What is accreditation free essay sample

Accreditation is a process characterized by a neutral organization or an authoritative institution recognizing, evaluating, monitoring and reviewing the businesses or services provided by that of another organization.   The organization that provides accreditation makes sure that the services provided or products manufactured meet certain standards, consistently.   Once the organization meets the standards, the fact of accreditation can be advertised, and people would know that they are obtaining products or services that meet certain well-known standards of quality. 2. Why is it important? Accreditation in the healthcare industry helps in maintaining the quality standards in this vital sector.   Quality control organizations are frequently being referred to as ‘Watchdogs’ by certain managed care companies.   Quality control organizations not only provide accreditation to large companies and organizations but also to small-practice physicians, group practices and others. The information provided by accreditation organizations is often utilized by customers, clients and employers to make informed decisions regarding healthcare choices. We will write a custom essay sample on What is accreditation? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page    The main aim of these quality control organizations is to develop, maintain and slowly improve certain standards of quality in healthcare organizations.   This information is further generated to customers and employers who are to make further decisions about healthcare.   Usually the accreditation organizations are constituted by employers, physicians, policy makers, ethicists, nurses, administrators, labor representatives, advocates, educators, and even customers. They cooperate and work towards improving healthcare, making programs and making sure that the needs of a diverse community (culturally and linguistically) are being met.   Several aspects such as finance, ethics and quality of the healthcare services are usually being monitored.   Accreditation also provides greater competition in the market, as all the companies would want to improve the quality of their services.   In the healthcare industry, error is being considered as a severe detriment to the well-being of the patient, and through accreditation, these errors can be kept to a minimum.   Initiatives can also be made to provide information and education of the customers, and safety control in the organization.   The structure and several management processes present in the organizations can be improved.   Through an improvement in the safety standards, the insurance costs would be brought down. There is also a decreased need for government inspection and control for Medicare and Medicaid.   Accredited organizations also seem to be very attractive to qualified professionals as they would feel that their jobs are much safer in an accredited organization.   The accreditation organizations also work with other medical societies and associations such as the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Physicians, the American Dental Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Hospital Association. 3. What organizations accredit managed care organizations in the U.S.? Managed care is be accredited by several accreditation organizations such as the Joint Commission (JC), Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) and National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).   NCQAS began to accredit managed care organizations (MCO) from the year 1991, as information regarding the quality standards of such organizations were often being demanded by the customers, employers and the Government.   Business is often not being conducted with MCO’s not having accreditation. 4. What is involved in the accreditation process? (In other words, what do they look at? Do they make site visits?) Accreditation is usually subscribed to by the managed care organization on a voluntary basis.   The accreditation organizations reviews several aspects such as safety, confidentiality, consumer protection, patient rights, infection control, service, access, improvement, use of qualified staff, etc.   The accreditation company releases a healthcare quality report every year, and based on quality, it ranks the healthcare organizations and health plans or packages provided.   Several variables or clinical quality measures are being studied during the accreditation process.   Information of these measures is collected from sources present in the market (such as surveys). These measures are being compared, and based on their values, the performance of several managed care organizations are assessed.   The value of the measures is thoroughly audited by certified auditors.   If an organization is able to do the right thing in the right manner, there are greater chances that it would be fulfilling patient satisfaction, and meet the standards.   Efforts are made by the accreditation organizations to continuously monitor the actual performance standards and enable uninterrupted improvement in these standards in the managed care organizations. References: NCQA. Overview-NCQA. Retrieved January 19, 2007, from NCQA Web site: http://www.ncqa.org/Communications/Publications/overviewncqa.pdf NCQA (2006). New NCAQ Program Offers Awards to Health Plans, Grants to Doctors’ Offices That Help Bridge Health Care Disparity. Retrieved January 19, 2007, from NCQA Web site: http://www.ncqa.org/communications/news/clas.htm NCQA (2007). New NCQA Program Will Recognize Excellence in Caring for Back Pain. Retrieved January 19, 2007, from NCQA Web site: http://www.ncqa.org/ The Joint Commission (2007). Benefits of Joint Commission Accreditation. Retrieved January 19, 2007, from The Joint Commission Web site:   http://www.jointcommission.org/HTBAC/benefits_accreditation.htm The Joint Commission. (2007). Facts about The Joint Commission. Retrieved January 19, 2007, from The Joint Commission Web site: http://www.jointcommission.org/AboutUs/joint_commission_facts.htm Tuft Managed Care Institute (1998). A Brief History of Managed Care. Retrieved January 19, 2007, from TMCI Web site: http://www.thci.org/downloads/BriefHist.pdf

Pushing the Color Line- The Effects of Skin Tone in the Live essays

Pushing the Color Line- The Effects of Skin Tone in the Live essays Pushing the Color Line- The Effects of Skin Tone in the Lives of African Americans Skin tone and darkness has greatly influenced and divided the African American community in the areas of social class, political involvement, and education for over a century. Not only have skin colors divided human beings into racial groups, but also skin color has divided a racial group into classes. Europeanization of African peoples is not merely restricted to language, lifestyle, and religion. The intermingling of African slaves with European slave masters created a new breed of Negro: mulatto. This new Negro learned to exist in the middle of two social segregated racial groups; living as a mixture of whit and black. They learned that they were not as good as white men and women but that they definitely were not as bad or beastly as the average black slave. White society, however, grouped this hybrid race with the average black slaves and the entire group became known as African Americans. Skin tone and darkness has greatly influenced and divided the African American community in the areas of social class, political involvement, and education for over a century. 1. Maintaining an even and light skin tone and color is important in maintaining good social standings. 2. The introduction of hair relaxers and skin bleachers encourage the further perpetuation of the white is right doctrine. 3. Intraracial segregation administrated social clubs and neighborhoods 4. Mulattos and light skinned blacks were more politically involved in the reconstruction government. 5. Mulattos and light skinned blacks were more likely to be educated. ...

8 Suffixes for Collateral Adjectives

8 Suffixes for Collateral Adjectives 8 Suffixes for Collateral Adjectives 8 Suffixes for Collateral Adjectives By Mark Nichol The English language is remarkably adaptable, but one idiosyncrasy of this flexibility in particular creates complications for writers and speakers: collateral adjectives, those not based on and therefore not resembling their associated nouns. English has several forms, including the related suffixes -like and -ly, to signal an adjective’s relationship to a noun, but more elegant solutions often exist. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to conjure these adjectives, because they’re often borrowed from different languages than those from which their equivalent nouns were taken. If you want to explain that someone or something resembles an animal, or you want to describe behavior reminiscent of a certain animal’s, you can say or write, â€Å"He had a foxlike expression† or â€Å"It’s usually considered a womanly quality.† But for just about any animal, if you want to refer to its qualities in comparison or metaphorically, there’s a Latin root and the suffix -ine (more on this post), and the same or similar appendages serve to help you refer to other aspects: â€Å"He had a vulpine expression† or â€Å"It’s usually considered a feminine quality.† Meanwhile, fatherly, motherly, brotherly, and sisterly are all well and good, but paternal, maternal, fraternal, and sororal are all available alternatives. Here are seven suffixes commonly appended to foreign roots to form collateral adjectives, with sample adjectives and their associated nouns: -al Cerebral: brain Corporal (or carnal or physical): body Diurnal: day Dorsal (or lumbar): back Natal: birth -ar Insular: island Lunar: moon Ocular (or optic): eye Specular: mirror Vascular: blood -ary Culinary: cooking Epistolary: letter (correspondence) Maxillary: jaw Tintinnabulary: bell Tutelary: guardian -ial Aerial (or aeronautic): air Commercial: business Filial: child Initial: beginning Tonsorial: hair, barber -ic Acoustic (or sonic): sound Bucolic (or rural or rustic): countryside Civic (or metropolitan or urban): city Forensic: court Numismatic: coin -ile Infantile: baby, immaturity Juvenile (or puerile): child, youth Mobile: movement Tactile (or haptic): touch Virile: man -ine Divine: god, deity Lacustrine: lake Marine (or maritime or pelagic): ocean (or, pertaining only to marine, ship) Masculine: man Vespertine: evening -ous Amorous: love Aqueous: water Ferrous: iron Fulmineous: thunder Vitreous: glass Collateral adjectives are often the preferred choice over adjectives directly derived from a noun (for example, daily from day) only in formal, ironic, or humorously pedantic usage, but they are helpful because superficially synonymic adjectives may have different senses (for example, daily and diurnal have different meanings). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Words with More Than One Spelling15 Great Word GamesCapitalizing Titles of People and Groups

Strategies and Actions of African American Women to Overcome Essay

Strategies and Actions of African American Women to Overcome Race-Based or Gender-Based Discrimination - Essay Example It is this reinvigorated movement that opened to women the blue-collar jobs and professions that were traditionally reserved for their male counterparts. When it comes to the fight against race-based inequality, it is plausible that women formed a crucial segment of the Civil Rights Movement, with their contribution seen in their volunteering to organizational and grassroots leaders. Indeed, the women created, mobilized, energized, and spearheaded particular efforts in the movements, ostensibly serving as bridge builders to the rest of the society (Epstein 4-6). Women movements worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring about the changes that everyone in the movement sought by taking the advantage of the white elite’s ignorance towards women power. Furthermore, women movements successfully framed oppression and discrimination as a political issue, thereby initiating public discussions on issues that were previously perceived as private, and hence beyond public scrutiny. It is evident that the modern expression of black power stemmed from two distinct, yet superimposed traditions that shaped black political activism before and after the Second World War. For instance, the New Negro radicalism during the 1920s and the subsequent freedom protests that preceded the Great Depression, and the Second World War era precipitated an enlarged vision of citizenship, democracy, and civil rights. While the legislative and legal victories of the civil rights era performed a fundamental role in these struggles. It is the black power that proved decisive in the inauguration of the first generation of black elected representatives (Ellis 46-63). It is also the black power that made the greatest contribution to the production of an eclectic array of multi-themed and multi-ethnic movements of social change.

Electronic Commerce & Prosper.com Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Electronic Commerce & Prosper.com - Essay Example This form of borrowing and lending is much cheaper unlike the traditional lending businesses like credit cards. Hence, borrowers in pursuit of cheap credit will definitely opt to borrow through prosper.com than their bank. Consequently, according to (Arnold and Harzog 75) the traditional lending/ borrowing businesses are likely to experience a drop in their lending business as more and more Americans are opting for peer-to-peer lending. Secondly, the business model of prosper.com does not require borrowers to deposit collaterals to get loans. Therefore, borrowers in pursuit of small loans will opt for prosper.com due to minimal lending requirements. Subsequently, this will lead to a fall of traditional lending/ borrowing businesses. According to (Arnold and Harzog 78) customers of traditional lending businesses will most likely shift to the peer-to-peer lending business model offered by companies such as prosper.com, because of low interest rates and minimal lending requirements. This will definitely lead to a decline in borrowing from traditional lending

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Article Review Essay Example for Free

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Article Review Essay The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was a daring attempt to legislate morality with the intentions of restoring integrity with the public in financial markets. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is a direct result from corporate scandals like WorldCom, Enron, Adelphia, and Tyco, which succeeded in the collapse of these major corporation and ruined people’s lives. The mistreatment of employees and investors by flagrantly unethical business practices cost some their life savings and retirement portfolios while others went to jail because they were part of the scandals. The provision regarding ethics in business contained within the Sarbanes-Oxley Act help to ensure and deter unethical business practices. There are two particular provisions that have a big effect on organizations on their ethical decision making. The first is the requirement corporations must create a code of ethics for senior financial officers that include enforcement mechanisms and the regular rotation of outside auditors. There are other requirements such as Section 303 â€Å"improper influence on conduct of audits,† Section 306 â€Å"insider trades during pension fund blackout periods,† and Section 307 which state â€Å"rules of responsibility for attorneys,† (Orin, 2008) but the first two mentions have the power collectively to regulate corporations internally and externally. The Code of Ethics is a schematic for each corporation for governance within the organization to regulate and set acceptable standards for directors, officers, accountants, and employees. The mandatory rotation of auditors ensures the organization has a truly independent audit that allows auditors to question and criticize business practices of the corporation experiencing the audit. The SOX should have went one step farther by mandating audit –firm rotation rather than just rotation of the lead person doing the audit, which would ensure complete independence of the audits. The rotation will ensure if one auditor misses unethical practices or is part of it will be discovered and discontinue with the rotation. The out-of-pocket expense for compliance has many critics who say this is an unfair burden on corporations; however have made significant strides against unethical business practices. The criminal penalties for which the act provides includes fines, imprisonment, loss of exchange listing, and loss of DO insurance depending on which section of the SOX the corporation is out of compliance with. The CFO or CEO who unknowingly submits a wrong certificate could be fined up to one million and up to 10 years of prison, if knowingly then he or she could be subject up to five million and up to 20 years imprisonment. â€Å"The ultimate incentive, which may prove to be the sine qua non, is that a failure to do so could expose them to the disastrous possibility of being deemed to have embraced these historical problems and to become accountable for them as their own† (Orin, 2008). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was drafted by Representative Michael Oxley and Senator Paul Sarbanes, which was intended to protect investors by ensuring/improving the reliability and accuracy of corporation’s disclosures of corporate financial performances. The SOX ensures that executives are held accountable for all financial issue even if unknown, forcing them to become more involved and monitor the accuracy of what is being reported to be true and accurate. References Orin, R. M. (2008). Ethical Guidance and Constraint Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Journal Of Accounting, Auditing Finance, 23(1), 141-171. SOX-Online, (2012). Sarbanes-Oxley essential information. Retrieved from http://www. sox-online. com/basics. html

Symbolism in A Shift in the Light by Patricia Glinton-Meicholas :: essays research papers

The novel A Shift in the Light by Patricia Glinton-Meicholas the author shows the importance of family throughout the novel in many different ways such as the symbol of light, culture, values and ethics. The author uses light to symbolize the importance of staying close to your family. She also uses culture to show that the house is mainly male dominated and finally she shows the values and ethics that the children follow by all throughout the novel. Patricia Glinton-Meicholas shows the sun symbolizing the theme of family because the sun never changes but the light can shift for example, your family is always there for you even when you don?t need them. Another example is when Cally stops talking to her family but in the end when she needed them the family was there to support her. The author writes that the family never goes away just like the sun, it is always there. But even though the light is there you can always turn/shift away from it, but in the end you have the choice to continue to ignore the light or turned back and face the light. The light in this novel represents the importance of family and support. Culture in this novel is one of the biggest themes because it brings the whole family together. Throughout the novel there is times when they have big get-togethers where they cook for everyone and they talk and eat for hours. This brings out their culture through the gathering of the family and sharing a meal which is a big part of many people?s culture. Another culture in the book is that the men to be in charge of the household. In this novel Papa is the head of the household, he makes all the decisions and whatever he says goes. Finally it is culture for the women of the Bahamas to stay strong, proud of their heritage, and stay very traditional to their families and country. The values and ethics in this novel are an importance to the family because it gives the children and adults a guideline and reminder on how to act and what they strive for. From an early childhood the children are taught to be well mannered and if you?re a female, you are taught to act like a lady. Papa also taught them about their religion from when the girls were babies .

Storm Born Chapter Nineteen

Dorian wasn't nearly as impressed as he should have been by the storm. â€Å"You couldn't control it,† he told me. â€Å"It did you no good. Until you master the small things, you'll never control the large ones. They'll control you.† He didn't seem upset; he simply showed that infinite patience and good-natured attitude he always had. Still enchanted by human stuff, he wanted us to take him into the city and show him entertaining things – particularly the aforementioned women with low inhibitions. Considering the car ride would have literally killed him, we ordered pizza instead. You could tell it was sort of a letdown for him, but he still enjoyed it. He found delight in everything, I realized. Well – except for those extreme moments of boredom that seemed to plague him, although even in those he still managed to find some sort of joke. I didn't know many people like that. I saw him once more that week, this time at his place. He made me repeat the boring water experiment five times, but it only yielded the exact same results. At least this time I didn't conjure any storms. When I asked if we could do something else next time, he laughed and sent me home. The day before Dorian's ball, I mustered up the courage to do something I'd been thinking about for a long time now: visit Wil Delaney. He still left messages with Lara almost every other day, but that wasn't what finally made me go see him again. Ever since my mom's visit, I hadn't been able to shake the idea of her locked away, miserable and alone, in Storm King's castle. The pain of that image transferred to my impressions of Jasmine, and no matter how reluctant the girl had been to leave, I knew she was still a victim. I wanted to do something – anything – to help her but had no idea where to start or even how to do it, considering last time's disaster. Talking to Wil again seemed like a semireasonable beginning. Kiyo went with me, driving us in his rental car since his poor Spider was out of commission. This car was a brand-new Toyota Camry that seemed pretty nice to me, though it obviously caused him considerable distress. When we knocked on the door, Wil didn't answer right away. â€Å"You sure he's here?† Kiyo asked. â€Å"Yeah. I don't think he ever leaves. We're probably being thermal-scanned or something.† Kiyo gave me a puzzled look. â€Å"Just wait,† I warned. A minute later, I heard the legion of locks and bolts being undone, and Wil's face appeared. â€Å"Oh, my God,† he gasped, face lighting up. â€Å"You're back. Wait. Who's that?† â€Å"A friend. Now let us in.† Wil gave Kiyo a hesitant look and finally opened the door wider. As we walked in, I could tell from Kiyo's expression that he was having exactly the same reaction I'd had to the weirdness of Wil's lair. In particular he paused in front of a magazine lying open on a coffee table. An article's large headline read: THEY'RE USING YOUR DNA TO TRACK YOU! WEAR A HAIRNET WHEN LEAVING THE HOUSE! â€Å"I knew you'd come around,† Wil burbled out, leading us into the kitchen. â€Å"When are we going back?† â€Å"I don't know that we are, Wil.† â€Å"Then why – â€Å" I held up a hand to silence him. â€Å"I just want to talk right now, that's all.† His face fell, but he nodded and walked to the refrigerator. â€Å"You want something to drink?† â€Å"Sure. What do you have?† He opened the refrigerator. Inside were about ten jugs of water whose labels guaranteed ultra-ultra-ultra purification and refinement against impurities. â€Å"Water,† he said. â€Å"Most soft drinks are laden with – â€Å" â€Å"Water's fine.† He poured three glasses and sat down with us, watching me expectantly. â€Å"I want to know more about Jasmine,† I explained. â€Å"If we're ever able to go back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, that pale face loomed in my mind. I swallowed. â€Å"It might not do us any good if she doesn't want to go. Is there anything about her†¦anything you can tell us that might sort of explain that?† The fanatical gleam left his eyes, replaced by something sober and sad. â€Å"I don't know. I mean, I guess half of it's being fourteen, you know? Not that she ever seemed all that impressionable. I guess she could have been brainwashed. There's lots of documentation on that; the government does it all the time. I imagine even fairies have conditioning techniques†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He started going off on that, and I felt Kiyo's hand rest on my thigh under the table and give a slight squeeze. It was less of a sexual thing and more of a What the hell have you gotten us into? Keeping my expression blank, I finally interrupted Wil's lecture. â€Å"Can you give us any information about her? Like†¦what she was into? Likes? Dislikes? If we could just get some idea about that, it might help us understand her better.† â€Å"Well,† he said doubtfully, â€Å"I could show you her room.† He took us farther into the house, which was just as dark as the kitchen, and into a small room that smelled of dust and disuse. Probably making a great sacrifice to his values, he flipped on the lights. For half a second, I was relieved that Jasmine's room did not mirror the rest of Wil's crazed existence. It looked like a normal teenage girl's room. At first. Then I saw the fairy posters. They were interspersed with other airbrushed fantasy pictures – unicorns and dreamscapes – but fairies definitely made up the dominant theme splashed against the room's rose-pink walls. These images weren't accurate representations of the very humanlike gentry but depicted more of what pop culture perceived fairies to be like: small and winged, playing with flowers and fireflies. Those sorts of beings did exist in the Otherworld, though technically they were pixies. â€Å"You didn't think this was relevant?† I breathed, gazing around. â€Å"This is fluff,† said Wil dismissively. â€Å"Stuff girls are into. She's liked this stuff since she was little.† I walked farther into the room and knelt in front of a small bookcase. J. R. R. Tolkien. C. S. Lewis. J. K. Rowling. More and more fantasy titles. A shrine to escapism. Glancing around, Kiyo seemed to be thinking along the same lines I was. â€Å"Are there any photos? Any friends of hers?† Wil shook his head. â€Å"She didn't have a lot of friends.† He sat down on the ruffled pink bed and found a small album on the floor. â€Å"Here are a few pictures.† Kiyo and I sat next to him. The album was sort of a record of Jasmine's childhood. There were some baby pictures and some shots of her as a little girl. Wil figured into a lot of the pictures, but we saw little of their parents. I recalled his bitter comments about their chronic absence. We did find a few pictures of her with other children, but as she grew older, those became more rare. Mostly these seemed to be candid shots that someone – Wil, most likely – had snapped while she was busy with something. One showed her curled up with a book, another found her lying in a backyard hammock while bright sunshine lit up her strawberry-blond hair. She had noticed the photographer in that latter one and regarded the camera with a sad, sweet smile. â€Å"What did she do for fun?† I asked when Wil closed the album. â€Å"Hobbies? Sports?† He gestured to the shelves. â€Å"She liked to read, obviously. And she liked being outside. She went for walks, sometimes planted flowers. Wasn't really into sports or anything like that.† â€Å"She must have hung out with some people,† I pointed out. â€Å"Didn't you say she was at a party when she was taken?† â€Å"Yeah†¦kind of surprising, actually. But she went to things like that once in awhile. Not often. But sometimes. I mean, she did things with me sometimes too. We went to Disneyland once. Saw movies. But mostly she was alone.† â€Å"Do you know why?† â€Å"No. I think†¦I think she just had trouble relating to kids her age. She was smart, always sort of ahead of her time.† His voice was wistful, and I realized no matter how unstable he might be in some ways, he did truly love and miss his sister. â€Å"Was she this reclusive before your parents died?† asked Kiyo gently. â€Å"Yeah. She was always kind of this way.† After a bit more investigating around the room, we finally left. Wil pushed me hard on what I was going to do about Jasmine, but I had no answers to give him. â€Å"Well,† Kiyo said after a few quiet minutes on the road, â€Å"that was depressing.† I didn't answer right away as I stared off at the road ahead of us. â€Å"Eugenie? You all right?† â€Å"No. Not really.† I sighed. â€Å"That poor girl.† â€Å"Starts to make more sense, though, doesn't it?† â€Å"Yeah. Isolated from the real world, she starts living in a fantasy one. Then suddenly Aeson gives her the chance to actually live in that one.† He nodded his agreement. â€Å"Of course, abduction and rape probably weren't the ways she envisioned escaping off to fairyland.† I stared off again for a while. â€Å"She reminds me of me.† The glance he gave me was wry. â€Å"You dissociated into a make-believe world that you hoped would become real?† â€Å"No. But I was kind of a loner too. I think I had more friends than her, admittedly, but I always had trouble relating to others. It got worse once Roland made me his apprentice. Hard to get excited about boy bands when you're learning to exorcise ghosts.† â€Å"I don't think you missed anything there.† I rewarded him with a smile as I continued thinking. â€Å"Even though I didn't have many friends, I always wanted them, wanted to be noticed. If Jasmine's the same, then she probably likes being Aeson's mistress, as sickening as it is. He probably showers her with attention.† â€Å"You're right†¦though I wonder if there's more to it.† â€Å"How so?† â€Å"I think a lot of teens feel disconnected sometimes, like no one understands them. I mean, I felt that way lots of times. Not sure I would have welcomed what happened to her as some sort of salvation.† â€Å"Me either. But I suppose everyone copes in different ways. I took up solitary things. Running. Swimming.† â€Å"Puzzles?† â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"How'd you know about that?† â€Å"Because you have about a hundred of them in your closet.† I laughed, then reconsidered something he'd just said. â€Å"What was it like for you, growing up? You knew from the beginning what you were, right?† â€Å"Yeah. My parents never made that a secret. They accepted that they were from different worlds – literally – and didn't fight that. Growing up with that duality sort of became second nature. Like I said before, I like both worlds, which is why I certainly don't want to see some conquest of this one. Of course, I had plenty of times in my life, particularly when I was young and moody, when I'd get mad at one of my parents. Then I'd swear I'd be all kitsune or all human, depending on who'd pissed me off.† â€Å"Your teenage angst must have been a terrible thing,† I teased. â€Å"You have no idea.† â€Å"Are your parents still together?† â€Å"No. Still amicable. My mom finally stayed in the Otherworld for good once I got older. I see her from time to time. It broke my dad's heart – he was crazy about her – but he remarried and seems to be better off.† I leaned back against the seat. â€Å"Now that I know what I am†¦I kind of wish I'd known sooner. I would have liked to get a head start on my magic and go blow Aeson's castle apart and get Jasmine back.† â€Å"You don't know that you can actually do that,† he warned. â€Å"You're half-human. You may not have gotten all his power.† â€Å"Did you get everything your mom has?† He hesitated. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I can't leave Jasmine there. Not knowing what I know. But I don't know how to get her back.† Kiyo reached over and squeezed my hand. â€Å"We'll think of something. Don't worry.† It was a little comforting, but I think we both knew it was the sort of empty, kind statement you say to make someone feel better. I doubted he had any better ideas than I had on how to get Jasmine back. Kiyo didn't have to work until the next morning, so we decided to go hiking at Sabino Canyon. Physical exertion seemed like a good way to forget about abducted girls, and it was. The temperature pushed into triple digits, and we were exhausted and sweaty as we finally made the return trip down, both of us greedily drinking from water bottles. I saw him watching me at one point while we stopped to take a break. There was a content and admiring expression on his face, not purely sexual, for a change. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Your hair. I never realized how red it is. The sun lights it up like a flame.† â€Å"Is that a good thing?† â€Å"Very good.† The comfortable look on his face shifted, and I saw the familiar glint of need surface. We didn't say much after that. The rest of our hike and subsequent ride home proceeded in silence, but the air burned between us, hotter than anything we'd felt outside. Tim was nowhere to be found when we arrived home. Just as well. I turned on the shower, eager to remove the sweat and grime, and Kiyo hopped in with me. â€Å"We're here to get clean,† I warned. â€Å"Sure,† he said, pushing me up against the wall. Water poured down on us as we kissed and touched and attempted some semblance of washing ourselves. I don't know how good a job we did. I think some parts got significantly soaped down more than others. I wouldn't have minded sex in the shower, but we had no condoms in there. Sometimes I thought the double birth control was overkill; in eight years, I'd never had problems with the pill. But we both knew how high the stakes were. A condom was a small thing to ask. We fell onto my bed, still kind of slick and soapy. He slipped the condom on in like two seconds, and I moved on top of him. Foreplay apparently wasn't going to play a big role in our relationship. His hands grasped my hips, halting me for a moment. â€Å"You took your pill today?† â€Å"Yes, yes,† I assured him. He relaxed and released me, letting me move down and take him into me. A soft sound, half-groan and half-sigh, escaped his lips. He opened his eyes and smiled at me. â€Å"You are†¦the most right thing in my world.† I smiled back, knowing exactly what he meant. We felt good and right together, like the last month's tension hadn't existed. We were where we should be, picking right up after our first night together. His hands clenched my sides, his nails touching my back as my body shifted up and down. A tingle of apprehension ran through me whenever those fingers came near my back, but he continued to show restraint. The scratches were finally healing, albeit slowly. He let me stay on top only about a minute or so before he flipped me onto my stomach and took me from that position, all aggression and furious passion. I slyly tried shifting us once, and he playfully returned me back. Maybe it was the fox thing, or maybe it was just his own human nature, but something in him liked being the dominant one. I decided not to fight it, far too busy swimming in the bliss and fire of him moving inside of me. When he finished, he rolled off and pulled me to him. Happy, I buried my face against his body, drinking in his scent and feel like an intoxicant. Clinging to each other, we listened to our ragged breathing calm down. For the first time in awhile, I felt safe and at peace. Things were exactly as they were supposed to be. He stayed with me that night, and our bodies wrapped around each other in the darkness. My body fell into its old bad habits, and I found myself lying awake long after he'd fallen asleep. I twisted and turned, counting stars on my ceiling and attempting to force my mind into calmness. I tried too hard, apparently, because my mind slipped into trance, one off from wakeful consciousness but not really asleep either. Recognizing this, I started to shift out of it until an image appeared in my mind, a familiar one of a barren area I didn't recognize and a dark, crowned figure standing over me. The memory I'd half-started in the sauna returned, flooding my mind's eye. I suddenly found myself looking up at Storm King. The fear was there, the fear that I couldn't escape him and that he would take me away. Then, just as before, I reached for something both within and without. Power surged through me, and the air grew thick. Dark clouds formed out of nothing, covering the sky. Soft thunder echoed around us. I still couldn't see his face in this memory, but I could sense his amusement. â€Å"Are you going to try to fight me, little one?† A different power built up around us as he gathered his own magic. â€Å"I like your attitude – though you're fighting a losing battle. For now, at least. Come with me, and I'll show you how to really use your gifts.† He gently nudged his power toward me, attempting to quell mine. I sucked in more of my magic, letting it course through me. It burned, but it was wonderful. Amazing. Like nothing I had ever felt before or could have conceived of. I was more than a human in that moment, more than Eugenie Markham, more than a god. It filled me, but even then, I could not control it. Not yet. Lightning flared above us, followed immediately by thunder. Storm King was still pushing against me. I don't think I was really more than a match for him, but he hadn't quite expected this much of a fight. I tried to focus my power, to get ahold of it and use it against him. It was slippery, though; I couldn't keep a hold. Lightning blazed again, and I reached out with my mind to seize it, willing it to strike him down. Only my aim was off. It hit me instead. I screamed, pain ripping through me as I became the lightning's conduit, its means of grounding itself. It couldn't kill me, however; it couldn't even really hurt me – that much. I was one with the storm, and the magic I'd summoned was my own. It shot into my body, terrible and magnificent, a burning pain laced with pleasure, an ecstasy I didn't ever want to let go of†¦. I jerked upright in bed, gasping for air. Immediately, Kiyo was beside me, asking what was wrong. I couldn't answer right away. That fiery, exultant power was emblazoned in my memory. Yet, even as I sat there, I could feel the memory fading, the remembered sensation going with it. Some part of me cried out for it, willing it to stay. But it was going. â€Å"Eugenie?† I think it was the hundredth time he'd spoken my name. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"A dream,† I murmured, closing my eyes. Even with that magic gone – gone for years, really – my body shivered with delight. I felt alive, my flesh tingling with an awareness of both itself and the world around me. I opened my eyes and turned to Kiyo, resting my hands on his arms, curling my fingers into his skin. â€Å"What's the – mmm.† His words were swallowed by my kiss. My mouth fed so ferociously at his that I tasted blood from where I'd bitten his lip. In an instant, I felt his animal lust answer my own as his hands gripped my hips and tried to pull me down. But I was already pushing him down, moving myself on top of him. â€Å"Don't fight me on this,† I growled, digging my nails against him. He smiled. I think he thought I was joking, little knowing the power and aggression suddenly churning through me. His hands slid over to my wrists. Gripping them tightly, he rolled me over, pressing his full weight down on my body. â€Å"A little fighting's not bad,† he teased. â€Å"No.† My words were fierce. Unchallengeable. Still wrapped up in the dream's fleeting power, I surprised both of us and flipped him over. It was a lot like when we'd had sex earlier today, only now the roles were reversed. My own strength astonished me. â€Å"Don't fight me,† I repeated, voice low and dangerous. His eyes widened in the near-darkness. There was only a heartbeat's pause. â€Å"Anything you want.† Ostensibly, he sounded excited and amused, but there was an undercurrent of nervousness there too. Burning and exultant, I moved my mouth and hips down. We both gasped as I took him inside me. No condom, nothing between us. I shuddered at the contact, growing aroused at the thought of him directly feeling me and all my wetness. Skin to skin. Maybe I should have moved slowly, letting him savor the new sensations, but my body was too impatient. I rode him as fiercely as he had me earlier, something within me needing to assert my dominance and claim him as mine. My nails drew blood, and he cried out each time our hips slammed together. I felt powerful, in control. Like I could do anything and conquer anyone. The warmth and bliss of orgasm started building up inside of me, and some very small part of me wondered if I was getting off on thrusting him inside of me or simply on the thrill of domination. And if it was the latter, whom was I exerting my control over? Kiyo? Storm King? The ecstasy in my lower body grew more intense, more urgent. I pushed aside the nagging speculation and gave myself up to my own selfish wants. I stared down at Kiyo; he looked back as though he scarcely recognized me. â€Å"Mine,† I gasped, holding back my release. â€Å"Right now, right in this moment, you're mine.† Kiyo made a strangled noise of pleasure, head tipped back. I was on the edge; I couldn't hold my body back much longer. I didn't want to hold back much longer. I was the powerful one here. I was taking what I wanted. But first, I needed to make sure he knew that. â€Å"Say it,† I told him between heavy breaths. â€Å"Tell me you're mine. Tell me, and I'll let you come. I'll let you come in me. I'll let you explode in me.† â€Å"Eugenie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he moaned when I started to slow my pace. â€Å"You're mine,† I told him again. The lovely agony between my thighs was almost too much to bear. I was going to lose it. But Kiyo lost control first. â€Å"Yes†¦yes. Oh, God, Eugenie. I'm yours.† The power of that admission set me off, both physically and mentally. Crying out, I threw back my own head as I came. I didn't need to see his face to know he was coming too. I could feel it, feel it in the way his body spasmed inside of mine. Squeezing him tighter, I earned another moan of pleasure from him and another orgasm for me. It was glorious. We both shook from the force of our own reactions. When we finally collapsed apart, sweating and panting, neither of us could say a word. Finally Kiyo rested his head on my chest as though seeking comfort or protection. â€Å"Yours,† he murmured at last, just before falling asleep.

“Beowulf” and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Essay

Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight:The Importance of Literary Genre and Time Difference†They said that of all the kings upon earth / he was the man most gracious and fair-minded, / kindest to his people and keenest to win fame,† (Beowulf 97 ln. 3180-82). This is a description of the great king Beowulf, from the epic poem of the same name. â€Å"†¦Sir Gawain you are, / Whom all the world worships, whereso you ride; / Your honor, your courtesy are higest acclaimed / By lords and by ladies, by all living men,† (Sir Gawain 139 ln. 1226-29). This is a description of Sir Gawain, from the romantic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Both of these heroes are obviously very highly viewed by those around them, although almost 600 years separates the writing of the two manuscripts. Beowulf, an epic poem, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a romantic poem, are two great literary works, both with nameless and possibly countless authors, separated by literary g enre and 6oo years of societal development. Beowulf is an epic, and as such follows certain characteristics that are unique to this form of poetry. The key to any epic is its hero and his flaw; the hero is required to have a flaw because the epic is a form of serious and tragic poetry that allows for few lighthearted moments. This particular epic centers around a young and eager adventurer named, of course, Beowulf, who is fueled by a desire to be remembered forever as a great hero. His calling comes when â€Å"†¦a fiend out of hell, / began to work his evil in the world. / Grendel was the name of this grim demon / haunting the marshes, marauding round the heath / and the desolate fens;† (Beowulf 33 ln. 100-04). Grendel also brings in the first otherworldly element of the poem, a characteristic specific to epics; this element is expanded upon when Beowulf tells of many sea monsters he destroyed in his youth, later when Grendel’s mother seeks revenge, and finally when the great dragon threatens Beowulfâ€℠¢s kingdom. The purpose for extremely long epics such as Beowulf (which is over 3000 lines, and likely longer due to destroyed sections of the original manuscript) lies in tradition and preservation. It is thought that the actual Beowulf lived around 450 A.D., but the epic was not recorded until approximately 700 A.D. – during this long gap, tales of Beowulf were passed down orally, a tradition of the Anglo-Saxons based upon the preservation of their unique culture. This culture was a serious one because the times of  the Anglo-Saxons were extremely dangerous – outside of their own clan they had no one to trust as any outsider was just as likely to kill them as look at them, lest he end up slain first. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in contrast to the epic, is a romance: a circular and lighter version of the epic based around a single quest. Like the hero of the epic, Gawain has a flaw that leads to his failing, but as the romance is lighter it does not lead to his death. Gawain is a pure young knight whose quest presents itself upon the appearance of the Green Knight at a holiday feast at King Arthur’s court. As in the epic, there is also an element of the fantastic present: â€Å"Great wonder grew in hall / At his hue most strange to see, / For man and gear and all / Were green as green could be,† (Sir Gawain 117 ln 147-50). The style of Sir Gawain follows the alliterative style of Beowulf that makes it easier to perform orally, but the romance mostly serves to entertain rather than preserve tradition or culture, as is the purpose of the epic. This is likely because while 1375 (the estimated time of Sir Gawain’s recording) was certainly still a rough time for anyone survival-wise, it was a less animalistic time than 700 A.D. as society had 600 years to develop in the interim. Camelot is described as a prosperous place with a grand castle and many luxuries – in the time of Beowulf the structures that preserved the Anglo-Saxons were more or less gigantic huts. Further, while Gawain does set out on a quest with his life on the line, there are no giant serpents attacking Camelot and eating its court members out of spite. To the Anglo-Saxons in 700 A.D., the comitatus was very important as all the thanes had was each other; the comitatus is also important in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, but on a lesser level. This argument can be made because, although Sir Gawain sets out on a task to preserve his comitatus back at Camelot, he makes the adventure by himself; Beowulf is constantly surrounded by his band of men. Beowulf does separate from his thanes when he battles Grendel and his mother, but it is in the interest of their immediate preservation as the two monsters would happily gobble up any of them. The dire importance of the comitatus is also seen in Beowulf through the theme of revenge, which is not present in Sir Gawain. In 700 A.D., it was every  tribe for itself and there was no set form of law or legal system: if a man was murdered, the only reparations that could be made against his killer were those belonging to wergild. In the time that Sir Gawain takes place, there were entire kingdoms under the rule of the leader versus small tribes, and there was a better-established legal system for dealing with crimes such as murder. This legal system is also evident through the many contracts found in Sir Gawain, such as those between Gawain and the host during his stay: â€Å"‘And Gawain,’ said the good host, ‘agree now to this: / Whatever I win in the woods I will give you at eve, / And all you have earned you must offer to me,† (Sir Gawain 137 ln 1105-07). This particular contract also draws away from the importance of the comitatus because it involves the interest of only two men – if Beowulf received such an offer, it is likely he would split whatever he acquired amongst himself and his thanes. Religion is an important difference between the two novels and the times they were set in. In the time of Beowulf Paganism was still commonly present. In the time of Sir Gawain Christianity was the widely accepted religion. Religion in general is much more present in Sir Gawain, as the entire plot of the book revolves around Christian holidays and celebrations. Christianity affects even the attire of characters in the story. Sir Gawain’s shield shows that â€Å"he fittingly had / On the inner part of his shield [Mary’s] image portrayed, / That when his look on it lighted, he never lost heart,† (Sir Gawain 128 ln 648-50). The downfall Gawain suffers also has to do with his religion, as he puts faith in a magic baldric instead of in God, and in doing so is belittled and shamed by the Green Knight. In Beowulf, there is mention of God, but merely in passing – it is obvious that religion is not as important to the Anglo-Saxons of 700 A.D. as is the comitatus. T his goes back to the harshness of the time and the fact that all the faith the thanes had, they put in one another. The main factors that divide Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are literary genre and time difference. Throughout the 600 years that separated the creation of the two manuscripts, society developed, the legal system developed, the emphasis on the comitatus changed, and the popular religion turned from Paganism to Christianity. While all of these factors altered the  style of writing and the content of the two poems, the fact remains that Beowulf and Sir Gawain are two great literary heroes who strove to be all that they could. Works Cited Greenblatt, Stephen. â€Å"Beowulf.† The Norton Anthology of EnglishLiterature. 8th ed. 2006. Greenblatt, Stephen. â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.† The Norton Anthology of EnglishLiterature. 8th ed. 2006.

6 Things To Know About How To Buy a Telescope

6 Things To Know About How To Buy a Telescope Telescopes give skygazers a great way to see magnified views of objects in the sky. Buying that first (or second or fifth) telescope is an exciting moment, so its a great idea to be fully informed before heading out to the stores.  Theres a lot to learn and a telescope is a long-term investment, so its important to learn the terminology. In addition, its always good to know what types of objects are of interest. Some people mainly want to observe planets, while others are into deep sky objects. Those targets help determine which telescope to get. A telescope with eyepiece (lower end), finderscope,and a good mount are important for long-term enjoyment of stargazing.   Andy Crawford/Getty Images Power Is Overrated A good telescope is not JUST  about the â€Å"power†. If a telescope ad touts claims about 300X or other numbers about the â€Å"power† the scope has, watch out! High power sounds great, but, there’s a catch. High magnification makes an object appear larger, which is important. However, the light gathered by the scope is spread over a larger area which creates a fainter image in the eyepiece. So, its important to keep that in mind. Also, high-powered scopes have specific requirements for eyepieces, so its a good idea to check out what eyepieces work best with a given instrument. Sometimes, lower power provides a better viewing experience, particularly if observers are checking out objects that are spread out across the sky, such as clusters or nebulae.   Telescope Eyepieces: Power is Not the Only Object Any new telescope should have at least one eyepiece, and some sets come with two or three. An eyepiece is rated by millimeters (mm), with smaller numbers indicating higher magnification. A 25mm eyepiece is common and appropriate for most beginners. As mentioned above, a telescope’s power or magnification is not the best indicator of a good scope. As with the whole, so the parts. A higher power eyepiece does not necessarily mean better viewing. It may allow you to see details in a small cluster, for example, but if its used to look at a nebula, it will only show a part of the object. So, high- and low-power eyepieces each have their place in observing, depending on what interests the stargazer. Its also important to remember that while a higher magnification eyepiece may provide more details, it may be harder to keep an object in view. To get the steadiest seeing in such cases, its important to use a motorized mount. Remember: a lower-power eyepiece makes it easier to find objects and keep them in view. Lower magnification eyepieces require less light, so viewing dimmer objects is easier. Refractor or Reflector Telescope:  Whats the Difference? The two most common types of telescopes available to amateurs are refractors and reflectors. A refractor uses two lenses. The larger of the two is at one end; its called the objective. On the other end is the lens the observer looks through, called the ocular or the eyepiece. A reflector gathers light at the bottom of the telescope using a concave mirror, called the primary. There are many ways the primary can focus the light, and how it is done determines the type of reflecting scope. Telescope Aperture Size Determines the View The aperture of a scope refers to the diameter of either the objective lens of a refractor or objective mirror of a reflector. The aperture size is the true key to the power of a telescope. Its ability to gather light is directly proportional to the size of its aperture and the more light a scope can gather, the better the image an observer will see. At this point, many beginners just think: I’ll just buy the biggest telescope I can afford. Unless they can afford to invest in their own observatory as well, they should probably not go too big when it comes to an instrument. A small scope that can be transported easily will probably get used a lot more than a larger one that takes some effort to haul around. Typically, 2.4-inch (60-mm) and 3.1-inch (80-mm) refractors and 4.5-inch (114-mm) and 6-inch (152-mm) reflectors are popular for most amateurs. Telescope Focal Ratio. The focal ratio of a telescope is calculated by dividing aperture size into its focal length. The focal length is measured from the main lens (or mirror) to where the light converges to focus. As an example, a scope with an aperture of 4.5 inches and focal length of 45 inches, will have a focal ratio of f/10. While a higher focal ratio does not always mean a higher quality image, it often means as good an image for similar cost. However, a higher focal ratio with the same size aperture means a longer scope, which can translate into a telescope someone has to wrestle with a bit more to get into a vehicle for transport to a viewing area.   Get a Good Telescope Mount is worth the money.   The mount for a scope is just as important as the tube and optics. Most people don’t think of that when they decide to buy a scope unless theyve done their homework. The mount is a stand that holds the telescope steady. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to view a distant object if the scope is not very steady and wobbles at the slightest touch (or worse, in the wind!). So, its important to invest in a good, solid telescope mount.   There are basically two types of mounts, altazimuth and equatorial. Altazimuth is similar to a camera tripod. It allows the telescope to move up and down (altitude) and back and forth (azimuth). The equatorial is designed to follow the movement of objects in the sky. Higher end equatorials come with a motor drive to follow the rotation of the Earth, keeping an object in the field of view longer. Many equatorial mounts come with small computers, which aim the scope automatically. Caveat Emptor, Even for a telescope. Yes, let the buyer beware. This is as true today as it ever has been in the past. It also applies to the purchase of a telescope. Just as with any other product, it is almost always true that you get what you pay for. A cheap department-store scope will almost certainly be a waste of money.   The truth is that most people do not need an expensive scope, and its better to buy the best one for the budget. However, its also important to avoid getting suckered in by cheap deals at stores that dont specialize in scopes.   Being a knowledgeable consumer is key. Read everything about scopes, both in telescope books and in articles online about what is really needed for stargazing. Go to astronomy club meetings and do a little parasitic viewing (of course, always ask permission), and ask for advice about telescopes. Most members love to give advice, and theres no better way to experiment with different models of instruments. Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Six common writing mistakes by first-time authors

Six common writing mistakes by first-time authors Six common writing mistakes by first-time authors, and how to fix them! Last updated: 07/10/2017Today, one oWhat other writing mistakes are authors prone to? And what is the best way to catch them? Let us know your thoughts, or any questions for Lourdes, in the comments below!

Information systems management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Information systems management - Assignment Example Assessment of the firm’s mission for information systems management The mission for the firm’s information systems management is to support the teaching and administrative purposes of the university in an efficient way. Olsen offers a criterion for assessing the mission based on the perspective of an effective mission statement. One of the author’s offered based for analysis is the mission’s point of focus and he argues that a good and effective mission focuses on meeting customers’ needs instead of an organization’s interest in its products. Even though the university’s information systems management is framed to focus on a product, teaching and administration, these leads to a conducive and quality learning that meets the needs and expectations of students and other stakeholders in the education sector. Empowering teaching and administration of learning processes also identifies competence intent of the mission statement and hence it s quality. The mission also focuses on teaching staff and motivates them through support to their scope of work. Further, the mission is clear and can be understood from its simple phrase is achievable, â€Å"specific, short, sharply focused, and memorable† (Olsen, 2011, p. 94). These standards therefore qualify the mission statement. Assessment of the firm’s goals Analysis of the university’s information systems management goals also identifies effectiveness of the set goals towards meeting the department’s objectives. Based on the SMART features criteria for good goals, the goals should be â€Å"specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time oriented† (Cassidy and Kreitner, 2009, p. 69). The organizations goals are being at the start of the art in course delivery at a distance, providing 24x7 reliability in WebTycho, Desire2Learn, PeopleSoft and other essential UMUC information systems, and conserving State and student (ie, tuition) resourc es in accomplishing the foregoing. The goals are simple to understand because of their precise scopes and can be quantified for evaluation of success. Being at the start of art is measurable from comparison with competing institutions while the conservation goal can be determined from resource utility and sustainability. Analysis of the goals also identifies attainability under resource availability, relevance of the academic scope of the institution, and can be achieved in a set period. They are therefore good goals for pursuit (Cassidy and Kreitner, 2009). Importance of information systems management in the firm Information systems management plays a major role in meeting informational needs of stakeholders, mainly students, administration, and teachers. As an academic institution, the university supports students and teachers through availing required academic resources in technology based forms such as online library and inform the administration of efficiency with which the sta keholders’ needs are met and of needs for improvement of services that relates to information system (Asemi, Safari and Zavareh, 2011). The department, in its management capacity, offers leadership and liaison roles, monitor and evaluates processes, facilitates informed decisions in the institution through collection, analysis and dissemination of data (Bagad, 2009).