Psychology Learning Objectives

Psychology Exam 1 Learning Objectives 8/27/12: Chapter 1, p. 2-4 1. What is psychology? Explain why psychology is more than just common sense. 2. Describe how levels of analysis apply to the field/study of psychology. 3. Describe the five challenges for psychology discussed in your textbook. How do these make psychology complicated? 8/29/12: Chapter 1 p. 11-20 & 27-34 1. Define pseudoscience and its warning signs. 2. Identify the major theoretical frameworks of psychology and describe their major contributions to the field. 3.Describe the different types of psychologists and what each of them does. 8/31/12: Chapter 1, p. 5-10 & Chapter 8, p. 305-310 1. Identify methods for achieving cognitive economy. 2. How can heuristics and biases prevent us from thinking scientifically? 3. Describe what factors affect how we make decisions. 4. Describe the common problem solving strategies and challenges described in the text. 9/5/12: Chapter 1 p. 5-10; 20-26 1. Explain the importance of science as a safeguard against biases. 2. Identify the key features of scientific skepticism. . Identify and explain the â€Å"six principles of scientific thinking† 9/7/12: Chapter 2 p. 49-66 1. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each of the four discussed research designs. 2. Describe the role of correlational designs and distinguish correlation from causation 3. Identify the components of an experiment and potential pitfalls 9/10/12: Chapter 2 p. 66-69; 70-74 1. Describe the ethical obligations researchers towards their research participants 2. Describe both sides of the debate on the use of animals as research subjects 3.Identify uses of various measures of central tendency and variability 4. Explain how inferential statistics can help us determine whether we can generalize from our sample to the population 5. Explain how statistics can be misused 9/12/12: Chapter 7 p. 242-254 1. Explain how our memories don’t accurately reflect our experiences 2. Explain the fun ction, span, and duration of each of the 3 memory systems 3. Differentiate the subtypes of long-term memory 9/14/12: Chapter 7, p. 254-263 1. Identify methods for connecting new information to existing knowledge Read also Memory – Forgetting2.Identify the roles that schemas play in memory storage 3. Distinguish ways of measuring memory 4. Describe how the relationship between encoding and retrieval condition influences memory. 9/17/12: Chapter 7 265-269, 271-278 1. Describe the major brain structures involved in memory and what role they play in memory storage 2. Explain the relevance of amnesia to the brain’s storage of memory. 3. Identify factors that influence people’s susceptibility to false memories and memory errors. 4. Describe some of the real world implications of false memories and memory errors.

Personal Goal

Throughout my life there have been a lot of people, books and audio tapes that have taught me important lessons. For me, making the right decision in life is crucial as I believe we have only one life and one chance and we should make the most of it. In my life I want to be known for my successful career, my generosity and my positive influence towards people. I guess this is my long term goal in life and I am confident that my study in Northeastern University will take me closer towards my goal in life. Since I was twelve years old, I was in a position where I needed to choose between going to school in Indonesia, where I would stay close to my family and friends, or going to school in Australia, where I would get a better education, but be by myself, far away from my family and friends. I took action and moved from my comfort zone. Moving and living into a totally new country is certainly a great life experience which thought me that determination and self-motivation is the key in helping one succeed in life. My parents always remind me that when the time comes my responsibility is to continue our family business and taking care of my brother and sisters. It is in our culture that the eldest son in the family had the responsibility to take care of the whole family. I believe it is not an easy task but as a responsible son I will prepare and equipped myself with whatever I need to achieve this goal. My short term goal is to have a real working experience in one of the leading company in the United States. When choosing a University in United States, it was always my intention of not getting just a business theory but more importantly real working experience in a company. I do my research and finds that Northeastern University is known for its internship program in United States. In doing MBA degree at Northeastern, I will choose finance as my career track. I choose finance firstly because it is an important area that I need to understand in order to take my family business to the next stage and I also believe that by taking this career track it will get me ready to face the real business world. I am confident that by taking a MBA at Northeastern University will help me to achieve my short term goal of equipping me with knowledge and a real working experience that I really need. Determination and Self motivation is what will keep me moving towards my life goal and I believe that with strong determination and self motivation I will be able to accomplish all of my goals in life. Please answer the following questions: a) What have you learned in your research on Northeastern that has motivated you to apply? ) What unique contributions will you bring to the Northeastern community as a student? c) How will you benefit personally and professionally from your experience at Northeastern? A) The most appealing factor that motivated me to apply is the fact that Northeastern is one of the top Universities in United States that have the best internship program and the recommendation by people who claimed that the schools are so helpful with their students. I believe that University involvement in helping their student succeeding in their career is very important. I read a review that stated that Northeastern provide students with a lots of tools and workshop for their internship. B) In my career both in Indonesia and Australia, I had the opportunity to experience many different kinds of activity from sporting activity, community activity to working experience. My sporting experience includes representing Indonesia to play in an international U-13 competition, playing musical instrument in a band for a concert in Australia, one of a member in Indonesian Student Association in Australia, as well as having two years experience working as a marketing manager in a building material manufacturer company in Indonesia. As a student I am confident that my experience will bring unique contribution to Northeastern Community. C) Personally the most valuable thing that I could have is experiencing and learning in different culture, different environment and diverse people from all over the country. The chance of being able to be around different people from different country and background are priceless for me because it will open my mind about being able to adapt in a diverse environment and a challenge to be able to settle and work together with people from different culture and background. An experience outside university as well as in the workplace will no doubt give me a price less experience especially towards my career internationally, because in a business world we have to be able to deal with almost everyone and I will take this opportunity as my chance to practice this rare opportunity. I look forward to meeting new people from all over the world, making new friends, learning about the western culture, doing new activity and working together as a team. Another personal benefit is that living away from my family will make me able to be live independently and solving problems on my own. I believe that as I move along in my study at Northeastern I will have more and more benefit that right now I have not seen.

Analysis of Microfinance Lending and Credit Assessment Methodology

Analysis of Microfinance Lending and Credit Assessment Methodology Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) core activities are driven by a social mission through provision of full range of banking needs to poor people for productive purposes, thereby contributing to the developmentl objective of poverty reduction. MFIs products and services includes micro-credit, micro-savings, micro-insurance and also remittances. Microcredit program is providing financial capital to the poor household in order to engage them in income generating activities for alleviating poverty mostly to finance small businesses agricultural loans. Typically this type of lending is not secured by any collateral but granted based on the client’s ability to generate the necessary financial means for repayment based on his or her business activities. Most of the terms and conditions for microcredit loans are flexible and easy to understand. However, there is no standard lending and credit assessment methodology employed by MFIs. We are motivated to explore and document this resear ch gap. 1.2 The Innovation and Development of Microfinance Industry in Malaysia The provision of microcredit is nothing new in Malaysia. Poverty eradication programs involve provision of credit at subsidised rate to the poor has been around since 1970s after formation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) that was instituted in 1970. The earlier micro credit program was mainly carried out by credit unions, co-operatives, specialised credit institutions and NGOs. The provision of small financing designated mostly to finance micro enterprises, agriculture sector for poverty reduction and to improve income of the Bumiputera. The legislation for microfinance regulation in Malaysia includes, Moneylender Act 2002, Banking and Financial Institution Act 1989, Development Financial Institution Act 2002, and Cooperatives Societies Act 1993, (Zakiah, 2004). The Microfinance business models are based on mass market, cooperatives, monoline and distributor network (BNM, 2010). Majlis Amamah Rakyat (MA RA), a council of trust to the Bumiputera and Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) are some of the pioneers to introduce micro credit to micro enterprises. The rural credit institutions comprising of Agriculture Bank of Malaysia (Agrobank), Farmers Organization Authority (LLP), Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA), Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) and other agro-based Co-operative Societies provide micro credit for the agriculture sectors. There are also a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that engage in micro credit provision (Kasim and Jayasooria, 1993). These include Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), Yayasan Usaha Maju (YUM) and Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) in Sabah, Koperasi Kredit Rakyat (KKR) in Selangor. Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (TEKUN) is a government agency micro credit provider. While, Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM), a cooperatives institution providing Islamic microcredit program based on al -rahnu concept in Malaysia. Prior to 2003, Commercial banks involvement in microfinance program are just limited to extending lines of credit to AIM, and as a mediator for schemes such as the loan fund for hawkers and petty traders operated by the Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC). In May 2003, the government launched a Micro Credit Scheme, particularly stimulating agricultural production activities as well as expanding small and medium enterprise activities. Two banking institutions namely Agrobank and Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), and AIM have been given the responsibility to carry out the scheme. The scheme is collateral free, and borrowers are eligible for a maximum loan of up to RM20,000 with interest rates charged at 4% per annum on reducing balance.

Market Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Market Plan - Essay Example Advertising is the most expensive strategy in the promotional mix. The strategy would help WBC to spread information widely through paid media. It aims at attracting people to purchase the water. While making this decision, WBC needs to choose the best media of advertising that will send the company’s message to the target market. The media also needs to be economical for the company to reduce its expenses. Some of the advertising Medias that WBC could consider are radio advertising, outdoor advertising, television, ambient advertising, the internet, magazines, newspapers, and door drops. Personal selling is a process that involves helping and persuading potential consumers to buy the crystal clear, granite filtered mountain water. This is a personal to personal interaction during the sales process. Interaction can be in the form of personal correspondence and face to face discussions. This strategy demands WBC to target specific potential customers with the aim of altering their desired product. The process would help the company demonstrate the benefits of the water. Sales promotions are media and non-media marketing communication that are used for a specific period to stimulate market demand, improve the product availability, and increase the consumer demand for the water. Sales promotion is a direct and immediate inducement. It adds value to the crystal clear, granite filtered mountain water and hence prompts consumers to buy the product. Direct marketing is a form of marketing that will allow WBC to communicate directly with potential customers. The method aims at eliminating middlemen and implies that WBC markets to its consumer group without secondary media such as radio and television commercials. The company can use this strategy by applying tools such as distributing fliers. The method would help WBC get immediate response and encourages lasting customer relationships.

Celebrity in contemporary America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Celebrity in contemporary America - Essay Example They institute them gorgeous, eye-catching and love to see them on screen or if anyhow they get an opportunity they would like to see their live performances, have an autograph and thus they are highly infatuated with them. It is a mob psychology to follow these celebrities, as most of the people do not know actually know much about them but they have to keep pace with the trend and hence they are keep a track of their favorite celebrities through media, magazines, internet, discuss about them, their personal life in gatherings. People like to discuss about their lifestyle, romance and fashion and here media plays a crucial role in publicizing the personal life of the celebrity. Media in this manner try to seek the attention of people and hence they also enhance their popularity. Media very well grasp the prevailing psychology of the mob and therefore they advertise about any information or program related with the celebrity and their interview so that people watch their show and in turn the channel gains fame along with the celebrity. However, does everyone know what a celebrity is? Indeed, the public just know what kind of people they call celebrities through the media. This paper will closely demonstrate the definition of celebrity using the example of one of celebrities, Britney Spears. Britney has become a celebrity at a very early age, released numerous hit songs. The present article highlights the making of Britney, how has she become a celebrity. According to the theories for being celebritised, Britney has technically been used icon for performance, music, fashion, and of course life style. She emerged as an icon, a complete performer and entertainer in the world of music. People love to watch her performance, they appreciate her every act and move and truly adore her for voice quality and that is how she became a popular star at a very young age. According to Rojek (2001, pp.17-20), "there are three aspects it can be de categorized: ascribed, achieved and attributed." A brief explanation of these categories are initially attributed to the opportunity that is provided to the individual, the fate and destiny- a sheer luck factor that transforms an ordinary individual into a celeb, a star, an icon, a public figure and a big shot. In case of Britney, she is possesses both achievements as well as attribution. People keep a track of their preferred celebrity and try to peep into their life styles, what they eat, what they wear, the big brand names they are associated with, what they eat, how much they eat, and hence a complete business of many industries revolve around the celebrity. It is for this reason, big companies mark the celebrities as their brand ambassador and advertise their brands through them so as to gain command over the market. Business run through these celebrities for big organizations and hence such organizations earn a lot through their publicity making people buy their brands for food, clothing, grooming, writing and decorating their homes and offices. Thus, big companies use celebrities for their brand popularity and use the celebrities as an image of their brand. Marshall (1997, p.150) analyses the popular music has been bounded up with the mass media. Thus, promoting the importance of music to expand the

Commercialism And Advertising On The Internet Essay

Commercialism And Advertising On The Internet - Essay Example The bombardment of advertisement makes the users lose focus of their real intention of work on the internet and annoys them by frequent reinforcement messages. The younger internet users get awareness regarding inappropriate merchandizes and services, such as alcohol, adult bars etc. Online commercialism is aggravating the concepts related to materialistic ideas since these advertisements cannot be ignored by internet users. The Internet has made the whole world come onto a single platform where businesses have the opportunity to access their local, as well as international clients with ease. The attraction of reaching a greater segment of customers on a global scale attracts the companies to prefer the online medium of advertising. According to an article in Business Wire by Goldberg and Silber, the first half of the year 2011 saw an increase of 23.2% in the internet ad revenues which amounted to approximately $15 billion. This figure identifies the inclination of companies towards the online commercialism and the degree to which it is increasing. The cheapness of online advertisements has given way to extensive forms of commercialism on the web. Such instances may result in making the user lose focus from his work and may simply waste his precious time. The problem does not end at the point of being annoyed by the frequent emergence of advertisements; it becomes a data storage issue for some users sinc e they receive hefty emails regarding ad campaigns and promotional messages on their personal email addresses. It is due to such constant spam that people may not receive important emails since their inbox might reach maximum storage capacity.

Nursing assigment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nursing assigment - Essay Example Bearing these in mind, the significance of evidence-based practice is highly valuable in proving that health practices are safe for the public and cost-effective. In this paper, barriers and possible resolution of gaps between nursing research and their application are tackled, as well as their utilization through standardized clinical guidelines in relevantly managing smoke cessation in clinical settings. Discrepancies in Evidence-Based Practice Despite the long emergence of concepts in evidenced-based practice in health care sectors, success in fully translating research outcomes into care practices seemed lagging in progress. At large, four main sectors contextually represent the barriers to research employment: â€Å"health-care professional related, organizational-related, research related, and presentation-related† (Chau, Lopez, & Thompson, 2008, p.640). Each division indicates specific areas of clinical problems that probably weaken health professionals in fully respond ing to the positive sides brought about by solid research results. Health-care associated factors may range from personal demographics (educational level, social and economic status), personal characteristics and values, such as knowledge seeking behaviors to further one’s practice. With organizational barriers, these comprise viewpoints of affiliated institutions on its commitment to research adaptation and dissemination, facility maintenance, hierarchical culture and authority for change, administrative support, and lack of opportunities to develop and acquire research resources. As of research-related interference and presentation, types and comprehensiveness of research contents affect professional perceptions, including comparison of previous and present research for results and conflicting thoughts. As such, there is increased tendency to reject research composition and presentation should data fail to meet practical health needs of clinical personnel that research team s aim at satisfying. In more ways, the concerted results of practical nursing barriers create disparities that may unintentionally provide nurses with concrete excuses not to change their old ways. Common among perceived nursing barriers to full research application are said to be generated from organizational, and professionally-related factors. Funk, Tornquist and Champagne (1995, p.397) emphasized â€Å"insufficient authority to (clinical practice) change...and insufficient time to implement new ideas† as primary sources of research to practice discrepancies. The prevailing culture of inflexible organizational structures in most clinical institutions restricts the attitude of change and resource availability in such settings. Elaborately, it also affects sufficiency of time required to search, read, and substantially absorb relevant information from research journals and related materials. To top these off, Cummings, et al. (2007, p.S33) revealed the nature of occupation n urses suffers, where most of the time, exhaustion in both physical and emotional aspects reduce their quality of professional care. There is difficulty, then, to acquire suitable skills in search for relevant studies due

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operations Management - Essay Example The paper throws light on operations management as â€Å"the conversion of inputs into outputs, using physical resources, so as to provide the desired utility/utilities of form, place, possession or state of a combination thereof to the customer, while meeting the other organizational objectives of effectiveness, efficiency and adaptability†. Production and operations management is also described as providing physical goods or services. Production and operations are often taken interchangeably; in fact all productive activities are classifiable as operations. Operations management mainly â€Å"consists of activities which are concerned with the acquisition of raw materials, their conversion into finished product, and the supply of that finished product to the customer. In the offshore oil exploration industry, Woll noted that the term â€Å"operations management† is used in different ways at all levels of the organization, citing enterprise operations management, offsi te (tank farm) operations management, and remote operations management. While they differ in scope, they all have a common purpose, which is â€Å"to coordinate a predefined set of resources to achieve predefined results†. Specific responsibilities of the operations manager include strategic operation planning, policy setting, budgeting, management of other managers or of the operations department staff, and the control of the operations function. The core responsibilities of operations managers are circumscribed within the activities, tasks and decisions they are required to make. (Slack, et al., 2010). A figure useful for envisioning the production functions in terms of levels of responsibilities of operations management is provided by Roy (2007) in the following diagram: The Production Function: specific responsibilities of the operation manager Source: Roy, 2007, p. 7 In the pre-planning stage, the bulk of the conceptualization concerning the product, the process, the qua ntity to be produced and the particulars of the productions facilities, is accomplished. The planning of the specifics in terms of the logistics, personnel, equipment, and techniques or methods follows, after which the actualization takes place. The execution of the plans requires the control of the processes to assure that the parameters set during the planning process are abided by, or adjusted if warranted. Finally, feedback generated from the control stage provides input to the pre-planning stage for the next cycle, and the series of activities begins anew. Traditionally, production and operations management referred solely to manufacturing concerns, thus the emphasis on physical resources in many definitions. However, in time the conventional definition had taken cognizance of the fact that many service industries employ the same techniques and activities used in production management in manufacturing of tangible goods. Thus, the term had gradually taken on a broader and more c omprehensive meaning, being equally applied to the manufacture of goods as well as the delivery of services. Other than the general responsibilities of operations management, there have recently come to fore some specialized

Disability and Discrimination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Disability and Discrimination - Research Paper Example lity of people with disabilities whether their disability is artificial or natural and whether we are required to equalize people because of their disabilities (p.15). Though world has recognized the rights of differently-abled persons, little has been done to see the compliance. Disability Discrimination is the process of making decisions affecting an employee based wholly or partly, upon the real or perceived disability of the employee (Davidovich, 2003). According to Brading and Curtis (2000) many employers fail to appreciate that disability does not necessarily imply ability and a disability may not result in handicap therefore assuming that the people with disabilities would not be able to perform adequately at work (p.16). There are several practices of discrimination going on against person with disabilities and it is assumed that in spite of various acts and legislations passed by national and international bodies, the barrier and stigma still exists in the 21st century as co ntemplated by Brading andCurtis (2000). This paper, therefore, makes in depth analysis regarding discriminatory practices against person with disabilities to the extent of discriminatory practices. Statement of the Problem As stated above, there are several practices of discrimination going on against person with disabilities, but the major form of discrimination comes alive at workplace. Despite Disability Discrimination Act 1995 being in force, making unlawful for an employer for treating disabled person less favourable, the number of discriminatory practice is soaring (Brading and Curtis, 2000, p.15). Why? Why are such discriminations taking place and whether enacted laws and legislations are proving effective? Review of Literature According to International Classification of Functioning... This reprot approves that tThere are several practices of discrimination going on against person with disabilities and it is assumed that in spite of various acts and legislations passed by national and international bodies, the barrier and stigma still exists in the 21st century as contemplated by Brading and Curtis. This paper, therefore, makes in depth analysis regarding discriminatory practices against person with disabilities to the extent of discriminatory practices. According to International Classification of Functioning disability arises when an individual’s ability to do daily activities, carry out social roles and participate in communal activities that are considered normal or common by the individual and the community, is limited or hindered because of a bodily, sensory, mental and/or intellectual function and environmental barriers. This paper makes a conclusion that discrimination on people with disability is still prevalent in high economy countries and the apathy of these people in developing and underdeveloped countries can be better understood in the words of Mahmud and Nahala in Yemen. The researches carried out by different agencies show approximate status and scenario of opportunities available to the people with disabilities even in 21st century. Though laws and legislations have been enacted by the International bodies including WHO, ILO and United Nations prohibiting defiance of rights to persons on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, place, and disability among others, the gap remains in the rate of employment and unemployment as well in wages.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data - Essay Example Quantitative and qualitative research methods are usually compared, interchanged, and contrasted by researchers themselves. However, one should understand that the two methods are meant to answer different sets of problems. If done correctly, each method can be used as supplementary research and the findings can serve as supporting explanations to the other. Usually, the quantitative method provides theories and hypotheses, and the qualitative method explains, proves, or disproves them. This is exactly what happened to the research done in trying to explain the rise and fall of meth usage in several U.S. states. Looking at the numbers, researchers are dumbfounded to see a similar pattern existing in all states regarding meth usage, despite the different approaches the states use to combat it. The numbers provided by the quantitative research are too general and abstract --- failing to provide the necessary answers to formulate solutions to the said problem. Because of this puzzle, th e researchers used the qualitative method to try to find answers to the questions posed by the graphs. The researchers looked into the history of meth usage and found out descriptive results that tell a story about the connection of meth purity on the streets and the number of people using it.

Financial Statement Review Essay Example for Free

Financial Statement Review Essay What is the net income for the current fiscal year? Is it up or down from the prior year? Why would this information be important to investors? The total consolidated net income for Fiscal Year 2015 is $17,099 million dollars. This is amount is up from the previous Fiscal Year (2014) which had a consolidated net income of $16,695 million dollars. This information can be found on page 38 of the Walmart 2015 Annual Report. This information would be of importance to investors because it indicates whether the company is prospering financially and generating revenue. What is the ending balance in stockholders’ equity? Why would a labor union potentially be interested in this information? The ending balance in stockholders’ equity is $323 million dollars. This information can be found on page 40 of the Annual Report. This information would be of potential interest to a labor union because it provides information that could be used in determining labor rates, work salaries, and employee benefits. What is the total value of assets? Why would this information be important to a potential creditor? The total values of assets is $101,381 million dollars which can be found on page 60 of the Annual Report. This information would be of importance to a potential creditor because it provides an indication of whether the company would be able to repay any accumulated debt. It also provides a picture of how liquid those assets might be. What is the total cash flow from operation? The total cash flow from operations is $17,099 million dollars which can be found on page 41 of the Annual Report. What financial statement user would find this information most important?

Recognition Properties for Pyrrole

Recognition Properties for Pyrrole Preparation of molecularly imprinted polymer and its recognition properties for pyrrole X.W. Wu, J. Wang, H.X. Wang  [1], Q.M. Zhou, L.H. Liu. wang, Y.P. Wu, H.W. Yang, G.L. Zhao, S.X. Tuo Abstract: The molecularly-imprinted polymer (MIP) of pyrrole was synthesized by a precipitation polymerization method using acrylamide (AM) as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linker agent in acetonitrile. MIP of pyrrole was characterized by FT-IR and UV. The surface morphology and specific surface area of the MIP was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption (BET). The adsorption behavior of the MIP was investigated in detail, which showed high selectivity for pyrrole, the results indicated that the maximum binding capacities of pyrrole on the MIP and the non-imprinted polymer (NIP) were 404 and 265 ÃŽ ¼molΆ¡g−1, respectively. Application of MIP with a high selectivity to pyrrole provides a novel method for separating and purifying the trace nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds from tobacco. Keyword: molecularly imprinted polymer, pyrrole, tobacco, nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds 1 INTRODUCTION The Pyrrole and other nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds in tobacco leaves come mainly from the reaction products formed by the reaction of sugar and amino acid[1-3], which play an important role in sensory quality of tobacco and tobacco products. They are the important parameters to evaluate the sensory quality of tobacco products and have great effects on the sensory characteristics of tobacco products and on the health of smokers[4]. Therefore, the studies and analysis of nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds are conducive to improve the quality of perfuming and tobacco products. Molecular Imprinting, as an interdiscipline derived from polymer chemistry, material science, and biological chemistry, is the method of preparing the polymer with particular selection to given template molecules[5-8]. So far, dozens of countries, (i.e., America, Japan, Germany, Australia, France and China) hundreds of academic institutions and enterprises have been working on the research and development of the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP).Thanks to MIP is simple in preparation and can be easily preserved, with specific selectivity, high temperature, high pressure and acid corrosion, it has been widely used in the solid phase extraction[9], chromatography analysis [10], membrane separation [11], biomimetic sensor[12], ect. The separation of bioactive ingredients in natural products is difficult because of their low contents, complex structures and diversity[13-15]. Compared with traditional methods (high performance liquid chromatography, silica gel column chromatography, etc.), molecular imprinting method has the advantages of high molecular recognition, simple operation, low solvent consumption and recyclable[16]. Thus, the molecularly imprinting technique has attracted considerable attention for extraction of compounds from complex mixtures of chemical species[17-18]. However, to the best of our knowledge, no molecularly imprinted polymer has been reported for the separation and determination of pyrrole in tobacco so far. In this study, pyrrole imprinted polymer was synthesized by employing acrylamide (AM) as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinking. After the characteristics and analysis of the MIP and NIP, the adsorption behavior including kinetics and isotherms are discussed in detail. It was found that the MIP can specifically adsorb and identify pyrrole molecules, which meant the MIP can be applied to separation and enrichment of trace pyrrole in tobacco. The aim of this paper is to provide theoretical basis and technical supports for further study of the effects of nitrogen heterocyclic compound on tobacco quality. 2 EXPERIMENTAL 2.1 Reagents Pyrrole, pyridine and methanol were obtained from Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China). Acrylamide, methacrylic acid, acetonitrile and azodiisobutyronitrile were purchased from Tianjin Kermel Chemical Reagent Company (Tianjin, China). Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate was obtained from Aladdin reagent co., LTD (Guangdong, China). All the solvents were of analytical reagent grade and used without further purification. 2.2 Synthesis of MIP and NIP The pyrrole imprinted polymer was prepared by precipitation polymerization in the following procedures. 0.1 mmol of pyrrole and 0.4 mmol of AM were dissolved in 20 ml of acetonitrile in a 40 mL glass vessel. The mixture was sonicated at room temperature for 30 minutes for pre-polymerization, and then was incubated at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™Ã‚ °C for 12 h. Subsequently, 2 mmol of cross-linker (EGDMA) and 10 mg of initiator (AIBN) were added stepwise. The glass vessel was degassed in a sonicating bath for 10 min, and filled with nitrogen for 30 min, and then sealed for polymerization at 60  °C for 24 h in a thermostat water bath. After polymerization, the resultants were extracted with a mixed solvent of methanol/acetic acid (9:1, v/v) for 48 h in a Soxhlet extractor to remove the template from its polymeric matrix, followed by ethanol for another 48 h to remove the acetic acid. The obtained MIP was dried in an oven at 60  °C overnight. As a control, the NIP was prepared and treated unde r identical conditions except for the omission of the template. 2.3 Morphological characterization The FT-IR spectra were recorded to characterize the MIP and NIP on an AVATAR 360 ESP FT-IR spectrometer (Nicolet, America). SEM images were obtained with afield-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM, JSM-6700F, JEOL, Japan). The nitrogen adsorption/desorption data of MIP and NIP was determined using an ASAP2020Micromeriticsapparatus (Micromeritics Instruments, USA). 2.4 Binding experiments The binding experiments were carried out at 30  °C and 150 rpm on an orbital shaker with 100 mg of the MIP and NIP in a 100 mL flask containing pyrrole in 20 ml of acetonitrile. Batch experiments were performed to examine the adsorption kinetics and equilibrium. In the kinetic adsorption experiments, 2.5 mmolΆ¡L-1 pyrrole in acetonitrile was used. The adsorption isotherm experiments were conducted with the initial pyrrole concentration ranging from 0.2 to 5.0 mmolΆ¡L-1 for 2 h. After the adsorption, the concentration of the substrates in the supernatant solutions was determined via an UV-2450 Ultraviolet Spectrophotometer (Shimadzu, Japan). The binding capacity of pyrrole and the analogs was calculated from the equation: (1) Where: Q stands for the binding capacity (ÃŽ ¼molΆ¡g−1), C0 and C are the initial and the residual concentrations (mmolΆ¡L-1) of pyrrole, respectively, V is the solution volume (mL), and m is the amount (mg) of the MIP or NIP used for the adsorption experiments. 3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Interaction between pyrrole and the functional monomers In order to investigate the feasibility of imprinted pyrrole, two different functional monomers MAA and AM were investigated for the formation of complex with the template. The maximum absorption wavelength of pyrrole was measured by the UV-2450 Ultraviolet Spectrophotometer. As shown in Fig.1, compared with MAA, AM demonstrated much stronger interaction with pyrrole for the non-existent absorbance of pyrrole. It is possible that the complex of pyrrole with AM was formed via hydrogen bonding between N–H of pyrrole and –CONH2 of AM due to the pre-polymerization. Fig.1 Interaction between pyrrole and functional monomers 3.2 The molar ratio of pyrrole to the monomer In order to elucidate the recognition mechanism on a molecular level, spectrophotometric analysis was employed in the pyrrole imprinting process. A series solution were prepared in acetonitrile, in which the molar ratio of pyrrole and AM varied at 1:0, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:6, respectively. After equilibrium for 12 h, absorption spectrums of the mixture were measured via an UV-2450 Ultraviolet Spectrophotometer. As shown in Fig.2, the absorbance decreased with the increasing concentration of AM, When the molar ratio of pyrrole and AM up to 1:4, the absorption peak of pyrrole disappeared, which indicated that the pyrrole had reacted with AM completely. While molar ratio of pyrrole and AM exceeded 1:4, the excess of AM could self-associate, and formed non-specific binding site, which makes the adsorption mass transfer resistance increase and is not conducive to the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymer. Therefore, the optimal molar ratio of pyrrole and AM is 1:4. Fig.2 Absorption spectra of pyrrole with different proportion of AM in acetonitrile 3.3 Characteristics of MIP and NIP 3.3.1 Characterisation of MIP and NIP by FT-IR spectra Pyrrole, AM, EGDMA, MIP (before and after eluting templates) and NIP were compared to affirm the successful preparation of MIP by FT-IR spectra. The FT-IR spectra of the MIP before and after removal of template pyrrole are presented in Fig.3a and Fig.3b, respectively. The –NH stretching vibration band of monomer AM (Fig.3e) appeared at 3580 cm-1 in the spectra of MIP before pyrrole removal (Fig.3a), which indicated that the template pyrrole formed hydrogen bonding interaction with monomer AM, this band is shifted to a higher wavenumber (at 3585 cm-1) after removal of pyrrole in MIP (Fig.3b). A conspicuous band at 1648 cm-1 in the spectra of MIP before removal of template pyrrole is ascribed to -C=C- aromatic ring stretching vibration of pyrrole (Fig.3d). This band disappeared after removal of pyrrole in MIP (Fig.3a) and was not observed in spectra of NIP (Fig.3c) due to absence of pyrrole. The peak at 3597cm-1 inFig.3c corresponds to the –NH stretching of monomer AM in the FT-IR spectra of NIP. The absorption peaks of MIP and NIP were similar, which means that both MIP after eluting templates and NIP have the same chemical components. Fig.3 IR spectra of (a) MIP before eluting template, (b) MIP after eluting template , (c) NIP, (d) pyrrole, (e) AM 3.3.2 Morphology of MIP and NIP The morphology of MIP and NIP was shown in Fig.4. As shown in Fig.4 (a), the prepared polymer is microsphere and the particle is uniform, which indicated the spherical particle can be synthesized at the best experiment condition. The MIP microsphere has a narrow and small particle size, and the average diameter is 2ÃŽ ¼m. As for NIP, the microsphere with a narrow but big particle size, and the average diameter is 3ÃŽ ¼m. Much imino exist in the template molecule, which may suppress the polymerization, results in the bigger particle size of NIP compared with MIP. Besides, the whole reaction system polarity increased with the added template molecule, the solubility of MIP decreased, so that MIP precipitated from the whole reaction system early, which can also generate the bigger particle size of NIP. Fig.4 SEM micrographs of (a) MIP, (b) NIP. 3.3.3 Characterization of specific surface area Table 1 lists the results of nitrogen adsorption experiments for MIP and NIP particles. It can be seen that the specific surface area and the average pore diameter were different for MIP and NIP particles. Table1 Structure parameters of MIP and NIP a Measured by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. b Measured by Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) method. 3.4 Binding performance of MIP and NIP 3.4.1 Absorption isotherms and kinetic of pyrrole on the MIP and NIP The absorption isotherm curves of pyrrole on the MIP and NIP were plotted in Fig.5. The absorption capacity was increased gradually with increasing initial concentration of pyrrole in the range of 0.2-5.0 mmol ·L−1. In the higher concentration range, the binding capacity was close to be stable. The binding data can be analyzed by Langmuir equation: (2) Where Q stands for the binding capacity (ÃŽ ¼molΆ¡g−1), Qmax is the maximum binding capacity (ÃŽ ¼molΆ¡g−1), Ceq is equilibrium concentration of pyrrole (mmol ·L−1), and B is a constant. In order to calculate the maximum binding capacity of pyrrole on both MIP and NIP, this equation was changed into Eq. (3): (3) Eq. (3) shows a linear relationship between Ceq/Q and Ceq. From the slope of the linear plot, the maximum binding capacities of pyrrole on the MIP and NIP were calculated to be 404 and 265 ÃŽ ¼molΆ¡g−1, respectively, which means that the maximum binding capacity of pyrrole on MIP was 1.52 times of that on NIP. In addition, under the same experimental conditions, the adsorption capacity of the MIP at each concentration was higher than that of the NIP. It was indicated that MIP offered a higher affinity for the template molecule than NIP. Fig.5 Adsorption isotherms of pyrrole on MIP and NIP 3.4.2 Binding kinetic curve of pyrrole pyrrole on the MIP As shown in Fig.6, the adsorption kinetic curves of pyrrole on MIP and MIP were shown at the pyrrole concentration of 2.5 mmol ·L−1 in acetonitrile. It can be seen that the binding capacity of MIP increased rapidly in the period of 0-60 min, and then the increments were reduced on the stage of 60-80 min, and the saturated binding was observed after 80 min. Fig.6 Adsorption kinetic curves of pyrrole on MIP and NIP 3.4.3 Selective adsorption In the selective adsorption test, the target molecule pyrrole and the competitive one pyridine possess similar structure and co-exist in tobacco extract as nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds. As we can see in Table 2, it is obvious that the absorption capacity of pyrrole and pyridine of MIP was much higher than that of the NIP. The selectivity of MIP was 2.17 times higher than that of NIP, which suggested that the imprinting process significantly improved adsorption selectivity to the template. Table 2 Binding capacity of different substrates on MIP and NIP 4 CONCLUSIONS In this paper, the pyrrole molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized via the facile precipitation-polymerization method. The prepared polymer is microsphere and the diameter is about 2 ÃŽ ¼m. The binding property experiments indicated the imprinted polymer can adsorb the pyrrole molecule selectively. Moreover, the adsorb effect of MIP is stronger than NIP. The selective adsorption experiments demonstrated the synthesized MIP microsphere has the obvious selective adsorption effect with pyrrole molecule when compared the similar structure pyridine. This work provided theoretical basis for the new direction of separation and purification in the field of tobacco with pyrrole and other heterocyclic compounds. 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This work was supported by China Tobacco Hunan Industrial Co., Ltd, Technology research and development center project (2011-JC-0001) REFERENCES Kulshreshtha, N. P., Moldoveanu, S. C. (2003). Analysis of pyridines in mainstream cigarette smoke. Journal of Chromatography A, 985(1), 303-312. Leffingwell, J. C., Alford, E. D. (2005). Volatile constituents of perique tobacco. Electronic Journal of Environmental, Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 4(2), 899-915. Duan, J., Huang, Y., Li, Z., Zheng, B., Li, Q., Xiong, Y., Min, S. (2012). Determination of 27 chemical constituents in Chinese southwest tobacco by FT-NIR spectroscopy. Industrial Crops and Products, 40, 21-26. YU, J. J., PANG, T. H., REN, X. H., LI, L., DAI, H. J., LI, A. J. (2006). Research on Relationship between Neutral Aroma Constituents and Smoking Quality in Flue-Cured Tobacco [J]. Journal of Henan Agricultural University, 4, 001. Mosbach, K. (1994). Molecular imprinting. Trends in biochemical sciences, 19(1), 9-14. Andersson, L. I. (2000). Molecular imprinting: developments and applications in the analytical chemistry field. Journal of Chromatography B: Biomedical Sciences and Applications, 745(1), 3-13. Bures, P., Huang, Y., Oral, E., Peppas, N. A. (2001). Surface modifications and molecular imprinting of polymers in medical and pharmaceutical applications. Journal of Controlled Release, 72(1), 25-33. Piletsky, S. A., Alcock, S., Turner, A. P. (2001). Molecular imprinting: at the edge of the third millennium. TRENDS in Biotechnology, 19(1), 9-12. Zhang, W., Chen, Z. (2013). Preparation of micropipette tip-based molecularly imprinted monolith for selective micro-solid phase extraction of berberine in plasma and urine samples. Talanta, 103, 103–109. Ebrahimzadeh, H., Dehghani, Z., Asgharinezhad, A. A., Shekari, N., Molaei, K. (2013). Determination of haloperidol in biological samples using molecular imprinted polymer nanoparticles followed by HPLC-DAD detection. International journal of pharmaceutics, 453(2), 601-609. Ulbricht, M. (2004). Membrane separations using molecularly imprinted polymers. Journal of chromatography B, 804(1), 113-125. Sergeyeva, T. A., Slinchenko, O. A., Gorbach, L. A., Matyushov, V. F., Brovko, O. O., Piletsky, S. A., Elska, G. V. (2010). Catalytic molecularly imprinted polymer membranes: Development of the biomimetic sensor for phenols detection. Analytica chimica acta, 659(1), 274-279. Colegate, S. M., Molyneux, R. J. (Eds.). (2007). Bioactive natural products: detection, isolation, and structural determination. CRC press. Mishra, B. B., Tiwari, V. K. (2011). Natural products: an evolving role in future drug discovery. European journal of medicinal chemistry, 46(10), 4769-4807. REN, Q., XING, H., BAO, Z., SU, B., YANG, Q., YANG, Y., ZHANG, Z. (2013). Recent Advances in Separation of Bioactive Natural Products. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 21(9), 937-952. Cheong, W. J., Yang, S. H., Ali, F. (2013). Molecular imprinted polymers for separation science: A review of reviews. Journal of separation science, 36(3), 609-628. Hu, Y., Pan, J., Zhang, K., Lian, H., Li, G. (2013). Novel applications of molecularly-imprinted polymers in sample preparation. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 43, 37-52. Andersson, L. I. (2000). Molecular imprinting for drug bioanalysis: a review on the application of imprinted polymers to solid-phase extraction and binding assay. Journal of Chromatography B: Biomedical Sciences and Applications, 739(1), 163-173. 1 [1]E-mail:[emailprotected]; [emailprotected]; [emailprotected]

The Importance Of Electronic Devices Media Essay

The Importance Of Electronic Devices Media Essay Nowadays many people cannot be separates from electronic devices. They believe it can help them to finish their work. Its true because by using electronic devices it will make us easier to do our job. For instance computer. If we use computer in working like make a report, send an email, and finding sources it will be easier beside we do not need use computer. It is because we do not need to write it manually, if we make a report or an email, we just type it in the computer and it will be faster than we write it manually. We also do not need to find sources that we need from magazine or newspaper, because now we have an internet in or life. By using an internet we can find many things that we need in a snap, so it will not waste our time. Internet is very useful for our life and it also happen for university student, for it gives us many advantages but there are also some disadvantages of internet. In this essay we will discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of internet for u niversity student. There are some advantages of internet for university student. Communication is one of the advantages of internet. Communication is very important for university student nowadays, since it can make them easier to contact their friend. Usually university student have many group task and sometimes they cannot meet each other to do the work, by using internet they can connect with each other easier and faster than texting, send a letter, or using telephone. They can send their task to their group by email. Email facility has allowed people to communicate with minimum wastage of time. It is now possible to send a message to any part of the world through a simple email address and the message are delivered in a matter of seconds (Ambekar 2008). Beside email they also can communicate with each other by chatting, video conferencing, or internet telephony. The other advantage of internet for university student is in find information. There are so many information in internet, by one click we can find all information in the internet from the oldest until the newest information all offer the world. Whether this information is about the latest news happenings in the world or information about your favorite celebrity, everything is available at your fingertips (Ambekar 2008). Many university students must do their task by research from book, journal, magazine, or newspaper, but now they only need one click to do all of that. It will make them easier and faster to do their task, so they will not waste their time to find the information that they need through book, journal, magazine, or newspaper. To search this information we need search engine, and now there are so many search engine that we can use. For instance Google, Yahoo search engine, Bing and much more. That is why internet is very useful for university student to find any informat ion in this world especially for a busy student. The last advantage of internet for university student is for entertainment. Many university student that is very busy with their task and they cannot watch movie, play games, chatting together with their friends, but now by using internet they can watch movie, play games, and chatting with their friends while they do their task at home. There are many movies in the internet from the oldest until the newest movie the entire world. Beside that there are also many online and offline games for student that like to play. The university student also can find their favorite song or music video via internet, internet have many kind of song and music video even the song that have not release or the album have not release. By using internet they can find the newest song or film that they like. Other than that, for university student who like to chatting, they can also chatting via internet. There is much kind of programs that provide chatting feature. For instance windows live messenger, yahoo messenger, Gtalk, skype, and much more, with these programs they can chat with their friends faster and easier rather than texting or telephone. Beside that they also can do video conferencing or internet telephony with their friends for they who want to see face to face especially for boy and girl who have long distance relationship. Likewise dating has also allowed people to find their prospective soul mates (Ambekar 2008). When internet gives university student many advantages, it also can give disadvantages. There are two disadvantages of internet for university student. Plagiarism is one of disadvantages of internet for university student. Internet gives many information for university student, it can make student thinks to copy the information and paste it in to their assignment especially for lazy student. With a large amount of information freely available on the internet theft and misuse of this information is a likely possibility (Ambekar 2008). They do not need to think their own idea, but they only copy what have they got from the internet and paste it directly in Microsoft word and they submit it as their work. This is happen because there are no secure in some web in the internet, so university student can easily and directly copy or does plagiarism. The other disadvantage of internet for university student is a virus. There are many viruses from internet recently. Many websites are notorious for sending adware, viruses and also other malicious software that can slow the computer and in some cases even harm it considerably (Ambekar 2008). This virus can affect the function of the students computer or laptop. It can make the computer or laptop work very slow and it also can give trouble for the student. Nowadays all of the university students are using laptop and computer to their task or assignment, if there is a virus in their laptop or computer it will make them hard to do and finish their task or assignment. Thats why virus is one of disadvantages of internet for university student. There are the advantages and disadvantages of internet for university students. The advantages are for communication, find information, and for entertainment. By using internet they can easily communicate with other and they can also get much new information that happen in the world. The disadvantages are plagiarism and viruses. In using the internet the students must also becarefull, for it many viruses that can cause a lot of damage to their computer other than that, because there are too many information in internet it will make them lazy and try to do plagiarism, as a university student they must try to avoid plagiarism. Thats why Internet can give us more advantages if we can use the internet in the right purpose and try to keep the disadvantages away.

The Fab Four :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

The Fab Four In high school I had four teachers that were very important to my success. High school was a good time for me with all my sports, music activities, and Student Council, but it was also very tough. I didn't have many friends. Also, I worried so much about school and "getting the grade", that I often felt very stressed. I also went through a period of a couple years when I was pretty depressed. These four teachers helped me through my difficult times mostly by just being there to listen. I also loved their classes, but I think that more than anything they influenced me because I liked them as people and knew they believed in me. I truly believe that if a student likes a teacher, feels a connection with them, and can develop a relationship, they will be much more interested in the material and will care more and do better. The first two of these teachers, Mr. Oftedahl and Mr. Vepraskas (Mr. O and Mr. V), were my band and choir directors. What amazing people! I love music and often times use music as a form of escape or healing in the rough times. Mr. O and Mr. V were always there to listen to me and offer what comfort they could. I could talk to them as real people, on an adult level. They didn't treat me as a kid with just kid problems. They were very sincere when talking to me and were also very talented musicians. Even though they were my teachers, I know I can talk to them and that they are more than my teachers - they are my friends. Their friendship and open door was what I needed most at that time in my life. The other two high school teachers who were influential were helpful in the same ways as Mr. O and Mr. V, always willing to listen, but they were more. Because of these two teachers, I not only knew that I wanted to teach, but they helped me realize what I wanted to teach. Señorita Brown was my Spanish teacher my freshman and sophomore years. I fell in love with Spanish when I started taking it in 7th grade with the dream of someday traveling to Spain. Señorita Brown helped me to realize that not only did I love Spanish, but that I was gifted in the language and could help others.

Sin and Personal Growth in The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Nathaniel Hawth

The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and was first published in 1850. Hawthorne’s purpose for The Scarlet Letter was to show how anybody can sin, and that sin should be used as an example to learn from. Hawthorne also made clear that good can come from sin and that sin can help a person grow. Hester Prynne is the main character of the book. She is still young when she has her child, Pearl. She is a strong and determined, and uses her past sin, and the â€Å"A† as something to learn from rather than something to be ashamed of. After the shame of getting the â€Å"A,† she moved into the outskirts of town and became a seamstress. The way she was able to move on from her sin and continue her life, even after being scorned and humiliated, is proof of her strength. Years later, when her sin is almost completely forgotten her benevolence is shown in how she cares for the physical and spiritual needs of people in the community. Pearl is Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale’s illegitimate daughter. Although Pearl is described as beautiful, throughout the book, she is consistently described as â€Å"impish† and â€Å"elfish.† These strange descriptions, as well as her odd behavior, make her seem inhuman, and make the townspeople view Pearl as sin-embodied and the devil-child. Pearl is very smart, and even at a young age she becomes aware of the scarlet letter and recognizes that is has some kind of significance. The quote, â€Å"One day, as her mother stooped over the cradle, the infant’s eyes had been caught by the glimmering of the gold embroidery about the letter, and, putting up her little hand, she grasped at it, smiling, not doubtfully, but with a decided gleam, that gave her face the look of a much older child.†, shows how she draws attention ... ... view, Hawthorne writes, â€Å"On the wall hung a row of portraits, representing the forefathers of the Bellingham lineage, some with armor on their breast, and others with stately ruffs and robes of peace.† Hawthorne serves his purpose by combining his detailed characters, his informative writing style, and his ongoing themes throughout the book. Some of his predominant themes in the book are how sin can lead to personal growth and the battle between good and evil. Over the seven years of wearing the scarlet letter, Hester grew a lot, and after finding out about Chillingworth, Dimmesdale underwent a change as well. The way that sin can lead to personal growth is seen in their lives. The battle of good and evil is seen in the lives of Reverend Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. Evil needs good in order to survive. Soon after Dimmesdale’s death, Chillingworth died as well.

The In-Between World of Vikram Lall Essay -- essays research papers

Divided in four parts – â€Å"The Year of Our Loves and Friendships†, â€Å"The Year of Her Passion†, â€Å"The Years of Betrayal†, and â€Å"Homecoming- The In-Between World of Vikram Lall is a bold attempt at telling the epic of Asian people in Africa. It is a novel concerning themes of love, passion, commitment and more importantly, identity. The narrator, Vikram Lall, is a Kenyan born Indian who grows up in an era where rebellion, confusion, and disruption were all prevalent. In this journal, you will learn about the characters, themes, and settings in the first half of this book. Part One: The Year of Our Loves and Friendships In the first section we are introduced to the Lall family, who are residents of Kenya. At once the reader is introduced to the idea of cross-racial and cross-cultural love. Vikram and his younger sister Deepa have befriended the son of their gardener, Njoroge. It is immediately apparent that Deepa and Njoroge have romantic feelings for one another. What makes this unusual is the fact that Njoroge is black. B y doing this it is apparent that Vassanji is illustrating that even in a time where inter-racial love was not socially acceptable, it still existed. He further emphasized this through the portrayal of Vic’s romantic relationship with Annie, a British girl whose brother was friends with Vikram. This alludes to the â€Å"in-between† portion of the title, for intertwining of several different races can be viewed as â€Å"in-between†. The fact Vassanji consistently refers to a time where racism was predominant it forces the reader to think back to the time where East Africa was very â€Å"confused†. Both of my parents are from East Africa and lived in here the precise time that Vassanji is referring to. They witnessed first hand the lack of identity that existed at that time. Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya were ruled by the British, run by the Indians and populated by the Africans. Because everyone played a different role they all felt like visitors on a foreign land. The Africans, whose land it was initially, were very angered by these circumstances and tribes like the Mau Mau went to great lengths to get back their land. Bloodshed was not an uncommon tactic for they resorted to it quite often. In fact, in the novel, Annie and Billy’s family are murdered by the Mau Mau for they were of British decent. Annie’s Death marked the moment where Vikram lost his love. He ... ...s eyes with a bayonet or something.† The idea of walking out of the street and witnessing such cruelty opens the readers’ eyes to a harsh reality. Style/Technique Vassanji adequately uses diction to enhance the story as well as using rhetoric questions. These rhetorical questions are very important to the story for they signal the readers response when necessary. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although it took me a while to actually get into the book, as soon as I got in I found it really hard to put down. There is so much conflict both internal and external that upon reading the reader becomes fully submerged. The idea of co-racial relationships was at first hard to believe. I am not exactly sure what will happen in the last two parts of â€Å"The In-Between World of Vikram Lall†, but I think that something absolutely shocking will occur, such as Deepa and Dilip will not marry each other, even if their parents want them to. I think that this will cause a lot of anger and betrayal among the families. The more I read through this book, the more I wanted to read. I hope the ending is as good as the start, but I will have to wait until I have finished reading it to find out.

Business Ethics Test Notes

Case Test 3 Chapter 12 Ethics Case 12-45 1. If the purchase had been handled properly by the controller this transaction may have been considered within ethical standards. However, evidence of weaknesses in internal control over inventory and possible management override of computerized records, that in all appearances increase the risk of adulterated inventory counts and computerized records in general, warrant response from the auditing team during their assessment of financial statements.Although the number of shirts sold to the auditing team do not constitute a material misstatement in regards to the financial statements, the risk related to fraud should be assessed and mitigated during the planning and carrying out of the audit and further audit procedures. These transactions do not affect the existence and valuation assertions relevant to auditing. The right and obligations assertions, on the other hand, may be impacted as physical counts of inventory and their accuracy and com pleteness come into question. The auditor should be wary of procedures related to physical counts of inventory.Extra care to mitigate intentional or misintentional inclusion of inventory in the physical count should be countered by the auditing team. Additionally, the audit should further address the implications of the ability of management to override perpetual inventory records and computerized information in general in all other areas of the audit to assure that relevant risks are mitigated and minimized. Outside of the effects on the auditing process, this case does not affect the opinion of the auditor on the audited financial statements.In spite of this, the client should be made aware of the discovery. Although the likelihood of material misstatement of the financial records due to this occurrence is unlikely, the auditor may find that purchase of the shirts negatively impacts thee appearance of independence of the auditor and the level of confidence entrusted to the auditor and auditing firm as a result of the situation. Additionally, the liability of the auditors may become an issue as litigation related to these audited statements arises. 2.The adequacy of the audit will be negatively affected as assertions need to be modified and relevant risks associated addressed to perform a reliable audit. Increases in control and detection risk factors may prompt the auditor to assign more experienced staff to areas identified as high-risk areas for fraud. Saint Leo’s core value of integrity relates to the auditing professing in a variety of ways as it is an inherent requirement in auditing. Auditors must consistently apply ethical paradigms during their professional and personal lives.This practice increases the confidence of the public in the profession as well as in the audited financial statements of companies. Requiring students to uphold this core value prepares them to address ethical concerns in the workplace and holds them accountable for the i ntegrity of their coursework during their studies as well. By consistently practicing this core value, students are better prepared for successful careers that mirror the core values of the institution and contribute to the economic health of society as a whole. Similar essay: Disadvantages of Ethics in the Workplace

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 6

Micha The pain in her eyes nearly kills me. If it were possible, I'd go back in time and stop her from climbing down that tree that God awful night. Maybe then, I'd still have my best friend. I decide to make a sporadic stop to try and get Ella out of her own head. I park the car in an open space in front of the small coffeehouse located in the heart of town, between the Stop n' Shop and Bubba's Sports Barn. I shut off the engine and wait patiently for her to scold me. Her face reddens as she takes in where we are. â€Å"Micha, I'm really not in the mood for this right now. I have things to do and so does Lila.† â€Å"Come on, you haven't seen me play in ages,† I coax, using my best seductive voice. â€Å"I'll just do one song. In and out and we're done.† â€Å"Sounds cool to me,† Lila says from the backseat, finally relaxing a little now that we're far away from Grady's trailer. â€Å"I love hearing bands and lead singers are always sexy.† â€Å"Micha plays the guitar and sings by himself,† Ella says with a flicker of possessiveness in her eyes. â€Å"He's not a lead singer. He's a solo singer.† â€Å"It's all the same to me.† Lila pats Ella's head and in a way I think she's making a private joke with her. â€Å"Band or not, a guy who can sing and play is hot.† I grin charismatically and incline over the console. â€Å"Come on, pretty girl.† I wind a strand of her hair around my finger. â€Å"You know you want to come in and watch me be all hot and sexy, singing up on the stage. You know you've missed it.† Her eyes narrow at me as she fights back a smile. â€Å"You know that voice doesn't work on me. I've seen you use it too many times on too many girls.† â€Å"I haven't used it on a girl since you left.† I let the truth fall out. I used to come and go as I please with whoever I wanted, but once things started to change with our friendship, it became clear the void I was trying to fill was in her. â€Å"And I don't want to use it on anyone – â€Å" She conceals her hand over my mouth. â€Å"I'll go in with you, but only if you stop talking about stuff that makes me uncomfortable.† â€Å"Wait. What about my car?† Lila scoots forward and fixes her hair using the rearview mirror. â€Å"It's getting late. Won't the shop be closed soon?† I move Ella's hand away from my lips and entwine her fingers with mine. â€Å"We'll make it back in time. I promise.† Ella hesitates, staring at the coffeehouse like she's a mouse about to walk into a lion's den. I squeeze her hand. â€Å"Come on, let's go in. You'll be okay.† She looks at our hands, and then her gaze lifts, giving a fleeting glance at my lips before resolving on my eyes. â€Å"Is everyone still hanging out here?† â€Å"Kelly and Mike do and Renee and Ethan,† I say. â€Å"Grantford doesn't really come around here anymore, though.† Her plump lips curl to a grin. â€Å"Because you punched him in the face.† â€Å"That might be part of it.† I return her smile and let go of her hand to climb out of the car. It feels like I might be getting somewhere with her. She hops out and stretches, arching her back and sticking out her chest. It makes me want to rip off her shirt, pull her in the backseat, and do things to her I've never done with anyone I've cared about before. â€Å"What are you looking at?† She pulls the bottom of her tank top back over her stomach. She really has no idea how beautiful she is. She never has. Even back in her punk/goth faze, she rocked the look. I shake my head, unable to take my eyes off her. â€Å"Nothing. Just thinkin'.† She slams the door and we head across the packed parking lot. I rest my hand on her lower back, but she wiggles away and sidesteps around Lila, putting her between us. I frown. Maybe I'm not doing as well as I thought. Ella If he keeps looking at me that way, my restraint is going to melt into a puddle of hot, steamy liquid. Micha has the most piercing eyes in the world, aqua blue, like the sea, waved with equal intensity. He's flirty with me, which he used to do jokingly all the time, and I'd play along. But this is different somehow, more intense and real. It's like he's throwing his heart into the open, which isn't how he used to be. At least with me. Except for the day I left. The coffeehouse is cramped with people, even for a Saturday afternoon. Every booth and table is occupied and there's a guy with floppy brown hair playing the keyboard on stage, his voice a little off-key. The baristas are working hard on the long line that extends all the way to the door and in the corner, people are working on their laptops. â€Å"Where are we going to sit?† Lila scans the room. â€Å"There's no empty tables.† Micha spots Ethan and Renee at a corner table and waves at them. â€Å"Seat situation solved,† he says, taking my hand and leading the way to them. Renee is a short girl that wears heavy eyeliner and has dark red hair. Her hazel eyes zone in on Micha's hand tangled with mine. I attempt to pull my hand away, but Micha strengthens his grasp. â€Å"Hey, Ella.† She fakes a smile with her dark red lips. â€Å"What ya been up to?† â€Å"Nothing much,† I keep it simple, because simple is always better with Renee. â€Å"And so we meet again.† Ethan flashes a dimpled grin at Lila and pulls out a chair for her. â€Å"You decided to stick around here for a while.† Lila looks up at him as she takes a seat. â€Å"Thank you. I kind of had to since my car was trashed last night.† Micha drops down in the last empty chair at the table and starts to pull me down to sit on his lap. My eyes sweep the room in search of an extra chair, but it's so packed that people have to stand near the walls. â€Å"I don't bite, Ella May.† There is a challenge in Micha's eyes. â€Å"Unless you ask me to.† Everyone at the table is watching me. Not wanting to make a scene, I sink down on his lap. Ethan targets Micha with a bewildered look, which Micha ignores and steals a scone out of a basket in the middle of the table. He pops it into his mouth. â€Å"So what time's Open Mic?† Ethan's dark eyebrows plunge together. â€Å"Why? Are you thinking about playing again? Cause' all I can say is it's about freakin' time.† â€Å"What do you mean again?† I ask, grabbing a scone myself. â€Å"Why hasn't he been playing?† Ethan shoves up the sleeves of his shirt, crosses his arms on the table, and directs Micha with their secret-code look I have never been able to crack. I revolve my body to look at Micha, but instantly regret it. His eyes are too intense and I'm thrown out of my element for a second. â€Å"You stopped playing?† I ask him. â€Å"Why would you do that? Isn't it your dream still?† He shrugs, snaking his arms around my waist. â€Å"It's not the same without you here watching me.† â€Å"There were times I didn't watch you play.† I put my hands on his shoulders. â€Å"Even when I lived here.† He shakes his head and wisps of his blonde hair fall across his forehead. â€Å"That's not true. You never missed one.† I think back, knowing he's right. â€Å"I don't want you to stop living your life because I'm not here anymore.† â€Å"And I don't want you to be anywhere but here.† He squeezes my hip and I instinctively jump at the tingling heat that spirals down between my legs. â€Å"What can I get you?† The waitress interrupts us. We all read off what we want, and the waitress gets particularly giggly when she writes down Micha's order, even though I'm sitting on his lap. Her name is Kenzie and I've never liked her. She used to help Stacy Harris torment this girl we went to school with, who was in a wheelchair. I casually lean back against Micha's chest, as if I'm doing it by accident. No one seems to notice except for the waitress. And Micha. His heart beat speeds up as if the nearness of my body is driving him mad. She frowns and tucks the order book into her apron. â€Å"I'll be right back with your drinks.† I wait for Micha to call me out, but he stays quiet and keeps his hands on the tops of my bare thighs. I know it's wrong and that he's not mine. I made that clear the day I bailed, but I can't seem to help myself. Ever since we were kids, I always felt the need to keep him away from girls who aren't good enough for him. Old habits die hard. Micha Ethan is looking at me like I'm an idiot. Probably because I'm smiling like an idiot, but I can't help myself. Ella got territorial with the waitress. She's never done that before, not even before she left. â€Å"This band's interesting,† Lila hollers over the banjo band playing up on stage. â€Å"Is this the kind of music you play?† Ethan, Renee, and I burst out laughing. Even Ella covers her mouth, trying really hard not to laugh. â€Å"No sweetie, this isn't what I play.† I gulp my coffee. â€Å"Mines more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hot and sexy,† Ella says and I stare at her. She ignores my gaze and adds, â€Å"Think more along the lines of Spill Canvas.† Lila brushes some crumbs off the table. â€Å"That band you're always listening to when you're studying?† Ella nods, but shifts awkwardly. â€Å"That's the one.† It makes me feel better that she still listens to the same music. At least that hasn't changed. I keep one hand on her leg, afraid if I release her completely, she'll run off again. I steal another scone from the basket and pop it into my mouth. Lila starts chatting with Ethan and Renee gets on her cellphone. I sweep Ella's hair to the side and put my lips to her ear. â€Å"So you think I'm hot and sexy, huh?† She bites back a smile, pretending to be deeply immersed in the banjo song. â€Å"No, I said your music is hot and sexy.† â€Å"It's all the same.† I dare a kiss against her shoulder, relishing the softness of her skin, wanting her so God damn bad I'm getting a hard on just thinking about it. Ella notices it too and squirms around in my lap, making it worse. â€Å"Down boy,† she jokes with a nervous laugh, then presses her lips together and starts to stand up. I trap her down by the hips and conform her backside onto my lap. We fit together so perfectly it's mind blowing and all those feelings I felt for her before she left come rushing back to me. I need more of her. Now. Oblivious to everyone around us, my hands gradually slide up her thighs. â€Å"Micha.† She protests with a quiver in her voice. â€Å"Don't. There are people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I silence her as my fingers brush the edges of her skirt. I can't stop – I've been carrying this sexual tension for ages. I started having these feelings for her when we were about sixteen. I ignored them for as long as possible, because I knew she'd freak if she found out. There were a few stolen kisses that I played off, but the night on the bridge, when I finally put it out there, changed everything. She freaked out just like I thought. Right after she left, I slept around, trying to get rid of the hunger inside of me, but after a while, I realized there was no point. Ella had taken something from me and there was no getting it back, unless I had her. So I let my hands sneak up the edge of her skirt and her fingers knead into my thighs. I wonder how far I should take this, since we're sitting in a booth in a crowded room, and I almost pull back, but one of her legs falls to the side, and I view it as an open invitation. â€Å"Alright, it's time for open mic.† The waitress that undressed me with her eyes speaks into the microphone on the stage. â€Å"If you already haven't signed up, you can sign up with Phil over there.† She points her finger at the owner, a middle-aged man sitting in the corner next to the speakers. â€Å"I think that's your cue.† Ella quickly gets up, thinking she's off the hook. Before I head up to the signup sheet, I spread my fingers across her lower back and whisper in her ear, â€Å"Don't think this is over because it's not.† She shivers and I strut off to the table with a satisfied smile on my face. â€Å"Well, son of a bitch,† Phil says from behind the table. He's an ex-band member of an 80's cover band and still looks like he belongs in that decade with his mullet and neon clothes. â€Å"Look what the dog dragged in.† â€Å"Miss me that bad, huh?† I jot down my name on the signup sheet. â€Å"Are you kidding me?† he asks. â€Å"All we've had to listen to for the last few months is banjo music and a couple of hippies playing on the bongos. I swear it's like Woodstock all over again.† I laugh, dropping the pen onto the table. â€Å"Well it's nice to know I've been missed, I guess.† Phil fiddles with the volume of the amps. â€Å"More than missed. Please tell me you're going to start playing here again. I'm in desperate need of some draw-in. This place is going downhill.† I smile politely, backing toward the table. â€Å"Nah, probably not. I don't think I'm going to be sticking around here much longer. I've got places to go, people to see.† On my way back to the table, I cross paths with Naomi. She is Phil's daughter, tall, with long black hair, and she's an awesome singer. I used to play with her back before she went on the road with a band. We were actually pretty close, but I haven't talked to her since she left. â€Å"Oh my God, I'm so glad I ran into you,† she says and there's a little bit of red lipstick on her teeth. â€Å"Isn't everyone?† I tease walking backwards. She laughs and swats my arm. â€Å"I see you still have that whole cocky attitude going.† I drop the act. â€Å"So you're back in town?† â€Å"Yeah, but only for a few weeks. Can we chat up after you play? There's something I really need to talk to you about. Something huge actually.† â€Å"How'd you know I was playing?† She points a finger at the table. â€Å"I just saw you sign up.† â€Å"Alright, I'll catch up with you later.† I wave good-bye, wondering what she could possibly want. Ella Damn Micha. He's killing me with his touches and longing gazes and now he's going to sing. I've always had a soft spot for his voice. We'd sit on his bed and he'd strum his guitar while I sketched. Those were some of the perfect moments in my life. â€Å"Ella, what's the matter with you?† Lila asks with an accusation. â€Å"You look a little flushed.† I sip my latte and realign the holder in the center of the table, so I can't see my reflection in the stainless steel. â€Å"It's just a little hot in here. That's all.† â€Å"Yeah, sure it is.† She won't stop looking at me, like she's trying to crack open my head. As Micha steps onto the stage not too far from our table, my heart starts to chant unspeakable words. Sitting on a stool with his guitar on his lap he puts his lips up to the microphone, nibbling on his lip ring. â€Å"This one's called ‘What No One Ever Sees'.† He strums a chord with his eyes locked on me, â€Å"I see it in your beautiful eyes, like a spot on the sun. The things you want to hide, buried deep inside you. Blinded by your light. It almost hurts to look at, almost hurts to breathe. Never can you look at the things no one ever sees Shaded by your light. Please take me inside you, please take me in. Never will I whisper, never will I give in. Even when I'm dying, your heart will always win. Shielded to the sightless, isolated from the naive. Breaking you in pieces, that can only ever grieve. Veiled by your light. Passionate for the world, yet overlooked by most. Your soul flickers in you, desperate to shine for the world But blinded by your darkness. Please take me inside you, please take me in. Never will I whisper, never will I give in. Even when I'm dying, your heart will always win.† With one lasting note, he ends the song. The crowd applauds and my eyes dart away from his penetrating gaze, and to the door. I want to run away like the room is on fire. â€Å"Holy crap,† Lila breathes, fanning herself. â€Å"You were right. That was HOT.† â€Å"I can play the drums.† Ethan taps his fingers on the table, and makes drum noises. â€Å"And I'm pretty good.† â€Å"Don't let him fool ya.† Renee sips her coffee and a smirk curls at her lips. â€Å"He can play the drums on Rock Band and that's it.† Ethan shoots Renee a dirty look. â€Å"Would you quit it? It's not funny anymore.† Lila looks at me for an explanation. â€Å"This is how they are,† I explain with a heavy sigh. â€Å"They fight like cats and dogs.† Lila props her elbows onto the table and rests her chin on her hands. â€Å"El, doesn't your brother play drums?† â€Å"Yeah, Dean did,† I say. â€Å"A little bit, anyway.† â€Å"Now Dean's hot,† Renee remarks, aiming to get under my skin. Micha collects his guitar and clears the stage for the next singer, a girl with pink dreads who looks like she has a grudge against the world. A tall girl with long legs meets Micha at the corner of the stage. Her wavy black hair flows down her back, her grey eyes are striking, and her smile is bright. Her name is Naomi and she's the daughter of the owner of the coffeehouse, who Micha played with a few times. She says something to Micha and he laughs. A flicker of envy burns in me, but I suppress it quickly. She leads him off the stage and Micha's hand roams toward her back. He flashes me one last glance, before he ducks behind stage. I can't read him at all and that frightens me more than when I can. Lila drinks her soy latte and peeks at me over the brim of her cup. â€Å"I don't care what you say. That boy is in love with you.† I stay silent, tearing up a napkin until it's shaped like a heart. â€Å"He might be, but not the kind of love you're talking about.† â€Å"So, Ella,† Ethan interrupts and I swear he does it intentionally. If he did, I'm thankful for it. â€Å"How's the city life?† â€Å"Stupendous.† I ruffle up the napkin and toss it into the empty scone basket. â€Å"That doesn't sound very convincing.† Ethan drapes an arm on the back of Lila's chair and places his foot on his knee. â€Å"Don't you like it there?† I force myself to cheer up and sit up straight. â€Å"Actually, it's pretty nice. There's a lot to do and the school is great.† â€Å"You're acting weird.† Ethan eyes me, rubbing his chin. â€Å"Something's got you all wound up.† â€Å"I'm completely okay,† I say in denial. â€Å"Although, the excessive questions are a bit much.† Lila peers over at me as she licks froth from her lips. â€Å"He's right. You look upset or something.† She feels my forehead. â€Å"You're not getting sick, are you?† Micha returns to the table and the coffeehouse has cleared out a bit. He grabs a vacant chair, pulls it up to the table, turning it backwards, and then sits down in it. â€Å"So what are we up to for the rest of the night?† Ethan asks while Micha checks his messages on his phone. â€Å"I got to take this pretty lady over here to get her car fixed by you.† Micha nods his head at Lila. Ethan looks pleased. â€Å"Wow, I'm honored to be the one to fix it.† Micha slides his phone into his pocket. â€Å"We have to swing by Ella's house and pick it up, so meet us at the shop in like a half-an-hour.† â€Å"Absolutely.† Ethan waves the waitress over to give us the check. â€Å"What do you think?† Micha asks me. â€Å"Does it sound like a plan?† I shrug, distracted by where he went with that girl. â€Å"Yeah, sure.† Everyone takes their coffee's to-go and we head for the door. I leave mine behind, along with something else, but I'm not sure what. Perhaps a piece of my new identity. *** Micha and I don't speak the entire drive home. It freaks Lila out a little and I worry that the more time she spends here with me, the less time she's going to want to spend with me on campus. When we pull into the driveway that routes the side of my house, there is a painful reminder of another reason I didn't want to come back waiting for me near the garage. â€Å"Whose car is that?† Lila scoots forward in her seat. â€Å"It's gorgeous.† â€Å"Why is he here?† I grimace, scowling at the shiny red Porsche with Ohio license plates. â€Å"Now be nice,† Micha warns, his voice dripping with sarcasm. â€Å"He's your brother.† â€Å"But it doesn't make him less of an asshole,† I mutter. â€Å"And he swore when he left, he was never coming back here ever again.† â€Å"That's your brother's car?† Lila asks. â€Å"Good God, what does he do for living?† I press the tips of my fingers to the sides of my nose. â€Å"Who knows?† â€Å"Well, how does he afford a car like that?† she requests interestedly. â€Å"It's not his car,† I say. â€Å"It's my mothers.† Micha and I swap an oblique look, recalling the day the car mysteriously showed up in the garage. She never would tell anyone how she got it, and for a while, Dean and I expected the police to show up and arrest her for car thievery. It never happened and as time went on, it became like a game to my mother. Not just with the car, but with life. We never knew if she was telling the truth or not. After she died, Dean took the car. He acted like it was his right and maybe it was. He wasn't the one who'd snuck out of the house that night and left our mother alone. â€Å"And that gorgeous car over there is yours,† I remind Lila, diverting her attention elsewhere. â€Å"You should probably go get it fixed, before Ethan wanders off from the shop.† She slumps back in the chair. â€Å"I'd really like to meet your brother first before I go.† â€Å"I'm sure he'll still be here when you get back.† Actually I'm hoping he'll be gone. â€Å"Come on, Lila, we'll make it quick.† Micha opens the door. â€Å"We can drop it off and walk back. It isn't too far.† When I climb outside, he captures my gaze over the roof of the car. â€Å"Are you coming with us?† â€Å"I think I need to stay.† My eyes travel to the back door. â€Å"Who knows why he's here and what he'll say to dad? And I don't think dad can handle his crap.† Pressing his hands to the roof, he leans over. â€Å"But can you handle his crap?† â€Å"I'll be fine,† I assure him. â€Å"Just get her car fixed. She needs to get out before she gets sucked into this place.† â€Å"This town isn't that bad.† Micha closes the door. â€Å"You used to think the same thing.† â€Å"I also used to believe my mom would get better,† I say. â€Å"And look what a crashing disappointment that was.† From the back of the car, Lila blinks at me, stunned. â€Å"Ella, I didn't know your mom was sick.† Micha's expression is guarded. â€Å"Let's go, Lila. Ella's right, if Ethan gets too bored, he'll bail.† They head for Lila's car and I head up the driveway, wishing I could run back into Micha's arms and alleviate the hole in my chest. Micha I worry about Ella the entire drive to the shop. Dean was never a good brother and at the funeral, he blamed Ella for their mother's death. He basically tore her to shreds. Maybe it was his way of mourning, but it was still a shitty thing to do. â€Å"So what's up with Ella and her brother?† Lila asks, resting her arm on the console. â€Å"I think that's something you should probably talk to her about.† I turn the car into the parking lot of the shop. â€Å"It's not really my story to tell.† Lila unclips her seatbelt. â€Å"But Ella's never really told me much about her life. She has always been so quiet about it and I just thought it was her personality, but the way everyone talks about her around here, I don't think it is.† â€Å"She used to be pretty loud spoken.† I reach for the door, but hesitate, needing to get it off my chest. â€Å"The Ella I knew was not the prim and proper girl you've been hanging out with. She had this fire in her and she didn't put up with anyone's crap. It got her into trouble a lot, but she was also the kind of person who would take the fall, even if it wasn't her fault.† â€Å"I think I saw that part of her when we stopped at a bathroom when we first got to town,† Lila muses. â€Å"There was this guy there who was giving me crap and Ella nearly beat him up.† I try not to smile. â€Å"She did, did she?† â€Å"Is that how she was when you knew her? Like a total badass?† Lila grins and I realize she's not as bad as I originally thought. â€Å"Yeah, she was always kind of a badass.† I shove the door open and my boots scuff the gravel as I climb out. There are a few cars parked in front of the metal building and both the garage doors are open. A truck is parked inside and the owner of the shop – Ethan's dad – is working under the hood. â€Å"So what do you do?† Lila asks as we head to the entrance. â€Å"A little of this,† I joke. â€Å"And a little of that.† â€Å"So it's a secret.† She picks up on my vibe. I swing the chain attached to my jeans. â€Å"For now, it kind of is.† â€Å"Gotcha.† She doesn't press and I like her even more. Ethan is waiting for us in the lobby, slouched back in a chair with his shoes kicked up on the counter and his head slanted back. â€Å"It's about damn time. I was about ready to leave.† Lila starts to giggle as she takes out her phone from her purse. â€Å"You guys weren't lying.† Ethan lowers his feet to the floor and stands up. â€Å"What's so funny?† â€Å"Nothing.† I shrug him off, resting my arms on the counter. â€Å"Ella and I just told her that if we didn't hurry up you'd get bored and leave.† â€Å"So you were talking about me behind my back.† He walks around the counter by Lila. â€Å"You got the keys or did you leave them in?† I toss him the keys and he catches them. â€Å"Where's Ella?† â€Å"Her brother showed up,† I explain. â€Å"She's back at her house.† Ethan's eyebrows shoot upward. â€Å"And you left her there alone with him?† â€Å"Only to drop this off,† I say. â€Å"Lila and I are going to walk back.† Lila glances back and forth between Ethan and me. â€Å"Is something wrong with Ella's brother?† â€Å"She'll be fine.† I lean against the glass door with my arms folded and check my watch. â€Å"But we should get back.† â€Å"I think I should stay here,† Lila says, frowning at her phone. â€Å"Are you sure?† I ask. â€Å"Ethan will take good care of it.† She looks upset as she tosses the phone into her purse. â€Å"Yeah, I need to make sure everything's taken care of properly.† â€Å"Alright, can you find your way back to the house?† I nudge the door open. â€Å"I'll make sure she gets there,† Ethan offers with a shrug. Lila adjusts her purse on her shoulder and gives him a small smile. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"Alright, if it's okay with the both of you, then I guess I'll see you later.† I hike across the parking lot, toward the street. It's getting late, and the odds of Lila's car being fixed by the end of the day are pretty fucking low. I take out my cell phone and text Ella. Me: Just wantin to make sure ur ok? I walk down the sidewalk fenced by houses and dried out lawns. There is a drug exchange going on at the corner between a group of kids that still look young enough to be in high school. This side of town is pretty crappy, which I'm okay with now, but when Ella and I were kids, it was harder to deal with. Ella was always so curious about stuff. There were many times we got chased down for sticking our noses where they didn't belong and I got my ass kicked defending Ella quite a few times. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat because when it all comes down to it, it's just me and her against the world. Always has been. My phone buzzes inside my pocket and I check the message, surprised to see Ella's name on the screen. Ella: No, I don't think I am. Without a second thought, I run as fast as I can toward her house.

A Mystery Note

The first few notes of the alarm clock prised open Amber's eyes and she stumbled out of bed, standing on an up-ended plug as she did so. She didn't have time for the pain; she had a Spanish test first thing and with a bit of luck she'd be able to catch the early bus to school so she could fit in a bit of revision before class. The floorboards creaked under her feet as she got changed. Everything here seemed to creak, the place was a wreck and she couldn't wait 'till she was old enough and more importantly have enough money to move out but that was unlikely. Amber's life had fallen apart bit by bit since the day she was born. Apparently her mum was put into a permanent coma after a car crash on her way to the hospital. Amber supposedly was a twin but something happened to her sister and that's how she ended up here, in an orphanage that looked like it was going to fall apart the minute another no-hoper walked through it's doors. â€Å"Get up Chloe,† Amber said, Shaking her roommate vigorously in attempt to wake her up. â€Å"I'll get up, just five more minutes,† Chloe murmured sleepily but Amber had to leave in a minute and she knew Chloe would probably never get up so she grabbed the covers and chucked them to the other side of the room. Satisfied, she grabbed her bag and the watch she got two weeks ago from Chloe for her fifteenth birthday and set off for school. Amber managed to squeeze in a few minutes of revision before the test but It wasn't exactly easy getting folders out because the wind had picked up and by the time she'd got to the classroom her usually neat black hair looked like something from ‘Jeepers Creepers.' The test took the best part of two hours – too long, thought Amber. She was relieved when the bell finally run and she practically sprinted out before Seniorita Belanto remembered about the homework due today. â€Å"Amber!† She nearly had a heart attack when the powerful voice of her manly P.E. teacher, Mrs Stevenson came booming at her. â€Å"Yes, Mr†¦I mean, Mrs Stevenson?† Amber said cheekily, wondering why the sudden need for her P.E. teacher to come rushing after her like an overweight lion. â€Å"Some guy passed a note onto me to give to you,† She grunted. She threw the piece of paper but Amber missed it and she had to crawl about the floor dodging numerous people who thought walking backwards as fun as walking normally. â€Å"Gotcha!† Amber shouted a little too loudly as everyone in the corridor stared at her on her hands and knees. She opened the piece of paper and read: Thanks a bunch for your help. I owe you one, Jay Connors â€Å"What the†¦?† She said. She looked around for Mrs Stevenson but she'd already been absorbed by the crowd. There must've been a mistake, she hadn't helped someone, had she? After school she decided to walk home and on the way she asked a few people from school if they knew who Jay Connors was. â€Å"Who?† Most of them said, but she hit the bonus when she asked the new kid in her Maths class. â€Å"You didn't think to ask me first, did you?† He replied, grinning. Amber looked puzzlingly at him but then he explained. â€Å"I'm Matthew Connors, Jay's brother,† he grinned. Amber realised then that she'd been stupid; who better to ask than the only person in school with the same surname as the mysterious Jay? â€Å"If your looking for Jay he'll be indoors by now.† He pressed the traffic lights button and the green man showed a few seconds later. Amber stood were she had been for the past few minutes looking like an idiot. What now? Did he expect her to follow him? Matthew looked back, â€Å"Come on then, what you waiting for?† Apparently Jay had been in a car crash yesterday and his car was a total wreck so he couldn't go to his work today. Amber was amazed at how he managed to cram every tiny detail into a space of two minutes. By the time they got there Amber seemed to know everything about Jay. They rang the doorbell and Jay answered. â€Å"Hey Matt, Alex! Nice to see you again.† He said â€Å"Alex? I'm not†¦I'm Amber.† This conversation was getting to be one of the most confusing of her life. â€Å"What†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jay began but Matt butted in. â€Å"This is Amber, she's in my class.† Jay looked like someone had just put one of Einstein's maths problems in front of him. Just then someone was walking along the pavement and Jay and Matt both looked stunned. â€Å"Alex†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Amber turned around and couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was like she was looking in the mirror. It was her. Alex turned round and saw Amber, shock exploded on her face. Five minutes later Amber had forgot the shock because after a brief discussion with Alex, hope suddenly came into Amber sight. Was this her twin? Could this be possible? Could her mum be alive? She was, she had to be. â€Å"Alex, dinners out.† a figure emerged from a house but at the same time Amber heard a rumble and a huge shadow cast over her, all of the hope that had build up inside her was shattered as flight 755 rapidly lost altitude. In a split-second the world had turned black and she only caught one glimpse of her mother's face. That was the first and last time she ever saw it.