Ruther-Fraud B. Hayes

â€Å"Hayes was never a solitary, a boy of moods,† wrote biographer H. J. Eckenrode. â€Å"He had no seasons of exaltation followed by depression†¦ All his life he liked society and shone in it in a modest way – not sparkling, not brilliant, but pleasing, satisfying. He had a gift of friendship and most of those he loved in youth he loved in age. † As a young man, however, Hayes went through a period of great inner tension, which he himself attributed to a fear that he would one day lose his mind, as some relatives, on both sides of his family, had done. Overcoming this fear, he matured into a relaxed, easy-going fellow, a good conversationalist, and a keen observer of human nature. He genuinely loved people and was interested in their thoughts and problems. When travelling by train, he invariably sat in the smoking car, eager to strike up a conversation. He had a remarkable memory for the names and faces of the most casual acquaintances. As a politician he respected the opposition and welcomed constructive criticism. Although not regarded as a great orator in his day, he delivered well-planned, reasoned, addresses in a clear, pleasant voice. the honor of success is increased by the obstacles which are to be surmounted. Let me triumph as a man or not at all. † – Rutherford B Hayes Honor, eh? Quite ironic considering that he â€Å"triumphed† in the presidential election by making a sleazy political deal and abandoning black Southerners to decades of oppression and discrimination, causing him to be known to history as â€Å"Ruther-Fraud B. Hayes. † Pros-He signed a law which made it easier for Chinese Immigrants to come into the country (this was repealed with the Exclusion Act). He tied the value of the dollar to gold instead of silver. He supported Reconstruction (After the Civil War). Cons-Great Railroad Strike greatly affected his presidency. Dealt with Conflicts with Native American Tribes. Election Results are disputed There is much more to him. If you are doing a project look more into him, and the United States in general in the late 1800's. Hayes' journal and his emphasis on self-improvement in the journal, along with his strong favor for black suffrage as a congressman in 1867 all lead me to believe that the answer is, â€Å"no†. He was not racist towards blacks Significant events: Munn v. Illinois, 94 U. S. 113 (1876)[1], was a United States Supreme Court case dealing with corporate rates and agriculture. The Munn v. Illinois case allowed states to regulate certain businesses within their borders, including railroads. The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 began on July 14 in Martinsburg, West Virginia, United States and ended some 45 days later after it was put down by local and state militias, as well as by federal troops. Hayes essentially sold out his ideals to the former Confederacy in order to gain the Presidency. He allowed the former Confederate states to return to governing themselves almost the same exact way they had been doing prior to the Civil War. This essentially set the Civil Rights movement back for almost a century, as many â€Å"Jim Crow† Laws were passed to ensure that blacks and other minorities could not rise to the same equality as whites, laws which were enforced in the Supreme Court case of Plessy v. Fergusson, which established the â€Å"separate but equal† mantra, and later overturned in the case of Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. During his presidency, Hayes signed a number of bills including one signed on February 15, 1879 which, for the first time, allowed female attorneys to argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States

Effects of Teen Marijuana Use Essay

According to a 2012 Monitoring the Future study, marijuana is the illicit drug most likely to be used by teens (Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey). Marijuana comes from the plant Cannabis Sativa and appears as a green/brown mix of flowers, stems, and leaves (Teens Health 1). Marijuana is also known as pot, weed, MJ, Mary Jane, reefer, dope, ganja, herb, and grass. Marijuana is most often smoked in cigarettes, hollowed-out cigars, pipes, or water pipes, but is sometimes mixed into food or tea (1). Why are there concerns about teen use of marijuana? During adolescence, many developmental changes are occurring and poor choices could affect a teen’s future (University of Washington ADAI). As a result of teen marijuana use, teens engage in problematic behavior, neglect their education, and risk their health. Problematic behavior remains an effect of teen marijuana use. â€Å"A 2008 longitudinal study of heavy cannabis users from ages 14 to 25 in a New Zealand birth cohort found that increasing cannabis use in late adolescence and early adulthood is associated with a range of adverse outcomes in later life† (University of Washington ADAI). Ashbridge found that there is an increased risk of driving, a doubled risk of being in an accident, under the influence of marijuana (qtd. In U of W ADAI). Driving while under the influence of marijuana risks not only the user’s life, but also the lives of others. An accident caused by a driver under the influence of marijuana could potentially ruin many lives, and could easily be prevented with smart behavior. Marijuana affects ones concentration, perception, coordination, and reaction time; all skills needed for safe driving (courtinfo.ca.gov). Data has shown people who drive under the influence of marijuana show the same lack of coordination as those who drive under the influence of alcohol (courtinfo.ca.gov). Driving under the influence of marijuana is a problematic behavior because it affects many of the skills necessary for safe driving. Criminal behavior is also seen in association with teen marijuana use. In order to pay for drug use, teens engage in criminal  behavior, motor vehicle theft, and breaking-and-entering offenses (University of Washington ADAI). Teen Marijuana users need money to pay for drug use, and in order to obtain money, teens engage in problematic behaviors. There are also legal aspects when selling, using, or possessing marijuana, involving fines, jail time, and possibly a criminal record (Teens Health 2). Teen marijuana users’ problematic behaviors involving the law can lead to consequences, sometimes with the potential to damage the teen’s future. Laws against growing, possessing, and selling marijuana exist in all states but Washington and Colorado (2). Over 7.2 million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges since 1990, many of which were teenagers (NORML). Marijuana association damages the lives of many teens who get caught engaging in marijuana associated problematic behaviors. The problematic behaviors associated with teen marijuana use can potentially damage not only a teen’s future, but also society. In addition to the problematic behaviors that arise from teen marijuana use, problems with neglected education also arise from teen marijuana use. Marijuana causes a lack of motivation in teens, causing them to look at school as unimportant, to not care about what happens in their lives, and to lack concern about their futures (Town of Barrington). Teen marijuana use causes teens to disengage from reality; teens live in their own fairy tale land where they don’t need anything but marijuana, and the future does not exist. This fairy tale has nothing to do with school, causing teens to neglect important years of education, potentially damaging their futures. Teen marijuana use is directly associated with poorer school performance, increased absences from school, and increased risk of dropping out without graduating (University of Washington ADAI). The disengagement from school teen marijuana users experience, causes problems for teens because they neglect their educational privileges. A study on success in school related to marijuana use showed that students who used marijuana had poorer school success than those who did not use marijuana (Finn 3). Teens who use marijuana neglect their education, causing poorer results in school. Students who used marijuana had lower grades, lower classroom participation, worse attendance, more academic dishonesty, and were disciplined more often than students who did not use marijuana (Finn 3). Teens who use marijuana,  and neglect their education, can face many educational hardships as a result. Teens who use marijuana are often alienated or disgraced by their peers, causing them to disengage from school and other activities (OJJDP). Disengagement in, or quitting of, school or school activities, deprives peers, schools, teams, and communities of positive contributions a teen may have made if they did not use marijuana. Neglected education associated with teen marijuana use can potentially damage a teen’s future and can potentially deprive peers and activities of positive contributions a teen marijuana user may have otherwise made. Although teen marijuana use can cause neglect of education, teen marijuana use can, more importantly, risk a teen’s health. Teens who smoke marijuana can experience minor health problems and major health problems. Respiratory problems caused by smoking marijuana such as phlegm, chronic cough, and bronchitis can be viewed as minor problems (Teens Health 2). Another minor problem caused by smoking marijuana is decreased blood pressure, which can cause dizziness (2). Smoking marijuana has minor effects on the body that risk a teen’s health because they can turn into larger problems or can just simply damage a teen’s growing body. One major problem caused by smoking marijuana is the impairment of the body’s ability to defend against infections and diseases (2). Another major problem caused by smoking marijuana is abnormal functioning of lung tissue, ultimately injuring or destroying the lung tissue (Town of Barrington). Smoking marijuana can cause permanent damage to the body; this damage becomes a bigger risk for a teen’s health because a teen’s body is still developing. Some of the major problems can even risk a teen’s life, shortening the life they could have had if they did not smoke marijuana. The last major problem caused by smoking marijuana is the cancer causing chemicals that come from smoking it (SAMHA). Teen marijuana smokers’ risk of developing lung cancer is increased because, in order to maximize their high, they inhale deeply and hold the marijuana smoke in their lungs. (SAMAHA). Teen marijuana smoking can risk a teen’s health because marijuana smoke contains cancer causing chemicals, which could potentially lead to a teen acquiring cancer early, or later in life. Teen marijuana use can risk a teen’s health, potentially damaging their bodies forever. As a result of teen marijuana use, teens engage in problematic behavior, neglect their education, and risk their health. Teens who are associated with marijuana, and participate in illegal activities, could potentially damage their future with criminal records. Teens who drive while under the influence of marijuana risk not only their own lives, but also the lives of others, potentially damaging their futures with criminal records. Teens who neglect their education because of association to marijuana could lose opportunities they would have otherwise had, potentially damaging their future. Teens who smoke marijuana risk their health, both in minor ways and major ways, potentially damaging their bodies forever. Is teen marijuana use really worth risking the bright futures of these teens? Works Cited â€Å"Adolescents and Marijuana.† University of Washington ADAI. University of Washington, June. 2013. Web. 16 April 2014. â€Å"Consequences of youth substance abuse.† OJJDP. USA.gov, May. 1998. Web. 16 April 2014. Finn, Kristin V. â€Å"Marijuana Use at School and Achievement-Linked Behavior.† The High School Journal 95.3 (2012): 3-13. Project Muse. Web. 16 April 2014. Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey. â€Å"Your Teen & Marijuana.† SAMHA. Maine.gov. 2011. Web. 16 April 2014. â€Å"Marijuana.† TeensHealth. The Nemours Foundation, April. 2009. Web. 16 April 2014. â€Å"Scary Stats.† courtinfo.ca.gov. Administrative Office of the Courts, n.d. Web. 16 April 2014. â€Å"Teen Marijuana Use.† Town of Barrington. Rhode Island, n.d. Web. 16 April 2014. â€Å"Your Government Is Lying To You (Again) About Marijuana.† NORML. NORML Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 April 2014.

A gift called “Wife”

6). Is there a word in English that adequately describes – such a paragon of virtues in the form of a beautiful, female, human-being, playing the role of a wife? If there is one, then few women indeed, would qualify to be described thus. Blessed indeed is the man, who is bestowed with such a woman, capable of enriching his entire life, filling it hope, happiness and healthy attitude. Personally, I must say, that I, am one of those lucky husbands who has been graced thus.   My wife is my savior, guide and friend; she is my albatross, averting the turbulent disasters that threaten to drown me in the ocean of my troubles, and guiding me to the shores of safety; very much like the woman praised by the Orientals. Ever since I met her, I have been drawn to her like a magnet. A young, beautiful woman, with a gorgeous body, lovely soft eyes and sensual lips, that make heads turn round instantly. Eligible suitors sought her, as do butterflies circle an attractive flower. Her eyes shone like stars, and her heart was filled with dreams – dreams of making it big, in the Hollywood. She has a sweet demeanor that hides the tensile nature of the resolute strength of her character and, little did I realize this invaluable asset at the time of our marriage. Nevertheless, I felt elated when she reciprocated my love and we walked down the Alter, as man and wife. But, I was to discover that, more than beauty, there were other things that contributed to her attractive personality. The adept professionalism in her single-handed management and smooth execution of our wedding plans to the last detail, unfolded a new aspect of her strength, to me. Our wedding day also revealed to me, the adamant streak in her. I remember, when all was ready and, I was about to enter the premises, she bid me on her mobile-phone, to fetch a particular candle she wanted lit on this special occasion. Unable to refuse the plea in her voice, I turned and started back. I remember, it was a chill, winter day, and a gust of cold wind pierced my face sharply, while searching for her car and groping with the keys. Sweat broke out on my forehead and my breath became heavy, as it was getting late, and I still couldn’t find candle in the place where she had supposed it to be; neither my words of counsel nor the advice of her bridesmaids (which got carried through on the mobile quite clearly), to proceed with the ceremonies without the candle, had little effect on her. It rather made her more stubborn, to have the candle fetched and lit, and she pined that none of us understood the deep significance of her actions. Whew! How I heaved a sigh of relief, when I finally found it. Thankfully, I dabbed away the sweat on my forehead with my handkerchief, and straightened my jacket, now that all was well. Later, I took ill and was down in bed requiring extra attention and care. There she was, by my side, with a soothing smile on her lips and a warm grasp on my wrist, feeling my pulse, monitoring my temperature, administering the drugs advised by the doctor, reassuring me all the time with kind words, that all shall be well. My heart was touched and eyes filled with unshed tears, when she made it to the doctor’s appointment, traveling across half the city – through peak traffic, despite her heavy schedule, to apprise the doctor regarding the status of my health and explore the options of my speedy recovery. The very same adamant streak came to the fore here in albeit in a very agreeable manner; with tenacity she clutched on to hope, never giving up, and adamantly pushed away pessimistic thoughts. Her son depends on this unique trait of hers, to prop him up during the defeating bouts of his mental-illness, and to keep him going. However, we her close kin and kith are not the only recipients of her kindness. She is surely a tower of strength, to many a friend and I personally know of few instances in which she has pulled some friends back from the brink of ruin. Now, am I not right in feeling that I have been graciously granted a rare and â€Å"auspicious† present in the form of a tenacious life-partner? Bibliography Garuda Purana, 1.64.6 –   Tr. J.L. Shastri/A board of scholars, Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology 12-14, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1982. (extracts with notes in [] by JanM, 1997). Retrieved on 24th May, 2006, from website address: http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/garuda-purana.htm

Research Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Research Project - Essay Example While conducting the research, it is important for follow certain code of ethics. First of all, honesty shall be maintained by prohibiting falsification or mispresentation of data. Any kind of biasness should be prohibited while designing, conducting, analysing and interpreting the results. Care should be taken to minimise errors throughout the process. Respect will be given to intellectual property and confidentiality of the respondents. That is why name and other details related to the participants will be kept confidential. Even respect will be given to social responsibilities while conducting the research. I am grateful to my institution and the Head of the Department for giving me the opportunity to conduct this research project on a topic that is so relevant in the contemporary context. I want to thank those people vehemently whose inspiration and influence have helped me to shape this research project. I acknowledge my indebtedness and gratitude to my mentor and teacher, who was a source of continuous inspiration and guidance and without whose support this research project would not have seen the light of the day. I also thank all my friends and faculty members who have helped me to complete this research project. The increase in the number of failures of the first year students at the university is a major cause of concern, both for the education system of UK and also for the universities. The primary reason to be attributed is the change in the learning environment. However, there are also other factors that are equally responsible for this deplorable situation and this paper aims to identify these factors with the help of primary and secondary research. Students undergo different transition phases in the course of achieving academic education. The journey begins at home and then gradually a child goes through different educational institutions like elementary school, high school, and

Napoleonic Wars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Napoleonic Wars - Essay Example By the end of 1813 that mythology of invincibility had disappeared, mainly due to the disastrous campaign in Russia. The background to this campaign was the simplification of national borders and the increase of nationalist sentiments that had at least been catalyzed by French ideas that had developed since the French Revolution. Thus Napoleon's own use of nationalistic sentiment was causing resentment against French domination within other countries (Schom, 1998). This was perhaps not the best time to launch a campaign against a formidable enemy that would take Napoleon far from those countries that were starting to stir against French imperialism. But as with many military commanders both before and since, Napoleon had started to believe in his own legend, and it would eventually lead to his downfall (Gengembre, 2003). In the spring of 1812 Napoleon began to mass his troops in Poland, that was currently under French rule. This was clearly an attempt to intimidate Alexander, who had been showing an increasing tendency not to trust he official alliance between France and Russia. By the summer of 1812 about 453,000 men, probably the largest armed force ever gathered in one place up until that time, had been brought together in Poland. Napoleon called it his Grande Armee, and its message to the Russians was quite clear. The Russians, perhaps aware that the hu... 130 years later to Hitler, Napoleon appeared to be advancing with miraculous speed, but in fact the Russians were adopting a "scorched earth policy" in which they destroyed anything of value before retreating in front of the French forces. This meant that the French could not gather together provisions and supplies that would be needed in the coming winter. Drawn to the centre of Russia, with the supposed prize of Moscow, as a moth is to a light, Napoleon advanced through the country until he met the Russian forces at the Battle of Borodino on September 7th, 1812. This was a bloody, violent battle, but was inconclusive as to its result. Even though neither side had gained a clear victory, Napoleon carried on advancing and entered Moscow on about September 14th. The Russians had deserted the city, Alexander would not meet with Napoleon to discuss terms for the Russian "surrender" and much of the city burned down within days of Napoleon's arrival.Napoleon had won perhaps the most Pyrrhic victory of all time: he was faced with a stalemate in which he had taken Moscow, but could not sustain it because his supply lines were desperately strained and he needed to retreat before the full onset of winter. One of the great mistakes that Napoleon had made was having neither enough nor the correct quality horses. In the retreat many of the cavalry had to kill their horses in order to eat them. Many others died of cold, disease and starvation. This meant that Napoleon's forces could receive neither food supplies nor reinforcements nor supplied for their weapons. The French lost about 200,000 horses in the campaign, as well as 1,000 artillery pieces. These were large losses that Napoleon could not really afford considering the various campaigns that were to come. He had also

Human Capital Explanation of the Contribution of Education and Essay

Human Capital Explanation of the Contribution of Education and Training in the Economy - Essay Example Human capital explanation is one such explanation; it states that education and training has sizeable impact to the individuals, organizations, and the overall economy (Blundell, Dearden, Meghir and Sianesi, 1999, p. 3). In general, human capital explanation takes in stock the personality attributes, knowledge, and competencies that are embedded in the people’s capabilities to perform labour that ultimately results to economic value production. Human capital explanation suggests that education and training increases people’s productivity by imparting useful values, skills, and knowledge thereby raising their income and facilitating the functioning of economic structures (Burton- Jones and Spender, 2011, p. 32). It should be noted that human capital is itself a product of education and training coupled with other aspects such as experience and discipline. Haldar and Mallik (2010, p. 9) observes that numerous studies that have extensively explored on how education and tra ining impact the economy have shown that they significantly contribute to overall output generation in economy. In the context of human capital, education and training are viewed as investments which enable individuals of a particular society to be equipped with skills and knowledge that improve their productive capacities and employability eventually leading to higher earnings. At the aggregate level, human capital explanation stipulate that education and training contribute significantly to the economy through its impact on productivity growth and domestic output (Burton- Jones and Spender, 2011, p. 40). It is in the light of this, that this essay seeks to explain the human capital explanation of the contribution of education and training in the economy. Additionally, the essay discusses the role that the government should play in support of post compulsory education and training so as to provide the incentive structure to individuals and firms. Burton- Jones and Spender (2011, p. 40) note that the human capital explanation has three main components that are critical in understanding the contribution of education and training in the economy. These components include: knowledge and qualifications gained through formal education; competencies, expertise, and skills obtained through training on a specific job; and innate or acquired ability. According to Becker (2004, p. 11), the human capital explanation is founded on the recognition that the decisions of individuals and firms to invest in human capital is the same to that decisions concerning other types of investments that individuals and firms undertake. As such human capital concept view education and training as human capital investments that involve initial costs such as forgone earnings while an individual is at school, training course fees, and tuition fees among other initial costs that an individual hopes to make returns in the future such as through higher firm productivity or increased earnings. Ha ldar & Mallik (2010, p. 22) argue that just like physical capital investments, human capital investments will be undertaken by individuals or firms that aim at maximizing wealth if the return that is expected from the investments is higher than interest’s market rate. So, how does the human capital concept explain the contribution of education and training in the economy? According to Blundell, Dearden, Meghir and Sianesi (1999, p. 20), human capital has three explanations regarding

Describe how a project manager might achieve effective project Essay

Describe how a project manager might achieve effective project management Refer to project team issues considered in the lecture notes - Essay Example oject management, the most important factor to be considered is that all project managers are tasked to accomplish the goals and objectives of their projects. This paper would identify how a project manager could be successful in project management or, more specifically, in effectively completing a project. First, it is important to stress that a project manager is crucial in ensuring the success of a project in the sense that he orchestrates the multiple components and stakeholders involved. He or she must plan the project and at the same time oversee disparate groups, watch for cost overruns, mediate disputes, among other tasks that require balancing. In short, a project manager must deal with several issues including time, cost, people, equipment, resources, commitment and so forth all at the same time. An effective project manager could navigate these issues by systematically addressing them in planning, organizing, staffing the project and facilitating the work. Planning is one of the most important responsibilities of a project manager. If it is performed correctly, then the entire project could run smoothly to the point that it could even run itself. According to Turner (1992), project management is the endeavour in which human, material and financial resources are organized in a novel way so as to achieve unitary and beneficial change. In this context, the project manager’s skill in planning is underscored. According to Harold Kerzner (2009), the project manager, as the architect of the project plan, must provide: the complete definition of tasks, resource requirement of definitions; major timetable milestones; definition of end-item quality and reliability requirements and the basis for performance management. (p. 19) The rationale for such requirements is that, when met, they could result to the assurances that stakeholders involved understand their responsibilities and those problems that could arise from scheduling and the allocation of resources

Freedom as it Exists Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Freedom as it Exists Today - Essay Example Democracy does not look the same as it did in 1620. Self-professed Christians do not believe everyone should have the right to worship in their own manner. They believe their version of religion should be taught in schools regardless of its intellectual merit and foisted on American citizens for their own spiriual good. Renaissance humanism has become so much a part of the consciousness of people in Western societies, that the idea of someone telling them how they should worhip never even occurs to them. Many people who live in the United States also never consider the priveleges of living in a democracy, the ability to have equal say in how the government is run. In fact, people in the United States have become so accustomed to the notion of democracy, many do not even participate in it. That is, they do not exercise their right to vote, which is the privilege of democracy, having an equal voice in what laws are passed and who will represent citizens in government. Even worse, accor ding to Frances Fox Piven is â€Å"the sheer complexity of our economic and political system [that] makes democratic choice and deliberation difficult if not impossible. Democratic possibilities depend crucially on the ability of the public to understand what is happening to our society and why, and especially on the ability of the public to decipher the role of government policies (Howard, 2011, p. 68). Each session of the congresses result in more laws that the average citizen may not understand or even have knowledge of. The candidates for office are chosen on their ability to pay for their campaign and not so much on their fitness for office or their ideas. These people with lots of money pass laws favoring their own kind and cloak it in propaganda that fools the gullible electorate into believing it is for their welfare. When and if the people who were fooled into voting for it find out they have been duped, it is too late. Is it any wonder that many do not vote? They do not k now what they are voting for, and

Engineering Design Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Engineering Design Practice - Essay Example 1) As per the requirements of the Approved Document B it is must for the architect to plan and design a structure in a manner that it should comprises of ample necessities like early conflagration caution apparatuses and proper, secure and efficient evacuation passages. 2) To control the intensification of inferno in the interior of a structure it is necessary to utilize the material that can bear and defy the blazes distribution over it and in case it catches fire, there should be a sluggish rate of temperature release, reasonable as per situation 3) The indoors are ought to be constructed in a way that in case of fire it is supposed to be steady for the utmost period and it must defend against the fire dispersion among two buildings with an tolerable system for the smoke discharge 4) The outside walls and roof of construction must defend against the fire to reach over from a construction to any more having stared to operation, height and pose. The blueprint of structure must be well architected to ease fire-fighters in shielding lives A performance oriented process for structural inferno design is akin to the modus operandi of devious structures to wind masses and seismic effects. The role of a structural component will be definite and a set of objective tests will be prearranged that allocates the assessment of fire recital in relation to the key practical decisive factor on the other hand, Prescriptive method characterizes a structural conflagration design moderately accurate in requisites of the resources involved, contour and extent of structural rudiments, depth of fire safety materials and construction detail etc. The design proposals are mostly based on the practice with matching or analogous standard inferno tests. It is necessary to carry out more than one test for a specific perimeter in array to verify the results obtained from the previous test as in earlier investigations by experts it is revealed

Case Study Portfolio Grangewood Paper Limited Essay

Case Study Portfolio Grangewood Paper Limited - Essay Example In each instance both criminal and civil liability can be founded. In addition, Grangewood is accountable to the Environment Agency. This paper will critically evaluate each of these duties and their respective consequences. In order to understand how poor waste management constitutes a breach of both statutory and common law duties it is necessary to define waste and the health risks associated with waste. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs divides waste into commercial, industrial and municipal waste.1 Municipal waste is typically waste disposed of by households, schools and small businesses. Commercial and industrial waste is collected from the business and manufacturing sectors respectively. Otherwise, there are no residual differences between municipal, industrial and commercial waste. To this end waste is â€Å"an inevitable by-product of our use of natural resources.†2 Waste is any waste materials generated and collected by local authorities or their agents.3 Council Directive 75/442/EEC also known as the Waste Framework Directive refers to waste as any material that is intended to be discarded or ought to be discarded.5 For all intents and purposes, was is construed within the parameters of the Council Directive.6 In general poor waste management practices can lead to loose debris and pollutants which poses a health risk on site and in the general vicinity.7 These pollutants attract insects and become breeding grounds for germs.8 Solid waste degrades and generally pollutes the area. Similarly liquid wastes becomes stagnant and likewise emits offensive odors and attracts insects such as mosquitoes and other germ and disease carrying insects9. Liquid waste is particularly problematic for Grangewood since its dye is left out so that it is exposed to rain and liquidizes into an unnatural state. Simply put, the Waste Management/The Duty of Care/A

Problems of Unemployment in India Essay Example for Free

Problems of Unemployment in India Essay India as a nation is faced with massive problem of unemployment. Unemployment can be defined as a state of worklessness for a man fit and willing to work. It is a condition of involuntary and not voluntary idleness. Some features of unemployment have been identified as follows: 1.The incidence of unemployment is much higher in urban areas than in rural areas. 2.Unemployment rates for women are higher than those for men. 3.The incidence of unemployment among the educated is much higher than the overall unemployment. 4.There is greater unemployment in agricultural sector than in industrial and other major sectors. Economists and social thinkers have classified unemployment into various types. Generally unemployment can be classified in two types: (1) Voluntary unemployment In this type of unemployment a person is out of job of his own desire doesnt work on the prevalent or prescribed wages. Either he wants higher wages or doesnt want to work at all. It is in fact social problem leading to social disorganization. Social problems and forces such as a revolution, a social upheaval, a class struggle, a financial or economic crisis a war between nations, mental illness, political corruption mounting unemployment and crime etc. threaten the smooth working of society. Social values are often regarded as the sustaining forces of society. They contribute to the strength and stability of social order. But due to rapid social change new values come up and some of the old values decline. At the same time, people are not is a position to reject the old completely and accept the new altogether. Here, conflict between the old and the new is the inevitable result which leads to the social disorganization in imposed situation. In economic terminology this situation is voluntary unemployment. (2) In voluntary unemployment In this type of situation the person who is unemployed has no say in the matter. It means that a person is separated from remunerative work and devoid of wages although he is capable of earning his wages and is also anxious to earn them. Forms and types of unemployment according to Hock are. a.Cyclical unemployment This is the result of the trade cycle which is a part of the capitalist system. In such a system, there is greater unemployment and when there is depression a large number of people are rendered unemployed. Since such an economic crisis is the result of trade cycle, the unemployment is a part of it. b.Sudden unemployment When at the place where workers have been employed there is some change, a large number of persons are unemployed. It all happens in the industries, trades and business where people are employed for a job and suddenly when the job has ended they are asked to go. c.Unemployment caused by failure of Industries In many cases, a business a factory or an industry has to close down. There may be various factors responsible for it there may be dispute amongst the partners, the business may give huge loss or the business may not turn out to be useful and so on. d.Unemployment caused by deterioration in Industry and business In various industries, trades or business, sometimes, there is deterioration. This deterioration may be due to various factors. In efficiency of the employers, keen competitions less profit etc. are some of the factors responsible for deterioration in the industry and the business. e.Seasonal unemployment Certain industries and traders engage workers for a particular season. When the season has ended the workers are rendered unemployed. Sugar industry is an example of this type of seasonal unemployment. The problem of unemployment has becoming a colossal. Various problems have caused this problem. There are individual factors like age, vocational unfitness and physical disabilities which restrict the people. External factors include technological and economic factors. There is enormous increase in the population. Every year India adds to her population afresh. More than this every year about 5 million people become eligible for securing jobs. Business field is subject to ups and downs of trade cycle and globalization. Economic depression or sick industries are often close down compelling their employees to become unemployed. Technological advancement contributes to economic development .But unplanned and uncontrolled growth of technology is causing havoc on job opportunities. The computerization and automation has led to technological unemployment. Strikes and lockouts have become inseparable aspect of the industrial world today. Due to these industries often face economic loses and production comes down. Since workers do not get any salary or wages during the strike period they suffer from economic hardships. They become permanently or temporarily unemployed. Today young people are not ready to take jobs which are considered to be socially degrading or lowly. Our educational system has its own irreparable defects and its contribution to the unemployment is an open truth.Our education does not prepare the minds of young generation to become self-employed on the contrary it makes them dependent on government vacancies which are hard to come. Our State right from the beginning of Five year plans has introduced several employment generating schemes and programmes over the years but in the absence of proper implementation and monitoring have failed to achieve the required targets. Recently UPA Government has come up with Rural Employment Guarantee program which aims to provide minimum days of employment to people living in the villages. This is a laudable programme if implemented sincerely because it will provide employment to people during natural calamities like drought, floods etc. The remedial measures for reducing unemployment may lay greater emphasis on creation of opportunities for self -employment, augmentation of productivity and income levels of the working poor, shift in emphasis from creation of relief type of employment to the building up of durable productive assets in the rural areas and instead of attempting to revert somewhat to protectionist policies the pace of privatization may be accelerated.

Protective Equipment Is to Reduce Employee Exposure to Hazards Essay Example for Free

Protective Equipment Is to Reduce Employee Exposure to Hazards Essay Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products.[1] Slower oxidative processes like rustingor digestion are not included by this definition. The flame is the visible portion of the fire. If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma.[2] Depending on the substances alight, and any impurities outside, the colorof the flame and the fires intensity will be different. Fire in its most common form can result in conflagration, which has the potential to cause physical damage through burning. Fire is an important process that affects ecological systems across the globe. The positive effects of fire include stimulating growth and maintaining various ecological systems. Fire has been used by humans for cooking, generating heat, signaling, and propulsion purposes. The negative effects of fire include water contamination, soil erosion, atmospheric pollution and hazard to human and animal life.[3] | Fire Technology is a peer-reviewed academic journal publishing scientific research dealing with the full range of actual, possible, and potential fire hazards facing humans and the environment.[1] It publishes original contributions, both theoretical and empirical, that contribute to the solution of problems in fire safety and related fields. It is published bySpringer in conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association.[2] Arson[1] is the crime of intentionally and maliciously setting fire to buildings, wildlandareas,[2] cars[3][4] or other property with the intent to cause damage. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires. Arson often involves fires deliberately set to the property of another or to ones own property as to collect insurance compensation.[5] Heat In physics and chemistry, heat is energy transferred from one body to another by thermal interactions.[1][2] The transfer of energy can occur in a variety of ways, among them conduction,[3] radiation,[4] and convection. Heat is not a property of a system or body, but instead is always associated with a process of some kind, and is synonymous with heat flow and heat transfer. Heat flow from hotter to colder systems occurs spontaneously, and is always accompanied by an increase in entropy. In a heat engine, internal energy of bodies is harnessed to provide useful work. The second law of thermodynamicsprohibits heat flow directly from cold to hot systems, but with the aid of a heat pump external work can be used to transport internal energy indirectly from a cold to a hot body. Transfers of energy as heat are macroscopic processes. The origin and properties of heat can be understood through the statistical mechanics of microscopic constituents such as molecules and photons. For instance, heat flow can occur when the rapidly vibrating molecules in a high temperature body transfer some of their energy (by direct contact, radiation exchange, or other mechanisms) to the more slowly vibrating molecules in a lower temperature body. Oxygen is a chemical element with symbol O and atomic number 8. Its name derives from the Greek roots á ½â‚¬ÃŽ ¾Ã Ãâ€š (oxys) (acid, literally sharp, referring to the sour taste ofacids) and -ÃŽ ³ÃÅ'ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š (-gÃŽ ¿nos) (producer, literally begetter), because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition. Atstandard temperature and pressure, two atoms of the element bind to form dioxygen, a colorless, odorless, tasteless diatomic gas with the formula O2. This substance is an important part of the atmosphere, and is necessary to sustain most terrestrial life. A fire extinguisher, flame extinguisher, or simply an extinguisher, is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which has reached the ceiling, endangers the user (i.e., no escape route, smoke, explosion hazard, etc.), or otherwise requires the expertise of a fire department. Typically, a fire extinguisher consists of a hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent which can be discharged to extinguish afire. Fire prevention is a function of many fire departments. The goal of fire prevention is to educate the public to take precautions to prevent potentially harmful fires, and be educated about surviving them. It is a proactive method of reducing emergencies and thedamage caused by them. Many fire departments have a Fire Prevention Officer.In the general sense of preventing harmful fires, many aspects are discussed in the articles Fire protect ion and Fire safety. Wildfire suppression refers to the firefighting tactics used to suppress wildfires. Firefighting efforts inwildland areas requires different techniques, equipment, and training from the more familiar structure firefighting found in populated areas. Working in conjunction with specially designed firefighting aircraft, these wildfire-trained crews suppress flames, construct firelines, and extinguish flames and areas of heat to protect resources and natural wilderness. Wildfire suppression also addresses the issues of the wildland-urban interface, where populated areas border with wildland areas. Firewall may refer to: * Firewall (construction), a barrier inside a building or vehicle, designed to limit the spread of fire, heat and structural collapse * Firewall (automobile), the part of the vehicle that separates the engine from the driver and passengers * Firewall (computing), a technological barrier designed to prevent unauthorized or unwanted communications between computer networks or hosts * Firewall (Physics), a blast of Hawking Radiation seen by a freely falling observer upon crossing the horizon of a black hole. Firetrap firetrap is a British clothing company, founded in 1991,[1] specialising in premium menswear and accessories. It is the main brand within the WDT company (World Design and Trade), which also owns its sister brand Fullcircle along with previous brands SC51 and Sonnetti. Firetrap is firmly established internationally and is sold in more than 30 countries[2] and 1,500 stores worldwide. There are eight stand-alone stores in the UK: a Covent Garden store in London and others in Belfast, Liverpool, Leeds, EdinburghWestfield[disambiguation needed], Sheffield Nottingham (2010).[3] The brand is a key player worldwide with a new store in Dubai and concessions throughout Europe including Italy, Germany and France. Conflagration A conflagration or a blaze is an uncontrolled burning that threatens human life, animal life, health, or property. A conflagration can be accidentally begun, naturally caused (wildfire), or intentionally created (arson). Arson can be accomplished for the purpose of sabotage or diversion, and also can be the consequence of pyromania. During conflagration the property is damaged or destroyed by fire. Sometimes the conflagration produces a firestorm, in which the central column of rising heated air induces strong inward winds, which supply oxygen to the fire. Conflagrations can result in casualties, deaths, or injuries from smoke inhalation orburns. Combustion Combustion (pron.: /kÉ™mˈbÊÅ's.tÊÆ'É™n/) or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can produce light in the form of either glowing or aflame. Fuels of interest often include organic compounds (especially hydrocarbons) in the gas,liquid or solid phase. In a complete combustion reaction, a compound reacts with an oxidizing element, such asoxygen or fluorine, and the products are compounds of each element in the fuel with the oxidizing element. For example: CH4 + 2 O2 → CO2 + 2 H2O + energy A simple example can be seen in the combustion of hydrogen and oxygen, which is a commonly used reaction in rocket engines: 2 H2 + O2 → 2 H2O(g) + heat The result is water vapor. Complete combustion is almost impossible to achieve. In reality, as actual combustion reactions come to equilibrium, a wide variety of major and minor species will be present such as carbon monoxide and pure carbon (soot or ash). Additionally, any combustion in atmospheric air, which is 79 percent nitrogen, will also create several forms of nitrogen oxides. Fire point The fire point of a fuel is the temperature at which it will continue to burn for at least 5 seconds after ignition by an open flame. At theflash point, a lower temperature, a substance will ignite briefly, but vapor might not be produced at a rate to sustain the fire. Most tables of material properties will only list material flash points, but in general the fire points can be assumed to be about 10  °C higher than the flash points. However, this is no substitute for testing if the fire point is safety critical. Degree Celsius Celsius, also known as centigrade,[1] is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who developed a similar temperature scale. The degree Celsius ( °C) can refer to a specific temperature on the Celsius scale as well as a unit to indicate a temperature interval, a difference between two temperatures or anuncertainty. The unit was known until 1948 as centigrade from the Latin centum translated as 100 and gradus translated as steps From 1743 until 1954, 0  °C was defined as the freezing point of water and 100  °C was defined as the boiling point of water, both at a pressure of one standard atmosphere with mercury being the working material. Although these defining correlations are commonly taught in schools today, by international agreement the unit degree Celsius and the Celsius scale are currently defined by two different temperatures: absolute zero, and the triple point of VSMOW (specially purifi ed water). This definition also precisely relates the Celsius scale to the Kelvin scale, which defines the SI base unit ofthermodynamic temperature with symbol K. Absolute zero, the lowest temperature possible at which matter reaches minimum entropy, is defined as being precisely 0 K and −273.15  °C. The temperature of the triple point of water is defined as precisely 273.16 K and 0.01  °C. This definition fixes the magnitude of both the degree Celsius and the kelvin as precisely 1 part in 273.16 (approximately 0.00366) of the difference between absolute zero and the triple point of water. Thus, it sets the magnitude of one degree Celsius and that of one kelvin as exactly the same. Additionally, it establishes the difference between the two scales null points as being precisely 273.15 degrees Celsius (−273.15  °C = 0 K and 0  °C = 273.15 K).[3] Fahrenheit Fahrenheit (symbol  °F) is a temperature scale based on one proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736).[1] Within this scale, the freezing of water into ice is defined at 32 degrees, while the boiling point of water is defined to be 212 degrees on Fahrenheits original scale the freezing point of brine was zero degrees. The Fahrenheit scale was replaced by the Celsius scale in most countries during the mid to late 20th century, though Canada retains it as a supplementary scale that can be used alongside Celsius.[2][3][4][5] Fahrenheit remains the official scale of the United States,Cayman Islands, Palau, Bahamas and Belize.[6] The Rankine temperature scale was based upon the Fahrenheit temperature scale, with its zero representing absolute zero instead. Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearers body from injury. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for job-relatedoccupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities. Protective clothing is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and protective gear applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others. The purpose of personal protective equipment is to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective to reduce these risks to acceptable levels. PPE is needed when there are hazards present. PPE has the serious limitation that it does not eliminate the hazard at source and may result in employees being exposed to the hazard i f the equipment fails.[1]

American Vs Australian Healthcare Systems

American Vs Australian Healthcare Systems The following essay discusses personal observations of the United States of Americas health care system and breaks it down in terms of equity efficiency and access. These observations are then compared with knowledge of the Australian health system and produce detailed evidence of the positive and negative aspects of both. Through this comparison the Australian use of the mixed market of operating healthcare is seen to be superior due to its greater development in both equity and access as apposed to the Americans use with only major benefits found within the systems efficiency. The health care system in operation in the United States of America is one oriented towards self provision (Hsiao and Yip 2000). It is designed in a way in which its people are largely responsible for their own health care costs at their own choice. This is the result of the extensive push towards the private sector of health. Personal funding for American health care is usually achieved through employment (Hsiao and Yip 2000). That is, when a person seeks to purchase health insurance they can do so through their employer. This means that people who are unemployed do not experience the same luxury of opportunity. The production of a government funded scheme to support these people was implemented in 1965. The scheme allows for the elderly to attain health care, as well as the poor financed by the federal and the state governments (Nelson, 2007). As this system of health care seems to cover the two ends of society it would seem one of success, although there are still between 45-47 mi llion uninsured people within America that have to pay entirely for any medical expenses they incur, which of course can be quite expensive (Hsiao and Yip 2000; Nelson, 2007). The Australian health care system is designed to incorporate two major contributors to funding, the public sector (as a result of the nations revenue and taxation) and the private sector (private organisations that insure peoples health at an incurred cost). The Australian system provides necessary public funding to areas of what Hsiao and Yip (2000p.2), refer to as adequate need at both a federal and state level. These adequate need services surround the use of general practitioners and hospital visits. As these are not necessarily the extents in which people use the health care system, privately purchased insurance is then available to provide funding for a greater number of health care needs (Hsiao and Yip 2000). The Australian health care system has a similar mixed market structure to health care as the American. This similarity is evident due to the presence of both public and private sectors providing funds to deliver health care. Although there is a similarity in the design of the market associated with health care there are vast differences within the orientation of the health care system itself (Hsiao and Yip, 2000). As opposed to the American system, the Ideology behind the Australian system is that all people should have equal rights to health care. This describes the equity present within the systems Equity within health care is the subject of much debate. Even the definition of the term equity itself is subject to various views and opinion. Mooney and Scotton, describe equity in health care as equal access for equal need (p.13 1999). The reason for this debate resides within the context of values within the society in which it is being attributed to. This leads to the concept of equity within the American model. The American model produces the lack of want and or need by the majority of people to create equity. Equity is seen to be non existent within the American health care model and as noted by Leeder (2003), is admitted to by American health care service managers. The explanation for this lack of equity is due to the ideology of American people. This ideology resides in relation to independence, associated with monetary success. As the association between health insurance and employment is evident throughout the American system, Americans themselves feel it is the responsibility for each individual to look after them selves when it comes to health care (Leeder, 2003). By attaining well paid jobs and thereby access to quality insurance the American system achieves and promotes the self resilience valued by its society at large. The downside of this ideology is that there are in excess of 45 million Americans without any insurance whatsoever. All of these have a reduced access to health ca re services and in most cases a greater need, creating a definitive example of inequity (Mooney, 2003). Equity within the Australian context of health care is of greater ideological value. The policies of adequate care as previously mentioned allow for all Australians no matter there level of income, social status or ethnicity to have a basic level of funding allocated to there health (Hsiao and Yip, 2000).The concept of equity is seen in Australian society to be of higher value as apposed to American society, with the societal desire for a fair go. Many of the developed nations, such as the United Kingdom, value equity in a similar approach to Australia with a greater support for the public sector of health rather than the private (Nelson, 2007). In recent years though, the Australian government has altered its support of the public sector and pushed for the privatisation of health care to cope with problems regarding the current systems efficiency (Hall and Maynard, 2005). This change provoked much debate amongst Australians in conjunction with their values surrounding equity of health care. Efficiency within health care has been described by Bolnick in four main interrelated sectors, these include; Delivering services, creating resources, financing and stewardship (2003 p.5). Delivering Services is an aspect of efficiency that is most evident within a health care system. The term refers to the ability for a system to provide services to its population, for example a health care system that delivers services efficiently would be one with low waiting lists that delivers a quality of resources. For services to be efficient they need a variety of resources to be allocated to them, which develops the need for appropriate financial allocations to these resources. For all of these factors to be successful the need to appreciate the views of the society they impact is necessary, this relates to the concept of stewardship (Bolnick, 2003). Within the American systems service delivery and resources are of high quality, waiting lists for services are low and their variants vast (Hsiao and Yip 2000; Oberlander, 2002; Leeder, 2003). This is one major benefit of the strongly privatised system in place. These aspects of efficiency are strongly recognised by the American people as previously noted by Leeder, creating quite an efficient model of care. The large downside evident in the efficiency of the American model is its allocation of finances. The United States as described by Oberlander, is the highest spender of money on services related to health (2002). This level of spending is greater than all of the other countries that in fact according to WHO are seen to achieve better health (Bolnick, 2003). This excess spending shows inefficiency through Mooneys analysis, in the system through the out weight of costs in association to benefits achieved (1999). Within the Australian system, service delivery, resources and finance are not so efficient. Waiting lists within the system are long making ability to provide resources difficult. As mentioned the recent government has promoted the privatisation of health to encourage Australias efficiency to improve (Hall and Maynard, 2005). Due to the need to accept public values and incorporate stewardship the use of both the pubic and private avenues of funding are still evident within the countries health care system. The last of the areas of health care to be covered is that of accessibility. As alluded to within discussions on equity, access to health care plays a major role in the systems effectiveness. The public model of care is the one that greatly promotes equality and in turn access. The socioeconomic status of individuals plays a major role in their access to health care therefore the application of a publically funded system is necessary to adhere to this populations needs (Hsiao and Yip, 2000). Countries that place a large amount of weight on the private sector of health tend to reduce the amount of access available to their people. The private sector does contribute to the greater ability of higher income earners to receive greater access to health care at their own cost. This may hold great advantage for some but does not deliver the same ability to those of lower socioeconomic status due to their inability to afford health insurance premiums (Hsiao and Yip, 2000). The American access to health care is lacking enormously, as access and equity have strong ties it proves another area of inadequacies. Not only do the people without employment of which dont fit government subsidy criteria have little ability to purchase insurance but many of those who are employed find it difficult to attain insurance due to employer implications. Without health care of any sort the individual themselves is made to pay the complete fund of any of their medical bills without subsidy. Due to the expensive aspects of medical care this makes access near impossible for many Americans (Nelson, 2007). The ethnic population are also at an accessible disadvantage, according to Nelson, (2007) creating a racially achieved gap in the access of the private system. Under the Australian health care system access to health care is achievable for people of all socioeconomic background although this is limited. The greatest problems that occur under this system are the lack of access delivered to the indigenous population of the country (Leeder, 2003). The reasons for this are seen largely to be due to cultural factors as well as geographical restrictions, as white Australians in rural settings also but not to the same degree have less access to health than their metropolitan counterparts (Dwyer, 2005). Through use of my observations and professional knowledge living in a society such as Australia is far more relevant due to my feelings in conjunction to the ethics and values considered within the health care system. A society that is content with trading efficiency for equity such as the United States of America is a society that has significant differences to my morals and beliefs hence the conclusion that the Australian variation of the mixed market, while in short supply of efficiency produces much more access and equity to its people verifying my observations of its superiority.

Insight On Necrophilia,whats T Essay -- essays research papers

Insight on Necrophilia (1999)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author Barbara Gowdy has succeeded in “We so Seldom Look on Love'; to arouse our curiosity through a romanticized depiction of what most would consider a sin, necrophilia. It is most probable that society in the nineteen fifties influenced the style and choice of characters to explore such delicate and obscure behavior. Barbara Gowdy proved herself to be very clever by opening a passage through the soul of a young woman, in order to humanize the inexplicable lust for dead flesh. What better way to translate imagination in its purest form than through the soul of a young women: “When you die and your earthly self begins turning into your disintegrated self, you radiate an intense current of energy.'; (p. 1) Certainly the author wishes to offer an approach to necrophilia that defies the reader’s expectations. The idea that such a disturbing behaviour can evolve in the heart and body of a girl at such a young age, can alter the reader’s preconception on the necrophiliac’s physical and emotional profile: “Necrophiles aren’t suppose to be blond and pretty, let alone female.'; (p. 4) With this statement, Barbara Gowdy reinforces the contrast of the story versus the judgement of her society in the fifties. When the author decided to explore a controversial matter of sexual nature, such as necrophilia, she made a thoughtful decision by choosing ...

Feminism and Cultural Relativism in Human Rights Discourse: Sex-determi

Feminism and Cultural Relativism in Human Rights Discourse: Sex-determination Test in India ABSTRACT: Feminists and cultural relativists are highly critical of human rights even if their criticisms have taken two diametrically opposed sides. This has created a conflict between the two groups. In this paper, I summarize the views of feminists and cultural relativists and then show that there are many similarities between them despite their differences, for they share a common ground concerning human rights discourse. Based on the similarities, I believe that both must work together on this matter by making changes in an inclusive way with regard to human rights violations. This is true not only at the international level but also at national levels. To demonstrate this, I analyze the issue of the sex-determination test in India and show that if feminists and cultural relativists joined hands, then the problem of aborting female fetuses in India (due to cultural conditioning and leading to the larger problem of adverse sex ratios) could be resolved. I conclude by proposing th at medical technology could be channeled in the direction of progress if feminists and cultural relativists work jointly for the promotion of women's rights by recognizing 'different voices' of women across race, class, age, culture, sexual orientation and wealth. Recently, during the world conferences organized by United Nations in Vienna, Cairo and Beijing, the human rights discourse has taken different forms and have created bitter differences among different camps. In these international conferences, feminists claim victory over cultural relativists as feminists were able to reaffirm women's human rights. (1) Feminists and cultural relativists are the... ... (5) See Claude Ake, "The African Context of Human Rights," Africa Today, Vol. 32, number 5 (1987) (6) Hilary Charlesworth, "What are Women's International Human Rights"?, Human Rights of Women, supra note 25, at 617. (7) See Shashi Tharoo, "The Universality of Human Rights and their Relevance to Developing Countries," Nordic Journal of International Law, Vol. 142 (1990 (8) See Radhika Balakrishnan, "The Social Context of Sex Selection and the Politics of Abortion in India," Power and Decision: The Social Control of Reproduction, by Gita Sen and Rachel C. Snow, 266-283; Amartya Sen, "The Economics of Life and Death," Scientific American, (May), 40-47. (9) See the growth of population chart in Amulya Ratna Nanda, Census of India, 1991, Series-1, Registrar General & Census Commisioner, India, Statement 2, 21. (10) Bombay Case Reporter, 20:3, (1988) 2-7.

Alan Bennetts A Cream Cracker Under the Settee Essay -- Play Criticis

Alan Bennett's A Cream Cracker Under the Settee How does Alan Bennett reveal Doris’ character, life and attitude in the dramatic monologue â€Å"a cream cracker under the settee†? Many of Bennett's characters are unfortunate and downtrodden, as in the Talking Heads series of monologues that was first performed at the Comedy Theatre in London in 1992, and then transferred to television. This was a sextet of poignantly comic pieces, each of which portrayed several stages in the character's decline from their initial state of denial or ignorance of their predicament, through their slow realization of the hopelessness of their situation, to a typically bleak Bennett conclusion. The dramatic monologue, â€Å"a cream cracker under the settee† is from that group of six. It is from the point of view of an elderly lady called Doris, who is insistent that the world of her time is much better then the present. She dwells on the past and tells of how things were back then, and how it has changed for the worst. She had fallen while cleaning a picture of her husband Wilfred and most of the monologue is from Doris sitting on the floor in her living room where she fell. Her attitude to the modern world is that it used to be better then it is now, this also shows why she is disapproving of her home help, Zulema, who had not cleaned the picture in the first place. Throughout the play Bennett reviles Doris’ character by showing her affection to the past, she talks to old photographs of her dead husband, Wilfred, and talks aloud to him. This indicates Doris’ apparent loneliness and how she feels â€Å"left behind† by the rest of her generation. When talking about the people she new in the past like Wilfred, she takes on there voice, this shows how she... ...e says it is and sends him away, â€Å"police man: are you alright? Doris: No. I’m all right.† This shows how Doris would rather die then loose her independence as she does not want anyone to think that she cannot take care of herself. This also shows how she has worked herself into a state of mind where she cannot allow herself to give in to the hardship of old age, and refuses to except anyone’s help, this could also be because she is embarrassed about the situation she has got herself into. At the end of the monologue the last stage directions are â€Å"light fades† this shows how they are suggesting that Doris’ life has come to an end and she has given up, you can also take this view from her last line, â€Å"never mind. It’s done with now, anyway.† This leads us to the conclusion that Doris has given up, and knows it is time for her life to end, and that it is â€Å"done with now†.

Mrs.Fields Cookie Case

Zann Johnson Mrs. Fields’ Cookies Case 1. Would you describe Mrs. Fields’ Cookies as more of a functional hierarchy structured along traditional functional lines or more of an IT-enabled network consisting of tailored business processes? I believe that Mrs. Fields’ Cookies started out as traditional, but evolved into an IT-enabled networked that consisted of tailored business processes. Randy definitely had a vision for the company and made sure that what we desired came to life. It also allowed Debbie to maintain a closeness to her stores by being aware of what was going on at each location and having contact with the managers.Therefore, she could feel as if she was there, even when she wasn’t. 2. What role does IT play in the Mrs. Fields’ organizational structure? IT plays a major role in Mrs. Field’s organizational structure. IT allowed the DSM to not only have a closeness with the owner, but it allowed the company to function under a corp orate standard. They can send/receive electronic mail, given a daily schedule (day planner), schedule labor, offer skills tests to employees for raises, assist with interviewing process, have a time clock 3. What challenges does Mrs. Fields Cookies face in the next five years?The next 5 years challenges would be the need for more speed and the internet. New servers would be needed to meet the demand for faster uploading and downloading times. A better backup system and robust security to prevent hacking and viruses should also be considered. A website will be needed to let everyone know of all locations and what items are sold at all locations. This site can also alert customers of specials sale items. How well positioned is the company to meet these challenges? This company is well positioned to meet these challenges.This company already has a mindset to constantly improve using MIS,. They are well aware that their technological advances contributed to growth and better decision-ma king. They next thing would be implementation, which Randy has a drive to see through. The company is already networked. The servers and personal computers at the stores need to be upgraded with faster processors and better operating systems. The company have programmers that could either create upgraded applications and the website or lead in deciding a third-party in creating them. . What advice would you have given Debbi and Randy Fields in 1988? I would’ve advised them to franchise but with very strict rules and controlled rules and guidelines for their franchisees. I would also advise them to seek more acquisitions to expand their portfolio. I would also have advised them to research their competition and seek any ways to stay a step ahead. Also, they should have contingency plans in place for potential emergency situations and potential recessions.

Homeland of the Free

In the poem â€Å"Let American Be America Again† by Langston Hughes, the author portrays America as a place where people try to escape their old life of oppression and struggles to this so called â€Å"American Dream†. But, what they find is â€Å"the same old stupid plan of dog eat dog†. Hughes sees that American is being seen as a ideal utopia while he actually views America as a place where there are too many obstacles in the way to achieve the American Dream. The dream is only stood in the way by the obstacles we create.For the dream to come true, change must happen. â€Å"The dream that’s almost dead today†. The dream is not what it is but, the dream is what you want it to be. The dream pushes down other people when also, the people who are degrading others are no better. Hughes believes the dream is made out of three things: liberty, equality, and opportunity. He hopes that United States will be the dream where â€Å"opportunity is real, and life is free†. Obstacles that we create are made by our selfishness by being tangled in the â€Å"ancient endless chain Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land! . We discriminate against each other which makes it harder to achieve our goals and dreams. Because of the hatred between each other to certain people makes it that, The Homeland of the free was never The Homeland of the free to them.In the text Hughes states that change is needed if we are to achieve this dream. Hughes says that the U. S. A. has never been the dream it should be. Yet, it must be the dream where it is â€Å"the land where everyman is free. That the land is everyone, the people who made America, â€Å"the poor man’s, Indian’s, Negro’s, ME—†. We have to work hard to â€Å"bring back our mighty dream again. † The vision of America that Hughes shows is that the U. S. A. is not what it should be. He shows it as a place where America is no different from anywhere else, and that the same things happen. How can America be a utopia if it is made out of imperfect people? He also shows that even though America has not achieved this dream yet, it must become this dream, because America is the dream.

Introduced to the children Essay

Nowadays, there are so many children television shows introduced to the children. Which are being interactive in a way and the children are enjoying and learning (without them knowing it). One of these shows is the â€Å"Dora the Explorer† of NickJr. , which is very popular nowadays. As it was described the show was created â€Å"†¦starring a 7-year-old Latina girl and her friends. The show is designed to actively engage preschoolers in a play-along, computer-style adventure. † [About Dora the Explorer (n. d. ),Retrieved November 10, 2007from www. nickjr. com/shows/dora/about_dora. jhtml. ] In this particular episode, when Dora received her backpack as a gift from her parents. It was her mother who informed her that she has a present from them. Like a common mother who is loving and caring to her child she was so proud in informing Dora of the gift. While the father is very proud to present the gift to her and telling her all about the backpack. Of how special it is, as her mother had mentioned. The father informed Dora that all she needs is inside the backpack. There are thirteen characters in this episode and mostly are males, only five characters are female including the main character Dora. Comparing with the other female characters, Dora is what you might say of the strong character. As earlier mentioned, he mother is the loving and caring person of her child. While her backpack which was represented by a female voice, represents exactly what is Dora’s character. Also the library’s door is being represented by a female voice, which only shows how friendly and approachable a library is. As for the librarian, we all know that the usual librarian is a female. It is well represented, as a librarian who is friendly, knows who regularly goes to the library. And knows how many books are to be returned by the borrower. While the male characters, are well represented. The father, who cares and loves her daughter, knows what’s best for her. Boots, a caring friend and assistant to Dora always follows her wherever she goes. Though there are times that he gets in trouble, Dora always helps him get out of it. While Drool who doesn’t like anyone to cross his bridge, is like Scrooge. He gives them riddle to solve and if they can’t answer correctly they can’t pass through. While, Swiper the Fox, Dora’s enemy

“Everyday Use ” Summary by Alice Walker

â€Å"Everyday Use† In â€Å"Everyday Use†, author, Alice Walker uses the backdrop of a small town family using characters Maggie and Dee and Mama to symbolize the dynamics of the greater African American color, educational and class struggle in America. She uses the family because it is an institution that every reader can identify with. This is a story of what it really means to â€Å"make it† in the Black family and Black community. Mama typifies the single parent who is functioning in the dual role of mother and father. Walker makes no mention of Dee and Maggie’s father in the story but rather characterizes Mama as a â€Å"big-boned woman with man-working hands†(1) and gives Mama all the physical qualities and skills of a man but embodied in a woman. Mama can slaughter and prepare hogs and bull calves; she can bust up blocks of ice to get the water needed in the house for washing. And she can do all of these things as â€Å"mercilessly as a man†(1). From the beginning of the story, Mama’s character takes on the strength and hardness of presencenormally represented in a man. With Mama, the author shows the daily struggles and assimilation of the dual role that single mothers must embody on a daily basis inthe absence of a father figure. The outward display of Mama’s strength is a foreshadowing of the strength that she will have to summon at the end of the story when she must ultimately decide which daughter will receive the quilts. Mama’s children, Dee and Maggie have their own set of paradoxical differences which are juxtaposed against each other not unlike their mother. There is the conflict of light skinned versus darker skinned; well spoken and educated versus reticent and ignorant. A shapely body with perfect feet versus a skinny and badly burned girl with no style. Brazen and head strong versus cowering and confused. Dee and Maggie are polar opposites of each other, with all of the positive attributes in the favor of the older sister, Dee. The author is illustrating how society has createsa disparity in the Black community with Dee and Maggie. Dee represents the portion of Black America that has tried to â€Å"make it† but has not leant a helping hand down to the people who have paid the way to make it possible for them to succeed in society and to get an education. Dee has forgotten about all of the sacrifices Mama and Maggie have made which have allowed her to enjoy the benefits of her Neo-African-Islamic renaissance. It was Mama and Maggie who took part in raising money for Dee to live out her dream. Dee is symbolic of that portion small portion of society that refuses to both acknowledge and to give back to their families and communities. The only message that they can ever seem to offer is one of criticism and blame. The most vivid imagery of this is when the first house burns down; Dee is the only one who has made it outside safely. She does not yell for help or try to ensure the safety of her mother and sister. She is transfixed on the flames and is seemingly hoping for the house and all of its inhabitants to be consumed as well. Dee stands out in the safety of the sweet gum tree while her mother and sister literally have to run for their lives. Walker shows us the paradox of a person who, having obtained safety, will not extend concern for similar struggles that will be shared by the family. The fire in the previous house beat Maggie’s spirit down. The fire represents the world having beat Maggie because she was not Dee. Neither Maggie nor Mama had the good fortune to be of a fairer complexion like Dee. Maggie already had one strike against her by being dark, which would be made worse by being scarred by her environment (the house fire). Maggie has accepted that she is not bright like Dee and has resigned herself to her mundane life of poverty. She is ashamed of her scars and life experience so she cowers in the presence of strength and in the cruelty of society. Maggie’s natural inclination is to acquiesce. She realizes that she is no match for the likes of Dee and so she concedes the quilts that Mama has promised her to Dee. Neither Dee nor Mama has realized that Maggie does have something to offer to the world. She has a capability and intelligence that are all her own. It is Maggie who knows the family history: she knew the name of Big Dee’s first husband, Stash and that he had whittled the butter dash(3); she made the observation that Dee has never had any friends; she has learned the art of family preservation through quilting with Grandma Dee and Big Dee. â€Å"Maggie knows how to quilt†(4). Maggie’s resourcefulness and knowledge are never acknowledged in the presence of Dee. She can never shine quite as bright as Dee can. Society will never fully lay credit to all that Maggie can offer to the world because Maggie does not look like a person of value should look to us. Alice Walker has raised some challenging issues for us to ponder. How is value both assessed and ascribed? Does skin complexion still both afford some and exclude others from certain opportunities? Walker uses the most protected place on earth, the family structure, to show what some may be afraid to see within ourselves and in our society.

Current Economic Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Current Economic Situation - Essay Example As a result, the USA witnessed a growth in suburbs. Then the 1970’s recession destroyed the predominantly industrial cities and created a way for the growth of the knowledge sectors and new geographic centers. The economy suffered from the inefficiencies arising from the manufacturing era. The West Coast experienced a boom, but many cities focused on cheap yet appreciating housing, turning it into its main industry. Yet, as Florida (2009) outlined in his article, such development was too one – sided so that once the crisis occurred, the housing markets crashed, as did the local economy’s major industry. On the other hand, places such as New York have survived and will remain centers of innovation and progress. The latest developments have favored flexible, innovative and international labor force. Moreover, areas harboring such labor force are also diverse in terms of the skills and services these individuals provide. Such a labor force creates new ideas and easily takes over the economy once one segment of that economy falters. For example, whereas the finance, housing and industrial sector suffered, academics and scientists benefitted from this crisis, and so did the cities harboring them, thus creating new spatial fixes around which new forms of social structures will form. The social structure will change over the next decade or more. According to Florida (2010), the high paying workers will profit from their creativity just as the workers in the manufacturing areas benefitted after the Great Depression. Moreover, suburbs and their communities will become denser, more diverse and connected, responding to the need for fast communication, production and delivery of ideas. A change in homeownership will arise, where renting will become more widespread, increasing mobility of workers. In short, Harvey (2001) borrowed the term

Discussion ch2 and ch4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion ch2 and ch4 - Essay Example Through this example, Barbara Bush gets her message through and entices good-natured laugh from her audience. She mentions a â€Å"new best friend† who is a supposedly a member of the class, and identifies in many ways with the audience. She speaks of Wellesley ten years ago, establishing a common experience and familiarity; also, she establishes a link to the class of 1990 with her story of the class color – the color purple – and takes off from this to the prospects of the future. Mrs. Bush’s tone is natural and conversational. While she duly acknowledges Mrs. Gorbachev as a guest, she does not put on airs about the important celebrities. Also, the simplicity of her message, to find joy for instance, is punctuated with her warm reference to her husband – a reference to family. She also gave the important points of her message in the form of her three most important choices in life. Her message on family is both natural and emphatic. The story of â€Å"Giants, wizards and dwarfs† drives home the point that everyone in the audience is relevant, though they are diverse and â€Å"do not fit the boxes and the pigeonholes†, in a speech of the graduating class of the previous year. Part 2: Discuss/explain the five methods of organizing content discussed in Chapter 4 AND how you plan to use AT LEAST TWO of these most effectively in your own speech: attention-getter, thesis/preview, transitions, closing statement. 1. Develop the body of your speech first – It is best to begin first by writing the body and leave the introduction for later. In this way, the speech is sure to revolve around the main message and not get carried away by the flowery introduction. 2. Clearly state your central idea – The central idea holds the speech to one focal point and creates a stronger impression on the audience. By concisely stating the central idea, the audience more effectively retains the

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

No topic - Essay Example I think that you described Adlers beliefs really well. However, I was a little confused with what you meant in your second sentence.  It was good though that you had the time to write something down because I had difficulty trying to put it into my own words. The quality of education today is far superior to what it was in my day. When my kids were in middle school, they had to learn so much more than I did when I was in middle school. This can be seen in the higher math levels today in middle schools. I believe that our children have better opportunities to gain a quality education at earlier stages in their lives.   It is impossible to stereotype that all children cannot be educated; many children in today’s society are much more mature and have life experiences. On the other hand, there are many adults who are immature and lack motivation. Adler suggested that some children and young adults do not take things seriously, are not responsible enough, and dont have the maturity to fully comprehend what is being presented to them. In order to combat his, basic skills of learning must be taught at a young age and these skills need to be built upon over time so our youth will be prepared enough to become "educated" later in their

Strategic Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Management - Assignment Example Its manufacturing division has 42 food plants and it operates in over 750 stores directly or through subsidiaries (Kroger, 2011). Vision, Mission & Values of Kroger The Kroger Co., one of the leaders in the retail industry has a strong vision and mission statement with people being the first priority in its business. The vision statement of the company should be ‘It’s all for the people’. The company’s main focus is serving the customer, the people of the society with different types of supports for the community. The core value for the firm is to do business with honesty and telling the truth to the associates and customers. With its integration of a mix cultured people in the workplace the company respect the values and opinions off all its employees (Kroger, 2011). To be the leader in the retail industry with its variety of services The Kroger Co. is also involved in social community activities because they believe that it’s the people for whom th ey work so they must respect and care for the community. Every year the company invests on hundreds of communities for various social causes for the betterment of the society. In the past 3 years the total investment is around $8 million in the areas of education, diversity, community needs, women’s health and fight against hunger campaigns. Kroger understands its importance as it is also beneficial for the business process. Kroger being one of the leaders who wants to be the top ranked retailer needs to be in the mind of the people with the positive impacts from its social activities served towards the community (Kroger-a, 2011, p.2). Internal and External Analysis SWOT Analysis SWOT is the acronym for the internal Strength and Weakness for the company and the external Opportunities and the Threats from other firms. Through this technique the company understands its situation in the market and its possible opportunities and the threats from the market. The company’s m ain aim is to maximize the strength and opportunities while minimizing the weakness and the threats. Kroger with about 2486 supermarket and multi-departmental stores over 31 states has a strong position in the US market. It mainly concentrates in the grocery and the food retailing sector. With its attractive location and variety of products and competing price, Kroger holds a strong market position. But the company faces intense competition from player in the retail market like Wal-Mart Stores, The Home Depot and Costco Companies. On the other hand the consolidation in the food market segment has a big competition in the US retail chain market and affects the market share and profit margin. Food contamination is another issue which can harm a brands image. Expansion of the company in different sectors like the finance market is a great opportunity for the firm. The personal finance brand of Kroger helps the people to avail an easy way to buy through grocery banking. As a threat the slowing economy and the higher level of inflation affecting the food industry as it increases the transport cost and thus affecting the price of food. Cost sensitive customers may shift to low cost food products which will affect the profit margin. Figure 1: SWOT Analysis (Source: Author’s creation) PESTLE Analysis Pestle analysis is the tool to understand the market scenario and the external

Contemporary Struggles Within Christianity and Islam Essay

Contemporary Struggles Within Christianity and Islam - Essay Example These issues are lack of fellowship and the lack of Biblical knowledge amongst Christians. However, apart from these culturally based struggles, Christianity is also split by the pressures that stem from modern society. In essence, certain Christians do not have sufficient knowledge of the Bible or its use. Today, not everyone who professes to reading the Bible does so during a week’s time (Geisler, 2010). The Bible is essentially the word of God, as the foundation of the Christian belief. Today, however, many Christians lack the fundamental beliefs of Christianity, the struggle becomes how such individuals can call themselves Christians while they do not even read the Bible and appreciate the fundamental beliefs of Christianity. In addition, since Christians are called to strengthen their fellowship with God and other believers, one contemporary struggle within Christianity is the maintenance of this fellowship. The church provides a place where Christians can gather and fell owship with God and other Christians. However, contemporary lifestyles limit people’s attendance of church compared to the onset of Christianity. The percentage of churches in the current era has dwindled significantly as Christians continue to draw away from attending church fellowships. Christianity beliefs assert that when Christians’ fellowship with one another, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses them. Today, a key struggle within Christianity is support mechanisms amongst believers who become vulnerable to negative teachings in the absence of fellowship. Traditional Christian beliefs provide that when Christians’ fellowship with one another and God, such Christians do not walk in darkness, for instance; they do not lie, steal or kill. Today, Christianity continues to be split by evils such as stealing; even amongst church leaders. Another significant struggle within Christianity is the lack of Biblical knowledge and its ultimate understanding. Responsibilit ies and lifestyles in the modern day deter Christians from reading or studying the Bible. This results in internal issues among Christians who hold different beliefs. For instance, today, it is common to hear Christian groups asserting they know when the world will come to an end, despite the Bible’s clear teachings that only God is privy to such information (Williams, 2000). This has over the past caused substantial problems among Christians, especially following the emergence of false prophets and prophesies. Another formidable struggle within Christianity is finding the right balance between Christians and Muslims, particularly after the advent of terrorism acts across the globe. Struggles within Islam Islam’s doctrines center on the beliefs of peace and love. However, the Islam’s main struggle today lies in the association of Muslims with acts of terrorism and other heinous crimes like piracy and kidnapping. Since 9/11, Muslims face stigmatization on matters concerning security. This stigmatization further augments struggles within Islam, concerning those who condone acts of terrorism and piracy and those who abide by the traditional beliefs of Islam like the maintenance of peace and love amongst human kind (Al-Alwani, 2005). Allah’s teachings, which are the foundation on which Islam is built, demand the maintenance of virtues amongst Muslims. However, modernity has distorted these virtues allowing Muslims to behave in

Psychotherapy and Ethical Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Psychotherapy and Ethical Issues - Essay Example It is generally termed as "talking treatment" in which the person who carries the treatment may refer as the therapist and the person being seen is usually referred to as the client. (The Royal College of Psychiatry) Psychotherapy usually involves different sessions of meetings (normally of 50 minutes or more of duration) between the therapist and the client in a quiet room in which the client reveals his worries and anxieties or psychological problems to the therapist and the therapist analyses the problems and find remedies for it. In order to keep the highest standards of professional practice, each Psychotherapist shall enter into agreement to hold and practice a code of ethics. The therapist needs to consider the integrity and welfare of the client when giving tips to overcome the emotional problems. Services are provided to clients within the parameters of informed consent and voluntary participation. When services are extended to individuals or organizations, there has to be a specific contract, which includes information on the nature of the service or intervention offered, the benefits and limitations of the service, frequency, and cost if applicable. This can be provided to the participant (s) before the service begins. Integrity and welfare of the client must be given prominence in the counseling sessio... Here is an example of a young lady, from a conservative third world country, working as a school teacher in Dubai. She was brought up in a highly conservative family had great moral values. Moreover she was the only daughter in her family which prevented her from acquiring a sound personality. Her school life as school teacher in Dubai initially gone well, but after around 3 to 4 months problems began to arise. She was stern in her approaches towards students and never allowed them to take anything easy in their studies. On the other hand, other teachers were more liberal and the students got enough freedom to grow and even to execute malpractices in their subjects. Thus students began to trouble her deliberately and they began to raise complaints about her quiet regularly. The principal and the management were also more liberal in their approach in order to secure good results for the school, thus, to keep their educational business intact. The principal once called her and asked he r to be more liberal in her approach which was a shock to her. She started to develop some emotional problems and finally, had to undergo a psychotherapy treatment.The therapist has initially heard patiently her worries and concerns with respect to her strong belief in morality and ideals. The therapist has realized that she was a person of high integrity and whatever the points raised by her was ethically right. She wanted her students to learn good behavior and practices in their life and she was ready to face any type of hardships to complete her responsibility. The therapist told the client that this world is not intended for

Narrative Writting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Narrative Writting - Essay Example I’ve lived here for about a year, but I still don’t know all that many people and an invitation to a costume party is unlikely at this point. The only people I know are the policeman and his wife next door and they’re not really the partying type. Then the doorbell rings. Not just the one she’s standing next to in the movie, but the one right behind my head. I almost hit my head on the ceiling I jump so high. The ring is followed immediately by frantic knocking. The knowledge that it’s the killer on the other side of the door in Scream doesn’t help much in getting me to answer the door. My feet are lead anvils and my legs are Jell-O, but some kind of curious invisible hook has snagged inside my belly compelling me to move to the door even while the two hemispheres of my brain argue back and forth about the wisdom of this movement. My right arm reaches to bang on the neighbor’s wall. He is a cop, after all. But the wall we share is on my left side, so it’s a fruitless but valiant effort by the creative side of me to preserve me from my logical curiosity. The ten steps it would take for me to reach the door of my tiny apartment have stretched to a marathon mile and the standard beige carpet has become molasses warmed. I have to walk past a darkened hallway on my right before I even come close to the door. The air kicks on at just this moment and I receive a quick burst of warm air puffing out of the open spaces. It feels like the breath of some giant creature leaning against my neck. The air is stale, I haven’t cleaned yet this week, and it’s full of dust since this is the first week the heater’s been on this year. This hallway reaches back into the bedrooms and bathroom areas. It’s an open hole, a gaping darkness, threatening to swallow me up or concealing malevolent beings, I don’t know which. I’m actually afraid to move across this open space. It just now occurs to me that the cat had