Legal

Legal Ethics is an important part of the field of nursing; it concerns moral aspects of people behavior and attitudes. As practice shows, there are often ethical dilemmas related to personal responsibilities and freedoms.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Legal-Ethical Issues Affecting Patient Rights for the Elderly specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Every patient has their legal rights and every nurse practitioner is to respect those rights regardless of gender and age of the patient (Kapp, 2000). It is important that elderly patients and their loved ones be aware of the ethical issues that may arise and be ready to cope with them. Healthcare professionals working with the elderly face complex situations related to many legal and ethical issues. The moral and legal standards for people caring for the elderly remain critical for ensuring that older persons access quality services. Ethical issues are a commonplace in our modern society. People who respect moral issues are frequently confronted with situations requiring them to make ethical choices. It is a commonplace to find some people confronted with ethical dilemmas (Kapp, 2000). Older adults are frequently more susceptible to those than the average people are. The people who are trusted to care for the older adults sometimes take advantage of the older person’s condition for different reasons (Tabloski, 2010). The legal and ethical issues that affect patient rights of the elderly include confidentiality, informed consent, relationships, and medical code. Confidentiality is one of the legal and moral issues that affect the patients rights for the elderly. Healthcare professionals should normally keep details about their elderly clients confidential. They should show respect for the autonomy of their elderly clients. Disclosing information about patients is legally and morally incorrect (Tabloski, 2010). However, healthcare professionals are som etimes confronted with the legal and ethical dilemma of having to release information about their patients to the family members. Healthcare malpractice is also both a legal and moral issue that affects the patient rights for the elderly (Pozgar, 2010). The professionals who offer healthcare services to older persons must always put safety and health of their clients first. Injuries related to medical processes, the use of faulty equipment or medicine, and deliberate acts that cause harm to the elderly have both legal and moral consequences (Kapp, 2000). Healthcare professionals practice defensive medicine to avoid litigations from the family members of their elderly patients who may allege negligence.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The law protects the concept of informed consent in healthcare profession because it is both a legal and moral issue. All patients must give consent to permit treatment to take place (Pozgar, 2010). However, informed consent presents many challenges for healthcare professionals who work with the elderly because it has serious legal and moral implications. Sometimes the elderly cannot give consent to sanction their treatment because they may be too weak. The elderly person, who requires surgery but cannot offer consent, presents the healthcare professionals with serious dilemmas (Kapp, 2000). When treating an elderly person, doctors face potential dilemma between morality and the law. The kind of relationship that healthcare professionals can have with their elderly clients can have legal and moral implications in relation to patient rights for the elderly (Kapp, 2000). Associating with the elderly clients is protected by the medical code of ethics. Healthcare professionals who violate the ethical codes with their elderly clients face the risk of being disqualified from the roll of practitioners. The Purpose of Advan ced Directives If a serious medical condition does not allow people to take decisions regarding their treatment, this responsibility goes to the patients relatives. If there are no relatives, the physician or the hospital can fall responsible for your further treatment. However, preparing An Advance Directive is a way to predict such a situation and make sure that only you will be responsible for your end of life treatment. The Advance Directive will provide guidance to those responsible for the patients treatment when he/she is unable to make decisions independently. Advance Directives entail the legal papers where people spell out their decisions in relation to the end of life healthcare services in advance. The fundamental reason why people draw advance directives is to ensure that they can access the specific treatment they want, as well as refuse healthcare services they do not want. (Tabloski, 2010).  . It is significant in reducing confusion during the end of life healthcar e provision. Advance directives are a commonplace in the elderly healthcare service delivery. (Tabloski, 2010). The application of advance directives remains crucial to the provision of quality healthcare to the elderly. The notable issues that advance directives cover include the application of breathing machines to prolong the life of older persons. The elderly can also spell out whether they would permit healthcare professionals to perform resuscitation procedure on them should they face breathing problems. Furthermore, the elderly can declare whether they would permit maintenance of their life using tube feeding (Tabloski, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Legal-Ethical Issues Affecting Patient Rights for the Elderly specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is notable that sometimes healthcare professionals make decisions to ignore advance directives drafted by the elderly. This is a commonplace in scenarios whe re doctors consider such directives irrelevant based on their moral standards. It is also possible for doctors to refuse directives because of misinterpretation of the law and inconsistencies associated with moral consciences and professional responsibilities (Rai Rai, 2009). It is advisable that elderly people share their advance directives with their doctors to get opinion on whether they can accept their proposals. Advance directives also allow the elderly to choose their medical proxies who can make treatment decisions on their behalf. The individual selected as a medical proxy enjoys the durable power of attorney for healthcare because they can make decisions on behalf of the elderly (Rai Rai, 2009). Medical proxies can only have the power to make such decisions after the doctors have declared that the elderly person cannot make treatment choices on their own. Advance directives contain various advantages. The document is significant as it shows the direction people would wan t their treatment to take. Healthcare professionals can determine the road according to the thoughts and ideas about death and treatment choices made by the person drawing the directive. The fact that people have varying values and beliefs is also considered during drafting of the directives. Elderly people can lose decision-making ability when they become seriously ill (Swota, 2009). Therefore, the directive is the only way they can maintain control of their treatment desires and options during the time when they are less competent and conscious. The document also reduces stress and misunderstanding among family members in relation to their varying decisions on appropriate treatment and care for their older person (Swota, 2009). The document is critical for enabling family members, who may undergo emotional breakdown during such times, find easy ways of handling their decision-making challenges in relation to their sick family member. References Kapp, M. B. (2000).  Geriatrics an d the law: Understanding patient rights and professional responsibilities. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Co.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pozgar, G. D. (2010).  Legal and ethical issues for health professionals. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Rai, G. S., Rai, G. S. (2009).  Medical ethics and the elderly. Oxford: Radcliffe Pub. Swota, A. H. (2009).  Culture, ethics, and advance care planning. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. Tabloski, P. (2010). Gerontological Nursing (2nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson  Health Science.

How to Succeed in Academic Writing

How to Succeed in Academic Writing How to Succeed in Academic Writing In the olden days when hand-written assignments were the norm, students with good handwriting earned more marks. Back then, instructors made it clear that good handwriting would increase the points you scored on a given paper. Today, hand-written tasks have gradually been replaced by typed assignments. Still, there are specific attributes instructors seek when they are marking academic assignments. Normally, the heads of college departments will dedicate a day or two to orientate new students. In such forums, students will be informed of key points that guarantee success in academic writing. Similarly, a lecturer will attach clear rubrics at the end of each assignment question. In this section, the student will be reminded of the main aspects that the marker will want to see in the final essay. A student is assured of passing an assignment is he/she satisfies the marker in adherence to the stated points. One of the things that help a student to succeed in any academic writing is precision. By this, it is meant that the final paper presented to the marker must fully address the task specified in the assignment. To ensure this, the student must read and comprehend the question before starting to write. Alternatively, he/she could occasionally revisit the question to check for any possible deviation. Secondly, the paper should be broad enough to cover the subject that is provided. This is achieved when the student identifies major keys to the task. Closely related to the element of breadth is depth. Unless there are explicit instructions to â€Å"mention† or â€Å"list†, the student should always provide an in-depth analysis of a given research topic. In academic writing, depth is accomplished through an inclusion of background readings and relevant but recent resources. A mistake commonly made by students when writing an academic paper is to reiterate the thoughts or opinions of other authors. Discussing a concept is different from conducting a literature review. In the former, which is what academic writing is about, it is vital to link the contentions of other authors with your own thoughts. This is where the notion of critical thinking comes in. The student must evaluate whether the background readings offer a logical position concerning the subject. When addressing an academic paper, factors that boost critical thinking are relevance and precision of other people’s ideas. A precise, broad, deep, and critically thought-out paper guarantees high quality content, but this is not enough. The instructor will want to see clarity in the writing. Thus, you must take care to articulate all the concepts properly. Though quotations are helpful, it is detrimental to use too many of them, because this negates the impression of originality and creativity. Again, you have to organize your paper well using headings as appropriate. Avoid using technical words to alleviate ambiguity. Things such as spelling and grammar must also be checked. Last, in-text citations together with a bibliography must be presented in the right format. Our academic writing service can provide you with a superior-quality custom essay, research paper, thesis or dissertation on any topic. All you need is to contact us now!

One page summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

One page summary - Essay Example He created a genuine workers theatre with a complete image of ingenuity and originality. It was the inclusion of the community and labourers rather than professional actors that gave the theatres a boost in terms of acceptance. Through this, the theatre has helped many people develop to what can be called an artistic community brought up by passion and attitude. It is through the theatres that Valdes has been able to inspire generations of people who originally considered themselves forgotten. Valdes regards theatres as important tools not just in bringing people together but also in making them feel visible, allowing them space to present feelings and attitudes towards various issues in a forum that is less violent and more acceptable. He considers theatres as the property of the community. As such, he feels that the community that acts in a theatre is as important as that that watches. These two groups of people meet in the theatre to exchange views and come up with solutions to their

History 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History 2 - Essay Example "Keep fear away from me, Varuna, and hold fast to me, O emperor of Order" (Rig Veda 28:6). This line proves that Aryans believed in things that cannot be physically proven like metaphysics and God. Believing in such things can't be adopted as a result of discovering physical evidence in the universe. The Aryan mythology believes that God appears "as embodiments of natural phenomena" and as "allegories of the internal forces in the human bosom" (Schroeder, 1938, p. 60). This idea results in the idea that humans and other natural phenomena are similar to each other (Schroeder, 1938, p. 60). Since god appears as natural phenomena and internal forces, this view made Indo-Aryans love god without the fear that can be found in other religions like Islam. Varuna isn't praised in the Rig Veda as much as God is praised in the Quran. Paul Deussen (n.d.) supports this theory. About this theory he says: "While with the Semites God is above all master and mankind his servant, with the Indogermans [Indo-Aryan] the idea of God as father and mankind as his children prevails" (Schroeder, 1938, p. 61). The 6th line mentions that Aryans fear something and they ask God Varuna to take that fear away. Some lines mention the things that Aryans feared including the 9th line: "Move far from me what sins I have committed: let me not suffer, King, for guilt of others.

Ethical and Legal Systems of Health Care Organizations Essay Example for Free

Ethical and Legal Systems of Health Care Organizations Essay Aetna Incorporated, a health care plan company, is one of the American leading companies in diversified benefits of a range of traditional and consumer directed health care insurance services. It includes vast service offerings in health care insurance from mental and behavioral health to long-term care benefits and other health-related care and concerns . (Aetna, 2007a; Wikipedia, 2007) Moreover, it is the nation’s pioneer in full-service health insurer that proffers a consumer-oriented health plan. Aetna provides its members with the opportunity to reach out on suitable tools and comprehensible information for them to perform based decisions regarding health and financial interest (Aetna, 2007a). For over 150 years, Aetna has been committed to supporting people in attaining health and financial security. The company establishes information and necessary resources to work for its members and clients for them to execute â€Å"better-informed decisions about their health care. Currently, Aetna membership numbers up to 15. 7 million (M) medical members, around 13. 7 M dental members and around 10. 5 pharmacy members (Aetna, 2007a). In terms of health care networks, it holds on more than 783,000 health care professionals, 458,000 major care doctors and specialists, 4,681 hospitals and a network called AexcelSM, of specialist physicians. Aetna is also the provider of benefits through national employers of small, mid-sized and large multi-state scales in all 50 states, as well as individuals and Medicare recipients in certain markets. Aetna: Code of Conduct The company’s Code of Conduct contains a unique and consistent set of values and standards of integrity and business practices. It mediates in guiding the company in complying with the laws, regulations and ethical standards that controls Aetna’s business functions (Aetna, 2006). According to the preface message of Aetna’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President Dr. Ronald A. Williams, every company’s employee, officer, and director is expected to follow the Code of Conduct because: a) it is the expectations of the customers from the company; b) they have a vow to live b their values, and; c) they would be functioning with the utmost principles of fair and ethical business guidelines given that they follow the contained guidelines in all their business aspects. However, the Code cannot cover all situations and Dr. Williams encourages the assistance or guidance of The Aetna Way and their Ethical Decision-Making Framework (to be discussed later in this paper) to conduct sound decisions and take the right actions in performing Aetna business practices. Ethical System The Code of Conduct contains ten (10) specific areas of topics in which the company discusses some policies on specific matters. The first one or Statement 1 deals with Conflicts of Interest that in general regards with the company’s requirement that its employees, officers and directors to keep away form real or obvious conflicts of interest to protect Aetna’s reputation. There should be avoidance in ownership interests or participation in excluded activities that would create a conflict of interest or interference in performing of a job. This requires reporting to the manager and compliance officer for review and sanction of affiliations on hand or ownership concerns that involves him or her or a family member or even a close friend residing in a home such as any positions with any â€Å"business, nonprofit organization or government entity that is an Aetna competitor, customer, provider or supplier† or for other cause or motives that may induce conflict of interest, and; getting hold of a considerable amount of partnership in possession of interest in any business or even partnership. However, the determination of conflicts of interest might sometimes be blurry and hence, guidance of a compliance officer might come necessary. There are also guidelines in the affiliations and interest of the Director and are not far-related to what have been discussed previously, and the review by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee must also re regarded relevant. There are also guidelines and rules in accepting or giving gifts; travel, entertainment and honorarium; discounts and preferential treatment; and loans and guarantees of obligations. Statement 2 deals with record-keeping and use of the company’s property and resources which should be entirely legal and proper. This is so since Aetna and any other companies for that matter, is mandatory to submit relevant documents, reports and public communication to the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulators that also includes disclosure in a manner that is whole, impartial, accurate, timely and comprehensible. All of the company’s resources and property such s e-mail, internet and other computing and communications systems should only be used for the company’s purpose. Bribes and other illegal payments are also strongly discouraged by the company. Statement 3 embarks on fraud, dishonesty and criminal conduct since these apparently affect Aetna’s reputation and continued success. Hence, all business functions must be performed with honesty and with compliance with applicable laws, regulations and ethics rules. Statement 4 is with regards with protecting member and other confidential information of members, employees and the company itself from any inappropriate access, use or disclosure. This is also in integration and compliance with federal and state privacy and security laws that is applicable to the company. Private company information refers to member information, the company’s professional interests, and other relevant information about its clients, subordinates and even suppliers that might be used against the company or for the benefit of its competitor. This is applicable in the course of being under Aetna or after the affiliation with the company. Statement 5 deals with the company’s business and trade practices which should be complied with honesty and integrity since Aetna has its own laws and regulations that apply to the company’s business which are under federal law. The company’s Record and Management Policy is also strongly encouraged to be followed. Statement 6 encourages the company’s subordinates to support Aetna to be a responsible and trustworthy government contractor since the company treasures winning and keeping government contracts. This can be achieved by following federal, state and local laws that regards with government contracting and procurement. Employment laws must be also strictly complied with. The Code is also concerned with proper employment practices and welfare as well as the appropriateness of its workplace (Statement 7). The company complies with policies and programs that ensure the inclusiveness and safety or the workplace for its employees and business partners, promote fairness and respect for all, and promote a working environment where diversity and inclusion are appreciated. Federal laws that discourage discrimination, harassment, special personal relationships, violence and vices are strongly administered by the company. Such laws that are complied with in the company are the Equal Employment Opportunity and the Affirmative Action, which takes away the basing of business decisions on individual’s characters (such as sex, race, color, nationality, age and others; and the company’s very own Alcohol and Drug Policy that prohibits distribution, possession, use, purchase or sell of alcoholic beverages and illegal or prescription substances and drugs. Statement 8 deals with Aetna’s securities transactions which prohibits trade securities if an individual has no material nonpublic information about particular securities. Under this code, all are expected to comply to all insider trading and securities federal laws and the company’s own relevant regulations. Also included dealing and transacting with securities matters and management and secrecy of private information. The company and a subordinate could face civil and criminal consequence for insider trading since insider trading is unethical and unlawful. The statement also discusses on â€Å"material information† relevant in decision-making that concerns any transactions on the company’s securities. Statement 9 deals with the company’s interaction whether private or public to any external institution such as media organizations and even with the federal government. Anyone in close relation to the company and even its subordinates should not speak in behalf of Aetna only there was consent or authorization from the Board of Directors to take such action. Personal views should also be kept separate from the company’s view. He funds of the company should not be also utilized to engage on a lobbyist or to make a political donation except authorized by the Government relations. These are for the protection of Aetna’s reputation and an individual as well, under compliance of laws. Finally, Statement 10 deals with Aetna’s intellectual property. Apparently valuable, such property must be protected from improper use or disclosure whether owned by the company or licensed from others. Intellectual properties of the company must be controlled the legal and proper way. Usage of such property must be under approval of an internal legal counsel and in accordance with the Aetna Intellectual Property Guide. Policies on Aetna’s intellectual properties are also extended to the websites, videos, music and publications. Aetna’s ethical system as contained in its own Code of Conduct presents a vast range of policies that protects the reputation, integrity, security and welfare of both the company itself and its subordinates and members. As discussed above there are specific policies or code of ethics from recordkeeping, employee’s equal opportunity and to intellectual property rights. According to the company, all policies are established in compliance with federal laws. The company’s policies regarding conflicts of interest and confidentiality have general basis as concluded by the study in a position paper from the Society for Health and Human Values and Society for Bioethics Consultation Task Force on Standards for Bioethics Consultation (Aulisio, 2000). One of their conclusions is that, abuse of power and conflicts of interest must be avoided in health care companies. This is so since ethics consultants have the authority and power to influence clinical care and such power can be exploited. Since conflicts of interest can be partial to consultants’ recommendations, important personal or professional linkages with one or more parties should be disclosed and be get rid of. In addition, the personal concerns of the consultants may be affected by giving advice that could act against the company’s financial or public relations concerns. Policies that concern on recordkeeping and use of the company’s property and resources, and insider trading are all in accordance to federal laws specifically in the Securites Exchange Act of 1933 and 1934 (USSEC, 2007). The two basic objectives of the former it that to mandate investors or companies receive financial and other relevant information regarding securities being offered for public sale and forbid â€Å"deceit, misrepresentations, and other fraud† in the sale of securities. The latter states that insider trading is illegal when an individual trades a security while in ownership of nonpublic material information in disobedience of an obligation to withhold the said information or renouncement from trading. On the other hand, policies regarding the company’s employment practices are also observed in compliance with federal employment laws. Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws prohibit job discrimination which covers almost all private employers, state and local governments, educational institutions and even the federal government (USEEOC, 2005). The said law is enforced by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and also complies with the American College of Healthcare Executives or ACHE (ACHE, 2003). Overall, Aetna covers the essential and core ethic issues in accordance to federal laws.

Physics of Beer :: physics alcohol beverage

Carbonated beverages contain dissolved carbon-dioxide gas. The way to get gas to dissolve in liquid is to pressurize the mixture, meaning that the pressure inside a beer can is greater than the pressure outside the can. This is why you see little bubbles spray out when you open a beer can. Breaking the seal depressurizes the mixture, causing the gas to come out of solution, starting with the gas closest to the top (that's where the pressure decrease starts). Because gas is lighter than liquid, as soon as it comes out of solution, it rises to escape the can. When it escapes, it carries with it a small amount of liquid from the very top of the can because that liquid is blocking its path. When beer is agitated (shaken), cavities form small bubbles, which then collect as foam on the surface. If you then open the bottle, and explosively decompress the beer, the foam eruption is the work Boyle's law and inflation by diffusion. On the other hand, if the shaken beer is allowed to sit for a while and "decompress," the gass in the bubbles will be driven back into solution by the bubble skin tension making it safe to open. If you are impatient you can tap on the can. When you tap on the can, you knock bubbles off the bottom and sides of the can, at which point they rise to the top (because gas is lighter than liquid) and there is only a small amount of liquid blocking their escape when you open the can. As a matter of fact most bubbles do move upwards. The bubbles in the center of the glass, free from the effects of the wall, move upwards most quickly and drag liquid with them. But the liquid moving up in the center of the glass, having nowhere else to go, must eventually turn towards the walls and start to move downward. The liquid moving downward near the walls tries to drag down bubbles with it. Larger bubbles have sufficient buoyancy to resist but smaller bubbles (less than 0.05 mm) are continuously dragged to the bottom of the glass. A stout like Guinness has a creamier, longer lasting head than a canned lager beer. In addition, Guinness is less fizzy than a regular lager beer. Guinness is canned with a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Nitrogen is not absorbed into the beer nearly as well as carbon dioxide, so even though a can of Guinness may be at the same pressure as a can of lager, it contains less CO2 (and is therefore less fizzy) because the nitrogen makes up some of the pressure.

Twilight 3. PHENOMENON

3. PHENOMENON When I opened my eyes in the morning, something was different. It was the light. It was still the gray-green light of a cloudy day in the forest, but it was clearer somehow. I realized there was no fog veiling my window. I jumped up to look outside, and then groaned in horror. A fine layer of snow covered the yard, dusted the top of my truck, and whitened the road. But that wasn't the worst part. All the rain from yesterday had frozen solid – coating the needles on the trees in fantastic, gorgeous patterns, and making the driveway a deadly ice slick. I had enough trouble not falling down when the ground was dry; it might be safer for me to go back to bed now. Charlie had left for work before I got downstairs. In a lot of ways, living with Charlie was like having my own place, and I found myself reveling in the aloneness instead of being lonely. I threw down a quick bowl of cereal and some orange juice from the carton. I felt excited to go to school, and that scared me. I knew it wasn't the stimulating learning environment I was anticipating, or seeing my new set of friends. If I was being honest with myself, I knew I was eager to get to school because I would see Edward Cullen. And that was very, very stupid. I should be avoiding him entirely after my brainless and embarrassing babbling yesterday. And I was suspicious of him; why should he lie about his eyes? I was still frightened of the hostility I sometimes felt emanating from him, and I was still tongue-tied whenever I pictured his perfect face. I was well aware that my league and his league were spheres that did not touch. So I shouldn't be at all anxious to see him today. It took every ounce of my concentration to make it down the icy brick driveway alive. I almost lost my balance when I finally got to the truck, but I managed to cling to the side mirror and save myself. Clearly, today was going to be nightmarish. Driving to school, I distracted myself from my fear of falling and my unwanted speculations about Edward Cullen by thinking about Mike and Eric, and the obvious difference in how teenage boys responded to me here. I was sure I looked exactly the same as I had in Phoenix. Maybe it was just that the boys back home had watched me pass slowly through all the awkward phases of adolescence and still thought of me that way. Perhaps it was because I was a novelty here, where novelties were few and far between. Possibly my crippling clumsiness was seen as endearing rather than pathetic, casting me as a damsel in distress. Whatever the reason, Mike's puppy dog behavior and Eric's apparent rivalry with him were disconcerting. I wasn't sure if I didn't prefer being ignored. My truck seemed to have no problem with the black ice that covered the roads. I drove very slowly, though, not wanting to carve a path of destruction through Main Street. When I got out of my truck at school, I saw why I'd had so little trouble. Something silver caught my eye, and I walked to the back of the truck – carefully holding the side for support – to examine my tires. There were thin chains crisscrossed in diamond shapes around them. Charlie had gotten up who knows how early to put snow chains on my truck. My throat suddenly felt tight. I wasn't used to being taken care of, and Charlie's unspoken concern caught me by surprise. I was standing by the back corner of the truck, struggling to fight back the sudden wave of emotion the snow chains had brought on, when I heard an odd sound. It was a high-pitched screech, and it was fast becoming painfully loud. I looked up, startled. I saw several things simultaneously. Nothing was moving in slow motion, the way it does in the movies. Instead, the adrenaline rush seemed to make my brain work much faster, and I was able to absorb in clear detail several things at once. Edward Cullen was standing four cars down from me, staring at me in horror. His face stood out from a sea of faces, all frozen in the same mask of shock. But of more immediate importance was the dark blue van that was skidding, tires locked and squealing against the brakes, spinning wildly across the ice of the parking lot. It was going to hit the back corner of my truck, and I was standing between them. I didn't even have time to close my eyes. Just before I heard the shattering crunch of the van folding around the truck bed, something hit me, hard, but not from the direction I was expecting. My head cracked against the icy blacktop, and I felt something solid and cold pinning me to the ground. I was lying on the pavement behind the tan car I'd parked next to. But I didn't have a chance to notice anything else, because the van was still coming. It had curled gratingly around the end of the truck and, still spinning and sliding, was about to collide with me again. A low oath made me aware that someone was with me, and the voice was impossible not to recognize. Two long, white hands shot out protectively in front of me, and the van shuddered to a stop a foot from my face, the large hands fitting providentially into a deep dent in the side of the van's body. Then his hands moved so fast they blurred. One was suddenly gripping under the body of the van, and something was dragging me, swinging my legs around like a rag doll's, till they hit the tire of the tan car. A groaning metallic thud hurt my ears, and the van settled, glass popping, onto the asphalt – exactly where, a second ago, my legs had been. It was absolutely silent for one long second before the screaming began. In the abrupt bedlam, I could hear more than one person shouting my name. But more clearly than all the yelling, I could hear Edward Cullen's low, frantic voice in my ear. â€Å"Bella? Are you all right?† â€Å"I'm fine.† My voice sounded strange. I tried to sit up, and realized he was holding me against the side of his body in an iron grasp. â€Å"Be careful,† he warned as I struggled. â€Å"I think you hit your head pretty hard.† I became aware of a throbbing ache centered above my left ear. â€Å"Ow,† I said, surprised. â€Å"That's what I thought.† His voice, amazingly, sounded like he was suppressing laughter. â€Å"How in the†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, trying to clear my head, get my bearings. â€Å"How did you get over here so fast?† â€Å"I was standing right next to you, Bella,† he said, his tone serious again. I turned to sit up, and this time he let me, releasing his hold around my waist and sliding as far from me as he could in the limited space. I looked at his concerned, innocent expression and was disoriented again by the force of his gold-colored eyes. What was I asking him? And then they found us, a crowd of people with tears streaming down their faces, shouting at each other, shouting at us. â€Å"Don't move,† someone instructed. â€Å"Get Tyler out of the van!† someone else shouted. There was a flurry of activity around us. I tried to get up, but Edward's cold hand pushed my shoulder down. â€Å"Just stay put for now.† â€Å"But it's cold,† I complained. It surprised me when he chuckled under his breath. There was an edge to the sound. â€Å"You were over there,† I suddenly remembered, and his chuckle stopped short. â€Å"You were by your car.† His expression turned hard. â€Å"No, I wasn't.† â€Å"I saw you.† All around us was chaos. I could hear the gruffer voices of adults arriving on the scene. But I obstinately held on to our argument; I was right, and he was going to admit it. â€Å"Bella, I was standing with you, and I pulled you out of the way.† He unleashed the full, devastating power of his eyes on me, as if trying to communicate something crucial. â€Å"No.† I set my jaw. The gold in his eyes blazed. â€Å"Please, Bella.† â€Å"Why?† I demanded. â€Å"Trust me,† he pleaded, his soft voice overwhelming. I could hear the sirens now. â€Å"Will you promise to explain everything to me later?† â€Å"Fine,† he snapped, abruptly exasperated. â€Å"Fine,† I repeated angrily. It took six EMTs and two teachers – Mr. Varner and Coach Clapp – to shift the van far enough away from us to bring the stretchers in. Edward vehemently refused his, and I tried to do the same, but the traitor told them I'd hit my head and probably had a concussion. I almost died of humiliation when they put on the neck brace. It looked like the entire school was there, watching soberly as they loaded me in the back of the ambulance. Edward got to ride in the front. It was maddening. To make matters worse, Chief Swan arrived before they could get me safely away. â€Å"Bella!† he yelled in panic when he recognized me on the stretcher. â€Å"I'm completely fine, Char – Dad,† I sighed. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with me.† He turned to the closest EMT for a second opinion. I tuned him out to consider the jumble of inexplicable images churning chaotically in my head. When they'd lifted me away from the car, I had seen the deep dent in the tan car's bumper – a very distinct dent that fit the contours of Edward's shoulders†¦ as if he had braced himself against the car with enough force to damage the metal frame†¦ And then there was his family, looking on from the distance, with expressions that ranged from disapproval to fury but held no hint of concern for their brother's safety. I tried to think of a logical solution that could explain what I had just seen – a solution that excluded the assumption that I was insane. Naturally, the ambulance got a police escort to the county hospital. I felt ridiculous the whole time they were unloading me. What made it worse was that Edward simply glided through the hospital doors under his own power. I ground my teeth together. They put me in the emergency room, a long room with a line of beds separated by pastel-patterned curtains. A nurse put a pressure cuff on my arm and a thermometer under my tongue. Since no one bothered pulling the curtain around to give me some privacy, I decided I wasn't obligated to wear the stupid-looking neck brace anymore. When the nurse walked away, I quickly unfastened the Velcro and threw it under the bed. There was another flurry of hospital personnel, another stretcher brought to the bed next to me. I recognized Tyler Crowley from my Government class beneath the bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around his head. Tyler looked a hundred times worse than I felt. But he was staring anxiously at me. â€Å"Bella, I'm so sorry!† â€Å"I'm fine, Tyler – you look awful, are you all right?† As we spoke, nurses began unwinding his soiled bandages, exposing a myriad of shallow slices all over his forehead and left cheek. He ignored me. â€Å"I thought I was going to kill you! I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He winced as one nurse started dabbing at his face. â€Å"Don't worry about it; you missed me.† â€Å"How did you get out of the way so fast? You were there, and then you were gone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Umm†¦ Edward pulled me out of the way.† He looked confused. â€Å"Who?† â€Å"Edward Cullen – he was standing next to me.† I'd always been a terrible liar; I didn't sound convincing at all. â€Å"Cullen? I didn't see him†¦ wow, it was all so fast, I guess. Is he okay?† â€Å"I think so. He's here somewhere, but they didn't make him use a stretcher.† I knew I wasn't crazy. What had happened? There was no way to explain away what I'd seen. They wheeled me away then, to X-ray my head. I told them there was nothing wrong, and I was right. Not even a concussion. I asked if I could leave, but the nurse said I had to talk to a doctor first. So I was trapped in the ER, waiting, harassed by Tyler's constant apologies and promises to make it up to me. No matter how many times I tried to convince him I was fine, he continued to torment himself. Finally, I closed my eyes and ignored him. He kept up a remorseful mumbling. â€Å"Is she sleeping?† a musical voice asked. My eyes flew open. Edward was standing at the foot of my bed, smirking. I glared at him. It wasn't easy – it would have been more natural to ogle. â€Å"Hey, Edward, I'm really sorry -† Tyler began. Edward lifted a hand to stop him. â€Å"No blood, no foul,† he said, flashing his brilliant teeth. He moved to sit on the edge of Tyler's bed, facing me. He smirked again. â€Å"So, what's the verdict?† he asked me. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with me at all, but they won't let me go,† I complained. â€Å"How come you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of us?† â€Å"It's all about who you know,† he answered. â€Å"But don't worry, I came to spring you.† Then a doctor walked around the corner, and my mouth fell open. He was young, he was blond†¦ and he was handsomer than any movie star I'd ever seen. He was pale, though, and tired-looking, with circles under his eyes. From Charlie's description, this had to be Edward's father. â€Å"So, Miss Swan,† Dr. Cullen said in a remarkably appealing voice, â€Å"how are you feeling?† â€Å"I'm fine,† I said, for the last time, I hoped. He walked to the lightboard on the wall over my head, and turned it on. â€Å"Your X-rays look good,† he said. â€Å"Does your head hurt? Edward said you hit it pretty hard.† â€Å"It's fine,† I repeated with a sigh, throwing a quick scowl toward Edward. The doctor's cool fingers probed lightly along my skull. He noticed when I winced. â€Å"Tender?† he asked. â€Å"Not really.† I'd had worse. I heard a chuckle, and looked over to see Edward's patronizing smile. My eyes narrowed. â€Å"Well, your father is in the waiting room – you can go home with him now. But come back if you feel dizzy or have trouble with your eyesight at all.† â€Å"Can't I go back to school?† I asked, imagining Charlie trying to be attentive. â€Å"Maybe you should take it easy today.† I glanced at Edward. â€Å"Does he get to go to school?† â€Å"Someone has to spread the good news that we survived,† Edward said smugly. â€Å"Actually,† Dr. Cullen corrected, â€Å"most of the school seems to be in the waiting room.† â€Å"Oh no,† I moaned, covering my face with my hands. Dr. Cullen raised his eyebrows. â€Å"Do you want to stay?† â€Å"No, no!† I insisted, throwing my legs over the side of the bed and hopping down quickly. Too quickly – I staggered, and Dr. Cullen caught me. He looked concerned. â€Å"I'm fine,† I assured him again. No need to tell him my balance problems had nothing to do with hitting my head. â€Å"Take some Tylenol for the pain,† he suggested as he steadied me. â€Å"It doesn't hurt that bad,† I insisted. â€Å"It sounds like you were extremely lucky,† Dr. Cullen said, smiling as he signed my chart with a flourish. â€Å"Lucky Edward happened to be standing next to me,† I amended with a hard glance at the subject of my statement. â€Å"Oh, well, yes,† Dr. Cullen agreed, suddenly occupied with the papers in front of him. Then he looked away, at Tyler, and walked to the next bed. My intuition flickered; the doctor was in on it. â€Å"I'm afraid that you'll have to stay with us just a little bit longer,† he said to Tyler, and began checking his cuts. As soon as the doctor's back was turned, I moved to Edward's side. â€Å"Can I talk to you for a minute?† I hissed under my breath. He took a step back from me, his jaw suddenly clenched. â€Å"Your father is waiting for you,† he said through his teeth. I glanced at Dr. Cullen and Tyler. â€Å"I'd like to speak with you alone, if you don't mind,† I pressed. He glared, and then turned his back and strode down the long room. I nearly had to run to keep up. As soon as we turned the corner into a short hallway, he spun around to face me. â€Å"What do you want?† he asked, sounding annoyed. His eyes were cold. His unfriendliness intimidated me. My words came out with less severity than I'd intended. â€Å"You owe me an explanation,† I reminded him. â€Å"I saved your life – I don't owe you anything.† I flinched back from the resentment in his voice. â€Å"You promised.† â€Å"Bella, you hit your head, you don't know what you're talking about.† His tone was cutting. My temper flared now, and I glared defiantly at him. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with my head.† He glared back. â€Å"What do you want from me, Bella?† â€Å"I want to know the truth,† I said. â€Å"I want to know why I'm lying for you.† â€Å"What do you think happened?† he snapped. It came out in a rush. â€Å"All I know is that you weren't anywhere near me – Tyler didn't see you, either, so don't tell me I hit my head too hard. That van was going to crush us both – and it didn't, and your hands left dents in the side of it – and you left a dent in the other car, and you're not hurt at all – and the van should have smashed my legs, but you were holding it up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I could hear how crazy it sounded, and I couldn't continue. I was so mad I could feel the tears coming; I tried to force them back by grinding my teeth together. He was staring at me incredulously. But his face was tense, defensive. â€Å"You think I lifted a van off you?† His tone questioned my sanity, but it only made me more suspicious. It was like a perfectly delivered line by a skilled actor. I merely nodded once, jaw tight. â€Å"Nobody will believe that, you know.† His voice held an edge of derision now. â€Å"I'm not going to tell anybody.† I said each word slowly, carefully controlling my anger. Surprise flitted across his face. â€Å"Then why does it matter?† â€Å"It matters to me,† I insisted. â€Å"I don't like to lie – so there'd better be a good reason why I'm doing it.† â€Å"Can't you just thank me and get over it?† â€Å"Thank you.† I waited, fuming and expectant. â€Å"You're not going to let it go, are you?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"In that case†¦ I hope you enjoy disappointment.† We scowled at each other in silence. I was the first to speak, trying to keep myself focused. I was in danger of being distracted by his livid, glorious face. It was like trying to stare down a destroying angel. â€Å"Why did you even bother?† I asked frigidly. He paused, and for a brief moment his stunning face was unexpectedly vulnerable. â€Å"I don't know,† he whispered. And then he turned his back on me and walked away. I was so angry, it took me a few minutes until I could move. When I could walk, I made my way slowly to the exit at the end of the hallway. The waiting room was more unpleasant than I'd feared. It seemed like every face I knew in Forks was there, staring at me. Charlie rushed to my side; I put up my hands. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with me,† I assured him sullenly. I was still aggravated, not in the mood for chitchat. â€Å"What did the doctor say?† â€Å"Dr. Cullen saw me, and he said I was fine and I could go home.† I sighed. Mike and Jessica and Eric were all there, beginning to converge on us. â€Å"Let's go,† I urged. Charlie put one arm behind my back, not quite touching me, and led me to the glass doors of the exit. I waved sheepishly at my friends, hoping to convey that they didn't need to worry anymore. It was a huge relief- the first time I'd ever felt that way – to get into the cruiser. We drove in silence. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I barely knew Charlie was there. I was positive that Edward's defensive behavior in the hall was a confirmation of the bizarre things I still could hardly believe I'd witnessed. When we got to the house, Charlie finally spoke. â€Å"Um†¦ you'll need to call Ren? ¦e.† He hung his head, guilty. I was appalled. â€Å"You told Mom!† â€Å"Sorry.† I slammed the cruiser's door a little harder than necessary on my way out. My mom was in hysterics, of course. I had to tell her I felt fine at least thirty times before she would calm down. She begged me to come home – forgetting the fact that home was empty at the moment – but her pleas were easier to resist than I would have thought. I was consumed by the mystery Edward presented. And more than a little obsessed by Edward himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I wasn't as eager to escape Forks as I should be, as any normal, sane person would be. I decided I might as well go to bed early that night. Charlie continued to watch me anxiously, and it was getting on my nerves. I stopped on my way to grab three Tylenol from the bathroom. They did help, and, as the pain eased, I drifted to sleep. That was the first night I dreamed of Edward Cullen.

My Personal Experience with Religion

I have considered myself a religious person for most of my life.   I was saved at ten years old, but I have been in church since I was two years old.   I know that many people say that religion and Christianity are not the same, but I am one of those few people who do believe that religion is important to.   I think that you cannot have one without the other.   They are both vital to the spiritual makeup of a person. If it had not been for my acceptance of Christ and the Holy Spirit that dwells in me, I don’t know what would have happened to me.   I definitely would not be the person that I am today.   I have always prayed about everything.   I believe that God is my spiritual father, and just like I talk with my biological father and converse with him everyday, I talk with my heavenly about everything. I believe that it is very hard to talk freely with a stranger.   Before you open up and bare your soul to someone, there is an established relationship.   It is the same with God.   It is extremely hard to take everything to him if a person does not know him.   I cannot remember a time when I have not had a relationship with him. It has made a huge difference in my life to be able to talk to him about everything.   I have actually had many prayers answered.   There is no way that I could remember all of them since they have happened every day of my life.   Therefore, my spiritualism has grown and changed over time.   When I was much younger, I saw God as one who had to be obeyed, but I have now grown to the point where I actually do have a relationship with him.   I used to worry so much about how I would handle everything in my life. Now I know that it is all in God’s hands.   I have learned that I have to completely trust him, and that all of my plans and worrying is not going to help.  Ã‚   It sounds on paper like I have just given up, but nothing can be further from the truth.   I have actually gotten stronger, and the time I used to spend on worrying, I now spend on talking to God. I do think that my religion has helped to strengthen my relationship with God.   It is through my religion that I have a church family of people who I can depend upon for my strength.   It is a wonderful sense of well being when I know that I have a whole host of people behind me that love and care about me because of our common beliefs through Jesus Christ.   I also believe that a religion is easier to understand when you are a part of it because you have access to others to teach you.   I have always had mentors and ministers to help me in my understanding of the faith that I have chosen. They not only tell me what they believe about it, but they have encouraged me to seek the scriptures to find my answers, and since they are more experienced than I am, they can steer me in the right direction to find those scriptures.   The faith that I am associated with encourages its members to seek answers from the scripture.   It is not encouraged to accept something just because a person tells us that is the way that it is.   I have many friends from other faiths, and it is nearly impossible for them to overcome the stereotypes that they have heard about my religion.   I find that I have the same problem when it comes to theirs as well. As I stated earlier, my religion encourages its members to try our beliefs with what the scriptures says.   Because of that I do think that I can remain objective.   I have learned that when I challenge something that someone of my faith says is right or wrong, I can go to the scriptures and if it is not there, I can choose to disregard the opinion.   In fact I believe that everyone has challenged at least one thing that their religion upholds.   I think that is only human and it is perfectly natural. If one cannot be objective and at least listen to both sides of a religious topic, then the person must look closely at whether he/she is brainwashed.   Questioning and objectivity is a good thing.   One cannot grow and accept other if he/she does not remain objective.   The only thing that cannot be changed what the Bible says about an issue. My life has been a full one and it has been steeped in religion.   I have enjoyed it immensely.   I am proud of the way that I have grown in my religion and my faith.   I would have to say that my religious experience has been a totally positive experience. Works Cited Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life. 2003. Nashville: Zonderman Press. The Sacred Ritual There have been many sacred rituals that I have participated in during the course of my life.   The one that I enjoy the most and that has had the most impact on me is communion.   It is something that started with the night of Jesus’ arrest before his crucifixion.   I believe that the ritual is so beautiful and meaningful that I get emotional every time I take it. When I was a little child, I could not understand why all of the adults got to eat and drink from those cute cups and I could not have it.   Therefore, I suppose I hated the ritual at first.   I especially couldn’t understand how my own mother, who share everything with her children, could eat and drink in front of us and not even give us a taste.   I remember that her attempts at explaining it to us were feeble at best, so I would get angry every communion.   I cannot help but get a little tickled even today when I hear the small children at my church when communion is served.   Most of them are questioning their parents and grandparents and I automatically go back to my youth in my mind and remember all of my frustrations. Once I was saved and was able to take communion, I was just so glad that I was one of the big people, that I still did not realize the significance of what I was doing.   It was not until I was in my late teens that I realized what it was really all about.   At my church, a sermon on communion is always preached.   It might seem repetitive to some, but like a favorite bedtime story, or favorite movie, it is a joy to revisit the seen of the last supper.   I love the part where Jesus explains to the disciples what each part of the ritual means, and I enjoy what the Apostle Paul explains that it is not just a fellowship supper, but a meaningful link between Jesus and the Christian people. I find it refreshing during the part where all of the Christians in the church take time to reflect on the sins in their lives.   Sometimes it is painful when they are remembered, but after I have asked forgiveness, I feel as fresh as a newborn baby.   I am ready to start over.   There is also a time to ask forgiveness of others that we might have wronged.   This is also a special time.   I love it when I am reunited with someone that I have been at odds with. Then there is the sacred time of sharing the bread and the cup with our Lord Jesus.   The bread is the symbol of the body of Christ.   When we break it to eat it, it symbolizes what cruelties were done to his body.   I was not in Jerusalem the day of the crucifixion, but by taking part in communion I can be.   He died as much for me as he did the ones living at the time.   Therefore, when I break the bread, I am actually symbolizing that I did break his body so that he could die for my sins.   Then I drink from the cup that is supposed to represent the blood of Christ.   Without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness of sin.   When I drink from the cup, I symbolize that his blood was spilled, and only through the spilling of the Savior’s blood could I be saved. When I ponder these things, I get chilled just knowing what Jesus has done for me and every other person.   He did not have to, but he willingly went to the cross for us.   Communion is one of the ways that I get to be reminded of the tremendous gift that Christ gave to all mankind. Works Cited The Holy Bible. King James Version. New York: Thomas Nelson Press. My Understanding Since I have taken this class, I have had a little better understanding of evil in the world.   I say a little because I have thought about this so much that my feelings on the matter have progressed over a long period of time. I feel that there are many reasons that God allows evil to exist in the world.   I believe that man has a great deal to do with it.   Yes, God is all powerful, but he allows us to live with the mess that we have made.   I will use the example of the horrible Hurricane Katrina.   There were many good people who lost everything that they had and many even lost their lives.   The same can be said of those who had not lived good lives.   There were babies who died, many elderly, and many in the prime of their lives. Some might question why God would allow this to happen.   Instead they should question man.   It was man who built so many houses and cleared so many forest and wetlands that the water had no where to go.   It was man who built underneath Lake Pontchartrain, and it was man who did not do adequate upkeep on the levies.   It could be argued that man helped create the hurricane itself with his utter disregard to the environment which is leading to global warming.   It is man who has to live with the decisions he and others before him have made.   God designed the earth to be perfect.   It was man who messed things up and brought sin into the earth.   If he had stopped man, then he would have taken away personal choice. My ability to understand what is right and wrong has changed over the years.   First I accepted what my parents told me was right and wrong.   When I became a teen, I judged what was right and wrong with what I wanted to do and think.   Now I search the scriptures.   I read the Bible as much as I can, and I have a pretty good feel for the obvious things that are right and wrong.   I will argue an opinion, but when it comes to the Word of God, I feel that if it is in the Bible, then that is the way that it is. I pray about situations that I have a difficult time determining what is right and wrong, and God never fails to send me a sign.   Sometimes it is not the one that I wanted, but he still delivers.   I also rely on what many people call a conscious, but I feel is the Holy Spirit.   I believe if I listen to the still small voice within me, then it is usually more right than what society tells me is right and wrong. Socrates` question: `Is something right because God commands it or does he command it because it is right?`   I feel that there are times that people think too much and this is an example.   Words are powerful and they can also have the power to confuse us.   I feel that God only commands what is right and he is omnipotent therefore he is right.   If he is the creator of all things, and I believe that he is, then he created right and wrong.   At the same time he commands things to be right because he determined it.   God is right. Works Cited Stearns, Bill. Fine Lines: Knowing God's Right/Wrongs for Your Life. San Bernardino: Here’s Life Publishers. 1987.

Raising Biracial Children to Be Well-Adjusted

Raising Biracial Children to Be Well-Adjusted Biracial children have existed in the United States since colonial times. America’s first child of dual African and European heritage was reportedly born in 1620. Despite the long history, biracial children have in the U.S., opponents to interracial unions insist on invoking the â€Å"tragic mulatto myth to justify their views. This myth suggests that biracial children will inevitably grow into tortured misfits angry that they fit into neither black nor white society. While mixed-race children certainly face challenges, raising well-adjusted biracial children is quite possible if parents are proactive and sensitive to their children’s needs. Reject Myths About Mixed-Race Kids Want to raise mixed-race children who thrive? Your attitude can make all the difference. Challenge the idea that multiethnic children are destined for a life of difficulty by identifying successful Americans of mixed race such as actors Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry, news anchors Ann Curry and Soledad O’Brien, athletes Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods, and politicians Bill Richardson and Barack Obama. It’s also helpful to consult studies that debunk the tragic mulatto myth. For example, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry  posits that â€Å"multiracial children do not differ from other children in self-esteem, comfort with themselves, or a number of psychiatric problems.† On the contrary, AACAP has found that mixed children tend to celebrate diversity and appreciate an upbringing in which various cultures played a part. Celebrate Your Child’s Multiethnic Heritage Which biracial kids have the best chance of success? Research indicates that they’re the kids allowed to embrace all components of their heritage. Multiracial children forced to choose a single-race identity tend to suffer from this inauthentic expression of self. Unfortunately, society often pressures mixed-race individuals to choose just one race because of the outdated â€Å"one-drop rule† which mandated that Americans with any African heritage be classified as black. It wasn’t until 2000 that the U.S. Census Bureau allowed citizens to identify as more than one race. That year the Census found that about 4% of children in the U.S. are multiracial. How mixed children racially identify depends on a number of factors, including physical features and family attachments. Two multiethnic siblings who look as if they belong to different races may not identify the same way. Parents, however, can teach children that racial identity is more complicated than what someone looks like on the outside. In addition to physical appearance, mixed children may choose a racial identity based on which parent they spend time with most. This especially proves true when interracial couples separate, causing their children to see one parent more than the other. Spouses who take an interest in their mate’s cultural backgrounds will be more equipped to teach children about all aspects of their heritage should divorce occur. Familiarize yourself with the customs, religions, and languages that play roles in your mate’s background. On the other hand, if you’re alienated from your own cultural heritage but want your children to recognize it, visit older family members, museums and your country of origin (if applicable) to learn more. This will enable you to pass traditions on to your kids. Choose a School That Celebrates Cultural Diversity Your children likely spend just as much time in school as they do with you. Create the best educational experience possible for multiracial children by enrolling them in a school that celebrates cultural diversity. Talk to teachers about the books they keep in the classroom and the general education curriculum. Suggest that teachers keep books in the classroom that feature multiethnic characters. Donate such books to the school if the library lacks them. Talk to teachers about ways to counteract racist bullying in the classroom. Parents can also improve their children’s experience in school by discussing with them the types of challenges they’re likely to face. For example, classmates may ask your child, â€Å"What are you?† Talk to children about the best way to answer such questions. Mixed-race children are also commonly asked if they’re adopted when seen with a parent. There’s a scene in the 1959 film â€Å"Imitation of Life† in which a teacher openly disbelieves that a black woman is the mother to a little girl in her class who looks like she’s completely white. In some instances, a biracial child may appear to be from an entirely different ethnic group than either parent. Many Eurasian children are mistaken for Latino, for example. Prepare your children to deal with the shock classmates and teachers may express upon discovering their racial background. Teach them not to hide who they are in order to fit in with mono-racial students. Live in a Multicultural Neighborhood If you have the means, seek to live in an area where diversity is the norm. The more diverse a city is, the higher the chances that a number of interracial couples and multiethnic children live there. Although living in such an area won’t guarantee that your children never face problems because of their heritage, it lessens the odds that your child will be viewed as an anomaly and your family subjected to rude stares and other bad behavior when out and about.

Mexicos 31 States and Single Federal District

Mexico's 31 States and Single Federal District Mexico, officially called the United Mexican States, is a federal republic located in North America. It is south of the United States and north of Guatemala and Belize. It is also bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It has a total area of 758,450 square miles (1,964,375 sq km), which makes it the fifth-largest country by area in the Americas and the 14th largest in the world. Mexico has a population of 124,574,7957  (July 2017 estimate). Its capital and largest city is Mexico City. Its the 10th-largest country in the world by population, and Mexico City, when you take the entire metro areas population into account, is fifth in the list of the most populous of the world. Its in the top 25 when you use just the city proper. How Is Mexico Broken Up? Mexico is divided into 32 federal entities, of which 31 are states and one is a federal district. The following is a list of Mexicos states and federal district arranged by area. The population (as of 2015) and capital of each have also been included for reference. Federal District Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico or formerly, Mexico, D.F.) Area: 573 square miles (1,485 sq km) Population: 8.9 million (21.581 million  in the greater metropolitan area) This is a separate city from the 31 states, similar to Washington, D.C. in the United States. Chihuahua Area: 95,543 square miles (247,455 sq km) Population: 3,569,000 Capital: Chihuahua Sonora Area: 69,306 square miles (179,503 sq km) Population: 2,874,000 Capital: Hermosillo Coahuila de Zaragoza Area: 58,519 square miles (151,503 sq km) Population: 2,300,000 Capital: Saltillo Durango Area: 47,665 square miles (123,451 sq km) Population: 1,760,000 Capital: Victoria de Durango Oaxaca Area: 36,214 square miles (93,793 sq km) Population: 3,976,000 Capital: Oaxaca de Jurez Tamaulipas Area: 30,956 square miles (80,175 sq km) Population: 3,454,000 Capital: Ciudad Victoria Jalisco Area: 30,347 square miles (78,599 sq km) Population: 7,881,000 Capital: Guadalajara Zacatecas Area: 29,166 square miles (75,539 sq km) Population: 1,582,000 Capital: Zacatecas Baja California Sur Area: 28,541 square miles (73,922 sq km) Population: 718,000 Capital: La Paz Chiapas Area: 28,297 square miles (73,289 sq km) Population: 5,229,000 Capital: Tuxtla Gutià ©rrez Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave Area: 27,730 square miles (71,820 sq km) Population: 8,128,000 Capital: Xalapa-Enriquez Baja California Area: 27,585 square miles (71,446 sq km) Population: 3,349,000 Capital: Mexicali Nuevo Leà ³n Area: 24,795 square miles (64,220 sq km) Population: 5,132,000 Capital: Monterrey Guerrero Area: 24,564 square miles (63,621 sq km) Population: 3,542,000 Capital: Chilpancingo de los Bravo San Luis Potosà ­ Area: 23,545 square miles (60,983 sq km) Population: 2,724 Capital: San Luis Potosà ­ Michoacn Area: 22,642 square miles (58,643 sq km) Population: 4,599,000 Capital: Morelia Campeche Area: 22,365 square miles (57,924 sq km) Population: 902,000 Capital: San Francisco de Campeche Sinaloa Area: 22,153 square miles (57,377 sq km) Population: 2,977,000 Capital: Culiacan Rosales Quintana Roo Area: 16,356 square miles (42,361 sq km) Population: 1,506,000 Capital: Chetumal Yucatn Area: 15,294 square miles (39,612 sq km) Population: 2,102,000 Capital: Mà ©rida Puebla Area: 13,239 square miles (34,290 sq km) Population: 6,183,000 Capital: Puebla de Zaragoza Guanajuato Area: 11,818 square miles (30,608 sq km) Population: 5,865,000 Capital: Guanajuato Nayarit Area: 10,739 square miles (27,815 sq km) Population: 1,189,000 Capital: Tepic Tabasco Area: 9551 square miles (24,738 sq km) Population: 2,401,000 Capital: Villahermosa Mà ©xico Area: 8,632 square miles (22,357 sq km) Population: 16,225,000 Capital: Toluca de Lerdo Hidalgo Area: 8,049 square miles (20,846 sq km) Population: 2,863,000 Capital: Pachuca de Soto Querà ©taro Area: 4,511 square miles (11,684 sq km) Population: 2,044,000 Capital: Santiago de Querà ©taro Colima Area: 2,172 square miles (5,625 sq km) Population: 715,000 Capital: Colima Aguascalientes Area: 2,169 square miles (5,618 sq km) Population: 1,316,000 Capital: Aguascalientes Morelos Area: 1,889 square miles (4,893 sq km) Population: 1,912,000 Capital: Cuernavaca Tlaxcala Area: 1,541 square miles (3,991 sq km) Population: 1,274,000 Capital: Tlaxcala de Xicohtà ©ncatl Sources North America:: Mexico. The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, July 24, 2019.

Innovation and Technology Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Innovation and Technology Management - Essay Example Compared to recent decades, the current business environment has become highly dynamic and unpredictable. It has customers that are highly demanding and operate in a highly competitive environment. In order to counter these challenges, businesses have been developing new products and services the offer better experiences for its respective consumers. It is important to realize that the success of a business depends on a multiplicity of factors, besides human resource management, technology and innovations (Kleinman 2009, 13). This paper examines the importance of innovation and technology in businesses with emphasis on how these two processes have influenced the success of Apple, a company that has been known for its success in the design and sale of various consumer technologies. Businesses are started with an aim of achieving the set goals and objectives. In this case, the owners and managers have to be creative and devise strategies that can enable them to produce and distribute their goods to their identified markets in the most effective way. Many successful businesses in the world have been founded on carefully developed strategies and approaches that understand the market needs of the people. One of the ways of managing this is having a market research, which is essential in providing information on competitor strategies and the various ways in which the business can satisfy the needs of its market (Thompson 2008, 65). Developing market-oriented products and services is important for the business in order to avoid wastages in the production and distribution of its goods and services. Human resource management is critical in the success of businesses since, it empowers human capital in the business to develop policies and strategies to increase the business’ competitive advantage and market position. Human resource management involves the processes concerned with recruitment, hiring and development of business employees to make it