Research Method in Biological Level of Analysis Psychology Essay

Examine the use of one research method used in the biological level of analysis, including an evaluation of the ethical considerations related to them. The case studies method consists in taking a patient personal history in order to take a diagnosis. It is usually applied in persons that have abnormal characteristics in behaviour, at biological or at cognitive level; it can also be applied to a group of people that are under the same situation. Case study is a long-term research where the patient or the group of people are studied to get into a conclusion. This type of study investigates and recollects qualitative data, such as feelings and experiences. At the same time it also includes quantitative data of measurements such as blood testing, IQ scores and other survey data. An example of case-study method is the Phineas Gage research. Phineas was the man who had an accident and a metal pole entered through its skull. It entered through his left cheek and exited through its frontal lobe. There were many factors that made of this situation really abnormal. Just after the accident Phineas was awake. He lost the vision in his left eye, but in his right eye the vision was perfect. Besides he didn’t suffer any paralysis and had no difficulty with speech or language. However, the doctor noted that his intellectual abilities and his emotional control had been destroyed. Gage had become impatient, indulgent and though he made plans for hi future he could never follow them. He could be described as a child. According to the long-term case study, his frontal lobe provided evidence that the brain affects personality and social behaviour. This is a really important research because it presents one of the biological level of analysis, the one that refers there are biological correlates of behaviour. Here we can see how damaged physiological factor can affect behaviour. Besides it shows us how case studies are really useful, because not all changes in behaviour happen from one day to another. As this study evidenced the process in which the behaviour starts to see affected is a long-term process. Case studies of the brain-damaged patients have led to important findings about the brain. According to the ethics in this type of research, probably there are more negative facts tan positive facts. Case studies researches are not ethical because the patient is treated, observed and examined like it is a completely different person compared to the others. Besides it can invade your personal spaces and take you away some privacy. The researcher gets to know deeply personal information fro the patient, which is not usually shared with other people. Besides, some of this information may be published or at least written up as a research report, in order to be used in a future as valid information in researches, etc. That’s why the identity of the person should be always protected; the researcher needs to cover all the details that could lead others to work out the individual’s identity. In the case of Phineas Gage most of this ethical considerations weren’t taked into count. They didn’t covered up his identity, beside they go into details of his personal life. In conclusion the case studies are really important because are the ones that lead us to conclusions about real life issues and particular problems. The researches done by this method are really accurate and play a really important role in psychology biological level of analysis.

Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson Presidency

Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson both made their mark on United States history as presidents. One president was a wild, violent â€Å"Rough Rider† who was also insecure. The other was a deeply religious, sentimental traditionalist who stood firmly on his ground. Both presidents made changes in American life, whether it be business or social. By examining domestic policies of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, one can see that although they differed greatly, both were effective presidents. Theodore Roosevelt was a sickly child. His father helped him train to overcome his debilitation, and set him on his way to be a â€Å"Rough Rider. Woodrow Wilson†s father was a Presbyterian minister, and his mother a daughter of one; they instilled a stolid set of morals that Woodrow Wilson carried with him his whole life. Both presidents came from socially secure backgrounds that gave them distinguishing characteristics. Both presidents, however, dramatically changed their public view to support the ideals of the common man in America. Theodore Roosevelt started off his presidency say that he â€Å"shall go slow† in the process of investigating large corporations. He was insecure, afraid that some of his policies upset the corporations. However, as his terms went on, the president gained a reputation for being a Progressive. According to Hofstadter, â€Å"[Reform] was meant to heal only the most conspicuous sores on the body politic. † Roosevelt wrote that he did not know what, if anything, should be done about trusts. The main reason he distrusted and despised bigness in business was because he was a â€Å"big politician facing a strong rival in the business of achieving power. † Roosevelt proposed reforms and blasted dishonesty in business with â€Å"the showiest language that had ever been used in the White House. His use of language caused the public image of him to be a reformer and it contributed real weight to that side. However, Roosevelt did do his share of trust busting. A brilliant stroke of publicity was the prosecution of the Northern Securities Company. A gigantic railroad monopoly in the Northwest was organized, and Roosevelt had practically no choice but to prosecute; the public branded him the reputation of being a major reformer. Woodrow Wilson was the president of Princeton University. He gained large support, and was approached by Boss Jim Smith and his associates to run for New Jersey governor. Wilson accepted and decided he could cooperate with them on righteous terms. Progressives started to complain almost immediately. The Hoboken Observer wrote against Wilson, saying that he was â€Å"induced to enter the race by a combination of the very elements which the Progressives are fighting . . . and these elements have assumed charge of his candidacy. † He responded by changing to please the people. It had been necessary to please the capitalists and the bosses to get a foothold in politics, but now it seemed that he must enter the governorship â€Å"with absolutely no pledges of any kind. † Wilson became a spokesman for the common man. When the people had expressed preference for a man running for the Senate, Wilson opposed the Bosses by endorsing the man the people wanted instead of the man that would have won. Wilson did not let his private obligations override his public ones. He believed in principles over personality, and the man became increasingly stronger as a reformer. Endorsement of the progressive creed by Wilson created a break with his original sponsor when running for president, and a complete change in his support followed after he dumped Harvey and befriended Bryan. For both of these presidents, these events show that not only did they change their public image, they also gained popularity by being ambiguous in their speeches and actions; the ambiguity only furthered their popularity. Morals was also a large factor in the two presidencies. The role in which Roosevelt imagined himself was that of a moralist. He told Lincoln Steffens that the real need in American public life was â€Å"the fundamental fight for morality. † Roosevelt told Ray Stannard Baker that although economic issues would become increasingly important, his â€Å"problems are moral problems, and [his] teaching has been plain morality. Woodrow Wilson, the son of the minister and the minister†s daughter, ate, drank and slept morals. The solution to controlling business must be found in a movement of moral regeneration, according to him. Punishment should fall on individuals and not on whole corporations. In one of Wilson†s most frequently used metaphors, the maleficent corporation official was the irresponsible driver of the corporate automobile. He said, â€Å"One really responsible man in jail . . . would be worth more than one thousand corporations mulcted in fines. This contradicts with Roosevelt, who wanted to punish whole corporations, but the same message upholds; morals are the root of the solution, and the main objective is to regulate business by keeping them under the State. Both Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were effective presidents. Theodore Roosevelt persecuted the Northern Securities Company, launching a trust-busting crusade, and he became the first president to intervene in a labor-management dispute when the anthracite coal miners struck. The Hepburn Act strengthened the authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission over railroads, and an employer†s liability law were put into action. Woodrow Wilson ‘s administration produced a huge number of achievements. A downward tariff revision was secured, the public controlled the nation†s banking and credit system under the Federal Reserve Act, and farmers were pleased with the Federal Farm Loan Act and the Warehousing Act. The Clayton Act implemented the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, and the Federal Trade Commission was created to enjoin what Wilson had called â€Å"illicit competition. † An eight-hour day for railroad workers in interstate commerce, a child-labor act, and a compensation law for Civil Service workers were all created under the Wilson administration. So although Roosevelt and Wilson differed, there effectiveness is clearly present while comparing their domestic policies as presidents.

Critique of a Research Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Critique of a Research Report - Essay Example Substantive and Theoretical Dimension: The relocation of patients is a serious issue that causes different impacts on residents and their families. Also, the relocation of patients causes changes in clinical outcomes, influencing the perceptions of residents in a negative manner. This is a crucial issue that must be addressed by nursing home administrators. A large number of residents rely on nursing home facilities to treat critical health conditions. Their relocation to other facilities greatly impact their perceptions and thoughts towards nursing home facilities (Loiselle, McGrath, Polit, & Beck, 2010). But in this study, the researchers have not pinpointed any clear significant importance of the study, nor have they backed up this weakness with a justification. â€Å"A framework is the overall conceptual underpinnings of a study. Not every study is based on a theory or model, but every study has a framework – a theoretical rationale† (Loiselle & McGrath, 2011, pg. 1 29). The conceptual framework of this study is based on the views of residents who have experienced nursing home relocation and changes in clinical system. ... The research question and adopted method is well balanced, as the study aims to explore the impact of nursing home relocation on residents and families. To this end, the authors have robustly examined the sample taken from the 120 residents of a nursing home. However, it is apparent that the researchers have not alluded to any relevant theory that could have assisted their understanding in general outcomes of relocation decisions (Loiselle, McGrath, Polit, & Beck, 2010). However, other nursing articles demonstrate that the theoretical frameworks of the researches are primarily based on grounded theory methodology. Defined as a type of study that focuses on an evolving social experience- the social and psychological stages and phases that characterize a particular event or episode (Loiselle & McGrath, 2011, pg. 44). For instance, Yeboah (2009) study clearly shows that grounded theory was used to derive out another relevant theory in order, to study the relationship between relocation to nursing homes and its impact on the residents. Similarly, Meleis (2010) study shows that transition theory has been derive out through grounded theory methodology in order, to study the bond between transition event and nursing perceptions. Additionally, the studies including books and journals used by Hoffman, Capezuti and Norman seem quite relevant and useful as a number of nursing studies have been used as a reference. But, critically it has observed that authors have not aimed to overcome the shortcomings of the previous studies closely related to the subject matter. Although it is considered important to highlight the weaknesses of previous studies and then present a new one with advancements and improvements (Loiselle & McGrath, 2011) it is not totally incorrect

Relationship marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Relationship marketing - Essay Example It also entails additional risk when compared to domestic marketing. Many factors like culture, statutory obligations, working styles and environment, availability of technology and skilled manpower, and a host of other factors have to be taken into account. This paper is a study of relationship marketing in the context of retail trade in international markets. In the process it will provide a broad outlook on the various factors that a company has to take into account to be successful in international markets. Baker quoting Moller and Wilson defines this concept as â€Å"understanding, creating, and managing exchange relationships between economic partners, manufacturers, service providers, various channel partners, and final consumers† (Baker 2003, 33). In effect relationship marketing is just not about having profitable and mutually beneficial relationships between the retailer and the end consumer. Christopher et al, states that there are six different markets to be analyzed, referred to as the ‘six market domains’. They are customer, recruitment, referral, internal, influence, supplier & alliance markets (Christopher, Payne & Ballantyne 2002, 202). Most of these terms are self-explanatory and hence some examples of a couple of markets is given here. According to the authors, Mercedes, Rolex, and Dell are examples of products that benefit from referral sales. Influence markets are those where a company needs to exert influence on a person, organization, trade unions , or even government. The authors illustrate this with the example of how Johnson & Johnson managed the Tylenol disaster. The company managed to save its international reputation through practical and effective steps. International marketing can have different dimensions or approaches. According to Doole & Lowe, companies can just market their products internationally which is the simplest form of such marketing. In a more complex approach, companies set up their own manufacturing, and

Organ Transplants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Organ Transplants - Essay Example If the black market is analyzed, it is seen that most of the sellers are poor while most of the buyers of organs are comparatively wealthy (Satz 10). Most of the organ transfers in the black market are from the poor to the rich, from the third world countries to the first world countries, from non-whites to whites and from females to males (Satz 10). Why is it that these trends reflect the long perceived inequalities in society? There certainly is a link between organ transplantation and societal inequalities, be it on an economic or a health front. This paper thus argues that organ transplants can cause inequality within society. Organ transplantation will demarcate and enhance the pre-existing inequalities in society. As per statistics laid out by the National Kidney Foundation, more than 89,000 patients in the US are currently awaiting organ transplant and about 4000 additional patients are added every month to the waiting list (unckidneycenter.org 1). Each day, 17 patients die waiting for a transplant (1). In 2004, 3,886 patients waiting for kidney transplant, 1,811 patients waiting for liver transplant, 457 patients waiting for heart transplant and 483 patients waiting for lung transplant died while waiting (1). Estimation of people who meet premature death simply waiting for organ transplants is difficult. Worldwide, it is estimated that 700000 patients are on dialysis and in need of kidneys (Erin and Harris 137). In Western Europe alone, 40,000 people wait for kidney transplantation while only 10,000 kidneys become available (137). It is thus obvious that there is a huge shortage of organs, so much so that governments worldwide are considering the prospects of a legalized organ market! Howev er, it is feared that such a market will lead to exploitation of those (such as the poor) who are in desperate need of money, or those (such as women or weak sections of society) who are forced to sell or donate their organs for various reasons.

Stem Cells Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Stem Cells Research - Essay Example In the attempt to bring some semblance of civility from both opposing camps, many articles have been written both for general readership and for the scientific community. The discourses have been tackled from different angles of argument yet it is still difficult to find middle ground. There are significant differences between a scholarly and popular publication. Academic publication aims to provide the scientific community and academe theoretically based arguments that would capture their attention. Popular publications on the other hand aim to educate the general public on the contentious issues without venturing into technical terminologies that may cloud the issue further. Writers for popular publications should consider the limitations of readers when it comes to explaining relevant facts. The academic and scientific community would not accept simple explanations for the issues. They would consider the validity of the arguments if they were well grounded and anchored on accepted theories. Both mediums aim to inform but they carry different weights. In examining some examples of the two types of publications, it is but appropriate to consider the audience each of the publications was intended for. Ultimately, the intention of the writers is to educate the publ ic. At first glance, without delving into details, academic pub... If one would require fast facts, then it is more practical to turn to popular publications. The strategy of this paper is to pair up two articles from each type with similar issues discussed. This would give the readers two presentations for the same issue. The Regulation Argument Popular Publication Article Title: To create, or not to create Author: Bernadine Healy, M.D. Publication: U.S. News & World Report. Washington Academic Publication Article: Navigating the quagmire: the regulation of human embryonic stem cell research Author/s: D.G.Jones and C.R.Towns Publication: Human Reproduction Dr. Healy, writing on the necessity of having ground rules set before pursuing stem cell research further, attempted to influence her readers through her more emotional contentions about the issue. There was no attempt to elaborate on details. The writer dealt with simple facts that the public can easily relate and understand. She did give a brief background on the progress of legislation but very little detail. Healy presented one position on banning the continuance of stem cell research. She wrote, "A Swiss law that took effect earlier this month is typical of laws in most European countries: It bans embryo creation outright."1 Jones and Towns elaborated on four different positions. Position A advocated complete ban of stem cell research; Position B called for status quo; Position C allowed continued research within the 14-day limit for embryo extraction; and Position D permitted the creation of human embryo for research purposes in addition to the other current research initiatives.2 Comparing the intentions of the two articles, both are informative but the writers of the scholarly publication allowed the readers to form their opinions after having

Documentary film represents its subjects from a distinct perspective Essay

Documentary film represents its subjects from a distinct perspective or point of view. How would you identify the point of view - Essay Example The principles of documentary films and especially as exercised by early documentary filmmakers stand out as crucial distinguishers of these forms of films in comparison to the other representations (NICHOLS, 2003, p. 234). One of the major principles by Grieson includes the fact that the potential of cinemas in looking at life may be in a new art form. The original actor and scene are better than the fiction counterparts are and materials from the ‘raw’ are realer compared to the acted material. A documentary from the previous work of Grieson is therefore, the creative treatment of the actual world. It is also the representation of factual events but in a dramatic setting. A documentary stands out from the rest of other non-fictional films since it provides a well-defined opinion, has facts, and a specific message (NICHOLS, 2003, p. 235). The process of creating documentary projects is simply the documentary practice. It is a complex procedure done by people in order to explain the creative, ethical and conceptual problems arising from the process of making documentaries (Erik, 1993, p. 56). Observational Cinema, which is also Cinema Verite, refers to a style in the filmmaking of documentaries. It is a combination of the power of improvisation and use of a camera in the activity of unveiling the truth. Jean Rouch is the founder of this style and Robert Flaherty is the most popular user of the style in his films. It may involve interactions and set-ups between the filmmaker and the subject under surveillance to a point of provocation. The technique is widely used over the years like in 1963 where Pierre Perrault asked old people to fish for a whale and then filmed them. However, critics argue that this style of filming is a deceptive pseudo-natural formation of reality. Just as research shows of the two ways to present a cinema of the real, one is pretending of one’s ability to present reality and the second the ability to show the problem o f reality. The same is true for of Cinema Verite with the first way being pretense of bringing forth the truth and posing of the problem of the truth (Erik, 1993, p. 58). It is true of what they say that making a film involves elimination of the non-essentials. In the film making industry and especially on documentary filmmaking, documentary mode is exceedingly crucial. This refers to a scheme developed by Bill Nicholas that distinguishes conventions and traits of the many documentary films. The styles applied in documentary filming differ in various ways depending on the purpose and the audience of the documentary. Early documentary filmmakers had a distinct way of representing their subjects on a distinct point of view, which led to their success and fame in the presenting their ideology and uncompromised truth as compared to other as the text will later discuss (Erik, 1993, p. 59). The History of Documentaries The history of documentaries is long and engrossing and various phases of its evolution are crucial in its study. Documentary filmmaking has seen a series of evolution stages dating back to the extreme historical time until the emergence of the most current and technological forms (Michael, 2003, p. 34). Before 1900 During this time in history the art of filmmaking was new and at its initial stages. The basic and commonly used style in this period was the single-shot moments that were exceedingly short in length. However, this was just

Basic Critcal Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Basic Critcal Thinking - Essay Example ls, Chaffee (2012), the following steps were recommended: (1) to develop a more in-depth understanding of oneself; (2) to discover the possibilities given that the goals are current and updated; (3) be able to envision a reported three-dimensional picture of the future that incorporates goals and aspirations; (4) construct a mental plan for details strategies to achieve defined goals in specific time frame and in overcoming potential barriers or obstacles; (5) modify the goals or plans according to new inputs but retain a consistent framework of goals, as needed (p. 13). An important decision in one’s life that would have to be made in the near future is finding the appropriate employment where one’s educational pursuit would be put into effective use. As such, one’s professional short-term goal is to find a good job with competitive pay and where one’s knowledge, skills and abilities would be appropriately honed and developed through work experience and through interaction and relationship with others. Find a good employer right after graduation where the employer would provide competitive pay and benefits; and where one’s knowledge, skills and abilities would be appropriately honed and developed through the work experience and through interaction and relationship with others. From one’s educational background, the possible courses would be locating organizations that belong to the top 100 organizations in the U.S. in terms of providing good benefits, according training, and being socially responsible. Another choice would be to streamline options to areas which are close to one’s residence. Likewise, selection process could also ensue after all applications have been sent and organizations that respond positively would be selected according to the exemplary image reported and accessed through research. From itemizing each alternative, a pros and cons analysis would illuminate one on the best option to select. For example, if two organizations

Cosmological Argument. The forms of cosmological arguments Essay

Cosmological Argument. The forms of cosmological arguments - Essay Example Cosmological arguments usually strive to explain the existence of God in many forms. Many philosophers in the past, from Aristotle and Kalam to Aquinas, tried to argue the existence of God in different ways (Taliaferro 21). The several forms of cosmological arguments usually explain the existence of God in the following ways: that there is the existence of things, that it is possible for the same things not to exist and that those that are non-existing, yet they exist, must have been caused to exist. On this note, it is an illogical fact that things cannot bring themselves into existence since they must exist to bring themselves into existence. The argument shows that an infinite number of causes that can bring something into existence cannot exist. This is because there is no initial cause of an infinite regression of causes, meaning that the cause of existence is not there. Cosmological arguments try to prove that the universe has a cause since it exists. This shows that all things have an uncaused cause, and the uncaused cause must be God (Craig and Moreland 52). The most successful cosmological argument is Thomas Aquinas’ argument of contingence. Aquinas (1225–1274) was a theologian born in Medieval Europe. ... One has to use all the five arguments since all of them form the basis of his argument (Craig and Moreland 56). The Argument from Motion Using the works of Aristotle, Aquinas through observation, concluded that any moving object is able to move because another supreme object or supreme force makes it move. He observed that there must have been a mover that was making the objects move. This mover must have been unmoved and it must have been God. Aquinas believed that of all the things that were moving, none could move itself. This means that nothing can move itself. He also noted that in order that all objects to be in motion, the first object to be in motion needed a mover. He also said that the mover was unmoved and was God and that movement cannot last forever. Aquinas believed that all things must be at rest and motion is unnatural. According to him, motion is any change that occurs, for example, growth, rotation, etc. He concluded that a supernatural power must have put the state of motion (Craig and Moreland 61). The Argument of Causation of Existence In the argument of causation of existence, Aquinas said that it was logical that nothing can create itself. There must have been a previous object, which created it. This first object must have been uncaused cause and it must have been God. He concluded that causation of all things that exist, are other things and that nothing can be the cause of itself. The things that cause other things to exist cannot be an endless string of objects; therefore, the first uncaused cause is God (Craig and Moreland 63). The Argument of Contingence The argument of contingence is the modal argument. Aquinas argued that an uncaused

Western presence in the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Western presence in the Middle East - Essay Example The Western presence today is more of a continuation of these older precedents than a novel or unique circumstance. The purpose of this essay is to outline and to analyze the particular motives underlying these persistent territorial ambitions.The Western presence, in different forms and by different nations representing the West, has deep roots in the Middle East and the Gulf region. To be sure, the Western presence today is more of a continuation of these older precedents than a novel or unique circumstance. The purpose of this essay is to outline and to analyze the particular motives underlying these persistent territorial ambitions. To this end, twelve motives will be presented. These motives, taken together, provide a clearer understanding of conflict in the Middle East than an analysis of any particular motive in isolation. This is because many of the motives are, to some extant, interrelated; more specifically, economic motives such as energy security, in turn, give rise to ad ditional national security and strategic geographical considerations. The Middle East is a complex study.As a preliminary matter, it is first necessary to provide some brief geographical and historical context. There is a great deal of debate, some historically-based and some semantically-based, regarding the precise dimensions of the Middle East in both geographical and cultural terms. Such a discussion is beyond the scope of this paper; therefore, for the purposes of this essay, the Middle East will be defined to include Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. In addition, it is significant to note that the modern origins of the territorial struggle can be dated to 1918. This is when "the Ottoman sultanate, the last of the great Muslim empires, was finally defeated-its capital, Constantinople, occupied, its sovereign held captive, and much of its territory parti tioned between the victorious British and French Empires" (Lewis, 2001: np). As the Ottoman Empire was conquered, Turkey became a peripheral, though significant, part of the Middle East. Although Turkey did regain its independence, it did so as a secular nation rather than as a Muslim nation. This essay will focus on post-1918 events and motives. 1.1. Oil Motive No discussion of the Middle East can take place without a reference to oil and larger issues of economics and energy security. The West is most fundamentally drawn to the Middle East in order to secure and safeguard its access to oil. Indeed, as stated by Hill & Telhami et al, The Persian Gulf region remains central to the global oil market and will become even more vital in the future. U.S. oil imports from outside the Middle East will not change this fact. The United States and the other major oil importers -- western Europe and increasingly, as Morse and Richard note, South and East Asia -- are all part of a single, seamless oil market driven by supply and demand, and global demand for oil has risen steadily over the last several decades. Oil currently accounts for 40 percent of global energy consumption and is not anticipated to fall much below this share in the next 20 years (2002: np). The West is dependent on the Middle East for a huge percentage of its energy needs. Significantly, there is an increasing demand for oil being driven by non-traditional countries; more precisely, both South Asia and East Asia are demanding more oil as their economies develop and grow. China and India are countries which may increase their participation in the Middle East, driven by the same motivations as the West. 1.2 Strategic Geographical Motive In addition to oil, there are very practical geographical considerations. During the Cold War, for example, the Middle East was treated by the West and the Soviet Union as a proxy for their larger ideological and military competitions. Today, China is increasingly seen as a defender of Iran and a defender of Arab rights and self-determination. The region links continents, is possessed with major shipping routes, and is a necessary link for the transport of oil. Thus, the geographical motive refers to a strategic

Development of Children and Young People Between Birth to 19 Essay Example for Free

Development of Children and Young People Between Birth to 19 Essay From six months onwards a child learns to sit up using support until they can manage without any support and eventually learning to crawl or shuffling on their bottoms. They are able to rollover from their tummies on to their backs and vice versa. They start to hold on to furniture learning how to walk along or by using the aid of a baby walker, up until they gain the confidence to walk alone. Their hand and eye coordination improves as they learn to pass an object from one hand to another, and begin to show preference for one hand. They learn to play with bricks. Firstly banging them together to being able to build towers, eventually building larger towers. By the age of two children will have learnt how to sit, walk, feed themselves and they will have moved from eating soft mashed food to eating solids, as sign of their teeth will be clearly visible. They will have learnt to kick and throw a ball. They will be able to grasp a pencil to make scribble on paper. From three to seven a child is more independent. Learning how to jump, climb, catch and walk up and down stairs confidently. They learn to pedal and eventually ride a bike without support. Using their fine motor skills to hold and use a pair of scissors, able to gain control of a pencil. Increasing in their writing skill. Can also fasten and undo buttons and shoe laces. From the age seven to twelve years a child will progress in running, jumping skipping and enjoying playing games as a team, even though they may misjudge their ability until the age of nine. Between twelve and nineteen a child goes from childhood into adulthood. This is referred to the adolescences stage. This starts from the age of 11 up until the age of 19 or 20. It’s the stage that teenagers learn to detach from their parents and become more independent. Every child rate of growth is different. Boys normally begin adolescence around the age of 14 year, which is later than girls, even though by the end they are usually bigger than girls. They will develop body hair as their body shape changes, their muscles begin to grow, increasing their strength. Their voice will change and become deeper. In the early stages to mid stages of puberty testicles and scrotum will begin to grow. Penis growth starts later but continues for longer. Girl’s breasts start to swell from around the age of 10. They will also develop hair in the pubic region that will become dark and curly. Their body shape will change. Some girls may be physically mature by the age of 13. This is dependent on the age at which she begins puberty, which varies, ranging from 8 until late teens. The average age for girls of menstruation is around 13. Social and emotional development. From birth to about one year old a child mainly communicates through facial expressions such as smiling at familiar faces. A child of this is very dependant and requires comfort from an adult. They recognise familiar faces and get distressed when separated from a parent. They enjoy interacting and playing games such as peek-a-boo and they gradually develop a sense of identity and want to do things for them self. They easily get jealous when attention is not given to them and try to please adults. Temper tantrums start when not being given what they want or not wanting to share toys. From three to four years a child is more self-motivated and is able to cope with unfamiliar settings and adults. They know how to share, becoming considerate and caring of other feelings. They enjoy playing with other children. Between four and seven a child is able to make friends but still finds it difficult to take turns and needs help resolving problems. By this age a child should have a stable environment and routine, they need to have limits set. By the age of seven a child becomes less dependant. Starting to enjoy playing with other children. They become aware of their gender and develop understanding between right and wrong. By the age of eight they develop a close friendship and enjoy playing with the same sex. By twelve they can start to show arrogance and bossiness and are uncertain sometimes. By the time a child reaches the teenage years they are very self-conscious. As their body shape is changing and odours make occur, acne may develop due to oily skin. They begin to follow peer groups in the way they dress having labelled clothing, collecting the same things playing the same games. They turn to their friend and not to their parents for approval. They begin to question certain aspects of life such as parental and community values and beliefs. Intellectual development A child between the ages of birth to three is more confident but still needs an adults support. They enjoy copying others and trying out different ways of behaviour in play. They realise that others are spate people from themselves. From three to four a child learns to understand two or three simple tasks that they are given to do such as pick up the toys put them in back in the box and put the box where it belongs. They begin to realise the difference between objects, size and type and are able to group these together. From five to seven they learn to understand that there is differences and sameness in various aspects in life and that differences can co exist side by side and are able look at things from different perspectives. By the age of seven, children are able to read to themselves and will take a lively interest in certain subject by the age of nine. During the adolescence stage the mind is maturing as young people begin to develop a sense of responsibility for their thoughts, words and actions. They begin to plan about their future and what line of work they want to be in? If they want to get married and have children? They gain the ability to make a link between different pieces of knowledge and the ability to make links of these with the world from their perspective. This stage depends on the guidance given to young people in respects to helping the brain. A young person learns to take the responsibility for his or her own fiances, accommodation, employment and personal realationshops. This reaches completion as the responsibility from parent transfers to the young person. Language development From the early stages in life a child is able to make a lot different sounds. They begin to babble. Laughing and squealing when they are happy and cry to show emotion. They respond to music and sounds. Trying to imitate a parents face especially the mouth. Between one and two years a child learns to use single words to joining them up to make phrases. They begin to understand parents and try and copy them. By the age of two a child’s vocabulary can be anything from 30 to 150 words. By the time they are three a child can use words to form a sentence and begin to ask questions. They are able to memorise rhymes and songs and are able to join in and are able to scribble on paper. From three to four a child starts to use past tense and is able to use a different pitch or tone of voice. Their vocabulary extends between 1000 to 1500 word. From five upwards their questions become more complex as they use language to communicate their ideas. The pencil control improves. As they copy shapes and letters. By the age of seven they are able to speak fluently and make up stories. They begin to understand letters and link them to sounds. A child of twelve years is able to describe complicated scenarios. They need help in tackling complex spellings and learning the different tense of grammar. They are able read out aloud. From twelve on to nineteen years a young person begins to use sarcasm, joking and mockery as it is new and sophisticated language for them. They are maturing and enjoy using their thought to debate whether it is formal or informal.

Enthalpy of Combustion

Enthalpy of Combustion

Tobacco Industry: Demand And Supply

Tobacco Industry: Demand And Supply The following essay helps us know what demand and supply concept and that we are explaining with the example of cigarette industry. And we have also mentioned the factors affecting the demand and supply for cigarettes in the market. The essay also includes the income effect, impact of close substitutes and compliments, and also the price and income elasticity of the product of the industry. A cigarette is a product consumed through smoking and manufactured out of cured and finely cut tobacco leaves and reconstituted tobacco, often combined with other additives,[1] then rolled or stuffed into a paper-wrapped cylinder (generally equal to 100 mm in length and 10 mm in diameter). Rates of cigarette vary widely. While rates of smoking have leveled off or declined in the developed nations, they continue to rise in developing nations. Cigarettes are the most frequent source of fires in private homes and the European Union willing to ban cigarettes that are not fire-safe by 2011. Fixing the price of a product is a very important factor for an organisation and the product success. Organizations look at the effective demand (demand) and effective supply (supply) of a product to set the best price to generate the maximum revenue for the organisation. If the price of the product increases or decrease then it can affect the demand of the product. As the price of a good rises less will be demanded, and if the price falls more will be demanded (Philp Galt, 2009, Lecture Notes, p: 2). The increase or decrease in price can happen due to the either external or internal or both environments of the organisation. The major companies that are the major share holders of the UK market are 1. Gallaher Group Ltd with the 37.90% of the market share. 2. Imperial Tobacco Ltd with the 35.40% of the market share. 3. Rothmans Ltd with the 18.20% of the market share. The other have the market share of 3.80% and the private label are of 4.70% holds the market share respectively. (Data monitors, 2005) Demand of a product or service can be defined as the amount of a particular economic good or service that a consumer or group of consumers will want to purchase at a given price over a specific period of time. The demand is usually downward sloping, since consumers will want to buy more as the price decreases. Demand for a good or service is determined by different factors other than price, such as the price of substitute goods and complementary goods. In extreme cases, demand may be completely unrelated to price, or nearly infinite at a given price (in the case of the tobacco industry) (Beardshaw, 1991). According to Philp, Dan and Galt (2009) it could be deduced that demand relative to the tobacco industry is caused by a number of aspects in which the key driver is the price of the cigarettes. As a result, for a cigarette (t) the quantity demanded (QtD) represents a function of its price (pt), individual customer (n) income levels (Y1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Yn), other forms of substitutes like electronic cigarettes and herbal cigarettes (r1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦rt-1) and other external factors (E) such as labour, raw material. Then, demand within the tobacco industry can be represented as QtD = f (pt, Y1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Yn, r1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦rt-1, E) Being consistent with this, influential demand in economics (tobacco industry) would be hard to figure the quantity demanded due to the number of determinants required to make-up the cigarette packets price and quantity, therefore, it is assumed that all factors are held constant and the market (quantity demanded) is analysed as a function of packet price. So the quantity demanded QtD = f (pt, Y1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Yn, r1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦rt-1, E) Graphically illustrated will be Following the above figure, managers would be able to depict that the higher the price of the cigarette packets in the industry, the lower the demand for it. Consequently prices will have to move from p0 to p1 in order to increase demand from q0 to q1. Consider two extreme cases. Suppose the price of all cigarettes rises by 1 per cent. The quantity of cigarettes demanded will not affect that much. People who can easily quit smoking have already done so. In contrast, suppose the price of a particular brand of cigarettes rises by 1 per cent, all other brand prices remaining unchanged. We expect a much larger quantity response. Consumers switch from the dearer brand to other brands that also satisfy the nicotine habit. For a particular cigarette brand the demand elasticity is quite high. From the above figure it can be noted that the same $1 tax has a much larger impact on quantity when demand is more elastic than when it is inelastic. Elasticity is the responsiveness of one variable (e.g. demand) to a change in another (e.g. price). This concept is fundamental to understanding how market works. The more elastic variable is, the more responsive the market to changing circumstances (Sloman, 2005). The law of demand states that a fall in the price of a good raises the quantity demanded. The price elasticity of demand measures how much the quantity demanded responds to a change in price. (Mankiw, 1998) Cigarette consumption is totally found to be negatively related to price. As far the result of the test, surveys and the studies done before, there result says that increase in price on cigarettes are not that much affected on the demand of it. Many economists viewed that cigarette smoking is illogical and therefore not suitable for usual economic analysis. They believe that demand for cigarettes does not follow the basic law of economics including the downward-sloping demand curve. Findings on how demand for cigarettes changes as consumers income increases is inconsistent. From a number of studies it found that income has either negative effect or insignificant effect on the demand of cigarettes. As far as the government and other health concern trust are trying to stop smoking in public place and in the private work sites because it is very harmful for other who is non smoker and it is not environmental friendly (Bradford, 2003, Vol 9). Government at all levels are adopting the policies to limit smoking. Government also banned that it the customer should be above a legal age to buy the cigarettes. World health organisation survey of smoking control policies in lot of countries indicated that the mostly all the countries have adopted policies to limit smoking in public places. Although the restrictions are primarily intended to reduce non-smokers, they can also affect the smokers since the restrictions reduce the smokers opportunities to smoke or otherwise raise the cost of smoking (Reuijl Leeflang, 1985, Vol 49). Cigarettes was the one of the most advertised and promoted product in the world. But due to some controversial issues many countries restrict it. While some other countries have few restrictions, others ban advertising and promotion completely. Due to the restriction on the advertising and the promotion the demand of the cigarette industry was affected. A lot of new opportunities of the new organization to enter are hard. And the new customers or consumers are decreased. And due to this there is less increase in the quantity of the young generation. Cigarettes are been long been taxed by the government and due to this there is rise in the price in some countries. Taxes are varying from country to country and the price also. The inelastic demand off the product makes good revenue for the government. But in recent taxation has been applied to cigarettes are in order to health. Cigarette taxes in some countries such as the United States have been imposed by various levels of government, national, state and local level. Governments in nearly every country impose taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products. One of the major factors that affect the demand for any product is due to the substitutes. The more substitutes, the more elastic the demand will be. For example, if the price of petrol went up by  £0.25, consumers could replace public transport. This means that petrol is an elastic good because a raise in price will cause a large decrease in demand as consumers start travelling by the public transport more from private transport. The rise of the fuel price can affect the automobile industry. This factor is also known as the invisible hand (Adam Smith Cited in Mishan, 1993, p 91) which is affected from the variation of the other product or substitutes which affects the main product demand in the market. For the tobacco industry the invisible hand factor is not that much affected but the competition in the market within the industry is high. If the price of alcohol goes up as a whole, there will be probably a little change in the consumption of beer and other products because there are only few substitutes for alcohol. Most people are not willing to give up their enjoyment at any cost and even the alcohol is used in several medicines also so no matter what the price is the consumption of alcohol will be not affected by the substitutes. Therefore, we would say, that alcohol is an inelastic product because of its lack of substitutes. So we can say that a product is elastic in the industry but the complete industry tends to be inelastic. This is the second factor that effects the demand elasticity and it refers the total amount of a person that can be spend on a particular product or good. Like, if the price of a chocolate goes up from  £1 to  £2 and income of the customer remains the same, the amount that is available to spend on chocolate is for e.g.  £4, is now enough for only 2 rather than 4 chocolates. In other words, the customer is forced to reduce the demand of chocolate. Thus if there is an increase in price and no change in the amount of income available to spend on the product then there will be an elastic reaction in demand. But in cigarette industry it is not that much affected because of the addiction of the consumer. Time is the third factor which influences the demand elasticity. If the price of packet of cigarette goes up  £1, a smoker with a very few available substitutes will continue buying the daily cigarettes. It means that cigarettes have inelastic demand because the changes in price will not have a great influence on the quantity demanded. But if the customer or consumer finds that they are not capable or cannot afford to spend the increased amount then they will definitely try to quit it but in a long run. Then for that customer price elasticity of cigarettes becomes elastic in the long run. If quantity demanded is completely unaffected by a price change, then If the absolute value of the elasticity of demand is less than 1 at some point, we say that demand is inelastic at that point (Varian, 2006, P 282). You would say that demand is perfectly inelastic at that price, to reflect the fact that quantity demanded is completely unresponsive to a change in price. On a graph with price on the y-axis, perfectly inelastic demand appears as a vertical demand curve. Its slope is negative infinity, which leads to Ed = 0. Looking at the graph above, we can see that a 5 percent increase in price causes no change in quantity demanded. Therefore, Ed = 0 and demand is perfectly inelastic for the tobacco industry. Hence, manager of a cigarette company within the industry should not worry about the taxation from the government or increase in price due to the external environment due to the inelastic demand for the tobacco industry. (Source by Begg Ward, 2007) The variation in consumer demand for cigarettes with respect to income is ambiguous from a theoretical stand point. Cigarettes consumption could be a normal good for which the level of consumers demand increases with income. Alternatively, it could also be a lower good for which the consumer demand drops with income levels. In either case, the presence of such behavior gives us no guidance whatsoever with respect to the extent to which these decisions are rational. Similarly the other major factor which can be affected by the price of the cigarettes is supply. Supply for a product or a service can be defined as the quantity of a good, seller wishes to sell at each possible price. Supply of a good refers to various quantities of good which a seller is willing and able to sell at different prices in a given market, at a particular point of time, other things remaining the same. An aspect of supply which needs attention is that supply is related to scarcity. It is only the scarce good which has a supply price. On the contrary, goods which are available freely have no supply price, e.g. Air is available freely and hence, does not have a supply price (Begg et al, 2005). According to Philp, Dan and Galt (2009) supply relative to the tobacco industry is reflective of the number of competitors (m) setting the price of providing cigarettes packets as a function of the level of technology (T) determines the price (pt), cost of resources, for example, labour, taxations, substitutes, and quality within the manufacture process (F1, F2 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Fm) and other charge (w) i.e. cost of machines and salaries of work force, all add up to become determinants of the number of cigarettes packets to be supplied at each given price. It is represented as QtS = T (pt, F1, F2 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Fm, w) Identical to economics in demand, in the analysis of supply all factors are held constant and quantity is seen as a function of price; QtS = T (pt, F1, F2 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Fm, w) Graphically illustrated as; From the above figure managers can know that a investing in manufacturing the product needs a certain level of supply to overcome from they break even point, therefore higher the investment in price the more the supply. Hence cigarette manufacturing companies offer different brands for the taste e.g. long cigarettes, strong and light cigarettes. Consequently, the managers will push for a higher supply in p1 to maximize profit. If there is plenty of spare capacity of Cigarettes then a business should be able to increase its output without a rise in costs and therefore supply will be elastic in response to a change in demand. If stocks of raw materials and finished products are at a high level then a firm is able to respond to a change in demand quickly by supplying these stocks onto the market supply will be elastic. Conversely when stocks are low, dwindling supplies force prices higher and unless stocks can be replenished, supply will be inelastic in response to a change in demand. If both capital and labour resources are occupationally mobile then the elasticity of supply for a product is higher than if capital and labour cannot easily and quickly be switched. Supply Elasticity is a measure of the degree of responsiveness of quantity supplied to changes in the products own price. Elasticity of supply works similarly. If a change in price results in a big change in the amount supplied, the supply curve appears flatter and is considered elastic. Elasticity in this case would be greater than or equal to one (Lipsey Chrystal, 2004) On the other hand, if a big change in price only results in a minor change in the quantity supplied, the supply curve is steeper and its elasticity would be less than one. As we have seen that demand of cigarette is inelastic we can observe from the graph that supply of cigarette is also inelastic i.e. even a big change in price does not have major change in quantity supplied. It means that when a price increases consumers will not demand for more quantity thats why supply will also remain the same. After knowing that the demand and supply for the tobacco industry is inelastic but the competition within the industry is high. The higher price than the competitors can result less demand for the product, the lower price can increase the demand for the product. It influences managerial decision to look for the new markets where they can reduce their operational and manufacturing cost like cheap labour, as well as look for the new market so that the organisation can generate maximum revenue. This content can be found on the following page: http://www.investorwords.com/1396/demand.html Conclusion This essay completely shows us that how the demand and supply take effects into the market and how principles of demand and supply inform the managerial decision making. From this essay we come to know that the cigarette industry is not that much affected from the higher price that much and its demand in the market is almost remain same. From this essay we come to know that both the supply elasticity and demand elasticity for cigarette industry are inelastic, they are not affected by the price. From the essay we come to know that income effect is significant and positive in case of cigarette industry.

Nursing Does Not Qualify as a Profession Essay -- Careers Nursing Nurs

Determining if Nursing Qualifies as a Profession Abstract Nursing will be compared to common characteristics of a profession to determine if nursing qualifies as a profession. Does Nursing Qualify as a Profession? â€Å"There are six characteristics commonly used to asses whether a job is considered a profession: education of the practitioner, having a code of ethics, receiving compensation commensurate with the work, being organized to promote a needed service, having autonomy in practice, and being recognized by the government with licensure†(Pinkerton, 2001,p.130). â€Å"Florence Nightingale first began professional education for nurses in 1860"(Wikipedia, 2015). Currently there are several levels of education for nurses, ranging from diploma to doctoral degrees. Nurses are legally accountable to practice within the nurse practice acts set forth by legislature. These laws are derived from an official code of ethics that was first published by The American Nurses Association in 1971. Compensation commensurate with work falls short when compared with autoworkers, who receive comparable, if not higher wages and better benefits than nurses do. Nursing has several organizations. â€Å"The National League for Nursing (NLN) is primarily responsible for regulating the quality of the educational programs that prepare nurses for the practice of nursing†(Catalano, 2000,p.10). Also, the American Nurses Association (ANA) which â€Å"is more concerned with the quality of nursing pra... Nursing Does Not Qualify as a Profession Essay -- Careers Nursing Nurs Determining if Nursing Qualifies as a Profession Abstract Nursing will be compared to common characteristics of a profession to determine if nursing qualifies as a profession. Does Nursing Qualify as a Profession? â€Å"There are six characteristics commonly used to asses whether a job is considered a profession: education of the practitioner, having a code of ethics, receiving compensation commensurate with the work, being organized to promote a needed service, having autonomy in practice, and being recognized by the government with licensure†(Pinkerton, 2001,p.130). â€Å"Florence Nightingale first began professional education for nurses in 1860"(Wikipedia, 2015). Currently there are several levels of education for nurses, ranging from diploma to doctoral degrees. Nurses are legally accountable to practice within the nurse practice acts set forth by legislature. These laws are derived from an official code of ethics that was first published by The American Nurses Association in 1971. Compensation commensurate with work falls short when compared with autoworkers, who receive comparable, if not higher wages and better benefits than nurses do. Nursing has several organizations. â€Å"The National League for Nursing (NLN) is primarily responsible for regulating the quality of the educational programs that prepare nurses for the practice of nursing†(Catalano, 2000,p.10). Also, the American Nurses Association (ANA) which â€Å"is more concerned with the quality of nursing pra...

How is the Monster portrayed in chapters 11-16 of the novel Essay

How is the Monster portrayed in chapters 11-16 of the novel Frankenstein? The story ‘Frankenstein’ takes the reader through the daunting re-animation of a creature so beyond comprehension. This newborn-creation, degraded from birth yet mighty in spirit, plays out his painful life in search for what is known as true ‘humanity’ but is shown to ultimately fall to vengeance. Mary Shelley, the author of this novel, had lived days of misery and a life of a misfortunate nature. The figure of death had been a constant companion to her. Many members of her family including her mother and several children had all lost their lives to the deep sleep. Her fantasies delved deeper into the world of restoration and resurrection until she actually found a way to channel all these thoughts. And so was the birth of ‘Frankenstein’. The chapters mentioned in the title (11-16) are significant when the subject of matter is focused on the creature. Details of the creature’s behaviour, thoughts, feelings and actions are all concentrated upon here and so it is relevant to point to these chapters when referring to the creature. These are also the chapters in which the creature itself gives its own personal views of his miserable existence. From reading the former chapters, the reader’s outlook of the creature is in great contrast to what is seen by the end of the story. Dr. Frankenstein begins with his immediate and long-term ambitions. His professionalism in natural philosophy and chemistry urges the reader to be almost encouraging in the creation of the monster. The overwhelming effort and the hardships faced by the doctor is sympathised by the reader in supporting him to even go as far as ‘playing God’’. When the ... ...g on to his society and ‘belong’ somewhere. Isolation is not preferred by most. People opt for ‘walking with the herd’. It is only a natural desire but a corrupt society full of evil, injustice or misunderstandings does evidently change a person away from his ‘natural’ behaviour. I do not feel as though Mary Shelley gave much expression of fear of science. From her biographies and life-accounts, it can be seen that such things were not a ‘scary’ topic for her. She wanted to restore her children if she could and she believed science was the only possible answer. I think the general people at large felt a certain degree of fear at science. Yet as she disregarded religion and opposed it much as her parents had done so, she would not have seen science as a problem. However, she may have employed the people’s fear of science to make her story more appealing.

Essays --

Aleksander Pushkin, had a very short lived life, but still became the one of the most or most recognizable principal figure of literature in Russia’s history, a role with equivalence to that of William Shakespeare in the English culture. Pushkin started writing off the work of Karamzin as an inspiration and other writers construct a new, westernized language, which he used to form unique masterpieces such as â€Å"I remember the wonderful moment,† which were built upon the basis literary custom established by other famous poets such as Vasilii Zhukovskii who laid down the foundation and led the way for the pre-Romantic and Romantic texts of Konstantin Batiushkovand Evgeny Boratynskii. Pushkin influenced virtually all the major Russian writers who followed him, as well as entire movements of literature, including the texts of late classicism, Romanticism, and early Realism. His influence on Russian culture went even farther; his talents could be viewed by many through musical and theatrical works such as the operas of Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky. Aleksandr Pushkin was born in Moscow on 6 June 1799 into a poor, but cultured aristocratic family, with a long and recognizable distinguished lineage and would create the start of Modern Russian Literature. On his father's side, he was a long descendent of an ancient noble family. On the other side his mother was one of the many great granddaughters of Gannibal, the legendary Abyssinian; most believe to be the source his African blood. Unfortunately for Pushkin, his mother took little, to no interest in the development of her son, entrusting him French tutors and nursemaids who played the biggest roles in childhood. Pushkin got acquainted with the Russian language through communication with m... ... Pushkin was the first to use everyday speech in his poetry, fusing Old Slavonic with vernacular Russian. This blend gave his works their rich, melodic quality. Alexander Pushkin as Russia's most influential and admired poet, during a time when Russia had no major impact on Literature, and most great literature was being written in English and French, revolutionized Russian literature with love poems, narrative poems, short stories, political poems, plays, novels, fairy tales, and histories. Pushkin with a unique mind, being skeptical and having a sense of irony helped him capture what it means to be Russian, winning the hearts of his fellow countrymen. His writing style contains distinctive rhythmic patterns that are difficult, or nearly impossible to translate, so non-Russian speakers have not always been able to appreciate the true beauty and power of his work.

Television in the UAE & Saudi Arabia: An analysis of women’s representation

Introduction This research analyzes the ways in which women are represented on television in Arabic countries; through social programs in the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Since graduation in 2007, I have been employed at Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI). This has awarded me seven years of experience as a news reporter and presenter; which has helped me to understand more about common traits in Arabic television as well as its depiction of women. As a result of this background, the connection between the Arabic women of the television and the country’s government will be the primary subject that this report will explore. The rationale (epistemological, substantive, and practical) for undertaking this project stems from personal interest towards the research; as workplace experience at DMI included conducting analysis about current affairs and relations between Arabic-Gulf countries and Arabic women. This background raised a personal and moral obligation: to discover whether Arabic women are represented on TV in a negative way and what can be done to support them. This project surrounds a universal matter of gender in-equality and should be addressed as such. Arabic women (like all women around the world) should be able to work and have a proper education instead of being fated to live the life of a housewife. What makes matters more significant is the strategy the government has put in place to deliver on this mandate – manipulating the public through propaganda on common media platforms. This report will discuss more precisely what can be done if the research concludes that women’s representation is negative on Arabic television (by analyzing the source of the problem). For instance; are religious reasons, customs and traditions, different cultural backgrounds and governmental differences to blame for female representation in the mediaOr are there other factors worth considering? Secondary research into the topic will aid the report. This research will help reach a logical conclusion of the matter and also vicariously un-cover a niche in this area of study – (there was barely any information directly comparing between these two Arabic countries). So although this means the project will be a more difficult subject to research, it will be thoroughly completed in order to shed light upon the topic. For this reason, a mixed methodology application of quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to conduct my research. Moreover, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been chosen for research because they advocate different rules in TV programming than other Arabic countries even though they all follow the same religion – Islam. Furthermore, women in these two countries have different cultural backgrounds and government. The role of television as a media platform in the Arab world has been highlighted repeatedly. Arabic TV’s image and perception must therefore be the first thing to be addressed in the process of identifying whether the representation of women is a positive or negative one. In light of this, the project addresses the following questions: How does Arabic TV present women in a positive or negative way? What are (and why are there) differences between women’s representation in these two countries, even though they share a common religion? Women’s experiences of social Arabic TV- harmful or helpful?Literature ReviewLiterature dealing directly with the relationship between the Arabic woman and her problems with representation on Arabic TV is virtually non-existent. However, with the continuous development of worldwide media, it is hardly surprising that the Middle East’s opinion of Arabic media has become more sophisticated and modern in many aspects. In light of this, many Arabic television channels have become much more well known and influential than ever before. For example, â€Å"Al-Jazeera TV† in Qatar has noticeably developed a stronger base of viewers around the world from its wide-spread signal – something that hasn’t happened to a global Arabic news station before. As a result, the middle-east now has access to a new brand of â€Å"universalized† news (Waxman, N.D.). Consequently, these channels have become more interesting in many aspects. It could even be argued that Arabic women are presented in an equal light to men on their native TV because of the positive attributes it shows women possessing. For example, channels depict women as intelligent and wise on worldwide TV stations in the Middle East; by implying they have the right to be educated, to be independent and to have their own business. Conversely, there are some local Arabic TV channels that do present women negatively. What makes this more significant is how the television stations do nothing to remedy this negative (and purposeful) representation. References to renowned academic literature will also be included that argues each side of the debate; which for all intents and purposes was substantially difficult to find. Whereas a selection of these studies focus on the positive way Arabic television depicts women, other research is focused only on the differences between Arabic women in the East and the West. On the other hand, other works have sought to discuss merely the negative image Arabic stations impose on their native females. The results and critical opinions within this collected research (as well as primary research) will subsequently form the main body of my essay. An extensive amount of the work collected on the matter emphasizes dominance over Arabic women; particularly Saudi Arabian women. One of the main books to demonstrate this belief is Paul Danahar’s The New Middle East. Published in 2013, the BBC’s Middle East bureau chief (Danahar) revealed that a new era shaped the Middle East during the Arabic Spring of 2011 which lead to clearer insights of media representatives; thereby changing traditional opinions in some Arabic countries such as Egypt, Libya, Syria and Tunisia. As a result of this, the general consensus of Arabic people (specifically women) within the international community also changed; creating a knock-on effect on the role Islam played in the Middle East during the Arabic Spring as well. Perhaps the most interesting point in this book is that the writer mentions that people (men and women) of the Arabic community can finally speak more openly for the first time. This book is a strong reference with regards to describing women’s cases during the Arabic Spring, but it is perhaps too eager to include such divine constructs as fate, destiny and pre-destination. The outcome of the Arabic Spring revolution will be considered first. The work of Goetz (1997) asserts that women have developed remarkably for almost three decades now in numerous Muslim countries, and points out organizations must be recognized as being deeply gendered in their structure towards women’s interests in the media. However, Goetz’s results were based upon data from over 30 years ago, and it is unclear if these differences still persist; as it can be clearly seen that many Muslim-Arabic countries have changed a lot during those thirty years. For example, the amount of women appearing in Saudi Arabian media has seen a significant decrease during the last thirty years. While Goetz’s research may therefore not be as historically relevant as others (her analysis was not based on empirical research, and she does not focus on Saudi Arabia), it is evident that the way television and media is constructed in the Middle East is fundamentally different from other countries (namely those in the West). For example, Saudi women cannot wear what they truly want to wear on the TV screen, or drive a car, and have to face a patriarchal culture every day. This is why Saudi Arabia was specifically chosen for this report. Keddie (2007 p. 149- 150) feels that it is remarkably interesting to see the difference between Middle Eastern women in the past and the present. She focuses on tracing the development of Middle Eastern women’s history since the rise of Islam, and notes that there have been significant improvements in the Middle East’s women’s suffrage movement. Moreover, the appearance of women in public places reflects this discovery, a s well as the fact that females seem to have taken up the pre-dominant role in advertising. However, she argues that women in Saudi Arabia were more open to change in the 1960s and 1970s than they were in the 1980s and 1990s; also that they were more educated, including a higher amount of people studying abroad, had more job opportunities, their own marital choices and better health. But, this all changed because of â€Å"the Islamist takeover of the main Saudi mosque in 1979† (Keddie, 2007, p.150). It seems this reason remains unclear because Saudi Arabia had already been an Islamic country for centuries before; it was the change of the role of the government that lessened women’s rights – an after-effect of the Islamist takeover. Strong & Hareb (2012) indicate how the amount of digitally competent young females in the UAE who use social media programs is rapidly increasing. Additionally, Strong & Hareb (2012, p. 3) point out that â€Å"The UAE is made up of s even emirates, which were separate authorities until the country was formed in 1971. Each emirate is governed by a ruling family; with some services (like education) to be funded and administered by the overall federal government†. Therefore, the UAE has a different television channel for all seven emirates. Moreover, the WAGL (Women as Global Leaders) claim that â€Å"Although Emirati females make up only about 5% of the total population, the spotlight recently has been on them as potential future leaders† (WAGL, 2012). Strong & Hareb (2012, p. 3) suggest this means that the UAE government is showing us through television that it is supporting Emirati females to be leaders. Moreover, the government’s media website said that â€Å"the UAE has become a model for Arab women in all fields† (WAM, 2009). For the UAE, the situation is more hopeful – there is perhaps more openness felt towards women, whereas in Saudi Arabia, there is no freedom. Females ca nnot wear what they really want to wear on a TV screen, and usually have to wear traditional, religious clothing. Mellor, et al (2011) found that some Arabic countries have a new challenge in the media because globalization has brought new opportunities to them. For example, â€Å"the United Arab Emirates (UAE) now profile themselves globally as the perfect hybrid link between east and west† (Mellor, et al, 2011, P. 25). Clearly, it can be seen reflected in women’s current affairs in the UAE. This paper agrees with Mellor, because it can clearly be seen that Emirati women have many more opportunities now; whether it be working as a TV presenter or reporter. This study directly correlates to the main analysis of this report: by showing us that Emirati women are represented in a positive way on UAE television. A similar view to this essay was found in a report by The Dubai School of Government (2011, p1). This report states that â€Å"Arab women in particular have becom e more engaged in political and civic actions; playing a critical leading role in the rapid and historic changes that have swept the region†. This article focuses on women within media and social terms, in a way that implies they are active in their society and that UAE television does help them feel more independent. It seems that UAE TV urges women to be intelligent, to be something more than just a housewife or mother at home, to work or own a business and finally be equal with Emirati men. Lastly, the work of Saker (2004) reveals that the image of Middle Eastern women in a media landscape often presents them as changed, empowered and advanced. This article will be useful for my research. Methodology/ Research Method: As previously mentioned; this project is difficult to research. For this reason a variety of data by using mixed methodology – qualitative and quantitative methods. Additionally, both types of data will be collected in the two countries during the summer. This study encompasses two different types of research to explore if Arabic TV helps women or harms them. The first type of research theory is qualitative (questionnaires, interviews, etc.). For example, respondents will be shown clips of Arabic TV shows and create a survey that will ask them which Arabic television programs support women and which do not support women, and why (as well as asking demographic information such as nationality, age, gender, and education level). The second type of research theory is a quantitative content analysis – case studies, statistics or percentages to compare with two social Arabic programs from two Arabic countries that have women presenters from the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. The programs are Kalam Nawaiem from MBC channel – Saudi Arabia, and Zahrat Al-Khaleej from Abu Dhabi channel – United Arab Emirates. These methods lead to answering the overall research questions: How does Arabic TV show women in a positive way or negative waySecondly, what are the differences between women’s representation in the two countries (the UAE and Saudi Arabia)Thirdly, what are women’s experiences of Arabic TV – harmful or helpful? Conclusion The United Arab Emirates & Saudi Arabia have been chosen because on the surface it appears that one country supports women (UAE) and the second country does not support women (Saudi Arabia) on TV stations. This will make for a very conclusive and judicial paper – one that will be written with passion. Firstly, the paper’s aim and rationale for the research will be discussed. Secondly, the relative strengths and weaknesses of the literature written on this topic will be analyzed, as well as the research methods and studies chosen. It is interesting to see the differences between Islamic Arabic cultures and Western cultures; and then to compare women’s representation on TV programs. Moreover, it cannot be denied that we should support and respect women around the world, and is clear that it is not fair or equal to abandon Arabic women in this belief. The most intriguing point is that it is not all Arabic countries that do not support women; even though the Islamic religion connects them all. This research then, will help us understand in more detail the reasons of these differences – whether religious or government or cultural. However, there will be some problems that most likely will be encountered (especially in Saudi Arabia) due to ethical issues. The research collected may or may not be allowed to be considered outside of the country. To resolve this, alternative ways will be considered so that the project can be investigated freely. It is clear that this research needs to go ahead because it asks an important question – Are there positive ways Arabic women on TV are presented or negative waysSecondly, there has been little research done before on this topic. There was not much information that has compared two countries, justified research and then remained objective at the conclusion. Thirdly, the research seeks to understand in more depth how these differences have occurred in two Arabic countries even though there is a religion that binds them together; bringing cultural and historical significance to the paper. Lastly, this is a topic that affects everyone universally, and is something that everyone can understand. It does not matter whether the reader is a woman or a man, for it will bring attention and focus to the problem regardless. Thus, this topic can be investigated after the description of its main characteristics. Bibliography: Danahar, P. (2013) The New Middle East: The World after the Arab Spring. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Dubai School of Government, UAE (2011) The role of social media in Arab women’s empowerment. Arab social media report, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1. Goetz, A. M. (1997) Getting institutions right for women in development. London: Zed Books Ltd. Keddie, N. R. (2007) Women in the Middle East: Past and Present. Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press. Mellor, N. et al. (2011) Arab Media: Globalization and Emerging Media Industries. The United Kingdom: Polity Press. Saker, N. (2004) Women and media in the Middle East: Power through self-expression. America: Published by I.B Tauris & Co Ltd. Strong, C & Hareb, H. (2012) Social Media Fashion among Digitally Fluent Young Arabic Women in the UAE. Social Media Fashion. Vol. 8, Issue 1. Dubai, Zayed University. WAGL. (2012) About WAGL. Women as Global Leaders Conference. Available at: http://www.zu.ac.ae/main/en/wagl2012/about.aspx. Last accessed 5 February 2014. WAM. (2009). Foreign Media Delegation Visits. WAM Online. 24th, November, 2009. Available at: http://uaeinteract.com/docs/Foreign_media_delegation_visits_GWU/38528. Last accessed 5 February 2014. Waxman, S. (n.d) Arab TV’s strong signal the Al-Jazeera network offers news the Mideast never had before, and views that are all too common. Al Jazeera Online. http://www.allied-media.com/aljazeera/washpost.htm. Last accessed 11 February 2014.

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Nineteen

Nobody was going to lie to Elena Gilbert and get away with it. Elena marched along the path to the library, indignation keeping her head high and her steps sharp. So James thought he could pretend he didn't remember anything about those V-shaped pins? The way his eyes had skipped away from hers, the faint flush of pink in his plump cheeks, everything about him had shouted that there was something there, some secret about him and her parents that he didn't want to tel her. If he wasn't going to tel her, she would find out for herself. The library seemed like a logical place to start. â€Å"Elena,† a voice cal ed, and she stopped. She had been so focused on her mission that she had almost walked right by Damon, leaning against a tree outside the library. He smiled up at her with an innocently inquiring expression, his long legs stretched in front of him. â€Å"What are you doing here?† she said abruptly. It was so weird, just seeing him here in the daylight on campus, like he was part of one picture superimposed upon another. He didn't belong in this part of her life, not unless she brought him in herself. â€Å"Enjoying the sunshine,† Damon said dryly. â€Å"And the scenery.† The wave of his hand encompassed the trees and buildings of the campus as Wellas a flock of pretty girls giggling on the other side of the path. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"I go to this school,† Elena said. â€Å"So it's not weird for me to be hanging around the library. See my point?† Damon laughed. â€Å"You've discovered my secret, Elena,† he said, getting to his feet. â€Å"I was here hoping to see you. Or one of your little friends. I get so lonely, you know, even your Mutt would be a welcome distraction.† â€Å"Real y?† she asked. He shot her a look, his dark eyes amused. â€Å"Of course I always want to see you, princess. But I'm here for another reason. I'm supposed to be looking into the disappearances, remember? So I have to spend some time on the campus.† â€Å"Oh. Okay.† Elena considered her options. Official y, she shouldn't be hanging around Damon at al . The terms of her breakup – or just break, she corrected herself – with Stefan were that she wasn't going to see either of the Salvatore brothers, not until they worked out their own issues and this thing between the three of them had time to cool off. But she'd already violated that by letting Damon sleep on the floor of her room, a much bigger deal than going to the library together. â€Å"And what are you up to?† Damon asked her. â€Å"Anything I can assist with?† Real y, a trip to the library ought to be innocent enough. Elena made up her mind. She and Damon were supposed to be friends, after al . â€Å"I'm trying to find out some information about my parents,† she said. â€Å"Want to help?† â€Å"Certainly, my lovely,† Damon said, and took her hand. Elena felt a slight frisson of unease. But his fingers were reassuringly firm in hers, and she pushed her hesitation away. The ancient tennis-shoed librarian in charge of the archive room explained how to search the database of school records and got Elena and Damon set up in the corner on a computer. â€Å"Ugh,† Damon said, poking disdainful y at a key. â€Å"I don't mind computers, but books and pictures ought to be real, not on a machine.† â€Å"But this way everyone can see them,† Elena said patiently. She'd had this kind of conversation with Stefan before. The Salvatore brothers might look col ege-aged, but there were some things about the modern world they just couldn't seem to get their heads around. Elena clicked on the photo section of the database and typed in her mother's name, Elizabeth Morrow. â€Å"Look, there are a bunch of pictures.† She scanned through them, looking for the one that she had seen hanging in the hal . She saw a lot of cast and crew pictures from various theatrical productions. James had told her that her mother was a star on the design side, but it looked like she was in some productions, too. In one, Elena's mother was dancing, her head flung back, her hair going everywhere. â€Å"She looks like you.† Damon was contemplating the picture, his head tilted to one side, dark eyes intent. â€Å"Softer here, though, around the mouth† – one long finger gestured – â€Å"and her face is more innocent than yours.† His mouth twisted teasingly, and he shot a sidelong glance at Elena. â€Å"A nicer girl than you, I'd guess.† â€Å"I'm nice,† Elena said, hurt, and quickly clicked on to find the picture she was looking for. â€Å"You're too clever to be nice, Elena,† Damon said, but Elena was barely listening. â€Å"Here we are,† she said. The photograph was just as she remembered it: James and her parents under a tree, eager and impossibly young. Elena zoomed in on the image, focusing on the pin on her father's shirt. Definitely a V. It was blue, a deep dark blue, she could see that now, the same shade as the lapis lazuli rings Damon and Stefan wore to protect themselves from sunlight. â€Å"I've seen one of those pins before,† Damon said abruptly. He frowned. â€Å"I don't remember where, though. Sorry.† â€Å"You've seen it recently?† Elena asked, but Damon just shrugged. â€Å"James said my mother made the pins for al of them,† she said, zooming closer so that al she could see on the screen was the grainy image of the V. â€Å"I don't believe him, though. She didn't make jewelry, that wasn't her kind of thing. And it doesn't look handmade, not unless it was made by someone with an actual jewelry studio. That's some kind of enameling on the V, I think.† She typed V in the search engine, but it came back with nothing. â€Å"I wish I knew what it stood for.† With another graceful one-shouldered shrug, Damon reached for the mouse and zoomed in and out on different parts of the picture. Behind them, the librarian thunked a book down, and Elena glanced back at her to find the woman's eyes fixed on them with disconcerting intensity. Her mouth tightened as her eyes met Elena's, and she looked away, walking a little farther along the aisle. But Elena was left with the creepy feeling that the librarian was stil watching and listening to them. She turned to whisper something to Damon about it but was caught again by the sheer unexpectedness of him, of him here. He just didn't fit in the drab and ordinary library computer station – it was like finding a wild animal curled up on your desk. Like a dark angel fixing oatmeal in your kitchen. Had she ever seen him under fluorescent lights before? Something about the lighting brought out the clean paleness of his skin, cast long shadows along his cheekbones, and fel without reflection into the black velvet of his hair and eyes. A couple of buttons on the col ar of his shirt were undone, and Elena found herself almost mesmerized by the subtle shifts of the long muscles in his neck and shoulders. â€Å"What would a Vital Society be?† he asked suddenly, breaking her out of her reverie. â€Å"What?† she asked, confused. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Damon clicked the mouse and shifted the zoom, focusing this time on the notebook in her mother's lap. Her mother's hands – pretty hands, Elena noticed, prettier than her own, which had slightly crooked pinkies – were splayed over the open book, but between the fingers, Elena could read: Vit l Soci y â€Å"I assume that's what it says,† Damon said, shrugging. â€Å"Since you're looking for something that starts with V. It could say something else of course. Vital Social y, maybe? Was your mother a social queen bee like you?† Elena ignored the question. â€Å"The Vitale Society,† she said slowly. â€Å"I always thought it was a myth.† â€Å"Leave the Vitale Society alone.† The hiss came from behind them, and Elena whipped around. The librarian seemed curiously impressive framed against the bookshelves despite her tennis shoes and pastel sweater set. Her hawklike face was tense and focused on Elena, her body tal and, Elena felt instinctively, threatening. â€Å"What do you mean?† Elena asked. â€Å"Do you know something about them?† Confronted by a direct question, the woman seemed to shrink from the almost menacing figure she had been a second before to an ordinary, slightly dithering old lady. â€Å"I don't know anything,† she muttered, frowning. â€Å"Al I can say is that it's not safe to mess with the Vitales. Things happen around them. Even if you're careful.† She started to wheel her book cart away. â€Å"Wait!† Elena said, half rising. â€Å"What kind of things?† What had her parents been involved in? They wouldn't have done anything wrong, would they? Not Elena's parents. But the librarian only walked faster, the wheels of her cart squeaking as she rounded the corner into another aisle. Damon gave a low laugh. â€Å"She won't tel you anything,† he said, and Elena glared at him. â€Å"She doesn't know anything, or she's too scared to say what she does know.† â€Å"That's not helpful, Damon,† Elena said tightly. She pressed her fingers against her temples. â€Å"What do we do now?† â€Å"We look into the Vitale Society, of course,† Damon said. Elena opened her mouth to object, and Damon shushed her, drawing one cool finger over her mouth. His touch was soft on her lips, and she half raised a hand toward them. â€Å"Don't worry about what a foolish old woman has to say,† he told her. â€Å"But if we real y want to find out the secrets of this society of yours, we probably need to look somewhere other than the library.† He got to his feet and held out his hand. â€Å"Shal we?† he asked. Elena nodded and took his hand in hers. When it came to finding out secrets, to digging up what people wanted to keep concealed, she knew she could put her faith in Damon. â€Å"Pick up, Zander,† Bonnie muttered into the phone. The ringing stopped, and a precise mechanical voice informed her that she was welcome to leave a message in the voice mailbox. Bonnie hung up. She had already left a couple of voicemails, and she didn't want Zander thinking she was any crazier or more clueless than he inevitably would when he saw his missed-cal list. Bonnie was pretty sure she was going through the Five Stages of Being Ditched. She was almost done with Denial, where she was convinced something had happened to him, and was moving quickly into Anger. Later, she knew, she would slide into Bargaining, Depression, and eventual y (she hoped) Acceptance. Apparently her psych class was already coming in handy. It had been days since he had abruptly run off, leaving her al alone in front of the music building. When she found out that a girl disappeared that same night, at first Bonnie was angry and scared for herself. Zander had left her alone. What if Bonnie had been the one to vanish? Then she began to worry about Zander, to be afraid that he was in trouble. He seemed so sweet, and so into her, that it was almost impossible for her to believe Zander would just be avoiding her al of a sudden. Wouldn't his friends have sounded the alarm if Zander was missing, though? And when she thought that, Bonnie realized that she didn't know how to contact any of those guys; she hadn't seen any of them around campus since that night. Bonnie stared at her phone as fresh tendrils of worry grew and twisted inside her. Real y, she was having a very tough time moving on to Anger when she was stil not quite sure that Zander was safe. The phone rang. Zander. It was Zander. Bonnie snatched up her phone. â€Å"Where have you been?† she demanded, her voice shaking. There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Bonnie was almost ready to hang up when Zander final y spoke. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† he said. â€Å"I didn't mean to freak you out. Some family stuff came up, and I've had to be out of touch. I'm back now.† Bonnie knew that Elena or Meredith would have said something pithy and cutting here, something to let Zander know exactly how little they appreciated being forgotten about, but she couldn't bring herself to. Zander sounded rough and tired, and there was a break in his voice when he said he was sorry that made her want to forgive him. â€Å"You left me outside alone,† she said softly. â€Å"A girl disappeared that night.† Zander sighed, a long sad sound. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he said again. â€Å"It was an awful thing to do. But I knew you would be okay. You have to believe that. I wouldn't have left you in danger.† â€Å"How?† Bonnie asked. â€Å"How could you know?† â€Å"Just trust me, Bonnie,† Zander said. â€Å"I can't explain it now, but you weren't in danger that night. I'l tel you about it when I can, okay?† Bonnie shut her eyes and bit her lip. Elena and Meredith would never have settled for this kind of half explanation, she knew. Not even half an explanation, just an apology and an evasion. But she wasn't like them, and Zander sounded sincere, so desperate for her to believe him. It was her choice, she knew: trust him, or let him go. â€Å"Okay,† she said. â€Å"Okay, I believe you.† Zander let out another sigh, but it sounded like one of relief this time. â€Å"Let me make it up to you,† he said. â€Å"Please? How about I take you out this weekend, anywhere you want to go?† Bonnie hesitated, but she was starting to smile despite herself. â€Å"There's a party at Samantha's dorm on Saturday,† she said. â€Å"Want to meet there at nine?† â€Å"There's something peculiar going on at the library,† Damon said, and Stefan twitched in surprise at his sudden appearance. â€Å"I didn't see you there,† he said mildly, looking out onto his dark balcony, where Damon leaned against the railing. â€Å"I just landed,† Damon said, and smiled. â€Å"Literal y. I've been flying around campus, checking things out. It's a wonderful feeling, riding the breezes as the sun sets. You should try it.† Stefan nodded, keeping his face neutral. They both knew that one of the few things Stefan envied about Damon was his ability to change into a bird. It wasn't worth it, though – he would have to drink human blood regularly to have Power as strong as Damon's. Elena's face rose up in his mind's eye, and he pushed her image away. She was his salvation, the one who connected him to the world of humans, who kept him from sinking into the darkness. Believing that their separation was only temporary was what was keeping him going. â€Å"Don't you miss Elena?† Stefan asked, and Damon's face immediately closed off, becoming hard and blank. Stefan sighed inwardly. Of course Damon didn't miss Elena, because he was undoubtedly seeing her al the time. He'd known Damon wouldn't abide by the rules. â€Å"What's the matter?† Damon asked him. His voice was almost concerned, and Stefan wondered what his own face looked like to get that kind of reaction from Damon. Damon who had probably just seen Elena. â€Å"Sometimes I'm a fool,† Stefan told him dryly. â€Å"What do you want, Damon?† Damon smiled. â€Å"I want you to come do some detective work with me, little brother. Real y, anything's better than seeing this sulking, forehead-wrinkling brooding expression on your face.† Stefan shrugged. â€Å"Why not?† Stefan leaped down from the balcony with perfect grace, and Damon fol owed swiftly behind. As Damon led the way to their destination, he fil ed Stefan in on the details. Or rather, the vague scenario Stefan could gather from Damon's explanation. Damon never was one for ful disclosure. Al Stefan knew was that some research at the library had prompted a sketchy warning from an old librarian. Stefan inwardly chuckled at the thought of a frail old woman squaring against Damon over library fines. â€Å"What were you looking at?† Stefan asked, trying to get any more substantial information. â€Å"What did she want you to stay away from?† He shifted on the rough branch of the oak tree they were both sitting on, trying to get comfortable. Damon had a habit of sitting in trees, Stefan realized. It must be a side effect of spending so much time as a bird. They were on a stakeout outside the librarian's home, but what exactly they were looking for, Stefan wasn't sure. â€Å"Just some old photographs from the school's history,† Damon said. â€Å"It doesn't matter. I just want to make sure she's human.† He peered through the window nearest their tree, where an elderly woman was sipping tea and watching television. Stefan noted with irritation that Damon seemed a lot more at ease in the tree than Stefan did. He was leaning forward, resting graceful y on one knee, and Stefan could sense his sending questing strands of Power at the woman, trying to find out whether there was anything unusual about her. His balance seemed awful y precarious, and he was completely focused on the old woman. Stefan inched toward Damon on the branch, stretched out a hand, and suddenly shoved him. It was extremely satisfying. Damon, his composure shaken for once, let out a muffled yelp and fel out of the tree. In midair, he turned into a crow and flew back up, perching on a branch above Stefan and eyeing him with a baleful glare. Damon cawed his annoyance at Stefan loudly. Stefan glanced through the window again. The woman didn't seem to have heard Damon's shout or the crow's caw – she was just flipping channels. When he looked back at Damon, his brother had regained his usual form. â€Å"I would think playing a trick like that would go against your precious moral code,† Damon said, fastidiously smoothing his hair. â€Å"Not real y,† Stefan said, grinning. â€Å"I couldn't help myself.† Damon shrugged, seeming to accept Stefan's playfulness as good-natured, and looked through the librarian's window again. She had gotten up to make herself another cup of tea. â€Å"Did you sense anything from her?† Stefan asked. Damon shook his head. â€Å"Either she's bril iantly hiding her true nature from us or she's just a peculiar librarian.† He pushed himself off the branch and leaped, landing lightly on the grass far below. Either way, I've had enough, he added silently. Stefan fol owed him, landing beside Damon at the bottom of the tree. â€Å"You didn't need me for any of that, Damon,† he said. â€Å"Why did you ask me to come with you?† Damon's smile was bril iant in the darkness. â€Å"I just thought you could use some cheering up,† he said simply. Clearly, it wasn't the librarian Stefan should be worried about acting peculiarly.