NORM Management Process Cycle

NORM Management Process Cycle Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) at ADNCO, Management Procedure and Measurements Ahmed AL Azeezi Contents Introduction: Literature review: Methodology Findings: Conclusion and Recommendation Figure 1: Penetration power of ionizing radiation Figure 2: NORM exposure routes Figure 3: NORM Management Process Cycle, enhanced (more details) chart Figure 4: Norm Program strategy Figure 5:900 series mini monitor probe type 44A Table 1 : Units of Radioactivity and Radiation Levels Table 2: Types of Radiation Table 3: NORM Area Classification for Non-Classified workers Introduction: Nowadays, Oil GAS industry is having a lot on challenges because of the complexity of this industry and the interaction with the other aspects such as the earth cosmic properties. However, one of the most important aspect for the oil gas is Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). These materials are having a negative effect on the humane body and the environment which required to have a strict procedure to control such materials in production of the oil until handing these the concentered NORMs during the transportation from one point to another. In this report, I will be covering the definition of the NORMs and how it can be detected on the process side with a real measurement example. Also, if these materials are present, how can we mitigate these effect of exposure to the radioactive materials? According of the ADNCO Code of practice (COPV2-09). Literature review: NORMs are covering all the naturally occurring radionuclides and presenting at different concentrations in the earth crust. Moreover, these materials can be enhanced in the concentration due to the process accumulation which is associated with the recovery of oil and gas such as separators reflux pumps. This enhancement process of NORMs called TENORM (Technologically-Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials). The sludge, pipe scales and drilling mud are an examples of materials which can contained the elevated levels of NORMs. There are two main types of NORM contamination at Oil GAS industry which are Radium and Radon (Rn-222) contaminations. The Radium is existing in water and low specific activity scale. Moreover, the radon is usually found on natural gas production wells. Furthermore, there are two systems of measuring of radioactivity and radiation levels, which are international system (SI) and the traditional US unites with its conversion factors between them as shown in the below table: Application SI units US units-Old system Conversion Factors Radioactivity Becquerel (Bq) Picocuire (pCi) 1Bq=27pCi Concentration Becquerel/Gram (Bq/g) Picocurie/gram (pCi/g) 1Bq/g=27pCi/g Surface Activity Bq/100 cm2 Disintegrations per minute/ 100cm2 (dpm/100cm2 ) 1Bq/100cm2= 60dpm/100cm2 Exposure Coulomb/kilogram (C/Kg) Roentgen (R) 1C/KG= 3876R Dose Equivalent Sievert (Sv) Rem 1sev=100Rem Table 1 : Units of Radioactivity and Radiation Levels NORM can be divided in three types of radiation as shown below: Radiation types Definition Health Hazards Controls Alpha Particles (ÃŽ ±) -Ra-226 -U-238 -Po-210 -Pb-210 Radiation is made up of heavy, charged penetrate that cannot penetrate very fare, even in air Internal health hazards through inhalation, ingestion and absorption exposure routes skin Beta particles(ÃŽ ²) -Ran-228 -Pb-210 -Bi-210 Radiation consists of lighter charged particles than alpha particles that travel faster and are thus more penetrating than alpha radiation. Internal health hazards through inhalation, ingestion and absorption exposure routes Shielded by thin layer of metal or plastic Gamma rays (Y) -Ra-226 -Pb-210 Radiation consists of high energy rays and is very penetrating External health hazard to human bodies Shielded by thick layers of led or other dense materials including meter of concrete or several meters of water. Table 2: Types of Radiation Figure 1: Penetration power of ionizing radiation On the other hand, the health effect of these NORMs are vary with four factors which are: Total amount of energy absorbed Exposure duration Dose rate Particular organ exposed. The exposure to the NORM is not comparable with the man-made sources such as the X-Ray. A chronic exposure to these NORM without using any PPE (personal protection equipment) which is adequate to the existing radiation increases the likelihood of gaining cancer. During oil gas processing stage, the TENORM will be accumulated on two different forms as shown below: NORM in Scale Radium, one of the naturally occurring nuclides in the uranium decay series co-precipitates with strontium, barium or calcium as sulphates or carbonates and deposit on the internal surfaces of the oil and gas facilities. The formation of the scales eventually effects the integrity of the equipment, vessels and pipelines and consequentially reduces the capacity of the process facility. NORM in Sludge and Scrapings Radionuclides, mainly radium are found in sludge, produced sand and produced water. Other nuclides such as lead 210 and polonium 210 can also be found in pipeline scrapings and the sludge accumulation in lower level of the tank of gas oil separators, dehydration vessels and pipeline scrapings. Figure: 2 illustrate the NORM exposure routes to the human body as shown below. Figure 2: NORM exposure routes Referring to ADNOC COPV2-09, the NORM management process cycle has been developed and illustrated as shown below chart: Figure 3: NORM Management Process Cycle, enhanced (more details) chart The NORM management process cycle is giving a workflow how can we handle these materials if it is detected on the Oil Gas process, which basically is having an actions and controls to eliminate the effect of these radioactive to the workers, public and the environment and make it As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA). Thus, before implementing the management process cycle, NORM Management Strategy was establish to make the process cycle more effective and it is consist of five keys area as follow : NORM Survey and Monitoring Workers protection and Training Control of NORM contaminated equipment Control of NORM Waste Development of NORM Management procedure. Figure 4: Norm Program strategy For any newly finished oil / gas producer well, the initial (baseline) survey shall be conducted for NORM and if the result is positive more controls and actions shall be implemented through the NORM management process cycle. Radiation Protection officer (RPO) shall be certified and having adequate competency to locate assess the radioactive on-site. The normal duties of workers don’t include exposure to NORM radiation. They are considered as members of the public. The ADNOC limit on effective dose received by any employee, shall be not exceeding the 50mSv in any single year during with a 100mSv over the 5 years. Otherwise, the worker with more dose than 50mSv/year shall be consider as classified radiation workers. Those workers shall have a periodic medical surveillance in order to insure the fitness and health. Moreover, the location/equipment can be classified in to three zones depending on the dosing values as shown below table: Dose ( µSv/Hr) Definition Requirements Unrestricted Area -Normal Work Permits -Basic Approved PPE -Good Hygiene 0.5 – 1.5 NORM supervised Area -Work to be supervised by PRO -Use NORM applicable PPE(according to standard EN 149 FFP3) -Control public access by PRO -Demarcation with warning NORM sign -Train workers -Monitor NORM levels before and after work completion -inform HSE focal points -Permit to work required 1.5 – 4.5 NORM Controlled Area (restricted) -Stop the work -inform line manager and PRO for further instruction -Control worker access b PRO -Demarcation with warning NORM sign -if dose rate exceed 4.5 µSv/hr, workers exposure must be controlled below the annual exposure of doe rate of 20  µSv. Table 3: NORM Area Classification for Non-Classified workers Methodology Hence, the NORM measurement can done through two types, either by field or laboratory measurements and both of have its own requirements and conditions. However, in this report, the field measurement will be carrying for a gamma radiation in different locations. So, the instrument was used for this measurement is the 900 series mini monitor probe type 44A in counts per seconds-cps. This meter is a very sensitive gamma rays and it is detecting the radiation as a number not level concentration. The methodology of the survey as presented below steps: Carry out initial survey beyond the site boundary to measure background radiation levels in cps using contamination meter as mention above. Hold the probe close to the surface to be surveyed, moving slowly over the area noting any response from the contamination meter and compare the background levels. If the measured radiation levels are found twice the back ground levels, measure dose-rate ( µSv/h) at a distance of 1 meter from the contaminated equipment using the dose rate mete. Measure NORM at different positions of potential NORM contaminated equipment at three different heights and average of the three readings at each height. When surveying cylindrical shape, the inside of the pipe should always be checked by placing the probe a few centimeters inside each end and record the results. Figure 5:900 series mini monitor probe type 44A Findings: The process of measuring the NORM was done by a expert third party (M/s Aberdeen Radiation Protection Services) in different locations at upstream of the oil and gas well producer, but the below table is showing only the risky data which required to have a more analysis on the amount of the gamma radiation emitted at these points. Area 1 Plant No1 Location Value of measurement Produced water pump pipe work. 100 cps Max. External surface of empty storage tank 30 cps Inside this tank adjacent to manhole entrance 200 cps External surface of base of Separator V0311 200-300 cps External surface of base of Separator V0312 140 cps Open drain Grill 30 cps Area 1, 12 well inlet at manifold Background reading, No radiation External surface test separator 110 cps All the reading are in counts per second and most of them are above 100 counts which is reflecting that it is required to have more analysis by using external dose rate meter to know the exact concentration and exposure dose to surrounding which can be emitted. Moreover, the laboratory measurement shall be one of the option to have more details by using the radiometric analysis device. Conclusion and Recommendation To sum up, the naturally occurring radioactive material are associated with oil and gas industry which shall be controlled in order to reduce the negative effect on the workers, public environment. The process of evaluating the NORM (specially the baseline) is very critical and it can be led to catastrophe condition if the outcomes are not reflecting the actual situations. This finding of Gamma rays in our case are indicating there is an industrial hygiene issue to the worker which required to have more control on the PPE and exposure duration. However, these reading are located mostly on oil separation side (upstream), however, the downstream, gas processing industry is very important point to be assessed which was missed during the third party assessment at upstream feed. In order to reduce the amount of exposure, the worker shall be following the ADNOC COPV2-09 as a guidelines such as monitoring, workers protection requirements and transport of NORM contaminated equipment. Moreover, the Gamma elements will be moving from the upstream to downstream which will be reaching the gas processing units. So, it is recommended to have regular inspection for the radioactive materials specially the glycol unit will observed most of the moisture on the process which can be containing the radiation elements. Reference: Heath Safety and Environmental Management Manual Of Codes of Practice, Volume 2: Environmental protection, ADNCO-COPV2-09†Guideline on management of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM)†. CRP-HSE-10-39, â€Å"ADCO NORM Management Procedure†

String Definition And Concatenation Of Strings

String Definition And Concatenation Of Strings For this mini group project, me and my partner have been given a project title to be discussed which is string definition, null string and length, concatenation of strings, substring, and also languages and natural languages. This topic is the subtopics from the main chapter 3 which is Sequences and String. From this chapter basically this chapter help student especially in the application of computer programming. In this era of information technology humans have been doing math and physics for a long time until now in such from the geometry and logic of the Greek era of the Mediterranean, the numeracy of the Hindus in India, and also the development of algebra by Islamic scholars in Baghdad, until to the explosion of knowledge and learning in Europe after the invention of movable type. In 1970s, the string theory was born. Three particle theorists have been independently realize that the dual theories developed in 1968 to describe the particle spectrum. The quantum mechanics of oscillating strings also have been described. Thus it marks the official birth of string theory. Moreover, string theory is the leading candidate theory of quantum gravity. In fact, there are several consistent variants and they all have the certain common features. The most obvious are the replacement of point particles by strings and the six extra curled-up space-time dimensions. Thus, due to their extra mathematical origin, these distinct string theories can admit very and various different mathematical descriptions. Besides that, from the research, it says that the string currently know it there is not much indication that string theory is discrete. Strings can be described as the continuous loops in space. But, there has been some interesting work by Susskind and others which does seem to suggest that string theory could be discrete. As for the early conclusion, string theory has produced derivations of mathematical theories like toric geometry and K-theory, and a host of string-motivated conjectures in virtually every field of mathematics. Whatever its the inevitability of string theory as a mathematical theory of the highest order is hard to dispute. In light of this, perhaps we should turn Wigners remark around and marvel instead at the unreasonable effectiveness of string theory in mathematics. INTRODUCTION OF THE RESEARCH All of mathematics, as well as subjects that rely on mathematics, such as computer science and engineering, always make use of functions, sequences and string and also relations. And nowadays, most modern computer programs are represented by finite sequences of characters. String definition From the book, it says that finite sequences of the form a1, a2, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, an are called strings. Strings are normally restricted to sequences composed of symbols drawn from a finite alphabet, and are often indexed from 0 or 1. A string is just a finite sequence where S is a set of characters. Strings denoted by putting the characters together, for the example 12345. Besides that, strings are the fundamental object of computer science. Everything discrete can be described as a string of characters. Decimal numbers: 1010230824879 Binary numbers: 011101010111 String Notation A string notation can be described as a string which is a finite sequence of 0 or more letters in some pre-set alphabet ÃŽÂ £. For example decimal numbers: ÃŽÂ £ ={0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9} and for binary numbers: ÃŽÂ £ = {0,1}. Null string and length The unique string with no elements is called null string, will represented the lambda symbol l . Its length is zero: |l| = 0. Besides that, null string also be known as empty string which the string with no elements. Either way, the length of a finite string is just its number of terms (or of distinct indices). The length |s| of a finite string s is its number of positions which is the number of index values i. Concatenation of strings, substring The operation which be known as concatenation which is concatenation of two strings and it is formed by joining two end-to-end. We can say that the concatenation of the strings book and case is the string bookcase. In discrete mathematics we often use the concatenation of two strings such as a and b which the operation on strings consisting of writing a and followed by b to produce a new string of ab. Next is the concatenation of two or more numbers is the number formed by concatenating their numerals. For example, the concatenation of 1, 234, and 5678 is 12345678. The value of the result depends on the numeric base, which is typically understood from the context. For substring, given a group G of order g, then let U denote the set of all ordered multi-sets of elements of G. This will let V denote the subset of U consisting of multi-sets with exactly g components, and let A denote the subset of V consisting of multi-sets of exactly g distinct components. Languages and natural languages In information technology (IT), especially in computer programming, we are sometimes required to process a language. So, basically from discrete mathematics we will learn the concept of languages in a systematic way. For example, a compiler is a software that can translate a computer program written in a particular language into another language which is usually into a machine language. While for natural language processing is a study of how to produce the computer software that is capable of understanding natural language. We start with the 26 characters A-Z, and string them to form a word. Thus, the language will consist of a collection of such words. RESULT OF THE RESEARCH STRING DEFINITION A string over X, which X is such a finite set that is a finite of a sequence of element X Let, X = {a, b, c} and then we let: a = ccabbb this is a string over X and than the string will be written notation ccabbb = c2ab3 String is a sequence and the order is taken. The example that can we see is the string given accbbb that is different from the string ccabbb even that has same value but it is still different because of the order. In internet (computer science) Let ÃŽÂ £ be an alphabet, a non-empty finite. A string over ÃŽÂ £ is any finite sequence of characters from ÃŽÂ £. For example; If ÃŽÂ £ = {0, 1}, then 0101 is a string over ÃŽÂ £ From both example given, we can see that in computer science also use, that it is same but just difference in using the symbol of X and ÃŽÂ £. NULL STRING The null string also known as empty set that is the string with no elements .It is denoted by letter l (lambda). It has length zero. We also denote X* is the set of all string over X and also denote X+ is the set of all non-null string over X. Let, X* = {all strings over X including l} Example1: Let X= {3, 4} Some elements in X* are: 44, 33, 43, 4433, 4, 3, 44034343, l Example2: Let X = {b, c} Some of element in X* are: c, b, bcbc, b40c4bc, l For X+ we Let X+ = X* {l}, the set of all non-null strings over X. LENGTH OF STRING The length of a string a is the number of elements of a and that it is denoted by |a|. If a = a2bc3 or aabccc then |a| = 6. If |yet|=3, |another|=7, |usage|=5, |pipe|=4, |symbol|=6. CONCATENATION OF STRING Concatenation of two strings a and b is the operation on strings consisting of writing a followed by b and it produce ab a = bbaccc and b = caaba, Then, ab = bbaccccaaba = b2ac4a2ba Clearly, |ab| = | a| + |b| In computer programming String concatenation is the operation of joining two end to end. Example: The strings beach and ball may be concatenated to give beachball. First example: The following expression use the + symbol as the concatenation operator to join 2 strings: Print hi, + dear; produces the concatenated string hi, dear by joining those 2 strings Second example, (wet+land) is equals to (wetland). It shows that concatenation can be achieved with the + string operator. LANGUAGE AND NATURAL LANGUAGE Let B = {2, 3};- The example is languages over B: L1 = {2, 23, 233, 2333,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦} L2 = {2m3m | m > 0} L3 = {2m3n | m > 0, n > 0} Suppose that B is a set of alphabet. That it is define a language L over B is a collection of strings over X.A language L is simply a subset of A. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS As for the conclusions, this topic of sequence and string help both of us to think and link what we have learnt in the module of discrete mathematics within computer science and information technology. From this topic we have doing research about string definition, null string and length, concatenation of string, substring, languages and also natural languages. By doing this mini project we have investigated that the applications of this topic in discrete mathematics involve in the areas of computer science and IT. Nowadays, most modern computer program are represented by finite sequences of characters. We therefore need to develop the algebraic way such as string for handling such finite sequences. Moreover, this string topic is important to be learned by the student as it much involve in the application of computer programming. In computer programming, essentially, the string is a sequence of characters which is generally understood as a data type usually storing data values usually bytes. The elements usually stand for characters according to a character encoding, which will differentiates it from the other general array data type. Thus, the terms binary string and byte string are used to suggest strings in which the stored data does not necessarily represent text. While in discrete mathematics we learn string as mathematical structures. As we have doing our research on this topic, we can see that this topic involve much in the application of computer programming. As both of us are from science computer course, we can apply what we have learned in discrete mathematics into our application programming. Finally for the recommendations to improve more this topic which is Sequence and String, both of us have think that while in the lectures student should given more detail and explanation of string involving the subtopics of null string and non null string. Moreover, deep explanation about the function of language and natural languages in string also will help much the student to understand more this topic, apply it in the programming skills, and can do well in our final examination. The benefit of doing this mini project is both of can develop our understanding of the concepts and the applications of discrete mathematics through experiences which enable both us to explore more and model a variety or real-world situations. Special thanks to our lecturer Prof Dr. Haslina which have help both of us in giving the guidelines to do well for this our discrete mathematics mini project.

The effect of anthropogenic ecological stressors Essay examples -- Env

Biodiversity is the variation among organisms and ecological systems at every environmental level. However, the simplest way to study these organisms is to observe the richness of the species. Species richness involves observing the number of species found within a certain patch (Ricklefs 2008). The dispersal of the species involves organisms entering and exiting patches to inhabit another patch. Dispersal may affect the distribution of the organism or the overall fitness of the population thus harming the species richness or possible increasing the richness (Ricklefs 2008). There are multiple factors that can affect the species richness of an organism, known as anthropogenic ecological stressors (Thompson and Shurin 2012). There is a wide variety of these ecological stressors ranging from pollution, climate change, and the introduction of invasive species, habitat destruction and the change in environmental conditions locally and globally (Thompson and Shurin 2012). These ecological stressors can occur individually or several may take place at one time thus interacting with one another and causing change to the resident species. Multiple ecological stressors applied can have a great impact on biodiversity and the overall ecosystem function (Christensen et al. 2006). The stressors can be predicted due to changes in the environment, yet there is no control on how forcefully they are applied and when they will occur (Christensen et al. 2006). Biodiversity in freshwater is known to be extremely vulnerable to climate. In response to the increase in temperatures due to climate change, organisms are expanding their ranges to higher latitudes and altitudes (Heino et al 2009). Therefore they are shifting their overall distributi... ...ent that is experiencing constant changes, thus relating back to the spatial insurance hypothesis. Works Cited Christensen, M.R., Graham, M.D., Vinebrooke, R.D., Findlay, D.L., Paterson, M.J., Turner, M.A. 2006. Multiple antrhopgenic stressors cause ecological surprises in boreal lakes. Global Change Biology, 12: 2316-2322. Heino, J., Virkkala, R. and Toivonen, H. 2009. Climate change and freshwater biodiversity: detected patterns, future trends and adaptations in northern regions. Biological Reviews, 84: 39-54. Ricklefs, R.E. 2008. Community Structure. Pages 376, 413 in J. Correa and S. Moran, editors. The Economy of Nature. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, USA. Thompson, P.L. and Shurin, J.B. 2012. Regional zooplankton biodiversity provides limited buffering of pond ecosystems against climate change. Journal of Animal Ecology, 81: 251-259.

Technology taking over Parenting Essay -- essays research papers

Technology in the world today is becoming more advanced than ever. Parenting is being made easier and harder for some families because of the new technology. Some families do not have the money for the new additions to the technological world and other families have everything they have ever imagined. Amitai Etzioni is a professor at George Washington University. He has written nineteen books including the article â€Å"High-Tech Parenting.† It appeared in The American Enterprise in January of 1998. Etzioni writes on how a relationship between parent and child is becoming nothing more than a virtual relationship. Time usually spent together at home over a homemade dinner is now time spent on the cell phone. I feel that the technology world is coming up with many new features for the parents to make it easier for them. Parents are being given the advantage of blankets to put their children to sleep instead of them having to do it themselves. The parenting world is getting easier. Too busy parents count on beepers and cell phones to keep their children in reach. Instead of the kids counting on the random talks on the way to the movies, mall, or during a long walk on the beach, they now count on a ring or an upbeat tune to let them know its time to talk. This â€Å"beep-and-ring relation† is what is becoming of the families today. This information is very true and Etzioni makes a good point. These parents do not have time for their kids and they use electronics and other devices to talk to them. All families have different morals and the way they teach their kids to do certain things. Etzioni implies there is only one way to do that, cell phones. The readers are most likely to agree with this statement which then leads them to believe eve... ...er families will not punish their kids, no matter what the circumstance is. They were never taught to punish so their kids are that way too. This is when the kids delay turning off the TV or doing their homework until the last minute. In Conclusion, Etzioni is talking only to the business people of the world and not the everyday mom with four kids in the van. He does not take note that all families are different and that not all families have the same morals. He is one sided and exaggerates on the situation. He may not have grown up in a family where mom or dad was at home and his childhood is what he thinks everyone’s is like. Cell phones conversations are replacing the traditional one on one time with daughter and mother, son and father, etc. Etzioni’s article has very good points made in it. It also has points that could be changed to fit the average lifestyle.

My Eating Disorder - I Had a Problem with Food Essay example -- Person

My Eating Disorder - I Had a Problem with Food Everyone wanted to see me get fat, I was sure of it. For once in my life I had some semblance of control over my body in a way no else did. Managing my body took discipline and I was not going to have anyone interfere. I sat crouched in the small space between my parents’ bathtub and toilet, the cool white ceramic tiles reflecting the blonde of my hair, the tears that somehow managed to eke out of the eye ducts were streaming down my hot, mucus slathered face. In the corner behind the toilet, the dog hair swirled in little eddies, and the rim of the toilet had faint speckles of urine, unnoticeable to anyone not at eye level. The shower was on and the fan running as a distraction. Every once in awhile I would knock a bar of soap into the tub with a heavy thud or set a bottle down hard enough so that anyone listening at the door would be fooled and actually think I was in the shower. I used to vomit in the shower, pushing the chunks of food and bright colored foamy mucus down th e drain, but one night, in my hurry to clean up, I had not been able to push a slice of pickle down the drain grates and my mother found it. Pickles, raw vegetables, and spaghetti were the hardest foods to fit down the drain. As I basked in the hazy afterglow of my purge I tasted the blood, sweet and thick as it trickled down my throat and knuckles. Lately there had been more blood and my knuckles were forming bright red raised scaly patches, scarring over in thick nubs from the constant scraping against my teeth. After a meal or a drink I would wait ten agonizing minutes until I could leave the table and say I was taking a bath. Locking myself in the bathroom I would run the water, hover over the toilet... ...awed its way into my mind. For every plea food made to be eaten, and every moment my emaciated belly begged to absorb it there was an even louder voice in me that told me to deny it. There was a constant battle raging; food and my physical body on one side, my brain on the other side, telling me I was weak, fat, and a slob. The fear of food was only one small link to my anorexia. Although other emotional issues catalyzed my anorexia, starvation simply a manifestation of my deeper psychological problems, the fear and anxiety I felt around food was the most accessible avenue to understanding and explaining my condition. To admit my fear of food was not only a starting point from which to begin recovery, but it was also a point of personal acceptance, finally admitting to myself that I had become a prisoner in my own body, cowering from the voices screaming in my mind.

The Host Chapter 17: Visited

The heat hit me first-like a wall of steam, the moist, thick air rolled over me and dewed on my skin. My mouth opened automatically as I tried to pull a breath from the abruptly denser air. The smell was stronger than before-that same metallic tang that clung in my throat and flavored the water here. The murmuring babble of bass and soprano voices seemed to issue from every side, echoing off the walls. I squinted anxiously through the swirling cloud of moisture, trying to make out where the voices came from. It was bright here-the ceiling was dazzling, like in the big room but much closer. The light danced off the vapor, creating a shimmering curtain that almost blinded me. My eyes struggled to adjust, and I clutched at Jeb's hand in panic. I was surprised that the strangely fluid babble did not respond in any way to our entrance. Perhaps they couldn't see us yet, either. â€Å"It's a bit close in here,† Jeb said apologetically, fanning at the steam in front of his face. His voice was relaxed, conversational in tone, and loud enough to make me jump. He spoke as if we were not surrounded. And the babble continued, oblivious to his voice. â€Å"Not that I'm complaining,† he continued. â€Å"I'd be dead several times over if this place didn't exist. The very first time I got stuck in the caves, of course. And now, we'd never be able to hide out here without it. With no hiding place, we're all dead, right?† He nudged me with his elbow, a conspiratorial gesture. â€Å"Mighty convenient, how it's laid out. Couldn't have planned it much better if I'd sculpted it myself out of play dough.† His laugh cleared a section of mist, and I saw the room for the first time. Two rivers flowed through the dank, high-domed space. This was the chatter that filled my ears-the water gushing over and under the purple volcanic rock. Jeb spoke as if we were alone because we were. It was really only one river and one small stream. The stream was closest; a shallow braided ribbon of silver in the light from above, coursing between low stone banks that it seemed constantly in danger of overrunning. A feminine, high-pitched murmur purred from its gentle ripples. The male, bass gurgle came from the river, as did the thick clouds of vapor that rose from the gaping holes in the ground by the far wall. The river was black, submerged under the floor of the cavern, exposed by wide, round erosions along the length of the room. The holes looked dark and dangerous, the river barely visible as it rushed powerfully toward an invisible and unfathomable destination. The water seemed to simmer, such was the heat and steam it produced. The sound of it, too, was like that of boiling water. From the ceiling hung a few long, narrow stalactites, dripping toward the stalagmites beneath each one. Three of them had met, forming thin black pillars between the two bodies of flowing water. â€Å"Got to be careful in here,† Jeb said. â€Å"Quite a current in the hot spring. If you fall in, you're gone. Happened once before.† He bowed his head at the memory, his face sober. The swift black eddies of the subterranean river were suddenly horrible to me. I imagined being caught in their scalding current and shuddered. Jeb put his hand lightly on my shoulder. â€Å"Don't worry. Just watch your step and you'll be fine. Now,† he said, pointing to the far end of the cavern, where the shallow stream ran into a dark cave, â€Å"the first cave back there is the bathing room. We've dug the floor out to make a nice, deep tub. There's a schedule for taking baths, but privacy's not usually an issue-it's black as pitch. The room's nice and warm so close to the steam, but the water won't burn you like the hot spring here. There's another cave just past that one, through a crevice. We've widened the entrance up to a comfortable size. That room is the farthest we can follow the stream-it drops underground there. So we've got that room fixed up as the latrine. Convenient and sanitary.† His voice had assumed a complacent tone, as if he felt credit was due to him for nature's creations. Well, he had discovered and improved the place-I supposed some pride was justified. â€Å"We don't like to waste batteries, and most of us know the floor here by heart, but since it's your first time, you can find your way with this.† Jeb pulled a flashlight from his pocket and held it out. The sight of it reminded me of the moment he'd found me dying in the desert, when he'd checked my eyes and known what I was. I didn't know why the memory made me sad. â€Å"Don't get any crazy ideas about maybe the river taking you out of here or something. Once that water goes underground, it doesn't come back up,† he cautioned me. Since he seemed to be waiting for some acknowledgment of his warning, I nodded once. I took the flashlight from his hand slowly, being careful not to make any quick movements that might startle him. He smiled in encouragement. I followed his directions quickly-the sound of the rushing water was not making my discomfort any easier to bear. It felt very strange to be out of his sight. What if someone had hidden in these caves, guessing I would have to come here eventually? Would Jeb hear the struggle over the cacophony of the rivers? I shone the flashlight all around the bathing room, looking for any sign of an ambush. The odd flickering shadows it made were not comforting, but I found no substance to my fears. Jeb's tub was more the size of a small swimming pool and black as ink. Under the surface, a person would be invisible as long as they could hold their breath†¦ I hurried through the slender crack at the back of the room to escape my imaginings. Away from Jeb, I was nearly overwhelmed with panic-I couldn't breathe normally; I could barely hear over the sound of my pulse racing behind my ears. I was more running than walking when I made my way back to the room with the rivers. To find Jeb standing there, still in the same pose, still alone, was like a balm to my splintered nerves. My breathing and my heartbeat slowed. Why this crazy human should be such a comfort to me, I couldn't understand. I supposed it was like Melanie had said, desperate times. â€Å"Not too shabby, eh?† he asked, a grin of pride on his face. I nodded once again and returned the flashlight. â€Å"These caves are a great gift,† he said as we started back toward the dark passageway. â€Å"We wouldn't be able to survive in a group like this without them. Magnolia and Sharon were getting along real well-shockingly well-up there in Chicago, but they were pushing their luck hiding two. It's mighty nice to have a community again. Makes me feel downright human.† He took my elbow once more as we climbed the rough stair-case out. â€Å"I'm sorry about the, um, accommodations we've got you in. It was the safest place I could think of. I'm surprised those boys found you as quick as they did.† Jeb sighed. â€Å"Well, Kyle gets real†¦ motivated. But I suppose it's all for the best. Might as well get used to how things are going to be. Maybe we can find something more hospitable for you. I'll think on it†¦ While I'm with you, at least, you don't really have to cram yourself into that little hole. You can sit in the hall with me if you prefer. Though with Jared†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off. I listened to his apologetic words in wonder; this was so much more kindness than I'd hoped for, more compassion than I'd thought this species was capable of giving their enemies. I patted the hand on my elbow lightly, hesitantly, trying to convey that I understood and wouldn't cause a problem. I was sure Jared much preferred to have me out of sight. Jeb had no trouble translating my wordless communication. â€Å"That's a good girl,† he said. â€Å"We'll figure this all out somehow. Doc can just concentrate on healin' human folks. You're much more interesting alive, I think.† Our bodies were close enough that he was able to feel me tremble. â€Å"Don't worry. Doc's not going to bother you now.† I couldn't stop shivering. Jeb could only promise me now. There was no guarantee that Jared would not decide my secret was more important than protecting Melanie's body. I knew that such a fate would make me wish Ian had succeeded last night. I swallowed, feeling the bruising that seemed to go all the way through my neck to the inside walls of my throat. You never know how much time you'll have, Melanie had said so many days ago, when my world was still under control. Her words echoed in my head as we reentered the big room, the main plaza of Jeb's human community. It was full, like the first night, everyone there to glare at us with eyes that blazed anger and betrayal when they looked at him and murder when they looked at me. I kept my gaze down on the rock under my feet. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Jeb held his gun ready again. It was only a matter of time, indeed. I could feel it in the atmosphere of hate and fear. Jeb could not protect me long. It was a relief to scrape back through the narrow crevice, to look forward to the winding black labyrinth and my cramped hiding place; I could hope to be alone there. Behind me, a furious hissing, like a nest of goaded snakes, echoed in the big cavern. The sound made me wish Jeb would lead me through the labyrinth at a quicker pace. Jeb chuckled under his breath. He seemed to get stranger the longer I was around him. His sense of humor mystified me as much as his motivations did. â€Å"It gets a bit tedious down here sometimes, you know,† he murmured to me, or to himself. With Jeb, it was hard to tell. â€Å"Maybe when they get over being cheesed off at me, they'll realize they appreciate all the excitement I'm providing.† Our path through the dark twisted in a serpentine fashion. It didn't feel at all familiar. Perhaps he took a different route to keep me lost. It seemed to take more time than before, but finally I could see the dim blue light of the lamp shining from around the next curve. I braced myself, wondering if Jared would be there again. If he was, I knew he would be angry. I was sure he wouldn't approve of Jeb taking me for a field trip, no matter how necessary it might have been. As soon as we rounded the corner, I could see that there was a figure slumped against the wall beside the lamp, casting a long shadow toward us, but it was obviously not Jared. My hand clutched at Jeb's arm, an automatic spasm of fear. And then I really looked at the waiting figure. It was smaller than me-that was how I'd known it was not Jared-and thin. Small, but also too tall and too wiry. Even in the dim light of the blue lamp, I could see that his skin was dyed to a deep brown by the sun, and that his silky black hair now fell unkempt past his chin. My knees buckled. My hand, grasping Jeb's arm in panic, held on for support. â€Å"Well, for Pete's sake!† Jeb exclaimed, obviously irritated. â€Å"Can't nobody keep a secret around this place for more'n twenty-four hours? Gol' durn, this burns me up! Bunch of gossipmongers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off into a grumble. I didn't even try to understand the words Jeb was saying; I was locked in the fiercest battle of my life-of every life I'd ever lived. I could feel Melanie in each cell of my body. My nerve endings tingled in recognition of her familiar presence. My muscles twitched in anticipation of her direction. My lips trembled, trying to open. I leaned forward toward the boy in the hall, my body reaching because my arms would not. Melanie had learned many things the few times I'd ceded or lost my command to her, and I truly had to struggle against her-so hard that fresh sweat beaded on my brow. But I was not dying in the desert now. Nor was I weak and dizzy and taken off guard by the appearance of someone I'd given up for lost; I'd known this moment might come. My body was resilient, quick to heal-I was strong again. The strength of my body gave strength to my control, to my determination. I drove her from my limbs, chased her from every hold she'd found, thrust her back into the recesses of my mind, and chained her there. Her surrender was sudden and total. Aaah, she sighed, and it was almost a moan of pain. I felt strangely guilty as soon as I'd won. I'd already known that she was more to me than a resistant host who made life unnecessarily difficult. We'd become companions, even confidantes during our past weeks together-ever since the Seeker had united us against a common enemy. In the desert, with Kyle's knife over my head, I'd been glad that if I had to die I would not be the one to kill Melanie; even then, she was more than a body to me. But now it seemed like something beyond that. I regretted causing her pain. It was necessary, though, and she didn't seem to grasp that. Any word we said wrong, any poorly considered action would mean a quick execution. Her reactions were too wild and emotional. She would get us into trouble. You have to trust me now, I told her. I'm just trying to keep us alive. I know you don't want to believe your humans could hurt us†¦ But it's Jamie, she whispered. She yearned for the boy with an emotion so strong that it weakened my knees again. I tried to look at him impartially-this sullen-faced teenager slumped against the tunnel wall with his arms folded tightly across his chest. I tried to see him as a stranger and plan my response, or lack of response, accordingly. I tried, but I failed. He was Jamie, he was beautiful, and my arms-mine, not Melanie's-longed to hold him. Tears filled my eyes and trickled down my face. I could only hope they were invisible in the dim light. â€Å"Jeb,† Jamie said-a gruff greeting. His eyes passed swiftly over me and away. His voice was so deep! Could he really be so old? I realized with a double pang of guilt that I'd just missed his fourteenth birthday. Melanie showed me the day, and I saw that it was the same day as the first dream with Jamie. She'd struggled so hard all through the waking hours to keep her pain to herself, to cloud her memories in order to protect the boy, that he'd come out in her dream. And I'd e-mailed the Seeker. I shuddered now in disbelief that I'd ever been so callous. â€Å"Whatcha doing here, kid?† Jeb demanded. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me?† Jamie demanded back. Jeb went silent. â€Å"Was that Jared's idea?† Jamie pressed. Jeb sighed. â€Å"Okay, so you know. What good does that do you, eh? We only wanted to -â€Å" â€Å"To protect me?† he interrupted, surly. When did he get so bitter? Was it my fault? Of course it was. Melanie began sobbing in my head. It was distracting, loud-it made Jeb and Jamie's voices sound farther away. â€Å"Fine, Jamie. So you don't need protecting. What do you want?† This quick capitulation seemed to throw Jamie off. His eyes darted between Jeb's face and mine while he struggled to come up with a request. â€Å"I-I want to talk with her†¦ with it,† he finally said. His voice was higher when he was unsure. â€Å"She doesn't say much,† Jeb told him, â€Å"but you're welcome to try, kid.† Jeb pried my fingers off his arm. When he was free, he turned his back to the nearest wall, leaning into it as he eased himself to the floor. He settled in there, fidgeting until he found a comfortable position. The gun stayed balanced in the cradle of his lap. Jeb's head lolled back against the wall, and his eyes closed. In seconds, he looked like he was asleep. I stood where he'd left me, trying to keep my eyes off Jamie's face and failing. Jamie was surprised again by Jeb's easy acquiescence. He watched the old man recline on the floor with wide eyes that made him look younger. After a few minutes of perfect stillness from Jeb, Jamie looked back up at me, and his eyes tightened. The way he stared at me-angry, trying hard to be brave and grown-up, but also showing the fear and pain so clearly in his dark eyes-had Melanie sobbing louder and my knees shaking. Rather than take a chance with another collapse, I moved slowly to the tunnel wall across from Jeb and slid down to the floor. I curled up around my bent legs, trying to be as small as possible. Jamie watched me with cautious eyes and then took four slow steps forward until he stood over me. His glance flitted to Jeb, who hadn't moved or opened his eyes, and then Jamie knelt down at my side. His face was suddenly intense, and it made him look more adult than any expression yet. My heart throbbed for the sad man in the little boy's face. â€Å"You're not Melanie,† he said in a low voice. It was harder not to speak to him because I was the one who wanted to speak. Instead, after a brief hesitation, I shook my head. â€Å"You're inside her body, though.† Another pause, and I nodded. â€Å"What happened to your†¦ to her face?† I shrugged. I didn't know what my face looked like, but I could imagine. â€Å"Who did this to you?† he pressed. With a hesitant finger, he almost touched the side of my neck. I held still, feeling no urge to cringe away from this hand. â€Å"Aunt Maggie, Jared, and Ian,† Jeb listed off in a bored voice. We both jumped at the sound. Jeb hadn't moved, and his eyes were still closed. He looked so peaceful, as if he had answered Jamie's question in his sleep. Jamie waited for a moment, then turned back to me with the same intense expression. â€Å"You're not Melanie, but you know all her memories and stuff, right?† I nodded again. â€Å"Do you know who I am?† I tried to swallow the words, but they slipped through my lips. â€Å"You're Jamie.† I couldn't help how my voice wrapped around the name like a caress. He blinked, startled that I had broken my silence. Then he nodded. â€Å"Right,† he whispered back. We both looked at Jeb, who remained still, and back at each other. â€Å"Then you remember what happened to her?† he asked. I winced, and then nodded slowly. â€Å"I want to know,† he whispered. I shook my head. â€Å"I want to know,† Jamie repeated. His lips trembled. â€Å"I'm not a kid. Tell me.† â€Å"It's not†¦ pleasant,† I breathed, unable to stop myself. It was very hard to deny this boy what he wanted. His straight black eyebrows pulled together and up in the middle over his wide eyes. â€Å"Please,† he whispered. I glanced at Jeb. I thought that maybe he was peeking from between his lashes now, but I couldn't be sure. My voice was soft as breathing. â€Å"Someone saw her go into a place that was off-limits. They knew something was wrong. They called the Seekers.† He flinched at the title. â€Å"The Seekers tried to get her to surrender. She ran from them. When they had her cornered, she jumped into an open elevator shaft.† I recoiled from the memory of pain, and Jamie's face went white under his tan. â€Å"She didn't die?† he whispered. â€Å"No. We have very skilled Healers. They mended her quickly. Then they put me in her. They hoped I would be able to tell them how she had survived so long.† I had not meant to say so much; my mouth snapped shut. Jamie didn't seem to notice my slip, but Jeb's eyes opened slowly and fixed on my face. No other part of him moved, and Jamie didn't see the change. â€Å"Why didn't you let her die?† he asked. He had to swallow hard; a sob was threatening in his voice. This was all the more painful to hear because it was not the sound a child makes, frightened of the unknown, but the fully comprehending agony of an adult. It was so hard not to reach out and put my hand on his cheek. I wanted to hug him to me and beg him not to be sad. I curled my hands into fists and tried to concentrate on his question. Jeb's eyes flickered to my hands and back to my face. â€Å"I wasn't in on the decision,† I murmured. â€Å"I was still in a hibernation tank in deep space when that happened.† Jamie blinked again in surprise. My answer was nothing he'd expected, and I could see him struggling with some new emotion. I glanced at Jeb; his eyes were bright with curiosity. The same curiosity, though more wary, won out with Jamie. â€Å"Where were you coming from?† he asked. In spite of myself, I smiled at his unwilling interest. â€Å"Far away. Another planet.† â€Å"What was -† he started to ask, but he was interrupted by another question. â€Å"What the hell?† Jared shouted at us, frozen with fury in the act of rounding the corner at the end of the tunnel. â€Å"Damn it, Jeb! We agreed not to -â€Å" Jamie wrenched himself upright. â€Å"Jeb didn't bring me here. But you should have.† Jeb sighed and got slowly to his feet. As he did so, the gun rolled from his lap onto the floor. It stopped only a few inches from me. I scooted away, uncomfortable. Jared had a different reaction. He lunged toward me, closing the length of the hallway in a few running strides. I cowered into the wall and covered my face with my arms. Peeking around my elbow, I watched him jerk the gun up from the floor. â€Å"Are you trying to get us killed?† he almost screamed at Jeb, shoving the gun into the old man's chest. â€Å"Calm down, Jared,† Jeb said in a tired voice. He took the gun in one hand. â€Å"She wouldn't touch this thing if I left it down here alone with her all night. Can't you see that?† He stabbed the barrel of the gun toward me, and I cringed away. â€Å"She's no Seeker, this one.† â€Å"Shut up, Jeb, just shut up!† â€Å"Leave him alone,† Jamie shouted. â€Å"He didn't do anything wrong.† â€Å"You!† Jared shouted back, turning on the slim, angry figure. â€Å"You get out of here now, or so help me!† Jamie balled his fists and stood his ground. Jared's fists came up, too. I was rooted in place with shock. How could they scream at each other this way? They were family, the bonds between them stronger than any blood tie. Jared wouldn't hit Jamie-he couldn't! I wanted to do something, but I didn't know what to do. Anything that brought me to their attention would only make them angrier. For once, Melanie was calmer than I was. He can't hurt Jamie, she thought confidently. It's not possible. I looked at them, facing off like enemies, and panicked. We should never have come here. See how unhappy we've made them, I moaned. â€Å"You shouldn't have tried to keep this a secret from me,† Jamie said between his teeth. â€Å"And you shouldn't have hurt her.† One of his hands unclenched and flew out to point at my face. Jared spit on the floor. â€Å"That's not Melanie. She's never coming back, Jamie.† â€Å"That's her face,† Jamie insisted. â€Å"And her neck. Don't the bruises there bother you?† Jared dropped his hands. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. â€Å"You will either leave right now, Jamie, and give me some space, or I will make you leave. I am not bluffing. I can't deal with any more right now, okay? I'm at my limit. So can we please have this conversation later?† He opened his eyes again; they were full of pain. Jamie looked at him, and the anger drained slowly from his face. â€Å"Sorry,† he muttered after a moment. â€Å"I'll go†¦ but I'm not promising that I won't come back.† â€Å"I can't think about that now. Go. Please.† Jamie shrugged. He threw one more searching look at me, and then he left, his quick, long stride making me ache again for the time I'd missed. Jared looked at Jeb. â€Å"You, too,† he said in a flat voice. Jeb rolled his eyes. â€Å"I don't think you've had a long enough break, to be honest. I'll keep an eye on -â€Å" â€Å"Go.† Jeb frowned thoughtfully. â€Å"Okay. Sure.† He started down the hall. â€Å"Jeb?† Jared called after him. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"If I asked you to shoot it right now, would you do it?† Jeb kept walking slowly, not looking at us, but his words were clear. â€Å"I'd have to. I follow my own rules. So don't ask me unless you really mean it.† He disappeared into the dark. Jared watched him go. Before he could turn his glower on me, I ducked into my uncomfortable sanctuary and curled up in the back corner.

Doctor & Management Essay

This course applies the tools available to University of Phoenix graduate students and the competencies of successful managers to understand the functions of business. Students develop an increased awareness of their own perceptions and values in order to manage and communicate with others more effectively. Other topics include MBA program goals, argument construction, decision making, collaboration, and academic research. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents (both located on your student website): †¢ Academic Policies †¢ Instructor Policies University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Objectives and Standards Not Available Get Ready for Class †¢ Familiarize yourself with the textbook used in this course. Course Materials All electronic materials are available on your student website. Aug, 21 – Aug, 27 Week1 Introduction to Business Management Tasks †¢ Download the new and improved Phoenix Mobile app. †¢ Review the Knowledge Check Faculty and Student Guide. †¢ Personal Professional Development Plan presentation Objectives/Competencies 1.1 Identify the manager’s role in the functional areas of business. 1.2 Create a personal professional development plan. Required Learning Activities †¢ Management, Ch. 1 †¢ MBA Welcome Video See the student website for additional recommended learning activities that may help you learn this week’s concepts. Participate in the class discussion. MBA Overview Module Complete the MBA Overview Module. Save a screen shot of the completion screen as a Microsoft Word document on your computer once you finish the module. Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment. Personal Professional Development Plan Activity: Part 1 & 2 Individual Aug 27, 2013 05:59 PM By completing the My Career Plan activities in this course, you are taking some of the first steps to creating a career plan that will help you reach your career goals. Navigate to My Career Plan in Phoenix Career Services. Complete the Career Interests Profiler and the Career Plan Building Activity: Competencies in My Career Plan. †¢ You may have already completed the Career Interests Profiler during enrollment. Your results will be saved if this is the case. †¢ You must complete both the Career Interests Profiler and the Career Plan Building Activity: Competencies. You may access your results at any time in My Career Plan. Submit screen shots ofyour Career Interest Profiler and Competencies results. †¢ Press Print Screen on your keyboard to create a screenshot. †¢ Open a new document in Microsoft ® Word. †¢ Press Ctrl + V on your keyboard to paste the screenshot into the document. †¢ Save the document on your computer as Career Competencies. Complete Parts 1 & 2 of the Personal Professional Development Activity: in the Microsoft ® Excel worksheet. Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.