Adolescent Sexuality and Risk Factors Essay

Adolescence is that period between childhood and adulthood, when the adolescent is discovering his or her own identity and dealing with the transition. It is also a time of becoming more aware of sexuality and establishing patterns for future relationships. Those identifying as nonheterosexual i.e. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT), face even more challenges than their heterosexual counterparts. One challenge is their health. Russell and Consolacion (2003) conducted a study on the topic of romance and emotional health of adolescents. The authors concluded that youth who had same-sex attractions and who were not in relationships showed increased measures of anxiety and depression. They also had more suicidal ideation than heterosexual youth. The dangers of smoking are well researched and documented. Easton, Jackson, Mowery, Comeau and Sell (2008) in their study concluded that same-sex and bisexual youth are at greater risk for tobacco use. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) notes that increased stress level, mental health and other physical health problems are common among LGBT youth (CDC, 2011). Ray (2006) in a study of homelessness among LGBT youth notes that they face a number of problems in additional to being homeless. They are at increased risk of mental health issues, high risk sexual behaviour to support themselves, substance abuse and victimisation. Education is important and LGBT adolescents face challenges in this area. Many of them are likely to be runaways so their education suffers as they are absent from school for long periods. Himmelstein & Brà ¼ckner (2011) noted that these young people were also at risk for being more severely punished at school and in the justice system. They are also victims of violence and discrimination at school, often being bullied, teased and harassed (â€Å"LGBT bullying† n.d.). Counsellors working with adolescents who are LBGT must be sensitive to the feelings of uncertainty, rejection and fear that these young people are experiencing.

What Are the Reason Some People Choose to Have Cosmetic Surgery?

In this era, there are a number of people immigrating to Canada. They are immigrating for the sake of getting enormous benefits from Canada, but they also face many problems in Canada. They have job problems because of low pay rate. People face another problem regarding their health. The Canadian weather is not better because it is cold, so it has bad effects on immigrants health. There are many problems for immigrants in Canada. They have culture and language problems. They cannot speak good English. There are three main effects of immigrants social life, health, and culture. The first effect on immigration come to Canada is social life. People have problems in social life. For example, full time work does not allow immigrants to enjoy their social lives. Sometimes, they do not get time to meet their parents, and they are not able to meet their friends as well. People are in a fun exciting stage in their life, but their full time schedule for work is destroying their fun in their social life. For instance, they cannot attend any family function and parties where they can meet their social needs of their lives. Immigrants cannot attend other function like New Year functions and parties because of busy schedule. For example, if they have family function with relatives. They do not have time for attend this function. They have a busy schedule of jobs. The second effect on immigrants to Canada is health. People get health- related problems very quickly. For example, the Canadian weather is mostly cold and climatic conditions are quite different from other countries. Moreover, people feel homesickness when they immigrant to Canada because they miss their proximate and dear ones. Therefore, people get health problems very quickly after they immigrated to Canada. The final effect on immigrants to Canada is culture and language. People feel uncomfortable when they need to explain their views with other people and in another language. For example, some people do not know how to speak in English, so they feel odd and insecure. To add up, every community has their own culture. People get problems when they need to adjust to another culture. They feel awkward when showing their culture to other communities. To conclude, there are negative effects on immigrant to Canada. Social life, health, and culture are three major effects of immigration for the domestic and immigrating people. They get sick and feel uncomfortable in Canada. Also, they face many problems, but the number of people immigrating in the future will increase.

Article Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Article Analysis - Research Paper Example The predictions of the economic theory presented in the article will also be carried as well as a discussion of the relevance of the economic theory to the ideas presented in the article. Travernise (2011) reports that about 2.6 million people slipped into poverty in the USA in 2010 as reported by the Census Bureau bringing the number of Americans living below poverty to 46,2 million people. This has been the highest figure in 52 years according to the records obtained from the bureau. According to the economists, the median income level of the household fell to records last seen in 1996 and this scenario shows that such statistics were last recorded during the great depression when the statistics had taken such a long period to rise. The report states that about 15.1 percent of the Americans were living below the poverty datum line which was pegged at $22, 314 for a family of four in 2010 and this level has been the highest since 1993. This came on the heels of President Barrack Obama’s bid to push for the jobs bill meant to foster employment creation to alleviate the levels of poverty especially among various people from the different parts of the country. T here has also been a widening gap between the haves and the have nots and this trend is likely to continue unabated if sound economic reforms have not been put in place. The minorities in particular were hardest hit as the report shows that blacks in particular experienced the highest poverty rate of 17 % up from 15 % in 2009, the rate for the Hispanics rose from 25 % to 26 % while the poverty rate for the whites rose from 9.4 % to 9,9 % in 2009. The trend shows that the whites were least affected and it seems that the gap between the rich and the poor is continuing to rise. The economists suggested that joblessness or unemployment was the main culprit leading to such unbelievably high rates of

A Propaganda Tool During the Course of Cold War Research Paper

A Propaganda Tool During the Course of Cold War - Research Paper Example In 1959 the Vietnam War started and Vietnam became a hotbed of rivalry between the two great powers. The realist could no longer follow the liberal ideas as they saw the USSR expansion and its increasing power a serious threat to American security, and they decided to contain this expansion by all means. In the early 1970s, after the advent of nuclear ICBMs, it was no longer possible for both the superpowers to conqueror each other. It was no longer possible to have the same view of the world as the Cold War has been pushed the world into a perilous age which the US has never imagined. This led to a military doctrine MAD (mutually assured destruction) and the idea behind this doctrine was that the Western bloc will not be attacked as both superpowers have more than enough stockpile of nuclear weapons to wipe off each other from the face of the earth, including all the human beings in the world. Thus the idea of attacking each other seemed a suicidal and unpractical act as a result nu clear weapon instead of threat worked as a Deterrence to keep each other off the fence. The Cold War created a dà ©tente a policy advocating an intricate system of international relation, where the world did not look like two split blocks. It allowed the smaller and less powerful nations to assert their freedom and independence and pursue their interests more openly rather than becoming a bone of contention between two superpowers. However, espionage and the propaganda continued even in the during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

Strategic analysis and directions for Google Essay

Strategic analysis and directions for Google - Essay Example Figure 1: Comparison between Tata and Toyota by volume manufactured). In some categories, such as heavy buses and heavy commercial vehicles, Tata Motors even produces more vehicles (see Appendix 1 for full data). Going by revenue, the automotive industry, which develops, designs, manufactures, markets and sells motor vehicles a significant economic sector of the world. The industry, though very capital intensive, yet is marked by fierce competition and demand elasticity being plagued by a host of recent political, economic and social macroeconomic developments such as: credit crisis, fuel crisis and technological changes necessitated due to global climatic change. Economic developments: The automotive industry suffered significantly during the previous ensuing years as part of global financial meltdown, which affected the American, European and Asian automobile manufacturers. Canada too felt the heat due to the Automotive Products Trade Agreement. Geopolitical developments: Substanti al increase in fuel prices triggered by geopolitical developments resulted weak car demand, which further weakened the automotive industry. Sports utility vehicles, pick-up trucks and other high gasoline consuming vehicles were under pressure due to fuel hike and their sales decreased substantially. Many American manufacturers such as Ford, GM and Chrysler were forced to roll out more fuel efficient vehicles. Technological changes required due to global climatic changes: Due to impact of global climatic changes and the resultant stringent emission norms increased investments in technology significantly. The tell-tale situation of the industry is marred by negative growth leading into the automotive industry crisis of 2008-2010. Table 2: Percentage change in global car manufacturing during 2007 to 2010. Year Production Change Source 22007 73,266,061 5.80% (OICA, 2007) 22008 70,520,493 -3.70% (OICA, 2008) 22009 60,986,985 -13.50% (OICA, 2010) Figure 2: Percentage change in global car production year 2007 - 2010 As a result of these macroeconomic developments, the industry is currently undergoing radical changes and is moving towards consolidation by means of mergers and acquisitions and strategic tie-ups and partnerships for joint production, and marketing and selling. Chances are that more weaker and unprofitable companies will further be taken over and acquired and in the end will leave only those strong enough to sustain the downturn. Under these circumstances, Tata Motors need to maintain economy of scale and need to invest more on R&D and innovation, and also need to explore new products and markets. All these have to be undertaken simultaneously under the constraints of the emerging geopolitical

Effects of employment insurance on unemployment (Canada) Essay

Effects of employment insurance on unemployment (Canada) - Essay Example policy is to increase the opportunity cost of those Canadian citizens’ who are unemployed and to reduce the cost of working by mobilizing the unemployed people to look for a job.1 It is believed that this policy will help unload the burden on low-skilled laborers as well as improving the Canadian public employment agencies. In the short term run, it is expected that there will be an increase in the unemployment rate because the employment insurance policy is expected to promote more people into job searching. The number of people looking for jobs will continue to increase because of the job searching performance that is being monitored directly by the Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC). The increase in the supply of manpower will create an adjustment in the supply and demand curve of labor in the market. (See figure 1) The increase in the number of people looking for a job will eventually affect the supply and demand for employment in the sense that the bigger the supply of manpower available in the market force will give room for employers to select a prospective employee at a lower salary. (See figure 2) Considering that the supply of manpower continuously increases, the demand for manpower decreases. This will give the company the privilege to select competent employees at a cheaper salary. Cheaper salary will result to a decrease in the operational cost per unit in production. A lower operational cost will result to an added profit for the company. (See figure 3) For example, a company is able to manufacture a toy that sells for $10 per hour. Given that there is no other production cost except for the salary of a worker, if the salary of a new worker is only $5 per hour as compared an old employee rate of $7 per hour, the profit per unit will be: Profit per toy (new worker) = Price – Cost per toy The same process applies in reverse. Given that the selling prices fall but the input costs are relatively fixed, the profit margin will

Araby Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Araby - Essay Example The first words spoken by the girl of his dream was also about â€Å"Araby†, giving the reader the assumption that it will be a mythological place that he can escape from reality and his harsh environment. The story of â€Å"Araby† highlights the contradiction between reality and illusion through illustration of the transformation of innocence to the path of realization and disillusionment as a phenomenon that occurs in a child’s boyhood. The protagonist of the story is the matured boy who had once been the innocent boy depicted in the story. The story opens with the lines â€Å"North Richmond Street, being blind, was a quiet street except at the hour when the Christian Brothers' School set the boys free† (Joyce, 538). Paradoxically, even though they were free from school, even their play did not give them the desired pleasure, for it was an equally dull world, where not even play brought any stimulant for the children. All these descriptions of dullness a ctually create the backdrop against which the boy takes resort to an imagination larger than life and hence encounters a surprising disillusionment.

Imagine yourself in a different century and describe an average day in Assignment

Imagine yourself in a different century and describe an average day in your life - Assignment Example The handle can know how much force is required to lift an object. This was fascinating! As time moved by, the lab became my new home; I loved every independent project there. How I wish I could get access to such stuffs often. No single day passes without me passing by the game park, to watch the remaining species of birds and enjoy the relaxing sound of the three waterfalls. Can there be robotic birds, waterfalls, and trees? I bet not. And maybe never! While appreciating technological prowess, I have developed compassion with nature! I want to protect it because most robotic machines rely on command language. They can end up destroying naturally existing creatures. This must have been a good observation for today I guess! Who really thinks in such a direction? As I head home in the evening, I pass by the vendor machine to pick a cold drink! I sit quietly on a bench nearby to enjoy my drink. Do I love children again? How I wish I could join them in riding their robotic toy vehicles! Unfortunately I cannot because I am past that age! My eyes are left to admire and enjoy their

Childhood since the Nineteenth Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Childhood since the Nineteenth Century - Essay Example Their shift from villages to cities made them financially independent and their verisimilitude of developing nuclear family increased manifolds. Their individualism supported such a family system that would have them and their children alone. Having such short families, parents were in a position to devote more time to their children as there was little influence of neighbors or relatives. According to Stone (1977), the family system experienced a considerable change from 1450 to 1800 in that it became more and more narrow and closed. Earlier families had three or more generations living together, while the modernistic families had a nuclear structure, with only the parents and immediate children living together. Thus parents became more responsible for their children as there were no grandparents to take care of the children in their absence. Stone (1977) asserted that the concept of developing a nuclear family was accompanied by a rise in the trend of ‘affective individualism ’ that encouraged individuals to choose marital partners for themselves. Thus, each member of the family was recognized as unique and naturally, the children gained full attention of the parents. Stone (1977) also was of the view that the industrial revolution played a big role in the rise of the nuclear family system. As parents became more and more careful about their children from 1450 to 1800, the child mortality rates ultimately began to decline in the 1800s. This caused the parents to be more careful about their children’s health and safety because in the earlier centuries when child mortality rates were quite high, the death of a child was visualized as a solid reason why parents should not develop an association with their children. Philippe Aries played a pivotal role in mapping the childhood history through his writing published in the Centuries of Childhood in 1962 (Roberts, 2008). That ‘terra incognita’ stirred up the emotions of many philosoph ers, writers, theorists and educationalists that led them to propose many a theories and concepts of modern childhood that shaped our perception of childhood as we know it today. An in-depth analysis of the childhood literature and conceptions from old centuries portrays a very sad image of childhood in those times. The commencement of childhood as a social construction can be dated back to the sixteenth century. Aries was of the view that the fundamental difference between the modern childhood and its conception in earlier centuries is that adults were far less careful about children in earlier centuries than they are now. Children were neither educated, nor were they treated differently from adults. Parents did not feel the need to attend the children, offer them their time and affection that the children required. The activities children indulged in the Middle Ages and also, the earlier modern era were not much different from those of the adults. A child was considered a child ti ll the time he/she turned seven, though the child was thought of as miniature adult before that. After the age of seven, children were expected to and often forced into practically helping their parents with the farming or looking after their fields and livestock.  

Man in the middle and secrity in multichannel Essay

Man in the middle and secrity in multichannel - Essay Example Hence, the attacker makes two systems believe that they are communicating to one another while the attacker controls and modifies the communicated messages. The attacker achieves this by splitting the original TCP connection into two new connections and acting as a proxy where it can read, insert, and modify the data in the intercepted communication. The man in the middle is unauthorized and attacks in real time. The attack can occur in two ways. It can occur where the attacker controls a router along the normal point of traffic communication between two communicating systems. It can also occur where the attacker is located on the same broadcast domain with one of the systems.  The attacker uses several tools like packet creator, Ettercap, Cain e Abel and Dsniff that are efficient in LAN networks. The tools manifest Arp spoof capabilities that that permit interceptions. The man in the middle can attack and modify a HTTP because the HTTP traffic is unencrypted and contains no authen tication. It can also attempt to intercept HTTPS traffic by using a custom certificate. The attacker uses proxy tools like Paros Prox and Proxy Fuzz to interact with HTTP protocol (OWASP, 2009, p.1). The man in the middle attack takes advantage of weak network communication protocols to convince a host to route the information through the attacker instead of through the normal router. However, the man in the middle attack is also affirmative in developing a step of a web application and in creating Web Vulnerability assessments. Because of these attacks, the computer technological sector has derived various ways to secure to the communications in the systems in Multichannel and Multi-level Authentication security protocols. To ensure data integrity and originator authenticity between devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) whose owners has no past

The American Civil War Essay Example for Free

The American Civil War Essay The impact that religion had on reforms from the 1820s to the 1850s can clearly be seen in the effect that it had in contributing to the American Civil War. Religion played a key role in the different positions that the North and the South were going to take with regard to the issue of slavery. The Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist teachings espoused themes of both unity and separation. This was echoed well during the activities in 1837, 1844 and 1845, respectively, when the bond of national unity was broken. Instead of unifying a country, most of the religious influences during this time caused the alienation of most sectors by projecting distorted images. In turn, this led to the establishment of independent sects in a once united country. This rift and sectional independence was sustained by the growing moral outrage that each side felt for each other. The overemphasis of the church, during this period, on individualism failed to provide the leadership necessary to steer the nation through many issues, none more pivotal than that of slavery. An example of this would be the reforms instituted by the Republican Party. These reforms were rooted on a form of Calvinism that was deeply moderated. The southern evangelicals on the other hand, attempted to resist the influence of religion into politics by supporting the confederacy. The opposite reforms that each side was about to take from the 1820s to the 1850s was caused by the inability of religion to collectively and squarely address the issue of slavery. For the north, it was reforms that were rooted on social action while the South focused their reforms on personal piety. While both sides championed the Bible in their quest to resolve the issue on slavery, they each took opposing opinions which eventually took them down the path of one of the most radical reforms in American history.

Causes and Impacts of Acid Rain

Causes and Impacts of Acid Rain Acid rain is an extensive dilemma faced by the world. The destructive outcomes of acid rain are one of the major contributors to this type of pollution. Acid rain is any rainfall; precipitation, snow, or fog that includes acids for instance nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide. Our society is engulfed with huge amounts of pollution from factories, cars, and garbage. The incredible quantities of sulfur dioxide released into the air, sources high levels of acid in the environment. Acid rain causes a stream of effects that kill or harm individual fish, lessen fish numbers population, entirely exterminate fish species from a water stream, and lessen biodiversity. Acid rain is sourced by a reaction of chemical that commences when composites similar to nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are discharged into the air. These materials can go up extremely high into the environment, where they combine and retort with oxygen, water, and additional chemicals to structure additional acidic pollutants, identified as acid rain. Human activities are the major source of acid rain. Above the precedent few decades, humans beings have discharged so several diverse chemicals into the atmosphere that they have transformed the blend of gases in the environment. Power plants discharge the preponderance of sulfur dioxide and a great deal of the nitrogen oxides when they smolder fossil fuels, for instance coal, to create electricity. Additionally the exhaust from trucks, buses and cars, discharges sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere which source acid rain. In expressions of natural sources, equally decaying vegetation and volcanoes discharge gases that effect in the construction of acid rain. The terrific amounts of sulfur dioxide released into the air causes elevated levels of acid in the surroundings. Sulfur dioxide is mainly one of the vital constituents of acid rain and it helps maintain sunlight outside the atmosphere, which sources the Earth to cool Sulfur dioxide emission adds to global warming. The acidity of a substances suspended in water is normally computed in terms of Ph level. When this sulphuric acid is soaked up into humidity of the air, poignant rainfalls can be destructive to the outside environment. (Godbold, D. Huttermann, A.). Acid Rain can dissolve chalk and limestone, and oxidizes structures of outdoor. Monuments and Statues that are left unprotected can plunge casualty to the unprejudiced obliteration of acid rain. Acid Rain counters to diverse types of rocks soil and in two ways. Acid rain will melt alkaline soil and rocks, or will counteract the alkalinity. Acid rain will raise the acidity of previously acidic soil and rocks, for instance granite, or the soil which effects from oxidized granite. Natural sources, which release sulfur dioxide, are sea spray, volcanoes, rotting vegetation and plankton. Acid rain is obliterating the world’s air, lakes, and ecosystem. Acid rain affects each single feature of the ecosystem. Acid rain is distressing to crops, aquatic life, and forests, and human life. People exposed to sulfur dioxide in the air habitually have decreased lung function. It is a non point source of pollution. Pollution of Non point source is a structure of pollution which structures in an extremely extensive area and enters the polluted region in minute, dispersed flows. In view of the fact that acid rain structures in the sky, and descends to the earth a modest at a time, it is deemed a pollution of non point source. The expansion of forestlands as well demonstrates the outcomes of acid rain. Acidic rain damage trees (Godbold Huttermann,). Numerous trees illustrate the contamination gradually, on the other hand when disease and virus attacks they yield to the disease since of their weak conditions. Young plants with budding root systems are readily damaged by rainfall of acidic when pollutants penetrate the soil and are soaked up by the plants (Which, 2012). When acid rain happens, it doesnt right away affect acidity in lakes and streams. Lakes are very much affected by polluted precipitation. Acid depositions can have an unconstructive effect on our freshwater stream and lakes ecosystems by worsening the pH level of the water (Driscoll, C. T). â€Å"Numerous fish species are not capable to survive important changes in pH, and affected bodies of water might become devoid of any fish†. Approximately twenty thousand lakes have been turned acidic in the course of groundwater pollution by acid rain. A solution to lake acidity is liming. Lime is extremely alkaline, as a result when poured into lakes it annuls out the acidity (Godrick EC and Spilios KE (eds). 2011). The difficulty with liming is that it is extremely costly and only provisionally reduces acidity. (Driscoll, C. T)Currently that acid rain is extensively acknowledged all throughout the world; progressively people are doing something concerning it. We can alleviate the effects by means of an unconventional source of energy for instance batteries, wind power, solar, and electricity (What, 2013). Emissions of Fossil fuel source pollution and acid rain and are non-renewable and costly (What, 2013). An additional great source of energy is manpower; reflect on biking or walking to school or work. We can discontinue using gas-guzzler vehicles. This will help to save fuel and prevent pollution from escaping into the atmosphere. One person really can make a difference when they stop driving a non- fuel efficient automobile. Also by planting the trees will soak up a little of the polluted air and douse fresh clean, oxygen. (What, 2013). The 1963 Clean Air Act of US Federal control quality of air and that has lead to considerable progress on maintaining quality of air above the precedent years. This Act fetches strict restrictions on releases of acid rain-causing chemicals. Consequently, a lot of companies decreased emission of polluting oxides by levering from the employ of high sulfur coal to low sulfur coal, which manufactures a reduced amount of oxides when burned. (Anne T. Lawrence) Regulation, Technology, and consumer choices can all participate a function in reducing the force of energy use on the air we inhale. The U.S. Congress in 1990, generated the Acid Rain Program inside the Clean Air Act of federal to diminish the unpleasant acid rain effects in the course of yearly reductions in nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide from power plants that smolder fossil fuels. These and additional discharge reductions have lead to a major decline in acid deposition. Like a lot of other environmental issues related to energy, air pollution can be decreased in the course of energy efficient and maintenance improvements, both at the industry and consumer level. References EC Godrick and KE Spilios (eds). 2011. Principles of Biology I. Hayden-McNeil, LLC, Plymouth, Michigan. Module 3, pp 45-72. C. T., Driscoll, Ecological Effects of Acidic Deposition, Encyclopedia of Ecology, Syracuse, June, 2008 D. Godbold, A. Huttermann, (1994). Effects of acid rain on forest processes. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Sons. Inc.

Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) Model for Wind Farms

Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) Model for Wind Farms A Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) Model for Wind Farms with Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) The cost of energy is an important issue in the world as demand for renewable energy resources is growing. Performance-based energy contracts are designed to keep the price of energy as low as possible while controlling the risk for both the Buyer and the Seller. Price and risk are often balanced using Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Since wind is not a constant supply source, in order to keep risk low, wind PPAs contain clauses that require the purchase and sale of the energy to fall within reasonable limits. However, the existence of those limits creates pressure on prices, causing increases in the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE). Depending on the variation in capacity factor (CF), the power generator (the Seller) may find that the limitations on power purchases required by the utility (the Buyer) are not favorable and will result in higher costs of energy than predicted. Existing LCOE models do not take into account energy purchase limitations or variations in energy production when calculating an LCOE. The challenge addressed in this paper is that the price schedule in a PPA is determined using the LCOE provided by the Seller, but the energy delivery limits imposed within the PPA impact the LCOE in ways that are not accommodated by existing models. A new cost model has been developed to evaluate the price of electricity from wind energy under a PPA contract. This paper presents a method that an energy Seller can use to develop an appropriate Cost of Energy (COE) based on desired energy delivery quantities. The new cost model can then be used as a basis for setting an appropriate PPA price schedule. During the PPA negotiations, LCOE is calculated and used by the seller to determine an appropriate COE for each unit of energy that falls within the conditions set within the contract. As the COE isnegotiated and determined to be too high or too low by either party, the PPA terms are changed to adjust for the desired PPA prices. PPA energy purchase limitations can change the LCOE by as much as a factor of two depending on the energy limitations. The application of the model on real wind farms shows that the actual LCOE depends on the limitations on energy purchase within a PPA contract as well as the expected performance characterist ics associated with wind farms. Cost of Energy (COE) becomes a major concern for the public and utilities as the demand for power from renewable energy sources, such as wind, increases. Utilities may become reluctant to purchase more renewable energy than they are required to purchase if the COE is too high. COE is the actual cost to buy energy while LCOE is the break-even cost to generate the energy. The LCOE is a commonly accepted calculation of the Total Life-Cycle Cost (TLCC) for each unit of energy produced in the lifetime of a project[1]. In addition to the increase in the use of renewable energy sources, there is an increase in the use of PPAs for all sources of energy. PPAs are Performance-Based Contracts (PBCs) that aim to create a fair agreement for the purchase and sale of energy between a utility (the Buyer) and a generator (the Seller). The use of PPAs has been increasing around the world and they are commonly used in Europe, the U.S., and in Latin America. In Germany alone, offshore wind projects with PPAs totaled over 1.2 GW in capacity in 2013[2]. In the U.S. there existed a total of 29,632 MW of capacity in 343 signed or planned PPAs in 2014-2015[3]. Between 2008 and 2016, 650 MW of new capacity was signed in the U.S. and in 2015 the use of PPAs in the U.S. grew to 1.6 GW[4]. In Latin America, the government typically awards PPAs. In 2014, the government of Peru awarded PPAs to projects with a total of 232 MW of capacity[5]. ` PPAs use an LCOE calculation to determine a fair price of energy, much like a standard retail energy contract[1]. However, Buyers in a PPA can create terms that limit the annual purchase of energy, thereby affecting the actual LCOE. Buyers can create a limit for the minimum annual amount of energy that needs to be delivered and/or the maximum amount that energy will be bought at full price. The PPA contract limits create penalties; a penalty is incurred when the Seller does not fall within the energy delivery requirements. In a normal energy contract (such as a standard retail contract, a market retail contract, and in a PPA), the LCOE is calculated over the period of the contract and energy is purchased as it arrives at the agreed upon point of delivery. PPAs are used to share and reduce the risks of added costs, however, in some cases the costs are not accounted for within LCOE models. Conventional LCOE models include all the costs associated with an energy project. PPAs address and outline the capital costs, operational costs over the lifetime of the project, the energy produced, tax credits, and the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) within a specific project.[2] The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and others have developed and used LCOE models that typically consider all or most of these parameters [6][7][8]. The terms of the PPA are important because they create costs that affect the actual LCOE. However, current LCOE models do not include the effects of the energy delivery limits and their penalty costs imposed by PPAs as a cost to the wind farms. If the LCOE does not reflect the break-even cost, the Seller risks the projects failure and the Buyer risks the loss in profit from not providing enough energy to its end-use consumers. A more accurate LCOE could prevent the failure of a wind farm and benefit the Seller, the Buyer, and consumers. In this paper, a new LCOE model is proposed to address the PPA annual energy delivery limits, which we refer to as penalties. Although the application of penalties as a cost appears to be straightforward (because of their direct and indirect costs to the Seller), the penalties are more complex to analyze when uncertainties are introduced. The difference between the LCOE with and without penalties can be significant (see the Wind Farm Case Study). The effect of penalties on the LCOE can vary depending on the capacity factor (CF), the variation in CF, as well as the limits on the purchase of energy. Determining the best limits in a PPA depends on the needs of the Buyer in conjunction with a desire for a COE that reflects the actual LCOE for the Seller within the contract. This paper develops a method that provides a tool that the Seller can use to negotiate penalties and an appropriate COE within their PPAs. PPAs define every aspect of the project including: the terms for the entire projects construction, operation and maintenance (OM), insurance, the interconnection and grid, government involvement in the project, the delivery of energy, and any other third party involvement in the project[9]. Each of these aspects is a responsibility of the Seller that affects the cost of the wind farm. Normally, PPAs are viewed as just the relationship between the utility (Buyer) and the generator (Seller), however, this paper views the PPA as a plan with specific features defined for the success of the wind farm and all parties involved. During the negotiation of the PPA, the length of the agreement, the PPA price and the price schedule are determined[10]. All the costs determined during negotiations are reviewed to calculate the LCOE for the whole project and then the LCOE is used to determine a fair value for each unit of energy. The negotiation of the COE and PPA terms is iterated until both parties are satisfied. If the COE is too high, the terms are negotiated to drop the cost and if the terms create extra costs the COE is negotiated to a higher value. Although the PPA attempts to cover all the costs in the contract, the conventional LCOE models used do not consider the penalties on annual energy delivery limits as a cost. The purpose of creating annual energy delivery requirements is to be fair to the Buyer who takes on risk in acquiring negative profits by joining a new contract. The Buyer may not want to buy more expensive and unpredictable renewable energy, but may be required to by renewable energy requirem ents set by the government. This leads the Buyer to create limits on the amount of energy they are willing to purchase. However, the costs associated with these penalties are also a risk that could increase the LCOE without increasing the COE or the PPA price. Thus, causing a loss in profit for the Seller. The effect of penalties must be considered within the LCOE to ensure the fairness in the contract. In some cases, PPAs create minimum energy delivery requirements. If there is not enough energy being provided by the Seller, then the Buyer has to look for energy elsewhere at, possibly, spot-market prices. Spot-market prices vary daily (hourly) due to changing demand for energy buying and selling energy on the spot market is a risk that neither the Buyer nor the Seller wish to be exposed to. The Buyer creates the minimum energy delivery requirement to reduce their risk and the Seller has to pay at the PPA COE for every unit of energy under-delivered. Not all PPAs have minimum energy requirements and some that have a minimum requirement also have a maximum energy delivery requirement. The maximum energy delivery requirement has been used in locations that have renewable energy requirements mandated by customers or the government (and the Buyers would not otherwise purchase energy from renewable sources due to higher costs, e.g., the United States). Within a PPA, there are three diff erent requirements the Buyer can establish once the Seller has delivered the maximum energy delivery limit before the end of the contracted period. The Buyer could require that the energy generated cannot be sold, the energy could be sold at a fraction of the COE, or the energy could be sold in the spot-market. Both the spot-market and wind energy production are unpredictable. Energy could be produced during a period of very low demand and as such low spot-market prices would apply (e.g., at a faction of the LCOE). Although wind farms have energy that is bought and paid for monthly, the actual revenue is calculated at the end of the year. At the end of each year, the Sellers account is reviewed for penalty costs and the over purchase of energy to rectify the account balance. It is important to note that the LCOE model needs to review the annual CF and not the monthly CF and energy generation to determine the actual LCOE of a wind farm due to the PPA billing conditions stated above.[3] The levelized cost of energy, also known the levelized cost of electricity, or the levelized energy cost, is an economic assessment of the average total cost to build and operate a power-generating system over its lifetime divided by the total power generated of the system over that lifetime. LCOE is often used as an alternative to the average price that the power generating system must receive in a market to break even over its lifetime. LCOE is a first-order economic assessment of the cost competitiveness of an electricity-generating system that incorporates all costs over its lifetime accounting for the initial investment, the OM cost, the cost of fuel, and the cost of capital. The definition of LCOE is the cost that, if assigned to every unit of energy produced by the system over the analysis period, will equal the Total Life-Cycle Cost (TLCC) when discounted back to the base year [1][1], (1) where discrete compounding is assumed, Ei is the amount of energy produced in year i, r is the WACC (or discount rate), and n is the number of years over which the LCOE is calculated. E in year i is calculated as, (2) where RP is rated power, and CFiis the average capacity factor in year i. The TLCC in this model can be expressed as [11], (3) where I is the initial investment, and the Present Value of the total OM costs (PVOM) is given by[11], (4) where OMi is the OM costs in year i. LCOE is an equation that assigns a value for every unit produced during the given lifetime of a project. Traditionally, PPAs treat the contract length as the whole lifetime of the project, making short-term PPAs more expensive than long-term[11][12]. Since LCOE is by definition constant once calculated, it can be factored out of the summation in Equation (1) and the LCOE is given as, (5) Although the denominator of Equation (5) appears to be discounting the energy (and some authors have characterize it as such), the discounting is actually a result of the algebra carried through from Equation (1) in which revenues were discounted (energy is not discounted, only cost can be discounted). Based on the derivation of LCOE, the LCOE model must incorporate all financial parameters that contribute to the TLCC. Given this definition, this paper presents a model that includes PPA penalties in the TLCC. Several LCOE models currently exist and are used to determine fair prices for wind energy. NREL uses SAM (System Advisor Model) to compute the LCOE using wind farm data for PPAs[7]. Equation 6shows the LCOE model used in SAM (6) where CPEi is the cost to generate energy in year i and each parameter is given in the ith year.In the SAM model, the LCOE is calculated based on expected cash flows for OM and capital expenditures. Although cash flow is important for determining the actual money spent and costs involved in a wind farm project, SAM does not recognize the implementation of penalties or tax credits in its wind LCOE model[7]. The SAM model does calculate a PPA price within its financial model that includes tax credits, but the PPA price is only a discounted value from the calculated LCOE and does not consider penalties. Similar to SAM, the most commonly used LCOE models do not include tax credits, production losses, or penalties. Some LCOE models, such as Equation (7)[8], (7) explicitly include the following costs: fuel cost (F), production tax credit (PTC), depreciation (D), tax levy (T), and royalties (R).[4] Equation (7) recognizes that the tax credits reduce costs, but it does not recognize PPA penalties as a cost. Other models, such as Equation (8)[6], (8) where CRF is the capital recovery factor, consider the LCOE as a direct project cost and not the sum of TLCC of wind farms, which should include tax credits and PPA penalty costs in the TLCC. PPAs typically consider tax credits as a part of LCOE as seen in the Delmarva-Bluewater PPA[13] and explicitly in Equation (7). However, within PPAs, the LCOE calculation does not consider the cost of penalties in the life-cycle cost. Current LCOE models do not consider all the cost parameters in a wind farm managed via a PPA. PPAs may define a maximum annual energy delivery quantity, a minimum annual energy delivery quantity, both of these limits, or neither. The energy delivery limits are cost parameters that are typically not considered in a conventional LCOE model. The terms generally follow the rule that after the maximum delivery is reached, energy will no longer is purchased by the Buyer, the energy will be sold at a reduced price, or it will be sold on the spot-market[14]. This is generally considered a cost/penalty for the Seller since they lose some value of the energy that is produced after the maximum delivery quantity is reached. Similarly, there is a direct cost/penalty in the minimum energy delivery defined in the PPA, as every unit of under-produced energy must be paid back at the agreed upon COE. We model the minimum delivery penalty based on the PacifiCorp draft PPA, which included the liquidated damages from output shortfall[15]. In Fig. 1, the Maximum and Minimum energy limits demonstrate how the penalties are applied. Each year that the energy production is above or below the limits as shown in Fig. 1, the penalty is applied. The new model reflects the costs of energy production that is above the maximum or below the minimum energy delivery limits. The model begins with an existing LCOE model (Equation (7)) and alters it to include the delivery penalties and tax credits.The cost for under-delivering energy (PN), is the difference between the energy that was generated and delivered (E) and the threshold for the minimum penalty (Minlim)based on expected energy production (Pexp). E is calculated by, (9) where Eiis the sum of all the energy produced in the wind farm from N turbines in year i, CFi,j is the average capacity factor in year i for turbine j, and RPj is the rated power of turbine j. Using this calculation for energy, the production loss and the penalty from the minimum energy delivery limit can be calculated. PN is then calculated by, (10) In Equation (10), Minlim is smallest fraction of expected energy production (Pexp) that the Buyer requires. The purpose of the minimum limit is for the benefit of the Buyer. The Buyer expects a minimum amount of energy to meet the demands of the consumers. If the energy does not meet the requirement, then the Buyer has to go to an outside source (e.g., the spot-market) and will may have to purchase energy at a higher cost, which the Buyer will require the Seller to compensate them for. Similarly, the production loss (PL) is the difference between the energy that was generated (E) in that year and the threshold for the maximum penalty (Maxlim) based on the Pexp. (1-PPAterm) (11) In Equation (11), Maxlimis the largest fraction of expected energy production that the Buyer is willing to purchase. PN is only applied during the years that actual energy production is less than the quantity of energy determined by MinlimPexp,when EilimPexp. PL is only applied when the energy produced exceeds the amount of energy determined by MaxlimPexp,when Ei>MaxlimPexp. PPA ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­term is a fraction that represents the type of penalty placed on the Seller after the maximum energy limit has been reached. In a PPA with no outside sell option the PPAterm has a value of0. When all the energy is purchased by the Buyer regardless of the limit the PPAtermis 1 and therefore PL is never applied.[5] The LCOE model including all the unaccounted for cost variables that exist in PPAs is given by, (12) where PL and PN are only included in the total penalty cost (Pen) when the calculated cost in either of those variables in a year is more than $0. In Equation (12) the sums in the numerator and denominator start at i = 0 under the assumption that the investment cost (Ii) comes from a depreciation schedule. In the case where the PPA allows for the Buyer to sell into the spot-market, the PL be a negative value. The Peni in year i is the sum of the production loss and the penalty cost, (13) and the tax credit in year i (TCi) is given by, (14) where all types of tax credits that can be applied to a wind farm are included (see nomenclature for specific tax credit contributions). Both of the Pen and the TC depend on the conditions imposed by the PPA. A controlled study of wind farms was conducted to explore the effects of CF variation and energy delivery requirements on the LCOE. LCOEs were calculated based on four types of PPAs for farms with an annual CF that ranged in decreasing and increasing in fractions of 0 to 0.4 of the average CF around the average CF of 0.4. The four types of PPAs are: a PPA with just a minimum penalty, a PPA with just a maximum penalty where no energy can be bought above the limit, a PPA with just a maximum penalty where the energy is purchased at a fraction of 0.1 (PPAterm= 0.1) of the COE value for each unit of energy above the limit (the value of PPAterm= 0.1 was based on the Pakistan PPA[17]), and a PPA with just a maximum penalty where the energy above the maximum energy delivery limit has to be sold into the spot-market. Although the average CF = 0.4 is the same in all the cases considered, the COE for each wind farm is different since the LCOE differs for each wind farm due to the variations in CF. The costs and energy produced in each year varies, thus creating differences in the discounted total costs for each farm in the years that the CF varies. Each LCOE was calculated for a duration of 5 years. The following data was used to calculate the LCOE, I = $1500 per installed kW[18] OM = $0.01 per kWh produced[18] F = $0[8] TC = $0.05 per kWh sold[19] r = 0.089 per year[20] COE = Calculated LCOE from a PPA without penalties[21] I, although shown as a single value, is a value that is depreciated over the lifetime of the wind farm and changes for every year i. The COE in a PPA is generally calculated from an LCOE that does not consider delivery penalties as a cost. For this reason, the cost calculated from penalties in the new model uses the calculated LCOE (for an individual wind farm) under a PPA without penalties as the COE. Pexpis calculated as the average annual expected energy production from a specific farm. In these cases the expected energy production is calculated using a CF of 0.4 for every year as Danish wind farms averaged 0.41 in 2012 and NREL has predicted that between 2005 and 2030, wind farms will be operating at capacity factors between 0.36 and 0.43[22]. Ei is calculated using a CF that is based on the variability around the average CF. The values of Minlim, Maxlim,and Ei, are then used to calculated penalties. CF variation is the fraction of energy that is produced in year i that falls around the average CF of a project. Fig. 2 demonstrates this effect with two farms that have an average CF of 0.4 and a rated power of 2000 kW over 5 years. Wind farm 1 in this case has a CF variation of 0.05, this means that 0.05 more energy is produced in one year and 0.05 less is produced in another. Wind farm 2 in Fig. 2is similar as it portrays a CF variation of 0.15. The algorithm used in this study valued year 2 as the unexpected higher CF year and year 4 as the lower than expected CF year. It is possible to change the algorithm for other schedules of uncertainty that would yield different results and to make the schedule more complicated with random variations in random years. In all of the LCOE verification tests, the LCOE follows a similar trend. Fig. 3 shows the results from a PPA with only a minimum energy delivery limit. In this case, as the fraction of expected energy production increases, more energy is likely to fall below the annual requirement, thus increasing the LCOE. The variation in CF determines the quantity below the minimum that the energy can fall to and how much the penalty cost will be to the Seller. The greater the variation, the more likely the LCOE will be effected by the minimum energy delivery limits. Fig. 4shows a PPA where once the energy goes above the maximum annual energy delivery requirement that energy can be sold into the spot-market. The spot market is difficult to predict, therefore this study used spot-market prices from 2014 given by the EIA and used a Monte-Carlo simulation to randomly develop a normal distribution with a mean of $52.32 and a standard deviation of 38.75. Those values were then used to determine an expected value for the PPAtermfraction used in the produce the production loss calculation. In Fig. 4 the PPAterm = 1.1, which means that it was cheaper to sell into the spot-market then to sell to the Buyer under the PPA contract (i.e., cheaper to sell means more money for the Seller).[6] The results from Fig. 4 show that the LCOE drops when more energy is sold into the spot-market under these conditions. As the required energy fraction increased, only high variation farms have a lower LCOE because they are still producing above the maximum energy delivery limit and selling into the more profitable spot-market. Fig. 5 and 6 show very similar trends for two different PPAs. Fig. 5contains results from a PPA with a PPA ­term= 0.1 and Fig. 6contains results from a PPA with no outside sell option. Fig. 5allows for energy to be purchased after the maximum energy delivery limit has been reached, but only at PPAterm = 0.1 the value of the COE. This means that production loss is 0.9 of the COE for each unit of energy produced above the maximum energy delivery limit. Fig. 6 is similar because the production loss is the whole COE value for each unit of energy sold above the maximum energy delivery requirement because all the energy produced above the maximum limit cannot be sold, but is still being produced. Both figures show that as the Maxlimis increased, meaning that the maximum energy delivery requirement is increasing, less energy is being produced outside of the limit. Higher variations in the CF are more effected by the Maxlim than those with less variation. The only difference between Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 is that in Fig. 5 the LCOE values are slightly lower than those in Fig. 6 This is due to the low value for the PPAterm. A simulation was run to determine the resulting LCOEs from the four different PPA options. The first is a PPA with no energy delivery limits, where the energy is bought and sold as it is produced. The first type of PPA reflects a conventional LCOE where the PPA energy delivery limits are not applied. The second PPA has just a minimum delivery limit, the third has just a maximum delivery limits, and the fourth PPA has both delivery limits. Real data was collected from 7 different wind farms (Table 1[23]) that varied in the number of turbines, manufacturer, year built, rated power and country (Germany or Denmark). To simplify the differences in costs across the wind farms, the same cost variable values used in the model verification tests were used. The only difference in costs used from the model verification tests and the wind farm case study is that the wind farm case study uses a fixed COE for each farm at $0.25 per kWh, based on NRELs highest expected COE[24]. These wind farms com pared the four different PPA types with a fixed Maxlim = 0.75 and a Minlim = 0.52.[7] The LCOE of each turbine was calculated from the sum of LCOE costs at the end of 5 years. Fig. 7 shows the differences in the LCOEs based on the different annual energy delivery requirements and the selection of penalties that were applied. Each wind farm was given a number because the given data did not contain the name of the farms and only serial numbers for the turbines to identify that the turbines were a part of the same farm. The results show that in most data sets, while using the same Maxlimand/or Minlim parameters, just having a maximum penalty produced LCOEs closest to the LCOEs with no penalties. The results also showed that LCOEs with both penalties or those with just minimum penalties produced higher LCOEs. Based on the results from the model verification tests, for wind farms with the same turbine types and year manufactured, it can be assumed that the different clusters of LCOEs are caused by the differences in CF. Lower CFs cause larger differences between a PPA with just a maximum penalty and a PPA with just a minimum penalty as produced by wind farm datasets 1 and 2. While datasets 4 and 7 show closer clusters of LCOE due to higher CFs that less frequently fall below the threshold for the minimum annual energy delivery limit, but more frequently have production loss by producing energy above the maximum annual energy delivery limit. Wind Farm Dataset/ Manufacturer/ Rated Power<

A Room With A View by Edward Morgan Forster Essay -- EM Forster A Roo

The Subtle Heroine   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Room with a View, by Edward Morgan Forster, presents the story of Lucy Honeychurch, a young woman belonging to English â€Å"high society.'; Foster places this young maiden in a state of conflict between the snobbery of her class, the â€Å"suitable and traditional'; views and advice offered by various family members and friends, and her true heart’s desire. This conflict â€Å"forces Lucy Honeychurch to choose between convention and passion (Bantam Intro-back cover),'; and throws her into a state of internal struggle, as she must sift through the elements of her â€Å"social conditioning'; and discern them from her true emotions and desires. Foster develops and utilizes Lucy’s internal struggle as a means of transforming her from a petty young woman to a subtle heroine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lucy Honeychurch is introduced to the reader as a somewhat petty young woman, obviously ignorant to the â€Å"ways of the world,'; who is being chaperoned by her cousin, Charlotte Barlett, while vacationing in Italy. Numerous conversations over matters of dress, the acceptability of various pieces of furniture, and other’s vacations, suggest the snobbish nature of both Lucy and Charlotte. In fact, matters of convention encompass Lucy’s life until George Emerson’s â€Å"caddish,'; yet never the less passionate, display of affection in the bed of violets throws her into an internal struggle of transformation. George’s powerful advice, â€Å"Courage and love (p.66),'; uttered just before he kisses Lucy, gives ...

Essay --

The objective of this article is to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of Speedster Athletics Company’s financial position. Company has a good profitability and a attractive asset base. However following strengths can be highlighted in the financial position of Speedster Athletics Company; †¢ Favourable Gross profits – Speedster Athletics Company has been able to generate favourable gross margins over the last three years consistently over the industry average of 26%. Gross margin is in a declining trend over 2010 to 2011 where 2011 gross margin is 27% (1371/5075*100%) which is 1% lower than 2011, however this is above the industry average level, proving that Speedster company is capable of generating better margins. †¢ Increase in Fixed assets base in 2011 over 2010 – From 2010 to 2011 there has been a 23.8% increase in gross fixed assets value. The raised funds through long term debts would have been used to enhance assets base of Speedster. This is a very positive sigh of future profitability and capacity of the company. Higher assets should be able to generate more cash inflow...

John Updike :: essays research papers

Evolution of Sirenia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many scientists believe that sirenians evolved around fifty-five million years ago from small hoofed animals. The closests living relatives today are elephants and small asian mammals called hyraxes. Although there are vast differences between elephants, hyraxes, and sirenians, fossil evidence shows that all three evolved from a common ancestor. The manatee’s physical characteristics are visible remnants of their ancient heritage. The dugong’s tusks are another link to elephants. Like elephants, sirenians are enormous animals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are five species of Sirenia, but scientists theorize that there were many more in the past. Early forms of manatees are thought to have originated near the Amazon basin in South America. Some remained there to become the Amazonian manatee, while others migrated up through the Caribbean, giving rise to the Antillean and Florida manatees. Another group managed to swim or where carried on currents across the Atlantic and became the West African manatee.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dugongs thought to have evolved along with mantees once ranged from Europe to Africa, and along the East and West coasts of the Americas. At the present time, they are only found in the Eastern Hemisphere in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Steller’s Sea Cow, another species of Sirenian became extinct by fisherman within 25 to 30 years of its discovery in the 1700’s. Physical Characteristics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An adult manatee has a rounded body, usually light to dark gray or black, that tapers to a horizontally flattened, rounded tail, which provides propulsion and also serves as a rudder. Manatee’s range in length from 8 to 14 ft. long, depending on the species and can weigh 440 to 1300lbs. Although males can grow larger than the females. The small head includes a straight snout and a cleft upper lip with bristly hairs. Whiskers can be found on the surface of the lips, each attached seperatly to nerve endings and its own blood supply in the follicle. A manatees only teeth are 24 to 32 molars located in the back of the mouth, in addition to molars, manatees have horny, ridged pads at the front of the upper and lower jaws. The manatees upper lip is cleft with two lobes this isn used for gathering food. There small eyes are located on the sides of the head. Its nostrils, set on the upper surface of the snout are closed tightly by valves when the animal is under wa ter. Their lungs and diagphram run lengthwise along the body, unlike other mammals, in which they run crosswise.

Blood Promise Chapter Twenty-Seven

I didn't recognize the guy Sydney sent to meet us when we reached Novosibirsk, but he had the same golden tattoo that she did. He was sandy-haired and in his thirties-and human, of course. He looked competent and trustworthy, and as I leaned against the car, he laughed and spoke to the elderly couple like they'd been best friends forever. There was a professional and reassuring air about him, and soon they were smiling too. I'm not sure what he told them, maybe that I was his wayward daughter or something, but they apparently felt good enough to leave me in his hands. I supposed with their jobs, the Alchemist charm in action. When the old man and woman drove off, his demeanor shifted slightly. He didn't seem as cold as Sydney initially had, but there was no laughing or joking with me. He'd become distinctly businesslike, and I couldn't help but think of the stories of men in black, the people who cleaned up after extraterrestrial encounters in order to keep the world ignorant of the truth. â€Å"Can you walk?† he asked, eyeing me up and down. â€Å"Unclear at this time,† I replied. It turned out I could, just not very well. With his help, I eventually ended up at a town house over in a residential part of the city. I was bleary-eyed and barely able to stay on my feet by that point. There were other people there, but none of them registered. The only thing that mattered was the bedroom someone took me to. I mustered enough strength at that point to break free of the arm supporting me and do a face-plant right in the middle of the bed. I fell asleep instantly. I awoke to bright sunshine filling my room and voices speaking in hushed tones. Considering everything that I'd been through, I wouldn't have been surprised to see Dimitri, Tatiana, or even Dr. Olendzki from the Academy there. Instead, it was Abe's bearded face that looked down at me, the light making all of his jewelry gleam. For a moment, his face blurred, and all I saw was dark, dark water-water that threatened to wash me away. Dimitri's last words echoed in my head: That's what I was supposed to say†¦ He'd understood that I wanted to hear that he loved me. What would have happened if we'd had a few moments more? Would he have said those words? Would he have meant them? And would it have mattered? With the same resolve I'd mustered before, I parted the waters swirling in my mind, ordering myself to push aside last night as long as I could. I would drown if I thought about it. Now I had to swim. Abe's face came back into focus. â€Å"Greetings, Zmey,† I said weakly. Somehow, him being here didn't surprise me. Sydney would have had to tell her superiors about me, who in turn would have told Abe. â€Å"Nice of you to slither on in.† He shook his head, wearing a rueful smile. â€Å"I think you've outdone me when it comes to sneaking around dark corners. I thought you were on your way back to Montana.† â€Å"Next time, make sure you write a few more details into your bargains. Or just pack me up and send me back to the U.S. for real.† â€Å"Oh,† he said, â€Å"that's exactly what I intend to do.† He kept smiling as he said it, but somehow, I had a feeling he wasn't joking. And suddenly, I no longer feared that fate. Going home was starting to sound good. Mark and Oksana walked over to stand beside him. Their presence was unexpected but welcome. They smiled too, faces melancholy but relieved. I sat up in bed, surprised I could move at all. â€Å"You healed me,† I said to Oksana. â€Å"I still hurt, but I don't feel like I'm going to die, which I have to think is an improvement.† She nodded. â€Å"I did enough to make sure you weren't in immediate danger. I figured I could do the rest when you woke up.† I shook my head. â€Å"No, no. I'll recover on my own.† I always hated it when Lissa healed me. I didn't want her wasting the strength on me. I also didn't want her inviting spirit's side effects. Lissa†¦ I jerked the covers off of me. â€Å"Oh my God! I have to get home. Right now.† Immediately, three pairs of arms blocked my way. â€Å"Hold on,† said Mark. â€Å"You aren't going anywhere. Oksana only healed you a little. You're a long way from being recovered.† â€Å"And you still haven't told us what happened,† said Abe, eyes as shrewd as ever. He was someone who needed to know everything, and the mysteries around me probably drove him crazy. â€Å"There's no time! Lissa's in trouble. I have to get back to school.† It was all coming back to me. Lissa's erratic behavior and crazy stunts, driven by some kind of compulsion-or super-compulsion, I supposed, seeing as Avery had been able to shove me out of Lissa's head. â€Å"Oh, now you want to go back to Montana?† exclaimed Abe. â€Å"Rose, even if there was a plane waiting for you out in the other room, that's a twenty hour trip, at minimum. And you're in no condition to go anywhere.† I shook my head, still trying to get on my feet. After what I'd faced last night, this group wasn't that much of a threat-well, maybe Mark was-but I could hardly start throwing punches. And yeah, I still wasn't sure what Abe could do. â€Å"You don't get it! Someone's trying to kill Lissa or hurt her or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Well, I didn't really understand what Avery wanted. All I knew was that Avery had somehow been compelling Lissa to do all sorts of reckless things. She had to be amazingly strong in spirit to not only manage those feats but also keep it hidden from Lissa and Adrian. She'd even created a false aura to hide her golden one. I had no idea how that magnitude of power was possible, particularly considering that Avery's fun-loving personality could hardly be called insane. Whatever her scheme, Lissa was at risk. I had to do something. Removing Abe from the equation, I looked up at Mark and Oksana pleadingly. â€Å"It's my bondmate,† I explained. â€Å"She's in trouble. Someone's trying to hurt her. I have to go to her-you understand why I have to.† And I saw in their faces that they did understand. I also knew that in my situation, they'd try exactly the same thing for each other. Mark sighed. â€Å"Rose†¦ we'll help you get to her, but we can't do it now.† â€Å"We'll contact the school,† said Abe matter-of-factly. â€Å"They'll take care of it.† Right. And how exactly would we do that? Call up Headmaster Lazar and tell him his party-girl daughter was actually corrupting and controlling people with psychic powers and that she needed to be locked up for Lissa's and everyone else's good? My lack of an answer seemed to make them think they'd convinced me, Abe in particular. â€Å"With Oksana's help, you'd probably be in good enough condition to leave tomorrow,† he added. â€Å"I can book a morning flight the next day.† â€Å"Will she be all right until then?† Oksana asked me gently. â€Å"I†¦ I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What could Avery do in two days' time? Alienate and embarrass Lissa further? Horrible things, but not permanent or life threatening. Surely, surely†¦ she'd be okay that long, right? â€Å"Let me see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I saw Mark's eyes widen slightly as he realized what I was about to do. Then I saw nothing in the room anymore because I was no longer there. I was in Lissa's head. A new set of sights settled in around me, and for half a second, I thought I stood on the bridge again and was looking down into black waters and a cold death. Then I gained a grip on what I saw-or rather, what Lissa saw. She was standing on the ledge of a window in some building on campus. It was nighttime. I couldn't tell offhand which building it was, but it didn't matter. Lissa was on what appeared to be the sixth floor, standing there in high heels, laughing about something while the dark ground threatened below. Behind her, I heard Avery's voice. â€Å"Lissa, be careful! You shouldn't be up there.† But it had the same double meaning that permeated everything Avery did. Even as she said those words of caution, I could feel a reckless drive within Lissa, something telling her that it was okay to be where she was and not to worry so much. It was Avery's compulsion. Then, I felt that brushing of my mind, and the annoyed voice. You again? I was forced back out, back to the bedroom in Novosibirsk. Abe was freaking out, apparently thinking I'd gone into some catatonic fit, and Mark and Oksana were attempting to explain to him what had happened. I blinked and rubbed my head as I gathered myself, and Mark breathed a sigh of relief. â€Å"It's much stranger watching someone do that than it is doing it myself.† â€Å"She's in trouble,† I said, attempting to get up again. â€Å"She's in trouble†¦ and I don't know what to do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They were right in saying there was no way on earth I could get to Lissa anytime soon. And even if I followed Abe's suggestion and contacted the school†¦ I didn't know for sure where Lissa was at or even if anyone there would believe me. I thought about jumping back in and trying to read Lissa's location from her mind, but Avery would likely throw me out again. From what I had briefly felt, Lissa didn't have her cell phone on her-no surprise. There were strict rules about having them in classes, so she usually left hers in her dorm room. But I knew someone who would have his. And who would believe me. â€Å"Does anyone have a phone?† I asked. Abe gave me his, and I dialed Adrian's number, surprised I had it memorized. Adrian was mad at me, but he cared about Lissa. He would help her, no matter his grudge toward me. And he would believe me when I tried to explain a crazy, spirit-induced plot. But when the other end of the line picked up, it was his voicemail that answered, not the man himself. â€Å"I know how devastated you must be to miss me,† his cheery voice said, â€Å"but leave a message, and I'll try to ease your agony as soon as possible.† I disconnected, feeling lost. Suddenly, I looked up at Oksana as one of my crazier ideas came to mind. â€Å"You†¦ you can do that thing†¦ where you actively go in someone's mind and touch their thoughts, right? Like you did to me?† She grimaced slightly. â€Å"Yes, but it's not something I like to do. I don't think it's right.† â€Å"Can you compel them once you're in there?† She looked even more disgusted. â€Å"Well, yes, of course†¦ the two things are actually very similar. But reaching in someone's mind is one thing and forcing them into some unwanted behavior is an entirely different matter.† â€Å"My friend is about to do something dangerous,† I said. â€Å"It could kill her. She's being compelled, but I can't do anything about it. The bond won't let me actively reach her. I can only watch. If you could reach inside my friend's head and compel her out of danger†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oksana shook her head. â€Å"Supposing morals weren't an issue, I can't reach into someone who's not actually here-let alone someone I've never met.† I raked a hand through my hair, panic setting in. I wished Oksana knew how to walk dreams. That would at least give her the long-distance capability. All of these spirit powers seemed to be one off from each other, each having some additional nuance. Someone who could dream walk might be able to take the next step and visit someone awake. An even crazier idea came to me. This was a groundbreaking day. â€Å"Oksana†¦ you can reach into my mind, right?† â€Å"Yes,† she reaffirmed. â€Å"If I†¦ if I was in my bondmate's head at the time, could you reach into me and then reach into her mind? Could I, like, be the link between you guys?† â€Å"I've never heard of anything like that,† murmured Mark. â€Å"That's because we've never had this many spirit users and shadow-kissed around before,† I pointed out. Abe, understandably, looked completely lost. A shadow fell over Oksana's face. â€Å"I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Either it works or it doesn't,† I said. â€Å"If it doesn't, then there's no harm done. But if you can reach her through me†¦ you can compel her.† She started to speak, and I cut her off. â€Å"I know, I know†¦ you think it's wrong. But this other spirit user? She's the one who's wrong. All you have to do is compel Lissa out of danger. She's ready to jump out a window! Stop her now; then I'll get to her in another day or so and fix things.† And by fix things, I meant ruin Avery's pretty face with a black eye. In my bizarre life, I'd grown pretty used to people-especially adults-rejecting my outlandish ideas and proclamations. I'd had a hell of a time convincing people that Victor had kidnapped Lissa and an equally hard time making the guardians believe the school was under attack. So when situations like this happened, part of me almost expected resistance. But the thing was, as stable as they were, Oksana and Mark had been fighting with spirit for most of their lives. Crazy was kind of par for the course for them, and after a moment, she didn't argue any further. â€Å"All right,† she said. â€Å"Give me your hands.† â€Å"What's going on?† asked Abe, still totally clueless. I took a small amount of satisfaction in seeing him out of his league for a change. Mark murmured something to Oksana in Russian and kissed her on the cheek. He was warning her to be careful, not condemning her for her choice. I knew he'd want the same thing if she were in Lissa's place. The love that flashed between them was so deep and so strong that I nearly lost my resolve to do this. That kind of love reminded me of Dimitri, and if I allowed myself to think about him for even a moment more, I was going to relive last night†¦ I clasped Oksana's hands, a knot of fear coiling in my stomach. I didn't like the idea of someone being in my head, even though that was a hypocritical sentiment for someone who was constantly traveling into her best friend's mind. Oksana gave me a small smile, though it was obvious she was as nervous as me. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said. â€Å"I hate doing this to people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then I felt it, the same thing that had happened when Avery pushed me out. It was like the actual physical sensation of someone touching my brain. I gasped, looking into Oksana's eyes as waves of heat and cold ran through me. Oksana was in my head. â€Å"Now go to your friend,† she said. I did. I focused my thoughts into Lissa and found her still standing on the window's ledge. Better she was there than on the ground, but I still wanted her off and back in the room before something bad happened. That wasn't for me to do, however. I was the taxi, so to speak. Oksana was the one who had to literally talk Lissa off the ledge. Only I had no indication the other woman had come with me. When I'd jumped to Lissa's mind, I'd lost that sense of Oksana. No more tickling of the mind. Oksana? I thought. Are you there? There was no response-not from Oksana, at least. The answer came from a very unexpected source. Rose? It was Lissa's voice that spoke in my mind. She froze her position in the window and abruptly cut off whatever she'd been laughing about with Avery. I felt Lissa's terror and confusion as she wondered if she was imagining me. She peered around the room, her eyes passing over Avery. Avery recognized something was going on, and her face hardened. I felt the familiar sense of her presence in Lissa's mind and wasn't surprised when Avery tried to shove me out again. Except-it didn't work. Avery kicking me out in the past had always felt like an actual shove. I got the impression that when she tried it now, it felt like hitting a brick wall to her. I wasn't so easy to push around anymore. Oksana was with me somehow, lending her strength. Avery was still in Lissa's line of sight, and I saw those adorable blue-gray eyes go wide with shock that she couldn't control me. Oh, I thought. It's on, bitch! Rose? Lissa's voice was there again. Am I going crazy? Not yet. But you have to get down, right now. I think Avery's trying to kill you. Kill me? I could feel and hear Lissa's incredulity. She'd never do that. Look, let's not argue it for now. Just get out of the window and call it good. I felt the impulse in Lissa, felt her shift and start to put one foot down. Then it was like some core part of herself stopped her. Her foot stayed where it was†¦ and slowly began to grow unsteady†¦ That was Avery at work. I wondered if Oksana, lurking in the background of this bond, could overpower that compulsion. No, Oksana wasn't active here. Her spirit powers had somehow gotten me into actively communicating with Lissa, but she was remaining passive. I'd expected to be the bridge and thought Oksana would jump to Lissa's mind and compel her. The situation was reversed, though, and I didn't actually have compulsion powers. All I had was legendary wit and powers of persuasion. Lissa, you have to fight Avery, I said. She's a spirit user, and she's compelling you. You're one of the strongest compulsion users I know. You should be able to fight her. Fear answered me. I can't†¦ I can't compel right now. Why not? Because I've been drinking. I mentally groaned. Of course. That was why Avery was always so quick to supply Lissa with alcohol. It numbed spirit, as demonstrated in Adrian's frequent indulgences. Avery had encouraged the drinking so that Lissa's spirit abilities would weaken and give her less resistance. There were a number of times Lissa hadn't been able to gauge exactly how much Avery was drinking; in retrospect, Avery must have been doing a fair amount of faking. Then use ordinary willpower, I told her. It's possible to resist compulsion. It was true. Compulsion wasn't an automatic ticket to world domination. Some people were better at resisting it than others, though a Strigoi or spirit user certainly complicated matters. I felt Lissa build up her resolve, felt her repeat my words over and over, that she had to be strong and step back off the ledge. She worked to push away that impulse Avery had implanted, and without knowing how, I suddenly found myself pushing on it as well. Lissa and I joined our strength together and started shoving Avery out. In the physical world, Avery and Lissa's gazes were locked as the psychic struggle continued. Avery's face showed hard concentration that suddenly became overlaid with shock. She'd noticed me fighting her too. Her eyes narrowed, and when she spoke, it was me she addressed and not Lissa. â€Å"Oh,† Avery hissed, â€Å"you do not want to mess with me.† Didn't I? There was a rush of heat and that feeling of someone reaching into my mind. Only it wasn't Oksana. It was Avery, and she was doing some serious investigation of my thoughts and memories. I understood now what Oksana meant about it being invasive and a violation. It wasn't just looking through someone's eyes; it was spying on their most intimate thoughts. And then, the world around me dissolved. I stood in a room I didn't recognize. For a moment, I thought I was back in Galina's estate. It certainly had that rich, expensive feel to it. But no. After a moment's examination, I realized this wasn't the same at all. The furnishings were different. Even the vibe was different. Galina's home had been beautiful, but there had been a cold, impersonal feel to it. This place was inviting and clearly well loved. The plush couch had a quilt thrown haphazardly in its corner, as though someone-or maybe two someones-had been cuddling underneath it. And while the room wasn't messy, exactly, there were scattered objects-books, framed photos-that indicated this room was actually used and wasn't just for show. I walked over to a small bookshelf and picked up one of the framed photos. I nearly dropped it when I saw what it was. It was a picture of Dimitri and me-but I had no memory of it. We stood arm in arm, leaning our faces together to make sure we both got in the shot. I was grinning broadly, and he too wore a joyous smile, one I'd hardly ever seen on him. It softened some of the protective fierceness that usually filled his features and made him look sexier than I'd ever imagined. A piece of that soft brown hair had slipped his ponytail and lay on his cheek. Beyond us was a city that I immediately recognized: Saint Petersburg. I frowned. No, this was definitely a picture that couldn't exist. I was still studying it when I heard someone walk into the room. When I saw who it was, my heart stopped. I set the photo back on the shelf with shaking hands and took a few steps back. It was Dimitri. He wore jeans and a casual red T-shirt that fit the lean muscles of his body perfectly. His hair was down loose and slightly damp, like he'd just gotten out of the shower. He held two mugs and chuckled when he saw me. â€Å"Still not dressed?† he asked, shaking his head. â€Å"They're going to be here any minute.† I looked down and saw that I wore plaid flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top. He handed me the mug, and I was too stunned to do anything but take it. I peered into it-hot chocolate-and then looked up at him. There was no red in his eyes, no evil on his face. Only gorgeous warmth and affection. He was my Dimitri, the one who'd loved and protected me. The one with a pure heart and soul†¦ â€Å"Who†¦ who's coming?† I asked. â€Å"Lissa and Christian. They're coming for brunch.† He gave me a puzzled look. â€Å"Are you okay?† I looked around, again taking in the comforting room. Through a window, I saw a backyard filled with trees and flowers. Sunshine spilled through onto the carpet. I turned back to him and shook my head. â€Å"What is this? Where are we?† His confused expression now turned into a frown. Stepping forward, he took my mug and set his and mine on the shelf. His hands rested on my hips, and I flinched but didn't break away-how could I when he looked so much like my Dimitri? â€Å"This is our house,† he said, drawing me near. â€Å"In Pennsylvania.† â€Å"Pennsylvania†¦ are we at the Royal Court ?† He shrugged. â€Å"A few miles away.† I slowly shook my head. â€Å"No†¦ that's not possible. We can't have a home together. And definitely not so close to the others. They'd never let us.† If in some crazy world Dimitri and I lived together, we'd have to do it in secret-somewhere remote, like Siberia. â€Å"You insisted,† he said with a small smile. â€Å"And none of them care. They accept it. Besides, you said we had to live near Lissa.† My mind reeled. What was going on? How was this possible? How could I be living with Dimitri-especially so near Moroi? This wasn't right†¦ and yet, it felt right. Looking around, I could see how this was my home. I could feel the love in it, feel the connection Dimitri and I had to it. But†¦ how could I actually be with Dimitri? Wasn't I supposed to be doing something else? Wasn't I supposed to be somewhere else? â€Å"You're a Strigoi,† I said at last. â€Å"No†¦ you're dead. I killed you.† He ran a finger along my cheek, still giving me that rueful smile. â€Å"Do I look like I'm dead? Do I look Strigoi?† No. He looked wonderful and sexy and strong. He was all the things I remembered, all the things I loved. â€Å"But you were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, still confused. This wasn't right. There was something I had to do, but I still couldn't remember. â€Å"What happened?† His hand returned to my hip, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. â€Å"You saved me,† he murmured into my ear. â€Å"Your love saved me, Roza. You brought me back so that we could be together.† Had I? I had no memory of that, either. But this all seemed so real, and it felt so wonderful. I'd missed his arms around me. He'd held me as a Strigoi, but it had never felt like this. And when he leaned down and kissed me, I knew for sure he wasn't a Strigoi. I didn't know how I could have ever deluded myself back at Galina's. This kiss was alive. It burned within my soul, and as my lips pressed more eagerly into his, I felt that connection, the one that told me there was no one else in the world for me except him. Only, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't supposed to be here. But where was I supposed to be? Lissa†¦ something with Lissa†¦ I broke the kiss but not the embrace. My head rested against his chest. â€Å"I really saved you?† â€Å"Your love was too strong. Our love was too strong. Not even the undead could keep us apart.† I wanted to believe it. Desperately. But that voice still nagged in my head†¦ Lissa. What about Lissa? Then, it came to me. Lissa and Avery. I had to save Lissa from Avery. I jerked away from Dimitri, and he stared in surprise. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"This isn't real,† I said. â€Å"This is a trick. You're still Strigoi. We can't be together-not here, not among the Moroi.† â€Å"Of course we can.† There was hurt in his deep brown eyes, and it tore at my heart. â€Å"Don't you want to be with me?† â€Å"I have to go back to Lissa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Let her go,† he said, approaching me again. â€Å"Let all of it go. Stay here with me-we can have everything we ever wanted, Rose. We can be together every day, wake up together every morning.† â€Å"No.† I stepped further back. I knew if I didn't, he would kiss me again, and then I'd truly be lost. Lissa needed me. Lissa was trapped. With each passing second, the details about Avery were coming back to me. This was all an illusion. â€Å"Rose?† he asked. There was so much pain in his voice. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said, feeling on the verge of tears. Lissa. I had to get to Lissa. â€Å"This isn't real. You're gone. You and I can never be together, but I can still help her.† â€Å"You love her more than me?† Lissa had asked me almost the same thing when I'd left to hunt Dimitri. My life was doomed to always be about choosing between them. â€Å"I love you both,† I replied. And with that, I used all of my will to push myself back to Lissa, wherever she was, and tear away from this fantasy. Honestly, I could have spent the rest of my days in that make-believe world, being with Dimitri in that house, waking up with him each morning like he'd said. But it wasn't real. It was too easy, and if I was learning anything, it was that life wasn't easy. The effort was excruciating, but suddenly, I found myself looking back at the room at St. Vladimir's. I focused on Avery who was staring me and Lissa down. She'd pulled out the memory that tormented me most, attempting to confuse me and tear me from Lissa with a fantasy of what I wanted more than anything else in the world. I'd fought Avery's mind trap and felt pretty smug about it-despite the ache in my heart. I wished I could communicate directly with her and make a few comments about what I thought of her and her game. That was out of the question, so instead, I threw my will in with Lissa's once more, and together, we stepped down off the ledge and onto the room's floor. Avery was visibly sweating, and when she realized she'd lost the psychic tug of war, her pretty face turned very ugly. â€Å"Fine,† she said. â€Å"There are easier ways of killing you off.† Reed suddenly entered the room, looking as hostile as ever. I had no idea where he'd come from or how he'd known to show up right then, but he headed straight toward Lissa, hands reaching out. That open window loomed behind her, and it didn't take a genius to guess his intentions. Avery had tried to get Lissa to jump by using compulsion. Reed was just going to push her. A mental conversation flew between Lissa and me in the space of a heartbeat. Okay, I told her. Here's the situation. We're going to have to do a little role reversal. What are you talking about? Fear flooded her, which was understandable, seeing as Reed's hands were seconds away from grabbing her. Well, I said, I just did the psychic power struggle. Which means you've got to do the fighting. And I'm going to show you how.

Bowling Ethnography

Heather Dooley 10 Pound Balls We tend to think that bowling is a very simple and boring sport played by only older men. I did my fieldwork at a bowling alley during two different leagues to explore the different social interactions among bowlers. I learned that bowling is not limited to one specific age group or gender. I also discovered there is a unique hierarchy among the bowlers that is not determined by their age or gender. This social status is dependent upon their bowling average, type of ball used, and the weight of their balls. I found there were many other social interactions that occurred between smaller groups of bowlers such as teammates. I first entered the field during a Wednesday night bowling league. The bowling alley was filled with mostly men. I walked the length of the building and couldn’t find any women bowling. I soon found out this was a men only bowling league. I was told there was also a women only bowling league that occurred on Tuesday’s. The majority of the men bowling were middle-aged or older. However, there were a lot of men in their twenties bowling as well. On my second entry into the field it was during a Friday night bowling league. On this night the bowlers were all different ages but with a majority of younger men and women in their twenties. When I walked the length of the bowling alley that night I counted almost an equal amount of women as I did men. In this league it was required to have at least two or three women on each team. This is called a mixed league. On the third night of observations, my second Wednesday night, I sat down at a table with a team of bowlers. Three were in their twenties and two were in their late forties. While I was talking to one of the younger men I told him how I noticed a lot less women in this league then the Friday night league. I asked what the requirements were, if any, to join either league. He said â€Å"In order to join this league you had to have a 180 average. † He also told me this league was more competitive because it was only men and because they had the average requirement. This league has a larger amount of money to be won at the end of the season because of the competitiveness. When the bowler referred to average he meant the average amount of pins he will usually knock down during three games. Every game you have the opportunity to knock down 120 pins. Each game played has ten frames. The term frames means each turn all the bowlers take. Every frame the bowler has the chance to knock down ten pins. If you knock down all ten pins at once this is called a strike. When you bowl a strike it earns you more then ten points. If you bowl a strike for every frame you can receive a 300 game. This is the highest score you can reach and it is very difficult to achieve. Strike Terminology: 1 – Strike 2 – Double 3 – Turkey 4 – Four Bagger 5 – Five Bagger 6 – Six Bagger 7 – Seven Bagger 8 – Eight Bagger 9 – Nine Bagger 10 – Ten Bagger 11 – Eleven Bagger 12 – Twelve Bagger I discovered the main way bowlers judge each other’s skills is through the average they hold. Someone with a 250 average considers himself a better bowler then someone with a 185 average, even if the lower average bowler beats him in a game. Another form of bowling hierarchy is determined by the type of ball you use. Some bowlers will pay anywhere between $250 to more than $300 for just one ball! I learned that there are different types of bowling balls made to help you throw the ball a certain way. Some people may buy a ball they can throw straight better and others buy balls they can throw with a curve better. While I was sitting at the table with the bowlers I overheard a couple of them talking about their balls. Some men used them as a way to brag to the other men. They would say the reason another man is bowling so bad is because he has a bad, cheap ball. I also noticed the men bowlers would use the weight of their balls to poke fun at the other bowlers. They will compare their ball’s weight to their manhood or manliness. For instance, â€Å"Wow, you’re only using that little ten pound ball. Did you borrow that from your girlfriend? † â€Å"Careful carrying that big sixteen pound ball you might not be big enough for that yet. † [pic] There are many different kinds of socialization among the bowlers. They joke and tease each other, give tips on how to bowl better and they also play card games with their teammates. There are two different types of games played among the different leagues. On Wednesday night they play a game called Kiddy Pot. This is a money game played by the men bowlers only that corresponds to how well you are playing. If you miss the five pin, throw a gutter ball, or miss the head pin twice you lose a dollar. If you are hung, which in bowling terms means four members of your team strike or split during the same frame but one does not, then the person who misses the strike loses two dollars. If all five members of the team strike during the frame, the next frame whoever misses the strike loses a dollar. At the end of the season all of the money lost playing this game is split among the players of the team evenly. [pic] [pic] The Friday night bowling league plays a different game. This game is set up like poker. Every member of the team who throws a strike or a split will get a card from the deck. If you miss a spare or have an open frame then a card is taken away from your pile. At the end of each game the person with the best poker hand wins. Usually any women who play this game don’t lose a card if they miss a spare or have an open frame. I learned that bowling is a very complex social structure with its own set of socialization rules and terms. It is not gender or age specific. Bowlers have their own private language they use to communicate towards one another. They are generally accepting of outsiders joining in on their conversations and own private jokes. Is there more I could learn my entering the field and joining a league myself?

Unit 206 Business Admin

Learner statement unit 206 Outcome 1 Enterprise rent a car (ERAC) operates within the automotive and retail industries. Our mission is to fulfil the automotive and commercial truck rental, leasing, car sales and related needs of our customers and, in doing so, exceed their expectations for service, quality and value. We will strive to earn our customers' long-term loyalty by working to deliver more than promised, being honest and fair and â€Å"going the extra mile† to provide exceptional personalized service that creates a pleasing business experience.We must motivate our employees to provide exceptional service to our customers by supporting their development, providing opportunities for personal growth and fairly compensating them for their successes and achievements. We believe it is critical to our success to promote managers from within who will serve as examples of success for others to follow.Although it is our goal to be the best and not necessarily the biggest or the most profitable, our success at satisfying customers and motivating employees will bring growth and long-term profitability. Within the automotive and rental sector, ERAC offers high service levels and reliability and offers certain perks that other companies do not such as â€Å"we will pick you up† Reviewing damage claims and assigning collection strategiesNegotiating with individuals, insurance companies, corporate customers and credit card companies  Ã‚   Maintaining accounts of collections  and incoming payments on claim files Producing professional written communication including tasks such as writing, editing and proofreading correspondence and brief reports   Interpreting loss data in conjunction with debtor feedback in order to establish settlement needs  and parameters Interpreting loss data in conjunction with debtor feedback in order to establish if claim is valid and/or if the claim needs to be closed Determining what claims must be worked in order to ob tain payment Interpreting recovery efforts to determine if a claim must be referred to a third party vendor for additional collection efforts. The role is essential to the organisation as all vehicles are â€Å"self-insured† so all losses come straight from the company for any damages. If I was unsure of any policy or procedure relating to my role, I would initially consult he policy on the intranet. I would then query with my coordinator, supervisor or manager and if needs be, HR department. Outcome 2 ; 3 People working together to achieve common goals needs proper coordination so that the assigned or delegated tasks are done smoothly and effectively.In an organization, there has to be leaders as well as the supervisors and those who implement the plans – the people founding the main work force or employees who needs to realize their own tasks and assignments so that they can perform accordingly. By working together you can achieve positive results because you work to gether to achieve a common goal quickly and effectively. By explaining and agreeing to work goals you emphasise how important the work is and also how important he individual’s role is. This also ensures everyone is working off the same timescale and the same standard. Team members can support each other by helping with workloads, emails and administrative duties. You can support other teams by encouraging them and appreciating their efforts. They can also share tasks, e. g. incoming phone calls.The purpose of agreeing quality measures within a team ensures everyone is working on the same time scale and to the same quality level, this means that work is consistent and creates a happier work environment as well as more professional image. All information should be communicated between the other people in the team as again this ensures everyone has the same knowledge base and feel happier with the tasks they have been set and why. The communication can take place verbally, face to face or in team meetings, via email or via memo’s. Outcome 4 By recognising the strengths in others you can pool abilities within the team so as to finish work to a high standard quickly and effectively. If one person excels at a certain task, they will complete it correctly and quickly and freeing up other team members to work on different objectives for the team.Diversity within a team offers different levels of expertise and viewpoints. Having diversity allows tasks and problems to be approached from many different angles. A project carried out by a divers team will raise clarity and levels of arguments to ensure that all ideas are thoroughly considered. By respecting your individual team mates you create a better working environment which is conductive to happier employees who work more efficiently. Outcome 5 The types of problems and disagreements that may occur within a team include * Dishonesty * Difference of opinion * Disagreement over workloads * Incompetence * Disagreements over personal issues such as annual leave, workloads, lunches etc. Disagreements over the way to work effectively The best way to resolve problems or disagreements is to compromise and be as flexible as possible. Problems can be resolved by the management assigning roles for different members or sitting down with employees and talking the issues out. If this fails then grievance procedures should be followed. Outcome 6 Constructive feedback helps organisations improve and help employees work more efficiently. By giving constructive feedback you can help ensure that you are making work processes more effective and positive. When receiving feedback you can recognise any mistakes that you may not have spotted.Feedback enables you to reflect on your work as an individual and as a team as if delivered constructively will improve morale and productivity. Getting feedback is a suitable way to receive information that will help make a workplace more efficient. It helps individ uals realise how members of your team and possibly other departments like or don’t like about how you work, this will allow you to either continue in the same fashion, confident that you are doing a satisfactory job or make adjustments to hopefully improve your performance. Likewise feedback to a team will show where they could improve and by discussing the issues this will enable the team as a whole to implement new ideas and working methods to improve effectiveness and productivity.