Business Intelligence Sysco

Business Intelligence Software at SYSCO 1 Case Overview SYSCO is a large food service company in the US Distribute food and related supplies to restaurants, schools, Highly decentralized company with many operating divisions Company has BI software in divisions already Case centers on the process related to a new BI software for the entire company, how much to buy, and the implementation of the new software 2 Case Objectives What is BI software? What are the business benefits of BI software? What are the two alternatives for buying BI software at SYSCO? What are some implementation pitfalls of BI software at SYSCO?How should SYSCO judge the success of its BI software implementation? Is BI likely to provide SYSCO with a competitive advantage? Sustained competitive advantage? 3 What is BI Software? What is BI software? Statistical analysis Data mining Ad hoc queries Other features Why did SYSCO need/want it? Make better use of available information Understand their customers better Pos sible competitive advantage? 4 What is BI Software? (cont. ) What kind of companies benefit from BI software? In general, large and small Don’t have to buy everything Appropriate IT infrastructure is crucial, however BI Alternatives at SYSCO Buy minimum to address specific, current business needs? Buy more than the minimum up front to take advantage of price discounts? Which approach do you recommend? 6 Analysis of Alternatives Advantages and disadvantages – buy all now Save money by buying everything now Most likely will need modules in the long run Integration could be easier sooner than later Business need not identified Time frames unclear Greater risk due to the operating companies’ resistance and having to pay for something unknown and unneeded as of now Other things Analysis of Alternatives (cont. ) Other advantages and disadvantages Identification of two questions up front presents a clear business case Dealing with these questions satisfactorily will de monstrate SW capabilities to users Users may naturally ask for â€Å"what else can BI software do? † 8 Implementation Issues What are the main challenges to implementation? Necessary interfaces to corporate data sources Operating companies may resist cost assessments Operating companies already have some BI software already 9 Implementation Issues (cont. Could SYSCO have made it optional for operating companies to participate? Is Business Objects’ approach to support a positive? If so, could it be used to mitigate possible negative feelings from among the operating companies? Does SYSCO seem to have the appropriate infrastructure in place? From the operating companies’ perspective? 10 Judge Success with BI Software Parts of judging success somewhat easy, some not Number of sites with BI installed Number of training sessions completed Subjective assessments, e. g. satisfaction, attitude Nature of participation in design process Type and amount of use of BI softwa re If sales and customer retention rates go up, is this because of BI, another development within SYSCO, or something else? 10 patents for Business Objects as of April 2007 Nature of support provided by Business Objects Use of support by operating companies 11 BI and Competitive Advantage Can IT provide a competitive advantage? Can BI provide a competitive advantage? Can BI provide a sustained competitive advantage? Can SYSCO’s competition do the same thing? 12

Poor Infection Control

Poor Infection Control This story is about a man in his twenties named Michael Skolnik. He was born in March of 1979 and died in June of 2004. He was the only child of his parents. It all started one day while he was doing normal activity, and he passed out in September of 2001. His parents took him to the hospital and a CT scan showed the slight possibility of a colloid cyst, but whatever the two to three millimeter dot was, it was not symptomatic. His mother consulted with a neurosurgeon who said that it was urgent to place Michael in ICU for observation.The neurosurgeon said that Michael needed to have brain surgery within two days. It was supposed to be a three hour operation, and Michael was only supposed to have to spend six days in the hospital. The neurosurgeon explained to Michael’s mother that he had done many of these procedures before, and that he really didn’t even have to go inside Michael’s brain to remove the cyst. He said that the cyst was there and was blocking the cerebral spinal fluid from flowing. The three hour operation ended up lasting six hours without a cyst ever being found. Meanwhile, heavy manipulation had been done to Michael’s brain.His â€Å"six day hospital stay† became five months in ICU, Twenty-two months in other medical institutions, and the last six months of his life at home, in his parent’s own ICU. Upon the hospital’s further examination of Michael’s CT scan, it became evident that the neurosurgeon’s pressure to rush Michael into surgery was unwarranted. This marked the beginning of a Thirty-two month long nightmare of brain surgeries, infections, pulmonary embolisms, respiratory arrest, vision impairment, paralysis, psychosis, severe seizure disorder, short-term memory loss, multiple organ failure, and near total dependence and disability.Michael could not eat, speak, or move anything but his right hand. Almost every day during this traumatic time, Michael w as so miserable that he actually would use his sole limb control to shape his fingers into a gun, and hold them to his temple. This 6’4† EMT and nursing student was now totally helpless and had the cognitive ability of a third grader. Michael’s medical bills amounted to be 4. 5 million dollars, and his legal bills were just beginning. His parents listened to a doctor that had claimed to have performed many surgeries finally admit in a legal deposition that Michael’s procedure had only been his second surgery ever performed.Despite all their attempts to research the doctor’s background, this was the first time they had ever heard the truth about his level of experience. They then knew they had to do something, knowing their son was never going to come back, but they wanted to make sure that it did not happen to anyone else’s family. Three years after Michael’s death this parent’s fought for physician profile transparency and disc losure in Colorado. They had found out that there were other medical malpractice cases pending and a number of formal complaints to the Board of Medical Examiners regarding this medical predator.At that time, none of this background information was available to the public, so they worked to change that. On May 24, 2007 Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed into law â€Å"The Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act†, which became effective on January 2, 2008. In 2009 their organization Colorado Citizens for Accountability,† launched PatientsRightToKnow. org, which allows you to find out what physician background reporting is available to you in your state.

3-Year Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free (#5)

3-Year Marketing Plan Essay Marketing plan (149) , Pricing (148) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints ? In order that we continue our company’s financial growth, we need to branch out into new product lines. A study was performed to consider our entrance into the pet supply market. We have developed a new single product for that purpose. It is a Cordless Automatic Nail Trimmer for dogs and cats. The findings of this study are in this presentation. Our numbers are conservative. The potential for success is high. We are Company G are always looking forward to find and implement new lines that will complement our Mission statement, and our bottom line. This is our next opportunity introduces Company G and the product or product line that you are writing this marketing plan about. â€Å"We enable consumers to improve the quality and convenience of their lives by providing innovative electronics solutions.† Product Description and Classification The Cordless Automatic Nail Trimmer for Dogs and cats will be our first entry into the world of pets. This product uses a sensor to find the quick (the bundle of nerves and blood vessels) on a pets nail, then adjusts to a spot just below it. It trims the nail, rotates to the next nail, and repeats the process, until trimming each nail on the paw. Simply remove the paw, and continue on each paw until done. Our trimmer will avoid the pain of cutting the quick with bleeding. It will not cause discomfort for the animal associated heat build up from electric nail trimmers. This product will allow anyone from novice to professional to trim a dog or cats nails to perfection. Rather than making an appointment, going to the local pet groomer, paying $7 to $25 (before tip), or big box, a pet owner can trim their pet’s nails at home. If the owner would rather have the nails done, they can have their groomer use our tool, giving the pet owner peace of mind, knowing their pet will not suff er any pain. Consumer Factors Planning time involved in purchase Purchase frequency Importance of convenient location Comparison of price and quality Considerable Infrequent Important Considerable Shopping Products Specialty Products Shopping Products Shopping Products Marketing Mix Factors Price Importance of seller’s image Distribution channel length Number of sales outlets Promotion Relatively high Very important Relatively short Few Personal selling and advertising by producer and seller Shopping Products Shopping Products Shopping Products Shopping Products Shopping Products The target market is between the ages of 30 and 45 with busy lives, looking to save time and money. Their incomes would be greater than $60K. This will include professionals, as well as working couples. We will target both existing dog or cat owners, as well as new entrants to pet ownership. Competitive Situation Analysis Analysis of Competition using Porter’s 5 Forces Model Competitive Rivalry Today are no direct competitors. We are entering an existing market, with a completely new technology. The closet rivalry is the electric trimmer, produced by Dremel Tools and Oster Company. These products do NOT have the features we have. They do not compare in experience. There is no threat at this time. We have the threat from two outside entrants to create a knock off version of our automatic nail trimmer. The two companies that could attempt to enter the market are Dremel Tools and Oster Company. The threat to us is medium for a few reasons. We will patent our trimmer, which means that they will have to start with our product, and then develop modifications, to avoid patent infringement. Both companies’ current products use a different kind of technology. They are grinders and do not have any quick detection apparatus’. While Dremel Tools has been in the pet trimming market for some time, they only modified the grinder used for woodworking and other craft projects. This would be a departure from their core competency. This is the only venture by Oster Company. They a relatively new to the market, It isn’t likely that they will put more R and D dollars into a second pet product at this time. There is no threat to us from buyers. Pets must have their nails trimmed on a regular basis, or they can suffer pain and / or health issue. The owners of these pets are responsible to maintain their pets’ nails. With the addition of our safe, reliable, easy to use product added to the market, buyers have all of the options they could want. At our price point, they would not consider creating a similar product. It is an infrequent purchase for them. We will also establish a blog site to give our customers an opportunity to help us determine if they desire any additional features. There is very little threat to us from our two suppliers. Vendor A is supplying us with the heat-sensing component to our trimmer. The device they are producing for us helps to expand their bottom end line of heat sensors. This represents a 10 percent addition to their offering. The main customers for Vendor A is the Armed forces, who buy heat sensing devices for airplanes, tanks, and vision goggles for ground troops. They do not have the infrastructure to build a product such as ours. They would not take on the capital expense to enter this type of manufacturing. They do not have any retail, on-line, distribution experience, or presence. Vendor B who supplies us with the stainless steel blades are in a similar situation. Their main customer is the medical, surgical industry. Vendor B manufacturers high end surgical blades, knives, as well as blades for men’s razor blades. Our product represents a new product in between in quality. It is not significant enough for Vendor B to start an entirely new type of product for them In the current market, there are threats from substitutes.  People not using our product can use manual nail clippers, grinders, or pay someone else to trim their pets’ nails. The threat to us does not exist. All pet owners are currently using one of these venues today. With the quality, ease of use, time and money savings, and cruelty free aspect of our trimmer, virtually nobody will revert to these substitutes. Before we risk our profits or our brand value, we took a critical look both internally, and externally. The intent is to consider how we can leverage the positives, improve on our weaknesses and prepare for outside threats. Here are the findings. STRENGTHS *indicates core competency Financial health* Efficient manufacturing Brand Reputation* WEAKNESSES Lack of training Lack of Distribution network Never advertised pet products OPPORTUNITIES Pet ownership on steady rise Personal time on decrease Economy is increasing expendable income THREATS Possible newer technology Economic downturn Heat sensor supply issue Financial health is one of our core competencies. We have a very low debt-to-equity ratio, combined with a credit rating. This gives us the flexibility to create initial inventory and cover the typical start-up costs related to a new product line. Brand reputation, another core competency, means that we are already in the homes of many of our targeted customers. They know we produce high quality, well designed, products. Our brand is a trusted name nationally. Efficient manufacturing is another of our strengths. It allows up to produce our goods at a lower total cost compared with competitors. We run our production lines quickly, with little waste, or re-work. This helps for reliable batch production, and very few quality / defects issues in the field. Lack of training for our production line associates is a potential issue. Production will be slower, risks quality compliance, and will cost more per unit compared to our established lines. Lack of advertising relationships within the pet market is another weakness. We do not advertise at all aimed at pet owners. We do not understand what the costs are, compared to our other product lines. We will not be able to bundle the new lines advertising with our other lines, for a volume discount. Our sales force is not equipped to demonstrate our new product line. We will need to higher trainers, and new sales people that are specialists specific to the new line. The economy is on an upward trend. As wages increase, so does expendable  income. This allows people to purchase pets, supplies, and services. This applies for either new or existing pets in the household. Personal time is on the decrease. Wage earners are spending more time working. Parents are spending more time driving their school-aged children to sports, music lessons, and dance classes, etc. These parents will also attend the events surrounding the activities. Taking Fido to the groomer and picking him up later is another time eater. Being able to trim nails effortlessly, in your own home, on your own schedule has a good deal of appeal. Pet ownership is on the rise. In 2013, there were 82.5 million pet owners in the United States. This number is expected to rise to 92 million by 2018. In 2013 $4.4 billion dollars were spend on grooming and boarding. In 2014 sales rose to $4.7 billion, a 7% increase. This is a growth industry. Economic downturn could become a possible threat. As expendable income dwindles, pet owners could potentially purchase less expensive nail trimmers. They could also choose to go to a groomer, but do so less often as a money saver. A supply issue could threaten our ability to produce our product. A shortage of the heat sensors could become an issue. If our vendor chooses to increase the price of the sensors could become an issue as well, reducing our margin to an unacceptable level. Development of a newer technology is a threat. A competitor, on a new company could start making the next generation of automatic trimmers. Dependent on the features, or price, we could lose market share. Market Objectives Product Objective Sell 100K units by 12/31/2016. Price Objective Achieve a profit of $500K by 12/31/2016. Place Objective Have our product on the shelves of 2 national chains, and in 200 independent retail pet supply stores by 9/15/2015. Have an on-line presence by 9/1/2015. Our objective is to have 250K hits on you-tube demonstration by 1/1/2016 and 100K hits on our website specific to the new product line by 6/1/2016. This section will introduce you to the particular strategies, which will assure that we achieve our objectives. You will find them well thought out and comprehensive. We took the necessary time to be confident that they are inter-related and logical, using previous tactics which have been successful here at Company G. Packaging – use our trusted XG logo and recognized style of packaging. Great Warranty – offering a two-year warranty, this is better than current electric trimmers in the market. This is in line with our warranty for other product lines in our assortment. Dedicated Help Line – have a 24/7 help line specific to this product line. It will give advice, answer questions, and take care of issues that arise for customers. Market Pricing – Skimming pricing of $89.99. Good Terms – we will give 2% net 30 days pricing to our distributers. Advertising Allowances – $5 per unit sold for preapproved advertising campaigns. We will require proof of sales and give credit within 30 days of campaign end date/ Place Strategies Retail Stores – 2 National chain stores and 200 local pet stores based on their sales. Web presence – We will sell through Amazon.com, as well as on our web site. Quick shipping – We are going to use Amazon’s distribution Centers to ship to retail stores and directly to customers. This will be the most efficient use of our finished goods inventory. Personal selling – We will provide demonstrations at dog shows. Social media – We will have a You-tube presence, and a Face book presence. Discount / Donation – We will give customers a $5 discount and donate $5 to the Humane Society for the first 50K units sold. These strategies are a combination of approaches. We are going to use our strong brand name and recognition to take advantage to the consumers’ trust.  If they compare our product to Dremel or Oster’s trimmer, they will see we give them a superior warranty. We will get our product in front of millions of potential customers at dog shows. There are dog shows of various types happening every week across the United States. The retailers that we target will get good financial terms, along with our strong brand name. Our you-tube presentation will prove to customers just how easy and safe our trimmer is. We will also appeal to the good nature of pet owners will our donation to the Humane Society. In order to assure our success we need to put specific tactics in place. They need a due date and responsible party, so anyone in the process can see if we are adhering to our timeline. We know whom to ask about any given tactic as well. 3-Year Marketing Plan. (2016, Sep 17).

The Appeal of Marilyn Monroe Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Appeal of Marilyn Monroe - Research Paper Example Grady Johnson’s article for the Coronet magazine, written in 1952, captures the popularity and appeal of Marilyn Monroe when she was a rising star in Hollywood. He notes how the emerging star had seen 11 private foster homes in the first 16 years of her life. Coming out of this uncertain start is tough enough. But when we take into account how she’d always felt as an unwanted, underprivileged and low self-esteemed child, this maturation into a beautiful heartthrob is all the more astounding. Even as early as 1952, she was described with adoration by various journalists and film analysts. Here’s a sample: â€Å"She has been pegged the most promising star of 1952 by Movie Columnist Hedda Hopper, and described by Saloon-and-Sex authority Earl Wilson as having â€Å"the year’s most outstanding figure.† Producer Jerry Wald says, â€Å"She walks like a young antelope. When she stands, it's like a snake uncoiling. When she speaks, you don’t hear h er words – it’s as though she were whispering love to you.† She even is developing a singularly unnecessary skill as an actress.† (Johnson, 1952) If such is the adoration of seasoned critics and commentators, one can understand the kind of impact Monroe must have made on the general public. She was able to transcend class and gender barriers and garner the admiration of a whole generation. Even today her legacy is firmly established and her iconic status remains undiminished.  Ã‚   An aspect of Marilyn Monroe’s personal life which had added to her appeal is her numerous affairs. It is not surprising for actresses of her time to be involved with rich and powerful men. She had had relationships with sport stars, co-male-stars, and even with President John F. Kennedy. Instead of diminishing or sullying her image in the public eye, this tendency had only enhanced her romantic appeal. During her peak, she was every man’s dream girl. (Lockwood, 20 11) Contradictions in Personality Acting did not come easily to Marilyn Monroe. Her personal insecurities and vulnerabilities showed up as stage fright and shyness during her early years of

REFLECTIVE REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

REFLECTIVE REPORT - Essay Example During the first meeting, we engaged in a brain storming session in which each of us though of possible topics/subtopics for discussion. We evaluated the numerous suggestions and narrowed down the subtopics to a few. Based on the few areas, each member of the group was assigned one part to research and write on. We agreed by consensus that each person would also present the part that they had researched on on the day of the presentation. Abiola was assigned the topics myths and religion and religious beliefs while Bernadin was assigned the part of defining science and religion. Oluwabumni was to research on the relationship between religion and science even as Tuoyo researched on the kind of relationship that may arise between science and religion. Kalu was to do the conclusion while I was to work on the introduction. In the meetings that followed, we basically got updates on the progress made by each group member. Based on the information that each one of us gathered, we made comments, criticized, and made suggestions as we deemed fit. This was meant to see us come up with the best possible presentation. As we discussed on the progress of each member, we were keen to ensure that our criticisms and comments were objective rather than subjective. In preparation for the presentation, I relied on different sources of information. I visited the British Library where I got access to several useful sources. I had a more or less similar experience to what I had previously at the library. The amount of information related to the topic was overwhelming and I had a bit of trouble narrowing down to a few books, journals, and periodicals. I was lucky to have had a previous experience with the same situation and so I took less time settling down of the few sources that I finally read and used as sources for the presentation.

Drinking and Driving (Cause and Effect) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drinking and Driving (Cause and Effect) - Essay Example Nonetheless, the adverse effects of alcohol, when it is already time to take a drive to some other place or back to home, cause people to be susceptible to vehicle – related accidents which lead to injuries and deaths. Alcohol is a major cause in vehicle – related collisions that lead to injuries and deaths among people (Hingson and Winter 63). The numbers of recorded alcohol – related traffic deaths have declined since the early 1980s. However, even if this is the case, in United States, alcohol is still a significant factor which contributes to vehicle – related fatalities. In fact in 2002, alcohol had significantly contributed about four (4) out of ten (10) fatalities due to vehicular accidents. Among all the alcohol – related clashes, about 42 resulted to injury while about 4 percent caused death. Whereas the case of non – alcohol – related vehicular clashes, about 31 percent resulted to injury while only 0.6 percent led to death ( Hingson and Winter 64). ... Since the younger population are much more engaged in drinking alcohol than the older segment, the young people are more likely to get injured or die in vehicular accidents. This is supported by Maskalyk in the account of â€Å"Driving and Drinking† (313) and Hingson and Winter in â€Å"Epidemiology and Consequences of Drinking and Driving† (63 - 78) which are both written in 2003. Apart from that, Hingson and Winter claimed that more males are probably involved in alcohol – related vehicular accidents than females (64). This is for the reason that males are more involved in alcohol drinking as well as they are much heavier drinkers than females. Alcohol does not only put the lives of those who are driving while drunk at risk for it has also seriously endangered and destroyed the lives of other people than these drunk drivers. In fact, there are many people other than the drunk drivers who get injured or killed. Hingson and Winter stated in 2002, that about 44 pe rcent of the deaths in vehicular crashes had involved some drunk drivers. In these numbers of fatalities, about 22 percent were the drunk drivers’ passengers; about 13 percent comprised the pedestrians; about 7 percent were the drivers of the other vehicles which had been hit by the drunk drivers; and about 2 % happened to be bicyclists (64). On the one hand, Blum has written an article entitled â€Å"Drunk Driving: How it Hurts† which talks about a teen activist named Jackie Myers struggle against drunk driving (14 – 16). Myers has lost five of her family members on a vehicular collision with a nineteen year old drunk driver. At first, Myers had considered that driving while drunk is just normal until she suffered from the effect

Professional ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Professional ethics - Essay Example In spite of this, the Russia remains one of the main greenhouse gas emitters globally. In Kyoto-1 protocol, Russia’s target for minimizing emissions meant indeed not exceeding a certain emissions level rather than real emissions minimizations, since the goal was distinct in relation to 1990 pre-collapse year. In Kyoto-2 protocol, Russia did not sign due to perceptions concerning its ineffectiveness in answering the climate change issue and the need to emphasize on a new comprehensive agreement applicable to every major emitters (particularly the US and China). With the U.S. and China playing the leading role in the climate-change summits and India and Brazil playing an active role, Russia will be the biggest polluter and the only key power not assisting to solve the climate crisis. Then, at the preliminary climate talks round in Copenhagen, Russia gave an even more unsatisfactory message. The countrys delegation head, Mikhail Zelikhanov, who is a parliamentary deputy of then Prime Minister Valdimir Putins URP, questioned the basic principle of the struggle against climate change claiming that scientific circles within Russia and elsewhere do not have a joint opinion on the global warming causes2. Zelikhanov told the lawmakers group from 16 nations in the Danish parliament hall. He suggested that a global panel be created to find out if global warming was being instigated by human activities and if it could be averted by cutting pollution. Domestically, climate change has certainly not received appropriate attention at policy level in Russia due to: the marginalized environmental issues status in general; the substantial role of fossil energies in its economy; inadequate knowledge and often ordinary ignorance about the climate change science and available climate policy opportunities; and a firm, although unfounded, conviction that climate change if anything can bring only benefits. Although Russia has embraced a series of

Elevator Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Elevator Speech - Essay Example He was still perplexed and concerned that I must be falling behind my fellow students in the class. Upon hearing such statements, I understood that he was not aware of the concept of distance learning; therefore, I began explaining how Axia online courses have helped me and the mode of communication that takes place between the participants. I explained the innovative platform of Axia courses by telling him that the instructor and all the students log-in at the same Forum (specific for every course) which is considered to be our virtual class, however, they might not be online at the same time. I told him that this type of communication is known as asynchronous communication. I even sent him the link for a paper written by Hrastinski (2008) that explained asynchronous communication as the communication that takes place on discussion boards, email, chat platforms etc. Raj was still not convinced as he said that conventional modes of acquiring education involved the valuable interactions between students that helped the students to clarify their concepts. I agreed and stated that such discussions also take place on distance learning platforms. I explained that students post their comments on discussion questions and can even post comments on other students’ responses. I clarified that the discussion builds on the b asis of the responses of the participants like any other conversation. I addressed his concern and said that all the messages are posted on the platform in the form of a long threaded discussion which can be easily traversed and followed by everyone. He seemed impressed with the structured form of communication offered by distance learning. However, he was still confused about the mode of assessments and communication with the instructor. Upon hearing this concern, I told him that assessments take place online and the feedbacks are supposed to be posted after

Experiences of divorced women versus divorced men Research Paper

Experiences of divorced women versus divorced men - Research Paper Example Because gender differences are constructed and reflected in daily interaction, the experience of marriage is quite different for men and women. The same is likely to be true of divorce.† (Amato, 2004, p.207) It then becomes interesting to look at how divorce affects the two genders. The following passages will argue that despite conventional notions about divorce being more traumatic for women than men, in reality both genders have an equally tough time of it, albeit in different areas. Firstly, statistics released by U.S. Census Bureau shows that while divorce rates hovered around the 2 percent mark during the 1980s, it has shot up to more than 15 percent currently. One should remember that this statistic excludes those people who remarried again. So, if divorce were to be counted even if the current marital status has changed, then a mind-boggling 60 percent of American adults have gone through this painful event in their lives. But since in advanced societies women tend to b e economically independent, they are better able to handle the period post divorce than women in the rest of the world. That women are able to handle the crisis is not to say that their standard of living does not fall. Statistics point out that the responsibility of rearing children can sap away financial resources of the woman, although the ones getting regular alimony stand a better chance of sailing through the crisis. Also, compared to recently divorced men, recently divorced women have less labor force experience, putting them at a disadvantage in availing of job opportunities. (Amato, 2004, p.207) Public support for divorced mothers are also limited, at best offering modest help for a short period of time. As a result of this condition, most divorced women think that the only sustainable solution to their problems is through remarriage, which they usually do within a few years of divorce. Of course, in the case of men, there is no noticeable decrease in their standards of liv ing post divorce. Social adjustment is another area where the genders fare differently. Social acceptance of divorce is gaining ground steadily and today there is less stigma attached to the idea of divorce. But at the same time, in the period following a divorce both men and women are experiencing decreased social support and companionship. This is particularly true if they have custody of children. It is also learnt that there are common problems faced by both divorced men and women: â€Å"Between employment, household management, and child care, single parents have little time left over for establishing and maintaining social networks. Also, divorced people often find that they have less in common with married friends. In addition, whereas married people can draw on the spouse's family for assistance and companionship, divorced individuals typically find that former in-laws withdraw over time. Furthermore, divorced people have a high level of residential mobility which tends to disrupt relationships with neighbors, friends, and community organizations. Overall, divorced and separated individuals report smaller social networks and less social support than do married individuals.† (Amato, 2004, p.208) There is also the important aspect of psychological adjustment post divorce. Divorce can be an emotionally upheaving event and can entail acute emotional distress. Older studies have shown that women are more psychologically affected compared to men,

SWFRSs Resource Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

SWFRSs Resource Management - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that SWFRS has numerous resources including financial resources, operational resources, human resources, equipment and appliances, extinguishing media and communications resources. SWFRS came to the realization that human resource is the most important resource that an organization can ever have; an organization cannot succeed without effective management of its human resource. The service has always strived to create a strong corporate culture. SWFRS has been creating a strong corporate culture by encouraging co-operation and integration across the service and establishing quantitative performance measurements. Much of SWFRS’s procurement process is computerized. This is in line with its policy of making its operations more efficient and effective. This has helped in ensuring the effective management of its resources. The service strives to ensure continuous improvement of its operations in line with its objectives. To achieve this, t he service has strengthened and reinforced its evaluation function. Implementing these policies have helped in ensuring that the service conforms to international standards. SWFRS has contributed greatly to the efficiency effectiveness in fighting the fire and saving a life. This can be attributed to its integration of information and communications technology into its operations. SWF's management of its resources has also been very efficient at all levels (South Wales Website, 2009).  The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, SWFRS, was established by the Wales Local Government Act (1994) in 1996, with the aim of reforming the Welsh local government (South Wales Website, 2009). SWFRS was created by merging previous fire brigades such as Gwent, South Glamorgan, and Mid Glamorgan. It covers about 3,000 square kilometers and about 1.5 million people. The fire authority running this service is a board comprising councilors from ten key areas covered by this service. SWFRS, being one o f the UK’s biggest fire services, employs about 1,600 fire-fighters in over fifty stations.

How Not Getting Enough Sleep Affects Your Body Essay Example for Free

How Not Getting Enough Sleep Affects Your Body Essay It is extremely important for people to understand how lack of rest affects the body so that they will be more aware of the effects of not getting enough sleep every night. A lack of sleep can cause loss of brain function, and even death if continued for a long period of time. The effects of a consistent lack of sleep can be very dangerous to the person and others around them. The longer the person goes without sleep, the worse the effects will be until the person passes out and becomes hospitalized or has a fatal accident. A lack of sleep affects different parts of the body in more than one way and in different degrees depending on how long the person has gone without sleep. The largest effects of lack of sleep on the body can be seen on the brain of the individual. Going without sleep for a 24 hour period can result in the person exhibiting behavior resembling drunkenness, with studies showing that people in this condition are more dangerous when driving than people that are legally drunk. People that are suffering from lack of sleep can experience memory lapses, decreased concentration, and hallucinations. As this continues, the person can experience depersonalization where they do not believe that they or any of the people around them are real, almost ass they feel they are living in a dream. Psychotic episodes may also appear in the person which may or may not disappear after the person has returned to a normal sleeping schedule. A lack of sleep does not only affect the brain, but affects money other areas throughout the body as well, People that have gone without proper amount of sleep for a long amount of time can experience muscle fatigue, a weakened immune system, blurred vision, headaches, and nausea. Other effects such as muscle tremors, color blindness, hyperactivity, and weight loss or gain may occur. Lack of sleep has been linked to many different health conditions including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and many different mental conditions. In most cases, returning to normal sleep each night can stop these conditions but in some cases, the damage is irreversible. There are many ways that a lack of sleep can affect the body and each of the consequences of not getting enough rest can be dangerous to the person health and well being. Washington

Incidence of Finger Defects: Gender Comparison

Incidence of Finger Defects: Gender Comparison Abstract The study was done to see the incidence of the finger defect and to develop a nomenclature system with the help of questionnaire, clinical examination, and radiographs of the finger defects obtained in two standard planes.The results of this study demonstrate that finger injuries were common males than females and the defect was more common in the right hands and in middle fingers. Amputation was more common at the level of distal phalanges. Keywords: Finger injuries, machinery, car accident 1. Introduction Fingers are amongst the most mobile and active parts of the body. Fingers are injured daily activities like working, eating, playing and other activities[1]. The congenital anomalies involving finger or the finger injury creates anxious ofproblems as well as long term functional disability and esthetic [1,2]. It is important to understand the incidence and causes of finger injuries. This will help the clinician for the diagnosis and treatment planning.The amount of tissue remaining, condition of the bone and the number of fingers involved have to be considered when choosing suitable treatment option [3]. Several microsurgical techniques such as toe-foot-transfer, lengthening procedure and the use of osteo-cutaneous flap may offer opportunities to reconstruct the lost or missing phalanges [4]. The use of bone-anchored implant retained silicone finger prosthesis represents an alternative technique.Bone anchoring method is used since 1994 for the rehabilitation of finger defects [5]. The aim of this study is to study the incidence of the finger defect in Golden Jubilee Medical Center, Mahidol University from 2012 to 2014 by developing a nomenclature system developed by Maxillofacial Prosthetic and Orthopedic Department with the help of history, clinical examination, and radiographs of the remaining stump of the finger and digit. 2. Methods This retrospective study of thepatient’s record of the finger defect between 2012 to 2014 at the Golden Jubilee Medical Center. This study involved total 10 patients and 16 treated fingers.The study protocol was approved by the Committee in University Hospital. The demographic data collected were include the sex, causes of the defect, involved hand, finger and digital bone as shown in Table 1 and 2. The radiographs of the finger defects were obtained in two standard planes in each patient (Figure 1). The mode of treatments received was also recorded. The Mahidol University [MU]system consists of 1 alphabetic and 2 numeric symbols. Each hand is composed of carpel, metacarpal and the digits with Phalanges. The alphabetic symbol indicates the right â€Å"R† or left â€Å"L† side. The 5 digits in each hand (Thumb, Index, Middle, Ring and Little finger) are denoted by the numbers as elaborated in Table 3. Each digit has 3 bones i.e. proximal, middle and distal phalanx except the thumb which is comprised of only proximal and distal phalanx. The remaining of each phalanx bone in each digit is further indicated with the numerical symbols (Table 4). During the evaluation of the cases, the partial remaining of the phalanx bone were also observed. These incomplete or partial remaining of phalanx bone is denoted by the alphabet â€Å"I†. 3. Results This study showed the incidence of finger defect was greater in male (60%) and the common acquired causes of the finger defect were machinery (44.44%), car accident (11.11%), explosion (11.11%), assault (11.11%), others (22.22%) as shown in the Table 3. The finger defect was present more on right side (70%) and the involved fingers were as thumb (16.66%), index finger (22.22%), middle finger (27.77%), ring finger (22.22%), little finger (11.11%) as shown in the Table 4. The involved digit were as distal phalange (35.29%), distal and middle (23.35%), distal, middle and proximal (29.41%), and, distal and proximal (11.17%). The diagnosis according to the MU system was described in the Table 4. 4. Discussion In this study, the higher incidence of finger defect in male may be related to the occupation and the activities. Normally, right hand side is dominant during function and work therefore, the defect was observed more on right hand side of males. In female patients, the mishaps occurred during domestic activities for instance cutting and chopping action therefore, left hand side was mostly affected. The type of the finger defect (involved finger, number and level of amputations) results in the compromise in the specific type of the function. The common functions of the fingers are as follows: thumb is used for writing, grasping, holding;index finger is used for pressing and grasping; middle fingers isused for writing, grasping and holding compared to ring and little finger. Regarding the impact on function, the effect from the distal amputation are minimal than the proximal levels. This also affects the patient’s motivation towards restoration. The cause of the finger defect is also related with the resultant anatomy of the defect. The finger defect that results from sharp object or burn are not much deformed compared to the defects due to an accident and outside activities. The accident and outside activities often results is crushing of the finger bone and results in deformed remaining stump which is difficult to restore. Regarding the treatment of finger defect, mostly, the surgical rehabilitation doesn’t result the best esthetic and causes the disability in the donor site [6], therefore, prosthetic rehabilitation is preferred. The vacuum or implant retained are two options for the prosthetic rehabilitation which is decided depending upon the level of amputation, extent of the defect and structures preserved on the injured finger or hand. Treatment of the finger defect depends on the remaining stump of the amputated finger which should be minimally 1.5 cm in length for the conventional friction fit silicone prostheses [7].The shorter stumps may cause the problem of instability of the prostheses. Therefore, the role of implant becomes important which also help some level of tactile sensation. The quality of the life after the finger prosthesis is increased. Regarding the surgical techniques, one-stage technique for the implant placement in implant retained finger prosthesis is safe, reliable and efficient in metacarpal and phalangeal bone if primary stability is optimal [8].Finite Element Analysis (FEA) have been used to study the effects of various shapes of dental implants on distribution of stresses generated in the surrounding bone and to determine an optimal thread shape for better stress distribution. The non-uniform stress pattern at bone and might induce biomechanical overloading failures in implant and bone [9, 10]. The limitation of the current study is the less number of the patients. This study only included the patients who refused for the surgical rehabilitation and referred for the prosthetic rehabilitation after the surgical amputation. 5. Conclusion Finger injuries were common males than females and the defect was more common in the right hands and in middle fingers. Amputation was more common at the level of distal phalanges. Prosthetic replacement using finger prosthesis helped to improve the quality of the life of the patients. Conflict of Interests The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Eating Disorders in Elite Athletes: Prevalence and Risks Eating Disorders in Elite Athletes: Prevalence and Risks Being an elite level athlete, an immense amount of pressure is placed on athletes to perform at their very best, often times leaving them yearning to achieve the top physical fitness that they can reach. This level of physical ‘fitness’ and ‘leanness’ has been not only exaggerated in sports, but also in modern media that is associated with the industry that is today’s sports. Over the years, this has lead to eating disorders in those not only at an elite level, but in all sports. Disordered eating has substantial and devastating effects on the physical body, although it stems from a mental illness. Not only is the prevalence of eating disorders in high-level female athletes apparent, but also the associated risks with the development of the disorder are detrimental to performance. It is important to note the susceptibility of athletes to acquire the eating disorder, in addition to taking a closer look at the variability of the development in weight de pendent sports that focus on leanness versus non-weight dependent sports (Wells, 2015). In addition, once it has been understood how disordered eating arises, it is key to look into the prevention of the potential development of eating disorders in the elite level of athletics. The purpose of this paper is to look at the prevalence of eating disorders in athletes compared to their non-athlete counterparts, the risk factor of developing the disorder in a lean vs. non-lean sport, as well as the physiological harm an eating disorder can cause and ways to prevent the development of one. The compiled look at these ideas is important in helping to better the overall mental health of the athletes and recognize where these behaviors stem from, to hopefully lower the frequency in the upcoming years. Eating disorders in the athletic population, more specifically the female athletic population, are obtaining increasing attention. (Brownell, et al., 1992) However, the exact causes of eating disorders are not known, and look to be a combination of psychological, biological and social factors. In studies, there have been claims that female athletes look to be more vulnerable to eating disorders, more specifically to Anorexia Nervosa, Anorexia Athletica and Bulimia Nervosa than those females in the general population. (Sundgot-Borgen, 1996) Amongst the rationale proposed for the high occurrence of both subclinical and clinical eating disorders among female athletes includes the â€Å"attraction-to-sport† hypothesis (Thompson et al., 1993), exercise induced anorexia nervosa (Epling   and Pierce, 1988), dieting and body weight cycling (Brownell et al., 1992), personality factors (Yates, 1989), early start of sport-specific training (Sundgot-Borgen, 1994), traumatic events (Sund got-Borgen, 1994), and the impact of coaches as well as their strength trainers (Rosen and Hough, 1988). In a study conducted in Norway, the clinical and subclinical eating disorders in young, modern rhythmic gymnasts on the national team were assessed. The subjects of the study included 12 members of the national team, ranging in ages from thirteen to twenty years old, and they were individually paired with nonathletic control subjects. All of the subjects took part in a structured clinical interview for eating disorders, as well as medical examinations and dietary analysis. The results showed that two of the participants met the criteria for anorexia nervosa, while two others met the requirements for anorexia athletica. Every single one of the gymnasts were dieting at some point during the study, although they were already extremely lean. In relation to their non-athletic counterparts, the athletes scored significantly higher than their age-matched control when assessed for the eating disorder inventory. (Sundgot-Borgen, 1996) Furthermore, Beals and Monroe in Arizona suggest that the prevalence of eating disorders, as well as the excessive concerns regarding body weight in female athletes, are increasing constantly. In addition to the pressures placed upon female athletes to improve their performances as well as their physiques, the general sociocultural demand thrust upon women to be thin frequently results in unlikely body weight and size goals. (Beals and Monroe, 1994). Looking at the associated risk of developing an eating disorder as an athlete, Folscher and her peers observed that worldwide female participation in endurance events might place the athletes at risk for the female athlete triad. In the study, only about 7.5% of the female marathoners even knew about the triad’s existence, despite the fact that 44.1% of the athletes were high risk for developing the triad. Around one-third of the participants showed disordered eating behaviors with almost half reported restrictive eating behaviors. The study found that the athletes were more likely to experience disordered eating when participating in an elite event, when compared to those that were not. (Folscher et al., 2015) In addition, in the athletic training and health centers at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, and III institutions, studies were conducted comparing athletes to non-athletes using questionnaires. In contrast to the other studies, the findings were generally positive, indicating that female student athletes have high levels of self-concept, and are at low risk to develop eating disorders. However, even with these encouraging results, it does not mean that all concerns can be overlooked, seeing as though there are still athletes who are at risk to develop an eating disorder (McLester, 2014). Continuing on the topic of prevalence, in a study comparing disordered eating behaviors in undergraduate female collegiate athletes and non-athletes, Reinking and Alexander found that female athletes did not exhibit more disordered eating symptoms in general, however, the data suggested that lean-sport athletes were more susceptible to developing an eating disorder than their non-lean sport counterparts. (Reinking, 2005). Overall, the prevalence of eating disorders in female athletes at an elite level is gaining more attention amongst competitors. A combination of psychological, social factors and biological predispositions lead to the eventual development of disordered eating among the high-level female athletic population, and in more cases than not, elite athletes display an increased risk for the development of eating disorders than their non-athletic colleagues, in addition to being at risk for having a higher prevalence of eating disordered by close to 14 to 19% compared to their male counterparts (Anderson, 2012). Sports that emphasize body composition (also known as lean sports), are frequently associated with driving women towards disordered eating habits in order to reach an ‘elite’ athlete body type. (Beals, 2004) In a study conducted by Wells et al., eighty-three varsity female athletes from eight separate Campbell University sports teams were observed, and were separated based on lean and non-lean sports. The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference between lean and non-lean sports, indicating that lean sports exhibit a higher risk for developing an eating disorder when compared to athletes participating in non-lean sports. In addition, it appears that a likely influence of disordered eating in these female athletes emerge from external social influences (Wells, 2015).    Likewise, in a 2016 study derived from German Young Olympic Athletes (GOAL), the researchers objectively looked at the factors regarding eating disorder pathology in female youth athletes, as there are scarce studies that focus on the elite adolescents. During this stage in their life, they are highly vulnerable developmentally and are affected not only by general but sport-specific risk factors as well. The results concluded that those who were at high risk for developing a disorder comprised of athletes in weight dependent sports (lean sports), in addition to athletes who are high on negative affectivity, female athletes in general, and male athletes who participate in endurance, technical or power sports. These athletes that competed in lean sports showed signs of compensatory behaviors to influence their body weight, in addition to reporting increased levels of depression and anxiety than their athlete counterparts without eating disorder pathology. (Giel, et al., 2016) Risk factors are key in understanding the concept of the susceptibility of groups of athletes in the development of the disorder, as well as certain trigger factors that could be responsible for precipitating the exacerbation or onset of disordered eating. In a study conducted by Sundgot-Borgen, elite female athletes were assessed to identify risk and trigger factors for anorexia athletica, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. Of the athletes studies, the prevalence of the clinical and subclinical pathologies were significantly higher in sports that emphasized leanness, or a specific weight, than in those sports where body image is considered less important. (Sundgot-Borgen, 1994) Further, athletes that perform at higher levels of athletic competition show increased levels of pathological clinical and subclinical eating disorders. As a population as a whole that have been identified for the development of disordered eating, identifying subgroups within of who is more likely to develop the malady is key in finding a way to prevent it in the future. Generally, athletes in sports that emphasize lean physique, as well as weight restrictions in the sport are more vulnerable to progress into an eating disorder than those athletes that do not compete in those types of sports, as well as non-athlete controls (Picard, 1999). Eating disorders can be devastating not only psychologically, but physiologically as well. The complications stem from three main mechanisms: undereating, purging, and low body weight. Long-term eating disorders reduce the quality of muscular fitness, leading to a constant state of tiredness and weakness that is extremely difficult to recover from. In addition to the physical manifestations, the psychosocial functioning of athletes is severely under functioning as well. The overvaluation of shape, weight and eating control, and using them as such to determine one’s self-worth are regarded as the main psychopathology of eating disorders. Interpersonal functioning is impaired, and mood and cognition are negatively affected, in severe cases detrimentally influencing not only education but physical performance of the athlete as well.   (El Ghoch, 2013) Recognition that intervention programs and preventative methods are necessary have been apparent for quite some time now, allowing research to shift towards suggestions in prevention methods. Looking at several health educational intervention methods for collegiate female athletes, Abood and Black found four that worked as ways to aid in prevention. Intervening in the athletes understanding of self-esteem, and exploring the factors that affect self-esteem, including body image, positive and negative self-talk, realistic and unrealistic expectations, as well as feedback from peers, was a key way in which to alter the course of the development of the disorder. Stress management to counteract the anxiety derived from the disorder was effective at reframing the mindset, using methods such as diaphragmatic breathing, progressive relaxation and visualization as coping methods. Education on nutrition was further established as a preventative measure, where caloric needs of the female athlet e were discussed with them, as well as nutrition beliefs and myths, and the athletes were given guidelines for healthy approaches to weight management. Finally, goal setting education as a method to reduce anxiety of body image distortions was established through short and long term goals, synchronization of those goals with a coach and the evaluation of those goals with others. An education focus on the importance of health instead of attention to the harmful effects of pathogenic weight loss appear to be a more productive method of producing positive changes. Participating in educational interventions in athletes who are at risk or have already developed the disorder seems to protect from further decline in self-esteem, and reduces the athletes’ drive for thinness (Abood, 2000). Prevention of eating disorders focuses on thwarting the emergence of the illness or disorder, typically by identifying the correlations and risk factors that may contribute to the development of the affliction. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the International Olympic Committee Medical Commission, and the American College of Sports Medicine have recommended national and international sports federations to implement policies to eliminate harmful weight-loss practices (Coelho, 2014). Primary prevention focuses on education and instruction to prevent extreme dieting and the onset of the eating disorder. Furthermore, protecting athletes from factors that can predispose them to the development of the disorder should begin as early as 9-11 years of age (Sundgot-Borgen, 1993). Numerous studies have shown that various intervention methods have positive results. These interventional programs addressed not only the de-stigmatization of eating disorders through discussion, but also the harm ful effects of pathogenic weight loss, and healthy nutritional practices to implement for sufficient energy availability (Coelho, 2014). Furthermore, because of the sport specific correlations and risk factors, prevention programs should be shaped to each individual type of sport, as well as various athlete groups (more specifically adolescents, due to their developmental stage and susceptibility) (Coelho, 2014). Not only should the athletes themselves be informed, but also coaches and health professionals that directly interact with the athlete should be better educated. In response to the epidemic that are eating disorders, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) released a position statement on the prevention of eating disorders in athletes, which recommended athletic trainers as well as health professionals to be able to first detect signs of disordered eating, including clinical features and behavioral warning signs, and identify predisposing risk factors. Some of the psychological and behavioral characteristics that are identified in athletes with eating disorders are dieting which is unnecessary, ritualistic eating patters, social withdrawal, depression, compulsiveness, etc. These signs can be apparent or not, but having a professional who can recognize these symptoms is key in the prevention of further development. In addition, mandatory educational programs for all involved in athletics should be implemented annually, describing the risks associated with eating disorders. (Bonci, et al., 2008) An example of an educational program that had high success rate was implemented in a high-risk school setting in 1999. The world-class residential ballet school housed both female and male students aged 10-18, and employed a prevention program that followed the paradigm of health promoting schools as outline by the World Health Organization, involving systemic changes in addition to direct interventions with students. The study used various measures to compare between the baseline cohort and later ones, which revealed significant reductions in disordered eating patterns and attitudes about body shape and eating (Piran, 1999). Being able to recognize the signs and then preventing the eating disorder from developing is key in the day-to-day lives of athletes who participate at a high-level, or anticipate to compete at an elite status eventually. Understanding the serious physiological harm disordered eating can lead to is an important aspect of prevention, as well as establishing social circumstances and high-risk situations that can lead to an eating disorder. Education is one of the most profound ways to prevent the development of eating disorders, and should be implemented across the board at any high-level athletic institution.   Future Research Directions and Implications for Practice Understanding what the prevalence, and the associated risks are with eating disorders can be practically implicated across the board. Acknowledging the problem that modern athletics face with the prevalence of eating disorders, coaches are just one group of people that need to be more aware of the imposed demands they place on athletes. Using cooperative methods, coaches are able to provide practical solutions to the issues of overtraining and under eating, as well as be able to identify signs of eating disorders earlier (Thompson, 1993). In the clinical setting, more specifically in collegiate athletics by health professionals, understanding the signs and symptoms, as well as being able to identify the high-risk athletes who are more susceptible to developing an eating disorder based on the sport they participate in (Giel, 2016). This has even been exemplified through the NATA position statement, where understanding all aspects of eating disorder emergence in athletes has lead to increased prevention, as well as interception of those who were on the track to developing an eating disorder based on their participation in elite athletics (Bonci, et al., 2008). In addition to coaches and health professionals, athletes themselves being able to recognize the unhealthy behaviors and coping tactics in regards to their own idea of body and self, as well as understanding what is expected of them in terms of aesthetic and performance, is essential in the prevention and decrease of eating disorder prevalence across the board. Being able to apply the knowledge from educational programs, and practically implicating not only those but also the identifying risk factors are essential in the future decrease of eating disorders (Sundgot-Borgen, 1994). An interesting area for future research would be to explore the inclusion of individualized health-enhancing physical activity programs in patients that have been diagnosed with eating disorders, and how that would play into the athletes return to participation of their competitive sport, following withdrawal due to the illness. Being able to healthily control an athlete’s relationship between sport and mind is essential to the safe return to participation, and denoting a positive relationship between the physical activity programs for patients recovering from eating disorders would be essential. This area of study has just been funded by the NIH, and will most likely be published within the next couple of years. Further research could also be applied in the development of the disorder in pre-pubescent versus pubescent versus post-pubescent athletes, and compare how the susceptibility in the development of the disorder changes based on age, more specifically athletes who begin competing at an elite level at an early age. As depicted in the study by Giel, there is a lack of knowledge on adolescent athletes and how age plays a role in the development of eating disorders at an elite level, and it would be helpful for not only health professionals, but also coaches and athletes to understand how age plays a factor. (Giel, 2016) In addition, a longitudinal controlled-large scale intervention study would be extremely helpful in identifying not only prevalence, but also risk factors and prevention methods. This study would be most beneficial if it was conducted based on varying sports, but also sex specific, as well as denoted based on age groups. Conclusion Overall, eating disorders are a common and very serious health problem. As advanced as we have become as a nation, the athletic world should be better equipped for not only preventing the emergence of these problems, but also identifying the prevalence among athletes as well as what sport specific factors may lead to its manifestation. The prevalence of eating disorders are found to be higher in elite level female athletes than in their non-athletic peers, or in the general population (Reinking, 2005). Even amongst athletes, the prevalence of eating disorders varies based on the specific sport that is competed in, with weight focused or ‘lean’ sport competitors having an increased risk of developing a disorder, whether it be clinical or subclinical (Picard, 1999). Further, the implementations of programs that are focused on not only the education of athletes but health professionals as well have been shown to decrease the prevalence of eating disorders (Coelho, 2014). Us ing this knowledge about eating disorders, the information should be applied throughout everyday participation in athletics, not matter what level it is at. However, there is still a need to learn more about the development of the disorder age-wise, as well as the enactment of a long term study focusing on all aspects of the eating disorder development, based on specific sports and age ranges. The take home message of this paper is that athletes, coaches, and health professionals alike should be better educated at understanding the prevalence of eating disorders in athletes compared to their non-athletic counterparts, in addition to coping with the risks that stem from participating in a ‘lean’ sport, while at the same time knowing how to solve the problem if it were to arise. References Abood, DA. (2000) Health education prevention for eating disorders among college female athletes. American Journal of Health Behavior.24(3):209. http://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.24.3.6 Anderson C, Petrie TA. (2012) Prevalence of disordered eating and pathogenic weight control behaviors among NCAA division in female collegiate gymnasts and swimmers. Res Q Exerc Sport 83(1): 120-124, Beals, K. A., & Manore, M. M. (1994). The Prevalence and Consequences of Subclinical Eating Disorders in Female Athletes.  International Journal of Sport Nutrition,4(2), 175-195. doi:10.1123/ijsn.4.2.175 Beals KA. (2004) Disordered Eating Among Athletes: A Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals: Human Kinetics. Bonci, C. M., Bonci, L. J., Granger, L. R., Johnson, C. L., Malina, R. M., Milne, L. W., . . . Vanderbunt, E. M. (2008). National Athletic Trainers Association Position Statement: Preventing, Detecting, and Managing Disordered Eating in Athletes.  Journal of Athletic Training,43(1), 80-108. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-43.1.80 Brownell, K.D., J. Rodin, and J.H. Wilmore (Eds.). (1992) Eating, Body Weight and Performance in Athletes. Disorders of Modem Society. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, pp. 3-14. Coelho, G. M. de O., Gomes, A. I. da S., Ribeiro, B. G., & Soares, E. de A. (2014). Prevention of eating disorders in female athletes.  Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine,  5, 105–113. http://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S36528 El Ghoch, M., Soave, F., Calugi, S., & Dalle Grave, R. (2013). Eating Disorders, Physical Fitness and Sport Performance: A Systematic Review.  Nutrients,  5(12), 5140–5160. http://doi.org/10.3390/nu5125140 Epling, W.F., and W.D. Pierce. Activity based anorexia nervosa. Int. J. Eating Disorders 7:475-485, 1988 Folscher, L.-L., Grant, C. C., Fletcher, L., & Janse van Rensberg, D. C. (2015). Ultra-Marathon Athletes at Risk for the Female Athlete Triad.  Sports Medicine Open,  1, 29. http://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-015-0027-7 Giel, K. E., Hermann-Werner, A., Mayer, J., Diehl, K., Schneider, S., Thiel, A., & Zipfel, S. (2016). Eating disorder pathology in elite adolescent athletes.  International Journal of Eating Disorders,49(6), 553-562. doi:10.1002/eat.22511 McLester, C. N., Hardin, R., & Hoppe, S. (2014). Susceptibility to Eating Disorders Among Collegiate Female Student–Athletes.  Journal of Athletic Training,  49(3), 406–410. http://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-49.2.16 ­ Reinking, M. F., & Alexander, L. E. (2005). Prevalence of Disordered-Eating Behaviors in Undergraduate Female Collegiate Athletes and Nonathletes.  Journal of Athletic Training,  40(1), 47–51. Rosen, L.W., and D.O. Hough. (1988) Pathogenic weight-control behavior in female college gymnasts. Phys. Sportsmed. 16(9): 141- 146. Picard, C. L. (1999). The Level of Competition as a Factor for the Development of Eating Disorders in Female Collegiate Athletes.  Journal of Youth and Adolescence,28(5), 583-594. doi:10.1023/a:1021606710398 Piran, N. (1999). Eating Disorders: A Trial of Prevention in a High Risk School Setting.  Journal of Primary Prevention,20(1), 75-90. doi:10.1023/A:1021358519832 Sundgot-Borgen, J. (1993). Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Elite Female Athletes.  International Journal of Sport Nutrition,3(1), 29-40. doi:10.1123/ijsn.3.1.29 Sundgot-Borgen, J. (1994) Risk and trigger factors for the development of eating disorders in female elite athletes. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 26(4):414-419. Sundgot-Borgen, J. (1996). Eating Disorders, Energy Intake, Training Volume, and Menstrual Function in High-Level Modern Rhythmic Gymnasts [Abstract].  International Journal of Sports Nutrition,6(2), 100-109. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijsn.6.2.100 Thompson, R.A., and R.T. Sherman. (1993) Helping Athletes With Eating Disorders. Human Kinetics. Yates, A. (1989) Current perspectives on the eating disorders: History, psychological and biological aspects. J. Am. Acad. Child Adoles. Psychiatry 28(6):8 13-828. 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Life Of Omar Bin Al Khatab

Life Of Omar Bin Al Khatab History is the manifestation of mans will; it changes its course when an ordinary man shows immensely strong will power and thats how an ordinary man becomes a legend. Omar Bin Al-Khatab was one such character. He seems to have changed the course of history with his own will. Omar is regarded as most important figures in history of Islam and the true architect of Islamic Empire. Historical accounts prove him to be one of the greatest conquerors, a wise and just ruler and a man known for his simple lifestyle and love of God. Omar become the second Muslim ruler after death of Muhammad and ruled for 10 years. He was a leading adviser to the Islamic prophet Muhammad Omar was a great admirer and companion of the Prophet Mohammed. Omar converted to Islam after 6 years of Mohammeds first revelation and spent 18 years accompanying the Prophet. He succeeded the first caliph Abu Bakr on 23 rd of august 634 as the second caliph and changed the historical edifice of Islamic history. Rising from the rank of a shepherd and a petty merchant he became the true architecture of the Islamic civilization. (Wikipedia, 2011) Early life His mothers name was Hantammah and fathers name was Khattab ibn Nufayl, from the tribe of  Banu Makhzum. Omar was born to a middle class family and when he was a child his father put him to the task of grazing camels. His father was a tough taskmaster, and Omar often recalled how his father beaten him up mercilessly whenever there was a mistake on his part. It seems that Omar grew up as a typical Arab boy -a tall young man with a robust physique and impressive persona. It is believed that among the Quraish of those days only 17 people were able to read and write and Omar was one of them. He was very intelligent and had a towering personality, intellectually and physically as well. He was a good public speaker. By all available accounts he seemed to be an average Arab youth .At the same time he was gifted with self-respect, a broad-mind and a strong sense of justice. He appeared to be a man of strong convictions, a good friend, and a bad enemy. He was always ready to stand up against the oppressor and advocate the cause of the weak. Later in his youth he took up the traditional profession of a trader. As a trader, he travelled extensively to Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, Rome and Persia and other places as well. He was a good trader; he made good money and developed a good geopolitical understanding of the region as well while travelling. (Islamic Point) Omar converted to Islam in 616, before that he was the fiercest opponent of Islam. Interestingly, he resolved to kill Prophet Mohammed to finish Islam completely .He believed that the advent of new faith of Islam will break the unity of Quraish. Omar was the most adamant and very cruel in persecuting Muslims. Converting to Islam In the year 616 Umar got converted to Islam. Once he read the verses of Quran, he was so impressed by the divinity of the verses he accepted Islam on that very same day in front of the prophet and his companions. Omars conversion gave confidence to the Muslims and they felt powered. It was seen as the victory of Islam, Muslims didnt offer prayers at al-harem mosque until Omar accepted Islam (Abdullah bin Masoud, n.d.). Because of all this the Prophet himself gave him the title of Al-Farooq, one who distinguishes true from falsehood. Now Islam was gaining popularity; in 622 A.D. because of the increasing popularity of Islam in Medina, Mohammed ordered his followers to migrate to Medina. Omar also went to Medina. Muslims lived peacefully in Medina for approximately a year before Quraish army attacked Medina .Omar played key role in the battles between Quraish and Muslims. (Encyclopedia) Caliphate He succeeded the first caliph Abu Bakr in 634A.D. and played a key role in shaping the history of Islam. Under him the Islamic Empire was expanded at a rate that could only be compared to the great Roman Empire. His ruling abilities, administrative skills and his intelligently coordinated attacks against the Persian Empire resulting in the conquest of the Persian Empire, established him as a great military and political leader of the era. But it was not very easy for him to get things under control as he was not a popular figure because of his strictness and autocratic nature. Abu Bakrs companions initially discouraged the idea of caliphate of Omar but Abu Bakr had other plans and he assured his high ranking companions that once Omar becomes caliph he would be a changed man. Omar was very clear and did conveyed that he will be soft with them who followed the rules and would be harsh and rude with those who wont follow the same. He wanted the well being of the poor and underprivileged; because of his populist policies he rapidly gained popularity.   (Encyclopedia) Political and civil administration Umars government was a unitary government; Caliph had the supreme political authority. His empire was divided into autonomous and provinces. Provinces were divided into districts. There were 100 districts in the territory of Umar. The Wali (Provincial governors) were the administrator of these provinces, which were recruited by Umar. These were the officers position at the provincial level was which were appointed by Omaror the provincial governors: Katib (Chief Secretary), Sahib-ul-Kharaj, (Revenue Collector), Sahib-ul-Ahdath, (Police chief), Sahib-Bait-ul-Mal (Treasury Officer) and Qadi (Chief Judge). In some of the districts there were separate military officers. The Commander of the army in most of the places remained the same and that was the Governor (Wali). Whenever the appointed anyone they used to do that all in writing. Nothing was without paperwork. When they were trying to appoint or appointed Wali the instrument of instructions was made to the regulating conduct of Governors. (Wikipedia, 2010) Military expansion Omar was one of the greatest administrators of his era. Omar believed in consolidating his power and political influence. With the proper guidance of Umar, Islamic took a vast change and grew big time as a very fast rate. He introduced several administrative reforms; he made a  Shura (consultative) council and sought advice from them on matters of state affairs. He divided the huge Islamic empire in different provinces and appointed a governor who was answerable to caliph. The Governors were supposed to help in administration and whosoever used their office to get rich was severely punished. As a Caliph, Omar was ready to accept and adopt what was good in other civilizations as well. Wherever possible, he tried to learn from others and adopted the advanced techniques and administrative practices of the conquered people as well. For example, when Persia was conquered, Windmills were in extensive use in Persia, Omar ordered the construction of windmills in several Arab provinces, including Medina. For the first time military was organized professionally and made a state department. Finance, accounting, taxation and treasury departments were created for the first time in the Islamic Empire. Police, prisons and postal units were established. (Islamic Point) Reforms Agriculture was promoted during his caliphate. Irrigation system was reformed; old canals were excavated and new ones built. Large areas of land were brought under cultivation. Roads were built and were regularly patrolled. A traveler could move with safety on the roads of the huge Islamic Empire. When Omar became the Caliph of Islam, most of the countries economy was based on slavery. Omar was the one who raised his voice against slavery. He took specific measure to eliminate slavery as far as possible. The huge territories of Islamic Empire West Asia and North Africa were transformed into a free trade zone. Business brought prosperity. Omar understood the importance of education; education was encouraged and teachers were paid well. The study of Quran,  Hadith, language and literature and calligraphy received patronage from the Empire. Omar was himself a poet and an impressive orator. He constructed Over 4,000 mosques during his Caliphate. Technology and new administrative practices such as the construction of windmills, formation of accounting department were encouraged. In the empire new roads were laid out and old ones were repaired. Omar organized a population census in the Empire following the example of the china. Islamic dominions  extended progressively during the caliphate of Umar, almost 4000 mosques were constructed. He provided lights to the mosques  and superior  cloth  to cover the Kaaba. It happened in the year 638 that Arabia fell into drought which was also been then followed by a famine. To make this change and to make it better Umar tried many things out of which one was hosting dinner every night. It was about more than hundred thousand people who used to come for the dinner every night. Conditions began to improve in early 639. When famine ended then Umar went to see and guide the people. Not only he guided but also gave good amount, rations and also exempted them from tax (zakat)  for that year and the year following it. Omer went for hajj in Mecca when he was assassinated. He was assassinated in response to the Muslim conquest of Persia, by a Persian in 644. Assassination of Umar was been assigned by Abu Lulu. The history of Omar shows and explains many things. He was a man with great powers of mind. He was very rigid in making justice and with inflexible integrity.

Arthur C. Clarkes Childhoods End Essay -- essays papers

Arthur C. Clarke's Childhoods End One could never believe that such a piece as Arthur C. Clarke's "Childhood's End," was written nearly 50 years ago. The story itself was far ahead of its time and will probably remain so forever. There are some who dislike or would rather not read science-fiction because of its highly idealistic writing and plot outlines. This novel is the greatest I've read of science-fiction as of yet. Taking consideration into the fact that I am a novice science-fiction reader, one could dismiss my statement as being naive. However, even if I am mistaken, Childhood's End will remain inside my mind and heart as being the very best at playing out what contact in our world with a sufficiently advanced extra-terrestrial civilization and our purpose with them and the rest of the universe would be like. In the introduction Clarke wrote in 1989, he gives an account of a time when he and his late friend Val Cleaver were driving to London when they saw an awe-inspiring sight of silver barrage-balloons anchored above London. They were protecting against, "the present peril." I'd like to think Mr. Clarke has not lost the appreciation for fiction and the human instinct to imagine incredible things since that time. I've heard recently that he has lost his interest in fiction and instead is concentrating on reality. How ironic that as Mr. Clarke is ascending (or descending) into the more realistic universe, the young 18 year-old kid is going in the complete opposite direction. I suppose Sir Isaac Newton has something to do with this. I am not denouncing Mr. Clarke's realization of the fraudulence of humanity's dabbling into the so-called "paranormal." He is very much right. But I ... ...ascending hill to infinity. Each step a part of the ultimate destination that was reached. True, one could say it wasn't us that attained that final step, but it was. Perhaps not physically or psychologically, but it was our voyage that made it happen. The whole time, protected by those who see us shine and fly past them on their way to the top. Incredible! How symbolic of any young person's voyage into the real world. At fist protected by their parents and mentors, they are taught how to deal with the powerful forces that lie beyond them. They are taught to accept the fact that old games and childish actions of their youth must leave them. They are taught that they have a destiny, and they would have to construct it on their own one day. Just think of how a young man, just beginning his voyage into the real world, can see this as being almost allegorical.

No School Should Usurp the Rights of Any Student Essays -- Teaching Ed

No School Should Usurp the Rights of Any Student   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Children are forced to go to school. This has been the way for a long time. School is a place where students go to learn a curriculum given by government officials. They are not there to get their rights taken away from them. Although teachers have power, they cannot stop students from hearing the issues, speaking without censorship, or knowing their rights.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Students are living, breathing human beings. We go to school to learn about and succeed in the outside world. Government officials are to teach us these things and see how well we learn them. We are curious creatures. We need to know everything or else we will rebel. Teachers should tell us both parts of a certain subject to allow objectivity in our minds. If we hear only one side of a controversial issue we tend to assert ourselves with the only point of view. We may also find out information on our own that is bad and believe what we find out. Teachers are here to guide us to the correct information. If a teacher takes a side he/she may tell us only the negative points to his opposing side. He/she may, also, just tell us good points about his side. Either way, he/she gives us a one sided perception. We need to hear both sides in order to make up our own minds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many believe that teachers have more power than students. This is a weak argument because teachers cannot remove rights of students. The Supreme Court stated this: â€Å"It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the school house gate† (Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District). Therefore, students are just as powerful as teachers. Teachers want to discipline their students how and when they choose. This is a major dispute among parents, teachers, and students. A teacher may not ever hit a student purposely. A teacher may lower our grade for not doing work or failing class criteria. They may not lower our grade just because they don’t like us or we act slightly out of hand. Many people say that students don’t know what is best for them. This is may be true at lower elementary, but in high school, students can speak for themselves and know what they need. In some court cases or public meetings, teachers or the school bo... ...rookfield: Millbrook,1997. â€Å"Student Government†. World Book: Millennium 2000. 2000ed. â€Å"Student Rights†. Natural Math. 21 Jan. 2002 . â€Å"Students Rights†. Rethinking Schools. Vol. 14, Issue 4 (Summer 2000). 21 Jan. 2002 . â€Å"Students Rights†. Y and M Online. 21 Jan. 2002 . â€Å"Students Rights and Responsibilities†. University of Virginia. 21 Jan. 2002 . â€Å"Students Rights Guide†. American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California. 21 Jan. 2002 . â€Å"Students‘ Rights of Free Speech†. The American Center for Law and Justice. 20 Jan. 2002 . â€Å"Students Rights on Public School Campuses†. Liberty Counsel. 20 Jan. 2002 http://www.lc.org/OldResources/Students_rights_0900.html. â€Å"Teachers‘ Rights on Public School Campuses†. Liberty Counsel. 20 Jan. 2002 . Young, David. Survey. Oakridge High School: 30 Jan. 2002.

Virginia Woolf :: essays research papers

My Thought on Virginia Woolf There are many authors who have the ability to be one of the greatest writers of all time, but to my knowledge of books I believe the majority I read are excellent. Virginia Woolf to many, is a prominent writer. I wish I could say the same as well. I can not judge her writing for I have just began to study such remarkable essayists. I can state this, her ability to capture ones mind is unprecedented. She does it so well, it is almost natural. It is clear in all her writings she has the readers attention in full, while she explains facts in great detail. Even though she had a traumatic childhood, having manic-depressive illness, she is a brilliant writer. In her essay, Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid, she says, "We are both prisoners tonight—he boxed up in his machine with a gun handy; we lying in the dark with a gas-mask handy. If we were free we should be out in the open, dancing, at the play, or sitting at the window talking together." She was told they were free, but they were still locked in their houses occupied with fear, every hour the thought of death progressing in their head. This is an example of great imagery she uses in explaining an event. In the same essay she has many more examples of imagery, more than can be expressed. I am beginning to believe she is as remarkable as people say. The more and more I read her writing, the more I began to believe this. She grabs my attention faster and more intensely than any other essayist. Many people believe her writing style is hard to comprehend, which I can understand why. This allows her examples of imagery to go far beyond other great essayists. Her vocabulary is exceedingly more advanced and at a higher pace than of my own. It gives me the opportunity to learn such vocabulary and to use in oral communication. This paper has given me the chance to learn more about

Greek Food

Greek Food Greek Cuisine is certainly one of the most wanted flavors in the entire world, but what is it about Greek food that makes it so exceptional? Well there are five features of Greek food that make it stand out. The first is, the basic ingredients in Greek dishes are usually nourishing. You'll find a lot of vegetables added to the mix, with fish, legumes and cereals being some of the other main ingredients in traditional recipes (S. Linda, 2012). Second, the food has a whole lot more flavor to it, simply all because the locals use a lot of herbs and spices, including dill, garlic, oregano, onion, bay laurel leaves and mint.A few other choices consist of thyme, basil (S. Linda, 2012). Thirdly, Greek food is unique because the recipes are actually quite easy to make (S. Linda, 2012). The fourth distinguishing characteristic of Greek cuisine is that there is no beef. Lamb is the staple meat for most Greek dishes. This is because of the fact that the terrain and the climate have m ade the breeding of sheep and goat better than cattle (S. Linda, 2012). Greek dishes usually come with a few mezedes, or appetizers. Each region has their specialty, which makes the food rather varied so that you don't easily grow weary.A lot of these appetizers are packed with so much flavor, and are the perfect balance of tradition, health and tastiness (Yao, B. H, 2012). Greek food has a few main components. Those components are cheese, fruit and vegetables, olives and olive oil, seafood and poultry, meat, and herbs and seasonings. The most common Greek cheese is feta. Other cheeses include Kasseri, a hard yellow cheese, Kefalotyri, a very salty cheese often served with pasta, Manouri, a soft white cheese often eaten on its own as an appetizer, and Mizithra, a soft, unsalted cheese used in pies and pastries (Binder, L).Greek cuisine follows the seasonal fruits and vegetables of the region (Johns, S). The warm climate of Greece makes it ideal for growing vegetables and fruits, and these are eaten in abundance. A multitude of colorful and flavorful vegetables form a fundamental part of Greek cuisine. These include tomatoes, garlic, onions, spinach, artichokes, fennel, lettuce, cabbage, horta or wild greens, zucchini, eggplant and peppers. Fruits are eaten either fresh or preserved by drying. Popular varieties include apricots, grapes, dates, cherries, apples, pears, plums nd figs (Greek Cuisine). Olive oil and olives are a major part of Greek food. It is the most common ingredient in Greek cuisine. The oil is used in most forms of cooking as well as in salad dressings and for dipping sauces (Johns, S). As well as being used for their oil, olives are also eaten whole. The most frequently eaten type is the plump kalamata olive which is added to stews and salads or eaten as part of a meze or appetizer dish (Greek Cuisine). Greece is almost surrounded by sea, so it is not surprising that fish and shellfish are eaten regularly.The most popular types of fish and sh ellfish include tuna, mullet, bass, halibut, swordfish, anchovies, sardines, shrimp, octopus, squid and mussels. This fish and seafood is enjoyed in many ways. It can be grilled and seasoned with garlic and lemon juice, baked with yogurt and herbs; cooked in rich tomato sauce, added to soups; or served cold as a side dish. Chicken is also eaten regularly, as are game birds such as quail and Guinea fowl (Greek Cuisine). Meat doesn't play a prominent role in traditional Greek cuisine. It's usually reserved for festivals and special occasions or used in small amounts as a flavor enhancer.When meat is eaten it's most often sheep or goat, but these animals aren't just used for their meat. Sheep and goats also provide a valuable source of nourishment from their milk (Greek Cuisine). Many of Greece's most famous dishes involve some sort of meat. Gyros, which have become a fast American favorite in the past few years, are made with meat, usually lamb, roasted on a spit, served with sauce an d veggies on folded pita bread. Lamb and potatoes is another extremely common Greek dish, as is souvlaki, which comprises anything made and served on a skewer.Chicken, pork and lamb souvlaki are the most common types (Binder, L). The spices and herbs in Greek dishes are garlic, basil and bay leaf. Mint, oregano and parsley are also often used in traditional Greek dishes (Johns, S). Greek desserts and beverages are also as unique as the culture. Dessert may be the most famous of Greece's culinary contributions, and Baklava, in particular, may be the most well-known. This phyllo-dough pastry is filled with nuts and covered in sweet syrup, and has become an American favorite.Other Greek desserts include Loukoumi, a starch and sugar treat, Koulourakia, butter cookies and plain yogurt, flavored with honey or syrup (Binder, L). However, Greek dessert is often fresh or dried fruit are the usual dessert. The rich desserts and pastries are mostly reserved for special occasions or eaten in sm all amounts (Greek Cuisine). Wine is consumed regularly in Greece, but mainly with food, and in moderation. Ouzo, an aniseed flavored spirit, and beer is also popular alcoholic beverages. Strong black coffee is one of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages (Greek Cuisine).

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 28

No one answered the door at the Smalwoods' house. The driveway was empty and the house looked deserted, the shades pul ed down. â€Å"Maybe Caleb's not here,† Matt said nervously. â€Å"Could he have gone somewhere else when he got out of the hospital?† â€Å"I can smell him. I can hear him breathing,† Stefan growled. â€Å"He's in there, al right. He's hiding out.† Matt had never seen Stefan look so angry. His usual y calm green eyes were bright with rage, and his fangs seemed to be involuntarily extended, little sharp points showing every time he opened his mouth. Stefan caught Matt looking at them and frowned, running his tongue selfconsciously across his canines. Matt glanced at Alaric, who he'd been thinking of as the only other normal person left in their group, but Alaric was watching Stefan with what was clearly fascination rather than alarm. Not entirely normal, then, either, Matt thought. â€Å"We can get in,† Meredith said calmly. She looked to Alaric. â€Å"Let me know if someone's coming.† He nodded and positioned himself to block the view of anyone walking past on the sidewalk. With cool efficiency, Meredith wedged one end of her fighting stave in the crack of the front door and started to pry it open. The door was made of heavy oak, and clearly had two locks and a chain engaged inside, and it withstood Meredith's leverage against it. Meredith swore, then muttered, â€Å"Come on, come on,† redoubling her efforts. The locks and chains gave suddenly against her strength, and the door flew open, banging into the wal behind it. â€Å"So much for a quiet entrance,† Stefan said. He shifted restlessly on the doorstep as they filed past him. â€Å"You're invited in,† Meredith said, but Stefan shook his head. â€Å"I can't,† he said. â€Å"It only works if you live here.† Meredith's lips tightened, and she turned and ran up the stairs. There was a brief shout of surprise and some muffled thumping. Alaric glanced at Matt nervously, and then up the stairs. â€Å"Should we help her?† he said. Before Matt could answer – and he was pretty sure Meredith wasn't the one who needed help – she returned, shoving Caleb down the stairs before her, twisting one of his arms tightly behind his back. â€Å"Invite him in,† she ordered as Caleb stumbled to the bottom of the stairs. Caleb shook his head, and she yanked his arm up higher so that he yelped in pain. â€Å"I won't,† he said stubbornly. â€Å"You can't come in.† Meredith pushed him toward Stefan, stopping him just at the threshold of the front door. â€Å"Look at me,† Stefan said softly, and Caleb's eyes flew to his. Stefan's pupils widened, swal owing his green irises in black, and Caleb shook his head frantical y, but seemed unable to break his gaze. â€Å"Let. Me. In,† Stefan ordered. â€Å"Come in, then,† said Caleb sul enly. Meredith released him and his eyes cleared. He turned and dashed up the stairs. Stefan burst through the door like he'd been shot through a gun and then stalked up the stairs. His smooth, stealthy movements reminded Matt of a predator's – of a lion or a shark. Matt shivered. Sometimes he forgot how truly dangerous Stefan was. â€Å"I'd better go with him,† Meredith said. â€Å"We don't want Stefan doing anything he'd regret.† She paused. â€Å"Not before we find out what we need to know, anyway. Alaric, you're the one who knows the most about magic, so you come with me. Matt, keep an eye out and warn us if the Smal woods pul into the drive.† She and Alaric fol owed Stefan up the stairs. Matt waited for the screaming to start, but it remained ominously quiet upstairs. Keeping one eye on the driveway through the front windows, Matt prowled through the living room. He and Tyler had been friends once upon a time, or at least had hung out, because they were both first-string on the footbal team. They'd known each other since middle school. Tyler drank too much, partied too hard, was gross and sexist toward girls, but there had been something about him that Matt had sometimes enjoyed. It was the way he'd thrown himself into things, whether it was the no-holdsbarred tackle of an opposing team's quarterback or throwing the absolutely craziest party anyone had ever seen. Or the time when they'd been in seventh grade and he'd gotten obsessed with winning at Street Fighter on PlayStation 2. Every day he'd had Matt and the rest of the guys over, al of them spending hours sitting on the floor of Tyler's bedroom, eating chips and talking trash and pounding the buttons of the control er until Tyler had figured out how to win every fight. Matt heaved a sigh and peered out the front window again. There was a brief muffled thump from upstairs, and Matt froze. Silence. As he turned back to pace across the living room again, Matt noticed a particular photo among the neat row of frames on top of the piano. He crossed over and picked it up. It must have been the footbal banquet, junior year. In the picture, Matt's arm was around Elena, who he'd been dating then, and she was smiling up at him. Next to them stood Tyler, hand in hand with a girl whose name Matt couldn't remember. Alison, maybe, or Alicia. She'd been older than them, a senior, and had graduated that year and left town. They were al dressed up, he and Tyler in jackets and ties, the girls in party dresses. Elena had worn a white, deceptively simple short dress, and looked so lovely that she'd taken Matt's breath away. Things had been so easy then. The quarterback and the prettiest girl in school. They'd been the perfect couple. Then Stefan came to town, a cold, mechanical voice whispered to him, and destroyed everything. Stefan, who had pretended to be Matt's friend. Stefan, who had pretended to be a human being. Stefan, who had pursued Matt's girlfriend, the only girl Matt had ever real y been in love with. Probably the only girl he would ever feel that way about. Sure, they'd broken up just before Elena met Stefan, but Matt might have gotten her back, if not for him. Matt's mouth twisted, and he threw the photo to the floor. The glass didn't break, and the photo just lay there, Matt and Elena and Tyler and the girl whose name he didn't remember smiling innocently up at the ceiling, unaware of what was heading toward them, of the chaos that would erupt less than a year later. Because of Stefan. Stefan. Matt's face was hot with anger. There was a buzzing in his head. Stefan the traitor. Stefan the monster. Stefan who had stolen Matt's girl. Matt stepped deliberately onto the picture and ground it beneath his heel. The wooden frame snapped. The feel of the glass shattering under his foot was oddly satisfying. Without looking back, Matt stomped across the living room toward the stairs. It was time for him to deal with the monster who had ruined his life. â€Å"Confess!† Stefan growled, doing his best to compel Caleb. But he was so weak and Caleb kept throwing up mental blocks. No doubt about it – this boy had access to Power. â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about,† Caleb said, pressing his back against the wal as if he could tunnel into it. His eyes flicked nervously from Stefan's angry face to Meredith, who was holding her staff balanced between her hands, ready to strike, and back to Stefan. â€Å"If you just leave me alone, I won't go to the police. I don't want any trouble.† Caleb looked pale and shorter than Stefan remembered. There were bruises on his face, and one of his arms was in a cast and supported by a sling. Despite everything, Stefan felt a twinge of guilt as he looked at him. He's not human, he reminded himself. Although†¦ Caleb didn't seem al that wolfish either, for a werewolf. Shouldn't there be a little more of the animal in him? Stefan hadn't known many werewolves, but Tyler had been al big white teeth and barely repressed aggression. Next to him, Alaric blinked at the injured boy. Cocking his head to one side and examining him, he echoed Stefan's thoughts, asking skeptical y, â€Å"Are you sure he's a werewolf?† â€Å"A werewolf?† said Caleb. â€Å"Are you al crazy?† But Stefan was watching Caleb careful y, and he saw a tiny flicker in Caleb's eyes. â€Å"You're lying,† Stefan said coldly, reaching out with his mind once more, final y finding a crack in Caleb's defenses. â€Å"You don't think we're crazy. You're just surprised that we know about you.† Caleb sighed. His face was stil white and strained, but a certain falseness went out of it as Stefan spoke. His shoulders slumped and he stepped away from the wal a little, head hanging wearily. Meredith tensed, ready to spring, as he moved forward. He stopped and held up his hands. â€Å"I'm not going to try anything. And I'm not a werewolf. But, yeah, I know Tyler is, and I'm guessing that you know that, too.† â€Å"You've got the werewolf gene,† Stefan told him. â€Å"You could easily be a werewolf, too.† Caleb shrugged and looked Stefan straight in the eye. â€Å"I guess. But it didn't happen to me; it happened to Tyler.† â€Å"Happened to?† Meredith asked, her voice rising with outrage. â€Å"Do you know what Tyler did to become a werewolf?† Caleb glanced at her warily. â€Å"What he did? Tyler didn't do anything. The family curse caught up with him, that's al .† His face was shadowed and anxious. Stefan found his tone gentling despite himself. â€Å"Caleb, you have to kil someone to become a werewolf, even if you carry the gene. Unless you're bitten by a werewolf yourself, there are certain rituals that have to be performed. Blood rituals. Tyler murdered an innocent girl.† Caleb's knees seemed to give out, and he slid to the floor with a muffled thump. He looked sick. â€Å"Tyler wouldn't do that,† he said, but his voice was unsteady. â€Å"Tyler was like a brother to me after my parents died. He wouldn't kil anyone. I don't believe you.† â€Å"He did,† Meredith confirmed. â€Å"Tyler murdered Sue Carson. We negotiated for her to come back to life, but it doesn't change the fact that he did kil her.† Her voice held the unmistakable ring of truth, and al the fight seemed to go out of Caleb. He sank lower and rested his forehead against his knees. â€Å"What do you want from me?† He looked so thin and rumpled that, despite the urgency of their mission, Stefan was distracted. â€Å"Weren't you tal er than this?† he asked. â€Å"Bigger? More†¦ put together? The last time I saw you, I mean.† Caleb mumbled something into his knees, too muffled and distorted for even a vampire to hear properly. â€Å"What?† Stefan asked. Caleb looked up, his face smudged with tears. â€Å"It was a glamour, okay?† he said bitterly. â€Å"I made myself look better because I wanted Elena to want me.† Stefan thought of Caleb's glowing, healthy face, his height, his crowning halo of golden curls. No wonder he had seemed suspicious; subconsciously Stefan must have known how unlikely it was that an ordinary human would look that much like an archangel. No wonder he felt so much lighter than I expected when I threw him across the graveyard, Stefan thought. â€Å"So you are a magic user, even if you aren't a werewolf,† Meredith said swiftly. Caleb shrugged. â€Å"You knew that already,† he said. â€Å"I saw what you did to my workroom in the shed. What more do you want from me?† Meredith stepped forward warningly, stave at the ready, her gaze clear and pitiless, and Caleb flinched away from her. â€Å"What we want,† she said, enunciating every word distinctly, â€Å"is for you to tel us how you summoned the phantom, and how we can get rid of it. We want our friends back.† Caleb stared at her. â€Å"I swear I don't know what you're talking about.† Stefan prowled toward Caleb on his other side, keeping him off balance so that the boy's eyes flicked nervously back and forth between Stefan and Meredith. Then Stefan stopped. He could see that Caleb looked genuinely confused. Was it possible that he was tel ing the truth? Stefan knelt so that he was at eye level with Caleb and tried a softer tone. â€Å"Caleb?† he asked, depleting his last remnants of Power to compel the boy to speak. â€Å"Can you tel us what kind of magic you did? Something with the roses, right? What was the spel supposed to do?† Caleb swal owed, his Adam's apple bobbing. â€Å"I had to find out what happened to Tyler,† he said. â€Å"So I came here for the summer. No one seemed worried, but I knew Tyler wouldn't just drop out of sight. Tyler had talked about you, al of you, and Elena Gilbert. Tyler hated you, Stefan, and at first he liked Elena, and then he real y hated her, too. When I came here, though, everyone knew Elena Gilbert was dead. Her family was stil mourning her. And you were gone, Stefan; you'd left town. I tried to put the pieces together about what had happened – there were some pretty strange stories – and then lots of other weird things happened in town. Violence, and girls going crazy, and children attacking their parents. And then, suddenly, it was over; it just stopped, and it was like I was the only one who remembered it happening. But I also remembered just a normal summer. Elena Gilbert had been here the whole time, and no one thought anything of it, because they didn't remember her dying. Only I seemed to have two sets of memories. People who I'd seen get hurt† – he shuddered at the memory – â€Å"or even kil ed were fine again. I felt like I was going crazy.† Caleb pushed his shaggy dark blond hair back out of his face, rubbed his nose, and took a breath. â€Å"Whatever was going on, I knew you and Elena were at the center of it. The differences between the memories told me that. And I figured that you must be connected to Tyler's disappearance, too. Either you'd done something to him, or you knew something about what had happened to him. I figured if I could pul you and your friends apart, something would come out. Once you were set against one another, I'd be able to work my way in and find out what was going on. Maybe I could get Elena to fal for me with a glamour, or one of the other girls. I just had to know.† He looked from one to another of them. â€Å"The rose spel was supposed to make you irrational, turn you against one another.† Alaric frowned. â€Å"You mean you didn't summon anything?† Caleb shook his head. â€Å"Look,† he said, pul ing a thick leather-bound volume from under his bed. â€Å"The spel I used is in here. That's al I did, honest.† Alaric took the book and flipped through the pages until he found the right spel . He studied it, his forehead crinkling, and said, â€Å"He's tel ing the truth. There isn't anything about summoning a phantom in this book. And the spel here fits what we saw in Caleb's workshop and what I've been reading in his notebooks. This rose spel is a fairly low-level discord spel ; it would make whatever negative emotions we were feeling – hate, anger, jealousy, fear, sorrow – just a little bit stronger, make us a little more likely to blame one another for anything that went wrong.† â€Å"But when combined with the powers of whatever phantom might be hanging around here, the spel would become a feedback loop, just as Mrs. Flowers said could happen, strengthening our emotions and making the phantom more powerful,† Stefan said slowly. â€Å"Jealousy,† said Meredith thoughtful y. â€Å"You know, I hate to admit it, but I was horribly jealous of Celia when she was here.† She glanced apologetical y at Alaric, who reached out and gently touched her hand. â€Å"She was jealous of you, too,† Stefan said matter-offactly. â€Å"I could sense it.† He sighed. â€Å"And I've been feeling jealous as wel .† â€Å"So perhaps a jealousy phantom?† Alaric said. â€Å"Good, that'l give us more of a basis for researching banishing spel s. Although I haven't been feeling jealous at al .† â€Å"Of course not,† Meredith said pointedly. â€Å"You're the one who's had two girls fighting over you.† Suddenly Stefan felt so exhausted that his legs shook. He needed to feed, immediately. He nodded awkwardly to Caleb. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦ for what happened.† Caleb looked up at him. â€Å"Please tel me what happened to Tyler,† he implored. â€Å"I have to know. I'l leave you alone if you just tel me the truth, I promise.† Meredith and Stefan glanced at each other, and Stefan raised his eyebrows slightly. â€Å"Tyler was alive when he left town this past winter,† Meredith said slowly. â€Å"That's al we know about him, I swear.† Caleb stared up at her for a long moment, then nodded. â€Å"Thank you,† he said simply. She nodded back at him crisply, like a general acknowledging the troops, and led the way out of his room. Just then a muffled, cutoff shout came from downstairs, fol owed by a thud. Stefan and Alaric raced after Meredith down the stairs, almost bumping into her as she pul ed to a sudden halt. â€Å"What is it?† Stefan asked. Meredith drew aside. Matt was lying facedown at the foot of the stairs, his arms flung out as though to catch himself. Meredith stepped quickly the rest of the way down the stairs to him and turned him over gently. His eyes were closed, his face pale. He was breathing, slowly but steadily. Meredith felt his pulse, then shook him gently by the shoulder. â€Å"Matt,† she cal ed. â€Å"Matt!† She looked up at Stefan and Alaric. â€Å"Just like the others,† she said grimly. â€Å"The phantom's got him.†