Pine Beetle

Mountain pine beetles (MPB) are the most important insect pest of Colorado's pine forests. MPB often kill large numbers of trees annually during outbreaks. Trees that are not growing vigorously due to old age, crowding, poor growing conditions, drought, fire or mechanical damage, root disease and other causes are most likely to be attacked. For a long-term remedy, thin susceptible stands. Leave well-spaced, healthy trees. For short-term controls, spray, cover, burn or peel attacked trees to kill the beetles. Preventive sprays can protect green, unattacked trees. [pic] |[pic] | |Figure 1: Adult Dendroctonus (left) versus Ips (right). Note gradually curved wing of | |Dendroctonus. Actual size of Dendroctonus from 1/8 to 1/3 inch, Ips 1/3 to 1/4 inch. | Mountain pine beetle (MPB), Dendroctonus ponderosae, is native to the forests of western North America. Periodic outbreaks of the insect, previously called the Black Hills beetle or Rocky Mountain pine beetle, can result in losses of mi llions of trees.Outbreaks develop irrespective of property lines, being equally evident in wilderness areas, mountain subdivisions and back yards. Even windbreak or landscape pines many miles from the mountains can succumb to beetles imported in infested firewood. Mountain pine beetles develop in pines, particularly ponderosa, lodgepole, Scotch and limber pine. Bristlecone and pinyon pine are less commonly attacked. During early stages of an outbreak, attacks are limited largely to trees under stress from injury, poor site conditions, fire damage, overcrowding, root disease or old age.However, as beetle populations increase, MPB attacks may involve most large trees in the outbreak area. A related insect, the Douglas-fir beetle (D. pseudotsugae), occasionally damages Douglas-fir. Most often, outbreaks are associated with previous injury by fire or western spruce budworm. (See fact sheet 5. 543, Western Spruce Budworms). Spruce beetle (D. rufipennis) is a pest of Engelmann and Colorad o blue spruce in Colorado. Injured pines also can be attacked by the red turpentine beetle (D. valens).Mountain pine beetles and related bark beetles in the genus Dendroctonus can be distinguished from other large bark beetles in pines by the shape of the hind wing cover (Figure 1, top). In side view, it is gradually curved. The wing cover of Ips or engraver beetles, another common group of bark beetles attacking conifers, is sharply spined (Figure 1, bottom). Signs and Symptoms of MPB Attack Popcorn-shaped masses of resin, called â€Å"pitch tubes,† on the trunk where beetle tunneling begins. Pitch tubes may be brown, pink or white (Figures 2 and 6).Boring dust in bark crevices and on the ground immediately adjacent to the tree base. Evidence of woodpecker feeding on trunk. Patches of bark are removed and bark flakes lie on the ground or snow below tree. Foliage turning yellowish to reddish throughout the entire tree crown. This usually occurs eight to 10 months after a succ essful MPB attack. Presence of live MPB (eggs, larvae, pupae and/or adults) as well as galleries under bark. This is the most certain indicator of infestation. A hatchet for removal of bark is needed to check trees correctly (Figures 3, 5 and 8). Bluestained sapwood (Figure 9).Check at more than one point around the tree's circumference. |[pic] | |Figure 10: Large, uninfested pine being preventively sprayed. This | |protects high-value trees and should be done annually between April 1 | |and July 1. | Natural controls of mountain pine beetle include woodpeckers and insects such as clerid beetles that feed on adults and larvae under the bark. However, during outbreaks these natural controls often fail to prevent additional attacks. Extreme cold temperatures also can reduce MPB populations.For winter mortality to be a significant factor, a severe freeze is necessary while the insect is in its most vulnerable stage; i. e. , in the fall before the larvae have metabolized glycerols, or in late spring when the insect is molting into the pupal stage. For freezing temperatures to affect a large number of larvae during the middle of winter, temperatures of at least 30 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) must be sustained for at least five days. Logs infested with MPB can be treated in various ways to kill developing beetles before they emerge as adults in summer.One very effective way to kill larvae developing under the bark (though very labor intensive) is by peeling away the bark, either by hand or mechanically; this exposes the larvae to unfavorable conditions — the larvae will dehydrate, starve and eventually die. Logs my also be burned or scorched in a pile — preferably when there is snow on the ground (contact your local forester for assistance). They can also be buried under at least eight inches of soil, or chipped. Following beetle emergence, wood can be used without threat to other trees.Chemical control options for MPB larvae have been greatly lim ited in recent years. At present, there are no labeled pesticides for use on MPB. Solar treatments may be appropriate in some areas of Colorado to reduce beetle populations in infested trees. For the treatment to be effective, the temperature under the bark much reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Such treatments can be performed with or without plastic. This method is also labor intensive; contact your local forester for more details on solar treatments. Prevention An important method of prevention involves forest management.In general, MPB prefers forests that are old and dense. Managing the forest by creating diversity in age and structure with result in a healthy forest that will be more resilient and, thus, less vulnerable to MPB. Most mature Colorado forests have about twice as many trees per acre as those forests which are more resistent to MPB. Contact your local forester for more information on forest management practices. Certain formulations of carbaryl (Sevin and other s) permethrin (Astro, Dragnet and others), and bifenthrin (Onyx) are registered for use to prevent attacks on individual trees.These sprays are applied to living green trees in early summer to kill or deter attacking beetles. This preventive spray is generally quite effective through one MPB flight (one year). |[pic] | |Figure 11: The appearance of a forest thinned to help prevent MPB. This| |can also improve mountain views and reduce fire hazard. | During epidemic conditions, the pressure from beetle populations may result in less satisfactory results due to several factors:

Dr. Jose Rizal’s My Last Farewell: Last Notes Before His Execution

â€Å"Mi ultimo adios† (Spanish  for â€Å"My Last Farewell†) is a  poem  written by  Philippine  national hero Dr  Jose Rizal  on the eve of his  executionon 30 December 1896. This poem was one of the last notes he wrote before his death; another that he had written was found in his shoe but because the text was illegible, its contents remains a mystery. Title Rizal did not ascribe a title to his poem. Mariano Ponce, his friend and fellow reformist, titled it  Mi Ultimo Pensamiento  (My Last Thought) in the copies he distributed, but this did not catch on. â€Å"On the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1896, a day before his execution, Dr.Jose Rizal was visited by his mother, Teodora Alonzo, sisters Lucia, Josefa, Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa, and two nephews. When they took their leave, Rizal told Trinidad in English that there was something in the small alcohol stove (cocinilla), not alcohol lamp (lamparilla). The stove was given to Narcisa by the guard when the party was about to board their carriage in the courtyard. At home, the Rizal ladies recovered from the stove a folded paper. On it was written an unsigned, untitled and undated poem of 14 five-line stanzas. The Rizals reproduced copies of the poem and sent them to Rizal's friends in the country and abroad.In 1897, Mariano Ponce in Hong Kong had the poem printed with the title â€Å"Mi Ultimo Pensamiento. † Fr. Mariano Dacanay, who received a copy of the poem while a prisoner in Bilibid (jail), published it in the first issue of  La Independencia  on Sept. 25, 1898 with the title â€Å"Ultimo Adios†. †Ã‚  [1] The stove was not delivered until after the execution as Rizal needed it to light the room. This 14-stanza poem of Jose Rizal talks about his â€Å"Goodbyes† to his dear Fatherland where his love is dedicated to. He wrote it on the evening before his execution. Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun caress'd Pearl of the Orient seas, our E den lost! Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life's best, And were it brighter, fresher, or more blest Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost. On the field of battle, ‘mid the frenzy of fight, Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed; The place matters not-cypress or laurel or lily white, Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight, T is ever the same, to serve our home and country's need. Interpretation The first stanza speaks about Rizal’s beautiful description of his Fatherland. He used the biblical Eden to describe the Pre-Hispanic Philippines which is an imaginary time of purity and innocence.He adores the beautiful country that he and others are fighting for. He said that he is glad to give his life to Filipinas even though his life was brighter, fresher, or more blest than it is  now  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ pertaining to the time when he wrote the poem. The second stanza speaks about the men who gave their life to his beloved country. Riza l said that their dedication and patriotism to the country is without second thoughts. It doesn’t matter how one struggles, that all struggles, all deaths, are worth it if it is for the good of the country. The third stanza speaks about Rizal’s love of liberty.The image of dawn that Rizal used in the first line signifies the liberation that he adores. In the third and fourth line, he says that if the colour of liberation lacks his blood, he must die for the country to attain freedom. The fourth stanza presents the flashback of Rizal’s love for the patria that started when he was young. He was young when he saw the martyrdom of the GOMBURZA and promised that he would dedicate himself to avenge one day for those victims. His dreams were to see his country in eminent liberation, free from sorrow and grief. The fifth stanza repeats Rizal’s dream of complete liberation. All Hail! † signifies that he is positively welcoming the dawn of freedom after his d eath. He also repeats what he has said in the third stanza that it is his desire to dedicate his life to the Patria. The sixth stanza describes the image of Rizal’s grave being forgotten someday. The grassy sod may represent the country’s development, the growth of liberty, and that with the redemption of the country, he becomes forgotten. Rizal does not say here that he wants monuments, streets, or schools in his name, just a fond kiss and a warm breath so he could feel he is not forgotten.In the seventh stanza, Rizal says he wants to see or feel the moon, dawn, wind, and a bird over his grave. The moon’s beam may represent a night without its gloom like a country without its oppressors. The imagery of dawn has been repeated here and its radiant flashes represent the shining light of redemption that sheds over his honour. Only the wind will lament over his grave. The bird does not lament him but sings of peace, the peace that comes with liberation and the peace with which he rests below.In the eighth stanza, the metaphor of the sun drawing the vapors up to the sky signifies that the earth is being cleansed by the sun like taking away the sorrows and tears that has shed including his last cry. Line 3 reminds us to remember why he died – for the redemption of the country. And he wants to hear a prayer in the still evening – evening because he may also want to see a beam of light from the moon which he stated in the stanza 7, and that it is before the  dawn. Prayers he stated that will make him rest in peace in God’s hands.Rizal said in the ninth stanza that he also wants his fellowmen to also pray for others who also have died and suffered for the country. Also pray for the mothers, the orphans and widows, and the captives who also have cried and have tortured, and again, for his soul to rest in peace. The tenth stanza says that Rizal’s tomb is on the graveyard with the other dead people. Rizal says that in the night, he does not want to be disturbed in his rest along with the others and the mystery the graveyard contains. And whenever we hear a sad song emanating from the grave, it is he who sings for his fatherland.In the eleventh stanza, Rizal says a request that his ashes be spread by the plough before it will no longer take significance. His ashes represent his thoughts, words, and philosophy making it his intellectual remains. The symbolic ashes should be spread all over Filipinas to fertilize the new free country long after he is forgotten. The twelfth stanza again speaks about being forgotten but Rizal does not care about it anymore. Oblivion does not matter for he would travel far and wide over his beloved fatherland. He keeps his faith with him as he sings his hymn for the nation.Rizal says goodbye to his adored Fatherland in the thirteenth stanza. He gives goodbye to his parents, friends, and the small children. He gives everything to Filipinas. Now, he satisfies his death by s aying he will be going to a place where there is peace – no slaves, no oppressors, no killed faith. He is going to a place where God rules over – not the tyrants. Finally, in the last stanza, Rizal cries his farewell to all his fellowmen – his childhood friends, and his sweet friend that lightened his way. In the last line, he repeats that â€Å"In Death there is rest! † which means that he, being ready to be executed, is happy to die in peace.

Computer Science Essay

Internet Information Services (ISS) has become one of the mostly used technologies in the Information Systems to handle Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests. However, hackers have greatly targeted these IIS. Moreover, some viruses such as the Nimbda and Code Red have caused severe damages on IIS servers. This paper highlights on the various steps which IIS administrators ought to put into consideration in order to ascertain security for their corporations’ IIS servers by locking down their IIS web servers. Securing the IIS Web Servers The IIS is used to create, manage and secure websites and is included in the Windows New Technology Operating Systems. To ensure that the IIS server is secured, firstly, the IIS administrator must make sure that he has the system installed with latest updated service pack and the most current IIS packets. Additionally, other packets that are necessary for Windows 2000 must also be availed. In order to maintain the server operating steadily, the administrator has to register for the automatic security updates. Afterwards, the HiSecWeb package has to be unpacked in order to configure the computer well for IIS security. The IIS configuration settings are located in metabase, which is a data storage area. The metabase has a hierarchical organization structure, which depicts the IIS installation structure. After successful installation of the latest updated operating system and the IIS, the process of securing then gets on the move. This process begins at the network layer (Novick, 2010). In order to lock the network, the router, firewall and switch have to be configured to specifically allow external networks’ traffic pass to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) port. In the web server’s Internet Protocol (IP) address, the TCP is port 80 but when using the Secure Socket Layer (SSL), it is port 443. This configuration, though not complicated, bars the attack of the web server by any malicious external intruders. Securing the network only protects the web server. Therefore and as aforementioned, after testing the security updates of the operating system and the IIS patches, automatic updates is scheduled. In adding security and removing vulnerabilities to the IIS application, the administrator has to rename, disable or delete the IUSR account and recreate it. The IUSR account refers to an anonymous user in the web. For faster and straightforward securing of this account, the IIS Lockdown Tool, which is a product from Microsoft, is run. This tool uses the New Technology (NT) and IIS existing facilities in protecting the IIS server from the earlier mentioned viruses and other known and mysterious attacks. The use of this tool qualifies the account to become a member of the local group of the web anonymous users. Moreover, the Lockdown tool involuntarily dispenses the web anonymous users’ local group Deny Write or Deny Execute authorizations to the corporation’s directories on the web. Likewise, adding these group users to be members of the local group will give the same results. UrlScan Security tool is also found within the Lockdown tool and it helps, in conjunction with the former tool, in eliminating web extensions that are considered to be dangerous and of no consequence and checking any attempts to run EXE, IDA and HTA file extensions that are restricted. Furthermore, they put a ceiling on the HTTP request types to be processed by the IIS server (Novick, 2010). Disabling socket pooling also plays a pivotal role in IIS securing. The technique of connection pooling allows many sites to share TCP sockets. Consequently, disabling this enhancement will ensure that the IIS server is not in a position run services that are using ports with similar port numbers. Since the socket pooling option is by default enabled, the administrator renders it inoperative by configuring the DiasbleSocketPooling, an option in the llisWebServer classes and llsWebService. The IIS web server can further be secured by implementing various logon methods by applying basic authentication realms. For instance, web server user privileges. This strategy assigns a user name and password that ensures only the users having them are the ones who can physically access the server. Another logon procedure is the use of password pass through. The server only authenticates the user after having entered his/her credentials which have to be entered for each subsequent page in the web (Kozicki, 2003). To further the security of the server, an encryption connection may also be used. However, this option of securing the IIS server has some loopholes since the username and the password are passed over the internet in each log in thus becomes exposed to hackers. Therefore, in order to increase the security levels of the IIS server, modification can be made. These include employment of authentication methods that are interactive, application authentication and authentication of the network that has the capability to preserve the user credentials. Since IIS servers are highly exposed to public internet, the IIS security checklist provided by Microsoft is also reliable. This provides an extensive security function to the server through the numerous steps of installation and application settings for maximum functionality. However, most of the implementation procedures and steps are more or less similar to those of the UrlScan and the IIS Lockdown tool.

Ethics behind Credit Rating Agencies business and the role of Assignment

Ethics behind Credit Rating Agencies business and the role of regulator issues - Assignment Example The credit rating agencies plays an important role in assessing the credit worthiness of the company. Creditworthiness is considered as a parameter in evaluating the willingness and the capacity of the debtor to repay the debt. There are various credit rating agencies in the world. Among the various credit agencies, the three most popular and well known credit rating agencies are Standard and Poor, Fitch group and Moody’s. Each credit rating agencies has its own rating scale for ranking and rating the companies across the world (Bahena, 2010). The Credit rating agencies played an important role in influencing and facilitating the investors to invest in the international securities. The credit rating agencies have devoted themselves in designing the structure of the agencies. The Credit rating agencies were assigned with responsibilities during the period of financial crisis prevailing in the economy. But it has been observed that the agencies were unregulated before the financial crisis. After the financial crisis the government has imposed restriction and emphasized on maintaining transparency in its rating procedures for the growth and development of the agencies. The credit rating agencies faced criticism during the period of financial crisis, since it failed to publish verifiable and valid data about the rating performance of the companies. The criticisms encountered by the rating agencies were mainly due to the following reasons such as the underestimation of the correlation due to the default during the economic downturn, the lack of sufficient data, overreliance on the statistical and mathematical methodologies by the credit rating agencies has resulted in furnishing of inadequate data and the disregard of various conflicting interest. The credit rating agencies receives revenue from the issuers of the companies. Suppose a company is rated high by one credit rating agency as compared to other credit agency then the company will prefer to rate

IT Oversight Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IT Oversight - Case Study Example Consequently, these issues have created greater demand for the organizations to adopt effective IT governance and address the issue of oversight in order to effectively deal with the emerging issues. Presently, companies are identified to face problems in the area of IT governance and oversight framework with respect to proper management and maintenance of existing IT infrastructure. Additionally, companies fail to understand the importance of IT in formulating organizational strategies. Due to increased complication associated with management of IT infrastructure, companies are witnessed to be challenged with ensuring reliability, security and quality of the existing IT system which are deemed to be important for carrying out the day- to-day operations of a company. Companies lacking knowledge about IT infrastructure are unaware regarding software, information and hardware that are owned and implemented, which in return is affecting the companies from leveraging the best outcome from their IT investment. The failure of companies to review reliability and security measures has led to service disruption. There is also the issue of inappropriate project management system owing to which companies are identified to face problems in tracking inventory, orders and revenues. A number of organizations are also identified to face IT-related issue in relation to the implementation of legacy system. Inappropriateness of legacy system adversely affects accounting department of companies in updating as well as accounting financial information and other relevant data due to which data might become out-of-date. Companies are also under the threat of legal problem of intellectual property which in turn is causing a rise in distraction costs and affecting business inefficiency (Nolan & McFarlan, 2005). Companies are required to develop a matrix based on which the management might be able to determine the position of the

Analysis of Articles about Warm Bodies Movie Annotated Bibliography

Analysis of Articles about Warm Bodies Movie - Annotated Bibliography Example The author recognizes the uniqueness of the zombie in warm waters movie compared to other zombies seen in movies or read in books. The author tries to analyze the contribution of â€Å"R† as the main character. The article will be fundamental in understanding zombies, the role of â€Å"R,† and how the movie grabbed teens attention. As such, the article is current and relevant to reviewing the movie, Warm waters. Hamilton, Mary. â€Å"Warm Bodies: what our love affair with zombies says about us.† The Guardian, 8 February 2013. Web. 16 March 2015. < http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/08/warm-bodies-film-zombie-love-affair> The article by Mary Hamilton shows how our relationships with zombies say about our culture. The author reckons that Warm Bodies is a zombie romantic comedy that invades popular consciousness. The article asserts that zombie movies have been attracting immense attention in the recent past. The author presents the cultural significance of zombies and notes that zombies depict human loneliness and ability to deal with the disaster. According to the author, the cultural significance of zombies has changed over time and recognizes the epidemic of zombie culture seen in books, films, games, and zombie experiences. The article claims that the movie, Warm Bodies is just another zombie story where zombies are human but act like monsters. The audience can use the article to understand the impact of zombies on our culture where humanizing monsters relates to the acceptance of our dark cultures. The journal article by Kevin Johnson shows how the main character â€Å"R† is special than the other zombies seen in movies or read about in books. The article depicts R as a hero who survived a plague. Unlike other zombies, the author shows that R (Nicholas Hoult) depicts a high thinking capacity while he was wandering through an airport.     Ã‚  

Choose one a particular subject from the book Essay

Choose one a particular subject from the book - Essay Example The book was written by Linda Diebel who is known for working in order to uncover the human right abuses that are covered by a glossy lie which sabotage the democracy and the freedom. Investigation in the book is linked with a great historical event which was assassination of a great and internationally well known human rights lawyer Digna Ochoa during the year 2001. Book starts with an extensive survey of the political landscape of Mexico which unfolds the upsetting development of death squads which are based in a Canadian tourist destination. The inquiry which was linked with Ochoa’s murder is a very important controversy in the history of human rights and people protecting human rights. Her murder which on the surface was declared a suicide was an obsession for Diebel who knew Digna Ochoa. They were together for about seven years while they were working in Star’s Mexico City bureau. The said book narrates about all the horror and mysterious stories which came out of Central America’s history in. There is a suspicion drawn by Diebel towards government authorities linked with asking too many questions which are an integral part of history. Diebel talks about all the important historical events linked with Ochoa’s death where she herself was present and she recorded the events first hand. Digna Ochoa was demanded dead, on 19th October 2001, she was found shot twice, once in the thigh and once in the head at the office on Mexico City’s Zacatecas street which was located in the rundown Colonia Roma neighborhood. People who were close to Ochoa were not that surprised when they got to know about her sudden death as they were well aware of her practice of law which was extremely risky. She was a scorching and minuscule ex nun who was a pain for the political establishments for several years along with the Mexican army. She had a strong say on the court and was an integral character in the arena of international human rights. She wa s associated with many human rights campaigns on behalf of the accused Zapatistas who were ill treated and tortured by the Mexican army and other cruel clients. Ochoa was an Indian descent and she has a special feel for the Mexico’s indigenous poor and she was an important and crucial character in the cases that were challenging and against the nation’s new post NAFTA economy along with all the impact it was having on the poorest classes negatively (Diebel, n. p.) One week before her murder, Ochoa was in the rugged hill country of Guerrero which was beneath the brooding peaks of the Sierra Madre where she met peasant activists working for the organization of peasant ecologist of the Sierra Petatlan. It talks about the fact how all these people were locked in life and death struggle with the politicians and also the American logging companies. The book clearly reveals how the peasants wanted to stop the forest clearing which was covering the Sierra forest which was extr emely profitable and important for the powerful and the rich class as the trees disappeared throughout the mountain road but it was extremely important peasant ecologists as it was like a life sustaining base for them. Many group members were already arrested on various charges along with many hiding in the caves of Sierra and also the canyons (HarperCollins, n.

Student Action Plan LSL Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Student Action Plan LSL - Assignment Example For example if we waste the clean supply of water now and continue to pollute the remaining by industrial waste, we are assured that the forthcoming generation will be forced to desalinate water. From my educational experience I seek to treasure the environment as the most precious gift that the creator ever awarded man as a source of resources. I also seek to enlighten others on the importance of utilizing our resources accordingly. It is also my obligation to inform others that sustainability is not only a matter of environmental maintenance but as a social responsibility of all and to ensure that they maintain ethical behaviors. It is with no doubt that based on my interest in this field I will be highly interested in advancing in this field of professionalism. In order to ensure that I play a productive role in ensuring the sustainability of the environment, I must be socially responsible. To ensure that we have reliable soil, I seek to enlighten others on the importance of not dumping untreated chemical waste. To save water, I will minimize waste of water and ensuring that I tell others on the same. Finally when it comes to minimizing wastage of resources, I seek to educate others on the importance or recycling and reusing material so as to outdoor reduce the stress on the need for new ones. I must make a difference on this planet because it houses my present and my future, together with that of others too. It is therefore my responsibility to ensure the existence of both the present and the future. In this light, below I present my sustainability plan: Back in the house, I seek to completely change the lighting system to use energy saving bulbs. In addition the source of electricity is to be changed from grid electricity to renewable energy sources such as solar panels. I also want to advocate for purchase of fully electric cars like the Tesla s. At the campus, I seek to audit their energy use, from which I will be able to assist them on how

Finace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Finace - Essay Example Moreover, by selling their stocks public, the company’s innovation sector might be affected (Hinchcliffe 25). With this, company will have a large management structure which could impair the level of innovation hence reduce the development of new products that are demanded by the users (Healey 13). On the other hand, the IPO will assist the company in acquiring more capital that could improve the level of innovation and improvement of the infrastructure which would therefore translate into better users’ services. The manner in which innovation will be unveiled by the company will could also change in order to protect the users from hackers. In addition, the IPO will imply that the company’s culture has to change (Healey 14). A public company has to adhere to the several regulations of the commission in terms of its management and the manner of operation. This will then affect service delivery to the users who might expect delays in launching new products or brands. By going public through the offering, face book will be in a position to become accountable to the users. A public company is obliged to make public their financial statements and their undertakings (Hinchcliffe 25). Users, whose expectations and rights are violated will therefore get the opportunity to seek remedy and would get the support of the regulators. In summary, face book IPO impacts on the users even though majority is not concerned with the potential outcome and impacts. The major impact will however be on the users’ privacy rights. An IPO enables a company to attract more capital that can be used for expansion or improvement of services and these would be felt by the consumers. Healey, Jon. "Facebook IPO Disappoints, to the Delight of Many - latimes.com." Los Angeles Times - California, national and world news - latimes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2012.

Current Event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Current Event - Essay Example But to characterize this crisis as a tribal conflict would be simplistic in the extreme. To the contrary, the Darfur crisis is caused by political, economic and social marginalization that, unless properly addressed by both national policies, will wreak havoc upon the region for some time into the future. To fully understand the root causes of the present crisis, it is necessary to gain a complete appreciation of the Darfur region in its proper geographic and historical contexts. Geographically speaking, the western portion of Sudan known as Darfur is in area about 493,180 square kilometers, about 20% of the nation's total territory of 2,505, 813 square kilometers and is subdivided into three wilayats or states known as Gharb (West) Darfur, Janub (South) Darfur, and Shamal (North) Darfur. These states suffer from the lack of perennial watercourses and as a result, their population is scarce and tends to cluster around permanent wells. Western Darfur is a plain that has the greatest water supply. The drainage from the volcanic massif, the Jabal Marrah, washes onto the plain, allowing for a somewhat larger settled population. This area also has a significant portion of the so-called qoz sands. Here, although livestock raising is the major economic activity, significant crop cultivation also takes place. In contrast, North and South Darfur are semi-deserts that have little water from the wadis or the wells that dry up in the winter. The soils in these areas support vegetation for grazing (Geography). The entire region has few natural resources. About six million people inhabit Darfur, drawn from about eighty different tribes and ethnic groups. From a subsistence perspective, these ethnic groups fit into two categories. First, there are the livestock herders who are for the most part, Arabic speakers. The second group is composed of the farmers, who are bilingual and are considered Africans. The ethnic groups in Darfur include the Fur, Bani Halba, Tanhor, Borty, Habaniya, Zaghawa, Zayadia, Rizaigat, Masaleet, Taaishya, Maidoub, Bargo, Dajs, Bani Hussain, Tama, Mahria, Mohameed, Salamat, Messairia, Eraighat, Etafab, Fallata, Ghimir, Bani Mansour, Ab-Darag, Selaihab, Mima, Turgom, Marareet and other African and Arabian tribes. The language spoken is Arabic and the religion for both Arabs and Africans is Sunni Muslims (Darfur Conflict). Historically, the inception of modern day Darfur came with the Fur dominated Keira dynasty that arose in the seventeenth century. This sultanate, which was established by Sulayman Solongdungo (1650- 1680), managed its expansion throughout the region through a combination of peaceful and coercive incorporation of territorial and tribal groups (Young). In 1787, Sultan Mohammed Tayrab extended the sultanate to the Nile when he conquered the Funj province of Korodofan (Young, 2). The rulers of the Keira dynasty then continued to encourage a pattern of immigration into the region to provide for increased manpower needs. Whole groups were brought into the area through means such as land grants and high sultanate positions (Young, 2). Eventually, this process of assimilation and incorporation settled the basic pattern of ethnic grouping into specific regions that still stand to the present day. The tribal distribution that emerged can be categorized by livelihood and ecology. The sedentary farmers, which include

Business Ethics vs. Success in Modern Business Paper 2 Research

Business Ethics vs. Success in Modern Business 2 - Research Paper Example Ethics in business is a descriptive as well as a normative field. Nevertheless, researchers exploring matters related to the business and ethics are always concerned about one issue. While studying the business and ethics, to what extent are the just and the unjust attitudes in the business are explored? (Tseng et al., 2010). Good ethics is not necessarily good business. The contemporary firms in the USA and the UK are quite worried about their image in the corporate world and the way they are talked about by the people. It is because of this concern that a vast majority of the current economic scandals that are either linked with the corrupt behaviors or the illegal actions have conventionally ruined the public image and thus the value of the firms involved. Nevertheless, more needs to be done in order to make the contemporary firms refrain from the fraud than just forming new laws and regulations. Employees need to make themselves completely aware of the potential ways in which their firms’ image and future can be ruined by the influence of corruption. It is not compulsory that corruption exists in every department of a particular firm. Enron provides a good example for that. Enron’s management was involved in corrupt activities but Enron’s employees always criticized the managersà ¢â‚¬â„¢ activities and condemned them. The real problem commenced after everybody had given up trying to identify a solid definition of the values (Wieland, 2010). The workers’ association with the firm would definitely improve with the positive energy that is generated by having a suitable space for the functioning of the firm. The improved loyalty would reflect in the increased productivity of the workers. When a firm is caught in the acts of corruption, there needs to be done something in order to safeguard the reputation and hence the future of the firm. There are businessmen that tend to

Maya Angelou Essay Example for Free

Maya Angelou Essay In Maya Angelou autobiography I know why the caged bird sings many themes and issues are looked at. This autobiography shows the difficulty of a black woman growing up surrounded by discrimination and poverty, but also shows her determination, joy and hope. Maya Angelou describes her relationship with many character, this in it self is a theme of her writing, the way she sees people in her own light. Some characters that may be seen to be good people are changed by Mayas opinion. A good example of this is the contrast between Mayas mother and Mayas fathers girlfriend. If both these characters were described, the fathers girlfriend maybe considers the better person. This is not the case after reading this book, as Maya has a way of making the reader see these characters as she sees them. After the separation of Maya Angelous parents she and her brother Bailey were sent away to live with her grandmother when Maya was only three. This must have been a terrible experience for a young child to go through, which some may think would have left Maya with resentment towards her mother. In fact this was quite the opposite. When Maya meet her mother again after she left her, Maya discarded the fact that she sent her away. She describes how as soon as she saw her mother, the nights she spent crying for her was forgotten. I knew immediately why she had sent me away. She was too beautiful to have children. (Maya Angelou, 1984, P58) This was Mayas way of justifying her mother actions. Even if it maybe considered a bad thing what her mother did, Maya still thought she was wonderful. Later on in this book Mayas mother did another bad thing. She shot someone twice, which again maybe considered a bad thing to do. Since she had intended to shoot him (notice: shoot, not kill) she had no reason to run away, so she shot him a second time. He had been shot, true, but in her fairness she had warned him. (Maya Angelou, 1984, pages 202 and 203) The language used when Maya describes this event show she thinks that this is not a major or bad thing that has happened. Maya again shows her mother as not a bad person even though what she has done is wrong. Mayas mother was also believed to be a prostitute; Maya believes this too but again discards the idea because she knew that if that were true then she wouldnt be able to live with her, which she wanted to. Even though Mayas mother could be considered a bad mother, Maya thinks extremely highly of her. This can be seen from the choice of lexis, Maya uses to describe her mother. Maya always used nice words such as beautiful, warm, glorious. Maya is also enthusiastic when talking about her mother. At one point Maya goes to stay with her father and his girlfriend. Maya believed that being her mother was so beautiful, any woman her father was with after her mother would have been just as beautiful if not more. This was the start of Mayas disappointment when meeting her stepmother. Maya disliked Dolores (her stepmother); you could tell this from the contrast in tones, from the happy tone when see talks about her mother to the dull and spiteful tone used when describing Dolores. If Dolores had been a little less aloof, a little more earthy She was mean and petty and full of pretense. (Maya Angelou, 1984, pages 222 and 223) Dolores theoretically was a good, honest person. She was a good, hardworking wife; she took Maya into her home and treated her well. Even though this, she is still seen as the bad one by the end of this part, from the way Maya talks about her. Maya uses mean words to describe Dolores, and is also sarcastic towards her when talking about her and their home. She was on close terms with her washing machine and ironing board. (Maya Angelou, 1984, P221) This shows one of the sarcastic phases used by Maya Angelou. It also shows that Maya was not the innocent party in her conflict with her stepmother. Maya went out of her way to irritate Dolores and to make her jealous of Maya relationship with her father. Dolores still comes of as the bad one at the end, after an argument with Maya. Maya tries to be nice to Dolores, but Dolores ends up calling Mayas mother a whore. Even though this is possibly true and Maya questions this, she still defends her mother. It is Maya that makes the first attack on Dolores; Maya justifies her behaviour, which leaves her looking the better person. What did she expect if she called my mother a whore? (Maya Angelou, 1984, P239) Another character who has an unexpected outcome is the dentist, Dr Lincoln. At one stage Maya, as a child was in a lot of pain with toothache. At the Maya was living with her grandmother in Stamps. The nearest Negro dentist to them was twenty-five miles away, which was too far for Maya to travel in such pain. As a result Mayas grandmother took her to a dentist near by that owed her a favour. Many would believe a dentist to be a respectable, good, reliable person. This was not the case of Dr Lincoln. He refused to help a child in pain, even though Mayas grandmother stopped him losing his business by lending him money. When speaking to Mayas grandmother, Dr Lincoln was very abrupt and rude to her. He did not even acknowledge Maya, or the fact her face was swollen and she was in pain. Id rather stick my hand in a dogs mouth than in a niggers'(Maya Angelou, 1984, P184) This was the harsh phase that Dr Lincoln used. This also shows discrimination and racism, another major theme in Maya Angelous autobiography. After Dr Lincoln refuses to help, Mayas grandmother follows him in his office. When she later describes what happened she says that Dr Lincoln and the nurse were as thick as thieves. This is a simile used to accentuate Dr Lincoln characteristics. From the way Maya Angelou has written her autobiography I know why the caged bird sings she has managed to successfully express peoples true characters. People that may be considered to have a good character such as Dr Lincoln have been shown for who they really are. This has been done by the choice of lexis and the tones that she has used to create different atmospheres when describing certain characters.

Behavioural and Cognitive Approaches to Learning Comparison

Behavioural and Cognitive Approaches to Learning Comparison Compare and contrast two perspectives in psychology and the ways in which they study learning. The two perspectives chosen to be compared in this essay were the behavioural approach to learning and the cognitive approach. The behavioural approach to learning involves the observation of identifiable behavioural characteristics and rejects anything to do with thought processes or consciousness as it regards these features unrecognisable (Miell et al, 2002). Contrastingly, the cognitive approach focuses entirely upon thought processes and the faculties associated with the conceptual mind to understand the concept learning. In this assignment we will look at the ways in which these two fields have provided support for the concept of learning, whilst appreciating the similarities and differences of either approach. The behavioural perspective was established by Watson. Concerned with the principles of objective scientific research, Watson rejected the notion of internal psychological mechanics as he believed that this could not be empirically measured (Miell et al, 2002). All Watson was interested in was observable external phenomena, which meant behaviour. The emphasis that Watson and behaviourism put on the concept of learning was that of the association made by the organism to its external environment. This places the individual as a learning vessel reacting to the environment. However, the extent and nature of this relationship has been argued across the field of behaviourist research. A fundamental distinction between the two approaches to learning within the field of behaviourism is within the notion of conditioning classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Research into classical conditioning was defined in principle by physiologist Pavlov (Miell et al, 2002). Pavlov observed tha t in relation to certain stimuli dog’s behaviour could be conditioned through association. Using the dogs’ biological response to hunger, Pavlov revealed in his experiments the basic principle relationship between an observable stimulus and its learned response as an outcome. His work indicated that a dogs’ natural reflex to hunger could be conditioned through the contrived association of a manipulated neutral stimulus. Essentially, he showed that pairing the noise of a bell with the introduction of food the dog would salivate eventually learning through association that the bell signified food. This response was labelled the conditional response and the bell was labelled the conditional stimulus. In classical conditioning, we can see that learning is defined as a modification of behaviour caused by association and manipulation of environmental stimuli. However, the extent of intelligence involved in this form of learning is very limited. The second distinction in the behavioural approach is operant conditioning. Research conducted by Skinner gave insight into the notion of developmental or figurative learning in the form of reward and positive regard (Skinner, 1948/1990). This approach assumed that animals were primarily interactive within the role of learning behaviours. Given a variety of different consequences for each potential behaviour, it was believed that animals could decide what behaviour was best to adopt in any particular environment as it had learned and could apply through relevant schemas. In Skinner’s experiment, he used rats and manipulated their environment through reinforcement to see to what extent their behaviour could be shaped through conditioned learning (Skinner, 1948/1990). Essentially, the rats in this experiment changed their behaviours through positive reinforcement, which provided evidence of learning. From these findings the role of discrimination between stimuli was believed to be understood in the form of shaping. What had been established in both forms of behavioural models is that learning could be shaped through the manipulation of specific stimuli in any environment. However, what underlines these behavioural models of learning is the idea that learning is no more than a response to certain stimuli under manipulative environmental conditioning. This is where we can see a significant difference between that of the behavioural approach and that of the cognitive. The cognitive approach addresses the human capacity to categorise, generalise and conceptualise certain phenomena (Miell, 2002). Primarily concerned with the functioning of the mind within learning with the mind this approach, concerns itself primarily with notions such as memory, perception and categorisation (Miell, 2002). Interested in the role of perception and memory within the role of category learning, the psychologist Bruner et al, devised a test to see how we constructed categories. Unlike conditioning, Bruner suggested that this was an engaging intelligent procedure performed by way of hypothesis testing stages of acceptance and rejection based upon trial (Bruner et al, 1956). A variety of shapes were used in a variety of conditions. Some of these shared the same number of shapes, some the same colour of shape and others the same number of borders. No two varieties were identical. From the results of this experiment, Bruner et al surmised that there were two forms of learn ing that had been present. Firstly, successive scanning, which entertained one hypothesis at a time and secondly, conservative scanning, which sought to eliminate classes of hypotheses such as border, number of shapes, colour (Bruner et al, 1956). Unlike the behavioural approach, we can see from these experiments that an attempt is being made to understand the operation of the intelligent mind with regards to learning through categorisation. However, categorisation as a learning process is not accepted by everyone in the field of cognitive psychology. Although much of the research that had gone to indicate that attributes revealed that a prior knowledge or experience was active and influential in category learning (Kaplan Murphy, 2000), many argue that the categories are innate (Fodor Chomsky, 1980). This argument does strengthen the behavioural notion that the conceptual structure of the mind is open to interpretation, and so cannot be as valuable as the observable findings of th e behaviourist approach. In each approach we have seen an emphasis on the nature of learning. We have seen that this emphasis on learning is different in each approach. One approach is essentially concerned with the extent to which behaviour can be shaped by the environment and how this relationship can be observed through association and shaping. Whilst the other approach seems to be only concerned with how the environment is categorised by the organism and how it subsequently applies that to a concept of structural framework. However, both agree on the fundamental principle that learning is done in conjunction with the environment. Bibliography Bruner, J, S., Goodnow, J, J., and Austin, G, A., (1956) A Study of Thinking New York: John Wiley and Sons. Chomsky, N., and Fodor, J, A., (1980) Statement of the Paradox, in Piatelli Palmarini, M. (ed.). Miell, D., Phoenix, A. and Thomas, K. (2002) Mapping Psychology 1. Milton Keynes, Open University. Kaplan, A, S., and Murphy, G, L., (2000) Category Learning with Minimal Prior Knowledge, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 26, 4, 829-846. Skinner, B, F., (1946/1990) Walden Two London: Collier Macmillan.

Reimbursement Issues For Nurse Practitioner Health And Social Care Essay

Reimbursement Issues For Nurse Practitioner Health And Social Care Essay The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 was unquestionably a frontward step for advanced practice nurses (APNs).   Payment is remarkably allowed for all settings as long as no other provider fee or other facility fee was being paid in relationship to the assistance supplied by the APN.   The various constraints on settings for services provided by the advanced practice nurse were totally removed from the guidelines (Bardach, 2006). The regulations for reimbursement of APN services typically changes based on the category of setting. Within the office setting, the permissible reimbursement to nurse practitioners is only 85% of that of a physician. This same reimbursement is acceptable only if billed straight under the nurses name and provider number (Fishman, 2002). The decrease in conversion factor for Medicare for reimbursement has affected rural clinics. This paper will discuss some pressing issues regarding reimbursement for nurse practitioners. I. Crucial Areas for Reimbursement that Nursing Practitioners Should Know 1. An advance practice nurse (APN) should be responsible and aware of the reimbursement process. APN must have read the participation contracts involved. They must determine the following: Does the plan credentials the APN and assigned a provider number. What are the claim submission requirements?   It could be direct billing or billing which is conducted by a supervising physician. And what are the time frames for submission. Can appeal mechanisms for claims denial be conducted? What are the covered services? Is it reimbursement methodology capitation or fee for service, etc? 2. An APN must familiarize documentation requirements in order to support the Certified Performance Technologist or CPT. Last 2001, the Office of Inspector General had conducted reviews on nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist and assistants of physicians. This is to comply with the Health Care Financing Administration or HCFA rules and regulations. (Cooper, 2000) II. Understanding the Reimbursement Procedure In order to better understand the underlying reimbursement issues in nursing practitioner, we must first have a clear grasp on the reimbursement process itself. In 1965, two methods, the Medicare and Medicaid of Social Security Act were amended by the Congress. These two will be discussed thoroughly in the next sections of the paper. With the first method, Medicaid, 100% of the physician rate is reimbursed. This will only apply if the incident to criteria are met. The phrase incident to refers to the services provided by nursing practitioners where a physician is actually present, or available for consultation. In order to verify the presence of the attending physician, the patients contact, appointment schedule or a documentation of the medical records can be used. The local Medicare will give the nursing practitioner a unique identification number (UPIN) for his or her bills. For a direct reimbursement, a practitioner must undergo an application process conducted by the payer. With the second method, Medicare, the nursing practitioner receives 80% of the fee that is set by the practice. Or they also have the chance to receive 85% of the Medicare physician fee schedule. One disadvantage of this method is that it reimburses the lowest charge possible. Citing an example, a practitioners bill for his or her services is $120 and Medicare only allows $100, the practitioner will only reimburse $85, which is 85% of the Medicare allowable. (Rapsilver, 2000) II. General Issues There are various notable issues connected to the reimbursement for services provided by the APNs. They are expected to take possession and responsibility of the procedure on the reimbursement. The APNs should first begin with comprehending their involvement contracts with health care plans to ascertain the following items (Fishman, 2002): if the said health care plan will give credit to the nurse practitioner involved and will consequently assign a provider number, if there are any appeals procedures for denials of claims, if it is possible to review the comparison of fee for service versus the plans reimbursement methodology capitation, etc., if claims such as billing under the administering physicians name or direct billing ask for requirements to be submitted within a specific timeframe; and, if all specific services are covered On the secondary topic, nurse practitioners should become familiar with various requirements when it comes to documentation to sustain appropriate CPT coding. APNs should refer themselves to the HCFA rules and the Federal register for guidelines (Bardach, 2006).   The nurse practitioner should actively participate on internal audit of documentation to find out if their documentations support the CPT code billed. APNs should responsibly scrutinize an illustration of their assortments against their monthly charges. This guarantees that reimbursements are properly made according to contract and that no charges are being denied. (Kansas Nurse, 2008). III. Medicaid Reimbursement Process Issue The lack of consistent progress in the Medicaid hospital reimbursement processes has left the nurse practitioners confused and disappointed over the past few years. Progress towards simplifying the Medicaid reimbursement process has been slowed by the absence of relevant policies in hospital reimbursement, memberships, and the level of access for the members (Fishman, 2002). The lack of priority and actions from the leaders of healthcare to implement the policies for the Medicaid hospital reimbursement processes resulted to the decline in the productivity of the program and posed major setbacks for nurses. With the necessary improvements not being achieved, the government is left with nothing to use in integrating the needed reforms in the Medicaid hospital reimbursement processes. Suspended reforms for Medicaid hospital reimbursement processes reveal incoordination among various health departments which significantly affected Medicaid members. The adverse effects of the current economic crisis put local governments in a state of uncertainty whether to pursue plans of implementing the new Medicaid hospital reimbursement processes to handle the health needs of their residents (Farley, 2000). Over the past few years, the local governments have been limited with their actions to completely adopt the new Medicaid hospital reimbursement processes. In New York alone, residents that are not yet affiliated with Medicaid have reached a number of almost 4 million. New York, however, is still way ahead in terms of progress as compared to other states in America. Still, according to Bardach (2006), the majority of New York residents are completely dependent to the Medicaid program because: (1) Medicaid assists them in the access of health benefits; (2) Medicaid assists them by means of health insurance. Yet these Medicaid policies also led to New Yorks health issues due to the lack of coordination by the leaders. IV. Medicare Reimbursement Process Issue Many advanced practice nurses inaccurately presuppose that receiving an APN license eliminates all obstructions to getting reimbursements for all their services by the insurance companies.   The primary goal obviously is to achieve direct reimbursement, which basically means being able to bill in the APNs exact name and not that of the or under the physician.   This is because being billed under a doctors name austerely propagates the invisibility of the nurse practitioners (Fishman, 2002).    To accomplish this goal of straightforward reimbursement, advanced practice nurses have to be empanelled by a reimburse-er or have to get a provider status.   The methodology for Medicare had primarily implicated achieving a PIN or a Provider Identification Number, which has now transformed into the new NPI or the National Provider Identifier (NPI).   Ã‚   In reality, as an example, Medicare already was issuing PINs to advanced practice nurses in Illinois two years before the APN regulations for practice were written.   Comparatively, Medicaid in Illinois was also agreeable to directly reimburse advanced practice nurses even before Medicare (Bardach, 2006). The frequent misconception of many advanced practice nurses about Medicare is that if a contributor gets a Medicare number, he or she will be reimbursed mechanically by every other insurance corporation, including PPOs and HMOs.   That is very wrong since insurance companies create or develop their own precise policies.   It can then be said that what one company permits, another one might not (Fishman, 2002).    V. Private Insurance In the United States, there are many private insurance plans that exists. Due to this, the guidelines for advance practice nurses are highly variable. There are times that the plans include the nurse provider in the preferred provider network. But there are also times that the nurse provider is considered outside the preferred provider network. So in general, less coverage is then afforded for the services rendered by nurses. These phenomenal places burden on those who have minimal resources. The number of networks that seeks to include practitioners among their credential providers is increasing. When discussing about the reimbursement issues, the fact that advance practice nurses always receives less payment that physicians arises. Advance practice nurses have been taught how to provide high quality care which is equal to the care provided by physicians. Because of this, they should be paid an equitable fee for the services they have rendered. Efforts are now exerted in order to fix these inequities. (Lundy) VI. Why APNs Do Not Receive Equal Reimbursement The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission or MedPAC examined the payments differencials between the clinicians and physicians. Why does this two groups do not get equal reimbursements? The MedPAC conjured that there is actually no analytical foundation that can support this. So in order to answer this question, the Commission investigated if these two groups, physicians and non-physician providers produces the same products or different products. According to the Commission, the Medicare must set the service payment equal to the cost incurred in efficiently rendering the service. Whenever the physicians and clinicians have provided the same service, then the payment for the low cost provider must be applied for all service providers. In many cases, there are many distinguishable differences between the services rendered by physicians and clinicians. Citing an example, according to reimbursement data, clinicians who are not physicians demonstrates a less complex evaluation and management services than physicians. Other specializations and surgical services are not included in the scope of practice of certain clinicians. Adjustments and changes for these types of billing codes include differences in resource costs. Since the nature of billing codes is imprecise, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services were not able to distinguish the different categories of clinician who provide similar services. They have this assumption that physicians are much prepared to diagnose and treat patients that have severe illnesses. But, contrary to this, anecdotal reports stated that other clinician sometimes spend more times in checking and treating patients with severe illnesses or who are in critical conditions, which made the physicians to care for a greater number of patients with lower acuity. Whenever a physician and other clinician bill for the same service, it is very difficult to tell of the physician saw a more complex patient. Due to these uncertainties in comparing their services, the Commission is reluctant in altering the payment differential. And certain policies even on the same company might be allowed in one state but not in another state.   As point of the matter, if one company has three product lines such as HMO, fee-for-service or indemnity, and PPO, then it may also have three dissimilar guiding principles for nurse practitioners (Bardach, 2006).    Consecutively, to ultimately become a credentialed contributor for each insurance plan that patients are secured with, a nurse practitioner must then submit an application for provider category with each and every insurance company, including Medicare and Medicaid. From that discussion, every provider must be familiar with some fundamentals about Medicare. First and foremost, there is Medicare Part A, which actually covers skilled nursing home, hospital, and home health charges; and then there is Medicare Part B, which then envelops most outpatient services, the care patients in particular obtain from doctors offices (Fishman, 2002). When it comes to the incident to billing, the Commission decided to consider that services rendered by clinicians who are not physicians but billed as incident to must be paid 100% of the physician fee schedule. The Commission have stated that the incident care fee is predicated upon the care or service provided by the team, with the non-physician giving the direct patient care services and the physician taking responsibility to the over-all welfare of the patient. They concluded that the team approach to care provides value which warrants payment at the full rate. (Edmunds, 2002) V. Conclusion Reimbursement issues have become challenge to nursing practitioners. Among the critical areas that NP should know are the following: the reimbursement process, contracts and the documents required. They are expected to take possession and responsibility of the procedure on the reimbursement. The APNs should first begin with comprehending their involvement contracts with health care plans. Secondly, nurse practitioners should become familiar with various requirements when it comes to documentation to sustain appropriate CPT coding. APNs should responsibly scrutinize an illustration of their assortments against their monthly charges. VI. Preparing for Future APN Reimbursement Being part of the healthcare system, Advance Practice Nurses (APNs) continue to search for greater quality, effectiveness and effeciency in delivering care. Many organizations and institutions like Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are taking the lead in identifying and validating indicators of high quality health care aiming to streamline delivery of care and to reduce convulated health care costs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Composite Measures a reimbursement coding category that is currently being validated to deliver quality measures which can lead to desired patient results for chosen chronic diseases or conditions. (Kennerly, 2007) Establishing these new standards are based on the assumptions that by using them will cause a consistent high quality of outcome for the majority of patients and there will a great decrease in health care cost. The CMS is currently focusing on reforming quality reimbursement sytems which can save money while rewarding those care providers for their quality performance. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Pay-for-Performance led to determining the importance of implementing a common set of clinical standards for medical care. This means a providers performance and reimbursement is now and in the future will depend on and be judge against a national standard for care rather that past provider;s performances. (Kennerly, 2007)

William Morris Essay -- Visual Arts Paintings Art

William Morris William Morris (1834 – 1896) was perhaps the most important British decorative artist of the 19th century. A prolific designer, craftsman and decorator, his work and ideas have had a major influence on the development of modern interior design. William Morris was one of the most influential figures in the Victorian and Edwardian art world. As a young man at Oxford he became involved with the Pre-Raphaelite movements, mixing with such artists as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt and Edward Coley Burne-Jones. Always a man of innovation, Morris soon tired of the subject matter and philosophy of the Pre-Raphaelites. His desire for social reform was also an important factor in his artistic growth and he moved on from painting to the creation of textiles, wallpapers, stained glass and highly decorative furniture. He also set up the Kelmscott Press as a medium for his writing and elegant book design. With Edward Burne-Jones, he set in motion the highly influential Arts and Crafts Movement – thereby implementing an incredible change in the vision of British art. William Morris Colours Duck Egg, China Blue, Morris Green, Weld Yellow, Chalk White, Red Ochre and Madder Red. Inspired by the large collection of Morris’ work in the Victoria and Albert Museum, these paint shades and their names are evolved from colours he used in many different media, involving interior decoration, furniture and textiles. Tulip and Willow Design This design was for Morris’ s...

The Multitasking Generation an Article by Claudia Wallis Essay

Though there are some positive effects, the adverse impact of technology on education has been extraordinary. The technology community has worked hard to bring useful technology into our classrooms, all with good intentions to broaden our knowledge. With these good intentions also came about unwanted side effects such as distraction and disruption in the classroom. I can clearly remember many of my teachers yelling at us to put our cell phones, iPods, and iTouch phones away especially during lecture and exams. The yelling was not without just cause, students cheated with their devices along with updating their Facebook pages during class too. Though being exposed to technologies like computers from an early age may have given us the ability to do things more efficiently, technology has also made us less dependent on ourselves. Claudia Wallis, editor for Time, in her article makes known in The Multitasking Generation, â€Å"That level of multiprocessing and interpersonal connectivity is now so commonplace that it’s easy to forget how quickly it came about. Fifteen years ago, most home computers weren’t even linked to the Internet† (63). There are many things that students are able to do on their computer that their parents aren't even aware of or that the parents couldn’t do themselves. My parents always tell of how looking through the library’s card catalog and searching for the books they needed only to find out that they have been taken out. Computers have allowed us to do many things faster for example, write much faster than a typewriter or pen and paper and correct typing errors wit hout starting over. The computers and technology we now have makes it easier to almost anything and with technology so easily at your fingertips it o... ... there is no doubt that it will be used as an educational tool and just as there are concerns now, there will be concerns then. I believe that in the following years physical classrooms will be a thing of the past, with virtual classrooms becoming the norm. With these virtual classrooms there will be even more cause for concern, and if they do become the norm who knows what other sources of distractions there will be. There will always be technology as long as there are people whether for better or for worse and their advances will always be debated. Technology such as computers, iPads, and cell phones should be used modestly in the classroom. Using technology for everything during our daily lives hampers our own independence. To stay sharp minded in the classroom, people need to rely more on them and less on the technology that dominates their life today.

The Frankenstein Phenomena in Life and Education :: Mary Shelley Frankenstein Essays

The Frankenstein Phenomena in Life and Education When we consider most traditional Hollywood Frankenstein films, the 'monster' is depicted as evil because he is 'malformed' but this is not always the case. The simple one-to-one relationship of ugly equals evil was not prominent in the Mary Shelley's original book or in more true-to-text films such as The Bride or more recently Kenneth Brannagh's attempt to make the authoritative film interpretation, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. In these versions, the monster was portrayed as more human in his endeavors to question his origins, find a father and be happy. However, his physical characteristics have become the most salient feature in popular culture, so much so, that he is generally viewed as unquestionably evil bec ause his appearance offends the eye. The signs in this case are the monster's scars, his stitches, the bolts that hold his head on, the hands of a murderer sewn on, his club feet, his staggering jerky walk, his strange and retarded speech. We often take t hese signs as bei ng indexes and symbols of evil and malevolence that signify insidiousness and threat, even though these are characteristics of so many real conditions in our fellow humans. When we consider such people, we call these signs symptoms, infir mities, disabilities and medical problems. Are we so sure that we can separate how we view these signs depending on whether we are watching movies, such potent sources of how we regard our world, or when we deal with patients or students in the 'real' wor ld? Looking at how people that are considered aberrant either physically or mentally are portrayed in movies gives a good view on how society as a whole may see them, in my opinion. In the film The Bride, the monster's only companion after his escap e is a dwarf who was a circus performer. Although, this movie is definitely a more positive and sympathetic portrayal of the monster's condition, it also highlights the assumption that anybody with a physical makeup that is unusual, is considered just as much a 'monster' by society. In this discussion, I will initially take the representation of dwarves in movies and myth, and how they are perceived by society as being prototypical for a range of other physical differences that are considered negatively i n this culture. I choose dwarves because I believe they have been one of the most pervasively stereotyped groups in movies and myth and whose negative depiction continues to persist even in the politically correct era because now they can be labeled as "w eird but cool.

Chapter 25 The Egg and the Eye

Harry had no idea how long a bath he would need to work out the secret of the golden egg, he decided to do it at night, when he would be able to take as much time as he wanted. Reluctant though he was to accept more favors from Cedric, he also decided to use the prefects' bathroom; far fewer people were allowed in there, so it was much less likely that he would be disturbed. Harry planned his excursion carefully, because he had been caught out of bed and out-of-bounds by Filch the caretaker in the middle of the night once before, and had no desire to repeat the experience. The Invisibility Cloak would, of course, be essential, and as an added precaution, Harry thought he would take the Marauders Map, which, next to the cloak, was the most useful aid to rule-breaking Harry owned. The map showed the whole of Hogwarts, including its many shortcuts and secret passageways and, most important of all, it revealed the people inside the castle as minuscule, labeled dots, moving around the corridors, so that Harry would be forewarned if somebody was approaching the bathroom. On Thursday night, Harry sneaked up to bed, put on the cloak, crept back downstairs, and, just as he had done on the night when Hagrid had shown him the dragons, waited for the portrait hole to open. This time it was Ron who waited outside to give the Fat Lady the password (â€Å"banana fritters†), â€Å"Good luck,† Ron muttered, climbing into the room as Harry crept out past him. It was awkward moving under the cloak tonight, because Harry had the heavy egg under one arm and the map held in front of his nose with the other. However, the moonlit corridors were empty and silent, and by checking the map at strategic intervals, Harry was able to ensure that he wouldn't run into anyone he wanted to avoid. When he reached the statue of Boris the Bewildered, a lost-looking wizard with his gloves on the wrong hands, he located the right door, leaned close to it, and muttered the password, â€Å"Pine fresh,† just as Cedric had told him. The door creaked open. Harry slipped inside, bolted the door behind him, and pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, looking around. His immediate reaction was that it would be worth becoming a prefect just to be able to use this bathroom. It was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier, and everything was made of white marble, including what looked like an empty, rectangular swimming pool sunk into the middle of the floor. About a hundred golden taps stood all around the pools edges, each with a differently colored Jewel set into its handle. There was also a diving board. Long white linen curtains hung at the windows; a large pile of fluffy white towels sat in a corner, and there was a single golden-framed painting on the wall. It featured a blonde mermaid who was fast asleep on a rock, her long hair over her face. It fluttered every time she snored. Harry moved forward, looking around, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Magnificent though the bathroom was – and quite keen though he was to try out a few of those taps – now he was here he couldn't quite suppress the feeling that Cedric might have been having him on. How on earth was this supposed to help solve the mystery of the egg? Nevertheless, he put one of the Huffy towels, the cloak, the map, and the egg at the side of the swimming-pool-sized bath, then knelt down and turned on a few of the taps. He could tell at once that they carried different sorts of bubble bath mixed with the water, though it wasn't bubble bath as Harry had ever experienced it. One tap gushed pink and blue bubbles the size of footballs; another poured ice-white foam so thick that Harry thought it would have supported his weight if he'd cared to test it; a third sent heavily perfumed purple clouds hovering over the surface of the water. Harry amused himself for awhile turning the taps on and off, particularly enjoying the effect of one whose jet bounced off the surface of the water in large arcs. Then, when the deep pool was full of hot water, foam, and bubbles, which took a very short time considering its size, Harry turned off all the taps, pulled off his pajamas, slippers, and dressing gown, and slid into the water. It was so deep that his feet barely touched the bottom, and he actually did a couple of lengths before swimming back to the side and treading water, staring at the egg. Highly enjoyable though it was to swim in hot and foamy water with clouds of different-colored steam wafting all around him, no stroke of brilliance came to him, no sudden burst of understanding. Harry stretched out his arms, lifted the egg in his wet hands, and opened it. The wailing, screeching sound filled the bathroom, echoing and reverberating off the marble walls, but it sounded just as incomprehensible as ever, if not more so with all the echoes. He snapped it shut again, worried that the sound would attract Filch, wondering whether that hadn't been Cedric's plan – and then, making him jump so badly that he dropped the egg, which clattered away across the bathroom floor, someone spoke. â€Å"I'd try putting it in the water, if I were you.† Harry had swallowed a considerable amount of bubbles in shock. He stood up, sputtering, and saw the ghost of a very glum-looking girl sitting cross-legged on top of one of the taps. It was Moaning Myrtle, who was usually to be heard sobbing in the S-bend of a toilet three floors below. â€Å"Myrtle!† Harry said in outrage, â€Å"I'm – I'm not wearing anything!† The foam was so dense that this hardly mattered, but he had a nasty feeling that Myrtle had been spying on him from out of one of the taps ever since he had arrived. â€Å"I closed my eyes when you got in,† she said, blinking at him through her thick spectacles. â€Å"You haven't been to see me for ages.† â€Å"Yeah†¦well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Harry, bending his knees slightly, just to make absolutely sure Myrtle couldn't see anything but his head, â€Å"I'm not supposed to come into your bathroom, am I? It's a girls' one.† â€Å"You didn't used to care,† said Myrtle miserably. â€Å"You used to be in there all the time.† This was true, though only because Harry, Ron, and Hermione had found Myrtle's out-of-order toilets a convenient place to brew Polyjuice Potion in secret – a forbidden potion that had turned him and Ron into living replicas of Crabbe and Goyle for an hour, so that they could sneak into the Slytherin common room. â€Å"I got told off for going in there.† said Harry, which was half-true; Percy had once caught him coming out of Myrtles bathroom. â€Å"I thought I'd better not come back after that.† â€Å"Oh†¦I see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Myrtle, picking at a spot on her chin in a morose sort of way. â€Å"Well†¦anyway†¦I'd try the egg in the water. That's what Cedric Diggory did.† â€Å"Have you been spying on him too?† said Harry indignantly. â€Å"What d'you do, sneak up here in the evenings to watch the prefects take baths?† â€Å"Sometimes,† said Myrtle, rather slyly, â€Å"but I've never come out to speak to anyone before.† â€Å"I'm honored,† said Harry darkly. â€Å"You keep your eyes shut!† He made sure Myrtle had her glasses well covered before hoisting himself out of the bath, wrapping the towel firmly around his waist, and going to retrieve the egg. Once he was back in the water, Myrtle peered through her fingers and said, â€Å"Go on, then†¦open it under the water!† Harry lowered the egg beneath the foamy surface and opened it†¦and this time, it did not wail. A gurgling song was coming out of it, a song whose words he couldnt distinguish through the water. â€Å"You need to put your head under too,† said Myrtle, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying bossing him around. â€Å"Go on!† Harry took a great breath and slid under the surface – and now, sitting on the marble bottom of the bubble-filled bath, he heard a chorus of eerie voices singing to him from the open egg in his hands: â€Å"Come seek us where our voices sound, We cannot sing above the ground, And while you re searching, ponder this: Wove taken what you'll sorely miss, An hour long you'll have to look, And to recover what we took, But past an hour– the prospect's black, Too late, it's gone, it wont come back† Harry let himself float back upward and broke the bubbly surface, shaking his hair out of his eyes. â€Å"Hear it?† said Myrtle. â€Å"Yeah†¦'Come seek us where our voices sound†¦' and if I need persuading†¦hang on, I need to listen again†¦.† He sank back beneath the water. It took three more underwater renditions of the egg's song before Harry had it memorized; then he trod water for a while, thinking hard, while Myrtle sat and watched him. â€Å"I've got to go and look for people who can't use their voices above the ground†¦.† he said slowly. â€Å"Er†¦who could that be?† â€Å"Slow, aren't you?† He had never seen Moaning Myrtle so cheerful, apart from the day when a dose of PolyJuice Potion had given Hermione the hairy face and tail of a cat. Harry stared around the bathroom, thinking†¦if the voices could only be heard underwater, then it made sense for them to belong to underwater creatures. He ran this theory past Myrtle, who smirked at him. â€Å"Well, thats what Diggory thought,† she said. â€Å"He lay there talking to himself for ages about it. Ages and ages†¦nearly all the bubbles had gone†¦.† â€Å"Underwater†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry said slowly. â€Å"Myrtle†¦what lives in the lake, apart from the giant squid?† â€Å"Oh all sorts,† she said. â€Å"I sometimes go down there†¦sometimes don't have any choice, if someone flushes my toilet when I'm not expecting it†¦.† Trying not to think about Moaning Myrtle zooming down a pipe to the lake with the contents of a toilet. Harry said, â€Å"Well, does anything in there have a human voice? Hang on -â€Å" Harry's eyes had fallen on the picture of the snoozing mermaid on the wall. â€Å"Myrtle, there aren't merpeople in there, are there?† â€Å"Oooh, very good,† she said, her thick glasses twinkling, â€Å"it took Diggory much longer than that! And that was with her awake too† – Myrtle jerked her head toward the mermaid with an expression of great dislike on her glum face – â€Å"giggling and showing off and flashing her fins†¦.† â€Å"Thats it, isn't it?† said Harry excitedly. â€Å"The second task's to go and find the merpeople in the lake and†¦and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But he suddenly realized what he was saying, and he felt the excitement drain out of him as though someone had just pulled a plug in his stomach. He wasn't a very good swimmer; he'd never had much practice. Dudley had had lessons in his youth, but Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, no doubt hoping that Harry would drown one day, hadn't bothered to give him any. A couple of lengths of this bath were all very well, but that lake was very large, and very deep†¦and merpeople would surely live right at the bottom†¦. â€Å"Myrtle,† Harry said slowly, â€Å"how am I supposed to breathe?† At this, Myrtle's eyes filled with sudden tears again. â€Å"Tactless!† she muttered, groping in her robes for a handkerchief. â€Å"What's tactless?† said Harry, bewildered. â€Å"Talking about breathing in front of me!† she said shrilly, and her voice echoed loudly around the bathroom. â€Å"When I can't†¦when I haven't†¦not for ages†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She buried her face in her handkerchief and sniffed loudly. Harry remembered how touchy Myrtle had always been about being dead, but none of the other ghosts he knew made such a fuss about it. â€Å"Sorry,† he said impatiently. â€Å"I didn't mean – I just forgot†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh yes, very easy to forget Myrtle's dead,† said Myrtle, gulping, looking at him out of swollen eyes. â€Å"Nobody missed me even when I was alive. Took them hours and hours to find my body – I know, I was sitting there waiting for them. Olive Hornby came into the bathroom – Are you in here again, sulking, Myrtle?' she said, ‘because Professor Dippet asked me to look for you -‘ And then she saw my body†¦ooooh, she didn't forget it until her dying day, I made sure of that†¦followed her around and reminded her, I did. I remember at her brother's wedding -â€Å" But Harry wasn't listening; he was thinking about the merpeople's song again. â€Å"We've taken what you II sorely miss.† That sounded as though they were going to steal something of his, something he had to get back. What were they going to take? â€Å"-and then, of course, she went to the Ministry of Magic to stop me stalking her, so I had to come back here and live in my toilet.† â€Å"Good,† said Harry vaguely. â€Å"Well, I'm a lot further on than I was†¦.Shut your eyes again, will you? I'm getting out.† He retrieved the egg from the bottom of the bath, climbed out, dried himself, and pulled on his pajamas and dressing gown again. â€Å"Will you come and visit me in my bathroom again sometime?† Moaning Myrtle asked mournfully as Harry picked up the Invisibility Cloak. â€Å"Er†¦I'll try,† Harry said, though privately thinking the only way he'd be visiting Myrtle's bathroom again was if every other toilet in the castle got blocked. â€Å"See you. Myrtle†¦thanks for your help.† â€Å"Bye, ‘bye,† she said gloomily, and as Harry put on the Invisibllity Cloak he saw her zoom back up the tap. Out in the dark corridor, Harry examined the Marauders Map to check that the coast was still clear. Yes, the dots belonging to Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris, were safely in their office†¦nothing else seemed to be moving apart from Peeves, though he was bouncing around the trophy room on the floor above†¦.Harry had taken his first step back toward Gryffindor Tower when something else on the map caught his eye†¦something distinctly odd. Peeves was not the only thing that was moving. A single dot was flitting around a room in the bottom left-hand corner – Snape's office. But the dot wasn't labeled â€Å"Severus Snape†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦it was Bartemius Crouch. Harry stared at the dot. Mr. Crouch was supposed to be too ill to go to work or to come to the Yule Ball – so what was he doing, sneaking into Hogwarts at one o'clock in the morning? Harry watched closely as the dot moved around and around the room, pausing here and there†¦. Harry hesitated, thinking†¦and then his curiosity got the better of him. He turned and set off in the opposite direction toward the nearest staircase. He was going to see what Crouch was up to. Harry walked down the stairs as quietly as possible, though the faces in some of the portraits still turned curiously at the squeak of a floorboard, the rustle of his pajamas. He crept along the corridor below, pushed aside a tapestry about halfway along, and proceeded down a narrower staircase, a shortcut that would take him down two floors. He kept glancing down at the map, wondering†¦It just didn't seem in character, somehow, for correct, law-abiding Mr. Crouch to be sneaking around somebody else's office this late at night†¦. And then, halfway down the staircase, not thinking about what he was doing, not concentrating on anything but the peculiar behavior of Mr. Crouch, Harry's leg suddenly sank right through the trick step Neville always forgot to jump. He gave an ungainly wobble, and the golden egg, still damp from the bath, slipped from under his arm. He lurched forward to try and catch it, but too late; the egg fell down the long staircase with a bang as loud as a bass drum on every step – the Invisibility Cloak slipped – Harry snatched at it, and the Marauder's Map fluttered out of his hand and slid down six stairs, where, sunk in the step to above his knee, he couldn't reach it. The golden egg fell through the tapestry at the bottom of the staircase, burst open, and began wailing loudly in the corridor below. Harry pulled out his wand and struggled to touch the Marauder's Map, to wipe it blank, but it was too far away to reach – Pulling the cloak back over himself Harry straightened up, listening hard with his eyes screwed up with fear†¦and, almost immediately – â€Å"PEEVES!† It was the unmistakable hunting cry of Filch the caretaker. Harry could hear his rapid, shuffling footsteps coming nearer and nearer, his wheezy voice raised in fury. â€Å"What's this racket? Wake up the whole castle, will you? I'll have you, Peeves, I'll have you, you'll†¦and what is this?† Filch's footsteps halted; there was a clink of metal on metal and the wailing stopped – Filch had picked up the egg and closed it. Harry stood very still, one leg still Jammed tightly in the magical step, listening. Any moment now, Filch was going to pull aside the tapestry, expecting to see Peeves†¦and there would be no Peeves†¦but if he came up the stairs, he would spot the Marauder's Map†¦and Invisibility Cloak or not, the map would show â€Å"Harry Potter† standing exactly where he was. â€Å"Egg?† Filch said quietly at the foot of the stairs. â€Å"My sweet!† – Mrs. Norris was obviously with him – â€Å"This is a Triwizard clue! This belongs to a school champion!† Harry felt sick; his heart was hammering very fast – â€Å"PEEVES!† Filch roared gleefully. â€Å"You've been stealing!† He ripped back the tapestry below, and Harry saw his horrible, pouchy face and bulging, pale eyes staring up the dark and (to Filch) deserted staircase. â€Å"Hiding, are you?† he said softly. â€Å"I'm coming to get you, Peeves†¦.You've gone and stolen a Triwizard clue, Peeves†¦.Dumbledore'll have you out of here for this, you filthy, pilfering poltergeist†¦.† Filch started to climb the stairs, his scrawny, dust-colored cat at his heels. Mrs. Morris's lamp-like eyes, so very like her masters, were fixed directly upon Harry. He had had occasion before now to wonder whether the Invisibility Cloak worked on cats†¦.Sick with apprehension, he watched Filch drawing nearer and nearer in his old flannel dressing gown – he tried desperately to pull his trapped leg free, but it merely sank a few more inches – any second now, Filch was going to spot the map or walk right into him – â€Å"Filch? Whats going on?† Filch stopped a few steps below Harry and turned. At the foot of the stairs stood the only person who could make Harry's situation worse: Snape. He was wearing a long gray nightshirt and he looked livid. â€Å"Its Peeves, Professor,† Filch whispered malevolently. â€Å"He threw this egg down the stairs.† Snape climbed up the stairs quickly and stopped beside Filch. Harry gritted his teeth, convinced his loudly thumping heart would give him away at any second†¦. â€Å"Peeves?† said Snape softly, staring at the egg in Filch's hands. â€Å"But Peeves couldn't get into my office†¦.† â€Å"This egg was in your office. Professor?† â€Å"Of course not,† Snape snapped. â€Å"I heard banging and wailing -â€Å" â€Å"Yes, Professor, that was the egg -â€Å" â€Å"- I was coming to investigate -â€Å" â€Å"- Peeves threw it. Professor -â€Å" â€Å"- and when I passed my office, I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar! Somebody has been searching it!† But Peeves couldn't -â€Å" â€Å"I know he couldn't, Filch!† Snape snapped again. â€Å"I seal my office with a spell none but a wizard could break!† Snape looked up the stairs, straight through Harry, and then down into the corridor below. â€Å"I want you to come and help me search for the intruder, Filch.† â€Å"I – yes, Professor – but -â€Å" Filch looked yearningly up the stairs, right through Harry, who could see that he was very reluctant to forgo the chance of cornering Peeves. Go, Harry pleaded with him silently, go with Snape†¦go†¦Mrs. Norris was peering around Filch's legs†¦.Harry had the distinct impression that she could smell him†¦.Why had he filled that bath with so much perfumed foam? â€Å"The thing is, Professor,† said Filch plaintively, â€Å"the headmaster will have to listen to me this time. Peeves has been stealing from a student, it might be my chance to get him thrown out of the castle once and for all -â€Å" â€Å"Filch, I don't give a damn about that wretched poltergeist; it's my office that's -â€Å" Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Snape stopped talking very abruptly. He and Filch both looked down at the foot of the stairs. Harry saw Mad-Eye Moody limp into sight through the narrow gap between their heads. Moody was wearing his old traveling cloak over his nightshirt and leaning on his staff as usual. â€Å"Pajama party, is it?† he growled up the stairs. â€Å"Professor Snape and I heard noises, Professor,† said Filch at once. â€Å"Peeves the Poltergeist, throwing things around as usual – and then Professor Snape discovered that someone had broken into his off -â€Å" â€Å"Shut up!† Snape hissed to Filch. Moody took a step closer to the foot of the stairs. Harry saw Moody's magical eye travel over Snape, and then, unmistakably, onto himself. Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. Moody could see through Invisibility Cloaks†¦he alone could see the full strangeness of the scene: Snape in his nightshirt, Filch clutching the egg, and he, Harry, trapped in the stairs behind them. Moody's lopsided gash of a mouth opened in surprise. For a few seconds, he and Harry stared straight into each other's eyes. Then Moody closed his mouth and turned his blue eye upon Snape again. â€Å"Did I hear that correctly, Snape?† he asked slowly. â€Å"Someone broke into your office?† â€Å"It is unimportant,† said Snape coldly. â€Å"On the contrary,† growled Moody, â€Å"it is very important. Who'd want to break into your office?† â€Å"A student, I daresay,† said Snape. Harry could see a vein flickering horribly on Snape's greasy temple. â€Å"It has happened before. Potion ingredients have gone missing from my private store cupboard†¦students attempting illicit mixtures, no doubt†¦.† â€Å"Reckon they were after potion ingredients, eh?† said Moody. â€Å"Not hiding anything else in your office, are you?† Harry saw the edge of Snape's sallow face turn a nasty brick color, the vein in his temple pulsing more rapidly. â€Å"You know I'm hiding nothing, Moody,† he said in a soft and dangerous voice, â€Å"as you've searched my office pretty thoroughly yourself.† Moody's face twisted into a smile. â€Å"Auror's privilege, Snape. Dumbledore told me to keep an eye -â€Å" â€Å"Dumbledore happens to trust me,† said Snape through clenched teeth. â€Å"I refuse to believe that he gave you orders to search my office!† â€Å"Course Dumbledore trusts you,† growled Moody. â€Å"Hes a trusting man, isn't he? Believes in second chances. But me – I say there are spots that don't come off, Snape. Spots that never come off, d'you know what I mean?† Snape suddenly did something very strange. He seized his left forearm convulsively with his right hand, as though something on it had hurt him. Moody laughed. â€Å"Get back to bed, Snape.† â€Å"You don't have the authority to send me anywhere!† Snape hissed, letting go of his arm as though angry with himself. â€Å"I have as much right to prowl this school after dark as you do!† â€Å"Prowl away,† said Moody, but his voice was full of menace. â€Å"I look forward to meeting you in a dark corridor some time†¦.You've dropped something, by the way†¦.† With a stab of horror. Harry saw Moody point at the Marauders Map, still lying on the staircase six steps below him. As Snape and Filch both turned to look at it, Harry threw caution to the winds; he raised his arms under the cloak and waved furiously at Moody to attract his attention, mouthing â€Å"It's mine! Mine!† Snape had reached out for it, a horrible expression of dawning comprehension on his face – â€Å"Accio Parchment!† The map flew up into the air, slipped through Snape's outstretched fingers, and soared down the stairs into Moody's hand. â€Å"My mistake,† Moody said calmly. â€Å"It's mine – must've dropped it earlier -â€Å" But Snape's black eyes were darting from the egg in Filch's arms to the map in Moody's hand, and Harry could tell he was putting two and two together, as only Snape could†¦. â€Å"Potter,† he said quietly. â€Å"What's that?† said Moody calmly, folding up the map and pocketing it. â€Å"Potter!† Snape snarled, and he actually turned his head and stared right at the place where Harry was, as though he could suddenly see him. â€Å"That egg is Potters egg. That piece of parchment belongs to Potter. I have seen it before, I recognize it! Potter is here! Potter, in his Invisibility Cloak!† Snape stretched out his hands like a blind man and began to move up the stairs; Harry could have sworn his over-large nostrils were dilating, trying to sniff Harry out – trapped. Harry leaned backward, trying to avoid Snape's fingertips, but any moment now – â€Å"There's nothing there, Snape!† barked Moody, â€Å"but I'll be happy to tell the headmaster how quickly your mind jumped to Harry Potter!† â€Å"Meaning what?† Snape turned again to look at Moody, his hands still outstretched, inches from Harry's chest. â€Å"Meaning that Dumbledore's very interested to know who's got it in for that boy!† said Moody, limping nearer still to the foot of the stairs. â€Å"And so am I, Snape†¦very interested†¦.† The torchlight flickered across his mangled face, so that the scars, and the chunk missing from his nose, looked deeper and darker than ever. Snape was looking down at Moody, and Harry couldn't see the expression on his face. For a moment, nobody moved or said anything. Then Snape slowly lowered his hands. â€Å"I merely thought,† said Snape, in a voice of forced calm, â€Å"that if Potter was wandering around after hours again†¦it's an unfortunate habit of his†¦he should be stopped. For – for his own safety.† â€Å"Ah, I see,† said Moody softly. â€Å"Got Potter's best interests at heart, have you?† There was a pause. Snape and Moody were still staring at each other, Mrs. Norris gave a loud meow, still peering around Filch's legs, looking for the source of Harry's bubble-bath smell. â€Å"I think I will go back to bed,† Snape said curtly. â€Å"Best idea you've had all night,† said Moody. â€Å"Now, Filch, if you'll just give me that egg -â€Å" â€Å"No!† said Filch, clutching the egg as though it were his firstborn son. â€Å"Professor Moody, this is evidence of Peeves' treachery!† â€Å"It's the property of the champion he stole it from,† said Moody. Hand it over, now.† Snape swept downstairs and passed Moody without another word. Filch made a chirruping noise to Mrs. Norris, who stared blankly at Harry for a few more seconds before turning and following her master. Still breathing very fast. Harry heard Snape walking away down the corridor; Filch handed Moody the egg and disappeared from view too, muttering to Mrs. Norris. â€Å"Never mind. my sweet†¦we'll see Dumbledore in the morning†¦tell him what Peeves was up to†¦.† A door slammed. Harry was left staring down at Moody, who placed his staff on the bottommost stair and started to climb laboriously toward him, a dull clunk on every other step. â€Å"Close shave. Potter,† he muttered. â€Å"Yeah†¦I – er†¦thanks,† said Harry weakly. â€Å"What is this thing?† said Moody, drawing the Marauder's Map out of his pocket and unfolding it. â€Å"Map of Hogwarts,† said Harry, hoping Moody was going to pull him out of the staircase soon; his leg was really hurting him. â€Å"Merlins beard,† Moody whispered, staring at the map, his magical eye going haywire. â€Å"This†¦this is some map. Potter!† â€Å"Yeah, its†¦quite useful,† Harry said. His eyes were starting to water from the pain. â€Å"Er – Professor Moody, d'you think you could help me -?† â€Å"What? Oh! Yes†¦yes, of course†¦.† Moody took hold of Harry's arms and pulled; Harry's leg came free of the trick step, and he climbed onto the one above it. Moody was still gazing at the map. â€Å"Potter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said slowly, â€Å"you didn't happen, by any chance, to see who broke into Snape's office, did you? On this map, I mean?† â€Å"Er†¦yeah, I did†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry admitted. â€Å"It was Mr. Crouch.† Moody's magical eye whizzed over the entire surface of the map. He looked suddenly alarmed. â€Å"Crouch?† he said. â€Å"You're – you're sure. Potter?† â€Å"Positive,† said Harry. â€Å"Well, he's not here anymore,† said Moody, his eye still whizzing over the map. â€Å"Crouch†¦that's very – very interesting†¦.† He said nothing for almost a minute, still staring at the map. Harry could tell that this news meant something to Moody and very much wanted to know what it was. He wondered whether he dared ask. Moody scared him slightly†¦yet Moody had just helped him avoid an awful lot of trouble†¦. â€Å"Er†¦Professor Moody†¦why d'you reckon Mr. Crouch wanted to look around Snape's office?† Moody's magical eye left the map and fixed, quivering, upon Harry. It was a penetrating glare, and Harry had the impression that Moody was sizing him up, wondering whether to answer or not, or how much to tell him. â€Å"Put it this way. Potter,† Moody muttered finally, â€Å"they say old Mad-Eye's obsessed with catching Dark wizards†¦but I'm nothing – nothing – compared to Barty Crouch.† He continued to stare at the map. Harry was burning to know more. â€Å"Professor Moody?† he said again. â€Å"D'you think†¦could this have anything to do with†¦maybe Mr. Crouch thinks there's something going on†¦.† â€Å"Like what?† said Moody sharply. Harry wondered how much he dare say. He didn't want Moody to guess that he had a source of information outside Hogwarts; that might lead to tricky questions about Sirius. â€Å"I don't know,† Harry muttered, â€Å"odd stuffs been happening lately, hasn't it? It's been in the Daily Prophet†¦the Dark Mark at the World Cup, and the Death Eaters and everything†¦.† Both of Moody's mismatched eyes widened. â€Å"You're a sharp boy. Potter,† he said. His magical eye roved back to the Marauder's Map. â€Å"Crouch could be thinking along those lines,† he said slowly. â€Å"Very possible†¦there have been some funny rumors flying around lately – helped along by Rita Skeeter, of course. It's making a lot of people nervous, I reckon.† A grim smile twisted his lopsided mouth. â€Å"Oh if there's one thing I hate,† he muttered, more to himself than to Harry, and his magical eye was fixed on the left-hand corner of the map, â€Å"its a Death Eater who walked free†¦.† Harry stared at him. Could Moody possibly mean what Harry thought he meant? â€Å"And now I want to ask you a question. Potter,† said Moody in a more businesslike tone. Harry's heart sank; he had thought this was coming. Moody was going to ask where he had got this map, which was a very dubious magical object – and the story of how it had fallen into his hands incriminated not only him, but his own father, Fred and George Weasley, and Professor Lupin, their last Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Moody waved the map in front of Harry, who braced himself- â€Å"Can I borrow this?† â€Å"Oh!† said Harry. He was very fond of his map, but on the other hand, he was extremely relieved that Moody wasn't asking where he'd got it, and there was no doubt that he owed Moody a favor. â€Å"Yeah, okay.† â€Å"Good boy,† growled Moody. â€Å"I can make good use of this†¦this might be exactly what I've been looking for†¦.Right, bed, Potter, come on, now†¦.† They climbed to the top of the stairs together, Moody still examining the map as though it was a treasure the like of which he had never seen before. They walked in silence to the door of Moody's office, where he stopped and looked up at Harry. â€Å"You ever thought of a career as an Auror, Potter?† â€Å"No,† said Harry, taken aback. â€Å"You want to consider it,† said Moody, nodding and looking at Harry thoughtfully. â€Å"Yes, indeed†¦and incidentally†¦I'm guessing you werent Just taking that egg for a walk tonight?† â€Å"Er – no,† said Harry, grinning. â€Å"I've been working out the clue.† Moody winked at him, his magical eye going haywire again. â€Å"Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas, Potter†¦.See you in the morning†¦.† He went back into his office, staring down at the Marauders Map again, and closed the door behind him. Harry walked slowly back to Gryffindor Tower, lost in thought about Snape, and Crouch, and what it all meant†¦.Why was Crouch pretending to be ill, if he could manage to get to Hogwarts when he wanted to? What did he think Snape was concealing in his office? And Moody thought he. Harry, ought to be an Auror! Interesting idea†¦but somehow. Harry thought, as he got quietly into his four-poster ten minutes later, the egg and the cloak now safely back in his trunk, he thought he'd like to check how scarred the rest of them were before he chose it as a career.