The Indigo Spell Chapter Sixteen

I GAVE MS. TERWILLIGER a full report on our trip to the inn the next morning. We met at Spencer's, and in a rare show of early rising, Adrian joined us. â€Å"I've got a study group meeting soon,† he explained. His mood was a lot better, with no mention of yesterday's . . . indiscretion. Even though there wasn't much to tell, lines of worry creased her face as she heard our story. The true panic came when I mentioned my dream. Ms. Terwilliger's eyes went wide, and she gripped her coffee cup so tightly, I thought it would break. â€Å"She found out,† she murmured. â€Å"Whether it was that Alicia girl or some other way, Veronica found out about you. I should never have sent you. I thought you'd slip underneath her radar if the other girls were charmed, but I was wrong. I was selfish and naive. It would've been better if she knew I was on to her from the very beginning. You're sure you were masking Sydney's appearance?† That was to Adrian. â€Å"Positive,† he said. â€Å"Everyone we talked to, all the girls and even Alicia . . . none of them would have a clear idea of what Sydney looks like.† â€Å"Maybe she's been spying on you,† I suggested. â€Å"And saw us together. I haven't been in disguise around here.† â€Å"Maybe,† Ms. Terwilliger conceded. â€Å"But we also know she was active in Los Angeles. She would have to spend considerable time stalking her victims, which wouldn't give her the chance to come here and watch me extensively. Even with her powers, she can't teleport.† Her expression hardened with resolve. â€Å"Well, there's nothing to be done now but damage control. She doesn't seem to know exactly where you are yet or that you're even connected to me. I'll make you another charm to try to boost this one, but it may not work if she's found a way to reach out to you. And in the meantime, don't worry about offense anymore. You need to focus on defense – particularly invisibility spells. Your best protection against Veronica at this point is for her simply not to find you if she comes looking around Palm Springs.† I'd continued reading the advanced offense spells, despite her warnings. With this new development, though, I knew she was right about defense being more important. Still, I couldn't shake the worry that Veronica had discovered me by watching Ms. Terwilliger, which in turn made me fear for my teacher's safety. â€Å"You keep saying she's not after you . . . but are you really sure?† â€Å"She'll avoid me if she can,† said Ms. Terwilliger, sounding confident. â€Å"I have the power but not the youth and beauty she's after. And even she would draw the line at taking on her sister. It's the only remnant of human decency she has left.† â€Å"Will she still have that attitude when you confront her?† asked Adrian. Ms. Terwilliger shook her head. â€Å"No. Then anything goes. I'd like to meet with you tonight to practice a couple other defensive tactics.† I eyed her carefully. â€Å"Are you up for that? No offense, ma'am, but you already look exhausted.† â€Å"I'll be fine. Meet me at the park again around ten. I'll get Weathers to let you go. We must keep you safe.† She stared off into space for several moments and then focused on me again. â€Å"In light of this development . . . it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to find some, ah, more basic means of defense as well.† â€Å"Basic?† I asked, puzzled. â€Å"She means like a gun or a knife,† supplied Adrian, catching on to what I hadn't. Ms. Terwilliger nodded. â€Å"If you ever confront Veronica, it'll most likely come down to magic fighting magic . . . but, well, one can never say. Having something else for backup might prove invaluable.† I wasn't a fan of this idea. â€Å"I have no clue how to knife fight. And I don't like guns.† â€Å"Do you like being put into a coma and aging before your time?† asked Adrian. I shot him a glare, surprised he'd be on board with this. â€Å"Of course not. But where would we even get one on such short notice?† From the look on his face, he knew I had a point. Suddenly, he became enthusiastic again. â€Å"I think I know.† â€Å"I'm sure you two will figure it out,† said Ms. Terwilliger, her mind already moving to something else. She glanced at her watch. â€Å"Almost time for classes.† We all stood up, preparing to go our own ways, but I held Adrian back. I couldn't imagine how in the world he would know where to get a gun on no notice. He wouldn't elaborate and simply said he'd meet me after school. Before he left, I remembered something I'd wanted to ask. â€Å"Adrian, did you keep my cross?† â€Å"Your – oh.† Looking into his eyes, I could practically see yesterday's events playing through his mind – including us rolling around on the bed. â€Å"I dropped it when – ah, well, before we left. Yo u didn't pick it up?† I shook my head, and his face fell. â€Å"Shit, I'm sorry, Sage.† â€Å"It's okay,† I said automatically. â€Å"It's not okay, and it's my fault. I know how much it means to you.† It did mean a lot to me, but I almost blamed myself as much as him. I should've thought of it before we left, but I'd been a little preoccupied. â€Å"It's just a necklace,† I told him. This didn't comfort him. He looked so dejected when we parted ways that I hoped he wouldn't forget about us meeting up later to visit his mysterious gun source. There was nothing to worry about, though. When classes ended, he was outside my dorm in the Mustang and looked much more upbeat, with no more mention of the necklace. When he told me his gun plan, I was shocked, but after a few moments of thought, I realized he might be on to something. And so, a little less than an hour later, we found ourselves far outside the city, driving up to a forlorn-looking home on a large, barren piece of land. We had reached the Wolfe School of Defense. â€Å"I never thought we'd be here again,† I remarked. Wolfe's house had no windows, and there were no cars in sight as we walked up to the door. â€Å"He may not even be home,† I murmured to Adrian. â€Å"We probably should have called first.† â€Å"Wolfe never struck me as a guy who leaves the house very much,† said Adrian. He knocked on the door, and almost instantly, we heard a flurry of barking and scampering feet. I grimaced. Wolfe, for reasons I would never be able to understand, kept a herd of Chihuahuas in his house. He'd once told us that they could kill a man upon a single command. We waited a few minutes, but the barking was the only sign that there was any sort of life inside. Adrian knocked one more time (driving the dogs into an even greater frenzy) and then shrugged. â€Å"I guess you were – â€Å" The door suddenly opened – just a slit – and one gray eye peered out at us from underneath a chain. â€Å"Oh,† came a grizzled voice. â€Å"It's you two.† The door closed, and I heard the chain being unlocked. A moment later, Wolfe slipped outside, careful not to let any of the dogs out. He had a patch over his left eye, which was probably just as well since his other eye alone seemed to peer straight through me. â€Å"You should've called,† he said. â€Å"I nearly turned the dogs on you.† Wolfe was dressed in his favorite pair of Bermuda shorts as well as a T-shirt showing a bald eagle riding on a monster truck. The eagle held an American flag in one set of talons and a samurai sword in the other. That seemed a weird weapon choice for such a patriotic shirt, but we'd long since learned not to question his wardrobe. That had come after he'd kicked a woman out of our class who'd dared to ask if he only had one pair of shorts or several identical ones. â€Å"What do you kids need?† he asked. â€Å"Next classes don't start until after New Year's.† Adrian and I exchanged glances. â€Å"We, um, need a gun,† I said. â€Å"I mean, just to borrow.† Wolfe scratched his beard. â€Å"I don't lend them out to students who haven't taken my gun class. Safety first.† I found it promising, however, that he lent out guns at all. It was a sign of his character that he didn't even bother asking why we wanted one. â€Å"I've already had training,† I said. That was true. It was mandatory for all Alchemists. I'd done well in it, but as I'd mentioned to Adrian, I really didn't like guns at all. At least a knife had other uses. But a gun? It was only there to injure or kill. Wolfe arched an eyebrow, the one over his good eye. Clearly, he didn't believe me. â€Å"Can you back that up?† â€Å"Do you have a shooting range?† I returned coolly. He almost looked offended. â€Å"Of course I do.† He led us to a building beyond the garage we'd trained in. I'd never been inside this building before, but like his house, it had no windows. The door was covered in enough locks to meet with Alchemist security standards. He let us inside, and I gaped when I saw not only a practice range but also a wall covered in various types of guns. Wolfe gave the small holding space a once-over. â€Å"Earmuffs must be in the house. Be right back.† I continued staring at the wall, knowing my eyes were wide. â€Å"There's no way those are all legal.† Adrian's response was unexpected. â€Å"Did you notice his eye patch?† I dragged my gaze from the arsenal. â€Å"Um, yes. From the day we first met him.† â€Å"No, no. I mean, I swear it was on his other eye last time.† â€Å"It was not,† I said immediately. â€Å"Are you sure?† asked Adrian. I wasn't, I realized. Words and numbers were easy for me to memorize. But other details, like clothing or hair – or eye patches – were sometimes easy for me to miss. â€Å"That doesn't make any sense,† I finally said. â€Å"Why would he do that?† â€Å"He's Malachi Wolfe,† said Adrian. â€Å"Why wouldn't he do that?† I couldn't argue against that. Wolfe returned with ear protection. After examining his wall, he selected a small handgun and then unlocked a cabinet containing ammunition. At least he didn't leave a bunch of loaded guns around. â€Å"I'll do that,† I told him. I took the gun from him and effortlessly loaded it. He made a small grunt of approval. He gestured toward the far end of the range, to a large paper cutout showing a human silhouette with various targets marked on it. â€Å"Now then,† he said. â€Å"Don't worry about hitting the – â€Å" I fired, perfectly emptying the clip into the most difficult targets. I handed the gun to him. He handed it back. Behind him, I could see Adrian staring at me with enormous eyes. â€Å"Keep it,† said Wolfe. â€Å"You passed. You've gotta buy your own ammunition, but as long as you fill out the rental agreement, you're good to go.† As it turned out, the â€Å"rental agreement† was a piece of paper where he wrote the gun type on one side and I put my initials on the other. â€Å"Really?† I asked. â€Å"That's all I need to do? I mean, I'm glad, but . . .† I didn't really know what else to say. Wolfe waved off my protests. â€Å"You're a good kid. If you say you need a gun, I believe you. Someone giving you trouble?† I slipped the gun into my messenger bag. â€Å"Something like that.† Wolfe glanced over at Adrian. â€Å"What about you? You need a gun too?† â€Å"I'm good,† said Adrian. â€Å"Besides, I haven't had the training. Safety first.† Wolfe opened up the ammunition cabinet again and produced a long wooden tube and a sandwich bag of what looked like small darts. â€Å"You want to borrow my blowgun? Not much of a learning curve on this. I mean, you'll never be able to match the skill and cunning of the Amazonian warriors that I stole this from, but it can get you out of a pinch.† â€Å"Thanks, but I'll take my chances,† Adrian said after several long moments. He almost sounded as though he'd considered it. I was still hung up on Wolfe's other words, not sure I believed what I'd heard. â€Å"You were in the Amazon?† This time, Wolfe arched the eyebrow above his eye patch. â€Å"You don't believe me?† â€Å"No, no, of course I do,† I said quickly. â€Å"It's just, you've never mentioned it before.† Wolfe gazed off beyond us. â€Å"I've been trying for years to forget my time there. But some things, you just can't escape.† A very long and very uncomfortable silence followed. At last, I cleared my throat. â€Å"Well, thank you, sir. We should get going. Hopefully I won't need the gun for very long.† â€Å"Keep it as long as you need,† he said. â€Å"If I want it back, I'll find you.† And on that disturbing note, Adrian and I left. Although I understood Ms. Terwilliger's reasons for â€Å"old-fashioned† defense, I was in no way comfortable having a gun around. I'd have to keep it in my car in case school authorities ever did a search of my room and discovered it. My Alchemist and magical kits were already a liability. I was pretty sure there'd be no talking my way out of a gun. Adrian returned me to Amberwood. I started to open the door and then paused to glance over at him. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"For everything. Going to the inn. Suggesting we see Wolfe.† â€Å"Hey, that was worth it just to know Wolfe owns a blowgun.† I laughed. â€Å"Actually, I'd be more surprised if he didn't. See you later.† Adrian nodded. â€Å"Sooner than you think.† â€Å"What's that mean?† I asked, suspicion rearing up in me. He dodged the question and reached underneath his seat. â€Å"I called Alicia,† he told me, producing a small box. â€Å"She couldn't find your cross. Her housekeeping service had already gone through and cleaned the room, but she says she'll check to see if it got caught up in the bedding. Oh, and I also asked about Veronica. She hasn't been back.† That was disheartening news, but I was touched he'd called. â€Å"Thanks for trying.† He opened the box and pulled out a necklace with a tiny wooden cross on it. â€Å"I got you a replacement. I mean, I know there's no real substitute, but I wanted to get you something. And don't start about not being able to accept some fancy gift,† he said, guessing the protest I was about to make. â€Å"It cost me five dollars from a street vendor, and I'm pretty sure the chain is brass.† I bit off my words and took the necklace from him. The cross barely weighed anything. Studying it more closely, I could see a tiny pattern of silver flowers painted on its surface. â€Å"The vendor didn't do that. That's your handiwork.† â€Å"Well . . . I know you're into simple stuff, but I've always got to have some embellishment.† I ran my finger over the cross's surface. â€Å"Why'd you choose morning glories?† â€Å"Because I'm not the biggest fan of lilies.† I smiled at that. When I returned to my dorm room, I laid the necklace out on my dresser. I gave it one last fond look and then tried to decide how best to spend the rest of my day. Our trip to Wolfe actually hadn't taken that long, so I had plenty of time to catch dinner and make sure I was up to date on my homework. I actually ate with Kristin and Julia for a change, which was kind of a nice break from the drama of my other friends. Of course, most of the meal consisted of Julia gushing about â€Å"Dave.† By the end, both she and Kristin were demanding to know when I'd bring him by again. As the evening pushed on, I began to prepare for my meeting with Ms. Terwilliger. I wasn't sure what kind of magic we'd be practicing outdoors but figured I should be ready for anything. I packed a wide variety of items from my kit and even had the foresight to bring a granola bar for post-magic fuel. Once everything was in order, I headed back downstairs. I was nearly out the dorm door when Mrs. Weathers called out to me. â€Å"Sydney?† I paused to glance back. â€Å"Yes, ma'am?† â€Å"Where are you going? It's nearly curfew.† Frowning, I walked over to her desk. â€Å"I'm doing an assignment for Ms. Terwilliger.† Mrs. Weathers looked troubled. â€Å"Yes, I know you do that a lot for her . . . but I haven't received authorization from her to let you out after hours today.† Her expression turned apologetic. â€Å"I'm sure this is all on the up-and-up, but, well, rules are rules.† â€Å"Of course,† I said. â€Å"But she said she'd let you know. Are you sure you didn't get anything? A note? A phone call?† She shook her head. â€Å"Nothing. I'm sorry.† â€Å"I understand,† I murmured, though I wasn't sure I did. Despite her perpetually scattered nature, Ms. Terwilliger was usually good about this sort of thing. Mrs. Weathers assured me she'd let me go if Ms. Terwilliger gave the okay by phone, so I returned to my room and attempted to call her. I went straight to voice mail, and my text went unanswered. Had something happened to her? Had that magical confrontation I'd been dreading finally gone down? I kicked around my dorm room for the next hour or so, letting all my worries eat at me. Veronica. Marcus. St. Louis. Ms. Terwilliger. The dream. Over and over, I kept imagining the worst outcome for all of them. Just when I thought I'd go crazy, Ms. Terwilliger finally returned my call. â€Å"Why didn't you show up?† she asked as soon as I answered. I felt relieved. She'd gone to the park. That explained the lack of contact since there was no signal out there. â€Å"I tried! Mrs. Weathers wouldn't let me out. You forgot to give me permission.† â€Å"I most certainly didn't. . . .† Her words trailed off uncertainly. â€Å"That is, I thought I did. . . .† â€Å"It's okay† I said. â€Å"You've had a lot on your mind.† â€Å"It's not okay.† She sounded angry but it was at herself, not me. â€Å"I need to be on top of this.† â€Å"Well, you can call Mrs. Weathers now,† I said. â€Å"Too late. I'm already back home. We'll have to attempt this again another time.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"I tried.† Ms. Terwilliger sighed. â€Å"I know you did. It's not your fault. It's mine. I'm letting all of this wear me down, and now I'm getting sloppy. I've already taken too many risks at your expense, and it's put Veronica on your trail. I can't let her get any farther.† A chill ran through me as I thought of those comatose girls – and the possibility of me joining them. I'd been able to stay cool and collected while investigating, but last night's dream had driven home the dangers I faced. That image of the girl in the newspaper hovered in my mind as I held the phone and paced my room. I stopped in front of a mirror and tried to picture myself like that, aged before my time. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away. I couldn't let that happen to me. I just couldn't, and I needed Ms. Terwilliger if I was going to stay safe. Maybe I was a prodigy, but I was nowhere near being able to take on someone like her sister. â€Å"Get some rest, ma'am,† I said at last. â€Å"You sound like you need it.† â€Å"I'll try. And you be careful, Miss Melbourne.† â€Å"I will.† Being careful was the only thing I could do on my own for now. I just hoped it would be enough. When we got off the phone, I didn't want to sleep again. I was afraid to, and it wasn't just because of the sheer terror I'd felt in last night's dream. Ms. Terwilliger had explained there was a type of searching spell that sought people in their sleep, and I worried that if Veronica reached out to me again, she might get a fix on my location. The problem was that after last night's sketchy sleep, I was now even more exhausted. My usual coffee and distraction tricks failed, and before I knew it, I was asleep. I don't know how much time passed before I dreamed. One moment I was lost in the oblivion of sleep. The next, I found myself standing in the room that had hosted Sonya and Mikhail's reception. It looked exactly the same: flowers everywhere, tables covered in white linen and crystal glasses . . . The only difference was that the room was empty and silent. It was eerie, seeing all that richness and glamour with no one to enjoy it. I could've been in a ghost town. I looked down and saw that I wore the same dress from that evening as well. â€Å"I could've made it red, you know. That's a better color for you – not that blue looks bad on you.† Adrian strode toward me, dressed in the same dark blue suit. Understanding hit me. I was in a spirit dream. It was another of that element's incredible feats, the ability for a spirit user to intrude on someone's dreams. No – not intrude. The user was actually able to create the dream itself, controlling every detail. â€Å"It's been a long time since you pulled me into one of these,† I said. â€Å"And look at the progress you've made. Last time you were kicking and screaming.† He held out a hand. â€Å"Want to dance?† â€Å"No music,† I said, not that I had any intention of dancing. He had a point about my reaction, though. I hadn't exactly been kicking and screaming, but I had kind of freaked out. I'd been in full possession of all my fears about vampires and magic, and being surrounded in a world completely constructed of that magic had left me frightened and unhinged. And now? Now I had apparently become so comfortable that my biggest concern was that he'd put me in this dress. I gestured to it. â€Å"Can you change me out of this?† â€Å"You can change yourself out of it,† he said. â€Å"I'm letting go of the control. Just picture yourself the way you are in reality.† I did exactly that, and a moment later, I wore jeans and a pale blue knit top. This obviously disappointed him. â€Å"That's what you sleep in?† â€Å"No.† I laughed. â€Å"I was trying not to sleep at all. It didn't work. Why'd you bring me here?† He strolled around and picked up one of the crystal goblets, nodding in approval as though he were some sort of glassmaking expert. â€Å"Exactly that reason. I saw how much that dream bothered you. I figured if I pulled you into one of these, it'd keep you from one of Veronica's.† I'd never thought of that. Vampire magic was certainly preferable to hers. Looking around, I gained a new appreciation for the room. It became a sanctuary, a place where she couldn't reach me. At least, I hoped not. We really didn't know how her magic would work against Adrian's. For all I knew, she might come walking through the door, carrying Sonya's bouquet. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. I sat down at one of the tables. â€Å"That was nice of you.† It was another one of those incredible moments when Adrian had had the insight to guess my thoughts – or in this case, my fears. â€Å"Well, it was also selfish. I wanted to see you in the dress.† He reconsidered. â€Å"Actually, I wanted to see you in that red Halloween dress again, but I figured that would be pushing my luck.† I looked away as an image of that dress returned to me. Lia DiStefano had created the costume for me. She'd loosely based it on an ancient Greek dress and ended up with a gauzy confection of red and gold. That was when Adrian had said I was the most beautiful creature walking the earth. It had happened before he expressed his feelings for me, but even then, his words had undone me. I thought about what he was doing for me now and decided to give him a small compensation. I focused again on my clothes, and the blue dress returned. â€Å"Better?† I asked. His face lit up in a way that made me smile in return. â€Å"Yes.† Hoping I wasn't setting myself up for some suggestive answer, I asked, â€Å"So what are we going to do?† â€Å"You sure you don't want to dance? I can make some music.† My silence spoke for me. â€Å"Fine, fine. I don't know. We could play a game. Monopoly? Life? Battleship? Twister? Whatever we do, I am not playing Scrabble with you.† We warmed up with Battleship – I won – and then moved on to Monopoly. That took a little work to set up because Adrian could only create things that he could imagine. He couldn't remember all the streets and cards, so we made our best attempt to re-create them. Neither of us could remember one of the yellow streets, so he named it Jet Way. We proved surprisingly well matched, and I became engrossed in the game. The power shifted back and forth between us. Just when one of us seemed to have all the control, the other would seize it back. I had no doubts about my ability to win – until I lost. I sat there, dumbstruck, staring at the board. â€Å"Have you ever lost a game before?† he asked. â€Å"I . . . yes, of course . . . I just didn't think . . .† â€Å"That I could beat you?† â€Å"No, I just . . . it doesn't happen very often.† I looked up at him and shook my head. â€Å"Congratulations.† He leaned back in his chair and laughed. â€Å"I think beating you just improved your opinion of me more than anything else I've ever done.† â€Å"I've always had a high opinion of you.† I stretched out, surprised to feel kinks in my body. It was strange how these dreams could have such a realistic physical component. â€Å"How long have we have been here?† â€Å"I don't know. It's not morning yet.† He appeared unconcerned. â€Å"What do you want to play next?† â€Å"We shouldn't play anything,† I said. I stood up. â€Å"It's been hours. I'm asleep, but you aren't. You can't stay up all night.† â€Å"I'm a vampire, Sage. A creature of the night, remember?† â€Å"One who's on a human schedule,† I chastised. He still didn't seem worried. â€Å"Only one class tomorrow. I'll make it up.† â€Å"What about the spirit?† I began to pace restlessly as more of the implications hit me. â€Å"You have to be using a lot of it. That's not good for you.† â€Å"I'll take my chances.† There was an unspoken for you at the end of his sentence. I returned to the table and stood in front of his chair. â€Å"You have to be careful. Between this and the Veronica hunt. . . .† I suddenly felt bad. I hadn't thought twice about asking him to help with that. I'd forgotten the risks. â€Å"Once we've stopped her, you need to lay off the spirit.† â€Å"Don't worry.† He grinned. â€Å"Once we've gotten rid of that bitch, I'll be celebrating so much that I won't be sober for days.† â€Å"Ugh. Not the healthiest way to do it. Have you ever thought about antidepressants?† I knew they helped some spirit users by blocking the magic. His smile vanished. â€Å"I won't touch those things. Lissa took them and hated them. Being cut off from spirit nearly drove her crazy.† I crossed my arms and leaned against the table. â€Å"Yeah, but using it will drive you crazy too.† â€Å"No lectures tonight, Sage. It mars my stunning Monopoly victory.† He was far too casual for such a serious matter, but I knew him well enough to recognize when he wouldn't yield. â€Å"Fine. Then let's end on a high note. Send me back, and get some sleep.† â€Å"You sure you'll be okay?† His concern was so intense. I didn't think anyone had ever worried about me that much. Well, maybe Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"Probably she gave up for the night.† I really didn't know, but I couldn't let him keep exerting himself. The thought of Veronica reaching out again terrified me . . . but the thought of Adrian endangering himself almost scared me more. He'd risked so much for me. Could I do any less? â€Å"You can check on me tomorrow night, though.† Adrian's face lit up as though I'd just accepted a date. â€Å"It's a deal, then.† And like that, the reception hall dissolved around me. I returned to peaceful sleep and just barely heard him say, â€Å"Sweet dreams, Sage.†

Positive and Negative Effects of Having Boyfriend/Girlfriend

â€Å"Determination for Nature† It was 3:00 am, June 30, 2012. This day is Pista Y ang Cagueban, where all citizens of Puerto Princesa were ask to participate in planting a tree. It’s still dark that time but through the help of lights around the city Coliseum we are able to saw our group. Everyone was excited for the trucks to came, but the happiness was replaced by irritation of waiting the right truck for us. It was 6:30 am but the truck is not arriving yet. Others use their time talking to each other while the others keep silent.Different ways to enjoy that moment. Of course together with our ever supportive teacher Ma’am Meorom who guide us what to do. And the thing we have been waiting for finally came so we leave. But going to Irawan is not really easy, through our way riding that truck, we feel tension because every time the truck is turning it makes an impact to us which is a dangerous one. But with the determination we did it, but we have to walk severa l miles to reach the venue, as we our footwear’s don’t look as it is before our footwear’s looks messy that time.But we enjoy walking because we knew that we are doing this for our mother earth. Going there requires patience and determination without it we are not able to do it. Then you will realize that all the effort you had put will be replaced by the feeling you have if you reached that place. The trees are tall, the air is fresh, and everything there was perfect. Together with my classmates we did it successfully and it is our turn to do something to our nature. Some students plants mahogany and others plant bamboo.After we finished planting we use that moment for taking pictures together. I’m so happy that day because even though that place is difficult to go through many peoples did it, so it means there are still people who are concerned with nature. As we walk through our way home, I had remembered a person said â€Å"You can do things possible if you will exert determination on it†. By:Deocelle BSED I-A

An economic analysis of the Bangladeshi economy

An economic analysis of the Bangladeshi economy Geography Bangladesh is situated in the Bay of Bengal in south Asia. It is bounded by India to the west and north; to the southeast, it borders Myanmar. It is mainly a low-lying floodplain. About one third the total area is deltaic and is prone to flooding in the rainy season from May through September. The river Ganga flows into the country from the northwest, while from the north enters the river Jamuna. Dhaka is the capital city and is near the point where those river systems meet. Hardwood forests are present in the Chittagong hill tracts. The vast river delta area is home to the dominant plains culture. The hilly areas of the northeast and southeast are occupied by much smaller tribal groups occurred mainly hilly regions of the southeast and many have strongly resisted control by the national government and the inhabitants pressure from Bangladeshis who move into and try to settle in their traditional areas. Demography Bangladesh is the most densely populated no island nation i n the world. With approximately 135 million inhabitants living in an area of 55,812 sq miles, there are about 2,233 persons per square mile. The mainstream of the population (98 percent) is Bengali, with 3 percent belonging to tribal and other non-Bengali groups. About 83 percent of the population is Muslim, 18 percent in Hindu. Urbanization is scheduled rapidly, and it is estimated that 33% of the population entering the manual labour force in the years to come will be a part of agriculture, though many will likely find other kinds of work in rural areas. The areas around Dhaka and Comilla are the most densely populated. Area: 147, 575 sq. km. Cities:  Capital–Dhaka .  Other cities–Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi. Terrain: Mostly flat alluvial plain, with hills around the northeast and southeast. People   Nationality:–Bangladeshi(s). Religions: Muslim 84%; Hindu 17%; Christian 0.3%, Buddhist 0.7%, others 0.2%. Languages: Bangla (official, which is also known as Bengali), English. Education:  62%. Work force (70.86 million):  Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries–63%; production–11%;mining and quarrying–0.2%.   . Bangladesh has a relatively young populace, where 0-25 age group comprise 65%, while 3% are 65 or older. The important tribal groups outside the Hill tract are the  Santhals and the  Garos. Also there are  Kaibartta,  Meitei,  Mundas,  Oraons, and  Zomiethnic groups.  Human trafficking  has been a everlasting problem in Bangladesh  and illegal immigration has been a cause of resistance with Burma and India. Health and education levels have lately improved as poverty levels have reduced. Bangladeshis mostly are rural, living on survival farming. Health problems abound, ranging from  water contamination, to  arsenic contamination of groundwater  and diseases including  malaria, typhoid. leptospirosis and  dengue Politics Bangladesh is a  united state  and  parliamentar y democracy.  Direct elections in which all  people, aged 18 or over, can vote are held once in five years for the  parliament  known as  Jativ Sangsad. The parliamentary building is known as the  Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban. Currently the parliament has 345 members together with 45 retained seats for women, elected from single-member constituencies. Bangladesh is governed by a multi-party parliamentary system of government. Other ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers are selected by the Prime Minister. The PM nominates the cabinet members from the Parliament members and one-tenths of the total members are from outside of the Parliament.

Independence of auditing in all engagement activities Essay

Independence of auditing in all engagement activities - Essay Example The factors that influence an auditor to present an unwarranted unqualified opinion includes threats or intimidations as well as the external auditor's self -interest. The auditor's sole responsibility is to issue an opinion on the fairness of the financial statement assertions. Without exception, all external auditors should not allow their independence to be affected by his or her own interests. International Auditing Standards requires that all external auditors should only continue on an audit engagement if they feel that their self interests affects their independence. Independence mean not only independence in fact but also go hand in hand with independence through appearance. The auditing Standards on independence rule requires that the external auditor must not have any material self interest in the clients. An auditor has self interest if the auditor, the auditor's spouse and children are owners of shares of stocks in the audit client's business. The Companies Act of 1948 is the legal framework for external auditors to follow in terms of independence (Power 1997, 17). Clearly, many auditors will not allow their independence to be affected by self -interests . In addition, all external auditors must not allow their independence to be influenced by self - review. The auditor is must consider if self -review will affect his independence in the performance of his or her audit programs. An auditor who is a relative of the audit client is definitely not independent. An auditor that has a loan arrangement with the audit client that is material in nature is not independent of the audit client. Clearly, it is mandatory that all external auditors will not allow their independence to be affected by self - review. Further, all external auditors must not permit their independence to be influenced by advocacy. The auditor's membership in an organization that he is auditing is definitely not being independent in terms of auditing a client. The Code of Ethics for external auditors requires that the external auditor must not be a current membership in an organization if he or she intends to audit such organisation. Any sign that creates a climate of doubt as the external auditors not complying with the auditing standard of being independent both in fact and in appearance should cause the external auditor to give up the client immediately. Definitely, all external auditors should not allow their independence to be affected by advocacy.Furthermore, all external auditors must not permit their independence to be affected by familiarity. It is normal that many external auditors use lesser time to finish their audit assignments for many of their former audit clients. The repeat auditors will just focus t heir repeat audit on items that are interent risks like cash and small inventories. Also, a repeat auditor knows that company has a strong or weak internal control. Thus, internal control verification time is lessened. One advantage for repeat auditors is that these external auditors already know a lot of the company's basic financial ins and outs in terms of presentation of the balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows. However, the auditor must still scan and do test audits on low value and less audit risk accounts like buildings and factory machines. The external auditor must complete each repeat audit engagement with a prior client as if, it was a new audit. The only difference with the repeat

Transnational Actors influences on World Politics Essay

Transnational Actors influences on World Politics - Essay Example This article approves that international bodies and nation-states must usually obtain the feedback of monitoring missions and vital facts about world politics from transnational agencies and INGOs, because states are effective only within their borders due to the doctrine of non-meddling in internal affairs of other states. This is especially true without binding resolutions of international bodies such as the United Nations Security Council and the European among others. Transnational actors may be ineffective in setting the agenda for norm creation around the world or in particular economic regions due to the varying political will among the affected member states. As a consequence, the basic things needed to create effective international agreements with and across state actors normally become long-drawn and, thus, the role of transnational actors seems to be less effective. This paper makes a conclusion that owing to the inexorable role of nation-states in the world politics, it behooves transnational actors to work with states and even persuade them to adopt internationally accepted norms. The working relationship is, however, not smooth due to the varying priorities of each of the two organizations. For example, nation-states would rather observe national security over human rights. Regardless, transnational actors owe their success in fighting global problems to massive lobbying of the local societies of great powers such as the United States, to in turn buy the agenda and present it to the international community for passage and enactment.

Deprived Relationship between U.S. Working Mothers and Their Children Research Paper

Deprived Relationship between U.S. Working Mothers and Their Children - Research Paper Example This makes life a big challenge for them, because they have to manage everything just like stay-at-home moms, and because they cannot let down the expectations that their families have from them. And if they let down, they are considered as failed. They find themselves in constant guilt because they feel that they have not been taking care of their children because of putting their work ahead of them. They have to arrange for childcare, which takes away much of their salaries. They stay stressed. Their husbands do not spare them for not doing house work; and, their children suffer from not having them around them when they need them. This paper tends to discuss what difference lies between children of working mothers and those of stay-at-home moms. The thesis statement is that: the emotional relationship between working mothers in the U.S. and their children is not as good as the relationship between stay-at-home moms and their children. ... Why working mothers cannot leave their jobs is because they have built their careers over the years, and they cannot take the risk of losing the opportunities they have gained with their hard work. They have to return to their jobs because they know that in U.S., even after the establishment of some laws in their favor, like the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act), employers do not like to give any relaxation to them when they want to spend some time off with their newly born children. So, they have to arrange for childcare and return to work. This makes them spend a good portion of the day away from their children, which diminishes their importance for the little ones, who learn to stay without them and depend on some other caregiver. Child neglect has taken its toll on the relationship between the mother and the child, which expresses itself when the children grow older into their teenage. They become emotionally distant, because they have been physically distant from their mothers. On the other hand, children of stay-at-home moms have their mothers around them 24/7, and they know that they are safe and protected. This brings them emotionally close to their mothers, and the impact is for lifetime. Although a stay-at-home mom cannot contribute in financial responsibilities of the father, yet she manages her home and looks after her children in the most appropriate way, which is something that makes her superior than working mothers in the eyes of her family, and especially her children. Stay-at-home moms bear more loving, caring, and confident children, than working moms. Confidence comes when children know that their mothers are with them, from the time they

International accountancy standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International accountancy standards - Essay Example Policies and frameworks have been developed in efforts to accommodate the entire human race into a more domesticated environment even while in a separate geographical orientation. Such ways through which the world has become integrated is through economic unions and integrations, through these, the world trade has been compressed onto a more unified unit in matters of trade, commerce, politics and social cultural divide among many others. Moreover, the emerging trends in financial operations are pointing out towards the same direction of globalization. More efforts by individual persons or nations are exerted towards harnessing global trade and relations in one global perspective. Though variations are persistent within the structures of governments and individual companies, there have persistently risen the needs to unify the systems through which the global players operate. International accounting standards stand to provide avenues through which trading organizations and the natio ns would converge through application of more unifying methods. This paper therefore is intended to analyze the arguments by many proponents of a more unified world through the use of common language and a standard financial reporting system. These are the main hindrances that have in the past been seen to water down the efforts of global advocacy for a unified globe. Language barrier in financial matters and accounting field has all through stood a block to these efforts. Accounting platforms vary by the common measuring unit and thus the efforts to interpret financial records have always been troublesome by the fact that different organizations or states use varying currencies. However, this has not been so hard for the economic blocks such as the European Union who uses a common currency, the euro. People are divided along language inclinations and people are found to identify themselves through cultural lines, language affiliation and the geographical identity. However, in the a dvent of the current global advancement in technology, these barriers are easily getting eroded and more unification result from the common use of technology. Nevertheless, countries and regions stand distinct on, matters of financial reporting as well as financial language. Technology has done relatively little to address unification of languages. This is the reason for the proponents of a common language in financial reporting to advance the proposition. Common international financial reporting standards are meant to drive the world to uniform global standards of accounting (Centre for Audit Quality, 2009, 1-7). IASB (International Accounting and Standard Board) is the overall body that is mandated to oversee the accounting policies and implementations thereof. Constituted in 2001, the body designs policy frameworks that run the accounting field as pertains to financial reporting in the world. According to the report by Centre for Audit Quality (2009), IRFS has been adopted and ac cepted in many countries since 2001. This is seen to be a positive step towards realization of a more unified system of accounting in the world. However, close analysis requires thorough scrutiny on feasibility of the adoption of this common standard of accounting among organization in different countries. Nations ascribed to the standards operate the different sectors of their economies by the international standards of ac

Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Power Distance between America and Brazil Essay

Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Power Distance between America and Brazil - Essay Example Since Brazil’s culture is ultimately high in power distance, bureaucracy is of high importance giving much more power to whom or which authority is found. For instance, religious and spiritual practices in Brazil contribute to the kind of order in governance and socio-politics in the country and further influence power distribution (Garmany, 2010). This means that the majority would find it important not to oppose decisions of religious leaders. On the contrary, in the US, one could expect autocracy, as there is a high sense of giving everyone freedom to express oneself. The very proof is the implementation of same-sex marriage from some states; a manifestation that the country may potentially disregard some powerful views on governance and socio-political issues and that there is a strong urge to demand more for self-expression (Sherkat et al., 2011). Therefore, demanding for self-expression in the US at some point may not be that effective within the bound of cultural orientation in Brazil based on Hofstede’s theory of power distance. Loyalty and favoritism are among the common manifestations in Brazil leading to the point that whoever is in power deserves to have these (Evans et al., 2008). Thus, Brazil remarkably would require respect prominent voices in the society. As a result, in this country and within almost every organization, it is from the higher rank which both idea and decision usually would come from, while it might not be necessarily the case in the US. In the US, everyone, provided having a good point, could freely express opinions and ideas and implement significant actions for the benefit of the country or organization. In fact, in the US, prominent public figures are not exempted from the law, showing no favoritism on their part.  Ã‚  

Jornal assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jornal assignment - Essay Example On the other hand, young people have their whole lives ahead of them, so they have all the more reason to vote. Another reason why young people don’t get out and vote as much is because they do not consider it a priority in their lives. Young people aged between 18 and 29 generally have other activities that keep them preoccupied, such as studying, working, or partying. For these first two activities, young people could actually improve their prospects of getting a job or receiving a scholarship to go to university simply by voting for politicians who support education and creating jobs. For the issue of partying, there is not much to do that could change young people’s attitudes because of the particular stage where they are at in their lives. Furthermore, young people may not vote because they constantly move from state to state and so are not registered to vote where they currently reside. Young people often experience great upheaval as part of their lives, and this may mean moving from state to state to try and find a suitable job. Changing over voter registration to another state may seem complicated and too time consuming, and so young people just choose not to update their details. Also, if young people are out of state, then they may not want to send in a ballot beforehand because it involves a lot of extra effort. The key to getting young people to the ballot box is by making things as simple as possible for them. The first way to encourage young people to vote is by providing education about the voting system and what their votes mean to the well-being of the country as a whole. Young people are at a stage in their lives where they are articulate, and so they can understand a reasonable argument that is presented to them in an easy to understand manner. Another way to get younger people to vote is by presenting campaigns to them through a medium that they are already comfortable with. This of course refers to social media such as Facebook

Home Based Childcare Essay Example for Free

Home Based Childcare Essay Childminder must handle all information that she has on the child as confidential and should be shared only with the child’s parents and the child. It is essential to handle data about children and families in a confidential way, due to that they have a legal right to privacy. It is equally important that information should not be passed on without written approval of the parents or carer, because they have the right to give or deny their consent before the childminder may take certain action with respect to their child. For example the parents or carer approval is needed to discuss information about the children with professionals such us GP, health visitors or teachers. Therefore it is important also to get permission to share the child’s learning journey with other professionals. In second place confidentiality and data protection also means that all information about children and families should not discussed with a friend or other parents. Therefore there are only two sets of circumstances to share information: * Parents or cares gave the written approval for it. * It is essential to do so in the best of interest of the child, for example safeguarding or medical emergency. All information about children and families is sensitive. So that all documentation, reports, notes about the child should be kept in a safe place such, as in a filing cabinet, which can be locked, and not removed from the childminder’s home. Furthermore all information stored on computer must be password protected. In the same way photographs of the children can only be taken with the written consent of the parents and carers. Data protection Act exist to strike a balance between the rights of individuals to privacy and to use data for the purposes of the business. The purpose of data protection legislation is to make sure that the personal data is not processed without the knowledge of the individuals. The act of data protection introduced basic rules of registration for data users and right of access to that data for the individuals who are related to it. The childminders have data protection responsibilities. First of all they need to protect the children and their families and maintain sense of trust between parent and staff. Most important is that if they keep records of the children’s health, behaviour or development on the computer or takes digital photograph of the children, they â€Å"will be expected to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)† (ncma.org.uk, 2013). The points that I may include in my confidentiality and Date protection policy are: Confidentiality Policy * All parents receive a copy of my policies and procedures, which detail how I run my setting. * My certificate of registration is displayed and available to all parents. * I am aware of my responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. * I maintain a record of parents’ and/or emergency contact details, the contact details of the child’s GP and appropriate signed consent forms. * If a child is identified as a child in need (section 17 of the Children Act 1989) I will, normally with the parent’s permission, give appropriate information to referring agencies. * I expect parents to inform me of any changes in the child’s home circumstances, care arrangements or any other change which may affect the child’s behaviour such as a new baby, parents’ separation, divorce, new partner or any bereavement. * All information shared will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed without the parents’ consent, except as required by law, for example, if there appears to be a child protection issue. Please see my Safeguarding Children policy. * I expect parents to keep private and confidential any sensitive information they may accidentally learn about my family, setting or the other children and families attending, unless it is a child protection issue. * Ofsted may require to my see records at any time. * Parents have the right to inspect all records about their child at any time. * All significant incidents are recorded in an incident book and will be shared and discussed with parents so that together we can work to resolve any issues. * As a registered provider I must notify Ofsted of any serious accidents, illnesses or injuries or the death of any child whilst in my care and any action I may have taken within 14 days of an incident occurring. * If I am in need of support or advice regarding a serious illness or incident involving a child in my care I may contact National Childminding Association who will log information regarding the incident with regard to their safeguarding policy. An NCMA designated officer will be assigned to my case and all the information given to them will be kept confidentially unless their appears to be a child protection issue which will be reported accordingly. * If an accident or incident involving a child in my care may result in an insurance claim I will contact my public liability insurance provider to discuss my case and be allocated a claim number. This may involve discussing details of the child in my care with a third party. * If I am using the National Childminding Association (NCMA) public liability insurance, the total life of the policy is 21 years and 4 months to enable the child to make a claim against the policy at a later date. Data Protection Policy * I am aware of my responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. * If I keep records relating to individual children on my computer I will ask for the parent’s permission. The information will be securely stored for example, in password-protected files, to prevent viewing of the information by others with access to the computer. Backup files will be stored on [insert method, for example, a memory stick, DVD or CD] which will be locked away when not being used. * All information on children, families and anyone working with me (if applicable) is kept securely and treated in confidence. Information will only be shared if the parents/carers/co-workers give their permission or there appears to be a child protection issue. All details will be kept confidential and records are kept secure. The details are easily accessible if any information is required for inspection by Ofsted. * All parents will be asked to complete permission forms for use of photos, please see Parent Permission form. Photos will be used for observations. I will be carrying my mobile phone with me when I am on outings to keep emergency contact details and to call for assistance and to contact parents if First Aid is required. My mobile does have a facility to take photo’s (this will done in accordance to parental permissions). * I am registered as a Data Controller with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office). Biography * http://www.ncma.org.uk/childminders/your_business/policies_and_procedures/data_protection.aspx * Riddall-Leech, Sheila (2010): Home-Based Childcare Student Book: Level 3 Unit CYPOP5 * The date protection Act 1998

Improvements of Waterways in the Philippines

Improvements of Waterways in the Philippines 1.0 INTRODUCTION For too long the waterways of the Philippines have been grossly contaminated through activities including domestic uses, industrial discharges, stormwater run-off, discharge of untreated sewage, recreational activities and the like. It has been recognised that for the health and safety of both the people of the Philippines and the protection of the environment for our future generations it is necessary that a strategy be established to commence the enormous task of returning our waterways to a quality that complies if not surpasses international standards. Water everywhere is a very valuable commodity and an essential element in sustaining life. For this reason we must act as a community to ensure that we return our waterways back to a standard we can be proud of. For this reason DENR will embark on a strategy which has one sole objective which is to â€Å"CLEAN UP THE WATERWAYS OF THE PHILIPPINES† This discussion document provides a brief outline on items that should be considered if the objective of Cleaning up the waterways of the Philippines is to be realised. 2.0 WATERWAYS HIERARCHY In any strategy it is imperative that there are several options available to the community to enable them to successfully implement the strategy and thus achieve the objective. So in summarising some of the objectives DENR will consider the use of a waterways hierarchy as shown below. The waterways hierarchy simply describes the preference of options with avoidance being the ultimate option and disposal being the least favourable. This analogy is based on the international standards for cleaner production and waste minimisation which ultimately encourage that generating no waste is better than managing the waste that is generated. WATERWAYS HIERARCHY AVOIDANCE (PREFERRED) REUSE/RECYCLING TREATMENT DISPOSAL (LEAST PREFERRED) In preparing these options consideration was given towards how these could be applied against a waterways hierarchy and the practicalities of implementing the options with respect to social, financial and environmental indicators. 3.0 STRATEGY OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 Regulatory Framework The Philippines already has established several regulations pertaining to the management of waterways and the required quality that needs to be achieved by Industry and the community to ensure the waterways are protected. However, consideration needs to be given towards strengthening this legislation by addressing the following: Trade Waste Management (licensing and user pays system for industry discharging to the sewerage system) Littering Sewage plant discharge into inland and coastal waterways Management of Sewage spills and unauthorised discharges Algal bloom and nutrient management strategy Heavy fines for offenders Mandatory monitoring Establishment of Key Performance Indicators and Government targets for wastewater recycling and reuse. The above are only a few items that need to be considered in greater detail in order to ensure that the regulatory framework is in place to oblige the community to implement and continue to comply with the strategy. 3.2 Education, Training and Community Awareness Technology alone cannot solve all problems. In order for this strategy to be successful it must have obtained ownership from the community. They must be aware of their obligations with respect to the waterways hierarchy and we must tell the Philippines community how it can contribute towards the clean-up of the waterways. This will involve education programs both at a junior school level to engrain the importance of waterways and keeping them clean to ensure that the future generations avoid the mistake of returning to the old ways. The education programs need to also include local communities and industries so that they can see that there is a better way and that throwing that paper on the ground, or discharging untreated sewage in the river will make their life worse. We need to educate our community to demand a higher quality of life especially in relation to waterways and show them the benefits that a clean waterway can deliver. Things like better health, no rotten smell, increased tourism, better aesthetics, improved economic development and the like. Training environmental practitioners and industry leaders that pollution is bad business and that any dumping or inappropriate discharge into a waterway will have ramifications not only for the local environmental officer but for the senior officers of the company. These ramifications can include increased fines, bad publicity and in extreme situations imprisonment. Community awareness through targeted advertising campaigns could also get the message out. Adopting a community day once a year where the whole of Philippines gets together to clean up the waterways and the environment can achieve instant success and community pride that we all got together to improve our lives. Programs like these have been successfully implemented international such as â€Å"Clean up Australia†. There is no reason why there cannot be a clean-up Philippines. 3.3 Source Elimination Avoidance The first point in the waterways hierarchy is avoidance. This means removing polluting dischargers from the waterway itself. This includes industrial dischargers that are putting the industrial waste directly into inland waterways. Where the avoidance of the discharge cannot be achieved then industry should be required to ensure that the quality, through recycling and treatment at the discharge, meets strict discharge criteria. Avoiding the discharge of untreated sewage whether it is from ineffective wastewater treatment plants or direct discharge from the community. These inputs must be avoided or eliminated from being discharged into waterways as they can destroy a river system, generate unwanted odours, spread undesirable disease and the like. 3.4 Sewerage Management One of the issues faced in the Philippines is the difficulty of laying collection and sewer pipe infrastructure to enable wastewater in the form of sewage to be collected to a central location for treatment and disposal. For this reason it is essential that a number of options become available that can suit the varying topography and provincial needs of the Philippines. This can be achieved in two ways: Localised treatment plants that manage localised flows typically from 2.5KL/day to 40KL/day Medium sized Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology typically from 40KL/day to 500KL/day Centralised wastewater systems based on MBR technology for areas where collection and laying pipe infrastructure is relatively easy. Examples of such plants are shown below: Localised wastewater treatment plants CWT Medium sized Plants Large MBR treatment plants (45ML/Day) Typical effluent quality The quality of the treated water from these treatment plants will enable reuse of this water for flushing toilets, irrigation, and industrial reuse and other non-consumption activities. 3.5 Storm Water Run-off Management There are several issues associated with the run-off and discharge of stormwater. These issues include collection of litter, oil and grease and other contaminants from roadways that then is discharged into the river system. Stormwater can also cause hydraulic overload and thus wash away sand and silt into the river. The silt and sand could contain heavy metals or other contaminants that will ultimately end up in the sediments of the river bed potentially creating undesirable conditions for aquatic species. Furthermore, the discharge of high levels of nitrogen collected from fertilisers and other similar processes will run-off into the river system and this contribute to the toxicity or provide adequate conditions for Algal Blooms to form. To alleviate this problem source control of run-off is essential. This will be a combination of improved infrastructure, stormwater capture and treatment of stormwater before discharge into the river. This has to be managed in light of stormwater hydraulics especially as many parts of the Philippines are subject to severe flooding. So treatment of say the first flush of stormwater after which the water is discharged directly to the river system bypassing the treatment. This option will treat the most contaminated portion of the stormwater but not restrict flow substantially to become a further cause of flooding. In looking at stormwater treatment there are four considerations, these are prevention, at source control, in-line structures and wetland/flood plains. Unfortunately not one of these systems in isolation can solve all the problems so wach system must be implemented in synergy. Some mitigation options that can be implemented include: Grate and entrance screens Side entry pit traps Baffled pits Litter collection baskets Boom diversion systems Release nets Trash racks Gross pollutant trap Circular screens Floating Debris Traps Some examples of these systems are shown below: Cleaning is the most important issue in the utilisation of these systems and adequate maintenance programs need to form part of the strategy of installing any form of Stormwater treatment and management system. 3.6 Emergency Response and Spill Management In any strategy that discusses the clean-up of waterways there must be an element to handle the unforseen spillage that do occur on a regular basis. The issue facing DENR is how it can become aware of these and how to implement appropriate mitigation options to protect human health and the environment from such events. It is therefore imperative that a system will be established that ensures that spillages to the environment are reported, that there is a plan for containment and that this containment can then provide enough time to determine an appropriate response for the economic clean up of the spill. Too often in emergency response companies and regulators rush to throw all options towards the resolution of such events that the end result is often created a larger problem than the spill itself. A classic example of this is when dispersants are being used for the management of oil spills. The dispersant has really only one option, alter the surface tension of water so as to make the oil miscible with the water and thus render the oil spill out of mind out of site. In reality what dispersants do is prolong the inevitable that is contamination of sea beds and shore lines. In almost all situations the oil spill will require more clean up at the shoreline due to the fact that waterway conditions hav e changed and the oil is now no longer miscible thus creating a similar situation several kilometres away from the original spill location. Thus any emergency response management system needs to deal with spill prevention, containment and removal not dilution. An example of alternative oil spill product that can be used instead of dispersants is Cleanmag. This product is briefly detailed below: CleanMag ® is an oil sorbing material in the form of magnetic granules. It is a porous material so the oil is absorbed upon contact with the CleanMag ® materials at ratios of 1:6 (1 ‘CleanMag 6 oil by weight). Due to a magnetic interaction all granules stay together forming a crust, which floats even after the oil has been absorbed and can be collected before the spill reaches the shoreline. In cases where the material does reach the coastline, the oil does not leak out due to strong cohesion onto the CleanMag ®, thus eliminating the devastating environmental impacts normally associated with oil spills reaching sensitive coastlines. The material and oil can be collected even days after CleanMag ® has been dispersed over the spill (by aerial or naval means), by using a magnetic conveyor belt or electromagnetic cranes mounted onto the collecting vessel (i.e. ship or tug). Should the oil spill extend to a large surface area ‘CleanMag ® can be sprayed on the boarders of the spill, thus creating a barrier and preventing oil dispersion.This helps slow down the rate of expansion of the surface of the spill and therefore creates more time for the clean up operation to be conducted. This time is important as it can enable more innovative recovery options that are less costly to the operator and furthermore minimize environmental penalties associated with such spillages, as the impact on the environment and communities is minimized. 3.7 Sediment clean-up Finally after the sources of pollution have been contained and managed consideration should then be given to dredging the sediments of the waterways with a view to removing the contaminants that have accumulated over several years. The final steps is necessary as the benefits of discharging clean high quality water that into the waterways system from the source control options mentioned earlier will not be realised. The reason for this is that the sediments will release contaminants and pollute the clean water. By cleaning these sediments it provides and opportunity for the life to return back to the waterway, free of pollution. So as a proud community lets CLEAN-UP THE WATERWAYS OF THE PHILIPPINES.

Effects of Technology :: Computers Society

Effects of Technology The technology which surrounds almost everyone in the modern society, affects both work and leisure activities. Technology contains information that many would rather it did not have. It influences minds in good and bad ways, and it allows people to share information which they would otherwise not be able to attain. Even if a person does not own a computer or have credit cards, there is information on a computer somewhere about everyone. The technology which is just now beginning to be manipulated and harnessed is affecting the minds of small children and adolescents in ways that could be harmful. It is affecting our immediate future. It also gives another form of communication and exchange of information which was not available before, information that is both good and bad. Technology is one of the principal driving forces of the future; it is transforming our lives and shaping our future at rates unprecedented in history, with profound implications which we can't even begin to see or understand. Many different elements affect how satisfied we are with our lives. The impact of technology on these elements can change how safe, healthy and happy people feel. Throughout history, people have looked for better ways to meet their needs and to satisfy their expectations. Technology has improved the way people feed, clothe and shelter themselves. Technology has also changed other aspects of everyday life, such as health care, education, job satisfaction, and leisure time activities. People have used technology since they first chipped stone blades to improve their hunting. Yet some people call the current age the "Technological Age" because of society's dependence on technology. For the first time in human history, almost all the goods and services people use depend on technology. The products of technology are available to almost everyone in society. The economy of a country influences how the people of the county live. Technology is often considered the key to a nation's economic growth. Most economists would say that it is one of the factors in economic growth, but they would probably disagree about its importance. Many economists think that if technology sparks growth in one sector of the economy in the form of increased productivity, growth will also occur in other sectors of the economy. Jobs may be lost in one industry, such as agriculture but new jobs may emerge in other sectors of the economy.

Essay on Discourse in A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

Authoritative Discourse in A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man    In James Joyce's A Portrait of An Artist As A Young Man, the main character, Stephen Dedalus, struggles between his natural instincts, or what Bakhtin calls the "internally persuasive discourse" that "[is not] backed up by [an] authority at all", and his learned response, reinforced by the "authoritative discourse" of religion. To Stephen's "internally persuasive discourse", his natural sex drive is not 'wrong'. It is only after he succumbs to the "authoritative discourse" of religion that he learns that such a natural human drive is 'bad'. Thus, he learns that it is wrong to succumb to sex: he does not think that it is bad on his own. In this case, the "authoritative discourse" that considers sexual drive to be 'bad' becomes Stephen's "internally persuasive discourse". He learns that his natural urges are wrong and, as a result, he learns to deny them and pretend them to be nonexistent. This is how the "authoritative discourse" becomes Stephen's "internally persuasive discourse".   Ã‚  Ã‚   The evidence that Stephen relies on his senses is best shown by the description of how much he has to deny his senses in order to reach the "discourse" of religion.    Each of his senses was brought under a religious discipline. In order to mortify the sense of sight he made it his rule to walk in the street with downcast eyes, glancing neither to right nor left and never behind him. His eyes shunned every encounter with the eyes of women (162-3).    However, there is a natural impulse from which he cannot escape: and that is his sense of touch. He may try to deny it in all possible ways but he cannot wholly escape it. This sense of touch is what causes ... ...567-75. Epstein, Edmund L.   The Ordeal of Stephen Dedalus.   Carbondale and   Edwardsville:   Southern Illinois U P, 1971. Givens, Seon, ed.   James Joyce:   Two Decades of Criticism. New York:   1948. 2nd ed.   1963. Goldman, Arnold.   The Joyce Paradox:   Form and Freedom in his Fiction.   Evanston,   IL:   Northwestern U P,   1966. Halper, Nathan.   The Early James Joyce.   Columbia Essays on   Modern Writers.  Ã‚   Ed.   George Stade.   New York:   Columbia U P, 1973. Joyce, James.   A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.   The Portable James Joyce.   Ed.  Ã‚   Harry   Levin.   New   York:   Penguin, 1976. Levin, Harry.   "The Artist." James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man:  Ã‚   Text, Criticism, and Notes.   Ed.   Chester G. Anderson.   New York:   Penguin,   1968.   399-415. Wright, David G.   Characters of Joyce.   Dublin:   Gill and Macmillan, 1983.   

Death in the Life of John Donne :: John Donne Poetry

Death in the Life of John Donne Professor Choi Jae Hun 2006-12-07 MA English Literature 2006201044 Yoon Hyeon Jeong Contents INTRODUCTION 2 I. DEATH OF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS 3 II. MARRIAGE AND HIS WIFE’S DEATH 6 III. HIS OWN DEATH 8 IV. SUICIDAL THOUGHTS 9 CONCLUSION 10 BIBLIOGRAPHY 11 Introduction John Donne is one of the most important poets in English literature. To understand John Donne’s poems better, studying his poetic skills such as symbolism, wit, metaphor, and exaggeration are crucial, but the most important subject, death, in his poems cannot be overlooked. John Donne wrote songs and sonnets as well as divine poems and death is often mentioned in his poems. Why did he always think about death? Did he experience death or similar occasions very often in his life? For human beings, death is a depressing image. Humans are afraid of death because we are mortal, so, we often worship the immortality of gods. I think the image of death is darkness and I never thought of death when I was younger, but, John Donne seemed to think about death even when he was relatively young. Instead of researching poems, we can look into the background of John Donne’s family members’ death, his marriage life and his wife’s death, his own death and his suicidal thou ghts. Most people research John Donne’s metaphors in his poems, John Donne’s image of love, John Donne’s thoughts on women and his death in his poems. However, we can examine his personal background which is linked to death, which will make us understand his poems far better and easier. I. Death of his family members John Donne was born in Bread street, London, in 1572. His family was a well-off Roman Catholic family. His father died suddenly in 1576 when Donne was only 4 years old. He was raised by his mother, Elizabeth Heywood. She delivered 6 children, but, 3 children died, so, 3 children, Anne, Henry, Donne were brought up together. Elizabeth Heywood’s family was strict Catholic, so, Donne was educated as a serious Catholic when he was a child. His mother was John Heywood’s daughter who was an epigrammatist and a playwright and Sir Thomas More’s niece. John Heywood (c.1497-c.1580) was an English writer known for his plays, poems, and collection of proverbs. He was born in or near London, but fled to Europe to avoid religious persecution for his Catholic faith and is believed to have died in Mechelen, Belgium. Sir Thomas More (7 February 1478 - 6 July 1535) was an English lawyer, author, and statesman.

Medieval Towns and Townsmen: Impacts on Europe’s Socio-Political

Every society has been molded by historical structures in political, economic and social aspects. These structures which influenced people in their actions and interactions caused a progression that would soon yield to changes in the status quo. However while we speak of multi-level changes, much of it is triggered by power struggles and the question of who rules- such is the essence of politics. It is interesting to understand that Europe’s modern-day community has evolved from medieval town characterized by unique economic relations into states as we know them today. This paper will show even in a brief manner, the development (not necessary linear and positive) resulting as a consequence of the rise of medieval towns and townsmen in Europe. Townsmen are individuals in the former which perform duties as officers or officials in the community. Most of them are merchants manifesting the significance of economic trade and businesses that emerged during that time. First, let us discuss some of Medieval Europe’s context based from historical accounts. Medieval Europe (500-1500) has been referred to as the â€Å"Respublica Christiana†. It has been known for the merger of religious and political authorities in its general affairs. The dominant socio-political and economic structure however is named â€Å"feudalism†. This is the system of granting from the kings downward of lands and rights in exchange for military and political support (Bale, 2005). What has been developed from this system is customary loyalty to the immediate feudal superiors and obedience to the Church. Two townsmen which are worthy of mention in our proceedings are Gregorio Dati (Florence) and St. Francis (Assisi). They represent although symbolically the roles that religion and political and economic system played in much of Europe’s development. From the writings left for studies about Dati, it appears that: â€Å"Dati shows a clear example of what the new â€Å"free† merchant society was able to give to its citizenry. It is clear that there were many economic opportunities in Florence in the late 14th century, and these opportunities gave way to changes in economic and political structure which not only had a significant effect on the city’s current demographic and economic circumstances, but would eventually lead to new ways of thinking and organizing society†. (Cited in Reflecting Economic Circumstance in Florence from Pitti and Dati) Gregorio Dati was appointed Standard Bearer of Justice, the highest position in Florence. One must understand that the European Guilds consist of the highly influential persons in the community and have great importance in major dynamics at that time. Dati is a member of the said organization. The guilds and Florence’s economic system had an effect in the city’s processes. It had reliance on trade yet this helped the people develop. The merchant economy allowed new people to participate during the hard economic times. The development brought by the Guilds changed Florence into a dynamic society with residents who have turned analytical and independent. Prosperity thus was achieved but alongside this development is an opportunity to question the status quo. St. Francis being a townsman himself has performed his merchant roles as well although limited to his early years as he devoted himself to his religious calling. He has been a part of this enlargement of followers and believers of the Church which preserved order for a time. Europe’s economy and population expanded as so did towns and cities which became centers of commerce, religion and education. This provided resources for Christian Crusades and finance overseas voyages and colonial explorations. (Bale, 2005).   This colonial expedition is the root of the internationalization of capitalism. The Great Reformation and Renaissance have enabled the rise of critical thinking and revolts, as the latter produced enlightenment from arts and science, philosophy and innovations (e.g. the invention of printing press) that initially demanded a rebirth or revival of ancient learning. The Protestant Reformation and the political theology of Martin Luther King in the 16th Century enhanced the authority of the kings and the legitimacy of the kingdoms. Previously, the kings are not very much empowered but when they beat the feudal barons and challenged the Papacy, they became state defenders- such is the rise of statehood. From these presentations, we can deduce that the development in social and political orientations out of the nature of medieval towns had an important role in developing new political and economic structures; from oligarchy to statehood and; from merchant system to capitalism. While the situations changed, so did the status quo. Works Cited Bale, Tim. European Politics. New York: Palgrave, 2005. Baylis, John and Steven Smith. The Globalization of World Politics 2nd Edition. Oxford: Oxford   University Press, 2001. Brucker, Gene, ed. Two Memoirs of Renaissance Florence: The Diaries of Buonaccorso Pitti & Gregorio Dati. Ed Gene Brucker. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland Press, 1991. Holmes, Georges. â€Å"Emergence of Urban Ideology at Florence.†Ã‚   Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 23 (1973): 111-134 â€Å"St. Francis of Assisi† in   www.wikipedia.com         

Bullying In the Schools

In the past, these actions could be better controlled because they were limited to face-to-face interactions. In recent years, this age-old conflict has matched the pace of technological evolutions; making it more dangerous and harder to contain. Cell phones, social media sites, chat rooms, and other forms of technology have allowed bullying to expand into cyberspace. This new form of bullying is known as accessibility. The word â€Å"bully' can be traced back as far as the sass's (Hindu & Patching, 2009). In its most basic form, bullying involves two people, a bully or intimidator and a victim.The bully abuses the victim through physical, verbal, or other means in order to gain a sense of superiority or power. These actions may be direct (I. E. Hitting, verbally assaulting face-to-face, etc. ) or indirect (I. E. Rumors, gossip). There is no clear cut reason why children become a bully, but some evidence shows that they tend to be involved in alcohol consumption and smoking, have po orer academic records than involved students, display a strong need for dominance, and show little empathy for their victims (Roberts & Imports, 2000).Bullying may be means of increasing one's own social status (Pipelining, 2001). A strong correlation appears to exist between bullying other students during the school years and experiencing legal or criminal troubles as adults (Pigskin, 2002). Bullying tends to peak in middle school because this is when kids start to physically develop and become more aware of their differences (Pomeranian Beer, 2013). Cliques begin to take shape and a social system develops that lays heavily on the desire of adolescents to fit in.Bullying usually occurs in the presence of peers, who can adopt a variety of roles, such as remaining neutral during a bullying incident, assisting and encouraging the bully, or aiding or consoling the victim (unfortunately the latter role is rarely adopted by children). The action of peers in the vicinity of bullying incid ents typically support the bullying behavior rather than stop it (Sutton & Smith, 1999). Most children do not want to intervene, being afraid they might be the next target Pigskin, 2002).The impact of being bullied can leave a devastating affect lasting into adulthood. Children and adolescents being bullied tend to have lower academic grades and low self-esteem. The extreme scones ounces are suicidal thoughts or thoughts of violent revenge. While grade school children tend to rely on parents and teachers for support, junior and high school children tend to leave them out and rely more of the support of their friends (Subtotals, 180). This makes it especially difficult to intervene, not knowing here is such an incident. Usually intervention comes too later when a child has decided to take his/her own life or take a weapon to school to prove they are a victim no more. Media attention has made this epidemic a national crisis. Parents and school officials are calling for law-makers to t ake action to deter or punish bullying. In order to control and prevent this in schools or in cyberspace, bullying should first be acknowledged as a significant and pervasive problem, and secondly school-based intervention programs need to be developed.

Final exam Essay

SAINT PETER’S UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING NU 304 NX FINAL EXAMINATION SPRING 2014 1. When the immunoglobulin crosses the placenta, what type of immunity does the fetus receive? a. Active b. Passive c. Innate d. Cell-mediated 2. The predominant antibody of a typical primary immune response is: a. IgG b. IgM c. IgA d. IgE 3. While planning care, a nurse recalls seasonal allergic rhinitis is expressed through: a. IgE-mediated reactions b. Tissue-specific reactions c. Antigen-antibody complexes d. Type II hypersensitivity reactions 4. When histamine is released in the body, which of the following responses would the nurse expect? a. Bronchial dilation b. Edema c. Vasoconstriction d. Constipation 5. When thought content and arousal level are intact but a patient cannot communicate, the patient has: a. Cerebral death b. Locked-in syndrome c. Dysphagia d. Cerebellar motor syndrome 6. A 65-year-old male recently suffered a cerebral vascular accident. He is now unable to recognize and identify objects by touch because of injury to the sensory cortex. How should the nurse document this finding? a. Hypomimesis b. Agnosia c. Dysphasia d. Echolalia 7. A 69-year-old male with a history of alcohol abuse presents to the emergency room (ER) after a month-long episode of headaches and confusion. Based on his alcoholism, a likely cause of his neurologic symptoms is: a. Concussion b. Chronic subdural hematoma c. Epidural hematoma d. Subacute subdural hematoma 8. _____ are most at risk of spinal cord injury from minor trauma. a. Infants b. Men c. Women d. The elderly 9. Six weeks ago a female patient suffered a T6 spinal cord injury. She then developed a blood pressure of 200/120, a severe headache, blurred vision, and bradycardia. What does the nurse suspect the patient is experiencing? a. Extreme spinal shock b. Acute anxiety c. Autonomic hyperreflexia d. Parasympathetic areflexia 10. A 23-year-old female begins having problems with tiredness, weakness, and visual changes. Her diagnosis is multiple sclerosis (MS). What is occurring in the patient’s body? a. Depletion of dopamine in the central nervous system (CNS) b. Demyelination of nerve fibers in the CNS c. The development of neurofibril webs in the CNS d. Reduced amounts of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction 11. Which statement by a patient indicates teaching was successful regarding myasthenia gravis? Myasthenia gravis results from: a. Viral infection of skeletal muscle b. Atrophy of motor neurons in the spinal cord c. Demyelination of skeletal motor neurons d. Autoimmune injury at the neuromuscular junction 12. If a patient’s posterior pituitary is removed, which hormone would the nurse expect to decrease? a. PRF b. ADH c. ACTH d. GH 13. If a patient had a problem with the adrenal medulla, which of the following hormones should the nurse monitor? a. Cortisol b. Epinephrine c. Androgens d. Estrogens 14. When catecholamines are released in a patient, what should the nurse assess for? a. Nutrient absorption b. Fluid retention c. Hypotension d. Hyperglycemia 15. A 45-year-old female has elevated thyroxine production. Which of the following would accompany this condition? a. Increased thyroid-releasing hormone (TRH) b. Increased anterior pituitary stimulation c. Decreased T4 d. Decreased thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) 16. A 54-year-old patient with pulmonary tuberculosis (lung infection) is evaluated for syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion (SIADH). Which of the following electrolyte imbalances would be expected in this patient? a. Hyponatremia b. Hyperkalemia c. Hypernatremia d. Hypokalemia 17. A 22-year-old male is admitted to the intensive care unit with a closed head injury sustained in a motorcycle accident. The injury has caused severe damage to the posterior pituitary. Which of the following complications should the nurse anticipate? a. Dilutional hyponatremia b. Dehydration from polyuria c. Cardiac arrest from hyperkalemia d. Metabolic acidosis 18. While checking the lab results for a patient with Graves disease, the nurse would check the T3 level to be abnormally: a. Low b. High c. Variable d. Absent 19. A 19-year-old female with type 1 DM was admitted to the hospital with the following lab values: serum glucose 500 mg/dl (high), urine glucose and ketones 4+ (high), and arterial pH 7.20 (low). Her parents state that she has been sick with the â€Å"flu† for a week. Which of the following statements best explains her acidotic state? a. Increased insulin levels promote protein breakdown and ketone formation. b. Her uncontrolled diabetes has led to renal failure. c. Low serum insulin promotes lipid storage and a corresponding release of ketones. d. Insulin deficiency promotes lipid metabolism and ketone formation. 20. A patient with Addison disease has weakness and easy fatigability. A nurse recalls this is due to: a. Hyperkalemia b. Hypoglycemia c. Hypocortisolism d. Metabolic acidosis 21. A nurse wants to determine if there is kidney dysfunction in a patient with diabetes. Which of the following is the earliest manifestation? a. Polyuria b. Glycosuria c. Microalbuminuria d. Decreased glomerular filtration 22. Which condition will cause a patient to secrete erythropoietin? a. Low blood pressure b. Hypercarbia c. Inflammation d. Hypoxia 23. While planning care for a patient with urinary problems, the nurse recalls that the renin-angiotensin system will be activated by: a. Increased blood volume b. Elevated sodium concentrations c. Decreased blood pressure in the afferent arterioles d. Renal hypertension 24. A 55-year-old male presents reporting urinary retention. Tests reveal that he has a lower urinary tract obstruction. Which of the following is of most concern to the nurse? a. Vesicoureteral reflux and pyelonephritis b. Formation of renal calculi c. Glomerulonephritis d. Increased bladder compliance 25. A 15-year-old male was diagnosed with pharyngitis. Eight days later he developed acute glomerulonephritis. While reviewing the culture results, which of the following is the most likely cause of this disease? a. Klebsiella b. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) c. Genital herpes virus d. Group A ß-hemolytic streptococcus 26. A 30-year-old male is demonstrating hematuria with red blood cell casts and proteinuria exceeding 3 to 5 g/day, with albumin being the major protein. The most probable diagnosis the nurse will see documented on the chart is: a. Cystitis b. Chronic pyelonephritis c. Acute glomerulonephritis d. Renal calculi 27. A 54-year-old female is diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome. Which of the following is a common symptom of this disease? a. Hematuria b. Dysuria c. Oliguria d. Proteinuria 28. A 45-year-old female presents with hypertension, anorexia, nausea and vomiting, and anemia. She is diagnosed with chronic renal failure. When the patient asks what caused this anemia, how should the nurse respond? Your anemia is caused by: a. Red blood cells being lost in the urine b. Inadequate production of erythropoietin c. Inadequate iron absorption in the gut d. Red blood cells being injured as they pass through the glomerulus 29. A 50-year-old male is experiencing reflux of chyme from the stomach. He is diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux. This condition is caused by: a. Fibrosis of the lower third of the esophagus b. Sympathetic nerve stimulation c. Loss of muscle tone at the lower esophageal sphincter d. Reverse peristalsis of the stomach 30. A 10-month-old is brought to the pediatrician by the mother who states the baby has been experiencing colicky pain followed by vomiting, sweating, nausea, and irritability. Testing reveals a condition in which one part of the intestine telescopes into another. From which type of intestinal obstruction is he suffering? a. Hernia b. Ileus c. Torsion d. Intussusception 31. A 54-year-old male is diagnosed with peptic ulcer disease. This condition is most likely caused by: a. Hereditary hormonal imbalances with high gastrin levels b. Breaks in the mucosa and presence of corrosive secretions c. Decreased vagal activity and vascular engorgement d. Gastric erosions related to high ammonia levels and bile reflux 32. A 39-year-old female with chronic intermittent pain in the epigastric area 2 to 3 hours after eating is diagnosed with a duodenal ulcer. Which of the following behaviors may have contributed to the development of the ulcer? a. Cigarette smoking b. Drinking caffeinated beverages c. Consuming limited fiber d. Antacid consumption 33. A 54-year-old male complains that he has been vomiting blood. Tests reveal portal hypertension. Which of the following is the most likely cause of his condition? a. Thrombosis in the spleen b. Cirrhosis of the liver c. Left ventricular failure d. Renal stenosis 34. A 60-year-old female with a history of alcoholism complains of recent weight gain and right flank pain. Physical examination reveals severe ascites. This condition is caused by decreased: a. Albumin and lack of cellular integrity b. Capillary filtration pressure c. Capillary permeability d. Antidiuretic hormone secretion 35. A 31-year-old female presents with midabdominal pain. She is expected to have acute pancreatitis. Which of the will be part of the treatment plan? (Select all that apply.) a. Narcotic analgesics b. Restriction of food intake c.Nasogastric suctioning d. Antibiotics e. IV fluids 36. Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder wall usually caused by: a. Accumulation of bile in the hepatic duct b. Obstruction of the cystic duct by a gallstone c. Accumulation of fat in the wall of the gallbladder d. Viral infection of the gallbladder 37. While planning care for a patient with an extradural hematoma, which principle should the nurse remember? The main source of bleeding in extradural (epidural) hematomas is: a. Arterial b. Venous c. Capillary d. Sinus 38. A 30-year-old white male recently suffered a cerebrovascular accident. Which of the following is the most likely factor that contributed to his stroke? a. Age b. Gender c. Diabetes d. Race 39. A 72-year-old male demonstrates left-sided weakness of upper and lower extremities. The symptoms lasted 4 hours and resolved with no evidence of infarction. The patient most likely experienced a(n): a. Stroke in evolution b. Arteriovenous malformation c. Transient ischemic attack d. Cerebral hemorrhage 40. A 25-year-old female presents to her primary care provider reporting fever, headache, nuchal rigidity, and decreased consciousness. She was previously treated for sinusitis. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis? a. Aseptic meningitis b. Bacterial meningitis c. Fungal meningitis d. Nonpurulent meningitis 41. A patient is admitted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Which classic assessment findings will support the diagnosis of ALS? a. Progressive dementia b. Muscle weakness and atrophy c. Severe paresthesias d. Autonomic dysfunctions 42. Which information indicates the nurse understands assessment findings of an aneurysm? a. A headache is the most common symptom b. The majority are asymptomatic c. Nosebleeds are an early symptom d. Epidural hemorrhage occurs in over 80% of patients 43. A 50-year-old male patient is deficient in ADH production. Which of the following assessment findings would the nurse expect to find? a. Increased blood volume b. Increased urine osmolality c. Increased urine volume d. Increased arterial vasoconstriction 44. Diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus (DM), and SIADH share which of the following assessment manifestations? a. Polyuria b. Edema c. Vomiting and abdominal cramping d. Thirst 45. A 22-year-old female has a low level of TSH. What condition does the nurse expect the patient is experiencing? a. Primary hypothyroidism b. Secondary hypothyroidism c. Autoimmune hypothyroidism d. Atypical hypothyroidism 46. A 45-year-old female with Graves disease underwent surgical removal of her thyroid gland. During the postoperative period, her serum calcium was low. The most probable reason for her low serum calcium is: a. Hyperparathyroidism secondary to Graves disease b. Myxedema secondary to surgery c. Hypoparathyroidism caused by surgical injury to the parathyroid glands d. Hypothyroidism resulting from lack of thyroid replacement 47. A 12-year-old female is newly diagnosed with type 1 DM. When the parents ask what causes this, what is the nurse’s best response? a. A familial, autosomal dominant gene defect b. Obesity and lack of exercise c. Immune destruction of the pancreas d. Hyperglycemia from eating too many sweets 48. When a nurse is assessing the physical features of individuals with Cushing syndrome, these findings will include: a. Weight loss and muscle wasting b. Truncal obesity and moon face c. Pallor and swollen tongue d. Depigmented skin and eyelid lag 49. A 45-year-old male complains of heartburn after eating and difficulty swallowing. He probably has: a. Pyloric stenosis b. Gastric cancer c. Achalasia d. Hiatal hernia 50. The primary causes of duodenal ulcers include (select all that apply): a. Consumption of spicy foods b. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) c. H. pylori infection d. Trauma e. Side effects of antibiotics