Non Proliferation Treaty And The Universal Declaration Of...

The functioning of an international order refers to the â€Å"rules of the game† that delineate how states act toward each other. These rules or governing arrangements are intentionally constructed by states to promote their goals and interests (Bull 1977: 8) These rules may be formal, operating through mechanisms like international law, international treaties and alliances, and international organizations, or they may be informal, based on more nebulous concepts like norms, principles, and values regarding acceptable or legitimate behavior. These rules of the game identify the rights and obligations of states, and they provide mechanisms for regulating conflict among states. The post-1945 international order comprises a large number of†¦show more content†¦Thus, there is no central political authority that can establish rules, force states to obey them, punish states that break the rules, or otherwise arbitrate among states (Jervis 1985). However, the major theoretic al paradigms draw different implications from anarchy. Realism is a dominant theory of international relations focuses on state s security and power primarily. Besides, states are considered the only unitary rational actors where its survival and interests is the cornerstone of interstates relation highly based on might rather than on right. Hence, realists believe that people are by nature sinful and instinctively seeking power to dominant others. Power will be everlasting in the human s nature and the possibility to be eradicated is a utopian aspiration (Kegley, 1993). On the other hand, Liberalism as a dominant theory of international relations emphasizes peaceful interstates relations where the preference of states goes beyond politics to economic and social interaction to achieve a harmonious environment and reducing war conflicts. Basically, the liberals underline that states are not unitary actors and non-states actors are significant to take a part in the realm since states are not rational and all actors will function better tog ether. Additionally, power and security dilemma is a secondary objective. For realists, power and the distribution of power are the only important factors in IR. It is

IOS 7 vs. IOS 6 Free Essays

IOS 7 vs. IOS 6 When Apple announced it’s new OS back in March, many people were very excited at a change to the old IOS 6. As beta testing for the OS began and bugs began to intoxicate the new OS many consumers were left wondering if the need to switch at the final release was the best move and if so, what were the advantages or changes to the new OS. We will write a custom essay sample on IOS 7 vs. IOS 6 or any similar topic only for you Order Now IOS 7 has changed many of the features of IOS 6, but many of the core elements of IOS 6 are ever-present. The First and most noticeable difference in IOS 7 is its new color scheme and lock screen. IOS 6 had a round design and color scheme that was reminiscent of factory gears, and its lock screen was a simple picture with a slider at the bottom. But in the new OS, the color scheme is neon and bright colors, flat design in the sense that none of the home screen apps seem 3d, but also the lock screen is a full screen picture with the date, time, and also a slide to unlock slider. Those few improvements o the overall OS were nice, but the slide to unlock from the original OS 6 was still there and so were the large digital clock at the top. Another difference is the addition of Control Center. Control Center is a slider at the bottom of the screen that you slide up to use specific features of IOS 7, that in the older OS 6 you would have had to go to the settings menu. The features of Control Center include a slider for brightness, Wi-Fi control, Bluetooth control, and also one of IOS 7’s new features, Airdrop. Once again, the new features are great, even though many of the uses of them were in IOS 6. All in all IOS 7 is a step forward in features and still stays true to its predecessor. The new color scheme and lock screen got a complete overhaul, while keeping the same features and core elements of OS 6. Also the addition of Control Center now uses the toggles that could have been found in the settings menu of 10s 6. So once again, apple has made a step up in its Operating System while still staying true to its predeceasing one. How to cite IOS 7 vs. IOS 6, Papers

While poetry Essay Example For Students

While poetry Essay Thus it looks like the French Romantics went on to rebel against the constitutions, trying to change the world for the better, while the Germans lost themselves in their emotions and overwhelming feelings, which must have led to a completely false world-view. So from here onwards, the term Romantics shall be referred to the German Romantics, rather than the French ones, whose thoughts and aims seem to be far easier to understand. Not only were there significant changes on the social side of life in the late 18th and early 19th century, the arts themselves underwent some rather drastic changes too. Lead by the Sturm and Drang movement in literature which produced works such as Goethes famous book about The Sorrows of the Young Werther a masterpiece incorporating a number of the typical Romantic ideas, such as love and tragedy as well as the idea of the suffering hero8 the other art forms did not take long to follow the writers and poets examples. While poetry and architecture went back to their ancient roots, with the Nibelungenlied amongst many others gaining a new popularity and the Gothic architectural style being revived, music was more concerned with representation of the present. Despite this rather insignificant difference, all so called Romantic art forms have the same basic aims and principles: the revolt and downfall of prescribed rules and institutions especially in France -, philosophical revolt against rationalism, the promotion of feelings and emotions over intellect and reason, the belief in goodness of humanity, the rediscovery of artists as the greatest individual creators, the development of nationalistic pride and above all, the return to nature. While on the one hand the French Revolution is seen as the beginning of Romanticism, Alfred Einstein, on the other hand, emphasises Beethoven not necessarily as the founder of the Romantic period, but certainly as the most important composer who opened up the door to the new Musical Romanticism. In his eyes the Romantic era began with Beethoven, since from this great German composer onwards, symphonies, chamber music, songs and even opera had been written without anyone telling the composer what his works should be like. The Church and the Courts were no longer educating and more or less ruling over the musicians, which allowed the composers more freedom in expressing themselves. Compositions were generally aimed at an imaginary audience9, or in some cases at no audience at all, like for example for some of Schuberts piano sonatas, which have been composed for private use or performance in the small family and friends circle. The composers also set out to in Richard Wagners words create the artwork of the future, since they did everything possible to break away from the traditional Classical rules to create more forward looking works for the present generation, the generation of the future and for all eternity10. It is not unknown that Beethovens first composition were pretty much truly Classical ones, influenced by Haydn and to some extent also Mozart, but as he progressed as a musician and composer, his style gradually became freer and more expressive, and it was not for long until he started to express his view on political and social matters. The best known example for the turning point in Beethovens compositional style as well as the expression of his political views is the third Symphony (Op.55), also known as the Eroica Symphony. In contrast to the preceding symphony, the expanded form of this work makes it stand out; it was the longest composition of this genre by that date, even though Mozarts Prague Symphony had already been considered long. But not only the form of the composition itself was bigger than ever before, the size of the orchestra had also been increased, even if only slightly by the addition of a third horn at this early stage. Comparing two poems Two scavengers in a truck, two beautiful people in a Mercedes and Vultures EssayThis piece comprises not only the typical Romantic idea of nationalism, but also represents one of the most important Romantic musical forms: the tone poem, or symphonic poem. A piece that tells a story, but not just any story which the listener can make up himself, but a specific story provided by the composer. This was probably more or less the instrumental equivalent to the Romantic song, the Lied, which obviously was able to express certain feelings not just through the music, but also reinforce them with words. However, not only the styles and forms of music changed. The 19th century also saw a rise in the virtuoso. Led by Paganini, the role of the virtuoso instrumentalist is most likely to have come about because of the strong emphasis on the individual during this time. The artist saw himself as the misjudged genius, and as the demand for public performances, and especially solo concerts, increased, so did the demand for brilliant and outstanding musicians. Even though this put the individuals under extreme pressure, they did manage to create some of the greatest pieces of that time; pieces that were fresh and completely new in style. But not only Paganini composed pieces of instrumental transcendence, Liszt took the great violin masters creation a step further, by setting some of his etudes for piano and at the same time introducing new titles taken from poetry. Thus another typical Musical Romantic idea had been improved to include several Romantic ideals. This use of poetic titles was not unusual in the Romantic period, since it added more expression to the works as well as giving them a higher status in the Romantic world. In conclusion it needs to be said, that the ideas mentioned here are only a small fraction of what happened musically in what we are now used to calling the Romantic era. As declared previously, there are various different definitions of what Romantic really means, but hopefully some of the main characteristics have had some light shed on them. Musical Romanticism, just like Literal Romanticism is a term that can be applied to a great number of compositions or essays and poems that have been produced during the first half of the 19th century, but as always there are exceptions to the rules. There have been numerous composers who did not adapt the new style of writing and composing or even the new way of thinking, and have therefore stuck to writing in the old traditional style of the Classical period. But then again if Romantic was to include anything from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, surely this can then also be said about Musical Romanticism. If we were to adapt this definition, however, we would then need to talk about different stages of Romanticism in all the arts, and the term Romantic itself would need a much clearer definition itself. Of course composers as well as writers and other artists always set out to express certain emotions in their works, so considering this, should they be called Romantic too? There are still so many questions left open which need to be looked at in much greater detail to avoid any more confusion arising from vague definitions.

Voting Participation in the U.S. Presidential Elections

Introduction Recent studies of political attitudes and voting patterns in the United States presidential elections demonstrate that voter loyalties and voting trends have undergone a major shift since the original large-scale voting studies were initiated in the 1940s and 1950s (Guterbock, 1980).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Voting Participation in the U.S. Presidential Elections specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the American context, the presidential elections are often a hotly contested affair between the traditionally business-oriented Republicans and the labor-oriented Democrats (Gelman, Kenworthy Su, 2010). However, as suggested by Gonzalez (2012), U.S. presidential elections are won on a number of platforms other than the philosophical leanings of the candidates or party interests. In this regard, it is important to evaluate the determinants of voting participation in the U.S. presidential el ections not only to assist political parties to polish their campaigns during the electioneering period, but also to inform policy decisions at the party level. While it is a well known fact that most Americans consider themselves as Republican or Democrat, a strand of existing political literature (e.g., Newman, 2001; Pasek et al., 2009; Weisberg, 2007) demonstrates that presidential election results are paradoxically predicated upon a multiplicity of factors other than partisan voting. While these studies exhibit rekindled interest in the existence of factors outside party identification that are intrinsically involved in determining the results of the presidential election (Holbrook McClurg, 2005), less attention has been devoted to examining the mechanisms by which these factors activate or deactivate partisanship and mobilize core supporters toward voting for a particular presidential candidate Wildavsky, 2011). Interestingly, many of these studies tend to deal with individual factors to understand voting patterns in U.S. presidential elections though common practice demonstrates that a number of factors are involved in efforts to shape the voting discourse and trajectory. The present study aims to fill this research gap by analyzing four possible determinants of voting participation in U.S. presidential elections: media, religion, social economic status and level of education. A comprehensive review of these factors is presented in the subsequent sections.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Available literature demonstrates that the media (print, electronic, Internet) has an agenda-setting capacity or â€Å"the ability to influence not what people think, but what they think about† (Newton Brynin, 2001 p. 225). This view is reinforced by Gonzalez (2012), who acknowledges that most modern media platforms have the capacity to prime or frame is sues in a manner that leads the audience or users to think about them in one way rather than another. Extending and supporting the work in this nascent area of research, Newman (2001) claims that victory in the U.S. presidential election often goes to the candidate who wages the best marketing campaign using available media platforms not only to make an emotional connection with the people, but also to project an image of honesty, compassion and toughness in the minds and hearts of the American people. Other scholars note that â€Å"both candidates and voters have increased their use of the Internet for political campaigns† (Robertson, Vatrapu Medina, 2010 p. 11). Presidential candidates, according to these authors, have adopted many Internet-based tools to communicate with voters, collect contributions, foster community and organize political campaigns, whereas voters have adopted Internet tools to relate to the presidential candidates, engage in political discourse, follow activist causes, and share information. The relationship between religion and the U.S. presidential elections has been investigated by a number of scholars. In his seminal work on religious identity and the U.S. presidency, Gonzalez (2012) found that â€Å"the relationship between religion and the presidency impacts both the viability of candidates and the manner in which decisions are made in the voting booth† (p. 568). In the 2012 presidential elections, for instance, Republican candidate Mitt Romney suffered considerable stigma from the American voters due to his close association with Mormon religious doctrines (Gonzalez, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Voting Participation in the U.S. Presidential Elections specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Manza and Brooks (1997) are of the opinion that in the U.S political landscape, religious-oriented cleavages may have been a more fundamental fact or for understanding the social roots of voter alignments than the class cleavage owing to the fact that Americans normally claim higher levels of church membership and attendance at religious gatherings and hence are more likely to believe in God and claim that religion is of substantial importance in their lives. Social economic status has been shown as a possible determinant of voting participation in the U.S. presidential elections. A study by Southwell (2004) shows that unemployed and economically-disadvantaged people are less likely to take part in voting, whereas their employed and rich counterparts derive much satisfaction from participating in presidential elections. This author further explains that persons experiencing financial difficulties are â€Å"less likely to participate in elections because the stressful nature of economic adversity forces a preoccupation with personal economic problems and makes the individual withdraw from political or community matters as a re sult† (p. 237-238). Guterbock (1980) used ecological data from the Midwestern city of Middletown to demonstrate that although there is a perceived weakening of the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and electoral choices, a considerable number of eligible Americans continue to vote along class and racial lines. According to the researcher, wealthy people and those in white-collar occupations continue to vote for Republican candidates to maintain the status quo, while middle class (working class) voters and immigrants vote for Democrat candidates because the policies projected by the Democratic Party are perceived as more responsive to their interests. Lastly, a number of research studies have investigated the relationship between a voter’s level of education and his or her voting participation in the U.S. presidential elections. Although the results are not conclusive, Coley and Sum (2012) â€Å"reveal a startling stratification at the nation’s poll ing stations, from a voting rate of 3.5 percent for voting-age high school dropouts to 80.5 percent for well-off, advanced-degree holders between the ages of 55 and 64† (p. 2).Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These authors found a significant association between the level of education and civic engagement (e.g., participating in elections), leading to the conclusion that the nation’s less-educated, lower-income eligible voters have willingly disenfranchised themselves form the voting process. One Canadian study analyzing the last federal election found that â€Å"the voting rate among people with a university degree was 78% compared with rates of 60% or lower among those with a high school education or less† (Uppal LaRochelle-Cote, 2012 para. 12). These figures demonstrate that education may have a ‘positive effect’ on voting patterns not only in the U.S. but also internationally. The present study is interested in testing the following hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that voters with high media exposure (TV) are more likely to participate in U.S. presidential elections than voters with low media exposure. The second hypothesis is that voters with a solid religious orientation are more likely to determine the outcomes of the U.S. presidential election than voters with a secular orientation. he third hypothesis is that social economic status is a strong predictor in determining the probability of voting in the U.S. presidential elections. The last hypothesis is that voters with low levels of education are less likely to take part in presidential elections than voters with high levels of education. Methods The data for this study were extracted from a larger database known as the General Social Survey (GSS), which is basically a nationwide survey intended to capture the demographic, behavioral and attitudinal views of Americans on a wide range of issues. The GSS is a probability sampling national survey completed through personal questionnaires targeted at non-institutionalized individuals over the age of 18 years. Information from the GSS official website shows that â€Å"the 1972-2012 GSS has 5,545 variables, time-trends for 2,072 v ariables, and 268 trends having 20+ data points† (General Social Survey, 2013 para. 2). The 1996 data set was used in this study, and the sample size drawn for analysis consisted of 1,419 Americans. Data relevant to the dependent and the independent variables were used to test the hypotheses. Questions were posed to the participants and the responses entered into the corresponding categories in line with a quantitative approach. However, some items were not operationalized and required the respondents to give their responses in an open-ended manner. These responses were later operationalized by the researcher around underlying themes and then analyzed quantitatively using the IBM SPSS Statistics program. While the ordinal level of measurement was mostly used when values for the responses represented categories with some intrinsic ranking, the nominal level of measurement was used when values for the responses showed no form of intrinsic ranking, whereas the scale level of meas urement was employed when values for the responses represented ordered categories demonstrating a meaningful metric (Balnaves Caputi, 2001). For this study, the independent variables include respondent’s highest level of education (measured using ordinal level by ranking participants against the intrinsic categories for educational achievement), TV hours and Internet hours (measured using scale level by stating the number of hours respondents use per day watching TV), respondents income for the last year (measured using ordinal level by entering the respondent’s income for the last year into predetermined intrinsic categories), and belief in life after death (measured using nominal level as a â€Å"YES/NO† response). The dependent variable is whether the respondents voted in the 1996 U.S. presidential election. As already mentioned, the sample size for this study is 1,419. Quantitative techniques were employed to analyze the data with the view to testing the st ated hypotheses. Descriptive statistics (frequency distributions and cross tabulations) were used to demonstrate the frequency of occurrence and the relationships between the dependent and independent variables. Chi-square tests were also done for purposes of identifying which frequencies and relationships could be considered statistically significant. The results are presented in the following section. Results Table 1 shows the cross-tabulation of the number of number of hours per day respondents spent watching TV and if they voted in the 1996 presidential elections. It is imperative to note that over two-thirds (67.9%) of respondents who spent a minimum of two hours per day watching the TV voted against only 118 (25.1%) who spent the same number of hours but did not vote. Similarly, 205 (67.9%) of respondents who spent 3-5 hours watching the news voted in the 1996 general elections against 23 (27.6%) who spent similar number of hours but did not vote. The Pearson Chi-Square test s howed a df of 45 and two-sided significance of 0.290, while the Spearman Correlation Coefficient showed an approximate significance of 0.082. Consequently, the level of occurrences and relationship is significant enough to prove that voters with high media exposure are more likely to participate in voting than voters with low media exposure. Table 1: Hours spent watching TV and Participation in 1996 General Elections Hours per day watching TV (n=880) Did Respondent Vote in 1996 General Election Voted Did not Vote Ineligible Refused to Answer Total 0-2 hrs 319 (67.9) 118 (25.1) 33 (7.0) 0 470 (53.4) 3-5 hrs 205 (64.3) 88 (27.6) 25 (7.8) 1 (0.3) 319 (36.3) 6-8 hrs 33 (55.9) 23 (39.0) 3 (5.1) 0 59 (6.7) Over 8 hrs 17 (53.1) 15 (46.9) 0 0 32 (3.6) Total 574 (65.2) 244 (27.7) 61 (6.9) 1(0.9) 880 (100) N.B: Row percentages are presented in parenthesis Table 2 shows the cross-tabulation of perceptions of belief in life after death (to demonstrate religiosity) and if res pondents voted in the 1996 presidential elections. From the cross-tabulation, it is clear that out of 521 valid cases of respondents who voted in the 1996 presidential elections, 449 (86.2%) believed in life after death (religiosity) while only 72 (13.8%) of those who voted said there was no life after death. The Pearson Chi square and linear-by-linear association showed a weak relationship between the independent and dependent variable (0.003 and 0.004 respectively at 0.05 significance level) but the high occurrence of those who voted in the 1996 election and demonstrated a faith or belief in life after death proves that voters with a solid religious orientation are more likely to determine the outcomes of the U.S. presidential election than voters with a secular orientation. Table 2: Belief in Life after Death and Participation in the 1996 Presidential Elections Belief in Life after Death (n=807) Did Respondent Vote in 1996 General Election Voted Did not Vote Ineligible Total Yes 449 (86.2) 181 (78.3) 40 ( 72.7) 670 (83.0) No 72 (13.8) 50 (21.7) 15 (27.3) 137 (17.0) Total 521 (64.6) 231 (28.6) 55 (6.8) 807 (100) N.B: Column percentages are presented in parenthesis Table 3 demonstrates the cross-tabulation between the social economic status (measured by income for last year) of respondents and if they voted in the 1996 presidential elections. From the cross-tabulation, it is evident that of the 573 respondents who participated in the 1996 presidential election, 105 (18.3 %) earned a salary of up to $12,999 per year, 341(59.5%) respondents earned between $12,500 and $49,000, and a further 127 (22.2%) earned $50,000 or more per year. The Pearson Chi-square and linear-by-linear association (both at 0.000 at 0.05 significance level) demonstrated no significant association that could have given credence to the hypothesis in symmetric measures. However, the cross-tabulation analysis proves that social economic status (as measured by respondents†™ income for the previous year) is a strong predictor for participation during presidential elections. Table 3 Respondents Income for Last Year and Participation in 1996 Presidential Election Income for Last Year (n=905) Did Respondent Vote in 1996 General Election Voted Did not Vote Ineligible Total Under $3,999 38 (6.6) 20 (7.1) 20 (39.2) 78 (8.6) $4000-6,999 24 (4.9) 16 (5.7) 9 (17.7) 49 (5.4) $7000-12,499 43 (7.5) 34 (12.1) 5 (9.8) 82 (9.1) $12,500-19,999 70 (12.2) 62 (22.1) 6 (11.8) 138 (15.3) $20,000-29,999 90 (15.7) 65 (23.1) 3 (5.9) 158 (17.5) $30,000-49,999 181 (31.6) 58 (20.6) 5 (9.8) 244 (26.9) $50,000-89,999 100 (17.5) 22 (7.8) 2 (3.9) 124 (13.7) $90,000 and above 27 (4.7) 4 (1.4) 1 (2.0) 32 (3.5) Total 573 (63.3) 281 (31.1) 51 (5.6) 905 (100.0) N.B: Column percentages are presented in parenthesis Table 4 shows the cross-tabulation analysis of the respondents’ highest level of education and participation in the 1996 presidential elect ion. The Pearson chi-square analysis and linear-by-linear association both demonstrated that there was a significant relationship between level of education and participation in presidential voting (Pearson Chi-square = 103.702, df-6, p =.004; linear-by-linear association = 93.526, df = 1, p = 0.000). The Lambda measure of association revealed a strong association between variables (0.774). Table 4: Educational Level and Participation in 1996 Presidential Election Educational Level (degree) (n=1366) Did Respondent Vote in 1996 General Election Voted Did not Vote Ineligible Total Less than high school 95 (10.8) 99 (25.1) 32 (36.0) 226 (16.5) High School 441 (49.9) 218 (55.3) 45 (50.6) 704 (51.5) Junior College or More 347 (39.3) 77 (19.5) 12 (13.5) 436 (32.0) Total 883 (64.6) 394 (28.8) 89 (6.5) 1366 (100.0) N.B: Row percentages are presented in parenthesis The cross-tabulation above demonstrates that out of the 883 respondents who participated in the 1996 president ial voting, 778 (89.2%) had a high school degree and above. This analysis together with the measures of association and significance proves that voters with low levels of education are less likely to take part in presidential elections than voters with high levels of education. Discussion The findings of this study demonstrate that media exposure, religion, social economic status and level of education are important determinants of voter participation in the U.S. presidential elections. Consequently, the present study reinforces findings of other studies that have evaluated individuals attributes (variables) and found them to have a significant influence on voting behaviors and patterns. In this study, media exposure has been found to be positively associated with a high likelihood of participating in presidential elections. This can be explained in terms of the capacity of media platforms to set the agenda of political campaigns with the view to influencing what the voters think ab out (Newton Brynin, 2001), and also in terms media’s capacity to prime or frame political issues in a manner that will lead the audience to see the need for casting their vote on the election day (Gonzalez, 2012). Through priming and framing of issues in Television channels, candidates are able to not only project an appealing image to the audience, but also create an emotional bond with viewers (Robertson et al., 2010, hence sustaining the audience’ desire to participate in elections. This study has also demonstrated how religious orientation is critical to informing voter decision to participate in presidential elections. However, as insinuated by Manza and Brooks (1997) that religious-oriented cleavages may have been a more fundamental factor for understanding the social roots of voter alignments than the class cleavage, the present study found both variables to be equally important in influencing voter participation in U.S. presidential election. In social class, this study reinforces the findings of other previous studies (e.g., Guterbock, 1980; Southwell, 2004) that economically disadvantaged Americans are less likely to vote than their well-off counterparts. The level of education has also being shown as a strong predictor to voting participation during the presidential elections, with findings demonstrating that eligible voters who have been unable to graduate from high school are less likely to vote than high school graduates and diploma/degree holders. Although the voting pattern (3.5% for eligible high school dropouts to 80.5% for well-off, advanced degree holders) demonstrated by Cole and Sum (2012) has not been replicated in this study, the view that uneducated voters are less likely to participate in elections than more educated voters has been well reinforced. There exist some limitations to the present study. First, the use of secondary data has brought difficulties in operationalizing some variables such as religion. The researc her had to rely on evaluating if respondents believed in life after death to determine their religious orientation. However, common knowledge demonstrates that not all people who believe in life after death are religious and not all religious people believe in life after death. The case of missing data values also presented a challenge during data analysis. Additionally, it can be said that some of the variables used are limited in scope and therefore could not be relied upon in a rigorous scientific research. Because presidential elections are a closely contested affair in the United States, it is imperative for policy makers and political players to know the factors that determine the participation of voters in the election. Knowledge of such determinants (media, social economic status, religion, and level of education) will not only help in prioritizing campaign needs for political parties, but also in ensuring that effective strategies are employed to woo voters to participate i n elections. It should be remembered that presidential candidate Mitt Romney lost considerable number of votes due to poor understanding of religious orientation as an important underpinning in U.S. elections. It is therefore suggested that more research needs to be done to analyze the dynamics of these determinants and how they are played out in party politics. References Balnaves, M., Caputi, P. (2001). Introduction to quantitative research methods: An investigative approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Coley, R.J., Sum, A. (2012). Fault lines in our democracy: Civic knowledge, voting behavior, and civic engagement in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.ets.org/s/research/19386/rsc/pdf/18719_fault_lines_report.pdf Gelman, A., Kenworthy, L., Su, Y.S. (2010). Income inequality and partisan voting in the United States. Social Science Quarterly, 91(5), 1203-1219. Retrieved from http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/research/published/ssqfinal.pdf General Social Su rvey. (2013). Retrieved from http://www3.norc.org/gss+website/ Gonzalez, M.A. (2012). Religion and the US presidency: Politics, the media, and religious identity. Political Theology, 13(5), 565-585. Guterbock, T.M. (1980). Social class and voting choices in Middletown. Social Forces, 58(4), 1044-1056. Holbrook, T.M., McClurg, S.D. (2005). The mobilization of core supporters: Campaigns, turnout, and electoral composition in United States elections. American Journal of Political Science, 49(4), 689-703. Manza, J., Brooks, C. (1997). The religious factor in U.S. presidential elections, 1960-1992. AJS, 103(1), 38-81. Retrieved from http://as.nyu.edu/docs/IO/3858/The_Religious_Factor_in_U.S._Presidential_Elections.pdf Newman, B.I. (2001). An assessment of the 2000 US presidential election: A set of political marketing guidelines. Journal of Public Affairs, 1(3), 210-216. Newton, K., Brynin, M. (2001). The national press and party voting in the UK. Political Studies, 49(2), 265-285. Pa sek, J., Tahk, A., Lelkes, Y., Krosnick, J.A., Payne, B.K., Akhter, O., Tompson, T. (2009). Determinants of turnout and candidate choice in the 2008 U.S. presidential election: Illuminating the impact of racial prejudice and other considerations. Public Opinion Quarterly, 73(5), 943-994. Retrieved from https://www.stanford.edu/dept/communication/faculty/krosnick/docs/2008/2008_poq_pasek_determinants.pdf Robertson, S.P., Vatrapu, R.K., Medina, R. (2010). Off the wall political discourse: Facebook use in the 2008 U.S, presidential election. Information Polity: The International Journal of Government Democracy in the Information Age, 15(1/2), 11-31. Southwell, P. (2004). Economic voting in volatile times. Journal of Political Military Sociology, 32(2), 237-247. Uppal, S., LaRochelle-Cote, S. (2012). Factors associated with voting. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2012001/article/11629-eng.htm Weisberg, H.F. (2007). The one thing you need to know about voting in American presidential elections. Retrieved from http://www.rochester.edu/college/psc/conferences/niemi2007/pdf/Voting%20in%20Presidential%20Elections.pdf Wildavsky, A. (2011). Presidential elections: Strategies and structures of American politics. New York, NY: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. This research paper on Voting Participation in the U.S. Presidential Elections was written and submitted by user Brylee Franklin to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Political Campaign Contribution Laws for Individuals

Political Campaign Contribution Laws for Individuals If you decide to contribute to a political candidate, you should know that the Federal Campaign Finance Law places legal limits on how much and what you can give. Representatives of the candidates campaign committee should be aware of these laws and inform you of them. But, just in case... The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has released the campaign contribution limits for individual private citizens for the 2019-2020 election cycle, including the presidential election on November 3, 2020. The per-calendar year limits became effective on January 1, 2019. The amount an individual can contribute to a candidate for each election was increased to $2,800 per election, up from $2,700. Since each primary and the general election count as separate elections, individuals may give $5,600 per candidate per cycle.   The following chart shows more details on the FEC campaign contribution limits for individuals in 2019 and 2020: An individual may contribute to †¦ Federal Candidates $2,800 per election National party committees- main account $35,500 per year National party committees- convention account (RNC and DNC only) $106,500 per year National party committees- party building account $106,500 per year National party committees- legal fund account $106,500 per year State or local party committees’ federal accounts $10,000 per year Federal PACs $5,000 per year Note: Contributions to the three national party special accounts (convention, building, and legal) can be used only to pay for expenses related to presidential nominating conventions, headquarters buildings of the party, and election recounts, contests, and other legal proceedings. Note: Married couples are considered to be separate individuals with separate contribution limits. Notes on Contributions to Presidential Campaigns The contribution limits work a little differently for presidential campaigns. You can contribute a total of up to $2,800 to presidential candidates running in state primaries, but the donation is for the entire primary election period. You cannot donate $2,800 for each state primary in which the candidate is running.A portion of your contribution may qualify to be matched by the federal government. If a candidate running in a primary election has qualified for the federal matching fund program, up to $250 of your total contributions to that candidate may be matched with federal funds. To qualify for federal matching, your contribution must be made in written form, such as a check. Contributions such as currency, loans, goods and services, and any type of contribution from a political committee do not qualify for federal matching.  In the general election, however, you may not make any contributions to the campaigns of Democratic or Republican nominees who receive Federal funds. Can anybody contribute? Certain individuals, businesses, and associations are prohibited from making contributions to Federal candidates or political action committees (PACs). Foreign nationals may not contribute to any candidate or party in any Federal, state, or local election in the United States. Foreign citizens who have permanent US residency status (posses a green card) are allowed to contribute according to the same laws as American citizens.Federal contractors individuals or businesses under contract to provide goods or services to the Federal government are prohibited from contributing to candidates or parties in Federal elections.Corporations and Labor Unions are also prohibited from contributing. This law applies to all incorporated organizations, profit or non-profit. Business owners are not allowed to make contributions from their business accounts. Although corporations and labor organizations may not make contributions or expenditures in connection with federal elections, they may establish PACs.Cash in any amount over $100 is prohibited.Contributions in the name of another person are not permitted. Note: Parents may not make contribut ions in the names of their children. Persons under 18 may contribute, but must do so willingly, under their own names, and with their own money. What constitutes a contribution? Besides checks and currency, the FEC considers ...anything of value given to influence a Federal election to be a contribution. Note that this does not include volunteer work. As long as you are not compensated for it, you can perform an unlimited amount of volunteer work. Donations of food, beverages, office supplies, printing or other services, furniture, etc. are considered in-kind contributions, so their value counts against contribution limits. Important: Questions should be directed to the Federal Election Commission in Washington, DC: 800/424-9530 (toll-free) or 202/694-1100.

The Most Famous Arsonist in Ancient Greece Wanted to Be a Star

The Most Famous Arsonist in Ancient Greece Wanted to Be a Star The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were famous even in antiquity, but not everyone loved gorgeous architectural marvels. Heres a tale of the ancient worlds most infamous arsonist, who burned down one of the greatest buildings of the Mediterranean. The Burning of the Temple The burning of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus  in modern Turkey, which was first built in the sixth century B.C.E., happened on the same day Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C.E.  According to Plutarch, a guy named Hegesias the Magnesian quipped that Artemis  (Diana for the Romans), goddess of childbirth, among other things, was too busy welcoming the future king of Macedon and much of the Mediterranean into the world to keep an eye on the temple. The Ephesian priests, dubbed the Magi, took the destruction of the temple as a much bigger portent. Looking upon the temples disaster as a sign of further disaster, [they] ran about beating their faces and crying aloud that woe and great calamity for Asia had that day been born. Of course, that danger was baby Alexander, who would  eventually brutally conquer most of Asia. The Ultimate Punishment:  Being Forgotten Forever! The criminal responsible was a man named Herostratus. What made him commit such a heinous act? According to first-century author  Valerius  Maximus: Here is appetite for glory involving sacrilege. A man was found to plan the burning of the temple of Ephesian  Diana so that through the destruction of this most beautiful building his name might be spread through the whole world. This madness he unveiled when put upon the rack. In other  words, after being tortured, Herostratus admitted he torched  the temple for personal fame.  Maximus added, The Ephesians had wisely abolished the memory of the villain by decree, but Theopompus’s eloquent genius included him in his history. Herostratus was the most hated man around...so much so that a   damnatio  (meaning his memory was to be obliterated forever)  was decreed! The second-century C.E. Roman writer Aulus Gellius noted that Herostratus was dubbed inlaudabilis, namely, one who is worthy neither of mention nor remembrance, and  is never to be named. It was decreed that no one should ever mention the name of the man who had burned the temple of Diana at Ephesus.   If Herostratuss name and  memory were banned,  then how do we know about him? Most sources followed the rules and never mentioned his name, but Strabo disagreed. He was the first to break the rules in his Geography, stating the Ephesian temple was set on fire by a certain Herostratus.  The priest Aelian even  associated Herostratus  with atheists and enemies of the gods. After Herostratus did his dastardly deed, the Ephesians didnt hesitate in resurrecting their holy spot. According to Strabo, the citizens constructed one more magnificent. Howd they get the cash for such an extravagant building? Strabo said the tax collectors brought in ornaments of the women, contributions from private property, and the money arising from the sale of pillars of the former temple to pay for a new one. So the temple was even more awesome than before, all thanks to a firebug.

A Police Misconduct Case On Rodney King Assignment

A Police Misconduct Case On Rodney King - Assignment Example In addition, this paper focuses on the negative effects of unethical decision making while evaluating the effects violence caused acts of police brutality. Moreover, this research focuses on various moral and ethical concepts that are utilized in explaining how ethical dilemmas affected decision-making in this incidence. Introduction In the process of enforcing the law, various moral and ethical concepts determine an individual’s decision-making tendency. However, in some cases interpretation of moral and ethical concepts involved poses a challenge hence resulting to poor application of these concepts. Misinterpretation of these concepts introduces various unwanted results in the society. In this study, focus is placed on various moral and ethical concepts involved in the case of Rodney King. Question one Moral and ethical concepts play a crucial role in determining suitable decision-making (Zerbe, Ha?rtel and Ashkanasy, 2008).However, in some cases poor interpretation of the code of ethics results to its violation. For instance, in 1991 some traffic police officers brutally attacked an individual named Rodney king for violating traffic regulation in a Los Angeles suburb. Evidence in this case reveals that police officers used buttons to beat the complainant after the shocks they had used failed to incapacitate the individual. According to the defendants, the use of force was meant to ease the arrest of Rodney King who was drunk at the time he violated the traffic rules (Pollock, 2012). The acquittal of these officers in court worsened this case by causing the eruption of violence in the streets of Los Angeles where a large number of people were injured and property worth a lot of money was destroyed. In this case, a number of ethical dilemmas faced the parties that were involved. First, in the process of law enforcement officers are supposed to abide by the ethical code of conduct. However, in case of danger the officers were required to utilize conside rable force hence protecting themselves from injuries. In the case on Rodney king, the officers faced the dilemma of whether to abide by the code of conduct for the police officers or to protect each other from the probable injuries that might have been caused by Rodney (Kleinig, 2006).According to utilitarian ethics a decision is ethical if it results to a higher number of positive outcomes. In this case, concepts in utilitarian ethics would have required that the police officers to protect themselves from an attack by Rodney. However, virtue ethics requires that an individual’s actions should be judged based on the extent to which they employ suitable characters in decision-making. In this instance, the police officers ought to have employed virtues such as mercy and compassion thus using minimal force in arresting the culprit (Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell, 2013).According to virtue ethics the actions taken by police officers in this case were unethical since they showed the use of force for selfish reasons. These selfish reasons may have included punishing individuals of the black American race or relieving stress among the officers. The ethical dilemma posed by the two concepts may have resulted to the violation of Rodney King’s rights. According to Zerbe, Ha?rtel and Ashkanasy (2008), ethical dilemmas in this case also emerged in the courtroom. In the process of determining whether the defendants were guilty or

Project size and effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project size and effectiveness - Essay Example The failure of a project is never affected by a single factor but a blend of factors that cripple the whole project. The statement â€Å"the larger the project is, the easier it fails. Nothing can change this trend† contains traces of truth in it. The last part of the statement is very wrong; the pattern can be broken by effective management principles and skilled personnel. It is a fact that bigger projects come with many responsibilities and tasks that should be effectively managed to succeed (Nicholas & Steyn, 2012). It demands collaboration, planning and control to make sure all team members are working towards the achievement of the project goals. Therefore, if an inexperienced project manager is given a chance to leader a big project the chances of failure increase significantly. Handling smaller projects can be relatively easy because very few people and activities are involved. Therefore, managing people and tasks is relatively easy. Regardless, it is very hard to find a project that cites the only reason for failure as its enormous size. Projects fail due to poor governance, poor implementation, lack of focus, and environmental changes. Poor governance is characterized by the provision of project sponsor who cannot inspire project members to work hard. The absence of passion and extensive knowledge on the project only serve to discourage other people (Nicholas & Steyn, 2012). The practical implementation of a project provides a positive start for the project, which is likely to lead to a definite finish. The lack of focus breeds complacency, which can certainly lead to project failure. It is very hard to keep the large teams that come with large projects motivated. A project manager can find it challenging to keep all project team members focused on achieving organizational goals and objectives. It is a fact that a project manager has to delegate duties when dealing with a massive project. As a result, direct

Changes in technology Essay Example for Free

Changes in technology Essay Technology enhances globalization. In past two decades, technology burst out like an explosion, definitely, the improvements of technology make our lives much more convenience. And, the advanced technology in microprocessors, Internet, and transportation enable the spreading out of globalization. Hill, C., (2001) stated Globalization has two main components: the globalization of markets and the globalization of product. In other words, the changing in technology would lead to an influence on globalization of markets and globalization of production. The widely use in microprocessors and telecommunications increasing the amount of information being transferred, but lower its cost. This is very helpful in merging markets. The opportunities for companies to expend businesses are raised, due to plummeting in global communication cost. Updated data can be collected, and monitoring overseas markets trend would become easier. Moreover, population of using Internet grows continuously since 1995 (Hill, C., 2001). This helps to create a global audience; advertisings are not restricted by geographic region anymore. Products can sold at overseas, such as Hill, C. (2001) pointed out customer can buy Levis jeans in Paris; McDonalds restaurant located in Tokyo. And, the cost of transportation plummeted, due to the revolutionized in transportation business, also helpful for expansion of business. Manufacturers can transport products at a lower cost and in a shorter time. As the trendy of globalization of production, productive activities spread out over the world, invention and widely use of microprocessors and Internet help supervisor to control the productive activities, and easier to communication to other in the process. The dispersal of production, for instance Hewlett-Packard separated its operations activities to different places, but reducing cost at the same time (Hill, C. 2001). As the decreasing cost in transportation, many businesses move their manufacturing plants to nations that provide cheaper raw materials and nature resources, in order to diminishing their production cost. Summering the above points, the three main changes in technology (microprocessors, Internet, and transportation) have a great supportive to  the globalization of markets and production. If the lower cost of communication does not exist, people around the world would not have so many chances to connect with others and business would not be willing to put money to widen their markets. If the world without Internet and the World Wide Web, people might not able to get the most updated information, the production skills cannot be improved and productive activities cannot be shared. Without the convenience transportation system, customer and provider would not connect each other; products cannot transfer to overseas market. Therefore, people would lose the opportunities to enjoy different products from all around the world. Finally, markets from different countries should not be merged together, and the production process should not spread out. Thats why the technology essential and enhance globalization. The above assignment is coming from the resources of Hill, C., Globalization, International Business, 2001, 3rd ed, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, New York.

Limitations of the current system :: Computer Science

Limitations of the current system The current system is slow in terms of processing tasks. When a lot of customers are present it is very time consuming to look for individual products because of the large stock room. This means fewer sales transactions are completed so overall there is less profit being made. The customer filing cabinet is taking up a lot id space which can be used for a lot of other things which is un-efficient. Also when a customer comes searching for the customer details is very time consuming and sometimes the details are overlooked so new ones are made causing reputation. If a staff report is created to see who has sold most products can be done by the current system, but it can be very time consuming to go through every invoice. This means that these types of reports are not done despite the ability to do them no one does. The advantage of doing such a report would be to see who doesn’t sell as much so more motivation can be given. The current system also limits the functions you can do because when stock runs out it is hard to find out until sales rep comes looking for the product. This means that they have automatically just lost out on a sale. These are the limitations which with my system shouldn’t occur. New system The new system will enable the users to process tasks quicker and with greater easy. Meaning the new system will have a whole new stock control database. This will definitely improve the time taken to search for a specific product which will mean more customers are attended too. With the aid of security different levels of system uses can be introduced which would mean company information like employee details can be stored on the database. This will also be a good feature because it will mean when a sales transaction is made it will be recorded so if errors arise in human error with sales transactions the system can check to see who carried out the sales transaction. Using the new system more better results and charts can be produced to give a better prospectus of the company finance and how much profit is being made. Also this can lead to queries being performed to see which items sell the most so a larger variety can be introduced or the items that don’t sell that well can be re checked to see why people are not buying them. With the new system it will be easier to do sales transactions because the sales rep doesn’t have to worry about saving the transaction,

Hitler Became Chancellor in 1933 Because He Was Leader of the Most Popular Party in Germany Essay

Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 because he was leader of the most popular party in Germany. How far you agree with this opinion? Hitler’s appointment in 1933 cannot be put down to just one factor. There were many influential occurrences leading up to his appointment but overall the Great Depression seems to be the biggest factor as it started a ‘chain reaction’ that overall led to Hitler being Chancellor of Germany. Therefore, despite being the leader of the most popular party in Germany playing a part in Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor it was not solely responsible and was also not the most important factor. An argument that could be used to show that Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 because he was leader of the most popular party in Germany is the idea that the Nazis used effective tactics which not only allowed them to gain extreme popularity but also their leader, Adolf Hitler. Essentially, the Nazis clever strategies allowed Hitler to gain recognition. For example, the Nazis were incredibly good at changing their policies to suit their audiences at rallies. The Great Depression was also used to their favour; promoting Hitler as the saviour in their propaganda to incredible effect. Goebbels’ propaganda campaign was very effective and it won support for the Nazis and Hitler. Also, Hitler moved away from violence and realised that the only way he could receive true power was through the Reichstag. The Nazis were able to win over the working and middle classes by using their anti-Jewish propaganda for the working classes and for the middle classes and farmers they focussed on their policies on powerless and honourless Germany, making it great again. No other party focussed more on propaganda than the Nazis; they were masters of propaganda. Their propaganda skills had the ability to change the public’s opinions and views. It encompassed every aspect of Weimar Germany to entice millions of people into following them, their policies ranged from unemployment to the stab in the back myth of Versailles. This increased the appeal of the Nazis and as a result they increased their vote in the Reichstag in the next election of July 1932, increasing their number of seats to 230 and becoming the largest party in the Reichstag. The Nazis used the problems with the economy and the Weimar republic to boost their support; this is evident in the fact that as unemployment got worse, Nazi support increased. Therefore clearly, being the leader of the most popular party did have extreme benefits for Hitler in terms of helping him become Chancellor due to gaining popularity through the party. Having said that, the idea that Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 because he was leader of the most popular party in Germany to an extent can be argued to be untrue; as briefly discussed the weaknesses of the Weimar government also played a clear role. More specifically, events happening outside of Germany such as Wall Street Crash; The Great Depression. Germany suffered the consequences due to the collapse of share prices on the New York Stock Exchange more than any other country. US loans and investment ceased and demands quickly followed for the repayment of previous short-term loans. Also, the crisis caused a further decline in the price of food and raw materials as the industrialised nations reduced their imports. As demands for exports collapsed world trade slumped and German industry could no longer pay its way. The argument could therefore be made that without this event the Nazis may not have become the most popular party. After all, the party’s popularity came from anger and bitterness of Weimar. Therefore, people turned towards the extremist political parties. Yet many workers turned to communism but this frightened wealthy businessmen, so they financed Hitler’s campaigns. Many middle-class people, alarmed by the obvious failure of democracy, decided that the country needed a strong government. The depression of 1929 created poverty and unemployment, making people angry with the Weimar government. Overall, this argument clearly signifies that Hitler’s appointment to become Chancellor was not just down to him being leader of the most popular party in Germany; events outside Germany lead to Weimar failing miserably which also played a clear role. Nazis electoral success in 1932 did to an extent have an impact and therefore, can be used to argue that Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 because he was leader of the most popular party in Germany. After all, the elections to the Reichstag in July saw the Nazi percentage of the vote increase to 37. 3 per cent, making it the largest party in the Reichstag. This was a sensational breakthrough. As the largest political group in the Reichstag, they had a mandate from the German people to be involved in the government. Clearly, this indicates that whilst the Nazi party looked increasingly powerful, their leader Hitler did so too; making him more well known throughout the country. This argument is also strengthened by the thought that it is after all, down to being the leader of the Nazis because the moderate parties would not work together despite the fact that together they would be stronger than the Nazis and therefore, weaknesses of other parties contribute to Hitler and the Nazis looking stronger. This strength made Hitler more established as a political figure giving him a clear advantage. However, in comparison to the previous argument another reason for Hitler’s Chancellorship was Von Papen; indicating that Hitler did not become Chancellor just due to being the leader of the most popular party in Germany. After all, the Nazis gained electoral success in 1932 but Hindenburg still refused to make Hitler Chancellor; indicating despite being the leader this did not put Hitler in an advantageous position. Yet, Von Papen had been Chancellor before Hitler and had become close friends with President Hindenburg. This played much to Hitler’s advantage as Papen offered to convince Hindenburg that Hitler was the right choice for the new Chancellor provided Papen could be Vice Chancellor. Von Papen managed to convince Hindenburg, along with various other politicians that Hitler was the best choice. Without Von Papen, Hitler may not have managed to initially become Chancellor or at least not until later than January 1933. This combined with the idea that previous governments were weak and lacked support made a clear sign for that Germany needed change. Hitler was something new and had clearly opposed the idea of a democracy from the start. As the German public started to go against the Republic their support turned to the opposing and completely differing view of Hitler. He was different to the past chancellors such as Von Papen who represented failed governments. He portrayed himself through propaganda and in speeches as a strong and powerful leader who could lead Germany out of this depression and unrest and that’s what the German public needed at the time. After all, Hindenburg had no other alternative but to place Hitler as Chancellor due to the failures of previous governments and Hitler’s growing support from people close to Hindenburg. Also, other conservative elites believed that Hitler was a man that could easily be tamed and kept under control. This gave him an advantage over the Communists, as Hindenburg believed he wouldn’t be able to control the communists if he supported them. This is therefore important in the eventual appointment of Hitler as Chancellor as without the support of the conservative elites, it is debatable as to whether or not Hitler would actually have gained power. Even, when in the July 1932 the NSDAP won 230 seats, becoming the largest party in Germany, Hindenburg did not appoint Hitler Chancellor. Hence, it is hard to imagine why anything would have changed without considerable pressure being mounted on Hindenburg from business. In particular, without the support of von Papen and his supposed ability to â€Å"control Hitler†, Hindenburg would certainly not have been persuaded. Clearly then, these conservative elites had at least some impact in bringing about Hitler’s time as Chancellor. Also, the misjudgement of von Papen and Hindenburg in believing that they could control Hitler is crucial in explaining the overall Nazi seizure of power.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 11

Eleven WE STEPPED OFF THE plane and were immediately hit with wet, blustery weather. Sleet cracked into us, far worse than the flaky white stuff falling back in Montana. We were on the East Coast now, or well, close to it. The queen's court was in Pennsylvania, near the Pocono Mountains, a range I had only a vague idea about. I knew we weren't too close to any major cities, like Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, which were the only ones I knew in the state. The runway we'd landed on was part of the Court's property, so we were already behind wards. It was just like the Academy's small landing strip. In fact, in many ways, the Royal Court was laid out exactly like the school. It was what they told humans the compound was, actually. The Court was a collection of buildings, beautiful and ornate, spreading across well-tended grounds adorned with trees and flowers. At least, the land would be adorned with them when spring came. Just like in Montana, the vegetation was bleak and leafless. We were met by a group of five guardians, all dressed in black pants and matching coats, with white shirts underneath. They weren't uniforms exactly, but custom usually dictated that for formal occasions, guardians wear some sort of nice ensemble. By comparison, in our jeans and T-shirts, our group looked like somebody's poor relations. Yet I couldn't help but think we'd be a lot more comfortable if it came to a fight with Strigoi. The guardians knew Alberta and Dimitri – honestly, those two knew everybody – and after some formalities, everyone relaxed and became friendly. We were all eager to get in out of the cold, and our escorts led us toward the buildings. I knew enough about the Court to know that the largest and most elaborate of the buildings was where all official Moroi business was conducted. It resembled some sort of gothic palace on the outside, but inside, I suspected it probably looked like any set of modern government offices you'd find among humans. We weren't taken there, however. We were led to an adjacent building, just as exquisite on the outside, but half the size. One of the guardians explained that this was where all guests and dignitaries traveling in and out of the Court stayed. To my surprise, we each got our own room. Eddie started to protest this, adamantly saying he needed to stay with Lissa. Dimitri smiled and told him it wasn't necessary. In a place like this, guardians didn't need to stay as close to their Moroi. In fact, they often separated to do their own things. The Court was as heavily warded as the Academy. And really, Moroi visitors at the Academy were rarely trailed so closely by their guardians either. It was only for the sake of the field experience that it was being done with us. Eddie agreed with some reluctance, and again, I was amazed at his dedication. Alberta spoke briefly and then turned to the rest of us. â€Å"Decompress for a bit and be ready for dinner in four hours. Lissa, the queen wants to see you in an hour.† A jolt of surprise ran through Lissa, and she and I exchanged brief, puzzled looks. The last time Lissa had seen the queen, Tatiana had snubbed her and embarrassed her in front of the school for having running away with me. Both of us wondered what she'd want to see Lissa about now. â€Å"Sure,† said Lissa. â€Å"Rose and I'll be ready.† Alberta shook her head. â€Å"Rose isn't going. The queen specifically asked for you alone.† Of course she had. What interest would the queen have in Vasilisa Dragomir's shadow? A nasty voice whispered in my head, Expendable, expendable†¦. The dark sentiment startled me, and I shoved it aside. I went to my room, relieved to see it had a TV. The thought of vegging for the next four hours sounded fantastic. The rest of the room was pretty fancy, very modern looking, with sleek black tables and white leather furniture. I was kind of afraid to sit on it. Ironically, despite how nice it all was, the place wasn't as decked out as the ski resort that we'd stay in over the holidays. I guessed when you came to the Royal Court, you came for business, not a vacation. I had just sprawled on the leather couch and turned on the TV when I felt Lissa in my mind. Come talk, she said. I sat up, surprised by the message itself and the content. Usually our bond was all about feelings and impressions. Specific requests like this were rare. I got up and left the room, going to the one next door. Lissa opened the door. â€Å"What, you couldn't have come to me?† I asked. â€Å"Sorry,† she said, looking like she genuinely meant it. It was hard to be grouchy around someone so nice. â€Å"I just didn't have the time. I'm trying to decide what to wear.† Her suitcase was already open on the bed, with things hung up in the closet. Unlike me, she'd come prepared for every occasion, formal and casual alike. I lay down on the couch. Hers was plush velvet, not leather. â€Å"Wear the print blouse with the black slacks,† I told her. â€Å"Not a dress.† â€Å"Why not a dress?† â€Å"Because you don't want to look like you're groveling.† â€Å"This is the queen, Rose. Dressing up is showing respect, not groveling.† â€Å"If you say so.† But Lissa wore the outfit I suggested anyway. She talked to me as she finished getting ready, and I watched with envy as she applied makeup. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed cosmetics myself. When she and I had lived with humans, I'd been pretty diligent about primping every day. Now, there never seemed to be enough time – or any reason. I was always in some kind of scuffle that made makeup pointless and ruined it anyway. The most I could do was to slather my face with moisturizer. It seemed excessive in the mornings – like I was putting on a mask – yet by the time I faced the cold weather and other harsh conditions, I was always surprised to see my skin had sucked all the moisture up. The smallest pang of regret shot through me that I'd rarely have any opportunities to do this for the rest of my life. Lissa would spend most of her days dressed up, out at royal functions. No one would notice me. It was weird, considering that until this last year, I'd always been the one who was always noticed. â€Å"Why do you think she wants to see me?† Lissa asked. â€Å"Maybe to explain why we're here.† â€Å"Maybe.† Unease filled Lissa, despite her calm exterior. She still hadn't entirely recovered from the queen's brutal humiliation last fall. My own petty jealousy and moping suddenly seemed stupid when compared with what she had to go through. I mentally slapped myself, reminding myself that I wasn't just her unseen guardian. I was also her best friend, and we hadn't talked very much lately. â€Å"You have nothing to be afraid of, Liss. You haven't done anything wrong. And really, you've been doing everything right. Your grades are perfect. Your behavior's perfect. Remember all those people you impressed on the ski trip? That bitch has nothing to get on you about.† â€Å"You shouldn't say that,† said Lissa automatically. She applied mascara to her eyelashes, studied them, and then added another coat. â€Å"Just call 'em like I see 'em. If she gives you any grief, then it's just going to be because she's afraid of you.† Lissa laughed. â€Å"Why would she be afraid of me?† â€Å"Because people are drawn to you, and people like her don't like it when others steal all the attention.† I was a bit astonished at how wise I sounded. â€Å"Plus, you're the last Dragomir. You're always going to be in the spotlight. Who's she? Just another Ivashkov. There are a ton of them. Probably because all the guys are like Adrian and have all sorts of illegitimate children.† â€Å"Adrian doesn't have any children.† â€Å"That we know of,† I said mysteriously. She snickered and stepped back from the mirror, pleased with her face. â€Å"Why are you always so mean to Adrian?† I gave her a look of mock astonishment. â€Å"You're standing up for Adrian now? Whatever happened to you warning me to stay away from him? You practically bit my head off the first time I hung out with him – and that wasn't even by my choice.† She took a thin golden chain out of her suitcase and tried to fasten it around her neck. â€Å"Well, yeah †¦ I didn't really know him then. He's not so bad. And it's true I mean, he's not a great role model or anything, but I also think some of those stories about him and other girls are exaggerated.† â€Å"I don't,† I said, jumping up. She still hadn't managed to fasten the chain, so I took it and put the clasp together for her. â€Å"Thanks,† she said, running her hands over the necklace. â€Å"I think Adrian really likes you. Like, in a wanting-to-be-serious way.† I shook my head and stepped back. â€Å"Nope. He likes me in a wanting-to-get-the-clothes-off-the-cute-dhampir way.† â€Å"I don't believe that.† â€Å"That's because you believe the best about everyone.† She looked skeptical as she began brushing her hair smooth over her shoulders. â€Å"I don't know about that either. But I do think he's not as bad as you think. I know it hasn't been that long since Mason, but you should think about going out with someone else†¦.† â€Å"Wear your hair up.† I handed her a barrette from her suitcase. â€Å"Mason and I were never really going out. You know that.† â€Å"Yeah. Well, I guess that's more reason to start thinking about dating someone. High school's not over yet. Seems like you should be doing something fun.† Fun. It was ironic. Months ago, I'd argued with Dimitri about how it wasn't fair that, as a guardian-in-training, I had to watch my reputation and not act too crazy. He'd agreed it wasn't fair that I couldn't do the kinds of things other girls my age could, but that that was the price I paid for my future. I'd been upset, but after Victor's meddling, I started to see Dimitri's point – to such an extent that he'd actually hinted I shouldn't try to limit myself that much. Now, after Spokane, I felt like a completely different girl from the one who'd talked to Dimitri last fall about having fun. I was only a couple months from graduation. High school things†¦dances†¦boyfriends†¦what did they matter in the grand scheme of things? Everything at the Academy seemed so trivial – unless it was making me a better guardian. â€Å"I don't really think I need a boyfriend to complete my high school experience,† I told her. â€Å"I don't think you do either,† she agreed, tugging her ponytail straight. â€Å"But you used to flirt and go out sometimes. I feel like it'd just be nice for you to do a little of that. It's not like you'd have to have anything serious with Adrian.† â€Å"Well, you won't get any arguments from him on that. I think the last thing he wants is anything serious, that's the problem.† â€Å"Well, according to some of the stories, he's very serious. I heard the other day that you were engaged. Someone else said that he'd been disowned because he told his dad he'd never love anyone else.† â€Å"Ahhhh.† There was really no other adequate response to all these silly rumors. â€Å"The creepy thing is that the same stories are all over the place at the elementary campus too.† I stared at the ceiling. â€Å"Why does this stuff keep happening to me?† She walked over to the couch and looked down at me. â€Å"Because you're awesome, and everyone loves you.† â€Å"Nah. You're the one everyone loves.† â€Å"Well, then, I guess we're both awesome and loveable. And one of these days† – a mischievous sparkle danced in her eyes – â€Å"we'll find a guy you love back.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath. None of that matters. Not right now. You're the one I've got to worry about. We're going to graduate, and you'll go off to college, and it'll be great. No more rules, just us on our own.† â€Å"It's a little scary,† she mused. â€Å"Thinking about being on my own. But you'll be with me. And Dimitri too.† She sighed. â€Å"I can't imagine not having you around. I can't even really remember when you weren't around.† I sat up and gave her a light punch in her arm. â€Å"Hey, be careful. You're going to make Christian jealous. Oh crap. I suppose he's going to be around too, huh? No matter where we end up going?† â€Å"Probably. You, me, him, Dimitri, and any guardians Christian gets. One big happy family.† I scoffed, but inside of me, there was a warm fuzzy feeling building. Things were crazy in our world right now, but I had all these great people in my life. As long as we were all together, everything would be okay. She looked at the clock, and her fear returned. â€Å"I've gotta go. Will you †¦ will you go with me?† â€Å"You know I can't.† â€Å"I know†¦ not in body†¦ but like, will you do that thing? Where you're watching in my head? It'll make me feel like I'm not alone.† It was the first time Lissa had ever asked me to purposely do that. Normally, she hated the thought of me seeing through her eyes. It was a sign of how nervous she really was. â€Å"Sure,† I said. â€Å"It's probably better than anything on TV anyway.† I returned to my own room, taking up an identical position on the couch. Clearing my thoughts, I opened myself up to Lissa's mind, going beyond simply knowing her feelings. It was something the shadow-kissed bond allowed me to do and was the most intense part of our connection. It wasn't just feeling her thoughts – it was actually being inside of her, looking through her eyes and sharing her experiences. I'd learned to control it only recently. I used to slip in without wanting to, much as I sometimes couldn't keep her feelings out. I could control my out-of-body experiences now and even summon up the phenomenon at will – just like I was about to do. Lissa had just reached the parlor the queen was waiting in. Moroi might use terms like â€Å"royal† and even kneel sometimes, but there were no thrones or anything like that here. Tatiana sat in an ordinary armchair, dressed in a navy blue skirt and blazer, looking more like a corporate businesswoman than any sort of monarch. She wasn't alone, either. A tall, stately Moroi whose blond hair was laced with silver sat near her. I recognized her: Priscilla Voda, the queen's friend and adviser. We'd met her on the ski trip, and she'd been impressed with Lissa. I took her presence as a good sign. Silent guardians, dressed in black and white, stood along the wall. To my astonishment, Adrian was there too. He reclined on a small love seat, seeming completely oblivious to the fact that he was hanging out with the Moroi's ultimate leader. The guardian with Lissa announced her. â€Å"Princess Vasilisa Dragomir.† Tatiana nodded in acknowledgment. â€Å"Welcome, Vasilisa. Please sit down.† Lissa sat down near Adrian, her apprehension growing by leaps and bounds. A Moroi servant came by and offered tea or coffee, but Lissa declined. Tatiana meanwhile sipped from a teacup and scrutinized Lissa from head to toe. Priscilla Voda broke the awkward silence. â€Å"Remember what I said about her?† Priscilla asked cheerfully. â€Å"She was very impressive at our state dinner in Idaho. Settled a huge spat over Moroi fighting with guardians. She even managed to calm Adrian's father down.† A frosty smile crossed Tatiana's cold features. â€Å"That is impressive. Half the time, I still feel like Nathan is twelve years old.† â€Å"Me too,† said Adrian, drinking from a wine glass. Tatiana ignored him and again focused on Lissa. â€Å"Everyone seems impressed with you, really. I hear nothing but good things about you, in spite of your past transgressions †¦ which I'm given to understand weren't entirely without their reasons.† Lissa's look of surprise actually made the queen laugh. There wasn't much warmth or humor in the laugh, though. â€Å"Yes, yes †¦ I know all about your powers, and of course I know what happened with Victor. Adrian's been filling me in about spirit as well. It's so strange. Tell me †¦ can you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She glanced to a nearby table. A flowerpot sat on it, dark green shoots sticking through the soil. It was some kind of bulb-based plant that someone was growing indoors. Like its outside counterparts, it was waiting for spring. Lissa hesitated. Using her powers in front of others was a strange thing for her. But, Tatiana was watching expectantly. After only a few moments more, Lissa leaned over and touched the shoots. The stems shot up through the dirt, growing taller – almost a foot high. Huge pods formed along the sides as it grew, bursting open to reveal fragrant white flowers. Easter lilies. Lissa withdrew her hand. Wonder showed on Tatiana's face, and she muttered something in a language I didn't understand. She hadn't been born in the United States but had chosen to hold her Court here. She spoke with no accent, but, as they did for Dimitri, moments of surprise apparently brought out her native tongue. Within seconds, she put her stately mask back on. â€Å"Hmm. Interesting,† she said. Talk about an understatement. â€Å"It could be very useful,† said Priscilla. â€Å"Vasilisa and Adrian can't be the only two out there with it. If we could find others, so much could be learned. The healing itself is a gift, let alone anything else they can conjure. Just think what we could do with it.† Lissa turned optimistic. For a while, she'd been going out of her way to find others like her. Adrian had been the only one she'd discovered, and that had been through sheer luck. If the queen and Moroi council put their resources into it, there was no telling what they might find. Yet something about Priscilla's words troubled Lissa. â€Å"Begging your pardon, Princess Voda†¦I'm not sure we should be so eager to use my – or others' – healing powers as much as you might want to.† â€Å"Why not?† asked Tatiana. â€Å"From what I understand, you can heal almost anything.† â€Å"I can†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Lissa slowly. â€Å"And I want to. I wish I could help everybody, but I can't. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll definitely help some people. But I know we'd run into other people like Victor, who want to abuse it. And after a while †¦ I mean, how do you choose? Who gets to live? Part of life is that†¦well, some people have to die. My powers aren't a prescription you can get filled as needed, and honestly, I'm afraid they would only be used for, uh, certain kinds of people. Just like the guardians are.† A slight tension built in the room. What Lissa had insinuated was rarely ever mentioned in public. â€Å"What are you talking about?† asked Tatiana with narrowed eyes. I could tell she already knew. Lissa was scared to say her next words, but she did it anyway. â€Å"Everyone knows that there's a certain, um, method to how guardians are distributed. Only the elite get them. Royals. Rich people. People in power.† A chill fell over the room. Tatiana's mouth settled into a straight line. She didn't speak for several moments, and I had a feeling everyone else was holding their breath. I certainly was. â€Å"You don't think our royals deserve special protection?† she asked finally. â€Å"You don't think you do – the last of the Dragomirs?† â€Å"I think keeping our leaders safe is important, yeah. But I also think we need to stop sometimes and look at what we're doing. It could be time to reconsider the way we've always done things.† Lissa sounded so wise and so self-assured. I was proud of her. Watching Priscilla Voda, I could see that she was proud too. She'd liked Lissa from the beginning. But I could also tell that Priscilla was nervous. She answered to the queen and knew that Lissa was swimming in dangerous waters. Tatiana sipped her tea. I think it was an excuse to gather her thoughts. â€Å"I understand,† she said, â€Å"that you're also in favor of Moroi fighting with the guardians and attacking Strigoi?† Another dangerous topic, one Lissa pushed forward into. â€Å"I think if there are Moroi who want to, they shouldn't be denied the chance.† Jill suddenly popped into my head. â€Å"Moroi lives are precious,† said the queen. â€Å"They shouldn't be risked.† â€Å"Dhampir lives are precious too,† Lissa countered. â€Å"If they fight with Moroi, it could save everybody. And again, if Moroi are willing, why deny them? They deserve to know how to defend themselves. And people like Tasha Ozera have developed ways of fighting with magic.† The mention of Christian's aunt brought a frown to the queen's face. Tasha had been attacked by Strigoi when younger and had spent the rest of her life learning to fight back. â€Å"Tasha Ozera †¦ she's a troublemaker. She's starting to gather a lot of other troublemakers.† â€Å"She's trying to introduce new ideas.† I noticed then that Lissa wasn't afraid any longer. She was confident in her beliefs and wanted them expressed. â€Å"Throughout history, people with new ideas – who think differently and try to change things – have always been called troublemakers. But seriously? Do you want the truth?† A wry look crossed Tatiana's face, almost a smile. â€Å"Always.† â€Å"We need change. I mean, our traditions are important. We shouldn't give up on those. But sometimes, I think we're misguided.† â€Å"Misguided?† â€Å"As time's gone on, we've gone along with other changes. We've evolved. Computers. Electricity. Technology in general. We all agree those make our lives better. Why can't we be the same in the way we act? Why are we still clinging to the past when there are better ways to do things?† Lissa was breathless, worked up and excited. Her cheeks felt warm, and her heart raced. All of us were watching Tatiana, searching for any clue in that stony face. â€Å"You're very interesting to talk to,† she finally said. She made interesting sound like a dirty word. â€Å"But I have things I must do now.† She stood up, and everyone hastily followed suit, even Adrian. â€Å"I won't be joining you for dinner, but you and your companions will have everything you need. I'll see you tomorrow at the trial. No matter how radical and naively idealistic your ideas are, I'm glad you'll be there to complete his sentencing. His imprisonment, at least, is something we can all agree on.† Tatiana swept out, two guardians immediately following. Priscilla followed too, leaving Lissa and Adrian alone. â€Å"Well done, cousin. Aren't many people who can throw the old lady off-balance like that.† â€Å"She didn't seem very off-balance.† â€Å"Oh, she was. Believe me. Most of the people she deals with every day wouldn't talk to her like that, let alone someone your age.† He stood up and extended a hand to Lissa. â€Å"Come on. I'll show you around this place. Take your mind off things.† â€Å"I've been here before,† she said. â€Å"When I was younger.† â€Å"Yeah, well, the things we get to see when we're young are different than the things we get to see when we're older. Did you know there's a twenty-four-hour bar in here? We'll get you a drink.† â€Å"I don't want a drink.† â€Å"You will before this trip's over.† I left Lissa's head and returned to my room. The meeting with the queen was over, and Lissa didn't need my unseen support. Besides, I really didn't want to hang out with Adrian right now. Sitting up, I discovered I felt surprisingly alert. Being in her head had kind of been like taking a nap. I decided to do a little exploring of my own. I'd never been to the Royal Court. It really was supposed to be like a mini-town, and I wondered what other things there were to see, aside from the bar that Adrian probably lived in while visiting. I headed downstairs, figuring I'd have to go outside. As far as I knew, this building only held guestrooms. It was kind of like the palace's hotel. When I got to the entryway, however, I saw Christian and Eddie standing and talking with someone I couldn't see. Eddie, ever vigilant, saw me and grinned. â€Å"Hey, Rose. Look who we found.† As I approached, Christian stepped aside, revealing the mystery person. I came to a halt, and she grinned at me. â€Å"Hi, Rose.† A moment later, I felt a smile slowly creep over my face. â€Å"Hello, Mia.†

History- civil war exhibit essays

History- civil war exhibit essays A House Divided exhibition in the Chicago Historical Society Museum is a showcase of the causes and components of the Civil War. However, most importantly this exhibit places slavery, the peculiar institution, as the root cause for this devastating domestic war that erased more than 600,000 New World citizens from the earth. The title itself suggests a difference of opinions and they lie between the North and South. The difference between the two was only amplified by changing people and economies. The arrival of the transportation revolution, the immense land ownership opportunities in the West, and the industrialization of our nation found the North changing and the South staying the same. This exhibit was adorned with many relics from the Lincoln era. It was organized in a circular way so that everything centralized around the most vital pieces of the exhibit, Lincolns denunciation of slavery and the abolitionists movements relics. It can be viewed much like a book would be read, background in the beginning, rising action, a climax and ultimately a resolution. By the 1830s the Northerners religious beliefs and free-labor society ideals didnt include the institution of slavery and that posed a very big problem in relation to the expansion of the U.S. westward and the fear of slavery going that way as well. The election of Lincoln was vested in course of ultimate extinction, speaking of his plan to halt slaverys expansion and existence. Initially one sees a huge picture of Lincoln titled The Railsplitter, circa 1860, as he/she walks in. It is about 12X7 feet, and Lincoln is illustrated as a young, common man, shirt unbuttoned, splitting wood at the dawn of a misty summer morning. Behind him is a placid lake, and even further back, a blurred vision of the White House. This painting represented that a common citizen can rise to lead the nation,...

How to Diagnose Fluid Volume Deficit Signs and Care Plan

How to Diagnose Fluid Volume Deficit Signs and Care Plan SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for information about fluid volume deficit? We’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ll explain the fluid volume deficit nursing diagnosis (AKA deficient fluid volume) and describe the causes, symptoms, and signs. We’ll also provide guidance on creating a fluid volume deficit care plan. What Is Fluid Volume Deficit? Fluid volume deficit (also known as deficient fluid volume or hypovolemia) describes the loss of extracellular fluid from the body. Extracellular fluid is the body fluid not contained within individual cells. It constitutes about 20% of our body weight and includes blood plasma, lymph, spinal cord fluid, and the fluid between cells. Importantly, this fluid isn’t just water- it also contains electrolytes and other essential solutes. Fluid volume deficit is often used interchangeably with the term â€Å"dehydration,† but they aren’t exactly the same thing. Dehydration refers specifically to the loss of body water as opposed to body fluid. What’s the difference? Electrolytes. If a patient has just lost water but no electrolytes, they’ll have slightly different issues- and require slightly different treatment- than a patient who has lost wholesale body fluids, which contains water and electrolytes. Well, some of these things are electrolytes. What Causes Fluid Volume Deficit? There are a number ways the body can lose fluid. Here are some major causes of deficient fluid volume: Blood loss from cuts/wounds Through the gastrointestinal system: vomiting and diarrhea Abnormally excessive urination (polyuria); can be caused by excessive intake of diuretic substances or medications or from renal disorder. Excessive sweating; typically sweating is more likely to cause dehydration than fluid volume deficit because the body generally expels far more water than electrolytes, but sweating can also cause deficient fluid volume in some cases. Bleeding disorders Burns (because the skin no longer protects against excessive fluid loss) The fluids in the body also constantly need to be replenished. Patients can experience deficient fluid volume if they aren’t taking in enough fluid. This is particularly an issue with infant and elderly patients. Patients can also experience fluid volume deficit if they are losing body fluids to a place inside the body where the fluid is not easily accessed by other organs and body systems; e.g. from edema or internal bleeding caused by trauma or as a complication of surgery. This is known as third spacing. Types of Fluid Volume Deficit While fluid volume deficit refers to the loss of both water and solutes from the body, there are three major types of fluid volume deficit: Isotonic: Caused by losing fluids and solutes about equally; solute concentration in the remaining extracellular fluid then remains relatively unchanged Hypertonic: Caused by losing more fluids than solutes, leading to increased solute concentration in the remaining fluid. Hypotonic: Caused by losing more solutes than fluid leading to decreased solute concentration in remaining fluid. This is the rarest type. The type of fluid volume deficit (as determined through lab work) may inform care, especially what fluids are offered to the patient to replace the lost fluid/solutes. She doesn't look very happy to be getting IV therapy. Signs and Symptoms of Fluid Volume Deficit There are a variety of fluid volume deficit signs and symptoms to check for. First we’ll discuss what major symptoms the patient may experience, and then address some ways to determine it the fluid volume deficit nursing diagnosis applies. Major Fluid Volume Deficit Signs Dizziness (orthostatic/postural hypotension) Decreased urination (oliguria) Dry mouth, dry skin Thirst and/or nausea Weight loss (except in third spacing, where the fluid will still be in the body but inaccessible) Muscle weakness and lethargy If fluid volume deficit is severe (more than 20% of body fluid volume is lost), the patient may go into hypovolemic shock. The more fluids that are lost, the more severe the symptoms will become. The following shock symptoms may manifest: Very pale skin Cool, clammy extremities (from the body trying to conserve blood flow to essential systems) Confusion and anxiety Rapid, weak pulse Fast, shallow breathing Unusual sweating Loss of consciousness Coma Get this tired dog some fluids, stat! How to Diagnose Fluid Volume Deficit There are a variety of indicators you can use to diagnose deficient fluid volume. (Well before the patient reaches coma stage!) Vital Signs Increased heart rate: with less fluid available to the circulatory system, the heart pumps faster to bring oxygen to the body. However, the pulse will also feel weaker than usual. Decreased blood pressure: in adults, lower fluid volume means lower pressure in the veins. However, note that children may still maintain high blood pressure when experiencing fluid volume deficit. You may also want to take the patient’s orthostatic vital signs (vital signs in both supine/lying down and standing positions). A decrease in the systolic blood pressure of 20 mmHg or more or in the diastolic blood pressure of 10mmHg or more when standing indicates fluid deficit. So does an increase in the heart rate of 20 bpm or more. Other Fluid Volume Deficit Signs and Symptoms Decreased skin turgor/tenting. If you pinch the patient’s skin on the back of the hand or forearm and it and â€Å"tents† for a moment before returning to normal instead of immediately snapping back into position, this is a sign of decreased fluid volume. However, because elderly individuals already have low skin elasticity, this is not a reliable test of fluid volume deficit for those patients. If you examine the tongue, you’ll most likely see several small furrows instead of the usual one main furrow. With severe fluid volume deficit, you will see signs of decreased tissue perfusion: the nail will take more than three seconds to return to normal coloration when pressed in a capillary refill nail test. Patient’s eyes may appear sunken. Skin may be pale. Neck veins will appear flat when the patient is laying back in a supine position. Lab Results BUN (blood urea nitrogen) to serum creatinine ratio in the blood will likely be abnormally elevated–20:1 or more. Urine specific gravity and osmolality will be elevated, indicating more highly concentrated urine. Urine may also appear a deep amber color, and there will be decreased urine output. Hematocrit (the percentage of red blood cells in blood plasma) increases (unless fluid was lost due to hemorrhage, in which case you would likely see a drop in hematocrit post-hemorrhage) Depending on the cause of the deficient fluid volume, you may also see: Hypokalemia (decreased potassium in the bloodstream) is commonly caused by vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, or renal (kidney) disorder. Hyponatremia (decreased sodium in blood) OR hypernatremia (increased sodium in the blood) could be present depending on the types of fluid lost. An increase in vasopressin/antidiuretic hormone may also occur as the body constricts the blood vessels and retains remaining body fluid to maintain blood pressure. The other kind of lab! Potential Complications of Fluid Volume Deficit When left untreated, severe fluid volume deficit can lead to: Renal failure Heart failure General organ failure (from lack of oxygen) Death Even if patient’s life is saved through fluid infusion, if they reach the point of organ failure they may experience irreversible damage to some body systems. Fluid Volume Deficit Care Plan A nursing care plan is a written document that tracks what you have done and will do to take care of a particular patient’s individual needs. Nursing students generally need to create fairly detailed care plans fully from scratch at part of their training in order to learn nursing best practices and to practice the analytical skills critical for good nursing. However, if you are a working nurse, your place of work probably has a computer system that partially generates a care plan based on the input of the relevant nursing diagnoses. We'll go through the four parts of a nursing care plan (the diagnosis, goals for patient recovery, nursing orders or interventions, and evaluation) tailored to fluid volume deficit. We also have links to useful examples of completed fluid volume deficit care plans. Diagnosis First, you'll identify the relevant nursing diagnosis or diagnoses. Unlike medical diagnoses, which typically identify the specific medical condition at issue (i.e. diabetes, bronchitis, celiac disease), nursing diagnoses describe the more immediate and ongoing physical and psychological needs of the patient. According to the standards set by NANDA International, a nursing diagnosis is typically written in a three-part manner: first the diagnosis, then what the diagnosis is related to (its direct cause), and finally the evidence for that diagnosis. You can reference the common direct causes and diagnostic signs and symptoms of fluid volume deficit as noted above for help creating your diagnostic statement. An example fluid volume deficit nursing diagnosis statement might look something like this: â€Å"Fluid volume deficit related to diarrhea and vomiting secondary to gastroenteritis as evidenced by decreased skin turgor, low blood pressure, and decreased urine output.† â€Å"Risk for fluid volume deficit† or â€Å"risk for deficient fluid volume† is a slightly different nursing diagnosis that can be used to describe patients who, while not yet exhibiting serious signs of fluid volume deficit, are at particular risk of developing the issue. A risk nursing diagnosis only has two parts: the diagnosis (â€Å"risk for fluid volume deficit†) is related to whatever the cause of the potential future issue is (â€Å"diarrhea and vomiting†). So the risk diagnosis would be â€Å"risk for fluid volume deficit related to diarrhea and vomiting.† The patient may also have other nursing diagnoses in addition to fluid volume deficit. These should be included in the care plan. Any other diagnoses you made would be specific to the patient and based on a head-to-toe assessment (coming soon). I diagnose this owl with incredible cuteness. Goals The overall goal of a nursing care plan for a stable patient with deficient fluid volume is to safely restore fluids and necessary electrolytes to the body, but you’ll want to be more specific than that. Good goals for your care plan should be specific to the patient and measurable (so you can definitively assess whether the goal has been met). Depending on the patient, here are some example goals that might be appropriate for treating fluid volume deficit. Patient is no longer deficient in fluid volume as evidenced by: Urine output of at least 30 mL/hour (720 mL/day) Systolic blood pressure restored to patient baseline (or 90 mmHg) Patient heart rate of 60-100 bpm (or patient baseline) Improved skin turgor Normal BUN and hematocrit lab values Orders/Interventions While the particular interventions you choose in your care plan should be tailored to the patient and the severity of their condition, here are some potentially appropriate nursing interventions for fluid volume deficit. Note that some of these deficient fluid volume interventions are not highly specific because they would need to be tailored to the individual patient. If you do use these interventions in a care plan, be sure to select appropriate benchmarks for the patient and add more information. Administer intravenous fluid therapy as prescribed; monitor fluid replacement levels closely to ensure patient does not experience fluid overload Administer blood transfusion products as prescribed Offer electrolyte-rich oral fluids (like a sports drink) if tolerated/appropriate; assist patient in drinking if necessary Assess patient mental state for signs of confusion/agitation Provide oral hygiene to patient at least two times a day (so patient can respond to the sensation of thirst) Maintain record of patient intake and output of fluids Weigh patient daily in the same clothes on the same scale Monitor lab values: hematocrit (assess every 30 mins to 4 hours as appropriate); BUN to creatinine; others as appropriate Monitor skin turgor and moisture of mucous membranes Monitor vital signs (blood pressure and heart rate), including orthostatic vital signs Assess amount, color, and osmolality of urine Provide necessary education about maintaining appropriate hydration to patient Patient can name fluid volume deficit symptoms that indicate a need to seek medical care Evaluation In your fluid volume deficit care plan, you’ll use this section to track what interventions and orders were successfully implemented, assess patient progress towards the goals, and evaluate whether each of the fluid volume deficit interventions (and interventions for any other diagnoses you made) described in the plan should be ceased, continued, or revised. Well, this dog seems pretty happy with how everything is going. Example Fluid Volume Deficit Care Plans There are several sources of example care fluid volume deficit care plans. Here are some you may find useful: Prenhall Nursing Care Plan- Deficient Fluid Volume This example nursing plan is free supplemental material from a Prentice Hall nursing textbook. It offers a detailed case study with a nursing care plan for fluid volume deficit tailored to the particular patient. Nursing Concept Blogspot- Deficient Fluid Volume This care plan is quite detailed and offers explanations and rationale for lots of different potential nursing interventions for fluid volume deficit. Additionally, it segments out which interventions might be appropriate for different patient populations. Nurses Labs Deficient Fluid Volume Care Plan This is a very detailed care plan with detailed suggestions for nursing assessment and nursing interventions, along with rationales. It could be a helpful resource for students who need to write rationales for their care plans. Nurses Labs- Hypovolemic Shock Care Plan This care plan is specifically for addressing hypovolemic shock caused by fluid volume deficit, with specific interventions. RN Speak Hypovolemia Nursing Management This isn’t a complete care plan, but it does offer lots of specific assessment and interventions that could be incorporated into a fluid volume deficit nursing care plan. RN Central Fluid Volume Deficit Care Plan This care plan is laid out similarly to the computer care plans generated in hospitals, where the nurse simply selects the relevant components of the diagnosis, outcome, and interventions. It’s not very detailed but it gives a good idea of how quick care plans are generated in the field. Delmar Learning Fluid Volume Concept Map This isn’t laid out like a traditional care plan. However, nursing students may find it helpful as it lays out how all of the different parts of the fluid volume deficit care plan are conceptually related to each other. Plans are very important! Key Takeaways: Fluid Volume Deficit â€Å"Fluid volume deficit† (which is the same as â€Å"deficient fluid volume† or hypovolemia) is a nursing diagnosis that describes a loss of extracellular fluid from the body. Gastrointestinal issues, blood loss (internal or external), inadequate fluid intake, and renal disorder are all things that can place a patient at risk for fluid volume deficit. There are a variety of signs and symptoms of fluid volume deficit you can look for, including dizziness, dry mouth and skin, thirst and/or nausea, low blood pressure, and an increased heart rate. If the fluid loss is very serious, the patient will go into hypovolemic shock and you might see the following severe fluid volume deficit symptoms: Pallor, confusion, cool/clammy extremities, fainting, and even coma. Deficient fluid volume can be diagnosed through a combination of observation and assessment of patient body systems, vital signs, and lab work. Finally, we also discussed how to make a fluid volume deficit care plan and listed potential goals, outcomes, and nursing intervention. The main deficient fluid volume interventions are to monitor the patient’s fluid levels and safely restore the lost fluid. What's Next? Looking for a blood pressure chart? We've got you covered. If you're looking for ICD-10 codes, we have the codes for abdominal pain and diabetes. Got a patient with shingles? We have pictures of the infamous rash, common shingles treatments, and some methods of transmission to avoid. Need help converting fluid measurements? Find out how many cups four quarts is here.