Media †‘When the Levees Broke’ Essay

A Spike Lee narrative investigating the appalling occasion of tropical storm Katrina in New Orleans. It shows camera film and meetings from different individuals, for example, occupants , government officials and cops who were completely up to speed in the catastrophe. Separated into four sections, the film continues for four hours. During this, various individuals with various jobs are met in regards to their encounters. Spike Lee has presented the film however utilizing chronicle film and photographs of New Orleans. It shows the harm, garbage and extreme flood scenes that were abandoned after the breech of the levees. Likewise, Spike Lee has utilized music successfully to show and add feeling to the portrayal and editorial. He has fluctuated the sort of music that is being played all through the film. He would utilize a moderate, quiet piano piece for an upsetting scene. While for a scene where help and help is being sent, there would be a more up beat and military bit of music. There were a great deal of sounds. Sounds changing from helicopters and vehicles to portrayal and editorial. Generally when an observer was being talked with, foundation sounds were stifled out. This permitted what the observer was stating to have all the more importance and get the message across more viably. The interviewees all talked about their passionate state during the however times. Some cried and other talked in a furious tone. Governmental issues assumed an enormous job regarding the moderate, crisis reaction to the catastrophe. Numerous legislators were met and for the most part guaranteed they were unconscious of what had occurred in New Orleans. What was significantly all the more stunning, was to what extent it took president Bush to get aware of the issue. This occurred on the fifth day after the typhoon. Individuals were starving, scanning for safe house and attempting to discover missing family members. Some attempted to leave the city, yet were met by military men with weapons, who had recently educated them to return. These lawmakers were manhandling their capacity and disregarding what truly must be finished.

Assignment #3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Task #3 - Research Paper Example For men of the medieval age, there were just two sorts of ladies, the favored perfect and the lady of the world. While the Wife of Bath is common in the genuine feeling of the word however it is deciphered, the Knight’s Tale shows incidentally the perfect of womanhood as it is spoken to in the figure of the Amazonian princess Emily, sister to Hippolyta and sister-in-law to Theseus. The contrasts between the manners by which these ladies are depicted are immense, not simply in the sorts of ladies they speak to, yet in addition in the strategy through which their accounts are connected. A case of the adjustment in voices can be found in a correlation of the Knight’s Tale and the story of the Wife of Bath. The knight, a man of extraordinary riches, notoriety and respect, fills his discourse with the dignified habits and chivalric activities that are a focal piece of his reality. His story is loaded with the significance of respect and pledge taking among men of the honorability. Theseus vows to hold the two nobles Arcite and Palamon detainee always, yet alters his perspective upon the arguing of a companion for the one and the honorable getaway of the other. Arcite and Palamon swear fraternity perpetually, however rapidly overlook this pledge when they each begin to look all starry eyed at Emily. In this sense, Chaucer uncovered the bad faith of such pledges notwithstanding the chivalric origination of adoration, paying little mind to the knight’s origination of these activities as of the most elevated respectability. In the Knight’s Tale, Chaucer shields the perfect of womanhood in a cultured story of affection suffered, battled for lastly won. All through the story, the object of expressions of love is the blameless Emily, sister to Hippolyta who is spouse to Prince Theseus. Emily is depicted as a superbly pure lady, approaching the normal exercises of a very much reproduced young lady, gathering blossoms, strolling or basically moving about the house.

10 Common Positive Emotions Beyond Happiness

10 Common Positive Emotions Beyond Happiness More in Self-Improvement Happiness Meditation Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Technology Relationships Part of being happy is feeling happy, moment to moment, throughout our lives. But what does feeling happy really mean? Is it the feeling we get eating an ice cream cone in the heat of summer? The feeling we get sitting next to someone we deeply love? The feeling we get when something goes our way? Without understanding more of the nuance being the phrase feeling happy, we can miss opportunities for positive emotion in our life. In her book Positivity, psychologist Barbara Fredrickson suggests that we experience a range of positive emotions and that each of these helps us to build resources or broaden our perspective in useful ways. Types of Positive Emotions Take a quick look at those 10 common positive emotions  and what they do for us. Joy When we are surprised or delighted with an unanticipated good thing, joy follows. Think of the moment you enjoy a fantastic meal at a new restaurant or when you plan a visit with a good friend. Joy is a signal that the situation is safe and encourages us to lean on the experience and play. Gratitude Thankfulness is what emerges when we recognize that someone else’s effort created a benefit for us. We feel grateful for gifts given, kindnesses extended, and time invested. The feeling of gratitude motivates us to consider ways that we might pay it forward by showing care and thoughtfulness to others. Pride When we accomplish a goal or contribute in an important way, we feel pride in our own abilities. Whether it’s getting the promotion you’ve worked hard for or sticking to a fitness goal for 6 weeks, recognizing our own abilities provides us with the necessary motivation to continue setting and achieving goals in the future. Serenity We feel serene or content when we find ourselves in circumstances that feel right and easy. Think of a lazy Sunday morning with the family or enjoying the calm and quiet of a walk through a garden. Serenity, Frederickson argues, encourages us to savor the present moment and reevaluate our priorities, deepening our understanding of ourselves. Interest We get curious about the world when we encounter something new and feel safe to explore it. Whether it’s binge-reading articles on your favorite subject or discovering a new neighborhood in your town, interest invites us to explore and learn so that we gain knowledge. Amusement From refined wit to slapstick hijinks, amusement or humor is the emotion tied to laughter. Psychologists cite “non-serious social incongruities” as the source of our humor when we simultaneously perceive an event from two different or even incompatible perspectives (think of your favorite bad pun). But whatever it is that makes you chuckle, when we do it with others, we strengthen our bonds to those people even more. Hope Hope is the positive emotion we feel when we envision a brighter future and often helps us through hard times. Although it may be accompanied by fear or sadness, hope pushes us to take steps to create a better tomorrow through sustaining optimism and resilience. Inspiration When we see another person act from the best of themselves, we are inspired to strive for our best. Whether we witness an act of high moral character or a performance displaying excellence and mastery, inspiration helps us connect the greatness in others to the potential for greatness in ourselves. Awe Something is truly awesome when it pulls us in and brings us a sense of connectedness to something bigger than ourselves. Grandiose goodness or beauty, like a view of the starlit sky from a remote place, can stop us in our tracks, overpowered by wonder and respect. Awe transforms our views on the world and our place in it. Love The most frequently felt positive emotion, Frederickson defines love as the shared experience of any of the above positive emotions with someone you care about. These moments allow us to know others more deeply and focus on their well-being. These moments, over time in a caring relationship, forge intimacy and trust. Which one of these emotions do you feel least frequently in your own life? Choose one. For a week or two, focus on creating moments to experience it and enjoy a new shade of happy.

Global Warming And Its Effects - 946 Words

The advancement of human civilization time stamped with industrial revolution influenced higher standards of living with urbanization, the development of factories, metallurgy, mining, transportation, and mass production. The developments where driven by coal, which became a continuous and powerful resource of energy. As energy, mass production and technology progressed the human species had distinctly in rapid time left a unique foot print in Earth’s history. This unique foot print marked by pollutants, caused a rapidly changing environment. Within decades sea levels started to rise and a change in rainfall became apparent, areas with drought started to receive less precipitation, thus high temperatures started to cause a reduction in global harvest. Thus, scientist discovered global warming was influenced by the human production of greenhouse gas that could potentially cause irreversible climate change, which could continue for 1000 years. Although, these facts are daunting, optimistic approaches for combating global warming are obtainable. Global recognition of climate change has influenced a cap on carbon emissions and stimulated the use of renewable energy, but this may not be enough considering the time greenhouse gas lingers in the stratosphere. Therefore, geoengineering may be a new approach for resurrecting our climate, in an attempt to counteract the effects of global warming. For this to be an evident and positive approach three factors should be taken intoShow MoreRelatedGlobal Warming And Its Effects985 Words   |  4 PagesEnvironmental Science Professor Mahoney 11/11/14 Global Warming Over the last few decades global warming has become one of the biggest environmental issues of all times. Every year, global warming gets worse and it’s affecting the way people live, it is affecting the atmosphere in general, and other living organisms in our planet. Global warming is the gradual and increasing rise of the overall temperature of the Earth caused by the greenhouse effect due to the increased levels of carbon dioxide andRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects Essay1040 Words   |  5 PagesGlobal warming is directly causing the rise in temperature of the Earth. The melting of the polar ice caps causes some of the most pressing issues including the endangerment of species indigenous to this region and the rise of ocean levels. Global Warming Global warming is the steady rise of temperature of the Earth’s surface. What exactly causes global warming? Numerous sources fuel global warming, such as deforestation, permafrost, and even sunspots. Obviously, many factors contribute to thisRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects1331 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal Warming Global warming is the causation of the Glaciers melting, sea levels rising, cloud forests drying, and wildlife struggles today. 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It’s time we show the initiative to understand the concept of global warming and showRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects928 Words   |  4 PagesGlobal-Warming Mother Earth is burning as we speak; humanity has killed our precious Earth. Global-warming is a vicious killer that was created by the humans on this Earth, and there s no way to cure it. We, as humans, have the power to cleanse the Earth, but instead we destroy it. Heat is absorbed by carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. A greenhouse gas absorb thermal radiation emitted by the Earth s surface. As the sun s energy reaches the Earth’s surface some of it goes back out into spaceRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects1416 Words   |  6 Pages Global Warming The earth is getting warmer, animals and their habitats are declining, human health is at risk and the cause of all this terror is Global Warming. Global warming will cause many parts of the world to change. In the next 50 years climate change could be the cause of more than a million terrestrial species becoming extinct. Sea levels will raise which means more flooding and is not good for the plants. With too much water the plants will die and herbivores will lose theirRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects1312 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal warming is presenting a lot of environmental and health problems to many countries. A lot of heat gets trapped on earth due to formation of a non-porous layer gases below the atmosphere. The worst effect is felt by developing countries, which are also geographically disadvantaged. The establishment of such countries is on low altitude areas. This position makes developing countries to be direct victims of floods from the melting snow at high altit ude areas. A lot of scientific research associates

Article Critique Enterprise Risk Management - 960 Words

Article Critique: â€Å"Enterprise Risk Management in SMEs: Towards a Structural Model† Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), which addresses strategic, operations, reporting and compliance objectives, is a process designed to identify potential events that may affect the entity, and manage risk to be within the risk an organization is willing to take in order to achieve its strategic objectives (Gelinas, Dull, Wheeler, 2015). â€Å"Enterprise Risk Management in SMEs: Towards a Structural Model† by Brustbauer (2016), analyses ERM in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMESs) by developing a structural model based on a postal survey questionnaire. Ultimately, the article evaluates ERM in terms of approach which affects the strategic orientation, preconditions for ERM implementation, the effect of ERM on business success, and a structural model of ERM in SMEs. Summary Risk The article provides the definition of risk as the probable uncertainty of outcomes stemming from a choice, and a reflecting variation in the distribution of potential outcomes probabilities and subjective values (March Shapira, 1987). Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) ERM evaluates risk from an all risks-encompassing perspective, which identifies, assesses and monitors all threats and opportunities facing a firm. Thus, promoting increased risk management awareness to support the firm-wide approach, and translate the approach into operational and strategic management decisions (Brustbauer, 2016). 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The Gender Equity in Schools Free Essays

Gender Equality Report on Education This report is designed to inform on Gender Equity in Schools and educational fact; it was produced to raise awareness to those who seek knowledge in this area. StudentsSchools are working to become more gender equitable. Surveys show girls are loosing out to boys in areas such as who takes advancement classes, who graduates college and even the salary of a post college job. We will write a custom essay sample on The Gender Equity in Schools or any similar topic only for you Order Now Amazing as it is girls only make 14% of those who take advance classes, where as 26% of boys make advance classes (these values are slowly equaling). Also the vast majority of chemistry, physics, science and computer majors are male. This may be related to the fact that 75% of science and math teachers are male. Finally post college jobs on average offer 25% more salary to male employees. On higher level, there should be more equality to give girls a chance to earn positions higher than a traditional blue-collar job. Elementary Level Education Starting at a early age girls begin to be dominated in educational and most recreational areas; for example boys on average raise their hands to answer questions asked by the teacher eight times more often than girls do. And it is very common for males to receive more praises or constructive criticism on their responses to the question that the teacher asks, where as girls get the more superficial â€Å"ok† reaction (but that is not always the case). In a typical schoolyard the area that boys play in is ten times larger than the area witch girls play in. Self-esteem Self-esteem is an important part of the success of all levels of education. Research states that an average girls are more likely to doubt their selves and are quicker to let go of their goals and to except failure. Even though girls are more likely to doubt their selves and are quicker to except failure doesn†t mean that boys don†t doubt their selves and don†t except failure quickly, it means that the majority of girls do. The number of teenager children who aspire to glamorous occupations such as rock stars, movie actors, and sport stars are overwhelmingly male. This â€Å"Glamour Gap† severely lowers the self-esteem of females to the point where their academic achievements drop and further increasing the â€Å"Glamour Gap†. Generally girls hopes are lower for their future careers than boys hopes for their future careers. The â€Å"Gender Gap† There are three new schools in Detroit, and two have only boy students. The Educational Council surveyed the schools and found only one girl at the age of five in one of the new schools. Teachers feel that this is a good opportunity for the children because there will be no fighting between girls and boys such as boys sexually harassing girls and boys teasing girls and viceversa. There also will be much less of a â€Å"Gender Gap†. The â€Å"Gender Gap† is boys receiving a higher level of education than girls because of dependent variables such as boys raising their hands more often than girls do, boys use ten times more area to play on than girls use to play on etc†¦ Math and Science Math and science teachers have the most dramatic and most easily measured effects on adolescent students. There is a serious relationship between math class, science class, and teenage self-esteem. When teenage students do well in math class and science class their self-esteem raises but a small decrease in these academic achievements can severely wound their pride and self-respect, therefore lowering their self-esteem drastically. Conclusion In conclusion, we would say there needs to be a major increase in gender equity not only in schools but also in the work place, sports, and all other recreational and non-recreational actives. If we don†t stop this at an early age then children won†t learn any thing they will continue their stereotyping and harassing behavior on life, after school, extracurricular actives, college, and work; and why will they carry it on in life? Because they were never taught right from wrong. Classes like Challenges is a very good way to get children from a young age to change their behavior (if it is an expectable), and it is a good way to incorporate fun and learning about every day topics like sexual harassment, conflict resolution and many other topics together. How to cite The Gender Equity in Schools, Papers

The Gender Equity in Schools Free Essays

Gender Equality Report on Education This report is designed to inform on Gender Equity in Schools and educational fact; it was produced to raise awareness to those who seek knowledge in this area. StudentsSchools are working to become more gender equitable. Surveys show girls are loosing out to boys in areas such as who takes advancement classes, who graduates college and even the salary of a post college job. We will write a custom essay sample on The Gender Equity in Schools or any similar topic only for you Order Now Amazing as it is girls only make 14% of those who take advance classes, where as 26% of boys make advance classes (these values are slowly equaling). Also the vast majority of chemistry, physics, science and computer majors are male. This may be related to the fact that 75% of science and math teachers are male. Finally post college jobs on average offer 25% more salary to male employees. On higher level, there should be more equality to give girls a chance to earn positions higher than a traditional blue-collar job. Elementary Level Education Starting at a early age girls begin to be dominated in educational and most recreational areas; for example boys on average raise their hands to answer questions asked by the teacher eight times more often than girls do. And it is very common for males to receive more praises or constructive criticism on their responses to the question that the teacher asks, where as girls get the more superficial â€Å"ok† reaction (but that is not always the case). In a typical schoolyard the area that boys play in is ten times larger than the area witch girls play in. Self-esteem Self-esteem is an important part of the success of all levels of education. Research states that an average girls are more likely to doubt their selves and are quicker to let go of their goals and to except failure. Even though girls are more likely to doubt their selves and are quicker to except failure doesn†t mean that boys don†t doubt their selves and don†t except failure quickly, it means that the majority of girls do. The number of teenager children who aspire to glamorous occupations such as rock stars, movie actors, and sport stars are overwhelmingly male. This â€Å"Glamour Gap† severely lowers the self-esteem of females to the point where their academic achievements drop and further increasing the â€Å"Glamour Gap†. Generally girls hopes are lower for their future careers than boys hopes for their future careers. The â€Å"Gender Gap† There are three new schools in Detroit, and two have only boy students. The Educational Council surveyed the schools and found only one girl at the age of five in one of the new schools. Teachers feel that this is a good opportunity for the children because there will be no fighting between girls and boys such as boys sexually harassing girls and boys teasing girls and viceversa. There also will be much less of a â€Å"Gender Gap†. The â€Å"Gender Gap† is boys receiving a higher level of education than girls because of dependent variables such as boys raising their hands more often than girls do, boys use ten times more area to play on than girls use to play on etc†¦ Math and Science Math and science teachers have the most dramatic and most easily measured effects on adolescent students. There is a serious relationship between math class, science class, and teenage self-esteem. When teenage students do well in math class and science class their self-esteem raises but a small decrease in these academic achievements can severely wound their pride and self-respect, therefore lowering their self-esteem drastically. Conclusion In conclusion, we would say there needs to be a major increase in gender equity not only in schools but also in the work place, sports, and all other recreational and non-recreational actives. If we don†t stop this at an early age then children won†t learn any thing they will continue their stereotyping and harassing behavior on life, after school, extracurricular actives, college, and work; and why will they carry it on in life? Because they were never taught right from wrong. Classes like Challenges is a very good way to get children from a young age to change their behavior (if it is an expectable), and it is a good way to incorporate fun and learning about every day topics like sexual harassment, conflict resolution and many other topics together. How to cite The Gender Equity in Schools, Papers

Sales and Marketing Customer Loyalty

Question: Discuss about the Sales and Marketingfor Customer Loyalty. Answer: Aim of the Project Customer loyalty and purchase trends can be analysed in a systematic way. Goods purchased at different periods by the same customers can be grouped into sequences. Methods of sequential pattern mining can then be used to investigate changes in customer consumption or loyalty, and suggest adjustments on the pricing and variety of goods in order to help retain customers and attract new ones (Bassi, 2009). By the end of the project, we shall be trying to answer the key questions that arise from this project. The key questions are: What does a Loyalty Card do for any type of retailer that cannot be observed from the level of details in the invoice and baskets? How can the success of these loyalty programs be measured? What data is to be mined for in the loyalty programs? What are the various data mining techniques? How to identify the loyal customers and support them from the loyalty program data? Project Background It is to be noted that any normal customer has to go through 5 different stages throughout their Lifecycle. These stages are being depicted in the figure 1 herein. Figure: 1 In each step, data analytics can be made use of as a tool to make the right decisions for the following: Right Customer / Prospect: based on the estimates from the Lifetime Profitability. Right Message: based on the resonance and connection with the targeted customer group. Right Channel: based on the estimates of ROI and the response rates. Right Promo / Offer: based on the estimates of ROI and the response rates. The entire process is often described to be a marketing process driven by the customers. At the core of the process lies the usage of the data that is available about the customers transactions along with the demographics and various other characteristics for segment targeting and personalising the marketing efforts of the organisation (Butler, 2005). Data Analytics and Methodology Customer Loyalty Systems The data, which is primarily to be used in the project, for understanding the marketing system oriented around the customer is generally taken from the Loyalty Management System of a retailer. Maximum of the retailers in the modern business world has adopted the above mentioned system (Czarniewski, 2014). This type of system is generally used for accumulation of reward points and its redemption. It is to be noted that Shoppers was the first organisation to step foot in this system with their initiative known as First Citizen and following the same, most of the major departmental stores have initiated similar loyalty program systems. The primary intention of the different loyalty programs were to be considered as additional incentive for the customers for increasing the level of purchases. With the passage of time, the different organisations started to accumulate data on the pattern of purchasing at the various levels of customers. Soon, the organisations learned the potential that the data had and the new business fronts that would open up based on these data (Dixon, 2010). The purchase pattern, which was primary gathering from the available data, shall be revealing the general preference for any customer, which is much more efficient than any data collected through different surveys, since: Customers can be hiding their true motive and preference in a survey. A survey is generally conducted over a very small scale population of the entire customer base. The cost of collating and fielding the results from the different surveys is very high. The different surveys have to be designed before their execution, thus the retailer needs to make some assumptions, which they are trying to validate or invalidate using the data from the survey. However, it is to be noted that the data from transaction does not have the similar disadvantages as stated above for data collected from surveys (Finlay, 2014). Moreover, the system that is being used for collection of data is already in operation and does not acquire additional high cost for leveraging it for the process of data analysis. Retailers will have the ability to understand preferences of the customers based on the demographic differences. It would be easier for any retailer to stock up on an item that would sell the most based on past purchasing behaviour of the customer base (Guenzi and Troilo, 2006). The ability of a retailer to cross sell and up sell at any POS turns out to be much more effective. The ability for targeting specific customer base with an approach that is focused on the customer instead of the concept of one size is fit for all. Business Brief The Client for the project is considered to be one of the leading lifestyle and apparel goods retailers, which is a subpart of larger conglomerate. The said business has been operating in the region for over 5 years and the previously mentioned client has over 30 stores all over the nation. It is to be noted that the Client for the project had initiated a program pertaining to Customer Loyalty in the mid period of the 2000s. During the period of time for the consideration of collection of data, the retailer had around 350,000 customers in its loyalty program (Inghilleri and Solomon, 2010). For the purpose of the project, two primary streams pertaining to direct marketing were used directing the same exclusively towards the members of the loyalty program. A half-yearly mailing of the brochure of the retailer, with emphasis being laid on the seasonal apparels. Different marketing campaigns focused on a single product, which is carried out by the usage of different campaign channels all through the year. Previously, the concept that one marketing scheme would be applicable for all was being utilised by the client. It was soon understood that this was not an ideal approach to the business. Thus the retailer sought to use the knowledge of data mining for customising their business plans and communication methods to efficiently transform their business and make the marketing process optimal in nature. Customer Segmentation The term segmentation is referring to the practices that help in identification of the homogenous groups that can be different from each other, yet same form the internal structure aspect. In terms of statistics, it I often referred to as groups having the least amount of distance within the group, while at the same time the same having the maximum distance between each other across the group once the identification of the different customer segments have been completed, then we have the task of marketing the best offers or the various promos based on the niche group from the segmented data La and Yi, 2015). Multiple analytical techniques have been used for the segmentation of the customer data, the most widely used technique being the Cluster analysis (Solomon, 2012). This method helps in identifying the segments that are naturally occurring within the entire data set or the customer base. It also helps in the identification of the major variables that are helping to drive the various segments. Moreover, there are advanced methods such as the Decision trees or Latent Class Analysis, etc for various situations where the algorithm for Cluster Analysis does not provide us with the intended results (Lawfer, 2004). Segmentation Basis The given can be based on a number of topics such as demography, latitudinal and even value based (Demographic information, 2000). The perfect basis for the different segmentation would be dependent on the ultimate objective of the business. The table below is an illustration of the segmentation scheme being dictated by the objectives of the business. Data The primary data source for the project is considered to be collected from the customer loyalty program, which is active within the clients business (Martirano, 2016). The system provided us with three primary streams of data. Customer Personal Details Loyalty Program Tenures Demographics Occupation, age, Marital Status, Gender, etc. Customer Transaction Details Basket Level Price of the different items that are brought together Level of Items in the basket The discount amount of the different items that have been purchased. Mode of payment preferred by the customer. Item Master Details Item Description and the Codes Hierarchy of the item across several levels. Store Master Details The size of the store, the period of operation of the store, intensity of competition and the area of catchment. Data Preparation The three major activities that shall be carried out within this section before the creation of the proper model for analysis are: Transformation of the raw data to the level of the customer by the aggregation of the primary key variables. Derivation of necessary variables dependent on the requirement of the scheme of segmentation from the basic primary variables (Merceron, Blikstein and Siemens, 2015). The total customer population is to be split into two sections. One for creation of the model and the other as a holdout sample for validation of the results from the created models. It is to be noted that at the level of the customer, the segmentation procedure would be applicable on the primary transactional variables such as the ones mentioned in the list herein below: Frequency, Recency and Monetary Variables. of visits by the customer to the retailer per year. of items that has been purchased upon every visit. Amount that has been spent on each category in every year. The behavioural patterns of a customer to chase after promotional values and offers and discounts. It is to be noted that the different variable for the customer profile are to be made from the basic information available, such as the preference in Lifestyle from the pattern of purchase across the different segments available for purchase (Mehta, 2008). Variables pertaining to the Life-Stage are also to be created by the use of marital status, age and the no. of children the customer has. Analytical Model After the data has been prepared in the previous step, an algorithm pertaining to the Non-Hierarchical method is to be used for determining the membership segment (Predictive Analytics: The Core of Data Mining, 2016). The process of modelling shall be looking into different combinations of clusters and the ideal one shall be the 5 cluster solution. The no. of exact segments was decided upon because of: Objective Statistical Criteria Primary Statistical Criterion such as the Pseudo F Statistic or the Cubic Clustering Criterion, RMSSTD, etc. Clusters having their own pattern over the modelling unit and the hold out sample unit. Sizes are same. The mean values of the different primary variables are same. Subjective Criteria Driven by Business The Size of the different clusters. The clusters should be large enough to give out meaningful action for the marketing solutions (Raphel, Raphel and Raye, 2005). Differentiation among the primary variables. The different clusters should be non-similar in nature on several factors such as, category wise purchase value, total purchase value, etc. Segmentation Results The Clusters that has been processed form the modelling process has been profiled based on the demographics of the customers for creation of a holistic description, which are given herein below: Loyal Families: 17% of the total customer population. Married Value Seekers (Loyal) Comprises of 18% of the total population (Stinson, 2008). Married Shoppers (Occassional) 34% of the total customer population Single Female (Pormo and Discount Hunter) Consists of 19% of the total customer population. Single Male (Value Seeker) Comprises of around 12% of the total customer base. Plan and Time Table The plan for the project has already been made. The data analytics and data mining model has been decided upon. A basic study of the retailer data has been made from the loyalty program. A further analysis of the same using the prescribed data analytics model would help us in finding out further characteristics of the different segments that has been mentioned herein above. Based on the different characteristics, the retailer would be able to focus their marketing process on the different segment and come up with different products, discounts and promotional offers for the different segments (Timm, 2001). Based on the plan a grant chart has been prepared depicting the various stages of the procedure and the total time it would take to execute the same. Task Days Planning the process Collection of Data from the Loyalty Program Designing the Analytical Model Data Analysis Recommendations References Bassi, F. (2009). Latent Class Models for Marketing Strategies.Methodology, 5(2), pp.40-45. Butler, T. (2005).Power conflict, commitment the development of sales marketing IS/IT infrastructures at Digital Devices, Inc.. 1st ed. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Pub. Czarniewski, S. (2014). Building Customer Loyalty on the Polish Market.ECONOMICS SOCIOLOGY, 7(3), pp.208-222. Demographic information. (2000). 1st ed. Oak Lawn, Ill.: The Village. Dixon, R. (2010).Methodology. 1st ed. Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford University Press. Finlay, S. (2014).Predictive analytics, data mining and big data. 1st ed. Basingstoke [u.a.]: Palgrave Macmillan. Guenzi, P. and Troilo, G. (2006). Developing marketing capabilities for customer value creation through MarketingSales integration.Industrial Marketing Management, 35(8), pp.974-988. Inghilleri, L. and Solomon, M. (2010).Exceptional service, exceptional profit. 1st ed. New York: American Management Association. La, S. and Yi, Y. (2015). A Critical Review of Customer Satisfaction, Customer Loyalty, Relationship Marketing, and Customer Relationship Management.Korean Marketing Review, 30(1), p.53. Lawfer, M. (2004).Why customers come back. 1st ed. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press. Martirano, M. (2016). Transcendental Phenomenology: Overlooked Methodology for Marketing Research.International Journal of Marketing Studies, 8(3), p.58. Mehta, J. (2008).Advertising, marketing and sales management. 1st ed. Jaipur, India: Book Enclave. Merceron, A., Blikstein, P. and Siemens, G. (2015). Learning analytics: From big data to meaningful data.Journal of Learning Analytics, 2(3), pp.4-8. Predictive Analytics: The Core of Data Mining. (2016).International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 5(5), pp.2075-2079. Raphel, M., Raphel, N. and Raye, J. (2005).The complete idiot's guide to winning customer loyalty. 1st ed. Indianapolis, Ind.: Alpha Books. Solomon, M. (2012).High-tech, high-touch customer service. 1st ed. New York: American Management Association. Stinson, P. (2008).Sales, marketing, business and finance. 1st ed. New York: Ferguson Pub. Timm, P. (2001).Seven power strategies for building customer loyalty. 1st ed. New York: AMACOM.

An Overview on Physics essays

An Overview on Physics essays Physics; it is the branch of science concerned with the properties of matter and energy and the relationships between them. Many people think that physics is just another boring school subject, but in my eyes it is the most fascinating of all scientific fields. It explains why things happen the way that they do. Physics explains why when you drop and apple why it falls to the ground instead of just floating there and it even explains how life is possible! Every day we encounter physics in the world around us. Simple physics ideas such as gravity, magnetic fields and friction have always been around, but we havent always known about them. I would like to showcase a few of the brilliant people throughout our history who discovered and created the science of physics. It is difficult to find exactly who began using numbers, mathematics and science first but an early use of numbers was by the Babylonia, located in modern day Iraq. In about 2500 B.C Royal Edict created the first standardized system of numbers and measurement. Their systems of numbers were based on 6s, which is called a sexagesimal number system and contained no zero. (Fowler. 1) But they did not use out modern day pounds and ounces system. The system was their own. Even though the ability to measure correctly doesnt seem like a big deal when it comes to the creation of physics, it actually was. Because even though measurement is such a simple ideas, with big ideas, like physics you always have to start out small and build your way up; which is exactly what other cultures built their own system based of this one. In later years the Romans began on a system of their own, which occasionally still use today. Their system was based off of tens, and contained no zero; only 1s, 5s and 10s. Then we based our own system of numbers, the one we still use today off of the Roman system. Our numerical system is called a decima...

Dock Line Terms and Best Practices for Securing Your Boat

Dock Line Terms and Best Practices for Securing Your Boat Plenty of poorly secured boats have floated away from the dock after a shift in weather or tide. It happens to everyone once, but after the first time, youll want to learn the basics. To understand how to tie a boat up securely, you need to understand basic boat architecture and terms. These are quite basic, so most of you may already know many of these terms. However, it never hurts to review them. Lets start with the two basic lines that hold each boat to the tying fixtures on the dock. If you are tying to a buoy then you want to review mooring basics since our current discussion is about tying to docks. Bow Line The bow line runs from a cleat or chock and over the forward gunwale, where the line should be fitted with a chafe guard. The line is then finally secured to the tying fixture on the dockside which could be a cleat, bollard, post, or ring. The knot required will vary according to the tie point. Stern Line The stern line is attached to the stern tying fixture that is closest to the dock. Securing the stern from the outboard tying fixture or a central bit is not recommended since it will be more difficult to retain tension. A chafe guard can also be used here, but the stern line moves over the gunwale much less than at the bow. In situations where the boat is in a slip or berth, then the second set of lines is attached to hold the boat in a central position. Lines should be tied tightly unless a spring line is used. Spring Lines A single spring line makes a boat much more secure, so its highly recommended. There are two types of spring lines: forward springs and aft springs. The name of a spring line refers to which direction it is traveling when leaving the boat. So a forward spring travels from the stern forward from one-half to one-third of the vessel length before being secured to the dock. The forward spring brings the stern of the boat close to the face wall by pulling forward. An aft spring line travels from the bow or forward gunwale back to the dock with a length about half the length of the vessel. An aft spring is best rigged after a forward spring to keep tension even throughout all lines. Spring lines are useful to keep winds that are parallel to the dock from pulling the vessel away from its position. Tides and Tying There are plenty of devices of various qualities made to secure boats against tidal forces, but your regular dock lines will do the job if you know how to rig them correctly. Bow and stern lines need to be long enough to slack and keep the vessel from pulling the tying fixtures free. In some cases, boats can sink from poor tidal planning, so be careful and check the tide charts for your area. Spring lines will keep the vessel in position horizontally as long as they are set to the correct length, which should be barely tight at low tide.

Case study for surgical technologist student Essay

Case study for surgical technologist student - Essay Example A recommended test will be either a CT scan or an MRI of the brain preferably together with an echocardiogram. The possible diagnosis is a transient ischemic attack or TIA due to smoking. If there is blockage, then a balloon angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery is needed. Diabetes causes hyperglycemia which is elevated blood sugar in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. Hyperglycemia can cause neuropathy which also includes collateral damage from microvascular injuries as well as macrovascular injuries due to repeated trauma or insults (either vascular or biochemical in nature) and an increased capillary hydrostatic pressure (Joslin & Khan, 2005, p. 1135). Hugos prognosis is five years without claudication when his own vein is used but the fem-pop bypass will remain open in about 50% of the cases five years after surgery if an artificial graft is used. Considering Hugo is now 65 years old, possible complications include leg swelling, bleeding and heart attack or stroke as he is a high-risk case. The risk of death is estimated at 1% to 3% of all surgery cases. 1. Collateral flow – refers to the alternative blood supply flow to the myocardium that has been jeopardized by ischemia (sometimes spelled as ischaemia). This is the process in which small and normally closed blood vessels (arteries) open up to serve as alternate routes if there is coronary heart disease, myocardial ischemia or a stroke (www.americanheart.org). 2. The difference – an ischemia is just a temporary stoppage in the supply of the needed oxygen to the heart for a very brief period of time while an infarction occurs when the heart muscles are deprived of the oxygen for too long that the muscles eventually die. There are other cases of ischemia and infarction occurring other than the heart such as what happens in the intestines due to a hernia, adhesions, arterial

What it means to be a professional in the military (army) Essay

What it means to be a professional in the military (army) - Essay Example It is practically impossible to uphold the acceptable standards in any professional without understanding the underlying principles. Professional militants keep themselves updated with changes in rules and regulations. Professionalism particularly in the military always calls for focus on work objectives. Doing anything outside the given instructions qualifies as unprofessionalism. Military professionalism is not all about war and fights. It is about restoring peace and harmony in the society by use of means that are humanely acceptable. This demands good ethical standards. Indeed, military professionalism and ethics are inseparable. For instance, it is unethical and therefore unprofessional for a military professional to torture an innocent civilian for pleasure or fun. Technical expertise is always essential for military professionalism but it is fruitless if not guided by the realms of good morals and ethical standards. Professionalism in the military means demonstrating sound judgment even in difficult and demanding situations. Prudence and careful thought makes a good military professional. This is because military professionals often face challenging situations that demand prompt decision-making. Quality of their decisions determines the discourse in a war. A bad decision by a military leader may mean death to many of his military men or a continuation of a fight. Arguably, most wars in history were escalated by bad decision making as opposed to technical expertise. Discipline plays a very important role in success of any professional career. Military professionals are given more rights, freedom, and power of authority as compared to ordinary citizens. They can be termed as â€Å"special citizens.† These rights and privileges are prone to abuse if discipline is not maintained. Professionalism in the military therefore means upholding the highest level of discipline to the authority, oneself and

The Seven Layer Osi Model

The Seven Layer Osi Model Seven-layer OSI model is a logical layer and developed by the ISO international standardization organization. The purpose of this layer is to understand the transmission of data flows from source to destination and to identify problems during data transmission. The seven layers include Application, Presentation, Session, Transport, Network, Data link and Physical layer. The sequence of layer names to be remembered by this phrase All people seem to need data processing. The following is a general description of each layer. OSI reference model is now being considered as the main model for the internetworking and inter computing. The seven layers divide the task of data transmission in sub tasks and then complete the data transmission cycle. QUESTION 1 In the 1980s, the European-dominated International Standards Organization (ISO) began to develop its Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) networking suite. OSI has two major components: an abstract model of networking (the Basic Reference Model, or seven-layer model), and a set of concrete protocols. Briefly explain each of the seven OSI layer included their function and usage in data communication and networking. OSI Reference Model OSI reference model (Open Systems Interconnection) illustrates how information from a software application on a computer moves through a network medium to a software application on another computer. OSI reference model is conceptually divided into 7 layers where each layer has a specific network function, as described by figure 1.1 (with no physical media). This model was created based on a proposal made by the International Standards Organization (ISO) as a first step toward international standardization of protocols used at various layers. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½This model is called ISO OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) Reference Model because this model is intended for sharing open systemà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½.[1] Open Systems can be interpreted as an open system to communicate with other systems. For his brief, we will call this model as the OSI model only. Figure 1.1. OSI Reference Model OSI model has seven layers. The principles used for the seven layers are: 1. A layer must be made when needed different levels of abstraction. 2. Each layer shall have certain functions. 3. The function of each layer should be chosen carefully in accordance with the provisions of international protocol standards. 4. Layer boundaries labored to minimize the flow of information through the interface. 5. The number of layers must be quite a lot, so that different functions do not need to be united in a single layer outside needs. However, the number of layers must also be cultivated as little as possible so that the network architecture does not become difficult to use. Below discuss about each layer of the OSI model sequentially, starting from the bottom layer. It should be noted that the OSI model itself is not network architecture, because this model does not explain the exact services and protocols to be used on any layer. OSI model only explains about what should be done by a layer. However, ISO has also established standards for all layers, although these standards do not constitute a reference model itself. Each layer has been declared as a separate international standard. Characteristics of the OSI Layers To seven layers of OSI reference model can be divided into two categories, namely upper and lower layers. The top layer of the OSI model deals with application issues and generally implemented only in software. The highest layer (application layer) is the cover prior to the user (users), both users and application layer processes interact with software applications that contain a communication component. The term upper layer is sometimes used to refer to some of the top layer of another coating layer in the OSI model. The bottom layer of the OSI model to control data transport issues. Physical layer and data link layer implemented in hardware and software. The layers below the others are generally only implemented in software. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½The lowest layer, the physical layer is a layer of cover for the physical network medium (cable networks), and as responsible for the placement of information on the network mediaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½.[2] The following table shows the separation of the two l ayers in the layers of the OSI model. Application Application Overlay Presentation Session Transport Data Transport Undercoat Network Data Link Physical Table 1.2 Separation of top layer and bottom layer of the OSI model Protocol OSI model provides a conceptual framework for communication between computers, but this model is not a method of communication. In fact communication can occur due to use of communication protocols. In the context of data networks, a protocol is a formal rules and agreements that determine how computers exchange information over a network medium. A protocol implements one or more of the layers of the OSI. A wide variation of the communication protocol, but all maintains the flow in one group: the LAN protocols, WAN protocols, network protocols, and routing protocols. LAN protocols operate at the physical and data link layer of the OSI model and define communication over various LAN media. WAN protocols operate at the third lowest layer of the OSI model and define communication over various WAN. Routing protocol is a network layer protocol that is responsible for determining the road and traffic arrangements. Finally, the network protocol is different from the upper layer protocols th at exist in a series of protocols. Layers of the OSI Model Physical Layer Physical Layer functions in the delivery of raw bits into the channel of communication. Design issues that must be considered here is to ensure that when one side sends data 1 bit, the data must be accepted by the other side as a bit too, and not 0 bit. The question that arises in this case is: how many volts should be used to declare a value of 1? And how many volts is also required for the number 0?. It takes a bit how microsecond will be exhausted? Is the transmission can be processed simultaneously in both directions? How many pins are owned by the network and what is the use of each pin? In general, design problems are found here related to the mechanical, electrical and procedural interfaces, and physical media which is under the physical layer. Data Link Layer The main task of the data link layer is as raw data transmission facility and transforms the data to a channel that is free from transmission errors. Before forwarded who work layer, data link layer perform this task by allowing the sender meme cage breaking input data into a number of data frames (usually numbering in the hundreds or thousands of bytes). Then the data link layer transmits these frames in sequence, and process the acknowledgment frames sent back by the recipient. Because the physical layer send and receive bit stream without regard to the meaning or architectural frame, then depending on the data link layer was to create and recognize frame boundaries it. This can be done by affixing a special bit to the beginning and end of the frame. If incidental bit patterns can be found in the data, it is necessary to pay special attention to ensure that the pattern is not incorrectly considered as the boundaries of the frame. The occurrence of noise in the channel can damage the frame. In this case, the data link layer software on the source machine to send back the broken frame. However, transmission of the same frame over and over again can cause duplication of frames. Duplicate frames need to be sent if an acknowledgment frame from the receiver who returned to the sender has been lost. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Depending on the layer is to overcome the problems that caused the destruction, loss and duplication of frames. The data link layer provides some service classes for the network layer. This service class can be distinguished in terms of quality and priceà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½.[4] Other problems that arise in the data link layer (and also most of the layers above it) are seeking the smooth process of data transmission from the sender to the recipient a slow speed. Mechanism of regulation of traffic data should allow the sender to know the amount of buffer space owned by the recipient at a certain moment. Often setting flow and error handling is done in an integrated manner. Channel that can send data in both directions also can be problematic. So therefore need to be considered for the data link layer software. Problems that can arise here is that the frames acknowledgement flowing from A to B compete with each other ahead of the flow from B to A. Settlement of the best (piggy backing) could have been used, then we shall discuss it in depth. Broadcast networks have an additional problem in the data link layer. The problem is in terms of controlling access to a shared channel. To fix this you can use a special sub layer of data link layer, called the medium acc ess sub layer. Network Layer Network layer serves to control operation of the subnet. Important design problem is how to determine the route packets from source to destination. Route can be based on static tables are linked to network. Route can also be determined at the beginning of a conversation such as a terminal session. Finally, the route can also be very dynamic; it can be different for each package. Therefore, the delivery route of a packet depends on network load at that time. If at the same time in a subnet there are too many packets, then there is the possibility of the packages arrive at the same time. This can lead to bottlenecks. Congestion control as it is also the task of the network layer. Because the sub net operators expect the good fortune of his job duties. There is often some accounting function built at the network layer. To make billing information, at least the software should calculate the number of packets or characters or bits that are sent by each customer. Accounting becomes more co mplicated, when a packet crosses a country that has a different rate. The move packets from one network to another can also cause problems that are not small. Addressing mode used by a network can be different from the methods used by other network. A network may be unable to receive the package at all because the packet size is too big. Protocol was be different, as well as others. Network layer has been given the task to solve all these problems, allowing different networks interconnected to each other. Transport Layer The basic function is the transport layer receives data from the session layer, split the data into pieces smaller if necessary, forwards the data to the network layer, and ensure that all pieces of data can arrive at the other side correctly. Moreover, all this must be done efficiently, and aims to protect the upper layers of the changes in hardware technology that can not be avoided. Under normal circumstances, the transport layer makes the network connection is different for each transport connection which is required by the session layer. When the transport connection requires a high throughput, then the transport layer can make a lot of network connections. Transport layer divide sending data to a number of networks to increase throughput. On the other hand, if the manufacture or maintenance of the network connection is quite expensive, transport layer can combine multiple transport connections to the same network connection. This is done to make this merger is not seen by the s ession layer. Transport layer also determines the type of service for the session layer, and in turn the type of service for users of the network. Type of the most popular transport layer is a channel error-free point to point that forward messages or bytes in accordance with the order delivery. However, there are also other types of transport services. The services are transport isolated messages that do not guarantee order of delivery, and broadcast messages to a number of purposes. Type of service determined when the connection starts. Transport layer is a layer end to end in fact, from source to destination. In other words, a program on the source machine to bring the conversation with the same program on the target machine. In the lower layers, there are protocols between the two machines and other machines that are close by. Protocol is not located in the outer or the source machines outer purpose machine, which may be separated by a router. The differences between layers 1 to 3 are intertwined and layer 4 to 7 are end to end. This can be explained as shown in Figure 1-1. In addition to merging multiple streams of messages into a single channel, transport layer must be careful in defining and deciding on the network connection. This process requires a naming mechanism, so that a process on a machine has a way to explain with whom the machine wants to talk. Also there should be a mechanism to regulate the flow of information, so that the flow of information from a fast host does not overwhelm a slow host. Such mechanism is called flow control and plays an important role in the transport layer (also in other layers). Flow control between hosts with different hosts by controlling the flow of the router with the router. Well find out later that the same principles used for both types of the control. Session Layer Session layer allows users to establish sessions with other users. A session in addition allows ordinary data transport, as did the transport layer, also provides special services for specific applications. A session is used to allow one user logs into a remote timesharing system or to move files from one machine to another to machine. A session layer service is to implement the dialogue control. Sessions can allow traffic to move in two directions at one time or only in one direction only. If at one time in traffic only in one direction only analogous to a single railway line, the session layer helps to determine who is entitled to use the channels turn at an instant. Service sessions are described as token management. For some protocols, it is important to ensure that both parties concerned do not perform surgery at the same time. To regulate this activity, the session layer provides tokens that can turn. Only a party that holds the token is allowed performs critical operations. Another session is a synchronization service. Take for example that can occur when trying to transfer files that lasted 2 hours from one machine to another machine with the possibility of having an interval of 1 hour between the two crashes that can occur. After each transfer is canceled, the transfer may need to be repeated again from scratch, and may experience another failure. To reduce the possibility of this problem, the session layer can insert a specific sign to the flow of data. Therefore, if a crash, only the data that is after the sign is to be transferred back. Presentation Layer Presentation layer performs certain functions that are required to ensure the discovery of a common solution for certain problems. Presentation Layer does not allow users to solve their own problems. Unlike the layers underneath are only moving the bits from one place to another place, presentation layer attention to syntax and semantics of information transmitted. One example is the encoding of data presentation service. Most users do not move a random string of binary bits. The users exchange data just as the name, date, amount of money, and bills. The items are expressed in the form of a string of characters, integer numbers, floating point numbers, a data structure formed from some simpler items. There is a difference between one computer to another computer in a given code to declare a string of characters (for example, ASCII and Unicode), integer (for example, complement and complement one two), and so forth. To allow the two computers that have different presentation to commun icate, data structures to be exchanged can be expressed by means of abstract, in accordance with standard encoding to be used on line. Presentation layer-data set and convert this abstract structure of representation that is used on a computer into a network standard representation, and vice versa. Application Layer Application layer consists of a variety of protocols. For example there are hundreds of incompatible terminal types in the entire world. Take the situation where full-screen editor is expected to work on a network with a variety of terminals, which each have different screen layouts, have a way different sequence of keystrokes for the insertion and deletion of text, move the sensor and so forth. One way to overcome such problems in data is to define an abstract network virtual terminal, so editors and other programs can be written for each corresponding. To handle each terminal type, one part of the software must be written to map the network virtual terminal functions to the actual terminal. For example, when moving the cursor editor virtual terminal into the left corner of the screen, the software should issue the appropriate command sequence to achieve the cursor. All virtual terminal software is in the application layer. Another application layer function is file transfer. File systems from one another have different naming conventions, how to express the lines of text are different, and so forth. Transfer files from a system different to other systems that require treatment to overcome the lack of this compatible. The task is also a job application layer, such as electronic mail, remote job entry, directory lookup, and various general purpose facilities and other special purpose facilities. CONCLUSION The process of sending a data to be sent to the recipient. Sender processes submitting data to the application layer, which then add the user application header, the AH (which may also be empty), the front end and submit the results to the presentation layer. Presentation layer can form these data in various ways and may just add a header at the front end, which is given by the session layer. It is important to remember that the presentation layer is not aware of the data which are marked AH by application layer is the data users really are. The process of granting this header repeated until the data reaches the physical layer, where data will be transmitted to other machines. On these machines, all headers were be removed one by one until reaching the admissions process. Figure1 .3 Examples of how the OSI model used The key here is that although the actual data transmission is each layer is programmed as though the transmission in question took place horizontally. For example, when transport layer delivery get a message from the session layer, transport layer will then affix the transport layer header and sends it to the receiver transport layer. INTRODUCTION Computer networks are a tool, known also as nodes, relating to media liaison. Node may consist of a computer, printer or other device to send and receive data generated by other nodes, nodes in the network. Media Liaison, also known as communication media. On this day, there are various types of networks, including local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN). The largest network in the world is the Internet. Edit Development. Network started with a small building, the connection about ten computers and a printer. The technology that exists at the time the computer is connected to limit the number and length of communications cable that can be allowed on the network. In the early nineties the communication cable can be pulled so far about 600 feet to the extension of approximately 30 computers only. This network is suitable for a small organization known as local area network (LAN). LANs typically connect devices in a building or a building. A LAN can be built only with two computers and a printer or can be extended only in one building to include audio and video software. LAN size is limited to a distance of several kilometers only. LAN with data rates from 4 Mbps to 100 Mbps. Network connections from different countries has established the development of LAN to the wide area network (WAN). WAN can be sending data, audio and video at distances up to cover a country or continent or around the world. QUESTION 2 Briefly explain at least four (4) topologies of networks and suggest how we implement these topologies in networking. MAIN BODY Network can be of any of the following three types: Local Area Network: Figure: 2.1 Local Area Network Local Area Network (LAN) is a limited range of geographical barriers such as a laboratory, a school or building. In a typical LAN configuration, one of the computers used as file server file server that functions to keep all the software that controls the network. All computers are connected to the server file known as a workstation. Computer workstation comprising a desktop computer specifications less than the server and also may have software on the disk severity. Cable used to connect the LAN via network card installed on each computer. Metropolitan Area Network: Figure : 2.2 Metropolitan Area Network Town Area Network (MAN) covers a wider geographical area as a region or city. Widespread area network connecting a number of Local Area Network in a place to enable sharing of information carried. Universities and government agencies Wide spread Area Network to communicate with the other communities and private industries. One example is the MAN MIND Network, located in Pasco County, Florida which enables communication between the Central Pasco Media Center Main Frame using a telephone line, coaxial cable, and wireless communication providers. Wide Area Network: Figure : 2.3 Wide Area Network Widespread Area Network (WAN) covers a wider area as a state, nation and world. To create a WAN requires systems across the sea or the use of microwave or satellite. Use WAN enables communication between the states can be implemented quickly. Configuring the WAN is complex and requires a hardware multiplexing multiplexer for LAN and MAN links for access to a comprehensive communications network such as the Internet. Network Topology: Figure : 3.1 Network Topology à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½A computer network system using communication line that connects computers to each otherà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½.[5] There are various methods that can be used for the communication and is known as topology. Topology can be considered as a virtual shape or structure of a network. This shape actually does not correspond to the actual physical design of the devices on the computer network. The computers on the home network can be arranged in a circle shape but it does not necessarily mean that it presents a ring topology. There are few types of topologies for computer networks, namely: Star Network Topology Figure :3.1.1 Star Network Topology Star topology is a network where all computers or other devices connected to the central distribution system, known as the Hub or Switch. Hub or Switch is responsible for managing the computer network. All messages or data that is sent to a central control hub for avoid collisions from occurring. There are two operations that used by the hub or switch that is operating broadcast and the operations of the transition switching. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Distribution operations, hub or switch will make the delivery of data received from one station to all the routes connecting them. In transition operations, the hub or switch will save the data received and sends the data through a receiving stationà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½.[3] Each node can be connected to the network and can be removed at any time without affecting the whole system of directly by. Furthermore, if one node does not work, it will not affect other computer networks. Any damage to the connection between the hub nodes will not affect the system as a whole, but if the damage occurred on the hub, the entire system will also be affected. The main weakness of this topology is that it requires a fairly high cost in view of all systems connected to it computers, scanners, printers, etc. requires its own cable. Ring Network Topology Figure :3.1.2 Ring Network Topology In local area networks where the ring topology is used, each computer is connected to the network in a closed loop or ring. The Messages or data to be transferred in order according to the same path in the same ring. Network technology was first used by IBM systems with Type I in the category of cable shielded Twisted Pair STP. Each data node will be checked by delivery location. If not the same node strike, it will be submitted to the next node and this will continue until the delivery address the same node strike. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½As the data is transferred by the same route as the sequence of the potential for violations of data that appears to be similar to the network and can be removed at any time without affecting the whole system of directly byà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½.[6] However, one problem that arises is if a node fails, the entire network will probably also be affected. Arrangement of nodes in this topology is almost the same physically as star topology; only a logical was a ring. The attachment is required in this topology is called Multi Station Access Unit (MSAU). MSAU is installed in a ring-shaped network where it is more than one unit. If only one unit only used the physical topology is similar to the star connection. Bus Network Topology Figure :3.1.3 Bus Network Topology Bus topology, are also known as the Ethernet using a line length where each node in relation to him. Data will be sent by each node in the hope that it does not collide with data transmitted from other nodes. If it happens, the node will try again until successful. Weakness of the bus topology is in terms of maintenance. It is quite difficult to maintain in view of the connection is in the form of a series. In the event of damage to any line at any node, it will cause the entire system will not work. In addition to accurately locate points or nodes those are damaged. Each node can be connected to the network and can be removed at any time without affecting the whole system directly. Furthermore, if one node does not work nor does it affect other computer networks. The other advantage is there in this topology is that it uses a single cable and requires no additional hardware to build the network. But it does not require a very high cost for maintenance purposes. Tree Network Topology Figure :3.1.4 Tree Network Topology The tree topology is essentially a hybrid of the bus and star layouts. It is also known as a hierarchical topology and has a central root node that is connected to one or more nodes of a lower hierarchy. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½In a symmetrical hierarchy, each node in the network has a specific fixed number of nodes connected to those at a lower levelà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½.[3] Apart from these basic types of network topologies, there are hybrid network topologies, which are composed of a combination of two or more basic topologies. These network mappings aim at harnessing the advantages of each of the basic topologies used in them. Network topologies are the physical arrangements of network nodes and wires. What is interesting is that the inanimate nodes and wires turn live for the transmission of information. Mesh Network Topology Figure :3.1.5 Mesh Network Topology In a full mesh network, each network node is connected to every other node in the network. Due to this arrangement of nodes, it becomes possible for a simultaneous transmission of signals from one node to several other nodes. In a partially connected mesh network, only some of the network nodes are connected to more than one node. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½This is beneficial over a fully connected mesh in terms of redundancy caused by the point-to-point links between all the nodesà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½.[5] The nodes of a mesh network require possessing some kind of routing logic so that the signals and the data traveling over the network take the shortest path during each of the transmissions. CONCLUSION Topologies are essence of computer networks design. Efficient networks can only be built based on the complete knowledge and understanding of above mentioned topologies. Knowledge of every communication device is of equal importance to help you find the best option for your network requirements. Optimum networks can be built with complete knowledge and understanding of computer network devices and how they are designed, any mistake in choosing inappropriate techniques, device etc can only be the waste of time, resources and efforts. APPENDIX Figure 1.1. OSI Reference Model Application Application Overlay Presentation Session Transport Data Transport Undercoat Network Data Link Physical Table 1.2 Separation of top layer and bottom layer of the OSI model Figure1 .3 Examples of how the OSI model used Figure: 2.1 Local Area Network Figure : 2.2 Metropolitan Area Network Figure : 2.3 Wide Area Network Figure : 3.1 Network Topology Figure :3.1.1 Star Network Topology Figure :3.1.2 Ring Network Topology Figure :3.1.3 Bus Network Topology Figure :3.1.4 Tree Network Topology

Downside of the Excellent American Education System

In the book why they excel, we can see that American education system is good by looking from the result of the progress of technology and economic in this country but why Asian students is better than American students in United states, is it because of our system education is lower than their system education or from the quality of the people?. We can answer this by looking our system education from the success and failure and my experience in here. We all know that American education system is good, as a result we can see it from the invention of many things for example like internet technology or computing system. The success from this education, we can see from the quality of the education, we know that United States is very popular in education, for example so many people from United States can work in out of this country easily after finishing their school. The system of education here is very good, in which studying in this country is very nice because we can study what we want without taking so many general educations. For example when we want to study business Computer information system, we can finish it by 3 years. But other country like Indonesia, we cannot graduate just by 3 years only because so many general educations we have to take there. So it is not efficient to take many General educations because it is not important, anyway we will forget it after we finish school. On the other hand American education has some disadvantages, for example like Asian students can do better than American students, it is really crazy things, because Asian students have to study the language first before they study here. But in fact Asian students are better. We can see why Asian students are better because of 2 sides, in which it is intern side and extern side. Intern side is for example like the motivation of their parents, and Confucianism. And extern side is the quality of their high school in Asian. So that is why Asian Students do not feel difficulties in studying here. For example like in Singapore in which the standard of the high school there is the highest in this world for math, so the students from Singapore who want to continue their study here they will not feel any difficulties because the level of difficulties in almost all subject is lower than in Singapore. In my experience, I can decide that American education is very good, because we just take like 3 years to take bachelor, and after that we can work to look for money, and it is really good thing, but American system has failure also, for example in my math class, all Asian students can get A, we can see it how bad the quality of high school here, because almost all students have to study new things in university, but in fact all Asian students have already studied that thing in their high school in Asia. Therefore my idea about the success and failure from our experience in studying here is that we have to change the system of the American high school here, because the quality is reallylow, for example like we have to give more subject to all high school students so they can be more competitive with Asian students.

The Golden Lily Chapter 16

I WASTED NO TIME in getting the group together. This was big. I still didn't know the level of danger we were facing, but I refused to take any chances. I chose Clarence's house as a meeting spot, seeing as the hunters didn't know about it yet. It still made me nervous. I would've been nervous even if we'd been meeting in an Alchemist bunker. And apparently, â€Å"hunters† wasn't even the right term. According to their low-quality pamphlet, they called themselves â€Å"The Warriors of Light.† I wasn't sure they deserved that fancy title, especially since in their mission statement, they spelled â€Å"abyss† as â€Å"abiss.† The pamphlet was really very sparse, simply stating that there was an evil walking among humanity and that the Warriors were the force there to destroy it. They urged their fellow humans to be ready and stay pure. None of the vampires were mentioned by name, for which I was glad. The pamphlet also didn't mention much about any of the shared history they claimed to have with the Alchemists. Before we went to Clarence's, Eddie scoured Latte for any sort of tracking device. The very idea creeped me out, the same way being watched at Adrian's did. There was a feeling of violation to it all. It was only my lack of faith in their technology that made me feel somewhat better. â€Å"It seems unlikely they'd be that advanced,† I told Eddie, as he wiggled under the car. â€Å"I mean, that pamphlet looked like it had been made on a 1980s copy machine. I don't know if that's because they've had the pamphlets sitting around that long or if that's the actual machine they still use†¦ but regardless, they don't scream high tech to me.† â€Å"Maybe,† he agreed, voice slightly muffled. â€Å"But we can't take any chances. We don't know what they're capable of. And for all we know, they're trying to hook up with the Alchemists to score technology.† Chills ran through me. It was an outrageous thought: that the Alchemists and this violent fringe group could be related. It had been crazy when Adrian and I had speculated about it and was hard to accept even in the face of mounting evidence. At least now I had enough information to take to my superiors without being ridiculed. Even though I'd never heard of hunters like this, it seemed plausible that somewhere, at some point, they'd tried to connect with my organization. Hopefully someone in the Alchemists could help. Eddie scooted out from under Latte. â€Å"You're clean. Let's head out.† Jill and Angeline were waiting nearby, both tense and anxious. Jill gave Eddie an admiring smile. â€Å"I didn't know you knew how to do any of this. I never would have even thought about it.† He wiped sweat off his forehead. â€Å"You thought guardian training was all about hitting and kicking?† She flushed. â€Å"Pretty much, yeah.† â€Å"Can you tell me about some of this stuff sometime?† asked Angeline. â€Å"Seems like I should know it.† â€Å"Sure,† said Eddie, sounding like he meant it. She beamed. He'd been much easier around her ever since her attitude had become more serious and restrained. I think some of that good behavior had played a role in me getting permission for her to join us tonight. She was still technically on suspension, but I'd managed to get a special exemption on the grounds of our family's so-called religion. I'd used a similar excuse when Jill had been suspended last month, in order to take her to feedings. Even still, we were on very strict orders with Angeline tonight. She couldn't be out for more than two hours, and the price was adding an extra day of suspension to her sentence. We took an abnormal route to Clarence's, and Eddie watched behind us carefully, looking for any signs of pursuit. He tried to explain some of the things I needed to watch for when I was on my own. I was so nervous, I hardly heard. After a tense ride, we made it safely to Clarence's. There, we found Adrian already waiting for us. Dimitri had apparently been downtown earlier and picked Adrian up – no doubt taking all the same precautions Eddie had for travel. I'd given Eddie and Dimitri some of the info on the hunters, but everyone else required a more thorough explanation. We gathered in our usual spot, the formal living room, and Dimitri paced around the room, bracing for an attack at any moment. Clarence looked on from his chair with that typical distracted gaze. When I held up the pamphlet, however, he came to life. â€Å"That's them!† he cried. I thought he might actually spring up from the chair and rip the pamphlet from my hands. â€Å"Those are their symbols!† Most of the same alchemical symbols that had been on the sword were strewn across the pamphlet's front. â€Å"That circle. I remember that circle.† â€Å"The gold symbol,† I confirmed. â€Å"Or, I guess in their case, the sun symbol since they're so obsessed with light and dark.† Clarence looked around frantically. â€Å"They're back! We have to get out of here. I came to this city to escape them, but they've found me. We have no time. Where's Dorothy? Where's Lee? I must pack!† â€Å"Mr. Donahue,† I said, in as a gentle a tone as I could manage, â€Å"they don't know you're here. You're safe.† I didn't know if I believed that and hoped I was convincing. â€Å"She's right,† said Dimitri. â€Å"And even if they did, you know I wouldn't let them hurt you.† There was such confidence and strength in the way Dimitri spoke that I had a feeling that we'd believe him even if a group of Strigoi were invading, and he said, â€Å"It's fine, you're safe.† â€Å"If what you're saying is true,† said Sonya, â€Å"I'm the one that's in danger.† She seemed much calmer than I would be in that situation. â€Å"They're not going to hurt you either,† said Dimitri sharply. â€Å"Especially if you don't leave this house.† â€Å"The research – † she began. † – is nothing compared to your safety,† he finished. There was a look in his eyes that said he would tolerate no arguments. â€Å"You need to get back to Court. You were planning on it anyway. Just make the trip early.† Sonya didn't look happy about that. â€Å"So I leave the rest of you in danger?† â€Å"Maybe we aren't,† said Eddie, though the tension in his body said otherwise. â€Å"From what Sydney said – and their mini-manifesto – their focus seems to be Strigoi, not Moroi.† He glanced over at Jill. â€Å"Not that we can let our guard down. If they've mistaken Sonya for a Strigoi, who knows what other craziness they might do? Don't worry. I won't let them near you.† Jill looked ready to swoon. â€Å"That's a good idea,† I said. â€Å"They still think the Moroi are a threat but not as much as the Strigoi.† â€Å"Kind of like the Alchemists,† said Adrian. He was sitting in a corner armchair and had been quiet this whole time. I hadn't seen him since the night of the dance or had any communication with him, which was odd. Even when he wasn't sending me pathetic e-mails about the experiments, he almost always had some witty quip to pass along. â€Å"True,† I admitted, with a smile. â€Å"But we're not trying to kill any of you. Not even Strigoi.† â€Å"And there's the problem,† said Dimitri. â€Å"These warriors are convinced Sonya used to be a Strigoi and is using some trick to disguise herself.† â€Å"Maybe they have some tracking or inventory system,† Sonya mused. â€Å"They keep tabs on various Strigoi in the country and then try to hunt them down.† â€Å"And yet they didn't know about you,† I pointed out to Dimitri. His face stayed neutral, but I knew it was hard for him to be reminded of his Strigoi days. â€Å"And from what I know†¦ you were much more of a, um, notable figure than Sonya.† He'd essentially been a Strigoi mobster. â€Å"So, if you're off their radar, they probably don't have an international presence – or at least not a Russian one.† Angeline leaned forward, hands clasped, and regarded Clarence with a smile sweet enough to justify her name. â€Å"How do you know about them? How did you first run into them?† At first, he looked too terrified to answer, but I think her kindly attitude soothed him. â€Å"Well, they killed my niece, of course.† We all knew Lee had killed Clarence's niece, but the old man didn't believe this any more than he believed Lee was dead. â€Å"Did you see them when they did it?† asked Angeline. â€Å"Did you ever see them at all?† â€Å"Not when Tamara died, no,† he admitted. His eyes got a faraway look, as though he were staring straight into the past. â€Å"But I knew what signs to look for. I'd run into them before that, you see. Back when I was living in Santa Cruz. They like California, you know. And the Southwest. Goes back to their sun fixation.† â€Å"What happened in Santa Cruz?† asked Dimitri. â€Å"A group of their young ones began stalking me. Trying to kill me.† The rest of us exchanged glances. â€Å"So they do go after Moroi,† said Eddie. He actually moved closer to Jill. Clarence shook his head. â€Å"Not usually. From what Marcus told me, they prefer Strigoi. These were young, undisciplined members of their order going off on their own, without the knowledge of their superiors. I assume it was the same type who killed Tamara.† â€Å"Who's Marcus?† I asked. â€Å"Marcus Finch. He saved me from them a few years ago. Fended them off during an attack and later got in touch with their order to keep those ruffians away from me.† Clarence shivered at the memory. â€Å"Not that I stayed around after that. I took Lee and left. That was when we moved to Los Angeles for a while.† â€Å"This Marcus,† I said. â€Å"Was he a guardian?† â€Å"A human. He was about your age then. He knew all about the hunters.† â€Å"I suppose he would if he got in touch with them,† Dimitri speculated. â€Å"But he must be friendly to Moroi if he helped you?† â€Å"Oh, yes,† said Clarence. â€Å"Very much so.† Dimitri looked over at me. â€Å"Do you think – â€Å" â€Å"Yes,† I said, guessing his question. â€Å"I'll see if we can find this Marcus guy. It'd be nice to get a source of info that's not one of these crazy warriors. I'm also going to report on all of this, actually.† â€Å"Me too,† said Dimitri. Although Clarence wasn't the expert on the hunters that this mysterious Marcus was, the old Moroi still had a surprising amount of info to share – info none of us had wanted to hear before. He verified what we'd already deduced, about the hunters' â€Å"devotion to the light.† The group's focus was Strigoi (for now), and all of their hunts were carefully planned and organized. They had a ritualized set of behaviors, particularly in regard to their younger members – which was why the rogue group harassing Clarence had been stopped. From what Clarence had gathered, the group was quite tough on their new recruits, emphasizing discipline and excellence. With the clock ticking down on Angeline's reprieve, we needed to wrap things up shortly thereafter. I was also in charge of taking Adrian home, since we figured it'd be best to eliminate any chance of Dimitri being followed back to Clarence's. Besides, I could tell Dimitri was anxious to begin putting certain things in motion. He wanted to finalize Sonya's departure and also confer with the guardians – in case Jill needed to be removed. Her face reflected what I felt about that possible outcome. We'd both become attached to Amberwood. While he was giving some last-minute instructions to Eddie, I pulled Sonya aside for a quiet word. â€Å"I†¦ I've been thinking about something,† I told her. She studied me carefully, probably reading my aura and other body language. â€Å"What is it?† she asked. â€Å"If you want†¦ if you really want it, you can have some of my blood.† It was a huge, huge admission. Was it something I wanted to do? No. Absolutely not. I still had the same instinctive fears about giving my blood to Moroi, even for scientific purposes. And yet, yesterday's events – and even the alley attack – had begun making me re-analyze my worldview. Vampires weren't the only monsters out there. They were hardly monsters at all, especially next to these vampire hunters. How could I judge the enemy on race? I was being reminded more and more that humans were just as capable as vampires of evil – and that vampires were capable of good. It was actions that mattered, and Sonya and Dimitri's were noble ones. They were fighting to destroy the ultimate evil of all, and as squeamish as I felt about giving my blood, I knew the right thing was to help them. Sonya knew what a sacrifice this was for me. Her face stayed calm – no whoops of joy – and she nodded solemnly. â€Å"I have my collection kit here. I can take a sample before you leave, if you're sure.† So soon? Well, why not. It was best to get it over with – especially if Sonya would be leaving town soon anyway. We did it in the kitchen, which seemed slightly more sanitary than the living room. Sonya was no doctor, but whatever training she'd had, it was right in line with what I'd observed when getting physicals. Antiseptic, gloves, a new syringe. All the right procedures were followed, and after a quick poke of the needle, she had my blood sample. â€Å"Thank you, Sydney,† she said, handing me a plastic bandage. â€Å"I know how difficult this must have been for you. Believe me, this could really help us.† â€Å"I want to help,† I told her. â€Å"I really do.† She smiled. â€Å"I know. And we need all the help we can get. After being one of them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her smile faded. â€Å"Well, I believe more than ever that their evil needs to be stopped. You might be the key.† For one second, her words inspired me – that I might somehow play a greater role in the fight against evil and possibly even stop it. Immediately, that thought was replaced by my old panic. No. No. I wasn't special. I didn't want to be. I would make a good faith effort to help, but surely nothing would come of it. I returned to fetch the others. Adrian and Jill were having some earnest conversation in the corner. Eddie and Angeline were also talking, and I overheard her say, â€Å"I'll stay with Jill more at school, just to be safe. We can't have her be part of some accident or mistaken identity.† Eddie nodded and looked impressed that she'd suggested it. â€Å"Agreed.† Amazing, I thought. I left soon with my carpool and swung by downtown to drop Adrian off. As I pulled up in front of his building, I saw something that made my jaw drop. Awe and disbelief rolled through me. In what was probably the most ungraceful parking job I'd ever done in my life, I brought Latte to an abrupt stop and was out of the car the second I pulled my keys from the ignition. The others followed moments later. â€Å"What,† I breathed. â€Å"Is that?† â€Å"Oh,† said Adrian casually. â€Å"That's my new car.† I took a few steps forward and then stopped, afraid to approach it in the same way someone hesitated before royalty. â€Å"It's a 1967 Ford Mustang convertible,† I said, knowing my eyes were probably bugging out of my face. I began walking around it. â€Å"The year they did a major overhaul and increased the size to keep up with other high-powered competition. See? It's the first model with the concave tail lights but the last to have the Ford block lettering up front until 1974.† â€Å"What in the world is that color?† asked Eddie, not sounding impressed at all. â€Å"Springtime Yellow,† Adrian and I said in unison. â€Å"I would've guessed Lemon Chiffon,† said Eddie. â€Å"Maybe you can get it repainted.† â€Å"No!† I exclaimed. I tossed my purse over onto the grass and carefully touched the car's side. Brayden's beautiful new Mustang suddenly seemed so ordinary. â€Å"It's been touched up, obviously, but this is a classic color. Which engine code is this? C, right?† â€Å"Um†¦ not sure,† said Adrian. â€Å"I know it's got a V-8 engine.† â€Å"Of course it does,† I said. It was hard not to roll my eyes. â€Å"A 289. I want to know what the horsepower is.† â€Å"It's probably in the paperwork,† Adrian said lamely. It was at that moment that I really processed Adrian's earlier words. I looked up at him, knowing my face must be filled with disbelief. â€Å"This is really your car?† â€Å"Yup,† he said. â€Å"I told you. The old man spotted me the money for one.† â€Å"And you got this one?† I peered in through the window. â€Å"Nice. Black interior, manual transmission.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Adrian, a note of unease in his voice. â€Å"That's the problem.† I glanced back. â€Å"What is? The black is great. And the leather's condition is fantastic. So is the rest of the car.† â€Å"No, not the interior. The transmission. I can't drive a stick.† I froze. â€Å"You can't drive a stick?† â€Å"Neither can I,† said Jill. â€Å"You don't have a license,† I reminded her. Although, my mother had taught me to drive before I had a license – both automatic and manual transmission. I knew I shouldn't be surprised the stick was a lost art, as savage as such a lack seemed to me. That paled, of course, in comparison to the other obvious problem. â€Å"Why on earth would you buy a car like this if you can't drive a stick? There are dozens of cars – new cars – that have automatic transmission. It'd be a million times easier.† Adrian shrugged. â€Å"I like the color. It matches my living room.† Eddie snorted. â€Å"But you can't drive it,† I pointed out. â€Å"I figure it can't be that hard.† Adrian sounded remarkably unconcerned about what I found blasphemous. â€Å"I'll just practice taking it around the block a few times and figure it out.† I couldn't believe what I was hearing. â€Å"What? Are you out of your mind? You'll ruin it if you don't know what you're doing!† â€Å"What else am I supposed to do?† he asked. â€Å"Are you going to teach me?† I turned back to the beautiful Mustang. â€Å"Yes,† I said adamantly. â€Å"If that's what it takes to save it from you.† â€Å"I can show you too,† said Eddie. Adrian ignored him and focused on me. â€Å"When we can start?† I ran through my school schedule, knowing I'd have to make talking to the Alchemists about the Warriors of Light my top priority. Then, the obvious hit me. â€Å"Oh. When we see Wolfe this week. We'll take this out there.† â€Å"Is that really to help me?† asked Adrian. â€Å"Or do you just want to drive the car?† â€Å"Both,† I said, not embarrassed to admit it. Angeline's clock at school was ticking, so the rest of us had to leave. I'd driven three blocks away when I realized I'd left my purse on the grass. With a groan, I looped around and returned to his building. My purse was there, but the Mustang was gone. â€Å"Where's the car?† I asked, panicked. â€Å"No one could have stolen it that fast.† â€Å"Oh,† said Jill from the backseat, sounding slightly nervous. â€Å"I saw through the bond. He, um, moved it.† It was handy having the bond as a source of information, but her words made me panic more than if the car actually had been stolen. â€Å"He what?† â€Å"Not far,† she said quickly. â€Å"Just behind the building. This street's got weird overnight parking rules.† I grimaced. â€Å"Well, I'm glad it won't get towed, but he should've had me move it! Even if it's not far, he could ruin the transmission.† â€Å"I'm sure it's fine,† said Jill. There was a strange note to her voice. I didn't respond. Jill was no car expert. None of them were. â€Å"It's like letting a toddler loose in a room full of china,† I muttered. â€Å"What was he thinking? About any of this?† No one had an answer for that. I got us back to Amberwood in time for Angeline's curfew and retreated to the sanity and calm of my room. As soon as I was satisfied my friends were safe and secure for the night, I e-mailed Donna Stanton – a high-up Alchemist whom I'd inexplicably developed a good relationship with – about the hunters and what we'd learned. I even took pictures of the pamphlet and e-mailed those as well. Once that was done, I sat back and tried to think if there was anything else at all I could provide her with that might help. It was only when I'd exhausted all options (and refreshed my inbox a few times to see if she'd responded already) that I finally moved on to homework. As usual, I was pretty much caught up on every assignment – save one. Ms. Terwilliger's. That stupid book was on my desk, staring back at me, daring me to open it. I still had a number of days before her spell was due, time during which I could continue to procrastinate. I was beginning to accept, however, that this assignment wasn't going to go away. Considering how long some of the prep on these took, maybe it'd be best to bite the bullet and get it out of the way. Resolved, I brought the book over to my bed and opened it to the table of contents, scanning some of the spells she'd gone over with me. My stomach twisted at most of them, every instinct telling me how wrong it was to even be attempting these. Magic is for vampires, not humans. I still believed that to be true, but the analytical part of my mind couldn't help but apply some of the defensive spells to various situations. Much like my decision to give blood, recent events had made me look at the world differently. Was magic wrong? Yes. But that blindness spell would have certainly been useful in the alley. Another spell, one that temporarily immobilized people, could've been used if I'd wanted to flee from the hunters at the cafe. Sure, it only lasted thirty seconds, but that was more than enough time for me to have escaped. On and on, I went down the list. They were all so wrong and yet†¦ so useful. If I hadn't seen the fire charm I'd made ignite a Strigoi, I wouldn't have believed any of these were possible. But by all accounts, they were. So much power†¦ the ability to protect myself†¦ Immediately, I rebuked myself for such a thought. I had no need for power. That kind of thinking was what led freaks like Liam to want to be Strigoi. Although†¦ was it really the same? I didn't want immortality. I didn't want to hurt others. I just wanted to protect myself and those I cared about. Wolfe had a lot to teach me, but his preventative techniques wouldn't help if determined vampire hunters cornered Sonya and me again. As time went on, it was becoming clear that the hunters were very determined. I returned to the table of contents, finding several that would be useful and well within my capabilities to make. According to Ms. Terwilliger, someone like me had excellent potential for magic because of inborn talent (which I didn't entirely believe) and the rigorous Alchemist training in measurement and attention to detail. It wasn't difficult to figure out how long it would take me to produce any of these likely candidates. The question was which spell did I make? Which did I have time to make? The answer was eerily simple. I had time to make all of them.