [sic] review your file before those scores arrive. You should still send those scores. ... There's a chance that the scores will be seen at some point in the process.† Finally, some schools judge each application on a case-by-case basis. This means that an otherwise excellent application might be put aside until ACT scores arrive, while an application that's clearly not a good fit for the school might be rejected even before scores arrive. Still better than being late for the Queen of Hearts and her "off with your head" policy. How Can You Make Sure Your ACT Scores Don’t Get Lost? The top reasons colleges can’t find your ACT scores are as follows: You enteredthe wrong ACT college code You forgot to send your scores to that particular college If you registered for the four free score reports, you can check your own score report for the code numbers you put in and confirm they're correct. If you ordered reports from the ACT website, go to your account and double-check the college codes there. A good rule of thumb is to wait three weeks after your sending date to check whether your scores have been received.Usually, this info will be available on the college’s application site. In other cases, colleges might contact you to let you know which application materials have not yet arrived. If you get a notice from the college that your ACT scores are missing, don’t panic:it can take a few weeks for received application materials to be logged.Chances are, the school has indeed received your scores but simply hasn’t filed them yet. Feel free to call the admissions office and calmly and respectfully ask them to check whether your scores have arrived. If your ACT scores don't turn up- whether because they got lost in the mail, were somehow electronically derailed, or were simply misfiled- you can still resend your scores by ordering new reportsfrom the ACT website. If she's facing away from Lost, does that mean she's going to Found? Deep thoughts. What’s Next? Is your ACT score good enough? Learn what an excellent ACT score is for your top-choice schools, and get a first-person guide to getting a perfect 36. Studying for an ACT retake?Learn how to stop running out of time on Math and Reading,and check out our complete guide to ACT Science. Want to blow off a little steam? Here are five fun facts about the ACT. Maybe one will help you win that coveted pink Trivial Pursuit wedge! Disappointed with your ACT scores? Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Mission statement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mission statement - Assignment Example At the moment, security hailed courtesy of the Sheriff’s Office at Volusia County. The office works together with the citizens to provide safety and peace to reduce crime or fear emanating from it. The office ensures that their goal is met by seeking to confront and understand all underlying challenges leading to most security calls in the office. With the help of community policing and problem-solving skills, the office looks to improve significantly for the better an enhanced experience for visitors and its residents. The Volusia County office is dedicated to its commitment to administration, each employee on the premises, and the county residents working in cahoots to maintain the standards as a trustworthy source of assistance. Its personnel are dedicated to making individualistic contact with her community positive placing the office closer in partnership with each County resident (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, 2015). The personnel is helpful and courteous at all instances. The future for Volusia County Sheriff office is bright owed to the employee’s moral standards. Sincerity, caring attitude, compassion, and honesty are the main pillars. Ventura County Sheriff’s Office stands out in the national ranking of secure zones to visit or spend a lifetime. Their guiding principle goal is to be in commitment to safeguarding the property and lives of the county’s residents through reaction to concerns in a way that promotes a region free of crime. The office reaches its goal guided by a comprehensive strategic mission to preserve peace, apprehend offenders, prevent crime, enforce laws, provide humane and secure detention for lawbreakers and offer problem solutions through community partnerships while displaying respect and empathy to dignity of all persons (Ventura County Sheriffs Office, 2015). This information on the website is opinionated to suggest an addition to the present strategy to serve the residents of Ventura County. The mission is

Principles of Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Principles of Business - Assignment Example Q. How long did it take you to make a profit? A. In November 1970, I started working at Shelfstore. Ltd as Marketing Manager and became its owner after just one year in 1971 after buying it from its first owner. My first investment for the company was $17,000. Under my supervision Selfstore grew remarkably and within first year our sales increased from $800,000 to a level of $2.00 Million. Q. Why did you decide to go into business for yourself? How many years have you been in business? A. I could tell that Shelfstore had the potential to bring me business and it was the best opportunity for me as the actual founder of the company was planning to leave the country. It was my first business that I started in 1971 and still doing it after 40 years. Q. What is the main product or service that you sell? A. Shelfstore Ltd is a low scale furniture manufacturing company. Q. Who was your first client? A. John Michael, Inc. is the major furniture distributor company that sells Shelfstore, they were our first client too. Shelfstore’s distribution area is considered to be one of the smaller territories in the John Michael family. Q. Who are your customers? A. Our main customers are neighboring furniture outlets, of them the biggest name is of John Michael. Inc. We sell furniture to some locals too. Q. Do you enjoy working for yourself? Why? A. It is great experience to work for own self. Everyday when you work, you try to flourish your own self that is far gratifying than to work for someone else’s business. Q. What are 2 advantages of owning your own business? A. After owning a business individuals become skilled at building relationships with people. They become excellent in interpersonal skills, become more hard worker and eager to learn the most current trends of the market. Q. What are 2 disadvantages of owning your own business? A. The worst thing about owning a business is the risk connected with business failure. Another bad aspect is long working hou rs that are normally connected with business ownership. Q. In your opinion what is the best strategy to improve performance? A. Communication is of paramount importance in performance improvement. All stakeholders must continuously be informed of "what is happening" in the organization. Additionally, it is essential that feedback mechanisms be implemented to provide a sufficient information flow that will increase organizational performance. Q. How did you prepare for your business? Did you receive specific training or a degree? A. When I started my business I had already completed my Post Graduation in Business. Later on I did couple of more courses that are ‘Basics of Business and Organizations’ and ‘Organizational Management’. But I learned the most from everyday experiences. The changes that took place at Shelfstore could not have been accomplished without strong leadership. Q. How do you stay current with innovations and technologies in your industry a nd for your business? A. All businesses use informational technology; few integrate it well. Technologies posses the potential to improve speed, quality, efficiency and keeps you updated about current trends. The tools alone, however, no matter how sophisticated, would not guarantee high productivity. People also needed to be empowered through information access, continued skill development, and authority that match responsibilities. Shelfstore Ltd is trying to adjust