Planning and Implementation of Information Technology in Civilian and Essay

Planning and Implementation of Information Technology in Civilian and Military Organizations - Essay Example In fact, at the present there is very complex and dangerous environment for security and privacy. In this scenario, there is critical need for applying more appropriate security and privacy management technology based solutions. However, for implementation of such solutions there is need for effective planning and management of overall development. These days extremely complex national security situation is taking the Forces toward new, frequently non-traditional military missions, anti-terrorism actions, regional threats, homeland defense and counter-drug operations those are among a lot of disputes we face every day. In this critical situation, a powerful and flexible force is a necessary element of every national security plan. In addition, in order to convene nation's worldwide commitments in this demanding 21st Century setting, all types of the national Forces have be an expeditionary force (Price, 2011; Turban, Leidner, McLean, & Wetherbe, 2005). As discussed above there are cr itical changes happening in the worldwide environment, as a result there is need for much better and effective planning and management of new technology based solutions in order to deal with such kinds of operation and situation. In this scenario there is need for managing security and privacy of information transfers and data movements. These all processes need to be well planned and managed in order to better manage the national security and privacy (i.e. military operations and systems). On the other hand, in the business world, smart and successful businesses are those that are successful and quick enough in making effective use of information technology with co-evolution in unified limits similar to, social and economic transformations, technological progresses, and changes in ideas of processes, association procedure, authority and management techniques, training and education of people. Thus, these business corporations attain control over their ecosystems by establishing and making use of latest information technologies (Martzoukos & Haramis, 2009; Hughes & Cotterell, 2005). However, in both cases in business and national security or military point of view the security and privacy management of overall situation is the basic need of each entity. The business and military both need effective security and privacy that can be attained through the effective implementation of technology based solutions. In other words, this can be done through the application of new and innovative technology solution and it needs effective planning and management guidelines. Thus, with effective planning we can be able to get a better solution that will offer us an opportunity to effectively manage the business and national security (military operations). These solutions will offer the forces more power to fight against the national issues and problems. On the other hand, businesses will be able to deal with hacking and virus related issues (Martzoukos & Haramis, 2009; Hugh es & Cotterell, 2005). In this scenario, we can say that we completely agree with the statement that application of effective planning for and implementation of information technology in civilian and military organizations require essentially similar

How HIPAA Violations Affect the Medical Billing Process Essay Example for Free

How HIPAA Violations Affect the Medical Billing Process Essay When you hear HIV you always think of Aids are they the same or is there a difference. HIPAA Privacy Rule: HIPAA is a federal law that: †¢Protects the patients’ privacy with their medical records and other health information provided to health plans, hospital, doctors and all other health care providers. †¢Allows the patient access to their medical records. †¢It gives the patient rights to how their personal information is used and exposed. HIPAA has proven to be very successful in stopping discrimination against the people diagnosed with HIV and Aids by preventing anyone from knowing about their HIV and Aids status. In the year 2000 laboratories and doctors are required by law to report to their State Health Department all cases of HIV and Aids. They are reported to better measure the HIV and Aids epidemic, and how it is changing and to create programs for HIV and Aids prevention and offer medical which best serve affected people and their communities. All this information is protected by confidentiality laws. Under this law identifying information regarding who has HIV and Aids can only be used to help the State Health Department track the epidemic and for partner notification this information cannot be shared with immigration and naturalization Service (INS), police, welfare agencies, landlords, employers and insurance companies. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues guidelines influencing states to collect and report the data on HIV and Aids so they can track the epidemic on a national basis. The state health department will then remove all the personal information (name, address, etc.) from your test results and send the information to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over the next several years HIV and Aids data will become the basis for funding formulas which will allocate federal money for care treatment under The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act.  This is the largest federally funded program in the United States for people living with HIV and AIDS. This act reaches hundreds of thousands of people every year with medical care, drugs, and support services. The program requires that health departments receiving money from the Ryan White program show â€Å"good faith† efforts to notify the marriage partners of a patient with HIV and AIDS. (www.Aids.gov) HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the T-cells in the immune system. This illness changes their immune system making people very vulnerable to diseases and infections. This condition worsens as it progresses corresponding to research the origins to this disease dates back to the late 19th or early 20th century in Western Central Africa. In 2008 worldwide there were †¢33.4 million People living with HIV and AIDS. †¢2.7 new HIV infections †¢2 million deaths from AIDS The disease was identified in the 1980s, and there is now known cure, but treatments and medicine can slow the course of the disease. The newest drug combination drug therapy can cost up to $20,000 in U.S. dollars a year. HIV is found in body fluids like semen and vaginal fluids, blood and breast mild. And can be passed through blood-to-blood and also sexual contact. Women can pass this to their babies through pregnancy, childbirth, and through breast milk. AIDS is (acquired immune deficiency syndrome or immunodeficiency syndrome). AIDS is the disease caused by the HIV virus AIDS is the syndrome that appear in the advance stages of HIV infection, AIDS is a medical condition derived from HIV. HIV and AIDS are the same AIDS is the outdated name and HIV is the correct name. There are three recognized ethical principles that apply to clinical and research ethics: †¢Respect refers to respecting the decisions of autonomous people and protecting the ones who lack decision making capacity and therefore are not autonomous and imposes a positive obligation to treat people with respect by keeping this information confident and keeping promises. †¢Beneficence imposes a positive obligation of the best interest of the patient. †¢Justice requires people to be treated fairly and often requires that benefits and burdens to be distributed fairly within society. Privacy is critical  when it comes to HIV and AIDS, because of the sensitivity of HIV related information most patients don’t want to share this private and personal aspect of their life because it involves their sexual behavior or substance abuse. This information can lead to stigmatization this can cause patients to worry about their privacy being protected, and they may be hesitant to see a doctor or remain in the care of a physician. It is vital to have health care providers express that they are committed to securing patient privacy. The law gives certain protection to or conditions. Electronic systems need to be able to identify and manage this data appropriately. HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases are a whole different category with special privacy concerns. When releasing HIV and AIDS records for other purposes it is necessary to identify testing and treatment for these conditions through the use of red flags or warning messages. The electronic system simplifies exclusion or segregation of HIV test results to protect against release without patients proper consent from the patient. Preferably a system will also flag treatment of HIV and Aids when producing copies of records. EHR systems must provide mechanisms that enable facilities that extra layer of protection for this information required under 42 CFR, Part 2 requires patient consent for disclosures of protected health information even for the purpose of treatment this consent must be in writing. When a health care provider providers care to an HIV and AIDS patient they seem to be walking and ethical tightrope even when they are aware of protocol about disclosing HIV status simple assumptions and carelessness can lead to devastating consequences for the patient and also legal ramifications. There are some things a health care worker can do on their own to protect private information while at work. †¢Turn off your computer when you walk away or not in use. †¢Set your computer with passwords to get access to confidential files. †¢Use a system that will trace who accesses confidential informatio n. †¢Become familiar with the law train employees in proper disclosure protocol. †¢Never discusses a patients HIV and AIDS status. Social ramifications exist if HIV and AIDS information is announced improperly. If a patients friends discover he or she has HIV and AIDS they won’t want to be around them due to the fear of catching the disease people  will start to gossip spreading this private information destructing the life of the infected person. They will undoubtedly be treated differently. He or she could have difficulty finding employment if the employer finds out about the disease because of inappropriate disclosure of medical information. If a person is living with HIV and Aids you are protected against discrimination under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Under these laws, discrimination means that you are not allowed to participate in a service that is offered to others or you are denied a benefit, because of your HIV disease. ( http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/just-diagnosed-with-hiv-aids/your-legal-rights/civil-rights/index.html ) HIV and AIDS in the workplace gets larger each year, because it affects people between ages 25 – 44 and they make up 50% of our 121% million workers. There are laws to protect people with HIV and AIDS in the workplace. †¢Americans with Disabilities act of 1990 (ADA) does not allow employment discrimination because of disability and covers businesses with 15 or more employees. †¢Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Federal and state governments work with more than 100 million working men and women and 6.5 million employers. †¢The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) this act to the private-sector of employers of 50 or more employees and within a 75 mile radius of their worksite. A person is entitled to a total of 12 weeks of job protected unpaid leave in a 12 month period. †¢The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Addresses obstacles to healthcare you can face if you are HIV and AIDs positive. Protecting you discriminatory treatment from your insurance company, and also protects your privacy rights. †¢The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation act of 1986 (COBRA). This law allows employees the option to keep their health insurance at their own expense after getting laid off, fired from a job. Allowing them to purchase health insurance for a period up to 36 months. HIV and AIDS not only hurt people with the disease but also their families and families. According to the International Labor Organization believes that by the year 2020 HIV and AIDS will lower the workforce by 24 million people. This will cost the workforce higher costs of medical insurance as well as work absences related to health, hiring and costs of retraining.

Analysis of the Public Health User Fee Reforms in Malawi

Analysis of the Public Health User Fee Reforms in Malawi RESEARCH PROPOSAL Research title: The political economy analysis of the implementation of public health user fee reforms in Malawi. BACKGROUND AND BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW The economic crises of the 1970s and 80s led many countries to undergo structural reforms that called for reduced public expenditure for basic services. The reforms resulted in the introduction of cost sharing on the part of beneficiaries (Lucas 1988). In several countries, user fees were imposed as a means to address recurrent costs problems and an extra source of revenue for previously â€Å"undervalued† services of professional providers. Countries responded differently to the introduction of user charges depending on domestic political risk and institutional capacity to efficiently administer the fees. With the reforms, public financing of health declined in many countries, and in some cases, private service providers seized the opportunity to fill the gap (Romer, 1986). Although the involvement of private service providers helped to meet demand for those able to pay, it limited access of the poor to the same services due to the prohibitive costs. Over the past ten years, research on economic growth has demonstrated that human capital is a powerful force in the development process (Becker 1990). In consequence, a sustained increase in this form of capital is crucial for poverty reduction in low-income countries and for an ever rising standard of living. Health is one of the commonly used proxies for human capital an unobservable magnitude or force that is part and parcel of human beings (Schultz 1960). Developing countries are struggling to improve the lives of people living in both rural and urban areas. The big challenge in these countries is lack of resources and problems in allocating the scarce resources. Various governments have prioritized different sectors depending on the needs and demands of the people. Some have prioritized primary education and agriculture while others have prioritized mining and health sector. Developing countries have come up with different interventions purposed to cushion people and be able to manage the risk. Some interventions have taken the form of subsidy while others have taken the form of user fee exemption to mention but two (Schultz 1961). These interventions sometimes are driven by politics, that is why for one to effectively intervene needs to understand the interplay of politics and economics in the developing countries. Depending on policy makers, some would prefer to implement subsidy programmes while others would have user fees exemption or both. User fees are charges one pays at the point of use. The stated interventions are good for the people but to the larger extent over burden the already struggling economy of the developing countries, (Litvack et al 1993). Consequently, government sectors suffer due to being underfunded which has resulted to poor service delivery defeating the whole purpose of subsidy or user fee exemption. Some countries, thus, they have resorted to meet the deficit through the introduction of user fees. For example, in respective of health for all, Malawi government offers free public health services to everyone in the country (ibid). Through observation, the public health services in Malawi particularly those in bordering districts such as Mchinji, Nsanje, Mwanza and Mulanje face very stiff competition on health resources because the hospitals in these districts serve even those from the neighboring countries such as Zambia and Mozambique. Currently with the growing population, government is failing to meet the demand of the free public health services which is manifested through the lack of medical resources in the hospitals. Lack of resources might be because the government has a limited tax base to finance the public health services. For instance, in Daily Times of 18th August, 2014 carried a story that Kamuzu central hospital had suspended all the booked surgeries because the hospital had no medical resources required to carry out operations in the theaters. Burns unit department also suffered the same. In such circumstances the introduction of user fee in public hospitals becomes not an option but a necessity. The user fees may therefore, help in three aspects within health service sector: improving efficiency by moderating demand, containing cost, and mobilize more funds for health care than existing sources provided PROBLEM STATEMENT The aim of free public health services in Malawi was to bring equality and equity in accessing health services. It has been argued that with user fees in accessing public health services, the poor people could be disadvantaged. Axiomatically, healthy people make healthy nation and participate actively in the development activities. Defeating the aim of free public health services, it is the same poor people who are now struggling while the better off and even politicians use the private hospitals. Every person has got the right to good quality health, but the poor people in Malawi are now voiceless and spend painfully on the services that were meant to be free. The situation begs a question that are the public services in Malawi really free at all when a person is told to buy aspirin tablets in private hospitals or pharmacies while the public hospitals have given the medicine to undeserving individuals such as those coming from other neighboring countries e.g. Mozambique just because public hospitals in Malawi are free. Poor people are also voiceless and lack responsibility on the hospital resources for it is given to them for free. Hospital workers have been frustrated because their working environment is not conducive since they are forced to work even when they do not have resources and are sometimes frustrated due late or nor payment at all for the extra hours rendered. Provision of quality health services is one of the social indicators of development. However, looking at the persistent resource shortages in the public health sector, Malawi as a country is far behind the expectation. Optionally, national policy makers in some countries such as Kenya and Mozambique thought to enlarge government revenue base through the introduction and implementation of user fee with an aim of improving services, for example, by improving drug availability and the general quality of health care and extending public health coverage. Therefore, the current study aims at undertaking the political economy analysis of the implementation of public health user fee reforms in Malawi. The study will be guided by the following sampled questions: What are the challenges towards the implementation of public health user fees in Malawi? What is the reaction of policy makers towards public health user fee implementation? Is user fee good option to finance public hospitals Can Malawi manage to embrace user fee policy (in terms of attitudes, willingness and capacity) How much is raised from the paying ward in the central hospitals, are the services different from the non-paying ward? If they are different, how do they differ? And how is money used. Has it brought any change? What are the problems that public hospitals meet? OBJECTIVES Main objective: to undertake the political economy analysis of the implementation of public health user fee reforms in Malawi. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES Exploring the historical discourse of public health user fee in Malawi. Determining the reasons of government failure to introduce and implement user fee in public hospitals. Analysing how people have been deprived of good health services through free public health services in Malawi. Comparing the challenges in managing the resources faced in the CHAM hospitals and public hospitals. Analysing stakeholders’ attitude, willingness and ability to embrace public health user fee implementation policy. HYPOTHESIS Poor quality of public health services can motivate public willingness to pay towards some improvement of the services Inadequate funding leads to poor public health services in Malawi Malawians are deprived of quality public health services through free public health services. User fee reform in public health services can lead to efficiency and equity in public health resources in public hospitals. Politicians wish to introduce public health user fee reform but are deterred by the fear of losing popularity METHODOLOGY STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS The study will mainly use qualitative descriptive and analytical cross sectional approach. Objective 1 and 2 on public health user fee trend and government failure to introduce and implement the same respectively will use qualitative descriptive approach. Whilst objectives 3-5 on analysis of people’s deprivation of good health, comparison of challenges in managing resources and analysis of stakeholder’s attitudes respectively will employ qualitative analytical approach. STUDY SETTTING The study will take place in Malawi, population n of people; the ministry of health headquarters in Lilongwe, Malawi’s four central hospitals, n number of district hospitals n community hospitals and n health centers. There are also CHAM facilities, private hospitals and NGOs (both local and international) that support health system. The study will focus in all central hospitals because they provide tertiary management care. The ministry of health, because it is the headquarters, some selected CHAM facilities in four regions and few selected NGOs in Malawi. TARGET POPULATION Objective 1-2 will target key informants at the headquarters and in the central hospitals and the reviews of available literature in Malawi. Objective 3 will target the discharged patients in the central hospitals and some community around the selected hospitals. Objective 4 will target the health workers in CHAM and central hospitals. Objective 5 will focus on key informants in NGOs which work with health sector. SAMPLING STRATEGY Since the study will employ qualitative design, hence, participants will be selected purposively. DATA COLLECTION PROCESS Before data collection, consent will be obtained from the ministry of health head-quarters and all in-charges of the facilities where the study is going to take place. The research will be explained to the participants to seek their informed consent. Data collection tools will be pre-tested, these will include interview guide for 1) discharged patients to find out any deprivation of their care, 2) health care workers to assess the challenges in resources 3) key informants to analyse their attitudes. And checklist to assess challenges faced by health care workers and patients deprivation of care. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION In carrying out the proposed research, the concept of research ethics will not be ignored. All people involved in this research will have to give consent. No one is going to participate against his or her will but the research would prefer to have full participation from the participants and not partial. Attention will be deployed to make sure that people’s rights are not violated through this research. Participants will be told the aim of the research and everything crucial so that they should be able to give informed consent. Participants’ identity will not be revealed in the data presentation and analysis. However, upon request, some participants predominantly NGOs will have the copy of the research findings. DATA MANAGEMENT Data will be transcribed from Chichewa to English then themes will be developed from which quantitative data will be analysed while quantitative part will be managed by SPSS. Data will be kept confidential unless strict measures are taken to access the same. PRESENTATION OF DATA The data will be presented through quotes and where necessary tables and graphs will be used for the part of quantitative. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The nature of the research demands SIDA’s Power Analysis framework. The introduction and implementation of public health user fee involves power of various stakeholders who have different powers of influence. The research then aims to analyse and gauge how much power Do these stakeholders have towards the introduction and implementation of user fees in public health services, (Shaw RP et al, 1995). SIDA’s power analysis focuses on understanding structural factors impeding poverty reduction as well as incentives and disincentives for pro-poor development. Thus, health sector is a hub to development of which the poor have to be targeted. SIDA power analysis tool also serves to stimulate thinking about processes of change in terms of what can be done about formal and informal power relations, power structures and the actors contributing to it. The framework seeks to either deepen knowledge, facilitate dialogue, foster influence or feed into policy developing and programming of which in this case will be the introduction and implementation of user fee in public hospitals (Shaw RP et al, 1995). In the same vein, political economy analysis also looks at the interaction of formal and informal institutions. The collected data will also be subjected to the critical analysis under the interaction of informal and formal institutions (ibid). 8.0 JUSTIFICATION OF THE RESEARCH The current research is of paramount importance to the people of Malawi. The study will facilitate the improvement of public health services throughout Malawi. The big problem in the health sector is inadequate resources, consequently, the research is purported to carry out analysis of how public health user fee can be an alternative to financing public hospitals. The improvement in public health services entails healthy people who can actively participate in development activities. The success in the implementation public health user fee will help not to over burden the government because public health hospitals will be able to meet some needs through user fee, hence, the government will be able use the part of budget allocated to the health sector in other sectors of priority. The study will provide an insight of development health sector and bring satisfaction to people especially those who use public health services. The study assumes that if the public health user fee reform is implemented, people will access the services of higher quality compared to the current situation in which patients are told to buy the prescribed medication in the private pharmacy because hospitals have no medicine. In this then, the implementation of user fee reduces the cost of accessing public health services in Malawi. No country can develop if the health services are poor. The vitality of the current study cannot be over emphasized, if it will be well done, Malawi as a country will register good health and social development. REFERENCES Becker, Gary (1991). A Treatise on the Family. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press. Lucas, Robert, E. (1988). On the Mechanics of Economic Development. Journal of Monetary Economics 22(1): 3-42. Pritchett, Lant and Lawrence H. Summers (1996). Wealthier is Healthier. The Journal of Human Resources XXX(4): 841-68. Schultz, Theodore W (1960). Human Capital Formation by Education, Journal of Political Economy 68(6): 571-83. Schultz, Theodore W (1963). The Economic Value of Education. New York: Columbia University Press. Schultz, Theodore W (1961). Investing in Human Capital. The American Economic Review 51(1): 1-17. Romer, Paul (1986). Increasing Returns and Long Run Growth. Journal of Political Economy 94. Shaw RP, Griffin C. (1995), SIDA power analysis Washington DC: World Bank Sophie Witter (2010) Mapping user fees for health care in high-mortality countries: evidence from a recent survey ; HLSP institute Audibert M, Mathonnat J. 2000. Cost recovery in Mauritania: initial lessons. Health Policy Plan: Chawla M, Ellis RP. 2000. The impact of financing and quality changes on healthcare demand in Niger. Health Policy Plan: 76-84. Lucy Gilson ()The Lessons of User Fee Experience in Africa Center for Health Policy, Department of Community Health, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, and Health Economics and Financing Programme, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. Litvack J, Bodart C. ( 1993) User fees plus quality equals improved access to health care: results of a field experiment in Cameroon. Social Science and Medicine. Mbugua JK, Bloom GH, Segall MM (1995). Impact of user charges on vulnerable groups: the case of Kibwezi in rural Kenya. Social Science and Medicine. Moses S, Manji F, Bradley JE, Nagelkerke NJ, Malisa MA, Plummer FA (1992). Impact of user fees on attendance at a referral centre for sexually transmitted diseases in Kenya. Lancet

Joseph Conrad and The Modern Age Essay -- Literary Analysis

The 20th Century stands out not merely as an age of growth or refinement, but one of absolute transcendent recreation. This new era, presenting the world with radical new ideas and invention, ushered in shocking changes and previously unheard of notions and theory over the views of man. This new phase of humanity brought about the conception and birth of Modernism. Joseph Conrad in particular rushed forward to slam a door on the Victorian Age and end the century of optimism, reproving the human race's ideologies on virtue and purity with the more skeptical realities of the bleakness of real human nature and the power of unfortunate circumstance. Conrad's novel Lord Jim cleaved into the supporting pillars raised by previous Victorian value and set a foundation for his notions of High Modernism; his characters and their reactions to irresolute situations, and even the situations themselves, present the absence of the divine and holy to take the skeptical stance that men, imperfect as they are, face an existential existence. Through his work Conrad unabashedly declares that human nature, in agreement with Robert Stevenson's concept for The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is composed of a dual nature. Rather than focus on such grandiose descriptions of good and evil however, Conrad tackles a subtler and more base exploration of the human spirit. Jim as his prime example, Conrad makes to show that humanity "is an enigmatic paradox of strength and weakness" (Wester 3314). In the case of Jim, whose struggle is not the duality of good and evil so much as it is a question of the integrity of his character, a much more complicated war is fought in which he must face the perils of human weakness and walk a balanced line between â€Å"... ...hose who would visit into it. Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. Lord Jim. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2004. Print. Guerard, Albert J. â€Å"Conrad: The Novelist.† Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Sharon Hall. Vol. 6. Detroit: Gale Research Company. 1982. Print. Morf, Gustav. â€Å"The Polish Heritage of Joseph Conrad.† Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Laurie DeMauro. Vol. 43. Detroit: Gale Research Company. 1992. Print. Powys, T. F.. â€Å"Lord Jim.† Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Laurie DeMauro. Vol. 43. Detroit: Gale Research Company. 1992. Print. Sadoff, Ira. â€Å"Sartre and Conrad: Lord Jim as Existential Hero.† Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Laurie DeMauro. Vol. 43. Detroit: Gale Research Company. 1992. Print. Wester, Janet. â€Å"Lord Jim.† Masterplots. Ed. Laurence Mazzeno. Fourth ed. Vol. 6. Pasadena: Salem Press, 2011. Print.

Comparing Literature, Story of an Hour & the Necklace

EN102 XXXXXX 2009 Assignment XX 1: Write a 200 word response on why you picked the literature that you chose. This can be in first person and informal. I selected my choice of literature from the list rather quick because I leaped at the opportunity to once again write about the â€Å"Story of an Hour. † Of all the short stories that I have read in our book thus far, this story by far is the story that I enjoyed the most. I think this is because the ending took me a little by surprise, and believe it or not I found the ending somewhat humorous. I thought the tables had now turned in favor of the husband who probably felt the same she did after she found out that he died. Other words, he was probably the one who was relieved now. The second piece of literature chosen, â€Å"The Necklace,† was chosen because it was simply linked to my first choice. I immediately read â€Å"The Necklace† after making my choice. To my surprise, I enjoyed this story as well but the beginning seemed to drag on a little too much. The story started with a drawn out description of the woman and her fascination of the rich. I felt that this could have shortened some but all in all I enjoyed this story as well. I’m satisfied with my selection and feel that these two stories will prove well in providing a comparison. 2: List your thesis statement. This should be one sentence and it should focus on the literature. Mrs. Mallard and Mme Loisel had different desires but both found happiness for a brief period of time that was quickly stolen away. 3. Read pages 96-99 in your textbook and then list: a. An idea from the literature that you can compare. Create a topic sentence that can be supported by a full paragraph of analysis and or examples or quotes from the textbook or your research. â€Å"The story of an Hour† and â€Å"The Necklace,† Mrs. Mallard and Mme Loisel are two women who live on separate continents but share somewhat equal moments of sadness within their lifetime. b. Another idea from the literature that you can compare. Create a topic sentence that can be supported by a full paragraph of analysis and or examples or quotes from the textbook or your research. A focal point of each of these stories mentions a window posed with a chair that at some point these women seek refuge, sitting to reflect upon their innermost emotions. c. An idea from the literature that you can contrast. Create a topic sentence that can be supported by a full paragraph of analysis and or examples or quotes from the textbook or your research. Mrs. Mallard and Mme Loisel are dissimilar in these stories. Mrs. Mallard in â€Å"The story of an Hour† is somewhat liberal and seems to be content with the future of being without a husband. On the other hand Mme Loisel in â€Å"The Necklace† lives in poverty and is dependent upon the income of her husband who is a ministry clerk. d. Another idea you can contrast. Create a topic sentence that can be supported by a full paragraph of analysis and or examples or quotes from the textbook or your research. In the endings of â€Å"The story of an Hour† and â€Å"The Necklace,† obviously they are not identical but these two stories are assured to bring about a reaction or stir to the reader. 5. Post your introductory paragraph below. Make sure you catch the reader’s attention, list the titles of the literature and the authors’ names. Your introduction should end with your thesis statement. Like a deal with the devil, Mrs. Mallard and Mme Loisels desires twirled as if they were choosing to enter an hour of sadness that guaranteed freedom or an evening ball that guaranteed wealth. â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin and â€Å"The Necklace† by Guy De Maupassant are astonishing stories that offer a twist for the reader. Each had different desires and found happiness for a brief period of time that was quickly stolen away. . Keep in mind that you may want to change your thesis and your introduction after you start working on your rough draft. This is common. Your introduction and thesis are the most important elements of your term paper and it is not unusual for these to be revised several times. Feel free to check in with your instructor if you want feedback on your thesis or introd uction before you turn in lesson 6. 7. Submit your assignment as one Word/Rich Text   document using the upload tool or by pasting your work in the HTML editor.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 10

I awoke next as dusk was settling over the city. From my window, I could see the goldfish-orange sun sinking low behind a white steeple. The entire house was silent, and for a moment, I couldnt remember where I was. Then everything came back: the butcher shop, the vampires, me being flung against the wall. Lexi. As if on cue, she glided into the room, barely making a sound as she pushed open the door. Her blond hair was loose around her shoulders, and she was wearing a simple black dress. If looked at quickly, she could be mistaken for a child. But I could tell from the slight creases around her eyes and the fullness of her lips that shed been a full-grown woman, probably around nineteen or twenty. I had no idea how many years shed seen since then. She perched on the edge of my bed, smoothing back my hair. â€Å"Good evening, Stefan,† she said, a mischievous glint in her eye. She clutched a tumbler of dark liquid between her fingers. â€Å"You slept,† she noted. I nodded. Until Id sunk into the featherbed on the third floor of the house, I hadnt realized that Id barely slept in the past week. Even on the train, Id always been twitching, aware of the sighs and snores of my fellow passengers and always,alwaysthe steady thrum of blood coursing through their veins. But here no heartbeats had kept me from slumber. â€Å"I brought this for you,† she said, proffering the glass. I pushed it away. The blood in it smelled stale, sour. â€Å"You need to drink,† she said, sounding so much like me speaking to Damon that I couldnt help but feel a tiny pang of irritation–and sorrow. I brought the tumbler to my lips and took a tiny sip, fighting the urge to spit it out. As I expected, the drink tasted like dank water and the scent made me feel vaguely ill. Lexi smiled to herself, as if enjoying a private joke. â€Å"Its goats blood. Its good for you. Youll make yourself sick, the way you were feeding. A diet made exclusively of human blood isnt good for the digestion. Or the soul.† â€Å"We dont have souls,† I scoffed. But I brought the cup to my lips once more. Lexi sighed and took the tumbler, placing it on the nightstand next to me. â€Å"So much to learn,† she whispered, almost to herself. â€Å"Well, we have nothing but time, right?† I pointed out. I was rewarded with a rich laugh, which was surprisingly loud and throaty coming from her waif-like body. â€Å"You catch on quickly. Come. Get up. Its time to show you our city,† she said, handing me a plain white shirt and trousers. After changing, I followed her down the creaking wooden stairs to where the other vampires milled about in the ballroom. They were dressed up, but all looked faintly old-fashioned, as if theyd stepped out of one of the many portraits on the wall. Hugo sat at the piano, playing an out-of-tune rendition of Mozart while wearing a blue velvet cape. Buxton, the hulking, violent vampire, was wearing a loose, ruffled, white shirt. and Percy had on faded britches and suspenders that made him look as though he were running late to play a game of ball with his schoolmates. When they saw me, the vampires froze. Hugo managed a slight nod, but the rest merely stared in stony silence. â€Å"Lets go!† Lexi commanded, leading our group out the door, down the slate path, through zigzagging alleyways, and finally onto a street marked Bourbon. Each entryway led to a dimly lit bar, from which inebriated patrons stumbled out into the night air. Suggestively clad women gathered in clumps beneath awnings, and revelers acted punch-drunk, ready to laugh or fight at a moments notice. I instantly knew why Lexi took us here. Despite our odd attire, we attracted no more attention than any of the other lively revelers. As we walked, the others flanked me, keeping me in the center of their circle at all times. I knew I was being watched sharply, and I tried to remain unaffected by the scent of blood and the rhythm of beating hearts. â€Å"Here!† Lexi said, not bothering to consult the rest of the group as she pushed open a saloon door that read M ILADIESin curlicue script. I was impressed by her boldness–back in Mystic Falls, only women of ill repute would ever enter a barroom. But as I was fast realizing, New Orleans wasnt Mystic Falls. The floor of Miladies was caked with sawdust, and I winced at the overwhelmingly acrid smell of sweat, whiskey, and cologne. The tables were packed shoulder to shoulder with men playing cards, gambling, and gossiping. One entire side of the room was filled with Union soldiers, and in another corner, a motley band consisting of players with an accordion, two fiddles, and a flute was playing a jaunty rendition of â€Å"The Battle Hymn of the Republic.† â€Å"What do you think?† Lexi asked, leading me to the bar. â€Å"Is this a Union bar?† I asked. The Union army had captured the city some months back, and soldiers stood sentinel on nearly every corner, maintaining order and reminding Confederates that the war they were fighting looked to be a losing cause. â€Å"Yes. You know what that means, right?† I scanned the room. Aside from the soldiers, it was a solitary crowd. Single men drowned their loneliness at wooden tables, barely acknowledging their neighbors. The bartenders filled glasses with a mechanical air, never seeming to register the people for whom they poured their wares. I understood immediately. â€Å"Everyone here is a stranger passing through.† â€Å"Exactly.† Lexi smiled, clearly pleased that I was catching on. Buxton cleared his throat in disapproval. I could tell he didnt like me–that he was waiting for me to slip up so he could stake me without incurring Lexis wrath. â€Å"Hugo, find us a table!† Lexi commanded. Hugo walked his hulkish frame over to a rough-hewn table next to the band. Before he could even open his mouth, the blue-coated soldiers at the table glanced at each other and stood up, leaving half-filled mugs behind. Lexi pulled out two chairs. â€Å"Stefan, sit next to me.† I sat, vaguely embarrassed that I was so compliant, like a child. But I reminded myself that even Hugo followed her lead. Lexi had Power, and she knew how to use it. Percy, Hugo, and Buxton also settled around. â€Å"Now,† Lexi said, taking one of the abandoned beer mugs and waving it around in the air, just as the waitress approached us. â€Å"Lets teach you how to behave in public.† My cheeks flushed with anger. â€Å"I am behaving,† I said through clenched teeth. â€Å"Despite the fact that there are so many people that its nearly impossible to concentrate.† Percy and Hugo snickered. â€Å"Hes not ready † Buxton said in a surly tone. â€Å"Yes, he is.† Lexis words were low and slightly menacing. Buxton clenched his jaw, clearly trying to rein in his temper. I shifted in my chair. I suddenly felt like I was ten years old again, with Damon protecting me from the Giffin brothers. Only this time it was a girl standing up for me. I was about to point out that I didnt need Lexi to answer for me when she placed a hand on my knee. The touch was gentle and calmed me. â€Å"It gets easier,† she said, briefly catching my eyes. â€Å"So, lesson one,† she stated, addressing the entire group. A kindness on her part, I realized, since I was the only one who didnt know the finer points of being a vampire. â€Å"Lesson one is learning how to compel without drawing attention to yourself.† She leaned back and eyed the band. â€Å"I dont like this song. Stefan, what song would you like to hear?† â€Å"Uh .† I glanced around the table, confused. Percy snickered again, but stopped when Lexi glared at him. â€Å",,God Save the South?† I said hesitantly. The first thing that came to my head, it was a tune Damon used to whistle when he was on leave from the army. Lexi scooted her chair back, the legs kicking up a layer of sawdust. She sauntered over to the band and looked each of the members in the eye as she said something I couldnt hear. The band stopped mid-chord and immediately switched to â€Å"God Save the South.† â€Å"Hey!† one soldier shouted. His comrades glanced at one another, clearly wondering why a band in a Union bar had suddenly been inspired to play a pro-Southern song. Lexi grinned, as if delighted by her trick. â€Å"Are you impressed?† â€Å"Very,† I said, meaning it. Even Percy and Hugo nodded in agreement. Lexi took a sip of her beer. â€Å"Your turn. Pick someone,† she said. I glanced around the bar, my eye catching on a dark-haired barmaid. Her eyes were deep brown, and her hair was tied in a low knot at the nape of her neck. Her lips were parted, and she wore a cameo pendant that nestled in the notch of her neck. In the split second between seeing and knowing, I was reminded of Katherine. I thought of my first glimpse of Miss Molly, and how Id mistaken her for Katherine as well. It felt as though my maker were intent to haunt me in New Orleans. â€Å"Her,† I said, nodding toward the girl. Lexi looked at me sharply, as if she knew there was a story behind this decision. But she didnt pry. â€Å"Clear your mind,† she said instead, â€Å"and allow your energy to enter her.† I nodded, remembering the moment on the train when my thoughts had touched Lavinias. I fixed my gaze on the barmaid. She was laughing, her head tilted back toward the ceiling, but as soon as my focus locked on her, her eyes lowered to mine, almost as if Id bidden her to do so. â€Å"Good,† Lexi murmured. â€Å"Now, use your mind to tell her what you want from her.† That was the piece I had missed. When Id tried to compel the conductor, Id had thousands of thoughts about possible scenarios that could happen during our interaction, but I had not asked for any of them. Come here, I willed, staring into her liquid chocolate eyes.Come to me.For a moment she held her place behind the bar, but then she took a hesitant step forward.Yes, keep going.She stepped forward again, more confidently this time, making her way toward me. I had expected her to look dazed, almost as though she were sleepwalking. But she didnt appear to be in a trance. To any bystander, she could have simply been coming to our table to take our drink orders. â€Å"Hello,† I said when she reached us. â€Å"Dont break eye contact,† Lexi whispered. â€Å"Tell her what you want her to do now.† Sit down,I thought. And, almost instantly, the girl wedged herself between me and Buxton, her thigh warm against mine. â€Å"Hello,† she said unblinkingly. â€Å"Its the strangest thing, but suddenly I just knew that I needed to sit here with you.† â€Å"Im Stefan,† I said, shaking her hand. My fangs elongated, and the sides of my stomach knocked together. I wanted her. Badly. â€Å"Dont embarrass us,† came Lexis final words before she turned from me to face the band. It was clear that while she wasnt condoning any of my subsequent actions, she wasnt necessarily condemning them. Invite me outside, I thought, placing my hand on the barmaids thigh. But even as I thought the words, I glanced at Lexi, breaking my connection with the girl. The girl shifted, pulled her hair up, then dropped it down on her back. She glanced at the band, rubbing her forefinger on the rim of a glass. Invite me outside, I thought again, refocusing my attention fully on her. Sweat prickled my temple. Had I lost the connection for good? But then she gave a slight nod. â€Å"You know, its awfully loud in here, and I want to speak with you. Would you mind if we went outside?† she asked, staring at me. I stood up, my chair scraping against the floor. â€Å"Id like that very much,† I said, offering her my arm. â€Å"Bring her back alive, boy, or youll be answering to me,† said a voice so low that I wondered if Id imagined it. But when I turned back, Lexi merely smiled and waved.