Outline and Evaluate One or More Biological Explanations to Schizophrenia

Outline and evaluate one or more biological explanations of schizophrenia (8 marks AO1/16 marks AO1) Schizophrenia is classified as a mental disorder that shows profound disruption of cognition and emotion which affects a person’s language, perception, thought and sense of self. The dopamine hypothesis states that schizophrenic’s neurones transmitting dopamine release the neurotransmitter too easily, leading to the characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia.This hypothesis claims that schizophrenics have abnormally high amounts of D2 receptors; receptors that receive dopamine, therefore resulting in a higher amount of D2 receptors binding to the receptors causing more impulses. Dopamine neurotransmitters play a key role in guiding attention, so an imbalance of this neuron leads to problems relating to attention, perception and thought. Amphetamines are a dopamine agonist drug, which stimulates the neurons containing dopamine. According to the dopamine hypothesis, large do ses of the drug lead to the characteristic schizophrenic symptoms, hallucinations and delusions.The development and use of Antipsychotic drugs to treat schizophrenia support the dopamine hypothesis. The drugs work by blocking activity of dopamine and have been shown to alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations, delusions and thinking problems associated with the disorder. This is because by reducing dopamine activity helps to maintain a constant level in guiding attention, leading to a decrease in key schizophrenic symptoms of hallucinations and delusions because they can be caused by being overly attentive.Statistics increase the reliability of the biological explanation of the dopamine hypothesis for explaining schizophrenia; as they show Antipsychotics have a 60% success rate. Therefore, this shows a link between high levels of dopamine activity and schizophrenia, as antipsychotics work by blocking the dopamine activity. This has led to more effective treatment, allowing those with schizophrenia to improve their quality of life, However, a meta-analysis investigation on post mortem studies on schizophrenics has produced contradicting evidence about the dopamine hypothesis.The contradictive evidence by Haracz (1982) showed that those who died whilst on a course of the antipsychotic drugs actually had higher levels of dopamine activity than those not using the antipsychotic drugs. This occurs because the neurotransmitter builds up in the synapse of the neurone whilst the drug blocks to D2 receptors and as the drug wears off, more impulses are initiated by the neurotransmitters, causing the schizophrenic symptoms.This means the dopamine hypothesis lack reliability in explaining schizophrenia because antipsychotics could be responsible for increasing dopamine activity and therefore actually increase the schizophrenic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusion, which decreases the schizophrenic’s quality of life as they live in a const ant psychosis state where they have lost touch with reality. The development of neuroimaging techniques such as PET scans (a 3D image of the brain obtained by a nuclear machine) has led to supporting evidence for numerous explanations, yet has so far failed to provide evidence supporting the dopamine hypothesis.This questions the reliability of the biological approaches claim that increased activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine as the neurologists have closely examined the brain and differences in dopamine activity in schizophrenics and healthy individuals. This lack of evidence means that treatments produced to help those with schizophrenia may not be successful in treating schizophrenia as there may be a possibility that the dopamine hypothesis is not accurate in explaining schizophrenia. The biological explanation of schizophrenia also claims that the disorder can be inherited.The more common the disorder is among the biological relatives and the closer the degree of genetic relatedness increases the risk of the child developing schizophrenia. Gottesman’s research (1991) found a genetic link with schizophrenia when looking at children and their relatives. The research discovered that children with two schizophrenic parents have a concordance rate of 46% compared to children who just have one schizophrenic parent to children who have a concordance rate of 13% and siblings just 9%.The genetic theory of schizophrenia also suggests that monozygotic twins (twins who a genetically identical) should have a higher concordance rate of schizophrenia than dizygotic twins (twins who are not genetically identical) because they have a closer degree of genetic relatedness. Adoption studies support the genetic theory that schizophrenia can be inherited as they provide evidence that the environment does not affect inheritance rate. The supporting study was carried out by Tienari in Finland. He investigated 164 adoptees that biological mothers have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and found 6. % also received a diagnosis, compared to 2% of the control group of adoptees. This means that that there is a genetic liability to schizophrenia, as more of with the biological mother having schizophrenia develop schizophrenia than the control group. As a result, this increases reliability of the biological approaches explanation to schizophrenia as it indicates genetic factors play a major role in the development of schizophrenia and environmental factors such as a different upbringing do not inhibit this.However, Tienari’s research did not produce a statistic proving the majority of those who have biological mothers with schizophrenia developed the disorder later in life. The study showed only 6. 7% of the adopted children with a relative with schizophrenia developed the disorder, yet 93. 3% didn’t develop the disorder. This suggests that environmental factors also play a key role in causing schizophrenia – not just the genetic factors – which inclines a lack of internal validity to the biological explanation.This means that the therapies based on the biological explanation of schizophrenia will not be effective as they do not consider all factors affecting the disorder, leading to those suffering with schizophrenia not able to improve their quality of life. Investigations on monozygotic and dizygotic twins also support the theory that genetic factors play an important role in schizophrenia. The study showed that there was a concordance rate of 40. 4% for monozygotic twins yet only 7. 4% concordance rate of dizygotic twins.A concordance rate shows how many times both twins developed the disorder. These findings supports the genetic position because they show the monozygotic concordance rate, twin who are 100% genetic similar, to be far higher than dizygotic twins, who only have about a 50% genetic similarity. Therefore, this increases the reliability of the biological explanation of schizophrenia as it shows that the closer degree of genetic similarity there is, the increased likelihood of the relative developing the disorder. It can be argued that the biological explanation to schizophrenia is reductionist.This is because it does not consider the environmental factors involves with developing schizophrenia, only what does on inside the brain. For example, the genetic theory states that schizophrenia is inherited, yet research only found a concordance rate of 40. 4% for monozygotic twins. If schizophrenia was caused 100% by inheritance and degree of genetic similarity, the concordance rate for monozygotic twins should be 100% as they are genetically identical. Thereby, this reduces the reliability of the biological explanation as it does not consider other factors affecting schizophrenia, such as the environmental factors.

Chalice Wine Essay

Chalice Wine Group is a publicly traded company that, through numerous partnerships, owns and/or operates a number of vineyards and wine manufacturing companies in California’s Sonoma valley. Previously, they enjoyed a time of profitability. Yet in recent years, expansion has saw a decrease in their level of profitability, followed by a repeating period of net income losses. The goal of the case is to determine whether the operation of a small winery can be a profitable venture. Upon reading the Chalice Wine Case, the primary issue that I have identified, is that the management of the company has not crafted a clear and identifiable mission. †¢As currently structured, Chalice Wine Group is attempting to be a â€Å"vertically† integrated company. In this they are attempting to accomplish ever step in the wine business. They are making their own grapes, processing their own grapes, bottling, and lastly shipping them to various distribution outlets. This is fine, as long as they are able to create an extremely efficient model to do so. But unfortunately, as their results indicate, they are not efficient enough to make this current model work. There are a number of possible avenues that Chalice Wine Group needs to explore, among those are: -Why are they paying a price for grapes(from themselves! ) that is so in excess of the market rate? There are currently some transfer issues in place, management needs to explore these costs. -Pressing and manufacturing of the wine: The costs of the machinery involved, is extremely expensive. What is Chalice doing with their equipment during the time periods in which there is no production? How are they utilizing this excess capacity? They can either outsource this to another company, or utilize this capacity to process wine for others. -Shipping and distribution: Why are they handling this process themselves? This is easily something that should be handled outside. †¢Secondly, they wish to be a niche wine provider, by manufacturing a high quality, high cost product. The problem is that this statement essentially contradicts their company’s vertical structure. This is illustrated through examination of some of their shipping/bottling practices and part of their distribution chain. -They do not package and bottle their products according to the same quality standards. For example, they are using different quality bottles and boxes for different products. In this eyes of the consumer, this can be inferred as different levels of wine quality. -Next, the desire to be a small niche provider is a direct contradiction to the thought of distribution through food markets. This alone can allow the consumer to infer a mass marketed, broadly distributed product of lower quality. If they want to be a niche provider, they need to market and distribute themselves as such. Chalice Wine Group needs to decide what kind of company they want to be, and as such, needs to structure themselves in a way that will help best meet that mission and goal in the most efficient manner possible.

A Critical Analysis on “A study in Scarlet” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

In his book, â€Å"A study in Scarlet† Sir Arthur succeeded in marrying mystery, intrigues and suspense together into one. The book has an unusual style of writing, for it is written in two different writing styles that dissolve into one another.The first part has a first person singular diction, while the second part has third person narrative style. It also has two settings, the first has London settings, while the second setting is America. It is a classical novel that revolves around a detective, Sherlock Holmes, a character who later became famous in other subsequent novels.The novel is divided into two parts, the diction in the first part is rather sarcastic, which has Doctor Watson relates the story in a personal experience style. He briefly explained how he was wounded at the second â€Å"Afghan war† and came back to London to find a decent apartment.It was this search for accommodation that led to his meeting of with Sherlock Holmes, an enthusiast chemist, who can also be described as eccentric, a cosmos and that later turned detective as the novel unfolds.â€Å"Holmes is a little too scientific for my tastes—it approaches to cold-bloodedness.†The novel delves into its mystery theme when a dead body was found at dilapidated building in Brixton with the word â€Å"RACHE† scribbled with blood on a wall near it. Sherlock, who is very vast in science and criminal investigation, took it upon himself to fish out the culprit irrespective of the fact that he does not have anything to gain from it.â€Å"You seem to be a walking calendar of crime,†Ã‚   â€Å"You might start a paper on those lines. Call it the ‘Police News of the Past. †As he proceeds with the investigation, he keeps unfolding mystery. Firstly, with the help of a wedding ring found at the crime scene, which he advertised in the paper, he found out that the old woman, who came to claim the ring was only disguised as a woman but was indeed a ma n. But as he traces this woman, the woman escaped. Not much later, a police comes to inform Holmes of the arrest of the murderer and one would think that was all about the play, but Sir Arthur had more   plots up his sleeves.As the first detective was done, a second detective came to announce another similar murder, a proof that the murderer is still at large, that the first police had only jailed an innocent fellow. Holmes told both police that he had already solved the puzzle of the mystery killer, that it will only take short while before he apprehend the murderer.  He later fulfilled his promise by arresting the culprit, pretending to be going for a journey; he deceived the culprit to help him pack his luggage. As the cabman was packing these things, he brought out a handcuff and arrested him. After severe struggle with Holmes and his friends, the cabman realized he was caught and resigned to his fate as the first part of the play ends.

What is the result of the credit crunch, a recession or a depression Essay

What is the result of the credit crunch, a recession or a depression Recession of 2007-2009 and Great Depression - Essay Example The effects of credit crunch were considerably destructive for the financial institutions. Most of the investment banks were suffered a lot. They had no choice either to reduce the value of their assets or to file for bankruptcy. For many investment banks, even the value reduction of assets did not prove to be sufficient enough to protect them for the severity of the global financial crunch. It looked as the investment banks were struggling to fight for their existence; they were trying to stay alive and remain a part of the financial world. But, for many banks, their lives saving attempts were insufficient to protect them from the effects of the credit crunch. As a result, many investment banks had no choice left in the period of 2007 to the year of 2009; willingly or unwillingly, many declared their bankruptcy. In the initial face of the credit crunch, the financial and investment banks faced the harshness and severity of the financial crisis, the entire situation was so disappoint ing that many disappeared from the international financial circle and mergers, acquisitions, liquidations, bankruptcies and nationalization were the only options left for them (The WTO Doha Round and Regionalism, 2009). ‘Recession is when your neighbour loses his job; depression is when you lose yours’ (Ronald Reagan (1980) as saying, quoted by Eslake, 2008). Interestingly, there is no official or generally accepted criterion to identify a difference between a ‘recession’ and a ‘depression’. ... On the face of it, the period of recession is comparatively less than the period of depression. For instance, some economists are of the view that the recession may occur and last for two to three quarters. And its impacts could be limited to some particular sectors of an economy. As a result, recession could put negative impact on the index of employment and may trigger some sort of unemployment in some specific economic sectors of the economy. On the other hand, the period of depression tends to be larger and wide spread. The Great Depression of 1929 did not continue for one or two years; rather it constantly showed its pressure on the economy throughout the decade on the 1930s. Additionally, depression tends to be wide spread in an economy. It almost hit negatively to each economic sector of an economy. Causes of the Great Depression The decade of 1920s considerably experienced consumers taking on more debt in America. In this period of decade, according to Bernanke (1983) the out standing amount of real estate mortgages sharply increased from the level of $11 billion to the level of $27 billion. The debt instalment also saw a sharp increase due to a wide spread availability of consumer goods. Due to the facility of credit and other forms of debt, many consumers facilitated their needs by increasing their purchases of household appliances, cars, homes and other basic necessities that they liked (Parker, 2007). This cause came from the consumer side that were mostly showing their consumer confidence on the economy of the America. On the other hand, the stock market was touching new psychological heights. And on each passing day, the stock market had something more than the previous day

History events Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History events - Essay Example For instance, regional wars in Afghanistan, Korea, and Vietnam heightened the differences and tensions between the US and the USSR. Consequently, the cold war shaped the foreign policies of the US as the country prepared to protect itself and its citizens against any potential wars. The first major event that occurred during the cold war is the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). FDR had ben pivotal in creating the Axis alliance that emerged victorious during the World War II (Murray, 53). The Axis alliance brought together the US, the USSR, and the United Kingdom with their allies. There was mutual respect between the three leaders; FDR, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill, which helped to promote good working relations during the World War. However, FDR’s death in April 1945 changed the relations between the three countries and might as well have been the course of the cold War. FDR’s successor, President Harry S. Truman, adopted a different approach in his relations with the East, including the USSR. At this time, the anti-communism stances were developing strongly in the West. President Truman continued his public negative statements about the USSR, worsening the relations between the two countries and their allies (Murray, 77). The second major event during the cold war was the formation of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which brought together countries in Europe and the US to form a strong union that would counter the growing influence of the USSR. The original founders of NATO are The US, United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Canada, Iceland, Luxembourg, Holland, and Belgium (Murray, 115). NATO created a unified force under the US, which was able to counter the influence of the USSR in the East. The other prominent event in the cold war was the enactment of the Mutual Security Act in 1951, under President Harry S. Truman. The Act was a declaration by

Dp# edmond Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dp# edmond - Assignment Example s the employers in not just understanding the potential employees but it also assist in protecting the welfare of their interest groups such as the current employees, partners, customers as well as financial regulations of the company (133). Information from social media ca help employers receive some insights about the potential employees which is particularly important in some jobs such as in day cares and hospitals that deals with minors. Information on shared on Facebook should never be private hence job applicant should ensure that private matters that they may not want people to be aware of, should never be shard on social media platforms. By seeking some information on social media, employers are able to minimize some risks associated with sensitive departments such as finance and administration (134). The case of Edmond can be strengthened by adding more examples of some of the jobs that require detailed background information on the life of the potential job seekers. By listing only one case lowers the backing of access to Facebook account by employers. Firms dealing with intelligence services need to have access to the Facebook accounts of their potential employees. This is because, the firms deal with very crucial matters that need not to be shared to the public owing to their great

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 70

History - Essay Example While he is a Muslim, he has to adjust to an expanse primarily dominated by Christianity. Ibrahima faces an identity and dignity challenge after his migration to another continent. Religiously, Ibrahima is an ardent Muslim. As an enslaved person, he is barred from reading or practicing his faith in any way. Most of the slaves were Muslims. Even so, this did not persuade the masters to let their slaves observe their religious convictions (Alford, 1977). As a result, they had to resign to a life of disgrace and far-reaching degradation. In spite of the challenges he endured, Ibrahima rose above the appalling subjugation. Naturally, during times of distress, people maintain their religious inclinations to acquire deliverance. Despite the bad things that happen, Ibrahima upholds the Qadr (will of God) and stays staunchly upright. Ibrahima dignity is tried when he moves from one social order as a prince to a lower one as a slave. From a life of supremacy and honour, he became a slave in a strange place. As a prince, there are privileges he enjoyed. As a slave, he is virtually reduced to a vagrant who has to work for a master (Alford, 1977). Owing to this, his dignity is shattered. He desperately tries to convince his new master that he is of value in his homeland and that his father can trade his liberty for gold. This is ignored by the slave-owner who discounts it as nonsense. Although he is later recognized by an Irish surgeon, Ibrahima fails to secure his freedom. He never mislays his dignity and maintains hope of regaining his independence. Ibrahima’s quest to gain freedom faced diverse challenges. For instance, the American Colonization Society, which aided slaves in their pursuit for freedom, demanded that he transforms to Christianity to obtain help. Unexpectedly, the first thing he did when he touched foot in Liberia was to express gratitude to Allah for his emancipation. In addition, the repatriation

Assessing the interest and motives of tourists towards Langkawi Island Literature review

Assessing the interest and motives of tourists towards Langkawi Island - Literature review Example Indeed, travel behaviors define whether tourists choose to visit a destination as a motivational aspect. Travel behaviour defines how tourists behave according to their attitudes before, during, and after traveling (Vuuren, Slabbert, 2011). In assessing the interest and motives of tourists towards Langkawi, we can consider the aspect of responsible tourism in the Island to establish tourists’ perceived expectations of the destination. In this context, responsible tourism seeks to offer quality travel experience to tourists, which conserve nature. In a study that sought to support responsible tourism and assess tourists’ interest and motives in Langkawi, the researchers used a random sample of tourists that included both Malaysians and non- Malaysians (Nair and Azmi 2008, p. 29). The study concentrated on the tourist’s perception of responsible tourism and tourist attractions in Langkawi. According to the study, most tourists visiting Langkawi know and pursue their interests and motives that relate to responsible tourism (Nair and Azmi 2008, p. 31). Apparently, all tourists have interests in destinations that manifest appealing environmental, economic, and sociocultural factors that define responsib le tourism. Notably, tourists visiting Langkawi have interest and motives in historical places like the Langkawi Cultural Village (Nair and Azmi 2008, p. 35). Moreover, they have interest and motives in the hospitable reception and friendliness exhibited by the people of Malaysia. The resounding duty-free shopping status experienced by the tourists defines their interest and motives of visiting this destination. The study establishes that both the Malaysian and non-Malaysian tourists depict immense interest in the relaxation derived from visiting Langkawi (Nair and Azmi 2008, p. 36). Indeed, most tourists come to Langkawi as a break from their normal duties and hence their interests and motives

Biology of food4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Biology of food4 - Essay Example The malting process entails a period of soaking in water for a certain period, allowing the opening of the husk, and releasing of the barley. The malting procedure stops at the point where the seeds begin to recruit enzymes that can break down the starch in the seeds. After draining the soaked seeds, the fermentation process follows, whereby yeast and lactobacilli utilize the sugars in the seed. The fermentation process runs for a period, until the beer is ready. If Mel had left the seeds to germinate fully, the germinating plant would have utilized the foods stored in the grain. Usually, seeds in the store have a reserve of nutrients in the cotyledon. Under the right conditions, germination of the seeds takes place, a process that compels the germinating seedling to use the nutrients (Pratap and Kumar37). During seed maturation, storage or starch in the cotyledon occurs. When seeds absorb water at the onset of germination, a new process of mobilizing the nutrients for use in growth occurs. The availability of certain enzymes breaks down the starch into simple sugars that the seed utilizes in respiration. The respiratory process yields energy and other waste products such as lactic acid. Moreover, synthesis of other essential nutrients such as proteins takes place in the seed. In the process of making wine, the fruit juice used provides the relevant sugars utilized by the microbes involved in the fermentation process. The wine making process is usually different from that of making beer. In making wines, grape juices serve as the source of both macronutrients and micronutrients required by the microbes, while beer making utilizes seeds. A cost/benefit analysis led to this difference. After it became evident that the seeds used in making beer were critical sources of food for animals, it proved rational for grapes serve as food for microbes in the wine making process, preserving the grains for animals (14). This is in conformity with the fact that animals are hi gher than the microbes. Plants usually produce toxins as an essential part of constitutive defense. Genetic mutation is responsible for the conversion of phenolic compounds and alkaloids to the toxins. Although plants produce toxins as a form of defense, they affect the plant’s reproductive system adversely, and the mutated genesare conferred to the next generation. It is likely that the mutated plants have a higher chance of survival because the toxins protect it from attack by herbivores and insects. Usually, plants exposed to attacks by herbivores, and insects causing detriment to the plant motivates the plant to alter its secondary metabolism and produce toxins. A classic example is the milkweed, which underwent mutation to produce cardenolides that serve as toxins to monarchs. Apricots are seeds and play a critical role because they germinate to yield new plants. Apricot seeds require both macro and micronutrients for use in the metabolic processes involved in germinatio n. From eating apricot seeds, humans obtain carbohydrates, amygdalin, protein, sugars and fats (36). Squash blossoms are flowers involved in the sexual reproduction of the plant. By eating these flowers, the body gains calcium, sodium, iron, vitamins, and carbohydrates. in order to play the role sexual reproduction, these flowers require a range of ten aromatic compounds. A slice of turkey denotes a piece of breast meat. It is an essential portion as it provides

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Strategic management - Essay Example New York Times has identified that Zara has the capacity to replenish stocks twice a week (Lutz, 2012). What Zara Really Do Zara has crafted their value chain in a demand flexible manner with an intention of enhancing forward and backward integration in the operation (Lancaster and Massingham, 2010, p. 195). The company has implemented integration in various value chain activities such as managing lead time, stock replenishment, incorporating latest fashion in designing and raw material tracking with an intention of achieving sustainable business growth. The company has decreased steps of value chain in order to decrease total turnaround times. More than two hundreds fashion professionals supervise the product designing phase in order to offer customer superior quality cloths and decrease probability of getting outdated in contrast to latest fashion trend. Zara emphasizes on establishing stable relationship with value chain partners in order to decrease lead time in product offering. The company has decreased turnaround time to only 14 days with the help of superior synchronization between forward and back integration. Zara offers fashion apparels for three types of customers such as men, women and children. Currently the company is offering products in more than five hundred cities across the world. External Analysis PESTLE Zara is a Spanish company hence it will be viable to do macro environmental analysis of the company in their home ground. The report will conduct PESTLE analysis of Spain in order to understand strategic position of Zara. Political PP is running the government of the country and public has rejected for ruling party PSOE in last year election. The country is suffering from various problems like high unemployment rate, high public debt and low GDP growth. Spanish government has implemented austerity measures of â‚ ¬65bn in order to reduce the financial deficit to 3% within next two years. Zara is facing a financial tumultuous period in hom e ground hence it will be interesting to see effect of austerity measure in their business. Spanish government structure can be understood by the following diagram. (Source: Market Line, 2012a) Economic Research conducted by Marketline shows that annual GDP growth of Spain will be reduced by 1.07% within next one year and other factors like retail sales, domestic consumption and industry output will be decreased by more than 3.5% within next one year. Economic recession has triggered the unemployment rate of the country to 20 year high 24.4%. All these factors are indicating that Zara will face a demand crunch in the home country. Stagnant GDP growth rate of the country can be explained by the following diagram. (Source: Market Line, 2012a) UNCTAD or United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has pointed out that FDI in Spain has decreased from $40.8 to $29.5bn in last two years. Dwindling FDI condition of the country can be understood by the following diagram. (Source: Mark et Line, 2012a) The country is suffering from increasing inflation rate which is hampering overall growth rate. Fluctuating nature of inflation can be analysed in the following manner. (Source: Market Line, 2012a) Staggering unemployment rate of Spain can be explained by the following diagram. (Source: Market Line, 2012a) Social Government has reformed the existing pension scheme and which can increase savings 3.5% of GDP by 2050. Spanish labour market reform will provide flexibility and competitiveness to retailers

Reflecetion paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reflecetion paper - Essay Example This memo will address strengths and weaknesses, as well as the risks and opportunities of the expansion. Opportunities 1) Market expansion through economies of scope and scale. Understandably, by expanding to Italy, we are already growing our market share without the high costs of starting a new company in Italy. Its existing revenues and market share will be added to ours. At the same time, from Italy, we can expand further in Europe too. 2) Trend of merger and acquisitions (M&A) in the tourism industry. M&A is the trend in the global tourism industry, including hotels. The articles from Warwick Clifton, â€Å"The Global Hotel Industry: Big, Beautiful and Branded? Part One and Part Two,† highlight that M&A is becoming more prevalent across regional and national markets. International hotel chains are gobbling up local independent hotel chains, in order to rapidly expand across the world. We have to take advantage of M&A and purchase potentially lucrative chains to purchase. Threats 1) Weak Euro. An article from Wharton shows that a weak Euro is bad for hotel business because of dampened consumer confidence. When they cut back in spending, they do so for luxury goods and services, and that includes hotel services. Furthermore, a weaker euro means lower spending power. We can see potential increases in the prices of goods and services that we need in operating these Italian hotels. 2) Damp economic climate in Europe, in general, and Italy, in specific. The economic crisis is hitting several countries in Europe hard, including Italy. This can affect business in Italy for the next couple of years or more. 3) Mixed success in hotel business. The article â€Å"Market Conditions Tighten for Italian Hotel Industry† indicates uneven success in the Italian hotel industry. It says â€Å"Declines for the Padua, Genoa and Bologna markets highlight the difficult market conditions,† while â€Å"the seasonal market of Taormina & Messina in Sicily report ed double-digit RevPAR growth (+18.4 percent) YTD† (â€Å"Market Conditions†). We cannot expect immediate high return for our acquisition because of mixed business revenues due to the slack in the business climate. Strengths 1) Full control of how the chain should be managed. The top management can exert transformational changes that are required to raise the standards of the Italian chain. The home country management will have the power and authority to enact necessary changes to improve the quality of services in the chain. 2) Lower costs in terms of acquiring local knowledge and familiarity. Local managers and employees already know the cultural, operational, and budgetary idiosyncrasies of the host country. It is assumed that the existing human resources are familiar with the market characteristics enough to no longer need a costly comprehensive market research. 3) Empowered organizational culture can be used to enhance quality standards. We can enhance the standard s of the hotel enough to warrant higher hotel rates. We can use the empowered approach of the Italians to let them manage and own organizational changes that will benefit them as employees. 4) Acquisition expands HRM knowledge and skills for multinational operations. If we want to be a multinational hotel business, we must not be afraid of learning from different cultural environments. This acquisition will help our home HRM gain

Final Exam Blue Print Essay Example for Free

Final Exam Blue Print Essay Gowns: prevent soiling clothing during contact with patient Masks: should be worn when you anticipate splash or spray of blood or body fluid and satisfy droplet/airborne precautions. Protective eyewear: should be worn for procedures that generate splashes or splatters Gloves: prevent the transmission of pathogens by direct/indirect contact. This equipment protects you from waste materials such as wounds, blood, stool, and urine. Indwelling urinary catheters causes of risk for infections An indwelling urinary catheter obstructs the normal flushing action of urine flow. The presence of a catheter in the urethra breaches the natural defenses of the body. Reflux of microorganisms up the catheter lumen from the drainage bag or backflow of urine in the tubing increases the risk of infection. Surgical asepsis uses verse medical asepsis Surgical asepsis is used during procedures that require intentional perforation of patient’s skin, when skin’s integrity is broken, or during procedures that involve insertion of catheters. * Sterile objects remains sterile only when touched by another sterile object * Place only sterile objects on sterile field * Sterile object/field out of the range of vision or held below waist is contaminated * Sterile object/field becomes contaminated by prolonged exposure to air. * When sterile surface comes in contact with a wet, contaminated surface, the sterile object/field becomes contaminated by capillary action * Sterile object becomes contaminated if gravity causes contaminated fluid to flow over the objects surface * The edges of sterile field/container are considered to be contaminated. Medical asepsis, or clean technique, includes procedures for reducing the number of organisms present and preventing the transfer of organisms. Hand hygiene, barrier techniques, and routine environmental cleaning are examples of medical asepsis. Nursing intervention when assessing bradycardia radial pulse Can cause pulse deficit. To assess a pulse deficit 2 nurses are needed to assess radial and apical pulse simultaneously and compare rates. The difference between apical and radial pulse is the pulse deficit. Assess the ability of the heart to meet the demands of body tissue for nutrients by palpation a peripheral pulse or using a stethoscope to listen to heart sounds (apical rate) Pulse sites Temporal, carotid, apical, brachial, radial, ulnar, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, Dorsalis pedis Critical Thinking- chapter 15 Examples of application of critical thinking (you may have to scan the chapter, no specific section to apply to the question) Know what would be considered critical thinking * Critical thinking involves recognizing that an issue exists, analyzing information about the issue, evaluating information, and making conclusions. * Critical thinking is a continuous process characterized by open-mindedness, continual inquiry, and perseverance. * Diagnostic reasoning: determining a patient’s health status after you have assigned meaning to the behaviors and symptoms presented. * Inference: process of drawing conclusions from related pieces of evidence. * Clinical decision making: careful reasoning so the best options are chosen for the best outcomes. * Nursing process: five-step clinical decision-making approach. Five components of critical thinking. * Knowledge base * Experience * Critical thinking competencies * Attitudes * Standards Professional standard for critical thinking * Intellectual: the intellectual standard is a guideline or principle for rational thought. * Professional: the professional standard refers to evidence-based ethical criteria for nursing judgments used for evaluation and criteria for professional responsibility. Patient Safety- chapter 27 Patient safety during seizures * Seizure precautions encompass all nursing interventions to protect the patient from traumatic injury, position for adequate ventilation and drainage of oral secretions, and provide privacy and support following the seizure. * Seizure precautions are nursing interventions to protect patient from traumatic injury, positioning for adequate ventilation and drainage/oral secretions, and providing privacy and support after event. Fall risk prevention and interventions The plan for a patient who has high risk for falls. 1. Select nursing interventions to promote safety according to patient’s developmental and health care needs. 2. Consult with OT and PT for assistive devices 3. Select interventions that will improve the safety of patients home environment Interventions * Nursing interventions for promoting safety are individualized for patients’ developmental stage, lifestyle, and environment. * Note the safety locks and anti-tip bars on the wheelchair. * Nurses contribute to a safer environment by helping patients meet basic needs related to oxygen, nutrition, and temperature. * Adequate lighting and security measures in and around the home, including the use of nightlights, exterior lighting, and locks on windows and doors, enable patients to reduce the risk of injury from crime. * Modifications in the environment will easily reduce the risk of falls. To reduce the risk of injury in the home, remove all obstacles from halls and other heavily traveled areas. * Prevention of accidental fires and poisons requires awareness of precautions such as not smoking in bed and keeping hazardous substances out of reach of children. * Safety bars provide excellent prevention against falls. Safety risk-Risk at developmental stages * Children younger than 5 years of age are at greatest risk for home accidents that result in severe injury and death. * The school-aged child is at risk for injury at home, at school, and while traveling to and from school. * Adolescents are at risk for injury from automobile accidents, suicide, and substance abuse. * Threats to an adult’s safety are frequently associated with lifestyle habits (smoking, drinking, hazardous work, etc.). * Risks for injury for older patients are directly related to the physiological changes of the aging process. Risk * 16-19 : car accident * 75 and up: falls and car accident * Older adults have decreased vision acuity and hearing loss making them at risk for MVA and hearing sirens or horns. Decrease reflexes occur with aging. * Lead can be in paint, soil, water and can be inhaled or swallowed. * 64 years and older; decreased vision, orthostatic hypotension, gait and balance problems, urinary incontinence, use of walking aids, effects of various medications (sedatives, anticonvulsants, hypnotics, analgesics. * Falls occur due to inadequate lighting, barriers along walk paths and stairways, and lack of safety devices in home. * Patients most at risk of injury are those with bleeding tendencies (disease or medications), and osteoporosis (results in fractures). Every developmental age involves specific safety risks: * Children younger than 5 years of age are at greatest risk for home accidents that result in severe injury and death. * The school-aged child is at risk for injury at home, at school, and while traveling to and from school. * Adolescents are at risk for injury from automobile accidents, suicide, and substance abuse. * Threats to an adult’s safety are frequently associated with lifestyle habits (smoking, drinking, hazardous work, etc.). * Risks for injury for older patients are directly related to the physiological changes of the aging process. Priority planning patient care (this is using your critical thinking skills and wouldn’t be found in a section of the book) * In many situations, patients present with multiple nursing diagnoses. Use a concept map to visualize how nursing diagnoses interrelate. * Establish goals with the patient’s self-care abilities and resources in mind, and focus on maintaining or improving the condition of the skin and oral cavity. * Patient’s skin is clean, dry, and intact without signs of inflammation. * Patient’s skin remains elastic and well hydrated. * Patient’s skin is free from areas of pressure. * Timing is also important in planning hygiene care. * In hospital or extended care settings, work closely with nursing assistive personnel, who often provide hygiene care. * Collaborate with other health team members as indicated (e.g., work with physical therapy and occupational therapy to enhance the patient’s independence with self-care activities). * When a patient needs assistance as a result of a self-care limitation, the family often becomes a valuable resource to the nurse an d helps with hygiene measures.

Technologies to Analyze Big Data

Technologies to Analyze Big Data Hassan, Ruman Ul Currently, most of the companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon are generating an extensive data and this data is termed as big data. In addition to the above mentioned sources, there are many other sources like banking, airlines, stock market, and digital media that generates big data. Nandimath, Patil, Banerjee, Kakade, and Vaidya (2013) state that the volume of data being generated daily is increasing rapidly and the size of this data is nearer to zeta bytes (p. 700). This means the size of the data is increasing quickly. This data holds a value that can benefits business organizations to improve their business stability and to increase their profit. However, this big data creates the problem of storage and processing. Prior to ten years ago, the data was stored and processed in a traditional database management system. This system is called as Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). After the rise of big data, it is really difficult for the RDBMS to process this large d ata. Thus, many researchers focuse their study in developing a technology that can effectively analyze the big data. After extensive research, Google has proposed a google file system for storing the big data and a map reduce algorithm for processing this data. Moreover, Nandimath et al. (2013) assert that Apache hadoop is used for distributed processing of big data (p. 700). This framework helps many organizations in efficiently analyzing their big data. Beside Hadoop, the other technologies that help in analyzing the big data are Pig, Hive, Hbase, Zoo Keeper, and Sqoop. Each tool has their own requirements, so the usage of these tools depends on the criticality of the data and the requirement of the organization or business. However, the three major technologies to analyze big data are hadoop, hive, and pig. Hadoop is one the major technologies to analyze the big data. It is the framework developed by Apache for processing extensive data sets. This framework helps business firms to effectively process their unstructured data like video, audio and image. In addition, this framework benefits many business organizations to improve their financial stability by effectively analyzing their data. Furthermore, the hadoop framework consists of two main components, hadoop distributed file system (HDFS) and map reduce programming paradigm. The function of HDFS is to store the comprehensive datasets in distributed environment. Distributed environment allows the developer to store the large data sets on multiple machines. Thus, it helps in improving the retrieval process of immense data. In addition, Nandimath et al. (2013) state that â€Å"Hadoop uses its own file system HDFS which facilitates fast transfer of data which can sustain node failure a whole† (p. 700). It also helps developer to o vercome the storage problem. For example, if immense data is stored on a single machine then it creates a problem of processing and retrieving because of its size. Thus, if that data is distributed on multiple machines then it provide an ease for the developer for processing and retrieving. Beside fast processing and retrieving, reliability is also a benefit of HDFS. HDFS achieve high reliability by replicating the data on different machines. Therefore, if any machine fails in distributed environment, then the data of that particular machine will be easily recovered through backups. According to Dittrich and Ruiz (2012), the benefit of map reduce is that developers need to define only single functions for map and reduce task (p. 2014). This map reduce paradigm helps developers to overcome the problem of efficiently processing the data. Moreover, Nandimath et al. (2013) believe that the purpose of map is to divide the job into smaller parts and distribute it to different nodes, while the purpose of reduce is to generate the desired result (p. 701). For instance, if Facebook wants to analyze the user interest then the Facebook will first deploy the generated data on HDFS and performs the map task to divide the zeta byte of data and then perform the reduce task to get the desired result. Thus, it shows that hadoop helps organizations for efficiently analyzing their extensive datasets. Another technology to analyze big data is hive. It is a data warehouse framework build upon hadoop. It provides an ability for the developer to structure and analyze the data. In hadoop, the data processing task is performed using Java programming language where as in hive, processing a task is performed using structured query language (SQL). In addition. Borkar, Carey, and Liu (2012) assert that â€Å"Hive is SQL-inspired and reported to be used for over 90% of the Facebook map reduce use cases† (p. 2). Thus, the main goal of hive is to process the data through SQL like interface. Moreover, the traditional SQL standards were restricting the hive from performing some intensive operations like extracting, transforming and loading the big data. As a result, hive developed their own query language called hive query language (HQL). Besides traditional SQL standards, HQL includes some specific hive extensions that provide an ease for the developer to effectively analyze the big data. Furthermore, hive helps developer to overcome the scalability issue by using distributed file system mechanism. It also helps them to achieve the fast response time through HQL. For example, general SQL statements like SELECT and INSERT will consume more time on traditional database management system for big data where as in hive the same operations can be performed efficiently. Moreover, Liu, Liu, Liu, and Li (2013) conclude that with precise system parameter tuning in hive, an acceptable performance can be achieved (p. 45). This means if the developer precisely changes the system parameters for analyzing the data, then performance efficiency can be improved for that task. Besides hadoop and hive, pig is also a major technology to analyze the big data. Pig allows the developer to analyze and process the enormous datasets quickly and easily through transformation. It is also called dataflow language. The pig framework is used along with HDFS and map reduce paradigm. The working of pig is similar to that of hive except the query language. In pig a task is performed using pig latin whereas in hive, the task is performed using HQL. The main benefit of pig is that pig latin queries can be integrated with other languages like Java, Jruby, and Python and it also allow users to define their own functions to perform the task as per their needs. Moreover, as pig is a dataflow language it helps developer to illustrate the data transformation process. For example, in pig it is easy to perform the data transformation operations like Split, Stream, and Group compare to SQL. In addition, the pig framework is divided into two parts pig latin language and pig interpret er. The pig latin is a query language to process big data. In addition, Lee, Lee, Choi, Chung, and Moon (2011) assert that in pig framework a task is processed using pig latin language (p. 14). The pig latin queries help developer to process the data efficiently and quickly. Another component of pig framework is pig interpreter. The work of interpreter is to convert the pig latin queries into map reduce jobs and also to evaluate the bugs in pig latin queries. For example, if Facebook developer writes the pig latin query to find the people in India that like rock music, then this query is first interpreted by pig interpreter to identify bugs and then it is converted to map reduce jobs. Thus, with the help of pig latin queries, developers can avoid the stress of writing a tedious code in java to perform the same action. In conclusion, the three technologies to process the big data are hadoop, hive, and pig. These frameworks help business organizations to find the value from their data. In addition, each technology is useful for performing a task differently. For instance, Apache Hadoop is useful for analyzing the offline data and it cannot process the real time data like banking data. Moreover, hive provides a SQL like interface that makes the processing a lot easier because the user does not have to write the lengthy tedious code. Hive is good for those user who are not good at programming and best in SQL. Similarly, pig also makes the processing task much easier for  users. All the map reduce jobs can be written in pig latin queries to get desired results. Therefore, organizations should select the technology based on their data formats and requirements. However, all these technologies help organizations to process and store their data efficiently.

Unanimous Versus Non Unanimous Jury Verdicts Law Essay

Unanimous Versus Non Unanimous Jury Verdicts Law Essay In the United States, 48 states require unanimous criminal jury verdicts. A unanimous jury verdict indicates that all jurors came to a common decision in the criminal proceedings. Louisiana and Oregon are the only two states that allow non-unanimity jury verdicts. Louisiana statue allows juries to convict felony suspects by votes of 10 to 2 and allows such non-unanimous verdicts in felony cases where the punishment is imprisonment with hard labor. The only punishment that requires a unanimous 12 juror vote verdict is the death penalty. The Oregon State Constitution allows for non-unanimous guilty verdicts to be returned when 10 of 12 jurors agree on guilt, except in cases of first degree murder, where unanimity is required. Within the last year, two major cases; Miller v. Louisiana (2005) and Bowen v. Oregon (2007) have been decided in controversy. This has re-established the question of Louisiana and Oregons constitutionality and fairness in respect to the defendants Sixth Amendment rights. In May 2009 Corey C-Murder Miller was convicted of 2nd degree murder by a 10 to 2 jury decision and in August sentenced to a mandatory life imprisonment with no possibility of parole in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In Millers case, initially three jurors believed he was not guilty but one changed her vote (C.J. Lin, 2009). Ms. Jacob was the deciding vote and stated in a newspaper interview that, she does not feel that the prosecutors proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt. But she said she voted once to convict Miller just to end deliberations because of the brutal pressure applied by some jurors on another juror who thought the rapper was innocent (C.J. Lin, 2009). Louisiana declined to rehear the case on the groun ds brought by the NAACP President. In October 2009, the United State Supreme Court announced they would not hear the case of an Oregon man Scott Davis Bowen sentenced to 17 years, who was convicted of sexual abuse, sodomy and rape of his 15-year old stepdaughter by a split jury, which put an end to the issue of non-unanimity to the higher state court until another case is brought forward (Green, 2009). History of Jury Trials The Supreme Court originally held that the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial indicated a right to trial that was based on Englands common law when the Constitution was adopted in 1787. Therefore, juries had to be composed of twelve persons and that the verdict had to be unanimous. When the Fourteenth Amendment was established the Supreme Court extended the right to trial by jury to defendants in state courts. The number of jurors was re-examined and it was held that twelve came to be the number of jurors by historical accident, and that six jurors would be sufficient but anything less than six would deprive the defendant the right of a fair and impartial jury. On the basis of history and precedent the Sixth Amendment mandates unanimity in federal jury trials, however, but the Supreme Court has ruled that the Fourteenth Amendments Due Process Clause requires states to provide jury trials for serious crimes but the Fourteenth Amendment does not incorporate all the elements of a jur y trial within the meaning of the Sixth Amendment in which jury unanimity is not required. Statement of Problem This research paper will examine the constitutionality and impartiality of Oregon and Louisianas statues on Non-Unanimous Jury Verdicts. Criminal convictions based on non-unanimous verdicts are at risk of increasing and providing harsher punishment that is given without reconsideration. The thoroughness of jury deliberation is questionable because of the lack of interest in being a juror to a time consuming case, as well as the decrease in hung juries in the states court system which eliminates the chances of retrials to introduce newly found evidence or to re-examine original evidence. Unanimity ensures the value of each individual juror and preserves the jurys independence from the courts influences as well as affirms the reasonable doubt standard. Research Questions Are unanimous jury verdicts a violation of criminal defendants Sixth Amendment rights? What are the effects of Louisiana and Oregons statues on the conviction rate of violent crimes (Murder, Forcible Rape and Armed Robbery)? What impact do Louisiana and Oregon statues have on clearance rate compared to the surrounding states? For the purpose of this research, the following terms have been defined for a clearer understanding of the authors points and suggestions. Key Terms Sixth Amendment: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense (Constitution, 1791). Fourteenth Amendment: No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protections of laws (Constitution, 1868). Unanimous: of one mind; in complete agreement; agreed (Unanimous, 2010). Non-Unanimous: unable to reach an agreement with majority and minority groups. Murder: the unlawful killing and intentional killing of a human being; in some instances the killing of another while in the commission or attempted commission of another crime (Falcone, 2005). Forcible Rape: The aggravated form of rape, where sexual intercourse with a female is gained by the use of force or threatened use of force, generally with a weapon of some sort (Falcone, 2005). Armed Robbery: the direct taking of property (including money) from a person (victim) through force, threat or intimidation, Armed robbery involves the use of a gun or other weapon which can do bodily harm (Falcone, 2005). Clearance: Any instance where a known Uniform Crime Report violation is cleared to the satisfaction of the police or other law enforcement agency (Falcone, 2005). Literature Review Supreme Court Decisions Williams v. Florida 1970 Question: Did a trial by jury of less than 12 persons violate the Sixth Amendment? The Court held that the 12-man jury requirement cannot be regarded as an indispensable component of the Sixth Amendment (Williams v. Florida, 1970). The Court found that the purpose of the jury trial was to prevent oppression by the Government (Williams v. Florida, 1970), and that the performance of this role was not dependent on the particular number of people on the jury. The Court concluded that the fact that the jury at common law was composed of precisely 12 is a historical accident, unnecessary to affect the purposes of the jury system and wholly without significance except to mystics (Williams v. Florida, 1970). Decision: 6 votes for Florida, 2 votes against Apodaca v. Oregon 1972 Question: Is a defendants right to trial by jury in a criminal case in a state court (as protected by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments) violated if the accused is convicted by a less-than-unanimous jury? The Court held that the most important function of the jury is to provide commonsense judgment (Apodaca v. Oregon, 1972) in evaluating the respective arguments of accused and accuser. Requiring unanimity would not necessarily contribute to this function (Apodaca v. Oregon, 1972). Decision: 5 votes for Oregon, 4 votes against Johnson v. Louisiana 1972 Question: Do less-than-unanimous jury verdicts in certain cases violate the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment? The Court held that less-than-unanimous convictions did not violate the reasonable doubt standard embodied in the Fourteenth Amendments Due Process Clause. Justice White argued, that a minority opposing conviction does not prevent the other jurors from reaching their decisions beyond a reasonable doubt (Johnson v. Louisiana, 1972). Furthermore, the presence of dissenting jurors does not indicate that the state failed to uphold this standard. Finally, allowing less-than-unanimous decisions in certain cases serves a rational state purpose, not offensive to the Constitution (Johnson v. Louisiana, 1972). Decision: 5 votes for Louisiana, 4 votes against In Favor of Unanimity Oregons Measure 72 to Bring Balance to the Jury Process in Murder Cases Measure 72 does not give new right to victims rather it allows Oregonians to give up their right to be convicted by unanimous juries. Measure 72 is dangerous to the minority communities in Oregon, where innocent defendants would otherwise be saved from conviction by a twelfth juror. This measure is expensive to the state of Oregon and may lead to the early release of criminals. The overcrowded jails will continue to increase with criminals because of the elimination of bail and restricting options like work release and home detention (Oregon, 1999). Bowen v. Oregon Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Oregon Court of Appeals In the case of Scott David Bowen v. State of Oregon (2007), those in favor of the Petitioner Bowen, believes unanimity promotes robust jury deliberations. When unanimity is required, juries are opted to utilize their time more efficiently before coming to a verdict. When unanimity is not required jurors tend to end their deliberations soon after the required majority was reached. Robust deliberations provide an opportunity for those in the minority to persuade their fellow jurors to change their opinions. It allows nonconformist to point out the fine distinction that leads to a consensus that the defendant is not guilty, or that a lesser included charge is more appropriate, after a thorough consideration of the evidence (Scott David Bowen v. State of Oregon: On Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Oregon Court of Appeals, 2009). The National State Courts provided questionnaires from approximately 3,500 jurors of information on the jurys first ballots and final verdicts. Over 10 percent of the cases, jurors who favored a minority position at the same time of the first ballot were able to convince the majority jurors to adopt the minoritys favored verdict. The felony juries in those cases in which only one or two jurors were the minority on the first ballot, only 2.9% ended with a hung jury. In the 83%, if the cases in which hung juries did occur, the minority position was initially supported by at least three jurors (Scott David Bowen v. State of Oregon: On Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Oregon Court of Appeals, 2009). Preserving the Value of Unanimous Criminal Jury Verdicts in Anti-Deadlock Instructions Hung juries are a very important element to the jury system especially in states such as Louisiana and Oregon who do not require an unanimous verdict. A hung jury is a social and monetary cost to the court system, to the affected parties and, on a larger scale, to the community. The partiality for unanimous jury exists in need of avoiding coercing jurors to comply with a verdict with which they do not agree. If there is no unity the trial will end without a verdict. If the judge pushes the jurors too hard to come to an agreement, any resulting verdict must be reversed. The unanimity requirement is an important part of the jury process: 1. It empowers each jurors vote with individual meaning. Each juror has a voice, the discussions are often more vigorous and in-depth, and the results usually represents the voice of each person in the room (BoveIII, 2008). 2. Requiring unanimity reinforces the symbolic legitimacy that attaches to a jury of the defendants peers (BoveIII, 2008). Justice, Democracy and the Jury The trial process is perceived as being consistent with democratic ideals and expressions of the communitys voice. These general perceptions of the process are improved by the unanimity requirements impact on deliberations. Beyond the pursuit of justice, juries provide individuals with an opportunity to engage in participatory democracy to a greater extent than in other areas of civic life (Gobert, 1998). When Democracy is Not Self-Government: Toward a Defense of the Unanimity Rule for Criminal Juries Jury service requires people from all walks of life to gather together and decide the fate of another member of their own community. Unlike the decentralized legislative process or national electoral campaigns, jurors sit on the front line of their decision and debate with each other directly (Primus, 1997). Jury in Spector Murder case tells Judge it is Deadlocked Phil Spector was accused of killing actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. After deliberating for seven days, the jury indicated that it was deadlocked; noting that the split was 7 votes to 5 without revealing which side had the majority. The jury indicated the disagreement was on the meaning of reasonable doubt and confusion on how to weigh evidence and interpret the instructions for second-degree murder. In the end, the judge simply re-read most of the instructions, and removed the language he said misstated the law, and added additional instructions on what constitute reasonable doubt. After another week of deliberation, the judge declared a mistrial due to the deadlock. Jury indicated two holdouts prevented the convictions. The major problems with how the decision came about were: The jury is likely to put great emphasis on everything that the judge says or asks (Archibold, 2007). Altering the jury instructions which suggested to the jury that the court preferred some type of conviction in the case even if its on a different charge rather than a mistrial (Archibold, 2007). Not in Favor of Unanimity Oregons Measure 72 to Bring Balance to the Jury Process in Murder Cases The Oregonians concurred that the ability of the jury to acquit or convict a person for any crime except Murder or Aggravated Murder by a vote of 10 to 2 has worked well with their court system. Since the 1930s Oregonians have understood that one juror, who has discriminatory or pre-determined ideas, would never convict or acquit anyone regardless of the statue or evidence provided should not be allowed to determine justice. In relevance to this measure is the case of Andrew Whitaker, a 16 year old boy who admitted purposely murdering a 12 year old girl was luckily given the sentence of Second-Degree Manslaughter in order to avoid the case resulting in a hung jury. Whitaker served a 28 month sentence because one of the jurors refused to vote for murder because her son had been involved in a traffic accident involving a child (Oregon, 1999). Letting the Supermajority Rule: Non- unanimous jury verdicts in criminal trials The jury represents the people standing between a possibly oppressive government and the lonely, accused individual (Glasser, 1997). Statistics show that hung juries can lead to a mistrial in 5 to 12 percent of the more than 200,000 felony criminal jury trials that occur in the United States each year (Glasser, 1997). Reducing the frequency of hung juries without sacrificing justice should be a priority to increase the efficiency of the criminal justice system. Majority-rule juries render a verdict more quickly and tend to adopt a verdict-driven deliberation style, which jurors vote early and conduct discussion in an adversarial manner, rather evidence-driven style, in which jurors first discuss the evidence as one group and vote later. The majority-rule juries generally vote sooner than unanimity rules juries (Glasser, 1997). Why non-unanimous jury verdicts are Constitutional in criminal cases Schwartz state that unanimity in criminal jury verdicts are not worth preserving and would rather have majority verdicts given by jurors who are strongly encouraged to stick to their principles. The elimination of the unanimity rule would also eliminate the use of peremptory challenges. Both eliminations would create more fully deliberative juries because the jury would better represent a fair cross section of the community and more voices will be heard (Schwartz, 2009). Case Study Are Hung Juries a Problem Hannaford-Agor, Hans, Mott and Munsterman (2002) did a four year study under a grant from the National Institute of Justice, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) on juror deadlock. Methodology Broad-based survey of federal and state courts to document hung jury rates The project team selected four courts for an in-depth jurisdictional study on nearly 400 felony trials. Using surveys of judges, attorneys, and jurors, the NCSC examined case characteristics, interpersonal dynamics during jury deliberations, and juror demographics and attitudes and compared these traits in cases in which the jury reached a verdict to cases in which the jury deadlocked on one or more charges. A case study of 46 deadlocked cases from the in-depth jurisdictional study to develop classification of reasons for jury deadlock Data Collection Surveyors Responses Judges 90% Lawyers 88% Jurors 80% From approximately 100 non-capital felony jury trials in each of the sites between June 2000 and August 2001. The final dataset consisted of a total 382 cases, with which 13 percent of the cases hung on one or more charges. Findings The average hung jury rate was 6.2% only slightly higher than the 5.5% reported by Kalven and Zeisel in 1966, but with a great deal of variation ranging from 0.1% in Pierce County, Washington to 14.8% in Los Angeles County, California in which both states are immediately surrounding Oregon: a non-unanimous state. The proposal was to eliminate the requirement of all jurors to decide unanimously on a verdict reduces hung jury rates, but the limitation was the author ignored addressing why one or two individuals refused to comply with the majority. Twenty percent of jurors admitted that they did not begin to form an opinion about the evidence until they collaborated with the other jurors and one-quarter changed their minds about their first decision preferences because of deliberation. Conclusion The findings was juries that hung reported more trouble remembering the evidence and law, less thorough discussions of the evidence during deliberations, more conflict among the jurors and more domination by one or two jurors and a larger presence of unreasonable people on the jury. Hung jurors were also considerably less satisfied with the deliberation process than verdict jurors (Hannaford-Agor, Hans, Mott, Munsterman, 2002). Case Study- On the Frequency of Non-Unanimous Felony Verdicts in Oregon The Oregon Public Defense Services (OPDS) embark on the task to collect and analyze quantifiable data relating to the regularity of non-unanimous verdicts. Methodology Data was collected from the Oregon Judicial Information Network (OJIN) Calendar Year Felony jury trials that reached the verdict stage 2007 833 2008 588 Total 1421 Calendar Year Indigent Appeal Request 2007 320 2008 342 Total 662 (out of 1421) The 662 appeals represented 46.5% of all felony jury trials, which was divided into three groups and was classified by jury verdict form, the judgment and transcript recordation of the polling of the jury. Unanimous jury verdict Non-Unanimous jury verdict Unclear from records Findings 65.5% of all cases included a non-unanimous verdict on at least one count. 27 out of 833 felony jury trials in Oregon for 2007 resulted in a hung jury, yielding a hung jury rate of 3.2%. 15 out of the 588 felony jury trials Oregon for 2008 resulted in a hung jury, yielding a hung jury rate of 2.5%. Conclusion The data indicated that non-unanimous juries occur with great frequency in felony trials throughout the state. If we were to assume that all in the unknown cases, where polling was not conducted, and unanimity was the result, non-unanimity would still be present in over 40% of all felony jury verdicts. Oregon juries are frequently utilizing the non-unanimous option (Office of Public Defense Services, Apellate Divison, 2009). Too frequently, however, juries acquit deliberately guilty defendants, convict obviously guilty defendants of much lesser offenses, fail to deliberate sufficiently, or fail to reach a verdict in cases with overwhelming evidence. Methodology The data for this research were obtained through policy analysis such as precedent cases and constitutional laws from legal briefs. Quantitative data was constructed into charts to show arrest rates for murder, forcible rape and armed robbery in the year of 2007 and 2008. The charts also represent the clearance rate of those particular offenses and the percent change from 2007 to 2008. Additional states were included into the charts with Louisiana and Oregon to see if there is a difference in arrest rates and clearance rate in the immediately surrounding states. All quantitative data was collected from the Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report. Various case studies and professional opinions were collected through scholarly Criminal Justice and Law journal articles. The data begins from 1997 to 2009 because election time was approaching and this issue has been repeatedly trying to be amended to reverse the non-unanimity rule in Louisiana and Oregon. Data The following charts represent the arrest rates for violent crimes (Murder, Forcible Rape and Armed Robbery) in Louisiana and Oregon; non-unanimous states and the immediate four surrounding state that require unanimity. Each given number was computed to show the percentages. Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report Arrest Rates 2007 MURDER FORCIBLE RAPE ARMED ROBBERY TOTAL VIOLENT CRIMES Louisiana Non-Unanimous 242 (3.0%) 324 (4.0%) 1,119 (14.0%) 8,014 Mississippi Unanimous 83 (4.6%) 135 (7.5%) 545 (30.5%) 1,789 Arkansas Unanimous 60 (2.0%) 143 (4.9%) 416 (14.2%) 2,937 Texas Unanimous 759 (2.3%) 1,947 (5.8%) 7,593 (23.0%) 33,309 Oklahoma Unanimous 183 (3.2%) 319 (5.6%) 793 (14.0%) 5,665 Oregon Non-Unanimous 82 (1.67%) 294 (6.0%) 1,173 (23.8%) 4,938 Washington Unanimous 115 (1.5%) 770 (10.1%) 1,915 (25.1%) 7,616 Nevada Unanimous 151 (2.7%) 186 (3.3%) 1,739 (31.1%) 5,595 Idaho Unanimous 33 (2.3%) 114 (7.8%) 74 (5.1%) 1,457 California Unanimous 2,022 (1.6%) 2,141 (1.7%) 21,064 (17.0%) 124,293 *Includes arrest rates for all ages (18 and younger and 19 and older) *Percentages are rounded up to the next factor *Violent crimes are offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Source: Adapted by United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigations, September 2009. Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report Arrest Rates 2008 MURDER FORCIBLE RAPE ARMED ROBBERY TOTAL VIOLENT CRIMES Louisiana Non-Unanimous 183 (2.0%) 238 (2.6%) 1,035 (11.2%) 9,236 Mississippi Unanimous 135 (6.9%) 165 (8.5%) 572 (29.4%) 1,946 Arkansas Unanimous 118 (2.5%) 194 (4.1%) 623 (13.1%) 4,749 Texas Unanimous 863 (2.5%) 2,034 (5.9%) 8,199 (23.9%) 34,235 Oklahoma Unanimous 160 (2.7%) 316 (5.3%) 831 (14.0%) 5,956 Oregon Non-Unanimous 95 (2.0%) 276 (5.7%) 1,187 (24.5%) 4,844 Washington Unanimous 104 (1.5%) 675 (9.7%) 1,637 (23.6%) 6,943 Nevada Unanimous 11 (.17%) 31 (.48%) 369 (56.2%) 6,516 Idaho Unanimous 14 (.98%) 102 (7.2%) 97 (6.8%) 1,425 California Unanimous 1,850(1.48%) 2,088 (1.67%) 22,391(17.9%) 125,235 *Includes arrest rates for all ages (18 and younger and 19 and older) *Percentages are rounded up to the next factor *Violent crimes are offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Source: Adapted by United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigations, September 2009. The following charts represent the clearance rates for violent crimes (Murder, Forcible Rape and Armed Robbery) in Louisiana and Oregon; non-unanimous states and the immediate four surrounding state that require unanimity. Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report Clearance Rate 2007 MURDER FORCIBLE RAPE ARMED ROBBERY Louisiana Non-Unanimous 14.2 32.4 141.7 Mississippi Unanimous 7.1 35.6 98.2 Arkansas Unanimous 6.7 44.7 106.7 Texas Unanimous 5.9 35.3 162.2 Oklahoma Unanimous 6.1 43.1 93.2 Oregon Non-Unanimous 1.9 33.5 76.4 Washington Unanimous 2.7 40.6 93.6 Nevada Unanimous 7.5 42.7 270.2 Idaho Unanimous 3.3 38.5 15.5 California Unanimous 5.8 24.2 188.8 *Per 100,000 persons *Populations are U.S. Census Bureau provisional estimates as of July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2007 Source: Adapted by United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigations, September 2009. Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report Clearance Rate 2008 MURDER FORCIBLE RAPE ARMED ROBBERY Oregon Non-Unanimous 2.2 30.5 69.7 Washington Unanimous 2.9 40.1 96.9 Nevada Unanimous 6.3 42.4 248.9 Idaho Unanimous 1.5 36.2 15.8 California Unanimous 5.8 24.2 188.8 Louisiana Non-Unanimous 11.9 27.9 135.9 Mississippi Unanimous 8.1 30.3 102.6 Arkansas Unanimous 5.7 44.8 95.8 Texas Unanimous 5.6 32.9 155.2 Oklahoma Unanimous 5.8 40.2 101.1 *Per 100,000 persons *Populations are U.S. Census Bureau provisional estimates as of July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2007 Source: Adapted by United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigations, September 2009. Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report Percent Change from 2007 to 2008 Clearance Rate MURDER FORCIBLE RAPE ARMED ROBBERY Louisiana Non-Unanimous -15.6 -13.9 -4.1 Mississippi Unanimous +13.2 -15.0 +4.5 Arkansas Unanimous -15.8 +9.2 -10.2 Texas Unanimous -4.9 -6.7 -4.3 Oklahoma Unanimous -5.2 -6.6 +8.4 Oregon Non-Unanimous +11.1 -8.9 -8.8 Washington Unanimous +9.6 -1.3 +3.6 Nevada Unanimous -16.2 -.08 -7.9 Idaho Unanimous -53.8 -6.2 +1.8 California Unanimous -5.7 -1.8 -2.2 *Per 100,000 persons *Populations are U.S. Census Bureau provisional estimates as of July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2007 Source: Adapted by United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigations, September 2009. Findings The following charts represent the averages of the data collected in percentages. Comparison of 2007 and 2008 Arrest and Clearance Rates **All averages were rounded to the nearest tenths. Arrest and Clearance in 2007 and 2008 were fairly even within each state with the exception of Idaho. Idaho is the only state that shows a true decrease in arrest from 2007 to 2008 with a trending increase in clearance. The Percent Change in Clearance Rate between 2007 and 2008 Idaho had a major decrease in clearance rate which is a unanimous state and Oregon a non-unanimous state had the least decrease in clearance rate Comparison of 2007 and 2008 Arrest and Clearance Rates **All averages were rounded to the nearest tenths. Louisiana and Arkansas has a small decrease in arrest rates from 2007 and 2008 but also has a decrease in clearance rate from 2007 to 2008. Overall there are no major differences from 2007 to 2008 in Arrest and Clearance. The Percent Change in Clearance Rate between 2007 and 2008 Majority of the states had a decrease in clearance from the year of 2007 to 2008 meaning more defendants were being convicted of criminal charges. Mississippi had a minor increase in defendants not being convicted from 2007 to 2008. Overall, Louisiana had the highest decrease, which shows approximately 20% difference versus the non-unanimity states. Conclusion In conclusion, the relationship between the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendme

Plagiarism :: Cheating Educational Education Essays

Plagiarism As people grow older, they become more and more responsible for their own actions. Once becoming an adult, eighteen in the eyes of the law, they are no longer able to â€Å"run back to their parents† for help. In the case of a teenager going to college, the issue of plagiarism becomes a more prevalent and important issue in their lives. Plagiarism is defined by Dictionary.com as a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work and/or taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own. Therefore, a teenager going to college must take full responsibility for their actions if they plagiarize. As children go through grade school, the issue of plagiarism isn’t even in the picture. All they are worry about is making sure they do their homework or read the book that is due the next day. Day in and day out plagiarism is allowed and children get in the habit of making it acceptable to copy someone else’s ideas or work for their own. It is not until they are older do they realize that what they were use to doing is illegal and completely wrong to do. They are then weaned off of their old habits and taught the correct ways to site someone else’s thoughts or ideas. This is often difficult for young adults to do, because they are forced to â€Å"break their old habits† and take on something completely different. Becoming an adult not only means more freedom but also means taking on more responsibility. For example, a person entering into college must now face heavier consequences for plagiarizing. In most cases, the school makes the person aware of what characterizes plagiarism and what the consequences are. Once that is explained and the person is well aware of the details, if they plagiarize they are often expelled and kicked out of their school. For example a friend of mine who went to Brown University was well aware of wait plagiarism entailed and the penalties for doing so. Since he was on the lacrosse team he had many opportunities to collaborate or share work with other teammates because they spent a lot of their time together.

I/O Analysis of Essay -- Film Analysis

The 1999 comedy film â€Å"Office Space† depicts the working life of three main characters at an IT firm. The film has gained a cult following and many of the scenes and lines from the movie have become ingrained in the popular culture. The movie â€Å"Office Space† is comprised of several character types and situations that are familiar not just to workers in the field of Information Technology, but across the spectrum of the work world, especially the office environment. Several scenes will be examined here in detail and analyzed in regard to the I/O principles of motivation and leadership. Introduction â€Å"Office Space† is a 1999 film by Mike Judge that lampoons the corporate office environment. The film’s protagonist, Peter Gibbons, is a software programmer at IT firm Initech. whose mind-numbing primary duty is to comb through untold lines of the company’s existing computer code to upgrade their software to be â€Å"Y2K† compliant. Peter is joined in his workday misery by his two friends, Michael Bolton and Samir Nagheenanajar. Bolton endures constant irritation of people asking him if he’s related to the famous singer. Samir can’t understand why people can’t pronounce his name correctly, a running joke throughout the film. Most of the film revolves around the interactions between Peter and his condescending, out-of-touch boss, Bill Luhndberg, who spends much of the film wandering the maze of cubicles with his coffee mug in hand, reiterating meaningless policy edicts. Making continual brief appearances throughout the movie is Milton Waddams, a shy, reclusive employee who was laid off some years prior to the events of the film, only nobody told him and an accounting error caused him to continue to receive a paycheck. A main source... ...o productivity and morale. In D. Cartwright, & A. 663 Zander (Eds.), Group dynamics: research and theory. Elmsford, NY: Row, Peterson ---- Supportive supervisor communication as an intervening influence in the relationship between LMX and employee job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and performance – Published in Journal of Behavioral Studies in Business Volume 5 Bandura, A. A. (1997). Self Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. (1st ed.). New York: W.H. Freeman and Company. Herzberg, F. "The Motivation-Hygiene Concept and Problems of Manpower", Personnel Administration (January–February 1964), pp. 3–7. Vroom V H. Work and motivation. New York: Wiley, 1964. 331 p. [Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh. PAJ Author, A. A. of chapter (Year). Title of chapter. In A. Editor, & B. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. 123-452). City of publication: Publisher.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 1

Damon Salvatore was lounging in midair, nominally supported by one branch of a†¦who knew the names of trees anyway? Who gave a damn? It was tall, it allowed him to peep into Caroline Forbes's third-story bedroom, and it made a comfy backrest. He lay back in the convenient tree fork, hands clasped together behind his head, one neatly booted leg dangling over thirty feet of empty space. He was comfortable as a cat, eyes half-closed as he watched. He was waiting for the magic moment of 4:44A.M . to arrive, when Caroline would perform her bizarre ritual. He'd already seen it twice and he was enthralled. Then he got a mosquito bite. Which was ridiculous because mosquitoes didn't prey on vampires. Their blood wasn't nutritious like human blood. But it certainly felt like a tiny mosquito bite on the back of his neck. He swiveled to see behind him, feeling the balmy summer night all around him – and saw nothing. The needles of some conifer. Nothing flying about. Nothing crawling on them. All right then. It must have been a conifer needle. But it certainly did hurt. And the pain got worse with time, not better. A suicidal bee? Damon felt the back of his neck carefully. No venom sack, no stinger. Just a tiny squishy lump that hurt. A moment later his attention was called back to the window. He wasn't sure exactly what was going on but he could feel the sudden buzzing of Power around the sleeping Caroline, like a high-tension wire. Several days ago, it had drawn him to this place, but once he'd arrived he couldn't seem to find the source. The clock ticked 4:40 and beeped an alarm. Caroline woke and swatted it across the room. Lucky girl, Damon thought, with wicked appreciation. If I were a rogue human instead of a vampire, then your virtue – presuming you've any left – might be in danger. Fortunately for you, I had to give up all that sort of thing nearly half a millennium ago. Damon flashed a smile at nothing in particular, held it for a twentieth of a second, and then turned it off, his black eyes going cold. He looked back into the open window. Yes†¦he'd always felt that his idiot younger brother Stefan didn't appreciate Caroline Forbes enough. There was no doubt that the girl was worth looking at: long, golden-brown limbs, a shapely body, and bronze-colored hair that fell around her face in waves. And then there was her mind. Naturally skewed, vengeful, spiteful. Delicious. For instance, if he wasn't mistaken, she was working with little voodoo dolls on her desk in there. Terrific. Damon liked to see the creative arts at work. The alien Power still buzzed, and still he couldn't get a fix on it. Was it inside – in thegirl ? Surely not. Caroline was hastily grabbing for what looked like a handful of silken green cobwebs. She stripped her T-shirt off and – almost too fast for the vampire eye to see – had herself dressed in lingerie that made her look like a jungle princess. She stared intently at her own reflection in a stand-alone full-length mirror. Now, whatcan you be waiting for, little girl? Damon wondered. Well – he might as well keep a low profile. There was a dark flutter, one ebony feather fell to the ground, and then there was nothing but an exceptionally large crow sitting in the tree. Damon watched intently from one bright bird-eye as Caroline moved forward suddenly as if she'd gotten an electric jolt, lips parted, her gaze on what seemed to be her own reflection. Then she smiled at it in greeting. Damon could pinpoint the source of Power now. It was inside the mirror. Not in the samedimension as the mirror, certainly, but contained inside it. Caroline was behaving – oddly. She tossed back her long bronze hair so that it fell in magnificent disarray down her back; she wet her lips and smiled as if at a lover. When she spoke, Damon could hear her quite clearly. â€Å"Thank you. But you're late today.† There was still no one but her in the bedroom, and Damon could hear no answer. But the lips of the Caroline in the mirror were not moving in synch with the real girl's lips. Bravo! he thought, always willing to appreciate a new trick on humans. Well done, whoever you are! Lip-reading the mirror girl's words, he caught something aboutsorry . Andlovely . Damon cocked his head. Caroline's reflection was saying, â€Å"†¦you don'thave to†¦after today.† The real Caroline answered huskily. â€Å"But what if I can't fool them?† And the reflection: â€Å"†¦have help. Don't worry, rest easy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Okay. And nobody will get, like,fatally hurt, right? I mean, we're not talking about death – forhumans .† The reflection: â€Å"Why should we†¦?† Damon smiled inwardly. How many times had he heard exchanges likethat before? As a spider himself, he knew: First you got your fly into the parlor; then you reassured her; and before she knew it, you could have anything from her, until you didn'tneed her any longer. And then – his black eyes glittered – it was time for a new fly. Now Caroline's hands were writhing in her lap. â€Å"Just as long as you really – you know. What you promised. You really mean it about loving me?† â€Å"†¦trust me. I'll take care of you – and your enemies, too. I've already begun†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Suddenly Caroline stretched, and it was a stretch that boys at Robert E. Lee High School would have paid to watch. â€Å"That's what I want to see,† she said. â€Å"I'm justso sick of hearing about Elena this, Stefan that†¦and now it's going to start all over.† Caroline broke off abruptly, as if someone had hung up on her on the phone and she'd only just realized it. For a moment her eyes narrowed and her lips thinned. Then, slowly, she relaxed. Her eyes remained on the mirror, and one hand lifted until it was resting lightly on her stomach. She stared at it and slowly her features seemed to soften, to melt into an expression of apprehension and anxiety. But Damon hadn't taken his eyes off the mirror for an instant. Normal mirror, normal mirror, normal mirror – l era! Just at the last moment, as Caroline turned away, a flash of red. Flames? Now, whatcould be going on? he thought lazily, fluttering as he transformed from a sleek crow back into a drop-dead gorgeous young man lounging in a high branch of the tree. Certainly the mirror-creature wasn't from around Fell's Church. But it sounded as if it meant to make trouble for his brother, and a fragile, beautiful smile touched Damon's lips for a second. There was nothing he loved more than to watch self-righteous, sanctimonious, I'm-better-than-you-cos-I-don't-drink-human-blood Stefan get in trouble. The teenagers of Fell's Church – and some of the adults – regarded the tale of Stefan Salvatore and their local beauty Elena Gilbert as a modern Romeo-and-Juliet story. She had given her life to save his when they'd both been captured by a maniac, and afterward he had died of a broken heart. There were even whispers that Stefan had been notquite human†¦but something else. A demon lover that Elena had died to redeem. Damon knew the truth. Stefan was dead all right – but he had been dead for hundreds of years. And it was true that he was a vampire, but calling him a demon was like calling Tinkerbell armed and dangerous. Meanwhile Caroline couldn't seem to stop talking to an empty room. â€Å"Just you wait,† she whispered, walking over to the piles of untidy papers and books that littered her desk. She rummaged through the papers until she found a miniature video camera that had a green light shining at her like a single unblinking eye. Delicately, she connected the camera to her computer and began typing a password. Damon's eyesight was much better than a human's, and he could clearly see the tanned fingers with the long shining bronze nails:CFRULES . Caroline Forbes rules, he thought. Pitiful. Then she turned around, and Damon saw tears well up in her eyes. The next moment, unexpectedly, she was sobbing. She sat heavily on the bed, weeping and rocking herself back and forth, occasionally striking the mattress with a clenched fist. But mainly she just sobbed and sobbed. Damon was startled. But then custom took over and he murmured, â€Å"Caroline? Caroline, may I come in?† â€Å"What? Who?† She looked around frantically. â€Å"It's Damon. May I come in?† he asked, his voice dripping with mock sympathy, simultaneously using mind control on her. All vampires had such powers of control over mortals. How great the Power was depended on many things: the vampire's diet (human blood was by far the most potent), the strength of the victim's will, the relationship between the vampire and the victim, the fluctuation of day and night – and so many other things that even Damon didn't begin to understand. He only knew when he felt his own Power quicken, as it was quickening now. And Caroline was waiting. â€Å"I can come in?† he said in his most musical, most beguiling voice, at the same time crushing Caroline's strong will under one much stronger. â€Å"Yes,† she answered, wiping her eyes quickly, apparently seeing nothing unusual in his entrance by a third-story window. Their eyes locked. â€Å"Come in, Damon.† She had issued the necessary invitation for a vampire. With one graceful motion he swung himself over the sill. The interior of her room smelled like perfumes – and not subtle ones. He felt really quite savage now – it was surprising the way the bloodfever had come on so suddenly, so irresistibly. His upper canines had extended to about half again their size, and their edges were razor-sharp. This was no time for conversation, for loitering around as he usually did. For a gourmet, half the pleasure was in the anticipation, sure, but right now he was inneed . He drew strongly on his Power to control the human brain and gave Caroline a dazzling smile. That was all it took. Caroline had been moving toward him; now she stopped. Her lips, partly open to ask a question, remained parted; and her pupils suddenly widened as if she were in a dark room, and then contracted and remained contracted. â€Å"I†¦I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she managed. â€Å"Ohhh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There. She was his. And so easily, too. His fangs were throbbing with a kind of pleasurable pain, a tender soreness beckoning him to strike as quickly as the lunge of a cobra, to sink his teeth to the hilt in an artery. He was hungry – no,starving – and his whole body was burning with the urge to drink as deeply as he liked. After all, there were others to choose from if he drained this vessel dry. Carefully, never taking his eyes from hers, he lifted Caroline's head to expose her throat, with the sweet pulse throbbing in its hollow. It filled all his senses: the beating of her heart, the smell of the exotic blood just under the surface, dense and ripe and sweet. His head was spinning. He'd never been so excited, so eager – So eager that it gave him pause. After all, one girl was as good as another, right? What was different about this time? What waswrong with him? And then he knew. I'll have my own mind back, thank you. Suddenly Damon's intellect was icy cold; the sensual aura in which he'd been trapped frozen over instantly. He dropped Caroline's chin and stood very still. Hehad almost fallen under the influence of the thing that was using Caroline. It had been trying to snare him into breaking his word to Elena. And again, he could just barely sense a whisk of red in the mirror. It was one of those creatures drawn to the nova of Power that Fell's Church had become – he knew that. It had been using him, spurring him on, trying to get him to drain Caroline dry. To take all her blood, to kill a human, something he hadn't done since meeting Elena. Why? Coldly furious, he centered himself, and then probed in all directions with his mind to find the parasite. It should still be here; the mirror was only a portal for it to travel small distances. And it had been controlling him – him, Damon Salvatore – so it had to be very close indeed. Still, he could find nothing. That made him even angrier than before. Absently fingering the back of his neck, he sent a dark message: I will warn you once, and once only. Stay away from ME! He sent the thought out with a blast of Power that flashed like sheet lightning in his own senses. It ought to have knocked something dead nearby – from the roof, from the air, from a branch†¦maybe even from next door. Fromsomewhere , a creature should have plummeted to the ground, and he should have been able to sense it. But although Damon could feel clouds darkening above him in response to his mood, and the wind rubbing branches together outside, there was no falling body, no attempt at dying retaliation. He could find nothing close enough to have entered his thoughts, and nothing at a distance could be that strong. Damon might amuse himself sometimes by pretending to be vain, but underneath he had a cool and logical ability to analyze himself. He was strong. He knew that. As long as he kept himself well nourished and free of weakening sentiment, there were few creatures that could stand against him – at least in this plane. Two were right here in Fell's Church,a little mocking counterpoint in his mind said, but Damon shrugged that off disdainfully. Surely there could be no other vampire Elders nearby, or he would sense them. Ordinary vampires, yes, they were already flocking. But they were all too weak to enterhis mind. He was equally certain there was no creature within range that could challenge him. He would have sensed it as he sensed the blazing ley lines of uncanny magical power that formed a nexus under Fell's Church. He looked at Caroline again, still held motionless by the trance he'd put on her. She would come out of it gradually, none the worse for the experience – for whathe'd done to her, at least. He turned and, as gracefully as a panther, swung out of the window, onto the tree – and then dropped easily thirty feet to the ground.