The Image In The Mirror Essays - Psychiatric Diagnosis,

The Image In The Mirror Thesis Statement: Anorexia Nervosa, a disturbing disease of denial, consisting of self -imposed starvation and the intense fear of gaining weight, is becoming an epidemic among many teenage girls due to the environment, biochemistry, and personality of the individual. I. The immediate environment, friends and family, directly influence the development of anorexia. A. Anorexics tend to come from families placing strong emphasis on food and the family may have used food for purposes other than nourishment such as a sign of love for the providers or used when family members face unpleasant situations. B. There is a greater risk of a person developing anorexia when a member of their family has had the disorder or when a parent is either very thin or obese. C. Overly critical brothers and fathers of the girls weight and attractiveness have a forceful impact on the development of anorexia. D. Special dietary needs of a family member, emphasis on nutrition, and power struggles over eating assist in the self-imposed starvation. E. Nutritional labeling on the foods and mothers stocking their refrigerators with low fat and no-fat foods may actually lead to eating problems. 1. The mothers eating habits greatly influence the daughters and it is recommended that the daughters favorite foods are in the house. 2. The mother should invite her daughter to the grocery store to choose some of her favorite fruits, vegetables, meats, and cereals. 3. Making this a routine can help provide a positive aspect on the importance of nutrition. F. It is important for family members to promote self-esteem in intellectual, athletic, and social endeavors. 1. The parents should examine their own attitudes toward weight to discover how they could be affecting the children. 2. Discussing the dangers of dieting, the value of moderate exercise, and the importance of eating a variety of foods can help minimize the chances of developing anorexia. II. Biochemistry also contributes to the development of anorexia. B. In the neuroendocrine system, a combination of the central nervous and the hormonal systems, there are seriously disturbed mechanisms in people with eating disorders. 1. The neuroendocrine system regulates sexual function, physical growth and development, appetite and digestion, kidney functions and emotions. 2. The common symptoms of anorexia directly relate to the disturbed mechanisms in the neuroendocrine system. 3. Common symptoms such as serious depression, bingeing and consuming large amounts of food and showing no noticeable weight gain, and loss of menstrual periods are directly associated with the disturbed neuroendocrine system that normally regulates these functions. B. There have been several chemicals found that can be directly related to symptoms of anorexia. 1. The neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine, key chemical messengers in the central nervous system, are significantly decreased in ill anorexic patients. 2. The decrease of the chemicals serotnin and norepinephrine cause severe depression, one symptom of anorexia. 3. Another brain chemical found to be abnormal in people with anorexia is the hormone vasopressin. 4. Vasopressin is what contributes to the obsessive-compulsive behavior of the patients. 5. There have also been higher than normal levels of cortisol found in anorexic patients, a brain hormone released in response to stress. 6. The high levels of cortisol are caused by a problem that occurs in or near the hypothalamus. 7. The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that regulates menstruation, eating, metabolism, body temperature and sleep. 8. It has not been established if anorexia causes the hypothalamus disturbance or if the hypothalamus directly influences the occurrence of anorexia. 9. By exploring the roles of chemicals played in the brain, the findings are making it possible to explain why and how this disease is occurring. III. Personality traits are a source of psychological symptoms of anorexia nervosa patients. A. Anorexics tend to have self-critical and obsessional personality traits. 1. They are known for their compliant behavior and attainment of good grades, and are often perfectionists. 2. There is often repugnance at sexual development. 3. Associated with the perfectionistic personality is an all-or-none kind of reasoning and the setting of unattainable goals. B. Family personality traits that encourage anorexia are enmeshment, rigidity, overprotectiveness and inability to resolve conflict within the family. 1. Thirty-six of 39 young female patients refer

Moral law vs. Civil law essays

Moral law vs. Civil law essays As long as there have been laws emplaced, many moral and civil boundaries have been of great dispute. Problems arise when the two unavoidable laws clash when what is morally right is not always legal. This battle is ancient and is even written about in Antigone. There are times when moral law is more important than civil law, civil law overrides moral law, and several ways that the correlate with each other. Regardless of any society, culture or environment a person is brought up in, all human beings are born with the instinct of a desire to do things that make them feel comfortable and right with themselves. Because of this instinct, Antigone found herself feeling that her brothers unrest was more troubling than the penalty of death enforced by her uncle. Antigones conscience was strong enough to overpower her common sense that death would follow as a direct result for her actions. Such actions can be witnessed to this day, in which Gods law is stronger in some peoples consciences than the instinct of self preservation. Antigones actions are a strong example of moral law. There are times, however, when civil law is of more importance than moral law. Although someone may feel strongly about what they see as morally right, or Gods will, there may be civil boundaries that prevent them from turning their opinions into violent acts. For example, many members of the group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have radical opinions on the treatment of animals, but even though they may feel that fur is not morally right, civil laws prevent them from throwing buckets of paint on people who are wearing fur in the streets. These laws are important because they protect people from getting hurt by others who are carrying out moral law. The two do not always work against each other, however. For example, the First Amendment is a law that allows people to ha...

Introduction to the JavaScript If Statement

Introduction to the JavaScript If Statement The JavaScript if statement performs an action based on a condition, a common scenario in all programming languages.The if statement tests a bit of data against a condition, and then specifies some code to be executed if the condition is true, like so: if condition {  Ã‚  Ã‚   execute this code} The if statement is almost always paired with the else statement because usually, you want to define an alternative bit of code to execute. Lets consider an example: if (Stephen name) {      message Welcome back Stephen;} else {      message Welcome name;} This code returns Welcome back Stephen if name is equal to Stephen; otherwise, it returns Welcome and then whatever value the variable name contains. A Shorter IF Statement JavaScript provides us with an alternative way of writing an if statement when both the true and false conditions  just assign different values to the same variable. This shorter way omits the keyword if as well as the braces around the blocks (which are optional for single statements). We also move the value that we are setting in both the true and false conditions to the front of our single statement and embed this new style of if statement into the statement itself.   Heres how this looks: variable (condition) ? true-value : false-value; So our if statement from above could be written all in one line as: message (Stephen name) ? Welcome back Stephen : Welcome name; As far as JavaScript is concerned, this one statement is identical to the longer code from above. The only difference is that writing the statement this way actually provides JavaScript with more information about what the if statement is doing. The code can run more efficiently than if we wrote it the longer and more readable way. This is also called a ternary operator. Assigning Multiple Values to a Single Variable This way of coding an if statement can help avoid verbose code, particularly in nested if statements. For example, consider this set of nested if/else statements: var answer;if (a b) {   if (a c) {      answer all are equal;   } else {      answer a and b are equal;   }} else {   if (a c) {      answer a and c are equal;   } else {      if (b c) {         answer b and c are equal;      } else {         answer all are different;      }   }} This code assigns one of five possible values to a single variable. Using this alternative notation, we can considerably shorten this into just one statement that incorporates all of the conditions: var answer (a b) ? ((a c) ? all are equal :a and b are equal) : (a c) ? a and c are equal : (b c) ?b and c are equal : all are different; Note that this notation can be used only when all the different conditions being tested are assigning different values to the same variable.

Solve a contemporary social and criminal justice issue Thesis

Solve a contemporary social and criminal justice issue - Thesis Example While this system has been designed to facilitate a more peaceful and non-violent society, there are challenges with criminal justice in providing rehabilitation for criminal offenders sustaining mental illness problems. There have been dramatic increases in the prevalence of mental illness among the prison population in the United States. In 1996, 25 percent of all individuals incarcerated in jails reported that they had sought treatment for a mental illness condition at some point in their lives, representative of approximately 127,000 jail inmates throughout the nation (Whitehead, Jones and Braswell, 2003). In the 1970s, there was a push to deinstitutionalize the mentally ill within psychiatric hospitals and, instead, to provide the mentally ill with community treatment programs. It was determined during this time period in history that such treatment programs would provide a superior public safety outcome, allow jails to operate more efficiently by removing challenges of rehabilitating mentally ill criminal offenders, and provide the mentally ill with more productive treatment methods that jails are unable to provide (Whitehead, et al.). However, this approach at deinstitutionalizing the mentally ill has not been effective. In 2002, it is estimated that a substantial 64 percent of all jailed inmates in the country suffered from a mental health issue (Whitehead, et al.). Community mental health services are designed to provide encouragement and treatment for people suffering from an array of mental disorders in a domiciliary environment rather than in psychiatric clinics. Such community mental health systems provide appropriate outpatient psychiatric services in an age where social perspectives on mental illness have transformed care from intensive psychotherapy to treatment ideology where the mentally ill have a positive place to live with encouraging social environments that

Effective team performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Effective team performance - Essay Example During the project, as the team progressed through its four development stages described by Tuckman’s model (Beyerlein and Johnson 2000) many problems and conflicts surfaced, not beyond expectations. Although problems addressed as the team developed more collaboration, communication and understanding of team objectives, these could have been avoided (Kayes 2004). During the project, engagement of group in different activities discussed helped developing a cohesive team. This project report primarily aims to elaborate significance of reflection in learning and analyses transformation of experiences into learning process (Kolbs 1984). Also this report describes the process of development of a group into a team, associated problems, and narrates the key role of different concepts and theories. Soon after group formation, I was skeptical about the group future, team development, team interactions and achievement of desired objectives. Beyerlein and Johnson (2000) view it as initial stage of team forming based on Bruce Tuckman Model where group members develop understanding among them. According to McManus (2000), teams exhibit a strong commitment, high degree of cohesiveness and accomplishment towards common goal than groups. Chaney and Lyden (2000) advocate teamwork for improvement in problem solving, decision-making and communications. During the initial stage of group formation, members were not focused towards team objectives rather were busy in their personal and social issue. Even they were neither in knowledge nor prepared for meetings agenda items. Team members being less organized and non-interactive were shy and reluctant to share knowledge and experience. These issues introduced hurdles in task completion, team development, cohesion and improving collaboration. Task sequencing and interdependencies caused problems when the completion of one job depended upon input from another

Edukasyon Para Sa Bayan Essay Example for Free

Edukasyon Para Sa Bayan Essay It was just a normal afternoon in the gym during a pickup game. The score was tied, game point. Nate goes up for the dunk and it goes in! When he comes back down to land, something didn’t feel right. His ankle was hurting really bad and was starting to swell. He couldn’t even walk on it. Nate sprained his ankle. Most ankle sprains happen when you make a rapid shifting movement with your foot planted, such as when you play soccer or get tackled in football. Often the ankle rolls outward and the foot turns inward. This causes the ligaments on the outside of the ankle to stretch and tear. Less often, the ankle rolls inward and the foot turns outward. This damages the ligaments on the inside of the ankle. An ankle sprain can range from mild to severe, depending on how badly the ligament is damaged and how many ligaments are injured. With a mild sprain, the ankle may be tender, swollen, and stiff. But it usually feels stable, and you can walk with little pain. A more serious sprain might include bruising and tenderness around the ankle, and walking is painful. In a severe ankle sprain, the ankle is unstable and may feel wobbly. You cant walk, because the ankle gives out and may be very painful. With most sprains, you feel pain right away at the site of the tear. Often the ankle starts to swell immediately and may bruise. The ankle area is usually tender to touch, and it hurts to move it. In more severe sprains, you may hear and/or feel something tear, along with a pop or snap. You will probably have extreme pain at first and will not be able to walk or even put weight on your foot. Usually, the more pain and swelling you have, the more severe your ankle sprain is and the longer it will take to heal. Preventing this injury is not that hard. According to emedicinehealth. com wearing the proper shoes, keeping the ankles strong and flexible, consider wearing ankle tape or an ankle brace, and making sure playing field or home environment is clear of any obstacles that could lead to injury. Healthscout. com says to maintain a regular exercise program, wearing stable shoes, stretching calf muscles before and after exercise, and maintain a healthy diet to prevent injury. But sometimes all these measures do not work and you will have an ankle injury and there are risks of reinjuring. How can we minimize recurring injuries? Brandon Hemphill, James D. Whitworth, and Rita F. Smith say that using external support during physical activity significantly reduces the likelihood of spraining your ankle. A study done by University of Georgia suggests that the different ways people move their hip and knee joints may influence the risk of re-injury. If you have ankle sprains, you may have a problem with the way you move, and we think we can change movement through rehabilitation, said Cathleen Brown, lead author of the study and assistant professor in the department of kinesiology in the College of Education. Past studies on ankle sprains have shown that some people are able to return to sports or physical activities without a problem. Brown and her team, which includes associate professor Kathy J. Simpson, also in the kinesiology department, want to know why some recover completely. One theory for explaining those divergent paths is that a person comes up with good strategies to move, land, balance and not get re-injured, Brown said. Maybe the injured people dont use the same landing strategies, or their strategies arent as effective, Brown said, adding that the study was a snapshot in time, not a long-term follow-up. By the time subjects were included in the research study, they have usually already injured themselves. We dont know if they are this way because of the injury, or if they got this injury because they land this way. There are two different initial treatments for an ankle sprain. One is RICE, consisting of rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The other is PRINCE, consisting of protection, rest, ice, NSAIDs; or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, compression, and elevation. The physician may suggest to keep all or some of your weight off your ankle and will give you crutches or a walker. An ankle brace, air stirrup, hiking boots, or other form of ankle support should be worn during this time to protect the ligaments. Stretching exercises should be continued daily and especially before and after physical activities to prevent re-injury. Even after your ankle feels better, continue with muscle-strengthening exercises and balance and control exercises several times a week to keep your ankles strong. The timing and type of rehab exercises may vary according to your doctors or physical therapists preferences. Anti-inflammatory pain medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen are used to reduce the pain and combat swelling. Ankle sprains are commonly misdiagnosed. This is because the two major types of sprained ankles-high ankle sprains and lateral ankle sprains-often look the same, even though they affect entirely different ligaments. The less common type, a high ankle sprain, is often mistaken for a lateral sprain. Misdiagnosis can delay getting the right treatment-and that can impair recovery. One problem is that the symptoms of high ankle sprains parallel those of the lateral ankle sprain, which occurs in the lower ankle area, says Marque Allen, DPM, FACFAS, foot and ankle surgeon from San Antonio, Texas and a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Pain, swelling, limited motion, and bruising in the entire ankle region can occur in both high ankle sprains and lateral ankle sprains. The difference lies in where the injury occurs and which ligaments are involved. High ankle sprains can get complicated, because this region has five ligaments connecting two bones in the leg, compared with three ligaments that can be affected in lateral ankle sprains, says Dr. Allen. In diagnosing an ankle sprain, its important for physicians to understand how the injury occurred. Lateral sprains are caused by the foot turning inward, whereas high ankle sprains are the result of the foot being forced outward. Other complications include ankle synovitis, which is inflammation of the inner lining of the ankle joint capsule, persistent swelling of the ankle, lateral ankle instability, and nerve injuries. There are many different exercises one can do during the rehabilitation period. For example, range of motion exercises, strength exercises, and activity-specific exercises. Proprioception exercises and other balance exercises can help you recover more quickly and should actually be performed as part of a prevention program. Poor balance is a good predictor of future ankle sprains. After an ankle injury, balance training is essential to recovery. In addition to our eyes and inner ears, there are special receptors in our joints, proprioceptors, which provide information about our position in space. By balancing on one leg, you can reinforce and strengthen those receptors in the ankle. Balance on the affected leg and hold steady for 15 seconds. Continue to challenge your ankle by balancing with your eyes closed, or with your head turning from side to side. If you play soccer, balance on your sprained ankle and kick a soccer ball against a wall. If you play basketball, balance and shoot or practice bounce passes. You can get creative with your exercise to match your sport. The Ottawa ankle rules are a set of guidelines for clinicians to aid them in deciding if a patient with foot or ankle pain should be offered X-rays to diagnose a possible bone fracture. Before the introduction of the rules most patients with ankle injuries would have been X-rayed. However only about 15% of X-rays were positive for fracture, other patients had sprains or other injuries. As a result many unnecessary X-rays were taken, which was costly, time consuming and a possible health risk. The rules state that X-rays are only required if there is any pain in the malleolar zone and any one of the following: * Bone tenderness along the distal 6 cm of the posterior edge of the tibia or tip of the medial malleolus, OR * Bone tenderness along the distal 6 cm of the posterior edge of the fibula or tip of the lateral malleolus, OR * An inability to bear weight both immediately and in the emergency department for four steps. The Ottawa foot rules are for assessing whether a foot X-ray series is indicated. It states that they are indicated if there is any pain in the midfoot zone and any one of the following: * Bone tenderness at the base of the fifth metatarsal (for foot injuries), OR * Bone tenderness at the navicular bone (for foot injuries), OR * An inability to bear weight both immediately and in the emergency department for four steps. It is best to refrain from returning to full activity before complete healing of the ankle has occurred in order to avoid re-injury and possible complications. Ankle sprains take an average of 6 weeks to heal but can take can up to 4 months, depending on the severity. After returning to your sport, you have to make sure you take all precautions. Especially by making sure your ankle is supported by a brace or by tape. Some studies have shown that braces are more effective than tape, though. Either one is better than no support. In conclusion, preventing yourself from injury is a lot easier than people think. But if injury does occur, don’t assume you will be out for 4 months. People heal differently and how long healing takes depends on the severity of the injury. Works Cited American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons: Sprained Ankles Can Be Complicated and Misdiagnosed. India Pharma News (2012). Http://galenet. galegroup. com. ezproxy. aacc. edu. 2 Mar. 2012. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. Hemphill, Brandon, James Whitworth, and Rita Smith. Q / How Can We Minimize Recurrent Ankle Sprains? Journal of Family Practice 60. 12 (2011): 759. Http://galenet. galegroup. com. ezproxy. aacc. edu. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. UGA Study Suggests Key to Avoiding Ankle Re-injury May Be in the Hips and Knees. NewsRx Health Science (2011): 321. Http://galenet. galegroup. com. ezproxy. aacc. edu. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. Ankle Sprain Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, Recovery. WebMD. WebMD, 19 May 2011. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. http://www. webmd. com/a-to-z-guides/ankle-sprain-overview. Health Encyclopedia Diseases and Conditions. Ankle Sprains. The HealthScout Network, Inc, 1 Apr. 2009. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. http://www. healthscout. com/ency/1/572/main. html. Cunha, John P. Read What Your Physician Is Reading on Medscape. EMedicineHealth. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. http://www. emedicinehealth. com/ankle_sprain/article_em. htm.

life :: essays research papers

In the Bible, a book meant to be the word of God, condemns such things as murder, adultery and theft. I find it hard to believe that an all-powerful, all-knowing, infinitely-good being that â€Å"created† this world and everything in it would allow any of these things to occur. He would not only condemn them in an ancient book, but abolish them altogether along with any other things evil. If God is supposed to be the â€Å"heavenly father† wouldn't he want and impose onto his children his goodness and weed out all evil? Aquinas also shows this non-existence through Objective 2 where he writes how it is expecting too much for something that can be accounted for be a few principles has been produced by many. There are other principles that can account for everything we see in our world supposing God did not exist. All things can be reduced to one principle, that of nature and therefore there is no need to suppose God's existence. Once more I agree with his rationale of this subject, for it is logical to believe in a simple, visible, measurable concept such as the principle of nature, instead of something so complex it is near in-conceivable, and not able to be seen or measured. Nature could have accounted for the gradual development of mankind and scientific theories have given us explanations for the existence of nature and proof of this gradual development. Our planet's creation has been explained as a result of â€Å"The Big Bang† and man's development from a single-cellular organism to the multi-cellular, intelligent man of today by evolution. I agree with both of Thomas Aquinas' Objectives and it is mainly because of these two arguments that I, myself do not believe in the existence of

Online tourism information management system

Introduction Nowadays, tourism Is one of the most Important Industries globally for many social, economic, technological, and geopolitical reasons. It presents an actual high quantitative and qualitative growth dynamics and potential, with substantial contribution to the global economy and employment, as it is the largest Job provider on the planet. Information is very crucial in tourism sector so it has been among the first to exploit new technologies and innovations. 1. 1 Background of the project Tourism Is one of the major contributors In the economy of Cube City.The city appends to be one of the most popular destination for travelers In the Philippines. Cube City Is largely known as Queen City. Cube has plenty of tourist attractions that encourages tourists to enter and explore the city. Some tourists may have a difficult time traveling in the city due to a lack of virtual representations of the city that may lead to an enjoyable stay. Tourists should have a virtual tourist guid e in traveling inside Cube Island to assist them in every destination they ought to go.To assist Tourists in traveling inside Cube, the researchers proposed to develop an inline tourism information management that allows tourists to search their preferred destination and the system will locate it via map. The system will also provide list of accommodations and transportation guides for the tourist In order to provide an easy way traveling in Cube. Also, the system will provide website links of hotels, restaurants, car rentals, and beach resorts companies so that tourists will be able to reserve online. 1. 2 Project objectives 1. . 1 General objectives This study aims to develop an online tourism information management for tourists in Cube to provide an interactive virtual tourists guide that may assist tourists in traveling in the city. 1. 2. 2 Specific objectives Specifically the study aims to: system; To analyses data gathered; 2) To create a system design based on the data gather ed; 3) To develop the proposed system; 4) To test and evaluate the developed system; and 5) To implement the developed online tourism information management system. 1. Significance of the project This project is significant in promoting tourism in Cube and to provide tourists a reliable information that may assist them traveling within Cube. This part of the project discusses about the benefits of creating the system to the following: Students The students can benefit from the system because it will provide additional knowledge in their chosen field. This will also help students in their further projects. Tourists The tourists can benefit from the system because it will provide a decent information and guide for traveling and staying in Cube.Local government The Local government can benefit from the system for it will help to directly boost tourism in the place. Not only that, this will increase the number of people employed. As a whole this will improve the local economy for it wil l become more industrialized. Business The businesses such as hotels, restaurants, beach resorts, and malls can benefit from the system for it will help gaining more customers that can rapidly increase their respective profits. 1. Scope and limitations of the project This project mainly focused on providing travelers and tourists a virtual tourism information management system that would allow them to search their destinations on a virtual map. The proposed system would make tourists find a simpler way to get information and guidance traveling in the city. The project aimed to develop an online tourism information management system to help boost tourism in Cube and to assist travelers and tourists in traveling in Cube.With the proposed online tourism management information system, the user can search and locate their desired destinations. Provided by website links of hotels, car rentals, restaurants, and beach resorts company, they can make reservations directly in a minimal time fr ame in these companies. Moreover, the system will provide a more efficient and interactive way of giving information and assistance to the users n terms of traveling in Cube. The proposed system will provide an overview of the region and its attractions. The weapon is user friendly when it comes to LU design. Assist tourists traveling in Cube.The system does not include online reservations and payments instead it will provide website links of companies that has these kind of transactions to help tourists find accommodations. Chapter II Review of related literature One of the essential factors to consider to have a better view of the project and to have a better evaluation on the project's functionalities, related literature, studies ND works should reviewed, analyses and studied. According to Chou (2004), Tourists need new sources of information in order to help them plan their trips and choose between alternatives tourist destinations.Because it is an information-rich industry, it depends on finding and developing new means to distribute travel and hospitality products and services, marketing information to consumers and providing comfort and convenience travelers. Tourism Management According to Upon (1993) and Sheldon (1997), Technological progress and tourism have been going hand in hand for years. Since the sass, Information Communication Technologies (Acts) have been transforming tourism globally. Developments in Acts have undoubtedly changed both business practices and strategies as well as industry structures (Porter, 2001).The establishment of the Computer Reservation Systems (Cars) in the sass and Global Distribution Systems (Gigs) in the late sass, followed by the development of the Internet in the late sass, have transformed the best operational and strategic practices in the industry dramatically (Bilabials, 2003; business [email  protected], 2006; Emmer, Tack, Wilkinson, & Moore, 1993; O'Connor, 1999). If the past 20 years have seen an emphasis on technology per SE, then since the year 2000 we have been witnessing the truly transformational effect of the communications technologies.This has given scope for the development of a wide range of new tools and services that facilitate global Tourism as an international industry and as the biggest provider of Jobs on the planet boasts a greater array of heterogeneous stakeholders than many other industries. The energetic growth and development of the industry are perhaps only mirrored by the growth of Acts. The accelerating and synergistic interaction between genealogy and tourism in recent times has brought fundamental changes in the industry and on our perceptions of its nature.The significance of crossing the new information threshold of universal, ubiquitous communications access has brought the entire tourism industry to the new levels of interactivity, propelling management by wire. Increasingly, Acts play a critical role for the competitiveness of tourism organizations an d destinations as well as for the entire industry as a whole (UNTO, 2001). Developments in search engines, carrying capacity and speed of networks eave influenced the number of travelers around the world that use technologies for planning and experiencing their travels.Acts have also changed radically the efficiency and effectiveness of tourism organizations, the way that businesses are conducted in the marketplace, as well as how consumers interact with organizations (Bilabials, 2003). There have been many new entrants among the players on the tourism stage, shifts in market share and balance of power, changes in political perceptions of tourism, and a growing recognition of the importance of tourism to an ever-increasing number of national and regional economies.Innovation Trends on Tourism Tourism firms operate in a business environment where innovation is important for their survival (Sorensen, 2007). Thus, the adoption of innovative methods that will aid every country to promot e and support its tourist product, from regional and national tourism organizations to various tourism enterprises can ensure the quality levels and the diversification of services that will lead to the increase of each country's share in international tourism demand. The main modern trends constitute the reference base for the analysis of the current situation in Greece.Destination Management Systems (DMS) The development of DMS can substantially support and enhance the competitiveness of tourism destinations and specifically of the small and medium tourism enterprises (Kigali, 2009). Chem. & Sheldon(1997, p. 159) defined the DMS as an inter- organizational system that links tourist products, suppliers and offers, with consumers and intermediaries in order to enable easy access to complete and up-to- date destination information and allow reservations and purchases.Consumers and demand dimensions Increasingly, Acts enable travelers to access reliable and accurate information as req uired by conventional methods (O'Connor, 1999). Acts can assist in the improvement of the service quality and contribute to higher guest/traveler satisfaction. Acts place users in the middle of its functionality and product delivery. Every tourist is different, carrying a unique blend of experiences, motivations, and desires. To an extent the new sophisticated traveler has emerged as a result of experience.Tourists from the major generating regions of the world have become request travelers, are linguistically and technologically skilled and can function in multicultural and demanding environments overseas. The development of Acts and particularly the Internet empowered the â€Å"new' tourist who is becoming knowledgeable and is seeking exceptional value for money and time. They are less interested in following the crowds in packaged tours and much more keen to pursue their own preferences and schedules.Increasingly, package tours are losing market share in favor of independently o rganized tourism facilitated by dynamic packaging. The contemporary/connected consumer is far less willing to wait or put up with delays, to the point where patience is a disappearing virtue. The key to success lies in the quick identification of consumer needs and in reaching potential clients with comprehensive, personalized and up-to-date products and services that satisfy those needs. Gradually new, experienced, sophisticated, and demanding travelers require interacting with suppliers to satisfy their own specific needs and wishes.Living in a hectic life, consumers in the developed world often have short periods of time to lax their batteries and also to engage in their favorite activities. Leisure time will increasingly be used for â€Å"edutainment†, I. E. The exploration of personal interests for both their personal and professional development. Travel and holidays are one of the most expensive items purchased regularly by households around the world, and it represents a significant proportion of individual's annual budget. The Internet has changed tourism consumer behavior dramatically (Mills & Law, 2004).Prospective travelers have direct access to a much rater wealth of information provided by tourism organizations, private enterprises and increasingly by other users/consumers. From information search, to destination/ product consumption and post experience engagement, Acts offer a range of tools to facilitate and improve the process. Customers search for travel-related information, make online air-ticket bookings, online room reservations, and other online purchases themselves instead of relying on travel agencies to undertake this process for them (Morrison, Jinn, O'Leary, & Lapping, 2001).Due to the popularity of Internet applications, most tourism organizations such as hotels, airlines, and travel agencies have embraced Internet technologies as part of their marketing and communication strategies. Information Search is a significant part of the purchase decision process and was revolutionized as a result of the Internet. Acts not only reduce uncertainty and perceived risks but also enhance the quality of trips (Fodders & Murray, 1997).The more research undertaken on a trip and the more information found, the better customer needs can be met and served. A well-informed consumer is able to interact ere requirements and to take advantage of special offers and reduced prices. According to Snigger, Mugged, Smelling, and World (1990), the four major factors that influence information search in the tourism context are the composition of vacation groups, the presence of families and friends at the destination, prior visits to the destination, and the degree of novelty associated with the destination.Cursory and McCauley (2004) developed a comprehensive theoretical model that integrated all psychological/motivational, economics, and processing approaches into a cohesive hole for understanding tourists' information seeking beha vior. Virtual communities are gradually becoming incredibly influential in tourism as consumers increasingly trust better their peers, rather than marketing messages. The most cited definition of a virtual community was firstly given by Rheingold (1993, p. 8) as â€Å"a virtual community is a group of people who may or may not meet one another face-to-face, and who exchange words and ideas through the mediation of computer bulletin boards and networks†. A Virtual Travel Community makes it easier or people to obtain information, maintain connections, develop relationships, and eventually make travel-related decisions (Steeplechase, Mills, & Kiang, 2007). Pogo and Fisheries (1998) stated that participation and attitude are the primary dimensions of consumer behavior in the virtual communities.Since many travelers like to share their travel experiences and recommendations with others, Was have become one of their favorite areas to post their travel diary. Additionally, online tr avelers are enthusiastic to meet other travelers who have similar attitudes, interests, and way of fife (Wang, You, & Fisheries, 2002). As such, better understanding WAC users' behavior and motivation can assist tourism practitioners and policy makers to establish, operate, and maintain Was in a more efficient way.This, in turn, facilitates consumer centric marketing or relationship marketing (Minnie, March, & Bilabials, 2006). Was, however, may be at risk of losing members if their members are not satisfied with the content, design, security policies, and repercussions for non- compliance with community rules (Allison, Accrual, Moss, & Stuart, 2005; Wang et al. , 002). The emergence of Web 2. 0 or Travel 2. 0 brings together the concept of social networking/virtual communities and applies it to the tourism industry.Trapdoors (www. Trapdoors. Com) is amongst the most successful social networking/virtual community in tourism that facilitates the reviewing of all hotels around the wor ld and brings together individuals in discussion forums. The system provides users with independent travel reviews and comments written from Trapdoors members and expert advisors and provides a powerful platform for interaction between peers Wang & Fisheries, Bibb). User satisfaction is a major factor for evaluating a travel organization.By analyzing Was' content, travel organizations can understand their customers' satisfactions and behavior, and undertake corrective actions to improve their offering. They can also increase brand awareness and strengthen brand association through the assistance of Was. Despite Was' large potential impact on the tourism industry, Prince (2000) stated that research on the topic is still at an infancy stage when compared to other geographical and physical communities.Recommender System receiving indications about what options are better suited in a specific case for specific individuals (Greeter, Mitch, Hang, & Fisheries, 2004; Arsenic & Varian, 1997) . According to Rich (2002), a recommender system can provide valuable information to assist consumers' decision-making process. A recommender system can support travelers in a complex decision-making process by identifying better customer requirements and by correlating those to other consumers and their preferences ( Fisheries, Worthier, & W ¶beer, 2003; Rich & Worthier (2002) and Rich Worthier (2006)).Personality has been related to the selection of vacation destinations, the choice of leisure activities throughout the vacation, and other travel- related decisions. According to LOL, Lorenz, Ashland, & Location (2004), when implementing tourism recommender systems, textual summary is used to classify the database item in themes or categories of the ontology. Although different recommendation technologies have been applied to tourism, Arabians and Rich (2005) argued that the existence of different business models present application challenges.

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Five

Monday, June 8, 11:15 p.m. Dear Diary, I don't seem to be sleeping very well tonight, so I might as well write you. All day today I've been waiting for something to happen. You don't do a spell like that and have it work like that and then have nothing happen. But nothing has. I stayed home from school because Mom thought I should. She was upset about Matt and Meredith staying so late Sunday night, and she said I needed to get some rest. But every time I lie down I see Sue's face. Sue's dad did the eulogy at Elena's funeral. I wonder who's going to do it for Sue on Wednesday? I've got to stop thinking about things like this. Maybe I'll try to go to sleep again. Maybe if I lie down with my headphones on, I won't see Sue. Bonnie put the diary back in her nightstand drawer and took out her Walkman. She flipped through the channels as she stared at the ceiling with heavy eyes. Through the crackle and sputter of static a D.J.'s voice sounded in her ear. â€Å"And here's a golden oldie for all you fabulous fifties fans. ‘Goodnight Sweetheart' on the Vee Jay label by The Spaniels†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie drifted away on the music. The ice cream soda was strawberry, Bonnie's favorite. The jukebox was playing ‘Goodnight Sweetheart' and the counter was squeaky clean. But Elena, Bonnie decided, would never have really worn a poodle skirt. â€Å"No poodles,† she said, gesturing at it. Elena looked up from her hot fudge sundae. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail. â€Å"Who thinks of these things anyway?† Bonnie asked. â€Å"You do, silly. I'm only visiting.† â€Å"Oh.† Bonnie took a pull at the soda. Dreams. There was a reason to be afraid of dreams, but she couldn't think of it just now. â€Å"I can't stay long,† Elena said. â€Å"I think he already knows I'm here. I just came to tell you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She frowned. Bonnie looked at her sympathetically. â€Å"Can't you remember either?† She drank more soda. It tasted odd. â€Å"I died too young, Bonnie. There was so much I was supposed to do, to accomplish. And now I have to help you.† â€Å"This isn't easy, you know. I don't have that much power. It's hard getting through, and it's hard keeping everything together.† â€Å"Gotta keep it together,† Bonnie agreed, nodding. She was feeling strangely lightheaded. What was in this soda? â€Å"I don't have much control, and things turn out strange somehow. He's doing it, I guess. He's always fighting me. He watches you. And every time we try to communicate, he comes.† â€Å"Okay.† The room was floating. â€Å"Bonnie, are you listening to me? He can use your fear against you. It's the way he gets in.† â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But don't let him in. Tell everyone that. And tell Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena stopped and put a hand to her mouth. Something fell onto the hot fudge sundae. It was a tooth. â€Å"He's here.† Elena's voice was strange, indistinct. Bonnie stared at the tooth in mesmerized horror. It was lying in the middle of the whipped cream, among the slivered almonds. â€Å"Bonnie, tell Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Another tooth plunked down, and another. Elena sobbed, both her hands at her mouth now. Her eyes were terrified, helpless. â€Å"Bonnie, don't go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Bonnie was stumbling back. Everything was whirling around. The soda was bubbling out of the glass, but it wasn't soda; it was blood. Bright red and frothy, like something you coughed up when you died. Bonnie's stomach convulsed. â€Å"Tell Stefan I love him!† It was the voice of a toothless old woman, and it ended in hysterical sobs. Bonnie was glad to fall into darkness and forget everything. Bonnie nibbled at the end of her felt pen, her eyes on the clock, her mind on the calendar. Eight and a half more days of school to survive. And it looked as if every minute was going to be misery. Some guy had said it outright, backing away from her on the stairs. â€Å"No offense, but your friends keep turning up dead.† Bonnie had gone into the bathroom and cried. But now all she wanted was to be out of school, away from the tragic faces and accusing eyes-or worse, the pitying eyes. The principal had given a speech over the P.A. about â€Å"this new misfortune† and â€Å"this terrible loss,† and Bonnie had felt the eyes on her back as if they were boring holes there. When the bell rang, she was the first person out the door. But instead of going to her next class she went to the bathroom again, where she waited for the next bell. Then, once the halls were empty, she hurried toward the foreign language wing. She passed bulletins and banners for end-of-the-year events without glancing at them. What did SATs matter, what did graduation matter, what did anything matter anymore? They might all be dead by the end of the month. Oh, my God, I forgot how gorgeous he is, she thought. Elena, forgive me; I'm going to grab him. â€Å"Stefan!† she said. Then her mind wrenched her back into reality again and she cast a hunted look around. No one was in eyeshot. She grabbed his arm. â€Å"Are you crazy, showing up here? Are you nuts?† â€Å"I had to find you. I thought it was urgent.† â€Å"It is, but-† He looked so incongruous, standing there in the high school hallway. So exotic. Like a zebra in a flock of sheep. She started pushing him toward a broom closet. He wasn't going. And he was stronger than she was. â€Å"Bonnie, you said you'd talked to-â€Å" â€Å"You have to hide! I'll go get Matt and Meredith and bring them back here and then we can talk. But if anybody sees you, you're probably going to get lynched. There's been another murder.† Stefan's face changed, and he let her push him toward the closet. He started to say something, then clearly decided not to. â€Å"I'll wait,† he said simply. It took only a few minutes to find Matt in auto tech and Meredith in economics class. They hurried back to the broom closet and bustled Stefan out of school as inconspicuously as possible, which wasn't very. Someone's bound to have seen us, Bonnie thought. It all depends on who, and how much of a blab they are. â€Å"We have to get him someplace safe-not to any of our houses,† Meredith was saying. They were all walking as fast as they could through the high school parking lot. â€Å"Fine, but where? Wait a minute, what about the boarding house†¦ ?† Bonnie's voice trailed off. There was a little black car in the parking slot in front of her. An Italian car, sleek, svelte, and sexy looking. All the windows were tinted illegally dark; you couldn't even see inside. Then Bonnie made out the stallion emblem on the back. â€Å"Oh, my God† Three sets of eyes turned to him in shock. â€Å"Damon's?† Bonnie said, hearing the squeak in her own voice. She hoped Stefan meant Damon had just loaned it to him. But the car window was rolling down to reveal black hair as sleek and liquidy as the car's paint job, mirrored glasses, and a very white smile. â€Å"Buon giorno,† said Damon smoothly. â€Å"Anybody need a ride?† â€Å"Oh, my God,† Bonnie said again, faintly. But she didn't back away. Stefan was visibly impatient. â€Å"We'll head for the boarding house. You follow. Park behind the barn so nobody sees your car.† Meredith had to lead Bonnie away from the Ferrari. It wasn't that Bonnie liked Damon or that she was ever going to let him kiss her again as he had at Alaric's party. She knew he was dangerous; not as bad as Katherine had been, maybe, but bad. He'd killed wantonly, just for the fun of it. He'd killed Mr. Tanner, the history teacher, at the Haunted House fund-raiser last Halloween. He might kill again at any time. Maybe that was why Bonnie felt like a mouse staring at a shining black snake when she looked at him. In the privacy of Meredith's car Bonnie and Meredith exchanged glances. â€Å"Stefan shouldn't have brought him,† said Meredith. â€Å"Maybe he just came,† Bonnie offered. She didn't think Damon was the sort of person who got brought anywhere. â€Å"Why should he? Not to help us, that's for sure.† Matt said nothing. He didn't even seem to notice the tension in the car. He just stared through the windshield, lost in himself. The sky was clouding up. â€Å"Matt?† â€Å"Just leave it alone, Bonnie,† said Meredith. Wonderful, thought Bonnie, depression settling like a dark blanket over her. Matt and Stefan and Damon, all together, all thinking about Elena. They parked behind the old barn, next to the low black car. When they went inside, Stefan was standing alone. He turned and Bonnie saw that he'd taken off his sunglasses. The faintest chill went through her, just the lightest prickling of the hairs on her arms and neck. Stefan wasn't like any other guy she'd ever met. His eyes were so green; green as oak leaves in the spring. But just now they had shadows underneath. There was a moment of awkwardness; the three of them standing on one side and looking at Stefan without a word. No one seemed to know what to say. Then Meredith went over to him and took his hand. â€Å"You look tired,† she said. â€Å"I came as soon as I could.† He put an arm around her in a brief, almost hesitant hug. He never would have done that in the old days, Bonnie thought. He used to be so reserved. â€Å"I came as soon as I could.† He put an arm around her in a brief, almost hesitant hug. He never would have done that in the old days, Bonnie thought. He used to be so reserved. Stefan and Matt were looking at each other. Here we go, thought Bonnie. It was almost funny; the same expression was on both their faces. Hurt and tired, and trying not to show it. No matter what, Elena would always be between them. At last, Matt stuck out his hand and Stefan shook it. They both stepped back, looking glad to have it over with. â€Å"Where's Damon?† said Meredith. â€Å"Poking around. I thought we might want a few minutes without him.† â€Å"We want a few decades without him,† Bonnie said before she could stop herself, and Meredith said, â€Å"He can't be trusted, Stefan.† â€Å"I think you're wrong,† Stefan said quietly. â€Å"He can be a big help if he puts his mind to it.† â€Å"In between killing a few of the locals every other night?† Meredith said, her eyebrows up. â€Å"You shouldn't have brought him, Stefan.† â€Å"But he didn't.† The voice came from behind Bonnie, behind and frighteningly close. Bonnie jumped and made an instinctive lunge for Matt, who gripped her shoulder. Damon smiled briefly, just one corner of his mouth up. He'd taken off his sunglasses, but his eyes weren't green. They were black as the spaces between the stars. He's almost better looking than Stefan, Bonnie thought wildly, finding Matt's fingers and hanging on to them. â€Å"So she's yours now, is she?† Damon said to Matt casually. â€Å"No,† Matt said, but his grip on Bonnie didn't loosen. â€Å"Stefan didn't bring you?† prompted Meredith from the other side. Of all of them, she seemed least affected by Damon, least afraid of him, least susceptible to him. â€Å"No,† Damon said, still looking at Bonnie. He doesn't turn like other people, she thought. He goes on looking at whatever he wants no matter who's talking. â€Å"You did,† he said. â€Å"Me?† Bonnie shrank a little, uncertain who he meant. â€Å"You. You did the spell, didn't you?† â€Å"The†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Oh, hell. A picture blossomed in Bonnie's mind, of black hair on a white napkin. Her eyes went to Damon's hair, finer and straighter than Stefan's but just as dark. Obviously Matt had made a mistake in the sorting. They took seats on the decaying bales of hay, all except Damon, who remained standing. Stefan was leaning forward, hands on knees, looking at Bonnie. â€Å"You told me-you said that Elena spoke to you.† There was a perceptible pause before he got the name out. His face was tense with control. â€Å"Yes.† She managed a smile for him. â€Å"I had this dream, Stefan, this very strange dream†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She told him about it, and about what had happened after. It took a long time. Stefan listened intently, his green eyes flaring every time she mentioned Elena. When she told about the end of Caroline's party and how they had found Sue's body in the backyard, the blood drained from his face, but he said nothing. â€Å"The police came and said she was dead, but we knew that already,† Bonnie finished. â€Å"And they took Vickie away-poor Vickie was just raving. They wouldn't let us talk to her, and her mother hangs up if we call. Some people are even saying Vickie did it, which is insane. But they won't believe that Elena talked to us, so they won't believe anything she said.† â€Å"And what she said was ‘he,' † Meredith interrupted. â€Å"Several times. It's a man; someone with a lot of psychic power.† â€Å"And it was a man who grabbed my hand in the hallway,† said Bonnie. She told Stefan about her suspicion of Tyler, but as Meredith pointed out, Tyler didn't fit the rest of the description. He had neither the brains nor the psychic power to be the one Elena was warning them about. â€Å"What about Caroline?† Stefan asked. â€Å"Could she have seen anything?† â€Å"She was out front,† Meredith said. â€Å"She found the door and got out while we were all running. She heard the screams, but she was too frightened to go back in the house. And to be honest, I don't blame her.† â€Å"So nobody actually saw what happened except Vickie.† â€Å"No. And Vickie's not telling.† Bonnie picked up the story where she had left off. â€Å"Once we realized nobody would believe us, we remembered Elena's message about the summoning spell. We figured it must have been you she wanted to summon, because she thought you could do something to help. So†¦ can you?† â€Å"I can try,† Stefan said. He got up and walked a little distance away, turning his back on them. He stood like that in silence a while, unmoving. At last he turned back and looked Bonnie in the eyes. â€Å"Bonnie,† he said, quiet but intense, â€Å"in your dreams you actually spoke to Elena face to face. Do you think if you went into a trance you could do it again?† Bonnie was a little frightened by what she saw in his eyes. They were blazing emerald green in his pale face. All at once it was as if she could see behind the mask of control he wore. Underneath was so much pain, so much longing-so much of that intensity that she could hardly bear to look at it. â€Å"Then we'll do it. Right here, right now. And we'll see if you can take me with you.† Those eyes were mesmerizing, not with any hidden Power, but with the sheer force of his will. Bonnie wanted to do it for him-he made her want to do anything for him. But the memory of that last dream was too much. She couldn't face that horror again; she couldn't. â€Å"Stefan, it's too dangerous. I could be opening myself up to anything-and I'm scared. If that thing gets hold of my mind, I don't know what might happen. I can't, Stefan. Please. Even with a Ouija board, it's just inviting him to come.† For a moment she thought he was going to try to make her do it. His mouth tightened in an obstinate line, and his eyes blazed even brighter. But then, slowly, the fire died out of them. Bonnie felt her heart tear. â€Å"Stefan, I'm sorry,† she whispered. â€Å"We'll just have to do it on our own,† he said. The mask was back on, but his smile looked stiff, as if it hurt him. Then he spoke more briskly. â€Å"First we have to find out who this killer is, what he wants here. All we know now is that something evil has come to Fell's Church again.† â€Å"But why?† said Bonnie. â€Å"Why would anything evil just happen to pick here? Haven't we been through enough?† â€Å"It does seem a bit of a strange coincidence,† Meredith said drolly. â€Å"Why should we be so singularly blessed?† â€Å"It's not coincidence,† said Stefan. He got up and lifted his hands as if unsure how to start. â€Å"There are some places on this earth that are†¦ different,† he said. â€Å"That are full of psychic energy, either positive or negative, good or evil. Some of them have always been that way, like the Bermuda Triangle and Salisbury Plain, the place where they built Stonehenge. Others become that way, especially where a lot of blood has been shed.† He looked at Bonnie. â€Å"Unquiet spirits,† she whispered. â€Å"Yes. There was a battle here, wasn't there?† â€Å"In the Civil War,† Matt said. â€Å"That's how the church in the cemetery got ruined. It was a slaughter on both sides. Nobody won, but almost everyone who fought got killed. The woods are full of their graves.† â€Å"And the ground was soaked with blood. A place like that draws the supernatural to it. It draws evil to it. That's why Katherine was attracted to Fell's Church in the first place. I felt it too, when I first came here.† â€Å"And now something else has come,† Meredith said, perfectly serious for once. â€Å"But how are we supposed to fight it?† â€Å"We have to know what we're fighting first. I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But before he could finish, there was a creak and pale, dusty sunlight fell across the bales of hay. The barn door had opened. Mrs. Flowers, who owned the boarding house, smiled at them, her little black eyes crinkling into wrinkles. She was carrying a tray. â€Å"I thought you children might like something to drink while you're talking,† she said comfortably. Everyone exchanged disconcerted glances. How had she known they were out here? And how could she be so calm about it? â€Å"Here you go,† Mrs. Flowers continued. â€Å"This is grape juice, made from my own Concord grapes.† She put a paper cup beside Meredith, then Matt, then Bonnie. â€Å"And here are some gingersnap cookies. Fresh.† She held the plate around. Bonnie noticed she didn't offer any to Stefan or Damon. â€Å"You two can come round to the cellar if you like and try some of my blackberry wine,† she said to them, with what Bonnie would swear was a wink. Stefan took a deep, wary breath. â€Å"Uh, look, Mrs. Flowers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"And your old room's just like you left it. Nobody's been up there since you went. You can use it when you want; it won't put me out a bit.† Stefan seemed at a loss for words. â€Å"Well-thank you. Thank you very much. But -â€Å" â€Å"If you're worried I'll say something to somebody, you can set your mind at ease. I don't tend to run off at the mouth. Never have, never will. How's that grape juice?† -turning suddenly on Bonnie. Bonnie hastily took a gulp. â€Å"Good,† she said truthfully. â€Å"When you finish, throw the cups in the trash. I like things kept tidy.† Mrs. Flowers cast a look about the barn, shaking her head and sighing. â€Å"Such a shame. Such a pretty girl.† She looked at Stefan piercingly with eyes like onyx beads. â€Å"You've got your work cut out for you this time, boy,† she said, and left, still shaking her head. â€Å"Well!† said Bonnie, staring after her, amazed. Everyone else just looked at each other blankly. † ‘Such a pretty girl'-but which?† said Mere-dith at last. â€Å"Sue or Elena?† Elena had actually spent a week or so in this very barn last winter-but Mrs. Flowers wasn't supposed to know that. â€Å"Did you say something to her about us?† Meredith asked Damon. â€Å"Not a word.† Damon seemed amused. â€Å"She's an old lady. She's batty.† â€Å"She's sharper than any of us gave her credit for,† Matt said. â€Å"When I think of the days we spent watching her potter around that basement-do you think she knew we were watching?† days we spent watching her potter around that basement-do you think she knew we were watching?† â€Å"And grape juice, don't forget that.† Matt grinned at Stefan. â€Å"Want some?† He proffered the leaky cup. â€Å"Yeah, you can take your grape juice and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Stefan was almost smiling himself. For an instant Bonnie saw the two of them the way they used to be, before Elena had died. Friendly, warm, as comfortable together as she and Meredith were. A pang went through her. But Elena isn't dead, she thought. She's more here than ever. She's directing everything we say and do. Stefan had sobered again. â€Å"When Mrs. Flowers came in, I was about to say that we'd better get started. And I think we should start with Vickie.† â€Å"She won't see us,† Meredith replied instantly. â€Å"Her parents are keeping everyone away.† â€Å"Then we'll just have to bypass her parents,† Stefan said. â€Å"Are you coming with us, Damon?† â€Å"A visit to yet another pretty girl? I wouldn't miss it.† Bonnie turned to Stefan in alarm, but he spoke reassuringly as he guided her out of the barn. â€Å"It'll be all right. I'll keep an eye on him.† Bonnie hoped so.

Compared to the original Daniell Cell Essay Example

Compared to the original Daniell Cell Essay Example Compared to the original Daniell Cell Paper Compared to the original Daniell Cell Paper By completing and testing this hypothesis our group believes that it will factor in the aim of increasing the voltage and current of our Daniell Cell. Hypothesis 2 According to the Standard Reduction Potentials for Half-Reactions table, our group hypothesises that by changing the half cells so that their E0 values are a greater distance apart that the voltage and current will show an increase and improve the Daniell Cell. The general make up of a Daniell Cell is two half cells, one with copper metal (Cu) and the other cell using zinc metal (Zn). The electrolyte then is both sulfates of each metal, CuSO4 and ZnSO4 making up the Cell. According to the Standard Reduction Potentials for Half-Reductions (SRPHR), Copper and Zinc is a good pair since Copper is a fairly strong oxidizing agent and Zinc is a very good reducing agent which gives a high voltage between these two half cells. Corrosion Doctors, 2006 The group has decided in changing one of these half cells to a better oxidizing agent or a reducing agent the voltage of our cell will increase and therefore support our hypothesis. Since this is a school experiment, it is very hard to access the best oxidizing agents, which has left us with Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4) as our best oxidizer and magnesium (Mg2+) as our best reducing agent. When both ionic concentrations (the electrolyte) are at 1M and the room temperature is at 25oC you can calculate the voltage of what two half cells would be by using the given E0 value. Copper has an E0 of +0. 34 volt and Zinc has an E0 of -0. 76 volt and you subtract the oxidizer from the reducing agent which gives 1. 10 V (volts). The calculations for the magnesium and potassium permanganate are as follows, potassium permanganate E0 value is 1. 52 and the magnesium E0 value is -2. 37 which gives 3. 89 volts. Under these conditions the voltage should increase from 1. 10 volts to 3. 89 volts, in which will support our second hypothesis. Hypothesis 3 After extensive research into different forms of salt bridges, our group believes that in using the porous pot salt bridge the decrease in resistance provided by the pot will increase the voltage and current readings of the original Daniell Cell. A salt bridge, in chemistry, is a device used to connect the oxidation and reduction half-cells of an electrochemical cell. It is also apart of the internal circuit of the cell with the external circuit being the wire that connects the anode to the cathode. Salt bridges usually comes in two types: glass tube and filter paper with other portable options still available. One type of salt bridges consists of U-shaped glass tubes filled with a relatively inert electrolyte, usually potassium nitrate. The conductivity of the glass tube bridges depends mostly on the concentration of the electrolyte solution. The other type of salt bridges consists of a filter paper, also soaked with a relatively inert electrolyte, usually potassium nitrate because it is chemically inert. Conductivity of this kind of salt bridges depends on a number of factors: the concentration of the electrolyte solution, the texture of the filter paper and the absorbing ability of the filter paper. Generally smoother texture and higher absorbency equates to higher conductivity. A porous pot or other porous barrier between the two half-cells may be used instead of a salt bridge; they give a much higher current flow since the resistance is much less which is ideal for this investigation. Chemistry Virtual Textbook, 2006 In the Daniell Cell the porous pot cell consists of a central zinc anode dipping into a porous pot containing the zinc sulfate solution. The porous pot is, in turn, immersed in a solution of copper sulfate contained in a large beaker, which acts as the cells cathode. The use of a porous barrier prevents the copper ions in the copper sulfate solution from reaching the zinc anode and undergoing reduction. This would render the cell ineffective by bringing the battery to equilibrium. Our group has hypothesised that using the Porous Pot as the salt bridge will bring upon an increase in voltage and current therefore making a Better Battery. Balanced Chemical Equations and E0 values Zn2+ (aq) + 2e- Zn(s) E0 = -0. 76 V Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- Cu(s) E0 = 0. 34 V Zn(s) Zn2+ (aq) + 2e- Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- Cu(s). Zn(s) + Cu2+ (aq) Zn2+ (aq) + Cu(s) E0C = E0ox + E0red = 0. 76 + 0. 34 E0C = 1. 10 V Mg2+ (aq) + 2e- Mg(s) E0 = -2. 37 V Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- Cu(s) E0 = 0. 34 V Mg(s) Mg2+ (aq) + 2e- Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- Cu(s) Mg(s) + Cu2+ (aq) Mg2+ (aq) + Cu(s) E0C = E0ox + E0red = 2. 37 + 0. 34 E0C = 2. 71 V 5 Mg2+ (aq) + 10e- 5 Mg(s) E0 = -2. 37 V 2 MnO4- (aq) + 16 H+ + 10e- 2 Mn2+ + 8 H20 (l) E0 = 1. 52 5 Mg(s) 5 Mg2+ (aq) + 10e- 2 MnO4- (aq) + 16 H+ + 10e- 2 Mn2+ + 8 H20 (l) 5 Mg(s) + 2 MnO4-(aq) + 16 H+ 5 Mg2+ (aq) + 2 Mn2+ + 8H2O (l) E0C = E0ox + E0red= 2. 37 + 1. 52 E0C = 3. 89 Method Daniell Cell 1. Using two beakers place them close together and fill the beakers half way with the chosen electrolytes. 2. Place the Copper and Zinc metals in their respective salt solutions which are both 0. 1 M in concentration 3. Connect the wires to each electrode (metal) and connect the wires though a voltmeter/ammeter 4. Saturate the salt bridge (filter paper) with Potassium Nitrate and insert each end into both half-cell solutions. 5. Record Results for both current and voltage Hypothesis One 1. Setup the original Daniell Cell 2. After setting up and functioning the original Daniell Cell, change the concentration of the CuSO4 solution to 0. 5M. 3. Record the results shown on the voltmeter and ammeter 4. After this, change the concentration of the CuSO4 solution to 1M 5. Record the results shown on the voltmeter and ammeter. 6. Repeat this with the zinc half cell, by changing the copper half cell back to 0. 1M and increasing the zinc sulfate to 0. 5M then 1M. 7. Record the results of the voltage and current for these two experiments. Hypothesis Two (A) 1. Place two beakers side by side, filling them up half way with MgSO4 0. 1M and CuSO4 0. 1M. 2. Place the metals in their respective salts (sulfate solutions) 3. Connect the wires to each metal and plug the ends into the ammeter/voltmeter. 4. Now that the external circuit is present, saturate the salt bridge (in this case, filter paper) with Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) solution and place into each half cell. 5. Turn on the voltmeter/ammeter and record results. Hypothesis Two (B) 1. Place two beakers side by side, filling them up half way with MgSO4 0. 1M and MnO4 0. 02M 2. Place the magnesium metal in its respective salt 3. Place an inert metal such as carbon in the MnSO4 solution 4. Connect the wires to each metal and plug the ends into the ammeter/voltmeter 5. Now that the external circuit is present, saturate the salt bridge (in this case, filter paper) with Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) solution and place into each half cell. 6. Turn on the voltmeter/ammeter and record results. Hypothesis Three 1. Using a larger beaker, fill with the Cathode (Copper) electrolyte to around 1/2 full 2. Place the Porous Pot (which has been soaked in KNO3) in to the beaker and pour the other electrolyte (Zinc) inside. 3. Add the two electrodes to their distinguished salts. 4. Turn on the ammeter/voltmeter and record the results. Super Cell 1. Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 in hypothesis three. 2. Instead of using Copper and Zinc half cells, use MnO4 (Potassium Permanganate) and MgSO4 (Magnesium) with MgSO4 being the anode. 3. The concentrations for each half cells are as follows; KMnO4 0. 02M and MgSO4 0. 1M 4. Use an ammeter/voltmeter to receive the final data for the investigation. Results Tables Hypothesis One: In reference to the Nernst Equation and Le Chi telier principle, our group believes that by having increased concentration in the cathode and a reduced concentration in the anode in each electrolyte will cause the voltage and current readings to increase and improve the Daniell Cell. Voltage (V) Trial ZnSO4 0. 1M Avg % Dif ZnSO4 0. 5M Avg % Dif ZnSO4 1M Avg % Dif CuSO4 0. 1M 0. 98 0. 95 0. 99 0. 97 0. 97 0. 98 0. 97 0. 97 0 0. 96 0. 97 0. 96 0. 96 -1. 03 CuSO4 0. 5M 1. 05 1. 02 1. 04 1. 04 7. 22 Â  CuSO4 1M 1. 15 1. 09 1. 10 1. 11 14. 4 Current (mA) Trial ZnSO4 0. 1M Avg % Dif ZnSO4 0. 5M Avg % Dif ZnSO4 1M Avg % Dif CuSO4 0. 1M 0. 20 0. 22 0. 25 0. 22 0. 22 0. 22 0. 24 0. 22 0 0. 21 0. 23 0. 26 0. 23 4. 55 CuSO4 0. 5M 0. 33 0. 44 0. 38 0. 37 68. 2 CuSO4 1M 0. 45 0. 56 0. 49 0. 50 127 Hypothesis Two: According to the Standard Reduction Potentials for Half-Reactions table, our group hypothesises that by changing the half cells so that their E0 values are a greater distance apart that the voltage and current will show an increase and improve the Daniell Cell. Voltage (V) Trial Zn(s) | Zn2+(aq) Avg % Dif Mg(s) | Mg2+(aq) Avg % Dif Cu(s) | Cu2+(aq) 0. 98 0. 95 0. 99 0. 97 1. 71 1. 82 1. 75 1. 76 83. 33 MnO4- | Mn2+ 2. 76 2. 86 2. 89 2. 84 192. 78 Current (mA) Trial Zn(s) | Zn2+(aq) Avg % Dif Mg(s) | Mg2+(aq) Avg % Dif Cu(s) | Cu2+(aq) 0. 20 0. 22 0. 25 0. 22 0. 32 0. 35 0. 34 0. 34 54. 54 MnO4- | Mn2+ 0. 59 0. 55 0. 58 0. 57 159. 1 Hypothesis Three: After extensive research into different forms of salt bridges, our group believes that in using the porous pot salt bridge the decrease in resistance provided by the pot will increase the voltage and current readings of the original Daniell Cell. Trial Voltage Avg % Dif Current Avg/ % Dif Daniell Cell 0. 98 0. 95 0. 99 0. 97 0. 20 0. 22 0. 25 0. 22 Porous Pot 1. 07 1. 08 1. 09 1. 08 11. 34 27 28 25 27 12172 Safety During the investigation the group used five different types of electrolytes for the extent of the experiment. These five solutions were Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Permanganate and Magnesium Sulfate. These five solutions yielded the property that meant they could be dissolved into water with Zinc, Potassium and Magnesium all forming a clear colour. Copper Sulfate forms a blue solution, whereas Potassium Permanganate forms a dark purple solution. Throughout the duration of the investigation students must wear safety glasses along with a lab coat to protect their skin from any contact with the solutions. Keep the experimental area clear of books and other items that may cause an incidence of spilling or breaking equipment. In an emergency situation, such as contact with the eyes and skin, the patient must flush and wash away the solution for fifteen minutes and remove all contaminated clothing. If large amounts of any of these solutions are ingested do not induce vomiting and call for a physician immediately. Conclusion and Discussion In relation to the first hypothesis the results have supported what has been stated. From an in depth study of both the Nernst and Le Chatelier principles the hypothesis was made that by changing the concentration in the cathode and keeping the anode at its lowest concentration will show an increase in current compared to the original Daniell Cell. The average of the Daniell Cells voltage and current was 0. 97 volts and 0.22 mA, then the concentration in the cathode and anode were increased and decreased giving positive results. When our hypothesis was tested the current, as expected, increased vastly going from an average of 0. 22 0. 50 mA by just changing the concentration. As well as the current the voltage also increased slightly going from 0. 97 1. 11 volts. This can be explained by using Ohms Law which is: which can be said as; when increasing I (current) as long as the resistance stays the same the voltage is also going to increase. The second hypothesis was once again supported by encouraging results. In this case both the cathode and anode were getting changed at different times in hoping finding two half cells that gave the best voltage reading. The anode was changed first and by doing this the group achieved an improved reading, to complete the hypothesis the cathode was then changed which meant the new battery was using the two half cells that were the furthest away from each other that could be obtained in classroom conditions. The Daniell Cells starting voltage was 0. 97 volts and when using Carbon + KMnO4 0. 02M as the cathode and Copper + CuSO4 0. 1M as the anode the reading we received was 2. 84 V which was a much better results to the original Cell. Le Chateliers Principle can be used to explain the decrease in voltage (compared to the redox table) in the results involving these two half cells. Since the concentration in the cathode is lower in contrast to the anode the shift in equilibrium is towards the anode which then causes less of the solution used giving a lower voltage. The current was increased by 159. 1 % which then can be clarified by Ohms Law which says that when increasing voltage the current will also increase when the resistance is kept at a constant. The third and final hypothesis was in relation to the changing of the salt bridge which was hoping to bring about a change in the current flow. The group only tested one other type of salt bridge due to time constraints which proved very effective. The porous pot was a new type of salt bridge which caused the internal circuit to be much more efficient and also make the battery portable. The current reading given by using the porous pot salt bridge was far better then the group expected, going from 0. 22 mA 27 mA (12172 % increase) which was a very pleasing result firmly supporting our hypothesis. The voltage also showed an improvement of over 11 % which shows strong support again to our hypothesis. Therefore our Super Cell was able to be formed by observing these result tables. Since the aim of this investigation was to find the best battery with the most current and voltage these changes must be made. The two half cells have to be as far away as possible on the redox table to cause the highest E0 value or voltage. The salt bridge that must be used is the porous pot as it provides a very high current reading and causes the battery to be more realistic as it will be portable. The last change is that the cathode must have the highest concentration for an extra increase in current. This factor was not testable for our super cell as the only concentration for the MnO4 was 0. 02 M Our Super Cell is then as follows Mg(s) + MgSO4 (0. 1M) MnO4 (0. 02M) + C(s) Using Porous Pot soaked in KNO3 Voltage = 3. 0740. 001 V (216. 91% difference) Current = 1191 mA (53,990% difference) These results show the vast improvement of the new Super Cell compared to the original Daniell Cell. The aim has therefore been attended to and completed and all three hypotheses have been supported with compatible results. Evaluation Although the results received were very positive and back up all hypotheses there were many limitations and errors that could have been taken care of in the future. The external circuits or the wires connecting each half cell almost all had rust on them which acts as a resistance causing a reduced voltage and current. The rust was also not consistent on each set of wires, which meant when the group used different wires the voltage and current readings differed each time. The volt and ammeters were very inaccurate at times and most of the time not giving a current reading which meant there was less time to carefully finish each experiment which then caused more inaccuracy in the results. Another error which occurred due to equipment, which was unfortunately unavoidable, was each of the solutions used. After each reading was taken we were to pour the solutions back into their containers. The solutions may have been contaminated whilst the cell was operating and as the solution was then poured back into the original container the contamination spread. This would eventually decrease the concentration of electrolyte and as such change the data, decreasing the voltage and current. To fix this error, the solutions should not be poured back into the containers again. Another error was the lack of trials within the experiment. Due to time constraints we complete the desired number of trials for each hypothesis. It is desirable to have as many tests as possible, one trial to establish the basis while the others are trying to be as accurate as possible. By not having a complete number of trials we limited the results that have been found. If we were able to complete more trials, we would have been able to have a fairer and more accurate result. We would be able to overcome this by having a longer time to conduct our trials. This would have given more time to be more precise with the work that was completed. A different filter paper salt bridge should have been used each time testing, since when used once the paper soaks up the electrolytes of each half cell which becomes inexact next time its put into use. The filter paper also dries out after a while which reduces the current of the cell, making the experiment more inaccurate as time progresses. The group was only provided with 0. 02 M KMnO4 which then forced us to not put one of our hypotheses into use in creating our Super Cell which was having the concentration in the anode lower then the concentration in the cathode. Another error was the use of Carbon as the inert metal in the KMnO4 solution. Since Carbon is not completely inert the current was unable to flow, free of resistance from the Carbon, therefore reducing the current reading of the cell. The magnesium metal was also an issue as it tends to oxidise instantly with oxygen causing an oxide layer on the metal and also reducing the current reading of the cell. Further investigation could possibly be to test many other hypotheses such as the surface area of the metals to make our results more thorough. More electrodes could have been added to the half-cells. This would create a cell with a larger surface area in which the reactions would take place. This would then allow a larger current and voltage as there would have been more electrons to create a higher current. There would have been a larger amount of area in which the electrons would be able to be taken from. The larger the surface area, more electrons are able to be attracted to the electrode, consequently producing more voltage and current. Russian Chemical Views, 2009 Cutting edge battery research and development have allowed improvements such as changing the metals in the half cell to still make it more efficient eg. Lithium. Lithium-ion batteries are incredibly popular these days. Theyre so common because, pound for pound, theyre some of the most energetic rechargeable batteries available. Lithium batteries are disposable batteries that have lithium metal or lithium compounds as an anode. The term lithium battery comprises of many types of cathodes and electrolytes. The most common type of lithium cell used in consumer applications uses metallic lithium as anode and manganese dioxide as cathode, with a salt of lithium dissolved in an organic solvent. (Brain, 2008) Improvements such as the electrodes being further apart in the redox table, eg lithium and silver would have been able to create a higher voltage. Again this is a problem because it is very unsafe as lithium is so reactive that it will react with the oxygen in the air. Therefore it may not be possible to create a Daniell Cell out of those materials. Further research into looking into ways of creating more reactive yet stable electrodes we could create a cell which supports the claims of the Redox table but is also able to be completed within a class room environment. Bibliography All about electrochemistry. Chemistry Virtual Textbook. 2006 Chemistry 1. (Feb. 2009. ) chem1. com/acad/webtext/elchem/Figure 1: Chemistry Pictures. Daniell Cell. 2006 Electrochemistry Principles. (Feb. 2009. ) chemistrypictures. org/d/175-2/electrochemistry. jpg Electrochemical Cell. 2006 Corrosion Doctors. (Feb. 2009. ) http://corrosion-doctors. org/Electrochem/Cell. htm Electrochemical Cells. Online Resource Centre. 2004 Oxford University. (Feb. 2009. ) http://hyperphysics. phyastr. gsu. edu/hbase/chemical/electrochem. html#c2 Electrochemical Determination of Surface Area of Metals. IOP Electronic Journals. 2009. Russian Chemical Views. Mar. 2009. iop. org/EJ/abstract/0036-021X/47/5/R02 Electrochemical Reactions. Electrochemistry. 2007 Bodner Research Web. (Feb. 2009. ) http://chemed. chem. purdue. edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch20/electro. php Figure 2: How voltage and current relate? 2005 Ohms Law. All about circuits. (Feb. 2009. ) allaboutcircuits. com/vol_1/chpt_2/1. html LE CHATELIERS PRINCIPLE. Concentration Equilibrium. 2003 Chemistry Guide. (Feb. 2009. ) chemguide. co. uk/physical/equilibria/lechatelier. html Lower, Stephen. The Nernst Equation. All about Electrochemistry. 2005. Chemistry 1. Feb. 2009. chem1. com/acad/webtext/elchem/ec4. html Nernst Equation. Electric Work. Science Waterloo. 2008 (Feb. 2009. ) science. uwaterloo. ca/~cchieh/cact/c123/nernsteq. html Figure 3: The Nernst Equation. Hermann Walther Nernst. 2004 Biol-Paisley. (Feb. 2009. ) biol. paisley. ac. uk/marco/enzyme_electrode/Chapter2/Nernst. htm Voltage and Current. Electrochemistry. 2004 Hyper chemistry. (Feb. 2009. ) chemlin. net/chemistry/electrochemistry. htm

Analysing Strategic Management and Leadership

Analysing Strategic Management and Leadership This unit is all about strategic management and leadership. This assignment will cover the link between strategic management and leadership style in organisation in different situations. Strategic management and leadership is an ability to anticipate the future requirement that is for an organisation to be proactive in maintaining flexibility, motivation and empower the people to create the strategic change for the growth of organisation. Strategic management is all about shaping strategies and taking important decision for the organisation to survive and to get success in the face of competitive challenges and from other pressures from within and outside organisation. 1.1: Link between Management and Leadership Both word strategic management and leadership are often used interchangeably, although these words actually describe two different concepts. The main aim of management is to maximize the output of organisation through administrative implementation. His functions include; org anizing, planning, directing and controlling. While according to John Kotter (1996)† leadership is the set of practises that create the organisation in first place or adapt them to significantly changing circumstances. Strategic management is a vital area for any organization. It helps to improve an organisational performance and productivity. It is the responsibility of the strategic manger to design strategies for the future needs of the organisation. Designing and setting the plan is the job of strategic managers or we can say strategic management but to bring this plan and design into practice is the job the leadership. Leadership qualities are required to achieve those goals and targets which are set by the strategic management. ‘Central to strategic success is aligning the right leaders with the right skills in the right places at the right times to achieve desired competitive results’ (William J. Rothwell 1999) To run an organisation successfully and get th e goals and objectives of the firm both qualities of a manager and leaders are needed. A manager needs leadership qualities to be effective be and successful in taking initiative while leader needs some management capabilities to run the organisation. It is the job of the strategic manager to decide what they need to do and what they need to avoid to achieve objective in longer term. They make the policies internally and externally to achieve their goals. 1.2: Impact of management and leadership styles on strategic decisions. Management and leadership style play pivotal role on strategic decisions. They make decision according to the expectation of the organisation and their decision always have the support of the team. It is the style of the management and leader which keeps organization moving. Different styles have different type of impact on strategic decision and organisation. For example if we look at the democratic style of management and leadership, in this style management always consult and discuss with their team which makes them feel more responsible and motivates them to work hard. It is the job of strategic manager to decide and make critical decision regarding the future of the organisation. It is the wisdom of the management and leadership that drives the organisation forward. It is their vision which has always great impact on the organisation. Their style of management and leadership plays vital role on the decision making and on the future of the organisation. They should have the style which changes according to the situation, sometime they are very much cooperative and give everybody chance to express but if situation demands them to be more authoritarian they have the style approach and power to change them.

Income Concepts and Income statement Assignment

Income Concepts and Income statement - Assignment Example It is the most traditional method of determining the quality of the income. Through this way, the business can realize whether it made a profit or a loss. Analysts have however criticized this method arguing that it only focuses on short-term profits and losses, but not long term. They, however, discourage mostly businesses from using it. It is, however, the most common output generated by accounting software when analyzing the earnings of a company (Porter & Norton, 2012). Second, small businesses that earn their revenue through sales, sales growth is the most ideal metric to measure the quality of the earnings. It shows roughly the estimate of how the business is trending throughout time. The sales growth method measures the percentage of the earnings as a percentage of growth throughout a year. It is in terms of either positive sales growth or negative sales growth. Positive sales growth indicates that the business is growing while, on the contrary, negative sales growth shows that the sales have declined over the past year (Porter & Norton, 2012). Financial ratios can be used to determine the quality of the earnings of the firm. Using the company’s financial statements, there can be an easy computation of financial ratios. It is the most efficient and simplest way to determine the performance of a firm. If you focus on the right type of ratio, your analysis of the concern, you have can come out right. For instance, if you are most concerned with the ability of your firm to convert assets to cash for satisfying a short term goal, you may most probably calculate some liquidity ratios and see how many dollars of current assets you have for each dollar of current liabilities. It is usually useful to the business owner who has less time but needs quick information on the performance of the firm (Porter & Norton, 2012). Additionally, a firm can also use expense reduction as metric for determining the quality of income. The expense reduction