Activity-Based Costing vs Traditional Costing Essay

Activity-Based Costing vs Traditional Costing - Essay Example The other difference between the two methods is that activity based costing is accurate because it accounts for significant issues before it allocates cost to a given product. Contra wise the traditional costing is not accurate because it only considers specific products.Activity based costing demonstrates the cost of a product cross-subsidization challenge in cases where some products costs are higher and also when other products costs are lower as compared to the traditional method produced costing. The ABC regularly demonstrates that other products cost are highly costed while others are under coasted, hence resulting in crossing subsidization.Activity based is used to progress profitability through analyzing first the clients demand products, customers may require little or considerable support. Therefore, ABC helps in determining different amounts of customer’s activities be supported, and their costs for each client benefit and, as a result, deciding customer’s pr ofitability. However, the customers benefit is determined after the consideration of the customers support. Some of the ABC disadvantages are that implementation is expensive and time-consuming to establish ABC system. The system requires more resources like software that could be costly and consultants with the necessary expertise. The other disadvantage is data misinterpretation due to challenges in interpreting ABC data with often accounting information, which can be at times tricky, regarding decision-making.

Paul Rand Essay Example for Free

Paul Rand Essay Paul Rand (born Peretz Rosenbaum, August 15, 1914 – November 26, 1996) was a well-known American graphic designer, best known for his corporate logo designs. He designed many posters and corporate identities, including the logos for IBM, UPS, ABC and Westinghouse. Paul Rand portrayed abstract ideas with clarity that resonated with viewers. In his work, Rand recast modern art as something innocuous for the average patron, and no longer a radical political manifesto. This adoption of modernist ideas to mainstream communication shifted the work from rebellious to insightful. One of his strengths was his ability as a salesman to explain the needs his identities would address for the corporation. Rand used the avant garde movements as inspiration for his own style. He came to appreciate a relationship between geometric form and color through the works of artists like Wassily Kandinsky, Adolphe Mouron Cassandre and Moholy Nagy as well as an understanding of line through the works of artists such as Paul Klee. Rand developed elements from these artists and fused them with the American Modernist Movement that grew out of the 1930’s. Modernism was a movement that continued to change and grow as the twentieth century progressed. During Rand’s time, modernist art expression started to merge with American pop culture. Other designers of the time, such as Lester Beall, Saul Bass and Bradbury Thompson embraced this exposure of design to the mainstream through advertising, logo design, poster design, book jackets, packaging, etc. Most of these artist’s works from the time incorporate bold color, basic geometric form, playful typography and an obvious experimentation with formal decision-making. These elements are repeated in Paul Rand’s work but in a style that is indicatively his own.

Elizabethan Theater :: essays research papers

Elizabethan Theater Elizabethan times in the 1600s was a progression for the world of the theater. A period named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, it is from this period that modern day society has its foundation for the entertainment industry. From the violence that was prevalent because of the Black Death, people turned to the theater for its poetry and romance. During this time period, there were two types of theatrical performances that were available for the people’s viewing, comedies or tragedies. These two genres were never really intertwined until the time of William Shakespeare. His play, Romeo and Juliet, is an example of both a comedy and a tragedy. It starts off as a comedy with Romeo weeping like a baby because of his love Rosaline, who did not love him back and ends as a tragedy when Romeo and Juliet, a pair of star crossed lovers, commit suicide because the lost of each other. It was also during Shakespeare’s time that writer were finally acknowledged by the people. Befor e this time, writers were not considered upper classman. Another group of people that began to rise into a higher social class were the actors. Actresses were not present back then because women were not allowed on stage. It was considered unladylike to have a female actor. Men played all the parts. Theater owners were dependent on actors to make them a profit. Rehearsals for the plays were fairly short, only lasting for about a week. The performances themselves would only show for three to four days. Actors were expected to memorize hundreds of lines at a time. While one play could be performing, actors would be practicing lines for their next show. Play writers also began to make roles for the actors in the theatrical pieces. The theaters that actors performed in were roofless so that the sun could be used as lighting. Theatrical shows were held in the afternoon because it provided the best amount of light for the show. When the people gathered into the theater, the different clas ses of people were separated by where they could afford to sit and watch the show. The lower classmen were situated on the bare earth where it was dirty and smelly because it was never cleaned. The owners’ of the theaters found it less expensive if they did not keep high maintenance of their establishments. Higher classmen sat under a roof and for a penny more, they could buy cushions for their seats. Elizabethan Theater :: essays research papers Elizabethan Theater Elizabethan times in the 1600s was a progression for the world of the theater. A period named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, it is from this period that modern day society has its foundation for the entertainment industry. From the violence that was prevalent because of the Black Death, people turned to the theater for its poetry and romance. During this time period, there were two types of theatrical performances that were available for the people’s viewing, comedies or tragedies. These two genres were never really intertwined until the time of William Shakespeare. His play, Romeo and Juliet, is an example of both a comedy and a tragedy. It starts off as a comedy with Romeo weeping like a baby because of his love Rosaline, who did not love him back and ends as a tragedy when Romeo and Juliet, a pair of star crossed lovers, commit suicide because the lost of each other. It was also during Shakespeare’s time that writer were finally acknowledged by the people. Befor e this time, writers were not considered upper classman. Another group of people that began to rise into a higher social class were the actors. Actresses were not present back then because women were not allowed on stage. It was considered unladylike to have a female actor. Men played all the parts. Theater owners were dependent on actors to make them a profit. Rehearsals for the plays were fairly short, only lasting for about a week. The performances themselves would only show for three to four days. Actors were expected to memorize hundreds of lines at a time. While one play could be performing, actors would be practicing lines for their next show. Play writers also began to make roles for the actors in the theatrical pieces. The theaters that actors performed in were roofless so that the sun could be used as lighting. Theatrical shows were held in the afternoon because it provided the best amount of light for the show. When the people gathered into the theater, the different clas ses of people were separated by where they could afford to sit and watch the show. The lower classmen were situated on the bare earth where it was dirty and smelly because it was never cleaned. The owners’ of the theaters found it less expensive if they did not keep high maintenance of their establishments. Higher classmen sat under a roof and for a penny more, they could buy cushions for their seats.

International Business Finance Essay

1.Introduction This report is specific for JKX Oil & Gas. She is a petroleum company focusing on exploration and production in countries of the ex Soviet Union and the Ukraine. Her management is considering weather following her competitor expansion into Far East and Oceania. In this report I am going to show analysis in two sections. The first section is analysis on motivation of cross border investment in using FDI and find out the reasons of home countries & host countries encourage company to FDI. The second section is evaluating any key causes of a financial crisis and show how financial crisis affect the international trading. 2.Motivations of using FDI as cross border investment Basically FDI could be divide into three type of motivates they are market-seeking, resource-seeking, and efficiency-seeking (Malllampally and Sauvant 1999). Other than above there are a lot of academics theories, which could explain the motives behind the FDI by enterprises. In these theories I have chosen five theories that is common to be use for explain the motivations of FDI. First is international product life cycle theory (Vernon 1966), every product ought to go thought some stages from a new product to a mature product. In order to take efficient and cost advantages in different stage, production plant move towards foreign. This theory help explain the motive of manufacturing business efficiency-seeking and market-seeking in using FDI but fail to explain reason of using FDI instead of using others methods such as licensing. For example car producer such as Honda, their new car will be firstly starting design and produce in Japan during the new product stage, then shift to USA for listen to the market where have a huge demand and lastly the production will be shift to the East-Asia to produce in order to lower the production cost in the standard product stage. Second is transaction cost theory (Williamson 1993), it stated that when enterprises business is affected by market imperfection, which lead transaction cost increase. They will go international which benefit the efficiency and decrease the transaction cost. Be remind that this theory fail to explain reason of enterprises using FDI instead of using others methods and it is usually apply to manufacturing business efficiency-seeking which products are low in price, heavy, and easily to product in every where. For examples cement manufacturing industry as the raw-material is easy found in every where and easy to product also it is cheap in price and heavy so that firm will be product it locally instead of export it. Third is market imperfection approach, (Hymer 1970) assume that due to market imperfection FDI present. Theory stated that when any factors which lead failure of perfect market. Because of extra cost of cover the barriers, advantage present in foreign countries, and advantages in using FDI over licensing such as full control, unique knowledge, and skill cannot be transferred. Enterprises will do the FDI to achieve profit maximization on their business. This theory help explain the motive of efficiency-seeking in every business by using FDI when they facing market imperfection. Fourth is eclectic theory (Dunning 1993), theory stated that following factors found by enterprise FDI will be present. Firm will get advantage over particular location ownership, the advantage of have location ownership are not by selling or leasing, for the advantage a profit advantage must be gain. This theory help explain the motive of industries using FDI to take advantage of market-seeking and resource-seeking. Fifth is following competitors theory (Knickerbocker 1973), this theory stated that in oligopolies industries firm will follow her competitors to move towards foreign countries. Following competitors in order to reduce the chance monopoly in a new oversea market by her competitor. This theory help explain the motive of oligopolies industries go international for market-seeking But this theory fail to explain the reason of first mover and reason of using FDI to expand other than licensing. Eclectic theory, following competitors theory, and market imperfection approach which help explain why JKX chose to invest internationally with FDI. JKX is focusing on petroleum exploration and production of oil. It is just perfectly apply the eclectic theory because JKX is fully depending on use of local resources oil field. FDI is the only way to gain the resource by takeover the location ownership, and JKX uses the location resource to generate profit by production. Also maybe reason of addition cost on oil production JKX will decide move to other country because of the unique knowledge and skill cannot be transferred JKX need to use FDI to build new production plant. Also exploration and production oil industry in oligopolies. If JXK do not follow her competitors she will lost the potential oil field and her potential customer in new location. Moreover when JKX decides to invest internationally she needs to beware of the following such as economic risks, political risk, exchange rate risk, and cultural risks. 3. FDI impact on nation states Because of FDI bring a lot of advantages to nation states (host & home), nation states attempt to encourage FDI to do so. 3.1Advantage of FDI to host country There are seven advantages of FDI to nation states, which explain why host countres attempt to encourage foreign to do FDI. First is resource transfer effects, FDI by foreign firm bring along with their capital, technology, and management skill to host country. Capital bring alone by FDI is an importance source of stable private external finance for every country especially to developing countries. For example JKX buy an oil field form the host country and invest on the oil drilling equipment and build production plant ,which is a long term investment, profit making though production ,and could not leave easily. Moreover the external finance give a big hand on the balance of payment and foreign exchange reserve which is importance element for the economic health. Technology and Management Skill are another resources bring alone with FDI, which enhance productivity and competitiveness of host country. Both of them are importance elements for success in global market when chance comes. Foreign firm provide training on knowledge and skills on how to produce and management skill to local employee in order to facility the production. These knowledge transfer direct benefits to local labors and enhance productivity and competitiveness of host country. For example in the 90’s computer parts MNCs build production plant in Taiwan by FDI, nowadays Taiwan is be came another computer parts manufacturing kingdom in Asia. Second is employment effect, FDI creating employment for host country. Foreign firms build up their manufacture plant in the host country which increases the employment directly by foreign own plant and relative industry, for example in Mexico FDI create every 1 job in the foreign production plant and create 7 job in the relative industry (Farrell 2004). Also the local trained employees may start their own business. But there will be opposite effect in market-seeking† FDI raise unemployment by forcing less competitive companies out of business as foreign firm will bring along with advance technology reduce employment need in same production, For example Wal-Mart’s entry into the Mexican food Market which decrease the margin of that industry push less competitive companies exit (Farrell 2004). But actually this effect is just base how government manage the FDI for example in the 90’s china government restrict of the sold inside market of foreign firm which protect the local employment would not be substitute. Third economic growth and local multiplier effect, high employment leads more consumption by the local country citizen. As a result encourage industries further develop to fulfill increasing consumer needs; lower prices, better quality, and more selection for consumers. It is because of further developed of the industries, which increase employment, and new products encourage consumer to do more purchase, the cycle will go on and on. Fourth credibility in international market because of demonstration of first mover success, build up a model for the followers others foreign firms will be more confident to FDI to the same country. As followers could learn the first-comer experience, enjoy the effort done by first comer in host country such as infrastructures, educated customers, trained labors, and research done. Also stop the first-mover to become monopoly. In additional the credibility may attract short-term investment others than FDI. For example India starting by the first mover to starting computer software relating industry, nowadays it became another silicon valley in. Fifth access to return markets (Malllampally and Sauvant 1999), as FDI by foreign firm increase accessing international marketing network. The network benefit to transnational systems related industry, domestic firm to getting spillovers foreign business, and wider economic of host counties, by greater the links between foreign and domestic. This also helps spread the enhanced productivity and competitiveness of host countries. Sixth tax revenue from profit (Razin 2002), profit generated by FDI contribute to tax revenues to the host country in general. But some countries may cancel out direct taxes for the MNCs to attract for investment, tax revenues will still be benefit as more consumption in local {Sales Tax} and better income of citizen {Income Tax} Seventh reinvestment within local economy, the credibility of host country established the foreign firm may reinvestment into same country by using the profit earns in there. Moreover host counties encourage foreign firms to do so as foreign firm bring the profit back to their home country may deplete the foreign reserve and the profit earned put back to host country will bring along with new benefit to host country. In additional FDI force host country improve their economic health such as policy system, industry, and better the living standard of the host country by better income, lowing price, improve quality and more selection for customer. 3.2Disadvantage of FDI to host country There are also some bad points together with FDI incoming such as, Adverse effects on local competition due to spending power and brand of MNC, MNCs become an impact on government decision due to the economic power of MNCs, Over exploitation of country mineral wealth etc†¦ 3.3Advantage & Disadvantage of FDI to home country Looking on the surface impact of FDI to home country surely will be lot disadvantages follow by such as negative impact balance of payment and increase unemployment. But why home country will encourage company to do FDI aboard , FDI will benefit the country in such ways, company go aboard may increase the export due to new development demand, MNCs will bring the FDI profit back to home country that benefit the balance of payment, jobs will be create as additional need of support activity represent by FDI aboard. FDI increase the long-term competiiveness by learn from others countries. Home country could benefit from the FDI of the sunset industries to free labor force form the costly and low-value industry. FDI good to host country and long-run good to home country FDI need management and benefit to both MNCs and host government For FDI to be successful it require win-win situation benefit both MNC and Host country, but require a good control in order to manage FDI well. If the management of FDI is done badly which may result in harmful to whole host country’s economic system. On the other hand FDI going aboard not only bring alone with disadvantage to host country in the long-run which may also give a huge benefit to the home country. The following paragraph will be shown both advantages and disadvantages of FDI to nation states 4.Root causes of financial crisis  There are many underlying reason which form a financial crises such as excess capital inflow, speculation activities, poor financial infrastructure, monetary policy etc.. all these factors encourage financial crises breakout. The following is a simple flow of twin crises (Kaminsky and Reinhart 1999). Starting form establishes of credibility of a country, foreign investors will start to invest into the country because expectation of return high. When the capital going into the local economic, that increase the economic health, local money supply, economic activity, foreign reserves, and government budget. All these factors increase country credibility and once again increase the attractiveness of capital inflow. The continuous increasing expectation of return will form rational bubble (Blanchard 1979) investors and speculators will holding an overvalued currency but would not sell it yet, they believe there will be a further appreciation on the local currency. Because of more and more capital inflow, banks in the country will facing difficult in generating profit as they have too much cash on hand, the banks will decrease the liquidity ratio lend more money out of the banks which result in increase risky loan, overinvestment, over-consumption, and asset price bubble. Banking crisis will more like to happen when bubble bursts and increasing bad loan. When the Banking Crisis outbreak which decline economic activity, costly fiscal bailout, decline the country credibility and lead capital flight. (Aghevli 1999) Capital outflow, costly fiscal bailout, decline economic activity, and speculation activities fasten decline the foreign reserves that result currency crisis.

City and Village Life Essay

1. Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle. It is also referred to as one’s elder.. The age of 60 or 65, roughly equivalent to retirement ages in most developed countries, is said to be the beginning of old age. Â  Village life is better than- city essay 2. Old age homes are meant for old aged /senior citizens who are unable to stay with their families or are insolvent. Some old age homes also have residential medical facility performs multiple functions catering to the needs of the old age people’s. 3. There are 728 Old Age Homes in India today. Detailed information of 547 homes is available. Out of these, 325 homes are free of cost while 95 old age homes are on pay & stay basis, 116 homes have both free as well as pay & stay facilities and 11 homes have no information. Kerala has 124 old age homes which is maximum in any state. 4. For the elderly & senior people this is very important issue because we need utmost medical care & look after when we grow old whether we are in or anywhere in the world. There are many reasons for looking for old age homes such as migration or location of Peoples due to their work / lack of time in youngsters / neglect / family problems etc. 5. Those elderly who are abused by children, may feel the old age home is heaven. But later they feel they wish to go back home. Because no place can beat a home, however painful it is. A home means family, and family means belonging. Those who do not have any family, for them old age homes can be a blessing. But those who have family, for them being sent to old age home is like condemning them to death. 6. This Old age homes supply a number of needs they want as they get older. First among these is security, both financially, physically and medically, though not necessarily in that order. The elders are seeing old age homes as an alternative to care in the context of lack of family care. Among such elders, on the one hand we have elders from the upper class staying in paid homes enjoying all and active life.

Gran Torino Essays

Gran Torino Essays Gran Torino Paper Gran Torino Paper The movie GranTorino demonstrates that the casualties of war are not Just those on the front line. Nearly all of the characters have experiences the impact of war even though most of the have never been near the front line. This essay will explore the way that war has Impact on different character. Walt Kowalskis family directly experience the negative ways of war. When Walk the maln character comes back from was hes a changed person who doesnt really Ilke other people and finds It really hard to communicate with others even his children, he finds it hard to shows that he cares. Throughout the movie he indicates that he doesnt understand his children or grandchildren. I have more common with these gooks than my own spoilt, rotten family. In terms, it can be seen that his children dont know how to show respect to him an example of this is they talking throughout at Walts wife Funeral. He grandchildren are disrespectful and give the impression that the only thing they see Walt is good for his Gran Torino and his money. It is sad to see that Walt has not been able to have a good relationship with his family and he prefer to spend time with his dog. : Rather than a loving relationship It seems that Walts children sees him as a Burden and they try to make him to the nursing home because they do not want to being worrying about him. The end result Is that after Walks death he loses much of his prized possession Including his Gran Torino to the Hmong people. It Is clear that despite having never been near a war that Walts family continues to feel like the casualties of war. Other casualties of war are those that have lost loved one during the war. The Hmong teenager Sue and Thao who lived next door to Walt lost their father in the Vietnam War. Leaving then without a father figure. This seems to affect Thao more than Sue. At the start of the movie we see Thao being told of by his family for doing tasks that normally done by a woman in the Hmong in the culture. For example he is seen gardening. Thao does not have a father to teach how to fix things, how to stick up for himself and to lead him In a positive direction. Thao is bullied by Hmong gang members. It Is not until Walt takes Thao under his wing that Thao begun to learn to suck up for himself, learn some practical skills and hes able to get a Job. Thao and Sue are clearly casualties of war growing up In America without a father to ive them through life. All the Hmong people in the movie Grand Torino are Casualties of war because they had to move from their home to America after the Vietnam War. They have to leave Laos following persecution because they fought alongside the America during the war. This means the Hmong people have lost their culture, their homes, and their traditions and in many cases their ability to work. This leads to many challenges, particularly for the youth who are growing up in two different cultures. They are many scenes within the movie where the youth are involved in gang violence. The male Hmong youth are casualties of was as a growing up without direction, Jobs, and in conflicted culture. As sue says The Hmong girls over here fit In better. The girls go to college and the boy goes to Jail. In Gran Torino, everyone had experience of war even though they have not fought on the front line. Grand Torino demonstrates how war affects not Just those who fought on the front line but it also affected the soldier family if they came back a different person. It also different country because of a war. This movie clearly shows that the causalities wars are those who are not only on the front line.

How to Stop Running Out of Time on ACT Reading

How to Stop Running Out of Time on ACT Reading SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Running out of time on any test is extremely frustrating.For me, it’s always a fight between my anxiety arising from racing the clock and the feeling of "if only I had more time, I could do better!" (spoiler: no matter which feeling wins, I lose). It’s even worse on tests like the SAT and ACT because they’re so lengthy:if you run out of time on a section, you don't get the relief of "Well, at least I'm done with the test" because you have to move right on to the next section. Since you can’t actually stretch out time (probably?) and, except under special circumstances, can’t get extra time, you'll need another solution to help you avoid running out of time on the ACT. So what strategies can you use? I’ll discuss the top misconception students have about running out of time on the ACT Reading section and give you strategies to avoid running out of time. First, however, I want to do a quick run-through of the timing for ACT Reading- after all, to stop running out of time on it, you must first know its basic layout. We have an in-depth explanation of this in another article, but in case you don't have time to read it, I've written up a summary below. Feature Image:William Warby/Flickr How Long Is the ACT Reading Section? The ACT Reading section is the third section of the ACT and consists of 40 questions on passages in four subject areas (humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, literary fiction). In total, you'll have 35 minutes for the section. Usually, there's just one long passage per subject, but on occasion there will be a couple of shorter passages with questions that ask you to compare things across passages. We have more on what's actually tested in ACT Reading in this article. ACT Reading questions come in five main varieties: Main idea:What’s the main point or theme of the passage? Detail: Given specific information from the text, explain the meaning and/or function. Development: In what order are ideas arranged in the passage? Vocabulary: As used in the passage, what does a word or phrase mean? Implied Ideas: From what's written in the passage, what can you infer about the author or subject? Voice: What is the tone or style of the author? (subset of inference questions) Find out more from our detailed guide on the best approach to take when reading ACT passages. A Big Misconception: Reading Fast = High ACT Reading Score Excelling on the ACT Reading section is not just about reading speed- otherwise, it'd be called the ACT Reading Race (or something like that). If you read a lot, or read quickly, that might give you a little bit of an edge. But reading fast inno way guarantees that you'll excel on ACT Reading or that you won’t feel rushed. If you’re a slow reader, you might be thinking, "Yeah, right. I’m already starting from behind since I'm a slow reader. There's no way I'll be able to finish the ACT Reading section." False. I will illustrate just how false this is with a case study ... of myself. I've always read pretty quickly and voraciously. In high school, I started keeping track of the books I was finishing because I was a huge nerd and wanted statistics. I found that I was completing about one book every three days. When I took a timed ACT practice test recently, however, I found that I felt really pressed for time. My first response: "Wait, what? I'm never, ever strapped fortime when it comes to reading (unless there's somewhere I have to be and I just want to finish one last page ... chapter ... book ... oops)." So what the heck was going on? Why did I feel as if I was running out of time, even though I read quickly? The Main Issue: I Didn’t Prepare for the ACT Clearly, the issue was not that I don't read enough. What was actually lacking was experience with the ACT Reading section.For example, I didn’t know that there were 10 questions for each of the four passages. I didn't realize that there were only four passages, and I wasn't familiar with all the question types. I also didn’t keep track of time as I was going through the test until the very end when I realized, "Ahhhh! I have five minutes left! How did this happen?!" And so on. In reality, the key to doing well on ACT Reading is to be able to skim text while also retaining meaning.If you're a slow reader, you can learn to effectively skim with practice. But if you're a fast reader, you must be aware that ACT Reading is much denser than your average novel; you'll need to practice to be able to extract important information from the ACT passages. The Solution: Practice, Practice, Practice It’s not just the way to get to Carnegie Hall (as the old music joke goes)- practice will get you places with test prep as well. But just doing some desultory, half-hearted practice isn't enough. You must practice and study effectively. When studying for ACT Reading, there are three main areas you'll need to focus on to get better at finishing the section in time. We'll cover those next. Tip 1: Practice Monitoring Your Time The first skill to practice is keeping track of your time. Read on to learn exactly how to do this. Know How Long You're Taking on Each Question If you find you’re taking too much time on a single question, mark it and come back to it when you're reviewing your answers later. But what is "too much time"? The answer to this depends on your target score and/or on the score you're aiming for on a particular section.Therefore, when preparing for the ACT Reading section, you must know your raw and scaled target scores. Why does this matter?If you’re aiming for a lower target score, you can skip more questions and spend more time on the questions you do know how to answer. Remember, the ACT Reading section contains 40 questions that you have to answer in 35 minutes: if you’re spending more than a minute on a question, you’re going to run into problems. The 52-ish seconds-per-question time limit only applies, however, if you're aiming for a perfect or near-perfect score and need to give every question a fair shot. If you're aiming for a 25, on the other hand, you can guess on the hardest 10-12 Reading questions and focus your energies on easier questions (though of course which questions are easier depends on the person). This also means you'll get more time to spend on these questions.If you only need to answer 28 questions correctly to reach your target score, you can spend up to 23 seconds more per question (28 questions in 35 minutes vs 40 questions in 35 minutes ... and you thought there wouldn't be math in this article). Know How Much Time You Have Left While You're Taking the Test This doesn’t necessarily mean dividing up the time beforehand, as in, "OK, I have 35 minutes and four passages, so I should take eight minutes on each passage and answers the first time through. Then I’ll have eight minutes to go over everything at the end." Even typing that made my head hurt, and doing those calculations in the moment will take up way too much time. Instead, get used to keeping an eye on the clock. I personally try to check the time only after I have finished skimming a passage and have answered all the questions for that passage (even though my initial instinct is to constantly check the time). You'll need to figure out what works best for you, but my general advice is to avoid checking the time more than once every few questions- otherwise, you'll end up wasting time trying to save time. If you find you have no grasp of the passage of time when you’re practicing answering questions, trypracticing with a stopwatch set to go off in five- or seven-minute increments. Just remember that you won’t actually be able to do this on test day (that said, the test proctors might give verbal warnings when there are 10 and five minutes left). Learn Time-Monitoring Strategies When looking over the ACT Reading section, mark questions you end up spending a long time on as well as the ones you’re not sure about. Really break down what stumped you about the questions you spent too much time on and the ones you got wrong or were uncertain about. Was it the wording of the question? The type of question? Were you just tired and misread the passage, so you didn't see the answer? Is there a pattern to the ACT Reading questions you're running out of time on? All this data is valuable fodder for your test-prep process, which is toestablish a feedback loop of testing, reviewing your mistakes, and testing again.Be aware that it is essential not to skip over the middle step of reviewing your mistakes thoroughly. Not sure whether running out of time is your only issue? Then read the section on understanding your high-level weaknesses in this article. Mike Schinkel/Flickr Tip 2: Practice Reading Passages and Answering Questions Practicing the ACT Reading questions over and over won’t necessarily make you a faster reader. It will, however, make you better at reading the passages in a way that will help you answer the questions more efficiently.What do I mean by this? I can't dictate the best way for you to read the passages, but if your current approach isn't working, you might want to consider switching it up. The Three Main Methods for Attacking ACT Reading Passages Here are the three primary options you have for approaching ACT Reading passages: Read the whole passage in detail:This is really only a good strategy if you're both thorough and quick as a reader- it's probably the worst option if you're already worried about running out of time. Read the questions first:Figure out what details you need to look for in the passage by reading the questions first; you'll then jump back to the passage to find these details. This method can be disorienting for some people, but for others it really saves on time. Skim the passage, then attack the questions:Get a sense of the content, structure, and purpose of the passage before approaching the questions, and then return to the passage for more detailed information required by specific questions. The more familiar you are with the ACT Reading passages and questions, the more familiar you'll become with the test and the better you’ll know what to pay attention to and when to use which strategy. For instance, if you read the questions before reading the passageand run into a question that has specific lines associated with it (e.g., "In lines 12-42"), you'll know that you must read only those specific lines in order to answer it. Alternatively, if you skim the passage before you answer the questions, you should get used to noticing transition words/phrases such as "however" and "in contrast." These words are important in that they indicate a change in tone. Here's an example: "While some scientists still adhere to the cold-blooded dinosaur hypothesis, recent research has convinced many more others that a likelier hypothesis is ..." We have more strategies, as well as more detailed information on why you might want to choose one approach over the others, in our article on the best way to approach the passages on the ACT Reading section. More ACT Reading Strategies Which passage you read can make a big difference if you tend to run out of time on ACT Reading. If you’re more comfortable with certain subject matter, such as prose fiction,start with those passages and questions rather than going through the section in order.Not only will you be able to pick up some easy points by answering questions you're more likely to get correct, but you'll also be more relaxed when you get to the passages that are more difficult for you since you won't have had to struggle right off the bat. Another strategy is tobubble in all your answers at the end(read more about this in the Quick Tip section of our perfect scorer article). This strategy is only helpful, however, if you can make sure to leave a good four to five minutes at the end of the section to do this,since you don’t want to run out of time before you bubble in answers you got (the ultimate in frustrating). If you can think of other ways to keep yourself from running out of time on ACT Reading (perhaps by using some mindfulness techniques to focus?), that's great. More important than using any one strategy is to use the strategies that work for you. ACT Reading strategies: less complicated than chess strategies (MarkRattapong/Flickr) Tip 3: Practice Taking ACT Reading as Part of the Whole ACT There’s knowing the material ... and then there’s having the stamina to get through it. Luckily, the ACT never varies the order in which material is presented,which gives you an advantage when prepping: you can emulate test-day conditions when you take practice tests by taking everything in the right order. Just like you wouldn’t practice for a triathlon by only doing each activity separately and never doing them all together, or wouldn’t only rehearse a play with scenes out of sequence before opening night, you need to take the ACT Reading section in sequence with the rest of the ACT at least a few times before test day. On the other hand, because ACT Reading is always the third section of the ACT, your brain will probably be tired by the time you get to it.What's more, even after you finish the Reading section, you'll still have one more section to go (the Science section). For me, this really became a factor since my brain got fatigued from focusing on one subject for an extended period of time. But for other people I know, the old SAT's format that switched back and forth from subject to subject was far more difficult (making the ACT a comparatively better choice). Now, though, both the ACT and SAT use a similar format in which the sections always appear in the same order. Another point to keep in mind is that you’ll most likely be taking the ACT on a Saturday morning, so if you’re not a morning person, be sure to do some practice Reading sections in the morning to give yourself a good idea of what your energy levels will be like on the actual test. If you’re more sluggish in the mornings, your reading speed will probably be affected as well; taking practice tests in the afternoon might not give you an accurate picture of how quickly you can do the ACT Reading section under real test conditions. Special Circumstances: ACT Timing Accommodations If you really have trouble with reading in time-constrained situations, you might qualify for special testing accommodations. It's unlikely that prepping for and taking the ACT would be the first time you notice you have major problems with reading;however, it could be the first time you wouldn't be able to compensate for it in other ways (e.g., spending hours and hours on homework and extra credit to make up for low test scores). The ACT does offer accommodations for eligible students who have documented issues, along with information on the steps students must take in order to get accommodations on testing day. But a word of warning: accommodations are far more likely to be granted if students' special circumstances have been documented for a long period of time.ACT, Inc. tends to be leery of students who get diagnosed with something just in time to take the test- they might be stretching the truth in order to get extra time. So how can you avoid getting caught in red tape and having your accommodations held up? Plan and apply for special accommodations earlyif possible- the request process alone can take a while. If you're in middle school or early high school and are having serious problems with reading when compared with your peers, get psycho-educational testing then rather than waiting until it's time to register for the ACT. If, for whatever reason, applying for special accommodations early isn't possible (for instance, if you only recently acquired a hearing or visual impairment), make sure it's clear to the person documenting your condition (the person who will provide you with the information to send to ACT, Inc.) why you are only doing something about this now.They might want you to explain this to them, too, so it’s good to have an explanation ready. How to Save Time on ACT Reading: Recap ACT Reading can be a tricky section for many test takers, but it's definitely possible to save time on it if you know how to prep effectively for it and what strategies to use on test day. To recap, here are our three tips to keep in mind as you study for ACT Reading: Take timed ACT practice tests and monitor your time on the Reading section Get comfortable with answering ACT Reading questions so you can use all strategies effectively Take entire practice tests in sequence at least a few times before test day so you know what to expect If you think there’s a bigger problemcausing you to run out of time on ACT Reading, get psycho-educational testing as early as possible to confirm your condition and to see whether you are eligible for special timing accommodations on the ACT. Now, go forth and read! What’s Next? How do you figure out what’s causing you problems on ACT Reading? Read our detailed post on what's actually tested on the Reading section, our article that covers the best ways to read the passages on ACT Reading, and our ultimate guide to ACT Reading. How long is the ACT overall? Get more tips on ACT timing with our guide. For more tips on how to master the ACT,read our complete guide by PrepScholar's resident perfect scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Useful English Phrases for Running a Business Meeting

Useful English Phrases for Running a Business Meeting This reference sheet provides short phrases to help you run a business meeting from start to finish. Generally speaking, you should use formal English to run a business meeting. As you participate, its a good idea to paraphrase others ideas to make sure you understand. Opening the Meeting Welcome participants with quick phrases and get down to business. Good morning/afternoon, everyone.If we are all here, lets. . . get started (OR)start the meeting. (OR). . . start. Good morning everyone. If were all here, lets get started. Welcoming and Introducing Participants If you have a meeting with new participants, make sure to introduce them before as you start the meeting. Please join me in welcoming (name of participant)Were pleased to welcome (name of participant)Its a pleasure to welcome (name of participant)Id like to introduce (name of participant)I dont think youve met (name of participant) Before I get started, Id like to please join me in welcoming Anna Dinger from our office in New York. Stating the Principal Objectives of a Meeting Its important to begin the meeting by clearly stating the main objectives for the meeting. Were here today toOur aim is to ...Ive called this meeting in order to ...By the end of this meeting, Id like to have ... Were here today to discuss the upcoming merger, as well as go over last quarters sales figures.   Giving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent If someone important is missing, its a good idea to let others know that they will be missing from the meeting. Im afraid.., (name of participant) cant be with us today. She is in...I have received apologies for the absence of (name of participant), who is in (place). Im afraid Peter cant be with us today. Hes in London meeting with clients but will be back next week. Reading the Minutes (Notes) of the Last Meeting If you have a meeting that repeats regularly, make sure to read the minutes from the last meeting to make sure that everyone is on the same page. First, lets go over the report from the last meeting which was held on (date)Here are the minutes from our last meeting, which was on (date) First, lets go over the minutes from our last meeting which was held last Tuesday. Jeff, could you please read the notes? Dealing with Recent Developments Checking in with others will help you keep everyone up to date on progress on  various projects.   Jack, can you tell us how the XYZ project is progressing?Jack, how is the XYZ project coming along?John, have you completed the report on the new accounting package?Has everyone received a copy of the Tate Foundation report on current marketing trends? Alan, please tell us how the final arrangements for the merger are coming along.   Moving Forward Use these phrases to transition to the main focus of your meeting. So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, lets move on to todays agenda.Shall we get down to business?Is there any other business?If there are no further developments, Id like to move on to todays topic. Once again, Id like to thank you all for coming. Now, shall we get down to business? Introducing the Agenda Before you launch into the main points of the meeting, double check that everyone has a copy of the agenda for the meeting. Have you all received a copy of the agenda?There are three items on the agenda. First,Shall we take the points in this order?If you dont mind, Id like to ... go in order (OR)skip item 1 and move on to item 3I suggest we take item 2 last. Have you all received a copy of the agenda? Good. Shall we take the points in order? Allocating Roles (secretary, participants) As you move through the meeting, its important that people keep track of whats going on. Make sure to allocate note taking. (name of participant) has agreed to take the minutes.(name of participant) has kindly agreed to give us a report on this matter.(name of participant) will lead point 1, (name of participant) point 2, and (name of participant) point 3.(name of participant), would you mind taking notes today? Alice, would you mind taking notes today? Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.) If there is no regular routine to your meeting, point out the basic rules for discussion throughout the meeting. We will hear a short report on each point first, followed by a discussion around the table.I suggest we go round the table first.The meeting is due to finish at...Well have to keep each item to ten minutes. Otherwise well never get through.We may need to vote on item 5, if we cant get a unanimous decision. I suggest we go round the table first to get everyones feedback. After that, well take a vote. Introducing the First Item on the Agenda Use these phrases to begin with the first item on the agenda. Make sure to use sequencing language to connect your ideas throughout the meeting. So, lets start withShall we start with. .So, the first item on the agenda isPete, would you like to kick off?Martin, would you like to introduce this item? Shall we start with the first item? Good. Peter will introduce our plans for the merger and then will discuss the implications.   Closing an Item As you move from item to item, quickly state that you have finished with the previous discussion. I think that covers the first item.Shall we leave that item?If nobody has anything else to add, I think that covers the important points of the merger. Next Item These phrases will help you transition to the next item on the agenda. Lets move onto the next itemThe next item on the agenda isNow we come to the question of. Now, lets move onto the next item. Weve been having a bit of a personnel crunch lately. Giving Control to the Next Participant If someone takes over your role, give control to them with one of the following phrases. Id like to hand over to Mark, who is going to lead the next point.Right, Dorothy, over to you. Id like to hand over to Jeff, who is going to discuss the personnel issues. Summarizing As you finish the meeting, quickly sum up the main points of the meeting. Before we close, let me just summarize the main points.To sum up, ...In brief,Shall I go over the main points? To sum up, weve moved forward with the merger and expect to start work on the project in May. Also, the personnel department has decided to hire additional staff to help us with the increased demand. Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting As you end the meeting, make sure to arrange for the next meeting if necessary. Can we fix the next meeting, please?So, the next meeting will be on... (day), the . . . (date) of.. . (month) at...What about the following Wednesday? How is that?So, see you all then.   Before we leave, Id like to fix the next meeting. What about next Thursday? Thanking Participants for Attending Its always a good idea to thank everyone for attending the meeting. Id like to thank Marianne and Jeremy for coming over from London.Thank you all for attending.Thanks for your participation. Thank you all for your participation and Ill see you next Thursday. Closing the Meeting Close the meeting with a simple statement. The meeting is closed.I declare the meeting closed. Explore useful phrases and proper language use in these business English articles: Introduction and Example Meeting Dialogue Phrase Reference Sheet for Participating in a Meeting Formal or Informal? Appropriate Language in Business Situations

Economic System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic System - Essay Example For encouraging growth and prosperity, it is deemed significant to understand that funding alone could not be the sole savior for a newly industrialized economy. (Wallace, 1992) There needs to be proper micro credit and financial system in place so that the newly industrialized economy can get back on its feet in the wake of missing funding mechanisms. This indeed is the order of the day when it comes to the developing nations which are doing their best to turn the tide that is bent to be against them. In an economic zone, globalization plays a significant role at increasing trade on an international front which as compared to the global economy, is much faster and ahead of its time. Furthermore, we can predict an increase in the flow of capital that has been coming from the global regimes which might include for the foreign direct investment as being one part of it. Then there are the agreements which are signed on a global scale that eventually lead to world bodies like WTO, IMF and others. Global financial systems also come to light as their developmental work gets thumbs up. International transactions speed up as the world bodies like WTO, WIPO, IMF and the like play their role in a more coherent and active manner. Economic practices like global sourcing or outsourcing as we know of it, off-shoring and others increase courtesy the multinational concerns. In a changing capitalistic business environment which is spread all over the world, IMF has sustained itself on the principl es of removing poverty right from the deep root levels. What this means is that the motto of IMF is to understand the psyche of the rich nations and to adopt policies which would make the poor and under-privileged member states to get back on their feet or to make them stand at a position from where they can reach ascendancy. This will harness their hidden strengths and provide avenues of strength so that problems could be brought to a halt at the earliest. IMF finds out the mechanisms through which these problems could be detected and then tries to ascertain the exact basis under which problems do arise. (Hughes, 2002) What this gives IMF is a pathway to block the way for the troubles that come in the way of the member states and also present a destination where these countries have to reach at a certain point in time within the future. The aspect of removing poverty from the member nations' economies is an interesting aspect since IMF has to take care of the profits and incentives of the rich nations as well whilst providing benefits to the already down-trodden nations. The international economic relations between different states and countries has promoted as well as saved the varied interests of the nations when it comes to the relevant discussion regarding the economic diplomacy. The superpowers of the world are focusing their attention on the well being of their respective economies whereby the production levels in these countries in relation to different goods and the provision of services has increased and got better in the years that have passed by. There is so much competition that a nation cannot stay at a place for a considerable period of time and it needs to evolve and change its direction every now and then. Economic diplomacy ensures that the countries remain on their toes to the ever changing market conditions and remain

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS - Essay Example According to the case study, China was an attractive location for Motorola company due to its large size, as such the company set out to enter the Chinese market through establishing an office for its products before the advent of mobile handsets. As mobile handsets began to gain popularity, Motorola concentrated on manufacturing the handsets and selling them in the Chinese market. This became a huge success amid China’s difficult social and political environment. Motorola became a market leader in the Chinese handset market by early 2000s. This success can be owed to the company’s understanding of the market as well as the needs of the people. However, due to high demand of mobile phones, other companies started to manufacture and sell mobile phones and as such reduced Motorola’s market share. This is why analysts showed scepticism in the continued dominance of Motorola in the Chinese market. Globalisation is the inexorable integration of markets, nation-states, and technologies in a way that is enables individuals, corporations and nation-states to reach around the world further, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before (Griffin and Pustay, 2010). The main motivation behind Motorola’s entry in to the Chinese market in the late 1980’s was due to stiff competition the company was experiencing at home. There was need to look for business elsewhere other than America. The market had become saturated and the cost of production was going higher, therefore making less sales and profits. The best solution was to shift some of its manufacturing facility to China. This was an untapped market with a lot of potential for the products Motorola was manufacturing and selling. Motorola therefore established an office that represented its products in 1987 and employed over 600 people to sell the products. The case study says that later in early 1990’s, Motorola China electronics was opened as well

Rephrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Rephrase - Essay Example This paper aims at establishing a valid relationship between the levels of productivity in UAE’s organisations vis-Ã  -vis the levels of Knowledge Management, Organizational Trust, Creativity and Innovation in those organisations. With the advent of globalisation, the worldwide market has witnessed an increased degree of diversity in terms of products and services. The 21st century has come across a myriad range of the expectations and preferences of the consumers. This diversity has also found a parallel reflection in the workforce of today’s organisations. The modern organisations showcase a widely diverse workforce with respect to age, gender, nationality, education and experience. The knowledge or intellectual capital of the workforce is a powerful and precious asset to the organisation. It is a magical tool not only for maintaining sustainability but also for gaining a competitive advantage. In today’s competitive age, merely the information regarding products or services is not enough to surpass competitors. Such knowledge and information has to be upgraded and enhanced time and again depending upon the market situation. The workforce needs to show flexibility and creativity in the applica tion of their share of knowledge. The organisations need to adapt to the changing market scenario. This is where the role of knowledge management comes in. It assists organisations by helping them in polishing their strengths and overcoming their weaknesses through idea generation and subsequent effective implementation of those ideas. But to lead the competition, knowledge alone is not sufficient. It needs to be complemented by other elements such as interpersonal trust, creativity and innovation in using that knowledge. This paper looks forward to studying the interplay of Knowledge Management, Organizational Trust, Creativity and Innovation and their contribution in the productivity of organizations in UAE. By playing a vital role in the working of all

Security Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Security Plan - Essay Example Hacking 6 Human Errors 7 Unauthorized Access 7 Information Destruction By Dissatisfied Employees 7 Electronic Threats To Organization’s Information Holdings 8 Organization’s Actual Threat For Information Holdings 9 Security Plan 9 Physical Countermeasures 10 Electronic Countermeasures 12 Human Countermeasures 15 Information Security Education And Awareness Program 16 Updating The Education And Awareness Program 18 Measures Used To Test The Efficacy Of Plan 19 Conclusion and Recommendations 20 References 21 Bibliography 24 Introduction With the rapid improvement in information system and exceptional development of internet, the information security has become a critical issue for every organization. Information is acknowledged as an important monetary asset for organizations, thus, it needs to be secured consequently. In present days, organizations are becoming greatly dependent on information system which clearly manages serious portion of organization’s fundamental activities. The role of technology has transformed from a validation tool to the center of main business (Aoufi, 2011). As the technology has improved, people have also become more aware regarding possible threats for information theft, cybercrime and other fraudulent activities. Thus, there is a need to strengthen the information security system in every organization by identifying and removing potential threats. ObjectivesObjectives The objective of this study is to identify and describe the risks of organizations information holdings with respect to physical, human and electronic threats. The study also illuminates a security plan for physical, human and electronic counter measures for reducing the information threats of a business organization situated in an Australian city. Besides, there is need for adequate education and awareness program for minimizing risks in the information system. A comprehensive information security education and awareness plan is developed in this paper which can help to enhance the information security. Scope The scope of information security is to support the safety, control and administration of organization’s valuable information. This study covers the areas such as known threats for organization’s security and several countermeasures which can help people to gain insight about maintaining strong information system in organization. Furthermore, the study describes the methods for developing education and training to employees for increasing knowledge and skill to avoid security problems. Physical Threat To Organization’s Information Holdings In this digital information age, physical threats can have significant impact on the information holdings of organizations. Thus, physical threats need adequate attention besides other cyber threats. The scope of physical threat is much inclusive compared to other threats in terms of financial loss. Physical threat can arise at any form and at any time. An organization can face the following physical threats for their information holdings (Bidgoli, 2006). Theft Theft is regarded as one of most common risks for organizations’ information holdings. Digital information can be physically stolen by people who come from security and Information Technology (IT) background. Outsiders might break or sneak into any organization’s network and steal information. Insiders also can enter into a part of organization for accessing information which they have no right to access or they may abuse access rights which are part of their tasks. Furthermore, physical assaults against rational security can simply be executed by experts (Lindstrom, 2003). Sabotage Sabotage is fairly similar to theft. Sabotage is intentional damage of information holdi

Psychology life span develpement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychology life span develpement - Essay Example These two principals are the real and operation. Real intelligence entails things that are being defined and also inquired the true nature. On the other hand, operational intelligence is computable. There are several theories of intelligence that have been there to try and explain and measure how smart one can be. A majority of intelligence theories have been criticized over time thus causing them to either withstand this criticism or failing to work by lack of basis to substantiate their viability over time. The different types of intelligent theories that exist contradict with each other or with at least one earlier theory. This is evident in the sense that they tend to own different assumption and perspective when it comes to each thinking approach. The first theory of intelligence is the Faculty theory. This theory has been listed as the oldest in terms of its nature of intelligence. In addition, this theory flourished in the 18th and 19th century (Tugoy, 2003). This theory reaso ns that mind is made up of diverse faculties which are memory, imagination, reasoning, and discrimination. Despite the fact that this faculties are independent of each other, with vigorous training this faculties can or may develop. However this theory has been under pressure of criticism by psychologists who object that the brain has independent faculties. Another theory of intelligence is one factor or UNI factor theory. This theory moderates all abilities into a single one of either common sense or general intelligence. This theory tries to suggest how all abilities are perfectly linked and therefore not allowing for any room for the uneven individuals (Sternberg, 2000). This theory lacks credibility as it tends to go against the notion that every person has his or her own abilities that are distinct to that of another person and thus making every individual to shine differently in all aspects of life. English Psychologist Charles Spearman developed Spearman’s two-factor t heory in 1904. He suggested that two factors comprise the intellectual abilities of each person. One of these factors is the common ability or general ability, which is also known as ‘G’ factor. The second factor is a group of specific abilities also referred to as the ‘S’ factor. The ‘G’ factor is an inborn skill which leads to a fruitful life of an individual whereas, the ’S’ factor is unique factor that is developed from the surroundings. In addition, these factors are distinct from each other in an individual level. The list of theories of intelligence is long and more theories continue to emerge as time goes on. So far, two factor theory of Spearman is the best. This theory involves two factors as its name implies. These factors are general factors and the specific factors. This theory is free from much criticism because it is reasonable in its details. It is true when one says that success is earned through effort and accord ing to this theory success in any field very much depends on specific factor which is essentially learned. In addition, every individual is features are different from the other in their own unique way. This theory tries to expound on that subject and explains that every individual is distinct in his or her mental performance and one can never be perfect in all that he or she does. For example a person who excels in English might be poor in mathematics or sciences. In this context, I believe that this theory of intelli

The Attack On Pearl Harbor Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Attack On Pearl Harbor - Case Study Example The US did not want to suffer unavoidable consequences as witnessed in World War I, for example, loss of human lives, and the destruction of property among other negative effects.1 The history leading to the Pearl Harbor attack began as early as 1931. As the rest of the world was trying to recover from World War I, Japan cast its eyes on the natural resources available in Southeast Asia. As a result, most countries like US avoided getting involved with superficial conflicts with other countries; hence, they let them pursue their objectives provided they did not directly interfere with them. Therefore, the US was unprepared for the Pearl Harbor attack because they did not expect interference from the Japanese. They believed that all the countries observed their choice not to gear up for the next World War. Therefore, when Japan chose to attack Pear Harbor, US had no choice but to disregard their isolationist policies and get involved in the World War II. ... The Japanese, therefore, planned their attack in a way that the US would least expect it. This allowed them to wipe out most of the US entire naval base. Their plan proved successful because they were able to catch the US unaware.1 The Japanese carried out the attack in three different phases; however, only the first two attacks caused severe damage to the US’ Naval base at Pearl Harbor. The first wave consisted of 183 fighter planes equipped with general purpose and armor piercing bombs. Their main objective was to destroy all the high value targets, especially the US aircrafts, which when deployed would have made it difficult for the Japanese fleet to accomplish their goals. The second phase consisted of 171 planes, and their main priority was to complete the unfinished tasks of the first attackers. The Japanese also deployed submarines, which had the responsibility of launching torpedoes that would destroy the US battleships. The intention of the final attack was to cripple the entire US naval base entirely by causing irreversible destructions.2 Both the Americans and the Japanese learnt various valuable lessons from the attack on Pearl Harbor. Firstly, the Americans learnt to stay prepared at all times. the fact that the rest of the world was experiencing a volatile situation warranted the US to stay on its toes at all times. In addition, the US realized that it cannot turn a cold shoulder towards issues guaranteed to affect the safety of the entire world. The isolationist policies put in place proved to be insufficient especially when others did not acknowledge or respect them, as shown by Japan’s interference at Pearl Harbor. On the other hand, the Japanese learnt not to underestimate the US.1 In conclusion, the attack

Psychology life span develpement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychology life span develpement - Essay Example These two principals are the real and operation. Real intelligence entails things that are being defined and also inquired the true nature. On the other hand, operational intelligence is computable. There are several theories of intelligence that have been there to try and explain and measure how smart one can be. A majority of intelligence theories have been criticized over time thus causing them to either withstand this criticism or failing to work by lack of basis to substantiate their viability over time. The different types of intelligent theories that exist contradict with each other or with at least one earlier theory. This is evident in the sense that they tend to own different assumption and perspective when it comes to each thinking approach. The first theory of intelligence is the Faculty theory. This theory has been listed as the oldest in terms of its nature of intelligence. In addition, this theory flourished in the 18th and 19th century (Tugoy, 2003). This theory reaso ns that mind is made up of diverse faculties which are memory, imagination, reasoning, and discrimination. Despite the fact that this faculties are independent of each other, with vigorous training this faculties can or may develop. However this theory has been under pressure of criticism by psychologists who object that the brain has independent faculties. Another theory of intelligence is one factor or UNI factor theory. This theory moderates all abilities into a single one of either common sense or general intelligence. This theory tries to suggest how all abilities are perfectly linked and therefore not allowing for any room for the uneven individuals (Sternberg, 2000). This theory lacks credibility as it tends to go against the notion that every person has his or her own abilities that are distinct to that of another person and thus making every individual to shine differently in all aspects of life. English Psychologist Charles Spearman developed Spearman’s two-factor t heory in 1904. He suggested that two factors comprise the intellectual abilities of each person. One of these factors is the common ability or general ability, which is also known as ‘G’ factor. The second factor is a group of specific abilities also referred to as the ‘S’ factor. The ‘G’ factor is an inborn skill which leads to a fruitful life of an individual whereas, the ’S’ factor is unique factor that is developed from the surroundings. In addition, these factors are distinct from each other in an individual level. The list of theories of intelligence is long and more theories continue to emerge as time goes on. So far, two factor theory of Spearman is the best. This theory involves two factors as its name implies. These factors are general factors and the specific factors. This theory is free from much criticism because it is reasonable in its details. It is true when one says that success is earned through effort and accord ing to this theory success in any field very much depends on specific factor which is essentially learned. In addition, every individual is features are different from the other in their own unique way. This theory tries to expound on that subject and explains that every individual is distinct in his or her mental performance and one can never be perfect in all that he or she does. For example a person who excels in English might be poor in mathematics or sciences. In this context, I believe that this theory of intelli

Healing Myth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Healing Myth - Essay Example She spent five years stuck in tortuous dread, trying to outrun destruction, war, starvation and the ultimate commitment of an individual, the death. She challenged inhuman evil acts as if they were kindergarten toys. According to me the turning point in the story can be found when children’s mother turns them out of the home. She whispers to the children and Loung writes (2006) â€Å"If we stay together, we will die together, but if they cannot find us, they cannot kill us† (p.121). She instructs them to separate, â€Å"walk until you come to a work camp, tell them you are orphans, and change your name† (p.122). Loung stubbornly refuses to go so â€Å"Ma says sternly. ‘Your Pa is gone now, and I just cannot take care of you kids. I don’t want you here! You are too much work for me! I want you to leave!† (p.122).As the wife of a high ranking government official, her strategy was right and the children were saved but she lost sight of the human angle at that moment. That was a peculiar situation and in the situations they were placed in neither mother nor the children could be blamed. The wise saying goes that desperate situations need desperate remedies. In such a grim situation thinking power gets engulfed in confusion and no accurate decision is possible. It is wrong to conclude that the mother does not love her children. The reality is she visualizes absolute danger for their lives if they continue to stay in the house together and as such she wants them to leave hoping that destiny would favor w them with good luck if they move out of the house and seek shelter elsewhere. Loung’s position is also to be pitied. Her resentment towards her mother is perfect as children look forward for protection from their parents and family members when it is a question of life or death. What is their plan of escape and where will they hide? Neither the

Judy Chicago Essay Example for Free

Judy Chicago Essay Judy Chicago was a â€Å"celebrated artisan, writer and a feminist. † On July 20, 1939, Arthur and May Cohen of Chicago, Illinois who were then a labor organizer and a medical secretary respectively were blessed with a baby girl and they named her Judy. In 1962, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree on Fine arts at UCLA. After 2 years, she received her Master’s degree on the same course and at the same university. By 1977, Judy was already receiving accolades and rewards for her artworks and art exhibitions particularly at the â€Å"Los Angeles County Museum of Art. † In 1969, Judy decided to change her name to Judy Chicago in honor of her hometown. She was able to conduct a â€Å"one-woman show at California State University at Fullerton in 1970. † While Judy’s career was growing, her lovely life was not doing so well. After 2 years of marriage Jerry Gerowitz, she became a widow. Then, she met Lloyd Hamrol in 1969 and divorced him after a decade. Her last husband was Donald Woodman whom she married in 1985 (Harvard University Library). When Chicago was in her late 20’s to early 30’s, she experimented with the use of â€Å"reduced geometric shapes. † More so, she utilized all various forms of art to convey her minimalist style. The utilization of basic forms and colors combined with the evasion of â€Å"incisive cultural commentary,† Chicago was able to put form or meaning to her ideas and art techniques. As a result, she was able to create artworks that â€Å"were formulative to her landmark â€Å"spectral color† theory that has informed all of her subsequent work† (Through the Flower). In the 1960s to 1970s, American society was energized by activism which encouraged the public to question the status quo or the ruling class. It was in this period that Chicago was inspired to initiate a new movement in the art world called the Feminist Art (Through the Flower). The unusual political and social views of Chicago were the results of â€Å"her childhood influences such as her father who was a member of the Communist Party and recognized the oppression of women. † She was considered to be part of the â€Å"red-diaper baby† genre wherein most of the children born in the early 1940s were raised in a progressively manner which was a â€Å"spillover of the WWII atmosphere of leftist and Communist thinkers† but in the case of Chicago, it was more of a â€Å"working-class Jews† scenario. More so, within the family Judy, the â€Å"left-wing politics† replaced Orthodox Judaism. † Through this, Judy was shaped into having an identity that was linked to the Jewish culture with a reputation of being an intellectual with â€Å"a commitment to social justice. † This clearly became the foundation for the creation of Chicago’s radical and socially relevant artworks including the Holocaust Project: From Darkness Into Light (WordPress. com). Chicago started to teach feminism through art education and other academic programs for women at â€Å"California State University, Fresno, and the California Institute of the Arts. † According to Chicago, â€Å"Women’s history was neglected or added on, as opposed to integrated into the full history of the human species†¦both implicitly and explicitly the message that is communicated is that what women did wasn’t important† (Pogrebin 1). It was in these academic institutions that Chicago founded the â€Å"Feminist Art Program† that yielded the Womanhouse, which was the â€Å"first installation demonstrating an openly female point of view in art. Chicago’s ideas helped to initiate a worldwide Feminist Art movement. † Then this was followed by the creation of Chicago’s one of most popular masterpiece, The Dinner Party. This artwork was focused on portraying the history of women. It was a multimedia project that showed the evolution of the female specie in the Western Civilization. Because of the forward-thinking concept and unique approach and the enormous support from the people all over the world, The Dinner Party became a huge success (Through the Flower). The Dinner Party is a 48 feet triangle-shaped table which is set for 39 significant women from history to mythology. Each of the set of plate was intended to visually honor the corresponding woman. Different types and designs of table wares were strewn all over the table. But it was the plates that embodied Chicago’s creativity and distinctive qualities. The plates were painted with â€Å"an undulating, flowerlike abstraction of femininity. † Additionally, the porcelain base contained the 999 more names of distinguished women all over the world. In this particular work of art, Chicago was trying to impart women’s history to broad and different types of individuals (WordPress. com). Overall The Dinner Party was a huge undertaking for Chicago that reflected her passion, beliefs and personality. After this, Chicago ventured into making another great piece of art which was called Birth Project. This project was comprised of several massive â€Å"series of birth and creation images for needlework,† which were intricately made by skilled workers from different parts of the country. In her later years, Chicago was able to produce numerous artworks in various forms such as paintings, sculptures, drawings and many others. In Powerplay, she incorporated a feminist point of view to the â€Å"gender construct of masculinity† (Through the Flower). Through Judy Chicago’s unwavering conviction that art can be an instrument for conveying â€Å"intellectual transformation, social change and women’s right to engage in the highest level of art production,† she was able to change how women perceived in modern world. Because of her many achievements, she was able to establish herself as an â€Å"an artist, writer, teacher, and humanist whose work and life are models for an enlarged definition of art, an expanded role for the artist, and womens right to freedom of expression† (Judychicago. com). Works Cited â€Å"Biography. † 2009. Judychicago. com. 13 April 2009 http://www. judychicago. com/? p=biography â€Å"Chicago, Judy. † September 2004. Harvard University Library. 13 April 2009 http://oasis. lib. harvard. edu/oasis/deliver/deepLinkcollection=oasisuniqueId=sch00326 â€Å"Judy Chicago. †2009. Through the Flower. 12 April 2009 http://www. throughtheflower. org/page. php? p=40n=3 â€Å"Judy Chicago: Art As Activism. † 26 October 2007. WordPress. com. 13 April 2009 http://ourdescent. wordpress. com/2007/10/28/judy-chicago-art-as-activism/ Pogrebin, Robin. â€Å"Ms. Chicago, Party of 39? Your Table’s Ready in Brooklyn. 1 February 2007. The New York Times. 13 April 2009 http://www. nytimes. com/2007/02/01/arts/design/01party. html? pagewanted=1_r=3fta=y

Okay to Digital Violence :: essays research papers

2500 years ago the Romans were the most powerful civilization on earth, their global power hadn’t been met until the 20th century. When the Romans wanted entertainment they turned to violence. They would have gladiators covered in armor wielding sharp swords fight till the death for entertainment. During the 1500’s the French would behead a criminal publicly to show the citizens how powerful the law was and also for their entertainment. The turn of the century is almost here and such violent acts have all but been abolished. These acts are considered barbaric and we think of ourselves as a more peaceful race. Humans in general are not peaceful in nature, we have always been violent and we shouldn’t try to change our nature as drastically as we have done. There are going to be side effects that we aren’t aware of if we try to remove this important part of our nature. Humans need some form of violence to help cope with stress and the everyday hassles we have created for ourselves. Now with new technology and faster computers we no longer need to injure someone to get that needed amount of violence. Simulated violence is a more humane way of dealing with such problems. Groups of people should partake in sessions of simulated violence to get the dosage of violence they need. When I speak of simulated violence I speak of video games and more specifically multi-player video games. A single-player video game is one where a single person is engaged against the computer. This form of play can help relive stress but not nearly as much as a multi-player game. A multi-player game is one where at least 2 people are playing against each other. Multi-player games highly satisfy the need for violence because it becomes easy to show aggression against someone with injury or personal harm. I have been a player of these games since I was younger and I have participated in many multi-player games. The games I have been evolved in mostly had at least 3 players and are generally at night and during the weekend. Games consisting of only 2 players aren’t played as frequently as a game with more simply because they aren’t as entertaining.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A session of playing will start almost whenever there are a few men in the vicinity of a playing console. The game playing can usually become the centerpiece of a small party, enabling the players to enjoy playing and all bystanders to watch what unfolds while waiting their turn.

The wars affect on civilization :: essays research papers

This paper is about stuff i know little about. I'm eally just riting this so i can get some stuff for myself. I plan on making contributions to this site at a later time. As for now, I will just type this so as to gain access to the site. As you hav noticed I put one space after each end of sentence period, although most common typing books tell you to use two. That is a bunch of hooey. Well I don't know how many words I have but I need my report stat cuz it's due tomorrow. So, with no further ado, I end my fake essay by saying, goodbye. What is wrong with this paper? Didn't I put enough words in it? It seems like culture and society are words I can use to make my registration complete. It may be that it is too short. Or I might not be using words like exploration or journalism. Some other things it could be are they know this entire report is not real. So therefore, two out of three is not bad. Therefore I will make this long as possible. Apparently you are not truly married. Whoa! I say. This paper has to be 250 words or more. I don't understand it. This is the third time I tried sending it and to my surprise it's not long enough. What more can I do? It's tough writing essays like this man.The communications links of the Internet are also owned and maintained in the same anarchic fashion as the hosts. Each owner of an Internet host is responsible for finding and paying for a communications link that will get that host tied in with at least one other host. Communications links may be as simple as a phone line, a wireless data link such as cellular digital packet data, or as complicated as a high speed fiber optic link. As long as the communications link can use TCP/IP or UUCP, it can fit into the Internet. Thus the net grows with no overall coordination. A new owner of an Internet host need only get permission to tie into one communications link to one other host. Alternatively, if the provider of the communications link decides this host is, for example, a haven for spammers, it can cut this â€Å"rogue site† off of the Internet. The rogue site then must snooker some other communications link into tying it into the Internet again.

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Six

Stefan sat in the Gilbert living room, agreeing politely with whatever it was Aunt Judith was saying. The older woman was uncomfortable having him here; you didn't need to be a mind reader to know that. But she was trying, and so Stefan was trying, too. He wanted Elena to be happy. Elena. Even when he wasn't looking at her, he was aware of her more than of anything else in the room. Her living presence beat against his skin like sunlight against closed eyelids. When he actually let himself turn to face her, it was a sweet shock to all his senses. He loved her so much. He never saw her as Katherine any more; he had almost forgotten how much she looked like the dead girl. In any case, there were so many differences. Elena had the same pale gold hair and creamy skin, the same delicate features as Katherine, but there the resemblance ended. Her eyes, looking violet in the firelight just now but normally a blue as dark as lapis lazuli, were neither timid nor childlike as Katherine's had been. On the contrary, they were windows to her soul, which shone like an eager flame behind them. Elena was Elena, and her image had replaced Katherine's gentle ghost in his heart. But her very strength made their love dangerous. He hadn't been able to resist her last week when she'd offered him her blood. Granted, he might have died without it, but it had been far too soon for Elena's own safety. For the hundredth time, his eyes moved over Elena's face, searching for the telltale signs of change. Was that creamy skin a little paler? Was her expression slightly more remote? They would have to be careful from now on. He would have to be more careful. Make sure to feed often, satisfy himself with animals, so he wouldn't be tempted. Never let the need get too strong. Now that he thought of it, he was hungry right now. The dry ache, the burning, was spreading along his upper jaw, whispering through his veins and capillaries. He should be out in the woods – senses alert to catch the slightest crackle of dry twigs, muscles ready for the chase – not here by a fire watching the tracery of pale blue veins in Elena's throat. That slim throat turned as Elena looked at him. â€Å"Do you want to go to that party tonight? We can take Aunt Judith's car,† she said. â€Å"But you ought to stay for dinner first,† said Aunt Judith quickly. â€Å"We can pick up something on the way.† Elena meant they could pick up something for her, Stefan thought. He himself could chew and swallow ordinary food if he had to, though it did him no good, and he had long since lost any taste for it. No, his†¦ appetites†¦ were more particular now, he thought. And if they went to this party, it would mean hours more before he could feed. But he nodded agreement to Elena. â€Å"If you want to,† he said. She did want to; she was set on it. He'd seen that from the beginning. â€Å"All right then, I'd better change.† She glanced through the doorway, to the empty living room, and said, â€Å"It's all right. They're almost healed already. See?† She tugged her lacy collar down, twisting her head to one side. Stefan stared, mesmerized, at the two round marks on the fine-grained skin. They were a very light, translucent burgundy color, like much-watered wine. He set his teeth and forced his eyes away. Looking much longer at that would drive him crazy. â€Å"That wasn't what I meant,† he said brusquely. The shining veil of her hair fell over the marks again, hiding them. â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"Come in!† As they did, walking into the room, conversations stopped. Elena looked at the faces turned toward them, at the curious, furtive eyes and the wary expressions. Not the kind of looks she was used to getting when she made an entrance. It was another student who'd opened the door for them; Alaric Saltzman was nowhere in sight. But Caroline was, seated on a bar stool, which showed off her legs to their best advantage. She gave Elena a mocking look and then made some remark to a boy on her right. He laughed. Elena could feel her smile start to go painful, while a flush crept up toward her face. Then a familiar voice came to her. â€Å"Elena, Stefan! Over here.† Gratefully, she spotted Bonnie sitting with Meredith and Ed Goff on a loveseat in the corner. She and Stefan settled on a large ottoman opposite them, and she heard conversations start to pick up again around the room. By tacit agreement, no one mentioned the awkwardness of Elena and Stefan's arrival. Elena was determined to pretend that everything was as usual. And Bonnie and Meredith were backing her. â€Å"You look great,† said Bonnie warmly. â€Å"I just love that red sweater.† â€Å"She does look nice. Doesn't she, Ed?† said Meredith, and Ed, looking vaguely startled, agreed. â€Å"So your class was invited to this, too,† Elena said to Meredith. â€Å"I thought maybe it was just seventh period.† â€Å"I don't know ifinvited is the word.† replied Meredith dryly. â€Å"Considering that participation is half our grade.† â€Å"Do you think he was serious about that? He couldn't be serious,† put in Ed. â€Å"Ray? Oh, Ray. I don't know, around somewhere, I suppose. There's a lot of people here.† That was true. The Ramsey living room was packed, and from what Elena could see the crowd flowed into the dining room, the front parlor, and probably the kitchen as well. Elbows kept brushing Elena's hair as people circulated behind her. â€Å"What did Saltzman want with you after class?† Stefan was saying. â€Å"Alaric,† Bonnie corrected primly. â€Å"He wants us to call him Alaric. Oh, he was just being nice. He felt awful for making me relive such an agonizing experience. He didn't know exactly how Mr. Tanner died, and he hadn't realized I was so sensitive. Of course, he's incredibly sensitive himself, so he understands what it's like. He's an Aquarius.† â€Å"With a moon rising in pickup lines,† said Meredith under her breath. â€Å"Bonnie you don't believe that garbage, do you? He's a teacher; he shouldn't be trying that out on students.† â€Å"He wasn't trying anything out! He said exactly the same thing to Tyler and Sue Carson. He said we should form a support group for each other or write an essay about that night to get our feelings out. He said teenagers are all very impressionable and he didn't want the tragedy to have a lasting impact on our lives.† â€Å"Oh, brother,† said Ed, and Stefan turned a laugh into a cough. He wasn't amused, though, and his question to Bonnie hadn't been just idle curiosity. Elena could tell; she could feel it radiating from him. Stefan felt about Alaric Saltzman the way that most of the people in this room felt about Stefan. Wary and mistrustful. â€Å"Itwas strange, him acting as if the party was a spontaneous idea in our class,† she said, responding unconsciously to Stefan's unspoken words, â€Å"when obviously it had been planned.† â€Å"What's even stranger is the idea that the school would hire a teacher without telling him how the previous teacher died,† said Stefan. â€Å"Everyone was talking about it; it must have been in the papers.† â€Å"But not all the details,† said Bonnie firmly. â€Å"In fact, there are things the police still haven't let out, because they think it might help them catch the killer. For instance,† she dropped her voice, â€Å"do you know what Mary said? Dr. Feinberg was talking to the guy who did the autopsy, the medical examiner. And he said that there was no blood left in the body at all. Not a drop.† Elena felt an icy wind blow through her, as if she stood once again in the graveyard. She couldn't speak. But Ed said, â€Å"Where'd it go?† â€Å"Well, all over the floor, I suppose,† said Bonnie calmly. â€Å"All over the altar and everything. That's what the police are investigating now. But it's unusual for a corpse not to haveany blood left; usually there's some that settles down on the underside of the body. Postmortem lividity, it's called. It looks like big purple bruises. What's wrong?† â€Å"Your incredible sensitivity has me ready to throw up,† said Meredith in a strangled voice. â€Å"Could we possibly talk about something else?† â€Å"You weren't the one with blood all over you,† Bonnie began, but Stefan interrupted her. â€Å"I don't know,† said Bonnie, and then she brightened. â€Å"That's right, Elena, you said you knew – â€Å" â€Å"Shut up, Bonnie,† said Elena desperately. If there ever were a placenot to discuss this, it was in a crowded room surrounded by people who hated Stefan. Bonnie's eyes widened, and then she nodded, subsiding. Elena could not relax, though. Stefan hadn't killed Mr. Tanner, and yet the same evidence that would lead to Damon could as easily lead to him. Andwould lead to him, because no one but she and Stefan knew of Damon's existence. He was out there, somewhere, in the shadows. Waiting for his next victim. Maybe waiting for Stefan – or for her. â€Å"I'm hot,† she said abruptly. â€Å"I think I'll go see what kinds of refreshmentsAlaric has provided.† Stefan started to rise, but Elena waved him back down. He wouldn't have any use for potato chips and punch. And she wanted to be alone for a few minutes, to be moving instead of sitting, to calm herself. Being with Meredith and Bonnie had given her a false sense of security. Leaving them, she was once again confronted by sidelong glances and suddenly turned backs. This time it made her angry. She moved through the crowd with deliberate insolence, holding any eye she accidentally caught. I'm already notorious, she thought. I might as well be brazen, too. She was hungry. In the Ramsey dining room someone had set up an assortment of finger foods that looked surprisingly good. Elena took a paper plate and dropped a few carrot sticks on it, ignoring the people around the bleached oak table. She wasn't going to speak to them unless they spoke first. She gave her full attention to the refreshments, leaning past people to select cheese wedges and Ritz crackers, reaching in front of them to pluck grapes, ostentatiously looking up and down the whole array to see if there was anything she'd missed. She'd succeeded in riveting everyone's attention, something she knew without raising her eyes. She bit delicately down on a bread stick, holding it between her teeth like a pencil, and turned from the table. â€Å"Mind if I have a bite?† Shock snapped her eyes wide open and froze her breath. Her mind jammed, refusing to acknowledge what was going on, and leaving her helpless, vulnerable, in the face of it. But though rational thought had disappeared, her senses went right on recording mercilessly: dark eyes dominating her field of vision, a whiff of some kind of cologne in her nostrils, two long fingers tilting her chin up. Damon leaned in, and, neatly and precisely, bit off the other end of the bread stick. In that moment, their lips were only inches apart. He was leaning in for a second bite before Elena's wits revived enough to throw her backward, her hand grabbing the bit of crisp bread and tossing it away. He caught it in midair, a virtuoso display of reflex. His eyes were still on hers. Elena got in a breath at last and opened her mouth; she wasn't sure what for. To scream, probably. To warn all these people to run out into the night. Her heart was pounding like a triphammer, her vision blurred. What are you doing here? she thought. The scene around her seemed eerily bright and unnatural. It was like one of those nightmares when everything is ordinary, just like waking life, and then suddenly something grotesque happens. He was going to kill them all. â€Å"Elena? Are you okay?† Sue Carson was talking to her, gripping her shoulder. â€Å"I think she choked on something,† Damon said, releasing Elena's wrist. â€Å"But she's all right now. Why don't you introduce us?† He was going to kill them all†¦ â€Å"Elena, this is Damon, um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sue spread an apologetic hand, and Damon finished for her. â€Å"Smith.† He lifted a paper cup toward Elena. â€Å"La vita.† â€Å"What are you doing here?† she whispered. â€Å"He's a college student,† Sue volunteered, when it became apparent that Damon wasn't going to answer. â€Å"From – University of Virginia, was it? William and Mary?† â€Å"Among other places,† Damon said, still looking at Elena. He hadn't glanced at Sue once. â€Å"I like to travel.† The world had snapped into place again around Elena, but it was a chilling world. There were people on every side, watching this exchange with fascination, keeping her from speaking freely. But they were also keeping her safe. For whatever reason, Damon was playing a game, pretending to be one of them. And while the masquerade went on, he wouldn't do anything to her in front of a crowd†¦ she hoped. A game. But he was making up the rules. He was standing here in the Ramseys' dining room playing with her. â€Å"He's just down for a few days,† Sue was continuing helpfully. â€Å"Visiting – friends, did you say? Or relatives?† â€Å"Yes,† said Damon. â€Å"You're lucky to be able to take off whenever you want,† Elena said. She didn't know what was possessing her, to make her try and unmask him. â€Å"Luck has very little to do with it,† said Damon. â€Å"Do you like dancing?† â€Å"What's your major?† He smiled at her. â€Å"American folklore. Did you know, for instance, that a mole on the neck means you'll be wealthy? Do you mind if I check?† â€Å"I mind.† The voice came from behind Elena. It was clear and cold and quiet. Elena had heard Stefan â€Å"But do you matter?† he said. The two of them faced each other under the faintly flickering yellow light of the brass chandelier. Elena was aware of layers of her own thoughts, like a parfait. Everyone's staring; this must be better than the movies†¦ I didn't realize Stefan was taller†¦ There's Bonnie and Meredith wondering what's going on†¦ Stefan's angry but he's still weak, still hurting†¦ If he goes for Damon now, he'll lose†¦ And in front of all these people. Her thoughts came to a clattering halt as everything fell into place. That was what Damon was here for, to make Stefan attack him, apparently unprovoked. No matter what happened after that, he won. If Stefan drove him away, it would just be more proof of Stefan's â€Å"tendency toward violence.† More evidence for Stefan's accusers. And if Stefan lost the fight†¦ It would mean his life, thought Elena. Oh, Stefan, he's so much stronger right now; please don't do it. Don't play into his hands. Hewants to kill you; he's just looking for a chance. She made her limbs move, though they were stiff and awkward as a marionette's. â€Å"Stefan,† she said, taking his cold hand in hers, â€Å"let's go home.† She could feel the tension in his body, like an electric current running underneath his skin. At this moment, he was completely focused on Damon, and the light in his eyes was like fire reflecting off a dagger blade. She didn't recognize him in this mood, didn't know him. He frightened her. â€Å"Stefan,† she said, calling to him as if she were lost in fog and couldn't find him. â€Å"Stefan,please. â€Å" And slowly, slowly, she felt him respond. She heard him breathe and felt his body go off alert, clicking down to some lower energy level. The deadly concentration of his mind was diverted and he looked at her, and saw her. â€Å"All right,† he said softly, looking into her eyes. â€Å"Let's go.† She kept her hands on him as they turned away, one clasping his hand, the other tucked inside his arm. By sheer force of will, she managed not to look over her shoulder as they walked away, but the skin on her back tingled and crawled as if expecting the stab of a knife. Instead, she heard Damon's low ironical voice: â€Å"And have you heard that kissing a red-haired girl cures fever blisters?† And then Bonnie's outrageous, flattered laughter. On the way out, they finally ran into their host. â€Å"Leaving so soon?† Alaric said. â€Å"But I haven't even had a chance to talk to you yet.† He looked both eager and reproachful, like a dog that knows perfectly well it's not going to be taken on a walk but wags anyway. Elena felt worry blossom in her stomach for him and everyone else in the house. She and Stefan were leaving them to Damon. Right now she had enough to do getting Stefan out of here before he changed his mind. â€Å"I'm not feeling very well,† she said as she picked up her purse where it lay by the ottoman. â€Å"Sorry.† She increased the pressure on Stefan's arm. It would take very little to get him to turn back and head for the dining room right now. â€Å"I'm sorry,† said Alaric. â€Å"Good-bye.† They were on the threshold before she saw the little slip of violet paper stuck into the side pocket of her purse. She pulled it out and unfolded it almost by reflex, her mind on other things. There was writing on it, plain and bold and unfamiliar. Just three lines. She read them and felt the world rock. This was too much; she couldn't deal with anything more. â€Å"What is it?† said Stefan. â€Å"Nothing.† She thrust the bit of paper back into the side pocket, pushing it down with her fingers. â€Å"It's nothing, Stefan. Let's get outside.† They stepped out into driving needles of rain.