Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Economics - Essay Example The works by Prebisch (1947; 1949) and Singher (1950) attempted to explain economic growth based on the differences in products produced by different nations. The less developed nations according to these theories have to purchase the manufactured goods from the Northern nations at prices in excess of what of what they get for selling their primary goods (to the Northern nations). This ultimately adversely affects the economic growth of the less developed nations and thus they remain less developed (Todaro, 2003). These theories thus argue for promoting import-substituting policies for economic growth. Alternative theories by Harrod (1939) and advanced by Kregel (1980) capture the dynamics of economic growth by assuming that it is determined endogenously by the saving and investment decisions of firms. In this model, the growth rates put forward are actual, warranted and natural growth rates. Based on this approach, the long run growth rate is determined by the closed economy social saving rate rather than net exports. However, this model has been criticised for showing the possibility of unstable growth in a capitalist economy (Moudud, 2000). It has been shown that though there can be instability to some extent for the growth path, its extent is restricted by many endogenous factors in a capitalist economy (Moudud, 2000). 3. Conclusion In this essay, the discussion shows that low savings rate alone cannot explain the differences between developed and developing nations. By improving saving rates alone, developing nations cannot catch up with the West. Many other factors discussed above determine the differences between these nations. 1. Introduction The relationship between free trade and economic growth has been a topic of debate for the academicians and policy makers in the recent years. In this essay, the arguments for and against free trade are discussed. 2. Arguments for and Against Free Trade Greater availability of cheaper goods from abroad will lower t he domestic price level, since the consumption bundle used to compute broad inflation measures includes imported goods. The magnitude of this effect depends on the share of imports in the consumption bundle of the representative household.Also as the economy opens up the shocks to the price level due to the domestic farm sector; output fluctuations are likely to ease which may diminish the price fluctuations (Jin, 2000 etc). As per the Dutch disease hypothesis (Collier and Gunning, 1999) and the political economy models (Alesina and Perotti, 1994), trade openness can affect fiscal deficits through the instability of government revenue. First, countries with an outward-looking strategy have higher levels of competition, are less corrupt (Ades and Di Tella, 1999) and have higher fiscal balances and lower fiscal deficit. Second, trade openness increases income inequalities which enhances the demand of public goods (Alesina and Perotti, 1994) and, simultaneously, reduces the ability of governments to collect taxes. Third, trade policy could reduce government revenue in the short run (Bean, 1999), which could occur when increases in openness result from a reduction in tariffs. However, for a given level of tariffs, government revenue from taxes is an increasing function of trade openness. Thus, in the

The Tsarist regime between 1881-1904 Essay Example for Free

The Tsarist regime between 1881-1904 Essay Why did opposition to the Tsarist regime increase between 1881-1904? Page 1 Opposition to Tsarist Government had long been a feature of the Romanov rule with strict laws in place to oversee that nobody spoke out against the Tsar’s rule. During the autocratic years from 1881-1904 Russia went through two Tsars, Alexander III and his successor Nicholas II both obsessed with keeping absolute power over Russia. During that period it was an offence to speak out against the Tsar whilst nobody could challenge the Tsar’s rule as there was no parliament in place to speak for the people and no free press which meant that no one could release information that might influence the people to revolt for a better quality of life. This led to a hard struggle for the Russian people who endured numerous years of hardship under the Tsar; however it also resulted in the formation of politically organised parties in Russia that would each have separate ambitions for what they wanted for the future of Russia and her people. The causes of Tsarist opposition could be argued to have been started by Alexander II who ironically was trying to stop opposition to the Tsarist regime by relaxing controls over the press and universities which inadvertently saw the emergence of the intelligentsia. After Alexander II assassination in 1881 the first signs of opposition to Tsar Alexander III where the educated and free-thinking middle class, who were able to travel to western nations and read new ideas that, had never before been herd of in particularly the idea of Karl Marx’s, Marxism where it was thought that the people would overthrow the government and become a Democracy, and without a state Russia would become communist. The 1890s saw the great spurt of modernisation and industrialisation in Russia. Modernisation was driven by one man, Sergei Witte, the minister of finance from 1893 to 1903. An increase in the production of coal in the Ukraine and oil in the Caucasus promoted massive economic growth. Iron, chemical, engineering, petroleum and steel industries were established within ten years. Although this benefited the Russian economy the growth in industrial workforce concentrated in urban areas. This along with the combined high taxes and low incomes caused terrible living and working conditions in the cities. Witte’s economic policy created long term discontent within the Russian people as the high taxes and low wages led to high poverty throughout Russia whilst the increase in peasantry created more pressure on the agricultural land which led to an economic slump after 1902 which resulted in an increase in unemployment. Civil unrest further increased in 1900-1902 with poor harvests leading to starvation and an outbreak of violence in the countryside. This civil unrest led to the formation of various political parties throughout Russia which became the main sources of opposition to the Tsar’s rule. Parties such as the Liberals, and Social Democrats followed the relatively new idea of Marxism. However the Democrats wanted a revolution whereas the Liberals thought they could achieve their aims through a series of non-violent protests. The Democrats would later split into the Bolsheviks who thought the party should be ruled under one central leadership and that the way forward would be revolution whereas the Mensheviks beliefs were more democratic as they believed in allowing each member a say. The Liberals would also later split into the Kadets who wanted a parliament and better re-distribution of land for the peasants but had no problems with a constitutional monarchy whereas the Octoberists who also wanted a parliament were more focused on increasing Russia’s economic strength. Page 2 A third party the Social Revolutionaries grew directly out of the Populists and continued their predecessor’s approach of terrorism to reach their aims as a group founded in 1879 â€Å"the peoples will† were responsible for the assassination of Tsar Alexander II whilst also continuing their extremist views into the early 1900’s between 1901 and 1905, were it was the terrorist faction of the Revolutionaries that dominated with over 2000 assassinations, including Plehve, the interior minister, and the Tsar’s uncle, Duke Sergei. Eventually this unrest along with several assassination attempts from the Revolutionaries resulted in Alexander III abdicating in 1894 leaving his young and shy son Nicholas II as supreme ruler of Russia. Nicholas was never interested in politics however he was a great admirer of his father Alexander III. He had been brought up to believe that repression was the only way to keep the Russian people under control and that any kind of reform would simply encourage them to want even more. Nicholas wanted to rule like an autocrat but he did not have the skill to do so as he was an untrusting individual always being afraid of conspiracy which led to him refusing chair meetings, only seeing his ministers one at a time, trying to use divide and rule tactics which ultimately led to the government not making any decisions for Russia. Nicholas II further created unrest as he was unwilling to give any concessions to national minorities such as Finns and Poles with any protests repressed and his secret police the Okhrana crushing political activists, rounding them up and exiling them. The culmination of the revolution reached its climax with the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War in February 1904. Defeats on land and sea at the hands of the Japanese military shocked the Russian public creating mass humiliation. The war was beyond any doubt a Japanese victory when Russia lost Port Arthur in January 1905. With the Russian peoples pride in tatters after defeat from what they believed was an inferior Eastern nation along with the war creating shortages in food, fuel and higher prices leading to further unemployment it seemed the last straw for the Russian people creating a huge upsurge of discontent. On the 22nd January 1905 Father Gapon and orthodox priest decided to lead a peaceful march of workers and families on the Winter palace in St. Petersburg where they wanted the Tsar to acknowledge the needs of the Russian people such as living conditions, poverty and starvation in Russia. However this peaceful protest soon caused mass panic for the police and authorities who did not know what to do, with no decisive leader they felt the only option was to fire at the protesters in the hope they would disperse. Hundreds of people died on the day that is now known as Bloody Sunday. This led to a national outbreak of disorder with strikes and riots in major cities whilst even minor mutiny in the Army and Navy who were ashamed of the defeat in the war, the Tsar was at war with his own people the revolution had begun. There were many factors of why opposition increased between 1881 and 1904 however the main reason was the introduction of western ideas to what had previously been a nation in isolationism with the prevention of free press. The ideas (Marxism) that had seeped in to Russia made the public question why they couldn’t have a say in how their country was run which led to the development and rise in organised political parties which became the main opposition to the Tsarist regime as both Tsar’s struggled to cope with what the people wanted. Ultimately the sheer size of Russia and its massive population made it impossible to govern and whilst Russia struggled to get out of its backward status the public’s welfare was compromised as both Tsars main priority was to increase Russia economically. This led to an inevitable uprising.

The Green Mile Essay -- Essays Papers

The Green Mile For my third quarter book report I read The Green Mile written by Stephen King. This book is about an old man, Paul Edgecomb, recalling his experiences when he worked as the cell block captain in Cold Mountain state penitentiary. Paul was the cell block captain of death row in this Alabama correctional institute. This story takes place in a nursing home. The narrator Paul is writing a book about when he was cell block captain in 1932. During the time he is writing his book he points out how people never change, how there is always the bully, and so on. He compares writing the book to a time machine. Both seem to take him back to 1932, and every lasdetail is clear. This book made me feel involved. As the reader you start off in the nursing home, with Paul, and ...

Modernity and the Notions of Public Interest Essay

This paper examines the meaning of modernity and the relations between the notions of public interest, ethics and law. By giving an example that raises this issue further, the realm of morality, professional ethics and law is discussed and whether their spheres of jurisdiction would overlap. It also explores the meanings and definitions of the key terms that are of most concern for this topic, and how they relate or differ from each other. A Singaporean example is also shown as evidence to support the discussion. Finally, a counter argument is provided with a reasonable response that follows with this argument. While scholars and philosophers have defined modernity in different ways, the emergence of modernity is also a very important aspect of the term. Before modernity came into prominence, there were the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. â€Å"The essence of modernity can be seen in humanity’s freeing itself from the bonds of the Middle Ages in that it frees itself to itself† (Heidegger, Young, & Haynes, 2002). Modernity refers to human beings starting to rationalize and think for themselves, rather than the traditional way of living life by the rules and teachings of their religion. In simpler terms, it is a shift from religious beliefs to scientific knowledge, as in man thinking by his own free will for himself. The stronghold of the Christian church decreased over the people and science began to be more accepted. The criticism of modernity is that it actually imprisons rather than liberates. Modernity gives rise to people’s opinion and free speech. Therefore, with free speech, restrictions are put into place to protect the freedom of the public. The term modernization refers to the increasing use of science and new technologies, and the political, social and cultural changes that followed through from these developments of modernization (Mann, 2010). Hence modern society is considered modern because of rapid change which is the essence of modern society (Nester, 2010). Today’s society and way of thinking all flourished from modernity. The use of science and technology, the need to understand all things in life through scientific study and experimentation are all traits of what makes modern society ‘modern. Therefore, it promotes a more rational, scientific worldview as religion, superstition and tradition lost their hold over everyday life. With modern thinking, public interest, ethics, law and so on, all of which were taking priority among people in their everyday life and also professionals so that everyone can live in harmony in a liberal democratic society. Public interest is what is justified toward the public which may be against some immediate individual person’s interest† (Downs, 1962). A general explanation for ethics would be that it is concerned with doing the right thing in a moral sense. Fieser (2001) described ethics as systematizing, defending and recommending concepts of right and wrong behaviour, while Spence (2005) said that it is a set of rules and virtues of character that guides interpersonal conduct (Breit, 2007). The Law is a set of rules for society, to protect people’s basic rights and freedoms and to treat them fairly (OrganizationOfAmericanStates, 2007). Certain situations that are of the public’s concern can also be an ethical and legal matter, such as illegal abortions. Abortions are illegal in most countries and even so, some women still require it for the sake of their own well-being. Thus, doctors have to face their own code of ethics in dealing with these issues. This matter is also of public interest because this issue has been an ongoing debate and the public are always concerned about it. In the Singapore context, the case of the ex-MOE scholar, Jonathan Wong having sexual relations with a minor makes a good example that raises this topic. The scholar from the Ministry of Education was at first charged with possessing child pornography in Britain which lead to investigations. The investigations then lead to reveal that he had sexual relations with an underage girl (Channel News Asia, 2012). Although the first charge in 2010 was not a public interest matter, the second charge this year provoked public interest. Aside from the illegality of the case, it sparked public interest due to him being a scholar with the public’s taxpayer money. The MOE’s code of ethics was considered for appointing this student for a scholar. So how do morality, professional ethics and law differ from each other? Morality is an individual’s own personal belief that differentiates right from wrong. It is an individual’s own personal character. Professional ethics is a standard or code of behaviour expected by a group to which the individual belongs to. Morality is a personal trait while ethics is more concerned in the field of profession. Law, however, is another different matter from both morality and professional ethics. But in some cases, their fields of jurisdiction do overlap with one another. In the course reader, Breit (2007) pointed out the ethical dilemma of a journalist on whether to report a story which is in the public interest. The ethical dilemma the journalist faced was due to the embargo of the news, whether to respect it or let the public know about the news immediately. There was also fear of getting sued for not respecting the embargo and for not fulfilling the duty as a journalist. These were the dilemmas that this journalist faced in which the different jurisdictions overlap with one another. Coming back to the example of the case of the ex-MOE scholar, it is illegal to have sex with a minor. This also led to public interest because he was a scholarship student of MOE by taxpayers’ money. Ethical issues were raised on the MOE’s side of the case for choosing this kind of person as their scholar and this reflects badly for the ministry. As for the opposing argument, â€Å"What reasons might be given for thinking that the disclosure of a person’s sexual misconduct serves the public interest? (Archard, 1998)† From the liberalism side of the argument, it states that neither society, government nor anyone else has the rightful authority to tell people what they do in the privacy of their own homes. Each person has rightful authority over how they conduct their own lives in private. Therefore the public does not need to know about all of the intimate details about the case. Although the counter argument is reasonable, the public should have the right to know about this issue because this person was accused for misusing the taxpayers’ money and dealt with actions of misconduct and broke the law in not one but two countries. The first charge was for possessing child pornography while he was studying in Britain and the second was for having sexual relations with a minor in Singapore. Modern thinking has lead to opinions on morality, ethics and law, as well as issues about public interest. Open critical discussions and evaluation of issues that arise from such issues given above is a crucial part of a healthy democracy. In a way, the standards of public interest, ethics and law in each country determines the modernity of the society.

Internet and television Essay

Internet and television are changing the face of political discourse. In his book, Amusing Ourselves To Death Neil Postman gives candid details of how television has shaped political conversation in the last 20 years but this has been overcome by the advent of internet technology. Television has changed much since 1987 in addition to advancements such as HDTV, DVR. News can be watched 24 hours across many networks. For example cable subscribers are able to watch over 1000 channels with the click of a button. Advertising has grown tremendously as ads jam programs in the form of product endorsements and normal commercials. The internet is not excluded from this change because it offers the users a simple way of accessing news and communication with many people all over the world. Each of these mediums represents a new era in which people try to become politically enlightened while at the same time minimizing the quantity of information they are able to consume (Postman, 13) Political discourse and the media have been changing over the years. Hume observes that, â€Å"the television commercial is a primary instrument of political discourse† (Hume, 27). This is true in the current media although some other instruments like The Daily Show are gaining political importance. Political programs should be placed on the same platform as political commercials instead of using them as the main source of political discourse. Although the commercials have a good impact this is reduced by the video recorders that give user the ability to navigate commercials to view programs that they like most. Internet has become a threat to the television since it is easy to get information easier using the internet. â€Å"Young people don’t buy newspapers or watch the evening news-even or perhaps especially, with cute Katie Couric reading it to them. Blogs are more fun to read and sometimes more reliable† (Leonard, 10). Bloggers have the ability to put emphasis on political candidates, policies and actions that have taken place. As such blogging offers the citizens a chance to comment on stories in a manner that permits freedom of expression. The media has continued to change political discourse significantly though television, internet and advertising. Currently advertisements, blogs and the 24 hour news and internet have a big impact on political discourse. According to a survey done by Pew Internet it was observed that â€Å"15% of all American adults say the internet was the primary source for campaign news during the election, up from 7% in the mid-term election of 2002? (Leonard, 2). Therefore, the Internet is a strong force in the changing shape of political discourse. The information that people find and share over the internet shapes their opinions and can assist them in becoming better citizens. Political information can be shared in a way that ties the emotions of the participants but the internet helps the people to form their own opinions. Hume posits, â€Å"new technology may facilitate a new type of citizenship commitment that combines exchange of information and evaluation, in which emotion and experience are not discounted but an accepted part of the processes of opinion formation† (2006, p. 305). In summary, political dialogue in the media has been transformed significantly by the new media. The availability of internet has helped people write blogs, surf for information that could not be easily found through conventional means. Television commercial as well as comedy programs are still abundant in the political discourse. Ellen Hume give a good summary of political discourse and its relationship with the media by saying, â€Å"The old media deliver the old politics† (1998, p. 207). From this observation one can conclude that the new media will give rise to new politics and continue to change everything as we know it now. Works cited Hume How novel technologies are changing the news. In C. Harper (Ed. ), What’s Next in mass communication. Original York: St. Martin’s Press. 1998 Leonard, M. ‘Fake’ news is as good as the real thing . Herald Times, p. B2. , E. 2007. Postman, N. Amusing ourselves to death. New York: Penguin books. 1985

Biography on George Mason essays

Biography on George Mason essays "I ask you sir, who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people." Many delegates helped write the Constitution after the Articles of Confederation failed. When these men got together in 1787, with some of the nations most important men abroad and some unable to attend, they were looking only to help this nation have a promising future. Political men, like George Mason, took charge of the convention and gave their ideas to the rest of the delegates. George Mason did many good things for this country. In the following, I will take a look at the things Mason did for this country. George Mason was born to George and Ann Thomson Mason in 1725. At the age ten Masons father died. He was then sent to live with his uncle, John Mercer. Mason had no real education. He learned all he knew through his uncles 1500 volume library that consisted of a third of them being law books. He married Anne Eilbeck in 1750, and in 23 years of marriage they had five sons and four daughters. As one of the richest people in Virginia, George Mason was a very important figure in his community. In 1773 Mason wrote his first major paper that really started his political career. Mason also perused other political interests between the years of 1750 and 1779. One of these political interests was being justice of the Fairfax County court Virginia House of Burgesses. In 1776 Mason wrote the Virginias Declaration of Rights. This document served as the basis for many other colonies declarations. This piece of writing was also used as a guide line for the first part of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution. Mason worked on many different legislative works from 1776 to 1780. In the early 1780s, Mason retired from political affairs because of his disgust of public affairs. Mason was appointed to the Annapolis convention in 1786, but he declined. Howev ...

Learn About Rational Choice Theory

Learn About Rational Choice Theory Economics plays a huge role in human behavior. That is, people are often motivated by money and the possibility of making a profit, calculating the likely costs and benefits of any action before deciding what to do. This way of thinking is called rational choice theory. Rational choice theory was pioneered by sociologist George Homans, who in 1961 laid the basic framework for exchange theory, which he grounded in hypotheses  drawn from behavioral psychology. During the 1960s and 1970s, other theorists (Blau, Coleman, and Cook) extended and enlarged his framework and helped to develop a more formal model of rational choice. Over the years, rational choice theorists have become increasingly mathematical. Even ​Marxists  have come to see rational choice theory as the basis of a Marxist theory of class and exploitation.​​​ Human Actions Are Calculated and Individualistic Economic theories look at the ways in which the production, distribution, and consumptions of goods and services are organized through money. Rational choice theorists have argued that the same general principles can be used to understand human interactions where time, information, approval, and prestige are the resources being exchanged. According to this theory, individuals are motivated by their personal wants and goals and are driven by personal desires. Since it is not possible for individuals to attain all of the various things that they want, they must make choices related to both their goals and the means for attaining those goals. Individuals must anticipate the outcomes of alternative courses of action and calculate which action will be best for them. In the end, rational individuals choose the course of action that is likely to give them the greatest satisfaction. One key element in rational choice theory is the belief that all action is fundamentally â€Å"rational† in character. This distinguishes it from other forms of theory because it denies the existence of any kinds of action other than the purely rational and calculative. It argues that all social action can be seen as rationally motivated, however much it may appear to be irrational. Also central to all forms of rational choice theory is the assumption that complex social phenomena can be explained in terms of the individual actions that lead to that phenomena. This is called methodological individualism, which holds that the elementary unit of social life is individual human action. Thus, if we want to explain social change and social institutions, we simply need to show how they arise as the result of individual action and interactions. Critiques of Rational Choice Theory Critics have argued that there are several problems with rational choice theory. The first problem with the theory has to do with explaining collective action. That is if individuals simply base their actions on calculations of personal profit, why would they ever choose to do something that will benefit others more than themselves? Rational choice theory does address behaviors that are selfless, altruistic, or philanthropic. Related to the first problem just discussed, the second problem with rational choice theory, according to its critics, has to do with social norms. This theory does not explain why some people seem to accept and follow social norms of behavior that lead them to act in selfless ways or to feel a sense of obligation that overrides their self-interest. The third argument against rational choice theory is that it is too individualistic. According to critics of individualistic theories, they fail to explain and take proper account of the existence of larger social structures. That is, there must be social structures that cannot be reduced to the actions of individuals and therefore have to be explained in different terms.

Myths and Misconceptions About Tree Roots Explained

Myths and Misconceptions About Tree Roots Explained The root system of a tree  is seldom on the radar for forest owners and tree lovers. Roots are rarely exposed so misconceptions about how they grow and function can influence tree managers into bad decision making. You can grow a healthier tree if you understand its root system. Here are several tree root myths that  may change how you perceive your tree and correct the way you plant and grow the plant. Myth 1: All Trees Have Single Tap Roots Most trees do not have tap roots after the seedling stage. They quickly produce water-seeking lateral and feeder roots. When a tree is grown in deep, well-drained soil, these trees will develop many deep roots directly surrounding the trunk. They should not be confused with what we think of as a taproot similar to other vegetable plants like carrots and turnips or the tap roots of tree seedlings. Shallow, compacted soils will eliminate deep roots altogether and you will have a feeder root mat with very few deep roots. These trees get most of their water above the water table level and are subject to damaging windthrow and severe drought. Myth 2: Tree Roots Will Grow Only to a Tree's Dripline There is a belief that roots tend to stay under a trees leaf canopy. That seldom happens. Trees in a forest have roots reaching well beyond their individual branches and leaves in search of water and nutrients. Studies have shown that roots actually grow laterally to a distance equal to the height of the tree. One report from the University of Florida extension says Roots on trees and shrubs planted in a landscape grow to 3 times the branch spread within 2 to 3 years of planting. Trees standing together in a forest send roots beyond their individual limbs and intermingle with the roots of neighboring trees. Myth 3: Damaged Roots Result in Canopy Dieback on the Same Side This does happen, but it should not be assumed as a foregone conclusion. University of Florida extension says that Roots on one side of trees such as oaks and mahogany generally supply the same side of the tree with water and nutrients. Dieback of individual branches and limbs will occur on the damaged root side. Interestingly, maple trees do not seem to show injury and drop leaves on the side of root injury. Instead, branch death may occur anywhere in the crown with some tree species like maples. Myth 4: Deeper Roots Secure Water and Nutrients On the contrary, the feeder roots in the top 3 inches of soil supply your tree with water and food. These delicate finer roots are concentrated in that upper soil and duff layer where immediate nutrients and moisture are quickly available. Minor soil disturbances can injure these feeder roots and remove a large portion of the absorbing roots on a tree. This is can significantly set a tree back. Major soil disturbances due to construction and severe compaction can kill a tree. Myth 5: Root Pruning Stimulates Root Branching When planting a trees root ball, It is very tempting to cut back on roots that are circling the ball. It is very often thought that a dense root ball will stimulate new feeder root growth, but that is not the case. Dont worry about encircling roots as they will correct that on a new site. Most new root growth occurs at the end of existing roots. Root pruning is often done at the nursery to accommodate packaging and to resume growth before the final sale. If you are planting the tree at its final site, it may be best that you gently break up the root ball but never prune root tips. Source Gilman, Edward. Dispelling Misperceptions About Trees. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, Aug. 2011.

Performance Management System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance Management System - Essay Example Management By Objectives (MBO) is the necessary tool and must form part of the management performance process. Staff reduction is mandatory as the company will not require the staff strength that used to oversee sales and distribution of fruit juices. The PMS is necessary to present management with holistic view of key strategic data to achieve the vision and mission of the company. Information across the company can be collected and used and reused from time to time (Performance Management System for Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company). Label V Enterprises is a merger of Italian soft drink producer Miradola and the British distributor Bottle One Enterprises in 2005. The company struggles to integrate the two divisions of production and distribution but without success. The producers in Italy do not increase the quantity of their output in order to maintain their exclusiveness. They want Label V to be sold only to the best restaurants in the world. On the other hand, the distribution division complains about the inflexibility of production with regard to not only quantities but also product positioning due to the increasing market for "lifestyle" products. The objectives of PMS are to include financial and non-financial measures, focus management activity on key performance indicators, align departmental goals with corporate strategy, link measures throughout the organization, allow senior management to consider all measures together, reflect the company's commitment to customer service, to prevent proliferation of unneeded measures, and to share with as many staff as is necessary (Performance Management System for Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company). The purpose of the PMS is to galvanize the Sales office into decision making department with internal capabilities to coordinate internal activities and also coordinate with other departments as well whenever necessary. McKonsby proposes to initiate a strategy of producing and selling more exclusive products. The margins for these exclusive products are significantly higher than in the mass market for fruit juices. There is the need to integrate MBO with PMS so that the Sales department can begin operations on a more knowledgeable note. The Sales department had started the MBO process earlier on and the Sales Manager is confident of making the right start with a known system. The Performance Management System will measure and monitor, analyze, plan, budget and forecast the Sales department's activities besides collecting information of the company as a whole. This will enable Sales maintain tabs on their activities and meet their targets. It will also enable Sales discuss their needs with other departments as needs arise. Staff Reduction The new process will start with appropriate sales team to manage sales and distribution. The shift to exclusive products will mean change in approach and management of the new clients. The former sales team had ready market and catered to these in sufficient numbers in accordance with the market requirement. This will

Reciprocity and extensive reading Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Reciprocity and extensive reading - Assignment Example The use of authentic, engaging materials should be the basis for class activity (Murcia 2006: 110). Authenticity is a term that loosely implies as close to approximation as possible to the world outside the classroom, in the selection of both language materials and of the activities and methods used for practice in the classroom (McDonough and Shaw 2003:40). Further, problems arise because of classroom methods and materials used in the classroom. Although language teachers have the same goal – to enable learners to use the target language proficiently whether in academic, personal, or professional life, it is not unusual for teachers to report a sense of isolation from colleagues in other countries (McDonough and Shaw: 1). As what Richards (1983: 219 - 239) reminds us, the current state of English has turned a significant percentage of the world’s population into part-time users of English. Thus, experts all over the world have developed strategies and approaches to lan guage teaching that would best address the problems on L2 learning and teaching. One of the outcomes of the Communicative Language Teaching is interactive listening and speaking: negotiating Meaning through Questioning-Answering Routines. This is also known as reciprocal teaching (Murcia 2006:13-27). The concept of Reciprocal Teaching is based on the concept of Reciprocity. In communication, there is what we call taking-turns. A variety of question-types can be used: repetition, paraphrasing, verification, clarification, elaboration, extension, and challenge. Reciprocal Teaching or RT is a strategy that attempts to establish an active and relatively expanded dialog between teacher and students and among students themselves (Izquiendo 2004: 20-25). Paliscar and Brown (1984: 117-175) developed this strategy to reinforce comprehension in L1 and the reading classes. According to Izquiendo (2004: 20-25), when RT is used, the classroom is not a one way street, in which the teacher maintai ns strict control of the environment, but rather, a two-way street that allows active participation by students. The teacher serves as a facilitator or monitor. Reciprocity is manifested in Reciprocal Teaching (RT) because it promotes the teacher-student (T-S), student-teacher (S-T), and student – student (S-S) exchange (Izquiendo 2004:20-25). One example to show this is when the teacher asks a student to recite and when the student has recited, the teacher calls on another student to repeat through paraphrasing what his or her classmates just mentioned. The concept here is to allow students to listen well during class discussion because at any point in time, the teacher may call one to elaborate or challenge the statements given by a classmate. In RT, there is what we call, short-term and long term exchanges. A short-turn is often referred to as language for informational purposes while long-turn is often referred to as language for transactional purposes (Brown and Yule 198 3a). The same authors stress that training students to produce short-turns â€Å"will not automatically field students who can perform satisfactorily in long turns. The point is, teachers should do all they can to encourage students to produce complete sentences and long utterances. This is supported by the survey conducted by Ferris and Tagg (1996: 31 - 55) conducted among university faculty which suggest that, in general, what

Marketing Simulation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Simulation - Research Paper Example The Ochre teams had an increase of approximately 10 percent, which is roughly near the Orange team’s performance level. Customers From the market outlook chart above, most of the customers are derived from households and companies. On average, most of the customers are derived from general households. The high-end households also contribute a large portion but particularly in Europe. In Asia, the sales in the high-end households have dwindled to the extent that there are negative sales in this particular segment. The companies follow the household in usage in both Europe and Asia. However, in Asia, the reception in the high-end companies has been poor compared to the European market. Marketing Research The team has three phones in the European market that are SSKE 1, SSKE 3 and SSKE 4. In the Asian market, the team has one phone, the SSKE2A. The SSKE4 I is the best performer in the European market followed by the SSKE1. Most high-end companies prefer the SSKE4 while the ordina ry companies prefer the SSKE1. Therefore, it can be concluded that most of the consumers in the region are derived from companies. The phone model on sale in the Asian market mainly targets the lower end segment of the market. The product has received significant reception in the general households and companies. By not focusing on improving the product to suit the high- end segment of the market, the company is losing on sales in this segment in Asia. The team also has not emphasized enough on creating enough awareness of the product in the region compared to the awareness in Europe. Furthermore, introducing only one product in the region is not a feasible strategy. The team should introduce more products in the region to compete effectively with the competitors. The team also... The team has three phones in the European market that are SSKE 1, SSKE 3 and SSKE 4. In the Asian market, the team has one phone, the SSKE2A. The SSKE4 I is the best performer in the European market followed by the SSKE1. Most high-end companies prefer the SSKE4 while the ordinary companies prefer the SSKE1. Therefore, it can be concluded that most of the consumers in the region are derived from companies. The phone model on sale in the Asian market mainly targets the lower end segment of the market. The product has received significant reception in the general households and companies. By not focusing on improving the product to suit the high-end segment of the market, the company is losing on sales in this segment in Asia. The team also has not emphasized enough on creating enough awareness of the product in the region compared to the awareness in Europe. Introducing only one product in the region is not a feasible strategy. The team should introduce more products in the region to compete effectively with the competitors. The team also channeled most of its resources in advertising and channel investments. This caused a reduction in operating profits for the team. The team should have reduced the investment in the two divisions considering that most phone companies have their own niche in the market. The curved out section will always buy the products. Furthermore, the investment was done without an introduction of more new products. The money would have been used for research and development instead.

Vascular Ultrasound Technology and Diagnosing Vein Disease Research Paper

Vascular Ultrasound Technology and Diagnosing Vein Disease - Research Paper Example Tremendous changes have occurred in the information technology which has facilitated communication in the provision of health services; other technologies have also been applied in diagnosis of diseases and various severe health conditions (www.modernhealthcare.com). This technological facet is currently known as ultrasound imaging; in some cases it is referred as ultrasound sonography or even scanning. It encompasses the application of a small probe (Transducer) together with an ultrasound gel that enables the health practitioners to expose the body to sound waves conditions characterized by high frequency. Scientists have proved that this technology is safe to human beings and does not involve exposure to painful conditions; it enables the practitioners to have access to pictures of the inside organs and systems of the human body through the sound waves. Specifically, this technology is quite distinct from the x-rays as it does not involve the use of ionizing radiations; it assists the health service providers to view pictures of processes like; blood flow, vessels and the motion of the internal organs (www.radiologyinfo.org). Consequently, other characteristics of the ultrasound technology involve; the aspect of being noninvasive in that it does not involve long procedures of extracting samples of specimen like blood or even excretory products in order to conduct the test. It also involves the use of a Doppler ultrasound technology that majorly assist in the examination of blood movement in various body organs, vessels and other parts of the body like the arms, abdomen and legs. The Doppler ultrasound technology has been applied immensely in different areas of health service provision.Studies have also shown that it is currently replacing the use of x-ray as a method to examine conditions of the internal organs. It enables the effective

Explain the phenomenon of organisational commitment and analyse its Essay

Explain the phenomenon of organisational commitment and analyse its alleged relationship with organisational performance - Essay Example The most widely studied outcomes include employee retention, attendance, organizational citizenship, and job performance (Angle and Perry, 1981). Organizational commitment has become one of the major concerns of human resource these days. The enhancement of employees performance is issue for both profit and non-profit organizations. Non-profit organizations usually find it difficult to deal with this issue because of their inability to provide their employees with competitive compensations and benefits (Riveros andTsai,2011). One of the important objectives of an organizations human resource team is to keep employees motivated. It is because employees motivation results in commitment which in turn improves their performance and declines their desire to leave the organization. In order to achieve these results, organizations can devise a positive reward system. The purpose of this reward system is to retain employees. A positive reward system may include financial as well as non-financial rewards but mostly, non-financial rewards are proved effective to retain employees (Riveros and Tsai, 2011). Organizational commitment is a topic which has been studied by several authors. Nevertheless, the most important contribution was made by Modway, Steers and Porter (1979) in the form of Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. In order to fathom the importance of organizational commitment, it is important to clarify the concept (Riveros and Tsai, 2011). According to Colarelli and Bishop (1990), organizational commitment involves commitment to an organization as well as organizational goals. Allen and Meyer also proposed a measurement of organizational commitment in 1990. According to them, there are three components of organizational commitment including affective, continuance, and normative. The affective components include employees emotional attachment and their identification with the organization.

Analysis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Analysis paper - Essay Example The second mother seeks wise advice from the elders on how to appropriately deal with the condition of the son. The elders then present the woman with a solution that involves taking of soups instead of vegetables (Marchand, 1985). These two analogies present certain aspects concerning advertisements. The parables provide a correlation between the Biblical perspectives and the circular tendencies. The Bible is characterized by moral and positive values that are aimed at changing people’s perspectives on certain fundamental issues in the society. Advertisements should present facts concerning products and services offered in the market. Advertisements are meant to provide the correct information concerning a particular product or services. However, advertisements have become extensively complicated to the extent that it does not present the appropriate information concerning the products. Ideally, organizations and companies have increasingly taken advantage of their customers to the extent that most of the information providers are false or biased. For instance, when advertisements are done, it is expected that they are to communicate the exact value of the brand to the customer. However, rarely are such positive gestures provided because producers are fixated with seeking markets for their products without considering the welfare of their clients. Some advertisements have promoted consumerism tendencies affected, making customers buy products that they would otherwise not need. While some advertisements are ethically and morally flawed, most of them present the consumers with the actual values of the products. Case in point is that such advertisements do no exaggerate or provide false information concerning the products and services. Consumers ought to be protected from advertisers who are not considerate of the plight of clients. Flawed advertising can be compared to the parable of the mother who forces the son to take

Explain the phenomenon of organisational commitment and analyse its Essay

Explain the phenomenon of organisational commitment and analyse its alleged relationship with organisational performance - Essay Example The most widely studied outcomes include employee retention, attendance, organizational citizenship, and job performance (Angle and Perry, 1981). Organizational commitment has become one of the major concerns of human resource these days. The enhancement of employees performance is issue for both profit and non-profit organizations. Non-profit organizations usually find it difficult to deal with this issue because of their inability to provide their employees with competitive compensations and benefits (Riveros andTsai,2011). One of the important objectives of an organizations human resource team is to keep employees motivated. It is because employees motivation results in commitment which in turn improves their performance and declines their desire to leave the organization. In order to achieve these results, organizations can devise a positive reward system. The purpose of this reward system is to retain employees. A positive reward system may include financial as well as non-financial rewards but mostly, non-financial rewards are proved effective to retain employees (Riveros and Tsai, 2011). Organizational commitment is a topic which has been studied by several authors. Nevertheless, the most important contribution was made by Modway, Steers and Porter (1979) in the form of Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. In order to fathom the importance of organizational commitment, it is important to clarify the concept (Riveros and Tsai, 2011). According to Colarelli and Bishop (1990), organizational commitment involves commitment to an organization as well as organizational goals. Allen and Meyer also proposed a measurement of organizational commitment in 1990. According to them, there are three components of organizational commitment including affective, continuance, and normative. The affective components include employees emotional attachment and their identification with the organization.

Hospitality Industry Questionnaire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hospitality Industry Questionnaire - Essay Example Major role is to develop new ideas for creative events and recreational activities that would keep the customers interested and tempt him to experience events and go in for innovative recreational activities. Ensure safety and security for various stakeholders in the hospitality industry. Ensure that events and recreational activities are environment friendly and conducted within the parameter of defined government guidelines and ethics. They oversee the smooth front desk operation of hospitality industry and therefore, they should be of pleasant demeanor, well mannered and extrovert persons who can be trusted to act with discretion at all time. They should be highly motivated with good interpersonal and communication skills. They should exhibit exemplary leadership qualities and must possess innate sense of responsibility and accountability. F&B Manager must be knowledgeable, witty, enthusiastic, fun loving and creative. He or she should have leadership traits and ensure state of the art services in the field of F&B. They should also have strong organizational and communication skills. Degree in Hospitality Management with specialization in food and beverages is essential. Computer skills are also necessary. He should have minimum 2 years of experience in the F&B department of hospitality industry. He should have strong communication skills and managerial leadership qualities. He should also be tactful, patient and optimistic. His extrovert nature and persuasion skills should be extraordinary so that he is able to sell the various product and services of the hospitality industry. He should be used to working under stressful conditions and long

Philosophy Reflection Essay Example for Free

Philosophy Reflection Essay This was my first major introduction into the study of philosophy, and I can honestly say that it has had a major impact on my belief system. Many of my views have been changed and my overall view on life is much different than it was five months ago. To me, the two most interesting works were the Tao and The Minds I. The Tao describes a really interesting way of life. Of all the philosophies weve read, it is the simplest and most beautiful. Instead of scanning for hidden meanings and analyzing all parts of life, Laozi just tells us to live life. Do no more than you have to do, but do everything you have to do. He tells us not to worry about death and just live life. I honestly think very simple and peaceful way of living can bring us much more happiness than we have now in our current society. However, the only way it can be implemented is if everyone follows the Tao, and that is nearly impossible in our current society. We should honestly try to live simpler lives and see the beauty of everyday things. The other work that really impacted me was The Minds I. Im not sure if it qualifies as a single work, but there were several important themes that really interested me and changed some of my views. The section that really interested me the most was the section describing intelligent machines and animals, and their relationship to humans. I had always considered humans superior to animals due to their intelligence and ability to communicate. I never thought too much about the idea of intelligent animals and even machines and their relationship to humans. An intelligent machine or animal that can communicate definitely would be on the same evolutionary level as humans, and thus there could be no way to justify creating an intelligent robotic servant or helper without harkening back to the ideology that prompted slavery. Also, destruction of this machine or animal would be equivalent to murder. However, I still so no moral objection to creating an intelligent robot, as long as we give it its own freedom, just as we would to one of our children. Its may be considered playing God, but if we are his greatest creations, we should have the right to test our limits. Only through a recreation of consciousness done and understood by us can we begin to understand our own consciousness as well as ourselves. I had never really thought about technology in this way and never seriously questioned the origin of my consciousness, so the Minds I really forced me to think about life in a different way. Throughout the term, I not only changed and reconsidered many of my views; I discovered things that I subconsciously believed without really thinking about it. My beliefs not only changed, I discovered beliefs that I never knew I had. Some of these views surfaced when reading certain works like The Mysterious Stranger and Nietzsche. Although these two works didnt change my deep-set views that much, it was interesting to see my instinctual beliefs get challenged. I discovered I was a pretty moderate thinker, but these readings caused many of my views on life to change. However, I still disagreed with many of the views expressed in class discussions with certain works, like the Tao. But then I realized that the Tao is designed to have different meanings to everyone who reads it so they could find their own way of life and thus doesnt lend itself well to class discussions. I saw that the way philosophy has evolved over the years mirrors the way society has changed throughout history. The older philosophies that weve read, like the Tao and Plato work, seem to try to tell us how to live our lives to get the most happiness and satisfaction out of it, and how to find the way or see the light. The more modern philosophies seem to disregard the idea of a true path and tell us how to live in the best way, but they dont guarantee happiness from it. The most interesting pieces for me were a mix of the modern and older philosophies, like Nietzsche and Socrates Apology (I guess because he lived in a ancient but modern society). Even though they were completely different and I completely disagreed with one of them, they were much more compelling to me. One important thing that I learned is that I hate reading about something that I agree on, I dislike having my views proven? by another writer and rather read new ideas and opinions. From all the texts read and discussions weve had this year, its hard to highlight just three things that I learned. One of the most stimulating texts to me was The Circular Ruins. Especially when read right after Is God a Taoist, this simple story made me reconsider all my beliefs on existence and God. Just like the main character was, we are kept in the dark about our condition, where we came from and how we exist. We claim an all-mighty God as our creator, and call ourselves superior beings in his image. However, whose to say that we are not just insignificant nothings, created by another being of no importance. Would that make us less real and important? From this story I learned to stop attaching importance and purpose to everything I do. Maybe there is a reason we dont know where we come from; perhaps we dont want to know. Another important lesson came from Reservation Blues. The main characters all had to deal with finding a cultural identity while trying to escape the trap of the white man. The only ones who made it out were the ones who had a strong cultural identity. They knew themselves and identified with their past before they attempted to escape the reservation. Victor and Junior either tried to ignore their past or couldnt come to terms with their heritage. They tried to escape before they were ready, and couldnt cope with the failure. The books point, despite the suicide and Victors destruction, was amazingly positive, it showed that if you come to terms with your past and yourself you can overcome any obstacle set against you, but you must have this understanding or you will destroy yourself. From The Razors Edge I learned a lot about the purpose of life from each of the vastly different characters. At first, it seems like the point of the story is that there is a difference between what we want and what makes us happy and fulfilled. Suzanne, Gray and Elliot all got what they wanted yet all seem to live unhappy, unfulfilled lives. Further inspection showed that they all are living the life that they fully wanted and expected to live, and they are perfectly content. Isabel wanted both Larry and high society type of life, and thus is disappointed with her life because she couldnt have both. Larry didnt know what he wanted out of life, so he took basically a timeout from the real world, went into seclusion and discovered what he wanted out of life. Now he, knowing full well what he wants, is the most satisfied of all the characters. The lesson to be learned is that happiness is completely relative, and thus you cannot call anyone a failure unless he considers himself one. Also, its all right to take some time out of the real world and relax, take a step back and see what you really want to do next. In the end, this class really has changed my views on the best kind of life. I still believe that you need to live the type of life that will make you the happiest and most satisfied, but I dont think that most people know what type of life that is. If you dont have a passion, dont force yourself into any profession. Explore the world and find something that really interests you otherwise you will get forced into a miserable life that you hate. If you have a passion, you have to follow it. You have to come in terms with who you are; understand and remember your past and childhood. We have to examine our lives to discover what we really want, then try to find it. We must simplify our actions, and we have to stop overanalyzing others actions and words. We have to lose our ego and sense of shame, and stop caring what people think of you. This is the simplest way to live and live happily, without having to adjust your actions to fit what other people expect from you. We have to stop fearing death and keep on living life in the happiest possible way. This will be the happiest, simplest and best life for everyone.

Bismark Essay -- essays research papers

II. Summary 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book I have reviewed, Bismarck, is a complex look at the life of the German legend, and is certainly intended for historians not unlike the author himself. Palmer does not exclude any part of the man’s life even dwelling into his childhood and adolescence. His attention to details is very apparent, even to his own admission, using public and private letters written by Bismarck himself. This book is not intended for a student looking for a little more information on the subject, nor the minimal information needed to satisfy the general public. The book was obviously written by someone who greatly admired Bismarck, and spared no expense in writing as much as he could about him. 2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Otto Van Bismarck was born April 1st 1815, son of mother Wilhelmine von Bismarck, and father Ferdinand, a Prussian landowner. He studied at Gottingen and Berlin, and after holding minor administrative offices he was elected to the Prussian Landtag in 1847. While in the Landtag, he advocated the unification of Germany under the aegis of Prussia, and was opposed to the liberal movements. He gained the position of ambassador to St. Petersburg, in 1859, and soon after became the ambassador to Paris in 1862. There he would gain much insight and experience that would determine his future policies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bismarck was appointed premier by the King of Prussia, William I, in the king’s effort to secure his military program, which was strongly opposed by the parliament. With his new position Bismarck ultimately, instigated the Austro-Prussian War, as well as the Franco-Prussian War, in order to rid the German Confederation, and fully unify Germany. A struggle for power ensued between Bismarck and William II, which finished with Bismarck’s dismissal and finally his retirement. III. Analysis 1) The author of this book, Alan Palmer, is a reliable historian educated at Oxford University. He is an expert in European History and even headed the History Department in Highgate School. He left his post of sixteen years to concentrate on historical writing and research. He went on to publish eighteen books on numerous leaders and empires of Europe. His work includes, Napoleon in Russia, Alexander I: Tsar of War and Peace, The Decline and Fall of the Ottoman Empire and many more. 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  &n... ...eveled in it. His credentials were well established having graduated from Oxford and writing many other books based on the same period of time in Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book was written very straightforward, and did not zig zag from different periods of time, but instead stayed in a chronological order, which helped the book flow easily from one event to the other. The book also stayed on topic, never straying off the topic of Bismarck, and remaining a biography, rather than a history book. Bismarck’s nature and personality were shown through examples such as letters, articles and speeches.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The author also stayed true to his word, and did not force his own opinions or interests into the book. The author left it up to facts to prove his own feelings, and did not mettle with history in order to preserve his own feelings. He showed Bismarck as a great, but not perfect man. In closing, I would recommend this book to anyone with a strong interest in Germany, and someone who wanted to know more about the man who helped create it. Bismark Copyright 1976 by Alan Palmer Copyright under the Berne Convention Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York

Globalization in Afghanistan Essay -- Free Trade, Global Commerce

Afghanistan’s importance with respect to the cultural impact of globalization is increasing as the war in Afghanistan draws down. Afghanistan sits on the edge of the unknown. Once the United States leaves it will be left to create its own destiny. The eyes of the world will be on Afghanistan to see who it allies with, who it trades with and how it conducts itself. Historically speaking, Afghanistan has modernized only when forced by invaders. The Soviet Union built many roads, schools, power plants and other infrastructure to help its newly installed puppet regime, and facilitate its movement through Afghanistan. The USSR saw Afghanistan as country in the way of its pursuit of a continuous stretch of land to connect it to the Indian Ocean. Alexander the great saw it as an obstacle in his expansion east, and Genghis Khan saw it as an obstacle in his westward expansion. Afghanistan is like a time capsule. Many people farm for subsistence, and few are able to read or write. Afghans have been compared to Spartans in that they are a martial people who have been at war for thousands of years. The rough terrain in which they live lends itself to long periods of resistance. Time and time again they have been able to push away would be conquerors. The current war in Afghanistan stands in contrast to previous wars because its purpose is not one of conquest for land or for the exploitation of resources. The purpose of the current war in Afghanistan is to win over the Afghan people and to help them grow ideologically to assimilate into an ever more technologically advanced global environment. Recently Afghanistan has grown significantly in terms of its ability to care for itself. A national army and a developing police force are becomi... ...://www.outsourcingoffshore.us/the-disadvantages-of-outsourcing.php The Ministery. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation: http://www.motca.gov.af/index.php?id=17 United Nations Development Programme Afghanistan. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Environment and Energy for Sustainable Development: http://www.undp.org.af/WhatWeDo/ee.htm vision. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Ministry of Communications and Technology: http://mcit.gov.af/en/page/3 Lopez, Brendan CDT H-4 ’12. Assistance given to the author, verbal discussion. CDT Lopez edited my paper and gave me feedback on style and format. He recommended that I reword the intent behind the Soviet contributions to Afghan infrastructure. He also recommended that I discuss the lengths that the American government had gone to build cell towers in Afghanistan.

Child and Young Person Develpment Essay

There are certain areas in which a child can develop starting from birth till 19 years. The physical development refers of body development, the motor skills, the co-ordination between the hand and the eye. The social and emotional development includes the relations and the social skills, the feelings for the others and the self –confidence. The intellectual development includes the understanding of the information, the logical thinking and the reasoning. The language development means the speech development which begins from one word to complex sentences. There are some transitions periods from one stage to another which are called milestones. These stages are divided in the most important ages: * 0-3 years * 3-7 years * 7-12 years * 12-19 years At the beginning of a child life I mean from birth till age of three the physical development is concentrated on the perception of sounds and familiar faces like mum and dad faces, their voices, starting sitting, start to walk, feed himself, starting to play, holds crayon in one hand and starting doing marks on paper. The social and emotional development for the child from birth till 3 years it has on the centre of the universe the mother, which feeds him, smiles on her face, depends on her affection, later on he starts to play with children but he stills needs the adult reassurance and attention. Intellectual he realise that others are separate beings and he is another soul. On language the child starts first to make happy sounds, after the age of one year he will begin to use words and after try to create sentences. After 3 years the child starts to jump, run, ride a bicycle, catches a ball, start using pencil, paints and doing buttons and shoe laces. He becomes independent and more sociable and friendly with others, responsible for himself and others. He starts to understand the needs of others, the differences between objects and the sameness. In the language he starts to use past tense, he extends his vocabulary, he will tell stories and start to understand books. After age 9 the child will start playing team games. He starts to form friendships after 8 years old. He starts to read to himself. His vocabulary will develop; he will speak fluently, because of reading loud. Adolescence (12-19 years) is the period of detachment of the child of his parents. The boys will start to develop sex characteristics like deep voice, body hair, and muscle growth. The penis growth will start later. The breast of a girl will start to develop around the age of 10 and also her pubic hair. Some girls can reach physical maturity by the age of 13, others by the age of 15. The adolescent is in a continuous changing and he will feel the need of indepen dence, starts to concentrate of their friends more than parents. He starts to create his own personality. The adolescent start to think on his future, his occupation, making a family, children of his own. He can become sarcastic and ironic but he just tests his new language skills. If a child has a learning difficulty that makes harder for him to learn what others children at the same age are already learning than he may need extra support, or other ways of teaching with the help of a computer, images or sounds. So it is recommended that the activity and the progress of the children needs to be checked so any delay of development needs to be tracked on time and the supports offered on time so the child can develop normally like the others of his age. For example if a child has a language delay, this one can affect the others areas like emotional development, he won’t be able to form relationships, he won’t be able to express feelings, speak in front of the class or the teacher. He will develop a poor image of himself, and his self-confidence will diminish. Also if a child h as language development, this will affect his writing area because he will need to speak to be able to write. So is better that this delays in one area are tracked on time and additional support start as soon as necessary so the child can develop normally in all areas. There are some factors which can affect the child development relied on family conditions like health, the motivation and the support offered by the family, the relations between the child and the family, the background from school and his influence and the influence of the community on child actions. The article of Pamela E. Davis-Kean about The influence on parent education and family income on child shows that parent education is important on child achievement. In this article the income of the family don’t affect negatively the achievement of the child in his education the important effect is more the expectations and beliefs of the family, because a family of high and moderate income may have the same expectation on a child like a poor family. Also the mother and her belief is very important, a mother with higher e ducation may have higher expectations on her children achievement. In this article the warm of the mother and her education affect more the child than the lower-income. The reading has a big effect on achievement for a child. So in conclusion the parents are like models for the children. For example a mother who is a doctor is like a model for a girl which can choose maybe the same job, and the mother’s word value a lot for the child by her position. The teacher can be a model for a child for example when I was a child I use to love the French teacher and because I use to like her I start to love French so she become a model for me she determined me by her attitude to chose the university of foreign languages with French the first option. The environment where the child lives can be a strong influence on his education because if his family don’t offer the support and the warm which the child needs he may not be able to concentrate on his study, he can become shy or interiorised he can lose his self confidence and this can have negatives effects on his development. Once the Learning assistant had identified that that a child has special educational needs he must intervene with through the school action. So the child has an Individual education Plan which shows the actions and the pupils that must work with the child so he can achieve the target. A psychologist is consulted for the intervention that must be done on the child. In this individual plan the parents will also support the child. The school can ask for the help of the specialist or the technology a computer or the local authority may be involved. There may get a daily support for a learning support assistant or he may need to learn in a special school. So if such a placement will be chosen the parents will be informed within 12 weeks by the local authority. A disable person is someone who has a physical or mental impairment, is blind, deaf or dumb or is handicapped by an illness on a long term. A disability might enhance learning difficulty that will need for special education needs. But not all the children that are disables need special education needs. The same not all the children with special education needs will be defined as disabled. From the article: The learning Trust’s approach to SEN, Definitions of SEN and Disability I took the schema from next page. Also the learning assistant must be aware to help the child if he has speech problems, because he may be unable to express thoughts, to form relationships, to communicate. It is very important for a practitioner to be able to develop speech, communication, language and identify the children which has communication needs. If a child is identified with having speech, language and communication needs a language a therapist might be involved and the local authorities and the parents. The difficulties with speech affect all the areas of developments like social and emotional, intellectual and the language area. A child who has a speech difficulty, can’t make friends, he is enable to socialise, he is shy and he lacks of confidence, he finds difficult to understand the information, he can’t create correct sentences, he can’t express his ideas and he can’t establish a right communication with other peer.

The Golden Lily Chapter 18

JILL DIDN'T GIVE ME any starry-eyed looks at breakfast the next morning, which was kind of a relief. Micah had surfaced again, and while they weren't as flirty as they'd been in the past, the two were chatting animatedly away about a science project she had. Eddie and Angeline were equally engrossed in conversation, making plans for when she was free of her suspension. Her blues eyes were alight with happiness as they talked, and I realized that she had legitimate feelings for him. She hadn't just been throwing herself at him for the sake of conquest. I wondered if he knew. It would've been easy to feel like a fifth wheel here, but instead, I was pleased and content to see my little cohort getting along so well. Stanton's conversation had still left me conflicted, but there was nothing wrong with appreciating the peace around here. I would've been happier still if Trey's behavior had also normalized, but when I reached my history class later, he was absent yet again. I had no doubt he'd claim he had family stuff, but my earlier suspicions were returning, about whether his family might be responsible for his injuries. Should I report my worries to someone? Who? I didn't want to jump to conclusions either, which left me in a bind. Eddie and I always sat near each other in that class, and I leaned toward him before the bell rang, pitching my voice low to address another concern. â€Å"Hey, have you noticed that Jill's been kind of acting weirdly around me?† â€Å"She's got a lot going on,† he said, ever quick to defend her. â€Å"Yeah, I know, but you had to have noticed her last night. In the library? I mean – keeping in mind I'm terrible at figuring this stuff out – it was like she had a crush on me or something.† He laughed at that. â€Å"She was kind of laying it on thick, but I don't think you have to worry about some romantic complication. She just looks up to you a lot, that's all. Part of her still wants to be a brave fighter who rushes out fearlessly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused as he savored that idea, a mix of pride and rapture on his face before he tuned back into me. â€Å"But at the same time, you're starting to show her there all sorts of ways to be powerful.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"I think. But speaking of her being a brave fighter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I studied him curiously. â€Å"Why don't you train her anymore? Don't you want her to hone her skills?† â€Å"Oh, yeah. That. Well†¦ there are a few reasons for it. One is I need to focus on Angeline. Another is that I just don't want Jill worried about that. I'll do the protecting.† Those were exactly the reasons I'd guessed. The next one was not. â€Å"And I guess†¦ the other thing is that I don't feel right being in contact with her like that. I mean, I know it means nothing to her†¦ but it means something to me.† Again, my social skills took a moment to kick in. â€Å"You mean, you don't like that you have to touch her?† Eddie actually blushed. â€Å"It doesn't bother me, that's the problem. Better for us to spend time together in a hands-off way.† I hadn't expected that, but I could understand it. Leaving Eddie to his own inner demons, I soon got caught up in the day and wondering what had happened to Trey. I'd hoped he'd come into class late, but he didn't. In fact, he didn't surface for the rest of the day, not even when I was finishing up my independent study. I'd thought he might come by again for homework. â€Å"You look troubled,† said Ms. Terwilliger, watching me pack up when the bell rang. â€Å"Worried about getting your project in on time?† â€Å"No.† I'd actually finished two of the charms, but I certainly wasn't going to tell her that. â€Å"I'm worried about Trey. He keeps missing school. Do you know why he's out? I mean, if you can tell me?† â€Å"The office notifies us if a student will be out for the day, but they don't tell us the reason. If it makes you feel better, Mr. Juarez's absence was called in this morning. He hasn't disappeared.† I almost mentioned my fears about his home but held off. I still needed more evidence. Between worrying about Trey, Ms. Terwilliger's work, the Warriors, Brayden, and all my other myriad complications, I knew I couldn't waste any of my free time. Nonetheless, I went to Adrian's after school on a mission I couldn't refuse. On our way to Wolfe's class earlier this week, Adrian had mentioned offhandedly that he hadn't had the Mustang looked at by a mechanic before purchasing it. Although my own novice assessment hadn't found anything wrong with the car, I pushed for Adrian to get the car examined – which, of course, meant I had to look up a specialist and make the appointment. It was just before my textile museum date, but I was certain I had time to make it all work. â€Å"The guy I bought it from seemed pretty trustworthy,† Adrian told me, after we'd dropped the car off with the mechanic. He'd told us he'd look at it right away and that we could hang around and wait. His shop was on the outskirts of a suburban area, so Adrian suggested we go for a walk through the neighborhoods. â€Å"And it ran just fine when I did the test drive, so I figured everything was okay.† â€Å"That doesn't mean there aren't problems you can't see. It's best to be safe,† I said, knowing I sounded preachy. â€Å"Bad enough you got a car you can't drive.† Glancing over, I saw a small, half smile on his face. â€Å"With your help, I'll be a pro in no time. Of course, if you don't want to help anymore, I'll just wing it and figure it out on my own.† I groaned. â€Å"You already know what I'd say about – wow.† The neighborhood we were in was pretty affluent. In fact, I'd say the houses bordered on being bona fide mansions. We stopped in front of one that looked like a cross between a hacienda and a southern plantation, large and sprawling with a pillared porch and pink stucco siding. The front yard was a mix of climates, green grass with palm trees lining the path to the house. The trees were like tropical sentries. â€Å"Gorgeous,† I said. â€Å"I love architecture. In another life, I'd have studied that – not chemicals and vampires.† As we continued on, we saw more of the same, each house trying to outdo the others. All of them had high fences and hedges blocking their backyards. â€Å"I wonder what's back there. Pools, probably.† Adrian stopped in front of another. It was as yellow as his car and showed another mix of styles, like a southwest version of a medieval castle, complete with turrets. â€Å"Nice juxtaposition,† he remarked. I turned, knowing my eyes were wide as I stared at him. â€Å"Did you just use juxtaposition in a sentence?† â€Å"Yes, Sage,† he said patiently. â€Å"We use it all the time with art, when we're mixing different components. That, and I know how to use a dictionary.† He turned from me and scanned the house, his eyes resting on a gardener who was out trimming some hedges. A sly smile crossed Adrian's lips. â€Å"You want to see the back? Come on.† â€Å"What are you – † Before I could say another word, Adrian strode up the granite pathway and cut across the lawn to where the guy was working. I didn't want anything to do with this, but the responsible part of me couldn't let Adrian get into trouble. I hurried after him. â€Å"Are the owners home?† Adrian asked. The gardener had stopped his clipping and stared at Adrian. â€Å"No.† â€Å"When will they be back?† â€Å"After six.† I was astonished that the guy was answering these questions. If I'd been asked them, I would've assumed someone was staging a break-in. Then, I saw the glazed look in the gardener's eyes and realized what was going on. â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" Adrian's eyes never left the other man's face. â€Å"Take us to the backyard.† â€Å"Of course.† The gardener dropped his hedge clippers and headed for a gate on the side of the house. I tried to get Adrian's attention to stop this, but he was outpacing me. Our guide stopped at the gate, entered a security code, and led us to the back. My protests died on my lips as I gazed around. This back property was almost three times the size of the front. There were more palm trees ringing the yard, along with a terraced garden full of plants, both native and non-native. A huge oval shaped pool dominated the space, its turquoise hue startling against the gray of the granite that surrounded it. On one side of the pool, several steps led up to a smaller, square pool. It could only hold a few people, and a waterfall poured out from it, down to the larger pool. Tiki torches and tables around the pools completed the lush setup. â€Å"Thanks,† Adrian told the gardener. â€Å"Go back to your work. It's okay if we're here. We'll see ourselves out.† â€Å"Of course,† the man replied. He walked back the way we'd come in. I snapped back to reality. â€Å"Adrian! You used compulsion on that guy. That†¦ I mean, it's†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Awesome?† Adrian walked over to the steps leading up to the upper pool. â€Å"Yeah, I know.† â€Å"It's wrong! All of this. Breaking and entering, and compulsion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shivered, despite the sweltering heat. â€Å"It's immoral. Controlling someone else's mind. You know it! Your people and mine both agree.† â€Å"Eh, no harm done.† He climbed to the top of the pool and stood on its edge, surveying his kingdom. The sun brought out chestnut glints in his brown hair. â€Å"Believe me, that guy was easy to control. Weak-willed. I barely had to use compulsion.† â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" â€Å"Come on, Sage. Not like we're going to hurt anything. Check out this view.† I was almost afraid to go up there. It was so rare for any of the Moroi here to use their magic that it was easy for me to pretend it didn't exist. Seeing Adrian use it – the most insidious kind – made my skin crawl. As I'd told Ms. Terwilliger in our charm discussion, no one should be able to control another like that. â€Å"Come on,† Adrian repeated. â€Å"You're not worried I'm going to compel you up here, are you?† â€Å"Of course not,† I said. And I meant it. I didn't know why, but some part of me knew Adrian would never, ever harm me. Reluctantly, I went to join him, hoping that would encourage him to leave. When I reached the top, my jaw dropped. The intimate pool hadn't seemed that high, but it gave us a stunning view of the mountains off in the distance, rugged and majestic against the blue of the sky. The larger pool glittered below us, and the waterfall made it look like we'd entered some mystical oasis. â€Å"Cool, huh?† he asked. Adrian sat down on the small pool's edge, rolled up his jeans, and took off his socks and shoes. â€Å"Now what are you doing?† I asked. â€Å"Making the most out of this.† He put his feet in the water. â€Å"Come on. Do something bad for a change. Not that it's really that bad. We aren't trashing this place or anything.† I hesitated, but the water was intoxicating, as though it too could wield compulsion. Settling down, I copied Adrian and dipped my bare feet into the water. Its coolness was startling – and wonderful – in this intense heat. â€Å"I could get used to this,† I admitted. â€Å"But what if the owners come home early?† He shrugged. â€Å"I can talk us out of it, don't worry.† That wasn't exactly reassuring. I turned back to the gorgeous view and lush property. I wasn't always the most imaginative person, but I thought back to what I'd said about living another life. What would it be like to have a home like this? To stay in one place? To spend days by the pool, soaking in the sun, and not worrying about the fate of humanity? I fell into daydreams and was so caught up that I lost track of time. â€Å"We have to get back to the shop,† I exclaimed. Glancing over, I was astonished to see Adrian watching me, a look of contentment on his face. His eyes seemed to study my every feature. Seeing me notice him, he immediately looked away. His usual smirky expression replaced the dreamy one. â€Å"The mechanic will wait,† he said. â€Å"Yeah, but I'm supposed to meet Brayden soon. I'll be – † That's when I got a good look at Adrian. â€Å"What have you done? Look at you! You shouldn't be out here.† â€Å"It's not that bad.† He was lying, and we both knew it. It was late afternoon, and the sun was merciless. I'd certainly felt it, though the coolness of the water had helped distract me. That, and I was human. Sure, sunstroke and sunburns were concerns, but I loved the sun and had a high tolerance for it. Vampires did not. Sweat poured off Adrian, soaking his shirt and hair. Pink blotches covered his face. They were familiar. I'd seen them on Jill back when she'd been forced to play outdoor sports in PE. Left unchecked, they'd turn into burns. I jumped to my feet. â€Å"Come on, we have to get out of here before you get worse. What were you thinking?† His expression was astonishingly nonchalant for someone who looked like he would pass out. â€Å"It was worth it. You looked†¦ happy.† â€Å"That's crazy,† I said. â€Å"Not the craziest thing I've ever done.† He smiled as he looked up at me. His eyes grew slightly unfocused, as though they were seeing more than just me. â€Å"What's a little crazy here and there? I'm supposed to be doing experiments†¦ why not see which is brighter: your aura or the sun?† The way he looked at me and spoke unnerved me, and I remembered what Jill had said, how spirit slowly drove its users insane. Adrian hardly seemed insane, but there was certainly something haunted about him, a definite shift from his usual sharp wit. It was as though something else had seized hold of him. I remembered that poem line, about dreaming and waking. â€Å"Come on,† I repeated. I held out my hand. â€Å"You shouldn't have used spirit. We need to get you out of here.† He took my hand and staggered to his feet. A rush of warmth and electricity went through me, just as it had the last time we touched, and our eyes held. For a moment, all I could think about were his earlier words: You looked happy†¦ I brushed such sentiments aside and quickly got him out of there, only to discover the mechanic hadn't finished. At least in his shop, we were able to get Adrian some water and air conditioning. As we waited I texted Brayden. Running an hour late with family stuff. Sorry. Will be there as soon as I can. My phone chimed back about thirty seconds later: That only leaves an hour for the textile museum. â€Å"That's not nearly enough time,† said Adrian deadpan. I hadn't realized he'd been reading over my shoulder. I moved the phone away and suggested to Brayden we just meet for an early dinner. He concurred. â€Å"I'm a mess,† I muttered, checking myself out in a mirror. The heat had definitely taken its toll, and I looked sweaty and worn. â€Å"Don't worry about it,† Adrian told me. â€Å"If he didn't notice how awesome you were in the red dress, he probably won't notice anything now.† He hesitated. â€Å"Not that there's even anything to notice. You're as cute as usual.† I was about to snap at him for teasing me, but when I looked over, his face was deadly earnest. Whatever retort I might have managed died on my lips, and I quickly got up to check our status, in order to hide how flustered I felt. The mechanic finally finished – no problems found – and Adrian and I headed downtown. I kept watching him anxiously, afraid he'd pass out. â€Å"Stop worrying, Sage. I'm fine,† he said. â€Å"Although†¦ I'd be better with some ice cream or gelato. Even you have to admit that'd be good right now.† It would, actually, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. â€Å"What is it with you and frozen desserts? Why do you always want them?† â€Å"Because we live in a desert.† I couldn't argue with that reasoning. We reached his place, and I swapped cars. Before he went inside, I inundated him with advice about getting water and resting. Then, I spoke the words that had been burning inside of me. â€Å"Thank you for the poolside outing,† I said. â€Å"Your near-sun-stroke aside, that was pretty amazing.† He gave me a cocky smile. â€Å"Maybe you'll get used to vampire magic after all.† â€Å"No,† I said automatically. â€Å"I'll never get used to that.† His smile immediately disappeared. â€Å"Of course not,† he murmured. â€Å"See you around.† I finally made it to dinner. I'd chosen an Italian restaurant, filled with the scents of garlic and cheese. Brayden sat at a corner table, sipping water and earning glares from the waitress, who was probably impatient for him to order. I sat down opposite him, dropping my satchel beside me. â€Å"I am so sorry,† I told him. â€Å"I had to do this thing with my, uh, brother.† If Brayden was mad, he didn't show it. That was his way. He did, however, give me a scrutinizing look. â€Å"Was it something athletic? You look like you ran a marathon.† It wasn't an insult, not by any means, but it did take me aback – mostly because I was thinking of Adrian's comment. Brayden had had almost nothing to say about my Halloween costume, but he noticed this? â€Å"We were out in Santa Sofia, getting his car looked at.† â€Å"Nice area. Keep going up the highway, and you can get to Joshua Tree National Park. Ever been there?† â€Å"No. Just read about it.† â€Å"Iconic place. The geology's fascinating.† The waitress came by, and I gratefully ordered an iced latte. Brayden was more than happy to tell me about some of the park's geology, and we soon fell into our comfortable rhythm of intellectual discussion. I didn't know the park's specific makeup, but I knew more than enough about geology in general to keep up. In fact, I was able to talk on autopilot while my mind wandered back to Adrian. I recalled again what he'd said about the red dress. I also couldn't shake the comment about me being happy, and how that was worth his suffering. â€Å"What do you think?† â€Å"Hmm?† I realized I'd lost the thread of our conversation after all. â€Å"I asked which type of desert you find more striking,† Brayden explained. â€Å"The Mojave region gets all the hype, but I actually prefer the Colorado Desert.† â€Å"Ah.† I slipped back into the flow. â€Å"Um, Mojave. I like the rock formations better.† This triggered a debate of the regions while we ate, and Brayden seemed happier and happier. He really did like having someone who could keep up with him, I realized. None of my books had said anything about the way to a man's heart being through academic debates. I didn't mind it, though. I liked the conversation, but it didn't exactly send thrills through me. I had to remind myself it was still early in our relationship – if I could even call it that. Surely the head over heels part would come soon. We talked for a long time after the meal was over. The waitress brought us an unsolicited dessert menu when we finished, and I surprised myself by saying, â€Å"Wow†¦ I can't believe how much I want gelato right now. That never happens.† Maybe the sweat and heat had leached my nutrients†¦ or maybe I still had Adrian on the brain. â€Å"I've never heard you order dessert,† said Brayden, sliding his menu away. â€Å"It's not too much sugar?† It was another of those weird statements of his that could be interpreted a number of different ways. Was he judging me? Did he think I shouldn't have any sugar? I didn't know, but it was enough for me to close the menu and set it on top of his. With no other scheduled forms of entertainment for the night, we decided to just go for a walk after dinner. The temperature was down to moderate levels, and it was still light enough out that I wasn't as concerned about the Warriors of Light jumping out from corners. That didn't mean I ignored Wolfe's teachings, however. I still kept an eye on my surroundings, watching for anything suspicious. We reached a small park that only took up one city block and found a bench in the corner. We sat down on it, watching children play on the opposite side of the lawn while we continued a discussion on bird watching in the Mojave. Brayden put his arm around me as we talked, and eventually, we exhausted the topic and simply sat in comfortable silence. â€Å"Sydney†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned my gaze from the children, surprised at Brayden's uncertain tone, which was very different from the one he'd just been using to defend the superiority of the mountain bluebird over the western bluebird. There was softness in his eyes now as he looked at me. The evening light made his hazel eyes take on a little more gold than usual but completely hid the green. Too bad. Before I could say anything, he leaned forward and kissed me. It was more intense than the last one, though still a long ways from the epic, all-consuming kisses I'd seen in movies. He did rest his hand on my shoulder this time, gently bringing me a little closer. The kiss also lasted longer than previous ones, and I again tried to let myself go and lose myself in the feel of someone else's lips. He was the one who ended it, a bit more abruptly than I would've expected. â€Å"I – I'm sorry,† he said, looking away. â€Å"I shouldn't have done that.† â€Å"Why not?† I asked. It wasn't so much that I'd been yearning for the kiss as it was that this seemed exactly like the kind of place you'd want to kiss: a romantic park at sunset. â€Å"We're in public. It's kind of vulgar, I suppose.† Vulgar? I wasn't even sure if we were really all that much in public, seeing as no one was next to us and we were in the shade of some trees. Brayden sighed with dismay. â€Å"I guess I just lost control. It won't happen again.† â€Å"It's okay,† I said. It hadn't seemed like that much of a loss of control, but what did I know? And I wondered if maybe a small loss of control wasn't such a bad thing. Wasn't that kind of the basis of passion? I didn't know that either. The only thing I knew for sure was that this kiss had been a lot like the last one. Nice, but it didn't blow me away. My heart sank. There was something wrong with me. Everyone was always going on about how socially inept I was. Did it extend to romance as well? Was I so cold that I'd spend my life never feeling anything? I think Brayden misread my dismay and assumed I was upset with him. He stood up and held out his hand. â€Å"Hey, let's go walk to that tea shop one block over. They've got this local painter's art on display that I think you'll like. Besides, no calories in tea, right? Better than dessert.† â€Å"Right,† I said. Thinking of the gelato didn't cheer me up any. The Italian place had had pomegranate, which kind of sounded like the best thing ever. As I stood up, my cell phone rang and startled both of us. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Sage? It's me.† I had no reason to be mad at Adrian, not after what he'd done for me, but somehow I felt irritated by the interruption. I was trying to make the most of this night with Brayden, and Adrian unsettled everything. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked. â€Å"Are you still downtown? You need to come over right now.† â€Å"You know I'm out with Brayden,† I said. This was pushy, even for Adrian. â€Å"I can't just drop everything and entertain you.† â€Å"It's not about me.† It was then that I noticed how hard and serious his voice was. Something tightened in my chest. â€Å"It's about Sonya. She's missing.† The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel