Allowance Essay

â€Å"Please Dad, Can I? † â€Å"No, you can’t. † That is the answer of most parents, when asked by their child if he can have an allowance. Parents believe that allowance makes a child unappreciated money. The truth however, is the opposite. Allowance helps the child turn into a financially secure adult by teaching him money management. Also, because it is their own money, children will feel independent and important. Finally, allowances teach kids that to earn money and succeed as an adult, one has to work hard and be responsible. Parents should give children allowances to help the child prepare for the future. Every parent wants their child to grow up, and become more successful than they were. To do this, the child has to learn to manage money properly, especially nowadays since swiping a card is all it takes to bankrupt oneself. Starting an allowance system will help a young person manage money better. If a child uses up their money for immediate gratification instead of saving it, they might regret it later because they cannot afford something. By learning to save up money the child will be learning to prepare for the future. Allowance help kids learn that spending your own money is different than spending someone else’s. For the same reason, children with allowances can grow up to be independent adults. Because it is their own money they are spending, children will not have to rely on their parents all the time. Instead of asking their parents – which is annoying and even degrading for the child, and irritating for the parents – they are able to use their own money. This makes the child feel important and helps increase their self esteem. When an adult, the child will not borrow too much money from banks or people and obtain a large debt. Instead, the person will learn responsibility and use the money he himself owns. Which leads us to our third reason: allowances teach responsibility and hard work. By earning ones allowance by doing chores and work around the house, a child understands that money does not grow on trees; instead one has to work for it. As an adult this person would work hard at his job to get money. Additionally, the money will not be wasted on unnecessary items because the child knows that there is a limited source. So as one can see, contrary to popular belief, allowances actually make kids appreciate money. For that reason, allowances help children become responsible, independent, and financially secure adults. Essay Topic: Allowances By: Tarim Shahab September 17, 2008 Mrs. de Mestral 7/8-3

Consumer-Directed Health Care and The Disadvantaged

Writing from his aerie as a law professor at Georgetown, M. Gregg Bloche takes a dim view of high deductible coverage, tax-subsidized health savings accounts (HSA’s), recently added to the payment mix for health care in America.   He reasons that the poor and minorities (all too often one and the same) generally earn too little to set aside money in consumer-directed health plans (CDHP), they have imperfect information, they lack access to the best-quality health care, and they may well wind up subsidizing the inpatient costs of the middle and privileged classes.   The author suggests relieving the burden on the poor by providing them more lavish tax subsidies, charging well-off patients more for their health coverage, and giving the poor advantageous prices for â€Å"high-value† care.Where the Case for the â€Å"Disadvantaged† Falls ShortUltimately, Bloche rests his arguments on a shared philosophy of should’s and ought’s, that a civilized soci ety must ensure equal access to the best medical care.   This is a perilous stand, an ideal paradigm of social justice that has extremely elastic boundaries.   As a law teacher, Bloche is concerned chiefly with equity.   Taken to a logical conclusion, such a stand obligates health care leaders to provide addicts disposable needles as the Dutch do (and never mind if they do not want to enter a rehab facility), make injected opioid therapy freely available to heroine addicts (Britain), and permit legal abortion to teenagers without benefit of parental consent (U.S.).   In short, the author may be well-meaning but he presents his case in the realm of political and legal ideology.America has always stood for protection of the oppressed.   Given how minorities have suffered bias, prejudice and outright repression, Bloche argues, their poverty is not of their own making.   They should not be forced to pay for health care by digging into money they need for basic necessities: f ood, shelter, and utilities.   This argument is weak in three respects.First of all, the income disparities are not as wide a gulf as he makes them out to be.   In the 2005 Census, mainstream White households had median incomes of $49,000 (Census Bureau, 2006) compared to $34,000 for Hispanics and $30,000 for Blacks. But the real story is that the fastest-growing minority, Asians, recorded a median income exceeding $57,000.   Here is a minority that has endured prejudice and residential segregation too but has pulled itself up by its collective bootstraps in America.Second, African-Americans may be twice as likely to be unemployed (8%) as Caucasians (4%) but they are only slightly more prone to go â€Å"bare† where health insurance is concerned:In 2004, 55 percent of African-Americans in comparison to 78 percent for non-Hispanic Caucasians used employer-sponsored health insurance. Also in 2004, 24.6 percent of African-Americans in comparison to 7.9 percent of non-Hispan ic Caucasians relied on public health insurance. Finally, in 2006, 17.3 percent of African-Americans in comparison to 12 percent of non-Hispanic Caucasians were uninsured (Office of Minority Health, 2007).While conceding the fact that a good one-fourth of African-Americans rely on public health insurance, the comparable incidence is just 4 percent to 11 percent for Asians and this is notwithstanding the fact that some of the latter are unemployed or live below the poverty line.Third, Bloche also wears blinders in conveniently ignoring the fact that CDHP’s are only one element in the insurance or subsidy mix that include Medicare and Medicaid.   He argues for subsidies and tiering to favor the poor but, in conceding that these will probably not gain traction, he raises a straw man of despairing liberal ideology without offering a workable alternative.Hence, the flaw in his argument ensues: ignoring the fact that CDHP’s are voluntary.   In an analysis conducted at on e multi-choice firm, Greene et al. (2006) revealed that those who elected the high deductible CDHP (there was a low-deductible option) were healthier anyway and were better educated than those going with Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO).One concedes that the promise of marketplace reform in lieu of government-imposed restructuring dating from the Clinton presidency has not succeeded yet (Gordon & Kelly, 1999).   Health care costs continue to spiral out of control and there are quite simply not enough physicians and nurses to render meaningful, high-quality care all around.   And yet, Bloche as outsider can perhaps be forgiven for not knowing about the existence of charity wards (overcrowded through they are) and the fine coordinated care that goes on all the time in teaching hospitals.The latter quickly shows up on the bills of insured and paying patients but may proceed behind the scenes without indigent patients necessarily knowing about it.   For this is, in essence, the most humane of professions.   This is also why Bloche’s fear that those at the frontlines, in emergency and outpatient services, will refuse to at least inform indigent patients about high-value tests and treatments is refuted in daily practice.One can rely on the innate high empathy of medical practitioners to discern when patients decline care due to cost, and hence to counsel patients that certain â€Å"savings† may put them at risk (White, 2006).   In fact, access to high-value preventive care (for e.g., diabetics, the hypertensive, those at risk for stroke) has been addressed by HCA rules that explicitly mandate â€Å"first-dollar coverage† for preventive care.   This includes those needed for control of chronic disease (Baicker, Dow & Wolfson, 2007).That said, talent does go where the money is and paying or well-covered patients have readier access to diagnostic tests and therapies.   Until the government can budget the sums necessary to transf orm the healthcare system to a welfare state like the British NHS or the Nordic nation models, both White and minority citizens must earn their keep with the kind of hard work, business acumen and economic rewards needed to purchase adequate coverage.ReferencesBaicker, K., Dow, W. H. & Wolfson, J. (2007). Lowering the barriers to consumer-directed health care: Responding to concerns. Health Affairs, 26(5), 1328-32.Census Bureau (2006) 2005 census: Household incomes by race. Retrieved March 14, 2008 fromGreene, J., Hibbard, J.H., Dixon, A. & Tusler, M. (2006). Which consumers are ready for consumer-directed health plans? Journal of Consumer Policy, 29(3), 247-262.Gordon, C.G. & Kelly, S.K. (1999) Public relations expertise and organizational effectiveness: a study of U.S. hospitals. Journal of Public Relations Research 11, 143.Office of Minority Health (2007) Asian-American profile. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Retrieved March 14, 2008White, B. (2006). How consumer-driven health plans will affect your practice. Family Practice Management, 13(3), 71-8.

Development of Professionalism in new Registered Nurses Essay

Development of Professionalism in new Registered Nurses - Essay Example A welldressed appearance tends to convey a higher level of knowledge and a sincere interest in advancement; on the other hand, a disheveled worker gives the impression of being a disinterested, marginal performer (Townsel, 1996). In general, some registered nurses (RNs) have been perceived to be relatively unconcerned about first impressions because their employers often have policies that dictate dress codes and behaviors (Sullivan, 2004). As nurses move toward a professional practice, they are becoming more cognizant of how their appearance, behavior, and communication influence the first impressions of others. The first impression should be positive, communicating a message to others about the self. Initially, it communicates how the nurse feels and respects the self. Projecting a positive image communicates that the nurse cares about herself or himself; therefore, the impression is that he or she will "take good care of me." While the primary concern of the nurse may not be about projecting a positive image, first impressions are an important foundation in building a trusting relationship in a society that values physical appearance (Arnold & Boggs, 2004; Navarra, Lipkowitz, & Navarra, 1990; Sullivan, 2004). Business professionals have known for years that professional image is an important aspect to success. Numerous books and articles have been written about business attire and social skills. The closing of a business deal often relies on the relationships rather than the performance of excellent work. Because health care is a form of business, successful professionals must attract a s table, growing patient population in order to survive. Physicians have known for a long time that developing relationships with patients and projecting a positive public image helps build a practice; however, this may be a new experience for the entry-level nurse. Most nurses are institutional employees, but this does not change their professional status of responsibility and visibility. Nurses must consider the importance of the first impression, whether it is during their day-today practice, a job interview, a meeting, or a presentation. Additionally, nurses have an integral role in health care delivery in the United States, and they need to create a positive public image individually and collectively. Appearance, behavior, and communication have a cumulative effect on the professional image. The purpose of this article is todiscuss the nurse's professional appearance, and behaviors relevant to securing a position, making a professional presentation, or participating in meetings. Historical Perspective Historically, dress and behavior for students and practicing nurses were dictated strongly by dress codes and strict disciplinary protocols developed by hospital administrators in charge of nurses (Kalisch & Kalisch, 1996). Personality may have had little opportunity to emerge from the starch white uniforms and pulled back hair donned in a white cap (Arnold & Boggs, 2004; Sullivan, 2004). However, times have changed; most nursing students today are thrilled with the independence and career opportunities that have evolved for nurses at multiple levels, including those in advanced practice nursing. As the professional nursing arena

SDS PAGE Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SDS PAGE - Term Paper Example -mecaptoethamol prevents oxidation of cysteines and break up disulphide bonds, Bromophenyl dye is used to help in visualizing the sample as it travels across the gel and glycerol is added to make the sample fall to the bottom. (Leamlli, 1970). Electric charge is applied across the gel to influence the movement of protein molecules to positively charged end. Principal behind SDS PAGE The structure of protein molecules to be separated has portions of negative and positive charges resulting from charged R-groups of particular amino acid and hydrophobic portions of nonpolar R-groups hence difference in shapes and sizes of protein molecules. (Hempelmann, 2008) Therefore, the first stage of SDS PAGE is to make the protein molecules linear and to ensure that there are no secondary, tertiary, or quaternary molecular structures in the sample. This is achieved by injecting the sample with SDS, which is a detergent that can dissolve the membrane and solubilise the protein molecules. Its negativ e charge overcome positive charges of protein molecules. The resulting protein is denatured, linearized, and negatively charged. The next stage in SDS PAGE is the separation process. This is based on the molecular size and weight of the molecules, sieving properties of the gel is of great assistance at this stage since protein molecules have the same charge-to-mass-ratio. The gel is not a solid but made up of series of tunnel of different diameters running from one end to the other and are scattered through the gel. (SDS PAGE, 2009) Velocity of particles moving through an electric field is directly proportional to strength of the electric field and degree of charge in the particle but inversely proportional to size of the particles and viscosity of the medium. This is the basis upon which protein of different sizes are separated. (SDS PAGE. 2009). The discontinuous pH parts of the gel come handy in aligning the proteins properly at the starting point. Laemmli gel is composed of stac ker and running gel, the running gel is buffed with Tris to pH of 8.8 with HCl; stacker gel is adjusted with Tris to pH 6.8 with HCl. The electrode buffer is adjusted to pH 8.3 using glycine and the gel is then run at a constant voltage. (Leamlli, 1970) When the power is switched on, glycine (which is a weak acid and can exist in an uncharged state as zwitterions at low pH, or in a charged state as glycinate anion at high pH) ions in the running buffer wants to move away from the negative electrode towards the sample and the stacking gel. The pH in stacking gel is low and so glycin ions lose their charge and slow down. In the stacker and sample, negatively charged mobile chloride ions move away from the cathode creating a narrow zone of very low conductance (very high electrical resistance) in the top of the stacking gel. Almost all the applied voltage is concentrated in this small zone. The very high field strength makes the negatively charged proteins to move forward. The trick, h owever, is that they can never outrun the chloride ions. If they did, they would find themselves in a region of high conductance and very low field strength and would immediately slow down. The result is that all the proteins move through the stacker in a tight

Economic Nature of the Construction Industry Assignment

Economic Nature of the Construction Industry - Assignment Example Later on, Karl Marx introduced his ideas of exploitation of labor by capital and concluded that the huge constructions that the economy witnessed were all the result of labor that were unjustly and unethically denied the fruits of their efforts which were usurped by capitalists. With progress of time, came the Great Depression and the development of a radically new approach to macroeconomics by John Maynard Keynes. Faced with gloomy prospects of an ever deepening economic depression where the roaring economy of United States that was confident that good times will last forever suddenly faced a scary scenario where jobs vanished and with it the much vaunted purchasing power of populace, Keynes had to think of an way out of that desperate situation. He realized that increasing aggregate demand was the only way out and chose construction industry as the most convenient vehicle of autonomous investment to undertaken by the US government. He prescribed large doses of investment by the gov ernment in construction industry that would, through multiplier effect, generate substantial aggregate demand and consequent rise in general price level that would be sufficient to motivate producers to undertake induced investment. Once this process gets started the upward moving price-wage spiral would pull the entire economy out of the depths of depression. Construction industry is seldom characterized by cutting edge innovations. Any new technique implemented by a builder is quickly replicated by competitors and generally all firms in the industry have access to similar technology. Thus it is an industry that experiences intense competition among equally formidable rivals. It is also an industry where production cycle is possibly the longest and with huge potential for employment requiring substantial levels of continuous investment to keep the industry healthy, construction industry becomes one of the benchmarks for judging the overall

Components of a nutritional assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Components of a nutritional assessment - Essay Example In biochemical analysis, blood, urine, stool, and hair are analyzed in a laboratory. In clinical analysis, an individuals medical history information is assessed and a physical examination conducted to determine nutritional needs. Dietary data is collected through asking an individual to recall what he or she has eaten for the past twenty-four hours, or otherwise the individual is asked to fill a food frequency questionnaire (Johnstone, 2006). Each stage of development has unique nutritional needs. According to Jarvis (2012), it is imperative to breastfeed a newborn exclusively for the first six months as breast milk contains sufficient nutrients necessary for normal growth and development for an infant. Adolescence is a period of rapid growth hence adolescents have high nutritional needs. Therefore, they need increased intake of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to support their rapid development (Jarvis, 2012). During middle adulthood, growth and development ceases. At this stage nutrients are mainly used for maintenance and repair hence energy giving foods should be reduced, calcium levels increased as there is a decrease in bone mass, and iron needs remain high for women to compensate for losses during menstruation (Jarvis, 2012). For the elderly, calcium and vitamin D needs remain high for maintenance of bone health, energy giving foods decreased due to reduced activity, and salts and fatty intake shoul d be reduced (Jarvis, 2012). As mentioned earlier, females require more iron to compensate for losses during menstruation. Men have larger bodies in terms of height, weight, and muscle hence require more energy. Additionally, men are more active than female hence require more energy. Daily nutrient intake for adult females are 2000 k/cal while that of men is 2800 k/cal (Jarvis, 2012). Johnstone, C. (2006). Nurses role in nutritional assessment and screening-part one of a two- part series. Nursing Times, 102(49): 28.

Business law - Contract problems, FIRAC case, and short summary Assignment

Business law - Contract problems, FIRAC case, and short summary - Assignment Example to be bound by the agreement, statute of fraud covers contracts of sale of goods for a cost of at least $ 500 and requires such contracts to be in writing (Clarkson, et al, p. 234, 303). Hodge entered into a contract to work for Evans on the prime condition that the contract would be permanent. His condition was accepted but he was fired within a year. Hodge has sued for a breach of contract while Evans argues that the oral contract is unenforceable. Watkins and Iams entered into an annually renewable contract in which Watkins was, based on a promise, to be the sole distributer of Iams’ products in Michigan. The renewed contract in 1993 however reserved the company’s right to appoint any other distributor in Michigan. Iams then notified Watkins that its contract would not be renewed and contracted another company. Watkins has since sued for breach of contract, fraud, and promissory ‘estoppel’. A contract that either does not involve land, is enforceable within a year, is not a contract of guarantee, is not a promise that involves â€Å"consideration of marriage† and is not for sale of goods worth at least $ 500 dollars does not necessarily have to be in writing (Clarkson, et al., p. 304). Promissory estoppels also creates liability on promises relied upon in contracts (Clarkson, et al, p. 259). Dyer purchased a car with written provisions that no taxes were included in the price. While the contract restricted the agreement to its written terms, the salesperson assured her that sales tax was already paid. She has realized otherwise and has sued for breach. The parole evidence rule provides that oral agreement that precedes or is made alongside a written contract, in which the parties intended to be fully bound by the written contract, is inadmissible. The rule however has exceptions that include â€Å"contract subsequently modified, voidable or void contracts, contracts containing ambiguous terms, and incomplete contracts† among others (Clarkson, et al,

Accounting Implications to Enron Corporation Case Study

Accounting Implications to Enron Corporation - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the Enron Company had a robust outlook of accounts; it was highly valued stock, and it had a good reputation for making profits. Being a fast-growing company with high promotion activities, Enron was heading for great heights in business. These characteristics are ideal for any person who wants to invest, and therefore, Enron had many investors coming. The accountants did not lay out their true and fair financial records. The accountant’s application of creative accounting practices to manipulate the accuracy of the records was a common practice. The management did this by establishing many limited liability special purpose entities in order for Enron’s accounting officers to transfer liability. This bid to ensure all accounts appear without liabilities was a strategy that seeks to maintain a robust and increasing stock price, thereby keeping its investment grade credit ratings. The role of the accountant is to ensure the m aintenance of accurate books of accounts, a role that the accountants clearly did not perform. Confidence in the financial information produced by professional accountants is one of the main driving forces for public investments. Accountants have the role of safeguarding the public’s interest by providing information that is true and fair for investors’ decision-making. The manipulation of accounts in order to favor the company and thereby deceive the public to rush to invest is unethical. There is a conflict of interest in these dealings. The accountant has to oversee the maintenance of the image of the organization and at the same time protect the interest of the public. This context becomes worse when an accountant also has personal interests in the dealings of the organization. In such instances, accountants should declare any form of conflicting interests and seek guidance when working during such situations. However, this was the fraud by the organization; the pu blic interest should take precedence over personal and organizational interests.

Global Warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Global Warming - Research Paper Example uses of global warming and researchers have been in constant conflict on the issue of whether global warming is a creation of human beings or it is a naturally occurring phenomenon. This research will focus on the history, prevalence, cause & effect as well as ways to counter global warming. The term global warming first came into limelight during the period of 1975 when an American scientist named Wallace Smith Broecker utilized the term in his scientific research paper (pmm.nasa.gov 1). The term global warming reached the ears of people and policy makers throughout the world when the term was used by a scientist named James Hansen who was employed by NASA and he used the term during 1988 while presenting a testimony to the Congress (pmm.nasa.gov 1). Since the term became quite popular, several researches were conducted to figure out whether the temperature of the earth was actually increasing or it was simply a myth. According to Zedillo, the temperature of the earth was actually increase year after year and an increase in earth’s temperature of 0.74 degree Celcius was recorded between the period starting from the 20th century and ending during the 21st century (Zedillo 15). Other studies that have identified similar changes in the rise of the earth’s temperature were conducted by Climatic Research Unit which identified that the earth’s temperature was highest during the period of 1998 while the increase in the temperature during the year of 2005 as well as 2010 was quite tremendous but not as high as the rise in temperature noted during 1998 (Jones 1). The occurrence of global warming is considered as a natural phenomenon and one of the natural reasons due to which global warming is taking place is that the there has been an increase in the amount of energy released through solar energy. NASA has reported that that huge number of changes in the quantity of solar energy produced by sun have been experienced over a period of 11 years and during this

The Influence of Words During Times of War Essay

The Influence of Words During Times of War - Essay Example The Power of Words in Wartime by Robin Lakoff (2005) is an article describing just how powerful words can be a weapon. The article centers around the history of words used in wartime, focusing on the descriptive words that are typically used to describe 'the enemy'; barbarians, infidels, Japs, Yankees, Frogs. The article suggests that these words help to bring one side closer together by grouping the enemy as something negative, something outside of themselves. It gives a sense of supremacy to one side, often focusing on physical or cultural differences between the enemy and the home side. Killing another person is murder, but killing a 'target' or a 'Hun' in the event of war is something different, and just shows how powerful words can be in changing the normal morals of an individual. Churchill's Powerful Words. As previously mentioned, Churchill and his powerful speeches have been considered one of the most important elements in the Allied win of the Second World War (Brekle, 1989 ). "Give us the tools and we will finish the job† (Churchill, 2003) are the famous words of Churchill to Franklin D. Roosevelt, allowing the nation to see the confidence of Churchill, bringing faith, courage and hope to the nation. It suggests that Churchill himself had a great amount of faith in the Allied forces, and it is sometimes this type of faith that is needed to give confidence to an army, confidence being something that is perhaps more important than technology in winning a war (Oliver, 1987).... Churchill's Powerful Words As previously mentioned, Churchill and his powerful speeches have been considered one of the most important elements in the Allied win of the Second World War (Brekle, 1989). "Give us the tools and we will finish the job† (Churchill, 2003) are the famous words of Churchill to Franklin D. Roosevelt, allowing the nation to see the confidence of Churchill, bringing faith, courage and hope to the nation. It suggests that Churchill himself had a great amount of faith in the Allied forces, and it is sometimes this type of faith that is needed to give confidence to an army, confidence being something that is perhaps more important than technology in winning a war (Oliver, 1987). Churcill is also famous for saying "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning† (Churchill, 2003). This again was a powerful quote at the time, stirring the forces and the nation into believing that there is so me hope that the tragedies of war would begin to end. In this quote, Churchill acknowledges the past, present and future struggles of the war, but does so in such a confident manner. There are numerous more quotes that can be used to show Churchill's rhetoric and how instrumental it was in instilling hope, but these serve to give evidence of his skill and its power during wartime. The Rhetoric of Roosevelt Roosevelt was also known for his skill in rhetoric. Whilst Churchill seemed more focused on giving the forces confidence on the battlefield, Roosevelt is possibly more associated with letting the nation know that the cause they were fighting for was the right cause. This is an important tool in persuading soldiers to sign up to fight; no-one wants to fight for

The initial interest of a career Essay Example for Free

The initial interest of a career Essay My initial interest of a career within Primary Education sparked whilst I was volunteering for a local football team, where I was presented with the opportunity to coach 8/9-year-old children, as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award. I found it particularly rewarding to see a child progress following my guidance and learning environment. From this, I have established that I enjoy the interaction with children and supporting their holistic development on their personal level, I am fascinated with how their minds develop, gaining an understanding into a child’s perceptions of the world. Primary Education has been the course I have been exclusively interested in since the start of High School, mainly due to the opportunities that have been laid ahead at South Bromsgrove. I secured a week’s placement last year, through a local Primary School. I was able to work alongside teachers and support staff in different roles across the school. This was a capturing and challenging experience. Shadowing a Primary School teacher enabled me to be involved in a range of areas such as early years, extra-curricular events and a taste of every subject at Primary level. This developed my confidence when approaching senior teachers and pupils whilst at the school. The most rewarding part was being able to help pupils within lessons with tasks, which is essential in developing the defined core of teaching. Helping a child progress motivates me and this experience reinforced my desire to teach. The concept of playing an active role in helping children develop greatly appeals to me. A key part of the course would place me in an actual schooling environment, broadening my knowledge further and giving me a first-hand impression of the role itself. I am applying to this course because I believe my personal skill set and passion are well molded to the course requirements. My communication, interpersonal skills, and patience will benefit me within this role. I also believe that becoming an excellent teacher requires a desire to assist children in the learning process and this is one quality which I feel I definitely possess and have been commented on. I also emphasize the necessity of enabling children to have fun at school and relish their Primary School days. I believe that my current philosophy is person-orientated, as I obtain good interpersonal skills, promoting positive results from individuals, rather than focusing on a larger task. Primary Education provides children with the building blocks to pursue a personal desire, in later school years and beyond school . At South Bromsgrove, I study BTEC Sport and Business Studies. A current focus in Sport is phases of learning. This particular unit has enabled me to understand the process of thinking. The Cognitive, Associative and Autonomous stages link into how a Primary pupil processes thoughts. In the future, this will provide me with an understanding of how children perceive school, which is a fundamental part of the Primary Education course. Business has enhanced my knowledge on budgeting which is a key part of the role, as each department is allocated a budget. This could benefit me in a teaching role. I also participate in the Duke of Edinburgh programme, having completed both Bronze and Silver I am working towards the Gold Award in 2018. The DofE programme has presented lots of opportunities. Volunteering in a local charity shop to learning new personal skills, such as problem solving and self-management. I have always been a sportsman which has provided me with a core set of skills. Resilience, Social Independence, and Responsibility. These skills are applicable to university and I feel due to my skill set I can work on independent tasks and would thrive in this environment. I also believe that Primary Education requires a great level of responsibility. I personally feel that this skill is above satisfactory and again, I would face no obstruction in pursuing a career in Primary Education.

Toyota Jidosha Evaluation

Toyota Jidosha Evaluation Jasmanjot singh Aujla Introduction: Toyota Jidosha is a Japanese car producer headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In March 2014 the multinational organization comprised of 338,875 workers worldwide and, as of February 2016, is the thirteenth biggest organization on the planet by income. Toyota was the biggest vehicle maker in 2012 in front of the Volkswagen Group and General Motors. The organization was established by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937 as a spinoff from his dads organization Toyota Industries to make autos. Three years prior, in 1934, while still a branch of Toyota Industries, it made its first item, the Type A motor, and, in 1936, its first traveller auto, the Toyota. Toyota Australia is an entirely possessed auxiliary of Japans Toyota Motor Corporation. We offer autos that are either foreign made to Australia or produced in Australia, to both private purchasers and to private and government armadas. Our clients the nation over are adjusted by our broad merchant arrange which is comprised of 210 Toyota merchants and 19 Lexus merchants who utilize more than 13,000 individuals. The fundamental issues are that in light of the fact that the base of clients is influenced because of some showcasing issues so the entire benefit of organization has additionally influenced. So the organization needs a statistical surveying to come to think about the primary reason of misfortune. So for this, there is expected to counsel everybody in the organization about the primary issues. Counsel Process: Initial issues will be talked about or counselled with the CEO of the organization in definite stride. In the first place the given issue will talk about with the director then he will give a few criticisms, after that it would be counselled with the chief about inputs given by administrator and the entire staff. To get these inputs, it would be essential send sends, freebees to them and in end the entire accumulated data ought to should be talked about with the CEO of the organization and take fitting choice about the statistical surveying. This kind of data will get past some vis-Ã  -vis interviews with chiefs and bosses in any working day Proposition for Proposed Research I.The primary motivation behind an exploration proposition is to demonstrate that the issue you propose to examine is sufficiently huge to warrant the examination, the strategy you plan to utilize is appropriate and plausible, and the outcomes are probably going to demonstrate productive and will make a unique commitment. II.On the working environment for research we require some staff and they have legitimate information about what they will inquire about. So every one of the information ought to be accessible to them. Assets ought to be accessible at all the time so the staff individuals and laborers wont appear to be any postponement in their work. III.Research targets for a business fill in as a strategy for keeping the venture on track. Amid the examination, representatives may discover elective courses or answers that have all the earmarks of being more intriguing than the objectives or targets laid out in the report. The Objectives of our statistical surveying arrangement is to give you mindfulness with the goal that Toyota supplies might have the capacity to expand income over the coming months. Preliminary Project Scope I A Preliminary Project Scope Statement is one of the outputs of the Project Initiation process group. The purpose of the Preliminary Project Scope Statement is to identify the high level project objectives. The objectives must be clear, actionable and measurable. Fair-weather CEO is to look for a way to strengthen the company and turn profits around as quickly as possible so as not to lose more shareholders. II.External Agencies: Harrison Market Research, Communication and Market Research Associates Ltd. whats more, Roy Morgan Research Centre. These are some outside organizations which might be counselled in future to get advantage from their ability. III.Research Location: It is the sharp essential thing to put as a main priority that which territory needs to choose for research. It will valuable for an organization on the off chance that it is picking that zone where the contenders are less so they can without much of a stretch come to think about requirements of clients that what they need so that an organization can set up its goals. For instance, on the off chance that we pick Flinders Park for our examination then it will likewise be seen about all different surroundings rural areas like Findon, Woodville and position of different contenders there. IV.Planned Research Methodologies: Firstly its important to arrange a due date of any venture before beginning like 1 month and the following stride is to arrange all framework in the information must be gathered like all the staff, labourers, administrators whose are required for the exploration ought to be there. Ultimately, all the gathered information is to be accumulated deliberately and enter the exchanges as per the proprietor of business. A useful way to deal with arranging that guarantees you has a workforce of the correct size with the correct aptitudes and abilities. Finish The Project Scope: In condition to every one of the components, its important to talk about the terms and conditions with the chief and CEO of the organization. The fundamental target is to construct the client base which prompts to the achievement of the organization. To start with it ought to be talked about with director after get his inputs then this data about the venture will counsel with the proprietor. So at last, he will choose what to do and how to do this venture in the given spending plan. Q) Market Research Plan? Description of the Problem At prior Toyota was the most popular organization everywhere throughout the world yet because of high rivalry between other auto organization, for example, Suzuki ,bmw,hundai The Suzuki ,and BMW is being gaining less benefit in this refined period .Moreover the base of clients is being declining because of changing taste and inclination. Though, others are additionally serving great elements autos. As per this circumstance exploratory research is the most ideal way out to tackle the issue. Finished Project Scope-Firstly its important to arrange a due date of any venture before beginning like 1 month and the following stride is to arrange all framework in the information must be gathered like all the staff, specialists, administrators whose are required for the examination ought to be there. Ultimately, all the gathered information is to be assembled methodically and enter the exchanges as per the proprietor of business. A down to earth way to deal with arranging that guarantees you has a workforce of the correct size with the correct aptitudes and abilities. Types of Data -According to this, Primary and Secondary data methods can be use to study the case- Primary information. It accumulates unique data specifically for your motivation, as opposed to being assembled from distributed sources. We can deliver by impart to individuals as we will do review framework into rural areas so essential information accumulation would be appropriate technique for this examination. Secondary strategy It assembles existing data through accessible sources. Auxiliary information illustrations incorporate data on the web, existing statistical surveying comes about, existing information from your own particular stock records and client database, data from offices, for example, industry bodies, government organizations, libraries and nearby committees. Identify Suitable Data Gathering Methods Exploraty research Primary Research Data-We want this research to know about the needs of the present period and requirements of the customers. Benefits-We want the employees that are fully trained, punctual and full active persons. By which we can save our time from getting rid of failure ideas on task. Internal Data source- The data source will help us to know about our company that how and on which strategies it is going on. Financial records-From this we are able to know about our expenditure and about budgets. Sales report- It tells us about the demands of the products i.e. which product is important for the customer. Qualification required Data;- Probability method: A likelihood examining strategy is any technique for testing that uses some type of arbitrary determination. With a specific end goal to have an irregular choice technique, you should set up some procedure or system that guarantees that the diverse units in your populace have level with probabilities of being picked. There are rural areas which are chosen and their names are given beneath. These rural areas are chosen for the research. So in this examination there is have to gather the examples haphazardly from every one of these rural suburbs Suburbs Sample population Total population Techniques Flinders park 150 1300 Interviews Findon 250 1200 Survey Woodville 180 1150 Group Discussion Kurralta park 220 900 Depth interviews Allenby Gardens 260 1400 Surveys Information Processing Methods- Preparing of essential information: The essential information gathered from the field stays in the crude type of proclamations, digits and subjective terms. The crude information contains blunder, exclusions and in textures. The accompanying strides are included in the preparing of essential information. (1) Editing of information: The altering of information should be possible at two phases: field and post-field altering. The field altering is a survey of revealing by the agent for finishing what has been composed in a curtailed shape amid talking the respondent . ii) The coding of inform To keep the reaction with in restricted options, we have to Dole out some in order or numerical images or both to the appropriate responses. iii) Organization of Data: The information data gathered through various sources ought to be sorted out. The main undertaking in such manner is to create ace diagram For instance in a neighborhood, we record singular family units in columns and the points of interest of populace, capacity, offices and enhancements and so on in segments. (iv) Classification of information: An enormous volume of crude information gathered through field overview should be assembled for comparable points of interest of individual reactions. The way toward sorting out information into gatherings and classes on the premise of specific qualities is known as the arrangement of information Introduction of information: The introduction of information could be forbidden, Statistical and cartographic. If there should be an occurrence of unthinkable type of introduction, information identified with various factors ought to be ordered and thought about. Different Statistical procedures are accessible to determine exact and exact outcomes , Since systems have an extensive territory combined with the constraints of their Own, choice of proper method should be made for the reason. Tabular Presentation: It is utilized for synopsis of information in its miniaturized scale frame. It helps in the investigation of patterns, relationship and different Characteristics of a given information. Basic organization is utilized to answer address identified with one normal for the information though complex classification is utilized to exhibit a few interrelated attributes Graphical Methods: This is a rundown of graphical techniques with a scientific premise. Included are outline systems, diagram methods, plot techniques, and different types of perception. The diagram alludes to the course of action of level and in addition vertical lines in inch or centimeters divisions. These divisions are in a number-crunching arrangement. A diagram is utilized to find the position of a given trademark as for two factors spoke to by two tomahawks of the chart. Cartographic Presentation of Data: The essential information gathered through the field overview might be introduced cartographically. The portrayal of information in visual shape alludes either to time, space or to both. The cartographic introduction alludes to the show of information by developing charts, outlines and maps. The arrangement of information is changed into some type of figure which is utilized for representations. These figures could be realistic, geometric or topic particular maps. A short examination on various type of cartographic introduction is given here Compound Graphs: These diagrams are being utilized to speak to at least two ward amounts in the meantime. Diverse amounts spoke to by bends are either superimposed on the highest point of each other or put on the each other in total. For instance, compound charts of male and female populace or provincial and urban populace can be utilized to speak to the two sections of populace. Correspondingly, factors having three or four fragments can likewise be spoken to through compound chart. Diagrammatic Presentations: Diagrams are both graphical and geometric in nature. The prepared information is depicted through various outlines for visual introductions. It is vital to make utilization of graphs in view of their relative value of visual introduction. The charts generally allude to time or space or both the attributes identified with one area. Approval To The proprietor The Toyota organization Sub: Approval of plan statistical surveying venture Sir, This is respect in endorsement of plan statistical surveying .This venture comprises of the length of 1 months (timetable is appeared above) and it will take at around $54568 (Details given in venture). This venture will be completed from the five rural areas. It would be ideal if you give endorsement so we can begin this venture at the earliest opportunity. Yours appreciative

Impact of Conglomeration on Cultural Industries

Impact of Conglomeration on Cultural Industries Cultural industries are a major source of generating information and knowledge in societies. The concentration in ownership over them, in the recent years by private corporate houses has brought in changes, in the way they operate and function in society. In this article, we see why cultural industries are important, what the functions carried out by them are and how they are affected by the conglomerate style ownership which is prevalent in society today. WHAT ARE CULTURAL INDUSTRIES? Cultural industry as a concept had first been put forward by German critical theorists of the Frankfurt School, Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. While in exile from Nazi Germany in the 1940s, they wrote the Dialectic of Enlightenment through which they popularized the concept. In it, they wrote about the life in capitalist United States and felt it was rather meaningless and shallow. According to them, culture had become commodified in the capitalist societies, which was why they coined the term Culture Industry. (pg24) The complexities which have arisen in society over time have metamorphosed the singular field spoken about by the two proponents and led to the creation of ‘cultural industries’. The different ways in which society is influenced has led to the creation of different types of cultural production. (pg24) The continuous changes in the culture, economy and society make it important to understand cultural industries in the present day context. Cultural industry, in simple terms, refers to the activities which are interrelated with symbolic goods, i.e. those goods whose economic value is determined by their cultural value. This definition of cultural industries is relatively fluid as they respond to the changing dynamics of societies. Cultural industries comprise of ‘classical’ cultural industries like broadcast media, architecture, music, films, etc. and traditional arts such as theatre, visual arts, literature, galleries, etc. (1) In the present day the term cultural industries is often used synonymously with media industries. ROLE OF CULTURAL INDUSTRIES IN SOCIETY Cultural industries have certain distinct functions to play in the present day modern societies. Firstly, cultural industries affect our views and knowledge about the world by creating and circulating different products. The media have a major contribution in this regard, not only through newspapers and broadcast news programmes but also through entertainment like films, television series and music. They help frame our views on what is right or wrong, determine how people live together in society, how far democratic functions are carried out and justice and rights upheld. These texts are disseminated by powerful corporations whose major motivation is to earn profits. Often theorists debate over whether cultural industries operate to carry out the interests of these elites in the society. Through cultural industries they try to accustom the common man towards a particular way of thinking which would eventually help serve their interests. (Pg 4) Secondly, the cultural industries tend to promote a particular type of work in society. Cultural production in societies takes place according to the type of audience. The texts produced in the system may sometimes be mediocre and not enriching for the people because the motivation is not to promote the creativity in society. Rather it is to preserve the power of the business elites and promote consumerism. The contemporary sufferings and inequality of the capitalist societies are said to be the fallout of these cultural industries. The heads of corporations generally decide the freedom given to the workers or artists and thus control the potential of the workers. (pg6) Thirdly, cultural industries are an important source for determining the source of wealth and employment in the societies. Scholars say that it is the brand name of the businesses which are of actual value and have motivated further spread of knowledge in societies. In recent years other sources developed, such as the internet. The massive boom in communication technologies provided an opportunity for the growth of credit based economic growth. Thus, cultural industries act as instruments of economic and social change. (Pg8) INTERESTS OF THE CORPORATIONS It is important to understand what the interests of the executive and owning class actually are to understand how and why corporations function as they do in contemporary capitalist societies. The prime interests of companies are to maximize their profits and revenues. Although some companies provide better conditions to their workers and offer many benefits but the target of the companies is to maximise their profits by minimising the costs. The owning class of companies try to collaborate with companies like their own. Despite the competition between the two, they try to unite in lobbying and campaigning against certain government legislations which are in support of the working class. For their business to prosper, the corporate owners require stable economic and political conditions. They might be against certain reforms which the government wants to introduce which might be beneficial to the consumers and workers. Thus they try to influence the government by donations in the ele ction campaigns and show their support to certain political candidates which will help create an atmosphere in the system which is needed for their business to boom and enlarge. (pg76-77) OWNERSHIP OF CORPORATIONS Around the 1960s, in the United States, conglomeration became one of the basic features of ownership of corporation. Diverse business and industrial houses that originally had interests limited in oil and financial services only, had now started investing more into the media industries. These industries primarily had private ownership. In the late 1980s a new form of cooperation emerged whereby there was cross –promotion and cross-selling between the different corporations so that there would an increase in the overall sales. With the developments in technologies new sources of cultural production emerged making the ownership more complex. In many of these industries such as radio, television and films, there was the emergence of oligopolistic ownership emerging which was leading to the creation of huge conglomerates. (pg195) In the USA, for instance, large corporations such as the RCA (Radio Corporation of America) became one of the leading companies overtaking the various me dia forms like publishing and newspaper companies and Hollywood studies emerged as an oligopoly which was integrated vertically. This vertical integration led to the development of certain new technologies such as recording and playback. There was also cross media ownership which made the system very complex. Film studios like MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) also held considerable interest in music industry. In the 1980s media houses began to invest more into consumer electronics companies. (pg72) For instance, Sony bought over CBS Records and Columbia Pictures Entertainment whereby it could use rock music and cinema which were popular in the US to promote the sale of CD and thereby increase their cultural productivity. (pg198) With the emergence of IT giants in the new millennium, telecommunications industries ventured into the broadcasting market. But it must be noted that these companies did not have significant cultural production. Their focus was more on gathering data on consumers which would help them to increase their sales. One of the most important ventures into cultural industries by the IT companies was that of Google who purchased YouTube in 2006. Google had recognized the relationship of circulation and distribution with that of culture and communication. The basic idea was that the greater the number of consumers who visit YouTube and the more number of pages they view, the greater will be the promotion of certain ads by YouTube. This led to the major clash over copyright between Goggle and other cultural industries. (pg 198) IMPACT OF CONGLOMERATE STYLE OWNERSHIP There was an increasing emergence of small companies which took part in the cultural production though it was at a much smaller scale. These small industries brought to the fore concerns regarding the domination of big business houses over cultural production. It was argued that ownership in the big business and corporate houses belong in the hands of a few. As it was explained earlier, the different shareholders especially in the media industry have started acting as moguls. They have control and ties with other powerful institutions and people who help spread and propagate their particular interests in society.(pg 73) Some scholars dispute that there has emerged a ‘managerial revolution’ in the nineteenth century which has led to delegation into the hands of the managers who have different interests from that of the owners. Thus, interests of the corporations become varied as different classes involved become more diverse. Critics say that the managerial class also bel ongs to the wealthy higher stratum of society and so they may share interests with the owning class. (pg 75) There can be many harmful effects on the democratic practices in the nation if there is concentration of corporate ownership over the media and cultural industries. The media is one of the main sources of information for the people today. It is responsible for enlightening the people and providing them with vital information. But if there is increased corporate interest in media coverage, then there can be a major impact on what the media covers and does not cover. The media can no longer provide unbiased information and always has to bear in mind that the information that they generate does not in any way offend the owners. Thus, the media and other cultural industries become bound and shackled by the chains of the interests of the executive and corporate heads. The common man in turn is denied access to accurate and unbiased information. If he could us it he could make informed decisions. This has a direct fallout on the democratic political system in the society. (3) Another significant issue is that the knowledge that is generated and the culture that is produced become uniform and standardized. The information that is generated is that which can help retain the power and position of the corporate giants and tycoons. This compromises the ability of the common man to develop his or her ability to the fullest potential because what is popular in society is controlled and decided by a few who belong to the elite class. The inequalities in society are legitimised by the cultural industries like media which help retain the power and wealth domination of the corporate heads. Thus we see that the control exercised by the giant corporate houses is not direct, but through their ownership and control over the media and other cultural industries. (4) There have often been debates whether cultural industries under the influence of private ownership have concentrated more on commerce rather than creativity. With increase in corporate interests in cultural industries and media whose primary motive is earning large profit and returns, many scholars feel that there has been a compromise in the quality of news generated. Journalism must maintain high quality but with new budget cut downs to reduce costs there has been a decline in the resources available to the journalists. Also, there has been a shift of concentration from important political and economic events to gossip on the lives of celebrities and the entertainment world as this proves to be more lucrative for them. Thus, there is concentration on public taste and what the public want to see, which some scholars point out is rather good than concentration on what the elites want people to see. Ben Bagdikian in his work The Media Monopoly listed the number of media companies in different industries like newspapers, magazines, motion pictures and television in the US market. In 1983, he found that there were 50 major corporations but their number continuously dwindled over the years and ultimately became only 5 in 2004. This clearly manifested the scope of influence that these corporation have in influencing the cultural industries. (pg205) Many critics point out corporations may become victims of the environment they exist in. For this reason many of them have adopted the policy of ‘de-convergence’ in recent years, whereby they concentrate on their primary business areas and have sold off their other business operations. But conglomeration continues to exist as one of the main features of cultural industry. CONCLUSION After careful scrutiny of the important role of cultural industries and the impact of conglomerate type of ownership on them, one observes that the latter limits the autonomy of the cultural industries in various manners. It is imperative that initiatives be taken to liberalize them from the corporate interests which bind them. It must be noted, that this form of ownership can have positive impacts as well. For instance, the corporate houses can control and keep a check on the government and limit them from acting arbitrarily or biased decisions. They also help promote healthy competition in the society. But after weighing the positive and negative impacts of conglomerate ownership over cultural industries one can conclude that there is need to take positive action in form of diversification of ownership. REFERENCES The Definition of ‘Cultural Industries’  http://www.pedrobendassolli.com/pesquisa/icc1.pdf Reference provided The Cultural Industries By David Hesmondhalgh Media Conglomerates, Mergers, Concentration of Ownership,  http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership Media Ownership – Does It Matter?  http://lirne.net/resources/netknowledge/meier.pdf The Media Industry: Structure, Strategy and Debates  http://www.sagepub.com/mcquail6/Online%20readings/9b%20Croteau%20%20Hoynes%20-Devereux-Ch-02.pdf

Jane Eyre Essays -- essays research papers

Blanche Ingram: Villain?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blanche Ingram is the most important woman, other than Jane Eyre, in the novel. Arguably, she is the most important antagonist in this book. It is difficult to fathom how an absolutely horrid, conceited, venal, apathetic creature could be so vital to the book; but take her away, the motivation, conflict, and character itself crumbles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Consider this synopsais: Jane Eyre has not yet come to terms with her love with Mr. Rochester. Mr. Rochester is so infatuated with Jane that he can not contain himself and is ready to proclaim his love at any moment. Mr. Rochester must somehow occupy himself until he is certain of Jane’s fervent love for him and what better way to test this than with jealousy? This feminine competitive jealousy can only be achieved by bringing in the stereotypical, perfect woman of the epoch. This woman is Blanche Ingram. Blanche produces enough tumult to spark Jane to get over her reticence and speak out to Rochester of the love she feels for him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A second scenario: Jane loves Mr. Rochester in her heart. She only needs something, some happenstance, where she can break through her reserve and coyness to express her feelings. Mr. Rochester brings to Thornfield a party of guests; all elegantly appareled and socially sophisticated. Hesitantly, Jane reaches the drawing room where she and Ad...

Great Gatsby Letter :: Great Gatsby Letter

Dear Gatsby,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I appreciate your care for our friendship, I'm glad that what we have done means something to you as it has to me. I also see that you haven't joined the rest of the flapper aristocrats, it's good to know you're not at the shallow depths of their ignorant mentality. Anyways, I hope that your worries isn't the reason why think that our lives are so troubled all of the sudden. I know myself very well and I know that my life isn't twisted, and I know you well enough to say that your life is not as troubled as you may think or seems. Everybody else living this wealthy luxury of a life has done something worse than anything you have done, used you for parties and drinking for one. One the other hand, the only crime you've commited is falling in love. I have seen Tom and Daisy; unhappyly married knowing their real truths about each other myself, and their marriage is a farse. I have seen you and Daisy; fullfilling that longlost love you had for each other before war, wondering why you lost it to begin with. You and I know Daisy for what she really is, not for that superficial act to gain self-respect, you can make her truly happy again. As for me, I have seen everybody is East Egg. for what they really are, and Jordan is no

americanisation of australian television Essay -- essays research pape

The Americanization of Australian Television is a sad and terrible thing. It is a process whereby ordinary Australians are bombarded every day with images of American lifestyle, so much that it merges almost unnoticed into their own lifestyle. It is a process whereby our home-grown entertainment industry is overwhelmed by the enormous powerhouse of the American economy, with drastic effects upon the modern Australian nation. Not only is Australian free to air TV being dominated by American produced shows, but a lot of the content on the Australian TV shows is sourced from America. American culture is part of Australian mass consumer culture, It dominates our television. If we look at the early history of Australian television, virtually all program material until 1963 was of foreign origin, of which eighty three percent was American and the rest British (Cited in an article by Cunningham Stuart ,â€Å"History, Contexts, Politics, Policy†.) Philip Bell discusses in his article that even in the first two decades of television ‘American programs and formats dominated commercial channels’ ( Cited in an article by Bell Phillip, ‘Television’). So Americanization of Australian television is not just a recent development. This problem has been there right from the beginning with American shows like Leave it to Beaver and I love Lucy dominating the TV screens of Australian households. Many are concerned with this issue, a good example is shown in an article written by David Dale, readers were asked if they were shocked by the revelation that all the most popular dramas and comedies on Australian television were made in America, and whether they thought TV stations should be forced to show more stories from other countries, including Australia. Carolina Peters talks about her concerns over this issue, she quotes, â€Å"I am not at all shocked that so much of the drivel on our TV screen comes from the US. I am, however, deeply concerned that so much of our programming is either direct from or heavily influenced by the US. The influence is clearly seen in the way kids today are affecting US accents and using US terms. I have heard many kids lately referring to their mothers as 'mom' instead of 'mum'.† ( Cited in the Sydney Morning Herald, David Dale).Whilst people like Terry North disagreed, Terry North talks about how the Australian networks should not be for ced to show mo... ...ence, and now talk and act like American teenagers. Australian television is threatened by the influx of American culture. Phillip Bell talks about the rise of Australian ‘soaps’ in his article, for example Neighbours which began in 1985, he talks about how the show deals with ‘Australian’ issues. (Bell Phillip, ‘Television’), this isn’t necessarily true. In fact many of the storylines in Neighbours are taken from American soaps like Day of our lives or Bold And The Beautiful. Our screens are increasingly filled with disturbing storylines which continually push the boundaries of human depravity. Australian commercial television has imported American formats (Bell Phillip, ‘Television’). Even the Australian Logies are becoming Americanised. At the 2005 Logie awards, there were at least two American celebrity guests, CSI Miami actress †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ was given a lot of attention at the Logies, because of her famous American celebrity status. The Logie awards which were supposed to be awarded to shows that are produced in Australia, this year awarded a Logie to the OC for the best overseas program. The influence of the American culture on Australian television was clearly evident at the Logies.

Cultural nursing Essay

Australia is home to one of the most culturally diverse populations in the world, and the population continues to grow (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2006). This expanding diversity creates a potpourri of cultural attitudes, beliefs and values unlike the dominant Westernised view. The cultural differences impact on how people understand and experience end-of-life in the country. Customary practices of caring for the terminally ill that permeates in most African communities differ vastly from that of Australian’s individualistic culture (Hiruy & Mwanri, 2013). African culture is of a collectivistic nature whereby autonomy is devalued and the communities or families are expected to care for the sick. As with most ethnic minority groups, this culture can become altered or suppressed when subjected to the influences of another overriding culture (Kirmayer, 2012). For these reasons, the aim of the paper is to facilitate an understanding of the process to achieve culturally competent care. This paper begins with a description of an interaction between a student nurse who held a western set of values and a patient of African origin. The paper then discusses the cultural biasness against the minority group as well as the power relationships involved resulting in the suppression of the African end of life practices. A reflective discussion regarding the best approach to deliver culturally competent care during the interaction will also be presented. Case study Talib (pseudonym) was an African man in his 80s who was transferred to the palliative care ward following an episode of cardiac arrest. When the student nurse first encountered Talib and his family, they appeared to be reserved and kept to themselves most of the time. Talib’s family took on the task of nursing Talib and refused to leave him alone even during the night shift. Talib’s family members also regularly communicated on behalf of Talib even though the patient was fluent in English. Accordingly, the student nurse’s provision of nursing care was limited. The first day of Talib’s stay on the ward also saw the arrival of over 80 visitors. In African culture, members of the community are expected to visit and pay their respects to someone nearing the end of life (Hiruy & Mwanri, 2013). This practice is especially significant in Talib’s case as he was a well-respected leader of  his community. Though the intentions of these visitors were directed by their culture, the norms of the ward did not permit such practices. Initially, the ward tried to accommodate the sudden influx of visitors. Other nurses were involved with the additional task of crowd-controlling and reminding the visitors to be considerate of other patients. As the visitors became more disruptive and unmanageable, hospital security was called in to escort them out. Moreover, the sheer number of visitors arriving to pay their respects was exhausting Talib who appeared to be fatiguing and sleeping throughout these visits. The student nurse and her preceptor discussed with the family regarding the regulation of visitors. This created conflicts within the family as Talib’s daughter felt her father needed some respite from the visitors. However, Talib’s sister wanted him to receive a send-off that was worthy of his status. The situation was contained when the student nurse and her preceptor raised the issue with the medical practitioners who imposed a restriction on the number of visitors allowed. Cultural biasness and its impact Each person is a bearer of his or her own culture, values and attitudes and hence is subjected to ethnocentric tendencies and cultural imposition (Wells, 2000). In an interview of over 90 English nurses, ethnocentric practices and cultural biasness against ethnic minority group were still reported in current nursing practices (Vydelingum, 2006). Self-assessment can pave the way to caring effectively for a patient or family from another culture as healthcare providers develop culturally sensitivity to differences (Calvillo et al., 2009). Nurses who cultivate a habit of reflecting on their own cultural values, attitudes, beliefs and practices will be more aware of the influence of their own culture on work practices (Culley, 2006). When nursing the culturally different, nurses need to perceive and understand the significance of those differences and how that can be responded to within the nursing practice. Within the Australian context, there is a focus on the empowerment of patients (Williamson & Harrison, 2010). While involving patients with healthcare discussions is a step towards attaining empowerment, this may not be the case in a collectivistic culture. Many cultures do not share the  principal value of individualism (Davis, 1999). In collectivist cultures, individuals do not concern themselves with healthcare decisions, instead family members or community are often the designated arbiters (Kanitsaki, 2003). As Talib’s cultural practice dictates that the responsibility of his care belongs to his family, the student found it difficult to engage with the patient and his family and establish a therapeutic relationship with them. The student was also frustrated at the lack of opportunities to communicate directly with Talib. She felt that she was not able to identify his healthcare needs and thus, not able to deliver any nursing care. In addition, the student nurse also received a culture shock with regards to the response of the community. The number of people who poured in to visit Talib was beyond her comprehension. Due to the lack of exposure to such encounters, the student was uncertain with regards to handling the situation. She was more familiar with her Western ways of grieving and took that as a benchmark for normalcy. This belief is fortified by other patients and their family on the ward who were mainly of Australian descent. When a person’s customs are threatened by other unfamiliar cultural practices, he or she can become defensive and dwell on their own ethnocentric values (Ruddock & Turner, 2007). Undeniably, the student nurse was affected by the incongruence in culture. She was initially puzzled but reported feeling annoyance as she saw visitors’ actions as disturbances rather than cultural practices. Power relationships Given the hierarchical nature of the health care setting, asymmetrical power is present throughout any level of relationships including organisational and individual (Ramsden, 2002). The professional culture as set out by the hospital privileges ritualised routine care, leaving little room for nurses to work in a culturally safe manner (Richardson & MacGibbon, 2010). The power imbalance further pervades at the individual level as nurses have an inherent role power over patients (Kuokkanen & Leino-Kilpi, 2000). This power often underpinned the nurses’ professional practices and interactions. In order for patients to receive effective healthcare, nurses have the responsibility to analyse and understand these power relationships. Power  imbalances should be managed to avoid isolating patients and promote equitable nursing care. Even so, nurses will still make the conscious decision to exercise their power as a form of domination which occurred in Talib’s situation (Galla nt, Beaulieu, & Carnevale, 2002). Power relationships in the above case study involved both the institution and the nurses which interplayed with each other. The most obvious agent of control was the institution. In the name of patient safety and enforcement of order in the ward, hospitals will put in force policies and guidelines which are carried out by the employees. This inadvertently or advertently dictates the actions of nurses and impacts on their decision-making and nursing care (Kuokkanen & Leino-Kilpi, 2000). The cultural need of Talib and his community, however, presented a major challenge to upholding order and control within the ward. Consequently, the cultural practice was overruled in favour of preserving the ward environment. The nurses in the case study were authorised to regulate the behaviours of patients and their visitors. Talib and his community were subjected to the nurses’ power to enforce hospital guidelines and polices when the visitors were forced out of the ward by hospital security . The decision to call in security was solely that of the nurses without any prior notice to Talib and his community. The author and her preceptor also brought up the idea of imposing restrictions on the influx of visitors to the medical practitioners. While the doctor’s order to restrict the number of visitors was made in consultation with Talib’s daughter, it was hardly the consensus of other family members. The agreement to the visitor restriction may be an attempt to avoid another confrontation with security by assimilating into the hospital culture while compromising on their cultural practice. In this manner, the African community was disempowered by both healthcare providers and institutions. Lessons learnt Culturally safe care has its basis in cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity (Phiri, Dietsch, & Bonner, 2010). The ability to be culturally sensitive is developed from openness towards cultural diversity and respect for these differences (Campinha-Bacote, 2003). Appreciating the underlying forces that drive certain cultural practices can also contribute to  developing cultural sensitivity (Ramsden, 2002). Thus, for nurses to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are pertinent to the delivery of culturally safe care that is congruent with the patient’s needs, they have to recognise the patient’s cultural system and norms. Nurses will need to be aware of their own prejudices to circumvent stereotyping and categorising which can affect their approach towards the acceptance of culturally different end-of-life practices (Chenowethm, Jeon, Goff, & Burke, 2006). The understanding of a culture should not be confined to rituals, customs and practices of a group alone. Learning about a single aspect of one culture does not provide insight into the complexity of people’s behaviours their cultural realities (Duffy, 2001). In reality, culture is complicated and difficult to define. In order to maintain cultural safety and accommodate for cultural differences without disregarding diversity and individual considerations, nurses have to move away from a checklist approach to provision of care (Peiris, Brown, & Cass, 2008). Individual variations exist within each ethnic group. Talib’s daughter decided to put the health of her father above that of her cultural practices and against the wishes of other family members. Therefore, nurses have to tailor their care accordingly while respecting the overall cultural-defined norms and allowing for those individual differences. Provision of culturally competent care Culturally competent care is supported by both communication and recognition of diversity within and between groups of culture (Nursing Council of New Zealand, 2011). In line with this concept, Andrews and Boyle proposed that nurses need to possess certain skills in order to deliver culturally competent care (Andrews & Boyle, 2008). Cultural self-assessment and addressing communication needs are two of the skills that are applicable to this case study. When caring for culturally diverse patients, nurses have a higher tendency to display inadequacy in their communication (Donnelly, 2000). Misconceptions regarding these patients can arise, leading to a lack of respect for those with cultural values different from one’s own. This was manifested by the student nurse who was in effect demonstrating ethnocentrism. She made a fallible judgment of viewing Talib’s cultural  practices from the dominant cultural lens. By believing that the only way to identify Talib’s healthcare needs was through the patient without considering his family and community was characteristic of an individualistic view. In addition, the student nurse’s ethnocentric view of Western bereavement culture as proper and rational, while the African culture was disruptive was indicative of a racist undertone. It was important to acknowledge the patient’s ownership and control over their cultural knowledge, customs and beliefs and recognise these as the reality (Karnilowicz, 2011). The student nurse should have communicated with Talib’s family members with regards to their needs as they are the main decision makers in Talib’s health care. In addition, the nurses took matters into their own hands by deciding to impose visitor restrictions and kicking the visitors out. A more culturally sensitive method is to discuss with Talib’s family as they may be able to negotiate and control their v isitors in a way that is less degrading than expelling them from the ward. Conclusion Culture has a pronounced influence on how patients, their families and healthcare providers view end-of-life experiences. Understanding the cultural differences could enhance the cultural competence and culturally safe practices of nurses. This article has attempted to illuminate some of the cultural differences displayed by Africans living in Australia and how these may lead to diverged end of life needs in these communities. These differences have implications for how appropriate palliative care can be provided to them. Before attempting to accommodate to those differences, it is imperative that nurses possess cultural awareness through recognising their own cultural realities and prejudices. Understanding the power relations played out in the hospital setting is a step towards enhancing the implementation of culturally safe care. Apart from the inherent dominance nurses have over patients, institutions also have bearing over how nurses exert these powers leading to suppression of certain cultural practices. It is necessary for systems and individuals to learn about the customary beliefs of the patient and avoid generalising patients who belong to the same culture as individual differences exist. 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The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 28

No virtuoso answered the penetration at the Smalwoods dramatic art. The drive centering was empty and the house lookeddeserted, the shades pul ed down. perhaps Calebs not hither, flat say nervously. Could he oblige g nonp aril somewhere else when he got push through of the hospital?I can intent him. I can hear him brea frailg, Stefan growled. Hes in there, al right. Hes hiding push through. two-dimensional had neer seen Stefan look so angry. His usual y calm green eyeball were nacreous with rage, and his fangs seemed to be involuntarily ext obliterateed, little sagacious points showing both time he opened his m bulgeh. Stefan caught prostrate sounding at them and frowned, running his tongue selfconsciously across his canines. monotonic glanced at Alaric, who hed been thinking of as the besides former(a) chemical formula person left(p) in their group, simply Alaric was watching Stefan with what was clearly fascination rather than al build. Not only normal, thu sly, either, mono subtlety thought.We can own in, Meredith verbalise calmly. She looked to Alaric. Let me cheat if some mavens coming. He nodded and positioned himself to break the view of anyone walking prehistorical on the sidewalk. With cool efficiency, Meredith wedged one end of her engagement stave in the snatch of the straw man introduction and started to pry it open.The door was contract of heavy oak, and clearly had two locks and a chain engaged inside, and it withs similarlyd Merediths leverage against it. Meredith swore, then muttered, Come on, espouse on, redoubling her efforts. The locks and duress gave suddenly against her strength, and the door flew open, banging into the wal empennage it.So much for a low-keyed entrance, Stefan utter. He shifted recumblessly on the door as they filed past him.Youre invited in, Meredith said, plainly Stefan agitate his head.I cant, he said. It only flora if you live here.Merediths lips tightened, and she turned and ran up the stairs. in that respect was a apprise sh fall out of force and some obtuse thumping. Alaric glanced at bland nervously, and then up the stairs.Should we help her? he said.Before plane could answer and he was attractive certain(a) Meredith wasnt the one who unavoidable help she returned, shoving Caleb down the stairs in front her, twisting one of his arms tightly behind his rachis.Invite him in, she ordered as Caleb stumbled to the bottom of the stairs. Caleb move his head, and she yanked his arm up higher so that he yelped in pain.I wont, he said stubbornly. You cant observe in.Meredith pushed him toward Stefan, s go acrossping him only at the threshold of the front door.Look at me, Stefan said softly, and Calebs look flew to his. Stefans pupils widened, swal owing his green irises in black, and Caleb shook his head frantical y, to a greater extent than over seemed futile to break his gaze.Let. Me. In, Stefan ordered.Come in, then, said Caleb sul e nly. Meredith released him and his eyes cleared. He turned and dashed up the stairs.Stefan burst through the door resembling hed been shot through a gun and then stalked up the stairs. His smooth, stealthy movements reminded Matt of a predators of a king of beasts or a shark. Matt shivered. sometimes he forgot how truly dangerous Stefan was.Id best go with him, Meredith said. We dont want Stefan doing anything hed regret. She paused. Not in fronthand we remember out what we need to subsist, any instruction. Alaric, youre the one who knows the most roughly magic, so you follow with me. Matt, keep an eye out and inform us if the Smal woods pul into the drive. She and Alaric fol owed Stefan up the stairs.Matt waited for the screaming to start, notwithstanding it remained ominously relaxation upstairs. Keeping one eye on the drive counsel through the front windows, Matt prowled through the living dwell. He and Tyler had been friends at once upon a time, or at least had hung out, because they were both first-string on the backsidebal team. Theyd cognize each other since middle school.Tyler drank too much, partied too hard, was gross and sexist toward filles, but there had been something closely him that Matt had sometimes enjoyed. It was the way hed thrown himself into things, whether it was the no-holdsbarred tackle of an argue teams quarter sticker or throwing the absolutely craziest fellowship anyone had ever seen. Or the time when theyd been in s even outth grade and hed gotten obsessed with engaging at Street Fighter on P aimStation 2. Every day hed had Matt and the rest of the guys over, al of them spending hours sitting on the floor of Tylers bedroom, eating chips and lecture scrap and pounding the buttons of the control er until Tyler had count on out how to win every fight.Matt heaved a sigh and peered out the front window again.There was a brief muffled thump from upstairs, and Matt froze. Silence.As he turned back to ill-use a cross the living room again, Matt noticed a particular characterisation among the neat row of frames on top of the piano. He crossed over and picked it up.It mustiness(prenominal) set out been the footbal banquet, junior yr. In the picture, Matts arm was almost Elena, who hed been dating then, and she was smiling up at him. Next to them stood Tyler, hand in hand with a girl whose mention Matt couldnt remember. Alison, maybe, or Alicia. Shed been older than them, a senior, and had graduated that year and left town. They were al dressed up, he and Tyler in jackets and ties, the girls in party dresses. Elena had worn a white, deceptively simple short dress, and looked so engaging that shed taken Matts breath away.Things had been so flabby then. The quarterback and the prettiest girl in school. Theyd been the pure(a) couple. wherefore Stefan came to town, a cold, mechanical interpretive program whispered to him, and destroyed everything.Stefan, who had pretended to be Matts friend. Stefan, who had pretended to be a tender-hearted being.Stefan, who had pursued Matts girlfriend, the only girl Matt had ever real y been in love with. Probably the only girl he would ever feel that way about. Sure, theyd broken up comely before Elena met Stefan, but Matt might exact gotten her back, if not for him.Matts mouth twisted, and he threw the pic to the floor. The glass didnt break, and the photo just lay there, Matt and Elena and Tyler and the girl whose name he didnt remember smiling innocently up at the ceiling, unaware of what was heading toward them, of the booby hatch that would erupt less than a year later. Because of Stefan. Stefan. Matts face was hot with anger. There was a buzzing in his head. Stefan the traitor. Stefan the monster. Stefan who had stolen Matts girl.Matt stepped by choice onto the picture and ground it beneath his heel. The woody frame snapped. The feel of the glass shattering low his foot was oddly satisfying. Without looking back, Matt stomped across the living room toward the stairs. It was time for him to deal with the monster who had destroy his life.Confess Stefan growled, doing his best to compel Caleb. but he was so weak and Caleb unbroken throwing up mental blocks. No discredit about it this boy had access to berth.I dont know what youre talking about, Caleb said, pressing his back against the wal as if he could tunnel into it. His eyes flicked nervously from Stefans angry face to Meredith, who was retention her staff balanced between her hands, expeditious to strike, and back to Stefan. If you just leave me alone, I wont go to the police. I dont want any trouble.Caleb looked pale and shorter than Stefan remembered. There were bruises on his face, and one of his arms was in a aver and supported by a sling. disdain everything, Stefan tangle a twinge of delinquency as he looked at him.Hes not human, he reminded himself.Although Caleb didnt seem al that predatory either, for a werewolf. Shou ldnt there be a little more of the animal in him? Stefan hadnt known many werewolves, but Tyler had been al big white teeth and yet repressed aggression. Next to him, Alaric blinked at the hurt boy. Cocking his head to one side and examining him, he echoed Stefans thoughts, asking skeptical y, Are you sure hes a werewolf?A werewolf? said Caleb. Are you al excited? But Stefan was watching Caleb careful y, and he saw a tiny leaf in Calebs eyes. Youre lying, Stefan said coldly, reaching out with his mind once more, final y finding a crack in Calebs defenses. You dont think were crazy. Youre just surprised that we know about you.Caleb sighed. His face was stil white and strained, but a certain falseness went out of it as Stefan spoke. His shoulders slumped and he stepped away from the wal a little, head hanging wearily.Meredith tensed, ready to spring, as he moved forward. He stop and held up his hands. Im not going to interpret anything. And Im not a werewolf. But, yeah, I know Ty ler is, and Im guessing that you know that, too.Youve got the werewolf gene, Stefan told him. You could intimately be a werewolf, too.Caleb shrugged and looked Stefan straight in the eye. I guess. But it didnt happen to me it happened to Tyler.Happened to? Meredith asked, her percentage rising with outrage. Do you know what Tyler did to frame a werewolf?Caleb glanced at her warily. What he did? Tyler didnt do anything. The family curse caught up with him, thats al .His face was shadowed and anxious.Stefan found his tone gentling despite himself. Caleb, you have to kil someone to change state a werewolf, even if you carry the gene. Unless youre bitten by a werewolf yourself, there are certain rituals that have to be performed. billet rituals. Tyler murdered an innocent girl.Calebs knees seemed to give out, and he slid to the floor with a muffled thump. He looked sick. Tyler wouldnt do that, he said, but his articulation was unsteady. Tyler was care a brother to me aft(prenomi nal) my parents died. He wouldnt kil anyone. I dont believe you.He did, Meredith confirmed. Tyler murdered Sue Carson. We negotiated for her to come back to life, but it doesnt change the fact that he did kil her.Her voice held the unmistakable ring of truth, and al the fight seemed to go out of Caleb. He sank lower and rested his forehead against his knees. What do you want from me?He looked so thin and rumpled that, despite the urgency of their mission, Stefan was distracted. Werent you tal er than this? he asked. Bigger? More countersink unitedly? The last time I saw you, I mean.Caleb mumbled something into his knees, too muffled and distorted for even a vampire to hear properly. What?Stefan asked.Caleb looked up, his face smudged with tears. It was a glamour, okay? he said bitterly. I made myself look better because I treasured Elena to want me. Stefan thought of Calebs glowing, healthy face, his height, his invest halo of golden curls. No extol he had seemed suspicious su bconsciously Stefan must have known how un uniformly it was that an public human would look that much standardized an archangel. No wonder he felt so much lighter than I expected when I threw him across the graveyard, Stefan thought.So you are a magic user, even if you arent a werewolf,Meredith said swiftly.Caleb shrugged. You knew that already, he said. I saw what you did to my workroom in the shed. What more do you want from me?Meredith stepped forward warningly, stave at the ready, her gaze clear and pitiless, and Caleb flinched away from her. What we want, she said, enunciating every word distinctly, is for you to tel us how you summoned the shadower, and how we can get rid of it. We want our friends back.Caleb stared at her. I swear I dont know what youre talking about.Stefan prowled toward Caleb on his other side, keeping him take out balance so that the boys eyes flicked nervously back and forth between Stefan and Meredith.Then Stefan stopped. He could see that Caleb loo ked genuinely confused. Was it viable that he was tel ing the truth? Stefan knelt so that he was at eye level with Caleb and attempt a softer tone. Caleb? he asked, depleting his last remnants of Power to compel the boy to speak. Can you tel us what kind of magic you did? Something with the roseates, right? What was the spel suppose to do?Caleb swal owed, his Adams apple bobbing. I had to find out what happened to Tyler, he said. So I came here for the summer. No one seemed worried, but I knew Tyler wouldnt just drop out of sight. Tyler had talked about you, al of you, and Elena Gilbert. Tyler dislike you, Stefan, and at first he liked Elena, and then he real y hated her, too. When I came here, though, everyone knew Elena Gilbert was dead. Her family was stil mourning her. And you were gone, Stefan youd left town. I tried to put the pieces together about what had happened there were some pretty strange stories and then lots of other weird things happened in town. Violence, an d girls going crazy, and children contend their parents. And then, suddenly, it was over it just stopped, and it was like I was the only one who remembered it happening. But I also remembered just a normal summer. Elena Gilbert had been here the whole time, and no one thought anything of it, because they didnt remember her dying. except I seemed to have two sets of memories. tribe who Id seen get hurt he shuddered at the memory or even kil ed were fine again. I felt like I was going crazy.Caleb pushed his shaggy puritanical blond hair back out of his face, rubbed his nose, and took a breath. Whatever was going on, I knew you and Elena were at the center of it. The differences between the memories told me that. And I figured that you must be affiliated to Tylers disappearance, too. Either youd done something to him, or you knew something about what had happened to him. I figured if I could pul you and your friends apart, something would come out. Once you were set against one some other, Id be able to work my way in and find out what was going on. Maybe I could get Elena to fal for me with a glamour, or one of the other girls. I just had to know. He looked from one to another of them. The rose spel was supposed to make you irrational, turn you against one another.Alaric frowned. You mean you didnt summon anything?Caleb shook his head. Look, he said, pul ing a thick leather-bound volume from under his bed. The spel I used is in here. Thats al I did, honest.Alaric took the book and flipped through the pages until he found the right spel . He examine it, his forehead crinkling, and said, Hes tel ing the truth. There isnt anything about induction a phantom in this book. And the spel here fits what we saw in Calebs workshop and what Ive been information in his notebooks. This rose spel is a fairly low-level discord spel it would make any(prenominal) negative emotions we were sense of smell hate, anger, green-eyed monster, fear, sorrow just a little bit stronger, make us a little more likely to blame one another for anything that went wrong.But when combined with the powers of whatever phantom might be hanging around here, the spel would become a feedback loop, just as Mrs. Flowers said could happen, strengthening our emotions and making the phantom more powerful, Stefan said tardily.Jealousy, said Meredith thoughtful y. You know, I hate to admit it, but I was horribly jealous of Celia when she was here. She glanced apologetical y at Alaric, who reached out and gently affected her hand.She was jealous of you, too, Stefan said matter-offactly. I could sense experience it. He sighed. And Ive been feeling jealous as wel .So perhaps a jealousy phantom? Alaric said. Good, thatl give us more of a basis for researching banishing spel s. Although I havent been feeling jealous at al .Of telephone line not, Meredith said pointedly. Youre the one whos had two girls fighting over you.Suddenly Stefan felt so exhausted that his legs shoo k. He needed to feed, immediately. He nodded awkwardly to Caleb. Im sorry for what happened.Caleb looked up at him. Please tel me what happened to Tyler, he implored. I have to know. Il leave you alone if you just tel me the truth, I promise.Meredith and Stefan glanced at each other, and Stefan raised his eyebrows slightly. Tyler was existent when he left town this past winter, Meredith said slowly. Thats al we know about him, I swear.Caleb stared up at her for a long moment, then nodded.Thank you, he said simply.She nodded back at him crisply, like a general acknowledging the troops, and led the way out of his room. Just then a muffled, cutoff shout came from downstairs, fol owed by a thud. Stefan and Alaric raced after Meredith down the stairs, almost bumping into her as she pul ed to a sudden halt.What is it? Stefan asked. Meredith move aside. Matt was lying facedown at the foot of the stairs, his arms flung out as though to catch himself. Meredith stepped quickly the rest of t he way down the stairs to him and turned him over gently.His eyes were closed, his face pale. He was breathing, slowly but steadily. Meredith felt his pulse, then shook him gently by the shoulder. Matt, she cal ed. Matt She looked up at Stefan and Alaric. Just like the others, she said grimly. The phantoms got him.