High School and Students Essay

Introduction The continuous deterioration of the quality of education in the Philippines has prompted the DepEd to push for the implementation of the K to 12 programs, which entails the institutionalization of kindergarten and the addition of two more years of high school in the basic education cycle. The proposal has spurred a heated debate on whether it could lead to improvements or just exacerbate thn e present state of education in the country. The Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program in the Philippines has been officially started. It has been initiated by the Aquino administration where students will have to undergo a new system of education. This program will require all incoming students to enroll into two more years of basic education. Thus, the K+12 System will basically include the Universal kindergarten, 6 years of elementary, 4 years of junior high school with an additional 2 years for senior high school. Moreover, the program aims to uplift the quality of education in the Philippines in order for graduates to be easily employed. The program also aims to meet the standards required for professionals who would want to work abroad. Most importantly, the system aims to fully enhance and develop the students in order for them to be well-prepared especially in emotional and cognitive aspects. Through this, graduates will be able to face the pressures of their future workplace. However, not all are in favor of the K+12 Education. There are students complaining of the additional years and there are parents who are not in favor of the additional expenses. But indeed, it is an undeniable fact that additional years in the education system will really require more budgets not just from the government but from the parents as well. Aside from this, students will need additional classrooms, school supplies and facilities. The program would need more qualified teachers as well. The researchers believe that the K+12 Education in the Philippines would uplift the quality of lifestyle of the Filipino people. But, this could not be done without being prepared. And since the program has already been implemented, what is  more important now is for students to do their best and study despite of the lack of facilities. The Philippine educational system pursues the achievement of excellent undergraduates in the elementary and secondary level. Implementation of UbD is one of the proposals that undertook in the country recently. At present, the Department of Education pronounces the addition of two more years in the basic education of students, which according to them will benefit not only the Filipino youth but all the Filipinos in the Philippines. This proposal is part of P-noy’s Educational Reform Program. The administration asserts that with the implementation of such program, the problem of unemployment in the country will be resolved. In as much as employment in the Philippines is concerned, the K12 education also responds to the fact that most countries in the world already have the same plan in their educational institutions. With this, the standards of these countries go a notch higher than what the country has, thus, creating an expansion in the global competency. What can be really said about this plan? While the reaction of the public is divided, where some are in favor and some are not, here are several issues that point out to the aggression of opposing groups especially the parents to this program. One of the main problems in the Philippines which the government needs to resolve is the lack of school and classrooms in the different parts of the country. It is important that students stay in a place that is conducive for study while they are away from home. In addition, with teachers go abroad to teach, or do another job, there is already a shortage of educators in schools that mold the minds of learners. And this deficiency has become a problem for the country in the past several years. Finally, there is a need for students to utilize the appropriate instructional materials and school equipment for them to learn and gain the necessary knowledge in school. This lack of accessibility in books and other school supplies clearly manifest the scarcity in the public schools in the country. There is nothing wrong in aiming the other fraction of a horizon, and that is what the government attempts to accomplish. It is in fact an indication that to aspire for something higher, one must carry out certain actions to achieve the goal. However, the administration also ought to realize and clearly understand what the educational system in the Philippines needs to develop primarily. The mentioned issues above are only a few elements that entailed to be resolved. At some point, the Philippines cannot go ahead unless the concerns are faced and the difficulties are completely solved. There are a lot to be done to improve the competency of the youth. The government does not need to gaze from afar. ? Conceptual Framework The framework of this as can be viewed below was anchored on the dependent variable, student’s perception on the K+12 policy as the independent variable. Research Paradigm Fig. 1 Dependent Variable Independent Variable Statement of the Problem Major Problem: 1. What is the perception of the STMA high school students on K12? Minor Problems: 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of K12? 2. Does the student agree on the K12 policy? ? Hypothesis This study assumed the following: 1. That students have different definition about the K12 policy. 2. That students believe that K12 is a waste of time. 3. Most students will not finish high school. Scope and Delimitations The target respondents of the study are the high school students of the current academic year (2011-2012) randomly selected across all year level. It is limits itself on the perceptions of the students on the said topic and their preconceived notion. Significance of the Study. This study is about the perception on K12 policy among parents and high school students of St. Thomas More Academy academic year 2011-2012. The persons that would benefit from the study are the following: Students A better understanding on K12 policy would benefit the students on increasing their knowledge. Teachers The finding of this study may likewise motivate and challenge them to guide their students on matters regarding K12 policy related issues considering the philosophy of loco parentis or the second parents; teachers will be able to explain things. Parents will be enlightened on how best to explain to their children matters pertaining to K12 policy. ? Definition of terms The following special terms has been sued to suit this study: Deteriorate To make or become worse in character, quality, etc. Exacerbate To increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of; aggravate. PerceptionPoint of view; Opinion Promptto obey ENDNOTES Websites: www. wikipedia. com www. wiki-answers. com http://wiki. answers. com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_in_having_k_plus_12? CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ? CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE. In preparing this study the researchers seriously looked for different books, newspapers articles and other media as point of reference. There are numerous sources that the researchers found especially on the internet related to these. The researchers carefully examined the following related literature; If the K-12 Education Plan becomes successful, then the Philippine education system can become more competitive among other countries around the world. Though there are still some problems that the government needs to solve before they can successfully implement the plan. The proposed program is good but it still won’t work if the needed elements to make it work aren’t present. Such element includes the number of public school classrooms plus the adequate supply of classroom chairs, books, etc. If the government could allot a bigger budget to educational needs, then we could be one-step ahead towards the success of the K-12 program. Furthermore, parents (especially those who belong in the poor sector) should be properly informed and motivated of the advantages of the K-12 Education Plan. This is very important since parents play a major role in providing the child’s school allowances, supplies, and fees for other school projects and activities. Add to that the support of parents towards their children in terms of guidance and teaching. The DepEd seems all set to add two more years to the country’s 10 year basic education curriculum. This is a very tough issue to crack. We think it is a clash between reality and the ideal. A question unanswered – is this for the common good? The truth is there are already many problems at the current 10-year curriculum and it has nothing to do with number of years. To enumerate a few – there are not enough qualified teachers to teach all the students; that is made worst with just too many students; there are not enough classrooms and schools to comfortably fit all the students (not to mention not enough bathrooms and water supply); there are not enough books; add the problem of poor quality books, on top of that there are not enough facilities and finally very high dropout rates. The latter, high dropout rates are being caused by something out of the education system but affects large part of the population – poverty. There are just so many poor families and they are so poor that many of them cannot afford to pay for the already meager amount needed for the education of their children. Grade school and high school are free in public schools with parents needing to just spend on uniforms, fare and some expenses. The tuition which normally accounts for a very large share of the total expenses are free and yet most poor families can still not afford of what is left for them to spend. It is not that the expenses are high, it’s just their income is very, very low. It is this inability to afford the other expenses that has caused a very high dropout rate among students. This plan of the DepEd to add two more years will of course not solve any of the above problems. In fact, it will only extend all those problems by two more years. A longer basic education will also mean even higher dropout rates. Then there is the problem of additional expenses for the government. As of now, with the 10 year curriculum, there is already desperate lack of classrooms and schools. The public schools cannot turn the student’s away when they show up to enroll. To cope many public schools have crammed as many students as they can inside the classroom with classrooms crammed with chairs from wall to wall. Not enough, the schools conduct classes in at least shifts, in some instances classes held very early in the morning till late in the evening. With two additional years, the schools will definitely need to construct new buildings and classrooms or God forbid conduct classes 24/7. The above is the reality part. On the government side, in the discussion paper it disseminated during its press conference last Oct. 5, the Department of Education (DepEd) has given at least nine reasons for the K+12 project: 1. â€Å"Enhancing the quality of basic education in the Philippines is urgent and critical. † 2. â€Å"The poor quality of basic education is reflected in the low achievement scores of Filipino students. One reason is that students do not get adequate instructional time or time on task. † 3. International test results consistently show Filipino students lagging way behind practically everybody else in the world. In the 2008 mathematics exam, for example, we came in dead last. 4. â€Å"The congested curriculum partly explains the present state of education. † Twelve years of content are crammed into ten years. 5. â€Å"This quality of education is reflected in the inadequate preparation of high school graduates for the world of work or entrepreneurship or higher education. † If ten years were adequate, how come employers do not hire fresh high school graduates? How come most high school graduates flunk the UPCAT? 6. â€Å"Most graduates are too young to enter the labor force. † Since most children start Grade 1 when they are 6 years old, they do not reach the legal employable age of 18 when they graduate from high school today. 7. â€Å"The current system also reinforces the misperception that basic education is just a preparatory step for higher education. † Why prioritize the minority of high school graduates that go to college? 8. â€Å"The short duration of the basic education program also puts the millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially the professionals, and those who intend to study abroad, at a disadvantage. Our graduates are not automatically recognized as professionals abroad. † The best examples are our engineering graduates, who are condemned to international jobs not befitting their professional status due to our not having a 12-year basic education cycle. 9. â€Å"The short basic education program affects the human development of the Filipino children. † If we believe that 17-year-old high school graduates are emotionally, psychologically, and intellectually mature, why do we require them to get parental consent before they get married? On the other hand, those opposing the plan put forward the following arguments: 1. Parents have to shell out more money (for transportation and food) for the education of their children. 2. The government does not have the money to pay for two more years of free education, since it does not even have the money to fully support today’s ten years. DepEd must first solve the lack of classrooms, furniture and equipment, qualified teachers, and error-free textbooks. 3. We can do in ten years what everyone else in the world takes 12 years to do. Why do we have to follow what the rest of the world is doing? We are better than all of them. Filipinos right now are accepted in prestigious graduate schools in the world, even with only ten years of basic education. 4. As far as the curriculum is concerned, DepEd should fix the current subjects instead of adding new ones. The problem is the content, not the length, of basic education. As an editorial put it, we need to have better education, not more education. 5. A high school diploma will not get anybody anywhere, because business firms will not hire fresh high school graduates. 6. Every family dreams of having a child graduate from college. 7. While students are stuck in Grades 11 and 12, colleges and universities will have no freshmen for two years. This will spell financial disaster for many private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). 8. The drop-out rate will increase because of the two extra years. ? . CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ? Chapter III Methodology This chapter deals with the methodology of the studies. This is presented on the following sections: (a) Research design (b) Sampling Technique (c) Instrumentation (d) Data-gathering procedure and (e) Statistical treatment of data. Research Method The descriptive survey method was man used in this research. The descriptive method is concerned with the analysis of the relationship between non-manipulated variable employing the use of the development of generalization. This means that variable have already occurred and are just selected and observed Fraenkel and Wallen (1998) also define the descriptive research as involving collection of data in order to test hypothesis and answer questions concerning the current status of the subject of the study. Since the study deals with perceptions of parents and high school students on K12 policy of the Philippine government academic year 2011-2012, the descriptive survey method was deemed appropriate to be used. [[[[ Sampling Technique The population of the study involved a total number if 496 respondents randomly selected representing at least more than half of the school’s population irrespective of the age, year, selection and gender. Research Instrument The researchers devised a self-made questionnaire designed to obtain information related on the objective of the study. It consisted of the following parts: Part I – This part of the questionnaire dealt with personal information regarding the respondents (name and section). Part II – This part of the questionnaire was intended to ask the respondent’s definition about K+12. Part III – This part of the questionnaire was intended to ask the respondent’s idea about the advantages and disadvantages of K12. Part IV- This part of the questionnaire was intended to ask the respondent’s opinion about the benefits of K+12. Data Gathering Procedures. The following data gathering procedures guided the researchers Phase 1 – a copy of the questionnaire was presented to the thesis adviser. The researchers asked for his comments and suggestions; Phase 2 – the researchers presented the edited questionnaire and asked for further assistance from parents. It was then presented for approval to the school principal who gave valuable insight and ideas on how best the data can be gathered. Phase 3 – the researchers conducted data gathering procedures during first week of February. The figure below is the flowchart of the Data Gathering Procedures done by the researchers. Fig. 2 Statistical Treatment of Data For analyzing the data, the researchers will be use of the following statistical tools: Percentage This refers to the number of parts per one hundred. It is a statistical tool used to express how large one quantity is, relative to another quantity. To get the total percentage of specific number and total number respondents in the questionnaire the formula is: % = F/N * 100 Where N=370 Unless otherwise stated the above formula will be used except for multiresponse questions or for gender based questions. ? Presentation and Data Analysis Table 1 1. How do you define K12? This table is a multi-response item which showed that majority of respondents surveyed that they defined K12 as an added two years in high school with 77. 57% followed by it is an academic program with 20. 54% and a government policy with 15. 41%. ? Table 2 2. What are the advantages of it? The preceding multiresponse table2 showed that majority of respondents surveyed said that the advantage of K12 policy is to gain more knowledge with 62. 97% followed by more chances to have work with 29. 19% and free OJT with 18. 65%. ? Table 3 3. What are the disadvantages of it? Multiresponse table 3 showed that more money to spend was the top disadvantage of K12 with 79. 19% followed by waste of time with 16. 22% and lack of leisure with 15. 41% as the final point of view. ? Table 4 4. Do you agree on K12 policy? More than half of the respondents said that they disagreed on the K12 policy with 67. 57% and the remaining 32. 43% of the respondents agreed. ? Table 5 5. Do you think you will be well educated if you graduated under the K12 system? Table 5 showed that the majority of the respondents agreed that they will be well educated if they graduated under the K12 policy with 70. 27% and the other respondents left disagreed with 29. 73%. ? Table 6 6. In K12 system, do you think it will be helpful to all students? The greater part of the respondents believed that K12 policy will be helpful to the students. ? CHAPTER IV SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ? CHAPTER IV Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations This chapter presents the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations. Summary of Findings. This first table is a multiresponse item which showed that majority of respondents surveyed that they defined K12 as an added two years in high school with 77. 57% followed by it is an academic program with 20. 54% and a government policy with 15. 41%. The second table is also a multiresponse item which showed that majority of respondents surveyed said that the advantage of K12 policy is to gain more knowledge with 62. 97% followed by more chances to have work with 29. 19% and free OJT with 18. 65%. Multiresponse table 3 showed that more money to spend was the top disadvantage of K12 with 79. 19% followed by waste of time with 16. 22% and lack of leisure with 15. 41% as the final point of view. Table 4 illustrates that more than half of the respondents said that they disagreed on the K12 policy with 67. 57% and the remaining 32. 43% of the respondents agreed. With this, it showed that the most of the students doesn’t like to implement the K+12 policy due to their concern for their time and to their parent’s money.. Table 5 proved that the majority of the respondents agreed that they will be well educated if they graduated under the K12 policy with 70. 27% and the other respondents left disagreed with 29. 73%. In table 6, it shows that the greater part of the respondents believed that K12 policy will be helpful to the students. Conclusions It has proved that the respondents showed their different views or perceptions on the K-12 system of education in the Philippine government. The following conclusions have been drawn: 1. That students were all informed and yet educated what the K-12 system is about. 2. That disadvantages were showed by the majority of the students through the data gathered whereas it resulted the students not to agree on the said system. 3. That students will be well educated after finishing the K-12 system in their education. 4. And on the other side it will be a great help to the students to learn more and adequate information that will mold them into a better person. ? Recommendation It is with fervent wish of the researchers that the following recommendations be considered by the concerned; Students 1. Responsible is the key to the effectiveness of this program. 2. Should be responsible enough to fulfill the given task of their teachers. Teachers 1. Teachers should encourage their students to open up if they have their problems on their subjects. 2. Since teachers are willing to help the students be more cooperative and open-minded to develop their skills and studies. Schools 1. Schools should provide clean and green surroundings. 3. Monitor the students in having gangs/fraternities. 4. They should provide and recuperate their facilities. Parents 1. Parents should help their children in their problems. 2. Parents should encourage their children to keep not neglect their studies. ? St. Thomas More Academy Incorporated Molino III, Bacoor, Cavite Survey questionnaire Title: Perception of STMA High School Students on the K12 policy of the Philippine Government Name: Year and Section: 1. How do you define K12? a. added two years in high school b. academic program c. government policy 2. What are the advantages of it? a. free OJT b. more chances to have work c. gain more knowledge 3. What are the disadvantages of it? a. waste of time b. more money to spend c. lack of leisure 4. Do you agree on K12? a. no b. yes 5. Do you think you will be well educated if you graduated under the K12 system? a. yes b. no 6. In K12 system, do you think it will be helpful to all students? a. yes b. no. Title: Perception of STMA High School Students on the K12 policy of the Philippine Government Name: Year and Section: 1. How do you define K12? a. added two years in high school b. academic program c. government policy 2. What are the advantages of it? a. free OJT b. more chances to have work c. gain more knowledge 3. What are the disadvantages of it? a. waste of tim b. more money to spend c. lack of leisure 4. Do you agree on K12? a. no b. yes 5. Do you think you will be well educated if you graduated under the K12 system? a. yes b. no 6. In K12 system, do you think it will be helpful to all students? a. yes b. no.

Night World : Spellbinder Chapter 9

I he shoe was so incongruous that for an instant Thea thought her eyes must be playing tricks on her. It was the atmosphere here-the dim, echoing room with all its macabre booths. If she looked away and then looked back†¦ It was still there. I should wait, I should call somebody. This could be something terrible. There are human authorities; I should at least wait for Eric†¦. Thea found herself moving in dreamlike, slow speed. She took the edge of the oilcloth between finger and thumb and lifted it just an inch or so. There was a leg attached to the shoe. A blue-jeaned leg. Not part of a dummy. And another shoe. Horror and adrenaline washed over Thea. And, strangely, that helped. Her first thought was. It's a person and she may be hurt. She went into emergency mode, slamming a wall between herself and her fear. Hang on, are you okay, just let me see†¦ She pulled the rest of the oilcloth off, tugging to get it free. She saw legs, a body, curled fingers clutching the sleeve of a black-dressed witch dummy†¦ Then she saw the head and she reeled backward, both hands pressed over her mouth. She'd only gotten a glimpse, but the picture was burned into her mind. Blue-gray face, hideously swollen. Grotesquely bulging eyes. Tongue like a sausage protruding from between black lips†¦ Thea's knees gave out. She'd seen the dead before. She'd been to leave-taking ceremonies where the mortal remains of witches were returned to the earth. But those had been natural deaths, and the corpses had been peaceful. While this†¦ I think it was a boy. It had short hair and a flat chest. But there was no way to recognize the face. It was so distorted-didn't even look human†¦. He died violently. May his spirit be released; not held here by the need for revenge. Oh, Sekhmet, lion-headed goddess of Egypt; Mistress of Death, Opener of Ways, Sekhmet Who Reduceth to Silence†¦ Her disjointed thoughts were interrupted as sunlight fanned into the room. At the door, Eric shouted, â€Å"I'm back!† Thea stood up. Her legs wanted to cave again. She opened her mouth, but what came out was a whisper. â€Å"Eric-â€Å" He was hurrying toward her. â€Å"What's wrong? Thea?† â€Å"It's somebody dead.† She saw his eyes widen in absolute disbelief-and then he looked past her. He took a step toward the thing on the floor, stopped, crouched, and stared for a second. Then he whirled back and grabbed her as if he could somehow protect her from what he'd seen. â€Å"Don't look at it; don't look over there,† he gasped. â€Å"Oh, God, it's bad.† * â€Å"I know. I saw it.† â€Å"It's bad; it's so bad†¦.† They were both holding on to each other. It was the only safety in this nightmare. â€Å"He's dead. That guy is dead,† Eric said. It was obvious, but Thea understood the need to babble. â€Å"There's nothing we can do for him. Oh, God, Thea, I think it's Kevin Imamura.† â€Å"Kevin?† Black dots danced in front of Thea's eyes. â€Å"No, it can't be-â€Å" â€Å"I've seen him wearing that shirt before. And the hair†¦ And he's on the committee to decorate this place. He must have been setting up that dummy.† Thea's mind showed her a terrible picture. A crusted dark line on that bloated face-like the wound made by a slashing razor. And the soft black hair†¦ Yes, it could have been Kevin. And that meant- Blaise. â€Å"Come on,† Eric was saying, his voice dazed and quenched. â€Å"We've got to tell the office.† Numbly, Thea let him guide her. Her mind was in another place. Blaise. Did Blaise know†¦ could Blaise have†¦ She didn't want to form the thought even to herself, but she couldn't help it. †¦ finally gone all the way? Not just spilled blood, but taken a life? It was forbidden to witches. But the Harmans were part lamia, and vampires sometimes killed for power. Could Blaise have gone that far into the darkness? After they got to the office, things happened fast, but Thea couldn't really take it in. Activity whirled around her. The secretaries. The principal. The police. She was grateful for Eric, who kept telling the story over and over so she didn't have to. I need to find Blaise. They were back at the gym. The police were cordoning off the whole building with yellow tape. A throng of students and teachers was watching. Thea's eyes skimmed the crowd, but she didn't see Blaise anywhere. Voices rose around her. â€Å"I heard it was Kevin Imamura.† â€Å"Somebody said that guy from the dance came back and got him.† â€Å"Eric! Eric, did you really see him?† Then one voice outshouted the others. â€Å"Hey, Mrs. Cheng, what about the Halloween party? Is the gym gonna be open by then?† The principal, who had been huddled with a couple of police officers, turned around. Black hair riffling over her forehead in the breeze, she addressed the entire crowd. â€Å"I don't know what is going to happen with the gym. There's been a tragedy, and now there's going to be an investigation. We'll just have to wait and see what comes of that. Now, I want everybody to go back to their classes. Teachers, please take your students back to your classrooms.† â€Å"I can't go back,† Thea whispered. She and Eric were standing at a little distance from the thinning crowd. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about them. â€Å"I'll take you home,† Eric said immediately. â€Å"No-I need to find Blaise. I have some things to ask her.† She tried to make her stupefied brain work. â€Å"Eric, I should have told you this before. You've got to be careful.† â€Å"Of what?† â€Å"Of Blaise.† He looked incredulous. â€Å"Thea†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He glanced at the old gym. â€Å"You can't think she had anything to do with-what happened to Kevin.† â€Å"I don't know. She could have had somebody do it-or made him do it himself.† Thea kept her voice low. She looked straight into Eric's face, willing him to believe her. â€Å"Eric, I know you don't understand, but it's like I told you before. She's like Aphrodite. Or Medea. She laughs when she destroys things. Especially when she gets mad†¦ and she's mad at you.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because you picked me instead of her-because I like you-lots of things. That doesn't matter. The point is that she may come after you. She may try to†¦ seduce you. And†-Thea glanced at the bobbing yellow tape surrounding the old gym-â€Å"she may try to hurt you. So will you just be careful if you see her? Will you promise me that?† Eric looked windblown and bewildered, but he nodded slowly. â€Å"I promise.† â€Å"Then I'll see you later. We still have things to talk about-but I have to find Blaise first.† She walked toward the crowd, leaving Eric standing there in the wind. She knew he was watching her. . A waving hand caught Thea's eye. It was Dani, her face full of sympathy and concern. â€Å"Thea, are you all right?† â€Å"Sort of.† Thea gave a laugh she didn't recognize. â€Å"Have you seen Blaise around?† Dani's soft little hand crept into hers. â€Å"She and Vivienne went home-I mean, to your place. I'll go back with you, if you want. You shouldn't be alone.† Thea squeezed her hand. â€Å"Thanks. I'd appreciate it.† She was grateful-and relieved that Dani didn't hate her. â€Å"Dani-about the way I acted earlier†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Forget it. I don't know what I said, but I didn't mean to make you mad.† She added gently, â€Å"Thea, are you really okay? Really? Because I don't want to upset you more†¦.† â€Å"Why?† And then: â€Å"What, Dani?† â€Å"Your grandma's sick. That's why Blaise and Vivienne went home-Vivienne's mom paged her. She's a healer-Vivienne's mom, I mean-and I think she's taking your grandma to her house.† Thea was disturbed. Gran hadn't moved to Las Vegas for the same reason other Night People did. Lamia and made vampires came because so many of the humans here were transients-the kind that wouldn't be missed if they disappeared. Other witches came because of the power vortexes in the desert. But Gran had come because of the warm, dry climate. Her lungs had been bad since she was a kid. Please don't let it be serious, Thea kept thinking as Dani drove her home. She felt as if her skin had been rubbed too thin all over her body. When they got to the shop, Gran was already gone. Tobias and Vivienne were downstairs. â€Å"Is she okay?† Thea asked. â€Å"Is it something bad?† â€Å"Not too bad,† Tobias said. â€Å"She just kept getting dizzy today, and then she had a coughing fit and couldn't stop. She finally decided maybe she'd better get somebody to sing it out. So she called Ms. Morrigan.† Oh, great-chanting. Just what Gran loved. But she must have been really sick to ask to have it done. â€Å"Can I call her?† â€Å"I wouldn't,† Vivienne put in. Her green eyes were kind, her voice reassuring. â€Å"I'm sure Mom's working on her by now, and when she does a singing, it takes all night. You shouldn't disturb them. But don't worry, Thea-my mom's really good.† â€Å"Yes-it's not that I'm worried about.† Thea looked around distractedly, finally coming back to Vivienne's face. â€Å"Did you hear about what happened at school?† â€Å"No.† Vivienne looked mildly curious. â€Å"What happened?† Instead of answering, Thea said, â€Å"Where's Blaise?† â€Å"Upstairs packing. She's going to stay overnight at ray house. You can come, too-Thea?† Thea was already racing up the stairs. She burst into the bedroom she and Blaise shared. Blaise had a small suitcase open on her bed. Thea didn't waste words. â€Å"Did you kill Kevin Imamura?† Blaise dropped a black silk teddy. â€Å"Did I what? What are you talking about?† â€Å"He's dead.† â€Å"And you thought I did it? Thanks a lot, but it's not him I want to kill.† Blaise narrowed her eyes and Thea felt cold. Then she tilted her head. â€Å"So how did he die?† â€Å"He was strangled. Somebody murdered him.† Blaise just raised her eyebrows and murmured, â€Å"Hm. I wonder where Randy is?† She held a shirt up, considered it, and added, â€Å"Do you want to come stay at Viv's with me? It's better than staying here by yourself.† â€Å"I don't know. Do I have to watch you to make sure Eric doesn't end up like Kevin?† Blaise gave her a scorching look. â€Å"When I go after a boy, I get him first. I don't strangle him before the fun begins.† She slammed her suitcase closed and stalked out. Thea sat on the bed. In spite of her sharp words, Thea now knew Blaise hadn't done it. Her cousin had been genuinely surprised. And Randy? I suppose it could have been, if he somehow got out of wherever they've taken him. He had a reason to hate Kevin. But†¦ The alternate explanation slid into place so quickly that Thea realized it must have been in her mind all along. The spirit. She sat there for an endless time, trying to think. It was like trying to find her way through a thick fog. Gran's gone†¦ and if she's sick I can't bother her anyway†¦ of course, Blaise won't help†¦ but I need to trust somebody†¦. Dani gently pushed the door open. â€Å"Can I come in?† When Thea nodded, she walked in and sat down on Blaise's bed. â€Å"They left. I told Tobias to go too-he had a girlfriend he wanted to see. I'll stay here tonight, if you want.† Thea took a shaky breath. â€Å"Thanks, Dani.† â€Å"Look, Thea, I don't want to pry, but†¦ are you okay? I mean, you're as pale as a corpse-† Dani bit her lip. â€Å"Sorry, bad choice of words. But I am your friend, and if there's anything I can do, I'd like to help.† Another breath. Then Thea made her decision. â€Å"I worked a forbidden spell.† Dani looked shocked, but not appalled. â€Å"Which one?† â€Å"Calling back the spirits.† When Dani didn't scream or faint, Thea told the whole story. All about her summoning-everything except why she'd been doing it. â€Å"And now I'm scared,† she finished. â€Å"I let something out yesterday, and today Kevin gets murdered. Blaise didn't kill him. She thinks Randy may be involved, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea shook her head. â€Å"But, Thea, be logical. Why should it have anything to do with your spell?† Dani's rational voice was soothing. â€Å"You let someone out, not something. The elders summon the ancestors all the time without anything bad happening. You just feel guilty because you know you weren't supposed to be doing it.† â€Å"No. Dani, I can't explain it, but the thing I let out-it wasn't friendly. It knocked Blaise and me down. None of the spirits I saw the elders summon ever did that.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dani looked doubtful. â€Å"But why would one of the ancestors went to murder a human?† â€Å"I don't know.† Somehow talking about it had cleared Thea's mind. She said slowly, â€Å"But†¦ maybe the book would tell us.† Ten minutes later, they were sitting side by side on Thea's bed, with the iron chest on the floor and the book between them. â€Å"First, could you tell anything about the amulet that fell in the fire?† Dani asked in scientific tones. â€Å"Like, if the hair was gray, it could mean-â€Å" â€Å"The witch was old.† Thea caught on immediately. â€Å"No, it wasn't gray or white. It was dark-sort of like mahogany.† She closed her eyes, trying to remember. â€Å"It all happened so fast-but I think it was long. It was doubled up lots of times in the clay.† â€Å"So maybe a woman.† â€Å"Yes.† Thea read for several minutes. â€Å"Wait a minute. Look at this.† † ‘Suzanne Blanchet,' † Dani read with difficulty. † ‘Bom sixteen thirty-four in Esgavans on the day that they made bonfires for the peace between France and Spain. Tried sixteen fifty-three at Ron-chain, prisoner at the court of Rieux.' â€Å" â€Å"And listen to the charges,† Thea said grimly. † ‘Bewitching men's corn, killing cattle, bringing hunger into the country, and strangling babies at night with her long hair.' â€Å" â€Å"Strangling,† Dani breathed. â€Å"She denied it, so they tortured her. Listen: ‘Being a little stretched on the rack, she screamed ceaselessly that she was not a witch, but being more tightly stretched, said that it was true.' â€Å" â€Å"And then they tortured her family,† Dani said, her finger skimming the lines. â€Å"Oh, Isis, look at this. She had a ten-year-old brother named Clement and a six-year-old sister named Lucienne. They tortured them both.† â€Å"And burned them.† Thea had begun to tremble involuntarily. The room wasn't cold, but she had a feeling like ice deep inside her. â€Å"Look. ‘The children having been promised the mercy of being strangled before burning, but the executioner not having been paid, they were committed alive to the flames†¦'.† She couldn't finish. † ‘†¦ before the eyes of their sister,' † Dani whispered. She was shaking, too, and huddling close to Thea. â€Å"How could they do that?† â€Å"I don't know,† Thea said flatly. â€Å"I mean, no wonder Night World laws are so strict. No wonder we have to keep ourselves a secret-look at what they do to us when they find out.† | Thea swallowed-she didn't want to think about Night World rules. â€Å"And then they burned Suzanne,† she said quietly, keeping her eyes on the book. † ‘Being consigned to the fire, she uttered several exclamations, crying out upon revenge.' â€Å" â€Å"I would too,† Dani said, her soft voice threaded with steel. â€Å"I'd come back and kill them.† She stopped and she and Thea looked at each other. â€Å"And maybe that's just what she did,† Thea said slowly. â€Å"Only she couldn't get to her torturers. But she found something that looked similar-a reproduction torture chamber. And there was Kevin, doing something to a witch dummy-hanging it, maybe. Maybe treating it in some way that reminded her of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thea nodded toward the book. â€Å"Anyway, doing something that made her lose it.† â€Å"And kill him. By strangling him-what she'd been accused of doing. Thea?† Dani grimaced, then went on. â€Å"When you saw Kevin's body-was there anything around his neck?† Thea stared at the window curtains, trying to remember. That awful bloated face†¦ the protruding tongue†¦ and dark bruises on the throat. â€Å"No,† she said softly. â€Å"There were marks-but whatever strangled him was gone.† â€Å"She took it with her.† Dani shivered, then put both hands on the book. â€Å"Or maybe not. Look, Thea, this may make a great bonfire story, but, really, it's all speculation.† Thea was staring at the yellowed page beneath Dani's fingers. â€Å"I don't think so,† she said quietly. â€Å"See this symbol by Suzanne Blanchet's name? I recognize it. I saw it for just a second-on the amulet in the fire.† â€Å"You're sure?† Thea looked away. â€Å"Yeah. It's her, Dani. And it's my fault. I let her out†¦ and now she's killing people. Because of me, somebody's dead.† It was only when she said it that the full realization hit-as if forming the words had somehow made it true. Kevin was dead. He wasn't going to school anymore, he wasn't going to get a chance to repair his Porsche. He wouldn't ever smile at a girl again. He'd lost everything a person had to lose. â€Å"And I just-I just feel so bad,† Thea said. The ache in her throat rose up in a sort of spasm, as if she were going to be sick. But what came out was tears. Dani held her while she sobbed. And at last, when Thea was crying more quietly, she said, â€Å"You didn't know. You didn't mean to do anything bad. You were just playing around and it went wrong. You didn't know.† â€Å"It doesn't matter.† Thea wiped her face on her sleeve, sitting up. The ache in her chest was duller now, and she was slowly realizing that something else was there, something that felt hot and bright. A need to act. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† she said again. â€Å"I still made it happen. But I'll tell you one thing-I'm not going to let it keep happening. I've got to stop her. Which means I've got to send her back.† â€Å"I'm with you there,† Dani said, her small jaw set in determination. â€Å"But how?† Thea stared at the wall a moment, then said, â€Å"I have an idea.†

Racial Identity Development Essay

I am an Asian and I am from a prominent region of the continent—Hong Kong. When I am abroad, I become a lesser equal of other people especially the citizens of the country where I am visiting. I become deprived of several powers and privileges for a variety of reasons. For the most part, racial differences take a big role in stripping non-citizens of any country of a number of powers and privileges. Others see my race as inferior to their own race which, in effect, puts me in a lower social position. Gender and ethnicity are two other factors which contribute to the inequalities mentioned. I am a male and I personally do not believe in gods. Because of those traits, it is personally difficult on my part to be involved in social groups and enjoy certain privileges that people with strong religious affiliations can enjoy. However, I have observed that there are still influences of male dominance. Since I am a male, I am still able to have an advantage over females in many ways, from physical endurance to the capacity to perform physical work over a longer duration. I think I am in the stage of â€Å"pseudo-independence† because I have experienced racial oppression in many ways, from simple to complex ones. I am still trying to understand the differences that people have, including race, gender and ethnicity. I believe I have been able to progress from the stage of â€Å"reintegration† because I have gone past acknowledging the supremacy of the White race. In the past, I have been slightly intolerant towards people who belong to other races. I viewed my Asian heritage as far more superior than the rest during those days. However, I have come to know that there are generally perceived privileges given to the Euro-American race. I believe that, as of now, I only have the conceptual knowledge about the sociopolitical aspects of different races. In the coming days, I am looking forward to actually experiencing these things and encounter how it feels like to actually fight racial bias, prejudice and discrimination even in my own little ways. The impact of the generally accepted perception of White supremacy and the inferiority of other races on my self is that I am unable to fully become an autonomous individual. Everywhere I go, I am confined to how the White race has perpetuated the idea that to be White is to have better access to various social services and privileges. Whenever I hear the news about Asians being heavily scrutinized in airports out of suspicion of being a terrorist, I cannot help but think about how White people are exempted from that security routine in many places. The status quo where the White race is perceived as the better race indeed have far reaching consequences to myself and to others. Sometimes, I even wish that I belonged to the White race so that I can get rid of the racial prejudices and biases. My current perception towards â€Å"the other† or those people who are not Asians is that they are partly intolerant of my own race. Although not all people profess and practice racial intolerance, I think there are individuals living in the world who either fear or disgust my race. The society has constructed the very idea of White supremacy and, as a result, other races like the Asian race had to endure living in a world where they are the â€Å"lesser† equal. In Hong Kong, there is still that construed image Westerners as people who frequently travel to far places such as ours and spend their resources just to enjoy some of life’s finest luxuries. They see White people as wealthy and, therefore, as individuals who have the power and privilege to relax and indulge in what Hong Kong can offer. Johnson’s concept of stubborn ounces reminds us that we should not take for granted the little efforts that we do (Johnson). No matter how small my efforts can be to push back the causes and effects of racial bias, prejudice and discrimination, they still serve their own little purposes. I think that my goal of at least being free from all thoughts of racial intolerance can be fulfilled with the help of what other people may see as â€Å"stubborn ounces†. I can try every day to get closer to people who are of a different race such as Latin Americans and even Europeans. I can smile at them whenever I walk in front of them or wave a hand at them as simple gesture of kindness. These â€Å"ounces†, when put together, can turn into a huge chunk of effort in giving my own share towards a world free from racial intolerance. Like the monopoly game, our society sometimes rewards those who have the greed for wealth and power. However, the game also contains what Johnson considers as â€Å"paths of least resistance†; these â€Å"paths† are acceptable ways of behaving in the society. Since entering college, I have learned that we should try to reach out to other people who may or may not be of the same race as ours. Instead of avoiding or hating one another, we should strive to respect each other and tolerate our differences as if there were none at all. Because society sometimes rewards the greedy, we should strive to change that social system and replace it with a better one. However, it does not mean that we should take actions that stray away from the rules. Rather, we should take the paths of least resistance and consider every ounce of effort as part of the larger picture. Indeed, it is entirely better if part of the collective ideological pursuit of removing racial intolerance comes from those who are perceived to be perpetuating it such as Whites and Europeans. Since entering college, my understanding of the broad concept of race has widened. Yet I know that it does not end there because the greater challenge lies in real life situations.

Reconstruction Amendments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reconstruction Amendments - Essay Example The reconstruction amendments of the US constitution comprise the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments. The amendments were adopted just after the end of the civil war in the period between 1865 and 1870 according to Franklin (3). The amendments were necessary for the reconstruction of the America’s Southern states. The Thirteenth Amendment was influential in the abolishment of slave trade. The succeeding amendment stipulates privileges, immunities equal protection as well as due process On the other hand, the Fifteenth Amendment gives the right to vote people of all color, race and those previously held in servitude. The fourteenth amendment of the United States constitution was done in 1868 in the month of July. The ratification of the fourteenth Amendment was not accepted by all and it had a lot of contentions (Franklin 11). The southern state legislature was among those that refused the ratification of the amendment. This ratification led to the introduction of the Reconstructio n Acts. The existing states governments were ignored and in return military governments were imposed. This was followed by the establishment of civil governments, hence the ratification. The reason for ratification was significant in several ways which are implied in its clauses. The first clause is the citizenship clause. It is important as it defines citizenship overruling the decision which denied the blacks the right to become citizens of the United States (Collins 13).

The concepts related to supply and demand Term Paper

The concepts related to supply and demand - Term Paper Example This can be affected by various changes in the economy for example inflation, fashion etc. Supply is the term used to refer to the availability of a commodity in the market. The demand and supply of a commodity exhibit a high correlation which is determined by price (Fisher 2007 p 15). The law of demand states that; the lower the price, the higher the demand but under normal circumstances. On the other hand, the law of supply states that an increase in the price of a commodity results to an increase in its supply. This essay is an evaluation of the various concepts of supply and demand. The law of demand states that the lower the price of a commodity, the higher its demand (Fisher 2007 p 20). This means that the prices of items determine the willingness of a customer to buy an item. This rule though has its exceptions which may involve circumstances that may result from quality and quantity. In that aspect, a customer may refuse to buy an item for example a vehicle which is cheap but which is highly depreciated even though it may be selling at a lower price than a new one. The quantity of the item being bought may also influence the customer towards buying a commodity due to the requirements he may be wishing to satisfy (Gorman 2003 p 14). For example, a packet of fertilizer may be selling at a price of $30 for 50 Kg. A similar bag of fertilizer may also be selling at a cheaper price but in a 30 Kg package. In this case, the demand for the 50 Kg package would not be affected since the consumer would be buying according to the vastness of the area the fertilizer is to be applied. However, the law of demand under the normal circumstances can be represented on a demand curve, whereby the effects of price change on demand can be represented. This curve shows the difference in the quantity demanded as compared to the price change. When the price is at the lowest i.e. P1, the demand becomes high i.e. Q3. When the prices are high i.e. P3, the

Is The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum a feminist film If so,why Movie Review

Is The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum a feminist film If so,why - Movie Review Example A Nobel prize-winning writer, Bà ¶ll had composed an exposition scrutinizing the Bild-Zeitung (the generally circled every day tabloid that was the trade bovine in for spendable dough the yellow press realm of Axel Springer) for fanning mass craziness with its scope of the Baader-Meinhof group. The paper then marked Bà ¶ll a terrorist sympathizer, and he and his family were subjected to police provocation, hunts, and wiretaps. Bà ¶lls reaction was to compose The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (subtitled "How Violence Can Arise and What It Can Lead To"), about a young lady whose life is crushed when the police associate her with harboring a terrorist (Taubin, 2003). As Katharina is dragged into cross examination and mortified by the police, its unimaginable not to consider this in light of all around archived treatment of ladies in the wake of sex outrages and assault allegations. These points and appeals highly stress the film’s feminist orientation. The specialists tear separated her loft, address her thought processes and history, and make intimations about her. They dont such a great amount of ask as interest, such a great amount of test as demand. She is blameworthy not until demonstrated pure, but rather essentially liable. As an inseparable unit with the states power goes the press, sensationalizing, lying, and talk mongering. This is an immediate analogy for the way ladies are slut-shamed, disgraced in private and open, and as the film advances, it weaves into it layer upon layer (Black, 2015). Some of political movies rise above their historical minute. Yet viewing Volker Schlà ¶ndorff and Margarethe von Trottas The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum today leads to the powerful experience. There is little contrast between this portrayal of West Germany in 1975, when the nervousness about terrorism disintegrated essential majority rule values, and what we are afraid of is going to happen — might undoubtedly be now happening —

Application Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Application Project - Research Paper Example The applicants should have detailed knowledge and understanding of the coordination requirements within the higher education set up. They also need to have their previous working experience that is related to supporting student’s experience. I am interested in the position of a Coordinator in your campus that was advertised in the New York Times on 6th December 2011. Because of my qualifications and skills, I would appreciate if you consider my application for this campus position that means a lot to me. 4. Create a two page paper reflecting on what strategies you will implement in terms of your career development and how these strategies specifically relate to your career goals and advancement. (30 Percent) I realized it is not that easy for one to advance in his or her career by just working hard and meeting deadlines. This realization came as a challenge to me thus I had to come up with personal strategies that would help to not just develop my career but also advance in it. The initial and most important step to achieving this is to understand myself in relation to the career I am taking. By having an accurate picture of what I do, I will be better placed to let other people around me know what I can do. This will also give me an opportunity to demonstrate my potential as being able to learn in future. This has to begin with influencing my assertive behavior. It will also involve the clear identification of the important skills that I make use of in my current position and the ones that have helped me in the past. The other important consideration is to understand the options that are there before me. The modern careers are so dynamic calling for regular leverage in relation to those changes in order for one to be a successful professional and achieve individual goals. Doing a great job at work is not enough. Coming up with multiple career goals helps one

Access Controls Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Access Controls - Coursework Example As a matter of fact, intelligent readers are one of the most crucial elements that provide all the inputs to control physical security. With the advent of security, these card readers can make independent access decisions. With the innovation of IP, remote access can be even granted. Access controls have created a new generation of security in many ways for organizations. Companies no longer have to rely on traditional methods of people or physical locks to achieve security. One of the many key elements of access controls is embedding authentication. AUP are set of standard and guidelines that are established by a user domain setting. AUP allows logical guidelines to ensure that audit practices are being conducted and risks are being controlled. AUP are extremely important component of framework of security policies because it dictates policies. AUP must be clear and concise in user domain. One of the most prominent factors of AUP is to ensure that user domains are separated by segregation of duties. It is crucial to understand that utilizing AUP allows suspension of user domains from an administrator standpoint. Accounts can be suspended, given limited access, administration rights to install programs, etc. Moreover, AUP encompasses managing passwords, software licenses, noncompliance consequences, and escalations. NIST is also very proactive in promoting administrator rights and segregation of duties. When administrator rights are breached or abused, PAA level agreements are crucial that are enabled to enhance accountability of user rights. It is clear that the PAA is a written, explicit agreement that a user must acknowledge to. The PAA allows the security team to generally have a contingency plan, audit in timely manner. The PAA is a typically a two page document between administration and organization. Security Assessment Policy is a governing legislation that outlines Information Security

Assignment requires you to perform a strategic review of Asda Essay

Assignment requires you to perform a strategic review of Asda - Essay Example The system also tracks individual customer’s consumption pattern and offers them suggestions and special offers and discounts on products that they often buy. Asda realises that its major work force is dependent on human resources, so they provide extensive training to their employees. Acquisition by Walmart has enhanced its presence in the non-food retail market. Within five years, Asda’s non-food retail chain has increased its offering to more than 12,000 merchandize. 5 Asda is one of the leading supermarket chains in Europe, which was acquired by Walmart in 1999. It operates as one of the largest grocery store and it also sells a variety of products including apparels, household items, books, etc. After its acquisition by Walmart, Asda is supported financially and also in its operations by providing cheaper resources. Asda has its core competence in food retail, but it has now expanded in to the non-food sector as well. The company faces steep competition from fellow companies like Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrison’s. The product offering in the retail sector is highly standardized, so the companies try new ways to differentiate themselves on the basis of service quality and brand valuation. Market environmental factors like tax imposition and business regulations often pose hindrance on retail business. Asda Stores Ltd., headquartered in Leeds, West Yorkshire, is a British retail supermarket chain which caters in sections like food, clothing, toys, general merchandise and financial services. In 1999, Walmart wanted to penetrate into the British market, so they lobbied with the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair and acquired Asda for  £ 6.7 billion, winning a bid from rival Kingfisher plc. The main competitors of Asda are J Sainsbury plc, Tesco plc and WM Morrison Supermarket plc. Over the years, Asda has managed to position itself as UK’s cheapest retail supermarket. As of 2012, Asda’s operating profit increased by  £51 million to  £857

The Provision of Architect-Engineer Services Assignment

The Provision of Architect-Engineer Services - Assignment Example Because of the focus of the company on government projects, the need to abide by the provisions of the FAR has been necessary for preparing this RFP to find the right outfit to carry out the planned project. The approach to this RFP is based on key clauses of the FAR including FAR  §Ã‚ § 15.203, 15.204 and 15.209, which focus on contracting by negotiation (Bowie, 2002). There are design development documents that confirm an award of the project rather than notice to proceed. This is in congruence with FAR  §Ã‚ § 15.207 and 15.208 to begin work 15 calendar days after the award has been given. There shall be two major progress payments which are design phase and construction phase. Any payment to be made during the design phase shall be done only upon submission, review, and acceptance of design deliverables. For the construction phase, progress payment will be done on the percentage basis, where the percentage of work completed on the items listed will determine payment to be made. In order to ensure that Government Accountability Report guidelines are implemented, verification of completeness of work will be carried out with the direction of representatives of the Contracting Officer. Calculations for payment shall also be based on Governments Verification of Works. The interested parties are to aid with the transparency of the whole selection process by enclosing a complete stamped and signed design-build construction documents that will make the work of the selection team easier. By comparing the contents of these documents, it should be possible to achieve the outcome of the FAR  §Ã‚ § 13, which ensures Simplified Acquisition Procedures. In pursuant to this, all the following indicators in the table must be covered.

Analysing a web page written in the style of a memorandum Essay - 1

Analysing a web page written in the style of a memorandum - Essay Example 7. The website requires a plugin to be installed into the user’s computer in order to access some of its content. This may not fare well with some users who are keen to protect their computers from malicious programs. Some will opt to leave the website rather than risk the safety of their computers by downloading unfamiliar plug-ins. The website has the potential of capturing the attention of new visitors. However, to achieve this, it requires a complete makeover. To start with, the links found on the homepage all need to be followed through in order to make sure that they lead a user to a new page. The main reason for doing this lies in the fact that some users may be discouraged from going further if the links cannot function. It may make a visitor assume that the website in general does not function. It actually came as a surprise to me that you can login and find that the website has content. Other new users may not have the time, patience or the adventurous nature which may lead them to discovering other parts of the website that happen to be operational. Another point of concern revolves around the titles of all the pages. When logged in and with most of the content available, the title of most pages happens to be the same. This question the seriousness behind the website and the level of professionalism involved. Every page of the website accessed by the user should have a title coinciding with the topic. For example, if a user clicks on a link called â€Å"Blog†, the user should be directed to a page that has blogs with the title â€Å"Blog†. In a case whereby a user can be using different tabs and the main tab happens to be other than the one accessing pages in this website, a lot of misinformation can occur. The main reason for making this statement lies in the fact that when the page accessing this website loads, the Title bar will read â€Å"Site Error† or

The Hotel Escargo Essay Example for Free

The Hotel Escargo Essay The Hotel Escargo has asked for a summary of the observations found for improvement. In this report the hotel needs will be summarized and a job design and measurement strategy for ensuring improvement will be proposed. Introduction The Hotel Escargo has many services that need improving such as check-in and check-out service, multi-lingual staff, complementary concierge desk, room service, local area transportation, and amenities. Hotel needs and rank of importance Check-in and check-out service Amenities Multi-lingual staff Local area transportation According to Ricarda B. Bouncken, the more an employee knows about what the customers want and service procedures, a hotel can improve service quality. â€Å"Service quality depends strongly on the ability of hotels to acquire, to develop, to accumulate, and to distribute knowledge assets.† Check-in and check-out services For the Hotel Escargo, check-in and check-out service needs improving. On July 31, 2012, it took 8439 seconds to check in 29 guests. The average time for checking in 29 guests is 291.0 seconds, 4 minutes and 51 seconds. The check-out time for Hotel Escargo for 32 guests on August 1, 2012 was 6703 seconds, 3 minutes and 17 seconds. In order to reduce the number of service operations and speed up check-in and check-out, the hotel can get information about the guest prior to them arriving by acquiring information about the guest when they book online or by phone from the preferences they list. Amenities Hotel and room amenities are important to guest. For the hotel amenities, complementary concierge service, restaurants bars with a variety of foods, 24 hour in-room dining, full service spa’s, golf club, conference and event space, fitness zone, and multi-media kiosks for email and airline check-in are all excellent amenities guest will love. Room amenities can include hair dryer, microfiber bathrobes, down pillows, Thai bed linens, on demand movies and entertainment, private bar, in-room safe suitable for laptop storage, alarm clocks, complimentary high speed wireless internet access, same day dry cleaning, thermostat control, and pet friendly commendations. Multi-lingual staff Not only should staff be efficient and friendly. A well versed staff should be in place for those who do not speak the language. Local area transportation Not everyone will be able to rent a car, or even want to drive in a place they do not know well or at all. The Hotel Escargo can provide local transportation to and from the airport, to the local shopping areas and points of interest. Areas to improve within the next 3-6 months Check-in and out services can and should be the first thing the hotel improves. Multi-lingual staffing should be a variety of staff members who are courteous, friendly, efficient and fluent in different languages, and amenities. Starting with the little things such as adding alarm clocks to each room and wireless internet access, up-grade to quality bedding including pillows and bathrobes, and upgrading the televisions to have on demand and entertainment. Proposed job design and measurement strategy Check-in and check-out services The Hotel Escargo can improve check-in and check-out services by  implementing an online check-in service at the time of booking and by gathering the customers preferences at the time of booking as well as when taking reservations by phone. The first step to implementing this improvement is to set up an online booking system that will allow the customer to put in their preferences and give feed back to the hotel. It should be set up so that the customer can check-in early and check-out online by credit card and reservation number. Amenities The Hotel Escargo can start off their improvements by starting with what the hotel has to offer each of it’s’ guest. A survey of what the customer would like to see would help narrow down what they can offer. After a survey, customer feedback from guest who have stayed at the hotel and preferences from future guest should help sort out these amenities. Once these things are done and the hotel is clear on what their customers need, want and prefer, they can start implementing the plan with the smallest thing such as adding alarm clocks and so on. References Bouncken, R.B. (2002). Knowledge Management for Quality Improvements in Hotels. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality Tourism, 3(3/4). 25-59 Wadsworth, H., Stephens, K. Godfrey, A. (2002). Modern Methods for Quality Control and Improvement. (2nd edition). John Wiley Sons.

Why do people play computer games

Why do people play computer games Video and computer games, like many popular, entertaining and addicting kid activities are looked down upon by many parents as time-wasters, and worse, parents think that these games rot the brain. Also, the media and some experts readily blame violent video games as the reason why some youth become violent or commit extreme anti-social behavior. But many scientists and psychologists find that video games actually have many benefits. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skill that they will need in the future. Video games give your childs brain real workout. In many video games, the skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking. These skills are not even taught at the school. Some of the mental skills trained by video games include hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skill. In shooting games, the character may be running and shooting at the same time. This requires the real-world player to keep track of the position of the character, where he/she is heading, their speed, where the gun is aiming, if the gunfire is hitting the enemy, and so on. All these factors need to be taken into account, and then the player must then coordinate the brains interpretation and reaction with the movement in their hands and fingertips. This process requires a great deal of eye-hand coordination and visual-spatial ability to be successful. Researches also suggest that people can learn iconic, spatial, and visual attention skills from video games. There have been even studies with a dults showing that experience with video games is related to better surgical skills. Also, a reason given by the experts as to why fighter pilots of today are more skillful is that the generations pilots are being weaned on video games. Sometimes the player does this almost every second of the game giving the brain real workout. According to researchers at the University of Rochester, led by Daphne Bavelier, a cognitive scientist, games simulating stressful events such as those found in battle or action games could be a training tool for real-world situations. The study suggests that playing action video games primes the brain to make quick decisions. Video games can be used to train soldiers and surgeons, according to the study. It can test your hypothesis and Inductive reasoning based to James Paul Gee, Professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he said that playing video games is similar to working through a science problem. Like students in a laboratory, gamers must come up with the hypothesis. For example, players in some games constantly try out combinations of weapons and powers to use to defeat an enemy. If one does not work, they change hypothesis and try the next one. Video games are goal-driven experiences, says Gee, which are fundamental to learning. Simulation, real world skills. The most well known simulations are flight simulators, which attempt to mimic the reality of flying a plane. All the controls, including airspeed, wing angles, altimeter, and so on, are displayed for the player, as well as a visual representation of the world, and are updated in real time. Video games introduce your kid to computer technology and the online world. You should recognize that we are now living in a high-tech, sophisticated world. Video games make your kid adapt and be comfortable with the concepts of computing. This is particularly important for girls who typically are not interested in high technology as much as boys. Video games allow you and your kid to play together and can be a good bonding activity. Some games are attractive to kids as well as adults, and they could be something that they share in common. When your child knows more than you, he can teach you how to play and this allows you to understand your childs skills and talents. Finally, and this is controversial, violent video games may act as a release of pent-up aggression and frustration of your kid. When your kid vents his frustration and anger in his game, this diffuses his stress. Games can provide a positive aggression outlet the same way as football and other violent sports. Video games also can teach important skills or address serious issues, Organizations such as Games for Change promote the use of games for education and social action, and often involve kids in the creation of games they can use to express themselves on important issues and current events. Some medical professionals, such as Doctor Kourosh Dini, also feel that age appropriate multi-player video games can allow children to learn how other people think. A key aspect of empathy. Games can also help a child become more comfortable with new and ever progressing technology. Recent studies have shown that video games can have a positive or negative effect on how players behave. Depending on the content. Pro social games can increase empathy, co-operation, helping and emotional awareness, while violent games can diminish these traits. Video games are not all violent, but most of them are, and many of them are pretty gruesome. It has been estimated that up to 89% of games contain some violent content. People are concerned that violent games might be causing young people to become violent and there is some evidence to support this. Studies have shown that violent games can increase physiological arousal, increase aggressiveness thoughts and emotions, increase aggressive behavior, and reduce helping behavior (where people become less likely to help other). These effects seem to be stronger in young people who already tend to be aggressive. It has been argued that more hostile or aggressive young people will be attracted to violent games, and that it is not the games causing the problem. However, even taking into account the persons hostility, it is clear that exposure to violent games causes increased aggressive behavior (as indicated by things like the degree to which they get into physical fights or argue with teachers). Desensitization to violence has been suggested as part of the problem. Desensitization is when someone gradually begins to feel that violence is normal. When games reward players for doing violent actions, it is easy to see how this could happen. For most teens, playing video games is just another recreational activity they enjoy with friends. The concern is when video game playing becomes an addictive or isolating activity. According to a Harris Interactive poll released in January of 2007, 23% of gamers surveyed reported that they felt addicted to video games. Some teens are heavy users of only role-playing games (RPGs) such as World of Warcraft and multiplayer games such as Call of Duty in which they interact with other players in real time. Students will often neglect schoolwork and other aspects of their daily lives when they become immersed in these games. While it remains unclear whether this can be termed an addiction, the American Medical Association has identified video game overuse as a behavior, and may include it in a future edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Children who are heavy users of video games may also be getting less exercise and develop poor eating habits. Make sure that your teen is getting outside and not snacking too much on unhealthy foods while gaming. If you are concerned about the amount of your time your teen is spending on video games, keep in mind that it is normal for young people to throw themselves enthusiastically into hobbies. Consider the effect your teens gaming is having on his or her life. People can become addicted to games. Young gamers have shown similar symptoms to people who have drug or alcohol dependence. An ability to stop playing, and withdrawal symptoms (anxiety, agitation) if they go without access to their gaming fix. Gamers also report that they play games to escape things like family or personal problems. In a similar way to people who use drugs or alcohol to escape their problems. There have been reports of adults that play so much they neglect their families. There are even support groups for family members of people with an addiction to one game in particular. Computer gaming is much maligned at times for the level of violence in some games and for the amount of time that is claims that could be put to more productive uses. Some advantages of gaming are that it has educational applications, increase visual processing of information and teaches problem solving skills. Violence in games has an unquestionable negative effect on players, making them more likely to be violent themselves, according to Craig Anderson of the American Psychological Association. He points out that experiments in the lab and in the field, and longitudinal and cross-sectional studies have all shown this to be true. The interactive nature of the games makes them more influential in teaching violence that more passive media like television or books. Time spent in front of the computer has increased fir kids 8 to 18, and media use now stands at an average of 7.5 hours per day, taking into account computers, televisions and other media, as reported in a study by the Kaiser Foundation. Much of the time is spent multitasking or combining TV and video games, for example. Half surveyed said they had a computer game console of their own on their room. In addition time spent reading has decreased. Games have educational uses, for example, teaching economic skills like negotiating and purchasing strategies, and are used in college level economics courses to do so. For example, many games allow players to accumulate points or money and then purchase things that will advance their interest in the game. These features simulate markets, and in fact can become commodities outside the game. Gaming teaches problem solving skills. Players are given a set of rules to follow and must figure out the best strategy for achieving the goals set in the gaming context. If the game has multiple players or teams, the problem solving is done in a social context, which teaches people to communicate and cooperate. Computer game addiction generally refers to an excessive, unhealthy amount of playing computer games. Rather than engaging in the real world, an addicted user devotes the majority of his or her time to gaming. The addicted gamer often isolate him/herself from others, ignores more important responsibilities, and is often obsessed with obtaining higher status/rankings/achievements in his/her favorite computer game. According to the DSM-IV (the current manual for classifying emotional, psychological, and mental disorders), No. Although there have been calls from some mental health professionals and parents to recognize computer game addiction as a real disorder, it has not been granted official diagnostic status. As more research on the effects of excessive gaming is conducted, many believe that it is only a matter of time before computer game addiction is classified as a compulsive behavior similar to gambling addiction. Because there is no official diagnosis of computer game addiction, there is obviously no universally agreed upon list of symptoms. Psychologists and other mental health professionals initially adapted the diagnostic criteria for gambling addiction and used this as a rough assessment tool for computer game addiction. This classification approach is rarely used today and for better or for worse, it is essentially up to the individual researcher or clinician to define the symptoms of computer addiction. Depending on the research methodology and the definition of computer addiction used, estimates range from 2 to 10% of all children who play video games. More accurate and consistent estimates should be possible if formal diagnostic criteria for computer game addiction are introduced. Because computer game addiction is a new development in the world of mental health, treatments are not as well established as those for depression, anxiety, anger, and etc. most interventions take a cognitive-behavioral approach, which involve changing how the addict thinks about the addiction (for example, recognizing cognitive distortions designed to convince the gamer that it is not a problem), and simultaneously changing his/her behaviors (for example, setting strict limits for play, taking care of other responsibilities before gaming, using game blocking software of devices, and etc.) treatment can take a variety of forms including: Individual therapy Individual therapy with a psychologist who specializes in treating computer game addiction or who has experience with addictions in general. Treatment is tailored to the individual player and is based on established psychological principals and interventions. Family therapy Especially if the addicted player is a child or younger teen. Computer game addiction almost always affects other family members, and the chance for recovery is increased if these members are involved in treatment and are working together toward mutually agreed upon goals. Wilderness therapy Wilderness therapy in which the addicted gamer enters an outdoor treatment program focused on survival skills, team building, goal setting, and developing self-confidence. The programs typically last at least thirty days and the participants have absolutely no access to video games and limited access to other technologies. Although somewhat similar to the symptoms of computer game addiction, the negative consequences of excessive gaming are often divided into five main categories: Social Consequences As a computer game addict spends more time gaming, he/she tends to spend less time interacting with others in person. As such, he/she may lack face-to-face human contact, experience isolation and loneliness, and the loss of friends or relationships. Academic/Career Consequences Children and teens that are addicted to computer games very often experience falling grades and decreased academic performance and dedication. Completing homework, studying for tests, and efforts during school become very low priorities. Adults who are addicted to computer games may experience a similar deterioration in work performance, job dedication, and career aspirations. Financial Consequences Adults and teens may spend large amounts of money on new games, expansion pack, micro-transaction, service fees, and computer upgrades. In extreme cases, jobs may be lost due to poor work performance, playing while at work, and frequent absences. Family Consequences Computer game addiction often leads to deterioration in family relationships. Tension and conflict between family members escalates as requests to cut back or stop are ignored. The addicted player may initially deny that a problem exists, try to hide how much he/she plays, and accuse the other of trying to control his/her life. Parents of addicted children may disagree on how to address the problem. Which may lead to frequent arguments and conflicts. Health Consequences Computer game addicts may neglect personal hygiene, have poor sleep habits, give up healthy physical activities, and may make meal decisions based on quick and easy preparation so that gaming is not interrupted rather than dietary needs. Emotional/Psychological Consequences Those addicted to computer games may experience depressed mood, low self-esteem, social anxiety, low frustration tolerance, anger, and feelings of guilt and shame for not being able to control their gaming habits. Of note, it seems likely that difficulties in other areas can cause and be caused by computer game addiction. Is computer game addiction different from video game addiction, online addiction, and Internet Addiction? Yes, because computer game addiction refers to excessively playing games on a PC. Most often these games are of the MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) or the FPS (First Person Shooter) genre. Competing online with and against other players is a significant factor in what makes these particular genres more addictive than others. Video game addiction refers to excessive play on computer, home consoles, or handheld system. The terms Internet addiction and online addiction are occasionally used to describe computer game addiction, but more appropriately describe excessive web surfing, email checking, instant messaging, Facebook use, or downloading movies, images, or music Do you think it is okay to play computer games? Yes, most people can and do play computer games but in moderation. They play games for casual entertainment, as a way to relax, and to socialize with friends. However, there are those who are far more likely to become addicted to computer games. For these people, certain games (very often Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)) appear to present a high risk for addiction and may need to be avoided or banned in order to prevent unhealthy gaming habits.

Evaluating the Role of the warehouse in postponement Strategies

Evaluating the Role of the warehouse in postponement Strategies Introduction The rapid changes occurring in customer-supplier relationship has resulted in shortening the product life cycle along with the product variations, which could meet the complex customer satisfaction demands. As the customer requirements changes rapidly, it increases the complexity of planning and demand forecasting to suit the changing demands. Hence, postponement strategies are able to help in solving such complex issues. The strategy involves delay in the production process to the maximum possible time, while delaying the point of product differentiation. As the whole strategy is related to the value of information, it can be maximized with delay in production decision time, giving more time to receive and analyze the customer requirement and demand. Hence, the postponement strategies help in improving the quality of decision, while also optimizing the quality of product planning and demand forecast. The relevant strategy also allows for the flexibility in the production scheduling, where the actual demand, in real terms, can play an effective role in the complete supply chain network. While Alderson introduced the concept of postponement strategy in marketing, for the first time in 1950, the postponement applications have been extended to areas like manufacturing and distribution, as well as, process re-design. Later on, the delayed product differentiation enabled the postponing the product design and manufacturing process, to improve the relevant product quality. Similarly, the concepts involved would include the point of differentiation and the level of postponement, which would refer to the warehousing facilities needed at different locations for storing the products. However, the motivation for implementing postponement policy in manufacturing process confined mainly to the provision of incentives for reducing cost and improving the level of service, while increasing product variety to suit the changing demands of the customers.(Zhang Tan, 2001) Role of Warehouse The role of warehouse for any manufacturing or trading organization relates to the policies concerning their logistic postponement, as its main aim should be to maintain the full anticipatory of inventory at a single or multiple warehouses located at different places. Accordingly, the process involves postponement of changing the inventory location to the maximum possible time, while using the risk pooling concept for stocking the chosen differentiated products at certain centrally located warehouses. The process would require total coordination between the retailers and wholesalers. This strategy would also involve manufacturing operations being performed before the logistical operations, which in turn are purely customer-order initiated. With the re-organization of warehouses on the above lines, there would be lesser lead times, while resulting in increased on-time deliveries. With centralized warehouses, the inventory costs would reduce as it would reduce the need for frequent stocking of products which are in more demand at the local warehouses. However, the strategy could result in an increment of shipment costs as smaller packets may need to be shipped at faster speed from the central locations. In any case, this strategy requires clear definition on the role of distributors and retailers in regards on storing of products in warehouses. While distributors would be responsible for making decisions on product assortment and stock localization, they should be able to own and manage the central and connected warehouses. In addition, they must be able to evaluate the response time for the retail markets while the distributors should be focusing on the total logistics which includes transportation, warehousing and cust omer servicing. The retailers responsibilities include owning and managing local warehouses will be linking directly with the consumers and evaluating the response time for the consumer demand on variety of products.(Battezzati Coletta, 2008) However, warehouses can play an important role for large organizations by storing generic parts and subassemblies and components so that they can be readily assembled as per the customers demand. This would include performing all finishing work at the warehouse facility which include kitting, assembly and packaging among other operations. (McCrea, 2005) Types of postponement Strategy While there are many definite patterns of postponement policies for manufacturing and inventory processing, the four main postponement strategies concerning the production processes are manufacturing, assembly, packaging and labeling. Manufacturing postponement This strategy involves shipping of basic materials and components to warehouses whereby the products is being assembled at the appropriate time. The manufacturing is completed as per the customers requirements. This will saves the unnecessary transportation costs. Several soft drink companies, particularly in Brazil will ship the basic syrups to the warehouse of bottling companies whereby other ingredients like sugar and water are added and mixed at the local warehouse to obtain the end product. However, this could increase the delivery time of the end product. On the other hand, there will be saving on the cost for transporting the material, like sugar etc. for the above mentioned soft drink products. Assembly postponement This means delay in the assembly of the final product until the customer order is received. This type of postponement strategy is suitable for the products that have number of differentiations. The basic components remain same but however, the final configuration would change according to the customer requirements. Marketing of computers is an ideal example, where assembly is postponed till the last stage, when the final product is assembled as per the customer specifications. As computers would have different hardware and software combinations, the assembly is delayed until the customer specifies the type of hard disk, Ram drive and other hardware required to make the final product. Similarly, the software applications loaded on the assembled computer would vary as per the customer order. This strategy allows the computer being manufacture offering the maximum choices to consumers while reducing the cost of inventory at their end for the finished goods. The concept of assembly postponement strategy was first introduced by Caterpillar, Inc, as the firm innovated offshore manufacturing by creating the necessary production and distribution system at different places. By doing so, the company could beat the global competition by creating customer service capabilities as tools to beat the competition. In addition, the central warehouse plays an important role in this type of strategy. The base product is required to be delivered to the warehouse whereby the additional attachments are being assembled to the base product as per the customer requirements. However, the inventory costs and the cost of production may increase when using assembly postponement strategy. The assembly and production expenses are usually more at the warehouse level than at the manufacturing level. Nevertheless, it saves the organization on transportation costs which are huge for the finished goods as compared to the base products.(Zinn, 1990, page2) Packaging postponement This type of strategy is most suitable for the packaging of articles in different sizes. Shipping and other costs are saved by using this strategy. For example, packaging of wine and other liquor bottles can be postponed until the specified instructions are received from the customer end. Similarly, packaging calculators and or other electronic gadgets from US to Europe may be delayed as the instruction manual needs printing in different languages. This must be done at the localized warehouse points thus the final packaging can be delayed accordingly under such postponement strategy until the last point of delivery as the instruction manuals are printed in the required language, to be packed along with the gadgets received from the centralized warehousing location. The bulk shipment of the original equipment without the manuals can result in the huge savings in transportation costs. However, the packaging cost at the individual distribution centers may go up, while packaging in diffe rent sizes would consume more time as well. (Zinn, 1990, page 1-2) Labeling postponement This type of strategy is helpful for the companies which send out their products under more than one brand name hence different brand labels would be required to meet the customer requirements. Normally the central warehouse sends the goods without any labels to the local distribution centers and after the labels are put on the products according to the specific order specifications. For example, food products may be sold by multi-national companies under different brands at various locations, the base manufacturing unit or central warehousing facility might use the original brand meant for the consumers of parent country. The final labeling would be done at different warehouses or distribution centers to meet the customers specific demands. This also helps in promoting the popular brand in a particular region. By postponing the labeling operations, the cost of carrying the necessary inventory of labels would be reduced largely at the central warehousing facility. However the labelin g cost may increase marginally if the same is done at the individual localized warehouses since labeling in smaller lots at such warehouses would be more expensive than adopting to the policy of large-scale labeling done at the manufacturing end. (Zinn, 1990, page 1) Apart from the postponement classification as mentioned earlier, Lee and Billington stressed on the form and time postponement strategies with the purpose of reducing the cost at different stages related to the manufacturing of goods while Bowersox and Closs focused on the types of manufacturing and logistic postponement that aimed to reduce the risk of anticipatory product or market commitment. The following table describes the postponement strategy categories, while the same have positive affect on the working of supply chain network, for any organization: (Zhang Tan, 2001, pages 4-7) (Source: http://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1087context=pacis2001, page 7 ) The time postponement strategy results in delaying the differentiation of product by many weeks thus saving the processing and transportation costs. The shipping of products from factory to individual distribution centers at various locations across the world can take many weeks. For example, marketing of HP desk-jet printers involved the strategy of design for localization, while postponing the localization step in the process from factory to the individual distribution warehouses. This has resulted in huge savings in time and cost for the company. Similarly, form postponement type of strategy enables the organization to defer the point of differentiation in particularly when the standardization of components is required for better product integration.(Lee Billington) Warehouse role in supporting postponement strategies The role of warehousing facilities has been traditionally limited to the stocking of inventory; the modern trends in warehousing policies have brought economic benefits to the organizations bringing customer service benefits as well. While customer service benefits would include full line and spot stocking, the value-added services are performed at the localized warehousing facilities. The economic benefits include seasonal sort-age as well as consolation of goods. As inventory handling and storage have been the basic functions of the warehouse, the handling functions are now extended to support the postponement strategies adopted by the companies periodically. These would include supporting the cross-docking, break-bulk and consolidating functions while postponement strategies are effectively supported with extended storage facilities that balance the supply and demand while keeping the track of market expectations. (Bowersox, Supply Chain Logistics Management) In addition, the role of warehousing facilities has been described above with specific application for supporting the particular type of postponement strategy. Its every organizations goal to achieve reduction on the inventory levels in the maximum possible while postponing the operations at individual warehouses until the time and definite instructions from customer end are received. However warehouses have to realize that customer satisfaction should be the goal of all strategies, while achieving the same is an integrated process, involving all stages of supply chain management, from product manufacture to delivery. Conclusion While discharging the traditional function of inventory stocking and providing good customer service to the customers, warehouses have gone beyond these basic responsibilities as they are now recognized as the nerve centers for the companies that help the organization in meeting the customer requirement as well as speculating the same correctly. This is in particularly true for multinational companies which operate at global level as the regional warehouses support their postponement strategies for meeting the regional demands. However the type of postponement strategy should match with the warehouse function to produce the best coordinated results. Therefore it is essential that warehouse staff has the necessary training to upgrade their skill for meeting the aim of postponement strategies, in terms of economic and service benefits.

The Great American Desert :: Edward Abbey Desert Survival Essays

The Great American Desert In the article, â€Å"The Great American Desert†, Edward Abbey (1977) is trying to convince the general public that the desert is not a place for humans to explore. He talks a lot about the dangers of the desert and tries to convince the readers that the desert is not worth wasting your time and going and visiting. I disagree with Abbey. Anyone who has some knowledge about the desert and takes a class or is accompanied by an expert who knows a lot about the desert should be able to venture out in the many great American deserts. Abbeys first survival hint to the desert is, â€Å"stay out of there. Don’t go. Stay home and read a good book.†(p. 204) What fun is staying home if people have the chance to go and explore the desert? Getting a hands on experience and being able to explore the desert in real life is more educating than sitting at home reading a dull book on the desert. David Alloway (1999) once said, â€Å"the historical fact is however, that the human race was cradled in arid lands and people are well adapted to survive in deserts.†( 1) Alloway is a teacher at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and he teaches a desert survival class. His class philosophy is â€Å"not to fight the desert, but to become part of its ecosystem.†( 1) So the first hint or suggestion before you attempt to go into the desert is being prepared. Being prepared before someone enters the desert should be their number one priority. First off Alloway said people need to have a hat with a wide brim and closed crown so it will protect your head and face from sunlight. Next, wear loose fitting long sleeves and pants so that air can be circulated easy. Sunglasses that exclude ultra-violet light are a necessity to help prevent cataracts later on in life. Some other areas of preparation are carrying sufficient amounts of water, first aid and survival kit for the desert environments, and some useful knowledge. ( 2) These are the major things needed in the preparations of going on and exploration in the desert. The next point Abbey tried to make was about the dangerous animals out in the desert that put a threat to a person life.