Project Management Principles Evaluative Level

Question: Portray about the Project Management Principles for Evaluative Level . Answer: Presentation The current paper is about the reflection on my past experience on venture the executives where I needed to manage a basic circumstance. The reason for the paper is to build the capacity to think fundamentally to assess a circumstance, utilize commonsense information and break down the circumstance with subordinate standards of undertaking the executives hypothesis. The article centers around the capacity to think about a specific circumstance. This could assist me with reviewing and assess my inward procedure of reasoning and feeling. The significant point of the exposition is to pick up the comprehension around three distinct levels, for example, evaluative level, sense-production level and the basic level. This specific paper centers around my taking in understanding from an occasion where I needed to take a shot at film making venture during the semester. A film-production venture requires an elevated level of the executives so as to guarantee a positive result (Garel 2013). All through the course I have found out concerning why venture the board and what venture the board depend on. I will consider my involvement in the assistance of 5 RS intelligent structure. So as to make a helpful reflection, it is important to apply a precise procedure for deduction all through the experience (Ryan and Ryan 2013). To introduce my appearance I will utilize the structure as it encourages me to provoke serious just as reason considering my experience. The 5Rs structure incorporates revealing, reacting, relating, thinking and reproducing (Moon 2013). Short depiction of the occasion In the wake of completing the investigations in secondary school, I have built up another enthusiasm, which is filmmaking. I was enlivened by the executives of the films in Hollywood. I needed to make films; nonetheless, I didn't have satisfactory information about creation films. I realized that putting forth a film requires a great deal of attempt, information and practices too. Along these lines, I chose to take a brief timeframe course in filmmaking other than my graduation. The filmmaking venture class was educated through a blend of study hall address, bunch venture execution just as the undertaking introduction. In the talk meeting, we were trough about the historical backdrop of filmmaking, for example, how it appeared. Most homeroom time were sorted into two unique parts. The primary half contains the talk and in the subsequent half, we were instructed about the task introduction. The undertaking introduction incorporates the pretend, story, cast and others identified with t he filmmaking. Henceforth, I am thinking about the situation of my last venture in filmmaking. A suitable calendar of introduction for all understudy bunch was made toward the start of the course. This timetable causes us to set the arrangement for the venture introduction exercises. In the introduction of the task, we needed to make short-film inside a gathering, how exercises were required to be reasonable. In this way, we needed to invest a great deal of energy to set proper arrangement for the venture. We were given adequate chance to examine the undertaking with our gathering individuals. The facilitator were exceptionally useful and they gave all of us help during the execution of the task. The venture execution results production of an enormous number reports bye each gathering, which is required to deal with a task. Procedure Documentation Introduction Starting Task Charter Introduction Arranging v Selecting the account of the film v Selecting the character for the film v Selecting the settings v Checking the accessibility of the hardware v Work Breakdown Structure v Cost Estimation v Checking accessibility of the assets Executing v Monitoring the exercises toward the finish of consistently v Role players are rehearsing their plays Introduction Controlling Including degree for additional exercises, plan, cost, quality, Gantt-Chart Update Introduction Shutting Exhibition of the film to the foundation Introduction Assessing the occasion situation utilizing the writing When the task has been demonstrated and supported, an appropriate life-cycle model has been chosen to make it simple to begin the arranging of the undertaking. We have made the designs for venture toward the start of undertaking the task. The establishment gave a compelling blend of hypothetical and certifiable learning of filmmaking venture process. Moreover, I imagined that executing the task would improve my resume by including the presentation to an administration course. In any case, there have been sure challenges that I needed to experience while executing the undertaking. As the venture should be finished by all gathering individuals. Accordingly, we needed to think about the various sentiments. The strategy of shaping the gathering permitted us to impart just as work with other than our own individuals from the gathering. Revealing: We were taking a shot at a task of short film inside a gathering. The task required enormous exertion and time inside a restricted spending plan. Henceforth, we needed to choose a significant story that gives an unmistakable message to the general public about sexual orientation uniqueness. Notwithstanding, not many of the individuals in the gathering needed to execute the task little diversely utilizing the innovation. In any case, we were confronting the money related deficiency. In this manner, conclusions given by the individuals were not coordinating; in this way, issues of beginning the venture with starting arranging showed up. Reacting: Filmmaking was my obsession; along these lines, I just couldn't release the undertaking, I needed to assume responsibility for the circumstance. In addition, it was our last undertaking of the course. The circumstance was getting hard to deal with, as one single individual may not do a film. In this way, I conversed with every individual from the gathering and required a gathering conversation. In the conversation, we tuned in to the assessment of every person. In light of the accessibility of asset, gear and time, we set a definitive plans and planned the work making a time span. Along these lines, every individual from the gathering needed to manage or play out certain duty. For instance, the couple of individuals from the gathering needed to play out the obligation of choosing the scenes for shooting and another two individuals assumed the liability of masterminding the gear. I and another two individuals played the job of executives, where we needed to coordinate the ta sk suitably. Some of individuals from the gathering report the accessible financial plans for the undertaking. Similarly, the remainder of the people take different duties. Relating: While taking a shot at the task, every part genuinely needed to perform on the undertaking and this was tedious. So as to make the task sensible and give a reasonable and compact message to watchers, we have taken help from our group notes, which we were given during the course. In such setting, we have followed the current instrument of making motion pictures. Making a short film requires center thoughts and strategies; besides, the financial plans of the venture was restricted. One of the fundamental measures followed was to complete the story inside 5 minutes. We have examined that the vast majority of the producers in the here and now will in general make the short movies that are as music recordings. By making a video, they pass on the message of the motion pictures. Nonetheless, in our venture, we were advised to concentrate on the dramatizations as opposed to making a music video. I comprehend that a film could make not just brief wonder understanding; it likewise ch ange the atmosphere culture. In this specific situation, Rentschler (2013) expressed that a film may present another subject, style or the show that could change the manner by which the pundits, creators and the watchers comprehend the message of the motion pictures and relate them with this present reality circumstance. As the film is broadly identified with the diverse way of life and convictions that characterize the human culture, the semiotics just as the verbalization stay indivisible (Bakker et al. 2013). Thinking The issues of choosing the story, substance, title and assets were making our undertaking postponed. We set aside a great deal of effort to choose the suitable story since it incorporates the dramatization. In this way, executing a sensational story in the film inside in a moment was extremely intense. What's more, the cutoff time of the task was wrecking; in this manner, the circumstance turns out to be increasingly troublesome. Subsequently, I applied my dynamic aptitudes to determine the issues. We precluded three characters from the job as those characters appeared to be superfluous according to the prerequisite of story. Reproducing Eventually, we sifted through the issues with respect to the determination of the story and completed the work according to the calendars. The fulfillment of the task gave colossal fulfillment as I got numerous chances to learn new things. Presently, on the off chance that I return to the start of the task I see nothing was leveled out. Things get settled while executing the plans. In any case, we could have done the undertaking all the more viably in the event that we were given minimal additional time. In my further task, I would use the encounters that I picked up from this specific undertaking, for example, reproducing the arrangement in the wake of setting the underlying arrangement. This implies dependent on the prerequisite I could change the story and characters. Dissecting the occasion to recognize approach of changing the future result Filmmaking is considered as one of the most mainstream society exercises that could influence a sequential of social, financial and social marvel (Kerzner, 2013). The result of many exploration suggest heading out to film to watch motion pictures isn't considered as a confined free wonder (Callan and Thomas 2013). For our situation, we needed to pass on a message to the general public with respect to the sexual orientation difference. We were extremely fulfilled taking a shot at the venture; be that as it may, there have been sure zones in filmmaking, for example, altering, choosing the music dependent on the pretend and introducing the film in increasingly practical manner, which seemed, by all accounts, to be troublesome. I would make reference to that because of the absence of experience, abilities and genuine information, we were unable to actualize the plans according to

Financial Accounting Week 4- Individual Work Assignment

Money related Accounting Week 4-Individual Work - Assignment Example In the event that the dissolvability proportions uncover a higher turn, at that point the business is worth to be given credit since it is in a situation to meet its commitments. Then again, the liquidity proportions show that the business can without much of a stretch proselyte its advantages for meet its commitments. The accompanying proportions will be utilized to test the business validity for the advance. The working capital proportion is expanding as the years builds; it is more in 2015 than in 22014. This shows the business is doing very well subsequently can deal with its money related commitments. It can in this way practical to be given credits. This shows nearness of working capital and the business is in a situation to meet its money related commitments as the proportion increments with the adjustment in the years. The financier on considering the present proportion will have the option to support the credit for the business this is on the grounds that the broker will have certainty that the business will have the option to reimburse their advances without default given their wide money related soundness, quality and base. This proportion gives the momentary liquidity of a business. It is crucial in the estimating of the business transient obligations comparable to its fluid resources. The higher the proportion the better the situation of the business.it is determined as: Since there are no inventories, the snappy proportion is like the present proportion. From all the above proportions, it is an unmistakable sign that the business is in a situation to meet its budgetary commitments, in this manner the broker will be think that its suitable to propel the credit to the business. From the proportions determined it is noticed that the organization has great execution all things considered in a situation to meet all its budgetary commitments both for the time being and in the long haul. The influence and dissolvability proportions are enormous indicating that the organization is entirely steady and has generally excellent budgetary base. The organization additionally appreciates generally excellent returns as appeared by

The Great Barrier Reef Tourism Management †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Examine about the Great Barrier Reef-Tourism Management. Answer: Presentation The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the biggest and most far reaching common coral reef on the planet. It comprises of in excess of 2,900 separate reefs and 900 islands which run more than 2300 kilometers and spreads a zone o around 344,400 sq.km. Situated off the bank of Queensland, the reef extends along the coastline of the Coral Sea, in the north-eastern piece of the Australian landmass. Hailed by CNN as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the reef stays one of the essential vacation destinations of Australia. Adding to the reefs advance are the Whitsunday Islands, an archipelago of mainland islands of various sizes, situated off the shore of Queensland, contiguous the reef. This article targets dissecting the travel industry business of the reef and finding improved strategies while decreasing ecological dangers. Conversation: Tourism in the Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef brags of incredible biodiversity, alongside uncommon and imperiled species like ocean turtles, porpoises, ascidians and around 1500 types of fish. This, alongside clear warm waters and availability through visitor pontoons, improve the travel industry market of the reef, particularly for scuba jumpers and nature devotees. A few of the mainland and coral islands have now been changed over to resorts, similar to the Lady Elliot Island and the Green Island. As ahead of schedule as 1996, 27 of the islands on the reef upheld resorts or had been changed over into one (Coghlan, McLennan and Moyle 2016). The travel industry centring the reef has seen welcome improvement and prosper in the previous not many decades. This thus, has given an incredible driving force to nearby exchange and trade. The whole area has various littler lodgings, eateries, shops, and boatyards which are both possessed and kept an eye on by nearby representatives and laborers. Queensland Tourism in Monetary Terms During the mid 1990s the travel industry was for the most part directed locally and the meeting time was solely restricted to the Australian winter. In 1996, the reefs monetary endeavors meant about A$776 million for each annum in particular. Be that as it may, quick forward to 2013, and the yearly turnover of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has been accounted for to net A$ 6.4 billion for every annum, attracting in excess of 64,000 vacationers (Deloitte 2013). Accordingly, nearby organizations like vehicle, nourishment and convenience have gotten an exceptional lift, increasing the Queensland economy specifically and that of Australia as a rule. Other than travelers, Australian residents from different states rush every year to the state searching for work, because of the various employment opportunities, kindness the Great Barrier Reef. Ecological Factors Because of its high weight of both Australian and abroad voyagers consistently, the Great Barrier Reef is exposed to unfavorable human exercises which have, throughout the years, made dynamic and irreversible changes to the normal environment. The best risk to the reef comes as environmental change, which encourages the procedure of coral fading. This outcomes in expanded powerlessness to illnesses, disturbing the natural parity and mass destruction of endemic marine living things. Contamination and practices like overgrazing and abuse of pesticides and fungicides have effectsly affected the coral beds and reports propose that over 67% of the corals have kicked the bucket in the reefs northern area because of expanded paces of contamination and run-off water (Robinson et al. 2016). Constraining supplements like phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium bring about eutrophication wild development of green growth, which help exhaust the degrees of oxygen in the reef, in this way annihilating marine widely varied vegetation (Bell, Elmetri and Lapointe 2014). Other human exercises like mining, overfishing, transportation and removal of poisonous squanders have all had their unfavorable consequences for the reef and the procedure proceeds right up 'til the present time. Different Factors and Measures Affecting Tourism Thinking about such genuine dangers, the Royal Commissions of the State of Queensland forced various harsh measures on mechanical exercises like mining, angling and visiting in huge vessels, while oil-penetrating has completely been prohibited. In 1975, the Government of Australia incepted the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBMPA) to guarantee that all bans and guidelines are being clung to (Morrison 2017). The GBMPA and the State Government of Queensland, alongside neighborhood businesspeople and laborers have teamed up successfully to relieve the ecological dangers that the reef and consequently, a central wellspring of their salary, is confronted with. In July 2004, the Marine Park was rezoned to lesser influenced zones and this procedure of rezoning has been all around recognized as a measuring stick of marine biology conservation(Coles et al. 2015). End To wrap matters up, there is no denying the way that the universes biggest coral reef and wellspring of around seven billion dollars of yearly exchanges is confronted with natural issues, as grave as a worldwide temperature alteration or ozone-layer-consumption. he demise of corals and loss of other marine life can't be halted all together, however what makes a difference is the way the exchange and trade of the locale can adapt to such inescapable risks. In that regard, the Australian open and private parts have held hands to extraordinary impact, in spite of the fact that there is consistently opportunity to get better. References Chime, P.R., Elmetri, I. what's more, Lapointe, B.E., 2014. Proof of enormous scope constant eutrophication in the Great Barrier Reef: measurement of chlorophyll a limits for continuing coral reef communities.Ambio,43(3), pp.361-376. Coghlan, A., McLennan, C.L. furthermore, Moyle, B., 2016. The best overseen reef on the planet, or a world legacy site at serious risk?: Applying protection brain research to pictures of the extraordinary obstruction reef.CAUTHE 2016: The Changing Landscape of Tourism and Hospitality: The Impact of Emerging Markets and Emerging Destinations, p.981. Coles, R.G., Rasheed, M.A., McKenzie, L.J., Grech, A., York, P.H., Sheaves, M., McKenna, S. what's more, Bryant, C., 2015. The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area seagrasses: dealing with this notable Australian biological system asset for the future.Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science,153, pp.A1-A12. Financial matters, Deloitte Access. Financial commitment of the Great Barrier Reef. (2013). Morrison, T.H., 2017. Advancing polycentric administration of the Great Barrier Reef.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, p.201620830. Robinson, N., Brackin, R., Paungfoo-Lonhienne, C., Lonhienne, T., Westermann, M., Salazar, M., Yeoh, Y.K., Hugenholtz, P., Ragan, M.A., Redding, M. what's more, Pratt, C., 2016, January. Tending to the nitrogen issue in sugarcane creation to decrease contamination of the Great Barrier Reef. InInternational Nitrogen Initiative Conference. Global Nitrogen Initiative.

Managing organizational change - Free Essay Example

Background Information The content of this white paper is based on information from ODR, a consulting firm with more than 23 years of experience in helping organizations successfully implement change. ODRs emphasis is on giving organizations information about how to accomplish strategic and tactical change decisions on time and within budget. Managing a World of Change Why Organizational Change Management Is Important Organizational change is a reality of the modern world, and that reality isnt likely to change anytime soon. If anything, organizations can expect to face the need for even more change in the future, at an ever faster pace. Organizations have to deal with new technology and with upgrades for existing technology. They have to cope with reorganizations, process improvement initiatives, and mergers and acquisitions. So, with all that change going on, how are organizations managing to cope? Not very well. The reality is that relatively few of the organizations that institute change or are forced into it realize the benefits they had hoped for, and, in fact, end up worse off than they were before. That doesnt mean its impossible to engage successfully in change. Many organizations do succeed. How? They succeed by integrating any technical solution that was part of the change mix with a thorough and proactive orc hestration of the non-technical human aspects associated with the change. In other words, the organizations that succeed at change do so by considering the people who are affected by, will have to live with, and are often crucial to effecting the change in question. Even better, not only does managing the human aspects of an organizational change initiative help ensure the successful implementation and use of the technical solution, it sets the groundwork for implementing future solutions. This paper describes how organizations can be successful at change by using a framework for assessing and addressing the non-technical human aspects associated with organizational change. ODRs experience has been that applying this organizational change management (OCM) framework improves the success of technical implementations and reduces the inevitable drop in productivity and quality that typically accompanies change. And, in ODRs experience, succeeding with the framework establishes momentum for success with future versions of a given technical solution. Specifically, this paper covers the following topics: Defining the terms. The typical approach. Objectives of organizational change management. The organizational change management process. Defining the Terms What Are Organizational Change and Organizational Change Management? Change has several meanings, but for the purposes of this paper, change or, more precisely, organizational change will be defined this way: Organizational change is the implementation of new procedures or technologies intended to realign an organization with the changing demands of its business environment or to capitalize on business opportunities. Organizational change typically encompasses the introduction of new and perhaps unfamiliar processes, procedures, and technologies, which represent a departure from what affected individuals generally view as the established, practical, and familiar ways of doing their work. Thus, at the individual level, change can engender emotions and reactions that range from optimism to fear, including anxiety, challenge, resistance, ambiguity, energy, enthusiasm, helplessness, dread, motivation, and pessimism. Organizational change management is the process of recog nizing, guiding, and managing these human emotions and reactions in a way that minimizes the inevitable drop in productivity that accompanies change. The Typical Approach Why Change Efforts Typically Fail It seems inevitable that advances in technology, the maturation of markets in developed countries, the integration of international economics, and the economic fallout from the fall of communism have fueled, and will continue to fuel, an escalation in the amount and rate of organizational change. 1 But the success rate for organizational change is downright dismal. Consider these statistics: Fewer than 50 percent of companies undergoing restructuring, de-layering, and/or downsizing realize lower costs or higher productivity as a result of those changes. 2 About 80 percent of Total Quality Management (TQM) initiatives fail to achieve tangible results. 3 Roughly 90 percent of Business Process Reengineering (BPR) initiatives fail to produce breakthrough results. 4 Approximately 30 percent of all mergers and acquisitions fail outright, while most fail to realize expected synergies. 5 Between 55 percent and 90 percent of all technology initiatives fail to achieve their objectives because human and organizational problems are not adequately addressed. 6 More often than not, change efforts fail because organizations fail to recognize and manage the human components of change. New technical solutions require involvement by individuals throughout an organization who are willing to alter their behaviors and ways of thinking. Accomplishing that takes time, motivation, skills, and practice. Yet, because changes to behaviors and ways of thinking are less tangible and typically more time-consuming than the technical solution, the human aspects dont get the attention they need. A recent article on enterprise-wide software deployments demonstrates this lack of proper focus. The article estimated that the implementation effort for a successful transformation required 20 percent information technology and 80 percent organizational change management. Yet, most project plans and budgets allocate less than 20 percent of resources for managing change. Objectives of Organizational Change Management How to Change Successfully Organizational change of any type will typically create temporary reductions in productivity, as people absorb and adjust to the change. Therefore, two important criteria for a successful change implementation are the amount of productivity lost as a result of the change and how long it takes for the organization to regain its original productivity levels. The figure below, based on a 1990 U.S. Department of Labor study, illustrates the change impact and recovery process both with and without the application of a formal organizational change management process. Proactively addressing and managing the non-technical, human aspects of change by means of a formal OCM process will help reduce the initial loss in productivity and will typically shorten the recovery period. As organizations seek to implement new technology and take other actions to keep themselves competitive in their chosen markets, they must ensure that the changes they implement achi eve the full scope of their technical, financial, and human objectives. This is the ultimate objective of the organizational change management process: to ensure that tactics for addressing human reactions to change are fully integrated with other aspects of the implementation in order to achieve the full scope of objectives intended by the initiative. The Organizational Change Management Process Increasing Readiness for Change Individuals and organizations increase their general readiness for change by increasing their overall adaptability to change. This is accomplished by implementing a formal organizational change management process consisting of four critical components: Resilience Change knowledge Decisions and implementation Architecture Each component of the process is associated with key actions that can facilitate the timely implementation of a technical solution and speed the recovery time. Weaknesses associated with any of the four components of the OCM process create areas of risk that can inhibit the successful implementation of a change initiative. An organization increases its overall readiness for change by attending to the four components of the OCM process. Each component is described below along with key actions that can be taken to integrate the OCM process with the Microsoft Solutions Framework. Improving Resilience Resilience: The ability to absorb significant disruptive change while displaying minimal behaviors that detract from quality and productivity. Because resilient individuals are better able to adapt to change, helping people to become more resilient and getting already resilient individuals involved in the change process can directly improve an organizations chances for success fully implementing a technical solution. Resilient individuals are able to stay calm in unpredictable environments and are able to recover quickly from the stress of change. In fact, resilient individuals demonstrate an ability to prosper in rapidly changing environments. The higher the level of resilience within an organization facing major change, the better it will be able to avoid or manage such unproductive or dysfunctional behaviors as the spreading of misinformation, employee turnover, or deliberate sabotage, all of which can result in significant delays and costly overruns. Individuals who are highly resilient are: Positive. They view life as complex but filled with opportunity. Focused. They have a clear vision of what they want to achieve. Flexible. They are pliable in responding to uncertainty. Organized. They develop structured approaches to managing ambiguity. Proactive. They engage change rather than defend against it. The key implementation actions associated with resilience are outlined below. Key Implementation Actions Associated with Resilience Match the breadth and depth of the version release and the time assigned for implementation with the level of resilience within the organization. (Note: A preliminary diagnosis may be required to quantify the current level of resilience.) Select highly resilient individuals to participate directly in the implementation as a way to facilitate a rapid adoption of the solution among team members. (Note: Early adoption by team members can speed adoption within the rest of the organization.) Implementing Change Knowledge Change Knowledge: A practical understanding of how people and organizations respond to change. Understanding how change unfolds helps reduce the amount of unproductive behavior that may accompany the implementation of a new technical solution by reducing the amount of uncertainty involved in change. Reduced uncertain ty alleviates surprises and better equips people to focus time and energy on the technical solution. The manner in which change unfolds can be broadly grouped into seven key concept areas. These areas are: Nature. The impact of change on the individual. Process. The typical flow of change. Roles. The positions that are central to change. Resistance. The reactions that accompany change. Commitment. The process by which individuals and organizations align with change. Culture. The organizations past and present ways of doing things and the influence of these behaviors on the change. Synergy. The impact of teamwork on the change. A sufficient level of change knowledge can have a substantial impact on the success of change implementation. Change knowledge can either be applied to specific organizational change projects or to general education in advance of specific projects. The key implementation actions associated with change knowledge are listed below. Key Implementation Actions Associated with Change Knowledge For a specific project: Educate the implementation team on the key concepts of change knowledge and how they relate to the specific organizational change. Assess which concept areas are most relevant to the specific organizational change and plan for how the risks can be managed and the opportunities can be leveraged. For general purposes: Prepare individuals within the organization for what to expect from changes they will face in the future. (More information about the critical role change knowledge plays in the implementation of an initiative is available in a separate white paper titled Concepts of Change Knowledge, which is also located on this Web site.) Making Good Decisions Decisions: The alignment of an organizations current and planned changes with the resources available for implementing the initiatives. For an organization to be successful in implementing change, it must ensure that the demands created by its change initiatives do not exceed the organizations capacity for executing the changes. When change demands exceed the organizations capacity for change, key resources become overwhelmed by the number of changes competing for their time. The result is an increase in dysfunctional behavior that detracts energy from the implementation effort and, in many cases, impedes its process. Ensuring adequate capacity for existing and planned change demands generally involves: Inventorying current and planned changes and evaluating them to determine their potential value, impact, and resource requirements. Prioritizing changes according to this evaluation. Determining current capacity to implement changes. Trimming current and planned changes as necessary according to capacity limits. Developing and implementing strategies to increase overall change capacity to expand organizational adaptability. When implementing a technical solution for a customer, other ongoing or planned organizational changes can compete for required resources. This is especially true of the time and attention needed from key leaders within the organization, which frequently can be a scarce commodity. Several key actions can be taken to mitigate the inevitable risk of having inadequate resources for a technical implementation. Key Implementation Actions Associated with Resource Allocation Decisions Proactively assess other organizational changes to gauge their potential impact on the technical solution. Design an implementation plan and timeframe that takes the impact of competing changes into account. Determine the urgencies driving the implementation of the technical solution and continually leverage these urgencies with key leaders and constituencies to make the technical solution a priority within the organization. Implementing Architecture Structured Implementation Architecture: The structured plan for achieving the desired goals through implementation of the perceived change solution. Following a structured, yet flexible, implementation framework reduces errors and oversights and allows a team to proactively address issues that are routinely associated with the failure of organizational changes. Such a structured framework consists of seven phases which, when applied as a system, facilitate successful implementation of an initiative. The seven phases are: Clarification. Development of a comprehensive vision and measurable outcomes that are wholly shared by key leaders. Announcement. Development and execution of a detailed communication plan. Diagnosis. Assessment of critical risks and key levers associated with the change. Planning. Development of comprehensive strategies to mitigate risks and use levers identified in the diagnosis phase. Execution. Implementation of developed strategies. Monitoring. Continuous assessment and augmentation of an implementation sequence. Evaluation. Assessment of a complete implementation sequence, and documentation and transfer of key learnings. The steps involved in this implementation architecture parallel, in many ways, the existing Microsoft Solutions Framework. The key action, then, for executing a structured change management implementation architecture for customers technical solutions is as follows. Key Implementation Actions Associated with Implementation Architecture Integrate organizational change management concepts and practices with the Microsoft Solutions Framework to balance the technical and non-technical (human) aspects of change implementation. References Kotter, J.P. Leading Change. Harvard Business School Publishing: Boston, MA, 1996. Schneier, C.E., G. Shaw, and R.W. Beatty. Companies Attempts to Improve Performance while Containing Costs: Quick Fix Versus Lasting Change. Human Resource Planning, 1992, 15 (3), 1-25. Kearney, A.T. Study cited in Business Intelligences report entitled Managing and Sustaining Radical Change, 1997. Ibid. Maurer, R. Transforming Resistance. Human Resources Focus, 1, October 1997, 9. Kabat, D.J. Information Technologies to Manage the Next Dynamic. In Berger and Sikora (Eds.). The Change Management Handbook. Irwin Professional Publishing: NY, 1994, 221. Wall, Stephen J. and Robert S. McKinney. Wall-to-Wall Change. Across the Board. May 1998, 32-38.

A personality review of Dr. Maya Angelou (personality...

Dr. Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father, Baily Johnson, was a doorman, and, later a dietician for the navy. Her mother, Vivian Johnson, was a registered nurse. When Angelou was three years old, her parents were divorced. They sent her and her four-year-old brother, Baily, Jr., to live with their paternal grandmother, Annie Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas. Henderson ran a small general store and managed to scrape by. She continued to do so after her grandchildren joined her. Angelous grandmother was one the many strong who trained her, helped her, and provided her with role models. The people of her church also nurtured her and gave her a sense of belonging to a community. But her†¦show more content†¦The four other volumes of her autobiography are, Gather Together in My Name (1974), Singin and Swingin and Gettin Merry Like Christmas (1976), The Heart of a woman (1981), and All Gods Children Need Travelin Shoes (1986). She also published several volumes of poetry and has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for one of the, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water fore I Diiie (1971). In 1973, Angelou appeared on Broadway in Look Away and was nominated for a Tony Award. In 1977 she received an Emmy nomination for her performance in the mini series Roots. She was appointed to the Bicentennial Commission by President Gerald Ford and to the Commission of International Womens Year by President Jimmy Carter. For many Americans, one of the most memorable moments during the inauguration of President Bill Clinton, on January 20, 1993, came when Maya Angelou recited the poem, On the Pulse of Morning not since 1961, when Robert Frost read his work at the ceremony for president John F. Kennedy, had a poet taken part in a presidential inauguration. Dr. Angelou is best known for the first volume of her autobiography, in it, she bravely speaks of her battle to overcome abuse, rape, and poverty. For thousands of young Black women reading the book, it is a way of passage for those who have been similarly victimized, it is like a soothing ointment that helps heal the wounds. Angelou gives a voice to the voiceless; she says, Youre not alone. In happened to meShow MoreRelatedMedia Magic Making Class Invisible2198 Words   |  9 Pagessources which are legitimate and the reader can choose to research it for themselves. Mantsios back himself up by using more than one source to prove his theory about test scores and what class you are in. Whether you choose to believe him or not, the reality is the facts are there, written on the paper right in front of your eyes. He also backs his theory by giving examples of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“some typical lifestyles and some not so typical lifestylesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , which means he shows you a complete profile of a persons life

Pediatric Plastic Surgery Cleft Lips - 1841 Words

Pediatric Plastic Surgery: Cleft Lips Mary Elizabeth Barnes English IV 25 September 2015 I plan on becoming a pediatric plastic surgeon after attending Southern Methodist University, and medical school at UNiveristy of Texas at Austin. Cleft Lips are a huge problem among newborns no matter where a doctor is in the world. They form in the wound and do not grow back together naturally so the only way to fix it is surgery. Pediatric plastic surgeons can specialize in cleft lip corrections helping many children along the way. A cleft lip, to be fixed, needs the lining of the muscles in the lip to be surgically aligned. A cleft lip can form into a cleft palate extending all the way to the roof of the mouth. There is one way to†¦show more content†¦So being able to help children born with cleft palates, deformities, and conjoinments is what I essentially want to do. I plan to major in Biology or Biochemistry, and minor in business so I can have my own practice one day. Then after undergrad, I want to go to University of Texas at Austin. After all the school I have to take, I want to do a residency still at the University of Texas in Austin to further my experience in the field. University of Texas has a very concise and fast track program that I really think would benefit me and push me to the standard that I need to be at. Eventually, my own practice is the goal and hopefully I can help children who NEED plastic surgery medically and not just superficially; and that’s why ten years from now society will appreciate plastic surgery in a different way because of my contribution. I have shadowed something plastic surgery and getting into that area of surgery would be exactly what I want to do. Future Plan: To get where I want to be, I have a multitude of classes that I will have to accomplish. At Southern Methodist University, I will be enrolled in the Dedman College in biological sciences and it has produced students who have moved on to Harvard Medical School. Moving on from Southern Methodist University, University of Texas in Austin is where I plan to attend graduate medical school. The UT at Austin Medical School has a partnership with Seton Healthcare which enables with them to have specialized,

Literature Review for Health Promotion Coles- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theLiterature Reviewfor Health Promotion Intervention. Answer: Introduction The health promotion intervention warranted to enhance the wellness outcomes of the people of various age groups across the community environment attributes to the lifestyle enhancement of the target population. Evidence-based research literature proves the vulnerability of the individuals towards acquiring adverse health pattern under the influence of unhealthy dietary and lifestyle approaches (Kumar Preetha, 2012). The unhealthy lifestyle strategies include the continued utilization of tobacco and reduction in physical activities that substantially elevate the risk of population towards developing cardiovascular diseases and associated adverse complications. The long-term implications of lifestyle on the pattern of health and wellness of people remain evident and indicate the requirement of developing preventive healthcare strategies for reducing the burden of diseases across the community environment (Opie, 2014). The clinical findings in (Opie, 2014) substantiate the protective effect of non-smoking on the arterial structure and functionality. Exercise intervention results in reducing the heart rate and decreasing the systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. The dietary management approaches require the administration of green leafy vegetables, fruits, red meat as well as unsaturated fatty acids for effectively managing the weight of individuals (Opie, 2014). These facts evidently validate the requirement of conducting prospective research interventions for identifying the extended health benefits of lifestyle enhancement approaches for effectively reducing the progression and establishment of various communicable and non-communicable diseases across the community environment. Search Methods The following search methods employed for undertaking this literature review in the context of acquiring the desirable evidence-based outcomes. Keywords and Index Terms Search Strategy Lifestyle (Lifestyle [mh] OR Lifestyle[tiab] Quality of Life [tiab] OR Diet [mh] OR Diet [tiab] OR Smoking [mh] OR Smoking [tiab] OR Alcohol [mh] OR Alcohol [tiab] OR Stress [mh] OR Stress [tiab] OR Living Standard [mh:noexp] OR Living Standard [tiab] Quality of Life Diet Smoking Alcohol Stress Living Standard [mh]: MeSH (Medical Subject headings); [tiab]: Title and Abstract The complex Boolean search pattern was effectively utilized while performing the literature review of the health promotion intervention (NCBI, 2007). The selected search strategy assisted in exploring the search terms and keywords across PubMed indexes and the titles/abstracts of the articles of interest extracted accordingly from the NCBI database (NCBI, 2017a). Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria The articles between the years 2010 2017 included in the literature review. Systematic studies and qualitative research interventions were taken into consideration while undertaking the literature review on the selected healthcare intervention. The research articles pertaining to the year 2009 and before were excluded from analysis because of the questionable authenticity of their outdated findings. The articles that objectively described the influence of pharmacotherapeutic interventions on the disease outcomes in the absence of lifestyle modification strategies were also not considered in the literature review. Research Evidence Research analysis by (Ory, et al., 2014) reveals the positive influence of health education intervention on the health related behavioural pattern of individuals in 45 years age and older. The health education strategy assisted in elevating the lifestyle of the selected individuals in promoting the pattern of their health and wellness across the community environment (Ory, et al., 2014). The findings of the research intervention evidentially reveal the influence of positive health behaviours attributing to regular water, vegetables and fruits consumption as well as aerobic activity on the pattern of health improvement of the target population (Ory, et al., 2014). The evidence-based evaluation by (Katzke, Kaaks, Khn, 2015) substantially reveals the considerable influence of lifestyle factors on the development of several types of cancers across the societies. Therefore, the sustained modification of these factors attributing to physical inactivity, dietary inadequacy, overweight, alc ohol abuse and smoking is necessarily required for reducing the prevalence of cancers and associated mortalities (Katzke, Kaaks, Khn, 2015). Lifestyle enhancement approaches assist in preventing the establishment of various psychopathological conditions across the community environment (Walsh, 2011). These lifestyle approaches assist in improving the self-management skills of individuals and facilitate the development of coping strategies warranted for reducing the onset and establishment of their psychosocial complications and associated health adversities. The lifestyle enhancement interventions include the enjoyable and recreational activities that substantially foster the social development of disadvantaged groups of the society (Walsh, 2011). Evidence-based analysis by (Niewiadomski, et al., 2016) reveals the impact of dietary alterations and smoking pattern on the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and associated gastrointestinal manifestations. This indicates th e requirement of administering lifestyle enhancement interventions focussing on dietary modification and smoking cessation with the objective of decreasing the prevalence of IBD among the predisposed individuals. The lifestyle variables that substantially influence the pattern of health and wellness of individuals attribute to study, recreation, utilization of modern technology, drugs abuse, substance abuse, sexual behaviour and orientation, sleep, exercise, body mass index and diet (Farhud, 2015). The research findings by (Vazquez, Conti, Sears, 2010) evidentially indicate the effectiveness of psychosocial lifestyle enhancement interventions in reducing the pattern of device resistance and anxiety experienced by the female patients after undergoing ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) implantation. These interventions include the groups psychotherapy as well as social support strategies and cognitive behavioural interventions by the medical practitioners. Evidence-based an alysis by (Trovato, 2012) emphasizes the significance of lifestyle enhancement interventions in terms of improving the pattern of opinions, interests, attitudes, income allocation and day-to-day activities of individuals. The systematic improvement in these attributes assists in the enhancement of self-efficacy and self-esteem of people in the context of improving their healthcare outcomes. healthcare professionals require configuring preventive as well as personalized approaches in the context of improving the quality of life of individuals and associated psycho-socio-somatic outcomes. The lifestyle enhancement interventions assist in motivating the masses for practicing effective weight management strategies and overcoming maladaptive cognition, mood fluctuation and eating inadequacies that substantially influence their health outcomes across the community environment (Rieger, Dean, Steinbeck , Caterson , Manson , 2009). The lifestyle enhancement approaches also assist in combati ng the hypertension risk factors that predispose individuals towards acquiring the pattern of elevated blood pressure and associated cardiovascular outcomes (Zoellner, et al., 2014). The lifestyle improvement approaches require unbiased and equitable administration by the healthcare professionals for overcoming the ethnic and racial healthcare disparities experienced by the impoverished and underprivileged sections of the society (Zoellner, et al., 2014). Conclusion from the Evidence The research evidence affirms the efficacy of lifestyle improvement approaches in terms of preventively challenging the onset and progression of various disease conditions and associated health adversities. The analysis reveals the requirement of undertaking behavioural strategies for improving the level of understanding of individuals in relation to the systematic improvement of their quality of life. The lifestyle enhancement approaches advocate the requirement of acquiring healthy dietary pattern for enhancing the level of immunity of individuals against disease infestation. Lifestyle interventions also improve the coping skills of people for overcoming the adverse manifestations of various communicable and non-communicable chronic disease conditions. The lifestyle management approaches improve the level of compliance of people to their health related behaviour. The improvement in the pattern of confidence and self-dependence of people enhances the pattern of their physical and me ntal health across the community environment. The lifestyle enhancement approaches directly influence the level of independence and confidence of the masses that reciprocally improve the pattern of their psychological, social, spiritual as well as cardiovascular health status. Evidence-Based Study Objectives Research analysis regarding the health promotion activity leads to the establishment of the following objectives requiring the administration of prospective study intervention for the systematic improvement in health outcomes. Identification of the best lifestyle improvement interventions for preventing the development of various disease conditions across the community environment. An evaluation of lifestyle enhancement strategies warranted for effectively decreasing the length of patients stay in the hospital settings. Development of person-centred and community based approaches warranted for the systematic enhancement of the quality of life of the patients in various age groups and geographical regions. Categorization of various lifestyle modification interventions in the context of identifying the significance of each modality for preventing the onset of various disease outcomes. Bibliography Farhud, D. D. (2015). Impact of Lifestyle on Health. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 44(11), 1442-1444. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4703222/ Katzke , V. A., Kaaks, R., Khn , T. (2015). Lifestyle and cancer risk. Cancer Journal, 21(2), 104-110. doi:10.1097/PPO.0000000000000101 Kumar, S., Preetha, G. S. (2012). Health Promotion: An Effective Tool for Global Health. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 5-12. doi:10.4103/0970-0218.94009 NCBI. (2007). Complex Boolean Search. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Class/MLACourse/Modules/Entrez/complex_boolean.html NCBI. (2017a). MeSH. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh Niewiadomski , O., Studd , C., Wilson , J., Williams , J., Hair , C., Knight , R., . . . Bell , S. (2016). Influence of food and lifestyle on the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease. Internal Medicine Journal, 669-676. doi:10.1111/imj.13094 Opie, L. H. (2014). Lifestyle and diet. Cardiovascular Journal of America, 25(6), 298-301. doi:10.5830/CVJA-2014-063 Ory, M. G., Smith, M. L., Howell, D., Zollinger, A., Quinn, C., Swierc, S. M., Stevens, A. B. (2014). The Conversion of a Practice-Based Lifestyle Enhancement Program into a Formalized, Testable Program: From Texercise Classic to Texercise Select. Frontiers in Public Health. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2014.00291 Rieger, E., Dean, H. Y., Steinbeck , K. S., Caterson , I. D., Manson , E. (2009). The use of motivational enhancement strategies for the maintenance of weight loss among obese individuals: a preliminary investigation. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 637-640. doi:10.1111/j.1463-1326.2008.01027.x Trovato, G. M. (2012). Behavior, nutrition and lifestyle in a comprehensive health and disease paradigm: skills and knowledge for a predictive, preventive and personalized medicine. EPMA Journal, 3(1). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3384462/ Vazquez , L. D., Conti, J. B., Sears, S. E. (2010). Female-specific education, management, and lifestyle enhancement for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: the FEMALE-ICD study. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 33(9), 1131-1140. doi:10.1111/j.1540-8159.2010.02787.x Walsh, R. (2011). Lifestyle and mental health. The American Psychologist, 579-592. doi:10.1037/a0021769 Zoellner, J., Connell, C., Madson, M., Thomson, J. L., Landry, A. S., Molaison, E., . . . Yadrick, K. (2014). HUB City Steps: A 6-month lifestyle intervention improves blood pressure among a primarily African American community. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 114(4), 603-612. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2013.11.020

Private School Vouchers Essays - Education Economics,

Private School Vouchers Matchmaker.com: Sign up now for a free trial. Date Smarter! Private School Vouchers Proposals to use private school vouchers, a marketplace strategy, as a mechanism by which to improve the general quality of public education have produced a lively debate. Frequently, that debate has degenerated into a disagreement about whether public schools are as good as private schools or whether a given private school is better than a certain neighborhood public school. Other issues raised in these discussions include the appropriate use of public funds, the role of competition in improving public education, and the right of parents to choose a school for their children. Although these issues are of interest, they are not the fundamental questions which must be raised about the future of public schools in a democracy. Two Core Issues In their rush to the marketplace, the proponents of private school choice supported by public funds have chosen to ignore two core issues. First, the advocates of private school choice studiously avoid any discussion of the relationship between public schools and the common or public good in a democracy. As an example, the Governor of Wisconsin asserts that "any school that serves the public is a public school" and should therefore receive public funds through a voucher system. There is no recognition in this proposal of the distinct and unique purpose of public education in serving the public good. This rhetorical sleight-of-hand does not mean that a private school of choice becomes a public school in purpose simply by so defining it. The claim is merely a device to divert public funds for private purposes. The failure to recognize that public schools have a central responsibility in a democratic society is further evidenced by the work of John Chubb and Terry Moe, who argue that improving the efficiency and quality of public education will require the replacement of democratic governance by market mechanisms. The authors state, "The most basic cause of ineffective performance among the nation's public schools is their subordination to public authority. ... The school's most fundamental problems are rooted in the institutions of democratic control by which they are governed". Chubb and Moe deny the historic purposes of public schools when they reject the idea that educational policy should be directed by a common vision or purpose. They assert, "It should be apparent that schools have no immutable or transcendent purpose. ... What they are supposed to be doing depends on who controls them and what these controllers want them to do". The Thompson proposal for Wisconsin's schools embraces this belief system it is a denial of the fundamental role of public education in affirming the public good. A second issue which remains unexamined in the rush to the marketplace concerns the claims offered in defense of private school choice. Choice is offered as a "lesson learned" rather than a proposition to be examined. Advocates of private school choice have ignored its history. Despite the claims made for a market-based school restructuring strategy, the history of choice does not support the claims of its proponents. A Declaration of Crisis Willingness to abandon strong support for public schools and to turn to marketplace solutions is driven by a crisis rhetoric. This rhetoric, which suggests that public education is failing, is not only misleading, it is dangerous because it may erode public confidence in the very institutions on which our capacity for a democratic response depends. Criticism of public education has continued unabated since the publication of A Nation At Risk in 1983. Stimulated in large part by new international economic realities, by a domestic economy based on traditional production models, and by changing domestic demographics, the critics have sought solutions to these challenging problems by turning to schools and educators. The data cited by critics of public schools were accepted at face value until the late 1980's. However, since then, a variety of research reports have revealed that much of the criticism has been simplistic and has distorted and misrepresented the conditions of public education. The credibility of the crisis-in-education claim, in fact, rests not on immutable evidence of school failure but, rather, on a linkage which has been established by critics between education and other social problems such as violent crime, drug use, family instability, and economic uncertainty. Although schools are not charged directly with creating these problems, the public is turning to public education for solutions to broad and complex social conditions. This occurred in the 1950's in response to the Russian scientific and military challenge, in the 1960's in response to the challenge of racial segregation, and again in the 1980's in response to the challenges

Spirituals essays

Spirituals essays As slaves, Africans had to make many mental adjustments in order to survive in a foreign land. These adjustments are well shown in their poetry and music. Spirituals were the first form of African American music. They were the songs sang by the slaves on American plantations, that expressed feelings about freedom, religion and death. Spirituals were the songs of the children of disappointment. The central theme in spirituals was the divine liberation of the oppressed from slavery. This theme is quite often shown in spirituals such as in Swing Low Sweet Chariot I looked over Jordan what did I see, coming for to carry me home, a band of angels coming after me, coming for to carry me home. This spiritual expressed fellings of freedom through Slaves rejected white distortions of the bible, which emphasized the obedience of slaves to their masters. The basic idea of the spirituals was that slavery contradicts God; it is a denial of his will. The songs proved the slaves beliefs that human servitude was not reconcilable. The message of liberation in the spirituals is based on the biblical contention that Gods righteousness is revealed in his deliverance of the oppressed from the shackles of human bondage. That message showed the slaves confidence in God. The faith of black people was hence grounded in the faithfulness of Gods word revealed through the scriptures. African American music is not an artistic creation for its' own sake; yet it relays feelings and thought of African American people and the mental adjustments they had to make in order to survive in a foreign land. Spirituals were of the first form of African American music. They were the songs sang by the slaves on plantations that expressed their freedom, religion, and death. The songs told of suffering and unvoiced longing toward truer worlds of misty wanderings and hidden ways. Through all the sorrow songs there breathes a hope, and faith in the ultimate ...

This Case Study Analysis coursework consists in writing an ethical Essay - 1

This Case Study Analysis coursework consists in writing an ethical reasoning and critical argument to identify, discuss and address potential ethical issues for a given computing project - Essay Example y systems have taken different dimensions because not only do the ethical issues arise due to the emergence of technology but also due to the implementation by the users. Moreover, the ethical issues may also involve the role of the developer of the system concerning the objective of the information technology system. The following analysis aims to identify the ethical issues surrounding a class project concerning intellectual property and reliability of the project. The case study for the analysis is based on the student workload tracker project. The student Workload tracker project was developed under the oversight of two administrator and nine project members who contributed towards the development of the project. The student workload tracker project was aimed at developing a computer system that would enhance the scheduling process of student’s assignments in school. In an ordinary learning environment students attempt to struggle balancing assignments, academic studies and social life. Subsequently, this makes the students to be overwhelmed since especially when they lack proper time management skills. Therefore, the student workload tracker project was aimed at developing a time management schedule based on the analysis of students’ routine activities and the normal time spent on completing a specific activity. Consequently, the system would use the data to present a trend based on various analytical tools such as graphs and charts. In addition a user interface would be used to enhance the appearance of the data in order to provide a clear view of the students’ task performance trends. Therefore based on the portrayed trend by the system, the students would be in a position to create a reliable schedule based on sequence of assignments and the anticipated time for completing relevant tasks. The implementation of the Student Workload tracker system was assessed on the basis of functionality and achievement of the deliverables by the group members.

Block 7 (Week 13&14) Exercise 7 (Respiratory System Mechanics) Coursework

Block 7 (Week 13) Exercise 7 (Respiratory System Mechanics) assigned from pages 85-95 - Coursework Example narrowing of the airways due to bronchial smooth muscle contraction as in Asthma; inflammation of the bronchial mucosa and hypertrophy of bronchial glands as happens in Bronchitis. 2. As a result of the tidal volume change, what happens to the flow into each lung and total air flow? Air flow into each lung is also increased resulting in increase in increased total flow into the lungs. The puncture in the lungs causes the air to flow into the intrapleural cavity of the lungs through the puncture equating the pressure inside with that of the atmosphere. The elasticity (surface tension) of the lung aleoli compresses the aleoli resulting in the collapse. There is minimum airflow to the left lung. The pressure in the left lung is still the same (zero), the air flow in the left lung ecomes zero. The lungs are only using right lung for respiration. The total air flow is equal to that to the right lung (69.56 ml). The diaphragm descends and the ribcage elevates (expands) – the increased intrathoracic volume results in decreased intrathoracic pressure compared to the atmospheric pressure. Air flows from the high atmospheric pressure to the low intrathoracic pressure filling the lungs. Rapid respiration (hyperventilation) results in the expulsion of more CO2 from the lungs. The CO2 is drawn from the bicarbonate buffer system of the blood. The concentration of CO2 in blood decreases resulting in increase in blood pH (alkalosis). The two values are used to assess the pulmonary function. They tell the clinician about the health of the lungs, any comression or obstruction to tht airflow as well as the extent of the pulmonary dieases (e.g. COPD). They reflect how much the lung function ahs been compromised due to the disease. Emphysema is a disease characterized by dilation f the alveolar spaces and destruction of the alveolar walls. The reoil function of the lungs is also compromised causing a decrease in expiratory flow. Therefore FEV1 is decreased. The lungs become

The Impact of Discipline in the Behavior of Middle School Students Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Discipline in the Behavior of Middle School Students Essay Abstract: While the impact of discipline on middle school students can vary, it is important to investigate into practices and discipline strategies that have been proposed used and for middle school environments. It is becoming increasingly clear that problem behaviors need to be addressed not only by school staff but by the community. The following review outlines the fundamentals of middle school discipline, the strategies used and the effectiveness of each, as well as how to gauge effective methods. Middle school discipline has been a growing concern among school administration, families of the students and communities for over the past ten years. Many articles have stated that middle school students display the most aggressive behavior of all levels of education as well as having the highest bullying rate and discipline problems. Researchers agree that middle school is a breeding ground for negative behavior due to students desiring to find themselves and a place to fit in. Different methods have been implemented with varying results. Some experts have argued that many methods have not been given ample time frames in order to accurately depict success. However all relevant methods concern prevention, and in many cases intervention, when building a successful disciplinary system and improved behavior among students. Literature found on this subject is innumerable; the present review has two purposes: (a) review a sample of literature for its significance in understanding the discipline process as well as the effects it has on students and (b) reviewing and analyzing methods supported by the authors of said literature. The most prominent authors were George Sugai PhD., Robert H. Homer and Jeffrey Sprague; these authors contributed more several articles on disciplinary methods, some of which will be found in this review. The guidelines used when reviewing articles were if the methods of discipline discussed by the authors provided evidence, statistics and viability. The majority of the reviewed articles were found to be significant contributions for the implementation of disciplinary methods in middle school settings. When reviewing the chosen ten articles, the most commonly agreed theory was the need for improving upon the use of general solutions when dealing with negative behavior; such as, suspension and expulsion. The most significant articles explained the need for proactive programs to deter poor behavior as well as the inclusion of tested and approved methods. The following includes brief reviews of ten chosen articles from scholarly journals, the similarities found as well as opposing points of view and the conclusion of the most relevant findings. School-wide Approach to Discipline   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When evaluating a middle school in terms of its discipline procedures and their effectiveness, many times the particular school will find the need for method when dealing with poor behavior. The authors of all the chosen articles agree that a general approach to discipline does not work.   In A Schoolwide Approach to Student Discipline (Homer, Sugai and Horner, 2000) the authors express the theory of â€Å"a culture of competence† which they explain the importance of being proactive where the school as a whole would foster positive behavior and the expectations of the students to act accordingly. In support of this method several studies such as the High Five Program were discussed, revealing the effectiveness of such programs. Two other theories are expressed, in order to â€Å"address the needs of students at risk of disruptive behavior† the authors suggest that the schools create rapid response methods to support these students and prevent future discipline problems. The third theory is to focus on the students with â€Å"high-intensity problem behaviors†. While I agree with the first two theories, I think it is poor practice to focus on the students with disciplinary problems; while they need support, singling out any student as a problem child could cause further damage. The authors’ goal in writing this article was to persuade readers of the necessity of school-wide methods, where all students and administration are involved in the creation of a safe learning environment. The most informative article was found in Impact journal, the authors of School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Investing in Student Success (Horner, Sugai and Vincent, 2005) were thorough in their research and supporting data. The authors report the increase of problem behaviors among students and the need for building a much needed positive social culture. An extension of the school-wide method the School-wide positive behavior support (SW-PBS) method â€Å"is an approach that begins with a school-wide prevention effort† which â€Å"adds intensive individualized support for those students with more extreme needs†. Building from the theory represented in Sungai and Horners first article, where the need to focus on problem students was expressed, this approach provides high risk students with outlets for intervention. The remainder if this program expresses preventative strategies. What was most informative were the â€Å"five core strategies† of the SW-PBS which include: a) focus on prevention b) teaching appropriate social behavior and skills c) acknowledging appropriate behavior d) Gathering and making use of data about student behavior as a guide for behavior support decisions, and finally, e) investing in the systems that support adults in their implementation of effective practices. This method is becoming prominent, â€Å"2900 schools across 34 states are now implementing or in the process of adopting SW-PBS†, primarily in elementary and middle schools. Translating Research into Effective Practice: The Effects of a Universal Staff and Student Intervention on Indicators of Discipline and School Safety (Sprague, Walker, Golly et al. 2001)The methods examined in this study involve â€Å"†¦a universal intervention package aimed at improving the safety and social behaviors of students in elementary and middle schools. Its goals were to assist schools to provide effective educational services, behavioral supports, and social-behavioral skills teaching to all students in the school†. Like most researchers of modern discipline methods, the authors agree that general and quick solutions have little to no effects on middle school student behavior. By using the Effective Behavioral Support (EBS) Model to evaluate the school’s â€Å"discipline and climate† researchers were able to compare and contrast â€Å"treatment† schools and comparison schools. A very thorough study was performed and the results were consistent with the authors’ objectives, making EBS a viable disciplinary model. A newer method being discussed among schools and education professionals is the family centered approach. Implementing Family-Centered Interventions within the Public Middle School: Linking Service Delivery to Change in Student Problem Behavior (Stormshack, Dishion, Light and Yasui, 2005), discussed the change in preventative discipline from a strictly school setting to a family-centered method. As the authors explain, â€Å"despite the clear link between behavior problems at home and at school, mental health service delivery does not usually cross these settings and provide integrative solutions to problem behaviors.† The authors blame lack of â€Å"appropriate interventions†, school staff being trained and operating on an â€Å"individual model of development and service delivery† and shifts in priorities because of public opinion and policy. This particular article is most sensible. These authors believe children’s’ behaviors displayed in school are representative of their home lifestyles. â€Å"Effective family management skills are critical for preventing the developmental difficulties associated with adolescent problem behaviors†. The authors make reference to several studies supportive of their argument for family-centered interventions. The design of the Family Resource Center by the authors was used in studies to provide support. The results reported were positive. James K. Luiselli, Robert F. Putnam and Michael Sunderland were also supporters of school wide intervention and prevention methods. They did however address one problem occurring with the implementation of school-wide practices. It was their opinion that â€Å"effective schoolwide discipline practices have been designed, but in most cases, intervention efficacy has been evaluated in the short term†. That is reasoning behind the report in Journal of Positive Behaviors; Longitudinal Evaluation of Behavior Support Intervention in a Public Middle School (2002). This short term evaluation presented a problem of accuracy in reporting the usefulness of a certain method. â€Å"This report describes a longitudinal (4-year) evaluation of a behavior support program implemented with the entire student population in a public middle school†. This study was unique in three ways: a) it provided a long term rather than short (usually one year) evaluation b) this study, unlike others reported had included the entire population of a middle school; which in this case was in western Massachusetts and possibly the most unique characteristic of this study, c) â€Å"the procedures developed over the four-year period were solely the product of the staff at the school. There were limits (bias) to this study, such as the primary population came from middle to upper-middle class families; a more valid approach would have been to have samples of students from all classes. However, the program created by the staff was successful as reported by the authors. The staff program entailed a reward system for students behaving by the rules and expectations.   While it would not be this reader’s personal choice of programs, it did work successfully for that particular middle school. Staff Challenges   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What challenges does middle school staff face? The most commonly reported behavioral problem stems from bullying. Since the early 90s, schools have opened their eyes to the devastating effects of bullying. In a self-reported study, researched and reported by David W. McConville and Dewey G. Cornell, the researchers found that the link between aggressive attitudes and aggressive behavior were linked. Their research, found in the Journal of Emotional Behavior Disorders (2003) involved 403 middle school students of a suburban central Virginia school, and reporting via survey their personal â€Å"attitudes towards peer aggression†. Based on the students belief systems, students expressed what they though about bullying, what constitutes bullying and if they have ever fell victim to such students. While bullying is an enormous obstacle in learning institutions, especially middle school, this report was insignificant to the understanding of student aggression. To survey middle school students, who are at the peak of discovering their individuality and alliances with other students, is ludicrous, they can not be expected to answer truthfully for fear of being discovered by fellow students.  Ã‚   A more informative and useful report was found in the January 2006 issue of Middle School Journal. Bullying in Middle Schools: Prevention and Intervention is an in-depth look into the problems of bullying in middle schools. The authors believe that â€Å"school personnel must understand the scope of bullying in the United States as well as characteristics of bullies and victims†.     Both bullies and their victims are at risk of negative futures. The authors are in agreement that â€Å"†¦effective programs are comprehensive, targeting students, schools families and the community. With this theory the authors are combining all relative methods reviewed above. Building awareness, social skills and supportive intervention can improve student behaviors. This article was very informative and thorough in its research. One strategy found in the Middle School Journal relates to a method described in an article found in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Volume 46. Four Pennsylvania teachers created a program to teach middle school students socialization skills and tolerance. With use of a popular, age appropriate novel, Crash, by Jerry Spinelli (1996, Random House), students engaged in an interactive learning experience. Students went beyond reading with role play, journal writing, â€Å"Readers Theatre† and several other activities to learn the moral of the story about the effects of bullying. The results were overwhelmingly positive. This study is relevant to a behavior support system, where staff is showing support to kids, giving them strength to stand up against bullying, while giving bullies an outlet and a way to stop problem behaviors. In theory, by creating â€Å"safe† classrooms, thus a safe school environment, the effects of bullying will decrease. The Middle School Journal depicted a similar anti-bully program, Bullybusters. The same strategy as using a novel, students are encouraged to participate in a play depicting the roles of students against bullying as well as demonstrating the effects of bullying. This too has excellent results. How Do We Know If It’s Working?   Regardless of the method used or the programs implemented, unless there is an accurate documenting process is which to base results on, the methods are useless. Long term school discipline needs to be in place for a positive change to occur; the only way of accomplishing this is to research, experiment and document. Most importantly a study or program use must be in place for more than one year to see accurate results. Using Office Discipline Referral Data for Decision Making about Student Behavior in Elementary and Middle Schools: An Empirical Evaluation of Validity (Irvin, Horner, Ingram, Todd, et al.2006) suggests strategies in which to evaluate the effectiveness of school-wide approach to student discipline. The authors believe that data-based decision making can be beneficial to the social climate of the school and behavior of the students. The authors present an â€Å"empirical study of the validity of one systematic approach to collecting and using such information†, including the information of student behavior when using intervention methods in a school-wide atmosphere. One may question the need for such an extensive report; however, because schools are in need of finding new methods to promote positive behavior and preventative disciplinary measures, it is in the school’s best interest to consider current and relevant studies on method effectiveness. The authors of Using Office Discipline†¦ used surveys and information contained in a â€Å"web-based computer application called SWIS which used for entering, organizing, managing, and reporting office discipline referral data, in order gather information of the effects of School Wide Disciplinary methods. The data provided was useful in determining whether to use a school-wide approach. The study was done locally and surveys can be misleading, the authors admit this, but for its basic purpose as a building block for further studies, it was informative. Terrance M. Scott and Susan B. Barrett suggest using the time spent as staff and student alike when engaged in disciplinary action as a source of evaluation. In Using Staff and Student Time Engaged in Disciplinary Procedures to Evaluate the Impact of School-Wide PBS (2004), the authors describe positive behavior support (PBS) as â€Å"the application of positive behavioral interventions and systems to achieve social change†. Tracking time and money spent on disciplinary actions is a useful technique in evaluating the effectiveness of a program, this is displayed in studies and statistical data provided by the authors; the results were, for the most part, positive, however the overall evaluation process is in itself time consuming. Conclusion The methods for middle school discipline are numerous, as research has shown, regardless of the method chosen, to have the best effect on the students a school must approach discipline as a school-wide process. After analyzing the above literature, it is clear that a disciplinary model must be used long-term and be followed with an appropriate evaluation. The most appropriate methods, in my opinion, were ones in which used interactive tools, such as a book or play, to engage students in positive behavior. It is clear that the old methods of general discipline have become obsolete. Communities, school staff and researchers have realized the need for a change in the school environment, especially middle schools, which are the highest rated institute for behavioral and disciplinary problems. References Barone, B., Kearns, J., Quinn, K., Stackhouse, S., Zimmerman, M., (2003). Using a Novel Unit to Help Understand and Prevent Bullying in Schools: Bullying Affects Most Children. Reading Activities Helped Middle School Students Become More Aware of This Serious Issue. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 46, 582+. Retrieved October 13, 2006 from Questia database. Boland, J., Horner, R., Ingram, K., Irvin, L., Sampson, N., Sugai, G., Todd, A., (2006). Using Office Discipline Referral Data for Decision Making about Student Behavior in Elementary and Middle Schools: An empirical Evaluation of Validity. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8, 10+. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Homer, H., Horner, R., Sugai, G., (2000). A Schoolwide Approach to Student Discipline. School Administrator, 57, 20. Retrieved October 12, 2006 from Questia database. Horner, R., Sugai, G., Vincent, C., (2005). School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Investing in Student Success. Impact, Retrieved October 9, 2006 from http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/182/over2.html Luiselli, J., Putnam, R., Sunderland, M., (2002). Longitudinal Evaluation of Behavioral Support Intervention in a Public Middle School. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4, 182+. Retrieved October 13, 2006 from Questia database. McConville, D.W., Cornell, D., (2003). Aggressive Attitudes Predict Aggressive Behavior in Middle School Students. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11, Iss. 3, 1. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Milson, A., Gallo, L., (2006) Bullying in Middle Schools: Prevention and Intervention. Middle School Journal, 37, 12-19. Retrieved October 12, 2006 from http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/MiddleSchoolJournal/Articles/January2006/Article2/tabid/693/Default.aspx Scott, T., Barrett, S., (2004). Using Staff and Student Time Engaged in Disciplinary Procedures to Evaluate the Impact of School-Wide PBS. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 6, 21+. Retrieved October 9, 2006 from Questia database. Sprague, J., Walker, H., Golly, A., White, K., Myers, D., Shannon, T., (2001). Translating Research into Effective Practice: The Effects of a Universal Staff and Student Intervention on Indicators of Discipline and School Safety. Education Treatment of Children, 24, 495+. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Stormshak, E., Dishion, T., Light, J., Yasui, M., (2005). Implementing Family-Centered Interventions Within the Public Middle School: Linking Service Delivery to Change in Student Problem Behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 723+. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from Questia database.

Life of Pi (Unabridged) by Yann Martel Essay -- Life of Pi Unabridge

The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes. The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities that interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional — but is it more true? Pi, short for Piscine Molitor Patel, is a young Indian boy growing up in South India in the 1970's. His father owns a zoo and, with increasing political unrest in India, decides to sell up and emigrate to Canada. They accompany the wild animals on board the ship on their journey to the new zoos in North America. The ship sinks and Pi finds himself the only human survivor onboard a life raft that contains, rather remarkably, a zebra, a large motherly orangutan, a frenzied hyena and a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Of course, the law of nature eventually rules and Pi ends up as the tiger's last remaining occupant. He must use all his knowledge of zoology and animal behavior to create boundaries and survive. Which he does for 227 days. In Pondicherry, India, Piscine â€Å"Pi† Patel enjoys his childhood as the son of the local zookeeper means plenty of fun things to do. In that role, Pi learns a great deal about the wild beasts that his father keeps. Though a Hindu, Pi also finds pleasure in learning about Christianity and Islam and willingly practices the three belief systems over the objections of his family and religious leaders. Now sixteen, Pi's father decides to relocate to Canada. His dad sells most of the animals, but takes a few with them on their sea voyage. However, disaster strikes with the ship sinking. Pi accompanied by a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra and Richard Parker the 450-pound Bengal share a raft. Richard eliminates the other animals leav... ...mingly endless sea. Soon after, at long last, he reaches land. He attains Enlightenment. The tiger bounds off into the jungle-- Pi's suffering is released completely. He is nursed back to health and lives a relative normal life, with the distinction that his experience has fully awakened him. He walks as a true adult among the many spiritual children of the world. He still has the normal problems, challenges, and disappointments of life; Enlightenment does not mean everything is perfect. But Pi can bring forth what is needed in each moment, and does not suffer from the pains, failures, and sorrows of being human. He lives through them without getting caught in them. (Similarly, he is fully awake for all the wonderful pleasures and intimacies of life. And in all occurrences, he brings a deep compassion and love for all beings). The best part of the story is the end. (Stop reading if you don't want to know). This is a true story. It doesn't need all the longwinded interpretation you just read. It stands on its own as truth. Maybe it's just a story of a boy and a tiger on a boat. Either way, Pi Patel shows us the compelling power of the human spirit in the face of deep suffering.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 18

Chapter 18 I have been out among you, eating and talking and walking and walking and walking, for hours without having to turn because of a wall in my way. The angel woke me this morning with a new set of clothes, strange to the feel but familiar to the sight (from television). Jeans, sweatshirt, and sneakers, as well as some socks and boxer shorts. â€Å"Put these on. I'm taking you out for a walk,† said Raziel. â€Å"As if I were a dog,† I said. â€Å"Exactly as if you were a dog.† The angel was also wearing modern American garb, and although he was still strikingly handsome, he looked so uncomfortable that the clothes might have been held to his body with flaming spikes. â€Å"Where are we going?† â€Å"I told you, out.† â€Å"Where did you get the clothes?† â€Å"I called down and Jesus brought them up. There is a clothing store in the hotel. Come now.† Raziel closed the door behind us and put the room key in his jeans pocket with the money. I wondered if he'd ever had pockets before. I wouldn't have thought to use them. I didn't say a word as we rode the elevator down to the lobby and made our way out the front doors. I didn't want to ruin it, to say something that would bring the angel to his senses. The noise in the street was glorious: the cars, the jackhammers, the insane people babbling to themselves. The light! The smells! I felt as if I must have been in shock when we first traveled here from Jerusalem. I didn't remember it being so vivid. I started to skip down the street and the angel caught me by the shoulder; his fingers dug into my muscles like talons. â€Å"You know that you can't get away, that if you run I can catch you and snap your legs so you will never run again. You know that if you should escape even for a few minutes, you cannot hide from me. You know that I can find you, as I once found everyone of your kind? You know these things?† â€Å"Yes, let go of me. Let's walk.† â€Å"I hate walking. Have you ever seen an eagle look at a pigeon? That's how I feel about you and your walking.† I should point out, I suppose, what Raziel was talking about when he said that he once found everyone of my kind. It seems that he did a stint, centuries ago, as the Angel of Death, but was relieved of his duties because he was not particularly good at them. He admits that he's a sucker for a hard-luck story (perhaps that explains his fascination with soap operas). Anyway, when you read in the Torah about Noah living to be nine hundred and Moses living to be a hundred and forty, well, guess who led the chorus line in the â€Å"Off This Mortal Coil† shuffle? That's where he got the black-winged aspect that I've talked about before. Even though they fired him, they let him keep the outfit. (Can you believe that Noah was able to postpone death for eight hundred years by telling the angel that he was behind in his paperwork? Would that Raziel could be that incompetent at his current task.) â€Å"Look, Raziel! Pizza!† I pointed to a sign. â€Å"Buy us pizza!† He took some money out of his pocket and handed it to me. â€Å"You do it. You can do it, right?† â€Å"Yes, we had commerce in my time,† I said sarcastically. â€Å"We didn't have pizza, but we had commerce.† â€Å"Good, can you use that machine?† He pointed to a box that held newspapers behind glass. â€Å"If it doesn't open with that little handle, then no.† The angel looked perturbed. â€Å"How is it that you can receive the gift of tongues and suddenly understand all languages, and there is no gift that can tell you how things work in this time? Tell me that.† â€Å"Look, maybe if you didn't hog the remote all the time I would learn how to use these things.† I meant that I could have learned more about the outside world from television, but Raziel thought I meant that I needed more practice pushing the channel buttons. â€Å"Knowing how to use the television isn't enough. You have to know how everything in this world works.† And with that the angel turned and stared through the window of the pizza place at the men tossing disks of dough into the air. â€Å"Why, Raziel? Why do I need to know about how this world works? If anything, you've tried to keep me from learning anything.† â€Å"Not anymore. Let's go eat pizza.† â€Å"Raziel?† He wouldn't explain any further, but for the rest of the day we wandered the city, spending money, talking to people, learning. In the late afternoon Raziel inquired of a bus driver as to where we might go to meet Spider-Man. I could have gone another two thousand years without seeing the kind of disappointment I saw on Raziel's face when the bus driver gave his answer. We returned here to the room where Raziel said, â€Å"I miss destroying cities full of humans.† â€Å"I know what you mean,† I said, even though it was my best friend who had caused that sort of thing to go out of fashion, and not a moment too soon. But the angel needed to hear it. There's a difference between bearing false witness and saving someone's feelings. Even Joshua knew that. â€Å"Joshua, you're scaring me,† I said, talking to the disembodied voice that floated before me in the temple. â€Å"Where are you?† â€Å"I am everywhere and nowhere,† Joshua's voice said. â€Å"How come your voice is in front of me then?† I didn't like this at all. Yes, my years with Joshua had jaded me in regard to supernatural experiences, but my meditation hadn't yet brought me to the place where I wouldn't react to my friend being invisible. â€Å"I suppose it is the nature of a voice that it must come from somewhere, but only so that it may be let go.† Gaspar had been sitting in the temple and at the sound of our voices he rose and came over to me. He didn't appear to be angry, but then, he never did. â€Å"Why?† Gaspar said to me, meaning, Why are you talking and disturbing everyone's meditation with your infernal noise, you barbarian? â€Å"Joshua has attained enlightenment,† I said. Gaspar said nothing, meaning, So? That's the idea, you unworthy spawn of a razor-burned yak. I could tell that's what he meant by the tone in his voice. â€Å"So he's invisible.† â€Å"Mu,† Joshua's voice said. Mu meaning nothing beyond nothingness in Chinese. In an act of distinctly uncontrolled spontaneity, Gaspar screamed like a little girl and jumped four feet straight in the air. Monks stopped chanting and looked up. â€Å"What was that?† â€Å"That's Joshua.† â€Å"I am free of self, free of ego,† Joshua said. There was a little squeak and then a nasty stench infused us. I looked at Gaspar and he shook his head. He looked at me and I shrugged. â€Å"Was that you?† Gaspar asked Joshua. â€Å"Me in the sense that I am part of all things, or me in the sense of I am the one who poofed the gefilte gas?† asked Josh. â€Å"The latter,† said Gaspar. â€Å"No,† said Josh. â€Å"You lie,† I said, as amazed at that as I was at the fact that I couldn't see my friend. â€Å"I should stop talking now. Having a voice separates me from all that is.† With that he was quiet, and Gaspar looked as if he were about to panic. â€Å"Don't go away, Joshua,† the abbot said. â€Å"Stay as you are if you must, but come to the tea chamber at dawn tomorrow.† Gaspar looked to me. â€Å"You come too.† â€Å"I have to train on the poles in the morning,† I said. â€Å"You are excused,† Gaspar said. â€Å"And if Joshua talks to you anymore tonight, try to persuade him to share our existence.† Then he hurried off in a very unenlightened way. That night I was falling asleep when I heard a squeak in the hall outside of my cell, then an incredibly foul odor jolted me awake. â€Å"Joshua?† I crawled out of my cell into the hall. There were narrow slots high in the walls through which moonlight could sift, but I saw nothing but faint blue light on the stone. â€Å"Joshua, is that you?† â€Å"How could you tell?† Joshua's disembodied voice said. â€Å"Well, honestly, you stink, Josh.† â€Å"The last time we went to the village for alms, a woman gave Number Fourteen and me a thousand-year-old egg. It didn't sit well.† â€Å"Can't imagine why. I don't think you're supposed to eat an egg after, oh, two hundred years or so.† â€Å"They bury them, leave them there, then dig them up.† â€Å"Is that why I can't see you?† â€Å"No, that's because of my meditation. I've let go of everything. I've achieved perfect freedom.† â€Å"You've been free ever since we left Galilee.† â€Å"It's not the same. That's what I came to tell you, that I can't free our people from the rule of Romans.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because that's not true freedom. Any freedom that can be given can be taken away. Moses didn't need to ask Pharaoh to release our people, our people didn't need to be released from the Babylonians, and they don't need to be released from the Romans. I can't give them freedom. Freedom is in their hearts, they merely have to find it.† â€Å"So you're saying you're not the Messiah?† â€Å"How can I be? How can a humble being presume to grant something that is not his to give?† â€Å"If not you, who, Josh? Angels and miracles, your ability to heal and comfort? Who else is chosen if not you?† â€Å"I don't know. I don't know anything. I wanted to say good-bye. I'll be with you, as part of all things, but you won't perceive me until you become enlightened. You can't imagine how this feels, Biff. You are everything, you love everything, you need nothing.† â€Å"Okay. You won't be needing your shoes then, right?† â€Å"Possessions stand between you and freedom.† â€Å"Sounded like a yes to me. Do me one favor though, okay?† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"Listen to what Gaspar has to say to you tomorrow.† And give me time to think up an intelligent answer to someone who's invisible and crazy, I thought to myself. Joshua was innocent, but he wasn't stupid. I had to come up with something to save the Messiah so he could save the rest of us. â€Å"I'm going to the temple to sit. I'll see you in the morning.† â€Å"Not if I see you first.† â€Å"Funny,† said Josh. Gaspar looked especially old that morning when I met him in the tea room. His personal quarters consisted of a cell no bigger than my own, but it was located just off the tea room and had a door which he could close. It was cold in the morning in the monastery and I could see our breath as Gaspar boiled the water for tea. Soon I saw a third puff of breath coming from my side of the table, although there was no person there. â€Å"Good morning, Joshua,† Gaspar said. â€Å"Did you sleep, or are you free from that need?† â€Å"No, I don't need sleep anymore,† said Josh. â€Å"You'll excuse Twenty-one and I, as we still require nourishment.† Gaspar poured us some tea and fetched two rice balls from a shelf where he kept the tea. He held one out for me and I took it. â€Å"I don't have my bowl with me,† I said, worried that Gaspar would be angry with me. How was I to know? The monks always ate breakfast together. This was out of order. â€Å"Your hands are clean,† said Gaspar. Then he sipped his tea and sat peacefully for a while, not saying a word. Soon the room heated up from the charcoal brazier that Gaspar had used to heat the tea and I was no longer able to see Joshua's breath. Evidently he'd also overcome the gastric distress of the thousand-year-old egg. I began to get nervous, aware that Number Three would be waiting for Joshua and me in the courtyard to start our exercises. I was about to say something when Gaspar held up a finger to mark silence. â€Å"Joshua,† Gaspar said, â€Å"do you know what a bodhisattva is?† â€Å"No, master, I don't.† â€Å"Gautama Buddha was a bodhisattva. The twenty-seven patriarchs since Gautama Buddha were also bodhisattvas. Some say that I, myself, am a bodhisattva, but the claim is not mine.† â€Å"There are no Buddhas,† said Joshua. â€Å"Indeed,† said Gaspar, â€Å"but when one reaches the place of Buddhahood and realizes that there is no Buddha because everything is Buddha, when one reaches enlightenment, but makes a decision that he will not evolve to nirvana until all sentient beings have preceded him there, then he is a bodhisattva. A savior. A bodhisattva, by making this decision, grasps the only thing that can ever be grasped: compassion for the suffering of his fellow humans. Do you understand?† â€Å"I think so,† said Joshua. â€Å"But the decision to become a bodhisattva sounds like an act of ego, a denial of enlightenment.† â€Å"Indeed it is, Joshua. It is an act of self-love.† â€Å"Are you asking me to become a bodhisattva?† â€Å"If I were to say to you, love your neighbor as you love yourself, would I be telling you to be selfish?† There was silence for a moment, and as I looked at the place where Joshua's voice was originating, he gradually started to become visible again. â€Å"No,† said Joshua. â€Å"Why?† asked Gaspar. â€Å"Love thy neighbor as thou lovest thyself† – and here there was a long pause when I could imagine Joshua looking to the sky for an answer, as he so often did, then: â€Å"for he is thee, and thou art he, and everything that is ever worth loving is everything.† Joshua solidified before our eyes, fully dressed, looking no worse for the wear. Gaspar smiled and those extra years that he had been carrying on his face seemed to fade away. There was a peace in his aspect and for a moment he could have been as young as we were. â€Å"That is correct, Joshua. You are truly an enlightened being.† â€Å"I will be a bodhisattva to my people,† Joshua said. â€Å"Good, now go shave the yak,† said Gaspar. I dropped my rice ball. â€Å"What?† â€Å"And you, find Number Three and commence your training on the posts.† â€Å"Let me shave the yak,† I said. â€Å"I've done it before.† Joshua put his hand on my shoulder. â€Å"I'll be fine.† Gaspar said: â€Å"And on the next moon, after alms, you shall both go with the group into the mountains for a special meditation. Your training begins tonight. You shall receive no meals for two days and you must bring me your blankets before sundown. â€Å"But I've already been enlightened,† protested Josh. â€Å"Good. Shave the yak,† said the master. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised when Joshua showed up the next day at the communal dining room with a bale of yak hair and not a scratch on him. The other monks didn't seem surprised in the least. In fact, they hardly looked up from their rice and tea. (In my years at Gaspar's monastery, I found it was astoundingly difficult to surprise a Buddhist monk, especially one who had been trained in kung fu. So alert were they to the moment that one had to become nearly invisible and completely silent to sneak up on a monk, and even then simply jumping out and shouting â€Å"boo† wasn't enough to shake their chakras. To get a real reaction, you pretty much had to poleax one of them with a fighting staff, and if he heard the staff whistling through the air, there was a good chance he'd catch it, take it away from you, and pound you into damp pulp with it. So, no, they weren't surprised when Joshua delivered the fuzz harvest unscathed.) â€Å"How?† I asked, that being pretty much what I wanted to know. â€Å"I told her what I was doing,† said Joshua. â€Å"She stood perfectly still.† â€Å"You just told her what you were going to do?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"She wasn't afraid, so she didn't resist. All fear comes from trying to see the future, Biff. If you know what is coming, you aren't afraid.† â€Å"That's not true. I knew what was coming – namely that you were going to get stomped by the yak and that I'm not nearly as good at healing as you are – and I was afraid.† â€Å"Oh, then I'm wrong. Sorry. She must just not like you.† â€Å"That's more like it,† I said, vindicated. Joshua sat on the floor across from me. Like me, he wasn't permitted to eat anything, but we were allowed tea. â€Å"Hungry?† â€Å"Yes, you?† â€Å"Starving. How did you sleep last night, without your blanket, I mean?† â€Å"It was cold, but I used the training and I was able to sleep.† â€Å"I tried, but I shivered all night long. It's not even winter yet, Josh. When the snow falls we'll freeze to death without a blanket. I hate the cold.† â€Å"You have to be the cold,† said Joshua. â€Å"I liked you better before you got enlightened,† I said. Now Gaspar started to oversee our training personally. He was there every second as we leapt from post to post, and he drilled us mercilessly through the complex hand and foot movements we practiced as part of our kung fu regimen. (I had a funny feeling that I'd seen the movements before as he taught them to us, then I remembered Joy doing her complex dances in Balthasar's fortress. Had Gaspar taught the wizard, or vice versa?) As we sat in meditation, sometimes all through the night, he stood behind us with his bamboo rod and periodically struck us on the back of the head for no reason I could discern. â€Å"Why's he keep doing that? I didn't do anything,† I complained to Joshua over tea. â€Å"He's not hitting you to punish you, he's hitting you to keep you in the moment.† â€Å"Well, I'm in the moment now, and at the moment I'd like to beat the crap out of him.† â€Å"You don't mean that.† â€Å"Oh, what? I'm supposed to want to be the crap I beat out of him?† â€Å"Yes, Biff,† Joshua said somberly. â€Å"You must be the crap.† But he couldn't keep a straight face and he started to snicker as he sipped his tea, finally spraying the hot liquid out his nostrils and collapsing into a fit of laughter. All of the other monks, who evidently had been listening in, started giggling as well. A couple of them rolled around on the floor holding their sides. It's very difficult to stay angry when a room full of bald guys in orange robes start giggling. Buddhism. Gaspar made us wait two months before taking us on the special meditation pilgrimage, so it was well into winter before we made that monumental trek. Snow fell so deep on the mountainside that we literally had to tunnel our way out to the courtyard every morning for exercise. Before we were allowed to begin, Joshua and I had to shovel all of the snow out of the courtyard, which meant that some days it was well past noon before we were able to start drilling. Other days the wind whipped down out of the mountains so viciously that we couldn't see more than a few inches past our faces, and Gaspar would devise exercises that we could practice inside. Joshua and I were not given our blankets back, so I, for one, spent every night shivering myself to sleep. Although the high windows were shuttered and charcoal braziers were lit in the rooms that were occupied, there was never anything approaching physical comfort during the winter. To my relief, the other monks were not unaffected by the cold, and I noticed that the accepted posture for breakfast was to wrap your entire body around your steaming cup of tea, so not so much as a mote of precious heat might escape. Someone entering the dining hall, seeing us all balled up in our orange robes, might have thought he stumbled into a steaming patch of giant pumpkins. At least the others, including Joshua, seemed to find some relief from the chill during their meditations, having reached that state, I'm told, where they could, indeed, generate their own heat. I was still learning the discipline. Sometimes I considered climbing to the back of the temple where the cave became narrow and hund reds of fuzzy bats hibernated on the ceiling in a great seething mass of fur and sinew. The smell might have been horrid, but it would have been warm. When the day finally came for us to take the pilgrimage, I was no closer to generating my own heat than I had been at the start, so I was relieved when Gaspar led five of us to a cabinet and issued yak-wool leggings and boots to each of us. â€Å"Life is suffering,† said Gaspar as he handed Joshua his leggings, â€Å"but it is more expedient to go through it with one's legs intact.† We left just after dawn on a crystal clear morning after a night of brutal wind that had blown much of the snow off the base of the mountain. Gaspar led five of us down the mountain to the village. Sometimes we trod in the snow up to our waists, other times we hopped across the tops of exposed stones, suddenly making our training on the tops of the posts seem much more practical than I had ever thought possible. On the mountainside, a slip from one of the stones might have sent us plunging into a powder-filled ravine to suffocate under fifty feet of snow. The villagers received us with great celebration, coming out of their stone and sod houses to fill our bowls with rice and root vegetables, ringing small brass bells and blowing the yak horn in our honor before quickly retreating back to their fires and slamming their doors against the cold. It was festive, but it was brief. Gaspar led us to the home of the toothless old woman who Joshua and I had met so long ago and we all bedded down in the straw of her small barn amid her goats and a pair of yaks. (Her yaks were much smaller than the one we kept at the monastery, more the size of normal cattle. I found out later that ours was the progeny of the wild yaks that lived in the high plateaus, while hers were from stock that had been domesticated for a thousand years.) After the others had gone to sleep, I snuck into the old woman's house in search of some food. It was a small stone house with two rooms. The front one was dimly lit by a single window covered with a tanned and stretched animal hide that transmitted the light of the full moon as a dull yellow glow. I could only make out shapes, not actual objects, but I felt my way around the room until I laid my hand on what had to be a bag of turnips. I dug one of the knobby vegetables from the bag, brushed the dirt from the surface with my palm, then sunk in my teeth and crunched away a mouthful of crisp, earthy bliss. I had never even cared for turnips up to that time, but I had just decided that I was going to sit there until I had transferred the entire contents of that bag to my stomach, when I heard a noise in the back room. I stopped chewing and listened. Suddenly I could see someone standing in the doorway between the two rooms. I drew in my breath and held it. Then I heard the old woman's voice, speaking Chinese with her peculiar accent: â€Å"To take the life of a human or one like a human. To take a thing that is not given. To claim to have superhuman powers.† I was slow, but suddenly I realized that the old woman was reciting the rules for which a monk could be expelled from the monastery. As she came into the dim light from the window she said, â€Å"To have intercourse with anyone, even down to an animal.† And at that second, I realized that the toothless old woman was completely naked. A mouthful of chewed turnip rolled out of my mouth and down the front of my robe. The old woman, close now, reached out, I thought to catch the mess, but instead she caught what was under my robe. â€Å"Do you have superhuman powers?† the old woman said, pulling on my manhood, which, much to my amazement, nodded an answer. I need to say here that it had been over two years since we had left Balthasar's fortress, and another six months before that since the demon had come and killed all of the girls but Joy – thus curtailing my regular supply of sexual companions. I want to go on record that I had been steadfast in adhering to the rules of the monastery, allowing only those nocturnal emissions as were expelled during dreams (although I had gotten pretty good in directing my dreams in that direction, so all that mental discipline and meditation wasn't completely useless). So, that said, I was in a weakened state of resistance when the old woman, leathery and toothless as she might have been, compelled me by threat and intimidation to share with her what the Chinese call the Forbidden Monkey Dance. Five times. Imagine my chagrin when the man who would save the world found me in the morning with a twisted burl of Chinese crone-flesh orally affixed to my fleshy pagoda of expandable joy, even as I snored away in transcendent turnip-digesting oblivion. â€Å"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!† said Joshua, turning to the wall and throwing his robe over his head. â€Å"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!† I said, roused from my slumber by the disgusted exclamation of my friend. â€Å"Ahhhhhhhhhh!† said the old woman, I think. (Her speech was generously obstructed, if I do say so myself.) â€Å"Jeez, Biff,† Joshua stuttered. â€Å"You can't†¦I mean†¦Lust is†¦Jeez, Biff!† â€Å"What?† I said, like I didn't know what. â€Å"You've ruined sex for me for all time,† Joshua said. â€Å"Whenever I think of it, this picture will always come up in my mind.† â€Å"So,† I said, pushing the old woman away and shooing her into the back room. â€Å"So†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Joshua turned around and looked me in the eye, then grinned widely enough to threaten the integrity of his ears. â€Å"So thanks.† I stood and bowed. â€Å"I am here only to serve,† I said, grinning back. â€Å"Gaspar sent me to look for you. He's ready to leave.† â€Å"Okay, I'd better, you know, say good-bye.† I gestured toward the back room. Joshua shuddered. â€Å"No offense,† he said to the old woman, who was out of sight in the other room. â€Å"I was just surprised.† â€Å"Want a turnip?† I said, holding up one of the knobby treats. Joshua turned and started out the door. â€Å"Jeez, Biff,† he was saying as he left.