Health Care Accreditation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health Care Accreditation - Essay Example These accreditations are important for clinics because customers tend to trust clinics that have such accreditations. The accreditation of Minnesota Hospital Price Check is not quite compulsory for Mayo Clinic but it is quite important to the patient as such accreditations aid patients in comparing the cost they will be paying for acquiring services. To obtain accreditation, a clinic has to first write an application letter to the accreditation company such as the Joint Commission, next the company provides details about what they will be evaluating and what are the standards, next the company conducts a survey of the clinic and if the clinic is operating according to the standard, the clinic gains accreditation. All accreditations last for a limited period of time, after this period, companies need to gain reaccredited. The process of getting reaccredited starts with an application sent to the accreditation company, the company then conducts an onsite survey and desk assessment and then decide whether to provide accreditation or not. If the organization is expected to loose or has lost its accreditation, the consequences are that consumer stop trusting that company and they start preferring other companies or clinics. " Top Performers on Key Quality Measures | Joint Commission." Accreditation, Health Care, Certification | Joint Commission. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2012.

Business Excellence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Business Excellence - Essay Example It is in this context that since its inception, the company had been strategically designing its products focussing on the customers’ needs. By adopting the customer centric strategies, Dell was determined to become the low cost leader while providing high value products and services (Dell, 2012). After successfully doing business in the global markets for almost a decade, Dell began facing challenges in terms of competition, rapidly losing its market share and witnessing reduction in its customer bases (Paul & et. al., 2007). Furthermore, the company was losing its market share in all the segments, namely, desktops, servers and notebooks during the same year to its major competitors. Notably, the major factors that led to the declining market share of Dell from all segments can be identified as the company’s emphasis on its traditional business model lacking in terms of innovation and transformation. Due to the company’s resistance to change in the global compet itive market, other players in this industry such as HP and Lenovo emerged as the new leaders. They focussed on the emerging markets and segments such as Laptops, whereas Dell with a market share of 4.2% ranked eighth among other manufacturers (Paul & et. al., 2007). Drivers for Strategic Change In today’s modern era, the process or rather the conception of change is attributed as the only continuous and inevitable phenomenon of the business world. Due to the incessant changes occurring in the external business environment, businesses are becoming increasingly swayed to implement strategic changes in their business processes. It is in this context that due to the ongoing changes in the global business environment, business entities are forced to alter their operational vision, goals and methodologies too often causing the risk of unplanned and chaotic changes in the working process which in turn are quite likely to give rise to perplexity within the human resources and thus l ead towards a greater disruption in the overall operational functions of the organisation. Taking these aspects into concern, the major drivers of change in today’s business context can be stated as the alterations in the external business environment in terms of innovation, competition, legal as well as economic variations, and social changes which accumulatively lead to the alterations of consumer needs, demands along with their perceptions (Yokota & et. al., 2005). Focus Areas for Enhanced Business Performance In today’s global scenario, competition and financial liberalization are considered to be the most influential factors that effectually enable a company to sustain in the prevailing fierce competition. Consequently, with an effect of such fierce competition and growing need for product differentiation, quality has emerged to be one of the prime concerns of global companies in order to enhance its competitive advantages over its rivals. It is owing to the belie f that best quality with

Dickens Hard Times Essay Example for Free

Dickens Hard Times Essay â€Å"Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life.† (Dickens, 1854, p.1) With these beginning sentences of the novel â€Å"Hard Times†, Charles Dickens has made readers doubt whether it is true that facts alone are wanted in life. This question leads to the main theme of the story, fact against fancy, that author has never been written this kind of plot in his other stories before. In fact, Hard Times is considered as the unlike-the-rest of Dickens’ works (Collins, 1992, p. xi) because the plot is not involved the social problems in Victorian Age such as poverty or child labor, but it is an abstract that exalts instinct above reason. (Collins, 1992, p.xiii) Although it is not Dickensian, author still put his cliff-hanger characteristic on his work which makes the story enjoyable and worth reading for all-age-readers. Due to many interesting factors, this novel has been chosen to be the topic of this essay consisting of three parts that are the historical backgrounds, the facts about this novel and my critical reflections. To gain the comprehensive perspective of the story, we need to look back on historical backgrounds of the age that this novel took place which can be seen in three ways that are the economy, the social class and the education. Victorian Age is the period of economic progress that Industrial Revolution played important part in the British society. As a result, there were many factories located in town and it is imaginary described in a story that industrial Coketown is â€Å"where the piston of the steam-engine worked monotonously up and down, like the head of an elephant in a state of melancholy madness.† (Dickens, 1854, p.20). So, it shows that Hard Times is a realistic novel that author voiced a radically dissident attitude on Industrial Revolution in his story. (Lowy 2007 218) According to the growth of economy, there was the distinction found in social classes especially between labor and management (Cliffnote, n.d.) in this story that can be seen at Mr. Bounderby, a wealt hy manufacturer, considers himself as self-made man and later found that he is not, who is in upper class and has predominant power over Blackpool a hard working labor in Mr. Bounderby’s factory. However, the social class distinction is not raised as a serious problem in the story. Also, this economic progress has a great impact on the education system in which the schools are dominated with the Utilitarian spirit. From the plot, it shows that Dickens held a strong vision against the Utilitarianism, a theory that considers self-interest is maximum utility and denies on imagination (Diniejko, n.d.), that he ends the story with the tragic event caused by failure of the Utilitarian education system that teaches students only fact, but he oppositely admired hospitality of the Sleary’s circus that teaches the children with imagination. These are historical backgrounds that influenced the story and make it more understandable. As it is claimed at first that this novel is not like the other Dickens’ stories, it is contained some facts that makes the novel interesting which are its background, cliff-hanger plot and impressive critiques. Unlike Dickens’ usual shilling monthly numbers, Hard Times was a part in his two penny weekly edited magazine (Collin, 1992, p.xi), Household Words, which faced a shrinking circulation and falling profits (Enote editor, n.d.). Therefore, the story was written in form of serialization and finally titled Hard Times For These Times when it was gathered into fuller version. (Collin, 1992, p.xi) Although it is not a notably work, it has a Dickens’ famous cliff-hanger plot. The main theme is the conflict between fact and fancy in which Mr. Gradgrind teaches his students and his children to believe in fact, but the story turns out unexpected that two of his children have to live in misery; Louisa has a loveless marriage with Mr. Bounderby a friend of her father and a bank owner. Tom, Louisa’s brother, becomes a bank robber who almost cannot escape abroad. In order to help his son, Mr. Gradgrind eventually has to ask Sleary’s circus, who he never favour because they teaches children with imagination, for help and he comes to realize that his philosophy he has been teaching all along for his children is a failure. The story also contains many subplot stories such as an impossible love between Louisa and Mr. Harthouse, a secret life of Mr. Bounderby and a social class love. With his sharp and sarcastic writing skill, Hard Times receives impressive critiques from many admirers. The outstanding critique is one from Dr F. R. Leavis in 1948 that saysâ€Å"†¦ of all Dickens’ works the one that has all the strength of his genius, together with a strength no other of them can show—that of a completely serious work of art†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Collin, 1992, p.xii). These three facts of this novel even make it more astonishing. A good novel not only gives reader an appreciation but also provides some points that need to be analyzed through critical thinking process. So does the Hard Times, it is a valuable novel that I favor and have critical reflections on the Dickens’ satire, the well-rounded characters and the comparison on the different abstract ideas. I was hooked by this novel right from the first three sentences, claimed at the beginning of the essay, because it provokes readers’ brain to think until we find the answer that it is wrong to lean on facts alone in life and that is the first satire in a story. There is the using of repeated word to sarcastically equate the teacher and Mr. Gradgrind with the mechanic engine as shown â€Å"Fact, fact, fact!’ said the gentleman. And ‘Fact, fact, fact!’ repeated Thomas Gradgrind† (Dickens, 1854, p.6). Moreover, all the well-rounded characters are formed in satirist way. For example, there is the difference between Lou isa and Sissy which we see the development of these two characters. The first is Louisa who was born and raised in a wealthy family teaching her only facts are wanted in life, but she ends up living in mournful as it says â€Å"†¦any hoarded scrap of which, is a blessing and happiness to the wisest? Did Louisa see this? Such a thing was never to be.† (Dickens, 1854, p.283). On the other hand, the second is Sissy, was born in circus and taught her with imagination, who ends up living with happiness as it says â€Å"trying hard to know her humbler fellow-creatures, and to beautify their lives of machinery and reality with those imaginative graces and delights† (Dickens, 1854, p.283). Lastly, I am very appreciated with the comparison on the different abstract ideas especially one in this example; the different perspectives of horse that the student in Mr. Gradgrind’s school describes in scientific and arithmetic way as shown: â€Å"Quadruped. Graminivorous. Forty teeth, namely twenty-four grinders, four eye teeth, and twelve incisive†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dickens, 1854, p.4), while the Sleary’s circus people describe it as beautiful imaginary way as shown: â€Å"The public house was the Pegasus’s Arms. The Pegasus’s legs might have been more to the purpose†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dickens, 1854, p.25). It can be interpreted that students see no abstract from object, they have blunted mind, while circus people, who live in Victorian Era the golden age of circus, have something that students do not have which are morality and hospitality. These are my critical reflections that makes Hard Times become one of my favorite novels. All of these are the historical backgrounds, the facts about this novel and my critical reflections for the Dickens’ Hard Times. It is a story of wrong philosophy that facts which are actually not the only needful thing in life. This novel gives readers the way to approach history of Victorian Age, also , an appreciation. And the most importantly, it persuades readers to live their lives happily with imagination and hospitality to everyone that will come into life. References Collins, Philip (1992). Introduction. Charles Dickens Hard Times(p. xi,xii,xiii). Berwick Street, London: The Millennium Library. Dickens, Charles (1854). Hard Times For These Times. Charles Dickens Hard Times(p. 1,4,6,20,25,283). Berwick Street, London: The Millennium Library. Diniejko, Dr Andrzej.Charles Dickens as Social Commentator and Critic. The Victorian Web: An Overview. Retrieved January 10, 2013, from http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/diniejko.html Hard Times Critical Essay by Charles Dickens. Study Guides, Lesson Plans, Homework Help, Answers More enotes.com. Retrieved January 10, 2013, from http://www.enotes.com/hard-times-essays/dickens-charles-hard-times-these-times Hard Times: Critical Essays: Dickens Philosophy and Style CliffsNotes . Get Homework Help with CliffsNotes Study Guides . Retrieved January 10, 2013, from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/hard-times/critical-essays/dickens- philosophy-style.html Lowy, M. (2007). The Current of Critical Irrealism. A concise companion to realism(p. 218). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

Ethics of Drone Strikes

Ethics of Drone Strikes Judah Wiesner Joan Fisher Above the law: Murder without consequence As stated in the 10 commandments, Thou shalt not kill. A clear statement, yet if necessary we kill without thought, but mostly for self-defense; but if, for example, you killed an innocent civilian, you would spend 15 years to life in prison. If thousands of people are getting locked up every day for murder, why shouldnt the government? Our government has been using drones to indirectly bomb foreign locals since 2001, resulting in staggering amounts of casualties over the years. The United States of America should stop drone strikes abroad because it kills a drastic number of foreign citizens and traumatizes local populations; it is secretive, lacks adequate legal oversight, and it targets men and women who may not even be enemy combatants or terrorists. Unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs), commonly referred to as drones, are remotely-controlled aircrafts which are loaded with bombs and missiles for various missions involving the CIA. Beginning with the World Trade Center attacks of September 11, 2001, along with the succeeding War on Terror, the U.S. has been using drones to take out suspected terrorists in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, and some other countries. A campaign of drone strikes calculated to take out certain high-value enemies, a project called Operation Haymaker, had, throughout a five-month time period that ended the February of 2013, resulted in no more than 35 jackpots, a term used to signal the neutralization of a specific targeted individual, while more than 200 people were declared EKIA enemy killed in action' (Zenko). The Pakistan government has even released estimates of deaths in specific drone strikes. From January 13, 2006, to October 24, 2009, it is stated that out of 746 deaths from drone strikes, 147 a re clearly casualties, with 94 being children (Woods). That means that the U.S. government would have to serve up to 220 years in prison for manslaughter under normal circumstances; but, I suppose when you are the law, you choose your own consequences. Per Clive Stafford Smith, attorney at law and founder of the organization Reprieve, an entire region is being terrorized by the constant threat of death from the skies. Their way of life is collapsing: kids are too terrified to go to school, adults are afraid to attend weddings, funerals, business meetings, or anything that involves gathering in groups. If you are wondering how this is legal, dont ask the government. The U.S. has been bombing innocent civilians for far too long with far too few punishments, and we can no longer justify it. The use of pilotless aircrafts for surveillance and targeted killings by the United States has quickly become a very controversial human rights issue; especially since the CIA has kept all the information as private as possible. The fact that the government is getting away with these irresponsible and reckless actions every year is astonishing. But casualties arent the only thing keeping these bombings from being successful. Another large problem is that these strikes are secretive and lack legal oversight, which leads to us not being able to hold our leaders liable. The CIA has yet to officially acknowledge its drone programs anywhere in the world, let alone describe the rules and procedures for compliance with US and international law (Amnesty International). Drones are used in places where war is not openly stated or permitted by Congress, which lets our nations leaders have virtually limitless power over undisclosed wars all around the world. Sadly, with the government controlling nearly everything, theres not a lot that has been done to stop drone strikes, or even slow them down. Although there have been some small things here and there, the largest and most common defense is petitions. Unfortunately, these petitions havent done a lot. Although it may sound farfetched, congress should think about taking away the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). The Obama administrations domestic legal justification for most drone strikes relies on the AUMF, which it interprets to authorize the use of force not only against those individuals and organizations with some real connection to the 9/11 attacks, but also against all associates of al Qaeda. (Brooks). This vastly pliable elucidation of the AUMF has lowered the point for the U.S. to start using force. Taking away the AUMF would not deny our president the capability of using force when necessary, to prevent or respond to a serious attack on our country, the presi dent would retain his existing power as commander in chief and chief executive, to protect our nation when needed; Nonetheless, taking away the 2001 AUMF would certainly minimize the frequency in which our president needs to resort to targeted killings. Saying to stop drone strikes completely would be rather farfetched, as there are benefits from them. Drone strikes help to create a much safer experience for our soldiers by taking them from the battlefield; Instead of boots on the ground combat, we can keep certain soldiers on U.S. soil, piloting drones out of allied territory. The Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and their partners often work in unforgiving, distant locations where sending out teams of special forces to locate and apprehend terrorists would be exceptionally dangerous, and drones keep us from doing so. Although this operation is a life saver, it is also a life taker. Indeed, the United States does warrant the use for drone strikes; but if you look at the facts or even talk to the locals in the countries receiving these strikes, it is apparent that the U.S. is being negligent, irresponsible and paying no attention to the thousands of casualties in the process. The United States of America should stop drone strikes abroad because it kills a drastic amount of pedestrians and traumatizes local populations; it is secretive, lacks adequate legal oversight, and it targets men and women who may not even be enemy combatants or terrorists. Work cited Zenko, Micah. The Intercepts Drone Papers Revelations Mandate a Congressional Investigation. Foreign Policy. October 15, 2015. February 25, 2017, web. Woods, Chris. Get the data. The Pakistan governments secret document. The Bureau ofInvestigative Journalism. July 22, 2013. February 27, 2017, web. Will I be Next?' Amnesty International. October 22, 2013. March 5, 2017, web. Brooks, Rosa. 10 Ways to Fix the Drone War. Foreign Policy. April 11, 2013. March 9, 2017,  web.

Rural to urban Migration in Brazil :: essays research papers

Brazil Investigation ? Challenges Of An LEDC Brazil is the largest and most populace country in South America, and fifth largest in the world in both area and population. Spanning a vast area between central South America and the Atlantic Ocean. Rural To Urban Migration Brazil?s economic development creates wealth like any other country, but due to many different reasons its development has mainly taken place in the Southeast of the country. For example,  · Main ports and air ports are situated in this area making exporting goods easy  · Has the right climate and land that is needed to grow coffee, which is Brazils main export  · It has many mineral resources in the rocks on the coast i.e. iron ore  · It has fast flowing rivers which are a good source of cheap hydro electric power  · It has the best roads and railways in Brazil, making travelling easy. This area is known as the Golden Triangle. At the edges of this triangle there are three major cities, Belo Hoeizante, Rio de Janeiro and Sau Paulo. These are the main ?Favoured? locations for industrial development, normally called the core. People are moving to this part of Brazil because of many reasons, the main one being the jobs at the ports and in the factories or industry, these being mainly secondary (manufacturing) and tertiary (service) sectors. But also it has the best standard of living and the best transport links. Some people live in the skyscrapers with maids, if the earn enough, but if they don?t, then their families have to live in favelas. These are like wooden houses with no main water or electricity. In most countries, the level of wealth decreases with distance from the core. The poorest regions are usually found towards the periphery of the country. The periphery is the area around the core that has not benefited form the economic growth, and development. Most of the wealth is in the centre of Sau Paulo. But the economic development is uneven, as round the edges of Sau Paulo it is a very big contrast. The families are large so all the children can go out and earn money for the family, which is leading to overcrowding and a high birth rate.

Night World : Huntress Chapter 4

Rule Number One of living with humans. Always wash the blood off before coming in the house. Jez stood at the outdoor faucet, icy-cold water splashing over her hands. She was scrubbing- carefully-a long, slim dagger made of split bamboo, with a cutting edge as sharp as glass. When it was clean, she slipped it into her right knee-high boot. Then she daubed water over several stains on her T-shirt and jeans and scrubbed them with a fingernail. Finally she whipped out a pocket mirror and examined her face critically. The girl who looked back didn't much resemble the wild, laughing huntress who had leaped from tree to tree in Muir Woods. Oh, the features were the same; the height of cheekbone, the curve of chin. They had even fined out a bit because she was a year older. The red flag of hair was the same, too, although now it was pulled back in an attempt to tame its fiery disorder. The difference was in the expression, which was sadder and wiser than Jez had ever imagined she could be, and in the eyes. The eyes weren't as silvery as they had been, not as dangerously beautiful. But that was only to be expected. She had discovered that she didn't need to drink blood as long as she didn't use her vampire powers. Human food kept her alive-and made her look more human. One other thing about the eyes. They were scarily vulnerable, even to Jez. No matter how she tried to make them hard and menacing, they had the wounded look of a deer that knows it's going to die and accepts it. Sometimes she wondered if that was an omen. Well. No blood on her face. She shoved the mirror back in her pocket. She was mostly presentable, if extremely late for dinner. She turned the faucet off and headed for the back door of the low, sweeping ranch house. Everyone looked up as she came in. The family was in the kitchen, eating at the oak table with the white trim, under the bright fluorescent light. The TV was blaring cheerfully from the family room. Uncle Jim, her mother's brother, was munching tacos and leafing through the mail. He had red hair darker than Jez's and a long face that looked almost as medieval as Jez's mother's had. He was usually off in a gentle, worried dream somewhere. Now he waved an envelope at Jez and gazed at her reproachfully, but he couldn't say anything because his mouth was full. Aunt Nanami was on the phone, drinking a diet Coke. She was small, with dark shiny hair and eyes that turned to crescents when she smiled. She opened her mouth and frowned at Jez, but couldn't say anything, either. Ricky, who was ten, had carroty hair and expressive eyebrows. He gave Jez a big smile that showed chewed-up taco in his mouth and said, â€Å"Hi!† Jez smiled back. No matter what she did, Ricky was there for her. Claire, who was Jez's age, was sitting primly, eating bits of taco with her fork. She looked like a smaller version of Aunt Nan, but with a very sour expression. â€Å"Where have you been?† she said. â€Å"We waited dinner almost an hour for you and you never even called.† â€Å"Sorry,† Jez said, looking at all of them. It was such an incredibly normal family scene, so completely typical, and it struck her to the heart. It was over a year since she had walked out of the Night World to find these people, her mother's relatives. It was eleven and a half months since Uncle Jim had taken her in, not knowing anything about her except that she was his orphaned niece and that her father's family couldn't handle her anymore and had given up on her. All these months, she had lived with the Goddard family- and she still didn't fit in. She could look human, she could act human, but she couldn't be human. Just as Uncle Jim swallowed and got his mouth clear to speak to her, she said, â€Å"I'm not hungry. I think I'll just go do my homework.† Uncle Jim called, â€Å"Wait a minute,† after her, but it was Claire who slammed down her napkin and actually followed Jez through the hall to the other side of the house. â€Å"What do you mean, ‘Sorry'? You do this every day. You're always disappearing; half the time you stay out until after midnight, and then you don't even have an explanation.† â€Å"Yeah, I know, Claire.† Jez answered without looking back. â€Å"Illtry to do better.† â€Å"You say that every time. And every time it's exactly the same. Don't you realize that my parents worry about you? Don't you even care?† â€Å"Yes, I care, Claire.† â€Å"You don't act like it. You act like rules don't apply to you. And you say sorry, but you're just going to do it again.† Jez had to keep herself from turning around and snapping at her cousin. She liked everyone else in the family, but Claire was a royal pain. Worse, she was a shrewd royal pain. And she was right; Jez was going to do it again, and there was no way she could explain. The thing was, vampire hunters have to keep weird hours. When you're on the trail of a vampire-and-shapeshifter killing team, as Jez had been this evening, chasing them through the slums ofOakland , trying to get them cornered in some crack house where there aren't little kids to get hurt, you don't think about missing dinner. You don't stop in the middle of staking the undead to phone home. Maybe I shouldn't have become a vampire hunter, Jez thought. But it's a little late to change now, and somebody's got to protect these stupid- these innocent humans from the Night World. Oh, well. She'd reached the door of her bedroom. Instead of yelling at her cousin, she simply half turned and said, â€Å"Why don't you go work on your Web page, Claire?† Then she opened the door and glanced inside. And froze. Her room, which she had left in military neatness, was a shambles. The window was wide open. Papers and clothes were scattered across the floor. And there was a very large ghoul standing at the foot of the bed. The ghoul opened its mouth menacingly at Jez. â€Å"Oh, very funny,† Claire was saying, right behind her. â€Å"Maybe I should help you with your homework. I hear you're not doing so great in chemistry-â€Å" Jez moved fast, stepping nimbly inside the door and slamming it in Claire's face, pressing the little knob in the handle to lock it. â€Å"Hey!† Now Claire sounded really mad. â€Å"That's rude!† â€Å"Uh, sorry, Claire!† Jez faced the ghoul. What was it doing here? If it had followed her home, she was in bad trouble. That meant the Night World knew where she was. â€Å"You know, Claire, I think I really need to be alone for a little while-I can't talk and do my homework.† She took a step toward the creature, watching its reaction. Ghouls were semi-vampires. They were what happened to a human who was bled out but didn't get quite enough vampire blood in exchange to become a true vampire. They were undead but rotting. They had very little mind, and only one idea in the world: to drink blood, which they usually did by eating as much of a human body as possible. They liked hearts. This ghoul was a new one, about two weeks dead. It was male and looked as if it had been a body-builder, although by now it wasn't so much buff as puffed. Its body was swollen with the gas of decomposition. Its tongue and eyes were protruding, its cheeks were chipmunk-like, and bloody fluid was leaking from its nose. And of course it didn't smell good. As Jez edged closer, she suddenly realized that the ghoul wasn't alone. She could now see around the foot of the bed, and there was a boy lying on the carpet, apparently unconscious. The boy had light hair and rumpled clothes, but Jez couldn't see his face. The ghoul was stooping over him, reaching for him with sausage-shaped fingers. â€Å"I don't think so,† Jez told it softly. She could feel a dangerous smile settling on her face. She reached into her right boot and pulled out the dagger. â€Å"What did you say?† Claire shouted from the other side of the door. â€Å"Nothing, Claire. Just getting out my homework.† Jez jumped onto the bed The ghoul was very big-she needed all the height she could get. The ghoul turned to face her, its lackluster bugeyes on the dagger. It made a little hissing sound around its swollen tongue. Fortunately that was all the noise it could make. Claire was rattling the door. â€Å"Did you lock this? What are you doing in there?† â€Å"Just studying, Claire. Go away.† Jez snapped a foot toward the ghoul, catching it under the chin. She needed to stun it and stake it fast Ghouls weren't smart, but like the Energizer Bunny they kept going and going. This one could eat the entire Goddard family tonight and still be hungry at dawn. The ghoul hit the wall opposite the bed. Jez jumped down, putting herself between it and the boy on the floor. â€Å"What was that noise?† Claire yelled. â€Å"I dropped a book.† The ghoul swung. Jez ducked. There were giant blisters on its arms, the brownish color of old blood. It rushed her, trying to slam her against the chest of drawers. Jez flung herself backward, but she didn't have much room to maneuver. It caught her in the stomach with an elbow, a jarring blow. Jez wouldn't let herself double over. She twisted and helped the ghoul in the direction it was already going, giving it impetus with her foot. It smacked into the window seat, facedown. â€Å"What is going on in there?† â€Å"Just looking for something.† Jez moved before the ghoul could recover, jumping to straddle its legs. She grabbed its hair-not a good idea; it came off in clumps in her hand. Kneeling on it to keep it still, she raised the sum bamboo knife high and brought it down hard. There was a puncturing sound and a terrible smell. The knife had penetrated just under the shoulder blade, six inches into the heart. The ghoul convulsed once and stopped moving. Claire's voice came piercingly from behind the closed door. â€Å"Mom! She's doing something in there!† Then Aunt Nan's voice: â€Å"Jez, are you all right?† Jez stood, pulling her bamboo dagger out, wiping it on the ghoul's shirt. â€Å"I'm just having a little trouble finding a ruler†¦.† The ghoul was in a perfect position. She put her arms around its waist, ignoring the feeling of skin slipping loose under her fingers, and heaved it up onto the window seat. There weren't many human girls who could have picked up almost two hundred pounds of dead weight, and even Jez ended up a little breathless. She gave the ghoul a shove, rolling it over until it reached the open window, then she stuffed and maneuvered it out. It fell heavily into a bed of impatiens, squashing the flowers. Good. She'd haul it away later tonight and dispose of it. Jez caught her breath, brushed off her hands, and closed the window. She drew the curtains shut, then turned. The fair-haired boy was lying perfectly still. Jez touched his back gently, saw that he was breathing. The door rattled and Claire's voice rose hysterically. â€Å"Mom, do you smell that smell?† Aunt Nan called, â€Å"Jez!† â€Å"Coming!† Jez glanced around the room. She needed something†¦ there. The bed. Grabbing a handful of material near the head of the bed, she flipped comforter, blankets and sheets over so they trailed off the foot, completely covering the boy. She tossed a couple of pillows on top of the pile for good measure, then grabbed a ruler off the desk. Then she opened the door, leaned against the doorframe casually, and summoned her brightest smile. â€Å"Sorry about that,† she said. â€Å"What can I do for you?† Claire and Aunt Nan just stared at her. Claire looked like a rumpled, angry kitten. The fine dark hair that framed her face was ruffled; she was breathing hard, and her almond-shaped eyes were flashing sparks. Aunt Nan looked more worried and dismayed. â€Å"Are you okay?† she said, leaning in slightly to try and get a look at Jez's room. â€Å"We heard a lot of noise.† And you'd have heard more earlier if you hadn't been watching TV. â€Å"I'm fine. I'm great. You know how it is when you can't find something.† Jez lifted the ruler. Then she stepped back and opened the door farther. Aunt Nan's eyes widened as she took in the mess. â€Å"Jez†¦ this does not happen when you can't find a ruler. This looks like Claire's room.† Claire made a choked sound of indignation. â€Å"It does not. My room's never been this bad. And what's that smell?† She slipped by Aunt Nan and advanced on Jez, who sidestepped to keep her from getting to the pile of blankets. Claire stopped dead anyway, her face wrinkling. She put a hand to cover her nose and mouth. â€Å"It's you,† she said, pointing at Jez. ‘You smell like that.† â€Å"Sorry.† It was true; what with all the contact she'd had with the ghoul, and the dirty knife in her boot, she was pretty ripe. â€Å"I think I stepped in something on the way home.† â€Å"I didn't smell anything when you came in,† Claire said suspiciously. â€Å"And that's another thing,† Aunt Nan said. She had been glancing around the room, but there was nothing suspicious to see except the unusual clutter-the curtains hung motionless over the shut window; the pile of bedding on the floor was still. Now she turned to face Jez again. â€Å"You didn't call to say you were going to miss dinner again. I need to know where you go after school, Jez. I need to know when you're going to be out late. It's common courtesy.† â€Å"I know. I'll remember next time. I really will.† Jez said it as sincerely as possible, and in a tone she hoped would close the subject. She needed to get rid of these people and look at the boy under the blankets. He might be seriously hurt. Aunt Nan was nodding. â€Å"You'd better. And you'd better take a shower before you do anything else. Throw your clothes in the laundry room; I'll put them in the wash.† She made as if to kiss Jez on the cheek, but stopped, wrinkled her nose, and then just nodded again at her. â€Å"And that's it? That's all?† Claire was looking at her mother in disbelief. â€Å"Mom, she's up to something, can't you see that? She comes in late, smelling like dead skunk and sewage and I don't know what, and then she locks herself in and bangs around and lies, and all you're going to say is Don't do it again'? She gets away with everything around here-â€Å" â€Å"Claire, quit it. She said she was sorry. I'm sure she won't let it happen again.† â€Å"If I did something like that you'd skin me, but, no, if Jez does it, it must be okay. Well, I'll tell you something else. She cut school today. She left before sixth period.† â€Å"Is that true, Jez?† a new voice asked. Uncle Jim was standing in the doorway, pulling at his chin with long fingers. He looked sad. It was true. Jez had left early to set up a trap for the vampire and shapeshifter. She looked at her uncle and made a regretful motion with her head and shoulders. â€Å"Jez, you just can't do that. I'm trying to be reasonable, but this is only the second week of school. You can't start this kind of behavior again. It can't be like last year.† He thought. â€Å"From now on, you leave your motorcycle at home. You drive to school and back with Claire, in the Audi.† Jez nodded. â€Å"Okay, Uncle Jim,† she said out loud. Now go away, she added silently. Thin curls of anxiety were churning in her stomach. â€Å"Thank you.† He smiled at her. â€Å"See?† Claire jumped in, her voice hitting a note to shatter glass. â€Å"This is just what I'm talking about! You never yell at her, either! Is it because you're afraid she'll run away, like she did from her dad's relatives? So everybody has to walk on eggshells around her because otherwise she'll just take off-â€Å" â€Å"Okay, that's it. I'm not listening to any more of this.† Aunt Nan waved a hand at Claire, then turned around to shoo Uncle Jim out of her path. Tm going to clean up the dinner table. If you two want to fight, do it quietly.† â€Å"No, it's better if they do their homework,† Uncle Jim said, moving slowly. â€Å"Both of you, do your homework, okay?† He looked at Jez in a way that was probably meant to be commanding, but came out wistful. â€Å"And tomorrow come home on time.† Jez nodded. Then both adults were gone, but Claire was staring after them. Jez couldn't be sure, but she thought there were tears in her eyes. Jez felt a pang. Of course, Claire was dead on about the leeway Aunt Nan and Uncle Jim gave her. And of course, it wasn't fair to Claire. I should say something to her. Poor little thing. She really feels bad†¦. But before she could open her mouth, Claire whirled around. The eyes that had been wet a moment ago were flashing. â€Å"You just wait,† she said. â€Å"They don't see through you, but I do. You're up to something, and I'm going to find out what it is. And don't think I can't do it.† She turned and stalked out the door. Jez stood for an instant, speechless, then she blinked and closed the door. She locked it. And then for the first time since she'd seen the ghoul, she allowed herself to let out a long breath. That had been close. And Claire was serious, which was going to be a problem. But Jez didn't have time to think about it now. She turned the clock radio on her nightstand to a rock station. A loud one. Then she flipped the covers off the foot of the bed and knelt. The boy was lying facedown, with one arm stretched over his head. Jez couldn't see any blood. She took his shoulder and carefully rolled him over. And stopped breathing. â€Å"Hugh.†

Regulating exploration

To evaluate the existing legal and extra-legal measures used in regulating exploration and production of crude oil in Nigeria, examining the impact of such statutory provisions like the Land Use Act of 1978 and the Nigerian Oil and Gas Content Development Act of 2010 on the industry and discussing their merits and demerits. To find out what current reforms are being planned in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry, for example, The petroleum Industrial Bill (BIB) What are your research questions?What are the applicable laws concerning Oil & Gas production/management in Nigeria? Specifically, what is the rationale behind the enactment of some statutes like the Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010 by the Nigerian Government and how far are public policies biased in favor of â€Å"Indigestion and Negotiations† in the oil & gas sector in Nigeria? What are the current proposals for reforms and what are the future trends for the regulation of Oil and Gas management/production in Nigeria? What is the rationale for your study? 200 – 300 words) Include in your rationale how the research will impact on the organization I have chosen to study this particular research topic of ‘Public Policy and Regulation in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Sector' because it would give me a first-hand understanding of the applicable local laws and regulations pertinent to the Nigerian IL and Gas industry as well as demonstrating a good knowledge of the historical perspectives of state regulation and policies generated by governmental/public interests within the Nigerian petroleum industry.This Study will enable me to explore some of the challenges facing the Nigerian Oil Production like Kidnapping of oil industrial workers/ investors and theft of Crude oil and examine how the State is responding through its public policy and legal frameworks. It is crucial to know if those responses in legal sense are actually working to the benefit of the people or there are loop-hole s.This research will have great impartation on the Nigerian oil and Gas sector because if the study shows any gap or weakness in the applicable laws on this sector, further steps would need to be taken by the Nigerian government to enact new laws or review the existing ones in the interest of the public to bring stability and enhance the economy of Nigeria in the Oil and Gas Industry. Brief review of relevant literature (500 – 600 words) with a minimum of 6 key publications cited. Books 1 . Recuperation. S. (2009) The Political Economy of Oil and Gas in Africa-The case of Nigeria London: Rutledge.This book focuses on the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry. It critically examines the role of Africa in the contribution of Oil and Gas resources to the global energy market and provides an overview of Oil and Gas management activities in some African developing countries. Apart from Nigeria, the book also explores the petroleum production activities in Algeria, Libya, Egypt and Angola and extends its evaluation to the Gulf of Guiana to show its significance as a prolific hydrocarbon bearing zone. 2. Daniels, N Y. (2011) Nigerian Laws, Cases & Materials on Oil & Gas Loosely Baja: Institute for Oil & Gas Law.The book contains detailed Insignia's oil and gas legal system including upstream and downstream petroleum and gas operations. The work is a single compendium comprising all current Laws, Regulations, Cases and commentaries relating to the whole oil & gas industry in Nigeria. 3. Gordon, G. Paterson, J. And Assumes, E. (2011) Oil and Gas Law: Current Practice and Emerging Trends, 2nd edition, Dundee: Dundee University Press. This book widely covers a lot of issues surrounding the general management of oil and gas and its legal frame works.It includes security of petroleum resources, allocation of risks in the oil and gas industry. It details many challenges facing the exploration, production and transportation of petroleum resources including trans-national pipe lines. 4. Goad, M. (1999) Petroleum Development Contracts with Multinational Oil Firms: The Nigerian experience, Maturing: El-Lincoln Services This book specifically focuses on forms and structures of oil and gas management contracts between Nigeria and multinational oil corporations (Moons).It deeply looks into the negotiations which is characterized by contractual obligations between Nigeria seems to be at a disadvantage in comparison with the multinational oil corporations in regards to genealogy, risk capital and management skills in preparation of any legal document. The author critically explore on those significant matters such as oil and gas management control, ownership, technology transfer and issues of indigestion. He also examines the country foreign investment and its oil and gas management policies. The book principally draws on political economy writings in Economics, Politics and Law.It focuses on the question as to whether the petroleum contracts strike a balance be tween foreign exploitation and national policy objectives. Journal Articles 5. Heron, J. 2013) ‘Shell Recommits to Nigeria', Energy Journal, June. 24. The article gives an insight to the recent declaration given by Shell that it intends to remain in Nigeria. Despite several criticisms with accusations of its involvement in human- rights violations and environmental pollution coupled with the kidnapping of its employees in its 77 years of operation in Nigeria, a new investment from its Joint venture totaling $3. Billion was announced. 6. Doable, F. (2013) ‘Implications of new Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010', International Law Office This study looks at the provisions of he 2010 Act and its effect on the operations of oil and gas management in Nigeria. The research focuses on the weaknesses and strength of the statutes, its criticisms and the weight of public policy in it by the government. Outline of research methodology, including Justification for cho ices The following are the methods I hope to employ in my research.Literature Review: This will involve reading books and relevant Journals on the subject of regulation in the Nigerian Petroleum industry. This will give me an insight into the historical perspective of state control and public policy decisions in the country and allow me o sample the opinions of other scholars on the topic. It will also generally allow me to compare my research work with the works of other people and make my own valuable contributions to complement existing studies.Online Research: This will involve going onto the internet to read pertinent news and articles and also extract information from the official websites of companies and government agencies operating within the oil sector in Nigeria. It will also involve an exchange of e-mails with other oil and gas law scholars/researchers. This will give me access to a large vault of useful information for my study/research. Data Collection Methods. Please provide a detailed description of the data collection method(s), study sample, covering selection, number, and if appropriate, inclusion and exclusion criteria.The participants involved in the study and the data collection methods to be used are as follows: Participant Data Collection Method Reason for choice of method Population Size Sample Size Sample Criteria Data Collection Date Former Oil & Gas law colleagues Via e-mail We've previously done many group works together in Aberdeen, Scotland 44 individuals approve 4 individuals Knowledge of Oil & Gas Law September 29th-2nd October 2013 Niger Delta community people Via-e-mail and post Reliable first-hand information can be thus obtained. 0% of the Nigerian population 10 individuals Living in the Nigerian oil-producing regions continuous Oil-Management Executives Telephone Expert information can be thus obtained from those directly involved in the oil industry 55,000 approve. 12-1 people Working in the Nigerian Oil Sector Chapter O utlines – what is going to be in each of your Dissertation chapters Chapter 1 Introduction (Note: the word counts are guidelines only) Chapter 2 Literature Review (2000 – 3000 words) Chapter 3 Methodology (1500-2000 words)