Throughout My Lesson, I Tried To Use Math Vocabulary That

Throughout my lesson, I tried to use math vocabulary that would expand the students understanding. The use of math vocabulary can be defined as academic content language because it advancing the students understanding. In part 1 of my lesson at 3:08 into the video, I ask the students â€Å"does anyone have a strategy that could help us or that they want to see?†. This allows for me to the use the word strategy which is an example of academic content language. A second example of academic content language would be at around the same time, a student answers with the response of â€Å"6†. I say â€Å"that’s the answer, but what did you do to find your answer, and what are the coins worth†. Using the word â€Å"worth† allows for student so develop that math†¦show more content†¦Then I ask the students at 12:07 â€Å"do I have to draw a symbol in front of that 1?† Madison responses by saying â€Å"a period?† I say â€Å"a period g oes after the one and is followed by what? And the class replies â€Å"two zeros† Then I asked â€Å"yes but what comes before the 1?† Kaedon replies â€Å"an S with a cross sign† and then comes up and draws the $ symbol. I used these questions to teach my students a new concept instead of just giving them the answers. Students go to learn from their peers. In order to support literacy in my lesson, I had the students read the dollars to make sure they were using the correct dollar bills. I was teaching them that reading allows for use to not get confused or mixed up by the five dollar bills with the one dollar bill. In my part 2 video of my lesson around 10:21, the students are trying to get to $20.89. The group up front attempts by using ones which confuses them. I say â€Å"that’s two dollars† and one of the student response by saying â€Å"five dollar† because they have just read that off the five dollar bill. This allowed for them to de velop that literacy connection so that can use reading skills when they are confused. Response Required: Interacting with the Students Throughout my lesson, the students will asked to gather the correct amount of coins to get the correct amount of money. If their group can accomplish their goal, then they will receive a point. In order to monitor student learningShow MoreRelatedThe On Video Clip ( S )2073 Words   |  9 Pagesstated in the lesson plan(s), what occurred immediately prior to and after the video clip(s) that is important to know in order to understand and interpret the interactions between and among you and your students? Please provide any other information needed to interpret the events and interactions in the video clip(s). Prior to the start of my video segment, my students had just come back from P.E class. Most of them were tired and sweaty and were having a hard time focusing. I allowed studentsRead MoreWhy Should We Learn A New Language?1359 Words   |  6 Pagespleasure of it, happens to be two other respected arguments. 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John Kenneth Galbraith Written Profile - 827 Words

Jillian Baggao Marsha Economics John Kenneth Galbraith - Written Profile John Kenneth Galbraith known as the most influential economists in the 20th century who wrote many bestselling books regarding economics, but also wrote books about art history, memoirs and novels. Galbraith was born in Canada and moved to the United States in the 1930s. He earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics at the University of California in Berkeley One of his major bestselling economic books, â€Å"The Affluent Society† written in 1958 deconstructs, and conveys how World War II affected the private and public sector and presses on the unacceptable gap between them. Gallibrath examines many economic topics throughout â€Å"The Affluent Society† including production, consumption, inflation, social balance and introduces many new theories and ideas to audience in the past. Firstly, a key phrase John Galbraith uses frequently is â€Å"conventional wisdom† which is now used for a variety things (unrelated to economics), defined as a set of ideas familiar to all, widely accepted and is no longer relevant. Galbraith explains that the conventional wisdom is based on nineteenth century, outdated, economic conditions in regards to a time of poverty where the production of goods was necessary and therefore is not applicable to the 20th century economy in America. His approach guides us through changing conditions and identifies the need to change our ideas to accommodate new situations. For example, phrases suchShow MoreRelatedThe Simulation Project3665 Words   |  15 Pagesdifferent from the US legal system (Doing Business in Costa Rica: 2012 Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies, 2012). The ways the laws are written is how they are applied and there is little to no room left for interpretation by anyone regarding the laws. 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It does not cover the individual selections herein that first appeared elsewhere. ii Permission to reprint these has been obtained by Pearson Custom Publishing for thisRead MoreConflict Management and Emotional Intelligence63003 Words   |  253 Pagesof   concerning   parties   during   service   delivery.      In   the   delivery   of   customer   services,   different   management  strategies  should  be  applied  in  different  situations.      For  example,  a  low  profile   strategy   may   be   applied   in   the   case   of   some   aggravated   people   and   a   high   profile   strategy   may  be  applied  when  dealing  with  some  cooperative  people.      The  study  of  the  relationship   between  emotional  intelligence  and  conflict  management  strategies  can  generate  the  insight   Read MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 PagesStrategic Marketing Management Dedication This book is dedicated to the authors’ wives – Gillian and Rosie – and to Ben Gilligan for their support while it was being written. 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Peppercorn Dining & Contracting Process Sample Solution

Question: Discuss about the Managing Change for Peppercorn Dining, Contracting Process. Answer: Effectiveness of OD consultants data gathering In the particular case study on Peppercorn Dining, contracting process was conducted by Erica. Erica worked at Peppercorn Dining and knows inside operations of the particular restaurant. There are three consultants named as Roger, Lynn and Erica who has undertaken the project based upon personal relationship (Walshe and Smith 2011). Addition to that, these people have formed successful agreement in continuing with auditing operations at Peppercorn Restaurant. Successful contracting meeting takes place where consultants as well as clients reach in continuation of business operations at the end of the meeting. Consultants have entered as well as reached contract after auditing of Peppercorn Dining. On critical analysis, it is noticed that data gathering proves enough effectiveness with extreme quantity as well as quality of data by the consultants. Roger, Lynn and Erica make use of quantitative as well as qualitative methods of data collection (Vukotich 2011). It conducts interviews with students who eat at the Peppercorn Dining. It also includes employees as well as management in restaurant and representatives of the parent dining organization at the university. It uses various types of data collection techniques like quantitative techniques and qualitative techniques. It includes questionnaires, interviews as well as focus groups and observations for the same. It needs to use data collection method for reliability as well as consultants should use data for further analysis purpose (Valentine, Mathis and Jackson 2012). It requires looking at the time spent between first meetings with Drew. Consultants drew data collections as well as preparation of questionnaire for data colle ction. It takes information from the previous employee named as Erica. Consultants data gathering entails for collection of information based upon organizational characteristics. It includes feedback sessions as obtained from personal interviews as well as general observations as made in the facility (Truss, Mankin and Kelliher 2012). It requires deliberative efforts in examining organization records, policies as well as mission statement and regulations. It gains further insights for organizational structure units. Erica was the best consultant in carrying out interviews. She understands the nature of relationships with the employees. It was noticed high likelihood in findings for biased results. It was because of Erica former experience at the diner. Erica past experience in the restaurant proves hindrance in her ability. She needs to remain neutral for collection of data on objective form (Schermerhorn 2011). There were unstructured interviews because employees were asked various sets of questions. Consultants made effort in asking open ended questio ns as well as employees responses in gaining analytical significance. Data collection was therefore inefficient in nature. As far as entry and contracting process is concerned, it goes on smooth way. Drew expressed his concerns regarding performance of the diner as well as stating clear goals for the same. It helps in gaining increased productivity as well as improved employee morale at the same time. Erica was former employee at Peppercorn Dining Restaurant (Robbins 2011). This is the reason why she has some personal relationships with current employees at Peppercorn Dining Restaurant. It contributes with great deal at the ease as well as speed for negotiation on contract at Peppercorn Dining Restaurant. It includes identification of process for organization culture, informal practices as well as sources of power for the same. Erica was well-versed with the language. She has the ability to solve the problems in and within organization (Reifer 2011). Contacts was presented in the organization and outlines major consultants fees as well as proposed schedule of times and dates. It intends gathering informa tion from the facility managers in an overall manner. Concepts or models for analyzing data Analysis of Data Collection Data are collected by using SPSS tools. Data collected should be analyzed with the help of graphical analysis. It requires using of Excel as well as SPSS tools for analyzing process. Reply of the respondents needs conversion into codes and then entered in the SPSS or excel. It requires cross analysis for data collection analysis (Newton 2011). It uses different statistics for future analysis purpose. It compares averages, mean as well as standard deviation and ANOVA (Analysis of Variance). In case of data analysis, researchers need to select between statistical methods as well as application of desired results. A consultant gathers data by using quantitative as well as qualitative data in an overall manner. Situation at Peppercorn Dining Restaurant On critical analysis, it is noticed that Management of Peppercorn receives new dining facilities. It requires in showing good results in operations of the restaurant. It enables management in standing worth investment of university. It announces creation of new dining facility at Peppercorn Restaurant (Mondy and Mondy 2012). Designing Feedback Session Plan for Feedback meeting It includes planning for feedback meeting for compilation of results in designing of graphs. It delivers presentation as well as operational aspects of Peppercorn Dining Restaurant. Presenting the feedback It includes results of data collection method for presenting frequencies, mean as well as standard deviation. It requires explanation of aspects as provided by the consultants (Liu, Akram and Bouguettaya 2011). Outcomes from the meeting It is important to consider the fact that outcomes from the meetings continue operations with Peppercorn Restaurant. It requires continuation for serving consultants in the most appropriate way. It provides management with reliable information of Peppercorn Dining Restaurant on increased revenues for increasing quality standards in the near future (Lewis, Passmore and Cantore 2011). Super Star University Critically analyse change process in Arts faculty and faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Sciences at SSU Main Theories Leadership varies widely from managerial functions in varied ways. Leader is a well-rounded person. They focus on the interests of the shareholders as well as welfare of the community and employees. Leadership is an art for developing with the help of learning as well as constant interaction with parties. It involves personal desires for civilization purpose. Leadership is considered as crucial in nature in change management process as well as integration of various opinions in sides for supporting change in the near future. Most of the theories are presented in addressing the change process for emphasizing on human nature for taking care of the organization. It uses Kurt Lewin model for unfreezing, changing as well as refreezing in holding true in the world (Lewis, Passmore and Cantore 2011). It develops change model involved in three steps. It is simple as well as practical model in understanding of change process. It is the process that entails change for creation of perception fo r desired behavioural levels. In the unfreezing stage, it gets ready for change. It involves various point of understanding for necessary changes in current comfort zone. It is creation of situation for future analysis purpose. In the next stage, Kurt Lewin emphasizes on transition. It is considers as the inner movement as well as resistance to change at the same time. It is important for considering in form of training, coaching as well as expecting mistakes as process in the most appropriate way. It helps in developing role in own solutions and understanding work in an effective way. Support includes training, coaching as well as expecting mistakes at Super Star University. In third stage, Kurt Lewin explains refreezing stage (Finch 2012). It is all about establishing stability as well as making changes. Changes are accepted in making norms as well as regulations in the most appropriate way. People forms new relationships as well as becomes comfortable in daily lives. Leadership Style- Impact of leadership style in the change process influences the level of performance. It remains as one of the most consequential influencers for viewing at the employee performance at the same time (Finch 2011). It elucidates some leaders with best intentions in alignment with intension for the same. Leadership traits have the ability in inspiring, motivating as well as engaging the followers in the near future. It makes inspired visions as per normal capabilities in the most appropriate way. Change has frequent phenomenon in today reality world as well as good understanding on manager process for change. Translational change takes place from one state to another (Liu, Akram and Bouguettaya 2011). Gender Differences- This particular essay focuses on the case for Super Star University. It is one of the largest universities in Australia. It critically analyzes the change process, gender difference as well as leadership style in proper course of action (Dinsmore and Cabanis-Brewin 2011). Addition to that, it includes staff engagement and change intervention tools that occur at Arts faculty of Engineering, Architecture as well as Environmental Sciences at the same time. The main purpose of this assignment is to examine the major sources of resistance for change at Engineering, Architecture as well as Environmental Science. Change Intervention tools- It finds ways in overcoming faculty staff resistance for change process. It analyzes university case as well as comparison with gender differences as well as approach in both facilities. It overcomes with resistance of changes as well as facility staffs in an overall manner. It views at the gender differences as well as approach in both facilities for overcoming resistance to change (Dessler 2013). It changes faculty staffs as well as recommending appropriate approach for changed process in response with university strategic directions. It uses leading as well as managing change theories as well as tools for analyzing scholarly peered reviewed journals. Staff engagement- Super Star University needs to focus on staff engagement criteria for assessing rate of success in the near future. It involves professors and enhances transparent communication in the university. It requires extreme level of trust within the professors working at Super Star University (Dessler 2012). They should bring innovative ideas for change management process at Super Star University. Communication process- Super Star University should conduct effective communication process between professors and Senior Executive Dean. It should be two way communications whereby each member is liable in addressing some issues with proper justification at the same time. Major sources of resistance for changing at faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Sciences Changes mostly occurs losses at faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Sciences. It mainly revolves around unexpected changes, groups as well as employees at the time of turmoil. Changes take place due to variety of reasons like new staff roles well as increased or decreased funding (Creasey and Hyatt 2012). It ensures acquisition of new technology and new mission for reaching the new members as well as clients. It creates new opportunities and meets with criticism for resistance in change. Poor Communication Super Star University aims at bringing changes in the university as it faces problems with poor communication within the teachers. It requires passing along details to team members for understanding all questions as well as complaints for the same. It requires new of changes as well as hierarchical ways for skewed members in ending up received in an inaccurate terms. It ends up receiving second-hand information at Super Star University. Poor communication is main cause towards resistance to change (Cameron and Green 2012). It is necessary to view at the poor communication prevailing in Super Star University for attainment of goals and objectives at Super Star University. Self Interest It is important to consider the fact that ego interferes in viewing at the ability for changed process. It aims at maintaining status quo for advancement of own personal agendas at Super Star University (Byars and Rue 2011). Self-interest is another cause for resistance to change for the same. Feeling Excluded Super Star University needs soliciting advanced inputs as well as ensuring opportunities for voicing ideas and opinions. Professors mostly exclude themselves in the decision-making process at Super Star University (Bourne and Bourne 2012). Lack of Trust Trust is an important factor in running universities like Super Star University. Teachers as well as professors should feel comfortable in working in the university. It often leads to lack of trust between them for key decision makers. It is difficult for them to accept with new organization changes at the same time. It describes changes from some negative underlying reasons for assuming losing of jobs (Beerel 2012). Skills and Training Dearth Changes require essential mastering over new skills at Super Star University. It comes from undertaking new technologies at Super Star University. Super Star University prevents offering education as well as training at the same time. Approaching changes process and managing resistance to change As an Executive faculty Dean at Super Star University, it is recommended in bringing changes in the university for achieving success in the near future. It is advisable in bringing changes from the beginning of the project. Resistance is considered as the normal human reactions at time of bringing changes at Super Star University. It is important to understand the fact that change management acts as a tool for managing resistance. It needs active participation of professors and teachers working at Super Star University. Capturing as well as leveraging passion and positive emotions leads to change adaptability in an overall manner. It is advisable for utilizing structured change management at the time of project initiation in the most appropriate way. It needs commenting on the fraction of resistance as well as experienced faculty members and professors. Participants cite ways for bringing resistance to change in solid change management as well as principles. It is advisable in utiliz ing structured change management approach right from the project initiation. It should engage experienced professors for sponsoring the changes as and when required. It needs to recruit support from management including teachers as well as professors for change avocations. It requires communicating needs for change management as well as impact of employees for providing benefits of employees in the near future. Super Star University plans for changes for adapting surroundings. It needs enlisting of employees for bringing constant changes in the near future (Valentine, Mathis and Jackson 2012). Changes often threaten organizational culture at Super Star University. It describes the mission statement as well as core values of work environment in the most appropriate way. Professors need to gain sense of group identity as well as belonging from organizational culture at the same time. It needs to undertake professional as well as personal stakes in bringing changes. It helps managers in beginning with understanding resistance of change as far as possible. It is advisable to engage in managing professors for bringing prime change events. It trains managing with change and feedback evaluated for forward change in the near future. Communication is important for employees as well as full disclosure in security for bringing resistance to change. It is advisable to conduct strict laws as well as reg ulations so that people gets ready for abiding it as far as possible. Executive Dean should have influential personality at Super Star University. It will help in bringing changes in the most appropriate way (Truss, Mankin and Kelliher 2012). Dean should have helping and coordinating attitudes towards their staff members working at Super Star University. Reference List Beerel, A. (2012).Leadership and change management. Los Angeles: SAGE. Bourne, M. and Bourne, P. (2012).Successful change management in a week. London: Hodder Education. Byars, L. and Rue, L. (2011).Human resource management. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Cameron, E. and Green, M. (2012).Making sense of change management. London: Kogan Page. Creasey, T. and Hyatt, J. (2012).Best practices in change management -- 2012 edition. [Loveland, CO]: Prosci. Dessler, G. (2012).Human resource management. Dessler, G. (2013).Human resource management. Boston: Prentice Hall. Dinsmore, P. and Cabanis-Brewin, J. (2011).The AMA handbook of project management. New York: American Management Association. Finch, E. (2011).Facilities Change Management. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. Finch, E. (2012).Facilities change management. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Blackwell. Lewis, S., Passmore, J. and Cantore, S. (2011).Appreciative inquiry for change management. London: Kogan Page. Liu, X., Akram, S. and Bouguettaya, A. (2011).Change management for semantic web services. New York: Springer. Mondy, R. and Mondy, J. (2012).Human resource management. Boston: Prentice Hall. Newton, R. (2011).Financial Times briefing on change management. Harlow, England: Financial Times Prentice Hall Pearson. Reifer, D. (2011).Software change management. Redmond, Wash.: Microsoft Press. Robbins, S. (2011).Management. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Australia. Schermerhorn, J. (2011).Management. Milton, Qld.: John Wiley. Truss, C., Mankin, D. and Kelliher, C. (2012).Strategic human resource management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Valentine, S., Mathis, R. and Jackson, J. (2012).Human resource management. Vukotich, G. (2011).10 steps to successful change management. Alexandria, Va.: ASTD Press. Walshe, K. and Smith, J. (2011).Healthcare management. Maidenhead, Berkshire, England: McGraw Hill/Open University Press.

prohittibition Essay Example

prohittibition Essay The twenties are known to have been a decade of vast crime and racketeering, this is a directly due to the prohibition of alcohol.The passing of the of the 18th Amendment was supposed to mark the beginning of the new era.In this time period there would no longer be legal sales of alcoholic beverages in the United States.Through the passing of the 18th Amendment the US government hoped to make the entire country dry and in turn lower crime rates and make the American people happier.However the hopes of a dry United States were soon shattered by the likes of many of the key players in mass production of alcohol and leaders of illicit activities such as gambling and various other crimes that became acceptable.Suddenly criminals have found new and vastly acceptable ways to be rich leaders of organizations that mass-produced crimes in many ways, shapes, and forms. Thefirst crime bosses of the United States as a result of Prohibition did their work and based their organizations is Chicago .Some of these bosses included the likes of Michael Big Mike Cassins McDonald who is considered to be the founder of organized crime in Chicago.Most likely the most well know of all the crime bosses ever Al Capone and his chain of gangsters.Some others are James Big Jim Colosimo and Mont Tennes.Colosimo lead the best brothels on the South Side while Tennes ran a chain of gambling houses on the North Side. Thefirst true leader and founder of organized crime lived and did his business in Chicago, he went by the name of Michael Big Mike Cassins McDonald.He provided a model for thefirst nationwide system of Prohibition racketeering.Also he consolidated citywide gambling by seizing control of the national racing wires, a move that laid the ground works for Las Vegas and the expansion of organized crime throughout the nation. McDonald and his underlings continued to work in conjunction with politicians, police, and nu

Holocaust And Wiesel Essays - Satmar, Human Rights Abuses

Holocaust And Wiesel In early 1944 the town of Sighet, Transylvania was overran by the Nazi war regime as it rapidly expanded across Europe and parts of Asia. In this town a young religious man named Elie Wiesel was questioning the intent of the German army and the rumors that were circling about them. Although he had heard that the Germans were planning mass genocide of the Jewish race, the common feeling throughout the town was that Hitler could never exterminate every Jew. Early in Wiesel's Night, he recounts his experiences in the Holocaust and he expresses his undying faith and belief that god would never allow Hitler's regime to run its course. When the Nazi army finally reached the town of Signet, the Jews were forced from their homes and relocated into the town's gettos. It was the seventh day of Passover, and according to Wiesel, "the race towards death had begun."1 The Jews were slowly removed from the large getto of Sighet and shipped to the smaller, "holding" getto where they were separated according to sex, age, and physical ability, and prepared for shipment to Auschwitz. The day that Wiesel and his family were to be moved to the smaller getto of Signet, Wiesel demonstrates his faith in God by awaking early to perform his daily prayers. As he prepared to leave his home he said, "I looked at our house, where I had spent so many years in my search for God; in fasting in order to hasten the coming of the Messiah; in imagining what my life would be like. Yet I felt little sorrow."2 This passage is symbolic of his first parting with his faith in God. Yet he still believed in God, he was beginning to understand that a God should not let mass extermination happen to his people. While he was sub-consciencly loosing his faith in God, he still felt that there was strength in humanity and that human morals would never allow the burning of Jews. Upon Wiesel's arrival at Auschwitz he caught his first glimpse of the crematories he exclaimed to his father, "I [do] not believe that they can burn people in our age...humanity would never tolerate it."3 Yet after his father convinced him of the horrible truth his faith in god could never be restored. Wiesel's father, after fully realizing the full horror of the concentration camps, said a small prayer to God, and to this Elie reacted with utter defiance. "For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?"4 Although Wiesel still believed in the presence of God, he felt that in God's silence he was defying the Jews and their faith in him. How could someone you are so devoted to be absent in your greatest time of need? Wiesel said that he sympathized with Job, and I feel that the similarities between Wiesel and Job are numerous. Both were very religious men who put their faith before all other, and yet both found that their faith brought them nothing but suffering. Both felt that they deserved a more peaceful and humane existence because of their undying devotion, yet both lived in the cruelest situations for some time. Wiesel felt that man was stronger that god because throughout the Holocaust his fellow prisoners continued to praise God and believed that God allowed the Holocaust in order to benefit the Jews in some strange way. Wiesel felt that because of all the torture that the Jews were subjected to their continued praise proved that they were ignorant to the fact that God was not a source of supreme justice. Wiesel continued to despise God for the remainder of the Holocaust, yet from this new independence he found power. "I felt very strong. I was the accuser, God the accused...I was terribly alone in a world without god and without man."

Osmolarity and Osmolality in Chemistry

Osmolarity and Osmolality in Chemistry Osmolarity and osmolality are units of solute concentration that are often used in reference to biochemistry and body fluids. While any polar solvent could be used, these units are used almost exclusively for aqueous (water) solutions. Learn what osmolarity and osmolality are and how to express them. Osmoles Both osmolarity and osmolality are defined in terms of osmoles. An osmole is a unit of measurement that describes the number of moles of a compound that contribute to the osmotic pressure of a chemical solution. The osmole is related to osmosis and is used in reference to a solution where osmotic pressure is important, such as blood and urine. Osmolarity Osmolarity is defined as the number of osmoles of solute per liter (L) of a solution. It is expressed in terms of osmol/L or Osm/L. Osmolarity depends on the number of particles in a chemical solution, but not on the identity of those molecules or ions. Sample Osmolarity Calculations A 1 mol/L NaCl solution has an osmolarity of 2 osmol/L. A mole of NaCl dissociates fully in water to yield  two moles  of particles: Na  ions and Cl-  ions. Each mole of NaCl becomes two osmoles in solution. A 1 M solution of sodium sulfate, Na2SO4, dissociates into 2 sodium ions and 1 sulfate anion, so each mole of sodium sulfate becomes 3 osmoles in solution (3 Osm). To find the osmolarity of a 0.3% NaCl solution, you first calculate the molarity of the salt solution and then convert the molarity to osmolarity. Convert percent to molarity:0.03 % 3 grams / 100 ml 3 grams / 0.1 L 30 g/Lmolarity NaCl moles / liter (30 g/L) x (1 mol / molecular weight of NaCl) Look up the atomic weights of Na and Cl on the periodic table and add the together to get the molecular weight. Na is 22.99 g and Cl is 35.45 g, so the molecular weight of NaCl is 22.99 35.45, which is 58.44 grams per mole. Plugging this in: molarity of the 3% salt solution (30 g/L) / (58.44 g/mol)molarity 0.51 M You know there are 2 osmoles of NaCl per mole, so: osmolarity of 3% NaCl molarity x 2osmolarity 0.51 x 2osmolarity 1.03 Osm Osmolality Osmolality is defined as the number of osmoles of solute per kilogram of solvent. It is expressed in terms of osmol/kg or Osm/kg. When the solvent is water, osmolarity and osmolality may be nearly the same under ordinary conditions, since the approximate density of water is 1 g/ml or 1 kg/L. The value changes as the temperature changes (e.g., the density of water at 100 C is 0.9974 kg/L). When to Use Osmolarity vs Osmolality Osmolality is convenient to use because the amount of solvent remains constant, regardless of changes in temperature and pressure. While osmolarity is easy to calculate, its less difficult to determine because the volume of a solution changes according to temperature and pressure. Osmolarity is most commonly used when all measurements are made at a constant temperature and pressure. Note a 1 molar (M) solution will usually have a higher concentration of solute than a 1 molal solution because solute accounts for some of the space in the solution volume.

Wetlands of Arkansas Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wetlands of Arkansas - Research Paper Example State parks, location of the wetlands in the state, and conservation plans for the wetlands would also be discussed. The official website for state parks in Arkansas reveals a total of 52 which offer diverse recreational and outdoor facilities. From among those mentioned are: Cane Creek, Crater of Diamonds, Daisy, Devil’s Den, Jacksonport, Lake Charles, Lake Fort Smith, Mount Magazine, Ozark Folk Center, Petit Jean, Village Creak, White Oak Lake, and a host of other state parks (Arkansas State Parks, 2007). The wetlands in Arkansas are classified using the hydrogeomorphic (HGM) approach. This approach is described in detail, to wit: â€Å"is a procedure for assessing the capacity of an ecosystem to perform functions. It is designed to assess wetland and aquatic ecosystems, which are normally characterized in terms of their structural components and the processes that link these components. Structural components of the ecosystem and the surrounding landscape, such as plants, soils, hydrology, and animals, interact with a variety of physical, chemical, and biological processes. Understanding the interactions of the structural components of the ecosystem with surrounding landscape features is the basis for assessing ecosystem functions, and it is the foundation of the HGM Approach† (Brinson, 1995). Using the HGM Approach, the wetlands in Arkansas have five basis classes: depression, flats, fringe, slope and riverine. According to the Classification and Characterization of Wetlands of Arkansas (n.d., 5) â€Å"depressional wetlands occur in topographic low points where water accumulates and remains for extended periods†. There are three subclasses and seven community types under this classification. The discourse described slopes as occurring on â€Å"sloping land surfaces, where ground water discharge or shallow subsurface flow creates saturated conditions† (Classification,

Tactics and Strategies (for a business) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tactics and Strategies (for a business) - Essay Example Debts are an important strategy in providing financial support for the business. The use of equity should be substituted with debts which have a higher potential for financing the organization. Each of the shareholders needs to be aware of how they can generate value. The organization’s management should play the role of planning and incorporating decisions regarding finances and all the ventures that the organization undertakes, especially those involving cash flows in one way or another. It is important for the company to have wide-ranging customer strategies. These are significant in the improvement of customer value. It is important for the management to be capable of evaluating strategies involving customers, especially regarding the operating environment. Working with other companies in order to establish their manner of operation as well as the way they relate with customers is important in understanding how to create customer value. The organization should focus on all aspects of its operations especially regarding the manner through which customers’ opinions reach the management, as well as the manner through which customers receive response to their enquiries from the management. Understanding what competing companies are offering can help the organization to make a comparison in regard to customer satisfaction. After the management establishes whether the customers are satisfied, it is important to link this satisfaction to the company objectives in order to establish if they have been satisfied. Investing in research and development is important in ensuring that the organization is capable of branding and satisfying customers in general. Such strategies are important in the enhancement of value within the organization. Information technology is essential to any business that operates in the modern

Practical Sports Coaching Essay Example for Free

Practical Sports Coaching Essay Introduction In this assignment I am going to identify, describe and analyse some of the main techniques of a successful coach, while considering how they could be used in both individual and team sports. Purpose of coaching Coaching is helping to develop a person through the improvement of their athletic performance. It involves the physical and psychological development of the person to take them beyond their present level. Successful coaching To be a successful coach you have to take some of the following into account: * Planning and organisation If you want to get the best from a coaching session it is essential that you are well organised. Before starting coaching, a session plan should be made out. This allows us to run a session in a professional and organised manner. The session plan should get progressively more difficult, not suddenly jump from relatively simple to hard with no stages in between. * Communication When coaching it should be remembered that younger children would require a lot more help and advice than older athletes will. So when coaching we should adjust are techniques accordingly to make sure whoever we are coaching understands clearly what they have to do. * Monitoring and evaluating Performance of the athletes should be well monitored throughout all sessions, this way a coach can adjust his/ her session according to performance. It is important to keep progression at a tempo suitable to all the athletes in the group so nobody gets left behind and so everybody understands all the drills they do, so when putting it into a competitive situation they understand what to do. * Analysing and problem solving During training a coach should not only analyse the group as a whole, but individuals. Some individuals will be able to perform drills more quickly than others. It is important that you make sure that the weaker individuals are given a bit of extra help. * Tactics A coach will need to make sure that athletes use the skills they have developed at the right time. This will involve coaches creating role-play situations in training and letting athletes decide how best to handle the situation. * Sports science As well as all this a coach must be aware of the role of sport science, many of the things associated with sport science are applicable to coaching. * Health and safety A coach must ensure that they have taken every precaution possible to prevent an athlete suffering an injury. Psychological techniques Successful coaches have to have a good Psychological side to the game so that they no what is required and what they have to face in the future. They also have to not buckle under pressure and always be strong for the players and the team. If a player sees that their coach is finding it difficult, then they no that they are not doing the right job and their confidence level drops. A successful coach has to always try to take something good out of a game so that they can build on places were they went wrong and try and fix them. If they find something good in the game then the players confidence level gradually builds and they start to play better. They have to get the players into good habits and a routine for training. They have to have a good idea of what routine they are going to take the players for and be able to plan a good training programme. A successful coach also has to develop a mental toughness. They have to teach the players to work and play as part of a team and not to play for themselves. They have to be able to interact in a competitive environment. The coach must always bear in mind that sport is an area of life that people enter into in order to have fun and enjoy themselves. The coach must prepare teams and individuals to maximise their chances of winning, but they must not lose sight of the pleasure that sport can bring. This development of skills must always be practised in a safe environment and ensure the safety of participants and the coach. Physical techniques A successful coach has to try to kept the physical level of all of the players to a high standard so that then are able to last the full game. If they are not used to training very much and they go and play a full game then their muscles become over used because the body can not cope with the pressure that is being put upon it and it results in an injury. If the coach gets the players into a routine of training, then the players improve on places were they are lacking and try to improve their performance on the pitch and please the coach. It then relates back to the mental side because if the performance of the players is good and the players are happy then the coach is happy. Coaches have to aim to improve speed, strength, flexibility and endurance. To minimise the chances of any player getting injured, the coach has to strengthen and develop techniques to unable this to occur. They have to get the players into good habits and a routine for training. They have to have a good idea of what routine they are going to take the players for and be able to plan a good training programme. Personal skills of a coach There are many different styles of coaching, and most coaches nowadays have there own views on how things should be done. These are many different personalities and styles throughout the world. However the very best coaches always seem to have at least five things in common. * A professional approach Modern coaches are now paying more attention to the small things that make all the difference. They also know that they have to conduct themselves in professional and appropriate manner, and always act in the best interests of the club or team. * They are good role models Coaches must set a standard, which their athletes should aspire to. Their personal habits must be good and should be the example setter at the club. If athletes see that there coach is arriving late then they will consider this to be acceptable and do the same themselves. * Knowledge of the sport they are coaching A coach needs to have a thorough understanding of the rules, techniques and tactical requirements of their chosen sport. This will make them a good role model for their players because if a coach is aware of all this it will be passed onto the athletes. It also shows that they will be able to understand the skills and will teach and evaluate the correctly. * Motivational skills Coaches must be able to keep their athletes motivated if they want them perform at the highest level they possibly can. If a coach can keep them motivated it means players are more likely to recognise their full potential. * Communication skills This includes not only what we say, but what we do as well. Coaches have to consider their body language as well as their verbal communication in creating the right type of atmosphere. Issues to be considered when coaching Coaches are in a position of responsibility to make sure nobody suffers injury so it is important that coaches understand the responsibility of what they are doing. They have a duty of care to everyone they coach. There are 10 legal duties a coach should fulfil: 1. Plan the session thoroughly 2. Ensure method of coaching is safe and correct 3. Ensure the environment is safe 4. Provide good, up to date equipment 5. Check all equipment is working before use 6. Make sure nobody is suffering from an injury before starting 7. Make sure athletes are adequately prepared and warmed up properly 8. Make sure athletes know the risks and how to minimise these 9. Once started make sure you supervise the session carefully 10. Be prepared for an emergency situation, and be able to provide emergency assistance. Insurance It may seem strange that insurance is considered important in effective coaching, but it is essential. Coaching should never be undertaken unless you know the proper insurance is in place. However insurance is complex so just having insurance is just not enough. You need to know the following things about the insurance: 1. What activities are covered? 2. Where am I covered to coach? 3. What events are covered? 4. How much loss am I insured for? 5. What equipment and property are covered? 6. Are there any special conditions that are excluded? 7. What should I do in the event of a claim? Child protection When coaching children it is essential that they be protected. Coaches are placed in a position of trust by parents, and these parents, and these parents have a right to know that a coach will not abuse his position. To be a good coach you must be responsible for the childrens welfare. Sports organisations are aware that some shady people will use sport as a means to get access to children an abuse them in one way or another. Some positive steps have been taken to make sure children are safe: 1. In January 2001, a child protection in sport unit (CPSU) was set up. This is based at the training centre of the NSPCC and is funded by the training staff. 2. There are now laws that require that organisations have child protection procedures in place and that is supported by training their staff. 3. The Criminal Records Bureau now provides information about the suitability of a person to work with children 4. Sport England requires evidence that child protection procedures are in place before any sport can take place. Enjoyment For a coach to really successful they really have to enjoy what they are doing, they need to share the athletes dreams and help them achieve it. A coach will then be able to share in the success their athletes achieve. If a coach doesnt enjoy what they are doing then there is really no point because athletes wont gain anything from a coach who isnt interested. Practical sports coaching Task 2 Feedback After taking the Millburn primary school children for a 15 minute warm up session before there soccer coaching I have decided to analyse my performance. When I first took control of the group they were loud and full of energy. I managed to get the group under control, which was very important to make sure no injuries occurred and the session stayed organised. I did a warm up drill which involved each child having a football, although this was a sport specific warm-up it was hard to maintain control. Some of the children were more capable of keeping the ball at their feet than others and this inevitably led to balls going astray. When I noticed this I got the group to stop and talk them through the drill again, this time getting them to walk through it an keep ball closer to them. Within the group we had a couple of quite talented boys who were keen to show the fact they were better than the rest and kept running with the ball, it was hard to instruct the other kids who were not so talented because concentrated too much on getting the others to slow down. Before the end of the session the children started to get bored and admittedly I did myself. I tried to introduce a different drill to try capturing the attention of the children again. This attempt failed badly, because I had not organised anything and then lost control until instructor took over and ended the session. Overall I dont think it was a bad first attempt, with more confidence and better organisation it could have been better. I have also added my session plan for the warm up drill on next page. Coaching session plan Venue: Coleraine leisure centre Date of session: 04-12-04 Time 10:30 Duration: 15 mins Name of group: Millburn P.S Number of participants: 15 Equipment needed: 15 balls, cones, whistle. Warm up 15 minutes 1. Stop the ball 2. Sit on the ball 3. Double touch 4. Knee to ball 5. Change direction Give each child a ball and tell them to use whole area. Tell them what each of the commands are and issue them while they are running round hall with ball at their feet. . Summary: keep control of group and make sure the pacing is correct to avoid loss of control. Record all injuries no matter how minor. Practical sports coaching Task 3 Introduction For this assignment I have to analyse two performers, describe and explain what techniques and equipment could be used to improve their performance. For this assignment I have chosen to base my two performers on and 8-year-old girl and a 15-year-old Down syndrome child. For the 8 year old girl some of the equipment that might be required to help them get a feel for the game. You might use a lighter football and smaller football because it would be easier to pass the ball with a smaller and lighter ball. You might even make the ball pink to attract their attention better. If you use a lighter ball then it is easier for them to header it instead of throwing a hard ball for them to header because it will put them of playing football. You might play indoors because it help the ball move at a faster pace than if you were outside on the grass. When playing indoors bring the players closer to each other when passing the ball because then you make sure the ball reaches the other person and the ball doesnt go all over the place and interrupt the other participants. For a 15-year-old Down syndrome child some of the equipment that might be used are, a bigger ball and play indoors. It would be better to play them indoors because it is a more compacted and relaxed space. You would be better to use a bigger ball like a beach ball for them to use. It would be better for them to use the bigger ball because they have bad co-ordination and bad balance and using a smaller ball would give them a better advantage of hitting the ball. You would also use a beach ball because it doesnt bounce as much and that means it would be easier for them to control it.

Halfords business analysis | Free essay | Management essays

Halfords business analysis | Free essay | Management essays Introduction Halfords is the UKs leading retailer, on the basis of turnover, in each of the key product markets in which it operates, being, car maintenance, car enhancement and leisure (including cycles and cycle accessories and roof boxes etc. Founded as a local hardware store in Birmingham in1892by F W Rushbrooke, Halfords has since grown to establish its position as the leading retailer of car parts, car enhancement, cycles and travel solutions in the UK. In this report the value of the company is evaluated on the basis of its current statutory accounts. In this report the alternative sources of finance available for the company are also discussed. The areas of corporate risk when raising finance, paying particular attention to funds available to the company are also discussed. Business valuation: A formal assessment of the value of a business using pre-determined and generally agreed upon formulas. Theres a range of ways to value a business. Valuations based on multiples of future earnings and the capitalisations of future cashflows are the most common. There are a number of common valuation methods: Asset based business valuation methods total up all the investments in the business. Asset-based business valuations can be done on a going concern or on a liquidation basis. Agoing concern asset-based approachdetermines the business net balance sheet value of its assets and subtracts the value of its liabilities. Aliquidation asset-based approachrepresents the net cash that would be received if all assets were sold and liabilities paid off. Earning value approaches Earning value business valuation methods are predicated on the idea that a businesss true value lies in its ability to produce wealth in the future. The most common earning value approach is about Capitalizing Past Earning. With this approach, a valuator determines an expected level of cash flow for the company using a companys record of past earnings, normalizes them for unusual revenue or expenses, and multiplies the expected normalized cash flows by a capitalization factor. The capitalization factor is a reflection of what rate of return a reasonable purchaser would expect on the investment, as well as a measure of the risk that the expected earnings will not be achieved. Discounted Future Earningsis another earning value approach to business valuation where instead of an average of past earnings, an average of the trend of predicted future earnings is used and divided by the capitalization factor. Market value approaches Market value approaches to business valuation attempt to establish the value of the business by comparing the business to similar businesses that have recently sold. Obviously, this method is only going to work well if there are a sufficient number of similar businesses to compare. Valuation of Halfords Using the Market Value approach: In the report the Halfords Company is going to be evaluated using the market value approach. Valuation Multiple A value, typically expressed as a factor, used to multiply a business economic benefit to arrive at the business value. Market-derived business valuation multiples Valuation multiplesderived from similar business sales are often used to estimate the likely selling price of a business. These multiples are calculated as ratios which relate some measure of business financial performance to its potential selling price. The most popularmultiplesare: Currant finance structure: Treasury policy The Groups Treasury Policy is structured to ensure that adequate financial resources are available for the development of its business whilst managing its currency, interest rate and counterparty credit risks. The Groups treasury strategy, policy and controls are approved by the Board. The main elements of treasury activity and associated risk are outlined below: Funding The treasury function arranges sufficient secure financial resources to enable the Group to meet its medium-term business objectives, whilst arranging facility maturities appropriate to its projected needs. The Group has a syndicated five-year term facility, maturing with a bullet repayment in July 2011, totalling  £300m of committed bank facilities, comprising a non-amortising term loan of  £180m and a revolving credit facility of  £120m, which, together with cash surpluses, provide adequate funding for the Groups operations. Counterparty credit risk The Group actively manages its relationships with a panel of high quality financial institutions. Credit risk is controlled by the treasury function setting counterparty credit limits by reference to published rating agency credit ratings and the Corporate Default Swap market. All such counterparties, which constitute the syndicated bank group, held at least an A credit rating at the time of the facility agreement. The Treasury Policy recognises that an exposure to a counterparty arises in relation to investments, derivatives and financial instruments. The Groups treasury departments main responsibilities are to: Ensure adequate funding and liquidity for the Group; Manage the interest risk of the Groups debt; Invest surplus cash; Manage the clearing bank operations of the Group; and Manage the foreign exchange risk on its non-sterling cash flows. The Groups debt management policy is to provide an appropriate level of funding to finance the Business Plan over the medium term at a competitive cost and ensure flexibility to meet the changing needs of the Group. The Group has a syndicated five-year term facility totalling  £300m that provides the Group with committed bank facilities until July 2011. The key risks that the Group faces from a treasury perspective are as follows: Financial risk The Business Plan and cash flow forecasts are subject to key assumptions such as interest rates and the significance of these risks is dependent upon the level of earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation and the strength of the balance sheet. Interest rate risk The Groups policy aims to manage the interest cost of the Group within the constraints of the Business Plan and its financial covenants. The Groups borrowings are currently subject to floating rate and the Group will continue to monitor movements in the swap market. Foreign currency risk The Group has a significant transaction exposure with increasing, direct source purchases of its supplies from the Far East, with most of the trade being in US dollars. The Groups policy is to manage the foreign exchange transaction exposures of the business to ensure the actual costs do not exceed the budget costs by 10% (excluding increases in the base cost of the product). The Group does not hedge either economic exposure or the translation exposure arising from the profits, assets and liabilities of non-sterling businesses whilst they remain immaterial. During the 53 weeks to 3 April 2009, the foreign exchange management policy was to hedge between 75% and 80% of the material foreign exchange transaction exposures on a rolling 15-18 month basis. Hedging is performed through the use of foreign currency bank accounts, spot rates and forward foreign exchange contracts. Credit risk The Groups policy is to minimise the risk that foreign exchange and interest rate derivative counterparties, the holders of surplus cash and the providers of debt will be unable to fulfil their obligations and also, in the case of lenders, unwilling to extend the loan facilities when they expire. The Group ensured that such counterparties used for credit transactions held at least an A credit rating at the time of syndication (July 2006). Ancillary business, in the main, is directed to the eight banks within the syndicated group. The Treasurer is responsible for determining creditworthiness of each counterparty, based on the overall financial strength of the counterparty. The counterparty credit risk is reviewed in the Treasury report, which is forwarded to the Treasury Committee and the Treasurer reviews credit exposure on a daily basis. Conclusion: Depending on the financial data provided by the Halfords Company the current financial stability of the company is successfully analyzed. References Annual report: Halfords PLC http://www.halfordscompany.com/hal/ir/fininfo/reports/ http://www.valuadder.com/glossary/valuation-multiplier.html http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/costofcapital.asp http://www.lse.co.uk/shareprice.asp?shareprice=THTshare=thorntons_plc_ord_10p

Introduction to Computers by Peter Norton 6e

Seeing, Hearing, and Printing Data 1. This type of monitor is common on desktop computers. It looks much like a standard television. A) cathode-ray tube B) flat-panel C) monochrome D) projector 2. Monitors use various intensities of __________ colors to generate the rainbow. A) 16 B) 16 million C) three D) four 3. The __________ helps to align the electron guns. A) pixel B) shadow mask C) resolution D) refresh 4. LCD monitors often have a smaller __________ than CRT monitors. A) refresh rate B) viewing angle C) color depth D) price 5. The __________ monitor is similar to the LCD monitor, but has a phosphorescent film between the layers.A) Electro luminescent displays (ELD) B) Plasma displays C) Paper-white displays D) thin-film transistor 6. This specification of a monitor describes the usable portion of the screen. A) refresh rate B) resolution C) dot-pitch D) viewable area 7. To minimize eyestrain, you should adjust your monitor to a __________ degree angle. A) 5 B) 10 C) 15 D) 90 8. Newer projectors utilize __________ to achieve clearer and brighter images. A) mirrors B) thin-film transistors C) digital light processing D) cathode ray tubes 9. The most complicated part of your computer’s sound system is the __________.A) speaker B) microphone C) headset D) sound card 10. The __________ contains speakers and a microphone on a headband. A) speaker B) microphone C) headset D) sound card 1. Dot matrix and band printers are __________ printers. A) laser B) impact C) ink jet D) thermal 2. Which of the following measures the speed of dot-matrix printers? A) ppm B) dpi C) cps D) lpm 3. Printers use __________ colors to generate the rainbow. A) 3 B) 4 C) 8 D) 16 4. In a laser printer, the __________ transfers the image to the paper. A) laser B) roller C) toner D) drum 5. Home offices often purchase __________ to solve printing and scanning needs.A) all-in-one peripherals B) photocopiers C) ink-jet printers D) scanners 6. For a home user that has casual printin g needs, the __________ specification is the most important specification of a printer. A) speed B) cost of use C) resolution D) paper size 7. The __________ printers are used to produce low-cost posters and handouts. A) dye-sublimation B) thermal-wax C) laser D) ink jet 8. The __________ printer use temperature variations to achieve different colors. A) dye-sublimation B) thermal-wax C) laser D) ink jet 9. The __________ printer sprays ink onto the page. A) laser B) dot-matrix C) non-inpact D) ink jet 10.An organization that needs to produce hundreds or thousands of pages a day, the __________ is the most logical choice. A) dot-matrix B) laser C) ink jet D) thermal-wax Processing Data 1. Chips are made up of millions of tiny __________ or switches. A) etches B) transistors C) charges D) electrons 2. Computers use the __________ number system to store data and perform calculations. A) decimal B) hexadecimal C) binary D) octal 3. There are __________ bits in one byte. A) 4 B) 8 C) 16 D) 32 4. The text code originally used in personal computers. A) EBCDIC B) Extended ASCII C) Unicode D) ASCII 5.The __________ performs simple math for the CPU. A) ALU B) DIMM C) BUS D) register 6. A(n) __________ is one instruction from a program. A) task B) process C) thread D) assignment 7. The __________ is the electronic pathway between components in the computer. A) B) C) D) CPU bus RAM register 8. A modern desktop computer will likely use __________ chips to store RAM. A) SO-DIMM B) SIMM C) DIPP D) DIMM 9. The __________ controls how often the computer executes a task. A) CPU B) bus C) clock D) RAM 10. The __________ bus is used to connect Macintosh keyboards and mouse. A) USB B) Firewire C) SCSI D) ISA 1.The Intel __________ is primarily designed for servers. A) Pentium III B) Itanium C) Celeron D) Centrino 2. This company historically made chips for Macintosh computers. A) Intel B) AMD C) Freescale D) Seagate 3. The newest processor for Macintosh computers is the 64-bit __ ________. A) G5 B) Pentium IV C) Athlon FX 64 D) PowerPC 4. Which of the following specification has little effect on the speed of a processor? A) cache B) system bus speed C) clock speed D) socket type 5. Multiple processor systems that are required to have an even number of processors are said to be __________ multiple processors.A) symmetric B) even C) balanced D) distributed 6. The UART chip controls the __________ port on the computer. A) parallel B) serial C) USB D) Ethernet 7. To add an internal card to a computer, it must have an open __________. A) expansion slot B) bay C) bus D) USB port 8. The __________ interface transmits one bit at a time. A) parallel B) SCSI C) serial D) FireWire 9. Most likely the color of the port your monitor is attached to is __________. A) green B) purple C) red D) blue 10. The SCSI bus connects devices using a __________ cable interface. A) plug-n-play B) daisy chain C) un-terminated D) internal

Succubus Revealed Chapter 17

In spite of my sorrow over Seth, I was still ready for a storm. It hadn't really registered at the time, but when I woke up on New Year's Day with a wine-induced headache, I accepted the startling truth: I was challenging Hell. Who did that? No one, that's who. My friends had hinted as much, and I certainly had plenty of myths and pop culture to enlighten me about the futile human dream of thwarting Hell's will. I had my own experience to go on too. I'd signed away my soul for all eternity. There wasn't much wiggle room with that. And yet, in spite of all the things I'd seen and all the people Hell had crushed, here I was, daring to say Hell had no claim on either my soul or Seth's. I expected to hear about it immediately. I expected a huge uproar, perhaps in the form of Jerome showing up in my condo in all his brimstone glory, threatening me for my impertinence. At the very least, I expected a letter of acknowledgment from Hell, something along the lines of, Thank you very much for your inquiry. We will respond to you within 4?C6 weeks. Nothing. New Year's Day passed quietly. So did the next. I continued my pattern of packing and making Las Vegas preparations, all the while holding my breath for The Next Big Thing. I thought something would surely happen a week later, when the long-awaited bowling tournament came around. Jerome and Nanette had flipped for it, and he'd won, meaning we got to hold the match here in Seattle. It saved us from making a trip to Portland, but for the sake of fairness, Nanette got to pick the bowling alley. Rather than our dive at Burt's, she chose a more upscale place, not far from the mall I'd worked at. I hadn't seen Jerome since I'd filed the petition and was ready now to face his wrath. I didn't know if Nanette's lesser immortals would know about the request, but I felt certain she would by now. She and Jerome might be rivals of sorts, but at the end of the day, they were both committed to Hell winning. I was trying to thwart that and wouldn't have been surprised to find her sharing in Jerome's outrage. â€Å"Good luck,† Roman told me, as I prepared to leave the condo. â€Å"Remember to watch your footing.† I sighed. â€Å"I wish you were coming with me.† He offered me a small smile. â€Å"Me too. All that work, and I won't even get to see my students' final exam.† Roman could hide his nephilim signature from greater immortals, but considering the way his kind were hunted, we'd decided it would be best if he steered clear of Nanette while she was in town. Jerome's agreement to let Roman stay was both highly unusual and dangerous. If another archdemon discovered the truth, both Roman and Jerome would be in a lot of trouble. â€Å"I'm afraid of what I'll face from Jerome,† I said. â€Å"Don't be.† Roman came forward and rested his hand on my shoulder. â€Å"You're not doing anything wrong. They did. You're strong, Georgina. Stronger than them, stronger than Hell.† I leaned my head against him. â€Å"Why are you so nice to me?† â€Å"Because Carter's not your only fan.† When I looked back up, I saw Roman's green eyes were deadly serious. â€Å"You're a remarkable woman, just by your own nature. Smart. Funny. Compassionate. But what's really great is that you're so easy to underestimate. I did when we first met, you know. And Hell is now. No matter what their reaction to your appeal is, I guarantee most of them doubt you have a chance. You're going to prove them wrong. You're going to break the unbreakable. And I'll be there helping you, as much as I can.† â€Å"You've done enough,† I told him. â€Å"More than enough. More than I could have ever asked. Now you get to sit back and let me do . . . well, whatever I have to do now.† â€Å"Georgina, there's something you need to know. . . .† His face grew troubled. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Oh God. You haven't heard something from Jerome that I haven't, have you?† â€Å"I – † He bit his lip as he paused, then shook his head. His features smoothed out. â€Å"Forget it. I'm just going to worry you over nothing. You focus on bowling tonight, okay? Show those Portlandians that . . . fuck, I don't know. That you're a force to be reckoned with in the bowling alley.† I laughed and gave him a quick hug. â€Å"I'll see what I can do. How about we talk when I get back, okay? We'll grab a drink.† I knew there was something big here he wasn't telling me, no matter how easily he'd tried to brush it off. â€Å"I'd like that. Good luck.† When I arrived at the bowling alley, Peter nearly sank in relief when he saw me. I think he'd been afraid I'd show up without my Unholy Rollers shirt. Through whatever means Hell possessed, all the other patrons in the alley were playing on one side. The other half was empty, save for two lanes occupied by my colleagues. I was the last to arrive and approached with trepidation, unsure of my welcome. Jerome was sprawled comfortably in a chair, and while it was in better shape than the ones at Burt's, I'm not really sure it deserved the thronelike airs he was putting on. Nanette sat across from him, looking equally regal. Her pale blond hair was rolled into an elegant coif, giving her kind of a Grace Kelly look. Her dress was a pale blue shift with a fuzzy gray cardigan over it, the innocence of the look clashing with the unnecessary vampish sunglasses she was wearing. â€Å"Ah, Georgie,† said Jerome. â€Å"Right on time and in team colors.† He favored Nanette with a lazy smile. â€Å"Ready for some humility?† â€Å"Yours?† she asked him. â€Å"Always.† Neither gave me much more attention than was due for the last person to fill a team spot. No mention of the contract, no mention of my petition. Glancing around and taking in the full roster here, I saw that Mei had also come to watch the spectacle. The demoness was dressed in corporate black, matching her bluntly cut black hair and heavy eyeliner. Only her red lips provided color to the palette. She most certainly knew about my situation, but like her superiors, she barely glanced my way. Carter was there, which I had not expected. Nanette and her cronies were clearly uneasy about this. Although all greater immortals, be they angels or demons, shared a certain world weariness with immortality and the Great Game, few were able to bond over it so well as Carter and Jerome. Their relationship was unique, and Nanette clearly felt no camaraderie with the angel. Whereas I received little of her attention simply because I was an underling, Carter she ignored as though he didn't even exist. He gave me a small smile as I sat down, his gray eyes full of amusement. He was sitting with my friends, perfectly at ease, while Nanette's bowling team regarded him warily. I hoped maybe his presence would throw off their game. There were four of them, just like us, though they'd actually drafted Nanette's lieutenant demon, Malachi, to play for them. Rounding them out were a succubus named Tiara, an imp named Roger, and a vampire named V. â€Å"What's the V stand for?† I asked. He just stared at me, face blank. They were an impressive-looking bunch, with deep red bowling shirts and sparkling black embroidery that read DEVIL MAY CARE on the back. â€Å"That's not even a real team name,† Peter whispered to me disapprovingly. â€Å"And those sparkles are just tacky.† Like ours, their shirts were standard button-ups with their names on the front. Only Malachi's was different, with a small designation declaring him Captain. I guess he needed to make sure his status was asserted over that of the lesser immortals. There was something lean and sinister about them, and in our baby blues, I felt downright cute and cuddly. A waitress came by with drinks, and once Jerome had a glass of scotch in hand, he deemed proceedings fit to start. There was a part of me that wouldn't have minded a gimlet or two, but I didn't think alcohol was the best call just now. It had nothing to do with team solidarity or messing up my game. When surrounded by unknown and possibly untrustworthy immortals, it was always a good idea to keep your wits about you. And when you were possibly on Hell's radar for dissension, it was an excellent idea. In my usual lucky way, I ended up having to go first. With all my worries about Seth and the contracts, my mind wasn't exactly focused on all of Roman's good instructions, but I nonetheless did my best to recall his training. I ended up hitting seven and then two pins. Not the greatest, but certainly not the worst. My teammates cheered me voraciously, both because Peter had sent us all a lengthy e-mail earlier in the day about â€Å"pep† and because with our track record, nine wasn't that bad. Tiara went after me, and as she retrieved her ball, Cody whispered to me how she'd gotten in a fight with management earlier because she'd wanted to wear stilettos on the lanes. She'd apparently conceded to wear proper bowling shoes in the end, but unless there'd been a significant trend change in the industry, she'd ended up using her shape-shifting powers to make the shoes more to her liking. They were gold and encrusted with jewels. Yet those weren't the worst part of her attire. That came in the form of her Devil May Care shirt, which I was pretty sure had shrunk about three sizes since I arrived. The buttons that were still actually fastened looked like they were about to burst. I winced as all that cleavage walked past me, and I wanted to cover my eyes when she reached the lane and bent over unnecessarily far, in order to give everyone a solid view of her ass. Her jeans were nearly as tight as the shirt. â€Å"That is not a regulation stance,† declared Peter. He studied her critically for a few moments. â€Å"I believe she's trying to distract us.† I scoffed. â€Å"Oh, you think?† â€Å"Hey!† Peter elbowed Cody and Hugh who – judging by their gaping mouths – were not catching on to Tiara's ruse as easily as the rest of us. â€Å"Focus. Remember what you're playing for: Jerome's good will.† â€Å"Nothing wrong with looking,† said Hugh. â€Å"Besides, there's no way she can hit anything with that – â€Å" His words cut off as Tiara threw. Her ball blasted into the pins and knocked all ten over. With a little smirk and a lot of hip swaying, she strutted back proudly to her seat. â€Å"Shit,† said Hugh. â€Å"Ready to focus yet?† asked Peter. The imp shook his head, still in awe. â€Å"I don't think it's going to matter, not if they all bowl like that.† â€Å"They can't all bowl like that,† countered Cody. But he didn't sound so sure. Noticing our consternation, Tiara favored us all with a glossy-lipped smile. â€Å"We can call it quits right now if you want. We can go back to my hotel and have a party.† She tossed her highlighted curls over one shoulder, and her gaze rested on me. â€Å"I can also give you some styling advice if you want.† â€Å"Oh my God,† I muttered. â€Å"This is why I hate other succubi.† I could almost give Hell credit for finding me the only appealing one in Vegas, even if it had been part of a more elaborate scheme. Tiara soon became the least of our worries as her teammates took their turns. Strikes and spares all around, quickly surpassing our mix of erratic spares and . . . whatever it was Peter threw. As we moved further into the game, I glanced over at Jerome and saw that his smile had vanished, as had his cocky good mood. At least I could feel confident it had nothing to do with my contract. V proved to be the most startling of the bowlers. Whenever his turn came, he walked up unhesitatingly, didn't even pause or aim, and threw strikes every time. Every time. He also never spoke a single world. â€Å"How is he doing that?† exclaimed Cody. He glanced at Carter, who was watching everything with quiet amusement. â€Å"Is he using some kind of power?† â€Å"No illicit ones,† said Carter. â€Å"Just his own God-given . . . er, Hell-given abilities.† I hadn't really been worried about the other team cheating or Nanette helping them. I knew Jerome would keep her in check, and Carter's angelic presence was kind of a safeguard against dishonest activity. But his words struck something within me. â€Å"Of course,† I murmured. â€Å"He's just using what he's got: enhanced reflexes and senses. He's a vampire. He's physically better at everything.† No wonder it didn't seem like he needed to aim. He probably was; he was just doing it really, really fast. I turned to Cody and Peter. â€Å"How come you guys can't do that?† Silence met me. â€Å"Cody's our best player,† pointed out Hugh. â€Å"True,† I admitted. Cody had learned very quickly, and I supposed the difference in his and V's abilities made sense simply because V had been playing a lot longer. â€Å"But how do you explain Peter?† Nobody had an answer for that, least of all Peter. Cody actually seemed to draw inspiration from V and the realization that being a vampire should provide some natural ability. Cody's already solid performance soon improved, and I wished Roman could see him. Still, it wasn't enough to save us in that first game. We lost pretty terribly. Since Jerome and Nanette had agreed to â€Å"best of three,† this meant we had two more chances for redemption. I had mixed feelings about this. Jerome's face was growing stormier, so there was some comfort in thinking we might be able to head off his wrath. On the other hand, I wouldn't have minded ending this as quickly as possible. Maybe the Devil didn't care, but I was growing increasingly sick of the other team. I was pretty sure Tiara's outfit was getting increasingly tighter and more revealing. Although he never spoke, V's smug expressions conveyed condescension levels that words never could. And yet, neither of them was as bad as Roger the imp. Every time he got a strike or a spare, he trumpeted his victory with some sort of money-related expression, such as â€Å"Jackpot !† or â€Å"A penny saved is a penny earned!† Sometimes they didn't even make any sense in the situation, like when he shouted, â€Å"It's like throwing pearls before swine!† When he started inexplicably quoting lyrics to â€Å"Can't Buy Me Love† at the start of the second game, I really thought I was going to lose it. Cody nudged me. â€Å"He's getting tired. So is Tiara.† I glanced up at the scoreboard. It was a slight change, but those two were showing fewer strikes than spares and sometimes not even getting spares. Malachi remained consistently good, and V remained unstoppable. Over on our team, Peter and I hadn't changed, but Cody had continued – and was succeeding – in trying to prove his vampire skills. Hugh was also improving slightly, a phenomenon we'd seen with Roman sometimes. It was as though the imp needed to warm up in order to remember how to avoid his arm's tendency to throw curves. I exchanged glances with Cody. â€Å"I don't know that it's enough.† â€Å"You've done better than this in practice,† he told me gently. â€Å"I know you've got a bunch of stuff going on, but try to think if Roman was here. What he'd say. Then look at Jerome's face and tell me you don't want us to come out on top.† I didn't really care about Jerome keeping his pride around Nanette, but my friends' well-being did concern me. I knew their happiness would be directly influenced by Jerome's unhappiness. Sighing, I answered Cody with a resolute nod and tried to step up my game, racking my brains for all the words of wisdom that Roman had given me over the last couple of weeks. I admit, I hadn't always been paying as much attention as I could have. Nonetheless, something started clicking for me. I was a long way from being a pro anytime soon, but between me, Cody, and Hugh, we slowly began to keep up with Nanette's team. It was so subtle and so gradual that when we won by two points, everyone – including my teammates and me – could hardly believe it had happened. We all stared at the scoreboard in stunned silence. Only Carter was able to get anything out. â€Å"That,† he told Roger exuberantly, â€Å"is how a bird in the hand gets up before the early worm.† â€Å"That doesn't make any sense,† said Roger. Carter pointed at the scoreboard. â€Å"Neither does that, but there you have it.† Nanette's cool composure had vanished. I don't know if beating Jerome meant that much to her or if people in Portland just took bowling really seriously, but she immediately demanded a five-minute break. We watched as she pulled her team to the far side of the alley and gave them a talk. Judging from her wild hand motions and occasional expletives, it didn't sound like a very heartening talk. I glanced over at Jerome, who still kind of seemed to be in disbelief. â€Å"Any words of wisdom for us, boss?† I asked. He considered. â€Å"Yes. Don't lose.† Cody was already clinging to Peter's arm. â€Å"You have to come through for us here. We barely beat them just now, and you know she's putting the fear of God in them. That alone is going to give them some improvement. If you can just . . . I don't know. Get fewer splits. Do something. We can win this, but we need you.† Peter threw up his hands. â€Å"Don't you think I would if I could?† When Nanette and friends returned, they showed us that they were adding a new strategy to their repertoire: catcalling. Every time one of the Unholy Rollers went up to play, we were serenaded with insults about everything from our appearance to our abilities to our bowling shirts. That last one really set Peter on edge, and Tiara picked up on it quickly. â€Å"Did you pick that up at a thrift store? Oh, wait, they screen their items first. They'd never take a piece of shit like that.† â€Å"What's with that color? It's like a reject from a boy's baby shower.† â€Å"If your crappy shirts are going to say ‘Unholy Rollers,' shouldn't you at least be rolling the ball? That was more of a caber toss.† Peter took it all in silence, but I could see him becoming increasingly agitated. Hugh grimaced and leaned toward me. â€Å"She's really not that funny. I'd expect better from a succubus.† â€Å"At least Peter isn't doing any worse,† I said. â€Å"He's just getting splits in new and interesting ways.† â€Å"Which aren't going to save us, though,† said Cody grimly. It was true. We were staying even with them, but just barely. And when we were halfway through the game, it became clear we were slipping. Jerome was looking pissed off again, and Nanette's confidence had returned. â€Å"Come on, you guys,† said Carter, whom I hadn't expected to become a cheerleader. â€Å"You can do this. You're better than them.† It wasn't the angel's enthusiasm that changed the course of the game, however. It was when V finally spoke. Peter had just thrown his ball and amazingly knocked down four pins, which left behind a kind of three-way split I'd never even known was possible. We were all taken back. â€Å"You are the worst vampire I've ever seen,† said V, staring at the pins wide-eyed. I don't know what it was about those words that succeeded where our encouragement and Tiara's bad fashion taunts had failed. But suddenly, Peter became a vampire. And not just any vampire. A vampire who could bowl. From that point forward, everything he threw was a strike. And much like V, Peter didn't even deliberate it. He just walked up and threw, letting his vampire reflexes do the work. He quickly surpassed everyone on our team in skill, even Cody. Really, the only person who could match him was V. But it was enough, and somehow, against all odds, we won the third game. Hugh, Cody, and I erupted into cheers and traded high fives with Carter. Peter remained much more stoic, however, and regarded the other team coolly. â€Å"Don't count your chickens before they're hatched,† he told Roger. To Tiara, Peter said, â€Å"That shade of red makes you look like you have jaundice.† He paused. â€Å"And like a whore.† To V, Peter said nothing. Nanette and Jerome promptly got in an argument, most of which involved her making outlandish claims about how unfair it was to have two vampires on one team and how best of five would be the real determining factor. Jerome bantered back with her cheerfully. He was so smug about our victory, you would have thought he had thrown every ball himself. Seeing her consternation was just icing on the cake for him. â€Å"Well,† he said at one point, â€Å"we could do two more games, but your team seems terribly worn out. Perhaps once they have some time to recover mentally and physically, we can – â€Å" Jerome stopped and cocked his head, like he was hearing music the rest of us couldn't. A strange look came over his face. â€Å"Shit,† he said. â€Å"What?† asked Nanette. She seemed to realize something other than bowling had caught his attention. Near me, Carter had gone perfectly still. â€Å"I have to go,† said Jerome. And he went. Just like that, the demon vanished. I glanced around quickly, but no humans seemed to have noticed, thanks largely to our part of the bowling alley being deserted. Still, teleporting out like that in a public place was pretty irregular behavior for a greater immortal. Even irreverent demons generally knew enough to be discreet among humans. â€Å"Well,† said Nanette. â€Å"I guess there's no such thing as good winners. Sportsmanship is a lost art.† I thought that was a stretch coming from her, particularly after her team's verbal tirade. In fact, they soon all degenerated into arguing amongst themselves, each one making a plea to Nanette about how the loss had been someone else's fault. â€Å"Georgina,† said Carter, drawing my attention back. The smile he'd worn at our victory was gone. â€Å"I think it's a good idea if you go home.† â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"We should celebrate.† For the first time since the fallout with Seth, I actually felt like having fun with my friends. â€Å"We need to call Roman too.† â€Å"Let's go to my place,† said Peter. â€Å"I can make up a meze platter in no time.† â€Å"Fine, fine,† said Carter, casting a glance over at Mei. She was still in her seat, trying to observe all conversations at once. â€Å"Let's just leave now. I'll teleport you when we're in the parking lot.† I tried to protest that, but Carter was too insistent on simply getting us all out of there. Minutes later, my teammates and I were headed out to the parking lot, still crowing over our victory and how Peter was the undisputed hero of the night. â€Å"Georgina?† I came to a halt. There, standing near my car, was Seth. Even in the harsh light of the parking lamps, everything about him seemed soft and inviting. The messy hair. The way he stood with his hands in his pockets. The Flock of Seagulls shirt that I could just make out underneath his flannel coat. â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked, taking a few steps forward. My friends had come to an uncertain stop behind me. They all knew about my rocky state of affairs with Seth and watched me nervously. Seth glanced at my backup and then at me. â€Å"I . . . I wanted to talk to you.† â€Å"That's not what you said the last time we talked,† I said. The harsh words were out before I could stop them. I knew I should jump on the chance to talk, on Seth's willingness to talk at last . . . but some hurt place in me responded first. â€Å"I know,† said Seth. â€Å"I probably don't deserve it. But . . . I've been thinking about a lot of things, and then there's all this weirdness going on I don't quite understand . . . like, my mom moving in with you? And do you know why all these toy ponies keep showing up on Terry's doorstep?† â€Å"Why don't you come over to our place and have your heart-to-heart there,† said Peter. â€Å"It'll go better with hummus and wine.† Staring at Seth, I felt my heart ache. This could be it, just like Carter had said at New Year's, about how Seth and I still managed to come back to each other. I swallowed, both scared and anxious. â€Å"Maybe I should meet you guys later,† I said. â€Å"Seth and I can go somewhere and talk first.† â€Å"Georgina,† said Carter anxiously, â€Å"you really need to – â€Å" The car seemed to come out of nowhere, and, considering the way things worked in my world, it might literally have done so. All I knew is that one moment we were all standing around in the dark parking lot, and the next, a car was speeding toward us. Or rather, toward me. I couldn't discern any make or model and certainly not the driver. I probably wouldn't have known him or her anyway. All I saw were rapidly approaching headlights, heading toward where I stood alone, out in the open between my friends and Seth. When the car hit me, there was an intense moment of pain that radiated through my whole body. Then I felt nothing. My sight shifted, and I had the surreal sense of looking down on my sprawled body while my friends hurried to me and the car sped away. Some were trying to talk to me, some were calling 911. Some were talking to each other. The scene began to dissolve in my vision, fading to black. And not just the scene. Me. I was dissolving. I was losing all substance. I was becoming nothing. But as I faded away, as the world faded away, I heard a few last words from my friends before their voices also faded. â€Å"Georgina! Georgina!† That was Seth, saying my name like a prayer. â€Å"She's not breathing,† said Cody. â€Å"And she doesn't have a pulse. Hugh! Do something. You're a doctor.† â€Å"I can't,† Hugh said softly. â€Å"This is beyond me. Her soul . . . her soul's not here.† â€Å"Of course it is!† said Cody. â€Å"Souls stay with their immortals.† â€Å"Not in this situation,† said Hugh. â€Å"What are you talking about?† exclaimed Seth, voice cracking. â€Å"Carter! You can fix this. You can fix anything. You have to save her.† â€Å"This is beyond me too,† said Carter. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"There's still one thing you can do,† said Hugh. â€Å"One thing you have to do.† â€Å"Yes,† agreed Carter, voice full of sorrow. â€Å"I'll go get Roman. . . .† And then they were all gone. I was gone.