Neurological Features Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Health And Social Care Essay

Systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE ) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune connective tissue upset, which has variable clinical manifestations that range from mild to life-threatening. Young adult females between their late teens and early 40s have a much higher prevalence in developing SLE, with a female to male ratio of 9:1 [ 7 ] . In the United States ( U.S. ) for illustration, Lawrence et Al. [ 8 ] reported that SLE appeared to be more common in black adult females than in other population groups. One U.S. retrospective survey of patient medical records, by McCarty et Al. [ 9 ] found that the disease was diagnosed 23 times more frequently in black adult females. Certain cultural groups besides appear to demo a higher prevalence, such as people with Afro – Caribbean [ 127 – 129 ] or African beginning [ 130 – 133 ] . The world-wide prevalence of SLE ranges between 12 and 50 per 100,000. These figures vary and are related to location and to the patient ‘s ethnicity every bit good as better acknowledgment of the disease today [ 10 ] . Factors such as sunshine, the part of infection, oestrogen endocrines, emphasis and drugs may precipitate the disease and there is besides a complex familial footing [ 11 ] . It has been reported by Deapen et Al. [ 12 ] that a familial factor in the sensitivity to the disease is reflected by 25 % harmony in indistinguishable twins. Many of the recent familial findings, [ 13, 14 ] seem sensible from a mechanistic point of view: they identify cistrons with of import functions in the immune system ; on occasion in concurrence with functional informations of the allelomorphs tested that besides fit the paradigm of loss of self-tolerance. Familial lacks of complement besides plays a function, [ 15 ] with C1q, C1r, C1s C4, and C2 being the most of import of the complement proteins, [ 16 ] nevertheless, no individual cause for SLE has been identified. Recent information, [ 17 ] besides suggested that a about omnipresent virus Epstein-Barr virus ( EBV ) might besides play a facilitating function [ 18 – 22 ] . A case-control survey, by James et Al. [ 23 ] demonstrated that EBV antibodies were present in 99 % , and EBV DNA was present in 100 % of the kids and immature grownups who had SLE, which was significantly higher than those in the control group. Despite this, the association between active EBV infection and the precipitation of SLE remains ill-defined. Neuropsychiatric manifestations are progressively recognised in patients with SLE. These include a broad assortment of neurological and psychiatric characteristics that account for considerable morbidity and mortality in these patients. They besides involve both the cardinal and peripheral nervous systems and scope from elusive abnormalcies of cognitive disfunction and anxiousness to obvious manifestations, such as shot, ictuss and psychosis. This article through systematic published literature, efforts to summarize the of import neurological characteristics of cardinal nervous system disease of SLE.Clinical PresentationThe widely recognised presentation of a immature female showing with inflammatory arthritis and a butterfly roseola on the face ( Fig 1 ) is comparatively uncommon [ 7 ] . Non-specific symptoms of unease, weariness, arthralgia, unwritten ulcers, radiosensitivity, lymphadenopathy, pleuritic thorax strivings, concerns, parathesiae, symptoms of dry eyes and oral cavity, Raynaud ‘s phenomenon and mild hair loss are the more likely presentations [ 24 ] . Fig 1. Typical â€Å" butterfly † -like roseola over the cheeks in SLE [ 24 ] . The diagnosing of SLE of single patients hence requires certain clinical and laboratory informations, [ 25 ] based on the widely accepted modified ( 1997 ) standards suggested by the American College of Rheumatology ( ACR ) ( although intended, and in fact more utile for research and curative test intents ) ( Table 1 ) [ 26 ] . The agencies to early diagnosing is in the clinical rating of patients. It should include a complete ‘systems ‘ reappraisal with scrutiny and subsequent probes, guided by the extent of organ involvement [ 7 ] . For illustration, in primary attention, a diagnosing of SLE or a related upset is often evident after clinical rating, uranalysis for blood and protein. Probes such as a full blood count ( FBC ) , which frequently shows an anemia or a cytopenia, nephritic and liver map trials and acute stage reactants: a high erythrocyte deposit rate ( ESR ) with a normal C reactive protein ( CRP ) concentration are characteristic. A simple algorithm for the diagnosing of SLE is provided as an illustration ( Fig 2 ) [ 25 – 29 ] .Central nervous system diseaseHistoryCentral nervous system ( CNS ) engagement in SLE was foremost described by Kaposi in 1872 [ 1 ] . Osler in 1903 was the first to describe a perennial focal intellectual ischemia in SLE [ 2 ] . Libman and Sacks [ 3 ] described endocarditis in SLE in 1924. The association of the lupus d ecoagulant ( LA ) and thrombosis in patients with SLE was described by Bowie et Al. [ 4 ] in 1963, and in 1968 Johnson and Richardson reported neuropathlogical findings in 24 instances of SLE [ 5 ] . In 1988, Devinsky et Al. [ 6 ] reported on an necropsy survey of 50 SLE patients ; 10 of whom had embolic intellectual infarcts, five caused by Libman-Sacks endocarditis and four from other cardiac beginnings.Neurological characteristicsCNS disease is extremely diverse and remains a challenge in footings of pathogenesis, appraisal and intervention and it is now better to see CNS disease in footings of separate syndromes. It is a serious but potentially treatable unwellness, which still presents really hard diagnostic challenges. The ACR defines 19 different syndromes in its categorization for the neurological complications of SLE ( Table 2 ) , as opposed to old uncomplete footings such as cardinal nervous system lupus, neurolupus or lupus cerebritis [ 30 ] . CNS engagement is reported to happen in 14 – 70 % of SLE patients [ 31 ] . The most common neurological manifestations of SLE are the organic brain disorders, which comprises of all the possible fluctuations of acute confusion, lassitude, or coma ; chronic dementedness ; depression, passion, or other affectional perturbations ; or psychosis.ConcernOf the more often encountered CNS complications, concerns are highly common. Fernandez-Nebro et Al. [ 32 ] and Raskin et Al. [ 33 ] stated that up to 40 % of persons experience severe disenabling concerns at least one time per twelvemonth. There are, nevertheless three controlled surveies in the literature on chronic or episodic concern [ 34 ] that can non be tracked back to other SLE syndromes [ 32, 35 ] .. The consequences are instead conflicting, nevertheless, and do non let for a unequivocal decision. For illustration, a nexus between megrim and SLE activity and ‘flare – ups ‘ has decidedly non been established [ 34, 35 ] . If future research confirms that megrim is so induced by SLE, the neurological load would still be overestimated by including megrim without limitation in the list of SLE neurological standards. Early surveies showed that concerns might react to corticosteroid intervention and this proved to be more effectual than the conventional anti-migraine therapy used in commanding concerns in SLE patients [ 36, 37 ] . A clear differentiation between CNS manifestations due to SLE and those due to antiphospholipid ( Hughes ) syndrome ( APS ) has been indicated [ 7 ] . An association of megrim concern with antiphospholipid antibodies ( APAs ) has been suggested, [ 38 ] nevertheless, more recent surveies have found no such nexus [ 35 ] .SeizuresSeizures are the following most frequent neurological complication and are known to happen in 14-25 % of patients ( compared with 0.5-1 % in the general population ) [ 39 ] . Seizures may ensue from intellectual vasculitis, cardiac intercalation, timeserving infection, drug poisoning, or associated metabolic mental unsoundnesss. They are more likely to be associated with APS than with intellectual vasculitis, which is highly rare in clinical pattern [ 40 ] . Electrolyte perturbation and medicative effects should be excluded, particularly those ensuing from antidepressants, stimulating medicines to handle weariness, or backdown from depressants or intoxicant. The primary neurological presentation of SLE is more common than originally thought ( 10/41 patients ) and included both ictuss ( 4 instances ) and motion upsets including Parkinsonism and chorea ( 4 instances ) [ 41 ] . Higher overall frequences of ictuss ( 42 % ) ; an early manifestation in 27 % , and in 10 % ictuss were the first SLE symptom seen. Epileptic ictuss are among the most common CNS manifestations in SLE. In separate surveies, Sibley et al. , [ 42 ] Steinlin et al. , [ 43 ] and Brinciotti et Al. [ 44 ] demonstrated that generalised tonic-clonic ictuss ( once known as expansive mal ictuss ) , simple and complex partial ictuss, automatic ictuss and position eliepticus all occur [ 45 ] . It is presumed that most ictuss in patients with SLE would be elicited by vascular abnormalcies in the encephalon, or would be either due to CNS infections or secondary to other marks, but this can non ever be demonstrated. In a big retrospective survey, in 18 out of 266 patients, ictuss were non attributable to any cause other than SLE [ 42 ] . Table 1. ACR Classification Criteria for SLE [ 26 ] The diagnosing of SLE requires the presence of four or more of the following 11 standards at the same time or in sequence ( besides see algorithm in Fig 2 ) .SLE standardDefinition or illustrationsSerositis Pleuritis – pleuritic hurting, Pleuralrub, pleural gush Pericarditis – Electrocardiogram alterations, pericardiac hang-up, pericardiac gush Oral ulcers Frequently painless sores Arthritis Nonerosive – two or more peripheral articulations affected Photosensitivity Skin roseola as a consequence of unusual reaction to sunlight Blood Hematologic upset Hemolytic anemia Leucopenia Lymphopenia Thrombocytopenia Nephritic upset Proteinuria ( with 3+ or more protein noted in urinalysis specimen or 0.5 g of protein/day ) Cellular dramatis personaes in piss Antinuclear antibody Antibodies to atomic components Immunological upset Anti- DNA antibodies Anti – Samarium antibodies Antiphospholipid antibodies Neurological upset Seizures Psychosis Malar roseola Fixed erythema over the malar distinctions Discoid roseola Erythematosus raised spots may mark ECG = EKG A mnemonic to retrieve the 11 symptoms is ‘SOAP BRAIN MD ‘ . Table 2. The neurological complications of SLE [ 30 ] Central nervous system Neurological Aseptic meningitis Cerebrovascular disease Multifocal subacute lesions Headache ( including megrim and idiopathic intracranial high blood pressure ) Motion upsets ( peculiarly chorea ) Myelopathy Seizure upset Psychiatric Acute confusional province Anxiety upset Cognitive map Temper upset Psychosis Peripheral nervous system Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculopathy ( Guillain – Barre syndrome ) Autonomic upset Cranial neuropathy Mononeuropathy, individual or manifold Myastheia gravis Plexopathy PolyneuropathyDiagnosis of SLEPatient showing with disease manifestations affecting two or more organ systems ANA proving Titre a†°? 1:40 Titre & lt ; 1:40 See referral to rheumatologist for full Strong statement against SLE rating, including the followers: SLE ; alternate account ACR diagnostic standards ( see Table 1 ) for organ system Lab trials: full blood count, uranalysis, manifestations should be serum creatinine degree and antiphospholipid, pursued anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm antibodies Explanation found No account Zero to three Four or more Sufficient to See referral to ACR standards ACR standards regulation out SLE rheumatologist if inquiry of SLE or uncomplete SLE remains No SLE or SLE Incomplete SLE Fig 2. An algorithm for the diagnosing of SLE. ( ANA = antinuclear antibody ; ACR = American College of Rheumatology ; anti-dsDNA = antibody to duplicate isolated DNA antigen ; antiSm = antibody to Sm atomic antigen ) . Information from mentions: [ 25 – 29 ] Stroke and perennial transient ischemic onslaughts ( TIAs ) are among the CNS diagnoses seen in 3-15 % of instances ; although these figures vary harmonizing to the literature [ 46 – 48 ] . Annual shots were calculated for illustration, utilizing informations from 91 patients with SLE observed for 599 patient-years. It was found that the shot rate dropped from 6.6 % in twelvemonth 1 to 0.6 % during old ages 6-10 [ 46 ] . The International Classification of Diseases ( ICD-9 ) codification for SLE, estimated that ‘cerebrovascular accidents ‘ were 10 times more frequent in 18 to 44 twelvemonth old females with SLE, than in those of similar age without the disease [ 49 ] . The frequence of ‘cerebrovascular accidents ‘ were about twice as frequent in in-between age ( 45-64 year ) , whereas in old age, the frequence was found to be somewhat below normal. APAs have one time once more been implicated, as shown by Provenzale et Al [ 50 ] . Neuroimaging surveies suggested no important differences in the incidence of multifocal little white affair lesions, or of big vas shots, between patients with primary or secondary APS. Harmonizing to the literature, subarachnoid bleeding in SLE is good documented [ 47, 51 – 55 ] , nevertheless, by far the most studies of this are from one state: Japan. A survey by Mimori et Al. [ 56 ] of the medical records of patients with SLE in one Nipponese Centre, covering a 20 twelvemonth period, revealed that 10 of 258 patients had at some clip experienced a ( clinically defined ) subarachnoid bleeding. Figures in the literature on TIAs in SLE indicate that the overall incidence is raised [ 46, 48, 57 ] .Aseptic meningitisAcute, chronic or recurrent sterile meningitis is a rare manifestation of SLE. The term is frequently used for a meningeal syndrome of non-infectious beginning with some grade of nuchal rigidness ( neck stiffness ) and with increased white cells ( pleocytosis ) in the cerebrospinal fluid ( CSF ) [ 26, 58 ] . Pathologically, meningeal redness is found in about fifth part of patients [ 59 ] . SLE should be considered in any patient who ab initio presents with a meningitic image and in whom beings have non been identified, particularly if the meningitis is perennial. Aseptic meningitis has been reported in patients with shot or ‘ischaemic encephalon lesions ‘ ; vasculitis was non demonstrated, but was non ruled out [ 60, 61 ] . There are studies of sterile meningitis following non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( even after merely a individual tablet ) in SLE and assorted connective tissue disease. Jolles et Al. [ 62 ] stated that up to 60 % of patients with SLE are estimated to hold CNS symptoms associated with redness at some clip during their unwellness, and that this could predispose them to drug-induced sterile meningitis ( DIAM ) . Maignen et Al. [ 63 ] suggested that assorted drugs ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as isobutylphenyl propionic acid and Clinoril, antibiotics such as cotrimoxazole, trimethoprim, Cipro and assorted drugs such as carbamazepine, human immune globulin and muromonab CD3 ) can be associated with development of DIAM and those patients with SLE and/or connective tissue upsets are at a higher hazard. Ibuprofen for illustration, has been reported on a figure of occasions as a cause of sterile meningitis, particularly in patients with SLE [ 64, 65 ] . The exact mechanism for the reaction to these agents is non to the full understood, but it is speculated that APAs perchance have a function. Meningeal symptoms occur a few hours after drug consumption and decide without sequelae within one or two yearss after the drug is withdrawn. Chorea, although rare, is frequently quoted as the classical neurological characteristic of SLE [ 43 ] . There are conflicting studies, as suggested by Janvas et Al. [ 66 ] and Cervera et Al. [ 67, 68 ] in respect to its incidence, runing from 1-4 % . It can develop at any clip, but is more likely to look during an ague flair, which has led some research workers to propose that it could be used as a marker of disease activity, where there is a reported return rate of up to 25 % . It has besides been associated with shot [ 69 ] and with idiopathic intracranial high blood pressure and dural fistula thrombosis in kids [ 70 ] . It is non yet clear, nevertheless, whether it is due to a vascular abuse or to antibody-induced neural disfunction [ 71, 72 ] . Psychiatric perturbations range from temper and personality upsets to psychosis, the latter being defined as a psychotic upset, harmonizing to the standards of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-IV ) [ 73 ] . No alone clinical image is seen, but three comparatively distinguishable forms can be discerned: ‘pure ‘ behavioural or psychiatric unwellness without overcasting of consciousness, subacute encephalopathy/encephalitis, and dementedness. Affectional upsets, peculiarly anxiousness and depression are the most common ( e.g. in 103 of 414 outpatients from two surveies and 19 of 43 hospitalised patients from another survey ) , though non in similar proportions in the surveies [ 74 – 76 ] . It has, nevertheless, non been shown that these upsets occur more often in patients with SLE [ 77 ] than in those with arthritic arthritis or other chronic diseases [ 78 – 80 ] . The association with psychotic episodes – ‘lupus psychosis ‘ – is more dependable [ 81 ] , although its differentiation from corticoid induced psychosis can be hard. In a big and frequently quoted retrospective survey, 11 of 266 patients developed psychosis during a average follow-up period of at least 90 months [ 42 ] . Delusions, ocular and audile hallucinations, catatonia and transition upsets are all good recognised [ 82 ] . Dementia is a normally recognized complication, although small elaborate published information is available. Harmonizing to DSM-IV, ‘cognitive upset ‘ can be compensated for at least partly ; the diagnosing therefore requires neuropsychological appraisal [ 73 ] . The per centum of patients with SLE enduring from cognitive upset varies among surveies. For illustration, an overall incidence of cognitive alterations in SLE of 55 % has been suggested [ 83, 84 ] . In four surveies, these figures varied from 21-35 % , [ 85 – 88 ] and from 43-67 % in two other surveies [ 89, 90 ] . All these fluctuations are due in portion to different cut-offs that were chosen for normalcy by these different writers. Furthermore some writers [ 91, 92 ] contend that the grade of cognitive upset fluctuates over clip, but this is disputed by others [ 88 ] . Two possible causes of cognitive upset have been suggested: little vas vasculopathy and an antibody mediated consequence on neural operation [ 85, 93 ] . Perturbations of the cranial [ 94 – 97 ] and peripheral nervousnesss – individual and manifold [ 98 ] , rete [ 99, 100 ] , sensorimotor [ 101 – 103 ] , and autonomic lesions [ 102, 104 – 106 ] , myasthenia gravis [ 107, 108 ] , and Guillain-Barre syndrome [ 109 – 111 ] , have all been reported in SLE, albeit with limited survey.Antiphospholipid syndrome ( Hughes syndrome )The ‘antiphospholipid syndrome ‘ ( APS ) was first described in patients with SLE ( secondary APS ) , but may happen in the absence of any other upset ( primary APS ) . In other words, the branchings of this syndrome extend beyond SLE, to all subjects of medical specialty. An emerg ing impression is the differentiation between CNS manifestations due to SLE and those caused by APS [ 112 ] . Some constituents of APS have been recognised since the 1950s, but the complete syndrome was non to the full described until 1983 [ 113 ] . Since so the categorization standards have been updated to include manifestations non antecedently distinctive [ 114 ] . Categorization standards for ruinous APS have been validated, and a world-wide registry set up to enter clinical informations for these rare patients in order to analyze intervention and results [ 115 ] . A description of the clinical characteristics of 1000 patients with this syndrome remains the largest of such series [ 116 ] . It is defined as the association of antiphospholipid antibodies ( APAs ) with arterial or venous thrombosis, perennial fetal loss, thrombopenia or neurological upsets such as shot and TIAs, transverse myelopathy, chorea and migrainous concern. Primary APS, nevertheless seldom progresses to SLE. One survey carried out on 128 patients over a 9 twelvemonth period showed that merely 8 % developed SLE ; where a positive antiglobulin trial was used as a clinically important forecaster of patterned advance [ 117 ] . The spectrum of clinical characteristics of APS continues to broaden with descriptions of nephritic arteria stricture [ 118 ] , metatarsal breaks [ 119 ] , avascular mortification [ 120 ] , and abnormalcies of vascular map [ 121 ] . Accelerated atheroma has become a major focal point of research in persons that have APS, with probes demoing cross-reactivity of antiphospholipids with oxidised LDL and early marks of arterial disease in these peculiar patients [ 121, 122 ] . George and Shoenfield [ 123 ] have termed APS as the ‘crossroads of autoimmunity and coronary artery disease ‘ . The contentions of intervention of APS remain, chiefly in footings of the sum of anticoagulation required to forestall perennial thrombosis. Two prospective surveies by Crowther et Al. [ 124 ] and Finazzi et Al. [ 125 ] indicated that a high-intensity government of anticoagulation, with international normalized ratios ( INRs ) above 3.0, were no better than conventional therapy with INRs of 2.0-3.0 in the bar of perennial thrombosis. This contradicted old retrospective informations. A farther survey by Levine et Al. [ 126 ] added drift to this research by proposing that positive baseline antiphospholipids in shot patients failed to foretell future cerebro-vascular occlusive accidents. It besides stated that everyday showing for antiphospholipids was non warranted. The survey has later been criticised as flawed, in that it was non designed to turn to the issue of testing and that merely one baseline measuring was used. Most physicians hence, still see antiphospholipid proving as being indispensable, particularly in immature shot victims.DecisionSLE was one time considered a rare disease with a universally fatal result. The past 20 old ages, nevertheless have shown that this upset is more common than originally thought and that it is treatable, with the bulk of patients now holding about normal life spans. One must be cognizant, nevertheless, that a patient who is diagnosed with SLE at 20 old ages of age still has a 1 in 6 opportunity of deceasing by 35 old ages o f age, largely from the disease itself and/or related infections. Reducing the cardiovascular hazard, which still claims significant loss of life, is besides of major importance. The neurological characteristics of cardinal nervous system disease of SLE are easy get downing to be unravelled, although there are still many inquiries that need to be answered. Delay in diagnosing, particularly in patients with low-grade disease, remains debatable. The staying challenges are in bettering the quality of life for these peculiar patients by bettering the symptoms of SLE. For illustration we will necessitate to develop biomarkers and neuroimaging trials for SLE – associated neuropsychiatric disease that have the ability to place the implicit in pathological mechanism and steer curative determinations [ 134 ] , which will hopefully ensue in more effectual intervention for this potentially dangerous unwellness.

Three Major Concerns of a Driver

Three Major Concerns of a Driver When driving, there are many concerns drivers should be aware of. These concerns make driving safer for anyone on the road. The three major concerns I am going to talk about today are road conditions, following distance, and speed. These are only a few of the many concerns a driver should have when driving. Driving is not safe therfore you must take it as serious as possible. If a driver ignores these concerns there will be consequences whether it is by the law or a fatal collision. The first concern drivers should have while driving is for the conditon of the road. Road conditions change on a daily basis due to the weather and the time of day. A good driver knows that if it is raining or snowing outside the roads will be slick. Therfore they should drive not only slower but also more cautious. Another factor that effects the condition of the road is the kind of road. Rural roads tend to be more narrow and less maintained so you shoud look out for pot holes. Each kind of road should be treated differently because they all have different dangers. My second concern is it is important for a driver to have a safe distance between you and the next car, this is known as your following distance. This is a very important concern to have. I was effected by this about three months ago when i reared ended another driver due to not having anough distance between me and the next car. Surprisingly I am thankful for the accident because I am now a very safe and cautious driver. Your fallowing distance at twenty-five mph should be two to three car lengths between you and the car in front of you. Your following distance should increase one car length for every ten mph. A driver who fails to follow these facts will sooner or later end up in rear end accident just like I did, but the results could be much much worse. The last major concern a driver should have that I am going to talk about is speed. Speed is defined as the rate of change. When talking about automobiles speed is a very seriouse topic. As you increase your speed in any vehicle you have to be aware of the increase in change of things around you and need to be able to react faster to these changes. When speed is abused nothing good can come from it. Many accidents occur because of an individual who was speeding and or loses contoll due to speeding. In conclusion, drivers need to be constanty concerned of their surroundings. Speed road conditions and following distance are only three of the many concerns a driver should have. Driving is not a game or a right it is a very seriouse priviledg. Many people think if you wear your saftey belt and dont speed you'll be ok. The fact of the matter is that driving is NOT safe! Certain cars make driving safe but there are always unavoidable dangers while driving. If you are constantly awar of these dangers then you will be a much safer driver and have a lesser chance of being one of the unluckey people who get into any kind of accident.

Faith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Faith - Essay Example During that time, Christians who were caught and refused to commit fumie were imprisoned and subject a painful death known as â€Å"Anazuri† ( hung and bled to death over a pit ). It is through the harrowing experience of Rodriguez during his stay in Japan that he discovers the trials that his mentor has undergone. Unfortunately, even his own mentor was swallowed by pessimism. He was bitter in the end, swallowed by his own shame and guilt. In the end, he was betrayed by Kichiji-ro and Rodriguez commits the act of fumie. Being a historical fiction, the novel also relates the ties between Japan and the west because it recalls how the shoguns converted the people into Buddhism and launched a drive to expel missionaries. Apparently, the west had already begun its missions through St. Francis Xavier in 1549. The author always portrayed Rodriguez as Christ-like. His struggles of being the only Japanese in the university made him a reject, he was neither a Japanese nor French. He also contracted tuberculosis that resulted to one of his lungs removed that seemed to warn him how difficult it would be to pursue the search of his faith (Reinseima 2004 ) This was his main crisis in faith was only resolved when he met his former mentor in prison. Although it seems that every turn of his life was a block to his faith, it was only in the end that he recognized that these were not blocks at all. In fact, those struggles strengthened Rodriguez character and illuminated him in finding his faith . Moreover, his struggles like rejection, incarceration, persecution are the real mani- festations of having solid faith because despite the tribulations, Rodriguez searched for Christ. It was this unsettling silence of God that deeply troubled the main character Even at the beginning of the story, Rodriguez is already fascinated by the face of Christ. He would always wonder how Christ would look like in many situations such as kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane. He

Cultural Sensative Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cultural Sensative Counseling - Essay Example 72). The ultimate goal is for the counselor to be â€Å"culturally sensitive† in that he/she â€Å"is aware of, shows recognition of, demonstrates some knowledge of, and expresses an interest in the client’s ethnic identity and cultural background† (Day 2008, p. 72). This is very important because conduct in one culture may be more distressing in another culture. For example, a Filipina student going against her parents’ choice of major may be more of an issue than for an American student. In other words, there is no universal prescription for dealing with all human beings’ problems (Day 2008, p. 72). Cultural sensitive interviews will help the counselor obtain the information necessary for narrowing the issues down to a specific culture. Therefore a cultural sensitive interview will begin by first determining the client’s first language. Language questions will seek to determine whether or not the client’s family or home speaks anothe r language or languages and what language or languages are used at home. The client’s feelings about whether his or her language is â€Å"standard English or nonstandard English† will also be queried at a cultural sensitive interview (Day 2008, p. 73). Secondly, the client will be questioned about family roles. Essentially, the counselor will attempt to determine what is expected of children within the family and how those expectations are modified throughout childhood to adulthood. Other questions about family roles will include information about whether or not adult children have to take care of their parents; the degree of authority that parents have over their adult children and adolescent children’s decisions; whether or not parents are strict and if the client follows their parents own â€Å"parenting style† (Day 2008, p. 73). The client will be questioned about sex/gender distinctions and roles. Specifically, the counselor attempts to determine cul tural beliefs relative to sexes and the degree to which those beliefs and distinctions are reflected within the client’s family. The counselor will also need to ascertain the client’s own feelings about those prescribed differences and roles. The counselor will also endeavor to obtain information about sexual orientation. More specifically, the counselor will attempt to determine the degree to which the client’s sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of others affects the client. Information about what the client learned about sexual orientation from the family and whether or not the client’s own concept of sexual orientation has been refuted (Day 2008, p. 73). Another area of query includea information about the client’s independence. Specifically, the counselor will be required to determine if the client firmly believes in â€Å"freedom from others’ influence†, or if co-dependence within the family or the community ranks highe r (Day 2008, p. 73). Questions about the spirituality and its influence on the client are also important. How the client’s culture defines success and how conflict is dealt with by the client’s culture are also important questions. Cultural and family history and its influence on the client are also important questions in a cultural sensitive interview. Questions about money, more specifically class status, economic objectives and the importance of wealth to the client’

Thank you for smoking Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thank you for smoking - Movie Review Example This depicts a frame of Nick’s character and probably explains the reason as to why he does not lose arguments. This is because he reframes the argument till he wins. Also the film highlights a major critique posed by the society. These are the powers which run the government and the industry and are engrossed in playing games rather than bothering about the stakes. In the talk show, Nick wins the argument by announcing the launch of a $50 million campaign to dissuade teenagers from smoking. However, the Captain when hearing about this campaign remarks ‘I hope the campaign is not too effective!’The Captain just hopes that the campaign does not effectively stop teenagers from being aware of cigarettes and not even start smoking. The satirical comedy shows the American Government also trying to win its own argument with the senator; Sen Ortolan Finistirre is the crusader against smoking. The senator further laments after Nick is kidnapped and then laments because â €˜he survived the attack’. Fallacies used by Nick Another conversation between a father and a son in California, where Nick coaches Joey the manner in which one has to win an argument. The setting is for a basic argument as to whether chocolate is good or vanilla. When Joey supports chocolate by remarking that chocolate is what he needs, Nick reframes the argument by retorting ‘well I need more than chocolate, and for that matter I need more than vanilla. I believe that we need freedom’. This displays the fallacy of red herring. In this kind of rhetorical strategy, the emphasis is shifted from the core issue to an unrelated or tangential issue to win an argument. In yet another argument Naylor uses the red herring fallacy. This is explicated when he is asked to testify in front of the senatorial committee. He says ‘Gentlemen, it’s called education ... It is the job of every parent to warn their children of all the dangers in the world, including c igarettes, so that one day when they get older they can choose for themselves.’ Here again, Nick waves from the central topic of cigarettes to that of parental responsibility, education and freedom. He is well aware that Americans love their freedom and thereby plays with these words to control their emotion. Naylor also uses the faulty analogy fallacy in the senatorial committee meeting. He compares the Conglomerated Tobacco’s cigarette funding with the funding for the senate’s campaign contributions. The ad hominem fallacy is used by Naylor when he suggests putting warning signs on certain products like Vermont cheddar cheese, cars and aeroplanes. The red herring fallacy is again used when Naylor points out the negative effects of Vermont cheddar cheese on raising cholesterol levels. In fact, Senator Lothridge has to interrupt to bring back Naylor and Senator Finisterre back on the core topic of whether to put warning labels on cigarette packets. The main prot agonist extensively uses logos to present his arguments in front of the senatorial committee. He logically concludes that if cigarette packets needed to display warning signs like ‘skulls and crossbones’ then other products like cars, airplanes and Vermont cheddar cheese should also have warning signs. He knowingly dissuades from the core topic by quoting ‘Well, the real demonstrated number one killer in America is cholesterol, and here comes Senator Finisterre, whose fine state is, I

Indigenous Education in Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Indigenous Education in Australia - Essay Example 1993). As an effect of broad community conversation and research, the Northern Territory Correctional Services (NTCS) in Australia documented that the wants of together the illegal and the community could be the majority outstanding addressed during an integrated approach to meddling and training delivery. Furthermore, during ending offending our message was the resultant proposal and it was officially launched in September 1999 (Heath, A.F. and Ridge, J. 2003, 169-84). This project focuses on as long as skills that are the majority suitable to the location and lifestyle of the person. The policy requires an ongoing dialogue among the program facilitator, training supplier, the member and his or her home community. No doubt, such education provides a focus for interference that range from matter abuse to community preservation. There are no additional education based institutions that provide the framework for training delivery, community involvement and participation (Harkness, S. 2005, 1 -36). Comparable training programs delivered within the custodial context are characterized by compartmentalization and limited opportunities for evolution. This program is designed to accommodate the changing needs of individual participants as well as the needs and expectations of the community. Sales of artwork and music generate an income that is given to the Victims of Crime Assistance League in line with the agency commitment to provide reparation (Daly, P. 2004). extra than 250 male as well as female inmates in Darwin in addition to Alice Springs correctional centers at present are concerned in this program, on behalf of 25 percent of the total prison inhabitants in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. Moreover, participants are creating stories, paintings, songs and music CDs that speak to alcohol and drug use and criminal. This product is marketplace via the Web site. The content of much of the music and artwork reflects the choices made by offenders prior to imprisonment, the effect of their crimes on victims and the realities of prison life. all through this "world first" proposal, participants undertake countrywide attributed Vocational Education plus Training (VET) in areas such as literacy, music and art manufacturing skills, computing, woodwork and trades (Heath, A.F. and McMahon, D. 2005). Participants are enrolled in countrywide accredited modules and units from the subsequent courses: arts and crafts, entry-level music manufac turing skills, general building, broad education, preliminary vocational education, and access to employment and additional study, and national workplace skills (Cheng, Y. and Heath, A.F. 2003 , 151-66). Foremost factors linked with offending and recidivism in the NT are limited employment prospects, low education levels and unsafe levels of drug use. Collaboration among the Prisoner Education Unit and the Alcohol and Other Drugs Unit ensures that the interference addresses offending behavior and, at the similar time, delivers exact VET learning result and competencies. Alcohol-related offenses account for approximately 70 percent of all

Coursework on Employment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Coursework on Employment - Essay Example An employment agreement can also confirm the status of employment. 3 This may at will or at a specified term, length of term of employment. The employer can clearly define the minimum commitments and obligations for both the employer and employee and , if the agreement is well drafted, this can minimize disputes based upon the termination of the employment relationship by clearly setting forth the terms under which the employer and employee may separate. Under the law employers are required to give their employees a written statement with regards to the details relating to the contract of employment. 4 However, the law does not prescribe the actual substantive content of the terms of employment as long as it does not divert from the objective of the law. It is stipulated that what is actually required is that the particulars can be set out in a formal contract or written statement. It must indicate the particulars in a single document but cross-reference can be made to other documents in respect to sickness and pensions entitlements and disciplinary and grievance procedures. These documents should be easily accessible such as in a employee handbook and pension rulebook. The data that must be indicated in the written contract of employment must include the name of the employer and employee, the date when the employment is to commence, the rate of renumeration, the schedule at which the renumeration is to be paid, terms and conditions relating _____________________ 3 Black's Law Dictionary 75 (8th Ed. 2004) 4 Employment Rights Act 1996 (c. 18), part 1, Employment Particulars, Right to Statements of Employment Particulars Serapio 3 to hours of work, holidays, holiday pay, sick pay, pension schemes, notice entitlements, job title, term of employment, place of work, details of disciplinary and grievance procedures and details of any collective agreements which affect the terms and conditions of the employment. Subsequently, the written agreement contract must be given not later than two months after the beginning of the employee's employment and any changes thereat must be relevant to the matters which must be confirmed to the employee by way of a written notice to be given at the

IT Company and Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

IT Company and Globalization - Essay Example This report aims to offer an insight into the effort of an organisation to maintain its sustainability with the development of different marketing strategies to retain the pertaining competitive advantages and introduce new advantages over the competitors. The strategies have been discussed in light with the relative theories. Information technology has been a significant influential factor to shape up any company’s presence in the global market. As the numbers of elements in the business network have been increasing, maintaining the relationship between the elements has been becoming more and more difficult. This report aims to explore the contribution of the information technology to offer a sustainable position in the international business environment. A conclusion has been inferred from the analysis of the organisation’s marketing strategies to the enhancement and evolvement of new competitive advantages. Skype has brought revolution in the world of communication. Globally, a huge number of people use their product to make free audio and video calls, share files with other users, worldwide. The organisation was institutionalised in the year of 2003. Based in Luxemburg, the organisation has its offices in the Europe, United States and Asia regions. In the third quarter of the year 2009, the Skype users made 3.1 billion minutes of calls to various landlines and mobiles, spread worldwide. This leading internet communication company has reported of 20 million people to be online in the pick hours. The wide range of products and services has given Skype to be one of the leaders in global internet communications medium. â€Å"What’s most important, however, is what Skype can do. Voice and video calling, IM and SMS are now available on a wide range of operating systems and mobile devices† (Skype, n.d.). Skype has been software to bind the world in a single thread. This has bee n quite appreciated to help the people to cut on their costs as they are now

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resource Management - Essay Example The process must begin with planning and preparing the entire infrastructure needed for the auditing process. This is important for identifying the existing levels of skills in the organization. Following this, the organization must strive to set skill targets against its long term goals and objectives. For this it needs to forecast the skill demands in the organization for various work processes in future. Comparing the target skill requirements against the existing skill levels in the organization reflects the actual measure of skill gaps. Shortfall in skill levels in the organization must be complimented with either training the existing employees to enhance their performance and productivity in the organization. The skill gap can also be met up by recruiting fresh candidates on new skill requirements as per the long term strategies of the organization (Pravin, 2010, p.123). Actions and documents for correct recruitment procedures The criterion for a strong recruitment procedure i n the organization is to recruit the right candidates in the organization and at the right time and position. The process must begin with writing the job description or the job specification. This is crucial to understand the exact needs and requirements of the job. The purpose, responsibilities and tasks associated with the job are the most crucial components of a proper job description. In this context the scope of the job is also important, i.e., expanding on the primary tasks and activities and importance of the job in the organization. This must be followed by the person specification or the detailing of skills, attributes and knowledge associated with the job. It is crucial to mention the types of experience needed in the job; the necessary competencies, education and requirements in the job. The person recruited must be evaluated on his future potential and prospects in the organization along with the present requirements. The next stage is to give consideration to the pay ra tes associated with the job. Factors like grades, scales, skills availability, market rates, and negotiated agreements must be considered. The organization must be careful about discrimination legislations. The final and the most crucial part are attracting the candidates. This can be done through internal recruitments, by providing promotional and training opportunities to existing employees. Recruitments can also be conducted through commercial recruitment agencies, in cases large scale candidates are required and internal hiring is not sufficient to meet the purpose. Using the internet as an active source of finding candidates can be extremely effective and useful as majority of the labour force attains recruitment information from the internet. It is also easy to access the talents across the globe through this medium. It can be mainly effective in technical and graduate level jobs as it can target a selected group of candidates with the requisite qualification and experience in stantly (Staffing.org, 2012). After deciding the channels of recruitment, it is important to design the advertisement for attracting candidates. This includes providing the various details for the position, contact number etc. Finally the candidates shortlisted through their

Swimming pools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Swimming pools - Essay Example There are many reasons for beaches being contaminated. "Fecal contamination occurs due to improperly constructed and operated septic systems and sewage treatment plants, manure spills, storm water runoff from lands with wildlife and pet droppings, or direct contamination from waterfowl, livestock, or small children in the water" (Iowa Department of Natural Resources). Other reasons are the presence of pathogens in the intestines of warm-blooded animals including human beings. The best way to identify fecal contamination is to use indicator bacteria. Escherichia coli or E. coli and Enterococcus sp. are the indicators used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office to identify fecal contamination in seas, lakes, ricers, etc. The indicator bacteria, which are used to identify fecal contamination don't make anyone sick. They are found everywhere in the environment. Presence in high levels of these indicators indicates that has come into contact with fecal material and pathogens or disease causing organisms may be present. Diseases like Diarrhea may be the result when anyone comes in contact with the contaminated water. Illnesses like sore throat, vomiting, sinus infections, stomachache, fever, headache and other skin related diseases might be caused due to the fecal contamination. One of the difficult tasks for every health organization is to monitoring the beaches.

Social Sciences Essay Example for Free

Social Sciences Essay 1. Primary data are those which are collected afresh and for the first time, and thus happen to be original in character. They are gathered by the researcher for the specific purpose of addressing the research problem. Secondary data, on the other hand, are those which have already been collected by someone else and have been processed statistically. These are collected for some purpose other than the problem at hand (Polonsky Waller, 2005; Kothari, 2005). Some of the disadvantages of using a newspaper or magazine article as secondary source are doubts in the reliability, credibility and accuracy of data as sources may not be known, and the obsolescence of data as well (Summers Johnson-Morgan, 2005). Primary and secondary data alone are not sufficient. They should be both used in research because secondary data can be lacking something that only primary data can provide (Groucutt, Leadley, Forsyth, 2004). 2. Television broadcasts such as news are not totally valid as there is a tendency, especially in programs aimed at a wide public, to oversimplify data. News normally offers one set of secondary data. It would be a better practice to compare data from different sources (Walliman, 2006). The questionnaire, as a means for collecting primary data, should have minimal errors in its design in order to minimize bias in reporting and to maximize the likelihood of generating information that is reliable and valid (Amedeo, Golledge, Stimson, 2008). A systematic research design is aimed to ensure that appropriate issues are taken into account. It provides the mechanism by which research processes and practices can be assessed. The research design lays the foundation for a sound hypothesis describing the interrelationship of variables and providing the researcher with a baseline from which to work. A good research design eliminates ambiguity in concepts, thus ensuring construct validity. The actual design of the research process ensures that no other variables can affect the study, hence enhancing internal validity. The research design also provides control to unwanted variables that may arise in the conduct of the research in order to uphold its external validity. Statistical tests are used as instruments to verify the validity of the hypothesis. Hence, if statistical information is wrong, the hypothesis will be invalid (Black, 1999). References Amedeo, D. , Golledge, R. G. , Stimson, R. J. (2008). Person-Environment-Behavior Research: Investigating Activities and Experiences in Spaces and Environments. New York: Guilford Press. Black, T. R. (1999). Doing Quantitative Research in the Social Sciences: An Integrated Approach to Research Design, Measurement and Statistics. California: SAGE Publishing. Groucutt, J. , Leadley, P. , Forsyth, P. (2004). Marketing: Essential Principles, New Realities. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Kothari, C. R. (2005). Research Methodology: Methods Techniques. New Delhi: New Age Publishers. Polonsky, M. J. , Waller, D. S. (2005). Designing and Managing a Research Project: A Business Students Guide. California: SAGE Publishing. Summers, J. Johnson-Morgan, M. (2005). Sports Marketing. Ontario: Nelson Thomson Learning. Walliman, N. S. R. (2006). Social Research Methods. California: SAGE Publishing.

Effect of Climate Change on Agricultural Activities

Effect of Climate Change on Agricultural Activities Chapter 1: Introduction Global Climate Change Climate is changing with the slow and steady pattern. The term Global Warming is referred to the annual average temperature increment of the earth. The average annual temperature of the earth has increased to 0.8  °C since the early 20th century and more than 66 percent of this increment happened after 1980. In this sense, especially in the context of environmental policy, the term climate change has become synonymous with the anthropogenic global warming. In many scientific journals, the term global warming refers to surface temperature increase while climate change includes global warming and everything else that increasing greenhouse gas levels will affect. Americas Climate Choices. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. 2011. p.15.  ISBN978-0-309-14585-5. The average temperature of the Earths surface increased by about1.4 °F(0.8 °C) over the past 100 years, with about1.0 °F(0.6 °C) of this warming occurring over just the past three decades. Climate Change is a natural phenomenon may change the average weather conditions of any area because of some reasons. These reasons are biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic eruptions. It is also observed that humans are also contributing to the climate change by their activities and these activities can cause significant change to the Climate, this phenomenon is called Global Warming. Change in the annual temperature, rainfall, and wind patterns of an area can cause significant impacts to the plant productivity of any area positively or negatively. Global warming can be a problem for coastal areas where it can cause rise in the sea level and thus may destroy the coastal areas and land. Rise of sea level may also pollute the underground fresh water and people may face water related problems. Climate Change may be beneficial for the lands covered in the ice like Polar Regions through which a large area can be vacated but it may invites some new disasters which would affect the life of humans in other parts of the world. Environment is a very sensitive system, when something new enters in the environment doesn’t accept it easily because it is holding the whole food chain with it and we humans are also very much linked with this food chain and when one link of this chain is disturbed it would directly or indirectly affect the whole chain. Thus it is very important to keep the chain intact and proper protection to this chain should be provided. Rise is temperature changes the whole habitat of an area because when temperature of an area rises the wind patterns of that area change because high temperature would make the air hot in the area and the air would move up and a low pressure area would be formed. To fill this low pressure area the airs from surrounding areas will come which will be cold and sometimes full of moisture and it would result in cloud formation and as a result rainfall would occur. But if this process gains more temperature then it would trigger the whole process and thus the climate of the area would be changing. This research addresses the climate changing in the district Gujrat which is affecting the agricultural activities of the area and vegetation cover is also being affected by the climate change. As we know that our food necessities are directly associated with vegetation cover and if the vegetation is disturbed by the climate change then it is going to affect all the people associated with it. So this research is important in the context that the vegetation is important for us and if there should be proper measures taken to control the impacts of climate change on vegetation. Agriculture Agriculture is the most renowned activity in the under-developing countries, because of unlimited availability of fertile land and less trend towards industrialization and other secondary and tertiary activities. Primary activities are those activities which are related to agriculture (both subsistence and commercial), mining, forestry, farming, grazing, hunting and gathering, fishing, and quarrying. The primary sector of the economy extracts or harvests products from the earth. The primary sector includes the production of raw material and basic foods. The major reason for primary activities in under-developed countries are the less education, less urbanization, less demand for development, and bad economic conditions. Primary activities also prevails in the developed countries but these activities are very less as compared to the secondary and tertiary activities. About 3% of America is engaged in primary activities as compared to under-developed countries where the percentage of p rimary activities is more than 50-60%. (http://geography.about.com/od/urbaneconomicgeography/a/sectorseconomy.htm) In developed countries, the primary activities are very less in ratio as compared to other activities plus these countries have proper techniques for saving their agriculture from being destroyed due to change of climate or any other disaster. On the other hand the underdeveloped countries are having very large ratio of agriculture in there economy and other primary activities nor do they have the techniques to save their economic source. This research is mainly concerned with one type of these countries which are underdeveloped and totally relying on the agricultural activities or other primary activities to fulfill their economic needs. That country is Pakistan, Pakistan is one of these countries which is relying on the agricultural activities. Agriculture in Punjab Agricultural of Pakistan is depending upon two kind of water resources; riverine water and rain water. Rivers are providing water through different canals. Rain is not the efficient source of providing water to the agriculture because it is very scarce in Pakistan and only the northern and western regions receive the amount of rainfall necessary for agriculture. The southern regions such as Sindh, South Punjab and Baluchistan don’t receive the rainfall required for agriculture Agriculture through Irrigation There are seven link canals in Pakistan which are substantially important for agriculture in Pakistan these canals are as follow; Chashma Jhelum Link Taunsa Panjnad Link Rasul Qadirabad Link Qadirabad Balloki Link Balloki Sulemanki Link II Trimmu Sidhnai Link Sidhnai – Milsi – Bahawal Link These are the canals which being utilized for irrigation purposes and dependency on rain water does not exist. Agriculture through Rains The second source of agriculture is rain water, playing a substantial role in those areas where there is no river or canal. Rain recharges the ground water in those areas and that water is utilized in the dry season for the agriculture and other uses. In Punjab the high quantity of rainfall is towards the northern areas which are close to the Jammu Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The average annual rainfall of Northern Punjab is almost 700mm which is because the North Punjab receives two types of rainfall one is through Monsoons coming from the east from Bay of Bengal and the other is through Western winds coming from the Caspian Sea and Mediterranean Ocean Area of Interest (Gujrat) District Gujrat is the North Eastern District in Punjab where it is bounded with the Azad Kashmir from North East, Mandi Bahauddin from the South western side which was once part of this district but after 1996 it was separated from this district, Jhelum from the North Western side separated by the river Jhelum and Gujranwala and Sialkot from the Southern side separated by the river Chenab. It is between two important rivers of Pakistan Jhelum and Chenab which makes it the most fertile land of Pakistan. According to the Indus pact of 1960 both of these rivers were given to Pakistan that’s why the flow of these rivers remains constant throughout the year unlike other rivers of Pakistan which don’t flow during the winter season. The language Punjabi is being spoken in this part of Pakistan according to the Census of 1998 and 95% of people speak it with following dialects; Majhi or Standard (Majority) Potohari (Few people near jehlum district) Shah puri dialect (Few people speak this dialect) Other than Punjabi there are two more languages being spoken in this area which are Urdu and English. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan the total population of Gujrat district was 2,048,008 of which 1,026,000 are males and 1,022,000 are females, with a population density of 642 persons per square kilometer. Over 25.62% of the population was recorded as being urban. 1998 Census of Pakistan figures Urban Resource Centre The city of Gujrat is divided into two circles, City Circle (Head office Gujrat City) and Sadar Circle (Head office Jalalpur Jattan. The major source of income among the people of the city are agriculture and small industries. As agriculture is the major source of income among the people of city Gujrat then it is very important to stay safe from any kind of disaster which can damage agricultural prospect of the city suburbs. Chenab is a major river flowing between India and Pakistan, originates from the upper Himalaya where Indian state of Himachal Pradesh exists, reaches Punjab flowing through Jammu and Kashmir. It has many tributaries which are in Pakistan and also In India. According the Indus water treaty the water of river Chenab is allocated to Pakistan. It enters Pakistan forming a boundary between two districts of Punjab which are Sialkot and Gujrat. It provides water to the Pakistan throughout the year, in winter season the water quantity is decreased while in summer season the water coming as a result of monsoon rains causes floods in the southern Punjab. The flood of 2010 in Pakistan had a lot of contribution from this river. Chenab being a large river body is surrounding the city of Gujrat and fulfilling the water needs of the city. As we know that water is an essential element for the agriculture, the agriculture of the city Gujrat is also relying on the water of this river. As river recharges the ground water of this city which is utilized in the season of winter when the crops need more water and rainfall can’t fulfill the needs of the city’s agricultural land. Climate The city of Gujrat is located in temperate zone where the temperature shoots up to 45 ° Centigrade during the summer season while hot spells are short because of proximity of the Azad Kashmir Mountains with the city of Gujrat. In the season of winter the temperature may fall to 2 ° Centigrade. The average rainfall on the Kashmir border is over 1000 mm, at Kharian it is 750 mm, at Gujrat 670 mm, and at Dinga 500 mm. Gujrat city receives the average annual rainfall of 67cm (670mm) according to the data received from Meteorological department. Summer receives the heavy monsoons which are almost 80 percent of the annual rainfall and winter receives the rest of 20 percent rainfall which is as a result of western winds coming from Mediterranean and Caspian seas bringing moisture with them and release while passing through different regions, when western winds reaches Gujrat they turn almost dry that’s why the contribution of western winds to the annual rainfall is small. The monsoon winds are originated from the east near the Bay of Bengal in the summer season when the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) pushes to the North after the 21st March of every year. This change of ITCZ create a lot of low pressures in the regions and it also helps evaporate enough water from the ocean. Forming of different low pressures attract winds from the surrounding areas so these monsoon winds starts moving towards these low pressure areas and this is how they reach Gujrat at the end of month of June and start the rains which are sometimes disastrous for crops because of excessive rainfall or lateness of rainfall commonly known as failing of the monsoon rains. Wavelengths Sun emit radiations which are composed of different wavelengths, some of these wavelengths are very harmful and some of these wavelengths are helpful for us. Harmful wavelengths are having high frequency such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Ultra Violet rays are blocked by our atmosphere and they don’t reach us because of the thick wall of ozone layer. Helpful rays are those which have frequencies and high wavelengths they are not blocked by the atmosphere and they are beneficial for the human because visible portion is also included in this part. Visible Spectrum Visible portion is composed of three important rays having wavelengths from 0.4 to 0.7ÃŽ ¼m and are termed as Blue, Green and Red. These rays are the only wavelengths which a human eye can see while all the other wavelengths can’t be seen by the human eye and the spectrum of wavelength is very large. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (Ndvi) Normalized difference Vegetation Index is often called NDVI, a technique used to determine vegetation cover of any area through satellite data. Sunlight reaches the earth surface and hit different targets, those targets may include all objects placed on the earth surface. These objects have specific reflectance curve (reflectance values as a result of interaction with the sunlight). Vegetation also have a reflectance curve according to which the pigment in plant leaves, chlorophyll, strongly absorbs visible light (from 0.4 to 0.7 ÃŽ ¼m) for use in photosynthesis. The cell structure of the leaves, on the other hand, strongly reflects near infrared light (from 0.7 to 1.1 ÃŽ ¼m). The more leaves a plant has, the more these wavelengths of light are affected, respectively. Vegetation appears very different at visible and near infrared wavelengths. In visible light (top), vegetated areas are very dark, almost black, while desert regions (like the Sahara) are light. At near-infrared wavelengths, the vegetation is brighter and deserts are about the same. By comparing visible and infrared light, scientists measure the relative amount of vegetation. NDVI is calculated from the visible and near-infrared light reflected by vegetation. Healthy vegetation (left) absorbs most of the visible light that hits it, and reflects a large portion of the near-infrared light. Unhealthy or sparse vegetation (right) reflects more visible light and less near infrared light. The numbers on the figure above are representative of actual values, but real vegetation is much more varied. (Illustration by Robert Simmon). Nearly all satellite Vegetation Indices employ this difference formula to quantify the density of plant growth on the Earth — near-infrared radiation minus visible radiation divided by near-infrared radiation plus visible radiation. The result of this formula is called the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Written mathematically, the formula is: NDVI = (NIR — VIS)/ (NIR + VIS) Calculations of NDVI for a given pixel always result in a number that ranges from minus one (-1) to plus one (+1); however, no green leaves gives a value close to zero. A zero means no vegetation and close to +1 (0.8 0.9) indicates the highest possible density of green leaves.

Advantages Of Web Applications Computer Science Essay

Advantages Of Web Applications Computer Science Essay Web application development is the process and practice of developing web applications. Web applications are business strategies and policies implemented on the Web through the use of User, Business and Data services. These tools are where the future lies. Web based applications have evolved considerably over the present years and alongside improvements in protection and knowledge there are plenty of scenarios where traditional software based applications and arrangements might be enhanced by transferring them to a web based application. The following are a few of the core benefits of web based applications. Cross platform compatibility. Majority of the web based applications are much more extra compatible across platforms than traditional installed software. Normally the minimum necessity should be a web browser of which there are plenty. (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape to term but a few) These web browsers are obtainable for a multitude of working operating systems and so whether you use Windows, Linux or Mac OS you can run the web application More manageable The web based systems just need to be installed on the server allocating minimal requirements on the end user workstation. This makes maintaining and notifying the arrangement far simpler as normally it can all be completed on the server. Each client updates can be used via the web server with ease. Highly deployable Because of the manageability and cross platform support, employing web applications to the end user is much easier. They are additionally flawless where bandwidth is limited and the system and data is remote to the user. At their most deployable you plainly need to dispatch the user to a website address to log in to and provide them with internet access. This has huge implications permitting you to widen admission to your systems, update procedures and enhance connections by bestowing more of your clients, suppliers and third parties with admission to your systems. Secure live data In larger and more complex systems the data is stored and shifted around various systems and data sources. In web based systems these systems /procedures can frequently be consolidated cutting the demand to move data around. Web based applications additionally furnish an added layer of protection by removing the demand for the user to have admission to the data and back end servers. Reduced costs Web based applications can lower prices dramatically due to decreased support and maintenance, lower the requirements on the end user system and simplify the architecture. Reduce company prices less time is spent conversing to clients over the phone; remove printed materials; permit users to update/modify their own details. With more updating of your company procedures as a consequence of your web based application supplementary savings can frequently be found. Zero installations all computers have a browser Centralised data more secure easy to backup. Quick and easy to update. Reach anyone, anywhere in the world. Availablility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Low spec PCs or smart phones can be used. Training- Online can be completed at users own time and pace. Direct access to latest information for Employees where it is located. Always up-to-date. Web-based applications are tricky to grasp and maintain. The users of Web-based applications change quite dynamically. Users can everywhere around the globe, managing to an inherent assumption that the request has to be highly available. An exceedingly obtainable request has to additionally be exceedingly reliable and scalable. All good Web-based applications benefit from countless features. In this article, I will debate some of the aspects and the key features that you have to address in a Web application: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scalability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Availability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintainability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reliability Key features for a Web application Each enterprise application must have the above-mentioned abilities, as well as affordability, reliability, upgradability, supportability, profitability and marketability. Scalability Scalability of an application has two autonomous aspects these are scale up and scale out. Scaling up involves enhancing the hardware or optimizing the software to safeguard a solitary server machine that can support extra users. Example, if a machine upheld 100 users before a scale up, then, afterward a scale up exercise, it could rise to 125 users. Scale out is when extra servers that present the same functions can be added, without disrupting the software, to rise the number of users upheld by the application. The users could rise from 100 to 175 afterwards adding one more set of server machines. The number of users should not double because of the overhead of contact between the servers allocating the load. This additionally shows that the software can be able to seamlessly allocate the burden of a single server between more than one server. Availability High availability is generally used synonymously with availability. A highly available application is the one thats up and running most periods in a year, hence elevated potential is measured in words of downtime across the year. This downtime additionally includes projected downtime of the request for maintenance and upgrading. Maintainability An application is believed to be maintainable if it can cater to most of the needs of the users above its lifetime. If an application can raise the number of users as demanded, enhance the features that users demand, and add new features to the request as demanded, next the application is maintainable. Reliability The downtime of an application due to bugs in the software is usually the unreliability factor. It is extremely vital for an application to have a elevated reliability factor to safeguard that it is additionally exceedingly available. Availability is decreased alongside each kind of downtime, encompassing downtime for software bugs. Task 2 Using two languages in each case to critically compare the different types of server-side and client-side scripting language A scripting language or script language is a programming language that supports the writing of scripts, programs written for a software environment that automate the execution of tasks which could alternatively be executed one-by-one by a human operator. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scripting_language A client-side script is a progam that could convoy an HTML document or be embedded directly in it. The program executes on the clients machine after the document loads, or at a little supplementary period such as after a link is activated. HTMLs support for scripts is autonomous of the scripting language. Scripts proposal authors a way to spread HTML documents in highly active and interactive ways. E.g: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scripts could be assessed as a document loads to adjust the contents of the document dynamically. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scripts could convoy a form to process input as it is entered. Designers could vibrantly fill out portions of a form established on the benefits of supplementary fields. They could additionally safeguard that input data conforms to predetermined scopes of benefits, that fields are reciprocally consistent, etc. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scripts could be activated by events that alter the document, such as loading, unloading, agent focus, mouse movement, etc. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scripts could be related to form controls (e.g., buttons) to produce graphical user interface elements. Server side scripting languages in a web hosting account Server side scripting language makes it probable to craft more advanced web sites. This page encompasses descriptions of the most public scripting languages obtainable in web hosting accounts. For the making of advanced dynamic websites, you require some server side scripting. Server side scripts are programs that are provided on the server, and can be utilized in countless ways. Template based web sites and shopping carts are a few examples. The languages utilized for these tasks are normal software design languages alongside distinct libraries/packages for server side scripting. Not all web hosting reports support all public scripting languages, so this is a vital factor in your find for the flawless web host. The following are a few of the most public software design languages utilized for server side scripting. ASP/ASP.net ASP, or Alert Server Pages, is a technology industrialized by Microsoft for making more advanced web pages. The most common language for software design ASP is VBScript. It is obtainable in most web hosting accounts on Microsoft servers. There is additionally a edition for Unix servers shouted Chillisoft ASP, but it is not as stable as real ASP. There are plenty of online ASP resources too. ASP.NET 4.Matthew MacDonald (5 Sep 2010) ASP.net is the subsequent creation ASP technology that permits you to use any .net-enabled language to plan a site. The two most public languages for .net web software design is VB.net and C#. Both of these languages are good choices for both desktop and web applications. VB.net is perhaps easier to use and learn, and C# is extra utilized for enterprise applications PHP PHP, or PHP Hypertext Preprocessor is an open source language .PHP has obtained large popularity the last few years. It is very easy to learn and there are countless readymade scripts available. Nearly every single inexpensive web hosting package includes PHP. Compared to other languages It is easy to learn for a programming language with countless books and web sources dedicated to it. PHP MySQL In Easy Steps by Mike McGrath (15 Aug 2012) The main choice for server side scripting on Unix/Linux periods is PHP. Its easy to learn and quick to program in. Java (JSP/Servlets) is the favored choice for larger projects/enterprises. Those who are arranging to become expert Windows programmers cant go wrong alongside ASP.net, alongside language choices for both beginners and extra experienced programmers. ColdFusion, Perl and Python are additionally good software design languages alongside their exceptional strengths. The languages are just instruments, and most software design methods can be utilized alongside most software design languages. Programmers should select one language and stick to it in the beginning. The use of different languages can be mystifying for beginners. For experienced programmers, new scripting languages are more easier to learn. PHP vs ASP.net Comparison Scalability and Ease of Maintenance Scalability and ease of maintenance have nothing to do if a programmer selects PHP or ASP.net platform. Web application scalability and ease of maintenance chiefly depend on the Programmers experience à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Using the best programming design practices à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Using a solid programming design framework à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Following software design guidelines and standards. Performance and Speed There has been a lot of debate concerning this subject and most of the debates have been biased and have been tailored to advance one of the programming languages instead of notifying the audience. There are so many countless supplementary factors to ponder when it comes to computing web application speed, so the speed of each software design language ought to not have any noticeable effect on the speed and presentation of most of the websites nowadays. When it comes to the main and common database servers, MySQL (now owned by Oracle), PostgreSQL, MSSQL and Oracle are all clashing for speed and performance. new features are seen and better performance by all database servers in every single edition enhance so I will say that the above database servers will all have a outstanding performance if the database programmers use optimized and useful SQL queries and if demanded, use the elevated features such as caching. MySQL is utilized by Google, Facebook, YouTube, Yahoo and very recently on FIFA world Cup that has consented a huge amount of viewers worldwide. This shows the capability of the MySQL database server Other items that can have a result on presentation but have nothing to do alongside the software design language is selected are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ability and vision of programmer to optimize the code à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ability and vision of programmer to accurately write properly and optimized SQL queries. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a few functions could take longer to present in the ASP.net platform and less time in the PHP platform or the other way round Cost: PHP, MySQL server, Apache server, and Linux OS are all free and upgrades are additionally free. There is no additional licensing price for possessing one more hot standby server as a backup, or demanding to run several servers for burden balancing or server clustering. ASP.net is free if you buy Windows OS. There is a comprehensive licensing price for a Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server and upcoming upgrades The licensing prices for Microsoft can considerably rise if the site becomes porpular and there is a demand to run the site on several servers or needs server features such as burden balancing, server clustering or hot standby. Support and Resources Since LAMP is open source, there is a large number of dedicated and approachable developers around the globe who unceasingly make improvements and updates, and provide added support for the platform. Additionally, there are extra support resources and developers obtainable for PHP and LAMP Platforms. ASP.net relies on an available number of developers at Microsoft for making improvements and updates. There are less support contributors available to solve ASP.net challenges. Learning PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, and CSS: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Dynamic Websites by Robin Nixon (3 Sep 2012) Time to Deploy It takes a larger number (more lines) of code to finish difficult features and functionality alongside ASP.net contrasted to PHP, adding extra time and cost to the development process. According to Programming PHP [Paperback]Kevin Tatroe (Author), Peter MacIntyre (Author), PHP is interpreted at the server, so after changing functionality, no supplementary steps are needed to see the changes. ASP.net needs to be compiled every single time the code is modified. The development process is extra time-consuming after employing ASP.net as compared to PHP. Platform Independent PHP is platform independent that can run on any platform (Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, Windows) In contrast ASP.net is only built to run only on the Windows platform. Task 3 Discuss three web security concerns and make recommendations for security improvements Privacy A term frequently used to delineate an individuals anonymity and how safe they feelin a location. when you are refering to privacy on the Internet, this usually means to what data is public alongside the visiting site, how that data is utilized, who that data is shared with, or if that data is used to track users on the website. Answers to these inquiries are usually discovered on the firm or website privacy strategy Examples of privacy invasion Identity theft Identity theft  is the act of a person obtaining information illegally about someone else. Often the thief will try finding such information as first name, surname, address, date of birth, social security number, passwords, phone numbers, email, family information, credit card numbers, other credit information, etc. The thief can then use this information to gain access to bank accounts, e-mail, cell phones, identify themselves as you, or sells your information. There are various ways of preventing identity theft e.g Using secure pages when on the internet. This are usually indicated with a lock Do not store debit /credit card details online Having active and up-to-date  spyware  protection program Having antivirus protection awareness of fake e-mails and  phishing  e-mails making sure computer is secure (passwords) Hacking   This is a term associated with any change not approved by the manufacturer or developer that makes the device do something it was not initially intended to do. Hackers usually use a software program downloaded to help a user perform a hack on their computer or other computer or device. Some software that may claim to do one thing may do another. For example, software that may promise to gain you access to another individuals computer may allow other hackers to get access to your information (aka  Trojan Horses). Listing of programs that may indicate a hacker has been on the computer. Backdoors  and  Trojans  are by far the most common programs to be installed on the computer after it has been hacked. These programs allow the hacker to gain access to the computer. Spyware, rogue antivirus programs, and  malware  can be an indication of a hacker. The following are ways of protecting your computer system Verify data is encrypted Use safe passwords Be cautious when logging from different locations Update internet browser plugins Secure saved passwords Be aware of those around you III) Destruction this is a very important reason for securing of data. System can be damaged and thus losing of data. Viruses can cause a system to function slowly and in time crash. This will affect other users. Malicious file execution Uploaded files or other data feeds may not be what they seem. Never allow user-supplied input to be used in any file name or path (e.g. URLs or file system references). Uploaded files may also contain a malicious payload so should not be stored in web accessible locations. According to Computer Security  by Dieter Gollmann  (Mar 8, 2011)When sending confidential information such as usernames, passwords or financial/personal details make sure by verifying that it is encrypted. Use of URL like HTTPS Familiarize you with phishing scams and techniques, which are used to con you into divulging account information. Finally make sure to store passwords and login information in a secure area. Never write login information on a sticky note or in a text file that is not encrypted.

Student Assesment :: Assessing Student Learning

Strengths: Rob Geis is a respectful and polite student. When he interacts with others his verbal abilities are excellent, he looks like a clever student. Rob seems very responsible because his attendance is consistent and his homework is stable. Needs: He may need to increase his social skills and interact more with others. He needs to ask for help when he does not understand the math concepts. In addition, it is imperative that he builds his self-esteem, experiments success, and feels that he is a valuable member of the class. Rob needs to be encouraged to achieve success relative to his personal potential in a positive learning environment. Interests: Rob has an interest in mechanics; he works at a car dealership after school that seems not interfering with school homework. Therefore, Rob interests are kinesthetic and physical. Preferred Way of Learning: Rob learns and process information in a kinesthetic manner. He likes to use graphics and visual objects such as graphs in math. He might learn better watching how to resolve math in presentations than lectures. Rob is a tactile student and he likes mechanics; therefore, his preferred way of learning is personal. Rob may respond positively to one-on-one attention by the teacher and he may definitely respond to an instruction when he can use grids, graphs, or other tools. Given the data provided about this student which of the family of models of teaching and / or theorist would you primarily draw on for help? Why? Support your ideas with citations from your text, and from other materials you have read. First, I will apply the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, â€Å"Maslow (1970) suggested that humans have a hierarchy of needs ranging from lower-level needs for survival and safety to higher-level needs for intellectual achievement and finally self-actualization†¦ each of the lower needs must be met before the next higher need can be addressed† (Woolfolk, 2013, p. 434). Consequently, I have to discover why Rob is not engaged in learning or why his motivation in school is so low; besides, I would like to know why he has a job after school. Are his physiological, safety, and social needs not met with his family? Why his self-esteem and lack of belonging in school are not in place? That is why, I need to investigate his family roots, and I will interview them to learn more about Rob .

Analysis of Gabriel Garcias One Hundred Years of Solitude Essay

Analysis of Gabriel Garcia's One Hundred Years of Solitude Historical roots of Macondo and the Buendia family. One Hundred Years of Solitude is about on imagined mythical town which is named as Macondo. Its foundation, rise, development and death throughout the history of its founders; Buendia family is narrated. It is the evolution and eventual decadence of a small Latin American town and its inhabitants. The novel is dominated by Colombian settings and the Buendia family is a Colombian family of those times that the story takes places. At that point, the reader may question the position of the book. Is the story of the fictional town Macondo and Buendia family simply about the failure of that particular town and family or is there something beyond. Did Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude, spend three years to write this book that then became his master piece, only because he wanted to talk about an imagined town, an imagined family and their failure. Or, is the book a metaphor for Latin America's, specifically Colombia's and her peoples history. Did Marquez w rite this book to paste it on history as an example of a history not to be repeated again, to paste it as a warning. As the second part of this assay, I want to focus on gypsies since they construct an other culture other than the inhabitants of Macondo. To find out the importance of this distinct, nomadic gypsy culture will enable the reader to make a comparison between gypsies and their contact with civilization, and Buendia family and their failure within their solitude. In other words, by comparing gypsies and Buendias, the reader will be able to get some important clues about Buendias' failure. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is the Nobel Prize wining author of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" of 1982. The ambiguity, aesthetic genius and the usage of the technique, 'magical realism' that is the connection between the fantasy and reality brought that success. The reader does not have to think too hard to enjoy the book. This is the beauty of Third World writing, that it deals with both specific and international issues. Third World and multi-cultural writers are describing, reproducing and addressing a heterogeneous and international (and this is often what passes for post-colonial) readership. Third world is a useful term which makes it possible to talk about this... .... Buendias overlooked the beauty of the heterogeneous thinking and behaving and stacked with the useless homogenous way of living that ended their aimless existence. Their aimless living left its place to a tabula rasa, a new fresh start at the end of the novel. Famous Colombian writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, by creating this new page, by eliminating the Buendia family, is preparing a new chance for other peoples, in fact for Latin Americans. His book is now pasted on history with the help literature and the intended readers may look at it and learn a lot from it. The story of Macondo and Buendias is not simply a story of a fictional town and its inhabitants. Marquez uses Aureliano's method, pasting names on objects to remember their names and functions. By pasting this book as a warning, Marquez names the true history of Colombia. He retells the civil war; the War of One Thousand Days and the banana massacre that is denied by the Colombian Government and erased from history boo ks. Marquez pasted his book to show some overlooked parts of Colombia's history and the dangers of circularity and repetitions and he wants his book to be a guide, a warning at least for a better future.

Communicating Information in Radioheads Music Albums :: Internet Net World Wide Web Media

Radiohead It is an important feature of the ideological system to impose on people the feeling that they really are incompetent to deal with complex and important issues: they'd better leave it to the captain. One device is to develop a star system, an array of figures who are often media creations or creations of the academic propaganda establishment, whose deep insights we are supposed to admire and to whom we must happily and confidently assign the right to control our lives and to control international affairs..." --Noam Chomsky, The Chomsky Reader Pasted on the inside of a Radiohead EP, Chomsky's quote serves as a reminder to the point these musicians are attempting to make: the essence of meaning is largely lost when reality is based on modern modes of information. In other words, the information one takes in is delivered in such an impersonal way, via multi-media, that the self is scattered in the saturation of these various mediums in an attempt to order information, or life. The word impersonal is used in the sense that the delivery has little to do with the meaning. Radiohead's latest release, "OK Computer," is about just that. "Everything spinning out of control," says front man Thom Yorke of Radiohead's latest album. Control is lost in the oversaturation of information, in which the complexity of information is so widespread that in a post-modern society meaning no longer adds up to a total, but instead schizophrenic patches with only relation to itself and not to anything else. It is in this where the fear of depthless ness in our society as a whole is felt. Take the advertising used by MTV for example. It is merely a barrage of extremely quick cuts, in which one can barely make out what each image is. First it may be an eyeball, then a car, them some white space, then a mathematical graph, then a plant, etc. After this the network's name is seen with the airdate of its newest show. Nothing had any relation to the next, or to the network or show, save only the fact that they were pasted next to one another. Post-modern critiquers such as Frederic Jameson would argue that this is a staple of post-modern depthlessness and schizophrenia found in today's society. The fact is, this advertising by MTV is seen as exciting and cutting edge due to the realization that today's society is so numbed down by media that the meaning isn't needed in such an advertisement because the medium sends the message of being "cool. Communicating Information in Radiohead's Music Albums :: Internet Net World Wide Web Media Radiohead It is an important feature of the ideological system to impose on people the feeling that they really are incompetent to deal with complex and important issues: they'd better leave it to the captain. One device is to develop a star system, an array of figures who are often media creations or creations of the academic propaganda establishment, whose deep insights we are supposed to admire and to whom we must happily and confidently assign the right to control our lives and to control international affairs..." --Noam Chomsky, The Chomsky Reader Pasted on the inside of a Radiohead EP, Chomsky's quote serves as a reminder to the point these musicians are attempting to make: the essence of meaning is largely lost when reality is based on modern modes of information. In other words, the information one takes in is delivered in such an impersonal way, via multi-media, that the self is scattered in the saturation of these various mediums in an attempt to order information, or life. The word impersonal is used in the sense that the delivery has little to do with the meaning. Radiohead's latest release, "OK Computer," is about just that. "Everything spinning out of control," says front man Thom Yorke of Radiohead's latest album. Control is lost in the oversaturation of information, in which the complexity of information is so widespread that in a post-modern society meaning no longer adds up to a total, but instead schizophrenic patches with only relation to itself and not to anything else. It is in this where the fear of depthless ness in our society as a whole is felt. Take the advertising used by MTV for example. It is merely a barrage of extremely quick cuts, in which one can barely make out what each image is. First it may be an eyeball, then a car, them some white space, then a mathematical graph, then a plant, etc. After this the network's name is seen with the airdate of its newest show. Nothing had any relation to the next, or to the network or show, save only the fact that they were pasted next to one another. Post-modern critiquers such as Frederic Jameson would argue that this is a staple of post-modern depthlessness and schizophrenia found in today's society. The fact is, this advertising by MTV is seen as exciting and cutting edge due to the realization that today's society is so numbed down by media that the meaning isn't needed in such an advertisement because the medium sends the message of being "cool.

Bloodlines Chapter Seven

â€Å"ADRIAN?† I SAID IN SURPRISE. â€Å"What's he have to do with any of this?† Jill simply shook her head and looked at me beseechingly. â€Å"Please. Just take me to him.† â€Å"But we'll be back there in a couple days for your feeding.† â€Å"I know,† said Jill. â€Å"But I need to see him now. He's the only one who will understand.† I found that hard to believe. â€Å"You're saying I wouldn't? Or that even Eddie wouldn't?† She groaned. â€Å"No. You can't tell Eddie. He'll flip out.† I tried not to frown as I mulled everything over. Why would Jill need to see Adrian after this mishap at school? Adrian couldn't do anything to help that I couldn't. As an Alchemist, I was in the best position to file a complaint. Did Jill just want moral support? I remembered how Jill had hugged Adrian goodbye and suddenly wondered if she had a crush on him. Because surely, if Jill needed to feel protected by someone, Eddie would be a better source to turn to. Or would he? Eddie was likely to go throwing office desks around in his outrage. Keeping this from him might not be a bad idea. â€Å"Okay,† I said at last. â€Å"Let's go.† I signed us out for off-campus travel, which took a little finagling. Mrs. Weathers was quick to point out that Jill had been banished to her dorm for the rest of the school day. I was equally quick to point out that classes were almost done, technically meaning the school day was almost finished. Mrs. Weathers couldn't fault the logic but still made us wait the full ten minutes until the last bell rang. Jill sat there, tapping her foot anxiously against the chair. We drove the half hour to Clarence's estate in the hills, saying little. I didn't really know what kind of small talk to make. â€Å"How was your first day of school?† was hardly an appropriate topic. And anyway, each time I thought about it, I just grew angrier. I couldn't believe any teacher would have the audacity to accuse Jill of drinking and having a hangover. There was really no way to prove something like that, and besides, you could tell after spending five minutes with her that it was impossible. A middle-aged human woman greeted us at the door. Her name was Dorothy, and she was Clarence's housekeeper and feeder. Dorothy was pleasant enough, if a little distracted, and wore a stiff gray dress with a high collar to hide the bite marks on her neck. I smiled back at her and maintained my professional mode but couldn't help a shudder when I thought about what she was. How could anyone do that? How could anyone offer their blood up willingly like that? My stomach lurched, and I found myself keeping my distance from her. I didn't even want to accidentally brush her arm when I walked past. Dorothy escorted us back to the room we'd all been sitting in the day before. There was no sign of Clarence, but Adrian was lying on a plush green couch, watching a TV that had been cleverly concealed inside an ornate wooden cabinet last time. When he saw us, he turned the TV off with a remote control and sat up. Dorothy excused herself and shut the French doors behind her. â€Å"Well, this is a nice surprise,† he said. He looked us over. Jill had changed into her normal clothes during her isolation today, but I still had on the Amberwood blouse and skirt. â€Å"Sage, aren't you guys supposed to have uniforms? This looks like what you usually wear.† â€Å"Cute,† I said, suppressing an eye roll. Adrian gave me a mock bow. â€Å"Careful. You almost smiled.† He reached for a bottle of brandy sitting on a nearby table. Small glasses were arranged around it, and he poured himself a generous amount. â€Å"You guys want one?† â€Å"It's the middle of the afternoon,† I said incredulously. Not that it'd really matter for me what time of day it was. â€Å"I've got a wicked hangover,† he declared, giving us a mock toast. â€Å"This is just the thing to cure it.† â€Å"Adrian, I need to talk to you,† said Jill earnestly. He looked over at her, the smirk fading from his face. â€Å"What's up, Jailbait?† Jill glanced uneasily at me. â€Å"Would you mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I took the hint and tried not to let on how irritated I was by all the secrets. â€Å"Sure. I'll just†¦ I'll just go outside again.† I didn't like the idea of being exiled, but no way was I going to wander the halls of the old house. I'd face the heat. I hadn't gotten very far down the hall when someone stepped out in front of me. I let out a small scream and nearly jumped three feet in the air. A heartbeat later, I realized it was Lee – not that it reassured me much. No matter how ostensibly friendly I was with this group, old defenses inside me kicked up at being alone with a new vampire. Running into him didn't help matters either because my brain processed it as an attack! Lee just stood there, staring at me. From the expression on his face, he was just as startled to find me in his house – though perhaps not quite as alarmed about it as I was. â€Å"Sydney?† asked Lee. â€Å"What are you doing here?† Within moments, my fear became embarrassment, like I'd been caught prowling. â€Å"Oh†¦ I'm here with Jill. She had kind of a rough day and needed to talk to Adrian. I wanted to give them some privacy and was going to just†¦ uh, go outside.† Lee's confusion transformed into a smile. â€Å"You don't have to do that. No need for exile. Come on, I was going to get a snack in the kitchen.† My face must have shown abject horror because he laughed. â€Å"Not the human kind.† I blushed and followed along with him. â€Å"Sorry,† I said. â€Å"It's instinct.† â€Å"No problem. You Alchemists are kind of jumpy, you know.† â€Å"Yeah.† I laughed uncomfortably. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"I've always wanted to meet one of you, but you guys certainly aren't what I expected.† He opened the door to a spacious kitchen. The rest of the house might be antique and gloomy, but inside here, everything was bright and modern. â€Å"If it makes you feel any better, you're not as bad as Keith. He was here earlier today and was so nervous, he literally kept looking over his shoulder.† Lee paused thoughtfully. â€Å"I think it might have been because Adrian kept laughing like a mad scientist at those old black-and-white movies he was watching.† I came to an abrupt stop. â€Å"Keith was here – today? What for?† â€Å"You'd have to ask Dad. That's who he talked to the most.† Lee opened the refrigerator and produced a can of Coke. â€Å"Want one?† â€Å"I – uh, no. Too much sugar.† He grabbed another can. â€Å"Diet?† I hesitated only a moment before taking it. â€Å"Sure. Thanks.† I hadn't intended to eat or drink anything in this house, but the can seemed safe enough. It was sealed and looked like it had come straight from a human grocery store, not some vampiric cauldron. I opened it and took a sip as my mind spun. â€Å"You have no idea at all what it was about?† â€Å"Huh?† Lee had added an apple to his menu and hoisted himself up so he sat on the counter. â€Å"Oh, Keith? No. But if I had to guess, it was about me. Like he was trying to figure out if I'm staying here or not.† He took a giant bite into the apple, and I wondered if having fangs made that harder at all. â€Å"He just likes his facts straight,† I said neutrally. As much as I disliked Keith, I still wanted a unified human front. I wasn't entirely inaccurate, though. I was pretty sure Keith felt undermined at learning there was one extra Moroi in â€Å"his territory† and was now making sure he was in on everything. Part of it was good Alchemist business, sure, but most was probably Keith's wounded pride. Lee didn't seem to think much of it and kept chewing his apple, though I could feel his eyes studying me. â€Å"You said Jill had a bad day? Is everything okay?† â€Å"Yeah, I think so. I mean, I don't know. I'm not even sure how things got messed up. She wanted to see Adrian for some reason. Maybe he can help.† â€Å"He's Moroi,† said Lee pragmatically. â€Å"Maybe it's just something only he could understand – something you and Eddie couldn't. No offense.† â€Å"None taken,† I said. It was only natural that Jill and I would have distinct differences – I was a human, and she was a vampire, after all. We couldn't be more different if we tried, and in fact, I kind of preferred it that way. â€Å"You go to college†¦ in Los Angeles? A human school?† It wasn't that weird a behavior for Moroi. Sometimes they stuck together in their own communities; sometimes they tried to blend into large human cities. Lee nodded. â€Å"Yup. And it was hard for me at first too. I mean, even without others obviously knowing you're a vampire†¦ well, there's just a sense of otherness you're always aware of. I eventually adjusted†¦ but I know what she's going through.† â€Å"Poor Jill,† I said, suddenly realizing I'd come at this situation all wrong. Most of my energy had been fixed on the school believing Jill's illness was a hangover. I should've focused on why she was sick in the first place. Anxiety over this new life change had to be taking its toll. I'd battled my own uneasiness, trying to figure out friendships and social cues – but at least I was still dealing with my own race. â€Å"I didn't really think about what she's going through.† â€Å"Do you want me to talk to her?† asked Lee. He set the apple core aside. â€Å"Not that I'm sure I have that much wisdom to share.† â€Å"Anything might help,† I said honestly. A silence fell between us, and I began to feel uneasy. Lee seemed very friendly, but my old fears were too ingrained. Part of me felt like he didn't so much want to get to know me as study me. Alchemists were clearly a novelty to him. â€Å"Do you mind me asking†¦ the tattoo. It gives you special powers, right?† It was nearly a repeat of the conversation at school, except Lee actually knew the truth behind it. I absentmindedly touched my cheek. â€Å"Not powers, exactly. There's compulsion in it to keep us from talking about what we do. And I get a good immune system out of it. But the rest? I'm nothing special.† â€Å"Fascinating,† he murmured. I looked away uneasily and tried to casually brush my hair back into my face. Adrian stuck his head in just then. All his earlier humor was gone. â€Å"Ah, there you are. Can I talk to you in private for a sec?† The question was directed to me, and Lee jumped off the counter. â€Å"I'll take the cue. Is Jill still in the den?† Adrian nodded, and Lee glanced at me questioningly. â€Å"Do you want me to†¦ ?† I nodded. â€Å"That'd be great. Thank you.† Lee left, and Adrian glanced back at me curiously. â€Å"What was that about?† â€Å"Oh, we thought Lee might be able to help Jill with her problems,† I explained. â€Å"Since he can relate.† â€Å"Problems?† â€Å"Yeah, you know. Adjusting to living with humans.† â€Å"Oh,† said Adrian. He produced a pack of cigarettes and, to my complete astonishment, lit up right in front of me. â€Å"That. Yeah, I guess that's good. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I need you to get me out of this place.† I was startled. This wasn't about Jill? â€Å"Out of Palm Springs?† I asked. â€Å"No! Out of this place.† He gestured around him. â€Å"It's like living in a retirement home! Clarence is taking a nap right now, and he eats at five. It's so boring.† â€Å"You've only been here for two days.† â€Å"And that's more than enough. The only thing keeping me alive is that he keeps a hefty supply of liquor on hand. But at the rate I'm going, that'll be gone by the weekend. Jesus Christ, I'm climbing the walls.† His eyes fell on the cross at my neck. â€Å"Oh. Sorry. No offense to Jesus.† I was still too baffled by the unexpected topic to feel much offense. â€Å"What about Lee? He's here, right?† â€Å"Yes,† agreed Adrian. â€Å"Sometimes. But he's busy with†¦ hell, I don't know. School stuff. He's going back to Los Angeles tomorrow, and that'll be another boring night for me. Besides†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked around conspiratorially. â€Å"Lee's nice enough, but he's not†¦ well, he's not really into having fun. Not the way I am.† â€Å"That might be a good thing,† I pointed out. â€Å"No morality lectures, Sage. And hey, like I said, I like him okay, but he's not here enough. When he is, he keeps to himself. He's always checking himself out in the mirror, even more than I do. I heard him worrying about gray hair the other day.† I didn't care about Lee's eccentricities. â€Å"Where would you even want to go? You don't want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A very unpleasant thought came to me. â€Å"You don't want to enroll at Amberwood, do you?† â€Å"What, and play 21 Jump Street with the rest of you? No, thank you.† â€Å"Twenty-one what?† â€Å"Never mind. Look.† He put out the cigarette – on the counter – which I thought was kind of ridiculous since he'd hardly smoked any of it. Why bother with such a filthy habit if you weren't going to use it all? â€Å"I need my own place, okay? You guys make things happen. Can't you get me some swank bachelor's pad like Keith has downtown so I can party with all the rich vacationers? Drinking alone is sad and pathetic. I need people. Even human people.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I'm not authorized to do that. You aren't†¦ well, you aren't really my responsibility. We're just taking care of Jill – and Eddie, since he's her bodyguard.† Adrian scowled. â€Å"What about a car? Can you do that?† I shook my head. â€Å"What about your car? What if I drop you guys back off at the school and then borrow it for a while?† â€Å"No,† I said swiftly. That was probably the craziest suggestion he could've made. Latte was my baby. I certainly wasn't about to lend it out to a heavy drinker – especially to one who also happened to be a vampire. If there was ever a vampire who seemed particularly irresponsible, it was Adrian Ivashkov. â€Å"You're killing me here, Sage!† â€Å"I'm not doing anything.† â€Å"Exactly my point.† â€Å"Look,† I said, growing irritated. â€Å"I told you. You're not my responsibility. Talk to Abe if you want things changed. Isn't he the reason you're here?† Adrian's annoyance and self-pity shifted to wariness. â€Å"What do you know about that?† Right. He didn't know I'd overheard their conversation. â€Å"I mean, he's the one who brought you guys here and made the arrangements with Clarence, right?† I hoped that would be convincing enough – and maybe yield me a little information on what Abe's master plan was. â€Å"Yes,† Adrian said, after several seconds of intense scrutiny. â€Å"But Abe wants me to stay in this tomb. If I got my own place, we'd have to keep it secret from him.† I scoffed. â€Å"Then I'm definitely not helping, even if I could. You couldn't pay me to cross Abe.† I could see Adrian bracing for another argument and decided to make my exit. Turning my back on him and any further protests, I headed out of the kitchen and back to the living room. There, I found Jill and Lee talking, and she wore the first genuine smile I'd seen in a while. She laughed at some comment he made and then looked up at my entrance. â€Å"Hey, Sydney,† she said. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Are you about ready to go?† â€Å"Is it time?† she asked. Both she and Lee looked disappointed, but then she answered her own question. â€Å"I guess it is. You probably have homework, and Eddie's probably worried already.† Adrian entered the room behind me, looking pouty. Jill glanced at him, and for a moment, her gaze turned inward, like her mind had gone somewhere else. Then she turned back to me. â€Å"Yeah,† she said. â€Å"We should go. I hope we can talk later, Lee.† â€Å"Me too,† he said, standing up. â€Å"I'll be around here, off and on.† Jill hugged Adrian goodbye, clearly reluctant to be leaving him too. With Lee, she'd looked mostly like she was sad to leave something that had just gotten interesting. With Adrian, there was more of a sense like she wasn't sure how she was going to get by. Her next scheduled feeding was in two days, and Adrian was encouraging, telling her she was strong enough to get through the next school day. Despite how much he kept annoying me, I was moved by his compassion for the younger girl. Anyone who was that nice to Jill couldn't be that bad. He was starting to surprise me. â€Å"You look better,† I told her as we drove toward Vista Azul. â€Å"Talking to Adrian†¦ to both of them†¦ it was helpful.† â€Å"Do you think you'll be okay tomorrow?† â€Å"Yeah.† Jill sighed and leaned back against the seat. â€Å"It was just nerves. That, and I didn't eat much breakfast.† â€Å"Jill†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I bit my lip, hesitant to plunge forward. Confrontation wasn't my strong suit, particularly with awkward personal topics. â€Å"You and Adrian†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jill gave me a wary look. â€Å"What about us?† â€Å"Is there anything†¦ I mean, are you guys†¦ ?† â€Å"No!† Out of the corner of her eye, I saw Jill turn bright pink. It was the most color I had ever seen in a vampire's face. â€Å"Why would you say that?† â€Å"Well. You were sick this morning. And then really adamant about seeing Adrian. You're always sad to leave him too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jill gaped. â€Å"Do you think I'm pregnant?† â€Å"Not exactly,† I said, realizing it was kind of a nonsensical answer. â€Å"I mean, maybe. I don't know. I'm just considering all the possibilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well, don't consider that one! There's nothing going on between us. Nothing. We're friends. He'd never be interested in me.† She said it with a dismal certainty – and maybe even a little wistfully. â€Å"That's not true,† I said, fumbling to undo the damage. â€Å"I mean, you're younger, yeah, but you're cute†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Yes, this was a terrible conversation. I was just babbling now. â€Å"Don't,† said Jill. â€Å"Don't tell me I'm nice and pretty and have a lot to offer. Or whatever. None of that matters. Not when he's still hung up on her.† â€Å"Her? Oh. Rose.† I'd nearly forgotten. The trip to Court had been the first time I'd seen Adrian in person, but I'd actually seen him once before on security camera footage when he'd been at a casino with Rose. The two of them had dated, though I wasn't entirely sure how serious the relationship had been. When I'd helped Rose and Dimitri escape, the chemistry between those two had been off the charts, even if they'd both been in denial of it. Even I'd been able to spot it a mile away, and I knew next to nothing about romance. Seeing as Rose and Dimitri were officially a couple now, I had to assume things with Adrian hadn't ended well. â€Å"Yeah. Rose.† Jill sighed and stared vacantly ahead. â€Å"She's all he sees when he closes his eyes. Flashing dark eyes and a body full of fire and energy. No matter how much he tries to forget her, no matter how much he drinks†¦ she's always there. He can't escape her.† Jill's voice dripped with astonishing bitterness. I might have written it off as jealousy, except that she talked as though she'd been personally been wronged by Rose too. â€Å"Jill? Are you okay?† â€Å"Huh? Oh.† Jill shook her head, like she was shaking off the cobwebs of a dream. â€Å"Yeah, fine. Sorry. It's been a weird day. I'm a little out of it. Didn't you say we could pick up some things?† A sign for the next exit advertised a shopping center. I rolled with the change in subject, glad to be away from personal matters, though I was still pretty confused. â€Å"Uh, yeah. We need sunscreen. And maybe we can get a little TV for the room.† â€Å"That'd be great,† said Jill. I left it at that and took the next exit. Neither of us spoke about Adrian for the rest of the night.